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superstoresolution · 2 years

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How to email marketing grocery store 2022

Why Is Email Marketing Important For Grocery Stores?

Grocery stores traditionally relied on marketing channels such as print media, outdoor advertising, and flyers. While these channels are still effective and help get the message out, their nature is untargeted, meaning that you’re potentially wasting part of your advertising budget to reach the wrong audience.

On the other hand, email marketing lets you send the right message to the right person and craft personalized campaigns that resonate with your email subscribers. Moreover, email is among the most effective channels in online marketing, providing a direct line of communication with both past and new customers.

Here are some critical points grocery stores usually targeting on:

enlarge the number of customers;

extend online presence and authority;

drive more consumers with the special deals and sales events;

increase the customer loyalty;

raise the rate of the store’s competitiveness;

boost the year over year sales;

improve the cooperation with the related businesses ;

enhance the traffic for getting a broader range of the products and services offered, etc.

As you can see, these benefits can greatly improve the grocery business performance, which means the constant ROI increases as well as achieving the leading positions in this industry.

Implementing an Email Marketing Strategy For Your Grocery Store.

Here are the main steps you need to follow to set up an email marketing strategy for your grocery store from scratch.

1. Select an Established Email Service Provider (ESP)

First of all, you should choose the email service provider (or ESP) – that will allow you to send email newsletters to hundreds and even thousands of subscribers.

Your chosen ESP can assist you in email list segmentation, email personalization and automation, and eCommerce integration.

Below you’ll find some key functionalities your ESP should have:

a user-friendly email newsletter builder

robust SMTP server

a wide arsenal of email templates

high-converting subscription forms

marketing automation and personalization

mobile-friendly campaigns

customer success team/support

More Details >>

2. Grow Your Email List

The next step is to build a healthy email list. Growing your email subscriber list can be trickier than it sounds. You need to collect email addresses from people that are interested in your products and will be more likely to purchase from you.

As a first step, you can collect the email addresses of your current customers. According to a study conducted by Benchmark, 56% of grocery business email lists are composed of existing clients.

The next steps to grow your email list should be to go where your potential clients would be:

Restaurant openings

Community events

Food fairs, trade shows, and expos

Customer service desk

Downloadable catalogs

Website sign-ups

You will be able to get active consumers who are willing to be informed about the latest news, updates, sales events, and special deals of your grocery store.

3. Create Customer Segments

Therefore, you need to segment your audience into smaller groups to be able to target them better and more efficiently. Creating customer segments will help you deliver tailored content and a more personalized experience to your customers.

Some ideas for the customer segments you can create include:

New subscribers: send a welcome email or series to build trust with them and nudge them towards making a purchase.

VIPs: they are the most loyal of your customers. Reward them with exclusive offers or loyalty programs to keep them happy.

One-time buyers: a re-engagement email or a follow-up offer after a purchase could turn them into repeat customers.

Engaged customers: subscribers who open most of your emails.

Expenditure: segment your audience based on the value of their purchases.

Preferences: customer segments based on the product categories or brands they prefer.

4. Plan Your Email Marketing Campaigns

After you’re done with the previous steps, it’s time to decide what types of emails you are going to send. Think about what motivates your customers to buy from you and craft engaging messages that will keep them coming back.

The general tendency of most grocery stores is to send sales-oriented messages. However, there are also a plethora of other ideas that you should explore for your email content. Let’s go ahead and see them one by one:

New product / Product Line Announcements

Email is the perfect way to let your customers know that you’ve recently added a new product or product line to your store.

This type of email works particularly well with brand new products which have just been launched, especially if they have also been heavily advertised. Inform your customers about them and amplify their eagerness to try them out.

As you can see, the brand follows a clean email design with high-quality product images and a bright call-to-action (CTA) that leverages white space to stand out.

What is unique about this campaign is that the brand uses a red sticker-like graphic on top of the image to attract attention to the new product line.

To take things a step further, you could accompany this with a limited-time discount exclusive to email subscribers. That would serve as an “irresistible invitation” for customers to try the new product out.

Store Events and Announcements

Any kind of news pertaining to store announcements and events should also come in the form of an email update, regardless of its in-store promotion.

The benefit of such emails is twofold. Not only do you establish a close connection with them but you also ensure that customers who might no longer visit your stores get updated about big clearance events, delivery news, etc.

This email informs customers about the new option for “same-day delivery” through their partner while shopping from the comfort of their home or work.

Additionally, the brand nicely promotes the new service by offering the first three deliveries for free. The red banner with white lettering immediately stands out, while it also adds “urgency” to utilize the offer since it is only for a limited time.

Seasonal / Holiday Campaigns

Undoubtedly, one of the busiest and most profitable periods for grocery stores is the holiday season like Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Consumers are actively searching for seasonal products and deals to save money and get as many items as they can. At the same time, they are more likely to spend more on groceries compared to other times of the year.

For this reason, you need to provide your customers with holiday-themed content. Such content includes recipe ideas and deals on popular holiday items.

Learn More Idea>>

Recipe Suggestions

Grocery store marketing could not but include recipe suggestions and ideas that customers can use to upgrade their cooking game. After all, one of the most common reasons for grocery shopping is to purchase ingredients for home recipes.

Promotional Sale Events

Emails about promotional sales are a major chunk of grocery marketing emails. These kinds of emails are particularly useful to attract customers to your store and increase their likelihood to make a purchase.

To make your promotional emails effective you need to highlight the product savings and include high-quality imagery of the featured products.

Last but not least, you have to send them at the right frequency. Usually, the ideal frequency for such newsletters is once a week. Avoid sending at a higher frequency as you could potentially annoy your subscribers and risk them unsubscribing.

5. Set Up Automated Email Sequences

Previously, we explored those campaigns that require “manual” work every time you need to send them to your customers.

Email automation, however, opens up a whole new level of efficiency in grocery email marketing. Not only do you engage with your customers when it makes sense but you also save crucial time instead of creating the same campaigns from scratch.

If you want to take your brick-and-mortar grocery store online, check out our guide.

Let’s go ahead and see some of the most important categories of automated emails.

Welcome Emails

Follow up email

Weekly email newsletter

Seasonal emails

Product Recommendations

Win-back Campaigns

Back In Stock Emails

6. Measure The Performance Of Your Campaigns

To make sure your campaigns work as intended, you need to track their performance and identify ways that they can be improved. Most email service providers offer reporting and analytics tools that help you greatly in the process.

There are three key metrics that you should be focusing on and these are the open rate, click-through rate (CTR), and unsubscribes.

As for the CTR, it shows how many people actually clicked on your email’s elements. If your CTR is not great, you need to improve your email copy and A/B test for CTA placement. Additionally, use actionable wording in your CTA to inspire action and drive more conversions.

Finally, the unsubscribes. While they are unavoidable, it’s important to keep an eye on them, since a high number indicates that you may not be delivering on your promises or you’re providing content that doesn’t resonate with your audience.

Wrapping Up

Grocery stores email marketing implies a deep knowledge of your customers’ needs. Once you understand what type of information your customers expect from you, you will be able to provide them with useful and relevant emails.

With these tips in mind, you’ll be able to get the most of the email marketing for your business.

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colourmeastonished · 3 years

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✌️

#oooof I'm going through the backlog of my original songs and tryna record them into demos #and it's fun as hell and gr8 to be creating again #but Bruh I wrote a lot of bangers about my ex and can't decide if I miss her or if I miss having Big Feelings being reciprocated ✌️#bc to paraphrase the og fanatasy high guidance concellor: there's a lot of big feelings in the room #a lot of the time I'll take a feeling and wrap it up in a constructed narrative or like write about general themes rather than #specific people or incidents #but I sure did write a song that straight up evokes what it felt like to be deep in my feelings for this chick ooof #can't tell if I should be trying to move on more or if it's ok that there's still this lingering vibe of unfinished business #cos I'm not expecting to get back together but I'm also v aware that she's intentionally leaving ambiguous doors open #by like keeping open channels of communication and making a point of still signing messages w an x #which sounds like an Overthinking thing but it was like... a plot point in our relationship 😂#the presence or absence of an x is very intentional like we've had this discussion #but anyway... I think I just miss her and its weird to know that when life gets back to normal she'll be like a presence in my life again #bc of our shared social circle #and idk what that's going to mean and I don't know if it's going to mean anything but oh boy she sure was cool as hell you know??#and I miss talking to her & making her laugh and sure I'm being realistic idk if we're actually good for each other #but... 🥺🥺🥺... yeah...#gamer girl #my thoughts

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positivityforlesbians · 2 years

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Sapphic underground made a YouTube post about the pressure put on lesbians to be "inclusive" of males and opposite sex attracted people and the toll it's been taking in our community, and to my great surprise, the majority of the comments on that post are supportive! There's even bi and straight women and gay men showing some love. It's just so nice to see actual lesbian expressing their mind and not getting immediately silenced 🥰

Wow, so I've looked it up and I think you refer to this comment, there is indeed a lot of likes under it !

I am a total fan of Sapphic Underground's channel, I posted one of her videos not as far as a few days ago but I cannot say I thought she would ever address this huge problem targetting our community. This goes to to show we are not making this up, being lesbians that would somehow invent a problem that so many people pretend is not there. I don't think she's super known on the internet, especially by those 2.0 lesbophobes who, let's be honest, generally really don't care about actual lesbian content despite trying their best to be like us, but they still can try to bully her out of her platform the second they all collectively find her to be a bad woman. It wouldn't be the first time. So because of that I think it's important to support her, that comment is brave. I'm glad she got so many likes there, I'm sure it was a positive sign for her to see we are a lot to think just like this and that she did well in speaking up. 👏

We cannot let non-lesbians dicktate to us what our words mean, what makes a lesbian a lesbian, how bigoted we are for not liking penises, how we are doing the worst of the worst for having this sexual orientation (being a lesbian, also known as being a homosexual girl/woman), how we should have our dating apps and in real life lesbian only spaces open to trans women (therefore males, a sex we will never be into) and thus ruining said spaces because even the kindest most gullible lesbians will get tired at some point and leave, seeing the most basic men use that as an excuse to also come in and make these spaces even more unsafe/ simply not lesbian spaces anymore, all of this is something we cannot ignore and so it makes sense she is talking about it. Being a lesbian Youtuber and video artist who focuses on making fun upbeat or poetic lesbian content doesn't make her blind to the modern western lesbian experience, this is pretty good to know ! So thank you for that message anon, more of the followers of this blog may open their eyes to this reality, since it's silenced, made invisible and gaslighted so often.

Why isn't lesbophobia taken any seriously while transphobia is nearly always considered with upper seriousness in lgbt spaces at large ? is the question we should all ask ourselves. It's not treason to think about it, to ask questions, to choose to prioritise our community, lesbians, after realising how much we've been made to suffocate and feel like second class citizens among people supposed to support and uplift us, not the other way round. More and more lesbians will speak out, because the anger keeps growing and nobody can successfully silence us, even if it cost us a platform, popularity, money, anything, we also have things to gain when finally speaking out. Defending lesbians, our reality, our history, our community, will always be a priority. ✨

#anonymous #my answers #lesbian safe #lesbians #lesbian community #lesbophobia #healing

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samwisethewitch · 4 years

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Communicating with Spirits

On this blog, we’ve talked about why witches might want to work with spirits, types of spirits they might work with, and the proper etiquette for establishing a relationship with a spirit. What we haven’t yet talked about is one of the most important, but sometimes most frustrating, elements of spirit work: communication.

There are several methods you can use to communicate with spirits, depending on your skills, preferences, and comfort level.

Signs and Synchronicity

The most organic way to receive messages from spirits is to wait for physical signs in your environment.

The concept of synchronicity was first introduced by Carl Jung. A synchronicity is a “meaningful coincidence” — a seemingly random event that feels meaningful to the individual. For example: crows have a lot of spiritual significance to me, and whenever I see or hear one it has a very specific meaning for me.

Another way a spirit might send you a sign is by surrounding you with physical reminders of them. I’ve most often experienced this with deities. If a new deity is reaching out to me, I’ll see images of them in places I wouldn’t expect to and may hear their name mentioned over and over again around me.

In her book The Angel Code, Chantel Lysette encourages readers to ask for physical signs when they connect with spirits, as a way to confirm that this is a genuine spiritual experience. This is something that has really stuck with me, and has become common practice in my spirit work. It can be very powerful to see signs in your mundane life that validate your spiritual experiences.

Divination

One easy way to communicate with spirits is to use your favorite divination method. (I’ve already done a whole post on divination, so I’m not going to spend much time on it here.) When using divination to communicate with a spirit, address your questions to them by name. From there, proceed as you normally would.

One thing to keep in mind when using divination to communicate with spirits is that the communication will be limited by the divination method you use. If you’re using a pendulum, you can only ask yes or no questions. If you’re using a tarot or oracle deck, the spirit will be limited to the cards in that deck when they’re trying to answer. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it is something to keep in mind.

Automatic Writing or Channeled Writing

This is a little bit different than other divination methods, because in this case you’re actually connecting directly with the spirit in order to write down messages from them. Automatic writing is the act of allowing your hand to write out a message without focusing on the words — the idea is that your hand will be guided by the spirits in order to write down their message for you. Some people believe that you should use your non-dominant hand for automatic writing, as this is your “receptive” hand. Channeled writing is the act of receiving a message through your psychic senses, which you then write down. Automatic writing is a type of channeling, but not all channeling is automatic writing.

I personally prefer channeled writing, simply because I find it more comfortable. Some witches prefer automatic writing because it bypasses your conscious mind, thus making it less likely that you’ll unknowingly “edit” the message. However, automatic writing can be a little bit harder to learn, so I’m going to focus on channeling here.

To channel a message from a spirit, you will need something to write with — a notebook and pen/pencil works, but so does a laptop with a word processor or even the notebook app on a smart phone. You will also need to enter a light trance state (this is the same state of consciousness experienced in meditation), so you might choose to use trance triggers like incense, shamanic drumming, or binaural beats. Begin by creating a protective space around yourself. (This is just to make sure only one spirit comes through at a time.) Invite the spirit you want to receive a message from into your space. Enter a trance and open yourself up to whatever it is they have to say. Don’t think about the words that come to you — simply write them down. You can analyze the message later, after your trance has ended.

Meditation

If you have a specific question you need an answer to, you can receive an answer to that question in a meditation. Likewise, if you want to connect with a certain spirit, you can do so through meditation.

This is fairly straightforward. Prepare for meditation in the way you normally do — light incense or candles and play music if you’d like, and make sure you have a comfortable place to sit or lay down. Before you begin to meditate, speak your intention out loud. This could be as simple as saying, “My intention for this meditation is to connect with [insert spirit’s name],” or “My intention for this meditation is to receive an answer from [insert spirit’s name] about [insert topic here],” or it could be an elaborate prayer.

From there, meditate as you normally would. Focus on the spirit you’re trying to connect with or, if you have a specific question, focus on that question. Whenever I do this, I often receive an answer in a sudden information download — suddenly the answer to my question is clear and obvious.

Pathworking

A pathworking is a specific type of meditation where you go on a psychic journey, usually with a specific goal in mind. I like to think of pathworking as the halfway point between meditation and astral travel. With pathworking, you are still anchored to your physical body, but your consciousness is able to make a journey into the astral world.

There are two important elements to a pathworking: a clear entrance/exit point and a way to retrace your steps. Pathworking journeys are typically cyclical — there is both a journey out and a return where you go back the way you came. This makes it easier to fully return your consciousness to your body, and failing to do so can cause you to feel disoriented upon the return.

A very common entrance/exit point is a door or gate which you use to enter and exit the astral realm. Sometimes it’s more of a home base — for example, my entry point is a rocky beach. I’ve also heard of people using a tree, or even The World Tree, as their entry point. Whatever imagery you choose, make sure you’re able to find your way back to it. If you’re worried about getting lost, author Thea Sabin recommends using “the Theseus trick.” Like in the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, you can tie a golden thread or rope to your entry point and the other end to your astral body. If you get lost, you can follow the thread back.

If you want to try pathworking, make a rough “road map” of your journey beforehand. This doesn’t have to be super specific, but it should contain the following: a goal for the pathworking (such as to connect with a certain spirit), an entry/exit point, and a general idea for the route you’re going to take.

Astral Travel/Spirit Flight

Perhaps the most direct route, astral travel (also called “spirit flight,” “soul flight,” or “hedge riding”) involves sending your spirit or consciousness into the astral realm/spirit world. Astral travel is not a beginner technique. This method should only be used by witches who have experience with meditation, pathworking, and other altered states of consciousness. The major advantage of astral travel is that you’re visiting the spirits on their own turf, which means you can communicate with them much more clearly and directly.

I’ll talk about both pathworking and astral travel at length in my next post. In the meantime, know that it is an option but that I only recommend it for intermediate to experienced witches, and even then only after some serious research into how to do it safely.

Some Basic Precautions

No matter which method you use, here are some basic rules to keep you safe and comfortable during your communication.

Cleanse before you begin. The best way to make sure you’re talking to the spirit you want is to clear out any other nasties before you begin. There are lots of ways to cleanse your space, from incense to sound baths to sweeping with a ritual broom. Use your favorite method to energetically tidy up before you try to contact anybody.

Use protection. A few safety precautions never hurt anyone, and they’re a good idea if you’re going to attempt one of the more involved methods of communication, like channeled writing or astral travel. The salt circle is an oldie but a goodie — once you’ve set it up, only spirits you invite can enter the circle. (But please don’t sprinkle salt on the ground outdoors — this hurts plant life! Use another protective substance, like rosemary, to form the circle instead.)

Know who you’re talking to. It may not be in your best interest to chat it up with whoever presents themselves. Not every spirit has good intentions. I speak from experience when I say that opening the lines of communication to whoever is around is not the best idea. Be clear and specific with which spirits you invite into your space, and don’t open the door to spirits who make you uncomfortable. This is part of the reason that having an established relationship with spirits that you know and trust is important.

Don’t take things at face value. Something that doesn’t get brought up enough in the New Age community is the fact that spirits can and do lie. They can also be wrong, and may give you false information in good faith. Just because a spirit tells you something doesn’t make it true. Always do your own fact-checking outside of spirit work.

Don’t be the idiot in a horror movie. Use common sense when working with spirits. Use safety precautions (see previous notes about cleansing and protection). Don’t intentionally contact negative entities — don’t be that guy who buys a Ouija board so he can talk to Jack the Ripper’s ghost. If a spirit gives you bad vibes, tell them politely but firmly to leave. When in doubt ask yourself, “Would a character in a horror movie do this?” If the answer is yes, don’t do it. You’re smarter than that.

Resources:

The Angel Code by Chantel Lysette

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon

New World Witchery podcast (several episodes, including “Episode 164 — Irish Folklore and Magic,” “Episode 161 — Practicing Safe Hex,” and “Episode 152 — Honoring Ancestors”)

“My Goddesses: How and Why I Work with Mary and Hel” by Kelly-Ann Maddox

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the-silentium · 3 years

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Home Sweet Home

Masterlist - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8

Fors is an Original planet. I do not give permission to people to use it for their own fics, the planet, the animals, the Nightmares, the lore or anything related to Fors. Thank you.

Pairing: Bad Batch x Reader

Words: 7569 words

Warnings: Angst, sexual innuendos.

A/N: Last “soft” chap before the action come back ~

**Words in bold are words said in French, which means the clones can’t understand it.**

Taglist: @clone-rambles / @mandaloriandin / @apathetic-catastrophie / @jenstar1992-2 / @haloangel391 / @lightning-wolffe / @cherrydemon5 / @and-claudia / @lackofhonor / @gaymasonjar / @depthsreturn / @koskareevesismyqueen / @leonidas-banana-phone

____________________

Nothing changed. Not the obnoxious people, not the earthy smells, nor the heavy atmosphere. The loud locks of the gates closing behind your group still resonated through your ears, sounding too much like the last nail sealing your coffin shut and not like a protecting device. Was it your instincts telling you that you made the wrong decision? Or was it just the dread of returning somewhere you never wanted to return? Either way, it was clear that you didn't feel any bits of nostalgia at being back between these rocky walls.

Hells, even the council's room was giving off unpleasant vibes with its tall bookcases carved directly into the walls that protected way too many old books that weren't all redacted in French nor in Basic. A map of the planet hung on the furthest wall of the room, the different villages identified with their respective symbol to help with trades, hunts, fights. Frabas' name crossed out in blood-red ink to remind everyone of the overnight genocide that happened there.

