#frazzled's episode rankings

[frazzledsoul]

Frazzled's Favorite Gilmore Girls Episodes:

Raincoats and Recipes: Luke and Lorelai finally kiss! I will accept the Dean shenanigans as good drama because it's made clear it is NOT a good idea overall.

Last Week's Fights This Week's Tights: Luke and Lorelai have their cute wedding date, Jess accepts that Luke will always love him unconditionally (even if he messes up sometimes), he awkwardly tries to make things up to Rory and gets shot down which is sad but is a catalyst for everything good that happened to him offscreen. Jess has emo hair throughout the entire episode and Luke is as hot as he's ever looked. Priorities, people.

Written In The Stars: Luke and Lorelai have their first date. Logan shows up right as Rory starts to pity dates Dean and I'm sure she won't be distracted by a bad boy who knows his literary references again! (She totally will). The post coital L/L stuff is as sexy as this show ever gets, unfortunately.

They Shoot Gilmore Don't They: The dance marathon episode. There's L/L tension, Literati eye-fucking, townie shenanigans, and Mama Kim scaring Jess into politeness. Also Dean finally skedaddles. Bye. Don't come back (he does not listen. Damnit).

Forgiveness and Stuff: Luke makes Lorelai a Santa burger, which next to Jess writing in the margins is the grandest romantic gesture ever made on this show. Other stuff happens: Richard has a heart attack, Lorelai gives Luke his beloved blue baseball cap, there is graciousness towards the grandparents and poignant emotional moments but blah blah blah, SANTA BURGER.

Lorelai's Graduation Day: The Literati Roman Holiday. It's the episode of dreams, y'all. Also, Lorelai graduates and her parents are proud of her for once.

The Bracebridge Dinner: Rory invites Paris to a party! Dean and Jess fight and totally don't make eyes at one another as a result. All three iconic couples go on sleigh rides! Jess and Luke snark during townie events! It's a classic.

Rory's Birthday Parties: Aw, I love this episode as it has so much S1 charm and yet Dean stays away for most of the entire episode. Also, Richard does a Seventeen quiz and is adorable.

Hay Bale Maze: Yeah, people, get over it, it's a Logan episode. He and Rory are actually at their best here. Plus, Luke and Lorelai apologize to each other and if that had not happened I would have never watched the show again. Unjustly hated.

Nick and Nora Sid and Nancy: Jess shows up, steals Rory's book, and gives his annotated version back to her. Truly a hooligan romantic move for the ages. Classic episode.

#frazzled's episode rankings #gilmore girls

[hughmunculus]

Ranking Columbo's Top 5 Babygirls

By popular demand (context: nobody asked, I saw it in a dream) I've made a list of the men in Columbo you should absolutely draw in this pose. Please let it be known the presence of the babygirl does not necessarily mean the episode itself is good. Sometimes God gives its strongest babygirls its weirdest episodes.

Criteria for this was pretty obvious:

Are they absolutely sopping wet

Is there some odd sexual tension there

Would I let them hit it

5. Alex Brady (S8 Ep2: Murder, Smoke, and Shadows)

Photo credit: columboscreens.com

So 5 was a tough spot because I knew what my top 4 were going to be pretty handily, but this was going to be one that was lacking in one or the other criteria set out above. In the end, it was between the soaking wet Emmett Clayton (S2 Ep7, The Most Dangerous Match) and the unhinged Alex Brady. In the end, I judged it on the most sacred criteria: what that dick do. And there is no way Clayton's dick game is anything but awful, if its anything like his chess game.

Fisher Steven's character though is an insane, controlling chaos goblin that's fun to watch when he's winning and even more fun to watch while he's losing. Fortunately he loses, a Lot. Later seasons of Columbo can often feel less about the titular detective and much more about the murderers, but I'd argue in this case its for the best as we watch him completely unravel (and in one famous instance, hallunicate Columbo in a Ringmaster's outfit).

4. Joe Devlin (S7 Ep5: The Conspirators)

Photo credit: columboscreens.com

Who is this man smiling at? His wife, a lover perhaps? What about the detective that's going to bust his ass for murder and illegal firearms trading? Were it not for Clive Revill and Peter Falk's chemistry, this episode about a man funneling weapons to the IRA would be... Challenging. Instead he's just kind of a chill dude in over his head who, to quote Columbo Screens, "wants to fuck Columbo so bad it makes them look stupid".

That being said, he most certainly corners the market on being a sad little man when trying to get ahold of those guns. His initial encounter with the RV Salesman easily tops my "most pathetic Columbo villain moments" as he struggles to find innuendo for guns while the RV Salesman politely tries to turn him down like a thirsty dude at a bar.

3. Dale Kingston (S1 Ep4: Suitable for Framing)

Photo credit: Columbophile.com

What he lacks in obvious chemistry with Columbo he makes up in wearing a frilly, crushed velvet suit and being just so extremely gay. Ross Martin's performance as the murderer and art critic is a powerhouse in a likewise tightly written episode. When he's not begging Columbo to leave him alone in the most sopping-wet manner possible he's making snide, catty comments about the art world. I wouldn't be surprised if Joel Cairo was a touchstone for his performance.

I would also be negligent to not say that when he's finally caught his lower lip literally fucking trembles. That final scene is so goddamn good though I won't link it, so go watch the whole episode for yourself.

2. Roger Stanford (S1 Ep6: Short Fuse)

Photo credit: columboscreens.com

Let it be known I had to fight the temptation hard to not just use the Roddy MacDowell cock photo. It would've been so fucking easy man. But I think this photo better captures the impish, effervescent performance he gives as the chemical company heir. He spends so much of this episode capering about, pulling pranks, wearing pants so tight you can see the outline of his co-

ANYWAY he isn't super soaking wet in the beginning, but through the episode you watch him slowly becoming more and more frazzled, more exasperated, more testy until it finally culminates in an explosive (pun intentional) final gotcha by Columbo. Watching Roddy MacDowell completely break down into a fit of laughter, putting his scholarship chain around Columbo's neck and affectionately patting his cheeks, you can't help but be awestruck by its weirdness, its patheticness, and how it's kinda... y'know...

1. Ward Fowler (S6 Ep1: Fade Into Murder)

Image credit: columbophile.com

Maybe this is a controversial top pick, but hear me out: never has a Columbo villain been so pathetic, so attractive, and so obviously into Columbo before. William Shatner plays a man playing a TV detective against a man playing a real detective, and the way he decides to do that is by having Ward be absolutely captivated by Columbo.

Ward is so desperate to get Columbo's approval, often trying to relate his real life experiences to the tropes he's played on TV as Detective Lucerne. Getting away with the murder of his blackmailing wife feels like a distant second of just getting Columbo to like him.

It all culminates with Ward filming Columbo with one of their TV camera, the latter unable to even get a single line out without dissolving into giggles. Afterwards they review the footage filmed while - dare I say it - CUDDLING on the couch???? Apparently Shatner and Falk actually hit it off immediately on set, which must speak to Falk's magnetic personality more than anything else.

This is the only performance I can describe on Columbo as "cute". Shatner schoolboy cruch on Columbo is so cute (and simultaneously so sad considering you know, the murder) that it feels unfair to not give him the top spot.

Anyway, all the credit to the Columbophile Blog for inspiring me to write this post, and to Columbo Screens for the gorgeous screenshots and being the de facto Columbo authority on Tumblr.

#columbo #peter falk #detective columbo #I kinda want to do more lists like this lol

[arlenschumer]

TONIGHT @ 12:35am EST on ME-TV, one of the GREAT episodes of THE TWILIGHT ZONE: "THE JUNGLE" (written by Charles Beaumont, Directed by William Claxton, originally aired December 1, 1961) Charles Beaumont’s “The Jungle” (based on his own short story) fulfill's Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling's original description of the Zone as one that lies "..between science and superstition," a dimension "...not only of sight and mind" but of "sound," one of that sensual trinity that is often overlooked in The Twilight Zone, given the intense domination of the other two. Yet that is precisely how protagonist Alan Richards (the great John Dehner) begins his descent into The Twilight Zone, via sound--the sounds of the jungle animals that he can't get out of his head as he faces a particular superstitious dread of every New Yorker: crossing Central Park at night! Dehner's character plays out over the chasm--or, in his case, the abyss--between "science and superstition," as he navigates between his fellow financiers who want to build their African dam over the homes of the natives, and his own wife's grim warning of certain, horrible death as cursed by the shaman she believes in, if construction commences. There's a delicious moment mid-episode when a frazzled Dehner pauses before entering the Park, and contemplates turning back, towards the steps of a large church opposite the entrance. In that moment Beaumont lays plain modern man's continual choice, between a world built on rational, logical, scientific facts, or one of faith and yes, superstition. Sound familiar? The episode’s grisly final scene—the lion in the bedroom—ranks as one of The Twilight Zone’s most startlingly surreal juxtapositions, echoed visually in the surrealism that preceded the show, Magritte's 1940 "The Wedding Breakfast," and the pop culture that the series influenced, Chris Van Allsburg's interior illustration for his 1982 children's book, "Jumanji." arlenschumer.com/twilight-zone #twilightzone #thetwilightzone #rodserling #charlesbeaumont #arlenschumer #tv #television #tvhistory #televisionhistory #thejungle @dgareps @richardsyrettstrangeplanet @nyadventureclub @adamschumer https://www.instagram.com/p/ClmVWXKugBv/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#twilightzone #thetwilightzone #rodserling #charlesbeaumont #arlenschumer #tv #television #tvhistory #televisionhistory #thejungle

[due4amiracle]

Day 391

Listo:

Laundry/cleaning, Reading, Dailies, #TTRPGThings, Watching.

Laundry/cleaning - Picked up some things here and there. ✔

Reading things - - Holds still here. 1st library only library - #6 on 3. 99 for the year, 11 for the month! - Dark Order (Kat Drummond #10) by Nicholas Woode-Smith 100%! 3🌟This was good! i mean - a lot of the things were real not good - and by that i mean like bad bad for the characters - but the ending! That was good! - Blood Hunter by Nicholas Woode-Smith 7%! Hey look it’s the side-story! - Manhwa: Survive as the Hero’s Wife 2 chapters of this read Nope🚫! UwU♡ ✔✔✔🚫

Dailies - - Waifu Did mah dailies! Also, level ?/50 BP now~! AND! Tree lvl 26/50! Also! 24/39 max friendship namecards acquired! New MONTH! new weeklies! Chasm gem thingy is level 6/10! ♡ω♡✔ Not sure when the next BP will start but, that’s ok! i’m ready for it~

- Cozy Grove - Doot doot continuing to scout along! Scout rank 17/17! 17/21 besties! More stuff more things! ♡ω♡ ✔ Shells - 88/254 - 34.6% Fish - 85/180 - 47.2% Bugs - 95/199 - 47.7% Flowers - 247/372 - 66.4% Cooking - 64/71 - 90.1% Raw Ingredients - 38/54 - 70.4% Materials - 50/63 - 79.4% ♡ω♡✔

- Pokémon Legends: Arceus - Star 8/10 get! 174 caught, 104 max level research pages~. |Alpha||Catch||MaxR/Total - Area |   49  ||   72  ||   70/85 - ObsiField |   47  ||   66  ||   64/75 - CrimMire |   52  ||   79  ||   78/96 - CobCoast |   49  ||   77  ||   75/90 - CoroHigh |   35  ||   71  ||   68/91 - AlabIce ♡ω♡ 🚫

- Coromon - ♡ω♡ 🚫

- Ooblets - 42/131 little frands, because why not track something. ♡ω♡ 🚫 UwU♡ ✔✔🚫🚫🚫

#TTRPGThings - Not much happened on this front, mostly just idling, waiting on More Information. Still ruminating on little things here and there. ✔

Watching things - - SukaSuka episode 9&10! - Misfits and Magic episode 1!

Other things - So. Today was appointment day. For all of 10 minutes i sat with Therapist and chatted about - my sleep study, sleeping meds, weight loss, and finally the cpap that i don’t have (yet). i mean, it was productive, if nothing else we’ve switched my sleeping pill from the appetite stimulant one. So, that should help a little with the always-being-hungry thing. i’ll see him in two months. Sufficiently enough time for me to have gone through some cpap-time. Shrug. It’s fine. Other than that - hey more poop talk! i pooped. It wasn’t A Big Healthy Shit, but, it was something that wasn’t the gross diarrhea stuff, so that’s good. Baby steps? Ye. Baby steps. i guess. We’ll see how the rest of things go. i can feel it percolatin’ down there. Other than that? Not much. Didn’t really get a whole lot done, kinda frazzled. But it’s aight. Always tomorrow.

