#you would not believe how much work it was to just get 500 peoples worth of salad

[medicinemane]

It's amazing how quickly you can make someone turn on your company by making a stupid and insulting move

Force me to go through the front door and scan my card when I have backdoor business that never needed a card before (what? ...I was going to somehow... sneak in and... purchase things with a borrowed card? ...which I totally can't do from the front door after scanning it?)

Or like... twitterify your layout right after your users give you a bunch of money just cause they like you, and then refuse to walk it back

...or all the other things companies do that just kinda piss people off and then they refuse to acknowledge maybe it sucks and is stupid cause "hey, the customers didn't leave"... yeah... yet

[kick-a-long]

subsistance farming

fyi: i have no links or sources for this

but i think the romanticization of farming and communal living as a means to escape capitalism dates back to the roman empire. roman soldiers were promised land to retire to so they could become farmers and part of the landed class. this also meant they could stop making their living from violence and what was essentially never ending camping, crowds, shared cramped temporary spaces, and marching. basically farming was advertised and expected to be a life of plenty, wealth, independence, leisure, and social mobility.

when it turned out farming was none of those things and that most retired soldiers, even with slaves, do not know how to farm or the pitfalls of maximizing crop yield (specifically how fucking hard it is without a life of experience and study) there was a massive food shortage in rome. especially because 1. they bought/stole the land from poor farmers who moved to cities and 2. the military campaigns had gotten better at keeping roman army men alive to retirement by tactics, gear, and employing more of them.

this was one of the reasons for ceasars rise to power, as the head of the senate he decreased the amount of people on "welfare" by capping the level of poverty you needed to be at to get free bread. this fixed the bread shortage somewhat but also it made him insanely popular. this is also one of the reasons he crossed the rubicon, ended democracy in rome, all of which restarted the roman emperor part of the roman empire. this is also what lead to the mainstreaming of christianity with the emperor as champion of christianity.

now we come to america. the american founders loved the roman democracy. they had some fixes which is cool, but the idea that farming was a romantic and leisure activity stuck around. especially because they were fundamentally idealists about the new government and revolution they were fighting. this has always been a part of american ideals. the amount of grizzled farmers that are held up by everyone as "real americans" "real salt of the earth types" "really independent" basically that farmers by their nature are more virtuous and pure than corrupted cities. think of the thanksgiving car commercials that inexplicably include a stern wrinkly man standing by his barn with his pitchfork and overalls, piece of hay dangling from his concerned mouth.

the romanticization of farming from the left springs from the same source. farming is the dream end of all the violence and "work" needed for the revolution. in many ways, evolving a society past farming is the original sin of capitalism. but it's a crock of shit. farming is hard. every communist country starts by trying to get everyone farming and it goes TERRIBLY. when you hear about all the famine then the eventual dictatorial takeovers then the abandoning the principles of marxist labor organization then everyone is back to being a wage slave which basically every communist state has in it's history... that's why.

so i propose: every k through 12 must bring back shop, home economics (learn about budgeting and baking kids. it'll save you a ton of money) and agrarian science as mandatory. even in cities. even if you think it's a waste of fucking time. make agrarian science as real and scary as abstinence only health class. teach americans to fucking respect and fear farmers so they don't want to be them but do want to pay them lest they leave or die out.

there i solved it. everything is cool now.

[artsymeeshee]

It isn't much of an ask, as more of a thank you.

Your heavier toned sea grunk comic with Stan discussing his thoughts of suicide has always held a place in my heart.

I started into the fandom around January 2022, and was pretty introverted getting into it. At that time, I was around 13 years into my undiagnosed depression, and failed one attempt to end it in that span. My introverted nature and being so warped kept me from wanting to engage with others from the fandom. I figured I was an outsider with more issues than what could be handled, and no one would be there for me(and I wouldn't blame them).

I didn't think that around July 2022, people would begin reaching out to me, understanding me, and accepting me. I found kindred spirits and my family. And in September, my best friend found me. She is the Ford to my Stan. She has stuck by me and loved me when I have been unlovable and it wasn't required. And we bonded over our favorite guys of course. She got me into Tumblr, and this was one of the first comics that I saw, and it made me bawl. It felt like talking to my best friend face to face, even 500 miles apart.

Then, shifting into December 17, 2023, I tried again to go, standing in the freezing night on the edge of the local bridge, seeing the dark, and waiting to embrace it. And everything that I loved flooded me in that darkness: My best friend, all my friends I had made, my family, and this comic. Stan felt that way, but he held on, because he got Ford back. It was part of why I stepped down, and just sat for awhile, and took the time to finally get help. Those feelings are now distant and rare when I reached out for proper help.

Even now, I'm struggling, but not wanting to be in that place again. Just feeling like I'm inadequate as a spouse, but we are both working through it. It has been difficult the last few weeks, and this comic emerges again today, and flooded me all over again with the reminder that Stan chose to live, even if it was hell for a long time, and I can do it too.

So, if you haven't fallen asleep on me yet, I just wanted to thank you for making this comic. And for all of them. It resonates with me deeply, and frequently more than you'll ever know, and at points, has kept me here.

Thank you 👉👈

🥺🥺 Oh wow. I don't know what to really say but thank you for opening up and telling your story. I know it can be really hard to open up like that. It makes me happy to hear that things have gotten a lot better, even if it's not 100%.

That comic was a spur of the moment kind of thing because I was originally going to make just a vent post of myself but then something about wanting to get out particular thoughts I've had through Stan seemed like a better approach. Perhaps this could come as a bit of surprise to some but as much art of Ford I've done, Stan is actually the favorite of the two.

I kind of thought that comic was going to be my last at the time. My mind spiraled pretty bad during that time last year and figured that it wasn't worth trying to say how I've been and just leave because I genuinely believed I was better off no longer being part of the Fandom. I still think I do on some days but seeing messages like these or even small encouraging ones is enough to think I am still worthy enough to stay.

❤️

[sh1-n0bu]

O M G i just had a thought. like, you know how kuni is so desperate for validation. this leads me to believe he has a massive praise kink. like he just LOVES LOVES LOVESSS being praised for anything not just during sex but.. ahaha he loves being called your good boy, he's your good boy and he always wants to hear it 🥺

✿ 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 ✿

characters: scaramouche x nb!reader

warnings: fluff, light angst, domestic fluff, scara might be a bit OOC, takes place after scaramouche’s defeat

notes: oh yea def. i feel like him, xiao, heizou, childe, venti, kaeya and diluc would be super into praising. outside of the bedroom as well, since they grew up pretty touch and affection deprived, they would want to DROWN in that shit

‘growing up’ with the knowledge that the person you see as your mother only sees you as a puppet is going to fuck up one’s mind and mentality a lot

not only that but he also kept losing the people he opened his heart to so he just… gave up

joining the fatui and becoming one of their strongest has hardened him beyond any comprehension

every nice words or actions are taken as something with an ulterior motive behind

he can’t even go a day without thinking over what you meant by saying you like his hat

was it a threat? are you trying to get close to him? if so why? could you be a spy? better check on your background

however being defeated and getting a nice therapy session with mama nahida has made his mind place a bit better and healthier

doesn’t mean he would immediately let down his guard the moment you smile at him though

getting into a relationship with him would take a long time but it will all be worth it in the end

would always want to be praised or validated by you, his darling s/o

“mhh you made delicious pancakes love! mind teaching me your ways?”

