#zeal is the best of this bunch

[yandere-daydreams]

tw - mentions of kidnapping, controlling behavior, lyla is both Miguel's number stan and number one hater, and blood.

“Are you sure about this?”

“Hey, show a little faith. Have I ever steered you wrong before?” LYLA whispered, hovering just above your shoulder. You paid her a skeptical look, and she sighed, rolling her eyes. “Okay, whatever, but you know who programmed me! You cannot believe Miguel would be able to give me this shining sense of humor.”

That point, you couldn’t argue – even if you still had your reservations. With a deep, faltering breath, you slipped through the barely cracked door and into Miguel’s shell of a bedroom. It was dark, save for the faint red glow emanating from some half-finished electronic weapon he’d been revising and adjusting for as long as you’d known him, and of course, Miguel was still asleep. It looked like he’d made a half-hearted attempt to pull one of his thin sheets over himself before collapsing face-down on the center of his bed – which was, in all fairness, probably exactly what happened. You’d learned his routine, by now, knew that he’d likely only sleep for another three hours or so before dragging himself out of bed and back to his surveillance room. This might’ve been the first time you’d actually seen him in bed, rather than hunched over one of his many consoles or laid across a bench in one of the lesser-used hallways, having given into his exhaustion before he could make it anywhere more private. You didn’t like it. It reminded you too much of waking up in the middle of the night to Miguel looming over you, silently leering as you pretended not to notice him, even if there was a world of difference between what he’d done to you and what you dreamed of doing to him.

You stepped over the threshold, then paused. “Why am I here again?”

“Blackmail.” Miguel had mentioned off-handedly that LYLA couldn’t feel human emotions, just imitate them, but you could’ve sworn you heard a note of pure zeal in her voice. “You get the picture, I spread it around, and we both benefit.” Your phone buzzed, and you fished it out of your pocket. It was practically a brick (being locked inside Miguel’s spider-fortress meant you were blocked from contacting anyone outside of that fortress, apparently), but you still liked to keep it nearby. In the futile hope that you’d be able to call someone, anyone if you did ever make it out of Miguel’s reach, one day. “He still hasn’t gotten over the 2099-Burger. You’ve seen it, right? That was some of my best work, you should’ve seen—”

You shushed her, and LYLA flickered out of sight before reappearing on the foot of the bed, a polaroid camera now hanging from her neck. Slowly, carefully, you moved forward, only to pause when you actually reached Miguel. He wasn’t wearing anything, because he never wore anything aside from his nanotech and maybe a threadbare pair of sweatpants, if you caught him after a shower. It’d been too long since his last haircut. It was already splitting at the ends, fighting against his half-hearted efforts to comb it back and falling over his face, distorting part of his (relatively) peaceful expression. Even unconscious, he was frowning, but the dark circles under his eyes were less pronounced, his lips contorted into something that was more of a pout than his usual scowl. No wonder LYLA wanted a picture. There had to be more than a few Spider-People who’d want proof that their irritable leader could be something other than angry.

Half stalling for time, half trying to talk that better taste off of your tongue, you turned to LYLA. “Remind me why you can’t just take you own pictures, again?”

“Some of us are just a bunch of flashing light. Hot flashing lights, but y’know, lights.” She held up her miniature camera, and you looked away before the flash could blind you. “C’mon, you can’t say you don’t want to get back at him.”

Right. Getting back at him. This was supposed to be your way of getting back him. He kidnapped you, tore you away from your loved ones, locked you in a case of glass and metal, and you were going to help his AI assistant take a picture of him sleeping. The perfect revenge.

Digging your teeth into the inside of your cheek, you raised your phone, but before you could take LYLA’s picture and retreat back to your own room to sulk, an alarm you hadn’t set went off at full volume. You cursed under your breath, stabbing blindly at the screen in a panicked effort to shut it up before Miguel woke up, but an arm lashed out from Miguel’s heap before you could, catching you by the waist and dragging you into his chest just as the alarm mysteriously when silent. You clenched your eyes shut, bracing yourself for his claws embedded in your skin, for a growled threat, but nothing ever came.

You forced yourself to open your eyes and found that, despite everything, Miguel was still unconscious. You heard a camera shutter behind you – LYLA, her grin too smug not to be genuine. No doubt, you’d be able to see her handiwork on every screen she had access to by tomorrow morning - meaning, of course, every screen in Nueva York. “I thought you said you couldn’t—”

“He’s a deep sleeper. Very reactive, though – did I forget to mention that?” There was a pause, a wink. “Oopsies.”

You grit your grit your teeth. “Are you at least going to make him let me go?”

“Ah – flashing lights, remember?” Again, she flickered, reappearing an inch or so away from your face. “I’ll see you in the morning, lovebirds!”

You opened your mouth, but she was gone before you had the chance to protest. Still, you squirmed against Miguel’s vice-like hold, attempting to shove at his arm only for another to wrap around his midriff, only for him to pin you that much more tightly to his chest. There was a low, heavy grunt, then his nose nudging against the side of your throat, his lips ghosting over your skin. Slowly, instinctually, his fangs pushed into the curve of your neck, drawing out a pained whimper, a thin trail of blood. His teeth lodged in your throat, his body wrapped around yours, he settled against you, his breathing falling back into a steady rhythm. Making sure you’d stay where you were until he woke up – whether that was in one hour or eight.

It was all you could do to take a deep breath, close your eyes, and hope LYLA would lead you to a swifter death, next time.

[sgiandubh]

What makes a very mature and educated woman confuse the charisma of Jamie and Claire and fall behind the illusion of Sam and Cait?

Look at this picture and many others, look at Cait's smile and the happiness in her eyes

Look at the color of Tony's lips, I don't need to continue

Below this picture are many pictures of them from many years ago

This man has been a reality since 2015, so let us accept reality even if we do not like it

Note: I would love to read everything you write aside from Outlander and S&C

Dear (b)Itchy Anon,

Ah, yes. You folks are definitely a very predictable bunch, because you simply cannot help yourself and just have to do it. Every. Single. Christmas. Eve. For reasons transparent enough to make you & your kin instantly unlikeable.

I was just thinking, the other day, believe it or not. I was thinking of the disingenuous way you - or someone like you - engaged with @cb4tb on another Christmas Eve and told myself: 'I bet the farm this year it's going to be me'. And here we are, with a rather long - and also, rather curious- comment. What am I going to do with you, Anon? Just write a rather long and ironic answer to your delirious rant, what else?

Calling me 'very mature' made me spit my Pepsi - always better in Romania than the eternal Coca-Cola - and I have to dubiously and cheaply congratulate myself, too. In about six months, you were forced to transition from 'Christ, shippers are stupid' to 'Golly, some -if not most - of them really are educated people'. An apparent paradox that never made you question your surroundings.

For instance, I do not need to wear a turban, sport a cigarette holder, rent a garish tent and call myself Miss Cleo, in order to tell with eerie precision English is not your mother tongue, either. You still do have a big problem with phrasal verbs, because you couldn't have possibly meant I 'fell behind the S&C illusion', but rather that 'I fell for that illusion'. You see, falling behind is 'failing to do something in time' or 'being late with a due payment' or 'being unable to make the same progress as one's peers'. We, shippers, naturally have this kind of superpowers. And seasoned bullshit-o-meters, too.

