#those definitely reflected poorly on her as a person

[catoscloves]

"elena's such a bitch when she and damon are together she's so much better of a person when she and stefan were dating" like both of them are terrible only elena's actions reflect on her morality not who she's dating stop that at once

#i mean i get what y'all mean but it honestly just sounds like you only consider her a 'good' person if she's dating your heroic salvabro #and only like her at that point #and consider her ooc or 'bitchy' or whatever when she chooses damon #which imo means you're not really an elena fan you care about your favorite salvabro's happiness even though both of them #abused and belittled elena and took advantage of her vulnerability #and besides wwho cares if shes a good person #even as a care fan the fact that she was so mean to her and stole her dress is hilarious? lolz #attempting to kill bonnie and threatening caroline's mom were not the best moments #those definitely reflected poorly on her as a person #(more so for bonnie since elena didn't really intend to hurt liz i guess and lbr of course liz was never going to be collateral damage) #her relationship to male characters shouldn't be the priority over her abuse and mistreatment of her friends #and i'm not referencing her stealing care's dress that's literally fucking petty compared to her attempting to /murder/ bonnie #anti delena #anti stelena

[spotlightlowlife]

Mammon is the best written character in Helluva Boss!

He reflects the 'sins' of others back at them, audience included.

Was he a worst boss than Blitzø?

Was young Blitzø right to try and hinder Fizz's dreams?

See through her successful execution, was Bee not just as shallow business friendly?

Is he any more responsible for the sxxbots than Ozzie?

Was Ozzie withholding the foundation Fizz was frantically looking for as he tried to talk him out of the pageant, only revealing it and handing it over when he give up trying something that's just fine?

Do Fizz's other bad experiences pale in comparison to working with Mammon?

Bosses are bad, parents suck and anyone with power is an issue really, they upset the fav and if it's a problematic fav, well it's this baddies fault.

Formulaic? Yes.

I like this show and have no issue admitting it's definitely guilty of all these, case in point with the character in question, an employer and royalty who refers to his victum as child, stepchild and granchild, but this show has an additional villain common theme, which is sex and lack of.

Where Verosika is an actual sucubus and former love interest of Blitzø and Barbie debuted manipulating a teenage boy, Mammon instead comes from a long line of de-sexualised non throw away adversaries, following in the footsteps of business bad dad Paimon, failing business bad dad Buckzo and self made widower bad dad Crimson, along with the "prude" angels and Striker, who Millie's parents were very fond of whilst openly disproving of Millie's choice of husband in Moxxie, who struck up a one sided rivalry with Striker, only Striker wasn't interested in either of them.

Mammon joins this club by showing his discomfort at the prospect of producing sexbots, quickly rebuking any potential critics in words of pure projection. Years later these dolls have low gone down well because they are marketed in all areas, though their appears to still be little appreciation for them as first one we meet is poorly maintained dispite being a host at a large family amusement park.

Still, he made the bots work even though it wasn't for him. Ironically it is Ozzie the prince of lust who manufactures the dolls, yet the doll proposal (which the audience were made aware of) and assumed business collaboration between the two princes was a thing before Fizz chose entered the (optional) competition, won and found fame, yet now Ozzie has caught feelings for Fizz there's now issue with his sxdolls existing and who's fault is this?

Another thing Mammon appeared to talk down on was pageants, but still, he stepped back from his "clown stuff" he "doesn't even do [clown stuff] anymore" and into that boss, mentor/instructor/agent, stage parent role to train who ever happened to win the pageant, his methods are reminiscent of many of those who rigidly train performing artists, like it or not.

It was a disingenuous claim for Ozzie to make that Mammon has done nothing for Fizz, better performer maybe, doesn't need that gig definitely, but a dislike of someone doesn't equal they're good for nothing as much as people get comfortable believing and this invalidates Fizz's stress, guilt and loyalty based on feelings of debt and inadequacy.

Fizz needed the confidence to be able to move on, his situation wasn't an unrelatable one, there's nothing wrong with taking all you have gained, bidding farewell and leaving certian situations behind. Though the episode moved in the 'business is bad, bosses are bad' direction, yet still Mammon was the one to make this turn fun.

Seriously though, we only ever hear of business in passing from Stolas, Ozzie or Bee, Bee and Ozzie getting to have nothing but fun whilst fulfilling their role, getting up close and personal, forming loving relationships with those at the very bottom of the social structure we are supposed to believe is a thing. Mammon on the other hand, insincere affection and vulgarity aside, was rather professional - as insincere as his interest in wellbeing may be he did still show up when Fizz stalker approached to ask how Fizz was and did offer to let Glitz and Glam performe first which was undeniably helpful, even if it was just to get back on track. He was consistent with his work and purpose, who didn't let us know of any interests outside of work, we never know what is his opinion, so was the "women just aren't funny" remark, that wasn't a joke and was retracted later, based on sales, as he really didn't care who entered or won any of the pageants and the context was to not waste anyone's time?

Is he more chauvinistic than Fizz and Blitzø who referred to Glitz and Glam as "bitches", "snatches" and "sluts"?

Another remark was Fizz's supposed weightgain, again, not a joke, just who does constantly put up with totally uncalled for fat jokes at work? Moxxie. Blitzø would react to a weight gain remark directed at Fizz but unlike Mammon who took back a previous statement without really needing to, do we get the impression that Blitzø now regrets partaking in fat jokes aimed at his most erratic employee?

In Blitzø we get someone who isn't very professional, who is overly personal and aggressive with his employees, whose screen time has deviated from the business he made the effort to set up, who doesn't listen to idea or reason, knows best and makes poor business decisions such as spending a chunk of money advertising on a tv station that hardly has viewers. Pilot matters, content is content.l for us to eat up.

Blitzø let's Fizz know that he's being spoken to in a way he shouldn't, yet within his almost every communication with Moxxie being cruel, he too has behaved in a dismissive toxic positive way, remember the party thrown for Moxxie who had to do something he felt conflicted in doing then didn't feel good about it later? Who cared if he enjoyed himself.

Moxxie's behaviour during the recent summer camp episode was heavily down to finally getting the freedom work without being shot down, berated, threatened and ignored. He would go on to realise that his desperation to work his vision resulted in him not listening to Millie and being insensitive and he corrected himself. Great character development, in an episode were we followed the main characters at work, something we do half the time.

On the subject of work.

All those years ago, why exactly did Blitzø cringe the very moment Mammon proposed the pageant that would have the winner work with him? Because he didn't want to risk Fizz leaving his side, he made that clear, he even strategically answered but not really Fizz's question about if he could win, but what shadowed this was his later decision that the show turned out to be a waste of his savings, there were too many clowns and Mammon puked and passing out on stage. Same Blitzø who was enthused to be there, showed no disdain to clowns and had no plans to leave his family circus, dumping on Fizz's dreams out of nervousness at things changing and being left behind.

Fast forward and the once mild mannered Blitzø has grown into an obnoxious exhibitionist whose antisocial behaviour has caused him loneliness, dispite being very supportive at times. We have seen get blackout drunk when centre of attention and spew. Still, all these years later, we have no hindsight but Blitzø knows Mammon is a phoney who he saw through, but what does he base this on? 'Extortion', the slip Blitzø didn't react to?

Up until this episode Fizz was doing very well for himself, he was famous as he had wanted to be, he lived a happy life of riches, fun job and pushing lust with his sugar daddy lover, who is royalty, who he wakes up to each morning, who manufactures his dolls?

Fizz had only been the reigning pageant champion for 10 years, wasn't the accident and his fall out with Blitzø prior to this? Until we follow Fizz, who is very irritated at Blitzø's presence, there's no proof of Mammon being a bad boss. Fizz was insecure about his appearance, from a recent injury and the accident all those years ago which we were reminded of throughout the episode, in addition the pageant was a major source of stress as he had to do well, he had been holding the title of champion for a decade, who wouldn't be stressed?

Let's not forget that he also doubted Ozzie's love for him believing it to be down to his popularity.

Let's not forget his stalker who has been obsessed with him since he was still at home.

But we are used to seeing fun.

Ozzie, Bee and Mammon all hosted a big bash when we met them, they were all working, their guests made a choice to be there and their events were the place to be, only this time we got the employees perspective, think for those who work at restaurants, bars and nightclubs where the patrons enjoy themselves, it's not so fun on the other side and it's often the nepo folks who include lovers that have an easier time.

Work ain't fun most of the time.

Lastly.

Why was Mammon not allowed to be mad after allowing himself to be publicly roasted to a large crowd on his stage before having his greedy supply cut off, why would it be of any surprise that he would react? Bee and Ozzie were had no issues intimidating Loona, Mille and Moxxie for disrespecting them on their turf.

When is it OK to proudly display and endorse control and bullying? When you're loved or lovable?

