#are so refreshing it just feels new. no one treat the kids with disdain but they still call them out on their bs + the basch having his

[nightwingshero]

❤️🧡💜 for Wren and Blair 🥰

Thank you, hun!!! ❤️

Send me an OC and heart and I’ll discuss that topic and how it relates to my OC! :)

❤️ - Passion (What is your OC passionate about? Hobbies? A significant other?)

Blair: I would say a lot of things, because Blair is naturally a passionate, happy person. She loves her job, she’s very passionate, interested, and enthusiastic about space and everything about it. As for hobbies, she loves watching movies and shows, mostly older and nerdy ones that she can quote and refer to often. Which makes conversations with Felicity and Cisco fun....for Harry, not so much, but this ain’t about him. Video games, board games (girl plays a lot of D&D), going to cafes to drink coffee (while working on a paper, hanging with friends, etc) is also a thing she does, but she spends a lot of time in the lab or in the Bunker, depending on where she is. Girl just likes to work on things and to keep busy a lot of the time. Friends and family are also important to her, and when she becomes committed to someone, she’s in for the long haul. It’s why she doesn’t really give up on Leonard, even after his “death” or when he returns with lost memories. She just really wasn’t focused much on the romantic front after Leonard’s “death”, so that’s more I guess her mourning and just trying to keep going vs her actually staying committed. But once he comes back, it’s more her not giving up because well...Blair loves him too much. 

Wren: Music is probably one of Wren’s top passions, mostly because she loves it and the way it makes her feel, and because she feels close to her mother when she plays the piano and sings. Its a hobby she loves the most. Other than that, she’s watching The Twilight Zone or horror movies, reading and learning new things (because she loves to learn new things), or going to the Spread Eagle to hangout. She’ll go skinny dipping from time to time, and on some occasion, she’ll take her Jeep out mudding. As for significant others, Wren is ride or die to a fault, and yes, that can be a good and bad thing. Her love for John Seed is something that feel refreshing and freeing to her when it happens, despite them being on opposing sides. It’s a connection she feels with him that makes her fall even more, even though he’s not at all the healthiest upstairs. She sees him as her Salvation (and he sees her as his Redemption) when things turn for the worse, the Resistance turning against her and trying to kill her for her betrayal (she doesn’t see it like that however). So she happily marries him and joins him, becoming the Judge and accepting the Dark Siren title as a replacement for Faith Seed (Joseph’s passive aggressive punishment and condition for her to join), but once they leave the bunker after the Collapse...it’s different. Wren is more than aware that John would choose Joseph over her and the kids, and she finds herself more than disenchanted by him and their marriage; she feels as if she’s been lied to and led to believe something that isn’t true--John putting her first and choosing her over all else. But she stays with him up until he dies, for the kids and because she’s committed. Now, that being said, she also has Quinn (one of my security captains) who shows up and helps her fight against the Highwaymen and Ethan. They become a thing after John’s death, which...yeah, it sounds bad, because John’s death is a sacrifice for their children, his redeeming moment of him choosing the kids (and her) over Joseph. But the love that she once felt isn’t really there anymore, and it’s more of a respect of someone like a close friend, because they’ve been through a lot together, you know? She may not love him the way she used to, but they were married for a while and raised kids together, and he did sacrifice himself. 

🧡 - Action (When does your OC take action? Are they a bystander? In what situations would they take action without hesitation?)

Blair: So, this is a bit more complicated, mostly because in the beginning, Blair doesn’t know how to take action. It’s not the lack of trying, bravery, or lack of wanting to help. It’s just that Blair hasn’t been in many situations where a call to action would occur. Growing up without violence, in a happy household, in Central City...she’s not exposed to “bad times”. Now, that changes when she moves to Star City (after waking from her coma, of course) and Ray Palmer offers her a job where she can make the difference. Blair is actually inspired by the Hood (later known as Green Arrow) and how he helps others, because Blair loves the ideas of superheroes and helping people. So, while she would help with research and all that before, Ray asked for her help creating the A.T.O.M. suit so he could make a difference--which was enough for her, you know? Until she blew up a good portion of the lab and hurt Ray in the process (thank you, meta powers), and at that point, Blair sought out the Hood and asked for training. Oliver was against it at first (shocker), but eventually agreed. So she eventually does learn how to take action, much thanks to Sara and Oliver (and eventually Cisco and Barry, who help with her meta training). Her hesitation during situations only come from her accessing the situation and herself, because she has to be careful with her control, and she’s not a very “punch first, ask questions later” kind of person. Now, in situations where her loved ones, innocent people, or teammates are in immediate danger, she more reacts than anything, so I suppose that would be her taking action without hesitation. It panics her or it motivates her, in a way) to just follow her gut and do what she can to save them. It’s how most of the Legends actually find out she has powers, Ray only telling them that he brought her onboard because of her PhDs (which is mostly true, that was why, he just failed to mention she had powers). In a split decision, she used her energy manipulation to shield the team from blasts that Valentina threw their way as Jax and Martin created Firestorm. High-risk situations where the pressure is being applied heavily (loved ones and innocent people’s lives at stake, etc) force Blair’s hand, and she goes into autopilot with the training Oliver and Barry provided. 

Wren: Wren doesn’t normally hesitate in action situations. Now, she’s observant and likes to plan, so she would be more on the sidelines leading up to it. But if its something that’s just happening, Wren is going to take action and follow her gut regardless. Wren is very emotional, so when her emotions call for action, she’s going to take action without thought of consequence. She will hesitate when someone else has the upper hand and it’s very obvious, and it makes her even madder when that happens--she won’t forget it. But most of the time, her problems are because she reacts based on emotion in some cases, when normally she observes and plans the best she can. Its a nature that’s at war with itself, but emotions typically win out, mostly because they run so high. Things that don’t involve her--things she fully knows she shouldn’t be involved in--will make her hesitate, and she will be a bystander for as long as she is allowed. She doesn’t want to be dragged into a bar fight that doesn’t even include her (though it’s happened many times), so she will hesitate and avoid as much as possible. 

💜 - Compassion (Do they easily empathise with others? What is their relationship like with their parents? Does their sympathy easily turn to pity? Have they been met with much compassion through their life?)

Blair: Answered here! 

Wren: Yikes. Okay, so Wren is actually super empathetic, and can be compassionate...to some degree. Wren is known to be a harsh judge of character at times, and will absolutely judge you if it calls for it, or if she feels you deserve it. Her childhood wasn’t at all great. She was close to her mother before she died, but her father didn’t want her, blamed her for her mother’s death, and treated her poorly. She received compassion from teachers, mainly her music teacher who taught her to play piano, but not much from others. It’s why Wren is empathetic and is compassionate to most. Her sympathy can easily turn to pity, mostly because once she’s the Judge of Eden’s Gate, she’s much more condescending and patronizing to those she Judges harshly. Granted, she’s known to soften John’s hand, but in return, he sharpens hers. It’s a balancing act (pun intended), and her Wrath clouds things at times; that’s when sympathy turns to pity and disdain. Before all that, it’s hard to pinpoint because Wren has a lot going on, a lot she has to deal with, but she’s mostly compassionate and loving, but with a high guard. After the Collaspe, she levels out way more and regrets what she’s done, so she’s a lot softer, wiser, and more open because of lessons learned and she believes in second chances more than ever. 

