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wondereads · 11 months

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Personal Review

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

Summary

Silas is a boy. He's known it for years. Unfortunately, born with violet eyes, England's Speaker Society, those who can communicate with the dead, is set on using the body he was born with as a tool to breed more of their own. When Silas is caught trying to secure his freedom, he is sent to Braxton's, a finishing school for young girls afflicted by Veil sickness. Struggling against everyone who tells him he is a girl, even himself, Silas uncovers a conspiracy at Braxton's that threatens everything he loves.

TW: medical content/trauma, transphobia, gore, forced institutionalization, misogyny, ableism, homophobia, attempted rape, sexual assault, abortion, body horror, pedophilia, abuse, mutilation, attempted suicide, animal cruelty, mental illness

Plot 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

While I would say that despite there being a lot of character-generated conflict, there's quite a bit of plot in this book. While the main plot isn't introduced until a while in, Silas' situation and potential escape are enough to keep things going in the first bit. I wouldn't say that there are necessarily any plot twists in this book. There are certainly reveals, but once you've become accustomed to the cruelty of the men around Silas it's more of a confirmation than a twist.

This book is definitely not for the faint of heart. As you could probably predict from the extensive trigger warning list, this book is a very disturbing read. Each of those warnings is for something graphic, and I mean graphic. The horror of what women and gender non-conforming people of the time had to go through is very adequately portrayed and in excruciating detail. White's other book is also horror, and it seems that this is where he thrives. What Silas and the girls at the school go through is truly horrendous, but it all plays into the plot. They are never suffering just for shock value or anything like that, and the ending is quite satifying.

My one criticism is the worldbuilding. While I found it interesting and unique, I do wish it had been fleshed out a bit more. Silas is constantly mentioning how much power the Speakers have, particularly within England, but it's never really explained how that came to be and what that means outside of the high society circles. Other than that, I was engaged and on the edge of my seat the whole time!

Characters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Silas is an incredibly well-written character with apparent flaws and distinctive voice who is still sympathetic and likable. From the very beginning, readers can instantly grasp the horrible life he has had from being unable to conform, both in terms of gender and his autism. As such, his continuing aspirations are admirable, and his extreme hesitance to speak or act out are understandable. Silas' growth to become secure in his actions and his identity is amazing, and incredibly satisfying to read.

While the odds of Silas meeting a trans girl, especially one in such a convenient position to help him, is a little unrealistic, I loved the introduction of Daphne. She did seem a little too perfect at times, but in a world where they have so little hope, her and Silas' relationship was a welcome ray of light, even if it did progress a little quickly for my liking.

The side characters were amazing. The girls at the school, particularly Mary and Louise, who while unlikable at first are fleshed out quite well. Mary in particular has a pretty great arc, and her scenes of grief were heart-wrenching. Charlotte and George are characters I love to hate. Incredibly interesting from an analysis perspective but scum of the earth from any other. I also really liked how the antagonists got no redemption. They were horrible people, and they were dealt with as such.

Writing Style 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Overall, I would say the writing is pretty standard for YA, especially in the in-between scenes where things are some semblance of 'normal'. However, there are two things that bump up the rating for me. First, I loved the rabbit as a metaphor for Silas' insecurities and also survival drive. It puts Silas' fears in a clear context that makes understanding him much easier.

Also, while incredibly disturbing and often having the effect of making me feel queasy, the small intermissions from the perspectives of the dead girls were phenomenal. They add so much tension and urgency to the story, and they got some of the most visceral emotional reactions from me.

Meaning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (spoilers in this section)

This book is fundamentally about a trans, autistic boy trying to make his way in a world that insists on placing roadblocks wherever he goes. Silas' determination is so admirable, and I think it is very important that this book ends happily. Yes, Silas and the girls went through the most horrendous times of their lives, and some of them didn't make it out, but some of them did, and they get to experience peace for once in their lives. This book brings attention to the horrible things people went through during this time, but it isn't completely hopeless, and I think that's quite important in this day and age.

Overall 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

This book was amazing. There are very few bad things I could say about it, and most of those are personal preference. Now, it isn't for everyone, as it's basically gothic horror to the extreme with some very sensitive topics. However, as long as you can stomach this sort of thing, I highly recommend this book. It's dark, tense, and not without some hope.

The Author

Andrew Joseph White: American, also wrote Hell Followed With Us, has an MFA in Creative Writing

The Reviewer

My name is Wonderose; I try to post a review every week, and I do themed recommendations every once in a while. I take suggestions! Check out my about me post for more!