Food: A Liquid: A Pain: B Brain: B

Tomorrow: Laundry/cleaning, Reading, Dailies, #TTRPGThings, Watching.

Ever Onwards and Upwards!

#Multiple Sclerosis #ADHD #OCD #Arthritis #Spoonie #Daily #Genshin Impact #Genshin Waifu #Waifu Impact #waifu #TTRPGThings #Cozy Grove #Dark Order (Kat Drummond 10) by Nicholas Woode-Smith #Blood Hunter by Nicholas Woode-Smith #therapist #appointment #Food: A #Liquid: A #Pain: B #Brain: B #joints ache #aches and pains #exhausted

[jelloopy]

Woooooooooo! Episode 23 was wild oh my god!

Alright lets get going! 

Big thank you to our kind and benevolent DM Travis for answering mine and Griffin’s most pressing question. The door was in fact a space door leading to the hell dimension. Thank you for clearing that up.

Very interesting that Gray is so reluctant to murder the Commowhore. I understand he needs him for the Naval side of the war but like arent there other commanding officers for like all other war divisions? Also, Argo in his Lil mention about hoping there was gonna be a battle via water bc its where he’s most comfy.

Firbolg and his Lil list of animals he’s seen. Its ok bb keep going I support you <3

I love how this entire time no one in the Unbroken Chain has spoken. They are literally all there watching this go down. A Demon Prince has entered the room in the heat of a Tribunal for the murder of another member of the Chain and they all are so stunned they just sit there and watch? 

Gray being sassy with Argo “Keep up Argo” like damn dude let him process there’s a lot going on right now. Also Gray cursing and Fitzroys “language” oh my god dude. Team Gray? Have you ever met Fitzroy? Chaos legit gave him a dream of being a king and still said “Nah I don’t wanna hurt the guy who wants to assassinate me” like of course he isn’t gonna join your ranks, dude. Keep up, Gray >:)

AH! Even Gray hates the Commowhore. He referred to him as The Coward! Yessssss only valid attribute to Gray rn tbh.

Fitz really forgot he just got out of a tribunal huh? Just gonna wildly say that he gets his powers from Chaos and that a Literal Demon Prince doesn’t know how powerful he is. You really set yourself up there huh bud?

WOW OK FIRBOLG GET HIS ASS!!!! I also would like that Gray nOT INJURE HIM AS WELL. God, that scene I was like cheering for Firbolg he did so well! Also yeah please kill the Commowhore, you already heard that Gray wants him around still. You get rid of one part of the problem. Do you know how pissed he is gonna be when the war actually starts? Like he will really be out for Argo and Fitz’s heads then.

I will say Higglemas being a member makes a LOT of sense but threw me for a loop not gonna lie. Why didn’t the boys react to it at all? Like Higglemas didn’t tell them he was a member.

“The cool waters shall not flow over me anymore! I AM LAND BORN!” That’s a mood Firbolg. Don’t worry bud they’ll get ya all patched up.

Good on Fitzroy for remembering that the cat, whOM THEY NAMED SCHRODINGER WHICH IS THE BEST THING EVER, can get to HIgglemas because I really thought that out of all of em Fitz would be the last to remember that. But poor snippers giving the look of just ‘Hachi machi boss I gotta translate from human to crab to cat, that’s a lot man, ill give it my best shot’

Thank god for Jackle, “Some of the other members have expressed their concerns to me so might I ask… what in the sweet holy hell are ya doin’ with the kitty?” I was rooting for someone to speak up about that.

Bruh I forget that Higglemas reverted in age. That like didn’t resonate with me at all. But “its Hig” really? Is it really Hig? That’s adorable.

I love how all of the Unbroken Chain members of the school are all together in one room and they all happen to be teachers and yet they are leaving all of this up to the THREE STUDENTS that haven’t even made it a full year in this school. Like I have to imagine that all of them are decently powerful to be in the Chain but they leave it up to these dullards.

“Spell slots?” “Oh don’t worry my boy its somethin’ only the Kenku’s have”

“We have arrived at the DMV!” “Dungeon Master Vehicle” Thank you, Justin. I love you so much. 

UGH CLINTS VOICE ACTING FOR ARGO BEING SCARED I always forget he legit works in voice acting basically.

“He has dealt with hurt and depression in his life he’s good” God damn Jackle u good bud?

Griffin singing “So ya had a bad day!” bc of his shitty roll. God that made me laugh. I knew exactly what happened as soon as he started singing.

AHHHHHHH HEROS BACK BABYYYYYYYYY That makes me so ungodly happy. I screamed “A SWORD?” Then immediately after “PLEASE DEAR GOD LET IT BE HERO” and I was correct! >:) Thank you Fitz for the first dog joke I appreciated it a lot.

Fitz its a scratch. Go sit your ass down baby,

Really. No one is gonna mention a frazzled looking Hero back in the room? Or does everyone in the Chain think it’s just normal ol Hero joining the group? Doesn’t he look like way younger tho? So I feel like suspicions should have been raised.

A truth spell? That’s fucking wild never heard of it. In this Economy?

Yes, I too would like for you guys to Murder Gray in his sleep and end the war before it begins. But you did not have to bring it up so Cryptically Fitzroy. You scared me my guy I thought you were talking about accepting Grays offer for a sec there.

Hero shhhh sweetie we know Gray will turn and initiate the war for pureblood instead of just sport if the plan fails.

“Can everyone here keep a secret?” “Dis is uhhhh.. Not ideal” Dear god this is gonna become very hard very quick isn’t it?

#taz #taz grad #taz graduation #taz g #taz spoilers #the adventure zone #the zone cast #sir fitzroy maplecourt knight in absentia in the realm of goodcastle #sir fitzroy maplecourt #fitzroy maplecourt #fitzroy #argonaut keene #tazfirbolg #master firbolg #taz firbolg #firbolg #jackle #gray #chaos

[burning-fcols]

✩ Power-Dynamic ✩

(On this blog we love and support Stolas, but we also acknowledge that there is a CLEAR imbalance of power here that goes beyond book ownership-

(Because Stolas is a Prince, a powerful member of a high-ranking and influential family... and Blitzo is an Imp. Lowly, discriminated against, and shown to be treated with little care even in the Prince’s own home. Lest we forget that Stolas had one thrown at him and showed no concern, despite the Imp being noticeably hurt afterward; as if it were a common and non-noteworthy occurrence. Stolas cares for Blitzo, but this care is reserved for HIM. Not his species, not even the ones close to Blitzy.  ❝  He’s my knight in shining armor, not you littler ones.  ❞  )

(Stolas has even been shown to refer to Blitzo as such when wanting him to do something, in a way that my over-analyzing mind shall contribute to him ‘reminding’ of his social standing and WHO it is Blitzo was talking to—  ❝  Sound fair, my little Imp?~  ❞  The word is punctuated at the end, drawing attention to it and acting as a cue for Blitz to realize that he’s not just Blitzy talking to Stolas. He’s an IMP talking to an oh-so-generous member of the Goetia family who has been ALLOWING— another word punctuated, to remind Blitzo that the only reason he’s come this far is because the Prince has been playing nice~ —him to use his book.)

(Even in the second episode he says that he was hoping  ❝  -you brave little Imps would accompany us.  ❞  The other times he has spoken to him with the affectionate nickname Blitzy, but when asking or suggesting Blitz do something- he’s pulled the ‘little Imp’ card. Not that Stolas doesn’t genuinely care for Blitzo and value him... but there’s a deep understanding of how Hell works and even some implicit bias that cause him to use his species as leverage.)

❝  You’re so CUTE when you are serious~  ❞

(Further speculation about the deal exchange under the Cut)

❝  -worked out some kind of ‘exchange’? Favors for favors...  ❞  

Stolas’s hand glowed red when making that statement— reminding me of how Alastor had a bust of glowing green when attempting to make a deal with Charlie, albeit the deer’s power was noticeably stronger and more potent... but this is likely because Stolas was harnessing very little and capable of tampering down the theatrics when utilizing his powers —and I shall choose to take that as him creating a bit of a ‘contract’ between him and Blitzo. Nothing as powerful and threatening as controlling a Soul, since I’m pretty sure there is a certain ‘procedure’ that needs to be followed when making deals of THAT nature... but definitely something that would come into effect should Blitzo attempt to weasel out of or ignore their Monthly Meetings.)

(Another post will likely be written just to show the effects the ‘binds’ my Stolas has placed will have. Nothing overly-major or suffocating... but a nice little extra security to ensure that his Little Imp doesn’t get any funny ideas.... and as a Side Note:  ❝  When isn’t it a bad time, Blitzy?  ❞  Stolas totally knew that it was a horrible time and USED Blitzo’s frazzled state as an extra means of getting him to hurriedly agree to his terms.)  

#(I love Stolas but ya'll can't tell me that there isn't some Messed Up power dynamics at play here- #-that go beyond the usual 'Blitzo being mean to the soft birb' JKSDNSFFJKDNSFKDS ) #(My Stolas KNOWS what is up and while he DOES care for Blitzo and I still luv this owl boi.... he also is definitely using crooked- #-tactics to get what he wants/hopes will develop from the deal) #(*makes rainbow with hands* Muses are a shade of Grey and even though they are 'good' they can still have flaws and do VERY Not Good things) #(Do I love and support my birb? ... Yes because this is RP and I can like kinda problematic things for the analyzation and angst- #-opportunities :'3 ) #burning-fcols #⭒ ˙ ˖ ✧ — ˗ˏˋ ❝ ɪ’ᴍ ᴀᴅᴅɪᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀᴅɴᴇꜱꜱ; ᴛʜɪꜱ ʜᴏᴛᴇʟ ɪꜱ ᴍʏ ᴀᴛʟᴀɴᴛɪꜱ ❞ ¦ 「 OOC 」 #⭒ ˙ ˖ ✧ — ˗ˏˋ ❝ ɪɴꜱɪᴅᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɢɪʟᴅᴇᴅ ᴊᴀɪʟ ❞ ¦ 「 Stolas 」 #You'll Be Complete; It'll Be So Neat! || {Headcanon} #♡ ˙ ˖ ✧ — ˗ˏˋ ❝ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ꜱᴜʀʀᴇɴᴅᴇʀ ‘ᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ❞ ¦ 「 Blitzø and Stolas 」 #(my blitzy won't have a deal around him because that's for other Stolas Rpers to deide- but my Stolas totally bound up a little imp in a- #-contract without his knoweldge JKDNSFJKSNDF )

[dopeypsyduck]

So this ended up being too big to fit into one post and I have a problem with giving too many descriptions/ideas/etc so I’ll be chopping my AU up into more bitesized pieces. A LOT. After the cut, because if it wasn’t it’d literally destroy your dash. Just be warned that if you open this up there’s like, a whole paragraph for each character mentioned. (or more)

The Tailtwined!AU is based around another AU that I have yet to find a fitting name for, and everything is generally the same story-line (he still goes through regions in the same order, wins Alola’s league, etc) wise except for one crucial plot detail: The night before Ash’s defeat in Sinnoh’s league, the Sandgem town Pokelab burns down with people still inside; though Ash is upset by all of this, the thing he’s most upset about is Gary’s death/disappearance. 

Because there should be a reason other than “he went up against Mythical and Legendary Pokemon” because that was such a cop-out for the anime. And also, yay! Angst and death (seriously where did Gary go??) 

Also I’ll be cherry-picking stuff from the mangas, anime, and games and shoving them all together but I’ll try and keep it simple and not confuse too many people. The focus is currently on the timeline of Pokemon 2019/Journeys, so all of the characters up to that point that are main/side (that show up in more than one episode or are important in the games) will show up. 

Notable information: 

TEAM ROCKET IS A BIG. DEAL. Team Rocket has reached across the globe: Police officers that aren’t Officer Jenny or Nanu or people like Looker; Gym leaders like Sabrina and Koga, Elite four members like Will and Karen. 

-People in this AU work a lot like the Wolf Children movie. Not in the fact that they can completely turn into animals, but in the fact that their features contort when they get angry or overly emotional. Most can grow claws and it is actually a sport in Galar for people to train themselves into their more animal-like forms and then fight. Outside of the ring it is frowned upon, but stuff happens. 

