#would like to think i can be sort of prepared for natural disasters

[cyb3rtarot]

Asking the Right Question for the Best Personal Readings—Part 1

Phrasing questions well is important whether you're a reader or querent. Confusion often goes back to the question. To avoid lack of clarity and be extra kind to your reader, keep these in mind!:

Ask exactly, specifically what you want to know; Ask from the most productive angle.

You may get “noise” or irrelevant info if you’re not precise. Many people get readings on feelings or the most changeable, abstract parts of a situation, when there's concrete things you can ask about. Here's a common example:

Querent A asks how their crush feels about them. It seems like their crush likes them and wants to make a move, but there’s mixed signals. Querent A just want to know if they’re planning on taking this farther. Ding ding ding, we have the issue. Querent A is interested in what their crush is DOING; the thing weighing on them is lack of movement and clarity. But, they asked how their crush feels. Someone can feel all sorts of things, but feelings and action are different questions. Reading into feelings does not necessarily provide insight on reality, especially if you're only getting a few cards pulled. Querent A could discover their crush has strong feelings for them, but with no further insight into the actual issue, this could be confusing. A better question would be something like, “what do I need to know about moving my relationship forward with my crush?” This addresses the root of their concern and also applies the wisdom of point 2.

When in doubt or if you can't make your question specific, asking what advice you need to hear about the situation is good. This brings in overall helpful messages as opposed to limiting yourself to one aspect. It's also great when you want a topic read but don't have specific questions.

You are not powerless

Your question should not remove agency from your life!! Questions that frame life as something completely out of your control or provide an answer you can't take action on can be mentally harmful. It's helpful to ask about things we can affect, remaining grounded in reality and responsibility. These questions also fall into the trap of point 1; asking something from an unhelpful angle. Notice how the revised question in example 1 puts the querent in a place to take action if possible. Example:

Querent B has been insecure about many different things, from work to relationship. They're getting 2 questions read, "will my girlfriend and I break up?" and "will I ever get my dream job?" Both of these treat fate like a yes/no scenario instead of something you co-create. If the querent doesn't hear what they'd like, they'll feel worse off. These questions are also not specific— if the answers are yes, that could be tomorrow or in 65 years. Questions like, "what do I need to pay attention to in my relationship?" or, "what can I do to improve my chances for my dream job?" support the querent in working on their life.

It's important to think about what answers you may get. Questions you're not prepared to hear tough answers for are best left for when you're ready or rephrased. If we focus on ourselves as the writer instead of a character in a story, we get better readings and better outcomes in all things.

Don’t ask the same thing over and over in a short span of time.

"Some of y’all bout to be real mad at me, but it must be said-" Asking the same question repeatedly is a recipe for disaster! Put the cards down 💥💥🔫!

Tarot is an introspective tool; it works best when we look within ourselves and the symbolism for meaning. The more reflection, the more learned. When we repeatedly read the same question in a short time, we get hungry for answers but not learning. It’s like reading a book and never stopping to think about it.

Often, we redo readings in two main cases. One, we're confused. The nature of tarot is any card can offer a truth about anything. Sit with the cards, research their meanings within your topic. Break it down into elements or numerology, which you can look up. Sometimes we need refreshers or clarifiers, but this is more reasonable for say a second reading after digesting the first, and not 4+ in a couple weeks (assuming this is not a routine, like daily pulls). Doing a lot of readings can be great for learning tarot—when varied.

The second common case is not liking what the cards said. Some say their cards never refer to the question asked. They don't believe the cards pulled can be their answer, or they're new readers and don't know how to relate the cards to the topic. Some try and try again for positive answers like slot machines.

Overdoing readings is draining to mental health. As a buyer, it also makes you susceptible to scammers who tailor messages to what you want to hear. So, approach with an open mind and sit with answers before asking again. As a querent, ask your reader if they could explain some of their card interpretation if you're confused! You can post in tarot communities and ask for opinions or education. Every reader has their own style, so different interpretations are normal as long as you can trace a thought process! If you feel your deck is hard to personally interpret as a reader, you may need to try other decks or readings that connect with your intuition, but don't forget to learn basics as well!

Thank you for reading!—Tip Link  |  Paid Reading Info in Pinned Post!

[bitchy-peachy]

Advice Somewhat and Some Shit to Sensitive Haters Stalking My Posts

My area is getting ready for those wonderful Trump import tariffs.

A cheap deodorant in a local pharmacy that costed $3.45... Now costs $8.45. Saw it just this morning.

Yes, that's how local businesses are preparing for your totally-going-to-lower-prices Cheese Puff Papi's economic plan.

Pretty sure certain people will blame democrats for it but hey, republicans love to break it so democrats can fix it. I don't even know how this shitass party still gets votes but then I see its either rich people that get big tax cuts and brainwashed people that were unfortunately taken advantage of through disguised lies that vote for this crap.

Also including racists and phobes because that's another tier in this dumbfuckery cake of ignorance.

I want my mutuals to be ready for what's coming next year. I've lived long enough to know shit will get bad for everyone that makes under a certain level of money in their finance bracket.

I want you to buy stuff that's necessary before these businesses keep hiking up prices and I want you to be try to only use money for necessities. Even I have cut my budget in wait to see what happens next.

I'm somewhat ok financially (for now. Now I will have to recalculate everything with the potential and percentages of Trump's Tariffs looming over all of us) and unlike the 6 times bankrupted god, I know how to actually use and administer our finances without destroying my whole family and leaving us in the poor house.

I will probably have to write a guide at this point cos I even know survival skills after natural disasters as well as the banking system... A bunch of simple acquired knowledge that I never thought would be so necessary with what's coming up ahead.

This morning was a wakeup call and reminder that we need to take things seriously to prepare ourselves and our families. We'll need to save, stock up, be a little more frugal

I'm frugal af as it is until I have "fun funds" accumulated to finally relax. People think we only got to "survive" rather than actually "live". Don't ever let someone tell you you can't have nice things and good food and a good quality life just cos you are poor. Rich people act like our existence is to do cheap work for them while only eating stale bread and drinking contaminated water. They see everyone that isn't wealthy as part of their serfdom to do their bidding.

You deserve better.

Anyways, I'm rambling but right now... These times up ahead are a challenge even for me who has survived homelessness and natural disasters that lead to darkness for 6 months. I now feel like I'm in school again doing mathematical exercises and sorting to be ready for another terrible event looming up ahead (we never can catch a break, huh?)

I joke around a lot on here about maga getting what they voted for but the reality is that they're not the only ones getting effed up for them being so painfully stupid and completely lacking in basic critical skills when voting.

I want my mutuals that are in vulnerable situations to do everything to be safe. This is the best advice I can give for now because I sincerely want those that can be potentially affected to be mentally and emotionally ready. I'm here for my friends and even though I'm ranty I am still strangely at ease that we will as a community be fine.

On to another subject.

It's obvious to everyone that follows me that I despise maga. Especially with my relative ones that think I'm morally obligated to help them mitigate the consequences of their own actions. They can't even admit when they fuck up and can't handle confrontation with facts so I don't see a point in saving them. Considering how they voted, they really don't give a shit about me or my own family.

The help that was going for them will go for other people that are flying in next week that definitely need more help than my relatives. My relatives can ask Trump for help in their housing, medical bills etc since they spat on my help by endangering my entire family that falls almost into every category Trump wants to fuck up and make "illegal".

If I do this with actual blood relatives... Imagine what I do to strangers trying shit with me as if I owe them friendship, activism or my time.

I've been ranted at and blocked 5 times over the past week by maga that just can't handle shit I had to tell them. They also mostly approached me so they're the ones going around like the biggest Loser Winners on everyone that isn't pro Trump.

Most recent fun times was a loser calling me mentally ill (weird, cos I'm pretty sure the one that studied criminological psychology is me and not some unappealing mediocre male that reblogs naked women that will never fuck him) and after he raged he blocked me.

I'm online for fun and friends so I do act unhinged and unprofessional af. Why am I gonna bore myself online with a professional veneer (and before some useless maga tries get me "fired". I retired ages ago, sweetums. LOL) when I'm supposed to just relax on here?

I like explicit horror and cats, rats and bats. I write weird shit. I don't have to act like I'm at work all the time with proper diction and I'm not the only "shitlib" that is like this online. One of my best friends who plays horror games with me is surgeon and we both cuss like truckers and have slumber parties.

Meh.

Despite all this, I am appreciative of me, a retired old goth witchy lady, being fake diagnosed by someone with impressive 5th grade level knowledge. I gave easy to find facts and it somehow hurts people into calling me "retarded". I'm done being nice to your ilk and will be giving out just as much shit back as you have done to me.

There's nothing worse in an election than an uninformed voter in an echo chamber. You guys got fed your "facts" from echo chamber social medias and outlets. It's not my fault my factual words hurt you. It's your own for not waking up out of that propaganda induced coma. A lot of you don't even know what communism and social democracy actually are before calling everyone you don't like those things.

After these elections, I now know there's no helping you. You're too far gone and our side is truly packing up and leaving you behind. Blocking, avoiding... We are done as we should have been ages ago.

If you go low, I will go lower. Tired of only one side playing nice and getting trampled on and then you hypocritically clutching at your pearls at the slightest pushback.

We will be meaner and you deserve it. You had it coming. And I'm saying it nicely on here but I've called some yall literally fucking country destroying dumbfucks that actually hate everyone, including America. (that "patriot" some of you have on bio along with Christian crosses will never fail to make me laugh. You guys hate America so much you might as well wipe your ass with the flag. Well you already do put it to your genitals with the undies and swimsuit lines with flag print. Yikes)

But what do I know? I'm just a shitty lib (not really. A lot of libs hate me cos I'm pro guns and support answering violence with even more violence meh)

I don't hate to say "I told you so". In fact I love saying it now.

Now that both of these things are outta the way, I will relax and watch some horror movies in my list. Might live post some of them.

PS: To my haters... I have a statcounter on my blog. Stop being stupid.

[lord-squiggletits]

For your MegOP conundrum:

What are your thoughts on MegOP romance in forced truce situations eg. Quintessons attack, or everyone on the battle feild was taken by slavers type thing. Do your thoughts vary on continuity TFA vs Prime vs IDW, etc?

Hope this helps

Bookwyrm

I think Forced Truce as a trope is probably one of the easiest/most convenient ways to create an alliance/eventual reconciliation between the factions without just sidestepping the issue altogether. I think it's especially cool to have there be a temporary truce BUT the issues between the factions are still messing up communication, causing trust issues that make units work together less cohesively, etc. It's really great because it forces the factions/Megatron and Optimus to work together, EXCEPT if they fail to cooperate, it doesn't just mean a continuation of an endless, tedious war, but it could spell out the end of their species altogether. There's a ton of stakes inherent to it; if we're talking MegOP romance, then what's at stake isn't just the emotional pain of their bad relationship/breaking up because they can't make it work, but the physical consequences of them failing to defeat a greater foe. It lends the romance/truce particularly heavy symbolism-- that this temporary truce isn't merely a convenience, the blooming love isn't merely an emotion, but that both of these things could be the key to life itself. And I'm always a big sucker for that kind of theme where reconciliation/hope/cooperation/etc save the day.

I can really only comment on IDW since that's my bread and butter, but it's an interesting discussion because there's actually at least three times where Megatron and Optimus (and their factions by extension) did a forced truce where, obviously, it wasn't enough for them to reconcile afterwards:

Autocracy: Orion and Megatron team up to beat Zeta, ends with Megatron shooting Orion and the Autobots being imprisoned

Stormbringer: Mostly kept off screen, but the Bots and Cons have to keep up to try and defeat Thunderwing(?), who's basically a walking natural disaster created by all the environmental devastation of the war

Dark Cybertron: Teaming up to stop Shockwave from putting the whole universe in a singularity. Famously the series where Megatron became an Autobot. Has a really underrated/never talked about scene where Megatron and Optimus actually speak together in a quiet moment before going out to face everyone (and presumably Megatron is taken into custody in preparation for the trial).

Stormbringer is actually the most interesting one to me, because I love it when TF stories in general explore the environmental devastation of the war. I love it when Megatron and Optimus are punished for their war by the very planet dying, or in this case, creating a monster that both of them combined can barely stop. They disagreed on whether to basically bomb the whole planet to ash to stop Thunderwing (Megatron) or to keep the planet intact and hope to beat him some other way (Optimus), which I think if it were the focus of a story, is a really interesting example of what I mentioned above where differences in faction/philosophy don't vanish simply because they're temporarily working together.

One of the biggest reasons I love MegOP is because the two faction leaders are kind of like the King Arthur of their respective factions: whatever befalls the commander/king is a reflection of what happens to his army. So forced truce + unresolved tension (political, personal, romantic) is fucking fantastic because it means that whatever Megatron and Optimus do trying to deal with each other could fuck over their factions as well. And I really like the idea of MegOP struggling together in a relationship NOT because of personal differences or even emotional issues, but because they have some sort of obligation to their factions (fulfilling their goals, bringing their idea of justice) that means that coming together romantically would be betraying their factions.

Sorry for the rambling answer; hoped this had at least a few interesting ideas in it!

[affectionate-team]

Phantom thief

October TWST collab with @jade-s-nymph - day 13.

(Riddle × reader fluff)

There was still a week or two left before Halloween, but, punctual as always, the Heartslabyul Housewarden started preparing in advance. Considering this event will gather residents from all over Sage Island, including high-standing individuals and elite of all kinds, putting any less than maximum effort into costumes and decoration is ultimately out of option.

Not like Riddle has ever done anything other than his best. His mother would have had his head on a platter if he had - after all, Mrs. Rosehearts expects only perfect reputation and flawless image from her child.

That means every little detail must be in order. And whatever is happening right now is, in fact, nowhere close to order.

"WHAT?!", rings out an outraged screech, loud enough to crack glass, alarming students from all around.

Riddle was pacing back and forth in the common rooms, leaving a clear circular pattern with heel imprints in the carpet. Deuce sweatdrops, having already regretted coming here. The Housewarden had already been stressed enough on a daily basis, but the shade of red that his face this time around gained was alarming.

Barely a minute ago, he was notified of serial disappearances all around the dorm; Some fiend had apparently thought it would be a great idea to steal all the clock and watches in the entire Heartslabyul! As absurd as it was, the little prank set Riddle, a natural perfectionist, off on a whole another level. His card soldiers always come late as it is, but with all the watches disappearing every day is bound to become a disaster.

The Queen's most trusted soldiers, Trey and Cater, had to go an extra mile to console their dormleader that day. The former even decided on baking extra sweet strawberry tarts just to avoid the younger boy's mental meltdown.

"Just think about it - a phantom thief appearing as if out of nowhere, disrupting peace and urging the detective to unravel the mystery behind their act... It's, like, straight-out-of-a-novel scenario!", Cater exclaims, "Take it easy, consider this a game. Or, eh, a... puzzle of sorts? You like those, right? Leave all the prep work to froshies and go catch the criminal!"

