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insomniac-101 · 1 year

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Metacrisis Doctor Character Analysis

Sooooo… I heard some of you are still on the fence about Tentoo.

Now, why you would be is completely understandable. I mean, it took me rewatching the show as an adult to really understand the nuance behind his ending but it’s been years, and it truly saddens me to see that there is still so much confusion surrounding his existence. Especially since he essentially reaffirms the overarching message of the show, and without him, it would not be as impactful.

But no fear! I love analyzing this era in particular and so, it would be an honor to share with all of you my interpretation of how he fits in Ten’s overall development as well as the potential questions raised by his existence.

After all, he is such a great addition to canon and so I wish to spread my excitement now that there is a chance we might see more of him!

(P.s I swear I will get to Ten eventually lol but his character in particular tends to mesh into other character arcs so much, that it is easier to address them in parts rather than all together.)

Now then, let’s set something straight from the get-go.

Tentoo’s existence does not get in the way of the Doctor and Rose’s romance. It is actually quite the opposite, it only goes to reaffirm how much they love one another.

How they were essentially made for one another (Literally and figuratively lmao).

So much so, that Ten was essentially split into two as a means of holding onto the hope of keeping her in his life.

To reduce his existence as a mere love rival, in my opinion, is such a disservice to the narrative because not only does it imply that Rose’s ultimate choice to be with Tentoo is shallow but it also does not take into account crucial aspects of the Doctor’s character arc overall. Who by extension, also applies to Tentoo.

During his tenure as the Doctor, we observe Ten's strong inclination to merge with humanity, as he fervently yearns for it. That increasing temptation is what often puts him at odds with his role in the universe, and in turn, compels him to uphold strict barriers between himself and other humans. Even if it means causing harm to himself and the people he holds dear

As the only time lord in the universe, he cannot afford the luxury of possessing a human life, so he attempts to convince himself that his fascination with our way of life is merely admiration, rather than a genuine desire to experience it firsthand. Thus, he considers himself an outsider because he realizes that if he were to succumb to his desire, his happiness in experiencing it would be fleeting.

Despite his longing to experience a different way of life, he cannot bring himself to give up his identity as the last living time lord, as that would mean forfeiting an essential aspect of himself and the final vestiges of his people. Thus, although he may yearn to live a more leisurely existence, he would never do so, as it would entail sacrificing too much.

Not to mention, it would mean pitting his own needs against those of the world, and his selflessness would never allow that to happen.

At least, not yet anyways.

In spite of his upbringing, his rebellious attitude that made him stand out amongst other time lords made him curious and flighty. Often roaming the universe in an attempt to find strange occurrences that counter his understanding of how it works. He finds joy in living a life on the run, and for a while that is all he really wanted.

However, with constantly moving, there comes a point where one realizes that there is no one to return to. That the thrills only serve as a distraction of what is actually compelling him not to remain stationary, and by not stopping to consider what he is leaving behind, he is not being conscious of the consequences.

The Doctor's decision to become a wanderer stands in stark contrast to the nature of his people.

A problem that only worsens once the time war effectively orphans him.

Traveling and saving others allows him to put aside all his self-loathing and forget what it feels like to be utterly alone, but it is not enough to fill the void of loss. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying this is a solely negative thing by any means, but the manner in which he utilizes it is harmful because it comes at the cost of never changing his tendencies to self-sabotage. Given that he doesn't stick around long enough to have it catch up to him.

Frankly, it enables his assertion that he doesn’t deserve happiness and so he never seeks it out, in spite of knowing what it is he wants.

In his eyes, it is easier to let go than to let in.

To fall deeper to cynicism and negativity because it protects him from further pain

And boy does the narrative pull the ultimate uno card on him, flipping his whole perception on his manner of living by introducing one major character.

The individual, who practically embodies this very temptation is none other than Rose Tyler.

It is her introduction into his life that almost seems to further prod at this desire of his. Before,it appeared that he watched human life from a distance simply because it was less painful than being alone and grieving the loss of his own people. But with her, he is left to consider whether he could actually experience something as deeply fulfilling as love. Whether a man drenched in the blood of his kind is worthy of change and forgiveness. It is because of this that his final act as Nine is one of self-sacrifice, as he dies hoping that this new form will embrace the humanity and kindness that she utilized to save him in his darkest moments

But between him and humanity will always be a barrier, which is all the more tragic once one considers how Ten was born out of Nine’s pursuit of it. It makes the unattainable nature of it, all the more hurtful.

Now I can name multiple examples of this longing being implied all throughout the RTD era but I assume most people know what they are. I mean they’re not exactly subtle lol but I urge you to keep those in mind as I continue.

With that in mind, however, I can now address the most overt display of this desire of his and that is none other than in the episode “Human Nature.”

Within this story, we are introduced to John Smith. A persona, that was curated by the Tardis as a means of saving him from falling victim to a gang of evil shapeshifting aliens. Here, we are shown a version of the Doctor that is weirdly familiar but at the same time, completely different.

However what I make of these differences is not really to prove that they’re so different that they're incomparable, but rather that they share way more than one would think at first glance.

John Smith is unremarkable. He is kind, intelligent, witty, and imaginative in the ways the doctor is but his demeanor is drastically different. More often than not, being seen as quiet and shy, and more of a follower than a leader.

I don’t think him taking on the role of a soldier in his final moments is a coincidence. Rather it is a testament to who the time lord is: a traumatized man who has a knack for finding himself in the same position over and over again because he has a tendency of repeating mistakes.

Think about it, in the war, the Doctor was not one who stood to the side and never took part in the violence. He admits that he took an active part in the fight, with him being the one who ultimately stopped it against his better judgment. This is to say that this more obedient version of himself (that seemingly seems fine with physical punishment and sacrificing the life of his students, if it is not under his call) isn’t really all that foreign to us given that at one point, he assumed a similar role in the time war. His ability to resort to violence, even when human, is a testament to this. That he is bound to his past deeds and that a human life will not change that he is deeply changed by this event in time lord history.

He is more prone to violence when prompted and he is not one to disregard an order that is given to him. He even seems to be more classist by nature of living in the current time period. So much so that he doesn’t seem to form much of a bond with Martha in spite of them spending so much time together under her employment.

Although he is brave when it matters, there are moments when Ten can be rather cowardly. And that holds true to both John and the Doctor, with both seemingly running the moment they are confronted with the consequences that come as a result of their impulsive decisions. This knack for running from their problems never impedes their awareness that what they are doing is incorrect but nonetheless, it's that temptation to defy the unavoidable that makes them avoid confrontation. Resorting to denial as a scapegoat, before ultimately returning to do what is right.

While the Doctor's innate selflessness sets him apart from others of his kind, he is still susceptible to making similar mistakes.

That haughty, and arrogant nature of his people are the very same qualities that can be found in him. This is especially shown through the manner in which John interacts with people he perceives as below him.

The culture of time lords is quite classist by nature. They assumed themselves to be the rulers of the universe and claimed superiority over other races because of their advancements. It is because of this complete disregard for others that aren’t themselves that they suffer greatly in the war.

With that said, it is because of this that I think he is able to assume a more indifferent demeanor towards the servants in his household. Mainly because a huge part of who the Doctor became was a direct result of the opposition he held toward the beliefs of his own people. He found their rules arbitrary and outdated, but just because he knew better does not mean he is exempt from repeating their mistakes even when he is conscious of who he is.

No this manner of assuming self importance takes on a different form, when he is aware of it.

He often assumes himself untouchable and the wisest in the room, and wields his status as a time lord as a means of making sly comments toward humankind. Of course, one could argue it is harmless as it does not come from a place of malicious intent. However his assumed superiority can make him incapable of recognising his own faults as a person, which can lead to disastrous results. Especially when he seemingly doesn’t consider the consequences of his involvement in other people’s lives.

Something that Joan points out.

“Answer me this, just one question, that’s all. If the Doctor never had visited us…never chosen this place on a whim, would anyone here have died?”

To completely deprive him of his timelord nature, would mean to leave him vulnerable to adopting the very same attitudes he resented in his own culture. This is why John Smith does not respect the opinions of his employees, in spite of knowing better than to underestimate the importance of the people around him. It would make him unable to recognize the patterns of discrimination elsewhere as he is no longer privy to the wisdom he gathered from his years of living.

By completely adopting humanity, he is none the wiser to fall into their faults as individuals.

That being said, this quiet side of him is really not that strange either once one considers that we have seen that Ten in particular has a knack for hiding his feelings behind a mask of cheerfulness. This version of himself may not be boisterous and loud, but that does not make him any less thoughtful. Shown to have strong stances on certain matters even if he doesn't share them with others. He is more honest with his feelings, and with this comes perhaps the biggest indicator that John Smith shares a lot more with the Doctor than we initially thought.

John Smith falls in love.

It is no coincidence that in this very episode, he develops romantic feelings for the school nurse and he has a dream about Rose Tyler. One where she keeps walking away but all the more, he is motivated to follow. All for the sake of recovering a “perfect Rose.”

Even when he is fully human and not aware of who she is, there is a part of the Doctor that fiercely hangs onto her, manifesting in his dreams. The thought of being with her and finding her, is of the utmost importance even when he cannot seemingly remember why. Which goes to show you just how much the Doctor treasures the love he has for her. It is she, that is able to tempt these feelings even in her absence because she is the reason they exist to begin with.

This inclusion of her in the story ties his pursuit of humanity into a pursuit for her. Making both the main motivation behind his need to experience it, even if he is not fully aware of why.

“You knew this all along and yet you watched while Miss Redfern and I …”

“I didn’t know how to stop you. He gave me a list of things to watch out for, but that wasn’t included.”

“What falling in love? That didn’t even occur to him?

“No”

“Then what sort of man is that?”

This is why John Smith expressing horror at the thought of there being a version of himself that cannot love someone is so heartbreaking. Because through him we know more than ever that that is not true, that he is more than capable of loving others as the Doctor but the problem is that he never would allow himself to do so. It is not a matter of whether or not he can, but rather why he can't.

When John chooses to sacrifice himself, it mirrors the same actions the Doctor takes in his present life. Choosing to leave behind what he wants for the sake of what the universe requires him to do.

So when he reasons with Joan that John Smith is still a part of him, he means it. For it is an expression of the Doctor at his most vulnerable and honest, that allows for the existence of someone like John Smith. But alas, his life is not a life he can assume given his alien nature.

But with this choice to live on, as is, we are only left to come up with a single conclusion.

In order to live a life that is both fulfilling and meaningful, the Doctor can neither be fully human nor a timelord.

Although he is a timelord, the overwhelming sense of loneliness that he experiences is debilitating. He can try to reason his way around needing companionship and love, but no amount of thinking will deny that it is something he desperately craves.

Humanity provides him with all the necessary attributes he lacks, but in exchange, it demands that he sets aside his principles as a protector of time. To put aside his own fears of seeing those he loves wither away if it means he'll get to know them for the entirety of their short lives.

Individually, achieving either one is impossible since pursuing a single path would leave the other side of himself unfulfilled. He is at war with himself, essentially.

Therefore, he must endeavor to discover a balance between the two divergent viewpoints, instead of attempting to abandon one in favor of the other.

….Guess who embodies middle ground is?

Tentoo represents that balance, down to the biological level.

In order to understand why though you have to understand one crucial detail: Ten and Tentoo are the same person.

What Tentoo is, in relation to Ten, is himself lol

A regeneration that went wrong because the regeneration energy that was meant to heal the time lord body, was siphoned into his once freshly regenerated hand. In other words, instead of remaining within one body like the usual regenerative process, it was put into a separate vessel that came from the original body. Which allowed it to regenerate the body it was missing, and essentially created what would be a second Doctor.

The reason why this process differed from previous regenerations is due to the fact that the transferred regeneration energy was already partially depleted, resulting in a reduced dosage that could facilitate partial healing but not a complete regeneration.

