#he did NOT make the connection between the sea animal and the pink-white thing people eat sometimes

[generic-sonic-fan]

I think Rouge sometimes forgets that both of her dudes come from Basements in that while Omega bluntly inquires about whatever he doesn't know about, Shadow will go months pretending he knows what Rouge is referring to before quietly admitting he has no idea what shrimp is.

#he did NOT make the connection between the sea animal and the pink-white thing people eat sometimes #ain't no seafood up on the ARK #but he'll die before admitting that he's missed something in conversation #he's mastered the art of nodding along #shadow the hedgehog #rouge the bat #team dark

[sweetchup]

Bi•valve

Noun

an aquatic mollusk that has a compressed body enclosed within a hinged shell, such as oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops.

AKA

The Most Common Seashell in the Ocean

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Vol. 1: Just Keep Swimming // Ch. 5

Type: Poseidon x reader

Word Count: 1,600

Masterlist

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“Triton! Triton!”

As you run through the festival, Your echoing cries make people stop and turn but you could hardly care. You had already made it around most of the campus by then and had grown used to their stares.

“Triton! Where are you?” You call out again, leaning over the barrier of another art major's tent to look at the children in there. Hoping, Praying, that Triton was one of them.

“(Y/n)!” At the sudden call, you are suddenly pulled backwards. Spinning around you see it was none other than Bryce, with Yuri and Paul following close by.

“Bryce. T-Triton was—“ You stutter out, pawing at the male’s shirt as you try to get a simple sentence out in your jumble of thoughts.

You wanted to scream out. To cry. You wanted to tell him how you didn’t mean to leave Triton alone. How you thought he would be safe with Paul and Jeremy. How you didn’t think that someone would sneak into the tent while the kitchen staff were busy. How a stranger was able to lead Triton away and you didn’t even notice until someone came running to tell you later that he was missing.

You felt yourself internally sob in as you continued to recount what happened a mere half an hour ago. The feeling left you queasy and you felt as if your knees were about to collapse.

“Shh. I know. I heard what happened to your son.” Bryce says as he attempts to console you. All of a sudden the wind picks up and Bryce instantly pulls you closer to him. “Woah!”

Bryce watches in surprise as some of the tents and decorations are knocked down by the wind. As if they were as light as leaves. Easily snapped and drifted up as the wind pleased.

“We have to get out of here.” Yuri tells your group as she stares up to the sky. A dangerous mixture of dark stormy clouds were beginning to roll in. A telltale sign it wasn’t a bright idea to stay outside for much longer.

“I-I Can’t!” You stutter out as Bryce begins to pull and lead you back into the direction of the school buildings. “I need to find Triton!”

“(Y/n). You have to—“

“No!” You yell out, cutting Bryce off as you struggle against his grip. You didn’t want to listen to what they had to say. For—to you—it meant another second, or minute, waisted when you could be finding Triton.

Finally, after a bit more of struggling, you free yourself from Bryce’s grip. You planned to only give a bit of space between you and the others but then Bryce lunges at you to grab you again and you end up taking off in a sprint.

As you run through the crowd, your vision is a mix of colors. A blurry and unfocused Sea that you attempt to escape from. The only thing you ever think to focus on are the hints of colors of blondes that you pass by. Pausing for a second to check to see if it was Triton only to run off again.

It, in a way, reminded you of the first time you met Triton. How you saved the strange blonde boy that was sucked out in the stormy seas. Except this time it was from a sea of strangers, Humans. You just hoped this time you would find him.

Save him.

Wherever he was and from whoever he was with.

(Y/n)…

You feel yourself freeze as you hear your name being called. At first you thought perhaps Bryce and the others had caught up to you but you then realized that wasn’t the case. The voice you heard did sound familiar but it wasn’t normal. It echoed as if it was from a far off place. Nowhere near where you were.

…(Y/n)…

“Yes, Hello?” You call out, steering your head to look around the sea of people. Hoping to catch whoever was calling you.

…Go to the….Triton…

“I can’t hear—“ You are cut off as someone in the crowd bumps into you, nearly knocking you off your feet. You needed to get out of this crowd if you wanted to fully hear the voice. Especially with the sharp winds that were blowing in.

Helplessly, you maneuver and squeeze your way through the crowd. Thankfully finding a way out only a few minutes later near the edge of campus. Though eventually you realize that it wasn’t that great as it was an edge of campus you rarely traveled to. The only thing you knew about it was that it held a path through the woods to a rocky beach that only spelled trouble. If you didn’t get injured from the crashing harsh waves then you would likely get caught and in trouble by Campus Police for trespassing. Perhaps even both.

…Through the…Go…

“Through the path?” You question out loud, confused at how the voice was cutting in and out. Leaving you unable to get an accurate answer.

You wait for the voice to answer but it never comes, leaving you with you to make the final choice. In hindsight it wasn’t that hard as there were only two options. Either turn around to safety or go into danger.

You knew what you would do. You would do what you always did. You would turn—

It was then when you step forward into the path, with no fear or thoughts whatsoever, that you surprise yourself. You can’t help but wonder if you changed. How you changed.

Was it when you first saved Triton at the beach that caused it?

That caused the girl that hated crowds to run through them. The girl that hated confrontation to argue against her friends. The girl that ran away from danger to run into it.

You couldn’t help but wonder. But at the same time you didn’t. You couldn’t.

…Faster…

You couldn’t as you stumble and sprint down the path to the beach. As you hear the voice chanting, ordering you to go faster. To get to the beach quicker.

…Faster… Faster, (y/n)….

Even as your lungs are sucked out of oxygen. Even as your legs burn in agony. Even as your knees and palm sting from tripping and falling only to get up again.

You don’t stop. You can’t. You know you can’t.

Especially as you see the small beach through the brush and catch the sight of…

…Blonde.

And Red. Scarlet red that scattered and dripped from his pale skin.

“Triton!” You scream out without thinking, running through the sand to the boy. Lifting his limp body from the sand as you carefully shake him. “Triton…Triton.”

The young boy opens his eyes and looks over at you. Though it is only for a second as he shuts them again as he groans.

“Triton. Where. Where does it—“

A loud defining bang cuts you off. Surprised you spin around to look behind you. Looking at the crater in the sand that laid a few feet away from you, you connect eyes with someone.

“Marissa…”

As you call the name of your classmate in front of you, they begin to walk out of the crater towards you. Shuffling in sand, you cradle Triton in your arms and begin backing up.

No, you know that isn’t your classmate, that ‘thing’ in front of you isn’t even human. Wild pink hair, slit like green eyes, pointy teeth and claws. Nothing, nothing, about her was human.

“B-Back up.” You order out to the thing in front of you. Could you even run away from her? No, it created a crater in the ground, you couldn’t run away. You couldn’t even fight it. “You… better back up.”

Fight or flight. Both were useless in this situation.

Your body knew it as well as it seemed to freeze up as the thing gets ready to lunge at you. As if your bones had turned to ice and your organs had shut down. You felt like you couldn’t even breathe. Like if you dare to do, you would perish.

Fight or Flight. Your main instincts. Your survival instincts.

As the thing finally lunges at you, you finally breathe again. The fresh intake of air seemed to restart your body and then you realized Fight or Flight wasn’t your main instinct. It wasn’t why you came down here.

You had to protect Triton. He was your son. He was more important than yourself.

Even as you shake in fear, your motherly instincts take over your body and you are able to cover Triton. Spinning yourself away so that thing can only pierce you.

So that only your warm blood will flood out, leaving a harsh smell of iron in the air. So that Triton will be able to escape in time. So that Triton will be safe.

And when you finally feel the warm crimson liquid drip down your body and into your clothes, you find yourself gasping.

You went to grab the clawed hand that pierced through your torso. Hoping to grab onto it to stop Marissa from grabbing Triton, giving the boy enough time to run. But found yourself unable to. For it was never there in the first place.

A loud thud brings you back to reality and you find yourself looking up from the sand. Staring at the top half of Marissa’s—that thing’s—Body. It’s guts and blood pooling and mixing into the grainy sand.

“H-How…”

You find your voice die down in your throat as you turn your head to look behind you.

Blonde Curly hair, Icy piercing blue eyes,…

…Pale marble skin, Covered head to toe in blue, white and gold,…

…A Trident by his side…

There was no doubt in your mind who was behind you.

“P-Poseidon…”

Author Note: Ahhh Poseidon finally appears! The romance portion of this story finally starts hahaha. Thank you for being patient and waiting until Poseidon appears. I wanted to give a nice character development before he appears. Can’t wait for the next update on Thursday!

Taglist: @angeli-fucking-cat @marixxhq @sproutcorner @orophaea @anime-lover-forever-1127

#shuumatsu no valkyrie #shuumatsu no valkyrie x reader #snv poseidon x reader #snv #snv poseidon #record of ragnarok #bivalve

[cafecourage]

The moment they realized they loved you. (Isekai Au Edition) Part 2

If you want more information on this AU here is the Link!

Sky:

- It started slow and very sweet.

- He took a long time realizing who you were. But he still believed in the others when they started to recognize you.

- When your behind him cheering you on, he feels invincible. Since during his adventure Impa tore into him pretty badly when he was late to save Zelda.

- Your presence is comforting to him. It feels like home despite being on the ground.

___________________________________

Being back in Skyloft was a small blessing for the chain. The tight knit community had already welcomed the travelers with little to no questions about their origins. It was a stroke of luck that they landed in front of the bazaar in the early morning when no one else was up yet. Their first day there was a resting day in attempt to gather information on the black blood monsters and inventory checks.

Sky took his time catching up with everyone. Letting the Headmaster and Sun know about the situation that had the hero hopping around in the timeline. Then he needed to go down to the small settlement on the surface to check on them. Sun did already tell him that things where still safe down there and that he should take a break. But he still would rather check it out himself just in case something did happen it better to be safe than sorry.

Despite being able to jump off from any of the decks in Skyloft. He automatically went towards the plaza near the tower of light. During his adventure it was the quickest way to the opening above Faron Woods. Sky was just turning the bend when he saw his Loftwing was already there on the docks and under its wing was You. You were trying to put a small amount of distance between you and the bird but the creature kept bring you closer to hold.

“(Y/n)!” Sky was baffled at his Loftwings reactions to you. He dashes to your side. “I’m so sorry. He isn’t normally like this.”

“It’s fine.” Your uncontrollable laughter the was full with childlike glee finally reached him. “In fact, I think he recognizes me!” You whispered smiling. The Crimson Loftwing cooed now leaning into his masters touch as Sky softly pet the side of his necks. Sky wondered if what you said was the truth. Since a Loftwing and its rider do share a special connection, it’s fully possible that his also felt and heard you. “Hey Link?” Suddenly your demeanor changed. “Can I ask something?”

Your bashful and embarrassed expression made Sky feel soft inside. “Of course.”

“One of these days can you show me around the sky or the surface?” You shifted awkwardly from him. He actually forgot that you haven’t physically been to his era before. That for the longest time you only saw things from his point of view without the ability to truly explore anything. “You don’t need to- “

“Are you free now?” He quickly cut you off. “I was actually heading down there now to check on the settlement.”

“Really?” Your face seems to brighten but then you remembered something and leaned closer to him whispering again “I don’t have a Loftwing though.”

He gently takes your hand “my Loftwing is strong enough for both of us.” He guided you to his side. You eyed the bird with uncertainty but you let him help you up onto the harness. Sky got on behind you reaching around you to get the reins. “Hold on to me if you get scared.” He teasingly warned and before you could question him. His Loftwing took off nose diving off of the deck.

You let out a small squeak as you latched onto his tunic. Sky almost felt bad that he actually scared you. But once in the air and on a steady path you finally opened your eyes again. “Woah!” The sight was nothing special but it was still just as beautiful. The clouds below them created an endless sea of white. “It’s so pretty.” Pride bubbled up as Sky watch you taken in the beauty of his home. This was just the start of what he wanted to show you as different locations came into his mind. “Hey.” You looking over your shoulder with hope in your eyes. ”Next time can we go to the Lumpy Pumpkin? I remember you singing high praises about their pumpkin soup.”

Sky tried to think of what he wanted to do tomorrow, right now there wasn’t anything that needed his attention. “If we have time tomorrow, I can take you there for lunch or dinner.” Maybe he could take a break from being a hero for a bit.

“Great! It’s a date then.” You sent a wink his way that sent his brain into a haywire before looking back into the endless sky. He was lucky his Loftwing is able to steer himself. As dot’s where finally connecting in Sky’s head. Pure love and affection bubble up as he embraces his new found feelings.

- He will be the one to uno reverse card on you. All love and affection will drown you instead. There was so much he wanted to tell you before to thank you for being by his side and encouraging him.

- Cuddle time will start here because of his need to make sure you know your loved too.

- He would be the one to confess first, but it would probably be played off as friends telling each other that they love each other.

- You’re not dense but overly affectionate. He might just need to spell out how you make him feel on a daily basis. Maybe then you’ll understand what you’re doing to him.

___________________________________

Legend:

- It hit him like a freight train.

- He isn’t mad at you. He is mad at himself. He had made his dues with what the people he had lost. Yet here he is. Already going too far.

- Your ability to make the situation brighter slowly eroded the walls he put up years ago.

- It might be all in his head, but he swears that you always make sure his needs are met even if he is trying to hide them.

___________________________________

“Link!!!” You barreled towards him ignoring the questioning stares the people of Windfall Island. “Link! Link! Link! LOOK!!!” You hold up a pink rabbit stuffed animal that you bought. “It you!”

The veteran in question huffed, “seriously of all things.” He turned on his heels “I’m going back on the ship.” He didn’t know why he was still entertaining your antics at that point.

“Wha- Hey! I was joking!” They were stocking up in Windfall and Legend was not happy to be on a boat nor in the ocean again. He wouldn’t say that he afraid.

Just… cautious…

You on the other hand looked like you were having the time of your life on the ship talking the it’s Captain and crew member’s. Yet most of the time you would stay by his side. The reason was obvious but nether wanted to talk about it.

Which is why you dragged him out to the port island. ‘An easy distraction.’ You told him, ‘I can show you around so we won’t get lost!’ He wasn’t worried about that. Legend trusted you. A fact he will never say out loud. However, he would rather hole up somewhere and escape the world then be here.

A soft hand took his when Legend reached the docks. He already knew who it was since you’ve been following him like a lost puppy all day. “One more place please?” You looked at him expectingly. “Then you can go back.”

“What are you a child? Why can’t you just go alone?” Legend snapped back, “you don’t have to be around me.”

“Legend I like being with you.” You pointed out like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “However.” You let go of his hand. “I also understand if you don’t want to hang out anymore and want to go rest.” There was no fighting back. No offense to his words. Nothing. Just a warm smile that filled him with warmth, that was accompanied by words fueled by unlimited care and understanding which made his heart beat faster. The silence between you two seemed to give you an answer. You turned around. A panicked feeling shot through. Legend was surprised with himself when he almost reached out to you when you walked away.

Instead, he watched you go. In the wake of his own emotions, he realized what had been happening. How he has been acting around you was starting to get familiar. “Not again.” He whispered disappointed in himself.

___________________________________

- Legend is going to be bitter about it. He isn’t going to take it out on you, but his mannerisms are going to be different after this.

- Not quite closed off, but it’s almost like he is mourning another loss.

- You would need to drown him in love and affection before he realizes you like him back. But like Twilight, he is going to be heartbroken if you decide to leave him to go back home.

___________________________________

Wild:

- Its progression was as natural as breathing.

- He just got off of his adventure so he always had you by his side. Just being near you is second nature.

- If anything, he was more than excited to actually have you physically be here alongside him.

- It rare to see ether of you not near each other when traveling together you two are inseparable.

___________________________________

The only upside of being in Wild’s Era is that the champion knew what to expect, it’s chaotic was normal for him and actually brought him a bit of peace. You came with that peace of mind. Having you join the chain to him was almost like you never left his side in the first place. From the moment he woke up after being told his name and what he needed to from Zelda, he was aware of your presence. You were the one to encourage him to explore the ruin kingdom. You were the one to recognize structures that the people in his world didn’t know about. The weird part was that you didn’t know how he was before the calamity, but he didn’t question that fact too much. He was more than happy to have someone treat him as a different person from before.

Now having you physically with him. Wild wanted to bring you to all of your favorite locations that you vocally told him about.

But that had to wait for now, because the downside to Wild’s Hyrule was the amount of things that wanted him dead. Moblins? Bokablins? Those guys are fine to fight they were push overs unless infected with the black blood. Actually, most of Wild’s monsters were like that. Once you get a hang of fighting them and recognize their patterns. They are a breeze.

A common threat that was annoy to deal with however, was the Yiga Clan. Which leads to the situation Wild and the others found themselves getting in while on the road to Hateno. He should of figured that they were going to strike when he got back to his Era. But he honestly didn’t think it would be in this quantity they were out number but thanks to Warriors taking control of the situation where managing. He was trying to make sure everyone was accounted for and was alive when he heard a string of curses coming from his right.

You had been knocked on the ground by a Blade Master. Your sword was near the clan member. Wild felt his world freeze in that moment as he bolted towards your body. With a falcon bow in hand. Wild side jumped. Locked in an ancient arrow and let it go.

The arrow sped towards the Blade Master. Hitting him directly. Turning the Yiga member into a bunch of Sheikah blue ribbons before collapsing into an orb where the arrow hit.

Wild slide towards your body. A pulse he needed to feel a pulse. Placing the tips of his index and middle finger on the base of your thumb and wrist. He pressed lightly to feel the blood pulsing beneath his fingers. A sigh of relief escaped him. Wild was lucky that the battle had come to an end. As the other Yiga members ether retreated in horror of what happened to one of their own or cut down quickly.

Hyrule join him soon after shooing him out of the way gently. Wild didn’t move from your side all that much. He didn’t want to. Just in case you left him too. He doesn’t know a life without you in it. A world like that just doesn’t exist.

Wild knows the name of the cause of his feelings. It’s the same thing that drives him to share his experience with you. He wants to be by your side and to make you happy.

___________________________________

- He is protective but not controlling. If anything, he wants to spar with you more. So, you can get better at fighting.

- You can bet he is going to start making you taste the different foods he had discovered, or sneak out to visit areas in his world more often. He doesn’t want you to miss a thing.

- There is so much he wants to do with you. So much he wants to share. So many things to say. That he just wants to do it all at once so there can be new things you both can discover together.