We have enjoyed a dark comedy built on power play and sarcasm, so what does it take to make these serious problems in the real world problematic? Someone who isn't there to be liked?

This is good writing.

There are too many writers involved to not know what they're doing. They are active online and the fanbase is rampant with their blind loyalty to the show and the character invested in by giving them simple brownie points. Too many wouldn't believe that I enjoy this series and like all the characters mentioned.

Mammon was created to out and troll the the fanbase.

#helluva boss #helluva mammon #helluva boss fandom #helluva boss critical #but i like it #double standards #You are being played #long post #sorry english is not good #hear me out

[anti-katsuki-lounge]

Saw someone saying that most people in the "bnha critical" hashtag mostly just "suck deku's dick" instead of actually criticizing the story. The same person also had another post basically saying that the reason why midoriya gets treated so poorly by the narrative is because every other character's traits were "erased(?) to make up for midoriya's bland character*" * I don't remember their exact words, but they said something similar to that

Those two posts gave me such a headache that I blocked them immediately

I really hate it when people say this.

I’m going to be honest, as someone who likes Izuku, there’s things you can definitely criticize about Izuku’s character. I think that he’s far too naive in certain situations and doesn’t get called out for it much. Him trying to see good in Overhaul is one of those instances. I think he suffers immensely from selective intelligence. He’s supposed to be great at thinking on his feet yet it takes him very long to realize that he could be throwing more kicks. I also think that as the story progresses, he becomes far less creative with his quirks. You get some rare moments like him using Black Whip from his mouth after being inspired by Tsuyu, but we rarely get these moments of his intelligence anymore. He’s also not allowed to really reflect on his past, so he’s extremely stagnant in regards to his views about things such as his quirkless past and the bullying he’s suffered from Katsuki.

However, Izuku isn’t a bland character. The problem is he has a bad writer. We could’ve seen more of his and Ochako’s relationship. Unlike many other relationships, the two are built around the idea that they constantly have each other’s backs. I wanna see more of this. I wanna see more of them bonding. Maybe Ochako asks Izuku for some hand to hand combat training. Maybe Izuku learns more about Ochako’s life/ her hobbies and tries to plan things for them to do that they both enjoy. Maybe they can have a heart to heart about constantly being underestimated and being a part of a group that is looked down upon (Ochako being poor and Izuku being quirkless). With Tenya, maybe the two can study together. Tenya’s great at retaining information but Izuku’s better at being creative, so they can help each other there. They could talk about their feelings of anger and how they feel they have a large legacy to uphold. With Shoto, we can have Izuku and him explore what a normal healthy friendship is like. We can have them confide in each other about the abuse they’ve been through and about their relationships with their moms. These are things that could easily be explored with a character like Izuku and Hori has set up the building blocks of Izuku’s character that allows for these things to be explored. The problem is that Hori doesn’t do any of this. We’re expected to believe that the DekuSquad are close knit with each other, but we don’t see them interacting in anything that isn’t related to heroics. We don’t see much of Izuku’s creativity anymore. He has numerous quirks, but even if some overlap with the others, there are cool combos a hero nerd like him could come up with, but instead Hori would rather have him do the exact same things over and over again. The way Hori writes Katsuki also hurts Izuku’s character. Outside of the first chapter, Izuku’s never allowed to show anything other than fear and admiration for Katsuki. He’s never allowed to be unique or else he’ll utterly surpass Katsuki in something (Katsuki’s latest B.S power up is an example of this). He’s not allowed to reflect on Katsuki’s bullying and the effect it has on him nor is he able to hang out with anyone without Katsuki being nearby or involved.

Long rant, I know, but the point is that while there’s certainly things you can criticize about Izuku’s character, most of the issues with Izuku doesn’t come from being a bad character but from being written by a bad writer who prioritizes other things over developing his MC

#anti katsuki bakugou #anti bakugo katsuki #anti bakugo #anti bakugou #mha critical #anti bakugou katsuki #bnha critical

[gosmigenergy]

KINKTOBER 2023 / Day Twelve

( Will ‘Ironhead’ Miller x F!Reader )

ORGASM DENIAL/CONTROL / LINGERIE / ROLE REVERSAL

Summary: After his kindness the other week, you think Will deserves a little treat.

Day twelve of @absurdthirst's Kinktober prompts list.

Rating: Mature 18+

Warnings: Mentions trying on clothes, P in V, unprotected sex (use protection irl please), no use of Y/N

Word Count: 2.4k

You were never one for shopping, everything was easier online.

A Saturday spent going shop to shop, fighting against the flocks of people doing the same with sounded like a weekend you’d rather forget, yet here you were. Your friend had dragged you out, mostly because she wanted to see you, secretly to get the gossip on what was happening with you and those guys from fight night.

Your lips were mostly sealed and what you did give her wasn’t nearly as juicy enough.

She was carrying a few bags whilst you were leaving empty handed, everything you tried on either felt weird or looked weird or both. This is why you preferred trying stuff on at home, without the unflattering mirrors, poorly lit changing rooms or the shop assistant knocking on the door to see if you were alright.

Until you caught something out of the corner of your eye.

She carried on ahead of you, only realising you’d ground to a halt when you didn’t reply.

“I haven’t seen you look at something like that since Santiago.”

“Huh?”

She chortled, “You look so cute when you’re confused.”

Standing next to each other, you gazed at the mannequin in the shop window. You never remembered a lingerie shop being here before though it gave that vibe of not just selling ridiculously pretty under garments.

“Why don’t you try it on?”

“I’ll just get it on—“

“This is not the kind of thing you order online,” she folded her arms, “trust me.”

You bring your attention back, biting the inside of your lip.

She sighed and grabbed your hand with a python like grip.

“Come one,” she hauled you towards the doors.

“Nooooo.”

You immediately gravitated towards the set you admired in the window, fingers flicking to find your size and just as you gave up hope, a shop assistant approached. She was mostly harmless and actually good at her job. When she asked what size you were looking for, you blanked, and she smiled and said she’d measure you up. Now you found yourself stood in a velvet walled changing room with matching furniture, twiddling your thumbs, waiting for her to come back with your size.

The knock made you flinched.

Opening the door, she slipped in and handed you the pieces.

“I didn’t know which bottom you’d like so I brought all three.”

“There’s three different types?”

She hummed, “You’ve got my personal favourite, the high waisted knicker. The thong which you know, always sells well and the crotchless. You wanted the garter too, right?”

You could only nod, the last option had thrown you.

Crotchless?

“Let me know when you’re ready and I’ll fix the bra straps.”

“Ok,” you say softly.

You could hear the conversation outside, your friend and the shop assistant making small talk at first - how was your day, where have you been, the usual until they started talking about you.

‘She’s not much of a shopper.’

‘Who is these days,’ the shop assistant says. ‘I much prefer online but this kind of stuff is risky, if you don’t know your size, it’s a lot of back and forth.’

‘That’s why I dragged her in here.’

‘I hope she likes it, that set will really accentuate her figure, it’ll look great on her.’

‘There’s definitely a few guys who’d love to see her in it.’

You wobble, bumping the door as you try to get a leg through the hole, too busy listening in on what they were saying.

“You ok?” Your friend queries.

“I’m fine, almost there.”

Closing your eyes, you take a few breaths before spinning on your heels, opening one eye. The image reflected had you instantly opening the other and your heart skips. You looked good, real fucking good. You exhale, pushing yourself up on the balls of your feet, imagining how you’d stand in heels. Clinging onto the plush walls, you turn to view the back and are equally as pleased.

All the boys would love this but you had one in mind.

—

You told Will you were going to freshen up about twenty minutes ago and you were surprised he hadn’t come to check on you.

The first five minutes was you, staring at the clean lines of the bag, a neat little bow sealing it shut. The next five was you gazing upon the set laid upon the black tissue it was once wrapped in, the emerald green colour rich. You spent the other ten minutes getting the damn thing on with delicate fingers, afraid that any brisk movement would ripped the mesh. When it was all on, you went to the mirror and adjusted your boobs just like the assistant showed you, it was the correct way apparently.

Back on the bed, you slipped on the stockings and hooked them into the garter before slipping on the pair of heels you hid in your weekend bag.

The nerves were starting to get to you, you wobble on your heels as you head to the mirror again. 

You didn’t get why you were so nervous, this was Will for fuck’s sake. You’re sure if you approached any of the boys in this lingerie, they’d fall to their hands and knees and worship you at your feet. Maybe that’s what it was, new territory, you were used to being the centre of attention but now, you were stepping into the spotlight.

You took a deep breath before checking yourself over one last time.

Heading to the door, you grabbed his robe from the hook and wrapped it around your frame. You step carefully, his robe gathered around your ankles as you go to find him.

He’s busying himself in the kitchen, back towards you.

You knew you could do this.