For your information, I haven't. I explained it at length. There is no possible way to do it if one uses common sense and street smarts only. What I did see, along with thousands of other people, mind you, had absolutely -forgive me, Father, for I am about to sin again - fucking nothing to do with Seamus and Sorcha. I mean, d'oh - is this your best argument, Anon? That sad, wilted talking point? Wow. Just wow.

Then, you totally lose control and take The Scarecrow out of the closet (yes, pun totally intended), in the hope you'll make me screech with dread & horror, I suppose. Exactly which one of the five to ten max Tait pics am I supposed to look at? The one at the marathon, where he checks her pulse? The one in Australia, when he pitifully dangles that stick on a beach? The one with the flute? The fist-in-hand one? The one at this year's IFTA, where she looks through him and he begs for a smile? I shall never know, because you do not add any picture and since I am not Miss Cleo, there's no way I could ever guess. Instead, you describe Neverland in Technicolor, lips included (so help me God, I never looked at McIdiot's lips: I take pride in being mentally sound). Indeed, there is no need to continue, Anon, lest you would insist to ridicule yourself.

This man has been a (questionably) useful prop since 2016, in order to give credence to a narrative. You all know it. You all deny it. You live in a parallel reality, currently embraced by PR. Amen. That does not give you the right to police this fandom and no, your derailed zeal will not get you any Brownie points from C.

Speaking only for myself, I will tell you one last time: I will never blindly accept a convenient compromise fiction just because TPTB and/or PR tell me so.

Note: I doubt my writing interests you. I really do, because I don't deal in fanfic. And even if I am an Oriental, know flattery never worked with me. In fact, I can't stand it.

It's Christmas. Take a break from all this pathetic hatred, Anon: if you have but a cell left of humanity in yourself, you can't possibly be proud of this message and there are far more interesting and meaningful ways to spend this special day. He came for you, too. And that is the most important thing in the world, right now.

[nellie-elizabeth]

What We Do in the Shadows: Nandor's Army (6x05)

I really am loving all the Nandor and Guillermo stuff this season...

Cons:

Honestly, I can't really think of particular cons on this one, other than one punchline didn't quite hit in terms of the dialogue. When Nandor's real army turns up at the end, it was really funny and it totally made me smile! But then there's this immediate reaction shot from Guillermo and he has a line like "What? Nandor's army is real?" and then later an interview cut with Nandor where he says "of course the dummies were just for practice! What, did you think my army was really just a bunch of dummies?" Not exact quotes, but pretty close. And those two lines just felt like... telling instead of showing? Like it was the most uninteresting way to reinforce the obvious joke to the audience, and I found it odd that those lines didn't get a little more juice. Honestly, you didn't need dialogue from Guillermo at all, just an incredulous look. And Nandor's bit would have been funnier if he'd been talking to Lazlo and Nadja, who then would have to react in the moment and insist they hadn't thought he was crazy enough to have an army of mannequins, of course not... This is ultimately a small point, but it felt like the shell of the joke was there and they didn't fill it in well.

Pros:

But honestly, this episode was a solid win across the board! Colin had a funny recurring bit here of being the only one of the gang to be actually zealously interested in Nandor's army, taking to the training and his task as logistics coordinator with real zeal. In the end, Nandor has to knock him out and drag him back to the car to stop him from charging after the army that Nandor's sending away to wreak havoc elsewhere.

Nadja and Lazlo had a genuinely sweet subplot about the state of their relationship! She's frustrated that he's always making decisions and leaving her in the dark, and he expresses that she's so wonderful and perfect in every way that he wants to be the best for her. They then team up to break into a fireworks shop as part of their plan to help Nandor. I really liked this little moment where she stood up for herself and Lazlo made some typical blunders and then circled around to being oddly sweet in his own stupid way. I loved the bit where he calls out that he'd meant to say something "with the exact same meaning but that doesn't piss you off", which was hilariously honest of him.

What makes the Nadja and Lazlo relationship so great is that it's often ridiculous and silly and full of comedic overreaction, but there is an underpinning of real feeling there too. It heightens the comedy and gives it stakes. And that's how I feel about the Guillermo and Nandor relationship too. It's patently ridiculous when you drill down on the specifics, but the bigger themes of loyalty and betrayal and life's purpose are more universally applicable and have a real emotional core to them!

Guillermo's conclusion here that the two of them need to find different life purposes and that those purposes might take them away from each other, is really melancholy, and honestly I would have hoped for something else... we'll have to see where we land when we get to the end of the season, but I am bummed about it. Still, as an arc of actualization for Guillermo, I would love to see him escape from the master-servant relationship with his current boss and realize that he doesn't need to position himself in that servile role at all. Maybe some way, even if being a vampire isn't for him, he can take on the status of leadership implied by his Van Helsing blood, as a protector of humans against vampires, a guardian of the boundaries between these two different worlds living side by side.

I'm always going to love that it's Guillermo who can get through to Nandor in the end, when none of his fellow immortals can. Guillermo is the reason he's turned to such a drastic place, and Guillermo is the one who can pull him out of it. I have given up all hope that they'll take this story in a romantic direction, at least not explicitly stated, but I still have fun with the fucked up depth of emotion between the two!

9/10

[danwhobrowses]

One Piece Chapter 1124 - Initial Thoughts

Well it's an early one and a late one it seems

early in that it's on Thursday for Scanlations but late as in it's very much nighttime for me, but we're in the lull between arcs as Egghead starts to officially wrap up

Let's see what the fallout is

Spoilers for the Chapter, Support the Official Release too!

Yamato's latest pit stop is the noble effort of stopping a kidnapping, I wonder if this leads to another met character

If he had people following him I'd have called it Oden-esque to how he picked up the scabbards

Starting with Morgans and he's ready to spin his little weave of tabloid hysteria

Vivi however continues to stand her ground against him, despite Wapol's attempts to calm her and remind her that they've found asylum with Morgans

Morgans also notes that since his flying ship means he doesn't touch the sea, he's safe from the flooding world anyway

He does thinly threaten Vivi though, implying his status will be greater because his ship can fly, but Vivi refuses to grovel even if it meant drowning with the world

Morgans does have all the other headlines to deal with too, the Yonko battles with Kid and Law, but unsurprisingly he's pinning Vegapunk's death on Luffy - despite Vivi's objections

The outside of Egghead is quite save for someone calling in a report

Sentomaru escapes on a small boat as the rest of the Navy's unconscious too, good, glad he wasn't captured

Kizaru picks up the Den Den Mushi, with an irate Akainu asking for a status report

Kizaru remains vague, noting everyone was laid out but they'll brief him when they come to

Akainu accuses Kizaru of 'slacking off' and it seemed to hit a nerve

In an uncharacteristic move, Kizaru talks back to the Fleet Admiral, asking if he's ever had to kill his best friend

Kizaru remembers meeting Vegapunk, a ruse of an arrest is seen through by Vegapunk, who asks what pay the WG is offering

We see him partake in the construction of Egghead, with Kuma, Bonney and Sentomaru, and then his perspective of killing Vegapunk

His shades barely show his eyes, but the veins are pulsing and the tears are just showing as he tells Akainu that if he has time to doubt him he can just see for himself