(Part 1)

#linked universe #linkeduniverse #Lu Wild #Lu Sky #Lu Legend #Linked universe x reader #SKY AND LEG GAVE ME SO MUCH TROUBLE #London Fog Tea

[samwisethewitch]

Pagan Paths: Feri

Feri (sometimes spelled Faery) is an American neopagan tradition. Like Traditional Wicca, Feri is an initiatory tradition but does not place any limitations on who can be initiated. Although the requirement for initiation makes this religion less easily accessible, Feri has had a huge influence on modern neopaganism, including influencing other (non-initiatory) traditions like Reclaiming. For that reason, I think it’s important that we discuss Feri as part of our ongoing exploration of modern paganism.

This post is not meant to be a complete introduction to Feri. Instead, my goal here is to give you a taste of what Feri practitioners believe and do, so you can decide for yourself if further research would be worth your time. In that spirit, I provide book recommendations at the end of this post.

History and Background

Feri was founded by Victor Anderson and his wife, Cora, in the United States in the 1960s. Like Gerald Gardner, Victor Anderson claimed not to have created his tradition, but to have been initiated into it and then later added to it. In Anderson’s case, he claimed to have been initiated into witchcraft by a faery when he was nine years old.

The Andersons called Feri “the Pictish Tradition” and claimed that it was originally the Craft of the “Little People” in Ireland and Scotland. Victor Anderson was also influenced by Vodou and Hawaiian indigenous spirituality, although his connections to these traditions (both of which are closed) is unclear. Some modern Feri practitioners have made efforts to distance their practice from these elements appropriated from closed cultures, but Feri remains a very eclectic tradition that encourages initiates to “use what works.” Because of this, no two Feri practices are exactly alike.

There is another, more mythologized account of the birth of Feri, shared by author and Feri warlock Storm Faerywolf in his book Betwixt & Between. (In this book, Faerywolf uses the spelling “Faery,” but he is a member of the tradition founded by the Andersons.) In this myth, a group of powerful spiritual beings known as the Watchers rebelled against a false god millennia ago and taught magic to mankind. These Watchers are the fae, and they intermarried with humans and are the origin of all magic traditions. As the story goes, it was one of these Watchers who initiated Victor Anderson into what would later become known as Feri.

Because Feri traces its origin back to these spiritual ancestors, initiation is an important part of the tradition. When someone is initiated, they are said to be made a part of this Feri lineage, similar to how newly baptized Christians are said to be made a part of Christ’s family. This means that, in order to truly practice Feri, you must find a Feri teacher to train and initiate you.

Over the decades since the Andersons founded their tradition, many different lineages of Feri have formed, each with their own unique approach. Some are more visible and more involved with the public, while others practice under strict secrecy. Many of the practices and beliefs that are common in modern Feri come from the Bloodrose lineage.

Core Beliefs and Values

In the words of Cora Anderson, “the Craft is about doing right by one another and loving everyone you see.” However, Feri does not have a universal moral code — there is no Feri equivalent to the Wiccan Rede. While love and kindness are highly valued, the Andersons did not differentiate between light and dark magic and encouraged their followers to use magic to defend themselves when necessary. (You may have noticed that, like in Wicca, magic is an integral part of Feri.)

The Feri Tradition teaches that every person has three souls, each with its own characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. These souls have different names in different lineages, but Faerywolf identifies them as the talker (the “mental soul” associated with the ego/personality), the fetch (the “animal soul” associated with the subconscious and the primal mind), and the holy daemon or god soul (the part of the self that comes directly from God Herself and is able to commune with gods and spirits as equals). Much of the work of Feri revolves around aligning these three souls into a fully realized whole.

Another important part of Feri philosophy is embodied by the symbols of the Iron and Pearl Pentacles.

Iron is a grounding metal, and contemplating the Iron Pentacle keeps practitioners grounded in their astral travel. Feri initiates not only invoke the Iron Pentacle, but seek to embody it by moving through each point on the pentacle and addressing any blocks or hangups in the associated area of their lives. The five points are sex, pride, self, power, and passion. When all five of these points are in balance, we are able to confidently and effectively work our magic in the world. For example, we should not be afraid of sex, but we shouldn’t be obsessed with it either; we should take pride in our accomplishments, but shouldn’t be too full of ourselves; you get the idea. An initiate who fully embodies the Iron Pentacle is fully centered in their own divine power, as well as their physical body.

The Pearl Pentacle is the compliment to the Iron Pentacle. While the Iron Pentacle is personal, the Pearl Pentacle is transpersonal — it represents the qualities needed to form healthy relationships with others. Some Feri practitioners believe that each point on the Pearl Pentacle represents the “higher form” of one of the points of the Iron Pentacle. In the words of Victor Anderson, “when taken together, the Iron and the Pearl embody the divine union that is necessary to fully awaken the awareness of our divine natures.”

The points of the Pearl Pentacle are: love (defined as a genuine desire for union; can be said to be the higher form of sex), law (as in, the natural laws that govern our universe and our actions; can be said to be the higher form of pride), knowledge (learning from lived experience; can be said to be the higher form of self), power (also a point on the Iron Pentacle — here, it refers to our ability to share power with others), and wisdom (the balance between logic and emotion, head and heart; can be said to be the higher form of passion). The way these points are taught, and their relationship to the Iron Pentacle, may be different in different Feri lineages.

Feri practitioners believe that, by embodying the Iron and Pearl Pentacles, they can achieve a state known as the Black Heart of Innocence, which is defined as “sexual innocence.” It can also be thought of as the innocent, untainted state of small children and animals. This is the natural state of human beings, before we are conditioned to be ashamed or afraid of our sexual impulses.

This brings us to a final point of Feri philosophy: in Feri sex is sacred, as it was through a sexual act that God Herself created the universe. As Faerywolf puts it, “sex is a sacrament in our tradition.” That doesn’t mean that all Feri rituals have a sexual component, but some of them might. Mostly, the sacredness of sex requires Feri practitioners to live in a healthy relationship with their nature as sexual beings.

Important Deities and Spirits

The central deity in Feri is called Star Goddess or simply God Herself. She is the androgynous source of all life, “having within Her all principles, powers, and potencies of Nature.” (Quote from The Heart of the Initiate by Victor and Cora Andersons.) Star Goddess is not only the source of the others Gods, but the source of all life, including humans.

According to the Feri creation myth, in the beginning, Star Goddess was alone in the cosmic void, until she came upon a reflection of her own light. She was so enamored that she made love to her own reflection, and from this act of self-pleasure gave birth to all things.

Star Goddess often appears as a black-skinned woman whose skin is dotted with stars. In ritual, she is often represented with a large black candle.

Nimüe is an aspect of Star Goddess, a maiden who represents the Black Heart of Innocence. She rules over new life, growth, and potential.

Nimüe may appear as a child or a young woman. She can be represented in ritual with flowers (especially pink or white flowers) or with a waxing crescent moon.

Mari is the Great Mother, Star Goddess as the embodiment of pure manifestation. She is associated with the earth, moon, sea, and sky — it is she who gives life and form to all things. The earth is said to be her body, and she is said to be “the spirit of every woman.”

Mari may appear a a pregnant woman. She can be represented in ritual with images of the earth, the moon, or of mothers.

The Hag, also known as the Crone, is the primal Dark Goddess and Queen of the Dead. She is the archetypal witch, but also a grandmother and wise woman. Some believe that it is to her we return when we die.

The Hag often appears as a wizened old woman. She can be represented in ritual with images of ravens and/or vultures, or with a silver sickle.

Star Goddess has two children and consorts, the Divine Twins. They are the personification of duality — light and dark, good and evil, spirit and matter, united in a balanced pair. They may appear as brother and sister, as two lovers of any combination of genders, or as mortal enemies.

The Twins may appear as the Scarlet Serpent and the Azure Dove, who represent the duality of fire/water and earth/air. In ritual, they are often represented with a matching set of candles, one red and one blue.

The Blue God, sometimes called the Peacock God, is born from the union of the Divine Twins — he contains within himself all duality and appears with a combination of male and female features. He is associated with the divine spark within all living things, including one of the three human souls, which Faerywolf calls the holy daemon. He is the god of opposites, and exists in a permanent liminal state. He contains within him both good and evil, beauty and darkness.

The Blue God may appear as a young, androgynous or hermaphroditic person with blue skin. In ritual, he is often represented with peacock feathers.

Krom, also known as the Horned God, is the god of fertility, light, and heat. He is sometimes described as the consort of the Goddess as Mari. He is God as father and lover and is overtly sexual in nature. He has solar associations, but is also the lord of the harvest.

Krom may appear as a man with the head of a stag, glowing with the sun’s warmth. He can be represented in ritual with images of stags, bulls, phalluses, or the sun.

The Arddu (pronounced “ar-THEE”) or the Dark God is described as the “crone aspect of the God.” He is the god of witches, the king of the dead, and the spirit of winter. It is said that when we die, we must confront the Arddu before we can return to the Hag.

The Arddu often appears as an old, androgynous man, with the head and legs of a goat and the wings of a bat. He can be represented in ritual with images of skulls and bones.

Deity in Feri is complex and fluid. All of the goddesses can be said to be different aspects of one Goddess, and all of the gods can be said to be different aspects of one God. Furthermore, all of the deities, both gods and goddesses, can be said to be extensions of Star Goddess. Victor Anderson believed that everything is connected and that the Gods exist within the Universe and the individual. As he said, “God is self, and self is God, and God is a person like myself.”

In addition to the deities, there are also spirits called Watchers and Guardians who play an important role in Feri. The Watchers are mysterious celestial entities, said to be the fathers of magic. Guardians are spirits associated with the elements, who are called on to guard the circle during ritual. Some Feri practitioners believe that the Guardians are Watchers, while others see them as two distinct groups of spirits.

Feri Practice

As stated earlier, much of the work of Feri involves embodying the Iron and Pearl Pentacle in order to return to the Black Heart of Innocence. This is done through ritual, meditation, ecstatic trance, art, energy work, and/or magic.

Feri is an ecstatic tradition, which means many of its rituals and practices revolve around achieving an ecstatic state. Ecstasy is sometimes defined as the state of being completely absorbed in the focus of your attention, and other times as the removal of the consciousness from normal functioning. In Feri, ecstasy is used as a tool for spiritual growth.

Astral travel also plays a role in Feri practice. A Feri practitioner may use trance states to leave their body and enter the spirit realm, where they can encounter the gods, Watchers, faeries, and other spirits firsthand. In some traditions, this travel forms the backbone of the practice.

Art and creative expression are other tools used for spiritual growth in Feri. Visual art and poetry in particular are often used to express spiritual concepts or to help the initiate process what they have learned. Victor Anderson was a known poet and published a collection of devotional poetry called Thorns of the Blood Rose — many later Feri practitioners have followed in his footsteps.

Feri is considered a magic tradition as well as a religion, and many Feri practitioners consider themselves witches or warlocks. Magic is seen as a way of directing the universal life energy that makes up all things, and is a natural extension of our divine power as each of us is a part of Star Goddess.

Like Wiccan rituals, Feri rituals sometimes begin with casting a circle and calling the quarters. However, Feri uses different language and gestures for the circle casting, with a greater focus on the earth and the circle as an extension of the Goddess’s body. While in Wicca, the circle is used for every ritual, in Feri it may only be used for some rites.

Further Reading

If you are interested in Feri, I recommend reading the book Betwixt & Between by Storm Faerywolf. This is an excellent introduction to the tradition, written by the founder of the BlueRose lineage. You may also be interested in reading the works of Victor and Cora Anderson — though Feri has changed a lot since it was founded, the Andersons’ teachings still lie at the core of the tradition.

Because Feri is an initiatory tradition, you can only go so far on study alone. Eventually, you will have to find a teacher to train and initiate you. Without this initiation, what you are doing is not, and cannot be, Feri. Thankfully, it is becoming ever easier to find online training, so you can walk the Feri path no matter where you live. The BlueRose lineage, which was founded by Storm Faerywolf, offers online training and initiation through The Mystic Dream Academy. Some other Feri teachers also have online offerings — look around on social media to see who is currently accepting students.

If you choose not to pursue initiation, you can still incorporate elements of Feri lore and philosophy into your practice, as long as you acknowledge that what you are doing is no longer Feri. In fact, many elements of Feri survive in other, related traditions such as Reclaiming, which we’ll discuss in the next installment of this series.

Resources:

The Heart of the Initiate by Victor and Cora Anderson

The Spiral Dance by Starhawk

Betwixt & Between by Storm Faerywolf

The official Feri Tradition website (feritradition.com)

#paganism 101 #pagan #paganism #baby pagan #feri #victor anderson #cora anderson #storm faerywolf #spiritual #spirituality #religion #star goddess #goddess #goddess theology #long post #my writing #mine #witch #witchblr #witches of tumblr #baby witch

[orcinus-ocean]

I am watching hours worth of ex-vegan “interviews” or testimonials, so you don’t have to.

I link to each one so you can see them for yourself, but I wrote down the important points of each one, since I believe this is not just important, but vital information. This could save people’s lives, if they just stop and think and look at another perspective before they go into it.

These are real people. They really wanted it. They really knew what they were doing. They weren’t “doing it wrong”. These are their experiences.

Ex-Vegan (8 Years): Veganism Is a Teeth Rotting, Muscle Atrophying, Degenerating, Fart Fest

A young man with a lot of health issues including severe eczema, got into veganism to get healthy

He had previously been living the typical “college” lifestyle with lots of fast food, no health-thinking at all

For the first year or two, he felt amazing, he did fine for four years, had a successful YouTube channel talking about skin health and the vegan diet

Emphasizing how “literally obsessed” he was with his dental hygiene and health, four years into veganism, his teeth were deteriorating and every time he visited the dentist, he had to have a root canal, he had cavities, infections, receding gums, always something

He was always bloated with a visibly bloated belly

Despite being a very health-focused athlete, his muscles wouldn’t grow the way they should

His skin started going “grey” and his hair lost its rich color

His memory and ability to focus deteriorated

He completely lost interest in food - everything “disgusting”

Feeling a craving for protein, he upped the high-protein vegan foods, and he only felt worse and worse

After realizing this diet was making him sick, he took one bite of salmon and “it was like taking drugs” - clear, physical reaction to it, and compared to the plants giving bloating and gas, “it felt like I was eating nothing, but I had so much energy”

After going back to eating animal protein (as much wild fish/meat as possible), his weight corrected itself, strength in the gym went “off the charts”

The pain and irritation he had on the vegan diet went away

His gums went from white pink to red, “right away”

Digestion issues - gone, hormonal issues - gone

“Since I’ve been eating animals, I feel more humble and more gentle towards animals, I feel more respect towards them, and I feel like I understand the cycles of life and appreciate life even more”

He says the vegan diet can help people to “clean out the body” as it did for him, but veganism, he doesn’t understand. “If your mom was on her death bed, and she had the choice: Die a horrible, painful death, or eat salmon, you would want your mom to die a horrible death rather than eat salmon. I’m asking this to vegans, and a lot of them are like ‘Under no circumstance would I ever have my mom or anyone I know, eat salmon, because it’s killing an animal, it’s abuse’. And I’m like aren’t humans animals?”

“I view the vegan diet as a disease-reversal protocol, not as a ‘forever diet’.”

Ex-Vegan Family: (6+ Years): "Healthy" Vegan & Vegetarian Dogma Depleted Health and Vitality

Casey vegetarian/vegan for ~15 years

Did it to try to clear up his eczema and staph infections (which were so bad the doctors wanted to amputate his legs), didn't really work

He did feel great for the first few months as a raw vegan, but looking back, he believes it was more due to cutting out grains and processed foods, since he found grains are terrible for him

Lost a lot of weight, rotting teeth, reoccuring cavities

Gina became vegan at the age of 13, being a picky eater and caring about animals

The "readymade" vegan food wasn't doing well for her, so she started eating only raw vegan food

She felt really good - for about six months. After six months, a very severe depression, accompanied by brain fog, lack of mental focus, constant hunger, weight loss and joint pain, kicked in

She believed so hard that this had to be right, that she stayed a vegan for 6 years, before introducing dairy

At the age of 17, after four years on veganism, developed a cancerous tumor on her leg (not necessarily connected, but worth noting)

Five years into veganism she was pregnant, and began craving red meat - they started buying local dairy, meat, liver and eggs

After the baby, she went back to raw veganism, and the joint pain came back, "it's detox"

She instead went back to being vegetarian rather than raw vegan, but she still suffered from worsening joint pain, fatigue, brain fog

A couple of years later, she was pregnant again and she was craving red meat so much she even dreamt about it

Her conclusion was "I must be doing it wrong, I must just eat more of the high-protein vegan food"

For her third pregnancy, she stayed vegan, and the birth was the hardest one she had

The baby had the lowest birth weight of the three, still normal weight, but later, he wasn't gaining weight normally

The child couldn't sit up at six months, couldn't walk at a year old, was depressed, only learned to walk after they gave him meat, and he finally became happy

Then on her fourth pregnancy, she was not vegan for the first half, but went back to raw vegan on the latter half of the pregnancy, and this child was healthy

On raw veganism at the end of the fourth pregnancy, her teeth were "falling apart", her bones were aching, and she was so foggy she couldn't think or remember anything

At the end of her pregnancy, she hadn't gained any weight, just stayed the same

Her teeth were full of cavities, despite having been to the dentist and "fixed everything" just some months prior

They could never manage raw fruit more than six months at a time, constant hunger

They believed the constant hunger could be due to parasites, so they ate anti-parasitic herbs which only made things worse

When she stopped eating vegetables (only fruit?), she got skin rashes as well

When they went back to meat, they felt full for the whole day, while on raw veganism, they had to eat all the time and were still always hungry

At the time of filming, they were completely off veganism for four months and she feels like her brain has "grown", she has energy, can exercise again, is gaining muscle

Ex-Vegan (4 Years): How Veganism Shortened My Lifespan

Started veganism as a New Year’s resolution to turn his life around, after living “like a degenerate”

He started with a month-long juice fast, where he felt great

On the first year as a “whole foods vegan” (mainly raw), he suffered from loss of libido, insomnia, migraines, arthritis, couldn’t build muscle

After a year, he went back to a diet of white rice, lean meat, bone marrow and occasional red meat

This diet immediately got his libido and muscle growth back

After some time, peer pressure made him drop the meat, but he still ate eggs

The vegans around him told him “if you continue to eat meat and dairy, you will not be able to ascend and channel divine guidance”

One of them was a nutritionist, and when he told her veganism destroyed his health, she said that he needs to be on 80/10/10, a fruit-based diet

He stayed on it for five months, and it was “the worst 4-5 months of my life”

