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fayes-fics · 1 year

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Bella Notte

Pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x fem!reader

Summary: A moonlight lake swim with Benedict

Warnings: 18+ smut, minors DNI, innocence/corruption kink, first-time kissing, breast fondling, fingering, penis touching (i.e. first second and third base activities lol), romantic I guess?

Word Count: 2.9k

Authors Note: this is a very overdue fic request for my dear Emmy @iboopedyournose that she sent over DM many months ago. (Request: romantic moonlight swim with Benedict that leads to something steamy 😉😋). I don't know if there's enough romance here. I hope so. Also I’m sorry, I just wrote this now; I'm a bad friend. I hope you enjoy <3 (PS I almost subtitled this Innocence: underwater edition)

It’s after midnight when you and Benedict secretly steal down to the water's edge at Aubrey Hall. This is your first time unchaperoned with your intended; even just meeting him in the dead of night in the hallway seemed thrilling. But when he suggests you go to the lake, your whole body shivers at the prospect—not only for the clandestine time alone but also for the chance to dip a toe into the cool water, such a tempting prospect after an unrelentingly stifling hot July day.

The setting is stunning, the trees surrounding you a beautiful silhouette under a blanket of stars, the milky white waxing moon reflecting upon the mirror-smooth surface of the lake.

Benedict squeezes your hand and catches your eye.

“Shall we?” his buttery voice is such an alluring temptation you can’t resist.

“We shouldn’t…,” you demure.

“That, my dear fiancee, is not exactly a no,” he murmurs, releasing your hand to strip off his shirt, revealing a toned chest that makes you bite your cheek.

“You first,” you whisper, a light breeze ruffling the strands of hair around your face as you watch him raise an eyebrow and reach for the buttons on his britches.

“If you wish to remain innocent, avert your eyes,” he suggests playfully.

You inhale sharply and spin around to face the house, your cheeks aflame, but your eyes cut to the side, half hoping to catch a furtive glimpse of your husband-to-be’s naked body. You hear the rustle of clothing being shed and then the splash of water as he seems to throw himself in bodily. The moan he makes as he surfaces does things to your insides that you don't fully understand, steadfastly still facing away.

“You may turn around now,” he calls, bemused, “I am concealed by the water.”

You slowly spin around to see him standing upright and almost choke. The waterline hugs low on his hips. So dangerously low there is dark thatch of hair peaking above the surface. And above it, acres of toned, muscular, very male torso painted with water droplets. You know you are staring—you know you are probably slack-jawed. Your gaze eventually reaches his face, and it's sin personified. He knows exactly what he is doing to you, teasing you, his hair slicked back against his head, emphasising the handsome lines of his face.

“Are you coming in too, or is this merely a spectator’s sport for you?” he intones, that lopsided grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“You are so troublesome, Mr Bridgerton,” you murmur, trying to school your expression, but you just end up biting your lip, very much wishing for a fan as you feel your face heating.

“I promise nothing untoward,” he offers chivalrously, holding out a hand to beckon you in, “unless you want it,” the dusky addition makes your stomach flip.

He turns around and shoots you a sultry look over his shoulder before jumping up and diving back down into the water in a perfect fluid motion…. Giving you an eyeful of a very pert, very shapely, naked bottom as he does so.

“Dear god…” you exhale, looking skyward, knowing this will test your willpower, but somehow still drawn inexorably towards the water. After all, it has been such a HOT day; this will cool your body like nothing else.

As he swims away, you strip off your light silk robe to your white cotton nightgown and place a foot into the water.

The rocks under your toes are cool, smooth and slightly mossy. It feels heavenly. And so you wade in, the ground falling away fast, and by the time you are four paces from the edge, the water tickles against the apex of your thighs, and you sigh. The cold tamping, the fiery heat you feel there, mainly due to the man making his way back to you in a leisurely breaststroke, a smile on his face.

“So glad you decided to join me,” he lilts. “It's so refreshing, is it not?”

“Yes,” you sigh, moving deeper so the water is up around your waist, your nightdress starting to float up and away from your body. “Such a balm,” you add.

He hums in agreement and tips his head back, looking up at the moon.

“The moon shines bright. In such a night as this. When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees, and they did make no noise, in such a night.” his delivery wistful.

“Shakespeare,” you breathe, your heart speeding up at the lyrical words he speaks from memory.

“Indeed,” he looks over at you, his eyes soft. “I enjoy nothing more than the truths he reveals so poetically. How he talks of beauty, nature, all the range of human emotions, and love,” he expands, moving closer, little waves of water buffering against your breast as he wades shallower and you deeper, drawn inescapably to him.

He takes your hand from the surface and bends down slightly to kiss the back of it, his warm lips grazing your knuckles a contrast to the cool water dripping from your fingertips. Your breath catches in your throat at this simple move. You want to say something in response, but somehow all of your vocabulary seems inadequate, and you feel quite tongue-tied.

“Come, swim with me,” he prompts softly, pulling you into the deeper water, and you let your feet float up from the ground.

Your nightgown pooling in diaphanous layers around you, the cool water seeping into every crevice of your body, making you feel calm and soothed for the first time since this insatiable heatwave began. You start to move in a leisurely stroke keeping up with Benedict as he glances over and smiles at you encouragingly.

The moon, the sound of water moving gently over your limbs, the rustle of the trees and the trace of scent wafting from the nearby rose garden all make for a wonderous moment, and you roll onto your back, staring at the stars.

“Thank you for this,” you say quietly as you both slow, nearing the middle of the lake.

“It is my pleasure,” he assures.

“It is very romantic,” you murmur, knowing your cheeks blush at your words. “The setting, I mean,” you quickly amend for some reason, somehow reticent to express romantic feelings.

“Not just the setting has to be romantic,” he offers, his voice low as he moves closer again.

You have to put your feet back onto the stony bottom to not feel unmoored by the tone and the sultry look in his eyes. The water is up to your neck almost.

“Benedict,” his name a sigh from your lips, even though you are unsure why you say it. A reflex, a call to him, a warning, even you do not know. All you feel is the heart beating wildly against your ribcage as he crowds into you.

“Y/n,” he purrs, and even in the water, you feel suddenly flushed. “Im going to kiss you,” he whispers, almost a warning, giving you a chance to move away.

Instead, you hold his molten gaze, equally excited and nervous about the prospect. Apart from a few chaste hand kisses, you have done nothing more in all your years on this earth.

“Okay…” you exhale shakily.

And then there is a large hand cupping your whole face, tilting you up to look at him. This close, he is so handsome, all cheekbones and strong jaw. You just freeze like a rabbit in the crosshairs. There is a warm gust of air over your nose as he breathes out, and then soft lips damp land on yours.

Something fires in your chest like a gun, and your eyelids flutter shut. Then he is pressing harder, more insistent, moving his lips against yours. Unsure of what else to do or how to catalogue what is happening, you try to mirror his movements, pushing back with your closed lips up onto your tiptoes—a noise from deep within his body thrills every inch of your being. Arms band tight around your body, you are pulled against a solid warm chest, and your whole world explodes into fireworks behind your closed eyes. You can't help the gasp over his mouth, and his responding deep chuckle vibrates your entire being.

“Darling, I haven't even kissed you properly yet,” his tone dripping with bemusement as he speaks against your lips.

“What do you mean?” you stutter, trying to adjust to being in his strong embrace.

“Do you know what a true kiss feels like?” his question is so dark and smooth it hypnotises you.

“No,” you answer, breathing a little heavy.

“You are about to.”

His lips are back, and this time he opens his mouth, the hot wave of moisture, heat and taste taking you by surprise. His tongue rolls against your lips. You squeak, and on instinct, your mouth opens under his. Now it is massaging against yours, and there is a molten hot tingle between your legs. What on earth is he doing to you? You feel drunk, overwhelmed, just so much taste, sight, smell and just him. It seems apt you are in a lake seeing as you feel like you are drowning in him.

He breaks away slowly, and as you reopen your eyes, he smiles at you.

“How was that?” even you can detect the pride in his tone, knowing exactly how affected you are.

“Wonderful,” you respond honestly, and he beams at you.

And then he is kissing you again. The same passionate way. And then again. Over and over, your lips meet; minutes blur into each other. Exploring each other's mouths, his hand tender on your jaw.

“Would you like to know more?” There is no way you can resist that dark honeyed tone.

“Yes,” you sigh, desperate to understand what awaits you once you are married.

The hand around your jaw slips lower, fingers trailing over your neck as he holds your gaze. You can't look away, but your breath speeds up as that hand feels so heavy travels lower, fingers trailing your collarbone and then sinking lower, mapping your sternum as your chest rises and falls quicker than before. That crooked grin unfurls as he moves his hand to the right and cups your breast over your now translucent nightgown. You inhale sharply as your body responds, blood running hot. And then his fingertips trace over your nipple, and you moan lightly in your throat.

“Yes, darling,” it's gravelly, and his face is one of understanding for your plight and sheer carnal delight that he is the cause.

His other hand moves from around your waist, mapping your side until it mirrors the actions of his other hand on your other breast, and you practically swoon against him.

“Benedict,” you utter his name shakily, his smile turning predatory.

“My darling wife-to-be, your body was made for me,” he murmurs. “Look how well your breasts fit into my hands.”

You bite your lip as you look down at the beguiling site of his huge hands holding your body; something ablaze inside you, liquid and volcanic. It makes you want to pull up and wrap your legs around his body, press him into the middle of your thighs, into that tugging ache.

“Show me more,” you plead, looking into his eyes, watching his pupils rapidly dilate and his tongue dart out to lick his bottom lip.

Then one of his hands moves to the buttons in the middle of your nightgown and flicks open a button. And then another. And another. And another. All the while, his fingers trace the slit of skin revealed down to your navel. His hands land on your shoulders, pushing the two sides of your nightgown apart and sliding it down over your arms.

Under the water, you are now topless. Your skin breaks into goosebumps that have nothing to do with the water temperature but everything to do with the man in front of you.

Then you are wrenched back into his strong embrace and stunned into silence at the feel of his naked chest crushing yours—so solid, so smooth, your nipples pebbling so hard under his contours.

His lips find your neck, and you instinctively wrap your arms around his shoulders, hands mapping the lithe tone, the play of muscle under your fingertips.

You can scarcely believe something this good is possible. You have heard married women talk of needing to submit to the will of their husband's desires. But if this is anything close to what they mean, you wholeheartedly disagree. You want to submit to him utterly. Completely. He can do this to you as much as he wants.

“I will,” he responds fiercely into your skin, and you realise you must have said your last thought aloud. “Darling, I will kiss and hold you and do so many wonderful things every day if you will allow me.”

“You can do whatever you want to me, Benedict,” you vow.

His responding groan right into your ear makes every inch of your body tingle.

“Darling, my sweet, you have no idea what you are saying yet, but god, I hope that is true,” he sounds so fervent, so very overwrought.

“Are you distressed, Benedict?” you blurt out, pulling his face between your hands and looking into his eyes, worried about how agitated he seems.

“No, my love,” he reassures, “this is passion; this is need. I want to do so many many things with you. But we should not until we are married.”

“Are there not things we can do before we are married to help with your need?” so curious to know more.

He leans his forehead against yours and closes his eyes. “I can hold you, and we can touch in places, briefly….” It sounds so taboo your blood runs hot.

“Where?” you breathe onto his cheeks.

“Between our legs,” he mutters back.

“I ache there,” you confess, “when you kiss me.”

He groans again and licks his lips; eyes still screwed shut. “That is wonderful news, my love. That is how it should be; it means you desire me as much as I desire you.”

“How will I know that you desire me?”

He grabs your wrist from around his neck and guides your hand slowly underwater. Then he presses your hand against something large, hard, and entirely unlike what you have between your legs. Your eyes go wide; your mouth falls open. Your hand on hot, steely flesh.

“That,” he rumbles, his eyes flaring open, stare piercing yours, “that is how you know I desire you, my love.”

“Wh.. what is that?” you gasp.

“That is my cock, and when we are married, it goes inside you,” he explains breathily as he presses your palm more forcefully into it, rocking his hips slightly.

“What? Where?” you are completely non-plussed.

He pulls your hand away and slides it between your legs, the layers of your nightgown billowing in a ring around your waist.

“Right here,” he intones softly, and you gasp as he pushes your middle finger up and into your body, his grip on your hand so tight.

“It won't fit,” you fret.

“It will,” he soothes, releasing your wrist, “look, it can take my finger and yours.”

That is all the warning he gives before his long elegant digit plunges into your channel, flanking yours. You inhale staccato in shock and awe at the feeling.

“You are so very tight,” his voice at once reedy, “but I assure you, my love, I will fit. That is the marital act,” he adds, slowly withdrawing his fingers and yours.

“THAT is the marital act?!?” your mind still reeling from what has just transpired. “I have heard rumours that I must allow you to do things to me for ‘the marital act’. But... but I had no idea; I had heard it is unpleasant but short.” you frown, confused.

He huffs a laugh and grabs your jaw, pulling you against him so close his cock brands hot against your belly.

“It shall be neither, I assure you of that. You will demand, and receive, from me pleasure. At length.” Something in the way he says it stokes a fire inside you that cannot wait until that day. “But until then…” he sighs, pulling away, “we must resist further temptation, my love. As much as I want nothing more than to wrap your hand around my cock and push my fingers into your body, it is not fair to defile you as such yet.”

You pout at him as he reluctantly hauls your nightgown onto your shoulders beneath the surface. He has teased you with what awaits, and you are now hungry for more.

But he kisses your lips chastely and turns back to look at the house. “We should probably swim back to shore and depart for our beds. Now that we are cooled down,” he adds with a wink.

“Speak for yourself,” you grouse uncharacteristically, refastening your buttons. “I may well be feeling more flushed now than I was before I stepped into the lake. No thanks to you.”

You have never shown your sassy side to Benedict before, always trying to play the demure fiancee your family has lectured you to be. But with everything that has happened, you feel unable to school your real personality from flaring out of you.

And the look he gives you is everything. It is desire, fascination and surprise all wrapped into one handsome raised eyebrow. You want to bathe in it.

“Oh, Mrs Bridgerton,” your upcoming name dripping syllable by decadent syllable from his lips, “such a sharp tongue. We will have plenty of fun putting that to very good use, I assure you.”

