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lakesbian · 7 months

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it's the moment like 4 of you have been waiting for:

i finally rotated pact creature design in my brain enough to post about it. to all the people who sent me asks wanting to hear my thoughts explaining Why Pact Creatures Are So Good this ones for you.

the core of pact's monster design boils down to one very good fact about pact's worldbuilding: in the world of pact, the universe canonically loves a good story. magic literally runs on themes and ideas. subsequently, strong themes aren't the end result of pact's monster design so much as they are the most fundamental aspect of it--meaningful themes and narratives are such a textually important part of how pact monsters work that one bogeyman outright tries to start a conversation with blake by, upon noticing the birdhouse in his soul (tm), asking if birds are important to him.

what really seals the deal on this being fascinating is that pact monsters aren't invented wholesale--a lot of the book hinges on offering its own explanations for preexisting folklore or urban legend. pact takes a variety of common threads in the way cultural myths & monsters are presented, picks out the conceptions with compelling implications, and distills them into one design so thematically coherent and clarifying that it makes you go "ohhh, why aren't All ghosts/dragons/fae like this? this is Exactly What They're Supposed To Be."

like, we all know that ghosts are dead people, and oftentimes the appearance and/or behavior they're written as having is either implicitly or explicitly based on reenactments of their past life/how they died, and sometimes they're depicted as lucid but more often than not they're depicted more like broken or warped remnants of a person, and sometimes they make things colder/give off Bad Emotional Vibes/etc. those are generally true assertions about how ghosts are often culturally presented.

pact takes that and explicitly declares that ghosts are what happens when something so bad happens that an imprint of the resultant misery is left on the fabric of the universe. some ghosts appear horrifying because their appearance is warped and exaggerated beyond what's realistically possible to match how awful whatever happened to them felt. some ghosts are more lucid because their imprint is more recent, or has been strengthened and fed by human attention instead of left to decay. some ghosts are less lucid because they were forgotten. when ghosts make the atmosphere feel awful to be in, that's because the ghost isn't just the imprint of the person, it's an imprint of the awful thing itself. incredibly interesting! it feels so very much like the absolute heart of what ghost stories are about--about the grief and horror of being impacted by the ever-present echo of something terrible, about something so viscerally wretched happening that reality itself cannot forget it, about the emotionally powerful interactions between someone still-living and the memory of someone already long gone.

(pact also gives an aside that, in very rare scenarios, neutral or arguably even positive occasions which leave a sufficiently strong enough impression can also become ghosts. genuinely fascinating expansion.)

& the thing here is that pact does this for creatures like ghosts that are already richly thematic and iconic, but it Also does it for creatures with less obvious theming. how do dragons work? what's pact's underlying explanation for their position as immortal, powerful, regal, fire-breathing* fantasy monsters?

*&, depending on the media, sometimes ice-breathing or poisonous or whatever else

well, you see, dragons are recursive loops. "dragons are recursive loops" is perhaps one of the Top All Time sentences in the entire book, and the delightful thing is that, in addition to sounding excellent, it makes sense.

that's how they generate and spit out so much of whatever their element is. they're snarls. they're ouroboroses. they're something feeding into itself, self-sustaining for thousands of years, drowning anything which threatens it in torrents of whatever the self-feeding element is--fire, sometimes, but it could be poison, or ice, or whatever else, and that's why you've probably heard of ice dragons in addition to classic fire dragons. Dragons Are Recursive Loops. recursiveness is, after all, a form of immortality.

or, like, fae? we all know that faeries are incomprehensibly old/outright immortal Tricky Little Bitches who like to manipulate people while posing in an inhumanly/horrifically beautiful fashion and going "teehee." pact takes that to a fantastically surreal level of extreme artifice, one that's almost grotesque in its dreamlike nature--they have all lived for so very long that, to them, boredom is worse than death, and so they have complicated social games spanning centuries, and speak in the most practiced of misleading wordplay, and perfectly curate their forests so that even the smallest pebble is an intentionally-chosen setpiece for their play. they graduated from handjobs a couple dozens of millennia ago--now they're more into erotic-poetic descriptions of full-body degloving. you will not notice when a faerie steals and replaces your child, because you are very young and stupid compared to them, and playing-pretend at being your child is only the briefest of trifles in their unfathomably long lifespan.

the other good bit is that pact explicitly acknowledges that faeries run on what is colloquially deemed Bullshit--the universe likes a good story, and faeries have gotten very good at telling it a moving story. if a faerie tells a good enough story about having a sword that breaks the laws of physics, then that is what their sword will do. and so the way to combat faeries is not to out-bullshit them--because no one is out-bullshitting a being with thousands of years of bullshitting practice--but to say "no, that's fucking stupid and made up" until their implausibly long sword acts like a sword of that size actually should and shatters on the spot.

& all of these writing decisions feel so naturally truthful to what these creatures are Supposed to be--they're really not wholly new takes, they're a presentation of preexisting ideas in a way that gets why those ideas appeal to people and goes full-throttle on all the most thematically rich or otherwise narratively interesting parts. It's Good Writing. I Like It. you could spend an entire essay breaking down the presentation of literally any single one of pact's creatures, it's that compelling in its reflection and organization of Ideas About Creatures.

#pact time #pact textpost #pactblr #<- fuck you we are dragging that into usage #parahumans #<- fuck you random pactpost event you should read it #pact creature design

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shuttershocky · 7 months

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i was wondering if you could give some general tips for is3? i have a decently developed account but i still cant manage to even get to the first boss every run, let alone beat it. like most runs in is2 i could at least beat Lucian but here i feel like im hitting a brick wall

I've prepared something special for this ask today.

We will be doing a full breakdown of a squad I've run with restrictions. It's a run I just completed as I'm typing this, so I can go over my thought process on both team building and path taking. I also won a run on my first try with the restrictions in place (in fact my IS3 winrate is actually much higher than my IS2 winrate at this point), so I'm fairly confident my strategies are sound. If the massive text scares you, don't worry. I'll also make a TL;DR version at the bottom.

My Three Restrictions:

Ch'en the Holungday, Gavial the Invincible, Mlynar, Kal'tsit, Texas the Omertosa, Pozyomka, Horn, Ling, Goldenglow, and Yato x Kirin are banned - This is a combination of both CN's usual ban list for IS3 competitions, as well as the latest ban list on Lungmen Dragon's latest IS3 competition for Global. This is to show that I don't need meta ops to win that proper teambuilding is what wins runs

Must be Wave 5 - This means the difficulty is low enough to still be considered "low level IS3", but high enough to have the +1 hope cost, +10 RES, and +15% ATK and DEF on all bosses

CANNOT pick People-Oriented Squad - This means I've got to deal with the big hope costs.

And here is my results screen

Now I know what you're thinking. "What the fuck Shutters, your run got the -2 hope costs for 4 stars, AND for 5 stars, AND the 6 stars! Carried by RNG!" While it is fucking hilarious I got all three Hope cost reduction relics when I was trying to starve myself of hope, be assured I didn't get 6 stars - 2 Hope until late Floor 4 where it was hardly relevant. i'd actually rather have gotten combat relics since I still had Hope leftover by the ending.

Let's get into teambuilding and decision-making.

I started this run with 8 Hope (got the pre-run bonus for +2 starting Hope), which let me recruit one 6 star at the very start (I always go with As You Wish so I can get a 4 star for free). In this case, the random shuffle I got was a 4 star Defender voucher, a Vanguard voucher, and a supporter voucher. My starting squad was Gummy, Ines, and Orchid.