#books #reviews #the spirit bares its teeth #andrew joseph white #historical fiction #fantasy #historical fantasy #speculative fiction #lgbt #trans protagonist #trans love interest #spirits #mediums #conversion therapy

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lilypixels · 11 months

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💤😓 for victor and 🚫💯 for archer :)

Victor:

😓DOWNCAST FACE WITH SWEAT — is your oc open-minded or stubborn? are they inquisitive or do they prefer to keep to their bubble of knowledge?

I think I lean towards saying stubborn for Victor and you see that some throughout the story with how he keeps trying not to “be the hero” and also refuses to change in some ways as well. Victor is inquisitive though lol and I actually have curious listed as a personality trait for him, but just cause he’s curious bout something doesn’t mean he’ll do anything with that knowledge

💤 SLEEPING SIGN — is your oc a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper? how are their sleeping habits?

Hmmm maybe heavy sleeper? I feel like he sleeps pretty good whether it’s aided along or not, at same time though I’m sure he has nightmares and other various bad dreams TT

Archer:

💯 HUNDRED POINTS SYMBOL — share three random facts about your oc that others may not know.

But I feel like I’ve shared everything I got so far 💀 ummm ok I’ll just say some random things and it may or may not be new to people idk anymore

1. Can change appearance should he wish but how he looks currently is his preference (so in some ways you could say he’s nonbinary but up for debate)

2. Has habit of running hand through hair and tapping his foot

3. First demon Silas summoned and basically stuck around for amusement

🚫 PROHIBITED — does your oc drink/smoke? do they do it regularly, or is it more on occasion or for special events?

Yes to both but I wouldn’t say it’s very regular and he drinks more than smokes (like I think archer used to smoke more but stopped cause of Silas or something) so I’d say maybe more like social drinking and stuff, depends on setting and mood etc

#thanks for asks <3 #asks #character asks #oc: archer horn #oc: victor doyle

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tremendousgardenskeletonrebel · 2 years

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-Lahat tayo ay may pangarap sa buhay, noong bata pa ako gusto ko nang makapagtapos sa pag-aaral upang masuklian ko ang mga kabutihang ginawa nila sa aming magkakapatid.At para matulungan ko rin ang 3 kung mga nakakabatang kapatid na sila rin ay makapagtapos sa pag-aaral para dumating din ang panahon na magkaroon sila nga sariling pamilya, hindi nila maranasan ang kahirapan na hinaharap namin ngayun. Gusto ko rin matulungan ang aking mga magulang sa mga gastusin sa bahay, gaya ngayon , mahal na ang mga bilihin, araw-araw na gastusin sa pagkain, pamasahe sa aming magkakapatid at gastos sa kuryente kaya pagsikapan ko na makatapos ako sa pag-aaral.

-And when I get my dream and my wish is fulfilled, I will also prioritize myself to be able to build my own house, buy a nice car and have a family in the future and have unlimited money.

After a years I wanted to travel in Dubai , because want to ,it's a beautiful country, Soon mapupuntahan ko rin to becomesuccessfull someday.

Dubai has rich cultural values with great hospitality principles. The emirates are generous and always welcoming. Islam is a way of life in the City and the best things is they believe in cultural diversity.

Dubai has transformed itself and has invested immensely in its tourism. There are many parks, malls, and locations that attract visitors. The activities like paragliding, cruise, sailing and water tours, the camel safari, luxury yacht tour, and much more thrill and excitement.

Nature is an important and integral part of mankind. It is one of the greatest blessings for human life.

If nature has the ability to protect us, it is also powerful enough to destroy the entire mankind. Every form of nature, for instance, the plants, animals, rivers, mountains, moon, and more holds equal significance for us.

Further, the air we breathe and the wood we use for various purposes are a gift of nature only. But, with technological advancements, people are not paying attention to nature. The need to conserve and balance the natural assets is rising day by day which requires immediate attention.

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itstheesemilore · 4 months

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15th Jan 2024

Watch thread for Good Trouble S5b:

(I still can't believe this is the final lap like 😣😣😣😣😣😣)

Ep 11:

- The Silas thing could've easily happened for real and it makes me realise how unsafe the Coterie is like there's no real security for the place and you can only secure your room but anyone could walk in and hang around in the bathroom or kitchen or any of their common areas like....

- Seeing the actress who's working with Luca in the kitchen makes me remember that she played Jojo on Home Economics and i reallyyyy wanted her to end up with Connor but now i'll never know because the show got cancelled 😣

- Kelly has done it again (negative) like whyyyy make things awkward omds

- Mariana's response def proved him right

- "Isaac is always blushing" 😭

- Not to be overly critical but why would you wear white on white to a date like......even if they were going to an upscale restaurant, there's no worry about stains....?

