#and then I had to deal with deadlines and phew

[daily-hanamura]

Do you ever think about how Chie (and Yukiko iirc?) have both previously called Yosuke a disappointment, meaning they were, albeit in part, one of the reasons for his low self esteem

Obviously they didn't do it on purpose, since Yosuke always tries to act like those words don't phase him, always acting like he's very confident

But I wonder, if he were to ever open up to them and start showing his more sensitive side in general, how would the girls react? Like would they feel a bit guilty or something?

Many thoughts... many very, very disorganized thoughts......

Oooooh yeah I do indeed think about this, and apart from Chie and Yukiko, Teddie has also described Yosuke as a "prince of disappointment"/"everyone's favourite disappointment"

Yosuke, of course, also being the one that calls himself a disappointment the most.

So this is just my perspective based on my life experience, but I think that to some extent, it very much reflects the kind of humour that was very pervasive around that time. As a millennial it's pretty typical for friends to rib into each other as banter (see also Yosuke to Kanji) and to employ self-deprecation as a joke, and it's kind of a mark of friendship -- you really only do that to people that you're very close friends with, because it's about in-group jokes (e.g. Chie can call Yosuke a disappointment, but that random classmate can't) and a reflection of just how well you know a person.

It's kind of complicated to talk about because I'm not saying that it was necessarily good, since it can be quite insensitive if you're not conscious of someone's personal issues. And some people definitely don't enjoy that sort of humour, because it's also highly, highly contextual and easy to misread. Some bullies also use that as a justification for why they're saying mean things, which is especially unpleasant in the workplace LOL. I feel like as I've gotten older this has become less common? Or maybe I'm just not as comfortable with the friends I've made in adulthood to want to readily rip into them? But then again I have maybe three friends I'm willing to banter like this with and we've been close friends for about a decade, which I think kind of drives home the point I'm making about how this is the kind of joke you only make with people that you've been through a lot with, which the IT are. I think it's humour that's meaningful in the narrative context because it's a signpost that indicates their shared experience in the TV world was no trivial thing, just like how Yosuke calling Yu "aibou" reflects the same sentiment.

But, as you said, because of how Yosuke puts on an act of confidence, I don't think most people pick up on it other than Yu, because Chie, Yukiko and Teddie probably just think it's part of the bit that Yosuke is doing (Yosuke also refuses to show his weaknesses to anyone other than Yu, but that's probably another conversation). One of the weaker spots of P4/G (and P5), I feel, is that it isn't as revealing about the interpersonal relationships between characters outside of the protag character. Which I don't really expect, but it was really nice to see in P3. So all we have to go on is the spin offs, and I think if we compare Chie and Yukiko's distanced friendliness with Yosuke in the Magician manga vs their expression of reliance and dependence on Yosuke in P4AU, for example, we can see that developed dynamic.

Would they feel guilty? Probably, but they're also teenagers who are still figuring out interpersonal interactions and personal boundaries (and this goes for Yosuke as well), and I think this friction is sometimes just part and parcel of growing up. I do think that if Chie and Yukiko realise that Yosuke does have a sore spot about it they'd change the way they speak with him because they genuinely care about him, especially as they mature into adulthood.

Going a little off tangent now and this is just my headcanon, but I also wonder if Yosuke initiated that sort of humour with Chie and Yukiko shortly after their rescue to help them relax. Yosuke likes to use humour to diffuse tension (which doesn't always work) but it's not hard to imagine him sensing awkwardness from the two of them (they really weren't close friends at all prior to the TV world), so he makes himself the butt of a joke to get them to laugh, and when they latch on to it he's actually kind of happy because it means he's done something useful. (ngl ever since I saw Tamami's clown motif stage in p4d I have not stopped thinking about her parallels with Yosuke)

#asks #12neonlit-stage #sorry for the very late and very long response LOL this has been marinating in my brain for weeks #and then I had to deal with deadlines and phew

[after-nine-at-the-oasis]

Aww hey besties :D

Lol Cheers xD

Ooope nope Jacob doesn't want him to xd

Jacob this looks really suspicious towards You Know What but I'm gonna keep holding out hope xd

It's gotta be a mislead it's gotta be a mislead it's gotta be a mislead please it's gotta be a mislead 😭

As in it has to be please :'))

Also I just realized the detail/irony that the sub took of the bowtie when he left 💀 xD like he didn't tie it on SLFJFHKS XDD this show is so good oh my gosh

ALSO just realized that Jacob could be thinking Gregory's lonely without Janine/sad over her o.o 👀 xD like I genuinely think that could be an explanation

I am denial but I believe in myself :') it'll be okay lol

Believe as in I think I could be right in my denial

Anyway! Continuing on now that I did some things I had to do and got more food

"Water because the drinks here are pricey" 💀 XD Jacob that's such a mood though lol

Jacob no xD

I feel like that would either make him super hyper or, very tired lol

AAAAHHHHHHHHH NO-

AUOGH

AUGH

help

It's because he has a project/deadline he's working on :)!! That's all :D

I swear Jacob please don't continue to elaborate and make this less vague for me

Maybe

They go through a rough patch and Gregory thinks they broke up but it turns out they made up

OR GREGORY BRINGS THEM TOGETHER TO MAKE UP

please guys I need this

Don't do this to me xD

Okay I've spent too long focus (and time but there was a break lol) on the first 20 seconds of this scene xD

I need to get through this I can live I can do it lol

Exactly Gregory it's no big deal :D you're so right for that man :))))))

"Didn't nobody tell you to stay out of gay folks business?" SLDJFHDKS xDD also Jacob as if you don't over share literally every second of the day

I suspect he might be joking though xD

Also maybe this'll mean he won't elaborate 👀👀

Ah so that's an actual saying xD I thought Gregory was gonna believe him for a second lol

aaAAAAHHHHHHH NOOO-

Guys I'm so scared

Help

They're gonna be fine they're gonna be fine they're gonna be fine

Especially because they're telling it now so they wouldn't dare break them up after an episode of trying to figure it out/fix it

. . . would they :')

O.O Okay Jacob chill xD

He looks angry xd

See I'm laughing to hide the pain :')

Okay I need to stop thinking about the future and just enjoy the angst for now lol

Awww Jacob :((( honey 😭 :'(

It'll be alright <3 I don't think it'll be those stages lol

A month??

Oh no longer, two months?-

No wait don't say like a year-

SEVEN MONTHS??!?

SIR 😭😭😭💔

Okay I don't want you to but why have you not broken up already 😭 xd you idiots xD

Also that reminds me of the "a year. . plus another year" when he first mentioned Zach xD :') :') (first is sweet second is help me please) 😭❤️💔

Yeah exactly Gregory xD

JACOB DON'T SAY THAT

Don't you dare say pretending to still be into each other don't you dare-

He's over exaggerating :)) yeah this is fine :))

Okay right enjoy the angst in the moment xd

I'll have two reactions each time lol; one long term one right now xD

Jacobbb honeyyy 😭😭 :((

If it's bc he wants the stability bc Trauma I swear I'm gonna lose it-

In a mostly good way xD

AYY Jacob slay :D

Wait he's been missing hasn't he- YUP SLFKGHSKS

My boy <33

Also that nod/look at the cameraman just reminded me he's there and that makes it hurt so much worse somehow :')

OKAY PHEW I MADE IT THROUGH

I swear if this entire episode is Gregory helping Jacob plan how to break up with Zach I'm gonna lose it-

Maybe in doing all that he'll realize how much he still loves him :'))

Sorry guys I'm not okay xD

OKAY LOL back to the rest of the episode after that one and a half minute scene xD 💀

#abbott elementary #ae #oasis's ae chatter #that was an unhealthy length 💀 /lh xD

[ayma-nidiot]

“Don’t Speak Their Names” - Shrimpshipping fic Chapter 13

This chapter on AO3 can be found here.

Chapter 13 - 11 Years

~29 August 2005~

“Hum de dum…” Rex could not contain his happiness as Ptera drove Weevil and him to his first day of college. He had spent a good deal of that morning preening himself, and even wore his hair in a low ponytail for the occasion.

“I don’t know why you’re so proud of yourself,” Weevil thought aloud. Unlike his boyfriend, Weevil had been sleeping until about ten minutes ago. He was never the type to spend any significant time getting ready for something. He ate the breakfast that Ptera had cooked for everyone, hoping that his groggy head would go away soon. “Getting accepted via the waitlist isn’t exactly a great honour.”

“Ah, shaddap. I’m a student of Domino City University, and nothing’s gonna change that.”

Weevil yawned. “But did we have to get up so early? Our first class isn’t even until noon.”

“Yeah, but I heard there is a morning club fair going on. I wanted to check it out before class.”

Ptera parked the car into a spot; she had just barely beaten someone else, who flicked her off before driving for another spot. “Look at my little man, being such a proactive student already! Have a good first day, Rex! Don’t forget to call me if you need anything!”

Rex felt embarrassed as his mother kissed his cheek, and a few passing older students giggled watching them. “Mom, I’m not little anymore - in fact, I’m far from it. May I remind you I’m now so heavily pregnant that I’m wearing maternity clothes?” Rex gestured towards his baggy beige pants. He wore a black maternity shirt that said “Mamasaurus,” with a dinosaur on it that vaguely resembled Two-Headed King Rex.

Tears of joy formed at the corners of Ptera’s eyes. “You’re growing up too fast.”

“Okay, Mom, love you.” After a few more hugs and kisses, Rex and Weevil entered the grand courtyard, complete with a reflecting pond. As it was the first day of school - and on the day of a club fair, at that - the university had well over 20000 students this day. In the sea of wildly varying hair and skin colours, Rex recognized a few faces from his senior class. Naturally, they acted like the buffoons they were when they were still in high school. One even tried to take a dip in the reflecting pond before being chased out by a dean.

But other than that, most of the student body seemed dignified. He was pleasantly surprised to see that there weren’t just young adults in the student body, there were a few middle-aged and senior citizens too. He wasn’t sure how to feel about Amber suddenly coming at him with, “Hi, guys! So, you made it into university, Rex. Congratulations.”

“I’m not surprised that you made it too,” spoke Rex.

“Wiiiiith a full ride,” Amber practically sang.

“No need to rub it in. Again.”

“Plus, going to university is now free,” Weevil remarked. “Or have you not been watching the news lately?”

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop. If you’re here for the club fair, it’s just past the student union, which is pretty far from here. Come.” Amber didn’t like how both boys seemed hesitant to talk to her. Then again, she expected it, since they hadn’t contacted each other since their café visit almost a month ago, and the tiring battle that soon followed it. “So, how are things?”

“I’ve finally said goodbye to that sack of shit I once called ‘Father,’” Weevil replied. “And the best part is, I never have to see him again! Adelaide and I live with Rex now. Oh, yeah, Adelaide is my friend who taught me how to duel.”

“I see. I suppose some congratulations are in order.”

“It makes me happy not only to get away from that toxic man, but also to see the growth of my child.”

“Ah…” For the first time, Amber had noticed Rex’s baby bump, and stopped to touch it. “How fortunate for you.”

“Amber?” Rex looked at the raven-haired girl quizzically. Her face had taken on a longing expression he had never seen before. “You’re acting weird.”

“S-Sorry!” Amber quickly retracted her hand and continued the walk to the student union. “It’s so rude to touch a pregnant person’s belly without permission. I… That was wrong of me.”

“Dude, it’s fine,” Rex laughed.

The trio enjoyed a few more seconds of silence before arriving at the bustling student union. The first thing Rex noticed a giant mobile with a mosaic-like pattern hanging from the ceiling. There were so many different restaurants that he feared he would get nauseous again - so he was surprised to find out he still felt fine.

 Amber pointed to a group that approached her. “I’ll tell you what’s not fine… These guys.”

“Hey, would you like to join Domino’s Finest Society?” spoke a red-haired man, who appeared to be the club’s president. He had a gaggle of other officers behind him in colourful, goofy garb.

“You sure sound full of yourselves,” Rex guffawed.

“Who asked you, ignoramus?” spoke the orange-haired vice president of the club, who put her hands at her hips. “We don’t need the opinion of the one who graduated at the bottom of Domino High School’s class.”

“Huh! Ignore him,” a green-haired young woman snorted. “Just his presence is befouling the room.”

“But you, on the other hand…” The purple-haired secretary placed his hand on Weevil’s shoulder. “We could use you. To think that the top two students of Domino High School would attend this esteemed university… How fortunate we are!”

“Beat it, ya freaks!” Amber snorted as she beckoned for Rex and Weevil to follow her. “Come on, you two, let’s not give them the time of day.”

“Uh… Okay.” As Rex turned to leave, he made sure to give the president a good grimace. “Amber, who are they? Besides people I would certainly like to smack upside the head right now.”

“They’re apparently a society of only the highest I.Q. individuals. Apparently, the founding president had an I.Q. of 300. A load of hogwash, that is. Even with my good grades, mine is only 150.”

“‘Only…’” Rex’s eyebrow twitched.

“So why didn’t you join them, then?” Weevil questioned.

“Because there’s this other club I’d much rather join instead. Let me show you!” With that, Amber led her friends past the Legalize Recreational Marijuana Club (Rex had to admit he was mildly interested in it) to a booth with various types of playing cards.

“Ta-dah! This is what I’ve been wanting to show you!”

Rex looked at the sign. “‘Domino Tabletop Gaming?’”

“If you like tabletop games, you’ve come to the right place!” The president lit up when he saw Rex. “We have traditional games, we have more modern ones… And you bet your bottom dollar we have Duel Monsters.”

“All right, I know which one I’m joining!” Amber picked up a pamphlet. 

“What is this? The Amber of Domino High School has chosen us over Domino’s Finest Society?” 

The president got so excited that he took Amber’s hands into his own, which she was quick to snatch away. “Don’t get any funky ideas, man.”

“Hehehe…” An approaching student temporarily distracted the president. “Well, hello there. Would you like to join Domino Tabletop Gaming?”

Rex wasn’t expecting to see Mako there. Unlike most of the members of the “Dweeb Patrol,” he found his presence to be just fine.“Oh! Mako Tsunami, I didn’ t know you were a student here. I thought you’d be off fishing in a new boat or something.”

“I decided to start taking classes here, hoping to be a marine biologist. While fishing as a side hustle, of course.”

“Then we’ll be schoolmates, then.” Weevil’s eyebrow twitched as he recalled his not-so-friendly, very brief encounter with Mako at Battle City. “Charmed. And we’ll be even more charmed to see you at the Tabletop Gaming Club.”

“Y-Yeah…” Mako scanned his surroundings, as if he were looking for someone. “Bummer. I thought that Espa was going to be here, but… I guess he won’t be joining the club after all.”

“It’s not like today’s a deadline to join a club,” the club president chuckled. “You can still tell your friend about it, and he can join if he’s interested.”

“Phew, thank goodness.”

“Why, did you have something you wanted to say to him?” Rex asked.

“I… um…” Mako began to act coy, very much unlike his usual proud demeanour. “I just wanted to apologize to him. I guess I’ll… um… just wait until the club meeting, then.”

“Hmm…” Rex raised an eyebrow as he watched Mako walk off. “I wonder if there’s something interesting going on between those two.”

“Even if there was, it’s really none of our business.” Weevil decided to change the subject. “Anyway, Mr. President… Sir, as a president of a tabletop gaming club, you should know something. I saw some really awry real visions a few weeks ago. They attacked me, but there didn’t seem to be any duelists nearby.”

“Real visions gone bad, you say?” The president scratched his chin. “I can’t say that any of my club members have anything to do with it. That sounds like something you’d need to bring up with KaibaCorp. But if it makes you feel any better, we can talk about it at the meeting.”

“Would you really? Thank you; that means a lot.”

“Anyway, nice seeing you!” The president waved at the three as they left for the nearby dining hall to get brunch. “Our first meeting is tomorrow at 7pm! We hope to see you there.”

“Hmm…” Rex took a look at the pamphlet while he let Weevil pay for their food. “The second day of school is a bit soon for a club meeting, don’t you think?”

“Maybe so.” Amber saved a table for her and Rex; before either of them knew it, the bug duelist was already out to get their food. “Weevil’s a kind young man, isn’t he?”

“I don’t know about that… We still get into quarrels about dueling strategies and such. And if you ask Yugi and his friends, he’s what you would call a ‘duelin’ disgrace.’”

“I wouldn’t have thought that with the way he treats you like a princess.”