Benedict taglist: @makaylan @foreverlonginguniverse @iboopedyournose @colettebronte @aintnuthinbutahounddog @severewobblerlightdragon @margofiore @writergirl-2001 @heeyyyou @enichole445 @enchantedbytomandhenry @ambitionspassionscoffee @chaoticcalzoneranchsports @nikaprincessofkattegat @baebee35 @crowleysqueenofhell @bridgertontess @fiction-is-life @lilacbeesworld @angels17324 @broooookiecrisp @queen-of-the-misfit-toys @eleanor-bradstreet @divaanya @musicismyoxygen84

#benedict bridgerton fanfiction #benedict bridgerton smut #benedict bridgerton #benedict bridgerton x reader #benedict bridgerton x female reader #benedict bridgerton x you #benedict bridgerton x y/n #benedict bridgerton imagine #bridgerton fanfiction #bridgerton #bridgerton smut #bridgerton imagine #bridgerton x reader #bridgerton x female reader #1k notes #1k notes omg you guys!

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wondercircuit · 3 days

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lance and the ferrari driver academy: a brief timeline

this covers lance getting scouted into ferrari, his junior career at prema, and the surrounding connections he's had from his fda days that were pretty notable for his development up to his f1 debut in williams. i wrote this as personal reference for myself at first a while ago while writing something else, thus the added subjective commentary in a few bits, but if anyone is interested and can count some of this as useful information for his ferrari-related lore, then great. feel free to tell me if anything is inaccurate!

2008 - 2009: lance jacob strulovitch started competing in canadian karting was winning canadian national karting championships before this, such as the coupe de montreal and coupe du quebec micro max championship in 2008 and 2009. he placed 6th in a world finals at lonato, italy in the mini roc category and in addition, he was winning championships in florida karting competitions. racing coach and karting champion mike wilson tutored lance and mentioned that lance was born with that “killing instinct, and was surprised at the determination he had as a child to fight the back of a pack," comparing this attitude to a young fernando alonso, (who mike had also mentored (interview source ; you can read a brief version without paywall here).

2010: lance was scouted by ferrari at 11 years old, the youngest person signed to an f1 development programme at the time. luca baldisserri, ferrari’s chief track engineer and former engineer to michael schumacher was running the academy as director. lance was allegedly said to be an experiment for the fda to see if they can mold potential into developing an f1 driver from a young age.

baldisserri said the programme to nurture and shape kids with potential was never originally a part of the culture of ferrari and said it was a shot in the dark, knowing how young lance was. it was mentioned as well that mclaren offered lance a spot for their development programme, but lance chose ferrari's offer:

"Though Lance was eager to accept, his parents were reluctant. He was still a boy, and this was a major commitment. "I wanted Lance to digest it," [Lawrence] Stroll says. "With the time and money Ferrari is spending, you've really got to know you want to do this." But Ferrari wasn't the only one interested. Within days, Ferrari's bitter F1 rival, McLaren, heard what transpired in Florida and lobbed in a competing offer. After mulling his options, Lance chose Ferrari, and a few months later, boarded a plane for his first training session at the academy."

— The grooming of Canada's next Formula One driver, The Globe and Mail, 2011.

lawrence initially thought that the scout's offer for lance to join the fda was fake and a scam: "[Lawrence] Stroll didn't believe it. This man was a con artist, a fraud. He was incensed. "I told him, you're full of [expletive] this isn't true," the father recalls. It took a phone call from Italy later that afternoon to change his mind." the article also goes through the sort of training ferrari started him out with and talks about how luca gave lance the token red racing suit when he joined, but lance preferred to stick to not wearing the color, which i think is interesting:

"With the eyes of the racing world upon him, Lance is now trying to keep a low profile. When Ferrari welcomed Lance to its team, Baldisserri presented him with the rarest of gifts: a bright red Ferrari racing suit, just like the one Villeneuve wore. It is the most famous uniform in racing. But Lance told Ferrari it's probably better if he doesn't wear it. "It's like having a bull's-eye on my back," he explains. "The other kids are going to be saying: 'He's a Ferrari driver – go and get him.' " Baldisserri agreed. Everyone is chasing Lance Stroll. So on race day, the famous red suit stays at home and he zips himself into an anonymous blue-and-white uniform."

lance wearing the chiesa corse overalls with the tiny ferrari logo

in the same year, lance participated in a 'friendly' staff karting event at montreal where he's karted with fernando and felipe massa.

(L), lance in 2010 at a staff kart race organised by ferrari in montreal. lance scored p2 in this race behind fernando | (R), fernando and felipe massa who got p3, pictured with lance at the kart race

the ferrari driver academy was very newly established--aside from lance, the programme had checo perez and jules bianchi, who were in sauber and manor, the one other team using ferrari's engine respectively in f1 at the time.

2011 - 2014: lance continued to compete in karting and won the SKUSA supernationals in 2012. throughout this, he continued to train with ferrari. by now the fda had gained a total of 5 members with brandon maisano (who would then go on to be lance's teammate in prema) and rafael marciello added to their roster. jules was the eldest out of the five at 23 years old, while lance had been the youngest at 13.

(L) lance pictured with a few fellow fda members and ferrari drivers of different categories, including (R) giancarlo fisichella and fernando on ferrari's passion day event (essentially an exclusive event shared with fans at mugello) (2012)

one of the trainers at the fda, andrea ferrari (i'm so serious, his last name is literally ferrari) talked about how the five academy drivers had unique training sessions specific to their ages and classes. he's mentioned how he occasionally gets to work with the "senior" driver team aka fernando and massa and the time he spends with them and fernando's physio helps him construct the training plans: "The opportunities of dealing with Alonso and Massa are occasional but significant, according to his accounts. “When Fernando comes to Maranello he has some training sessions with us. We often go for a bike ride in a group of 5-6 people and, needless to say, Fernando always wants to win”, Andrea states. “In addition, I’ve to say he’s a very sociable person. He creates a very friendly environment when we go out for a dinner or five-a-side matches among Ferrari staff members" — (source) fernando has mentioned training at the strolls' home in mont-tremblant, canada after the 2014 canadian grand prix — (source). in the same year, prema released a fun short little interview of lance in f4 where he mentions that his favorite driver is fernando. (even aston martin's team principal mike krack has acknowledged that their meeting in ferrari and the strolls maintaining that connection with fernando since then was an important catalyst to their present time at aston.)

lance debuted in single-seater racing in that year's florida winter series, which was not a championship series, but was organised by the fda. max and nicholas latifi also participated in this series (here is a comprehensive post on lance in the 2014 florida winter series that @lil-shiro kindly put together). lance competed in the italian f4 championship and took 13 podium finishes with prema racing, thus winning the champion title that year.

lance at the podium in 2014, adria, italian f4

2015: lance competes and wins in the 2015 toyota racing series in new zealand in the winter, which consisted of 5 rounds. he competes in f3 europe and ended 5th in the standings for his first f3 season. it was around this year where there were rumours of the fda discontinuing; for context of the situation, luca baldisserri was stepping down from his director's role at the academy, checo left when he signed on to mclaren in 2013. lance also left the fda to sign on to the williams driver development programme in november that year with the aim of getting to work closer with an f1 team. lance described ferrari's training programme to be 'basic' and he was looking for more intensive sim work and actual testing for f1 cars, which the williams' junior programme offered.

on the topic of who else was leaving ferrari, felipe massa was in williams by 2014, and fernando in mclaren in 2015. the strolls still continued to visit fernando in f1 races here and there to show their support:

(L) lance and fernando at the monaco gp, 2015, and lawrence with fernando at the canadian gp, 2015

2016: by now, it was known that luca moved on to race-engineering for lance and working with him directly throughout his f3 euro season that year. luca also had a hand in prema racing's dominance for the respective gp2 and f3 euro categories where he acted as a consultant for the prema junior development team and helped manage structures there, which looked to be a testament of how effective luca was in nurturing and managing young talent, despite having left the fda which he himself had allegedly 'masterminded'. luca was also overseeing mick schumacher's development. there wasn't other known reasons as to why luca stepped down from the fda other than the sources i found implying that the decision was supposedly, or at least partly influenced, by lance choosing to leave ferrari. luca then continued to help oversee lance's development himself even when he signed on to williams junior programme. lance talked about luca a bit here in an autosport article:

"It's extremely important to have him with us and it's great that he will continue working with us. "He's been with me since a very young age, when he chose me to come on the Ferrari programme. "He's very good at watching what's going on between the team and the driver - he's quiet when he has to be, but when it's time to speak up he says some very good things."

— source, Autosport, 2015

it makes sense to want to fully continue seeing through a young kid's development to successfully graduate them into f1 despite it being with a different team. the fda was a new programme, and in comparison to other teams' driver academies eg. williams, mclaren's, red bull junior's programme etc, ferrari doesn't promote rookies directly to their f1 seat, assigning them instead to sauber or haas first before offering opportunities. lance also mentions how he knew it was pretty unlikely that ferrari would let a driver with less experience into the team. i think this says things about ferrari's culture, at least in comparison to the other teams that are more willing to put rookies in their seat (this is constantly debated by fans and pundits across the sport to be extremely pressurizing for young talent but i do feel that you have to also question the alternative that seems to be ferrari's methods. again, all this is highly dependent on other factors as well involving a single driver's experiences and their individual junior trajectory so ultimately, the debate to whether or not a young driver is 'ready' for f1 before they're even actually there is personally moot to me. but alas, i do find it vaguely interesting......)

i'm only focusing on lance's development here so i can't say much on the fda now except for an added anecdote that charles leclerc is currently the only graduate so far to be promoted to the ferrari seat after the obligatory sauber stint for his rookie year. again, solely speaking from a point of comparison to other driver programme's success rates on getting their talent into their f1 team, it makes the fda's effectiveness look a little bit questionable.

anyway, here's more of what lance said on his switch to williams:

“I feel like we can be closer right now with Williams, and I’m working with them rather than just being part of a training camp like at Ferrari. For the future, it’s the right move.” And Stroll also feels Ferrari is unlikely to promote a rookie driver into one of its race seats, while Williams has a proven track record with the likes of Valtteri Bottas, Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button. "Williams has a great history of believing in young drivers, they’ve given many rookie drivers a chance in Formula 1. That was important for us, because Ferrari has a different approach; they tend to take more veteran drivers to fight for the championship."

— source, f1i.com (2016)

[Question] Tell me about your role with Williams… [Lance:] "It’s been a great eight months with them. It’s been fantastic. The cooperation with me in F3 is great, they have the right understanding of me focusing 100 percent on F3 and not getting distracted with Formula 1. They just want me to finish the championship, they’re not pressuring me to jump in an F1 car and doing testing and things like that. They want me to focus on one thing at a time, and that’s great."

[Question] If the opportunity to jump into a Formula 1 race seat in 2017 came up, do you feel you’ll be ready? [Lance:] I do… but it’s easy to say it. I haven’t driven an F1 car yet, so I don’t have a complete understanding of what it’s like. Once I have a couple of tests under my belt, a bit more experience, then I’ll have a much better idea of if I’m ready to make that step just yet or not. At the moment I’m blind in terms of F1. I’ve driven F3, I’ve driven a couple of other categories, but I’ve never really sat in an F1 car. So I don’t know how much different it is to what I’m doing now, how much more complicated it is, how much tougher it is. They are all things I’ll figure out along the road. But if… if it is just another step, and if I’m comfortable in the car, then why not? F3 is a very high level, we’ve seen guys like Max – and I don’t want to use him as the example every time because maybe he’s an exception – but even guys like Ocon, Rosenqvist, these are guys that could do it as well."

— source, Motorsport, 2016

the headline for the motorsport excerpt above is extremely misleading but i think the interview shows pretty good insight to lance's attitude towards his own development and how he's got a good head on his shoulders with self-awareness of his own capabilities, despite having had more opportunities and the financial advantage that motorsports typically needs. he also talks about his former prema teammates felix rosenqvist (currently in indycar) and jake dennis (currently competing in formula e) and how instrumental they were to him in learning about his race craft during his first year in f3. here is a clip on lance back in prema talking about his teammates feat. esteban and lance's long-time driver coach nuno pinto.

at the end of his race season, lance won the f3 euro championship in 2016, the first north-american who's won in the category.

lance celebrating his championship win for f3 euro in 2016.

2017: lance accumulated enough points by then to get a super licence for f1 (which allowed him to skip f2, like max did). this makes lance the second-youngest driver to debut in f1 at 18 years old. while lance isn't tied to ferrari anymore, luca baldisserri continued to be his race engineer for lance at williams to keep seeing through lance's development in his rookie and sophomore years.

lance with luca on the paddock and garages (2017)

overall, the 2017 williams had a decent car (they were 5th in the wcc that year) and lance managed to score his first points at his home race. he also became the second-youngest to win a podium in f1:

lance's first podium at baku, 2017.

that's it! the rest is truly history ♡

if you're interested, here is an external post off tumblr that briefly and neatly goes through lance's f1 career including his racing strengths, driving style and teammate relationships up to the present, written by @strulovic and linked with her permission. i'm sharing it here just because i've found it to be personally useful myself as a starting point when i went down the rabbit hole of digging up research of his fda days.

#lance stroll #ferrari driver academy #a lot of this was canonical reference i was using while writing 1418 f***** au #and i thought to put it up here and share a bit of history* in a condensed fashion #*important and fundamental info i compiled the week after i kept staring at dave's life-changing fanart of ferrari au #*info #disclaimer i don't know how ferrari runs their programme now under jock clear so my own feelings of side-eyeing the fda still remains

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guardian-rocket · 11 months

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What GOTG Vol 3 reveals about MCU Rocket that we didn't already know

He is depressed and he knows he has 'emotionalistic issues' that prevents him from being able to help Star-Lord

Regardless he is worried about Peter.

After 7 years of friendship, Star-Lord keeps calling him a raccoon even though he knows Rocket hates it. (12 years total, -5 of the blip)

He did modifications for Nebula including creating her new versatile cybernetic prosthetic arm, and likely work on her facial implants

His wasn't built for anything other than to be learned from for science never being intended for any greater purpose

Rocket had a kill switch installed in him during his creation to protect his creators research

He can drink from a straw?

