#i saw the poll because she was up against one of the MECHANISMS

[bananonbinary]

jfc i just saw a "morally grey girlboss" poll and mabel pines was one of the contenders. she's not morally grey she's not a girlboss she's 12 and never makes a single moral decision that's worse than "you have stuff going on but i'm focused on my own problems" what are you fucking talking about

#fan wank / #she's up against characters who have done actual murders #and she's getting a nontrivial amount of votes!!! #yall have brainrot i am sorry #i saw the poll because she was up against one of the MECHANISMS #you know. the band of immortal space pirates that think killing is fun? #i understand that more people watch gf but HOW WAS SHE GETTING ANY VOTES #honestly if i saw her matched against someone i didnt know i'd vote for the person i didnt know. she simply does not meet the requirements

[understandableparadox]

The grand homestuck oc tournament poll: Round 4 winners!

zalium azoran

Zalium is a rogue fuchsiablood who was raised by an axolotl lusus away from the prying eyes of the alternian empire. eventually he was able to find community in the lower bloodcastes of alternia and here he learned about alternian history from a true perspective.

he gathered an aliance, heavily inspired by the sufferer's rebellion, and rises up against the empire. being a highblood he held a greater chance against the empress and gl'bgolyb, and after a strenuous battle he manages to take down the horrorterror and the empress in turn

i don't even care if he's bad i love him so dearly

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Orfeus Etimio

Orfeus is soft spoken, docile and as weak as a troll gets, but people tend to fear them because of the horde of ghosts following them everywhere, even for those that can't see spirits the presence is overwhelming.

They constantly give more than they can for the ghosts and have ended up emotionally drained, not properly reacting to most situations and appearing emotionless. İf you grabbed them and took them home they'd only say "ok" and let it happen.

They like playing minecraft with their moirail also

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Viiveh Telore (Now with new and improved art!)

Viiveh is a fuchsia blood in an abusive relationship trying to forge his own destiny. He tries to stay positive and is unlearning some classist traits. He goes to the surface and hides his blood color by dressing like a robot. He really loves tech and the mechanics of it, since the seadwellers can mainly only use bug-based tech underwater. He takes the name Vexxin during his hiding. Don't get him started on troll Daft Punk.

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?????? Achlys

19 yo Mage of Void hemoanon, Achlys is a air-headed party girl who likes to take it easy, life is definitely too short to be worried about every little thing. She's quite friendly for a troll and always knows what to say to please people. She changes quadrants pretty often.

However when SGRUB begins she seems to know just where to look to learn all the rules and easily makes herself the leader before anyone notices. Not to mention her fake lusus and dreamself that seems to be puppeted by horrorterrors…

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To our winners! there are two rounds left, if you have any commentary you would like to add please dm it to me.

to our other participants, this has been an honor, this has been a delight, this has been a million and one fantastical things and as we near our semi finals and finals, i would like to say thank you for all of your participations, all of your hooting, all of your hollering, for utterly RUINING my notifs with all the delightful commentary, i hope to do this again, the next round will begin momentarily.

(also, mean teacher mode: i saw 300 of yall voting on one, i would like to ask that you all also participate in the other ones, this is a celebration of everyones fantastic ocs, thank you)

#homestuck #polls #tumblr polls #winners #fan kids #fan charubs #homestuck oc #ocs #fan trolls

[lonslibrary]

3 moments between the crow couples during their time at hogwarts

1. an unknown part of wylan and jesper’s somewhat disastrous amortentia story comes moments after jesper pulled wylan in for a kiss by his tie, causing the rest of their classmates to erupt in cheers and applause so loud that professor snape’s “boys! in the hall, now!” went unheard. minutes later, when they had actually been led out of the classroom to wait for their punishment, wylan finally worked up the courage to meet jesper’s eyes, his face almost as red as his hair. jesper’s grin was radiant. “so. butterbeer and my cologne, huh?”

it took all of wylan’s nerve to not sink into the ground where he stood. “i didn’t know today’s lesson was on amortentia,” he muttered, feeling himself flush again.

it took all of jesper’s will not to kiss the younger again right there where he stood with the way the redhead was looking up at him from beneath his long lashes.

“well, what about you?” wylan demanded, rolling his eyes. “let me guess. cards, pumpkin juice, and galleons?”

“no, actually.” jesper replied, spinning his wand in his hand. “i smell grass. gunpowder. and...”

he took a step closer to wylan who stood still, holding his breath. “...and?” the third year asked quietly.

“exploding elixir.”

wylan’s mind shut down.

“the entire room was filled with the same smell from that day we singed snape’s hair,” jesper snorted. “of all things, we had to mess up the potion that smelled like burnt-”

it was wylan who pulled jesper down this time, reaching up on his tippy toes to meet jesper’s soft lips, the ones that had captivated him from the moment he had walked into the potions classroom and saw his new lab partner for the first time.

“fahey, van eck!” snape burst into the hallway. “does it seem possible to keep your hands off of each other?”

“sorry, prof.” jesper winked, eyes still trained on wylan’s mouth. “guess you can say we’ve got...chemistry.”

wylan couldn’t even bring himself to care about detention.

2. nina stifled a laugh, trying to keep a straight face as she watched matthias scan the inside of zonko’s joke shop. she had just gotten matthias to admit that he enjoyed a drink as sweet as butterbeer, hours earlier at the three broomsticks. “you look like you’re inside the shrieking shack, not a joke shop.” nina snickered at the way matthias perked up.

“whatever the shrieking shack is, i think that there’d be more dignity in such a place than...this.” matthias dropped a dungbomb he had picked up like it had personally offended his grandmother.  

“why?” nina giggled. she shook the box in her hand. “not a fan of ton-tongue toffees?”

matthias made a face that looked like he was more than just not a fan. “if it’s anything like those jelly beans you fed me on the train, then no.”

that only made nina laugh harder. “i swear you picked the worst ones! you should’ve seen your face when you tried the rotten egg flavor.”

matthias cracked a smile, relaxing a little amongst the colorful store and his girlfriend’s laughter. he picked up another product, a pink bottle corked at the top. “what does this one do?”

nina lowered her voice, gesturing for matthias to come closer, as if letting him in on a secret. “that one’s a love potion. one drop of it in someone’s drink and they’re yours,” she whispered. “they’ll think about you all day.”

matthias jerked away, putting the bottle back on the shelf. “you can’t be serious. love can’t be made like that!” he sputtered.

“i don’t know, durmstrang,” nina teased. “what if i bought one and slipped some in your pumpkin juice tomorrow at breakfast?”

matthias only crossed his arms, continuing to grimace. “well, that wouldn’t work at all.”

“why not? zonko’s is pretty reliable when it comes to their products.” she said pointedly, looking at the extendable ears on sale.

“because i’m already in love with you.” matthias stated simply.

nina froze, turning to her boyfriend. during her time dating matthias, the hufflepuff had proven to be narrow minded and straightforward as a broom doing any and every thing. it was moments like these she was reminded that this included during his expressions of affection, and nina couldn’t love him more for it.

“i’m in love with you, too.” she declared, slipping her hand into her boyfriend’s. she had always liked...brooms. “now, come on. i want to see if we can get kaz to fall for a trick wand.”

3. all inej had wanted was a quiet place to study that wasn’t the library. she liked to practice with her wand for transfiguration, and magic wasn’t allowed in the library. she had been wandering the school for an empty classroom or quiet corner when the room of requirement had appeared at the end of a hallway, exactly moments before she was about to give up and return to the gryffindor common room. she was only half surprised when she opened the door and saw kaz, but like always, kaz hadn’t seemed surprised at all when she entered. he sat on top of a desk with his cane leaned against it, wand out, in the middle of a silent spell. inej let her eyes trail over his robe perched on a chair, his gloves off and set aside in a rare moment, and his uniform sleeves pulled up to his elbows.

“first time here?” kaz asked, not looking up from the book in his lap. his rough voice echoed slightly in the large room as inej scanned her surroundings. the room was empty besides a couple of desks and chairs in one corner, a cluttered pile of objects in another, and a big wardrobe that looked ages old. a fireplace on the wall kept the room warm, and a small chandelier hung above inej’s head.

“guess i didn’t require much until now.” inej shrugged, pulling a desk and chair of her own towards the center of the room. “you?”

kaz closed his book, finally looking up at inej. “i come and go when i want.”

inej wanted to know more about what had revealed the room to kaz in the first place, but she redirected the question away from kaz himself, knowing it was unlikely he would answer. “get anything out of it?” with kaz, it was all about gain.

kaz drummed his fingers on his desk. inej tried not to stare. “some crying first years with who miss their mums. i think i’ve witnessed a bit of every couple in the school’s snogging.” he pulled out a handful of extendable ears from his robe pocket. “snape’s planning something. don’t know the details yet, but something big.”

inej nodded. part of her expected kaz to leave, speak with his silence as he tended to do, but he continued to sit and look at inej, book in lap. inej knew him well enough to recognize that while it wasn’t exactly an invitation, kaz wasn’t saying no to a conversation. she could’ve started with a less risky question about snape’s plans, or asked for the names of the couples in their year, just to know, but inej was curious about other things.

“and how did you find this place, kaz?”

“the de kappel painting.” he said casually. “i needed a place to hide it.”

inej froze, taken aback by kaz’s answer. or more accurately, his willingness to answer. “so it’s true?” she questioned, hoping her voice didn’t give away her surprise. “the gringotts vault rumor.” she had half believed them to begin with, knowing kaz’s abilities but never his motives. still, kaz had never confirmed it with anyone as far as she had known.

“true enough.” kaz reopened his book, attention back on the page. inej inwardly sighed. the satisfaction of knowing kaz trusted her enough to confirm the gringotts rumor didn’t last long. figures kaz wouldn’t want to talk much about himself.

“but that’s a story for next time.” kaz flipped a page, the slightest start of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

next time, inej turned over in her head. she tried not to smile as she opened her own book. she could work with next time.

author’s note (pls read!) this is my first time on tumblr so idk how to use it too well but i’m overwhelmed by all the nice responses so thank you all so, so much. i see everything!! idk if there’s like poll mechanisms and stuff on tumblr (argh help) but i wanted to gauge what everyone would like next—im deciding between six of crows x pjo or shadow and bone x harry potter, so comment below what you’d like to see first (: i’d also love to hear abt any personal requests so my dms (is that what they’re called here?) are open for suggestions. no promises, but lmk if there’s something you want to read. feel free to get as niche as you want, respectfully! ok ik this is super long god bless your soul if u actually read the entire thing but finally, i just wanted to introduce myself—i’m lynn, this is my library and i dabble in most fandoms! my goal is to get at least one piece of writing out every month, so if you’d like to read what i write, follow along! OK im finally done, i swear. thank you again for the tremendous support. unbelievable. happy reading!

#kaz brekker #grishaverse #reading #six of crows #shadow and bone #netflix shadow and bone #lynnxsixofcrows #inej ghafa #soc inej #wylan van eck #wylan van sunshine #wesper #helnik #nina zenik #matthias helvar #jesper fahey #kanej #crooked kingdom #hogwarts #harrypotterau #harry potter #kaz brekker with sleeves pulled up someone draw it pls #everyone’s a cute moment with kissing or confessions and kanej is just oh there’s gonna be a next time #HEAR YOU KNOW YOUR WAY AROUND A CAULDRON SET

[snkpolls]

SnK Chapter 135 Poll Results

This month’s poll closed with 2,264 entries. The poll results were compiled by momtaku, /u/_Puppet_, /u/berthototototo, u/staraves

RATE THE CHAPTER 1,980 responses

Volume 34 started off on a high note with “Battle of Heaven and Earth” being our 7th highest rated chapter with an average of 4.61.

Easily the best action based chapter post timeskip

Very action dominated chapter this time. Just pure adrenaline, not many answers. Not complaining though, great chapter!

Best chapter since 122, hype levels were great, pacing was great, just overall great really.

What I loved about this chapter is that this was the first time I REALLY felt the suspense, the kind of suspense where it looks our heroes can not win the fight and all hope is lost. It was a very similar feeling I experienced in the first chapters of Attack on Titan where the fight against Pure Titans always felt like the enemy had the upper hand and our heroes were fighting a losing battle that they could only fight to mitigate the losses as low as possible

A chapter will less talk more fight. It's been a while.

I loved this chapter immensely. For months, this was the first I could finally rate the highest.

We are near the end, oh god, this was a a hell of a journey from 2013 as a manga reader it is for me one of the best manga I have ever read

Everything about this was awesome from bucket girl Ymir to all the previous titan shifters to bird Falco. There was so much I had to wrap my head around, so I’m going to have to read this a couple more times.

So many mysteries I just don’t want it to be rushes uwu and for us to only be getting a chapter per MONTH can you throw us some bones PLEASE

I’m rethinking everything I thought I knew about the manga

We're hanging on a razor's edge between masterpiece and ruin. Whatever happens, please let it be well executed. . .

  WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING WAS YOUR FAVORITE OVERALL MOMENT?

2,001 responses

This chapter was filled with lore, action and great individual character moments but seeing the fantastical forms of titans past brought into the fight was our favorite moment with 31.4% of the total. “Mikasa carrying the whole damn team” was second with 24.7%. The arrival of the flying titan (10.6%), the vision of Bertholt Hoover (10%) and Pieck rushing forward with the bombs (6.9%) round out the top five.

One of my all-time favourites probably, I absolutely loved all the character interactions as well as the amazing new titan designs.

Bert back! Bert back! Bert back!!! <333333

I really did like it, all those previous titans forms are interesting and see that the manga is very soon to end, I can't wait to know the end.

The chapter hasn't changed anything fundamentally but was exited to see OG Ymir

A demonstration of the despair and hopelessness of fighting Ymir

Bird!!! Falco!!! And!!! Ghost!!! Bertholdt!!! YES! YES! YES!

Really liked Jean and Reiners moments this chapter,

Bringing back old titans was really badass and intimidating.

Tentacle porn. That is all.

  WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE COMRADE-RELATED MOMENT? 1,969 responses

With a battle involving Alliance teamwork and some visits from old friends, this chapter had many moments between current and former comrades. The wholesome scene between Jean and Reiner packed with an Armored Titan joke garnered the majority of votes (50.2%), with others favoring Armin’s vision of Bertolt (15.9%), and Annie’s reunion at the end of the chapter (14.1%).

jean saving reiner really moved me i really love these characters and after seeing them fighting it was nice seeing one saving the other. i mean jean had a really good reason to hate reiner and he previously said that he would never forgive him but he did and it was nice

Loved that scene between Jean and Reiner. Jean came a long way since his selfish oppotunistic days: Not letting Reiner fall, even though he really hated him. Actually willing to die. Great character development.

I'm curious to see, what effect this might have on Reiner: I mean he was being called a member of the survey corps again and therefore he was kind of being ""forgiven"".

Jean-Reiner-Bromance!

Connie x Levi canon

Ngl, I felt a great satisfaction as ghost Bertolt looked down on Armin who was suffocating from that giant tongue lmao

at this point I think that the ackertalk is sadly never happening. A missed opportunity.

  WHO WAS THIS CHAPTER’S MVP? 1,973 responses

It’s Mikasa nation domination with 52.4% of the vote. There were a lot of great character moments but it’s hard to beat the one who stopped the manga ending prematurely! There was also appreciation for Ymir (12.8%) who brought in some interesting Titan designs and a great fight. 11.8% gave the nod to Falco for swooping in for the last minute save. 6.3% were hyped for Pieck’s no-nonsense charge, and 4.1% liked seeing Levi push himself in battle despite needing another couple of months in bed.

Levi has been severely injured for not even a week, yet he held his own and saved Connie AND Jean. I don't ever want to hear any whiny criticisms about this man ever again.

If Pieck dies we riot

Jean is best

Love Mikasa sm

MIKASA SUPREMACYYY GO BEST GIRL

Loved Reiner and Jean moment as well as Mikasa’s bad assery!

Mikasa was amazing this chapter

Pieck, the only one to make a move against Eren directly while the rest are too much up in their feelings. Best girl moment right there <3

Mikasa was so badass!! Love to see it

Mikasa was the BOMB in this chapter, loved that winged panel of hers.

My God I loved it, Mikasa was so badass, especially in that speech scene with her wings, Falco is best boy, I loved the interactions and everyone saving each other

  THE CHAPTER IS TITLED “BATTLE OF HEAVEN AND EARTH”, WHAT DOES THIS REFER TO? 1,942 responses

The most popular interpretation of the title “Battle of Heaven and Earth” seems to be designating Ymir as the Heaven, and the Alliance as the Earth (42.6%), with the reverse of that being the second most popular (27.8%). In third came the idea that it relates to Ymir using the titans of deceased Eldians (20.9%).

A battle that people might die in (Heaven) or survive (Earth)

A battle which has consequences for both Heaven (Paths) and Earth (The World)

The alliance fighting in the heavens while the colossal titans destroy the earth.

It is a reference to Ragnarok.

multiple viable interpretations. the ascended vs descended, the heavenly winged mikasa vs the now devil of all earth ymir, the winged titan against the earthly titans.

Probably a weird take, but it reminds me 131. Eren being in the Heaven as his coping mechanism and Ymir being on the ground (earth)

I’m not sure but it’s in reference to the 4th chapter titled First Battle. Just like last chapter referenced the 5th chapter.

Heaven: Paradis. Earth: beyond the sea.

all of the above- YOU GET SYMBOLIC METAPHORS, AND YOU GET SYMBOLIC METAPHORS

because the battles are in the sky while on earth the colosus step down on earth

***ohhh heaven is a place on earth***

  WE’D PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT YMIR WAS UNJUSTIFIABLY FRAMED BY HER PEERS. DOES LEARNING THAT SHE FREED THE PIGS AFFECT HOW YOU VIEW HER? 1,952 responses

Ymir apparently freeing the pigs was an unexpected opening for the chapter. For 34.4%  this action meant that Ymir has always been #TeamFreedom. A sizable 18.8% think this relatively minor reveal makes her way more suspicious. Closely following that, 18% think it means nothing at all. It’s just a cool detail that resolved a mystery.