He went on another vegan diet, based on sprouts, sea vegetables and algae, and a bunch of supplements

Same problems - lack of libido, insomnia, lack of muscle, migraines, cracking joints

A friend who saw him for the first time in years said “you look like one of those kids in the refugee camps”, because his face was so sunken-in

His friend eventually convinced him to go with him to a steakhouse, and he describes the first bite he took as “the fat going straight into my brain” and he felt “like a dying wolf”

He gorged on 2-3 pounds of fatty meat, slept for twelve hours, and his friends told him he immediatly looked like a completely different person

His cracking joints, dry skin and insomnia went away

Still, he went back to veganism, and all the problems came back

He went back and forth between raw veganism and primal diet every 2-4 weeks, rebuilding on an animal-based diet, deteriorating on a plant-based diet, always thinking “this time I will make it work”

He had to give up aiming for optimum health as a vegan, instead aiming for just “normal stability”

Staying at an old vegan institute managed by one of the creators of his sprouts-algae-supplements diet, doing a colonic, the worker there admitted to him most of them there are not vegan, because they fall apart on it, but go on a primal diet

During the colonic, the worker pushed his liver, and he felt “fire” going down his intestines. What came out was all green, spirulina, algae and other such supplements, which had simply stored in his liver

He speaks a lot about studies on different “uncivilized” peoples around the world, who were all eating high amounts of animal fat, wherever they lived

At the end, he speaks of where veganism might be coming from, and the lie that veganism is good for the environment

His message to vegans is to “quit bothering and harassing people”, and that if you care about animals, go buy cheap land in Arizona and make an animal shelter or something, instead of bullying people who eat meat

Ex-Vegan (2 Years): Vegans Have No Empathy for Humans

Vegetarian for six years, before going vegan

Ate mainly raw vegan, and then her stomach became “an empty, vacant hole”, she was always hungry

Throughout her time on veganism, she was taking lots of supplements

Her skin dried up, she got acne all over her face

She became “emotional and neurotic” and “absolutely insane” from a lack of B12

A lot of talk about the cult mindset in the “vegan community”

Starting to eat eggs again, she felt “a little bit better”, but still felt hungry all the time

Panic attacks over tiny things, anemia, constant diarrhea

Started eating fish, it didn’t help much

She was always hungry but had no appetite, had to force-feed herself

After a particularly bad day, she realized she was risking her life, and ate steak the next day

Eating steak for the first time in years, she felt warmth throughout her body, tingling on her head, and “satiated” for the first time in years, “it changed my life”

Ex-Vegan (12+ Years): Veganism Is Starvation - Fruitarianism Is Suicide

Started in 2002 as a vegetarian for a year before going vegan, became raw vegan from 2009-2011, then went on to fruitarianism until 2015

She says many feel great the first year or so on veganism, because they cut out all the junk from their diet

She had digestive issues prior to becoming vegan, thought it might help, but it only got worse and she got sicker as the years progressed

After six years and only getting sicker, she thought it must be the drugs for her health issues, "I'm doing it wrong", or "my body is wrong"

(They talk about some very interesting "meat and milk causes cancer"-studies four minutes in)

She said the raw vegan years were the worst of her life, that her brain “stopped functioning”. She became "permanently psychotic", she "saw hell" and heard voices - conclusion: "oh, it's detox"

When she stopped veganism in 2015, she had a test done on her hair. They said they had never seen that much heavy metal in someone's hair before

She had been doing nothing but "cleansing" and "detoxing" for the past five years, and she was "the most toxic, sick person you'll ever meet"

She was “literally dying” towards the end, freezing cold all the time, her bones hurt so much she couldn't lay on a hard surface

She couldn't digest anything but fruit anymore, it took two years of quitting raw veganism until the point where she could digest vegetables and meat again

Her teeth had to be all "redone", because they were rotten to the roots, her hair was falling out

She was told that on this fruitarian diet, it will feel like hell for 2-3 years, because of the "detox", then they will feel great, like godlike beings

But since 2-3 years passed and people still felt awful, their "leader" changed that to "people are so sick today, the detox will take 5-6 years!"

This also didn't happen, people stuck for 5-6 years and only got sicker, so the story changed to "7-8 years, then you will feel great!"

Her comment: "You can't be a herbivore and be healthy. If you want to have a life of mental illness and an early death and degeneration, go be vegan."

Many of these people have also spoken of how many well-known names in the vegan/raw/fruitarian communities (from YouTubers to authors) are known “cheaters” who eat meat frequently in order to stay healthy, while lying to their audiences and telling them to stay vegan.

These were only five. I will do more of these posts, to keep them at a readable length.

#vegans #veganism #raw vegan #plant based #ex vegan #anti vegan #fruitarianism #vegan health

[silverdragon-imagines-blog]

Four and Flowers - Fluffy One-shot

[This was for the LU gift exchange back in the Spring. It was a self-imposed challenge that I’m not gonna do again... probably. I hope you enjoy ^u^]

Read it on AO3

Four often caught themself looking at the various flowering plants the group passed. Maybe it was because of all the varieties they had found, a warm red filling their chest as they saw new plants they had never seen before, most not being found in their own era, but they soon found a want- no, a strong need to see all of them.

It was late one night, the heroes electing to make camp in a secluded area they found themselves in, a more mountainous region of who knows whose era when Four spotted a small glimmering blue flower that shone by the light of the moon. They were on watch and with everyone sound asleep, Four didn’t see the harm in slipping away quietly for a moment or two.

Only once they were a sufficient distance away did they draw their sword, holding it up and letting the white light engulf their body. And one became four.

“Okay, Red, what is it with you and flowers all of a sudden?” Blue crossed his arms, eyebrow raised.

“This may sound weird, but… I was thinking… what if when we get back home, we planted a garden?”

“I don’t mind the idea, Red,” Blue spoke again, “I just want to know what started this idea.”

Red fidgeted in place, glancing between the other three nervously, despite the non-judgemental looks they had, obvious curiosity on each of their faces.

“Well… I liked the ones we saw for one thing, and then I was thinking about... when this adventure was over…”

“You want something to remember the others by,” Vio finished, Red nodding at the end.

“That’s not a bad idea at all, though… how are we gonna do it? And what plants?” Green asked, causing them all to grow quiet in thought.

“I could do research when the others aren’t watching,” Vio offered, “I’m sure we could easily find which flowers or plants would be able to survive in our era.”

“Guess I’ll start by asking about what sort of plants-- er flowers the others like,” Green spoke up.

When they all turned to Blue, he shrunk under their gaze, the tips of his ears turning red.

“I’ll… help you plant them I guess… help you pick them out-- er somethin’,” Blue mumbled, Red beaming at him with giddy happiness.

With the plan made, smiles lighting up each face, they raised up their blades returning to one, then heading back to the camp and finishing off their watch shift.

When they woke the next hero for their shift, settling themself down to sleep, swirling colors of excitement barely let them drift off, thoughts and plans filling their head with vibrant hues, but they found that they didn’t mind tonight.

They figured out whose era they were in quickly enough. Wild practically jumped to his feet when the slate registered the map of his home. Four listened in on the older heroes’ conversation, talk of heading to the nearest village, which apparently they were in luck since Wild said he knew a shortcut to Hateno.

With the decision made, they all packed up their belongings, following behind Wild and Hyrule as they made to run straight down the mountain. Four laughed as the two adventurous heroes were yelled at by their predecessors, though seeing as that was truly the only way down the mountain, the group reluctantly agreed to follow their path. Thankfully, Wild only needed to be told once not to shield surf down the mountain.

It wasn’t long until they arrived on flat ground, a small fenced-in house near where they stood with a brilliant blue horse standing in a stall, a small pond next to it surrounded by a rainbow of flowers.

“Everyone, welcome to Hateno! This here is my house,” Wild beamed, running over to the stall to greet the animal standing inside, “and this is my horse, Safflina.”

Four could see how the old man’s expression seemed to soften slightly at the sight of the mare. Twilight even approached the horse to offer her pets at her muzzle.

“She’s beautiful,” Time spoke, Wild grinning wide in response.

“I’m glad you think so, it’s been a while since I’ve been back, so—“

“Link, is that you over there?”

The group froze at the new voice, though Wild’s grin only seemed to grow upon hearing it. A man soon stepped into view from the other side of the stall, dressed in blue save for a pink headband around his head. He smiled once he caught sight of Wild, placing a hand on his hip.

“Glad to see you back with us, Link,” he spoke, “I took care of Safflina for ya, my treat this time. And I see you’ve brought some friends of yours. My name’s Bolson.”

Four could hear Legend and Warriors whispering to each other, and it took a bit of restraint to not call them out on it. Bolson seemed nice enough, listening as Wild introduced everyone and smiling once it was over.

“Actually, Bolson, do you know if Zelda is still here?”

“You’re in luck, she got here yesterday and has been up in that weird Tech Lab ever since.”

The Champion brightened at that.

“Well, it was nice meeting all of you. If you need anything, Link here knows where I’ll be,” Bolson spoke, smiling as he walked back the way he came.

Wild led them all around the side of his house, Four taking in the view of the field spread out over the cliff separating the Champion’s house from the rest of the town.

“Hey Four, ya coming?”

They startled from their thoughts, turning towards the house and breaking into a run to join the group.

“We may as well split up and resupply. I need to get some stuff to make a meal anyway,” the Champion swiped through his slate as he spoke, “and if there’s time, I need to go to the Tech Lab and talk with Zelda before she leaves.”

No one argued with that, so Four found themself in a group with the Champion and Traveller, off to find ingredients for dinner later that night. As they passed over the bridge that connected the house with the rest of the village, Four marveled at the landscape below them, taking in the sight of the far-off mountains that seemed to stretch on for miles. They passed a few strangely shaped houses, the colors reminding them of their own quad-colored tunic. The thought made a rush of blue rest behind their eyes as they continued to look, annoyance or anger causing pressure to grow.

“Hey, Four! Hurry up!” Wild called out, tearing their gaze from the houses and dispelling the headache, “You’re lagging behind!”

“Sorry,” they called back, hurrying down the hill, “got distracted.”

“It’s not a big deal, just didn’t want to get too separated.”

The steadily growing chatter let them know they were in the village proper, people milling about completing daily tasks or talking to each other. Hyrule seemed to have the same look of curiosity as Four was sure rested on their face. Wild chuckled, leading them into the shop they were next to. Four only caught a glimpse of the odd building on the far off hill behind the village, but it was enough to catch their attention.

“Hey, Wild, what’s that building behind the village?”

“The Ancient Tech Lab,” he replied, though he didn’t look towards them, “I think once I get everything I need here, we could head up there for a bit. I needed to talk to Zelda and Purah while we’re still in my era anyway, may as well do it today.”

Four nodded and stood closer to the Traveller hero who was eyeing the bulb-tipped arrows on display, the sign nearby listing them as bomb arrows.

“D’you think we’ll need these?”

“Not sure… but I wouldn’t touch them. Just in case.”

Hyrule shrugged, looking away from the arrows. Four could see Wild finishing up paying for ingredients, thanking the man at the counter with a grin as he gestured for them to follow him out.

“That didn’t take long at all,” he grinned, storing the items away in his slate, “now that that’s over, I think the others are still wandering around here…”

“It’s your era, they won’t be worried, trust me.”

Wild seemed to agree with their words, leading the way through the crowd, past the other shops. Four could see Twilight watching the kids run around the middle of the village with Wind, an amused smile on the elder hero’s face. Legend and Warriors were outside a different shop, conversing with a woman leaning against the entrance. They had to be betting on something stupid, especially considering how Legend seemed to be goading the Captain into doing something or other.

The Champion led the way over a small stream, past a large Inn and up a path lined with blue-flamed torches. Their pace was hurried despite the steep incline, and they made it to the top within minutes. Four could see the entire village from this vantage point, the view easily taking their breath away. They entered the Lab to find Wild already deep in a conversation with his Zelda while Hyrule was eyeing the several gadgets scattered about. Four, however, was only focused on the bookshelf in the far corner.

Their mind was already alight with violet-red excitement, their feet leading them instantly to the white-haired man standing near it.

“Um, excuse me,” they spoke, gaining the attention and easy smile of the man, “Do you happen to have any books on flowers or plants that I could look through?”

The man simply nodded, grabbing a thick tome from a higher shelf and passing it down. Four smiled wide, turning to settle down against the wall nearby.

“Thank you.”

“No need. Just give it to Link when you’re done with it,” he smiled, turning back to his own book.

Four started leafing through their own book, and as they read, their thoughts began to split.

‘What if we planted Daisies? Don’t they kind of remind you of the Sailor?’

‘I don’t disagree with you, Red, but I’m not sure they fit as well as you think. They aren’t really a sea plant-’

‘You don’t really expect us to be able to take care of a sea plant, do you Vio? We literally couldn’t be further from the sea.’

‘Guys, focus. We’re here to figure out which plants we can even get to our era.’

‘Duh, Green, but we still need to--’

“What’re you looking at Four?”

Their conversation cut off, becoming one once again, leaving a headache behind. They clutched at their head, looking to see Hyrule peering at their book curiously.

“I’m thinking of starting a garden back in my era…"

“Why do I get the feeling there’s a but in there.”

Four groaned.

“Okay, so I want to get flowers or plants from everyone’s era so that I have something to remember everyone by I guess? But how the heck am I supposed to even take care of some of these plants?”

“You’re talking about the Sailor’s era, aren’t you,” Hyrule stated.

Four nodded, sighing tiredly. Hyrule took a seat next to him, peering over the small hero’s shoulder.

“You know, I bet I know someone who could figure out how to get this to work out how you want it to.”

Four only watched with barely concealed amazement as the princess and Wild walked over and started discussing ways to get plants to thrive in Four’s era where they wouldn’t otherwise survive. Wild showed off his slate, pages upon pages of pictures, and the flowers they depicted themselves taking place there. It seemed that they weren’t the only ones with this idea. They smiled wide, a warm red spreading through them as they listened to the others talk. Things were working out for them it seemed.

It wasn’t long until they arrived at Four’s era, close by the forge the smith ran. By now, the group was aware of the plan they had, to make a garden with a variety of plants from every era. Wild had gotten tools and pots that were made with Sheikah tech, they would easily keep the more difficult to care for plants alive, even while Four was on their current quest.

Once the group had gotten settled in Four’s home, the smallest hero started finding a nice spot outside and near the house. One by one, the rest followed, sleeves pushed up and armor long since put away, watching the excitement on the young smith’s face. Four took a moment to watch as the area got cleared of weeds and the dirt turned over to make room for the plants. They decided now was as good a time as ever, and besides, they all agreed that they wanted to help plant the garden anyway.

Four ran back inside, pulling their sword out and raising it up. A flash of white light, four grinning faces, and the four boys ran outside to help plant. No questions were asked, the group only glancing at the newcomers for a moment before returning to what they were doing. Soon, Wild started pulling the plants from his Slate. Hawk grass and Hibiscuses, Silent Princesses and Goddess Flowers, Daisies, Tulips, Swift Violets, and Geranium flowers. When they were all put in place, the heroes tired and dirty but satisfied with their work, they saw the four colorful boys smiling wide.

“Guess it all worked out, huh?” Blue spoke, Red turning to the other heroes beaming.

“Thanks so much for doing this!”

“No need to thank us,” Hyrule smiled back, “though, out of curiosity, who planted that other flower?”

The four looked confused until Vio spotted what the Traveller was referring to. There, next to the violets was a small patch of dark-colored forget-me-nots. Vio said nothing, only looking at them, smiling sadly. He could hear Red asking Wild, but the Champion seemed just as confused by their appearance as the rest of them.

“Just leave them there,” Green said, a small smile on his own face as he watched Vio, “I think they fit in perfectly.”

#linkeduniverse #linked universe #linkeduniverse fic #Hero of the Four Sword #nonbinary Four #silver writes #fluffy oneshot #flowers

[elbiotipo]

América Invicta

The Capaq Inka still rules the Four Regions. The great temples still cast their shadow over Lake Texoco. About three centuries ago, conquerors from overseas tried, and failed, to impose their rule over these lands.

It is the year 1800 -or so- on the Christian calendar. Much has happened since then.

Tawantinsuyu, the great empire of the Andes, lays claim to the whole of Septentrional America. Its wealth and power unmatched, millions of people of all creeds and nations live on its golden cities. The great city of Qusqu, the Navel Of The World, is the center of culture and trade for the entire continent, its surrounding terraces grow food from all over the empire. Warriors clad in golden armor bearing muskets ride Megatheriums to the farthest reaches of the empire to enforce the will of the Capaq Inka.

Yet the many peoples of the Americas do not bow easily. For the trading cities of the living jungle of the Paranaguazú, the Muisca kingdoms from the highlands of the north, the Carib towns on the warm shores of the Atlantic Ocean, the thousand tribes of the dry forests of Chaqu, the horse riders of windy Patagonia, the Gauchos of the Pampas, the rebellious former colonies of Buen Ayre, Nueva Granada and Recife, the monasteries of the Jesuits, the free Quilombos of former slaves, the mysterious kingdoms of Xingú and the defiant Tamoio Confederation, the rule of the Inka is more of a formality than anything concrete. Roads and tambos made by the great Inkanate connect millions and are full of merchants, explorers, soldiers, wizards, priests and adventurers at the service of many powers (or none), trying to make their fortune in this land.

They are not the only ones on this continent. Up North, the Obsidian Alliance, the successors of the fallen Triple Alliance of the Mexica, try to keep together the disparate city-states of Mesoamerica. The Mayan principalities expand into the volcanic rainforests of the south. The paradisiacal Caribbean Sea is a place of intrigue for Taíno war canoes, European galleons, and African caravels who compete for the rich trade routes. ‘Pirates’ free slaves and raid plantations on the coasts, and their sons and daughters make new lives in freedom. Refugees from the European Wars of Religion inmigrate to the New World to find a place to begin anew. Gauchos and Llaneros herd the giant herds of cattle in the plains, and face off against bizarre spirits and creatures. Grand Treasure Ships from the East (or is it West?) come to the seaports to trade with the rich empires. Jesuit priests roam the imperial roads, preaching the word of Christ and teaching the sciences. Muslim traders call to prayer from miranets rising above the tropical shores. Up the Missisippi grow the cities of the Mound Builders and beyond the heartland of the Obsidian Alliance the dry deserts bloom with powerful civilizations. Uncanny wandering sorcerers travel through the land, full of wisdom and powers so strong that many serve the empires of the continent; others are comfortable tending to the needs of the common people or enhancing their knowledge.