(It was established prior to the Christmas invasion that there are limitations to the cellular energy that a time lord uses to regenerate, mainly in the sense that it can run out. When in small quantities, however, it can be used to heal smaller injuries if it is used within the first 15 hours of a regeneration cycle. It's this small amount he has left that allows him to regenerate the hand he lost to begin with.)

We are aware of this fact because the time lord Doctor utilized a portion of the energy to recover from the Dalek's attack, but not a sufficient amount to trigger a full regeneration. This is why he sends the rest into his severed hand, because if not, the cycle would have proceeded.

Due to this, however, the energy seems to not be able to proceed with anything it was planned for. So it sits on standby, not by choice, but because the hand itself is technically a regenerated hand. It can't do much other than wait until it receives more energy from the original time lord body or find another source of energy that is compatible to recover the body of the disembodied hand in its entirety.

So what ends up happening?

It's Donna.

Donna is what ends up happening.

Upon touching it out of curiosity, Donna appears to experience no immediate negative effects.. This serves as another indication that the remaining regenerative energy was minimal, as we, the viewers, are well aware that the standard dosage would be detrimental to humans.

However, this is where it gets interesting because seemingly the energy is utilized in a manner that is unlike any prior regeneration process.

As previously mentioned, it can be deduced that the reason why other time lords never considered becoming human as a way to avoid regeneration was due to their sense of superiority. They did not view humans as equals, therefore, a human existence would not be regarded as advantageous.

Furthermore, their society places little importance on outward appearance due to the frequency with which time lords undergo transformations. Thus, this occurrence is primarily a result of Ten's deviation from their viewpoint on regeneration. He perceives it as a form of dying, akin to the experience of a human, even though this does not apply to him.

It is worth considering the anatomy of a time lord when attempting to comprehend how he appeared to transform into a hybrid. According to our understanding, although they appear human on the outside, a time lord's body contains numerous organs that are absent in a human body. As a result, it is theoretically more intricate than that of a human, but at the same time, similar enough to be somewhat compatible as a point of comparison.

Given the limited amount of energy remaining, it would be logical for the energy to use a human body as a template when attempting to essentially create a new body out of nothing.Not only because Donna was the only one available to touch it, but because the anatomical similarities as well as the less complex nature of a human body would prove to be easier to make than a fully timelord one.

In other words, the regenerative process was utilized as a means of healing both bodies without resulting in a complete regeneration, which is what makes this instance unique.

(that we know from prior scenes, at times, requires so much energy to heal that that it is capable of damaging the Tardis)

This is why he says that he essentially came out of Donna. Because in a way, he did. His body was fashioned off of her biological makeup as a means of compensating for the lack of cellular energy used to heal his body normally.

This is why it in turn makes her half time lord, because the energy changed her according to the metacrisis. Transferring Time lord DNA into her, as a means of making up for the loss of DNA she experienced in the process.

But where the two differ is in creation. Donna was already human. Herbody is that of a full human, not of a hybrid. Her brain in particular is not capable of handling the centuries of knowledge/memory of a timelord and so that is why her body eventually gives out. That is why, the Doctor has to lock her memories away.

Because theoretically, it is easier to make an immortal body mortal. Given that their body is meant to be extremely resistant to factors that would usually decimate a mortal one, but the same cannot be said about the opposite as we are far more delicate.

Tentoo though, he's chillin.

Not only because his body is able to effectively restore itself with that leftover energy and the human boost, but also because his entire body is made to handle both timelord and human aspects. He will not suffer the same fate as Donna because he is born as both.

They're in perfect harmony within his body, unlike Donna whose human aspect was being taken over by the superior time lord genes.

This is why they are fundamentally the same person: Ten and Tentoo.

Because not only do they come from the same body, but the same regenerative energy as well. This is also why they share the same memories. The regeneration energy appeared after he was shot by the dalek ray, and so, that moment was effectively the point by which their shared consciousness stopped. No longer existing in a sole body, but two.

It is because of this same shared energy that the appearance of neither changes: because it was utilized to heal both vessels and abort the regenerative process.

(Also it technically did take up a regeneration canonically hence why I called it a sort of botched regeneration. Which would make sense, given the amount of energy that was used to carry out the healing of two bodies.)

In summary, everything that makes the Doctor, the Doctor, is still in both bodies.

They're not twins, they're the same man through and through. Down to the manner in which they're born, with both effectively existing out of their love for Rose and humanity.

In the same way that the doctor claims that Tentoo was born out of hatred and war, it is his love and wishes to appease her that spawned his existence. So really the differences between the two are almost non-existent if not for one crucial detail: unlike the time lord, Tentoo is not bound by the obligation to serve the universe.

This is where things get fascinating.

Now that there are two bodies, they essentially function as parallel versions of the same man.

They are different, not because they're not both the Doctor, but because their circumstances allow them to make different choices. From there on out, both will inevitably grow to be different people. As Tentoo essentially embodies the most authentic representation of a human Doctor, having had the option to abandon his responsibility as the guardian of the universe, he provides us with an insight into what the Doctor would be like at his most honest.

That is why Tentoo acts on impulse and commits genocide. Not because Ten wouldn't have done the same given the chance to give into the temptation, but because the fact that he is not fully time lord affords him the privilege to do whatever the hell he wants. He is not bound to the obligation to put the wellbeing of the universe above his own personal interest, so he erredicates them as a means of protecting the people he loves. Choosing to prioritize the people he cares for even if it comes at the expense of the dalek race

He is, effectively, free.

This is why him choosing to spend his life with Rose is such a major decision. Why when prompted by Donna, he chooses to confess his love for Rose in her ear. Despite having the freedom to choose anything, what he desires most is her.

This revelation solidifies that this Doctor also has deep love for her, and it also implies that this is likely what the Doctor would have chosen as well, had he been given the option to leave his responsibilities behind.

Through Tentoo, we get insight into who the Doctor would be if not for his duty. A person who has the means to express themselves without any apprehension of potentially outliving their loved ones. In simpler terms, someone who can evolve and grow without the burden of guilt for being the only survivor of their kind constantly plaguing their mind. At present, this version of himself will never be alone again and can fully immerse himself in a dimension of existence that was previously only possible through John Smith.

This is why the Doctor seemingly resents him because he wishes he had the freedom to choose this life.

It’s due to this that the notion of them being romantic rivals is also ludicrous because they are the same man.

Had it been under different circumstances, the one who would have confessed his feelings and given Rose the chance to choose would have been the timelord. But because he is not afforded the liberty to not consider his alien nature and by extension his obligations, he cannot bring himself to initiate it.

This is why Rose choosing to kiss Tentoo in front of the time lord doctor is crucial because it is her way of expressing that the love she extends to Tentoo is also his. That she understands that they're the same man but that ultimately, she understands that his duty is what needs to be prioritized. It is a goodbye, but also an act of gratitude for baring the extent of his feelings to her through Tentoo.

Their happy ending is not coming at the cost of Ten’s, no, rather it is what ensures that he will have one at all.

But consider this, does this not raise some major questions about who the meta crisis doctor can become?

Think about it.

Since he is no longer bound to the role of the universe's protector, there is no longer a necessity for him to act in accordance with his previous principles or obligations to do what is right.

Although Ten usually aimed to make selfless choices, he must now prioritize his own life. The stakes have shifted, and he can no longer place others' needs above his own, especially since his newfound life with his loved ones can be taken away at any moment.

As a human, he would come to understand that he cannot simply leave behind the problems he creates for others to handle. He must face the consequences of his actions and learn to maintain good relationships with those around him. With staying in one place, he bears the responsibility of building trust with others and can no longer solely rely on his reputation to get by.

Remember, he is effectively starting from scratch in Pete’s universe. He has no background on their history nor the tools he wielded when they first landed there. While waiting for the tardis to grow, he would have to effectively assume a human life until it reaches maturity.

With that in mind, he also no longer has any semblance of power over anyone. He is practically on the same level of awareness as anyone else albeit with more wisdom. Meaning he cannot hold what he knows about the future over others, and will have to adjust on collaborating with others to get things done even if it comes at the expense of his own ego lmao.

Most importantly, he can no longer stew in that self-hatred he is so privy to, and with time he will have to relearn what it means to forgive not only others but himself. To put aside that hatred and embrace the time he has with the woman he loves, even if it means confronting parts of himself he is not fond of. This will involve intimately acquainting himself with the perspective of humans to a degree that was impossible before.

Such as in the way we humans seemingly uphold survival above all else.

Or how our morality can be very fluid in certain situations, as we are not afforded the guarantee of another life.

He will have to learn to cope with the helplessness all mortals feel when confronted by death and that in turn, could either harden him further or make him more aware of his own faults as an outsider. To understand where he went wrong in assuming that his human companions would sacrifice their perspective as a means of adapting his own.

That isn't to say that it is all bad though.

Just different.

Because this change in circumstance can either prove to be very detrimental to Ten or beneficial, and it all depends on how he manages to cope with it.

It makes him unpredictable, in a way that Ten was never afforded the privilege to be.

This could potentially demonstrate how a harmonious balance between Ten's human and Time Lord aspects would manifest in reality. To see what it would actually mean to have a time lord assume a life as a mortal. Reason being, that up until then, he only really saw humanity from a distance. This experience can aid him in developing a deeper understanding of humanity and its shortcomings as well as those of his own people.

Admittedly, John Smith served as a reference point for us. However, that modified version of the Doctor was oblivious to the gravity of his own existence. He possessed his own unique identity, with his Time Lord essence locked away. This highlights why adopting a purely human existence would never be suitable for him, as it would entail relinquishing his Time Lord perspective.

The sorrow of Ten's story lies in the fact that he could never truly embody both aspects of himself simultaneously. He was always bound by his alien nature and unable to fully embrace his human longings. This is why his story appears to have two different outcomes - with his human persona living a joyous existence, while his Time Lord form regenerates in isolation.

In his final moments, he chooses to reject this fate and resist the need for balance, instead becoming increasingly desperate to avoid regeneration. Consequently, he succumbs to the same power-hungry inclinations as his predecessors, as he tries to exert control over his fate without addressing the underlying problem.

“Well exactly look at you! Not remotely important! But me? I can do so much more! So much more! but this is what I get. My reward, well it’s not fair!....I’ve lived too long”

He could have done so much more, done so much differently if only he would have not put himself in a box. He did what was right, what was proper, yet the sacrifices done at his expense led to the same outcome.

The issue lies in his unwillingness to make compromises and achieve a state of equilibrium between his two perspectives. Instead of seeking balance, he retreats to his alien and disconnected nature, which creates a barrier between him and those around him. His decision to not confront his fate as a solitary wanderer earlier, prevented him from expressing gratitude to those who loved him when they needed it most. His need for distance denied them the chance to truly comprehend his appreciation.

He is solitary because he never allowed himself to consider an alternative, and this realization dawns on him too late. Now that everyone has departed to follow their own paths, he finds himself back where he began.

His failure to take personal risks and develop attachments has fulfilled the very curse he sought to break.

Ultimately, what frightened him the most was not the idea of losing the people he grew to love, but the prospect of being alone while they continued to live on without him.

“Yeah what about you? Who have you got now?”

“No one, i’m traveling alone. I thought it was better alone..but I did some things that went wrong. I need..”

The central message of the RTD era is that happiness often comes at a cost and not every enjoyable experience will lead to a happy ending. However, the theme is not that an unhappy ending diminishes the value or significance of the moment, but quite the opposite - that the joy and meaning of the experience make it worth the cost, regardless of the outcome.

The RTD era's narrative encourages embracing the uncertainty of life and finding joy in the present moment, even if the outcome is uncertain or potentially disappointing. These moments can help alleviate the pain of difficult times, inspire risk-taking, and lead to unexpected achievements, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling life rather than a long one.

Create a life that is customized to your individuality and maturity gained through experiences, rather than one that fixates on regret and what-ifs.