-People with domestic animals’ features are much more common in this AU, with exotic features being more uncommon/rare. Big Cats and creatures like Wolverines are examples of this. 

-Royalty and high ranking trainers like Champions and Elite four members are extremely likely to be non-domestic, but it’s not like common people have never managed to become Champion/E4 before. 

Kantonian-based characters: 

-Ash himself would be long-furred Birman based, with white ears and tail that are umber-tipped. This is a bit more uncommon to see but by no means the rarest of the domestic breeds. I headcanon that he has dyed it before, probably red to match his clothing, or yellow to twin with Pikachu. (Dying fur is also a statement of mourning if done correctly.)

-Gary and his father, Blue, both have a Russian Blue’s ears and tail: Their fur is quite a deep grayish-blue, but Gary’s is lighter than his father’s. Blue isn’t around in this AU, but I thought I’d mention it anyway. This type of domestic cat would be one of the more rare because it’s a recessive gene; the likelihood of Gary inheriting Blue’s cat breed was very slim but it happened anyway. Gary himself is rather vain when it comes to his fur and he's constantly picking leaves and sticks out of it, making sure it's completely pristine. 

-Gary’s Mother (also not in the picture because she wasn’t in the anime/games/etc) and Daisy (Gary’s sister) are short-haired cream tabbies. Daisy is much more prominent in this AU because she’s in the games and manga. She was hit hard by Gary’s disappearance and that made her Professor Oak’s only remaining family. 

-Professor Oak himself has solid brown ears/tail, but he was also one of the few “common-folk” who became Champion of Kanto. His fur is normally matted and it is more dull than it used to be, but he still tries to take care of it. He’s just really forgetful and also extremely busy with other things. 

-Delia also has Birman features, but her fur is longer than Ash’s. She used to be a Pokemon Trainer in this AU, but she quit when she got pregnant with Ash, and most of her Pokemon went to be with Professor Oak. 

-I know we’re taking a huge leap here, but Giovanni’s cat-like are based on a tiger's. His ears are rounded like a tiger’s. Giovanni used to be the pinnacle of attractiveness, but as the years wore on his fur began to fall out. His tail is patchy and discolored despite attempts to keep it clean and tidy, and painful fur-implants didn’t help at all. Whenever Giovanni has to make appearances, he usually makes it so no one can see his tail because his ears are mostly untouched. 

-When someone’s soul or aura becomes corrupted, their body is no longer able to regulate hormones needed to keep their fur looking glossy, so it falls out and becomes frazzled/ugly. It is worse for those with a large amount of radiating Aura (think Sir Aaron or Ash or in this case, Giovanni.)

-Instead of Red being Ash’s father in this AU, Red is Delia’s sister. His ears and tail are Calico, and he--like most male Calico cats IRL--can't have biological children. Male calico anthros are just as rare as their real life counterparts. He is the one who defeated Professor Oak and became the next Champion of Kanto. 

-Jessie's fur is long and white, but she dyes it completely to match her red/purple hair. She's extremely vain and when not stealing Pokemon or messing with Ash, she's grooming her tail or getting someone else to do it for her. 

-James is similar to Jessie in the fact that he dyes his fur to match his hair, but he comes from a rich and higher-calibre family so he's a white tiger anthro. His family usually exclusively marries other white tiger anthros. His fur is constantly messy and it drives Jessie and Meowth insane. 

-Misty  has a Spaniel's ears and tail, perfect for swimming. Her ears and tail are tri-colored with white, brown, and black. She's still Cerulean City's gym leader, and she still tries to keep in touch with Ash the best she can but he ignores her calls most of the time. Brock and her are always hanging out when she's not busy with the gym.

-Brock is the visualization of a scruffy village dog. He has a long brown tail with fur as wild as you'd like to imagine, and his ears are floppy and brown with the tips being white. That's not a good look for a healthcare professional, so he straightens the fur without too much issue. 

-Tracey, though he doesn’t have a super big part of the main story, has a Great Pyrenese’s ears and tail. Because his fur is white and he’s an artist, there’s always a large array of colors displayed on his coat.

#Pokeani #Pokemon #AU #tailtwined!AU #ash ketchum #kanto #pokemon giovanni #team rocket #trainer blue #professor oak #gary oak

[ravenbloodau]

The Voyages Of Ker'Tak and Skye Episode 2: Departure

Now, Ker'Tak and Skye had gotten along for quite awhile. Not six months ago had Ker'Tak's ship arrived on Earth, and not six months ago had the Human Skye befriended Ker'Tak in a rather peculiar way.

On instinct, they got along. In logic, that wasn't always the case.

"Ker'Tak, I honestly don't get it! Why can't they talk to one another and get it over with?" Human Skye asked during her training with her new phaser.

"Stay focused!" Ker'Tak called, "If you do not pass this exam, they will not allow you on the Starship."

"I am focused!" Skye called back as she shot down the rest of the targets. Her accuracy was lethal, "I just want to understand what makes this conflict tick."

"Very good," Ker'Tak complimented Skye, who was more impatient than ever, "This conflict is especially important because of the prey-predator relationship between the two species. One greatly fears the other, while the other wishes strict dominance and is bargaining for a one-sided agreement."

"So prey can't stand up to predator, predator wants to take advantage of that fear?" Skye asked as she holstered her phaser.

"Precisely," Ker'Tak nodded as she approached them.

"Ah, you see that makes more sense," Skye nodded as she registered her weapon and her personelle code into the computer.

Ker'Tak nodded as they made their way to the medbay, where each Skye was being taught medicine under Ker'Tak.

They had watched her take to the practice quiet easily, memorizing and practicing diagnoses, learning symptoms, performing low-risk surgeries, learning anatomy and biological factors.

Ker'Tak was rather proud of bringing this youngling into the feild of medical sciences.

Skye was quietly taking on one of the greatest mysterious illnesses of the Universe, one that plagued the Si'Nain's.

"Ker'Tak," A week seemed to fly by, "Ker'Tak come look at this," Skye was inviting them over to look into a petri dish she had grown for the week.

"Is this what you've been working on?" Ker'Tak peered over their student's shoulder.

"Yep, it looks more like a bacterial infection rather than a virus as you suspected. The rate of reproduction and the number of colonies suggests it's airborne. It's possible to take care of it with a few antibiotics, but which kind would be most effective?" Skye started theorizing.

"Erm, Human Skye?" Ker'Tak got her attention just as she got up to pace, "If we've been treating this as a viral infection, it's possible humans may be at risk to catch this. We've been administering a vaccine for it."

Skye looked over and shrugged.

"Actually, I had the shot, turns out that it's one of our kinds stomach flora, very rarely can it hurt us, so we'll feel little affect, and as soon as I can draw up an antibacterial that won't hurt Si'Nains, I daresay it'll hardly be a problem anymore," Skye chuckled as she continued to pace, "In fact, with your antivirals, and our antibacterials, we may have found the solution to 85% of illnesses within the Universe, at least for the time being."

Ker'Tak nodded, "You never seem to focus on the details, everything is in a bigger picture. You humans perplex me.."

Skye looked up.

"Well, yea. If I were constantly focused on the details, I might miss what the bigger picture might have to show me, or what I could learn from other peices of the picture," Skye explained, "It's better to have a balance. To see the bigger picture and to focus on the details, but never selecting one in complete priority over the other."

Ker'Tak nodded, understandably a bit baffled by Skye's untimely wisdom. After all, she was 17 Earth years. Yet still oddly wise for her age, even in comparison to Ker'Tak. Although approximately 457 Earth Years old, Ker'Tak was the equivalent of a teenager in Si'Nain society.

The two left the lab, talking rather excitedly too, about possible cures, human medicine, Si'Nain cures, life cycles, wise "crack" wisdom.

They passed by other human volunteers, and in an instant Skye would say Hello, then return to her present conversation with Ker'Tak.

Ker'Tak happily listened to her ramble about the endless possibilities of the medical feild, now armed with knowledge that was far beyond her species' own.

"I mean, we could cure cancer! Stop HIV, end most chronic illnesses! Cure allergies!" Skye laughed heartily, "It's an open ocean of possibility Ker'Tak!"

Skye's laughter pinged in Ker'Tak's mind as a happy thing, loud and full.

"So, Human Skye, we disembark from Earth in approximately two Earth days, have you packed all your things?" Ker'Tak changed topics as this moving away from home was weighing on Skye's mind.

"Yep! Everything's already in my new quarters! The Captain said it was surprising how fast I was ready to move out. Honestly I need a change in scenery anyways!" Skye chirped rather cheerful.

Ker'Tak nodded mindfully waiting as Skye jumped ahead. A unique trait in humans was the oddly boundless impatience. Ker'Tak would have to add that to the manual.

She was relentlessly helpful, and open with the crew. Some found her honesty quite alarming, but Skye's endless innocent gaze got them to follow suit.

The departure from Earth was bittersweet for Skye.

"This opens up a new chapter in my life, Ker'Tak. Ooooh! I can't wait to see the stars up close!" Skye's excitement reflected in her squeal-speak.

Ker'Tak chuckled at the enthusiasm. Skye had spirit they had never seen before, they could admit that.

It took 3 months to sort 95% of human issues in space out, and outside of the rough introduction to life star-side, Skye was getting the hang of things.

She soon surpassed Ker'Tak in knowledge and ability, but refused a rank higher than theirs at every offer.

"I may be smart, but I still have plenty to learn from Ker'Tak! Plus, they're a great teacher, and much wiser than I am!" Skye would use the same excuses, even if most of them were no longer true.

So why does she stay? Ker'Tak found themselves pondering, She can't be that naive, can she? I told her everything about the High Council, and she's in her prime to rise to the top of the Council.

"Ker'Tak?" Skye's voice came over the comm. She sounded scared, almost in some kind of pain, "Could you come to my quarters please?"

"On my way," Ker'Tak responded strictly, walking down the halls of the ship post-haste.

They arrived to an open door, and a pained groaning coming from within. The lights above flickered, and torn fabric was strewn about.

"Human Skye?" Ker'Tak called upon entry into the dark room.

"Ker'Tak?" Skye's voice weakly drifted from her bed chamber, "Help.."

Ker'Tak hurried into the room, seeing Skye holding her arm, and tears running down her cheeks as another man stood in front of her.

Ker'Tak called for security.

"YOU BITCH! YOU SAID HE WOULDN'T CALL!" The man hit Skye with a blade, angry and hateful thoughts filled his mind.

This wild rage towards the wounded Skye insulted Ker'Tak. They watched as the man knocked Skye out, and as this stranger turned towards Ker'Tak.

"YOU BASTARD!" The man was clearly drunken, but Ker'Tak paid no mind to this fact. In fact, they felt an inexplicable need to protect young Skye. Ker'Tak felt...Close to her, in some way, as a friend. They had felt this pack bond to her grow stronger over the past nine months, as they had to come to know her on a personal level one would save for family, lovers, even, in Si'Nain society.

Skye was like Ker'Tak's little sister at this point.

Ker'Tak drew up his personal defensive weapon (PDW), and readied themselves for the man's attack.

The man swung low, striking Ker'Tak along his abdomen with the blade. Ker'Tak opened fire and stunned the man.

The thud of the man's body called attention to the room.

Ker'Tak carefully took up the unconscious Skye in their arms, muttering to themselves on how naive Skye had been to trust an inebriated man like that.

She shuddered in their arms as security came and took the man to a holding cell for the evening.

"Skye, you've got to stop being so-" Ker'Tak stopped talking. Something heavy was on Skye's mind, they could feel it in their sudden change in pitch.

"Please, just..Take me to the medbay," She whimpered. Ker'Tak felt their face go hot, enraged now.

The human concept of revenge is far from what Ker'Tak would call their next set of actions.

The Captain stared down the Doctor.

"You could have slaughtered that man," The Captian started harshly, "Doctor Ker'Tak, tell me what provoked such violent transgression against Human Gabriel."

Ker'Tak stood at attention. They weren't sure how to word this. So they reported the incident before the further harm of Gabriel.

The Captain perked up in interest upon learning of Gabriel's transgressions against Skye and Ker'Tak. The Captain sighed and nodded.

"I understand. Ker'Tak, you cannot take justice like that into your own hands. You are a Doctor, and although you have every right to defend yourself and your student, next time leave the reprimands and punishments of such crimes to me. Revenge is reckless," The Captain let Ker'Tak off with a warning, "This will not be going on your record, but please, refrain from such actions in the future."

