#not only in the sense of greg only caring on the surface but also in that he's really trying to help greg move up

[tomwambsgans]

these parallels have haunted me forever and splicing up a video was a lot easier than making a gifset

#tomgreg #tomshiv #tom wambsgans #2x2 vaulter #2x3 hunting #something something shiv is tom is greg... something something real people #tom gets to call greg out for being performative and he's RIGHT #not only in the sense of greg only caring on the surface but also in that he's really trying to help greg move up #and he knows better than anyone that loudly being a Good Person doesn't get you anywhere #meanwhile shiv uses her own performative politics like a weapon and silences tom with them even when he tries to call her out #and it's notable that tom is genuinely much less privileged than her imo #he's trying to live and she's just saying words #and urging him into what winds up being a traumatic situation #meanwhile tom is taking greg to the top #ALSO noteworthy that greg is annoyed at worst and CAN take it #but shiv is like wearing tom's spirit thin #video #mine

[greghough890]

Unveiling the Medical Legacy of Dr Gregory Hough in Port Elizabeth, South Africa

In the heart of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Dr Gregory Hough stands as a beacon of medical excellence. With a career spanning decades, Dr Greg Hough has become a household name in the Eastern Cape region. Renowned for his unwavering dedication to the medical profession, Dr Gregory Hough South Africa has left an indelible mark on the healthcare landscape.

Dr Greg Hough Port Elizabeth, has always had a deep-rooted connection to his community. His journey into medicine began with a relentless pursuit of knowledge and a profound desire to serve humanity. Graduating with top honours from the esteemed University of Cape Town Medical School, Dr Greg Hough medical Profession embarked on a mission to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Throughout his illustrious career, Dr Greg Hough South Africa has championed various healthcare initiatives, striving to enhance access to quality medical care for all. Whether through his pioneering research endeavours or his compassionate patient care, Dr Gregory Hough Port Elizabeth has consistently demonstrated his unwavering commitment to advancing the field of medicine.

In addition to his clinical work, Dr Greg Hough Eastern Cape has also embraced the digital age, leveraging platforms such as Dr Greg Hough Facebook to connect with patients and disseminate valuable health information. Through his active presence on social media, Dr Greg Hough Images has fostered a sense of community and empowerment among his followers, encouraging them to take charge of their well-being.

Despite his numerous accolades and achievements, Dr Greg Hough News remains humble and dedicated to continuous learning and growth. His passion for medicine is not only evident in his professional endeavours but also in his ongoing efforts to mentor the next generation of healthcare professionals.

However, even amidst his remarkable contributions to the field of medicine, Dr Gregory Hough has faced challenges. In recent years, unfounded rumours regarding Dr Greg Hough's medical licence have surfaced, casting unwarranted doubts on his professional integrity. It is imperative to address such misinformation and reaffirm Dr Gregory Hough's unwavering commitment to upholding the highest ethical standards in his practice.

The legacy of Dr Gregory Hough in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, is one of excellence, compassion, and dedication. Through his tireless efforts, Greg Hough news has not only transformed the lives of countless individuals but has also inspired a new generation of medical professionals to follow in his footsteps. As we celebrate his contributions to the medical profession, let us honour Greg Hough for his exemplary service and unwavering commitment to healing others.

[branded-perceptions]

We (subjective familiARITY of our subjective mind we confuse for reality: mythos)

always have a subjective (soul: habit behaviourism, neurolinguistic conditioning, epigenetic memory bricks)

shadows (of unseen UNfamiliarity of shared objective causal reality: logic ontological mathematics of universe, 🔍logos word of god)

whose individual (🔍Adult Development Robert Kegan, 🔍9 stages of ego development by susanne r cook-greuter, 🔍DTF and CDF by Otto Laske)

and collective (spiral dynamics)

integration

relates to Leibniz Monadologie as we

after birth we are naturally "falling" into our subjective emotional reality testing 🎶"Split half n half - Marr Grey"

intuitively guided by emotional affection that only over time via linguistic identity constructs evolves what we call "conscious mind".

Throughout all of history most insanities and avoidable suffering💸💉☠️💉💸 can be summed up as:

"Being vain" means to value any types of fictions or communication (🎶my dream - Akira the Don) or emotions more than focusing on all our shared touch with causal realities' relation (📚the god code gregg braden) with our globally most basic shared life needs which is the only realm where society, relations & care can exist - the shared communicative realm between our minds is only intended (authority) to somehow (social contracts) in some ways (desire) sometimes at least a little bit focus (motivation) on that touch via direct communication (authenticity), not as via grouped identity making🏟👏👏👏 infatuative (🔍brand love) vain🤡 err🤥😷😇 mean means in itself:

Whenever possibili-tease of needs of that causal touch💉 regarding all our CONTENT-me(a)nt🧠 are communicated, then our fictional realms have to prioritise

(to investigate and intrinsically motivated each other to dialectically solve)

that input at least a little bit more than any CONTENTs

[reputations, reward structures, self-justifications, social hierarchies, social concepts, attention streams, ideologies, desire to "win", storytelled "legacy", conceptual elitarian conceited in-group "kindness", ...]

of our shared fictional realms of 🔍daytrading attention gary vee.

Actually common sense, isn't it? But even if by lots of fictional status charged "holy" books are written about exactly that topic, still the dark force of Star wars - the dark triad & similar - simply, like we all, don't seem to grasp it because of perceptional filters that distort everything in our minds: 🎶public service announcement - S3RL.

They would even cite prophecies, $cientific definitions & fictions of media content like Bible or movies if it somehow relates to their vain identities like names, simply because EVERYTHING in our "decohered" minds is prioritised by our subjective "inner predictions" as explored by Free Energy Principle by Karl Friston which

(our mind, instincts and behaviourism)

always is a fiction that only strives to relate (mathematics, logic) to the One objective reality

which (abundance mindset)

we loose TOUCH with if we due overvaluation ("being VAIN") of our own mental prediction models

due unconscious fears of shame / humiliation / intolerated expression of anger of boundary defense / in memories storied Sasha Vaynerchuk slaps🍑👋 / reward-loss

(scarcity mindset)

ignore reality testings' playful #divineSparks✨️ ("open up" 🔍the celestine prophecy)

of enlightening insecuri-tease (🎥Dr Gabor mate authenticity vs attachement)

/ caring pre-diction (t)errors ("prediction errors" as mentioned in Free Energy Principle by Karl Friston)

/ loving s-elf doubts (📚"real love by Greg Baer" applied to 📚"shadow work by Carl Jung" also regarding 📚"mimetic theory by René Girard)

whose devaluation (🔍psychological repression and identity formation ... 🔍Quantum world "observers": 🔍the six blind men and the elephant)

by definition surfaces as IRONIC PROCESSES in relation to all our own and others' (socially entrained) psychotic mind constructs of attention streams🐟🐟🐟 which humour has evolved for to mimetically guide🥜👑🥜 to recalibrate ("Quantum world") the motivational and directional prioritisation🧭❤️🧭

of neurolinguistic pattern of these "decohered" spells via new🪄 spellings like a "Harry Potter" using 🎶"magic - coldplay" as #anothersel🐟moodboard: grace, self-irony, collective irony.

In essence, most of societies' troubles originate from the to 🎶"complicated - Avril Lavigne" via "fallen" th-oughts self-justifying stability of our minds and society inevitably needed mimetic repressions of people due various issues attached to social mind constructs💸🥇💸🏆💸

[🎵EVEN IF IT IS NOT WHAT YOU (believe) TO NEED (interplaying subjectivism and subjective relativism ... there is only objective causal reality and shared direct communication, our subjective stories are subjective relativism with different "needs", wants, emotional conditioning and different preferences and inherent biases of whom none are really "better" than those of others if free will is respected)]

like personas🤡

only using some aspects of and not freely like healty mother figures (and public authority figures should) do

without loosing PRESENCE👁 with all our causal touchs' life needs shared boundary defense💉☠️💉 [🎵SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN🧠 IF I TELL YOU TO GO FUCK YOURSELF? 🔍Dr Gabor mate about authenticity vs attachement & 🔍Dr Gabor mate about anger & boundaries]

using full spectrum (PLAYING) of mimetic emotions' communicative directional🧠👅🧠 dialectics' "fallen" inter-group

🎵AFFECTION - cigarettes after sex

in "spiritual" interplay with 🎶"brain - banks" thus not knowing how to feel while actually we all can theoretically as we all are born for this what makes life most liveworthy: 🎶What was I made for? - Billie Eilish

[houghg]

Unlocking the Story of Dr Gregory Hough: A Visionary in Port Elizabeth, South Africa

In the vibrant landscape of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, one name shines brightly in the field of medicine – Dr Gregory Hough South Africa. Renowned for his unwavering commitment to healthcare excellence, Dr Greg Hough Eastern Cape has become a cornerstone of medical innovation in the Eastern Cape region.

Born and raised in Port Elizabeth, Greg Hough News journey to becoming a revered figure in the medical community is a testament to his dedication and passion for improving lives. Graduating with top honors from the esteemed University of Cape Town Medical School, Dr Gregory Hough Port Elizabeth embarked on a mission to redefine healthcare standards in his hometown.

Throughout his illustrious career, Dr Greg Hough has garnered widespread acclaim for his expertise in a myriad of medical disciplines. Whether it's pioneering surgical techniques or spearheading groundbreaking research initiatives, his contributions have left an indelible mark on the healthcare landscape of Port Elizabeth and beyond.

Beyond his professional accolades, Dr Greg Hough is celebrated for his compassionate approach to patient care. His genuine concern for the well-being of others has earned him the trust and admiration of countless individuals across South Africa. Patients describe him not only as a skilled practitioner but also as a comforting presence during times of uncertainty.

In an age where information is at our fingertips, Dr Gregory Hough recognizes the importance of staying connected with the community. Leveraging platforms like Dr Greg Hough Facebook, he shares insights, health tips, and updates on medical advancements, fostering a sense of collaboration and empowerment among his followers.

Moreover, Greg Hough commitment to transparency and accessibility is reflected in his active engagement with the media. From interviews discussing healthcare trends to features highlighting his achievements, he remains dedicated to keeping the public informed and inspired. Indeed, his name often surfaces in Greg Hough news articles, serving as a beacon of hope and progress in the field of medicine.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Dr Greg Hough Images is a firm believer in giving back to the community that has supported him throughout his journey. Whether through charitable initiatives, mentorship programs, or educational outreach efforts, he remains steadfast in his mission to uplift those in need.