Treading carefully, you tiptoe to stop the clicking of your heel and hover behind him. You stretch your arms up, rubbing your hands before covering his eyes.

He drops the soapy dish in his hand.

“What have I told you about approaching us from behind?”

Not to do it, which hardly seemed fair because they did it all the time.

“I know, it’s jus—“

His other hand had snuck to your ass and he squeezed, a twitch in his brow as he felt the soft, thick fabric of his dressing gown.

“Keep your eyes closed.”

He gifts you another three squeezes.

You guide him away from the countertop and turned him round, still covering his eyes with your palms.

“Are they definitely closed?”

“Of course, sweetheart.”

You part one set of fingers to make sure, he was never one for lying. Bringing your hands back, you read his features like always he was pokerface except for the slight curl in his lips, you’d peeked his interest.

Grabbing the tea towel, you dry his hand before taking them in his. Yours were always so velvety in comparison to his even after soaking in the water for as long as they had, he knew they were rough.

Leading the way, you tug lightly and walk him out the kitchen.

You thought you had planned this but as you turn your head, looking at the living room, you realise this isn’t going to work. You needed to sit him somewhere where he could see you in full view and where you could stand so he would see you from head to toe. It’s as if he heard your mind working.

“What are you thinking?”

“I want to sit you down but I need the space.”

“Bedroom?”

“Hmm, I wanted somewhere different.”

“How about the office?”

“You have an office?”

“Kind of,” he shrugs, “it’s where I keep all my books, there’s a nice leather chair if that’s what you’re after.”

You make a move.

You’re met with a small room, the walls ladened with books and military paraphernalia, photos that you can’t wait to have a proper look at. You escort him to the leather chair and he makes himself comfortable as you go to close the door.

He can hear the clicks on the wooden floor, feel the nervous energy.

“You ok?”

You hum.

“Can I open my eyes yet?”

“Yeah,” you say in a sigh.

There you were stood in his robe though his eyes did fall on your shoes. He leans forward, resting his forearms on his knees, hands hanging loosely together.

“Now you’re just teasing.”

Your head drops as you giggle, cheeks blushing. You bring your head back up and scoop your hair out of the back, shaking it out of your face.

“I know I am but,” you begin to undo the tie. “I wanted to see your face when I did this.”

Shrugging off his robe, it pools at the bottom of your feet.

You hear his breath as his eyes roam across every part of your body, those piercing blues bringing goosebumps to your skin. His tongue whips over his lips as one of his hands reaches for the back of his neck, he tips his head to one side. Leaning back, he takes another peek, forehead creasing as his eyebrows raised. 

“Fuck.”

His smile buried into his cheeks. He threw his hand to you after he rubbed his neck.

“Is this just for me?”

You bit your lip, “Yeah.”

His reaction was better than you could ever have hoped for.

The goosebumps had dispersed and left a prickly feeling that warmed your skin, the knot you felt in your belly releasing, your arousal burning in your loins.

He beckoned for you to come.

You walk with purpose, exaggerating your hips, stopping when your pointed toes scuff the chair. 

Rocking forward, Will smoothes his palms over your legs and up your ass, sweeping over your hips and waist. He extends his thumbs, brushing over your breasts, nipples growing under their mesh containment. Moving to your back, he edges you closer.

His breath teases your skin, whiskers tickling as he kisses along the band of your knickers.

You sigh, your nails scratching his scalp as the kisses intensified.

The strain in his pants was becoming unbearable, his cock stiffening underneath. With one hand, he undoes his buckle and pops the top button, pulling the zip to alleviate himself. He does nothing else, desperate to touch your skin.

He flattens his tongue and licks from one side of your body to the other.

Your juices dribble, dressing your folds.

When he offers you some relief, you climb onto his lap, knees pressed to his hips. You settle so you’re face to face and bring your lips to his, two swift kisses before you push on his mouth, drawing the air from his lungs. You catch his moan in your mouth as you slip your tongue in and dance with his.

His teeth sink into your bottom lip as he pulls back.

Cupping his hands over your breast, he thumbs at your nipple until it grows puffy. Freeing it from the delicate fabric, he takes it his mouth and suckles, tongue swiping up and down.

Your head falls back as a cry rises from your chest.

He releases it from his mouth with a pop before doing the same with the other. His fingers run in the middle of your breasts and down your stomach, over your knickers. Sliding over your mound, he expected to be greeted with more material containing you. He chuckles when your juices coat his digits.

Peeling himself away from you, he lifts his hips and yanks his pants and boxer enough to release his heavy cock.

Licking your fingertips, you catch his precum and spread it over his tip, a shiver jolting up his spine as he reclines. You line yourself up and drop your hips, taking him in your opening. Your walls pulse around his bright tip before you sink further into his lap. He gives a satisfied sigh as you take him to the hilt.

You roll your hips in the figure of eight.

“That’s it,” you coo as his head rests to the cushion.

Placing a hand on his chest and the other on his thigh, you lift yourself up before coming back down with a gasp. You revel in his every grunt, every moan as you steadily ride his cock, the wet smack as you bounce from bare skin.

You rode until your legs began to protest.

After another stroke, you collapsed onto his chest, your hand releasing his top.

He’s still inside you, cock twitching as your walls constricted around him. His movements were sluggish but he manages to bring a hand to your back. He strokes you up and down, allowing you to breath.

“Shall I help us finish?”

He looks at you, smiling softly.

You nod in agreement, sweat clinging to your hairline.

Placing his hand under your ass, you lean forward and let him lift your hips up and down. You whimper as your arms wrap tightly around his neck, your chin resting on top of his head.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart, we’ll both be cumming soon.”

With the new angle, his cock nudges that sweet spot over and over and though he promises you’ll finish soon, you don’t know how much more you can take. His breath is hot against your shoulder, lips showering it with kisses. The blood pumping through your veins fast and loud, you can only just hear him whispering praises in your ear.

Then he holds you steady, tip still radiating in your walls.

You know what’s coming, your fingers bury into his shirt and your eyes snap shut.

He thrusts, shoving his cock into you sharply.

You both moan in unison before he slips out before continuing back and forth at a relentless pace. 

Even with your eyes closed, your seeing stars, that burn in your belly heightening as you let out a strangled cry. Your legs are vibrating as he pushes you to the edge and helps carry you through your orgasm. His cock is trapped in your pulsating walls and with a couple more strokes, he coated them.

Your body slack above him and he drops his hip for you to lay.

There’s shockwaves as you try to settle, his strokes on your legs not helping. You feel his heartbeat slow against your chest, his breaths less staggered as you bring your attention back to the room.

There’s a moment of blissful silence before Will speaks.

“Please tell me you’ve got more lingerie.”

#kinktober 2023 #triple frontier #triple frontier x reader #will ironhead miller #will miller #will miller x reader #will miller x you #kinktober

[neonscandal]

I saw a video these days about jujutsu and I saw something that I never realized that Megumi is not a good person because he is willing to do anything for his sister, which makes him selfish and that he only saves those who he "deems" to be a good person and who qualify as a good person for him. his morality is very black and white just like geto. There's a line from him that is very realistic, especially today in the manga, that sorcerers are not heroes, an example saturo gojo.

Just Megumi dodging these harsh allegations.

You mean Megumi Fushiguro, son of Toji Fushiguro Satoru Gojo?? Character alignment wise, I oscillate between considering Megumi a True Neutral or more of a Lawful Neutral where "Lawful" is being applied generously.

Megumi is incredibly principled. The baseline for his evaluation of a person is distilled down to an observation that "I won't kill you so, in return, you shouldn't kill me." In a lookback at his days before Jujutsu High, we see that he is more than comfortable beating the brakes off of people who violate this basic tenet, even if they don't infringe upon it with him directly. Despite the rule as he lectures the delinquents, his application of it is very in line with Geto's ideology that the strong should protect the weak and keep the strong in check.

Geto considered all non-sorcerers to be weak against curses thus it was sorcerers' responsibilities to mind the herd. Megumi is a bit more discerning which is a reflection of his strength and perceived weakness compared to his peers. It also factors the flaws and inherent ability to be evil into his consideration. What set Geto astray was the fact that, as the strongest, he couldn't fathom the weak to be a threat. Based on Megumi's actions, those that deserve protection, like Tsumiki and Yuji, are those who are selfless and act on others' behalfs even to their own detriment. So, doing anything for Tsumiki, not even his blood relative, is a reflection of her purity of character. He's not one to cause harm to innocent people but does consider past harm as damnable offenses (like the truck driver who struck a kid in the juvenile detention center... who may or may not have been the driver who killed Rika Orimoto).