The lanterns were the only nice things in the room. The soft green and blue crystals contained within the glass enclosure bathed the whole room in their light. Maybe if you focussed on them long enough their glow would soothe your mind.

"Excuse me? You spit on it?" Tech's sudden high pitch tone was surprising enough to pass through your incessant flow of thoughts

"Yeah. Right there." He pointed at an intergrown knot close to the far extremity of the table where the heads usually sat. "What? Did you want me to piss on it? That's a bit too animalistic." Kayden added as soon as he noticed Tech's offended expression that quickly morphed into a disgusted one.

"Honestly, with you people, I wouldn't have been surprised." Crosshair's jeer traveled the room in a second. It took even less to drop Kayden's mood.

His hand tightened around yours and without losing a single second, you matched his grip to keep him from expressing his frustration through anything physical. Now wasn't the time to start a fight between your own team members when several other players might want to hurt you.

If tonight's bad luck could turn into good fortune at least once, now would be the time. The 'diplomats' were out of harm's way, Kayden had technically done what he was told and thus was not considered a traitor, leaving you alone on the spot.

"Look who just found his voice again." He caught your message and used his words instead. "I was sure you'd swallowed your tongue when you ran like a chicken back there."

"And who ran the fastest in the group eh?" The sniper walked to the table. His hands fell flat on the wood to support himself as he leaned forward, daring the brunette at your sides to make a move.

"The fastest is usually the one to survive." He pointed out as he scratched at his clothed chest with his free hand, his right one still prisoner of your grip.

"Crosshair." Hunter slightly pulled him backward by the pauldron and away from the incoming confrontation. "Enough." He added with a growl, clearly remembering how this wasn't his brother. Not fully.

Against all expectation, Crosshair did back off, although he quickly moved his animosity towards the new source of irritation, clear proof that this wasn't the man with whom Hunter had shared so many memories, good or bad. He was a total stranger that didn't respect him at all and lived to push his buttons. Why he stayed with you all was a mystery, although you weren't complaining. Keeping him restrained while in the jungle would have been a true challenge.

It was like waiting for a storm to explode. The dark grey clouds were there, the strong winds blew away everything in their wake, the thunder resonated in the distance, yet there wasn't any droplet of rain. The men faced each other just like in the cave, mere centimeters separated their chest plates and anytime now, the first blow would mark the start of a colossal downpour.

It was nerve-wracking. Even Wrecker and Tech were watching, clearly pondering if they should intervene or if by doing so they would aggravate the situation. You started getting up as the door opened and startled you into seating down again.

Never had you thought that seeing Arlan enter a room would make you feel relieved, yet, this was exactly how you felt at the moment. It seemed like the sudden entrance of an outsider was enough for Crosshair to back off. You subtly crossed your fingers that he wouldn't lash out at the leader even though the scene would very probably make you feel so much better. The consequences of going against Arlan just weren't worth it.

Before the dark-haired leader could notice it, you separated your hand from Kayden's, both your backs straightened and your unbothered masks came back on. Wearing the well-worn suit of this fake cocky personality was deeply uncomfortable but truly necessary. Over the years it became your best shield and Kayden your best ally.

"Take a seat." Arlan waved towards the table as he walked deeper into the room, passing Hunter and Crosshair like they weren't even there. It took years to be able to read the black-haired leader, but it definitely came in handy now.

His calm tone hid a deep irritation that showed through the tightness gripping the muscles around his eyes. He quickly tamed his features as he took place at the end of the table, his elbows immediately meeting the hardwood of the armchairs to allow his fingers to interlace before him.

Soon the 4 seats opposing you were occupied with rigid troopers. Their helmets still firmly on would have been seen as an enormous lack of respect if only Arlan's attention wasn't already focussed on two nasty boots dripping mud onto the piece of art that was the table.

Arlan only needed one look to communicate thoroughly his thoughts. The hard gaze that could easily be misinterpreted as a constipated one transpired enough threats that Kayden removed his boots without any further delay. The ultimatum was clear and you both knew that there was nothing Arlan despised more than repeating himself. Well, maybe you two were the firsts on his list, but that was especially because you loved to make him repeat himself.

If only he didn't look like there was an entire fire-ants colony in his pants, Kayden would have kept his feet up for a bit longer just to raise the man's blood pressure a little. You swore he got more grey hair each time he had to talk with the two of you.

The disapproving sigh accompanying the stormy grey hues boring deeply into yours was a true gift to Kayden whose smirk widened in consequence.

"Do you know why you're here?" The question resonated within the room with utmost seriousness, a seriousness that you forced yourself to shrug nonchalantly in response.

"Surely not because you missed me." You placed a smirk on your lips to copy your sidekick and complete the infernal duo act.

His dark-grey sleeves rode up his arms as he bent forward, his elbows now resting on the table, to get a closer look at you, 3 chairs away. Whilst being very tempting, flinching under his hard stare was out of the question. Four months in a medbay with kind people almost made you forget what the world was really made of; selfish people who always looked out for weaknesses to exploit and were eager to beat others down in hope to raise themselves up.

"We are here to talk relations between the Republic and your planet." Hunter sharply stated, cutting short the staring contest. "My team was sent in a preliminary manner to inform you of the Republic's intentions seeing as your representatives couldn't be reached through official channels. In the following days, two senators will be coming here with adequate troops to talk in the Senate's name."

How the room got hotter in a second was a mystery. All you knew was that even though his tone was borderline too crisp to be qualified as diplomatic, Hunter's words were so perfectly chosen that you wondered if he'd done this kind of job before.

As the silence following Hunter's declaration stretched, Arlan's gaze moved to the hard visor of the commando trooper. The intensity of his stare left you thinking that maybe he was able to see through the shade. Unfazed, Hunter stared right back as you did just moments prior.

You nearly missed it. If you hadn't been watching Arlan as intently as you were doing, the minuscule flash in his eye would have been overlooked. A muscle jumped in his jaw, filling you with dread. Something was wrong. Somehow he had the upper hand and he was internally relishing his win.

"A very well executed lie, but I am sorry to announce you that the Republic won't come here, Sergeant. Not after the Jedis signed a treaty to never come on this planet ever again." You were sure he paused just to get a reaction out of the commando. Hunter's helmet hid his expression perfectly. If he'd reacted or not was totally lost on everyone, unfortunately, it wasn't the same for Kayden whose eyes grew as big as saucers. "No Jedi, no clone, no senator, no Separatist, no outsider is welcome here."

Say what now? Never before had you ever heard of Jedis ever landing a foot on Fors, even less signing a treaty.

Hunter's helmet slightly dipped in your direction, surely to get some answers through your body language. Surely, he got the message when you gulped, wariness filling your eyes as you continued to stare at the man in his mid-50s. His message had been pretty clear from the very beginning. That he felt the need to add that the clones weren't welcome caused doubts in your village ethics to creep into your mind.

As far as you knew, no one had ever been executed in cold blood. Sure, you'd heard stories as a child about how people who were a tad bit too disturbing in the community would vanish overnight, obviously thrown out into the jungle to be feasted on by some hungry creature. Without knowing if they were true events or simply a way to make children behave, you took a habit of sticking with Kayden as soon as the firsts Furants that created their nests in the crooks of the walls circling the village entered the gates to hide, signaling that 7 pm had recently passed and the Nightmares would show up in under an hour. After all, there was no better nuisance in Alryan than the two of you.

Knowing that Arlan's smugness was carefully hidden under layers of practiced indifference, a very tantalizing urge to break your knuckles once again send tingles into your dominant hand. Breaking his nose for a second time would definitely help your mood as well as everyone else's in the room, you were sure of it.

"The- the Jedis? But they never-"

"It is not common knowledge." Arlan archly cut Kayden short and rolled his eyes with that very particular expression that made you feel like the stupidest idiot in the galaxy. In response, the tingles in your hand intensified. "This treaty is way older than me after all. We never needed the Republic's help in any way, not then and certainly not now." He at least had the decency to meet his eyes as he talked.

"And what do you think of the Nightmares? Frabas-" You piped up, the image of a traumatized red-head girl shaking in her bloody clothes popped in your mind. "They could've helped with that."

"They are protectors." He closed his eyes in exasperation and pinched his nose like he'd repeated the concept over and over again to a child that never retained anything.

"They don't protect shit! They kill us!"

Where had he been his whole life? Every night they came and howled, screeched, hissed, yapped and laughed on the other side of the gates in hope of having some juicy flesh and fresh blood to appease their hunger and thirst. Some even went as far as hitting the gates repeatedly in hope of breaking their way in. 10 hours per night, 368 nights a year, every year.

"They protect the Core that's in you--" He interrupted himself as soon as he noticed the irritation breaching his mask, allowing venom to drip through the closing cracks. His rage fit only lasted a second but it was a second too much. He gave you more than he wanted you to know.

"What do you mean? In me?" You could feel yourself starting to shake. In apprehension, anger or fear you couldn't tell. There was too much going on at the same time, assaulting your already tired mind.

"Nothing that you need to know." His tone was definitive, his grey eyes conveying the same message.

"Bullshit!" You jump to your feet just as he pushed his chair to get up. "If it's in me like you say, I deserve to know!"

Your yell must have triggered something, because as soon as the words flew from your mouth, Rhian and his troops entered the room, bows fully bent and ready to shoot in your direction. Elijah had his hammer in both hands, fully prepared to use it against a clone- your money went on Wrecker- if needed and Pete was ready to blow a tranquilizer- or it could easily be a fast-acting poison- into someone's neck.

The answer to the intrusion was immediate. Wrecker's chair went flying behind him at the impact of his legs when he followed his CO's movement. All four troopers stood on their side of the table, imposing and totally ready to enter a fight if need be. You and Kayden though? Totally not ready. You were unarmed and by the time you took hold of Kayden's bow, at least three arrows would have found their way into your body.

"All you really deserved was to die on Murphy Day." He snarled in your direction as his impatience once again showed through his slipping mask. "Throw them in the slammer."

That's it. Goodbye knuckles. Always the perceptive, Kayden grabbed your upper arm, right below the Algax's clean-cut, and pulled you back to his side even before you made the first step towards the bastard. Always there to keep you alive for another day. What a nice friend.

"Hands behind your head." Rhian barked as he approached you and Kayden from behind.

Doing as you were told, you noticed the troopers hesitating before doing as ordered when you nodded at them. Tech lifted his good hand, the other keeping hold of Crosshair's cage. One of the archers went to seize it, but a sudden shoulder to the sternum kept him away.

He's not just a nerd. You smirked as the archer stumbled.

"Let them keep it." Rhian waved off the fuming archer who definitely wanted to go back and win his fight. Too bad. "Walk ahead. You know the way." Rhian nodded towards the door after getting a hold of Kayden's bow and quiver, his very own bow aimed at the floor. The string was stretched just enough to cause serious damage if he needed to defend himself quickly, but he seemed to know that it wasn't needed.

Kayden led the way with you in tow, Elijah and Pete moved away from the door to let you pass at a safe distance. Out of the corner of your eyes, you noticed Rhian breaking formation to move up to Arlan, who surely waved him over.

You sighed as you remembered that he didn't even tell you why he wanted you here.

The clone's boots resonated against the rock floor at each of their steps, close enough to appease your mind.

"Do you know a way out of here?" Hunter's voice emanated softly within your ear.

You moved your shoulder blades in a circular motion as if you were stretching the muscles and nodded your head at the same time as to not look too suspicious to the archers escorting the group. Good thing that they didn't notice your earpiece yet.

Wrecker must have been the one right behind you because he relayed the message to Hunter through the private line.

"Now?" You rotated your head from side to side like when you needed to crack your neck.

"No." Came Wrecker's whisper.

"In the slammer?" A small nod.

"Yeah."

"Then we wait and we get out as soon as possible." Hunter told his half-plan to the Batch who hummed their approvals.

Once again the unusual parade that you formed along with the armored men attracted many curious eyes. Ignoring them was easier this time around, the familiarity of their chary gazes finally coming back to allow you to concentrate on something else.

This part of the village was carved so deeply into the mountain that even the occasional howls coming from the jungle couldn't be heard. There couldn't have been better protection for a population of more than 700 people than a natural barrier of rock. Sure, this very convenient refuge could easily become a tomb for a lot of villagers in the event of a breach, but several emergency tunnels were created for this very situation. They were maintained at a perfect condition in case a repeat of Frabas' catastrophe ever came to happen.

Every Alryan learned the location of every single tunnel at the youngest of age. They were only to be used in emergency cases and right now, it was an emergency. It all depended on the perspective.

"It never changed." You stated quietly as the slammer's entrance came into view, the dark purple glow emanating from its depths was a stark contrast to the lively colors of the main area.

Goosebumps rose on your arms as you followed Kayden down the tunnel. The nearby natural well raised the humidity in these parts of the mountain and thus caused the air to become colder. Just my luck, you thought as the fresh air infiltrated your clothes by the multiple tears in their fabric.

"In there." Rhian speed-walked to catch up with Kayden and direct him to a cell carved into the wall on his left.

You were locked up with him, Wrecker and Hunter got situated in the cell facing yours, Crosshair and Tech on the one right beside theirs.

Right as Tech got in after a growling Crosshair, Rhian took hold of the cage and kicked Tech inside who landed in a yelp. You weren't even gripping the bars yet that the heavy door closed behind the engineer.

"Give him back!"

"Sorry 'bout that." He threw the cage in the air twice, the flame within shaking frantically as it hit the bars. "Orders are orders." He ignored the yells of his name bouncing in the detention center and walked out unbothered, his men in tow.

"How quick can you get us out of here?" The urgency in Hunter's tone only added to your own raiding anxiety. What would Arlan do to Crosshair? He was totally defenseless.

"Couple of minutes. But we'll need Back-Up. I hope you have it." You turned to Kayden who scoffed in mocked offense.

"You have back-up?" Tech wondered out loud, tilting his head. "I thought no one would help you here."

"Jeez. Thanks for the vote of confidence." Kayden held his heart before reaching for his chest pocket. "Back-up is my Godot." He pulled a hand-sized lizard from his pocket to show the Batch.

The Godot's orange scales shone softly at Kayden's contact, their light reflecting onto the soft line of baby blue leaves growing on each side of its spine. Its three-fingered paws grabbed fingers and clothes to remain in place while two black eyes moved independently from one another to take in what was happening around. Its long tail wrapped around Kayden's wrist as he lifted it up to show off, the small leaves at its end shining brightly in surprise.

Wrecker gasped and lifted his helmet to get a better view of the animal. "That's what I saw the first time, Tech! It's the lizard that disappeared!"

"Nothing disappeared Wrecker. There was nothing there." Tech rebuked.

"Don’t be so sure about that! They can camouflage themselves, right Back-Up?" At the half-baked order, the tiny lizard shut off its light and changed its skin pigmentation to copy its environment to perfection.

"It disappeared Tech! See? That's what I saw and you didn't believe me!" Wrecker's tone raised as he pointed to Kayden's seemingly empty outstretched hand.

"Wrecke-" You tried to warn him to keep his voice down but heard steps coming your way.

"Back-up, go get the master key at home." Kayden hurriedly whispered to the Godot and quickly kneeled to allow it access to the ground so it could wander away and get the required object.

A guard appeared at the end of the corridor just as Kayden got up and threw himself onto the upper hammock fixed to the walls. He moved around to get comfortable and into the right position, hands under his head.

"So, I've heard that Stockholm syndrome was hard on you." Brett, a particularly annoying scout, mocked from behind his beard.

"Nope. Still don't like y'all." You replied nonchalantly despite the urge to punch him through the bars.

"I was talking about them." He pointed to the two cells containing the clones and you lifted a single eyebrow.

"Tech, definition of Stockholm syndrome please." You asked, maintaining eye contact during the whole process.

"Stockholm syndrome," You saw the genius perked up at your request. Sadly, he didn't lift a finger in the air while he recited the meaning of the word. "Is a psychological response wherein a captive begins to identify closely with his or her captors, as well as with their agenda and demands." He ended with a nod and the movement satisfied you enough to let the lack of a finger go.

"That means you dumbass." You spat as you crossed your arms over your chest. "I'm with them willingly."

"Get fucked!" Kayden shouted with a laugh that got half a smile out of you.

"You? Our captive? It sure felt like the other way around." He finally switched to basic and the hate coating his words told you that he wasn't talking about the pranks and snarky attitude, no, he was talking about something bigger than that.

"What are you talking about?" Maybe you could get more answers out of him than you did with Arlan.

He scoffed. "Stop trying to play the idiot. Between the two of you, Kayden's the best at it."

You ignored said idiot's thanks to press the matter. "Okay and let's imagine I really don't know what the hell you're talking about. What in the damn world did I do?" You remembered Arlan's word and almost added what is wrong with me? but Brett was already dropping the three medicine canisters to the ground, out of reach from either your cell or the clones' and went away.

"You live."

You sat on the ground, drained of every ounce of energy you once had. What was wrong with you? Why did everyone want you dead? The fear you felt at Arlan's words came back as you thought about what it could all mean. The Nightmares who stopped appearing when you left and came back when you did. Whatever the Core was that supposedly resided in you and the fact that the Lumsin knew what it was while you didn't. That the villagers never saw you as an annoying brat but a vile oppressor.

You faintly heard Kayden talking with Tech about Back-up, but couldn't make out the exact words, your own thoughts being way too loud for you to clearly hear anything outside your head.

"It's alright. Don't worry about it." An arm fell on your shoulders and pulled you into Kayden's side who now sat next to you on the ground, successfully pulling you out of your own mind. Yet, as comforting as his gesture was supposed to be, you only felt guiltier. Even when everyone else pointed their fingers at you, he was still there to keep yourself up even after you'd vanished on him.

Kayden scratched the clothes over his heart again and cut off your incoming guilty declaration.

"Question. If the half-skull one was to break my jaw or somethin' and that you didn't see it happen, would you believe me if I told you it was him?" Kayden asked, frowning too deeply for you to brush the question off as one of his stupid ones.

"Wha-?" Then it dawned on you. "Did you threaten him?" You asked Hunter, voice raising in octaves.

You knew Kayden probably deserved it, but he was your best friend. You've been helping each other for more than 15 years and there was no way you'd let him get beaten for a stupid jealousy tantrum.

An invisible hand squeezed your heart as you felt Kayden relaxing against your side. He doubted that you'd listen to him. More importantly, he doubted that you'd trust his word over someone else's. Sure it was Hunter's word, but you knew the Sergeant was not in his right mind and not only because of the irrational feeling.

"He wouldn't stop talking." The unbothered tone in which he answered shocked you.

"Yet you've never threatened Tech."

"That's not the same." Why must he sound like he truly believed that he did nothing wrong?

"You may not value his life and health, but I do. A lot." You emphasized the last word so he got the message. "And his word is the only single one in the galaxy that I never ever doubted."

Kayden's breath sharply filled his lungs and Hunter's fingers curled into fists. You still deeply loved the dark-haired Sergeant and seeing him frustrated at your words made a real number on your insides but that rational part of your brain told you that he would tire of you someday and would leave, whereas Kayden had shown countless of times that he'd be there to hold your hand, push your back and pull you up whenever needed.

"Good to know."

Why did his acknowledgment of your words make you sick? You'd said those words yourself and they were true, so how could they hurt that much? If it wasn't of the half-circles traced on the back of your right hand, you certainly would have had a physical reaction. It could have been hiding in your hammock or tears leaking from your eyes, you didn't know.

"You don't trust us?" Wrecker's hurt translated in his low, nearly inaudible tone if it wasn't of the earbud deeply pushed into your ear canal.

"I do Wrecker. I really do. It's me that I don't." Damn. For someone who wanted to avoid feelings-talks like the plague, you found yourself right in the middle of the deepest one ever.

"I don't understand." He admitted.

"I-" You sighed, trying to find the words that would explain something you didn't know how to explain. "I don't myself Wrecker. I make people despise me and-" The words escaped you. Out of exasperation, your free hand moved up to rub your closed eyelids and drag the pads of your fingers down your cheeks.

"When they don't you persuade yourself they do and you tell yourself that they'll give you up so you start to doubt them even when there's nothing to worry about." Kayden shrugged at your wide eyes looking at him. "Don't be surprised I know you better than yourself. You did the same shit with me but I didn't let you."

"Then why did you doubt yourself against Hunter?"

