#they’re so stubborn and determined to be independent but at what cost?? and the way they talk behind each others back…

[hotcinnamonsunset]

everyone knows the real thanksgiving celebration is the car ride home where you psychoanalyze your parents to make sure you don’t end up the same😌

[little-sw33tie]

Hello, Toni!! <3 what is this Y/N the third AU that you speak of? I don't think I hear of it.

0w0GI!!!! Okokok so basically it’s an AU I came up with based on Lupin the 3rd!!!

Y/N is Lupin, Sun is Jigen, Moon is Goemon, Eclipse is Fujiko and Vanessa is Inspector Zenigata!!! Vanny is here too in place of Moneta (who is Zenigata but. He went villain mode for a sec)

Also I’m not good at describing personalities please bear with me</3

Y/N is a wealthy, cunning, master of disguise, violence enjoying thief, stealing mainly for the thrill of it! But they have a heart of gold when it counts! Also goofy, they are goofy!!! They’re also stubborn and reckless. Over confident to the point where it puts other in harms way.

Sun is loyal, caring and easily entertained! But he does have a streak of cynicism. Over all though she’s just as intelligent and sensible! Also more professional than Y/N, but still goofy. He’s slow to anger, but his anger is as powerful as his namesake.

Moon is very prideful, and mostly collected. He feels emotions very strongly, but keeps a fair amount of the extent internally. He’s strict yet compassionate and exceedingly patient. Though, during a mission he can and will lose what composure he has to go gremlin mode (they do out outside of missions too, especially to fuck with Sun (Y/N usually joins Moon in these shenanigans)) He can be overly strict and close minded, things should be done his way, follow what he was taught. Be strictly aligned to tradition. He will exercise what he needs to for that to happen. There have been times where his virtue turns to sin, much to his regret.

Eclipse at his core has a heart of gold, though it’s rarely seen. She is a very cautious character with herself, with her moments of greed and some over-excitement. She’s frivolous and care-free all the same. He’s independent, determined and a trickster. She’ll lie as much as she needs to get where he needs to be, or get what he needs, she uses what she has to an advantage at the cost of having trouble trusting people. He’s not above being a little two-faced either.

Vanessa is clumsy and sensitive, but with a strong heart and resolve. Determined and impulsive, she’s outspoken. Her need for justice is what drives her. She’s calculated and competitive. Her borderline obsession with justice has put strain on her relationships, making her more or less alone. The people she works with admire her determination, her ethics and strength but with her focus on capturing Y/N, she would do anything for that to happen. Even a deal with the devil.

Overall I don’t really have a clear clear story in my head but it’s slowly coming together!

@basyacriptid MORE YN 3RD STUFF!!!!

Bonus doodle of Y/N and Vanessa!

[ladyloveandjustice]

Spring 2021 anime overview: Quick Takes

Now for my Spring 2021 anime thoughts! I’ve decided from now on if a season’s like, 20- to-24 episodes I’m just going to wait ‘til it’s done to review it unless I feels super passionately, so though I watched To Your Eternity (it’s good!) and MHA (eh), I’ll comment on them next time. Also, for the record, I watched the first eight eps of Joran: Princess and Snow of Blood but I dropped it because it had clearly crossed the line from entertainingly dumb to boring dumb. 

I will probably give Supercub and some other stuff a shot later, this was a stacked season! May give updates on all that later, but this is what I have for now.

ODDTAXI

Quick Summary: A mild mannered middle-aged walrus taxi driver is drawn into a case involving a missing girl, yakuza, Youtube clout-chasers, manzai comedians and idols with big secrets.

It’s rare to walk away from media and be like “that is a singular experience I will definitely never see repeated again” but ODDTAXI is definitely one of those. A tense noir thriller murder mystery starring cartoon animals that spends an entire episode detailing the one (cat)man’s very fall into darkness triggered by addiction to gacha games and an online auction for a novelty eraser? Also there’s a porcupine Yakuza who speaks entirely in rap? Also there’s tons of meandering conversations about stuff like manzai comedy and the struggle to go viral on Twitter?

Admittedly, I had a hard time getting into the first episode, the dry meandering humor not being enough to hold my attention while I was sitting still, but once I watched this while I was working out at the end of the season, I found it an easy binge. A ton of characters with dark secrets or dangerous ambitions, each with their own part to play in a tableau of intersecting events- and it all actually comes together really well.(As for the female characters, it’s a pretty dude driven story, but they do get nuanced characterization and even some good heroic moments from one of them.)

 It’s a great example of a carefully planned narrative paying off, with all the twists appropriately seeded and foreshadowed to reward viewers who paid attention. Even when it ended on a perfect “OH SHIT” moment and denied me closure, I couldn’t help but respect it. If you that all sounds interesting to you, definitely check out the first couple episodes and see if you like it- you’re likely to have a memorable, satisfying experience!

Shadows House

Quick Summary: Emilyko is a ‘living doll’ who’s told she was created to act as the ‘face’ of her shadow master, Kate. The shadows and their ‘dolls’ all reside on the mansion and are required to pass a ‘debut’ to prove they’re a good pairing. If they don’t pass, they might be disposed of. And so the mystery of the Shadow mansion grows...

This slice of gothic intrigue was my favorite of the season, tied with ODDTAXI. With an interesting premise, slightly tense undertones and a strong focus on character building and relationships, it kept me hooked the whole way through. And for any squeamish fans put off by the hype about it, don’t worry, while there are some suspenseful elements, I wouldn’t qualify it as horror. I thought the relationship between Kate and Emilyko might end up being a completely sinister one, but it’s thankfully a lot more complex than that and it’s really interesting to follow how both their characters and relationship grow. The focus of the show is, unsurprisingly, on the “dolls” slowly discovering their autonomy and personhood as they struggle under the rigid system imposed on them by the mysterious elders of this weird Victorian mansion. Can they develop a more equitable relationship with their shadow “masters” (who are also shown to suffer under this system)? There’s a lot to dig into there, and the show has the characters develop through learning to understand and appreciate each other, which is pretty heartwarming. Our hero, Emilyko, is the typical plucky ball of sunshine (they even nickname her sunshine), but she’s also shown to be clever in her own off-the-wall way and she bounces off the far more subdued and cynical Kate well, not to mention the other ‘dolls’ she ends up befriending. 

What’s more, the show spends plenty of time to developing several other character pairings and combinations, and they all have their own interesting dynamic that makes you want to see more of them. Same-gender bonds are at the forefront of this show, and many of them are ripe for queer readings (I definitely appreciated the healthy helping of ladies carrying ladies), but even outside that it’s nice to see a show where a strong, complex bond between girls is at the forefront. My only real complaints about the show are the anime original ending is noticeably a bit rushed (though it’s not too bad, and leaves room for a season 2) and I wish the animation used the whole “shadow” theme more strikingly (like the opening and endings do)- instead the colors are a bit washed out which makes the shadows blend into the background sometimes. The “debut” arc also drags a bit in places, but it makes up for it by having a lot of good character integration.

I hope to check out the (full color)! manga soon and see more of this quirky, shadowy story. There’s some physical abuse depicted, sad things happening to characters and naturally the whole “oppressive familial system” thing, but otherwise not much I can think of to warn about. I give this one a big rec, especially If you’re a fan of gothic fairytales and stories of self discovery.  

Zombie Land Saga Revenge

Quickest summary: In this sequel season, everyone’s favorite zombie idol group must claw their way back into prominence after a disastrous show- the fate of the Saga prefecture LITERALLY depends on it!

This was a fun follow-up to the first season- if you liked the first zombie-girl romp, you’ll probably enjoy this one. In fact, there were a couple areas it improved on- namely, Kotaro failed, ate crow and embarrassed himself a lot more this season, which made him more likeable (as did the fact the girls gained a lot of independence from him). This season also shed more light on what the ‘goal’ of this zombie raising project is and what kind of shit Kotaro got involved with to make this happen, and it’s appropriately off-the-wall and ridiculous. We finally got some backstory for Yugiri too! I wish it had focused on more of her interiority, but she got to be a badass in it, and it was a treat to see this zombie idol show turn into a period piece for a couple episodes (also her song ruled).

 Tae also got a cute focus episode and there was a particular SMASHING performance early on! Also That revelation last season that had the potential to turn creepy hasn’t yet, and hopefully never will. The finale was heartwarming with big hints of more drama to come- I’m definitely down for more zombie hijinks!

Vivy: Flourite Eye’s Song

Quickest Summary: A songstress AI named DIVA (nicknamed Vivy) is approached by another AI named Matsumoto, who says he’s from the future and they must work together to prevent AI exterminating all of humankind 100 years from now.

This show is absolutely gorgeous visually with some really nice action scenes, but when it comes to the story my feelings basically amount to a shrug. It’s fine! I guess! Vivy starts out as an interesting layered character- and I guess still is by the end- with her stoic but stubborn determination bouncing off her fast-talking bossy partner Matsumoto well. She never listens to him, which is delightful. The way the show took place over the course of 100 years was an interesting conceit as well. However, it bought up a lot of themes and then sort of... dropped them. For instance, Vivy interprets her mission (PRIME DIRECTIVE if you will) as protecting humans at all costs, no matter how destructive said humans are or what their fate is supposed to be, and is perfectly willing to murder her fellow androids to do this, showing she inherently thinks of androids (herself and her own people!) as less worthy. Which is a little alarming! There’s a very dramatic point in the show where they bring this up as a potential conflict for her character but then it’s sort of...dropped. Pretty much.

Actually, despite the premise, the show doesn’t dip into the “AI rights” as much as you think it would with the main theme being more about Vivy’s search to find her own creativity and discover what it means to ‘pour your heart into something’. Vivy herself doesn’t actually care if she has rights or anything. Which is in some ways fine, because ‘AI as an oppressed class’ has been done to death, but IT’S ALSO KIND OF IN THE PREMISE, so that means that the show just shrugs really hard at a lot of the questions it brings up  basically just going “humans and AI should work together probably” and that’s it. There’s a lot that feels underexplored. The antagonists in the show also either have motivations that don’t really make sense or have boring hackneyed motivations. In the finale in particular, it feels like a lot of things happen “just because” and it falls a little flat.

I also have to warn that one of the arcs focus on a robot ‘pairing’ where the dude-coded robots actions toward his partner are straight up awful and rob her of her autonomy, but it’s played like a tragic love story. I suppose you could read it differently too, but it definitely made me go ‘ew’ the story seemed to want me to sympathize with this robo dude,

Overall, I wouldn’t anti-recommend this show, it’s an all right little sci-fic romp (and definitely SUPER pretty). My favorite element was definitely the episodes where Vivy develops an entirely new (an loveable) personality, because it played with the idea of of an AI getting “rebooted” really well and interplay between her two “selves” was done really well. But there are a lot of other parts of the show that just feel...a little underexplored and empty, making me have an ‘eh’ feeling on the show overall. It’s definitely an ambitious project, and while it didn’t quite stick the landing, there’s something to be said for a show that shoots for the stars and falls short over a show that just languishes in mediocrity.

Fruits Basket The Final

Quick summary: The final season of that dramatic drama about that weird family with a zodiac curse and the girl who loves them.

It’s very weird that after not cutting a lot out, they kinda sped through some material for, you know, the finale. I guess they thought they couldn’t stretch this final arc to 26 episodes? Or weren’t cleared for another double cour? However, though there were a couple places that felt awkward, despite being a bit condensed it mostly held together pretty well for a D R A M A T I C and ultimately heartwarming conclusion. I was really disappointed they kept the part where Ritsu cut their hair for the ‘happy ending’, I thought  their intro episode not showing them in men’s clothes meant the anime had decided their presentation didn’t need to be “fixed” but WELL I GUESS NOT. That was the only big upset for me though, otherwise the adaptation went about how I expected, sticking to the source material. Furuba has a lot of bumps, from weird age gap stuff to ...gender, but it also has a lot of important feels and great character arcs. It was a gateway shoujo for many and has its important place in animanga history, so I’m glad it finally got a shiny, full adaptation.

[readingsbylibramc]

birth chart reading for @m4gn3tic

hello! welcome to your reading. I’m gonna give you a quick overview of what I’m going to analyze about your natal chart. feel free to ask me anything if something isn’t clear, of course. you’ll find out your dominants’ influence on your persona, your physical appearance, impression on others and the way you approach the world; your ego, identity, the real you; your reactions, your desires, inner emotions; your way of expressing your feelings, your mind and ideas; your desires and approach to love; your energy tank, instincts and temperament; in-depth analysis of each house with their rulers and analysis of heavy aspects; love life + soulmates/karmic partners interpretation; your relationship with your friends; your family life; your approach to career and work in general + possible jobs suggestion; your style, fashion sense analysis; life purpose and past life description; basic transits’ analysis to describe your current mood and, last but not least, your secret skills, how to make the most out of your soul and manifest what you desire based on your birth chart.

🦋 chart shape, dominants

your chart is a seesaw shape. your life focuses on different ideals and interests, often constrasting between each other. from one side, this gives you the ability to be adaptable and find solutions easily. on the other hand, you may struggle with balance; for example, you might find yourself dedicating your life to your relationships, neglecting your ego or viceversa. you need to learn how to harmonize these energies.

your dominant planets are venus, the moon and the sun. you are definitely a very creative individual, you have an eye for aesthetics and you're probably very artsy as well. you are confident and you have a very charismatic personality, people usually look up to you, even though you could sometimes be quite stubborn and sensitive to criticism.

your dominant sign is taurus. you're a chill person, you prefer staying at home instead of going out and partying. you are quite stubborn, but that's because you're passionate about your ideas and beliefs. you prefer trying and take action, even if you risk to hurt yourself, instead of just standing still and observing. you find comfort helping others; it's a way to feel satisfied both with others and yourself, as you like proving your skills and talents.

your dominant element is fire. you have a warm heart, even though it may be covered by your confidence and independence. in fact, you always strive for the first place. people may be intimidated by your presence, as you're a serious competitor. thanks to this competitive nature of yours you may be very positive and optimistic, making you a good and supportive friend/partner.

🌎 ascendant in sagittarius, 22° / 3rd decan ruled by jupiter and the sun

you see the world as an adventure. I feel like you typically don’t relate to sagittarius ascendant stereotypes; sag risings are usually very happy-go-lucky, they smile often, but pluto being conjunct to it may change things a bit. you’re more of a loner, you’re not as extroverted as other sagittariuses. you may relate more to scorpio rising, actually. ironically, you often look sad or angry. you have a knack for philosophy, and your favourite is most probably ‘you only live once’. you tame dying before making the amount of experiences you want to have in your life, hence you could even be impulsive sometimes. you’re the type to always be up to crack a joke or anything that can make you and others smile, yet when someone gets against you, it’s over for them. you have quite of a sharp tongue, you’re pretty blunt and straight-forward. in fact, you may often get in troubles due to your impulsiveness, which may be misunderstood. you have an incredible charm to you; it’s not like taurus’ or libra’s, those are more related to physical traits. sagittarius people, on the other hand, are surely very talented at something; maybe, at school you were one of the best students, and everyone recognized it and appreciated you for that; people understand your potential, and you may often receive compliments for your skills. basically, your personality is charismatic. due to pluto being conjunct the ascendant, I feel like you may even struggle too much with pessimism during your first years, but in case you are, you shouldn’t be. jupiter is also your dominant planet, and it’s willing to give you the best of luck if you respect its themes. hence, you need to have faith in the universe and be optimistic. try to look more at the positive sides in life and even in people. physically, sagittarius is all about abundance, hence you may have trouble losing weight. you could have big bones, or at least something bigger on your body that doesn’t make you look like a model. you’re more on the thick side, in fact you probably have a wide bone structure, with wider hips and/or thick thighs. you could also have wide shoulders, and something big and memorable on your face as well. maybe you have a very distinctive nose, or perhaps your eyes are almond-shaped. your forehead and lips could be pretty wide as well. I’ve also noticed that sagittarius people have a very lively sparkle in their eyes, even though they may be very dark. it’s like having two/three tiny diamonds at the centre of each of your eyes. last but not least, you may have freckles and very curly, or at least thick, hair. you may also have very dark hair / features in general, and perhaps you have long limbs too.

gemini venus opposite sagittarius ascendant: this aspect makes you more sociable and prone to interact with people. you’re also most probably very attractive, people are naturally drawn to you. the downside of this placement is that you may suffer from self-esteem issues, as you really care about others’ impression of you. maybe you’re a little bit clumsy too. it’s easy for you to gain popularity, but be careful as it’s not always good. popularity brings scandals too, so people you see in your everyday life could possibly start gossips around you. the good thing about this aspect is that you emanate loyalty, so you usually choose loyal and trust-worthy partners. this placement may also bring issues and problems in marriage with your future partner, even though I don’t think it’s your case. your venus is well-placed, so I don’t think there’ll be serious problems.

sagittarius ascendant square virgo jupiter: you probably learn a lot from people around you. you're most likely surrounded by wise, spiritual and possibly foreign individuals in your life. they help you to grow up, both spiritually and mentally. this placement also softens your introverted plutonian image, making you look more outgoing and approachable. you're also very open-minded, and you rarely have prejudices. the downside to this placement is that you may be depend too much on your friends or lovers, especially when it comes to your beliefs. you're easy to influence, and you may change your mind often if others disagree with you. you could possibly have high expectations from others, creating a false idea of those who surround you. at least, you're aware of your abilities and you have the potential to make the most out of them, but you're modest about it. you don't come off as bossy, as other jupiter - asc aspects would.

sagittarius ascendant conjunct sagittarius pluto: pluto, combined with your sagittarius rising makes you look a little bit naive. people may try to take advantage of you, and to defend yourself you tend to become bossy. you’re really competitive, and feel the constant need to prove others’ wrong, even though it’s not the best way to do it. in your life, you could encounter lots of enemies that may try to stop you from transforming yourself. or maybe, your grandfather is an authoritative figure in your life and in your family’s in general, and his influence has a big impact on your life. also, something I’ve noticed about pluto conjunct ascendant individuals is that they may feel unhappy when they’re young. as time goes by, they transform and become as they want, which makes them feel more satisfied with themselves.

🌞 sun in leo, 14° / 2nd decan ruled by the sun and jupiter

just like the sun, you shine brightly. you're confident, independent, brave and friendly. you're the only who can handle your life, no one can tell you who you are, what you want or what you need. sometimes you can get insecure, as you feel pressured to always be perfect. you try to be nice and kind to everyone, as you don't wanna be seen as someone unpleasant to be with. even though you may be into gossip and rumors, you try to avoid being involved with them at every cost. the thing with leo is, you're either loved or hated. no inbetween. some may admire your confidence, assertiveness and determination, others may be jealous of you. you have celebrity-like presence, you don't go overlooked. you're most probably the life of the party, and you enjoy living a life full of fun and amusement. you're also amazingly creative. with your heavy leo influence, you have the potential to do and achieve whatever you want, you're very resolute. even though you look very open to getting to know new people, you're secretly very picky about who you call your friends, or even when choosing a partner. you always try to be perfect, and hence you want someone that looks and tries just like you do.

🌙 moon in taurus, 4° / 1st decan ruled by venus

the moon is exalted in taurus, so it's definitely a good placement! you're very peaceful, you try to avoid conflicts when you can. this placement makes you crave stability, whether it's financial, in love etc. you must be very stubborn, as taurus is a fixed sign. this placement, paired with your imaginative leo energy, makes you settle on making your ideas concrete, and it's very beneficial. it makes you capable of achieving any goals in your life. you're also very artsy, and you may fancy particular art styles. you have a good eye for aesthetics, and you care a lot about the looks of your house, body, clothes etc. you have excellent concentration, and that is another thing that helps you achieve your goals and make your ideas concrete. last but not least, you're amazingly patient, and that makes you a great friend. probably, they vent a lot of their worries to you, as you're also a great listener.

🗣 mercury in virgo, 8° / 1st decan ruled by mercury

you have a very logical, pragmatic mind. ironically, this creates contrast with your leo energy, confusing you as you may act differently in different situations. you try to be as well-spoken as possible, especially with strangers, but when people get on your nerves you can’t help but kill them with your words. before expressing your opinion on a certain matter, you like making sure that your thought actually has proof to be supported. you’re very analytical, and hence you also overthink a lot. especially when it comes to people you care, you start overthinking so much about little things like late replies to messages that you create a variety of hollywood-worthy scenarios in your head. you also pay lots of attention to details, and you can’t tolerate typos and grammar mistakes. you always try to speak and write in the most correct and polite way as possible. you may have an elegant, yet neat handwriting. your voice probably sounds very calm and collected, yet you don’t have any problems speaking at a louder tone.

❤️ venus in gemini, 29° / 3rd decan ruled by mercury and uranus

this is the flirtiest, most romantic gemini decan, but also the flakiest and most indecisive. your flirting style most probably includes jokes, teasing… things like that. even though you may seem flaky, as you like experiencing romance with different types of people, you’re actually quite picky. in fact, in order to fall for someone, you need to feel mentally attracted to them, not just physically. someone ignorant and stubborn that doesn’t care about learning something most definitely isn’t for you. you’re not the type to be super romantic and sweet with your partner or just people in general. you show your affection for example by sending them memes, making ironic jokes about them etc. also, when you’re into someone, you probably get very talkative! you start asking them simple questions about their life, even things like 'did you have lunch?’. also, you talk about them with all of your friends, and you find yourself thinking costantly about them. you’re very curious of nature, but you’re only interested in getting to know what catches your eye.

gemini venus square virgo jupiter: you come off as a very positive, happy-go-lucky person. you're extremely friendly, and this makes you be good at social relationships. you may have lots of friends, or at least you have the potential to make many if you opened up and talked to them. yet, while this energy gives you positive vibes, some people may take advantage of that, as you could easily be mistaken for naive. people can try to dominate you unconsciously (sometimes even on purpose) not only in relationships but even in friendships. aside from that, I don't think this placement causes you many problems. you may have the tendency to procrastinate and not work. you could be quite lazy and get easily distracted, as you're constantly with your head in the clouds.

💥 mars in leo, 27° / 3rd decan ruled by the sun and mars

praise and success are what motivate you the most. your main goal in life is being praised for achieving your goals, you wouldn't feel motivated without compliments. therefore, you put energy in things that make you feel confident and noticed, as you enjoy being seen. for example, if you feel confident being well-dressed, you could spend hours in the closet to look how you want. you are very creative, you get an energy boost through creative outlets, and hence your hobbies (reading, writing, dancing, singing, drawing, etc.) recharge your battery. this placement also makes you very extra, especially with people you're close to. you may gesticulate a lot, you could as well enjoy mimicking others' voices. you're basically very dramatic, you look like an actor when you react, but at least you're very fun and entertaining to watch and listen. this placement, it gives you a strong charisma that, and combined with your sagittarius rising, it makes it impossible not to notice you. you could overreact from time to time, and you may also be particularly pessimistic, but above all you appear as someone very bold and strong-minded.

