j8cob

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7/11, not a perfect loop but a pretty neat space explosion thingy.

Politics, because why not?

I've spent a good few years studying political science, history, and law. I have to say this election cycle isn't nearly as bad as everyone thinks it is. The historically low approval ratings fit the trend of growing disapproval among presidential candidates, brought on largely by the exponential development of technology and social media. We had always been discontent with our choices, but in this day and age we've never had so many means of conveying that. The data used to obtain these numbers has become more reliable accordingly.

That being said, the candidates themselves are very unique. Trump, on one hand, is the "outsider" who has never held an elected office before in his life. He would become the second President since Washington to be elected with no prior experience in a state or federal government. Clinton, on the other hand, is the first candidate to be going through multiple scandals and investigations leading up to the actual election. She would become the first female President, but also the first person to be elected in spite of ongoing criminal investigations.

On a personal level, I hate Hillary Clinton with every fiber of my being. She is a criminal, a traitor, and a madwoman. She has a history of becoming hysterical, she takes money from MidEast royalty and George Soros, has incited at least two civil wars in foreign countries, and the Clinton Foundation is one of the biggest money laundering schemes in the world. There is an indescribable amount of blood on her hands and an unfathomable amount of dirty money in her pockets. Not only do I think she is a terrible human being, but I don't feel like her policies come anywhere remotely close to make up for her long history of failures and morally corrupt decisions. I would not be able to sleep at night if I had to vote for Hillary Clinton. My conscience wouldn't let me.

With Donald Trump its a different story. When he announced his campaign I was skeptical. I knew who he was, and while I agreed with a lot of the things he said I wasn't sure if I was going to bet on him. After all, I also felt the same way about Sanders but for different reasons. Both of them were outside the political power ring and both had a good chance of breaking up the globalist monopoly that was gripping our politics. Over time, however, it became clear to me that Sanders was not my ideal candidate and that my vote was going to be going to Trump. I find most, if not all, of his policies agreeable. My only contention with him is his personality and some of his stances (global warming, abortion). While I could rationalize that his personality and those particular stances are a means to an end, a pandering facade to secure both the Republican vote and the vote of the disenfranchised, but the safe bet is to assume he is being honest and for that reason I'm a bit iffy on that subject. But overall his pros far outweigh his cons, in my eyes. In all likelihood, I predict a Trump victory in November in terms of the popular vote. The question becomes whether or not he'll have the most electoral votes or if the electoral college does something under-handed (if it did, undoubtedly rigging from HRC).

Worth noting is Gary Johnson, and to a lesser extent Jill Stein. Johnson is presently at 13% approval in the polls right now, just 2% shy of reaching the 15% mark to allow him onto the debate stage with Clinton and Trump. While Stein will not feasibly be reaching that number, she is worthy of mention due to also having a fairly strong presence from outside the Democrat and Republican platforms. Having looked at their policies and seen a few of their speeches and such, I don't find either of them more favorable than Trump. Their policies do not appeal to me or benefit me like his does, though they are superior to Clinton's policies and Johnson and Stein themselves are simply superior to Clinton. However I would love to see Johnson (and Stein, if possible) be on the stage with Clinton and Trump. The two-party system and the FPTP voting system are critically flawed, and having new parties included can help dismantle and replace these systems. If they can get on stage it would be historical and be the first step towards creating a more transparent and accountable federal government with more diverse opinions and honest men and women. I do not want to see Johnson as my President, but I want to see him be the start of something new.

This is basically my TL;DR of the current 2016 Presidential Election, despite the length of it. I've spent a lot of time studying and researching and I've been following events closely since June of last year. Take it for what it's worth, I suppose. Just words on a screen from a man you've never seen.

Baybridge: Era of the Old/New Gods Advertisement Thread [Superhuman/City/Realistic/Character Driven] (Advance/High-Casual)

That's got a lot of information to go through, but I'm interested. I'll read up through the OOC stuff tonight and see what happens.

Nᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ: Uɴɪᴛʏ Oʀ Fʀᴇᴇᴅᴏᴍ

Real fuckin' serious.

Nᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ: Uɴɪᴛʏ Oʀ Fʀᴇᴇᴅᴏᴍ

Sorry about the delay, I had been distracted and thought I was still waiting on you guys. My bad.

Nᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ: Uɴɪᴛʏ Oʀ Fʀᴇᴇᴅᴏᴍ

Tsukiko Umene

These kids are stupid, she thought to herself as they spoke in turn, one-by-one. They all had something smart to say, and all seemed to think that their opinions and thoughts mattered. A complete lack of cohesion among the three teenagers. They all considered themselves to be more important than the others, and they all had the delusion that whatever experience they had was anywhere close to good enough. Their attitudes annoyed Tsukiko greatly, so much so that she mostly tuned out their drawling and only paid attention to the relevant information. Their skills, abilities, strengths. The only things she asked for. But, of course, the kids were stupid enough to try and get a read on Tsukiko. "You little shits think you know why I'm here, eh?" she spoke up, the look of irritation on her face and the cynical tone of her voice perfectly expressing the sharpness of her words.

Before she could go on further, where she would've surely worked herself up enough to try and strike terror into their hearts, Senhime clapped her hands a few times and spoke up. They were saved by the bell, so to speak. It would only be a slight reprieve from the hell that they were going to experience for the next two weeks. "There are no breaks," Tsukiko responded to the commander, her irritated tone still in place. Then she directed her gaze to the kids. "After your meals you will immediately report to the first training room. Nobody is going to waste time." With this she kept an intimidating gaze on the three until they finally left, before turning her attention back to the Commander. "Listen," she began, scooting off the table and picking her knife up out of the floor. "This whole operation has been a mess since long before I joined. There needs to be more discipline, more devotion. I don't give a damn about any little sob stories your recruits have because they won't help a damn thing. You can only get so far on unfocused emotion. At a certain point you will have to put your foot down. You'll have to get your hands bloody."

Tsukiko looked back to the gash in the table and pondered briefly before looking back to Senhime. "If they mouth off like that again, I will beat them. I will train them to become real soldiers. Whatever training they've gotten up to this point clearly hasn't paid off. If they aren't completely useless then they'll become assets by the time I'm done. That, or they'll die. Now, about this fucking table..." The older woman leaned over the table, holding the knife in her hand above the gash with the tip pointed down. "Do you want a Jiyutai emblem or do you dare to let me get creative?" Senhime had obviously given Tsukiko this command as a power play, to help assert her own authority, and to that end it bothered Tsukiko greatly. Still, if Tsukiko were to dissent before Senhime then that action would reverberate throughout the Jiyutai. A ripple effect that wouldn't be worth starting if she wanted this organization to get anything done. She'd bite the bullet and make the table look nicer, but without any sort of knowledge of how to fix tables that have been stabbed, the conclusion she came to was to make a carving out of the existing gash. At any rate, whether Senhime would take the question seriously or not, Tsukiko was certainly not going to repair the table properly. It would take time better served to turning the self-important rebellious teenagers into killing machines.

Nᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ: Uɴɪᴛʏ Oʀ Fʀᴇᴇᴅᴏᴍ

Depends on if the kids hold grudges or not.

Nᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ: Uɴɪᴛʏ Oʀ Fʀᴇᴇᴅᴏᴍ

Tsukiko Umene

The introductions didn't yield anything worthy of note for Tsukiko. While she would remember what they said word for word, it simply wasn't information that would prompt curiosity or interest from the older woman. Nothing outstanding, she thought to herself, only a brief distraction before Senhime began to explain the details as to why they have been gathered for this meeting. Indeed it was in relation to the upcoming Confederation holiday. To be precise: they were planning on striking at the heart of the Hamajo Confederation. Obviously this was less of a show of power and more of a show of intent. Tsukiko could already tell that the Jiyutai had nothing to gain militarily or economically from destroying a large statue of the Confederation's president, but she knew it would send a message and potentially lead to improved recruitment in the future. A respectable decision on Senhime's part. Obviously there are better targets but this opportunity would only come once a year, and if they failed now they would likely not get another opportunity.