- Malika and Isaac establishing rules of their dynamic is sooooo Tatbilb coded

- "What's THAT supposed to mean?" is such a charged question like i would've just acted frozen instead of attempting to answer at all

- Davia's hand brush off 🤣🤣🤣 and RIGHT

- Hmmmm i wonder if The Bear inspired them to do this Dennis/restaurant arc in a way

Ep 12:

- This intro was definitely inspired by The Bear (minus the zombies ofc)

- Evan still gives me butterflies especially because of the history he has with Mariana

- "I can't drop everything to help you again" oh wow....

- As much as it stings, i'm glad that Malika is learning how to handle failure

16th Jan 2024

Ep 12 Contd:

- Awwww they brought Raj back

- This negotiation scene really makes me wish this show had gotten a 6th season so that the dynamic of co-CEO/exes/friends could be navigated further like Evan and Mariana's history is getting deeper and richer and more layered and i really love it

- Not in the same office 😭 oh i'm definitely tuned into seeing what happens between them!

18th Jan 2024

Ep 13:

- Gael's new tenant is so fine and he reminds me of Will Poulter (and both of them need me!)

- "I don't eat lunch" oh Wow

- The lift thing would make me sensitive too like i get her

- Alice trying to be positive with the critique 😭

- Chai this talk between Gael and Davia is really how silly certain annoyances seem when you say them out loud like

- Love love love seeing Mariana and Evan with all this tension between them

- "What happened between us?" WHOAAA

- Even hearing the recap was complicated like My Goodness......they went through one million things together

- This amnesia thing actually works for Evans so that they can make him redeemable as a better person

- She should've texted discreetly!!!!!

- Jokes aside, it's embarrassing that Evan can't handle a little tension without trying to put distance immediately (and maybe i need to grow out of that too like whoa.....)

- Not them doing Rock, Paper, Scissors......they are not serious people

- I really like how that one moment of concern for his wellbeing melted some of the tension between them and i like the idea that you can fight with someone while trusting that they care about you and will be there for you if need be.

- I really don't trust the councilman like i hope Malika doesn't take the deal. She can stay back for Lucia's sake but she shouldn't give the impression that she's doing to get something from him because he'll definitely ask for a favour in return

- Awww i like the vulnerable convo Davia had with her but wow it takes courage to be that direct

- NOT THEY DID THE LIFT OHHH.....

- Serena is evil i fear

- I love love love what the turtle represents between them

- He's rememberinggggg <3!

- Also still thinking about the ER doctor like he still needs me (platonically)

25th Jan 2024

Ep 14:

- The intro scene is soooo camp like this is REAL tv

- Joaquin putting away the cereal makes me wonder how they keep track of food in general like who buys cereal and milk? Are they generally for everyone or each person has their own? Do they buy cooking ingredients separately as well?

- Look at this tiny baby in his hands 🥺😣🥺 ohhhhhh i love the doctor icl

- "Twist. He's got a girl and it's not you." GASPPPP OH MY? 😭

- 3 sisters and 4 brothers like WHAT???

- This soft lighting and dreamy background music is giving romcom

- The way people feel about Claire being an obstacle to Sydcarmy is a bit like how i feel about Riley like let's get to the real love interest - Ladle!

- This Black waitress with the blonde braids looks soooo pretty omds

- These little intimate touches are soooo good like the hand on the knee and the shoulder push ‼️

- Davia's castmate is messy like even if it was true, why would you discuss that with someone? And in public too???

- The doorknob print wasn't a good idea in the first place because multiple people have touched the knob since that day and also Silas is definitely smart enough to wear gloves and keep his prints hidden!

- Ladle watching from the kitchen window is hilarious LIKEEEE 😭 babes it's a wrap

- "I wasn't the one who cheated. I was an accomplice, which isn't great but it's not the same thing." Oh....

- Dennis and Davia's fight was fun to watch especially the way it ended

- Awwww Callie's (text) cameo 😣

- I had the feeling that Jenna went back ☹️

13th February 2024:

Ep 15:

- Kelly is so messy for hiring Angelica omds

- Ladle giving him relationship advice is sooo 😭

- "Oh, Evan needs me" "Evan doesn't need me" AHHHH 🤣

- Malika having two love interests ohhh she's taking it fr

- I need to watch Casablanca like i'm so intrigued after watching this

- Kelly's reveal 😒.....they need to boo her off the stage 😾

Ep 16:

- AHHHHH CALLIE'S CAMEO

- Oh and she has bangs too like WHOAAA

- I've missed Callie so much like it really hasn't been the same since she left

- I love Malika's hairstyle in this scene - it's like she braided her locs into all back sections and then wrapped up the ends in two buns at the base of her neck

- See the way Callie mentioned all those charges quickly like that's a real lawyer!