In both IS2 and IS3, a usual strategy is to have one core 6 star operator carry you through the early game until you grab more vouchers. Ines is an incredible starting core in this difficulty, since she sees through Invis, is a fast redeploy, is a vanguard, can block enemies, and has enough damage in S2 to get you through Symbiosis in the worst case scenario. I'm actually surprised she isn't considered ban-worthy.

Your biggest threats in the first two floors are Symbiosis, Sniper Squad (if emergency), and Malady. Always, ALWAYS try to have one operator capable of blocking enemies on the ground. If you get all ranged vouchers, bring someone with a summon such as Beeswax if Caster (or Amiya then change to Guard Amiya), an Artificer for Supporters, or Totter (to kill invis) or Rosmontis for Snipers. If you get Emergency Sniper Squad and have no way of blocking or killing invisible units, you autolose. Malady wants you to have either two melee blockers, or one melee with a medic and some ranged damage. Symbiosis is the biggest threat — One unit has to be able to block, and you need strong DPS to cut through the horde. There's no shame in losing to Symbiosis, you either got the operators you need, or you autolose, so I always make a starting team assuming I'm gonna get Symbiosis.

I got lucky with a medic voucher and got Pith (who is so damn good), and on my next defender voucher I got Spot instead of upgrading Gummy. This is because I wanted to get two sources of melee block-3 ASAP since I was lacking in AOE, and Spot is one of the best 3 stars in IS thanks to being Block-3, tanky, having a heal, and evasion. He's worth the 1 hope.

Once you get ground units and a heal, hopefully by Floor 2, you want to start preparing for Floors 3-5. In this case, I got a Sniper voucher and immediately got Kroos the Keen Glint. I consider Kroos the strongest Sniper in IS3 just behind Pozy herself, because she has two traits any IS3 team needs: a source of stun/bind/freeze, and strong anti-air. The Stun/Bind/Freeze counters two gimmick enemies, UFOs (I forgot their real names but you know which ones) and the hated Nethersea Predators from Stulifera Navis. Both enemy types get countered by crowd control.

So by early Floor 3, I had Ines (promoted), Kroos the Keen Glint, Pith (promoted), Spot, and Gummy. At that point I had pretty much everything I needed to make a run to Floor 5 (to reiterate: one fast redeploy, several ground operators, good anti-air, at least one source of stun that can also hit air units), so I began grabbing operators that synergized with my collectibles. Hand of Pulverization meant Rosmontis, uh, pulverized everything, Gnosis was a second source of crowd control in case I got unlucky with Kroos' stun crit RNG (protip: In IS, getting two different kinds of operators who have overlapping roles will carry you deeper into runs since it gives you leeway to make mistakes), and I got Firewatch for that mix of AOE burst damage, invis if need be, and for her incredibly high damage against ranged enemies.

I got two cursed relics on the way. - light per battle, and all operators start with -15 SP. I always try to pick a path with Fortuitous Opportunity since you can trade cursed relics for good ones. Luckily, I had two such nodes, one in Floor 3 and one in Floor 4.

If operators get cursed (which can indeed be instant losses if it's a bad curse very early on and on your core operator), I go for the node that lets you send units out for supplies, it removes curses and promotes operators. At Wave 5 or below you always start with 100 Light, so it's possible to avoid instant loss curses by playing well in Floors 1-2 and not losing any lives (so even if you roll a 1 you don't get cursed)

While you can start freestyling team building once you have your important roles all assembled, I personally like grabbing counters to Floor 4/5 stages that have the biggest chances of ending my run. For this run in particular, these are

Lin, for Out of Control - This stage is one of the most terrifying no matter how experienced in IS3 you are, simply from the sheer amount of Possessed and Bonethrowers coming at you. Lin hard counters this, since with her module active, Bonethrowers cannot break her shield, giving you a tank that doesn't need medics.

Franka for Ubi Bona Somnia - Those spear-zombies from originium dust have 2000 DEF and 80 RES (90 at Wave 5), Franka is there to kill the one that spawns in this stage specifically.

Pompeii (Territorial Tendencies) - I didn't need to grab a counter for in case I met Pompeii since I already had Firewatch and a hand-powered Rosmontis, but if I didn't, it's always a good idea to grab an anti-Pompeii unit like Jaye.

Then once I got to Highmore it was a simple matter of knocking down Highmore with Gnosis' freeze, pulverizing Phase 1 with Rosmontis S3, knocking down Highmore again with Gnosis, then killing Phase 2 with Ines. If you're aiming for Last Knight or Ishar-mla, your team needs will be different of course!

So! I hope that helped you understand how to think about approaching an IS3 run, but in case none of that made any sense and I wasted 3 hours writing this, here's a TL;DR

What do I generally need?

Floor 1

Ground units because you need to block

DPS to counter Symbiosis specifically

Heals

Floors 2-3

Strong Anti-air (IS3 has a lot of flying enemies)

One fast redeploy like Agent Vanguards or Executor Specialists (effective in a vast majority of stages in IS3)

At least one source of Stun/Bind/Freeze that can hit aerial units (to deal with UFOs and Highmore that need to be knocked down, Nethersea Predators so they stop fucking dodging)

You may realize that Texas the Omertosa has all 3 of these qualities. This is why she's considered an automatic ban in all IS3 tournaments

Floors 4-5

Specific counters to the stages that kick your ass the most

Specific boss counters if necessary

Specific operator combos with your collectibles (for example Cutter + Any spinach type collectible)

#Arknights #long post

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lanshappycorner · 1 month

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I'm here to defend Pacciofinn's honor here is my essay and breakdown as to why pacciofinn is actually a banger ship

(*ummm going back after writing this entire thing, this ended up becoming mainly a carpaccio character analysis with some additional yaoi on the side but please by all means read it anyways)

(**Also disclaimer this is my own interpretation of the characters and their relationship. If you don't agree then you're wrong it is what it is 😔 I'm not the author so I can't tell you that I am completely right either even if I am. Additionally, warnings for spoilers in this essay)

I think to understand pacciofinn you'd have to understand Carpaccio as a character because I do think that people do like to paint him as just a Bad Guy or a bully and I'm not going to say he doesn't have his flaws because. He does. He's first presented as an asshole who hurts people weaker than him but his character isn't as simple as just "a bad guy"

To start off with, Carpaccio was born and immediately chosen by the Healing Cane. As such, he's basically been held to a pedestal his entire life, always doing what he wants and always being allowed to do what he wants because of his potential.

In addition, it's important to note that he can't feel pain. He has never felt pain a day in his life and idk how else to tell you this but clearly this has fucked him up greatly although he may not be aware of it

In order to understand Carpaccio, you'd have to understand his relationship with pain. Essentially, Carpaccio does not know what pain is. He knows what it is in theory, he knows that people can feel it and it is allegedly bad and painful, but how could he understand what "painful" is if he never felt pain?

To Carpaccio, pain is nothing more than a weapon. He is aware that others are hurt because of it, but he can't make the connection as to why this pain is so bad that they can't stand it, because he's never felt it himself.

It's likely he underestimates how pain feels, and this creates some sort of mentality in which he views others as inherently weaker than him because pain to him is truly not that bad. Because he can't feel it. He can't empathize

On the topic of empathy. You hesitate to hurt others because you know how it feels to be hurt, you understand the basic feeling of pain—there is basically almost no one on earth that hasn't felt pain because pain is a warning from your body to avoid certain things.

But if someone has never felt pain before, not only will they be reckless with their body, they will be reckless with other's safety. To them, there is no consequence to injury, and they cannot fathom the pain of others to care enough to take it into consideration.