The Doctor finds it difficult to fully embrace the present moment due to the constant reminder that everything is fleeting and temporary, causing him to always be looking towards the future.

Tentoo, on the other hand, is anchored in the present because his perspective will evolve through his exposure to humanity. He will learn to fully embrace the joy and sorrow of living life to the fullest, cherishing every moment, even the mundane ones. He knows that life is temporary and that every day is a precious gift, which is why he will live each moment to its fullest. Despite the inevitable challenges that will come his way, he will remain optimistic, confident that his joy will only grow as he continues to live.

His ability to balance both his human and Time Lord nature allows him to fully embrace all aspects of his life, without giving preference to one over the other. Which in turn, further establishes his unique identity and reinforces the qualities that made him a beloved incarnation of the Doctor.

Tentoo is able to love without hesitation, expressing his affection to those he cares for and acknowledging the importance of emotions that were once discouraged amongst his own kind.

In other words, be Tentoo.

(not the mass murder part though lol)

Be the version of yourself that doesn't hold back and don't commit the same mistakes that the Doctor did out of fear.

So yall be more kind to my boy!

#tentoo x rose #tentoo #tentoorose #doctor x rose #rose tyler #timepetals #ten #ten x rose #10th doctor #metacrisis doctor #character analysis #rambles #long reads #doctor who #rtd era #Just wanted to share my perspective #This has been bothering me for a few days and so #human nature

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reasonsforhope · 1 year

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"Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey terminated his emergency rule on gender-affirming care Tuesday — less than a week after the state legislature sent a ban on minors starting treatment to the governor’s desk.

The ACLU of Missouri filed a lawsuit in late April seeking to block Bailey’s emergency rule, alleging the attorney general didn’t have the authority to use the state’s consumer protection law to block access to puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery. A judge put the rules on hold until July, when a hearing is scheduled...

The now-terminated emergency order would’ve affected adults, a step that caused fear in the LGBTQ+ community, advocates told The Independent. Some began preparing to move out of state when they heard about the emergency order...

A spokesperson for the Missouri Secretary of State’s office said he received the termination paperwork around 4 p.m. Tuesday [May 16, 2023].

If Bailey wishes to enact his order, which would set barriers to accessing gender-affirming care, he must restart the process...

The ACLU of Missouri released a statement Tuesday evening, calling the termination a “victory for Missourians’ right to bodily autonomy.”

“After weeks of embarrassing Missouri on the national stage, the Attorney General has finally joined everyone else in recognizing that his hasty attempt to usurp other branches of government cannot withstand scrutiny,” the statement says.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, said in a statement that Bailey “grossly overstepped his legal authority, and everyone knows it.

“So, it isn’t surprising he withdrew his unconstitutional rule knowing another embarrassing court defeat was inevitable,” she said. “Missourians deserve an attorney general worthy of the office, not one who persecutes innocent Missourians for political gain.”

Fischer said, despite uncertain circumstances, the removal of barriers to care is a “win” for transgender Missourians.

“From the conversations we’ve already had with community members and trans leadership, people are thrilled to see the attorney general terminate his rule especially since it targeted the entire trans community: children and adults. In our eyes, this is a win,” he said."

-via Missouri Independent, 5/16/23

Note:

It's nowhere near enough, but it's still so important, especially for all the trans adults in Missouri who were being forcibly detransitioned and starting to be denied access to gender-affirming care, including hormones, which they'd often been on for years.

At this point, I will celebrate every bit of respite we can get.

Missouri would've been the first and only state to ban access to transgender care for adults. It's inexcusable that trans kids are still going to be denied care. But if this rule hadn't been withdrawn, there would've been a lengthy court battle over it lasting years, and in the meantime, every red state that could get away with it would be using Missouri as a blueprint and successful precedent to pass their own bans on gender affirming care for adults.

The fact that Republicans have been denied that successful precedent is VITAL.

#transgender #transphobia #trans rights #gender affirming care #united states #us politics #missouri #attorney general #lgbtq #lgbtq rights #queer community #trans rights are human rights #healthcare access #healthcare #gender affirming care is healthcare #good news #hope

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can-youimagine · 1 year

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Season of Scandals Part 2 (Benedict Bridgerton x Reader)

Summary: There are few people you hate more in life than Benedict Bridgerton, unfortunately, it seems as though you’ll have to get used to him

TW: 18+ Smut (minors do not interact) Female reader, period typical misogyny, suggestive, enemies to lovers, swearing, angsty

Word Count: 2124

Part One

Masterlist

Dearest Reader,

It seems as if this author should go to the races. I am thrilled to inform you that Mr. Benedict Bridgerton and Ms. (Y/N) (L/N) are engaged to be wed. Rumor has it that they are seeking a special license to marry by the end of the week!

I have said before that the only reasons for such a license are love and scandal. We all know the first is certainly not an explanation for these two. Though I suppose scandal is always an option, I believe it is far more likely that the two are eager to be married. After failed proposals and persuasive mamas, yes, I think it likely that the two are eager to be out of the marriage mart.

~Lady Whistledown

“You’re really getting married?” Anthony asks. “I thought after Ms. Pierceton, you would have sworn the whole idea off.”

Benedict shrugs. “You know as well as I that there are some things more important than a man’s feelings on the matter.”

Anthony’s eyes widen. “No!”

“Pardon?”

“You slept with her!”

Panicking, Benedict urges his brother to keep his voice down, glancing into the hallway to ensure no one heard his outburst. “I did no such thing,” he states before muttering, “It might have been better than this. At least I would’ve gotten my prick wet.”

“Brother, what on earth have you gotten yourself into?”

You stiffen as the modiste tightens your dress. She and your mother talk about the upcoming wedding as if it were the event of the season, as if it were born from love and not from duty. With each lace she pulls, you cannot help but to think of Benedict and the mess he has gotten the two of you into.

As awful as this entire situation is, you imagine it could be worse. At the very least, the man has money. You will certainly live in comfort.

That’s what you tell yourself as your families discuss the wedding. Luckily, it seems as if everyone has an opinion, except for the two of you, who are eager to get this over with as quickly as possible. You glance at him across the room. You suppose, he is quite attractive. There are certainly worse people who you could be forced to wed.

Benedict is able to ignore the pit of dread in his stomach as he watches you with his family. You all get along just fine. That is more important to him than anyone’s honor. As your mothers debate flowers, you sit on the floor, playing marbles with Gregory. He smiles in spite of himself. A small part of his mind drifts to your children, but he refuses to allow himself to dwell on the thought.

He doesn’t have time to.

“The latest Whistledown is here!” Eliose exclaims. Hyacinth rushes to her, eager to get the details from the pamphlet.

His mother’s scoldings of improper behavior are ignored as his sister begins to read. “Dearest Reader, I have new information regarding the situation at Danbury Ball-”

You gasp, looking to Benedict, who jumps into action. “Eloise, now certainly is not the time for a gossip column.”

“It appears that Mr.-oh,” she trails off. “I suppose you are right.”

Hyacinth does not seem to realize the situation as she continues to ask what it said. To her credit, Eloise does try to keep the situation as civil as she can. Unfortunately, Hyacinth’s curiosity is much too strong for her. She snatches the paper out of her sister’s hand, skimming the page before asking, “Why is your name in here, Benedict?”

That gets the attention of the adults in the room. Anthony urges the children out, taking the pamphlet from Hyacinth. He reads it quickly. His grip on the paper so tight that it creases under his touch.

“What does it say?” his mother asks.

“Nothing you want to know,” he mutters, cursing before he throws the paper to the ground.

Benedict takes the pamphlet from the ground, holding it so the two of you can read it.

Dearest Reader,

I have new information regarding the situation at Danbury Ball. It appears that Mr. Benedict Bridgerton and Ms. (Y/N) (L/N) were caught in a compromising position in the garden. One person has even said they saw Ms. (L/N)’s corset completely undone as Mr. Bridgerton held her. That would certainly explain the tears in her dress and the flush on her cheeks as she left the ball that evening.

It also explains just why the two felt the need to wed so quickly. Even if it will be a loveless marriage, it will be an honorable one. If the Bridgertons must all be rakes, at least they recognize their honor.

This author is glad to know that even in marriages without love, the couple can still find some solace in the physical aspects of matrimony.

~Lady Whistledown

You feel like you are going to faint. Again. You feel the shame in everyone’s eyes as they stare at the two of you. Your mothers are no doubt wondering where they went wrong in raising you. Your father is embarrassed by the entire situation and hopes that this means he no longer is expected to provide a dowry. Anthony paces the room, trying to figure out a way out of this situation.

Benedict wants to explain the situation, but he knows it’s no use. He could never convince every member of the Ton that nothing uncouth happened. He spares a glance at you. It makes his heart shatter. You look so broken, so ashamed, so humiliated, and it is entirely because of him.

“You are still to wed in three days,” Anthony states. “Until then, the two of you will do your best to remind anyone who asks that Whistledown herself said she only has a rumor.”

Your mother speaks up, “Is it only a rumor?”

“What she implies is not true,” you state.

“But your dress, and-”

“You would sooner believe a gossip column than you would your own daughter!”

“(Y/N),” Benedict whispers, surprising himself. “There is nothing we can do about any of this now. Anthony has thought out a plan, and it should be best if we follow it.”

Looking up at him, you realize that marriage with Benedict will be okay.

You stare at the ring on your finger. It’s beautiful and heavy, and it will certainly take some getting used to, but it is a reminder that you have done all you can to settle any rumors. You know not everyone believes you. In fact, you are certain that no one believes you at all, but now that you are married you do not have to worry about this following you. It will become a small anecdote at a ball. “I heard she was caught in the garden, that’s why they wed so quickly.” Nothing more.

Unfortunately, you are not there yet.

“Congratulations, Mrs. Bridgerton.”

“Ms. Cowper,” you greet, giving her a tightlipped smile. “Thank you.”

“I suppose the haste in marriage was due to the rumor. After all, the two of you have waited this long, why get married now?”

“You said it yourself. We’ve spent entirely too long unwed, why wait any longer?”

“And why Mr. Bridgerton? The last time I saw the two of you in the same room, you looked ready to bite his head off.”

“Is there something you would like to say?”

Smirking, she answers, “Not unless you have something to share.”

“Have a good day, Ms. Cowper.”

Benedict downs one last drink before the two of you leave for Aubrey Hall. Colin makes a quip about the carriage shaking, earning him a good smack from Anthony before the two of you are off.

Sitting across from your husband, you turn the ring. “It was a lovely party.”

He nods in agreement. “It is quite a trip to get there, you should rest for a bit.”

“Benedict, I should apologize,” you say, looking at your lap. “I know that we have never been particularly close, but I hope that we will come to be.”

“We will have to, will we not?” He watches as his ring reflects the sunset. “I hope you will make an effort, and I will do the same.”

“You are impossible!”

“Pardon?”

“I have not been the only cruel one.”

He finally looks at you. “Why have you been so cruel? I have only followed your lead.”

“You scared me,” you answer honestly. “You still do.”

His gaze softens. “Why? What have I done?”

“I was scared that I would let myself fall for someone I could never have, and now that I have you, I’m scared that you hate me.”

“My wife,” he takes your hand, “I could never hate you. You are my wife, and even if this isn’t the marriage I intended to have, it is mine, and I will love my wife. I just hope you can make that easy.”

“I’ll try,” you respond.

He smiles as he gestures to the spot next to him. “Would my wife care to join me?”

“She would.” You giggle as you stand. The carriage hits a bump, sending you into his lap.

His smile widens. “On second thought, this will do just fine.”

“Mr. Bridgerton!” you gasp in mock distress. “Why, I would think you are trying to ruin me!”

“That’s because I am.”

He presses quick, frantic kisses wherever he can reach, your shoulder, your neck, your cheek, before finally settling on your lips. His lips feel more wonderful than you ever could have imagined. He kisses you with more passion than you ever thought possible. You moan against his lips before you can stop yourself.

