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jw-penrose · 1 year

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Hisser

Watchdog: Part Two

Part One

Watchdog followed behind Stonewall nervously, hoping he wouldn't Take notice of him. It never went well when he did.

"Windrider," Stonewall said abruptly, startling Watchdog. He glanced up quickly, and there was Windrider.

Windrider was a fairly new hero, but he was rising quickly. He was charismatic and handsome, and had a strong ability. He was quickly gaining reputation as effective against pyrokinetics and the like due to his ability to starve their fires of oxygen.

Watchdog wondered briefly at his presence. He wasn't aware of any particularly strong fire-users in Persephone's employ, but, then again, he wasn't aware of most things.

"Stonewall," Windrider greeted. He glanced at Watchdog, who quickly looked back down. "You retrieved the captive?"

Stonewall grunted. It was less that he'd retrieved Watchdog and more that after he'd scared off Persephone, Watchdog had followed him.

"Good. Any contact?"

"The plant bitch. Haven't seen the others."

"Probably best. That is why I'm here, after all."

Stonewall grunted again. "Watchdog."

The amount of adrenaline that shot through Watchdog at that second is indescribable. "Y-Yes?" He looked up to see Stonewall and Windrider looking at him expectantly. "Oh! S-sorry, I didn't-"

Stonewall's characteristic glare intensified, so Watchdog stopped talking and Linked Stonewall and Windrider.

Windrider twitched and made a face. Watchdog looked back down. Interesting floors Persephone had. Old concrete with weeds pushing through the cracks.

"Watchdog."

Again, Watchdog started. The others, right! He briefly dipped into the pair's thoughts, reading the composition of the team, before Linking to each of them.

Hey, comms are up!

Feeling a bit slow today, apparently. Taking it's goddamn time.

Don't be too rough on it. nothing it could do would make it worse than the ones issued by upper management, am I right?

There was a round of amusement and agreement, and Watchdog shrank as Stonewall and Windrider went back to doing important things. Oh look, dandelions.

The heroes talked and bantered over the Link, and Watchdog dutifully conveyed each message to its intended recipients.

And he yearned.

It would be nice, he thought, spying what looked like sourgrass, to have something like that.

'It would be nice' was an understatement. It would be amazing, he'd give anything not to have this hollow, this ache, in his chest.

A stray thought caught his attention, and he did the mental equivalent of glancing over.

Stupid stupid stupid should've followed the plan this is why you have Hecate-

Persephone?

His heartrate spiked as he followed the Link which he had apparently made earlier, while she was-

While she was lying.

She was ahead of them, and moving, if slowly. Her leg was injured, maybe broken, she was moving towards help.

They're chasing her, he realized. He hadn't really been paying attention, but he ran over the heroes' thoughts, letting her lead them to the others. Stonewall and Windrider had gained a few other heroes, but the vast majority were still wandering Persephone's complex, searching it and trying to flush out any of her allies.

What I wouldn't give to have that kid with me now,

Watchdog's attention was caught by Persephone again, and again, he couldn't help but bask in the thought.

She's lying though he thought,She has to be. I'm... I'm just Watchdog.

Would it be so bad, a small part of him whispered, to be lied to, if being lied to feels like this?

Watchdog reached for Persephone's Link.

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

Phoebe, known to her enemies as the Dread Persephone, couldn't keep from cursing herself as she limped away from Stonewall's party. Why oh why had she let Stonewall rouse her temper? She shouldn't even care about that boy anyway, he was probably with Stonewall and his bastards for a reason anyway.

He was just so small though. She brushed aside the thought.

Then she felt... something. Like when someone sneaks up behind you and none of your senses tell you there's somebody there but somehow you just know.

Persephone? said a small, shy voice.

She blinked. Watchdog?

Yes.

She waited for a moment.

Did you have something you wanted to ask? she thought gently.

(Could you think things gently? She wasn't sure. Hopefully the point got across anyway)

Do, um. He hesitated, words charged with uncertainty in a way she couldn't describe. When you said-

Abruptly, a memory flashed in her mind. It was herself, standing over someone sitting down-

Your abilities are simply incredible!

You think I'm squeamish enough to dismiss the most powerful mental ability in recorded history in the name of whether or not I think it's weird?