It's trying to say that since Ymir freed the pigs, she created this whole mess which I heavily dislike since it goes against what her character was in 122

When back in 122 everyone was foaming about tHe FuCkInG pIgS, I was rolling my eyes so hard, because to me the pigs were insignificant: it does not matter who set them free, they might have just run away on their own, what matters is that Ymir is the one they blame, which started the whole story. NOW, huh, the pigs might be important, or at least it really might have been Ymir who let them go, set them free. She couldn't get free herself, so she granted freedom to the poor animals.

I always just assumed Ymir set the pigs free, I didn't realize it was something people saw as ambiguous until now…

I wasn't expecting any of that sh*t, and now I'm certain that Ymir is the real baddie here

Peppa Pig is free

  WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN YMIR FREEING THE PIGS AND LOOKING DOWN AT THE ALLIANCE? 1,835 responses

The chapter opens with Ymir after freeing the pigs from the pen, but what does this mean? It’s close, but the most popular option is that Ymir is recalling that the last time she prioritised the idea of freedom the suffering was not worth it (29.9%), followed by the assertion there’s no deeper meaning (22.3%). A close third place of votes believe the connection is that Ymir has given up acts of selflessness as she doubles down on the rumbling (21.8%) and an even closer fourth place see it as her looking down on the Alliance as if they were the caged animals (21.4%).

Did she free the pigs out of compassion, or to spite her master? Is the rumbling everything to put the pigs back in the pen, or to get revenge on those who scorned Eldians?

How it started versus where it's ended up. All this torment and death because of something so minuscule because of human cruelty towards each other.

It seems like a parallel between Ymir freeing the pigs and Ymir freeing the past titans.

It shows she's an actor with agency and motivations, whether in her slave-like state or her god-like position

It was her first act of free will, and her routing the scouts it technically her third, so in a way they are parallel actions.

She looks at humans like pigs

She wants freedom, and the only way to obtain it is to kill the alliance

She's still in a cage, represented by the bones of Eren

She has been stewing in everything she has gone through for 2000 years and that might've turned her hateful.

it is possible that after looking at humanity for hundreds of years that she believes that it is not human's nature to be compassionate like her, but to fight each other until no one remains, and she has decided to speed up to what she feels is the inevitable conclusion so that her ghost can be gone for good.

  WHY IS YMIR THE ONE ACTIVELY FIGHTING BACK AGAINST THE ALLIANCE? 1,919 responses

Armin notes that Ymir seems to be the one in control of the titans, why is this?  The large majority at 54.5% believe her to be working side by side with Eren.  About ¼, at 24.8% think she’s stepping in for Eren while she’s unconscious, while the minority at 20.7% think she’s overpowered Eren and is the real big bad of the story.

If she really wants the whole humanity to perish, then it means she lost all hope in humanity and is like an empty shell who has never experienced any drop of love. I feel that Ymir doesn't really care about protecting or helping Eren. She just wants to see an empty world - without humans.

The chapter was really well drawn. Also I see lots of new possibilities to happen, as Eren being a slave, Ymir perhaps becoming the final villain. it also makes to recall back to chapter 1 when I see Eren crying in front of Mikasa after some sort of "dream". This makes me think that Eren will eventually come to regret his actions but it's gonna be too late. thus he receives this dream but he is never able to see it through. Quite a sad fate. Although that's just a speculation on my part.

Armin questioning Ymir's role has me hoping for an Armin talk no jutsu with Ymir.

Eren and Ymir are unbeatable

Ymir/Eren are the only ones who can build titans right now. They baited Falco and Annie to return to get all of the 9 shifters near the founder again and they are planning something.

It warmed my heart seeing Ymir protecting her otosan as a thank you for bringing her with him on Take Your Daughters to Work Day 🥺

  WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO ARMIN BEING FRENCHED BY A TITAN? 1,957 responses

In one of the weirdest moments in recent memory, Armin gets french kissed by a titan of the past.  42% of fans think it makes sense, as it was the only way to stop him from biting himself to transform.  36.1% feel bad for Armin as he’s gotten molested and now this, he just can’t catch a break.  14.2% are scared to ask if this constitutes fanservice, and 7.8% are too grossed out to think about it any longer.

When I wanted a non-Annie pairing for Armin, I wasn't expecting this. Stop harrassing my poor boy.

the chapter has already spawned Armin tentacle hentai and that makes it the best chapter in the whole manga

Armin capture thing was a little weird but makes sense IMO.

I know Armin being captured in that way has a narrative purpose, but that was disturbing in the end and i hate people will/ and are joking about it.

It didn't cross my mind that the frenching was to prevent Armin from transforming until I saw the vote option. Thank you.

  WILL THE CANNONS AT FORT SALTA DO BETTER OR WORSE THAN THE BLIMPS? 1,920 responses

Fort Salta’s own forces don’t seem very effective as of yet, with the blimps almost completely failing, and now they turn to three cannons.  Not a single respondent thinks they’ll do anything (Not that we gave them the option), though more think they’ll do nothing in red.

Them cannons, it will be effective.

They’ll get hit by the fort’s cannons but they probably won’t be very effective

  KARINA SAW THE ARMORED TITAN GET CHOMPED IN FRONT OF HER VERY EYES. HOW WILL THIS AFFECT HER? 1,924 responses

Even though the Plot-Armored Titan escaped death yet again, all Karina saw was her son’s flesh mecha being chomped from afar. 37.3% are finding it hard to care about Karina’s struggle, but of the ones who did have an answer, 31.2% think the purpose of the death fake-out is so she can better appreciate when Reiner is alive and well later. Just under a fifth at 19.3% think she’ll do something rash while thinking her son is dead, unsurprisingly more than the 12.2% who think Karina would do something nice for once.

fuck karina

reiner always manages to escape death

  JEAN POINTS OUT THAT THE SPAWNING TITANS ARE NOT MINDLESS. WHAT IS THEIR TRUE NATURE? 1,933 responses

It was a close one, but a plurality of respondents (38.1%) thought that the shifters brought forth by Ymir were the real deal, their souls controlled in death. Or their spirits? Their essences? Their… PATHS GHOSTS? Slightly fewer respondents (36.8%) think they’re just empty clones, Ymir simply not bothering with creating new forms since that would probably take a fuckton more years. 23.7% are somewhere between the two other options – maybe these shifters aren’t really present, but some of their will remains.

The fact that Armin saw Bertolt tells me that a part of the titan's "souls" still exist within them and they're being forced to do Ymir's bidding

The founding titan powers give her complete control over sentient shifters, and the attack titan powers (utilized by the founding titan) lets Ymir reach back in time and utilize the shifter's "essence" (maybe they all had a weird dream they don't remember), and obviously the warhammer titan is what allows them to take form. Beast titan go brrrrr

I have a small theory about souls of past shifters being imprisoned in some paths area or insubconscious mind of current titan shifters.

I’m conflicted between the two first answers but I hope there empty clones

At first, I thought it would be like Zeke's titans in Ragako (the anime showed their weird coordinated dance). But looking at Bertholdt, it seems they're not acting on free will but are still a bit conscious.

If you chomp one, do you get its power?

They are empty vessel's resurrected the only reason Armin saw Bertolt was becuase armin was the holder of the collosal titan! In my opinion of course

They are ghost/ spirits of the past shifter, which have a limited consciousness like zombies

They are moving according to the old users skills, like a saved “data”

They are the ones who volunteered to be in the walls when the Eldians escaped to Paradis. They sympathise with Eren and are fighting for him.

They are the real shifters working with Ymir

We see Bert crying right before we see his titan try to eat Reiner —— maybe he’s being forces by Ymir.

The souls of the previous titan holders can see what is happening though paths but they don't have control over it

Ymir created them via the shifters' own memories respectively. The Beetholdt panel might show hesitation of wanting to grab Reiner for example and emphasizes on the theme of Slavery. How to achieve freedom you must steal freedom (Erwn said he stole the world's freedom to achieve his own) or enslave/oppress someone or a group.

Ymir created them while eren is using them

souls being completely controlled but can be revoked original consciousness back,cringe naruto shit.

Through PATHS all is possible

  ISAYAMA WENT ALL OUT WITH TITAN DESIGNS. WHICH ANCIENT TITANS DID YOU MOST ENJOY SEEING? 1,926 responses

The most popular design in Isayama’s titan showcase by a decent margin was the “Faceless Titan” (45.8%), with “The Thing Titan” coming in second (34.4%). In third was the “Minotaur Titan” (32.4%) and narrowly in fourth, the “Mummified Titan” (31.3%). Interestingly, 2/4 of the top designs appear to be previous Warhammer Titans, which is fitting with it being one of the most popular titan designs. Well, except for the one we saw in Ymir’s backstory that had hair. We all agreed that thing was atrocious.

I loved the previous titan shifters.

croco titan best boi

There's a lot of titans missing, so I'll say here that I love the dinosaur titan, the bearded titan and the ghost-like titan as well.

that 'wolverine' titan is actually a deer. It kind of blends in with Reiner's armor but you can see the antlers if you look closely.

always wanted to see ancient titan designs since learning about the inheritance and such, so this is a dream come true for a fanartist

Previously, it was left to our imagination what all these past Titan Shifters looked like, but thanks to this chapter (through the power of PATHS!), we got to see many of them for ourselves. A nice treat from Isayama, but also a mind-blowing one, especially with how they intervened in the fight.

Seeing all these past Titan Shifters appear like that was so interesting to me that it  made me analyze each one and try to identify which was an old Jaw Titan, an old Beast Titan, an old Cart Titan, an old Warhammer Titan, and so on, so this chapter also felt like a fun guessing game in that regard!

Adding animals to the mix just feels like a try hard to make them scary. If he wanted them to have some real crazy powers it could've been done better imo, having these many animals just thrown around didn't make sense to me, we already got the beast titan and that bird titan. It's enough animals for me, especially since initially what made titans so scary in the first place was how identical they are to humans, only differing in their mounstrous size.

I never liked the idea of animal titans, it just feels so weird and out of place with no explanation for why or how they are animal-like. That being said, some of the other titan designs were pretty rad.

Show us Kruger's titan though

  WHICH RETURNING TITAN DID YOU MOST ENJOY SEEING? 1,925 responses

In a chapter filled with new titans of the past we also saw some classic designs. By far the most hype-inducing one among fans was the Colossal Titan at 66.6%, followed by the War Hammer at 19.6%, Porco’s Jaw at 12.2%, and Marcel’s Jaw at 1.5%.

I loved how the one, true and only OG Colossal Titan of Bertholdt descended upon them like a fucking God

since there was no ""Other"" option in the ""favourite moment"" question, I'll say it here: Marcel's titan was my favourite moment.

Last chapter I was wondering if there'll be "another Beast Titan clone". We end up getting the entire museum lmao

The Colossal Titan, the God of the SnK world, appeared as the judge (while aldo not being himself, ironically) seriously, it was amazing

The Colossal Titan's entrance was like sweet karma, after how the SC murdered Bertold brutally and never cared one bit, they still couldn't get rid of him. SURPRISE MOTHERFUCKERS kekekek

  THERE’S BEEN SOME DEBATE BUT IT SEEMS FRECKLED YMIR WASN’T THERE. IS THIS SIGNIFICANT? 1,900 responses

Ah, the innocent days of our freckled goddess… she may have turned out to be a regular girl, but where was she when our other old friends were running around? There were a couple of Titans who looked a bit like her, but none with both her little gremlin body and her distinctive nose and teeth. Does it matter? 63.8% of you don’t think there’s anything to it. Maybe she’ll be in the next chapter, or maybe Yams forgot her… maybe she’s chilling with Grisha and Kruger. 36.2% think there could be something more to her absence so far.

i hope freckled ymir came back  ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ

I think it's highkey sus that we didn't see freckled Ymir's titan and that really gives me hope that Historia really will have an important part in the finale since it feels like Yams is saving freckled Ymir for a Historia moment

about freckles... i think her titan was the one that was gonna try and eat reiner/jean. dark hair, thin arms, small facial features.

I feel like her foreground omission isn't a big deal, since we're already two Jaws in, both of whom have more impactful connections to those present.

I want freckled Ymir back

ymir freckles did make an appearance, wasn’t she the titan attacking reiner as he was holding onto jean that mikasa slashed?

I believe Freckeld Ymir's Jaw Titan is shown when Bertholdt's Colossal Titan attempts to eat Reiner. It's very small though so it's hardly noticeable and I can't even confirm that it was indeed her Titan but it seemed like it.

YOU GAVE ME HOPE ABOUT FRECKLED YMIR DAMN YOU and thank you

  SINCE ALL THE TITAN OTHER SHIFTERS SUMMONED THIS CHAPTER WERE DECEASED, DOES THIS MEAN ZEKE IS DEAD? 1,953 responses

Ymir summoned titans of the past according to Pieck, does that mean Zeke is of the past now too?  The fandom is overall undecided on this one, as about half don’t know, at 48.5%.  32.7% are confident Zeke is still around, and 18.8% take this as confirmation of his death.

Zeke may not be dead, because the beast titan summoned last chapter could be Xavier's beast titan too. Because in one earlier Marley arc chapter, someone mentioned that "The beast titan is the same as ever". Meaning, Xavier's beast titan was also monke.

IF Zeke is alive, it means that Pieck is once again somehow "faking" her defeat and goes for the detonator but then she somehow runs into Zeke. They have a lot of history and too much stuff unresolved between them and because of eren/armin and zeke/pieck dynamics is that those 2 stayed on the founding titan..

I think Zeke and Bertolt are both stuck in paths, unable to properly die. I hope Zeke is just shackled making titans like we saw him in 120. That would be poetic, for the one who hates his Eldian blood so much to be forced to enact the one thing that made him hate himself (the existence of titans).

I just realized that in the last chapter I thought Zeke was there but it was the shot of the Marleyan general saying ""I am sorry""... I was writing about how Zeke cannot be dead, what are you all talking about, he is right there, then went and checked 134. Now I'm just sitting here with no answers at all. Zeke could be anywhere, alive or dead, no clue...

  CHEKHOV’S EXPLOSIVES CONTINUE, AND THIS CHAPTER PIECK ENSURED THEY WERE RIGHT NEXT TO EREN. WHO WILL DETONATE THEM? WILL THEY BE EFFECTIVE? 1,121 responses

We asked what you think would come of the explosives that have been built up for eight chapters now, and collated your responses. First, who will detonate them?

Pieck: 182

Mikasa: 140

Armin: 134

Reiner: 99

Gabi: 81

Levi: 71

Connie: 38

Jean: 29

Annie: 23

Falco: 14

Eren: 6

Ymir: 2

Zeke/Onyankopon/Bertholdt: 1

There were also 7 mentions of the cannons that the Marleyans got ready to use this chapter actually coming in handy, and setting off the explosives. It’s also noteworthy that Pieck is thought of more than any other character to be likely to sacrifice her life to get it done. Additionally, many people who put forth Armin detonating them suggested this occurs through his titan transformation igniting them, not just him using the detonator.

In terms of success, 255 said that the explosives would either do nothing or overall be ineffective, with the most commonly given reason being that Eren is not in the nape. 250 said that the explosives will be helpful one way or another, including 7 who said they would end Eren’s life (Most of these involved Mikasa as the detonator). 9 people specified that they hope the bombs don’t do anything, 25 said nobody will detonate them at all, and 2 said it will be effective but will make things worse.

They will play an important role in the Climax, one way or another

warhammer can just throw the explosive after it deals with pieck

His neck is covered with more bones and the blimps didn't hurt them, but the explosives are as close as possible, so I think maybe they could work.

100% those explosives will be used in one way or an other, but i have a feeling that eren is not even there ;)

Annie will likely be able to get close to Pieck, as her titan is very agile and will activate the explosives that will be able to get Eren out of her giant's head

Could be anyone. The way they're set up, they must have some effect.

Could be Jean or Connie and maybe the rumbling will be paused or the Eren's skeleton will collapse as the story continues..

Connie and he will die doing so, doing few damage but someone will be like "hey he gave us a weakness we can exploit"

if they are effective, mikasa but if they arent it will be connie or jean

Doesn’t matter who detonates them it won’t be effective

Eren better pull a Reiner and transfer his consciousness. Isayama introduced that shit on purpose. Peick probably playing dead and will try to detonate to no avail.

Gabi is going to detonate them and save Pieck too. The explosion might help in the fight, but I doubt Eren is in the neck, my bet its Zeke who is in there.

Eren, once all the shifters are dead he will detonate it killing himself and ensuring all titans are reborn in Historias baby, truly freeing ymir and ending the curse of the titans.

Fort Salta Cannons will detonate them. They wont be effective because Eren is hiding in Paradis with the Warhammer Titan power (or he can transfer his consciousness to the rest of his spine in case he really is there).

Levi will detonate them to kill Zeke who is actually the one in the nape

Levi will give up on his dream of killing Zeke and die sacrificing himself to detonate it

Pieck will sacrifice herself to detonate the fuse and when she does she will fall to her doom. She will be content in knowing that it will work. She lits it up and falls at the same time. When shes falling she feels a great sense of acceptance, but all of a sudden Falco swoops in to save her with everyone on his back. As they watch it blow up the body keeps moving for eren was not there to begin with.

I think Ymir will use them against the alliance

Oyankopon drops a flying knee into the plunger in an act of self-sacrifice.

titanfolk: Kaboom?

Isayama: Yes titanfolk, kaboom.

  WHY IS ARMIN HAVING THE VISION OF BERTOLT? 1,928 responses

In one of the more confusing panels of this crazy chapter, we see Bertolt standing over Armin.  39.6% believe it to be a fragment of Berthold brought back through the Colossal Ymir summoned, 25.5% think Bertoto has awareness in an afterlife, 25.1% think Armin is having a memory from his predecessor Burrito, and 7.3% think Ymir is just messing with Armin.