“hmmp! of course i would. who do you think you’re talking to anyways?”

as if he didn’t had a mental breakdown while practicing to make the perfect pancakes for you every morning until he fully grasped it🙄

would go even far as buying a cook book and trying everything on the book while you’re away on work, so he can make you happy and get a praise or a smooch in return

but he will never in his 500 year old life admit it

a tsundere gremlin

when out in public, he would want to at least hold hands with you but he’s so nervous because what if you don’t like pda? what if you hate how clingy he gets sometimes? are there any fatui in the area?

and when scaramouche finally grows the courage and links your pinkies, he’s over the moon

literally giggling, kicking the air, shouting his victory, jumping around in his mind but he wouldn’t show it ‘cause he’s scaramouche😤

in private he will get clingy, don’t test him

would literally drag you back to bed when you’re getting ready for work just so you two can cuddle

will demand you to ask your boss to give you a break today so he keep cuddling with you

a spoiled brat smh🙄

would want to be praised 24/7 and is willing to do anything for it

cooking? as long as the kitchen isn’t burned down then it counts

sewing the rips and tears in your clothes? what are you, a kid?

getting more control over his vision, his new heart just so he can impress you with a new trick he learned and get a smooch as a reward? hmmph! he already mastered his vision now where’s his smooch [name]?

please praise him and call him cute cheesy nicknames, he will love and cherish it so very much

“hey, i didn’t threaten anyone today. where’s my kiss [name]?”

“but i don’t remember making a deal like this scara??”

“yes we did! now give me my reward kiss!”

spoiled baby🥹

[windvexer]

baby witch here! I’m just curious, bc the question has been eating me up all day, is it possible to get help from your higher self like how you’d get help from a deity? or to even worship your higher self like a deity? or is the higher self just not as powerful as gods or other spirits?

Interesting question!

Not everyone believes in, or works with, a concept of a higher self. Personally, I'm not solid on them existing, but it's not a concept I've explored very much. So this is coming from someone who doesn't necessarily believe in, and definitely doesn't work with, a higher self.

However, there is precedent for people working with important and powerful mystical/hidden aspects of themselves. Consider the hag (am I remembering the name correctly? can't for the life of me recall) and fetch-beast of Traditional Witchcraft.

In Traditional Witchcraft, the witch may seek to discover, connect with, and work with their inner shadowy opposite (the hag), or the inherent animal beast aligned with their personal power (fetch-beast).

These inner aspects constitute parts of the witch, and may be separated from the witch, but are neither the witch nor separate from the witch.

A practitioner of Traditional Witchcraft (and similar practices) may ask their fetch-beast to go out and fulfill some special task, or ask them for a blessing, or ask them for wisdom and guidance. And so forth.

These aspects can be worshiped. I mean, you can worship anything.

Are these inner/hidden aspects more or less powerful than other gods or spirits?

I think this question is based on a fallacy - the fallacy that if something has more power it may be better to work with. I understand the sentiment. People want results, and if so far a practitioner has been hard-up for results (or hasn't really tried anything, and is just looking for the best place to start), it follows that a person might want to just sort out which entities have the most power, and go after them.

I feel confident in assuring you, however, that this is not how it works.

For one, "power" can't really be measured in simple units. We can't say that some spirit - let's say, Valley Oak - has 900 units of power, and my Higher Self only has 500 units of power, so obviously Valley Oak is my top choice.

The first and most obvious difference is that on some fundamental level my Higher Self is me, and has a deeply vested interest in me, and is a personification of my, well, highestness - all my best morality and potential.

Whereas Valley Oak is a tree.

My Higher Self might want to move mountains to do anything to help my personal growth, even if that means I need to get into a sticky situation or two in order to learn a lesson.

Whereas Valley Oak almost certainly does not care about my development, but will definitely help me hex someone. Or put down an unwanted hex.

My Higher Self may be always available to me, ready to help in the ways it deems best, with any situation I ask about.

Valley Oak might tell me it's only free on waning moons and to bring some wine or shove off.

So you see what I mean? It doesn't matter if other spirits are more or less powerful; what matters is who they are to YOU, and what they are willing to show up for, and what they are interested in doing.

Odin might have, idk, 9,000,000 units of power, but if my initiating spirit tells me I'm not allowed to talk to him, then - then what's the point of all that power, exactly? And what's Odin going to do for my hexing that Valley Oak already isn't taking care of? And why would Odin want to help me, anyway?

It may be worth asking yourself that if gods have more power than spirits, why do some people who believe in both only work with spirits?

I hope I'm doing a decent job making my point. It's a little late here.

My baby friend, I'd like to encourage you to consider something that took me too long to figure out:

It may be wise to differentiate between your sorcery and your spirituality.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking out powerful aspects, gods, and spirits with which to work sorcery and get help from. Witches do it all the time.

But you should double-check if you assume that spirits you ask for help are supposed to be the same ones you worship in a spiritual setting.

You don't have to worship gods and spirits to get their help with sorcery,

And you don't have to combine your spiritual pursuits with sorcerous power.

You can worship what you love and ask for favors from those you like doing business with. The two don't need to meet.

[pomefioredove]

Congrats on 500 followers !! :D I really like your writing and would like to request a matchup if that's alright :3 (and if possible I'd like to be paired romantically with one of the second years thank you!!)

I've been told that I'm pretty aloof and stoic at first glance, and I don't talk much unless I really need to, and when I do talk to people my voice is nearly non-existent, but it doesn't take much for me to warm up to someone, and when I do I become really talkative. Especially with my close friends, whenever there's uncomfortable silence I just spout out whatever nonsense I think of first to start a conversation. Otherwise people say I'm a selfless and kind person, and I have to admit that I'm a people pleaser

With my friends I'm sort of like their mother figure, being called 'mom' by a couple of them. But I can be childish and immature depending on the situation and who I'm with (I tend to change how I act with different people) I'm kinda touch-starved honestly, but I'd rather other people initiate it since I'm afraid some people are uncomfortable with others touching them but when I do know they're comfortable with it they best be prepared 😈😈

I'm also pretty stubborn? Though depending on the topic, my opinion follows whatever others believe. Also a procrastinator, perfectionist, kind of a crybaby (?) if someone were to insult me in my face I'd most likely laugh it off or keep silent but after that I'd definitely cry about it so yeah I'm sensitive as well. I have no problem standing up for people but I have difficulty standing up for myself, especially if I don't think it's worth my time and energy. And my mbti is INFJ :D

When interacting with people I get really worried that they may be annoyed with me or the things I say, so whenever somebody goes completely quiet when I'm talking or their expression shows annoyance I tend to just trail off and in the end shut up. My friends have described me as someone who's pretty naive and oblivious, but I think I just blatantly ignore certain things about people so I can believe that they're genuinely good people especially if they're someone I'm close to

I really like writing, but sometimes I'd rather dwell on concepts and world building and end up forgetting everything I've thought about and have to start over from scratch. And I like drawing! But motivation has left me completely I'm afraid

As for my lifestyle, I spend a lot of my time learning or just slacking off. I'm a big academic achiever though I have a really short attention span so you could imagine my issues with studying stuff I'm not interested in. My favorite subjects have to be English and math, while my least favorites are easily history and biology. I'm kind of a clean freak but at the same time I'm really lazy, my current bookshelf is so messy it disgusted one of my friends 😔

I match you with 𝐊𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐥-𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐦

The First Impression:

Another case of matching each other's energies right away! Kalim can just tell you're a good person, and he immediately commits himself to your friendship. You don't have to ask him twice (or ask him at all, really).

Why He Fell:

Your ability to see the best in anyone works for you here, since Kalim actually is a pretty great person! It doesn't take long for you to become comfortable, and soon, you're inseparable (and terrible influences on each other).

Kalim just gets it! Though he might not be the best with getting you motivated, or helping you study, he's always there to cheer you up and never judges. He adores every bit of affection he gets from you, and will gladly reciprocate and spoil you in return.

You're just so fun and sweet and smart and talented, how could he not be enamored with every thing you do?