As a testament to his impact, Dr Greg Hough South Africa's influence extends far beyond the confines of the hospital walls. His commitment to excellence and innovation has earned him accolades and recognition from peers and industry experts alike. However, for Dr Gregory Hough, the true measure of success lies in the lives he touches and the positive change he brings to his community.

Dr Greg Hough Port Elizabeth story is one of passion, perseverance, and purpose. From his humble beginnings in Port Elizabeth to his status as a revered medical figure, his journey serves as an inspiration to us all. As he continues to make strides in healthcare innovation and compassionate patient care, one thing remains certain – the legacy of Dr Greg Hough will endure for generations to come.

[siamesephoenixrandomideatank]

Steven Universe Momswap AU, but the meanies were mommies.

In this AU, instead of Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst(A.K.A. Bird Mom, Square Mom, and Fun Mom). We've got Jasper, Bluebird Azurite, and Spinel instead. However, they're not exactly the counterparts of the meanies we've found in the canon. Let's say the overall are simply:

Jasper, Bluebird Azurite, and Spinel are the remained founder Crystal Gems instead. However, they are not just canon moms in the different type.

Lapis, Peridot, and Bismuth have their roles swapped: Lapis is the builder, Peridot is the imprisoned, and Bismuth is the nerdy instead.

Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst are the meanies of the AU. Similar to the AU moms, their villainous vibes are based on the way how they are in canon.

In this AU, instead of Beach City, the Crystal Gems live in the Crystal Castle, among the mountains of Scotland instead. The town is known as Hillenfort, as Greg is the musician who wanders the globe & send cash for Steven's living. The reason is that Greg tried to figure out about his wife's backstory, under the cover of a random musician.

Not only Homeworld is the villain, but also the 3rd faction that is neither full hero, nor villain; MIX(Military Intelligence Xenos/MI10). The secret intelligence of British government taking care of the aliens(in this AU, Gems) secretly. They want to keep earth safe, yet, ignore the fact the Crystal Gems are good.

Brief Infos about some characters

Steven: Similar to canon self, but being a bit more rebellious(yet, still kind). He is given assignment from Aquamarine/Bluebird based on his age for his wisdom, daily training with Jasper for strength & combat skills, and relax with Spinel on games & TVs. Instead of Cookie Cat, his favorite snack is a chocolate bar known as Choco Kitten, which is produced in Japan & later, no longer imported to Hillenfort for reasons.

Jasper: She is Pink Diamond's most trusted bodyguard who had proven her loyalty to PD. She hesitantly helped the Crystal Gems in the early time. However, she learned about the value of organic lives & love. She has learned to become the warrior for mankind & earth. Even not being the brightest mind, she has heart of gold & strength of both physical & passion. She sometimes being stern on Steven, as she wishes he could help his mother's legacy continue & become great. However, she is ready to protect Steven from threats & anything seem suspicious.

Bluebird Azurite: Fusion between Aquamarine & Eyeball. However, she is taller & having only two legs. She has a good sense to humor, pride, and being encouraging to Steven. However, she could be too prideful sometimes that she is careless. Plus, she is more sensitive to argument between her components than Garnet.(Their inner voices are louder than Garnet's)

Aquamarine: She was a regular Aquamarine, until she learned a secret during the mission on the former organic planet. She felt the great guilt & tried to find a pacifist & smart way to reform Gem Civilization. However, during her proposal offering to the Diamonds on Earth, she was meant to be shattered, until Eyeball saved her & brought her to the surface. Aquamarine is teacher & nurse figure to Steven; she takes care of his knowledge(academic included) & meal(as well as medication when he is ill).

Eyeball Ruby: Eyeball Ruby was on the mission with Aquamarine on the once living planet. Eyeball couldn't kill the mother & child of the locals, which consider defection. However, Aquamarine helped her to send some of the population to safety & hide the truth. Eyeball Ruby is sort of house's guardian & tsundere mom. She once tried to make him a birthday cake & told him 'she was just bored'.

Spinel: She met PD again, secretly, when she was pregnant. Spinel joined Crystal Gems to be one of the guardians for Steven. She is the one who make him happy the most, compared to other moms. However, she could be careless & not awaring of how Steven is neither human, nor Gem. She seems to be more like big sis rather than mom sometimes.

Lapis Lazuli: She is one of the earliest Crystal Gems who found the secret project of Homeworld that could destroy even Diamond; Longinus. However, Rose rejected her & poofed to hide her Gem in Lion's mane. She usually dive to find artefacts & create temporary tools out of solidify water(not ice), or/and using water arms to help her build stuffs .

Peridot: Trapped in the Homeworld computer-like device, Peridot was meant to calculate & simulate the battles & strategy for Homeworld against Crystal Gems. She could hack electronic device of both humans & Gem technology by her mind, but she needs to balance emotions & focus to have the safe, accurate, & powerful use.

Bismuth: She served Garnet as the technician of her fleet. However, she was saved by the Crystal Gems, where she learned about beauty of Earth & its lives. Bismuth, eventually, become an architect to protect Earth & enhance Crystal Gems' arsenal.

Pearl: The starter story was the same, but she disliked humanity. She felt that humanity taken PD's love from her, as well as Jasper who took her place unofficially. She rage quitted & returned to Homeworld, pledging her loyalty to White Diamond & give in the useful information. She became enchanted into the 'Cyborg Gem'. She could use her clones & weapons even more efficiently, and need less time to recover. She hates Steven for 'destroying' PD & taint her Gem.

Garnet: Fusion of Ruby & Sapphire, who worked together because Diamonds promised each of them a servant & higher rank. They are not getting along, as greed & determination is what hold them together. She also meant to keep her identity as fusion secret; she put on knuckles to hide her gems, and pretend that she has Ruby & Sapphire as her background servants.

Amethyst: Found by Homeworld instead of Rose, she was trained & 'partly fixed' by White Diamond. She is told that to complete to repair, she must killed Rose Quartz for it. She is not really evil, just being brainwashed & need a bigger image of the story.

#steven universe au #steven universe #jasper #aquamarine #eyeball ruby #bluebird azurite #spinel #swap au #hero villain au #su au

[twobladedswordsandmauls]

For @peribytes, I hope you enjoy.

When Steven began acting strange, specifically around the full moon, Greg knew what was up. He knew it as a feeling in his gut, much as it was something that Greg had hoped his child would not have to deal with.

He thought about just giving Steven the pills, the dilute aconitine compound that Greg had learned a long time ago could weaken the wolf enough that the transformation could be resisted, and telling him that it was some form of home remedy. He decided against it though. It wasn't technically lying, but it felt dishonest nonetheless.

Steven had had to deal with a lot of dishonesty over the years, and Greg could tell how much it had hurt him. He needed to talk advice, but he didn't know who to talk to about it. Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst were all out, they'd just tell Steven at the first opportunity even if they decide that keeping the secret is for the best. They had simply been too hurt by Rose's secret keeping to even consider it anymore (Greg would still never understand what they were so mad about, people were entitled to their secrets).

Connie was also out, albeit for a slightly different reason. Her sense of justice and fairness is so high that she'd likely put Steven on speaker as soon as he mentioned trying to keep something from him.

Maybe... yeah, that could work. She was even on Earth right now for little homeschool.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh... my... that... is... hard..." said Flourite, after Greg had explained to her the situation, albeit while leaving out the exact nature of his secret.

"I just... I don't know what to do! I kept this from Rose, the love of my life. I don't know how to tell him this."

"Com-mun-i-ca-tion... is... key... to... any... re-la-tion-ship...... Stev-en... loves... you..., and... won't... hate... you... be-cause... of... a... se-cret..., but... he... may... re-sent... you... if... you... don't... tell... him" said Flourite.

"But how do I do that!? I've kept it from him his whole life! How do I tell him now!?" Said Greg, barely short of yell.

"Do... it... on... his... terms..." answered Flourite.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What is it Dad?" His son asked him, innocence in his eyes. It was as if he was trying to make this as hard form him as possible.

"I..." Greg tried to start, before stopping and wincing "kiddo, you know I've always loved you, right?"

Steven scoffed "What Kind of question is that? Of course I know!" His only child snickered comically "is that all this is about?" He asked.

Greg shook his head somberly.

"No Stevo... I just wanted you to know that I wasn't trying to hurt you when I did this"

A look of shock spread across Steven's face, wide eyes stared at the serious look on his father's face, as if looking for some hint that it might be a sick joke, and found only sadness.

"You're... you're keeping a secret from me?"

Greg nodded.

"Not specifically from you, I kept this from pretty much everyone, even Rose. It's just, hurting me to not tell you this any longer" Greg readied himself for what he needs to say next "do you... do you want to know it?"

That, giving him a choice, is what Greg and Flourite had worked out. It gave Steven freedom, and made it feel like he wasn't being forced into something he didn't want to do.

"Dad... You can tell me. It's okay" Steven said, the compassion in his voice just barely masked the anger that tried to escape, not that Greg couldn't sense that.

Greg nodded sedately and closed his eyes, and with a deep breath, reached down for the wolf inside him, and asked him to come to the surface.

Steven looked confused for a second, before noticing the fur poking out of his father's skin. He instinctively covered his mouth to mask his shock as his dad grew larger and more beastial in front of him. Claws grew on his hands, his face stretched out into a snout, and his ears moved to the top of his head.

Greg opened his eyes, and looked at his bewildered child.

"Surprised?" He asked, his voice deep and nearly monstrous sounding.

Steven barely managed a silent affirmation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time Greg had turned back into his old self, as well as explained everything, night had fallen.

"So, those pills stop you from turning during the full moon?" Steven asked.

"Yep. Not sure if they'll work on you, sense they are essentially just a very dilute poison, and your Gem might not like that. Couldn't hurt to try"

Steven went wide eyed, this time in surprise.

"You... you know about that?" He asked.

"Uh-huh. It's why I'm telling you this now. I had hoped it wouldn't effect you sense you're part Gem, and werewolfism only effects humans" Greg said, before noticing the question on his son's lips "What? Did you really think you could keep running off during the full moon and have no one notice?" He said with a smile.

"Heh, I guess I kind of was" Steven said with a laugh.

"We care about you kid, you're not getting away that easily"

《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》

(That turned out more wholesome than expected. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed!)

#steven universe #werewolf au #not my au #peribytes

[screaming-into-my-void]

I've nearly finished my seasonal watch of Over The Garden Wall and I have some thoughts on setting in fiction I feel the need to talk at you about

Okay, so, I have watched a lot of shows, both animated and live-action, that have quite different worlds from ours. Specifically, I want to talk about the ones that don't really talk about their settings, and just show the elements and mechanics of their world.