As they conversed, the trio learned that they shared the exact same class at noon - freshman composition with Professor Dick Hwad. But that was the only class they had together at the same time. For obvious reasons, Rex had a much lighter schedule; he only had one other class that day - ancient history at 3pm. Weevil’s and Amber’s schedules were nearly identical, with calculus classes, anatomy classes, and a few other classes with such specific subjects that Rex didn’t want to try to understand.

After brunch, Rex, Weevil, and Amber took a seat at a small table in their freshman comp classroom.

“For this being a required class for all freshmen, it sure is a small one,” Amber noticed. “I’d say this room can’t fit more than 20 people.”

After about 15 minutes, the teacher had not yet arrived, even though it was the start of class. “Say, isn’t there a college rule that if the teacher is more than 15 minutes late, then class is unofficially cancelled?” Rex asked Amber.

“Keyword, ‘unofficially.’ And you’ll find out that’s just one of the many unwritten rules college students have made.”

Just then, the door barged open, and a man with goofy glasses ran to the podium. “Hello, everyone, sorry I’m late!”

Amber had already turned to leave the classroom, and the arrival of her professor prompted her to sit back down. As soon as he got himself settled, he returned to his dignified composure.

As Professor Hwad set up his PowerPoint presentation, Weevil whispered, “He sure seems like a scatterbrain, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah, well it’s better than being a dino brain.” Rex made finger guns at Weevil.

Ignoring what Rex just said, Amber replied, “He may seem like a scatterbrain, but he’s actually pretty smart. I heard he graduated this university when he was only 20.”

“Huh.” Rex looked at the first slide of the PowerPoint presentation; it appeared to be the class syllabus. He squinted at the materials list and raised his hand. When Professor Hwad called on him, he said, “I didn’t know ‘Internet’ counted as a class material.”

“You’ll find that unlike high school, college is technologically-oriented,” answered Professor Hwad. “Your assignments, as well as copies of my PowerPoint presentations, will be found on our class website.”

“Oh? Then why come to class?”

“Young man, if everyone in college could get by on just reading PowerPoint presentations, then everyone would pass. Plus, you will have in-class presentations as part of your grade.”

Rex sat back down, and didn’t like how Weevil and his classmates snickered at him. He never thought he’d hear that signature laugh of his again. “Haha! It’s only the first 20 minutes of class, and you’ve already made a fool of yourself. Good going, dino brain.”

Rex watched the rest of this presentation with a pouting face. Though that pouting face soon faded as Professor Hwad cracked a few funny jokes throughout - something that his high school teachers dared not to do. He never thought that a teacher could be strict and goofy at the same time, yet here he was. College can’t be this fun… can it?

Luckily, class was over 15 minutes before class was set to end, which gave Professor Hwad an idea. “Since you will be spending the next four months or so together, and since this class will involve a lot of group work, the last 15 minutes of class will be for an icebreaker. When it’s your turn, state your name, your major if you’ve declared it, and a few facts about yourself.”

A few of the introverts - Weevil included - squirmed at this idea yet didn’t feel brave enough to just up and leave. Rex, however, was as outgoing as they come. Even before it was his turn, he shot up and spoke, “Yup, I’m the one and only Rex Raptor, runner-up in the regionals! I love dinosaurs more than anything else in the world! And… uh… I actually haven’t the faintest clue what I want my major to be. Truth be told, I’m only here because Weevil is.”

“Yes, we know,” spoke a young male student from the table behind Rex. “We all saw you get your ass handed to you at that match.”

“Naw, I let Weevil win that one.”

Professor Hwad interrupted this quarrel. “Well, I’m glad we already have some sense of camaraderie. Speaking of Weevil, I believe it’s your turn.”

“Yes, well.” Weevil got up and cleared his throat. “I am the salutatorian of Domino High School’s graduating class, Weevil Underwood. And unlike certain dino brains which shall remain nameless, I have come to college to show the world how smart I am.”

“Hmm, maybe teaching would be a good profession for you, then.” Professor Hwad smiled. “We’re down to our last two people. And you, young lady?”

Amber stood up. “My name is Amber, and I graduated at the top of the class from Domino High School. I love Duel Monsters! By the way, if anyone wants to duel me, you know where to find me.”

Professor Hwad spoke through the men’s whistling, “And your major?”

“I already have declared mine to be Education - Life Sciences. I want to be a biology professor.”

“And at the tender age of 16!” Professor Hwad was clearly impressed. “The world needs more teachers, especially potential ones of your caliber. Thank you, Ms. Amber, you may take a seat.”

“Wow, Amber, I didn’t know that,” Rex also sounded impressed. “You should have told us.”

“I didn’t know you were only 16, either,” spoke Weevil. “I can see why you took the valedictorian spot from me.”

“Hehehe… Thanks, guys.” Amber stopped talking when she noticed the last person about to speak her piece. She was a middle-aged woman with mint green hair, tied up in a traditional Japanese bun, with traditional Japanese clothes to match. “Wow, what an unusual hair colour. The only people I’ve seen with hair like that are Espa Roba, and of course you, Weevil.”

“Speaking of Espa, we just might see him in one of our other classes,” Rex whispered to Weevil.

“Um… Hello.” This woman was clearly shy around her new classmates - embarrassed, even, for being the oldest student there. “My major is Biomedical Sciences. I want to be a doctor, even though I don’t know what kind yet. Some of you may be wondering why I’m so late into my college career. Well, I had an abusive husband, who kicked me out of the house 11 years ago.”

“‘Kicked me out of the house 11 years ago…’” Weevil pondered this woman’s words for a while, and his eyes opened wide. “That’s about when Mother was kicked out of the house!”

“My husband didn’t let me study when I lived in that house. All he saw me for was a housewife. The only thing I had in that house was my then-8-year-old son. I’m here today because I want to make a better career for myself, one that my son can be proud of.”

“What a story!” This woman’s speech moved everyone in the room - some even to tears - not the least was Professor Hwad. “Except it’s missing one thing. Your name.”

“My name is Camellia Kaiba, sister of the late Gozaburo Kaiba. My brother practically gave me as a ‘gift,’ if you will, to my husband to symbolize their new business partnership. But their one-upmanship got so out of hand that eventually, my husband left KaibaCorp to start his own company.”

“Well, we’re glad you’re here. We’re about five minutes early, but I’ll dismiss class anyway. Be sure to read the syllabus and check the class website! If you have questions, you may contact me through there.”

“Well, time to move onto the next enchilada, as they say.” Rex motioned to take a short break before his next class, but stopped when he noticed Weevil approach Camellia, and followed him. “Weeves?”

“Wait!” Weevil stopped Camellia just before she could leave.

“Hey…” Camellia stared into Weevil’s eyes. “Can… Can it be?”

Weevil knelt to the ground and immediately began to cry. “I… I… I never thought… that after 11 years, we would meet like this…”

“You’re…” Camellia knelt down, still not believing the sight of the person before her.

“Mother!” Weevil threw himself at Camellia, burying his face into her chest. “Oh, Mother!”

“Weevil, my son…” Camellia patted her son’s hair and cried too. “I’ve missed you… My sweet son, I’ve missed you so much. You’ve grown into such a handsome young man.”

After Weevil stopped crying, he let his mother wipe away his remaining tears. “Mother, there’s so much I want to tell you, so much I want to talk to you about. I’ve finally cut ties with Fa- with Roach. So has Adelaide.”

“Adelaide is with you?”

“Yeah, we moved in with Rex and his family.”

“Rex?”

Rex revealed himself. “That’s my name, don’t wear it out.”

“I didn’t know that this young man was a friend of yours.”

Weevil hadn’t prepared to meet his mother, let alone come out to her. But after all they had been through, he didn’t need to prepare himself. “Mother, there’s something I have to tell you. I’m a bit scared to do this, since Roach disowned me for it, but… I’m gay, and Rex is my boyfriend.”

“Ooh, you make a cute couple!” Camellia grinned. “In fact, I kind of thought that way after I saw you two hug after regionals.”

“You actually saw that?!” Weevil hid his face in his hands. 

“Actually, I’m more impressed by the fact she started shipping us long before we became an item.” Rex winked, eliciting a flick on the nose from Weevil.

“You’re okay with it, then?” Weevil asked, still a bit nervous.

“That you had the courage to tell me just makes me all the more proud of you, son. I love you no matter what.” Camellia let Weevil cry on her shoulder again.

“Sooo…” Rex still tried to process the fact that he had just met his boyfriend’s mother in the strangest of circumstances. “If you’re Weevil’s mom, and you’re the sister of Gozaburo, then… that makes Weeves…”

“...the nephew of Gozaburo, and therefore the rightful heir to KaibaCorp,” Weevil finished.

“Whoa.” Rex blinked. “That’s wild. There’s still so much I haven’t learned about you, baby.”

“Ah! Thank you for reminding me. Mother, you’ll be glad to know that you’re going to be a grandmother. Rex is not only intersex, but he’s also 22 weeks pregnant.”

“Is that so?” Camellia curiously reached for Rex’s baby bump. “M-May I?”

“Of course.”

“Are you… Do you feel all right?” Camellia asked as Weevil put his hand on the baby bump too.

“Eh. My back hurts, and I have to go to the bathroom, like, every hour. But other than that, I can manage.” Rex stopped talking when he felt the baby move. “Oh! What was that?”

Camellia and Weevil felt it too. “Rex… I think… that these are our baby’s first kicks!”

“Oh, Weeves…” As if there hadn’t been enough crying that day, Rex shed his own tears of joy as he talked to his unborn child. He couldn’t be happier to experience yet another pregnancy milestone, especially with Weevil there to experience it with him. “I know, I know, you want out. Don’t worry, we’ll all get to meet you in another four months. And when we do, you’ll get the best party ever!”

Amber watch this scene from near the classroom door. The next class already started to file into the room. “So are you guys going to go to your next class, or what?”

“I’m right behind you.” Weevil started walking to the door, but not without asking Camellia, “What about you?”

“This actually is my next class. But here’s my phone number…” Camellia exchanged phone numbers with Weevil. “We can catch up later.”

“And I should totally invite her over, hehe.” Rex sat on a nearby bench after they left. “Amber, you’re more than welcome to join us, too.”

“...I have a class to get to, so I’ll catch you later.” And with that, Amber was suddenly gone.

“She doesn’t seem all too excited about the baby, does she?” Rex wondered out loud. “But whatever. I think, Weeves, that this is going to be a fun college career.”

#yugioh #shrimpshipping #mpreg #fanfiction #ygo #ryuhaga #rex raptor #weevil underwood #dinosaur ryuzaki #insector haga #I love love LOVE every single little cute thing about this pregnancy uwu

[bangtanfancamp]

the Devil wears Gucci- Pt 1

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Masterlist

▪︎series masterlist

▪︎Kim Taehyung x reader

featuring kim Namjoon

▪︎1.8k words

▪︎enemies to lovers au, fashion industry au, f*ckboy au

▪︎Fluff, romance, slight angst to come

(pic Credit to vantaeholic)

As the dedicated personal assistant of the genius mind behind House of RM, the empire that rules the fashion industry, your world is turned upside down the day Namjoon personally asks you to train his newest hire- the eternally insufferable Kim Taehyung.

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The early morning energy of the city buzzed around you as the tips of your chunky heels clicked against the pavement. You inhaled the sweet autumn air wistfully as a crisp breeze set to ruffing wispy tendrils of your hair loose. You’d have to fix that before your boss saw you- he hated the slightest trace of disorder-but you’d deal with that later. Traipsing down the sidewalk, you’d be damned before you missed even a second of this precious autumn sunlight.

Still, you shouldn’t linger too long. Places to be and all that. Refocusing, you tottered toward the entrance, carefully balancing a tray of coffees in one hand. As you approached your building, you took one last wistful look at the glorious morning sky before fumbling in your overstuffed purse for the key card to the elevator, the sensible part of your brain forever nervous of displeasing that high maintenance man. You didn’t dare be even a second late to see your boss-Namjoon was excruciatingly strict when it came to punctuality. You’d seen his intensity before when people were even minutes late, and though it was always a majestic sight to see- like witnessing the power of some apex predator- you were determined to NEVER be on the receiving end of it.

Realizing that was becoming more and more of a possiblity the longer you dawdled, you dashed into the office building, bolting through the elevator‘s closing doors. As the doors floated shut, you spared a glanced at your watch- 6:48am.

Phew. You would be okay. Letting your back rest against the cool metal wall of the elevator, your eyelids fluttered shut. If you weren’t 10 minutes early, you were 10 minutes late to Namjoon. “You’re totally okay. You’ve got this” you told yoursef.

Drawing in a slow breath, you used your free hand to snake your calf-hugging, plum pencil skirt back into place, blasted thing was always riding up when your hustled about too fast, and made sure your silky blouse was still neatly tucked at your waist.

Looking down, you eyed the pair of chunky heels you were breaking in today- you hoped you wouldn’t regret that. The crushed black velvet heels had just looked too cute to leave in your closet this morning. This is about the aesthetic™️ you thought, glancing down and wiggling your freshly painted black toes. As the doors began to open, you checked your reflection in the metal one last time, tucking the loose, wind blown strands back into place and steeled yourself to enter the office.

You were in Namjoon’s kingdom now.

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“Good morning sir!” you bubbled out a bit too brightly once you reached his desk. “Hazelnut latte with an extra shot, just for you,” you chirped, plunking the cup down beside him.

Before half the employees had even clocked in, he was already deeply engrossed in the paperwork stacked high on his immaculate marble desk. Who knows how early he’d arrived here or if he’d ever left last night. Eyes never leaving his laptop, he absentmindedly waved an elegantly long hand at you- silently acknowledging your presence without ever looking up. “Yes, yes- agenda for the day.” He sighed, more of a demand than a request.

Without missing a beat, You began to rattle off off his detailed schedule for the day. “Yes sir—today you have an 8am call scheduled with your distributors in Hong Kong, a 9 am session with r&d to review their most recent mockups for the Sable line, your 10:30 workout, an 11:45 lunch with Castille to discuss the potential merger, and a 2:30 flight out to Miami for that charity gala event this evening at 7.”

Phew. Just reciting it made you winded- how on earth he lived it was still beyond you. But that was Namjoon. A visionary who had started his company from the ground up at only 17, he now ran one of the most successful fashion houses in the world. It had become such a massive brand that he barely even handled any design work anymore, focusing instead on his role as CEO overseeing his vast empire.

Namjoon was infamous in the industry for the way his work consumed him. He existed at a constant breakneck speed few humans could match-It was a wonder any man could maintain the pace he had for the past 10 years, but he showed no signs of slowing down. And anyone else who couldn’t keep up, employees and girlfriends alike, was immediately left in the dust.

That was just how he operated. He was like a shark that never stopped swimming.... which unfortunately meant that you couldn’t either. A fact that had been graciously withheld when you’d originally applied for this job.

You’d been hired as his assistant a year and a half ago, fresh out of college, bright eyed and eager to change the world- and afford your own apartment. As someone completely unfamiliar with his world, the job as his assistant had sounded alarmingly simple on paper and ludicrously overpaid. You’d been over the moon to get it.

That is, until you showed up for your first day and quickly realized that working for him meant YOU had to adopt his excessive hours and match said breakneck pace just to stay one step ahead of his constantly shifting scheduling. This career was the furthest thing from a blow off job, but the looming series of zeroes your newly signed lease wouldn’t allow you to back out now. No, you’d just have to figure out how to grin and bear it for the time being. And over the past year, you’d managed to excel if you did say so yourself- especially considering that beyond the prestige of his reputation and the sheer intensity of his workplace demands, just remembering your own name in the presence of his beauty made even the most simple tasks complicated. Shaking out of your thoughts, you carefully tuned in to listen once Namjoon spoke.

“Very well- have Marco deliver my navy Armani suit to the hotel for this evening’s gala. Remind Mina that her deadline on the Rodan account is fast approaching- I need her presentation mock-up in my hands by no later than 1pm tomorrow, and for the love of God, don’t let them put soy in my latte again!” He slammed his drink on the desk as you rushed to grab the cup before it spilled.

“Absolutely sir, I’m so sorry. The soy was for my coffee. They must have misheard my order. I take full responsibility.” You bowed apologetically.

“It’s forgotten.” He pivoted in his chair to look up at you, and your breath caught in your throat. You hated when he looked directly at you like this- it was too much. The man was stunning. It was problematic really. He already made you nervous enough. You really didn’t need the added difficulty of having to maintain direct eye contact with those deep set eyes of his. So you deviated to study his perfectly coiffed blonde hair instead. It had a silver sheen in the early morning light, delicate wisps artfully styled across his brow and arranged in a way that shouldn’t have been achievable at this early hour. “I have a personal task I’d like you to take point on today,” he gritted out, jaw set in concentration.