The Relationship:

Kalim would never, ever, ever in a million years find you annoying. He wouldn't ever make you feel like it, either! There are no awkward silences between the two of you, considering he could talk about anything for hours without even realizing it, and he loves the random nonsense you spout.

It's a perfect people pleaser for people pleaser dynamic, with both of you striving to take care of the other to the best of your abilities. Kalim cherishes your kindness, and meets it with his own tenfold. he adores your attention and loves impressing you. He might even start putting more effort into his schoolwork just for your approval!

It's a fairly sweet and equal partnership.

[endlich-allein]

Article from ad.nl // Translation by Till Lindemann Belgium

Sharon Kovacs records a duet with Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann: 'He just went shopping with me and to the hairdresser'

For her new album, Dutch singer Sharon Kovacs collaborated with none other than Till Lindemann. A striking combination, which ensures a close friendship. “Suddenly I had a kind of personal assistant.”

Sharon Kovacs (32) does not look back on a carefree childhood. As a child she experiences unrest and tension and is placed in various foster homes and boarding schools by youth care. "To pass the time, I used the few hours in which I had access to music to sing my feelings off," she says. She continues to make music and is discovered by chance in 2014.

She releases an EP and is named 3FM Serious Talent. She is in the line-up of festivals, including Lowlands and North Sea Jazz and achieved a number 1 hit in Greece with the album My Love. The large fur hat she wears during performances earns her the nickname 'Wolflady'.

Kovacs has now released her third album, Child of sin.

A duet with Till Lindemann (60), best known as the singer and lyricist of the German band Rammstein, and it's the "the highlight" of the album.

How did the collaboration come about?

Sharon: "While writing the song I immediately thought of Till, I didn't want to just sing the song," she says.

Via via she got contact information. She decided to take the plunge and send Lindemann a message.

,,After two weeks I received an app with 'Hey, Till here, I wanna work with you'. I couldn't believe my eyes."

In no time, the two were on the phone with each other and not much later they met in his apartment in Berlin.

"It should have been like this"

A sign

A nice surprise awaits her in the German capital. “I found out that I used to live about 500 meters away from him, in Berlin. So I could have met him on the street at the time.

It was kind of a sign to me. It should have been like this.”

At home with Lindemann, Kovacs is amazed. “Working with him was a learning process for me. He's a very big artist

I listened as best I could to everything he had to tell me. The most important thing I learned from him is how he deals with the whole music world. I got to look backstage at his shows. They are so huge, it's completely different from my performances. He is 60, but his career is still alive and kicking. He continues to work hard for his passion and knows exactly what he wants. I am very much looking forward to that.”

And no matter how dark and dominant Lindemann's music is, his character is so sweet and good-natured.

,,When we were in Amsterdam, I had to go to the hairdresser. He came along. Alone, without bodyguards or team," Kovacs continues.

,,The two of us just walked along the canals, as you would otherwise do with friends.'' The German metal singer did not turn his hand around for an afternoon of shopping. “I needed some new clothes and suddenly I had a kind of personal assistant. I had to try and put on all kinds of crazy outfits.”

Kovacs is grateful for the collaboration, especially since Child of Sin is so close to her. ,,It's about the annoying things I've experienced in the past, for which I had to go to therapy. Then such a number gets the extra charge.

It still evokes a lot of emotions and sometimes nasty thoughts. ′′ ′′ By agreeing to it, a bit of tension fell away. “I am not alone in this way, we are in this together. Without Till, I don't know if I would have ever released the song."

The video clip – which can be seen later – in which she and Lindemann play themselves and in which the two get into a serious car accident, is the icing on the cake for Kovacs. This was recorded in Amsterdam and in the private hospital of the coroner from detective series Baantjer.

“It will be an intense clip with him, but that's how I wanted it. It was a huge set. There were about thirty people at work, a very large production. But it was all worth it. People really believe in the song, the collaboration, the message, and they're somehow touched by my song.

I'm just too proud of that."

[scarlettriot]

Heh, yeah, it’s about to be another series folks

Pairing: Demon!Kirishima X Demon!f!Reader

Warnings: Demons (obviously), Character Death (becoming a demon), mentions of cancer, hurt comfort.

Contains: Aged-Up Kirishima, Kiri and Reader both have demon forms. Readers is not described so picture them however you like ♥️, mental break down, and angst!

Word Count: 2.1Kish

A/N: This really was just supposed to be some random ass idea I had but it's kinda gotten out of control... whoops. Hope you all enjoy it though. There will eventually be a part two.

No one knew about the deal with a demon Kirishima made when he was just 15 years old. The one that granted him 20 years of courage and strength to always stand up and protect those in need. 

In exchange, at the end of those 20 years, he’d become a demon himself. His mortal life would be over, and his life as a demon would begin. He’d serve for 500 years. Making deals of his own to gain power he could use once his contract was up. 

To a 15-year-old just wanting to be brave, the deal seemed worth it. He signed his name, and that was that. 

And, so, at the age of 35, Kirishima’s mortal life came to an end, and his life as a demon began.

He left everything he knew behind. His wonderful family, his amazing friends, and his partner, who he loved more than anything. They believed him to be dead, but really, he’d just changed. Become something different. 

Still, he belonged to the underworld now. He had a new place to live. A new body that was definitely gonna take some getting used to. He couldn’t just go back and pretend like nothing happened.

But he did good in those 20 years. He made the most of every second! And he couldn’t take back what his younger self had done, so he tried to focus on the good and not on what he lost. 

Now, he had 500 years to make new contracts and deals. Every one of them would bring him greater power in the afterlife. But that was so much easier said than done. 

The problem was Kirishima retained too much of his humanity to form most of these deals. To take things people held dear because they were desperate for solutions. He still just wanted to help people at no expense to them. And most of the time, he did just that.

It started to break him down, and as his neighbor in the underworld, you watched as every day his shoulders slumped a little further, his head hung a little lower, and you really started to feel for the man.

You'd said hi to him in the weeks since he moved in, and at first, he’d smile and wave. Make some small talk, and you exchanged names. Slowly, you started calling each other friends and opening up to each other little by little, but there was always this sadness in his dark eyes that never really went away. His smile wasn’t as full as you imagined it once might have been. 

And, lately, he couldn’t even meet your gaze, let alone say hello. It was odd to see a man so big look so very small. Until the day he came home and didn’t even bother closing his door. 

Worried for him, you followed him inside. 

“I can’t do this–!” He roared, falling to his knees with tears in his black eyes. You asked him over and over what happened, sinking to the floor with him. 

“A– a mother– I felt her calling for help, so I went.” You nodded your head, following his story. Demons could not only sense each other but also souls of the desperate with nowhere else to turn; it made finding those willing to deal easier. “She was in a hospital. Her baby– her little girl– she’s got cancer. She’s only got a few weeks left to live. The mother wants to make a deal; her life for her daughters…” 

He wept openly in front of you, his head falling onto your shoulder. “How– How am I supposed to take a mother from their child? How is that fair! But, that little girl could have a life–” Kirishima just broke off into rigid sobs. 

Your arms wound around him. You hated the way the system worked. Demons like Kirishima were contractually obligated to obtain years of life from mortals. They didn’t always have to ask for years as payment, but it often seemed like the best deal because those years granted you power and respect, and you gained higher standing within the underworld society. Why would you think to ask anything else of a mortal being? Of course, there was more to it. A deal was never that good. The whole point of contracts was so the underworld could continue to run. Without years of life, the underground would go dark. A portion of every contract would go to ensuring that didn’t happen. Every Contract Demon had a quota to fill, but it was up to them how they achieved it. 

Making deals with the helpless and hopeless was never something you could stomach either. But, deals with mortal garbage… well, you rested easy knowing they got what was coming to them. It was a decent exchange; you got some power and met your quotas, and their lives would end abruptly, and they could never torment anyone again. But those deals weren’t enough to free you from your contract so quickly. 