" 'cuz you love him." He answered in your native tongue and you were grateful for it. You weren't ready to say the words out loud and if Kayden, the person who just demonstrated that he knew you like the palm of his hand, said those words himself, then he'd throw your feelings out in the open and you couldn't have that. Not when your brain still expected the Bad Batch to get back to their ship and leave you on Fors, where you belonged.

"You were there longer."

"Yeah, but that was because you couldn't escape me. Give them their chance. You might be surprised." He patted your shoulder like an old man who gave advice to a youngster.

"We wouldn't give you up. You're our friend!" Wrecker added once the conversation in a foreign language died.

"If you still doubt our friendship, then you might want to remember that we passed hundreds of hours training you to be our pilot and that we lied to our superiors to keep you." Tech pointed out, this time with the finger in the air. It brought the tiniest of smiles to your lips.

"Or remember the moments shared." Hunter surprised you with his quiet words that Kayden definitely couldn't hear without a comm device. Had he realized that he was fighting a non-existent enemy? Or did he feel as bad as you following your exchange?

"Or you can remember that you're a freak." Tech slapped his lean brother's shoulder

"So I belong with you guys? Yeah, I'll- I'll do my best to remember all that." A chuckle escaped your lips. "Thanks." You added under your breath, to which the boys nodded and Wrecker smiled brightly.

"Is your chest okay?" Tech asked and pointed at Kayden who was still scratching his torso.

"Yeah, 's just itchy. I think Kerth put some poison Ivy in my clothes. I wouldn't be surprised." He pulled his shirt forward to look at his skin. He winced. "That does look like it."

"You never get tired of looking at yourself?" A soft feminine voice chuckled from down the hallway.

Soft brown eyes shone behind fiery red locks, their owner walking straight to your cell where she stopped to pass you a hot container. You'd recognize that smell everywhere and apparently so did your stomach who growled loudly in anticipation of receiving some soup.

"Good timing, I see." She chuckled, put her pack on the ground and offered you a container. "It's not poisoned, I promise. I did it myself." She assured in basic when you kept watching her hands without making any move towards the food.

Still unmoving, Kayden took it upon himself to grab two containers and let the redhead give the clones their servings.

"They wanted me to only feed the soldiers but I slipped some for you two as well. For all the spare crusts." She nodded at you, who kept watching her in silence. Before turning around to go back to where she came from, the woman had the kindness to grab the discarded medicine canisters and offer them to Kayden. "Take care."

Wait. You had to tell her. It was like your brain forgot how everything worked. Opening your mouth wasn't hard compared to finding what to say. Even then your throat constricted in an attempt to shut you up, but you couldn't let her go without telling her.

She deserved to know.

"Fleena." Was all you managed and it was enough to stop her in her tracks. When she turned, your hand was already fishing around in your pocket for the small piece of wood.

She came back as you brought your closed fist forward and dropped the dirty necklace on her open hand.

She stared at it, surprise taking over her soft features in a flash as soon as she recognized the symbol. She turned it to inspect the back and now was the right time for the earth to open beneath your ass and take you away.

"Where did you get that?" The tremors in her voice send a knife through your heart.

Swallowing down the lump in your throat, you made sure to choose your words better than with Hunter. "Nixon was a Wanderer."

"He-" She started with hope until she registered your sentence. "Was?"

There it was. The moment to own what you did finally arrived.

"What did you do?" She pressed as you kept silent, unable to say it out loud.

"It wasn't him anymore, Fleena. He hadn't grown up and kept walking in circles on his bleeding feet. He was tormented."

You freed him. You helped him. Now that her horrified hazel eyes bore into yours, Crosshair's words that were so helpful before held no sense.

"He was still my brother." She clutched the necklace to her chest, tears running down her cheeks.

"Nixon was gone."

"I don't expect you to understand. You don't know anything about having a sibling."

The silence following her retreating steps was even heavier than before. No. That wasn't true. The boys spoke in the background and in your ear, prompting you to remove the device to have some peace.

"You're right, I don't." You grumbled in your knees that were now up to your face to hide your features, your arms tightly wrapped around them to keep them close.

"That's the biggest bullshit that ever came out of your mouth." Kayden scoffed next to you. "What do you think I am then? Your friend?" He puffed like it was the stupidest joke he'd ever been told. "Fuck no. We've been family ever since your dad died so cut the crap or I'll hit you."

I should be punching you for saying such stupid stuff.

"For real. I'll hit you so hard you won't ignore me again." He shuffled around to better position himself, arm lifting-

"I've abandoned you." You spat more at you than at him.

"Siblings sucks but we love them anyway." He shrugged. "You're no exception."

Tears gathered in your eyes. Even after leaving him alone to fight for himself, Kayden still loved you as much as before and never once held a grudge against your actions. He was a true god-given gift and you'd treated him unfairly.

Pain exploded into your shoulder and you found yourself colliding with the ground.

"The fuck?" Four spots on your shoulder hurt so deeply that it didn't take long for you to realize that he'd hit you with his knuckles.

"My monthly quota was not yet achieved." He smirked, watching you massage the beaten skin.

"Don't you think I'm hurt enough already?"

"Stop whining, we have Biogel." He shook the metallic container before your face.

"That thing hurts like hell." You groaned, pushing his hand away to sit straight.

"When did you become such a baby?" You shot him the deadliest glare you had in reserve. "Hey. It's a very small price to pay for completely healed wounds in under 30 minutes."

"Completely healed?" Tech inquired, eying the matching container in his hands that Kayden pushed him.

"Yeah! One good layer and bye-bye! Works for sprained stuff too, just takes a little longer." Kayden answered as he helped you apply the cold sticky gel onto your arms. "Little tips: let someone else put it on you." He added as you hissed and groaned under the burning feeling that came with the product.

Your hands closed and opened repeatedly to keep from hitting Kayden in retaliation for the pain he was putting you through. The raging fire led to intense stinging that you could describe as white-hot needles poking your damaged skin.

"Please remember that you love me." Kayden said right before he dropped a huge blob of Biogel onto the hole in your leg. Had he not jumped away, your elbow would have connected with his chest at high speed. Instead, all that got injured were your nerves, your vocal cords and Hunter's head.

"I'll murder you if you do that again." You whimpered while clutching your upper thigh in hope of cutting every pain transmission from your leg to your brain.

"Good thing it was the last one!" He laughed from his side of the cell, Biogel discarded to the profit of the warm bowl of soup which he was already drinking like he'd been starved for a week.

Wrecker's gasp and groans filled the air. A quick glance his way showed Hunter applying a coat of the translucent substance on his burnt hands and neck as well as on the cuts on his arms. Then came Hunter's turn who covered some scratches from the Yappians and after some thought applied some of it on the side of his forehead. No sound escaped his throat, the only proof of the pain assaulting his nerves being the scrunching of his face, unlike Tech who yelped when Crosshair carelessly applied the gel on his wrist and arms. Then, like pain didn't affect him at all, he splattered some on his swollen ankle and it was done.

"I'm sure no one really wants to eat right now, but it'd be good to eat the food until Back-up comes back and we have to leave." Kayden reminded.

"What's that?" Crosshair asked, more worried about the soup than Wrecker was. The tank was already slurping the soup down, mindful of his sensible fingers.

"In basic I guess it translates as bone soup." Wrecker stopped abruptly, mouth still scotched to the bowl. He eyed you in distress, pondering if it was safe to swallow or not. "It's good, despite the name. Hunters usually eat that before a hunt to boost their systems, right Y/N?" Just for the sake of the game, you nodded. It was true anyway.

"And eh… what's in it?" Tech moved the container in small circles to try and identify what was floating in the light yellow liquid.

"Roots, meats, some veggies, guts and ground bones." You kept your poker face as Kayden enumerated the 'ingredients' and Wrecker lost all colors. "Where do you think the name comes from?"

Wrecker spat his enormous gulp and you laughed to the point of tears, soon joined by your best frie- brother.

"He's just fucking with y'all, Wreck. It's called bone soup because there's bone marrow in it to help with our joints. And there’s no guts. We're no savages." You did your best to control your laugh before digging into your soup eagerly. How Kayden always managed to get your mood up was a total mystery, but it always worked and you were grateful for it.

"Could've fooled me." Crosshair taunted.

"Ya can choke on it." You said at the same time Kayden did, getting a laugh out of it.

The delicious soup filled your stomach in less than 10 gulps and it wasn't until you put your bowl down that you realized how good it made you feel to fill that emptiness in you. The soup wasn't enough to make you sleepy after a nice meal and provided just enough nutrients for everyone to be able to face the fast-approaching escape without a problem. Mixed with the Biogel, you were back at the top of your games.

Arlan really made an error in taking care of the group.

"What now? What's your plan?" Hunter wondered, posing his container on the ground.

You met gaze with Kayden and he nodded confidently. "How well can you all swim in your armors?"

"In calm water, we are fine but slow. We can't go in strong water. The current will catch in the plastoid and will drag us down."

A hum resonated from within your throat and you pucker your lips. "You can't give them up. That scratch out the underground well and the waterfall." You taped your lips in thought. Watching Tech who still drank with only one hand, you knew that hiking wasn't an option as well. For now at least.

"Then it's the dark pit." Kayden pointed out.

It indeed was the last possible option. The other remaining one would be to use the front gates and it was the least possible one.

"Yeah. The other tunnels would take too long to get out and then we'd lose too much time walking back at the Old Man's cave." You recalled from your mental map of the jungle. "I'm fairly sure we have two hours until dawn. The Old Man's Cave is 15 minutes away from here if we run."

"Then we run." Hunter agreed.

"Now, to get out… Hey, big guy." Kayden called. "What's the name?"

"Wrecker." He answered proudly, almost puffing his chest out.

Kayden scoffed. "Obviously. Should'a figured." He turned to you. "Is it too late to change my name?"

The moron was too far for a shoulder slap, so you showed your exasperation with a roll of your eyes. "Stop screwing around and tell us your idea."

"Yeah yeah." The childish tone wasn't surprising on his part. He turned his attention back to the tall clone. "So, Wrecker, I bet you're experienced with big shafts so how good are you with pulse-hammers?" In a flash, you threw your empty container at his head with utmost precision that you knew Crosshair would be proud. The flying object was as unexpected for him as the inappropriate sentence was for you and hit him square on the forehead.

"I'll strangle you." You threatened.

"Kinky." He winked while nursing his forehead.

"With what?" Wrecker inquired, too focussed on the unknown term to pick up at the dirty joke.

"Her han-"

"Not that, morron." You cut him off. "The big hammer that exploded that tree back at the pit." You clarified for Wrecker.

"Oh! I've never used one before, but I'm sure it can't be that hard!" Excitement glimmered in his eyes at the perspective of using the powerful weapon.

"Oh believe me it's hard." Kayden smirked way too smugly for your taste.

"Okay. Time out. Planning is paused." You poked the palm of your hand with the fingertips of your other hand. "I call pervert veto card." You deadpanned.

"Oh hell no you can't!" Was there panic in his voice? Yes. Definitely.

"Oh heck yes I can! Once a year for 24 hours and I'm using it now." Thank the gods you'd not used it before.

"But-!"

"No but or butts. No sexual reference in any form, implied or not. 24 hours starting now." He glared at you from his spot two meters away. You could have laughed at his face that perfectly mirrored a kid who just got his Christmas gift stolen directly from its small weak hands.

"You're fucking me in the ass." He grumbled like an overgrown petulant child.

You lifted an eyebrow. "Try again. You can do it."

"Party pooper."

"There you go." As you turned to the rest of them, a laugh escaped your lips at the clones’ expressions.

Crosshair, despite his feelings blockade, was covering his mouth, Wrecker was laughing his ass off, Tech looked relieved behind his horrified eyes and Hunter chuckled. He appeared to be pleased and somewhat totally used to the situation, which grabbed your curiosity.

Later. You forced a cough to get everyone's attention. "Let's continue. To answer your question, Wrecker, handling a pulse-hammer is not hard. Only remember to not touch the head," You had to stop to point at Kayden in a threatening manner when you sensed a perverted comment about to escape his idiotic mouth despite the veto card being used. "And hit with the glowing side. If you hit with the other side, you'll damage the hammer and it'll be useless."

"I can do that!" Wrecker enthusiastically nodded.

"So we plan into exploding our way out of here? What do we do about Cross?" Tech pointed out what he thought was a flaw in your plan.

Right at this moment, Back-Up appeared before Kayden, its fluffy leaves puffing out in pride as Kayden removed the Master key from its belly pouch. What a marvelous creature they were. Being able to fit your own size in an extensible pouch that covered your body from your collarbone to your pelvis was truly amazing and more than practical.

"We'll split. Kayden will guide you guys to the emergency tunnel and I'll go get Cross. I'll meet you all as soon as I can."

You nearly hadn't finished that Hunter inevitably rejected your plan. "No. We stay together."

"We can't. You guys will be the decoy I need to sneak around and find him and having one of you with me will catch attention and slow me down." You cut Hunter as he still looked like he was about to be opposed. "I still have my comms and earbud. I'll contact you every 5 minutes." You offered in an attempt to compromise.

Silence stretched and you got up, already ready to depart. The tingling in your arms and leg had subsided some time ago and to your sweet surprise, applying weight on your leg didn't hurt as much as before.

Kayden unlocked the cells and a hand softly grabbed your forearm. "Fine. You comm every 5 minutes and you take this." He moved to Tech to rummage through his belt and hand you a pistol. "Use it if needed."

You took the pistol with a steady grip despite the uncertainty shaking your guts. It was the very first blaster you've ever had in your hand and it was heavier than you thought. "Don't worry. I will." You assured him, voice strong and unwavering.

But… could you really?

#bad batch x reader #hunter x reader #tech x reader #wrecker x reader #crosshair x reader #tcw #star wars #clone force 99 #sergeant hunter #clone trooper tech #clone trooper wrecker #clone trooper hunter #clone trooper crosshair #Good Night Good Luck

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ericsonclan · 3 years

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A Romantic Holiday

Summary: Clementine and the others get ready to celebrate Valentine's Day with their significant others.

Word Count: 1000+

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“All I’m saying is that a movie and cuddling is a totally valid way to spend Valentine’s Day,” Brody looked back at her friends who all nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, it totally is,” Clementine walked up beside her auburn friend and gave a smile.

“Nothing wrong with that,” Louis jogged forward, immediately intertwining his fingers with Clementine’s. With a gentle sway their joined hands began to move back and forth. Louis’ bright smile faltered when he saw the look on Brody’s face. “Unless you don’t want that to be your Valentine’s Day evening.”

Brody’s eyes grew large for a second before she looked down at her shoes. “It’s stupid. It’s not like Mitch or I have the money to blow on a fancy Valentine’s Day,” Brody gave a sigh. “But I would be lying if I said I didn’t want something more romantic.”

“Then tell him,” Violet’s eyes met Brody’s when she glanced up. “Mitch is a dumbass but he also really likes you so he’d want to make you happy,”

“Violet is right,” Prisha smiled over at Brody. “If you communicate with Mitch then perhaps you can find a romantic date idea that isn’t pricey,”

“Yeah, you guys are right,” Brody gave a shaky sigh then proceeded to take a few deep breaths. “So what are your guys’ plans for Valentine’s Day?”

“A carriage ride through a park. With the snow and each other it will be magical!” Louis pressed a kiss to Clementine’s cheek then spun her around once as a surprise before the two rejoined the group who stopped to wait for them.

“Violet and I are recreating our first ever date and going stargazing with tons of blankets of course,” Prisha wrapped her arms around Violet then looked down at her with a loving smile.

“That all sounds amazing. I just wish I had an idea of what I wan-”

“Well if it isn’t Prisha!” a voice boomed from a short distance in front of them. Brody looked as well as the others, curious who had cut the conversation short. A fairly tall man with a thick, gray, full beard walked forward with a happy smile. Based on his uniform and hat it was clear that he was the sheriff. His jaw was set in such a way that it gave him an aura of sternness but based on the crinkle of joy in his eyes it was clear that he was a good man. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“Sheriff Kenny! What a pleasure to see you. What are you doing on campus?” Prisha smiled over at Kenny before a realization struck here. Violet was still within her arms, a sight she wasn’t sure how Kenny would take considering that the only ones who knew of her orientation were the group of friends she had now. Kenny studied Prisha and Violet for a moment. Violet’s grip on Prisha’s arms remained as constant as always as she shot over a pointed look at the sheriff who remained quiet for a few seconds. Violet continued to look at the sheriff with a protectiveness in her eyes until he spoke up.

“I didn’t know you had a girlfriend. Good for you,” Kenny tipped up his hat and gave a casual smile.

“Thank you,” Prisha held Violet closer. Violet noticed that Prisha’s tension had lessened quite a bit before it flared up again. “My relationship with Violet, my father...” Prisha’s voice trailed for a second.

“Don’t worry, I won’t go shooting off my mouth about anything. I’m just glad to see you happy. Damn, you sure have grown. I remember the days you would run around the station and pretend to find clues with a copy of some Sherlock Holmes book tucked under your arm,” Kenny’s recounting made Prisha grow embarrassed as she listened to the sheriff share story after story. Louis, Clementine and Brody seemed to be enjoying hearing all these stories that Prisha was sure would be brought up again and she noticed that Violet was also having fun hearing stories about Prisha from before they met.

“Anyways, I’m talking your ears off and I haven’t even asked for any of your damn names.” Kenny sighed apologetically before his eyes focused on Louis for a second as if he had recognized him somehow. “My name’s Kenneth Callaway but you can just call me Sheriff Kenny.”

“Nice to meet you, sir. My name’s Louis and this lovely gal beside me is my girlfriend, Clementine!” Louis smiled over to Clementine who returned it.

“Guess I’m next, I’m Brody,” Brody had a nervous expression on her face, likely due to a mixture of it being a first meeting and that the person she was introducing herself to was the sheriff.

“Nice to meet you all. I picked up on your name already,” Kenny looked over at Violet who gave a short nod.

“Well then, I shouldn’t be taking up any more of your time,” Kenny tipped his hat then turned to leave until a voice called out to him.

“Dad! I didn’t know you’d be on campus!” A young man with short brown hair strolled forward, his pinky intertwined with a person with hazel eyes.

“Hey there, Duck! I was just here to take a look around campus since so much has been going on here lately. Then I ran into Prisha and-”

“Prisha is here!” Duck’s eyes immediately lit up and slipping his pinky free he ran forward. In an instant Prisha was wrapped into a tight hug. “I was hoping I’d see you around campus ever since I started this semester.”

“Duck, you’re hugging me a bit too tight,” Prisha wheezed out before giving an appreciative smile once Duck had let go.

“So, still being a great detective as always? Are you working towards that degree to become a superhero?” Duck smiled brightly at Prisha.

“Well, I’m just becoming a lawyer, not a hero.” Prisha looked away, slightly worried that her eyes or her friends’ would show some sort of sign that they were in fact superheroes.

“Eh, it's basically the same thing!” Duck placed his hands on his hips before a flicker of realization appeared. “Oh, that’s right! I’ve never introduced you to Oakley before!”

Duck ran back and stood beside the person that had been walking with him. They seemed to be completely lost in the simple joy of letting snowflakes fall on their tongue. A small smile was on their lips as a snowflake right on the tip of it.

“This is Oakley, my paramour!” Duck grinned brightly as his pinky wrapped around Oakley’s once more. Prisha’s eyes grew large at that word while Kenny gave a tired groan.

“Son, you could use another word,” Kenny looked over at Duck who shrugged.

“It works for us,”

“But you’re referring to Oakley as your illicit partner. Do you see the issue with that?” Prisha looked at her friend who brushed it off.

“It would be an issue if someone else used it like that but this is different. Anyways, wanna say hi, Knox?”

Oakley stopped in their task for a second then moved their eyes to look at the group. “Hi,” Without another word they soon returned their attention to the sky. Duck didn’t seem to mind though and instead began to get everyone’s names. Soon it was his turn to share old tales involving Prisha: how they would pretend to be heroes around the station and such until one day she had left for Chicago and the two hadn’t really kept in contact until now.

After a while Kenny cleared his throat. “Well, we should be getting out of your hair,” Kenny patted Duck’s back to make sure he got the message too.

“Alright. See you later, Prisha!” Duck gave one final wave then walked off, happily talking with Oakley who listened as they intertwined their fingers. The group watched them for a minute longer before continuing down the path and picking up the conversation that they were having prior to the Sheriff showing up.

Prisha glanced at her phone for a moment. She had some time to kill before she had to start on assignments. Her thumb instantly wandered over towards the Discord app logo and with a quick tap she opened it. As luck would have it the channel she had last been on had begun to pick up with a brand new conversation after Brody and Ruby had finished up their tea talk.