Akin to when the quiet kid lashes out in class, Akainu backtracks, calling him 'brother' may've been a bit much even for Kizaru

Back at the Longboat and Sunny and the tone is quiet, again uncharacteristically

Franky and Jinbe discuss how Luffy's not one to call off a party, he was dejected from the fact that they had failed their mission in taking Vegapunk from Egghead

Franky, sporting a cowboy look, reminds Jinbe and Zoro - who is drinking nearby - the odds that were stacked against them, which Jinbe agrees with

Zoro remains cold about it though, stating that Luffy can't take every loss as badly, which the other two point out as harsh

Lilith awakens, she looks weird without her jacket

Usopp, Nami, Chopper and Sanji welcome her awake

They were all resting on a lounge chair on the giants' ship, they needed a ladder just to get up

The group apologize to Lilith for failing to save the other Vegapunks, but Lilith says she already 'heard' what happened

Rather than explain, she bursts out crying

'How are you the Evil one again?' Usopp please that's low on the list of questions

Instantly she's back to being happy, and hungry since she's no longer connected to York, so the group point her to the fruit table

Luffy's there eating, but not with his usual zeal

Upset with having failed to save the Stella, Luffy's only mustered up 5 bunches of giant grapes

Lilith once again notes that she heard about it, but seems to avoid elaborating, instead she notes that she cried mourning their deaths but then shifted her perspective

She tells the group - to their surprise - that none of the Vegapunks are dead

The group are naturally surprised and confused, she clarifies that they're 'functionally dead' but nothing further

But she does put Luffy at ease in pointing out that he technically kept his promise

This of course leads Luffy into end-arc party mode

Robin's okay too, and looking forward to the prospect of seeing Saul

The giants ask for a toast, with discussions about Vegapunk's broadcast stating that whoever finds the One Piece will shake the world

Luffy remains adamant about his dream and declares that regardless of whether people are with them or against them, they'll be King of the Pirates

A new format of narration hits with a scroll design, venturing through to Elbaf

a shadowed person awaits on the land of Elbaf, as we seem to officially set up the next arc

Annnnd a break next week too, I guess it's a fitting time for it

That chapter kinda flew by for me

A lot of things were short and sweet or just beat after beat Seems a shame not to follow up with Stussy or CP0, plus we got nothing from York or Saturn this chapter. Also no Bonney and Kuma on the other side of things. We at least confirm that Kizaru was torn up about killing Vegapunk which, yeah it's nice to see him feel remorse but like...it's still murder you know? You had opportunities to not do that but you chose the oppressive government over your own morals. So it is hard to show sympathy for him, even if it is a little cathartic to see him snap at Akainu.

Morgans and Vivi's cagey dynamic will look to continue, though one would like to hope that Vivi finds her way to someone that doesn't anger her so much. Morgans is still a weird one, he seemed to place his chips on Luffy but he's also throwing him under the bus for sales, he has like 5 different major events happening he doesn't really need to falsify anything. I guess Oda's just drilling home to not trust the tabloids.

Seeing Luffy not wanna party was odd but I'm glad we did point out that the mission did technically fail, but I guess technically did not? Lilith hasn't explained so I feel like Oda's saving it for something else, saying 'functionally dead' makes me think that when the others 'died' they simply returned to the brain jar, since technically they are satellites and I guess their personality and character was pulled from Punk Records' wifi hive mind. We'll have to see when it's clarified, but it seems next will be Elbaf. I am worried that Robin will end up disappointed with hoping to see Saul, but given how insane Egghead has been anything can happen, would like to see more shine on the crew though; most of the crew didn't end up doing a lot this arc, the Monster Trio got their heres and theres but the rest felt written out or secondary so hopefully Elbaf is the place for the massive Yonko-level W.

All that's left is to wait.

[muralikesgames]

∞ Arisen & Pawn Character Introductions

Template by @arisenreborn

♛ THE ARISEN:

NAME: Hildegard AGE: 26 RACE: Human PRONOUNS: She/Her PREFERRED VOCATION: Fighter FAVORED GIFTS: Aged Beast-Steak FAMILY: None that she knows of anymore

POSITIVE TRAITS: Keeping herself mentally and physically fit NEGATIVE TRAITS: Temerarious; self-deprecating when facing failure. LIKES: Exercise & swordsmanship; aged meat; long travels on foot; the sound of nature; camping; writing about recurrent pawn hires in her journal DISLIKES: Facing her own weaknesses; thinking about her best friend's death; all kinds of fruits except berries; crowds and city\large town life

1. What was their life like before becoming Arisen?

Orphan and raised in Harve Village before leaving to become a soldier. She was trained for a time under Beren, before taking the duty of carriage guard. She was tasked to guard carriages going to Checkpoint Rest Town, where she met a fellow guard on the other side of the town named Kassandra, a Battahli mage. They became best friend despite the political tension between the two countries, treating the Rest Town as their meeting spot. Through their relationship, they learned a lot of each other's culture.

2. How do they handle being Arisen, and the responsibilities that come with it?

She took the charge as a personal redemption path for what happened to Kassandra, taking it head-on, sometimes with too much zeal.

3. What are their thoughts on Pawns in general?

She values skills and perseverence a lot in people, and Pawns have both. As a result, she's always seen them with respect and as "people," regardless of how they were treated in Vermund because of their relationship with the Sovran.

4. What's their relationship like with their main Pawn?

At first, she was taken aback because her main Pawn's almost an identical image of her late best friend. This made it harder for her to cope with the loss, but traveling together allowed Hildy to see Kass as her own person more and more.

5. Do they have any interest in being Sovran? What are their opinions on the politics of the world in general?

She has no interest in being Sovran, but will gladly take the role if it meant she can help people with more reach. If, however, becoming Sovran barred her from hands-on involvement with the troubles of her would-be kingdom, she'd relinquish her seat with no hesitation.

6. Who are their love interest(s) and/or closest friends?

As she's aroace, she has no love interest. Her closest friend used to be the Battahli mage Kassandra before she died, but in modern day, Beren, Ulrika and her main Pawn are the closest.

7. What drew them to their preferred vocation? Do they have history with it?

She's always trained with sword and board since a young age. The core concept of balancing offense & defense's integral to her own general approach in life.

8. Do they have any hobbies? Any way of relaxing between all that monster-slaying and traveling?

Physical activities and Hildy go hand-in-hand. Whether it's daily exercises and swordsmanship, or traveling long distance by foot, she finds solace in them. However, camping within the natural landscape of Vermund's the greatest reward after such a journey. At times, she can be seen writing her thoughts about recurrent pawn hires in her journal.

♟︎ THE PAWN:

NAME: Kassandra AGE: Unknown RACE: Pawn (Human) PRONOUNS: She/Her PREFERRED VOCATION: Mage/Sorcerer FAVORED GIFTS: Bunch of Flowers FAMILY: She considers her fellow pawns as family.

