#what I remember from EoS

[dystopiansewerrat]

Maybe that’s enough,

It’s time to stop running.

[augustatheghost]

i don’t know what you guys are all complaining about i love that svu has vaporized olivia from woman on the verge to lady cragen

[moonsunbam]

as i was watching 3D mv rn all i was thinking was:

i bet jk is seeing it, in motion, in 3D 😉

[redlionknc]

Fr tho I love this new era of ocean exploration games... whether it be Abzu or Sunless Seas or Beyond Blue or Dredge or Dave the Diver, they make me feel like a kid again :)

[fujii-draws]

Pt 2 (getting into more positives!!)

OKAY! Chatot rant in tags below! Read at your own discretion.

[daisymbin]

OKAYY BUT HEAR ME OUT bf2l mingyu where they’re both *ahem* secretly love eo but their dynamics have always been *bantering and teasing* but one day oc just went 36. "i couldn’t imagine my life without you in it." and mingo just 15. 40. "don’t look at me like that unless you mean it."😵‍💫

FUXXXXXX the way I would crumble if this happened to me irl grrr... thank you for this amazing prompt req!!!

full prompt list!

check out my masterlist! // gyu's m.list

fluff prompt #36: "I couldn't imagine my life without you in it." +

suggestive prompt #40: "don't look at me like that unless you mean it."

it was a quiet afternoon when you called mingyu, expecting to catch up and maybe grab lunch. you hadn’t heard from him in a little while, and a lazy lunch sounded perfect. but when he picked up, his tone was a little off, almost too casual.

“hey, are you coming over for lunch?” you asked, leaning back in your chair, a teasing grin forming.

“nah, i can’t today, im busy” he replied, his voice warm, but there was something else there you couldn’t quite place.

“busy? with what?” you teased. “since when do you have anything to be busy about?”

“i have important things to be busy with,” mingyu protested back, the playful tone creeping in, though it didn’t sound like his usual carefree banter.

“important, huh?” you raised an eyebrow, suspicious. “like what? where are you?”

“at mom's— i mean, your mom’s,” he said casually, like it was the most normal thing in the world. “fixing the light bulbs and making lunch.”

“wait, what? why?” you were confused, your heart skipping a beat. you loved mingyu, but you didn’t expect him to be over at your mom’s fixing things without you. “did something happen? why didn’t she call me?”

“obviously she loves me more,” mingyu teased, his voice full of mischief. “why else would she call me and not you?”

you rolled your eyes. “does that mean i need to go over there and fight for my spot in her heart?”

mingyu chuckled on the other end, and you could almost hear his grin. “you can try, but i think i’m her favorite.”

you laughed, but you couldn’t deny the little flutter of butterflies in your chest. “fine, but i’m still coming over for lunch.”

when you finally arrived, mingyu was standing in the kitchen, a pink apron littered in butterflies tied around his waist, looking way too comfortable in your mom’s space. your mom was just finishing up, heading out the door with a “remember to lock up before you leave, you two!” as she waved to you both.

you raised an eyebrow at mingyu as he set down a plate of food. “you really came all the way over here to fix the light bulbs and cook lunch for my mom?” you couldn’t help but laugh, but there was an edge to your voice. it wasn’t exactly jealousy, but something close to it.

“what can i say?” mingyu shrugged casually, though his smile was warm, teasing. “she knows i’m handy. and besides, who wouldn’t want to hang out with someone as handsome as me?”

“right,” you deadpanned sarcastically. “handsome. so so so handsome.” but despite yourself, you smiled.

you both ate together in a comfortable silence after your mom left for her pottery class, and the moment she left, a different kind of silence hung in the air. your heart felt heavy, and mingyu noticed.

he set his fork down and looked at you, his gaze softening as you tried not to meet his eyes. “what are you thinking about?” he asked gently.

you hesitated, suddenly feeling a little too exposed. it wasn’t like you were about to tell him you had feelings for him — feelings that had been there for far too long. but the moment felt significant in a way you couldn’t explain. “i just… can’t believe you’re here,” you said, your voice quieter than usual. “i can’t believe you came over to help my mom just because she called you.”

"don't be jealous of your mom," mingyu half whined as he teased.

"it's not that," you said softly.

mingyu looked at you, his eyes narrowing as if trying to read you. “what do you mean?”

you let out a breath, feeling a little awkward now. “i mean… i couldn’t imagine my life without you in it.” the words came out before you could stop them, and you regretted them the instant they left your lips.

mingyu froze. his gaze softened, and for a moment, you thought you saw something flicker in his eyes — something more than just his usual teasing, more than just the easygoing best friend you had known for years. he swallowed, his lips slightly parted as he tried to process what you’d just said.

“wait,” mingyu said, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant. “like… in your life as a best friend or...?”

you blinked at him, feeling your heart race. you weren’t sure what to say, your throat tightening as his eyes searched yours. the air around you both seemed to hold its breath, like the world was waiting for you to say something, anything.