Sing-us-a-song: Wee woo wee woo

BREAKING NEWS

Violet just told me that im her beast friend

Best

Best friend

OrangeuGlad: Congrats!

Bro: wait

Aasim: You are already best friends

Bro: Aren’t you already best friends?

Yeah

Sing-us-a-song: Its official now

Best friends :3

Knife2meetU: Louis

Stop sharing stuff from our private convos in DMs

Sing-us-a-song: Oop

Sorry bestie <3

Knife2meetU: No heart

Sing-us-a-song: Sorry bestie!

Knife2meetU: And no bestie

You’re this close to losing your best friend rights

Sing-us-a-song: Are you sure? Smirk face

There’s no take backs

Knife2meetU: Wanna bet?

Sing-us-a-song: Vi waig

Wait

We’re Bffs!

Thats forever

Prisha watched the conversation continue with amusement when all of a sudden her attention was drawn away from the chat and towards the door. Therissa walked in with a tired groan. Her feet dragged on the floor before she fell onto the couch.

“If I committed murder, would you represent me and get me off scot-free?” Therissa looked over at her roommate with a tired smile. A few strands of her dark brown curly hair fell over her face, covering her eyes.

“Oh? What got you so heated? You’re usually fairly level-headed,” Prisha placed down her phone and walked towards the kitchen area to start some tea.

“I am, but this professor is a total ass. First he praises my writing in his Creative Writing 103 class saying that it’s great but then when the second semester starts and I take Creative Writing 205 then he basically starts telling me it's shit now. It makes no sense and he keeps acting snarky and pissy with me. So now on Valentine’s Day I have a day full of classes, work and a writing tutor because I need to pass this class,” Therissa groaned and sat up when Prisha walked over with two cups of tea.

“Would you want my help on any homework?” Prisha smiled at her friend who accepted the tea gratefully.

Therissa took a long sip before answering. “No, you’re super busy as is. You’re always studying and when you’re not in class you’re rushing around everywhere. I’m surprised you haven’t been passing out recently.”

“Thanks for the compliment,” Prisha’s expression was hidden behind the cup as she took a sip of tea.

“Wasn’t a compliment. I’m trying to point out that you push yourself too much. It’s a good thing Valentine’s Day is the day after tomorrow. Maybe you can finally relax for a day with your girlfriend. Speaking of which, you better have a nice outfit that you're wearing for the date.”

“I am!” Prisha smiled brightly. “In fact, after this tea I can show you it!”

Therissa returned the smile. “Good, then after Valentine’s Day we can return to plotting murder.”

“Sounds good to me.” Prisha took another sip and soon she got caught up in a conversation with Therissa.

“Shit, fuck, shit on the- fuck!” Violet ran over to the heart-shaped bowl that was over a simmering pot of water. The bowl was starting to slip due to the condensation from the heat and the fact that it had been placed poorly over the pot. Luckily Violet had caught it before most of the contents fell into the water. Violet gave a frustrated groan that turned into a hiss when her fingers brushed against the hot metal of the pot. Jerking her hand back, Violet ended up spilling the rest of the chocolate into the water. “Fuck, no!”

“Violet! Are you alright?” Prisha walked forward, the concern clear in her eyes when she saw Violet clutching her hand.

“I’m fine,” Violet could see that Prisha didn’t believe her. Silently Prisha guided Violet over towards the sink and started to run cold water over her fingers. Violet stared at the water for a moment then up at her girlfriend. “This was a fucking stupid injury,”

“It wasn’t. You were just trying to save the chocolate. It’s a shame that you got hurt in the process though,” Prisha noticed Violet’s face fall. “Don’t worry, I’ll help patch up your fingers and you can give the process of making chocolate one more go.”

“I don’t know. I fucking suck at it,” Violet mumbled, her eyes sad until she felt a kiss being pressed to her cheek.

“I beg to differ.” Prisha smiled lovingly at Violet who returned to look until Clementine’s voice drew both of their attention away from each other.

“Why does it look like there’s a pile of shit in the pot?”

“Oh horsefeathers! Did we lose another batch?” Ruby bustled over and huffed with annoyance as she began to clean up the mess.

“Sorry,” Violet’s quiet voice made Ruby glance over, her eyes softening.

“Aww, Sug, don’t worry about it. Luckily Brody had been as worried as ever and overbought on supplies,” Ruby nodded over to Brody who was working on preparing another batch.

“Seems like my anxiousness paid off this time,” Brody smiled at her friends then looked down at the ingredients that would soon make milk chocolate. “Do you think Mitch and the others will like this?” “Are you kidding? Of course they will! Louis is a sucker for sweets and so is Mitch,” Clementine placed a hand on Brody’s shoulder and gave a smile.

“Aasim loves all things romance and besides two of the people that are getting chocolates are with us and both of them have been all worried about making the perfect chocolate,” Ruby sent a teasing look over to Prisha and Violet.

“Well, ‘perfect’ is a strong word. I just want to make good chocolates for Violet,” Prisha messed with her braid for a moment.

“Yeah, what's wrong with not wanting to fuck up?” Violet crossed her arms and looked over at Ruby.

“I don’t think Ruby said it was bad, just sweet,” Brody gave another smile then took a deep breath. “Now let's kick this chocolates’ ass and surprise the guys!”

Clementine and Ruby cheered at that and soon all the girls were working on chocolate once more. It took a few more tries but soon the chocolate was being poured into the molds. After being placed in the fridge for twenty to thirty minutes the chocolates were done and the girls moved to the next step. Each of them worked to put the chocolates into little homemade heart boxes that Brody and Ruby had spent the night before making.

Violet swore under her breath while she worked on her box; Brody seemed to be in no better a boat. Meanwhile Ruby and Prisha had mastered putting together boxes of chocolates. Both of them were tying picture perfect bows on the boxes to seal them. Prisha hummed a happy tune to herself as she finished the final touches. But as soon as the others noticed that she was singing she quieted down. Lastly Clementine gave it her best effort and got a middle of the road result; she didn’t seem to care though. She knew that Louis would love it. Just as that thought had finished a knock came on her front door. Brushing her hands on her pants, Clementine walked forward. Her eyes grew large when she spotted Louis, Mitch and Aasim at the door. “Louis! What are you doing here?”

Clementine’s exclamation made the other girls poke their heads out of the kitchen to see the boys standing in the doorway. Each of them had a clip-on bow tie and a rose in their hands.

“Hello, my darling,” Louis leaned forward and planted a kiss on Clementine’s cheek. “We are here for our early Valentine’s Day surprise!” Louis grinned back at Mitch and Aasim. Mitch felt like his nerves were all over the place as he pulled on his shirt collar. Meanwhile Aasim seemed to be practicing something in his mind, his eyes focused elsewhere. Louis quickly snapped his friends out of their mindset and led the way inside. “We are here to serenade our lovely girlfriends with a barbershop quartet!”

“But isn’t a quartet made of four singers?” Brody walked forward, leading the way for the girls who all filed out to see what song the boys were about to sing.

“Right you are, Bro! Prisha, mind switching sides and completing our quartet?” Louis smiled over to his music confidant.

“I’d love nothing more,” Prisha smiled confidently as she walked forward and accepted a clip-on bowtie and rose.

Louis quickly gathered the three others and played a note for them all to be the same key. Soon the four of them began to sing Just in Time by Frank Sinatra. It was an older song that Violet was sure Prisha had pushed to be the choice for today.

“Just in time, I found you just in time

Before you came, my time was runnin' low

I was lost, the losing dice were tossed

My bridges all were crossed, nowhere to go,”

The four of them sang, each of them using their natural singing octave. Prisha and Louis were by far the best singers while Aasim wasn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination. That left Mitch in last place who clearly couldn’t sing as well as the others but that didn’t stop him from powering through and singing loudly.

“Now you're here and now I know just where I'm goin'

No more doubt or fear, I found my way

For love came just in time

You found me just in time

And changed my lonely life that lovely day,”

The four walked forward towards Violet, Ruby, Brody and Clementine. Each of them looked at their girlfriends with loving smiles. Even though the song wasn’t sung the strongest, the girls could tell that Prisha and the boys were pouring their hearts into the performance despite it being obvious for some this whole thing was overwhelming.

“Now you are here and now I know just where I'm goin'

No more doubt or fear, 'cause I've found my way

For love came just in time

You found me just in time

And changed my lonely life that lovely

Lonely life that lovely

Lonely life that lovely day,”

As the four hit the final note they held out their roses to their respective girlfriends. Louis gave a playful wink Clementine’s way as she accepted the rose before all of his confidence melted away into dorky happiness when Clementine stole a quick kiss. Ruby accepted the rose, her rosy cheeks growing rosier as she got on her tiptoes and showered Aasim with quick, soft kisses. Meanwhile both Brody and Mitch were blushing messes as Brody took the rose and gave Mitch a compliment that made him even more flustered. Both of them tried to find the right words as they held each other’s hands. Soon they each decided it was better to just let their actions speak louder than their words and shared a strong kiss. Lastly, Violet took the rose and knew that her face was as red as the flower.

“I’m glad you enjoyed the quartet,” Prisha smiled at Violet who gave a short nod. The two were silent for a moment before Violet snuck a kiss. The romantic action made Prisha freeze in place for a moment.

“Oh!” Ruby’s voice made everyone look over at her. “We should give the chocolates!”

“Chocolates?” Louis’ eyes danced with excitement at those words and it only grew as Clementine disappeared and reappeared with a box of chocolates.

Soon all of the chocolates had been exchanged to which all of its recipients were extremely happy. Mitch wrapped his arms around Brody from behind and pressed a kiss to her cheek before he grew almost as overwhelmed as Brody by the action. Aasim was happily talking about how much he appreciated Ruby and all the thought she had put in this early Valentine’s Day surprise. Ruby blushed and quickly told him that he had been just as thoughtful if not more. Violet watched nervously as Prisha took a bite of the chocolate and was relieved when Prisha’s eyes sparkled with happiness. Clementine watched her friends for a moment then looked back over at Louis who was gushing about how lucky he was to have a girlfriend like Clementine, especially on Valentine’s Day. Clementine smiled softly and held onto Louis’ hands.

These Valentine celebrations were already going great and it wasn’t even the holiday yet. All of them had knocked it out of the park so far and after hearing the plans for the others Valentine Day dates Clementine was sure tomorrow would be a fantastic day for all of them.

Clementine’s eyes wandered over the map of Ericson University one last time. She had to be sure that there were no rifts opening up. If one appeared while she was busy getting lost in the joy of a date… It couldn’t happen. Luckily when she checked it for the sixteenth time it was the same as it always was. Blank and void of any shimmering blue or red dots. Clementine gave a shaky sigh of relief and tucked it away in her winter coat. Lee and Carley had already headed out, both of them looking giddy at the thought of starting their Valentine’s Day date. Soon after they had left, a babysitter showed up for AJ who was waiting to work on his second Valentine’s card that he wanted to give to Telulah as soon as he could. His foot tapped impatiently as he waited for Louis so that he could say hi before him and Clementine headed out. A few minutes passed of awkward silence and of the babysitter wanting to get AJ to focus on games instead of staring at the door when a knock appeared. Jogging forward, Clementine opened the door and found her boyfriend smiling brightly at her, in his hands a dozen roses.

“Happy Valentine's Day, my darling!” Louis leaned forward and captured Clementine’s lips in a soft kiss.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Clementine reached out and took one of Louis’ hands in hers.

“Are you ready for a magical carriage ride?” Louis smiled at Clementine who gave a short nod.

“Yep,” Clementine glanced back at AJ. “Okay, we’re going to be heading out now,”

“Wait!” AJ scampered forward and skidded to a halt in front of the pair. “You better keep her safe!”

“Will do, little dude!” Louis gave a huge thumbs up at AJ who beamed.

“Oh! And get her back by curf- curvs-”

“Curfew,” Clementine helped her little brother who nodded firmly.

“Yeah! Curfew!”

“Of course! I will make sure Clem is back and safe by curfew. You have a gentleman’s promise,” Louis noticed the happy smile on AJ’s lips at his words.

“Good!” AJ placed his hands on his hips for a second then rushed forward and tackled Clementine with a hug before running back to get started on the fun.

Clementine and Louis shared a smile and quietly laughed as they walked out the door. Clementine looked over at Louis. He was wearing a long brown coat as well as a green scarf that seemed to only add to his adorable winter vibes.“You’re looking cute today,”

Clementine’s compliment made Louis look over with a dorky smile. “Why, thank you! I picked it out myself. Well, that's not entirely true. Marlon helped me pick out this scarf,”

“Well then both of you did a good job picking out your outfit,” Clementine smiled when she saw how happy those words made Louis.

“Awww thanks, but I don’t look half as cute as you,” Louis swung their joined hands then nodded over towards Clementine's outfit. It was a dark blue sweater covered by a black winter jacket that all complemented her fuzzy blue winter hat.

Clementine blushed lightly at the compliment. “Thanks,” She quickly leaned over and pressed a kiss to Louis’ cheek. The two walked happily towards the location of the horse-drawn carriage, sharing as many kiss as they could surprise the other with until they reached the spot.

“M’lady,” Louis held out his hand with a warm smile. Clementine returned the smile and took his hand as he guided her up the steps of the carriage. Soon he was right beside her, immediately handing over the dozen roses. “Are you ready for a romantic carriage ride?” “I was born ready,” Clementine gave a playful smile that made Louis’ nose crinkle with amusement. Sharing one more kiss, Louis gave the signal and the carriage driver flicked the reins, causing the horses to snort before moving forward in a slow trot. Clementine scooted closer and wrapped her arm around Louis’ waist. Louis’ face grew warm and he gently kissed Clementine’s forehead then pulled her closer. Nuzzling his face against the top of her head, he slowly leaned his head against hers and the two took in the beauty of the snow-covered world around them. Both of them commented here and there about how lovely the park was as the carriage moved forward. After a few moments Louis began to hum a tune that Clementine couldn’t place for a moment. It took her a few seconds to pick up what he was singing.

“Are you humming Jingle Bells? After Christmas?” Clementine looked up at her boyfriend with a smile.

“Yes, I am, and there is nothing wrong with that,” Louis grinned down at Clementine and stole a kiss before continuing to hum. Soon his warm tune was joined by a softer voice. Louis glanced down to see that Clementine was joining him in humming. The two began to hum some more then quickly proceeded to sing the song out loud along with any other song that their hearts desired. Both of them looked at each other with joyful, soft smiles. This really was a magical carriage ride.

Ruby stood in front of the mirror and turned this way and that, causing her red dress to sway. Her brows furrowed for a moment before she looked back at Brody who was busy pacing.

“Brody, do you think my dress looks alright?”

Ruby’s voice snapped Brody out of her thoughts and she glanced up. “What? Are you kidding? Aasim is going to lose his mind when he sees you!” Brody stopped her pacing and gave a warm smile to her best friend.

“Yeah, you’re right. I think I’m getting into my own head.” Ruby looked back at the mirror. “Just like you are about your date with Mitch,”

Those words made Brody’s eyes grow large before falling. “It’s stupid. I was so busy the last few days that I didn’t even talk to Mitch about changing our Valentine’s Day plans. It's too late to change them now and besides, he sang for me yesterday which was a really nice surprise.”

“Brody, I don’t think you need to worry your head about this. I’m sure you’ll have a grand time with Mitch,” Ruby looked back at Brody through the mirror, a playful knowingness in her eyes. The sight of that confused Brody and she wanted to ask about it when suddenly a knock on the dorm room door appeared.

“Oh, that must be him!” Ruby bustled over and opened the door, revealing Aasim who was decked out in a suit with a red tie. Tucked in his left hand there looked to be a piece of love poetry based on the seal and the red bow around it.

“Hello, my dove,” Aasim leaned down and gently kissed Ruby. Ruby instantly cupped his face and deepened the kiss before giving two more quick ones.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Pookie,” Ruby took Aasim’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Are you ready to go to the tea shop?”

“I sure am! I heard the tea there is divine!” Ruby smiled up at her boyfriend then glanced back at Brody. “I’m heading out. I’ll see you later.”

“Okay,” Brody gave a quick wave and after Aasim helped Ruby get on her coat the two disappeared down the hall.

The pair walked in serene silence for a bit, enjoying the winter wonderland that their campus had turned into. They shared small kisses here and there as they walked, placing them on each other’s wrists and hands. Ruby’s rosy red cheeks turned even brighter in the cold of winter which made Aasim’s heart pitter patter happily.

Soon the two had arrived at Sarita’s Tea Shop where the owner welcomed them with a friendly smile. A large man stood beside the owner who they learned went by the name Tripp. He gave a quick kiss to Sarita before guiding Aasim and Ruby to their table. After placing their orders, Aasim and Ruby immediately held each other’s hands.

Aasim looked at Ruby with such tender love as he placed kiss after kiss on her hands. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that I found you. In fact, I tried my best to put into words my feelings for you,” Aasim slipped one of his hands free and held out the love poetry.

“Why, Aasim,” Ruby gently took the gift and slowly began to read it. Her eyes wandered from left to right, reading the words her boyfriend had so lovingly put on paper. With each sentence her heart grew warmer and warmer until she had finished reading. Silently she placed down the paper and leaned forward across the table, kissing Aasim softly. Aasim’s eyes widened for a moment then closed as he deepened the kiss. After a moment the two pulled apart and shared a soft look.

“I’m happy I found you too,”

The two smiled at each other, holding each other’s hands until the tea was brought forward along with the pastries. Tripp silently poured the hot water over a rose blossom in a clear teapot. Slowly the rose bursted open, blossoming and flavoring the tea. Ruby and Aasim stared in awe then shared another smile. This was turning into a truly unforgettable Valentine’s Day.

Brody sat on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Ruby had left a while ago and based on the haphazard text she got from Mitch he was nearly here. It wouldn’t be bad cuddling and watching a movie together. Feeling Mitch’s arms around her, stolen kisses.. Brody covered her face with a pillow as she felt herself grow overwhelmed. Just as she was about to go on another spiral of thoughts, a knock showed up on the door.

Peeking out from behind the pillow Brody got up, quickly readjusting her t-shirt before walking over to answer the door. When she opened the door her eyes grew wide with surprise. There, standing in the doorway, was Mitch in an honest to goodness tux. The dark blue tie was sloppily placed and the suit was a bit too big on him.

Mitch pulled at the collar for a second before he noticed Brody. “Brodes! Happy Valentine’s Day!” Mitch’s voice boomed a bit too loudly as he thrusted out his arm which held a metal trident. Brody blinked in awe of the trident then took it. Slowly her eyes began to examine it. “I thought that a stronger weapon is never a bad thing so I made you one,” Mitch’s eyes were focused on the floor. “It’ll protect you way better than that prop one you had,”

“I love it,” Brody smiled up at Mitch who looked at her with shock then proceeded to pump his fist.

“Yes! Fuckin’ A! I actually didn’t fuck up on Valentine’s Day! Because look!” Mitch leaned over and picked up a soft yellow dress then held it out for Brody. “Ruby helped me pick it out because I’m shit at this sorta thing but you gotta dress up for our plans.”

“Plans?” Brody accepted the dress and held it close to her chest with a soft smile.

“Yeah, it took me fucking forever but I saved up enough money to take you to one of those fancy restaurants, one of those places where you have to dress fancy and shit,”

Mitch’s words made Brody’s mouth open slightly in surprise. She definitely wasn’t expecting this. Silently she placed down the items then got on her tiptoes and pulled Mitch into a kiss. Mitch instantly wrapped his arms around her waist and deepened the kiss. Once they pulled apart the two stared into each other’s eyes.

“I’m gonna go get changed,”

“Okay, I’ll wait out in the hall,” Mitch whispered. Both of their faces were super red as they squeezed each other’s hands and let them slip free. Mitch waited out in the hall, kicking his foot impatiently as he leaned against the wall. After a few minutes Brody emerged from the room in the short, soft yellow dress. Mitch’s mouth hung open for a second.

“Well, do I look okay?” Brody did a small spin.

“You look fucking amazing!” Mitch walked forward and stole another kiss from Brody. Brody hummed at the touch of the kiss then pulled back, her face a bright red.

“Thanks, you look pretty amazing yourself,” Brody’s hands wandered forward and held onto Mitch’s tux for a second.