POSITIVE TRAITS: Protective and kind, she gives a motherly warmth to anyone she interacts with, save for her enemies. NEGATIVE TRAITS: Her protective nature can go overboard, making her insufferable to some people. That aspect can also make her throw her own safety away for others, even when it's not necessary. LIKES: Tea, flowers and fruits; meditation; the warmth of Battahl; collecting various attires DISLIKES: Seeing her Arisen and Pawn comrades being hurt; Volcanic Island Excavation Site;

1. What was their life like prior to being summoned by their Arisen?

While she tells Hildy that her life started the moment she was summoned by her Arisen, her wisdom and knowledge seems to contradict that statement. If she had a life prior to it, she either doesn't know of it, or she's lying.

2. What is their opinion on the Arisen? How do they view their relationship?

She views Hildy with love and respect, admiring her courageous nature, but also often fearing for her for that very same trait. Regardless, she knows that both of them will adapt to each other's strengths and weaknesses to make the best teamwork. Such thoughts bring comfort.

3. Is there anything about the Arisen they find troublesome? Be it a small quirk or bad habit? (Or are they obviously flawless?)

As previously mentioned, Hildy's temerarious nature can be cause of concern for Kass' protective nature. She knows that her Master's strong, but she's not invincible.

4. What is their specialization and is there any story behind how they cultivated that skill set?

She specializes in Woodland Wordsmith, and has cultivated that skillset to help Hildy with communication. She knows that her Master's strong sense to help others would also compel her to aid the elven folk as much as humans and beastrens. Having that specialization ensures smoother interactions when helping and befriending them.

5. Do they have any thoughts on the politics of the world and their place in it as a Pawn - or how Pawns are treated?

She has a particular love for Battahl, which makes it even more unbearable that the Pawns are treated so badly in that country. While she won't intervene directly (in most situation), she'll encourage Hildy and her allies to make the place better. Therefore, she has the utmost respect for Empress Nadinia and Menella.

6. Does their journey with the Arisen change them in any significant way and how?

Ironically, as her Arisen becomes stronger, she's only become more concerned for her safety, especially as her fledgling will grows. The fear of losing her Arisen began creeping into her heart. Such doubts started making her question their charges, whether things could be different somehow.

7. Is there a reason they chose their preferred vocation?

It's the best vocation to ensure the party's safety, supporting them with defensive magicks. She also loves wearing robes.

8. Do they have any hobbies or preferred past-times?

She adores collecting flowers & fruits, often using them to make tea. She's also a fan of dressing up, checking herself in various attire. At times, she would write foot notes about recurrent pawn hires in Hildy's journal without her knowing.

[goshdangronpa]

Can a Danganronpa story really be a Dangaronpa story without anyone getting horribly killed? Okay, so there’s Danganronpa IF … but "I DISAGREE: An Ibuki Mioda SDR2 Protag Swap AU" isn’t like that! It may be an alternative take on one of the games, but characters will still suffer and perish. After a whole bunch of entries to get the plot moving, here’s the lead-up to the first victim of this storyline.

What Ails You is What Impales You: The Killing Game’s First Victim

Last time, I spoke highly of the students who volunteer to treat the infected. Fuyuhiko drops his combativeness to be a true team player. Hajime, who can’t even remember his talent, finds ways to make himself useful. Byakuya demonstrates true leadership by working alongside everyone instead of just supervising. Ibuki brings a contagious zeal to labor during the day and downtime during the evening. Mikan especially steps up as the leading medical authority, overseeing patient care while also investigating the Despair Disease.

Unfortunately, all their skills and efforts aren’t enough to stop the illness from worsening. For one, they’re not in a proper hospital. Their only supplies come from Rocketpunch Market, whose sundry selection means limited medical resources. For another, all they can really do is target symptoms. Much of the treatment involves urging the patients to rest, which isn’t easy. Peko’s operating on sheer inertia, refusing to exert herself for anything that doesn’t interest her. Chiaki is flat-out uncooperative, needing locks on her door and the whole staff present for each encounter. Kazuichi is actually too cooperative, eager to slay dragons or whatever heroic actions might help (his requests are denied).

Worst of all, Nagito’s health swiftly nosedives. At first he’s as energetic as Chiaki and Kazuichi, babbling conspiracy theories to (and sometimes about) anyone in earshot. His mania is soon missed: by the second morning of quarantine, he’s barely even conscious. By the third, he’s comatose. Mikan discovers some truly alarming pre-existing conditions that, in tandem with the Despair Disease, is bringing him to the brink. As the person with the most experience, she largely leaves the other patients to the other volunteers and dedicates herself to staving off his death.

Everyone’s getting worn down, and not just because of the increasingly stressful patient care. All that proximity to the patients brings up the additional concern of contagion. By the third night of quarantine (I’ve stretched the disease period longer than in SDR2 for better pacing), none of the staff seem sick yet. But if what Monokuma said is true, it’s just a matter of time. What little information Mikan’s been able to glean from research hasn’t shown them how to cure or really prevent it. If even one of them falls ill, they’ll go from relieving the burden to becoming the burden.

That’s how Mikan’s already starting to feel. The Ultimate Nurse can only do so much with such insufficient resources to save Nagito and defeat the virus. Not helping is that Monokuma suggested, without confirming one way or the other, that if a patient dies from the disease, their caretaker(s) may be held responsible ... perhaps, even, considered guilty ...

It could be worse, though. For the first time in her life, someone else actually seems to care about her. Ibuki tries her best to support the nurse, who’s so appreciative that she ends up falling asleep by her new friend’s side on that second night.

No one’s scandalized by the two walking out of the same hotel room on the third morning for long, though, after they see Nagito’s dire state. By the third night, Mikan’s on the verge of collapse herself, and with too many lives depending on her, she can’t afford to rest.

The only thing that could help is a miraculous breakthrough … but of course, as a suddenly severe Fuyuhiko reminds them on the third night, there’s always Monokuma’s solution.

On the fourth morning, Ibuki finds Mikan at her side again, snug and warm. Everyone’s first instinct is to check on Nagito. Amazingly, he’s sitting upright, gazing out the window at the hotel swimming pool. All signs point to a full recovery, with any chatter about societal collapse and living in a simulation extinguished.

The instinct to celebrate is curbed as the group realizes what such an instant reversal must mean. Everyone, including Nagito, rushes back out to the hallway. Fuyuhiko skips Kazuichi’s door, despite it being adjacent to Nagito’s room, and tosses aside the furniture blocking Peko’s door. She’s alive and serious, asking for the return of her sword. The staff had confiscated it for patient safety.

No time for that right now. Mikan opens Kazuichi’s door. He’s shaking with terror, not even able to speak - back to his old, cowardly self. Even his jumpsuit is zipped up again.

A shriek from outside the hotel isn’t quite loud enough to be heard within its halls - not for normal ears, anyway. As the others pry open the last patient’s door, Ibuki rushes out to find Hiyoko pointing at the tip of the outdoor stairway. Blood drips down the steps from the unmoving body of Chiaki Nanami. Next week, the trial.