“Kirishima, do you know there’s another way out of the years on your contract?”

Slowly, he pulled his head back, “What?”

You nodded, “If a demon doesn’t care about power, they can still help people outside of contracts and dealings. Obviously, the help they grant isn’t as great with the lack of power, but for every soul you aid, a year is removed from your contract.” 

“But… the quotas…” 

“Yeah, but there are plenty of horrible people wanting deals, you just have to know how to find them, and I can help with that.” 

“Why the hells would I want to help awful people? They don’t deserve–” 

“Kiri, I know they don’t.” You cut him off, and he quieted, “You give them the bare minimum and then snatch the rest of their lives. It does a lot more good, you meet your quota, and you gain some strength. That strength can be used to help people even more.” 

He blinked a couple times like he was processing everything you were telling him. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” 

“It worked for me. 250 years of service, done in 10.” 

“Why doesn’t everyone just do this then?” 

“Because helping people takes more time. It’s not as easy. And there’s not many demons who retain enough of their humanity to care enough.” 

“It’s not that hard, though. I’ve been doing it since I got here.” 

You smiled softly because that showed just how much of Kirishima’s humanity really was left. You wouldn’t be surprised if damn near all of it was still intact. 

You held his face in your hands and brushed away his tears, “Then you probably already have a few years taken off. C’mon, let’s go to the records office, and we can check.”

It was the most hopeful you’d ever seen the man. He actually stood at his full height, towering over most other demons you passed. He walked so damn fast down the street with his wings tucked in that you practically had to jog just to keep up with him! 

The two of you waited in the obscenely long line at the office and were finally called back to a cubicle.

“You’re sure you want to discuss your contract with another present?” The slender agent asked, looking down their nose at you. 

Kirishima nodded his head. “Yes, they’re completely fine! Could you just tell me how many years remain on my contract?”

The agent adjusted their glasses and looked at the front of his life. Their prompt laughter made both you and Kirishima frown. “You entered your service just this year! What in the hells makes you think you have any time deducted?”

You reached for his hand, offering some support. “Could you please just tell him what remains?”

They rolled their eyes but flicked open the file. Eyes scanned along the pages, down to the proper section, and then they went wide. “Twenty years…” They mumbled, and both of you thought they meant he had twenty years taken off.

“That’s a really good start! You’ve only been here a couple months and–” 

“No,” The agent cut you off to correct, “He only has twenty years left to serve.” 

“WHAT?!” 

There had to be some mistake. The three of you agreed on that right up until the agent noted what he’d done in his mortal life. “Oh, I see you were a Pro Hero.” 

“Um, yes, yes I was.”

“A rather selfless one at that.”

His hand went to the back of his neck. “I dunno about that. I just did my job as best I could.” 

“And modest, too,” They mumbled, quickly leafing through the rest of the pages before addressing him again. “Mr. Kirishima, when a person helps or harms an individual, those actions are taken note of. It doesn’t matter where you go for the afterlife; these instances of help and harm are still called into consideration. What afterlife you end up in dictates what is done with these, let’s call them, points.” 

“Demons use them to either add years if harm has been done or reduce years if help. Now, an average mortal might help or harm a person or two in their life, it’s negligible really, and they often don’t know it’s happening. The exceptions are usually medical professionals and those in careers that protect people, as you were. Those people, when their time comes due, they usually end up, well, not here.”

The agent pulled out a calculator and began entering numbers. “In your mortal life, three people lost their lives as a result of actions you took.” 

You saw the way he shifted uncomfortably in the too-small chair. “Correct. I remember.” 

They nodded and continued. “Right. That would’ve technically brought your total to 503; however, it seems as though the lives you saved as a mortal were high enough that the three weren’t even added to your time. So, as a mortal, you saved 468 lives. Since you’ve become a demon, you’ve saved 12. And that leaves you with 20 to go, and your contract will be completed.” 

The whole walk home, Kirishima grinned. He was quiet but smiling. 

“I– I could go back.” He said the words so quietly you almost didn’t hear them when he closed the door. He looked up at you, “I could go home.” 

The last thing you wanted to do was rip away this newfound hope, but he needed to know the risks. “That’s not really wise, Kirishima. Your friends and family, they think you died. Going back would raise a lot of questions because you’re not who you once were.” 

His smile still didn’t falter. “I still have my quirk! And I will just stay in my human form! I can just tell them I was on some special assignment.” 

“And when you don’t age? When they begin changing, and you remain the same, then what will you tell them?” You took a step forward. “You’ll watch them fade before your eyes.” 

For a moment, he chewed his lip, considering your words and what they meant. “Is that why you never went back? Your service was up in ten years, you could’ve, but you’re still here.” 

It wasn’t something you ever talked about. There was no real reason why you stuck around in the same apartment you started off in. You could’ve moved out. Start over someplace new, either in the underworld or the mortal realm if you were careful enough. You just never really saw the point. And going back to see people from your old life, it just didn’t work out. 

“Let’s just say it didn’t work out like I’d hoped.” 

He nodded, seeming to understand what you were getting at but still, “I’ve gotta try.” He looked so earnest as he spoke, “If I’ve got a chance to see my parents again, my friends, to be with my partner and give them the life I never thought I could. Y/N, I gotta try.” 

His dedication was admirable. It was one of the many things that had you crushing on the massive demon for weeks now. And, so, you’d stay optimistic for him. Keep hoping he’d find a way to make his happy ending come true. If anyone could make it work, it’d be Kirishima. 

“I got twenty more lives to save, and I know you don’t have to by any means–” 

“I’d be happy to help you.” 

He grinned a sharp-toothed smile. The purest one you’d seen in a really long time. With thanks on his tongue, he stepped forward and wrapped you up in a bone-crushing hug. And you decided at that moment you’d be there for him always, no matter the outcome. 

[literaticat]

I was recently asked to do a panel event at a library in a neighboring county. The organizer said I could sell my books there, but when I inquired further she meant that literally, as they can't partner with any bookstores. I explained that as a trad pubbed author, selling my own books isn't something I can really do (at least not without a lot of weird financial/tax repercussions) and she said I could have people scan a QR code leading to my publisher's site to purchase and just provide them with book plates. I'm torn whether to do this event or not. On one hand, I'm sure it will be very fun, I do love supporting libraries, and I don't want to seem like a diva. On the other, I know that my time and energy are worth money, and I'd basically be doing this for free since I doubt I'll sell much via QR code. I am far enough into my career and successful enough that I'm not really interested in doing things just for the exposure. What would you recommend in this situation?

(ETA: sorry in advance, this came out lengthy, scroll to the bottom for my succinct answer if that's all you care about, OP!)

I think you have a good head on your shoulders, and it's smart to value your own time and energy. Yes, you should be paid for school visits and talks and that kind of thing, especially any that require travel, etc, UNLESS they are being sponsored by the publisher, like as part of an organized tour, and there will definitely be book sales, in which case, hey, you aren't going out of pocket and those can be QUITE good for sales.

But it is also a fact that sometimes, you will end up doing things for free, without remuneration and without a guarantee of huge sales, for any number of reasons: for charity, because you believe in the mission of whatever-it-is, for marketing/publicity purposes, or even just because it will be fun!

So you need to just do your own cost-benefit analysis. They'll do the QR code, which is nice, but you aren't guaranteed any sales, so let's say this event will definitely make you zero dollars. OK -- What are the Good Points vs Pain (in the Ass) Points?