He eats grilled orloni meat

His first word was 'Hurts!' said while trembling

He was fed a false narrative he'd have a life worth his torture and obedience and that his docile nature was desirable and he was full of hope for it

He loved the other experiments he was caged with wholeheartedly and without a shred of callousness

He writes with his right hand (and in a language that goes right to left?)

He wanted to fly, this is something that is pure to him and him alone. The sky called him on a personal level.

He never intended to become violent. This happened after he got to his breaking point in losing his friend Lylla which immediate pushed him into his violent nature resulting in his first assaults and murders

Rocket's creation was physically painful and he was operated on while conscious and likely without anesthesia. Nebula says it was worse than what Thanos did to him and while we don't see the 'footage' it appears to be hard to watch from the characters who view it

Rocket's nature to steal was something he started doing out of impulse

Rocket is incredibly smart beyond what most people assumed, while some of his knowledge was rote memorization he also has a unique capability of inventiveness that was accidental, making him one of the most advanced intelligent characters in the MCU

Rocket use to not speak very well, he's add s's to the ends of words or just pair one or two words together 'What sounds?', 'We like it?'

Rocket escaped because if he didn't they were going to remove his brain (for science!)

The raccoons that Rocket was among came from North America, Earth which makes him Terran

Rocket wasn't introduced to music from Peter. He liked it since he was little (which was likely why he use to hum to himself whenever he worked at putting things together in vol 1 and listened to music while he worked in vol 2)

Rocket does sing and know words to songs (we saw a glimpse of it in the Southern Nights scene in vol 2 but we see more of it solidifying he does it often)

Rocket has his own apartment, he steals Peter's zune so frequently he even has his own dock for it (and also seems to take care of it when it's in his possession)

Rockets apartment is literally right next to Peter's

Rocket's bed is just a damaged door and a thin blanket, confirmed by Gunn that it is because sleeping on metal is what he was accustomed to

Rocket has a plant in his apartment; not important but he's a plant dad to more than just Groot

Rocket is a dancer (at least at the end of the movie)

He immediately appears to panic hearing the voice of his creator showing he has some ptsd from it (very valid)

He didn't deny being a Raccoon out of self denial or wanting to be seen for 'what' he is now, it was just a misunderstanding that he thought it was akin to a slur or something because of how he was introduced to the word (as an insult) and he embraces the name after realizing it for himself now no longer wondering if he's a rabbit or a Build-a-Bear.

Rocket was able to escape when he was basically, mentally a teenager

Rockets body was covered in braces while his body covered from the operations he underwent on his hands, legs and chest and didn't get clothes until after he escaped

Rocket has his subject number tattooed on his chest

Rocket is multi-lingual in at least English and whatever language the Star Children speak Orbose and this may likely not be just due to a translator implant like most cosmic marvel characters

Rocket has been carrying a physical reminder of his failure to his friends his entire life (the key to the cages of the lab he created from scraps he stole over his time there)

He never elaborates on his past to his friends about his origins. 'He won't talk about it'.

End of movie we see that Rocket likes discussing music (and confirms thinking Brittany Spears and Korn are good favorites)

#gotg3 #gotg3spoilers #gotg3 spoilers #gotg #rocketraccoon #rocket #long post #tw: spoilers #spoilers

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a-libra-writes · 1 year

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Hi! I loved your fic about niko with the widow reader with three kids. I was wondering how do you think Rocky would be if he was in that position?(I can already imagine the chaos)

I just had to get these brain bunnies out bc I love Rocky and I love kiddo HC's!!! This is a long one bc yall know me.

It's very possible that someone mentioned your children to Rocky, at some point. Probably? He gets a start when you mention you have children at home, but it only deters him for maybe twenty seconds. If anything, he has an even higher opinion basically, he sees you as needing help and greatly sympathizes with you, similar to how he sees Mitzi as a "damsel in distress" ... Though he's not all aware of these feelings.

He's surprisingly good with children for a variety of reasons - he's willing to play their games and pretend, he can think of new ones on the fly, he speaks to them like people, and he's good at making each one feel included. He's still kind of a kid himself so he doesn't mind all the chattering and questions during the first few visits. Even if you apologize for your kittens' curiosity, he's charmed by them. Actually, Rocky can't remember the last time he interacted with children this much ... Hmm, probably back when he was a circus barker and they threw food at him. That wasn't so pleasant.

They call him "Mister Rocky" at your insistence, though the politeness kind if goes out the window when they're clawing up his leg or dragging him off for a game. Rocky is kind of delighted by it though, whenever he walks through the door the outgoing ones are already running toward him and tackling.

Often when you're in a rush to wash up and get ready for a date, Rocky will come by earlier to keep the kids occupied. Though ... usually he ends up getting dirty because they want to play outside. When it comes to more hyperactive children, he has a lot more patience because they're kind of on the same wavelength as him. He probably "gets" a neuroatypical child better than most adults would, or at least, he's more willing to be patient and indulge them, especially considering the time period.

If you have a more shy child, it's very likely that his big grin and gregarious personality will frighten them. They'll watch him nervously from behind your legs, or want to hold your hand while he gets on his knees to talk to them. Rocky starts tucking candies and pennies in his pockets for such an occasion, and eventually the nervous kiddo will start to give him smiles. Progress!

While most prospective beaus would be put-off by all this activity, Rocky adapts to it quickly. He's already high energy, and besides, he wants to please you. Being so indulgent to your children, rather than ignoring them or being put off, definitely sets him apart from other men who may try to woo you. And it's not like he's doing it just to impress you, he genuinely has a good time with them. The first time you invited him to a family dinner? The memory is going to be seared into his brain forever. Sitting at a table with a good meal and lots of happy faces, then helping you with the dishes while the kids get ready for bed, then helping you tuck them in? And they ask him for the bedtime story? It almost doesn't feel real. This is some kind of strange dream-world he's dropped into, and when he leaves your house and goes back to his car, it's like he stepped out of that dream into cold reality.

(If he was ever wounded or was beginning to feel anxious and down, and he's alone in the car or at the bar, I think Rocky would really fixate on how warm and safe your home is and wanting to just. Show up there. Obviously he can't just waltz up in the middle of the night when he's covered in blood or shivering from cold, but he very, very much wants to. He wants you to 'keep' him, in a way, and has worries about you leaving once you figure out his real job.)

It both gives him intense feelings of sentiment, and also a weird longing for something that could have been. I feel Rocky would have an intense sympathy if the children's father walked out on them, like his did, especially if the older children still remember him and wonder when he'll come back. When they tell him, it brings sharp pains that Rocky thought he'd "gotten over". True to his nature, he'll want to change the subject and distract them with something cheerier. Honestly, the kid's father being a deadbeat probably affects him harder than if the man died. Rocky wouldn't bring it up with you, but the children would confide in him now and again. Oh, and if the husband died doing the same line of work he was doing ... well ... that's some layers of complication.

(Also most men would be aghast at the innocent question 'are you marrying mommy now?' but Rocky's immediate response is 'why has she said anything ....')

You might have rules on showing too much affection in front of the children. You don't want to confuse them or think you're "replacing" their father, and Rocky respects this, even if he's very clingy. Though eventually you two start to hear giggling whenever you kiss or hug in the house (little spying rascals), and when you're both out with the kiddos, obviously you want to hold hands or hold his arm. So that rule just kind of gets forgotten, which doesn't bother Rocky a bit. He's also the type to pat the kittens on the head and can't refuse a hug if they ask with big, pleading eyes.

Mentioned in my previous HC's, he wants to be useful and you can direct that energy to something simple like errands and grocery shopping. With all the kittens dressed and in tow, you all set off to main street. Rocky takes the older ones, while you take the younger. And yes, they'll get into all sorts of mischief. He probably loses one of them at some point, and they may have been chased out of a store or two, and somehow there's a missing shoe but lots of candy because he couldn't say no - don't worry about it!

(Many a stranger has complimented him on his 'lovely children', and he doesn't have the heart to correct them, especially if the kids don't.)

Though when you and Rocky are standing next to each other, trying to figure where a store is while three or four kiddos are clinging off you and a stroller, you can't blame them for assuming. Sometimes it hits Rocky how you all appear to the public and he just beams. His face is gonna get stuck like that one day.

This also means that instead of traditional two-person dates, you two will end up doing things that lets you take the kids along, like picnics and a baseball game. When strangers stop to coo about what a cute family you are, and isn't it nice that their father is here too, and you don't correct the person - Rocky notices immediately!! It only has to happen ONCE and he's just delighted, he's in so deep. Even if you're flustered and afterward explain it's just easier to accept a compliment than correct a stranger, he's still buzzing with happiness.

There's a good chance that your extended family (if you still speak with them) disapprove a lot, especially your former husband's side. Even some well-meaning friends might have doubts. Whose this beanpole hanging around your house lately? He looks strange, doesn't he? What did you say he does for a living? Why does a musician have bullet holes in his car? Isn't he too young for you? And so on. Even if you don't explicitly tell Rocky about this, he picks up on the animosity when you drop off the children or pick them up from a relative's. Lord forbid he offers to do it; that relative will make it very clear they don't approve and he isn't a "good influence" on the children.

Rocky takes it in stride. He's had that sort of dislike aimed at him his whole life, and it's hard to take it seriously when the kids are shrieking and jumping on him.

Now, as far as the Lackadaisy staff goes, they weren't so sure this girlfriend of his was real, anyway. She's older, too? And has kids? Come on - more likely Rocky is just bothering some poor woman. That all gets blown out of the water when he has to bring the kiddos to the cafe - you suddenly had to cover a coworker's shift, and you were so distraught that Rocky just had to step in and offer to watch them. He really didn't think it through. But hey! The cafe has pancakes, and the bar is a big cave! Kids like those things!

Ivy is cooing about how adorable they are, Mitzi really doesn't want them down in the bar but well it's not like anyone else is here and it's midday so I suppose it's fine, Zib can't believe the older girlfriend story was true and there's suddenly kids running around, Freckle is shocked but pleasantly surprised his cousin is doing such a good job with tem. Well, wait, the children shouldn't climb on the bar, no no don't let them bang the pots and cups together, Rocky no do NOT toss them around--

The kids endear themselves to (most) of the staff by the end of it, full of pancakes and syrup and milk and very sleepy. When you get home after a long shift, Rocky's passed out on the floor with them.

He'd probably be in near tears if you asked him to spend a holiday with your little family. Like Christmas? Just having a nice modest Christmas dinner, then all the kids piling in the living room to open presents. They hand him a lumpy one they insisted on wrapping themselves, and it's something so simple like a new tie or a notebook to write music in, and it comes with a little Christmas card they made and signed themselves ... It's just. So many feelings at once. He's having a lot of them.

(And yes he will keep every single drawing and card the kids give him, he'll fold them up and tuck them in his violin case or in the car's glovebox so they stay safe).

Rocky never ever pictured himself in this situation - he never thought ahead that far, the idea of parenthood being so far away and serious that it was basically an impossibility. If anyone floated the idea, he'd probably think he wasn't deserving or capable of such a role. Rocky's father left when he was young, then his mother died shortly after, and while he had normalcy and stability with his aunt and cousin, that wasn't forever either. Being with you and your small family and getting to be a part of that just makes him so happy and content, he will do absolutely anything to keep it safe. Literally nothing will hurt these children or their mama as long as he's still breathing, Rocky will go absolutely postal.

#lackadaisy x reader #rocky rickaby x reader

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hiphopncountrychick · 3 months

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J. Cole: A Hip-Hop Icon Who Raps Without Guns, Gangs or Negativity

In the world of hip-hop, where the spotlight often shines on extravagant tales of violence, gangs, and materialism, one artist has consistently stood out for his commitment to authenticity and positivity. J. Cole, born Jermaine Lamarr Cole, is an iconic figure in the rap industry who has managed to make a profound impact without resorting to the glorification of guns, gangs, or negativity in his music. With thought-provoking lyrics and a dedication to being true to himself, J. Cole has carved out a unique path in the rap world.

On this special day, January 28th, we celebrate the birth of one of hip-hop's most influential figures - J Cole. Known for his insightful lyrics, powerful storytelling, and raw authenticity, J Cole has carved a niche for himself in the music industry. Let's dive into the remarkable journey of the artist who started rapping at the age of 12 and has since become a triple platinum-selling artist with his groundbreaking album, "2014 Forest Hill Drive."

Early Years and Passion for Hip-Hop:

Born Jermaine Lamarr Cole on January 28, 1985, in Frankfurt, Germany, J Cole developed a passion for hip-hop at a young age. Growing up in Fayetteville, North Carolina, he began rapping at the tender age of 12, showcasing his innate talent and determination to make a mark in the world of music.

The Struggles and Triumphs:

J Cole's journey to success was not without its challenges. After graduating magna cum laude from St. John's University, he faced the harsh realities of the music industry. Working odd jobs to support himself, Cole's perseverance eventually caught the attention of Roc Nation, where he would later cross paths with hip-hop mogul Jay-Z.

Meeting Jay-Z and Signing to Roc Nation:

In 2007, J. Cole was on a rap website and he read an article on how Jay Z was making his tenth studio album, American Gangster. J. Cole had high hopes of meeting Jay-Z and being signed under him.

After reading the article, J. Cole conceived of a plan on how he could make beats for Jay-Z’s American Gangster. He saw this as an opportunity, a calling from divine intervention to pursue this path to get himself in the limelight of music. He said it was as if “God is telling me to get on this album. So I was praying for it.” This was going to be how he was going to get on as a rapper.

With his plan in mind, Cole went to work and carefully selected all his best beats for Jay-Z. Cole and his friend got all the beats on a CD and waited outside the Roc the Mic studio in the rain waiting for Jay-Z to arrive. They had a hunch that Jay-Z would be there to finish working on the American Gangster album.

Two hours passed before Jay-Z showed up in a black Rolls Royce Phantom. The opportunity came, standing in front of J. Cole was the person who he had visualized, dreamt of meeting, and moved to New York for. This was the person who could hand him his ticket from his overdue rent and into stardom. As he walked up to Jay-Z, words refused to form but J. Cole mustered up the courage to approach Jay-Z and hand him the CD.