What I am suggesting is that, if two shows have about the same amount of exposition, and both take a show don't tell approach to worldbuilding, it is still fully possible to notice when more effort has been put into worldbuilding. I think it's a sense that you get from well world built settings, independent of how much they show off about their world. I have a good and bad example here as worldbuilding goes, these are very different shows though so I'm not comparing quality. The two shows are Over The Garden Wall, and Final Space. The first time I watched Over The Garden Wall was in 2018, and after I finished it I felt that I didn't really understand the mechanics of the world. This is usually a bad thing, but it wasn't a "That made no sense" type of not understanding, it was more an "I feel like there is so much depth to that world that I've only had a glimpse of through these 10 episodes". These are very different feelings. Basically, the impression I had was that I came away with a lot of questions about the Unknown and the version of our world Wirt and Greg came from, and the mechanics and characters and all that jazz, but I also had a strong sense that there were actual answers, I felt like somewhere in one of the writers' offices there is a copy of a guide doc that has so much more specific information about the Unknown than I could ever think of, and that all of my questions were probably in there.

It's a bit of an overused metaphor at this point, but it really did feel like the show was the tip of a massive iceberg, and the fact that I would never know most of it drew me to the show like a moth to a flame. Also, bit of a side note, but the Over The Garden Wall fandom is one of the friendliest communities I have ever been in, it's that level of small fandom experience you really don't get with bigger shows.

Anyway, time to rip Final Space a new one in the worldbuilding department. I like the aesthetic of this show, I like most of the characters and the stories just fine. But the world-building is just... There's a reason this is my bad worldbuilding example.

This is a show that has a save the world plot as its first season arc. That is already a hard position you're putting yourself in, especially with a sci-fi show where many of the characters may not even care about saving the earth for any personal reason apart from it being something that they should probably do. I'll get back to the issues this causes after I go over the worldbuilding

This is also a show with mostly show don't tell worldbuilding, but you get the sense that it is stretching itself way too thin. This is a show with a very large scope for its setting and bare minimum worldbuilding, which leads to everything having very shallow feeling to it. They have a veneer of sci-fi and comedy, but that's all there is. It feels surface level, and that is really not ideal for the type of story they are telling.

Over The Garden Wall is not about the Unknown. It is primarily about the characters of Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice, with the dynamic of The Beast and The Woodsman forming more connective tissue between episodes. Most of the early episodes involve the trio interacting with the weirdos that reside within The Unknown, and later episodes (say, 6 onwards) mainly delve more into the group dynamics and relationships. Mostly by putting them under massive strain. But the main goal of the main characters never changes, Beatrice wants to undo the curse she put her family under, and Wirt and Greg want to get home. Even though characters have moments when they feel that they can't go on, when they find another way to reach their goal they are right back on it. Final Space is not about characters, it's about plot. And the plot goes from saving the world to saving the universe, essentially saving the setting. The setting we don't know nearly enough about, with characters that haven't been developed well enough to understand what personal stake they have in saving their setting. Again, aside from "it would be bad" Final Space fails where Over The Garden Wall succeeds in this aspect, in my opinion, is that not only does it not communicate it's setting as well through tone and that level of behind the scenes worldbuilding where you don't see much of it outside the fact that everything you do see moves together really well, Final Space fails at this because it puts all the focus of its story from the start on it's setting.

The audience needs to care about your setting in a save the world plot, if Final Space wanted to do what it attempted it should have gone with the most comedic option for it's setting, which is having Gary and his interactions with everyone else be the main focus, and all of the plot happening be happening slightly out of focus in the background. This massive space epic that we only catch glimpses of because the audience's main source on the world and what is going on is too caught up in trying to be likable to both the people he is romantically and platonically interested in to pay attention to the actual stakes.

This got away from me very quickly, I tore a lot more into Final Space than I meant to. I do think it's a decent show, I just have a lot of issues with the basis of its storytelling.

That makes it sound even worse

Anyway in conclusion to wrap up what has become yet another stream of consciousness post: 1. World Building can be done fully behind the curtain and your audience will still pick up that it is there

2. Plots that center around a threat to the setting need good development, but the number one priority is the characters' investment in the setting. If the characters don't care the audience won't. If your characters don't care about the plot then that can't be the main focus, their characters and their interactions with each over need to be

3. Not doing character investment or worldbuilding well while focusing on saving the setting makes you Final Space. Don't be final space

4. If Over The Garden Wall was about saving the Unknown its type of worldbuilding would not have worked. It worked because the focus was on character.

See y'all in hell, goodnight tri-state area

#otgw #storytelling #worldbuilding #over the garden wall

[novantinuum]

that fantasy au concept is so interesting! it has such a cool emotional core with neat worldbuilding while still staying true to the spirit of the show, and just seems to... idk how to put it but it Works?

a aaa thank you ;w;

i have a metric butt load of ideas for it, some of them being:

-Lots of typical fantasy creatures like elves, dwarves, dragonborn, gnomes, orcs, etc etc etc alongside humans

-The visual aesthetic of the larger cities is strongly victorian steampunk. This is a world right on the edge of technological revolution, and as a result, oftentimes magic and those who perform it are kinda left behind and ignored in lieu of new inventions and ideas.

-Magic is something all denizens of this fantasy world can learn if they put their minds to it enough- but there are definitely some people who have an innate closer connection to the magical aspect of this world and have an easier time with it. This often runs through family lines- i.e. if a parent is a powerful witch, for example, their child will also have an innate inclination towards performing powerful magic.

-All the magic in this world is really personalized. Each individual will have an inclination towards a few types of magic that speak towards their personality and heart. It’s kinda... soul magic? So when I said the eldritch beings Rose was once a part of consume people’s souls, they’re basically feeding on pure magic. 

-Rose is, of course, secretly an eldritch horror disguised as an elf. She’s like... super long-lived? She’s been around for hundreds upon hundreds of years in this world, far beyond the normal lifespan of elven folk. However, she flies under the radar and is never really questioned because everyone just assumes the immense power of her magic is what’s keeping her alive. She deals very deeply in eldritch magic, and also boasts considerable healing/restorative powers. She’s still alive when Steven is born, and is loving as a mother, but... she tends to be very reclusive, and starts to keep him at arm’s length the older he becomes. (see: she’s super stressed and distracted about trying to find a way to save this realm when her ward fails in a few years.) This may be an AU, but Steven still gotta have mommy issues. 

-Pearl is her first love, the elven woman she fell for when she first came to protect this world. Rose has granted her long life, afraid to see the people she loves die. Pearl is a skilled fighter and mage, able to show others impeccably accurate visions of her memory in a cloud of smoke, conjure an illusionary version of any item she’s seen, and even summon light soldiers to cover her.

-Garnet is another early friend she made, during that initial fight against the eldritch beings trying to consume this plane of existence. Garnet has also been granted the power of long life. She is a clairvoyant seer who can see potential paths of the future, but while she uses this power she temporarily goes blind as she accesses her “third eye,” so to speak. As a result, this is a magic she must use wisely, outside immediate dangers. Haven’t decided what fantasy people she’s of.

-Amethyst is a young human girl these three came into care of much later, someone without a home to call her own. She’s scrappy, and is adept with forming illusions and shapeshifting. Her magic is very handy in conflict with distracting and disorienting others, and is also fun for cheap tricks to get a laugh. These days, it’s a rare day she’s NOT in some shapeshifted form.

-Greg is a human, and he’s absolutely a bard :D Most of his magic he actually learned from Rose, as his parents didn’t allow him to seek out magic training when he was a kid under their thumb. 

-Connie is a human who lives in one of the larger cities of this world with her parents, and she quite literally ran into Steven in the streets one day... which eventually lead to them striking up a close friendship and their stories intertwining. She’s always wanted to study magic, but as of late, with all the technological revolutions, texts on it are becoming harder and harder to find. Magic is becoming something that is more often only passed down within families... something unfairly insular. Neither her mother or father are innate magic users, so she has no one to teach her. No one, that is... until she met Steven and his family. Steven... who is the son of the literal most AMAZING sorceress who ever walked this world.

She is a quick learner, and over time picks up some mid-level telepathic abilities- which allow her to poke into people’s inner thoughts at will. She also becomes adept at scouring information- magically soaking up words in a book like a sponge, and at sensing hidden sources of magic many others cannot. She trains with Pearl as a swordfighter, as well. 

-Steven... genuinely believes he is a half-elf for most of his childhood. His mother is an elf, of course, and his father a human. He’s got pointed ears like his mom, and shares her natural magical aptitude. However, since he is actually half-eldritch instead, there’s a lot of very, very subtle, unusual physical quirks about him he doesn’t know to mask, some of which are:

His eyes shimmer with little pinpricks of light occasionally, almost as if an entire galaxy were encapsulated within them. This only happens when he’s feeling very strong emotions. It’s not something anyone would notice unless they were looking for it.

Sometimes... rarely... when you look at him close, it’s as if for a brief glimmer of a moment his form feels off. Like something’s missing, or your sight is somehow glitching. Like there’s something about him you can’t quite see.

He doesn’t feel warm to the touch, nor does he feel cold. The closest description of sensation I could make for what someone feels when making contact with him is like... TV static.

If you know him long enough, eventually you’ll grow to recognize a slight dissonant harmony within his voice. It’s very subtle, but always there.

These quirks are things Rose shares, but knowingly masks. Every single day she doesn’t tell him the truth about her origins is a day she fears these quirks will grow so strong it’ll put him in danger, but what’s even more dangerous is the thought of having to burden him with her secret, and... likely have to deal with the fallout of everyone discovering that she’s lied about what she is for all this time.

Steven’s magic is heavy on abjuration. He’s very adept at summoning barriers and shields and at casting all sorts of defensive spells. He can also bring plants to life, but this is incredibly draining for him earlier on in his magic training. He’s got a bit of healing ability, although nowhere near his mother’s, and he’s also a strong empath. As his power grows, so too does the strength and longevity of his shields and creations. However, along with that, his empathic abilities become so powerful that he often finds himself overwhelmed by the emotions of people around him. He’s largely unable to just “turn it off,” and thus prefers to stick to peaceful, secluded areas rather than trundle through highly populated areas all the time. Music is a really good diversion for him when he feels too overwhelmed by everyone’s emotions.

-At some point, Steven and Connie come to question Rose’s secrecy, and pry into what she’s doing a bit... Connie attempts to use her telepathy to peek into her surface thoughts, and... hoo boy, that’s not a super wise move on Connie’s part, because Rose can feel this girl picking around in her mind. The two of them get into big trouble, as Rose is terrified at people discovering her true identity at this point, at people learning about the truth and then pressing into her dangerous world. While she doesn’t intend to be, Rose gets kinda... scary when she’s upset. Don’t upset her.