“like...” you trailed off, feeling all of your unspoken feelings rise to the surface. you couldn’t stop yourself. “more than that, mingyu.”

mingyu raised an eyebrow, clearly still a little nervous but trying to play it cool. "stop that," he laughed it off, “don’t look at me like that unless you mean it, you know.” his tone was light, teasing, but there was a quiet intensity beneath it that made your stomach flip.

you took a deep breath, stepping closer to him. “i do mean it,” you said, your voice steady now, filled with certainty.

mingyu’s eyes widened for a moment, and then a familiar smirk tugged at his lips, though there was still a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. he leaned back slightly, crossing his arms, as if trying to hide how affected he was. “do you now?” he asked, a teasing glint in his eyes.

you nodded slowly, your heart pounding in your chest. “i do,” you whispered.

mingyu didn’t move, his gaze flicking between your eyes and your lips, as if he was fighting with himself. but the tension in the room was palpable, and before either of you could say anything more, he closed the distance between you.

his lips were warm and soft against yours, hesitant at first, like he was unsure of how to kiss you, unsure of how you wanted it. but you kissed him back, slow and gentle, savoring the moment like it was something fragile.

mingyu pulled back just a little, his forehead resting against yours as he breathed in. “do you really?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

you smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over you. hmm, you hummed in acknowledgement.

mingyu kissed you again, this time more confidently. his hands slid to your waist, pulling you closer, and you could feel the heat building between you. his lips moved against yours with a sense of urgency, as if he couldn’t hold back anymore.

your hands found their way to his neck, fingers threading through his hair as you deepened the kiss, feeling the electric pull between you. mingyu’s body pressed against yours, the kiss growing more intense, more urgent.

“gyu...” you gasped between kisses, breathless.

he pulled back just enough to catch his breath, "i love it when you call me that," his lips brushed against yours lightly. “you sure about this?” he asked, his voice low and filled with desire. "because once we start, I won't be able to stop."

“yeah,” you murmured, your voice shaky. “i’m sure.”

with a low growl, mingyu kissed you again, this time with no hesitation. his hands slid down your body, pulling you even closer as the world around you seemed to disappear. it was just the two of you, finally giving in to everything you’d both been too scared to admit for so long.

[littlesparklight]

Something that's neat is that when it comes to Ganymede's abduction, before the mid-300's BC the eagle doesn't feature in the visual record. (I don't remember off-hand where the switch comes in the texts, but earliest texts don't portray Ganymede as having been taken by the eagle, either; in the Iliad it's a generic "by all the gods" and the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite, wind seems to be the method (though Zeus is the sole instigator this time).

So what you get before then is Zeus taking things in hand quite literally, with things like this:

Both of the above are from around the same age-span in terms of make. And then there's this, which is really interesting, as it reminds more of the depictions of Eos with one of her abducted youths:

Is Ganymede asleep or just really relaxed about the whole proceeding? Who knows!

While we of course can't know if there were anything that depicted (visual or text) Ganymede's abduction via eagle before ~350 BC, it definitely seems this one statue group by Leochares inspired a lot of art based on it. Like this one vase painting, which doesn't name Ganymede as the subject but with the setup it seems reasonable that it is him... though the abducting bird is a swan, not an eagle!

Ganymede is sometimes depicted as shorter/smaller than Zeus, like the terracotta statue above (though I'm not sure the statue, specifically, means to necessarily say anything about Ganymede's age. Sometimes gods are simply presented as taller than humans, too).

Most usually, however, he's about as tall as Zeus, a youth who's an older teenager at the very least.

And our oldest vase art/visual survival of Ganymede, which I really like:

[littleeyesofpallas]

Oh fun. we finally get to the pay off on those little piles of rubble that block us but that we can still see over and don't break up the continuity of the room. Flying FOEs with patrol patterns for us to dance around are introduced here.

I'll be honest, it's been so long since I last played EO2 that I don't really remember a lot of the finer details. I would have assumed from what we've seen so far that the flying enemies here should have been, like, beefed up recolors of those pterosaur enemies we saw on the previous level? They are still kicking around of course, along with a new enemy, the "Flying Lizard" which is very clearly some kind of dragonoid. But in fact what we get as new FOEs are these Vampire Bats.

It's a fun theme that we get all aerial enemies, but as ever the question arises "why would nature conspire against man like this?!" Later EO games would lean more into the dynamics of enemies that interact with one another beyond indiscrimiante team ups, but would make more sense for there to be pecking order here. Like it would be kind of cool if some form of little guy might show up in larger flocks as random encounters, but if one was ever left alone, or weakened enough, it could activate some kind of "summon" where a bigger predator monster joins the battle and finishes it off. It'd be a cool if baiting those predators into battle was the only way to encounter them.

Anyway it's weird that the FOE is maybe the smallest looking of the enemies here? Not that they can't be more menacing by having a unique gimmick like healing, but I dunno they just don't feel like they should be the most dangerous thing on this floor? Maybe if they appeared in like a swarm rather than alone, sort of like how the Venom Flies appear as multiple actual bugs per single unit of enemy. A swarm of blood sucking bats chasing you thru the halls, bleeding you out I could understand as a genuine menace.

Speaking of weird non threatening enemies... we also get the Hypnosis Owl added to the line up, and I gott say, I really forgot how just... weird they are? Like... why do they look like that? Why did you abstract the concept of an owl that far from what an owl is? Those colors? That anatomy? What did owls do to deserve this...