Grabbing Armin allowed Ymir to access Bertolt's titan, similar to how they have Zeke captive for his Beast titan

It's some kind of twist that's coming related to the whole predecessor memory stuff.

Some kind of PTSD vision brought on by being put in a Titans mouth

Since this was an ongoing issue how Armin didn't seem to have access to Berth's memories, he'll probably will see some of them soon. And especially the one, where Eren says to Levi that Armin will save humanity, not him. That will give him the last push to do whatever.

The scene with Bertholdt was a direct recall of when Armin woke up after eating him, and seeing him crying in the form of the Colossal Titan's skull and saying "it hurts" in chapter 85. My poor boy :( He was probably suffering from eternal torment in an afterlife/paths related place. Shifters' Hell would be a good word, as Ymir Fritz kinda had the same experience being enslaved for eternity

Him seeing Bertolt for the second time makes me think these two are going to switch places at some point. That being said it's not the end-end for Armin, and Eren is definitely reserving him a seat in whatever path underground there is.

I thought Armin was feeling the despair/hopelessness that Bertolt did while the warriors were undercover in Paradis. The paralyzing dread of the task before him, even though he is the "strongest titan"

Bertolt's individual "soul" still exists as a singular entity, that lives within Paths. Armin as his inheritor has a soul-link to him, can see him, recall his memories and even feel some of his feelings. However his presence here will serve for Armin to make some kind of realisation that will help conclude the battle.

  YOUR THOUGHTS ON MIKASA IN THIS CHAPTER? 1,942 responses

We knew Mikasa would likely be chapter MVP but we wanted to give her an extra shoutout for a great chapter. Only 9.1% percent refused to play along. A majority of nearly 60% agreed with all our gushing about her performance, selecting all of the above. Of the individual entries, “Bless those ackergenes” (10.2%), “They were goners without her” (8.8%) and “She was unbelievable” (7.9%) were top selections.

Isayama in November said mikasa character is coming and this chapter felt like the start of it and hoo was this Mikasa's chapter. We have known that Mikasa is one of three main MCs, and isayama had been foreshadowing Mikasa's role in the finale so much. I'm excited to read the final 3 chapters.

goat mikasaaaa

HEAD EMPTY JUST MIKASA SUPREMACy

I LOVE MIKASA

Loving all the Mikasa scenes. It’s about damn time,

Mikasa going "Fuck it. Fight me. All of you, I don't care if you're shifter clones, I'll kick your ass." was a great bit of dark humour and a really well done character beat. If she has to go down she'll go down fighting with pride.

  THIS CHAPTER MIKASA FOUGHT TO THE END AFTER LEVI DELEGATED THE ATTACKING ROLE TO HER, A REVERSAL FROM FEMALE TITAN ARC. IS MIKASA HUMANITY'S NEW STRONGEST SOLDIER? 1,940 responses

Levi has always been humanity’s strongest soldier, but this chapter had Mikasa being the only one fighting till the end. This being temporary due to Levi’s worn down body is the consensus, with 49.3% affirming its brief nature while 34.3% venture that Mikasa will one day take on this mantle permanently.13.8% believe she has surpassed even what a healed Levi would be capable of, and 2.7% do not think she’s surpassed him in any way.

I’m glad to see a lot more female empowerment with Mikasa being a major hit in this chapter. I got very worried with the amount of saving Levi had to go through and avoiding near deaths at some points.

Let the Humanity’s Strongest go down like a badass he’s always been, stop making him this pitiful please

LEVI NEEDS IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION HE MIGHT BE HAVING INTERNAL BLEEDING FROM THAT EXPLOSION AND HIS LEG BEING BITTEN MAKES IT EVEN WORSE FUCK

I BELIEVE IN LEVI'S SUPREMACY

Mikasa Ackerman supremacy

that wings really said mikasa is the most freest person now

I’d love it if isayama would stop crippling Levi. I know its to get him out of the fight but cmon

  NOW THAT WE SEE IT IN ACTION, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF FALCO’S BIRD TITAN? 1,944 responses

Most fans are behind this controversial development at this point, with 46.8% loving it, and 29.3% not loving it but feeling that it fits in the chapter. 17.4% have changed their mind from negative to positive after seeing it in this chapter, and 6.5% will always hate this.

Falco's titan is amazing. He saved everyone and it's his second transformation, he is goat.

I liked Falco saving the day :) It doesn't matter to me how he learnt to fly and control his titan so fast. Maybe Zeke helped him via sending visions? Or maybe Falco is talented? I don't know and I think we have more important thing to read about

Falco Being able to fly a few hours after Hange's death makes this chapter less good.

The Flying Titan is questionable but everything else are great

the design of Bird Titan is kinda cringe

Porco must be very proud of his son 

  KIYOMI AND YELENA ARE NOT ON THE FLYING TITAN, ALONG WITH THE AZUMABITO ENGINEERS. ANY PREDICTIONS? 1,911 responses

After Kiyomi forebodingly accepted the risk of the ship sinking that also contained Yelena and the Azumabito engineers two chapters ago, she has not been seen since despite Falco now arriving. The majority of you (70.2%) believe they’re fine, with the ship surviving Falco’s transformation, while just under a quarter (23.2%) believing both drowned on the sinking ship, and a slim minority (6.6%) believe they are with our main crew on the Flying Titan.

Yelena better be okay

I wonder where is yelena

I just want to learn how the rest of the Azumabito family are doing after Falco transformed into the Titan.

  ISAYAMA’S DONE IT AGAIN! WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE THROWBACK THIS CHAPTER? 1,936 responses

Isayama loves himself some throwbacks and this chapter was no exception.  Mikasa giving a speech reminiscent of her Trost speech was the most popular option at 32.9%, with Armin dreaming of Bertolt crying similar to his dream of the Colossal Titan was a close second at 28.2%.  Rounding out the top three was Falco taking a bird form in parallel with the Fort Slava scene we just saw in the anime.

It was like going back to Trost arc amazing wise... It was really a good one full of quotes from previous memorable moments of the series, while reading it i thought "wow, it really is ending

I think it significantly has to do with his memory of the colossal crying after RtS so perhaps it's a near death state experience of his predecessor for Armin

I'm also interested to see what Armin is going to do next. He seems to think back to Erwin whenever he gets himself into a pickle. I'm excited to see how he will use his titan in this battle.

Based on the parallels with Trost the only bomb that's blowing Eren out of his titan is Armin's Colossal Titan.

  DO YOU AGREE WITH ANY OF THESE CRITICISMS ABOUT THE CHAPTER? 1,428 responses

No chapter is free from criticism, so we scoured discord, twitter and reddit looking for the most common complaints. The lack of character deaths seemed to be on many minds. “There was too much plot armor” and “Eren and OG Ymir are too OP” were the two options that got over 30%. Grumblings about the flying titan (26.1%) and Mikasa with a winged background (23.9%)  were also common selections. I think what’s most telling is that ⅓ of respondents skipped this question entirely indicating that they had no major complaints at all

Everything was going 10/10 until the flying titan came and saved everyone. Another chapter with 0 deaths this late in the story.

I really love that mikasa with wings so much. It means for me she's the hope of humanity.she's ackerman so ymir can't control her... she will have a big roll at the end!

Being able to recreate old Titans is too OP

not too sold on the whole spawning in Titans and a flying bird that just recently got their power swooping in to save everyone

I'm completely sold on the idea of past shifters being summoned. Some people may say it's quite an asspull, but honestly, I've had a little problem with this series, which is that the Coordinate has been teased as the power of God itself but we've never seen that in action, so I'm satisfied. I'm not a big fan of the flying titan (teasing things is not the same as justifiying things) and the lack of character deaths made me think Hanji could have died this chapter, which would've been more meaningful honestly. Still, I'm very happy to say Isayama has surprised me once again.

WAYYYYYYYYYY TOO MUCH PLOT ARMOR

I know people are getting stomped on right now, but was expecting at least someone to die.

I don't mind the flying titan, but I would've liked just another hint that the beast titan can be any animal. The very first one in Ymir's flashback was an ape, could've been a dinosaur or something!

You never wanted to accept that this series was a shounen manga aimed at little boys, did you?

  DOES THIS CHAPTER ADD EVIDENCE TO THE THEORY THAT HANGE’S VISION WAS REAL? 1,929 responses

On the poll team, our first step in preparing results is looking for spam. We identify that primarily by looking at timestamps and bursts of entries that choose to answer only a single question in rapid succession. Typically we see this behavior on shippy questions and those involving Gabi, so it’s been puzzling that in the last year the only questions to get significant spam are those involving Hange’s vision. Clearly someone, or maybe a few someones, are very afraid of ghosts.

With the spam entries removed, the Yes’s outweighed the No’s by 54-46 percent on the question of whether or not this chapter added evidence to the theory that Hange’s vision was real.

The ghosts of Eldians past are definitely going to feature in the endgame I think. The shifters are the most important but Hange's vision makes it clear that they're all "alive" in Paths somehow. Let freckled Ymir talk to Historia once more!!

I hate conscious development

I bet Hanji is screaming in the afterlife, wanting to be on top of Falco's titan

  HAS THE FOCUS ON BIRDS IN THE ANIME OP/ED ADDED EVIDENCE THAT THE BIRDS IN PREVIOUS CHAPTERS ARE SIGNIFICANT? 1,913 responses

Bird theory (/birds being significant in some large way) has been gaining traction recently in the manga already, and then the anime made a whole ED theme about them and had them in focus in the OP as well.  In one of the most one sided poll results in recent memory, almost 90% of the fandom feels this is evidence of birds being significant, while 10.7% say no.

birb

birb

Birb

Birb

Birb

Birb

Birb

bird

Bird

Bird

bird

birds

  DESCRIBE THE CHAPTER IN ONE WORD 1,330 responses

This month’s top 5 chosen words bear a resemblance to last month’s, specifically with 1-3 being in last month’s and 1 & 3 being in the last two months. “Chaos” is one more on the original side for this chapter.

Amazing [96]

Epic [50]

Awesome [48]

Chaos/Good/Great [27]

Cool [26]

And in a shocking turn of events, this question is being used to concoct recipes again? Well, it’s a bit of a stretch, but it doesn’t sound half bad.

Nuts

Lasagna

Goat

Cheesy

Chicken

Bertholdt

Chomp

Juicy

Exquisite

  ISAYAMA RECENTLY ESTIMATED THERE IS 1-2% LEFT OF THE STORY. WHAT CHAPTER DO YOU THINK THE MANGA WILL END AT? 1,941 responses

I don’t know why Isayama does it, but he keeps assuring us the end is near. But we’ve guessed the end is near since… oh, RTS? Then Marley? Then when the Rumbling started? Remember when chapter 130 was the max? Don’t worry, the ride will end someday. 35.5% think chapter 139 will be the last, giving the final volume five chapters. 33% are sticking with 138, the classic four chapter volume. 28.7% think we’re strapped in for a little longer at 140+ chapters. 2.5% think we’re wrapping up in just two chapters. And 6 respondents think the next chapter is the last! Gonna guess you’re either hoping for Falco to crash into a tree or you’re just tired of this ride. (Sorry, the ride never ends.)

I'm worried about the pacing. While I was glad to have a glimpse of Bert (and Erwin) again, his appearance is long overdue. Along with a whole bag of other characters who need resolutions. I don't know how Isayama will delegate worthwhile endings to this huge cast and themes in 3-4 chapters.

Each chapter makes me feel there's 3 chapters left (and there has passed more than 3 chapters since I thought that for the first time xd)

Another amazing chapter. I see the story ending at Chapter 139. Three more chapters of action, deaths and twists, and one more epilogue chapter.

There's apparently not much of the series left but this chapter still doesn't feel like we're that near the end :/

I was expecting a lot of people to die this time around, but I guess that'll happen later considering we seem to have one more volume left after this one. That actually raises my hopes a bit on the ending not being as rushed as we were afraid it would be. And the return of the anime on top of that? Man, I'm not ready to say goodbye. :(

I'm worried if Isayama will be able to end every character arc. I mean, we're left with 1 or 2% of manga and there is this quite a lot of things to end. I just hope ending won't be rushed.

...it just added a lot of questions like Yams has to give us 5 chapters for the last volume at this point lol.

dunno how this ends with everyone being satisfied. Estimating that 3 chapters are left we need a conclusion to Reiner, Mikasa and the promised Eren and Armin confrontation. While there's mysteries like Zeke's whereabouts, what's going on w Historia, why can ymir manifest herself in the real world, what did eren mean by saying "you haven't gotten to the part where I eat our old man", Bertholdt shard of him getting spared by Dina and Mikasa's see you later scene. Not to mention an epilogue where if alliance wins we get to see how the world treats the eldians now. Im already losing faith that minor characters might be just cannon fodder and I find myself saying "Its Isayama. one chapter where it feels nothing happened doesn't meant we're getting a rushed ending" too often these days.

  WHAT ARE YOU MOST HOPING TO SEE NEXT CHAPTER? 1,960 responses

It feels like there’s a lot to accomplish with so few chapters remaining. While Eren’s POV is still top on our wishlist (29%), “I don’t care just resolve a mystery, any of them” was the number two (19%). The third most common response was for Armin to come up with a plan (14%). Historia, Zeke and the more specific options all scored in single digits.

We need answers. NOW.

I liked this chapter but I’m getting tired of the mystery. We’ve been lead on for too long and there’s too many loose ends that need to be tied up already.

can we get eren’s pov now

Yes ! More Bertholdt please !!! I missed my big sweaty boy !

Where’s Freckled Ymir!!????!?!???!! Is Pieck okay!?!?!!!?!!

When will Levi die lol

Where armin

What happened to Armin!?? And does peick survive?

WHERE IS MONKE?!

Where the hell is eren?

I hope I can see Eren again

i hope isayama let levi kill zeke before he died , i want him to reunite with erwin and proudly tell him that he accomplish the mission

I just hope that Pieck and Armin are okay :((

i just want armin to be okay

I just want Eren/Mikasa, not all this shit(((

I just want to see Bertolt in the next chapter too

Wonder what is going on inside Ymir's head. Would also love to see Paradis' reaction to the ongoing massacre (if I didn't miss it somehow)

  WHERE DO YOU PRIMARILY DISCUSS THE SERIES? 1,811 responses

While Reddit has historically stayed consistent, it’s been incredible to see the rise of Twitter and the fall of Tumblr as a dominant fandom platform. A year ago only 8% selected Twitter as their primary place for Attack on Titan discussion now that number is nearing 50%.  Last month it became the most selected platform, surpassing Reddit, and this month proves it was no fluke.

wish i had irl friends who read the manga oof

    ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON THE CHAPTER? 526 responses

🧐

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Hentai

10/10 again !!! Isayama knows what he’s doing and I trust him with the ending❤️

2/10

GOOD chapter, definitely some eclipse vibes lol, Armin seemed to have realized Ymir is the one with the power and that they'll have to deal with her sooner or later to stop the rumbling. Next step is realizing Eren is 100% ready to kill him if he needs to. Maybe they'll stop trying to kill poor Zook for no reason now at least.

I loved seeing the alliance get there asses clapped

I hope Eren Yeager doesn’t love anyone from “Attack on Titan”.

But it's weird, I thought best Ymir was in the chapter too? She owes us so much, even more if SnK's afterlife is canon (Hange couldn't have known of Keith's death otherwise). And technically, Zeke could be dead like the others. First I was so bored by his constant plot armor but now...

The titan designs were got tier. Isayama came in clutch with these designs

There are still a lot of mysteries unsolved about the Titans and Eren's whereabouts is unknown. Would love to know more about the Ackerman blood too.

This poll is biased for not including statements against Mikasa and the Alliance.

If ymir creates the bodies of titan shifters, why did she give falco a bird form if she wants to stop them? Not saying it's a plot hole yet, but I hope there's a reason for it.

The title reminds me of the chinese saying of “天人交戰” which literally translates as battle between the heaven and human but means ones inner struggle. Maybe it is referring to eren’s inner struggle of wanting freedom and having to kill everything standing between him and freedom. Idk.

A lot of people have been trying to make sense why we're learning about Ymir freeing the pigs here of all places, but rather than it being evidence that she's some evil mastermind I think it's a representation of how devastating this cycle of hatred has been. In that first scene we see Ymir as a kind and empathetic girl who decides that though she can't free herself, she can still help these simple animals who she saw earlier also wanted to escape. But in the present, after suffering greatly for her kindness and being forced into servitude that lasted for countless years and even into death, we see Ymir not just as willing to commit a brutal omnicide on the rest of the world but as someone who is seemingly enslaving others in the pursuit of that goal - in many ways, she might be repeating the same crimes that were done to her by King Fritz.

After seeing the first episode of the new anime season and how well Mappa delivered on that, I cannot *wait* to see the crazy battle action of this chapter animated.

Armin, as expected, ended up a failure yet again. This is what Bertholdt, Erwin and Hange died for -_-

GIVE 👏 ARMIN 👏 A 👏GODDAMN 👏 BREAK

Armin is beginning to understand this always was about Ymir. After seeing her twice.

I really wish Armin could do something besides being tortured with doubt and getting captured.  

BERT IS BACK BERT IS BACK BERT IS BACK BERT IS BACK BERT IS BACK BERT IS BACK BERT IS BACK BERT IS BACK BERT IS BACK BERT IS BACK BERT IS BACK BERT IS BACK

can levi die already let this old man reunite with his homies in shingeki no heaven. at this point death is like the only peace and/or freedom anyone can get in this series which is kind of a shitty message

I'm a fan of how fucking OP Eren and Ancestor Ymir, which is honestly how it should be. I never expected The Alliance to stand a chance, and they all got fucking wrecked. I'm completely surprised nobody died, I feel like that'll be changed next chapter, though; unfortunately. My main question is: What the fuck do The Alliance plan to do next without Armin and Pieck? Also, seeing the past shifters was fucking amazing and I didn't expect that shit.