Senhime had also delegated more of the teenagers to be under Tsukiko's command than her own sister's command, rightfully so. "No need to apologize," Tsukiko spoke up, waving her hand in a gesture of dismissal after Senhime gave her a polite bow. "This is nothing I haven't done before." Hell, even since she joined the Jiyutai she had taken control over missions and taken it upon herself to make whatever squad she was in suit her tastes. Tsukiko never attempted to hide her experience from her comrades. The population of the Jiyuna no Guntai were mostly teenagers and young adults. They mostly lacked experience with these kinds of military operations. Their leadership is earnest but still green and they have yet to make any real progress towards their goals.

But Tsukiko planned on fixing that.

Before she had any time to go over the mission details in her own head, one of the kids she was going to be leading decided to ask Senhime further questions. Akumako had already taken her squad out of the room, which made Tsukiko expect most of the immaturity would've left with the girl but it seemed that wasn't quite so. The Commander handled Takashi's inquisition and his subtle attempt at insubordination rather decently, though Tsukiko personally would've been a bit harsher if the boy had taken that tone with her. Regardless it seemed like an apt time to explain to Takashi, and everyone else still present, exactly what Senhime was talking about. "Boys," she spoke up, in reference to Takashi and Kazuki, "Leave the planning to me. We have some things to go over before we even think about setting foot in Amegakure. Don't get ahead of yourselves."

Now she specifically directed her attention to Takashi. "If we're going to be a cohesive unit then there will be no tolerance for stupidity or mistakes. We have two weeks and I intend to use every waking minute of it to my advantage. So right here and now I'm going to tell you a little something about the man of the hour, Ryuunosuke Hamajo." Tsukiko paused and glanced around, making sure that everyone present was at attention. Even Senhime should've been listening, as this information may be new to her as well as far as Tsukiko could tell. She had no idea what kind of education these kids had but it seemed like they all needed a bit more. "In Konoha we paid close attention to rise to power. He was young then, still a teenager, which made it all the more important to pay attention to what he was doing. He came out of nowhere, no history on the kid, none of the hidden villages had any record of him, and he starts defeating a lot of people. Mainly bandits and rogue shinobi, but he fought some particularly powerful individuals and bested all of them. Every person in the Confederation cabinet is someone who fought him and lost but he spared their life for reasons unknown."

"From the reports we had at the time, we had to peg him as Kage-level, if any of you remember what the Kage were." With a sigh, Tsukiko closed her eyes and shook her head. "We couldn't get any specifics on his combat details, but it was very apparent that none of us were equipped to deal with him until it was already too late. I'm not a gambler so I would say that if Ryuunosuke himself shows up during our attack, we will retreat immediately. S-class missing-nin were killed at his hands with ease, and I don't think it's a stretch to assume he's grown stronger over the past decade. He's probably in his prime right now, if not just past it. It's best to think of him as a non-factor, from a tactical standpoint. If he ever comes into play then there should be no confusion on the subject: we will probably die."

It was depressing and lacked specific details, as Tsukiko was drawing on memories of reports she read years ago, but it got the point across. They needed to know what they were dealing with. "Either way, what we should take into consideration is Aoi Fuegushi..." Tsukiko opened her eyes finally and looked to the floor. There was a brief moment of silence from her, but after a few seconds she finally looked back up to the rest of her squad. "She is skilled and intelligent. It is safe to assume she won't be actively participating in the security from the start, which makes our lives easier, but she will not hesitate to jump into action. She has a kekkei genkai that revolves around mucus and she is incredibly proficient with it. She will attempt to trap us or force us into a position to be trapped. I worked with her before, long ago, so it is also safe to assume that she will know my tricks once she realizes I am on the scene." Thinking about Aoi was like a trip down memory lane, thinking back to her old life. Only instead of nostalgia she only felt anger and loss.