- Off topic but i love her suit so much

- "I need you to be safe" WORLD STOP

- The height difference shocks me everytime like i really planned this fr

- The way Malika & Mariana are living parallel storylines of carrying someone's burdens on their backs. I know it's not always intentional but this is how men usurp the energy out of women in their lives by letting them carry and carry and carry all these emotional weights until they have nothing left to give inside.

- I love the entrance but how on earth can Callie afford this jeep service 😭 (no shade ofc)

- The way they've allowed Joaquin's storyline to absorb Mariana's life like my goodness......what happened to our sister to tech???

24th February 2024:

Ep 17:

- AHHH MOTHERS SIGHTED <3

- I feel sad that the show is ending with this season because i would've liked to see the storyline about the doctor go on for longer!

- Why does everything have to a Public Service Announcement like just read the review when you're alone 😭

- Everytime the Moms come on the show, it makes me want to watch The Fosters.

- This doctor always has his philosophy hat on like i love him

- "Shea Coulee is an icon"

- Not the exact order with his mom word for word ohhhhh i know she's more annoyed with Jamie now 🤣

- No but the similarity between Callie and his mum is sooooo.....

- "You did not misread the vibe" OHHHHHHHHHHHHH HELLLLOOOOOO

- I love this doctor so much it's unreal like i need this exact situation with a doctor guy to happen to me word for word

- Ambushing him at his mum's funeral is VERY out of line even if they're doing it for a good reason

5th March 2024

Ep 18:

- Callie is so pretty like that's cousin!

- "You don't like ramen" the way that one statement rolled out the tension of their history/past/emotional rollercoaster oh wow

- "Torn between the two of them" one of them has been in love with her for years and quite literally took a bullet for you and the other one is a co-tenant that has bonded with her over the course of adrenaline-inducing adventures like i think it's not really a torn situation i fear....

- I'm acc a bit displeased that the show tried to force this love triangle thing when Evan and Mariana have multiple seasons of history & love & hurt & complex feelings like Joaquin is just not able to evoke that level of emotion in her imo

- I loveeee Evan i'm sorry like he's literally the love of my life and i want to hear his little facts at every party forever

- The premise of the Coterie is so revolutionary because look at how Luca's life has been impacted since he moved in, especially for Callie's help with his green card.

- Awwwww Bailee Madison's cameo (i have no idea who she was on The Fosters 🧍🏾‍♀️)

- Awwwww so Jamie met Callie at the brother's engagement party 🥺 maybe i do need to watch The Fosters

- Awwwwww they displayed an old picture of the kids and Noah C is there 🥺

- Not the Pretty Woman box closing reference 🤣

Ep 19:

- Saying "it's not very sexy" about an app is very out of character for Evan like who wrote that....

- I love the tension that a little bickering can bring into the room 🤭

- This fake musical actually sounds good like maybe they need to make this a real thing actually....

- "I don't think he's ever gonna remember the man that he was" why did my heart just drop to my stomach......endgame is looking very rocky ☹️

- Mariana needs to be more careful omds like why show your face at a search on his property!!!

- Also there's a high chance that Silas has an inside informant who already warned him ahead OR he has exhumed the body already

- Also getting a bit worried about how the show will wrap up its 3 million storylines by the next episode.

- OH MYYY? That flashback was shocking even to me like Evan and Mariana looked so much younger oh wow

- Riley is human so i can't fault her for wanting that openness from him but she needs to remind herself of where Luca is coming from. Like a year ago, he didn't even have a job, home or friends like he's literally rebuilding his life and his person one day at a time.

- The Coterie is an odd place because imagine coming home from a long work day and wanting to just sit in the dining area and eat a meal and now suddenly you pass someone breaking down in tears in the hallway like......

- I KNOW THAT INTRO MELODY OHHHHHHH they're playing Aly & AJ!!!!!

- The parallel of Evan gaining back his memories with Mariana vs her sleeping with Joaquin at the very same time......network tv can be so insidious 😭

11th March 2024

Ep 20:

- What does she mean by "I'm ready to move on?" 🤔🤨

- "Kowtowing to a bunch of elites" loooool this doctor needs to wake up to the REAL world like creative circles tend to be about making connections in order to get opportunities like

- "Jay, you've known me 5 minutes. How could you really know who i am?" OH wow.

- "So, was Riley in class today?" Sister just ask the real question 😭

- Davia: "Two years is a long time"

Dennis: "Not in the scheme of our whole lives together" ohhhhhh he ate this likeeeee come on!

