#tho this time I just need to find the correct train

[maryse127]

I want to see the deer in Nara but I also really don't feel like actually going to Nara. Like how I want to have read the Silmarillion but don't feel like actually reading the book.

[erideights]

With my 6th sense. (1)

Pairing: Hunter x fem! jedi reader

Rating: this is the first chapter let's take it slow

Wordcount: 2.2K

Chapters: (2) (3) (4)* (5)* (*not posted yet)

Warnings and tags: use of (Y/N) but I keep it as minimum as possible tho my writing style is in 3rd person, so it's a bit difficult! apart from that none really, just introduction to the story, slight mentions of war maybe, but i can already tell you, this will be an ''i hate you-to-love you'' (calling them enemies doesn't really fit in)

Summary: (This story happens about around a year before The Bad Batch is introduced in The Clone Wars) Another day, another suicide mission for the squad. This time commanded by a jedi general they've never hear about.

A/N: I'm back after MONTHS with a new hyperfixation and no one can stop me. I'm jumping really late to TBB ship but I guess I would give it a try. Or write it for myself. As always, I'll make it a small series, and I hope all of you will enjoy it ♥ (my main language is not english so sorry if there are some mistakes)

Side note: PLEASE read the intro with the voice of The Clone Wars intro, thanks.

Coruscant!

In the aftermath of the Republic's recent defeat in the growing war in the outer rim, the Jedi Order finds itself at a crossroads, and generals such as Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and (Y/N) convene to strategize their next move in a desperate bid to stop the advance of the Separatist invasions. As they discuss their next course of action, each voice carries the weight of the galaxy's fate. For the Republic's survival hangs in the balance, and only through unity and courage can they hope to emerge victorious against the relentless onslaught of their enemies.

"Feels like they can predict our every move," Master Mace Windu exhales, his eyes glued to the holomap of the base, his hand thoughtfully stroking his chin. The dim light of the briefing room casts a stern shadow on his face, reflecting the gravity of the situation.

"And it's not just that," Obi-Wan interjects, his voice carrying a mix of frustration and concern. "During our last mission, Anakin and I encountered a new type of battle droid..." He sighs heavily, shaking his head as if trying to dispel the memory. His eyes narrow as he recalls the encounter. "This droid kept its distance, observing us while we dealt with all the others. By the time it engaged, it had analyzed, memorized, and adapted to our combat patterns. It knew exactly how to dodge our attacks and counterattack almost instantly."

"Are you serious?" (Y/N) asks, her brows furrowed in disbelief, crossing her arms over her chest. That sounds like a nightmare. Sure, a sniper could take it out from a distance, but up close? For them Jedi, trained in close combat, it could be a real pain in the ass.

"Yeah, and that's putting it mildly," Obi-Wan replies, his voice tinged with worry. "Anakin believes it's still in the development phase. The droid's assembly was far from perfect, almost like it was a prototype. But if they keep working on it, refining it... it could become a serious threat."

The room falls into a tense silence, so thick it almost feels suffocating. The three Jedi and Commander Cody, standing to Obi-Wan's right and always ready to offer some tactical advice, know what this means: if they want to halt the development of these new droids, or at least stay a step ahead, they need to steal the blueprints, and the Separatist droid blueprints are securely kept in…

"Looks like one lucky squad’s gonna have the great honor of infiltrating Serenno," the younger Jedi breaks the silence with a touch of sarcasm, tapping a few buttons on the holo-map to display the planet in question. Almost unexplored, impossible to get ships close enough to scan it completely.

"That’s too reckless," Windu comments immediately.

"It’s a suicide mission," Obi-Wan agrees.

"It’s risky, but not impossible."

"You spend way too much time with Anakin."

"Actually, Anakin spends too much time with me," she corrects with a playful smirk, crossing her arms again and leaning back against one of the control panels behind her.

"If I may…" Cody interjects, stepping forward and nodding to formally request the floor. Windu acknowledges him with a nod of his own. "A mission like this needs a small team. No more than four or five soldiers, with one of you leading. And I know just the squad for the job."

"The 501st?" Windu asks, his brow raised, well aware of the battalion’s formidable reputation.

"No," Cody shakes his head, his helmet tucked under his left arm. "Clone Force 99. I've worked with them before. They’re elite commandos, defective clones with desirable and really convenient mutations. Their success rate on high-risk missions is 100%."

"But...?" (Y/N) catches a deep, well hidden hint of hesitation in the commander's voice and refuses to let it slide. She raises an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side to scrutinize him closely.

"But," Cody clears his throat, aware of how his words might sound for the Jedi, "let’s just say they’re an unconventional squad. Their methods don’t exactly mesh well with captains, commanders, or generals who aren’t flexible or willing to...improvise on the fly, or disregard orders from above."

"That description sounds vaguely familiar," Obi-Wan remarks, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he blatantly turns his head to look at her. She purses her lips and shrugs, as if the comment had nothing to do with her peaceful persona.

"I just like being practical, and let’s be honest, plans usually never work out as we would like them to. Following orders isn’t always the best option on the table when the situation becomes a life or death type of scenario."

"I think we’ve found the perfect person to lead this mission," Obi-Wan concludes, a knowing smile spreading across his face.

(Y/N) and Obi-Wan then turn their gaze towards Windu, who appears to be deeply pondering the situation. It’s a dangerous mission, far too dangerous. Infiltrating Serenno could be compared to a Separatist squadron trying to infiltrate Coruscant right now. Reckless, not worthy at all. And even though she has proven her capabilities time and again, earning the respect of the Jedi Council since before she was knighted, this exceeds the usual risks they take. But at the same time, if they don't do it, they could lose more than just a squad—and with bad luck, a Jedi.

"Go ahead," Windu finally says, his tone decisive.

"Great, infiltrating the heart of enemy territory is always my favorite kind of mission," she quips, a hint of sarcasm in her voice, a smirk tugging at her lips.

...

"I had no clue there were defective clones out there," Obi-Wan remarks, arms folded, his gaze scanning the distant skyline of Coruscant from the base.

"Me neither, but the whole idea of working with a bunch or weird, mutant clones sounds fascinating," (Y/N) replies without missing a beat, a spark of excitement lighting up her eyes as she contemplates leading such an unconventional mission. She's still one of the few Jedi without a permanent legion or squad under her command, always bouncing from one assignment to another, going wherever she's needed as reinforcement. A bit like the 99, Cody thinks, observing both Jedi with a smile playing on his lips.

"You're about to find out just how interesting they can be, General."

And as if his statement was a cue and they were living in a movie, a shuttle rockets onto the landing pad, causing chaos among the ground crew. Its engines roar as it touches down, sending crates of military gear flying through the air like confetti at a parade.

"Someone just lost their flight rights." She mutters, a wide grin spreading across her face. Obi-Wan -ever so subtle- smirks beside her, wondering which of those so-called elite defective clones managed to botch a landing so badly. Did they miss their flying lessons?

The ramp of the shuttle, which she discovers it's heavily customized now that she can take a better look at it, slowly lowers, revealing four individuals waiting to come out, each more particular than the last. Their armor, adorned in black and red, seems customized to what (Y/N) guesses are their individual strengths and quirks.

The first one down the ramp, still wearing his helmet, glances around as if assessing the potential damage done to the landing pad. From his body language alone, she would expect him to be the genius who managed that landing. What she doesn’t expect, though, is his face under the helmet. Actually, none of theirs.

"Well, they certainly don’t look like clones," Obi-Wan comments a bit louder than intended, but he's right. They all share a distant resemblance to the regular clones—maybe like... distant cousins—but if they weren’t in the army, you’d never guess they were clones at all. Each one of them is… unique, and they’ve already piqued (Y/N)’s curiosity even before a proper introduction.

"Commander," one of them greets Cody as soon as the squad reaches them, raising a hand to shake his own. His long, dark, wavy hair is already distinctive enough, but his tattooed face really adds to his intimidating persona. He truly looks like someone who could kill you in a matter of seconds if he wanted to. 

"Good to see you, Sergeant. It’s been a while. This is Jedi General (Y/N)," Cody introduces her, and she nods at them with a charming small smile plastered on her face. "She'll be leading this suicide mission and will be your only reinforcement this time."

It might just be her imagination, really, but she could swear the clone Cody referred to as sergeant is not exactly happy with the sudden news about the mission’s command. Feeling as if a speeder had just run over her a thousand parsecs per hour, and judging by the way he suddenly looks her up and down to the speed of light, silently analyzing her, she'd say this strong feeling of rejection she perceives through the Force, comes from him.

Awh, she didn’t even open her mouth yet and she’s already made a new friend. How cute.

"General," he nods politely, like any good soldier would have done, but with this… noticeable detachment in his manner. "Sergeant Hunter of Clone Force 99. These are Tech, Wrecker, and Crosshair." He introduces his team one by one, each giving the Jedi a quick glance and a nod.

‘’Let me guess,’’ she starts, biting the inside of her cheek before pointing with one of her right fingers to each one of them. ‘’you’re fast and probably have better sight or hearing. You, on the other hand, are the smart one.’’ The jedi refers to Tech, who is clearly and unashamedly the brains of the squad. Those glasses and the datapad he constantly checks? A walking stereotype. He nods in agreement, tho, while Hunter tries to roll his eyes without being noticed. And miserably fails, but she doesn’t pay attention to it. ‘’You’re the strong one, and you’re the sniper.’’ And she’s sure she doesn’t need to point out why, how, she knows that; the target tattoo around his eye blatantly giving him away.

"Wait, you're a Jedi?" Wrecker, the burliest of the group and seemingly the cute, dumb one, asks with a hint of disbelief as he eyes her hair and attire. She quickly realizes that her dark and tactical outfit—cargo pants, military boots, a snug top with protective padding on her shoulders and a tight vest—doesn't exactly scream "Jedi." But she's always been more comfortable on the front lines than behind the clones she commands, and a robe would just get in the way during a fight. Obi-Wan's still not happy about that.