"YOU- You think this a game?! How can I-", the red-haired boy takes a deep breathe. 'Keep calm, breath and count to three...', he repeats to himself. "How am I supposed to 'take it easy' when I have a rulebreaker on a loose? The Queen of Hearts' rule number 53, stolen items must be-"

"He's right, Riddle", Trey chimes in, wiping hands with a towel, "You've been running yourself ragged lately, way more than needed, and Halloween is over a week away." He steps closer to the counter, leaning on it and giving one of his signature smile - warm and reassuring, befitting a typical older brother, "Our dormmates are working extra hard, all of them are excited for the holiday, so they're motivated to do their best; and aren't all these preparations the same we do before unbirthday parties? We got it down to a fine art, nothing bad will happen if you leave the freshmen unattended. At worst, Cater and I can supervise them. Right, Cater?"

The boy in question didn't answer, too occupied with choosing hashtags for his new photo (he switched his attention from one thing to another again...), mumbling under his breath. Trey heaved a sigh, planting hands on his hips like a stern teacher that was forced to deal with a notorious troublemaker.

"Cater.", he said in a harsher tone. Having gotten used to Clover's usual patience and soft voice, both Cater and Riddle shivered.

"Y-YES, sure thing!"

Nobody would ever want to deal with an enraged Trey...

"Why are they so insistent on me doing this personally and, moreover, alone...? These two are acting strange.", Riddle was standing at a balcony overlooking the Gardens, where students of Heartslabyul were working on preparing decorations. Everyone had a task of their own - no slackers in sight. 

The two upperclassmen managed to talk Riddle into stepping away from his duties to focus on investigating. Which was weird, as there was nothing 'fun' about having to fish out troublemakers and give out punishments, at best it only added more stress to his life...

Taking a deep breath, he slid a card out of his back pocket - Seven of Hearts. Deuce said that cards like this one were found in place of every stolen item. Whoever was behind this all was being bold, to leave a piece of evidence on purpose? But why a card; was it a reference to their dorm setting? A mocking in the face of THE Queen of Hearts?

"Unacceptable...", the Housewarden grumbled, "I'll see to it that the rulebreaker receives a suitable punishment."

Another 'surprise' was waiting for him in his own room. The tall Grandfather clock, surprisingly enough, was standing steady in its natural place. Nothing would've been amiss, if not for the lack of clock hands. In their place was pinned another card - seven of Hearts. The floor under the grand clock had faint trails of scratches, as if somebody had tried moving it but, after failing to do so, had decided to put everything back in place. Riddle took a long furious stride towards the clock, heels clicking with each step. Even with the shoes' added height, he finds it difficult to reach the card, which infuriates the boy even further. With a stomp and a 'hmph' Riddle (unwillingly so) goes to fetch a stepping stool.

"I can't believe this petty little-... what does this mean?!"

"Dear Mr. Detective ;) Riddle,

You must've noticed some things missing in Heartslabyul. I hope you don't mind me stealing some of your precious time.

If you want me to return all that has disappeared, I expect to see you tonight, south of the rose maze. Make sure to look your best!

Truly,

Your phantom thief.~♡"

...were they... toying with him? Who would dare to demand an unscheduled audience with him, and in such a bold manner, too?! The audacity them must have to assume he'd just follow their demands blindly!

Late evening rolled around, just an hour before curfew. Even the tough fabric of his school uniform couldn't keep the chilly autumn wind away. Riddle folded his arms, tucking palms into his jacket to preserve warmth. Rose bushes and hedges stretch out far, high and wide.

...He came here out of his own will, not because he had no other option. Of course.

Nobody's in sight. Only crickets' song fills in the cold silence. Whoever had left that note must've played a prank on him to make him out as a fool. That's what he was about to think of, if only he hadn't noticed a faint glow of a candle from behind a bush. Rounding a corner, Riddle notices a path of rose petal leading deeper into the maze, straying from the general path.

Getting into a ready stance with a magic pen in hand, the Housewarden sets off to follow the trail.

A hint of a classical piece, one from his personal collection of favorites, plays from afar, growing louder with every step taken forward.

The petals take him to a clearing. A round table is served with a dainty teapot, a set of matching cups and plates with a colorful flowery pattern. Next to them are fresh tarts and cupcakes that emit mouthwatering aromas and puffs of heat. Fairy lights decorate the area, painting it in a warm pink glow. An old-fashioned gramophone creaks with every spin of the needle, playing a merry tune. This setting doesn't seem hostile.

He only lost his composure for a second, but that was more than enough for the phantom thief to make their appearance without being noticed.

"Do you like this?", they whisper in Riddle's ear, blowing some air and almost making him squeak in fear.

The flustered boy turns around, just to come face to face with the Ramshackle prefect, [Name]. Their figure was covered by a dark coat, the cape falling off their head to reveal a mischievous smirk on the prefect's face. After taking a step closer to Riddle, they take a hold of his hands, placing gentle kisses on knuckles of each with a fond smile.

"Sorry about making you worry and run around all day long...", they mutter out, "...but I just couldn't find a way to keep you from entering the gardens otherwise. I know for a fact that Ace and Deuce wouldn't be able to distract you without spilling everything, and Trey and Cater are already busy."

"Are you saying that they were all in on your scheme?", the boy asks, bewildered. How hasn't he noticed sooner?

"Aha, ma~ybe? It doesn't matter! Now, as a payback for wasting so much of your time today, let me treat you to some tea.", [Name] loops their arm with Riddle's, leading him closer to the table and move a chair out for him.

He hesitates for a while, making prefect furrow their brows in worry.

"You should've already memorized it by now... All stolen things must be replaced. So you better make this worth the time I spent.", he says, turning to look them in the eyes, grabbing them by the collar of their shirt and pressing a kiss on their cheek with a little too much effort, almost making them fall backwards. He takes a seat on his chair with a huff, desperate to mask his growing embarrassment, and hides his blossoming blush with a hand.

[Name] takes a few seconds to process the notion before they erupt in a fit of giggles, taking a sit opposite of the housewarden, happy with the outcome.

This evening date promises to be a pleasant one.

[the-sage-libriomancer]

Was randomly in the mood to read a Tadashi Lives/Hiro Dies au for BH6, but then I remembered that I was never able to find a good one bc all of the fics were just boring remixes or even outright retellings of the movie's plot with Tadashi in Hiro's role. So since I'm in the mood for outlining and also super bored here's my vision of what a good "Hiro dies instead of Tadashi AU" would look like:

(this is split into acts bc apparently Tumblr has a character limit and this got unspeakably long lol)

Act One

A little before the fire starts, Hiro runs back into the school for whatever reason and is in the building when it explodes. Obviously he doesn't make it and of course Tadashi is completely devastated.

Most fics I read showed Tadashi falling into a depressive funk the way Hiro did in canon. I actually think he would react the opposite way: Hiro was so brilliant that he lost motivation easily bc it was so hard to seriously challenge himself, but Tadashi strikes me as the sort of person who needs to Do Something when things go to shit. So in this AU he becomes a workaholic, working on a brand new project that requires a LOT of time and effort.

Tadashi's new project is an "emergency bot" (aka EB-1) that is basically a more proactive version of Baymax centered around search and rescue. EB-1 will be capable of saving people from car accidents, natural disasters, and yes, fires. Tadashi is obsessed with completing it and forgoes everything else.

Unfortunately Baymax is pushed to the wayside by Tadashi, as just looking at him brings up memories of Hiro that are currently painful. A small running gag is that Baymax keeps inflating when he senses Tadashi being self-destructive (ie every ten minutes) and Tadashi keeps shutting him down, until finally Tadashi brings him back to Cass's place and leaves him there.

Tadashi's friends are more heavily involved this time around since this is one of their best friends. They do everything in their power to make him take care of himself, but he's heavily resisting because he is Going Through It and refuses to relinquish his unhealthy coping mechanisms.

A couple of weeks after Hiro's death, Tadashi is snooping around town in search of a good place to field test the EB-1, and he happens upon the warehouse that's hosting Callighan's microbot making operation. Tadashi accidentally tips off Kabuki Man while getting some pictures and barely escapes Kabuki Man's clutches.

Furious that someone has apparently stolen his little brother's tech and is mass producing it, Tadashi gets his friends involved. They're initially skeptical even with the pictures (which are terrible quality lol), but Tadashi convinces them to come see the warehouse with him so he can prove himself. Since they get a jump start this time, they end up catching Kabuki Man red-handed as he's still moving the microbot-making equipment.

Obviously Kabuki Man chases Team Tadashi, and there's a brief chase scene. However, Tadashi came prepared: he brought EB-1 (hastily modified to have some fighting prowess) and unleashes it on Kabuki Man for its first "test run." EB-1 successfully fills all its initial parameters before Kabuki Man bails, which Tadashi is excited about - his invention works! His friends are considerably less excited about all this and vote to go somewhere to recuperate.

Safe at Fred's house (because we NEED that reveal), Tadashi and his friends put their heads together to figure out their options. One thing leads to another, and the five of them end up pinning Krei as a main suspect - not necessarily as Kabuki Man himself, but definitely as someone who might be involved.

One fic I read was such an unoriginal rehash that it literally repeated movie scenes verbatim with Tadashi speaking Hiro's lines (AU authors please don't do this) BUT the one place it did try to be original was by replacing Hiro's gadgets-making montage with Team Tadashi literally flying up to Krei's office on the top floor (using Baymax no less) and interrogating him, and I honestly can't think of a more ic way for the group to go about it. If you asked me "what would a bunch of tired and desperate STEM majors do when they need to talk to a rich businessman they can't contact" that would be it lmao.

Interrogating Krai goes about as well as you'd expect: he refuses to give them any information, but does make a compelling enough argument that Team Tadashi is forced to leave him alone. Tadashi still doesn't trust him but reluctantly rules him out as a Kabuki Man suspect. However, Krei accidentally drops a couple clues about Silent Sparrow that will become relevant later.

Team Tadashi dejectedly calls it quits, and the team tries to convince Tadashi to focus his energy elsewhere. But Tadashi isn't giving up just yet.

[whitetrashjj]

do you believe jiara was 100% fan service, or do you think jonas had sorta planned it already from the very beginning? like i know we had some jiara moments even in season one ("did you tell jj?" "i know that door's locked") but it feels like most of them were improvised and came purely from rudy/madison's chemistry irl during that era. also, if it was the plan all along, why would they make kie have sex with pope? and kiss john b? what was the reasonnnn

First. We gotta adjust our perception of ‘fan service’. It’s something that show runners should do. Adjust your plan to what the audience is seeing for what they want too see and be prepared for the story to change as it unfolds. When you don’t you get things like the himym finale. Where they didn’t waver from their original plan from 10 years ago, despite the story taking its own natural road and the fans responding more to a ship. And you end up with with a disaster of an ending where everyone is left disappointed. Now, fan service for sure can be done wrong when it’s rushed or pandering or doesn’t make sense. But as a whole it’s not a bad thing to listen to your audience.

Now as for the whole ‘jiara wasn’t planned’ thing. The creators have said that and I believe them. However, I think that is widely misinterpreted to mean there was no hint to jiara in s1 and people completely made it up. It’s obvious to anyone with a scrap of media literacy that it was there. Explicitly. They were very clearly playing into this idea of all the boys having a thing for her and giving a ‘who’s she going to end up with’ sort of thing. Which I don’t like. But clearly at the end of s1 they chose pope - I don’t get why they didn’t wait until s2 for this but whatever. Which means. Jiara wasn’t planned. As in Kie was going to end up with Pope and they weren’t going to take the jiara crush further than that.

But obviously they shifted in s2 after the fan reaction. But they had already committed to pokie so they needed to play out and to the most part I really liked what they did. And all the while they subtly laid the ground work for jiara. With parallels of how much better Kie works with jj than pope. For how they get along. And how their wants from life align. This is fan service done well. I was actually blown away by how well jiara was done in s2. It was subtle but a clear nod that they just had to tidy up the whole they got into and they’ll be right with us. They had to change their plan but they didn’t rush it, they are taking their time.

Would I have loved it if we didn’t have to play out pokie? Of course. Could we have done with out the jb and Kie blip? For sure. But as one of the s3 articles said. They aren’t repeating history, they are finally doing it right. Because those other momentary flings (JB wasn’t even that) showed again and again why that’s doesn’t work. Why something was missing. And that even more set up and pay off for when jiara finally get together.

At the end of the day. No, jiara being endgame wasn’t planned and never intended to be seriously explored. But, that doesn’t mean it was purely platonic in s1. Because saying that completely ignores canon entirely.

[futuresoon]

ohhh i can't play dead plate myself (running a linux) but i did watch a walkthrough and thank you for introducing me to it <3 such a fun premise and execution. id love to read whatever you end up writing on it!!

:DDD thank you! i didn't play it either actually, i watched manlybadasshero's LP and felt my brain melt out my ears. but i'll get around to at least buying it. i do not really know where this story is going but hopefully it will be good! here is the first bit, just for you.

Le Parisien Libéré, April 16th, 1961: “La Gueule de Saturne: Parisian high cuisine at its most lifeless”

-André Galliard, staff critic

Walk along the boulevards of downtown Paris and you will find your appetite tempted by any number of eateries, from the smallest hole in the wall to the grandest haute cuisine. La Gueule de Saturne appears, at first, to be a bistro of some elegance: intimately-sized, with a modern sense of decoration and a head chef of no small renown. Its name reflects, perhaps, a certain sense of humor which one might find refreshing compared to the usual straightforward, pleasant naming conventions in the restaurant scene. I visited with no small degree of anticipation for my evening. Alas, I found the experience wanting in almost every respect.

The first crack appeared while I was being seated. The dining area was oddly understaffed, one waiter doing the job of at least three, rushing me to my table while two others looked to him for their own orders. La Gueule de Saturne is not a large restaurant, but its popularity would lead one to expect a degree of financial solvency. Could they simply not afford additional workers? Or was this a minor disaster in scheduling? Regardless, it made for a poor experience. I found myself with little patience for a server perpetually late to attend me. I would expect this sort of service from a dingy diner, not a bistro of such high reputation.

The food itself presented a different quandary. The first course, a pumpkin bisque, was in every way prepared competently: the texture creamy and smooth, the ingredients high-quality, the presentation respectable. And yet every spoonful instilled a sensation that I can only describe as confusing. I, as a critic, am not often lost for words, but I struggle to find the right ones to accurately portray the taste of the food at La Gueule de Saturne. It was as if I had been offered a glass of the finest red wine, and upon drinking it, discovered it to be colored water. In a way, it fascinates me. It is so lacking in depth, so devoid of savor, that I cannot place it in the category of ‘bad’; were it not for it being made of organic matter, I would hesitate to even categorize it as ‘food’.