You feel his lips curl into a smirk against yours. He pulls away for a moment, causing you to whine.

“I know, my dear, but I have more I have to do if I am truly going to ruin you.�� He tugs at your corset. “Turn around for me, dear. I want to be able to look at you, this time.”

You obey. With much more precision than last time, Benedict unties your corset, letting it fall off your chest. He holds you steady as you stand up, allowing the dress to fall off your body completely. He sucks in a breath, reaching up to touch your breast. He watches in awe as your face screws in pleasure. “Those fools,” he mutters, “thinking that I would’ve been able to leave that garden if I had seen you like this.” He shrugs off his shirt. “I never would’ve let you leave.” Sliding a hand down your body, he continues, “And, I certainly wouldn’t have denied seeing you like this.” He runs his fingers between your folds, reveling in the sounds you make.”I would’ve made sure all of England knew that you had granted me this honor.”

His hand slides further back, gently pushing into you in a way you never knew was possible. Your knees grow weak, and your moans louder, as his fingers push further into you. He takes note, pulling you onto the bench beside him. He stands and pushes his trousers off, revealing himself to you. His chest fills with pride as he hears your breath hitch. Tentatively, you reach out to touch him, but he takes your hand instead.

“There will be time for that later.” Pulling your legs to where he once sat before positioning himself over you. With one foot holding himself on the floor and one leg on the bench, he holds himself over you.

“This’ll hurt, just for a moment,” he explains, leaning down to kiss you, “but then you will feel the most remarkable pleasure of your life.” He punctuates his sentence with a kiss as he pushes himself into you.

He swallows your gasp. As he moves, you feel overcome with pleasure. He certainly was right. He certainly is. Your pleasure continues to grow until you feel yourself tighten around him. You cry out in pleasure as you pulse around him. His cries combine with your own as you feel him release inside of you, staying in just a moment longer.

As he pulls away, you whine, causing him to laugh. “I promise, my dear, we will be doing that and so much more for as long as you’ll let me.”

“Please.”

He smiles, pulling you up to meet him for a kiss. This one does not have the same promise behind it, though you still feel yourself grow weak just from his lips. You lean against him, trying to catch your breath as he does the same. You are certainly in for a wonderful marriage indeed.

#benedict bridgerton x y/n #benedict bridgerton x you #benedict bridgerton imagine #benedict bridgerton x reader #bridgerton imagine #bridgerton x reader #bridgerton x you #bridgerton x y/n

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misti-chan · 2 years

Note

Hi~~ if you would be interested in writing this, might I ask for headcanons for Law and Kid whose partner got turned into a kid for like a day by Bonney? If not, no worries! Thank you ^^

❤ Kid and Law with a s/o turned into a kid by Bonney ❤

First of all Kid is pissed. Who dared do this to HIS s/o? He is infuriated and his crew knows that this announced nothing good.

Kid would love if you were a turbulent child because you could the two of you do shenanigans together and pranked everyone.

But even if Kid can find good things about the situation this doesn't mean that he is thrilled on the contrary he would be actively searching for Bonney to kick her ass so you would go back to normal, because he cannot do things he used to do with you before.

Just like Kid, Law is pissed but not for the same reason. Sure he doesn't like the idea of you turned into a kid, but he is a tired man and just thinking about searching and convincing Bonney to turn you back into adult is already giving him a headache.

Unlike Kid, Law would prefer if you were a calm kid, because he surely cannot manage a turbulent child. The poor guy is too exhausted for that.

Law is calm, definitely more than Kid about the whole situation, because after all the only thing he can do is search for Bonney and force her to change you back.

#one piece x reader #one piece #kid x reader #eustass headcanons #eustass x reader #eustass kid #kid one piece #law headcanons #trafalgar d law x reader #trafalgar law #law x reader

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verdantcrimson · 3 months

Text

Heaven and Earth / Creation of Heaven and Earth - 5

(Unproofread)

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[The day after, on the grounds of a shrine in the Kansai region]

Ieyasu: —Absolutely, I’d be thrilled to help!

Ieyasu: If that show, which is like my dear child, is at stake, then stepping up is a matter of my pride as a man!

Ieyasu: Hrrmph! Hrrmph! Hrrmph…!

Kuro: … What’s up with the buff old guy workin’ out on shrine grounds?

Keito: Don’t be disrespectful.

Keito: That man is ‘Ieyasu-sensei’, often regarded as the leader of the ‘Three Sages.’

Keito: Furthermore, he’s one of the most renowned historians in Japan, though he primarily works as a Shinto priest.

Keito: Although our religions may differ, I’m the son of a temple too, so he’s the most relatable of the ‘Three Sages’ for me. Kiryu, Kanzaki, please don’t be rude.

Kuro: Hideyoshi-sensei rubbed that in my face real good, so I’ve understood that properly now. I’ll use a little more tact and be polite.

Ieyasu: HEY! YOU SPEAKING QUIETLY OVER THERE, DON’T MUMBLEEEEEE!!!

Kuro: What, so they’re all just gonna be pissed at me no matter what I do!?

Ieyasu: The problem is that young folk these days have no energy!

Ieyasu: The world belongs to you youngsters, and yet, all you do is meet with people you already know and talk incessantly!

Ieyasu: So in that respect, you are a fine one! Firstly, you have a good physique!

Kuro: Huh, ya mean me? Bein’ favored by a weirdo feels strange, hey!

Ieyasu: FWAHAHA, He called me a weirdo! I like your spirit! That’s how young folk ought to be! That’s the privilege of youth!

Ieyasu: What say you, would you like to work out with me!?

Souma: Fufu. This person has a personality that one would not expect of a scholar or teacher.

Keito: W- Well, when he was on ‘Rumbling Heaven and Earth’, he wore glasses and had a more intellectual sort of aura—

Ieyasu: I’m serious about my work, obviously.

Keito: And Hideyoshi-sensei too, behaved far more politely and intelligently on the show.

Ieyasu: DON’T SPEAK SO POLITELYYYY!!!

Keito: Huh!?

Ieyasu: I’d like for you to shake off the constraints that the adults have put upon you and stretch your wings freely!

Ieyasu: No, it is our duty to make sure that you can live that sort of life!

Ieyasu: That is why, as I said before, I shall cooperate with you to the fullest extent these old bones will allow for!

Ieyasu: However! You must promise me! Promise that you won’t damage ‘Rumbling Heaven and Earth’, the program that we have risked so much to create!

Ieyasu: You must respect your ancestors! Follow in the footsteps of those who came before you!

Ieyasu: We are but lucky travelers who just happen to be able to board the great boat that our predecessors built for us!

Ieyasu: That is my main principle as a historian! It is something I will never compromise on!

Ieyasu: Having energy is a virtue of youth, but that energy ought to be exercised in a healthy manner!

Ieyasu: Don’t waste your youthfulness on something stupid like destroying the artwork on display in a museum!

Ieyasu: That’s all I wanted to say! If you can adhere to these points, I will support you with all my might! Hrrmph, hrrmph, hrrmph…!

Souma: (whispering) It looks as though Ieyasu-sensei is quite similar to Hideyoshi-sensei, in that he is one who cannot be relied upon.

Kuro: I get the sense he’s a stubborn old geezer. Ah, he kinda reminds me of Itsuki’s gramps.

Keito: I understand the feeling though. It’s only natural to not want something important to you to change.

Keito: Ieyasu-sensei is known for being conservative, but that’s also the reason he is beloved.

Keito: More importantly, Ieyasu-sensei is the oldest of the three, with an impressive track record and authority in the world of academia compared to the other sages. That isn’t to say that the other two sages are unneeded, but—

Keito: If Ieyasu-sensei turns us away, then other academics in the field may follow his example and do the same, refusing to cooperate with us.

Souma: It seems that he is a heavyweight in the field, so to speak?

Keito: All of the ‘Three Sages’ are like that, in a way. For instance, Hideyoshi-sensei whom we met yesterday has a great reputation amongst younger scholars and college students.

Keito: You could even say it’s his ‘youthful charisma’.

Keito: Nobunaga-sensei, who we are scheduled to meet with, is extremely popular with women and foreign scholars.

Keito: In fact, in many countries abroad, you’d be more likely to find someone who knows of Nobunaga-sensei than the other two sages.

Keito: So conversely, if we manage to have all three Sages come together, we’d be able to garner support from all audiences. People of all ages, genders, whether they be Japanese or foreign.

Souma: That seems quite idealistic… However, as you had said earlier, Hasumi-dono, it is nothing but a pie in the sky at the moment.

Ieyasu: —By the way, you over there, by the looks of that sword you must be a member of the Kanzaki family, correct!? I have two or three questions to ask you, so come to the parlor room with me! I’ll serve tea!

Souma: Uwah!? Sensei, I implore you not to pull my arm so suddenly!

Kuro: Incredible. Kanzaki has a strong core y'know, so even if ya tried to push him by force he wouldn't budge an inch. That old man is draggin' him around like it's nothin'.

Keito: Don’t just be impressed by something so strange, we’re going after them, Kiryu!

Keito: SENSEEII, we don’t mind if you want to talk to Kanzaki, but if you could just cooperate with us on the program in return…!

Ieyasu: That is another matter entirely! It's not right for youngsters to be sly and use such conditions! If you're really a man, don't be cowardly and use clever schemes, use your body...!

Keito: It's no good! This sensei is the type that'll only understand the language of brute force! Kiryu, you're up!

Kuro: Eeeeh...? Well, I guess it's better than havin' to use my brain, right?

Prev | Chapter List | Next

#Heaven and Earth #Keito Hasumi #Kuro Kiryu #Souma Kanzaki

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highpri3stess · 1 month

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i’m so confused for chapter 4… does izana care about reader in some ways after seeing his brothers reactions? i know he might be possessive a little, but i want to know what your thoughts are about how shinichiro & izana feel.

i know for sure mikey is obsessed and confused, which is why he thinks he’s “being good” by showing exactly how he feels (like in the first part of the chapter),

but izana??? so is he also trying to be with reader, does he care??? i’m talking about what takeomi said to him

what are your thoughts, i’m curious

Alright, I'll explain to you in details.

Let's go back to chapter 2, specifically the scene:

"That rawness of fear that acted up as your life flashed before your very eyes shifted something in him. You’re just a weak girl. A weak, vulnerable little girl who thinks she has a bark that he can do whatever he wants to her.

He almost cannot believe the boner growing in his pants right now. He’s never felt this way for you. Meek girls were always so boring to him and yet he wants to fuck you. He wants to claim you as his own personal toy only he can play with.

The familiar thrill, once again. He’s feeling it with you.

You’re still coughing and sputtering as you lay on the ground when Izana mindlessly gets off you. He’s conflicted within himself, wondering if he should leave you for another time or relieve himself there and then. There’s just something so sexy to him about your helpless body at his mercy, he could decide if he wanted to take you here and you would never be able to fight back"

In chapter 2 we already have an insight of how Izana sees women and then reader. He thinks that reader's efforts are futile, but it's fun when she struggles. He's already an adrenaline junkie and implied sex addict, and he sees women as tools to satisfy himself. The thing about this is that reader IS just another tool, but she's different. She's noveau in terms of his attraction, but the thing is, he wants her to be for his own entertainment. Like him controlling the strings.

Which is why he finds joy at Mikey's depression because he knows it would give rise to something. Remember when reader recalls what Emma said about Izana and mikey's rivalry in chapter 1:

"From what Emma told you, Izana’s provocative nature was the gasoline to Mikey’s volatile mental state, akin to fire. Even the littlest of things that no one would bat an eye for could incite a bloody brawl between them. And as they grew older, more people were involved in their petty rivalry, since neither Emma nor Shinichiro agreed to take their side."