"Yeah, last time I checked," she replies with a smile, his enthusiasm infectious as she meets Wrecker's gaze. His expression widens, as happy and excited as a kid in a candy store.

"Isn't that awesome, Sergeant? We're gonna see some of those Force tricks up close," Wrecker adds eagerly, nudging his fellow clone.

"Yeah, awesome," Hunter mutters, seemingly uninterested in the conversation as he quickly changes the subject. What's his problem? "So, General, what kind of death trap are we heading into this time?"

"I'll fill you in on all the details on our way; the journey will be long," She answers, shrugging nonchalantly, her hands clasped behind her back.

"Then let's get going!" Wrecker exclaims again, and his whole squad follows him back to the shuttle after a quick farewell to Cody. (Y/N) can't help but notice the way the proclaimed sergeant's eyes lingered on her for just a couple seconds before turning away, wondering about the coldness she feels emanating from him towards her. If their paths had crossed on another mission, she would have remembered, and even so, she's always the life of the party on any mission! She might take offense if she wasn't used to not fitting in even among her own. At least, she tells herself as she exhales a soft sigh, he's attractive, so she'll deal with the mission and his shitty attitude by enjoying his pretty face as a reward for her outstanding patience.

"You're staring," Obi-Wan scolds her under his breath, witnessing their previous interaction, giving the younger Jedi a gentle elbow nudge.

"Being a Jedi means not getting attached, not gouging your eyes out and depriving yourself of good views," she responds without missing a beat, smiling charmingly at him. She's so cheeky, Obi-Wan thinks to himself, exactly like her old master, Kit Fisto.

"Ah, -I completely forgot-, wait!" The Jedi calls out to Clone Force 99, causing everyone to freeze and turn to look at her. "Before we go, you guys need to change your clothes."

The clones look at each other, confused. Wrecker is the first to speak up. "What’s wrong with our gear?"

She steps forward, arms crossed. "Nothing if you want to stick out like a rancor in a china shop. We're going undercover."

Hunter narrows his eyes slightly, not exactly liking what he just heard. "And what exactly do you suggest, General?"

She smirks, his reluctance kinda funny to her. "Something a bit less... militaristic. Follow me, I'll show you where you can get changed."

Wrecker shrugs, clearly unfazed. "As long as I don't have to wear a dress," he jokes, eliciting a low chuckle from Crosshair. ''those never have pockets, and I need to carry some grenades.''

Hunter, on the other hand, remains stoic, his gaze fixed on the jedi, his now general during this mission. There’s a flicker of something in his eyes—doubt, maybe even distrust—but he nods. "Lead the way."

And as they do as being told, Obi-Wan falls into step beside her. "You sure about this?"

She nods, her expression determined. "Absolutely, what could go wrong?"

[dontbesoweirdkira]

I know it was kind of covered in your how many children would they have, but I want to know how Sam, Vito and Paulie would handle taking care and raising kids. I think it would be chaotic

A/N: let’s pretend this didn’t come out months later and at 1am.🫣 didn’t add Vito because I already spoke on him being a father.

Warnings: none super fluffy

Requests: open 24/7

Masterlist

Sam

I think Sam would be a rather stoic and emotionally absent dad. I’ve mentioned before that he absolutely loved his kids and would give them the world but he’s just flawed.

He’s terrified of being a bad father and his kids resenting him when he gets older so in turn he just shuts down a little bit.

I don’t think any of the mafia one characters had *great* fathers and so Sam is definitely struggling with navigating through fatherhood. Especially if he has daughters. He doesn’t know how or where to start with taking care of a little girl and he would push that more into the mother. He’d be a standard over protective dad who doubles as the walking atm.

I think with boys he’d have a bit of an easier time. At first when they are little he’s kind of stand-offish. That is an unknown territory for him and he’s never been good with babies or toddlers. He hates the crying, the diapers, the mess and all that. Getting down to their level is slightly uncomfortable for him to do aswell.

I like to think when they get older tho maybe around 7 or 8 he starts to lighten the load for his wife. Probably try to find more time away from the mob so he can actually get to know them. He’d take his kids out shooting, to sports games/races, to get ice cream and most importantly to meet the family.

I can imagine his kids being sneaky menaces. I just know one would sneak under the table during a meeting and bite Tommy’s ankle. Or steal candies from shops nearby while Sam is preoccupied.

I personally see sam as kind of like the older brother of the trio and new recruits of the mob. He’s an old soul and is rather good at teaching things. But—when the it comes down to it he can be a bit goofy and let himself go. I think he’s that way too with his boys. His dating and life advice are a bit….unconventional to say the least lol.

With time he’ll understand that it’s okay to be vulnerable with them and to show them more that he loves them. A few mess ups won’t change the undying love his boys have for him.

Paulie

The fun dad that everyone absolutely wanted growing up.

Paulie isn’t a perfect father by any means and he has a lot of work he needs to do on himself but he truly is a family man at heart. That’s all he’s ever wanted in his entire life and it’s the whole reason he joined the mob is to actually have people around him that “cared”.

Now he finally gets to be and provide everything that he never had growing up. Unlike Sammy, I think Paulie loveeees when his children are babies/toddlers. He loves getting down on the floor with them and playing pretend games. He’ll gladly listen to his baby girl talk about her dollies or his son boast about his trains all day. It brings him so much joy.

He never got to really have a childhood and for him this is finally his time to experience all the wonderful bliss of being a child.

He’s actually really great at calming the children down for nap time and poopy diapers doesn’t phase this gangster in the slightest. Anything beats working for the don.

Speaking of the mob, he would flip his absolute sh*t if he found out any of his kids tried joining or dating in the mob… he wants them to have a clean and happy life. Paulie has seen far too much death and heinous abuse to ever want that for his own.

As far as being serious and able to have teaching moments, I think this is where Sam has him beat. Paulie sometimes doesn’t want to get into the nitty gritty of things, he wants his babies to stay innocent forever. He doesn’t like having to correct them or be the bad cop ever. His children being upset with him kills him. Paulie just so desperately wants to be the good dad they can brag about to all their friends, he only wants them to have good memories.

Having the kids work at the pizza shop with him is a great way for him to install discipline and good morals into them while they can still have fun together.

Speaking of the pizza shop and chaos, lord help him. They have to clean for hours after each shift because they have frequent food fights😭

[garmmy]

2024 jp trip report (sights edition)

i just returned from my week-long tokyo trip, and wanted to log them down so i can remember where i went. i split up the food and sights posts thanks to tumblr's image limit per post. also apologies for my unflattering pictures😂 i don't have a particularly good phone, i was taking pics more for the memories than the niceness

(food edition here)

Day 2 (14/5/2024)

starting with day 2 because we arrived at night on day 1.

we started the day at nakano broadway...where we spent too much time and money!! with its 10000 mandarake and other retro/anime goods stores. i forgot to take a closer picture of the entrance…anyway, just like in the hit video game Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth for the PS Vita and Nintendo Switch and PC and-

(expensive!!) twintails!! my beloved... <does not watch ultraman

and pokemon center in sunshine city ikebukuro! a very cool miraidon statue...and also a quaxly butt for some reason 😂

Day 3 (15/5/2024)

we walked around akiba and asakusa today. for a weeb in particular, i don't think you could finish walking akiba even in a week...anyway, just like in the video game Digimon Story Cyber Sl-

we walked the multi-storey donki in akiba. of particular note is the signage for the 'pokemon corner'....i'm crying 😭 love this graphic design

so we went around mandarake and a few other anime merch spots. soul hackers 2 merch spotted???? (i didn't get it since i didn't really need more acrylic stands.. :') arrow and his lil poltergeist friend tho...)

while walking, we passed by the otahimeinari shrine. it's always really nice to find these in the middle of the city..the tree's fruit were also huge!!

before we headed to asakusa, we walked by jinbocho. just like in the hit video game Persona 5 for the PS3- while i wish we had a bit more time to spend there (i would have loved to find some japanese language/linguistics-related books from prewar era), i really think most of the old books there are out of my depth 🤣 (it is a very nice place to stroll for lovers of old books and book smell though)

and after some train line switching screwups we made it to asakusa. as expected it's crowded even on a weekday! we saw the famous kaminarimon and also walked down the streets.

Day 4 (16/5/2024)

we started the day at tsukiji outer market, which was very near tsukiji hongwanji! beautiful buddhist temple. (also just like in the hit video game Shin Megami Tensei IV for the Nintendo 3DS)

we went on to ginza which was nearby, and made it to itoya, the multi-storey stationery store i spent too much time and money in 😩 they even had a paper shadowbox art exhibition below! the art pieces on showcase there are 🤯 beautiful...

before leaving ginza/hibiya area...shin godzilla spotted!!

then we went to tokyo skytree and did..even more shopping... (and even though i didn't get any reservations it was so cute to see kirby cafe in person ;w;)

and then we headed to ryogoku, the sumo town, for dinner. it's near sumida river so i couldn't resist getting a view...just like in the hit video game Paranormasight for Nintendo Switch and PC (ok i don't think this is the correct bridge 🤣 but the view was still very nice! and we DID go to the ryogoku bridge too though i didn't get a good pic of it)

Day 5 (17/5/2024)

we started at shinjuku today to walk to shibuya. this was the day that totally killed my feet T_T (not that the other days didn't already lol). apparently the other days were averaging 10k steps but this day was 30k?? i'm not a fit person to begin with..

anyway we were greeted by a giant cat overlord near shinjuku station exit!

godzilla spotted again! and we also spent a bit too much at the multi-storey tokyu hands here...

nearby takeshita street, we took a walk to meiji jingu shrine. just like in persona fiv- i especially enjoyed the walk to the shrine (now if only i didn't have foot pain from excessive walking), the scale of the pathway and trees! coupled with the wonderful 25? celsius weather...i still miss it as i'm writing this while back in singapore where i'm sweating just by existing. lol

on the way to shibuya, we dropped by this store called 'birdmore' specialising in birb merch and pet bird goods. MY JAW WAS ON THE FLOOR this is the first time i saw sooo many birb-themed items in one place 😭 from socks to bags to stationery to mugs and bags everything. though the species are a bit focused on the few species that generally get the birb merch in japan (budgies, cockatiels, tits, bunchou, shoebill, etc.).