Jay-Z saw Cole and said “Man, I don’t want that.” Cole in an interview with ABC said that “I thought he was evil at that point — cause it caught me off guard, I had such high hopes, that just one little phrase like that from him.”

A year later, it was Jay-Z asking to meet J. Cole. The same person he previously dismissed. Veteran A&R Mark Pitts played for Jay-Z one song which lead to a three-hour meeting which lead to multiple meetings until eventually, J. Cole was officially the first artist signed to Roc Nation.

Things will materialize sooner or later as long as you stay persistent.

"2014 Forest Hill Drive": A Masterpiece Unveiled:

In 2014, J Cole released his magnum opus, "2014 Forest Hill Drive." This album, named after the address of his childhood home, is a deeply introspective work that earned critical acclaim and achieved triple platinum status. The tracks not only showcase Cole's lyrical prowess but also offer a raw and unfiltered glimpse into his life, covering themes of love, fame, and societal challenges.

A journey of trials and tribulations combined with lessons learned is what Jermaine Cole experiences. A vivid picture of each phase of his journey gets depicted beautifully to me.

In life, I believe that we all get distracted from different environments and prioritize materialistic things such as social media and use it as our main source of love, mistakenly.

In this album, Cole vividly portrays that this should not be the case and instead, we should prioritize non materialistic things such as friends, family, and home to bring happiness.

"Love Yourz" and "No Role Modelz" are emblematic of the album's brilliance, marrying profound messages with infectious beats. "2014 Forest Hill Drive" not only propelled J Cole into the mainstream but also solidified his position as a storyteller capable of weaving intricate narratives through his music.

Conclusion:

As we celebrate J Cole's birthday, it's not merely an acknowledgment of the passing years but a celebration of an artist who transformed dreams into reality. From the streets of Fayetteville to international acclaim, J Cole's journey is a testament to talent, resilience, and authenticity. So, to those unacquainted with his work, take a deep dive into the world of J Cole – an artist who not only raps but leaves an indelible mark on the soul of a generation.

As we conclude this deep dive into the life and artistry of J Cole, I invite you to join the conversation. What resonated with you the most about J Cole's journey? Share your thoughts, drop a like, and let me know your favorite J Cole song. Engage with me in the comments, unraveling the lyrical tapestry that defines his impact on the hip-hop landscape.

I want to hear from you—what aspect of J Cole's life or discography would you like us to explore next? Your feedback fuels my passion for storytelling. Don't forget to share this article with fellow music enthusiasts. Let's create a community that celebrates the artistry of J Cole and anticipates what's next. Thank you for being part of this journey. Stay tuned for more tales from the world of music!

Honorable mentions:

@todayinhiphophistory

@hiphop

@music

@jcoleofficial

#j cole #hiphop #hip hop #music #rap #spotify #album review #today in hip hop history

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roydeezed · 9 months

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One Piece-Chapter Round-Up(Chapter 1089)

Heyo friends! I am back with another One Piece Chapter Round-Up below the cut, but before we get into spoiler territory, I just want to point out this absolutely hilarious cover page. At first I didn't even notice Sanji behind her in the window but I love these layers Oda adds on to the simple request of Nami being served milk. Since she's being served a drink it makes sense the cook is in charge of it and since it's Sanji there's no way he doesn't use that opportunity to be... himself. And funnier still is that since the fact the paper is facing away from him he'll be waiting eagerly only to be rejected. One thing I might be reading into a little too much is Nami's quill, which looks like a skypeian wing hanging off her shoulder. Foreshadowing perhaps?(Look I have a contractual obligation to be absolutely unhinged at least once per round-up) Anyways, moving on, let's talk about the chapter below.

Obviously I want to freak out about that last panel, but there's something really interesting going on with this chapter before that. I don't know if it's because I have been recently reminiscing over Coby and the time he tried to stop the Marineford War, but I have honed in on the idea Oda presents of The Marines' absolute disregard for life and their acceptance of collateral damage. It was a shock to see it doubled down on in a new chapter just mere days after watching a clip of that moment from Marineford.

With this being tumblr and the overwhelming majority of us being left leaning, I feel quite comfortable in discussing politics as mine are also left wing. Very heavily so. But I preface it with that fact so that you understand that some of my personal biases may play a role in my interpretations. Obviously, Oda and Japan's cultures are vastly different from those that I was raised up in so I am only speaking from a very surface level understanding and not the lived one Oda writes from. I have a very ACAB and abolish the police mentality and from my obviously biased point of view, it seems so does Oda.

But it's not just policing that Oda emphasizes. It's any system of power. But he looks at it through the lens of policing because they make the most natural enemy of lawbreaking pirates. Also just like the popular idea of the Death Note representing Japan's harsh police system, the Marines also appear to be an allusion to it. I am really curious about which way Oda went about creating the Marines and their relationship to pirates. There was an idea of a distinction between pirates called Peace Mains and Morganeers in the two one shots of Romance Dawn where Morganeers were the pillaging type of pirates whilst Peace Mains preyed on the Morganeers like vigilantes and adventured as well. Obviously that put Peace Mains in a sort of policing position so it's really curious how we ended up with the Marines being the big bad(other than Blackbeard of course).

In a tangent before we get back to the Marines, it's really interesting what carried over from the one shots, what didn't and what could. It had been a while since I revisited them but one thing I realized because of Crescent Moon Gyari is that Whitebeard's Beard looks like a crescent moon, basically symbolizing the moon before the dawn that is Luffy. Sorry if that was obvious, I'd just never made that connection before. The more interesting things to me are what might still carry over. Particularly from the second one shot where the Nami stand in, Ann, a blue haired girl with a pet bird is featured. Ann obviously also shares similarities with Vivi and Karoo but the idea of the Roc being a bird who's blood can cure diseases got my attention. That coupled with the Big Egg on the Oro Jackson and Choppers dream makes me think this could make a appearance once again. Also interesting was the fact that one of Luffy's moves was called Moon Shot and the idea of flying was presented over and over again. And Nami was also the child of Pirates. Wonder if that'll ever come into play. Another thing that was quite apparent was the imagery that really made an impact and crossed over to the final version. Honestly, I'd love to examine the two one shots in relation to the real story one day if someone hasn't already.

Okay tangent over, back to the main topic. Which is, first of all, Oda's take on the Marines. There's two things at work here. One is Oda's take on the Marines as an organization through Imu's actions. One that does not care about the collateral damage as long as their power in ensured. And the other is institutions of power perpetuating their power through terrorizing life and the environment it lives on. They're kind of the same idea but one directly criticizes policing while the other criticizes any position of power. We'll focus on the first idea and then talk about how it connects to the second.

The idea has been hammered into us over and over again. The Marines exist to further themselves. It's the absolute and peak function of institutions of power. And also very antithetical to the idea of dreams, which terminate once you reach them. Each of our Strawhats have a dream that has an end goal. But as a result of this goal of self perpetuation, the Marines often overlook their secondary goal of keeping the peace. This idea started as early as Axe-Hand Morgans but gets properly implemented in Arlong Park where the Marines look away as they get paid. Arlong doesn't disturb them and they benefit by having him essentially be an agent for them. That's how you know peacekeeping is a secondary goal. It's secondary to the idea of the Marine's keeping power. Oda criticizes privateering and the warlord system through this hypocrisy.

And if this was just one instance then it could be seen as just one bad egg. Like policing so often wants to put out. But a system of power relies on the methods they use to stay in power always staying relevant. And that's when we come to Marineford, skipping over a lot of incredibly relevant examples to this argument like Enies Lobby. I feel like ya'll can follow that tangent yourselves. Ohara, knowledge that would invalidate their power, etc, etc. I would go more into it but I don't want to write so much away from the current chapter and the fact is that Marineford appears to deal with my criticisms.

So how does Marineford appear to address the criticism of self preservation and perpetuation? (And this next statement is me playing Devil's Advocate if it's not apparent) If the Marines cared about preserving themselves, why would they seek to end the age of piracy if the function that keeps them in power is dealing with Pirates?

Because, my devil's advocate self (wow, thank you for the softball Roy(no problem, Roy)), Marineford was an attempt by the Marines to depose Pirates and crown themselves the key power in the One Piece world. Oda did the math for us, the three great powers used to be the Four Yonkou's, The Marines, and the Seven Warlords. Do the math there and the Pirates come out on top. Also Oda cleverly states the strength of freedom by showing how strong these scattered, unaffiliated, and free people are by having the Marines, a wholly organized military force, be only a third of the equation instead of dominating. Oda follows George Lucas's lead on the idea of Rebels and Vietnam. So, Marineford wasn't just an attempt to put an end to the age of pirates, it was also an attempt to declare the Age of the Marines. And they did the math too, regardless of what happened, they would come out on top. Whether they declared their age or the pirate age kept going, they would still be needed. As Billy Butcher once said, "Fucking Diabolical". Why Koby was so important to the narrative of the War was because he let you see the true colours of the Marines. One that did not care about collateral damage as long as they stayed in power. They sacrificed so many lives needlessly for that reason. And they might have possibly ended the pirate age if not for Whitebeard.

So all of that just to get to this chapter. Sorry for the long ride, but thank you for sticking with me. This chapter horrifically signifies the Marine's policy, by way of Imu, of collateral damage through very familiar sights of rising sea levels. I will speak to the real world connections soon. But these scenes of climate devastation show how uncaring the Marines are to the suffering of their subjects. And Subjects they are. Some people say One Piece is pro monarchy but Oda positions the Marines, even clearer now with Imu, as Monarchs, and criticizes them. Oda isn't pro monarchy, he's showing us how these instituions of power supplanted the previous institutions. And while people suffer, the Marines launch yet another offensive to keep ahold of their power. It's blatant at this point. Where they could be helping people, they gather one of the biggest forces they have since Marineford and try to stop the release of information that could weaken their hold.

And the scenes of Climate Devastation precede an even more horrific sight. Not one of collateral damage. Not of the uncaring nature. But of the direct cost of keeping their power. The sunken island kingdom of Lulusia. It's terrifying and it ties the collateral damage to the cost directly. It's Oda's way of pointing out that the consequences of their actions and the actions they take to stay in power don't affect them, but their subjects, the people they purport to protect.

All of this is why I am so interested in the conclusion Oda reaches in terms of the Marines. It's the reason I support the Ancient Kingdom being a nation of Pirates, it supports the idea of dissolution of the Marines. Oda is clearly setting up Koby and the rest of his peers as the next generation of the Marines but up until Koby became the clear front runner of the Marines, I always thought the Marines were meant to dissolve. But Oda seems to be setting them up to reform in a new direction. There's not a lot I disagree with Oda on but this might be one. Either way though, I will appreciate the nuanced take that Oda so often hides under layers of shounen action.

But now to get to the real world implications. The whole situation with Imu is such a startling reflection of our own world. Again my politics come into play here. The Marines and the Twenty Kingdoms purport to be equal and not ruled under anyone but it's revealed that all along Imu has ruled them. Which would be a stark contrast to our largely democratic nations, right? But then Oda uses the visual metaphor of climate change and his point is clear. While policing exists to self perpetuate, it also answers to the beck and call of billionaires and corporations. I'm sure the statistic of 100 companies being responsible for 71% of global emissions is a statistic you've heard before dear reader. The governments bend over backwards to lobbying from these corporations while the police enforce it on the base level. On a visceral and violent level. We never left the monarchy, we just got new rulers.

Oh no! I've revealed my personal politics. Ahh! But in all honesty, this is my blog and I want to be able to talk freely here so I'll say what's on my mind. I'll always try to be upfront when my biases show though. The reason I am so explicit about my political opinions is because a lot of people who talk about One Piece don't engage with the deeply political and radical ideas it has. And as a result, you get a neutered audience and a neutered discussion. Anyways, that was my very long and convoluted idea on Oda's representation of policing and related politics, especially in relation to this chapter. Now onto a breakdown of the actual chapter.

So right away we see an interesting sight. Morgans has already positioned Luffy as the main character of this conflict. And as we later find out, the Marines approve. Knowing that this will be a much talked about event sheds a really interesting light on this. One, Morgans has made Luffy undeniable in the media in regards to whatever happens next. Two, something big is going to happen. Three, the Marines will probably want to disavow it. Four, Luffy's presence is going to have the opposite effect and solidify this event as if he wasn't presented in such a central light, the Marines would've been able to sweep it under the rug easier. Also while a lot of that is speculation, one more reaching bit of speculation I want to put forward is that whatever happens next is going to invalidate Lulusia's disappearance. Some major truth is going to be revealed and it's going to show how unnecessary these sacrifices that the Marines make are. This also only furthers my interest in Morgans. Who is he? What's his play? What are his goals and is he playing a game with the Marines? It seems he regularly withholds information but eventually plays it in an acceptable manner to the Marines. My take is that he's possibly a revolutionary who's doing his best to sway the tide in their favour. If you look at a lot of his moves, it suggests they're highly calculated for maximum effect under the Marines rule while also shifting the discussion more in favour to the Revolutionary's and their causes and setting up for future dissemination of information he's currently withholding. Or it could be entirely posible I am giving him too much credit. Next, Makino calling Luffy her baby's big brother. Another clue to deadbeat dad Shanks theory? Don't mind me here, just watering my pet theories.

But next, as I mentioned before, we see the consequences of the Marine's actions. From the apparently mundane but heartbreaking in Kamabakka, to the loss of life through tsunami's and the loss of homes on other islands. It's horrific and centers on the very real horror of Climate Change. But the sea levels rising a meter is also horrific in another way. Just to show how much water has been displaced, it's almost five times as much as the sea level has risen over the past 100 years in the real world. I think I dove a lot into the real world side of things so I do want to indulge in the One Piece world for a bit.

So first off, the connection to Enies Lobby is completely apparent. Enies Lobby has some connection to the Mother Flame and perhaps the Ancient Kingdom being there holds some weight? I think another thing that is interesting is that the water was displaced. Somehow the Mother Flame doesn't just create a hole, but an entire Void where the water can't take the space of. Something something Void century, the theory's not fully there yet. But what it also suggests is that maybe Lulusia isn't completely gone? Perhaps it's been sent to Davy Jone's Locker? There's so many pieces of evidence floating around that I'm sure I'm missing something or overlooking a key piece that ties everything together, because right now this feels like a major hint to the true nature of the world. Also this could be a key factor in One Piece's unique world, like the Calm Belt and the Red Line. Also one interesting line is, "had no parallel in recorded history." But perhaps the Void Century? Speculation abounds! But maybe I'll have a concrete theory in the coming days, who knows. The Truth is Out There. No, but really, I feel like one or a few of those massively popular and some not so popular theories are somewhere close to the mark. Like the One Piece being a log book or the destruction of the Red Line. There's so much that's valid that I can see it all happening.