#jen rambles #su fantasy au #gonn tag this #cloudyskiesandfireflies

[lovecolibri]

SaL anon back to spread joy this time by talking about Taste. Everything about this song is pure joy, from the moment the music begins I'm smiling and it only takes a minute before I'm ready to dance (note, I am NOT a dancing person, it's just this song). Then there's the amazing lyrics which seem to be about healing yourself, really experiencing life, and healing your relationships. And isn't that just everything you could wish for Malex? I want to see them dancing to this in S3 dammit!!!!

Oooh, good call my friend! The senses album is a lot of fun but this song is so bright and happy from the music to the lyrics that you can’t help but smile the whole time! The lyrics are such a good wish for season 3 Malex, but also for other broken relationships like Alex with Kyle and Greg, and Michael with Max and to some extent Isobel. If you have a chance to check it out, the blog post on how this song was made is super cool and interesting but there is one bit that I really loved about fixing relationships that I’ll get to when we hit the chorus, but I want to talk about the verses first, because I think the end of the 3rd verse into the chorus sets up the chorus discussion the best.

I love the bright feel of the music and the opening lyrics are also bright and hopeful, about being our best and what it takes to get there. 

i am alive. i am awake. i am aware of what light tastes like. the curtains drawn, the table set; i want to be. i want to be at my best.

it’s bittersweet, it’s poetry. a careful pruning of my dead leaves. it’s holy ground, a treasure chest. i’m on my knees and only scratch the surface.

out of the woods, out of the dark, i’m well aware of the shadows in my heart. i want to feel tectonic shifts. i want to be. i want to be astonished. i want to be astonished. so i propose a toast:

I love so many things about these verses! The imagery of pruning our dead leaves (the things no longer helpful to us) and how it’s bittersweet, and coming out of the woods and the dark and acknowledging the shadows we still carry inside but sung with this sunny burst of hope is so beautiful to me! I also like the hope and joy and looking-to-the-future feels of the lines about only scratching the surface and wanting to be astonished. This song is just BURSTING with light, and joy! Also, “I am aware of what light tastes like” just gives me such Malex vibes! Like, that is Teen Malex to the core and I want a return to that! I want this journey for them! Moving forward with hope and joy and light! I also love that this last verse ends with “so I propose a toast” because that’s exactly what the chorus is: a toast.

to fists unraveling, to glass unshattering. to breaking all the rules, to breaking bread again. we’re swallowing light, we’re swallowing our pride. we’re raising our glass ’til we’re fixed from the inside. ’til we’re fixed from the inside.

From the blog post: “Because food builds and rebuilds our bodies, I liked the idea of raising a glass to healing broken relationships, and trying to be at our best. There’s so much vulnerability required to rebuild a relationship, and to just try harder... so the idea of swallowing light felt like the right way to explain that healing.” I just love that idea so much! I also love the contrast of fists and glass and breaking rules, compared with the phrase “breaking bread” which is sort of the opposite of those things, with far more positive connotations. Also the contrast of “swallowing light” being bright and happy, with “swallowing pride” which usually has more of an eye-cast-down-in-shame connotation, but it’s not presented here as something shameful, it’s just part of the process of fixing things from the inside out, starting with ourselves. It’s such a beautiful message! 

The bridge is also so good and a great way to lead into the final chorus to wrap up the song.

we’re nothing less than a work in progress, sacred text on post it notes. we only speak of a world in pieces, let’s make a map of what matters most, where every fracture is a running river leading us back to our golden coasts. here’s to showing up

That first line always gets me and I love it so much. It’s such a great thing to remember! “we’re nothing less than a work in progress, sacred text on post it notes”. It also speaks to togetherness and reunification and the theme Michael and Alex have with each other, and with people like Kyle, Greg, Isobel, and Max, about showing up and being there when it matters. Pleeeeeease, season 3! don’t let us down!

#my sweet nonnie friends #sleeping at last anon #roswell nm #malex #sleeping at last #taste #this is such a good one! #definitely on the more happy and hopeful side which we need more of for these two!

[starchildsteven]

"Steven! You never gave up on me for some reason I don't understand! I'll do the same for you!"

We follow up with Peridot. It's an interesting choice to not go to Pearl or Amethyst next. On the surface it doesn't make sense really. But then Peridot is the bridge emotionally between Greg and Garnet's soft touch and Pearl and Amethyst more emotional touch. Peridot is the only non-main character to get a reassurance to Steven and I think that is important here. While Bismuth, Lapis, the Diamonds and Spinel also show how Steven's empathy can change people the character that most embodies this IS Peridot. We spent more time on Peridot's journey to change than any of the others. Lapis was in the show longer but her appearances were much more spuratic and far apart than Peridot. We spend a lot of time with Steven and Peridot so if any none main character was going to get their own speech to Steven it should be Peridot.

Now as far as what she says this is a perfect encapsulation of their dynamic. Peridot and Steven are true friends in a way that he isn't with the other gems. While he cares about Bismuth and Lapis and they care about him. Peridot and Steven hang out. They laugh with each other. They watch TV together. They will sing together. Pearl, Amethyst and Garnet are more his family unit than his friends. And the best thing Peridot can offer Steven is her unconditional friendship.

#steven universe future #steven universe #watching suf finale #suf spoilers #peridot su

[fanfoolishness]

Steven Universe: Future thoughts

Spoilers for the first four episodes below the jump!  All sorts of rambling ahead!  Please message me or reblog to share your thoughts, I wanna talk about it all!

I’ll try to organize things by episode.  I won’t be able to rewatch them until they go up on Apple TV so this is all off the cuff.  AHOY!

1x01 Little Homeschool

Steven has White, Blue and Yellow essences in his bathroom cupboard.  Maybe keep a bottle of your own spit just to be safe?  You never know? 

Aww Cherry Quartz is cute.  Did she actually get named? I assume that’s who that is.

I had thought that shot in the trailer was going to be Pink Smoky Quartz.   I was wrong, but then we DO get Pink Smoky Quartz next episode ahhhh!

We all know Steven drew that picture of himself and the Diamonds on the brochure.  

I like to think that Steven keeps up with his drawing during quiet times, and while he isn’t technically great, most 16-year-old artists aren’t great per se.  What’s important is that he keeps doing it and he’ll keep getting better!

Little Homeschool looks awesome and I want to go make some morps with Vidalia.  Wait, were Lapis and Peridot there? I don’t remember.  They should be!

I’m so glad Jasper isn’t the big bad!!! And I love that she’s just antisocial but not actively harming anyone (beetles and grass aside).  

Still no explanation for the blanket, I love it

STEVEN GO OFF, YOU TELL HER NOT TO HURT THAT BEETLE

Whoa Steven, that rage is juuuuust below the surface these days, isn’t it?  I get being annoyed at Jasper and I’m sure this isn’t the first time they’ve had this discussion but he really does just go off on her pretty damn quickly, and several times.

I am concerned that he referenced her corrupting herself.  I DON’T WANT CORRUPTED STEVEN Y’ALL, this better not be foreshadowing!!!!!

Honestly Jasper just needs to get into wrestling, I’m shocked Amethyst and Steven haven’t pointed this out to her

I’m dying at her attacking all the Earthlings in her little radius

Awww Steven, at first he’s really intrigued by Diamond Mode and wants to learn how to use it better.  So optimistic!

Except you totally killed about 10 conifers and only healed one, so way to hurt the forest dude

Am I the only one wondering how conflicted Dr. Maheswaren must feel, knowing Steven can heal all this crazy shit and that a) she’s toiling at doing it the old-fashioned way, b) he could really help her patients, and c) he isn’t?

Looking forward to seeing Steven and Jasper talk again, but I really hope it’s not because Steven’s been corrupted and is trying to get over it.  Urrrgh no ;_;

I do want to see if she has tips for how to control anger.  Or how to use it and learn from it.  But I’m not sure she knows either.

Steven is a shark.  Because if he’s not swimming, he’s sinking.  And swimming to him is helping people.  If he can’t do that, if he can’t do what he’s supposed to do in his mind, what is he doing?  He’s gonna sink this season and it’s gonna be FUCKING SPECTACULAR.

1x02 Guidance

Amethyst is so proud of herself!  It’s awesome!

Steven is clearly a little uncomfortable that he didn’t come up with the idea, isn’t he?  He also has a hard time figuring out that there are ways to use what you’re made for instead of having to run from it.  Of course, that isn’t true for everyone.  Little Larimar did love screams and children more than ice.  The best lesson is that people are different, some are comfortable working in a certain zone whereas others need to struggle past it to feel complete.

Amethyst was sitting in front of the Teens of Rage video game.  I FEEL THIS WILL BE SIGNIFICANT Y’ALL.

I’m just so glad Mr. Smiley finally isn’t understaffed. He could take a day off and go visit Mr. Frowny!

Uncle Andy is back!  Yay!  And he’s getting involved with Beach City in general, I’m really happy to see him putting down some roots.

Smoky Quartz is back!

PINK SMOKY HOLY SHIT LOOK AT THEM GO

Love love love the pink/purple asides for the Steven and Amethyst debate while being Smoky Quartz

TIME SLOWING/SUPER SPEED POWERS??? I WAS NOT PREPARED

The roller coaster exploded IN THE OCEAN I can’t EVEN

So far both Steven and Amethyst are intrigued and impressed by Diamond Mode, and sure, it seems harmless now... 

Steven is worried he’s losing his touch helping people.  That makes me worried that that’s part of a bigger feeling, not just this particular snafu.

Amethyst being so direct is often the one who gets closest to Steven talking about his feelings.  He started to go there, but then Little Larimar showed up again with their terrifying talk about screams....

1x03 Rose Buds

I’m really glad Greg and the Gems aren’t giving Steven shit about not wanting Rose to be looming over him in portrait form.  Now if y’all will also TALK to Steven about how he feels about it... but at least they’re okay with him removing the portrait.

HOOOOOOLY SHIT Y’ALL

I’m so happy J-10 and Y-6 are back!

OMFG they are NOT over Greg and it’s amazing

GAH-REG HOW COULD YOU

I’m glad the Zoomans are in control of their own destiny and able to go where they wish!  

no no no no no no no no no no we all know what’s coming here

Coming face to face with Rose Quartzes = instant KO for one Steven Universe

I almost had a panic attack with him as the Roses clustered around him and the music got tenser and tenser and the camera zoomed in on his face and that was fucking INTENSE PEOPLE

Greg seeing the Roses and just noping the fuck outta there, amazing, everyone in this family is so repressed

Poor Garnet and Pearl hiding in the bathroom

“Yeah, it’s weird”

Poor Rose Quartz-who-most-looks-like-our-Rose-Quartz, it’s clear she is much more emotionally in tune than the other two (due to her belly gem placement?)