i had a little talk with the shopkeeper and i mentioned we were from singapore, and she said she was envious as she wanted to visit our birdpark ;w; i told her that the birdpark moved to mandai and how the birds are flying around outside of cages and are not scared of people so you can get reallyy close to them, and she seemed so excited..aa i really hope she gets to go one day..!!

we reached shibuya parco, and...DIGIMON CORNER... i think i could cry seeing a bunch of digimon merch lined up like that in person 😭😭😭 i wanted to buy up all of these otedama SO BAD but unfortunately money and space are an issue lol. i ended up settling for an imperialdramon DM otedama ;w;

there was also a capcom store at shibuya parco! of particular interest to me were the monhun and ace attorney otedama, they didn't have otedama of susato nor my boi yian kut-ku tho...😭 it was a tough choice between nargacuga and maya ace attorney but i settled for narga ;v; (crying at otedama edgey's face though)

some other iconic locations in shibuya! just like in the video game The World Ends With You for Nintendo DS and various other-

also before we return to the hotel..the ike-fukuro statue at ikebukuro station! (TL note: fukurou is japanese for the ural owl)

Day 6 (18/5/2024)

we took a day trip to miura peninsula today (it's about an hour train ride from tokyo), using the misaki maguro ticket! i gotta get some fresh tuna sashimi while i'm in japan 😤 this might be my fave day among the days...idk, i just really enjoyed the walk and sights and food and overall experience on this day soo much ;v;;

just like everywhere in japan they have to have their own cute mascot characters....miura tunanosuke the daikon-wielding tuna samurai and miuran the sakura fairy(??)

miura beach! a very short walk from miurakaigan station and a wonderful view. also, it's just like in the hit video game Persona 5 for- (i swear i'm not specifically hunting for videogame spots lol but if i come across them why not🤭 i still find it a bit surreal how persona 1-4 were all in fictional japanese cities and suddenly..persona 5 in tokyo!)

after that we took the train to misakiguchi station and about a 20?min bus ride to misaki port. we went to the urari marche (a seafood and veg market); other than market stuffs, they had a bunch of crane machines filled with just fish and tuna merch...i respect the dedication to the theme lol! there were also other fish-related merch like this eyemask that looked like an ikura platter i wanted it so bad :')

after misaki port, we took a bus to jogashima. CATS!!!!!!! while it's not particularly a 'cat island' like some of the more famous cat islands in japan, it's still a pleasant surprise to see these cats roaming around.

and some pictures of jogashima. we walked along the uneven coast where there was no clear marked path; having stayed in the city all my life (even the nature trails here are usually cleared for easier walking) and rarely venturing overseas lol, i've never really had this sort of experience before? i didn't prepare myself for this and so my shoes meant for normal walking and not hiking kinda split halfway through the trek on uneven ground 😂 it was really beautiful, but i think because of my fitness (lack thereof) i caused extra worry...i would like to experience something like this alone sometime so i can go at my own pace without feeling pressured like i am worrying others who could've gone much faster if only i weren't there.

Day 7 (19/5/2024)

we had a morning walk at ueno park, which is HUGE and really nice to walk in, and also houses museums such as the national museum of western art, national museum of nature and science (nature museums my beloved), and tokyo national museum. sadly we didn't have time to check out the museums this time, but i'd love to visit them if i do make another trip here... my mother said before that a tour guide once told her 'singaporeans don't seem to like museums much, they prefer shopping' and sadly i am not proving that uncultured singaporean stereotype wrong with all my weeb shopping 😂😭

ueno toshogu shrine, which was built in dedication to tokugawa ieyasu. i wasn't aware till now but apparently toshogu (東照宮) refers to any shinto shrine in which ieyasu is enshrined with his deified name, and ueno toshogu is just one of the toshogu.

shinobazu pond! it was really a sight to behold in person.

ok i hit the post photo limit skdfjdkgh well the rest of the day was walking around akiba with my friend 😆 we tried to look for 13 sentinels merch (we checked out radio kaikan, suruga-ya and other places) but there was none to be found /_\ i did pass by the square enix cafe though! i was tempted to get the 16-bit arrange albums of octopath and then realised i do not have a CD player anymore..and also managed to see the one (1) bravely default merch!!

just gotta slowly save up for that next trip...someday... .w.

[brucewaynehater101]

I just thought of the comedy potential in a Superkids summer camp.

I imagine the other members of the Justice League are super impressed with the robins and want their children to have basic training so they have a better chance at surviving. So they ask Batman about it. He says no (probably because the idea that he can train kids to survive is a bit triggering to him), so they ask Nightwing about it and he's delighted to organize with his siblings.

This would be for the youngest of heros/children of heros so think Damian and younger. Except for Damian all the Bat kids are camp counselor. Some rapid fire thoughts:

Dick and Barbara are the main camp counselors. They sometimes have to leave camp because duty calls (I mean, all of them have to at some point). Dick would teach the kids how to properly fall, a lot of knots and some fun beginners acrobatics. The kids love him because he's great at retelling stories at the bonfire. All of the campers are trying to piece together his love life because it sounds chaotic.

Barbara teaches the kids basic tech skills, how to properly use comms and how to spot cameras and mics. She and Jason may not be as outwardly protective as Dick but they understand the danger of being a hero's kid (Gordon counts as a hero to me). The kids think she's fun because she's always up to mess with the boys, but she's also the one that talks about the serious stuff. When Dick gave them the talk about the importance of their safety at first they didn't take him seriously. It's Barbara who (with tact of course) makes them understand they're not invulnerable, and everyone needs training.

Cass might get overwhelmed at times because communication doesn't come easy to her and kids are particularly prone to misunderstanding things (sometimes on purpose). She still enjoys it tho, and considers it good practice (Barbara is really proud of her). She teaches hand to hand combat and hr marshmallows are always perfect.

Jason is conflicted. I think he would have a lot of fun pulling pranks and teaching the kids how to aim with different weapons (non lethal of course), but the premise of "these kids have a target on their back" hits a bit close to home. He's definitely broken down about it at some point. He hides it well and tells amazing fictional bonfire stories (that aren't the plot of classical books reimagined)

Steph is the local expert in disguises and teaches the kids different accents and how to change body language. She's also extremely chaotic and helps the kids pull pranks on the rest of the counselors. The kids love her impressions and she provides voices for Dicks stories in exchange for marshmallows.

Tim is having a lot of fun and I imagine him and Dick are reminiscing about Young Justice/Teen Titans a lot now that they're surrounded by kids. He teaches the kids how to be stealthy and probably introduces them to the art of "always having a backup plan for your back up plans". He corrects Dicks inaccuracies when his retelling his own battles (and provides evidence with Barbs). He would also be amazing at telling horror stories.

Duke would be the one helping the kids find creative uses for their powers. Since they're still young a lot of them are still figuring it out. He also helps non metas to spot the weaknesses in superpowers. Also he, Jason and Steph definitely give the kids the ACAB talk (Tim offers to distract Dick and Barbara). He makes visual aids for bonfire stories (sometimes he makes Dick look derpy because that's how siblings work).

Damian hates the whole idea at first. Sure, he gets to spend time with John but he could have done that without a bunch of bumbling idiots around. And half of those are not even his siblings! He considers it beneath him, he doesn't need to learn what he knew at five. He starts helping the other kids out because "he just can't stand to watch such incompetence". The kids start going to him for advice and at first he's very annoyed but eventually he realizes that they're looking at him as some sort of camo leader. Then he gets really flustered about it (especially when some of them start calling him friend). Dick and Tim high five behind his back, it was the plan all along.

(Damm this got long sorry. I would love to hear your ideas on possible interactions or other things the bat kids could teach the kids. I really don't know much about the younger gen)

I don't know much about the younger generation as well :( I really like this idea, though! And you're absolutely fine. This ask wasn't that long and was super enjoyable ^^

There's a ton of cute ideas that you've mentioned with the batkids and campers. It kind of got away from me, but I started to wonder about them making camp an annual event.

They could extend the camp out to people who have powers in general instead of just heroes kids. The camp would be disguised (even from some parents who don't know their kid is trying to be a vigilante or has powers). It's a great idea to give the kids survival techniques, connections, training, etc. The fact that it's over the summer also helps so that the kids can focus on school during the school year.

The camp is funded and slightly looked over by the JL, but it's mainly headed by the batkids. Some of their hero friends also help out over the summer if they want to and can.

Eventually, they start to have organization for what's being taught. They have many many classes taught by different heroes, vigilantes, anti-heroes, trusted contacts, etc. They want the kids to have fun, but be safe. Here are some of their classes:

First Aid/Medical Help - All campers are required to have some sort of first aid class on their schedule. They can test out of the lower levels, but most end up repeating a class. It's been 10 or so months since they last learned the material. The camp is certified to allow campers to get a CPR certificate if they complete this class.

Stealth - various levels on staying hidden in different scenarios, blending in, or getting away enough to hide

Disguises - This includes keeping and maintaining a secret identity

Hero Ethics - This class goes over various laws in place (regionally, nationally, and internationally), the impact of capes on the community level, etc.

Vigilante/Hero Arrests - Basically how heroes make arrests, how this holds up in a court of law, necessary steps, evidence gathering, etc.

Power Safety - how to safely experiment with your power, when to use it, how to use it, etc.

Fun with Powers - how to let loose a little, enjoy the moments, and be free with any powers. It also allows campers to feel more confident and reassured.