And much remains unknown. Herds of giant animals, supposedly long-extinct, roam the plains of the continent and sleep under its hidden swamps; armored mammals, giant reptiles, elephants completely unlike those in Africa or Asia, majestic feathered serpents… The forests are alive with a thousand spirits, who resist the attempts of greedy men to tame them. The winds seem to talk with their own voice, and old men and women claim to speak for the land itself. Giant sea ‘monsters’ roam the cold seas of the South. Christians testify of great miracles, and many saints, recognized or not, are venerated all over the land. Many tribes, maybe even entire civilizations, are still unknown, hidden by mountains, jungle, or uncanny fog. Explorers hear legends about animal-people and powerful sorcerers, and there is reason to believe them. Sunk treasure galleons are sought by pirates and adventurers. Mysterious books and relics are lost in libraries and palaces.

And in the great cities of the continent, from Qusqu to Tenochtitlán, Maracaibo to Palmares, Quito to Rio de Janeiro, Recife to Buen Ayre, smoky chimneys and glass buildings rise over the old temples and cabildos, powered by strange machines operating by a stranger combination of magic and science, heralding the start of a new era.

It is, indeed, a New World.

...

The mighty Paraná River slowly made way besides the little port town of Corrientes. Winter was ending; the muddy, narriw streets were decorated by a thousand flowers falling from the lapacho trees, every little breeze tinted by pink, yellow and white.

The first sunday of spring slowly winded down.

In the cabildo, the governor of the Argentine Confederation and the curaca of the Four Regions loudly debated about tribute and power and who had most of it, like they always did. The bells of the churches announced the evening service. Fishermen brought the fruits of a long afternoon in the waters shadowed by the riparian forests. The patrol cutters of the Confederation sailed into the port. The stalls on the central plaza were closing down, farmhands heading with their cattle back home to the fields.

In a tiny pulpería above the river cliffs -not very tall, but still giving a nice view of the sleeping sun above the forests on the other side of the river- the Witch and the Gaucho fought back the early heat of spring with a cold beer.

"...So, " the Witch continued explaining, excitedly, "the book says there's this point, somewhere. The beginning of it all. Or maybe the end. Most probably both, or perhaps all what it's in between."

"Uh huh. I see." Answered the Gaucho. Despite his tone of voice, he was geniunely interested. If a little confused.

"And we could see through it. It, somehow, reflects all the universe. Maybe more." Just to even think about other universes, dreamed the Witch! "But it's very confusing to look at it. It's too much for us to percieve. Because I mean, surely you can hear and smell and feel too. But you can't process it. It's like, like..."

"Like looking through a glass marble near your eye, with all those strange scratches and... things. Only it's the entire universe." Affirmed the Gaucho, drinking another sip from the beer.

He wasn't sure if the alcohol made him a better philosopher or it just made him remember his childhood days playing with marbles.

"YES! That's right! You get me! I KNEW buying you a beer was worth it."

"It was worth for me, at least..." He smiled. She smiled back.

"Now, when you see through a marble," she continued "you see all that weird stuff because your eyes only can see through a single... size so to speak."

A horn blared.

Parrots flew away from the palm trees. The very wind seemed to stop still.

The Witch, though, continued.

"...but imagine if we could see with different eyes. If we could..."

"Che... What the hell is that noise?"

They looked at the great Paraná, which was suddenly covered by foamy waves.

It was a boat.

It wasn't, though, one of the Guaraní fishing canoes that always sailed up and down the Paraná. Neither it was one of the proud sailboats of the Confederation, or the golden arks of the Capaq Inka.

It was a huge metal monolith, like some kind of iron bathtub uncannily floating in the water. Two chimneys vomited black smoke into the golden skies, and chains of... magical? light illuminated the ship. Shipmen dressed in white marched through the deck as the vessel made way through the river, with no sails, with no oars, with no magic, apparently propelled by hubris itself.

And while neither the Witch or the Gaucho were very familiar with ships, they could certainly see that those big metal boxes with cannons pointing from them were inmensely powerful weapons.

In the back, in golden, exquisitely craved letters, the name of the vessel read:

'HMS Dreadnought'

#cosas mias #américa invicta #fantasy #worldbuilding #latin america #long post #wow a plot? who would've thought

[aerisdraws]

Under the snow moon

Big thank you to my guild Mistspread [FOOLS] for hosting a wonderful full moon tarot night guild event. Special thank you to @lesbiancharr​ for being an excellent photographer and the card reader! Thanks to all those who read this story and provided feedback. 

The wind howled outside the mouth of the cave, occasionally triggering an eerie hum that echoed through the tunnel. Snowflakes swirled at a breakneck pace — the blizzard was picking up, and it was going to be a long night.

Solvi prowled along the cold rocky walls, her footsteps soundlessly landing in Sahar’s, the snow leopard that preceded her. Sahar’s spotted silver coat blended almost seamlessly with the surroundings as the feline cautiously stepped forward. There were ice imps in this cave, and while they were only a minor threat, they remained a nuisance. Best to avoid them, particularly as they attacked in swarms. Together they quietly traced the outline of the underground system.

The pair had initially entered the cave seeking shelter, but as they wandered deeper, the soft sound of voices bounced off the walls. Solvi could make out both male and female voices, so it couldn’t be Svanir, and they lacked the rich timbre of Kodan. As they snuck closer to the source, it sounded like... a party?

Solvi rounded the corner, bow in hand with a notched arrow, ready to get the drop on hostiles. Sahar crouched low, bracing to pounce. A large room came into view, carved into the belly of the mountain, and the occupants were revealed. 

To say it was a party was an overstatement, but it was a merry band of... she couldn’t quite tell. There were many sylvari — surely they’d freeze in this arctic weather? — and a handful of humans, as well as a number of charr. The last were not a big surprise, considering the proximity of the charr tribelands to norn territory, but these didn’t look like legion soldiers. 

“Relax,” she whispered to Sahar. Solvi stowed her bow. These people were unlikely to pick a fight, and they’d likely be more inclined to share the warmth of their fire with her if she approached them in a friendly manner. She considered removing her mask, but decided that she’d rather not run the risk of being recognised. Not everyone was a friend.

Now that she was out of the blizzard and had a chance to warm up, the snow that peppered her hair and clothing started to melt. Her skin seemed to steam in the glowing light of the fire — a sight not uncommon with norn, nature’s most efficient furnaces. She waved at the group as she approached them. Most were in animated, enthusiastic conversation. Another, more broody type, sat in the corner of the room. Solvi caught a few words. Something about murder, killing and the Pit... None of my business. Perhaps she’d approach the cheerier group first. 

As soon as she made it within the circle of strangers, a peculiar-looking pink-clad charr padded her way towards the red haired huntress. The chard’s soft white muzzle filled Solvi’s field of vision, sniffing the giantess’s person. 

“You have a strange energy! Would you like me to do a reading for you?” the white charr asked. 

Solvi looked at them with a quizzical expression. “A... reading?” Strange gathering indeed. 

The stranger nodded. “With my cards. You’re norn, aren’t you? Do you follow a Spirit?”

“I do,” the huntress replied. She glanced at Sahar, who had begun to pace around the charr, picking up her scent. Solvi’s green eyes darted back to the stranger. “My chosen totem is Wolf. He guides me when I need it most.” The crackling fire flickered for an instant, the silhouettes of the cave’s occupants dancing against the rock face.

The charr nodded knowingly, their friendly demeanour slowly putting Solvi at ease. “My cards offer guidance too – except that instead of calling to a Spirit, they use magic. Sit down, make yourself comfortable,” said the feline, waving to the warmth of the fire. “Do you have a question you would like answered?”

Solvi stepped forward and settled herself down beside the kind stranger. Sahar did not need to be told to relax, as soon as her companion had sat down the snow leopard curled up beside her, muzzle towards the flames. Solvi knew that Sahar was keeping a keen eye and ear on the crowd, despite her restful appearance. Comfortable and steadily warming up, Solvi took a moment to ponder. She had many questions, though most, she knew, could not be answered – yet. Her duties as commander had led her to making many grey decisions, of which their integrity was ambiguous. What did the ranger want to know? What could these cards answer? Could Trahearne have survived? What would he have done? No, there’s no use in torturing yourself over that again… and there’s no point in wondering if this struggle against the dragons will ever end. Surely there was something she could think of that didn’t awaken feelings of frustration. She wanted to know about something close to her heart, something almost forgotten. Solvi’s eyes twinkled as the question surfaced from the depths of her memory, a wisp of hope, loss, and love. She looked to the charr.

“There is something that weighs on my mind. A long time ago, I… I lost my pack.” Solvi furrowed her brow, trying to remember. She was so young when her parents had left her and her brother in Hoelbrak. The details were lost, like the horizon in a snowstorm. “I would like to know… if it is still worth looking for them, and if your cards can show me where to go.” She suppressed the urge to shift uncomfortably. It’s only memories. They won’t hurt you.

The question was asked. The charr revealed a deck of cards in their paw, padded digits gently grasping it. “I’ll shuffle the cards now. While I do it, focus on sending your energy towards me. When the cards are ready, I will draw them for you.” Solvi nodded, locks of red hair falling from her braid and sticking to her face as the snow melted. She closed her eyes, bringing her mind to stillness. Soon she felt the soft hum of energy that connected her to her snow leopard, but rather than following that thread, she searched for another. On her journey to become a soulbeast she’d learned that all things were connected, living and dead. Solvi found another hum, a different frequency that felt like the charr beside her. The norn focused on that lead, and tried to convey her emotions across the energy. Feelings of confusion, grief, and unshaken but dwindling hope. In her mind’s eye she saw herself, young and small and vulnerable, clawing in rage at the Wolf shaman that delivered her the news. The body of a child was too small to contain such enormous emotions, and even now as a fully grown norn, Solvi could barely fit the grief back into the small box she’d hidden away deep in her soul.

Inhale, exhale. The cards were drawn, sharp claws handling them with the delicacy of a feather. Ace of cups, seven of cups reversed, knight of cups. What they showed meant nothing to Solvi, but it only took the space of two breaths for the charr to understand.

Solvi’s interrogator cocked her head to the side curiously. Solvi noticed her four ears pricking as the charr interpreted the cards. “Could you tell me some more about your pack?” she asked, whiskers twitching. “How many were there, why did they go?”

“There were three in my pack, but only two were lost.” Solvi thought of her brother, with whom she had not spoken in… Spirits, it’s been many winters. Though Wolf taught her pack was her brothers and sisters, she could not help but feel guilt for the way she’d left things with her true brother. “I was only a pup when they left. It was for…” How do I explain that they left to forge their legend? “… work. They sailed south, and vanished. The trip was meant take only a few months, but when a year passed I was told the ship on which they sailed was… lost at sea.” Solvi was thankful for the mask that covered her face from the nose down. Though it could not hide the storm in her eyes, it did hide her clenched jaw. She swallowed the waves of emotion that threatened to burst her cool façade. It felt odd, talking to a stranger about something so personal. Perhaps that’s what made it easier: there was no judgement. The thoughts of an unknown person weighed less than the thoughts of people she cared about. The edge in her voice softened. “Over the years they’ve found some signs of it. Bits and pieces washing up on the shore, but no crew made it back.”

“Oh! The cups is a more clarified suit with that in mind…” pink eyes peered over each picture, seemingly unfazed by the tragic nature of the story. “The ace of cups, a crow looks into a cup overflowing with water – in the background, a crow holding a sun falls down. The aces are usually almost divine gifts: great potentials and opportunities.” The charr pondered, claw gently tapping the second card. “The seven of cups reversed. Upside down it’s the image of a crow surrounded by cups of different things, some good, some bad. She’s lost – shrouded and stuck in opportunity.” The claw traced the outline of the final card. “And then the knight of cups. He has mastered flying alongside a white horse as they journey along.”

The pair exchanged a glance. “So I think, overall what these cards are saying is… the seven of cups is clearly your crew, right? They must be adrift somewhere – trapped or lost or maybe even scattered.” The charr hummed. “It’s reversed, so they are kind of trapped by a ring of possibilities… mist world waters. It’s not an issue of having a way out, it’s… finding the right one for them.” Solvi saw the picture drawn by the reader in her mind: her parents, caught somewhere in-between worlds, the ship surrounded by fog. The reading continued. “You also have the ace of cups, which is overflowing with potential. I think this is you and your goals. The crow falling with the sun in the background symbolises the falling of your pack. You’re looking into the cup back on them and trying to find them in the waters.”

Obscure inner truths were revealed, knowledge untapped now bathed in light. While the answer remained elusive, Solvi saw new ideas in the charr’s words. What stood out to her the most was the presence of this black bird in each card. She reached a gloved finger and pointed at the corvid. “This looks like Raven. He encourages thinking out of the box, and this is certainly an unusual method. Maybe Raven has some guidance for me, and I’ve simply been asking the wrong questions.”

A smile drew its way along the stranger’s muzzle. “Maybe you should go as the crow flies,” they said with humour.

Solvi laughed, enchanted by these cards and their reader. “You’re clever and wise. Thank you for this reading. May the Spirits guide your hand when you next seek the counsel of the cards. What is your name?”

The charr seemed surprised. “Vetrius, uh…” they paused for a moment and glanced at the cards. “Pathreader.” Vetrius smiled. “I am sure our paths will cross again.”

Solvi returned the smile, though it was hidden under the mask. “I have no doubt it will, Vetrius Pathreader. Come, Sahar” she said, and the snow leopard came to its feet, stretching its spine. Solvi rose, her own legs feeling stiff from sitting on the cold floor for what felt like hours. Most of the eclectic group of people had left. The blizzard must have blown itself out. The norn brought two fingertips to her left cheekbone, touching the green tattoo just under her eye, and then turned her hand for her palm to face Vet. Her own way of saying ‘I see you’. “Thank you, again. Take care in this snow.”

With that, Sahar took the lead once more, guiding the pair out of the depths of the mountain. The wind had settled, and the night had cleared to reveal the full moon casting her silver light across the snowy ranges.

#aeriswrites #solvi #commander #commander solvi #gw2 #guild wars 2 #gw2 fanfiction #vetrius #tarot #full moon #vetrius pathfinder #charr #RP #roleplay #screenshot #gw2fanfiction #tyriaslibrary

[cover2covermom]

Goodbye April & hello May!

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel & I’m running toward it…

April seemed to drag on despite the days flying by.  Does that even make sense?  Like I’ve mentioned before, my days are filled with homeschooling, home projects, mask making, and reading.  I’ve been doing my best to fill my hours to ease the COVID-19 anxiety.

I received the notification that I will be returning to work next week, which was welcome news.  I’m ready to get back a little bit of normalcy in my life.  Thankfully, our library system is reopening in phases.  Our first phase will be employees only (3-5 employees in the building at one time) and offering curb-side service to our patrons.  As of now, we will not open our doors to the public until June 1st at the earliest.  At that point in time, we will be limiting the number of patrons allowed in the building.  It is definitely going to be a learning curve to see what my new work normal is going to entail.  I’m looking forward to adapting & rising to the occasion.

» Be Not Far From Me by Mindy McGinnis

As per usual, Mindy McGinnis puts out another harrowing YA book.  I love survival stories, so I enjoyed this story about a girl that has gotten lost in the woods.  Be Not Far From Me was uncomfortable to read at certain points.

» Here in the Real World by Sara Pennypacker

*3.5 Stars*

This was a sweet story about two kids that form a friendship while hanging around an abandoned lot.  The first half of this book didn’t grab me and moved far too slowly.  I enjoyed the second half of this book a lot better than the first half.

» Keeper of Lost Cities (Keeper of the Lost Cities #1) by Shannon Messenger

An awesome MG fantasy!  I cannot wait to continue on with this series.  I’d recommend this to fans of Harry Potter.

» Separation Anxiety by Laura Zigman

*2.75 Stars*

I read this for one of my book clubs.   I think the author was attempting to write a book that would charm readers with eccentric characters & a humorous plotline, but don’t think it delivered.  Instead of being funny, the story felt odd & forced.

» A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry

I think the author did a tremendous job writing a book from a wolf’s perspective.  You can tell the author did extensive research into wolves & their behaviors.  While I think this animal perspective was very well done, I didn’t think the plotline was all that entertaining.

» The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Oz #1) by L. Frank Baum

I’ve decided to challenge myself to read more children’s classics in 2020.   To kick start this challenge, I started with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.  This was a delightful read!  I was surprised to learn that the slippers were actually silver instead of ruby red… mind blown!

» SHOUT by Laurie Halse Anderson

This is a must read for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak.  While you don’t HAVE to read Speak to read SHOUT, I feel like it makes a bigger impact if you read Speak prior to this.  If you didn’t know, SHOUT is Anderson’s memoir told in verse.

» Loveboat, Taipei (Loveboat, Taipei #1) by Abigail Hing Wen

*4.5 Stars*

This is a guilty pleasure type of read.  Actually, it reminded me a bit of Crazy Rich Asians a bit.  It is a tad racy for a YA book… So I’d probably recommend for older YA readers that are 16+

» Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2) by Shannon Messenger

I am LOVING this MG fantasy series.  While these books are a bit chunky, don’t let the page count deter you.  I flew through the first two books in this series this month.  Also, I’m happy to report that this second installment does NOT suffer from “second book syndrome.”

» Nooks & Crannies by Jessica Lawson

Nooks & Crannies is an excellent MG historical mystery.  Some of the elements of this story gave me Matilda mixed with A Series of Unfortunate Events vibes.  The audiobook is well narrated.

» The Penderwicks (The Penderwicks #1) by Jeanne Birdsall

This is the perfect book to pick up during the summer months.  It really gave me modern Little Women crossed with The Secret Garden vibes.  The ending was so heartwarming it almost brought me to tears.

Goodreads Challenge Update: 46 books!

*I know it says 47, but I finished The Last (Endling #1) on May 1st*

March 2020 Reading & Blogging Wrap-Up

April 2020 TBR

Childhood Classics 2020: TBR

Most Anticipated Books of 2020 (May – December)

Mini Book Reviews: April 2020 – Part 1

Mini Book Reviews: April 2020 – Part 2

If you were ever curious what a bookworm’s quarantine stress shopping spree looks like, here you go…

» The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising #1) by Kiersten White

There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl.

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution–send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere’s real name–and her true identity–is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old–including Arthur’s own family–demand things continue as they have been, and the new–those drawn by the dream of Camelot–fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur’s knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.

Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?

» Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly

The story of a deaf girl’s connection to a whale whose song can’t be heard by his species, and the journey she takes to help him.