#oc: blair chambers #oc: wren blake #my ocs #asks #arrowverse #far cry 5

[radiikill]

Coffee Shop Daydreams Chapter 1

It was around ten in the morning at Tokyo University, and Makoto Makimura was already feeling frustrated. She was looking over various notes she had compiled throughout the last couple of weeks and felt like tearing each of them to shreds. Most of the time she loved her courses, she was majoring in exercise science hoping to become a physical therapist. There were  a few classes taken in the last two years of college that made her feel the temptation to drop out, and this was one of them. It was a gen-ed health science course, but the professor was an absolute jerk which ruined everything about the class.

As a result, it felt like she was teaching herself all the concepts.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming towards her table. She was in one of her favorite spots in the library, secluded in a corner hidden away by various bookshelves. Not many people came to this area, so she knew who to expect. She looked up at the man’s face and greeted him with a large smile, shuffling her papers away so he’d have room to sit.

The only saving grace of this class was that she was able to study with one of her closest friends in university, Taiga Saejima. Saejima was three years her senior, though many thought he looked older. He was a large muscular man with a stern face framed by his shoulder-length hair, which made it really easy to be intimidated by him.

They met in another gen-ed course her first year of college. They were paired together for a project, and though she was a little nervous to speak to him the determination to prove herself outweighed everything else. Looking back, Makoto realized that she probably was a stuttering mess. Especially since her Japanese was still fresh, she constantly messed up terms. But, Saejima never got frustrated with her struggles.

Presently, her Japanese has improved and her friendship with Saejima was strong. Many peers were shocked that she was friends with him. Makoto’s friend Joy once told her that she has a habit of attracting rather intimidating guys. Though, despite his imposing exterior, he was actually a very soft person. He was always very kind towards her but was also not afraid to call her out when she needed to be.

“How are you Saejima-kun?” she greeted.

“Not good,” Saejima said, “I fucking hate this class.”

Makoto giggled at the bluntness, agreeing with the sentiment.

“I don’t even know why I need this,” Saejima continued, “I don’t even plan on teaching kids’ science.”

“What did you want to teach again?” Makoto asked as she jotted down more notes.

“History.”

“Sciences are a big part of history,” Makoto reasoned, “you can always go more in-depth if you know some of the concepts.”

“Fuck that,” Saejima replied, “if they want to know the details, they better be paying attention in their other classes.”

Makoto shook her head, giving a joking ‘tsk tsk.’ Even with Saejima’s blunt language, she knew he had a soft spot for kids. If they had inquiries, she knew he’d do his best to answer them. The way he talked about his younger sister proved that enough.

She really enjoyed studying with Saejima. He was smart though it took him more work to understand the concepts. Makoto was quick to understand most science concepts, but she had to put in extra effort in everything else. They were able to help each other make up for their weaknesses. These tutoring sessions were helpful for Saejima to practice his teaching, and it helped Makoto learn how to teach better. She wasn’t confident with her abilities, even when she knew what she was talking about. This resulted in a lot of criticism from Saejima varying from ‘suck it up,’ to ‘speak up’ and some other choice words. It occurred more frequently early on in their friendship. The comments were a little jarring at first, she wasn’t used to people being so blunt with her, but Makoto learned to appreciate the straightforwardness. It was a welcome change from the way people usually treated her. Always either keeping her at a distance or looking at her with obvious disdain.  

The way her classes were scheduled allowed her to get back to Kamurocho around 4 pm. If she was able to get a seat, she’d be able to complete any last-minute class readings. Ideally, she tried to get all her work done while she was on campus, but things happen and sometimes she needs to put in more work while she’s home.

Café Alps was one of her favorite places to spend her time. The ambience was nice, and the service was fantastic. It was her favorite place to go after classes and would alternate between ordering tea and coffee. Sometimes she wouldn’t order anything at all, her time would be spent getting ahead on work or just reading.

Other times she’d people watch. Like in the library, her favorite seat in the café was placed in the corner, the perfect place for a view of the café. She didn’t watch anyone specific, but she loved looking at what people were wearing, and sometimes she couldn’t help but eavesdrop on conversations. She tried not to, but sometimes the conversations just pulled her in.  

Though, she may have lied when she mentioned that she didn’t watch anyone specific. There was one man that really grabbed her interest. She was certain he grabbed everyone’s interest. He was also a regular at the café, tall and lean, with a loud personality. He had a high-pitched laugh, but his tone seemed to change drastically depending on who he was talking too. Like his personality, his outfits were equally as loud. Most of the time he wore a snakeskin jacket without a shirt on underneath, his tattoos peeking out from his shoulders, though sometimes he would change into other loud patterned shirts. Though, it was obvious that he favored the snakeskin jacket.

She didn’t mind the tacky pattern since if she was being honest with herself, he had a very nice figure. He was slim but muscular, his wide grin splitting the harsh angles of his face whenever he’d hear something particularly funny. If she looked closely, she could see the glint of his eye which seemed to have a mischievous look in it. The left eye was covered with an eyepatch, which she wondered if it was for aesthetics or not. He was very expressive in every single aspect of himself.

He commanded her attention whenever he entered the room, and she only prayed that he didn’t notice her peeking over whatever she was distracting herself with.

‘Was this a crush?’ she wondered to herself. She supposed that it was, but at the same time, she felt like it was just all in good fun. Even if it was a ‘crush’ there was a no way she’d ever talk to the guy. Maybe Joy was right, maybe she was attracted to intimidating men. Because she was sure to most people this man was a little frightening, but she couldn’t help but be curious.

But compared to him, she was so boring. She felt horribly plain.

One day she couldn’t help but listen in on a conversation he was having, with another man. They were sitting across from her so she could get a good glance at his face. He was loud, ranting about how people don’t separate their trash and that they’re the reason our environment is the way it was today. She had to hold back a laugh because it was incredibly endearing that this man was ranting about climate change and personal responsibility.

‘Smart and handsome,’ she thought to herself. Her eyes moved up from her book, wanting to get another glimpse at his face. His eye was focused on the man in front of him, engrossed in whatever conversation they were having. Makoto noticed how his hair, which was cut right above his ears, was starting to fall into his face.

She switched back to looking at his face when she met his eye.

He definitely looked directly at her, and it took all her self-control to not flinch. She glared down at her book trying to control her heart rate and the blood rushing to her face. Subtly, she tried to lower her face and raise the book a little higher. The words were not registering in her brain and she just felt so embarrassed that he saw her staring. She cursed at herself for not being careful, now she looked like a nosey woman.

Okay. Maybe this was a little bit of a crush. Just a little.

Ten in the morning, Makoto was at the library, again. Same location, same clutter of papers surrounding her. Saejima was right across from her, papers also surrounding him, but they were in more cohesive stacks. Makoto held some flashcards close to her face, trying to commit each definition to her memory.

“Does holding those cards so damn close help at all?” Saejima questioned.

Makoto let out a little laugh. She knew Saejima was bound to start getting snappy. Besides being surrounded by papers he was also surrounded by broken pencils that failed under his pressure.

“Maybe you should try it,” Makoto said, “I could tape them to you if you want?”

Saejima scoffed, not in the mood to joke around.