PREV: Group Bonding in the Time of Despair Disease

NEXT: The First Trial

[bubacorn]

thank you @tonguetyd and @sleepiesttoken for the tag! 💜 so... 6 albums i've been enjoying lately

…And I Return to Nothingness by Lorna Shore

sometimes i feel like i don't know what i want to listen to, so i choose Will screaming into my ears. it's a good listen especially when you're struggling to do your shopping amongst a bunch of obnoxious elderly people

favorite song: i'll always be partial to To the Hellfire cause it was the first song i heard from them, but also Of the Abyss is *mwah*

2. technically and EP, but whatever One by Sleep Token

i gotta admit, up until recently, i didn't really listen to One. it was okay, but i just didn't click with it. then the other day for some reason Thread the Needle was stuck in my head, so i spent the last few days listening to the album on repeat

favorite song: i'm gonna say When the Bough Breaks at the moment

3. technically it's not a full album yet, but Keep Me Fed by The Warning

i'm excited about this one. when it came out, i didn't like S!CK that much, but then i also listened to the other two new songs and they got stuck in my head on repeat

favorite song: MORE is a banger, but i also like This Hell You Call A Dream a lot

4. Live in London by Zeal & Ardor

i know i keep bringing up this one, but it's just so, so good

favorite song: right now it's Ship on Fire (my brain sometimes goes 'we got seven different letters in seven rows' out of nowhere, and the word 'widdershins' just sounds so satisfying the way Manuel says it)

5. Take Me Back To Eden by Sleep Token

i promise, i listen to music other than Sleep Token, but TMBTE is just a masterpiece, i start playing Chokehold, and then the next thing i know Euclid is coming to an end. bangers all around

favorite song: i'm gonna say Aqua Regia, just to pick one and not mull over it

6. technically not an album, but it's my best friend, my pal, my homeboy, my rotten soldier, my sweet cheese, my good-time boy Jaws by Sleep Token

sometimes, listening to Jaws is like coming home in a way? i do a lot of editing/writing to Jaws (and Dark Signs), i think mostly because of the steadiness of them, and the way they can feel like you're playing one long song, and it's familiar, so my brain doesn't get stuck on the lyrics. i usually can't study/write listening to music with lyrics (or just a certain few albums). Jaws is just so inexplicably special to me

tagging @a-s-levynn @takemetoasgard @stellasplendens @herbal-quintessence @polteergeistt @whataboutyouisamascot (if you want to, of course, no pressure) 🌻 have a lovely day, everyone!

[sanddusted-wisteria]

Reintroducing Wisteria!

Since we're all putting our OCs out there again, I might as well reintroduce Wisty! She's just here to build and be silly :> After a rather dull interm period after her old workshop in Highwind shut down, she's here in Sandrock to try and make a proper name for herself and to rekindle the zeal she had for building. And maybe the enthusiasm from a certain space nerd might help...

(And if Mint goes to Portia and finds another builder with the same name, face, and voice as the woman his best friend's dating...well, that's a story for another time...)

I have a bunch of WIPs of fanfic with Wisty that are sitting in my writing folder that I hope to get out sometime, but so far I have a mini-series with her and Grace (that I'm still working on too lol)! I also wrote a couple lines for her if she was an NPC in the game below...

[template is by @/cxs-workshops!]

Intro:

"Oh hey, you're new here? I'm new here too! I'm Wisteria. Or Wis. Or Wisty. Your pick. I'm still getting used to getting around here, but maybe we can learn together."

Regular Dialogue:

"Ughhhhh, this heat. Whyyyy did I move to the desert...?! Oh hey, sorry. I'm just busy dying... Ughhhhhh...."

"Highwind's a nice place. Not a great time to be a builder, though. Too many of us in one place means barely any business."

"This isn't the first Fresh Pines, by the way. The first one was back in Highwind, by a lovely conifer forest. The logger there always had the best pine wood. It smelled so nice!"

"I keep running out of water... No, not with the machines, it's my garden. Think I got a bit overzealous..."

"Everyone in my Pa's family's named after plants! A long standing tradition. No, nobody knows why it is. But it's fun, so we keep it. I was adopted, but they kept my name since it was a perfect fit!"

Birthday:

"My birthday? Fall 26. Born just before the end of the best season. Yes, fall is the best season. Objectively true."

On other NPCs:

"Making friends with Qi? Oh, it's not that hard. Just give him some tea and relics and power stones, and uh... a 500 pound telescope, and... build him a giant robot... Uhh..."

"Nia sends me a bunch of seeds every so often for my garden. We're calling it 'research' on planting, but we're basically just throwing seeds at the sand and seeing what grows, heh."

"Hey, pro tip. Lunch time on Wednesdays is Grace's 'trial' period for new recipes. Best find somewhere else to eat. Your stomach will thank you."

"Sometimes I see one of Unsuur's rock stacks around town and I try to add a rock onto it. Once I accidentally knocked one over. I felt really bad, but he was pretty cool with it. All he said was, and I quote: 'That's okay, that happens sometimes.' I wish I had that much chill."

"Oh, I love Yan. I love him so much that I'd love to strangle him until the light in his eyes disappears...! Hm. Maybe shouldn't say that with the Corps uniform on..."

[arkanistan]

Bloodthirsty Tom Cotton is going to get someone killed

By David Ramsey

There he goes again. Sen. Tom Cotton, our robotic junior senator, overcome once again with teenage bloodlust, continues to call for violence against American citizens.

His blanket depiction of pro-Palestinian campus protestors is a naked lie and grotesque bit of propaganda, but if a leader is going to call for a Kent State redux, the first move is to squeal that the kids on campus are pure evil. Just in case, say, the violent response that Cotton is calling for winds up hurting or killing American citizens for merely protesting.

Cotton is not dumb. He knows what he’s doing.

He has already asked for vigilante violence, urging citizens to go outside the law and violently assault peaceful protesters if they cause an inconvenience. Senator Sicko fantasized about all manner of gore: People should throw protestors off the bridge or worse. “It would probably be pretty painful to have their skin ripped off,” Cotton mused. “But I think that’s probably how we would handle it in Arkansas.” No law enforcement would be necessary to carry out the torture, assault and potential murder, he was quick to clarify. He encouraged people to “take matters into their own hands.”

Cotton himself would not do this, mind you, but he thought maybe he could inspire someone back home to give it a try.

But Cotton’s lust for violence is best served by the authorities. If you really want some death and destruction, you need to send in the cops or the troops.

And there’s no mystery about what can happen if universities send in revved-up police units in riot gear or if state governments start calling up the National Guard.

The protests convulsing American universities generally aren’t violent. Mind you, the crime that Cotton is so mad about is trespassing: In many situations, the students who have set up encampments are violating university rules or state or local laws.

But Cotton, as ever, wants to insert violence where there is peace. We have seen this play out on campuses from Columbia to UCLA already in recent days. The authorities initiate a violent confrontation, carry out thuggish arrests, knock professors down to the ground and provoke physical altercations with those who don’t comply with their orders. Many are arrested and dragged off to jail, only to have the half-baked charges dropped.

Do this enough times, and eventually, something very bad will happen.

College kids aren’t children, but they are our youngest cohort of adults. Cotton wants angry men with guns storming onto campuses to take them down.

Cotton led a press conference Wednesday alongside several other grandstanding GOP senators to sputter his contempt, with the standard canard that protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza are “pro-Hamas.” He called the protesters’ encampments that have sprung up on college campuses across the nation as “disgusting cesspools.” The protestors themselves — young Americans expressing their opinion in a democracy! — are “fanatics and freaks.” They are “lunatics.”

The dehumanizing language, while certainly natural to Cotton, has a strategic edge. If you can depict people as fanatics and freaks, the hope is that others will lose sympathy for them as fellow human beings. They are the dangerous “other.”