What I wouldn't give to have this absolute goddamn powerhouse on my side.

-Pacing around, ranting like a madwoman.

She stumbled at the sensations of herself from somebody else's perspective. Was she hearing her own thought through the thoughts of somebody else, who could read thoughts?

Watchdog shrank back, something she could feel in a way she didn't know how to describe, and she shook herself out of her stupor, trying to reach out as one might touch somebody's shoulder to keep their attention.

Of course I meant it all. You're incredible.

Watchdog, who had stopped at the reaching, shrank back some more, watching her closely in a way she couldn't describe.

Stonewall and Windrider are following you, he thought suddenly, in a distinctly blurting fashion. and- another memory came over her, a scene from the perspective of somebody small, following behind three heroes walking with Stonewall.

Which one's Windrider? She asked after a moment, a stupid grin spreading across her face, more than one hundred percent okay with what was currently happening. and why is he important?

The lanky one, the thought came with an impression of the hero, his looks, how he sounded, what his mind was like-

and, she noted, how he treated Watchdog.

She mentally marked down the name 'Windrider'.

An anti-pyrokinetic, you say? was what she sent. Thankfully, he didn't appear to have noticed the other thoughts. She conveyed an impression of amusement.

Confusion, in return.

Let's just say I have a feeling that won't work out too well for them. You'll see.

Alright. Um, the others are- A semi-complete map of the building, with glowing dots scattered across the area. Immediately after, he sort of- flinched, would probably be the best word for it.

She grinned, pushing down her anger in favor of awe, which was a much more useful emotion when there wasn't anyone around for her to beat the hell out of, and there was a new ally whose endless usefulness needed to be known. Can you keep that up?

He didn't send anything, but listening(?? what word do you even use to describe telepathy?), she could clearly feel his astonishment.

Um. I don't- I'm not sure? No one's ever- I can keep sending you that but- I don't know if I can make it live or-

That's alright, she cut him off, feeling the rising panic. Just try your best. This is already very useful. She inspected the map as he fiddled with their bond a little.

Is this everyone?

Uh?

Is there anyone else in the building? If you can't tell that's alright.

Uh, That's just who I'm Linked to, he sort of frowned, but mentally, and she noted the term. Maybe I can- another map, this one very odd. There were no glowing dots, just sort of... impressions of minds. She cross-referenced the maps, and touched one of the impressions that wasn't on the first.

She grinned, changing direction to move toward it. Can you keep me updated? I'm moving toward this one. She sent the Impression

He inspected it. Y-yeah. Then, quieter, Who's that?

My second, Hecate, he started slightly, and she wondered if she had been meant to hear that. Are you familiar with my allies?

Hecate and Hisser, he thought with a sort of nod. The names weren't just words, they came with the entire impression they had made on him. She felt the frustration Hecate caused in the heroes, and the unbridled fear that shot through their minds at the second name.

Hisser? She thought, in the half second before she got it. She burst out laughing. Is that what they call him?

Confusion. Is that not his name?

He doesn't have one, she shrugged doesn't want one, apparently.

Oh,

If you see him, Link him to me immediately, she ordered, levity fading. If you don't, he might think you're with them.

I- he hesitated. I can only Link people to myself, but I can Link to him and transmit between the two of you.

That works, she thought, mind taking off at the implications.

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

Watchdog's heart was beating out of his chest, and he honestly couldn't tell why. Could be because he was betraying Stonewall, could be because he had found somebody who thought his ability was incredible(!?!?) and who couldn't seem to stop complimenting him.

Could also be because he might be about to encounter the most terrifying villain in recorded history, who, after several bodies had gone missing after his debut, had taunted the heroes at his second appearance by saying that their comrades had been delicious.

...Probably the compliments.

He checked for what might be the fifth time in the last sixty seconds that Persephone was still on track toward Hecate.

...tss...

Hecate, abilities umbrakinesis and pyrokinesis, fights by darkening her surroundings to pitch black and throwing fire at her opponents form unexpected angles. Weaknesses include the fact that in throwing flames she casts light around the room, giving heroes a glimpse of her position.

...Tss...

Don't know much about Hisser, reports usually center around how terrifying he is. And the hissing. Why does he hiss anyway?