For good points: Will it generate goodwill amongst your community or with people whose opinions you value? Is it for a charity or cause you believe in? Will there be potentially decision-makers there -- like librarians or teachers who might love your presentation and want to PAY you to participate in something later? Will it be FUN? Will there be other authors there that you want to meet / network with / hang out with / become besties with? How big a reach will this potentially have? (In other words - are we talking 5 people, or 500 people? Is it an event that might be covered by media? Because while you don't want to do things "just for exposure" when that exposure is dubious -- some great exposure wouldn't hurt!)

For PITA points: How much time will it take out of your life? (Include preparing for it, traveling to it, attending it, getting home, and decompressing from it)? Would it be costing you anything money-wise (gas money counts!)? Would it potentially take a toll on your health (mental health counts!)? Would you have to give up anything that would be MORE important to you in order to do it? (writing time, family obligations, time with your pets?) ETC.

The answers to these will be different from one situation to another, or even from person to person (after all, one person's "fun schmooze" thing is another person's "terrible chore"!) -- so weigh these options FOR YOU and see what you come up with.

Long story short:

It's good practice to say YES to anything that you can comfortably do to promote your book if you are getting paid for it or if the upsides outweigh the downsides.

But it's also healthy to have boundaries, and to say NO when that is not the case.

If you are going to say NO (again, a perfectly valid answer!), do so as early as possible, be extremely nice, and just say you are so sorry, you can't make it work, and best of luck with the event. DON'T frame it as "I only do PAID events" or anything like that -- that WILL make you sound like a diva from hell, even if that isn't the case! DON'T agree to it and then back out, because then you are putting them in the position of not having an event at all or having to scramble, ruining the thing they have spent time promoting, yadda yadda.

So in this case: If you haven't agreed to the event, and you decide the PITA points outweigh the good points, it's fine to decline. If you've already agreed to the event and it's happening soon, just suck it up and do it, lesson learned for next time.

[respectthepetty]

Since I decided the best way to make it through Our Skyy 2 with minimal damage is to drink my way through it, welcome to the sixth round of

CockTails in the Skyy!

This week's drink is Deja Brew since we just saw this group six days ago:

dark coffee for our "tough" boss

vanilla brandy for the boss's babe

soy milk and ice for the men holding it together Tubtab and Jack

whipped cream and chocolate shavings for the disgustingly sweet Three and Zo

I don't like coffee, I didn't like the series, and I don't think I'll like this, but I like brandy, I'm obsessed with how Cher says "Boss" and anything that gets me more ThreeZo and Jack is worth watching.

Bottoms up!

What in the Tom, Dick, and Harry is happening?!

Call him honey, darling, or DADDY! <- Aoi gets it!

Cher feeding Gun who has a visible mustache shadow is hitting a sweet spot.

This is what upsets me - JimmySea and ForceBook have the domestic chemistry down. They excel at, yet had the wildest plots to work with. I hope Last Twilight and Only Friends do these men justice.

The yellow writing that keeps popping up is throwing me off.

Nice to see the wild ass color scheme is still going strong here, Reon!

The friend group is the reason I showed up every week!

Zo threatening his man while smiling is why I love him the most-est.

Cher made that imaginary intern very cute, but we all know Gun, who doesn't like skinship, would not touch that man like that.

Aoi getting more screen time this outing makes me upset that I didn't get MORE of her in the series. She was the best officemate.

I wonder how the office feels about Cher being ridiculous during office hours when he doesn't even work there. I'd be entertained, honestly, because I love other people's drama.

Okay, this is the tough boss I waited to see the entire series! Where was this jerk for twelve episodes?!

The entire office is really asking Cher to get his man together before they Julius Caesar his ass.

Cher constantly wearing Gun's colors is warming my ice cold heart.

I would love to believe that Gun doing 500 sit-ups is unrealistic, but then I remember Force's body-ody-ody and . . . do what you gotta do to maintain, sir.

I've written this before, but Force looks like a marble statue, and I need him to be in a BL about gym bros. Book can play the guy looking to get fit, and Force can be his trainer. Don't let those arm veins go to waste, GMMTV!

Gun is smiling like a ventriloquist, and it's creepy af.

Y'all, I'm really liking this installment. It's the Vice Versa one all over again. What are they going to do to eff this up?

Cher to Gun - "Are you finished or are you done?"

Why is everyone acting sus at this dinner?

I'm clutching my pearls that Cher's bright idea was to have Three and Zo fight.

I'm so conflicted. I want to be upset, but now Gun just gave Cher jewelry! Then Gun was cocky, and Cher slapped him on the ass. I like this.

The Deja Brew has too much caffeine and I feel my heart beating (I don't like reminders that I have a heart), so I'm gonna be a sober seahorse for the second episode. I'm already regretting this.

Moving into Cher's tiny apartment with this small tub thing instead of Gun's apartment with that huge ass tub was a dumb decision.

Every part of me hopes Gun acts just as amusing as Cher in the office.

Deadass, if I worked in this office with a boss whose boyfriend was this entertaining, I would be thriving. I would never have to drink another drop of water because these antics would keep me hydrated.

Jack has no fucks to give about this role-play situation unfolding during his billable hours.

Did this man have confetti in his pocket for this exact moment?! I'm telling you that I'd be living my best life in this office!

If I was that security guard, I would NOT have paid that 80 baht for Gun. Boss man does not need my hourly wage.

You'd be a custard apple or a pomegranate cause you're being extra! <-I'm using this because I love good commentary about *fruits*

I can't keep writing this, but I genuinely like this! Cher slamming his hand on the table and Gun immediately babying him. Urgh! I'm pleased!

This is giving me What's Wrong with Secretary Kim vibes.

Something keeps happening with the lighting to make the guys seem angelic, and I want to know what pressure the lighting department was under to make this work under these conditions.

I have been a vegetarian for over two decades, yet my meat-eating friends are the picky eaters, so I pop off like Gun just did every time I have to order them food. Why is the order so complicated?! Why three different places?!

Gun having printer and copier issues is the office drama I crave.

"That last sentence was lit." - GMMTV's translators deserve a raise.

Oh my gosh! WHERE IS PORSCHE?!

Aoi gets where I'm coming from. She is not going to let her boss and his boyfriend ruin her happiness. In fact, she embraces the chaos.

Cher is playing with Gun's face, and I'm going to fully admit that I liked this entire installment. They even exchanged colors!

The game idea is actually kinda okay-ish.

This role-playing unlocked a kink in Gun because now he wants to receive and give regularly-scheduled commands. Okay, sir, I see you.

Cher's shirt reads "Error Since Birth" and I LOVE IT!

I'm shocked and appalled about what I'm about to do. I thought I was going to be upset watching this, but I really enjoyed it. The color-coding (that I hated during the show) was consistent here unlike the other previous installments (Vice Versa, The Eclipse, and My School President), the repartee between Cher and Gun never missed, and their chemistry was good as usual. There was no Porsche, we didn't find out about Jack's previous relationship, and I'm pissed we didn't get THIS during the actual series, so . . .

8/10 CockTails for giving me most of what I wanted long after I wanted it.

Now, BRING ME MY SLUTS!

And before anyone asks, I'm in a long-term committed relationship with Pat's hair. That's how much I love it.

[journeytothewest-daily]

New volume! Thanks for keeping on! I took some notes for chapter 26!

Wukong (no more Wade Giles uwu) demands that Tripitaka receive his three meals and six teas every day. That's not bad for a mendicant ascetic! I'd quite like to be guaranteed that, hahaha! There's a typo calling him the Tank Monk later in the chapter, very funny.

It's funny how reading Pinyin, which is all anyone uses now, feels unusual, while individual trees having names like Long-life grass of reverted cinnabar seems normal. You can really get used to anything.