Decent chapter. I gave it a 3/5, because it was a purely action, set-up chapter with not so great action scenes, at least compared to other great fight scenes in the series. Still, we got quite a few nice panels and interesting powers, so i will be looking foreard to the payoff.

eren better be in the next chapter idc 🙄‼️

Eren is trying to kill his friends, Ymir is not controling him, he is FREE. Accept it already.

FALCO WILL EAT EREN LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I need this tension between mikasa and Eren resolved in the following chapters....these two are the only characters regarding whom I'm totally not sure what tf will end up happening to them.

Hange would've loved to see all the different types of titans from bygone times. I wish they were still alive, I miss them.

I can't believe that best boy Bertholdt Hoover, the one true God of Destruction, is back, and as usual, the first thing Isayama does is make him cry. Absolutely incredible. This is all I'll think of this month.

I think the Ymir revelation was huge but other than that it was an anxiety-inducing rollercoaster of will they, won't they (die). Nothing much happened. I feel antsy

I think there is a possibility that eren and ymir brought back the shifters because they agree (mostly) with the rumbling and bert is crying because he knows what he has to do to ensure it

I wonder if Ymir regrets setting those pigs free. It was the act that set her life into further misery. I think it's beautiful but tragic how Eren really gave her back the will to fight.

I'm blown away

I'm honestly shocked at how incredible this story has become. Much like Bertholt I feel like I'm fine with whatever happens, because this whole journey and the world are incredibly cruel. And that does not make it bad by any means, it makes it more meaningful.

I'm not a huge fan of the fight scenes so I'd just like to see a satisfying climax and conclusion to the fight soon. Looking forward to Levi killing Zeke and all the reunions.

I'm really optimistic about Bertholdt possibly coming back, oh gods I hope he comes back.

I'm scared because this chapter didn't progress a lot of the story and we only have 3 or maybe 4 chapters left.

Isayama really got to flex his ability to design terrifying monstrous titans again.

It was an interesting chapter. It really works well if you think about it. Regular humans who are humanity's last hope, the strongest soldiers left are against two literal gods. Of course it will not be easy at all, Ymir summoning all those titans and everyone nearly dying multiple times is proof that you cannot defeat such gods that easily. Very excited for the next chapter to see how everything else plays out.

Maybe Anni can use her female titan powers and attract all of the former titan shifters - so that Mikasa detonates the Bombs.

Mikasa deserves a fuckn BREAK. like God she saw her family get butchered TWICE, first by humans, then by titans and now fckn Eren took away the one family she was desperately trying to protect. If anyone should've gone crazy like Eren it's mikasa. She does seem to be at her wit's end and ready to go above and beyond after saving everyone in this chapter and seeing the harm Ymir/Eren is causing. But since she's always done what she believed in, no matter what she does, I just want Mikasa's character to get some sort of happiness by the end of it. Is that too much to ask :/

Nobody said “The Eagles are coming” bad chapter 0/10. I’m kidding. But in all seriousness I really just want to see the ending already. I’m going to imagine it ends with the remnants of humanity rebuilding and promising to never be turbo-racist ever again while a tired Historia looks on with her baby saying “You are free” or something.

PIECK DONT DIE I LOVE YOU!!!!!

PIECK GREATNESS NEXT EPISODE

Reibert pandering for this chapter. It was a tad too fast but I love the focus on Reiner reacting to the CT attacking him. reiner could ALMOST die of the gayest way possible had Jean not butted in.

Screamed when Annie came on

Sets up for a super exciting finale

spare eren POV crumbs? dunno what this man been thinking since chapter 86

stanning bertholdt hoover isn't just a hobby, it's a lifestyle, a reason to breathe, he's also an art, the first gift you open on xmas, a hug from a loved one, he is everything I have ever wanted, and everything I needed.

hOLY FUCKING SH—

I cant see when or how it'll end

I did NOT expect Armin to get tongue porn'd. It's hilarious to imagine Annie seeing that HAHAHAHAHA

I really miss eren so much...AoT without him...it's long time we didn't see him pls isayama):

I rlly don’t see Ymir the same way and I hope it won’t affect the way I see Eren

I still miss Hange :(

I think Bertholdt was crying because his Titan was forced to attack and eat Reiner, against his own will

I think Connie will be the one to help Levi take down Zeke. Levi will live!!!

I thought it was very good. Not peak AOT but great! There was to many saves before death , reminded me of bleach. Seeing the old Titans was really cool and the action was great also.

I want armin and annie flashback in next chapter

i want EMA meet again):

I want Mikasa to choke Eren with the scarf

I want monke boi back :(

I want more Eren

I want more!!!!!!!

I wanted see Historia

I was really excited to hear we were getting more bertholdt

I was vey hyped because of this chapter and it delivered. During all the chapter i was like "someone's gonna die someone's gonna die" and when Berthold's titan appears and eats reiner's titan I screamed, but that son of a bitch is inmortal hahah.

idc idc come back to save pieck and armin please

It gives the idea of how powerful that titan god is, i think it lives up to Rod's description of titam god and how powerful it felt during Ymir's backstory (her form)

It got really hype when all the past shifters came over but Pieck’s bomb failing could be seen a mile away. Over amazing with some nice moments.

it is really, life and death situation. still, looking forward to this especially the ending. how will aot end? surely, it will be a legacy. a great masterpiece made by isayama-sensei.

it maintains a nice pace

It sucks. Manga went downhill since chap 105. The shit needs to end.

It was a classic high tension action chapter which I loved

IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

It was amazing and full of a lot of lore!

It was amazing! I'd say this could be one of the best chapters written! So much action went on to the point where I hope MAPPA has a decent sized budget to animate it all. I'm really eager to see what the next chapter has in store. The main thing I'm looking forward to that wasn't listed here is basically what will happen to Levi. Is he going to survive through all this, or is he going to succumb to his wounds? Is he going to pair up with Zeke to take down Eren? Or is he going to stay on the "sidelines" untill the war is over?

It was fun, but somewhat inconsequential aside from Falco

It was good, i just need some answeres. Ymirs ability was so sudden.

It was great to finally see previous titan shifter forms, especially the beast titans.

It was just overall so epic

It was really great in terms of action but disappointing as well since there was too much plot armour - I was expecting at least one death.

it was really nice before the episode, it's all getting so intense and i didn't expect ymir to go in with a bang like this

It was really nice, all the symbolism, along with Mikasa with the wings was amazing.

it was super crazy

It'll probably be more enjoyable in the anime (if MAPPA even tackles this). Straight battles have never been this manga's strong suit.

Jean, dare to die and I won't love you anymore >:'(

Its up to ho wmany chapters we have left, if we have like 10 it was a very good one, if we have smt like 3 ( that i dont think so ) it was waste of time

Levi is almost certainly dead/dying

Levi might be a ‘slave’ to being a hero but he’s a victim of his own popularity which is preventing Isayama from killing him off. We know he’s not gonna fulfill his promise to Erwin because Levi never gets what he really wants, surprise surprise. But if he keeps getting injured and left out of action he’ll live the rest of his life with nothing but regrets.

levi please don't die

LEVI PLEASE SURVIVE :(

levi u ok buddy

Levi's leg is not daijobu,,, is he even alive

Lol who TF cares about Bert? He killed hundreds of thousands of innocent Eldians alongside Reiner and Annie. I still say he deserved what he got and is not worthy of any kind of sympathy, no matter how many angsty teardrops Isayama draws on his stupid face.

looking forward to seeing it animated.

Lots of weirdness, but still great

man the titan battles were great, seeing all the previous titans fight was pretty awesome seeing the hopelessness form the alliance really showed the reality of it all, now they lost 2 additional titans leaving Eren with 6 and the alliance down to 3

MAPPA gon be hurting

not enough lesbians

Not for the chapter but, All the openings and endings(lyrics and images) of the series have some details of the things we are experiencing with the latest chapters

That being said that Annie scene was pretty cringe. I expected that, but it was so cliché it's ridiculous.

ONLY BERT & PIECK HAVE RIGHTS

overall good! it was alot to process but im on board and excited for the next one

Pls end it Mikasa, you can do it.

Plz yams don't give me hope like this

Professor X vs. Magneto soon

really crazy. You have to admit that Isayama doesn't stop when it comes to creativity.

Really curious about Bertolt apparition

Pretty good. As much as I want the Alliance to win in the end, their utter defeat this chapter felt more realistic, than if they managed to actually do anything.

Really liked Jean and Reiners moments this chapter, overall a good chapter that flew by. Hope quickly turned into desperation but Falcons teams arrival means they got one more chance. Armin capture thing was a little weird but more or less makes sense.

Since the rumbling started, this series has became more dull and predictable. Loads of plot armor, stupid teosts only for shock value and weird pacing are major problems in this arc. Too bad, because the post timeskip portion of this manga up until  the rumbling was one of the best pieces of media I had seen. But now I am only expecting the boring  cliche shonen ending.

Still hate Annie being back, she can still go.

Still think Mikasa is gonna be the one to either kill Eren or bring him back to his senses somehow

The afterlife thing still hasn't answered and I wanna know how's the corps doing T_T

The Alliance got dumpsterd yet no one died. They'll probably die in all in one chapter.

the art, as usual, was really good

There are still some mysteries to solve and things to do (like EMA final convo, which I don't think will last just 2 or 3 pages) in so little time, I'm kinda worried to be honest.

This chapter is full of plot twists, I didn't even expect the storyline to turn out like this.

This chapter is painfull and more action at the same time and i hope there are still chances that there old happy days will be back

This chapter was actually exciting! And thank goodness Bertolt is finally back!!!!! So many people assumed he was finished and forgotten, but a small group of us knew Isayama wouldn't leave us hanging without his closure. I'm looking forward to learning why we're seeing him now and whatever's going to happen to Armin

This chapter was breathtaking and hard to continue due to the speculations that someone was going to die. I feel like the next few chapters is where things start to get serious if not already. I found it very enjoyable yet nervous at some moments.

This was so crazy and hopeless like it's peak apocalypse even more than rumbling. It's a nightmare I love Isayama

Too many last-seconds saves kinda ruins the tension.

umm it would've been better

Ummm this chapter had too much suspense

uuuuuuuhhh nothing else i guess

Very PogChamp

We are going to get the best manga ending ever.

Nobody is free yet...

MAN WTF IS HAPPENING I READ TBE MANGA BHT HAVENT REREAD IT AND I FORGOT WVERYTHING MAN WTF

#snk polls #snk poll #snk poll results #snk 135 #snk chapter 135

[rosieblower]

Does University Affect Student Mental Health and Wellbeing?

After being accepted to University, there are a few things that you need to do: register to classes, register with a GP, receive vaccinations, join societies, attend freshers fares, adhere to your new timetable, complete mass amounts of holiday tasks and eventually move in. It was an overwhelming possibility at the time. Still, my parents and I packed everything I owned into my surprisingly spacious, blue ford ka and set off to begin my new life. There were more storage boxes than I could count, the smell of polystyrene packaging lingered and an essential full length mirror split the vehicle in half, so mum and dad had to talk over it to ask me how excited I was.

Before I had chance to answer, we were at my accommodation, unpacking my possessions and greeting my new flat mates. My family, who I had lived with and seen every day of my life until now, proudly said goodbye and that these would be ‘the best years of your life’. I stood in the kitchen with six little chairs, six little cupboards and six little shelves in the fridge, where I would learn to cohabitate and I was unsure whether to feel ecstatic or scared. Instead I felt naked; all that covered me was a complimentary hoodie and a lanyard. I embraced it. I had been identified as a fresher and I intended to live like one. Even after summer, the fun shouldn’t stop so every day went something like this: 2pm wake up 3pm crawl to lecture 4pm go home 5pm see flat mates 6pm nap 7pm get ready 8pm pub 9pm pres 10pm pre drinking 11pm trebles (triple shots for the price of one) 12pm club 1am deep chats in the smoking area 2am after party 3am Maccies 4pm bed.

The University lifestyle consumed me as I attempted to survive, Bear Grills would not be impressed. My exiting English and Drama degree saw no routine, sleep, socialisation or food for weeks. Relationships broke down as quickly as I built them because freshers make friends then disappear for the holidays and we disperse all over the country like a millennial virus. I had never suffered from mental health problems before however, most of my friends were open about this and it allowed me to question my internal thoughts. Despite the struggle, I was educationally productive by devising pieces and throwing myself into work. One exercise occurred early morning for a workshop to help inspire ensembles to create their own piece, in which I and three others were chosen. One student walked an imaginary grid around the studio, one in slow motion, one speaking in a different language than myself, who was running to and fro whilst being prompted to improvise a monologue. It was based on the colour red. Connotations of love, fear and flowers popped into my head and out my mouth, as sweat rolled down my cheeks. I spoke about the taste of my mother’s cooking, how I was homesick because my friends were there and how relationships are irrelevant when you look at the bigger picture. They say the greatest thing you can do is move from your home town as it puts life into perspective. They tell you how wonderful life will be but not about the overwhelming need to visit your dog. Time passed as I scaled the room and an applause from my peers erupted once the other members of my group placed their arms around me. I only registered silence. This was now my coping mechanism... although I was unashamed to ask for additional support.

Entering The Student Wellbeing Center, I felt like a contestant on Stars in Your Eyes. ‘Tonight Matthew, I’m going to be...’ I step out of the lift; the cloud of smoke fades and a horseshoe shaped desk appears with sympathetic faces staring back. I approach Jackie with my fingers in a twist and she thankfully speaks first ‘hello, how can I help?’ I tried to form an answer in my head before tears reached my lips. ‘I’m not really sure; I’ve never done this before.’ The bitter taste of salt allowed me to compose myself as the woman spoke ‘I’m afraid you’ve come out of hours but if you let me scan your student card I can give you some information that may help you’. She handed me a leaflet and I hurried out of there, hoping no one I knew could see me.

The University of Lincoln Student Wellbeing Center offers counselling, academic support, multi-faith chaplaincy and documentation of your visits. Unknowing to me at the time, their drop in sessions are 12-2 Monday to Friday. Their website states ‘University life can be a fantastic experience, but it also comes with its own challenges, see what support is available here.’ It aids all students of diverse backgrounds from each gender, class and ethnicity. Upon contact I was informed ‘any questions would need to be processed and emailed to head office before being published’ and as they are understandably busy, their lack of response allowed me to carry out my own research. When asked ‘has University affected your mental health?’ in a 2019 poll on social media, 908 students voted yes against 93 voting no. This phenomenal response of a closed question shows the scale in which students are suffering from thoughts of self harm, negative ideas and the stress of deadlines. The question caused controversy as some students assume everyone agrees whereas other public members were open to further questions and contacted me with support. It must not be ignored that mental health effects all ages and social groups as an MQ landscape analysis 2015 found ‘1 in 4 people experience mental health problems each year – nearly 15 million people’. To gather an understanding of this population and unpick internal or external factors, I decided to meet those who suffer with mental health problems.

The library is a hive of potential and knowledge with students who gather to create a buzz. Between the honeycomb walls I have built a trust with two individuals who have openly shared their mental health experiences to help others however, their names have been changed for protection purposes. I met Chloe and Ross on my course and from a gendered perspective; they seemed like a good place to begin my research for finding ways in which university affects mental health.

I begin with Chloe by asking if the first year of university impacted her mental health; ‘At first I was in a better mental health state as I had problems at home and moving gave me the independence I needed, then as the year went by it started to deteriorate’. I thought back to when I had my jabs at the student medical center to avoid fresher's flu then the nurse slapped a plaster on after... asking this question felt a bit like that. Chloe continued ‘during freshers I was spiked and sexually assaulted which hugely affected my mental health’. I was already aware of these events; I had been at the other end of the phone when dark thoughts had crept into her head... it was just as hard hearing it the second time. I understand the appeal of £2 mixers in the club, but is it worth it when you leave wrapped in ambulance foil, looking like a jacket potato because someone has spiked you? On the plus side, £4 for two VK’s seems like a safer bet, as you can be more vigilant and protect yourself with a thumb over the head of a bottle. The need for recreational drugs shouldn’t give in to peer pressure and if you take them, it should be your own choice. The basics: always travel in groups, never walk home alone and don’t shit where you eat.

I find comfort in the next question, ‘did you seek help and if so, was the student wellbeing center useful?’ I ask. She thinks for a moment. ‘The waiting times are too long for a consultation. When I went to them, they were disorganized in sorting the appointment as they said it wouldn’t benefit my personal mental health issues’. Instead, she visited the University of Lincoln Student Health Centre where she was prescribed an initial dose of Mirtazapine: 15 mg orally once a day at bedtime. Side effects include loss of appetite and drowsiness alongside the recommendation of avoiding alcohol which impacts social ability if you’re a student. On the other hand, when asked what advice she would give to students who are suffering, she states ‘definitely get help when you feel yourself slipping. You don’t want to go too far.’ I wonder how such a small person handles such problems; I commend all 5ft 2 of her.

On his feet sits a pair of Dr Martens, fishnet tights and black attire stretches the length of his body. As a confident young man and aspiring actor, his assurance was affected when he started University as his friend died of Leukaemia which heightened his depression. Ross states that ‘coming to Uni has damaged my anxiety. I freaked out meeting new people and being in a different environment’. He adds ‘the first few weeks of university were uncomfortable but other than social drinking I wasn’t reliant on substances and improved my mental health on my own.’ Ready to further my education, University was the fresh start I needed therefore, I found it difficult to understand how Ross could move on from such a traumatic event.