Another heartbreaking scene plays out a little bit after we see the Marine's massive fleet, with a small flashback to Vegapunk, Sentomaru and Kizaru all looking much younger and happier. Kizaru is such an interesting character. He apparently has Unclear Justice but in everything he does it's hard to understand what that actually means. Nature of the word I guess? But Aokiji was Lazy Justice, and that can be seen in that he seems to be taking the easy way out by falling in with Blackbeard but what does that mean for Kizaru? He seems happy in the past and now he is very much uncaring. He mentions he's a cog in the machine but there seems to be some wiggle room. Perhaps unlike his previous two comrades, Akainu and Aokiji, Kizaru is the only one who can change? Honestly I don't really have a bead on him. But I am fascinated. Like with many things.

After that we get a recap and two key moments. The moment where Jay Garcia tells them to sink the escaping scientists is quite obvious and a parallel to Ohara and I think we've talked enough about direct actions, consequences, and collateral damage to get a rough gist of where that would go in reinforcing the themes Oda has set up in regards to the Marines. But the smaller moment of Jay Garcia remarking he likes what Morgans wrote is also key. The Marines hold some sway over the media, from withholding key information to actively enforcing violence but this is also an insight into how Morgans plays the game. He pacifies them but he also pushes his own agenda. A free media is key to citizens freedoms so it's really interesting how these two entities push and pull. I hope we get more insight into Morgans to see what Oda is actually trying to say because I'm curious.

And now we finally get to the last few pages. York is at times terrifying and at others painfully stupid. Just my type of character. She reminds me a lot of Buggy, who first started off as terrifying before becoming our lovable clown boy. But this makes me want York in the crew so bad. I would love if Vegapunk and all of his satellites joined because it would be such an interesting dynamic. The Come Save me panel is also quite a hilarious inversion of "I want to Live" from Enies Lobby as York is asking the Marines for help this time. I love her confident blustering. It's peak One Piece. It's peak Oda. I love it so much.

AND THEN FINALLY!!! OMFG THEY LOOK SO FUCKING COOL!!! I lost it so hard here. They're back and they look so badass! They look like a proper yonkou crew. This cutaway also hammers home how close we are getting to the end as Oda is skipping over some big fights. What this flash forward does let Oda do is that he can use it to do a small flashback chapter and recap key skipped over elements instead of going through them at a much slower pace in chronological order.

One final thing. All the strawhats look so cool, but a really surprising thing I noticed was that Ussop was holding the phone where I would assume Sanji would be. It feels like Sanji has shed a lot of the baggage that came with being Mr.Prince after Whole Cake Island and Wano. Now he's enjoying himself in the background. This could also be setting up the central role Ussop is going to be taking in Elbaf. Ussop of course has employed trickery before but just in this particular case with it's callbacks to Enies Lobby, I would've assumed Sanji be the one pulling off this ruse. Anyways, that's all for today folks. If you've read this far, thank you so much for sticking through. I really appreciate it! See ya for the next one! (Gonna slink off now to watch 1071).

#one piece #one piece chapter 1089 #one piece 1089 #op 1089 #one piece manga #manga recap #manga discussion #one piece spoilers #op koby #eiichiro oda

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hiddenwritingsintheworld · 7 months

Text

Welcome to SunnyVale Oneshot

(Guyyyyysss Im literally just writing and posting whatever pops in my head at this point My Alpha is about two paragraphs from being done :P Be watching for it!! Cruel Summer Ch. 2 should be finished by the weekend too annnd im gonna work on Midnight Rain Ch. 2! So lots goin on! :D anywho, I love Trailer Park Boys and have been watching it on repeat for WEEKS. So I just had this cute idea and figured I'd write it since I cant sleep! :P )

_________________________

“Come on Bubs! Hurry up! We’re going to be late!” Julian yelled as Bubbles said goodbye to his kitties. “Boys, boys, boys!” J-Roc ran over across the road toward them. “Yall aint never gonna believe this! We got a reunion comin!!!” J-Roc grinned as Ricky looked at him, “what in the fuck are you talkin about J-Roc?”

Julian took a sip of his drink as a large black bus pulled into Sunnyvale Trailer park.”So listen I heard from a friend of a friend that Y/N was in town. Rumor has it, she's gonna come do a tour of the park.” J-Roc said looking from Bubbles and Ricky, to which they all glanced at Julian. “What?” he snapped at them. “Well Julian…last time you and Y/N saw each other…she was tellin you she was leavin and you were ...well you were gonna ask her to marry you, until she……said……that….and you…..well…you know….broke her heart,” Bubbles said as an awkward silence filled the air. Julian sighed loudly and took a bigger drink of his drink as the large black bus drove slowly and carefully down the road, before coming to a stop.

The air brake let out and the door opened, a few moments passed and suddenly, Julian felt like his heart had stopped and dropped into his stomach. Everything seemed to move in slow motion for him as you stepped off the bus. You wore a pair of suede thigh high heeled boots, a pair of black tights, they were the sheer kind that made Julian’s knees weak, you had on a burnt orange tight mini skirt on, and a black long sleeved shirt. When you looked up, your hair was curled in loose big curls, the wind lightly blowing your hair. You suddenly got the biggest grin on your face and darted toward the group of guys standing there. “Oh my gosh!!!”

You laughed as you jumped hugging Ricky, the guy who was like the dumb, protective big brother you never got to have. You don’t know how many times Ricky saved your ass from getting into trouble either with Jim Lahey, the trailer park supervisor, or the cops whenever Julian and Ricky came up with some stupid plan. “Hey bugz!” Ricky had started calling you bugz when you guys were just kids, because you always had a ladybug or butterfly landing on you. He said you attracted bugs and teased you about it alot.

Next to whisk you into a bear hug was your very bestest friend Bubbles; which the guys didn’t know but you still talked to regularly. “I’ve missed you bubs!” you laughed as he pinched at your belly “Whos got your belly?” “Don’t touch my fuckin belly bubs!” you both laughed again as he hugged you one more time. “I’ve missed you around here Y/N, we all have.” Bubbles said as you both pulled apart. You smiled and looked at Julian, “Hey Julian,” you said, willing to step up and hug him, but the longer the silence went on, the more awkward it got. “Hey fucktard, are you gonna speak or did your brain not get enough words movin arounds in there?” Ricky smacked his arm as you laughed softly. You’d forgotten just how Ricky talked, sometimes you really missed living here, other times, you wish you could have brought them with you, but you knew they would never leave their beloved trailer park.

Julian let out the breath he didn’t realize he’d held since you turned and stared at him. “Wow,” he whispered to himself, but it was loud enough that all of you heard him. You felt a small blush creep up your cheeks, “Still drinking rum huh?” you asked him, smiling some as he cleared his throat, taking a large drink, and not the usual sip. “Oh, I brought presents! Give me one second!” You turned your hair flipping around, wafting the smell of your shampoo, mixed with your perfume all around. “Hey Mike!” You hollered while walking toward the bus, “Can you grab that blue duffle bag in the back for me?” you asked as you stood just a few feet from the guys.

That smell hit Julian like a brick house as he closed his eyes, “I can’t do this.” he mumbled to Bubbles and Ricky before he turned and stormed back to his trailer, slamming the front door shut. He leaned back against it before flinging his glass at the opposite wall, letting it shatter and liquor spill to the ground.

You turned at the sound of the door slamming and frowned. “Why’d he leave? I have a gift for him too.” you smiled a little awkwardly at Ricky and Bubbles. “Uh, I think he had to um, go, look at a book or something, anyways what’d you bring us Y/N?” Bubbles asked as you gave him a soft smile. It wasn’t easy for you either to see Julian, that night before you left played over in your mind a lot.

******

15 years ago

You rode your bike down the street, the sun setting on your last few days of summer, you couldn’t wait to tell Julian, he was going to be so proud of you. You rode up to the stairs of his trailer and put on the kick stand before jogging up the stairs and letting yourself inside. “Jules? You home?” you called out, but not hearing a word. You pushed out your lips and walked toward the back where his bedroom was, “Yeah Ricky. I fuckin know. I'm nervous as hell the way it is. Dont you think I know that you fucking idiot?” He was on the phone in his bedroom. “Listen I’m busy tonight but I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Just don’t fuck up,” he hung up the phone and turned around to see you leaning on the doorway smiling softly. “Hey-how long you been standin there?” he asked as you smiled and shrugged. “Long enough to know you’re nervous about something...you two boys doin another deal?” you asked as he sat down on the bed, pulling you to straddle his lap. “Don’t worry about it sweetheart, what are you doin here this late?” you smiled, kissing him softly. “I have something to tell you,” you whispered against his lips.

*****

You’d given the boys their gifts, Bubbles got a rocket ship, directly from NASA with his own spacesuit and a couple of real moon rocks and Ricky had gotten a customized glass bong. “Take care of that Ricky…..I figured you’d like it.” you laughed as they ran off starting to play with Bubbles rocket. You took this chance to slip away and go to Julians, knocking softly on the door.

A few moments later the door opened and Julian stood there, hair wet from a shower, slicked back by the water, sweatpants hanging low on his hips with a towel around his shoulders. “Y/N. Hey, uh, what are you doin here?” he asked as you forced a smile. “Uh, I have a gift for you.” you said patting the duffle bag that hung off your shoulder. “Oh, you didn’t need to get me anything.” he said as he stepped aside and let you come in.

Walking in, you stood awkwardly as he closed the door and moved toward the couch. “You can come sit down ya know?” he said, looking at you. You nodded and walked over sitting next to him. “Um,” you cleared your throat and dug around in the duffle bag. “Sorry, I would have wrapped it better, but I made a special stop for it.” you handed the box to him, watching him look confused, you smiled as he opened it.

Inside, laid a very old and special bottle of Rum, Harewood Barbados 1780, to be exact. “Holy…fucking…shit.” he looked at you, a look of shock on his face. “Oh! It wasn’t a big deal….I know a guy who knows a guy,” you laughed softly. “You know someone who owns a $29,000 bottle of Rum?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as you smiled bashfully. “I know two guys now who own a bottle of $29,000 Rum.” you said as he smiled watching you grab another box. “Can’t drink expensive rum without new glasses.” you said handing him the black box.

Julian smiled down at the gifts in his lap, before the memories came rushing back. “Listen…Y/N….I meant to write back…when you wrote me that letter….I just…got busy…and I didn’t…know exactly what to say.” You shook your head waving a hand. “Not a big deal….I moved on, I’m sure you did too. We’re adults now and that was 15 years ago so, you know, what's in the past,” you said looking down.

Julian put his gifts aside and moved closer to you. “I’ve followed your career,” he said smiling as you looked at him. “What?” you tried not to laugh. “I doubt I sing the kinda music you like,” you laughed as he did, “While that’s true, I do listen to your music. You’re talented. You always have been…” he said softly as you stared at him, “Julian…I’m sorry I left. But tomorrow I’m going to show everyone where I was raised and where I lived with my parents. And I want you and the guys to be in the video.” you smiled as he chuckled “I’m sure we can make that happen.”

Julian got you both a drink, and you began to get caught up on each other’s lives. “See Ricky…I’m tellin you that was a genius idea.” Bubbles whispered as they peaked in Julians windows. “He’ll finally tell her after all these years.”

You were trying to catch your breath from laughing so hard when Julian put a hand on your leg. You looked at him as he stared at you, smiling softly. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered as you nodded. “I’ve missed you too.” A few more moments of staring at each other passed before he grabbed you and pulled you in close, kissing you deeply.

After a few moments, Julian pulled away and sighed, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t.” he got up running a hand through his hair. “Fuck!” he yelled causing you to jump. “I should go.” you said quietly as you gathered your stuff and stood up. “No, please don’t go,” he sighed “just…..wait here.” he walked back to his bedroom, returning a few moments later, his signature black t-shirt clinging to the muscles that ran through his chest and stomach. “You weren’t the only one keeping a secret….” he pulled his hand out of his pocket, a black velvet box resting in his hands. “It’s nothing fancy…..I got it from Mrs. Peterson. When she died, she willed it to me, along with some money and other stuff…but….” he opened it, revealing the small, beautiful gold ring inside. The tiny cluster of diamonds sat directly in the middle. You stared down at it, unsure of what was going to happen, or what would have. “.....you….you wanted to marry me?” you whispered as he nodded. “But…then you said everything you said….and….” you looked at him, your brows pulling down together as confusion took over your face. “You lied to me didn't you?” you asked as he sighed. “I panicked, I didn't know what else to do…” you scuffed, shaking your head as you backed away and grabbed your stuff. “I can’t believe you Julian…you lied to me…you swore you never would.” you shook your head. “Whoa, you lied to me too.” Julian said as you looked appalled at him. “Are you kidding me? I didn’t lie to you, Julian. I WAS pregnant when I left. I took the damn test. And guess what? I rehearsed through the miscarriage, I performed when and where I needed to, so now I can go around and buy $30,000 bottles of Rum to impress someone I was head over heels in love with, in the hopes that I might get a tiny taste of what I used to have in life before I lost it all!” you yelled before you stormed out.

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milflewis · 4 months

Note

schuclerc + restaurant

probably not what you want but is what came out

“How is Seb?”

Mick glances at him. Charles doesn’t look as tired as he did last year, DNF after disappointing race after DNF, biting his mouth in a smile with every interview. He’s P2 in the championship right now, or maybe P3, Mick can’t keep up. George and him keep trading it back and forth, Lewis firmly in P1 for the past two races. Charles, at least, finished in Monaco this year in the points.

“Alright,” Mick says, shrugging. He moves his bag off of the chair beside him when it looks like Charles is going to stay and hover. “But bored I think. Baking a lot. Gardening. He said something about sustainable farming in Mexico last week that I think he’s going to check out.”