Anyway we make it through the maze of flying things to get up to F5. We have a few new encounters added to the randos: Rafflesia and King Snails, flanked by the snails we're already familiar with. I'm always a sucker for a man eating plant, but it's always funny to me how Japanese game devs just have such a fixation on the rafflesia specifically. And yet half the time the monsters or items bearing the name don't even actually resemble the real world corpse flower all that much?? I have no idea why... Like, ecologically they're not native to Japan, and not generally placed in places where tehy are in-world. Anyhow, this one technically has something like a real rafflesia at the core of its design at least, but I've definitely seen ones that are just random flower monsters.

The snail having eyes that aren't at the end of its stalks weirds me out for some reason. i keep looking to the stalks to look it in the "face" only to have to look down and find its weird beady little red eyes peering out of those blackholes. tis unnatural...

Interestingly we do kinda get to run a marathon of FOE fights from all the ones we've seen up until now on previous floors, so that's kinda fun. But then finally we come up on the den of the King of Beasts himself...

[mikimakiboo]

Time Travelers AU - Standing Guard

I came back from the deads for a few days, and I'm sick btw so I might return to the deads soon

Anyway (really) small chapter to get back on track (hopefully)

@ancha-aus cmhere friend

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The night was fresh, but not too cold, which was good as they were all sleeping outside. They arrived late, the sun was soon to set, they wouldn't find anyone willing to let them stay at their house at night. Cross didn't like that they had to sleep under the trees, the forest was dangerous, they were vulnerable in the dark, but the others had to rest, the jump had been tiring.

He looked at them, Horror was sitting against a tree, Dust was next to him, seeking warmth as his clothes didn't look very warm, Killer was a little apart, he had climbed up a small tree to sleep far from the ground, and finally Nightmare was near the river, against a tree as well, seeming still mad as he kept his distance. Cross was standing guard. He couldn't go to sleep, someone had to watch out, and the others were tired, plus it was his job to protect them. He yawned, feeling his own tiredness emerging a little more, and went to walk around the area, trying to stay awake. He listened carefully, stopped to look around, but didn't spot anything.

When he came back to where the group was, Horror was awake. He looked at Cross when he arrived, relieved to see he wasn't far, and got up carefully as to not wake Dust up. Cross was ready to tell him he could go back to sleep, that there wasn't any danger and he just went to check, but Horror was faster.

- Sofa at ótt.

He told him, pointing at where he was previously sitting. Cross looked up at him confused, did he want him to sit ? He couldn't sit, he had to stand guard.

- Eo ne poez.

Cross declined, but Horror shook his head, not taking his refusal for an answer.

- Hvíla. He said to Cross, then pointed at himself. Gæta.

Cross kept staring for a while, not quite understanding what Horror wanted. Was there a problem ? Did he misunderstood ? Was Horror not asking him to sleep but wanted to tell him something else ? What was he trying to say ?

- Warde. Horror finally said, pointing at himself again.

That was French. That was a word in Cross's language. One he had used a few days ago when Dust told him he did a good job and could take a break. One Horror apparently remembered. Warde: guard. Horror wanted to stand guard with him ?

- Sleep. He pointed to Cross.

That was a word in Dust's language, one Dust had used quite often to say "dormir". Horror wanted him to sleep ? He wanted to take turn in standing guard to allow Cross to rest ? The offering was quite tempting, and Cross was tired, but it was his job to protect them ! He couldn't sleep on the job ! But again, if he was tired, he couldn't protect them properly as his attention span would be longer. He would put them in danger if he couldn't react fast enough... so maybe he could sleep a little, let Horror handle it for a while and come back after a quick nap ?

He looked at the place next to Dust. It was... even more tempting, to sit next to him, let him sleep on his shoulder... no time for distractions. He looked up at Horror and handed him his sword. Horror didn't have his axe anymore, he needed a weapon, even though Cross was sure the Viking could take someone in a fight with his bare hands and win, but prevention is better than cure.

Horror looked at the sword before looking up at Cross, confused, but ended up grabbing the sword when seeing his insistant gaze. He pat him on the shoulder, and went to take his place watching over them.

Cross looked at him before turning to Dust, who was still sound asleep against the tree. He felt his cheeks getting hotter the longer he looked at him. He was going to sleep so close to him. Would it be weird ? Would Dust be disappointed to see him instead of Horror when waking up ? Should Cross sleep somewhere else ?

Dust shivered, and Cross didn't think much longer before sitting down next to Dust and putting his cape around him. His clothes were so short, they didn't even cover his arms ! Killer was dressed shortly too, but he seemed to be more resistant than Dust to the cold. He didn't want him to be sick, so he would happily share his warmth.

His magic crackled in his soul when he felt Dust shift to get closer to him and he almost damned his armor for not letting him share more warmth by embracing the small skeleton. He didn't want to make him uncomfortable by pressing the hard metal against him.

He watched him sleep, looking so peaceful, so calm and trusting, so easy to hurt, that Cross only wished to protect that look forever, to make sure that he would never feel like he was in danger, like he could never let his guard down... he wanted him to feel safe with him, to rely on him without any second thought, he wanted to be strong enough to protect him from any kind of danger, from a criminal to a dragon, he would keep Dust safe.