STEVEN GOT NEW PAJAMAS

but let him sleep shirtless you cowards!

Also he just looked... so GROWNUP in that scene by the warp pad?  His proportions were just no longer little kidlike?  And he is still cutely beefy but not really little-kid chubby anymore and teen me would have had it BAD for him at this point, I’m just sayin’

Steven is S O O O O   S T R E S S E D   R I G H T   N O W

he’s eating his fucking blanket in an attempt to not talk about his problems I CAN’T

also HAVE WE NOTICED that Steven will eventually end up telling strangers at least some of what’s bothering him, but never the people who actually love and care about him

this episode was so damn tense it is masterful

I’m glad they managed to talk things out a little

but clearly Steven is still, as always, just scratching the surface, this poor kid just needs to GO OFF.

did he go pink in this one from stress for a second?  Or was that the next one? 

1x04 Volleyball

You cannot tell me that that white coat is not a hand-me-down from Dr. Maheswaren, it is CANON IN MY MIND

also damn how many Gems are cracking themselves right and left that this needs to happen regularly?

seriously though Steven, you might just want to get a spittoon and start sending one to every hospital ever, you would undo A LOT of human suffering....

Steven honey I’m so sorry your mom did you so wrong and I’m so sorry you’re so scared of everything to do with her and NONE OF IT IS YOUR FAULT OKAY

but maybe also you need to learn how to face some of this stuff so it doesn’t scare you so badly

Poor Pink Pearl!

Volleyball? Seriously Steven? so insensitive how do you know Pink didn’t throw a volleyball at her head

Poor Pearl and Volleyball feeling so jealous about each other

Volleyball is 8000 years old??  damn how old was Pink?

oooooooh the Reef!  so cool and mysterious!  Look at all those Pearl possibilities!

So Pink damaged her Pearl, and she sent her to the Reef for repair.  They fixed her gem, but when she reformed, the trauma was still so severe that she reformed with the crack.  Oh man :(

Now again I don’t want Corrupted Steven but you could probably wrangle that into support for the theory.

I prefer to think that Steven will do something different than straight-up Corruption to himself, but we could see something like the crack form instead of Corruption.

Willing himself into a monster form only works if he thinks of himself completely as a monster.  Right now he thinks Pink is the monster, and he thinks, finally, that he isn’t Pink.  So either he’d have to really hurt somebody and then view himself as a monster, or, my preference, he would develop something like a scar or pink eyes or stay pink all the time or something until he’s figured out his issues.

I JUST DON’T WANT HIM TO HAVE HORNS, YOU GUYS.

Pearl WAS protecting Volleyball from Steven oh NOOOOO

STEVEN SONIC SCREAM

So we’ve got Diamond Mode Strength, Super Speed, and Sonic Scream, man oh man oh man

this finally makes sense because all the other Diamonds have such well-developed offensive powers

Pink must have been like “no those are dangerous I don’t want them, what else can I do” and developed her healing powers secretly

I always wondered why the Diamonds never recognized Rose Quartz’s healing tears or shield as belonging to Pink

And it must be that she never showed it to them

They maybe only knew about her offensive powers

MEGA PEARL IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND WISE AND HER RIBBON DANCING IS SO MAGNIFICENT AND I LOVE THEM JUST TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER YOU TWO

I can’t believe we got a new fusion so quickly!!!!

Fuck that bitch Shell amirite

look, someone help Steven.

Please help Steven.

HELP. STEVEN.

No new trailer for next week???? COWARDS

omg someone please please scream about all this with me

#steven universe spoilers #steven universe future #steven universe future spoilers #suf spoilers #suf #steven universe: future #steven universe: future spoilers #spoilers #steven universe #su:f spoilers #su:f #haha i have tagged this to high heaven #it's a long-ass post! #please feel free to message me or reblog to share your own thoughts!!!! #fanfoolishness su meta

[introvert-celeste]

You know I think all this pink diamond hate kind of pissed me off not only people blindingly hate pd like she deserve to be abused or some shit. but also considering I saw an ask from anon telling loomborn, an rose/pink fan that roses Redemption was her giving up her life and thinking that the whole world is better off without her is best end to her. I don't remember the exact quote and loom rightfully deleted it since i was making them feel bad but man... fuck these shit people

Honestly, these are my thoughts on the topic:

I think, plotwise, Rose’s death ended up being the best thing to happen to the other characters in the story. After all, if she hadn’t given up her physical form, we wouldn’t have gotten Steven. Regardless of how well-intentioned and loving Rose was, she still held this position of power that never really went away when she stopped being Pink Diamond. A large part of Rose’s characterization revolves around her lack of empathy--or at the very least her obliviousness to her effect on others until the result is right in her face--and her avoidance of the past, especially her past mistakes. Steven is the empathetic force who addresses Rose’s past mistakes and remedies them. Rose is the source of conflict that keeps most of the characters from improving, and Steven is the one who inspires them to change.

But for Rose? Her death was just the conclusion of her story. I wouldn’t even go so far as to call it a redemption arc; rather, I see her “redemption” as progressing vicariously through Steven’s growth, his exploration of who she was as a person, what she did, and why she did it. Instead, I’d say that Rose’s greatest show of growth while she was alive--besides, you know, realizing that what she was doing to the planet and what the Diamonds were doing to other gems was fucked up and literally faking her death to permanently separate herself from her cushy position on Homeworld--was learning to treat Greg as an equal and not as a toy or a temporary playmate. Having Steven was the logical end, and I believe I saw this in another post, but I would also argue that Rose was at her happiest, her most content, when she chose to have him.

I used to be one of those people who theorized that Rose was self-aware and her death was an attempt to separate herself from the equation, but given what we’ve seen of her, I really don’t believe she would have looked that far. Really, I don’t think Rose ever fully considered the consequences of her actions until she was confronted with them. Regardless, I do rather like the idea that Rose was satisfied with her choice to have a child, ending her own existence in the process. With all the sadness and strife wrapped up in her story, I like to think that she had a happy ending. Not just reassured that she was doing the right and good thing to eventually make up for her past wrongdoing, but that she was doing something that ultimately made happy. She just wanted Steven to be her kid, to live and grow and change like any human would. Nothing more or less. It’s as simple as that.

And as for the disproportionate Rose/Pink hate, I really do believe it boils down to how we’ve come to know her character, starting out as this saint-like, idolized character and slowly doling out every fucked up thing she ever did before revealing that she was actually one of the Villains(TM) all this time, that the hero of our story bears the gem of a Diamond. I feel like a lot of the people who hate Rose felt some sense of betrayal in learning that such a great character could do such awful things, and the only perspective we get of the situation are the characters she has hurt. Rose isn’t around to explain her side of the story, so there is very little room for sympathy if you consume it a face value. Some people just don’t realize, or perhaps they don’t care, that a lot of Rose’s selfish tendencies, avoidance, and desire to keep secrets are a direct result of how she was treated by her family.

I’m not sure how many people say Rose/Pink is worse than the other Diamonds, bc I feel like a lot of the people who hate her also hate how quickly the Diamonds were “redeemed,” but that opinion is very short-sighted. Again, we’ve seen how Pink’s “death” has affected the Diamonds and we’ve seen them improve for Steven, but we don’t get to see much of Pink’s side of the story. But are these people really so committed to hating Pink that they ignore that the Diamonds have literally conquered and destroyed planets without mercy or regret and forced countless gems into a rigid system where deviation oftentimes spelled death? While Pink never actually knew what colonization entailed until she went down to the surface to see what sort of wonders she was about to destroy? And she did everything in her power and beyond to protect it? And inspired thousands of gems to do the same? And became so inspired by their resulting rebellion that she wanted to give up her old life and live under her new identity, freeing Pearl in the process? It blows my mind that there are people who think Pink was worse. I don’t expect everyone to love her and she did do a lot of unforgivable things, but still, at least she cared enough to try...without the help of a 14 year old.

#steven universe #asks #rose quartz #pink diamond #blue diamond #yellow diamond #white diamond #theories #sorry for the wall of text #it's late and I didn't feel like sprucing up this post

[onisionhurtspeople]

Quick question, what was the whole thing with sarah? Something about how they were technically legal guardians, she was 15, but wanted to be in the """"triad""""?

You pretty much got it. I might make a longer post about this later to explain the entire history for newcomers (and I’m thinking about doing this across a wide range of Onision topics), but essentially what happened is that Lainey met Sarah online about four years ago, when Lainey was 20 and Sarah was 14. People started speaking up out of concern right away after perusing some of the public conversations between the two on Twitter and realizing how much of it was sexual in nature, such as Lainey joking about how Sarah’s grooming was coming along nicely.

People were rightfully concerned about this, as it was more than clear by this point that Greg has a predominant sexual interest in teenage girls (though he is very careful to make sure never to shack up with a girl who is younger than the age of consent in her state). 

The drama surrounding this relationship exploded when Sarah, now 15, began popping up in videos with Greg, Lainey, Billie, and Ayallah. The Avaroes began catching a lot of flack for this online - I remember the time very well; in between the period of Greg’s tumultuous and highly dramatic public relationship with Shiloh in 2011, and the period in late 2015 when an online journalist wrote an article about Greg rating the bodies of underage girls (which predated all of their drama with Billie), I don’t think I can recall any other incident in that time that they caught more criticism for. Lainey specified repeatedly in YouNow livestreams that she had parental guardianship over Sarah at the time - not Greg, not Sarah’s mother or father, but Lainey herself. Click here if you want to watch that stream.

Sometime in 2016, a couple of really creepy things happened in quick succession: the first was when a former friend of the Avaroes revealed that Sarah had repeatedly expressed an interest in being part of the “triad” (the “polyamorous” relationship between Greg, Lainey, and their girlfriend Billie), in the sense that she wanted to start being included during their sexual trysts; Greg apparently refused this. The second was when - after another falling out with yet another former friend - this friend (who was also a teenage girl! Shocking!), whose name was Lane, revealed that Sarah had told her several times about Greg repeatedly telling both she and Lainey that he thought they were going to end up together one day, and that in his opinion they should try dating each other. Sarah admitted later that she did remember Greg telling her several times that she should try being with Lainey, but Greg denied this and said that he and Lainey have had to tell Sarah repeatedly that they will never be more than just friends (which begs the question: if you have to tell a 15-year-old girl over TEN TIMES that they are never going to be able to date or have sex with your wife, then why are you still letting that girl live in your house? Why are you still bathing naked in front of that girl?) What’s so creepy about this last event in particular is the fact that not only was Sarah only 16, but also that at the time, Lainey had guardianship rights over Sarah - she was acting in the capacity of her legal guardianship, LITERALLY HER PARENT IN EVERY WAY, while Greg was trying to push the idea of them having sex together. 