“Ah.” Charles folds himself into the seat, graceful in his ungracefulness. There’s a pink mark along the top of his left cheek. Mick wonders if he fell asleep in the drivers briefing again, chin in hand. “That sounds like him.”

The paddock is slowly emptying. It’s getting late. Mick should head soon. He’s not racing tomorrow but he is supposed to casually appear in the Williams garage to say hello to Alex. He’s hoping to leave earlier enough that he can pop in to see Guanyu before his practise session.

He stays where he is.

“Has he.” Charles stops, chewing at the inside of his cheek, mouth pursing. “Has he been talking to Lewis, do you know?”

Jenson was doing post race interviews last week and he made Lewis, grinning and sweating and triumphant, laugh for most of his five minutes. Mick sent it to Sebastian who left it on read.

“No, I don’t know.”

Lewis could very well win this year. He could win his eighth which, Mick would’ve thought, Sebastian would want to be here for, after everything, especially after what happened last time. Charles doesn’t look at him for a long moment before exhaling, fingers rubbing at his mouth.

“But I don’t think he has,” Mick says and when Charles does look at him, his eyes are very brown and very wide and very sad. Like, twenty percent of my problems would be solved if you would keep your eyes closed and never look at me like that, Mick wants to say to him. It’s distracting.

“I should say it to him.”

“Yes.” Charles brightens, smile tucking into his cheeks. Mick despairs over himself. “You should, and then maybe I could? Subtly, of course, but it would be a shame for Sebastian not to be here. No matter what happens. They — there is a lot to lose here.”

He waves a hand, watch flashing, and Mick doesn’t know if he’s talking about Formula One in general or the title or Lewis and Sebastian but he does know that Charles Leclerc has never been subtle a day in his life.

“Right. Sure.” And when Charles smiles at him, teeth bright, eyes wide, Mick is helpless to not smile back.

“Don’t worry, Mick,” Charles says, swaying into Mick’s space, bumping his shoulder against his, and swaying back out. He’s smells of warm air and sweat and expensive cologne. “We won’t be like them. I promise to call you everyday after we retire.” He crosses his chest.

Mick kind of wants to reach out and break those fingers for carefully saying retire instead of not racing. He wants to hold them close and press his mouth along the curve and slope of his knuckles, sucking them into his mouth until they’re all he can taste. He also just wants to hold them between his, memorise their shape, and pretend that he knows how the car feels under them when he sees Charles’s onboard.

“And is that supposed to be an incentive…..?”

Charles laughs, heheing his hyena laugh that Carlos loves to mimic whenever he can, moving into Mick’s space again, warm and solid, hand on Mick’s elbow.

“You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.”

Mick shakes his head and lets his mouth curl up at the corners, looking up through his lashes like he watched Sebastian do all ROC. “Bet you say that to all the boys.”

Charles coughs, spluttering, cheeks flushing red as his polo, and Mick’s smile widens.

—

“So.” Charles falls into step beside him. He’s wearing black and white checkered pants and a Ferrari branded jacket, sleeves pushed up to his elbows. It’s unzipped at the throat, necklace glinting in the sun. “Have you talked to Seb like we said?”

Mick looks up at the sky. It’s very blue and very clear, yawning wide above him. Roscoe trots ahead of them, cameras following him more than either of them, though a few break of to snap a few pictures of Charles in all his world championship leading glory. Mick is fairly sure he forgot to brush his hair this morning.

“Yes,” Mick says because Charles looks like he’s about to ask the question again. “I have.”

“And?” Charles is half walking sideways to watch Mick’s face. He would’ve nearly bumped into three people already if they hadn’t moved out of the way. He looks ridiculous. Mick wants to pull him at his collar and press his nose under his ear, breathing him in.

Mick shrugs. “He hasn’t talked to Lewis.”

Charles visibly deflates, shoulders slumping, mouth turning down. He perks up again, like a cartoon character and not a real actual living person who drives Mick insane on a daily basis, when Mick continues, “But he says he will.”

“Okay, great!” Charles smiles at him before squinting, dimming a little when Mick doesn’t keep talking. “Is that not great?”

Mick hums, tilting his head from side to side. Roscoe looks back at them before continuing on, content that he is still being diligently followed. “Depends. He says that he will talk to Lewis if he wins this weekend’s race.”

Charles stops short as Mick keeps walking. Esteban spots the two of them as he heads their way, raising a hand in hello, before he sees whatever is on Charles’ face and ducks into the Alpine garage.

Charles jogs to catch up. “That wasn’t very funny.” He is smiling anyway, which, Mick knows, isn’t how to tell if Charles Leclerc is upset or not but he isn’t doing that horrible thing with his eyebrows that makes Mick want to cry when he sees it so Mick thinks it’s probably alright.

“Yeah, it kind of was,” Mick says. “It was Sebastian’s idea, anyway.”

Charles rolls his eyes, waving a hand, watch flashing. “It’s always Sebastian’s idea. He thinks he is very funny, that man.”

“To be fair, he often is.”

Charles grins, easy and casual and all old school Hollywood, hair falling into his eyes, lashes dark. He pushes it away. “That is true.”

They walk in silence for a while, the snap shutter of cameras in the background. Mick watches Roscoe’s little legs eat up the concrete. He wonders if Angie has had her walk yet today.

“What will you do after all of this, do you think?” Charles has that look on his face that he gets sometimes, distant and remote, mouth a sharp line.

“I don’t know.” Mick eyes him warily. If Charles says retire again Mick might have to kill someone just so he doesn’t scream himself hoarse.

“Yes.” There’s a little divot in between Charles’s eyes, perfect and small and devastating. Mick’s thumb could cover it if he reached out and touched it there. “Neither do I.”

This championship race isn’t like last year, easier and harder in very different ways. Easier because Ferrari seems to have more of its shit together, quicker in the pitstops, smarter with the strategy. Harder too because now it’s more on Charles, now, somehow, there is even less room for error when it is all on you. And then of course, he is racing against Lewis which is a whole other thing. Not that George, this year, or even Max, last year, arent difficult opponents but. Still.

“Maybe I will do what Yuki keeps talking about,” Mick says, desperate suddenly for Charles to stop looking like that. For him to go back to smiling. Toto will not be impressed if there’s pictures circling where Mick is talking to Charles who looks like he’s about to cry.

Charles looks at him, eyebrows raised. “Yuki?”

“Yeah.” Mick shoves his hands in his pockets. Roscoe is starting to slow, the heat and the long walk beginning to get to him. Mick will have to head back to the garage soon. “Start a restaurant, you know? Good food. Maybe some love music. Outdoor seating.”

Charles throws back his head when he laughs, neck a long tanned line. A few people stop to stare. Mick tries not to roll his eyes. He doesn’t try to bite back his smile.

“That is not a bad idea, mate.” Charles says, nudging Mick with his elbow. “I would go. Bring Arthur.”

Mick exaggerates a horrified expression to see Charles laugh again. It’s a nice sound.

“What kind of food would you make?” Charles is seems very invested in an idea that Mick is still very unsure about and nearly mostly a joke.

“French. To make my ancestors proud.”

This time when Charles laughs, Mick laughs with him.

#going thru my drafts and found this . i will never finish it so here u go #schuclerc #little fics #kyle tag #niamh.asks

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shirubie · 1 year

Text

Thunderbirds are Go: Miraculous AU Master Post

2024-01-02: A little update for the new year! Kayo’s section is now complete, you can find it completely at the bottom.

I’ve had fun doing research on Alchemy to build up my AU’s lore, since I decided that my Miraculous set would have an origin based on alchemy instead of just using classic elements. I should have a post about my original Bad Guys (a group of Alchemists who want the Miraculous to do the world conquering thing) very soon.

---

So, I’ve been working on and off on this AU concept for a while, pushed it aside a few times and almost completely abandonned it, but the concept is just so anchored in my brain that I just keep going back to it and working out more and more details and ideas. No fanfics have been produced yet but I’m hoping a story might happen eventually.

I’ll be using this post to organize my ideas. I want to rework the Miraculous magic system a bit and develop the lore more. My Miraculous items have powers based on concepts like in the show, but I’ve also given each an associated natural element, because I’m lazy to come up with superpowers, and because the elements seemed to fit the Tracy brothers well.

I know that the TAG and Miraculous fandoms don’t overlap much, but I would love to hear your opinions on this.

If my ideas inspire you to write your own fic or do some art, you have my full permission to do so. Just don’t forget to send me a link so I can check them out! ^_^

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AU Related art:

- Kwamis group - Stormhawk and Black Swan (Scayo) - Miraculous logos

AU Related posts:

- Plot bunny about Brains

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Summary:

After the Zero-X tragedy, Colonel Casey has no choice but to shut down International Rescue for good. She simply cannot risk Jeff Tracy's sons suffering a similar fate as their father.

Five years have now passed and the Tracys have all returned to civilian lives and mundane jobs, moving on and slowly drifting away from each other. But helping people has always been the Tracy brothers' true calling. That’s why each are given by a mysterious Guardian a magical artifact called a Miraculous and told to use them for good.

But evil forces want to find the Miraculous and use them to control the world. To prevent this, the Tracys will have to unite and become the heroes they were always meant to be.

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Stormhawk

Civilian name: Scott Tracy Miraculous: Thunderbird Item: necklace Concept: Acceleration Element: Wind Weapon: Grappling Hook Gun

Previous wielders: Windrunner, Captain Thunder Abilities:

- Enhanced physical speed and reflexes - Gliding (wingsuit) - Limited wind manipulation

Attack:

- Tornado: creates a funnel of wind that can blow away objects or slow down someone's fall. This attack will not work under water or in space, as there is no air to manipulate.

Transformation: "Zapp! Updraft!" / "Zapp, Downdraft."

Info:

Stormhawk uses his agility, speed and an occasional boost from his wind control powers to perform incredible acrobatic stunts, swinging or gliding between buildings to reach the danger zone fast and assess the situation.

After a few misunderstandings and frictions with his new teammates, Stormhawk proved himself to be a competent leader, able to strategize and make split second decisions.

Kwami name: Zapp Kwami personality: Zapp is a bossy little drill sergeant who wants to turn Scott into the greatest superhero ever, whether Scott likes it or not. He's impatient and pushy, seemingly more interested in his wielder's superhero exploits than their well-being.

Kwami Favorite Food: Popcorn

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Titan

Civilian name: Virgil Tracy Miraculous: Roc Item: Belt buckle Concept: Demolition Element: Earth Weapon: Shield

Previous wielders: Colossus

Abilities:

- Super strength - Vibration detection - Limited earth manipulation

Attack:

- Tremor: Creates a shockwave that will shatter almost any kind of solid material. Works best against rock like materials like concrete, works the least against wood and other bendable matter. The complete effects of this attack are hard to predict. Transformation: "Bronnz! Move Mountains!"

Info:

The Roc Miraculous grants its wielder incredible physical strength and the power to destroy any obstacle in their way, but the gentle Titan would be the last person who would want to use this power. He is fully aware of the damage his Miraculous could cause and only uses his full power as a last resort.

Titan might seem intimidating at first glance, but he’s a down-to-Earth (hehe) guy with a big heart who just wants to help people.

Kwami name: Bronnz Kwami personality: Bronnz is shy and nerdy and fascinated by modern technology. He likes to take things apart to see how they work but is not very good at putting them back together.

Kwami Favorite Food: Brownies

-----

Nightwatch

Civilian name: John Tracy Miraculous: Owl Item: Ring Concept: Perception Element: Night/Darkness Weapon: Telescope

Previous wielders: Ghost Owl

Abilities:

- Night vision & enhanced hearing - Camouflage - Limited shadow manipulation

Attack:

-Blackout: creates a sphere of total darkness and silence over a limited area, only the Miraculous user will be able to see and hear inside it.

Transformation: " Nyctti, Nightfall!" / "Nyctti, Daybreak."

Info:

What the owl Miraculous lacks in offensive capabilities, it makes up in stealth. Over the centuries, it was often used by spies but sometimes fell into the hands of criminals.

Nightwatch rarely engages in rescues, gathering information and guiding his teammates from the sidelines, while also trying to unravel the mystery of who chose them to wield the Miraculous and why.

Kwami name: Nyctti Kwami personality: Nyctti can be an annoying know-it-all who always thinks she’s the smartest person in the room. Fortunately, John is more than smart enough to keep up with her and earn her respect. Nyctti also has a habit of falling asleep randomly during the day, since owls are nocturnal and all.

Kwami Favorite Food: Sesame Bagel

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AntarctiKing

Civilian name: Gordon Tracy Miraculous: Penguin Item: Ankle bracelet Concept: Adaptation Element: water/ice Weapon: Harpoon

Previous wielders: Kororā (maori word for the Little penguin)

Abilities:

- Enhanced swimming ability - Resistance to the cold - Limited water manipulation

Attack:

- Frostbite: creates ice spikes or similar simple constructs of different sizes according to the user's will.

Transformation: "Tchill, High Tide!" / "Tchill, Low Tide."

Info:

It's hard to take a penguin theme superhero seriously but Antarctiking should not be underestimated. His water and ice powers can be the most versatile of the Miraculous, to be used in many offensive and defensive ways.

Laid back and cheerful, AntarctiKing can give the impression that he doesn't take being a superhero seriously, but nothing could be further from the truth. He will not hesitate to push himself to his limits to help someone in need.

Kwami name: Tchill Kwami personality: Tchill is the go-with-the-flow type who never worries about anything. He also hates heat and likes to sleep in the freezer.

Kwami Favorite Food: Anchovies

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Fireflash

Civilian name: Alan Tracy Miraculous: Phoenix Item: ear cuff Concept: Combustion Element: Fire Weapon: Ax

Previous wielders: Fire Angel

Abilities:

- Fire Immunity - Limited fire Manipulation

Note: Like the Ladybug Miraculous can counteract the Butterfly's powers, it is rumored that the Phoenix has a secret ability that can cancel the Owl's powers (Foreshadowing? Me? Of course not ;).

Attack:

-Blaze: this attack will surround the user's body with fire, turning them into a human torch. The flames can also be manipulated to propel the user in the air and fly for limited distances.

Transformation: "Sparkk! Ignite!" / "Sparkk, Burn Out."