Dust and the others. He shook his head. He wanted to protect the others too, not only Dust, they were all important to him, they were... they were his friends ? They were friends, and Dust was his friend too so it was normal for him to want to protect him. And the others. Him and the others. He tried to focus on the group, but his mind kept coming back to the sleeping skeleton against his shoulder...

He was tired, he should sleep, and maybe the quick nap would help him sort off his thoughts about Dust... Dust and the others...

Dust shifted, opening his eyes after a yawn. He spotted Horror a little farther, and looked up to see who he was laying against. It was Cross, seemed like he took turn with Horror to stand guard. He grabbed the cape to pull it a little higher on his shoulders, and pressed himself against the knight to drift back to sleep. He was so cold, but at least the proximity helped a little with keeping some body warmth.

He missed his jacket.

[reality-detective]

The Vatican: Human Trafficking Hub

The Vatican Underground- Cleared

The Dulce Base- Underground Cleared

The Area 51 Underground Base- Cleared

Orion Group ❌ (Defeated)

Ciakharr Group ❌ (Defeated)

Killy Tokurt Group ❌ (Defeated)

These are the three main factions responsible for the

The CIA is connected to the Killy Tokurt Ops. They are the one who specialize in soul scalping. This is how our government leaders were replaced. Removing the light body & soul and replacing it with a physical vessel void of any connection to source.

Sherry Shriner covered this in many videos/audios. Megan Rose spoke about this in one of her books. Corey Goode is also another source who spoke on the caste system of the Ciakharr who are the top elite in their race.

Remember when I mentioned that people were not ready once they found out who have been eating the children? Guess what was the capitol for the "Child Sex Trafficking" breeding hub?

The Vatican.

Do you remember the story or report that came out in July of 2019 where thousands of bones was unearthed in two ossuaries discovered in the Vatican City, as part of an ongoing search for clues into the disappearance of a 15-year-old girl more than three decades ago in 1983?

Do you remember the mass grave full of baby bones found along the shores of Israel's Mediterranean coast, in the ancient seaport of Ashkelon in 2014?

Do you remember An Indigenous group said the remains of as many as 751 people, mainly children, had been found in unmarked graves on the site of a former boarding school in Saskatchewan?

As a matter of fact that was a 2,300 page document that leaked that verified Pope Francis’ cover up of a Vatican Pedophile Ring. Did you know 20 Chilean Priests who went public on their connection to that very same Pedophile Ring, were killed in a plane crash right after their meeting with Pope Francis?

Back on July 20 2014 the International Common Law Court of Justice in Brussels found defendants Pope Francis Bergoglio, Catholic Jesuit Superior General Adolfo Pachon and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby guilty of rape, torture, murder and the trafficking of children. (Nothing Is Happening?)

I highly doubt it.

Two adolescent women told the ICLCJ Court that Pope Francis raped them while participating in child sacrifices during the Springs of 2009 and 2010 in rural Holland and Belgium. According to a former employee of the Curia in Rome, rapes and murders of children also took place at the Carnarvon Castle in Wales and an undisclosed French Chateau.

A Prosecutor introduced notarized affidavits by eight others claiming to witness these same crimes organized by the Vatican. Another witness testified that they were present during meetings with the then Argentine priest and Bishop Francis and the military Junta during Argentine’s 1970′s Dirty War.

According to the witness, Francis helped traffic 30,000 children of missing political prisoners into the Vatican Pedophile Ring.

Do you know why this has taken so long? If you knew how vast these underground tunnels are you would understand why certain EOs signed by D. Trump kept getting extensions.

The Military at some point will disclose the battles that went underground.

The weapons used.

The strategies used.

The entries/exits used.

The medical technology used.

The portals/gateways that were used.

You got a glimpse of this during the fight that went on underground with the Phil Schneider lectures that still can be found on YouTube about the Dulce extraterrestrial confrontation that resulted in lives being lost and him being scarred from it.

People are only looking at the human aspect of this process. They are not looking at this as governments officials serving a unknown species that want world dominion who is an entire different secret government whose base are in these DUMBS-(Deep Underground Military Bases) who control all of our 3 letter agencies who are middlemen/conduits who these covert species use to control Washington. 🤔

Julian Assange

[ventismacchiato]

i was thinking about swy and my brain just collapsed because it kept overflowing with headcanons. anyways heres the ones i compiled or at the very least remember

yn is the type of idol with those compilation videos like 'yn tripping over air for 5 minutes straight'

windblume and delusion has watched those compilation of videos that are like "*insert member* being wifey material" just to laugh maniacally at every moment so that person gets embarassed (like in a good way)

whenever its scaras birthday most of the others just gift him vapes (i lowkey forget what he was smoking so mb)