Ker'Tak nodded, and thanked the Captain before being dismissed from the room.

Ker'Tak returned to the Medbay, the dull throbbing in their abdomen warning them that they would need another regenerate soon.

They pushed it out of their mind as they saw a frazzled human Skye trying to keep up with everything headed her way.

Ker'Tak took her by the shoulders and carefully leaned down. She froze, suddenly terrified.

"It's just me, Human Skye," Ker'Tak noticed her breathing get noticeably easier.

"Ah, thank god. Another regenerate right?" Skye asked them.

"Yes," Ker'Tak nodded and Skye handed them the injector.

She walked away, trying to keep herself busy. Being hurt the way she had just been wasn't something so easily brushed aside.

"Skye, take your break," Ker'Tak offered. She shook her head.

"No, I have to do better. I need to keep it together and to keep going. This is just a bad day. I can get over it," Skye sounded like she was lying to herself.

Ker'Tak shook their head, looking down at the bandages wrapped around her arms, and the bruises showing up on her face.

Ker'Tak walked over, picked Skye up from where she was standing, laid her down on a cot, and sat beside her.

"Rest. You're badly hurt. And dehydrated from all the crying," Ker'Tak scolded Skye half heartedly.

Skye sat there a moment, then reluctantly rolled onto her side. Quickly, she found herself dozing into a restless sleep, terrified and on edge..

Until the warmth of a friendly hug from behind calmed her down.

The first true lesson Ker'Tak kept in mind from that evening?

Not even humans can always trust those of their own kind, and all will resort to violence to either protect themselves or get what they want. Si'Nians were lucky they found a teenager to make first contact with.

Fear, hatred and ignorance are the enemy.

-High Council of Planets Rule Of Conduct #10

#writing #long post #humams are space orcs #space #sci-fi #aliens #aliens are confused #humans are space australians #humans are space oddities #violence #tw violence #tw suggested abuse #tw alchoholism #tw alcohol #tw alchohol mention #tw abuse #partnership #compainionship #the voyages of ker'tak and skye #friendship #pack bonding #tw cursing #cursing #tw yelling #yelling #anger #frustration #rough beginnings

[girlactionfigure]

Kindness is a lost art, which can be difficult to find.

He was mean, and he was loud, screaming and scaring some of the toughest men around..

He spent 20 years in the Air Force, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, retiring with the rank of master sergeant.

"I was the guy who makes you scrub the latrine, the guy who makes you make your bed, the guy who screams at you for being late to work," he told a reporter in an interview with The Orlando Sentinel.

That was his job, requiring him "to be a mean, tough person. And I was fed up with it. I promised myself that if I ever got away from it, it wasn't going to be that way anymore."

There was another side of him, not many knew while he was in the Air Force - a nicer, kinder, gentler side.

He was born on October 29, 1942. And, when he was younger, he actually enjoyed caring for injured animals.

So, when he retired from the Air Force, he said he didn't want to be the mean guy anymore, and he vowed never to scream again.

In 1983, he accepted an unpaid job at the PBS station WIPB in Muncie, Indiana, as the host of a simple, painting show.

He quickly gained a following.

Instead of planes, he envisioned beautiful birds flying in the horizon. Instead of yelling at recruits, he learned how to talk gently in a soothing voice to the animals and the trees, "happy little trees," he called them.

Rather than screaming at recruits for making mistakes, he instead just said, it's okay, let's just call them "happy little accidents" and make the most out it.

And, his weapon of choice became . . . a paintbrush, which he used for 11 seasons on his PBS show, "The Joy of Painting." His name was Bob Ross.

"Bob Ross, the Air Force sergeant-turned-painter . . . rose to public media fame . . . with his TV show 'The Joy of Painting' . . . Ross became known for his hushed, soothing tones, big bushy hair, vivid landscapes and 'happy little trees", according to NPR.

"Ross' how-to painting show . . . was first broadcast on public television in 1983 and ended in 1994. Over the course of the show's 403 episodes, Ross completed over 1,000 paintings, all of them landscapes," according to CNN.

"His signature outfit -- a button-down or chambray shirt neatly tucked into blue jeans -- was perhaps at odds with his slightly unkempt beard and gigantic perm," according to CNN. "Yet the perm -- a cost saving measure to avoid haircuts -- cemented his persona to the point that even once he grew to despise it, he could no longer get rid of it. It had become the logo of his own company."

"Ross died from cancer in 1995 at age 52. But the popularity of this quirky pop icon continues to soar, among fans old and new," according to NPR.

"There's no big secret to this enduring popularity: It's just hard to stop watching a Bob Ross show," said CNN. "Try it. His soothing voice and enchanting delivery seems to transcend the act of painting."

"Like a Mr. Rogers with a palette, Ross whispers in hushed tones, painting in 'a happy little tree' here and a 'happy little cloud' there. For the frazzled viewer, his style is as soothing as warm milk and cookies," wrote Linda Shrieves of The Orlando Sentinel.

"Little kids starting at like 4, all the way to grandmas and grandpas and every ethnicity, you know, every state. It's everybody," Elizabeth Bracey, who worked with Bob Ross, Inc. said. " "Everybody loves him, [he] resonates with [everybody] in some way."

His popularity is evidenced in the many fan letters he received, which are now at the Smithsonian, according to the New York Times. “These letters help reveal the significant impact Ross has had on diverse individuals and communities, helping them to express and feel better about themselves,” said Eric Jentsch, the entertainment and sports curator for the National Museum of American History.

"I don't intimidate anyone," he said. "Instead, I try to get people to believe in themselves. I tell people, 'You can do this.' And they write back and say, 'You were right. I can do this. And now I believe I can do anything.'"

His kindness not only translated on his show, but also in his everyday life, to all living things.

He said, “I guess I’m a little weird. I like to talk to trees and animals. That’s okay though; I have more fun than most people.”

When he said he talked to the trees and the critters, he actually did, helping a variety of critters he was trying to help rehabilitate, such as birds with broken wings, orphaned baby squirrels, including an epileptic squirrel named "Squirrely Wirrelly Brown" (which was given 6 months to live by a veterinarian, but with Ross' care, Squirrely Wirrelly lived 4 to 5 years more.)

“If we’re going to have animals around we all have to be concerned about them and take care of them,” he said.

But, Ross' legacy was never just his paintings, his show, or his hairstyle, it was his kindness, which showed in each program and each stroke of his paintbrush, something sorely lacking in today's world.

His easygoing "pep talks", which some considered philosophical, bring comfort, ease, and sometimes understanding in even today's busy, hectic environment.

Fans remember his homespun sayings, such as:

“The secret to doing anything is believing that you can do it. Anything that you believe you can do strong enough, you can do. Anything. As long as you believe.”

“Don’t forget to tell these special people in your life just how special they are to you.”

He also had a sense of humor, which was evident when he said, "We want happy paintings. Happy paintings. If you want sad things, watch the news” or “That’s a crooked tree. We’ll send him to Washington.”

One of his most memorable sayings is, if there is something you don't like, you have the power to change it, like a painting on canvas, transforming something you don't like into something you do like...say, a bird, or, a happy little tree.

NPR notes that "one that pops up often is from an episode that Ross taped in 1992, after his wife, Jane, died from cancer. In the episode, he's painting a scene with a lake resting between two majestic mountains. He loads his brush up with a dark mixture of paint and starts to dab it all across the bottom of the mountains.

"'Don't worry,' he tells viewers, 'I'm only adding this dark for contrast.'

"Gotta have dark. Gotta have opposites, dark and light, light and dark, continually in painting. If you have light on light, you have nothing. If you have dark on dark, you basically have nothing,' he practically whispers, his brush tapping rhythmically on the canvas. 'It's like in life. Gotta have a little sadness once in a while so you know when the good times come."

He looks at the camera and quietly says, "I'm waiting on the good times now."

The Jon S. Randal Peace Page

[francesderwent]

A TVD ask for you! Top three romantic ships? Your three least favorite canon romantic ships? Three favorite female characters? Three favorite male characters? How would you rank the seasons from favorite to least favorite? And finally - name three unpopular opinions about the show :)

Thank you!  This washarder than I anticipated!

Top 3 Romantic Ships

Damon and Elena – the best redemptive love story I’veever encountered.  when they’re epic,they’re earth-shatteringly epic, but when they’re soft, they’re so soft.  

Alaric and Jenna – they made each other so happy!! and shewas so patient with him in his healing but also never took any shit!!

Matt and Caroline – she sings to him at the bar, okay?? itdoesn’t get any cuter than that.

3 Least Favorite Ships:

Jeremy and Anna – particularly while Anna was a ghost.

Jeremy and Vickie – try as I might, I cannot like Vickie.

Jeremy and Bonnie – they’re not as bad as the other shipsin this category, but they’re also not very interesting.

(Somewhere in between favorite and least favorite you willfind Klaroline and Steroline, both of which I really like in principle andwhich really do have their moments, but which were tragically really, extremelypoorly executed, and Bonnie and Enzo, who were very cute together but have themisfortune to exist only within the Worst seasons) 

Top 3 female characters:

Elena – Elena is so beautifully feminine.  it’s impossible toreduce her to just an action girl or a “strong female character”, because allher strength comes from love.  she seesthe good in people, she brings it out, and she’s courageously unselfish,always.

Caroline – Caroline’s journey from anxious insecurity to perfectlypoised confidence is absolutely one of the best arcs on the show.  she is such a generous friend, she lights upevery scene she’s in, and she’s so incredibly lovable.

Jenna – it’s possible she’s a favorite of mine because Itotally relate to her frazzled grad student persona, but whatever!! she’sawesome!

Top 3 male characters:

Damon – romantic love embodied – fallen, but still humanand capable of being redeemed.

Alaric – I love that his story begins with him searchingfor revenge, but ends with him as a protector.

Jackson (from The Originals) – I know this is cheating,but all the guys on TVD tend to have really downward arcs (Tyler and Matt, I’mlooking at you), and so it’s difficult for me to love them overall.  Jackson, on the other hand, was a trulydecent guy, and he loved Hayley and Hope so much!! 

Seasons, from favorite to least favorite:

3 – not the best season, but my favorite.  the season-long arc was good, and I live forthe almost-ness of Damon and Elena this season!

2 – objectively the best season. Elena and Katherine as foils! Katherine and Klaus as big bads!  thecentral season for Damon’s redemption!  

1 – a really solid opening season!  the tomb vampires aren’t especially gripping,but all the foundational character work that happens here is glorious, and Ilove early-days Delena episodes like Friday Night Bites, Bloodlines, and MissMystic Falls.

6 – I loooove the overarching marriage theme, I love Damonand Bonnie being friends, and the anti-magic spell is clever.  the rest of the season can go rot.

4 – this is where the quality of the season-long arcsstarted to go downhill, and the Originals started to feel extraneous.  I don’t enjoy either the sire-bond arc or theno-humanity!Elena arc.  there is goodstuff this season, but it’s wrapped up in a lot of really bad stuff.

5 – the Augustine institute is the crappiest big badever.  Damon’s character choices don’tmake any sense.  Enzo, even though I dolike him, doesn’t serve an obvious purpose.  Katherine narrowly misses out onredemption.  the finale’s good, though.

7 – the skipping back and forth between present and futurewas a sloppy device to hide the fact that the plot was boring.  I like Bonnie and Enzo, though.  and even though mystical pregnancy is alwaysa bad trope, Caroline is a good mom.

8 – this season is creepy. I haven’t finished it completely, but I doubt they’re able to resolve itadequately since the solution to “the sins I’ve committed are bigger than meand I cannot redeem myself” is actually the Cross of Jesus Christ Incarnate, trueGod and true Man – God so He can forgive my sins, and Man so He can representme.  (I’m not kidding, this is literallythe biggest reason I take issue with this season.)

Unpopular Opinions:

There is more sex in this show than actually makes sensefor the characters.

Kai isn’t a good villain or an interesting character.

The plot definitely pushes Bonnie around, but the vastmajority of the characters (Elena included!) treat her just fine.  Caroline takes way more personal abuse.

#asks #meta whine and rant #3 #4 #5 #tvd #thank you for sending this!!!! #it was fun!