Water Fighting/Rescue - They use the lake to demonstrate how to help people, how to fight various villain types over water, and how to calm down panicked civilians in water. They also have classes geared towards teaching people to swim or row

Arts, Crafts, and Police Sketches - Usually for fun, but the higher levels help people with making quick witness sketches

Dance and Movement - teaching folks how to move their bodies in various ways, how to incorporate dance into they fighting, how to dance in general, and how different movements create different effects

Being Prepared - backup plans for the backup plans

The Downsides of Being a Hero - older campers are eligible to take this class so that they are aware of the consequences of this path. Once you're in it, it's hard to let go. They want people to make informed decisions (they aren't discouraging heroics. Rather, they are chatting about the ugly sides people don't usually talk about).

Life Essentials - cooking, cleaning, sewing, taxes, etc.

Survival - How to survive in all types of scenarios (rural, urban, in forests, deserts, etc.)

Night Classes - stuff they teach after it gets dark (navigating in little to no light, for instance)

There's probably more, but this seemed like a solid start. They have campfires, lots of free time to explore, trails to hike, those blow-up water things, plenty of games mixed around, treasure hunts, capture the flag nights, etc. They want the kids to be safe, have people they can turn to for advice, but to still be kids.

My response doesn't really focus on the batkids, but you can try to assign who teaches what, which friends get dragged into camp, how all the logistics are handled, who's playing music over the intercoms, fun pranks they do, and other stuff.

[weaselle]

dogs

i just want to brag a little actually.

i quit a 20 year career in restaurants to work with dogs as a dog walker, and i’m pretty damn good at it.

First of all, any dog walker who is doing their job right is also a dog trainer. You’re training the dogs that when they walk with you, they cannot pull on the leash, they aren’t allowed to go off noisily on bike riders or other dogs, they have to stay in the van with the side door open until they are invited out one by one to keep them from jumping out where there might be cars until i have a leash on them... i spend basically all day training dogs, or at least re-enforcing the training i’ve already done (but like, a dog that barks and charges other dogs passing by can be like, a six month project, so).

Anyway, i find there are some important little things about the job. For instance, greetings! Greetings are important

So i walk up to ten dogs at once, three walks a day, but at every dog pick up, I do a special greeting with each dog. All the dogs and I work out our own greetings. One I sniff noses with while i give him scritches. Another sits and puts one paw out for me to hold while she sniffs my ear and chin. There’s a little jack russell terrier who screams at me while she tries to climb up onto my shoulders and lick my ears.

Dogs can lick my face within reason, but i set my boundaries firmly at no licking my mouth. And many dogs appreciate being allowed to do more doggish greetings like sniff noses. One dog i walk is half Chow, half German Shepherd, which is ... a mix to keep an eye on. I do not sniff noses with him, because he gets irritated easy, and if he doesn’t like something, he’ll snap at it, and the same snap that would painfully but harmlessly startle another dog might need a lot of stitches if it was my face. He’s a sweetheart tho, he and i really like and respect each other, but you gotta know the dog you’re working with and part of that respect is me not putting my face all up in his face.

Instead, his greeting with me is he stands stoically while i squat next to him and pet his ears and shoulders, then i massage some of the tension out of the thick muscles on either side of his spine, which he sits down for. It almost seems like he’s ignoring me and I used to wonder if he was just humoring me, but then i tried skipping our greeting a couple times and he just wouldn’t move until we did it, which low-key broke my heart in a happy sort of way

The point is, these greetings are important, it sets the tone for the rest of the walk and maintains a strong positive relationship, which is especially important for those days you wind up correcting that dog’s behavior a lot.

Speaking of which, in a pack of 6-10 dogs in public, it is easy to be doing a lot of “stop doing things wrong” interactions, so I make sure to look for positive interactions too. I will sometimes ask a dog i’ve been correcting more than usual to sit, just so that i can tell them they are a good dog for sitting and offer them a little success. Sometimes with new dogs i’ll be correcting them so much i’ll even give them big verbal rewards for peeing or pooping, because after all it is outside where they are supposed to do that, and if i’ve been telling them “no, wrong” for the last 20 minutes we are both getting desperate for a chance at “yes, good”. And when you’re dealing with all that it’s easy to ignore dogs that are doing everything right, so i make sure to tell each dog they’re doing good at least once every walk

I even have one dog, an australian shepherd, who only walks where she’s supposed to without pulling ahead if i notice her doing it right and tell her she’s a good dog a couple times early in the walk; if i don’t remember to, she refuses to walk correctly and spends the rest of the walk pulling

so part of why the greeting is important is because it balances out how much behavior correction i may wind up doing. Every walk, no matter how much they misbehave, or how much my focus is needed elsewhere, we start each day together with “it’s so good to see you, i’m happy i get to spend time with you” and them as the center of my attention, and i think that makes a big difference in the relationship with the dogs

[a-dumb-sarcastic-bisexual]

I finally got around to watching the clone wars so here are some Ahsoka and Anakin headcanons that wont leave my brain

They both steal each other's stuff and complain when they catch the other one doing it 

As Anakin’s hair grows longer he finds himself looking for hair wraps or something to push it back 

And he stumbles on Ahsoka's stash he borrows them mostly when she’s off on a mission so she won’t complain 

But she suspects him of doing so cause they’re never in the correct spot he also steals some of her simpler hand wraps when he’s training 

Ahsoka's just as bad tho she’ll steal Anakin’s cloaks and shirts all the time cause for some reason the council failed to give her comfortable clothes  

It all comes to a head when Ahsoka is debriefing the council and Anakin and she stops and goes “Is that my head wrap?” 

The change of topic is so abrupt that no one reacts for a hot second 

And then Anakin goes into full-on defensive mode like “What? No your device must be defective cause this isn’t yours” 

Which Ahsoka calls him out because “Jedi’s don’t lie so just come clean sky guy I know that mine. And are those my kriffing hand wraps?! Take those off you’re gonna mess them up!” 

Anakin is still defending himself and Obi-Wan is stepping in scolding them for using this line for their petty and selfish arguments  

And then Anakin says “Wait snips is that my cloak” “Don’t change the subject just cause you got caught” “No no you can’t talk about getting caught you little hypocrite that’s my cloak!” 

Obi-Wan is still chiming in half-heartedly but he knows better than to stop a full-on argument between those two 

Especially when they’re throwing each other words back at them like “I thought you said I should keep warm” “And I thought you said I need a hair wrap with all this hair” 

The argument only ends cause Windu threatens to hang up the com 

After the debriefing ends Anakin calls Ahsoka back and the argument starts right back up again 

Ahsoka always gets ready with her music playing 

And Anakin in true big brother fashion doesn’t want Ahsoka to know he likes her music so instead he’ll just turn on their version of shazam and stands by the speaker in what he thinks is a normal fashion 

It always goes something like this “Master what are you doing?” “What do you mean snips I’m not doing anything” “Oh so you’re just standing in my doorway with your device on for no reason” “Yep” “Okay when well have fun”

And in bratty little sister fashion she turns off her music and lights and leaves him in the doorway 

Later on she makes a playlist of all his favorite songs and sends a link to it 

All she hears is a grumbled “thank you” from the other room 

Anakin also plays his music out loud sometimes and it took a small amount of time to realize the songs Ahsoka complains about the most are her favorites 

He adds them to their shared playlist and ignores her when she plays those songs more 

Over time they make a lot of joined playlists

Some to work out and train to, some to hype them up before a mission, some to wind down after a mission, some to play when they have nightmares 

It’s something that they both enjoy more than they probably should 

Obi-Wan jokes that some of those playlists will be the death of him 

Ahsoka runs abnormally hot to the point where she could wear shorts in winter and Anakin runs cold enough to be confused for a corpse  

Obi-Wan Padme and Ahsoka all agree that he needs to get checked out cause no way is it healthy to be that cold 

They're both fine in their rooms where Ahsoka can blast the AC and Anakin can turn the heater up as high as he needs 

But the common room is where the bickering happens such as “Jesus snips I didn’t realize we lived on Hoth” or “I’m so sorry master that every room can feel like Mustafar” 

I also know that they both get nightmares like Earth-shaking soul shattering nightmares 

Some where they get abandoned some when they can’t save each other in time and some where they have to kill each other  

Not a lot of words need to be said when Ahsoka wakes Anakin out of a dead sleep with tears in her eyes or when Ahsoka wakes up cause Anakin is checking in on her for the third time that night 

They both just grab as many pillows and blankets as they can carry so they can make the world's best pillow fort 

Obi-Wan has grown accustomed to finding them cuddled up on the floor while the credits of a shitty old movie roll in the background  

When they get older I feel like they unlock the childhood nickname status 

Don't get me wrong snips and sky guy are their normal nicknames and will never go away but those are mostly used when they’re out in public or on the battlefield 

When they’re around people they trust like Obi-Wan and Padme you’ll hear questions like “You good Ani?” or “Be safe Soka”

[go-on-eat-shrooms]

House Blackwood vs House Martell Part II

Part 3

A man shouted from atop to open the gates. You heard the grunts of serval men

putting all their strength to open the wooden gates.

With your sisters and father unstriding their horses and you just jumping down it like a hawk.

Looking around, you found yourself astounded by the difference in architecture. The unfamiliar ambience even the smell was foreign to you.

"Holly cunt, how odd" you exclaimed.

Before you could babble more, you were greeted with an unfamiliar life full of positive vibes.

"Oberyon! What an absolute surprise when I heard you sent a letter by ship to inform me you wanted to visit me. It's been such a long time dear friend! And you brought all 4 of your daughters. How wonderful!"  Said Samwell Blackwood.

"Yes, my youngest daughter was very enamored with tales of your land. So I caved in when she kept pleading me to take her here. She seemed to really like the stories she heard of your riverlands."

Sister 1: saying lowly " and maybe your nut job son that might kill squirrels and eat them raw"

Sister 2: "Y/N has been very excited to meet your son Benijcot actually. Where around your house might he be?"

Sister 3: "well I believe if you don't mind my lord since it's such a big voyage if we could have some nurishments?"

You look bewildered at the stabbing words your sisters vomited out. How could they want her to meet a secret mad boy that turns into a maniac in the slight presents of even the sharpest objects around. And the squirrel comment might be true the fuck!