↑ adding on to that but i feel like yn would get them a different gift like earlier swy yn defo gives him the most useless gifts on planet earth (if they even decide to)

delusion fans still have this argument on whether childe is hot or ugly (its still ongoing just way less popular with scarayn being trending)

delusion and windblume hang out three times a week (or the maximum they can) every night and scara and yn are just sitting on the edge glaring at each other back in the earlier days of them being an idol

d&w (shortcut for delusion and windblume cause im NOT typing allot) have game nights. the games range from stardew valley to the most horrifying thing you can imagine

whenever yn is gifted a stuffed toy/plushie by a fan scara throws it out because hes paranoid (but tbh its actually really common when youre an idol) that theres a camera. counts for both earlier and later swy like i genuinely believe that he just does nice things most of the time behind their back

whenever you see a fischl stan theres an 85% cahnce they have said 'she was definitely a theatre kid' at least once in their lifetime

you know those videos where idols will wake up from their nap/sleep and everyones looking kind of messy and that one has perfect hair. thats lumine.

theres an ongoing joke that venti should be in jail for underage drinking just because hes considered short by windblume fans

omg i love ur headcanons!

i think scarayn wud have a stupid tradition (they’d never admit it) when they were rivals of getting each other stupid gifts and when they get tgt they still do it (scara wud spoil yn obviously but add a stupid gag gift)

the childe argument omg my poor baby HAHA i’d defend his ass that man is BEAUTIFUL

awe the hanging out 😢 i hc their dorms are near eachother so they see eo often, like lunch in between training and having meals tgt and scarayn wud just sit in their own corners and ignore eo

awe the plushie!! he wud so do that 😭 subtly looking out for yn cus he can’t hide he cares to some level

ok lemme add some of my own!

scara dropping the cap to a bottle of wine in a live and pretending he can’t find it so he has to drink the whole bottle and everyone tweeting about how bad his acting is. and then kazuha walks in and picks it up and scara swipes it out of his hands

when scara is knocked out and tired he doesn’t give a fuck who gets in bed with him. so maybe there’s a few videos of behind the scenes where aether or childe will just crawl into his bed and scara doesn’t say anything but he’ll shift over

i feel like since idols go live maybe they’d livestream themselves playing games with fans, like yk how taehyung played with fans and they all let him win and waited for him but then when nayeon played among us they killed her immediately (i think i’m rmbring this right) so whenever scara plays all his fans r letting him win and he eats them all up but then when childe plays they all kill him instantly

chiscara reacting to fanart:

scara: who is that, cus i know that ain’t me. why do you guys keep drawing me as the bottom? i would never let this ginger top me in a million years, have you seen him? he’s pathetic. god. if anything i’d be telling him what to do from the bottom—

childe: alright not too much on me 😓

did u guys see that clip of gummy (?) singing seven days a week as if she’s singing in a church choir 😭 i hc seven is scaras solo song so imagine he’s mcing a show and the debut idol who sang his song rlly badly in a cover comes up and he can’t help but call them out for it

based on that one keeho video i think if childe ran into fans he’d take photos with them but also ask them to take his insta pics for him 😭

i feel like childe wud love to troll paparazzi, aether wud wear long wings and walk around with child and ppl wud think he’s with some girl

[michaelnordeman]

due to university i cant go on walks in nature as much as i used to - your pictures bring me those little pieces of joy seeing a weird mushroom or identifying a bird! :)) <33 could i ask how did you get into photography and what camera do you use? the pictures are great quality

Thank you! I'm so glad I can share a bit of nature with you to enjoy! :)

I actually started taking pictures with a Polaroid when I was a kid. Even back then, my favorite subjects were flowers and animals. I remember feeling frustrated, though, because I could never get close enough to the birds to capture good shots. Over time, I began to forget about photography altogether.

As an adult, I went through a period where I felt lost and even distanced from my deep love of nature. After some soul searching, I gradually found my way back to the forests and the fields. The joy I felt was liberating—it brought me so much peace and happiness that I wanted to capture those feelings. That’s what inspired me to pick up a camera again.

Photography has become a way for me to focus, both literally and figuratively, on nature and the present moment. Since then, I’ve held onto both my inner peace and my camera, and I don’t plan to let go of either!

About my gear: I primarily use a Canon EOS 80D, though I also have a Canon 6D Mark II (a full-frame camera), which I favor in winter or on dark, cloudy, or rainy days. For lenses, I rely on the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM zoom lens for distant shots and the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro lens for close-up details of flowers, plants, and insects. This setup has served me well for several years now.

Thanks again for your kind words, and good luck with your studies. Don’t forget to take some time to enjoy nature. As you know, there’s truly nothing like the real thing!

[thatbitchery]

'Power' and 'power hungry' are those words that we have demonized and sacrificed to spread the level down propaganda that's egalitarianism and anti- hierarchy, when power is not only inbuilt meaning we all seek it but extremely important and useful to life.

Power is the ability to influence the outcome, perception and course of events. People that have power are people that have- control or at least influence over lives, theirs or otherwise. Lack of power is the most painful position one can be in- exhibit A your childhood if you had one of those parents. Lack of power power leads to slavery, bring under dictatorship, resentment, self loathing, humiliation, shame, etc. The most painful position you can be in is one where you Lack power over yourself.

Neitzsche (I can never correctly spell his name) insists that power over yourself is the most important form of power, and that a good life is a life spent garnering and exercising power over yourself. Power over yourself is simply- discipline. When your will is stronger than your impulses and urges and wants- when you're disciplined- then you have achieved the highest form of power in existence- which makes this the first point. An easy way to be powerful is to be disciplined.