I was quite surprised that the immortals are described as youngish-looking! We usually imagine a Greek philosopher-looking sage here, but even Plato was a virile, hairy wrestler once, I suppose! They always carry around gourds with stuff in them; I've seen the like in movies, but were they ever made of gourds, do you think? Pumpkins weren't around in Tang times, at least I think not.

Is Eight Rules and Idiot the same character? The switching between in the same paragraph seems to go against best writing advice, but I daresay I'll not write anything that will survive 500 years! Incidentally, he quotes a saying "put on the cap to increase riches." Is that a real saying or did he misunderstand something comedically?

There are several beautiful poems about specific natural sites here, and I wondered where Chinese people would learn these. Would they have to read them? Are they carved into stones near these rivers and mountains? Is poetry a part of the curriculum? Accented Cinema on youtube said poetry is a large part of Chinese culture, and I'm jealous. We all disliked it in Norwegian class :(

These supposedly rural and simple immortals have jade tea cups and wine goblets! That sounds nice! They should redistribute them to me! Hahaha! They have eternal life, after all, and isn't time worth at least as much as money?

Also, shout-out to the peach thief! Can't believe we got another peach thief here!

1. Same! I too struggle with having that many meals and teas (no money). To be a Tang Monk...

2. About the looking young thing, East Asians have a gene whose name I've forgotten that makes them mature more slowly than other ethnicities. My biologist s/o will kill me if he knew I've forgotten the name. So yeah, in my fantasy or historical despictions even of older people, they won't have many wrinkles (in others do). Remember that Taoism is about prolonging your life, so it's only normal that saints are young looking, while in the West ™ our idea of wise and saintly is Plato, Saint Patrick, etc.

3. I think that the only original to Asia gourd is the Wax Gourd, so they might have been using that.

4. Yes, Idiot and Zhu Bajie are the same and I too dislike a bit the constant change of name. I looked up the saying in English but couldn't find anything, and my chinese isn't good enough to try to translate it back into Chinese and look it up. I know that some of you are reading the OG Chinese book, could you tell us if it's a real saying?

5. Poems are very important in all cultures I'd say, and of course also in China. People who got an education in the past not only had to learn how to write poems but also to learn them from memory. For the imperial exams you were examined on your poetry. I think normal people like you and me in China would have learnt them from memory when a passing singer said them and retained. People used to work their brains more in the past, methinks. If you cared for poetry and you were a peasant, you'd try to memorize it and say it to others so you weren't a base man, but an intelligent peasant, closer to heavens because poetry comes from heaven etc.

5. It's only normal that immortals have jade things :) Maybe they lack in other commodities, but would you rather have a precious jade cup or ten IKEA mugs? I am sure they didn't even buy it, but they just sprung out of thin air in their house when they became immortals.

Thank you for your analysis :)

[ruminate88]

what would you do if…

What if your narcissistic ex randomly started texting you and telling you they’re in therapy, they are trying to change themselves and they realize now that maybe they weren’t the best towards you and they hope they can be in your life still, what would you do or think?

for me, I would be excited for them, but there would still be that part of me that didn’t believe them at all just based off of all the lying and deception they did prior in my life, but I would definitely continue to pray for them, and I would have to let them know that they lost me. They lost someone that wanted to help them, but we probably weren’t even compatible and now I’m with someone that I actually feel comfortable with. I feel safe with my new man. I feel like I can possibly build a good life with him and maybe it’s the safe route, but I would rather play the safe route and I keep my sanity than to risk it all, and to go for someone that I’m not sure they aren’t still having 500 girlfriends at the same time !

A lesson I have learned in my life is you SHOULD forgive people because it frees up your mental health and makes you feel at peace with yourself. It’s good to forgive people; it’s healing towards you, however, you don’t have to trust that person ever again and you can love people from a distance but you DO NOT have to be best friends with them and do not let any of those types of people intimidate you and make you feel bad for not wanting to be close to them because you have healthy boundaries against them, their abuse AND you need to keep those boundaries because it keeps you having a healthier mind! Just trust me because when I dealt with multiple narcissist in my past, I struggled with my mental health every day during that time. I was depressed, anxious, suicidal, I heard and saw scary things all around me, all the time and I struggled to sleep at night because I just I wasn’t happy with my life. I was very confused!! There’s so much fog surrounding the narcissist and frustration. It’s just not worth it!! 😝 It doesn’t mean you hate those people, you just hate the atmosphere they put you in! It’s a VERY toxic atmosphere, and I do pray my exes would find themselves healing and becoming better men BUT that’s between them and God!!! I can’t do anything for them, but love them from a distance…

No one is better than the other person. I’ve never thought “I’m a better person than my exes” no… I just personally believe we view the world differently and they truly can’t feel for me the feelings I felt for them. I believe they think it’s normal to lie, cheat and manipulate to get “success” in life and of course I see the world very differently than them. Doesn’t make me “better” just I KNOW how much safer and healthier I feel without the narcs in my personal space. Keep them far back from me and I don’t know their traumas or problems. They would never let me inside anyway to try to understand. They put on their handsome smiles and act like everything is just great when I KNOW they struggle and hurt inside but I can’t control that either. 🙃🥲

(Don’t forget that forgiveness doesn’t excuse or change whatever that person did to you, it gives you freedom AND helps you to move forward in life. Let that person who hurt you GO and don’t keep holding a grudge but I know it’s not easy because they hurt you so much. Work on it a little each day ♥️)

[angelinthefire]

(for the writing ask meme!) “If there’s anything…” he trails off, uselessly. 

“I did it for you, y’know.”

Cas stops, and turns, confusion on his face.

“Did what?”

“Give up.” Dean says. 

Staring into his whiskey.

“Pull the trigger.”

He looks up from his glass. 

Looks Cas in the eye. 

Says, sounding so tired,

“To bring you back.”

Cas remembers what it was like when the Lance of Michael pierced his guts. The liquifying burn of it. 

“What?” he breathes.

This is worse. 

Cas stares at Dean, waiting for a tell, a clue, as to why Dean would say that, why he would lie. But Dean just watches him steadily. 

And with each passing second Cas feels himself fall to pieces.

With the weight. 

The responsibility. 

The blood that he didn’t know was on his hands. 

Sam’s blood.

And Dean watches. Steady. 

“You don’t mean that,” Cas says. Desperate. 

“Do I look like I’m lying?”

Cas knows what Dean looks like when he lies. It’s not like this. 

He looks resigned. 

“No.” Cas steps forward. Shaking. Pleading. “No. Dean, you saved the world. Sam saved the world.”

The corner of Dean’s mouth curls up, as if he could actually laugh at this. 

“Sam thought… ‘Hey if we’re gonna off ourselves to save everyone, we should make sure Chuck brings Cas back too.’”

Dean takes a sip of whiskey.

“Make sure we get our money’s worth.” 

His eyes slide over Cas’ body. Something dark and dead in them. 

Cas’ coat is still hanging over the chair in the den. Without it he feels exposed. 

“The cherry on top.” 

Dean shakes his head, gulps his liquor.

“He didn’t know,” he says, whisky burning in his voice. “The world coulda stayed gone if you weren’t in it.”

Dean lifts his gaze to look Cas in the eye again.

Like he’s waiting for something. 

After days of getting nothing but distance, silence, and the occasional rebuke from Dean, there’s a part of Cas that thrills at the proof, the hard proof, that Dean cares about him. 

And it makes Cas sick. 

(this scene/conversation absolutely punched me in the gut and i'd love your commentary on it!!)

Regarding this meme:

Pick any passage of 500 words or less from any fanfic I’ve written, and stick that selection in my ask/fan mail. I will then give you the equivalent of a DVD commentary on that snippet: what I was thinking when I wrote it, why I wrote it in the first place, what’s going on in the character’s heads, why I chose certain words, what this moment means in the context of the rest of the fic, lots of awful puns, and anything else that you’d expect to find on a DVD commentary track.