From fixing the class computer to repairing old radios, twelve-year-old Iris is a tech genius. But she’s the only deaf person in her school, so people often treat her like she’s not very smart. If you’ve ever felt like no one was listening to you, then you know how hard that can be.

When she learns about Blue 55, a real whale who is unable to speak to other whales, Iris understands how he must feel. Then she has an idea: she should invent a way to “sing” to him! But he’s three thousand miles away. How will she play her song for him?

» Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father’s inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty–until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold.

When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk–grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh–Miryem’s fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. Set an impossible challenge by the nameless king, Miryem unwittingly spins a web that draws in a peasant girl, Wanda, and the unhappy daughter of a local lord who plots to wed his child to the dashing young tsar.

But Tsar Mirnatius is not what he seems. And the secret he hides threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and her two unlikely allies embark on a desperate quest that will take them to the limits of sacrifice, power, and love.

Channeling the vibrant heart of myth and fairy tale, Spinning Silver weaves a multilayered, magical tapestry that readers will want to return to again and again.

» Girls Like Us by Randi Pink

Set in the summer of 1972, this moving YA historical novel is narrated by teen girls from different backgrounds with one thing in common: Each girl is dealing with pregnancy. Four teenage girls. Four different stories. What they all have in common is that they’re dealing with unplanned pregnancies.

In rural Georgia, Izella is wise beyond her years, but burdened with the responsibility of her older sister, Ola, who has found out she’s pregnant. Their young neighbor, Missippi, is also pregnant, but doesn’t fully understand the extent of her predicament. When her father sends her to Chicago to give birth, she meets the final narrator, Susan, who is white and the daughter of an anti-choice senator.

Randi Pink masterfully weaves four lives into a larger story – as timely as ever – about a woman’s right to choose her future.

» The Island of the Sea Women by Lisa See

Set on the Korean island of Jeju, The Island of Sea Women follows Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls from very different backgrounds, as they begin working in the sea with their village’s all-female diving collective. Over many decades—through the Japanese colonialism of the 1930s and 1940s, World War II, the Korean War, and the era of cellphones and wet suits for the women divers—Mi-ja and Young-sook develop the closest of bonds. Nevertheless, their differences are impossible to ignore: Mi-ja is the daughter of a Japanese collaborator, forever marking her, and Young-sook was born into a long line of haenyeo and will inherit her mother’s position leading the divers. After hundreds of dives and years of friendship, forces outside their control will push their relationship to the breaking point.

This beautiful, thoughtful novel illuminates a unique and unforgettable culture, one where the women are in charge, engaging in dangerous physical work, and the men take care of the children. A classic Lisa See story—one of women’s friendships and the larger forces that shape them—The Island of Sea Women introduces readers to the fierce female divers of Jeju Island and the dramatic history that shaped their lives.

» The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf

A music-loving teen with OCD does everything she can to find her way back to her mother during the historic race riots in 1969 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in this heart-pounding literary debut.

Melati Ahmad looks like your typical moviegoing, Beatles-obsessed sixteen-year-old. Unlike most other sixteen-year-olds though, Mel also believes that she harbors a djinn inside her, one who threatens her with horrific images of her mother’s death unless she adheres to an elaborate ritual of counting and tapping to keep him satisfied.

But there are things that Melati can’t protect her mother from. On the evening of May 13th, 1969, racial tensions in her home city of Kuala Lumpur boil over. The Chinese and Malays are at war, and Mel and her mother become separated by a city in flames.

With a 24-hour curfew in place and all lines of communication down, it will take the help of a Chinese boy named Vincent and all of the courage and grit in Melati’s arsenal to overcome the violence on the streets, her own prejudices, and her djinn’s surging power to make it back to the one person she can’t risk losing.

» Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai

Nadia’s family is forced to flee their home in Aleppo, Syria, when the Arab Spring sparks a civil war in this timely coming-of-age novel from award-winning author N.H. Senzai.

Silver and gold balloons. A birthday cake covered in pink roses. A new dress.

Nadia stands at the center of attention in her parents’ elegant dining room. This is the best day of my life, she thinks. Everyone is about to sing “Happy Birthday,” when her uncle calls from the living room, “Baba, brothers, you need to see this.” Reluctantly, she follows her family into the other room. On TV, a reporter stands near an overturned vegetable cart on a dusty street. Beside it is a mound of smoldering ashes. The reporter explains that a vegetable vendor in the city of Tunis burned himself alive, protesting corrupt government officials who have been harassing his business. Nadia frowns.

It is December 17, 2010: Nadia’s twelfth birthday and the beginning of the Arab Spring. Soon anti-government protests erupt across the Middle East and, one by one, countries are thrown into turmoil. As civil war flares in Syria and bombs fall across Nadia’s home city of Aleppo, her family decides to flee to safety. Inspired by current events, this novel sheds light on the complicated situation in Syria that has led to an international refugee crisis, and tells the story of one girl’s journey to safety.

» The Two Princesses of Bamarre (The Two Princesses of Bamarre #1) by Gail Carson Levine

Twelve-year-old Addie admires her older sister Meryl, who aspires to rid the kingdom of Bamarre of gryphons, specters, and ogres. Addie, on the other hand, is fearful even of spiders and depends on Meryl for courage and protection. Waving her sword Bloodbiter, the older girl declaims in the garden from the heroic epic of Drualt to a thrilled audience of Addie, their governess, and the young sorcerer Rhys.

But when Meryl falls ill with the dreaded Gray Death, Addie must gather her courage and set off alone on a quest to find the cure and save her beloved sister. Addie takes the seven-league boots and magic spyglass left to her by her mother and the enchanted tablecloth and cloak given to her by Rhys – along with a shy declaration of his love. She prevails in encounters with tricky specters (spiders too) and outwits a wickedly personable dragon in adventures touched with romance and a bittersweet ending.

» The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre (The Two Princesses of Bamarre 0.5) by Gail Carson Levine

In this compelling and thought-provoking fantasy set in the world of The Two Princesses of Bamarre, Newbery Honor-winning author Gail Carson Levine introduces a spirited heroine who must overcome deeply rooted prejudice—including her own—to heal her broken country.

Peregrine strives to be the Latki ideal—and to impress her parents: affectionate Lord Tove, who despises only the Bamarre, and stern Lady Klausine. Perry runs the fastest, speaks her mind, and doesn’t give much thought to the castle’s Bamarre servants, who she knows to be weak and cowardly. The Lakti always wage war, and the battlefield will give her the chance to show her valor.

But just as she’s about to join her father on the front lines, she is visited by the fairy Halina, who reveals that Perry isn’t Latki-born. She is a Bamarre. The fairy issues a daunting challenge: against the Lakti might, free her people from tyranny.

» A Crack in the Sea by H.M. Bouwman

An enchanting historical fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Thanhha Lai’s Newbery Honor-winning Inside Out and Back Again   No one comes to the Second World on purpose. The doorway between worlds opens only when least expected. The Raft King is desperate to change that by finding the doorway that will finally take him and the people of Raftworld back home. To do it, he needs Pip, a young boy with an incredible gift—he can speak to fish; and the Raft King is not above kidnapping to get what he wants. Pip’s sister Kinchen, though, is determined to rescue her brother and foil the Raft King’s plans.   This is but the first of three extraordinary stories that collide on the high seas of the Second World. The second story takes us back to the beginning: Venus and Swimmer are twins captured aboard a slave ship bound for Jamaica in 1781. They save themselves and others from a life of enslavement with a risky, magical plan—one that leads them from the shark-infested waters of the first world to the second. Pip and Kinchen will hear all about them before their own story is said and done. So will Thanh and his sister Sang, who we meet in 1976 on a small boat as they try to escape post-war Vietnam. But after a storm and a pirate attack, they’re not sure they’ll ever see shore again. What brings these three sets of siblings together on an adventure of a lifetime is a little magic, helpful sea monsters and that very special portal, A Crack in the Sea.

» The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing’s will. And though no one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a virtual stranger—and a possible murderer—to inherit his vast fortune, one thing’s for sure: Sam Westing may be dead … but that won’t stop him from playing one last game!

» Ballet Shoes (Shoes #1) by Noel Streatfeild

Pauline, Petrova and Posy are orphans determined to help out their new family by joining the Children’s Academy of Dancing and Stage Training. But when they vow to make a name for themselves, they have no idea it’s going to be such hard work! They launch themselves into the world of show business, complete with working papers, the glare of the spotlight, and practice, practice, practice! Pauline is destined for the movies. Posy is a born dancer. But practical Petrova finds she’d rather pilot a plane than perform a pirouette. Each girl must find the courage to follow her dream.

» Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Trees can’t tell jokes, but they can certainly tell stories. . . .

Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood “wishtree”—people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red’s branches. Along with her crow friend Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red’s hollows, this “wishtree” watches over the neighborhood.

You might say Red has seen it all. Until a new family moves in. Not everyone is welcoming, and Red’s experiences as a wishtree are more important than ever.

» The Library of Ever (The Library of Ever #1) by Zeno Alexander

With her parents off traveling the globe, Lenora is bored, bored, bored–until she discovers a secret doorway in the library and becomes its newly appointed Fourth Assistant Apprentice Librarian.

In her new job, Lenora finds herself helping future civilizations figure out the date, relocates lost penguins, uncovers the city with the longest name on Earth, and more in a quest to help patrons. But there are sinister forces at work that want to destroy all knowledge. To save the library, Lenora will have to test her limits and uncover secrets hidden among its shelves.

» Chains (Seeds of America #1) by Laurie Halse Anderson

As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight…for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom.

From acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson comes this compelling, impeccably researched novel that shows the lengths we can go to cast off our chains, both physical and spiritual.

» The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the forest, Xan, is kind and gentle. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster named Glerk and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, Fyrian. Xan rescues the abandoned children and deliver them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.

One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this enmagicked girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. To keep young Luna safe from her own unwieldy power, Xan locks her magic deep inside her. When Luna approaches her thirteenth birthday, her magic begins to emerge on schedule–but Xan is far away. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Soon, it is up to Luna to protect those who have protected her–even if it means the end of the loving, safe world she’s always known.

The acclaimed author of The Witch’s Boy has created another epic coming-of-age fairy tale destined to become a modern classic. 

Which books did you read in April?

Have you read any of the books I read or hauled this month?  If so, what did you think?

Did you buy any books?  If so, which ones?

Comment below & let me know 🙂

April 2020 Reading & Blogging Wrap-Up + Book Haul #BookBlogger #Bookworm #Bibliophile #BookHaul #Reading #Books #WrapUp Goodbye April & hello May! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel & I'm running toward it...

#Bibliophile #book blog #book blogger #Book Chat #Book Haul #Book Nerd #Book Talk #Book Worm #Bookish #Books #Bookworm #Reading #Wrap Up

[bensdump]

when i land | part 16

in my absence ∶ sm au previous ∵ next

Words: 3,868

∷ ‘’one unemployed cheerful recluse and an animal-loving loner are both somehow twitter famous and mutuals. After a lot of subtweeting and many misunderstandings, they become friends… and confuse the other for the opposite sex,,

∵ back to in my absence masterlist

After three cups of coffee and Jungkook constantly reminding that this was, in fact, real, Hoseok finally believed you were about to walk through the gate he was standing in front of.

He was alone as he impatiently waited to watch a wave of people flood from the gates, desperately wishing you were the last person that came out like in the movies. Jungkook decided to stay in the car because; one, he didn’t want to see them both ‘mushy’; and two, because Hoseok begged him not to. A cluster of azure and indigo was tightly clutched in Hoseok’s hands as he checked if the forget-me-nots were arranged to perfection for the tenth time since he bought them. He apologized in his head to the employee as all he did was rush in, steal the bouquet, slam money onto the counter, and stumble out of the store like he should be worried he would’ve missed you even though he had thirty minutes to kill.

Images and scenarios flashed in front of his eyes, thinking about all the ways he would react when you met eyes for the first time, but Hoseok knew he would find out when you get here. Two things he knew for sure was the whole airport would be filled with his butterflies as they would’ve burst out his stomach and that he would cry. But that’s the one he would rather not think about.

Hoseok smiles sweetly at the flowers, all it took was the thought of you to make him smile now; he could imagine the beautiful pain his cheeks would be feeling after this trip was over. The bittersweet punch in his gut the first time he sees your gorgeous smile face-to-face, hearing your laugh play straight to his ears instead of through a crackly screen sounded like the song he has been missing this whole time, the song he could always dance to.

Shit, he really has it for you already.

Hoseok’s smile disappeared as he thought back to your previous messages, ‘she doesn’t want to date, so I should stop thinking like that if I want to keep talking to her.’ Footsteps and shoes clicking against the floor drag Hoseok back to where he was; he blinks rapidly as if he was waking back up to see the flood gates opening. People running up to family, friends and others walking out by themselves in suits for business or others are just alone. The surge soon became a trickle as Hoseok was still searching for your face with worried eyes.

You were standing behind a tall, incredibly slow man who you had no way of getting past. You huffed in relief when he finally moved aside and joined his family giving you a chance to start searching for Hoseok. It didn’t take long, he was standing right there, bundled up in a coat and scarf, strangling a bunch of familiar flowers in his hand. He was there. He was real. Half of you was expecting to arrive and find out it was elaborate catfishing and get your heart torn out. But this didn’t feel like your heart was being stolen, it felt like it grew twice in size as your legs froze, rooting down into the floor.

Both of you stood there, gazing at one another from a distance and both scared if you took one step it would turn out to be a cruel, sick dream. What shocked you was when Hoseok slapped himself, square across the cheek before saying, “okay, this is real for sure.”

The lack of care and stupidity made you giggle as your legs started moving again, cautiously getting closer before you break out into a small run until you were about a meter away from each other, you could already hear the pounding of his heart; it matched with yours.

“Hey there,” your lips were stretched out as far as they possibly could in a smile as you speak loud enough for him to hear.

Hoseok shook his head, taking a few large steps closer to quickly grab onto you, wrapping his arms around you so tightly your head could’ve popped off. Your reaction was immediate, clinging to him and getting engulfed by his coat and large arms. You could’ve cried, but on the plane, the shaky promise you made to yourself willed you not to. You promised not to: cry, wishfully think, and lead him on to think you wanted to date. You did. You really, really did, but you’ve only just got here and you’re already drained. You’ve spent too many late nights thinking about how you could make things work, make it last, but in the back of your head there was a horrible thought that it wouldn’t make it to next year; you weren’t entirely sure your friendship would last because of the vast space between the both of you. All this flirting, talking of what could be, but each side knowing it would never happen. It was torturous.

But you shook off your plagued worries and enjoyed the moment; enjoyed the fresh scent that was so overwhelming you couldn’t forget; enjoyed the soft lull of Hoseok breathing and the in and out of his chest; enjoyed the fast pounding in your chest which jumped out and connected with his.

“I still can’t believe this,” Hoseok mummers into your neck, lips touching your sensitive skin causing you to whimper and hug him tighter, nodding to distract yourself from how he didn’t lie before; his lips were incredibly soft, “I’m holding you. You’re right here.”

“I know,” your voice only comes out as a small whimper as you try to stop smiling but nothing works. You glance up briefly and the look on Hoseok’s face silenced your loud expressions, clogging a lump in your throat.

Behind his teary eyes was a look; a look you couldn’t capture with a picture. A look that was so intense you were crumbling and felt the dam behind your orbs bursting through with water. The sheer amount of admiration, care, and love behind his eyes was overflowing; you were surprised he didn’t just explode into a pool love. You hoped he could see the same look in your eye; you hoped he could see how much want was in your eyes, but also the reason you stopped yourself from reaching out to touch him.

“Need help with your bags?” Hoseok clears his throat and steps back to look behind you at your case.

“Oh— Yes!” you giggle slightly and hand over your carry-on bag, “here.”

Like a gentleman, Hoseok effortlessly swings the backpack, which you found incredibly difficult, over his shoulder and smiles, “Jungkook is waiting in the car outside.”

With a small nod, you tightly wrap your hand around the handle of your case like you would a baby blanket and follow behind Hoseok. You took the moment to take in his height, the width of his shoulders and the wisps of hair at the back of his neck. You couldn’t process how the back of someone’s head could be so gorgeous.

You weren’t expecting him to turn around so you were rather flustered and tried darting your eyes away, “so y/n, Jungkook told me you had been saving up just to see me?”

The proud smile on his face was adorable but you had some pride. You walked a little faster and pushed his face away, trying to wipe the grin off his face, “don’t get cocky idiot, I did it for your benefit so you didn’t miss me too badly,” you chuckle and refer back to his texts.

Hoseok looked back up and to the airport exit, hiding the pink creeping up on his cheeks, “I was drunk. I was spouting lies,” once you both made it outside there was a sea of people and you felt a tight squeezing on your hand.

“Hoseok—“ you tilt your head up to your side and see a terrified look washed over his face. His face was painted white and you almost forget why he was so scared.

‘Oh shit, I forgot he hates crowds,’ you curse to yourself and squeeze his hand in reassurance to get him to look down at you.

“It’s just me here— what else did you do today?” you keep him distracted and start walking forward; you had no idea where you were going, but if you got through this crowd and Hoseok was still looking at you everything would be fine.

You watched as the colour slowly returned to his face as he recalls his day and repeats it back to you; all of his emotions were shown so clearly it made you giggle as you listened intently.

“Hoseok!” you shot your head in front of you where you heard the voice shouting. By the looks of it, you hoped it was Jungkook as he was waving at the both of you and leaning on a car. You saw Hoseok smiling and waving back so you detected it was indeed Jungkook waving you both over.

“Hello y/n, nice to meet you,” Jungkook grins but it didn’t feel friendly, more mischievous, “so did—?”

“Hoseok did not cry Jungkook,” you lied for his benefit and you giggled as you were dragged towards the car by your hand.

“Put your stuff in the back,” Hoseok helped you lift your suitcase as Jungkook opened the boot for you.

You may enjoy yourself if you were being treated like this for the whole week.

Thursday came quicker than you thought it would, but you know what they say, time flies when you’re having fun.

Neither you nor Hoseok were too bothered about going out and enjoying the city; you came to see him after all. Most of the week was filled with movies and talking. It felt just like when you were talking to him through the screen, but you got to see the movement of his lips, the glint in his eyes, the mesmerizing expression which added to his stories making them more exciting and funny than they were before.

The only person concerned about you two not going out was Jungkook— ‘I can’t believe you came all the way to Seoul and only seen the inside of our apartment and Hoseok’s face’. That didn’t bother you too much, but Hoseok felt bad, offering to take you out Thursday night after he came back from work.

What you weren’t aware of the taunting words Jungkook whispered to Hoseok leading up to the ‘big night’.