Also, I couldn’t help differentiating the response between Ross and Chloe. I pointed this out to him and he nodded in response ‘men speaking about mental health has become a less taboo subject within society however, the practical mind-set some men inhabit, creates barriers.’ I asked him how he felt about seeking help as he shares his experience. ‘I didn’t go (to student wellbeing). I didn’t want to. I have a stigma that I can do this on my own. I sit and say I’m not alright to my friends but that’s about it’. His response supports the statistic that ‘In the UK, men are three times as likely to die by suicide as women. In the Republic of Ireland, the rate is four times higher among men than women’. This reminds me that some students are silent sufferers whereas other students have the confidence to become advocates for mental health awareness as it makes others less conscious when speaking out. University is a social construct and an unnatural situation so there is no wonder some students feel like a fish being asked to climb a tree. I support both personalities when approaching the subject of mental health.

Upon reflection I wrote this article in hope of self discovery, to empathise with others and to acknowledge the scale of this issue through research, facts and statistics. Although this piece seems to address first year students and their parents who may only identify the amazing, life changing experience of university, it is also a possibility that your child locks them self in their accommodation and doesn’t come into contact with anyone for days. This struggle applies to all audiences as every individual has good and bad days or negative thoughts without reasons behind them. The point is to check on your friends, even the ones who seem fine. From a young age we are shielded from the reality of suicide in society and the build up to this is ignoring mental health. The afore mentioned services appear in all Universities and they should be used alongside personal tutors provided by the faculty and the Student Help Desk that will address smaller issues such as losing your student card or solving timetable problems. From experience, first year is adapting, second year is the realisation of achieving deadlines that matter and third year is the worry of a dissertation. Despite the pressure, acknowledge what you have achieved and embrace the experience, because every day is a blessing when you struggle with a mental health problem.

By Rosie Blower

If you have been affected by any issues mentioned in this article please find support by visiting the student minds website: https://www.studentminds.org.uk/findsupport.html

[heroesarelife]

I returned to ask something of my beloved Togata Mirio, in the case he make a request for courtship the girl he likes very much (I accept to be his future wife too, oh lord), thank you and sorry for the english so bad.. :c ♥

Hey mate I didn’t proof read this so forgive me for any odd mistakes and whatnot.

Also, please remember to specify if you want headcanons or scenarios, otherwise I will tend to choose freely and I generally default into hcs.

Word count: 2k+

Warning: Some second hand embarrassment.

Mirio was, for as long as he could remember, single-mindedlyfocused. He had wanted to be a hero since he was a toddler. He could all but recallthe endless summer days, when he and Tamaki would play, pretending to be wellknown heroes. Saving each other in turns, chasing seagulls away as if they werevillains - which worked very well, since the seagulls would usually fight backand he would somehow need to defend his friend from them. In fact, that’s oneof the ways he learned how to control his quirk; provoking the territorialbirds and then proceeding to activate it whenever they attacked, satisfied whenthey would fly right through him, shrieking in angry dismay. Of course, hewould sometimes time it wrong and instead be the target of the bird’s fury. Reasonwhy he would claim, for whomever bothered to hear, that they were the devil’sspawns. And he had the scars to prove it.

And that was only one instance of his determination. He hadneeded to be that way, with his quirk being as it was, and the generaldisbelief and scrutiny the world threw at him regarding his dream. And yet, henever gave up. Plunging through challenges and against all odds, training hisbody and mind mercilessly until he had unwavering control over his abilities.

That is, until now.

She was from the class next door, and had been inadvertentlysending most of Mirio’s days in disarray by simply existing. And did soeffortlessly, with no realisation whatsoever of the devastating effects she hadon him.

Crossing past her on the hallway became a complicated heart-flutteringordeal. Observing her from afar turned into a daily habit. The simplest ofhair-throws, the smallest of smiles, would send whatever he was holding rightthrough his hand and into a splattering mess on the ground. A sudden cross ofeyes and he would promptly find himself two floors below.

One for whom confidence came as naturally as air to thelungs, Mirio was the most confused by his own nerves. Even when he tried totalk to the girl, he ended up derailing into a verbal avalanche, that made aslittle sense to him as it did to her, leaving both devastatingly confused,although it seemed to entertain Nejire to no end, if her unveiled snickering wasanything to judge by.

“Our Mirio is in love!” She teased pleasantly, after he madehis now all too common walk of defeat back to his group of friends.

“Do you think she noticed?” He asked, smiling as to mask the dread the sheer thought caused him.

“I think the whole school knows at this point.” Nejireanswered, almost distractedly. Then joined her hands together, like struck by asudden thought, a playful smile lighting up her features: “There’s even a pollgoing around. But don’t worry, we are team Mirio!” She added, as if thatsettled any issues he might have, nudging Tamaki with her elbow.

Mirio left his head hang in defeat, wishing fiercely hecould go back to simpler times when all he worried about was to become a heroand defeat villains. When it was all about training his quirk. Thinking back,maybe seagulls weren’t all that bad, after all. He would choose the demon spawnsand a beating over this whole mess. Any day, any time.

“That’s it!” He slammed his fist against his palm invictory. “She’s like the seagulls!” he declared triumphantly. Seeminglyrecovered to his traditional excited demeanour, he walked off hurriedly,restless under the fuel of his idea. He understood now; this was training aswell, and he had to face it like a challenge. He had to win her heart.

“Oh. She does sound a bit like a bird, I guess.” He heardNejire say behind him in placid agreement, not sounding the least confused.

—–

The next day, Mirio was ready. Armed with a messy chimeramade of varied internet tips – the ones he managed to make any sense of. Groomedand set into pretending his insides weren’t all mush and rattled nerves, hemarched into his UA designated building with all the airs of a man on amission. Before he could change his mind, he beelined towards the lockers wherehe knew he would find her, now that he had most of her schedule internalizeddown to the second.

There she was, organizing her locker absent-mindedly as shechatted to a friend. He swallowed dry, suddenly realizing how little his memorymade her justice. She seemed to sparkle along with the sunlight, all her beinglight and ease in her own existence, and he wondered if that was some sort ofmagic or if he was really just that hopeless. He hesitated, almost turning andcalling it a day. But he had made a decision, and he would follow through withit for all he was worth.

And so he did, approaching and placing his elbow against thewooden structure, supporting his head and weight with it. She had her back tohim, but the aspiring hero hadn’t planned as far as what to say, wanting atfirst to be, well, noticed. Preferably looking cool. Yes, that would do.

He stood awkwardly locked in the position, the confidentsmile frozen in his face almost as if painted in place. After an absoluteeternity – or one minute and fifty-three seconds, but who was counting? – herfriend poked her shyly, pointing towards him. She was going to notice him, andhis insides froze up and burned in a superb dichotomy that perfectly mirroredthe jumbled state of his own thoughts.

“Hello!” He said, louder and more mechanically than heintended. “Isn’t this a—” She turned to look at him and their eyes met. That’sall it took, really. There he went, across the lockers and the ground, fallingbutt first against the concrete floor one story below, leaving behind hisclothes and a great chunk of his dignity, no doubt. Luckily, Tamaki broughtthem both back to him a couple of minutes later.

Not a man to be intimidated and give up on first struggle –after all, how long did it take for him to face off the seagulls properly? –,Mirio pushed forward. The following days went by as smoothly as a messy andunplanned laboratory experiment could go, and usually bored the results onewould expect of such disasters. Each and every single day he tried a differentapproach, a different plan, one more miraculous than the other. He triedeverything the internet and his imagination had to offer. Showing his skillsin the hopes of dazzling her, making himself a constant presence in her orbit, chocolates,flowers, the list of actions went on. Some of which didn’t end in outrightcatastrophe; a plus considering his growing track record.

At the end of the month Mirio found himself no closer to hisobjective, hopelessly out of ideas, and seemingly defeated. He stopped trying,to the chock of half the school. Instead he walked around a bit hunched over,uncharacteristically gloomy, proceeding with what was needed of him with adistant, disconnected energy. Nejire and Tamaki tried to cheer him up, in verydifferent and characteristic ways, but he only payed them half a mind. Hethought, maybe people around were right and he should just give up.

It was one of those days, when he was walking back home inthe company of his sulking, that their paths crossed. Not on a forced, overthe top, based on careful planning, manner. But as simple as him raising hishead for a second, and the person who consumed all his thoughts was right infront of him, like a gift.

His heart squeezed in a confused mix of happiness and sorrowthat he couldn’t quite describe, let alone name, but that had become a constantpresence whenever he would see her. Part of him thought that maybe this was themoment to give his last try, and if it didn’t work… But his thoughts stoppedmidtrack, given pause by his other, more observant, part.

Because for the first time in a long while he paid attentionto her and not to his thoughts and plans. And he saw a reflection of his ownsaddened state on the lines of her shoulders; as if she was bending towards herself,trapped in her own thoughts, head cast down.

Insecurities forgotten to give place for goodhearted worry, hisbody acted on its own accord and he approaches quietly, sitting down on the parkbench beside her. She noticed, but didn’t raise her head. All thingsconsidered, that was a good thing, since his quirk had developed thehabit of acting out whenever she looked at him.

“Hey. Are you alright?” He asked haltingly.

She nodded, not startled at his presence. “Yes. I just had abad day at training. That’s all.” She sighed, and as she did the world answeredin tune, a gentle breeze reaching them both, brushing the loose hair strandssoftly. At that she raised her face, looking straight ahead, a slight smilecurving her lips; welcoming the gift. She looked beautiful and he thought,painfully, that he couldn’t give up, after all. It wasn’t in him. “I just feellike I try and try and I’m still behind everybody else. I—” she went on,looking at her hands with a contorted expression “I still can’t control myquirk properly so I keep thinking that maybe… maybe I should just give up.Maybe I’m not cut to be a hero, really.”

“That’s not true!” He exclaimed in sudden passion, much moreloudly than what the situation demanded, but he didn’t care. Not this time. Hestood up indignantly, looking at her firmly for the first time. “I’ve seen youtrain! I’ve been—” observing you like acreep “I notice you around. And I’m not about to let you talk yourself intothinking you are not worth it. I was told that all my life by everyone, but I knew I could do it. And so can you.” He declared boldly, squeezinghis hands into fists. She was looking at him now, eyes wide. “I believe in you.You are incredible and I think the world can’t be the place we want it tobecome without you at our side. At my side too. As a hero.” He opened a largesmile, truth behind every word, not attempting to hide his excitement. “Myquirk is also really hard to control so I can help you with yours too. So don’tworry. I would give anything to you.”

Caught up in his beliefs and sheer spirit, it took him asecond too late to realize exactly what he had just said. Very suddenly hestuttered, because now she was looking at him at a loss for words. Oh no. “Imean, like because I would love to help. Like, as a friend. It’s not like I’mtrying anything else. No, but not like I wouldn’t like it, I would love it! Imean you are so amazing and we could, like, do hero work together in the futurewhen we are not going on dates and watching movies. And I just being happy. Butwhat I mean is that you can totally be a hero, it doesn’t need to be with me,but it can. No, I mean—” He derailed and came to a halt; her fingers pressedagainst his lips to hush him. While his brain was still trapped in the book hecould say to go and try to save the whole situation, his heart definitely tooknote of her proximity, turning and skipping beats wildly. That was it then, hethought. He screwed it up.

But instead of the certain rejection he was fully expecting,she smiled instead. Sweet and bright. “Thank you, Mirio. I… I think I will dothat. And it means a lot, that you believe in me.” He took in a deep breath,almost shaking with the adrenaline rush. “About the rest… Maybe we could startwith an ice cream instead? And we can see about the dates and movies later on.” She suggestedsimply, laughing softly when he staggered, wide-eyed.

“There’s an ice cream place close to here. Where the seagullsgather.” He heard himself say, almost distantly. Still in shock.

Because by a stroke of luck – or some wild dream, and ifthat was the case, he would like to keep dreaming, thank you very much - theywere both walking side by side, towards the ice cream place. Mirio couldn’tquite make sense of the whole thing, but his entire being was covered with a glowing sensation,warm and fuzzy and oh-so-good. He felt like an idiot, but a happy idiot.

“You know, about that poll…” She started, inquisitively. Hejumped on the thought, having completely erased from his brain the casualinformation he had been told before. He fussed, scratching his head and smilingwidely, albeit apologetically.

“Right! I’m so sorry about it! My friends…” Nejire, he corrected inwardly. “…theyhave a weird sense of humour. I will tell them to call it off.”

“No! Don’t yet. I mean…” She exclaimed, laughing easily,and the sound was like music to his ears. “I was going to say that my bet was onyou, you know.”

Say what now? He stopped, mouth hanging open in dismay. Shelooked at him, apparently finding something funny in his expression, since she smiledmischievously. Taking a step back in his direction, she reached out and heldhis hand, interlocking their fingers together and squeezing it warmly.

“But I think that somehow I’m already collecting my wagers.”

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#togata mirio #mirio togata #bnha imagines #bnha imagine #scenarios #bnha #mha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #bnha scenarios #the-elderblood #original content #sfw #fluff #nejire is mentioned a lot #i love nejire omg #big three #big 3 #amethyst #amethyst scenarios

[hunnybadgerv]

It’s the Thought That Counts | Mass Effect: Andromeda

Summary: Cassie Ryder decides to share a special surprise with someone that has become quite dear to her.

a/n: Written as a gift for @vorchagirl who has been especially encouraging and sweet to me this year. Thank you so much. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you better. Happy Holidays!

Links: AO3 | FFnet

It’s the Thought That Counts

-1-

Cassie Ryder stared at the image on her console, swiping it from side to side to inspect every curve, every angle for even the slightest imperfection. It was times like these when her perfectionism could be more a burden than a blessing. “This would be so much easier at the research station,” she mused to herself as her eyes narrowed at the screen.

With an exhausted sigh, she stood and stretched her arms above her head. “Of course, then you’ll also have to explain to the entire ship what you’re doing,” she added, continuing the conversation with herself. “And that would be far more sharing than I’d prefer to do just this moment.”

She walked back over to her desk and polished up a few flaws she thought she saw here and there. Of course, once it was complete, she waited until the Tempest’s night cycle, when the fewest members of her crew were awake and kicking around. It would limit the number of questions she had to answer. And the number of lies she might have to craft. Cassie really was the worst liar; it seemed her twin brother Poll was the only one of them to really have any skill in that arena. Pulling up the design on the main station in the heart of the ship, she gave it one more quick once over, wincing at a pointy bit here and a bump there. She took the extra time to smooth it all out.

“Pathfinder, I do believe that this would be considered a waste of Initiative resources,” SAM stated.

“Mmhmm,” she agreed. They’d already had this discussion once.

“Are you certain about this course of action?”

“What are you going to do SAM, taze me? Stop my heart, again? All for a little whimsy? Hmm?” she asked, the challenge clear in her voice.

She got no answer.

“Look, it’s not like I’m a huge waster of resources. But this—” Cassie sighed, resting her hands on the edge of the round table. “I can’t explain why, but it’s important, SAM. Even if only to me.”

A silence dragged on between them, it was kind of strange for the two of them. Cassie hoped it was because SAM might be considering what she said. “Is there some way I can assist?”

A smile tugged at her lips. “No, SAM. I think I got it. Besides … that’s at least half the point. Crafting it myself.”

It took almost no time for the simple, non-mechanical design to be produced by the machine. Once complete, Cassie put her real skills to the test and set to wiping the activity from the production log. Of course, she also knew that would raise questions about the supply levels when Vetra did her inventories.

“Another problem for another day,” the pathfinder told herself as she scampered back to her quarters.

The pyjak, Ella was sitting on the edge of her desk, playing with the strands of red fabric she’d cut from a shirt. “Those are not for you, miss.”

The primate just blinked at her. Since being sent to the Tempest, Ella had proven herself quite clever and ingenious; she also proved herself to be a quick learner. Sometimes it made Cassie wonder: if the 600-year journey allowed the krogan’s biology to work past the genophage, what kind of evolutionary changes had occurred with Ella and the other creatures brought along by the Initiative?

Cassie relented, stowing her small sculpture in a drawer. “Okay, fine. One,” she said, holding up a single finger.

Ella held one strand out to her and Cassie tied it around her wrist in a loose, yet decorative bow.

“Now, may I have the other one back.” The pathfinder held her hand out expectantly.

The space monkey looked from her wrist, to the ribbon in her other hand and then hopped off the desk with both and took off down the hall.

The pathfinder didn’t chase her, she just sighed and leaned back in her chair, glancing over at the space hamster, who had hidden aboard her ship somehow. “And this is why I cut extras,” she mumbled toward the cage as if he might have some thoughtful input.

At least, he didn’t seem to want to be festive as well. Taking the sculpture back out, she tied a red ribbon around the stem area. Then looped a longer piece through the eye in that same section.

“There,” she said, holding the other end of the longest ribbon, her creation dangled, turning slowly.

“Nexus in sight.” Kallo’s voice chimed through her quarters.

She knew that single announcement would enliven the entire ship. Her own heart beat faster at the proposition. She tucked her treasure away once more, wrapping it completely in a bit more of the red shirt she’d made the ribbons from.

-2-

The onmi-tool chime echoed through the medical bay. Dr. Harry Carlyle clamped a hand down on his wrist. He knew exactly what that sound meant. In a moment, he tried to pull up the schedule Cassie had given him and match the Tempest’s arrival to the alarm that just rang. Be it fatigue or just a hole in his memory, he could not reconcile it. Even still, he completed his task with attentive haste and completed the revival physical of a young engineer.

Just as Harry could be in his duties, Cassie was a creature of habit; she always stopped by the bridge to speak with Captain Dunn and ducked into SAM node before finding her way to the med bay or elsewhere. It was the latter where he hoped to catch her.

When his long-legged stride carried him through into main atrium of the habitation deck. A young, recently awoken crew member called out to him. “Dr. Carlyle. Doctor, over here.”

Harry smiled and nodded, crossing toward her and a group who seemed to be her friends.

“I just wanted to thank you again for all your help.”

“You’re very welcome,” he assured her. “You certainly seem to have found your equilibrium.”