- Mariana is not even considering her professional life like imagine if the news breaks that the co-CEO of Speckulate is running around and trespassing on people's property like....

- 15 minutes left and still no endgame confirmed like i feel very uneasy

- I don't like the way finales always pack a million shocks at once like it's a surprise every minute my goodness like what do you mean they're selling The Coterie ☹️😔

- "They ended up cancelling the sitcom. They just pulled the plug. It's a brutal business" FREEFORM CATCH IT 🤣🤣🤣

- Ohhhhhh Ladle is his girl now 🥺

- Callie acting as Update Central for this last dinner 😭

- Danfo driver mention okay i guess....

- Kelly's mullet is superb like wow

- AHHHHHHHHH WE WONNNNN

- Got my endgame against all odds 🤣🤣🙏🏾‼️

- Awww the little look that Callie gave Joaquin was heartwarming 🫂 i hope he finds his own love eventually

- The final scene....the montage....everyone leaving gradually.....i feel emotionally wrecked.

- I cannot believe this is over. This show has seen me through some of the most life-changing years I have had and it gave me laughter and joy and a (virtual) family and i will miss it so much. I'll also miss livetweeting about it but i'll really miss this group dynamic because the concept of being an adult and living with a bunch of friends like this.....it feels like a dream. I'm glad I got to experience that dream through this show.

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benefits1986 · 1 year

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Answering Boracay Q’s

Side kwento about this Boracay photo: Wala pong edit and burst po ito with directions sa mga millennial magulang. Paling ng naman po ang horizon pero wala akong paki. Raw po tayo e. ‘Yung mom La Salle. ‘Yung dad, Ateneo. Tapos mash up ‘yung unico nila ng blue and green. LOL. Cheerdancer vibe ‘yung mom, tapos sabi ko sa dad, stomach in pa siya then taasan niya pa ng slight yung bato sa anak niya sa air. ‘Yun lang po, opo. :D Maraming magulang din po ang nag-express ng concern kung paano namin ito natawid. Nasambot po niya at sabi ni unico, isa pa raw. :D Napagod na ‘yung dad kasi Gen X na siya e. So, balik na tayo sa daily lives natin. Thank you! Warmest regards. Since babalik na po tayo sa tamang landas with AI x human-centric micromoments, punta tayo sa mga usual Boracay questions because ang init na. Hindi na kaya ng blazers x turtleneck forda corporate life ang lagay ng panahon sa kalakhang Maynila. Syempre, hindi naman tayo andito for the bots but in the name of answering questions, and questioning answers because todo bigay ang pasavogues everywhere and anywhere. So, let’s use lunchbreak for thought farts break bilang I solemnly thing my Holy Week break will be with my lola ulit even when Siargao, Palawan, Cebu, Zamboanga, Camiguin atbp are waving. :D Adulting muna tayo opo kahit gusto ko na lang talagang mag booze out habang ina-achieve ang caramel skin tone na pangarap ko since forever. :D In between kasi ako ng light and caramel skin which is ughhhhhhhh but sige lang. Okay. Fine. Segue ulit: Sarap talaga magtype sa Macbook even when I’m a S-Series girl pero ‘pag may red wine na iPhone na hindi sobrang over-processed yung dusk and dawn, sige na. Natawid niyo na yung 1TB wish ko e; but sa tamang panahon kasi ang tinde ng Apple mag-gaslight e sila mismo ang tinde mang-track ang mag-monoplize ng content. CHE.