...Tssss...

He glanced up toward the party of heroes, wondering what he'd heard, but they were still stalking towards Persephone, talking only occasionally.

Watchdog,

His attention snapped to Persephone.

If you can only Link people to yourself, does that mean you could mess with the heroes' comms?

He sent back an affirmative, and received a glee-touched Perfect.

Should I cut the Links? He glanced nervously at Stonewall.

No, no. She thought. That's far too obvious. Just screw with them a little. Send their messages to the wrong people, switch around locations, make them think their messages were sent when they weren't. Her thoughts were increasingly tinged with mischief.

Watchdog. Felt a bit mischievous too. That was a new one.

...TSsss...

He glanced behind their party at the sound.

Watchdog?

He started before sending back an affirmative, and getting to work.

It was. Actually pretty fun.

A message stifled here, a delivery to the wrong recipient there.

...TSSsssss...ss..

A rendezvous where everyone has a different position.

...TSSSsss...sSSsss...

Some tampered-with directions.

...TSSSSssss...sSSsss...Tschsshhh...

Watchdog glanced back. What was that sound?

He stared back for a long second, and when he faced forward again, the heroes were staring at him. Stonewall's glare was even more intense than usual.

Uh, he thought, panicked. Was that out loud?

Windrider scoffed. "What, your own heartbeat too loud in your ears? Don't worry... what was your hero name again?" He sneered the word 'hero'. "'Watchdog'? Commlink is more like it." The two nameless heroes chuckled, one of them giving a muttered 'good one'

Watchdog shrank at the insult to his hero name. He'd come up with it himself, back when he'd bee foolish and hadn't realized how terrible his ability was. He'd pictured himself watching over his friends, warning of danger and guarding from villains.

It hadn't worked out that way.

The three turned back forward, but Stonewall was still staring straight at Watchdog.

"What did you hear?"

Windrider glanced back. "Come on Stonewall-"

"Do not forget who it is we are facing!" He snapped at Windrider, before turning back to Watchdog. "What is it. That you heard?"

Watchdog trembled under the full force of Stonewall's rage. "I-I-I-"

Stonewall snarled. "We don't have time for your incompetence!" He seized Watchdog by the throat with a granite fist, slamming him against the wall. "WHAT DID YOU HEAR?"

"I-it sounded like-," Hissing. It had sounded like Hissing.

Watchdog got it a half second before everybody else.

The hissing sound was continuous now, scattered with the occasional small pop-ish noise, rising and falling like-

Footsteps, Watchdog somehow realized through the pure terror pumping through his veins, his heart beating so fast he could actually hear it.

Everything was silent, everyone staring, as a man stepped around the corner behind them.

Watchdog didn't need to notice his ability slipping off the man's mind to know he was insane. it was written across his face, his wide eyes shining with a mad light, his smile more a baring of teeth than anything else. It was written in the twitching of his eyebrows, in the trembling shudders that traveled up and down his form, written in the blood flecked on the fireman's axe resting over his shoulder.

Written in the unholy mixture of a growl and a chuckle he gave when those mad eyes alighted on them, steam pluming from his mouth.

Steam and smoke wreathed his form, making him look ethereal, almost unreal. Watchdog noticed those hardy plants blackening underneath his feet, and for a second he thought Hisser was some kind of god of death, killing everything that dared touch him with his very presence, but then he saw the smoke rising from the blackening grass and realized that it was heat. Hisser was giving off so much heat that when he touched the grass it burnt too fast to even catch fire.

But not too fast too let out a loud hiss.

"Hisser," One of the heroes said, almost reverently, voice cracking with fear.

His grin widened, steam pouring from his mouth, joining the smoke swirling around him.

Is that his saliva? Watchdog thought semi-hysterically.

Stonewall stumbled backward, releasing Watchdog a half second too late. He tripped, recovering his balance but ending up front and center between Hisser and the heroes.

Hisser, still grinning that mad, too-many-toothed grin, opened his mouth, the hissing and popping of his saliva boiling getting louder, and spoke, just one word.

"PREY."

Then Watchdog was thrown into the air, hitting the concrete hard and tumbling sideways, pain shooting through his ribs.

He wheezed, trying to inhale but unable to, for a long moment.