With a smile, she nodded. “Indeed. You were right …”

A flash of a particular shade of aqua shimmered in his peripheral vision. Harry’s eyes darted from the young woman’s face toward that familiar splash of color that stood out against the grays and blues of the Hyperion’s interior. His eyes met a bright gaze, just a bit darker than her hair. Cassie peeked out from around a corner and flashed him the most inviting smile. She tipped her head and ducked out of sight. Her finger crooked in a come-hither motion he did not want to resist, before it too disappeared.

“I’m so glad to hear it,” he said, touching her shoulder lightly. Then he began to extract himself form the conversation. “If you’ll pardon me, I need to—” Harry couldn’t come up with proper excuse to explain his rapid social retreat, but slipped out of the conversation without another word anyway.

With a curious glance, he rounded the same corner where Cassie vanished. He barely entered the corridor that led to SAM Node when her hands twisted in his tunic and pulled him near. His eyes sank closed when the velvety softness of her pliant lips met his. He wrapped her up in his arms, holding her body against his.

In that instant, he couldn’t remember how long it had been since he held her like that. Of course, it didn’t matter either. With her in his arms, it felt like no time had passed at all. She kissed him with abandon, like she too had forgotten they were standing in an open corridor where anyone could happen upon them.

As biology and necessity demanded, the kiss broke; far too soon for his tastes. But then, separations of all sorts from her always came too soon for his liking.

“And hello to you as well, Pathfinder,” Harry said with a laugh as he looked down into her sparkling eyes.

“Hiya, Doc,” she replied, that engaging smile of hers widening a hair.

“I could stand to be greeted like that far more often.”

Her cheeks reddened, drawing a chuckle out of him. “Me, too.”

“You know there are people right over there,” he told her with a nudge of his head. Harry only just realized they’d both been whispering.

“I know. But …” Her gaze darted upward.

Harry’s followed. At first sight, he wasn’t sure what he was looking at, except that it was meant to resemble a plant of some kind. The oblong leaves contained small white and red berries as well. “What is that?” he asked.

Cassie poked him in the ribs, making him jerk away a bit. “It’s supposed to be mistletoe.”

That admonishment led his mind on a quick journey. “Is it?” he asked.

“It doesn’t look that bad to be unrecognizable,” she replied with a hint of a pout. And her inflection rose with a sort of unasked question.

It tugged at the corners of his mouth as he let out a soft chuckle. “No, I didn’t mean the mistletoe,” he said, stealing another quick kiss, since they were still standing beneath it. “Is it …” A part of him didn’t want to say it. One of the biggest selling points of the Andromeda Initiative had been the idea of starting over, starting anew, a fresh beginning in a new place where none of the old prejudices should hold. But of course, no one had explicitly said that the plan included sloughing off old traditions.

“Christmas,” she finished for him in a quieter murmur, nodding her head.

Harry cupped her cheek in one hand, guiding her lips to his once more, while pulling her body close to his once again in the process. “Well, then. Let me hope I’m the first to say Happy Christmas.”

Her arms snaked around him. The sensation carrying the practical doctor off into the role of the most impractical lover. He didn’t care that they stood in a barely secluded corner of a hallway kissing like teenagers between class bells. He clung to her. His lips only leaving hers in order to gasp in a breath here and there, which Cassie offered no argument to, nor did she discourage it in any way.

“This numbers among the most precious gifts I can ever recall,” he finally whispered against her lips, his gaze holding hers.

He felt her smile against his mouth. “Mine, too,” she agreed. Cassie pressed another tender kiss upon his lips.

#Mass Effect #Mass Effect Andromeda #Mass Effect Fanfiction #Mass Effect Andromeda Fanfiction #Badger Scribbles #Cassie Ryder #Harry Carlyle #2017 Holiday Gift Fics #vorchagirl #Mistletoe #Happiest of Holidays to you #and thank you so much for everything

[phaniecastello-blog]

“The beauty of NO”

((Just a fun RP with @victoria-seaberg @fleur-quinn and @ladyvenusvale  <3))

“Hi, so we’re gather here today because I have a little announcement to make” Fleur started. Her long red hair moving as she spoke. Since the moment I entered the room and saw that Victoria was sitting on one of the big set of couches, at the middle of the Women’s Room, I regretted being there. I couldn’t help but feeling confused when I recognized Venus Vale just a few inches away from her.

Is this some kind of trap

Venus hadn’t done anything to me, we hadn’t even talked, but nothing good could come out of being in the same room with the two ladies that had a big fight in front of everyone the day we arrived to the palace. I felt like they were time bombs.

When Rebecca gave me Fleur’s message that morning after breakfast I felt confused by it, but I thought maybe she wanted to talk or meet me… , I had no idea this was some kind of private meeting. Standing by the door, I hesitated to leave, but since the invitation was from Fleur, I thought it would have been a discourtesy, so, I walked closer to the group in front of me and find my place standing behind a puffy chair, crossed-arms.

Venus glances at Vic. “This should be fun…”

“Why am I here?” Victoria asked looking exasperated. Coincidentally I had the same question

“I know we’re all competing for the magazine cover and I just want to say that I won’t be too sad to lose as I’ve been on a lot of magazine covers before.” The red-haired lady finally explained, flipping her hair.

What?

I couldn’t believe she took the time to organize a reunion to tell us that. I hadn’t talked to her before, but after that phrase, my impression about her, wasn’t going very good, at that moment. “You could have  sent a note to let us know that” I said.

Venus rolled her eyes “Did you seriously call us all here to say THAT?”

“I want you to know that I mean it”

I noticed that for the first time Victoria didn’t look annoyed by someone wasting her time like this. “At least red girl here tries to be some sort of nice” she said

“Fleur Quinn at your service… dark girl” I frowned at the nick name.

Should I laugh or …

I just scoffed.

“Nice one, red girl.” Victoria smiled approvingly.

“Vic, I literally just apologised to you, I thought we were cool?” Venus bumped shoulders in a friendly way and I raised my eyebrows surprised. Venus had left from the dining room, so abruptly, the day of the fight, that I thought she was never going to see sense. I felt some sympathy for her after that.

Victoria ignored her words and we all remained silence for some seconds. Then Venus picked up the Illèa Illustrated announcement of the poll, where our faces were showing as an alternative cover, and examined it. “Well, let’s not put this gathering to waste…”

“Honestly, this competition is confusing, I mean why US…?”

Venus continued after I interrupted her “…I think we can make an alliance” She said pointing at our faces on the paper.

“ … what?” I was sure I had misunderstood her words as a consequence of my interruptions.

“Sorry i don’t do alliances.” When I heard Victoria said that word, I realized had heard correctly

ALLIANCE. No friendship, no squads… ALLIANCE

I bet Venus saw the confused expression on my face “Stephanie you’re the good girl that complements our bitchiness” She said laughing. I don’t. This wasn’t a joke for me. I had applied to the selection to find honest relationships; good  friends, maybe love… I wasn’t going to surround myself with people who care so little for the important things that they were thinking about alliances, again.

Venus tried to convince Victoria “Aw come on, at least for appearances” I’m sure they had expended their life acting in front of the cameras to be popular and to get the fame they had, but that wasn’t my style.

“WOW!”  love your attitude, dark girl” Fleur smiled at her.

The nickname got in my nerves, this time “Stop calling her that, you are encouraging her unbearable attitude”

Venus coughed at them “Get a room”

“Vee, are you jealous?” Victoria asked smirking. I was listening to them at the background, annoyed.

Fleur rolled her eyes “really, Vee? Appearances? Grow up”

“Fleur, It’s a little something called PR. This will help our chances in the Selection” She winked at Victoria  and continued “…Maybe a little”

“I won’t be a part of that, Sorry” “I mean, just let the girl be. It’s nice to know someone who’s not all for the camera.” Fleur said.

Clearly she didn’t know Victoria that well, but I didn’t care about that, the only thing I was focusing in that moment was on making clear that I wasn’t going to be part of any of their plans. “I don’t see any good on being seen with the three drama queens of the competition”

“You get drama! Simple.” Fleur answered. I was losing my patience.

Venus looked disappointed by our negative answers, I bet she already had visualized us walking around the palace together as the fantastic four.  “You guys are no fun”

Suddenly Victoria gave me one of her shady glares “Gosh why is Stephanie even here?” I wasn’t surprised that even when we were at the same “side” she started throwing her darts to me, but I wanted to know the answer of her question.

“Thank you!” I said dropping my hands

Venus mentioned she didn’t wanted to fight with Victoria anymore, and accepted her negative to be part of the clan “Steph, like I said you’ll balance us out” I didn’t know if she thought that her words sounded appealing for me in some way, but on the contrary, they made me feel like they wanted to use me.

Victoria suggested them to make the alliance of two, Venus said something about that two ladies weren’t strong enough. “Alliance. This isn’t a war, ladies. Try playing this cool”  I said and then added muttering “ for once”

“I heard that! I’ll let it slide. Besides all is fair in love and war” Venus acknowledge

Since the first time wasn’t effective, Victoria attacked me again. “Hey Stephanie you could use this alliance to spice up your boring personality.” I heard Fleur singing “buuuurn” in the background as my  blood was boiling  inside my body, but I didn’t want to be involve in some kind of scandal and make a fool out of myself like they did days before.

I knew her smile was as fake as her reality show.

I glare at Victoria, counting from one to one million “ I won’t ever bother to start arguing with you”

“Oh RIGHT because lady Stephanie is all about peace”

“Oh good, admit your defeat” It seemed that the alliance was going to  between Fleur and Victoria after all. I ignore Fleur’s words and accused Victoria of provoking others as a strategy to got them eliminated. We keep fighting for sometime.

Nice group we have here. Love the unity  

“What do you say, Fly Traps? Shall we take The Selection by storm?” Venus said after a while.

“Oh I’m not going to be a part of that” Victoria said

“Sorry, Venus but i said no” that was my final statement

“I’m in” Fleur shouted. I guess Venus words impressed her, after all.

This reunion could have been a never ending one, if it wasn’t for Fleur words. “This has gone too long, I’m wasting my time. Let’s go ladies.” She flipped her hair and left the room. I stayed in there after they all left, sitting on a pink-ish couch, with my head between my hands. Ladies like those had always stressed me more than anything else in the world.

Late that night, Loretta called me to get the resume of my day, as she always did. My maids weren’t around anymore and I was so desperate to vent about my frustration, that I told her about the reunion with my “friends”.

My mother started to shout in my ear “AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE POSSIBLE WINNERS! … THAT’S …”

“RIDICULOUS”

“BRILLIANTE!”

We said at the same time.

Of course she thinks it’s brilliant. I’m an idiot.

“What? But Loretta you said all of them were hypocrites and fake!” I argued using her own words to disarm her, as if I could ever  win a battle against her.

“If there were enough two’s on Spencer’s selection, we could had made an alliance to crush quella patetica bionda.” She scoffed attacking Queen Aubrey, again.  She never missed an opportunity to express her hate for Nate’s mother.

“I’m pretty sure, those things doesn’t work. I can’t believe you are telling me this when you know better than noone that being mean, pretentious and evil  doesn’t work in this competition” I regret my words as soon as they came out of my mouth. If there was something my mother didn’t stand was when someone else reminded her the biggest defeat she had had. She loose the crown, the thing she envisioned the most, her obsession; that’s why she named me Stephanie

crown

She remained silent for some seconds. I could hear her heavy breathing through the phone. Then she continued “… Estefanía, don’t you dare wasting your time with that, nobody, the mechanic you told me about, that… Mara!”

“It’s Maya! And you can save your insults for her. She was really nice with me…”

“You made me a promise…”

“YES! YES! WHATEVER….” I hung the phone and I decided not to answer Loretta’s calls as soon I remain in the palace.

#side fic 3

[shu-of-the-wind]

I know that it wasn't the one that won the poll, but I would be really interested in a Rebelcaptain North & South AU if you ever get around to it, just because North & South is hands down my favorite period drama of all time.

CW for: 1860s style medical stuff, mention of amputation and blood. 

OKAY SO FOR BACKGROUND: Cassian and John’s backgrounds have been kind of merged, here. Cassian’s not an orphan; he has a younger sister, who is not nearly so ridiculous as Fanny, and his mother is still living, though not nearly the kind of battleaxe that Mrs. Thornton is in canon. The problem here, which keeps the Andors out of mainstream society, is that Cassian’s father is half-English; he went back to Mexico (his mother’s country) and married a Mexican woman before returning to England to make his terrible investments and die. Cassian’s mother, Yasmin, still struggles with English sometimes; Cassian himself spent the first few years of his life in Mexico, and in upper class England in the 1860s, that’s a recipe for some hardcore racist bullshit. He’s clipped and cut off from everyone because he’s learned that English people are not a fan of anyone with an accent beyond their own, and certainly not a foreign mill owner, but through circumstances and determination he’s risen pretty high in Milton and he’s done it all to keep his mother and his little sister safe. 

(Jyn kinda fucks up his “all English people kinda suck” idea though.) Lil bit.

Heavy credit goes to @turiantea as always for building this AU with me.

ANYWAY ON WITH THE SHOW.

It’s past two in the morning and he’s just blown out the last candle in his office–an early night, then–when he sees the light in the clinic window. 

Cassian can’t help it. There’s a sudden leaping in his chest, up his throat. It could be Chirrut Imwe, he tells himself. Or Baze Malbus, cleaning up after a long day. He’d leased the building to the two years ago on the policy that they always take Marlborough employees with a discounted rate, and they’ve never once charged more than a handful of pennies for the work they do, no matter how late it keeps them. It is Chirrut, he tells himself. Or Baze. There’s no one else working at the clinic who would linger this late.

He ought to go home. Work starts at seven, and he’s to rise by five. He ought to go home, and wash his face, and sleep as little as he can muster, and forget all about this. 

He tells himself this as he snags his jacket off of the back of his desk, and starts down the stairs. 

He’s asked Chirrut, since, what drew Jyn Erso to work in the clinic. Chirrut’s only twinkled at him, in his vague, half-amused way. “She hates to be idle,” says Chirrut. “Other than that, sir, I’d suggest you ask her yourself.” But Jyn Erso hates him, and he knows this even if it pains. She’s hated him from the first moment, for things he can’t change–his profession, not that he had a choice in it; his heritage, his mother from across the sea; his accent; his manners; all of it or none–and he has no idea how to change it. Which makes this, he thinks, as he crosses the narrow lane, very pathetic, creeping across in the middle of the night to see if it is her out so late, and–

Then what, Cassian? Offer to escort her home? She’d laugh at him. Peer through the window like a peeping tom and then vanish into the dark again? He’d hate himself for that. The sensible, logical thing would be to turn on his heel and go back to the house and sleep and banish all thoughts of her from his mind. 

His hand turns the knob. 

There are two candles left lit, casting flickering shadows over the hardwood floor, scenting the bloody, whiskey-sharp air with wax and lavender. There’s no patient, not that he can see, and no one waiting. Just a dim figure leaning over the examination table, scraping away with a hard sponge, hair falling forward over her face. It is Jyn, and his heart does that stupid leap again, up into his mouth, before he swallows it back. She hasn’t heard the door. Cassian knocks at the frame, and hates himself when she jumps so badly she knocks her tray of tools to the floor. 

“God’s teeth,” she says, loud and sharp, and her prim London accent makes it sound even worse than it is. Cassian doesn’t move. “I just finished–” 

“I apologize,” Cassian says, and she stills, her head dipping like an animal scenting the wind. “I didn’t mean to startle you. Only I–saw the light.” 

Jyn bends, sweeping skirts aside to pick up a scalpel. 

“I thought someone might have forgotten to extinguish a candle,” he says, and winces even as it comes out his mouth. It’s a thin, silly excuse. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.” 

“You did not,” Jyn says, and filches a pair of scissors out from beneath the examination table. Her hair had been in a braid, once. It’s all in tatters, now. “It was an accident.” 

It’s the proper thing to say. She still says it through her teeth. Cassian sways back and forth on his feet, heel to toe, before crouching and pulling a pair of tweezers out from beneath a medicine cabinet. 

“You’re up late,” Jyn says, abruptly. She isn’t looking at him. “I would have thought you’d have retired hours ago.” 

His tongue sticks, for a second. Cassian clears his throat. “There’s a new order coming in from the Spanish peninsula. The paperwork is finicky.” 

Jyn peeks at him through her hair–her eyes are very green, even in the dim light–and then settles her handful of medical tools onto the examination table. “I see.” 

“I wouldn’t have thought that Dr. Imwe would have left the door open,” he says, and then kicks himself, because she stops looking at him and goes right back to digging tools out from beneath chairs. 

“I have a key. There was an amputation today. I had to stay and clean the blood.” 

She says it in a way that almost angles, like shards of broken pottery. Cassian wets his lips when she’s not looking, and then stands, and leaves the tweezers he’s found on the tray. 

“Who?” he says, finally. Jyn dumps the tray back into the sink, and rolls up her sleeves. 

“No one at Marlborough.” 

That doesn’t mean much. An amputation means a flaw in mechanical systems, and most of the mills in Milton use the same machines. He’ll have to put out feelers tomorrow morning. “I didn’t mean to add to–” 

“It’s fine,” she says again, and turns her back on him. She brushes hair out of her eyes with the back of her wrist. “It’s late. You should go.” 

He should. It’s late. This is improper, for him to be here. But he’s here, now, and the bubbling feeling in his chest clenches tight and cold at the thought of leaving. He clears his throat. “Yes.” 

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean–God’s teeth.” She pushes her hair out of her eyes again. “I only mean it’s late. I’m tired, I don’t mean to be–” 

“Yes, you do,” Cassian says, and she goes quiet, watching him. Her eyes are a bit wide. “It’s all right. I’ve done nothing to change your opinion of me. I take no offense.” 

Her lips part. Jyn stands in silence. Her hair curls around her cheek. 