I think the big difference here is the fact that... Geto was a part of "The Strongest". Megumi is not. While he was great against non-powered up delinquents, people within jujutsu society remark that he's not good at hand to hand combat. Further, at this point in the anime, we now see that Megumi, at any indication that a fight was going poorly, either had a death wish or didn't see a way out that didn't involve summoning Mahoraga... even against Todo. EVEN AGAINST HARUTA. One could argue his morality is less to do with the idea of omnipotence as was the case with Geto and more to do with the fact that... he's not out here trying to die for someone who will later cause more harm to the world than he can cause good.

It's true, Megumi is aware that sorcerers are not heroes. In fact, he probably thinks those who are foolhardy and believing that they're helping people are especially laughable. Consider the fact that Megumi Fushiguro is a person who was bought and sold... twice... by sorcerers. He's got no choice in the matter as to the path he's on but he's got a tempered sense of reality that is informed by the fact that sorcerers die all the time, students and adults alike. He's just trying to make it out alive and with as much autonomy as he can and that informs an illusion of choice as to who is worth potentially dying for.

While his ideals definitely seem like they could lead him down a similar path to Geto, I think his motivation informed by a sense of self-preservation that he's willing to forego on principle differs greatly from Geto's perception that no harm would ever come to him at all. Geto experienced a foundational upset that altered his brain chemistry but Megumi is aware of his own weakness all the while and will still choose to fight. Please also remember the whole reason he even agreed to go with Gojo in the first place was to make sure Tsumiki wouldn't have a shitty life. He blindly chose a life fraught with peril so she wouldn't suffer at the hands of the Zenin. He, a child, essentially agreed to indentured servitude to protect her because, alone, he could not fend for her.

RE: Gojo as a hero... I am not so foolish as to say he is, but I am not uninformed to say he isn't either. He is simply flawed. Both in essence as a character and in the execution of his ideals. But consider the fact that, as The Strongest:

Gojo doesn't have to bend to the will of the elders that he disagrees with, he could simply kill them.

Gojo doesn't have to take missions just as Yuki Tsukumo refuses, he could let others continue to die in vain.

Gojo doesn't have to stick his neck out for Megumi, Yuta or Yuji, what matter are they to him when he has godlike strength?

None of the above would make him a villain to simply.. not participate in the rigamarole of jujutsu society because, with his strength, it's not like anyone could force him to. Doing the above also doesn't make him a hero; however, knowing that he could just go off and do whatever but he chooses the path of great resistance to cultivate abilities in others so as to better prepare them to be sorcerers and, as much as he can, protect them from the burden of their responsibilities. He's earnestly trying to improve facets of jujutsu society that he doesn't necessarily have to suffer because it's the right thing to do and it benefits kids who come up after him. In comparison to what he could be doing, he's trying to make a difference so the world doesn't lose another person like Geto to the reality of what it means to be a sorcerer.

In a broader sense, Gojo also meets the literal requirements of a hero as a literary device as he is a legendary figure seemingly born of divine descent and endowed with great strength and ability. This is just offset by him being canonically grating to like... everyone around him but Geto and just, generally, a silly, goofy lil guy 🤪✨

#neon asks #anon asks #manga with me #manga with me jjk #we are the strongest #megumi fushiguro #fushiguro megumi #megumi zenin #zenin megumi #geto suguru #suguru geto #gojo satoru #satoru gojo #fushiguro tsumiki #tsumiki fushiguro #jjk #jujutsu kaisen #anime #manga #character analysis #jjk meta #jjk analysis #character alignment

[daisychainsandbowties]

yo you should be so cool as to be ava-coded. it's the attitude it's the confidence without the arrogance it's the inhibition and the resilience. it's the yeah i'll fight you and i'm scared but i'm gonna be brave about it because i still believe there's a chance i might win, one day, eventually

oh being ava-coded is definitely a compliment & yeah i think what makes her so beautiful to me as a character is her scrappiness & the way she looks at everything and loves it so much. just those little moments like again i will never shut up about ava kissing her reflection but also the Croissant Attack, jumping in a pool and then ‘??? wait can i swim?’

the way she’s like ‘i look pretty good in this sword huh?’ to mary. the fact that she runs away and leaves a note in her scratchy uncertain handwriting that says ‘i want to live.’ the fact that she goes back for diego and gives mary & lilith the finger with blood on her knuckles as she sails away. the steeliness & tough-as-fucking-nails attitude you see in her sometimes, in episode 5 especially when she punches lilith in the face and earns that little surprised double-take.

how she goes back to splint mary’s leg and ‘i watched a lot of tv’ and praying one time with a belligerent air of ‘i’ll give you a chance to actually be there, god’. the ham fight and ‘ooops i threw a guy across the bar’ and all the times ava surprises herself with her power & is never cruel about it. how gentle she is when it counts and how enormously hard that is when you’ve come from a place that treated you poorly.

i think what puts me in awe of ava is her gentleness and how it sits in spite of everything. how she’s so generous with her love. here’s a person who grew up being told she meant nothing every day, who has had to claw her way towards loving herself & who DOES in the most genuine way.

it always strikes me, looking at how easily ava loves herself, that you can be told again and again that you’re not the kind of thing anyone loves and you can turn around and say fuck you to that, and love yourself anyway.

#*screams in ava silva* #anon <3 #warrior nun #ava silva

[qtubbo]

The tall for her age hc is cute but the way so many people who don’t watch her (don’t watch Tubbo) seem to think she’s older than she is frustrates me a little. I really think it’s a factor in why they get so much hate in addition to going up against more popular eggs and having a “bigger” personality. Regardless of your options on their conflicts it definitely looks different if it’s two preteens versus a preteen and a younger child.

Yeah it does really suck, people treat her personality baseline as something more mature or older, so they consider her as such, but when she does as they do most times act like a child she’s been too dramatic and annoying. People really do try to reframe the whole conflicts between Tallulah and Leo, as being even so it doesn’t reflect so poorly on those eggs. It’s easy to treat it like Sunny, an egg their same age, as getting rejected because people are scared an unsure about her, then to admit Sunny an egg barely older then Pepito (a 4 year old) is getting treated as scary and dangerous by kids at least 10. It just doesn’t look good to admit this is an actual toddler getting treated badly by preteens, when you’re the fan it’s just easier to age up Sunny than admit that the behaviors wrong.

#asks! #Qsmp fandom neg #qsmp sunny #qsmp fandom crit #crit

[palant1r]

you disagree with buying hogwarts legacy on moral grounds (fair), but also think that nobody should be tainted by their association with ‘problematic’ media. how does that work?

i am going to choose to take this anon ask in good faith and assume you have legitimate interest in my thoughts on the distinction. under that framework, this is an interesting question i have a lot of thoughts on, so thanks for asking!

first, we need a definition for "problematic." In my post, i was specifically referring to fiction that depicts things that would be morally objectionable in real life — rape, incest, abuse, pedophilia, murder, etc. because that's most relevant to the proshipper/anti issue i was addressing in that post. however, that's certainly not the only kind of definition one could come up with. when we talk about immoral or problematic media, there are so many ways that could apply and so many things that could be talking about, each with their own ethical concerns. so let's offer up a few different kinds of "problematic" media.

fiction which depicts things that would be ethically wrong in real life -- think game of thrones, dead dove fanfiction, hannibal, lolita, etc

fiction which depicts things that would be ethically wrong in real life, but through a lens that misrepresents or romanticizes these things in a way that reflects poorly on the author's understanding of these real-world issues -- think fifty shades of gray

fiction where the content isn't the focus, but that content was produced by or with the involvement people who are, shall we say, unsavory -- pirates of the caribbean, enders game, harry potter

fiction where the production of the content involved breaches of ethics, and the art exists because immoral things were done -- the shining

and there are many more categories! we cannot have the same conversations about all of these kinds of media, because they each demand their own ethical and critical framework to assess how they affect their consumers and environment, and what constitutes responsible and thoughtful engagement.

if we view media consumption (a term i hate, but it serves our purposes) through the lens of harm reduction, then it's clear why category 1 and category 3 are different. im watching hannibal on tubi right now. this is not harming anyone. similarly, no one would be harmed and no harm would be enabled by me reading some dark fic on ao3. the objection to buying hogwarts legacy is one that's founded on political principles and harm reduction — that is, that monetarily participating in jkr's intellectual property directly enables her to use her influence and money to continue her anti-trans crusade in the UK. and that's a very specific objection. it's not just dependent on what kind of media hogwarts legacy is, but on who benefits from it and what those benefits will result in. i don't even have the same objection to fiction in the same category — i dont feel as strongly about people like, buying a PoTC dvd or a copy of enders game.

to elaborate a bit more on my objection to hogwarts legacy...my thoughts on hogwart's legacy aren't that anyone who buys it should be shunned and isn't a real ally. in fact, it's something im still grappling with, and i havent really pinned down my true thoughts. on one hand, i feel a great frustration with leftists who still buy harry potter media. but on the other hand, i also recognize that HP is still a massive cultural property, and many people in the real world simply do not recognize this concern — and that one person's purchase of a video game isn't going to singlehandedly run JKR's empire. the way i think about hogwarts legacy is far more akin to how i think about chic fil a than how i think about fifty shades of gray — it's part of the debate over ethical consumption under capitalism more than the debate over media. of course, that's not the only objection to hogwarts legacy. from what i've heard, it's pretty damn antisemitic, so i'd certainly side eye anyone i heard gushing about the plot or arguing it contains no bigotry. but that's not part of why i object to buying it, because i think that consuming bigoted media with a critical eye is a crucial part of learning how to dissect the underpinning ideologies involved.

this is part of why i reject the proshipper/anti framing, because so much of the argument seems to be based on the presupposition that a single critical framework can apply to literally every mode of engagement with every single work of art ever made, when my favorite part of media analysis is forming opinions and thoughts about specific works. like, the position of "no one should be tainted by their association with problematic media" is really only accurate to my opinion on category 1, and even then not unconditionally. part of media literacy is meeting each piece of art where it is, and forming thoughts and opinions based on that specific art and how it interfaces with reality, rather than applying a generalized template. for instance, i do actually think that how people engage with and think about art can reflect on their real world morals — but i draw conclusions from how they engage with a work of art, not the mere fact that they engage with that art.