“Anything, sir,” you nodded, with an eagerness that made you cringe. It was embarrassing how much you wished for his approval. You were good at what you did and you knew it- which should have been enough for you. And it was. Sort of. Most of the time. But on days like this, when you’d already jumbled your first task, something in you clammored for a chance to earn his praise back in a way you didn’t quite understand. You were good at this job- but honestly, how many times had you flubbed the coffee now? You hated when you made small blunders that made you seem incompetent. You knew better by now, and Namjoon knew it.

He cleared his throat before he began, and you flinched. “A former mentor of mine has contacted me with the intention of having his nephew shadow me and learn the business. I am not in a position to tell him no, but I have neither the time, the patience, nor the inclination to teach right now. However, I am indebted to his uncle. So He will start with the company today, and I will leave his starting training to you. Once he has learned the ropes, I will handle the rest.”

Well that’s certainly not what you thought this was going….

“No one here has caught on as quickly as you did as a new hire. Your first month with the company was exemplary. Despite your occasional hiccups,” he eyed his latte with derision,” the majority of your execution in your work is flawless.”

That was the nicest compliment he’d ever paid you- and even though his eyes had long since gone back to his paperwork, you blushed anyway.

“Thank you, sir,” you replied hastily, words tripping over themselves in a jumble.

“When he arrives, you will educate him on how the company operates and train him in all your responsibilities. He will be your assistant for the time being. Following our standard trial period, he will be placed in whatever position best suits his skillset after that.”

“Yes sir, it would be an honor.” You were determined to do well at this. Besides, How hard could it be anyway? “What time will he be arriving today?”

“Unfortunately, he should be here any moment no-“

“GOOD MORNING, PEOPLE!!!” a baritone voice boomed as the door to Namjoons office was practically torn off its hinges.

You gaped back in surprise, not missing the way your boss rolled his eyes at the intrusion, as a young man about your age strolled lazily into the office. He was tall and excruciatingly handsome. His silky chestnut hair swept across his forehead, swinging against his lashes and barely hiding the devilish smile in his eyes. He wore a crisply pressed white shirt- its top buttons brazenly undone- with the sleeves cuffed up to the arcs of his forearms, black patent shoes and the tightest pair of black dress pants you had ever seen. They clung to his legs, and you saw muscles in places you had never imagined muscles could be as he swaggered right up to you.

“Hey unc,” he tossed at Namjoon. “Hey to you too” he winked salaciously at you. It was so greasy it made you want to go home and take a bath.

“______, this is …”Namjoon began...

“Taehyung” he interrupted. “Kim Taehyung. Tae to anyone as pretty as you.” Bowing at the waist, he took your hand and kissed the curve of your knuckles, never once breaking eye contact.

You snatched your hand back, wiping the back of it against your skirt. You wanted to crawl under the desk and die. Who did this guy think he is? You turned your pleading eyes to your boss who surely must have seen this idiot’s conduct.

“All right, that’s enough, Kim. Hands to yourself on company time.”

You huffed through your nose as you shot Taehyung an irritated side eye. Unfortunately, it only seemed to make his smirk grow.

“_____ will be handling your training as my schedule is currently booked solid. Any questions you have for me go directly to her. She will teach you everything she knows and train you to be her assistant. If you can survive that, we’ll discuss any further promotion opportunities then. And only then,” the gravel in his tone there intentionally to intimidate.

“So I’m getting paid to spend time with her? Sir, yes sir,” Taehyung’s voice dropped impossibly low on the last part, more of a rumble than a whisper, as he dragged his eyes along your form. You felt a disgusted shiver run through you. He was gorgeous sure, but this behavior of his was gross. God. It was going to be impossible to get anything done with him.

“Keep it in your pants, Kim.” Namjoon snarled impatiently as he stood from his desk, still somehow towering over the other boy, if not in stature then by pure intimidation alone. “You would do well to learn even a shred of the skill set _____ has. Some respect would do you some good. Don’t for a second think you are here on your own merit. I love your uncle, but he is the only reason you're here, and the only reason I haven’t terminated you all ready.” The leer in his eyes made you tense and it wasn’t even directed at you.

“ The second you fail- like I know you will- you will be out of here so fast, it will make even your empty head spin.” He glowered down at taehyung and dropped his voice. “And if you make ____ the slightest bit uncomfortable in any way, I will not hesitate to throw you out of here myself.”

Your lips parted at this display of protectiveness, and you felt your chest soar. You peeked out of the corner of your eye at Taehyung. His cocky smirk never faltered, but you caught the way he swallowed, the subtle way his jaw clenched at the reprimand.

“Now…. if you’ll both excuse me, I have a call to prepare for. ____ , I expect a detailed progress report by the end of the day and a weekly update as this matter continues.” Namjoon rebuttoned his blazer and began to reorder the presentation on his desk.

“Yes, sir,” you nodded obediently. “I’ve already ordered a replacement drink for this morning’s coffee. It should arrive shortly. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need any assistance.”

You turned on your heel, brushing past Taehyung’s shoulder as you made your way toward the exit. You could feel his hungry eyes on your hips as you walked, and you suddenly wished you had time to head home and change. You clutched your tablet to your chest and prayed this day would end, but it was barely 8 am.

God, this was going to be hell.

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Thank you so much for reading guys!!! Part 2 coming soon. Thank you so much for visiting my little corner of the internet and making it to the end. Please let me know what you think. I’d really love the feedback.

(Also is anybody else swooning over them at the Grammys? I swear those boys were invented to wear suits. Tae trending as the guy with green hair and Namjoon in those glasses? Oof. What looks.)

Part 2 is now up!!

Series masterlist

#bts fanfic #bts fluff #bts imagines #bts rm #kim namjoon fluff #namjoon fluff #bts fanfiction #namjoon imagine #taehyung fanfic #taehyung imagine #kim taehyng #kim namjoon #kim taehyung #bts v #bts rapmon #bts rapmonster #bts v fluff #bts scenarios #bts v fanfic #bts taehyung fanfic #btsboyfriendmaterial #bts army #bts enemies to lovers #bts fashion au #bts au #bts rm fluff #kim namjoon x reader #kim namjoon x you #bangtanfancampfics #the devil wears gucci

[gwenbrightly]

Maybe

Cross posted from ffnet. Hello everyone! Welcome to the fic that was supposed to be my Valentines Day special… But… I'm not great with deadlines, so it's a few days late. "Maybe" is centered around Kai and Skylor, and takes place between s4 and s5. I've taken some liberties here with how Master Chen's Noodle House operates, and a few other things, but I really hope you enjoy my first attempt at writing Kailor! It was definitely interesting, trying to find the right balance between awkward dorkiness and adorable fluff, but I had a lot of fun writing this, as random as it turned out! Enjoy!

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Skylor stared balefully at her watch, silently willing the meeting she was currently in the middle of to reach its end before she got driven insane. The past month had been an exhausting, chaotic mess for her, and she was ready for it to be over. Following her father's banishment to the cursed realm, she had begun fighting to rebuild his noodle empire in a much less criminally inclined way. There had been little time to relax; she'd barely been able to appreciate the fact that she was living on her own terms for the first time in her life before being thrust into the process of orchestrating the many changes that needed to be made. Countless hours had been dedicated to debating and discussing, interviewing and observing, adjusting and questioning. All in the hopes of giving those associated with the many branches of the popular restaurant a chance at a new beginning. And it was nice, to have a purpose. But there were times where she debated whether or not she was actually making any headway.

"But if we reconfigure our employee rights policy as you have proposed, production may be negatively effected, which will most certainly lead to a significant decrease in profit..." A representative from one of the noodle factories pointed out, not at all pleased with the adjustments the redhead had just described. Sometimes she wondered if the individual in question wanted her to fail. She could've sworn she heard someone grunt in agreement. The bespectacled young women across the table from her glanced up from her Borg tablet in concern. Skylor shook her head. Best not to let this situation get out of hand.

"I am aware of that, Mr. Millers. I've already told you multiple times that I am more than prepared to deal with the consequences of any adjustments we make as long as it allows us to give Master Chen's Noodle House the positive reputation it deserves. So, really, I'm not sure why you've brought this up again." She said with a sigh. How much longer before she could retreat to the safety of her apartment? 10, 15 more minutes?

"Miss Chen has made great progress over the past few weeks. Just think of how popular the puffy potstickers have become since she decided to put them back on the menu." June, her recently hired assistant manager added quietly. Yes, she had made the right decision in selecting this girl to join her tightly knit team of employees, even if she was rather soft spoken.

"I am merely... concerned that these changes have not been thought out sufficiently. This business has existed for decades... It would be a shame if someone were to... Run it into the ground with unrealistic dreams..." The man replied in an oily tone, giving her a very fake smile. Skylor frowned. Such behavior was only going to make the meeting more tedious. It was official. He definitely wouldn't mind seeing her slip up.

"First of all, the lack of pay and deplorable working conditions seen in many of our more rural factories could be considered illegal, as I'm sure you know, and second of all, don't think I'm oblivious to what you are insinuating. I had hoped that your expertise and years of experience would be beneficial in reforming my father's business, but if you continue to undermine my judgement and fight me at every turn, I will be forced to ask you to leave." She informed Mr. Millers with a pointed stare. He deflated slightly but didn't seem overly thrilled to have been called out on his behavior.

"...As you wish, Ms. Chen..." For now.

"Good." Skylor declared forcefully, sharing an exasperated look with June, " I propose that we begin implementing adjustments as planned, then. To start with, all workers will now be entitled to a 15 minute break every three hours, and a half an hour break after five. Shifts will be no longer than nine hours, and we are increasing pay to minimum wage. All in favor?" She and June raised their hands immediately. The head delivery truck driver, quality control specialist, and several faculty members hailing from various locations, joined them, eventually, leaving a disgruntled Mr. Millers and one additional factory representative as the only opposers.

"That's eight for and two against. Sorry, Mr. Millers, but it looks like majority wins in this case." Skylor's assistant declared, hurriedly typing the results of the vote for posterity. She didn't appear even remotely apologetic about this turn of events.

"Thank you, everyone, for being so flexible. I know we've experienced a lot of changes lately, but I truly believe they will help make Master Chen's more successful in the long run. Now, is there anything else we need to discuss? I know many of you have families to get home to, so I'd prefer not to drag this meeting out any more than we have to, especially on a Saturday." Skylor commented with a relieved smile. Almost finished...

"I vote we call it quits. Today's supposed to be date night with the wife." Offered the truck driver. The others nodded their assent. Even those who were dissatisfied with the outcome of the meeting were ready to depart.

"Okay, then. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I'll see all of you next week, alright?" The redhead called as conference room exploded into a flurry of chairs being pushed forward and paperwork being packed away.

"Phew. Glad that's over." June told her, watching everyone leave.

"Yep. We survived another run in with the infamous Mr. Millers."

"He sure is determined to throw you to the sharks... I don't know how you do it..."

"It isn't easy, but I'm sure he'll come around. Eventually. Or he'll just straight up quit. But it helps to have such a good team on my side." Skylor replied, elbowing her, "You've been a great help in getting everything organized. I really appreciate all your hard work. And June? Tell Chad I say hello... I can see his car in the parking lot." The assistant manager's cheeks flushed.

"Oh. O-of course. See you tomorrow... Please try to relax a little. I don't wanna end up having to run this place all by myself if you overwork yourself to death..."

"No promises, but I'll try. Now get yourself outta here – don't need keep that boyfriend of yours waiting, right? " The young woman told her friend, practically shoving her out the door.

"Okay, okay. I'm going. Bye!"

"Bye." At least one of them had something enjoyable to do with the remainder of the afternoon.

"Miss Chen? A-are you leaving? There's a customer who's been asking for you for the past half an hour…" The waitress who had suddenly appeared by her side informed her. Skylor cursed her luck. It looked like relaxation would have to wait.

"Where?" She asked, exhaling deeply.

"The corner booth over by the window. You can't miss him…" The waitress replied, pointing. Better get this over with, then, she thought, wandering towards the table she'd been directed to. The master of amber took her time, reluctant to engage in another potentially frustrating conversation.

"Hello? Someone said you wanted to see me… is there a problem?" She inquired, drawing closer.

"Oh, there's no problem," The person replied casually, turning so she could see their face, "I just wanted to talk to the prettiest restaurant owner in all of Ninjago City, that all." And then recognition dawned on her.

"Kai?" Skylor gasped in surprise.

"The one and only. Do you have time to talk for bit?" The spiky haired ninja smiled widely.

"Uh... Sure, definitely. It's been awhile... How have you been since the tournament?" She commented, eagerly slipping onto the bench opposite his.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Trying to keep Cole and Jay from killing each other. Making sure Lloyd actually sleeps at night and isn't living entirely off of peach rings. Solving minor problems for civilians. You hear about that bank robbery last week? Yeah, that was us." Kai told her with a shrug. The redhead's eyes widened.

"Wow, really? Sounds like you've been busy, then."

"Yeah. That's why I wasn't able to visit sooner – though I really wanted to... Especially since Master Wu's decided he wants to try his hand at tea making. He's got all of us helping him remodel Garmadon's old monastery so he can use it as a teashop." She wished he had been able to drop by before now, but she'd take what she could get.

"Oh. That's... That's an interesting decision. How is Lloyd taking it?" He looked a touch guilty, probably worried about his honorary brother. She'd gotten the impression that they were an extremely close-knit family. What would it be like to be part of something like that? Skylor wondered.

"It's hard to tell. He says he's just happy to have his team back together again... We're hoping he really is cool with it, but… getting him to talk about his feelings is like pulling teeth sometimes..."

"Yeesh. Sounds about right from what I've seen of him."

"Basically… But enough about me and my crazy family drama, even if I do admit to being a little worried about the kid. How has life been treating you these days?" Kai questioned (after all, he had come to see her, and she clearly needed to de-stress).

"It's been… hectic, to say the least. You wouldn't believe the number of sketchy business agreements my father made while he was still… around… I've been trying to undo most of them, but it takes time… and, well… there are people who are definitely not gung-ho about all the changes I'm making…" Skylor disclosed with a weary sigh. The master of fire reached across the table and clasped her hands.

"That sucks. I'm sure it'll get better soon, though. You have a that crazy way of winning people over with minimal effort. Few can resist your powers of persuasion." Was it just her, or was the room suddenly much hotter than it had been before?

"Thanks, but not everyone feels the way you do… I just hope it blows over soon. These weekend meetings – that's where I was when you got here – they're killing me… I've barely had time to sleep, let alone enjoy the city…"

"Sounds like you need to get away more… D-do you wanna… Go do something with me to get your mind off of everything?" Kai offered. Skylor froze for a second.

"A-are you asking me out? Like on a date?" She found herself saying, immediately cursing herself for being so forward. This… Dynamic between the two of them was difficult to define. They'd grown incredibly close while on her father's island, but then… she just wasn't quite sure where they stood now…

"Er… Maybe…? I-if you want it to be? I mean, we never did get to play tourist, so…? What I'm saying is… I enjoy you and I… I'd love to spend more time together…and… " The spiky haired young man rambled, smiling awkwardly. His cheeks were noticeably rosier than before. Oh. Yes, she would most certainly be interested in doing so.

"Okay, then… I'd love to go on a maybe date with you, Kai. Thanks for asking." She decided, smirking. His face brightened.

"Great! This is great! So… Uh, when are you free?"

"Say the word and I can be ready in five minutes?"

"Really?"

"Sure. Just lemme grab my purse. That should give you plenty of time to figure out what we're doing…" Skylor said, untangling her hands from Kai's and heading for her office. So, her weekend wouldn't be as tedious as she'd been expecting after all.

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"You know, it's gonna be a little hard for me to get out of your car with my eyes shut…" The redhead complained a bit later as she felt the vehicle come to a stop. She could hear the sound of Kai's laughter from the driver's seat.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure you don't face plant."

"That's such a comfort, Kai. Really, I feel much better knowing you're there to catch me..." Skylor replied, resisting the urge to peek. He ignored her sass in favor of exiting the car and slipping around to the passenger side.

"Here," The master of fire said, grabbing her hand and helping her step onto the asphalt outside.

"So, you gonna tell me where we are?" She asked, ready to be permitted to open her eyes again.