“I’ll go,” Cassian says.

His hand is on the knob again when she says, softly, “You don’t have to.” 

There’s his heart, back in his throat. He turns. Water drips from her fingers onto the bloody apron she’s wearing, tangled over her skirt. Cassian swallows, and then swallows again. She’s not meeting his eyes, anymore. She turns, and plunges her hands up to the elbows into her bucket of icy water, hissing through her teeth. Her braid’s completely falling apart, aside from one or two twists right before the tie, and it’s bothering her. She keeps swearing under her breath when it falls into her face. 

“I–” Cassian stops. His mouth feels puffy and unsteady. “I braid my sister’s hair, sometimes. If–that would help.” 

Jyn doesn’t stop moving. For a second, he thinks she hasn’t heard him, over the slosh of water and the clatter of metal. Then: “That would be appreciated.” 

English flies out of his head for a full three heartbeats. Then five. He swallows, again and again, and then finds his feet again, shifts around the examination table to stand behind her. She’s little, and it always catches him by surprise, how small she is. She’s more than half a head shorter than he is. It’s just that her fire is so bright the world sees the shadow she casts instead of her actual form. 

Poetry, now, Cassian?

It’s easy, to undo the tie at the end of her braid. It’s half-hanging, anyway. Long since undone. Her hair curls, a little, and he’s not sure if it’s because of the braid or if it’s natural, the wave to it. The fierce warmth of her might burn his hands. Cassian tries to work moisture back into his mouth, and then, carefully, draws his fingers through the remnant of the braid. Her hair is soft, and this close, she smells very faintly of vanilla, of harsh medical soap and blood. 

He braids it from the crown of her head. He should braid from the nape, and he realizes it halfway through, but it’s halfway done already, and Jyn says nothing about it. There’s a shred of skin bared between her braid and the back of her collar, and every time he brushes his fingers against it–accidentally, every time, he swears this–the hair on his arms stands up. He’s not entirely sure if he’s breathing. Jyn is still, waiting patiently with dripping hands, until he ties off the braid, and stands away. 

“There,” he says, and hates how hoarse he sounds. He can’t help it. “Done.” 

Jyn swallows. He’s still close enough to see the bob in her throat. “Thank you,” she says, and there’s something–new, there. Unexpected and rough, like sandpaper. “It–helps.” 

He wants to draw her close and kiss her breathless, for that. He wants to bury his nose in the curve of her neck and breathe for an eternity. He wants her not to despise him. He wants her to be near. He wishes–

Cassian curls his hands up by his sides. Maybe, this time–

“I can walk you home,” he says. “If you would be amenable.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“It’s very late, I wouldn’t feel comfortable–” 

“I can take care of myself.” Her voice snaps back to normal again. “I’ll be all right, thank you, Mr. Andor. I don’t need an escort.” 

And he’s ruined it again. How, he’s not entirely sure, but he has. There’s something cold dripping along the length of his spine. “If you wish.” 

Jyn wavers. Her lips part, and shut again. She says, “It’s late, Mr. Andor. I’ll be done here, soon. Thank you for–coming to blow out the candle.” 

And there’s his dismissal. Late, but not unexpected. He bows, just slightly. “Of course.”

“And thank you for–” She stops. “For helping me. It was–” 

She stops, and does not continue. Cassian looks at her, but she’s turned her face away, plunging her hands back into the bucket to finish her work. Her shoulders have hitched up around her ears. I would do anything for you, I think, and he almost says it, but he’s bit his tongue before it can emerge. 

“My pleasure,” he says. “It was my pleasure.”  

#rebelcaptain #my writing #north & south au #neither pity nor pragmatism #in this world or any other

[stephicness]

I would kill for Ravus as companion in Episode Ignis. But I remember interview with Square Enix CEO. They were asked about new content for Lunafreya, Ardyn, Aranea and Ravus. CEO said they will deliever smthn for Aranea, Luna and Ardyn, but he didn't mention Ravy :( And then he was neglected in poll. I hope they aren't down with him after 13 verse 2 :(

Me personally, I remain hopeful for Ravus’s future in the game. c: Just because he was neglected on the poll, doesn’t mean that all content for him is completely null, you know? To me, the poll was to gauge more of what content they should be delivering to fans first, more rather than to see what content they’ll follow through on. FFXV had about… 2 - 3 more quarters in this full DLC term? For sure, Comrades will be a DLC content with the potential to showcase Ravus as a character, but as you mentioned, Episode Ignis is a huge possibility. They’re keeping it under wraps, I imagine, mostly because Episode Ignis deals primarily with Ardyn as the antagonist, I believe.

If you think about it this way, Episode Ignis is really discreet right now (with only that image of Altissia’s ruins being our key insight for it). But the reason why it’s so underwraps is because – and I believe this was also cited in an interview somewhere – Ardyn plays a HUGE role in this DLC, and Episode Ignis is one of the biggest and most crucial DLCs to the game. Yeah, we got Episode Gladio, which tested out a new combat mechanic to set us up for the Comrades DLC, and Episode Prompto is to help us understand more about Prompto’s character development. However, Ignis’s tale doesn’t seem to require him to change too much in character, as we see in game. His entire story during Altissia is a game changer, as we get so many crucial story points in just Altissia’s chapter alone.

1) We get info that Lunafreya is in terrible danger from Leviathan, and eventually Ardyn.2) We realize that Ravus is really against the empire the entire time, rather than an ally to them.and most importantly, 3) We realize that Ardyn is a much bigger villain in the game than we thought.

We find out most of what happens with Luna through Noctis’s side, but Ravus and Ardyn’s true intentions: Ignis is the first one to find out about it. Particularly Ardyn, considering that it mentions how one of the last sights Ignis saw was Ardyn escaping. Many people speculate that it was Ardyn that caused Ignis’s blindness, so that’s where the DLC will clear it up. And if Square plays their cards right, that means Ravus plays a very important role to this as well, considering that Ardyn was also directly involved in Ravus’s life and his death.

With how discreet Episode Ignis has been due to how important it is for the game’s story, it is a really high possibility that Ravus is involved with the story as well, considering he had an important character arc during Altissia that we never got to see. But also, he might play a role as the companion character because we certainly won’t get Iris there as the main three guest characters that debuted in the base game. Cor appeared, Aranea appeared, but not Iris since she’s only 15 and all. And if they try including Gladio as the companion character in Ignis’s DLC, then they’re just digging themselves into a bad spot since Ignis and Gladio are always together in content and actions (Gladnis fans, rejoice!). Lunafreya, whom they confirmed as a Comrades character, is off on her own task as well, and Gentiana was never said to have appeared during Altissia, and only revealed herself during the train ride to rescue Gralea.

I mention this alot too in my discussions about Ravus content, but both he and Ardyn have animation assets for the game as well, rigged to wander the open-world at some point. I suppose that leaves it with two options: Ignis teams up with Ravus to stop Ardyn or Ardyn helps Ignis, only to betray him in the end. Either way, those would be rather intense plot points!

This is all speculation, of course, but I think that we probably will get more Ravus content somehow. He won’t get a story DLC like Ardyn, but if Square does it like they did with Aranea, the guess character won’t be revealed until the last second. I remain hopeful and optimistic about Ravus’s future in content and in the game, that’s for certain~

If not, then hey! That’s why it’s our responsibility as fans to come up with awesome content that takes into consideration our lovely commander. c: More fanfics, more art, more everything! That way, we can show Square too just how much we love our infamous high commander~

#asks #dear anon #stephic writings #theories #final fantasy xv #ffxv #ravus nox fleuret #episode ignis hype #any chance to think about ravus makes the day a good one~

[vox]

I voted for Donald Trump, and I already regret it

I remember the precise moment that I realized I regretted voting for Donald Trump.

It was during his 60 Minutes interview after the election. I was, like everyone else, shocked that he had won. It seemed so unlikely based on the polls and the confidence the media had that he would lose. It was a pleasant surprise, and I went to bed on election night thrilled that he would be our president.

But sitting on my couch, sipping coffee as I watched the interview, I saw with my own eyes who Trump really was as a person. He backtracked on one of his signature campaign promises: pursuing an investigation into the Clinton email scandal. It’s not that I want Clinton to be crucified or “locked up” — it’s the nonchalance with which he went back on his word after hammering it repeatedly during the campaign. The ease and quickness with which he reversed his position shook me to my core. I realized in that moment that I had voted for a demagogue. And it was sickening.

I didn’t want to vote for Trump or Clinton — but I had to make a choice

I’m a former law enforcement officer in my 50s, originally from Texas but currently living in a small Midwestern town. I’m a real political junkie, spending much of my day reading news and watching C-SPAN, and issues like immigration enforcement, pro-life laws, and health care are important to me. Though I tend to fall on the conservative end of the political spectrum, it’s important to me to remain open-minded, and I’ve cast my vote for Democratic candidates like Al Gore in the past.

Last year was a particularly tough choice. I hated both candidates, wishing every day that Washington had offered up different options. I would have voted for Marco Rubio or Bernie Sanders any day over those two. I swore I would sit out on this election, unable to vote for either Trump or Clinton in good conscience.

Most of my decision came down to my poor experience with Obamacare. In the ’90s, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic illness that causes fatigue, memory loss, physical aches, and soreness. I found myself increasingly unable to perform my duties in law enforcement due to these symptoms, and eventually had to leave the job completely. After a stint working part-time for the government, helping to distribute food stamps and other services, I eventually was unable to work at all. I lost employer-based health insurance when I left the workforce and had to pay my health care costs out of pocket.

When Obamacare first came into effect, I was excited to get what I thought would be financial help with my costly medicine and treatments. But when I signed up, my premium came back at an astronomical price, more than my monthly mortgage payment. This happened because I had to declare my husband’s salary as part of our household income, which put me in an earning bracket too high to qualify for any financial assistance. My husband works for a small business, and while he gets paid fairly, his company does not offer spousal insurance. I’m left with a premium of $893, so high that I can no longer afford the cost of my medicines and treatments on top of the monthly premiums. I wish I could opt out completely, but the penalty for not signing up is much too great.

In the end, I voted for Trump because he promised to repeal and replace Obamacare, and that was the most important issue to my own life. Looking back, I realize what a mistake it was. I ignored the pundits who repeated over and over again that he would not follow through on his promises, thinking they were spewing hysterics for better ratings. Sitting on my couch, my mouth agape at the words coming out his mouth on the TV before me, I realized just how wrong I was.

Trump isn’t even president yet, and already he’s not keeping his promises

Since that 60 Minutes interview when Trump went back on his promise to investigate Clinton, I haven’t been able to look at him the same way. Witnessing his open admittance that he made promises simply because they “played well” during the campaign was disturbing. He has shown himself to be guilty of all of the same things he accused Hillary of — lying to the public, refusing to do press conferences, putting himself and his business interests above the American people.

Since the election, Trump has repeatedly spat in the faces of those that cast their ballots for him. I did not cast my vote for his Cabinet members, many of them rich millionaires and billionaires, despite Trump’s lambasting of Hillary Clinton on her association with Wall Street. I did not cast my vote for his sons who sat next to him during his meeting with tech titans, potentially representing the vast business interests of the Trump company that they now run. I did not cast my vote for Ivanka, whose clothing brand was working out an ongoing deal with a Japanese clothing company when she sat in on a meeting with her father and the Japanese prime minister. I did not cast my vote to enrich the very swamp that Trump promised he would drain.

News that the Republicans in Congress are prioritizing the repeal of Obamacare is a step in the right direction. But Trump’s lack of clear plan to replace the system is troubling. He doesn’t seem to be showing any interest in the mechanics of a new policy — he’s just out there making promises to the public with nothing to back it up. It doesn’t do much to offer me faith that he really wants to fix the problem.

Trump’s retaliatory and impulsive behavior, which I think I assumed was a campaign tactic, have carried over into his actions as president-elect. He now has the power to reward companies or countries that flatter him and destroy those that don’t with a simple tweet — just look at how he praises L.L. Bean and criticizes Boeing, causing their stock values to swing like yo-yos. His tweets about foreign powers lack restraint, and his treatment of the press whenever they say something he doesn’t like shows his vengefulness. He promised that he would be a president to all Americans, but all he has done is divide us.

As I witnessed the first rally of the post-election Thank You Tour, watching him soak up the praise and applause from the live feed on my computer, I felt my heart fall into my stomach. These supporters, many of whom populate my small town and my Facebook feed, have invested so much hope in him. They believe he has their back and will put them first. But all he cares about is himself. And he will betray them, as he has already done.

I know I’ll be ridiculed for voicing my regret

It’s not easy for me to come forward and say all of this. I feel humiliated already, and I know that going public with my story will open me to ridicule. But I don’t know what else to do to try to oppose him and his actions. I’m too sick to participate in peaceful protest. All I can do is try to spread the word, publishing editorials, signing petitions, and posting on Facebook, trying to do what I can to change the minds of my friends and families who continue to support him.

I hope that by coming forward, I can encourage other Trump voters who feel the same regret to speak out as well. Together we can send a message to Washington: All of you Republicans in Congress, I know that you are excited to pass your legislation, but you need to reign in this dangerous cult of personality or I will begin advocating against your party. I’m ready to switch sides to stop him.

My peers who voted for Trump still don’t get it. They tell me to give the man a chance, that it’s still too early to tell and that I shouldn’t listen to the media. They aren’t willing to let go the hope they have that he will keep their best interest in mind. They tell me, what were they going to do, vote for Hillary, of all people?

I wish I had. I wish I had done anything else but vote for him. I know my one small vote doesn’t make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things, but this one feels so personal. The decision haunts me every day. And I’ll do whatever I can to help reverse it.

—as told to Karen Turner

Sherri Underwood lives in the Midwest with her husband, three cats, and one dog. She began her career in law enforcement shortly after high school, working her up from a dispatcher to county jailer and then peace officer before changing her career to social services as a disabled adult jobs counselor, state JOBS program case worker, and eligibility specialist, assisting clients in applying for public assistance programs. Sherri is a self-described “news junkie” and an avid reader. When her illness allows, she pursues her hobbies of painting, writing poetry, and crocheting and treasures time with family. She encourages other regretful Trump voters to visit the Facebook group I Regret Voting For Trump in 2016 and tell their story.

#election #election 2016 #politics #first person #essay #writing #Donald Trump #Hillary Clinton #vote #voting

[newstfionline]

Trump’s taunts are stirring a level of nationalism Mexico hasn’t seen in years

By Nick Miroff, Washington Post, February 25, 2017

MEXICO CITY--Confrontation with the United States is so central to Mexican history there’s an institution dedicated to the trauma. It’s called the Museum of Interventions.

Remember the Alamo? They do here--as the prelude to a string of defeats, invasions and territorial losses that left Mexico wounded and diminished, its national identity forged by grievance.

The museum is housed in a former convent where Mexican troops were overrun by U.S. soldiers in the 1847 Battle of Churubusco. And for most of the three decades since the museum opened, its faded battle flags seemed like the stuff of buried history, an anachronism in an age of galloping North American Free Trade Agreement integration.

But President Trump’s wall-building, great-again nationalism is reviving the old Mexican version, too. His characterization of tougher border enforcement and immigration raids as “a military operation” hit the nerve that runs through this legacy, undermining his aides’ trip to Mexico City this week and the message that relations with the United States remain strong.

Instead, the public outrage at Trump has sunk those relations to their lowest point in decades. It has inspired a campaign to boycott U.S. chains such as Starbucks and buy “Made in Mexico” products. Protesters marched in a dozen cities this month, carrying grotesque effigies of the American president. And Trump’s taunts have buoyed the poll numbers of 2018 presidential contender Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the left-wing populist Mexicans see as the figure most likely to fight back.

For Mexicans, the problem is not merely the wall. They know their country is poorer, more violent and less law-abiding than the United States. If Trump had announced plans for tougher border security, many Mexicans would have understood, even as they criticized him.

But when they hear Trump boasting he will make Mexico pay for the wall, and the wild cheering in response, they recognize an unmistakable attempt to humiliate them. It is American nationalism at Mexico’s expense, and it stings in a deep, atavistic way, like a childhood bully coming back to beat you up again.

“I’m proud of Mexico, and I love my country,” said Sergio Pacheco, 56, a mechanic who works for American Airlines. “He can have his wall if he’ll give us our territory back.”

Pacheco was touring the Museum of Interventions for the first time. There were giant 1840s maps showing Mexico’s borders reaching into the Pacific Northwest.

President James K. Polk wanted that land. Mexico wasn’t selling, and fighting broke out. The United States declared war in 1846.

U.S. troops sailed down from New Orleans a year later, then marched up the old conquistadors’ trail and brought Mexico to its knees. They stayed a year, forcing the country to sign away half its territory.

Later came the occupation of Veracruz by the U.S. Navy in 1914, and the 1916 invasion by thousands of U.S. soldiers chasing Francisco “Pancho” Villa, the prototypical “bad hombre,” who had raided the border town of Columbus, N.M.

The result of these encounters, according to Mexican historian Lorenzo Meyer, is that the two countries developed vastly different forms of nationalism. Mexico’s is a “defensive” one, he said, steeped in a sense of injustice and indignity, unlike the more belligerent northern version, of American exceptionalism and militarized Manifest Destiny.

Pacheco never thought about this history much. But the diplomatic clashes of the past few weeks have left him “shocked.” He is a fan of American music and movies and the Super Bowl. For most of his lifetime, the two countries have been steadily growing closer.

“We’ve always looked up to the United States,” he said. “Now, after all this time, we’re realizing that you don’t really like us.”

President Enrique Peña Nieto has mostly tried to accommodate the new reality, challenging Trump’s proposals in restrained, diplomatic language. He has offered a more forceful response only when he felt he had no choice, such as when he canceled a trip to Washington after Trump tweeted that the Mexican leader should stay home if he wouldn’t pay for the wall.