TL:DR: the reason that i have different opinions on different things is because those things are different. nuance baybeeeeeeee

feel free to ask any follow up or clarifying questions!

#pisscourse #anon

[digisurvive]

Was talking to a friend about dogs and dog symbolism, which inevitably circled back to talking about Aoi — why wouldn't it? She's a dog girl all the way through.

While it's a fun contrast to have this shy, proper girl have the partner that evolves into aggressive attack dogs, those traits actually end up mapping pretty well into her partner; which is no surprise not only because the soul-reflection lore the game lifts from adv, but also per Habu's own words about them picking the human character's background first and then a Digimon that fit them. It could be taken to say: Labramon is Aoi's partner because her attack-dog preset evo line fits Aoi the most.

The evo line not only reflects Aoi's repressed aggression and anger, but also fit her on a more core level: Doberman are guard dogs who are utterly committed to their training and purpose. This is naturally reflected in Dobermon's life mission as a virus hunter and Aoi's whole behavior being underlined by acting under the precepts of what's right— which involves safeguarding social harmony through social conformity and her commitment to fulfilling her duties both in her daily-life as class president and being a senior at camp. Simply put, just as Shuuji does, she sees it as her responsibility to take care of the group. Her ultimate commitment is always to her values/her sense of rightness, however, so if she ends stops viewing taking care of them as conducive to preserving proper behavior and social hierarchy—Harmony— she'll definitely switch tunes. This is very fitting for the attack dog symbolism, given the devotion to one's duty.

Even her near-constant state of anxiety feels fitting to the attack-dog theme, factoring how poorly managed/neglected doberman show the tension and anxiety from always being alert. At the core of her struggles shown in her Wrathful flashback and bitter Plutomon rantings lies that neglect and overwork, being taken advantage of, being counted on always taking the extra mile and not properly shown the support, care and respect she needs.

She also has the more classic aspect of dog symbolism regarding obedience and control baked into Plutomon —but arguably implicit in her desire for assertiveness and power. Her need to enforce a strict social hierarchy and expectations of absolutely obedience come through in the way she talks to the group as Plutomon. She'll interpret talking back as misbehavior and a challenge to her authority, and her ultimate plan basically boils down to wanting to bend the world down to her orders/will. Doberman and Labradors being highly trainable and obedient breeds ends feeling extremely fitting for her narrative.

She even feels the most fulfilled when being able perform her duties as their leader/senpai —extremely apparent in the euphoria she feels as Plutomon; it's very telling that in Moral that this is achieved through expressing the aspects of her personality she usually suppresses and getting the support she needs, while her neurosis and insecurities still threaten to cloud her judgment, it's shown she's becoming better at managing them.

The way she approaches her so-called motherly inclinations being through guiding others makes her such a dog girl LOL like literally the kind of person for whom a poodle or a collie would make a great animal for companionship.

#digimon survive #I'm just spinning my wheels here bc I have written about all of this before but you don't understand how much I love this lol #Aoi #Wrathful route #Me about Aoi: she's like a poorly kept dog #😂😂

[luvfy0dor]

The Guild and Music!! ♬

╰─▸ Fitzgerald, Alcott, Lucy, Poe, Steinbeck, Hawthorne

CW: None besides probably slightly poor explanations.

Description: The Guild and music I think some of the characters would like.

F. Scott Key Fitzgerald $

╰─▸ Classical & Jazz ☑

I really want to say he likes country, but I don't really see him regularly listening to it. We know Fitzgerald is rich and stuck up, which is why I think he prefers "classier" music. Classical piano music was the first genre that came to mind. He likes how elegant it sounds, and he would probably get some sort of superiority complex for liking it.

"Hmm, I couldn't imagine listening to pop music, it's all the same. Classical music, however-"

For the exact same reason, he definetly likes Jazz. He would most likely avoid music he finds fake or electronic. The sounds of saxophones and pianos are literally and metaphorically music to his ears.

Ex; Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Bach, Mozart.

Louisa May Alcott $

╰─▸ Folk & Classical ☑

I don't want to sound repetitive but I really do think Alcott would like classical music, too. She would play some on vinyl as soft background music while she strategizes for the guild, preferring instrumental music as it's less distracting than music with lyrics.

She seems like she would enjoy the softness of folk music, matching her timid personality we often see in the show/manga. There's something, to me at least, that makes folk music seem more hollow than pop or rock. That's definitely something I can see her enjoying when it comes to music.

Ex; Mozart, The Highwaymen

Lucy Maud Montgomery $

╰─▸ Pop Punk & Indie ☑

Look at me and look at Montgomery and tell me she wouldn't like Avril Lavigne. She definitely likes pop punk love songs. She longs to feel that kind of connection with someone, especially after leaving the guild thinking she had absolutely nowhere to go.

On a different note, her softer side of that desire would probably be the reason she would enjoy indie music. She likes the softer vibe that contrast her strong emotions, but put those feelings into words as well.

Ex; Avril Lavigne, Blink-182, Bon Iver, The Neighbourhood

Edgar Allan Poe $

╰─▸ Goth & Horrorcore ☑

I think these two are pretty connected to Edgar Allan Poe's real world writing and the aesthetic of the bsd Poe. I think he would like romantic Goth music, songs that go into detail on emotion. He also really enjoys the unique style of instrumentals, lyricism is probably the most important thing in a gothic song to him, though.

However, I think he would enjoy horrorcore, too. This one is specifically because of his writings (real world), and also his seven-year obsession with killing Ranpo. On the contrary to softer goth music, I think he wouldn't mind horrorcore rap/hip-hop. (?) He would like the intensity and boldness of the lyrics.

Ex; London After Midnight, Bloody Dead and Sexy, Twiztid, Insane Clown Posse

John Steinbeck $

╰─▸ Old Country ☑

There's not much to say about him, but I think old country would remind him of his family back home. He would listen to it whenever feeling spiteful towards Fitzgerald because of his greed.

Ex; Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Dolly Parton

Nathaniel Hawthorne $

╰─▸ Gospel Music, Christian Rock ☑

Obviously because Hawthorne is quite religious, he definitely listens to gospel music. When he's not and he's angry or upset over something (probably Mitchell) he would listen to Christian rock. Even while upset or mourning, his religion is still important to him and his music taste highly reflects that.

·˚ ₊·› ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ A/N - Thank you so much for reading! I'm so sorry if I poorly described any of the genres i mentioned or used incorrectly labelled artists as examples. I'm gonna be completely honest, I didn't put much research into this and I don't really know all too much about some of the genres, so I hope I did them remote justice lol

Ex; Shirley Caesar, Skillet

#bungo stray dogs #bungou stray dogs #bsd #the guild bsd #f. scott fitzgerald #louisa may alcott #lucy montgomery #edgar allan poe #john steinbeck #nathaniel hawthorne #music #bsd headcanons #headcannons

[golvio]

One of the reasons why I love shipping Ganondorf/Ghirahim is because of the hurt/comfort potential.

You've got this guy who was built and designed to be exclusively a Weapon Solely For Killing People. However, if he was designed to be the same kind of being as Fi by whoever made him for Demise (I like to think it was one of his "children" that emerged from him who was a higher-ranking demon who desperately wanted Dad to notice them, and unwittingly passed their love/desperation to their creation), then he also has some very strong caretaking proclivities. However, Demise doesn't seem to me like the type who'd really need a Pearl/Robot Butler style personal attendant/tutorial buddy, so those instincts of Ghirahim's likely went largely unfulfilled.