Mitch had a confident smile on his face. “I borrowed this tux from my dad and he helped me pick out this tie,” Mitch’s confidence radiated off of him as he displayed his outfit before it faltered when he noticed his tie’s placement looked like shit. Silently Brody helped fix his tie then intertwined her fingers with his. The two shared a quick smile then after locking the door headed out towards the restaurant.

Both of them felt extremely out of place at this fancy restaurant. It was way out of their normal price range.

“Why the fuck do they have two forks?” Mitch looked at the table placement with confusion as he and Brody waited for their steak dinners.

“I don’t know. Maybe it's in case you drop one?” Brody shrugged, unsure of her own answer. Mitch stared at the forks for a moment longer before a mischievous grin appeared on his face. “Mitch, what are you thinking?”

Mitch was silent as he looked up at Brody before his elbow knocked off a fork. After a moment a waiter came forward and replaced his fork. Brody sighed which only made Mitch’s smile grow.

“Come on, Brodes, y’know you love me,” Mitch’s smug smile faded in an instant when he realized what he had just said. The two shared a look, both extremely red once more before looking away.

Brody was silent for a minute then answered. “Yeah, I do.”

Her answer made Mitch drop his glass of water directly on his crotch. “Fuck!”

“Mitch! Are you okay?” Brody pushed back her chair to check on her boyfriend.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. It just looks like I pissed my pants,” Mitch was silent for a moment, wondering if he should go for it. “I love you too,”

His answer shocked Brody who in her surprise knocked over a plate which slammed onto Mitch’s toe. This date was absolute chaos but both of them seemed focused on the positives of the moment, chaos and all.

Violet hopped up onto the back of her old, beat up, blue pickup truck, parked in the same spot that Violet had taken Prisha all those months ago on their first date together. Her hands worked to place the last few pillows in place before double checking that all the fake candles were on. After frantically checking once more Violet got off the truck and walked towards the door. Opening it, she saw that Prisha still had her eyes closed.

“Okay, it's ready. Here, take my hand,” Violet instructed and Prisha immediately held out her hand which Violet grasped. Silently she led the way towards the back of the pickup truck. After getting Prisha in the right spot, Violet took a few steps back beside the truck.”Okay, open your eyes.”

Prisha’s eyes slowly fluttered open before growing large in awe. The back of the pickup truck was covered in blankets and pillows. Along the edges of the truck were fake candles as well as two vases filled with violets, baby’s breath and forget me nots.

“I did my best to make it like our first date but, y’know, better,” Violet awkwardly scratched the back of her neck then hid her hands away in her front hoodie pocket.

“It's absolutely beautiful! Violet,” Prisha’s voice hitched in her throat and she ran forward, cupping Violet’s face and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. Violet’s eyes grew large at the romantic gesture for a moment then she deepened the kiss. Prisha pulled back and looked lovingly into Violet’s eyes. “I love it.” “I’m glad,” Violet smiled at her girlfriend then intertwined her fingers with Prisha’s. “So, ready to stargaze?”

“Of course!” Prisha returned the smile, kissing Violet’s nose quickly before getting up on the back of the pickup truck with her. The two worked together to get under the blankets and snuggled close. Both of them soon became lost in the beauty of the sky when all of a sudden Prisha reached out and held onto Violet’s hand once more. Violet gave a soft laugh at that which confused Prisha as she looked over at her girlfriend. “What?”

“Nothing. It's just on our first date neither of us was even sure if it was one and we both kept accidentally dodging each other’s hands,” Violet’s eyes traveled over to Prisha’s. “I’m really glad that you held my hand that night,”

“I am too. I can't even express how much you’ve grown to mean to me, Violet. How deeply I care about you, how much I love you,” Prisha turned her body so that she was closer to Violet. Her eyes soon became lost in Violet’s.

“Me neither. To think I’d find someone like you,” Violet whispered and moved closer. “I’m really fucking lucky. So, thanks for choosing me,”

Prisha’s smile grew and she gave Violet a soft kiss. “I wouldn’t choose anyone else. I love you,”

“I love you too,” Violet snuggled up closer to Prisha and soon the two repositioned themselves. Violet’s head gently rested on Prisha’s shoulder as Prisha’s arms wrapped around Violet. The couple’s gaze slowly returned up to the starry sky. Violet snuck a quick glance at Prisha then looked up at the sky once more. Being here with her and the stars that shone brightly in the sky, in that moment Violet needed nothing more.

#twdg #twdg clementine #twdg louis #twdg violet #twdg prisha #twdg ruby #twdg aasim #twdg brody #twdg mitch #twdg kenny #twdg duck #twdg oakley #clouis #rusim #twdg privet #twdg moody #fanfic #I am thou thou art I au

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agapaic · 4 years

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tianshan drabble. 💞 created for Fay @nightfayre following her matched donation to Communities United Against Police Brutality. see here for more information. thank you so much to @fantasiapegasus for proofreading! 🌸 synopsis: guan shan receives an unexpected birthday present.

‘We’ll be late,’ He Tian says, the reminder only a little impatient.

Guan Shan’s lip curls. ‘I’m not rushin’ anywhere,’ he says. ‘Not today.’

He Tian holds his hands up, like catching his fingers on a burner, and says nothing. He’d bought them both bubble tea from the café in the apartment’s lobby that morning, and now he watches Guan Shan finishing his, which is cold and sweet. Guan Shan gives it a shake. Small tapioca balls drift around at the bottom, the colour and shape of pomegranate seeds, strangely tacky on He Tian’s tongue when he accepts the proffered remnants of the cup and tips his head back. He Tian puts the empty cup on the side of the kitchen counter.

‘Now can we go?’

Guan Shan narrows his eyes. ‘You know I fuckin’ hate birthdays.’

‘I know.’

‘You know I fuckin’ hate bein’ told what to do.’

A wry smile. ‘I’m very intimate with the concept.’

‘Bein’ told what to do or me hatin’ it?’

He Tian says, ‘Yes.’ He hands Guan Shan a light jacket; the day will be warm, but the mornings are still cool, and He Tian had bought the jacket for Guan Shan’s twentieth birthday a few years ago and still admires its fit.

The café they’re going to for brunch doesn’t take bookings, but they’ve made an exception for He Tian, and Guan Shan’s mother will be meeting them there. Ordinarily, they would spend the morning fucking and He Tian would fetch a box of hot sweet bread and fresh baozi from a breakfast stall down the street. They would watch Li Ziqi on Weibo for half the day, pretending they were somewhere beautiful in Sichuan, and Guan Shan wouldn’t mind if He Tian got crumbs on the sheets.

‘We can go there,’ He Tian would say. ‘Right now��I’ll take you.’

And Guan Shan would explain, in his own way, that there was no real desire in him for it; the want was brief and insubstantial. He wanted to live Li Ziqi’s life like he wanted mushroom jiaozi instead of shrimp, a bland preference. He wouldn’t mind either way which he got.

Today, He Tian hasn’t allowed for the simple pleasure of sex and food. Today, after a year, he can offer something more. He checks his messages on his phone as they ride the elevator down to the lobby, and Qiu has sent him a thumbs-up emoji. They’re good to go. He Tian feels a little sick, and his smile feels warped on his lips when Guan Shan catches his eye in the ceiling mirror.

‘What?’ Guan Shan murmurs. They’re alone in the elevator, but the need to lower their voices is instinctive. ‘You look funny.’

‘I’m just happy,’ He Tian says. ‘It’s your birthday.’

Guan Shan looks away. ‘Fuckin’ weirdo,’ he mutters, but the corner of his mouth is tight, like he’s holding in a smile.

‘You’re not excited to see your mother?’

‘We see her every week for dinner.’

He Tian shrugs. The elevator dings; the doors slide open. They walk out into the complex’s underground car park, and He Tian’s black sports car bleeps as he raises the keys. It doesn’t fit his emaciated salary of being a nightclub bartender, but the car is an element of He Tian’s family wealth to which Guan Shan doesn’t object.

Guan Shan argued once that it defeated the point of the underprivileged image He Tian has been working on cultivating since his father struck him off—which is true, in a fashion—but money still leaks from somewhere, and He Tian wears the marks of it like an oil stain.

They get in the car, and He Tian pulls out from the car park and into the bright mid-morning air, busy with gnats and birds and the muted twang of far-off city construction work. A blackbird flits across the windshield, and He Tian is careful as he eases onto the street.

‘So,’ he says, ‘if you could have anything—’

‘Have we gotta do this every fuckin’ year?’

‘—anything, Mo Guan Shan, what would it be?’

Guan Shan sighs. ‘A pony. Buy me a fuckin’ pony.’

‘Where would we keep it?’ He Tian asks, laughing.

‘I dunno. Where do the rich fuckers in this city keep them?’

‘In stables out of the city.’ Grimacing, He Tian adds: ‘They go riding on weekends, but hire an ostler for most of the year.’

Guan Shan’s expression is comical. ‘Tell me you haven’t.’

He Tian laughs again. ‘I haven’t, I swear. I only know ‘cause friends of the family used to have horses. Still do, I suppose. It’s the kind of thing you never leave, right?’

‘Like working for the mob?’

There’s a collective pause, and then He Tian says, ‘Wow, you really do hate birthdays.’

He catches Guan Shan wince, a token of regret. He hasn’t lashed out in a while, and they don’t talk about He Tian’s family—or its business—unless they can help it. Usually, it’s He Tian remarking on some old pastime he had to endure on his father’s orders. On even rarer occasions, Guan Shan mentions it when he's indulging in a particularly foul mood and their disparate upbringings become a tool only to set them further apart.

They drive for ten minutes in silence, and Guan Shan chews on a hangnail and flicks through radio channels before switching the system off entirely.

‘You know why I hate them,’ Guan Shan says. And then: ‘Sorry.’

He Tian knows. It was only revealed to him on a night out for Guan Shan’s eighteenth birthday. Guan Shan had been drunk, and cried in the taxi on the way back to his mother’s apartment, then threw up onto the pavement with his head hanging out the doorway after the driver stopped the car.

The story went like this: it had been his birthday when his father was arrested for fraud and associated gang activity; his parents had planned to close up early and make him a cake together in the kitchens, which they’d eat slice after slice until they felt sick. Instead, police had swarmed into the restaurant in riot gear, and Guan Shan had hidden under a table in a cleaning cupboard, memorising the labels on bottles of bleach until he had a headache from the chemical fumes and a uniformed woman with a face visor pulled him out by the wrist. He’d been five, and didn’t see his mother for four days. After everything, she’d known nothing.

‘Seriously,’ He Tian says. ‘Tell me what you want.’

‘Brunch with you and my ma.’ He Tian doesn’t look at him; he sounds frustrated. ‘I’m not gonna say I want him there ‘cause he’s not gonna be there.’

He Tian checks his mirrors. ‘Guan Shan—’

‘Yeah, yeah. Don’t wish for things you’re never gonna get. I’ve learnt my lesson, whatever.’

‘Actually, sweetheart, I was going to say we’re here.’

Guan Shan blinks. Gravel crunches beneath the tyres as He Tian eases the car into a parking space in the city hall’s car park. He pushes the pedal for the parking brake, and the engine turns off automatically. Obviously, they’re not at the café.

‘I don’t understand,’ says Guan Shan, and then he looks at He Tian. ‘I swear to fuckin’ god, if there are marriage papers waitin’ in there…’

He Tian laughs loudly, startled. The thought hadn’t occurred to him, but now he wishes it had. ‘No,’ he says. ‘Not today.’

Guan Shan glowers at him, and He Tian opens his car door. ‘Come on,’ he says, nodding his head. ‘Quick detour.’

He can hear Guan Shan muttering in furious debate with himself as he unbuckles his seatbelt and gets out the car, slamming the door a little too hard. His grip is white-knuckled in He Tian’s hand when he reaches his side, and He Tian smooths his thumb across Guan Shan’s knuckles.

‘You’re sweating,’ He Tian says.

‘I don’t like surprises,’ Guan Shan grinds out, then swipes at the sheen on his forehead with the sleeve of his jacket. ‘What the fuck are we here for?’

‘I told you—’

‘That was bullshit.’ Guan Shan only looks ahead, approaching the steps with a vague grimace of contempt. A woman and man stand at the entrance in bullet proof vests, cradling guns in their arms. ‘Sorry, but it’s bullshit.’

He Tian shrugs. He flashes a badge to the officials standing at the main entrance, and says, ‘Magistrates’ hearing.’

They’re allowed in.

‘What the fuck,’ he hears Guan Shan whisper, and then pulls him through when the officials step aside, wearing sunglasses and looks that are equal in severity. Inside, the glossy hallways are cool, and He Tian becomes aware of the swiftness of his own pulse, a staccato metronome. Guan Shan looks sharply at him as they head towards a part of the building that is marked out by signs on polished chrome stands that read ‘Magistrates’ Court & Legal Offices’. Everyone they pass wears a suit; the click of women’s heels on the marble tiled flooring is loud.

Eventually, they walk through a final hallway and out into a brightly lit atrium. Mid-morning sun filters down like they’re in a church, and it makes Qiu’s hair look bright and see-through.

‘The hell is he doin’ here?’ Guan Shan asks, voice wavering with nerves. ‘He Tian—’

‘It’s alright,’ He Tian soothes. ‘Trust me.’

He Tian nods at Qiu, who is standing before a huge set of closed wooden doors with metal rivets studded down each side. Briefly, He Tian entertains the possibility that Qiu is the gatekeeper to some celestial doorway, and he squeezes Guan Shan’s hand tighter.

‘They’ve just made the ruling,’ says Qiu. ‘It’ll only take a minute.’

He Tian nods.

As a three, they stand in silence. It is the silence of men who know that something is about to happen, but don’t know exactly what. Beside He Tian, Guan Shan is shaking. He Tian has lost some of the sensation in his hand, and his pulse aches at his wrist. When he glances at Guan Shan, he can see a bead of sweat run from the crop of red hair at his temple, and down the soft slope of his ear.

Please don’t throw up, He Tian wants to say, jokingly, but then he thinks that might trigger it.

Eventually, there’s sound behind the doors, like the scraping of chairs, and a man’s voice. The three of them stand to one side as they eventually open, and a strange breath of air flows from the room, cool and hot all at once. Inside, the courtroom is disappointingly small, and there are only a handful of people: a jury, the judge, the necessary legal representatives, and a man in a suit that might once have fitted him.

He can take the jacket off, He Tian thinks, and roll up the sleeves. It’ll do for brunch.

‘Oh, you fuck,’ Guan Shan says, the words an exhale. He’s not looking at He Tian. Really, the words could be directed at anyone. There’s a bubble of hysteria welling in He Tian’s throat, and he’s not sure if he wants to laugh or cry. He does nothing, and lets Guan Shan’s hand fall from his.

‘We got him a lawyer,’ he tells Guan Shan, standing at his shoulder, speaking quietly. ‘A better one. They won the appeal.’

Guan Shan nods, but He Tian knows he’s only half listening. His mouth has fallen open. There’s a taut line between his brows where they’ve drawn together and made a ridge. He looks like he’s in pain, and He Tian supposes he probably is. How many years has he looked at his father behind a grate, or smeared glass? Fifteen? Sixteen? He Tian knows it’s more.

He watches the moment Mr Mo’s gaze meets his son’s. There’s fear there—shame, too. Mr Mo’s lawyer whispers something in his client’s ear, pats a hand to his shoulder, then walks from the hall with his briefcase and a courteous nod in He Tian’s direction. His job is done; in an hour, he’ll send an invoice. Alone, the space between them some unchartered territory, Guan Shan takes an uncertain step forward.

Like a child, He Tian thinks.

After a moment, Guan Shan takes another, and another. He’s started crying. When they’re only a foot apart, he and his father stare at each other. It lasts a few seconds, until they both smile at the startled realisation: they’re the same height. Staying where he is, He Tian watches the embrace; he can’t hear the words that follow. Their mouths move the same; their eyes are deceivingly soft. He Tian presses down his envy. He catches the words birthday and red. Mr Mo’s hands gesture to Guan Shan’s hair, appraise his clothes with pride and something like fear.

He Tian waits a few minutes before he begins to move forward. He expects Qiu to hold him back, but Qiu doesn’t. Up close, the similarities between them are unnerving.

‘Dad, this is He Tian,’ Guan Shan says when He Tian reaches his side. He Tian doesn’t touch him, but he wants to.

‘I know,’ says Mr Mo, his voice gravelly with disuse and too many cigarettes. ‘We’ve already met.’

🌸 in the footsteps of @nightfayre ‘s wonderful initiative, i’ll be filling any drabble requests following a donation to help the fund for george floyd, the black lives matter movement, or any similar cause. please read here if you would like more information! ✨

#19 days #tianshan #he tian #mo guan shan #please REBLOG #old xian #george floyd drabble

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itsbenedict · 3 years

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Two-Faced Jewel: Session 15

Drebs

A half-elf conwoman (and the moth tasked with keeping her out of trouble) travel the Jewel in search of, uh, whatever a fashionable accessory is pointing them at. [Campaign log]

Last time, the party got on a ferry to the tropical island resort town of Corolos, en route to Thunderbrush, the destination set forth as part of what is ostensibly their main quest. However, en route, they were waylaid by a giant tentacle monster.

After the giant tentacle monster turned out to be harmless, they were then unrelatedly waylaid by a crystal dragon, whose harmlessness is very much in question. Let's see how that shakes out.

So, the dragon has deposited some terrified-looking sahuagin on the deck holding a sign that says "Parley". Looseleaf, via Silent Image, has asked the guard on duty whether this is normal, to which he responded by shaking his head.

Saelhen borrows some pen and paper from Looseleaf, and writes a sign in response:

WE DON'T HAVE ANY HERBS

The nervous fishman taps the sign. Saelhen taps the paper again, and adds:

NOT EVEN PARLEY OR SAGE OR ROSEMARY IF YOU'RE WONDERING SORRY :(

Saelhen rolls deception to play dumb, and succeeds! Hooray!

Hooray!

No, wait. That's bad. Children being held hostage is not good, and talking to dragons gets you cursed. Hm.

The mother of the gnome children throws off her helmet and begins begging for her child's life (presumably- the party can't hear, what with the fancy soundproof diving bells they're wearing as a precaution against this particular situation.) Looseleaf decides to take charge before the woman does something rash, and replies- via her spirit-magic version of the Message spell, communicating telepathically with the spokesman.

The dragon doesn't seem at all upset with this circumvention of her demand for parley- as long as there's a communication channel open, apparently it's fine. The idea, it seems, is for her sahuagin stooge to negotiate on her behalf, so that no one has to worry about the dragon curse. She puts the child down, allowing Looseleaf to mediate. (Saelhen, meanwhile, puts the helmet back on the gnome woman, just in case.)

Darkflame Retribution Everwatchful Black Sapphire (Mistress of Turbulent Waters) informs Looseleaf- via her servant, Flib- that she wants to inspect the bracer on Saelhen's arm.

Looseleaf and Saelhen are entirely ready to acquiesce, as their options for meaningfully resisting the will of a dragon are... not particularly extant at the moment. A consideration that in no way crosses the mind of Oyobi, who is slowly reaching for her bow.

Looseleaf... passes some sort of written secret message to Flib. Weird! I can't say what it was exactly because it's still secret to certain people who might read this. But whatever it is, Darkflame Retribution Everwatchful Black Sapphire eats it after reading, so that's just between the two of them (and the interpreter) now.

So, Saelhen... has an idea, and it is an idea that has a certain goodness value. Possibly a very good idea! Possibly a very bad idea! Who knows?

That sure is an idea!

Anyway, since they're conceding entirely to the dragon's demands, Saelhen extends her arm and allows the dragon to examine the bracer. The dragon pulls out some sort of tablet with the same symbol on it, and seems to just sort of... wave it around near it, seemingly comparing it.

Saelhen, as this is happening, makes an offer to Darkflame Retribution Everwatchful Black Sapphire Mistress of Turbulent Waters. She would very much like to know more about dragon curses, and would be happy to arrange a second meeting wherein Darkflame Retribution Everwatchful Black Sapphire Mistress of Turbulent Waters can study her bracer in more depth, in exchange for such information.

The dragon laughs, and explains that she's already learned what she came here for, and that the curse thing is secret- but what the hell, sure, as long as Saelhen remains sworn to secrecy on the matter.

Saelhen du Fishercrown: So... let's do something daring and stupid. Saelhen's going to briefly remove her helmet, and give the Lady Darkflame her noblest, most implacable smile. "It's a promise, then. From one lady of breeding to another." Benedict I. (GM): Darkflame Retribution Everwatchful Black Sapphire smiles, unzips her lips, and says "Indeed." Then she slips back into the water.