"Nope. Not yet. I want it to be a surprise." Her companion informed her. Kai gently gripped her elbow to keep her from losing her way. He was certainly taking this seriously given how spur of the moment it had been. It was kind of adorable.

"It's just a little further." Together, they wandered towards the unknown destination.

"I'm trusting you that when I finally get to open my eyes , I won't be standing in the middle of a sewage system or something." Joked Skylor as the master of fire's pace slowed.

"Geez, I'm not that mean… and I'll have you know that Ninjago City's sewers are actually a very interesting place to explore." He started defensively, "Though, on second thought, we'd probably both rather not run into any Serpentine right now, so. Guess I can't really judge too much…"

"I was kidding, dork. But yeah, maybe save that for another time?"

"Well, uh… We're here, so, you can look now." Kai stated awkwardly.

"Whoah. S' bright out here…" The girl blinked furiously. He slung an arm around her shoulders.

"Well, you see, that's what you get for spending all day inside that restaurant of yours dealing with prickly business men. No time to enjoy the sun." She seriously contemplated whipping him in the face with her ponytail, but ultimately chose not to. Looking around, she caught sight of the rather large sign just in front of them.

"I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that I've been pretty much blind since we left the restaurant… The Ninjago City Zoo, huh?"

"I-is this okay? It was the first thing I thought of, and-" The master of fire inquired nervously.

"It's totally fine. I've been meaning to come here, anyway. It'll be way more fun when I've got someone to enjoy it with." She assured him with a smile. Kai returned the smile in relief.

"Shall we?" They linked arms and pressed forward, joining the surprisingly short line of people waiting to get in.

Entrance fee paid, the two soon found themselves standing near a large map with arrows pointing to the various attractions and areas within the park.

"So. There's a peacock on the loose. Should I be concerned?" Skylor observed, attention temporarily drawn away from their discussion of which route to take. Kai glanced where she was looking. A very self satisfied bird was currently strutting about, fanning its brilliant feathers for all to see. Several children followed it in fascination. He snapped a picture on his phone to show the others later.

"Nah, it's pretty common for one to be wandering around like that. They're super tame. You're not, like, allergic or anything, right?" She shook her head.

"Nope. It's just… My father tried to keep one as a pet when I was little, and I guess I've never really…"

"Tried?" Her eyes lit up at the question.

"Well, we only had it for a few weeks. It absolutely hated Clouse – I don't know what he did to anger it – but it was always chasing him down the hallways screeching and stuff? Let me tell you, those things may be beautiful to look at, but they make the worst noises imaginable. It was hilarious to watch, though. He'd just be minding his own business, and that stupid bird would come flying at him like he'd murdered its young." The redhead explained, giggling as she remembered the man's plight.

"Seriously? That's priceless?" Kai declared, laughing with her.

"Yeah, and you should've seen how many times he complained about it, too. He was always like, Master, your pet just tried to make me into a pincushion again. Why do you insist on putting up with such a ridiculous creature? Don't you have a button to make it go away? And my father would just go on and on about how glorious its feathers were and how it was worth more than all of Clouse's hair dye collection."

"Wait-Clouse dyed his hair?" Kai wheezed.

"Ooh, now I'm giving away all my dark family secrets. Better watch out, or I'll start spilling the secret recipe for puffy pot stickers or something…" She teased.

"So, what happened to it?"

"Darn thing ended up being released into the wild. Father couldn't bring himself to get rid of it completely, you know, just in case he ended up needing a way to mess with Clouse again… I think it's still on the island somewhere. Used to see it every once in awhile when I went hiking and stuff."

"That has to be one of the coolest stories I've heard in a long time." The master of fire asserted.

"It's… something, alright." Skylor admitted, "Where to first?"

"Have you ever seen a camel?"

As it turned out, while Master Chen's island had contained a variety of exotic creatures, Skylor had in fact, never been near a camel before. So, of course, the spiky haired ninja was more than happy to change that.

"C'mon Skylor, I have a great idea." He informed her, dragging her down the pathway, at breakneck speed, dodging other people as they went.

"Could we maybe slow down a bit?" She panted.

"Sorry, no can do. We don't wanna be late for feeding time. You'll be missing out on a pretty cool opportunity if we do."

"Wait… What?"

They arrived at the exhibit just as the zookeeper began explaining procedures for meal time interaction.

"If you just hold out your hand like this," The zookeeper demonstrated, pressing some treats into their hands. Apparently Skylor was going to be getting up close and personal with the large mammal.

"Nice and steady, Brenda, here, probably won't spit on you."

"Probably." The redhead commented, bemused.

"Yeah, these are her favorite treats."

"What am I even doing right now?" She pondered, turning to Kai.

"Having fun. Duh."

"You won't be saying that if the camel spits on you." Skylor pointed out.

"The chances of that happening are like, super slim. In all the times I've been here before, it's never even come close to being a problem. And besides, I'll still look awesome, even if I do end up with spit in my hair." He insisted cockily.

"Whatever you say, fire boy." She said, finally following the zookeeper's instructions. Hand held out, she watched as the camel approached her. Luckily, Brenda was only interested in daintily consuming the offering of food that was being presented to her, and refrained from salivating on anyone. She nudged the redhead's shoulder playfully when she was finished, looking for more food.

"Sorry," Skylor told the creature, "That's all I got. Go bug Kai. He still has some."

"See? She's just a big softie…" The master of fire stated, letting the camel nibble on the treats he held.

"Yeah, kinda like someone else I know." She replied with an innocent smirk. He raised an eyebrow.

"No clue who that could be..."

"Course' not. Thank you for letting us participate in this. It was surprisingly fun." The girl commented to the zookeeper as they made their departure.

"Okay, you get to choose where we're going this time." Kai stated, linking arms with her.

"You sure you wanna trust me with that? I might make you visit your brethren the porcupines."

" First it was hedgehogs, and now this? Why does everyone always want to compare me to prickly animals?" He groaned in mock irritation, continuing to wander down the trail.

"Well, I mean, you could always restyle your hair?" She suggested.

"Never! I like it the way it is."

"Who am I to stand in your way, then? C'mon, the lions should be just up ahead." They walked in companionable silence, enjoying the nice weather and the distraction from their chaotic lives. Several hours were spent exploring the zoo. Kai showed her all the best places to stand in order to get the perfect view of the animals. Skylor's phone quickly filled with pictures. Good natured teasing was shot back any forth. The sun had begun to set by the time they'd seen everything there was to see. An afternoon well spent, for both of them.

________________________________________________________________"Hey Sky?" Kai called softly, shaking the sleeping redheads shoulder, "Skylor? We're here."

"Wuh?" She asked blearily, running at her eyes. The day's events had clearly wiped her out.

"We're just outside your apartment. You fell asleep pretty much as soon as I pulled out of the parking lot."

"Oh." She was home already?

"Yeah. But that's okay… I mean, we did do an awful lot of walking, and I know you were already tired before we even left Master Chen's, so…" He assured her.

"Hey, Kai?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. For today, I mean. It was… It was nice to get away for awhile. With you."

"It was" He agreed, wishing the moment could last longer.

"Let's try not to wait so long between visits next time, okay? I-I missed you…" The girl admitted. Next time?

"I missed you, too… I'll do my best to drop by more often." Promised the master of fire. Skylor shot him a weary grin.

"Well. Good. I, uh… I'll text you?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Goodbye," She said, giving him a side hug. It only lasted for a second, but it was full of warmth.

"Bye. I… I hope things with your restaurant calm down soon…" Kai stated.

"Me too. Good luck with the tea business. Maybe I'll drop by sometime."

"I'd like that." Reluctantly climbing from the vehicle, Skylor gave one last wave before heading inside. Although it would end up being awhile before either of them were ready (or able) to commit to anything official, this day would always be locked in their memories as one of the best moments in the beginnings of their relationship. Their lives would be busy, and filled with danger, but, eventually, they would find their way. Almost as soon as the redhead had left, the master of fire's phone began to vibrate. How on earth did his sister have such perfect timing?

_______________________________________________________________

Nya: So, how was ur DATE with Skylor?!

Kai: #1, it wasn't even anything official. #2, how on earth did u know what I was up to? Stalker.

Nya: It wasn't even that hard to figure out. Ur so hopelessly in love that I couldn't help but notice.

Kai: What? U know that doesn't answer my question – right?

Nya: Fine. Green bean and I checked the tracking device on ur phone.

Nya: We got bored. And there's only ONE reason u'd visit the noodle place. It doesn't take a genius.

Kai: Invasion of privacy, much?

Nya: I call sibling rights.

Kai: Whatever, dorks.

Kai: And for the record, it went great.

Nya: ASDJDHFHSJA! Details?

Kai: Patience, sis. Tell u when I get back.

Nya: Better drive fast then. I'm waiting.

Kai: Kay. I'll make sure to completely ignore every speed limit posting I see.

Nya: Fine. Fair point. Don't get urself arrested. I'm not bailing u out.

Kai: Sure thing. Imma be home soon.

Nya: Love u.

Kai: love u 2.

#ninjago #ninjago fanfiction #fanfiction #myfics #skylor #kai #kailor #heartwarming fluff #and awkwardness #and i'm sorry about the shark line (you know who you are)

[itinerarium-hic]

day 23 // 100 days of productivity

Today has been all meetings and admin. Now I really want a nap... but it’s definitely too late in the day for a nap. And I have to re-read Henri Lefebvre. Yikes. 

Let’s see... things accomplished today: 1) Ch. 2 Revisions (not actually done... but had a productive meeting about them with my advisor), 2) filed paperwork for grad certificates, 3) picked up poster for JDS conference (it is HUGE omg), 4) returned/renewed library books, 5) reviewed defense/graduation instructions to make sure I haven’t missed any deadlines yet (phew), 6) wrote meeting agenda (then followed it) for meeting with advisor. 

Did not accomplish... 1) print JDS presentation handout (completely forgot, oops), 2) job app, 3) conference travel paperwork, 4) languages study (still might accomplish this one later...?)

My brain is kinda fried right now. I really hate dealing with the endless admin. I’m so tired.

#100 days of productivity #gradblr #dissertating #i don't know what I chose this gif #I just like it

[anghraine]

manymanytimesb4 replied to your post “Any thoughts about the new Amazon series for LotR? I had vague...”

Chris is involved? I didn't know. Kind of relieved, if that's the case. I'm much more likely to watch it. Like yavieriel, I'm waiting to have feelings - while casual friends are excited.

In seriousness, I’m not sure how directly he’s involved, but the Estate is. It started with them shopping around, rather than Amazon going knocking at their door. Apparently Amazon was looking for a fantasy epic comparable to GOT, and the Tolkien Estate was like... pssst, have you considered the real deal?? But, speaking of GOT, a cooperative endeavour???

This still ended with Amazon paying many millions more than pretty much anyone, ever. Something in excess of two hundred million USD, I think? And that’s just for the rights, not counting the cost of actual production. 

*double checks*

Okay, it doesn’t seem to be some narrow rights access as with the movies—Rolling Stone says it’s a joint project of Amazon Studios, the Tolkien Estate, and Tolkien’s publisher. I think the project as a whole will be able to tap into the entirety of the wider legendarium. What that means, idk. After Googling around, I ... can’t say I’m excited yet, but I’m starting to be more interested just given all the moving parts.

Oh, it’s also in conjuction with New Line Cinema, who made the movies, which seemed alarming but:

The series will reimagine Tolkien's epic fantasy novel in a Middle Earth different than filmmaker Peter Jackson's vision.

*phew*

Set in Middle Earth, the television adaptation will explore new storylines preceding Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring. I hear that there are some creative restrictions imposed by the rights holders on what can be done and what can’t be done in a LOTRTV series.

There definitely seems quite a bit of oversight going on. And the articles note that collaborating with Warner Brothers might seem more natural with the history of the movies, but Amazon won out instead. I’m sure this has nothing to do with the eighty million dollar lawsuit the Estate just settled with Warner or the well-known ambivalence over the movies.

Also, I had assumed that it would an original narrative loosely based on stuff outside LOTR, but not much earlier; the articles emphasize the connection to LOTR. However, the Estate’s specific wording is:

exceptional ideas to bring to the screen previously unexplored stories based on J.R.R. Tolkien's original writings 

Previously unexplored material (so not LOTR itself or The Hobbit) based on other writings. So ... spun out of UT or something??? There aren’t that many coherent narratives outside the bounds of the Silm. Unless it’s not outsi—okay, that’s a legit terrifying thought.

Specifically, Deadline says:

The streaming service has given a multi-season commitment to a LOTR series in the pact, which also includes a potential spinoff series.

General purchase with details to be decided, vague Third Age plans based on assorted bits and pieces, or yikes the Silmarillion? No idea.

#manymanytimesb4 #respuestas #tv: lotr #it didn't even occur to me that this could be a take on the silmarillion #which i've always said would have to be a tv show to make any sense #multi-season show + spinoff? i... uh... #okay it could be anything really but #/that/ would tip me closer to real alarm #though probably more for the inevitable trashfire of a fandom than anything else #legendarium blogging

[survivor-kuwait]

Episode 11 - “i am the balrog elder gay” - Kait

i am the balrog elder gay 

Losing Chloe BROKE ME. listning to Bye Bye mariah carey and crying!!! this is for the people who just lost somebody... SHOOT. I wanted her to blurt out more of her votes in tribe chats. RIP. a fallen Goddess...

SWEET BABY JESUS I GET A SECOND LIFE IN THIS GAME!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! OMG I LOVE THE LAGOON RN! BUT HOPEFULLY I CAN MAKE IT TO THE POINT WHERE I CAN RETURN BECAUSE I HAVE A FEW PEOPLE TO STRIKE BACK AT.

I’m so dumb, completely missed the voting deadline, in my defense i was teaching, but still. Never again, its merge (maybe) and im not gonna jeopardise my game like that.

I'm glad we merged but two people are returning to the game? This has been the most cracked game I have ever played.

Renee and Chips have a chance to return. Between the both I hope Renee comes back. She was an ally for me and most probably work together again.

Go rennee!

---

boo chips

MERGEMERGEMERGEMERGE!!!! glad my zodiac sign is known for being loyal cause I sure ain’t. 

This challenge is always weird but i think if people tell me the truth i may have cancelled out some of my stuff im getting. M&M&M are good standings hopefully. I also trust kait thomas and timmy. Hopefully i can make itndeep in the game.

---

This challenge was a total meh i guess this works. Hopefully i win immunity. If not hopefully im not a target. My relationship with Madison may be rocky right now cuz i blindsided her tribe friend in another game. So im kinda nervous. Hopefully she doesnt pass it her vengence here and tries to take me out.  Im slightly worried a but for this tc.

This merge is a little different from my norm game, I usually have 2-4 alliance chats going but I don't have a single one so far this game.  All my deals have been side deals so far, I do not know if that is a good or bad thing as of this moment in time.  Corey did fill me in that there was an alliance being formed that included him, at least it's indicative of him wanting "The Bull and the Lion" to continue to work. I am also way to mentally drained to give a damn, I just needed to make a confessional to not strike. I worked for 14 hours today but I made 325 dollars and now only owe 4k on my student loans.  Thassss a win in my book even if I get voted out, I'm just gonna drink some beer, hold Jenifer and go to bed.  Good night Moon.

THANK GOD I WON IMMUNITY. You have no idea how good it feels to not have to stress out too much this round. Considering there are 14 of us, really anything could happen, but it's great to know that I will make it through at least one more round. The only key here is just making sure that I stay on the right side of the numbers. The line will most likely be drawn in the sand, so it's important that I stay on the right side of it. So far, I think the people that trust me the most are Ian, Corey, and Matt. I talk to them the most out of everyone, and I do trust them all to an extent, Corey and Ian the most. I would love to find a way to get all three of them on the same page, but I know that will be a heard feat. Next in line would probably be Maynor, Madison, and Kait. I talk to these three a good amount, but for some reason I am having a hard time putting my full faith into them. I talk to Owen a good amount too, but he is a MAJOR threat, and someone that I do not want to be in the game for too much longer if I'm going to have a chance to win. For this round, in an ideal world, Thomas would go home. But that seems too easy. I am hoping someone starts throwing names around, but if not, I guess it will have to be me.

WHY DOES MATT HATE ME SO MUCH?!?!  I genuinely wanted to work with him after first impressions, I bet he was the one who voted Taurus now.  My idol now has a name attached to it, so thanks for that Matt.  In a way, I guess you did end up working with me in some fashion.  Ideally this round goes down with a clear majority on Stephan and Corey can get his save a vote activated and I play the slow burn on good ole Matteo, I wanted to butt heads with Owen at merge, but Owen has been a delight while Matteo has been nothing but a thorn in my side.  