Simply put, Carpaccio has never had to face the conquences of his actions. He's never felt the pain of stabbing himself, and due to the fact that he's chosen by the Healing Cane, he likely does not face any normal consequences for the trouble he causes others either due to his actions

This has in turn greatly stunted his emotional capabilities, however that doesn't mean that he lacks them. Carpaccio knows to respect people that he acknowledges are stronger than him, he knows his place. He's divided the world into the weak and the strong, and the only way he can "empathize" with the world is to empathize with the strong.

He understands the feeling of having power over others, he understands the feeling of superiority, of arrogance and confidence. These are the only emotions he Can connect with because he's never been on the side of the weak, he's never felt threatened or hurt.

Also, you have to keep in mind that this society is heavily focused around the concept of the weak and the strong.

The magicless are weak and should be rid of, the strong are ranked by their lines and strength. It should be no surprise that Carpaccio's apathy to the suffering of the weak is initially a core character trait of his, considering his own situation and the society he lives in.

So, so far we've established Carpaccio's base character before any character development. But the good stuff comes after

During his fight with Finn, he's made it clear that Finn disgusts him because he assumes that Finn got in due to his brother's influence (which is not the case). He hates people who put in effort knowing that they will never succeed, because he cannot understand their struggles.

This goes back to empathy and sympathy. Carpaccio has never had to put much effort into anything to get to where he is, and it's not that he's never put in effort into anything at all, but it's not quite the same. I'm sure that he puts effort into his research, but in general, he's never been "weak" enough to face a situation where he will fail.

Also, he was "chosen". All his life, he's been told that he was "chosen", and that's why he is where he is. In this world, there's a heavy emphasis on being chosen by magic or gods or whatever. To Carpaccio, the strong and the weak are determined by them being chosen. Those who were not chosen have no chance of being strong because they weren't chosen to be strong, it's simple.

It also goes to show his logic. Carpaccio's view of the world is so black and white and simple, that he comes off as almost childish. He doesn't have any grasp on how his actions may affect others, and even if he's told so, he can't...connect the dots.

If he hurts someone, then he hurts them. He can't make the connection as to why it would be bad because he was chosen and they were not. He's strong, so he has the right to disregard them.

Because his worldview is made up of the weak and the strong, he thinks that effort is wasted on the weak, and they should stay where they are. He doesn't understand what it means to feel helpless, he doesn't understand why the weak would want to be strong, and he's happy with the status quo he's created in his mind.

This is also why he directly states that people who never succeed and still try their hardest bother him the most. Why does it bother him? Why is someone trying to overcome the position they were born in bother him the most? We can only assume that it is because he views them as a threat.

Someone that challenges his way of thinking and all of his ideologies is something he despises because it is a hit at his own status as someone who was chosen. There's also the fact that he probably just finds them pathetic, because he knows that they'll never amount up to him, and he doesn't want to risk thinking about if they could.

But also, when it comes to pain, Carpaccio does want to feel it. How could he not? It's the one thing in his life that he's never felt, it's his greatest weapon, and yet he doesn't know what it feels like. He can't imagine what it feels like.

Being able to feel pain is the one thing that he cannot understand, so of course he'd want to know about it. However, he's split the world into the strong and the weak, and he's deemed those who are strong to be the only people capable of giving him the pain he wants.

That is why he doesn't like dealing with people he considers weak--they basically don't exist to him. They can't help him get what he wants, and as far as Carpaccio is aware, they're basically a waste of space. Which is a really fucked up and a detached view of the world tbh but on that topic...

Carpaccio himself says that he sees the world as a haze. There is no one he can connect to, no one he can understand completely, and no one who understands him. What he seeks is pain, but beyond that pain, perhaps he doesn't realize it, is a want for connection.

When Mash finally beats the shit out of him, he's finally able to empathize with the weak for the first time in his life. Or rather, perhaps he's beginning to understand that his worldview was kinda fucked up, and the world is not nearly as black and white as he thought.

When Carpaccio is hurt, for the first time in his life he instinctively knows what "hurt" is. This phrase—"it hurts"—repeats in his mind over and over again, and it's really just proof that he's still human as much as he's come to think of himself as above that.

He's reminded of his own humanity, and along with the pain that he can instinctively recognize, comes feelings of fear. He describes pain to be awful and frightening, and for the first time in his life, he can finally empathize with his peers, with everyone that he's ever hurt, because he now understands feelings of pain.

Carpaccio's apathy stems from a place from lack of empathy, but now that he can empathize, the first thing he thinks about is how much he put Finn through. Carpaccio is barely just learning how to understand other people, and the first thing he realizes is how severely fucked up it was that he did all of that to Finn.

These feelings turn into ones of disbelief—because he can't comprehend how someone can endure something so frightening for someone else's sake. As far as we know, Carpaccio is a very selfish person. He does things for his own interest and his own gain.

To endure things for others is unfathomable, and to endure pain, which he now knows to be awful and frightening, is probably just...baffling. Finn is enduring all these terrible things, and it's not even for himself.

Finn has outmatched Carpaccio in terms of endurance and character, and even Carpaccio himself admits to it at the end of the battle because as arrogant as he was, the moment he felt his first taste of pain, he had instantly lost. Like, he didn't even try to get up

He could not continue to fight, even for his pride, simply because...pain was scary.

So what I feel like a lot of people miss is that Carpaccio is the way he is because of the circumstances that he was born in that led him to have a twisted view of the world, but the moment he's able to feel human, when he's able to feel pain and fear, he becomes a lot more normal than you'd think.

(It's not an excuse for his behavior of course, but it is a huge part of his characterization that I feel like people tend to forget.)

After the battle, you can see he's now on good terms with Max, who he formerly beat up. Although it's not explicit, it's kind of implied that he's changing for the better, because Carpaccio is someone who categorizes the weak and the strong, so he would never become friendly with those he considers "weak".

However, by hanging out with Max who he formerly beat up, it goes to show that his perspective is changing. Perhaps his viewpoints haven't instantly changed, but he's seeing strength in those he considers weak, and he's able to properly start forming connections.

In the Mashle fanbook, in Carpaccio's relationship chart, it's pretty hard to translate but there is a specific note towards Finn that basically is him admitting to being impressed with Finn. Like yes Mash did beat him, but he acknowledges that it was Finn's victory as well. Even in the actual battle, his last thoughts regarding the situation were not of Mash, but of Finn and how Finn beat him.

SO WHAT IM TRYING TO SAY AFTER THIS WHOLE GODDAMN ESSAY IS THAT pacciofinn would not be toxic okay 🥺</33 Carpaccio has changed for the better and he actually views Finn positively !!! He did not come out of that fight as a static character, he's had growth !!

It is unfair to his character to say that he'd treat Finn badly or he'd continue to be an asshole even after everything because the thing is that Carpaccio has finally solved his biggest issue. He's finally able to understand people around him, and his research about pain only goes to show that he is interested in people around him now.

He is interested in knowing people and understanding pain in a way that does not mean hurting them and he just happens to be really emotionally constipated and awkward while he's at it </333 like really have u seen him. get a load of his guy

not a damn thought going through that brain of his does he look like he can express normal love and affection and care in a not weird and cryptic (affectionate) manner to u. the last time we saw him smiling it looked wrong on his face.

it looked so wrong that I swore the entire fandom collectively wiped it from their brains and forgot he knew how to smile hence they write him off as a cold asshole incapable of expressing joy as if he isnt like 16 years old and learning emotions for the first time in his life like a newborn deer but anyways whatever im not salty about that why would you think that

This was supposed to be a pacciofinn defense essay but I feel like 90% of the reason why ppl hate pacciofinn is because they don't get Carpaccio's character. Im so okay with ppl hating the ship but I get so petty when its because they mischaracterize Carpaccio like if you can admit that Carpaccio wouldn't mistreat Finn if they got into a relationship and still dislike the ship then okay youre good idc but to EVERYONE ELSE its on sight

Okok but besides from the character analysis, can we take a moment to think about how. Carpaccio's magic allows him to transfer his pain to others and his whole deal is that he can't feel pain and also he's like confident and the top of the grade or whatever.