Everyone is totally shocked and horrified at this, but Saelhen manages to play it off, given Flib's assurance that the one word of exposure shouldn't be enough to enact a curse.

Flib, incidentally, has remained on board to hash out a few details with Saelhen. In order to meet later, on Corolos, they're going to need to nail down which beach to meet on. So, they're going to need to decide now where they're headed when they get there.

Benedict I. (GM): "Oh, it's, um- it's up to you. They have a lot of inns there." "The port we're stopping at has Cabana Jim's, Something Fishy, and Corolos Pop, plus probably a few fly-by-night places." Kensa gasps.

Saelhen suggests Corolos POP!, since Kensa has business there, but Looseleaf proposes an idea- that rather than arranging a specific place, she can use a charge of her Wand of Locate Object to locate the tablet she had, and meet her wherever Darkflame Retribution Everwatchful Black Sapphire Mistress of Turbulent Waters wants to meet.

Flib... doesn't think that'll fly.

Flib: "Uh... I dunno, it sounds like a good plan, but she kind of doesn't like it when her exact instructions aren't carried out." Saelhen du Fishercrown: Yep. Big egotist. Looseleaf: I mean, isn't that just dragons in general, honestly. Flib: "If I come back with a 'they say they'll call you', she'll probably get, uh, difficult." "But if you're going with Pop, then uh, okay, I can tell her that one, then." "Thanks for, uh..." He looks over at the gnome kid. "For uh, playing that... normal. And not letting it get all... uh..." "Yeah, I'm- I'm gonna go."

After Flib goes, the rest of the trip is uneventful- though everyone's keeping their distance from Saelhen, for fear of maybe dragon curse.

Benedict I. (GM): Oh, yeah, nobody is going anywhere near Saelhen outside the party, and even Kensa is keeping a safe distance. She looks worried, Orluthe- also looks worried, Orluthe always looks worried, Oyobi is frowning, and Vayen is lying down on his back across three seats, staring at the sky. Looseleaf: "Seriously, Saelhen, please tell me the one word that the dragon said to you wasn't, like, a word of cosmic malice imbued with a thousand souls' psychic weight, like, DESTROY or RUIN or something like that." Looseleaf grabs and shakes Saelhen a bit for good measure. Saelhen du Fishercrown: "It was 'indeed,' actually," says Saelhen, being shaken. Looseleaf: "SO IT WAS ACTUALLY DESTROY AND/OR RUIN?!" "AAAAAAAAAAAA SAELHEN WHYYYYYYY," Saelhen du Fishercrown: "...it was literally the word 'indeed,' dear." Looseleaf: "IT WAS GOING SO WELL AND THEN- oh." "...Indeed what?" "Please tell me you just complimented her looks and she agreed with you." "Or something equally harmless." Saelhen du Fishercrown: "That we would meet her there, on the beach, and exchange information. A confirmation of our plans." "Would anyone like to execute me as a danger to all life, yet?" (inb4 vayen) Looseleaf: Is Vayen there?

(note: they mentioned vayen at the exact same time. i'm sure he's flattered by the consideration.)

Benedict I. (GM): Vayen is still just lying there. He notices everyone look at him when Saelhen asks that question. Vayen: "Oh, please." "You were already a danger to yourself." "Do what you like." Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Well! I appreciate the concern."

Looseleaf inquires, though, about why the fuck did she even do that, though.

Saelhen explains her very good plan- attempting to acquire the ability to dragon-curse people at will- and there is some lively discussion about this, largely of the form "WHAT, NO".

Oyobi has an unrelated concern:

Oyobi Yamatake: "How are we going to lay an ambush?" Oyobi asks. "We're supposed to get there by nightfall, and for all we know, she'll be there already, waiting for us." "Maybe Corolos has good Deathseekers?" "But we aren't going to have the element of surprise for long, if at all." Looseleaf: "...", says Looseleaf. "Oyobi, we're... not going to fight the dragon," she says, as gently as she can. Oyobi Yamatake: "UUUUUUGH," "You guys never want to fight anything." Saelhen du Fishercrown: "We really don't, no." Looseleaf: "I'm sorry! Look, we can- we can have a night out in Corolos or, something. I'll buy you something nice. Actually, no, Saelhen will buy you something nice, since this was her idea." Oyobi Yamatake: "Deal," she says, not consulting Saelhen on this at all. Saelhen du Fishercrown:"...I suppose I deserve that."

So, after a largely uneventful trip- during which Oyobi brings Kensa belowdecks for some mysterious purpose neither of them explain-they arrive at their destination as night falls!

Looseleaf: "I mean, I just figured, that Iska was popular here. For some reason." "...I suppose Iska would be popular among gamblers." Orluthe Chokorov: "Gamblers aren't exactly popular with her, though," Orluthe says. Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Oh, no?" "One would think they're favored souls, considering how often they must pray to her." Looseleaf: "Like, is it a 'perversion of the will to seize victory' sort of thing, like the kind of win-obsession that gambling creates isn't the right kind Iska wants?" "That's what I'd guess." Orluthe Chokorov: "It's... kind of like that, yeah. Gambling isn't... trying to become the best at anything, it's not a competition, it's just... it's begging, basically. You spend all your time doing the same easy thing over and over and hope she'll reward you." Looseleaf: "What you're saying is, Iska wants you to cheat." "Real winners do whatever it takes to win." Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Or play poker, perhaps." Orluthe Chokorov: Orluthe smiles. "...No comment."

Sounds like plans are afoot!

As they disembark, they try to find information on where to find Corolos POP!, the resort/fashion school Kensa's interested in, and where they've agreed to meet the dragon. They try finding some pamphlets with maps, but while lots of pamphlets have maps, most of them only mark the place they're advertising. Eventually, though, Kensa finds a lead- she runs into a stylish-looking human lady in platform heels, assumes she's from the local fashion school, and asks her where to find "the main building".

The woman says something really cryptic about potential, sticks a gold sticker on Kensa's forehead, and gives her directions to a place that she'll be able to identify by it not having any bright lights or advertising on it.

Looseleaf: ...We're sure that Corolos POP! is a fashion program. And not, say, a cult, right. Saelhen du Fishercrown: we are not sure of that

They follow the directions, and pass a few other establishments that Flib mentioned on the boat. But eventually, they reach their destination. It's a fancy-looking one-story building that seems to be made largely from some sort of woven material, featuring a roof decorated with palm leaves, and soft, understated but elegant magic lanterns lighting up a garden that wraps around the building. It's long and appears to have several entrances, but there's one that seems public-facing and bears a sign with black block letters reading "CP0". (No, not Cipher Pol.)

They enter the building, and meet a very handsome half-orc man wearing a perfectly-tailored suit that somehow exposes his chest anyway.

He identifies Kensa as "Cherry-picked", somehow, and says that she can stay the night for free. The rest of them, though... the rates here are 15 gold a night, to deter bargain hunters and journalists. Orluthe and Saelhen opt to pay it anyway, though, to keep an eye on Kensa- and because they kind of have to, for the dragon meeting.

The man... has some odd questions for them, though. He somehow identifies Orluthe as being from Oyashio by his robes, and refers to him as "not applicable". And he gives Saelhen a weird look.

With some perception and religion rolls...

Benedict I. (GM): Saelhen- you know that there is in fact a Deity of Beauty, known to be a friend and ally of Karou. Meira/Mernan/Meir is pretty obscure and for some reason doesn't have any known clerics, but people still pray to them anyway. Looseleaf, you notice above the reception desk there's a fancy floral arrangement in front of a circular logo that looks sort of, but not quite, like the Corolos POP! logo. These two things may or may not be related.

Saelhen, for some reason, is handed a partial refund under the table as her keys are passed to her. Vayen, Looseleaf, and Oyobi, though- they decide to go find some cheaper lodgings. They head across the street to Cabana Jim's Luxury Resort and Spa, a large boardwalk-mounted establishment built above a marsh. They're offering a half-off discount and a free spa treatment, and it looks reputable enough not to rob them in the night!

The man at the front desk appears to be the owner- a large, heavyset human man, pale-skinned and with a face lined by age and smiles.

Fantasy Jimmy Buffett, I mean James Taurant, I mean Cabana Jim, is very friendly and offers them free drinks! He orders a nearby bellhop to get some for them, and the bellhop responds in the affirmative with a droning monotone voice. Bellhop seems super tired for some reason.

Oyobi and Looseleaf opt for the free spa treatment, too, and spend the rest of the night before turning in undergoing some real luxury treatments.

Benedict I. (GM): They start you with exfoliating masks, which- Oyobi's in heaven, but it's not clear these things work on exoskeleton, and Looseleaf's eyes are too big for the traditional cucumber slices. Looseleaf: Looseleaf opts to eat the slices instead. Benedict I. (GM): Then it's the massage, which is- also kind of awkward for Looseleaf, not having very pliable flesh, but the masseuses are well-trained and are able to figure out how best to relieve your tension pretty quickly. Then there's the humour-balancing, where the attendants take an empty syringe and draw out a substantial quantity of blood. Looseleaf: wow! looseleaf feels incredibly relaxed. or maybe woozy? are those the same thing? Benedict I. (GM): Provided you consent to this, it leaves you with a pleasant lightheadedness. Looseleaf: Hey, sure, why not! Let's enjoy the good life, right? What do they do with the blood by the way. Saelhen du Fishercrown: vampires Benedict I. (GM): They appear to bottle it and place it on a cart. Saelhen du Fishercrown: VAMPIRES Looseleaf: Ha ha okay sure.

They then turn in for the night in a nice cabana room equipped with blackout curtains, because absolutely nothing suspicious is going on at this resort with zero vampires in it.

Next time: a murder mystery happens, because APPARENTLY I'M REALLY REALLY PREDICTABLE, SURE, OKAY, FINE

#twofaced jewel #tfj log

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tarotbytya · 3 years

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Scorpio • Pisces • Cancer • Capricorn • Aries • Sagittarius • Leo • Gemini • Libra • Aquarius

Sun ☀️ Moon 🌙 Rising 🏹 Venus ♀Placements

GENERAL

The 5 of Cups appears when a situation hasn’t turned out the way you anticipated or expected and you’re left feeling sad, regretful, and disappointed. Instead of moving on from the situation or with your life, you could be choosing to wallow in self-pity. The 5 of Cups indicates you’re choosing to focus on what went wrong and how you failed. You’re stuck in the past and can’t let go. Some old wounds and bitter memories seem to triggering you into thinking about the past and what happened. Or you could be blaming yourself adapted this mindset where you believe you’re a victim of life’s circumstances. The 5 of Cups wants you to know it’s time to get over it! It’s okay to allow yourself to feel the feels but you shouldn’t let it consume you, it’s time to pull yourself together and move on. Forgiveness is vital with it comes to the 5 of Cups. For yourself and others. Find it within your heart to forgive that person or even yourself. If you’re feeling frustrated with yourself, know and remind yourself that you did the best you could under the circumstances. Now is the time to learn from your mistakes. Reflect on what led to this point and what valuable lessons you can take it. It’s time to shift your mindset and focus on the present and what can go right from this point on. Be open to the brighter side of life because the 5 of Cups is saying there’s some blessings that are in disguise right now.

For some of you, The Devil (R) can appear when you’re on the verge of a break-through or up-levelling. But first thing first, you need to let go of any unhealthy attachments or self limiting beliefs. This could include: addiction, an unhealthy relationship, or a job/career you no longer feel passionate about. The Devil (R) wants you to confront your inner fears and anxieties and ultimately free yourself from the chain and bondages that you have towards these limiting beliefs and unhealthy attachments. The Devil (R) can also appear when you’re slipping into a deep and dark place. Try to understand your innermost shadows so that you can release or integrate them into your life in a more constructive way. On the other hand, The Devil (R) can also be an indication you’re hiding your deepest, darkest self or a secret from others. As a card of inner deceit, the 7 of Swords (R) also indicates keeping secrets hidden from others. You could be harboring a secret that you hope will never be revealed. You may have some thoughts, fantasies, addictions, or habits that you don’t want others to know because you feel embarrassed or ashamed. If you’re involved in some kind of affair or extra-marital relationship, the 7 of Swords (R) indicates a growing reluctance to keep up with this affair. For some, keeping this secret could be causing stress and tension, guilt and/or shame.

Accept who you are. If you need to and feel it’s necessary then forgive yourself for the thoughts you have. The Devil (R) is encouraging you to detach your attachment to the desire for things, people or concepts of the world, and essentially free yourself from any restrictions. Keep in mind, this doesn’t mean you should stop caring for people or things but you should and need to release your dependence on them. The 7 of Swords (R) also appears when you feel like a fraud or could be suffering from ‘imposter syndrome’ where you doubt yourself and your abilities. Or you could be deceiving yourself—trying to convince yourself into believing something even though you feel or know otherwise. For example, you could be telling yourself that everything is okay when it’s not. The 7 of Wands (R) wants you to be real with where you are and address your situation head-on. The Temperance card represents bringing balance, patience and moderation into your life. Temperance wants you to stabilize your energy and to allow the life to flow through you without force, hesitation or resistance. It’s time to recover your flow and get your life back into order and balance. Remain calm even when life feels stressful or frantic, right now is not the time to be opinionated or extremely controversial. Instead, be the peacekeeper. Take a more balanced and moderate approach. Temperance is about blending, mixing, and combining diverse elements in a way that creates something new and more valuable than separate parts.

For others of you, For some, the Ace of Swords encourages you to pursue the truth of the matter and/or to find justice. The Tower (R) indicates you could be going through an important and personal transformation. Or, you could be going through an existential crisis where you’re seriously questioning your life’s purpose. It may be time to create, change and transformation so you can step into a new and evolved version of yourself. Sometimes, The Tower (R) can also be a sign that you are resisting change. You may be in denial that change is even. occurring. Or you could be still clinging to an old belief even though you know they are no longer relevant or align with you. As much as you don’t want to or detest change, The Tower (R) wants you to know you need to go through this difficult phase to learn the lesson(s) and/or make progress in your life. If and you continue to resist this change, the universe will only force its way and lesson into your life even more. The 9 of Wands comes as a sign that even in the face of adversity, you must still stand tall and strong. For some, you may already have an intuitive sense that something is about to happen. Plan ahead to avoid the destruction that The Tower (R) lies ahead. The 9 of Wands wants you to trust that what you’re going through is just a test of your courage and resilience. Know that every time you overcome an obstacle, you become stronger. The 9 of Wands encourages you to establish your boundaries and protect those lines. If you allow others to stand in your way or deplete your energy, you need to assert yourself more effectively. Be very clear on what it is you need in order for this situation to be successful and for you reach your goals. Then communicate those needs and your boundaries to others.

MOONOLOGY 🌙

Full Moon in Aquarius

Show the world the real you.

This card brings the message from the cosmos that you need to detach a little from whatever situation you’re asking about. Someone might be keeping you at arm’s length now but it’s no bad thing. It’s important for you to allow life to unfold and progress, even if change seems like a frightening prospect. If you’ve been holding yourself back from the real world, this card reminds you that your unique characteristics are what make you special. In a relationship, are you being too aloof or detached? Go ahead and be yourself in whatever is coming up for you.

Attune to the Moon:

* Be aware of your feelings but also be prepared to move on.

Additional meaning for this card:

* Don’t lose the beauty and romance of life.

* You are too much in your head—get into your heart!

* A friend needs you—be there for them.

* A situation is going to take a very unexpected turn.

DIVINE ABUNDANCE ✨

Grief

Tears are what happen when the ice in the heart melts.

Worth

You have been worthy to belong to love all along. Without any need to improve. In fact, you are Love itself.

Reframe

“This is happening for me, not to me.”

ANGEL ANSWER 🕊

BIG, HAPPY CHANGES

The positive changes are coming into your life! You may find yourself on a new career path, entering a new relationship, or moving to a new home or city. Embrace these exciting events, knowing that your angels will be beside you all the way! What you were asking about my require you to take leaps of faith that same frightening or beyond your ability. Dressed at opportunities before you were meant to bring you happiness. These options when I have present themselves unless you were ready for them. Release your fears and follow your heart.

ASK YOUR GUIDES 🥀

Psychic Awareness/Divine Soul

You’re Divine Saul is awakening, and with it you’re a psychic abilities are coming alive. More involved in specific then basic intuition, you’re a psychic facilities are giving you access to the fourth dimension and are coming into contact with discarnate, Enlighten Helpers who can assist and guide you in beautiful ways. You may start accessing Divine music or tap into new healing energies. You also may receive telepathic messages and have a clairvoyant visions. Heed your newly aroused psychic faculties and don’t doubt the specific transmissions flowing to you. Record your dreams, believe in your hunches, and accept the symbols and signals being relayed to you from the psychic channels fully; what they’re communicating is essential to fulfilling your purpose. Ask your Divine Soul to lead you. They’re message: “Embrace and trust what you receive.”

Cards Pictured: 5 of Cups, The Devil (R), Temperance, Ace of Swords, 7 of Swords (R), The Tower (R), & 9 of Wands.

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mrs-denton · 3 years

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Sappy Paul Denton x OC Fanfic [Part 2]

The Start of the Collapse

After Paul’s departure, Bebe’s eyes struggled to shut. She laid in bed and kept glancing over at her phone occasionally, half-expecting something from Paul to come up. When she realized worrying was futile, she put the phone down and laid it down on its charging pad. She was worried, but she tried equilibrating those thoughts with reasonable positive ones because she was pregnant. She had to avoid as much stress as possible.

Staying up to write, as she did on sleepless nights like these, she scribbled her thoughts into her diary until she crashed. In the morning when she awoke, the unwelcome feeling of first trimester morning sickness sharply seized her from her slumber. She went to the bathroom to alleviate herself from the nausea.

Treating patients at the hospital she worked at, including those with the Grey Death, was dreary. Their spirits were broken and some of them got desperate. She wished she could divulge the truth behind the virus, or at least what she knew, but it would likely get her fired. She made sure to wear the most protective gear—respirator, face shield, gloves, a gown, and foot covers. Her health was going to have to become her top priority if she wanted a healthy baby.

Hours ebbed and flowed with moments of hectic excitement during rushes of patients and emergencies, but inched like slugs when things were slow and she caught herself worrying about Paul. She wondered what time it was in Hong Kong—surely, at least half a day ahead—and if he was alive. She thought about JC as well and didn’t want any harm to come to the Dentons, namely because JC was a cool person, but especially because she knew Paul would be devastated if his younger brother should fall. She scrubbed the pressing thoughts away from the walls of her mind—months of meditation had helped—and she continued to show up at work.

She checked her work emails to see if by some crazy chance, Paul had been daring enough to send her a message there. But of course not—he would never do something to endanger them, especially with the Aquinas net. After what felt like a 12-hour shift, Bebe returned home with takeout and quickly checked her computer. There, an email from Paul—or rather, his alias—was sent hours ago while she was still at work.

“Hey babe. I made it safely to Hong Kong, thank god. Good news—everything’s taken care of. My brother and I are gonna be fine. The bad news is that I’ll have to be living here for a few months as I recuperate, as I predicted. I was in pretty bad shape when I arrived, which is why it’s going to take longer for me to recover. Tong wants to keep me under supervision for a while. But I’m already feeling better.

Things are pretty tight in HK. I’m a wanted man here as well. I don’t think making a move right now is wise, but I can’t wait to see you again. I’ll keep you updated whenever I can. Try to take it easy and don’t worry about a thing—I’ll take care of it. I love you, and I’m always thinking about you. - P”

Bebe typed a reply.

“My darling, I’m glad you’re alright. I was worried about you, but I also knew you’d make it through this. Give the doctor my sincerest gratitude—he saved the man I love. I’m also happy J is fine. I completely understand if you need to stay there—in situations like this, a doctor’s supervision is necessary even after the treatment.

Let me know how things go. I want to be with you but things have to be just right. I love you, P. I hope you get better soon. I already miss you. Hugs and kisses. Yours,

- B”

Within the following day, Bebe received another email.

“Bebe—so much is happening right now. I don’t have much time, and neither does the world. Just bear with me. I’m going to be fine, I think, but my brother keeps unearthing more of this conspiracy. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I know something will, and if it does, it’s going to be big. I can’t explain everything over the net, but I promise I will when I see you. I don’t know how much time there is and I know this sounds crazy but you’ll just have to trust me. Withdraw your savings now. There’s a high chance the net might crash and everything will be lost. Savings, records, and all sorts of info. Make sure you have plenty of food and supplies as well.