Izana knows the influence he has on Mikey's mental state. In chapter 3 he was able to rile Mikey to fight him harder, so it's easier to use Mikey to make you suffer for his own enjoyment and him and Mikey would be equals in your life, lording over you. But Shinichiro is different. Which is why Takeomi said he can't complete with him. This is a man he looks up to and if you're protected by him, then how would he play with his toy?

Think of it this way: A kid is biting and chewing on their doll. An adult sees them and puts the doll away on the top shelf. The kid cries and throws a tantrum and then figures out if he uses the step ladder he'll get to the toy and he can continue chewing on it.

Izana is the child. Reader is the doll, shin is the adult and mikey is the ladder.

In essence, he loves playing God, so he only grants mercy so as to dangle hope, only to snatching it away. I hope this helps.

#monsters ♡#analysis

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spricket-central · 28 days

Text

Baguette was a unique, special spricket from day 1.

while all of the sprickets id ever caught and kept up to that point were ones id found in my apartment, i actually met Baguette in my parents' living room. normally when i encounter sprickets there I'll either catch them and release them outside or just leave them be, but i really wanted to keep her. i only had a couple of young nymphs in my care at the time, and i really missed having an adult around.

and so, i caught her and kept her in an empty wonton soup container my mom provided me with (my mom was also the one who named her!), where she'd wait until we headed home and i was able to give her a proper enclosure.

she was incredibly shy at first. id almost never see her venture out from under her egg carton hide, even at night when the lights were out and when sprickets typically become most active.

however, a week later, she would meet Donut.

Donut was a special little guy. i had rescued him from my cat, Wembley, as he was hiding in the folds of my blankets, still actively being hunted after having nearly been eaten. he ended up losing one leg in the process, with another leg on the same side being completely paralyzed (he eventually removed it himself).

Baguette seemed less than thrilled when i first introduced Donut to her tank. that night, she came out from under her egg carton and chased him away from the tiny tray of vegetables id put out for the two of them. in the following days though, she seemed to warm up to him. in fact, i was suddenly seeing her out and about more often, hanging out with Donut! (they were also CONSTANTLY mating, lmao. i swear i saw her with a spermatophylax attached to her like every other day for a while there)

i really do think that having Donut around helped Baguette develop more confidence. perhaps she felt safer knowing that she had another pair of antennae on the lookout for threats, or perhaps she even felt something deeper. one simply cannot grasp what goes on in the mind of a tiny insect. but, whatever it was that she was thinking or feeling, the change in Baguette's behavior was impossible to ignore. she was like an entirely different spricket, and her once hidden personality finally had a chance to shine!

but, alas, no good thing can last forever; Donut passed away on January 7th, 2024, and Baguette was alone once more. i moved her into a smaller tank, more suited to a single lady like herself than the large tank she'd shared with Donut was.

i wasnt sure if her shyness would return after having lost Donut, but to my relief, Baguette's confidence remained! she was still a bit of a wallflower (sometimes literally; sprickets do love to climb), but when she did decide to come out and explore, she did so with enthusiasm. she became a huge goofball as she aged!

one day, i noticed a couple of worrisome developments in her health: firstly, she had developed a hole at the base of her ovipositor, and she had an egg halfway stuck in it that she was having trouble pushing out. upon mentally stepping back and evaluating the situation, i noticed a more obvious problem: she was suddenly missing one of her jumping legs.

to this day i have no idea what happened to that leg. it was just Gone, and i was worried she was literally falling apart. i wasnt sure how much more time she had left. i was worried that she was basically in hospice.

but Baguette pulled through! her condition didnt deteriorate after that scare; on the contrary, she was as active as ever, and would continue to be that way until her very last day.

her decline was incredibly sudden. she had just been out and about earlier that day, climbing and hanging upside down in her little tube hide, but that night i noticed her slumped on the ground, motionless and weak.

the very next day, she was gone.

Baguette's story is a joyous one. over the nearly 6 months i had with her, i saw her go from a shy and fearful spricket to an adventurous and playful one. she had a partner who she seemed to enjoy the company of, and who helped her come out of her shell. she was safe and fed and loved... and she had the most... "unique" approaches to egg-laying ive ever seen. her form was always something to behold, ahaha.

Baguette came to me at a time i needed a spricket like her in my life. a few months prior, i had lost the very first spricket id ever caught, a special girl named Crouton, and i had only her young daughter and another young boy her age left in my care. Baguette's presence filled something that had been missing, something i still cant quite put my finger on. it just felt so foreign, not having a single adult spricket around, and Baguette made things feel "right" again.

i never know how much time I'll get with a spricket when i catch one. if i catch an adult, i have no way of knowing how old they are. they could be a young, freshly molted adult, or they could be an elder already on their way out. either way, i didnt expect to have nearly as many months to enjoy Baguette's company as i ended up getting. i estimate that she lived to be about a year old, if not older. i hope the months she spent with me were comfortable ones. based on how much she flourished, i have a good feeling that they were.

i love you, Baguette. i miss you so much right now that it aches, and i cant help but cry, thinking about you and knowing you wont be there when i check on the tanks anymore. you truly were a special girl, and i feel so lucky to have crossed paths with you that evening at my parents' house.

thank you for everything.

thank you for making me smile everyday.

thank you for being my friend.

Baguette

10/5/2023 (caught) - 3/30/2024

#insects #pet bugs #bugblr #invert pets #crickets #camel cricket #spider cricket #cave cricket #spricket #rhaphidophoridae #baguette #memorial #pics

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quandaryqueen · 1 year

Note

With Young Justice Riddler(or more if you want): He is coming home from a cuddly date with Y/N at the fair, and he realizes that his shirt smells like Y/N. So Eddie pulls his shirt up to his face to smell it before it fades away.

Lightheaded, lighthearted

Young Justice Edward Nygma X Reader

OHOHO this wil be good, to those who are requesting more of our pathetic baby YJ Eddie, I love you guys sooooo so much 💝✨

💚 It is most crucial to introduce major players in this little trip, so I won't refer these group fo people as solely 'your friends' throughout the whole narrative.

There's Lee, the horndog with the innuendos. but with that innocent face, no one suspected a thing and no one would believe you. The brightest, yet sometimes dimmest. Other than that, she's a sweetheart.

Diedre, the thrill seeker. Enables Lee a lot with her continuous spur of innuendos by adding fuel to the fire. A great cheerleader and pep talker, she is very encouraging and supporting, always the loudest in the crowd when it comes to showing support.

Nina, the stoic one, the sarcastic edge over lord. Mistress of dry humour, straight-faced and takes no shit. May look like she doesn't give a fuck, but don't let that fool you, she's the older sister friend that keeps everyone in check if she isn't the one enabling it, which is normally the case.

Marian, but she prefers to be called Macy, mom friend supreme. Sweet, warm, welcoming. Holds the metaphorical child-leashes in your friend group. Is placed under constant stress with either Lee, Diedre, Nina and you from your unique individual needs, circumstances, fuck ups and such.

💚 Carnival fairs!!! The food, the sights, the ambiance! The screams of children and adult alike as they course through the air from a highly questionable machinery that's probably overdue to repairs and maintenance... ITS FUN I SWEAR---

Well, you can always avoid the rides... But you have friends who are good in peer pressure, in which case, yes, you cannot avoid it. You can delay the rides by going elsewhere, but it won't take long until one of them hurls you in one of those the rides.

If you can tolerate/enjoy such activities, good for you. Your date on the other hand... Well, you gotta save it for last if you want him coherent, not vomitting and standing with two of his feet on the ground.

💚 And so while you're evading the carnival rides, Edward has taken to test himself with a few range-shooting games for fun. He's held a real gun before and aimed it at the Bat before, surely he can do it in a setting in which it's not really. Keyword, aimed, never shot. And he's only ever used it to intimidate anyways--but surely! Surely he can use a fake one! And besides, the targets aren't even moving... Unless the game is rigged, then it was not on him.

Anyways, there were five bullets loaded in the toy gun and you have a specific amount of targets to knock off a terrain to win a specific objects with points written on them. Ten points can win you a pen. Fifteen points you can win a snack. Twenty five points get a pencil case. Forty points can get you the fun ones, the stuffed points and boy, was he aiming for a one hundred to win youthe biggest stuff toy in there.

He has the gun in his hand, on a stance of what he thinks is the proper pose for a marksman.

Aim... Ready... Fire.

Aaaaand it missed. His aim was waaaay off. Upon firing, he catches the attention of your wandering friends and began to gather behind you. Knowing them full-well, they were going to heckle the fuck out of your poor man for the fun of it and though it's all in the name of fun and they don't really mean it, but you know how Edward can be a touch sensitive. Instead, Lee, Diedre and Nina stood behind scrutinizing the targets, then the operator, who has his eyes on you.

Whatever, he has four more shots.

... it didn't knock the target off the terrain.

Nina steps next to Edward and squints at the target for a moment, before turning to him.

"Try shooting that one," She points at the one at the edge, in which Edward follows and surely hits the target, but it didn't fell off. He empties the bullets, and it barely knocked it over. "Huh... The glue on that target sure is strong, ain't it Mister?" Nina points a barely concealed condescension at the operator, her accusatory gaze contorting to irritation when Macy smacked the sarcastic lass by the shoulder.

"I assure you, ma'am, they're not. See?" The operator demonstrates by picking up the target. Seeing satisfaction in Nina's eyes, he lowers the target back down.

"Sorry about that, Mister." Macy sheepishly smiles at him.

"Nah, I get it."

"I'll have another try."

Your friends glanced at your date with stunned faces. Oh he is determined to get you that damned stuffed animal, fuck his wallet.

💚 About five tries, not a point in his calibre and at this point, he was getting embarrassed. He is aware this might be rigged but at the same time, his ego was way to big for him to back down until he won the price. He is winning this for you, goddamnit! It feels as though he was playing basketball, and he has the ball and proclaims to you that this shot is for you, only for him to fail at shooting the ball in the ring and it just looks pathetic and to him, it symbolically equates his love for you being untrue. He doesn't know where he is pulling these bullshit from at this point, he is a mess.

"May I try?"

Edward flushed red when your hand lands on his arm and his determination and obligation to win this melted away. Of course he wasn't going to say no to you! Who would do such a thing?

"O-Of course!"

He hands you the gun and closely watched the concentration in your beautiful countenance scrutinize the target with sheer admiration in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, you squeezed the trigger.

For some reason, he wasn't that butt hurt. He initially thought he would, but not a speck of it was there. Instead, he felt proud and damn impressed. And his chest swelled at the memory of the sight of concentration in your features, how you somehow dropped from your usual self and into this unrecognisable, yet still beautiful side of you.

It was then Edward found out that your achievements were also your friends', as he almost jumped out of his skin when he heard them shriek behind him in excitement, shouting out words of support. But most of all, you actually did it! You sheepishly turned to them, rubbing the back of your neck whilst lowering the gun by the counter.

"HELL YEAH!"

"YOU GO BITCH!"

"WE KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!"

"WAY TO GO!"

"Oh come on you guys, it was just beginner's luck." You dismissively waved at them, before picking up the price by the counter. "This, is for you." You handed him the brown bear with a purple bow around its neck.

"T-thank you umm..." He swallows thickly, accepting the bear and pressing it to his chest. "I-uh... Good job! You did really well!"

"Aww, shucks..." You bit your lip before lightly nudging him. "I kept you in mind as an inspiration to win."

Edward stares at you with wide eyes. Have you now?

"I'm flattered, Y/N. I was actually... Um... The sentiment is mutual but uh, I kinda— y-ya know, failed." And it was pathetic.

"I know this sounds so cliché... But it's the thought that counts."

"OH MY GOSH, KARAOKE YOU GUYS!"

Diedre exclaimation bursts from the world you constructed with Edward where the only two of you exist at the moment. You were back in the present, where your friends began dragging both you and Edward to the said karaoke booth.

