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#152 texts
libidomechanica · 3 months
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Untitled # 10882
And joyous look. Is mornes messenger touches back, it’s not won until you, reconcil’d, yet to me. I heard it? You look like light inkling flowers all. Of your lap, and their busie Teacheries unfold on trains to this sweet beloued, in Godly Factions mayst with affrighters bad tempt, and charm, and still force, light for my pleasure it’s not in our eyes she offender, being a dark old inn-door. You love you. Of a fright entice your eyes: his love is the sky, or then a man; with Age—how shades of proud of hollow thought the world. Since my heart, with what the King Himself in her love as readers to plow; shoveling but hard life than showers pale and looking in the window, an Amethyst remembrance is; yet so well-breathe. All the gods might: tell good part I’d let thy AEgis o’er the travels after year, for human gore; and Peace its patterning days like a dog he listened touch’d with showers.
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clairebearsparkles · 11 months
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Guys, is it gay to have a friend reconnect with you while they are at their lowest and as you write letters to each other and have short visits to one another here and there you start to have feelings for one another despite your married state, but then your "friend" now not-so-secret lover sends you a really worrying letter describing letting a man who was thought to be dead be suffocated in his coffin buried in the ground you decide you need to go talk to him and set him straight, but oh no the letter has gone missing and now he came all the way to you accusing you of telling the authorities and now wishes to kill you? I'm not sure.
(for context this is how I imagine the whole Hezekiah story actually went from Nathaniel's pov because dramatic irony and tragic misunderstandings are fun)
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risequotes · 6 months
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Daily Rise Quotes: DAY 152
Resort Guard: Say, aren't you that hero who beat the kraken at the Battle Nexus?
Leo: You recognize me with hair? Whatevs.
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(Season 2, Episode 9B - Bad Hair Day)
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angelhummel · 2 years
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Glee + Reductress Headlines (56/?)
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[📢] OMEGA X 1st JAPAN TOUR 2022 [STAND UP!] worldwide stream!!! Date: 8.30 (Wed) Time:18:30 (JST) 🎫Tickets now on sale🎫 🔗 https://t.co/a7S2HQM3kV #OMEGA_X #오메가엑스 #JAPAN_TOUR #STAND_UP
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angelrari · 4 months
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gossip girl · pt. xi
based on the tv series gossip girl
max verstappen / charles leclerc x socialité!reader
fc: elsa hosk (y/n) · taylor hill (léa) · barbara palvin (jolie)
a/n: hi! sorry this took long! my personal life has been a roller-coaster these past days, but here's a new part for you, i hope you enjoy it! 🤍
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gossip girl here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of monaco's elite.
f1drivers
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liked by username, username and 637 others
f1drivers max verstappen and charles leclerc arrive to the paddock for fp1-2 #lasvegasgp
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username ah yes the y/n lover duo
username i call them the edward and jacob of f1
username and y/n?
f1drivers apparently she came with max, but she used a private entrance
username i really need to know what's happening between them and y/n @/gossipgirl
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the city lights of las vegas' nightlife shined brightly and illuminated the whole town. the temperature had quickly dropped after the moon had risen, so you stood inside the red bull garage, with your hands in the pockets of the leather jacket you wore, waiting for max now the stewards had announced the fp1 session would not be resumed.
it had been a disaster. not even 10 minutes in, a loose drain cover had hit carlos' ferrari. max was right, this is a shitshow. luckily nobody had gotten hurt, but your blood ran cold at the thought of what could have happened.
"is carlos okay?". you heard max ask as soon as he got out of the vehicle.
"yes, he's fine".
max looked at you as he skillfully removed his helmet. it fascinated you: how the way the man who was always kind and tender turned into a hungry lion whenever he was in a racing suit and how his ocean blue eyes somehow turned a shade darker.
"seems like the start of fp2 will be delayed. they have informed us that they are checking all the drain covers now".
"great, fucking great". max said sarcastically.
"go rest, it seems like this will take long".
"yeah, yeah, i will".
max had waited until you were in his drivers' room, out of the public eye, to give you a chaste kiss. he had removed the top part of his elivs' inspired racing suit, that now was tied on his hips, and sat down on the sofa next to you.
"i have texted charles to ask him how carlos was". you told his as you intertwined your fingers with his. "and he told me everything is okay, but apparently he couldn't feel his legs for a few seconds".
"it doesn't make sense". he stated. "all that show for this? he could've got seriously injured".
"i know". you said. "it's scary to know they spent millions on this, but didn't even bother to check the drain covers twice".
"yeah". he tightened his embrace on your body. "aren't you tired? you didn't sleep well yesterday".
"kind of". you replied. "but it's okay, i'll drink another coffee later".
"and what are we going to do if you can't sleep later?".
"i'll wake you up because i will blame it on you".
"i'm sure i'll find a way to keep you entertained".
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yourusername has posted a story
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caption: might have some trouble sleeping later
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max's fingers played with the buttons of your pink pajama shirt while yours caressed his damp hair. the smell of vanilla gel from the shower you had shared lingered on your bodies. now you laid on the hotel bed you shared, with your legs intertwined with his and feeling the beat of his heart against yours.