What must go into the preparation of dishes with such emptiness? Chef Vincent Charbonneau claims his restaurant to be his life’s work--bold words for someone barely scraping thirty--and so what does that say about him? This bland, soulless flavor paints a picture of a life barely lived, an existence shut off from the joys and sorrows of humanity. A person lacking tenets of the human condition so basic that it is almost difficult to describe what exactly is missing, like a fish trying to define a world without water.

Love, perhaps, is the word I am thinking of. Every dish I ate at La Gueule de Saturne was deeply, profoundly lacking in love. Some may say this is not a measurable attribute, but those people have not tasted what I have. Whatever Charbonneau’s laurels, I can only assume that the man is missing something fundamental to both artistic expression and human nature. Perhaps he is incapable of it, perhaps he simply hasn’t found it yet, but whatever the case, I cannot reasonably recommend La Gueule de Saturne to anyone who sees food as both a nourishing and pleasurable experience. As for Charbonneau himself, I can only hope he takes these words to heart. If he does not, he may find himself relocated from the world of high cuisine to the world of the sanitarium.

[mimic-from-the-lab]

Blood and Ruin Chapter 1

I sort of want to see if people would like chapters on here, so here we go. The second chapter is already on archive. 

---

Summary:

Set on earth.

Ex futuristic-ish world, apocalyptic. Where the world was broken apart due to bio-flesh monsters, normal life fell apart and the population is scattered in far smaller towns and cities after a mass death. There are still scattered parts of old tech of the modern world as a way to fight back if it can be put back together. -- Biohorror vampires for the disassembly drones and normal humans for workers.

---Next>

Chapter 1

“If you looked at Earth now, the world would look like a mess.”

“Empty cities; some claimed back into nature, others left black as they are caked in chemicals.”

“Dead areas of land that not a single plant would dare stretch a root into and animals dare venture. World roomed by monsters in the dark night as humans struggled to survive it.”

“Pockets of populations that are still able to hold on in strongholds, the last ditch plan of humanity for a chance to come back from. Underground cities that stretch out like ant colonies.”

“We will never know what really happened. The disaster happened when all parents' generation were children with very little memory of it themselves.”

“Over fifty years ago, as the world was still fighting political wars online when the most important thing to people was the fast flow of memes or tv shows to keep them distracted as resources were extracted and the world heated up.”

“That world changed overnight. Monsters attacked in the night, no one having an answer as the governments in the world keep these all under wraps. The word vampires was thrown about even then before the panic and the eventual end of the internet as it had been.”

“At least that is what is taught to us. But with enough research of old forums from people that were far more insistent with recording the horrors that caused a war that totaled the world. Biomasses of flesh that overtook cities that the governments then bombed in the hopes of ridding them, learning the fire worked far better, far too late.”

A raven black-haired teen stood in front of her class, her power point behind her. One that she didn’t need to stick as many photos as she had in it playing automatically. ‘And now look at us here in our safe little classroom,’ she said and looked between the many faces that didn’t have a single interest in what she was saying. All thinking the same thing, that she was crazy, that she should be happy living as she is. She glared at them all, taking in a breath to prepare for her next part. ‘Which is why I think we should be picking up our firearms game since fire works so well. Why not make a gun with a concentrated beam of energy.’ She announced and whipped the gun she had strapped across her back, aiming it out into the room.

That would get them to listen. And it did in fact make everyone jump in their seats and gasp. All focused on her. A gun normally did bring attention to you. ‘Here with my newly improved gun that will surely cook the inside of any of the monsters out in the wastes,’ she said, chuckling a bit, letting her aim lower. ‘Calm down babies, it doesn’t even work.’ She froze as everyone looked at each other and started to calm. ‘Yet, it doesn’t work yet,’ she hissed out and aimed it up, scanning around. ‘Who said it didn’t work.’

There was a long sigh that cut through the moment, Uzi looked over to her teacher's desk. Who, she never did ever remember what his name was, he said it once at the start of the year and then never again when someone asked. He was strange and Uzi couldn’t go asking anyone what it was. Not even, who she believed, were his kids in the class. ‘Firstly, this was a thought experiment assignment about watermelons,’ he started and Uzi sent him a glare. One that he didn’t even give a reaction to. ‘Oh and this Magnetically Amplified Photon Converger, can’t be considered much better than that?’ Uzi asked, trying to turn her voice sweet. ‘No,’ he sighed and she dropped the act. ‘Secondly, you can’t make a photon converger in your bedroom so rename that, again, and thirdly is it meant to be glowing red like that.’ Uzi barely managed to look down and gasp before an explosion blasted within the metal room, not only deafening everyone inside but also filling the room with smoke. The only one ready for it was the teacher, who did not warn his class when he plugged his ears.

The nurses' station was a simple thing, being stuck in the middle of the highschool for all the typical things that teens do. Explosions didn’t used to be common till Uzi started to walk its halls, but they were prepared in advice from the primary school, even if things had been getting bigger from simple fires or tiny explosions that were just meant to scare someone.

Uzi didn’t have to say anything when she arrived, without a doubt there was a notice to explain it to the rest of the school because she arrived to have her hands given ointment to give it time to return from the burns. None of the nurses ever bothered giving chatter, most of them. ‘Well then dear, that should save them from future nerve damage. Luckily we still have plenty of this ointment but do tell me if something starts to react, it is a bit old after all,’ spoke the one nurse, she was there almost every time she arrived. Uzi wasn’t even sure if she had ever seen her anywhere else, maybe she just lived there and lived behind a wall attached to the room. Uzi flexed her hands, there had been tingling for a few moments before returning to normal. ‘Thank you future magic goo,’ she hummed and the nurse tilted her head. Waiting for something else, she always did this. ‘Thank you.’ Was all Uzi said quickly to get it out of the way. ‘Good, you can wait outside if you want,’ she said and Uzi slid off the bed to make her way out. She should ask her name, but it's been so long. Years that she had been taking care of any burns or cuts. Nope, would be far too awkward now. Uzi simply gave her a nod and exited. Maybe next time.

Uzi barely got outside to sit next to her errored gun, still on cooldown. She wanted to fiddle with it to find out what exactly had gone wrong besides the obvious. It hadn’t been ready to heat up, not without the final part that would have had somewhere for the heat to go instead of building up. She just didn’t want to cover it with the goo medicine, but she could stare out into space and think on it. She could hear two people snickering behind their hands in the hallway, Lizzy and Doll. Very quickly running off as they giggled. Uzi rolled her eyes, irritated but the two of them soon ran off. Uzi barely got a minute alone before hearing someone else.

Thad walked in after calling out behind him. ‘Classic masculinity Chad,’ he called back out before turning in with a sigh. ‘That won’t end up problematic.’ He saw her and seemed to somehow brighten a bit more, he was naturally a cheery person. ‘Hey, Uzi,’ he called out and came over to sit on the bench next to her. Uzi’s eyes narrowed.

‘What are you doing here talking to me Thad?’ Uzi asked with her arms about to cross fully before she remembered the medicine, fisting her hands to finish the cross. ‘Eh, need to see the nurse for personal reasons,’ he said, shrugging without a care but Uzi was sure there was more to that. ‘What, are your testosterone levels too high?’ Uzi said in a jab. 'That can happen?' he asked out in a panic before chilling right out and leaning back into his chair. 'Awesome.' 'Speaking about awesome, that project of yours is cool,' he said right after catching her completely off guard. 'I really felt the fear with it being aimed at me.' 'Oh right,' Uzi said slowly, she vaguely remembered his reaction being upfront but she had looked out towards the bulk of the class. ‘Sorry about that, but that was the vibe I was going for.’ ‘No, no, I understand. Nothing interesting happens around here anyway,’ Thad said and raised an eyebrow at the gun leaning against the chair next to Uzi. ‘So what is it?’ ‘You mean my sweet as hell railgun?’ she said and pulled it into her hands, forgetting about the goo to grab hold of it to aim it out into the room. ‘Tomorrow, I will be sneaking out with the scavenging crew to find the final part,’ she said and held a hand out. ‘To save the world and show my dad I was right,’ she paused to look at him. ‘But mostly to save the world and to be respected in this place.’ ‘Cool but doesn’t your dad make awesome doors that keep us safe in here,’ he said and froze as the gun was turned on him. ‘No, no more comments on my gun or motives today,' she hissed and he raised his hands. He was able to stay silent for just long enough for Uzi to pull the gun away. ‘I thought we already had guns here,’ Thad said and Uzi rolled her eyes. ‘Yeah, ones that are old and boring. We never even had any of the good ones, not ones that could kill a vampire,’ she said in looked ahead with a smile. Thad looked confused and she looked back when he didn’t say anything. ‘Like Twilight?’ he asked and she hissed. ‘No, real ones,’ she snapped and Thad raised his hands. ‘The ones that ended the world as it was, those ones,’ she glared at him. ‘Why was that your first version of vampires?’ ‘Sorry, sorry,’ he quickly said and shrugged. ‘That is like the only version I know of.’ ‘We have a whole archive of movies and shows, that can not be the only one you know of,’ she shook her head the moment she said that. ‘Stop distracting me.’ She huffed to her feet, grabbing her gun as she did. ‘So, how do you know the gun will even kill them?’ Thad asked out and Uzi paused before turning to look at him. She opened her mouth to speak and found nothing came out. ‘It has to.’ She could only say and Thad shrugged. ‘It's not like you will see one the next time you go out anyway,’ he said and nodded to himself. ‘If I see one then I will kill it and prove it works,’ she said and nodded with a grin. Thad looked up at her. ‘Well good luck with that,’ he said with a smile, a genuine smile without a hint of sarcasm. Uzi was already mad at the gun, now she had to deal with a good guy. ‘Ugh, bite me,’ she snapped and stomped out, only to turn at it to look back. ‘I am not actually mad at you by the way.’ She quickly added and left with a thumbs up.

She had the morning to prepare for.

---

Next>

[aeoki]

Phantom Airship - Beyond the Imaginary: Chapter 7

Location: Miniature Island Characters: Natsume, Madara & Hiiro

Hiiro: …Ugh.

It seems I passed out.

But this “imaginary world” hasn’t changed – I suppose I should just think of it as encountering a disaster in-game.

Even so, I wonder what island this is…? It looks like there are a lot of tiny houses… But I don’t see the airship. Maybe I should search the area.

Natsume: “HeHE. This is ‘Miniature IslaND’.”

Hiiro: Hmm… I see you’ve also joined the game, Natsume-senpai.

Natsume: “NoPE. I’m the NPC Natsume SakasaKI. I do have some data to be able to respond properly, but my personality is non-existeNT.”

“The airship’s passengers have all been scatterED, so Sora, Senpai and myself will be aiding you all as ‘facilitatoRS’.”

“I’m sure you’re confused just landing on a new island, but if you walk in that direction, you’ll reach a toWN. Why don’t you give it a tRY?”

Hiiro: I see. Then, I’ll head over there and take a look.

I don’t know what sort of trial is waiting for me here on this “Miniature Island”, but I’d like to meet up with the rest of “ALKALOID” soon.

Natsume: “RigHT. I’ll answer any other questions you have about the gaME, so just call me, okAy?”

“Most recent games are made to be 100% stress-frEE, so the least I can do is give an explanatiON.”

Hiiro: Thanks, Natsume-senpai.

(...Still, I didn’t think we’d become separated like this.)

(I don’t know a lot about video games, but natural phenomena shouldn’t occur in them, right? Which means, it was some sort of “set-up”.)

(That tornado appeared with careful aim – If it was something prepared by the person who made the “Phantom Airship”, then…)

(What are they trying to do to us?)

Madara: “Heeey, you over there! Can you hear me?”

“If you’ve got a minute, then could you listen to what I have to say?”

Hiiro: Hmm… Is that Madara-senpai?

Madara: “Madara…? No, I’m just a human!”

“Hehehe. Looks like you’re also a human like me. We’re much bigger than the townsfolk here ♪”

“We must have met because of fate. Could you heed my request?”

Hiiro: Hmm… That sounds like quite the formulaic response. Is this Madara-senpai also one of those NPCs?

Madara: “What are you talking about? Anyway, I need your help with something!”

Hiiro: Oh, right. I’m here to do that. How can I help?

Madara: “Hehehe. It’s a good thing you catch on quickly ♪”

“There is a festival that’s held every year on this ‘Miniature Island’, but unfortunately, I’ve hurt my back.”

“Could you perform in this town for me instead?”

Hiiro: Hmm…? The town you’re talking about is this miniature town?

Madara: “That’s right. It might sound strange but this island has had ties with the human race for a long time.”

“There is a legend that a human helped rebuild the town when it faced a great disaster.”

“As repayment, the townsfolk would ask a dancer – in other words, someone from my family – to perform here.”

“The dance was supposed to pray for a peaceful year.”

Hiiro: But you got injured and you can’t dance… is that right?

Madara: “That’s right. And I just so happened to meet you when I was just in this pickle – it must be fate.”

“You just have to do it for this year. Can you dance in my stead?”

Hiiro: All right. But I’m afraid I might step on the town while I’m dancing.

Do I have to dance in this town no matter what?

Madara: “Yeah. If you dance elsewhere, then it’d be pointless.”

Hiiro: I see. So that’s the rule here on this island.

Then, if you’re fine with me, I’ll dance. I’ll learn the choreography before the festival begins, so can you teach it to me?

Madara: “Yeah. I’ll teach you everything you need to know, so follow me ♪”

Madara: “...Alright, looks like you’ve got the choreography down pat! That’s all I can teach you.”

“I leave the rest to you, traveller!”

Hiiro: Right. I’ll dance with everything I’ve got.

…Hehe. The festival music sounds like an idol song. Is this also an idol trial?

♪~♪~

(I have to dance and not step on the miniature town… It’s a good trial that tests your core and sense of rhythm. It’s as if they’re paying special attention to my dancing ability.)

(But this is nothing compared to all of our practice sessions…)

(!? My feet are creating soundwaves and it tripped a small child…!?)

Are you okay…? You’re not hurt, are you?

Madara: “Hahaha! You can’t let your guard down!”

“The townsfolk are much smaller than we are. The movement we make might seem like nothing to us, but its effects may be multiplied by ten or even a hundred.”

“Keep that in mind and don’t forget to dance in an elegant manner ♪”

Hiiro: (It seems this trial isn’t just looking at my dance.)

(I need to be careful but also bold at times – I’ll definitely overcome this trial.)

♪~♪~♪

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[golden--doodler]

Random facts about my Gravity Falls OCs Maggie and Sydney (they're girlfriends :3) that absolutely no one asked for because I'm in a certain mood. I'm probably going to end up doing this again later with my Mission Impossible OC like I teased in that earlier post:

Maggie Pines

--The most Lesbian to ever Lesbian. Seriously, she can give any Queer person a run for their money. Anyone talking about liking guys legitimately fascinates her sometimes because of how foreign it is to her.