And meanwhile Finn is unconfident and barely made the cutoff for Easton and his magic allows him to switch places of stuff he wants but MOST IMPORTANTLY his magic has the ability to heal !!!!! THEY R LIKE...FOILS.....YEAH...SO REAL

It also makes it more thematically better that they ended up going head to head and it was Finn(ft. Mash)'s victory like Finn is just living proof of everything Carpaccio doesn't believe in and now he's forced to believe in it.

I also think it's important to consider that Carpaccio acknowledges it to be Finn's win instead of thinking further abt Mash because here's the thing: Mash is the main character. He's magicless, yes, but he also possesses a large amount of power already.

He is, in all sense of the word, "strong". He doesn't let his status as someone without magic deter him from his goals (and that's what makes him so good but this is not a Mash appreciation essay so I'll have to leave that for next time but I love Mash)

Finn on the other hand, is what really embodies Carpaccio's perception of someone "weak". He's not particularly strong in magic, and he's also not physically strong either. He gets scared easily, and he's not so brash that he can confidently jump into battle like the rest of his friends. He needs help, he can't win on his own. But despite this, he had the courage to stand up to Carpaccio.

And by the end of the manga, Finn has acquired 2 lines. The person Carpaccio had considered "weak" went far beyond his expectations and now they have the same amount of lines. However, Carpaccio's respect for Finn did not begin after he acquired 2 lines, but before that when he still had only 1 line and that is so important to me

I don't know where I'm going with this um sorry but to conclude I think you guys should care abt pacciofinn they r so silly to me theyre just two little guys i want them put into a blender

#honestly don't take my essay too seriously i just wanted to yap #people are free to disagree or dislike the ship regardless (but i would appreciate it if you did not do that directly on my post)#feeling a little brave i will put this in the main tags #mashle #mashle magic and muscles #carpaccio luo yang #finn ames #feels like a crime to tag finn in here because this is mainly abt carpaccio but it is abt pacciofinn so

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respectthepetty · 9 months

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The only one whose intentions I can't entirely understand is Nick. Like Boston is pretty harmless, he is just a hoe and a shitty friend. Mew is straight-laced and could be devilish, but pretends to be a kind of a saint to get away with things. Top is just a red flag, all around. Ray is broken in a way he himself doesn't understand and (falsely) projects loving Mew will resolve all his hurt. Sand is a walking green flag, at least so far. But Nick, I don't know, I can't tell if he's just starting out as a Machiavellian villain that'll do a double kill on both Boston and Top, or he is just obsessed with Boston to hurt him but keep Boston on a leash.

Anon, I'm gonna skip over you writing that "Boston is pretty harmless" so I can get to your ask - Nick.

In this series, Raymond is my #1, but Nicolas is my strong #2, and it's partially because they remind me of a good ass country song.

Think Brokeback Mountain's Jack Twist screaming his legendary line "I wish I knew how to quit you" because that shit is a good ass country song delivered in one line.

*switching into my west Texas accent*

Yes, I wrote "country song" in a post about Thai gays.

See, I love music. I have a large collection of vinyl records and CDs. I like going to music festivals and concerts. I love rap for its wordplay. I love ranchera for the dramatics ("El Rey" anyone?). And I love country for its storytelling.

So the second Nick called Top instead of Mew, I heard Dolly Parton's iconic "Jolene"

In case you are not familiar with the legend who is "Jolene," the song deals with a woman begging another woman to not take her man. This woman knows she cannot compete with Jolene. She knows she is not as beautiful or alluring, so she begs Jolene to let her man go, in hopes that he'll come back to her.

Hopefully, I won't be hearing Dolly Parton's other masterpiece "I Will Always Love You" (yes, the one that Whitney Houston covered for The Bodyguard).

And I always hear the incredible Patsy Cline's "Crazy" whenever Nick looks at Boston.

Crazy for thinking that my love could hold you I'm crazy for trying and crazy for crying And I'm crazy for loving you

Because even though Nick is matching Boston's "No Boundaries" energy, he isn't malicious, not yet anyway. No.

Nick is in love, with a guy who doesn't love him back.

And he knows that.

But knowing doesn't help when it comes to matters of the heart.

Other genres have songs that capture the feeling of losing your mind over someone who doesn't love you and being incapable of stopping, but a good ass country song just really hits at the core of that kind of toxic love.

Like Dan + Shay's "How Not To" which tells the story of a man who knows that his lover is no good, but doesn't know how not to love them.

So I read Nick as a boy in desperate love with the wrong man. He is Rascal Flatts "What Hurts the Most" when the lead singers croons that the worst part of his love was "not seeing that love in you."

And that type of love makes you do crazy shit.

Boston was honest in the beginning that he didn't want anything serious, and even though he has changed his tune when needed, everyone else has warned Nick as well about Boston.

Nick knew who walked into his store the second he looked into Boston's eyes.

Yet he couldn't stop himself from falling in love.

If Oh No! Here Comes Trouble taught me anything, it's that love can be an obsession mostly when grieving love, and Nick has to be grieving the love he knows he will never get from Boston while still loving him.

So this is why Nicolas is my #2. He is a good ass country song about a man who hopes that his love will make his lover stay, only to realize that his love isn't enough and probably never will be.

And before any of you ask, Ray is the drinking side of good country songs, but he and Sand in particular are "Tennessee Whiskey"

I've looked for love in all the same old places Found the bottom of a bottle's always dry But when you poured out your heart, I didn't waste it 'Cause there's nothing like your love to get me high You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskey You're as sweet as strawberry wine You're as warm as a glass of brandy

So raise your bottle to Nick's pain.

And slow dance under some hicktown's bar lights.

Because like my girl Bonnie Raitt sang " I will give up this fight 'cause I can't make you love me, if you don't" (yeah, that famous song George Michael covered).

#only friends #nick is a good ass country song #I love country music and Nick #I want the best for him #the best is either getting toxic Boston #or losing the guy he loves #he can't win #and he knows that

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comicaurora · 2 years

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I've noticed a running theme in both Superman vs The Elite AND the Sonic the Hedgehog comics, and that is the question "how many second chances are too many?" In both series, the heroes are punished for letting the villains go. Superman with Atomic Skull and refusing to kill him, which lets countless other people die when he breaks out, and in the Sonic comics, Zavok explicitly states that Sonic giving him a second (third?) chance will only result in him repaying his kindness with misery, followed by flashbacks of every second chance he gave so far and their consequences. I thought it was really interesting. What are your thoughts on "second chances," and when do you think they've gone too far?

It's an interesting question, because I think it misses a fundamental element: why is it the hero's sole responsibility to stop giving these guys chances? Superman isn't the law, and Sonic the Hedgehog certainly isn't the law. The assumption that these heroes have the right and responsibility to decide to kill these guys is a bit baffling. Typically these heroes are the only ones who can reliably stop the villains, with a side helping of the power of friendship, but once the villain is stopped it's weird to act like the hero gets the sole decision to kill or spare them.