🏡 houses

your 1st house is in sagittarius, with also chiron placed there. you come off as someone very sympathetic and bold, you're probably the fun one in the family or in your group of friends, even though pluto's presence conjunct the ascendant may delay this energy. you are very charismatic, you have a witty sense of humor and people are always pleased to have you around, as you're able to light up the room. people always see you as someone easy to talk to, someone trustworthy. you probably have great problem-solving skills or, otherwise, you just ignore your problems and wait for time to heal. you're also quite spiritual, you may be sensitive to higher entities and you could possibly also be religious. chiron is also here: your deepest insecurity is your appearance, your identity. it may be that when you were younger, you used to struggle a lot with your appearance. you could have been bullied, or perhaps you could have suffered from an eating disorder. luckily, this placement can get better. in fact, you can gain wisdom from this wound of yours; you can heal others who have self-worth issues once you start loving yourself.

your 2nd house is in aquarius. neptune and uranus are also placed there. your relationship with money isn’t stable at all. you may often go from periods where you earn a lot of money and possessions, to other times where you lose all of them all of a sudden. same thing goes for your self-esteem, it fluctuates a lot. you find beauty and aesthetic in material things; you most probably love clothes, art, music… anything that isn’t exactly a priority in life, but that allows you to express your personal taste, which is very refined. this placement makes you very creative, and hence you could make money out of your creativity. it would be a great way to find a job and become successful, but also to increase your security and confidence. you could even be a very innovative person, and with your leo sun you would make an excellent leader / boss. you could also make money through internet or with technology in general.

your 3rd house is in pisces. when it comes to speech, you’re most likely more introspective. you may not be much talkative, and most of the time you keep your ideas and thoughts to yourself, but actually it's hard for you to hide them. you may be secretive, but you're easy to read. you learn the best when you’re close to creativity or imagination, you’re very intuitive and hence it's easier for you to learn new topics. while you're very empathetic and you're able to properly convey your thoughts and feelings in your speech, you may also come off as sensitive or even insecure. you may have a quiet voice, and hence you could come off as shy. on the other hand, you may have the tendency to lie, or just being confusing in any way. you may not always express what you want crystal clear, as you want to able to modify the story just in case you encounter some hardships. also, you never truly express your feelings, probably out of fear. you’re always vague, and you keep your private matters for yourself. pisces is a mutable sign, so you may also find yourself changing ideas often, your mind wanders from one thought to another.

your 4th house is in aries. while outside you may appear as very polite, when you feel comfortable you actually become way more fiery. you’re very impulsive in your home environment, you could have been some sort of warrior in your childhood. maybe you used to argue a lot with your parents, perhaps because they were too overprotective. yet, I don't see any kind of trauma. you may have a very strong emotional bond with your family, even though you may argue often as you're all pretty sensitive and impulsive. you could be particularly attached to your mother, even though you used to argue a lot. the moon is also sitting in this house: your privacy and security are the centre of your life. you need to be and feel emotionally stable to fully take advantage of all of your skills; for example, if you argue with a loved one of yours, especially if it's someone from your family, you could get very unmotivated to do anything. you need to feel complete to function correctly, and when you can't, you rely on material goods; e.g you may overeat, buy a lot of useless things out of stress, drink... anything that apparently helps you to cope. on the other hand, you're very affectionate, even clingy at times, but your feelings are very pure. because of that, you may also be extremely sensitive, you could be afriad of others' judgment for example.

your 5th house is in taurus. you are a very creative, artistic person. you’re able to relax by watching netflix, eating, writing, painting… anything that can be done at home. you’re not the type to hang out too often or party all night, you’re more of a homebody. you could also love sleeping in, just being able to stay in bed all day wearing comfy clothes is a vacation for you. you always try to be at your best state, and you want those who surround you to be perfect too. it's hard for you to fall for someone, as you take everything in consideration: personality, physical appearance, fashion sense... it may look like it is too much, but once you find the right one that truly satisfies your standards, you're in for a long ride. you'll want to travel, live your life in the best way possible with the person you love.

your 6th house is in gemini. in your daily routine, especially at work, you have to communicate a lot. you come in contact with lots of people, or maybe you write stuff like blogs or books. generally, you have a very hectic schedule, as you have different hobbies and appointments that you can’t abandon. this placement indicates that you may be prone to overwork yourself, as you put a lot energy in your job. you could be quite superficial in a certain sense, and you’d risk to waste your potential with as you may take your job as a challenge, for example, you need to feel mentally stimulated to like it. in fact, your ideal career has to include something that allows you to express your personal taste, ideas and interests. in this way, it won’t feel too heavy to you, and you’ll find pleasure in working. as for your health, you may have problems with your lungs. you may suffer from anxiety or asthma, for instance, or anything that doesn't allow you to breath properly.

your 7th house is in gemini. saturn and venus are also placed there. in a partner, you seek someone intelligent that is able to keep up with your rhythm. you don’t have time to nurture someone, you want them to fully understand you. in fact, you may be more attracted to older partners, as they’re supposed to be more mature. I don’t see many issues arising in your marriage life, it will probably be very peaceful, but it may take you a while to find someone you like. you’re a picky person when it comes to love, you want someone hard-working and responsible with a big brain, yet they should also be quite outgoing and funny. you need mental stimulation, someone that is a constant adventure for you and that is worth exploring. maybe, you're actually afraid of falling in love; or perhaps, it's the opposite: your risk-taker sagittarius energy made you jump into relationships, even if they weren't actually your priority. it may be hard for you to fall for someone, but once you do, you're totally invested in them. you're quite of a traditionalist when it comes to love; you may the type that prefers being courted, rather than court yourself. you're also quite into clichés, and you're looking for a polite and ambitious partner. someone who has a stable job, and is also wealthy. basically, someone that looks (and possibly is) rich and noble. you may also have the tendency to date people that are older than you, and possibly also soulmates from your past lives. in fact, you attract many karmic partners that are here to teach you lessons. your relationships may be quite painful, or at least they're so intense that they are hard to forget. with this placement, it's also recommended to get married after your saturn return, hence after your 28-29 years old, to avoid any kind of challenges.

your 8th house is in leo, with also your sun, mercury and mars sitting there. you have the potential to become a very successful individual, with a great amount of charisma. yet, since the 8th house is related to pluto, the malefic planet of transformation, there are some hardships to this placement. in fact, you may have the tendency to look down on people that aren’t as open-minded as you are. I have the same placement, so I understand that it’s not easy at all, but you should learn to accept respectful people’s opinions. if you do that, you’ll finally be able to glow brightly. you’re very curious when it comes to taboo topics, you like learning about them. you’re probably into conspiracy theories, as well as matters like astrology, tarots, horror, tragedies, mystery... you can use them to transform yourself and grow up, so you could definitely use this birth chart reading to improve yourself. 8th house is also the house of karma, and yours is kind of strange. you may often feel like you’re right about something, e.g the sky is blue. you’re very proud of your observation, but then it turns out to be different. it’s like the universe is constantly teaching you new things. luckily, this is something that gets better with time. you’re an extremely goal-oriented person. you want to be the best at everything you do, not only to be better than others but also the best for yourself. you’re very astute, it’s impossible to trick you, and you always find a way to be in charge and get what you want. yet, you can get quite obsessed about your goals, that you could do extreme things to get what you want. in fact, people with this placement can even manipulate others, as they’re totally capable of doing that. in addition, your sun being in leo makes you extremely charming. people are naturally attracted to you, you have a way with words, and hence you’re always able to convince others into giving you what you want. but luckily, this doesn’t turn into manipulation, you probably don’t even realize this skill of yours, and hence you don’t use it to damage others. you are very persuasive, but you don't do it on purpose, you could actually be a little naive. when you get angry, you could actually get scary, though. your emotions are very intense, it’s hard to calm you down.

your 9th house is in virgo. at school you were a very diligent student; you were practical, precise and organized, you enjoyed studying at being the best in class. yet, you could be quite bossy at times, as you could come off as a bit too arrogant but you're just very dedicated. on the other hand, you're also very intelligent and open-minded above all, you could feel particularly drawn to foreign cultures and languages and you could be naturally skilled. you may also get to travel a lot or even move abroad at a certain point in your life, you're definitely a citizen of the world and you hardly ever have prejudices.

your 10th house is in libra. you have an eye for aesthetics, and you want to have a reputation for looking classy and mannered. basically a lady, but that knows how to stand up for herself. in your ideal career you need something that makes you express your need for beauty, possibly even justice. you may have a passion for poetry and literature in general, or maybe you could be particularly skilled at fashion. you have a natural talent to match colours with undertones, body shapes, vibes etc., and you could make this particular ability of yours a job. you’re also a charismatic, strong-willed speaker, hence you could also do well as a lawyer, a politician, an activist etc.

your 11th house is in scorpio. you are extremely picky with your friends. you have trust issues, probably caused by your karmic issues again, that make you secretive around your friends. you may close yourself in your shell, or maybe you actually know a lot of people, yet you only consider a few of them your friends. most of the time, you may also befriend people that try to take advantage of you, people may betray you often. or perhaps, since there’s a possibility that you understand that, you could be the one who leads the group and acts quite bossy. this is something that gets naturally better with time; actually, your friends will be of great help for you to grow up. you may have big dreams for your future, yet you may feel intimidated as they’re very intense, and hence hard to make come true. you need to pay your karmic debts in order to finally feel comfortable with others and have the motivation to achieve your long-term goals.

your 12th house is in sagittarius, and pluto is also sitting there. you're particularly interested in religion and higher beliefs, hence meditation would be effective for you. yet, you need to get enough sleep, or you could not be able to fully embrace the spirituality of this placement. you may also be able to have prophetic dreams, or at least they have a strong moral beyond them. possibly, you could make lots of good dreams, even though you do have many nightmares as well. perhaps, your dreams could bring you luck; for instance, you may dream about the winning numbers of the lottery, or maybe they may warn you about certain people or events in your life that could harm, you are strongly connected to your higher self.

❤️ love life, soulmates

in love you attract gemini, aquarius, libra, capricorn and taurus. your future spouse will most probably have capricorn, aquarius and libra placements, hence they’ll be very hard-working, intelligent and witty, but also very sarcastic and a bit moody. it may be love at first sight, and you may find them very attractive. you may also meet at work, or you're going to be introduced to them by your family or friends. you'll most likely also meet them abroad, they may be foreign or at least they have a different cultural background from yours. or perhaps, you're going to marry someone older than you, and you meet them later in your life, around your 27s/28s and so on. your children will be heavy in taurus and libra placements, hence they’ll be very creative and quite lazy too, they'll probably love eating and they will like playing around. yet, they could be a bit too stubborn and sometimes materialistic.

👶🏻 family life

your mother is a very fiery person, with a short-temper. she could have sometimes even been quite violent with you during your childhood, and she might have a bit of a childish behaviour. deep down, she’s actually kind of insecure with her role as a mother. she may have aries, libra or cancer placements in her chart. your father, on the other hand, is more submissive. he’s a peaceful person, even though he most probably has a passive-aggressive behaviour. you could actually have a better relationship with him rather than with your mother, or at least he understands your needs better. he may have libra, cancer or scorpio, as well as aries in his chart. if you have siblings, they most probably have pisces, capricorn or aquarius placements in their chart. you have a great relationship with them, even though it could have been a while for you to get along. overall, your relationship with them was peaceful.

📊 career

you could do well at a variety of jobs to be honest! with your gemini in the 6th house you could actually work in different fields before sticking to one career, hence you’re pretty experienced. I certainly see you being successful in your career, you will most likely work alone and you'll most likely be a boss or even famous. you're very hard-working, so I can see you having your own business for example. otherwise, you may also do well in an aesthetic field, you probably have great creative talent. you may be an artist, a creative director, a screenwriter, a writer, a singer, a musician... or even more practical jobs like lawyer, judge, possibly also a therapist or psychologist. you'll settle down on a career that will make you feel emotionally fulfilled, you'll truly enjoy what you do. you may possibly also work with other people, you may have to interact with others for your future job. you could work in a field related to public relations, or perhaps you may even work abroad or with people of different cultures from yours.

👕 fashion sense, style analysis

I imagine you put a lot of effort into your outifts, yet you don’t show it. you want to look effortlessly good, you don’t want to give the impression that you tried. your style may be quite minimalistic and simple, with lots of jeans, sweatshirts, plain t-shirts… I see you being more into natural shades, like white, grey, beige etc. you’re also not very fond of using too many accessories, you’re stylish but still very simple. you have this natural charm to you, hence you still look good even though your outfits may not be too complex.

👁 past life, life purpose

in your past life, you were very career-oriented. you were probably extremely successful at work, it was your priority. you could have even been someone important for your career, who knows. yet, this lifetime you don't need to focus on work anymore, you're already a master at it. now, you need to solve your issues with your family and create a family of your own to fully accomplish your life purpose. there may be some ups and downs, but this is what your soul has to learn in this lifetime.

🤔 major transits analysis / august 24

transit virgo sun is currently conjunct your natal leo mars in the 8th house: you may be feeling a bit impulsive these days, you could argue easily with others so be careful with what you do or say. these arguments could be particularly painful for you, so try to avoid them. also, with transit jupiter in your 2nd house conjunct your uranus, you may come across unexpected luck in these days, so pay attention to any signs! they were most likely meant to be.

🧿 manifest what you want, secret skills

the best way for you to manifest is idealizing and acting at the same time. you have both energies combined in your chart, which is great actually! I’d suggest you to first picture what you want in your life, and then do something concrete to manifest it. for example, let’s suppose you want this gucci bag; first, think about it deeply. then, you could try going into a gucci shop and just walk around, maybe even touch that bag. you’ll get results if you believe it! it’s also great to write and read/listen your own positive affirmations, such as 'I love my gucci bag’, 'the gucci bag my mom gave me is amazing’ and so on.

and this is it! thank you again for booking a reading, hope it resonated with you :)

- libramc xx

[mostlycompetentwriter]

Tik Tok - A Haven Sequel

F/M Pairing: Chan x OC (original female character)

Genre: Have Sequel; Enemies to Lovers

Warnings: Explicit Smut (unprotected sex) and Language

Word Count: 4.6K

Summary: Chan would do anything for his adopted family, and maybe that’s cost him a chance or two at finding love for himself. However, when the convenience store hires a strong, independent young woman to act as assistant manager, Chan finds himself in competition with someone who is very much like him - he’s just too stubborn to admit it.

A/N: This is another anon request that I spent way too long writing.

There was only so much more that Chan could take before he inevitably fell over the metaphorical edge. It wasn’t helping that work had become a source of unrestrained anxiety and frustration for him, but he definitely didn’t need to be a victim to one of Hyunjin and Jisung’s increasingly frequent pranks. And when Chan woke-up one morning with a strange stirring in his abdomen, he was shocked to find his hand in a warm glass of water while the two miscreants in question observed him from the side of his bed.

“I told you it wouldn’t work!” Hyunjin whined.

Meanwhile, Jisung was shaking his head in disbelief. “Chan, you were supposed to piss the bed!”

Chan rolled his eyes, shaking off the accumulated water droplets from his hand before glaring at Hyunjin and Jisung. “Get the hell out of my room,” he grumbled, and the two younger members had enough common sense to obey the eldest when he was in a foul mood.

Chan sighed as he dragged himself out of bed and into the shower, attempting to do something with the messy curls laying limply on top of this head. It might be a while before he ever bleached his hair again because the sorry state of his scalp was no laughing matter. Yet, Chan eventually found himself giving up on making his hair look presentable, proceeding downstairs to offer a grumpy greeting to Minho, Sara, and Changbin who were reading something from the newspaper.

“Bad mood again?” Minho inquired while stuffing his mouth with more cereal.

“No thanks to anyone in this house,” Chan responded, and he found himself even more irritated when he looked over to see Sara giggling when Changbin whispered something into her ear. “I’m sure everyone would like to hear what’s so damn funny,” Chan said, and Changbin and Sara both immediately averted their gazes.

Meanwhile, Minho was studying him with that stupid look of his that only served to encourage Chan’s quick exit from the kitchen before he blew-up on his members. Honestly, his persistent mood changes weren’t really the fault of anyone he lived with in the house. In fact, the real source of his frayed nerves was the red-headed bitch who the convenience store had just hired as an assistant manager.

Chan had a certain order to how he ran the store, and Lisa was determined to ruin everything. She refused to obey his strict ordinances - often flaunting a change to his regular routine as if she found it humorous. It was like she was going out of her way to make Chan as miserable as possible, and he was slowly losing the battle with his patience.

Perhaps that’s why Chan was dreading the prospect of work, and when he pulled into the parking lot outside of the convenience store, he sent a silent prayer up to anyone who was listening that he might survive the afternoon.

But his mood only worsened from the second he walked through the door, and Lisa spotted him from behind the counter. “Morning, Satan,” she greeted him with a chipper tone that Chan despised.

“I’m supposed to teach you the cash register today,” Chan grumbled, and he threw on his apron before joining Lisa at the front.

“Well, this should be fun,” she remarked. “I guess you’re planning on making it harder than it needs to be.”

Chan frowned at the comment because Lisa had told on numerous occasions that he was far too strict with the store’s management. But that’s how Chan had always been taught to conduct his affairs - with a stern hand and a detailed explanation since all the little details were critical. It’s how he ran the house with the others, ensuring that the budget was maintained and that everyone was always contributing. “You might treat everything with indifference,” Chan said. “But I care a lot about this place.”

It was the first job he ever had, and Chan owed a lot to the owners who agreed to take a chance on a young man who had no experience to offer them. Overtime, Chan had proven himself more than capable, and he would like to keep things in order like he preferred. “Whatever,” Lisa said while smacking her chewing gum

Which Chan had told her repeatedly was improper.

“Listen carefully,” Chan said, and he inputted his employee ID before grabbing a few items around the register. “I’ll start with a demonstration.”

“Great,” Lisa said with an exaggerated sigh that Chan chose to ignore as he meticulously explained the various types of ways in which a customer might try to pay for their purchases. 

“Credit or debit,” Chan reiterated. “They might also try paying with cash or a check, and you have to make sure that it’s legal tender.”

“Ugh,” Lisa groaned. “Do me a favor, Chan, and skip the lecture where you explain the history of counterfeiting.”

Chan immediately tensed at the sharp jab, but he took a deep breath to steel his nerves before he ensured that Lisa understood what every button on the register controlled. “Our clientele expect quick service,” Chan said. “You can’t spend all day trying to figure out how to open the drawer.”

“Oh, really?” Lisa asked, and she raised an eyebrow in question as she reached over to press the button in question without even looking. “It’s not that hard.”

“Yes,” Chan hissed as he slapped her hand away. “I can’t expect anything less from you! I suppose you think this whole job is a big joke and you can do whatever the hell you want?”

“When did I say that?” Lisa countered. “I respect the position, and if there’s a problem with the store, then it’s you.”

Chan froze at the accusation, and he imagined that someone might be inclined to draw flames above his head because the comment was nothing short of incendiary. “I’m the problem?!”

“That’s what I said,” Lisa replied. “You take everything too seriously, Chan. I’ve spoken to the other employees, and they’re all afraid of messing up because you expect perfection.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Everything!” Lisa exclaimed. “Most of these kids are working here part-time to help get themselves through school. You act like this place is a damn computer software company!”

“There’s nothing bad about taking pride in my work,” Chan said.

“I never said that,” Lisa returned. “But you take your work to the extreme, and it really makes it hard to come in every morning just to here you complain that there aren’t exactly twelve cups next to the slush machine!”

But Chan was flabbergasted - he had never seen anyone stand up to him like this and express such vile contempt. He was just trying to make everything better! Why was that so difficult for her to see?

“We’re supposed to be professional,” Chan finally muttered. “I’ll be in the back office.”

“Okay, but have fun micromanaging everyone,” Lisa said, and Chan started counting down from ten inside his head before he really lost his shit.

It was late when Chan returned home, and he was feeling drained from his horrible day at work. As soon as he pulled into the driveway, he rested his head against the steering wheel for just a moment to collect his thoughts. His mind was a chaotic engine of latent rage directed at Lisa, but he didn’t want to take it out on anyone inside the house.

And when he felt like he had better control over his emotions, he put on a forced smile and greeted Jisung and Hyunjin who were both sitting in the living room. “Yo, Chan,” Jisung said, and he was jabbing at the buttons on his Xbox controller. “You look pissed.”

“Just a bad day at work,” Chan said, and he lifted his head when he started smelling something spicy. “Is someone cooking?”

“Y/N and Minho were supposed to make dinner,” Jisung said.

“I think they just made a mess,” Hyunjin added, and he laughed at the pained expression on Chan’s face.

“Oh, great,” Chan muttered, and he knew to prepare himself when he walked into the kitchen to greet a cloud of smoke.

“Channie!” Y/N yelled, standing at the stove and mixing some sort of sauce in a giant pan. “I’m making your favorite.”

“I can see that,” Chan said while withholding a sigh - his kitchen was a disaster, and Minho wasn’t washing the dirty dishes fast enough before new ones piled up on the counter.

“Excuse the mess,” Y/N said as if realizing that Chan was not pleased by what she had done.

“Y/N,” Chan groaned - looking around the disaster zone that she had made of their dishes. “What the hell were you thinking?”

Both Y/N and Minho looked up at the same time - surprised to hear Chan’s bitter tone. “What do you mean?” Y/N asked. “You were coming home late so I thought I could make dinner.”

“Yeah, but look at this fucking mess,” Chan cursed, and Y/N flinched because Chan never cursed very much.

“I’m sorry, Chan,” she whispered. “I was just trying to be nice.”

“You never do it right!” Chan found himself snapping at Y/N who instantly cowered behind Minho who had come to stand between his girlfriend and Chan.

“Hey!” Minho growled, and he was suddenly crowding Chan against the wall. “Don’t talk to her like that.”

“Get off,” Chan grunted, and he shoved harshly at Minho’s shoulders. “I don’t need this right now!”

“Is that right?” Minho asked. “You think I shouldn’t say anything when you come home and act like the world’s biggest asshole?”

“You’re just making everything worse,” Chan retorted.

“No!” Minho shouted. “You’re the one who made this into a problem! We’ve been working for hours getting this together, and you have no right to come home and accuse us of anything.”

“Are you blind?” Chan snapped. “The kitchen is a war zone!”

“It can always be cleaned,” Minho said, and he turned around to look at Y/N while softening his tone. “Go upstairs, baby, this isn’t your fault.”

Y/N nodded once before cautiously tiptoeing backwards in the direction of the side door, and Minho waited until she was gone before returning his attention to Chan. “What’s going on with you, Chan? You’ve been rude to everyone these past few weeks.”

Chan closed his eyes as he swallowed down his pride and bruised ego because he knew that Minho was right. “I know,” he said. “There’s been a lot going on at work, and I don’t know what to do.”

“Figure it out, Chan,” Minho said - blunt as always. “You can’t let this affect everyone else.”

Chan knew that Minho was right, but he had never felt so conflicted.

During his next shift, Chan was determined to control his undesirable tendencies and assume a far more lenient attitude with the rest of his employees. 

“You’re doing fine,” Chan said, even though he was screaming on the inside while watching an employee attempt to stack one of the produce windows.

The young man offered him a sincere smile to express his gratitude, and Chan took that as affirmation that he could return to Lisa’s side as she restocked the candy section. “You’re in a good mood,” she remarked while offering him a look of suspicion,

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Chan asked while crossing his arms over his chest - a move that was meant to keep him from reaching out to straighten the price tags.

“Well, there’s been like a thousand violations of your unspoken rules,” Lisa remarked. “That new guy even broke the coffee machine.”

“His paycheck next week should suffice to repair the damages,” Chan said through gritted teeth - an unexpected chink in his armor. 

But Lisa caught it nonetheless, and she smirked while indicating to the display she was working on. “Do you have something to say about my section?”

“Of course not,” Chan exhaled.

“What about the expiration dates,” she said before leaning in closer. “I didn’t even check them”

Chan grimaced, and he could feel the beginnings of his patience unraveling. “It’s fine, Lisa.”

“Really?” she asked. “Would it bother you if I left the labels backwards?”

“No,” Chan muttered. “But it might be better if they were facing the customer.”

“Should they be alphabetical as well?”

Oh, that was the last straw! Chan was done with this whole good guy act, and he didn’t need Minho or anyone else to tell him how he should act towards the people who were supposed to be working under him! “I’ve fucking had enough!” Chan exclaimed, and he reached out for Lisa’s hand and started pulling her in the direction of the backroom.

“What’s this all about?” she asked, but there was an airiness to her tone that told Chan that she still wasn’t taking things seriously!

He locked the door behind them and corralled Lisa against the wall - to the point where their noses were brushing. “Do you take some sort of sick satisfaction in pissing me off?”

“Maybe I like you this way,” Lisa said, and Chan was startled when she reached out to wrap her arms around his shoulders. “This is a good look on you, Chan.”

“What?” he questioned, but he didn’t pull away because there was something strangely hypnotic about her eyes. 

“I’m really attracted to you,” she whispered, and the sound was spoken directly into his ear. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“Lisa-”

But Chan was interrupted by the unexpected pressure of her lips against his - wiping all coherent thoughts out of his mind.

“I think you might want to talk less, Mr. Bang,” Lisa purred, and Chan clenched his jaw to strengthen his resolve.

“Get on your knees,” he growled, and Lisa closed her eyes around a moan before pushing back against his chest - allowing her enough room to drop down on the floor while her hands started working apart his belt. 

“I’ve been wanting this since our first day together,” Lisa said, and Chan braced himself against the wall when she took out his cock from his boxer shorts - running her hand up and down his length. “You’re really big, Chan.”

“Yeah?” Chan grunted, and he could barely hold himself together when her lips wrapped themselves around the tip of his erection. 

He watched through a haze of lust as she took him deeper - hollowing her cheeks while bobbing her head along his cock. It was the last thing Chan could’ve ever imagined, but he was experiencing so much pleasure from her warm mouth. 

“Is it good?” Lisa asked - pulling off for a moment to ask the question while exploring the slit of his cock where pre-cum was already forming.

“Keep going,” Chan replied, and dug his fingers into her crimson-colored hair to ensure that she took him as far as she could. “Is this what it takes to shut you up?” Chan snarled, forcing more of his cock down her throat.

Lisa moaned around him, and Chan almost came from the vibrations that jostled his sensitive erection. “Take off your jeans,” Chan said, managing the words around a rather loud moan that he couldn’t seem to prevent.

But Lisa obeyed him at once, shimmying down her skinny jeans while sucking on his cock and using her tongue to trace the underside. “Stand up, slut,” Chan ordered, and he was pleased by Lisa’s willing compliance as she walked over to a nearby desk - spreading her legs wide when he walked between the gap. “Do you want me to fuck you?”

Lisa nodded her head, glancing back over her shoulder to give him her best sultry look. “I know you’re angry with me, Chan, and I deserve whatever you give me.”

Chan was delighted by the words, and he didn’t hesitate to push his cock inside her welcoming heat, grinding his hips against her ass just to feel her convulsing around him. “Where was this obedience before?” Chan asked, pulling out to just the tip before forcing himself back inside with as much strength as he could manage.

Lisa gasped when her hips slammed against the edge of her desk - whimpering around the discomfort. But Chan had no intentions of stopping, and he held onto her waist as he started ramming himself into her pussy with the weight of his frustrations adding to his power. It was hot and passionate, and the sounds of their fucking echoed throughout the backroom while Lisa’s moans provided the perfect melody.

“Come inside,” Lisa said, and Chan cursed.

“Are you on the pill?”

“Yeah,” she gasped, and Chan knew better than to leave her unattended, even if she might deserve it, so he allowed one hand to leave her hip and play with her clit in teasing circles.

“Come with me,” Chan said, and he pressed down even harder while nailing himself between her walls one last time before the entire world exploded around him.

There was a blurriness around the edges of his vision, and Chan was gasping for breath while Lisa hummed in content from beneath him.

When Chan woke-up the following morning, he wasn’t sure what to think of the unexpected encounter he had with Lisa from the previous afternoon. For the remainder of his shift, he had avoided Lisa as much as possible while carrying the weight of his guilty conscious. Because he couldn’t help but think that he had taken things too far, and their work relationship would suffer as a consequence.