Phew child this merge! 14 people is so so so many and I did in fact vote out Adrian and Chloe, both people who I’ve worked with. I’m left in a really interesting spot because of the warzones it’s still hard to see who has a pattern of voting together. I feel that I’ve positioned myself to be in a lot of threesomes, and hopefully nobody really catches on to that? I know Kait is my number one currently and I have trust with Madison and Devon and Corey. But I’m also fully aware that everyone is a huge threat, and I have to downplay myself as one as well. Hopefully a stepehen vote will provide me with good positioning, as we’re removing someone I personally can’t reallt work with, and lessening the numbers. I also wanna really work with chips but I’m sure everyone was chomping at that bit! Who doesn’t want a bite of chips!

I wish I could put an image in this form bc the joke I’m about to make is so funny Anyways lol I told Kait about the idol I felt like I had to or else I’d break her trust if I ever used it. But THEN LOL SHE TOLD ME THAT matt also has one LMAO THAY HE NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT!!!! So that meme I linked above is literally me and matt with our idols Here’s my prob tho I like l.... I have to tell matt bc he knows I guess the coordinate. So I guess that’s a thing that’ll happen

Finally have an alliance chat with Kait and Owen...it’s been so many rounds in the making tbh, it just needed to actually be made. I feel safer having that as well as us going to make one with Matt and Maynor as well, making sure that Matt is okay with it...Maynor already seems to be on board. The only name that’s been going around is Stephen so that kind of sucks because I wanted to work with him, but he isn’t around enough to try and rock the boat for in this game unfortunately. 

I found a hidden immunity idol which is awesome! Also, everyone has been silent this round after we decided on Stephen so that’s a bit suspicious 

This is a really hard round because I really like everyone. If any good came from it, it's that I solidified myself into a strong alliance that should be able to keep me safe for at least a few rounds. Corey did not seem to bite on my idea to vote out Owen. Matt says he is most threatened by Ian and Timmy. And everyone just seems to want to vote Stephen. I think this round will be pretty easy, but from this point on it just gets harder. I assume that Chips is in a bad spot and most likely will go next. But at final 12, it's going to be a doozy to see who can stay on top of the vote.

So thisrounf there is an alliance of 6 however I have 0 faith in Thomas. He is a wild card and will be hard to judge and work with. No idea what’s going to happen tonight. 

Aight a lot happening this merge!!! Fourteen people we losin our minds. First of all let me say half these ppl were kinda boring to talk to but I’m liking it a little better today. I came in wanting Stephen GONE because I lied to him during the taylor vote and we haven’t clicked since and I promised I would get out whoever lied to me in this food challenge and his bitch ass didn’t submit so I didn’t get my perfect ZERO!!!! So I was all ready to press him but suddenly Devon had already thrown out his name! Easy as pie. I rlly trust Kait and her and corey get along. I was branching out to some others too like madison is bae, Devon is fun, I like talking to Ian. My FAVORITE is Maynor I rlly like him but I’m scared matt has a hold on him. Anyways I helped set up some alliances today that I hope are solid. One is me Kait madison corey and then they wanted to add Devon and tommy which is cool. Still kinda pressed at Thomas because yesterday I said ily to him and he replied with lol but other than that it’s a good group. But then suddenly Timmy wanted something with Kait and I so I took that as an opportunity to solidify something with Maynor! Precious angel. Kait and I are worried because the tension between corey and matt lmao which is honestly kinda stupid. Matt was sus about corey after he spearheaded the renee vote which like I understand. And I stirrred the pot a little because I told corey that matt was after him lmao. But for now I’m rlly working hard to keep them from targeting each other and so is Kait. Idk how long that can last tho. Ummmm trace’s THOT HOE ASS told corey he wanted me out?!!! So he gotta GO! And Kait and matt think Ian is dangerous which I’m like ok maybe..., sure. Ummm Cullan is just mind boggling. He ate tater tots for breakfast who does that. But he’s sweet I guess. Id prefer him and Ian and trace gone soon but corey likes all those people oop. I rlly think Kait wants to stick with going to the end with me and matt which like.... I rlly will keep allegiance to Kait but matt? Idk. He kept his idol secret from me and it’s clear he doesn’t trust me as much which is fine, I wasbsure Stephen would target me tonight but apparently now he’s going for Thomas. Hopefully it’s an easy vote and Stephen goes and I get what I want and next round I’ll figure out what to do when it gets harder

Well. Tonight the vote is Stephen. Well, for the majority of us. For little young me, I will be voting for nobody! We acquiring a save vote. Hopefully, at our next tribal, Timmy leaves! Woo! I am in 2 alliances: Mighty Happy Meal (Owen, Kait, Madison, Devon, Thomas) and Queer Eye-ish (Madison, Matt, Trace). Period... I am loyal to my own people. Madison, Owen, Ian, Devon. Kait too, to an extent. The rest need to go at their time. I do what I can. Matt is a priority for me to get rid of. Unless Timmy wants Matt gone, I want him gone too for next time. x

Ep 11: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-fEEBtT8R4hk_587qknbxwLmB8yhN_lt/view?usp=drivesdk

This is my placeholder confession for until I am at a computer and able to type something out. I got back in the game!

alyssa said put ep 11: just a quick recap bc i have to play this silly flash game now before i pass out - corey and matt allegedly not liking each other is still a problem - owen found an idol - i told owen matt has an idol bc i have a big mouth - corey told owen all this shit about the vote and idk just other game sensitive stuff and not me and - there's an aliens of trace, matt, madison, and corey that trace allegedly made. this is a big question mark bc either it's just really random and people that trace wants to work with despite what they said or this beef??? between matt and corey is fake which i wouldn't be too surprised by - corey told all of this to owen before tribal but told him that he was going to wait until after tribal to tell me like.... i don't appreciate that. - i think that kind of solidifies that if/when corey v matt happens and i have to pick a side i wanna go with my matt. - im sure i will think of more tomorrow oh also i want ian to get deleted from skype thx

EP 11 Confessional: I got an idol this round which is cool. I heard the vote was stephen however it’s been kinda quiet. Not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. 

Aight a lot happening this merge!!! Fourteen people we losin our minds. First of all let me say half these ppl were kinda boring to talk to but I’m liking it a little better today. I came in wanting Stephen GONE because I lied to him during the taylor vote and we haven’t clicked since and I promised I would get out whoever lied to me in this food challenge and his bitch ass didn’t submit so I didn’t get my perfect ZERO!!!! So I was all ready to press him but suddenly Devon had already thrown out his name! Easy as pie. I rlly trust Kait and her and corey get along. I was branching out to some others too like madison is bae, Devon is fun, I like talking to Ian. My FAVORITE is Maynor I rlly like him but I’m scared matt has a hold on him. Anyways I helped set up some alliances today that I hope are solid. One is me Kait madison corey and then they wanted to add Devon and tommy which is cool. Still kinda pressed at Thomas because yesterday I said ily to him and he replied with lol but other than that it’s a good group. But then suddenly Timmy wanted something with Kait and I so I took that as an opportunity to solidify something with Maynor! Precious angel. Kait and I are worried because the tension between corey and matt lmao which is honestly kinda stupid. Matt was sus about corey after he spearheaded the renee vote which like I understand. And I stirrred the pot a little because I told corey that matt was after him lmao. But for now I’m rlly working hard to keep them from targeting each other and so is Kait. Idk how long that can last tho. Ummmm trace’s THOT HOE ASS told corey he wanted me out?!!! So he gotta GO! And Kait and matt think Ian is dangerous which I’m like ok maybe..., sure. Ummm Cullan is just mind boggling. He ate tater tots for breakfast who does that. But he’s sweet I guess. Id prefer him and Ian and trace gone soon but corey likes all those people oop. I rlly think Kait wants to stick with going to the end with me and matt which like.... I rlly will keep allegiance to Kait but matt? Idk. He kept his idol secret from me and it’s clear he doesn’t trust me as much which is fine, I wasbsure Stephen would target me tonight but apparently now he’s going for Thomas. Hopefully it’s an easy vote and Stephen goes and I get what I want and next round I’ll figure out what to do when it gets harder

#survivorstarzone #episodes

[inukistar]

So, about that last Inktober I posted...

It was like...2 minutes before midnight but I maaaaade it. XDDD PHEW! Probably too close to comfort. I had RL stuff to deal with and I didn’t plan my things correctly sooooo... I made Trowa in like 10 minutes top. XD It was 11:45pm when I started sketching him. Perhaps my biggest issue was I wasn’t 100% sure what I wanted for him. That’s why I kept pushing him. Although that random laugh he had with Heero at the end of episode 5 or 6 could have been something. lol

Anyway, that’s why I didn’t ramble on it this time around! I wanted to respect the midnight deadline and I was able to post it at 11:59pm! W00t! Lucky me because I couldn’t find my phone at 11:57pm!!! ACK!

I will probably redraw him at some point. Poor guy. He deserves all the love from his fans.

Now, leaving the GW fandom behind (already I know!!!), the next three drawings will be from Ranma 1/2. X3

#inktober2017 #I'm having too much fun with those little chibis I'm doing #I could be LIKING THEM #-insert horrified face here- #although that Seiji and Hikaru I did so far are also my favorites

[imagine-me-here]

Steve and Steve (Steve Rogers x reader)

Summary: It’s the Fourth of July, which also means it’s Steve 99th birthday. After digging through your grandma’s attic, you’ve finally found the perfect gift. Media: Captain America, with some Wonder Woman! Genre: fluff, bit o’ crack, bit o’ angst Warnings: mentions of WWII and the sexism prevalent in that time Word count: 2,186 Notes: late and rambley, as per usual

Dust billowed around the room as you dug through the attic, clearing empty boxes out of the way and going through full ones. You smiled. If there was one thing your grandma was known for, it was collecting things--not stamps or coins, but any little thing she found, which you thought was much more endearing. Hand-painted beads, fine silver necklace chains, and bottle caps in different languages were all part of her collection, but there were two things you loved the most: an enlistment flyer depicting Captain America urging women to join the army, and a photograph of her in her nurse’s uniform, holding a book, standing next to the one and only Star Spangled Man with a Plan.

You remember when she first showed you these keepsakes. You were only six years old, but it was then and there that you not only fell in love with Captain America, but made him your role model. There was no other mantra you lived by more consistently than “What would Captain America do?” Of course, you had had no idea that you actually end up dating the Captain.

The doorbell rung and you bounded down the stairs, throwing the door open.

“(Y/N)!”

“Grandma!”

You leant down and gave her a hug, then pushed her wheelchair to the kitchen.

“Happy Fourth of July!” She exclaimed as you handed her a cup of tea. Your grandmother was one of the most stubborn people you had ever met, refusing to stop drinking her afternoon tea even on Independence Day.

“And to you too! Grandma, I was going through the attic and you won’t believe what I found.”

She laughed heartily. “Try me, dear. I collected some pretty bizarre trinkets through my years...and I’ve collected as many years as I have trinkets!”

“Yeah, but I don’t think anything could top this.” You carried over the box and put it on the table, handing her the flyer and the photograph. You watched as her eyes filled with melancholy, and you knew she was thinking about the war.

“I’m sorry, grandma, I didn’t mean for you to…”

“Oh, nonsense,” she said, although she wiped away a tear when she thought you weren’t looking. “It’s Independence Day. I can’t be sad on Independence Day. I remember when exactly when this photo was taken. Strangely enough, it was 75 years ago, to the day. Which means it was also your boyfriend’s birthday,” she said, winking. “Speaking of, what are you going to get him?”

No one else knew about your relationship with Steve, except for the other Avengers and your grandmother.

“I’m not sure, grandma. I really wanted to get him something special for his 99th birthday, believe me, but between work and school I don’t know where time went.”

“You’re in luck, dear, because I know just the thing.” She dug around the cardboard box, pulling out a paper bag and handing it to you. Cautiously, you reached inside. Three original first-print Wonder Woman comics.

“Grandma,” you breathed. “Where did you get these?”

“All of the women in the army would get them in their welcome package, along with their uniform. It meant a great deal more than you can imagine, being able to read about a woman, even a fictional one, kicking Nazi ass just as well, if not better, than the men.”

“Grandma!”

“What? It’s true. And being a female officer at the time was quite a challenge. If you weren’t avoiding shellfire while trying to clean a gunshot wound, you were being catcalled by your fellow soldiers.” She picked up the photograph again and pointed out the books tucked under her arm. “Those are the comics I was carrying. I remember them well because as we waited for the photographer to get ready, Captain America and I talked about how much we loved Wonder Woman. Just as the photo was taken he told me how I was prettier than the Amazon herself.”

The young woman in the photo wore a huge smile, and despite the fact that it was in black and white, you could tell she was blushing.

“Now go give these to your boyfriend,” she said, handing you the paper bag and the photograph. As you left the house, you heard her calling “And give him a kiss from me!”

It was a bit of squeeze, between visiting your grandma, packing a bag at the DC apartment you shared with Steve, and catching a flight to New York, but you managed anyway. As a journalist, you had mastered the art of multitasking, especially on a deadline.

Your flight landed at LaGuardia at just after five, leaving you enough time to get to Avengers Tower before dinner. Tony had planned a joint Cap’s birthday/Fourth of July celebration, and knowing how insane Tony’s parties could get, you didn’t want to miss a minute of it.

As your Uber pulled up to the airport, you fired off a quick text to Steve letting him know you had landed safely. You reaches down to put your phone away in your backpack and felt the brown paper bag. Phew. Still intact. You were no comic collector, but first-edition Wonder Womans had to be worth a least a few thousand.

You approached Avengers Tower and tipped the driver extra, wishing him a happy Fourth of July. A tall figure in a white suit came into view, walking briskly down the hall.

“Thanks, Ms. Potts,” you said as she unlocked the  door

“Please, (Y/N), call me Pepper. It's after five, so I'm officially off office hours.” She reached up and pulled her strawberry blonde hair out of its perfect chignon, shaking it out and letting it fall stylishly across her shoulders.

“Ooh, this pepper is getting spicy!” You exclaimed, high-fiving her.

The two of you rode the glass elevator up to the penthouse. Below you could already see miniature bursts of colour as people set off backyard, or rather rooftop, fireworks. Tony Stark was probably the only person in New York City who could afford a backyard big enough.

The doors opened and you saw Tony, Natasha, and the rest of the Avengers hanging decorations and preparing food and drinks. Vision hung streamers on every possible surface. Wanda, Nat, and Bruce mixed drinks while Bucky grilled hamburgers. Tony hooked up his surround sound system to his laptop as Thor stared, bewildered, at the screen, trying to figure out who Spotify was and how she could hold thousands of songs in this thin rectangle. Scott, Clint, and Sam dug through a box of disguises for the photo booth. And Steve--wait, where was Steve?

“Happy Fourth of July, babe,” Steve whispered, popping up behind you and nearly giving you a heart attack.

“Jesus Christ!” You said, lightly punching him on the arm.

“Nope, just Captain America. Sorry to disappoint.” You rolled your eyes at this stupid joke.

“How did I end up with someone as silly as you? You’re supposed to be some gallant, suave, heroic national icon, not a dad joke generator.”

“Yeah, Steve! Don’t be ridiculous. This is no time for your antics,” Sam said, bedecked in a stars-and-stripes top hat and a fake white beard.

“Very mature, Uncle Sam,” Steve said.

“I was worried you guys were gonna start the party without me,” you said to Steve.

“In the words of the immortal Ke$ha, I believe, ‘The party don’t start til you walk in’.”

“Wow. Really brushing up on your current top 40 hits, are you?”

“Shut up. That song is what, two years old?”

“I think about five,” you replied.

“Seven,” you heard Pepper call from the kitchen.

“No, four,” Tony added.

“Seven.”

“Trust me, four.”

“Seven!”

“JARVIS, when was Ke$ha’s Tik Tok released?” Tony asked, exasperated

“Tik Tok, off Ke$ha’s debut album, was released in 2010, sir.”

Tony turned back to Pepper with a knowing look. “Told you.” Pepper rolled her eyes at him and Tony stuck out his tongue in response.

“Look, babe, it’s you and me in five years.”

“Don’t count on it. I don’t think I can put up with your dad jokes and outdated references for that long.”

It wasn’t even midnight and you were already exhausted. All of the travel, mixed with an unhealthy dose of alcohol, had you nearly dozing off.