"At least he could cook it first" you said looking mortified to the side. "I mean how fast can he be to catch a squirrel. What if he ate his fellow squirrel homies too?" You were over thinking the squirrel comment.

So when Sister 3 spoke you felt relieved. She wasn't doing it for you tho. The bitch was just hungry and greedy. But for the first few times in years she was glad her sister was a selfish assface.

"I apologize for my daughters comments. I raised them like men mostly so I believe it's on me they say the things they do."

Oberyn stated.

"No problem, raising 4 daughters must of given you many headaches and torture. I must say raising boys is much easier. I imagine when they bleed every moon of the month, they turn into the most ravenous of wolves." Stated Lord Blackwood.

"But please come into my dining hall. Your daughter is correct; you must be tired and Ship lagged." Said Lord Blackwood.

As all 5 of you were guided to the table you took in the walls that surrounded you. Your head filled with the rabid squirrel catcher Benjicot.

But, through out your meal with Lord Blackwood; you seemed to see others besides your family.  But no one resembling a young boy. Mostly beared bloated men.  You felt a bit disappointed. So much talk over a no show. Did he think he was better than his guests?

Sister 2: " Lord Black, I'm sorry for the interruption. But where might your son be? We have not seen him all night."

Sister 3: "May your son be handsome? We find our youngest sister Y/N needs a buddy to study her combat skills with. She herself is interested in fighting like a wilding."

You swear these whores don't give it a rest. But even then it made you seem even more interested.

"OH my boy benji, he is not feeling so well. He usually goes out to the moonlit meadows of our land to train. I always tell him to be aware of wondering Brackens as well. Those craven cunts have been starting shit with us for centuries" Says Lord Blackwood.

After more talk of the hatred between the Blackwoods and Bracken beef. You finally get to retire to your own chamber. Seemly all 3 of your sisters and father go and take their leave as well to rest.

"Fuck it! I'm going to find him." You tell yourself after 10 mins.

Lord Blackwood said in the moonlit meadows. But there were so many. You made your way through unknown corridors until you reached the outside. Walking just a few more paces you heard grunting and a sword gritting against metal.

As you approached slowly, your boots crunched on some stones. Immediately, you were met with a sword to your throat.

[msommers]

SFW 2, 11, 13 and NSFW 9, 13 for jorina/aleksi and meredith/alistair!!

we're pretending this was posted on time, yeah xoxoxox // shipping headcanons

2) Who’s the messiest? The cleanest?

JORINA/ALEKSI — Aleksi strikes me as the “this chaos has a method, trust me” type of messy (if incorrect, scratch the following 💚), which drives Jorina (the local scout who would used a label maker if they existed) so far up the walls she may as well be climbing into the breach. her spaces are always neat, her packs have specific layouts, and she craves the control of organization. if any of Aleksi's things look out of order she's shaking, screaming inside, dying to get a hold of it and fix it herself before the needless anxiety of it gets to her. it's truly not that serious but there she goes.

MEREDITH/ALISTAIR — it would have to default to Alistair just because Meredith’s every bit the prim and proper lady, she’s finding ways to stay clean and organized even through a whole year of blight where it’s the least important focus. that being said! i don't know, i can’t see him being that messy as to be noteworthy?? his first decade was spent in an arl’s home, and then he followed it with another ten~ years with the Chantry. in my head—aka i don’t remember if it’s ever mentioned in canon, but it makes sense to me—i see templar training as being a meticulous and painstaking thing, which included tedious standards about cleanliness/organization. if that’s wrong we can ignore it but i’m living that truth for now. 

11) Baths or showers? Together or separate? Any bubbles or bubble fights?

JORINA/ALEKSI — they have the unique case of having frequent opportunities to get close to a shower as they're constantly traveling and nearby the many waterfalls of the regions they're sent to, and bathing in the various bodies of water is kinda close to baths sometimes, so like,,, both and neither lmao. i think Jorina has fun sharing those out in the field but prefers baths on her own when they're staying at Skyhold, they help to settle her thoughts and recharge her social battery without boyfriend interference. she just needs her space sometimes y’know 

MEREDITH/ALISTAIR — they're stuck with the #ThedasLife baths fate, not that they're complaining tho. shared baths would be more of a rare occurrence but that means the romance~~ of them is almost assuredly hammed up every time. candlelight, rose petals, scented oils, expensive ass soaps, you name it and they have it at the ready. the unspoken rule is that this activity is reserved for affection and relaxation, not work or other responsibilities, a guaranteed bit of tenderness amidst the never-ending cycle of bullshit beyond the room lmao 

13) Who stays up late? Who sleeps the most? Does the other have to force them to sleep/wake up?

JORINA/ALEKSI — i can see them both having a decent schedule tbh. Jorina because she finds comfort in the routine and Aleksi simply because he strikes me as more of a morning person than a night owl (correct me if wrong). Jorina would likely be the one to occasionally stay up late for work if it's urgent. he sleeps more because she's probably insane and has adjusted to 6 hours each night. i don't think forcing to sleep or wake up is required but i imagine Aleksi has to coax her into relaxing and enjoying the early hours of the morning rather than burying herself in work straight away, whether that be with cuddling or sitting down for a proper breakfast and chat or some other way he's come up with. 

MEREDITH/ALISTAIR — they both had horrendous sleep overall during the blight, but had opposite problems with Meredith staying up far too long and Alistair being practically dead come morning. with their powers combined they were a fucking nightmare to wake for the others at camp 🥰 i like to think they were able to find a better, more restful routine after settling into Denerim. sturdy walls, a cozy bedroom, and [mostly] trusted allies can work wonders for the rest routine. Alistair occasionally has to wake her from nightmares, they're rare but always intense enough to have her moving and making sounds in her sleep. 

9) Quickest turn ons? Immediate turn offs?

JORINA/ALEKSI — i can’t remember if it’s ever been discussed but i know in my core that Aleksi would be into talking dirty, and that’s an excellent candidate for the fastest way to get Jorina squirming, especially if he’s getting handsy at the same time. she’s bright red and mortified about how much it affects her but we know she gets off on that anyway so it’s fine, homeboy can have her knees shaking in 30 seconds flat if he’s got the right teasing lined up lmao. i’d say her immediate turn off would be the abrupt realization that they’re actually in risk of being caught while having sex in a public space. it’s usually exhilarating and arousing because she’s engaging in a big display of trust that she’s allowing him to lead her through such risky acts, there’s a pleasure she finds in showing that vulnerability and embracing the thrill of such a reckless decision—but all of that immediately shatters if she believes they’re 2 seconds away from being discovered. i imagine there could likely be a security-focused moment leading up to many of these public acts where he’s assured her that they’re not truly at risk where they are and she feels certain enough to indulge in the play-fantasy of it, but girl. she’d be dried up and looking for the nearest black hole to jump into so quickly if she thought they were about to be found fr

on Aleksi’s end i don’t know about turn ons but i can say that i personally wouldn’t blame him if he got turned off quick on the nights he’s putting in work to set a mood and ease her away from work and that insane stubbornness of hers kicks in and she’s too in her own head to notice/appreciate/engage it. 

MEREDITH/ALISTAIR — Meredith is a lady of refined taste who also has a massive brain, so obviously her quickest turn on is watching Alistair doff his armor or dress down for bed. can she truly be bullied about being so basic if these things give her such a lovely view of his muscles? his soft tummy?? his thighs??? the hairy chest and happy trail that we all know is there???? exactly. thank you. ANYWAY. her quickest turn-off is him saying one too many jokes when they're getting into the mood for anything sexual. it's more slow-rolling because she can take a few and may even find them funny, but then it'll hit that limit and she's abruptly finished. clocked out for the evening, try again tomorrow.

first of all, i refuse to believe this guy doesn't have a blatant praise kink. second, Meredith 100% starts to use that to her advantage to have him immediately snapping to attention with targeted compliments and approval. turn off would have to be the occasions where he sees that she's clearly not present and her mind has drifted off after they've already started to get hot and heavy. nothing kills the vibe quite like “you're thinking about the food shortage in amaranthine again, aren’t you?” while he's nearly through unlacing her underclothes, bc they both know she can’t deny it lmfao

13) Who’s loud? Who’s quiet? Does one try to make the other louder/quieter? How?

JORINA/ALEKSI — Jorina is louder than she's entirely comfortable with but it can be managed. dunno about Aleksi's volume level, but in general i see him as being on the chatty side rather than quiet. almost certainly they both enjoy the act of him whittling away at her composure until she can't control the sounds coming out of her own damn mouth, even if she tries to scold him for it after (neither of them buy it, she's a terrible actor).

MEREDITH/ALISTAIR — in my heart Alistair is a little noisy and i can't be convinced otherwise. you trying to tell me that boy isn't prime for whining and moaning and babbling?? yeah, ok 🙄 Meredith's a bit quieter but can get pretty mouthy in drawn out sessions. i don't think they purposefully try to make each other louder, but it's a good deal of fun when it happens naturally from somebody's efforts.

[moonbreezes]

wait George Villiers was a shitty person? what did he do?

Hi! I’d like to preface my answer to this question by saying that I’m not a historian (I have a degree in linguistics and literary studies), and all of my information comes from doing a lot of research regarding George on my own, therefore there might be a lot more info on what exactly he did or did not. So if there is someone more knowledgeable about this, please correct me.

What George Villiers did, and, quite frankly, how his career had gone could be described by a line reportedly spoken by Queen Anna of Denmark to Abbot, the archbishop of Canterbury (and Pembroke), two people who worked together to install George in James’s bedchamber as a favourite “You and the rest of your friends know not what you do. I know your master better than you all, for is this young man be once brought in first person he will plague must be you that labour for him.”