Watchdog?

For a long moment he lay there, Persephone's thoughts passing over him almost unnoticed, waves of heat washing over him.

WATCHDOG!

She was turning around. Heading towards him.

He sent her a negative feeling, the impression of Hecate.

She hesitated. What happened? She demanded, sounding worried for some reason.

What had happened?

Watchdog looked up.

Stonewall and the heroes were nowhere to be seen, but there was a dome of concrete in the center of the hallway, so their whereabouts were hardly a mystery.

I must have been thrown when he raised the dome, Watchdog thought, able to breathe again, but not really doing so because it sent spikes of pain through him.

"COME OUT, COME OUT, SSSSSTONY-BOY!"

Outside the dome was Hisser, sounding like a child playing hide and seek, if not for the way his words were obscured by the hissing that came from his mouth whenever he opened it.

Hisser had one hand raised, and, as Watchdog watched, flames erupted from his open palm.

Now, Watchdog knew about pyrokinetics. He'd seen them in Heroes' memories, heard about them from rumor. They made some of the most dangerous villains, and not a single one had ever joined the heroes. They were dangerous, plain and simple. But the point was, he'd seen them, he knew what they were like, with fireballs and fire breath.

Hisser's fire was nothing like that.

From his palm, a pressurized geyser erupted, hitting the dome and deflecting off to the sides, landing around the room and setting the plants ablaze. Watchdog could feel the heat of the blast from here, and had to cover his face. Even if it hadn't been too hot to face, it was near too bright to look at, orange so bright it was practically white, leaving behind spots in his eyes. Even cowering against the concrete floor, he could hear the flames, not like a crackling campfire, but from the way they ploughed through the air so quickly and from the sheer impact against the concrete dome.

Watchdog had sort of wondered, when the heroes were so afraid of Hisser. What could he have possibly done to evoke such a reaction from some of the most powerful individuals on the planet?

Watchdog no longer wondered.

After a ten-second eternity, The sound cut off.

Watchdog, talk to me!

Watchdog looked up slowly to see Hisser inspecting the concrete carefully, smile still partially on his face, but more like he has simply forgotten to take it off than he was still wearing it intentionally.

Watchdog please,

The demented grin spread back across his face.

Watchdog made a pathetic sort of sound.

He tried to send something back to Persephone, but all he could manage was

Hisser.

#Wasn't really expecting anyone to like this #but a couple people actually did #so surprise surprise #The Adventures of Watchdog and Persephone Part Two: Fire boogaloo #Don't worry #the next parts will be more about our favorite strategist and her telepath #just needed to introduce the most notable of Persephone's existing allies #Shorter than I wanted it to be #but it was getting away from me #So this is what you get #villain #villain x sidekick #sidekick #writing

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soulsxng · 8 months

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The Corruption, as told by Creation to the masses

So, during the gathering of leaders/rulers/deities/powerful and influential beings throughout the realms, Creation is going to explain the Corruption. This is so that they'll have a (hopefully) easier time controlling the spread of it, as well as tracking it. However, telling people that another Creationary being (or beings, potentially) from another existence entirely separate from this one are trying to break in and take control from the Creationary Trio...would cause a lot of panic, a lot of confusion, and probably a lot of chaos when some people try to take advantage of the situation during an already strenuous time.

Because of this, they've decided to...well, to lie. So long as people know what the Corruption's symptoms are (which can be seen here, btw!), and generally what it's doing to people, as well as how it spreads...the rest doesn't necessarily need to be truthful. Especially if that means avoiding a whole shitstorm of other issues on top of the Corruption.

They'll be telling everyone that, due to a mass of energy that was forced through the Void some couple days prior, the Well of Creation was damaged. As many beings with a connection to the Void will have felt said burst from when Irazor triggered it with his death by Darrow's hands, that won't be too farfetched to prove.

Some people might get the idea of trying something similar again, but because the Well isn't actually damaged, and even a burst of energy that large wouldn't have done anything if it hadn't already been targeting a weak point in the veil. A weak point that nobody aside from other Creationary beings/those that Creation has allowed to use/see the raw energy that they use, are even able to perceive.