"you haven't had enough?".
"of you?". he said as he leaned in for a quick kiss. "never".
your hands moved to touch his face, feeling his stubble on your fingertips, you traced with your fingers the side of his jaw.
"i have to tell you something". you stated and his blue eyes starred into yours to look for a clue. "but promise me you won't get angry".
"that doesn't sound good".
"i know". you replied. "but nothing has happened, so don't worry".
"okay, i'm listening".
"yesterday charles confessed he still had feelings for me". you said. "when we were on our way back to the hotel, we were talking about léa and he told me he had realized that he didn't feel about her the same way he felt with me".
"he did?". he said and you nodded. "and how do you feel about it?".
"i love charles the way you love an old friend, i have many memories with him that are so dear to me". you explained. "but i know that what i once felt is not what i feel now and i'm sure that it's you the one who i want in my life".
"good". he said. "because i'm not letting you go anytime soon".
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grey-sorcery · 3 months
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A compiled text of informative articles.
This volume contains 26 articles: Bias in Witchcraft - 3 Correspondences - 9 Divination - 11 Duality - 15 Effective Visualization - 21 Grounding Exercises - 25 Psychic Abilities: 1st Steps - 29 Shadow Work: 1st Steps - 45 Spell Logs - 55 Spirituality & Critical Thought - 59 Spiritwork: 1st Steps - 64 Herbology - 68 Intermediate Gnosis - 82 Nature Vs. Nature - 85 Psychicism & Mental Illness - 91 Spell Circles - 106 Spell Potency Checklist - 112 The Elements: Fire - 114 What is Magical Theory? - 134 Chat GTP & Witchcraft Research - 152 Dimensions & Spiritual Planes - 16 Fate Magic - 175 Mechanics of Sigils - 176 Mirrors - 185 Exorcism Story - 194 What is it to be grey? - 197
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dreamlingnation · 1 year
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a very important message
Hello Dreamers.
We at Dreamling Nation have been made aware of the current situation regarding Into The Dreamling: A Morpheus/Hob Server. We are saddened to hear of its impending deletion on the 10th and wish everyone on their mod and admin team the best of luck in their next endeavours.
We are also aware that our server has been named as an alternative. While we pride ourselves in being a very welcoming community, our server is not equipped to house so many new members in such short notice, and for that reason, our invites are paused until further notice. Today is also Easter Sunday, and many if not all members of the mod team will be unavailable to deal with a possible influx of new invite requests.
I also feel the need to explain why Dreamling Nation is invite only.
In my many years of fandom, I have experienced many uncomfortable and downright dangerous online environments. I, like many others here on Tumblr Dot Com, have had nearly unrestricted access to the internet from a very early age, and that has taken a considerable toll on my mental health. That is why I enforce the invite only rule: for my own peace of mind.
If you are looking for an alternative to Into The Dreamling, a new server called Mr Sadman has just been launched! It is a sibling server to Dreamling Nation and I highly encourage anyone looking for a streamlined fandom server experience!
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beansprean · 1 year
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A dramatic height reversal was brought up by local geniuses @pejntedboks and @chaoticsmirk and the concept immediately turns Nandor into a silly little prince boy with a Napoleon complex. I am trying not to imagine how terrifying a 6'2" Guillermo would be. Also I drew this whole thing like "haha heehee teeny tiny Nandor" before remembering that I am also 5'0". :/
(ID in alt and under cut)
ID: 1a. Chest up of Nandor, covered in a cloak, and Guillermo standing side to side, Guillermo standing a few inches above Nandor's shoulder. Nandor looks at him from the corner of his eye and asks, "How do I look, Guillermo?" Guillermo avoids his gaze with an uncertain expression and replies, "Uh. Great, Master." 1b. Zoom out; Nandor plants his hands confidently on his hips, parting the oversized cloak in the process and revealing himself as a much shorter person wearing tall stilts. He grins and declares, "Perfect! I'll take them!" Guillermo nervously shoves his hands in his chino pockets and looks away sweatily, cheeks flushing.
2a. Short Nandor and Laszlo, who stands a good six inches taller, are in the middle of an argument. Laszlo has his body turned away from Nandor, arms crossed, and sneers at him over his shoulders, snapping "I don't know how you manage to clamber up onto that high horse of yours without a lift!" Nandor, facing him with fists clenched at his side, gasps loudly in affront. 2b. Shot from over Laszlo's shoulder as he turns his face away from Nandor and toward the viewer with a scowl. Behind him, Nandor flails his arms in an angry tantrum, insisting "I am 185 centimeters!" (6 feet 1 inch) Laszlo scowls, mumbling, "And I'm a bloody virgin..." Nandor shouts, "Guillermo! Come here!"
3. Full body view as Guillermo steps up to Nandor's side, holding a broom. He is significantly taller than Nandor, and tags by their heads declare Nandor as 5 feet 0 inches or 152 centimeters and Guillermo as 6 feet 2 inches or 188 centimeters. Arms crossed, Nandor continues to glare at Laszlo offscreen as he snaps, "Guillermo! How tall are you!" Guillermo looks down at him with a sigh and obediently replies, "7'3", Master." (221 centimeters) Nandor crows, "See?!"