As opposed to the previous favourite Somerset (Robert Carr), Gorge was deeply ambitious as he not only wished to enrich himself while in favour, but he also wanted to become an important player in the political sphere. (If I dare say so myself, I believe, that his time as a politician, would not be half as bad if he had received a proper training. Tho he was undoubtedly a shitty, to put it mildly, person) He knew that key to his success was the affection and love of the king as he could literally take everything that was given to him and make him once again the poor George that he once was. (I really do not want to talk about their relationship as it would take more than a sentence to summarise it). Thans to how rapidly he climbed the social ladder and received more titles and positions at the court which in turn allowed him to have actual sway in the country’s internal and external politics. Geore was also keenly aware that apart from the royal favour he needed connection to face his opposition (the ancient families of England). So patronage, it was something common (even now). He installed his immediate family at the court and secured them positions, (mmm nepotism), the marriage market was also fair play as George slowly but surely arranged marriages for people in his family, win-win situation.

Addressing his now growing family, his wife – Kate Manners, became one as he possibly kidnapped and raped her. (There are some rumours that he “what-a-surprise got locked” with her in one building so after that they just had to get married.) It was a marriage for the money she could bring, and the connections did not hurt either, a nice bonus, one might even say. He also made a deal with Edward Coke to marry off his daughter (her mother protected her fiercely) to his brother. It is said that she cried during the ceremony.

In lieu of the theme of nepotism, as he slowly transformed the royal bedchamber into a place of the de facto lawmaking. He packed every place possible (to an extent) with people what would back him up. For that he was notoriously selling patronages, titles, and land, especially in Ireland where law did not hold him so much. Literally whenever the parliament tried to remove him from power because of how badly (Imo he would have done much better if he had training and not just gone with the general fuck around and find out rule.) he did his job, and people were fed up with him. He started a whole 20D chess match with Richelieu which was pointless, started a few campaigns that ended with him often not paying the soldiers (I mean no one would stab him to death over such thing… right), the last one being a pointless siege that only made England loose troops and money. (He could have one that one, he was so close to it, but he had to celebrate the possibility of victory rather than making people sing papers). He enraged the protestant England by helping to offer help France with fight off Protestants. What else… oh yes, he almost sa’d Anne of Austria which just… mmm the flavour of historical silencing of women, misogyny and men who just have dick measuring contests because.

Tho what I do not believe, and what many line up with, is that he did not poison James (or at least wasn’t aware of doing so??) because I think that he would gain more from helping the king survive than just killing him.

Sources

Bellany, Alastair, and Thomas Cogswell. 2015. The Murder of King James I. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Cogswell, Thomas. 2017. James I (Penguin Monarchs). Penguin UK.

Lockyer, Roger. 2014. Buckingham. Routledge.

Stewart, Alan. 2014. The Cradle King. St. Martin’s Press.

Veerapen, Steven. 2023. The Wisest Fool. Birlinn Ltd.

[vohtaro]

pats ur shoulder. are u winning the gender thought wars son

i feel like if i had better personal fashion sense, i’d feel closer to genderqueer than i do nonbinary…. the terms kind of overlap in my head a lot too. i’m not entirely sure tho. i guess i currently don’t feel especially inspired by dressing like my dad but in jeans instead of cargo shorts LOL. i’ve undeniably fallen into the ‘dress vaguely masc since ur nonbinary’ trap. i’d like to read more about it all: the experiences ppl have w their genders (& maybe specifically where ppl draw al line btwn these two i’ve mentioned in particular). but i mean the lines are also personal and subjective right. the way i see it for myself, being one or the other doesn’t rlly change anything, bc gender =/= pronouns. perhaps genderqueer is something of a constant state of flux whereas nonbinary is an intentional choice to stand somewhere either at the center of, or outside of, the binary. i’m kind of a ‘labels don’t mean much to me’ kind of person, tho sometimes i find social situations get difficult to navigate when i don’t have an “easy” answer re:my pronouns esp since my pronoun are they rn.

anyways. i’ve been thinking about it for like months now tho i don’t feel in any kind of rush to have an answer. my gender is whatever feels right, and my pronouns being they is a good enough fit. really my issues are physical. i’m kind of glad i’ve taken time to be patient w myself w regards to my physical self, tho i still have desires to make a change one day. being cursed with dd’s/e’s has given me loads of dysohoria, as has being fat. that dysohoria has been fed by both societal expectations and personal life experiences too. it’s been easier to just dress baggy and dress casually than to explore expression while also having self confidence in my appearance, regardless of what vibe the appearance gives off. i’ve been trained into thinking that dressing femme invalidates my they pronouns in peoples’ minds. it shouldn’t, obviously, but the training tells me that dressing like a dad is a safer bet than allowing myself to wear something like a blouse or something colorful and cute.

happy belated father’s day from your local dad. i am currently wearing a Champion crew neck navy blue sweater and was considering getting a pair of New Balance shoes the other week. I bought a drill set from The Home Depot last week and i know where the water shutoff is in my place. but i think i need to engage in a different kind of fashion and have the trust in those around me that my pronouns won’t change unless i want them to, and to confidently correct people if they incorrectly identify me.

(tl;dr: to be clear fashion doesn’t identify gender and u should dress how u like and how u want and never let clothes define u unless u want them to. consumption (in this case, clothing) for validation is not the way. this is mostly me in a long-winded manner saying ‘brother u need a lil confidence’ to myself )

[izzy-b-hands]

hiiiiii holden ily. 🍓 🥑🦴🧩

Ella, thank u!!!

🍓 ⇢ how did you get into writing fanfiction? 

Already answered, but! I provide another Early Fanfic Fact abt myself: my friends and I in middle school and into early high school had a shared notebook (s) for MCR fanfiction. Just those cheap crappy thin ones from like, Wal-Mart, but we could have a bunch on hand as we filled each one up lol. We passed those around, everyone either adding onto in progress fics (with original author's permission), or just adding nice comments or little drawings (we were a bunch of goth/emo kids in the aughts, so. Not so skilled anime style portraits of various band members/anime characters, that one weird S that I think everyone learned how to do.)

🥑 ⇢ you accidentally killed somebody, which mutual(s) do you text for help?

Tbh, probably all of you guys, yourself very much included Ella lol. Depending on exactly how badly I've fucked up, we might need a variety of skills, variety of access to a variety of things. Some people coordinating hiding the body, others helping me figure out a disguise, some working on plane, train, etc tickets and finding places for me to hide. In return, I'll only mildly jeopardize my hiding places by sending u guys cool stuff that I think you'll like from wherever I am at the time jfadlskjadjal. This is the one situation where I'm aware actually having a lot of ppl involved would be a bad idea, but it's funnier for the bit to imagine this like some Ocean's/Kingsman level of silly shit after I accidentally kill someone (at least one person is dedicated to just keeping me from panicking abt that tbh lmao.)

🦴 ⇢ is there a piece of media that inspires your writing? 

There's a lot of them!

Only Lovers Left Alive (movie), Last Night at the Lobster (book), The Man Who Fell to Earth (book and the movie), are the first ones that come to mind (the second one partially bc I'm due for a reread of it, and since moving have no idea where my copy is.) There's a much larger full list tho of course, that includes music too which immediately adds several miles to said list lol.

🧩 ⇢ what will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately?

Honestly? if it's touted as the 'most perfect' or 'only correct characterisation' or other similar 'this fic is the Only Fic Ever don't read anything else from this fandom' vibes.

I've found that fics like that aren't necessarily bad, some are lovely! But they don't tend to live up to all the hype every time, and I feel. Weird. Abt having that high of expectations vs being able to go in more neutral, or like, a fic that I've had one or two ppl recommend to me.

I always worry talking abt this, bc really, less popular vs more popular fics aren't a 'one is better than the other' situation, at least not to me. I've read some amazing, very popular fics, and I've read some that had barely twenty kudos that still live rent free in my head just as much as the former. It just kinda depends, but, that said, I still have a harder time going into the 'BNF' (hate that term) fics than others.

I have other things that'll make me back out of a fic, but this is one that's come up the most in the last couple of years in particular for me when fic-reading/searching for fic to read lol.

[drdemonprince]

how do i get my therapist (who has experience working with autistic ppl) to stop viewing me through a neurotypical lens?

when I brought up that I'm struggling to show up to a social function due to a number of factors (overwhelming loud environment, not knowing them that well, not much time to recoup after an overstimulating workday), she said I was engaging in "negative self-talk" and needed to think more positively. I've heard this from other therapists too but I really don't see the self-esteem angle.

or when i mentioned I've been suffering from insomnia, and mentioned that I make lists to help me fall asleep (eg: something with my special interests, like list the entire taylor swift discography, lol), she said that was definitely the reason I couldn't fall asleep because it requires too much focus (even though I'd been doing that for years as a method and the insomnia part is new...). she said i need to "clear my mind" instead when that's never worked for me.

i know the correct answer is "find a better therapist" but i just. they're ALL like this from my experience. and i guess i'm just wondering what some other red flags might be in a therapist who specifically works with autistic clients.

thank you for taking the time to read this, i know this is a long question so no pressure to respond! xx

Yeah, it sounds like it's time to hit the bricks. This therapist sounds invalidating, dismissive, and not at all introspective about their own assumptions and process.

Have you tried telling them that their view of you and your way of functioning is colored by really neuronormative assumptions? How do they respond to disagreement or challenge in general? Do they respect you? Have they demonstrated that they can self-reflect and apologize when they get things wrong? If all or most indications point to no, this therapist is not just useless to you, they're actively harmful, and I think you probably ought to stop wasting time and money being exposed to their feedback.

As for the fact that nearly all therapists appear to be like this -- that is by design. The entire enterprise of psychiatry and psychology is to impose a neuronormative standard onto all people, and to attempt to correct for any deviance from that standard that is observed. Therapists are overwhelmingly privileged people who have not been trained to consider factors of systemic oppression and exclusion, and in fact these dynamics are often ones they do not comprehend. Therapists are bad at being compassionate and helpful toward Autistic people because psychology as a field philosophically does not see us as okay as we are. So you will likely run into this problem again and again.