The core thesis of both of these stories and their heroes is that these heroes cannot be the people who decide who lives and who dies. They're too powerful to start making those calls. Not to put too fine a point on it, but if the US government had, after a trial, decided to execute Atomic Skull rather than hooking him up to a power plant, that would've been (a) a problem-solver for the rest of the movie and (b) actually within their rights. Superman is a private citizen. He can't just murder people because he thinks they should be dead.

I especially like how this is spelled out in the Sonic IDW comics, because it is a strongly-established theme that Sonic suffers over and over again because he won't permanently stop his villains. Instead of being framed as a failure of heroism, this is highlighted as a difficult call - essentially a personal heroic sacrifice, risking future torment to stand by his principles.

This framing is especially dope, because it frames the decision to kill a villain as what it actually is: an act of fear. An admission that the hero isn't strong enough to continue the fight if necessary, and is willing to sacrifice their own moral principles to spare themself future distress.

Someone else doing the wrong thing in response to a hero doing the right thing doesn't mean the hero should've sacrificed their principles. It just means the hero has more heroism to do.

Fundamental in this moral framing is the acknowledgement that choice is incredibly important. A hero who gives villains chances is acknowledging that this character is actively making the choice to be evil, and can always make the choice to stop. It denies the idea that some people are just inherently bad, which in turn kind of absolves those people of responsibility for their actions. If someone can never be better, then in a meaningful sense their bad actions really aren't their fault. Giving them second and third chances forces them to hold themselves accountable on some level - to recognize that they're the ones digging themself into this hole. Again, it all ties into the framing that mercy takes strength. It's an act of vulnerability to willingly open yourself up to future danger.

The argument of collateral damage, meanwhile, swings both ways. In the Sonic IDW comics, when Eggman loses his memory and winds up in a peaceful village, Sonic isn't the only person advocating for him. Everyone in the village wants to protect him too.

Shadow is the only one in team "let's kill him and solve all our future problems." Eggman regaining his memory and becoming evil again is not solely Sonic's responsibility - it's directly the fault of the person who set out to restore Eggman's memories, and indirectly the fault of everyone who advocated for Eggman's second chance, a set that includes Sonic but does not consist solely of Sonic.

In short, I think this is a very interesting theme to explore, and everyone should read the Sonic IDW comics.

#asks #not aurora #writing stuff

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deltarune-au-domain · 2 years

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Sorry! I mean is what does Honeycomb!Ralsei do in the multiverse? I can’t tell if he’s a protector or something else.

Also, what’re his abilities besides shapeshifting and giving healing honey??

Honeycomb Ralsei is more of an archiver and guide than a protector. Sort of like an AU historian. Yeah, they'd prefer if AUs weren't destroyed, just as one would prefer old relics remain pristine but Honeycomb is weak combat wise and can't take on that kind of responsibility.

That's why they formed The Hive. Honeycomb requires the help and abilities of others to achieve his goals, wich is why he happily helps and houses those who are lost. As well as guides them and those who may be new to Deltarune and its AU's (That's why faer the mascot of the blog.)

This is also why Honeycomb is trying to help reform Chiller Noelle. Yes, the reformation wouldn't carry back into Soulgrave itself but she would remember if she left again. (This is mostly to preserve the course of the AU's timeline.)

Though, just because Honeycomb isn't a good fighter, it doesn't mean they aren't strong. The honey they're made out of has many properties that are more useful for defense and healing.

Honeycomb's abilities (as of chapter 2 lore as they evolve with each chapter introduced) include:

The ability to communicate with bees and wasps.

Honeycomb can use their honey as an extension of themself.

Honeycomb can lift things that weigh much more than them. (Attack wise they’re still not that good.)

They have a spell called "Bees" that summons a swarm of bees under Honeycomb's control.

They have the spell "Hive Mind" that allows them to control those who don't see Honeycomb as a threat. (They dislike using this and will sometimes use it on accident if startled)

Honeycomb can summon crystallized honey hexagons, primarily used for defense.

Honeycomb can turn into honey as well as add ordinary honey to themself if need be.

Turning into honey can be used as a portal though, usually only for Honeycomb themself, wich is why they rely on Portal Jevil to move other things and people.

Honeycomb's honey can heal (In game specs would vary but +50 to people who trust them but +20 to anyone else)

The honey is also a cure for The Mold, since honey doesn't rot. It's only useful if caught early on. (Honeycomb may or may not use this as negotiation leverage.) Honeycomb is also immune to The Mold because of this.

Honey dose not go bad and thus Honeycomb cannot die of old age. Attempting to get rid of them completely would be difficult, as even a drop of them remaining is enough to bring them back.

Honeycomb doesn't naturally have a skeleton but can crystallize their honey into one. They do this to "fit in". (Mostly just a miscellaneous fun fact)

Now I feel it's important to mention that Honeycomb takes their archive work seriously and prefers not to heavily meddle with a universes' story no matter how bad it is. Yeah they sometimes visit other AUs for fun but will strictly avoid core timelines, this prevents their actions from genuinely effecting the universe as a whole.

They usually only step in if the universe itself as a whole is in danger of collapsing or succumbing to rot. So an AU can have all the murder, resets, and immoral toying with the characters lives you want but they can't step in to help.

This is a strict rule they set for themself, and the hive members. Most don't mind it as they don't plan on doing so but... there are a few who were quite unfortunate.

The cycle of life and death is important to Honeycomb. They've obviously excepted that and seem to be using it to their advantage. A story will begin and it will end but the preservation of the book itself is more important to Honeycomb than the fate of those within it.

This is possibly a personality trait that remained from long before Honeycomb's existence. After all, they're just a lucky reincarnation of someone else...

That's pretty much all the info I can think of at the moment. I could go into detail about different members roles in The Hive as well as the chain of command. Only if people want.

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bloomboxygo · 9 months

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I'm curious to see how you feel about Yuya given, uh, everything. But I know that might be a bit frightening so feel free to do either Sora or Serena instead!

Well, first question and I already have a slammer on my hands. Can't say I didn't ask for this one, so it's best I get these thoughts out on Yuya. Later on I might do the other two. Get ready. Also spoiler warning.

General opinion/How much I care about them: Yuya's a character I found frustrating as the show went on, but it's not his fault. Amongst all the characters with missed potential, Yuya's one of the very few ones who felt complete, with the initial shut-ins, insecurities, and bullying building him up to life his own life and make his mark on the world how he knows best: making people smile with his Entertainment Dueling. And in the Miami Championship, he really started to come on its own and actually impressed me. Another thing that impressed me was the Z-ARC foreshadowing: regardless of execution, you cannot say they didn't have that idea at the start, or at least the core of it. Sure, the road was bumpy (learning the same lesson over and over? Common and overused complaint, but I can't disagree with it) but it did lead to a complete character at least, which I do find endearing at the core. It's the world around him later on that becomes the frustrating part. Especially the post Z-ARC part, it felt like the world itself bent to Yuya's goals, like the whole world will be destroyed if Yuya doesn't get his girl, like... Ugh. AGAIN, he's not entirely at fault for that. I do care for him and wish him very well (despite the frustrations) and proper, thorough therapy. Also for his mindmates. Also... I don't have a strong opinion on Berserk Yuya. It's... A berserk form that always wins. I already know what's the outcome.

A ship I love: Eh... Not much of a shipper myself, but... Fruitshipping is fine, valid and canon, but frustrating because of reasons above which I also explained in my "Yuzu's Exhaustive, Exhausting Elegy". Again, not Yuya's fault here but Yuzu kind of destroying her own self for him just in a writing sense doesn't sit well for me. Even still, they have a fun dynamic and the support they show each other (even while separated by plot) is very much welcome.