Mexicans, too, are divided about what to do. This month, protesters held two marches in the capital. Both were anti-Trump, but one was also a demonstration against the deeply unpopular Peña Nieto, whom organizers view as a Trump-enabler. Others, including tycoon Carlos Slim, are calling on Mexicans to close ranks behind their president, because the whole country is under attack.

An irony of the spat with Peña Nieto is that he has already paid a steep political cost for enacting controversial energy changes favored by American companies. He has opened Mexican oil and gas development to greater foreign investment, but that has only led to higher prices for angry Mexican consumers and lower poll numbers for him.

The last time the country was so open to U.S. investment, during the Gilded Age dictatorship of Gen. Porfirio Diaz, Mexican resentment of the government boiled over into revolution. The country eventually adopted steep tariffs that limited trade for decades.

Mexican President Lazaro Cardenas nationalized the holdings of Standard Oil and other foreign companies in 1938, infuriating the firms but delighting Mexicans.

“I grew up in a country where you were taught in obligatory history textbooks that the United States was the enemy, the country that stole half our land and the country of the ‘Ugly American,’” said Denise Dresser, a prominent Mexican political scientist whose father was a U.S. citizen.

She helped organize the march this month that was also against Peña Nieto and his Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which ruled the country from 1929 to 2000 and cast itself as the heroic defender of Mexican dignity.

Mexico was a relatively closed, insular society for most of those years, but as more and more Mexicans came into contact with the world through television and mass migration to the United States, nationalism was transformed.

Mexican workers returning home also broke down the old divisions. “They brought back a view of the United States as a tolerant, upwardly mobile place, and began to demand rights back home that they saw in the United States,” Dresser said.

“That created a virtuous cycle, and a new sense of identity constructed not in opposition to the U.S., but in favor of North America,” she said.

But in Trump’s taunts many Mexicans hear confirmation of their deep-seated suspicion that Americans still don’t value and respect them.

Trump’s comments are forcing a re-examination of Mexico’s relationship with the United States, from its intricate commercial and industrial ties to deepening cooperation with U.S. law enforcement. New legislation in Mexico’s senate would halt imports of American corn, which have grown from $390 million to $2.4 billion annually since the advent of NAFTA, in 1994.

NAFTA is not the natural, default setting of U.S.-Mexico relations. It is an attempt to transcend the mistrust and bitterness of the past.

The agreement took an aspirational view of U.S.-Mexico ties. It recognized the two countries were significantly different. But it treated Mexico essentially as an equal partner, along with Canada, in creating a prosperous, democratic and collaborative place called “North America,” quieting the skeptics who insisted Mexico didn’t belong there.

Since NAFTA took effect, annual U.S.-Mexico commerce has increased from $80 billion to $550 billion. And as trade barriers fell, Mexico’s defensive nationalism did, too.

But as American factory jobs moved south, NAFTA dealt a blow to the latent notions of U.S. nationalism built on postwar-era industrial pride.

Trump’s “America First” worldview restores the idea of industrial products as vessels of patriotism. But it has left Mexicans baffled by the claim their country is taking advantage of the United States through NAFTA. Mexican workers earn a small fraction of what their American counterparts make, and the trade partnership is overwhelmingly driven by U.S.-based Fortune 500 companies. Mexican cities have filled with U.S. chain stores and restaurants, not the other way around.

In the chants of “Build the Wall!,” Antonio Garza, a former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, sees the return of the “animal spirits” that once soured relations between the two countries. But Garza, who served from 2002 to 2009 under President George W. Bush and now works as an attorney in Mexico City, said he’s seen something different in the resurgent nationalism on Mexico’s streets.

This time, it has a singular focus. “It’s directed at Trump,” he said, “not the United States.”

#Mexico #Mexican nationalism #Trump and Mexico

[endenogatai]

US search market needs a ‘choice screen’ remedy now, says DuckDuckGo

US regulators shouldn’t be sitting on their hands while the 50+ state, federal and congressional antitrust investigations of Google to grind along, search rival DuckDuckGo argues.

It’s put out a piece of research today that suggests choice screens which let smartphone users choose from a number of search engines to be their device default — aka “preference menus” as DuckDuckGo founder Gabriel Weinberg prefers to call them — offer an easy and quick win for regulators to reboot competition in the search space by rebalancing markets right now.

“If designed properly we think [preference menus] are a quick and effective key piece in the puzzle for a good remedy,” Weinberg tells TechCrunch. “And that’s because it finally enables people to change the search defaults across the entire device which has been difficult in the past… It’s at a point, during device set-up, where you can promote the users to take a moment to think about whether they want to try out an alternative search engine.”

Google is already offering such a choice (example below) to Android users in Europe, following an EU antitrust decision against Android last year.

  DuckDuckGo is concerned US regulators aren’t thinking pro-actively enough about remedies for competition in the US search market — and is hoping to encourage more of a lean-in approach to support boosting diversity so that rivals aren’t left waiting years for the courts to issue judgements before any relief is possible.

In a survey of Internet users which it commissioned, polling more than 3,400 adults in the US, UK, Germany and Australia, people were asked to respond to a 4-choice screen design, based on an initial Google Android remedy proposal, as well as an 8-choice variant.

“We found that in each surveyed country, people select the Google alternatives at a rate that could increase their collective mobile market share by 300%-800%, with overall mobile search market share immediately changing by over 10%,” it writes [emphasis its].

Survey takers were also asked about factors that motivate them to switch search engines — with the number one reason given being a better quality of search results, and the next reason being if a search engine doesn’t track their searches or data.

Of course DuckDuckGo stands to gain from any pro-privacy switching, having built an alternative search business by offering non-tracked searches supported by contextual ads. Its model directly contrasts with Google’s, which relies on pervasive tracking of Internet users to determine which ads to serve.

But there’s plenty of evidence consumers hate being tracked. Not least the rise in use of tracker blockers.

“Using the original design puzzle [i.e. that Google devised] we saw a lot of people selecting alternative search engines and we think it would go up from there,” says Weinberg. “But even initially a 10% market share change is really significant.”

He points to regulatory efforts in Europe and also Russia which have resulted in antitrust decisions and enforcements against Google — and where choice screens are already in use promoting alternative search engine choices to Android users.

He also notes that regulators in Australia and the UK are pursuing choice screens — as actual or potential remedies for rebalancing the search market.

Russia has the lead here, with its regulator — the FAS — slapping Google with an order against bundling its services with Android all the way back in 2015, a few months after local search giant Yandex filed a complaint. A choice screen was implemented in 2017 and Russia’s homegrown Internet giant has increased its search market share on Android devices as a result. Google continues to do well in Russia. But the result is greater diversity in the local search market, as a direct result of implementing a choice screen mechanism.

“We think that all regulatory agencies that are now considering search market competition should really implement this remedy immediately,” says Weinberg. “They should do other things… as well but I don’t see any reason why one should wait on not implementing this because it would take a while to roll out and it’s a good start.”

Of course US regulators have yet to issue any antitrust findings against Google — despite there now being tens of investigations into “potential monopolistic behavior”. And Weinberg concedes that US regulators haven’t yet reached the stage of discussing remedies.

“It feels at a very investigatory stage,” he agrees. “But we would like to accelerate that… As well as bigger remedial changes — similar to privacy and how we’re pushing Do Not Track legislation — as something you can do right now as kind of low hanging fruit. I view this preference menu in the same way.”

“It’s a very high leverage thing that you can do immediately to move market share and increase search competition and so one should do it faster and then take the things that need to be slower slower,” he adds, referring to more radical possible competition interventions — such as breaking a business up.

There is certainly growing concern among policymakers around the world that the current modus operandi of enforcing competition law has failed to keep pace with increasingly powerful technology-driven businesses and platforms — hence ‘winner takes all’ skews which exist in certain markets and marketplaces, reducing choice for consumers and shrinking opportunities for startups to compete.

This concern was raised as a question for Europe’s competition chief, Margrethe Vestager, during her hearing in front of the EU parliament earlier this month. She pointed to the Commission’s use of interim measures in an ongoing case against chipmaker Broadcom as an example of how the EU is trying to speed up its regulatory response, noting it’s the first time such an application has been made for two decades.

In a press conference shortly afterwards, to confirm the application of EU interim measures against Broadcom, Vestager added: “Interim measures are one way to tackle the challenge of enforcing our competition rules in a fast and effective manner. This is why they are important. And especially that in fast moving markets. Whenever necessary I’m therefore committed to making the best possible use of this important tool.”

Weinberg is critical of Google’s latest proposals around search engine choice in Europe — after it released details of its idea to ‘evolve’ the search choice screen — by applying an auction model, starting early next year. Other rivals, such as French pro-privacy engine Qwant, have also blasted the proposal.

Clearly, how choice screens are implemented is key to their market impact.

“The way the current design is my read is smaller search engines, including us and including European search engines will not be on the screen long term the way it’s set up,” says Weinberg. “There will need to be additional changes to get the effects that we were seeing in our studies we made.

“There’s many reasons why us and others would not be those highest bidders,” he says of the proposed auction. “But needless to say the bigger companies can weigh outbid the smaller ones and so there are alternative ways to set this up.”

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8204425 https://ift.tt/36ek5tX via IFTTT

#IFTTT #RSSMix.com Mix ID 8204425

[celticnoise]

Today, like clockwork, out went the tweets, the first out of Celtic since Tuesday night.

An advertisement. Or, rather, a reminder … a reminder that if you’re on the Home Cup Ticket Scheme your bank account is set to be lighter by £20 so you may have the pleasure, the privilage, of watching us in UEFA’s second tier competition on a Thursday night.

Between the CEO and the manager Celtic has grossly mismanaged our summer, with the consequences clear.

And instead of an apology, or explanation, or any kind of vision being outlined their first communication is the equivalent of a hand in your wallet.

An offer that normally might be easy to refuse … except you can’t, unless you withdraw.

And if you withdraw the club will punish you for that in the event we get to Hampden this season.

This is their level, this is the respect they have for the supporters.

Yesterday, a frequent poster on CQN tweeted the Supporter Liaison Officer John Paul Taylor and asked him who fans are supposed to contact if they have issues with the club. The SLO said that if they pass their concerns to him he will funnel them to the board.

Don’t be bothering that guy overmuch.

Nobody should be flooding the SLO’s inbox with complaints. It’s not that guy’s job to take the flak on behalf of those in the boardroom. Lawwell and his people pay more attention to social media than they let on, and they know how many of the fans are feeling today.

But I try to think of this as a politician would. Here’s a fact; the Prime Minister has a member of staff whose job is to give him a no-holds barred accounting of what’s in the media every single day. At times that must be a truly hellish job.

Am I saying Lawwell has such an employee monitoring social media?

He’d be daft if he didn’t, and it might well be that it’s John Paul himself. Tuesday night’s “press” was ghastly. Wednesday’s was worse. Yesterday topped them both, with only one blog suggesting that we get past this. Few of the replies to that piece were in any mood to do it.

This is as close to unanimity as I’ve ever seen this support. Lennon is bearing the brunt of enormous fury and he is under serious, deadly, pressure already, the sort that many managers do not survive. That’s how bad that defeat was the other night.

Those who are defending him on the grounds that it’s one game had better readjust their thinking because the rest of us understand what they apparently don’t; this was a game of huge consequence against a relatively weak opponent. The stakes were enormous and it should have presented no significant difficulty to navigate.

Yet his tactical decisions were ridiculous. His approach to substitutions was amateurish. These were not just small errors harshly punished, they were gigantic, obvious, mistakes of the sort which just beg to be exploited, and they were.

He didn’t even put things right when the writing was on the wall in 20 foot letters. His failure on the night to do even basic stuff does not simply call into his question his abilities as a manager at that level, but it brings even his professionalism into question.

Cluj are placed 227 on UEFA’s rankings. They scored four times at Celtic Park. The financial effects of that are going to hurt him and the team, although I’ll bet the CEO’s bonus is just fine. The reputational hit we’ll take is far worse.

It is a staggering result with huge implications for everyone at the club.

Lennon is not alone in the hot-seat here though.

Everything about his performance on the night is under scrutiny, yes, and he’s used up all the goodwill that had built up over the summer, but the feelings on the man who hired him are, if possible, even more negative. There is barely a single Celtic supporter who I have spoken to or who’s opinion I have read – and I do read all the blogs, and as many of the comments as I can – who wants him at Parkhead for one more minute.

But does it affect him? Does he care?

Some politicians get awfully animated by what’s in the papers and others don’t.

Some run the country by focus group and change their opinions and policies every time the opinion polls blip – early years Blair was notorious for this – and some simply don’t give a damn, and motor on regardless. Late years Blair was exactly like that.

The calculation Blair was making by then was that he was on his way out of office and there was no more need to fear the electorate. Theresa May knew she was sinking from the moment, on 8 June 2017, when the BBC released the findings of their exit poll and she knew that her “strong and stable” gamble had spectacularly failed. If it seemed at times that she couldn’t give a monkeys how the world saw her or what the public thought, it’s because she didn’t.

I’ll tell you this much; come election time, all politicians fear what’s in those papers. Come election time they are paying attention in full.

The Celtic support does not have elections. Our AGM, which could fulfil that function if the bulk of the shares weren’t in the hands of a small group of men who can block anything they don’t like, should be a place for holding people to account. It isn’t. We have no shareholder group who’s objective is to do what Club 1872’s started out; to acquire the requisite number of shares as to put control back in the hands of the fans.

Of course, we know how that turned out, but I like to think we’re a lot smarter than the average bear, if you’ll pardon the pun. Our fans should have made that commitment years ago. Whilst not convinced that fan ownership is necessarily a desirable objective – I am ready to be convinced though – I know the current way certainly isn’t working.

Broadly speaking, there are two ways that a PLC club’s fans can hold it to account. They can make their voices heard in the stands or they can vote with their feet and make sure those stands are empty, as testament to their anger and frustration.

If our supporters want to hold Peter Lawwell to account here, we need to get this head of steam up to full.

Fans are not going to boycott.

I have never understood the reluctance to do so, because it brought down a previous board and it can certainly rid of us of an interfering, over mighty CEO who should have taken his marbles home a half dozen years ago.

What I should say is that there will be no organised boycott, but then when the upper tiers were closed during Deila’s second season there was no grand sweeping plan behind that, and there didn’t have to be … fans had just had enough.

And that was one of the catalysts for the appointment of Brendan Rodgers.

Celtic’s average attendance has held up strongly, as you might expect during this period of domestic dominance. But I think it’s a soft number. The Home Cup Ticket Scheme – because it creates a two-tier fan-base by offering members preference for Hampden tickets – literally guarantees a captive audience, with captive being the appropriate word. Looking at it now, it’s so obvious that this is a tool to blunt one of the fan’s two key weapons of dissent.

As such, this is the first domino that has to fall.

But for that scheme being in place, the fans would be able to protest Tuesday night’s calamity by staying at home for the AIK game. I reckon it would be played in front of a half empty house if fans weren’t automatically charged and sent tickets for it just so as to stay in contention for Hampden games.

Think of an unofficial boycott as our version of a negative opinion poll. It is a message that this board would understand fully, and which they would find it very hard to ignore.

Look, the Celtic support is not a rabble behaving irrationally. There are a number of very specific grievances here. None are unrealistic or unreasonable. Nobody expects us to behave like the club across the city, with their ten signings this summer in spite of having a fraction of our resources and already running on debt. It is lunacy and nobody is advocating that we follow that all the way to the asylum and then, inevitably, the boneyard.

But this club has no ambition to speak of and those running it have no idea how to do it better or smarter. We still have a bloated squad, much of which is not good enough. Our squad should be smaller, and better, and those in it well compensated.

Our best players are on modest salaries which make the interest of richer clubs harder to resist and turn down … never think that having Callum McGregor on a poor contract is not, in some way, purposely designed to make him think of what he could earn elsewhere.

We may not have pushed Kieran Tierney out the door, but we did not offer him the kind of incentives which may have convinced him to stay. That is not an accident. It is the policy. Having Lawwell as the highest paid person at the club is not mere happenstance. It is quite deliberate.

So the Home Cup Ticket Scheme has to go, and that’s going to require a little bit of work. It’s going to require the fans coming together and that’s harder to do than making cats walk in formation. But there is a mechanism, and it’s called the Celtic Supporters Association.

Every supporters bus has representatives, and all are allowed to propose motions for discussion.

It will only take one to call for an emergency meeting on this issue … and to put it to a vote. If the CSA recommends that its members withdraw, then the chances are that the scheme will collapse. It might not even come to a vote; the CSA executive does have an open line of communication with the club and if they say the membership is on the brink of this I do believe that it would be enough to get the club’s attention in a big way.

If you’re one of those people who doubts that our supporter’s reps have the stomach for a fight like this, well don’t worry about that. Because this is a simple matter of democracy; if enough people vote for it then it’s policy and they will have to enact it whether they want to or not.

Don’t trouble yourself with concerns over their willpower, it’s not a factor here.

Concern yourself only with your own.

Do you have the stomach for a fight? If the Home Cup Ticket Scheme falls, then the fans have the weapon of boycott – organised or not – back in their hands.

And you know what? I wonder much stomach Lawwell has for the fight, and I wonder how much hassle the rest of the board really thinks this guy is worth.

In other words, just the idea that the fans do have such a weapon might negate the need ever to use it.

The biggest obstacle to Celtic’s completion of ten in a row and at the same time our progress in Europe is the club’s own chief executive. He is the single biggest threat to our continued dominance of the game here and any hope we have of making forward strides on the continental side. I’ve got an article in mind which will explore his entire tenure, but I don’t have to write it to convince most people; on this we’re all sort of agreed.

Seventeen years is far too long. It’s time for him to move on, for the good of the club. If he gave the slightest, tiniest, damn about that which he claims to love he’d know this and take the appropriate action. But he either doesn’t get it or doesn’t care.

It’s time he was put on notice in a way he can’t ignore.

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