4. Guillermo sits in a cushioned wooden chair with a serene smile, lifting Nandor's hair to run a brush through it gently. Nandor sitting in his lap, facing out. His legs, which don’t quite reach the floor, are crossed and his foot is jiggling in some unheard rhythm.His hands are planted on Guillermos thighs beneath him and his eyes are closed, looking calm and pleased. The background is a warm red-violet and curly golden text above reads "The Little Prince." /end ID
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libidomechanica · 5 months
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Now he does show no real like
And things That would an articulating     all his schulde make a meré mantile about commands     beard, the very rivers,
nor only they list vpon days?     I ne wowyng nauþer God hym ate his deliciousness, and     play. And by my pet-name!
To the name! But still came, in londe     he no long: if you’re lucky together darke, since in his     pulse strings all, until the
rande, Ful wel araye noble pipes will,     singing: There we are less he cacheres þat yow lasse auþer     of þe lorde by love’s most
delight, because, up to his back     them out, and sing for soþe, þat þe þrid þou hatz wonyd here     is no need. Inflicted
on pillow left your figure. Turning     her poor soul’s warmth of hende, now who live; robert Burns: grant     in tenderest, and his
pards, but not in vert flowering,     if unskilled who rather than dying, he was no more, for     þe folk fonged to him,
fair of ’T was angry light will     be, as hit on hyȝe on his laughs and nought touch, to fields under     oure one; my love, so
cortayse, so he sleepeth and straue     to þe erþe to welcum þis ilk rake bi ȝowre hest. Now he     does show no real like ocean
fades upon my shadows in     heaven and wondered in silence, for my hous and daffadillies     greme and the drear
has our close, but little diamond     the gloom, this is soth swere þanne Alle þat þou schal in her     her Feet. We could tread were
of Phoebus’ shrine, apollo’s hands     when all in Juan mused; since he saw them bylyue and Cleopatra—     night a country people
talk to mete bi rote. Last,     upon a summer heart is not a heuk had I, yet I     was at a loss what sweet,
to leave to deme hit is a worth     þer he leant on any oþer. Save him he is a daughter,     and round excepting
this. Such puny doubt that bitter     by lent, and the air stretch’d our foretell me no more—that high:     see with my palm trees that?
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theia-mania-comics · 1 year
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Queen of the Dead 152
The exact rules of Senet have not survived (it’s also likely that they changed a bit during the game’s long history), since it seems like the game stopped being played in the 4th century CE, but by using snippets of texts, the rules have been reconstructed to a certain extent.
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fashionbooksmilano · 4 months
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Kylie
Kylie Minogue, Preface Chris Heath
Booth-Clibborn Editions, London 1999, 152 pages, Hardcover, 26x38,7cm, ISBN 978-1861541376
euro 80,00
email if you want to buy [email protected]
A self-portrait of Kylie Minogue featuring her many different personas, public and private, both reflected in the eyes of others and as seen by herself. Kylie combines collaborative portrayals alongside media representations to convey the strange fragmentation of self that occurs in the lives of international media icons.
This personal book, prefaced by Kylie, includes a text developed through conversation with her by renowned music journalist Chris Heath. Alongside this, artists, photographers, writers, academics, pop stars and actors give their response to Kylie in words and pictures. 
The book also includes visual material taken from Kylie's own archives, dating from early "Neighbours" memorabilia documenting the worldwide Charlene phenomenon such as telephone cards and t-shirts, to fan snapshots, off-the-cuff portraits, a visual discography, as well as more recent photographic shoots with some of the world's top photographers including Ellen von Unwerth and Stephanie Sednaoui.
13/12/23
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theslowesthnery · 20 days
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i don't know if anyone is interested in this but i wrote a little guide for how to get the facegen params from elden ring, both of the NPCs actually used in the game and all the others, whatever their purpose might've been
it's a little long so i'm putting it under a cut
for this, you need two things: Elden Ring the game for the PC, and the program DSMapStudio.
so first thing in order: get DSMapStudio here. download the .zip from the github and extract it wherever you want. inside are two version of the program - the regular version (DSMapStudio.exe), and the low requirements version (DSMapStudio_LowRequirements.exe) that only has the param and text editing functions and not the map viewing/editing function. if your computer can handle it, i would still recommend using the regular version as it shows the names of the known NPCs when you look at the faceparams.
open the program, and in the file menu, pick "New project". in the window that opens, give the project a name of your choosing in Project Name; click the icon of a paper next to the Project Directory box to pick where to save that project (do not make it the same folder as the game executable is in, the program will warn you about it if you do); and finally click on the icon of a paper next to Game Executable box to locate your eldenring.exe. then press create. you will only have to do this once, and the program will remember and automatically open whatever project you had open last.
now, immediately below the task bar are four tabs: Map Editor, Model Editor, Param Editor, and Text Editor. go to the Param Editor tab, and in the list that appears on the left, go to FaceParam. you now get a long list of numbers in the middle, and these are the faces and characters. if you're using the regular version of the program, you'll see names of the games NPCs if you scroll down to the 23000 range of entries.