[eleiszon-blog]

Extradimensional Chess (3/3)

The following is an analysis of the various players and moves made throughout Part 18, the final episode of The Return. It is the third entry in a trilogy, the prior entries covering Lodge-relevant events from Parts 1, 2 and 17. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We open on Mr. C seated in the Waiting Room. His eyes have partially reverted to their earliest cloudy state. He is in flames. I believe this fire is the ultimate, primordial state of a doppelganger and, indeed, all negative energy. A long-troubled David Lynch script, Ronnie Rocket, has had many of its ideas recycled into The Return. One of these ideas makes no explicit appearance but I believe it exists within Twin Peaks. “The entire stage is filled with a wall of fire 200 feet high.  Within the fire are thousands of souls screaming out silently . . . only the roaring of the fire.” - The first line of the script of Ronnie Rocket. I believe this fire of voicelessly wailing souls is what Mr. C shall join. Windom is there too. Chet Desmond, I believe, is also there. And I believe that fire is the metaphysical core of JUDY, the purest formation of negative energy. 

Mr. C is gone. We see MIKE salvage his gold core and, with a spark of e-lec-tri-city, join it to a bit of Dale’s hair to forge a new Dougie tulpa. This was at Dale’s request to satisfy Janey. Nice guy.

We cut to Jackrabbit’s Palace. Dark, empty. Dale was escorting Laura. She vanished. He is alone now - but not for long.

The Waiting Room. MIKE and The Arm. “Is it the story of the little girl who lived down the lane?” -- Audrey said something similar to this earlier. This post isn’t about Audrey but I think that line has to do with her. Another entry, that. 

Dale moves into a hall and beckons a gateway open. He has grown powerful in the Waiting Room. And with the scheming doppelgangers and BOB gone, he finally can go out.

Here in Glastonbury Grove, he meets up with a relieved Diane. This is the ‘curtain call’ at which he promised to meet her. I also believe this moment echoes across time: The appearance of the curtains at this moment is what Hawk witnessed back in Part 2. “Someone is here.”, MIKE said. It was Hawk.

“Almost exactly 430 miles.” -- 430 miles out is where Dale will cross. The Fireman told him this in a dream back in Part 1.

Diane is uncertain and urges pause to consider their options. Everything could change. Dale knows this. He is resolute. They kiss. They continue onward.

At a hotel, Diane witnesses a duplicate of herself. At this point, I must diverge briefly into The Secret History of Twin Peaks and more particularly the life and Work of Jack Parsons. Per the text, I believe Jack Parsons was destroyed by the fires of JUDY via the Black Lodge. He is in the howling wall with Windom, Mr. C. and others. Now, Jack Parsons once initiated a ritual he believed would summon an ‘elemental’. Immediately afterward, he met a red-haired woman whom he regarded to be this entity. For Twin Peaks’ purposes, I believe Diane to be such an entity, her hair deliberately reminiscent of the Waiting Room’s red drapery. I do not believe that this was always the case but that she became ‘touched’ by otherworldly influences throughout her ordeal shelled up as Naido. I believe that while Diane herself remains human Diane -- is it future or is it past -- this duplicate is a ’yet-to-come’ entity, wholly of the Other Place. As Jack Parsons did, we may call her the Scarlet Woman.

Cooper invites Diane to join him in the motel. The door is marked 7. As I’ve noted previously in an entry about Jeffries’ path through FWWM and The Return, 7 symbolizes seeking, searching for truth...In that entry about Jeffries, I offer that the numbers associated with Jeffries increase as his ‘rank’ in Twin Peaks’ world increases. He is ever more enlightened and knowing. This same applies here: What Dale does in this room will elevate him to a higher space than where he was before.

Dale and Diane lay together. He lies largely still while she seems to be desperate to obscure his face. Some believe this to be residual trauma about Mr. C violating her. I think it is simply the ever-encroaching memory shift. Diane is beginning to forget the ‘unofficial version’ and so what was a consensual matter with a man she loves is slipping into a strange and much darker territory as those memories fall apart.

The distress plain on her face is her realization of this slipping remembrance, her desperation to try to remember despite it, her shaky determination to continue despite the mounting fear of this ‘stranger’ taking her and the fear itself. Yes, this is a bad scene for Diane. Why does it occur? As noted previously, she has been marked by the energies of Another Place.  What is the end result of intercourse, generally speaking? Sperm shot into a womb which births new life. Diane’s ‘marking’ by those energies occurred during her stay in the Generator, a negative-creative space which (at least at first) bordered the positive-creative space of the Eternal Ocean. Metaphorically and also metaphysically, Diane is a womb comprised of pure creative energies. Add DNA (courtesy of Dale) to that and you get one hell of a conception.  “When will the new universes be born?” “Soon...” - That’s the ending dialogue of Ronnie Rocket. I find that idea fits exactly well here. 

Dale awakes in a different bed. He is alone. He finds a letter addressed to ‘Richard’ from ‘Linda’. She does not recognize him anymore. He should not look for her. Indeed, Diane’s memory faltered fully in the end and she has no recognition of this man anymore nor even who she was -- she’s “Linda” now. Or is she? Truthfully, I believe as Diane’s memories of the ‘unofficial version’ gave out, she lost the names she knew for herself and Dale, merely writing whichever ones came to her mind instead. Hm? Yes, my interpretation of this sequence is kinda seriously dark, thanks for noticing. I didn’t go looking for it to be though!

Dale exits his room. The hotel at large has changed as well. It bears some slight similarity to the hotel area of The Dutchman’s but I checked. They are not alike. 

Dale goes for a drive. He passes a diner which invites ‘Eat at JUDY’S!’ Many view this as a sign that this is a pocket dimension devised by JUDY to trap Dale. I do not follow. However, it may well be a sign that this space is innately nearer to JUDY. (Remember, the Fireman-JUDY conflict is one of balance VS. lack thereof.)

In the diner, Cooper deals with some antagonistic fellows in a decidedly un-Zen manner. Much has been made of this. I consider it only a personality-shift of some degrees. I once equated this change to processes of alchemy, the final stage of which is a balancing of opposites. He is more aggressive as Mr. C yet he operates slowly and repetitively as Droolcoop. The balanced result is a no-nonsense character of highly deliberated method. He’s still a good guy but he has much less patience fucking around with the bad guys. THIS Dale would’ve slapped Albert in the face for his uppity attitude back in season one.

After taking care of business, he obtains the address of an absentee waitress and goes on his way. Also he fried a gun which is pretty cool.

He heads toward Odessa. Texas. Yes, apparently, his new motel was also wildly relocated because he’s not too far from Texas now. Outside the waitress’ house, a familiar pole. I’ve detailed the meaning of ‘6′ before as relating to base, Earthly affairs. Carnal, animal. Black Lodge. The other numbers - with the 6 included - also match coordinates to the former site of the Trinity test from Part 8.

Now we meet Carrie Page. She doesn’t know a Laura or a Leland but “Your mother’s name is Sarah” gives her pause. Dale wants to take her to her mother’s house and, hey, she needs a ride out of town anyway.

Many note a golden ball of some sort in Carrie’s lawn. Dale’s latest pin is a golden circle as well. Perhaps a clue, perhaps not. As I’ve said before, I believe Cooper is becoming “the magician” of MIKE’s poem but perhaps in time he’ll also become one of the Dreamers living up in the Theatre.

A man dead on the couch. Headshot. A mantel with an animal statuette. “Woe to the ones who behold the pale horse.”

“I tried to keep a clean house...” This line plus her frazzled state, the ‘pale horse’ symbolism, the dead man... It reeks of a domestic abuse scene. The dead man was her husband. He was another BOB too, I’d wager. Carrie copes with bullets instead of cocaine.

The ‘Palmer’ house. And here, I’d like to note the number on the house. 708. Let’s travel back to Part 1. For a moment.

The sound of this device is the sound of Laura vanishing from the woods. Once upon a time, a particular breed of these machines was built to operate at 78 revolutions per minute. They were even called 78s. 708...0 is often a mathematical placeholder. Drop it. 78. Put it back in. 708. The Fireman’s line planted this connection: If you hear that sound, “find Laura” (per not-Leland’s instruction), go to 7-8(708). He even had a contingency plan if Laura were to be snatched - which she was.

Alice Tremond lives at 708. Sarah Palmer who? She bought the place from a Chalfont. We know Tremond to be a name borrowed from humans, as per the actual Mrs. Tremond living in that trailer Donna visited in season one. ‘Chalfont’ though is purely referential to that grandma-grandson Lodge couple. JUDY sent them to stall up whatever the Fireman had Dale set to do here.

“What year is this?” - Dale’s own memory of the ‘unofficial version’ may be slipping a bit here, or he may just be getting...Fuzzy. To reference Ronnie Rocket again, if I may, the key conflict of that script is reaching the villain at the center of a great city. The closer one got, the more difficult it became and the more ‘bad electricity’ would disorient and deter them. I consider this exactly the nature of what is troubling Dale in this scene. His ‘current’ is picking up static. Interference because yes, he is closer to JUDY.

Carrie gazes up at the Chalfont house. An echo from within: ‘Laura?’, Sarah Palmer calls upstairs to her absent daughter, from a world which no longer is but is still taking its sweet time to fade entirely. Carrie screams.

The lights go out. Inside the house but also, it seems, in the very world. It resembles, to me, the state of The Dutchman’s in The Return. And indeed, it is exactly that. From the Chalfont presence, the temporal anomaly (’Laura?’, straight out of the pilot), the darkened visual...It all connects. Indeed, we see the Dutchman flee from the store as Dale goes to meet Jeffries. If the Dutchman has taken hold of Sarah, the old Palmer house would fit for a new domain. After all, Sarah was overseer there as the Dutchman oversaw the store.The monsters set up shop here now and they clutched the fading strings of the ‘previous’ world to flood the old horrors back into Carrie’s head. But...Is it a bad ending? Well. Not really. I believe that Dale successfully peeled back another layer of this world’s cosmology. He is one ‘universe’ closer to a true face-to-face with JUDY. I think I used an onion metaphor earlier? Still counts. One more layer done. In accomplishing that, he won a battle --- but JUDY and her servants made their own moves and kept the war ongoing. 

We end on a slowed repeat of the Blonde Girl whispering to Dale. I believe the whisper is different again. An unfortunately scrapped line from the store meeting in FWWM has the Little Man proclaim “Any everything will proceed cyclically”. That is what she whispers now because, yes, there must be more cycles -- but, eventually and with perseverance, he will locate JUDY. Every cycle will bring him closer -- Jeffries’ “This is where you’ll find JUDY” is accompanied by an 8, suggesting that Dale requires one more cycle (his hotel room was marked by a 7, being the place where he would transition to that level) to achieve the Blue Rose’s aim of locating JUDY -- and thus every cycle will meet fiercer and more desperate resistance and offense...But he has made progress and can continue to do so. And so, it is a “victorious” ending in a small, optimistic-for-the-future way. Yet he must continue to fight, to struggle, to endure until he finds JUDY at the center of all. Until then, as the Fireman tells him...

[frazzledsoul]

#gilmore girls #frazzled's episode rankings #wow some of these S6 episodes were awful

[arlenschumer]

TONIGHT @ 12:30am EST on ME-TV: One of the GREAT episodes of THE TWILIGHT ZONE, "The Jungle" (written by Charles Beaumont, Directed by William Claxton, originally aired December 1, 1961): Charles Beaumont’s “The Jungle” (based on his own short story) fulfill's Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling's original description of the Zone as one that lies "..between science and superstition," a dimension "...not only of sight and mind" but of "sound," one of that sensual trinity that is often overlooked in The Twilight Zone, given the intense domination of the other two. Yet that is precisely how protagonist Alan Richards (the great John Dehner) begins his descent into The Twilight Zone, via sound--the sounds of the jungle animals that he can't get out of his head as he faces a particular superstitious dread of every New Yorker: crossing Central Park at night! Dehner's character also plays out the chasm--or, in his case, the abyss--between "science and superstition," as he navigates between his fellow financiers who want to build their African dam over sacred, native burial grounds (shades of "Poltergeist"), and his own wife's grim warning of certain, horrible death as cursed by the African shaman she believes in, if construction continues. There's a delicious moment mid-episode when a frazzled Dehner pauses before entering the Park, and contemplates turning back, towards the steps of a large church opposite the entrance. In that moment Beaumont lays plain modern (secular) man's continual choice, between a world built on rational, logical, scientific facts, or one of faith and yes, superstition. Sound familiar? The episode’s grisly final scene—the lion in the bedroom—ranks as one of The Twilight Zone’s most startlingly surreal juxtapositions, echoed visually in the surrealism that preceded the show, Magritte's 1940 "The Wedding Breakfast," and the pop culture that the series influenced, Chris Van Allsburg's interior illustration for his 1982 children's book, "Jumanji." #thetwilightzone #rodserling #twilightzone #thejungle #arlenschumer #johndehner #tv #television #tvhistory #televisionhistory @dgareps @richard_syrett @adamschumer https://www.instagram.com/p/CS0Ggmtsiqi/?utm_medium=tumblr

#thetwilightzone #rodserling #twilightzone #thejungle #arlenschumer #johndehner #tv #television #tvhistory #televisionhistory

[tinkeringwithcannabis]

Tinkering with Cannabis: The First 90 Minutes Episode 59

Strain: Headband Full Spectrum Booster 

THC: 19.0%

Company: Sira Naturals

Locations: Somerville, Ma

Cannabis Connoisseur: Michael V. 