But then he's got this guy who's a lot more squishy and prone to getting injured/dying horribly due to destiny putting a big fat target on his back on top of his tendency to pick fights with powerful people, and who's also got a bunch of needs that Demise would've dismissed as frivolous and proof of humanity's inferiority, and oooooh man is that like throwing grease on a stovetop fire.

It sort of...gives me the complicated feelings I felt when Wakaba came home to Saionji in the intro to "Wakaba Flourishing," where she says "I'm back!" and locks the door behind her, because even though she's generally the kind of person who likes to take care of the people she cares about, hiding Saionji in her dorm room while he's banned from the school grounds is also her way of making sure she finally has this boy she's had a crush on for an incredibly long time all to herself. It's a really, really interesting relationship and power dynamic in a series that's already got a lot to say about those topics, especially with regards to gender roles.

And Ghirahim to me is defined by this sense of duality. He's clearly got this really aggressive, violent side because of the purpose he was made for, but he also seems to be ashamed of that. The "Demon Lord" persona he cultivated in Demise's absence was ostensibly so he could act as a temporary leader without his behavior reflecting poorly on his Master, but I think that it was also the sort of person Ghirahim wanted to be. His abandoning it at the end of the game is a symbol of his resignation and regression to the role he was born into, and his dehumanizing himself back into a tool for Demise to wield. But...I wished that he got the chance to safely explore both sides of himself and to reconcile and even learn how to blend them instead of feeling ashamed of one or the other. Him being put into a hospitality/caretaking role as opposed to being sicced on someone feels like a good space to give that a shot.

How good he'd actually be at taking care of an injured or sick Ganon would depend on how practiced he was at it. I imagine he wouldn't have a great bedside manner despite his enthusiasm because he wasn't designed for hospitality work and doesn't have much knowledge of medicine or the general care and keeping of humans, but he's also likely designed to read vitals, etc. like Fi (albeit with the intention of using him to either efficiently kill targets or maximize the amount of suffering an enemy experienced when Demise wanted to "amuse himself" with them).

However, he's pretty smart. He was able to figure out a lot about what Hylia was planning based on barebones context clues from the ruins scattered around Hyrule. He could probably reverse-engineer basic first aid and maintenance protocols from his understanding of anatomy as well as pursuing other knowledge through observation and further study. Not sure how great a cook he'd be, though, considering he doesn't need to eat and is never seen consuming anything that's not blood (and even then, that could've just been for intimidation factor rather than actually needing anything in it). His tongue's definitely prehensile, but it doesn't seem functional for things that aren't talking or emoting. I imagine he'd take getting takeout or actually serving things up incredibly seriously.

It's also fun to imagine Ganon gettting spoiled rotten because lord knows he gets put through the wringer at the end of every game. The mental image of Ghirahim picking up and carrying this big huge man/extremely lanky skeleton like a grumpy old cat is really cute, too. Also, the image of Ghirahim pushing along a Ganondorf who's withered to the state of his mummified TotK self with his muscles all fucked up by atrophy in a wheelchair, with the latter being all "I'm so pathetic, I failed again and I can't even get up and walk across the room, how can you even stand to look at me," and Ghirahim just inwardly being all "YES! YES!!!" because he finally has his lover all to himself, no interruptions, and is just so excited he gets to walk him through the park for fresh air and moonlight exposure and is already running up physical therapy routines in his head for when he’s well enough to start moving his poor old joints again.

#loz thoughts #ghiradorf #long post

[fuckyeahfightlock]

Advent Ficlets 2022, Day 12

Visiting

Sherlock was pinching his forehead in barely-contained exasperation while John gave instructions.

“All right, now wave if you can hear me.”

On the laptop’s screen in front of them on the coffee table, Sherlock’s mother sat back in a straight-backed dining chair pulled up to her husband’s desk, looking grim and now and then fluttering her hand in the air. Sherlock’s dad was leaning far too close to the camera on their end, so the view was mostly of his thinning white hair and his forehead permanently creased in much the same way Sherlock’s temporarily was, a glimpse into the future. John thought he detected a wave of Mr Holmes’ hand just at the bottom edge of the screen.

“All right, that’s good. Now there should be an icon on the bottom bar there, looks like an old-style radio microphone on a stand.”

“Let’s call it a failed attempt and just exchange letters,” Sherlock moaned. His mother frowned and said something they couldn’t hear, but John could definitely lip-read the words, “Sherlock,” “cheeky,” and “Christmas.”

“Sherlock, don’t be cheeky to your mum and dad at Christmas,” John scolded, leaning out of camera range to smirk “Drag the mouse over and click the microphone,” John implored. There was a breath-held second, then the screen went dark.

“There, I’ve done it,” Sherlock’s dad said.

“Oh, for god’s sake.”

“That’s very good but now we can’t see you,” John said, trying to suppress laughter.

“John, you look very well. Very sturdy,” Sherlock’s mum said.

John partially hid his face with his hand and mouthed in Sherlock’s direction, “Did she just say I’m fat?”

“Mycroft’s the sturdy one, Mother,” Sherlock intoned. “Click on the camera, I implore you.”

“There’s one here that looks like a movie camera,” said Mr Holmes, sounding halfway between bewildered and enraged.

“That’s the one,” John said cheerily. “Go on. Be bold.”

Another second passed and the image flickered back into being. “Can you see us now?”

“That’s perfect, I think,” John said, and gave Sherlock’s knee a gentle squeeze beneath the range of the camera’s view.

“At last,” Sherlock added, and put a clenching grip on John’s hand, held it there on his lap, his knuckles going slightly white. “There now, Many happy greetings of the season, I’ve made a donation to the scholarship fund at the school of the UK Ballet in your honor.”

“Hate the ballet,” Sherlock’s father muttered.

“Yes, I know.”

“We’ll be on a cruise to the Maldives during Christmas,” his mother pressed on, ignoring the Holmes’ men and their bickering. “Your father just can’t bear the cold winters anymore. His arthritis.”

John made a sympathetic noise, and a face to match. “An island vacation certainly sounds better than what England’s got to offer, weatherwise.”

“Saw your face on the papers again a few months ago,” Sherlock’s father said, sounding disapproving rather than chuffed, as other parents might. “Do they pay you for that?”

Sherlock pressed his lips together and hummed grimly. “I pay them.”

Sherlock’s mother looked alarmed.

“He’s joking,” John said hurriedly. “No one pays anyone, that we know of. It’s just that some of the cases he takes are newsworthy.”

“I don’t like seeing your face next to stories about the royal family,” Mr Holmes said. John wondered if he thought the juxtaposition reflected poorly on Sherlock, or on the Firm, but didn’t ask for clariity.

“Talk to Mycroft,” Sherlock said with a dismissive wave of the hand he wasn’t using to squeeze the life out of John’s. “He’s got some reason for planting those stories, I imagine. It’s nothing to do with me. My face on the front page only makes it harder to work discreetly.”

His mother laughed lightly. “I do still wonder when you’ll be over all of that. You could be a chemistry professor. Or Mycroft could appoint you--”

“Lovely talking to you,” Sherlock said disingenuously. “Do enjoy your boat trip. Bring me back a coconut.”

“Yes, sorry we couldn’t get together in person this year,” John said, at least trying to make it sound authentic, to smooth some of the jagged edges. “I think--don’t we have--” He looked at Sherlock, mugging.

“Client appointments, a whole string,” Sherlock agreed, though they had no such thing.

“We should sign off, then,” John said. “Merry Christmas Mr Holmes, Mrs Holmes.”

“Merry Christmas, boys,” Sherlock’s mother said, “We’ll try to phone--”

They were gone. Picture and sound. The screen indicated the Holmes Family Computer had Left The Meeting. Sherlock at last released John’s hand, which immediately started to tingle with rushing blood, and sank backward into a sprawl on the sofa.

“Exhausting,” he intoned. “Thank god it’s over.”

“Sure you don’t want them at the wedding?” John said with a sly smile. “I’m sure they’d cancel their trip for such an important occasion as their darling baby getting married to a very sturdy fella.”

Sherlock reached for him and John sank into an embrace. “You’re not sturdy,” Sherlock told him. “You’re perfect.”

John kissed the edge of his jaw.

“But perhaps fewer of those gingerbread biscuits with your tea, or you could become too sturdy to fit the suit my tailor’s making up at no small expense.”

“Is that what you meant to say?”

John leaned away, as if he might get up and leave the sofa, but Sherlock clutched tighter. “No. You’re perfect. Perfectly perfect.”