“At this point I’d rather you tape a bomb to me.”

She felt like they had been in the library for forever. They’ve spent the past week studying and she was starting to feel the burnout. Makoto was about to say something until Saejima beat her to it.

“I wanna get the fuck out of here,” he said.

“I do too, but we really gotta get these definitions down,” she sighed, “that was our only goal for the day.”

“How about we go somewhere else then,” he grumbled.

Makoto immediately agreed. A new spot would be refreshing. Saejima and her both lived in Kamurocho, so she suggested they go to Café Alps.

“Isn’t that the place the guy you’re stalking goes to?” Saejima asked.

“Huhhh,” she replied, “I’m not stalking him, I forgot I even told you about that.”

“Sure.” Saejima said, obviously not believing her.

“If I was stalking him, I’d follow him out of the coffee shop, but I’m not.” She was trying her best to not sound defensive; she was also already thinking about how he caught her staring a couple days ago.

Saejima shushed her and told her to get her stuff ready so they could leave. She huffed, frustrated by her friends teasing, trying to get her mind off of the guy at the café.

The day must have had different plans for her though.

She was twisting her pencil between her fingers trying to focus on the different passages, while Saejima was studying her flash cards. The change of environment was nice and the commute to Kamurocho gave them a much-needed break. Overall, she was able to focus relatively well.

Until a boisterous voice snapped her from her book. Eyepatch man came in once again, along with another young man in a white pinstripe suit. She assumed the guy in the suit was the same person he was conversing with about climate change a couple days ago. His face was more stoic than the eyepatch man, if anything he seemed to be slightly annoyed at how close he was getting.

It was amusing. She giggled and elbowed Saejima in the ribs. He glared at her, but she interrupted him before he could say anything.

“That’s the guy,” she whispered, pointing to the guy with the eyepatch. She noticed Saejima’s eyes widen, then a small smirk graced his lips. Then he started to chuckle, and it seemed like it was bound to evolve into full blown laughter.

Makoto was not expecting this reaction at all.

“Look, I get he’s a little weird looking, but you don’t need to laugh at me,” she whispered harshly.

“I just, can’t believe,” he said in between chuckles, “of all people you take interest in.”

“Geez,” she said, “I shouldn’t have told you anything.”

She appreciated that he was keeping his laughing to a reasonable volume, though it still annoyed her. Her face was already getting redder. Once he stopped, he gave her a look she didn’t recognize. It looked as if he was plotting something, and Makoto didn’t like it.

“Why are you looking at me like that,” she huffed.

“You’ll thank me later,” he responded, then he turned towards the guy with the eyepatch and yelled.

“Oi! Majima!”

The guy with the eyepatch, Majima, turned towards them. His eyes met Saejima’s and his mouth split into a wide grin. He gave a wave and started to walk towards them. Makoto felt like she might pass out, not expecting this turn of events at all.

“What the hell,” she whispered to Saejima.

#majimako #majima goro #makoto makimura #saejima taiga #yakuza #ryu ga gotoku

[mihnn]

Hello! Sorry to bother you. can I ask for a recommendation? The only Kdrama I have watch it's boys over flowers. Could you recommend me one of the likes so I can get myself into this world? I keep staring at your gifts and just makes me wanna starts watching them.

Sure. And you’re not bothering me at all. :D So many recs…

Shows similar to Boys Over Flowers:

1. Coffee Prince - A tomboy is mistaken for a young man, but maintains the deception for the sake of employment. The situation becomes complicated when her male boss begins to develop feelings for this “boy” and vice versa.

2. The Heirs - Kim Tan is the heir to Empire Group who has been sent to study abroad in the U.S. In reality it’s a form of exile, as his elder half-brother back home schemes to take over the family business. While in the States, Kim Tan meets Cha Eun Sang, who arrived from Korea in search of her older sister. He feels himself falling for her, never realizing that she’s the daughter of his family’s housekeeper. When his fiancée Rachel Yoo arrives to bring him back to Korea, his heart is torn between love and duty.

Shows that are cute and fun with a lot of romance and friendship:

1. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo - Bok Joo is a weightlifter who is pursuing her dream of winning the gold medal but she then finds romance for the first time in her life. While she is a woman who trains with heavy steel weights, she is also very feminine when it comes to relationships. To focus solely on weightlifting would jeopardize her relationship but leaving her weightlifting career for love would keep her from attaining her dreams. It covers their coming-of-age stories and relationships through hectic life.

2. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon - Do Bong Soon is a petite, unemployed woman who is honest and kind. She appears little and sweet on the outside, but she is in fact very, very strong. Ahn Min Hyuk, who holds a great distrust towards the police, witnessed the whole exchange of Bong Soon’s superhuman strength, and now wants to employ her as a bodyguard after being threatened by an unknown enemy. 

3. Shopping King Louie - The romantic comedy series “Shopaholic Louis” revolves around a handsome shopaholic named Louis, who is the successor of a vast business empire but becomes homeless after suffering from amnesia. Meanwhile, Koh Bok Shil, a country girl who lives a life that is worlds apart from the rich and famous, encounters Louis in Seoul.

4. Thirty But Seventeen - Woo Seo Ri, a violin prodigy at 17 who was about to study in Germany, got into a bus accident and fell into a coma waking up 13 years later. Mentally she is still only 17, while physically she is now 30.Due to a trauma he experienced 13 years before, Gong Woo Jin does not want to have a relationship with others.This series is about a man and a woman whose lives in their own ways essentially stopped when they were 17. Together, they use all their might to try and open the door to the happiness that they once thought had been closed to them.

5. My ID is Gangnam Beauty - This series tells the story of Kang Mi Rae, a girl once bullied for her looks. As a result, she became insecure, cautious around people and withdrawn. However, Mi Rae decides she wants a fresh start away from bullying and gets plastic surgery to transform her face. When she begins university, she meets Do Kyung Suk from their middle school days, who sees people for what they are on the inside and not the outside; he then becomes attracted to Kang Mi Rae.As Mi Rae begins to get teased once more and labeled “Gangnam Beauty”, the cold, aloof but kind inside Kyung Suk becomes the one person that stands up for her and in the process, Mi Rae begins to recover her lost confidence and discovers that true beauty is not on the outside.

6. What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim - The series revolves around the narcissistic Lee Young Joon, the vice president of a company run by his family. He is very self-absorbed and thinks highly of himself, so much that he barely acknowledges the people around him. Lee Young Joon has a capable and patient secretary in Kim Mi So who has remained by his side and worked diligently for 9 years without any romantic involvement. However, Mi So now want to set her life & focus on herself so when she decides to resign from her job, hilarious misunderstandings ensue.

7. Fight For My Way - Despite an increasingly hostile world, Ko Dong Man and Choi Ae Ra decide not to give up. No matter what others speak of them, they together make their own way to live a happy life.

8. She Was Pretty - As a young girl, Hye Jin was impossibly cute and had a comfortable life with her wealthy parents but since her teens, her looks and fortune changed abruptly and now she is living with her friend rent-free and working as a part-time clerk at a convenience store. One day, her childhood first love, Sung Joon, contacts her wishing to meet her, but recognizing Sung Joon has grown into a handsome and fit man, she quickly hatches a plan to have her pretty friend meet him in her place instead. After luckily landing a full-time job, Hye Jin is surprised to find Sung Joon as her boss, who is adding insult to injury, treating her with disdain and contempt.