Info:

The Miraculous were never supposed to be used by children, but the guardian took the risk of giving one to the youngest Tracy brother. Had Jeff Tracy been still alive, the Miraculous would have gone to him instead.

Fire is the hardest element to control but Fireflash seems to have natural talent with it and an instinctive understanding of the magic of the Miraculous. He forms a deep bond with his Kwami.

Kwami name: Sparkk Kwami personality: Sparkk is a little cinnamon roll, a real concentrated ray of sunshine who’s always there to cheer Alan up when he feels down. His Miraculous has unfortunately been involved in wars in the past and with each new wielder he is afraid of being used to cause harm.

Kwami Favorite Food: Snickerdoodle cookies

-----

Black Swan

Civilian name: Tanusha “Kayo” Kyrano Miraculous: Black Swan Item: Brooch Concept: Transmutation Element: Prima Materia Weapon: Whip

Previous wielders: Alchimia

Abilities:

- Boosting other Miraculous powers.

Attack:

-Swan Song: Allows to transmute one element into another.

Transformation: "Oodil, Join the dance!" / “Oodil, Take a bow.”

Info: The Black Swan Miraculous is an anomaly that should not exist. It was the result of an attempt to create the Philosopher’s Stone using the Elemental Miraculous. It has very little power by itself, but combined with the other Miraculous, it can grant almost limitless power to reshape the world.

Kayo was not given the Black Swan by the Guardian (her father Kyrano), but she could not stand by while her brothers were in danger. She took the Miraculous and uses it to help the heroes from the shadows, while trying to find whoever is behind the suspicious events and accidents happening around the city.

Kwami Name: Oodil Kwami personality: Oodil appears to be mute, communicating mostly by body language. She has a calm personality in general, but will not hesitate to attack if her holder is threatened (careful, she bites). Kayo and her have been friends since Kayo’s childhood, when her father became the Miraculous Guardian.

Kwami Favorite Food: Black Licorice

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds are go fanfiction #thunderbirds fanart #thunderbirds au #miraculous au

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antimonyandthyme · 1 year

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Athy athy im on my knees begging what happens next in the pregnant smick??? Does seb tell him?? Does he push it thinking eh its fine ill tell him another time until mick figures it out himself and is like OH. OH WAIT. and inevitably goes into a spiral re: why didnt seb tell me am i NOT the father/is he not planning to keep it/i am the father and he is planning to keep it but really doesnt want me anywhere near them/whats going on ATHY PLEASE i need answers🙏🙏🙏

Dear anon this universe is entirely the brainchild of the brilliant @rosyjuly, better known as the beloved elevator anon around these parts. Truly, none of this would exist without her, lines included. (She’s a genius and I’m in love) ANYWAY, I’m just frolicking in her sandbox, and with her permission, I’ll give you a lil peek, don’t tell anyone!

Essentially, Mick knocks Seb up by accident. Seb thinks he can't have children anymore, maybe he thinks he’s a little too old. They don’t fuck with condoms. During one of his heats Seb asks for Mick to knot him through it, and Mick agrees in an instant, of course he’d help of course of course in fact he would much prefer if Seb only ever asked him to help. The heat passes, it’s all done and dusted like every other time, except Seb starts to get some telltale signs. Morning sickness, tender, really tender, swollen tits, all that. He goes to the doctor, heart in his throat. Well hello, Mick’s put a baby into him.

Except Mick never meant to, right? This was all an accident. And Seb can’t bear the idea of trapping Mick with a baby because this was his fault, he got careless, he told Mick he wouldn’t be able to carry anymore, and now he has a baby? And knowing Mick, kind-hearted, giant-hearted Mick, he’d drop everything to take care of them both. And how can he do that to Mick? Mick who’s just starting his racing career? How is he supposed to race and fight his way to the top of the world where he belongs while worrying about Seb and a child?

So Seb… does not tell Mick. In this snippet during one of Seb’s pseudo heats, where Seb’s already pregnant, Seb lies about it all, even though Mick verges on wonder—Seb’s pregnant? Surely it’s him, right? Surely he’s the father? But Seb goes, uh, uh, no, I just. Lactate during heats. And Mick shovels his disappointment down because he shouldn’t want anymore than he’s being given! He’s already been allowed so much! That he has the right to attend to Seb in his heats is already more than he’s ever imagined. So he carries on.

Except you can’t hide this kind of thing for very long. Maybe Seb misses ROC because he’s showing so obviously. Seb starts to ignore Mick’s calls, his increasingly worried texts. Eventually, Mick goes fuck it, and shows up at Seb’s door.

Seb opens it, completely unaware, and, well. There’s no hiding it this time. Mick very carefully goes, “Can I come in?”

Seb mutely steps aside.

“Who’s the—”

“I’d rather you didn’t ask,” Seb says quietly.

Mick’s jaw clicks shut. That… stings. He’d thought. Well. He doesn’t know what to think. Seb has every right to have another partner. He’s never been promised to Mick. He just thought.

But, the house smells clean of another alpha. Seb smells… just like himself. Rain, earth, mint; now with a soft tint of honey beneath it all. Maybe something happened. Maybe the alpha left. Maybe’s Seb trying to do this alone and my god. He shouldn’t have to. Mick wants to bare his teeth, demand for an explanation, if only so he can get his hands on the other alpha’s neck.

Mick swallows his indignation down. Seb doesn’t need that now. “Whatever you need. You know that.”

Seb doesn’t think he has the right to ask anymore of Mick. But there are instances, where in his pregnancy his hormones are a wack and he needs, he just needs so badly, and Mick’s so willing, so kind, he eats Seb out until Seb’s legs shake, he keeps his hand on Seb’s belly while he fucks Seb so gently, he’s just—everything Seb could ever need, but above every fibre in him crying out for his alpha Seb upholds Mick’s (perceived) needs above his own, and so he doesn’t say anything.

Then for one of his later doctor’s appointments, Seb’s tiring easier so he asks Mick to come along. Mick thinks about how he isn’t the father and how it’d hurt for him to sit there next to Seb while the doctor talks about a baby that isn’t his but decides it’d hurt infinitely more if he left Seb alone. He told Seb, Whatever you need, and that stands true regardless.

Except of course they go for an ultrasound and both of them are emotional because that’s Seb’s! His baby! And then in the car Mick loses his temper a little, goes, “I can’t believe he’d leave you like that. What kind of alpha would leave their omega like that?” What kind of man would leave Seb like that?

And Seb makes this wounded noise, “I’m not anybody’s omega. And I chose to do this.”

And they drive back sullen and stung and Mick makes tea and calms himself down, and then gets to his knees in front of Seb. Very sincerely says, “I know you chose to do this. And I know you’re not mine. But.” He lets out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. “But I always wanted you to be. And I would still, if you’d let me. I’d take care of you both.”

Seb’s staring at him like he’s grown an extra head because Mick can’t seriously be offering what he thinks Mick’s offering. “You can’t,” he says faintly, shocked into speaking. “You’re young and you’ve got so much going on and. You can’t.”

Mick’s jaw gets this stubborn set, and oh. Oh. He looks so much like. Oh. “Why not? I can choose what I want to do, and I know I want to be there for you both, even if you never tell me who—”

“It’s yours,” Seb says weakly.

Silence, before Mick flinches away as the words sink in. Seb sags with defeat. He’s gone and messed everything up. Mick would’ve accepted him, but he’s gone and lied and done something so terrible and so unforgivable and—

Mick gets up, heads toward the door.

“Mick,” Seb pleads.

“I can’t be around you right now,” Mick says, all the warmth squeezed out of his voice. “Bye, Seb.”

Mick leaves and Seb dissolves into sobs, the heaving kind that hurts your chest, while Mick goes off and tears his fingers through his hair. What kind of alpha is he? Seb didn’t even want to tell him. Seb would rather have raised the child by himself then tell him. What kind of alpha does that make him? How had he failed so badly? How had he fallen short by so great a margin? What does that speak of his competency as a mate, a partner? He hasn't cried since... well. Mick drops his head in his hands, letting the tears leak through his fingers.

(Suns, it’s awful. But it becomes better. I just... won't tell you how for now because this is turning into a fic.)

#athy texts #fanfic #rpf #smick #pregnant!seb au #all credit to beloved ea #not the gaming company #it's all rosy's genius!#a/b/o

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mariacallous · 3 months

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On January 21, 2024, Russia marked the centennial of Vladimir Lenin’s death. In some respects, he’s remained a significant political figure in Russia, even in modern times. Since shortly after his passing, Lenin’s preserved body has (with a few brief exceptions) rested in the Mausoleum on Moscow’s Red Square. Not too long ago, Russia’s political elites were debating whether or not he should finally be buried. However, against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and the ideological course of Russian politics, the Kremlin has increasingly embraced Soviet-era practices, and these discussions have died down. Meduza’s special correspondent Andrey Pertsev explains how the Russian authorities have leveraged the question of what to do with Lenin’s body over the past two decades for their own political purposes and gains.

In December 2000, the State Duma faction for the Union of Right Forces (SPS) party turned to Vladimir Putin with a proposal: bury Lenin. The lawmakers suggested making the Mausoleum into a museum in memory of “the victims of political upheavals of the 20th century.”

One of the main initiators of this proposal (which ultimately did not garner enough votes) was deputy Boris Nadezhdin, who now opposes Putin (and the war) and hopes to run in the 2024 presidential elections. At the time, one of the SPS leaders was Sergey Kiriyenko, who has since become the Kremlin’s domestic policy czar. Two decades later, it would be his subordinates who came up with a new ideology, largely based on the Soviet experience, for the Russian state. However, Kiriyenko’s acquaintances say that in the late 1990s and early 2000s, he sincerely supported the idea of burying Lenin: “All market democrats of that time wanted it, this symbolic gesture: burying the Soviet era and destroying its main symbol.”

According to Boris Nemtsov (who, like Kiriyenko, was part of the SPS leadership), Boris Yeltsin held the same position. Nemtsov recalled that in 1998, the then-president even tasked him with preparing a decree for Lenin’s burial. However, it turned out that Russian law required the consent of the then-mayor of Moscow, Yuri Luzhkov. In the early 1990s, Luzhkov himself had suggested “demolishing the Mausoleum,” but by the end of the decade, his opinion had changed. “Luzhkov didn’t hide his presidential ambitions; he was trying to win over the communists, and burying Lenin was no longer in his interest,” Nemtsov explained in an interview shortly before his death.

Later, the Kremlin’s political bloc, led at the time by Vladislav Surkov (who served as first deputy chief of the presidential administration from 1999 to 2011), also called for Lenin’s burial. According to a source who worked with the administration at the time, Surkov was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the idea. Another source close to Surkov says that “the USSR’s aesthetics were not his aesthetics.”

Surkov had many allies in this endeavor, including some unexpected ones, from “old-school” democrats, who were still influential at the time, to conservatives and representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). By the mid-2000s, the Kremlin decided to take the matter seriously and unofficially allowed various political players, from a few governors to parliamentary parties, to “use the topic of Lenin’s burial.” In 2005, Sergey Morozov, the then-governor of Russia’s Ulyanovsk region (where Lenin was born), publicly proposed burying Lenin beside his father. A source who worked in local politics at the time says Morozov tried to use Lenin as a kind of “local brand” for the region.

Around the same time, Georgy Poltavchenko, the presidential plenipotentiary envoy to Russia’s Central Federal District (and future St. Petersburg governor), also advocated for Lenin’s burial. He said: “Our country has been shaken by unrest many times, and rarely has anyone been held accountable for these upheavals during their lifetime. I don’t think it’s entirely fair that those who started these upheavals are at the center of the Kremlin. These are also people, they could make mistakes, and we may not share their beliefs and may condemn them, but they deserve to be buried like human beings.” Russian filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov went even further, calling the Mausoleum a “pagan spectacle,” and Lenin’s presence on Red Square a “direct violation of the deceased’s will, in which he requested to be buried with his mother.” (There is no evidence of such a will.)

Still, Putin’s administration never dared take any practical steps toward burying Lenin — mostly to avoid angering a smaller, but significant part of Russian society. In 2005, according to a Levada Center poll, 51 percent of Russians supported Lenin’s burial, while 40 percent were against it. Putin himself explained the Kremlin’s position, saying: “Many people associate their own lives with Lenin’s name. For them, Lenin’s burial would mean that they worshiped false values, set false goals for themselves, and that their lives were lived in vain.”

In the following years, the issue of burying Lenin was mostly brought up before elections. For example, before the 2007 State Duma campaign, United Russia member Andrey Isayev proposed finally burying him, and in the leadup to the next elections, Isayev’s party colleagues Vladimir Medinsky and Robert Schlegel (who now opposes Putin) also suggested it.

On the official United Russia website, Medinsky wrote:

Lenin is an extremely controversial political figure, and having him as a central figure in a necropolis at the heart of our country is extremely absurd. It’s some kind of ridiculous, pagan-necrophilic mission we have on Red Square. There’s no body of Lenin there; experts know that only about 10 percent of his body remains, everything else has long been gutted and replaced.

However, everything changed after the 2011 State Duma elections. Allegations of election fraud led to unprecedented protests in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other Russian cities. In response, the authorities began a “conservative turn,” says a source close to the Kremlin. Part of this “turn” involved capitalizing on nostalgia for Soviet times. “Lenin’s burial didn’t fit well with this. It fit even worse after the annexation of Crimea and the emergence of the ‘Crimean consensus,’ which the communists were also a part of. They certainly tried not to irritate them,” explains a political strategist who worked with Putin’s administration in the mid-2010s.

Sources told Meduza that after this, the Kremlin only tolerated comments about Lenin’s burial from “niche characters”: members of Russia’s ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), monarchists, leaders of Caucasian republics, and a few “systemic liberals.” For example, Chechen Governor Ramzan Kadyrov continued to call for Lenin to be removed from Red Square.

One Kremlin insider notes that not everyone immediately “grasped the new rules.” For example, in 2017, several State Duma deputies from United Russia signed an LDPR initiative to bury Lenin, but then quickly withdrew their signatures. The bill itself wasn’t passed, as neither the government nor parliament supported it. That same year, Ulyanovsk Governor Sergey Morozov brought the topic up again. “But he got a call from Putin’s administration almost immediately — like, what are you doing? Times are different now; don’t go there anymore,” explains a former member of the local United Russia party.