Cotton wants to grease the wheels: It is OK to wage war on these kids, he’s implying. They’re just a bunch of freaks. If something really goes wrong, and someone gets seriously hurt or killed — well, that life was not a valued life. Just a lunatic.

In a kind of reversal of Christian ethics, Cotton has a quasi-Pagan belief that virtue is earned via crushing the weak. Violence is his God. You can see it running throughout his career: His zeal in wooing hardliners in Iran to try to kill the Obama nuclear deal; his call for the mass slaughter of Palestinian civilians in Gaza; his unreconstructed neocon support for George W. Bush-era misadventures in the Middle East; his frequent cheerleading for U.S. military action against Iran; his truly unhinged call for federal troops to be sent in and commit war crimes against Black Lives Matter protestors.

He is the kind of history buff who skips around to the gory bits. For him, the slaughter taking place in Gaza is not enough. You shudder to think what would happen if he ever had access to the nuclear button.

Cotton, perhaps trying to overcompensate for his leaden and soporific speaking style, keeps coming up with ever more bombastic ways to broadcast his violent urges. This is mostly because he’s hungry for attention. But there’s an even more depraved element to the behavior of Cotton and the other lawmakers at Wednesday’s press conference. This is an election year, and they’re making a political calculation. Cotton thinks that spasms of violence at otherwise peaceful protests will benefit the Republican Party. The longer that campus protests stubbornly remain peaceful, the more Cotton wants to change the dynamic by initiating a violent response.

Here is where you might say that if something like that happens, Cotton would have blood on his hands. But that’s the sickest part of all: Cotton seems to genuinely want all the blood he can get.

[sentinelcole]

Last night I finally got Karlach and boy howdy was she worth the wait. I love her. I loved her when all I had was her origin character blurb but seeing her actual character is so much better.

First, let's talk about the obvious. She's a big woman. And she's hot (literally). Who doesn't love that? But that's not why I loved her character. All of the Baldur's Gate characters can get it. Even Shadowheart who I personally find so boring.

I love her because of her personality in face of her backstory. She's such good and unique character. Now the backstory is fine though the "I was a slave to X but now I'm free" backstory is a bit tired. (There are a bunch of other ways to highlight a dark fantasy besides slavery and racism, you know?)

But what I love is her personality and response to her backstory. That's what defines her. Did she have a shit time in life? Yes. Does she carry the physical and emotional burdens from that time? Yes. But is she bitter or jaded? No. She wants payback like Astarion but she's not seeking it out. No, she wants to make up for lost time. She's going to aggressively and passionately seek out her joy. She will live her best life to spite those who captured her. And her rage comes from a love of fighting and her zeal for life. And as a reformed cynic, that brings me so much joy.

I cannot wait to continue my journey with her.

[petra-creat0r]

Britni going simultaneously full goth and full religious zeal is an absolute vibe, honestly. I imagine those two aspects of her personality kind of conflict a little and cause just that right amount of mental instability. The sweet spot between mostly sane like Chicago and completely, utterly, unapologetically insane like Jevil.

All these kids are at least a little not normal.

Chicago just happens to be the most normal of the bunch.

But yeah, lol. Most the time the only religions you imagine with goth are Satanism or pagan beliefs. While Britni (and really none of the monsters in Ish) is Christian or Catholic, i feel she's got a strange fascination with its lore.. like, that strange elementary/middle school girl who's family isn't Christian but she claims to believe in it purely because she thinks Jesus is cool and likes all the drama in the Bible.

(Please note, I'm not any sect of Christian or Catholic and was raised somewhat agnostic, so my knowledge of the Bible is limited to media I've consumed and my girlfriend's own world based around the mythos.)

She's like... a witchy girl but opposite? Best way I can describe it, idk lol. Harley said she's never heard of a little girl obsessed with Christian mythos and it's usually girls that age going through a witchy phase where they get into Pagan/Wiccan stuff.

[ponyregrets]

okay watching hsm last night I couldn't help thinking that fantasy high uses the same "get the party together" setup of "everyone gets detention" and so obviously my brain went to WHO IS WHO and like honestly this doesn't work super well and I have two options for everyone and you WILL hear about them

Gorgug Thistlespring as Troy Bolton or Ryan Evans

Gorgug is obviously not as socially successful as Troy, but I think he works well as someone caught between two worlds who is also not necessarily the brightest. And let's be real, if Troy Bolton didn't know who his dad was, he'd probably ask a bunch of people just to check. They're both strong and athletic but have other interests they want to pursue, they don't want to let people down, and they longer than anyone expects to kiss the girl they're dating. As for Ryan, he and Gorgug would both struggle to read "go drama club!" and if (spoilers) Fig is Sharpay, obviously Gorgug is in her band.

Fig Faeth as Gabriella Montez or Sharpay Evans

I recognize these are both wild picks but tbh Fig does not slot easily into HSM in my opinion. Gabriella works for Fig for me because they both have the theme of reinventing themselves--Gabriella is at a new school, not wanting to be known as the freaky genius girl, and Fig is rebelling against her own good girl image. And if Gorgug is Troy, then Fig being the one to get him into music works. As for Sharpay, well, what is Sharpay Evans if not a bard who also wants to take barbarian classes?

Fabian Seacaster as Chad Danforth or Troy Bolton

Obviously Fabian is a jock, I think we can all agree on that. He makes sense to me as either Troy or Chad, depending on where your focus is. Chad has the iconic "I Don't Dance" sequence, which of course parallels "toxic masculinity is over, I dance now" for Fabian. I also think that Chad works a little better in terms of how Fabian presents himself in terms of bravado and confidence; Troy is much faster to accept that he can maybe like things other than sports than I think Fabian is. On the other hand, Troy, like Fabian, is The Ace, and has a bunch of weird daddy issues, so that's an argument that can easily be made.

Adaine Abernant as Taylor McKessie or Gabriella Montez

Taylor is probably the least sketched out of the main HSM characters, which is saying something. That being said, I would fully believe she rolls for panic attacks, and her main defining feature is being a big old nerd, so, here you go, Adaine. I think Adaine as Gabriella also makes a lot of sense, though--still a nerd, but also a transfer student who probably also rolls for panic attacks.

Riz Gukgak as Ryan Evans or Taylor McKessie

Riz was my biggest casting woe, and I don't think he fits super well into any of the HSM roles. Taylor is probably a better fit for him than Ryan, but neither is great IMO. Ryan is the HSM character who's most likely to be called "the ball," and he and Riz share a desire for friendship without a great idea of how to get it. Also I gather from AO3 that people ship Riz and Fabian, so that works for the "I Don't Dance" dynamic. Taylor, meanwhile, probably wants to be a private eye and definitely has business cards.

Kristen Applebees as Sharpay Evans or Chad Danforth

Kristen's zeal for the sun god and Sharpay's zeal for theater vibe for me, although obviously Kristen would be thrilled if her friends were as interested in Helio as Troy and Gabriella were in the musical. I also feel like the outwardly supportive and chill family Sharpay has (I love the Evanses tbh) probably contributes to her need to be the best, and she has similar "golden child" expectations. idk maybe this makes no sense to anyone but me but it makes a lot of sense to me. I hope Sharpay can grapple with herself and get to a better place as Kristen did. Meanwhile, Kristen and Chad are both struggling with being gay.

anyway this was my morning happy new year y'all

[umwmun-blog]

They're in tha woods...