Meaning, the worst that would happen is that Lerato gets some extra energy to eat. Not a huge deal, unless they manage to get lucky and hit that one little spot in the entirety of the Void.

From there, they'll go on to explain that because of this damage, there's more raw creationary energy spreading throughout the realms than there should be. This, they'll say, is what is causing the Corruption (and technically, they're not entirely wrong, as raw creationary energy is the issue...just not the Trio's energy.), as an excess of this energy can essentially, well...corrupt what the energy turns into when used to make something, like another being, or a realm, or whatever else.

Cue laying out the symptoms and how it's spread, making sure people keep away from anyone or anything exhibiting those symptoms, and having plans laid out for where/how to quarantine people and things that are Corrupted. This will also include an introduction to one of "Our newest creations", Siffo. (possibly the biggest lie in the whole thing) Siffo, JJ, Tiariia, and Ber will be sent to places with larger outbreaks to help quarantine those effected, since "they can't be corrupted by normal means".

There's one big question that Ippuru in particular would answer before it's even asked, and that would be "Why can't Creation just fix it? Can't You take the energy back, and that's that?"

This would be explained away by saying that they can only hold so much energy within themselves at any given time...hence why there was a need for the Well in the first place. Though they could spend their time collecting all of the energy, they'd still have to put it back into the damaged Well. Essentially, it would slow down the problem, but wouldn't make any progress towards actually fixing it. Their focus needs to primarily go into fixing the Well (or, in reality, dealing with that other Creationary Being trying to get in), or the problem is going to persist.

Another small side note is that I think instead of mentioning voices specifically (especially since that would mean talking about the whole One True Voice thing), they'll say that one of the later symptoms is severe auditory hallucinations. That way, by the time people start thinking "Huh...it's a little weird that all of the later stage Corrupted are talking about the same thing...", they won't really be able to question Creation about it. Since...yknow. Most people can't contact them normally, let alone actually get to them.

Unless, of course, it's one of their "favorites", in which case Creation is likely to let them in on what's really happening, if they were to make contact, or go to see the Trio later on and asked.

This got kind of ramble-y, so tl'dr: Creation is going to lie and tell the people attending their announcement that the Corruption is being caused by the Well or Creation being damaged by a blast of energy that Irazor sent through the Void. The raw energy leaking out into existence is what's causing the problems. Symptoms and spread were discussed. Siffo was introduced to everyone. People were told the plans for quarantine of the individuals and other Corrupted things, and how to report it so that Siffo, JJ, Tiariia, and Ber can come and...essentially help to deal with it.

#literally Creation playing the blame pass game #pointing at the crowd #and essentially going “See what happens when you fuck around? You screw yourselves over!”#so surprise surprise #it also sort of works in their favor by dissuading people from trying to mess around in any big substantial ways #ways that wouldn't really hurt Creation #but that they would have to clean up (and they don't like doing that)#[The Corruption Arc]#Okay so now if people want to send in questions to ask Creation about the Corruption they can #either just at random or with a muse that's there asking

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zytes · 5 months

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this manatee looks like it’s in a skyrim loading screen

#misc #I encourage anyone dyslexic to try rotating him in your mind. I can’t do that; which is why I’m asking you to.#also: a bunch of tags are surprised this isn’t ‘shopped #it’s the lighting. backlit by the sun (which is diffused through the water) but also forelit artificially #the artificial light - a flash pack or something - casts a hard shadow under the creatures arm #which normally wouldn’t be possible if backlit by the SUN; you’d see a less-hard/more-fragmented shadow above water #as light sources ‘compete’ in a sense - and since there aren’t any light sources which can outshine the literal sun #it looks a bit weird when the darkest shadow is being cast from any other origin point - which is what’s essentially happening here #I don’t know the mechanics of how light travels through water; but I know the effect is substantial even with relatively short distances #also: it’s been balanced and color corrected by the author of the photo - who made deliberate choices to bring out the full potential #so it’s not like it’s a fresh and untouched export #but the kind of ‘tacked on’ appearance of the creature is a result of the lighting conditions within the image

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kimdokjas · 11 days

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though the movie might be cancelled, yuri on ice will live forever in our hearts. thank you yoi fandom, it's been real ♡