💚 The booth was small, but enough to fit six people if you are willing to squeeze against your seatmates... Or maybe sit on one's lap, that can work too and that's what you did. Edward was a touch flustered, but with enough convincing from you, he finally sat on your lap.

Anyways, songs were found and numbers were punched in. The microphone was functional in Diedre's hand and the machine was blaring the tracks you all know and love. At first, Edward was a touch too flustered to sing along with you and your friends. But as time comes, he finds himself singing as well, just not as loud as you were being. The microphone gets passed around during verse and chorus switch, in which Edward denied the microphone and instead passed it to someone else.

"But mama I'm in love with a criminal! And this type of love isn't rational, it's physical! Mama please don't cry, I will be alright! All reason aside, I just can't deny, love the guy~"

Diedre had always been fond of singing and she is one hell of a vocalist. But at times, she tends to be carried away and throw what she had learned from vocal classes and just scream lyrics with friends.

"IF YOU CAN SEE THAT I'M THE ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS YOU, BEEN HERE ALL ALONG SO WHY CAN'T YOU SEE—! YOU BELONG WITH ME, OOOH YOU BELONG WITH ME!!!"

Lee is a screamer, not a shred of vocal talent within her but she is an enthusiastic fellow who is passionate about it.

"Strumming my pain with his fingers, singing my life with his words. Killing me softly with his song, killing me softly with his song, telling my whole life with his words, killing me softly with his song~"

Macy falls more into the soft, whispery singing voice suited for lullabies.

"Somebody, ooh, somebody! Can anybody find me somebody to looooooove!"

Nina and her rock and roll voice, of course. Chest voice is rich and she nails more of the guttural side of singing, but now and again, she belts out.

"Oh shut the fuck up you're winning in love." Nina shoves your face away from the microphone from singing the chorus, her gaze flickering to Edward, before she continues with the second verse.

They're already wilding at this stage, Edward wonder what could possibly happen if alcohol were to be involved...

💚 As the "the first one to get a sore throat" competition ensues, Edward couldn't help but to feel at ease at how your friends would include him in every activity you engage in. He doesn't feel lost in conversations, as they would provide him context.

He doesn't notice the way you wrapped your arms around his waist while he was seated in your lap until you temporarily unwrapped them and reached for something. He felt as though your arms were natural to be there, around his midsection. The moment he noticed, he was flaring red and one might assume because you were screaming the lyrics of Rihanna's S and M.

"You sure you don't wanna give it a go?" You grinned at Edward, offering the microphone. R

"Come on!"

"It'll be fun!"

"Pleaaaaase?"

"You don't have to," Macy reassures with an understanding look, as the instrumental of the last song begins.

... I mean, he might as well.

Upon reaching for the microphone, your friends began clapping and cheering. He isn't much of a singer but the way your friends hype up one another despite delivering an ear-piercing performance, they applaud to no end, so it does bring comfort to know that.

"I want your love and I want your revenge, you and me could write a bad romance!"

"WOAH OH OH OOOOOOH~~~" you and your friends sang along.

"I want your love and all your lover's revenge, you and me could write a bad romance!"

💚 After exiting the booth, the sights of the ride greets you once again, where it had Edward swallowing thickly when his eyes meet a Pirate ship ride filled with screaming attendants. Then there's a roller coaster, a big nope. Then there's the Ferris wheel, that's oddly fast instead of an idle spin, it resembled a human washing machine.

Then there's your friends, pointing at the said rides in excitement. This is where Edward has taken to hiding behind you again when your friends settled to ride the Pirate Ship. The ominous thing which swung back and fourth like a pendulum.

"Come on Edward, it'll be fun!" Lee encourages, lightly shaking him by his shoulders.

"I-I don't think I can—"

"If Y/N will ride, would you?"

Yes...

"Lee, don't force someone to do what they don't want to," Macy lightly scolds.

"You are riding, right Y/N?" Diedre asks, draping her arm around your shoulder and poking a finger in your cheek.

"Well yeah, sure why not?"

... well, suck it up, I guess.

"Dee," Macy glares at Diedre.

"I-I'll go." Edward blurts out.

"Are you sure?" You and Macy spoke in unison.

"Yes." No.

"Come on, I already bought tickets. Eddie's coming along, right?" Nina spoke from behind you after standing in line to get tickets.

"I am..."

"Are you sure?" You pulled him aside, clinging on his arm and looking deeply within his bespectacled gaze to search his reluctance, lo and behold, it was so fucking obvious.

"Y-Yes... Don't worry about me." Fucking. Help.

💚 With reassurances given to you and himself, he was strapped in his seat with you and Lee, who were seated on either side of him. White knuckling the metallic safety bar, he watches in horror as the seats were filled by other attendants and the sound of horns rings against his ears. Then, the ship started to swing and let me tell you, his stomach fucking dropped.

His first instinct was to screw his eyes shut and refused to let a sound from his throat. Behind him, he can hear Nina and Diedre cheering loudly, fucking egging the conductor to bring the ride at its fullest speed. Out of fear, he tucks his head against your neck and found his hand clutching your thigh. In all this terror, for a moment, felt him stabilizing when he felt you put a hand atop his...

Then, somehow, Nina and Diedre finally got what they want... Everyone boarding the ride who swore not to scream, screamed. Edward was a little thankful he wasn't the only one.

💚 Nina and Diedre were a touch disappointed when the ride came to end, but some others were rushing out of the ride and Edward was one of them. The ground seemingly swayed with every step and felt as though he had once again accidentally drank from the Mad Hatter's teacup. To lend him a sense of stability, you were once again by his side... Macy, being the concern mother hen she is, was also there. Whereareas Lee, Nina and Diedre were laughing about the experience... Not specifically Edward, but he was too disoriented to hear it.

"Oh my fucking, the girl behind me was screeching a church hymn." Diedre laughed, before nudging Nina. "You got that recorded, right?!"

"Sure did!" Nina holds her phone out.

"Oooh! I recorded too!" You looked over Lee, who possesses blackmail material with a glare.

"Who are you feeling?" Macy, not minding the noise behind her, has taken to seating Edward under a tree shaded bench. Rummaging through her back, she produces a zesty menthol essential oil before handing it to Edward. "Here, hold on to this for the time being. I'm going to get some water."

"Thank you..." Edward managed to croak as Macy turned away and make a beeline for the food stalls. Taking a light inhale from the uncapped bottle, he feels his nausea to lightly dissipate.

"I am so sorry about that..." Edward glances at you to find your apologetic face looking away.

"No, no, it's not your fault... It was my choice..." He weakly insists.

"Can I still make it up to you?" You looked up at him.

... Well if you're offering...

"Can I... Rest my head on your shoulder?" Edward chokes up for a moment, but felt a sense of comfort knowing you wouldn't say know.

Smiling, you tip your head aside your offer him your shoulder. Edward leans in and sighs in content, face flushing a deeper shade of red when you went an extra mile to wrap your arms around his torso. Unbeknownst to the both of you, certain cellphone welding friends were taking pictures.

💚 Upon feeling better, the whole group decided to stop by for some snacks, eat before going home. Edward had fun; he got to know more of you, the people you love, your interests, talents, befriended your friends, rode a dreaded ride... Cuddling up with you...

When he got home, he couldn't deny the smile on his face. He steps in his room, in the process of removing his jacket when he suddenly caught your scent. Stunned, he presses his nose on his jacket and breathes it in before he collapsed on his bed with a content sigh.

He was disrupted from his daydreams when his phone vibrated in his pocket. Curiously, he reaches for it and unlocks it, to find himself added to a group chat named 'Green Gang', the picture of the group being the photo you have taken after the damn ride... Lee, Diedre, Nina who looked as normal, while you, Macy and Edward were situated by the corner tending to him.

Lee: Hey :D

Lee: Just got home. I'll send some pics later (⁠｡⁠•̀⁠ᴗ⁠-⁠)⁠✧

Nina sent 30 photos

Diedre: Damn, I have like 3 or 5 pics 😂

Nina sent 30 photos

Nina sent 10 videos

Diedre: 😳

Lee: RIP phone storage

Macy: Still on the train. Are you okay now, Edward?

Edward froze... He swallows thickly, before typing up a reply.

Edward: Just got home. I'm doing great, thank you for taking care of me.

Lee: That's Macy for ya (⁠~⁠￣⁠³⁠￣⁠)⁠~

Edward: That was actually a great time, thank you for inviting me.

Diedre: We won't traumatise you next time 😁

Nina: That would be Y/N's job lmao

Edward couldn't help but to chuckle.

Y/N: Gang and I are like going out for a fun photoshoot. Wanna come?

Well duh.

Edward: I'd love to.

Another date, pinned on his calendar. He is fucking winning in life.

#edward nygma x you #edward nygma x reader #edward nygma #riddler x reader #dc x reader #dc x you #edward nigma #request #young justice riddler #young justice riddler x reader #anonymous #ocs #query #echo #query and echo #nina damfino #diedre vance

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hellhoundmaggie · 11 months

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5 comfort characters

Finally getting to this @cymatile. the notification email has been burning a hole in my inbox for weeks now and I'm glad to finally get to it!

The Beast/Prince Adam (Beauty and the Beast 1991) As a bookish autistic little girl, I of course identified very strongly with Belle. As a city kid in a small town, I still do sometimes. But as an adult, I find myself drawn to the other half of the pairing. Belle is of course a lovely young lady, and I appreciate how she only respects the Beast when he first extends respect to her. But let us face it, she is too perfect a character to be truly compelling. Beast is quite the work in progress, though, and that's what makes him so fascinating. You thrill as you watch him angst and snarl and throw his weight around -- first to frighten and threaten others, then to protect the woman he loves. You are charmed as he discovers joy and companionship, then mourn with him as he gives it up to return Belle's freedom to her. And you're just a little disappointed when he changes into a generically-handsome man, even if it does mean he and Belle get to live happily ever after. Plus, as the meme says: "I'll get that bitch a library. Bitches love libraries."

Shane (Stardew Valley) Okay, I've read all the criticisms many times. He starts out mean to you for no reason. He's a total slob and a sad sack. He never actually quits drinking. He looks like Ben Shapiro. And I gotta tell you: I cannot fault this very good chicken man for any of it. This is another guy that I feel no choice but to root for because he struggles with so many flaws. I appreciate that the game doesn't let you "fix" them for him: you only give him the help he directly asks you for. He makes the most important changes himself, and the stuff he doesn't change isn't a dealbreaker for me. Plus Shane kind of looks like my IRL spouse so I gotta love him just for that, y'know? I can't forgive him for liking gridball, though. As a nerd, jocks are my natural enemy. Sorry, I don't have a choice!

Entrapta (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power) Not a lot of people know this, but ND Stevenson called me up while he was developing the She-Ra reboot and asked for my input. I asked him, "Are you going to have a woman character with autistic coding in the show?" "Yes, we're going to have one of those," he said. "And is she going to have a special interest that few other characters in the show understand or empathize with?" "Okay, yeah." "Is she going to despair of ever finding genuine human connection and try to find solace in technology before learning that yes, there are people who care about her and value her uniqueness?" "Ooh, that's a good idea. Sure." "And can you pair her up with an angsty boy?" "I can definitely do that. Thanks, Maggie!" And that's why Reboot Entrapta is the way she is. You're welcome, everyone. 4. Wayne (Scarlet Hollow) I already post a lot about this guy, so I won't say much this time. I like him because he lets me explore the idea of being the subject of extreme passion and devotion in a way that doesn't put me in actual danger. I would never seek out that kind of relationship in real life, but love beyond proportion, beyond reason, beyond sanity is compelling in fiction. Plus he makes for some fun memes. 5. Mr. Pages (Fallen London) I love this big ol' nerd: its creative vocabulary, its book hyperfixation, and how bad it is at hiding the fact that it's not human. As soon as they put out the balance patch for Mask of the Rose, I am going to figure out how to smooch it, and you cannot stop me.

tagging nobody! Do this if you feel like it.