#advent ficlets 2022 #advent ficlets #writing #fic #christmas fic

[folklauerate]

Hey, just read your response about an ask regarding the infidelity AU. I was one of the people who wanted to see all 3 POVs - not for the smut, though. I mean, I love Kanthony smut as much as the next person but I was mostly intrigued to see how two people who value duty above all else and usually claim to have a moral high ground in most situations fight with their feelings and how they lose their fight. I'm only speaking for myself, but I have seen this sentiment reflected in most readers, the reason I read fanfiction is because I couldn't get enough of Kate and Anthony on the show, they had the kind of explosive chemistry I've rarely seen before and there were so many elements of the show that I wanted to change and I found that a lot of fic writers agreed and wrote amazing fics doing just that. Sorry, I digress - the point being, in most fics, I'm majorly interested in Kate or Anthony's POV. They're the characters I'm interested in reading about. Their journeys are what I get invested in. I know Tom and the Bridgersibs are great, and I love it when they're used to further the plot. But I haven't been able to bring myself to read any story that doesn't focus on Kanthony and only read other ship stories to support writers whose work I admire. I don't lie in bed thinking about how those characters would react in a specific situation in that particular AU but I sometimes write thesis in my head about how, say, King Anthony would react when Kate has to give up her acting career, or how All's well Anthony would do something, or how LDB Anthony looks like as a committed boyfriend. Anthony, in particular, is such a complicated and fascinatingly flawed character who follows his own rules and code of conduct that I was interested to see how he would deal with finding his soul mate who is already in a committed relationship. I know the fic was a character study and it's focus was Tom but I just kept thinking about Kanthony the whole time and I think it speaks to your ability as a writer that I was doing that and feeling conflicted about wanting a HEA. I apologize if it made you feel skittish. That was not my intention, I just have bad brain rot with these two. Tysm for sharing your work, I appreciate the time and effort you put into it :) and sorry for this longass essay lol

First of all, thanks for taking the time to leave such a really sweet message and explainer :,) I’m with you in wanting a more in-depth look at Kathony that the show didn’t really provide, and wanting more of that chemistry and tension. They’re really fascinating and flawed and fun characters for a reason! So I’m totally with you there.

Honestly, I really did not mean to imply that everyone asking for a follow-up was doing so for the same motivations, and I do regret saying that bc I don’t want to offend everyone. And I know you’re a longtime reader and so so sweet and definitely don’t want you to have implied I thought poorly of you or anyone and I think I accidentally did 😭 all to say; I appreciate your message and I hate that I did make you feel like you needed to explain yourself and also I’ll just need to be more careful moving forward haha. Thank you for being so sweet and supportive always, I really do appreciate it. And thank you for taking the time to send this ask because you definitely didn’t have to and I think it’s very kind of you to take the time to respond anyways.

I’m sort of leaning towards finishing the Kate POV oneshot up now, since there seem to be a lot of unanswered questions and about their motivations, and it might be more satisfying for everyone who read it to get that perspective! Like just because I have an idea of what happened doesn’t mean everyone has arrived to those conclusions too and there’s other background that the reader couldn’t know about, so I’ll prioritize finishing it, and hopefully it’ll provide some clarity for everyone :)

Just want to add that I am honored to even be mentioned in the same breath as Jo and Amanda’s iterations of Anthony and their fics :,) I feel lucky to call them friends and their work really is commendable. I’m also very lucky to know you, so thanks so much for being so sweet and taking the time to send this, and I’m really my own ramblings to that initial ask came across so insensitively 😭 that isn’t my intention at all and I feel so immensely, massively lucky to have a community of really nice people who read my fic (I’ve only gotten a handful for hate comments, thank goodness), and I feel very grateful for that! Thanks for being here, friend 🤍

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

Does a church need government approval to care for the needy?

Food pantries, counseling, and community hospitality — according to the Pottstown, Pa. Zoning Officer Winter Stokes, such activities are “by definition … more than that of a church.” Stokes issued citations to Christ Episcopal Church of Pottstown and Mission First, “a ministry of Cedarville UMC [United Methodist Church]” which shares an address with First UMC of Pottstown.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

According to the citation letter to Mission First, which a local PBS affiliate (WHYY) obtained and published, Stokes researched their website and found the ministry was using the downtown church property for “a mental health service providing free counseling and support for families,” a program providing toiletry items and “canned/packaged food items to the public,” and “weekly buffet style meals for the public.”

“I could not find approvals for these uses in our records,” said Stokes. “It is the opinion of this office that the use of the property has changed and, by definition, is more than that of a church.”

The ministry was instructed to provide evidence of a permit for these uses, apply for a permit for these uses to the city zoning board, cease and desist, or face a fine of up to $500. The citations, issued on June 10, gave 30 days, until July 10, to comply or appeal.

WHYY reported that other Pottstown churches providing food, clothing, and other services to people in need did not receive citations. According to a list compiled by Pottstown Beacon of Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to countering homelessness, it’s possible to receive at least a dozen free meals a week from churches in Pottstown.

Instead of paying the $500 fine, Mission First chose to pay three times as much to file an appeal. “We have filed an appeal at a cost of $1500.00,” Clare Schilling, director of Mission First, told The Washington Stand in an email, “and that money could have been used for food or clothing.”

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡?

Mission First’s willingness to pay extra to defend their right reflects the reality that the controversy goes deeper than how downtown properties may be used; it touches the very heart of what a church is, what a church does, and how a church receives its authority to operate.

The letter relied heavily on the city zoning ordinance’s definition of a church as “a building wherein persons assemble regularly for religious worship and that is used only for such purposes and for those accessory activities as are customarily associated therewith.”

“Their definition of a church is not our definition, nor is it what the Bible says,” Schilling continued. “Church is more than just a building.”

“The New Testament word for ‘church’ describes God’s people gathered, literally the ‘assembly of the called-out ones,’” Dr. Kenyn Cureton, vice president for Christian Resources at Family Research Council, agreed. “Jesus told his disciples: ‘On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it’ (Matt. 16:18). … If the church is just a building, how can brick and mortar penetrate and defeat the gates of hell?”

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐃𝐨?

Cureton also criticized the notion that a church’s purpose is confined to religious worship only. “Certainly, it includes gathering for worship, which is an essential element,” he said. “Yet as we read Acts 2:42-47, we see that the early church in Jerusalem, the model church, not only worshipped God, but they also had a ministry of teaching and discipleship, they met together for fellowship and prayer, and they pooled resources to meet physical needs. Additionally, outside of their gatherings, they were on a mission to share the story of the risen Christ. As a result, ‘the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved’ (Acts 2:47).”

“Our ministries are exactly what the Bible tells us to do — feed the hungry, clothe the needy,” said Schilling. Her words echo James 2:15-17, “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

“The church from its beginnings has fed the hungry, met the needs of the poor, counseled those in distress, and performed a myriad of ministries to people in need in the name of Jesus. In doing so, we are only following His example,” Cureton said.

Pottstown’s zoning ordinances do not define “the accessory activities” which “are customarily associated” with a church’s function. The only hint is that the ordinances also list churches among establishments that qualify as a “Food-Producing Facility (FPF)” that might contribute “wastewater containing FOG [fats, oils, and grease created as a byproduct of cooking] to the sewer system.” Pottstown Zoning Officer Stokes did not respond to a request to comment on whether this provision covered “buffet style meals.”

𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐲?

“The government shouldn’t be the ones defining what is ‘customary’ for a church. That comes from our Lord as spelled out in the New Testament,” said Cureton. “The government has no business defining or restricting what that looks like for any church. Read the First Amendment’s ‘Free Exercise’ clause.”

That’s partly why Mission First chose to appeal rather than request a permit. “If we do it for this, then we would have to do it for every other little ministry,” Schilling argued. “What if we were having a new Bible class? Do we have to go to get approval for that?”

“Generally, churches should not have to get approval from civil authorities before living out their faith. However, if a church wants to operate a ‘soup kitchen’ or some other type of ministry feeding the hungry, it would be a good idea to make sure that the ministry is following local health and sanitation guidelines,” Cureton added. “However, when the government stands in the way of the essential mission of the church, especially our communicating the Gospel, we should stand with Peter and John who declared: ‘We must obey God rather than men’ (Acts 5:29).”

Schilling pointed out that the mission’s weekly meal, which serves 80-120 people per week, and 24/7 pantry and refrigerator, which serve up to 100 people per day, were approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and Department of Health. Yet the local zoning official is trying to shut down the ministry anyway.

𝑃𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑎𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑡𝑜𝑛 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑.

[a-student-out-of-time]

Maybe idk you should stop acting like you know better that SDRA2 creator? Because anyone could use words against you and say "Kanade could have better villian arc but it's lost opportunity" You're just trying to say it's badly written to justify your thinking that Linuj made a mistake killing Hibiki. and oh god what an irony that your favorite characters are part of Hajime's big harem. I love Hibiki and I also want her to have a happy ending but how you put her in a harem disgusts me

//Are you under the impression that I'm basing this of off nothing? Look up LINUJ's notes, go on his website, just look at the finished product of SDRA2. It's a mess and he's admitted as much.