--She first discovered her Lesbianness because Mabel was watching the movie How Did They Set Up Manny Mongoose? (which is a spoof on Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) and the gorgeous wife of Manny Mongoose, Joanne Mongoose (supposed to be Jessica Rabbit) appeared for the first time. She was enthralled.

--She's the oldest triplet and doesn't let Dipper and Mabel forget it. She may have been born only five minutes before Mabel and ten minutes before Dipper, but it still very much counts in her eyes.

--Was born with six fingers on each hand (postaxial polydactyly) and while she thinks it can be fun sometimes (it's actually made her better at video gaming than the average person) she's actually quite insecure about it.

--Has horrendous eyesight. She's been wearing glasses since the first grade. However, she's never needed braces like Mabel.

--Has asthma, but has never let it hold her back from being an extremely active person. She loves exercise, which is bad news for her lungs.

--Her favorite food is Pad Thai and her least favorite food is Curry. She could have a good bowl of Pad Thai any day of the week.

--Has undiagnosed, fairly high functioning Autism, which has led her throughout her life to not understand social cues very well (and just social interaction in general), has a hard time getting excited about things that aren't related to her special interests (mainly science), and just in general is always stimming in subtle ways. She gestures when she talks like there's no tomorrow, and tends to repeat things a lot, too.

--Yes, she's started getting her Period already. And yes, she has the biggest mood swings while she's on it out of anyone. Whenever it happens, she just needs to be locked away in a restroom by herself with some scented candles and music.

--Is allergic to syrup (it gives her pretty severe, uncomfortable hives that take a long time to go away).

--Is left-handed and very proud of it.

--Is a hardcore Ravenclaw.

Sydney Strange

--She's very Pansexual. She's known ever since she was quite young because whenever she talked to someone and started to like them, she realized how she never cared about or fixated on anyone's gender. All she cared about was if they were a good person or not, and if they could make her laugh. Having a sense of humor is an integral trait for a partner in her eyes.

--She's the adopted daughter of Tad Strange, the joke character from The Stanchurian Candidate. Yes, really.

--Her personality is the polar opposite of Tad's. She's a bit mischievous, is always up for an adventure, and is always prepared for some sort of potential natural disaster. She would be the type to seek out danger and just in general be a lot more reckless if it weren't for him.

--One of her favorite memories was when Tad finally let her take rock climbing lessons. However, she eventually got a bit bored with it because of how many harnesses were used. So, she began free-climbing all of the walls. This led to her falling one day, and she would've been seriously injured or worse if it weren't for the protective mats. She got a big earful about that afterward.

--She's Half-Salvadorian on her birth mother's side, and Half-African American on her birth father's side, which led to her having very dark skin. She also has startlingly green eyes.

--She's actually red-green colorblind but is able to pass as a regularly sighted person very well in her day-to-day life, to the point where almost no one notices unless she tells them. Her favorite color is blue because it's the color she can see and point out the most clearly.

--She has undiagnosed ADHD, which has led to her not doing very well in school, unfortunately. She's incredibly disorganized, forgetful, and hyper-talkative, which made school a huge challenge. And despite being a social butterfly, and being around other kids one of the only aspects of school she liked, she wasn't very popular and didn't have very many friends growing up.

--Despite her bravery, she actually has pretty severe Thalassophobia (fear of the ocean) and doesn't know how to swim. Even thinking about treading really deep water can trigger a mild panic attack. That's because she has a general fear of how vast and seemingly neverending the ocean is and because she got lost while trying to swim in the ocean when she was very young, and almost had a run-in with a shark.

--Despite her fear of the ocean, she's incredibly fascinated by space and the stars. She's the type to enjoy reading about astrological signs, and even used to want to be an astronaut when she was younger. That dream faded over time, though. This fascination with space led to Science Fiction being her favorite genre. She adores movies like The Thing.

--Is very skilled at playing the guitar, but is incredibly shy when people ask her to play. She eventually worked up the courage to play in front of Maggie, who enjoyed it a ton.

--Is Ambidextrous! She favors her left hand, though.

--She's a Gryffindor!

[godstrain]

Leaning in just enough he can nosily take a peek into the other man’s cup,  Chris’ brows furrow that bit deeper.  It’s nearing the end of their shift,  where most people would be preparing to drink alcohol to unwind or rest,  & yet here Wesker was drinking something vaguely resembling coffee but mixed in with something seemingly more dubious.

Jill had suspicions it was alcohol,  something the others agreed was a possibility with some amusement.  Wrinkling his nose,  he leans back,  stiffening when he catches the other peering at him with his usual stone-faced look that as usual,  gave next to nothing away for Chris to read.

“Whatcha . . .   Uh . . .  Is that coffee,  Cap?”  A gesture made with his hand to the cup clutched between the others gloved hand is made,  brow lifting as he glances between it   &   inky shades. › @valour-bound

for a moment, he's confused. rarely does someone come this close to him- unless it's some sort of prank (and the last time that was attempted, it was more than a disaster!). chris, of course, is a natural troublemaker. for all of the younger man's skill, for all the value he added to the team, any time something went remotely awry it could usually be traced back to one christopher redfield. but, the question that comes is decidedly not one that indicated some sort of prank- but morbid curiosity. maybe it was endearing, too- because chris was rather endearing- what? that thought really had come out of nowhere. since when did it matter? since when did he notice chris like that?

surely, there were guesses of what wesker chose to drink. he was well aware of the fact that others talked about him in general- in a way, he was flattered. maybe it was the result of a loneliness he tried so hard to ignore / he'd learned that even if everyone else stood against him, he had to keep moving forward-

ah, he wasn't alone though. chris was there, curious as ever- staring at wesker's drink- ❝ it is coffee, ❞ comes his reply. because it had started as coffee, but as the day had progressed, he'd decided that adding something stronger would keep him alert- the issue of what he did / living this life and another (sometimes he wishes he could settle down. he's seen what others call normalcy, and perhaps in his mind he thinks it boring- but there's something undeniably safe about a boring life. he's tired of always fighting, never resting- not that he'll admit it.) and to hell if he was admitting that he'd been taking experimental stimulants and putting them in the coffee- it would cause quite a bit of concern- and then the others would ask how he had managed to obtain them- ❝ -with a little too much sweetener, but i would prefer not to waste it. ❞

it dawns on him then that chris was, perhaps, worried about him. when everyone else was preparing to wind down from their long day of work, wesker was still drinking coffee as if he was going to keep himself as awake as possible for as long as possible- which was exactly the plan. from the perspective of anyone else, yes, it must've been rather peculiar if nothing else- ❝ and i have quite a bit of work that i would like to finish before the day's end- caffeine is helpful in that. ❞

[embervoices]

I'm having the strangest realization that Australians are legitimately afraid of California and vice versa despite both places being relatively easy to navigate without harm, as long as you wear boots where you ought to. This, I think, is similar to how people feel about natural disasters they're used to preparing for vs. ones they've never had to deal with. I find tornados fascinating and hurricanes absolutely bewildering and terrifying, but I've already lived through one Big One earthquake, and am just sort of casually resigned to the idea that I won't know when the Really Big One will strike, and there's next to nothing I can do to survive it other than general preparedness.

But I'm also the soft-hearted idiot who will walk up to an obviously shocked adolescent raccoon that's in the middle of the road from having been sideswiped and dodging cars and sweep it up in my 2 layer fleece/velvet cloak to take to wildlife rescue only to discover local wildlife rescue just doesn't take in raccoons, even if they've been hit by a car, because rabies is too common.

The poor little guy recovered enough to run away after it figured out we were the kind of fae who would rescue it not the kind who wanted to eat it (and thus it was clear the animal was not rabid - but we didn't get bit or scratched regardless).

I've been bit by spiders plenty, but just the garden variety that are no worse than a mosquito, with fewer diseases.

Wolf spider bites suck, though. Do not want.

Black bears are pretty mellow, but large brown bears, especially grizzlies? They will fuck shit up. They will straight up pry your car open like a can of sardines if they've decided you have something tasty inside. Know Your Bears!

(Bears are also why trash bins are such escape room puzzles in certain state parks. Alas, it turns out the smartest bears are a good deal smarter than the dumbest tourists.)

As an Australian I love the whole "Australia is a death trap full of vicious deadly animals" cultural myth. Every place has some deadly animals in it who will fuck you over if you don't understand them; we're not more dangerous than anywhere else. BUT we get to look badarse by existing when people pretend we are. No downsides.

[sortyourlifeoutmate]

It is, of course, easy to mock Suella Braverman, and I wouldn't be the first to do it, and likely it's been done much better.

But let's do it some more anyway, and pick over that wonderful speech she made recently.

She opens with thanks, which is nice, one supposes, and then we have:

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but as Home Secretary, I do occasionally receive a modicum of criticism.

Ho ho ho. Bet that got a chuckle. I'd say it demonstrated a level of self-awareness but I don't think it quite qualifies.

Sometimes I’m asked if I ever read what my critics say about me. Well, the answer is: yes, I do. I’m made of strong stuff, so I’m prepared to wade through the personal abuse, the wild invective, and the wilful misrepresentation. Because I believe that all of us should strive for improvement. And if we close our ears to anyone who disagrees with us…we are less likely to identify our mistakes.

Suella is one of those people who will have what she said repeated verbatim, in-context, and represented entirely accurately to what she was saying and how she was saying it, and who will still claim she was being misrepresented. This will become more obvious.

More, I would dearly love to see any occasion where any criticism has caused anything on her part that isn't simply doubling down. Improvement doesn't just mean going faster when someone says there's a wall in front of you, Suella.

The world is being transformed by powerful forces. I think the British people see that.

A conspiratorial person might see that as some sort of subtle nudge-nudge wink-wink kind of line, and they might have a point because it's sort of hard to justify otherwise. Forces? What forces? Oh? Powerful ones you say? Well I never. Better shut the doors, then! Pull up that ladder!

Now one of the most powerful forces reshaping our world is unprecedented mass migration.

They really do have a massive hard-on for this, as is noted, but what always annoys me - as I may have mentioned before - is the utter indifference towards the causes of migration. Why are so many people migrating? What might the causes be? Should we endevour to understand this a little better before attempting to deal with it?

No. Icky foreigner bleurgh. Stay out. Country full.

The wind of change that carried my own parents across the globe in the 20th century was a mere gust compared to the hurricane that is coming.

I love this. You see when my parents came over that was fine, because that was good type of migration at the proper time - the past. Now it's totally different. Now it's bad migration. Different. My parents - good, migrant parents today - bad.

And let's not ignore the ever-so-subtle conflation of migration with a natural disaster. Freudian slip, or another deliberate wink? We may never know, but we can speculate!

Every human, every single person, has the right to aspire to a better life. As Conservatives, that is one of the cornerstones of our philosophy. And, indeed, without that dream, I wouldn’t be standing before you today. But Conservatives are also practical and realistic.

That is to say, while it is core to our philosophy, it is our duty to do everything to make it as difficult as possible. You have a right to aspire to a better life, yes, but there's nothing here about us making it easy for you. Practically and realistically speaking, making it harder for you works better for us.

Nobody can deny that there are far, far more people in poorer countries who would love to move to Britain than could ever be accommodated… Even if we concreted over the countryside…. Turned our cities into one vast building site… And erected skyscrapers from Eastbourne to Elgin and from Hull to Holyhead… …It still wouldn’t be enough.

See? Country full. They love that sort of thing.

The decency of the British people cannot be questioned.

I would think anyone paying attention to the Conservative Party Conference will find them questioning the decency of a fair few British people.

For years, too many overseas students were bringing their dependents here to the UK. So we’ve changed the rules to ensure that a student visa is not a route for whole families to come and live and work in the UK.

I'm not an expert on immigration, but I can't imagine this is the enormous problem you seem to be suggesting it is. And is people working in the UK an issue for you? I thought you guys loved people working!

And Conference we will soon begin closing down asylum hotels.

Isn't the whole point of these hotels that people are being put there while their claims are being processed? The problem was that it was taking bloody forever to do it, not the hotels themselves (in theory). So if you're shutting them down does that man you solved the backlog? How? Or what?

This feels like you're missing out some key details, Suella!

Our Illegal Migration Act which will come into force in the coming months, now means that the only route to asylum in the UK is a legal route. The Act means that those arriving illegally, will be detained and removed, back to their home country if possible, or to a safe third country like Rwanda.

There's nowhere really to start on this. It's about coming at something from entirely different angles. For Suella - and a lot of others, sadly - this sort of thing is inherently good. And if you think about it the first paragraph isn't necessarily bad - it's only bad because they're making what constitutes 'legal' immigration ridiculously narrow, specifically to throttle it.

Like, if legal immigration was broader and more efficient, 'illegal' immigration would come down, because coming in legally would be easy. But they don't like anyone coming in, legal or not, so now coming in legally is bastard hard, and if you don't, well, that's illegal, so off to Rwanda with you.

It's totally safe, honest! Ignore the times we said otherwise! And ignore the odd situation where Rwanda is safe and fine but also a threat we'll use to dissuade you from coming.

Eurgh.

And be under no illusion, we will do whatever it takes to stop the boats and deter bogus asylum seekers.

'Bogus' asylum seekers. Classy. We'll get into that again soon, I'm sure.

We will also ensure that legal migration comes down to reasonable levels… and that it occurs only when there is a clear benefit to the British people.

That's kinda gross, don't you think? A reasonable level of legal migration is an acceptable drip-feed of those we feel are sufficiently useful to be allowed in. Arguments might be made that most immigration policy is kind of like this, but there's something in her delivery, don't you think?

And it’s not just negligence or incompetence… although you can be guaranteed of plenty of that if Labour wins.

Suella, I know you're at a party conference, but it's still hard to believe you said that with a straight face.

The biggest reason why Conservative governments have struggled to get illegal migration under control is because Labour governments passed laws that inhibit effective action.

Heh, sure.

Our country has become enmeshed in a dense net of international rules that were designed for another era. And it is Labour that turbocharged their impact by passing the misnamed Human Rights Act. I am surprised they didn’t call it the Criminal Rights Act.

Now that's just lazy - come on, Suella!

Weirdly enough, criminals do actually have rights, because they are still human. Crazy, I know. And this might have something to do with the fact that was a 'criminal' is is largely at the whim of whoever is in charge, which is why making these rights universal is kind of important.

Otherwise you could just say someone you didn't like - oh, a mean journalist saying mean things, say, or some dirty dirty migrant - was a criminal and, poof, they'd have no rights. And that's a bad thing, Suella. Just so we're clear.

Also like the idea that human rights is some dusty relic from the past and what we need here in the future is, uh, no rights, I guess? Brave new world, indeed!

Each time I have gone to Parliament to improve the law on immigration, Labour has tried to block us.

Well, uh, A) They're literally called the opposition and B) That's because most of your improvements are horrendous, Suella. And sometimes just straight-up illegal. Ooh damn those activist judges! With their laws!