“It’s a date.” “No, it’s not.” “Let me say it slower so you understand—“ “It’s not a date!”

So that’s why you were sat in front of the bathroom mirror, trying to finish applying your mascara without smudging black everywhere. Luckily, you were successful and sighed in relief once you screwed the cap on tightly, shoving the bottle into your small makeup bag and zipping it up, “not touching you for another two weeks.”

You chuck the smaller bag into a bigger bag which carried most of your toiletries from toothpaste to skincare, which you rarely even use but carry around to make it look as if you take care of yourself like that. Stepping back, you smooth down your casual button-up dress and check yourself from every angle until you stop, “why am I acting like this is a date?”

You look down at your legs. Shaved. 

You for sure thought this was a date when he asked you.

The slamming of the door makes you jump and dash to the door, peaking your head out to see who was home. Hoseok. He was wearing a black shirt and trousers and your drool was already crawling down your chin.

“You ready?” your speech was as soft as your steps as you opened the door and walked out, looking straight at Hoseok.

He doesn’t look up, putting his shoes back on as he laughs, “are you ready to—?” his hair fluffs as tilts his head to look up at you, but his dumbfounded expression catches you off guard.

You start patting around yourself, looking for what he could be looking at; scared something looked bad on you.

“N—no… you look really nice,” Hoseok stood back up straight, “I’m thinking maybe I should change out of my work clothes?”

You shake your head and grin, walking over and grabbing his shirt, pulling him with you to the door, “no, you look sexy.”

You scream happily which turns into a light giggle as you kick open Hoseok’s bedroom door as you felt an arm around your waist, stopping you from falling back and onto the floor.

To say you had a little to drink would be like saying Hoseok doesn’t stare at your lips every time you talk. It just isn’t true, is it?

“Y/n, Jungkook is asleep, don’t—“ Hoseok whispers at you but his tone felt like a shout as he tried to manoeuvre your wiggling frame to the bed you had been staying in for the past week, but you had stumbled forward, crashing into several loud things, “don’t… be too loud.”

Hands clutched onto your wrists and your skin set on fire knowing who was holding you. No one could stop you laughing and giggling as your drunk self enjoyed the feeling of Hoseok’s soft hands holding you so tightly. You may have stumbled a bit more to keep him holding onto you longer.

“Y/n just—“ Hoseok panicked and harshly pushed you forward so you face planted into the bed, “I’m sorry! I just need you to sleep!”

You didn’t move for a second before turning around and sitting on the edge of the bed, undoing the buttons that go down your flowy dress and whined once you were quickly stopped, “if you want me to sleep I can’t sleep in this!” you drag out the vowels and squeeze your eyes shut. You struggled some more, releasing your hands from Hoseok’s firm grip and quickly undoing the buttons and running away from him like a child who refuses to go to sleep so their answer is to get naked.

“Y/N!” Hoseok actually shouted at you this time as he chased after you, getting a dress chucked back at his face he decided it was time to get forceful.

In a flash he managed to get his shirt off, catching up to you and swinging it in front, wrapping it around so the buttons were at the back and your arms were restricted.

“What the hell! My arms aren’t moving!” you protested sweetly before you felt them carefully being lead through the sleeves and a tugging around your back as Hoseok pushed through the buttons, using his shirt like a straight jacket for you.

Fabric consumed you and his scent was overpowering. You felt yourself already drifting off, imagining your dream to be something amazing as long as Hoseok was in it. Your feet lead the way, stumbling sideways before dropping down onto the bed and desperately crawling under the covers and giggling as you hid from Hoseok.

“Y/n come on, I need to see you sleeping so I—!” he didn’t have time to talk before you reached your hand out and dragged him into the clouds of white and soft sheets.

To say you were disappointed when you saw Hoseok was wearing a plain top under his work shirt was undeniable.

“You have to sleep with me tonight,” you yawned and snuggled into his chest, wrapping your arms around his large frame they almost don’t meet at his back.

“But—!”

“I won’t go to sleep if you’re not with me.”

Hoseok couldn’t say no. How could Hoseok say no to something so convincing?

The morning was just what you expected when you took that first sip after Hoseok offered to buy you a drink at the bar. You knew it would be a bad headache and a weak stomach but you chucked the first glass back anyway. It was like any other hangover expect there was something— squishy?

You shuffled, slowly blinking your eyes open and adjusting as you saw a blur of black turning into fluffy hair and a bright smudge of colour merge into the most beautiful eyes you’ve ever had the pleasure of looking into.

You just hum and keep your arms tightly wrapped around him; maybe it was because there was still the slightest amount of alcohol surging through your system that relaxed you enough to not be freaking out right now, “good morning.”

Hoseok kept his laugh to a minimum, trying not to cause a headache or any more pain if you had one. His low morning voice shone through and listened happily, “good morning, you’re unusually chirpy.”

You could feel his breath hit your cheek, but the smell refused to hit your nose so you were lucky, “I’m always chirpy in the mornings.”

“That’s what I like about you,” Hoseok could list a thousand things he likes about you, but let’s just call this four hundred out of a thousand.

You smile and look down, avoiding his gaze so your cheeks can’t get any warmer. The comfortable silence settled and you don’t think you’ve ever experienced it this sweet before. The sun was shining and you were cuddling with one of your favourite human beings on earth.

“So— you’re leaving tonight aren’t you?”

And it was all crushed into smithereens.

“Wow, Hoseok you really—“

“No! Sorry… I didn’t mean it like that,” Hoseok mumbled, shuffling away so his face was level with yours and extremely close, “I’m dreading it.”

You sigh and close your eyes for a small second, “I’ve enjoyed myself a lot, it feels strange leaving now.”

“Then that means you shouldn’t go,” Hoseok was definitely feeling bold this morning.

Something wrapped tightly around your throat. It must’ve been the pain of not wanting to tell him you have to go; you have a family back there; you have Namjoon back there; you have your apartment back there. Back there was your home and you couldn’t just say that to him; he knew that you couldn’t stay but he wanted to push his luck either way.

“I have to,” you shake your head but that didn’t stop Hoseok from moving closer and placing a hand on your cheek. It was your fault for not stopping him either; you were craving for whatever he was about to do.

“You don’t have to do anything, you can just stay here with me forever,” if you weren’t still waking up you might’ve been sobbing, already packing your bags because getting attached to someone so far away was too heartbreaking for your small body to bare. Hoseok got closer and closer; you felt his infamous —infamous to you— soft lips graze yours and it sent the coldest shiver down your spine.

Nothing seemed to stop him so you let it happen, closing your eyes and letting him close the gap because you wanted a taste no matter how much you denied it in your head.

He was there, he was right fucking there and—

“Y/n, do you know where— oh!” Jungkook bursts through the door rashly with no care to what you were doing —in this case, on the cusp of kissing Hoseok. What if he burst in and you were butt naked?

You softly ducked away when the door’s back hit the wall from the force Jungkook opened it with. He obviously wasn’t expecting to see you cuddled up with Hoseok in bed so he stood there in shock for a second till Hoseok gave him a quick friendly reminder of— “knock next time dickhead,” and glared until Jungkook timidly shut the door. He had just interrupted you two on the cusp so he was infuriated, blood pumping around his body faster than it should’ve.

You, on the other hand, were just embarrassed so you sit up, about to question if you should start packing when you noticed— “why is this shirt on backwards?”

This was it. This was where you sobbed uncontrollably. You felt it on the way to the airport as Hoseok suffocated your hand in his; it was brewing in your stomach and slowly making its way up to your tear ducts. There was no stopping it now. You had to leave him now no matter how hard he clutched onto you and begged you to stay.

“Y/n, can’t you stay for the weekend and get a later flight?” Hoseok kept you in place with his hand in yours; it wasn’t like you wanted to let go either.

“Namjoon is busy this weekend, I can’t leave Ezmeralda on her own Hoseok,” each of you kept saying each other’s names just because hearing your name fall from his lips, with his voice, right in front of you felt like it was feeding your heart. It was greedy and you knew he felt the same. You knew he felt every single feeling you were and that’s why it hurt so much more whenever you looked into his eyes; it was just a reflection of you.

“No,” Hoseok tugged you back in for the fifth hug he’s given you today and chokes up, “y/n do you know what you’re doing to me? You can’t leave, you can’t go. You can’t leave me like this it isn’t fair!”

“You think it’s any easier to leave?” That’s the moment you break when you hear him shatter. You start to sob into his neck, “Do you know how much I want to stay here?”

“Then stay!” he jolts you back, holding onto your shoulders, “just stay with me. I can’t watch you leave— did you know you could die from heartbreak? Because that’s how it feels, it doesn’t feel right for you to leave.”

You couldn’t listen to much of this anymore as it was tearing your heart into tiny, small pieces. You wanted him to shut up, stop talking, stop moving his lips. With one last sniffle, you knew what would keep him quiet, you shake your head before leaning in slowly, softly pressing your lips onto his and moving them gently. The response was instantaneous; hands gripping at the back of your head and your coat, lips moving so in sync with yours you could only describe it as fate.

The pulling away wasn’t really pulling away as Hoseok kept leaning back in, pressing pecks against your lips sloppily till they turned into a full blown kiss again to only repeat the process once more. It only stopped when you stepped away, shaking your head and looking down as you knew looking at his face now means you’ll expect defeat and melt, convincing you to stay when you knew you couldn’t with just his eyes.

“Goodbye Hoseok, I’ll text you when I land,” you rub at your eyes with your sleeve as you turn around and walk away, refusing to look back at him again. Not because it was cliché, but because your whole body would’ve shattered from the pain of looking into the eyes of someone you were abandoning.

#in my absence au #social media au

[amandajoyce118]

Agents of SHIELD S6E06 “Inescapable” Easter Eggs And References

In this week’s episode, Fitz and Simmons find themselves reunited, but sharing a mindspace while the Chronocoms want them to work out time travel. It leads to some unexpectedly therapeutic tracking through old memories.

As usual, there are spoilers. Again, SPOILERS if you haven’t yet watched the episode. You’ve been warned.

Spoilers.

Seriously.

Last warning.

The White Room

This is probably unintentional, and the white room they end up in is likely just meant to look like the blank slate it is, but… it made me think of another white room from Marvel Comics. Specifically, the White Hot Room. That’s the name of the Purgatory like space that the Phoenix Force inhabits pretty often. It’s also where Jean Grey recharges and accesses all of her memories when she and the Phoenix re-merge. It’s just a very striking similarity since Dark Phoenix was just in theaters (and the movie doesn’t use that comic book aspect at all).

Fitz’s Proposal

If Fitz’s proposal sounds familiar, that’s because we’ve heard it before. Last season, when he found Jemma, she couldn’t hear him, but he gave her nearly the exact same speech. (Edited to add: She also answered him the same way he answered her when she proposed last season. Nice. And she knew exactly how his speech would end, which means she must have asked him at some point last season how he proposed when she couldn’t hear him. Also, right before Fitz proposes, you’ll spot his bad hand twitching a bit, a nervous tick Iain has kept using since his season two injury. Love the character consistency.)

Alice In Wonderland

A hole appearing in the white room that Jemma escapes through and Fitz following her into her own childhood bedroom feels like a very intentional nod to going “down the rabbit holt” and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Jemma’s Room

I know I’m going to miss some things in Jemma’s room, but there is so much going on in here. Obviously, the book about her and Fitz, but there’s more. We see she’s a Jane Goodall fan because that photograph features prominently. There are stars on her ceiling, likely a nod to the times she spent studying the stars while recovering from surgery as a kid. She has so many samples on her shelves that I wish I could actually see what they all are. There’s a Winnie the Pooh which doubles as a nod to the Disney parent company and it being one of those very English animated properties (edited to add it is technically Canadian) for kids. Not to mention fellow MCU alum Hayley Atwell starred in Christopher Robin. Right next to Winnie is a Paddington Bear, which is a nice touch. Also, the butterfly painting on her wall that looks like it’s a little mixed media with butterfly pieces on the bottom? That was in Jemma’s Hydra apartment in season two. (I remember that odd detail because I used it in a fic.)

Edited to add that Jemma has a serious thing for butterflies that makes me curious. In addition to the butterfly print from season two, there are framed butterflies on shelves, and sample vials of other butterflies in her collection, and even butterflies on the tea set that she and Fitz have in the white room. I wonder if it’s because they were easy for her to study as a kid, or if she was fascinated by their transformation, or something else. Is that something else, perchance, something to do with Sarge’s Snowflake? She does like to go on about how people become beautiful butterflies after she stabs them. Is this just a weird bit of foreshadowing? Showing a connection between them? Is Snowflake another’s world’s version of Jemma? Oh, that would be weird. But food for thought.

Also edited to add: the book doesn’t just feature Fitz as the prince in the stars and Simmons as the princess looking for him. It also features Mack as a strong bear and Daisy as a quick rabbit, which are interesting choices. I’m assuming it’s them only because they’re the friends they call later in the episode. I mean, it could be that the animals are Daisy and Piper since they went to space together, but that would make Davis the monkey? lol

Cuttlefish

Okay, I’m editing this one in because it struck me, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to include it until I looked up the sea creature. So, I initially thought this was a nod to Jemma talking about fish in the pod at the bottom of the ocean in season one. And maybe it is. But, the cuttlefish is actually from the same taxonomic class as squids... like the symbol for Hydra. Nice nod either way.

Fitz’s Academy Dorm

Hey, Bonus mention of Anne Weaver! I enjoy her. The show should try to get her back for a cameo or two.

Okay, I’ll admit I was too focused on them processing the memory to focus on everything in Fitz’s room, but I did spot that massive Manchester banner. Just a reminder that’s Fitz’s team and Hunter is not a fan, as we learned last season. I might catch more on a rewatch, but feel free to tell me what I missed in both of their rooms.

Edited to add: Fitz is wearing the “same” dark blue hoodie that Jemma wears around the base in season three when she returns from Maveth. It’s not actually the same, but we’re clearly meant to think it’s the same one that fits her because it is far too small for Iain to be wearing it over two more layers of clothing. Also, even before Jemma mentions Fitz being manic, you can actually seen hand drawn monkeys on the wall like what Fitz did in the prison cell. Only a few before they start discussing his state of mind and then show Jemma looking at them on the wall. Also, the tie that Fitz wears when they meet Coulson is hanging on his coat rack.

Side note: I found it interesting, though I loathe the term, that Jemma says she friendzoned Fitz in that scene. That means that Jemma at the Academy must have had some inkling that Fitz had a crush on her. Or, this is just Jemma looking back on it with the benefit of over a decade of experience with Fitz and realizing it. Either way, it confirms that Fitz always thought she was the coolest, even while he was busy arguing with her.

Jemma Needs Therapy

I love that Jemma’s problems locked in a box are an amalgam of all her traumas. (Also, it’s funny to me that she has a little pink safe on her dresser that she could have locked her troubles away in, but instead, it’s the easy to open jewelry box.) This version of Jemma looks like a monster, but she’s wearing her shirt from Maveth and shreds of her Kree-slave attire, carrying the shiv from Maveth, has gold paint on her forehead from her time in the future. (Edited to add: she’s also covered in dirt with a hoarse voice, and I’ve noticed some people think that’s a nod to her emerging from a grave in the Framework, which is a good catch. I thought it was simply to make her look more like a monster, but it makes sense that it’s a nod to what she discovered in the Framework now that I’ve watched the episode again, and this “monster” only emerges after they’re faced with the Doctor.) She’s the embodiment of all the bad things Jemma has gone through, and Fitz is right that she’d be better off with therapy instead of keeping the English stiff upper lip.

Meeting Coulson

The scene where the two of them meet and get recruited by Coulson makes me wonder if it happened immediately before we meet them in the pilot episode. Why? Because they’re wearing their pilot episode clothes, though the hair, of course, is not exactly accurate. (Edited to add: Simmons telling Fitz, “yes, I’ve heard the stories, don’t be weird” is a nod to Coulson’s death being on record. They weren’t at a high enough clearance level to actual know he was alive.)

Edited to add: can we talk about how significant it is that Fitz “fights” the demon version of Jemma on the part of the quinjet where he first thought he was going to lose Jemma? It’s where he couldn’t get his parachute on in “FZZT” and Ward went to save her instead. I just found that location choice interesting. It’s not the bus from season one. It’s definitely an updated quinjet, probably because they don’t have the same exact set pieces anymore, but it looks strikingly similar. Demon-demon asking Fitz if his lungs or bones will go first? That’s a nod to the scene of she and Daisy torturing an alien this season when they were looking for Fitz. Clearly, though she saw the intimidation and torture as necessary, it left it’s mark on her.

Also, I didn’t mention in when I initially posted this, but I think them choosing Daisy and Mack to save them speaks more to how they view them than just what cast was available. We’ve seen Hunter literally pull Fitz out of prison, yet he chooses Mack to save him from Jemma. Why? I feel like he might trust Mack with Jemma’s trauma more than he trusts Hunter. Because Mack was there for most of it, and because Mack was there for his own recovery in season two before he became closer to Hunter. Likewise, Jemma calling Daisy and not May, or Elena? That’s because Daisy has had her back for a year in space. She’s seen Daisy literally take out an entire room of badguys while drugged up on puffies, so of course, Daisy is her first choice. Daisy has also already had the Doctor in her own head when Fitz had his psychotic break last season, so it’s a bit of symmetry there too.

Trapped In A Pod

Okay, so it’s sweet that they realize they don’t just have to rely on one another and call Daisy and Mack for backup against the dark parts of their minds. I enjoy that, as well as the symmetry of them both getting to see each other’s worst parts. What I really love here though is that this is the angrier version of the season one pod scene. The two of them run away from their troubles only to be trapped together in an enclosed space, yet again, to yell at one another about all the things they haven’t had the chance to argue about before. Watching the scene, I literally said that the only thing that would make it better would be if it was actually at the bottom of the ocean. Of course, they realized that and it filled with water. Of course. The arguing in the middle of the water, just as it did in season one, leads to their confessing their feelings. It’s a lovely, symmetrical, story of their relationship, this episode.

That Makeout

Leopold and Demon Jemma going at it while Fitz and Simmons argue? This just further proves that all that bantering in the early seasons was really foreplay, right?

That’s all I’ve got, for now. I’m sure I missed some things just because of the nature of the episode. It’s taking us on a walk through memories, some we’ve seen, so there are likely more that are harder to spot. Let me know what I missed!