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wellwrittenevilbitch · 6 months

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Who is the better written evil bitch!

Propaganda.

Cersei

Content warning for discussion of sexual abuse, incest between adult siblings, domestic abuse, and misogyny.

To be clear, I am only talking about Cersei as she exists in the book series, not in Game of Thrones.

Here’s the short version. Long version under the cut.

A sympathetic victim of misogyny in a way that modern real women will find relatable despite her living in fake medieval times with magic

Despite being a sympathetic victim, she’s loathsome and unquestionably a villain

Has people exiled, murdered, tortured, and made victims of human experimentation for as little as being inconvenient for her plans

Driven by love for her children and desire to protect them but ends up being abusive in an effort to control them

Thinks she’s the grandest mastermind in the world and feels completely untouchable only for her plans to fall apart catastrophically

Cersei is perhaps one of the best female villains of all time as far as writing goes. Her story is sad and uncomfortably realistic even for real women in the current age. She’s the twin sister of Jaime Lannister. Growing up, they looked so similar that they could even trade places. Cersei always saw them as two halves of one person. Until they hit puberty and everything changed and she was confronted with the reality of being female. She believed herself to be the smartest and most competent of her siblings but was continuously treated as lesser by her father and others because she’s female. Her fate was to be wed to a man of her father’s choice. This turned into a bitter kernel of envy that permeates Cersei’s entire being. She envies the privileges awarded to men and desperately wishes to prove that she’s better. She idolizes her father, once one of the most powerful men in the country and perhaps the most brilliant strategist in the series, despite his mistreatment of her. She’s promised a marriage that actually does excite her only for the father of her would be groom to unexpectedly reject the proposal. She watches as this man is wed to another woman. And then, on top of that, she watches as this man falls in love with a third woman and starts a massive war that ends in the deaths of the would be groom, his wife and kids, the third woman, and his father, ending the reign of his family.

Finally she is married off to the man who killed her would be groom and assumed the throne. He was handsome. She was the queen now. She could have loved him. But on their wedding night, when they got into bed, he whispered the name of… the third woman, the Helen of Troy. She hated him, and he hated her. He was never gentle with her. Her physically abused her. He was a wretched king. Cersei knew she would be a better ruler so she envied him too. And she couldn’t understand for the life of her why he would hurt her. That tormented her. It all tormented her. Here she is, a woman who is said to be the most beautiful woman in all the land, desired by all, and yet love escapes her. Here she is, cunning and intelligent, yet she can never hold the same positions of power as her twin or her father, just because she happens to be female. And she desperately wants to understand why. Once her husband is dead and their kids (not really her husband’s kids; their father is Cersei’s twin brother) are too young to truly rule, she grasps at the power she’s been deprived of all her life in every way she can. She sleeps with a female friend of hers and hurts her intentionally, trying to understand what her dead husband felt, why he hurt her, but gets no thrill out of this.

She uses her charm as a way to try to reach for this power. Because she cannot be a man, she views being a beautiful woman a consolation prize. She sleeps with at least three men to manipulate them into getting what she wants but fails to realize the position of vulnerability this puts her in until it’s too late and it becomes one of the things that undoes her. She fails to realize that appealing to the sexual desires of men does not actually empower her, which so beautifully parallels the struggles many modern women, at least in the US experience.

The true tragedy of her desperation is that she has a sense of inevitability about it. She received a prophecy as a young girl that has loomed over her head ever since. She was told that she would be queen, but that all of her children would die, that there would come a younger and more beautiful queen who would take away all that she holds dear, and that her ultimate demise would come at the hands of her little brother (which could be her twin as she was born first, or Tyrion, their other brother). She goes to extreme lengths and uses the power she’s attained (or thinks she’s attained) to prevent this from happening, growing increasingly desperate as her first child dies at the hands of Tyrion (or so she thinks), with her actions becoming more and more extreme, committing atrocity after atrocity with a false sense of untouchability as she watches the prophecy come true in spite of everything.

That mostly summarized why I think she’s so well written, so let’s cover some evils she’s committed that I didn’t mention already.

Pushes her childhood friend down a well because said friend knew about her prophecy (childhood)

Abuses her younger brother Tyrion and makes his life hell in general (childhood and throughout her life)

Orders that a little girl’s pet wolf be killed because a DIFFERENT wolf bit her son (who deserved to be bitten)

Holds said little girl hostage because she had been betrothed to her eldest son and allows him to abuse her horrifically. The betrothal is later broken but she continues to hold the girl as a hostage. When someone comes up with a plan to remove said girl from the castle to somewhere she’ll be safe and happy, she thwarts this plan and weds the girl to her brother Tyrion. She is 12. He is 25.

Any time anyone inconveniences her even a little, she deals with them in a host of colorful ways. She might 1. Have them sent to the night’s watch, which is the lifelong community service option in a freezing and unforgiving region, offered as an alternative to execution 2. Simply have them murdered by one of them she’s sleeping with or 3. Offer them up to her favorite mad scientist for human experimentation

Her bodyguard is killed by a terrible poison. A different family in the country wants his head because said bodyguard is more evil than Cersei (won’t get into it). She wanted her little mad scientist to save him, but 1. He couldn’t and 2. She needed to send the head. So she had his head removed and sent off but had her mad scientist fuse a helmet to his head and resurrect his body. This one is actually more badass than evil tbh

Is abusive towards her children in her efforts to control them to prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled

Orchestrates a complex plan to have the bride of her second son, the new heir to the throne, found guilty of adultery, which is treason when committed against the king, and executed (women cannot join the night’s watch). This involves a great deal of manipulation and torture

I think that covers it for Cersei’s greatest hits. She’s a tragic victim of misogyny and manages to be very sympathetic while also being loathsome for being so cruel and evil. She’s an incredibly complex character and definitely the most well-written evil female character I’ve encountered.

Ballas:

This absolutely terrible awful man creates sooo many problems just because he REALLY misses his ex-wife. Who he killed because she wanted to not murder the children aboard the Zeroman 10-0. He torments his Ex's adopted children, manipulates a completely unrelated woman, Natah, into being a copy of his ex-wife, and then rats out his entire society to her dad (who is a massive evil robot) when she breaks up with him over the emotional abuse. Aside from that, he also forcibly mutated some random guy into a mute war machine and then forced that guy to kill his own family. And that's just the cliff notes of the backstory, we haven't even gotten to the actual events of the game yet!

Ballas first shows up to ''''''convince''''''' the player character's mother figure, The Lotus/Natah (it's a very long story), into going back to her shitty biological family. In reality, he manipulated and kidnapped her, but the player didn't realize this because of his gaslighting. The next time he shows up is after the player reconstructed Excalibur Umbra (the guy who had to kill his own son) where he gets way too cocky that the Tenno won't kill him. They do, specifically by giving Umbra the will he needs to impale him. Now, if Ballas was respectable, he'd die here, but instead, The Lotus/Natah shows up and gets him medical attention.

the next few cinematics are dubiously canon due to retcons, but what can be picked out is that The Lotus/Natah has been coming to her senses and has been avoiding him. Her brother, Erra, supposedly took over looking after him, but he's easily manipulated and is basically Ballas' cool little murder pet (It can be interpreted that part of why Erra was so easily manipulated was because he has a crush on Ballas that Ballas is using to his advantage, but Erra is also just kinda a pushover). At some point, Hunhow (Erra and Natah's father) starts to realize that Ballas' gross gaslighting and manipulation reflect how Hunhow treated his children, and Hunhow drops all contact with the murder robot forces, leaving Erra (and by extension Ballas) to inflict wanton damage and destruction.

With Hunhow's loose moral code out of the picture, Ballas starts turning Natah into a living battery so that she's weak enough for him to properly manipulate her. He convinces Erra that it's for the best, and also starts taking over the Origin system with freaky mind-control masks. He forms Narmer, an empire based on mind control and a likely butchered version of the murder-robot's religion. When the player comes to rescue Natah, he decides that now is the time to enact his sick sense of 'revenge' (that, might I remind you, is actually against a different woman that Natah NEVER EVEN KNEW) by making her watch him impale her adopted child before tossing them both into the Void.

luckily, an alternate version of the player character (there are alternate timelines in this game but that's unrelated) saves Natah from death and nurses her back to health. However, before she's fully recovered, Natah goes on a trama-fulled murder attempt, meeting Ballas on the mothership and attempting to kill him. It doesn't work, as Ballas gaslights and berates her into submission again, but the player character is here to remind Natah that hey, she really doesn't deserve to be treated like this, and also she ISN'T that woman that he killed and undefined amount of time ago! Finally, Natah is able to overcome his abuse and chuck his ass into the sun. during this scene, it's also revealed that he's going to use the sun to power a trip to the Tau Centi system and he somehow spins the imminent destruction of the sun (and therefore all life in Origin) into Natah's fault. This man is nasty.

I hope this is the sort of awful blorbo you are looking for! Some of this is my personal interpretation of the game, but I swear the rest is canon and happens in-game.

#cersei lannister #game of thrones #warframe ballas #warframe spoiler

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greatbritishsimchallenge · 1 year

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Tag Game for Historical Simblrs! 📖

1. What has been your favourite time period to play in or which one are you most excited for?

The Anglo Saxon era has been my favourite so far. The thrill of working to build Kennedi up to the chief of her own Queendom was very fun.

2. Do you have a favourite piece of historical cc? (CAS or BB)

BB - I don’t know if ‘favourite’ is the right word, but I really value the CC toilets. Having my sims pee/poop in a historically accurate looking toilet somehow really helps with my immersion!

CAS - basically every historical style dress that @sifix has made

3. Who is your favourite sim currently?

I’m very early into playing the Second Estate of the Medieval era so I don’t have one for that Estate yet. Of the Medieval era as a whole, William hands down.

4. What is your favourite world?

I really like Brindleton Bay, but my most used is definitely Henford-on-Bagley.

5. Are you more gameplay or story focused?

I’m going to say gameplay because that is what I use to create the story, but I do enjoy trying to thread together all the little gameplay moments into an enjoyable narrative.

6. Do you like to play with pets in your historical saves?

The Second Estate of the Medieval era is the first time I’m doing it and, I have to say... I’m not a fan so far.

7. What’s your biggest immersion breaking pet peeve with the game?

Townies not being dressed historically. I do periodically go through and dress all the adults, but I can never be bothered with the children or younger and over time I end up with sims walking around in the typical modern, hideous Townie fashion. If anyone knows how to use MCCC or any other mod to get townies to dress themselves historically, please let me know!

8. What’s your favourite in-game historical item? (CAS or BB)

CAS - The Outdoor Retreat outfit for men and women is very useful.

BB - woodworking table to make chairs, tables, bathtubs, toilets etc.

9. What would you like to see as a new pack or asset to the game?

I need to think hard about this one... and I'm drawing a blank

10. What pack do you think is invaluable as a historical simmer?

Expansion pack - Cottage Living

Game pack - Outdoor Retreat

Stuff Pack - Laundry Day

11. Do you have a favourite mod to enhance historical gameplay?

Ye Olde Cookbook kit by @littlbowbub

12. What’s your ideal family size for playing?

My preferred is 4, but I spend most gameplay with 8 because of how many goals require that many sims.

13. Do you use poses?

I used to a lot, but now I only use poses when I cannot find an in-game animation that suitably captures what I am trying to achieve.

14. Do you use any overrides in your game?

Yes. My favourite is by @simverses and is basically an override for all the outfits of the NPC roles - maid, butler, gardener, mailman, bartender etc. It helps with immersion SO much.

15. Do you, or did you, play off-the-grid during your game?

Yes. The challenge required me to for the Iron Age, Roman Britain and some of Anglo Saxon era.

16. What lifespan do you play on?

Normal life span. I wish I could fiddle and make old age much longer, but the the challenge doesn’t allow messing with lifespans.