Racist. Racist. Racist. They’ve always used that smear. They tried it against Margaret Thatcher… It didn’t work. They tried it against David Cameron… It didn’t work. A couple of years ago they even tried it against Winston Churchill… Our greatest ever leader… And it didn’t even work then.

Um. That would be the famously racist Winston Churchill, I assume? Bengal famine guy? That guy? We are talking about the same person, right?

Also, I'm unsure what she means here by 'It didn't work'. I mean, it didn't do anything, fine, but that doesn't really speak to the validity of the accusations, does it?

We are the Party to confront the challenge of global migration in the years ahead.

Again, a challenge they have absolutely no apparent interest in understanding. This being the party that argued - with a straight face - that what they were doing with their Rwanda plan was directly taking the fight to people smugglers.

Figure that one out.

Man this is hard to get through...

Thanks to our new laws, the police can now get these clowns [Just Stop Oil] off our streets and get traffic moving in a matter of minutes.

These would be the laws that basically give the police carte blanche to declare anything involving two or more people a protest and empower them to handle them however they might feel like handling them, just so we're clear. These are not good.

The Prime Minister and I are firmly on the side of the law-abiding majority. That’s why we have backed our police officers with one of the largest ever rises in police pay… It’s why we ensured we hit our target of 20,000 additional police officers – so that we now have more officers in England and Wales than ever before. It’s why we’ve backed the police’s use of stop and search as an effective way to get knives off our streets.

Like, I just don't think most of that is, you know, true? The stats I mean. They sound like the sort of things that are technically true, if you pick certain parameters and exclude certain things and ignore other parts.

And ah yes, stop and search. Hell, why not bring back sus? It worked great! What riots?

It’s why we’re making sure that police are not inadvertently helping mobs to enforce non-existent blasphemy laws.

The fuck are you talking about, Suella?

And it’s why we’ve made sure that Prevent – the government programme that stops people from sliding towards terrorism – is focused on the main security threat to the British public, Islamist extremism.

This jumps out to me as weird as it seems to imply that Prevent was being used on some unspoken other security threat to Britain, and that was bad, because the real threat is clearly Muslims. This seems like a play to me, you know? Like a "We know who the REAL enemy is, not anyone else! It's THOSE guys! We all know it!"

Hmm.

There’s more to do to reform our vagrancy laws, because we cannot let British cities go the way of San Francisco or Seattle.

Oh my God, I hadn't known this was in here. The other parts I'd kind of picked up elsewhere, I didn't know she said this. That's just...

...no, it's too much, there's too much in there.

Suffice to say, no. Bad Suella, bad. Please don't apply your trademark lack of understanding and dearth of human warmth to anything relating to homelessness. I can see workhouses being on the cards if you get involved.

And let me go on and say this. I have a particular message to those brave police officers who risk their lives to protect the rest of us by carrying firearms into situations where they could be harmed or even killed. You are the thin blue line. You have our support. We are grateful for the vital work that you do, day in, day out. That is why I announced a review, to report to me by the end of the year, to ensure that the legal and operational framework in which they operate is robust and commands the confidence of both officers and the public.

This would be about the firearms offiers throwing a strop because one of them murdered a guy and might get in trouble for it, obviously. They're also carrying firearms into situation where, you know, just people who happen to be nearby might be harmed or killed. Just saying.

I can't imagine you're particularly concerned with what the public think about it, Suella, so I'm not sure why you'd even mention it.

They’ve already started the character assassination against Sue. The distortions. The insults. The lies. That’s what the Labour Party always does: It prefers smears to debate.

This would be Sue, their London mayoral candiate.

And thing is, Suella, Labour - and indeed, everyone else - doesn't really need to lie or distort these days because you're just out-and-out saying the most insane shit. Why lie?

I know they have tried to make me into a hate figure because I tell the truth.

No, it's because you're kind of disgusting and scary. And horribly, horribly unqualified to be in any position of authority. You're a hate figure because you are legitimately making people's lives worse, and doing it for explicitly nasty reasons. It's not complicated.

Our politically correct critics have money. They have status. They have loud voices. They have the luxury of promoting seductive but irresponsible ideas safe in the knowledge that their privilege will insulate them from any collateral damage. The luxury beliefs brigade sit in their ivory towers telling ordinary people that they are morally deficient because they dare to get upset about the impact of illegal migration, net zero, or habitual criminals. And you can be sure of one thing. People with luxury beliefs will flock to Labour at the next election because that’s the way to get the kind of society they want.

Jesus Christ. Where do you even start on that?

For one thing, you're the fucking Conservatives! You have the money! That's you! You've got doners up the wazoo! Happily giving you money to get the kind of society they want! But that's okay, I guess?

Also, who uses 'Ivory towers' unironically? You sound like a crank.

And it's less like 'You're unreasonable for caring about these things' and more 'You're proposed solutions to these things cause more harm than good' - but that's disagreement, so clearly they're just liberal ivory tower moneyed elites.

They like open borders. The migrants coming in won’t be taking their jobs. In fact, they are more likely to have them mowing their lawns or cleaning their homes. They love soft sentences. The criminals who benefit from such ostentatious compassion won’t be terrorising their streets or grooming their children. They are desperate to reverse Brexit. They think patriotism is embarrassing and have no use for a British passport unless it is taking them to their second homes in Tuscany or the Dordogne.

Who are you talking about? And what jobs is anyone taking? And what prisons are people going to be serving your harsh sentences in anyway? And what are the root causes of crime? And do rich Tory doners not have second homes? The fucking PM has an American green card!

Argh!

This is exhausting. Just, the profound incuriosity. The absolute conviciton on how the world clicks neatly into place and what's needed is a firm hand at all times. Criminals? Punish. Borders? Closed. Brexit? Sorted.

What is a criminal? Why do people commit crime? Might there be a way of ensuring that people don't need to commit crimes? What can we do to ensure less recidivism?

NO! PUNISH! PUNISH! PUNISH! That'll teach 'em!

I can feel the will to live leave my body...

The British people have no enthusiasm for Sir Keir Starmer. They know that he believes in nothing…

A broken clock is right twice a day, so fair.

Imagine what would happen if he became Prime Minister. Luxury beliefs would reign supreme. Britain would go properly woke.

I kind of want to smack the word 'woke' out of everyone's mouth. It's alongside 'fascist' with 'Word that has ended up meaning a person who says things I don't agree with' only for the right, and they are really keen on it.

Also, just, 'luxury beliefs'. Eurgh.

"What's that? You believe in human rights? Well I don't have that luxury." Under the banner of diversity, equity, and inclusion, official policies have been embedded that distort the whole purpose of these institutions. Highly controversial ideas are presented to workforces and the public as if they are motherhood and apple pie. Gender ideology. White privilege. Anti-British history.

Christ, are we nearly done?

What is there to say at this point? I'm so tired.

This is just pandering to a certain audience, and it's obviously that. At this stage in the speech there's no real need to analyse it. It's just bad. She's doing a dance, going through the motions. Whatever.

Although I do like the idea of 'Anti-British history' because it is fairly obvious just pointing out things that happened but which are embarrassing. What's that? Slave trade? How could you be so anti-British as to mention that!

And of course, as always happens when the left gets the upper hand, those who fail to conform are persecuted.

There is something beautifully beautiful in someone building a whole platform out of "We'll cast out and destroy this woke nonsense" claiming that the left are the guys who love to persecute, and that persecution is bad.

Presumably if what you believe is just plain old common sense, what you're doing isn't persecution, it's just sensible.

Blah blah blah, transphobia, naturally, eurgh...

Labour is the party of pressure groups, rich zealots, and trade union activists. But, you know, the Conservative Party is also a kind of trade union. Because we are the trade union of the British people.

You've got some brass, Suella, I'll give you that. Anyone else would have choked on that.

Fuck me that was difficult. Can you imagine actually having to sit through the whole thing? Listening to her? Seeing her? That smug fucking face? As she tells you that Labour is party of rich zealots?

I'm never doing this sort of thing again. I regret doing it this time. Every word is like a turd falling into my drink. I am horrified that this woman is in government and in a position to actually affect the running of the country. I'm horrified people like her exist at all.

The Tory party was always awful, but we've gone so far beyond scraping the bottom of the barrel. We're sub-barrel now. I don't know what we've dug into but it should never have seen the light of day.

And what truly makes my skin crawl is knowing that someone, somewhere, is lapping this shit up.

(Oh, and that the Tories are always guaranteed a solid bedrock of support regardless of what they do. That too.)

[sogodo]

Week 1

I think Gideon Mendel portrayed people whose faces looked desperate and appealing to viewers. I feel the focus of the photos are on people, but I guess he also wants viewers to notice how the situations look like by checking the scenery behind them.

Here’s the first photo I chose. I can see the black person dressing maid costume and the closed room coloured with dark and light blue. I also notice that some of his lower body was sunk in the water, so his dress looked wet. Behind him, the colour was brighter than the other sides. However, because of graduation, it was changed into darker colour which made the photo more pathetic. This photo mainly consists of dark blue-based colour so that the contrast among the colour of maid costume, his skin and walls look obvious to notice. That makes the photo more mysterious, strange and gloomy. I wonder why he wears this outfit and what caused this situation, so it would be nicer to have additional information about the photo.

This is my second choice. I can see the deforestation caused by wildfire, still remaining forests, and the elderly couple alive wearing simply. I think the couple look grim and keep holding hands each other. I also notice how disastrous the situation is and sort of emptiness from their faces. I think the focus of the photo is on the couple and burnt trees which make it more serious and us come to care about the environment. Additionally, I can see how strong the couple are even if they look sad but are still alive. Although the focus is on them, it also indicates the trees behind them were almost in danger of disaster, so it gives us the fleeting of nature and seriousness of the happening. I can imagine how they feel and how terrible the disaster was through the photo, so additional information is not that necessary.

Next, I’m going to show the three photos which I have taken about the experience in London this week.

These three are the photos I have taken on 29th September. The first photo is fried chickens and rice I cooked for my lunch. When shooting, I tried to put focus on the chickens and capture some burnt parts. I took it from the upper angle very closely. The light comes from windows in the kitchen and that created the shadows under the chickens. The second one is about the event I participated taking place at Harrow campus at night. I took it far from the participant and tried to look around the event. Some looks dancing, while the other seems still like the security or watch their smartphone. The floor is illuminated with red by the lightings around the room. The last one is the photo outside the hall. I took the photo by looking up in the sky and avoid capturing people’s faces near me. The light comes from the lamp posts in the campus. I should have taken the photos without the people’s heads in the front, so I don’t think there should be.

The reason why I chose the first photo is that I want to portray daily food routine that doesn’t look enough. I think it is strange but funny to capture photo which look like that someone has already started to eat because one chicken is cut and the grains of rice is attached to chickens.

The reason of picking second photo is because once you see the photo, I believe you’ll see how vibrant and exiting the event is. It looks both participants and organisers enjoy the atmosphere of the event and interact with lots of people through this photo, so it brings back memory for participants and let even non-participants understand the event to some extent.

The third one is the photo after the event. Some of them start to prepare for the departure. However, I chose it because it focuses on the trees but makes us notice the people around the building. Additionally, each photo has taken from different angles, so I simply wanted to pick up different ones.

[hermitw]

Thank you for elaborating again, how did I miss the train car detail and Gojo's face akchsjaiidxkn

I posted before about Sukuna becoming the monster by taking away Megumi's autonomy in a desperate grasp for his own - so I'm more inclined to believe that Sukuna's misery (though he is out of his cage by now, and maybe even free of Kenjaku) is largely from watching himself continue the cycle of abuse. And about how I think that Sukuna has respect for Megumi because he can relate (to the lack of control in his life, being deified as the ten shadows user). But also having to interact with Yorozu and Kenjaku I'm sure brought up some buried emotion and memories.

If Uraume had experienced that sort of trauma, then their frozen composure in that manga panel w Yorozu makes so much sense - they were having a freeze response. It feels so out of character otherwise.

Alsooooo I love Uraume, I think that Sukuna and Uraume are two sides of trauma response - Sukuna feels unsafe when anyone tells him what to do (even Mimiko, I was so mad at him over that and couldn't understand it for the longest time). And Uraume, who does not know how to live for themselves, but needs someone to tell them what to do, and continues to live for Sukuna, preparing for his return while he's not really there. It reminds me of Whispering Woman by Junji Ito, with the girl who has extreme anxiety and has to be told what to do all the time, and only one babysitter can connect with her. She becomes a ghost due to domestic violence, but is able to keep whispering instructions into the girl's ear.

The tldr is that I'm making references to explain Uraume's (lack of) reaction to Yorozu, along with Sukuna's own self disgust.

In conclusion, I think that Sukuna is forced to face his own trauma now and feeling awful about it. From all that he's suffered and the cycles he's perpetuated. Also, the evil bath could be affecting his soul. I'm not an expert on that.

Content warnings as mentioned above (also mentions of suicide and drug addiction), but also spoiler warnings if you haven't read the secret diary of Laura Palmer (twin peaks) or read no longer human by Osamu Dazai.

Both of these books portray the effects of csa so incredibly well, without being graphic and triggering (I haven't read the ones listed above, but the same events could show up there too).

No Longer Human is one of my favorite books - if you prefer to read manga, Junji Ito did that, and he added a few details that might make it even more relatable.

Sukuna's misery mentioned at the end reminded me of the end of Laura's diary (the end of her life, just before episode 1). We don't get to know her in the TV series, so it's totally different after reading, much like the fight with Eiso and Kechizu.

The tldr is that Laura's been a victim of SA for a long time, she's aware of the way it destroys her to some degree, at the very least.

She delivers food to people who can't leave their homes (workaholic tendencies, she tries everything to avoid her trauma or relive it on her own terms) and that's how she met Harold, who has extreme agoraphobia but we never find out what caused it.

Ok so I think I'm remembering incorrectly - I thought that Laura had decided to end her own life after what happened with Harold, that she saw herself in him and then became the predator.

But I came across more passages that felt like Sukuna, such as this. (It's time for another twin peaks phase and this time it is Gege's fault)

Laura was drug-seeking, and I want to say that Sukuna was also seeking a different state of consciousness, at least in the way that he died. While I said before that he might have mummified himself to keep Kenjaku out of his skull, ch. 265 showed again that Sukuna would prefer death to losing his autonomy. Part of me thinks that he was sick of life, sick of himself, trying to reach something other than what he had become.

Twin Peaks deified Laura. Sukuna was also deified, used in rituals against natural disaster I think. The town was shocked to find out she had been using cocaine - they knew her as a perfect angel who did well in school and loads of charity work in addition to selling perfume at the department store.

To someone just watching the show, it feels impossible to connect with or understand Laura. She's weird, distant, impossible, and two-faced. Which sounds so similar to Sukuna and to victims of csa in real life. "the fallen one" feels like a perfect title for her since the investigation into her death.