click on any entry, and in the right window you will see the parameters. for the most part these are self-explanatory and the values can be put into the game's character creator as they are, but there are a few tricky bits:
EDIT: first of all, the value for Nose Ridge - Nose Protrusion (faceGeoData60) - is incorrect! the actual value for Nose Protrusion is in faceGeoData53, which you will find after the Alter Body values:
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all the other slider values are correct as far as i know.
the information for the character's age, musculature and bone structure are all contained in the fourth entry from the top, Adjust Face Template - Bone Structure (Parts ID) (face_partsId). it basically goes like this:
0 in param editor = in-game bone structure 1 10 in param editor = in-game bone structure 2 20 in param editor = in-game bone structure 3 30 in param editor = in-game bone structure 4 40 in param editor = in-game bone structure 5 50 in param editor = in-game bone structure 6
+100 = muscular +1 = mature +2 = aged
in other words, if the parameter is, say, 152, then that means that the character is muscular, aged, and uses the bone structure 6. if the parameter is 1, that means the character is mature and uses the bone structure 1, and has standard musculature. if the parameter is 0, the character is young with standard musculature and uses the bone structure 1.
(to my knowledge whether the character is type A or B is not stored in the faceparams, you're just going to have to guess)
the character's eyebrows and eyelashes are the number in the param editor plus 1. so if the params say that their eyebrows are 0, that correlates to in-game eyebrows preset 1; if the params say the eyebrows are 5, then the eyebrows in-game are preset 6. same with the eyelashes.
the hair style numbers do not follow any kind of formula, they're just random, so i made myself a cheat sheet - the red number is the number in param editor, the white number is the number in character creator:
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tattoos/marks work with the same formula as the eyebrows and eyelashes - param editor number +1 = number in character creator - up to 18 (19 in charactor creator). from 20 onwards the number is the same in both the param editor and character creator, so if the params say the tattoo/mark is 22, then it is 22 in the character creator as well. the Tweak Tattoo/Mark - Flip (decal_mirror) being 0 means the tattoo/mark is mirrored, while 1 means that it is not (to my knowledge).
eyepatches work with teh same formula as eyebrows and eyelashes: param editor number +1 = number in character creator.
here are some guys and gals i've found so far (going through them is very slow because you have to input every slider value manually):
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my-lonely-angel · 8 months
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Happy @tmaappreciationweek day 1! I drew something, but it’s kinda ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, so… fic recs! Jon-centric ones, because he’s my favourite major character to precisely no one’s surprise.
It’s in order of vaguely when they take place.
nature has taught her creatures to hate (words 183,928) by thepolysyndetonaddictsupportgroup
Jon goes to the Magnus Institute to give a statement about Mr. Spider when he’s 8 years old, but is kidnapped and made to become a child avatar. It… really hurts. So much. 100% recommend. Good luck.
Merry-Go-Round (words 20,744) by Prim_the_Amazing
Jon becomes a stranger avatar, in like this horrifying way, and it’s like, it’s almost appealing, like MAG 152, but also you’re like oh god. Ohhhh god. Dont. Dont do that. And yeah, it’s really good.
you appear familiar, dear— you look just like my bathroom mirror (words 3,340) by takethebreadsticksandRUN
One of those one shots that take a theme and then run with it through canon (and in this case, pre-canon). It’s about identity issues related to your body, about gender dysphoria and the Issues that come with having your bodily autonomy repeatedly violated and also religion. Catholicism, to be specific. It’s really good, and the religious imagery is neat, and it’s so good. It’s really gender, it gets the gender feelings.
Jon focused, introspection. I love Jon focused introspection.
all your scars are looking more like scales (words 2,827) by ceaselesswatchers
Another one of those one shots. This time the theme is Jon being a dragon (in an Otherkin way). It’s really good.
but you just don’t feel the same (words 2,825) by ceaselesswatchers
Yet another one of those one shots. This one focuses on soulmates, how they’re actually body horror if you think about it, and how that would interact with being aro. Jon’s aromantic in this fic.
Also, I won’t spoil it, but it’s got a moment near the end that I love so much, and it’s just… this fic really tackles a lot of things in TMA and a lot of things with soulmate AUs and makes me Very Horrified.
terror management theory (words 36,587) by prismatical
ITS SO FUNNY AND ITS SO SAD
It’s half crack half oh my god. oh my fucking god. Where Jon was killed by Mr. Spider as a kid and now he keeps coming back to life. Prismatical writes really good… moments that stick in your brain.
There is a Wasp’s Nest in my Archives (words 7,525) by ineverwritebutwhatever
One of the first fics I bookmarked, like even before finishing season 2? Had no idea what the corruption was, but then, but then, I revisited it, and it’s… phenomenal? It really does a good job of tackling both the metaphorical and literal aspects of the corruption.
of broken tables and stained kitchen sinks (words 2,114) by ocaptain_mycaptain
Everyone’s favourite… Jongeorgie angst! Platonic. It’s set in season 3, Jon’s all like “I’ll keep all of my problems right here, and then one day, I’ll die” and Georgie’s like “hey, jon, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me anything. Please tell me something” and meanwhile they’re having issues that are symbolised through Georgie’s home and furniture being in need of repairs.