Balik na tayo sa mga tanong about Boracay. But, onting bwelo pa. Ayoko talaga ng Boracay kahit fan ako ng Project 81 or 84 na ba ngayon because: -Para siyang BGC or BF Par or Maginhawa na may dagat -’Yung tours are soooo fucking basic -Ang hirap ng culture-based tours -Hassle magbike kasi pota yung ahon and shit yung lusong lalo sa New Coast -Andami mong likely na kilala so deliks ‘pag gusto mong kumawala sa ganaps or hanash mo -Syempre, zoning is but on paper pero mhie, ‘wag ako kasi ang laki ng kita ng tourism dito. ‘Wag ako. -Boracay even when it is rehabilitated is dying slowly. -Seafood is uhm lang. Uni is sooo basic lang. Food is oks lang. -Also, Boracay ang pinaka maraming aya sa akin pero it’s not my vibe talaga kahit noon pa Pero, dahil sa pilit na consistent of my people, okayyyyy. Sige. I gave Boracay a good number of tries. I really did. Verdict: OK siya for inom and bum basta sa steady side. Sunsets are hit and miss. Mas marami pang magandang lugar sa kanya BUT the sand in Station 1 is dreamy and buttery. Oks na? So, eto na tayo sa exciting part. :D Q1: When is the best time to go to Boracay? For me, a few days AFTER any holiday. You may also consider at least 3 days before any holiday. Why? Boracay is too little to move around with freedom ‘pag nakisabay ka sa crowd. Too tiny kasi literal na pinilit ipasok sa one side ‘yung mga ganaps. ‘Di mo rin naman masisi kasi iba rin talaga ang sand sa White Beach. Q2: What’s the best mode of transport from Caticlan to the island? Private, DIY or semi-private? Funny kasi, solo travel ako tapos budget mode ako sa transpo bilang sobrang antukin ko. Quota ako sa tulog OR ‘pag okay kwentuhan, kahit hanggang 2 days, g tayo diyan. Ekis ‘yung una kong punta sa Boracay which is right after pandemic because sobrang bagsak presyo and iwas-COVID tayo and all and also with a good friend na may kid + a good friend na takot sa virus.... so eto na po. Nag-private transfer kami. Nasundan din ‘yun nga isang expat friend biglaang invite before Christmas kasi wala daw siya kasama, so okay.... mas private transfer po tayo. OPO. Syempre, hindi ko kinaya ang cost pero tinawid natin kasi tayo ang naga-adjust tapos, category is: social experiment. Sayang din kasi Miles pero transfers are cash naman lagi. Third visit na I think, lasted 3 weeks na dapat 1 to 2 months because another travel buddy egged me, budol mhie kasi sabi is samahan ko siya tuparin ang pangarap niyang work from Boracay dream. Sabi ko is, okay fine. Basta 3K ang 2-way ticket or kahit close to 4K. And pooooof. Nabook ang really good deal. Nag-semi private kami meaning may tour officer kaming naka-transact. :D Soooo, ano nga ba ang best? Dun sa top search na may magandang reviews on FB na semi-private almost same lang siya sa private tour to be honest. Basta hindi masyadong maraming kasabay. :D One-way ng private was 1.5K minimum, wala pang tips ‘yan. So in theory, ubos-pera ka talaga. Sa semi-private, mga 400 to 500 pesos depende sa season. Ang difference lang is lakad plus naka-aircon ka sa lahat ng private tours + speed boat. Kung hayok ka sa gram at status eme, private ka. Pero, in terms of sulit points and efficient buy, semi-private is PAK. DIY naman, to be honest, comparable ang rates sa semi-private but be prepared to face the hassle ‘pag sobrang aga or sobrang late ng flight in or out mo. Tapos, DIY means lakad agad papuntang trike terminal na hassle pag ulan or sobrang init. Not sure nga why ang layo ng trike terminal to think na dapat first thing na welcome is ease of transfer.