A non-romantic relationship that I love: Aight, no complaints with this one YUYA | GONGENZAKA (sorry, don't remember the shipping name). What a fun dynamic the two have together, it's more than clear that they're besties and Gongenzaka's had a huge hand in supporting Yuya as well. There isn't much depth, but it's wholesome and solid the whole way through. I also really like the concept of two best friends having totally opposite Dueling styles, and in some way or another, approaching and learning more about each other's style (though Yuya learning the Heavystrong style was entirely out of my mind, and perhaps someone else's in a fanfic. The opposite happened though.)

The NOTP: Once again, no strong opinions on that one. If I find it weird enough, I'm simply not going to bother with it. I don't really have one that sticks out to me.

An idea for a fanfiction I would like to write/read about them: If I ever get the willpower and knowledge to properly write such a concept, a Spirit World fic when Yuya and Gongenzaka end up being Superheavy Samurai Prodigy Wakaushi and Brave Masurawo respectively would be great. Already shared an idea, IIRC, of these two things being statues that the Superheavies built in honor of their Master and his best friend.

Something that makes me think of them:

You weirdos.

More specifically, the people in the ARC-V fandom. Whenever I see all these super excited posts about the world and characters that the show offered, I can't help but feel your love for Yuya. Like... It seems everyone loves Yuya in this fandom and I can't help but feel like a bit of an outcast sometimes, considering how conflicted I am on him. I don't want to deny you of any fun. I know you're having the time of your lives with a show that gave me headaches, and while I still get shivers from time to time regarding my own experience... Thanks to you, I learned to bear it and make something positive out of it all. Perhaps not letting anyone hinder you, and encouraging yourself to make your own mark and make people happy, is what makes me think of Yuya, so you guys are a part of that.

I know I've mostly shifted to Radiant Dawn these days (Micaiah has claimed my mind with all her woes, and Tibarn with his Stone Cold entrances, and I just want to understand it all), but thanks for making me having a wonderful time here.

#yugioh arc v #arc v #yuya sakaki #yugioh yuya

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littlemissmanga · 1 year

Text

I've been thinking about this all day ...

The hyper masculine energy of the Bad Batch meets the hyper feminine energy of the Sailor Scouts. And the pairings are just *chef's kiss*

Let's start with the obvious ...

Tech x Ami/Sailor Mercury. Ok, yes, they're both smart. But they really do complement one another. Tech finds confidence in his intelligence, where Ami is a bit self-conscious of it. She likes using it to help her friends, but her intellect and more nerdy pursuits often isolated her from her peers when she was young. To meet someone who finds her intellect attractive? Oh, that would do things for her. Also to see Tech isn't just smart, but as capable as his brothers in action? That would inspire her in her own position among the Scouts.

As for Tech, can you imagine the first time Ami corrects him? Like, he'll be going on, talking about the dense technical aspects of his upgrade to the Marauder when Ami - politely and gently - interrupts with a correction or more useful modification. He's used to being interrupted - his brothers cut him off to shut him up all the time.

But now? He's being corrected by this gorgeous, sweet girl not to shut him up but to help him? And she's right (of course she is). Tech's brain goes into 404 Error, Page Not Found so fast. And he's smart enough to realize Ami would never be the one to make the first move, meaning he'll have to. He'll have to mature emotionally to be with her, and he finds himself actually wanting to.

Wrecker x Makoto/Sailor Jupiter. Both are precious bbys that deserve love. All the love. This is my crack OTP.

Mako is super conscious of her position as "the strong one". She hates that she's not small and dainty and feminine. That's part of the reason she picks up hobbies that are traditionally feminine - cooking and botany. She wants to be a cute housewife, but she's also incapable of standing by when others need help, and she's got the physical power to do so. But with Wrecker, she would feel dainty and small. And Wrecker isn't shy with the compliments, calling her "meshla" and "little one" all the time, casually. Which she deserves after her shitty senpai.

Wrecker would be so floored (read: turned on to the max) by a girl who can put him on his ass. And Mako could. But she'd be so joyful while sparring, keeping up with Wrecker's own humor. AND THEN SHE'D FEED HIM? With homemade treats!? Fandom already headcannons that Wrecker finds a woman cooking for him the sexiest thing he's ever seen. That woman also being pretty and strong? Oh, he's done for.

Echo x Rei/Sailor Mars. Sass. Wit. Verbal sparring. Neither of these two has thin skin, and oh shit would they be the snarkiest couple ever. The quips. The one-liners. I cannot.

They're also both sticklers for the way things are supposed to be. Echo literally memorized the regs. Rei's adherence to tradition and her position as a shrine maiden are core to her identity. They appreciate boundaries and rules and are both the mature ones of their groups.

But more than that, Rei is always been able to see beyond what's right in front of her. She would see Echo for who he is, all of him. More than just a number, and definitely more than the sum of his parts.

And Echo? We all headcannon he'd be a serious and devoted partner, the kind to worship his love. I can see Rei pulling him out of his shell with her wit and maturity and he wouldn't even realize his defenses fell until his feelings hit him like a truck. And he'd spend every second making Rei feel as accepted and loved as she makes him feel. He'd put her on a pedestal and worship her. Considering her abandonment issues, that worship-like adoration would hit her right at her core, giving her validation she long believed she no longer needed.

Hunter x Minako/Sailor Venus. The leaders. At first, it may seem their personalities don't mesh. Minako is after all very childish at points, something that could annoy Hunter.

But she's also incredibly selfless. She faked her own death to let her true love find happiness with her mentor figure. She is literally forged by her sacrifices because she refuses to let others suffer when she can take that on herself. She's childish to combat the darkness she knows will always linger in the corners of existence. She's determined to be the light that washes it away. For her, a true partner, one who will stand silently by her side while she does, supporting her, is all she really wants.

And I think Hunter would see that. As the leader, he understands that altruism - he's shown it himself many times. He doesn't understand how she can smile so brightly when she's been through so much, hurt so much, most of it carried on her own. It impresses him in a way he can't really understand. And how in the world can he ignore how his heart races to see Minako hyping Omega up, inspiring her to rise to any challenge ... even if the challenges were created by their own hijinks.

Sidenote: I 100% see Omega being drawn to the hyper feminine Minako, sitting at her knee learning all the girlie secrets we failed at as preteens. They'd have a whole at-home spa day, complete with like Tiger Beat magazines and chick-flicks like 13 Going on 30. And then Omega mentions off hand how cool it would be if Minako was with Hunter, because then they could have those girls nights all the time and she sees Minako's blush and she starts thinking of plans to help her awkward older brother and the Scout of love and beauty get over their mutual self-sacrificing tendencies to just kiss already.

#rant #sailor moon #sailor scouts #tbb #the bad batch #hunter tbb #tech bad batch #echo bad batch #wrecker bad batch #I'm sorry #rambling #but this is really cute tho

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eldritch-spouse · 2 years

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Noph'ae?👀 intersting

Honestly Pinnie, do I even need to say anything at this point?

Let's get a little angsty >:}

This is short but imagine when you were still with Santi, before you realised how awful he is, the demon told you his real name. Something that proved how much love and trust you had for one another. Before you found out the truth about his new job

So I'm not sure how it work in your world but usally when someone finds out the name of a demon, the infernal is forced to obey the person.

You command Noph'ae to leave you alone and never get close to you, ever again. Forcing him obey. If you want things to be more painful, you could send him back to hell. Putting more distance between you two.

Giving you time to run away, causing Santi to face the consequences of his actions, starve him of Lust and most painful of all

Losing you for possibly forever

(Also I really liked that name, very nice)

-angst anon

(Thank you, I have no idea where I got the idea for it from, because my memory has cheese holes. :] Ludwig's real name is already more on the nose, "Lu'Visi". Santi picked this name because it's ironic and deeply funny to him.)