EPICS with romance:

1. Goblin: The Lonely God - Kim Shin was once an unbeatable general in war who died a sad death. He now possesses immortality but is tired of living whilst everyone else around him dies. For 900 years, Kim Shin has searched for his bride, a mortal who can pull out the sword that binds him to the living. One day, he encounters Ji Eun Tak, a positive, upbeat high school student who can see the dead and has gone through tragic things, yet still stays strong. She claims to be the Goblin’s bride who can end his immortal life, but what appears to be an easy task only gets complicated as the two fall into requited love.

2. Mr. Sunshine - Mr. Sunshine centers on a young boy born into a house servant’s family and travels to the United States during the 1871 Shinmiyangyo (U.S. expedition to Korea). He returns to his homeland later as a U.S. marine officer. He meets and falls in love with an aristocrat’s daughter. At the same time, he discovers a plot by foreign forces to colonize Korea.

3. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo - When a total eclipse of the sun takes place, a 21st century woman, Go Ha Jin, is transported back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty of Korea. She wakes up in the body of 16-year-old Hae Soo, an aristocrat living with Lady Hae, her cousin who happens to be married to one of the sons of King Taejo. She soon befriends several of the princes, who find her carefree and exuberant attitude refreshing. Although she knows she should not get involved in palace intrigues over the succession to the throne, she inadvertently becomes a pawn in the struggle, as several of the Princes fall in love with her.

4. Descendants of the Sun - Kang Mo Yeon is a pretty and assertive woman who works as a cardiothoracic surgeon at Haesung Hospital. She isn’t afraid to admit her mistakes and believes that capability overrides whatever connections you have. However, she is soon faced with reality that she cannot advance with just capability. Her life is forever changed when she encounters Yoo Si Jin, the Captain and team leader of Alpha Team who cares more about protecting anybody who needs help as well as his country, even if it goes against the order of his superiors. This drama will tell of how they both band together in a time of war and overcome the odds against them.

5. Memories of the Alhambra - Strong spirited Yoo Jin Woo is the CEO of an investment company with a degree in engineering and a knack for developing video games. He has an adventurous and competitive spirit. Suffering after his best friend betrays him, he takes a business trip to Granada, Spain in search of the mysterious inventor of an innovative augmented-reality  video game. He ends up at a hostel that Jung Hee Joo owns. They are both drawn into a series of strange and unexpected events.

Shows that focus on real relationships:

1. Something in the Rain - Yoon Jin Ah is a woman in her mid-30s who doesn’t know yet what it’s like to date a man. She’s been dumped by a man many times because of her clumsy, reckless, and foolish behavior. Just then, Joon Hee appears and he is Jin Ah’s childhood best friend’s younger brother, who used to live next door. Jin Ah has always remembered him as a little kid, but one day, he comes back as a man. When she is surprised by his change, her gut feeling tells her that she would truly fall in love this time.

2. Familiar Wife - Cha Joo Hyuk works at a bank and has been married to Seo Woo Jin for five years. When a strange incident happens one day, Joo Hyuk makes a decision that impacts his life and those around him in unexpected ways. Suddenly, the life he had with Woo Jin and his best friend, Yoon Joong Hoo are gone and he is leading a very different life.How will his first love, Lee Hee Won, factor into his new life? And will it be possible to get his old life back?

3. Encounter or Boyfriend - Cha Soo Hyun is the daughter of a politician who lives a  life where she is unable to choose her own path. After graduating from college, she entered into a loveless marriage with the son of a wealthy conglomerate, a marriage only beneficial to her politician father. She then gets divorced. Her life is changed further when she meets simple and kind Kim Jin Hyuk.

4. Matrimonial Chaos - Jo Seok Moo graduated from a prestigious university, but he pursued his dream of becoming a musician rather than finding a traditional job. Jo Seok Moo did not become a musician and because of his advanced age, he could not land a decent job. He then began working at a security service company. There, he met Kang Hwi Ru for the first time as his customer. They have been married for 3 years now, but Jo Seok Moo asks for a divorce. They do not have very much in common. Jo Seok Moo has a stubborn personality and enjoys spending time alone, while Kang Hwi Ru is easy-going and has a positive personality.Another married couple, Jin Yoo Young and Lee Jang Hyun appear. Jin Yoo Young is Jo Seok Moo’s first love.

Shows not focused on Romance:

1. Misaeng or Incomplete Life - Jang Geu Rae has played the game Go since he was a child. Playing the game was everything to him, but he failed to become a professional Go player. Now he’s been thrown out into the real world. When his gaming plans fail, the down-and-out Geu Rae is forced to get an office job as an intern thanks to an acquaintance’s recommendation for him to a large company called One International.

2. Live - The drama revolves around the incidents that occur in the police force and the joy, sorrow, and pain that police officers experience as they try to protect justice.

3. Argon - Kim Baek Jin is a popular anchor, reporter, and leader of investigative reporting program Argon. He does not tolerate unverified reports and requires facts he can personally stand behind.

4. Miss Hammurabi - Park Chao Reum is a newly appointed judge who is assigned to the 44th Civil Affairs Department at the Seoul Central District. She is always on the lookout for injustice and is able to profoundly empathize with others. Compared to her, Im Ba Reun is a cool-headed man of principle with the creed of ‘Court that is equal to all’, and he is displeased with junior judge Park Chao Reum who is overtly sympathetic when it comes to cases.

5. The Package - Yoon So So leaves on a trip to Europe with her boyfriend she met in college despite her parents’ disapproval, dreaming of a romantic journey. A few years later, her boyfriend heartlessly comes back to Korea alone, leaving So So behind. So So couldn’t help but start working as a tour guide in France to make a living. She leads a group of people traveling with the “Luxurious Premium Tour Package: 1 Week in France”.

These are just a few of the shows I love. There are many many MANY more, so feel free to ask. I know a few recs for law shows, assassins, murder/mystery, crack, so feel free to ask. I hope you enjoy your kdrama binge watch. Most of these can be found on Netflix.

P.S, - Added an update because I remembered a few more.

#kdrama #kdrama recs #anon ask #ask #mihnn answers #korean drama

[dancingkirby]

In which Bolin adults

Chapter 3!  And I still have no idea whether this story is actually decent or a pile of hot garbage, but here it is anyway! :D  This one has the embarrassing sex stuff at the beginning for which my cat was judging me.  There are also some minor continuity errors with Chapter 2, which I fixed before posting it on ff.net.

As soon as their apartment door was closed behind them, Opal turned to face Bolin.

“Are you going to tell me what happened between you and Eska?” she asked.  “Besides the obvious.  I didn’t want to press you last night because you were already so distraught, but I…I feel like I need to know.”

Bolin gulped and snuck a look at her face.  She didn’t look angry, just confused.

“Yeah…” he began, and winced at how hoarse his voice sounded.  He cleared his throat and tried again.

“Yeah, I mean, you should know.  Let me just…oof!  Pabu!”

The fire ferret had jumped onto his shoulders, and voiced his displeasure that his dinner was late.

“Okay, I guess I have to feed him first.”

After Pabu was chomping away, Bolin and Opal sat on the couch.