Chan glanced at the clock on his nightstand and knew that he couldn’t delay the inevitable any further. But at least Chan could afford enough pride and apologize to Lisa? Perhaps she would forgive him, and they could forget about everything that had happened and move on with their lives.

But maybe Chan’s optimism was misplaced because Lisa gave him a dark look when he met her at the counter. “Oh, hey,” Chan said, and he winced when his voice broke.

“So...” Lisa trailed off, looking at him with an intense gaze. “Yesterday was something.”

“Uh, yeah,” Chan said, and he allowed an awkward laugh as he messed with the cash register. 

“You don’t regret it, do you?” Lisa asked, and this was Chan’s opportunity to fall on his knees and beg for her forgiveness. Because she was surely upset with Chan for his behavior. Yet, when Chan forced himself to look at her, he was surprised to see that she held no resentment.

“I don’t know,” Chan decided. “I guess I’m confused.”

“Confused?” Lisa repeated with a playful smile. “Chan, we had sex, there’s nothing to be confused about.”

“Shhh,” Chan hissed, looking around the room to see if anyone had overheard them. 

“What’s wrong?” Lisa asked with a laugh. “Chan, you were fantastic. I wish we had done that earlier.”

“R-really?” Chan stuttered, and he hesitated when Lisa leaned into his weight.

“I loved it,” she told him. “I’ve never been with someone like you before.”

Chan was surely blushing, and he could feel the heat scalding his ears. “Lisa, I don’t usually act like that.”

“Oh, I know,” Lisa said, and her fingers trailed down the buttons on his shirt. “It was refreshing, Chan, to see you so aggressive. I could get used to that.”

Her words did something peculiar to his arousal, and he found himself feeling more comfortable around her. “You mean, it’s better than how I usually am.”

“There’s really nothing wrong with your little ticks,” Lisa said. “I think you could afford to loosen up every once in a while.”

“I see,” Chan said, and he reached out for her waist. “Are you the person who can help me relax?”

“If that’s what you want, baby,” Lisa said, and Chan couldn’t stand it anymore - reaching for her hand to bring them both back to that same backroom where everything had collapsed around them.

His lips were on hers instantly, and Chan moaned when their tongues started to move between them. “Come here,” Chan growled low in his throat, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her closer.

Lisa allowed him to handle her with a sigh of pleasure, and she opened up for him like a beautiful flower - something gorgeous to behold. Chan had never experienced these feelings with anyone else, and he was certain that he had lost every bit of oxygen in his lungs when they finally pulled away from their heated session for more air.

“Woah!” 

They both jumped apart at the sound of their co-workers voice, and he held up his hands in surrender while his gaze moved between Chan and Lisa with clear surprise. “Josh,” Chan said, and his voice had a much higher-pitch than usual.

“I’m sorry,” Josh said. “I didn’t realize-”

“It’s okay,” Chan interrupted, and he backed away from Lisa with a heavy breath. “I need to check on the shipment.”

He was gone without waiting for Josh’s response, but there was a small voice at the back of his head that told Chan he needed to figure this thing out between him and Lisa before the situation escalated.

Still, he couldn’t really explain his decision, but Chan found himself standing outside of Minho’s bedroom that night with his hand raised to knock. Of course, it was one thing to think about something, and another to actually put those thoughts into action. Consequently, Chan was desperately searching for the courage to reach out - literally - and ask Minho for help.

Thankfully, his internal debate was terminated when the door suddenly opened and Minho flinched in surprise when he saw Chan. “Were you just standing out here?” Minho asked, and Chan took a deep breath.

“Can I talk to you about something?”

“Sure,” Minho said, and he stood back to allow Chan enough room to walk inside.

“It’s something kinda personal,” Chan said, and he was grateful that Han and Felix weren’t there because it was already awkward enough opening up to Minho.

“You can sit down,” Minho said, and Chan joined the younger on his bed while messing with the loose fabric of his work jeans. “Is something wrong?”

“it’s more like...someone,” Chan said.

“Oh?” Minho frowned. “The same person who’s been bothering you at work?”

“How did you-” But Chan trailed off at the end of his sentence and decided not to question Minho.

He was unusually astute for his age.

“I figured it out,” Minho still answered him. “Did you want to talk about this person?”

“Yeah, but’s complicated.”

“Why?”

Chan grunted at the question because he didn’t really know why things had gotten so complicated. “I thought there was a mutual hatred, but I think I read everything wrong.”

“Something changed your mind,” Minho said, and Chan slowly nodded.

“We had sex.”

“Woah!” Minho laughed, and he threw up his hands like he wasn’t quite ready to just jump into this part of the story. “All of a sudden?”

“She got on my nerves.”

“So, you thought that sex would fix everything?”

“I don’t know,” Chan groaned, and he collapsed backwards on the mattress. “But she said that she really liked me.”

“Did she give any indication of that before?”

“No,” Chan replied. “But she was always messing with me. She liked to ruin the way I ran the store, and she tried to change everything.

“Damn,” Minho finally remarked. “I admire any woman who has the guts to stand up to you.”

“What do you mean?” Chan asked, and he supported himself against his hands as he glared at Minho.

“Don’t take it personally,” Minho said. “But you’re a bit of a control-freak, Chan.”

“Are you sure?” Chan asked, and it was a dumb question because Minho rolled his eyes.

“I’ve been living with you for years, dude. I’m bound to notice these things.”

“Well, I don’t mean to act that way,” Chan said, and Minho sighed and patted his shoulder.

“The first step is admitting your wrong-doings, my friend.”

“But what am I supposed to do about Lisa?”

“Oh, is that her name?”

Chan groaned in frustration because nothing was going the way he expected. “It feels awkward.”

“Then, you have to talk to her,” Minho said - like it could really be that simple.

“It’s awkward,” Chan repeated with a pointed glare.

“And there’s only one way to fix the awkward,” Minho replied. “Seriously, Chan? Don’t make this into something bigger than it needs to be.”

Chan knew that Minho was right (because he was really good at helping others with their problems), but he was still afraid. He was scared that talking to Lisa would bring up complicated feelings that he’s never had to deal with before, and what was he supposed to do, then? Feelings weren’t something that his careful rules could control, and he didn’t like it when things happened without him realizing. But he was also frightened by the idea of ruining something because of his own shortcomings, and maybe it was time that he made the effort for someone else.

And Lisa was certainly worth more than all the consequences.

Chan was a complete mess of nervous energy when he started his shift on a bright, promising Saturday afternoon. He diligently cleaned down the counters, and ensured that the register was online before shifting back and forth between his feet as he stared at the entrance. Because Lisa was due to come in for her shift at any moment, and Chan was giving himself a mental pep-talk for their impending conversation.

But it still didn’t stop his heart from beating erratically when she arrived, giving him a generous smile as she took off her coat. “Good morning, Chan,” she said, and he was relieved that the old nickname of “Satan” had been abandoned.

“Lisa,” Chan said, clearing his throat. “Can I talk to you?”

“Sure!” Lisa said, and she walked behind the counter to stand next to him. “What’s up?”

“Well,” Chan started around a deep breath, “I want to talk to you about our...encounters.”

“Encounters?” Lisa repeated, and Chan could feel himself growing more and more embarrassed as she teased him. “You mean like when we had sex in the backroom?”

“Yes, that,” Chan said, and Lisa giggled. “I just think I handled everything inappropriately, especially the way I talked to you.”

“Oh, don’t apologize for that,” Lisa said with a sly wink. “I liked the things you said to me.”

“Uh-huh,” Chan agreed, and he shook his head to collect his thoughts. “I should’ve never avoided you because I made things worse, and that was wrong of me.”

“It’s fine, Chan,” Lisa assured him. “I was willing to give you all the space you needed.”

Chan was surprised by her generosity, and he pushed through to the end of his little speech. “Would it be okay if we tried things out?” Chan asked. “Like, maybe in the right way?”

“The right way?” Lisa repeated with an amused smile.

“Yeah, like I could take you on a date or something,” Chan said, hoping he didn’t look as awkward as he sounded.

“Hmmm.” Lisa pretended to consider his suggestion, running the tips of her fingers over the edges of his bright-red ears. But she eventually ended his misery - moving in closer for a sweet kiss that Chan could feel all the way down to the points of his toes. “I would love that, Chan.”

And maybe he could blame it on the novelty of the situation, but Chan quite liked the warm feeling that blossomed from the center of his chest. Almost as if he had never felt more content before in his entire life.

[astrologysvt]

SVT as Boyfriends - Jun

this reading is more geared towards their habits in relationships and romance! as opposed to their ideal type readings, this has more to do with how they express love, what their preferences/comfort levels are, and what to expect in domesticity and intimacy with them. i also used “you” instead of “s/o” because writing s/o over and over was getting tiring lol. 

i mentioned this in his chart first impressions, but jun has such a young chart. 

he is SO earnest in love and affection. 

he’s not afraid of intimacy because he has no shame in those emotions and the ways he expresses them. 

experiencing those emotions and then expressing them is a very immediate chain reaction for him. 

with that being said, his attention is pretty hard to maintain and he doesn’t particularly like the feeling of “plunging” in terms of emotions, so there’s a sense he may want to gloss over the more intense details/nuances of discussions and moments. 

he’ll probably try and laugh it off and distract you if you try and have an elongated heart-to-heart. 

with that being said, his taurus mercury and mars are incredibly loyal and committed so that intensity is going to show up in times where you need him. 

you’ll understand how invested he is when you’re in need of affection, support, feedback, etc. etc. 

he’s so enduring in that sense, to the point where you will never once doubt whether or not you have someone to fall back on. 

i’ve found that gemini placements, regardless of where those exact placements are, thrive in light environments. 

he’s a very lively and cheerful boyfriend, and is going to thrive if he can be his unadulterated playful self in relationships.

not only that, but you can really rely on there being a playful set point with him. 

regardless of how serious conversations/situations get, or how serious the relationship is -- he’s always going to want to maintain an environment where jokes can always be exchanged. 

i think he’d be really bummed by and resentful of a relationship where humor couldn’t be used to make light of situations.

this is primarily because these gemini placements are quick to feel bogged down if things get too heavy, too often, and with no relief. 

but also because he’s a very communicable/excitable/distractible guy.

he wants to be able to direct his attention wherever, and to drive conversations with you in any direction you guys so please without fear of that being interpreted as impersonal or insensitive of him. 

he loves the feeling of intellectual discovery and expansion with his partner

and so discussion, curiosity, and imagination are going to be very important influences on his interactions.

and so while there is a part of him that’s certainly very reliable in relationships thanks to those taurus placements, he needs that kind of comic relief so he can maintain a feeling of freedom/openness that geminis rely on to navigate.

and this just goes with the fact he’s such a cheerful, optimistic guy! 

especially in relationships, this guy is going to be such a lively conversationalist. 

he’s an interesting partner to experience things with as his reactions are so funny, dramatic, and his mind is so all over the place that you’d simply want to know what he noticed/didn’t notice. 

expect CONSTANT jokes. 

a lot of back and forth. 

plan to join him on the most random paths of interest, may it be voicing over spongebob clips or making hotdogs with him on his new rotisserie hot dog machine. 

his aries moon is an interesting influence in relationships. 

he’s very excitable, but associating this fiery sign with the moon gives him these incredible bursts of energy. 

he’s going to express himself very physically, may it be through affection or some good-natured teasing. 

there is a great desire for action in life and relationships, and this is where you just get the most left-of-field bursts of energy and obsessions. 

then you throw in those taurus placements that aren’t very concerned with what other people are doing as they’re super stubborn in their methods and wants. 

he’s going to be as weird as he wants, when he wants and would love if you joined him or at least humored him. 

he doesn’t have a whole lot of significant aspects that are going to be related to relationships, but he does have this moon square jupiter. 

his aries moon is already super all-or-nothing, and generally doesn’t understand moderation -- especially with regard to emotions and relationships. 

but this square aspect with jupiter not only expands his emotional responses, but creates a confusion with them in a lot of different ways. 

he’s got a bleeding heart in this sense which makes him quick to express his love and appreciation, and with that he’s very quick to demand affection as well. 

he also doesn’t really understand his own strength with intensity/enthusiasm.

expect just random “PLEASE HOLD ME” moments. 

this may also make him hard to please and VERY needy, but it’s also super endearing so, ya know. 

you win some you lose some. 

this placement also creates a great deal of vulnerability. 

he’s incredibly eager to give more than what he can afford in terms of emotional bandwidth, and this also creates a disillusion in how to get his own emotional needs met in turn. 

he can kind of feel like he’s only losing, and that he’s grasping at straws in order to feel a sense of satisfaction on his end. 

this also makes him INCREDIBLY dramatic in expressing himself, so certainly expect to have to coddle and care for whiny/adorably overbearing jun when he decides to come out. 

but in all seriousness, it’s important that he’s reminded that he needs to put himself first some times and that it’s okay to be a bit stingy in attention if he needs to be.

it’s also good to encourage him to be more discerning with who he offers this side to. 

what’s super interesting is that both of his gemini placements are conjunct in his sun and venus, and his taurus placements are conjunct in mercury and mars. 

because of that you may notice that there are two modes to him that flip flop. 

he’s very gemini in how he intrinsically is by himself and in relationships, but there’s that taurus influence that makes him very secure underneath it all and how he communicates this part of himself.

there’s that one one side where he’s excitable & potentially hard to pin-down.

and another part that’s very enduring, present, and reliable. 

having his sun conjunct venus, his personality and his attitude in relationships are very much the same. 

the way to woo him is very similar to how it’d be if you tried to befriend him, and that’d be to just make him laugh and keep him interested. 

intellect is going to be a huge contributing factor to romance for him, so he’s going to express his love in words and would want the same in return. 

on top of that, communication is something he constantly needs. 

not only does he like feeling that energy around him, but communication is how he determines how present you are regardless of how serious the conversation is. 

your receptiveness to jokes/ideas/anecdotes is INCREDIBLY important to him as it grounds him. 

it should be said that gemini venus’ have a pretty bad rep in that they have the potential of being pretty flighty, and easily bored in relationships. 

with that being said, going back to my prior point about having to maintain a kind of playful baseline is going to be what manages to reel in a gemini venus. 

they just have such active minds that, when it comes to relationships, they really struggle if they’re being forced to work against that nature that just wants to do things for the sake of doing them. 

especially with that aries moon. 

freedom is an important thing to maintain as restraints are something they avoid at all costs. 

that sounds like he’s going to be distant/impersonal, and i went into this in wonwoo’s ideal type with his gemini placements, but really it just comes down to letting love and commitment being HIS choice that makes all of the difference. 

forcing him into a corner, over-interpreting acts towards independence, and making him second guess his more impulsive habits are going to be what causes him to second guess a relationship. 

so let him do his thing, don’t be offended if he randomly just retreats and pursues his own path/adventures and understand he will always report back to check on you and update you with the weirdest anecdotes. 

you can also always expect for him to bring back weird gifts because of how delighted his gemini is of those weird trinkets, how impulsive of a buyer his aries moon is, and how his taurus placements mean he really finds a great deal of value/charm in the material. 

there’s always going to be the most endearing sense of eccentricity with him in relationships, maybe it be in oddly-timed jokes or extreme bursts of energy. 

then you have his taurus mercury and mars. 

this man is so stubborn!!! 

SO STUBBORN 

he has his comfort levels and preferred methods and wants to do things at his own pace. 

whether that’s fast or slow is totally up to him. 

taurus also adds a sense of luxury. 

he loves being lazy with his partner, spending days doing nothing but sleeping, eating, and cuddling. 

he craves establishing a sense of domesticity in relationships. 

as much as he loves the exciting highs, what really gets him to commit is that sense of home, stability, and comfort.

i can see him loving to gift stuffed animals?? 

his aries and gemini love the things that are cute and light.

but then those taurus placements deeply understand the importance of comfort with an emphasis on the material, so something like a stuffed animal that he could give you that would make you smile and give you comfort when he could not??? he’d love that??? 

not only that but with taurus in his mars, he loves the idea of gifts as physical representations of his devotion 

and so finding the cutest little friend you can sleep with and keep in your room would make him so happy. 

when it comes to intimacy, taurus placements are known as some of the most romantic placements -- especially in mars.

he has a very slow-burning approach to love and intimacy. 

he wants to enjoy your presence, be in the moment, and let affection naturally flow. 

he’s leisurely about these things, and with that you have this benefit in that he’s incredibly present in those moments. 

with the other earth signs, you kind of have the sense that they are looking elsewhere or that they’re attention is too broad. 

you have capricorn that is constantly looking to be resourceful/proactive, and then virgo who is constantly trying to sort/mediate energies. 

but then taurus that is just straight up CHILLING. 

and this is partially because the senses are super important to them. 

and so being able to experience the full spectrum of those senses is something he both craves and strives for. 

being able to remove his intellect forward part of his brain and focus on the purely physical is something that feeds his romantic heart. 

he’s just a sweet guy.

i think it’s so funny because he’s this strong mix of TWO OF THE HIGHEST ENERGY SIGNS in gemini/aries, and then one of the signs thats known for BEING THE SLOWEST in taurus. 

he wants to do things at his own pace and is probably SUPER slow to get into a relationship and to get to that super intimate point with someone. 

friendship is super easy with him and he almost collects friends, but that taurus love is something that’s super coveted in him. 

not only is it hard to retain his gemini focus, but his taurus can be -- in the nicest way possible -- dense about these things simply due to how literal they can be. 

but once he’s there he’s THERE. 

he’s so dedicated and generous. 

and circling back to the youth in his chart, if fun is maintained, he’s not once going to question the relationship. 

if his basic needs for freedom, fun, and security are met -- you’ll find his distractible gemini will give way to the parts of his chart through aries and taurus that want to be all-giving & all-consumed in love. 

[sunshinexlollipops]

This is a random little headcannon/ ask but what do you think Arthur’s favorite thing about Wolf is and vice versa?

Anon I have tried to type this post several times so 183)28;72838&2&3&.$.!1@,’ is the charm, right???

Wolf

Loyalty

Wolf appreciates how ride or die Arthur is. His loyalties to the gang and its members was one of the first things that Wolf saw and encountered when they crossed paths before the Blackwater ferry job. She knows now that Arthur has her back and that little to nothing will make him leave her.

Respect for her/women

Wolf faces a lot of doubt and sexism because she is a woman. Arthur’s initial objections to her becoming what she is in the gang was more so for her safety than Arthur discrediting her. Wolf also hasn’t forgotten how Arthur spoke highly of Penelope/the women’s suffrage movement after voicing his support.

Kindness

Unlike most men in the gang, Arthur has a heart and he’s still learning how to use it some ways. Not only with Wolf, but the world around him. Arthur wasn’t shown kindness until he was 15 and with Dutch and Hosea, so he has struggled to understand the concepts of it ever since. However, he has a natural urge to do and be good, and it shines through him like sunlight creeping through a mask of clouds. And Wolf? She wants to bask in it.

Skilled

Arthur is one of the most skilled and experienced men of the Van Der Linde gang. Wolf knows just how capable Arthur is with what he does, and that his skill set puts most to shame. She can’t help but admire how good Arthur is at shooting, planning, leading, and holding his own. She trusts him with any job they are to handle together.

Mentoring

One thing Wolf is grateful for is how Arthur took her under his wing. Even now she still occasionally seeks his approval or guidance with the gang and what they do, and Arthur is always there to offer kind words and praises. Ever since Wolf joined, he has wanted to help her breathe, not suffocate. He has trained her in what ways he can and supported her as she built off the foundations he laid.

Romantic/Heartful

Arthur’s loving side makes Wolf feel things. Hard not to. But she is surprised just how much of a hopeless romantic Arthur really is. The man wears his heart on his sleeve with her now that she pulled his layers back, and to see how much depth and warmth is in the man is astounding.

Grounding

Arthur has always been Wolf’s rock. ALWAYS. Even as their time as Fleur/Joseph. Arthur was the calm to her chaos, the gain to her loss. While she has helped Arthur in her own ways, Wolf always knows that Arthur will be with her no matter what happens. After losing her father and having her life completely change, Arthur is her constant.

Merciful

The only reason Wolf is still alive is because Arthur spared her when he came to collect her debt to Strauss. The outlaw easily could’ve done anything he wanted to her and gotten away with it before leaving her to waste, but he didn’t. He gave her a second chance at life when he had no reason or motive to, and Wolf has never and will never forget that.

Humble

While plagued with confidence issues and some trauma, Arthur is not an egotistical man. Sure, he can play up sometimes, but one thing Wolf loves about Arthur is that he doesn’t try to oversell himself. He knows what he is, what he can do— nothing else to it. Arthur has nothing to prove when it comes to himself, and he doesn’t make any attempts at playing himself up no matter what. Even with Wolf, Arthur remains real and clear from any muddling.

Grateful

Apart from not making himself seem like the best man alive or in the gang, Arthur is extremely appreciative of Wolf and her efforts. Taking care of him and caring about him, especially. It’s taken Arthur a minute to realize how things were for him in the gang, but now that he sees things more for what they really are, Arthur knows just who is in his corner and who isn’t. And Wolf? She founded it, after Blackwater.

Tough

Arthur could be hit by a bus and two minutes later would walk it off. He’s a brute, and while Wolf has feared for him, she takes notice of how Arthur always picks himself back up no matter how hard a hit he’s given. There are things Arthur has pushed out of that Wolf knows she wouldn’t have dealt well with, so she places kudos where they lie.

Arthur

Loyalty

Just like Wolf, Arthur appreciates a sense of loyalty. As mentioned in the fic and in the game, Arthur’s only true belief is the loyalty that people can have in one another. God, the devil, heaven and hell— all can exist or be a myth. But to Arthur, the only thing that can’t be dismissed is the people you actually have in your life who can have your back throughout any of it. Wolf has solidified herself time and time again as Arthur’s closest ally when she had every reason not to do so in the beginning, and she has gone through so much for him since. He isn’t soon to forget that. He also has not forgotten that she signed her life away and was committed to a horrible fate in an attempt to save her father. He knows her love is selfless and that she would give up anything and everything if he needed her to.

Strong-willed

Wolf is an extremely determined person. She has never let what has happened to her in her life quite stop her. Arthur has always admired how Wolf can go through so much, and has gone through so much since they met, and she has not once been diminished with who she is as a person. While she has changed, she has not been broken, and she refuses to let what has happened to her stop her. She also does not let anyone sway her in one direction, no matter how vulnerable she can be. Dutch’s influence never took with her, and she has remained untouchable with anyone’s attempts at getting into her head and fiddling with what she feels or thinks. With how delusional some of those people are, Arthur is grateful Wolf has not given them the chance to alter her perceptions from her own.

Independency

While she has had Arthur help her in the past, Wolf is an extremely independent person. She had to be once her father got sick. One of Arthur’s biggest respects for Wolf is that she will not lessen herself for somebody else’s benefit or expectation. She can stand on her own, and she does not need anyone to hold her hand when she needs to run. She is Arthur’s equal.

Stubborn

Wolf is extremely deadset in what she wants to do. Wolf’s independency and her strong sense of will leads for Wolf to be very hard headed and unrelenting with things that she thinks or feels. She isn’t easily swayed by others, nor does she want to change her mind or opinions for someone else. She is her own person, and she does not ever intend to live in someone else’s role for her. She is not known to compromise or back down either, and she literally will go up against anyone and need no one at her back to make her feel like she can do so.

Supportive/Tendful

Despite some issues being caused by this trait, Wolf tries to help Arthur become a better man, or at least, to commit to being one. She has tried to be very supportive of Arthur, combating his doubts and fears and giving him reassurances. Despite being a little too harsh even by her own words, Wolf has only ever been critical of Arthur when he starts to try and go back to old habits. She truly only wants the best for him so that he can be the best. And Arthur appreciates just how much time and love she puts into him to try and get him to truly flourish.

Moralistic

Wolf has a strong sense of morality. Almost to an extent that it is black and white, but since her time in the gang has started, she is truly learning how many shades of gray there can be. Still, she yearns for and tries to do what she believes is the right thing. She will not compromise if she believes that she is being forced or pushed into something she believes is wrong decision. Even if it is a cost or a loss to her, even if it is one of the hardest things that she has ever done, Wolf will always do what she believes is right no matter what.

Smart

Wolf is very intelligent. Arthur appreciates how she likes to read, how she is very knowledgeable about animals and hunting, and that she has a lot of wits about her. She initially struggles to understand things that she doesn’t have experience with, most of which pertaining to the gang and how it operates, and then certain aspects of every day life, but Arthur understands that this was due to her extremely sheltered childhood and that she isn’t used to the life of an outlaw. Still, Arthur can see that Wolf can work out things quickly and can be very clever in her own right. He trusts her ideas and knows that she isn’t fooled easily.

Intimidating

To most people, Wolf is unapproachable in the sense that she is not your average woman, nor would she be receptive to certain things. Despite being flirted with throughout the fic multiple times, Wolf has never garnered a shine to anyone other than Arthur, and has made that clear. Otherwise they feel as though they’re walking into something they weren’t ready for. A lot of people see Wolf more as a mountain to climb, and a lot are daunted by that. Meanwhile Arthur is at the top waiting for someone to realize that the trip is entirely worth it.

Smartass

While Wolf isn’t as openly scathing as some people, including Arthur himself, when Wolf really wants to lay a barb she can do so very easily. The rarity that is when Wolf gets in a pokey mood is one of his favorites, as she usually tends to be mostly serious. So when Wolf gets a bit of sarcastic mirth about her, Arthur loves quick she is at ripping him where it hurts. Anyone who can scald him like that is respectful in his book.