The older woman clenched her fists as she stood upright and ceased leaning against the wall. "We have time to go over this in greater detail, no need to get ahead of ourselves right now. Naturally we will sneak into Amegakure to scout the area beforehand, so I can get a good bead on where their security will likely be and what the layout of the area is like. Then we'll spend the rest of the time practicing, getting our plan down solid. I already said I won't tolerate any stupidity or any mistakes. If we get compromised for any reason..." Tsukiko had moseyed over to the table and stood next to it. She made sure to stand very close to the seated Takashi, likely uncomfortably close. In a blur of motion she drew her concealed gut knife from the pouch on her left leg and stabbed it deep into the table, making a loud noise and possibly startling those who weren't fully paying attention or those who didn't expect such an aggressive act. "Now, details." Leaving the knife in the table, Tsukiko sat directly next to it on the table and then scooted backwards. She decided that sitting with her legs crossed on the table itself allowed her to face everyone at once without being distant from them, as she would have to be to sit on the other side of the table. "Give me the rundown. What can all of you do, specifically? We're going to take this time to learn what we are, as a squad, before we even think about what we are going to do. Start talking."

Nᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ: Uɴɪᴛʏ Oʀ Fʀᴇᴇᴅᴏᴍ

Tsukiko Umene

The morning routine went uninterrupted for Tsukiko. The room was small and cramped, but it was just big enough to give her space for her daily exercises. It was just after she finished and got to her feet when the door opened and the commander's little sister barged in. Tsukiko only glared at her, giving her no verbal response as she stammered and stared at the older woman. It was only after she left that Tsukiko let out a sigh of irritation. Didn't even knock, she thought to herself. Either way it was apparent that she was being summoned to a meeting at this Room 8B. Tsukiko didn't need to bring her sword or spear for this, instead leaving them leaning against the wall next to her bed as she stepped out into the hallway.

The trip to the meeting room was uneventful, though Tsukiko did not interact with anyone when she arrived. In fact she didn't even take a seat at the table. Instead she preferred to lean against the wall separate from the rest. If one had to ask her why it would be difficult to get an answer out of her, but anyone that knew her before she transferred to this base would already know she wasn't one for camaraderie. Perhaps it was for everyone's benefit that she remained apart anyways. If anyone within her reach said something particularly stupid or irritating it would be difficult for her to restrain herself from hurting them. Not to the point of injury, most of the time. But Tsukiko was a known enforcer of negative reinforcement when interacting with people she considered subordinate or inferior.

Hell, she was even skeptical about the commander of it all. Senhime Osuushi. She was attractive and kind-hearted, but in Tsukiko's eyes she was also young and foolish. Too idealistic. She had to be at least somewhat detached from reality as far as the older woman could tell, but even though her heart was in the right place it didn't mean she was always right. Before she actually met Senhime she had just assumed that the stories that idolized her were fabricated as propaganda. Today she isn't sure if the stories being true is as good as if they were lies. Either way, when Senhime decided the gathered rebels in the room should begin to introduce themselves it prompted an audible scoff from Tsukiko. These kids don't remember me, she deduced. Either way she waited patiently for her turn. She didn't exactly want to talk about herself but she certainly wanted to use the opportunity to demand a certain level of respect from her peers.

When Takashi finished his brief introduction, Tsukiko also realized that many of these kids probably didn't come from the Land of Fire. Her name was less famous outside the borders. With a relenting sigh, Tsukiko finally spoke up. "My name is Tsukiko Umene, former Jonin Commander of Konohagakure." Short, sweet, and to the point. An introduction didn't need anything more than a name and a title, as far as she was concerned. It established herself some authority and superiority, though it was no secret that she was already the oldest one in the room. She probably already had a certain baseline level of respect just for being the elder. Nevertheless it concluded her brief introduction without her moving from her comfortable position against the wall. She was less interested in the other introductions that would follow and was more curious about what the meeting was going to entail. Senhime did announce previously that they would be coordinating a strike during Hamajo Day. That was certainly interesting, to say the least.

Nᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ: Uɴɪᴛʏ Oʀ Fʀᴇᴇᴅᴏᴍ

<Snipped quote by Renny>

Just in case you missed it, we're gonna have everyone but Aoi and Yamato (and President Hamajo whenever he goes up) just be in the Jiyutai for now.

@RyoRyoRyoken

I can post him whenever now.