Power over others, however , is just as important. As social species we are constantly in need of company, in fact isolation is a death- to be at the mercy of others is also a death. Since as a social species we are dependent on each other for survival it is important to have some level of power over others- we are also animals and people will naturally treat you at the lowest level they can- it's important to make this level as high as possible.

So then, some cheap / completely free easy to do ways to be powerful?

Articulation and eloquence. Jordan Peterson says the most dangerous thing a person can be is to be articulate and eloquent. Why? Because words are the most powerful weapon out there. Everything social happens through words , and it's a social species so do the math. Wars have been declared and ended over and through words. Relationships formed and destroyed. Governments created and disbanded- words. In my religion save for human beings Everything was created by words- its that powerful. The most powerful you can be is articulate. The way you speak- from your surface lexicon to your intonation to the speed you use to your accent- people judge you over this. It influences how people treat you and think of you. It's soft power that's also explosive. Increase your surface lexicon. Get rid of your original accent and get one that people either a) find superior or b) commonplace ie most people have it (fun fact before skin color and origin we assess each other on accent basis and subconsciously decode if we like you or not. Explanation: people in the same tribe have the same accent , so consider eo brothers and safe. Strangers, not so much). Learn to pace your words. Be straightforward and open. Which drives me to point two

Honesty and authenticity. Look , I think you should lie. Manipulate girl boss gatekeep - these require lying at some point- go for it. What's more powerful, though, is to learn to ger what you want by manipulating the truth. You know what they say- the truth will set you free. Here's the problem with lying- we can tell. There are tells and subconsciously cues that your body sends when you lie and we subconsciously detect them and when you're caught in one lie it destroys your credibility all round. It's like a castle of jenga falling apart, everything that was once in harmony just- trips over. Credibility is the backbone of all relationships- you lose that you get isolated. Honesty is such a powerful tool because a) its vulnerable b) it signals confidence c) it builds trust d) the gift of companionship- you meet people that can actually relate e) you don't need to remember too much or always hold up a facade, the truth will set you free f) it's such an idgaf move that makes you seem superior especially if it's something you'd get judged harshly on. Just- be truthful- I've given f ways in which it influences how people treat you. The trick here is to do the mystery thing- keep things to yourself, unlearn your need to overexplain or justify, learn to give vague, short and true answers and when in doubt, cry.

Knowledge is power- what more must I add. Read. Keep up with the economics and government politics. Learn personal finance and build a financial base. Read fiction. Listen to podcasts. Be informed. Know the things that matter, and no that isn't drake X Kendrick Lamar it's things that matter. Get good grades and hold, at the very least, a bachelor's. Watch movies and go to the opera. Subscribe to newsletter. Be informed. Know. Knowledge is power. Join training camps and whatnots. Be skilled and efficient.

Networks. Power is stored in webs and security is in numbers. Exhibit a) try attack someone with a strong fan base see how that goes for you. You want to be powerful? Have friends, and not just friends. Powerful friends. I don't mean a team of CEOs necessarily- loyalty at the top is tricky and unless you're also a CEO that might not be easy- I mean people that can influence the turn of events. Sometimes- like in fandoms- it's simply just, people. Who your networks are made up of is dependent on what you want- as long as you keep in mind security is in numbers. Run up your numbers, ma'am. Forget your introvercy and self isolation methods , leave your house and learn to talk to people and run up your numbers. The most powerful you can be, is to get to a point where a) you have numbers on every level b)you have a cult leader like presence- that people worship you and are willing to die for you. Like most celebrities do. That's security, that's power. If you have a Nicki Minaj level fan base people treat you well because if they don't your fans will tear them apart. & you can get away with anything because they will justify it for you.

Grooming and mannerisms. We- inclusive of you- judge our books by their covers. Before you speak your Grooming and your etiquette speak for you. That's, I'm not explaining this. I know you know.

START HERE

[silkbab3y]

Im so SO sorry 💗

Snippet: Rosie and Ren woohooing but she didn't moan his name. Oops!! DISCLAIMER: They are NOT in an established relationship in this. Ren and Teo are from @14dayswithyou Nsfw fic below (DNI if below 18!!!)

"Ngh... ah..." "Hah..."

The bed creaked and groaned under the shifting weight of Ren on top of her, Rosie's bangs clinging onto her sweat-covered forehead. Slender fingers bunch up the fabric of his sweater's sleeves and her legs clenching around his hips before wrapping around completely. Her head was buzzing, the hours dragged by as her sore body took each and every thrust the taller man gave to her. And she took it so well, so eagerly, confirmed by Ren's sweet praises and gentle touches to her face in contrast to the rough snaps of his hips. Another sweet spot kissed by his tip has her back arching off the bed, lips parted in a strained moan before she lets a name slip from her kiss-swollen lips.

*And it wasn't Ren's name.*

"T--eo--" Just those two syllables had her senses come back full time, brown eyes widening and a hand slapping to her mouth as she stared up at Ren. He stared down at her with an unreadable expression.

"I, um--" Oops. To say she had things complicated with Teo was only one-sided. Feelings for a man with no sense of commitment left the girl stringing herself along like a lost puppy. That was why she agreed to hang out with Ren, to be with Ren, to *fuck* Ren. It wasn't like they were dating though... but that didn't help her case at all, nor the guilt and shame that crawled up her spine. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me--" Yes she did, she absolutely knew what came over her. 