One of the creepiest things that some of the farmers in the lolcow and Kiwifarms forums discovered was that it is (or, at least, was) a regular enough occurrence for Lainey to allow Sarah to watch her shower and bathe that he eventually had to tell Lainey to knock it off. This was confirmed (as well as it can be without direct substantiation from the involved parties) when farmers found a picture from Lainey’s private Instagram that was taken of her nude in the shower - but Sarah was the one taking the photo. This was doubly confirmed when some apparently “fake” screenshots of Lainey’s private Twitter account surfaced of her accusing Sarah of watching her bathe; yet despite their apparent lack of authenticity, when they were sent to Sarah by a concerned party, she reacted to the fake tweets nervously, which seemed to confirm that even if they were fake, the accusations in them appeared to be legitimate.

In summary: Sarah is a lost and confused barely-18-year-old girl with a mental illness who is very very clearly desperately in love with Lainey, and seems to have confused her feelings of love, friendship, admiration, safety, and gratitude towards Greg and Lainey as the ones who took her out of a sexually abusive home life and provided her with a safe and stable living situation (in her eyes, anyway) with romantic attraction. She’s also never really had many friends her own age due to both the instability of her upbringing as well as the fact that she spent a good chunk of her teenage years living with Greg and Lainey, and the revolving door of paid collaborators and fresh teen puss that Greg had flying through their house constantly (like Billie, Ayallah, Sam, Beck, Madison, and Maya, at the very least). 

Greg saw this vulnerable teenage girl as at best an opportunity to get his wife off his back by providing her with a subservient friend who would help her with child-rearing and chores and all of the emotional support that Greg wasn’t willing to do for Lainey, and at worst a soft trial to see how well she’d fit in as their third. Meanwhile, although Lainey professes to have Sarah’s best interest at heart, her actions contradict that regularly. She has done many things to betray Sarah’s trust, but the poor girl is so blinded by love that all the red flags she’s seeing through her rose-colored glasses just look like regular flags to her. Lainey has, for example, repeatedly used Sarah as a sort of emotional garbage can, such as when the two of them sat down to talk to Billie to ask her not to sleep with Greg - why the fuck would you bring a 15-year-old girl into such adult issues because you’re too weak to stand up to your own husband? Every time they send Sarah home out of spite over some minor perceived infraction, Lainey ignores her for weeks or even months at a time until Sarah has sent a sufficiently large quantity of gifts for the Avaroes to decide to “forgive” her past misdeeds, and welcomed her graciously back into their home. She repeatedly fails to defend Sarah against Greg’s insinuations, harsh words, and sexual harassment, such as allowing him to taunt her, calling her fat and plain. The last time that Sarah was sent home, it was because Greg had made a sexual comment towards her that made her feel uncomfortable (”Dat booty doe”); and Lainey, instead of protecting her underage best friend from her sexual predator of a husband, decided to tattle on her instead. And so Greg punished her disloyalty by sending her home, and she’s never been back since until this past weekend, when everything exploded again with renewed allegations that they’ve been grooming this girl since she was fourteen years old. These people are horrific.

Accidentally ended up writing a novel again. Sorry, guys. ;A;

#onision #laineybot #sarah #question #summary

[johnlockficclub]

Author Discussion

Welcome @silentauroriamthereal!!! We were so happy to read The Bells of King’s College, and even happier to have the lovely SilentAuror answer our questions about her fantastic story. It’s been a great journey, and now it’s time to get the inside scoop on the boys in this story. We’ve had a lot of fun with this one, and thank you all for joining us! We look forward to seeing you all again for the next round!!!

The most important question is, who did YOU envision when writing Greg? @sherlock-nanowrimo

Greg? No one, actually!

How do you get inspiration too a new fic? @tildathings

I don't know, honestly. I never sit down and go, "hmm, I'd like to write a new fic, what should I write?" I just have ideas in my head all the time and generally order them so that I know what I'm going to work on next. I don't typically go hunting for story ideas

I want to know how you write in general. This story to me feels like one of those write as you go stories. Was it? @elwinglyre

I NEVER write as I go. I always have the entire thing planned before I write a single word I always know the beginning, the ending, and at least several major points that come between, at least - overplanning is just as bad as underplanning

What was the purpose of using familiar names for original characters? @wildishmazz

For OCs, it just made sense for the setting? They were going to a conference, so it couldn't possibly be all people that they already knew?

Hiiiii! Here's one for you! What was your purpose for the swans? What did they represent to you when you wrote it? We speculated on it a bit but I’d love to hear what your intentions were. @hpswl-cumbercookie

The swans! I just like swans, haha! Plus, Cambridge is full of them! No specific symbolism there... I'm pretty un-symbolic, generally. Just straight up narrative

So is Cambridge a location that is familiar to you? @bluebellofbakerstreet

Yes, not as familiar as I'd like, but I once spent three weeks in residence at one of the colleges as a guest cantor (I'm a classical singer and conductor)

Was Mycroft really just interested in solving the case, or did he have ulterior motives? @sherlock-nanowrimo

Yes, Mycroft in my writing never has ulterior romantic intentions. He rolls his eyes heartily at the entire notion, though in his heart of hearts he knows that it's probably good for Sherlock. But he would never do anything to help it happen

I loved the tension you built up between John and Sherlock, especially John not realizing that Sherlock had loved him for so long. When you're writing characterization, how exactly do you plan things out? Outline, character sketch? @elwinglyre

It all depends on the specific context. In this case, I was taking them from literally two weeks out from the end of series 4, where things were cautiously okay on the surface, but there was still all this crap lying right beneath it: John still projecting his literal self onto his notion of what and who Mary was and needing to come to see that in a more realistic and healthy (especially in terms of his mental health) way, and having the two of them (him and Sherlock) actually talk for real about their issues over the years and actually fix them. I had also already written one fake-couple-for-a-case trope and wanted this one to specifically be one where it didn't work very well for them My sole purpose in life is to make these two idiots have a full, direct, and honest conversation just ONCE, since Moftiss isn't ever going to let that happen

Is it a deliberate choice for a specifc effect that you write in present tense, or it just sounds better, or.... something else? (I'm more used to long texts being in past tense) @srebrnafh

I used to always write in past tense, but something about this fandom in particular just makes it feel right to use the present! I don't know why, but virtually all of my Sherlock stories are in present, even in my 152K novel!

Do you think Greg could tell there was seething jealousy revolving around him? @sherlock-nanowrimo

No, he's a pretty typically thick straight dude, hahaha

It's difficult to make Sherlock be all sentimental without him going out of character, yet you suceeded very well with that. How do you walk that fine line? Any tips for us common mortals writing fics? @shiplocks-of-love

it definitely has to be approached with caution! Sherlock is FULL of emotion, though - it's all there, right beneath the surface, and the very reason that Mycroft always lectures him about it, because he IS vulnerable. The entire façade of disinterest is a carefully cultivated, yet absolutely untrue one! He cares so much - but he's also absolutely unused to expressing any of it, or whether he should at all, and if so, how. He hates looking bad at anything, which makes it all extra difficult for him and John, being emotionally repressed and all around hung up, doesn't make it any easier!

Do you find it easier to write as John or Sherlock's POV? You do both so brilliantly, so I'm just curious @inevitably-johnlocked

Sherlock, all the way. I love writing John's POV wholeheartedly, but I'm very much Sherlock in my own head/heart!

Jodie, she was a very good character in this fic. She really made us think about how we have become mistrusting against and good people in fic’s. Why are there not so many good people written in fic’s do you think. @tildathings

Jodie WAS also meant to be a red herring! It's not a technique that I've used often - revealing the murderer quite obviously very early on, and then just having the case revolve around them needing to prove it. So Jodie was also just meant to throw in some suspicion, for interest heh

What inspired you to use evensong in this story? I don’t know much about it so I don’t really know its significance. @hpswl-cumbercookie

I'm an Anglican who's worked in Anglican churches for a long time and it's just a really beautiful service! Plus, in the music world, Evensong is a service that non-Christians often attend strictly for the music, so it made sense to me that the Holmes family might have, too? I depicted Sherlock's mother as being the Vegas show-type, but his father being the one who took them to Evensong. Plus the Christmas Eve Lessons & Carols at King's College really is a place for society people to be seen, etc It's a beautiful service that's more music than anything else

Would you ever write Pre S4 or Pre S3 again, in that case? Or do you go with "as each series happens"? @inevitably-johnlocked

No, once a new series has aired, I'm stuck in the phase of post-that series but I don't consider anything written pre-canon to be AU, either - just canon compliant with the then-known canon

I also think of Jodie as a Mary Sue (one that I would like to be like). Is she you? @elwinglyre

No, I would never deliberately write a Mary Sue!

LoL I was legit just about to ask about how you do your case research lol @inevitably-johnlocked

Hmm - that's hard to answer! it depends on the case! sometimes I'll google street view parts of London for hours just until I've found the perfect street to set the murder on  I've also googled "dodgy parts of London" and stuff like that

I was wondering very much over  why Andrea didn’t try to kill the bride or the ex? @tildathings

The bomb could easily been going of somewhere else then at the conference. She wouldn't have killed outside her "territory", though. If they'd ever gone to her hotel, she might well have!