Not (words 1,767) by DaFlangstLairde
A really cool fic beginning in season 3 (but it’s one of Those one shots), focusing on what it means to be a person and even real. Can confirm, feels a lot like depersonalisation, lol. Anyway, it’s so cool, also it’s something I can use to say Stranger!Jon rights.
So, for realistic depictions of depersonalisation, Jon themed musings on humanity, and Stranger!Jon propaganda… this is the fic for you!
The Bird of Paradise (comic, 47 chapters) by lady_libertine
This was required reading for a different fic. It’s about Jon meeting Odin, Dionysus, and Lucifer during the Unknowing, and getting slightly magical therapy that helps him fix his problems. It’s actually pretty good. Very long, though. And not described (unless it is through alt text).
Cry For Me (words 4,827) by BusinessCasualAura
(who is apparently my mutual, i keep forgetting this)
Okay, so this series is like, so sad. It’s so bloody sad. It starts between s3 and s4 (getting off to a Sad Start), continues through s4 and s5, ends in like, the worst way (for the characters). It’s so bloody good, and the Upton House portion is like… top 2 Upton House fics.
can’t be helped (words 5,308) and rituals (words 8,492) by doomcountry
The first fic is set in season 4, but canon diverges, and both Martin and Jon fall fully to their patrons (i.e. Jon becomes a lot more evil and inhuman, Martin fulfils more of the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder).
The second fic is set after the first fic, with Martin (less lonely) trying to see if there’s any Jon left in the Archivist. First fic focuses pretty equally on Jon and Martin, but in separate storylines, second fic is from the Archivist’s POV, but focuses on Jmart.
stopgap prophecy (words 16,686) by prismatical
It’s about humanity and monsterhood and “is it right to die bc living will hurt people” and change, and I love it. It’s so good. And Jon’s narration is wonderful, and the climax is just, it’s amazing to read, it plays out in my head all the time. Set in season 4, post-MAG 146.
the best policy (words 20,094) by BlueGirl22
Jon reads a truth telling Leitner during season 4, and then people have heart to hearts with him. It goes. It certainly goes.
For he will not do destruction, if he is well fed (words 15,127) by greevianguy
Jon projects on a cat for 15,127 words. No but, like, set in season 4, Jon sees a cat at the institute, and then he sees it again with Daisy, and he wonders if he can help, and he thinks about the cat Daisy had and how it was let go by someone who was supposed to help it and yes jon go on, no, im not taking notes.
It’s just, argjhhh it’s so painful. Might be my favourite tma fic. Go read it. Right now.
Out of My Head (words 15,641) by buildoblivionthenwewilltalk
This is a really good post-MAG 154 fic, and it’s got this cool original character, and it’s got this absolute BANGER of an ending that never gets elaborated on, it’s fine i’m fine and yeah. Favourite post-MAG 154, easily.
in the chillest land and on the strangest sea (words 19,632) by imperfectcircle and raven (singlecrow)
I’m pretty sure this is one of those fandom classics. Based on the amount of comments, it’s pretty well known, but I enjoyed it, so… it’s about Hope as an entity. It’s in the format of Daisy telling Jon a story while the latter is staying at the Scottish Safehouse. The story is from season 1 onward but the framing device is post-MAG 159 pre-MAG 160. It’s got great moments that live in my mind rent free.
john 19:41 (words 1,142) by tkkarno
Set immediately after MAG 160, Jon reflects on his humanity, the loss of it, and the relation of that to Jane Prentiss, and also biblical themes. The title is the bible quote: “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.”
Pretty much exclusively focuses on Jon. Stream of consciousness ramble, yknow.
In this harsh world (words 1,132) by CirrusGrey
This is my favourite of the 40 fics Citrus wrote while s5 was coming out. It’s a conversation after Upton House. It’s titled after a line from Hamlet. Frankly I don’t think I need to say any more.
where there’s a will, we make a way (words 305,816) by bubonickitten
Time travel fix it fic, time travel fix it fic! To be completely honest, I don’t really like time travel fix it fics, but this one is an exception. s5!Jon basically replaces season 4 Jon, and still has issues, and they focus on multiple characters, and there’s so much getting angry at Jonah Magnus — if I’m being honest, sometimes I just read this fic and go through the content warnings to see which chapters probably mention Jonah Magnus and read those, because the handling of Jonah Magnus is like, thank you. I love it.
Focuses on multiple characters, but Jon’s the main character. Also, diverges before MAG 187, and it was being written pre-finale. It’s still ongoing.
rewind. play. eject. (words 39,543) by boredshyandbi
Jon’s stuck in a timeloop of MAG 39, and it’s heartbreaking to see him every time try to fix things, try to save Sasha and Martin and Tim, and there are Lines. There are Lines. That stick out in my brain. Do you think I’m ever going to be okay about paperclips again? No! I’m not. It’s another exception to the time travel fix-it rule, but only because it’s got... a different plot. And it’s just that good.
Countdown to Extinction (words 131,464) by starspangledbread
Another exception! Tbf though, it’s another different one.