“So…uh…where to begin?  You know about the general stuff that went down at Harmonic Convergence, right?”

Opal nodded.

“And how much did you know about Eska before this?”

“Well…I knew of her.  And Mako hinted once that something unpleasant had happened between you two.”

“He did?”

“Yeah.  He didn’t go into details, though.”

That was a surprise to Bolin.  Mako had always treated the whole situation with amusement at best and disdain at worst. Pabu, now satiated, jumped into his lap, and Bolin began to stroke him absentmindedly.  He was glad to have something to do with his hands to alleviate the nervous energy.

“Well, we met at the Glacier Spirit Festival before,” he began.  “I was the one to talk to her first.  Things were a bit rough, but then they were better the next day, so I thought hey, this might actually work out.  Then I hugged Korra and Eska…kind of flipped out.”

He paused as he decided how to phrase the next part.

“So…I kept trying to break things off with her, but she’d never listen; she kept threatening to feed me to the dolphin piranhas.  And Korra and Asami and Mako…they weren’t any help.”

He looked at Opal to see if she was still following the story.  She motioned for him to continue.

“And then I did work up the courage to say something, but I must have gone wrong somewhere, because the next thing I knew, she was trying to marry me!  And that’s when…well…you know…”  He figured that his face was approximately the color of a radish.

“I see,” Opal said. Having no Pabu to occupy her, she picked at a thumbnail.

All right.  It was now or never.

“Is it normal for there to be blood?” he asked in a rush before he lost the nerve.

Opal blinked.

“Are we talking about yours or…hers?” she asked.

“Uh…hers.  I was going to ask Mako about it, but then I never found the right moment to ask and I was afraid he’d laugh at me, so I thought I was just terrible at sex, but then it didn’t happen with you and…” He had to stop here to gasp for air.

Opal gave a nervous giggle.

“It’s okay, you can calm down!” she said.  She thought for a few seconds.

“She was probably a virgin,” she said at last.  “I heard that in the old days, when a high-born girl would get married, they’d show everyone the bedsheets the next day to prove that the husband hadn’t been cheated.”

“Eeew!  Why would anyone want to see that?”

“I don’t know. It is pretty stupid.”

“But then…why didn’t you..?”

“It usually doesn’t happen if you’re doing things right,” Opal told him.  “We used lube, remember?  And I’d…already experimented a bit before.”  Now it was her turn to blush.  At least she looked cute when doing it.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.   Was there anything else you wanted to add?”

“Well…I got away before she married me, of course.  Then I was really angry and kind of a jerk for a while, but then we met again at Harmonic Convergence, and when that was over I asked if she wanted to move to Republic City with me, and she said no.  And then the only other time I saw her was at the coronation, and she said nothing about a kid then.”

“Wow.  What a terrible thing to go through.  Why didn’t you tell me this before?” Opal inquired.

“I guess I kind of thought it was in the past.”

“You poor thing. You poor things, really.   It’s weird, but Eska…kind of reminds me of Huan.”

“Your brother?”

Opal shot him a Look.

“Bolin.  Do you know of any other Huans?  Yes, my brother.  He was always…different, and someone always had to keep an eye on him. I guess he was lucky that he grew up in a place like Zaofu, but still…he gets overwhelmed easily.  And then he shuts down, and can even lash out if it gets really bad.”

“You think Eska’s like that?” Bolin asked as he scratched his head.  Eska had almost always seemed to be in perfect control of her emotions.  Except for that one instant of shock and pain in her eyes before she recomposed her expression; that was seared in Bolin’s memory forever.  And the time on the boat, but he didn’t like to think about the time on the boat.

“Well…to be honest, you were easy for her to control. You saw her with Tahno.  I honestly don’t think that he meant any harm…but she seemed to be oblivious to any innuendo.”

“Don’t worry. She’s perfectly capable of defending herself.  I know firsthand.”

“Well, physically, of course…but emotionally?” Opal mused.

“I dunno.”

After that, they ran out of things to say, so they spent the rest of the evening cuddling, eating takeout, and listening to the radio.  It wasn’t really a sexy kind of night after that discussion.

The next morning, they were abruptly jerked out of sleep by the phone ringing.

“I’ll get it…” Bolin sighed as Opal snapped on the light.  He stumbled over to the kitchen and slammed his hand on the light switch there. Pabu followed close behind, because if the humans were awake, that must mean it was breakfast time.

“Hello? Whozis?” he mumbled as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

“We require your assistance.”

“Eska?  What are you doing calling so early in the morning?  It’s…” -he glanced at the wall clock-“5:30!  We were still sleeping.”

“You may attempt to convey that information to Kinalik, but I doubt you would succeed,” Eska remarked drily.  “She awoke at four, and has been running all over the house asking ‘Where’s Bolin? Where’s Bolin?’  Attempts to return her to her somnolent state have been futile.”

As usual, Bolin wasn’t sure he understood all her words, but he thought he got the general idea.

“Well…uh…not much I can do now…YES, Pabu, I see you…but maybe later in the morning? Wait, hold on a minute…who gave you this number in the first place.”

“Korra.  She and her partner seemed greatly displeased about Kinalik’s intrusion into their bedchamber.”

“I see.  Pabu, I swear…look, I have to go now.  Call you back later?”

“I suppose.”

“’Kay, bye.”

He hung up the phone, dumped what he thought was a reasonable amount of food into Pabu’s dish, and went back to bed.

A few hours later, feeling somewhat more refreshed, Opal went off to Air Temple Island for practice while Bolin called Asami’s house back.  

“My cousin mentioned an establishment by the name of Narook’s,” Eska informed him.  “Perhaps you could take Kinalik there for lunch.”

Narook’s. He’d only been there a handful of times since…The Incident.  But maybe enough time had passed that they’d forgotten about it.  Whatever would make Eska and/or Korra less likely to murder him.

“Narook’s it is, then,” he said, “Should I pick her up around eleven?  I had a thing I wanted to do before.”

Eska confirmed it, and they hung up again.

Now…it was time to face Mako.  He’d been avoiding him for too long.

He wasn’t sure whether his brother would actually be in the office today, and had been prepared to leave a message, but Mako was right there at his desk.  Bolin gave a condensed version of what had taken place since their rushed phone conversation not quite 48 hours ago.

“I have to say I’m surprised, bro,” Mako had when Bolin had finished talking.  “I have to admit I was really pissed at you, but I like how you’re accepting responsibility on your own.  Good for you.”

“Awwww…thanks!” Bolin gushed.  He gave Mako a hug, which his brother accepted, albeit somewhat stiffly.

“Just remember,” Mako cautioned, “It’s not all going to be fun and games.  Kids that age throw tantrums.  They make messes.  They say embarrassing things.”

“Gee, it’s almost like you have firsthand experience or something.”

“Maybe I do. Anyway, how’s the job hunt going?”

Bolin looked away. He’d been afraid of this.

“Not great,” he admitted.  “I always have trouble filling out the applications.”

Mako seemed surprised.

“I can help you with those, Bolin, you know I will!  All you have to do is ask.”

“I just…I guess I wanted to do it myself.  And I thought you were busy.”

“I’m never that busy.  You know how important this is.  You can’t just rely on probending or movers.  Especially not now with your new…obligations.”