No matter what happens, I will find you! And that’s a promise. Just stay where you are. I love you so much more than you could ever imagine. - P”

Something inside Bebe told her Paul wasn’t lying. Everything Paul told her before and everything they had researched and pieced together made sense. She knew there could only be so much more to this story than most people knew and few had theorized about. After typing her obedient reply, Bebe set off for the bank and asked to withdraw the entirety of her account. Her salary provided her with decent savings she had accumulated over a few years.

But she wondered if the funny look the bank teller gave her was indicative of ignited suspicion. She knew it was. She smiled as the bank teller discussed the request with the manager, who gave her a poorly-disguised look of surprise. Who else but a shady person would just want to remove all their chits from the bank? Only somebody that knew something that most people didn’t know would act this way . . . She would just have to lie and say it was for a potential family emergency. Or that she’s just paranoid and that there are rumors the banks will fail soon. Hearsay type of stuff. But no, the latter would be too suspicious. Just go with the family emergency, she thought.

Signing some papers that would let the federal revenue office know the reason for her massive withdrawal, she questioned just what the hell she was doing. She stopped for a while and glanced up at the bank teller, who was too busy counting chits to notice her. Bebe questioned herself for a bit--she was blindly obeying Paul’s orders, which wasn’t really a problem in and of itself, but how could she really know what was going on? Paul wouldn’t lie to her though. She knew that man for three years and he never lied. She just had to trust him. Worst case scenario, she’d be tracked down. But if nothing were to happen, she could just say she got worried sick for an ailing family member and took the money out to help with treatments.

“Forty-six-thousand, two-hundred and fifty-nine chits, ma’am,” the bank teller said, fat stacks of the electric green notes neatly sitting on the counter.

“Thank you so much,” she said, handing them the signed papers. “Here you go.”

She opened up her purse and filled it with the money, trying to act naturally. The teller and his manager looked at her strangely, as well as the clients behind her. She felt herself tense up.

“Thank you so much,” she said again. “Have a nice day.” She had a habit of being overly-polite sometimes.

And with that, she carried her loaded purse all the way to her car and drove home, the tunes blaring and the pedal to the metal. Suddenly, the music stopped. Could this be it?

She checked her phone and noticed there was no signal anywhere. The music stream was buffering continuously until it lost connectivity for good. Moving to the network settings, she confirmed there really was no net anymore. She couldn’t believe it at first, and then, she did.

Parking her car, she rushed inside the lobby of her apartment building. There were people standing outside with their cellphones in the air, trying to obtain signal, their faces scrunched in bewilderment. Glancing at the far end of two blocks over where one of the P-Mobile buildings was, people swarmed into the store to complain about their phone services.

“Miss, have you heard? The net’s gone black—disappeared,” the alarmed security guard at the reception said. “Everyone’s internet just shut off. Even the phones, TV, everything. We don’t know what’s going on.”

“Oh my god,” she said. “I’ll have to check mine out. Thank you.”

She went upstairs and rapidly scanned her nanokey to her door, eager to get inside. What would she do now?

She checked her computer. The internet was gone. No new emails from Paul, just the cached one from before. As she sat in her apartment, she heard her neighbors arguing loudly in desperation. Turning on the TV, she checked every channel, finding nothing but static—ultimately confirming everything Paul told her. Glancing outside her window and down at the congested streets, violence intensified.

After a few days to a week of the world descending into darkness, reports of the global net crashing and burning appeared on every newspaper. A national emergency was declared, and speculating specialists wondered who was responsible, pointing fingers at foreign governments and even “traitors” within the United States. The zealously religious stood outside every corner, wailing that it was the beginning of the Apocalypse, and the conspiracy theorists held meetings in their garages, claiming it was aliens. But soon enough, the Dentons were named. Bebe paid close attention.

“It is suspected that terrorist JC Denton and his brother, Paul Denton, are behind this massive communications collapse worldwide. We are slowly but surely receiving letters that confirm the internet shutdowns in every nation. Agencies are investigating the matter as best as they can.”

Her heart pounded in her chest. She just hoped the bank tellers didn’t put two and two together and decided to send somebody after her. After all, there was nothing suspicious about a woman withdrawing all her savings a few minutes before the world collapsed. But she sighed in relief when she knew that they wouldn’t have been able to pull up her personal information without the internet.

She thought about her family. Her dad had left them before she was even born, and her mother died of the Grey Death before Ambrosia was released. Her cousins were all living their lives as married people with children, and her only living aunt was old now. What would they think, though? What would they think if she were to run off with a “criminal”, a “terrorist”, a wanted man? Crises were meant to be times where family stuck together more, but with Bebe leaving . . . would they label her as selfish? Crazy? Bad? She only hoped that one day they would understand that Paul was not the person the media and the government was portraying him to be.

They didn’t even know she was pregnant. Engaged? Yes. They knew Paul and they liked him. But the media was a powerful weapon, especially now that the people’s only source of outside knowledge was funneled via the last remaining newspapers. They could twist and besmirch the Dentons as they wished, and people would buy it. Not everybody, though, as there were people who had been following the Juggernaut Collective—until it disbanded—and a few other rebel news disguised as tabloids and conspiracies. But alas, the perceptions of Bebe’s friends and family could definitely be warped against Paul. She had to be careful.

But most importantly, she had to figure out what the next steps in her life would be. If only she could talk to Paul. She wondered if she should keep going to work—part of her would think it better to disappear from society at once and wait until Paul came back, but the other part of her couldn’t just leave all those poor patients behind. She knew there were other doctors and nurses who would do a fine job—but could she really just disappear now? Did she still have to keep up her façade of normalcy? As if she weren’t the woman of the second-most-wanted man in the world right now?

She got up and started packing, hoping that at least sorting this out would bring her more clarity. What were her favorite clothes? What could she stand to leave behind? What would be useful? She took her favorite shoes as well as personal keepsakes and important documents, neatly enclosed in file folders and manilla envelopes, and put them in a suitcase. Most of the money was also stored there. Then, glancing at her desk, she took note of her journal.

How could she leave this behind? She had to take it. Unless, of course, she wanted to be that mysterious woman who left her revealing memoirs in a secret diary. She considered the thought briefly and then took the journal, the pages automatically splitting upon a section with a dried red rose that had been stamped between the weight of the pages. It was the first flower Paul ever gave her. She instantly smiled as she felt the crispy, dark garnet petals on her fingertips, her mind going back to when the petals were bright as fresh blood and smooth like velvet.

#deus ex #fanfiction #paul denton #oc #paul denton x oc #the collapse

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lovemesomesurveys · 3 years

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an internet/social media survey. 1 - Are you one of those people who shares absolutely everything on social media? What do you think about those who do? I do tend to overshare in surveys and I share quite a bit on Twitter. I’m pretty quiet on my other social media sites, though, in terms of that. It only bugs me when people share something and then someone asks about it and they’re like, “I don’t want to share it on here” or “I don’t want to talk about it.” You just did, though? Why post about it then? Plus, my nosy ass wants to know haha. I see that all the time on Facebook.

2 - Does anyone in "real life" know that you take surveys? Would you be embarrassed if they found your blog? I don’t think so. Back in the Myspace days people knew cause I posted them there, but no one in “real life” follows me on here. I’m surprised I shared those back then cause I don’t want anyone to see them now. Although, I wasn’t as open back then in surveys. I took the more basic ones and didn’t elaborate like I do now.

3 - When you receive a text message, do you reply straight away or wait a little while instead? It depends.

4 - Who was the last person you blocked on social media? Did you have an argument that lead to that happening? I don’t recall. It was probably some spam account on here.

5 - Aside from Tumblr, what websites do you spend the most time on? I spend a lot of time on YouTube.

6 - What was the first social media account you remember signing up for? Are you still a member of that particular website, if it even still exists? Ooh. I’ve had an online and social media presence for so long... like it was probably something that doesn’t even exist now. I remember some teen sites I was on that I guess were like the social medias of the day. For example, there was this one website I remember called Kiwibox, where you could interact with other people, post stuff, and it shared like trending topics and whatnot that I was a member of in the early 2000s. It was pre-Myspace. I don’t think it even exists now, but if it did I’m sure my account was deleted long ago for being inactive.

7 - How many social media accounts do you have now? Do you use them all regularly? If not, which ones do you think you update the most and why? I’m on all the common ones. I use them all, but I’m more active on some than others. Some I check regularly but rarely post. For instance, I’m super active on here and I post on Twitter quite a bit. I check Facebook a few times a day and “like” some stuff, but I very rarely post. I check Instagram and Snapchat, but not daily and I rarely post or even interact on there. I spend the least amount of time on those two.

8 - Are there are any popular apps/social media sites that you've never got into or signed up for? How come? Hmm. Like I said, I have all the main ones I think.

9 - Do you take surveys on any other website apart from Tumblr? Nope.

10 - Before Tumblr existed, what kind of blogging site did you use (eg. LiveJournal, Xanga etc.). I had a Xanga and LJ account.

11 - Is there anything you miss about websites like MySpace, or do you prefer social media the way it is now? The Myspace days were interesting that’s for sure. I miss the hype of changing up my page and adding stuff, picking my profile song, rearranging my top 8, changing my display name, follow forever trains, comment 4 comments... haha what a ride.

12 - How old were you when you first got the internet at home? Was it broadband/wireless or did you use dial-up? I remember it wasn’t long after my brother was born, so it was sometime in 1999. I remember when my mom brought home our first computer. Those were the days of dial up/AOL. Gah, I do not miss that.

13 - Are you old enough to remember life without any kind of internet access whatsoever? What kind of things did you do to fill the time? Ha, yeah. It’s crazy to think of the days before the internet, but I did have them. I actually used to play outside *gasp* That’s shocking cause ya’ll know I’m a hermit crab. I used to get so tan back then cause I spent so much time outside. Other things I used to do was play Barbies for hours, play with my cousins, read, color, and watch TV.

14 - Have you ever gotten into an argument with a stranger online before? Lol yeah.

15 - Overall, would you say social media is a good thing or a bad thing, or does it depend on how you choose to use it? It definitely has its pros and cons. There’s a dark side to social media and the internet in general, but a lot of good can be done with it as well.

16 - How much time do you think you spend online each day? Is this something that varies depending on the weather? I spend a decent amount of time online for sure, but it does vary. The weather has absolutely nothing to do with it.

17 - If your internet went off right now and you knew it wouldn't come back on for several hours, what would you go and do instead? Well, it’s 3:50AM so I’d watch some TV and attempt to go to bed.

18 - Since getting the internet, what's the longest period of time you've gone without access to it? Did you miss it as much as you thought you might? Probably the times I had surgery. I didn’t have to go completely without because once I was able to I was able to rent laptops that were available for patient use or access a computer while there. That was really nice during the couple times I had to spend a few months in the hospital. Even the shorter stays, like a week or two, I had some access at some point. But yeah, I definitely wasn’t on nearly as much during those times. Not at all the first few days/week. Then when I was back home and had my laptop I still wouldn’t feel up to spending much online. I did miss it, but I spent so much time resting and sleeping during the early stages of recovery so it was fine for awhile. I did start to get stir crazy, though.

19 - What's something you find yourself doing less of because you spend too much time online? Hm. I can’t think of anything I do less for that particular reason.

20 - What websites do you spend the most time on? Do these fall into any particular category or are they just random? Tumblr, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

21 - What website from your childhood/teen years do you wish still existed? I miss Xanga a lot. The survey community was poppin back then. I miss the days, not so much the websites themselves, of Myspace, Neopets, playing games on Disney Channel’s and Nickelodeon’s websites, making dolls, and the AOL teen message boards. Good times, good times. Much nostalgia.

22 - Have you ever met up with anyone in real life that you first met via the internet? Did you get on as well as you thought you would? Nope. I had online friends back in the day that I talked to all the time and actually texted with. I even talked to them on the phone a couple times. :O That was during my Jonas Brothers days and I got close to a few people that I met through a Jonas Brothers’ message board and chatroom. I was pretty involved on there. I can’t believe I used to do that cause I wouldn’t do that now.

23 - What's your thoughts on internet dating and is it something you would ever consider for yourself? I probably wouldn’t do it myself, but hey if that works for people then go for it. *shrug*

24 - Do you tend to shop more online or in person? Is that something that's changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic? I do all my shopping online now since the pandemic hit, but even for a few years prior I was doing most of my shopping online.

25 - Speaking of the pandemic, did you find all the stories on social media quite scary or overwhelming at the beginning? Absolutely.

26 - If someone on social media annoys or upsets you, are you likely to tell them or just hit the hide/block buttons? Nah, I’ll just keep on scrolling. If it’s that bad then I’d likely mute or just delete.

27 - Are there topics you won't post on social media about, simply because they always end up in an argument? I don’t post about politics.

28 - Are you friends with your parents and family members online? Do you limit what you say because you know they can see it? Yes and yes. Like, even though I don’t post anything bad or risqué lol I still hide some stuff from my grandparents just because they wouldn’t get it, ya know? I’ve done that before and my Nana called my dad and asked if I was okay cause I posted some relatable self-deprecating meme or something haha. It’s sweet of course that she cares, but yeah I didn’t want her to get worried and concerned over stuff like that.

29 - Are you using the internet for anything else except this survey right now? I’m watching ASMR videos on YouTube as well.

30 - Do you access the internet more via a phone, tablet or laptop/PC? Which device do you prefer overall? I use my phone a lot for certain things and my laptop for others. Like, I much prefer the Facebook and Twitter apps, and I access Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, the Kindle app, and my email on my phone as well. I use both for YouTube. I only like to access Tumblr on my laptop, though, as well as Pinterest.

#personal #text #survey #surveys #internet #social media

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dwmasters · 4 years

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Hello folks and welcome to our masterpost of FAQ!! If the question you’re about to send in an ask is here, do not send the ask! please!

(Our point person for FAQ and questions is @cedtmspcjw)

everyone:

Can I still sign up if i’m after the due date?

That makes things very difficult for us! signups will be closed July 14th (if that date changes it’ll change here too, and we’ll update all of you). If you message us sometime in July, we might be able to fit you in. After that, please wait until next year or sign up as a beta reader. (We will be reblogging related art and fic, so you can tag us in something and we’ll put it on this blog!) Please follow us for updates!

Who’s organizing this?

You can find mod intros here!

Do I have to have a Tumblr to participate?

Yes. You must be fairly active on your tumblr/check it regularly; if you made an account and you don’t check it regularly, please also put another form of social media where you have been active in the past. (Not set on private). Again, you may not participate with only an instagram or ao3 account.

Do I have to have a Discord account to participate?

Yes. You must have a discord account, join the big bang discord, and your nickname in the discord should be set to “name | tumblr url” for easy access. We need to have the server so we can easily contact you or other groups, and track everyone’s fics and art.

is there an age limit?

You must be old enough to join discord (13).

Do your google forms collect email addresses?

No, you have our word that we have collection off! We respect your privacy.

Can i change my Tumblr URL while i’m participating in the big bang?

No, you may not change the URL you sign up with while you’re participating, or we will send Missy to come remove your bones.

However, if changing it is necessary, then contact us and we’ll update your name on the spreadsheet.

Can I be rejected from the big bang?

We reserve the right to reject any participants, although we will likely accept you if you are a human person who respects other human people. we will inform you of results regardless of what they are. (If you continuously discriminate against other members after warnings, if you are transphobic/ homophobic/ racist or biased in any other way, then you don’t belong in this big bang community.)

Can I help organize?

At the moment, we’re quite fond of our team of organizers. If we do end up needing more people, we’ll inform you all, but at the moment there are no open positions. that being said, if this event garners enough interest, we may be interested in finding more organizers. (That means please don’t ask).

Can I drop out?

if you are busy or know you cannot participate, don’t sign up. if there is an emergency, or you realize you’ve taken on too much, please let us know, and we will find somebody to fill your spot. This is not meant to be a high-stress event, of course, although we would like you to take it seriously!

Can I post sneak peeks/wips on my blog?

Absolutely! of course, we hope that the final project will be kept a surprise, so we can share art and writing at the same time. (And it probably goes without saying, but don’t share your teammates’ wips without permission!) We’re using the tag #fiftiethmasterversary for this big bang, so post your stuff under that!

writers:

is there a word limit?

6k. There is no word maximum, but your fic must be complete by the fic deadline (September 20, as of now). If you can’t write that much, or you have any problems with the limit, then contact @koscheiofoakdown and we’ll see what we can do.

Can I write under the word limit?

If you write under the word limit by, say, a thousand words without informing us, we will also send Missy for your bones.

Can I write for an already established AU?

As long as it’s your AU (if it’s somebody else’s, check the next question), and it can be picked up on its own: yes. if it doesn’t make sense as a stand-alone or isn’t about the master (because… look at the event name?): No.

Can I use somebody else’s headcanon?

Yes! … as long as they’ve established it’s fair use or you message them and send us proof they approved your use of it. If they would rather other people don’t use their headcanons, or if they tell you no… then no.

Does the master have to be my POV character?

Although you must include at least one incarnation of the master in your fic, they do not have to be the POV character. (It should probably be a given, but they should be fairly important in the fic if they aren’t POV).

Can I write a multichapter fic?

You may!

Does my piece have to be a certain ship?

Absolutely not! You may write any ship, or lack of ship, that you please.

Can I write with archive warnings/nsfw content?

You may write virtually whatever you please, although we ask that you do not write non con, dub con, or ships with minors and adults. Any potentially triggering content must be tagged with explicit content warnings! (Winter’s comment: I am very tired of smut being not tagged and then presented to me. Please don’t do this.)

So I have to have an AO3 account?

Yes, we ask that you sign up for AO3 if you’re writing for this event, because that’s also where we will be posting the fic masterpost!

Can I continue a fic that I’ve already started for this event?

if it’s a WIP you’ve been ignoring for six months because you have next to no motivation? Absolutely. If it’s a halfway published fic? no, sorry. any content must be unpublished to be in this big bang.

Can I write about any master?

Yup, any master, including audio-only masters and academy era! if you want to write about the doctor as well, feel free to mix and match doctors and companions.

What if I want a beta/proofreader?

we will have a beta match channel in our discord for you to post your fic ideas and find somebody to read over your fic!

I have a beta reader already.

You’re welcome to use your own beta reader or not have a beta as you see fit (although it’s strongly encouraged).

artists:

Do I have to do digital work?

You’re not required to only do digital art, but your upload must be high quality.

I can’t draw, can I still participate?

Of course! we’re allowing digital & traditional art, but also edits and video art! If it’s visual, it’s probably a yes. (If you’re unsure if your work will be allowed, just reach out to one of us).

I don’t like my fic/fic writer. Can i switch?

you’ll be given fic proposals to choose from, so mostly, you’ll have to suck it up.

But what if I find an artist to trade with?

As long as there’s communication between writers and artists, and you reach out to us, that’s all cool. No bribing or similar activity — we want to leave that for the masters only!

Do I have to have an AO3?

Although we’ll probably post all work and art on tumblr as well, it’s encouraged that you have an AO3 account so we can credit you as co-creator on fics!

Does my fic writer/partner get to choose exactly what I draw?

In the end, the choice is up to you, but we suggest giving them a few ideas and keeping their wants in mind. this is supposed to be a team effort!

How many pieces should I make?

Depending on how quickly you work, we suggest one or two for artists and two or three for edits. but we encourage more art if possible!

What if my writer is behind on their work?

Mostly just leave them alone. But if you’re concerned about them/the deadline, please let us know!

How complete does my work have to be?

You should be taking this fairly seriously, so treat it like any other piece of work you want to be proud of. if you finish your work before deadline and both you and your writer are happy with it, you can also work on something new!

Can I switch big bang projects if I finish early?

We would prefer if you didn’t, but as always, contact us.

Betas/proofreaders:

I’m interested in signing up to beta or proofread, but not write or draw.

We will have beta/proofreader sign ups to come!

I only want to beta classic/new who fics, [x] master, [x] pairing, et cetera.

Coolio! once you’re let into the discord, you’ll see the beta match channel. it’s completely on you to interact with fics you’d be interested in reading.

i don’t have experience beta-ing. do you have any tips?

Although we would rather experienced betas sign up, you’re welcome to join us! we want to encourage a safe environment for sharing our work, so keep conversation civil. (this means being nice about the edits you’re suggesting!) keep in mind that authors aren’t required (although they are encouraged, because why else have a beta/proofreader?) to take your suggestions. ultimately, do your best, and reach out to us with questions if you need help.