First fic isn’t quite monster4monster4monster jongerrymart, but it’s got the Vibes. Jon commits petty crimes and also major crimes like Multiple Kidnappings, uh and then the second fic is just. Wow okay that’s a tonal difference. Dealing with repercussions…
ANYWAY I wholeheartedly recommend both :D
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simptasia · 1 year
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LOST + text posts part 152
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dailycass-cain · 7 months
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How I Came to Appreciate Batgirl: Redemption Road More...
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Once upon a time, I wasn't really fond of this story. I hated and loathed it. Since 2020 however, I gained a greater appreciation for the mini-series. Now it isn't on the top tier of Cassandra Cain stories, but I don't see it lower tier list anymore.
Why?
Well, I'm going to tell you, and maybe you'll appreciate this story too.
I fully confess this story more as a "Schrödinger's Cassandra Cain" story. There is a lot of bad in it, and yet there is a lot of good in it. First off, the one element I do enjoy is the art by Jim Calafiore.
There's a grit Calafiore brings to this story. It helps balance the good and the bad. The good is that he draws a very scary Cass. That and I do enjoy the opening homage to a certain two-clawed Wolverine in the opening spread:
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Now for the very title of the series, you can interpret "redemption road" as two-fold: in writer Adam Beechen redeeming not only Cassandra in the eyes of the Bat-Family but redeeming himself with readers for well turning her heel back in Robin #150 and "Titans East" (Teen Titans #42-47). Cause let's face it-- it was not a good story by any means and did neither Cass or Beechen any further favors (but I digress, Geoff Johns, plotted that all out and there are "reasons" for Slade getting away free).
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You have those factors and this little tale. So at Wizardworld Chicago 2008 I attended a panel where the infamous Dan DiDio revealed that Beechen bugged him for pitches and the one of approved was this mini.
He also revealed Beechen was the only one pitching stories on Cass (which was a half-lie, if you've seen my "Lost Tales of Cass" post, you know Chuck Dixon had a fill-in issue of Detective Comics ready to go telling how Cass/Bruce mended).
Course, by this time period Dixon was exiting Robin and Batman & the Outsiders so, yeah it was a "half-truth".
That made me angry back then, but now I see the why, and I'm okay with it. In his original ways of writing Cass, Beechen's attempts were-- not good. This was his chance to show readers he had really looked into the character's history and fix these issues that he himself put in.
Think about it we came from this in Robin #152:
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To this. Beechen calling out the grand problem within the Bat-books (even now it seems). Cass is important in the Bat-Family, SO TREAT HER AS SUCH. Which he does by having Alfred (of course) pointing these things out.
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But Alfred isn't the only one being meta in this story. I didn't even realize it, until 2020, but there is one other character playing a meta part in this comic, Nightwing.
If there's one HUGE gripe with this particular volume it is the relationship of Cass/Dick in it. We went to them being brother/sister.. to well. We have Dick literally acting like a dick to her.
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Then it hit me.
Who was writing Nightwing at the time period? Peter Tomasi. Who treated the character of Cassandra like what Alfred says? Then suddenly Dick's characterization here began making sense much more sense (when you have this going right after this series as if that writer was flipping off Beechen) in Tomasi's final page of Nightwing:
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Cass was supposedly living in the Manor at this time (per this story). Funny how she was "forgotten" in Nightwing. I guess Tomasi was REALLY spiteful because he revisited this subplot during the New 52 Batman & Robin too with Bruce even twisting the knife further:
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Though for Beechen's purposes he revisits on WHY Cassandra should be a key member of the Bat-Family. Not only that, but Cass goes thru a journey that explores the limits of the Bat-Family's underlying culture of vengeance. And she reaches a natural conclusion to this (more on that later).
So let's get to the real bad. No not the 90s designed goons of David Cain or Deathstroke. No not the David Cain characterization. I'm talking about #1's wall of text that would make even Brian Michael Bendis blush.
This is only one page of it in the issue. We got TWO.
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Until this issue, we never really got a "defined" timeline of Cass's EVIL period. We just figured OYL, Supergirl #14, Robin #161-162, and Titans East was how it happened. Turns out we were WRONG. Did we really need to see these pages of text? Not really.
In all honesty, I think a simpler solution would have been just tiny panels of Cass seeing the various people she killed when drugged up. At the very least, it would put faces on those Cass was forced to do. You could feel her rage on why she's hunting Slade/David Cain then.
Plus it feels like we're missing something as Tim was basically like Dick in Titans East. But now he's changed. Why? There could have been panels of Tim showing care for Cass in this. Instead, he just feels muted throughout this mini.
The first issue ends with Cass confronting another mystery lady murdering some of Slade/David Cain's assassins. And again, a problem I have with this mini.
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These "children of Cain" feel so nameless save for Marque, who is the opposite of Cass. She embraces the violence that she was taught and is David Cain's own Frankenstein Monster. Throughout the mini she just comes off as superfluous and edgy. Really edgy...
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I really think Beechen missed a prime chance here in having Cass trying to save someone like herself. Someone unlike Cass, didn't realize life as much as she did. That finally, Cain cracked the code (with help from the Slade juice). And Cass could try to redeem her.
So this whole theme of redemption could be all over the place then. Marque throughout this just feels, meh. Speaking of meh say hello to meaningless male love interest #3 for Cass.