#yuri on ice #yoiedit #yoi #victuuri #ice adolescence #anime gif #*gifs #animangahive #dailyshounenai #userkarura #usergojoana #userhanyi #useralphonse #usertorichi #usermoonz #usericybtch #userheidi #usergokalp #userartless #homuras #himawaari #this is not goodbye this is still my house!!!#devastated but not surprised tbh but i still wanted to channel my emotions somehow and just. express how much this show means to me so here #this thank you goes out to u guys. the fandom #mappa can eat a brick btw <3 #god i wish i could articulate just how special yoi is to me #it truly resonated with me like very few other pieces of media have (i can count them with one hand in fact)#it was sooooo revolutionary and ahead of its time not just in terms of queerness but also in terms of mental health #it truly changed me as a person and i just. really appreciate how earnest and kind it was above all #thank you yoi. you will be a part of me forever <3

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talaricula · 5 months

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Things I've seen tumblr memeing about James Somerton doing à la "How did no one see how bigoted he was!" as if those things haven't been a significant part of tumblr culture for over a decade :

Presenting untrue and bordering on conspiratorial versions of (queer or otherwise marginalised) history without any sources

Completely disregarding and disrespecting any expertise on socio-cultural topics/humanities and distrusting academics and historians (incl. acting as if no academics or historians could be queer or marginalised)

Downplaying the role misogyny played in the historical oppression of queer women and concluding that queer men must have been more oppressed than queer women

Bi women are, at best, not as queer as "real" queer ppl, and at worst, simply equivalent to straight women

Despite nominal trans inclusivity, transmasculine ppl are functionally women when convenient (combined with the above, bi transmascs are functionally straight women)

Despite nominal trans inclusivity (bis), shamelessly attacking, threatening and actively endangering any trans woman who questions them or smth they find important (often by unfairly presenting her as violent or as a threat)

Having absolutely fucking wild and reductive takes about ace ppl, the oppression they face and their place in the queer community

Stating that marriage equality is an assimilationist fight while completely ignoring its direct roots in the horrifying consequences of the AIDS crisis for partners of ppl who died of AIDS

Praising western media creators from the past for queer coding even under censure and in the same breath condemning current non western media creators for being homophobic bc their representation isn't explicit enough

Blaming China for all existing homophobic censoring in western media

Assuming all queer media would be better told by western creators and by western standards

Only out queer ppl get to tell queer stories

Heavily criticising almost all queer media created by women or ppl they see as such (see above points about trans ppl) or involving/starring a significant amount of women for any perceived or real amount of "problematicness", but fawning over and praising and negating criticism of queer media created by and starring mostly or even functionally exclusively men (even when it could be argued that, you know, not involving/seriously sidelining women is a pretty clear example of misogyny which should probably be considered "problematic")

And I'm probably forgetting stuff or there's stuff I have internalised myself and don't recognise as an issue

Like idk but I feel like the takeaway from Hbomberguy and Toddintheshadow's videos should maybe be "be aware of such patterns in your communities bc they definitely exist" and not "this guy is uniquely awful" and I feel like a lot of the discussion I've seen surrounding this has been severely failing at that. Most ppl who've spent any significant amount of time on tumblr prob either have internalised at least one of those thought patterns, have had to de-internalise them, or have had to be extremely vigilant to not internalise them (which is done by, you know, seeking out other sources, which also seemed like an important takeaway from the videos)

#Also I'm saying this as someone who actually watched quite a few of Somerton's videos #And noticed those patterns and stopped watching bc I recognised them from here #and had already learned to unlearn them after being so exposed to them here #And tbh I think anyone who hasn't had the luck or made the conscious choice to seek out ppl who pushed against those narratives #Would absolutely have fallen for this man's bullshit. Like let's not kid ourselves we see takes like this every day on this hellsite #2014 me would have. For sure.#This is next to the plagiarism issue which as Harris points out is an Internet wide issue and this includes tumblr #James Somerton #hbomberguy #todd in the shadows #This brought to you by a conversation with my wife yesterday #So many ppl on here don't deserve to meme or be this self absolvingly critical of this man #The call is coming from inside the house #The man has a tumblr it would legit not surprise me if some of the things he supposedly made up himself he did actually get from somewhere #And that somewhere was a tumblr post

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