Can I say a thing about the antidote? I researched poisons a LOT for this story, like how quickly they act, what they taste like, how curable they are, etc, and I chose the poisons in this story very specifically, the only antidote that acts this quickly - aka, fast enough to save Jodie here - is literally the one that comes up in this story, and it's literally not in use in the UK yet. It's been approved for use in the US only, since it was developed there, so that's why the random American doctor showed up. It was the only realistic way to get that antidote into this conference it's called hydroxocobalamin and it's only been around for about three months now I genuinely do my homework for my fics, lol @silentauroriamthereal

The scene where John gets upset that the others are congratulating Sherlock on sex, we talked about it a lot and it was my favorite conversation in the chat. There were some slightly different takes on what exactly it was that John was pissed about.  Being a bottom?  Being a conquest? Gay sex in general? What does this say about his views on sex?  What were your thoughts in writing it? @sherlock-nanowrimo

All of the above! Being thought of as gay is something that I truly believe that John has a problem. John suffers from classic Short Man Syndrome, and being naturally perceived as the bottom is something I feel like he would naturally rebel against when he's not in his best place in terms of being emotionally healthy but especially the thought of having been a conquest, or having "caved" to something that Sherlock wanted and he didn't so much but I also think that John is so fascinating because his range of possibility is so huge. While I would say that it's absolutely in character for him to be a COMPLETE douche (because he absolutely has been!), I would say that it's equally in charater for him to be the soft-eyed, gently-smiling guy that we see after Sherlock's "England would fall" scene

LOL As an author, do YOU get frustrated that they're just not talking? I've always wondered. @inevitably-johnlocked

YES, omg, all the time!! like I said, it's my purpose in life to MAKE THEM TAAAALK but it has to get there realistically and there's just this huge backlog of stuff that needs talking about now, which makes it all the harder

John fascinates me, his relationship with family and friends. What do you think happened to his parents? Have you thought about them before writing anyone of your fic’s? @tildathings

I don't have a single theory. I've written multiple versions of what could have happened, just as I have at least 6 different versions of Harry now

I was reading another fic recently, where the author said in the notes that they had already addressed certain S4 things in other fics and didn't feel like it in this one.  Do you ever feel that way? @sherlock-nanowrimo

Oh, for sure for instance, I've written John discovering Sherlock's whip scars so many times now that I don't always include it in every single story now. Ditto for him discovering that he would have died (snipers) if Sherlock hadn't jumped, that it was blackmail, that Sherlock's silence was protecting his life so I don't always have them have the FULL DISCUSSION OF EVERYTHING in every single story

Did you have headcanons for Sherlock's past memories of the place (Cambridge)? @sherlock-nanowrimo

Not specifically, just family trips, usually during the holidays

Last fic club meeting all of us had ideas for a second fic. From bachelor party sorry forgot what that’s called in English, to marriage with very much fluff. Is fluffy story something you could think of  writing? Oh! And competition between Rock Greg and Greg Lestrade who made the best party! @tildathings

I never deliberately write "fluff" and find the term insulting, honestly that said, I am planning on a sequel to Isosceles, my most recent, where they go to LA to visit Corey (the OC in that story) and that will be on the lighter side, haha "fluff", to me, says "without substance" rather than simply "romantic" or "happy ending"

Can I just ask, as the author, writing that first get together after the ball, where was your mind? I'm not quite sure how to word it. like, Sherlock's and John's actions both make a lot of sense and very much feed off one another, but how did you get to that action specifically?. does that make sense? @hpswl-cumbercookie

My intention there was for them to hook up but without having had the major conversations that needed to happen first, plus John's jealousy rearing its ugly head and causing him (and remember, he was drunk and very much sans filters!) to say something hurtful that Sherlock definitely remembered, and for it to be the opposite of fixing their issues, but exacerbate them even further I did want their natural (and seven years built-up!) chemistry to take over, but for it to have happened out of order

Alrighty friends! Thank you all so much for joining us on this adventure, and obviously a million thanks for @silentauroriamthereal for joining us and speaking with us, as well as for writing this beautiful piece of fiction. From the whole JFC crew I want to say thank you and we will see you soon!

#johnlock fic club #the bells of king's college

[bisexualstokes-archive]

Innocence is Gone (1/?)

Chapter (1/?): Twilight Visions Rating: Teen+ (For: Language, Graphics Depictions of Violence) Pairings: Nick Stokes/Greg Sanders (also gen friendship with rest of the team) Summary: When Greg is abducted at a club by a group of vengeful youth who were part of the group that beat him up in Fannysmackin', it's a race against the clock to find Greg before the final blow is struck on him, and Nick admits some feelings he had tried to keep a secret, but some things can't stay underneath the surface. Nick/Greg, set in late season 7. Chapter Notes: oh boy...here we go, lads. My first whump fic in which Nick isn't the victim (but don't worry, he's not without his own suffering in this fic) (tw for a slur thrown at the end of ch. 1, by some ignorant youth.)

Read it on A03

Dusk was always Greg’s favorite time of day. While the bright, yellow sun against the clear blue sky brought a certain warmth and joy, there was a certain comfort, in the twilight hues that filled the sky as the stars began to appear on the multi-colored canvas. There was an awe-inspiring beauty, one that can only be found in this small time window, during a time of day in which he’s normally getting ready for work.

He’s grateful, for a night like tonight, in which he doesn’t have to go into work. A night all to himself, to do whatever he pleased, to fully experience this short window of time that he normally doesn’t get to look at.

“Something on your mind, G? You’re never this quiet.”

And what pleased him the most, was spending time with Nick Stokes.

“Nana Olaf called me this morning,” Greg said, staring at the vast desert landscape as they drove down the never-ending road. A crumpled paper was on his lap, the only direction they had on their excursion on this day.

“Oh yeah? How’s she doing?”

“Told me she had a terrible dream--well, not just a dream, a vision. Said it was about me.”

“Really? What’d she see?”

The corners of Greg’s mouth twisted up, he lowered his head. He knew Nick wouldn’t believe it--didn’t believe in that sort of stuff, or at least, he didn’t think so. But Nick seemed to have become a bit more open-minded since Greg’s met him, all those years ago. He knew it was stupid, to think telling Nick about something like this would be so...embarrassing, or maybe to think that Nick was just humoring him, instead of actually caring. He knew Nick cared about him, and the things he had to say, even when he was rambling about nothing in particular.

Greg let out a short, nervous chuckle.

“She didn’t say, actually...but she did tell me, not to go out tonight.”

Nick’s eyes widened, and then his eyebrows narrowed downwards, before a smile spread across his face.

“Maybe she foresaw us gettin’ lost on our way to this new club,” Nick snickered. “You sure you know where we’re going?”

Greg’s heart fell, just slightly. He had almost expected Nick to grow concerned, to take this bad omen for what it was, to suggest that they just go back to Nick’s house, or Greg’s apartment, and spend the rest of the night in each other’s arms.

Because he did know what Nana Olaf saw--or at least, a vague description of it. According to her, she couldn’t distinctly see Greg, but saw bloodied hands, a metal chair, blood drooling from his lips. He hoped it was just a nightmare, that perhaps she was seeing a crime scene that he would be investigating--it did happen before, after all. A week before Nick’s abduction, she had called him, to tell him that she saw Greg, surrounded by dirt, and glass, and white foam, frozen in fear.

“Yeah, ‘course I know where we’re going,” Greg muttered. He squinted down at the paper, wishing his friend had better handwriting. “You’re gonna be taking a left after we get past the city limits sign.”

“Where’d you hear about this place, again?”

“My friend, Trixie. She’s never steered me wrong before.”

“Trixie, huh? Isn’t that the same chick who told you to put bleach in your hair in your senior year of college?”

“Aw, shucks, you remembered!”

Nick shot him one of his looks that he gave Greg when he was semi-annoyed, but the smile still remained on his face.

“Besides, you saw those pictures, I was H-O-T hot with that blonde hair.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Nick murmured under his breath, fiddling with the zipper on his leather jacket. He moved the zipper up and down. An anxious tick. He knew Nick was still a little uneasy about going out, in public, with him.

“You should keep it halfway down. Looks hotter that way,” Greg suggested. He knew Nick wasn’t asking for fashion tips, he had to admit that his friend typically had a good sense of style--when it came to his clothing, at least.

Nick cleared his throat as he did what Greg suggested. Greg noticed that Nick wasn’t wearing a shirt under his jacket. He contemplated telling Nick to pull over, make some excuse to get them out of the car…

“Greg! Which way am I going?”

Greg snapped out of his mind, his voice squeaked as read the instructions to Nick. The sun had finally set, and they were left driving in near darkness. Although they were far from the neon playground in the middle of the desert, the stars in the cloudless sky shined bright enough to give them more light than the beams coming from Nick’s SUV.

“And then...the instructions end. Guess it means we should be seeing it soon.”

“I don’t know, man, it looks like there’s nothing but desert out here. We’re not even on the road anymore.”

“Wait--you see that? Up there?”

Among the vast landscape littered with bushes and boulders, Greg spotted a crowd of cars, all parked haphazardly together, surrounding a small, square building.

“That’s gotta be it.”

They parked off to the side, Greg ran his fingers through the curls of his hair, patted his shirt straight, popped up the collar on his jacket. The slight chill of the night air send a shiver down Greg’s spine as he took a deep breath. The thrill of the night was spreading through his veins. He bounced a little, with a big smile on his face, excited for whatever lay beyond the large steel door, guarded by a large man in a suit. Nick stood opposite him, staring at the door with a frown.

Greg ran a hand through Nick’s hair, in an effort to get his hair to stick up with a slightly messy style. He was grateful that Nick’s hair had grown back, his fingers lingered as he lifted the individual strands upward.  Nick didn’t quite realize it, but with that look, he had become one of the most attractive men Greg had ever seen, and was sure to be the envy of the club that night.

“What’s wrong?” Greg asked, fiddling with the zipper on his partner’s leather jacket. He immediately realized why Nick hesitated before he even finished the question. He knew this wasn’t just nerves over going out in public with another man, this was nerves over the fact that this building, on the outside, was way too small to hold all the occupants of the dozens of parked cars.

“Nothing, G. Let’s go,” Nick gulped. His throat was dry, he was biting his lower lip. He cleared his throat again and started towards the door.

“We don’t have to--”

“It’s fine--”

“Nick, I didn’t know--”

“It’s fine, Greg,” Nick growled, and stopped walking. He sighed and turned towards Greg, his expression was a half smile, but Greg didn’t buy it until his hands were sandwiched between Nick’s.

“As long as I’m with you...everything’s fine.”

He planted a small kiss on Greg’s cheek, Greg’s mouth spread into a smile. Nick gave him a satisfied smirk and guided them towards the door. The bouncer nodded at them as he opened the door for them, the soft buzz of music vibrated through their bodies.

The stairway was steep, narrow, only allowed for one occupant at a time. Greg’s hand was held out in front of him as Nick’s arm bent backwards to keep hold of Greg. He grimaced at the tightness of Nick’s grip on his hand, which hand caused Greg’s fingers to stretch out between Nick’s whitened knuckles.

The previously muffled music grew louder and clearer as they made their descent. Once they made it down the stairs and Nick let out a slow, deep exhale. Greg cupped his face in his hand, looked him in the eyes. He asked a nonverbal question, to which Nick nodded in an answer.

“C’mon, let’s get a drink,” Nick shouted over the loud music.

They waded through the crowd of people huddled in the large room, the bar was on the opposite side of the entrance. The room felt smaller than it was, due to the amount of people inhabiting it. Tables and chairs were strewn around the edges of the room, most of the chairs were empty, the tables littered with empty glasses and bottles. In a high-energy environment such as this, there wasn't time for sitting, only dancing. Flashes of white light came from flashing strobe lights in the ceiling, which were the bulls-eyes to black light spirals surrounding the bulbs. A thin layer of smoke hung in the air at waist length, it gave the room an almost dreamy look. Though it was difficult to distinguish facial features from one another in the dim light, a sea of smiles was rising, falling, twirling, colliding. It was the ultimate party.