Strange things have happened in and around the forests to the west of town. Smoke, as if from campfires, has been seen rising through the trees, coming from a dense part of the woods. So far, any and all attempts to locate the sources of this smoke have been unsuccessful.

As workmen move into the woods to begin logging, the sheep of local shepherd Martin Panamour have turned violent, brutally mauling those seeking to cut down trees or clear away underbrush. Panamour appears as confused as everyone else, as sheep are not supposed to act like this.

Meanwhile, those who have managed to venture into the forest have reported more and more that they feel they are being stalked, perhaps even hunted. Strange hoof-shaped footprints have been found in the mud, though they never seemed to leave the forest...until now.

In a bizarre turn, the town council has decided to rename the ancient pyramid to the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid. This was a mistake. Whatever that temple was devoted to is pissed, and late one night, a band of strange creatures emerged from the forest and burned down the mill of Raymond Forestier.

The most royalist bunch of Catholics this side of the nuthouse

The village of Saint-Hyacinthe has lived up to its self-proclaimed title of "the most Catholic and royalist village in all of France." Saint-Hyacinthe has thrown all caution to the wind and is energetically devoting itself to the Royalist cause. The main road out of town has been barricaded, and an alternative longer route through the mountains has been established to connect with the Royalist armies.

Contact has been made with Jean d'Auvergne, and though he is a bit perplexed by the town council's decision to name that old coot Gideon de Sangaimar as King of France, he is just happy to have some allies. Advance units of his army have begun to come through the mountains, making camp around the castle.

Meanwhile, the Republican army that was moving into the region has since fled, though not only due to the Royalist army. The Revolutionary troops report that they came under the attack of blood-sucking demons, though this was most certainly due to their imagination.

Paris is not messing around, however, and a new army has been dispatched. An infernal column of 5,000 bloodthirsty Jacobins is on the way from the capital, and will arrive in about a month.

Fighting in the town square! While going out for a regular "midnight stroll", Adrien de Sangaimar was ambushed! A monstrous wolf shaped like a man pounced upon the count's son and attacked Adrien. To the surprise of many, Adrien, despite his wounds, seemed fine, if a little confused. Displaying inhuman amounts of strength and resilience, Adrien managed to wound the werewolf in turn. The werewolf fled, injured. Recieving medical attention from the town's physik, Morgan le Balai, Adrien survived impossible injuries. Interestingly, the town's treasurer, Christophe Sauvage, has entered the council with a rather serious limp and a broken arm, apparently from a fall from his roof.

Tavern Competition

Two rival taverns have emerged in Saint Hyacinthe, one led by Fauxnom and another led by Christophe and Morgan. Fauxnom has employed the women brought over as barmaids, however Morgan's establishment has attracted more visitors, as much of the revenue from Morgan and Christophe's distillery are proceeds for repairing the town. Comment from the Count My beloved townsfolk, You never cease to amaze me with how unenlightened you are. Although I appreciate your zeal, we would need far more resources for me to become king. Although I am not entirely disinterested, I must suggest Saint Hyacinthe not toss its hat into this ring. Also, to my son, how are you? I heard you had trouble with a wolf in the road. Have I really trained you so poorly? Won't do, won't do. Best wishes, Gideon de Sangaimar

[thecuspofexposureastrology]

Sun In The 10th House

"I am the authority. I work for what I have just to keep my candle burning. I work constantly to keep my light shining brightly. I greatly honour righteous authority and I offer them my complete respect in return. The public people praise my hardwork because they see my value. Hence, I shine brightly at the Apex".

The legendary Sun in the 10th House. It is where the Sun is right at the Apex. Natives with such a placement work very hard to get to the top. It does not just stop there. They work hard to STAY at the top. Even if it gets lonely right at the top, these natives never stop till they achieve their goal. Just like how the Sun is NEVER Retrograde, these folks never give up on their goals once they have made up their minds.

Winston Churchill once said "If you are going through hell, keep GOING!" That is the zeal that Sun in the 10th House natives hold.

Majority of these natives have their fathers that have worked in the public sector or a government job or any other high position job, especially with that of administration. The natives themselves would hold a high position job, especially a job with that of an administrator role.

The highlight of this position is that, no matter how severely these natives are opposed, they will always manage to come out of the opposition. Because, the Sun is right at the Apex. A point that is at the topmost point on a birth chart is called an Apex. For instance the Midheaven is at the Apex of a Natal chart, simply because it is at the topmost point in the birth chart.

Also, these natives are very sensitive about their reputation. Especially their reputation in public. They are very image conscious, not in a narcissistic way but in a way where they maintain their reputation in order to honour not only their image, but their father's reputation as well (The Sun rules father). In short, these natives work so hard to maintain their image in public. Additionally, they are not satisfied with the phrase "Good Enough". Rather they strive hard to possess and maintain an excellent image.

Alternatively, Sun in the 10th House natives aim to be pioneers in their craftsmanship. Since the Sun resides in the House of Capricorn (10th House), it works to maintain its image. Just like how the Sun cannot suddenly dim its light, these natives constantly work hard to shine their light so brightly. Just like how a Capricorn native works to prove his/her worth in society, Sun in the 10th House natives are staunch believers in working hard for this own money (Sun rules self, 10th House rules workmanship). As a result, people (especially the public) respect their hardwork and reward them for it.

Just like how a carpenter works hard every single day to improve his craftsmanship. Sun in the 10th House natives work hard every single day to reach their higher purpose in life. They know the value of their hardwork and they make people put their money where their mouth is. In a nutshell, they are a bunch of authentic, self-made individuals. To a great extent where they are very capable of building their own business and being fiercely self-reliant.

To conclude, these natives possess the best leadership skills and are experts in running their own business. They fare well in public services and in fields of administration.

[thenewdeadseascrolls]

Judges 1: 22-26. "The Upward Captain."

Zealousy leads to the subjugation of others. It is forbidden. Steadfastness is encouraged always, especially with the throat and the mouth. Zealousy, which entails literal interpretations and actions based on scripture requires the use of the mouth, so suppression of zeal begins there. Without Ms. Mouth, one cannot boss other people around, spread lies, or enforce a tyranny. And where does the mouth learn how to do this o so swell? In the church.

So the throat of the church is what we attack first, before the little kiddies learn to start talking like mom and dad:

22 Now the tribes of Joseph attacked Bethel "the House of the Lord," and the Lord was with them. 

23 When they sent men to spy out Bethel (formerly called Luz), 

24 the spies saw a man coming out of the city and they said to him, “Show us how to get into the city and we will see that you are treated well.” 

25 So he showed them, and they put the city to the sword but spared the man and his whole family. 

26 He then went to the land of the Hittites "the horribles", where he built a city and called it Luz, which is its name to this day.

Spies are the unborn tendencies of the 12 Tribes. We are exploring their meaning here in the Shoftim, learning how to turn them into extremeties that operate at the behest of the enlightened self. This is how we avoid zealousy to discover intelligent and practical way to be religious instead of a rote follower of someone else's beliefs.