You can do a whole lot with a demon's real name. Their titles are the single most important thing they hold, it is a direct way to address the very core of their existence, a demon is only an individual once they are named, and that name is never forgotten. Having access to a demon's name is like having a massive trump card. Fuck that, it's as if the demon showed you their hand before the game even started! Enslavement isn't the only threat, you can very much kill a demon like this.

Santi wouldn't give his name to someone he wasn't sure is his true mate, his kindred, the one whose aura matches his tastes perfectly. Because said person is a lot more susceptible to his temptation, naturally. They would think twice about getting rid of him, even if their moral compass is tying itself into knots, because they're going to inevitably feel fondness for Santi. Ultimately, it depends on how strong one's will is, and how long you've been with the demon. If this happens early on in the relationship or you're a person with a lot of self-control/determination, you may find it a lot easier to banish Santi. If this happens much later on or you're prone to complacency/low-effort, it'll become much harder to get rid of ole fuckboy McGee.

To make matters worse, you cannot do this within grabbing distance of Santi. The demon will lash out once he realizes what you plan to do. Imbilize him or do it at a distance. Demons often desire to have access to the surface, and when their freedom is threatened, they will do anything in their desperation to remain. Santi will hurt you if it means remaining outside Hell.

And even if you do successfully banish him, order him to stay away- There's always a chance, no matter how minute, that your resolve will falter. That you'll miss him, want him again. Because no one treated you better, no one fucked you better, and no one ever made you feel as loved, needed, wanted. You're only human, the need for validation will claw at you in your most vulnerable moments, sway you. Plus, always be careful with your wording when dealing with demons.

You may have said you wanted him far away from you, without direct interaction- But if Santi does something that just so happens to affect you in extremely negative ways, that's not really a violation of the order you gave, right? Even in Hell, he's high-ranking enough to send someone out to indirectly inconvenience you.

Noph'ae is very confident that it's only a matter of time until you summon him again, on your hands and knees like the blubbering mess of a human you ought to be without him. And in his endless generosity, the incubus will forgive you. Because you don't know better, he expected too much from you and your intellect. That's his fault, you're clearly too cute to do the thinking here.

#Santi oc

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todayisafridaynight · 11 months

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I have gotten two of my friends interested in Tsuma just by spamming GIFs so can confirm the Cutest Old Man In Media strategy has a high success rate... ON THAT NOTE. Very strong list of cuties... I Must Agree... Ikegami may be At Least A Little heinous but can't argue with that reasoning...

AND OK LISTEN. Some things I tell you are meant to be locked away in the vault never to be spoken of again... Tsutsumi's retirement is one of those... [just kidding it's fine LMAO he can do whatever makes him happy But I Will Cry I'm Sorry WE GET LIKE ONE MAINLINE GAME EVERY FOUR YEARS WHAT IF JO NEVER COMES BACK AAAA] BUT YES. YEAH. Very curious how he might do as a director...

DJKLGHJKLSDHLKS NO THAT'S THE FUNNIEST THING because I will generally just mention something in passing without actually recommending it but you'll go for it anyway😭😭😭NOT COMPLAINING. NOT COMPLAINING IN THE SLIGHTEST you have my deepest gratitude after A Lifetime of having my recommendations fall through and not being able to talk about stuff I'm into I cannot say this enough 😭😭😭😭😭but of course, definitely checking out the movie when I can :] I wish I could've watched before responding but busy day... oh well...

Speaking of! Kagerou Touge here and Tonbi here. They're both a bit less than three hours and split into two parts sooooo up to you <3 I don't remember enough about Tonbi to summarize it any better than what's on the page and It Is Best I Leave Kagerou A Surprise From Start To Finish. Bali Big Brother has been a bitch for years though unfortunately😩no subs may or may not be better than the machine-translated subs I had to work with

AGREED ON EVERYTHING ABOUT ATR NO NOTES NO ADDITIONS... YOU GET ME... KUROMI/MY MELODY-CORE SO REAL I felt like stopping and pointing whenever you could see their charms😭😭😭big fan... huge even... also the visual direction was Overall really good it is such a pretty anime and goes So Hard with the rain motif... SPEAKING OF THE FINALE WHICH I LOVED FOR THOSE SAME REASONS AS WELL Akira imagining breaking into a run to kiss Kondo on the cheek in the "date" ep but when she actually does it in real life it's a hug... as friends... broooooooo 😭😭😭😭😭

can't believe you're just hoarding keisuke gifs from me 😭 yes ive seen all of the show but STILL BUT REGARDLESS I'M GLAD YOU GOT OTHERS ON BOARD truly love this show a lot for keisuke... even beyond him tho not only is the cast really lovely but again i really love where the story went and how it all culminated in its last episodes..

and LISTEN Yes Ikegami Is A Lil Rank. Comes With Being A Yakuza but i do not have many options out of the charas ive seen tsutsumi play 😔 we been through this ttm is either very heinous or very serious in his films.... have to be careful..... plus i still think him smiling so much during the filming of the movie was cute, he's just a little silly to me 😔

but if tsutsumi isn't due to come back cause of his career, i gotta be the one to rip the bandaid off an assume jo prob won't return after this game. which either means 1.) joins the graveyard of tsutsumi charas 2.) He Somehow Gets Out Just Fine ???? And Just Does His Own Thing ???? Alone ???? either way... very intrigued to see what LaD8 has in store with that in mind...

there's some evil parasite in my brain that makes me immensely interested in things- like i accidentally went down a rabbit hole on The Superman Curse after someone made an aside comment about the latest flash movie DO NOT mention things to me because i will investigate it thoroughly... AND IM GLAD I DO CAUSE I FIND GEMS LIKE THESE !!!!!!!!! with that said i hope you enjoy the movie if you get to it !! (❁´◡`❁)

AND SPEAKING OF EPIC THANK YOU SO MUCH !!! i wouldn't mind with auto-generated subs tbh.... i've worked with less honestly BUT for now i'll see to watchin these two tonight ||ヽ(*￣▽￣*)ノミ|Ю

I REALLY LOVED THE RAIN THEME OF AtR. like Yeah That's On The Label BUT STILL it really fit the title so well... AND YAYA THE PARALLEL IN THE DATE EP FANTASY VS THE FINAL EP REALITY.... cinema.. LITERAL cinema i LOVE so so much the direction the anime went with their relationship... i said it enough but it's just so refreshing and great to see...

#long post #snap chats #all of this said tho i will be saddened when ttm does eventually retire. an inevitability it cant be helped but yk..#But Again Ultimately i still wish him the best in his career and the rest of his life when that day comes !#wont stop me from enjoying his older (and potentially newer :]) works (❁´◡`❁)#O BUT REAL i totally get havin stuff you rec or mention in earnest be brushed off #so whenever people tell me bout stuff i'm always willing to give it a try if i think it's interesting enough #esp if they're really passionate about it. i always feel bad for dampening people's passion one way or another #so i keep my mind wide open :) one day my curiosity/earnestness will be the death of me #but so far it's shown me. A Lot of ttm and nakai films that i love PLUS AtR SO not complaining yet !!!!!#AtR really is super good.... ive made small scribbled for it for myself but i must find ways to make Anyone camero in my comics...#its the only way i can Vaguely share my other interests with people at this point LMAO but anyways... moving on so i dont give hope...#timing's perfect i wasn't sure what to do for the rest of the night other than watch game speedruns so MOVIE TIME IT IS !!!!!#kagerou looked really interesting to me so ill start there...