Q3: How much is your Boracay budget, all in? Depends ulit sa gusto mong ma-experience because sabi ko nga, ang Boracay ay parang BGC with the gedli after you cross Market! Market!. Flights can go as low as P3K, two-way or ‘pag impulse ka or gusto mo lang talagang itawid, P14K the last time I checked which is quite recent pero ekis na ‘tong invite na ‘to kahit too good to say pass kasi free accoms basta may kapalit na decent and honest review sa Hotel XYZ. ‘Wag na nating i-name, for now. LOL. Food starts at P80 sa carinderia style sa Station 2 and 3. Then it can go up to 1K++ if nasa Moven/Shang side ka na at iba pang pa-eme spots. :D LELS. Again, even Shang food is oks lang though syempre ‘di naman tayo alta ever kaya baka iba yung quality ng dine in guests (birthday celeb invite ito) sa totoong guests doon. LOL. Fruitshake and coffee are also oks lang start at P120-ish. Then, the calamansi cupcake with the million-dollar view is P25/piece. Syempre sa carrot cupcake po tayo, pero wala rin. So basic. :D Two Season Boracay Starter Pack na oyster sisig and cheese pizza mga 1K-ish pero dahil okay ang staff, sulit na sulit ang mojito na paapawin mo tapos mapaparami ka. Accoms, depends din ‘yan. Starts at P500/day ‘pag backpacker ka, swerte mo kung near the beach na decent and can go up to 20K++ depende sa mission mo at kung sino ang kasama mo. So, budget all in for Boracay, estimated at around 12K per person for 3D/2N for a super basic experience pero oks na rin kung gusto mo lang din mag-Starbucks tapos mag-sunset na hindi maayos ang exposure. :D Tapos, Ceb Pass ka dapat then DIY para makapag-tour ka and at least 1 meal na oks. ‘Pag naman mas pak, around P40K to P50K for 3D/2N... note na, discounted deals pa ‘to sa Moven and Crimson, New Coast side. :D Then, may decent booze ka na rin diyan saka water activities. Ems. ‘Pag naman pangmalakasan, P150K++, puwede ka ng mag-helicopter tour + exclusive yacht pero wala e. Ang onti lang din naman makikita mo. LOL. Bitbitin mo pa bike mo pero sure mo dapat na pak na pak ang kondisyon mo or else... bahala ka sa dear life mo. Syempre, wala tayong ganitong experience kasi I would rather max out sa Palawan or Cebu. But, since may pinsan akong matic-Shang kasi ayaw daw niya sa side na maraming tao, nag-estimate lang ako ng galawan niya. :D Introvert siya masyado rin so perfect talaga sa kanya ‘yan and nepotism baby rin siya. EMS. Tuloy ko na lang ‘to kasi tapos na ang lunchbreak. Dami ko na namang gustong sabihin about the pros and cons of Boracay. Dapat series-content ito pero guluhin natin ang algo bilang wala pa namang AI na contextual ang ganapan. Malayo-layo pa ‘yun. Pre-dystopian era pa lang tayo saka baka naman maging mutant pa ako before I hit old age. Peg is: Jean Grey x Wolverine. :D Abangan. And we continue... Q4: What is special about Boracay? Kahit major bash ako sa Boracay, ang honest opinion ko, Boracay is convenient. Comfort zone kasi madali lang siyang puntahan kahit seniors, pets, babies/kids at iba pa. Kung baga, universal naman siya. Hindi tulad ng Palawan na sobrang layo unless mag-direct flight ka. Legit na lakad ka lang onti, sakay trike or magpa-private car sundo at hatid ka around the island, maco-cover mo lahat. Kung kids naman, super happy sila sa sand kasi very sensory experience siya talaga. Hands down. Si Alonso, yung super energetic kid na kasama namin doon, solid na happy siya. Kita mo talaga. Kung baga, starter pack ng masalimuot na Pinas travel because crappy infra talaga tayo noon hanggang ngayon na least hassle. Also, ‘pag natiempohan mo, maganda ang sunset saka maraming photo and reels spot ang Boracay for a diverse set of biases. Plus, syempre, solid talaga uminom doon. Paraw pa rin optimal for people watching kahit shabby na siya kasi sulit ‘yung happy hour. Puwede mo pang palakasan ang bawat mix tapos andami mo talagang makikita. Pwede ring magbasa ng book doon ‘pag ‘di pa todo ang PL sa background. ‘Pag gusto mo naman medyo tago pero may view pa rin, The District. Ganda ng view kasi medyo mataas, hindi masyadong matao noong ilang punta ko lalo nung nag-three weeks ako then decent ‘yung food plus mura siya for the place. Akala lang ng mga tao, intimidating. Sa Shang/Moven/Crimson side naman, sobrang onti lalo ng tao tapos may chances of picking up seaglass ka pa sa super early morning. Puwede ka rin mag-jog or walk or yoga by the beach dito pero mas optimal ‘pag sa New Coast side ka. For me, memories sa Boracay is what makes it special. EMS. Hala. Hahahaha. So, eto na naman ‘yung counter current. Ganun talaga. Q5: Legit ba ang Two Seasons pizza at oyster sisig, buffet at mga sugbo/boodle fights? Sakto lang. Parehas lang halos ng lasa sa Manila. Mas gusto ko pa Marco Polo or basta nakalimutan ko na yung isa pang hotel sa Cebu na ansarap ng breakfast buffet. LOL. Two Seasons pizza parang normal lang din and oyster sisig, comparable