"You're thinking 'bout him?" And so did Ren it seems. The man could read her like an open book– like she had the audacity to even feign ignorance. Was it that obvious? 

Before Rosie could explain herself; apologize, hide her shame and pray for a hole to open up and eat her alive-- anything, Ren had grabbed her thighs, pushing them closer to her body until her knees met her shoulders. "Hold on-- I didn't mean to, really-- ah!" The girl throws her head back into the pillow as he slams his hip down, feeling his cock (AAAH) reach places deeper than before. 

"Ren!" She croaks out, her hands shooting to the large pillow under her head, yanking at the plush as he slowly pulls out until just the tip is left inside, before *sloooowly* pushing back in. *Oh god.* Rosie lets out a desperate whine at the achingly slow pace he had set, like he was trying to make sure her cunt (AAAAAAAAH) remembered the shape of him. He continues this rhythm, slow and deep that drives Rosie wild and near the edge.

"There you go," he hums, leaning down to nip at her earlobe, the sounds of her needy cries filling him with pride. "That's my name, angel... say it again,"

"Ren--" "Again." Another whine rips from her as her gummy walls flutter around him, signalling her approaching orgasm. "Say it again, angel and I'll let you cum." His hips barely move, almost as if he was ready to stop if she didn't. "Pleeease," Rosie begs so sweetly, her chest heaving with ragged breath, her hand coming up to the back of his neck to grip the collar of his turtle neck. "Please, Ren-- I can't--" 

"Good girl." Jerking her hips up to grab onto her better, moving one palm up to the back of her knee-- Ren picked up his pace, angling to hit her sensitive spots repeatedly until she finally came undone. With a relieved mewl, Rosie's grip on his sweater tightens as does the knot in her stomach before it finally releases, her cunt clamping down his cock once more. And as a shaky sigh escapes Rosie, eyes half-lidded and in a daze, Ren softens his touches and cold lips presses against her forehead in approval. 

"Such a good girl."

____

"That's one pesky bug," Rosie internally groans, her nail tapping at the counter as she debates on turning around or not. Not like she had to when the suave and raspy voice belonged to the very man who owned her thoughts, her attention, her heart. "Should really see a doctor for that."

"Do you need something, Teo?" She questions, her tone coming out a bit snappier. Shit. Rosie hadn't meant for it to come out so… bitchy, but she was running on 2 hours of sleep from last night and wasn’t ready to face him. “Ouch,” Teo moves to be across from her, classic Teo, needing to have her full attention. “I’m a little hurt, starshine.” He tilted his head, and Rosie’s eyes couldn’t meet his that trailed over the marks littering her tan skin. “You had fun, dollface?” Ugh. Him and those damn pet names that had her heart skip, her stomach flutter. Rosie huffs, putting on her best smile as she sheepishly tugs at her stylish top that did her no justice in covering the love marks Ren had left. “Yeah,” she answers after a beat passes, trying to not lower her head in embarrassment. It came so easily to her with anyone else, anyone that wasn’t Teo. “I did actually, thank you for asking, bookie.” She snickers at his eye roll, but the quirk of his lips makes her heart leap. “I bet I can be more fun,” Oh. Suddenly the reminder of how she was taken so well and wholly last night came to her when she felt her inner thighs ache. Her whole body really…

Inside, she was ready to accept his offer without missing a beat, but Rosie knew better than to do that. Come off as desperate? Urgh… With a slow breath out of her nose, she raises an eyebrow as she studies the man. “Really?” Really. “Well, sucks for you– I’m not really up to getting my guts rearranged a second night in a row,” she snorts, her smile forming more naturally this time. Teo shoulders jerk slightly in a silent laugh as he props his head up with a hand. “Doesn’t have to be tonight, dollface. I already got plans.” It takes Rosie everything to not sigh in disappointment. “Text me when you do feel like rearranging those pretty guts again, Rosie.” Rosie stands there as Teo pats the counter before taking his leave, spacing out as she tries to process his words. Not even when Elanor calls out for her does she react, not until she finally comes to her senses, excusing herself to slink off to the break room. She needs a fucking nap.

[heartofbusan]

Finally.

As we hit the halfway point of AYS, I've been wondering about the overall story arc. What part of the story is the one that floats over the entire narrative? To me, it is also the story that is the most sensory one, the one thing about AYS that touches me and sets my mind off of these tangents.

I'll give you a clue:

It's them. Their interactions.

The way jikook as a pair kicked off this journey was a contentious one. We all remember the first episode and the talk they had. There are many reasons, from the editing to the self censoring jikook do in front of the camera that have led to #TheCarScene making the audience feel either uncomfortable or made them sit at the edge of their seat. Hanging off of every word (and translation). There is both a lot happening and not enough. But not many can say that scene left them unmoved. I like that! That means that the audience is engaged! It pulls us in. Especially those of us who love to observe human communication. Yet, now we long to move on from the discomfort that interaction sparked. We long for catharsis. To feel that the conversation they had isn't just hanging there balancing them on a precipice, but that it will be OK for them in the end.