#agents of shield #aos season 6 #aos spoilers #aos easter eggs #fitzsimmons

[mybloodhoundfoundabody]

4 vivid dreams in 1 night

night of 4.1.19 I sat up in a bright, white place. It was a lab underwater and had clear tubes running through it with sea life swimming casually through them. I'm talking about tubes big enough to allow even whale sharks through the tubes easily. This place was massive.

In my dream I figured I was possibly re kidnapped by my “creator”, and put back in this lab. I'm not so sure, but I was really important for something and was definitely needed for something going on in the world at that time. I knew that much, and I also knew that I was not human. But my "creator" or whoever it was that put me in this lab became crazy, locked me away, and put bugs (computer viruses) in me so that I couldn't work properly. But I needed and had to find a way out. I'm wandering around the lab almost annoyed at how damn bright and shiny everything is. There are other subjects floating in human-sized glass tanks. All of a sudden I get these weird messages in my message system from a girl somewhere who is a developer or a coder/hacker or some shit who wants to help me. And she can do it by connecting herself to me via wires, bc I guess she was part machine, too? Idk. So she ends up getting herself to me in this deep underwater lab that I feel like was in some very snowy place. My mind goes to Russia. The end of the dream was like a completely laid out anime proposal. There was even a "scene" in my dream where I saw the picture (artwork) that would be used to represent the movie or show. It was a light blue backdrop with various sea animals in the background swimming through the tubes in a very white lab. In the foreground, a girl with light pink hair sits on top of a boy (innocently) while he's laying down, and they have lots of wires connected to each other.

This next dream was recurring. I've had it once before I believe, but I think this was the first time my conscious self could really account for it. I was friends with Eminem. The dream started with us casually riding in a (red) sports car to a club that was kinda in the middle of nowhere in some small town he knew. Driving down this long dirt road surrounded by woods, I felt a little uneasy. We get to the end of the road to the bar and get out the car when these guys come out of nowhere and try to mug us. Like 10 of them. We manage to get back in his car and drive off into the long stretch of road leading to the club. As we are riding away, we are shot from somewhere within the foggy/humid woods. I took a bullet to my leg. The bullet didn’t really hurt because of my adrenaline at the time, but I knew that I had been hit. A few bullets sprayed the car, and fucked it up. We had get out and run through the woods. Em and I stumble upon this creepy little cabin built with stone and worn wood that was also covered in moss. It was crooked and lazily built. It sort of looked almost fantasy-like. When we knock on it an old monk answers it and rushes us in. He sort of reminds me of that short old scientist in The Neverending Story. The cabin itself was dark, cold, and only lit by candles. It smelled wet. The stone walls looked damp. It smelled of pot roast and he was indeed cooking something over a low fire in a large iron pot. He starts telling us all this lore of the woods we were in and that those people chasing us were actually dead and brought back to life. As he tells us about the living dead he starts gathering what I assume are medical supplies for me. He ushers me on a cold stone table. As I lay down I look out the window. I could slowly see the dead coming towards the cabin being illuminated by a full moon. However, because it was a religious place of "sanctuary" we were told they wouldn't be able to get within 50 feet of the cabin and would not attempt to harm us.

Next dream. I was at my friend Sara's house who I hadn't seen in a while. Her mom made us this really weird jello shot with a baby stingray inside that was good for you to eat. But the poor thing was still alive. And there was just no way I was going to eat it. But my friend Sara did. She ate all but the "underdeveloped tail" which, I remember poking in my dream. It left little pricklies in my finger. Then, this guy Michael that I used to know showed up to her house, and I fought him. I kept punching him over and over. He would hit me back, just not very hard. It was a very brief fight.

My dream then kind of "switched" again to where my friend Amanda invited me to a football game, but after the game I would have to ride a bike back home for some reason. I don't have a bike IRL, just a car, and I remember in my dream asking her, "Do I even have a bike?" It was supposed to rain, and I was really anxious about having to bike home in the dark at night so far away, because there are several bad ghettos between my home and hers. But I ended up calling my sister to drop my car off with her friend. So I go to Amanda's house. There was lots of her family and family friends there as well as a little basset hound. I hung out and conversed with mutual friends. A medic randomly helicopter landed near Amanda's house. One man had a toddler in his arms and was showing him the helicopter in the air, pointing to it and talking to the little boy about it. The guy next door had like two baby deers he was caring for outside (i saw them while pulling into Amanda’s house and did a double-take) This dream was so vivid that I could even make out the three men in the back of that emergency helicopter as well as each of their outfits. So we all leave for the football game. The traffic was really bad, and I tried to get over in some lane, but my fat-ass Charger clipped some girl on a motorcycle. Or maybe she clipped me. I wasn't going to stop to give her my info at first tbh. But I decided to and just followed her to the local high school where she apparently worked. I walk into the school, follow her to her office (idk if she actually knew I was following her or not), and then maybe a minute or so after she gets in her office I walked in after her. It was wood-paneled and very substantial looking. I walked to the desk, set down a note with my info on it and told her I was sorry. There was about 5 other really attractive biker girls in the room. One of them grabbed my shirt and was asking me all these weird questions and then the rest started taking out switch blades, bats, and thick chains.

Then I woke up. And I am utterly exhausted. Honestly tho the first dream and the last dream were both nice to have at least because all my dreams are usually horrible with me being chased or hiding.

#dreams #vivid dreams

[summeroftim]

I tried something different and wrote a short story. I don’t know how I feel about it but you can read it if you’d like.

 Toby opened his eyes. He lay in bed and gently waited for the room to come into focus around him. He reached blindly over the side of his bed, searching for his phone on the ground. His eyes squinted as they adjusted to the white light of the screen. He scrolled through various social media accounts, both relieved and disappointed that he had no messages to reply to. He slowly got out of his bed, which was just the tiniest bit too low to the ground to do so comfortably. He threw his phone onto one of his pillows, where it made a small slapping sound as the flip case snapped open and shut. He didn’t make his bed.    

 Toby got ready in silence. The flat was dark but he didn’t mind. There was something intensely romantic to him about waking up in the darkness of the early morning, and allowing the rooms and spaces of his life to slowly illuminate with natural light. He enjoyed the simple rituals that the morning brought with it. He boiled water, and spooned ground coffee into his french press. He retrieved a white mug from the cupboard, and waited for the coffee to brew. He relished these daily pleasures that made him feel intensely human. Sunlight started to filter in through the window, highlighting the tiny dust particles that swam around the room and melted into the steam rising from his coffee mug. Toby didn’t eat breakfast. He wandered around the flat, taking the white coffee mug with him as he brushed his teeth and dressed himself. He rinsed the mug and placed it in the sink before he left. He stepped outside and locked the door behind him. Soon it would be autumn, and droplets of condensation would cling to the fly-screen door in the early morning chill. As he walked towards the train station, he was greeted by a familiar face. The grey cat trotted alongside Toby on top of a small, brick fence next to the sidewalk. Toby had a reasonably good idea of who owned the cat, but it was universally accepted that it belonged to the neighbourhood. The cat would often wait at Toby’s door and soak in the sun. Occasionally, it would even come inside and inspect the contents of the flat. Sticking its nose into every corner of every room with the unabashed curiosity seen only in animals and very young children. Toby knew for a fact that the cat did this to several houses along the street. Toby didn’t know the cat’s actual name, so he called it Elvis.

 Toby arrived at the train station and shuffled down to one end of the platform. He watched as people slowly filled the space around him, their heads bowed over phones and tablets. A few people read books. He always tried to catch a glimpse of what books people were reading. Sometimes he’d see people with books that he himself had read and enjoyed. He always wanted to talk to those people, but he never did. The train pulled in and Toby found a seat. He could hear the blare of music coming through cheap headphones somewhere further down the carriage. A man opposite him swore softly as liquid dribbled out of his traveler mug and left a stain on his pink tie.

 Co-workers uttered suffocated greetings as Toby trudged into his hazy office block. A mountain of paperwork jeered at him as he sat down and robotically turned on his computer. He scratched the back of his neck with his thin, stubborn fingers and sighed as he dissolved into the routines of his workplace. This was more or less a standard day for Toby. As was usually the case, he decided to leave the office at lunch. He sunk his teeth into a very tired sandwich and listened to the rhythm of shoes clicking on the pavement around him as he sat on a bench a few blocks down from the building where he worked. He came back to the office a little earlier than he had to, and chatted with Christine and David. He liked them both very much. Toby often felt like he was simply a worker bee. A drone, making up part of a bigger hive, indistinguishable from everyone else in the office space. But every so often he’d share a moment with his colleagues and would realise that such simplifications were untrue and served no purpose. When they left the office that evening, Christine would go and play pick up football in the gardens for an hour or so, and David would swing by the florist where his mother worked before going home. Under the light of the office everything seemed washed with grey, but Toby knew that there was colour there, too.

 The next day started much the same as the previous one had. Toby left his sheets and pillows in a scuffled heap on the bed as his coffee brewed in the kitchen. Elvis watched him from across the street as he walked towards the station. Toby got off the train at the central hub and walked towards his office building. Suddenly, however, he was stopped by an unknown force. He was struck by an intense and overwhelming desire to never go to that building ever again. He hastily made his way off the street, gesturing apologetically to the people who he had stopped in front of. He wrote an email on his phone and sent it to the office explaining that he was taking a personal day. He preferred to send an email and not to call, since he always thought he could feel people judging the sound and tone of his voice over the phone whenever he took a day off. His heart was thumping under his shirt and his mind buzzed as he walked aimlessly around the city streets. He ducked into a nearby cafe to compose himself. He sat and nursed a coffee for longer than it stayed warm. He watched people line up for their drinks and go about their days, and it made him think of the time he had spent traveling in his early twenties. He had enjoyed very little about Paris. At the time, he had wanted simply to explore, but the city had felt dirty and unwelcoming. One thing he did remember fondly, however, was watching the people of the city. Many of the cafes there had tables which faced outwards towards the Parisian streets, so one could watch the people and the traffic amble by. Toby had liked to fill in their stories in his head. It made him feel connected to something larger than himself.

 Midday came and passed and Toby decided to take the 109 tram to Port Melbourne. He got off at the last stop and made his way to the beach. He passed a few bars on the way there, all of them filled with businessmen and woman sharing drinks over their Friday meetings. There were a lot of salmon shirts and tinted sunglasses. The sky was swirling overhead as Toby approached the beach. It had been a nice morning, but in typical Melbourne fashion a cloud cover had rolled in and only a few, brave people walked along the shoreline. Toby zipped up his jacket, and took off his shoes and socks. He rolled his pants up above his ankles before jumping down and sinking his toes deep into the sand.

“Swim it off,” his father had often said to him when he was younger. Toby’s father had believed that just about anything could be remedied by the sea. That the ocean’s waves could nurse back to health even the most feverish of minds. Toby’s father had been a tall man, and a champion swimmer in his youth. After Toby had been born, his father had brought his family to the sea. There they had remained for a time, growing idle in a small, sun-washed town near the Prom. As a boy, Toby had always swum between the flags, despite his father telling him he could do whatever he wanted. There had been many occasions where Toby’s father had stood on the shoreline watching his son in the ocean, urging him further and further onwards. As if in some vain hope that the ocean would adopt the boy as its own, lifting the burden of fatherhood from his shoulders and allowing him to swim freely once more.

 “Swim it off.” The words echoed in Toby’s memory as he wound his way along the shoreline. The scathing ocean air filled his nostrils as he thought of the beach-side home of his childhood. A decade has passed since he had left it in search of a future in the languid laneways of industry. Australians shared a rich connection to the land and to the sea but Toby couldn’t help but feel apart from it. He felt like he didn’t belong in his own country sometimes. He strode along the shoreline and didn’t think about his father anymore. He kicked aside small shells and washed up cuttlebones, leaving their broken remains to rest alongside the deep footprints he made in the sand as they curved away into the distance behind him. He walked upwards away from the tideline where the sand wasn’t so wet and sat down, linking his arms across his knees. He watched the small waves roll in and out. “What am I doing?” He whispered softly underneath his breath. He pressed his palms forcibly into his eyes and slowly dragged his fingers down his face. They passed over his patchy stubble and pulled at his skin before they came to meet each other under his chin. “This isn’t me,” he murmured. He wasn’t speaking to anyone other than himself, but by saying the words out loud he gave them power. He stood up and slapped the sand off his clothes. His mood had turned for a second time that day. He had spent the morning away from the office because he had been flooded by a sense of dread that he didn’t fully understand. Now, however, as he made his way back along the beach, he felt a sense of power creeping through his body. His feet sunk into the sand with every stride, and he felt the small rocks and individual granules rub between his toes. Eventually, he returned to the pavement where he had started from, and methodically put on his socks and thick-soled shoes. He considered briefly going in to the office, as it was only 3:00 pm, but decided against it. He had taken the day off, after all, and he was going to use the rest of the afternoon to do something indulgent and unnecessary. Twenty minutes later he stumbled down the steps of the 109 tram near King Street, and headed towards the aquarium.

 Toby paid his admission and made his way down a dark, blue hallway. The school day was done, and any excursions were well finished by now. There were a few tourists and families, but for the most part Toby saw very few people as he made his way through the watery corridors. He tried to stop and absorb every display and exhibit that he passed. In particular, he loved the information panels on the creatures found only in the deepest parts of the ocean. He read of fish whose eyes looked outwards from inside translucent bodies, as well as biologically immortal jellyfish that cycled continually through different stages of sexual maturity. He shuddered briefly as he imagined floating in the depths of the sea, never experiencing natural light for all eternity. Hearing footsteps, he looked up from the information panel and noticed a woman, probably in her late twenties and maybe a couple of years younger than he was. She was wearing a cardigan over a blue shirt. Her hair was either black or dark brown, Toby couldn’t tell under the dim, atmospheric lighting of the deep sea exhibition, and she wore it in a messy bun. She flashed a very brief smile towards him, before moving back down the corridor from where Toby had entered the room. Suddenly slightly embarrassed at being at the aquarium by himself, Toby moved on towards the big, central display room.

 Toby looked upwards as he entered the glass hallway. The entire walkway was in the middle of a colossal underwater habitat. Completely enclosed by water on all sides, Toby watched as a manta ray settled on the roof of the walkway, its white underbelly directly over his head. He continued along the corridor to the central room, from which several other corridors branched off. There was a large bench in the middle of the room. Toby sat down and looked at the watery world that surrounded him. The lights in the room bounced off the water and threw distorted patterns over every surface. Waves of dim, yellow light danced down Toby’s face. After a time, he stood up and walked closer to the giant glass wall. A huge bank of coral towered above him. Anemones were scattered up and down its face. Small fish darted in and out between them, while bigger fish floated aimlessly nearby. Tiny shrimp scuttled around the floor of the giant tank. In the distance, a nurse shark glided noiselessly as it patrolled the enclosure. Toby’s focus constantly shifted. He found himself looking at each fish in turn, down to their smallest detail, before expanding his vision and observing each of them as part of their larger ecosystem. He didn’t know which view was more beautiful.

 Suddenly, Toby became aware that he was no longer alone in the room. The young woman with the messy bun who he had seen earlier stood not far from where he was. Toby noticed that she was quite tall. Aware that he was looking at her, she turned to him and said “Don’t worry. I’m not following you, I work here.” She flashed the same, small smile she had earlier, and tapped a faded plastic name tag pinned to her shirt. Toby couldn’t read what it said in the soft lighting. Slightly embarrassed and taken aback, he let out a half laugh before turning back to the glass wall of the tank. She watched him for a short moment before turning to walk away down one of the various corridors that extended from the central room. As she turned, Toby called out to her, “can I ask you a question?” “Of course you can,” she replied, as she swivelled around to face him. “In this big tank,” Toby gestured to the room around him, “with all these fish, what stops them eating each other?” “Well,” she said, considering the rest of her answer, “a lot of careful thought and planning goes into an exhibit like this. Most of the fish in here are what we call ‘off-diet’ to the bigger inhabitants, which means that they are species that the predators wouldn’t normally eat. More than that, though, is that the sharks you see in here are very lazy, and we keep them well fed. If a shark doesn’t have to expend energy to eat, it won’t.” Toby nodded thoughtfully and walked right up the glass wall, so close that his face was nearly pressed against it. His eyes locked onto two, tiny purple fish that danced together around the coral bank. They had flashes of bright yellow under their fins. Toby inhaled and turned again to the young woman but she had left to pursue her other duties. Toby inched his phone out of his pocket and saw that it was nearly 6:00 pm. He made his way through the rest of the aquarium exhibits and headed home. He didn’t see Elvis anywhere along the street as he walked to his flat but he didn’t mind. He turned the key and let the weight of the day flood over him.

 The next morning came, and Toby slowly stirred to life. He had slept deeply and quietly. After a brief moment of confusion he realised that it was Saturday, and that he didn’t need to be anywhere. Still in bed, he propped up his pillows and sat upright. He thought of the aquarium, of the young woman, and of the purple fish. He reached down to one side of the bed in search of where his phone should have been before he realised that it wasn’t there. He looked across the room and saw that it was still in the pocket of his pants, which he had hastily slung over his desk the previous night. Toby groaned slightly before getting out bed and extracting his phone. He opened up Google, entered a search for “purple fish with yellow fins,” and swiped across to the image section. He scrolled for a time but failed to find anything that matched the fish that he had seen the previous day. He began to think that perhaps he was misremembering what the fish had looked like. After a while he gave up, and placed his phone down on his desk. He went to the kitchen and put some coffee on to brew. While he waited, Toby returned to his bedroom and fluffed the pillows on his bed. He placed them neatly on top of each other, and pulled the sheets up high.

[houseofswords]

Gael Fletcher

Theme song / Theme song (fallen) / Moodboard / Moodboard (fallen)

Divinity: Gelahran (songs, navigation, tracking, the cardinal directions, patron of the lost and forgotten)

 

BASIC INFORMATION

Full name: Gael Morrigan Fletcher Gender: Male Age: 33 when he disappeared and hasn’t gotten any older since Birthday: 11th January

Myers-Briggs: ENFP Zodiac: Capricorn Tarot card: Five of Cups

Nationality: American Birthplace: Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Sexuality: Homosexual Relationship status: Why can’t things go back to how they were?

Occupation: ‘Ghost’ (previously: theatre actor, ballet dancer)

 

APPEARANCE

Height: 5’7” Weight: 140lbs

Hair: Light brown and soft, shoulder-length, usually tied back into ponytail or messy bun. Eye colour: White-blue

Physical characteristics: He’s built like a whip—slender, wiry and surprisingly muscular. Strongly resembles his son, Ash, with a similar youthful, heart-shaped face. His eyes are almond-shaped and sultry and he has full, pink lips. His fingers are long and thin. Other traits: Pierced tongue and bellybutton, with a silver stud in each, as well as a piercing in each ear. Tattoos: Two geometric tattoos encircling his arms, one on his right bicep and the other on his left wrist.