“Yeah, I get it. I hear you,” Bolin said; in fact he had already heard it several times before.  “I’ll see what I can do tomorrow.”

“Sounds good. Oh, one more thing.”

“Yeah?”

“You know the family reunion in two weeks for Grandma’s birthday?”

“Well…of course,” Bolin said.  Who wouldn’t know about it?  All twelve of Grandma’s surviving children, plus those children’s children and grandchildren, would be there.  In total, there would be well over a hundred people.

“I was thinking…if we took Kinalik and Eska there, Grandma would be over the moon.  You know how she is about royalty, and if she found out that one of her own descendants was royal…”

“Yeah, I see what you mean.  I’ll try; I’m not sure Eska would be too keen on it.”  He glanced at a nearby clock. “But right now it’s 10:30, so I gotta run. Nice talking to you, Mako!”

He had to hurry, but got to Asami’s house just in time.  Eska answered the door.  Kinalik, newly outfitted in Earth Kingdom green, was clutching her hand.

“She is slightly nervous,” Eska told him.  “The anticipation caught up to her.”

“Does she still want to go out?”

Eska asked Kinalik, who nodded.

“I can drive you!” Korra shouted out as she ran into the front hallway, accompanied by Desna. “There and back.  It’s his turn to go shopping today.  And I’ve gotten much better at driving, so don’t look at me like that!”

“Uh, sure. Whatever you say, Korra.”  Then Bolin remembered what Mako had said.  He turned to Eska and inquired in a low voice, “So…what about diapers?”

Eska looked affronted.

“Kinalik has been fully toilet-trained for three months now,” she announced more loudly than Bolin would have liked.  

“Well, um, congratulations then!”  But Eska wasn’t done talking.

“And remember. If you leave her unattended for even one second, and harm comes to her, I will personally disembowel you.”

Now that was more like the Eska Bolin remembered. He tried to make a joke to ease the mood.

“No dolphin piranhas today, huh?”

Eska blinked and tilted her head.

“They are not indigenous to these waters,” was all she said.

“I believe that he was making a weak attempt at humor,” Desna told her.

“Oh.”

Bolin thought he was starting to get what Opal had said about Eska being oblivious.

For all he knew, Korra was actually “much better” at driving, but he soon found out that this was relatively speaking.

“You okay?” he asked Kinalik once they had reached their destination and he was lifting her out of Asami’s old booster seat; she looked a bit green around the gills and didn’t reply.

“Let’s just sit here for a bit,” Bolin offered as he patted a nearby bench.  They sat there for a few minutes until Kinalik’s color returned, Bolin doing a running commentary on anything that he thought might be of interest to a three-year-old.

“Look at that rooster pigeon!” he said as he pointed.  “See how fat it is?  I bet that it got kicked out of the nest because it kept stealing food from its brothers and sisters!”

Eska would likely have opined that the rooster pigeon had eaten its siblings as well, but Kinalik just giggled.

“Speaking of food…want to go eat now?” he offered.

“Okay.”

“Now I don’t know about you, but I’m starving!” he exclaimed as he helped his daughter off the bench.  He remembered Eska’s threat, and added, “Don’t let go of my hand, okay?”

Narook’s was just a couple of blocks over, in a new location since the old one had been destroyed in the battle with Kuvira.  Narook himself was working there today.

“Why hello, Bolin!” he said.  “And look at that pretty young lady who’s your guest!”  He was evidently tactful enough to not ask questions as to their relationship.

Kinalik hid behind Bolin’s legs.

“She’s pretty shy,” he explained as way of apology, but Narook waved it off.  

“You having the usual?” he asked.

“Yeah.  And the kid’s size for her.”

They sat down at the nearest table, Kinalik still obediently clutching onto Bolin’s hand.

“We don’t have to hold hands while we’re in here,” he clarified.  “Just when we’re outside.”

Their orders arrived shortly.  Kinalik looked uncertain at first, but once Bolin had persuaded her to taste it, she ate with gusto.

After they were finished and the bill had been paid, Bolin was unsure what to do next, since Korra wasn’t picking them up until two.  Thankfully, Kinalik decided for him.

“Shiny!” she exclaimed, pointing at a glimmer in the distance.

“That’s the pro-bending arena.  You wanna go see it?”

“Yeah!”

“Sounds good. It’s a bit of a walk, so I’ll carry you, okay?”

Once Kinalik gave her consent, they set off.  Bolin was relieved that his leg only bothered him slightly.

Kinalik was mesmerized once they reached the building.  It was touching to see her reaction to it as a newcomer, since Bolin was so thoroughly used to it.  She dragged him over and put her hands against the wall, staring intently at her slightly distorted reflection.  She would have licked the wall too, but Bolin caught her in time.

“Pretty neat, huh? Did you know I used to work here?”

Well, that was a dumb question…of course she didn’t.

“And I might still be working here, but…” he sighed, “I hurt my knee a few months back during a game.  They’re still not sure whether I’ll be able to play again.”

Kinalik tore her gaze from the wall long enough to shoot him a look of concern.

“Boo-boo?” she asked.

“It was a bit more than that,” Bolin replied.

“Wow,” said Kinalik, as it was difficult for her to imagine any greater injury than a boo-boo.

Just then, they heard a yell.

“HEY!  Hands off the wall!  I just cleaned that!”

“Ugh…we better go. Yeah, I know, I know…” Bolin said as he dragged a whining Kinalik away from the building.

Now it was nearing time for Korra to pick them up, and Bolin felt a sense of satisfaction about how the day had gone.  And he’d gotten through the whole outing without Kinalik having to use the…

“Potty?”

So much for that. Okay, don’t panic, don’t panic…he was panicking, wasn’t he?

First he had to ask where the nearest public bathrooms were, then he was paralyzed with indecision as he tried to decide which bathroom would be the least bad option. She was a girl, so the obvious choice would be the women’s room, but he wasn’t sure he was allowed to be in there even with a small child.  But men’s rooms were so gross…and full of man parts…

“POTTY!”

Men’s room it was. Bolin clapped a hand over Kinalik’s eyes and ran inside with her as fast as he could. Thankfully there was a stall open…and thankfully the seat was clean.

He hoped that waiting outside the stall didn’t count as “unattended.”  He didn’t think that anyone would be able to hurt her in there, unless someone were to descend from the ceiling on a rope.  He instantly regretted thinking that thought.

Five minutes passed, then ten.  Bolin was getting nervous.  What if people recognized him?  He did not want to have to deal with the paparazzi with such a timid child in tow.

“You need any help?” he asked the stall door.  No answer.

“Hey, buddy, what’s the holdup?” a rough-looking guy demanded.

Bolin tried to look as threatening as he possibly could and replied, “My kid is in there.”

He’d hoped that this would scare that man off, but no such luck.

“You look familiar,” the guy said.  “Now where have I seen you there before?”

Yikes.

While the guy was trying to puzzle this out, Bolin was finally bailed out by the toilet flushing. Once the door opened, he hurried Kinalik over to the sinks and held her up so she could wash her hands.  They had to get out of there before…

“HEY!  I remember now!  You’re that probender that got hurt!” the man shouted, causing several heads to turn.

“Okay, Ki, that’s enough washing,” he told her.  They ran out, Bolin not even bothering to turn off the tap.  Thankfully, their “friend” didn’t pursue them.