//Are you saying that critizing what i consider writing and storytelling problems means I'm insinuating I know better LINUJ? His game is heavily flawed, and I'm criticizing it in ways that I hope will give other writers advice on how to improve their work. You should be more critical of works you enjoy than ones you hate.

//SDRA2 is a flawed game, but I still enjoy it for its merits. Chapter 3 is not one of those merits, it was a mess derived from LINUJ wanting to outdo Korekiyo in terms of vileness as a villain. A decision that screwed up the entire trajectory of the rest of the story and required chapter 6 to be stuffed to the gills with exposition.

//That's bad writing. That's bad story structure. These are not exercises in conceit, these are critiques from basic writing comprehension.

//Also, what about any of this is ironic? Situational Irony implies the opposite of what was intended, and if you're referring to Hibiki's development in this blog, how?

//Is her being in a polyamorous relationship a problem for you? Are you under the impression that she's just a sex object for Hajime? Maybe if you actually read the story, you'd see how wrong you are.

//Hibiki has a family now, people in her life who love her, she's trying to improve on her flaws and has seen a future that she wants to fight for. She's a ronin, an ally, a friend, a protector and a flawed but well-meaning defender of justice.

//Yes, I will admit that I was too gung ho about shopping early on, and I'm trying to improve on that myself. Yet you're the one who seems to think that Hibiki having any sort of relationship, platonic or sexual, is somehow a reflection of me being a simp.

//Buddy, you're the one who started this because I was critical of Kanade, the character do *did* want to turn her into an empty puppet of a person for whatecer she felt like doing. I think you're a better representation of irony in that regard.

//If you understood anything about writing, you might actually have grasped what i said the first time. I want LINUJ to make good stories, and he's absolutely capable of doing so. Yet you seem to think me critiquing what I consider a bad finished product is an attack on him, and by extension, an attack on you.

//However, unlike him, you seem comfortable with publicly embarrassing yourself with very poorly structured asks like this in response to criticism, which really say more about you than they do about me. Why don't you come off anon and say any of this to my face?

//If you don't, this will be the last time I'm dealing with you. Grow up, stop wasting your time and mine, and try learning how to analyze writing properly. You can start by learning the actual definition of the word "irony."

#mod talks #a student out of time

[jolyneswife-anime-reviews]

The quintessential quintuplets anime review

Spoilers for the quintessential quintuplets

Genre: slice of life, romance, harem, high school 

Where I watched it: Funimation

Characterisation: 7/10 (Like a lot of aspects of this series, the characterisation was almost there, but not quite. All the sisters are given distinct personalities, with different talents, ambitions and mannerisms, so their characters were reasonably well developed. They had their own interests and strengths, which made the show a lot more interesting. However, it annoyed me that they were all so needlessly dense in some respects, even when they worked incredibly hard- it was slightly demoralizing to watch, as I was really rooting for them to do well in school. This point mainly applies to Yotsuba, who’s a very sweet girl, but her lack of intelligence (and the way it tries to be funny and miserably fails) was genuinely annoying. Personally, I disliked the protagonist, Futaro- not only did he lack a proper personality and character development, which made him a boring protagonist, but the traits which were unique to him weren’t exactly pleasant. He is constantly shown believing he’s better than others due to his high grades, and he always alludes to the quints being intellectually lacking, sometimes literally calling them stupid, because they struggle at school. Most side characters were fairly unremarkable, and the cast is fairly small, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.)

Setting: 7/10 (I like the idea of the quints sharing one house and living alone- it illustrated the kind of family life they had, as well as driving home the point that, despite being very close, they were very different personality wise. The best feature of the setting is the house that the quints move into during the second part of the anime after deciding to become independent from their father- it adds a “rich girls become independent from their father and finding their own path in life” feel, which made me really root for them and want to see them succeed. The grandeur of their former house contrasts that of the smaller house they now share, and it also highlights the financial difference between them and Uesugi’s humble family when we see his house. The high school they go to serves as quite a good setting, catering to the plot well, and, during the school trip to the mountains, setting was also used well to create a sense of adventure and excitement as potential romances, as well as problems, developed and spiralled.)

Art style: 8.5/10 (This anime has really stunning graphics- the characters are drawn in a very attractive style with colour pallets which reflect their personality and are equally pleasing. Settings are drawn with the same amount of care and attention to detail, so overall, the series has high quality visuals.)

Plot: 4.5/10 (The plot is pretty lacking on all fronts- it lacks an element to make it engaging and hook viewers, because the anime is so casual that there’s very little to actually become invested in. It felt like not much progress was being made towards a climax or resolution; most of the anime had very little actual plot to it. At the end, everything sort of happens at once, which feels incredibly rushed, and it means that, at least in my opinion, Uesugi’s relationship with the girls were poorly developed before everyone jumped in, so the idea of those relationships was a lot less impactful. The ending was definitely the lowest point, as there was a huge time skip to the wedding of Futaro and one of the sisters (probably Yotsuba) which, you could argue, was fitting, because they met all those years ago and Yotsuba became Futaro’s first love, leading to him changing from a “bad boy” to a hard working “nerd”. Uesugi doesn’t recognise Yotsuba in the modern timeline, but one could argue this still makes for a fitting ending, because it is clear that Uesugi is still deeply affected by his first love. However, this doesn’t take away from how rushed everything was- none of the relationships (not even the one with Yotsuba) were properly developed, so things just kind of went from 0 to 100 without any kind of bonding or story behind it. There are also a few plot holes- we never find out who Rena is, we merely know she’s a persona taken on by one of the quints to be a fictional version of his childhood crush, but this part of the story is never explained or developed. It also annoyed me that everyone had to fall for Uesugi of all people, because f how badly developed his personality was and how arrogant and unlikeable he was as a person. However, there were quite a few twists and it was definitely not predictable. Another aspect of the plot which was delivered quite well was the girls’ improvement at school over time, as they keep studying and working. )

Addictiveness: 5/10 (Because it lacked a proper, dynamic plot, the anime had nothing which kept me hooked or engaged. There were no intriguing elements, and I never found myself becoming very invested in either characters or plot.) 

Originality: 6.5/10 (Despite being poorly executed, the plot definitely isn’t a cliche- it is full of twists and has a wealth of aspects I’ve never seen anywhere else. The anime messes around with slow burn and harem aspects, disguises (this is a recurring motif in the anime, as the quints often dress up as each other when needed) as well as financial issues, student lifestyles and different, well established relationship tropes to create something unique, even if it’s not your taste.)

Comfort: 6.5/10  (The anime is relaxed and light hearted, as well as quite hopeful in tone as the girls strive to do well and forge their own paths in life. Despite this, it isn’t necessarily comforting, as it usually lacked the warmth necessary for that, and the highs were often placed alongside lows or events that were simply unremarkable.) 

Philosophy: 4.5/10 (The plot lacks complexity and depth, as do many of the characters, so nothing about the anime really made me think- there’s no sort of message or idea for viewers to think about.)

Consistency: 6/10 (The quality stays consistent throughout most of the anime, but it takes a nosedive with the incredibly rushed and poorly developed ending.)

The plot

Futaro Uesugi is a top student who works part time as a tutor, making money to help support his family, who struggle financially. One day, he’s offered a job which pays over 5 times the normal rate. When he goes to the address provided for the first lesson, it becomes clear why- he’s tutoring the quintuplets who just transferred to his school from a prestigious one. The girls are very dismissive of Uesugi at first, and don’t want to go along with his plan to study despite their failing grades, so his job becomes pretty difficult. The quints are constantly all over the place, denying him and doing anything but studying. Even Itsuki, whose dedication to her studies is clear from the beginning, hates the idea of being tutored by him and goes off for solo sessions. However, as he begins to learn more about the girls as individuals and discovers things about their interests, personalities and ambitions, Uesugi gradually starts to earn their trust and get them to follow instructions. The first instance of this is with Miku, who’s shy and quiet, but secretly obsessed with history. Upon discovering this, Uesugi studies as much history as he can so Miku can feel understood. Slowly but surely (and with a lot of bumps along the way) the others follow suit, getting used to Uesugi’s presence in their life and starting to view him as more than just a friend or a tutor. As time passes and the girls grow increasingly aware of their feeling for Uesugi, it becomes clear that the nature of their relationship with him is taking a huge shift as a a competition for who gets to be with him starts, gradually building up to confessions and even more confusion, with Uesugi learning several things about emotions and love on the way. 

Masterlist

#itsuki nakano #miku nakano #nino nakano #ichka nakano #yotsuba nakano #futaro uesugi #raiha uesugi #the quintessential quintuplets #the quintessential quintuplets review #the quintessential quintuplets anime review #harem anime #romance anime #slice of life anime #high school anime #jolyneswifeanimereviews #anime and manga #anime recommendation #anime reccs #anime fandom