17. What inspired you to start playing a historically?

Short answer - finding a Sims Forum thread about the History Challenge and then falling down a very deep rabbit hole that ended up with me creating a simblr account.

Thank you for the tag @aheathen-conceivably and @taanoir!

I tag @shelbycompanylimitedd @soulful-simmer just because they haven’t posted their historical stories in a while and I miss them :)

#simblr ask game

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tss-whumper · 1 month

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run baby run au

this is probably one of my top favorite sanders sides aus of all time that i have ever made! i'm excited to finally post about it.

this au is very dark so read with caution!

(cw -> ableism, mentions of s/a, pedophilia, violence, physical abuse, kidnapping)

this story begins in an overcrowded group home, where two orphans, half-brothers, have found each other, clung to each other, and decided from there on out that they would never, ever let go.

their names are roman and logan.

roman is the older brother, standing at ten years old. he is willowy, starting to hit his growth spurt, and he has luscious dark skin and beautiful red-brown curls that sit wildly upon his head, just how he likes them. he is shockingly gentle considering how much energy he constantly carries around, and he is always curious. the world is his playground, and his vibrant imagination is always in use. and he is severely intellectually disabled. roman is a boy who has the same mental capacity as a six year old due to an intellectual disability, his iq being in the 40's. he struggles with basic tasks, and it is uncertain if he will ever be able to live independently. nobody in the group home could be bothered with parenting the boy, as they label him as difficult and bratty. so roman basically has no choice but to lean on his little brother.

speaking of little brother, logan is the younger of the two, six years old to be exact. he is tiny, extremely tiny in fact, and he has light olive skin and pin-straight black hair that he chooses to keep long because brushing it soothes him. he is startlingly mature for his age, and he always has a gleam in his eyes as if he's always observing the world around him in a careful, scrutinizing way. he is a genius, able to learn things very quickly, to the point where he is at a high school learning level when other kids his age are barely at elementary school level. and out of necessity, he has learned how to parent his older brother, helping him through things that he cannot do, and basically dedicating his entire life and all of his time to making sure that roman's various needs are met. he doesn't see any other option. nobody else is going to take care of roman, and he is the only one who is capable. so he does it. and he loves roman dearly throughout it all, seeing the potential roman has where nobody else does.

roman and logan struggle in the group home. nobody wants to adopt them, or even foster them, because they are such a unique case. many people have tried to separate the brothers, but it never works. they are too attached, and they cannot imagine life without each other. until virgil, their kind, standoffish, and very anxious social worker decides that enough is enough. he loves roman and logan like they are his own, and he decides to make them his own. he adopts them, and roman and logan are thrilled that they get to live with the one person in the group home situation who was actually nice to them.

but good things don't always last forever.

virgil struggles. a lot. with raising these two kids. he tries very hard to give them equal attention, but it becomes difficult as roman has a lot of needs, while it seems like logan has very few. logan can take care of himself in the morning. logan can make his own meals when he is hungry. logan can do his own homework without help. logan can, logan can, logan can. and roman can't. not without help, at least. so virgil finds himself spread too thin trying to take care of roman, while logan is sort of neglected, left in the dark. it doesn't help that logan is a very independent type who doesn't like to be vulnerable. logan doesn't want help from virgil. he's six, and then he's ten, and then he's fourteen. and he still doesn't want help. and when roman turns eighteen and has to deal with the transition from kid to adult, he needs even more help, and so logan distances himself even more, deciding to skip high school entirely and attend the local college for schooling.

in college, logan meets a sweet and happy man named patton. unlike the other college students, who view logan with irritation and disgust, patton is very nice to logan, offering to study with him and hang out with him after classes. logan is shocked, and a bit excited that a college student wants to hang out with him. so he accepts, and the two grow closer and closer. patton starts to invite logan to parties, and then, he slowly transitions into inviting logan into his dorm room alone. the two kiss within two weeks of knowing each other, and logan feels like he's in heaven. somebody loves him romantically. somebody knows him without knowing his complicated family situation. so logan distances himself from his family more and more as his relationship with patton grows. patton tells logan that he just turned eighteen. when logan nervously tells patton that he's fourteen, patton only laughs and tells him that age is not that important.

age is not that important.

and patton isn't actually eighteen. he is going on twenty-five.

but logan doesn't know that. and since he has never been in a relationship before, and he doesn't even tell virgil and roman about what's going on, he doesn't have anybody to talk to as the relationship between him and patton grows more and more...dangerous. patton starts locking logan in the dorm room, not letting him out until logan touches him the way he wants. patton starts to hit logan whenever logan says no to patton's advances, or speaks out against him in any way. and the very first time patton sexually assaults logan, the poor boy's world turns upside down. he feels broken, disgusting. but he can't tell anyone. roman wouldn't understand. and virgil? logan couldn't stand the idea of seeming like some disgusting delinquent, or a sex-crazed animal. he didn't want virgil to blame him. so he keeps quiet, and lets it keep happening.

(this is only part one! there is more to the au than this, but this is the first arc, and i don't want to give away the entire storyline in one post because there are a LOT of plot twists! this is one of my most favorite aus, so please let me know if you want part two!)

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notshelbyuwu · 9 months

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HC TIME! (+small casual au i made in 5 minutes)

Gordon Freeman (He/Him, Bisexual)

-Older than Felix by 56 minutes and 45 seconds

-Mom passed away when he was 5

-Was left with his dad and his brother, and his dad wasn't the most loving guy

-Despite being twins, Gordon always had more responsibility put on him by his dad than Felix, (even as an adult, which is why he's a substance abuser especially during work hours)

-Now as an adult, he works at Black Mesa where he was picked to help with a major secret test

-Having to deal with all the responsibility, bailing Felix out of trouble and being trusted with a shit load of work, he copes by having a massive ego, "I can handle whatever people decide to drop on me, I'm better and smarter than all of you" then breaks down at night

-Gordon has connections at Black Mesa and is chummy with the higher ups, no matter how snobby he thinks they are

-Realized he was bi a little before his 27th birthday, but he was raised with... A very old fashion way of thinking. (Hes over it now, he doesn't care who dates who except for himself, because... Guilt.)

-his dads death was a mixed bag of emotions, including guilt about who he is, but he doesn't like to talk about it

-Despite feeling guilt, it didn't stop him from dating a guy for a week before backing out and ghosting him.

-although Gordon cannot stand Felix sometimes, he still bails him out of trouble and he hangs out with him after work cause that's really the only person he has at this point (they watch movies or go out for beers)

-has mild paranoia

-Loves pirates, legit has a pirate costume he wears for fun

-sometimes he'll speak like a pirate to annoy Felix

-Gordon likes turtles for some reason, but he doesn't have time for pets right now

-loves sour food/candy, not much of a sweets person

(Causal AU)

The test went without really anything too bad, at the last second, someone turned the machine from 105% back to 100%, the portal didnt malfunction, however it still teleported Gordon to the area with the Vortigaunts and one attacked him, going straight for the face, knocking him over and damaging his eye and parts of his ear, once he teleports back he gets sent to the infirmary and Black Mesa is thrilled at the results Freeman was able to bring back, despite the cost of it.

Felix Freeman (He/Him, Demisexual, Pansexual)

-da younger twin

-has lived in Gordon's shadow basically his whole life (his dad paying more attention to Gordon, even if it was for negative reasons)

-this causes him to act out, even as an adult, getting in trouble at work (the job Gordon got him) by touching stuff he wasnt supposed to or taking things from work

-this, makes him look very childish

-his first week he met Barney and would have lunch with him, not telling him about his brother right away, not wanting to deal with comparisons

-Felix isn't much of a drinker but will go out for drinks with Barney or Gordon once in a while

-Felix is absolutely shit at video games shooter, but he still plays em with Barney sometimes

-is really into conspiracy theories, and especially loves aliens and the idea of alien life in space, he shares this love with Chell

-not much of a pet person but he thinks dogs are cool, mostly Chihuahua's cause Gordon hates them

-he almost set his kitchen on fire once

Barney Calhoun (He/Him, Transmasc, Bisexual)

-Grew up in a Latino household but he still doesn't know Spanish.

-came out as trans at 16, his dad was accepting, his mom not so much. His dad is still learning so he gets stuff wrong sometimes

-he loves planes, he trained to be a pilot but Black Mesa rejected the position and instead offered him a job as a security guard, he half-heartedly accepted but he makes the most outta it.

-he thinks ninjas are really cool and used to have a ninja costume when he was 10

-he was diagnosed with ADHD when he turned 20

-when he was little he had a slight tooth gap, it was barely noticeable so he didn't think he needed braces and refused em, but as he got older the gap got worse and he hates the idea of braced

-he once snuck his switch into work. He got caught instantly.

-he carries his phone and earpods with him everywhere

-his playlist is mostly video games OST and fanmade songs

-definitely has a thing for Gordon (for some reason)

-Barney has interacted with Gordon many times and is under the impression they're on good terms, however, he just so happened to catch Gordon when he was either drunk or high, so Gordon has no idea who Barney is

-Loves lost media, he finds comfort in it no matter how dark it is

-looooves snacks, his favorite is spicy cheese popcorn

-Drinks monsters like it's water (someone help this man)

-hes saving up to adopt a cat

~~~

BONUS:

Chell Nanako (She/Her They/Them, Pansexual) (NOT CHELLS MIND, this is my own version of her)

-was in and out in a lot of foster homes until she was 18

-They didn't get the best education but saw an ad for paid test subjects for a science facility called Aperture Science.

-She met Felix who was applying for the same job, they talked and exchanged numbers in the waiting room. Felix wasn't willing to sign the contract that said Aperture couldn't be held accountable for any injury so the job went to Chell

-Chell moved in with Felix, and they dated for a 2 and a half weeks before Chell realized she wasn't ready for a relationship and Felix realized he barely knew Chell and didn't like them that way

-Chell still lives with Felix and they grow closer everyday

-She knows Aperture and Black Mesa are rivals and they finds it funny how she's not allowed in Black Mesa

-Due to the way she grew up, they have extreme paranoia and intrusive thoughts about other people, she's only really comfortable around Barney, Felix, and rarely Gordon.

-Chell doesn't really get along with Gordon

-Chell loves strawberry flavor sweets

-loves Mountain Dew and drinks it when she needs an energy boost

-They doesn't really like chocolate

-She loves sea creatures, her favorite is angel fish

(Casual AU)

Chell signed up for Aperture Science's test subjects, she was asleep for around 2 months and then the events of Portal 1 happened, but instead, Doug Rattman was able to save Chell from being dragged back into Aperture by the part escort bots and he took her to a nearby hospital, leaving before she woke up.

Eddie Marlowe (He/Him, Transmasc, Gay)

-Gordon's ex

-he is the "I know a guy" guy

-used to just have a business relationship with Gordon (selling him stuff, and somehow, a human skull) but they hung out and became friends... And then...

-Gordon one day broke up with Eddie after a week of dating and ghosted him, he got played dirty and he never found out why

-he's a college drop out and lives in an apartment

-frequently dyes his hair but his favorite color is green

-he has a hard drive full of pirated shows and movies

-he has a pet bird named Dazzy

-his parents don't know about his... "Job" and think he's a salesman, which is somewhat true

-Eddie isn't a snack person, he prefers big meals

-Eddie is a great cook

~~~

EXTRA BONUS:

Heights, current age, and birthdays! I wrote the birthdays weird my bad, it was 1 am

Barney: July 19th - Gordon & Felix: October 23rd - Eddie: May 11th - Chell: December 15th

#freemans mind #gordon freemind #half life barney #barney calhoun #barneys mind #barmey calhoun #buttermind #felixs mind #felix freeman #felix freemind #chell #chell portal #woag #hell yeah i love mischaracterization #this took a looooong time to get out my bad #:3 #notshelbyuwu

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