The only good therapist is one who is willing to betray the most oppressive norms of the field, and that's a rare thing. You will likely have to grill potential therapists on their knowledge and understanding of neurodiversity before you hire them in order to determine if they would be a good fit. It's exhausting and people often find it scary, but just remember that they work for you, and there is no reason for you to be paying someone to tell you that you're defective.

(Of course, there might be some benefits that you find you are receiving from therapy, even with this person's many flaws, and if that's the case, by all means stick with them if you think it balances out. Trust your own judgement. I'm just a cranky ideologue on the internet I don't know your life. Tho neither, it seems, does this therapist).

[sandrockianblues]

Some of our loved gang annoying each other when bored head cannons? plsss?💕👀

Let me just cuddle up to you real quick to express my adoration for you anon💜💜💜✨

I’m assuming you meant the bandit boys again, if not, feel free to correct me and I’ll make another (This is kinda long so let’s hope it’s what you asked for😭😭)

Feel free to spam my inbox with more! I’m always willing to share my head canons!!!💜 or if you just wanna talk or say something

Bandit Gang Annoying Each Other:

💣Haru💣

He always tries to busy himself with work and planning ahead (bc someone’s got to) but there are times where he just can’t keep his head buried in his work anymore or he doesn’t feel motivated to study up on the shit he needs. So, he takes it out on the boys lovingly

-Andy> at first it was sorta dumb stuff just to tweak him like wetting small shredded pieces of discarded notes and ideas he had tossed aside, throwing them at the kid until it stuck. Other times it was a blank stare and unyielding until Andy would screech at him to stop because it was freaking him out. After he finds out the kid has developed a major crush on Jasmine? “There was this one time Jasmine and I-,” “I don’t wanna hear it.” “Yeah, ya do.” Plethora of stories that Andy both loves and hates to hear because he does not like Jasmine, dammit. It’s especially more annoying when Haru tells stories of a very young Jasmine saying she’ll grow up to marry Haru or Logan someday like any other kid would do.

-Logan> literally poor fucking guy. Cowboy prince bandit here cares about his appearance because let’s face it, he and everyone else knows he’s pretty. Not Fang pretty, but roguishly handsome and solid main male lead, handsome enough to be that NFL player you suddenly get into a team for despite not knowing how football may work coughs-. So he’s a little vain and tries to take care of his appearance. And Haru abuses that. Will catch him off guard saying he’s spotted a gray hair among his strands (mind you, Logan has a head of white hair) or that his eyes seem to be dulling all of a sudden? Then there’s times where Haru tells the most outlandish science shit that’s in no way true or plausible and Logan believes it for a good part of the day week because, well, it’s his friend that’s the brainiac. But then it hits at some point and Logan always gets so bent out of shape that he’s been fooled once more. They’re so friendly with one another that they can joke about even the harder topics- so, long story short, Haru likes to claim being Howlett’s favorite. You can imagine the angry cowboy face there. Logan comes for his ass (settle down LoHaru fans, let’s keep it PG-13 and save it for fanart and fanfic). IF LOGAN IS INTERESTED IN THE BUILDER>>> 11/10 likes to reference the start of their “interactions” (I.e. Logan watching the train the builder was on come in their first day- tho really, Haru just kinda puts it together and does the math/ after Water Tower explosion and their eyes met)- essentially, anything he can use to make it seem like they’re some star-crossed lovers or living out some dramatic romance fantasy. IF HARU IS INTERESTED IN THE BUILDER TOO>>> not entirely confident he can win their heart and affections against Logan, but it’s too fun to casually remark that the builder may prefer guys who aren’t tall as hell or that have a tanner complexion or dark hair and eyes- lmao not Logan trying to figure out how to properly tan or appear shorter or even willing to dye his hair.

🦸🏼‍♂️Andy🦸🏼‍♂️

He’s a kid and a smart one at that, but his attention span is so small at this age and he gets bored so easily. He worships Logan and Haru, idolizes them even. Being a bandit was essentially his dream. So, he mostly behaved. But it’s when Sandrock accepts their bandit boys back that he starts being a little shit (Andy, my child).

-Haru> this man unnerves Andy in a different way than his buddy does. Andy wholly believes that Haru could kill him and get away with it. But it doesn’t stop him. Andy likes to disorganize his notes so they’re not in order. Will sometimes leave feedback on random sticky notes to the most obscure shit and they’re all filled with critiques (some of which are valid and actually do annoy Haru Lmao). He once saved up all his money and bought a jelly jar that was actually filled with glitter that Vivi had. Took some of Haru’s notes and from what he could do, he made a glitter bomb (it was a Thursday and Jasmine was helping Heidi organize some things so he was lonely). The fortunate part to the end of that tale is that it was mostly plain glitter so like silver. The unfortunate part is that sometimes, if you pay attention, Haru fucking shimmers. This was very distressing to Mi-An once who has found this battered but readable cringey book about vampires, but that may have been the best day of Logan’s life who laughed so hard he wheezed and had some blood vessels burst in his face. IF HARU IS INTERESTED IN THE BUILDER>>> Andy will resort to basic elementary tactics and make kissy faces that are totally visible to not just Haru and the builder, but also everyone in the vicinity. He’ll sing that “kissing in a tree” song. Walks by the guy who is trying his best to be subtle about his feelings yet attempting to flirt and going like “oh dang, tell them how u really feel” and sometimes leaning against a railing watching them from above shouting in a monotone voice “OH SHIT, THAT SOME GOOD CHEMISTRY YOU GOT THERE”- Andy’s fuckin’ fast as hell, but if you wanna see him fly, wait until he pisses one of his bandit fathers off. Kid doesn’t even touch the ground when he’s running.

-Logan> you know that pic of Ben Affleck? Nvm, you know it, I don’t even need to describe it. You know it. Homie would put his little brother/son (depends on the day and how much he wishes to throttle the tween) on a flag pole by his raggedy little cape if he could sometimes. Logan is literally the true victim between the two of his friends/found family. But in their defense, it’s just too fucking easy to rile him up. Andy will still do dumb shit like steal his hat or dress up like him like he did for Bronco the Kid, posing as Logan the Bandit and nailing down his gun twirl (chill, it’s a water gun with no water bc Sandrock is dryer than my ex’s personality) and the dramatic swish of his cape. Literally the kid was born for LARPing or Comic Cons, maybe even acting, but the world missed out. Regardless, it is some good shit. Owen even lets him recreate Bandit Gang memories on stage sometimes because he thinks the kid is a blast when he’s all dressed up (he will actually start giving the kid a “1,2,3” count if he dresses up as Bronco again), much to Logan’s dismay. If you think that is bad enough, Andy actually has Logan’s signature down almost perfectly and will sit at a little table like it’s a lemonade stand selling autographed WANTED signs of the good looking bandit (much to Unsuur’s dismay) IF LOGAN IS INTERESTED IN THE BUILDER>>> Andy will abuse his height, his speed, and Logan’s patience. Homie will yeet himself into either Logan’s back or the builder’s and make them fall into each other as he takes off cackling and screaming about PDA. Now, Logan is a chill guy and recognizes it as both manipulation and a somewhat accident, but it’s the fact that this is the fifth time the cheeky bastard has schemed this week and at some point, the builder has to catch onto why Andy’s doing it to the two of them specifically. He WILL intentionally leave WANTED posters of Logan on their front door or workshop table or in their mailbox. No, please don’t ask Unsuur about this. He’s fucking done with the posters.

🤍Logan🤍

Logan was someone that felt like he had to grow up a little too fast to help his father deal with raising him alone and hunting monsters. His only reprieve from that maturity and the weight of the world on his shoulders was spending time with friends like Haru or Elsie or Jasmine, etc. There, the rascal like side of him poked out. Logan is the man of action and the one to carry out missions. He’s not big on planning, so, when there’s no mission to carry out and no action to be doing, he’s gonna have some fun.

-Andy> to the Logan simps out there, y’all better pray the builder and him have a daughter because Logan is much GENTLER and CAREFUL with girls (don’t think about the fight y’all have if you a girl). He will swoop down with far too much agility for a man his size and grab Andy by the ankles with one hand, standing upright and flipping the kid upside down in his hold. Isn’t above shaking him to see how much candy and stuff he nabs (literally no one cares and they just pretend to not see because it’s minimal shit) falls out. Or he ruffles his hair and messes it up completely. Sometimes, he’ll sit down with the kids (no chair is too small for him- that’s a lie, every chair is too small for him. Just look at his weird ass throne.) and asks whether he’ll be the main of honor or the best man to their wedding. He’s not above his bandit ways and WILL demand a dowry for his precious Princess Jasmine.

-Haru> they go back and sometimes, that’s not a good thing. Logan knows exactly how to annoy Haru. It’s just when he decides to find new ways that Haru gets nervous. Like after the Mi-An incident where she thought he was a vampire, Logan spent money on glitter himself that he kept in his pocket and would randomly throw it like confetti in the air with an emotionless face, watching it rain down on Haru with glee burning like the blue flames of a fire. Or when he actually borrowed Mi-An’s book so he could read it (he honestly hates it, nothing makes sense and he almost abandoned the idea numerous times) and WILL quote it at him. Haru hasn’t read it, but at this point he essentially has given how Logan took this way too seriously and is passionate about giving him shit. Sometimes, Logan will idly remark about being sick of shit and wanting to run away. Which annoys Haru because “been there, done that”. Not letting Haru sit in his weird throne actually annoys him but for the principle, not because Haru really wants to sit there. Logan also likes to remark about how smart Qi is and wonders if his bombs would be more effective. Then there are times where they’re just meandering about riding their steeds and Logan will go off on this near philosophical and rather introspective tangent that takes Haru by surprise, going to respond to Logan only to be met with “I was talking to Rambo.” 💀 IF HARU IS INTERESTED IN THE BUILDER >>> Logan is both the best and worst person to have as your wingman. I don’t make the rules (yes I do ). He’ll give him openings to make his move, he’ll set up the scene perfectly like this is mere child’s play to him (it’s odd, the things Logan chooses to be good at), hell, he may even pay for their dinner. But then there are times where they’re having a nice date and Logan will all of a sudden stretch over the divider wall of the booth with a harsh and loud whisper of “diD YoU kiSS ‘eM YEt?!” He is both a himbo and a child. IF LOGAN IS ALSO INTERESTED IN THE BUILDER>>> if it was anyone else, he’d be pulling out all the stops to win the builder over. But with Haru, all he can do is poke lighthearted fun at his height or how he’s missing a duster or a cowboy hat. Sometimes a “is your heart a ticking bomb? What’re you swearing for?” sort of shit to tease him.