About this fic: https://archiveofourown.org/works/38411026/chapters/95991652

Oooh, thank you for picking this one. Some of the heavy parts of this fic were, honestly, kind of upsetting/depressing to write, but some of them were fun, and this was one of the fun bits. It's the first of the tentpole scenes in the fic, that the rest of the story is strung out between.

It was really fun to just blindside Cas with this reveal. To take his whole self-sacrificing, steadfast approach to Dean and fuck with it. Stick him in the pear wiggler and torture him for a bit.

When I first started thinking about writing this fic, the first big question was: how would Cas react to finding out that Dean killed Sam to get him back? There's a spectrum of denial-guilt-gratification that Cas could land on. I thought about it for a long time, and messaged some people on tumblr, and this is what I landed on. That Cas' immediate reaction is to believe what Dean says, and be overwhelmed with guilt [Sidebar 1: Sometimes I feel like my fics are arguing against that faction of Cas-interpretations where his sense of self-worth is in the negatives, and you wonder how he manages to maintain relationships at all, because he's so convinced that no one can care about him, etc etc.] and then he slips into denial as a way to deal with that guilt, and to avoid upsetting the status quo of his worldview too much. And then there is a little bit of gratification there, just for spice. Because it's interesting. Because Cas is not a perfect person, and he can have base reactions to things too.

And of course Dean is being self-destructive. He's being cruel to Cas, but in a way that he's expecting that cruelty to reflect back and hurt him. By tanking their friendship, or incurring Cas' anger, or something else. And, like, as I write in the next chapter, he does get a certain sense of satisfaction out of hurting Cas this way. It's a satisfaction that comes from getting something over with, getting it off his chest. And a satisfaction that comes from tossing aside a goal and not having to worry about it anymore -- from (he thinks) destroying Cas' opinion of him. Like, the central thesis of this fic is that Dean is not a fundamentally destructive/abusive person. He does absolutely do things that are cruel and that hurt people, but that comes from his own self-defeating tendencies, and he has it in him to change. [Sidebar 2: This fic is also an argument against certain interpretations of Dean]

This scene is also a bit of a meta-textual answer to the people who were arguing on the post that inspired the fic that Dean did not offer to kill Sam to get Cas back, that the point was to bring back everyone else in the world. My answer to that is that in the offer, Dean's life was negotiable, Sam's life was negotiable, but Cas' life was not. And that's the whole point. That emotionally, Dean was there to get Cas back. And technically, he killed Sam to save the world. But Dean knows where he was at emotionally, and that's what haunts him. That he wanted Cas back most of all. And that he killed his brother and got something that he wanted in return. That might not have technically been the trade, but that's the emotional truth of it. And that's what's fucking Dean up.

There was a comment or two that expressed surprise that this scene happened so early in the fic. But the central tension for the first 3/4th of the fic isn't about Dean revealing this to Cas. It's about Dean making himself understood to Cas. And it's about Dean giving up on trying to punish himself in the way that he'd doing here. Like, Cas keeps wondering why Dean tells him this, is it to hurt him, is it to blame him, etc. And then in chapter 9, Dean confirms that he did this for Cas, and he adds the last piece of vital information, that he loves Cas.

I spent a lot of time thinking about line breaks, lol. The frequent line breaks and short sentences/incomplete sentences both slow the eye down, and creates a sense of fragmentation. Which is part of communicating the vibe of the moment.

Another thing that I am always thinking about is having physical touchpoints to ground the scene. Sometimes you read stuff (not just fic), and it's like the characters are actors delivering lines on a blackbox stage. That's something I'm always trying to avoid. And once you start thinking about what's going on physically in a scene that opens up so many more possibilities for using action to punctuate a scene, or to create symbolism, or to set the mood. In this scene, the physicality is all with Dean, drinking his whiskey. And Cas is just standing there, absorbing this information, and the fact that he doesn't have any action, I think, also helps to make him feel kind of ungrounded, which reflects where he's at emotionally. At least, that's how I think of it when I visualize the scene.

And lastly, on the line "the cherry on top" and Cas feeling exposed. It was really, reallly important that through the whole first part of the fic, there was sexual tension between Dean and Cas. Like, they're both grieving, and incredibly fucked up, and just generally in a very dark place, AND they both desperately want to fuck. I think that was a really weird, fun energy to have.

[the-firebird69]

And a thousand watt motor would work with 48 but it's better with 52 and this is the look that would be but he was saying and it's perfect it looks like an e-bike and it's really kind of a motorcycle and it's a fun concept I think this is 500 watts which is not enough

Hera

We've actually had enough no this is great they make a lot of these and what he was saying is the cruiser bike that you have looks like this all you do is add the tank and this is what it looks like and we know it's right because he had one when he was a kid and had a metal tank that you just add to it and you can buy batteries that are shaped like it

Bja

Oh wow that's a good idea and that's why he had it he said is inexpensive lightweight there's tons of them the cruisers everywhere that these dumb hub motors you can put with two different sprockets into like 70 when you throw the switch and it's true

Trump

I'm actually getting on this right now

Tommy f

There's tons of other guys doing it

The Big Hawaiian

I can't believe I'm saying this I have to do this I am in so much love with this damn thing I have to find that lowrider shopper that they put up it's intense and he says I don't remember how to search for it I'm going to find it and I'm going to buy it it's 500 watts but I can switch it out pretty quick this is Grace nothing looks awesome what a nice bike you said the front is a Springer and really makes it worth it the price but I think we can get them a lot less expensive but I don't look for it maybe I'll find a list expensive one but it might be the brand name so I'm checking it out

Transformers the laughing hilarious black guy and that's who I am but he knows my name he can't remember it it's something Peter no

We're going to go ahead and make these now but we're going to buy them and we'll see which one wins because then they'll start making more of when kind and he says I don't think this is what you're getting out of the conversation you can take all these dumb hub motors you have in stock and all these mid motors and everything else that are sitting around and engines from smaller HVAC fans then I'm being used and anything like that electric motor and change and take a cruiser and change it into an evike that can be modified to be an e motor or a moped would be better as that would be legal in their requirements might come out in regular cities so we're going to see that's a way to make money right there I can turn this one into a emoped pretty easy and he wants one

You take the plate off and use it as an ebike and if he has to leave he'll put the plate on and gosh darn it that's a good scam

Mac daddy

Actually we like it people be threatening you all the time and you can actually take off right up the road if you need to and you know probably go like 60 but it would look like all these bikes and people can do this and they can hide with these this is going to be fun

Ben Arnold

Olympus

This is a great thing but he's saying and we need a bigger one but yeah that's funny I said look like a motorcycle and we don't happen to you it still look like a boss sauce I'll still ride on the sidewalk it'll look like Las Vegas after muto and that's funny down the sidewalk but anyways so he's saying bring it bro to me and I'm telling him to shut up they're like little kids sometimes it says I'm going to drive my cruise around circles after you like a little kid on the lawn doing burnouts in the dirt yeah that's great that sounds like fun but really we have something to say it's a great idea as a moped you can go a certain speed it's up to like 60 or something and we need that and if you use this ebike you just you take the plate off if you need to boot out of there you put the plate on and you can carry the plate in a pouch or something in a backpack and it's not a bad idea but he wants to do is leave it at home and if you really has to do it you'll see it fell off you can show them the registration or just say it's my e-bike and I'm pedaling fast but really you can see it fell off but I do understand what you're saying it's for like if something happens he can leave and it's a good idea it's kind of a scam and it might work very well actually they'll all look like this

Preston

They're repeating what he's saying but you're saying that we will gladly engineer it and to meet dot standard specifications and he says if the bicycle or evike really comes close to it we just want to make a small modification and you can start making them tomorrow and that's the idea

Bill

We're going to go ahead and approve this idea for them to start designing and I'm going to send a request I'm going to make some money cuz I have one like this above

Biden and yes for a moped and you can even have settings to make an e-bike it's not a bad idea but really it would expose the idea he says it's true you can do it he's savvy enough

Olympus

[drewkopp]

Burning Out: A Dramatic Monologue - Part 3: Cooldown

I’d love to get some feedback on this piece and the other two parts that follow, which were written as part of a collab between my local writer’s group and the local theater group. I’d specifically like to know if I captured the narrator’s psychopathy through their voice and if their character arc is clear. Each part has to be under 500 words.