“Sleeping Beauty need a wittle naptime?”

“Shut your face, Bucky. I travelled 400 kilometers today. What did you do? Besides make out with Steve?”

The Winter Soldier blushed and turned away, refusing to make eye contact for the rest of the night.

“You coming to see the fireworks, sweetheart?” Steve asked, nudging you off his shoulder.

You looked and smiled at him. “Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world.”

The two of you joined the rest of the party out on Tony’s sprawling balcony, where a box of fireworks and a bucket of sand lay.

“So I made fireworks for each one of you. We'll set off the normal ones and then you can each come up and light yours,” Tony said, standing in front of the crowd.

“Did he just say ‘made fireworks’?” You whispered to Pepper.

“I tried as hard as I could, (Y/N). He finally said that I was right, it was too dangerous, and he was going to do some paperwork. It wasn't until I heard the explosion in the basement that I realised, but he had locked me out of the lab. I tried, (Y/N), I really did.” You nodded sympathetically. Once Tony had set his mind in something, there was no changing it.

Tony set off fireworks and Steve sat down beside you, pulling your fleece blanket off of you and wrapping it around himself.

“Hey, if you keep acting like a jerk you won't get your present.”

“You have presents?” He asked, eyes wide.

“Of course! It's your birthday, and you're the one and only Star--”

“Don't you fucking dare.”

“Language! Golly-gosh, you have a potty mouth.” You reached into your purse and pulled out the paper bag, handing it to him. Tentatively, he reached in and pulled out the three comics, well-thumbed through but still in mint condition.

“Don't tell me these are…” his voice trailed off as his crystal blue eyes met yours. You nodded, and he stated at the comics incredulously. “How?”

“My grandmother,” you said, showing him the picture. “She was a nurse in the 250th Station Hospital Nurses. She says she you told her--”

“That she was prettier than Diana,” Steve interrupted, a sad smile on his face. “I remember her, (Y/N). Is she still…?”

“Yeah, I visited her this morning,” you said. You were grinning, but you hadn't realised that tears were slipping down your cheek. “So, you were a Wonder Woman fan?”

“Always was, always will be. She was my first fictional crush. Everytime she called out for Steve, I imagined she was calling my name.”

“If my subtraction is right, weren't you 24 years old?”

“I saved the world, like, seven times, so you have no right to make fun of me.”

You took a couple rocket pops from the box Clint was passing around and handed one to your boyfriend “Sure, Capsicle. Does that mean I should be jealous of Wonder Woman?”

“Of course not! But, if you ever wanted to wear a golden tiara, I would be totally down for that.”

“‘Totally down’? Catching on fast with the lingo.”

“Hey, (Y/N)?”

“Yeah?”

“I just want to say thank you for the gift. It was a difficult time, and I'm sorry if I ever seem closed off about it. Especially after what happened with Bucky...I wanted to seal that part of my life away for a very, very long time. But I realised that back then, like now, there were little glimmers of good. I might've met her for three minutes, but that's all I needed to know that your grandmother was one of those bright spots. Can you do something for me, (Y/N)?”

“Of course, love.”

“Go visit your grandma and give her a kiss from me.”

“I will, Steve, I will.” You hugged him tightly and he wiped away a fresh tear. “Can I have a kiss from you too, Mister America?”

“I'm pretty sure there's supposed to be a captain in there.”

You watched as each person set off their themed fireworks, one by one. Finally, it was Steve's turn and you could see his sad smile, still melancholy, bathed in pale moonlight and etched in memories. blue, white, and red embers sparkled in the sky.

He kissed you as the last of the fireworks went off, little sparks in your country's colours exploding above your head. He pulled away and looked at you, the red, white, and blue embers reflected on your faces.

“You're more beautiful than Diana herself.”

“You're more handsome than Steve Trevor.”

“Hey, when this thing ends, can we go see Wonder Woman?”

“We'll see,” you said, but then Steve offered his hand to dance under the fireworks, and you knew the answer would be yes.

#steve rogers x reader #captain america x reader #marvel fanfiction #steve trevor #wonder woman #fanfic #marvel #i didn't use italics what the heck

[zoestagg]

Ironman Bintan 70.3...

**It took me nearly a month to write this, as I usually focus on the positive around here — but it’s also my scrapbook, and has been for a decade. This is worth having to look back on, and worth voicing as a female experience. The positive? I had a race crew that was willing to get on a plane for eight hours, schlep a bike internationally, and hang around waiting to cheer me on all day. They’re why while the race experience itself might have scarred me, the DNF didn’t embarrass me at all. How could it? There was still a bottle of champagne waiting at the hotel and a week left to float in the pool and explore. That’s the amazing part. Now…the rest.**

I felt rushed. I worked in the dark in my eight square inches of space to arrange my transition spot. I hadn’t eaten yet, I hadn’t found the porta-potties, and I hadn’t done one single open-water swim the entire training cycle.

That sounds like a race-anxiety nightmare, and that was only the first five minutes.

It was about to get way, way worse. 

I’ve given up getting mad that they issue the women’s wave neon pink caps. It’s hack, but fine. Frankie is delighted when they get passed down to her immediately after. In the dozen of waves that waited in the corral for their chance to swim, there was only one of women.

The Pros and younger men’s age groups started off, and I tried not to throw up as I waited in the practice area, dipping my head in the water to make sure my goggles were good. It was as promised, blessedly smooth. Nothing like the squalling Mediterranean three years ago. And even though I hadn’t had the opportunity to swim outside of a pool, this was honestly as pool-like as it was going to get. The squared-off course was pretty straight forward.

All I had to do was get around it.

The green caps launched off, and the blue caps filed in. If you’ve never been to the start of a big corporate race, it’s not for the sound-sensitive. It’s loud. Constant announcements on a sort of endless yammer, music, repeat. At the start, there’s a sort of DJ/Emcee scenario. He was working the crowd, asking people where they’re from.

“Australia!” “All right then, mate!”

“USA!” “Right. Back of the line then.”

You guys. The world really isn’t pleased.

The horn blew and the blue caps splashed in, making room for the women. The pump-up music for the women’s wave started. I would say it was a really annoying one-off if it wasn’t played at every daggone race I’ve done.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.

Now excuse me while I REALLY try not to barf. You’re right, I spent two hours of every day, plus most of every weekend training to have FUN. You’re SECONDARILY RIGHT that no inspiring song about the female condition has been recorded since 1982. This would make me mad enough to swear right here if this was the extent of the grief I would be given for my gender that day, but it WASN’T AT ALL so stay flipping tuned.

I’m apparently still very, very mad.

When I did the Olympic distance ocean swim in my first race, I was so scared I wasn’t going to make the time cutoff. This go around, after I kind of jockeyed for space in my preferred spot, (back of the wave and as close to the line as possible) I got kind of calm. It wasn’t so bad. I just started swimming — PROPERLY, even. This is a big deal. Last ocean swim it was too choppy for me to put my head in. Sometimes in lakes there’s too much…nature to make it possible to crawl for long without wanting to scream the whole lake in. This time, eh. It was water.

IT WAS JUST WATER. And I swam.

I didn’t even panic much, when I heard them release the wave behind me. That didn’t stop me from being the girl who was yelling “NO TOUCHIES NO TOUCHIES” as my mantra when they got too close to my tail fins. Look. It’s the terrifying ocean with WILDLIFE, if you want to pass, just go around.

NO TOUCHIES.

I was feeling weirdly good. I don’t even remember the swim being much effort. It looked like I could have just stood up the whole time, which helped too. I think I checked my watch once at the half, and then not again until I could hear the music again at the swim out. 48:00. I had 70:00 minutes before I blew the deadline, I was fiiiiiine.

I swam as far in as I could, got out and pumped some fists that I didn’t have to try to peel off a wetsuit, and heard the *beep beep* as I crossed the timing mat. (Swim Time: 1900m/54:00)

This race, given that we had to schlep a bike and suitcase and everything on multiple planes and a ferry, meant that I didn’t bring a bunch of stuff I might have otherwise. Stuff, like oh, the race fuel I’m used to. I couldn’t really bring onigiri that far in advance, I couldn’t really pack a jar of peanut butter and tortillas, I just… Improvised. I’d downed a couple of handfuls of trail mix before the swim, and now before the bike, I crammed in bites of protein cookie washed down with water like a competitive eater. I pulled on my fanny pack with more snacks, pulled up my bib belt, and yanked my bike off the rack. I was feeling cautiously optimistic and ready to ride. (Transition 1: 6:30)

I didn’t know as I pedaled out, that it would be about 45 minutes until everything turned to garbage.

Indonesia is lush. There are legit monkeys just chilling on the side of the road like wild cats. I pumped my legs and tried to occupy my thoughts and take in the scenery. It’s in those moments, that a couple of things can happen: you can look down at your speedometer and be pleasantly surprised that you’re pulling 20 mph without really trying; and you can discover that the theme song to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is the exact beat that makes that cadence.

I had read the race description. Something about “a few gentle rolling hills.” I had watched the time-lapse video of the whole bike course. Looked pretty flat to me!

IT WAS NOT FLAT.

The first hill hit, and preceded three hours of switching back and forth between 4 mph as I stood up and pumped in the lowest gear, and 24 mph as I tried to make it back. I struggle a little with my feet on the bike, I have to remind myself to stay off of them and wiggle my toes and watch my form so I don’t end up with knives stabbing through the balls. This amount of standing up? There’s no terrain around here that I could have used to prepare for that. But whatever. We finished a loop out of a forested road, and hit a town. There were Indonesian flags everywhere, most buildings and houses had one planted. I don’t know how much of that is set-dressing for the race, but the KIDS.

The kids, were not.

They stood outside of houses and tiny village storefronts watching and cheering. This parade of 2,000 insane people on bicycles was the most exciting Sunday morning show, and they cheered everyone who passed. I made it my mission to be a one-woman good-sport committee and gave every single group a “Good morning!!!! Hiiiii!” Some of them yelled back, “Winner!” and it was pretty outstanding. Eventually, the tiny villages in the trees thinned out, revealing violent red clay hillscapes, and the sun started to really beat.

From the course preview video -- even watching again, I don’t know how they managed to make the hills disappear, but they did. And that bridge? The “guard rail” was just the two pipes and then a 50-foot drop. Not cozy.

By the bridge, enough time had passed to thin the herd, and I suddenly found myself in Indonesia, about 25 miles from anyone I knew, and as race rules dictate (YOU WILL BE GIVEN A RED CARD DQ IF YOU ARE CAUGHT USING A PHONE OR ELECTRONIC DEVICE) without a phone.

Fun.

I pumped on, and tried to stay positive. The course wasn’t closed, it was on roads shared as the rest of the island’s life went on, and as I started to think about pulling off to stand up for a second and swap my water bottles around, a scooter passed. The man driving it slowed as he passed me and took a hard look. I watched, because as much as Japan doesn’t require you to have street smarts, I’ve lived places, okay. He continued up the road a hundred yards and turned around, riding past again.

I didn’t stop.

Another scooter revved up from behind me. This one had friends. He pulled ahead of me, while one pulled beside and another, stayed behind. They were teenagers, and started talking to me, motioning me to pull over.

“No. I’m fine. I’m riding. No.”

Sometime after the water stop that told me they were out of water after I had already dumped my hot water out to switch, a truck rolled by. The man leaned out the window and said,

“I love you.”

I don’t think he meant that in a positive and nurturing way that respects my agency as a human being.

All I wanted was to stop and spend 45 seconds getting my fuel situated. The second my speed dipped, there would be a scooter or two, appearing out of nowhere, making very sure I wasn’t going to stop for all of the Gatorade in China. About the time the man drove by making kissy noises, and I’d spent a good three hours calculating how long it would take me to get stuffed in the back of a truck on a course where the only chip mats are at 20k and 70k and it would be a really long time before anyone missed me, I started to sob hysterically.

(Let’s take a moment of brightness to know that as awful of a time I was having, Ryan and Frankie were okay waiting for me. Phew.)

Now. There were medic vans and mechanic vans on the course, I did see them periodically. But by the time I was rolling through 40 miles, I was in such a state from dealing with harassment from almost every vehicle that passed, I started to really lose it.

“DON’T TALK TO ME. DON’T LOOK AT ME. LEAVE ME ALONE.”

It’s kind of hard to ride your bike when you’re scream crying.

Eventually, I rolled though 52 miles, and another biker spun up past me. “There’s 30 minutes to cutoff! Keep going, you’ll make it.” At this point, I really didn’t even care. I was sobbing, and worried I wouldn’t be able to stop if Frankie was at the transition point. I think I rode past Ryan and Frankie at the end of the bike, and was completely relieved I wouldn’t have to talk to them right then. (Bike 56 miles/4:39:12)

This smile is fake.

I racked my bike, probably still yelling “BAN MEN,” and sat down at transition and really cried. I cried because I was slow enough that I’d been an easy target. I cried that 75% of the competitors probably had a LOVELY time on the course and in the world in general and would never know how awful it feels to be prey, and I cried because what a burden that is, what an unequal athletic playing field that is and BAN MEN.

And then I put on my running shoes and tried to find the run out. No signs. Who cares at this point, right? (Transition 2: 6:23)

I started to run. I was scared I was going to have to go out and subject myself to more unwanted attention, but the run course was protected, in some kind of weird golf course or something. The sun dipped behind clouds and I set the first goal to getting to where I thought the spectators might be. I was still entirely on edge, and when I heard a male voice behind me, I whipped around with a LOOK. He paused.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but um, is this your first lap or your second?”

I relaxed, a little. “First. THOSE HILLS.”

“I know! Okay, thanks! Have a good run.”

He jogged on, and I felt the first drop. And then the second. And then, dear reader, I found out what an Indonesian monsoon feels like. For the next hour, the skies opened.

The surface of the lake was a blur as raindrops bounced six inches off the surface. The trail filled with water, and then flooded. Eventually, it was ankle deep. My shoes started to rub blisters. I couldn’t see in front of me. Aid stations ducked under tarps as the wind whipped.

And I knew it was over.

I passed the halfway on the run, and a restaurant. Ryan and Frankie, who I was totally worried about in all of the rain, were tucked inside having lunch. I stood outside dripping, gave Ryan the short version of the awful day, and said I was checking out. I could have propelled myself the last 10k without the wet blisters. Without a time cutoff, I could have technically finished. As I neared the lap switch, the guy in charge said,

“You’ve missed it.” (Time spent running: 1:44:28)

You know what happens when you don’t make the last time cutoff in a monsoon? They withhold the giveaway towels because they say “Finisher” on them.

It’s fine.

I stood in the middle of the flooded field while those who’d had a much better day got their medals, and filed a report. Who knows if anyone got it, but now there’s a handy link to send to HQ, right? Ultimately, this race location is not suited for female athletes. I was wearing the same thing as everyone else. I’m OLD. I was still harassed for five hours. And I DNFed, my first one ever.

And I’ve signed up for another one in December.

#ironman #triathlon #try club #swimming #running #bicycles #indonesia #bintan

[jobethdalloway]

A former student of mine posted this today and I am devastated. She’s Ukrainian. She deserves so, so, so much better and I know she’s not the only one.