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anotherghoul666 · 1 year

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ghoul!! bc my brain cant leave things alone i've been stuck on the masks post u made for a while ... does being attracted to things i view as "creatures" count as terato ... bc at first i was like nah i dont have that..... but here i am lmao

i also wanted to ask u what knowledge/experience u may have with solo poly? i really like the concept of it but dont actually know anyone who is rlly in the poly world

(also also ? i agree w owlish abt the anonymity thing and wanted to take a name to sort of allow the option of anonymity if thats chill w you? ideally batty or 🦇 (bat emoji) whichever one is easier)

Well, like any other kink or -philia, terato is something you get to define for yourself and chose to identify with or not. I can't decide what counts as teratophilia for you. I think the core aspect is, what do you mean by "creatures", and how human are these creatures that are objects of your attraction. Cause terato is attraction to the monstrous and non-human. But like, humanoids and human-look-alike monsters have a huge following too. Some humanoids lovers would consider that terato, some wouldn't.

Like, let's say someone's super into the idea of a shapeshifter creature. If the shapeshifter only shapeshifts into different humans, is it still a creature? Is it non-human enough? Do we ever see the "true" shape of the shapeshifter, does it even have one, or does it always need a human vesel, and if it does, is it monstrous "enough"? The concept of "enough" is up for you to decide. Some people would say loving a shapeshifter is terato by default cause monster; some would say it only is terato if it has a monstrous shape too or if it shifts into monsters and not just humans; some would say if it shifts into humans at all it isn't terato anymore. That's 100% subjective and for you to decide.

If you wanna give me examples of what these things you view as creatures are, I can give you my opinion, as in, would I define that as terato or not for myself, but I can't answer for you. (that being said, if you also just wanna share the objects of your monsterfucking attractions for the sake of sharing them and getting hype over them with someone, my inbox and/or DMs are ALWAYS open for some creature loving!!)

Now! as far as your other questions:

I have no personal experience with solo poly, because I have a life partner and I have only been in the non-monogamous lifestyle within the context of this anchor partnership + other partners that want to share my life and/or my partner's life in various ways. So I cannot comment on the solo poly experience on a level that would be satisfying or well informed enough for my standards. I,m sorry! That being said! I'd recommend getting in touch with your local poly comunity. Yes I guarantee you there's one where you are, even if you live in a small town. At the very least a bigger town nearby will have a local community, and you can reach your local people online. Us non-mono folks are everywhere. Google or look up on facebook for local poly groups; or reach out to your local queer community as we tend to have ties with the non-mono community as well; or reach out to your local kink/BDSM sommunity if you're involved in that as we also have strong ties with the non-mono community and often share sexual diversity spaces. There will be people there who can give better information about solo poly than I can.

(and for an anon name, please feel free if that makes you feel more comfortable!! I already have a bat / bat emoji anon though, so I'd advise picking another one so you two do not get confused for each other.)

#asks

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livingecho · 29 days

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@regnantlight ⸻ needs

🐝 * ― 𝑵𝑶𝑵-𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑩𝑨𝑳 𝑨𝑵𝑮𝑺𝑻 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑴𝑷𝑻𝑺.

its piles & piles of paperwork again . normally on her days away from the schools & her businesses she finds herself locked away in her office before the sun has even risen to get ahead on all of these projects ... but today is a touch different . she is within her ❛ study ❜ ( less of a study & more of a mad man's lair to vivisect whatever confuses you . rip it apart until you know all of its secrets ) . upon a large metal table that feels akin to one you'd see in a morgue is a guardian leg . her god would not allow her to bring a full one to valskhan . did she want to kill her kingdom just like hyrule ? do not be a fool , vissarion .

still , she pulls it apart & analysis its parts ⸻ the purple ichor that clings to some parts of it drying out more & more every day ... malice , they called it back in hyrule . interesting word ... but why ? she flips through her papers , looking back at her notes as the leg remains motionless on the table .

subject 7 ; guardian leg . unable to move without a core . attempts to create a core have failed . oddly enough it does grow violent with twitches & flaying when exposed to some magic ; most notability light . since it has no core we are to assume this organic subsistence is the reason for the movement . they call it malice . further testing needed . amendment : twitching no longer occurs as the ' malice ' has dried out . hypothesis : too far from its source to operate . hive mind ? / climate is not proper conditions but the zoras have malice as well too cold ? unfortunate reality : vahymn kills it before i can study it . fucking bastard bless him for keeping us safe . praise be .

nothing usable . beyond the idea that light magic is a good tool & that her god kills it before it becomes a problem . can vahymn not simply destroy this calamity ganon ? perhaps ... but gods are odd . there is a reason why he refuses & has tasked vissarion with fixing it . you are old & wise ... you watched hyrule grow , surely you can fix it ... you are vyortrek vyik , are you not ? the ocean lord , highest in the caste below only god himself ! if you cannot then hyrule is surly doomed & within valskhan suffers .

she runs her hands through her hair before crying out ! god sees her plight but refuses to give her the answer to this problem ! what kind of test is this !? you give her a horrible hand & tell her to win ? beyond that she needs to make sure her businesses continue with the lack of trade ⸻ she's lost so much since the fall of hyrule ! the stores that buy from her stock beg for more & she does not have enough supplies . vis has to pick & chose who gets to eat .

she hates this . hate isn't even a strong enough word . as she leans on the table running her fingers through curled locks she hears a voice from behind her . its a soft one , the asks what do they need . anything they can offer to help vissarion study the machine . vis doesn't bother to truly listen nor even look . its just someone to yell at .

❝ what i need is a fucking cold drink at 10 o'clock in the morning ! would yo⸻ ❞ she turns to see it is not her maid but ... princess zelda & link trailing behind her . vissarion is quick to stand up right and fix her hair & glasses . must look proper . she puts on that cold political smile , one the princess must be used to see having lived all those years in the castle .

❝ do excuse me but ⸻ please do not worry yourself with this . my god has assigned me the task to remove the malice from hyrule . you are here to remain safe ... ❞ vissarion is quick to approach them both , guiding zelda out of her study with her hand upon her upper back while using her tentacle to grab link & pulling him out behind them .

❝ now i know how difficult this is for you , but your job is done . just staying alive is enough ! ❞ she smiles , continuing to push the conversation away from the malice ... her god had told her zelda would be useless as she is now ( whatever that means . it obviously implied she could be useful but , has gods are , no real answers where given to vissarion . just cryptic messages . ) ⸻ so there was no point in allowing her to help her .

#regnantlight #𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ you still want it … the inner sanctity ⅋ its an evil but the evil is necessary . ❜⎜❲ ic .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ beyond which there is no god nor devil : only the consequences of actions ❜⎜❲ v . main .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ must be exhausting always rooting for the anti hero. ❜⎜❲ answered .❳#( also ray can be around if you want him -- vis & ray know each other )#( but is highly likely ray refused to leave hyrule and is fighting malice still )#( maybe hes the one sending vis malice infected shit idk )#( also welcome to valskhan . is cold and wet . )

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sortyourlifeoutmate · 8 months

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The decency of the British people cannot be questioned.

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

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

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

And Conference we will soon begin closing down asylum hotels.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eurgh.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Heh, sure.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Figure that one out.

Man this is hard to get through...

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

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

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

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

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

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

The fuck are you talking about, Suella?

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

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

Hmm.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This would be Sue, their London mayoral candiate.

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

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

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

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

Jesus Christ. Where do you even start on that?

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

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

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

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

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

Argh!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Also, just, 'luxury beliefs'. Eurgh.

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

Christ, are we nearly done?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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