Resilient

Despite all that’s happened to her, Wolf has powered through and survived. She’s adapated. She’s changed. Even now, after Arthur’s kidnapping with Colm, Arthur can see how Wolf sheds through changes like a second skin. She is so open to change and getting adjusted that Arthur can’t help but admire all she has gone through and became because of it. It’s so different to how he has clinched onto what he’s gone through for decades— his whole life— and Wolf is finally getting him to come out of his shell in so many ways. A strength like that is something that Arthur is going to praise till his end days, because he’s never known anyone else capable.

There you go!

Hope you enjoyed, anon! :)

Thanks for the ask!

[darkspellmaster]

In defense of the Disney Princesses -Ariel from the Little Mermaid

Ariel is one character that I don’t get the hate for. I do get the idea of older people going “You’re 16, you haven’t experienced enough yet to understand all the complications of life” in regard to her feelings regarding her father’s want of protecting her, especially after understanding what happened with her mother. However what I’ve never understood is this desire to rip apart this movie or it’s heroine. It seems like everyone has it out for Ariel, ignoring the fact that at the time she was far more independent than a lot of lead female characters in live action movies of the era.

This is not to mention that if you view this movie through the lens of someone in the LGBTQ+ community, and given that the lyricist Howard Ashman was gay, it becomes almost a situation where someone who is in the closet is trying to get out and live a normal life. (Keep in mind that I’m going to focus more on Ariel here regarding her as a female character below I just want to point this out before I go forward with it.)

So in regards to this idea, if you look at the story and put it in that context…

You have Ariel who could represent a lot of closeted teens at the time wanting to become part of society where they could live normally, and get some understanding of the world that is out of the closet with people that are like them. You can argue that Triton is a father that hasn’t yet come to terms with his child’s status, the Songs Part of your world, Under the Sea, Poor unfortunate souls, Kiss the girl, etc. can take on a whole new meaning in this light. Hell you can even argue that the death of Ursula is the destruction of social norms that keep people apart because of their evil and vile ways.

But again I’m not going to sit here and do that because that’s a whole other essay on it’s own. Instead let’s focus on why Ariel and The Little Mermaid is actually more of a strong character story than people give her credit for.

She’s not independent enough

This I feel is one of the oddest complaints about this movie. Ariel starts off as ditching her family function, and clearly is the best singer there and plays an important role in the festivities. What’s clear is that she is both independent and irresponsible, which is something that follows her along with her flaws until the end of the movie where she realizes that her actions nearly cost her not only her father’s life but Eric’s and her friends as well. This is something that I think a lot of people miss about Ariel, she’s not very responsible as she’s so independent and her desires for her own needs trump those of others around her, forgetting the world around her at times.

However it’s her independence that pushes this movie forward. We see that rather than be at the performance, she’s off with Flounder her best friend exploring the sunken ships for items. The thing that’s interesting about this moment is that she willingly goes where danger is. Ariel is, for better or worse, a risk taker by all accounts. We know from her books and the tv series as well as the movie that this area is not looked fondly upon by anyone as it’s got sharks another dangerous creatures that live there and can eat you. Yet Ariel heads in and collects things from these sunken ships so that she can learn more about the surface world.

Saying she’s not independent ignores the reality of what’s on screen. Not only is she curious about the world above, she actively on her own seeks out answers when she can’t get them from others, showing that she’s more than capable of thinking critically by herself. Even when she learns about something she does what any collector does and catalogues it in her collection, putting it with stuff that matches. Her eye for things ranges from the mundane, a pipe, to the exotic, to the artistic (the painting of the woman with the fire) and on top of all of that she reads. We see her going through books (though I question how those pages with the writing are intact but it’s a movie so let’s move on) and actively learning new words for, what essentially is, a foreign language to her. In Atlantica there is no fire, they don’t have to keep warm as their bodies are built for the cold much like fish, so naturally she’s not going to know what fire is and wants to know more about it.

We even see her wanting to learn more about the culture above, stressing that she wants to dance and walk down a street. While some of the song points to the idea of her not understanding that people above do scold and keep their daughters in line, we also see that she points out the idea of

“Bright young women, sick of Swimming, ready to stand. And ready to know what the people know, ask them my questions and get some answers…”

We know that she sees the women above as strong independent people that are ready to get answers to their questions. This song is an anthem to the idea of people being curious of the world, not just women but also everyone who feels that they are being looked down upon and are unable to enter into that world that they want to learn about. Ariel embodies this with her view of wanting to be a part of it, to learn from the people that live up there, and become connected to both parts of it. Her desires to be a part of their world, just as we the audience want to be a part of her world, this magical place below the waves.

Later in the movie we see her dealing with her father, and while her line about not being a child anymore points to someone who is still quiet young, we see that she’s ready to be treated as an equal rather than looked down upon as if she doesn’t understand the world in general. Her begging her father to understand her case, to point out that they’re not just bad people is something that has been argued time and again about different minorities and other groups. And her trying to get her father’s prejudice to die down and to give the surface world a chance, means that she’s focusing on trying to make him see that the surface dwellers and the merpeople are not all that different.

When she’s confronted with her father wrecking her grotto, her stubborn independence is shown to be part of her own flaws as she’s unwilling to listen to others that are warning her against her actions. But these are actions she takes of her own free will and not one she’s pulled to or bewitched upon. Ariel knows that Ursula is dangerous and yet she willingly goes there because she believes this is the best solution and a way to say, well “Fuck you” to her father and his actions.

Even during the song about Poor Unfortunate soul we see that Ursula has to work pretty damn hard to convince her. One can point out to the fact that she’s actually critically thinking about things “If I don’t have my voice how will I…?” communicate with him. Ursula has to point out body language and such, something that Ariel clearly knows something about as she’s read the books from above, so she knows how surface dwelling communication works. So Ursula has to actually work more to sell her the idea. 

Even when she signs the contract, we see her looking away not only at the glow, but also at the aspect that she’s almost afraid to do this because she knows, deep down, that this woman is not to be trusted.

Even without her voice she shows a great deal of independence as when she makes her first mistake with the fork because she remembers what Scuttle says and does what she thinks it normal behavior for someone from the surface, trying to show she understands what the forks use is for to the humans that are around her. It’s only when she gets weird looks that she loses some confidence in her actions. Even still when Eric offers her a ride around town, she actively pulls him from place to place to make her inquires even unable to speak. They buy food she’s never had before, dance, walk around the street and sees the sights that she wants to see.

When she rescues Eric at the very start of the movie she also makes the active choice to go and get close enough to watch the people there to learn what she can, showing that she’s done this before, and probably thought that it was cool to see. It just so happens in this case she finds herself attracted to Eric. To add to this, when the ship goes down she actually deals with fire and the possibility of boiling water to save his life and bring him on shore to get him help so he can breathe. (In addition, if I recall thanks to Scuttle knocking out the water in his body Eric can breathe.) It’s also important to note that while a lot of people point out the second part of the Part of your world song as being connected to her desire to be with Eric, after he’s gone, the rest of the song comes out as

“I don’t know when, I don’t know how, but I know something’s starting right now. Watch and you’ll see, someday I’ll be part of your world.”

And I think this is an important factor that people tend to ignore. At this point of the story while she desires to be with Eric, she doesn’t know when or how it will happen, but she will make it happen. Not only because she wants to be with him, that’s a bonus to her, but because she desires to be up there. He’s the push that she needed to answer the call to adventure, to make the choice to find a way to do it.

In her animated series Ariel does try at different times to find a way to be human, but the various options are basically wishful like things where she can just write them off. In this case she’s now determined to find a way to be up there and meet him again. This, again is showing her independence and her willingness to break free of social norms to do what she needs to do to become who she wants to be. And I honestly think that’s a damn powerful message right there.

Adding to this you have to think that her will is damn strong if she knowingly dives into the sea to get to Eric and Vanessa, knowing that she’s changing and also that she can’t swim with her human legs. She wants to save him from possibly being, well who knows what Ursula would do to him, and shows again her stubbornness to do whatever she can even at the cost of her own life. She actively attacks Ursula during the conflict, causing the sea witch to end the lives of her two assistance, and that is because she’s not beholden to anyone at that point.

By the end while she is looking on at Eric she’s also willing to let him go so he can live a normal life and return to the sea and seems to have, reluctantly, realized that she can’t just take the short cut out for getting her legs. Yes we do get Triton giving her legs in the end, but we also see that she’s surprised by this and then excited. Not just because she’s going to get to be with him but because she can now go back and get her answers.

So is she not independent enough, no, quite the contrary, her independence is important but also it’s part of her flaws because her actions lead to the situation in the end.

She chooses to have legs so she can marry a man

As I said above Ariel’s desire to be on the surface is only pushed by Eric’s existence. She has had this desire long before she even met him, going all the way back to when she was much younger and had been actively searching for ways to become human before then. Her choosing to go to the Sea witch wasn’t just the destroying of Eric’s image, it was the wrecking of everything that was important to her. Her desire to understand different cultures and her need to understand the world above.

Never once does she say that she wants her legs just to be with him. Rather in the song Poor Unfortunate souls it’s only part of it. She wants to see him, sure, but the reality is that if Triton had wrecked that grotto up before she met him, she would have gone there to see Ursula over the desire to be up top. She even says “I don’t know when, I don’t know how” in her reprise of the song Part of your world. Meaning that she was going to start looking for ways to make it happen. She’s always had the desire to have legs, it’s just that Eric is the bonus and the push that she needed to be determined to finally grasp the goal that she wanted from Ursula when the offer comes. Again, if not for that grotto destruction, she probably would have spent more time trying to convince her father of the wonders above and, given how Triton is, eventually he may have been convinced through different means.

So no she doesn’t chose to have legs to marry Eric, she chooses to have legs so she can see him and see the world above, as per her earlier desires.

She gives up her voice to be with said man she’s barely met

This is a tricky one. Her choice to give up her voice relies more on the idea of her wanting legs. It’s clear that she probably would have made this same deal with Ursula even if Eric wasn’t in the picture due to her father screwing up her grotto and her collection. She even seems reluctant to do so, and we see Ursula working hard to get her to agree. It’s only when she’s looking at herself running that she ultimately wants this.

Her voice is the one thing that can identify her as the woman that Eric saw, and yet, she gives it up feeling that this is the only way she can reach her ultimate goal, which is to see the world above. Eric, in a lot of ways, is a second thought to her in the over all scheme of things. It’s only when she’s above and gets to know him more that we see her desire to be with him based around who he is over just this image of how a typical 16 year old would act when struck with a huge crush. She learns a lot from him and realizes that there’s a lot more to him then what she saw early on.

So while yes they barely know each other and she gives up her voice, her reason for it is more personal than, I want a boyfriend. There’s also a bit of a F You to her dad given his actions.

She’s 16 and has no clue of the real world

Again, this is a hard one. Ariel knows a lot more than we give her credit for, though not always right. This is much like a person who is just learning a new culture and language and trying to figure things out, and, while she doesn’t realize that parents are parent no matter where you go, there’s still a sense of figuring things out and growing as she learns new things. Yes she still brushes her hair with a fork, but also she learns about the world up there because she can see and hear and touch and taste things. She’s taking what she read about in the books, “Ask them my questions and get some answers” and getting responses to things that she didn’t understand in the stories that she’s read.

This is important as a lot of people I think miss this factor about the movie. Ariel is a fish out of water but a fish that already has knowledge of the world that she’s going to visit. She’s no dunce when it comes to things, knowing terms and words that are used by the people of the surface. She’s just not able to fully equate them to what they are, and like any cultural thing, she’s going to have to learn as she goes and make mistakes.

And honestly, how many teenagers understand the complexity of the real world?

She’s not brave enough, everyone needs to help her out so often.

This one I have to call Bullshit on. We see her bravery several times throughout the movie and in fact she saves people because of it. Early on when they are in the ship wreck area, she outwits a shark and saves Flounder by using her understanding and knowledge of the ship to get them out of a sticky situation and keep the shark from eating them.

Later we see her risk boiling hot water to save Eric who is drowning and pull him up to the surface, place him on land and stay there with him till he’s able to breath. She doesn’t know him and it breaks the rules of her own kingdom but she does it anyway because of her own compassion for this young man, as she’s seen he’s a compassionate and brave person himself.

Even later, when she’s faced with the consequences of her actions from earlier, making the deal and all, she willingly jumps into the water knowing full well she cannot swim and tries to head for the ship where Eric is being enchanted to marry Vanessa. Then during the fight with Ursula, she attempts to flee, and, once her father has been changed, she goes and attacks Ursula by pulling her hair making her aim be thrown off, allowing Eric to escape and the two eels, Flotsam and Jetsam to be killed. It actually takes Ursula bending the sea to her will and causing her to create a whirlpool with Ariel in the center on land and for Ariel to be not able to make a move. Yet even then, when everything is looking horrible, Ariel is still defiant as she avoids the blasts as best she can, not willing to go down, and actually looks defiantly at Ursula who’s trying to kill her.

Ariel, for all her faults, is brave. She may not be like Mulan or Merida knowing how to use weapons to fight but her willingness to risk herself for those that she loves. And her desire to gain knowledge of a world different from her own shows a great deal of courage as she’s willing to take risks to get items that she wants from places that other deem dangerous. She pushes herself to understand the world that isn’t hers and wanting to know about another culture and understand the people that live in that culture is actually a very brave thing to do. One could even say Ariel is an anthropologist with the way she acts.

Ariel is too conventional a beauty

So Let’s break this down. Little Mermaid has an art style that is based a lot on the older classical Disney style, and Ariel was based around Glene Keane’s wife and Aylassa Milano during her time on Who’s the boss, as well as Sally Ride’s hair in space. Given the fact, that Ariel’s appearance is supposed to reflect someone who probably only eats a limited amount of food in the sea and swims a lot she’s going to have a more petite and slimmer figure. If you notice her lower half is based around a very powerful tail as that is what is mostly propelling her through the water, thus her lower limbs would probably be more built like a swimmers than a normal walking person.

If you see her at the end, her hips and legs certainly do appear to be more muscular than her upper half.

I would argue that Ariel is not your traditional beauty in the least, and fits right in with the early 90s, and late 80s look in her face. She’s youthful sure, but by the standards of the day she matches with Melanie  Griffith, Naomi Campbell and Julia Roberts. A sort of girl next door look but with a slightly upbeat edge to it.

The thing is Ariel is the only Ginger, or Red head princess that Disney has made, save Merida, and at the time it was a huge thing as most actresses and “beauties” for the period were brown or blondes. You didn’t get a lot of red heads.

I’m really not sure what to say about people saying she’s too conventional a beauty. What did people want with her?

She needs her friends to help her get out of her situations

This is another one that I don’t get. From the start we know that Ariel tends to put herself and others in bad situations. She breaks the rules regarding going above the water all the time. She skips out on her responsibilities, and she tends to make her choices based on her over all selfish desires, not thinking about what happens next. This isn’t to say that she’s a bad person, but like most teens she doesn’t think about reflecting on her actions or how they will affect others. Her need for help and assistance stem from the fact that she tends to leap head long into danger without thinking about things. As with the case with the shark where she places Flounder at risk, or later with Sebastian and even herself during the last battle.

The need for assistance isn’t her call, her friends help her out because she’s in danger. She loses her way of breathing underwater, not thinking about, or knowing, what happens when you can’t. So Sebastian and Flounder have to pull her out of the water and get her to breath. She can’t swim because she no longer has the fins to propel herself. Her body has been completely changed over as her lungs are no longer adapting to the water and how fish breathe oxygen. She later dives into the water not thinking about how she can’t swim and Sebastian has to help her because of this with the barrels.

And in regard to the ending, she was stuck on land in the middle of a whirl pool, with no weapons and no way to move around, other than to try to get into the vortex that was the water and avoid being hit by Ursula.

Once out of water she has no confidence to do anything without Eric’s help.

This is a very blatant lie. As we quickly see within a day she’s able to walk around like a champ, and use the knowledge that she previously gained reading her books and learning from Scuttle about the world to manage in it. While she makes mistakes, it’s clear that she’s still got her urge to learn, as she drags Eric around pointing to things through the story. She get’s him to dance with her, to take her out and about, encouraging actions and gaining information through her body language and gestures, and actions.

At no time does she lose any of the confidence she has, until we see the whole situation with Vanessa. Only then does she feel at a loss, as she realizes that she’s going home and will be stuck as a monster belonging to Ursula. That is the only time she loses any of her joy or independence. When the truth comes out she’s able to make a choice to go after Eric to stop Ursula from doing something nefarious to him.

Eric’s contribution to helping her is very limited. He helps her walk and in the dinner table and drives them around. But that’s because: a) she has had legs for a very limited time at that point, b) he’s helping her out using a utensil he figures she may have not had to deal with before for whatever reason, and c) she would need an escort as she doesn’t know the town and he’s offering to give her a tour. The only added thing that he does is when she’s literally unable to move and is pinned down by a giant Kaiju of a Sea Witch and stab her to kill her.  

The plus side is that Eric is actually more active than the Prince in the original Mermaid story. I can also point out that when she runs down the stairs to see him when Vanessa is shown; she’s ready to meet him excitedly thinking that he may have somehow kissed her that night.

Her father has power over her at all times

So funny thing, Triton is the King. As his daughter Ariel is his subject, this means that he will always have power over her as she’s subject to the laws of his land. Even so she bucks social norms. She goes where she’s not supposed to, breaks laws to see the sailors on the ship, saves a humans life even though they are deemed kidnappers and killers. His actions using those powers screw him over with her as her response is to hate him and then willingly go into the arms of the one enemy that he knows is the most dangerous. Triton’s actions are not to be seen as a good thing. They are a bad thing, and something that is showing that he needs to change too. His harshness only cause pain for his child, something that he regrets as we see later.

It’s important to note that it’s actually Ursula that has power over her, because of the contract, and, if you bring in the movies and Tv show into the cannon, you can add the power of her late mother’s death and her sisters that actually have more sway over her actions.

Ursula is seen as evil even though she lives outside the norms and represents independent and angry women

Ursula is evil because she is a self-serving person that wants power. She manipulates others into signing contracts that pretty much are predatory to acquire things for herself. It seems that in a lot of cases she’s, like the good doctor in Princess and the Frog, tends to look for prey in the form of those that have issues and want to fit into the world and social structure that they see. In this case as demonstrated by the too thin merman who thinks he’s not good looking enough to get the woman that he loves, and a mermaid that feels she doesn’t fit the norms of attractiveness, and wants to be thin to be loved by the guy. The thing is that if both took the time to actually talk and communicate to one another they would probably realize that they love one another and wouldn’t need her.

But Ursula wants to put as many people under her control as a means of blackmailing the king. By having his subjects like this she could threaten them to get the crown. Her being removed from society has nothing to do with her living outside the norms or her independence, as we see with other characters in the tv and direct to video movies, there are those that don’t fit the mold either, and yet still reside in Atlantica. Those like Gabriella, or Urchin, who are not of the norm (one being deaf, the other being an orphan who is a thief), are able to live just fine there. It’s her actions that wind up causing issues that lead to her being removed from power by Triton it seems. Her anger stems from her desires to come back in to power since Triton took over the place from her as per her dialogue when we first meet her.

While in some ways she represent womanhood to Ariel, she also shows the darker side of ambitions. She’s a manipulator, a devil like person who views life through the eyes of who she can use to get what she wants. She’s more than just a danger to Ariel, she’s a danger to the whole sea. Her evil stems not from just a desire to take back over but also to destroy all that Triton has, to make him, as it were, bend at the knee to her and her will. She is, by and large, pretty mush like Mephistopheles from Marvel comics. Buying souls and keeping them locked in a state of hell or purgatory for her own amusement. We get a glimpse of how horrible she can be when her polyps start to shudder in fear of her during her song.

While her look is meant to convey her unappealing nature, it’s not the physical look that causes the most creepy factor, it’s the fact that she’s willing to do whatever she can to get her way. Showing that while Ariel is an independent person, she doesn’t want to become like Ursula with her drive.  

Poor unfortunate souls is a song about telling people what their place in society is, and that women should keep their mouths shut

This is an odd one. I think that it is more telling about the nature of how Ursula sees the surface world against Ariel’s views. To Ursula she doesn’t genuinely believe she’s helping these people, she knows she’s using them for the fun end of capturing Triton’s subjects as a means of blackmailing him to granting her power once more. Her lyrics are sung in a sarcastic way. Ashman clearly wanted people to see the con-artist in the world in Ursula. She mentions how people come to her to gain a better look in society, but the clear factor is that if they communicated with one another they wouldn’t need her to do anything. Ursula plays into their fears, while the other songs stress the idea of not conforming but rather learning about the world and becoming a part of it by inquiring and learning about the culture.

Poor Unfortunate souls tells of Ursula lying through her teeth to get in on Ariel’s good graces. Her asides to her two eels show exactly how she feels about the people she’s helping, and it’s clear she’s only doing this to get payment in some way or another. That could be anything from spying to, other things depending on who she’s turning and into what. The song is pretty much like that of the Devil making a deal with Faust.

Ursula even points out to Ariel that life is full of tough choices, and it’s something that she hadn’t thought about before. There’s almost a bit of salt in this song that Ashman seemed to put in there. Like he was Jabbing at people he knew in person.

The point of contention about keeping her mouth shut comes from Ursula’s own point of view on how the Surface is. We are not supposed to agree with her view point, and again this is being written by a man who is gay, and I have a feeling that he put stuff he heard from various others about women over the years into Ursula’s views. She represents the Antis in the world, the people who think they know things and want things back to a certain way, and that their view is the only one. Her anger at Ariel for questioning comes from the fact that she won’t be able to communicate, and the possibility that the girl is backing out of the deal here, the one thing she doesn’t want.

Ariel though knows that she’s not right in regard to communication, as she has books that she’s read, and probably has a better clue about the surface than Ursula. Yet the impulse to sign is there through the feeling of time pressure on the part of Ursula.

Kiss the girl shows that guys don’t need the okay to kiss a women that they like.

Again this is a huge mistake by most people. While Ursula is wrong about most of the aspects of the surface world, she’s not wrong about body language, as it typically can tell people how other’s feel about things.

In the case of Kiss the girl the song there’s clearly a hint of the use of body language in the movie showing things happening on screen. In the moment Sebastian realizes that they are on limited time, and need Eric to kiss Ariel soon or she’s going to be trapped. Both of them are young and in experienced in love, so what does he do? Uses his wits to set up a romantic moment as he knows Ariel needs and wants that kiss, but she can’t verbally say so.

However, in the moment of the song, you can see that Ariel is giving him consent by the way she looks at him and leans in for the kiss when he’s leaning in to kiss her. Two times she leans in for a kiss indicating non verbally that she’s willing to kiss him and he pulls back shy about it. There is no doubt in the movie that, in that moment at that time, Ariel totally wants that kiss and is willing to let him kiss her. Yes now a-days we expect a verbal yes. However, given Ariel is mute right now, and the fact that she doesn’t know sign language to speak, she can’t sign yes to him –also we don’t even know if Eric would understand that. So the only way to consent is in a nonverbal way, and in this case, it’s straight up leaning in for it twice and bedroom eyes to him.

She’s useless when it comes to saving herself from Ursula

She is stuck out of water with her tail. There is not much she can do in this situation as her body is contorting back to a mermaid, not to mention that once she’s in the water she fights back but it’s by pulling hair and getting Ursula to deflect hitting Eric. On top of this when she’s stuck in the whirl pool she’s got fins, and while she does dodge there’s not a huge area for her to hide in. She’s pinned down.

In the end she choose to be with a man over being with her family where she’s mostly accepted.

Actually no in this case it’s not that at all. Ariel is willing to go home, we see it at the end, even though she loves Eric, she’s staying on the rock as a mermaid watching him from a distance as she’s realized her actions have nearly cost her father his life and the safety of their kingdom. There’s no words here form her but we get the discussion between Sebastian and Triton and it’s clear that he’s come to the realization that she is in love with him and wants to be a part of the Surface world.

Her choice doesn’t come easy as she realizes that she won’t be around with her family, and again this could tie into personal things regarding Howard and his own life (I don’t know how his family life was). The idea here isn’t so much that she choose Eric, but Triton gives her what she needs to be happy. Changing her tail into legs and allowing her to go live on the surface is something that she has desired from the start and he lets her go.

It’s very much like the moment in Wreck it Ralph 2, where Ralph has to let go of Vanilleope, only in this case we see it through her father’s eyes. He’s going to miss her, and allowing her to grow up and be on her own doing the things she loves with someone that loves her is the hardest thing he’s ever had to do. Yet it’s what is going to make her happy, so he lets her go.

So this isn’t a choice of being with Eric, it’s a choice of being in a world where she feels sad and unhappy, or being able to be in a world where she feels happy and inspired. Ariel was never accepted under the sea, this is something that keeps being banged into our heads in every song. Only when she’s above does she feel like she’s being part of something bigger. Let me rephrase that a bit. She was accepted by her family and friends, but her view of the world, her desires to be part of a culture that they didn’t understand and fear was something that they couldn’t accept as a whole till much later.

I do wish that in the Little Mermaid II we had gotten Melody doing the reverse of this in a way. Ariel grew in that movie to see her actions mirroring her fathers in being over protective, and I was hoping for her to allow Melody to go live with her grandfather and enjoy her life under the sea as a means of going about the full circle. Triton let her go explore the world above, she sort of let’s melody go explore the world below.

Ariel doesn’t have enough diverse friends and she’s not very compassionate towards others.