“Ok, this has been a pain and a frustration for me for long, and I just have to let it out, hopefully those who hear it, will spread the word, and hopefully eventually, for future generations the laws will change. That is all I have - a hope. When you hear people say that people from other countries are stealing somebody's jobs, when you hear them say that immigrants do cheap labor and work for almost free, tell them my story. What I am about to say is not about Trump, everything below has been this way for a while, way before Trump even ran for a president, but I assume it's might get harder with his new initiatives, idk. I applied to 57 different companies, but as soon as they heard that I needed a work visa (the employer is the one who has to apply for it by law) ran away, eventually I got a few call backs, passed the interview, and among all many other applicants I got chosen and got offered a 80K full time video position. Couldn't accept it. The company can't hire me because they don't want to deal with people in student status... mind you, work visa was created so that students can stay in the country for up to 3 years after graduation, to earn money and get experience. And while you're switching your status to a work visa - it will remain F1. You can't be out of status even for a day. Therefore at the hire date - you're in student status. Also, the deadline to apply for a work visa - to be able to work, just passed a few days ago (and it took them 2 weeks to figure out how to hire me and how to apply for work visa for me, but they ended up calling me just now to tell me they aren't going to). And it happens only once a year, when the government of the United States let's you apply for it. Also, to apply for this work visa you already have to have a job offer. And this window of applications being accepted lasts about 6-10 days. Also... unless you're in a student status, are getting married to a US citizen, or have family in the US who are citizens - you can't legally be here. You can come as a tourist, but you can't work or stay. You can't become a citizen either. There is no way for a person to become a citizen unless - they join the army (they have a program that opens sometimes, and you have to fit the program, which I don't fit, I tried), they get married to a US citizen, or they have a family here who are citizens. Those are possible ways. That's it. You can't apply for a citizenship, there is no test you can take and so on. Sadly many people I've met told me to "just apply for a citizenship", and wouldn't even believe me when I told them I couldn't, no one could, unless those circumstances were in place. And you can't work without work visa, therefore - no income. I spent here 6 years now. Legally, and I still can't start making a living. I don't have a chance to work, to earn, to choose anything. I can only choose how to spend my money here that I earned somewhere else... and I haven't been doing anything illegal even though it seems to be far more possible with all the possible threats than to do everything by law. I thought it should be the other way around - you mess with law you get problems. Well I had nothing but roadblocks so far. Also, did you know, as a student, none of us can apply for any scholarships other than an academic one (where your GPA has to be 3.8-4.0, and before you can apply for it you have to study for 3 semesters first) and some very rare exceptional ones that maybe 5-10 universities offer, and I don't know of those universities (I've been doing research all this time and still haven't found them). There are also other special scholarships, but I'm white so I don't qualify for them either. Fafsa is only for US citizens. Pell grant is only for US citizens. So I gotta say, it's hard. And it's not like I can go home, earn some money, save up, and come back - the amount I would be able to save up in a year back home, will be equal here to 2 months of rent for a shared room. Well phew, thanks to all my amazing teachers, my friends, and their support and help I was able to make it through my years at university, keep my GPA high enough, get academic scholarship, and graduate. But now, I'm really stuck, can't do much. Keep feeling like I'm beating against a titanium wall or something. I got support, I got the most amazing friends and family in the world, and I'm not complaining. And I want to make a world a better place through my work, I would love to work for a non profit, that'd be a dream. I just don't know how at the moment. I've been super blessed, but I do plea that you please share it with others if you're a US citizen, and hopefully one day the laws would change to make it so that people who are willing to do everything right and to go out of their way and serve others - can achieve their dreams of some security and a hope for a better future. God bless you all.”

#personal #this is so outrageous i don't even know what to say #i want to leave this here so i can remember it and come back to it and refer to it when i need to

[chaldeluxe]

LONDON: CHAPTER 6.

____________

Andersen: You did well in coming back. It’s a shame what happened to the Yard.  

Andersen: Kick your feet up. Isn’t that what you came here for? To rest?

Andersen: Working hard is well and good, but not all works are meant to be completed. Whether in writing or hunting for the Holy Grail, everything in moderation is the key.

Mashu: Thank you very much. But… we can’t afford it given our current situation.

Andersen: Idiot. So you’re a workaholic as well. Don’t forget just how heavy that luggage is.

Andersen: Let’s discuss something to kill time, then. The issue of how both Nursery Rhyme and I came to be in this world.

Mashu: Uhm, it was Alice… wasn’t it? That was the name she used…

Andersen: Nursery Rhyme. Anyway. Without much deliberation, you lot headed for the Yard.

Andersen: I didn’t have the chance to tell you before: Nursery Rhyme and I both manifested in that fog.

Andersen: Without a Master, the proper summoning procedures weren't followed.

Mordred: Come to think of it, I was the same. Jekyll isn’t a Master, and there weren’t even traces of a summoning ritual.

Mordred: I was just there in the fog. What, Servants can just naturally appear outta nowhere?

[CHOICE]

1. I guess so.

2. I wonder if that’s really the case here.

[ANSWER 1]

Dr. Roman: Nonono! Something like that’s totally impossible!

Dr. Roman: Manifesting on their own... no, anything able to be summoned like that is way beyond the scope of a Servant’s ability!

[ANSWER 2]

Mashu: Right. It’s essentially not possible.

Mashu: There are only a few instances on record of a Heroic Spirit just spontaneously manifesting.

Mashu: However, if that were to happen, it would be an entity with no personality.

Mashu: Heroic Spirits that manifest as Servants are called without fail from the Throne through a summoning ritual.

Dr. Roman: You see, the summoning of the Servants you encountered in the previous three eras were all influenced by a Holy Grail.

Dr. Roman: There’s no way Servants popping up astray like that could ever happen!

Andersen: There’s no feasible way we could’ve manifested from that fog, then. Having said that, there’s only one conclusion.

Andersen: The Holy Grail gave rise to that fog. Either that, or whatever creates this fog is being influenced by the Grail.

Mashu: That… seems like it may be the case. It’s the most logical conclusion. Consistent, too.

Andersen: Much of reality has a reasonable amount of logic tied to it. The only thing that hasn’t an ounce of logic to it is love.

Andersen: Use your imagination. You can anticipate most things with it. Even make predictions.

Mordred: Haha. Love? You’re pretty cheeky for a kid.

Andersen: I don’t need to hear that from a brat who knows nothing of passion. I’m a virgin. I fully understand both the concepts of love and passion.

Mordred: … …haah? Hm. Huh? Doesn’t that make no sense? At all?

[CHOICE]

1. I don’t really get it, but it sounds impressive. 2. Hm? It sure doesn’t...

Andersen: Have you forgotten? I’m Andersen. A Heroic Spirit classified as a Caster simply for the stories I spun.

Andersen: If jumping into battle with a blade is a swordsman’s duty, capturing indolence, suffering, passion and love in the written word is an author’s duty.

Andersen: Be it a deadline or even impromptu poetry, when we put our all into it everything’s sure to be finished on time. That’s what an author is.

Andersen: Amongst the lot of them, my works are original. No one can best me when it comes to the power of imagination.

Andersen: Amateurs who can't even debate that much should give up speaking on the subject. If you’re not going to rest, you might as well carry out a night patrol.

Mordred: Yeah, might as well. If we can smoke out that “P” guy and get him to cough up the details, all of this will be settled.

Mordred: I’m gonna go out on patrol. I’ll walk the length of the city and take a look around every turn.

Mashu: Ah… Senpai, Mordred-san left.

[CHOICE]

1. Let’s go after her. 2. It’d be better if we pursued her.

Mashu: Right!

// MASHU AND YOU EXIT WITH MORDRED, LEAVING ANDERSEN ALONE WITH JEKYLL. //

Jekyll: You’re pretty good at persuading others. Let me express my thanks. She seemed to be suppressing herself a bit.

Andersen: No need. Compared to having to move my readers, it was nothing special.

Andersen: At best it was enough to motivate her. … still, there’s something I don’t understand.

Jekyll: Hm?

Andersen: What I described might’ve just been an illusion from the flame of a match. A mere delusion despite how much logic stems from it.

Jekyll: You were using your imagination, correct? Then---

Andersen: Are you stupid? That was obviously just a figure of speech.

// BACK TO THE HEROES. //

Mordred: … we’ve done some patrolling, but. It feels weird.

Mordred: Mostly ‘cause I’ve always done it alone. Not that I mind as long as it’s easy... so. Right off the bat, huh?

Dr. Roman: It’d be really hard to keep up with Mordred’s speed. I’m sensing a bunch of enemies even over here!

Mashu: Understood.  Master, your orders!

// BATTLE. //

Mordred: That sure was a lot. Phew.

Mashu: Good work. Do you need a break?

Mordred: Nah. Their numbers were just great. If there’d been a Helter Skelter in the mix though, it would’ve been a different story.

Mordred: They’re damn strong. The only ones I get a kick out of fighting here are those guys.

Dr. Roman: Though Mashu and Gudako-chan have only encountered about one of them, they’re pretty powerful opponents.

Dr. Roman: That reminds me, we haven’t really caught any moving from place to place. Maybe they’re just few in numbers?

Mordred: Yeah... when you put it that way, I haven’t seen a ton of them either.

Mordred: I really want a chance to sink my teeth into something after all that. I wonder if one’ll show themselves tonight.

[CHOICE]

1. If you act like that, they will. 2. Don’t jinx us.

Mordred: Oh, yeah?

Mashu: What if we walked around a bit more? It’s still a long ways to the end of the city.

Mashu: Ah, uhm. I just wanted to confirm the information on our map… I don’t really have a good sense for London’s layout.

Mordred: Well. If something shows up, we’ll deal with it then.

// BATTLE. //

Mordred: … seriously? I can’t chew on this.

Mashu: We’ve successfully repelled the enemy. They weren’t exactly the easiest opponents to face, it felt…

Mordred: If a Servant ever pops outta this fog, they better be super flashy and strong.

Mordred: Ah… but, I guess it’s like earlier. Can’t always expect what shows up to be an enemy, right?

Dr. Roman: That’s true. Just like how you decided to cooperate with us. Andersen was similar.

Dr. Roman: Nursery Rhyme ended up being an enemy, though. She must’ve manifested from somewhere inside that fog, too.

Mordred: I’m sick of all this being attacked from the rear. A frontal assault every now and again would be nice.

[CHOICE]

1. True.

2. Attacks from the rear aren’t so bad.

[ANSWER 1]

Mordred: Right? Hey, you’re a pretty sharp Master.

[ANSWER 2]

Mordred: … you think so?

Mashu: Senpai, let’s continue our patrol. We should reach the city limits in a little while.

Mordred: Bring out a strong one. C’mon!

Shakespeare: Come, now--- which of you was the one who summoned me? I, Caster Shakespeare, have risen from this City of Fog to rally behind you!

Shakespeare: … is what I would’ve liked to say. This seems a bit far gone from the usual Holy Grail War pattern.

Shakespeare: I’m in a bit of a tight spot, then. Oh God, where is the tale which you would fashion me upon?

Shakespeare: There comes no response. No reply. Ah, how God has forsaken me. Where is a story that burns with passion, that shakes the very core of one’s soul?

Shakespeare: I’ve no choice then but to say this. Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind!

Mordred: … ...wrong one. Next.

Shakespeare: Oh, what have we here? I didn’t expect to see you of all people amidst this bizarre fog.

Mashu: Do you know each other? You and, uhm… Caster Shakespeare?

Mordred: Nope. Not this loser.

Mordred: But at least we’re sure of it now. This guy just manifested straight out of the Demon Fog.

Shakespeare: 'Tis regrettable I have no Master, and yet, I was able to meet with you. This, too, is fate.

Shakespeare: For now, I’ll spin a tale of your own making. One different, I expect, from the rumors that swirl around you.

Mordred: Ah--- …

Mordred: That guy doesn’t really seem like an enemy. But this is getting weirder by the second.

Mordred: What makes that guy any different from that clown or Jack? Jack aside, they were all moving with their own purpose.

Mordred: Besides---

Mordred: … ...No. Wait. The hell? So the night patrol brings the better catch?

Mashu: Excuse me?

Mordred: He showed up, the one I've really been waiting on. Hey! You've got some balls showing yourself after running away!

P: … apparently I’m a little late.

[CHOICE]

1. P?! 2. When did you... ?!

P: It seems that you’ve secured the newly manifested Servant. That’s unfortunate.

P: A Caster-type Servant manifested, then. You would’ve been a fine comrade if we’d managed to obtain you.

Mordred: Haha. Got you. Never show your hand too early.

Mashu: ...Yes. I also understood the gist of that.

Dr. Roman: So they’re recovering the newly-manifested Servants from the Demon Fog only to have them join their ranks.

Dr. Roman: I get it now. That’s simple enough. That’s still easier said than done, though.

Dr. Roman: Getting a Heroic Spirit to follow your every whim is impossible without the Holy Grail.

P: ---Let me answer you in turn. You’re correct.

P: We’re waiting for something essential to us to make itself known in London.  

P: Therefore, in order to expand the Demonic Fog we had to secure those Heroic Spirits that emerged from its realm and “adjusted” them so they would aid its expansion.

P: I apologize deeply and sincerely for being unable to secure your capture. It’s truly regrettable.

P: We would’ve surely become good friends with one another.

[CHOICE]

1. That can’t be. 2. You’ve got to be joking.

Mashu: …yes, Senpai. I feel the same way.

Mordred: Hah! Seriously! Whatever you’re selling, we don’t want it.

Mordred: I won’t let you get away this time! Give us your name before I run you down, magus!

P: ---Very well. This time I’m without a catalyst for transferral. I’ll have to secure your capture here.

P: I am Paracelsus von Hohenheim . A magus who manipulates the four elementals, who seeks out the True Ether.

Paracelsus: Though, for now… That which I truly desire is different.

Mashu: Master, we’re battling the enemy Servant! Your orders--- !

// BATTLE WITH BIG P. //

Paracelsus: … Well done.

Paracelsus: Ah, the sword-bearing hero. In the face of them, those who build up atrocities must indeed meet their end.

Paracelsus: Defeating all the evil this world holds. Objecting all the greed this world holds.

Paracelsus: You who seek to clear a path for everything in this world. What lay ahead of you is...

Paracelsus: I beg of you… the true… light…

Mashu: … the enemy Servant has been obliterated. Senpai, it’s our victory.

Mordred: Shit. He went and vanished without leaving any clues. A loathsome magus to the very end.

Mordred: The hell does he mean by clearing a path? That’s not my kind of work, ugh.

Shakespeare: “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player!”

Mordred: Uh? And that means?

Shakespeare: Nothing. They’re merely the words that came to mind for showing me a rather amusing sight.

Shakespeare: My eye beheld but only one end for that magician. This ending is shaping up into something grandiose!

Mordred: … don’t be stupid. You’re just imagining things.

#fgo #fate grand order #story: london

[accuhunt]

8 Secrets I Haven’t Told Anyone About My Travel Blogging Journey.

A few days ago, I sat in the balcony of our abode in Bhutan, watching the mist roll into the mountains. Below, in the neighbour’s house, stood two trees laden with juicy red apples. On a nearby hill stood an ancient monastery, its meditative chants wafting through the air. Purple and blue butterflies flittered about. Sipping hypericum tea, made from a local flower, I wondered how this came to be my life.

How did I end up becoming a digital nomad, financially sustaining myself through travel blogging, advocating for sustainable travel and veganism, and publishing a book?

Sliding down memory lane, some unforgettable moments stood out. Apart from the usual suspects like quitting my job and moving back to India, I reminisced about the unexpected ones. A weird mix of silliness, luck, stubbornness and downright irrationality. In retrospect, these unexpected episodes were equally important in shaping my journey as a travel writer:

I took a talking camera on my first travel blogging assignment in India!

I remember quitting my full time job in Singapore in 2011 and moving back to India with secret dreams of making it as a travel writer – though I never expected to make a living out of it. I blogged and tweeted about my travels with zest, and my excitement knew no bounds when a few months in, India’s veteran travel blogger, Lakshmi Sharath, invited me to my first ever travel blogging assignment – to cover Club Mahindra in Jim Corbett National Park in India.

It was the first time that a company sponsored my travels, and at short notice, the only gadget I had with me was my pink, talking Sanyo camera (a gift from my brother)! Among professional photographers with their fancy DSLRs and tripods, mine emitted a high-pitched noise asking the subject to “smile” before taking a photo. It became the butt of many jokes, and I got rid of it as soon as I accumulated enough money to buy a “serious” looking camera

Also read: So You Want to Start a Travel Blog?

I stalked a marketing manager on Linkedin and got invited to my first international FAM trip

As a newbie travel blogger working day and night to create unique content, grow my engagement and reach, and build an active audience, I felt utterly disappointed (jealous?) every time there was an international press trip and all the same Indian bloggers were invited. Why wasn’t I getting invited? So in a rage of fit one evening, I began to stalk the marketing team of a tourism board on Linkedin, hoping to figure out who these decision-makers were.

What happened next blew my mind. Linkedin lets you see who’s viewed your profile recently, so later that night, I received a message from one of the people I’d stalked, asking if I’d be interested in joining a press trip (my first international one) to Spain! Hell yes. WHAT CRAZY LUCK.

Also read: Confessions of an Indian Travel Blogger

Someone called my writing “average and boring”

I vividly remember that warm afternoon in 2011, when I forwarded a travel blog post to a friend. Back in those days, this blog was merely a place for me to vent and share random life musings. I was toying with the idea of rejigging it into a travel blog, and sharing my travel pieces with anyone who showed the slightest interest in reading them (if you’re a blogger, you know how hard the early days of finding readers are!).

Never in a thousand years did I expect the feedback I received: that my writing was average, boring and unexciting. I shed a tear or three, then went back to the piece with my most critical eye and admitted to myself that the “I went there, I did this” style of writing is boring indeed. In retrospect, that one critique changed everything. It pushed me to read more, experiment with my words and try to find my own unique voice – something I continue to do to this day.