They were safe for now.  But there was going to be talk.  Bolin doubted that this guy would keep their encounter a secret.

Despite this challenge, Kinalik was returned to her mother in one piece; she didn’t even get carsick on the drive home.

After enduring several disconcerting questions from Eska about Kinalik’s bathroom visit (“Foolish turtleduck.  You are a parent now.  There is no longer any such thing as ‘too much information,’” she scolded him when he complained), Bolin was at last in the clear to leave.

“Just so you know, I won’t be available for a while,” he told Eska.  “I have to go job hunting for the next few days.”  He made a face.

“But you will be at the Avatar’s relocation gala?”

“Yeah.”

“Then I suppose Desna and I shall encounter you then.”

“Yep!” Bolin said cheerfully.  He felt proud of himself as the door closed.  He had tackled some adulting, and he hadn’t messed it up!

#legend of korra #fanfic #eska #boleska #bopal

[badmuslim-blog1]

Do as the Romans Do… Unless the Romans happen to be be Misogynist Pigs

Oct 11

Today I attempted to leave “the grounds” to go to the corner store thats 10 steps away for some ice cream and maybe some chips or treats. My “family” here stood at the door holding me back, one auntie holding the door latch, the other holding my arm trying to persuade me not to go. I say persuade but they were not about to let me leave no matter how I insisted. Even as I told them I had permission from my parents who weren’t present at that time, they insisted that it’s not allowed. “It’s not allowed, it’s not allowed”. I couldn’t tell at first if they meant the men of the house, my uncle and their sons, didn’t allow it or if the PEOPLE didn’t allow it. Although I’m quite sure those are one and the same. The elderly women, my uncle's wife, the lady of the house stood there telling me she’d get in trouble if she let me go. “Take Abudy with you and go, just wait and we’ll call him, you can go to the mall”. The mall is a medium-sized general store that is family and woman approved. Unlike the convenient stores around the corner which apparently only men can enter due to the people working there. She went as far as to whisper in my ear that they were “bad” men using creative descriptors that were meant to deliver a point I suppose.  

Probably that they’re sleazy or street kids that don’t know how to behave well in front of a lady. The thing is that’s pretty much every man in this country. So I don’t see the issue. Her sons, my cousins, mean well enough. They grew up in the same decade as me, they’ve been exposed to roughly the same international modern ideals and values, they’re educated and they get the whole freedom for women thing, however, they’re not exactly lining up to liberate the women of Iraq from their barred kitchens and suffocating limiting circumstances. Hell, they participate, not like the worst of them, but they participate complacently in the messed up, corrupt, oppressive, inequitable social muddle that is the Iraqi social structure. Their codes of conduct, their mannerisms, and common laws, perpetuating their unjust systems. The younger one Abdulla I often find trying to persuade me they’re not that bad and they’re more progressive and fair a society than other places than other parts of Iraq. It’s a sweet gesture but he always falls short and ends up laughing awkwardly and looking away. It’s refreshing talking to someone who isn’t completely OBLIVIOUS as to why I’m not impressed or satisfied with the way things are here.

Let’s be real for a second, put the situation into perspective. It’s not like I’m seriously about to leave the house to walk around these streets that I don’t know and I’m not familiar with. I’m not that reckless and irresponsible, I’d want to be shown around first, get a tour, a rundown of the area. The issue is the people here don’t seem to trust me to have the sense to not do so. To know better. They think it’s necessary to supervise every move of a grown, stable, educated woman not because she’s new to the area and may get lost or run into some rowdy people, but because she’s a woman, meaning she may accidentally walk through the door that leads to outside instead of the bathroom. Then she may accidentally run into the street and get hit by a car, or she may attract kidnappers in the middle of the day, In the middle of a populated street.

Incidentally, I know this environment all too well, I grew up in this very same house, only it was surrounded by a whole lot less desert and like-minded Arabs. A household where the 5-year-old son is sent to check who’s at the door before the 14-year-old daughter. A household where if the outside world got bad enough, and the situation dire, the son would be taught to ride a bike or a motorcycle to school and back safely while the daughter would drop out. A household where a son getting married means gaining a helping hand around the house, someone to serve the family and the son, during the day and the night. However the daughter getting married means selling her future, and her body to another to do with it what they want with no way out in sight short of a black eye and broken bone.

Some families grow out of the bad habits they learn back home and only chose to keep the good, the loving caring qualities and traits they inherit, while others don’t shake it off. Mistaking learned, conditioned prejudice and oppressive behaviors as culture, religion, and tradition. That mixture happens to be a deadly one when associated with desperate, possessive, controlling parenting. When you have that formula set up, all that’s left is to classify a degree. How bad is the burn, how far is one willing to go when they think they need to save their children even if they have to hurt them first. And voila, you have extreme circumstances such as honor killings.

Now all that’s left is me sitting here in a puddle of disdain, bubbling fury, anger over the fact that people want to force their way of life onto me when this is not the life I’ve been dealt. I’ve been gifted the opportunity to live a different kind of life. One far from this one in all the ways that matter, I’d be so very stupid to give up a life of freedom to chose and live as I want for the very one my grandparents escaped decades ago when fleeing war. Now they think I’d be willing to come here and live an ordinary Iraqi woman’s life, an Iraqi’s wife. Why would I? You know how they say we all have a fight or flight instinct when faced with extenuating or high anxiety circumstances? I used to pretend I was the former because it sounded more powerful but I’m definitely the latter. It’s why I had planned to leave for Mexico in August, leave my family for a year and move out afterward, permanently. It’s why I’ve been formulating a plan to sneak away in the night, run away to Baghdad, seek out the British embassy and plea my case, hoping they’d give me an out. Because running away is my method of self-preservation. As humans we all have an innate instinct to want to self-preserve. Especially when we feel our free will at risk, our freedom, and hence a need to survive. It’s a beautiful thing, this instinct need to be what comes natural, to live with a free body and mind.

#immigrants #arab #arab household #helicopter parents #suffocating parenting

[rarestereocats]

rundown of tonight’s game!

the morning is one of moral conflict already as some of us are leaving to speak with mayor,  including Xaren,  and he’s left with a choice over who gets to watch the camp.  the obvious option being Rikius,  but an annoying soldier named Thompson practically begs him to choose someone else.  Tenin licks his lips in anticipation.  he can do it.  he can watch this camp like nobody can.