Jungkook’s "Finally" went a long way to guide us to such a resolution, but to me, his relieved exclaim is just the beginning. This, to me, is what the entire show portends to be about.

How does that 'Finally' look like throughout the 8 episodes? How will we look back on that 'Finally' once we've seen them all?

Like I said, we're at the halfway point (already 😭), episode 4, and where is that on-screen relationship building towards? What kind of 'beats' does the story NEED to hit in order to come to a satisfying conclusion within the shows narrative? How does the show earn that 'Finally'?

Sure, Are You Sure is a 'travel-vlog-mukbang-buddy-cop-show', but it's also the story of two seemingly estranged best friends/lovers who've been incredibly busy and who've taken it upon themselves to carve out time to be at ease together. If we look at their busy schedules as being in the way of them being THEM, then the most important goal of AYS is to get them back to that state.

Are You Sure is jikook's safe heaven.

If we were to look at all episodes as a way to work towards that hypothetical goal (Jikook back on the same wavelength) then the story beats per episode look a little like this.

Ep. 1: Two friends embark on road-trip, they've missed eo and want to do fun things together. Lot's of eating.

Ep. 2: Even short term illness can't keep them from sightseeing and eating, more warming up together: spanking in bed edition

Ep. 3: Surprise guest! Cut the camera's: the duo take a pause on domesticity and play games as a trio.

Ep. 4: The duo is the core of the story, pick up where they left off: re-kindling. They make beautiful moments together.

Ep. 5: I expect another conversation about their desire to spend meaningful time together 'Deep talk phase 01'. New location?

Ep. 6: New location but treasured memories pop-up from their first Tokyo trip. What does the future for this duo look like (the military service talk?) aka 'Deep talk phase 02'.

Ep. 7: Level-up: fun snow time activities?!

Ep. 8: More deep talk, 'Phase 03' that cements this duo as utterly and completely besotted with eo. They either talk about their joint enlistment or about traveling after MS...maybe both.

How do you think the next episodes will play out if we think of each episode as building towards a satisfying conclusion?

[uber-dawn]

chat i'm having random thoughts about eos post-game and eevee protagonist. it's no secret that eevee is a popular pick for this game and imo no matter what you choose to evolve them into there's a very poetic explanation for each (though i'm not sure how well i can articulate my thoughts lol). like,

- Flareon: coming from a world of darkness and sharp hostility, the hero chooses to become a soft and fluffy fire type. the hero is so smitten by the sun in the past (and so horrified by the lack of it in the future) that they become a fire type to bring that warmth and light wherever they go! (plus flareon's my favorite :])

- Jolteon: similar to flareon, wanting to bring light to the people of the past. there's also something to be said about the fact electric type are immune to paralysis, as well as the idea that hero was gone for months after defeating dialga, then once they come back they're alive! they want to run, and jump, and celebrate that they're here!

- Vaporeon: the fact that Grovyle and hero were seperated in a storm, that they met partner for the first time on a beach, that the hidden land is across the ocean, (smth smth manaphy, ive never played that far), that water doesnt flow in the future, eeeeverything about chapter 5, and that the partner found comfort in the krabby's bubbles. water in eos is important when it comes to partings and reunions.

- Umbreon: they're a dark type. do i need to explain.

okayifyouinsist, hero comes from a world of darkness!! even if they don't remember it, that darkness affected them on such a deep level that their body never forgot! as well, umbreons and dusknoirs have lots of golden rings on their bodies, and umbreons have a type advantage against dusknoirs your partner still loves you in your new form, but everytime they look at you they can't help but remember Him, and shudder. it's about being forced to reckon with the fact you placed your trust in Dusknoir, and he took advantage of it and betrayed you.

- Espeon: right this wasnt just about umbreon. espeon and umbreon were made to be parallels; where umbreon has high defenses, espeon has a high special attack (+ dark type is immune to psychic). where umbreon has a type advantage on Dusknoir, espeon has a weakness. an umbreon hero will never trust Him again; and espeon hero chooses to believe in second chances.

- Leafeon: GROVYLEEE, it's about choosing to change your very dna so that you never forget your friend! in the short time you know him, you fully understand why your past self stood by his side! there's sorrow in that without your memories you'll never fully understand your relationship with him, but your soul remembers, and you still love your friend. deep down, a leafeon hero is ashamed they ever considered Grovyle a criminal, and wishes they could have had more time with him, in less dire circumstances. last note, the fact that the world of the future was so barren and lifeless without the sun, and the fact you become a leafeon to reflect how the future is alive. :)

- Glaceon: the fact that the hero comes from a world that was frozen, and still becomes an ice type, the future was cold, but a hero glaceon still found beauty in it. it's about remaining hopeful and that with or without fixing the future, you still need to survive in this world. it's about understanding your situation and making peace with it, while still striving to make it better.

- Sylveon: i remember that when fairy type came out, people were trying to justify why it was strong against dragon, and my favorite explanation for it was that in "fairy" tales, the hero slays the dragon. the sylveon hero did it! they slew the dragon, and their story has finally come to an end! as well, it's about wanting to give off a cheery look. it's about saying "don't look at the violence and darkness, look at me, smile! i'm here to help you!" (we'll have Explorers DX someday, trust 🙏. )