Can I proofread and write/draw?

Absolutely! as long as you aren’t putting too much on your plate.

Anything else:

our tag is #fiftiethmasterversary!

our point person is cedtmspcjw! (al)

if your question isn’t on here, send us an ask!

Post credit: Lily.

#fiftiethmasterversary #doctor who big bang #doctor who #doctor who fanart #doctor who fanfiction #doctor who fanfic #dw big bang #info #information #FAQ

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ofcloudsandstars · 4 years

Photo

Celestial Forecast

Week May 25th - 31st

Highlights:

On Wednesday the 27th, Juno will come out of retrograde! Eros enters Taurus

On Thursday the 28th, Mercury enters Cancer

On Saturday the 30th: First Quarter Moon in Virgo

This week theme feels really emotional especially with the moon kicking it off in Cancer. The themes seems to revolve around our work ethic and where we devote our energy towards especially as we build up to the first quarter Virgo moon. There will be energies about that may cause us to feel stuck or procrastinate but they are calling us to look within and see if we are using our time wisely. Old projects and hobbies may come back for you to revisit. Anything new may be stalled in this time.

Notes: I've added the asteroids Vesta, Psyche, Pallas and Sappho. Because I added so many more asteroids a lot of the daily energy can be interpreted to be more personal. Asteroids are like more nuanced components of planetary energy that can be seen like tools to help us understand how to unlock these areas of energy within ourselves in order to connect with the larger celestial transits better. Where as the planets can influence our traits, the outer planets influences society, and the trans neptunian planets influence our spirituality, asteroids are the lowest octaves of energy where it shows the innermost personal qualities of our lives we can tap into in order to connect with our energy and motives better. I may tone it the hell back next week lol. Like Pallas is literally useless right now since it moves slowly and has been retrograding in Aquarius so there's no point in really channeling it (just shows it's more of a time for experimenting or picking up old things instead of trying to learn new stuff with all of the retrogrades). I may also stop charting Ceres. I felt like charting Ceres was good since it can highlight when you feel a need to be nurtured or nurture others and for someone with mental health issues it seemed like a good idea to keep track of Ceres but I am starting to realize a lot of the transits are just highlighting when we feel like being a mommy and I am over here trying to be like: turn that mommy energy inwards. But that's not Ceres's main intention anyway it wants to mommy others.

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25th

Mars conjuncts Ceres in Pisces Mars and Ceres in Pisces sextiles Uranus in Taurus ☾♋ Moon enters Cancer ☾♋ Moon Opposite Jupiter rx and Pluto rx in Capricorn ☾♋ Moon Squares Chiron in Aries and Juno rx in Libra ☾♋ Moon Trines Ceres and Mars in Pisces ☾♋ Moon Sextiles Uranus and Psyche in Taurus

Energy: Today's vibe will feel pretty emotional with the moon returning to it's home in Cancer and trining Mars aligned with Ceres in Pisces. This deep dive into the watery signs along with nurturing and needy Ceres will make us feel passionate to explore our deepest needs to feel nurtured and secure. Additionally to add the fuel to this drive there is A LOT of aspects tying Uranus, Chiron, Jupiter rx and Pluto rx in the mix adding themes of transformation, inner change, inner healing and re-alignment of our values. Today we may find ourselves exploring if we feel nurtured, secured or valued, what in the past has caused us to influence our feelings in these areas of our lives, what we may need to change in order to bring this loving energy in our lives and if where we have devoted our energy to was worth it in the past. To go more in depth, the moon opposite Jupiter rx and Pluto rx in Capricorn along with it's square with Chiron in Aries will bring up new perspectives that can progress our inner expansion or bring up hidden buried feelings or messages from our soul that we could have missed in the past. The Chiron square will give us the tension and push to want to explore these deeper sides of ourselves even if it feels ugly in order to heal. There will be a lot of space for inner transformation and change due to Mars (and Ceres) sextiling Uranus and the moon Sextiling Uranus as well along with Psyche. Mars sextile Uranus gives an energetic courageous boost to try new things and the moon sextiling Uranus gives us a positive space for personal change and a new perspective on our emotions. Ceres sextiling Uranus can create space for us to find nurturing independently. With the moon sextiling Psyche in Taurus we can find the space to reconnect with our soul and deepest needs if we make ourselves the time. With the moon squaring Juno rx in Libra once again where we devote our energy towards will come into light. This will be amplified by the opposition with Jupiter rx and Pluto rx, it could be painfully amplified by the chiron square and could be added to the energy of Uranus sextiling Ceres. If you are in a relationship this may bring up any aspects of the relationship that may not be up to your standards. It would be a good time to observe but maybe not discuss just yet (though with all of the high energy flying about it may be hard to keep it in today), just make sure to give your partner space and have patience. If you have had hard past relationships they may come back today and show you where you need love and to strengthen your values.

Recommendations: It would be ideal today to set aside time for self reflection and inner nurturing. Especially since the moon is in a water sign, doing bath magic or (since it's in cancer) indulging in kitchen magic could flow perfectly with the energy of today. Using oracle cards or tarot for self reflection could help bring new perspectives especially with the Moon sextiling Uranus and Psyche. Shadow work would also be beneficial with the moon opposite Pluto rx, Jupiter rx and squaring Chiron and Juno rx. Lastly with a lot of Uranus, Ceres and Lunar aspects boosted by the energetic power of Mars it would be a great day to review your personal space and see if your living area makes you feel happy and magical. Freshen your room, add whatever makes you feel magical, dump whatever doesn't and make your space sacred!

________________________

26th

Mercury conjuncts Vesta in Gemini ☾♋ Moon Trines Neptune in Pisces ☾♋ Moon Sextiles Sappho in Virgo

Energy: The energy today will be amazing to explore your truest passions and inner philosophies (and maybe even work on them!) Today Mercury will conjunct with Vesta in Gemini, the asteroid of dedicated work and devotion (and the daughter of Saturn both in Mythology but also energetically with relations to the planets). This energy fused with the planet of the mind and communication along with the asteroid of devoted work will help open your mind to taking in new information and exploring areas that spark your inner passion. Additionally to this energy the Moon in Cancer will sextile Sappho in Virgo creating harmonious energy and a boost for us to explore our inner philosophies and truths that resonate with us emotionally. Ask yourself today: what peaks my curiosity? What areas in my life do I wish to creatively explore or express but I may hold myself back? What strikes my inspiration and lust to explore? Though I did put Fortuna as a minor celestial body (though it's not even a body, it's a mathematic point like Lunar Lilith), as a guide to understanding Jupiter's energy, Sappho is another fantastic guide to understanding your inner truth and authenticity so that you can live your most genuine life without the constraint of societal expectations. (Fortuna can help you connect more with the luck and abundance side of Jupiter's energy where as Sappho can help you connect more with the philosophies, adventures, attractions and truths side of Jupiter's energy). In addition to all this the moon will trine Neptune in Pisces favoring activities that are creative and artistic. You can also receive inspiration to make a breakthrough in a project where you could have suffered previously from writer or an artistic block. Additionally this trine can strengthen your intuition. With your intuition and creativity heightened with this beneficial trine, you should use this energy to also connect with exploring your deepest interests, passions, curiosities (ESPECIALLY if they are creative) and devote energy towards them.

Recommendations: Today will be a great day to set aside time for an 'artist date' where you make time to experiment with art or anything creative without judgement or expectation. It will be a great day to explore magic through art. There's many ways to do this since there are many mediums of art but some that come to mind: draw a tarot or oracle card and freewrite to explore your stream of consciousness on it or use it as a prompt to create a picture. Using sigil magic and colorology you can create a visual spell. If you have all the tools and materials available, creating organite (or any other magical tool) would be great. Another fantastic way to use the energy today would be to explore the energy of Sappho and how that applies to you. Think about how you can honor your genuine self free of inhibitions. With Jupiter retrograding, working with Sappho can help you navigate that energy as it can help you venture deeper within yourself. The moon trining Neptune will also help with this inner adventure. ________________________

27th

Juno comes out of Retrograde Eros enters Taurus ☾♌ Moon enters Leo ☾♌ Moon Squares Eros, Uranus and Psyche in Taurus ☾♌ Moon Trines Chiron in Aries ☾♌ Moon Sextiles Sun in Gemini and Juno in Libra

Energy: Today may feel like it's time to mingle again, yet it will be wise to wait! Not only because we are still in the middle of a global plague but Venus is still in retrograde. However, the energy will feel lovely, social, flirty, warm and lighthearted with all of the aspects happening. Everyone is feeling far more social in Gemini season (especially since it brought the nice weather) and though we all can't frolic about, Gemini being the mental airy type has revived a lot of new ways to connect through technology. Today the moon will enter dramatic yet romantic Leo and Juno will finally FINALLY come out of retrograde making us ready to open up our hearts again, look for love or for new friends! If you are not into finding new people to enter your life, this energy could manifest instead as you finding new a new creative direction or space to pour your energy towards. Today will feel lovely and light hearted as the Moon in Leo will sextile the Sun in Gemini and Juno in Libra creating a positive balance in energy and the potential to meet someone new that can help you understand your needs internally or work on your values. (Or find a new direction that speaks to your inner passion but it will be something that would add to your inner growth since a lot of planets are still in retrograde). Eros the asteroid of passion will enter Taurus today, shifting the collectives new source of inner fuel for fire to the patient slow burn sensual energy of Taurus. Even if you meet someone new today and the energy feels right between you, there will be opportunity to keep the spark alive long term through technology until it's safe to meet up in person. The juno retrograde could have brought up a lot of self examination when it came to our reviewing our devotion of our time and energy. As Venus is still in retrograde we will still be examining our values and self worth especially in regards to our friendships (since it's in Gemini). There is positive space for self reflection and growth as the moon will trine Chiron bringing opportunity for healing. Lastly the moon will square Eros, Uranus and Psyche in Taurus bringing up moods throughout the day that will create tension to push us to make personal changes. The moon and Eros square will push us to seek out new fuel to feed our drives whether that be new sources of inspiration or a new hook up. The Moon and Uranus square can bring up sudden new emotional perspectives or moods we weren't aware of before (also from other people) which could push us to make changes in our personal space. The moon and Psyche square could bring up some situations that can push us to look deeper within ourselves perhaps due to uncomfortable circumstances that will cause intense self reflection.

Recommendations: Overall it's a good day to meet new friends, socialize online as well as set time aside to work on self healing, self love and self reflection. If you want to meet new people that can relate to your interests, doing a spell to attract new friends could be of benefit today. Since the moon is in Leo and Venus is still in retrograde, self love spells would be beneficial today. Since Leo is ruled by the sun, if it's nice weather, channeling the sun's energy while meditating under it could be of help. Solar magic harmonizes well with self love spells.

________________________

28th

Mercury in Gemini squares Sappho in Virgo Mercury enters Cancer Uranus conjuncts Psyche in Taurus Psyche in Taurus sextiles Ceres in Pisces ☾♌ Moon Sextiles Venus rx in Gemini

Energy: For the next few weeks our emotions will reign our mental landscape as Mercury finds it's way into Cancer. With Mercury swimming in Cancer and Mars still deep in Pisces expect the atmosphere and drive to be fueled by feelings. Before Mercury moves into Cancer it will square Sappho in Virgo which, for some, can potentially be the pea under the stack of mattresses that can influence the mood of Mercury's next transit. The square can bring up tension or frustrations around living our truths or pursuing genuine interests. We may either feel inclined to partake in what makes us feel like our authentic selves or if we feel blocked from expressing this it may negatively impact us making us feel like we are unable to be who we truly are. Additionally Uranus will conjunct Psyche in Taurus giving us the key to create change deep within. This fusion of energy can cause change within us in how we relate to our core or approach situations in life especially in regards to what makes us feel safe, understood on a soul level and nurtured (Psyche sextiling Ceres in Pisces). As Mercury enters Cancer, emotions are amplified so how these asteroids, the guides of our inner selves are impacted can create a ripple effect on our moods throughout the 2.5/3 week cycle. Lastly the Moon will sextile Venus retrograding in Gemini which can focus our emotions on our social life and inner values. The retrograde can cause us to make changes in our social life or reach out to old friends. This sextile will cause us to want to feel more social as well as reflect on our values and friendships.

Recommendations: Today would be good to listen to a sound bath or meditate to some binural beats. That can help us be more in tune with our mental landscape and emotions as well as understand any changes happening within. Sound based meditations can also bring emotions to light that we weren't previously aware of. It's also a good day to reach out to old friends who you missed and haven't had a chance to reconnect with for a while! Schedule a video chat if you can.

________________________

29th

Saturn rx in Aquarius squares Eros in Taurus ☾♌ Moon Opposite Pallas rx and Saturn rx in Aquarius ☾♌ Moon Sextiles Vesta in Gemini ☾ VOC 2:30PM (from yesterday)-12:40PM ☾♍ Moon enters Virgo ☾♍ Moon Trines Eros in Taurus ☾♍ Moon Sextiles Mercury in Cancer

Energy: Today will feel like a lesson in our work ethic. The energy and time will feel slowed down and give us an opportunity to explore our passions, our work ethic and ideas. If you have been trying to pick up neglected projects in Saturn retrograde or experiment with new things, today's energy will be a helpful pillar in that journey. Saturn rx in Aquarius will square Eros in Taurus putting pressure in expressing our innermost passions. We may have a strong desire under this tension to pursue our passions but may feel a bit restricted by the square. Instead of feeling frustrated, the slowing energy of Saturn (especially in retrograde) wants us to look within and learn how to better use our inner fuel for projects. A helpful boost of energy will come from the Moon in Leo giving a helpful sextile to Vesta in Gemini which will help us understand our work ethic better (especially in areas of creativity) and give a helpful tool to operating the energy of the square. The moon will also form an opposition to Pallas rx and then to Saturn rx in Aquarius making the day feel longer and have a more serious tone. The Pallas rx opposition can make it feel like it's difficult to relearn how to better apply our work ethic but it's retrograde could bring to light how we applying our learning skills to these situations. (Just don't give up! Keep trying!) The moon opposite Saturn rx can make that section of the day feel serious and grounding but it will be a perfect window of time to take stock of work you need to get done and reflect on tasks you'd like to complete. The moon will then enter the dutiful sign of Virgo which will help boost our organizational skills. The moon will trine Eros in Taurus creating a new segment in today's 'lesson' as we will get a window of time where the mood will be harmonious to apply our energy towards our passions yet we may find it easier and more calculated with the influence of the Moon in Virgo. The Moon in Virgo will also sextile Mercury in Cancer giving us a better connection to our mental landscape and moods. This harmonious bridge between the heart and mind can help us understand better methods of how we can work and apply ourselves to our tasks. With Mercury being in Cancer this aspect can be extra sentimental making us a little nostalgic or helping bring up emotional memories that could reveal deeper sentiments in regards to our current responsibilities.

Recommendations: However this energy manifests for you, today would be a good day to review how you use your energy towards your work or interests that drive you. It would be a good day to do energy work with Saturn and Vesta and channel them towards you. There are some great frequencies online you can listen to to help take in the energy of Saturn's planet while working (it makes great background music as you focus on work!) Magical work today could either be beneficial if you use it for grounding and centering your energy (on the energetic side of things) or use it for practical matters like magic in the mundane with kitchen witchcraft, cleansing the house, creating energetic boosts to focus your energy (on the physical side of things). However raising energy and manifestation may be a bit more challenging today with the long void of course from the moon and the heavy earth sign energy. It just may take a while for what you want to appear. Long term spells would be great but nothing short term.

________________________

30th

First Quarter Moon in Virgo Sun in Gemini squares Moon in Virgo and Ceres in Pisces ☾♍ Moon Opposite Mars and Neptune in Pisces ☾♍ Moon Squares Venus rx in Gemini ☾♍ Moon Trines Uranus and Psyche in Taurus

Energy: Today may feel like an intense start to a chapter as the first quarter moon in Virgo is met with many tense aspects as well as the Sun in Gemini squaring Ceres in Pisces. Most first quarter moons are for taking action yet there will be additional tension today. The Sun squaring Ceres may create a theme regarding lack of nurture or overcoming areas in our lives where we feel this lack of support or need it the most. This square may also overexert our need to give to others (especially if we feel like giving that nurturing generosity may create some in return). Some uncomfortable tension may come from the Moon opposite Mars and Neptune in Pisces. Moon opposite Mars can create rise in tempers and butting heads. However this energy could be applied positively if you use it to defend loved ones or a cause to aid the community. However if you are going head strong on a selfish ambition you can meet a lot of opposition today. Moon opposite Neptune can heighten deceptions, illusions and distort our emotions towards others. It's best to avoid arguments in this time frame. This energy is also great for helping others and the community. Together with the Mars opposition, Sun and Ceres square and the first quarter moon in Virgo the energies can be applied to helping loved ones or the community. Perhaps this will be a time where people will try to come together to help each other out in the midst of this pandemic. There is room for inner change as the Moon will trine Uranus and Psyche in Taurus helping us revise our emotional and personal worlds and connect to ourselves on a soul level. Lastly the moon will square Venus rx in Gemini challenging our values and increasing our needs for self love. The Sun and Ceres square can be intense with this moon and venus square as it may amplify any negative feelings with us not feeling loved enough and may push us to over give in hopes of getting something back. If this aspect really gets to you it's good to set time aside for yourself.

Recommendations: Where as the New Moon is good for setting intentions and trying new things, the first quarter moon is good for taking action and putting ideas into motion. It's good to start materializing something (earthly Virgo will definitely help with that) and in some cases it's a good time to get crafty and make magical tools. It would be a good time to set time aside for yourself for self love magic as the energy can be intense. Virgo can be very healing in it's energy so practicing self love could come in forms of self care such as eating healthy and nurturing your body. With the moon opposing Mars and Neptune it's a good time to set up wards and protect yourself. If the first quarter moon is this intense it can potentially build up a bigger wave of energy for the full moon (especially with the full moon in expansive Sagittarius!) so remember to check up on your wards and protection today.

________________________

31st

☾♍ Moon Conjunct Sappho in Virgo ☾♍ Moon Opposite Ceres in Pisces ☾♍ Moon Squares Vesta in Gemini ☾♍ Moon Trines Jupiter rx and Pluto rx in Capricorn ☾ VOC 10:16AM-3:37PM ☾♎ Moon enters Libra ☾♎ Moon Conjunct Juno in Libra ☾♎ Moon trines Saturn rx in Aquarius ☾♎ Moon Squares Mercury in Cancer

Energy: Today's mood will feel a bit up and down as the moon makes it's way through some enlightening and frustrating aspects. A lot of the themes the moon will bring up today will be in regards to where we devote our energy towards and helpful transformations in regards to how we use our energy towards our responsibilities or passions. The moon will briefly conjunct Sappho in Virgo fusing the two energies. We will feel more emotionally inclined to explore our genuine interests and attractions under this influence. The moon will square Vesta in Gemini creating a window of time where we will feel the urgency and tension to push our energy towards work that is meaningful to us. With the moon trining Jupiter rx and Pluto rx in Capricorn there is room for personal expansion and transformation if you wish to tap into that energy. Moon opposing Ceres can bring up the need to nurture or care for others. Additionally it can create negative feelings that we aren't feeling nurtured enough. The moon will enter Libra and conjunct Juno in Libra bringing up a mood for romance or a call to question our values and devotion. This may be a messy aspect to endure with Venus in retrograde as we may get messages from past lovers or feel the need to contact an ex. The moon will trine Saturn rx in Aquarius giving us a boost of responsibility to work on tasks we need to focus on. After the moon will square Mercury in Cancer which can put emotions over logic. However this square can give a good incentive to clean up at home or reflect on our moods.

Recommendations: As we enter the moon's waxing phase the energy encourages us to put our intentions from the new moon into action. The moon's transits affecting Sappho, Vesta and Juno can give us helpful clues to the emotions they stir up where we should focus on. (Sappho being our interests, Vesta being our work, Juno being our values). Today would be a good day for meditation and channeling these energies or working with the Jupiter and Pluto retrograde to do inner journeying to aid in your current direction. The moon conjunct Juno in libra could be excellent energy for a self love spell. With the moon and mercury square that energy would be great for cleaning up your personal space, journaling and exploring your emotional and mental space. ________________________

#celestial forecast #astrology #transits #mercury moves into cancer #celestial witchcraft

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