Back when Sukuna lived his previous life, he was deified (I think his previous mask was that as an angel, I think he might have had a fawn response before something changed and he became "the fallen one", his dominant trauma response became fight).

Anyway, on to the next book.

No Longer Human is best known for its themes of suicide, but to me that stems from the shame, isolation and guilt of sexual assault.

So the main character experienced csa from women (and a religious leader man, in Junji Ito's version). He seems very misinterpreted, he wears this mask of a clown and feels Threatened when someone sees him for himself. (reminds me a bit of Gojo, too).

One day (or night) he sees his wife being raped. This triggered a fight or flight response, and he ran out. Even though the threat wasn't directed at him, even though he might have done something to protect her (though it was too late to avoid entirely), it triggered his trauma response. I think Uraume was dealing with a similar thing and froze. This isn't uncommon in domestic violence victims - to freeze when they hear a neighbor yelling, for example.

Osamu Dazai's character finds it hard to live with himself, and he finds books unhelpful because the stories focus on whether the man will forgive his wife for being violated (which is disturbing but shows how buried these things are). He and his wife never speak about the incident, either. They only become more withdrawn (even though it's an experience they could both relate to and needed to process. Reminds me of Gojo and Geto drifting apart after Toji attacked them). Maybe all four of them blamed themselves for what happened, all tried to numb themselves to it.

Sukuna's numbness is so visible. It often shows on his face, and when he tells Yuuji that he doesn't feel anything... I believe him. How is he supposed to relate to a childhood of hopes and dreams, of crying over slime?

One thing I can't stop thinking about is when Yuuji got his foot stuck in the cage swing, that was the biggest danger he mentioned. And sukuna wandered into it. They didn't rly talk about that but I wonder what was going through his mind every day. Maybe he was trying to understand Yuuji, maybe he was putting himself in a cage bc "if I do this to myself then no one else did it to me" kind of thing.

Anyway, Sukuna (especially since incarnating into Megumi) has faces of trauma. No longer human is a somewhat autobiographical book - it's easy to identify Dazai in group photos, even as a kid, because he has the Laura Palmer eyes too. Like they're kind of dead, lost, not entirely in this world.

In conclusion, I think that Sukuna is forced to face his own trauma now and feeling awful about it. From all that he's suffered and the cycles he's perpetuated. Also, the evil bath could be affecting his soul. I'm not an expert on that.

The Reproductive Horror of JJK Part 2 (Dealing with Trauma)

Part 1

Notes before we start.

1) This analysis deals heavily with topics of nonconsent, grooming, abuse, and reproductive manipulation. Please proceed with caution.

2) This post was inspired by @hermitw and @tangsakura

3) Read the light novels. They are the equivalent of Bleach's CFYOW for JJK. There is a fan translation (Book 1 & Book 2), but I will be citing the official translations from my own copies.

4) I will be mainly using the TCB scans for the manga because of their accessibility. 

5) Written as of JJK 265.

(Click images for captions/citations.)

Preface 

This was written with the assumption you've also read these other analyses:

Thoughts on Sukuna and Kenjaku’s relationship as of JJK 258.

Gojo's You Pronouns (Gojo's Relationship with Toji and Geto)

Please give them a quick glance at least.

...

Some of you may have found it odd that a discussion about bodies being irreversibly changed and used left out Mahito whose ability quite literally irreversibly changes bodies for them to use. That was deliberate. Blame Tumblr’s 30 photo limit.

The previous post was actually about Mahito. 

Mahito

For series that has a power system based on strong negative emotions, it is a bit odd that curses surrounding sexual trauma aren’t ever directly mentioned in this work. You could chalk it up to the series being Shounen and not Seinen. But that is precisely why I think JJK delves into the topic using abstract representations. It allows the topic to be explored in a way that connects well with those who’ve experienced it without being too graphic for the younger audience.

Though Kenjaku is a literal rapist, I argued the methodology and effects behind vessel creation resemble rape. Someone's body belonging to another through force, permanent changes brought about after experiencing immense trauma, being groomed into tolerating it as a natural part of this world…  When I think of a curse equivalent to this, there is no one other than Mahito that fits.

The transfigured humans Mahito creates are through nonconsentual touch that strips them not only of their autonomy, but their clothing as well. These people are in immense pain from the distortion of their bodies and can never be returned to their original state. In this way, transfigured humans can be read as a stand in for victims of sexual assault.

I didn’t propose this idea first. The Tumblr user that inspired this entire analysis, hermitw, did so in this post (please read it, it's very good). This person’s ideas will be reiterated in this discussion and I will expand upon them starting with how poorly other characters react to their Cursed Technique (CT).

Breaking Composure

Mahito sets themself apart from other curses by how they’re able to get under the skin of the most seasoned sorcerers. It’s not because of their words but the transfigured humans.

Nanami is heralded as the no-nonsense man. Nothing gets to him. He is always calm and professional no matter the circumstances. Mahito's first interaction with him immediately throws him off kilter.

We saw how much fun Gojo was having beating Hanami to death and tearing Jogo apart. That stops entirely when the transfigured humans show up. Yuji can see it coming too. This is the first time during the fight that Gojo’s composure visibly breaks. His reaction to Mahito isn’t any better. There are no smiles and he looks to be in shock.

Gojo’s Six Eyes allow him to see Cursed Energy (CE) to the point where he can infer someone’s CT at a glance. When he sees those transfigured humans, he’s probably seeing the extent of their pain in how the CE controls their souls.

I also want to point out that sexual harassment on trains is such a massive problem in Japan that they have special cars for women. There’s something to be said here about a train full of people that can represent victims of sexual assault.

This visceral disgust when it comes to Mahito isn’t limited to the protagonists either—the main antagonist, Sukuna, finds them to be repulsive after a few interactions. In this instance, Mahito's touching of Sukuna's soul is straight up compared to a patron harassing a hostess.

Just like Gojo, Sukuna goes from having fun to having a really bad time in an instant.

I bring their reactions to Mahito up because there is something off about it. These are all characters that hardly balk at the gore and death brought about by curses. It’s as if Mahito’s brand of violence needs to be categorized as something else.

If Mahito is seen as the embodiment of sexual assault, this is in line with how sexual violence is separated into its own category for treatment and study. When compared to non-sexual violence, the lasting effects are so severe it's not helpful to treat it the same way.

And that’s just what Mahito is. An exceptionally dangerous curse that Jujutsu Society deems needs to be exorcized before it destroys everything because barely anyone can deal with its effects. Likening that damage to something on par with natural disasters is significant.

Mahito as a Natural Disaster

Mahito is the leader of the natural disaster curses despite being born of humans. Hanami, Jogo, and Dagon are forms of wrath spawned from environmental damage brought about by humans. When nature, the ocean, or volcanoes cause mass death, people accept it as a part of living in this world. Sometimes they’ll go as far as to blame others for causing their own demise by living so close to it. 

Mahito doesn’t seem to fit into this category unless you consider how widespread sexual assault is. In the US alone 81% of women and 43% of men reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their lifetime. These numbers are likely higher due to the underreporting of this crime in general.

In 2021 it was estimated that 101.8 million people were affected by natural disasters or about 1% of the current 7.9 billion population. By 2050 some estimate that 1.2 billion people will be displaced by climate change related natural disasters. That’s about 15% of the current population.

Compared to natural disasters, sexual assault certainly rivals their numbers. But when compared to reporting? It’s under discussed. People chase storms. Natural disasters are tracked extensively by the damage and cost. Nations build infrastructure and plan around them. They’re acknowledged as a problem that is to be dealt with. The victims of sexual assault get no such attention. Warnings against perpetrators are often ignored and the victims are something people would rather keep invisible.

Mahito is a lot like that. Able to go about unnoticed as they stockpile thousands of humans whose bodies disturb those around them. The transfigured humans are targeted first by sorcerers both because it’s easier and because the one creating them seems untouchable.

Mahito’s effectiveness as a curse is their ability to force people to reckon with the worst humanity has to offer. They mirror every little sin and exploitation committed by others, putting it on full display with their manipulation of Junpei.

Just like Mei Mei grooming Ui Ui with inappropriate but gentle touches and praise…

Just like Kenjaku manipulating the vulnerable to gain access to and use their bodies, only to betray them in the end… 

You might call Mahito Kenjaku’s protégé. Really taking after all the worst aspects of that bastard. However, I have read CFYOW. Mahito’s true source of inspiration comes from someone unexpected. 

Allegory in Darkness (JJK Summer of Ashes, Autumn of Dust, Chapter 3)

Before Mahito met Junpei, they met a blind homeless man living under a bridge. Their interactions with this man fundamentally change their view on humans and their approach to breaking them. This short story is one of the most harrowing things I’ve ever read. The quiet horror of JJK is on full display here. I’m not going to summarize all of what happens. Just read this.

This old man is so detached from himself and the world around him that he has essentially become nothing. He exists as a thing. This fascinates Mahito and they decide to observe them, forming a weird sort of companionship with him. Eventually, Mahito learns why the old man is this way.

Immense trauma. Abused and disfigured, the old man gives up on everything and in turn is freed from his suffering. Mahito likens his state to enlightenment Buddhist monks may achieve. 

They’re not wrong about this. Buddhism is centered around the escape from suffering via detachment. But there’s something greatly unsettling about this situation. Unfortunately that never gets addressed, the old man dies and Mahito oversees it.

And what’s this? Right at the end. The old man appreciates Mahito for being there for him. His “enlightened” state is revealed for the facade that it is, causing his soul to waver. He appreciates that his suffering has been acknowledged by another and dies satisfied, leaving Mahito both in a state of mourning and with the perfect way to manipulate someone before they pass.

What a human is to Mahito.

There’s a lot I left out in my summarization of Allegory of Darkness. Mainly the little discussions they had to build a relationship. They’re centered around movies and books because Mahito uses those to understand the humans around them. 

From their studies, they conclude the following. 

Humans are creatures that eat, sleep, and rape while curses are creatures that deceive, cheat, and kill. But I’d like to break down the kanji Mahito uses for their description of humans.

食 (ku) is usually read as "ta" which is in line with regular eating. The "ku" reading is more like devouring and it can be a sexual innuendo.

寝 (ne) means to sleep. And just like in English it can mean to have sex with someone.

犯す (okasu) is the tricky one. It can mean to commit a crime, to break, to violate, to contravene, to deflower, to rape.

Translating this as rape isn’t wrong, but it can overemphasize the sexual connotation. Okasu is more about the nonconsent. Doing something against another’s will. 

However in Mahito’s case, they’re most definitely drawing attention to that. The eat uses the ku reading and is next to sleep with heavy innuendo. Okasu implies an assault on a body that does not belong to them. With this in mind, I think eat would be best localized as consume to get across the greedy inconsideration.

This isn’t coming from nowhere. They watched such a thing occur first hand. That old man I mentioned? He’s killed by two random men on a dare because they see him as something for their consumption. His body doesn’t belong to him. It’s a thing for them to play with.

Kenjaku, a human, reinforces this behavior by having Mahito participate in death womb painting incarnations and other manipulative schemes. And in the end, Kenjaku causes Mahito to fall to the same victimization they learned from humans.

Mahito sees humans, not curses, as creatures that take without consideration. They’re beings that have made the violation of boundaries so commonplace it can be seen as natural. And he’s not really wrong about that in the context of this story. All the stuff I mentioned in the previous post—it’s both right there in your face and nearly invisible. 

The acts themselves are never depicted but always implied. It’s an insidious thing that goes ignored or is outright denied by fans. Anyone who has experienced these things, recognizes it, and points it out will be chastised for reading too much into it.

But can you blame them? The perpetrators are named. They’re goofy and strong and interesting. Their victims are footnotes with little presence and are sometimes outright denied names. And yet they’re always there, just out of sight, suffering in the background.

How horrific that this mirrors a victim’s experience almost identically.

Mahito vs Yuji

The first time Yuji kills a human, it’s as a mercy. At the request of the transfigured human, Yuji puts them out of their misery.

It’s a sin Nanami has been trying to protect Yuji from as a child and Mahito forces it on him with a cruel choice between leaving them to suffer or ending it for them. Yuji chooses to liberate them from suffering.

I think Yuji is able to see the outline of Mahito’s soul, not because of Sukuna, but because he is willing to see Mahito for what they are and face them head on. He doesn’t hide how the transfigured humans or deaths affect him. He cries over them and carries on with that hurt. 

And it’s painful. Yuji vomits and wails on the floor. But he deals with it. Unlike his mentors who bury their emotions and pretend everything is ok.

This is what makes Yuji fundamentally incompatible with Mahito. He is the exception that won’t allow Mahito to go unnoticed and slip away. He does it for their victims and himself. And still Mahito taints him. Yuji starts to see himself as a cog no different than Mahito.

He carries that mentality until he finally confronts Sukuna in JJK 265. Acknowledging why he started thinking that way in the first place, moving past it and onto something better. 

That’s what I love about Yuji the most. To him, anyone’s trauma will never be invisible.

And the horror persists…

Even though Yuji is this tiny beacon of hope in this rather depressing narrative, there’s still so much he can do as a 15 year old boy. The trauma he takes on and deals with is only for those he was witnessed or has been told of. This means a lot of the characters don’t have their grievances addressed in a way that gives me comfort.  

The old man under the bridge may have died satisfied, but I can’t stop thinking about him. His suffering and isolation masked by numbness went on for decades. The happiness he experienced at the end was for seconds. And the worst of the worst, Mahito, was the one to comfort him…

I can't stop thinking about the old man under the bridge.

There’s a lot I left out in my summarization of Allegory in Darkness. I really wanted to include more, but I found it to not fit into the rest of this discussion. Strange little bits of dialogue like these.

When I read these passages, a single question lingers in my mind.  

Why does this man resemble Sukuna? 

I lied. This post is actually about Sukuna.

Let’s go back to that homeless old man under the bridge. Mahito admires him as enlightened, but anyone can his state is mortifying. He has coped with the abuse, disfigurement, and suffering by becoming nothing. No different than a rock. He has no name. He’s not a person. He feels nothing. And the worst thing about it is how that’s technically better than being tormented by those memories.

JJK asks how does one cope with trauma? And repeatedly this question is answered by most characters in one of two ways:

1) You let it consume all that you are.

2) You become nothing as you detach yourself from it entirely.

The old man under the bridge is what Gojo tried to and failed to become. As much as he pretended otherwise, his attachment to grief and love controlled him. Sukuna mocks him for this. Calling him painfully ordinary in the English localization isn't incorrect, but it strips away that religious context. In Japanese this kanji 凡夫 (bonpu) can be read as Unenlightened.

The old man reached enlightenment while coping with his trauma. It worked for so long. But right at the end, when Mahito shows some semblance of care for him, those feelings he thought were shaved off cause him to waver. 

A new question plagues my mind.

What the hell happened to Sukuna? 