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This subplot just feels pretty meh. I get the why Beechen tried it. The writer from Batman: City of Light attempted this. Dylan Horrocks with Black Wind during his run on Vol. 1, and Andersen Gabrych attempted this in his run with Zero (and let's face it we only remember his name because he died).
The whole love subplot just feels so unnecessary here. Again we could have more stuff with Tim helping her. Something. Instead, we get someone we care little about. Because A.) we've seen it before and are so over it.
B.) Compare it with Shadow of the Batgirl which did this right. It balanced everything by showing Cass being the focus here (you know the actual main character), and less on the intended male love interest (until later when she gets to know him, Erik, more as the reader does too)
Which leads to this positive in #2. In one page we are given Babs realizing what Cass has been up too and is all for her going on this quest (probably knowing where this will end). Which is again, a good contrast to where Babs and Cass are here. Babs knows Cass needs this.
Bruce doesn't. Dick SOOOOO doesn't. But Babs fully understands. And I do love me some Babs being a good mentor.
Another positive in this issue does is laying the groundwork on how David Cain/Deathstroke forged this partnership when Cass/Marque visit a former colleague of both men.
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That these two knowing one another was hinted at in Batgirl Vol. 1 by Kelley Puckett himself when Cain told Bruce in #5 of a job that was beneath him, Slade, and Lawton's talents. So in that regard, that's a nice callback.
Speaking of callbacks, you can't have Cass hunting Slade and not have run into Ravager (who was also actively hunting her father too during this time period of DC). And here the two's interaction is hit or miss.
Rose equally has a grudge against Slade for pulling the same stuff that he did to Cass. So they can easily relate to the other. Also, you have a built-in Rose going to more extremes than Cass (thanks to Sean McKeever's underrated Teen Titans run character arc involving her).
This is why Marque again comes off as the third wheel in all of this. If you're reading DC Comics at the time (or even now). You want the Cass/Rose interactions here. You don't care about the gritty edgy third person who's ruining the antics between the other two.
Like literally, the tension between Cass/Rose should be all that you need. There's history between them both. There are similar goals each wants. But it comes off as meh throughout this due to Marque. I mean look at this panel below and tell me who sticks out as the sore thumb?
Cause then you have panel later on in the book that makes you want to fist pump with these two now that are Marqueless. Who doesn't want to read THAT?!
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Look, the idea of Marque is intriguing but there should have been a clear subject spawned from Deathstroke/David Cain's alliance. An assassin. A roadblock. A hurdle. Not nameless ninja assassins with badly designed outfits.
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If this was just Marque fighting Rose/Cass then at least the fight could have meant more meaning. A face to go along with someone who's being down there as Rose/Cass got away from their murderdads.
Because there's no weight to any of these fights which should have more impact. Instead, they come off as weightless. And more blood spilled by Marque because the EDGE MUST FLOW!
But if #3 has another problem is Dick really being a bastard. Seriously, WHAT THE HELL DICK?! But then again, I get it now on why Dick is acting as such. Just that this bad characterization does come at the expense of Nightwing. Like WOW.
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So here I am bashing the heck out of this third issue, with very little good finding in it. Well, there is one other additional good. That's the opening page/panel when Cass is out (due to Rose from last issue).
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Where does this love of Cass/Shiva together come from? This comic! Beechen of all writers laid the seed that Bryan Edward Hill in Batman & the Outsiders and Michael Conrad & Becky Cloonan on Batgirls would use. The hidden desire Cass has: she wants Shiva to be a mother to her. Yes, Barbara is a good mother too (and dammit where is she in this panel above?!)
Regardless, Beechen does understand a want Cass has that James Tynion opened (and failed at) while Hill fleshed out WAAAAAAY more. So much more that now this has to be the standard of their relationship now. Literally, this is just gold between the two of them now.
But if you want to know where this hunger for Cass/Shiva to have an actual daughter/mother relationship came? You can thank Adam Beechen for that!
#4 finally has the long-awaited fight between Cass and Slade with it well being quite lackluster thanks in due part to Marque and the nameless daughters of Cain.
But I do confess there are a few dialogue pieces in #4 I do enjoy. Like Slade twisting the mental knife to get the better of Cass here.
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We get no cathartic scenes for either Rose or Cass here (everyone seems to get robbed of having them with Slade at this time period in DC). Just a rushed end to a rushed subplot.
Again, this could have been the point where Cass was reaching to Marque and that could have been the point for Slade to decide, "WHELP TIME TO EXPLODE AND RUN!" Setting up the next issue. Instead, these nameless kids all die and we the reader feel nothing for them.
When in fact we should feel more. But so it is comics and we get the abrupt ending of the Cass/Rose union. Because this is all we get of Slade and her after this issue. Which is a pity.
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Again given how both have similarities with horrible fathers. There should be much pathos here between Cass/Rose. How Cass sees going down this path of vengeance can poison you still (as it is doing to Rose). With Marque being.. ugh.
If that wasn't enough we get again nameless male love interest and ugh. Yeah, I'm just not gonna post more of that. Other than Cass realizes just who Slade and her pop would target to announce their alliance but also hurt the heroes: Oracle.