Clothes: Typically a tee or baseball shirt with jeans or capris. He likes plaid flannels in cooler weather. Wears a pendant on a cord around his neck, a crystal Ash found which is the same colour as their eyes, and likes crystal bracelets too. Often goes barefoot.

 

TRAITS

Personality: A cheerful, kindhearted soul with a knack for making people feel better about themselves, he goes out of his way to lend support and comfort to those who need it. He’s highly sympathetic and easily connects with and understands the feelings of others. Easily excitable and amused by the smallest things, he always finds something interesting to look at in the world around him, whether he’s out on the beach or sitting in a waiting room. His childlike enthusiasm and fondness for pranks, however, hides an old soul burdened with wisdom and stories.

Motives: Gael only ever wanted to be happy. To settle down with his family and just… live, until the end of his days. He put too much faith in whispered promises that everything would be alright. But now there is no end, and things seem ever more out of his reach. He can’t deny what he did or what he has become—looking in the mirror every day reminds him of that.

Values: No one is perfect. He tried to be, once upon a time, and it only ended in misery. But it’s these mistakes that make us human, and he’d like to think that there’s still a little human in him somewhere. He wants to be for others what they were for him once, a support, a rock to hold onto in rough seas, and maybe they won’t slip beneath the waves the way he did. He believes that everyone deserves forgiveness, a second chance—and hopes that he does, too.

Fears: Cleithrophobic, dislikes being shut in and unable to go where he pleases, uncomfortable with shut doors and being restrained. But the only thing that truly terrifies him is the thought of losing Ash.

Weaknesses: Despite his travels and experience, Gael is far too trusting and believes that everyone is capable of good if given the support they need. He doesn’t really expect that anyone has a reason to hurt him, as he has little of material worth to give. The existence of evil is a visceral shock to him and he tries to ignore it until his next painful reminder.

Quirks: Often sings or hums to himself under his breath while focused on something, not always in English or in any recognisable language at all. Likes to climb things he’s not supposed to, will start to fidget when bored.

 

STRENGTHS AND SKILLS

Skills: Extremely fit and stronger than he looks, a professionally trained ballet dancer with countless routines committed to memory. Has a remarkable talent for getting what he wants with words alone. Slippery, charming, and very good at getting into places and things (and people) he’s not supposed to. He learned to pick locks while on one of his many overseas adventures.

Hobbies: Singing along to music when doing housework or cooking, and dancing when he isn’t. If he’s moving and making noise, he’s happy. Going for walks in parks just to find fun new things to climb, where he can sit and watch the clouds go by, or staying home and baking just for fun.

Powers: — Innate sense of direction, always knows where he is, where to go and how to get there. If something is lost, he knows where to find it. — He is able to pull people into the spaces between spaces, to take them where they need to (or where he wants them to) go. Walls are no barrier in this state, nor is distance. — Able to put people into a suggestive state, or an outright trance. — He shows a certain degree of control over wind currents and magnetism. The weather shifts with his mood, and a thick fog rolls in from the sea when he wills it. Compasses spin wildly in his presence. — He always seems to have the right tool for the situation, and small lost objects appear in his pockets with startling regularity. They disappear when he puts them back in his pocket.

 

OTHER FACTS

Favourite music: Musicals and Disney songs. Favourites include Hot Patootie, Footloose, Summer Nights, Bells of Notre Dame, etc. Favourite films: Rocky Horror Picture Show, West Side Story, Grease, anything from the Disney Renaissance, Little Shop of Horrors, The Sound of Music Favourite food: Cake, macarons, anything with apples but especially apple pie, noodles, food from around the world—he’ll try anything once. Favourite animal: Dogs Favourite colour: Lilac Likes: Roadtrips with friends, walking barefoot on grass and on the beach, the smell of rain, kids, singing loudly and without shame Dislikes: People who trample in his garden, when people talk themselves down, the smell of liquorice, hot and dry weather

Misc. info: He and Mike were in a committed relationship before his death. Things are different now, but they’re figuring it out. Gael wasn’t religious per se, but did come from a neo-pagan family—hence his odd name.

[surveysonfleek]

497.

5000 Question Survey Pt. 25

2301. Who is the hottest celebrity you can think of? i honestly don’t have many celeb crushes anymore. 2302. Have you ever been to the following diaries(on opendiary.com)? If yes, what do you think..if no, then based on the name, does it sound interesting to you? Hicks: Shukhevych: Cinderella: Oliver: A tinfoil valentine: Burning River: joebeginswithajay: i hate these questions. 2303. Do you ever get so nervous that you can't even think? opposite actually. i’ll get so nervous that all i’ll do is overthink. 2304. Do you sing when there is no music? not often.

2305. Would you rather cast a spell or say a prayer? say a prayer. don’t wna fuck with the supernatural. 2306. Why does the US dollar bill have a pyramid on it? no idea. 2307. Who was the best political leader in history and why? tbh i don’t have enough knowledge to answer this. 2308. What was the first sex toy you ever used? haha who knows. i’m sure people got creative. 2309. If you hated a book, would you burn it? no. 2310. What are your feelings about pornography? i don’t really watch it. some of it can be really demeaning to women, but as long as all actors are consenting, getting paid well and are safe then whatever. 2311. What are your feelings about people who are against pornogrophy? that’s cool, i respect everyone’s opinion. 2312. If you could dance with anyone in the world right now, who would it be and what song would you dance to? my boyfriend. we’d milly rock hahaha. 2313. What is your favorite flavor of schnapps? butterscotch. 2314. Finish this sentence your own way. There are two types of people in the world... those who do surveys, and those who don’t. 2315. What have you saved since elementary school? a lot of my awards funnily enough. 2316. Have you ever won an award? yes. 2317. Are you more: good or evil? good. wise or foolish? foolish. safe or dangerous? safe. satisfied or envious? envious. honest or decietful? honest. faithful or perfidious? faithful. sane or mad? sane. strong or weak? weak. enigmatic or plain? plain. aggressive or peaceful? in between. brave or timid? timid. humane or cruel? humane. critical or appreciative? appreciative. temperamental or calm? calm. sad or happy? happy. normal or unusual? normal. 2318. How do you feel about Terri Schiavo? who? 2319. Do you feel more connected to the sun or the moon? sun. 2320. Do flaws make people interesting to you? not all of them. 2321. Who is your favorite historical figure? frida kahlo. 2322. White bread or wheat bread? white. 2323. Would you rather never have sex again or have sex once with a walrus? ummm. not sure.. 2324. Would you rather sky dive or deep sea dive? maybe deep sea tbh. i’d hate to do either though. 2325. What is the kinkiest thing you've ever done? done it in public. 2326. What is your favorite pick-up line? i hate pick up lines. 2327. Do you usually do things fast or right? if i know how to do it well, i’ll do it fast. 2328. What will the most common halloween costume be this year? it was eleven this year. 2329. What was it last year? harley quinn. 2330. Is love a choice or something that can't be helped? both. but once you’re in love it’s hard to get out of it. 2331. What is your preferred method of birth control? the pill. 2332. Is there someone you see everyday (or sometimes) that you would like to hug and talk to but you just don't know them well enough? no lol. 2333. Are you or have you ever been in a band? no. 2334. Here are 4 statements about me. Only one of them is true. Which one is it? a. I lost my mind doing drugs. b. I've been arrested before. c. I have 9 cats. <---- this. d. I have a children's book published. 2335. What do you think of the smashing pumpkins? nothing. 2336. Would you wear a thong bathing suit in public? nooo. 2337. Hello I love you won't you tell me your name? no. 2338. If you had to be surgically attached at the hip for two years to either Britney Spears, George W. Bush or an ugly creepy troublesome but nice troll, who would you pick and why? britney because why not. 2339. Let's assume that there is a "meaning of life," a reason for humans to be here on this planet. Would you give up both of your legs and one of your arms if it would mean everyone else would learn the meaning of life? no. the mystery of it is better. 2340. If you could meet God and talk to him for 5 hours, -or- find out whether or not there is intelligent life on other planets and make contact with them, which would you pick and why? (Note: If you meet God, you will never find out if there is intelligent life on other planets, so you can't ask God if aliens exist. Also, you would get no proof that you had talked to him or her. And finally, if God doesn't exist then you don't get to meet him or her!). i’d find out whether or not there’s intelligent life on other planets. i don’t want to choose god and then find out he never existed. 2341. Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, or the Breakfast Club? breakfast club. 2342. Before you read this question, pick a person from your life, any person. (You have to be thinking about someone before you continue!). Would you rather have the ability to watch that person for one hour per day, or would you rather have that person watch you for one hour per day? Who is it and why? (you pick the hour - they don't know that they are being watched - it's like there are invisible TV cameras following them around)? i’d rather watch my boyfriend for an hour a day. i like my privacy. 2343. Would you rather be guaranteed to have your dream job or never be heartbroken? i’d rather take my dream job with the possibility of getting heart broken. 2344. Have you thought about death today? no. 2345. What is your favorite breakfast? a big breakfast. eggs, bacon, hash browns, pancakes. 2346. What is your favorite classic movie? sound of music. 2347. Gold or silver eyeshadow? gold. 2348. Are you the life of the party? no. 2349. Do you wish you were? no. 2350. Sdrawkcab daer uoy nac? yes. 2351. If you realize that a student at your school or a colleague from your job has plagiarised part of their work from the internet. What do you do? i’d approach them first to discuss it. 2352. What does your computer look like when you aren't looking at it?? idk. 2353. If you aren't looking at it, how do you know it's still there when your back is turned? i wouldn’t know. 2354. If you hit an animal with your car would you get out to try and make sure it was okay? it depends what animal tbh. i’d be wary about getting out if it was a predatory wild animal. 2355. If it was someone's cat (collared with address) would you knock on their door and appologize for hitting the cat? yes. 2356. How do you feel about the people who are teased in high school suing the bullies who teased them for emotional damage? that’s cool. i didn’t know it was a thing. 2357. Do you have an interest in any of the following: guns: explosives: marilyn manson: trench coats: the mafia: death: satanism: nazis: that doom game: none of these. 2358. Do you believe that people live in their own worlds or realities or do you think we all share the same world/reality? i’m sure there’s people out there that live their own reality. 2359. Do you believe that Nazism was a characteristically German thing, or do you think a similar type of government could spring up in any country? not sure. 2360. Is your diary in the internet archive wayback machine (http://www.archive.org/web/web.php)? idk. 2361. When do you get your most peaceful and satisfying sleep? when i’m really tired and it’s dark and quiet af. 2362. What thought gets you out of bed in the morning? if i have something important to do. 2363. Do you get along better with guys or girls (as friends)? it honestly depends on one’s personality. 2364. What does tx81z stand for? no clue. 2365. How many points is the letter Z worth in Scrabble? 8 or 10? i forgot. 2366. In poker, which hand is better: four of a kind or a straight? four of a kind.  2367. What is the official language of Australia? english. 2368. On what continent would you find British Columbia? north america. 2369. Have you been to homestarrunner.com? no. 2370. What promise could you never keep? something that meant life or death. 2371. No cat has 8 tails. Every cat has one tail more than no cat. How many tails does every cat have? one. 2372. What are you a member of? my work’s union lol. 2373. If you and your mate were stranded at sea on a scuba diving trip like in the movie Open Water, how would you survive? fml no idea, best thing to do is keep swimming until we see land. 2374. Do you feel confident that you would know what to do under emergency circumstances? not at all. 2375. Have you ever been stood up? i don’t think so. i’ve been flaked on but i’ve never been somewhere waiting for someone and they never showed. 2376. Use a simile to describe yourself. cbf. 2377. Good. Now use a metaphor. no. 2378. Have you ever had an unusual piercing? nope. 2379. Have you ever experienced culture shock? nope. 2380. Imagine you were trapped in one of the world trade center towers on 9/11/01. Who would you call and what would you say to them in those last few minutes? definitely my mum or dad. 2381. Do you ever go to school or work when you feel like you do not look your best?? yes. 2382. Does doing this effect your whole day? not really. 2383. What was the last movie you watched and what did you learn from it? i forgot. 2384. Do you believe that everyone who doesn't believe in your religion is going to hell? nope. 2385. What is the best thing about winter? cuddling. 2386. Do you ever shovel your neighbor's walk? no lol. 2387. How often do you hold back from saying what you are thinking? half the time. 2388. Have you ever looked back at someone you loved and wondered 'what attracted me to THEM?' haha sometimes. 2389. What do you think of Drew Barrymore? no opinion. i did like her netflix show though. 2390. Name one thing you refuse to ever do. bungee jump. 2391. Name one place you refuse to ever go. north korea. 2392. Do you think people see you more as who you are or what you are? what. 2393. Pick 3 random letters: sex. Now think of the first 3 things that pops into your head that starts with each letter. sex, electricity, xylophone. 2394. Do you dress more revealing or more to cover up? depends. i do both. 2395. What does it take to be a 'real gentleman'? be kind, charming, respectful. 2396. Where would you go if you were going somewhere you don't usually go? the beach lol. 2397. On the first sept 11th anniversary, the new york lottery's winning numbers were 9,1 and 1. Do you believe this is fate, coincidence or a conspiracy/plan? how can there be two 1′s in the lottery? 2398. Have you ever noticed that there is a lie in the middle of the word believe? ha ha ha. 2399. When (and if) people (or animals) go to heaven, do they become angels? i guess we’ll find out. 2400. What is your most important body part? brain.

#survey #surveys #quiz #bored #questions

[writerspink]

K-12 Words

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3.2

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4.2

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5.1

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5.2

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install reticent corroborate regretfully strength murder concise cunning intention holy satire query confused progression disillusion background mundane abrupt multiple enormously introduce emulate harmful pragmatic pity rebut liberate enthusiastic elucidate camaraderie disparage nature creep profitability impression racist sobriety occupy autonomy currently amiable reiterate reproduce cripple modest offer atom provincial augment ungratefully expansion yield rashly allude immigration silence epitome exacerbate somber avid dispute vindicate collaborate manufacturer embellish superficial propaganda incompetent objective diminish statistics endure ambivalent perpetuate illuminate phenomenon exasperate originality restrict anxiety anthropology circumstances aesthetic manufacturing conventional dubious vulnerable reality precedent entity success term critical repair underscore stepmother republican hesitantly classic wary contents prediction immediate invoke notorious implicit excluding input skeptical foster element punish frank humanity profound dessert orthodox substance disappear encourage neighborhood elder superfluous naive ascertain complacent resilient deafening military tend prudent glare acceptance skillfully induce monster beam gullible conciliate vessel petty cantankerous disclose archaeology anecdote disdain electronics substantiate subjective tourism advisable joyful incredible provocative psychological ruins discipline condone indifferent misfortune judgmental industrialize tasty assume astute mission mar protective definitely escape oppress shocked virtual zealous endorse qualification hostile eccentric abstract disparate geographical scrutinize generalization tolerate activity claim dogmatic influential obsolete extol implausible subsequent resource chronic benevolent improve confidential ambiguous seriously dearth perplex hatred throughout dine contemporary evoke essentially economic flagrant obscure alleviate eloquent dreaadful clumsy sympathy victim condemn vigor condescend spontaneous quell reprehensible substantially sleeve equivocal ironic decry errand articulate progressive eradicate refreshments elicit aspiration recently exemplary bribery theoretical disingenuous partisan revere particle nostalgia self-aggrandizement debunk tyranny rhetoric hierarchy warning whimsical venerate commend assert miserable awful vibe constrain undermine explicit differentiate compliment scrupulous contempt erroneous ideal refute imply cynical rash presume insight revival vary delay renounce indignant offensive temperate circumstantial export peep logo advertise suppress distort chunk convoluted denounce overwhelming fertility rigorous acquire arrogant university antagonize profitable indulgent strategic breathing idiosyncrasy profession frugal discern accommodation adversary incredulous disturbance digress social belie roam smug continual pertinent voluntarily elite subtle blame sincerity lick horror censure involvement candid infer futile impetuous exploit bewilder sustain diligent sincere protect sealed musical empathy callous parenthetical insure acorn sarcasm seize sacrificially allege emphatic irrelevant progress diplomatic stunned improvise deride reconcile meticulous deject scientifically incontrovertible pressure justify gloomy depict supplant endurance analogous diary bolster slip contemplate pesticide glow religious advocate negligent creator lament fundamental embrace throne inherent inferior valuable thrive trivial pretense reserved capricious refresh refusal flight boost explanation coherent prevalent tenacious official royalty assassin rub poach delete

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warrant circumscribed somewhat explosive optimistic mandate previously detract opinion intuitive feasible intimate persistent humble simplicity tempt deliberate painful unethical fundamentals discrepancy remorse pessimistic possibility conclusion acknowledge impregnate soberly creation paralyze suitability oblige tranquil medal arbitrate pacify illusory susceptible vibrate vengeance infection democratic stressful grave speculative sample identification stifle obligation revenge organization namely mediocre practical scream weaken consensus affectionate deficient treacherous console isolation ingenious memory melodrama despair awestruck composition regret recommendation celebrity decision devoid opaque ornamentation longevity participate dread restore interrogate aid accordingly mislead embarrassment optimism domestic apt funds virtue geography fundamentally thoroughly press despite horrible chilling rental esteemed disappointment innovative contemplation assign popularize haunt deafen serene percent estrangement suffer extravagant throng estimate comment priesthood mass dreadfully promote periphery animated saying relate clarity triple derivative succeed distortion register suicide improvement discreet inquisition probable curative incident praise convenience baffle covet dreadful genuinely weary undisturbed disgruntled humility renown nonchalant monopoly comedy vague decisive inconsequential announcement fabricated nevertheless vigilant scarce neglectful hushed attainment tedious explode snatch pslm agency sentimental tension adhere meanwhile sacred avert conformity likewise challenger accessible responsibility peril contact event roast fallible catastrophic competitor violate resolute deceive exaggeration discredit intolerable approve paste dimly novelist demeanor norm politician satisfaction obvious vehicle reservation defer involve restoration crush audible assistant backpack attain inanimate commemorate confrontation emigration parasite disperse quantitative laughter policy vulgar occasionally repay effective eulogy starvation empty therapeutic overall immortal encompass inappropriate opportune engagement illustrate turmoil observatory classification expression reminiscence comedian invention depress remedy protagonist gesture texture diplomatic election prolong conducive emotional invigorate curiosity expressive %

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