Joseph "the dreamer" uproots a Hittite "horribles" estabslishment after he takes over the Temple. The name changes to Luz which means:

The verb לוז (luz) means to turn aside. In the Bible this word is used mostly negative, either as a turning away from wisdom (Proverbs 3:21, 4:21) or being a "twisted" person (Proverbs 3:32, 14:2). This verb yields two derivations:

The feminine noun לזות (lazut) means deviation or crookedness and is used only in Proverbs 4:24.

The masculine noun לוז (luz) means almond wood. The latter word is used only in Genesis 30:37, where Jacob strips branches of the crooked almond tree.

The implication of the name Luz is found in the reference to Jacob above. Joseph, a son of Jacob was also a dreamer and prognosticator and a father of nations. Mankind is always going to try to grow like a crooked tree. Rather than cut the tree down, one has to sculpt it by removing the losers from the trunk allowing stronger branches, those named in the Torah to take their place.

For this to work, Torah instructions must be performed in depth, and they must be accurate, following the steps we discussed in the prior frame. If you have ever seen a young pimple faced lad in a big hat with hairy cheeks and long black socks shaking up and down like he's got ants in his pants, you will know how awry Torah lessons can get.

The Christian version reveals a bunch of teenage fat girls with their gay best friends picketing in front of Planned Parenthood on Saturday mornings when they should be home watching cartoons.

Absurd and ridiculous both.

As the text says, they need to be put to the sword like Adam and Eve. The Sword is a dual edged question, "Who is God?" And "Who are you?" Mister Lightning Bolt, a True Jew, whose identity we are building now dreams of being shown the way.

If you can't find the answers through the ways you are currently practicing you need to find another. This is how Luz becomes Bethel, by pruning the mind of spiritual rubbish till it finds tangible truth.

The Values in Gematria are:

v. 22: The Tribes of Joseph attacked Bethel.

Joseph is the personification of Ephesus, "the town of the future. they even sound the same. He had two sons, Ephraim "double the fruits" and Manasseh "evaporation of what is bad from the past." We will learn more about these in the next section.

The Value in Gematria is 5874, ה‎חז‎‎ד‎, the hazed, "the door to understanding prophecy or a vision."

v. 23:  When they sent men to spy out Bethel (formerly called Luz), The Value in Gematria is 4410, דדאאֶפֶס, dadaeps, "understanding of how to understand is eps, "heaven and earth."

Eps also refers to the serpent in the branches of the Tree in Eden.

v. 24:  The spies saw a man coming out of the city. The spies the 12 plus the 70 saw the angel Malachiel, the Angel of the Lord, "the upward captain" who created the Alefbeis. It is Malachiel that ignites the mind using the Hebrew Alphabet, which, if fed to the teen bean bag brain will engineer the responses to its dual edged questions.

The Value in Gematria is 11025, יא אֶפֶס‎בה‎ ya ephesus, "say yes to what happens next."

v. 25: So he showed them. The Value in Gematria is 6610, וואאֶפֶס, wafess, "and frowned."

A frown is obviously a sign of disapproval. In Judaism one is frowned upon when one refrains from the right things and should instead be indulging. Celibacy for example is not encouraged and intercourse is. Intercourse in Judaism promotes intimacy and social literacy. If one is intercoursing and causing problemes, one is then refraining from the observations of the decrees and one would then get a frown for that.

v. 26: He went to the land of the Hittites. The Value in Gematria is 7432, ז‎ד‎גב‎, zdgv=

Zayin Dalet= the door to the Eye of the Fountain

Gimmel Vav= is opened by recompense/pegging the statements together into phrases and sentences.

The Hittites are horrible because they are illiterate in the Alefbeis and the Torah. If one cannot remit from one's mistakes and deliberately try to find the Self, called Ha Shem, the Knower of All Things by hooking or pegging the letters of the Hebrew alphabet into a roadmap one will wind up with a crooked cock instead of one that grows right straight up, and no one likes those.

To avoid this, the Shoftim says not to do as mom and dad do or necessarily what the faith says, but resort instead to comprehensive research into the Torah and the Tanakh and follow one's own most direct course to Ha Shem, the place where all selves are stored and waiting within God's Own Self.

[20dollarlolita]

I've been summoned.

So the thing that you have to know about any basic machine that prioritizes box-appeal features over build quality is that, assuming they're not dead out of the box, they're going to be really good machines right until they're not, and then they die hard.

Basically, the first time that they break, they're probably broken forever. Not counting basic user error like threading it wrong or putting in improper fabric, but the first time that they break a part, the whole thing is toast. For some people, that happens 3 months after they open the box. For some people, it's 4+ years. But when it breaks, it's broken.

Also just be aware that with Singer, you're paying for the name. Thankfully, as years go on, Singer's new reputation for being overpriced and bad is superseding their former reputation as being the sewing machine. But Singer is one of three brands that the parent company owns, and it's their budget line. All you know about any given Singer is that if it was good enough, it would be released as one of their premium brands. Also before you buy a machine from SVP, make sure your local dealer can get parts and accessories from them. There's rumors going around of supply chain issues in some parts of the USA.

My current recommendation for a first machine at a more budget price is a Baby Lock Zeal, because it's been on their line forever under a bunch of different names (they rename it to keep consistent branding), and a bunch of the 10+ year old ones are still running fine. It's mechanical but it's not missing any of the features that you sometimes see in really low end machines. You get a full metal frame, presser foot pressure adjustment, 7mm zigzag so that you can actually find feet for it, drop in bobbin with a clear cover so you can see when you're running out of thread, and you get dual-movement stitches for stretch fabrics and decorative stitches.

My recommendation used to be the Viking Emerald 116 or 118, but the Zeal is a lot cheaper currently and Baby Lock didn't just release the biggest case of failure of product testing and quality assurance that I've ever seen, and when we need stuff from them they're actually sending it, so I'm not mad at Baby Lock right now.

Salesperson aside, I really, really think that the best sewing machine is one that lets you sew without frustration. Some of that is that it should work properly when you tell it to, and some of that is it having features that make what you struggle with as easy as possible, but also a machine that you can access is important. A machine that you don't spend all your time wishing you'd spent less money on is important. A machine that doesn't have a bunch of features that you'll never use, making you feel like you're not utilizing the machine. At the end of the day, if you don't have any sewing machine, then every day that you spend saving up for a sewing machine is a day that you're not sewing, so there's a sort of balancing act of "don't buy a machine that's shit, but get to sewing as soon as you are able to" that only you can decide.

Just say no to stapler machines. Don't get me started on stapler machines

bros yall probably already know what i’m about to say but i’ll say it anyway just in case

learn to sew, the joys of sewing are never ending. I sewed a witch hat last month, this week i turned some old pants into shorts, if my favorite socks and tshirts get ripped i can stitch them back together, i made a mouse plushie from an old airline blanket.

you can do a lot of things by hand sewing, albeit slower. but there are more basic cheaper machines too. if you don’t want to invest in a machine sometimes there are public places where you can use the machines. I did most of my sewing at my university campus library, some public libraries have machines too. but if none is available remember you can fix stuff by hand (i learned hand sewing solely so i can repeatedly fix my favorite socks, and it’s doable)

so yeah learn sewing, it’s a good skill