Website: www.siranaturals.org

 

     Hello again to all my cannabis loving and canna-curious friends, and welcome back to another episode of the First 90 Minutes! Today we will be talking and toking about the awesome Headband Full Spectrum Booster from Sira Naturals! Shout-out to my friend Michael V. At Sira’s Somerville, Ma location. So let’s talk a little bit about Headband and the full spectrum boosters before we get started. This citrusy, peppery, herbal strain has THC levels measuring up to 19%, and gets its flavor and effects from its top three terpenes: limonene, caryophyllene, and myrcene. 

 

   Limonene, the first most prominent terpene in Headband’s profile, contributes to the citrus taste consumers have noticed. It is very effective in treating stress, anxiety, and depression. Caryophyllene, which is responsible for adding the spice to Headband’s flavor profile, has been found beneficial in battling depression, anxiety, inflammation, and insomnia. Myrcene, which ranks third on this strain’s terpene profile, contributes to the spice flavor profile as well as the herbal notes exhibited. This terpene combats pain, inflammation, and is also an effective terpene for fighting insomnia and/or anxiety. This specific terpene profile attests to the fact that this strain is an excellent option for those treating stress, anxiety, depression, pain, and insomnia. Consumers have reported its effects to leave them feeling happy, euphoric, uplifted, relaxed, and creative, with potential negatives of dry mouth, dry eye, dizziness, headache, and paranoia. 

 

     Touching briefly on full spectrum boosters, these are cannabis concentrate oils that come in a pre-packaged syringe. Most places, including Sira, sell these products in the amount of 0.5 grams. The trait that makes these particular products so amazing is their versatility. They can be used in a dab rig, a dab pen, infused into edibles, drizzled over a joint, or used to make your own tincture (I’ll be doing a post on this very soon). They are easy to travel with, and I’ve found they hold up pretty well. I’ve been using half of the syringe in my dab pen and the other half in making my own tincture. The other aspect that really gets me excited about these products is their ability to allow patients to have an easy way to access strain-specific edibles and tinctures, so they can choose the effects they want by a particular strain, rather than use products that are not created from one particular strain. I find these to be a massive benefit to patients and consumers of cannabis everywhere, and I’d like to note that I really think these are an important addition to several dispensaries I have visited. Ok, now that we’ve run through our background portion of this strain, let’s jump ahead into our testing portion! So let’s light up, sit back, and relax as we toke and talk about The First 90- Minutes!

 

      Today I will be medicating with Headband via my G3 Pen on high to help address my depressed, anxious, and agitated mood, along with my physical and mental stress and tension. The scent of the strain is very spicy, peppery, and I notice the herbal scent a bit more than I am noticing any citrus notes. The flavor profile follow suit. With the medication session beginning at 7:45 p.m., I feel the initial effects begin to come on in less than 5 minutes. At 7:50 p.m., there is a cerebral floatiness along with a relaxed mental state that is creeping in and slowly putting my mind at ease. 

 

Checking in at 8:00 p.m., although the anxiety is still present, as is the agitation, my brain is having a hard time focusing on one thought. The thoughts that are coming in and out, although some may be upsetting and frustrating, as the moments pass I feel more of a “f*** it” type of vibe running through my mind, allowing me to continue to travel deeper toward a state of full mental relaxation. Physically, I do feel a bit relaxed, but the effects of this strain are definitely highlighted on the cerebral side. I can feel a sense of a headband wrapped around my head, which is most prominent at the front of my head, and somewhat noticeable around the temple area. I do feel a tad bit dizzy, but it is not too severe. My mood has improved, now swiftly moving toward a happier state.

 

Checking in at 8:20 p.m., although I feel that my level of concentration is very all over the place, it is not crazy to the point where I cannot stay connected to what is happening around me, or feeling any anxiety issues due to external stimuli. I still do not feel any real bodily relaxation beyond a slight feeling of my muscles releasing tension, but I do feel very mentally at ease and not easily rattled. Earlier, I was pretty upset and I was struggling not to get frazzled due to some external stressors with which I’ve been dealing. Now, I feel like whatever happens, happens... it is what it is. The dizziness is still present, and the headband feeling is still present, and I am feeling calm and relaxed. I am definitely feeling a creative boost coming on. I am happy and uplifted.

 

Checking in at 8:50 p.m., I am feeling the effects changing slightly, shifting to a little more focused high, and the anxiety, agitation, and anxiety seem to have fully resolved. My mood continues to remain in a happy and uplifted state. I am clear-headed enough to focus on creative projects, while remaining very mentally relaxed and calm. I am not experiencing any mental tension, and I mainly feel very at peace, which is helping me focus and remain rational as I process the aforementioned stressors; while also continuing to provide a creative boost to my mindset. Despite this creative boost, I am starting to feel somewhat sleepy. The dizziness has subsided with no new negatives.

 

Rounding the corner to our 90-minute mark at 9:20 p.m., I can definitely feel the effects wearing off, as I am feeling the effects shift, and mellow out, I still feel a sense of calm and relaxation. My mind is better able to focus, however it is still not fantastic as of yet. The headband feeling has decreased significantly, and although my mind has begun to return more toward normal, it has continued to keep a tinge of a fog still intact. My mood is still elevated, but not quite at as high of a level of happy as previous check-ins. By 9:45 p.m., the anxiety is somewhat returning, along with the agitation, leading me to believe that I will more than likely be medicating again very soon. In an attempt to run out the clock on this product, I timed the effects as they came to a complete end at 10:03 p.m., at which time I decided to medicate a different way using this booster.

As I mentioned earlier on in my post, these full spectrum boosters can be used to create your own tinctures at home. The take the trouble of trying to prepare the cannabis for your tincture right out of the equation, and the best part is all you need is a small measuring cup, a blow dryer, a microwave, and some base MCT oil of your choice. Where I have just done an in-depth review of this product in regard to its effects while vaping it, I am not going to go too far in depth with the tincture review. However, I will say that using these boosters to make your own tincture is a really effective way for patients who do not want to smoke or vape cannabis to have access to strain-specific cannabis products. If you would like this formula prior to the release of my tincture post, please feel free to DM me and I’d be happy to walk you through it!) When I used the tincture for my next medication session, I found myself experiencing the same calm, semi-enlightening experience of body and mind that I experienced earlier; but over a longer span of time. The smoothness of the Organic MCT Coconut oil I used to make this tincture was a nice addition to the spicy, peppery, and herbal flavor profile that dominates this strain.

 

Ok, moving ahead to the final thoughts. I LOVE this product and this strain. First, this strain is great for headaches, mental stress, and anxiety. I have been continuing to use this strain pretty consistently the past few days since my initial testing, and I have to say it has had me in a much more mellow place. I found that the negatives, regardless of whether it is consumed as a tincture or a dab, are very minimal compared to the level of relief felt. Taking into account the phenomenal effects, impressive ability to help relieve all of my symptoms, and the diversity of this product, I have to give this, hands down 5 stars. Sira, I really think you have a great thing going with these boosters! Another amazing product for the books, keep up the great work!

 

If you are a patient, or adult above the age of 21 in Massachusetts, check out the following link for where you can purchase this product:

https://www.siranaturals.org/where-to-buy-cannabis-massachusetts

Well my friends, we have reached the end of this review. Thank you for joining me and stay tuned for more product reviews!

 

Disclaimer:

*****Please remember, this blog is an account of my personal experience with this product. Not everyone has the same experience with every product and that is okay. I always recommend starting out with one or two hits to see if that is enough , and you can always increase your dose from there.*****

#medical cannabis #cbd mental health #medical marijuana photography #veterans marijuana #medical marijuana dispensary #cannabisculture #full spectrum thc #full spectrum boosters #sira naturals #cannabis #cannabis patient #cannabiscures #cannabis strains #cannabis dispensary #marijuana content #marijuana tincture #medical marijuana strains #medical marijuana patients #marijuana photography #massachusetts marijuana #massachusetts cannabis #headband strain #headband #weedvape #dablife #dabsfordays #dabsociety #dabstagram

[rays-of-fire-and-ice]

The Sun

Rating: K+

Setting: 5-8 years after the main story on the beach from episode 228.

AN: This idea came to me after seeing the recent BLEACH Greecards of Momo and Toshiro. This is also partly based on the rock pools of a beach I use to go to. Prepare yourselves for some fluff and shaved ice. Enjoy!

Toshiro groaned when he heard the spoon scrap along the bottom of the styrofoam ice-cream cup. Already out…damn. With an irritated huff, he eased himself up and sluggishly trudged over to the snack bar’s kitchenette, taking the cup with him. As a hot wind swept through the small shack, the captain groaned and felt a vein throb in his temple.

The Soul Society was still rebuilding, but at the captain’s meeting last week, Kyouraku had announced a day off for the higher ranking officers of the Gotei thirteen and another day for the lower ranked ones. It was meant as a morale boost, but why had the Captain-Commander picked a blasted beach of all places? What was wrong with ski resorts or mountain ranges?

In the kitchenette, Toshiro made his second shaved-ice with the ice he’d conjured up earlier and drizzled the watermelon syrup on top. Dragging his feet along the floorboards back to the table, he stopped when he heard Rangiku calling out.

 “Shuhei, watch where you the aim the ball! You almost hit me!”

“Ah, I’m sorry Rangiku-san!!”

Squinting against the bright sun, his gaze went to the volleyball game further down the beach. Ichigo and his friends had taught the other Shinigami how to play, and both teams were composed of humans and lieutenants. On one team were Rangiku and Momo, who ran out to get the ball that had landed near the sea.

When Momo returned with the ball and the game resumed, Toshiro looked away and chomped down on a spoonful of shaved-ice. He had considered staying back in the Soul Society, just like Mayuri, but when faced with the choice of either this or paperwork – as well as the constant coaxing of his lieutenant and his childhood friend – he made up his mind not long after.

However, ever since he got here, he wasn’t sure if he was relaxing or melting away into dreariness. It certainly hadn’t helped that Momo’s new swimsuit had temporarily scrambled his brain and rendered him near speechless. She’d gotten…bolder – at least compared to what she usually wore for such occasions. Having gotten use to it now, he begrudgingly admits to himself it made her look cuter then she already was, and his brain is now only frazzled by the heat.

Sighing, he looked back to the game when a chorus of cheers came from Rangiku’s team. Momo had her hands thrown up in the air and was beaming at her teammates. Renji and Rangiku high-fived her and complimented her on a strike she had done.

Walking back to the table against the furthest wall, Toshiro sighed once again. She belonged and thrived under the sun, unlike him, and he secretly wished he could join her.

“Hitsugaya-kun, are you in here?”

Toshiro’s eyebrow twitched, but he refused to open his eyes. He rolled on to his side so his back faced the snack bar’s entrance.

“Ah, you’re over there!” He heard her feet pad across the floorboards and then the mats. He couldn’t help but wonder why she sounded slightly breathless. “Were you trying to take a nap again?” she asked.

Indeed, he thought. When he sensed her standing at his feet, he groaned. “What’re doing here, Hinamori?”

“Don’t you remember?” she said, and he could hear the pout in her voice. “I promised I’d come back later.”

“And I told you already, I’m not going out there.”

Momo stepped over his legs. “Why do you have to be so stubborn?”

Toshiro opened his eyes and turned his head just enough to see her. She was crouched down at his side, her hands on her knees and her damp hair fell over her shoulders. Her cheeks and arms glowed bright red. Her wide eyes locked with his and her lips briefly tilted upward in an appreciative smile. The gesture softened his resolve a fraction.

“Why are you so insistent?” he half groaned.