[tinfoilhats-work]

Ok so this has basically become my post-it note board for all my fanfic ideas

Anyways you know the drill - if you use any of my ideas just tag me in the work so I can see!!

So for as long as I can remember I have loved theorizing about the any type of apocalypse - zombie specifically but I’m not particular

Anyways I have read many fics where the voltron crew goes through the zombie apocalypse and a handful work amazingly well but most end up forgetting or losing MAJOR characteristics for each character AND/OR don’t keep things “realistic” like if someone gets hurt - or bit they affects aren’t consistent, different things like that

Here are a handful of things that I personally think are important when writing ff about a zombie apocalypse (when talking about character consistency’s I will be using voltron as an example)

First and foremost creating the world and the aftermath.

you need to have a realistic idea of how and why the zombies exist.

Was it because of the evil people - bio weapon, maybe the evil people are aliens or from an unknown place and it travels with them?

Was it a disease that mutated

Was it a vaccine that went wrong

Was it caused by eating something that shouldn’t

Is it a rare strain of rabies

How and why does it exist? How do you find a cure/vaccine (if you want one - and if the characters find one will it be scientifically correct?)

Next character consistency

Reminder that I will be using Voltron characters as a reference but you are by no means obligated to use these characters if you chose to follow this baseline

Keith. People seem to always forget that the only reason this dude was able to mature was basically a 2 year vacay/mission with his mom and dog. - he is anti-social, awkward and spent most (if not all) his time in the training room working on his skills and fitness. SO KEEP THAT STUFF IN YOU WORK UNTIL HE SLOWLY becomes more comfortable with the rest of the team. Do not make it happen in one chapter and there should not be just one magical moment. There should be moments where he hesitates trusting them on a judgment call (not in a dangerous spot tho bc he is known to be caring and spontaneous and protective) and there should also be times where he argues and has his boundaries crossed - not because the team meant to but because it happens when your getting to know someone.

Or like for shiro - someone who is a dad friend but also a bit older than the crew - very protective, and self sacrificial but also thinks ahead and tries to make good and safe decisions. Just keeping to that is perfect!

Or Lance. A funny extrovert that likes to talk and do skin care and hangout with his friends, but is also a bit self conscious and worries about his friends and others. Keeping that within the fic is ESSENTIAL and not something that goes away after starting to date someone or making new friends. You also can not forget that this kid is cocky just like Keith, and will be reckless, and will take risks.

In summary the most important thing is to keep your characters consistent with their canon persona, and then once you start working on it keep it consistent within your fic/writing!

[i-love-you-all]

Sneak peak

aka I promise I'm not afk from writing. I'm just working on original stories and playing video games while bracing myself for In Remembrance. FWIW, i've been occasionally publishing a Cypher centric story with Cypher/Nora as the main pair, or if you'd be interested, I have a bunch of original stories in progress atm (you'd have to msg me for those tho)

This chapter is from an idea I've had and hoarded for a bit. After this, it will go back into the pile of WIPs. It was gonna be a cheesy mentor and apprentice esque film as we see Jett develop her skills in the protocol. This will be somewhat of a crossover with R6S, but mostly just Glaz and Kapkan :)) Hope you enjoy :))

~1.4k Words Under the keep reading.

An artist and a sniper had many things in common.

Aleksander remembered watching his mentor as he painted the scenery in front of them. While Sasha was cleaning his sniper rifle, he let his thoughts drift to the training. He spent hours in one of those watch towers, practice rifle in hand with his orange paintball ammo to the side. He looked for what his mentor described. The details. A shape out of position, a bit of colour where there should be none, a shadow that was not where it was supposed to be. In the end, he shot three times. Only one landed.

“When will you learn to take your time?” Finally, something to break the silence that was gnawing away at Sasha’s gut.

Glaz put his paintbrush down and turned to face Sasha with a sigh. “Sasha, I cannot keep giving you more chances.”

“I will do better.” I must.

But in some cruel twist, it was Alexander’s drive to be perfect that was shortening his abilities. He was an excellent hunter, able to track, hunt, and then shoot his prey. But the role of a sniper was very different compared to a hunt. He was not someone on a prowl. It was an organized procedure that placed him on overwatch, looking out for his team. He was a scout without moving an inch. And he was not thriving in this role. His scores on the ground were much higher. His reputation was of a silent stalker, able to find the threat and neutralize them without the target even realizing. But to make it through the selection process, he would need to be a sniper, a tactician, a fighter - everything, as easy as that sounded...

“No. You will not. You will not because you focus too much on the result. Not enough on yourself.”

The words hurt. He couldn’t deny that, but a pout wasn’t going to help him succeed. Work, practice, and study would.

“Practicing in a range will not help. You can aim. Everyone knows that. Your problem on the field is that you can’t focus on what stands out. You only focus on the fact that you can’t miss.”

“I cannot miss, or else—”

“You cannot miss. That is the only correct thing you’ve said so far in this room. You do not often miss. But as a sniper – as the overwatch – you miss because you aim to hit the wrong things.”

Then, Glaz beckoned Sasha over to his side. He was hesitant in getting closer right now. He had not earned praise, and while he was not Maxim, Glaz was an intimidating presence, especially when he was as frustrated as he was now.

“Come and look at this painting. I have been painting this room for the past hour.”

Sasha looked over and saw part of the room in this piece. Just the window outside and the bookshelf next to it. It looked just like the real-life counterparts. He looked over at his mentor. Glaz’s eyes did a sweep of the canvas and then of the reference portion of the room.

“Do you see anything wrong with it?”

“No.” Sasha was genuine in his answer. It was a beautiful start to what would surely be a masterful painting.

“Wrong.” Glaz put down his paintbrush and with his finger just barely hovering above the still-drying paint, he pointed at a part in the upper corner of the room in the painting. “See here? The shades around the window do not match. The light above us casts a much longer shadow than what I’ve drawn.”

Ah. So this was the game today. Sasha narrowed his eyes and tried to compare the shapes. It was indeed a little shorter in the painting, but not enough so that it was noticeable right away. But if that was a purposeful mistake…

“The books on the shelf are much darker in this picture than in real life.”

“Correct. I’ve used darker colours in the painting. What else?”

Sasha furrowed his eyebrows. He could feel his mentors gaze watching him steadily as he studied the colours and shapes. With every passing second, he could feel himself losing focus. He was thinking about how disappointed Glaz must’ve been just waiting there for an answer that was not coming up. But not just that, he needed to prove that he was good enough. He had never failed anything before he got here for special training. And though he had high scores in many tests, his sniper training was dragging him down. If he couldn’t prove to Glaz that he was good enough to be here – that he could keep up with other and earn his spot—

“Sasha!”

His head snapped over to Glaz, who had just clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“Stop thinking about me or the scores or anything else that happened today. This painting is your world.”

He took a deep breath, only now aware of how his lungs were burning for air. Perhaps he was in his head too much – maybe he was his own obstacle, and if that were the case, how was he supposed to overcome himself? Stop. Again, he had to reign in his thoughts. Focus. Shades of colour out of place, shadows that looked different to how they should, textures that shouldn’t be there…

“You added texture and lines to the wooden floor. Dark enough so that it’s hard to see.”

“What else?”

Sasha looked again. “The shutters have light behind them in this painting but it is dark outside right now.”

“More.”

Now that he was focused solely on the colours and what should or should not be there, it was easier. Sasha found that answers were coming to him as if he were reading a book. “There’s a corner folded on the book in real life, not in the painting. The shadows and how they meet the floor right here is a little too tall. The colour of the wall right next to the window is too light in this one spot.”

He felt Glaz clap him on the shoulder again, only this time, he was shaking him frantically and with excitement. “Good! Good! So you are not blind. You only need to do this exercise on the practice field, and you will be everything you want to be. Go rest. I will paint more and we will try again tomorrow.”

The levity in his chest made it easy to trudge his tired feet and legs back to his room. It was like a part of his brain was unlocked, and now, he couldn’t wait to see what else he noticed on the field.

For now, it started with a perfect score on the sniper exercises and a small smile on Glaz’s face.

*

Sova couldn’t help it. He was actually quite excited at the thought of mentoring a newer agent to the protocol. He’s had the ability to work with various people throughout his life, and he’s been the apprentice before, but this would be something completely new.

“Captain, I wanted to say again that I am grateful for the chance to train the newest agent.” He didn’t mention the part that he was a little hurt that Sage was put in front of him for this job because of her Radiant powers. Phoenix had to learn to control his radiant abilities, yes, but about battlefield tactics, he was certain that his experience trumped Sage’s. 

“A bit of advice?” Brimstone said as he turned to look over his shoulder at Sova. “Don’t expect it to be easy. Every recruit is different in how learn. How they respond to a situation, how they see a battlefield, they will take steps you find stupid or reckless. She’s going to drive you up a wall before you get through to her, but don’t let that get to you. All rookies are like that.”

Sova chuckled. That was certainly true, even for someone as accomplished and experienced as himself. He remembered the various looks of anger and frustration on Maxim’s face once upon a time, or the cold patience in Glaz’s eyes the first month or so when Sova started training under his wing. But he learned so much from both of them, even outside of the battlefield, that he wasn’t sure he could ever pay them back. But perhaps he could pay it forward.

“Meet our newest agent,” Brimstone said as he opened up the door to the office. “This is Jett.”