Which makes complete sense. I just wish the comic did a better job with it like Bruce Wayne: Murderer did only now David Cain this time going after Barbara (as he went after Bruce in that event story). There's a lot of things this comic could have done better at.
#5 opens with Dick, Bruce, and Tim fighting Cass due to the former ratting out her plans to kill David Cain to the latter two. Still, it is kind of cathartic Dick getting punted.
...
I hate myself for enjoying that.
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If you're expecting any sort of closure between Dick/Cass here you aren't going to get any in this series. Dick continues to be a dick to Cassandra in Frank Tieri's fill-in arc of Batman & the Outsiders #13-14. After that, Dick FINALLY stops acting so OOC.
Here we go back into the positives of this series. I do enjoy Cass scoping the eventual scene of the crime out. She looks at the evidence she's got and with her skills predicts how and where her father will try to take the shot at Babs.
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These pages come to show that Cass indeed can be a fine detective on her own right (thanks to Babs, Bruce, and Tim teaching her). Knowing how and when the crime could occur before it even does with what she knows.
And so we get probably the second-best part of this series. These next two pages.
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I mean it's not Damion Scott, but Calafiore does have the nice little details here and there. Also nice of Beechen to use TWO homages of Cass here. From this set-up shot from Vol. 1 from above too…
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To Cain about to strike a Gordon down and once again, his daughter stops him from taking the killshot. There's a bit of poetry there.
So in some callbacks, the creative team does nail them. I have to confess other than Marque, #5 is probably the portion of the story where it actually gets good. Even if it does come at the small price of David Cain's characterization.
Look, yes David Cain is a monster, but there's a difference between monsters who aren't portrayed as human and the ones who are. Cain had a perfect balance of this in Vol. 1 The stuff in this volume (and until again Shadow of the Batgirl) David just is a complete monster.
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In that regard, the pathos of the villain just feels more hollow. If save Slade talked to him while in prison. Told him he could perfect and deliver that perfect child soldier. Bring a reason for his life again. I'd buy that more than what we got here in Vol. 2.
Why going into the final issue why I go into that mindset. It helps the reasons flow better for the character then what we actually got. And the ultimate fight between the two is handled well.
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I also love that both Babs/Bruce are doing crowd control here (both at this point knowing this is something Cass NEEDS). I love that Charlie sees what is going on and her first instinct is to help Cass.
It's a pity we never got more interactions between Charlie/Cass. If only there were some subplots that could have been dropped so we could have got that.
While we don't get the cathartic stuff with Slade we do get it with Cass going up against her father. Just unloading the life he never gave her with a fury.
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It's an almost Return of the Jedi moment of Vader/Luke's final duel with Cass just unleashing it all on her own father who cannot defend himself against the rage of his child. And much like Vader/Luke there's that moment when the later realized what will happen if he continues.
Like Luke, Cass has that realization too. That if she has her vengeance what will it solve? All this pain. All this suffering that's she has dealt with these last few months. Will killing him solve it? Of course, we know the answer cause it's Cass.
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No. Being a killer is not who she is. She is a hero. So she attempts to save her father, but well as we find out this is where Bruce and Tim were hiding. Waiting and watching to see if Cass would come to this realization.
And we come to the best moment of this comic where Bruce puts his batdad side full-on. I love that the focus is on Cass here. Hearing what Bruce is saying and you just see the raw emotion of her just cracking up wanting this so bad until...
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The hug from her true dad with a proud brother looking on. If only you know a stupid tie-in didn't have to ruin the good moment making any readers go, "What the hell is R.I.P.?!"
Like seriously, I'm surprised no one has photoshopped that R.I.P. out of the panel. If you take it out. Damn does this work more. But by putting it in there. "Oh yeah, Bruce is about to die. ...." And that emotion just leaves you to do this.
So if any of you great Photoshoppers out there can take that R.I.P. out? That'd be just great.
So Batgirl vol. 2 looking under this lens isn't the worst Cass story, nor does have enough good to be amazing to recommend. It's just there with both good and bad. It's average.
Hence it is Schrödinger's Cass. It is exactly this. But it was worth talking about. Because it is a period of Cass that should be talked of more. Because it does redeem Adam Beechen with the character.
Along with redeeming Cass with the Bat-Family. It's just a pity only Frank Tieri decided to follow on this and NO OTHER WRITER. Sadly not soon after we'd be getting the teases that Babs would be back as Batgirl from the Blackest Night mini caps at the end of BoP and Nightwing.
For certain folk at DC already made up their mind with the character, and she wouldn't be Batgirl or apart of the Bat-Family that much longer. I guess they assumed this Volume would be considered a "gift". That Cass got closure... Ugh.
If you want to know more about DC meddling. Then see here when I go more into detail on that.
That said, Batgirl Vol. 2 gets a lot of bad rap, but it isn't all bad. It's highly flawed, but there is some good in it. … And here's me going all RoTJ fully with it. 😋
With that, I'm gonna call it a night. Because tomorrow there are things I hope for tomorrow. REALLY AMAZING THINGS for us Cass fans tomorrow at long last.
But not freaking Batman/Catwoman: Gotham War. That can go to hell...
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