“Because you don’t come to a beach to stay indoors all day.” She surveyed the shack with a sceptical eye. “Besides, I can’t imagine how you could have any fun sitting in here all day and watching everyone else outside.”

“It’s fine by me,” he grumbled.

“Come on, Hitsugaya-kun!” she insisted. “The sun is starting to set, so it’s not as hot out there then it was earlier.”

A cool breeze passed through the shack, as if the emphasis her point. He propped himself up on his elbow and glanced out the doorway through the table legs. Officers were gathered in clumps across the beach, either sitting or standing, and the wind carried a faint scent that makes Toshiro’s brows furrow deeper. “What’s that smell?”

Momo perked up. “That’s probably Captain Muguruma. He’s starting up a Korean barbeque for everyone.”

The captain sat up, rubbing the back of his neck with a quiet wince. “A barbeque?”

She nodded. “It was the Captain-Commander’s idea, and Captain Muguruma volunteered to be the chef. After dinner, we’re planning to split watermelons for dessert.”

He rolled his eyes. “Did you come here to ask me to join in?”

“Well, no, not just that…” She stood up. “I was hoping now that it was cooler outside that maybe you’d like to take a walk to the rock pools with me. There’s something there I’d really like to show you.” Her gaze was earnest, and he knew he couldn’t put up a defence anymore. He had to admit, the cooler weather put him more at ease, and when was the last time he had spent more than ten minutes with Momo?

“And what would that be?” he asked.

“I don’t want to spoil it. Come on!” He was about to respond but grunted when she extends her hand out to him, offering to help him stand. Toshiro’s gaze was drawn to the new additions on her wrist: bracelets of various seashells, threaded through with frayed string and tied just above the pink-beaded bracelet she had clipped on just before they left.

He lightly tapped her hand away and stood up by himself. “Where did you get those?”

“I made them,” she said, smile widening as she ran her fingers over shells. “The Women’s Association got together and we made some jewellery from the shells we found. We had to puncture holes through the top of the shells and then put a chain link through it before threading it on to the string. Just before I came to get you I was running up and down the beach trying to find more shells.”

That explains why she was breathless before, he realised, and the flushes too.

She put her hands on her hips and leaned towards him. “Anyway, are you coming, Hitsugaya-kun? We can’t wait around here any longer.”

“Why are you in a rush all of a sudden?”

“I told you, you’ll see when we get there.”

She strode past him and back out on to the veranda, where she slipped her feet back into her sandals.  She was still too bright red for his liking. She needed to cool down…

He headed towards the kitchenette, taking up his empty cup along the way. “We’ll go after I do this.”

He heard her clap her hands together. “Finally!”

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes again. He chipped and scraped the last of the ice into both his cup and a new he pulled out from under the counter. He almost bumped into his Zanpakuto, which he had propped up against the counter behind him. By the time Momo came into the kitchenette, Toshiro finished by sticking a spoon into each of the mounds of white-pink ice.

“What’re you doing any…?” She trailed off when he thrust one of the cups toward her. She blinked, looking between him and the shaved ice. “Hitsugaya-kun…is this for me?”

He sighed through his nose. “Like I’d carry two of these around with me for myself.”

Her parted lips formed a wide smile as she took the cup from him. “But you go through so many in a day when you make them, I just assumed.” She heaped up a spoonful of the pink and white ice crystals. “Thank you, Shiro-chan! You didn’t have to go to all that trouble.”

“It was no trouble, and don’t call me ‘Shiro-chan’.”

She pulled the spoon from her mouth and hummed in delight. “It’s really good!”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, idiot.”

Her eyes widened. “Wait…this is watermelon-flavouring...”

“They didn’t have peach-flavoured syrup,” he explained. “It was either watermelon, lime, or grape.”

She blinked several times, then covered her mouth as she laughed. Toshiro’s frown deepened, but he waited for her calm down. When she quieted down to chuckling, she said, “I can’t believe it. This’ll be perfect.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

“It’ll make sense once we get there.” She made for the entrance once more. “I’ll save the rest for when we get to the rock pools. Come on, Shiro-chan, get your sandals and let’s go!”

He gave her a withering look, but he had back turned to him and was already skipping off the veranda back on to the beach. “Don’t call me ‘Shiro-chan’ Bed-Wetter,” he grumbled. On the way out, he stashed Hyourinmaru under the counter and grabbed his sandals.

Toshiro stopped when he stepped out on to the beach. The sand was warm beneath his feet and the air was much cooler. Above him the sky was dyed with banners of yellows, reds, oranges and pinks that bled into one another. There wasn’t a cloud in sight either.

He heard his name called out to him on the right, and was surprised to see under an umbrella near the shack was Kyouraku sharing a drink with Nanao, Kenpachi, Lisa, and some higher-ranking members of their divisions. The Captain-Commander waved at him, but Toshiro only nodded back in response before he turned and went after Momo, who was a fair distance ahead from him.

Finally catching up to her, they treaded at a brisk pace towards one end of the beach. They passed in front of Kensei, who was standing over a makeshift pit barbecue with Mashiro prancing around him impatiently as he flipped over several pieces of sizzling meat. Both were too occupied to acknowledge the two.

Toshiro slowed down a few paces when he caught sight of sand sculptures further down the beach. He immediately recognised the larger as Byakuya’s,  and the smaller bunny-shaped ones surrounding as Rukia and Ichika’s work. As always, Byakuya did a fantastic job, though the young captain couldn’t help but wonder if his older counterpart was able sculpt anything else other then the Wakame Ambassador…

“We’re almost there, Hitsugaya-kun!”

He shifted his attention back to Momo, who was looking over her shoulder at him. He nodded and quickened his pace slightly. In the silence that came, Toshiro put his free hand in his shirt pocket and watched Momo, keeping a short distance behind her.

It’s only then he noticed the grains of sand in her hair, glittering in the setting sun. She stopped every now and then to collect any shells she came across. Gusts of wind swept over the beach, whipping her braids around and tussling her bangs. She briefly turned her head towards the water, watching the small waves crash and foam on the shore. He couldn’t distinguish what it was, but something about her made her look…natural in this environment, as though she belonged her and was just as much as part of the beach as the shells and the sand. She must have noticed him staring, because she glanced at him with a frown. “Hitsugaya-kun?”

He quickened his strides and caught up to her. “We almost there yet?”

It took a moment to answer him, her slowly melting away. “In a few minutes. Are you doing okay?”

“I’m fine,” he answered and bit down on a spoonful of shaved ice.

Satisfied with his answer, Momo tilted her head away. “I’m glad then.”

Later, they arrived at the rock pools. The air was thick with sea salt and the waves were slight bigger. Toshiro slid his sandals on and scanned the area as they stepped over and around pools and jagged rock formations. What could she possible want to show him out here? Was it something in the pools?

After jumping across a particularly big pool, they came to a stop on a small patch of sand. To their right they were shaded by a tall, eroding wall of rock, covered in the seaweed and the shells of barnacles.

“Hinamori,” he said carefully, “you didn’t bring me all the way here just to see this did you?”

She shook her head. “No, it’s what’s behind that I want to how you.”Toshiro started to look for a way around it, but Momo caught his arm. “Before that though, there’s something I want to give you.”

He raised his brows in confusion. Letting go his arm, the lieutenant came to stand in front of him. Her smile is small but sweet. “I wanted to make sure we got here on time before I gave this to you. Close your eyes.”

He blinked, not sure he heard her correctly over the crashing of the waves nearby. “What?”

“Close your eyes.”

“Hinamori, this is chil-”

“Please?”

He huffed and did as she asked. There was no use denying her, she could be so stubborn – at least that’s what he tells himself whenever she says ‘please’ in that saccharine tone. His hair and clothes tussled in the wind, and below the crashing waves he could hear her bracelets clinking together as she put down her cup and shell collection. He sensed her getting closer, her warm breath barely brushing over his chin. His fingers twitched when he felt her fingertips graze the back of his neck. They freeze, and after a beat, lift away.

“You can open your eyes now.”

As he did, she drew her arms back to her sides. He frowned down at the string around his neck and raised his hand to hold the shell that hung from it. It was cone-shaped and almost half the size of his palm. The outside was rough with a dull shine, while the inside pearlescent and smooth. What captivated him the most was the shell’s colour: made up of rings of white, amber, yellow, and brown. He saw two tiny, fan-shaped shells were also tied into the string on either side of the cone shell, both white and striped with a few thin, smeared bands of purple.

“It worked out better than I thought.”

He didn’t look up, sliding his thumb over the shells. “You…made this,” he murmured absentmindedly.

She hummed in ascent. “I wanted to make you something, and when I found this shell I thought it would suit you. The smaller shells were added because I had no other use for them.”

He’d never received a gift like this. It had no purpose beyond being decorative; but it was from her – and made by her own two hands no less. For that reason alone, he smiled. “Thank you, Hinamori.”

Her own smile widened in response. “I’m glad you like it.”

Eyes coming back to her, he frowned as it suddenly dawned on him. “Where were you keeping that hidden this whole time?”

She raised and shook her wrist, jangling the bracelets. “I had it wrapped around here. You didn’t even notice, that’s so unusual for you.” Before he could retort, she picked up her shaved ice and shells from the sand and turned her attention to the setting sun beyond the rock wall. “Come on, before the sun disappears!”

Within a few pace they came to a part of the wall that had eroded enough for them to easily step over. On the other side was a small bank of wet sand, and water ebbed in close enough to almost touch the tips of their toes. Toshiro turned back to Momo, who added her shell collection to a small shell pile that were already there on one of the walls ledges.

She spun around to him and pointed to the top of the wall, which Toshiro just realised was actually a large formation. Unlike the sides, the top appeared to be smooth and dipped down on this side.

“We’re going up here,” she said as she held out her shaved ice to him. “Pass mine and yours to me once I get to the top, okay?”

Confused, he took her cup without thinking. “What? Hina…”

He trailed off when she jumped and grabbed the formation’s edge. He stepped closer when she stepped up on to the lowest ledge, ready to drop the shaved ice and catch her should she misstep and fall back.

He was about to vocalise his worry, but after she successfully brought both of her feet to the next ledge up and pulled herself to the top of the formation, he let out a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding in.

She gasped. “The view is much better than I thought it would be!” She reached down to him. “Pass them up first, and then come up here.”

He did as she instructed, but found he had to stand on his tippy-toes in order for her to get a better grasp on the containers. Once his hands were free, he climbed up the formation’s wall. When he neared the top, Momo made a move to help him, grabbing his arms and pulling him up.

He gazed around, trying to see what she had brought him up here for. He stopped when he looked out to the sea, which glittered and sparkled under the sunset. The colours of the sky had darkened a fraction, the watermelon syrup from the shaved ice reached his nose, and the sun’s rays were just warm enough for him.

He settled down next to Momo, who had moved higher up the rock formation. He’d taken her hat off, which was now pinned under her foot.

She handed him his shaved ice, which was more like a slushie at that point. “When I came looking for shells, I thought this would make the perfect spot to view the sunset.” Her smile turned sheepish. “That’s when I got the idea to come and get you. It’s been a while since we saw a sunset together, and you were stuck in that shack all day, so…” She giggled as she scooped up a spoonful of shaved ice. “I was lamenting for a little while that it wouldn’t be the same without some watermelon, and I knew we weren’t going to crack some open until after dinner.” Her gaze finally comes to him again, gentle and grateful, as she raised her cup. “But you fixed that problem.”

With that she munched on the ice, giving another hum of contentment. Taking in all she had told him, Toshiro couldn’t help but chuckle. He pressed a fist against his lip, trying to suppress it.

“Hey,” Momo said, confused, “what’s so funny?”

The captain shook his head once he calmed down. “Nothing,” he said, before turning his attention to the sunset and started eating his shaved ice. Typical Momo: always coming up with ideas like this and always trying to make sure he was included somehow. He was glad he’d unknowingly contributed to her idea, that he could give her something she wanted.

He felt Momo’s gaze linger on his temple, but after a beat she shrugged and resumed eating. They ate their shaved ice and watched the sunset in silence. Minute gradually passed by as the shadows they casted grew longer along the rock. For the first time since they came here, Toshiro felt himself ease up and relax; he felt lighter then the wind that swept around them and softened away all traces of his infamous icy stoicism.

Right now, he didn’t really feel like a captain of the Gotei Thirteen. He was caught between nostalgia and something else that was just as heartfelt. Something that he’d only just began to experience to its full extent when he was around Momo.