It’s presented as a humorous thing. Framing Mahito’s nonconsensual touching of Sukuna’s soul as a handsy patron ignoring the boundaries of a hostess.

Gege sometimes introduces character quirks as something funny before they’re revealed to be induced by trauma. Gojo Satoru is the biggest culprit of this with his sweet tooth and manner of speech and childish behavior that desperately tries to claw back the youth that was stolen from him.

Sukuna has such an averse reaction to having his soul touched by Mahito. He’s wearing women’s clothes when it happens. He’s likened to a hostess for it.

When we consider this and the quiet way misogyny and sexual assault is woven into this story… And how Gojo, the Strongest, was preyed on by older women. And how Yuki escaped having her body being used by someone much older than her by becoming strong. And how Rika, the Queen of Curses, is likely a victim of CSA by someone who was supposed to take care of her. And how Mai, a twin and a victim of CSA, creates a stronger twin by dying when she can no longer cope with her trauma.

I don’t like what this suggests for Sukuna at all.

Sukuna is willing to bond with all the other natural disaster cursed spirits, except Mahito. He himself became something akin to a natural disaster so it makes sense he liked the company of those like them. It’s him rejecting the strongest of the bunch because of how their CT violates others’ bodies is something I cannot overlook.

Jogo’s fire is so kind in comparison. The bodies he burns and the corpses he leaves cannot be defiled by anyone. It’s what would’ve prevented Geto’s body from being stolen. And hey! Sukuna returns the favor, burning Jogo in a way that prevents Kenjaku from absorbing him.

The easiest way for Sukuna to permanently scar and  traumatize Yuji is to inflict sexual violence on him or his loved ones. JJK does not shy away from having rapists like Noaya and Kenjaku do just that. A common complaint from fans is Sukuna not trying to manipulate Yuji into working with him. JJK does not shy away from having groomers like Kenjaku, Mahito, and Mei Mei (and to an extent Tengen) do just that.

Sukuna is strong and clever enough to do these things, but he doesn’t. I think there’s more to this than a disinterest in sex.

Choso’s mother faced ostracization for her unique body that allowed her to give birth to hybrid children. With nowhere left to go she wound up at a temple for sorcerers.  Kenjaku took advantage of her situation and body, partaking in her rape to satiate intellectual curiosity.

Sukuna faced ostracization as a child for his unique body that made him a great sorcerer. Just about everyone who knows him has tried to exploit his abilities for their benefit.

There’s a massive blank in this parallel. What happened to Sukuna growing up to make him this way? Every time I try to fill in that blank with the information we have now, I’m left with something deeply unpleasant. 

When Sukuna has flashbacks, it only ever goes as far back to his time as Yujikuna. He verbally recounts his time in the womb and there’s nothing else. The first time we see Heian Era Sukuna in full, it’s from Yorozu’s memory. And if you recall…this introduction is him being sexually assaulted. 

Sukuna’s fingers are scattered everywhere, fragments of himself are throughout the world and in a little bit of everyone. A curse that cannot be destroyed that only gets stronger with time. He’s something that was repressed despite everyone knowing he exists—a victim of sexual abuse.

Sukuna’s Backstory—Revised

Back when I theorized that Sukuna is an ex-slave, I deliberately withheld references to sexual abuse slaves are often subjected to because I felt it was too heavy for the post.

But seeing others theorize something that severe happened in part because of his CT’s name and spiritual pederasty practices at the time, makes me regret not including it. Please read the post by Tumblr user tangsakura that brought this to my attention.

Pederasty, if you do not know, refers to a boy having a sexual “relationship” with an older man sometimes as a form of “guidance”. The most known form of this originates from ancient Rome and Greece. I put “relationship” and “guidance” in quotations because children cannot consent to or grow from this kind of abuse. 

Such a thing was common, sometimes socially accepted, systemic abuse in the ancient world. (Though a form of it exists to this day.) Japan partook in pederasty, even in certain types of Buddhist temples, prior to the Meiji Restoration in 1868. (Here’s a video source on it. Be warned it's pretty upsetting.)

And in most of these societies that accepted pederasty, a relationship between two men of equal standing was frowned upon or not tolerated at all. The imbalance of power and exploitation of children was the socially acceptable thing. Despite, you know, the resulting trauma and suicides of the victims.

As discussed in the linked video, the children at these temples were seen as pure and therefore closer to Buddha. Since celibacy between human monks was expected, fetishizing these children as gods allowed for the mental gymnastics to justify molesting them. 

That’s not too surprising. Organized religion with massive followings all have it in common—the sexual abuse of minors and tolerating it or covering it up. What’s striking about this abuse is that it was considered important to or even necessary for enlightenment by some sects. Their suffering brought about enlightenment. 

Mini crash course for those not familiar with Buddhism. There are 4 Noble Truths that are foundational to this religion. (Copy and pasted from Wikipedia.)

1) Dukkha: Suffering exists: Life is suffering. Suffering is real and almost universal. Suffering has many causes: loss, sickness, pain, failure, and the impermanence of pleasure.'Dukkha: Suffering exists: Life is suffering. Suffering is real and almost universal. Suffering has many causes: loss, sickness, pain, failure, and the impermanence of pleasure.

2) Samudaya: There is a cause of suffering. Suffering is due to attachment. It is the desire to have and control things. It can take many forms: craving of sensual pleasures; the desire for fame; the desire to avoid unpleasant sensations, like fear, anger or jealousy.

3) Nirodha: There is an end to suffering. Attachment can be overcome. Suffering ceases with the final liberation of Nirvana. The mind experiences complete freedom, liberation and non-attachment. It lets go of any desire or craving.

4) Magga: In order to end suffering, follow the Eightfold Path.

Per the 3rd Noble Truth, enlightenment comes from the end of suffering, not its continuation. The idea that suffering is needed for enlightenment contradicts this Truth. But that’s not surprising either. I was raised Protestant and I’ve got a whole laundry list of how that branch of Christianity seems to have ignored the basic fundamentals of Biblical text. 

What I want to get into is the specific branch of Buddhism Sukuna appears to have been abused under—Tachikawa-ryū. Just as a heads up, information on this sect is limited as this person explains:

“Tachikawa practice became forbidden and the school’s ritual texts were destroyed. As a result, only a few original scriptures and rituals survived the persecution, which makes it very difficult nowadays to fully understand the teachings of the Tachikawa-ryū.”

(The wikipedia page is straight up missing citations so feel free to correct me if I get some stuff wrong.)

The destruction of records sounds exactly like what happened with Kenjaku and the Meiji girl. But the similarities don’t start or end there. This sect is accused of using human and animal skulls for rituals. And if you recall, Sukuna sits on a throne of oxen skulls. Other heretical acts included the consumption of meat, which at the time was forbidden. Another thing Sukuna loves to do. 

But what this sect is most known for are the bizarre sex rituals needed for enlightenment. You know the thing Sukuna explicitly has no interest in. More excerpts about that from the non-wiki source:

“Since the idea of a world, created by the union of male (yang) and female (yin) elements, is the essence of cosmology in Tantrism, sexual union serves as the “real life” version of this dualism. In other words, sex is an effective way to achieve buddhahood in a relatively short amount of time (best case scenario: this life, “becoming a buddha in this very body (即身成仏 sokushin jōbutsu)”). Furthermore, much ink has flown on the description and discussion of a human skull ritual that involved sexual intercourse and the use of seminal and vaginal fluids to create an object of worship.”

This melding of male and female elements is everywhere in JJK. It’s a massive component of the reproductive horror too. Everything with Kenjaku is self explanatory. But Sukuna, who wears women’s clothes, is currently pregnant with the Merger, and has a gender ambiguous servant… He’s a part of this too.

It should also be noted  that Tachikawa-ryū is actually a sub-sect of a sect. It originates from Shingon Buddhism. …Which was first introduced in the Heian Era.

Here are some quotes from the wiki article:

“The essence of Shingon practice is to experience the Dharmakaya, the ultimate reality, by emulating the inner realization of the Dharmakaya through the synchronized meditative ritual use of mantras, mudras (hand gestures) and visualization of mandalas.”

Oh hey that sounds like what Jujutsu Sorcerers do.

“The goma (護摩) fire ritual is an important and recognizable ritual in Shingon. The meaning of goma is to burn the firewood of delusion with the wisdom flame, consuming it completely.”

Oh hey that sounds like Sukuna’s fire CT.

“The most important Shingon mandalas are known as the Mandala of the Two Realms which are: The Womb Realm (Sanskrit: Garbhadhātu; Japanese: 胎蔵界曼荼羅, romanized: Taizōkai) mandala based on the Mahavairocana Sutra and the Diamond Realm (Sanskrit: Vajradhātu; Japanese: 金剛界曼荼羅, romanized: Kongōkai) mandala based on the Vajrasekhara Sutra.”

Oh hey that’s Kenjaku’s Domain.

I wasn’t raised any kind of Buddhist, so there’s probably a lot here I’m missing. My point here is that the symbolism and historical context are in line with Sukuna enduring some pretty horrific abuse as a child. It’s very likely that the way he behaves and thinks is one massive cope to rationalize what happened to him. 

Identity and Trauma

Sukuna is a difficult character to grasp because he’s so unforthcoming in personal information. He’s not once introduced himself by name and reveals fragments about himself in very cryptic ways. Most of what we know about him is from other characters. (Much like how the original writings of Tachikawa-ryū are lost and the remaining info is sourced from outsiders.)

To better understand him, I’ve been working under the assumption that other characters reflect fragments of Sukuna that will eventually fall into place.

Sukuna is like Maki. Consuming his twin to survive and becoming stronger for it.

Sukuna is like Toji. Discriminated against for the way he was born, he becomes strong enough to separate himself from Jujutsu Society only to be dragged back in.

Sukuna is like Geto. Falling from grace and procuring a cult-like following. 

Sukuna is like Todo. He’s completely self-centered and hates taking orders from those weaker than him.

Sukuna is like Mechamaru. Disfigured by birth, longing to connect with others, he finds himself at the end of a manipulative deal that promised him a second life.

Sukuna is like Kenjaku. He sees himself as above others and only wants equals for companionship. Other people are playthings for him to consume to stave off boredom. 

Sukuna is like Mahito. Endlessly curious about the humans he was born of, he consumes their art and lives in an attempt to understand them.

Sukuna is like Yorozu. Obsessively pursuing a single person, trying to teach them love through violence.

Sukuna is like Yuji. Adapting to any situation with battle intuition like no other by understanding his opponent.

Sukuna is Gojo. I call them twin flames since they have the most in common. If you noticed, that homeless old man from Allegory in Darkness resembles Gojo a lot too. For this reason I often use Gojo as a reference to infer how Sukuna is as a character.

Gojo’s trauma that helped him reach his self-proclaimed enlightenment was Toji. And that was just normal assault. But let’s reframe that battle as something a little more abstract…

As a teenager Gojo has his Infinity, a barrier that kept him safe, forcibly penetrated by a much older man. This both kills him and awakens him to immense power that irreversibly changes him. His loved ones can no longer recognize him and his relationships are destroyed by this. His ability to feel pleasure and his sexuality are contorted in ways that others find deeply perverse.

This is the plot of Baby Reindeer—an extremely upsetting semi-autobiographical recounting of how the creator’s sexual trauma ruined his life.

But that’s not how everything is framed at first. The main character, Donny is introduced as a man trying to report his stalker, Martha, to the police. 

Martha recognizes that Donny has been abused. Maybe not in the same way as her, but similar enough to the point where they become toxicly attached to each other. She stalks him and assaults him in what she believes to be acts of love. You both pity her for her circumstances and hate her for the destruction she causes. 

That sounds like Sukuna doesn’t it?

Sukuna saw something in Gojo he can’t recognize in anyone else. And I think it’s much more than the loneliness that comes with being strong—It’s having your body violated and no one recognizing or taking your trauma seriously because you’re supposed to be strong. 

Toji’s failed assassination attempt on Gojo resembles sexual assault in how Gojo reacts to the whole ordeal. He wants some kind of support but pushes everyone away. He craves touch but has a barrier to prevent it running 24/7. He both pities Toji and admires him, fears him and kills anything like him. His sexuality cannot be divorced from this incident, needing a good deal of violence to get off. It’s too similar to how Donny engages his own sexuality after his assault. 

But to my knowledge, Gojo hasn’t been raped. He went through something that resembled it and Sukuna picked up on that. During their fight, Sukuna essentially dealt with that trauma. He became a sort of Toji that satisfied Gojo’s perverse needs while tearing through the very thing that had him targeted in the first place—Infinity.

This is the source suffering Sukuna seemingly liberates Gojo from with extreme violence like some kind of heretical Bodhisattva. There’s also something to be said about him using Mahoraga to do this.The Eight-Handled in its title is a reference to the Eightfold Path that’s to be followed in order to obtain enlightenment.

And they both have this trait in common—using violence to guide others towards enlightenment, a perversion of the 3rd Noble Truth. Gojo just calls it tough love.

(And notice how Megumi recalls both Sukuna and Gojo's words as he grows from a difficult fight.)

I know that Gojo does this because of his trauma with Toji and his own “growth” coming from it. It’s one of Gojo’s many destructive coping mechanisms. He’s stuck in the past trying to relive what was stolen from him. Like I mentioned before, Sukuna calls Gojo unenlightened for this. And if they’re twin flames, I have reason to believe Sukuna is the exact same way.

Sukuna finds Maki to be the most compelling of Gojo’s students. And I think there’s more to this than seeing a  fellow monster in her. She’s what he wants to be.

Not only is Maki free of the sorcery that ruined their lives, she has confronted and dealt with her trauma. She killed the source of her suffering, the Zenins, and has accepted the death of her twin she was so dearly attached to. And unlike her mentors, Maki appears to be emotionally stable because she did this in spite of her trauma, not through it. The sumo guy's compassion is what guides her. In other words, she’s obtained enlightenment outside of violence.

Maki also succeeds where Toji failed. There isn’t anything left that would cause her to waver. She stays true to herself and remains enlightened.

That seems to be a recurring thing—characters deviating from their “enlightened” state through human connections that rouse their unresolved emotional issues and then dying. Toji’s projection of his trauma from Jujutsu Society onto Gojo gets him killed. Kenjaku’s desperation for companionship has Takaba create the perfect opening for Todo and Yuta’s ambush.

Sukuna has started to deviate from himself because of Yuji. And it’s probably because he’s projecting his trauma onto him. If that’s the reason both Toji and Kenjaku were felled, it’ll be the reason for Sukuna’s downfall too. Just like that old man under the bridge.

Sukuna and Yuji

Umineko no Naku Koro ni (When the Seagulls Cry) is a visual novel about a person who is fundamentally misunderstood by those around them. They desperately want to be loved without being perceived, believing themself to be unworthy due to trauma and immutable characteristics given to them at birth. Instead of telling anyone these feelings directly, they play games akin to torture. They torment the ones they love over and over in hopes they'll see through their actions and understand them.