In a movie that’s only 90 minutes Long I think, possibly less, there’s not a lot of time for a huge cast of characters. However there are a mix of friends she does have, only we got them later. Urchin, Gabriella, Pearl, Little Evil –a villain’s son, Simon, the Crabscouts, and others in the books have shown up to give a wider group of people that have connections to Ariel and her family. Also consider that Ariel is friends with a male fish who’s much younger than her, and a crab, and is able to befriend the castle servants, it shows that the girl has the skills to become a friend to a lot of people.

So that’s my defense of her. I hope this makes sense.

Next up, Belle

[justalittlelitnerd]

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

You deserve to be here. You deserve to exist. You deserve to take up space in this world of men

Also:  Felicity Montague, you are a cactus.

This book is the feminist anthem you didn’t know you needed. Actually, no, scratch that it’s the human rights (and sometime even animal rights) anthem you didn’t know you needed. It tackles race, religion, sexuality, gender, and probably any other slightly controversial topic under the sun. 

It is unabashed and recognizes flaws within arguments and defenses and it doesn’t try to say one way of life or being is better than another but they all simply deserve to exist.

If that isn’t enough to compel you maybe the fact that it is set in England (actually all over Europe really) back in the olden days (honest to God can’t remember what time period but the aforementioned petticoats probably gives you a clue) with pirates and sea dragons (it’s not as mystical as it sounds but still slightly magical) will be enough to compel you to pick up this book. Because you should. Like right now. 

It’s hard to be raised in a world where you’re taught to always believe what men say without doubting yourself at every step.

So I loved the first book in this series (The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue) and was super excited when I heard there would be one focusing on Felicity because I wanted more from her character. However, that doesn’t mean I wasn’t apprehensive because all too often the sequel is not as good as the original.

I’m pleased to report that, in my opinion, is not the case here. The Lady’s Guide is every bit as funny and poignant and socially relevant as The Gentleman’s Guide, in fact, it felt even more relevant to me as a woman who could identify strongly with Felicity’s character. But don’t worry there’s still plenty of Monty and Percy present in the story. 

I have learned that men respond best to nonthreatening women whose presence and space in the world does not somehow imperil their manhood, and so, as much as it pains me, I put on a smile so big it hurts my face and try to think like Monty, which is infuriating.

My favorite part of this novel is that Lee resists the urge to submit Felicity to the standard YA Romance storyline. That may have been what gave me the most apprehensive since the first novel implied that she was asexual, or at the very least more interested in her career than a marriage, and I was worried that having a story strictly about her would make Lee feel pressured to give her a romance. I will admit at times it felt like it was going to fall into that trap, but then it would turn around to show how it was just Felicity feeling the pressures of society.

When stripped of the illegalities and the Biblical condemnation, their [Monty and Percy’s] attraction is no stranger to me than anyone’s attraction to anyone.

The Lady’s Guide picks up about a year after the end of The Gentleman’s Guide with Felicity in Edinburgh working at a bakery trying to appeal to various hospitals and school to allow her entrance to no avail.

A year of men telling me I am incapable of this work only gives my pride a more savage edge, and I feel, for the first time in so many long, cold, discouraging months, that I am as clever and capable and fit for the medical profession as any of the men who have denied me a place in it.

The tipping point is when the man at the bakery who has helped her for the last year decides it is time to propose. This sends Felicity into a sort of tailspin because she’s not willing to give up on her dream yet but everyone around her is telling her she should settle down and be married and she’s starting to wonder if they are right. 

Which gave him the idea that men often get in their heads when a woman pays some kind of attention to them: that it was a sign I want him to smash his mouth -- and possibly other body parts -- against mine. Which I do not.

She makes the impulsive decision to travel to London to see Monty and Percy and appeal to medical boards there to grant her admission. However, once again she is denied and practically laughed out of the room for her ideas of becoming a doctor.

“You’re so determined to become a lady doctor then,” he says. “No, sir,” I reply, “I’m determined to become a doctor. The matter of my sex I would prefer to be incidental rather than an amendment.”

Their exclusionary policies rest entirely on the fragility of their own masculinity, but it doesn’t matter because they’re men and I’m a woman so it’s not even going to be a fight and it was never going to be a fight.

But this time one of the doctors recommends she reach out to Doctor Alexander Platt for mentorship which through a series of events leads her to befriending a Black Muslim Hijabi pirate named Sim and going off on a new adventure. Along the way, she encounters an old friend which brings to the forefront the intricacies of feminism. Because really that is what this book is all about in the end. Three women all fighting for their place in this world of men who try to tell them their only place is in the household.   

He has me apologizing for asking for the minimum that is granted to most men.

It turns out that Platt is set to wed Felicity’s childhood friend, Johanna, which she decides to use to get a meeting with him. However, it’s revealed that Felicity and Johanna had a falling out over their differing views on femininity and what it means to be a strong woman. 

You stopped taking me seriously when I stopped being the kind of woman you thought I had to be to be considered intelligent and strong. All those things you say make men take women less seriously -- I don’t think it’s men; it’s you. You’re not better than any other woman because you like philosophy better than parties and don’t give a fig about the company of gentlemen, or because you wear boots instead of heels and don’t set your hair in curls.

Johanna is still strong and intelligent and independent and she likes wearing dresses and makeup and heels and flirting with boys and those things are not incompatible, but a lot of times it’s a sticking point in feminism. Somewhere along the way there became this belief (which Felicity believes) that to be a feminist, to be strong woman standing up to men, you couldn’t also be traditionally feminine. It takes almost the whole novel for Felicity to realize that Johanna is not any less strong and intelligent because she subscribes to traditional gender roles/beauty standards and it takes her even longer to be willing to admit she is wrong.

I have spent so long building up my fortress and learning to tend it alone, because if I didn’t feel I needed anyone, then I wouldn’t miss them if they weren’t there. I couldn’t be neglected if I  was everything to myself. But now, those fortifications suddenly feel like prison walls, high and barbed and impossible to cross.

To be honest the relationships formed between and the battles waged by Sim, Felicity, and Johanna are more than enough reason to read this novel. But Lee decides to make it even better by throwing in scientific discoveries, men stealing women’s credit, danger, and a fight on the open seas reminiscent of any pirate movie. 

It’s not hopelessness, it’s just pure stubbornness. Not even so much a will to live as a refusal to die. Not yet, not now, not here, not when we have so much left to do. There isn’t a goddamned chance I’m dying on this rig.

It turns out that before she died, Johanna’s mom discovered a new species with Platt that honestly sound like sea monsters, something half dragon half snake like? And that the scales of these sea dragons can be used as drugs (both medicinally and recreationally). Platt wants to exploit the dragons while Sim’s family has sworn to protect them at all costs. The women band together to plot against both Platt’s exploitations and Sim’s father’s stubbornness against progression.

Everyone has heard stories of women like us -- cautionary tales, morality plays, warnings of what will befall you if you are a girl too wild for the world, a girl who asks too many questions or wants too much. If you set off into the world alone. Everyone has heard stories of women like us, and now we will make more of them.

Of course, they succeed in both tasks and along the way decide maybe they should get their own ship and go on their own research voyages including exploring more about the sea dragons. 

I am filled suddenly by that wanting, to know things, to understand the world, to feel myself in it.

In the company of women like this -- sharp-edged as raw diamonds but with soft hands and hearts, not strong in spite of anything but powerful because of everything -- I feel invincible. Every chink and rut and battering wind has made us tough and brave and impossible to strike down. We are mountains -- or perhaps temples, with foundations that could outlast time itself.

I know this was a long review filled with an overabundance of quotes, but I hope that just shows how good this book is. I read it a month ago and am just now writing this and still find myself remembering it vividly despite the fact that I’ve read maybe 5 books since then. So do me, and yourself, a favor and go out to read this book (I’m even okay if you skip the first one though I promise you’ll regret it if you do). 

You are Felicity Montague, I tell myself, and the darkness, and my heartbeat, in an attempt to rein it in. You have climbed through catacombs darker than this, you escaped from a second-story window with only your bedsheets, and you should not be frightened of the darkness, but instead be sure that the most frightening thing in it is you.

Bonus:

- The chairman tosses his cloak over his shoulders and gives me a smile that he likely thinks is kind, but is, in fact the smirk of a man about to explain something to a woman that she already knows.

- Humans have instincts specifically for situations like this. Everything in me is saying there is danger lurking in this forest, eyes bright and hungry through the dark.

-  Below is an unhelpful drop to the street -- no footholds, ledges, or loose bricks promised by every fiction book I have ever read. Not even a convenient hedge to drop into.

-  Charming is not a word I’d use -- or ever want used -- to describe me, but the way she says it prickles me. It’s the sort of thing I feel entitled to say disparagingly about myself, but from someone else, it feels blunt and unkind.

- Zounds, does this fool actually think he’s saving me? Another storybook hero to swoop in and rescue a girl from a dragon or a monster or herself -- they’re all the same. A woman must be protected, must be sheltered, must be kept from the winds that would batter her into the earth.

- I can do more than memorize maps of vessels and arteries and bones; I can solve the puzzle of what to do when those pieces come apart. I can write my own treaties. I am a girl of steady hands, stout heart, and every book I have ever read.

[misssophiachase]

Protection

25 Days of Klaroline + Tropes (I’m a little late)

When former first daughter Caroline Forbes and her former bodyguard Klaus Mikaelson have to part ways professionally can either of them deal with the imposed distance given their unresolved feelings and what will bring them back together again?  

I'll stand in front of you, I'll take the force of the blow. 

Daytona Beach, Florida

“This is Spring Break, Care, when are you going to start having some fun?” Her roommate Katherine drawled as they made their way from their hotel towards the packed beach. It wasn’t the first time she’d mentioned it that week and Caroline knew it wouldn’t be her last.

“I’m having fun…”

“Oh yeah, if fun means having your nose stuffed into a book,” she scoffed, placing her oversized sunglasses on her face. “There’s many things to be seen scenery wise but the inside pages of your pathetic, romance book aren’t one of them.”

“Trust me, your running commentary on the local beach talent has provided me with more than enough visuals, nose in book.”

“I only say this because I care,” she insisted. “Someone as hot as you deserves to have some fun at least…”

“I’m having fun...”

“The fact you keep repeating that you’re having fun means you’re really not.”

“Always looking out for me, aren’t you, friend?” She drawled. 

“Look, I know you still have feelings for him.” She stopped abruptly on the street, placing her hands on Caroline’s shoulders and spinning her around. “After eight years in that close proximity, I can understand. Although, I’m surprised you never ravaged each other senseless.” They’d only known each other six months but she was fast becoming acquainted with her roommate’s direct nature. 

“It wasn’t like that, what we had was purely professional...”

“Sure it was,” she drawled. 

“It had to be,” she conceded, slightly regretful she’d never made a move. “Fine, I’ll lose the book today.” 

A few hours later and Caroline was stretched out on a towel, soaking up the warm, Florida sun in her newly acquired, white bikini. Not that she’d ever admit it but Katherine had a point. It was supposed to be their term break so Caroline figured a bit of relaxation wouldn’t hurt.

Caroline was the type who needed to have a busy brain and schedule at all times and studying law at Harvard was the perfect excuse because if not other thoughts would creep in unexpectedly. Her life had been so different six months ago and Caroline was having a difficult time letting it go completely.  

6 months ago - Washington DC

“Caroline!” The young blonde had been a thousand miles away, staring out onto the wintery, Presidential Inauguration parade and only coming to when her mother broke her reverie by tapping on the cold, frosted glass window to grab her attention.

“Huh?”

“I know this is going to be difficult, darling,” Liz cooed, pulling her closer. “After eight years in the White House, life is going to be very different from now.”

Different? Caroline was extremely buoyed by the fact she would have a relatively normal life and wouldn’t have to hide behind Secret Service detail anymore. But at the same time she felt a heavy weight settle over her chest knowing it meant she’d never see him again, including those crimson lips which would frown in frustration whenever she argued back, those dimples that would flash unexpectedly when she thought he had no sense of humour and those dark, knotted, blonde curls that were begging to be touched.

Caroline had sent her mother the contrived smile she’d mastered over the years and one Liz was still yet to see through. Caroline made her way towards the front door, knowing it would be the last of her final duties as first daughter.  The relief was immense for the most part but the lack of his presence was eating away at her firm resolve.

“Someone looks like they’re going to a funeral,” he chuckled. Caroline would know that accent and know-it-all tone anywhere. Why was she going to miss him again? He looked immaculate as usual in his black suit and crisp, white shirt as he approached. “Going to miss me?”

“Urgh, you wish.”

“Don’t pretend you’re not going to miss my witty sense of humour.” Caroline didn’t respond, just rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. “I guess I’m only surprised about your expression because of all the times you fought me about your security detail.”

“What can I say? I don’t like pushy people,” she shot back. “So sue me.”

“Well, after today you are fully in charge of your own destiny and I for one am pleased to not have to put up with your…”

“My?”

“Uh, interesting character quirks.”

“You’re no longer responsible for me, Mikaelson, so just say it.”

“Opinions,” he answered, still somewhat diplomatically.  “Every single one of them in their bossy glory.”

“I’m not the only one with opinions,” she replied, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “You wear yours like a badge of honour.”

“As do you,” he quipped. “I’m not sure if the men at Harvard or the world are really ready for you, Victory.” Hearing him use her secret service codename was almost like a punch to the chest knowing it would be the last. 

“As long as they don’t tell me what to do, it will be fine,” she teased. “And I think you can call me Caroline now.”

“Force of habit,” he explained. “I think it took me five minutes to work out why you chose that codename. I’ve never met anyone more competitive and set on winning at all costs.” 

“I’m determined and tenacious, what can I say?” She huffed defensively. “Plus, I seem to recall beating you on a few occasions at pool, Mikaelson.”

“I suppose I can break the news now. It was only because I let you, princess.”

“A likely story,” she smiled, thinking just how much she’d miss their easy banter after being in such close proximity for eight years. “Maybe one day we can have a rematch and I’ll school your ass just like last time?”

“Maybe.” It was non committal but Caroline didn’t expect any less from her aloof, former bodyguard. 

He regarded her seriously and even though he was good at keeping his emotions hidden she swore there was something telling in his eyes. Almost like he was going to miss her as much as she him.  Time seemed to stand still, until she heard a car horn from the driveway. Her mother never was very patient. 

Then just as quickly as he’d appeared, Klaus had left, the only parting gift a knowing smirk and the flash of a rogue dimple before walking away, one last time. Knowing that he wasn’t coming back to protect her was more difficult than she thought. She’d been desperate for independence but now she wasn’t quite sure what she wanted. 

“Caroline.” She could barely hear her name it was uttered so quietly amongst the nearby chatter on the beach, an underlying growl accompanying it. Goose bumps formed over her naked skin and suddenly the hot, Florida sun was no competition for the shiver that rippled through her body. She’d know that voice anywhere. But why here and why now?

“Klaus,” she inquired, removing her oversized, floppy hat and peeling away her sunglasses, resting on her elbows to get a better vantage point to check she wasn’t dreaming. “What the hell are you doing here?” 

His good looks hadn’t faded in six months, that much she could tell in his tight fitted, navy polo shirt and an oversized pair of aviator sunglasses, his blonde hair curling over his ears teasingly.

“You have to come with me, right now.” His voice was low and decidedly urgent but Caroline never was one to give in easily, especially given he was no longer assigned to protect her.

“I’ll do no such thing,” she refused, suddenly feeling a little self conscious in her skimpy bikini. At least her awkwardness hadn’t diminished her stubbornness.

“Well, maybe you’ll come along for me then? Niklaus always has been a questionable sort of character.” Another familiar voice interrupted, she’d recognise that serious tone and chiseled jaw anywhere, even unusually attired in casual clothing.

“I almost didn’t recognise you without a suit, E,” she chuckled, her hand covering her eyes so she could see him amongst the bright sunlight.

“A suit on Daytona Beach? Not the kind of ensemble I was going for on this particular occasion.” Caroline looked between them, Klaus’ crimson lips were pursed and Elijah’s brow furrowed. This obviously wasn’t a social visit. She’d thought about Klaus a lot the past six months but never imagined their reunion being quite like this.

“What’s with all the chatter? I’m trying to suntan here,” Katherine murmured lazily, finally turning over onto her back to see what all the commotion was about. As soon as she cocked her left eyebrow approvingly, Caroline knew they were in trouble, even if it should have been the other way around given their profession. “Well, well, who do we have here?”

“Look, there’s no time for chit chat,” Elijah shot back. “We need to get out of here.”

“Charming,” Katherine drawled. “And go where exactly? You may be cute but the creepy, stalker vibe isn’t doing much for me, mister.” 

“Who’s your mouthy friend?”

“Katherine…” Caroline attempted knowing that if anyone could make a scene it would be her brunette best friend scorned by a gorgeous stranger. 

“Why don’t you do us a favour and buzz off,” she growled. Even though she was wearing sunglasses, Caroline knew that if looks could kill Elijah would be a hot pile of ash right now.

“Katherine, these are my friends,” she explained, albeit cryptically.

“Well, your friends need to learn some manners.” Although Klaus had been decidedly somber since his sudden reappearance, Caroline couldn’t miss the slight smile tugging at his lips. He did always like to see his uptight brother berated. Today was obviously no different. 

“They are my friends,” she continued. Caroline wasn’t sure of the threat but if it was nearby she didn’t want to cause more of a scene.

“Before…”

“Before I started university, you know when I was living at my former house.” Katherine seemed to be processing what she was saying and Caroline wasn’t sure what else she could say. 

“Oh that pretty, white one,” she mused, finally catching on. “Why didn’t you say so?” The girls gathered their belongings and made their way through the throng still unsure of the threat. Caroline couldn’t help but watch everyone around them. In one respect being in a crowd had its advantages but at the same time you didn’t know who was close by either. 

Katherine stumbled a little on some loose sand, stumbling forward slightly. Caroline noticed Elijah’s strong arms catching her before she fell. She steadied herself but not before slapping his hand away. 

“Get off me you oaf,” she growled, stomping ahead. 

Klaus gave Caroline a curious look, his eyebrows now firmly raised. “And you thought I was difficult, Mikaelson.” She didn’t bother to catch his ensuing expression. 

2 hours later

“Where the hell are we?” Caroline asked, looking around the impressive house. Shortly after leaving the beach, Elijah and Klaus had ushered them into a nearby jeep and driven them down the coast. 

“Your new home for the next few days.” 

“I’m sorry what?” Katherine whined, her brunette pony tail whipping around so fast they could hear its impact. “We have a home in party central on Daytona Beach and it’s been paid for upfront.”

“Well, I’m so sorry to ruin your plans,” Elijah groaned. 

“And we all know that this beachfront, private property is a hell of a lot better than your meagre accomodations in that questionable environment.”

“Wow, I never took you for such a snob,” Caroline accused, raising her eyebrows in Klaus’ direction. 

“Says the former first daughter,” he chided. It was as if they’d been transported back to their presidential days. 

“Were they always in the foreplay stage like this?” Katherine asked Elijah, looking between the two expectantly. Caroline felt her skin flush, choosing to divert her gaze downwards. Katherine always knew how to make a situation decidedly more uncomfortable.

“I didn’t work with the First Family but every time I saw these two together it was exactly like this.”

“Hey.”

“What can I say the annoying brunette has a point. Nik.”

“Annoying? Excuse me?”

“Do you ever do anything but complain? And here I thought the car ride and ten thousand questions was going to be the worst it would get.”

“Well, call me crazy but after you kidnapped us from the beach I feel like it’s the least we deserved and being Caroline’s former, secret service, hottie, detail doesn’t count.”

“Klaus was my former detail, he doesn’t work in the service anymore.” Caroline responded, her attention solely focused on Klaus. She’d said it before thinking about the consequences. 

“Have you been keeping tabs on me, Victory?” He grinned knowingly. Caroline may have done a little research over the past few months but never wanted his arrogant ass to know that. 

“You wish, Mikaelson.”

“Victory? Oh just great, so who exactly have I absconded with? For all I know you’re all part of some Government cover-up. I really should have listened to my mother when she said never go anywhere with strangers.”

“Someone’s been watching too much Designated Survivor. Will you be quiet for more than five seconds if we tell you what’s going on?” Elijah sighed, his frustration with the feisty girl at its absolute limit. 

“I’m not making any promises but start talking, broody,” she insisted, making herself comfortable on the oversized couch. Caroline took a seat nearby, careful not to be too close with Klaus, scared of the unresolved feelings it would evoke. 

6 hours later.... 

Caroline couldn’t sleep. She’d found her way into the kitchen around 3am and boiled the kettle knowing that the only thing that would help was chamomile tea. She’d never been a tea fan until Klaus had suggested its calming effects during a presidential tour of India when she was restless due to the jet lag. 

When Klaus had appeared from nowhere earlier, Caroline knew he wasn’t secret service but the urgency in his tone and the trust she still felt towards him was enough to leave in a hurry without much information. Finding out exactly why he was there was another and more terrifying prospect, hence her insomnia. 

“There’s been a very real threat made against your father,” he’d admitted. During his time as President, threats weren’t unheard of but now it seemed so unexpected. 

“But why?”

“The current President has made some comments about your father’s actions and time in the Presidency. His more extreme followers have taken them personally and are out for revenge.” Given just how unhinged his successor was, Caroline wasn’t surprised but the fact her father should suffer made her feel suddenly ill. 

“What? I need to be with him now...” She’d attempted to make it to the front door before he grabbed her round the waist and pulled her backwards. He’d touched her before but this seemed very different and decidedly more intimate. Caroline decided to blame it on her highly strung emotions. 

“Get off me! I have to see my father is okay.”

“Your father is in complete lockdown, so too your mother at their place in Houston. No one is getting to them,” he whispered, pulling her closer. She could feel his heart beating against her, his mouth lowered as his hot breath tickled her ear. “The best thing you can do is stay here until this is over. That’s what they want.” She stilled, knowing that it was probably true. 

“Why are you here though?”  

“After leaving the service, I started my own private protective company with my brothers. We still work as consultants for the Government.”

“And let me guess, my father insisted the consultant, who happens to be you, intervene?” He chuckled against her hair, calming her considerably. 

“He figured I was the only one who could get through to your stubborn self.”

“Sell out,” she growled, not bothering to pull free. For some reason being cocooned in his arms felt so right.  “If we get through this, I have every intention of raising this with him and kicking your ass, you can quote me on that Mikaelson.” 

“Why do I feel like this is deja vu?” He yawned, making his way towards the stainless steel fridge and opening the door, breaking her from her trance. The glow from inside cast light on his toned, not to mention bare, torso. From what Caroline could tell in her shock, the only clothing he was wearing was a fitted pair of grey boxer shorts. 

“Do you mind?”

“I’m hungry,” he muttered, rifling through the fridge. “And I figured you needed some lemon,” he said, placing one on the kitchen counter, just like in India all those years ago. “You’re welcome.”

“Do you always walk around half naked?” 

“I didn’t expect to run into you if you hadn’t noticed. And just so you know that singlet and short set isn’t completely innocent, sweetheart.” 

“Excuse me for being kidnapped at short notice with no proper change of clothes, unlike mister organised.”

“It’s bloody hot out, not that I owe you an explanation given I’m trying to protect you, Victory.”

“But in eight years together you were always clothed and professional but now you’re just...” She faltered as he turned to face her. If she thought the side view was impressive, front on was even better. Caroline had lost all sensible thought, her mouth dry. 

“Just?” Caroline knew two could play at this game, picking up the nearby knife and waving it in his direction to keep him at bay.

“I’m armed and dangerous and given my current emotional state you should be worried, naked boy.”

“If I knew my partially naked form would have created this reaction, I would have done it sooner.” 

“You smug ass,” she scowled, knife still well and truly poised. She was losing all resolve, the grip on the knife weakening with every second.  

“You conceited princess,” he growled, removing it from her grasp and pulling her towards him greedily.

“I hate you so much,” she panted, feeling every last shred of willpower slip away.   

“Well, luckily I hate you too,” he growled, his crimson, lips taking hers hungrily, his tongue finding its way into her hot and waiting mouth. It was as if eight years of pent up sexual frustration was playing out. 

His hands caressed her back, making their way lower to cup her taut ass, lifting her onto the kitchen counter, while not breaking their connection.  His hands found their way to the hem of her singlet, his fingers teasing the sensitive skin underneath. Caroline’s skin felt like it was on fire, her nipples tingling in anticipation of his touch.   

“So, this is what you two get up to without supervision?” Elijah asked, interrupting their frenzy. They broke apart like startled animals, albeit reluctantly. 

“He started it,” Caroline accused, licking her lips self consciously and attempting to push him away, her hands shaking. 

“No, it was definitely her, I mean she had a knife and....”

“Ooooh kinky,” Katherine whistled appreciatively appearing from behind. “Please don’t let us stop you.” She pulled Elijah away strategically and Caroline had to admit she was glad. The fact that those two might have been playing nice finally was a bonus. 

“I’m sorry, we really shouldn’t...”

“This might not be the best time but there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you for years, Victory,” Klaus admitted, pulling her closer and placing a chaste kiss on her temple. 

“And what’s that?” They were both silent obviously scared to admit their true feelings after such a build up. 

“How about a game of pool?” He suggested. “Each time we sink a ball we confess something and then...”

“Winner takes all?” Caroline smirked.   