He didn’t resist the urge to look at her. The sight before him took his breath away. Momo hadn’t notice him, her gaze still trained on the ocean. The sun honeyed her eyes, lighting up them up a golden-brown with glimmers of yellow and orange.  Her hair had a near-golden shine, haloed by fluttering flyaways and glittering with grains of sand that clung to the strands. Her cheeks were still flushed and her coral-pink lips are turned up in a content, wide smile.

Up until this point, he had thought of her a being ‘cute’. Now she was… beautiful. The very admission made his heart skip a beat and intensified the sensation running through him. In the past he’d felt pangs of this sensation, fleeting and light, but now it fluttered through his whole being, tingling and pleasantly warm.

She was radiant; as warm and bright as the sun. “Hinamori…” he murmured.

Momo blinked out of her trance and turned to him. “Yes?”

He swallows, hi throat suddenly becoming tight. He doesn’t know why he spoke her name or what he had planned to say to her. “I…” He could feel the back of his neck heating up.

She tilted her head to the side. “Hitsugaya-kun?”

Say something, he shouted at himself. “…I’m glad you brought us here,” he said lamely. “It really…brings back memories.” He inwardly cringed, but he could it wasn’t a complete lie and her resulting grin made it worth the risk.

“I feel the same way,” she said. Her gaze falters, falling to the cup in her lap. She runs a hand through her hair, hooking some of the flyaway behind her ear, and her smile became rueful. “To be honest, I was a little worried about you coming here today.”

At this he straightened and his eyes widened a fraction. “How come?” When she didn’t answer immediately, he folded his arms and took a guess. “If it was because of the heat, there was nothing that could’ve been done.”

“I know that, and it’s not for that reason.” She slowly chewed on a heaped spoonful of shaved ice before continuing, her eyes slow to reach his again. “I was worried that you wouldn’t have fun here. You didn’t want to come in the first place-”

“It was my choice,” he interjected.  

She nodded. “I also know that it’s harder for you to relax or be happy at places like this.” Her smile widened. “So I’m really glad I could at least find this for you.”

He shook his head and his lips turned up in the smile that was only meant for her. “You haven’t changed in that regard either. You still try to include me in things, even when I don’t want to. My happiness is for me to decide. I didn’t need come here or for you to find something for me to do.” He hooked his thumb under the cord of his necklace. “Or for you to make me trinkets like this…but I appreciate that you went to trouble of doing so, even when I kept telling you I wasn’t going to come out. You were happy while playing that game earlier, so I was fine.”

It was becoming easier for him to express himself to others without feeling any shame or vulnerability – especially when it was just the two of them. He knew she wouldn’t tell something like this to anyone, and if she ever did, she wouldn’t give the whole story. Even so, he gnaws on the inside of his cheek at the discomforting pang that skimped across his chest.

“You were watching me play?” she asked, incredulous.

Toshiro scratched the back of his neck. “Don’t get so egocentric,” he teased. “I was watching the game, not just you, Bed-wetter.”

She frowned, unimpressed. “You’re going still using that silly name, Shiro-chan?”

“So long as you keep calling me by that stupid nickname.” Before she could retort, he stood up and looked back out to the sun, now a mere slice on the horizon against the darkening sky. Above them, the first few stars appeared, winking down at them.

“Come on,” he said. “We should get back to the others.”

Momo’s expression cooled as she stood up. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve already started eating without us.”

She stacked Toshiro’s empty cup over hers and followed him to the formation’s edge, ready to climb down. However, she let out a confused sound when Toshiro threw his arm out in front of her.

“I’ll go first,” he insisted.

Momo raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and watched him a he climbed down the wall. Coming to the bottom, Toshiro glanced at the sand below and aw the water ebb close enough to touch his toes. The tide must be coming in.

He looked up when Momo handed him the stacked styrofoam cups. He put them aside as she started to come down, ready to catch her if need be – hence why he insisted on coming down first. His renewed worry only abated once her feet touched the sand. Once Momo had gathered up all her seashell collection, she led them back to the other side. Before they could traverse the rock pools back to the beach, she dropped several of her shells.

Toshiro swooped down to pick them up before she could even bend her knees. Momo raised a bewildered eyebrow when he slipped them into one of his pocket and held out his hand to her.

“Give me those,” he ordered. “I’ll return them once we’re back at the snack bar.” He had used the voice he normally reserved for his officers, and he wasn’t sure if it was intentionally or not. Regardless, the lieutenant laughed and did as he requested.

“Even while we’re here you’re still acting like a captain!” she exclaimed.

He said nothing as he pocketed the other seashells, but as he went passed her, grumbled beneath his breath, “Just because we’re not dressed in uniform doesn’t we stop being officers.”

Momo grinned as she caught up to him. “True, but I think some relax their rank a little more on occasions like this.”

They strolled up the beach in comfortable silence, just a few feet away from shoreline. The cool air was laced with sea salt and barbequed meat.  In the distance, the Shinigami and humans sat in rows on the higher end of the beach, having already started eating.

“Ah, it smells so good,” Momo commented, lifting her head to the sky. “I can’t wait to try out Captain Muguruma cooking.”

“You should go on ahead then.”

Momo turned to him, almost stumbling a she did. “Eh?”

Despite the much more desirable temperature, Toshiro was exhausted. The heat had drained him, and now its effect were at their strongest. His eye and limbs felt heavy and he’d noticed their pace had slowed down. “Go on ahead,” he repeated.

Momo shook her head. “It’s fine! I don’t mind the slow walk, and I don’t want to start eating without you.” Both of their eyes widened when they heard her stomach grumble. A beat passed between them, filled only by the crashing of waves and the distnt chatter of the Shinigami and humans.

Then Momo’s cheeks flushed. “I, uh…”

Toshiro couldn’t help but chuckle. “The shaved ice passed through pretty quickly, huh?” he teased. “Or is your stomach getting bigger?”

She straightened, indignant. “It is not! A-And well I didn’t finish all of my shaved ice either!”

Looking into the cup, he saw she was telling the truth – though there wasn’t that much left at the bottom, maybe only a quarter of the ice. “In any event, go ahead, I’ll catch up. We’re not even that far away.”

From this distance he could make out Matsumoto standing up from the crowds, though it wouldn’t be that hard – especially since he could hear her carrying on from all the way over there.

Momo’s expression softened. “But Hitsugaya-kun…”

“Don’t make me order you to go,” he warned.

At least that brought back some of her smile. “Even if you did, I’d have to disobey you.” At that he raised a brow, but let her continue.

“I wish we could have spent more time together today,” she admitted. “Just the two of us, I mean. We couldn’t do anything together while the sun was out, so I don’t mind the slow walk back, and I’m really happy we got to watch the sunset together.”

He couldn’t hide his surprise, nor the tenderness that flickered in his eyes. There she went again: making him feel this sensation. It guided his actions, causing him to reach out and grab her arm. With a confused grunt from Momo, they came to a stop.

“Shiro-chan?”

“Thank you, Hinamori” he eventually murmured. “As I said, I was glad you brought me there, and I was happy to watching it with you too.”

She loosened her arm from his grip and wound her hand around his. She squeezed it and grinned. “You’re welcome."

Their walk back was even slower. They reminisced about old times and what they would do once they got back to the Soul Society. He secretly relished in the warmth over her reiatsu radiating across his skin and the softness of her hand around his. He realised he didn’t need to be under the sun with her, because so long as he was allowed be by her side, she could be what the sun was like to many others: she energised and warmed and guided and comforted him. Like the setting sun she made him think of the past, and was as beautiful as the streaks of colour that dyed the skies but more radiant then the disk that gradually disappeared over the horizon.

Later, while they sat and ate, surrounded by the loud chattering and drunken antics of those next to the them, he thought about what he he will eventually tell her, once he understood the sensation she ignited within him.

She made him as happy as when she was under the sun, for she was his sun. However, unlike the sun, she never disappeared. She alway shone brightly to him, no matter how dark his days and nights became.

#hitsuhina #hitsumomo #hitsugaya x hinamori #toshiro hitsugaya #momo hinamori #bleach #fanfiction #sorry for any typos #fluff and sappiness #didn't quite come out how I planned

[soitsashowpodcast]

ep. 55: Frank Lloyd Wright and Heather Mills walk into a bar in Nantucket...

You know that feeling when you want to taste test every flavor at the ice cream shop? That’s how we felt about Gilmore Girls episode 308! Sometimes in Choose Your Own Adventure, you gotta choose every adventure, which is why we looked into six—count ‘em—pop culture refs the Gilmore Girls dropped in one episode. Why does Heather Mills have extra legs? What does Frank Lloyd Wright have to do with walnuts? Why did that girl Butterfly live in a tree for a year? What rhymes with Nantucket? And can Kyla name all four of the Beatles? These are the questions we have to get to the bottom of in our pop culture-packed ep.

SO IT’S A SONG? “Then She Appeared” by XTC

Other pop culture we ref: Archie Comics, Riverdale, North by Northwest, Parks and Recreation, MTV, Sting, Taylor Swift, Harry Potter, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Mötley Crüe, Keds

LISTEN TO THE EP

Apple Podcasts

Google Play

Stitcher

MORE ABOUT HEATHER MILLS

Heather Mills talks about her work in Croatia (1994)

“Heather Mills was hailed for her courage after she lost a leg in a road accident but the media turned on her after she married Paul McCartney,” BelfastTelegraph.co.uk (2010)

Heather Mills talks about going vegan after losing her leg (2018)

NOTABLE POP CULTURE REFERENCES IN “THEN SHE APPEARED” BY XTC

“Then she appeared, apple venus on a half open shell” - The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli (1480s)

“Then she appeared, the first photograph on Fox Talbot’s gel” - Henry Fox Talbot, who helped develop early photography (1800s)

“I was a little frightened, flying with my senses heightened, cherubim cheered” - Cherubim is a type of angel

“Then she appeared, as the giggling crew of Marie Celeste” - Mary Celeste was an empty ship found in 1872 and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used that for an inspiration of his 1884 story “Marie Celeste”

“I was a little dazzled, Catherine wheeled and senses frazzled” - A Catherine Wheel was a torture/execution device named for St. Catherine of Alexandria, who martyred ca. 305. According to tradition, the wheel broke when she touched it, so she was beheaded; it’s also the name of a firework today

“Then she appeared, dressed in tricolour and phrygian cap” - These are the hats French Revolutionaries wore in the late 1700s

“I was a little troubled, hookah with my senses bubbled, all Edward Leared” - Edward Lear was a poet known for his limericks, including “The Owl and the Pussy-Cat,” in the 1800s

MORE ABOUT JULA “BUTTERFLY” LORRAINE HILL

Visiting Butterfly in her tree house (2000)

MORE ABOUT “MONEY FOR NOTHING” BY DIRE STRAITS

“Money for Nothing” music video

“Entertainment MTV ready to rock Russia,” BBC.co.uk (1998)

“Knopfler lot of people know that! 10 things you never knew about Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms,” TheSun.co.uk (2016)

“Once Upon a Time in the Top Spot: Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms,” Rhino.com (2016)

“Every VMAs Video of the Year Award, Ranked From Worst to Best,” Vulture.com (2018)

“How The Dire Straits' 'Money for Nothing' Video Helped CGI Go Mainstream,” Garage.Vice.com (2019)

MORE ABOUT THAT FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT SITUATION

“Architect of desire: Frank Lloyd Wright's private life was even more unforgettable than his buildings,” Independent.co.uk (2009)

“Cook massacres seven at Wisconsin home Frank Lloyd Wright built for his mistress,” NYDailyNews.com (2014)

“The Massacre at Frank Lloyd Wright’s “’Love Cottage,’” History.com (2019)

PICS FROM TAYLOR’S TRIP TO FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S HOUSE IN EBSWORTH PARK (MO)

CHECK OUT KYLA’S SUPER CUTE BETTY AND VERONICA KEDS!

#Frank Lloyd Wright #Heather Mills #Nantucket #Dire Straits #XTC #Julia Butterfly Hill #Julia Hill #Gilmore Girls #Lorelai Gilmore #Rory Gilmore #Emily Gilmore #Richard Gilmore #Jess Mariano #Luke Danes #Lauren Graham #Alexis Bledel #Kelly Bishop #Edward Hermann #Milo Ventimiglia #Scott Patterson #Keds #Betty and Veronica #Archie Comics #Riverdale #Betty and Veronica Keds #Ebsworth Park