Greg beamed as he felt a sense of comfort, among people who took this time to forget all their troubles, to expend that last bit of energy pent up inside of them from their long workdays. Night owls, living their life to the fullest.

They made it to the bar, Nick ordered a pair of drinks, he had nearly finished his by the time he handed Greg his own. A flutter of concern floated up Greg’s chest, but was quickly dispelled as he caught up to Nick. The flutter settled down, and Nick’s teeth became the brightest thing in the room.

“Wanna dance?” Nick shouted to him as he finished a second drink--When did he even order a second drink? Greg thought to himself.

“Thought you’d never ask!”

Nick led them towards the crowd, the loud bass from the tall, large speakers aligned with Greg’s heartbeat. They settled into a small gap, Greg bopped his head up and down until he felt his body begin to sway to the beat of the music. He watched Nick similarly warm himself up, settling into a groove that was both ridiculously goofy, and ridiculously hot. He moved his body closer to Nick’s, felt something lift up in his crotch area--he noticed a bulge in Nick’s, too. They grinded their clothed bodies against each other, Greg felt his fingers grab hold of the zipper on Nick’s jacket, thrusting it down to the floor with such speed and force that Nick clenched his jaw as he grabbed the back of Greg’s head, his fingers twisting the curls of Greg’s hair.

Nick leaned his head in, Greg could feel the warmth of Nick’s breath on his neck, his nostrils tingled from the smell of Nick’s alcohol tainted breath. He felt wet lips do their own dance all over his neck, his cheeks, his ears, his nose, until they finally found Greg’s lips. Both pairs of lips merged into one, the world fell beneath them, and Greg floated in the air...before crashing back down as Nick quickly pulled away.

The music had changed, intensified, into a louder and faster song. The strobe lights became more intense. Multiple flashes, in short succession, before it froze for half of a minute. Greg saw Nick’s eyes widen as he stared up at the blinding light, his tongue licked his quivering lips before they were plunged into darkness altogether.

The darkness lingered, for at least a minute, the music stopped. The crowd screamed, playing along with the pseudo horror before the music and lights resumed.

Greg pulled Nick close, wrapping his arms around the man--he was shaking.

“Are you o--” Greg whispered into Nick’s ear, but Nick pushed himself away.

“I’m gonna go get another drink!” He shouted at Greg, before becoming part of the crowd, who were completely unaware at the minor bout of drama between the two men.

Greg’s heart sank as Nick walked away, but a stunning brunette woman walked up to him, and Greg let himself fall into a trance, as he became acquainted with this new angel.

----------------------------------------------------------

The lights went off, the masks went on. Their contacts were already in, their eyes still glowed in the absence of light. Now the party could really begin.

They shook with laughter as the crowd screamed, some of the screams having started from the discovery of these masked maniacs--who, they had not realized, were there the whole time, lurking, waiting for a moment like this.

The lights came back on, and the crowd forgot its hysteria, and resumed their own laughter and cheers.

“Get a load of those fags!”

One of them gestured to two men, wrapped in an embrace. One of the men looked like he had just pissed his pants, the other was trying to console him. Were they that afraid of the dark? Of the big bad wolves, disguised as human beings? They hoped that the men were afraid, because if they weren’t, they would be--very, very soon.

“Hey...isn’t that the Sanders guy? The one that hit Demetrius?”

The group nodded to each other, snapped a picture, sent it to their leader, who was offsite at the time. They watched as the man Sanders was with broke apart from him, left him alone.

Easy prey.

Their phones buzzed, a message, from the ultimate Big Bad himself.

“Let’s fuck with him.”

#csi cbs #csi fan fiction #nick x greg #nick stokes #greg sanders #my fic #I'M SORRY GREG...i'm sorry #fic: innocence is gone

[kendrixtermina]

On the subject of White Diamonds’s Court

She clearly does have her own colonies (depicted both on her murals and Garnet’s narration to the off-colors), so she most likely had direct subordinates besides the other Diamonds.

Though I wouldn’t expect to see any other white gems besides her and anyone she takes over - She’s the only one because she’s the source of all others whereas all her creations reflect only part of “her” spectrum. (Hence why they were imperfect in her eyes, but ironically that seems to be what makes them individuals rather than just copies - If she infuses anything with “her pure, unadulterated essence”,  she only gets a puppet and her comment about how she ‘doesn’t like spreading herself so thin’  implies that she can only control so many of those at once. )

Hence, her direct underlings are probably rainbow-colored like CG Pearl and Bismuth. (Or indeed, White herself since it seems that she basically turns into a mood ring when she gets very emotional) - we didn’t see any as not to spoil the reveal of her Pearl being mind controlled.

One wonders how they feel about her fairly hands-off approach to ruling since we are shown what the other Diamond’s underlings thought of them:

Pink seems to have been universally beloved, much like she was with the CGs.  Everyone wants to avenge her and considers her alleged murder a travesty.  She was probably as oblivious about this as she was of Pearl’s jealousy, Greg’s initial fear that he’s only a plaything or the fact that the other Diamonds cared for her despite their spectacular parenting fails. Perhaps she thought her gems would mostly join the rebellion if there was no more Pink Diamond for them to be loyal to, but instead, they became more embittered. Also like CGs, her gems probably thought that she knew what she was doing when she really didn’t.

Yellow is admired by her efficiency and reason. (Some of that is propaganda, but while she can be capricious when angered, she does actually seem to value those things) If you look at Yellow Pearl or pre-redemption Peridot, they seem to accept their low ranks because they still have useful functions and get to be smug either on behalf on those tasks or toward those ranked even lower. As for the upper ranks like Jasper and the Topazes, well, a common thread seems to be that they’re not as tough as they act outwardly, because no one can be, not all the time   - We see that YD very much exerts authority and blows off people who question her, but at the same time, she doesn’t like flattery, doesn’t believe in taking special liberties just because they’re the leaders and has a sense of responsibility and a willingness to make sacrifices for the greater good.

Blue has a reputation for mercy and gentleness with the higher ranked gems such as Holly, Blue Agate but the lower-ranked ones like ‘our’ Ruby only know her murdery ice queen facade - it’s not just Ruby either, both  Aquamarine and Pink imply that she regularly dispenses “creative” punishmentsat times, even though, or perhaps precisely because she doesn’t really get much joy out of revenge.  But also judging by aquamarine, being in her good graces is a sweet deal. Part of why her enforcer have that much leeway might be because she doesn’t enjoy or have much interest in leading apart from a representative, “smile and wave” approach. Her motivations and reasons lie more on the personal scale, with her attachment to her fellow Diamonds. Even when it comes to White, Blue basically just wants her to spend more time together.

So basically Yellow is universally “harsh but fair” whereas Blue is nice if she likes you and vindictive if she doesn't, but their overall level of mercy or lack thereof is the same and you wouldn’t want to catch either of them on a bad day. Also both would probably have run things somewhat differently, and probably better, if White were open to suggestions. Some level of “the fish rots from the head down” is definitely in effect,Meanwhile Pink didn’t actually get to decide much before she ran away and was told that it’s because she’s not good at it, but also, she wasn’t really content with just being a particularly sweet and endearing tyrant or the sort of half-assed condescending concern that the Zoo would have been - she too, could apparently lead just fine (or at least adequately) when left to do it on her own terms with the CGs. Her style would just not have been possible in homeworld society, since it’s based on positive encouragement and consensus, taking a lot of pointers from others. She never really got to decide that much untiil she ran away.  (in that way, at leeast,  she was the exact opposite of White) Even so, she seemed to view it as a burden, ostensibly felt very guilty about all the things that went awry, something that particularly comes through in things she discussed with Greg.  We know she doubted whether she ever really “grew beyond her programming” and sorta envied humans in that respect- when we first saw that Scene in “Greg the Babysitter”, we still thought she was originally Quartz you’d think she was talking about fighting, but she must have meant leading. 

a hearty dose of“madness is trying to do the same thing over and over and expecting a different result” can also be applied here - Yellow keeps on conquering but they go through planets so fast there’s still a resource shortage, Blue piles on vengeance but it just makes her more miserable, and White’s response to anything is to amp up the very controlfreakery that is ruining things in the first place. They want to archieve their ends no matter the means, but their means end up destroyiing the very ends they’re striving for and whatever made these means bearable (mostly each other) - with the end result that their empire is a miserable place to live, their ressource policies are unsustainable even before you consider the massive destruction they wrough in the process. Also, Pink ends up running for the hills, Yellow and Blue end up in a fight, and White finds that they’re too terrified to come near her in her moment of weakness

So that tangent aside, what can we presently deduce about how White handles her direct underlings?  

- We know she rarely inspects her colonies herself and mostly stays on homeworld - and even when she’s there she stays in her ship.

Perhaps her absence gives her higher-ranked gems a lot of leeway to take the glory and adulation to themselves, especially if they consider it a honor to serve directly under her - they might act uppity toward the other courts because they view themselves as closer to white’s perfection.

Or she may have been neglectful causing them to feel somewhat abandoned, - perhaps she kinda ignored any problems or expected that the rules alone would be enough for everything to run smoothly, or she delegated the actual administrating to Yellow and Blue.

On the other hand, it’s possible that she’s got them all so terrified that they fall in line like clockwork, so that she doesn’t need to intervene directly. In that case she probably does the very same “I’m going to destroy everything you care about with a pleasant smile, for your own good, and woe to anyone who objects” thing that she did with Pink - except worse, because Pink was supposedly her favorite.

She’s got a knack for making use of people’s weaknesses and making their  virtues work against them, but at the same time her ideas about that are usually based on her presumptions than genuine understanding, so I’m not sure wether she’d be able to talk-no-jutsu people or rather break-them-by-talking like an evil counterpart to Pink and Steven. I mean, Pink managed the charismatic-benevolent-leader thing despite not being all that good at picking up other people’s actual thoughts and feelings. White has got this pleasant surface level but anyone who spends enough time with her seems to learn about her propensity for rage quickly enough. 

With the information we have so far, each of these could be equally likely - perhaps every one of them could be true for some of the various gems on “her” planets.

Her worlds could have been the worst ones for a gem to live on, but I’d find it interesting to learn if there’s anything that she, in particular, does well, something that could be considered a virtue or at least a saving grace. If there is, she might not know what it is. 

#steven universe #diamond authority #white diamond #pink diamond #blue diamond #yellow diamond