On FF HERE

[angelicinsanities]

FANDOMLESS ✖ Name: Arabella Adler ✖ Age: 22. ✖ Species: Psychic. ✖ Sexuality: Heterosexual. ✖ Faceclaim: Emily Bett Rickards. ✖ Personality: Arabella is a more introverted person, usually keeping to herself. She doesn’t like getting to close to people as she fears what she’s capable of. As a result she can be awkward and nervous. She has the tendency to blurt things out without fully thinking through what she’s saying. She tends to ramble and go on tangents, though often quickly quiets herself upon it being pointed out that she’s rambling. She’s very compassionate, and holds a strong moral compass, resulting on the strict rules she’s placed on herself and her attempts to avoid feeding to protect others from herself. She believes in doing the right thing. Despite her self-imposed isolation, she’s a nurturer at heart and has the tendency to try and take care of someone if they seem hurt or damaged in anyway. Arabella has the habit of being rather stubborn in independence. After trying to avoid people to keep them safe, she’s gotten used to dealing with things on her own, and has put up shields against going close to people. She doesn’t let others in easily, and is more likely to try and handle her problems on her own. She has a lower self-esteem than most, believing she’s a monster and that she needs to protect people from herself. As a result of her lack of confidence, she’s less likely to actually defend or stand up for herself but is capable of doing it with someone she feels more comfortable with, or when she’s pressed. She’s got strong believes, and likes to stick to them. She’s more likely to stand up and defend others. Arabella is rather self-sacrificing, to the point where she’s often the first to put herself on the line for the safety of others. Arabella is rather intelligent, with a creative, crafty way of thinking. With the combination of her stubborn determination and hard-working nature, she is often quick and learning, though she falls short in learning control over her feeding. In the rare cases of being close to someone, she’s quite witty and sarcastic, with something of a dry sense of humor. She often uses humor in darker situations. Bella likes to see the light in things, people included. Despite a trusting nature, she doesn’t trust herself which is why she’s often isolated. ✖ Biography:Arabella was born to Mariella and Jerry Brandon in San Francisco. They had been wanting a child for a while, but had hardly expected what they had gotten when Arabella was born. For a while, her appetite wasn’t as notable. She took small amounts through contact with her parents, and it sustained her to some degree. Because she didn’t feed as much as a child, and didn’t have a mastery on it, she was often sick as an infant, in and out of the hospital with no real cause. As Arabella grew, so did her appetite. When Arabella was three, they hired a nurse to stay with Arabella and look after her. She became another indirect target of Arabella’s feeding. When Arabella was four, she drained the nurse almost completely, causing her to have a seizure and slip into a coma. It was the most she’d ever taken from a person at that point, and she started to show a few earlier powers. Her parents slowly became more terrified of her. They decided to take her to a faith healer one night when the things in her room were levitating. In the car ride there, she unwittingly linked with her father, and started sapping his energy. He drove off the road after having a little bit taken, killing both himself and her mother. Arabella was recovered from the accident and was given to her estranged maternal uncle. Unlike her mother, he had an ability. He was clairvoyant, often seeing flashes of images and drawing them out on paper. He was better equipped to handle her, and worked as hard as possible to keep her in control. He would get other psychics to imprint energy on objects to sustain her enough so that she wouldn’t have to feed. He was compassionate, but in part he too feared her, something that she always got the sense of. As a psychic, she felt like an outcast, but even in that community she was different, to be feared. She didn’t bond with other kids, didn’t develop any friendships because of it. She mostly focused on keeping her head down and trying to get through school. The older she got, the less her little charms and talismans worked to feed her. Because she hadn’t learned to feed at an early age, it quickly became clear that she had little control over herself. When she was seventeen, while her uncle was having one of his visions, she inadvertently was attracted to the energy he produced and latched onto it rather quickly. She almost drained him before she was able to stop herself. Luckily he survived because of his nature, but she realized just how much of a danger she was. He forgave her, but she still left home, believing it best to keep him safe from her and what she could do. She leaped between different places, living in rather harsh conditions at times, and never stayed anywhere for too long. Often times, she would starve herself for weeks until she could no longer control her urge and end up attacking someone. It’s usually after these attacks that she leaves a town, but she’s always left guilt ridden for what she’s done to those left in her wake. She’s done her best to avoid others, even doing online programs and classes as opposed to exposing others to herself. In her last town, she ended up killing a person by draining them too much and went searching for a way to try and lock her powers or gain some control. ✖ Extras: — Species Info ⋱ Description: Psychic vampires are another form of psychic creatures, though they are often referred to as another sort of vampire because of their unique dietary requirements. Unlike an actual vampire, psychic vampires must feed on energy produced by another being. There isn’t a particular story of their starting, though psychic lore dictates that they were created due to humans and vampires copulating, even though it’s frequently said to be impossible. They’re one of the rarer subsets of psychics, and aren’t found as often. Psychic vampires have varying degrees of power. Some might show no power at all, while others might show regular psychic abilities, or even types of power that resemble that of vampires. ⋱ Psychology: Psychic vampires are not born with a particular predisposition to any behavior or attitude. Like with humans, their behaviors and attitudes come from how they are nurtured. They have a wide range of behaviors, attitudes and personalities. ⋱ Weaknesses: × Often times, psychic vampires have varying weaknesses based upon which powers they possess. Most are mortal-esque and can succumb to similar things as humans. Others have more immortal type abilities and have resistances to certain things. - Arabella is a mortal and can succumb to things such as illnesses, basic wounds and injuries. However when she’s well fed in psychic energy she has a naturally type of healing ability. This is the reason for her lack of scars. However, injuries that would cause immediate death are more difficult to come back from. She’s often much more susceptible when she’s not well fed. × Starvation – The only weakness all psychic vampires have in common is the fact that they all require feeding on the life force of other humans to survive. If they starve for long enough, they will end up dying, and will reach varying stages of weakness in the process. The deterioration is notable both physically and mentally, such as in short tempered-ness, obviously drained pallor and dark circles under the eyes. Much like humans and animals, they can’t go for too long without feeding before they lose control. They will become desperate for food. ⋱ Abilities: Being one of the rarer psychic vampires, Arabella has a wide range of abilities, but she can only access them based on the amount she has fed. Because of inconsistent feeding patterns, there’s a never a clear cut definition of which powers she can access at the time. Even though she can access such powers, she often avoids using them because they require a certain amount of energy and she doesn’t like having to feed. × Aura Reading – Arabella has the ability to see the auras of others. She sees these almost all the time, but often tries to ignore them. From this she can decipher the way others are feeling generally, without going into much detail. × Telekinesis – Upon feeding even a little bit, Arabella has the ability to move things with her mind. Depending on her focus, or the amount of energy she’s consumed, there’s varying degrees of this ability. The more she’s fed, the heavier the item she can move. × Telepathy – This can be as simple as being able to pick up thoughts from others when used in low degrees, or being able to place thoughts in others minds. At the strongest, this ability can be used to open up a two way connection between minds, and even alter the minds of others. - This is Arabella’s least favorite ability, as she finds it the most intrusive to others and tries to avoid using it at all and any costs. She’s spent years putting up blocks and shields so she doesn’t hear others thoughts. × Elemental Control – From a higher degree of feeding, this is the next accessible ability after telepathy and telekinesis. Like most things, depending on how much she’s fed, she can use the elements more. Her biggest affinities are air and fire, and can easily use these without much focus. Her abilities are less about creating or forming the varying elements, and more about controlling those that already exist. × Healing – When well fed, Arabella has healing powers she can direct on others, being able to heal varying wounds, illnesses. This power often allows her to heal more quickly, but she has to channel her own powers to heal more severe wounds such as deep cuts or broken bones. She can heal others more easily than herself. × Astral Projection – Arabella has the ability project her astral form, which is something like her spirit. She can direct it to other places without being seen often. This is rather difficult, requires a high amount of feeding and is something she had difficulty controlling. Sometimes she astral projects rather randomly while still awake, other times while she’s asleep. Sometimes her astral projection crosses hairs with her telepathy and she ends up in the minds of others. Most commonly in dreams. She has little control of her psychical form while projecting. × Emotional Manipulation – A link drawn between her aura reading abilities and her telepathy, Arabella can, to a limited degree manipulate the emotions of others. She can cause a spike or decrease in certain emotions. She’s not extremely powerful in this ability and can’t completely control the emotions of others like certain psychics can due to a lack of practice and infrequent feeding habits. ⋱ Nutrition and the feeding process: × A psychic vampire requires psychic energy above all. While they do often require basic calorie consumption of a human, sometimes even more than a human if they’re not well fed energy wise, what they need most is the very life force of other beings. They can feed from humans, vampires, other psychics, werewolves, witches, animals and other creatures. It requires some form of physical contact, or a direct psychic link. Psychic vampires have to learn control at a very early age, or else the side effects can be detrimental to their prey. In humans it can leave them permanently impaired, in a coma or dead. Taking even a fraction too much is nearly impossible for a human to come back from. Chains of comatose patients or seemingly sudden deaths are how psychic vampires are often recognized.

[gadgetsrevv]

Zidane, Valverde show Real Madrid and Barcelona players who’s in charge as Neymar links continue

I hope it’s not a revelation to you that when it comes to football managers, the four apocalyptic horsemen are injuries, defeat, the sack and the transfer market.

The first will lead to the second. Injuries provoke an increase in dropped points. Accumulate enough defeats and the clattering hooves of the third will soon be heard. But the fourth, the transfer market, can look deceptively like he’s mounted on a friendly, exquisitely-groomed, well-tamed thoroughbred until the beast rears its forelegs and thumps unsuspecting football managers full in the face. That’s why it has been fascinating and uplifting to see how Zinedine Zidane and Ernesto Valverde trying to turn into horse-whisperers over the past 10 days, each of them actively battling the collateral damage the transfer market is trying to inflict on them.

The main actors in this theatre of defiance and risk, directed and produced by “Zizou” and Valverde, are Ansu Fati, Gareth Bale, Carles Aleña, James Rodriguez, Luka Jovic, Carles Perez, Vinicius Jr., Sergio Busquets and Sergi Roberto. Neither manager actually needs to lie in bed at night cold-sweating the arrival of the third horseman. They’re not immune to being sacked, but they’re also not currently in danger.

– Ansu Fati becomes Barca’s youngest debutant in 78 years – Lowe: Jose Antonio Reyes’ death casts shadow over new season – Krichko: Inaki Williams blazes a trail at Athletic Club

Valverde has his critics, but he looks safe until his contract ends in June 2020. Zidane? In theory, given his brilliant champions league legacy as a player and coach, he should be the unsackable coach. However, on Tuesday, Marca, a newspaper consistently drip-fed information by Florentino Perez, splashed its front page with the headline “Zidane Loses His Immunity.” Zidane and President Perez are in a battle of wills as to whether it should be Paul Pogba or Neymar shipped in before the transfer market closes next Monday.

If Marca plasters “Zidane Loses His Immunity” across their front page, to be seen or read by several million people around the world, it must be accepted as a rap across the knuckles from a higher office than merely the season ticket-holders. “Get your nose out of the Neymar affair, forget about Pogba and get the team playing better” — that sort of message.

The first two apocalyptic riders, the pale and the red horses of injury and defeat, have visited Zidane and Valverde from almost the minute their summer holidays ended.

Zinedine Zidane has handled his want-away or surplus stars well at Real Madrid since the tumult of preseason, helping reintegrate Gareth Bale to the first team while slowly introducing the players signed by Florentino Perez.

Madrid have been blighted by eight major injuries in 47 days, which crippled their preseason stamina-building, team understanding, sharpness and new-player induction. It was brutal for Ferland Mendy and Eden Hazard, new arrivals, while Real also bid goodbye to Marco Asensio for most of the season. Meanwhile, Barcelona lost Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele to a plague of muscle problems that would have sent many managers gibbering to a psychiatrists couch with claims that “life has got it in for me!”

These things, while either improved or worsened by a club’s fitness practices, are largely out of the control of football managers. That particular horseman will visit: it’s inevitable.

What about defeats? Madrid lost 7-3 to Atleti in New Jersey and Barça kicked off the season with a defeat for the first time since 2008. These things do damage managers, all of which means that studying Zidane and Valverde’s decisions of who to pick or drop in their four matches, has been riveting for anyone who likes to people-watch in football and try to get under the skin of the main on-stage actors.

We’ve seen serious, ambitious but overburdened men making it crystal clear that they will embrace risk, that they will enforce principles, that they will stand defiant against certain club wishes… if it helps them deflect the damage the fourth horseman can inflict. The transfer market can become a pestilence for these two elite, seemingly untouchable and vastly successful men because it’s a beast that they cannot outright control. No way. It leaves them fighting to become survivors, not victims.

Zidane wants Pogba this summer, though not only does it seem sure he’s not going to get Manchester United’s marquee player, but Perez doesn’t appear particularly interested in trying to force a deal through. Zidane neither wants nor needs Neymar, sentiments that are of little or no interest to his employer.

Up front, Luka Jovic is far from the finished article as a striker. Zidane’s assessment seems to be that Jovic has little in his locker beyond the fact that the young, burly Serb inarguably tucks away goals. But “suck it up, Zizou!” is the message from the big Bernabeu offices. This is who you’re getting, regarding Jovic, so Zidane drops him.

As for Valverde? He’d love to be able to rely on Ivan Rakitic, one of his “most-used” footballers since the Basque (himself nicknamed “the Worker Ant”) discovered the Croatian’s unselfish, team-oriented relentless “all for one and one for all” playing ethic. But Rakitic is one of the few transfer-market coins that cash-strapped Barca have at their disposal.

Barca coach Valverde has reasserted himself as the man in charge despite complaints from senior players about a lack of minutes.

The likeliest resolution is that Rakitic’s stubborn insistence on staying will win the day when the market shuts on Monday. Meantime, the club’s requirement that Ivan-the-terribly-good doesn’t get injured, thus scuppering any possibility at all of putting him in a deal to secure Neymar, has been dominant.

Of Barcelona’s 180 competitive minutes so far in 2019-20, Rakitic has only been given 45. Those only came while Suarez was already off injured and Messi was absent. In other words, in extremis. Valverde has had no choice. The point is this: when Valverde opted to deploy 16-year-old Ansu on Sunday he did so as if he was saying “I’m taking back control!”

The previous week at San Mames, he’d already ignored Sergio Busquets and Junior Firpo on the bench and given 21-year-old winger Carles Perez only his second-ever senior appearance. Then Valverde started the kid again at the Camp Nou in week 2.

Against Betis, when Ansu was made Barcelona’s second-youngest player in club history, Valverde left on the bench two big-reputation (and big salary) players, Samuel Umtiti and Arthur, on the bench despite each of them crying out for game time.

Ansu may well be an emerging phenomenon and Perez a confident, talented young buck. But this was quite clearly a series of very firm messages. To President Bartomeu: “I don’t need Neymar, I’ve got the super-kids and I’ll use them.” To the senior players who have been ignored: “It’s time to sharpen up.” To the unreliable Dembele: “Get professional or get ready to languish on the bench or in the stands.” To the fans, media and to young academy players, including Ricki Puig, who some Barça media personalities and fans think is a mercurial genius already worthy of an automatic first-team place: “Youth will be trusted when I think it’s time.”

Zidane’s decision-making in Madrid can be regarded as a little more pragmatic but like Valverde, it’s still heavily laden with important declarations of self-determination, independence and potential conflict to come.

In order to have any chance of raising the cash to buy Neymar, Madrid’s bean-counters would need to sell or trade James or Gareth Bale. Or both. Zidane may not have been terrifically keen on either man until now but the instant the Premier League market closed, he exercised some good old common sense and extended the olive branch of peace to the Welshman, who has since started both Liga matches and played all but fifteen minutes of the 180 available.

James, ripe to be sold or traded before the other major markets close next Monday, was picked on merit against Valladolid and played well; he wasn’t wrapped in cotton-wool as Valverde has felt forced to do with Rakitic. The result? A good performance, but an injury now removes the Colombian as a trading piece from Florentino Perez’s shopping basket.

Zidane took back control. The club haven’t benefitted, but perhaps the team has. Perhaps he, himself, has. The manager’s authority, his character and how he’s viewed by the rest of the squad: all of those things have been reinforced. More, Zidane’s decision to drop Jovic demonstrated his thoughts on the Serb’s current form and preseason performances.

Cost: €50 million. The amount Zidane cares about that? Zero. It’s a message to the striker, message to those who signed him. Oh, and as for Alvaro Odriozola, signed after Zidane quit Madrid in June 2018? He was dumped out of the squad altogether at the weekend.

Neither manager has won all his bets, and each has faced criticism. But both of them wrenched back the idea that “the buck stops with me and I’m not just flotsam or jetsam to be tossed around by the furies of the transfer market.”

I think each man burnished his reputation, reaffirmed his authority, won back self-respect and faced down the fourth horseman of the apocalypse for football managers. How they must yearn to hear those hooves echoing into the distance next week.

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[netherwar-rpg-blog]

Welcome to the Wardens, Emily! Your application for a RANGER OC has been accepted with a Keira Knightley FC.

What a gorgeous app! I was delighted to see that you had clearly embraced the lore of the world so that you could create a story for your character which would be believable in Eldris. We are in great need of a Ranger who is a master of beasts and marksmanship, as they are incomparable fighters in the wilds! Roswitha’s struggles through life - especially with her Dawnish father who is obsessed with trying to learn magic, despite not having the Spark - really makes her traumatic story full of possiblities too for future plots. It was really touching to read the friendship which Roswitha shares with her loyal bear companion; a true sign of a Ranger! I cannot wait to see how they both contribute to the world’s future and if they find the pack they are looking for in the Wardens!

The application can be found under the cut. You have 48 hours to create a roleplay account (cannot be a sideblog) for your character and we will be updating our opening date soon!

O O C - I N F O

Name: Emily

Age: 22

Timezone: PDT (UTC -7)

Activity Level: I’ll try to reply to something at least every day! I’ll be most active Friday-Sunday though.

Extra: Nothing

C H A R A C T E R - I N F O

T H E - B A S I C S

Name: Roswitha Unroh

Occupation: Bounty Hunter (former); Warden

Gender: Cisgender Female

Age: 31

Class: Ranger (Level One)

Beast: Birgir; a large brown bear, with lighter brown fur around his neck and chest. While at his shoulders he’s only 4’ 9” on his hind legs he towers above at over 9’ tall. Generally easy going, he’s reminiscent of a large, lazy dog.

Height: 5’ 5”

Weight: 146 lbs.

Status: Single

Faceclaim: Keira Knightley

C H A R A C T E R - D E T A I L S

Nationality: Siftish

Appearance:

Unassuming in appearance, it’s not until you approach her that you truly realize there’s something almost… feral in the way she moves. Her eyes are a rich brown, like the soil of the earth. But she never meets your gaze for long, her eyes are always darting here and there. Thick brown hair frames her face and hangs past her shoulders, or rather it would if she didn’t keep it tied back in a loose bun. Her hands and feet are calloused from use and have small faint scars all over them. She has a long scar on her left thigh from an arrow trick in her teens that went south. Her right leg is a little stiff from a poorly healed injury. She’s not quite tan, but the smattering of freckles across her shoulders and face show that she’s spent a fair amount of time in the sun. The faint wrinkles beginning to show around her eyes and mouth betray her years as well. Her voice is low and a little rough, like the creaking of trees in the wind. She smells of pine trees and snow.

Personality:

+ Resolute | Some call it determined, others call it stubborn, it all depends on perspective. Whatever you call it, when given a job to do, she will not stop until it is accomplished. When you have only your word, it’s crucial that you complete the task on hand whatever the cost.

+ Observant | She’s not good at implied subtleties or hidden motives when they’re obscured by fancy words. But body language is a quick read for her. A nervous glance, a tensed muscle, nothing escapes her notice. A combination of years of hunting and learning a little about the Game when she was young.

+ Self-reliant | All the years spent living alone in the words have taught Roswitha to be quick-witted and ingenious. She’s determined to have no problem hunting for her own food or building her own shelter. Except for Birgir, she’s only had herself to rely on for most of her life.

– Short-tempered | For one who values quiet and calm so much, this is an unlikely trait. But she’s ill equipped for dealing with people, even more so the greater their differences are, and this can easily result in an mistimed outburst. She’s quick to lose it, but shame usually shuts her up before it escalates too much. It reminds her too much of her father when she acts like that.

– Inhibited | Roswitha’s not comfortable around most folks, especially the Dawnish. She’s well aware of the stigmas against the Rangers and this will frequently color her interactions with more… civilized people. If she had her way she’d avoid townsfolk and live in the forest year round.

– Wary | She fidgets when standing still although you can tell she does her best to repress it. The longer she’s out in the open or surrounded by a large crowd, the more agitated she gets. Being exposed and vulnerable is her least favorite thing. She’s much more at ease with branches overhead or if Birgir is nearby.

C H A R A C T E R - B A C K G R O U N D

History:

Roswitha’s mother was a Siften hunter who lost her right arm during a solo hunting trip in the Farnill Forest. Far from home, injured and ashamed, she got as far as Stonerun before she ran out of money. Unwilling to return to Siften, she got a job as a shelf stocker in a small spellbook shop. As the years passed, she was frequently visited by a young Dawnish man. While not a mage himself, he came from a long line of powerful mages and was dedicated to the study of magics. He hoped to someday master magic through theory alone. Inspired by his dedication, the two eventually wed and Roswitha was born not long after. They were an idyllic family. Until her father’s studies resulted in failure after failure. Until Roswitha would bring another stray creature home. Until her mother tried to be more independant. Their home quickly devolved into a tense and toxic environment, with Roswitha and her mother walking on eggshells to avoid upsetting her father. The situation only worsened once it was discovered that Roswitha was a Ranger. She showed a connection to the Balance that her father envied, and yet it wasn’t even because of the Spark of a Mage. The following weeks led to some of the worse fights Roswitha had ever heard between her parents. It was after a particularly loud fight that her mother burst into Roswitha’s room and scooped her up in her arm. Eyes wide, Roswitha hesitantly reached up to touch the blood running down her mother’s face. Face strained, her mother gave her a smile, “I’m fine, little one, it’s nothing. But we have to leave now.” Roswitha squirmed, trying to look over her mother’s shoulder. “But what about papa?” Her mother tensed before picking up her pace even more. “Papa has to stay here. But we’re going on an adventure, just the two of us. We’re going to mama’s home.” It was a slow journey. Roswitha was still a young child and her mother was avoiding towns as much as possible. Eventually though, they made it to the Siften border without any incident, and then to her mother’s village.

The first few months in the village were a hard transition for Roswitha. She’d frequently get in fights with the other children and would lash out at her mother. It was decided that Roswitha would begin her lessons early in an attempt to divert her aggressions elsewhere. While Roswitha hated the daggers, she had a gift for archery. A sharp eye and a steady hand made for quick learning. The years passed by, and her distressing childhood was starting to fade from her mind. The occasional nightmare was all there was to remind her of what used to be. At the age of fourteen she decided to set off on her own. While she loved the village, the call of the forests and woods was too great to ignore. After packing some provisions and promising to visit when she could, Roswitha headed into the wilds.

She settled into a simple routine, hunting when she needed and helping creatures in distress when she could. One spring some years after leaving her mother’s village, Roswitha was cooking her dinner over the fire when she heard a creature snuffling in the bushes. To her surprise a small brown bear cub emerged. Not leaving her place by the fire she scanned the woods, trying to see where the mother bear was. A whine drew her attention back to the cub who was anxiously pacing on the other side of her fire. “Where’s your mum little one?” she asked, quickly glancing back into the trees before returning her gaze to the cub. Lost. Alone. She’s gone! the little cub bleated out. With a last cautious glance into the woods, Roswitha slowly approached the cub. It gave a squeal and shuffled away until Roswitha reached back and took the meat off of the spit. “Don’t worry little one, I won’t hurt you.” she said as she waved the meat in front of her. The cub paused and turned, its noise in the air. Hungry. it whined. After some shuffling the cub ran up, bit the meat, and ran back into the forest. Roswitha sighed, and went back to her place by the fire. It wasn’t the last time she saw the cub however. It began following her and she would feed it scraps from her dinners. Eventually the cub became a permanent fixture of her camps. “I’m going to call you Birgir now instead of cub. Do you like it?” she asked, looking down at him. Yes. he hummed as he walked alongside her. After a few years Birgir grew to be a full sized bear, but still he chooses to stay with Roswitha.

For most of the year, Roswitha protects the small forests and woods from over hunting by local nobles. It’s rarely an issue in Siften so she and Birger travel south of the Spine Mountains to the Targun and Farnill Forest. As long as the weather’s good, they’re content to stay in the forests. Especially since most towns are wary of letting a large bear walk the streets, even if he is with a Ranger. As winter approaches the pair travel back to Siften so Birgir can hibernate and Roswitha can check in on her mother. For the rest of the season Roswitha will take up residence in a nearby town and make a living from bounty hunting, since few want to wander through the cold and snow, and fewer still choose to brave the ice while tracking escaped criminals. She’ll stick around a single town until spring rolls around and Birger wakes up from hibernation. Then they return to the southern forests of Eldris.