Dear Diary

…Hey.

I’m sorry I left you to gnaw on that little cliffhanger for a few months, but I’ve been too busy to check in with you.

A lot’s changed since we last spoke, but one thing’s stayed the same: I still don’t feel like putting other people’s property to the torch.

Don’t worry; my creative juices haven't gone dry or anything. My art’s just taken a bit of a new form, that’s all.

Molotov’s helping me shear away my artist’s block. You remember Molotov, right? The punk I kidnap- removed from an unsafe situation? Yeah, them

Neither of us ended up frozen because Molotov made magic happen with a bottle of hand sanitizer they swiped from the refugee center’s bathroom. Their technique was still mediocre, but I didn't mind giving them a pointer or two. Last week, they got our campfire going with nothing but a stick, a handful of dry leaves, and a dictionary so soaked that the only words I could read from it were  “Hope,” “Springs,” “Eternal,” and “Marmalade.”

Molotov also came up with the idea of selling fire. Huh. Writing that didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would.

We were passing through the skeleton of what I think used to be Saskatoon when we ran into a herd of ex-frat boys trying to turn their three-seater sofa into a cooking fire by using a shattered Budweiser bottle as a magnifying glass. 

My apprentice offered to help them get a blaze going if they shared a bit of the deer they wanted to grill up. Did you know Deer Heart Salad is a thing? I didn’t. Yet another fascinating nugget of Molotov wisdom.

Being a fire merchant scratches my artistic itch better than I thought. If you’d told me that most people don’t know how to start a fire before the apocalypse, I wouldn’t have believed you. It doesn't matter which direction Molotov and I wander; we always find at least one poor smuck who doesn't know how to relive their ancient ancestor’s greatest triumph.

It’s a pretty satisfying dopamine cycle, honesty: Molotov and I meander around until we find some poor soul whose mind has not yet been opened to the ways of pyromancy, then we hook them up if they can match our prices. 

Even when we don’t stumble upon any customers, lighting a campfire and sitting under the stars with Molotov makes me feel like I’ve done something right. I’m almost okay with counting my anti-hypothermia fires as art.

…Almost.

I think I’ve finally realized why I lost my mojo. My work… it’s an act of rebellion. Before, it was a rebellion against a civilization that decided by lottery whether or not people were worth taking care of. Now, it’s a rebellion against the ignorance that civilization allowed to fester.

Being a fire merchant should be enough to keep me busy.

At least until civilization thinks it’s safe to come out of hiding.

[elidelochans]

I’m the previous anon that sent in the ask about Nesta not having another book. I strongly believe that the Valkyries will take over the Prison with Nesta ruling over it as a general. From political standpoint, it makes a lot of sense, or to me it does. And I just love the idea of the Prison being this little sanctuary for the Valkyries with maybe some Pegasus in the future.

As for Azriel’s book, I definitely think plot wise it will involve Illyria for obvious reasons, I know some believe an Illyrian rebellion might happen. And definitely Enalius because of Truth-Teller, Ramiel could be his plot or Elucien’s (or split in half), same with the Autumn Court but it feels more for Azriel’s story since Eris is more connected to Autumn than Lucien, and like you said, Eris has been working with the IC, and then the theories that Gwyn is a Vanserra. Imagine the drama that would unfold, but it would be funny imo. Especially since Azriel hates that family.

I think Gwynriel romance won’t start until the middle of the book/second part of his story, which I’m fine with. I want the slow burn to burn. Please make that man grovel. The first part could be him working on his self worth, unresolved feelings for Mor, and then maybe what happened with Elain. But dealing with Mor feels more important since he spent 500 years obsessing over her. I’m not sure if Merrill will be a villain or not. I’ve seen theories on Gwynriel being a retelling of the Little Mermaid. I think Gwyn helping with research is going to come into play and in the Blood Rite we saw some spy qualities from her, so maybe she’ll go on missions. I think Azriel and Gwyn will become closer from training, teaching each other Illyrian and Valkyrie techniques, late nights researching together, and if she does do spy things then he’ll have to train her for certain things. Also, I think it’s very possible that Gwyn will find Narben based on some things from ACOSF. The Prison is Valkyrie territory, and Nesta is the general that rules over it with Gwydion and Narben safely in their possession.

I could see Azriel and Gwyn discovering something with Ramiel that could be used to build up the plot for Koschei and the mortal queens. Some crumbs might be sprinkled. I have a lot of ideas with Gwynriel. Elucien’s book will be Vassa’s curse, taking down Koschei, dealing with the Spring Court, and perhaps the mortal queens. I want to see courtier Elain and Lucien. They’re the courtier couple. Sorry for the long ask! I’m in an excited mood!

Hey nonnie! Sorry I got busy and then fall asleep didn't mean to leave ya hanging! Don't be sorry for the long ask! Be excited!! I love it!.

Idk about the prison cause they need the prison, and idk how the Valkyries would feel being basically guards there. Not to mention, the IC never wanna go there unless needed. So Cassian and Az, especially if Gwynriel happens, will have something to say about it. Unless they wipe out the prison, maybe which honestly begs the question of what or who else is the prison. But I'm living for the idea of the Prison becoming a place for Peagus so if the prison comes down in here for it. I wouldn't mind them taking over this spot. I just don't want them to become badass prison guards lol.

100% on the second paragraph and I highly doubt the Illyrian rebellion is done. You're telling me it was a huge focal point in acofas and then somehow, off page it was resolved??? Yeah I doubt that. I don't know how to feel about the Gwyn is a Vanserra. I get where people are coming from with it so it would make sense if sjm does it. Since there's already an established family drama plot line with Lucien idk feels like too much of the same to me. But if she's going for Kardashians level of drama for the Vanserras then yeah let's do it.

I have seen the Little Mermaid theory around too and my advice is like for or other folktales and mythology that can be franksteined into it. It's a fairly sound theory but Sarah is and has never been straightforward with a retelling. There are always twists that pull in elements from other fairytale, folklore and mythology. And yeah I definitely agree with your Gwynriel/Az book points. It has to be slow burn for so many reasons. Yeah he says he's over Mor and let it go but did you my guy??? Did you??? The necklace needs to be addressed although I don't think it's going to be this huge thing that alot of readers believe it will be. I think it's gonna be one scene that plays out, and there's gonna be a visceral reaction from Elain. It's gonna be a catalyst for both or one pairing. Regardless if Elain and Az both moved on its still kinda weird to see a gift given to you on someone else. I also think it's important for a Gwynriel romance to be slow burn bc Az is fucking clueless and needs alot to work on and Gwyn has a lot of healing to do.

And yes, I would love to see Lucien and Elain play courtiers. I think, well, I know Lucien can play the court politics game, but Elain would fit into that so well. They both have so much charm, charisma, and observation skills. It's gonna be so good. I'm so pumped for their book. I know a lot of people want and are expecting Gwynriel/Az book. I, too, think it's possible.. but ugh, I want The Elucien book so bad, and I've always been in the camp of its next.

I guess it's gonna come down to who's the big bad...Koschei or Merill? I doubt it's the mortal queens