I’ve always compared Sukuna to this character, but for this analysis I’ll be comparing him to another from Umineko—Rosa Ushiromiya.

The youngest of 4 from a rich conservative household, Rosa was subjected to physical and verbal abuse by her father and older siblings. As an adult around them she cowers. She shows her abusers respect they don’t deserve because of her social standing within the family and tolerates their jeering.

But with her little 9 year old daughter who can’t fight back? She beats her the moment she makes any mistake. As she beats this child she screams about how everything is her fault. Rosa projects her financial woes, her childhood abuse, and systemic misogyny all onto this child that never asked to be born. She blames this child for her own shortcomings that keep her tethered to her abusers year after year.

The sad thing is that Rosa doesn’t realize why she’s doing this. She is unable to come to terms with her own trauma and remains stuck in the cycle of abuse as both a victim and a perpetrator, unable to spare her daughter from it. 

Knowing that Sukuna and Yuji are blood uncle and nephew. And knowing that by technicalities, Yuji would be genetically recognized as Sukuna’s son…I see that kind of hurt in their relationship.

Sukuna is a very good liar. Most take him at his word. He says that he hates Yuji for his ideals—how he puts his life on the line in service to others. The things Megumi, Higuruma, and Gojo do as well. And yet Sukuna admires them. Todo sacrifices himself to prop up Yuji and save Hana. Sukuna calls him a true sorcerer for this. It’s not unreasonable to conclude that Sukuna isn’t being honest about why he hates Yuji. 

I think it’s because Yuji is somehow linked to Sukuna’s trauma through no fault of his own. And because Yuji is easier to target, Sukuna uses him as an outlet.

We’ve seen this scenario play out before in JJK. Mai lashes out at Maki instead of Naoya or all the other men like Naobito who enabled or partook in her abuse because it’s the safer thing to do. She doesn’t actually hate Maki. She hates what she has to endure at the Zenin Clan and sees it as inevitable. Fighting back is scary and she really hates doing that. If the manga didn’t make that clear, the CFYOW: Thorny Road at Dawn, Chapter 4: Advancing in the Face of Fear sure does.

Yuji isn’t a cage to Sukuna because he chose to be this way. Kenjaku made him for it and even manipulated him into ingesting the fingers. But you know, Yuji is someone Sukuna can attack without consequence. 

I do not know if Kenjaku is the person who abused Sukuna or if Kenjaku merely resembles the person who abused Sukuna. Kenjaku is older than Sukuna, has a fascination with him, and has manipulated him. There are plenty of other characters that have been traumatized by Kenjaku.

Whatever the true nature of their relationship is, Sukuna is choosing to attack a symptom of his restriction instead of its source. He’s behaving no different than Mai or Rosa which leads me to believe there’s something deeper to his hatred of Yuji.

Yuji’s Role

I think that Yuji is aware something terrible happened to Sukuna. He’s not really sure what. The type of abuse Sukuna likely went through is not common historical knowledge even in Japan.

For the longest time, Yuji regarded Sukuna as a curse and denied him his humanity. But as of JJK 265, Yuji treats Sukuna like a human. He takes him through his memories and plays little games with him. He rejects the cog mentality Mahito groomed him into and says this:

“I could very well be doing the wrong thing here. So I thought I should at least let you see the humanity of someone other than yourself.”

Yuji is admits that his approach to Sukuna may be flawed.

And flawed it is. This entire chapter and offer Yuji makes to Sukuna might be one of the cruelest things he has done so far and he isn’t even aware of it. Yuji is recounting a pleasant childhood full of love and quiet moments. That’s something Sukuna didn’t have because it was taken away for reasons beyond his control.

This accidental cruelty isn’t anything new. It happens right before Junpei dies to an ability that resembles sexual assault. Yuji reaches out to him and asks what’s wrong. He notices something is off and tries to console Junpei through it.

And here he apologizes for saying something so insensitive. He didn’t know, but he had to ask. Sukuna was there to see that.

I think that's what Sukuna wants from him. He wants Yuji to acknowledge he was hurt. To recognize that something happened to him and offer something like he did with Junpei. It’s a bit odd that he humors Yuji’s kindness towards him instead of immediately opening his domain as a counter. This could be an explanation for that.

Yuji hasn’t given Sukuna the same treatment yet. In fact he’s done the exact opposite thing he does with other people. Yuji usually lets his opponent yap at him and meets them as they are. This time, Yuji is the one who does the bulk of the talking and he doesn’t give Sukuna a chance to open up about himself.

That’s not his fault at all. He’s 15 and it’s not his job. The reason he thought Sukuna was a curse for so long is because everyone else told him he wasn’t human and Sukuna never denied it. But just like with Junpei, Yuji did something really insensitive.

Yuji showed Sukuna pity then told him to die or go back into his cage.

People picked up on Yuji being posed like Fallen Lucifer painting. I think it’s deliberate this offer is being framed as villainous. If Sukuna is outright revealed to be a former slave or a victim of CSA, on reread this would come across as wicked.

It wouldn’t be the first time a scene goes from hype to depressing on reread. I loved watching Yuji and Nobara grow as they killed Eso and Kezichu. After Choso? That fight breaks my heart. Yuji has been manipulated into killing his own brothers and he didn’t even know it.

Yuji’s status as a cage is likely reminiscent of whatever bound Sukuna to the abuse in the first place. And that’s what he’s offering. Death or existing in that state you could argue is much worse than death—a state where his body does not belong to him. Where he is forced to watch a normalish life he can’t have play out for the one tormenting him.

The anger Sukuna displays at Yuji for this is something we’ve only seen him lob towards Mahito. Hell, it’s the same kind of face Yuji makes at Mahito.

I think it’s also telling that Sukuna couldn’t feel anything towards the small things in life. That’s common for anyone who has undergone immense trauma. He was rather cordial about trying this stuff out until Yuji gave his ultimatum.

I’m sure Yuji would give Sukuna more grace if he’d just be honest with his feelings. But this guy is no different than Gojo. He bottles everything up and gets mad at others for not intuiting he’s about to explode.

Strength and Masculinity

Baki the Grappler. This is a manga where men destroy each other’s bodies as a test of strength. It’s poorly written but the art is terrifying and I love it so dearly. Between fights of extreme violence and body horror the characters eat. And that’s it. That’s the manga.

I’ve brought this series up before when discussing how fights can be used as a dialogue between characters. In Baki, many of those combat convos ask the following:

What is strength? What does it mean to be strong? 

What is a man? What does it mean to be a man?

Various characters will answer in their own ways. But I want to focus on the man who seeks to challenge death.

This is a man, who after being raped feels like he’s less of a man. And he thinks that others will see him as less of a man if he ever admits to it. (This happens in Baby Reindeer too.)

In a misogynistic society, women are expected to tolerate sexual assault. Their identity is often linked to experiencing it. Men are expected to be perpetrators of it, not victims. This is why this character calls his rape being shown “the woman within him”.

Echoing this sentiment, Sukuna, in women’s clothing, is quite literally referred to as a girl when Mahito touches him without permission. It’s also treated as a joke. The Baki character doesn’t fare any better in fanspaces. If you mention his name, someone will eventually reply “Yujiro Rapes Mid Diff”. It’s got an abbreviation too: “YRMD”. A little in-joke since the fandom at large refuses to take his assault seriously. 

This is probably why Sukuna refuses to even hint at his abuse. It fundamentally conflicts with his identity. He’s the strongest sorcerer in all of history who would be mocked for being a victim. After all, he did just that to Junpei and torments Yuji over his helplessness. He perpetuates the cycle of shame to protect himself even though he’d benefit more from dismantling it.

And there’s another reason Sukuna wouldn’t be forthcoming with his trauma—predators will take advantage of this vulnerability and revictimize people. It’s often why those who escape abusive relationships find themselves in another. Straight up, that’s why it’s considered safer to not list out your traumas and mental illnesses on dating apps. It’s safer not to trust.

But still, this is something you eventually have to disclose with anyone you’re trying to connect with. Otherwise they won’t understand you or why certain things send you into a panic. And that’s the problem. When is it safe to do that? When can you tell someone of this thing that makes you so vulnerable? It’s not like you can show up to a first date and go, “Hi, I was abused as a child. I need to make sure you’re not going to hurt me. If your voice rises above a certain pitch I’m going to cry on the spot.” If that somehow doesn’t sour the mood, they now have the exact tools to hurt you with. That’s scary as hell.

Sukuna has been destroying absolutely anyone that can have power over him, despite him craving companionship from those of equal strength. Gojo did this same song and dance with anything that resembled Toji until it killed him. It’s a consequence of a coping mechanism this toxic. As long as they are strong, they can’t be hurt like that again. And because they are strong they must endure solitude. The loneliness is worth being safe.

Yuji’s approach to trauma is the polar opposite. He faces it and deals with it. In the same way Mahito forces sorcerers to see the worst of humanity they’ve been overlooking, Yuji is forcing Sukuna to reckon with something he’s been repressing for centuries. This is why Yuji can strike at his soul.

Outliers

This section is for characters I don’t know how to fit into the rest of this analysis and should be considered because of their direct relationships to Sukuna.

Megumi

Sukuna is rather merciful with his kills compared to other characters like Kenjaku. When he’s done playing with someone, they die. He’ll even be respectful about it in his strange little way. Megumi is the sole exception to this, putting him in a very weird spot with the rest of this analysis.

Sukuna forced himself into Megumi’s body through incarnation and has subjugated his soul. And though this has been better for combat as he wanted, Sukuna is noticeably more miserable. Yujikuna before the Culling Games is still the happiest we’ve seen Sukuna. Whether this is from Megumi’s gloominess influencing him or Sukuna no longer having a goal to work towards or Sukuna incidentally retraumatizing himself by repeating the cycle remains to be seen. Maybe it’s all of this at once.

This is probably one of those things that will make more sense to me with more information. For now, I’ll focus on how Megumi’s name means blessing. Sukuna stole Gojo’s Blessing and destroyed it. And if Sukuna is Gojo, he has also destroyed his Blessing.

That kind of makes sense. Mahoraga, a representation of the path to enlightenment, has been destroyed by Sukuna’s actions as Megkuna. Adaptation is something that could’ve kept Sukuna entertained for a very long time since it would evolve with him. It could’ve also killed him and set him free. But he squandered that blessing when used it to satisfy Gojo instead.

Uraume

Uraume is also in a weird spot. They can gauge Sukuna’s mood by his CE and anticipate his needs in an instant. And yet Sukuna doesn’t feel fully understood by them. 

That’s mostly Sukuna’s fault. He didn’t disclose he was a twin to them for over 1,000 years, so it’s unlikely they know the extent of his trauma. However, Uraume dresses like a monk and has the androgynous features considered desirable in the child acolytes that were abused in historical Japan. This could mean they went through something similar to Sukuna and share that connection. It would explain why Sukuna is so gentle towards them compared to other characters. 

In other words, Sukuna should be able to trust them of all people with his trauma. They’re loyal and have always been there for him. So why won’t he do that? 

Looking at Gojo's relationships for an explanation, this kind of reminds me of how Gojo blew off Shoko’s friendship after Geto left. If someone that close to Gojo could betray him, why would Shoko be any different? Plus he’s stronger the more alone he is. And strong people don’t need help with their emotions. (Cue increasingly contradictory and destructive behavior stemming from a combination of trauma and toxic masculinity fuelled by questionable practices based in religion.) 

Yuji differs from Uraume in how he has directly shown Sukuna time and time again that he is a person who can be trusted. Everyone who has admitted their trauma to him has been taken seriously. Sukuna sat there and watched Yuji’s soul never once stray from compassion. He may hate this about him, but Sukuna seems to know he is the safest person to be open with. I think this is why Yuji is being framed as the one to guide Sukuna towards true enlightenment. (Aka addressing your trauma instead of burying it until you no longer understand how it is influencing your actions.)

In conclusion…

I want to emphasize that I am trying to explain why Sukuna is the way he is. To do so I’ve been rather assertive about his trauma despite it remaining unrevealed.

I’m certain something really awful happened to Sukuna. Exactly what I don’t know, but it’s likely something worse than what all the other named characters have experienced. I can say this with relative confidence because of this:

Sukuna himself suggests he has suffered more than Yuji.

Gege has been very careful not to show extreme instances of child abuse outright. If any of this gets confirmed, it’ll likely be vague.

But as it currently stands, I think you can read Sukuna as a victim of CSA. This sort of thing has always been in the manga, it’s just hard to see it.

[jessicap498]

The first iconic image I found is one that has been circulating the Internet as people have made several funny edits/memes from it and posted it on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and more. Former President Donald Trump's mugshot following his fourth arrest of this year was captured at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia a few weeks ago. This image is extremely unique and a true testament to our day and age. Trump is the first (and hopefully last) former U.S. president that has ever had their mugshot taken. Although this may sound like a disgrace and embarrassment, Trump took this opportunity to promote himself and make some money, too. He was seen wearing a t-shirt with his mugshot photo on it in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, which showed that he was selling said t-shirts to promote his 2024 presidential campaign. If his goal was to have his mugshot spread across the Internet and the world, I would say that he is accomplishing that. People have taken to social media and created so much buzz about the photo, and many of them are in fact interested in purchasing merchandise. This is just proof that in the year 2023, we are all cynical and delirious--nothing will shock or phase us anymore, not even a former president being charged for multiple felonies and becoming an object of comedy. As Trump's criminal trials start to approach later this year, we are sure to see his mugshot popping up everywhere.

The second photo I chose is from the first day of the Maui Fires on August 8. Taken by Matthew Thayer for The Maui News, it shows the historic Waiola Church in Lahaina and nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission engulfed in flames. The Maui Fires are coming close to one month now, and it is just barely becoming contained. Maui and its residents have suffered the detrimental consequences of these wildfires, which have taken the lives of 115 (and most likely several more unaccounted) residents. This photo and this entire natural disaster is acting as a wake-up call for everyone in the U.S. and beyond. As the fires were unexpected, Maui was simply unprepared to deal with any sort of disaster of this calibre. Families struggled to evacuate quickly enough, and many had to watch their homes, businesses, community centers and more burn to the ground. Even with some warning from local officials, there was insufficient attention and prevention from the state. People were alerted to evacuate, but were not told when or where they should go. Emergency utilities and essentials such as clean water, electricity/power, housing and transportation were simply lacking and/or unavailable for the hundreds of thousands of Maui residents affected by the wildfires as they continued to spread across especially-vulnerable portions of the island. Residents who were able to escape safely have taken to social media, angry about the mistreatment of their community and asking people to donate any funds that the can in order to rebuild and compensate for those who lost their livelihood to the fires. With each natural disaster that hits the U.S., you would think that the government would be more prepared, but as the Maui Fires show, incompetence can mean the loss of hundreds of lives and irrevocable damage.