This past year, rumors reached Roswitha as she passed through eastern Dawnstar that her father had remarried and was expecting his second child. The gossipers spoke of how good it was that he was able to be happy after his disastrous first marriage. No man should have to suffer through having his savage wife steal their child away in the night, never to be seen again. With each whispered bit of gossip, a bitter rage long since buried started to boil again. When Roswitha heard that he would be hosting a celebratory hunting party, she knew what she would do. She told Birgir to wait for her in the next town over and contrary to his objections, set out for the forest. Unlike the animals of the woods, who silently travel through hidden paths known only to them, nobles on a hunting party are loud and easy to track. In no time at all she spotted them and nocked an arrow. With the precision only a Ranger can have, she sent her arrow flying right through her father’s hand. Chaos erupted. “Run!” she commanded the horses. Immediately the already startled beasts bolted, taking their noble riders with them. Roswitha took off after her father’s mount, waiting until they had traveled a good distance before jumping out in front of the horse. A squeal sounded from the poor animal as it reared up, throwing her father to the ground. Roswitha ignored his cries of pain and watched the horse go, sending a silent apology its way. “H-how dare you!” her father weakly yelled, “How dare you attack a Dawnish Mage!” Roswitha whipped her head around, a snarl in her voice. “You. Are. No. Mage.” She stalked over to him gripping her bow until her knuckles were white. “You’re a coward.” she spat out, “A weak old man! A pathetic excuse of a father who took his insecurities out on his wife and his child!” Her voice breaking at the end, she turned away, a disgusted look on her face. Too late she noticed his move towards her, a flash of silver slicing into her leg. With a yell she retaliated, kicking him away from her and reaching for an arrow. “Wait!” he cried out, throwing his hands in front of his face, “Wait please! I have a family!” “You had a family!” she screamed as she pulled the arrow back and aimed for his eye. “There! Through the trees! I see them!” Letting out a string of expletives Roswitha turned to see the rest of the hunting party barreling towards them, swords and other weaponry at the ready. She should have heard them coming. She should have  been paying attention. She turned back to face her father but he had already gotten up and was stumbling towards the party. She hastily readied her arrow again, aiming for the chest. In her concentration she didn’t notice the enemy arrow until it whizzed by her face and in her surprise her arrow went wide, lodging itself in a tree. The party was getting ever closer and if she was to escape capture or worse she had to leave now. With a curse and a grimace she began running, in spite of the screams of pain coming from her sliced thigh. She heard shouting behind her as they scrambled to follow her, but she was already out of their range. Their noise was a faint din by the time she could see the edge of the forest.

Roswitha finally allowed herself to slow down, stumbling as the blood loss finally caught up with her. She lowered herself to the ground, and threw her head back against the tree, tears pricking at the corner of her eyes. After a moment she turned her attention to her wound, grimacing at the amount of blood coating her leg. She healed what she could with nature magic, but she had waited longer than she should have and that skillset had never been her strong suit. When the worst had been healed, she leaned her head back against the tree. She had barely closed her eyes for a moment before they snapped open at the sound of something crashing through the undergrowth. Scrabbling to stand, Roswitha reached for her bow to ready an arrow when Birgir burst out from the undergrowth. “Birgir!” she gasped, “Why are you here? I told you to wait.” Didn’t leave. Smelled blood. he huffed. He lowered his head and gave her wound a sniff. Healed? She frowned and said, “Well enough.” He stared at her a moment before crouching down to allow Roswitha onto his back. She climbed up, careful not to disrupt her healing. Stupid. Birgir growled underneath her. “I know.” she sighed, hugging him tighter. Weren’t thinking. “I know.” It had been foolish and reckless and had nearly cost her her life, and all for nothing. They traveled in silence for a time, Roswitha replaying the scene over and over in her head. “Birgir, I think we should head south for awhile. It is probably best if I avoid Dawnstar for a while.” Birgir grunted in affirmation, changing his path accordingly.

Reason for joining the Wardens:

Even the strongest wolf needs a pack to call home. While Roswitha has enjoyed being on her own for most of her life (with the exception of Birgir), but recent events have her reconsidering. It’s not a bad idea to have a group that can look out for you and watch your back. However, whether or not the Wardens are the answer remains to be seen. Of course she won’t tell anyone that. Being as how she hates to look vulnerable, if pressed for her reason of joining, Roswitha will simply answer that she lives on Eldris too. The rifts affect them all and you’d have to be a damn fool to willfully ignore the signs.

Desired Connections:

Roswitha’s teamed up with a few rangers in the past. It’s not entirely unlikely that one of them also decided to join the Wardens. She’d be relieved to see a friendly face. They can reconnect and reminisce about that one time with the angry noble.

She may also have familial relationships with the Dawnish through her father’s side of the family.

R O L E P L A Y - S A M P L E

There have always been tales and songs of the walking dead. As your character huddles around a limp and fading campfire, they glimpse ghostly shapes through the forest’s trees. What do they do as the undead approach?

—

It starts with the hair raising on the back of her neck. Years of living in the forest have made her good at sensing when a gaze is upon her. From the cautious stare of the prey animals to the hungry glares of predators, each is distinctly different. But these stares… they have an almost unearthly, malicious aura to them. Undead. Birgir lets out a huff, confirming her suspicions. She slowly looks up from the dying embers of the fire, casually scanning the edge of the clearing. Birgir has an excellent sense of smell and is rarely wrong. But with the fire dying and the moon barely a sliver, a brush with the undead was risky. A cold sweat starts on her back as she begins to see flickers  of them at the edge of clearing. Keeping her breath even, she reaches for her bow and arrows, drawing them towards her as she begins to stand. A rumbling begins to emanate from Birgir as he gets up as well. Roswitha glares as the first skeleton stumbles into the clearing and braces herself. Birgir stands and lets out a fearsome roar, one that would’ve given any living creature reason to pause. But these sad creatures have been long dead.

As if on a secret command, they rush into the clearing. Their jaws gape open in wordless screams, remnants of their past lives hanging off their cracked bones. Birgir charges into the thick of them as Roswitha nocks an arrow. She fires it off only for it to get uselessly lodged in a skull. She swears placing the next arrow back in the quiver. Birgir stomps on the skulls of those he knocked over letting out a growl as more jump on his back. A grating sound behind her alerts her to a group of skeletons who had broken away from the pack attacking Birgir. Her eyes dance around the campsite looking for a suitable weapon before she locks on the fire and kicks the dying embers into their faces. The memory of fire makes the skeletons pause as they try to put out skin that no longer exists. With a grimace Roswitha tightens her grip on her bow before swinging it at the nearest skull. It collapses with a satisfying crack and she moves on to the next one. She makes quick work of them and when the last lies motionless on the ground she turns to Birgir. Skeletons still cling to his back, tugging on his fur as he stomps around trying to shake them loose. “Hold on!” Roswitha calls out as she runs across the clearing. She drags the skeletons off of him and Birgir turns to crush their skulls under his paws. The last one dealt with, an eerie calm settles over the clearing, the only sounds being the heavy breathing of the two where once there was the cracking and snapping of old bones.

“Are you alright?” she rests a hand on Birgir’s shoulder as she looks him over. My fur. he rumbles licking at one of the bald spots from where the skeletons had scraped the fur off. Roswitha smiles and gives him a pat, “I am glad that’s the worst of your injuries.” A whispered spell is all it takes to fix the wound however. She pauses before saying, “I suppose we should make camp somewhere else now.” Roswitha frowned, looking at all the skeletons and bone shards littered around the camp now. Aside from being a mess, a dark energy now clung to the clearing. Birgir butted his head against her, almost knocking her over. Let’s go. he grunted before turning towards the forest. Am tired. Roswitha gathered up her bow, quiver, and pack before following after her bear.

[garkgatiss]

#Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'!

Great news, everyone: legends-only Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat plan to not only 

a) write canon romantic Johnlock, but 

b) do it by writing an explicitly queer homage/fix-it fic for the subtextually queer tragic play that was used as the basis of the acclaimed musical Oklahoma!

Oklahoma! ! A second reference, and a direct reference to the musical this time. Apparently Sherlock’s parents weren’t linedancing in Oklahoma, they were linedancing in Oklahoma!. Weird, right? Why a reference to an American musical about cowboys in a British show about a detective? 

Just wait.

Let’s first take a look at what happens in the first act:

Sweet orphan farm maiden protagonist Laurey has two suitors: Curly, a hunky sweet-talkin’ cowboy who visits her farmhouse regularly to a cautiously positive reception from Laurey and bald-faced encouragement from spinster Aunt Eller; and Jud, the two women’s goonish hired farmhand who has a brutish, violent obsession with Laurey and a brutish, violent jealousy of Curly’s frequent visits.

In Act I, Laurey impulsively commits to going to the Box Social dance with the goonish farmhand in the process of playing hard-to-get with her will-they-won't-they dashing cowboy. She immediately gets the sense that she will regret this, but she's too scared of goony farmhand to back out on him and too stubborn to come crawling back to cowboy. Cowboy Curly is frustrated by this apparent indecision, and confronts Jud alone in an ominous scene that foreshadows their final, fatal clash. At the end of Act I, Laurey gets high on "smelling salts" (camphorated laudanum) that she bought from a peddler in order to understand what to do. A fifteen-minute dream ballet reveals a happy life with Curly that is ruined on her wedding day when Curly transforms into Jud, and the church transforms into a saloon full of can-can dancers. Dream-Curly returns to confront Dream-Jud and they fight, but as a tornado rages, Dream-Jud kills Dream-Curly and carries off Laurey. Laurey wakes, terrified, and doesn’t argue when Jud tells her what time he plans to pick her up for the party.

You can substitute Sherlock for Laurey, John for Curly, and Mary for Jud and recreate several key scenes and dynamics from Sherlock without too much stretch of the imagination. You can see Sherlock and John’s stubborn, teasing banter in Laurey and Curly from the first scene, as well as Mrs. Hudson’s blithe encouragement of their relationship; John’s “people will talk” line gets its own musical number in “People Will Say We’re In Love”; food-sex metaphor is fully integrated into the plot; Curly threatens Jud and proves his sharp-shooting ability by shooting through a knothole in a wooden post “the size of a dime”. The entirety of The Abominable Bride is a visual and structural homage to Oklahoma!’s fifteen-minute opium-induced dream ballet, but one that foreshadows an unambiguously happy ending rather than tragedy. Truly, just watch it -- you could easily rename the dream ballet The Abominable Groom.

This musical is a baffling but blatant muse for Sherlock, going all the way back to the very first episode. One explanation is that Sherlock is a fairy-tale romance, and what better way to demonstrate that than to follow the romantic arc of a golden age Broadway musical? 

But what makes even more sense (and is ultimately far more poignant) in explaining why Sherlock fits so well as Laurey and why Sherlock seems to borrow so much from Oklahoma! is that Laurey’s character was intended to be read subtextually as a gay man from the very first draft. 

"Green Grow The Lilacs is a very bleak play about homosexuality. Would you get that from Oklahoma!? I don't think so." - Stephen Sondheim 

Green Grow the Lilacs was first staged in 1931. A pseudo-musical play showcasing the folk songs and regional dialect of pre-statehood Oklahoma, it ran for its full contract of sixty-four shows and toured the states a bit afterwards. A modest success in terms of Depression-era theater. 

Rodgers and Hammerstein both independently discovered the show and wanted to adapt it into a full musical theater production with original music. Oklahoma! would be the very first collaboration for the legendary composer-librettist duo. The pair added their songs, preserved much of the original dialogue of the play, fleshed out the secondary romantic subplot, changed the tragic ending to an unambiguously happy one, and made themselves a hit. 

“I like the bridesmaids in purple--”

”Lilac.” 

(Can we now tally a third reference to Oklahoma! in Sherlock?)

Green Grow the Lilacs was originally written by Lynn Riggs, a closeted gay man who set his play in the Indian Territory (soon-to-become Oklahoma) town of Claremore where he grew up. Functionally an orphan, his mother Rose Ella “Eller” Lynn died when he was a baby and he spent significant time as a child with his Aunt Mary: a divorcee with eight children, mostly daughters, and the stated inspiration for the character of Aunt Eller. Though his stated inspiration for Laurey is one of these girl cousins he grew up with, it's clear that Laurey’s true role is as a self-insert of Riggs himself.

This makes the entire play snap immediately into focus. Why else is an orphan woman even considering the overtures of a consolation prize farmhand goon when her only apparent kin is virtually begging her to get hitched with her cowboy dreamboat true love? It’s what first struck me as so similar between Sherlock and Oklahoma!: there is NO NARRATIVE REASON why they shouldn’t get together in the very first scene! Curly invites Laurey to the dance, and then he pretends to have been joking when she deflects his invitation. Is this sounding familiar yet? Why else is she worried about people saying they’re in love? There’s no father with a shotgun to hide from, no factional violence keeping them apart. And yet she has to get high like a certain detective we know in order to make what should be the most obvious choice of her life.

It means that dirty, brutish Jud is suspicious because smooth-talking slick-dressed Curly always visiting their farmhouse without having any real business there. It means that Curly’s disinterest in Jud’s porn stash and Jud’s hostility in response suddenly feels ominous. It means that the implication that Jud killed and burned down the farmhouse of the last family he worked for because he caught the farmer’s daughter, whom he was sweet on, with another man in the hayloft was less to do with violent, murderous jealousy and more to do with violent, murderous bigotry.

It means that Aunt Eller, who throughout the musical miraculously interrupts and prevents the commission of at least three different subtextual hate crimes, is less a spinster aunt eager to marry off her orphan niece and more a champion and guardian of gay love. (She’s also a naked-lady-picture-lookin’, red-petticoat-wearin’ lesbian, but that’s an analysis for another time.) Glad we have our own Mrs. Hudson, not to mention another character literally named Ella, watching out for our boys. 

So, back to Sherlock. We’ve seen the dream ballet. We’ve started the second act. What comes next?

In Act II, the Box Social is in full swing, and the fundraising auction of food-basket-plus-a-lunch-date-with-the-woman-who-made it is about to begin. Laurey’s is the last basket to be auctioned, and Jud immediately outbids several lowball offers, determined to win her whatever the cost. Then Curly appears, and the two engage in a bidding war, with Jud bidding all the money he has in the world, requiring Curly to sell his saddle, his horse (effectively giving up his profession as a cowboy for love), and finally (and ominously) his gun to the crowd in order to top it. Once Curly wins, Laurey finally is able to tell Jud to get lost (he reacts poorly to this so she fires him as well), and Curly and Laurey become engaged to be married. 

They marry, but Jud haunts their celebration. On their wedding night, during the humiliating tradition of “shivaree” which involves a mob dragging the couple from their marriage bed to mercilessly heckle them while banging pots and pans, Laurey and Curly are standing atop a haybale receiving this dubious honor when Jud appears with a knife and lights the haybale on fire. Helping Laurey to safety first, Curly jumps from the flaming haybale directly onto Jud, causing Jud to be killed by his own knife. 

‘By his own knife.’ After an entire song in the first act where Curly suggests that Jud ought to hang himself while delivering a string of insults disguised as a eulogy? Right. Definitely an accident. 

(“It’s not possible for the victim to have done it!” We’ve been told?)

This is where the play and the musical diverge. In the original play as written, “Curly is arrested, but breaks jail and returns to Laurey. The marshal’s men follow, but the couple is permitted to consummate their marriage in privacy, with the understanding that Curly will be taken into custody in the morning.” (x) 

Theresa Helburn, the producer of the play and the person who first brought it to the attention of Richard Rodgers, wants assurance that Curly will be acquitted, but Riggs fights hard for his tragic queer-coding, so together they wrangle it into something more ambiguous for the final edit. 

But when Rodgers and Hammerstein get their hands on it, the ending becomes unambiguously, unrecognizably happy: Aunt Eller comforts Laurey about Curly’s implication in Jud’s death (is this sounding like a familiar theory yet????), and then she demands an impromptu kitchen table trial for Curly so that Curly and Laurey can still catch the train on time for their honeymoon. The federal marshall objects, but at Aunt Eller’s demand, the town’s judge rules Curly innocent. With the bang of a soup-ladle gavel, and Laurey and Curly ride off into the sunset.

The only thing left to fix is to give this happy ending to an actual gay couple.

Can you picture it yet?

[neptunecreek]

Today, Europe Lost The Internet. Now, We Fight Back.

Today, in a vote that split almost every major EU party, Members of the European Parliament adopted every terrible proposal in the new Copyright Directive and rejected every good one, setting the stage for mass, automated surveillance and arbitrary censorship of the internet: text messages like tweets and Facebook updates; photos; videos; audio; software code -- any and all media that can be copyrighted.

Three proposals passed the European Parliament, each of them catastrophic for free expression, privacy, and the arts:

1. Article 13: the Copyright Filters. All but the smallest platforms will have to defensively adopt copyright filters that examine everything you post and censor anything judged to be a copyright infringement.

2. Article 11: Linking to the news using more than one word from the article is prohibited unless you're using a service that bought a license from the news site you want to link to. News sites can charge anything they want for the right to quote them or refuse to sell altogether, effectively giving them the right to choose who can criticise them. Member states are permitted, but not required, to create exceptions and limitations to reduce the harm done by this new right.

3. Article 12a: No posting your own photos or videos of sports matches. Only the "organisers" of sports matches will have the right to publicly post any kind of record of the match. No posting your selfies, or short videos of exciting plays. You are the audience, your job is to sit where you're told, passively watch the game and go home.

At the same time, the EU rejected even the most modest proposals to make copyright suited to the twenty-first century:

1. No "freedom of panorama." When we take photos or videos in public spaces, we're apt to incidentally capture copyrighted works: from stock art in ads on the sides of buses to t-shirts worn by protestors, to building facades claimed by architects as their copyright. The EU rejected a proposal that would make it legal Europe-wide to photograph street scenes without worrying about infringing the copyright of objects in the background.

2. No "user-generated content" exemption, which would have made EU states carve out an exception to copyright for using excerpts from works for "criticism, review, illustration, caricature, parody or pastiche."

I've spent much of the summer talking to people who are delighted with this outcome, trying to figure out why they think this could possibly be good for them. Here's what I've discovered:

* They don't understand filters. They really don't.

The entertainment industry has convinced creators that there is a technology out there that can identify copyrighted works and prevent them from being shown without a proper license and that the only thing holding us back is the stubbornness of the platforms.

The reality is that filters primarily stop legitimate users (including creators) from doing legitimate things, while actual infringers find them relatively easy to get around.

Put it this way: if your occupation is figuring out how filters work and tinkering with getting around them, you can become skilled in the art. The filters used by the Chinese government to block images, for example, can be defeated by simple measures. Meanwhile, these filters that are bound to be thousands of times more effective than any copyright filter because they're doing a much more modest job with far more money and technical talent on hand.

But if you're a professional photographer, or just a regular person posting your own work, there's no time in your life to become a hardcore filter-warrior. When a filter mistakes your work for copyright infringement, you can't just bypass the filter with a trick from the copyright infringing underground: you have to send an appeal to the platform that blocked you, getting in line behind millions of other poor suckers in the same situation as you. Cross your fingers and hope that the overworked human reviewing the appeals decides that you're in the right.

Of course, the big entertainment and news companies aren't worried about this outcome: they have backchannels direct into the platforms, priority access to help-lines that will unstick their content when it gets stuck in a filter. Creators who align themselves with large entertainment corporations will be shielded from filters -- while independents (and the public) will have to fend for themselves.

* They grossly underestimate the importance of competition for improving their lot in life.

Building the filters the EU just mandated will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. There are precious few companies in the world who have that kind of capital: the US-based tech giants, and the Chinese-based tech giants, and a few others, like Russia's VK.

The mandate to filter the Internet puts a floor on how small the pieces can be when antitrust regulators want to break up the big platforms: only the largest companies can afford to police the whole net for infringement, so the largest companies can't be made much smaller. The latest version of the Directive has exemptions for smaller companies, but they will have to stay small or constantly anticipate the day that they will have to take the leap to being copyright police. Today, the EU voted to increase the consolidation in the tech sector, and to make it vastly more difficult to function as an independent creator. We’re seeing two major industries, both with competitiveness problems, negotiate for a deal that works for them, but will decrease competition for the independent creator caught in the middle. What we needed were solutions to tackle the consolidation of both the tech and the creative industries: instead we got a compromise that works for them, but shuts out everyone else.

How did this terrible state of affairs come to pass?

It's not hard to understand, alas. The Internet has become a part of everything we do, and so every problem we have has some intersection with the Internet. For people who don't understand technology very well, there's a natural way to solve those problems: "fix the technology."

Arthur C Clarke famously said that "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Some technological accomplishments do seem like magic, and it's natural to witness these workaday miracles and assume that tech can do anything.

An inability to understand what tech can and can't do is the source of endless mischief: from the people who blithely assert that networked voting machines can be made secure enough to run a national election; to the officials who insist that we can make cryptography that stops crooks from breaking into our data, but allows the police to break into crooks' data; to the hand-waving insistence that a post-Brexit Irish border can be "solved" with some undefined technical fix.

Once a few powerful entertainment industry figures were persuaded that filtering at scale was possible and consequence-free, it became an article of faith, and when technologists (including a who's who of the world's top experts on the subject) say it's not possible, they're accused of mulish stubbornness and lack of vision, not a well-informed perspective on what is and isn't possible.

That's a familiar-enough pattern, but in the case of the EU's Copyright Directive, there were exacerbating factors. Tying a proposal for copyright filters to a proposal to transfer a few million euros from tech giants to newspaper proprietors guaranteed favorable coverage from the very press looking for a solution to its problems.

Finally, there's the problem that the Internet promotes a kind of tunnel vision in which we assume that the part of the net we interact with is the whole thing. The Internet handles trillions of articles of public communication every day: birthday wishes and messages of condolences, notices of upcoming parties and meetings, political campaigns and love notes. A tiny, sub-one-percent slice of those communications are the kind of copyright infringement that Article 13 seeks to address, but the advocates for Article 13 keep insisting that the "primary purpose" of the platforms is to convey copyrighted works of entertainment.

There's no doubt that people from the entertainment industry interact with a lot of entertainment works online, in the same way that the police see a lot of people using the Internet to plan crimes and fashionistas see a lot of people using the Internet to show off their outfits.

The Internet is more vast than any of us can know, but that doesn't mean we should be indifferent to all the other Internet users and the things they lose when we pursue our own narrow goals at the expense of the wider electronic world.

Today's Copyright Directive vote not only makes life harder for creators, handing a larger share of their incomes to Big Content and Big Tech -- it makes life harder for all of us. Yesterday, a policy specialist for a creator's union that I'm a member of told me that their job isn't to "protect people who want to quote Shakespeare" (who might be thwarted by bogus registration of his works in the copyright filters) -- it was to protect the interests of the photographers in the union whose work is being "ripped off." Not only did my union's support of this catastrophic proposal do no good for photographers -- it will also do enormous damage to anyone whose communications are caught in the crossfire. An error rate of even one percent will still mean tens of millions of acts of arbitrary censorship, every day.

So what is to be done?

Practically speaking, there are several more junctures where Europeans can influence their elected leaders on this issue.

* Immediately: the Directive will now go into "trilogues" -- secretive, closed-door meetings between representatives from national governments and the European Union; these will be hard to influence, but they will determine the final language put before the Parliament for the next vote (Difficulty: 10/10)

* Next spring: The European Parliament will vote on the language that comes out of the trilogues. It's unlikely that they'll be able to revise the text any further, so this will probably come to a vote on whether to pass the Directive itself. It's very difficult to defeat the Directive at this stage. = (Difficulty: 8/10)

* After that: 28 member states will have to debate and enact their own versions of the legislation. In many ways, it's going to be harder to influence 28 individual parliaments than it was to fix this at the EU level, but on the other hand, the parliamentarians in member states will be more responsive to individual Internet users, and victories in one country can be leveraged for others ("See, they got it right in Luxembourg, let's do the same”) (Difficulty: 7/10)

* Somewhere around there: Court challenges. Given the far-reaching nature of these proposals, the vested interests involved, and the unresolved questions about how to balance all the rights implicated, we can expect this to rise — eventually — to the European Court of Justice. Unfortunately, court challenges are slow and expensive. (Difficulty: 7/10)

In the meantime, there are upcoming EU elections, in which EU politicians will have to fight for their jobs. There aren't many places where a prospective Member of the European Parliament can win an election by boasting about expansions of copyright, but there are lots of potential electoral opponents who will be too happy to campaign on "Vote for me, my opponent just broke the Internet."

As we've seen with Net Neutrality in the USA, the movement to protect the free and open Internet has widespread popular support and can turn into a potential third rail for politicians.

Look, this was never going to be a fight we "won" once and for all -- the fight to keep the Internet free, fair and open is ongoing. For so long as people have:

a) problems; that

b) intersect with the Internet;

there will always be calls to break the Internet to solve them.

We suffered a crushing setback today, but it doesn't change the mission. To fight, and fight, and fight, to keep the Internet open and free and fair, to preserve it as a place where we can organise to fight the other fights that matter, about inequality and antitrust, race and gender, speech and democratic legitimacy.

If this vote had gone the other way, we'd still be fighting today. And tomorrow. And the day after.

The fight to preserve and restore the free, fair and open Internet is a fight you commit yourself to, not a fight that you win. The stakes are too high to do otherwise.

from Deeplinks https://ift.tt/2x9ekgm

[fadingpersoncollectorstuff-blog]

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I'm 16 I will be 17 in about 9months. I will be buying a 2002 Nissan Maxima and I was wondering how much would I pay monthly/yearly on insurance. -I'm 16 -Grades aren't the best by they're passing. -I have no driving history. -I have a minor charge on my record that will go away when I'm 18. I know you can't give me a exact answer but a close one would help. Oh and if there's any way I can lower the cost that would help a lot. And is $4,200 to much to pay for my car? Thanks in advance :)""

Which Is the best car insurance?

Hi everyone!! I am a 20 year old single mother. At the moment, I am studying and also about to get back into work. I have just passed my driving test and looking to buy a car....realistically, I think at this point a used one is ok even though I saw a site that sells cars and you can pay on installments. If I wanted a Ford KA, or a Mini Cooper, or a Renault (the one from the I see you baby shaking that asss advert few years ago), which insurance company is best and can give me a good cheaper deal. Thank you!!!! p.s manual cars are my focal point.""