Xaren chooses my boy and Thompson dies a little on the inside.  Tenin probably dies a little bit too,  but he chooses to keep vigilant anyways.  with the magic amulet Elathera got,  he’s a free man now.  he can live all his dreams,  including bird watching.  he really loves to bird watch now,  guys.  it’s adorable.

we talk to the mayor and things are simple as fuck.  it’s the small victories.  she tells us she’ll get word around about our work and we head back to camp.  Xaren pulls me aside to ask how my night was and we watch Elathera and Elliot trying to creep in on this,  so we go behind a tree.  Elathera does her best to sneak up and get some juicy gossip,  but literally nothing escapes my eagle eyes and it’s amazing that that mysteries of this universe continue to elude me despite that.

after Elathera and Elliot run off,  i tell Xaren the news about me and Rikius being official.  he’s happy,  i’m happy,  but yet there’s one obstacle i have yet to overcome.  become scott pilgrim and battling his evil exes apparently.  i explain that his ex has some problems,  especially letting go,  and he tells me to point her out when she arrives so we can all look at her with casual disdain and disgust.  cuz that’s what friends do.

as we speak,  the devil herself strolls up to camp with a bouquet of flowers,  a book,  and a box of chocolates.  Tenin and Industria watch her approach and after talking with her,  Sephi shoves the stuff to Industria and tells her to give it to Rikius.  Tenin is tasked with retrieving Xaren who speaks with Satan Sephi and Industria gives Tenin a new mission to go deliver the goods.

i see Tenin and ask him if he has a hot date,  but he says a woman brought this stuff for Rikius.  realization hits me and i yell at him to destroy that shit.  with the death of chocolates nearing,  Industria hears their delicious cries for mercy and arrives on scene to collect them.  her and Tenin fight over them,  but she manages to win her sweet confections and goes over to the tree to down the entire box.

meanwhile,  me and Xaren talk Tenin down and he hands the bouquet to me.  i promptly punt the flowers into the wilderness as Tenin watches on in confusion.  Xaren covers for me by saying i’m allergic to them and while still confused,  he doesn’t question this further.  Industria finds a love note penned by Sephi inside the box,  but tough luck,  he’s mine now -hair flip-.  get fucked

Xaren tucks the note away and leaves the scene as Rikius arrives.  almost great timing on his part as Industria hides the empty box.  he notices the flowers in ruins and is a little miffed,  but when he can’t find a tag or note,  he leaves them be.  he notices Tenin holding a book and Tenin notices him noticing him,  so he cracks the book open and reads;  startling us all momentarily.

after this Human Experience of hobbies that don’t involve patriotism and swords,  he hands the book to Rikius and i jump in a bush thinking we’re all found out,  but he simply says a woman dropped it off for him.  and like the nerd he is,  Rikius cracks it open,  but not before questioning why i have reverted back to my Bush Baby ways.

i say i’m gathering my thoughts,  but Industria takes this as a chance to drag me and asks if Rikius is honestly that surprised by this.  i’m offended and she brings up all the times i’ve woken up in a bush and i say i’ve grown from those days.  Rikius drags Industria (get her,  boo) by saying she’s devolving.  she tells him to shut up and she’s roasted again with “she’s even running out of witty comebacks” and surprisingly,  this actually hurts her feelings.

Elathera and Elliot go watch horse races.  Industria enters Arnor in and of course,  they bet on Arnor because in this party we love and support each other despite our flaws and sometimes glaringly obvious issues.  he’s great at the races!  but in a total dick move,  he decides to stop short at the finish line and lose just because he can.

on the way back,  somebody compliments Industria on her angel cosplay and of course,  here it comes,  guys.  asks to pet her wings cuz good luck and all that.  Sephi arrives at camp unfortunately and sends Tenin to get Rikius.  Tenin,  after thinking the chocolates from earlier were a total attempt at assassinating him,  leans in and warns Rikius to be careful as she’s gonna poison him.  Rikius tells him to tell her he’s busy,  so Tenin leads her to go get settled in.

next morning,  we’re off for Werthington.  one refugee expresses disgust as the place is full of rich fucks and the community is a circle jerk of bigotry apparently.  we pile into the carriage and i out myself by wrapping my tail around Rikius.  totally subconscious.  yep.  i feel eyes on me as Elathera and Elliot are staring with smiles and as i try to roast them,  Elliot keeps his crown as the Roast Master.

they feel accomplished that the double date worked,  but that accomplished feeling doesn’t last long as they realize literally everybody else already knew or put it together.  we reach Werthington and it’s as bad they say.  Industria is tasked to take lead here as these people aren’t willing to listen to a drow or anything non-human really.

as Industria,  Elathera,  and Rikius leave to speak with the HOA (it’s a guild),  me and Xaren catch somebody slinking around camp.  with Tenin lovingly eyeing birds lately,  he didn’t notice the kid dressed in dark clothes passing him by.  but as i said earlier,  nothing gets past me and Xaren also notices,  so Buddy Cop Duo rolls out to apprehend the suspect.  the kid says he was totally looking for a party,  but he tries to steal something off of Xaren before we send him on his way.

i track him down with Samuel,  but nothing ever goes according to plan and the kid figures out we’re there.  after some shittalking,  we take him and his attitude back to camp to give him some supplies to hand out to the refugees who won’t leave with us.  he pulls out a full fucking vase he took and bids us farewell.  Xaren returns the vase to its rightful owner and it turns out it was an urn!  that kid almost stole somebody’s grandma!

The HOA Squad arrives at their destination and sees an impeccable,  warm,  green lawn despite the winter weather.  they’re whisked inside by a very excitable woman and are treated to refreshments and baked goods.  the meeting begins and as the speaker proposes they raise taxes in the next city over for bad landscaping,  Industria steps up to the plate to sucker punch capitalism and makes some progress.

after,  she tells them to gather up their refugees as we’re taking them and these people don’t fight it.  they couldn’t be happier with that because rich people are just like that.  this game’s too real now.  we also have them gather a small political entourage and we’re gifted two annoying diplomats for our journey.

Xaren has another vision of Remy and Lucky.  they’ve escaped the island of Basilla and are on Sicily,  the place we vacationed at.  they’re trying to get into the temple of the dead,  but with no way to solve the riddle,  Lucky says they’ll have to come back later.  as they make their way back into the city,  Xaren wakes up.  he has a talk with Industria who opens up about the conversation she had with her dad a few nights ago.

i get to wake up to Rikius changing,  so i mutter a small “good morning” before taking in that sight cuz i have that privilege now.  Elathera wakes up with Elliot’s arm around her and as she tries to leave without waking him,  he asks her to stay.  eventually we’re all collected and accounted for,  so Xaren shares his vision with us and we all try to figure out how to get more of it pieced together.

he focuses hard and gets flashes of something.  an ornate dagger,  though not the one Lucky crafted.  Remy is using it on themselves as fire surrounds them and Lucky’s there,  watching.  but that’s it.  desperate for more,  we run through our options.

with options limited,  Elathera summons a fortune teller’s tent cuz why the fuck not?? and decides to give her crystal ball a try.  we all pile in and she goes through the routine,  telling him to focus on the vision and close his eyes.  nothing.  sudden realization hits me and i slip Lucky’s dagger into his hand and Elathera shoots me a thumbs up before continuing.

she starts sweating nervously as nothing is happening still and shoos the rest of us out.  she tells Xaren to focus again and the smoke inside the crystal ball finally begins to swirl.  As Remy,  they approach Lucky at the temple to look at the note.  it’s the riddle we had to solve.  they head back to the inn,  holding hands, and as they talk,  the smoke swirls black before fading into a pinkish white.  Xaren is pulled back to reality.

we gather up the refugees and hit the road for the town of Guenley.  on the way,  we see feathers covering the road eventually leading to blood staining the snow and dirt.  unsure of what’s going on,  Industria folds her wings to hide them and tells Elathera to desummon Tenin.  we reach the town and it’s in ruins.

and that’s where we left off for tonight.

#adventures of the volunteer fire department #oc: zakina kociak #game: pathfinder crusades