It’s not easy to find someone who will tell us to our face that our work sucks. But that person is a keeper. It’s the only way to push forward and get better at what we do.

Also read: If the World Was a Library, These Books Would be the Destinations I’d Pick

At my first international conference, I was shocked to discover that travel bloggers get paid for everything I was doing for free

I landed up at TBEX Canada, my first international travel blogging conference, thinking that with the many international press trips in my kitty, I had already made it. Imagine my shock when I learnt that many international travel bloggers were getting paid for everything I was doing for free – going on press trips, creating content for travel brands and promoting them on social media. It all made sense, considering that we were generating real revenue for these tourism boards and brands. I left in awe, ready to believe that my beloved blog could become a potential source of income.

When I got back to India and started asking PR companies and tourism boards for a blogging fee, everyone thought I had lost my mind. Many bloggers said it would never work in India. Some even considered it unethical. Tired of working for free, especially knowing how the industry had evolved abroad, I sent out some pretty harsh emails and got blacklisted by some agencies.

After many rejections, I felt vindicated when one forward-thinking brand agreed to pay me. Trembling with joy, I asked for a mere 500$ for an international press trip despite promising many deliverables – but hey, it was a start. The travel blogging industry in India evolved gradually, and most professional travel bloggers now expect to be paid for such work.

Also read: Learning to Walk Away

When I over-promised, couldn’t deliver and got into a sticky situation

Back in the day, it was common for bloggers to be coerced into writing about a press trip for publications  – and the naive blogger that I was, I agreed to the demand of a resort in Mauritius to feature them in a story in India’s biggest newspaper. Unfortunately, upon my return, I realised that no prominent media publications were interested in carrying yet another story about sea, sun and sand in Mauritius. I had many sleepless nights trying to figure out how to meet this promise, cursing myself for over-promising.

In the meantime, I was running a contest for my readers to win a stay at this resort, but just as I was about to announce the winner, they told me they wouldn’t honor my contest until the publication carried the story! I was livid and helpless, too broke to repay them for the trip and felt stupid for not thinking through my decisions. Ultimately we reached a compromise and I decided never again to promise coverage on a platform I don’t control.

Also read: Practical Tips to Break Into Freelance Travel Writing

At a farm in India, forced to learn about sustainbility for the first time!

Back in 2012, we started India Untravelled to connect rural tourism initiatives with travellers seeking authentic experiences in India. “Sustainable living” was mostly an unknown idea to me then. Scouting for potential destinations, we landed up at an organic farm in rural Rajasthan, hoping to catch some rest after a long, tiring journey. Instead, our host, a burly, firm man, made us sit in his open balcony and aggressively quizzed us about organic farming, sustainable travel and zero waste. It was like being back in school, without having done your homework! We sneakily googled some answers and faltered through others – relieved when he finally stopped the grilling and gave us a long lecture instead. Phew.

In retrospect though, that chastening encounter set me on a journey to explore more conscious and eco-friendly choices and eventually become an advocate for sustainable tourism.

Also read: How Croatia Compelled Me to Rethink Travel Blogging

A café brochure that changed everything

While waiting for a table to become available at Peace Food Cafe in New York City, a brochure in the waiting space caught my eye. Among other things, it had gruesome photos and facts about dairy farming and eggs. I had turned vegetarian a decade ago in protest against animal cruelty, but never saw anything wrong with consuming milk, eggs and honey, or lifestyle products like leather, silk and wool. Hell, I didn’t even know I was waiting at an all-vegan cafe!

That was the first time I learnt about the concept of veganism – though it would be nearly a year later, after a shocking incident in Nicaragua, that I would actually make the transition towards veganism. Who knew a random brochure in a cafe could literally change my life?

Also read: What I Learnt Volunteering on a Remote Island in Cuba

A cover story that gradually led to my book

I remember staying up all night to work on a story on my digital nomad life for The Hindu. As often happens with deadlines, I procrastinated all week, only to lose precious sleep at the eleventh hour. I cursed everything under the sun as I banged away at my keyboard, drinking iced tea to keep my brain from getting foggy. I thought many times about giving up, making a lame excuse to the editor and tucking in for the night. But somehow I kept going, and as the sun rose, finally turned in the story, convinced that this writing thing wasn’t working for me.

When it got published a few days later, I was surprised to hear from the editor of a prominent literary publishing house, asking if I’d be interested in writing a book about my journey! Although flattered by his email, I dismissed the idea of ever penning a book. I mean, I could barely pen that article.

A few years later, I feverishly started working on a travel memoir, determined to publish it before I hit thirty. It turns out, convincing a good publisher in India to even look at your work (unless you’re a well known celeb), is even harder than writing a book. Luckily, the person who had written to me all that time ago, made some generous introductions that ultimately led me to a book deal with Penguin – and my first book, The Shooting Star, got published in 2018!

Also read: Reflections on Life, Travel and Turning 29

As a tiny, bright rainbow appeared in the valley across my balcony in Bhutan, I couldn’t help but think it’s not always the big decisions that shape our lives. It’s often the stupid, tiny, laughable ones.

Your turn, what’s a secret about travel blogging or travelling you haven’t told anyone yet?

Join my adventures around the world on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Order a copy of my bestselling book, The Shooting Star.

8 Secrets I Haven’t Told Anyone About My Travel Blogging Journey. published first on https://airriflelab.tumblr.com

[eddievenomsbrocks]

The Beginnings

Abilities

Expert Reporter (Eddie): Eddie Brock is an incredibly skilled investigative reporter for the Daily Bugle (prior he was fired from the Daily Globe for digging too deep). He also has many sources of information that aids him in his work.

Skilled Hand-to-Hand Combatant (Venom): Although he's had no proper training, Eddie is a formidable hand-to-hand combatant when Venom is in control.

Venom Symbiote: Venom has completed symbioses with the host, Eddie Brock. This grants Eddie:   Superhuman Strength, Speed, Durability, Stamina, Reflexes.  

Other Abilities:

  Accelerated Healing:     The alien symbiote has fast acting healing abilities, almost like oil when disrupted, it can form right back from where it was hit. Unless disrupted with sonic sound waves or intense heat.  

  Spider Sense Immunity:     The alien symbiote is able to blend into his surroundings. The ultimate predator - it can only be located by heat signatures or sound. This disrupts Spider-Sense (precognition).    

  Night Vision:     The alien symbiote is able to see perfectly in the dark, using echolocation, bouncing sound off the environment to see.  

  Wall Crawling:     The alien symbiote has sticky tar like skin that is able to attach itself onto walls. It can walk, crawl, run, jump - vertically with little resistance to gravity.  

Symbiotic 'Webbing’':   The alien symbiote has tendrils, a sticky tar like substance that acts as a "webbing". 

                                                        -------

"Get the EKG!"  Eddie was fading in and out of consciousness. He felt empty.

"His heart has atrophied! He's renal, organ failure present-,"  ZAP.  Eddie felt a pain shoot through him.

"Heart rhythm stabilizing. But, he needs to be on a drip ASAP."

Eddie was put in a medical induced coma. Life support, the whole thing. He was still critical, still dying. Until Venom came back. Slithering through the open window. Eddie still in a coma, felt the warmth of Venom slide back inside him.

Eddie woke with a start as the alarm clock went off.

"Five more minutes,” a groggy sounding voice deep within Eddie's being spoke. Eddie whined and buried his head more into the gross pillow. "Yeah," Eddie fell back asleep. His other alarm set on his phone sounded off, a big fog horn blaring.   "Shit, come on!"

Eddie awake, barely, walking down the dark streets of Manhattan. At a vendor to get a dinner/breakfast, or as Eddie calls them  'Night Breakfast' . "Yo, uh, two hoagies please, but like hold the pickles,"  Eddie used to love pickles, but like most things in his new life - had to compromise. Venom hates them, so he cut them out of his diet.

"Listen, I know this ain't ideal - but, Spider-Man does more of his cool shit at night. The day stuff - sure, is cool too. But, everyone with a smartphone gets that stuff. We gotta get better shit on record."

“He is a joke. Useless,” Venom was jealous. Eddie rolled his eyes.

"All the metahumans are better then you'se and me for fuck sakes. Like we've established, we're losers. Don't be gettin' all weird or whatever. This is just a job, a one off piece of vigilantism. This ain't gonna be our new shtick, okay?" Eddie stuffed the two hoagies back to back with barely any chewing, moaning slightly at the taste. "Man, that's good.”

“Not as good as flesh and the brains of some douchebag.”

"That's highly debatable, Venom."

Eddie smiled at the homeless guy, Steve, he'd been getting to know around the corner near his apartment.

"Hey, Eddie, my man! You get me a treat?"

Eddie nodded pulling a ziplock bag out of his coat pocket. The bag was nothing to be calling the cops over. It was a bag of fresh vegetables

 "Bag 'a veggies like this is a huge commodity. You can't find nothin' this fresh, so I'm cutting you a deal," Eddie laughed at their odd looking exchange of goods, clearly to an outsider it would look like some shady deal happening. Eddie also slipped Steve twenty dollars for good measure.

"Yo, god bless you man!"

 "God bless me? Nah, come on - you know what though, as for my act of good faith you need to go to that job opportunity man, okay? I set you up, Uptown ask for Eric, he'll give you a great job at the mall. Please, go, or at least try okay?"

"Yeah yeah, I'll think about it! Thanks for the veggies, I appreciate it."    

Eddie walked away, shaking his head.

“Humans can be so strange,” Venom sounded annoyed.

Eddie kept his head trained up high - looking for any signs of Spider-Man as he walked.

 "Keep a look out, Venom," Eddie tried to find any weird movements, any sign.

 He did not realize he had walked into open traffic. Venom took over as the transport truck slammed into Eddie. He felt every bone in his pelvis and lower spine break, screaming in agony for only a moment before being fully engulfed, cushioned and reset by the symbiote.

Venom jumped onto the moving transport and crouched.

“Nice one Eddie, could’ve gotten us both killed,” Venom jumped onto a  tall building and slid up the side, sticking its form all the way up. Venom perched, squatting over the city, looking down at all the movement of specks.

 "Please, god, stop looking down,"  Eddie was terrified of heights. He kept his eyes shut, but it did not matter. He could still see through his mind of Venom. Sometimes, when Venom went on his own accord Eddie would be lost in the darkness of the symbiote's innards. Floating without thought or feeling.

Venom's tongue lolled out, a slick amount of spit fell. Some guy twenty stories down gagged thinking a bird did it's business on his expensive jacket, 'I hate New York,' the trust funder whined.

Venom squinted looking towards the city skyline. “There, Eddie!” Venom launched himself, going from rooftop to rooftop. Not at all graceful in his movements, clunky and knocking into things.

Venom disappeared within Eddie and Eddie was left crouched on a fire escape, watching Spider-Man deal with some criminals. Eddie took out his camcorder from his coat jacket, luckily it was on the opposite side of where he was just hit by a transport truck.

  "This is Eddie Brock from The Brock Report. Vigilante justice has been deemed problematic. In some regards there is anecdotal evidence to suggest such - data collected by the FBI and also some very clearly biased sources like the NYPD, confirms that narrative. As seen in the exclusive footage being shown in these clips obtained by your's truly, Spider-Man does not go far in any 'rough brand of justice' the police seem to be feeding as a narrative."  

A clip plays on loop of Spider-Man going out of his way to make sure civilians are as far from any action that may be about to happen. Doing a perimeter sweep before going into the building that seems active in wrong doing.

  "Here we see in this next clip, Spider-Man very neatly and without bodily harm, as confirmed by the police report on public file, deal with the alleged perps of the alleged crime. Spider-Man very clearly is shown to make sure all perps of the alleged crime were not injured."  

A clip is playing of Spider-Man about to be punched by the alleged criminal, he dodges the punch and quickly without throwing a punch incapacitates the alleged criminal using his webbing.

  "Unlike real statistical reports and data showing the NYPD's own misconduct: racial profiling, aggravated assaults, B&E's without warrants, and using force -  deemed by the public and in some few and far between cases upheld in a court of law - as excessive. Spider-Man seems to use his sense of clarity and costumed heroics as a way to minimize damage and deescalate a situation."  

A clip is shown of Spider-Man having a simple conversation of one of the alleged perps, who in turn gives up his gun and puts his hands up.

J. Jonah Jameson looked pissed, "Eddie, when I asked you on this assignment, I specifically asked for an unbiased opinion. This clearly is biased. Clearly you're supporting a damn criminal!"

Eddie looked annoyed,   "Nah, see the segment still has another fifteen minutes to it. I go over more stats, and evidence to support my claims. Listen, there is data on crime prevention that the NYPD is trying to keep out of public hands! The only ones, that are also true, that most people are being fed is the fact that with these costumed vigilantes we are seeing an increase of victims leaving the scenes and not doing a follow up with the police. It's true, its in there, that vigilantes are just allowing a revolving door to occur, and in some instances more crime seems to be going up because of it."

J. Jonah huffs.

 “But, on top of that I have found data to suggests the inactivity of the NYPD as well as their witch hunts against these vigilantes, using what little man power they have, have wasted millions of tax dollars instead of putting in place proper de-escalation training and anti-racial profiling training. So, there's that."

 Eddie raised an eyebrow,   "Unless you'se have some sorta biased view? Phew, I mean, that'd be bad to have a biased without facts in your favour?"

J. Jonah gruffed,  "Hey, that's liable. Now, whatever, fine. I want your segment to air on our network, and also you to have all your evidence of these claims in the article under the video by Friday. It's Wednesday, gives you time. Stick to your damn deadlines, Brock, or you're fired! Now, get the hell out of my office."

[chxxry]

27072019

Hello WEEKEND.

For the whole the damn July, for once I am finally feeling exhausted. Everything has been trap in me being tight on schedule for a couple of things and lacking of alot of rest and energy, lacking on all my exercise and social life in some aspect.

July has been the tightest month with it being the last month of classes and submission of assignments to working on exams in the following month. Then work deadline are overdue which is/not my mistake but I shall emphasize later. And alot of plans with people fall on July too, all met and completed (phew) and now finally comes the part where I am human again to feel exhaustion.

School has been redundant this time round, I have no motivation and gives no fucks. But my classmates have been real nice that I cannot help but be more than just thankful. I have been taken on by work till they were concern with how I do and even offer a solution for submission but I rejected since it was their hardwork not mine. Thank you very much. I cannot wait to break free from school again because it has been really really redundant. It blocks my space for alot of things. which then lead to work. Doing studies and working as well really don’t help especially if the work is just so “in a mess”. It is in a mess because June was suppose to be a submission but it dragged till yesterday because it is/not my mistake. 

I gave a draft to my superior before he go on leave in June but only to hear from him like Last week. You know what I mean? and all the pushing came on “Not on time”, “Over due since June”, “Formatting wrong”, “Why is this here....” etc. BLAH, so that is the thing, I gave in advance of my draft in June to have him get back to me so I can make amendments before approval. Nope, I got nothing. Start of July, he bugged me for it again, and I just delivered without any arguments. And guess what, nothing again. So it was until last week he start bugging to my poor layout, not proper documentation etc. EXCUSE me for a bit, I shall clarify my stand is that I only started this role in April in a very different environment for the same office. So he was expecting VOLA since I work for 2 years in the damn office I should get it right. So, to continue, he bugged for this and that till I legit LEGIT, once again stayed up till late nights for it. There was no exhaustion because all was “fucking hell finish this shit” and guess what, every time there will be things for him to change or make sound about. Which until yesterday morning, he came to talk to me on the urgency. I didn’t argue with him because all I want was to complete this shit in his “standard” obviously not mine. When listing the documentation, he had his name there which I CLEARLY ain’t so happy about it but then it also means that I will wash my hands off it so I guess I took it quite meh. And because of it, I didn’t had time to prepare for my meeting until the last hour for the next project due in August. Mind you, it is the end of July now. Fantastic right. Thank god the meeting ended with conclusion despite being a drag till additional 30mins.

And it was only when I step out of the meeting room and submitting the Final copy of the documentation that I feel so exhausted. Like all the emotions set it and finally I feel like human again. I cannot explain how much I yawned right after everything. Then again it’s the weekend which also is Tomorrowland Weekend and German GP Weekend so, will just deal with minimal sleep. Even without them I will still have to work on my assignments and exams which is technically I should do it now. 

So, ciao. and hello to feeling human again.