Even the Russian Orthodox Church began to speak more cautiously about the topic. “I have no doubt that sooner or later Lenin will be taken out of the Mausoleum because it is indeed a relic of the past that a mummified body lies in the very center of the capital. I hope that some consensus will be found, and the body will be buried,” Metropolitan Hilarion said in 2021. After that, ROC leaders dropped the topic.

After the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine, Putin’s administration finally took the question of Lenin’s burial off its agenda, say two Kremlin insiders. (Even though, according to surveys, fewer and fewer Russians are opposed to the idea.) “[According to Kremlin ideology], Russia is now a civilization-state with a thousand-year history. The USSR is a part of this history, which means Lenin is a part of it, and the Mausoleum is [one of its monuments],” notes a current administration employee.

A political strategist working with the Kremlin puts it more directly: “Those who supported Lenin’s burial in the 1990s were building a new Russia, in which there was no place for Lenin’s Mausoleum. But this fire has burned out — now [the authorities] aren’t building something new, they’re restoring the past, part of which is Lenin.”

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rosyjuly · 1 year

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ok in an effort to prove I have other interests than Toto Wolff’s downfall, I would like to ask you about wine cellar fic first of all bc I need to sue you for emotional damages and secondly because I am romantic at heart so I would like to know what happens afterwards!!! do they eventually figure it out? Does mick go through a series of meaningless hook-ups that leave him feeling empty and seb witnesses it with clenched teeth bc like mick is young and should be trying things out this is good this is what seb wanted except he absolutely hates it? these are just some of my thoughts obviously please take this wherever you wish

incredible that i'm answering this Later and our interest in toto's undoing has only increased... taking mick on little scooter cruises around the track huh. anyway!

as all of my fics wine cellar verse does have an eventual happy ending... they go upstairs and then mick is like ah i gotta take a call and goes to the bathroom to stare at himself in the mirror. insane that he looks the same, like before-- like before.

well. they were friends, right, that doesn't change with the break up. it probably wasn't even a break up to begin with -- they spend time together, still. they go hiking, mick goes over for dinner. it's very normal. he signs with merc, discusses it with seb in detail. roc happens and he watches seb flirt with thierry and okay, so it still hurts, but it's fine, they can be friends. mick wishes he had a little more self respect, but he doesn't.

then the season starts; he travels with merc. they have always texted quite a bit, but he wants seb's insight with the sim and the other work he does for merc, and it's always so good to discuss paddock politics with seb. he was holding back in the previous years, trying to respect seb's loyalty to aston, but that's done, now.

anyway long story short, one time seb comes home from an eintracht game and he's tipsy, almost drunk, and mick just got done with the sim and marketing duties and it's 11pm and they're on the phone, and seb's telling him that he looks good in black, but he looks good in everything, so. and mick is a racing driver. he will always maximize opportunities. so he sends a pic of himself, where he's not wearing fireproofs and the racing suit's arms are tied around his waist -- angela took it (winked at him after airdropping it). and he can hear seb's sharp intake of breath and then they have fucknasty phone sex about it.

#as they say in mamma mia and then they DOT DOT DOT #thank you A :))))#sebmick #wine cellar #rosy.ask #and yes mick has a bunch of hookups trying to get over him.#as he should #as he does in my elevator adventures lol

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cryptidclaw · 2 years

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RoC BrambleSquirrel rewrite

Brambleflower and Squirrelflight’s relationship in Rise of Change. This is so long. I'm so sorry.

This is a really long summary of how i changed up squirrel and Bramble’s relationship in the second half of the new prophecy. Bramble is a lot nicer in RoC hence his name being Brambleflower, buuut he still makes a lot of mistakes and has an asshole era! I also changed up the way Squirrel reacts to Hawk a bit!

Also I don't mention this in my like two pages of writing below, but I overall want Squirrel and Bramble to be more likable as a couple, I want fun moments where they are cute and stuff! Making them a cute couple who actually have chemistry makes it more believable that they could be good together, and makes it understandable that they would even want to get back together after breaking up!!!! Anywayyssss enjoy my rambling BrambleSquirrel rewrite

It goes like this, Bramble is desperate for familial connection, ya he has his mom, but he wants to connect with other family members who understand what it's like being related to Tigerstar. Bramble also has really bad insecurities about being Tigerstar’s son and he fears that everyone hates him/ doesn't trust him because of his father. He also has a bit of abandonment issues because his dad was evil and left him and then his sister left too. Bramble still has his relationship with Tawnyclaw but she can be distant at times, and I feel like he is still a bit hurt by her leaving. When Hawkfrost starts talking to Bramble he is overjoyed, and is excited to have a relationship with his brother.

Squirrel gets an evil vibe from Hawk, but she has no proof of him being a bad person, and he’s not doing anything inherently wrong, so Squirrel just pushes this feeling aside. She mostly does this because she sees how happy Bramble is to have a connection with his brother, and she doesn't want to ruin that for him, just because she has a bad feeling, instead she just keeps an eye on Hawk.

Squirrel calls Hawk out when he says he doesn't think Onewhisker should be leader, which causes Bramble and her to get in a tiff, but that does not end in them breaking up. It does however make Bramble more insecure with his deep fear that nobody trusts him..

Things really start getting worse in their relationship when Hawk helps in the coup against Onewhisker’s leadership. Bramble believes Hawk when he claims that he was only doing what he thought was right, and that Mudclaw was lying about him wanting to take over the River Order. On the other hand Squirrel definitely sees right through Hawk’s lie and she is pissed that Bramble refuses to see how much of a lie it is, and how wrong Hawk was to start the coup. They are at odds about this and this is what causes a rift in their relationship. Bramble is too hopeful about having a brotherly bond, he wants to believe that his brother is a good person, he really cares about Hawk, and it hurts him that Squirrel does not trust him. Squirrel is mad at the fact that Bramble refuses to see the truth and will back a cat who tried to take down Onewhisker, and wanted to take over the River Order.

Bramble is also being influenced by his brother and Tigerstar during this time, and this only ramps up due to his and Squirrel’s disagreement causing him to feel not as supported by her, and wanting to find support elsewhere. Tiger and Hawk feed into his insecurities and make Bramble feel even more insecure about people hating him for his father, which does not help his and Squirrel's relationship.

Bramble has this weird obsession with wanting to be deputy, this is caused by him wanting to prove himself and be liked by his Order, missing being the leader of the journey cats, and him getting a big head over many of the cats around him, including Tallstar, saying that Bramble should be deputy. This is only fed into more by Hawkfrost and later Tigersta,r this coupled with his worsening relationship with Squirrelflight is what leads to what I like to call Brambleflower’s asshole era.

Bramble is an asshole, he is obsessed with becoming deputy, and he is starting to get very short and rude with Squirrelflight, getting more and more defensive over his brother. Squirrel tells him that she doesnt think that he should be deputy, hes young, naive and there are other cats more fit for the position, this of course deeply upsets Brambleflower, resulting in them getting in a fight where bramble accuses Squirrel of thinking he shouldn't be deputy because of his father, and this fight ends in them breaking up.

Bramble deep down knows that he is wrong, Squirrelflight does not think less of him for his father, and even more so Bramble knows that he doesn't deserve to be deputy, which is exactly why he is lashing out. Deep down bramble also knows that his brother isn't trustworthy and he should not be spending time with Tigerstar, but he is in very deep denial about this.

Squirrelflight still loves Bramble and she is heartbroken that he is acting like this, she knows that he's really going through something but he refuses to communicate and get better, so she knows their relationship can't work like this. She has been friends with Ashfur this whole time, and when she and Bramble break up Ash swoops in to try and court her. Squirrel and Ash do end up dating after a bit of Ash not so subtly trying to get with her, and Squirrel mourning her and Bramble’s relationship. Ash is a kind of obsessive boyfriend and he’s nice and all but Squirrel doesn't looove him, and after a while of them dating Squirrel breaks up with him realizing that she's not over Bramble and doesn't like Ash that way. Ash does not take this well and now has a vendetta.

During this Bramble is made deputy! Sadly for him this does not fix all of his mental health issues like he thought it would, also Squirrelflight is dating Ashfur which sucks… and even after Squirrel and Ash break up, Squirrel and Bramble still dont get back together. Bramble starts to feel a lot of doubt about his choices at this point, he realizes that he's really not that good at being deputy, and he is starting to realize how bad it is that he’s hanging out with Tigerstar. Hawkfrost is also starting to show his true colors more and more, and Bramble is starting to admit to himself that Hawkfrost isn't actually a good person. This all culminates in Hawkfrost having Firestar be trapped in the fox trap and telling Bramble that this is his chance to become leader! This is what proves to Bramble that Hawk really is evil, and they get into their fight, Bramble wins, but he doesn't kill Hawkfrost, Hawk just runs away.

After this Bramble has a full blown breakdown, realizes that he's been wrong this whole time and that he has been consumed by his desperation for power and want to be liked. Bramble decides to step down from his position as deputy, knowing that he is not fit to be deputy, and to actively make the decision to stop his pursuit of power before it gets worse. Firestar makes Ashfur deputy in his place! After this Bramble works hard to be better and improve himself, after a while he explains what he was going through to Squirrelflight and she forgives him, though she tells him that he needs to work hard to prove that he will never be like that again! She will not hesitate to break up with his ass if he goes back to acting like that!

#cryptid rambles #cryptidclaw's warriors au #rise of change #brambleclaw #squirrelflight #bramblesquirrel #bramblesquirrel rewrite #bramblesquirrel au #brambleflower #brambleflower au

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luminouslumity · 9 months

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I would've done this way sooner, but I wanted to wait for all of the episodes to come out in English first before I finally did, including the special! So, without further ado, here's a summary on the villains for S4! And much like last time, I'm going off of the order they'd appeared in the book.

YELLOW ROBE DEMON (黃袍怪)

I've actually technically covered Yellow Robe a few times already, but to quickly reiterate, the Pilgrims meet him after Tang Sanzang banishes Sun Wukong for him killing three supposedly innocent people (really the White Bone Spirit in disguise), he quickly incapacitates them, Pigsy goes to get Wukong back, Monkey goes to rescue Sanzang, finds out that he's actually a celestial named Kui Mulang (奎木狼) who wished to be reunited with his beloved Yunü (玉女) after they were separated upon her reincarnation as Princess Baihuaxiu (百花羞), who he had also previously kidnapped. Monkey eventually has Yellow Robe apprehended and returned to Heaven, the princess returns to her family, and Wukong happily rejoins the group.

GOLDEN WINGED GREAT PENG (金翅大鵬雕), AZURE LION, (青毛獅子), AND YELLOW TOOTHED ELEPHANT (黃牙老象)

And now onto the main trio first!

Before the big confrontation with all three, Azure Lion actually appears in an earlier chapter as the Lion-Lynx Demon (獅猁怪), who had killed the ruler of the kingdom of Wuji (烏雞國) after throwing him down a well and ends up impersonating him for the next three years (cue Among Us jokes) before he's finally confronted by the Pilgrims after the king's ghost informs them of the impostor sitting on his throne. After the king's brought back to life thanks to the Lao Tzu's Pill of Immortality, the group go to expose the demon, who then disguises himself as Tang Sanzang, but it doesn't take long for his cover to be blown when he can't recite the Tight-Fillet Spell.

Before any fighting can commence, however, they're interrupted by Lion-Lynx's owner, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, who goes on to explain that his steed was actually meant to be an obstacle for the Pilgrims in order to test their resolve before adding that the king had actually had him tied up and thrown into a river for three days and nights, leading to Lion-Lynx seeking retribution on his master's behalf.

The next time we see him, he's residing in in Lion Camel Cave (獅駝洞) at Lion Camel Ridge (獅駝嶺) with Peng and Yellowtusk. Sun Wukong first learns about them from one of their minions, Xiaozuanfeng (小鑽風), after—say it with me now—the Pilgrims get captured! Unlike the show, however, Peng seems to be the one in charge rather than Azure. Either way, Monkey manages to call upon Ao Shun (敖順), the Dragon King of the North Sea, for assistance, but Wukong is the only one who manages to completely escape their grasp and a rumor quickly spreads that Sanzang had been eaten alive.

After mourning and blaming Buddha for this latest predicament, Monkey goes to ask the Patriarch himself for advice, which Buddha proceeds to explain that not only is the lion demon the same one he and the others had encountered before, but much like Lion-Lynx, Peng and Yellowtusk have a connection to Hinduism as well, with Yellowtusk being the steed of the bodhisattva Viśvabhadra, while Peng is none other than a brother to the peacock Mahāmāyūrī, and long story short, this technically makes him and Buddha family.

For further context, to quote Anthony Yu:

Tathāgata said, “At the time when Chaos parted, Heaven opened at the epoch of Zi, Earth developed at the epoch of Chou, and Man came into existence at the epoch of Yin.

When Heaven and Earth mated,

Then myriad things were born.

The myriad things consisted of beasts and fowl: of the beasts, the unicorn was the head, and the phoenix was the head of the fowl. After having been fertilized by the aura of procreation, the phoenix also gave birth to the peacock and the great roc. When the peacock first came into the world, it was a most savage creature, able to devour humans. In fact, it could suck in a human being with one breath from a distance of some forty miles. I was on top of the Snow Mountain, having just perfected my sixteen-foot diamond body, when the peacock sucked me into his stomach. I could have escaped through his anal passage, but fearing that my body might be defiled, I cut my way out through his back and rode him back to the Spirit Mountain. I was about to take his life, but the various buddhas stopped me with the observation that to hurt the peacock would be like hurting my own mother. That was why I detained him at the mountain instead and appointed him Buddha-Mother, the Bodhisattva Mahārāja Mayūra. Since the great roc had the same parent as the peacock, it could be said that he was somewhat related to me.”

On hearing this, Pilgrim said with a smile, “Tathāgata, according to what you’ve told me, you should be regarded as the nephew of that monster-spirit!”

The three demons are then subdued by Buddha, Mañjuśrī, and Viśvabhadra, and Sanzang of course turns out to still be alive, albeit trapped in an iron chest, which Monkey quickly frees him from. The Pilgrims then carry on with their journey to the West afterwards.

#journey to the west #jttw #monkie kid #lego monkie kid #lmk

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