Thought I found a solution to high car insurance... Not so sure now?

He-yo.... I'm guessing any young newly qualified driver out there would of already found out is the shear cost of getting yer car insured. I know as I'm 18, male which supposedly makes me high risk so the cheapest insurance I got was 3820 and that's only for third party, and the car is only a 1.2 litre Renault Clio. My instructor mentioned that he heard a scheme that's being done for young new drivers, companies called: Young Banana & Young Marmalade The idea is that these companies have merged together with insurance companies to fill a gap in the market which is us young drivers. The scheme is that you buy a new car or a nearly new car with these guys and the car will come with affordable insurance. I had a look at it and decided to get a quote just out of interest with a new car. So I selected the nearly new car category and went with the new shaped Renault Clio. You can select to buy the car straight away or get it financed over a period of months with 60 being the longest, I got 150 monthly payment as the average which is just payment for the car. The first years insurance came as 1635, (got all excited and jumping, over - reacting) provided that your parents have a good record they are added to the policy for free. I was thinking that it was too good to be true, new car, affordable insurance. But then could be too good of a deal to go without some hidden catches. I dunno what makes me suspicious about these sites but the more I investigate into it the more I feel that this could become quite expensive. Here are the websites in question: Young Banana - http://www.togreenstreets.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=32 Young Marmalade - http://www.youngmarmalade.co.uk/index.php When I investigated Young Marmalade in more depth it was the insurance that got to me cause my first initial thought was that you pay for the insurance continually with them as long as you own the car, but it looks more like a 12 month deal that has to be renewed each time.... The car as well comes out cheaper then its usual retail price (if new) or usual price for its mileage (if nearly new) so I started to think that theres a one off payment at the end of the contract to own the car.. What do you guys think of this?""

Would the risk-neutral person ever buy insurance that was not fair?

If any one knows about this then please write in detail. thanks!

A IF Car insurance question?

For example. Got a insurance paper from Jan 1st 2010 to Jan 1st 2011 But i stoped the insurance at June 2010 for example, after that i get pulled at July so police checked the papers and see its still with insurance and let me go? How you think about it? Means you dont have to pay insurance and wont get res until you got into a accident and the other side wants to tell the insurance company?""

Which are the cheapest car to insurance in Canada?

Hello: Planing to buy a car, but I will considered a car that is cheaper to insure, any suggestion? Thank you in advanced""

""Find the total monthly payment, including taxes and insurance?""

Mortage: 72,890 Interest Rate: 5.5% Term of Loan: 15 years Annual Taxes:$1850 Annual Insurance: $545""

Classic car insurance for 18 year olds?

I was wondering whether it is possible to be put on a classic car insurance policy at 18. I've looked around and nearly all say you have to be over 25. I would like to somehow be insured on an Escort XR3i or RS turbo. I understand that because of may age this isn't going to be very easy. would it be cheaper to be a named driver if my dad owned the car ?

Is the Honda civic si considered a sports car with insurance companies for a new young driver?

I was wondering if a 1995 1996 1997 Honda civic si would be CONSIDERED A sports car with the insurance company? I'm 16. Thanks

How much does your household spend per month on automobiles?

Including car payments, insurance, and parking Excluding mechanical and gas""

What is the best and most affordable car insurance company in New York?

Particularly NYC?

Car insurance for 20 year old?

hey im 20 year old just passed my driving licence and the insurance quote i get on a 1.0 corsa breeze is ridiculous. i live in a high crime part of london but the insurance company's want about 1500 pound a MONTH from me. anyone know what it should actually be n what i can do about it? i heard people pay max 300 pound a month at the age of 17.

Life Insurance?

What is the best life insurance?

Car Insurance?

If I hit a car that is totaled and the owner does not have insurance should I still go through my insurance company?

How would I buy a sportbike with no credit? How much would the payments/insurance be?

I want to get an 08 or newer yamaha r6. I am going to strip a few nights a month and that will cover the payments possibly. I am almost 19 and would like my parents not to know about the job, but if they find out, whatever. So pretty much I am trying to figure out how I can manage this on my own. I have no credit, but I am responsible. Also I have a clean driving record and am on good student discount for insurance on my car. Am I dreaming or could I maybe actually get the bike of my dreams?!!""

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free home insurance quote sacramento

How much should it cost to replace and paint a totaled bumper for a 98 honda accord?

My husband and I just returned home from the store in his car, when he noticed my car that was parked across the street had been crashed into on the drivers side bumper. Plz give me advice should i call insurance even though I dont know who did it, or should I just fix it myself. and how much will it cost.""

Any lawyers or insurance agents out there?

I won a long fought Small claims case. The lady I sued has insurance, business insurance, not car related. 8 months ago her insurance company denied the claim. I went to Small Claims and won. Doesn't the insurance company now have to pay me if I send them a copy of the final judgment? I also won on her appeal, so its final. Thank you.""

Does anyone know the insurance group prices in the UK?

looking at car insurance does anyone know how much is group is like 3E, 5 and 12 or summit is there any websites where you can find them? if anyone has any suggestions please leave below!""

Motocycle insurance??

i want to buy a motocycle (sports bike) buti would like to know an estimate of how much it will cost for insurance. Are sports bike more expensive than a car? I'm paying around 200 for my monthly with a car right now.

Where can I find really cheap car insurance?

poor working girl in cali seeking really inexpensive car insurance

Do i still have to pay my car insurance?

i just started driving and i had a small crash im 3rd party insurance i scrapped the car couldnt afford the insurance and mot ect ,i still have to pay insurance for the year so i mite as well have kept the car is there anyway i can cancel as im in financial hardship""

Is it true if i am driving my dads car and he has insurance on it but I also had insurance on my own car......?

Wouldnt that mean my own insurance would of had to cover me in my dads car when my dads car got into a small accident even if my policy did not have his car on my policy or dose that ...show more

Should I switch to a $20/month health insurance plan?

Alright, I have health insurance through my employer and I pay over $100/month. My friend has an individual policy and only pays $20/month. He thinks I should switch to have the same health insurance as him. What's the catch? Should I change health insurance policies?""

Why do insurance companies charge first and last?

I had a nice Allstate agent call me and discuss my insurance with me, give me a lower rate and then come pay time, tell me that they require first and last. When I asked her why the last, she could not provide a good answer. I know not all insurance companies do this, but what is the point? When asked when I would get the last back, she said when I cancel my policy some day!! What if I don't want to cancel..ever? This does not make sense to me at all. Why keep my money there for nothing? When one does cancel the policy, do they get the money back with interest on that? Once confronted with these questions, the agent was not so nice any more. Can someone please answer the above?""

Why are my insurance quotes so high?

I live in New Jersey, Plan on buying a 2012 mazdaspeed3. I am 18, which of course will make my policy higher. Currently, my car insurance runs around 300/mo on my parents policy. I cannot join their policy with the new car as it will be registered to me. The following are the rates ive been quoted Progressive - 6 month policy, $5,000 + $1,200 due at start-up Cure - 6 month policy, 6,200 + 1100 due at start-up Liberty Mutural - 6 month - 5200 + 1500 start plymouth rock - 6 month - 2,2009 + 679 start Why are these all so expensive? and why do they only offer me 6 month policies? thanks in advance!""

Provisional insurance for young driver?

Looking to get insured on my mums car but my mums insurance company wont put me on her insurance,,,, could i get insured by a company such as provisional marmalade? Any other suggestions?""

Did you know about a lost payee on your car insurance?

THE BANK CHARGED US A EXTRA $100 ON OUR CAR NOTE WITHOUT US KNOWING THEY SAY THEY SENT US A NOTICE BUT AT OUR OLD ADDRESS.NOW WE OWN THEM ABOUT $1200 WE READ OUR CONTRACT THEY CAN DO THIS WE HAVE TO SEND THE MONEY AND PUT THEM AS THE PAYEE ON THE INSURANCE FINE.WE DID THAT BUT THE PERSON AT THE BANK IS REAL NASTY TO MY WIFE THE EVEN THREATEN TO REPEO THE CAR IF WE DONT PAY THEY SAY WERE RE LIKE THREE MONTHS BEHIND DONE TO $100 DOLLOR FEE THEY WILL REFUND THE MONEY WHEN THEY ARE PUT ON THE INSURANCE AS THELOS-T PAYEE THEY WONT EVEN LET HER SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR HAVE ANY BODY ELSE HAVE THIS PROBLEM.

What are the costs of an older used car?

I'm not talking too old here, but something about five for six years old used for around $9000 i am looking into. There seem to be quite a few used cars in this price range around here. Now from someone with no experience in buying a vehicle from a dealership, and having average credit, what kind of costs am i looking at if i were to go ahead with this? Is it common for the dealership to provide financing, and what would be my options? I know i'd need a down payment and that there are other fees included, but i was interested in more of my monthly payment options. I could afford roughly 200 a month plus insurance, but is something like this possible? Or would a dealer just laugh at me and tell me to get lost?""

Where can I get the cheapest motorcycle insurance quote for a brand new VESPA?

I'm 20 years old and looking into buying a vespa to use in Toronto! Looking for the cheapest insurance possible!

""My 21 year old son needs to see a dr.but no insurance, what can he do?""

he has a knot in his left breast and will need to be removed, but he has absolutly no insurance!""

""You buy $89,000.00 in Insurance on your house. It burns down. What should the Insurance Company have to pay?

Got $89000.00 in Insurance and the place burnt down. Now the insurance doesn't what to pay.

Where to get cheap public liability insurance?

Please help !!! need cheap public liability insurance

How much more will the insurance go up? From Ford Ranger to Ford Mustang.?

I saw my dad right a check for my ranger to the insurance place for $75.. im about to get a 2003 mustang. How much will it cost for that on estimate just liability and it'll be on my parents insurance? Im 16 year old male with a 3.0 gpa. I have my own job too.

Can I cancel my obamacare insurance at anytime?

I plan on getting covered through my job, but that is after the Obamacare deadline. Can I apply for obamacare insurance now and cancel at anytime later. When and how can I cancel. The stupid site doesn't say an the crappy phone line is busy and just hangs up on you instead of having you wait (probably because the wait times are embarrassingly long.)""

How much does it cost to visit ER without health insurance ?

Just wondering since I visited a hospital's ER couple weeks ago . Have not received any bills yet , I'm 26 yrs old , have a health insurance from blue shield california but the plan has almost $2000 copayment that I have to pay before I can take any benefit ... I visited the ER , did a X-ray , talked to a ER physician ... and that's about it . anyone knows how much I might have to pay for the visit ?""

""Cheap teen car insurance, best car to get?""

16, licensed, in high school with a b average. I know some insurance places give a discount for a b average. I know older cars with a good safety rating tend to have cheaper insurance quotes, if you can, please list some cars that you know would be cheaper to insure. Also, if you know the insurance companies that do discounts for a b average I would like to know. I am a safe driver so I'm not too worries about good coverage, I'm only driving to school and back daily. I need to pay for this myself so doing high school, running start, and having a part time job I wont be able to pay for anything too expensive. So, best cars to get? and best insurance?""

Car Insurance? best option?

I recently have came back from a trip abroad, and well. I'm looking into car insurances and seeing if I can get any better deals and what other way than the internet! So here's a little about my Insurance right now. I'm paying about 761.82 every 6 months for just liability. I recently got into a small accident last year which raised it about 100$.00. Even though all that was repaired was his fender. it' whatever. I'm 19 and I drive an 01 PONTIAC Sunfire SE So you think this is enough or am I paying too much? Oh and I'm with GEICO""

Where can i get a health insurance quote?

are there any sites for oklahoma health and life insurance quotes?

Does car insurance insure the driver or the actual car?

I know that its CAR insurance but I have heard two different things - car insurance covers the car and it covers the driver. I'd just like to know which one it actually covers. Thanks!!

What cars are there that are decent but cheap on insurance for first time drivers? (male)?

i don't care on what the car is as long as its reliable. even if it looks like a shed. i have a motorbike for looks and pleasure with 2 years no claims if that makes a difference i don't know. cheers.

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free home insurance quote sacramento

Do you need car insurance to rent a car in Massachusetts?

I have insurance for my own car but will Hertz rental make me pay for their auto insurance? Can i just say I already have insurance even though I don't know if mine will cover me in case something happens? I have the least amount of coverage you can get in Mass and I use Commerce Insurance.

What are some good dental insurance carriers with affordable premiums and copayments?

I live in Southern California ( High Desert area ) and I am looking for a good dental plan and dental carrier with affordable premiums and copayments. I need mostly restorative dental work, like replace too llings, bridges, crowns, root canal and braces.... I currently have Kaiser medical insurance and would like to try Kaiser dental and I am also considering Aflac or Delta Dental.... anyone have experience with any of these carriers or have any good advice for me? Thanks in advance!!""

Fast cars low insurance group?

Im looking for a car with a budget of around 2000. It needs to be below insurance group 10 and the hitch is i would like the 0-60 time to be less than 9 seconds. Any help would be appreciated!

Insurance on a car? How much??

How much would it be to insure a car in UK, do I have to see a site? Eg, Ferrari, BMW, how much?""

What is the approximate cost of minimum coverage auto insurance in Ohio if you are young and drive a small car?

I know this depends on a lot of factors, but from the information given, just GUESS. How much? How much for someone that is about 22 years old, been driving since 17, never had an accident, never gotten a ticket.""

Does anyone know the average cost for motorcycle insurance in New York City?

Not for a new street-bike, but for an older bike, like a triumph""

""Do you have to have insurance if you don't have a car, just a license?

my parents have USAA auto insurance and i was wondering if i could get my license and be able to drive their cars with me paying for insurance. if i have to pay insurance whats the rate i would have to pay?

Lying on car insurance?

as car insurance for younger drivers is considerably more i was curious in asking a question if someone lies on being older say 30 rather than 17 and or the car is kept in a locked garage and is fitted with the best mobilisers money can buy will this person get away with this if for example involved in some sort of crash and or another scenario pulled over by a police officer.

Who do you trust more? An Insurance company? or Obama?

The right wingers will chose blindly! But think about this! Prior to the Affordable Healthcare Act, how many times in a row, year after year, did your health insurance coverage go up. For me, it was every year for as long as I remember. Never did my insurance premium go down. But for some reason, everyone is up in arms because a few people, a small percentage have rate increases. But they also get more coverage, better policies, and some can get insurance for the first time.""

Can I get a life insurance license with a misdemeanor on my record in California?

Misdemeanor is four years old for petty theft.

Car insurance 2 Different Co?

My girlfriend recently bought a car but she is insured by her parents policy, she is wanting to know if she can get another insurance company's policy without raising her parents rates.""

""If I have a 3rd car to add to CA insurance, will they check who lives at my address?""

I already have 2 cars insured with AAA in California. I am transferring my daughter's car to me because she had a DUI. If I insure it with AAA, will they look into who lives at my address? Should I go with a new insurance company for her car and if so, do the insurance companies exchange information?""

As a new Driver when should I expect my insurance costs to lower?

Here is the background: I am 27 years old and I just learned to driver a little over 7 months ago. I know that as a COMPLETELY new driver my insurance costs weren't going to be the best so I was surprised when most if not all companies I went to quoted me at about 400-450 for 6 months of full coverage. I thought this was very very good because that is about what my husband pays and hes had an perfect driving record since he was 17. Well when I went in to buy my first car ( brand new and financed, so I needed full coverage based on my state laws. ) Before I left the lot I called my chosen insurance company and they activated my insurance for me. To my dismay but not complete shock they told me they would have to raise the quote because I didn't have a driving record yet. ( At this point I had only had the license about 3-4 weeks I don't quite remember ). I was told this should clear up the next time I renew. Well my premium has actually gone up fifty dollars ( instead of down 150 )! I was shocked. So, out of curiosity I got quotes from other places now and it was just as expensive if not more so. What happened? I've had no moving or parking violations, my driving record is perfect. I thought I would ask the yahoo community before I call my insurance company to point fingers.""

Good insurance companies for 17 year old passed my test!!?

ok ive pased my test a month on friday and i gettin a car this week and i need some insurance on the car obviiously lol, well basically whats the cheapest car insurance all you 17 year old have and who is it with, please :)""

Mobile home insurance?

i am thinking about buying a 2008 single wide mobile home that is in a lot in a trailer park. anyone have a guess on what insurance might a month?? or do i need it?? Thank you

Do i need insurance to learn a driver to drive?

My friend has got insurance on his car on his provisional do I need insurance to teach him drive it I'm a full licence holder for 4 yaer

Are there any car insurance providers in MA that pay for OEM parts?

I have Progressive insurance and a 2010 year car. Progressive will not pay for OEM parts, even OEM glass. Is there a car insurance provider in MA that does? If so I want to switch ASAP.""

can you ride a bike without insurance?

Do you really need to apply for insurance? Or just liscence is ok to ride?

Do I have to respond to a insureance quote?

So today I got a insurance quote from 21st Century Insurance and it says Response requested by: Dec.4,2910 DO I really have to respond?""

Will an insurance company pay for a surgery if..?

..I had it before I got the insurance? Just about a month ago I had chest reconstructive surgery. I'm 18 years old so I have to be a full-time student to be covered by my parents' insurance. However, I realized I can't afford to pay for college. I have no job and I also desperately need a car. I want to take a year off to work and save money and get a car and then go back to college when it rolls around next year. However, my surgery hasn't been paid for yet and I only have until the 29th to drop my classes without being charged. If I were to quit college to work, how much would insurance be for me per month and would they even cover the charges of the surgery since I had it done before getting the insurance? Thanks.""

Whats the difference between home insurance and rental insurance?

for my rental property? Is it a good idea to switch home insurance to rental insurance when a tenant is living in my rental property just in case if they smashed some holes on the wall, or some damages on the property? Thanks!""

Know of somewhere cheap which will let me drive a car for only a few months for people under 21?

I've recently passed my driving test and would like to drive a car for a few months before I go to Uni but there's no where I can find with a few months insurance (fairly cheap) and a car I don't need to buy in full. I'm 18 which makes it more difficult Any help would be appreciated!

Need help with choosing an insurance policy.?

I have a friend and I think she doesn't know anything about insurance policy and rely on the insurer to choose it for her. She owns a retail store. She sells items from clothing material to children toys. This year her stock in trade would approximately less than U$ 300,000. What kind of insurance policy would best fit her business? I don't really know much about commercial policy neither so hope you can advice me to advice her. thanks""

Insurance for student?

I am currently a student, and saved up enough to buy a car, but the problem is the insurance. As a student, the insurance premium is very high since I have to be the primary driver. I cannot be under my parents insurance, I am not in good terms with them. Is there any way to reduce the premiums? I already did the driveres ed course which gives you a 10% discount. Do you know any cheap insurance companies? I am just looking for basic coverage. Thanks! PS - I live in Ontario.""

How much is car insurance for teens?

How much is car insurance for teens?

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free home insurance quote sacramento

Life insurance on an ailing parent? How do I take out a policy on my mother?

I'm the sole caretaker of my ailing mother, I have no siblings, just a husband, a 4 y/o and a baby on the way. My mother and I have been talking and she needs life insurance. I take care of everything with the household, bills, etc....but I'm kinda unsure what to do about life insurance. Right now I'm about to get power of attorney over everything but I'm inexperienced about the life insurance thing. What are some good companies to go with? What kind do I get? I think she had life insurance when she was working about 5-6 years ago but she has no clue what happened to it..so I'm taking matters into my own hands. Help? She has ALS (Lou Gehrigs).""

Where do I find florida health insurance ?

I am looking for a health insurance quote for florida health insurance. I am looking for cheap florida health insurance.

If i drive less than 40 miles a day am I really entitled to more affordable car insurance?

You probably notice these ads on yahoo saying if you drive less than 40 miles you are entitled to cheap insurance to click on their ads to find out more. I was wondering if that true, what 's the trick?""

Does each driver of a specific vehicle need to have car insurance?

Does every person who plans to drive a specific car need to have their own insurance? My husband and I are about to buy a car, and we're wondering if we both need insurance or if just one of us could have it. We would both like to be able to drive the car. (we'll be living in Idaho, if that makes a difference)""

Drivers license and Insurance?

When you get your drivers license do you have to get insurance with it or do you have to wait until you get a car? Do you have to get insurance when you purchase a car? Also does the cost for insurance decrease when you turn 21? How much is insurance a month generally and in North Carolina? I know insurance is necessary though I just need the facts before buying it.

How much would insurance for a 16 year old male in Illinois cost?

I live in Chicago and I have a 2001 Toyota Echo that has been paid off already. I turn 16 in a couple of weeks and was wondering how much insurance would cost for me>

""WHY the hell is motorcycle insurance SOO expensive in Ontario, Canada?""

I took identical information and filled out a progressive quote for both DETROIT and LOSANGELES and both are 2356 FULL coverage (im 16 years old with zzr600), While when i got a quote from TD Bank they said 6000$ what the f u c k my damn bike doesnt even cost that much got damn it.""

Why are insurance rates so high?

I am 18 and drive and old 1990 Geo Tracker. I have never been pulled over, given a ticket, warning, or fix-it ticket. I have been driving for 4 years (since I was 14 with a school permit) and even then I didn't get pulled over. Why are insurance rates for me so unbelievable?""

""If you're car is stolen, will your insurance rates increase if you are reimbursed by your insurance?""

If you're car is stolen, will your insurance rates increase if you are reimbursed by your insurance?""

Is an acura integra cheap on insurance?

my son is thinking of buying one

How much will my insurance go up from a provisional licence to a UK full licence?

I have recently started to learn to drive in my car with my dad. However my insurance is on a provisional licence how much will it go up by when I pass my test? My insurance company is Admiral and i'm 17 years old.

How much to lease a car (WITH insurance)?

How much is it to lease an economic car (in Canada please), with insurance calculated into the mix? I am willing to pay 4-500 altogether, is this enough? Practical examples from people who lease their car, with how much they pay, etc, would be most helpful. (I am a recent graduate at the verge of starting an entry-level position). I am looking into VW golf and honda civic (hatchback).""

What is the best car for cheap insurance?

im 17 and i was wondering what will be the best car for cheap car insurance and around how much will it be.

""IRS says it will cost $20,000 for a health insurance plan for a family of 5 under O'Care law. Affordable?""

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/irs-cheapest-obamacare-plan-will-be-20000-family This is for a family of 5. This is the cheapest plan called the Bronze plan. The penalty for not having insurance $2450 per year. Of course, you never have to pay more than 8% of your household income. That means the government will require an enormous amount of revenue from additional taxes to pay for this. Also, since hospitals are being fined for readmissions due to infections, people will be treated at home if they get an infection resulting from beng in the hospital for Medicare patients. Not sure about others. In other words, you have surgery and are released then get an infection, they won't readmit you. Great care huh?""

No Proof of Car Insurance?

I got a ticket for no proof of insurance, I forgot to pay it, now I must see the judge, I didn't have insurance, yes very very dumb, I know, my question is..will I just be fined or is there jail time involved. I imagine there will be just a heavy penality in fines""

Do i not have insurance if im driving someone elses insured car?

ok so i got in a little fender bender in my dads VW and the police asked for the insurance cars, that werent in the car at the time, so he gave me a ticket for not having liability insurance, he said if i bring proof of insuarnce to court he will drop it. now i live in the same house with my dad, i have insurance on my honda,with the same company and i am 19. the insurance cards however dont have my name on the VW . does this mean i am driving with no liability insurance?""

""Concerning car insurance, why would your credit score effect your premium?""

why on earth would your credit score have an effect on how much a person pays for car insurance? i was told by independant that my rate would be lower if i had had a more favorable credit history. theres not even anything wrong with my credit. what the hell is that all about ,can someone explain this?""

How much does it usually costs for liability insurance on a car?

Buying a 1997 Ford F-150 2 door soon and wanting to know how much liability insurance is going to cost? just a Estimate is all Im looking for. :)

Need to find an insurance that will cover infertility treatments?

Please can anyone help me. I have AETNA as my insurance provider. But it will not cover any infertility treatments. I really want to have a baby. My clock is ticking 35 So I will appreciate any info. I can get. THANK YOU!

How much do you think my car insurance will go up???

I got caught speeding in a school zone. The speed limit was 20mph and i was going 37 mph. that is 17mph over the speed limit. i already have one speeding ticket on my record and have doubled one to get it taken off. i talked to a lawyer and to get it dropped down the prosecuter wants me to tripple the fine, take a driving class, and go on diversion for a year. That would cost me at least $800. so i am thinking about risking just paying it and seeing how mush my car insurance will actually go up. the fine on the ticket is $165 and i am a 18 year old male. SHOULD I RISK IT or not???""

Is dental insurance mandatory in Massachusetts ?

Medical insurance is mandatory in Massachusetts, but is the dental insurance also mandatory ?""

How much does it cost to KEEP a car like range rover?

ive never had a car, but i know that expensive cars are also expensive to KEEP, with all the insurance, gas, and idk what else, (if u could list it that be nice too) so how much does it cost to keep a car like range rover (per month)?""

Asking all female drivers under 25- Whats a cheap car insurer?

Asking all female drivers under 25!! Does anyone know of or have been with any cheap car insurance companies? Ive already checked quite a few but they seem really expensive...Please help!

Why will small businesses be affected if the health insurance mandate passes?

Research paper. Thanks for the help

I need full coverage for car insurance?

i need full coverage to get my new car if i go to my insurance tommorow and put full coverage on my car will i be able to pick up the car the same day? ps i live in massachusetts sooo people from there will help to

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free home insurance quote sacramento

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-insurance-important-20-pts-best-answer-jacob-kelley/"