sa Locavore or Manam. Pero syempre, kahit ilang beses kong sinabing ayoko na nito, siguro mga 10x combined kain namin nito sa 3 stays ko. Hahahaha. Wala e. Ganun talaga. Q6: Station 1, 2, 3, New Coast or yung kabilang side? Depends sa vibe and budget mo. Ideal for me na kung sa Station 1 ka, legit na least lakad if not beach front ka. New Coast sobrang onti pa lang ng tao kaya push ‘pag gusto mo ng “different” vibe. ‘Pag gusto mo ng maraming gagawin, food, happy hour, gym, massage, meditation with gingko biloba, sa Shang/Moven/Crimson side ka. Worth it siya lalo ‘pag worth the wait ‘yung kasama mo. EMSSSS. Station 2 ‘pag gusto mong todo partyyyyyy or gusto mo ng access sa food spots. Station 3 ‘pag gusto mo more interactions sa community/locals tapos tahimik din talaga on a budget. So again, align mo muna anong gusto mong theme ng trip mo sa Boracay. Hirap pumili pero ikaw na bahala. For me... ang best is... Station 1 beach front or access to beach na baba ka lang tapos beach na. Or Station 3 kasi iba talaga vibe pero pili ka lang talaga ng accoms na may okay na 4G and/or wifi. So, assess mo muna talaga. Siguro for first timers on a budget at gustong mag-explore, ‘yung Station 3 na malapit sa Station 2 na side. ‘Pag landian pero taguan muna kasi lowkey kayo o may tinatago kayo, ewan ko lang kung ma-enjoy n’yo to be honest. Sa ibang Lobo, Batangas na lang kayo tapos dulo. In theory lang ‘yun a. Q7: Is Boracay worth it? Sa tingin ko, yes and no. Yes, kung pupunta ka doon ng may sense o gusto mong mag-enjoy ng mga chill lang, tamad gumalaw o ‘yung adventurous kuno which is totally fine. Kanya-kanyang trip ‘yan. No kung for the gram ka lang at hashtag kasi sabi ko nga, mas marami pang okay na spots na puwedeng mag-trend sa TikTok kahit wala naman akong TikTok. Q8: What is something different you can do in Boracay? Punta ka lang sa Bulabog and Diniwid. Bulabog houses locals and expats na may pa-kitesurfing and events. Tapos okay din ang sunrise dito saka ‘yung buko na bent. Gising ka lang ng 5 AM then lakarin mo na lang para steps din. Para sure din onti ang tao. Diniwid naman, eto ang masasabi kong quality crowd na pang older millennials and Gen X. HAHAHAHAHAHA. Sarap ng cocktails and food and oks din PL. LELS. Sarap din mag-frisbee dito with the locals. Q9: New Coast Boracay? Ano na? I was supposed to stay here with a friend kasi kilala namin manager pero sabi ko pass muna. Oks na ako sa apartment na malapit sa kabihasnan. LOL. Pero sarap mag-swim dito. Maalon nga lang ng slighter kasi kayo lang talaga. ‘Di rin siya intimidating kasi puwede ka magpa-wait sa trikes tapos swim-swim lang kayo ng friends mo kung wala kang accoms sa Belmont. ‘Yung keyhole oks lang siya. May harang so edit mo pa photos mo or pumunta ka ng maaga tapos smile ka sa bantay para makapasok ka sa loob. LOL. Q10: What’s one thing you MUST do in Boracay? Take friggin’ proper photos not for the gram but to max out the light and shadows sa lahat ng time of day please. If you can, hire a photo team. Tamang white/khakis OOTD lang, game na ‘yan para classic lang. No need na crazy ootds unless gusto mo ng neon colors which is panalo din. PAKI USAP. Kaya rin maraming aya sa Boracay sa akin is because... I take decent photos daw. Hahaha. Medyo nagtampo nga yung last aya na nag-no ako kasi sayang for the Hotel XYZ ‘yun. Kaso, it’s a no for me kahit I know another side of Boracay ‘yung madidiscover ko. LOL. So, pleaseeeee. Take photos and stop wearing Boracay merchs. Paki usap lang po. Q11: Biking in Boracay? Beware lang talaga. Oks naman siya pero if you’re renting a bike, check mo muna mainam ‘yung bike for rent. Saka better na kung first time mo, mag-tour guide ka. ‘Yun lang naman. Hassle ang roads ‘pag maraming tao kasi ang kipot nila. Ugh. So ayun lang naman. Views oks lang din. Nothing super magical. :D Pero okay din siya. Support sa locals na passionate about rides. Marami-rami ring riders ‘pag weekends and holiday.

Q12: Boracay side trip and other trips? Puwede kaso ‘di ko na naabutan ito kasi bawal pang mag-cross ng island unless Caticlan ka punta noong last trip ko. BOO. So, paguusapan natin ito just in case matopakan kong bumalik. FOMO 1000000 ako kasi travel buddies update me sa mga off the grid side trips nila. :(((( Mag-IT security na lang ba ako talaga? Pero no din kasi wala akong skillset though sabi naman nila, kaya ko para makagala na kami like there’s no tomorrow ulit. LOL. ‘Di na rin ako naka-dive kasi Manila is waving madly na talaga. Dapat mag-scuba din kami kaso ayun nga. Wala. Uwian na. ‘Di na rin natupad kitesurf kahit alam kong mabigat ako, literally and figuratively. Tapos nakaka-anxiety yung paano mo hindi magbubuhol ang mga tali. ‘Yun lang talaga kina-worry ko e.

Few more notes: -Hennan Prime pa rin talaga ang best stay ko. As in. Ganda ng service. Then gusto ko ‘yung blue brand color nila. Kaso tawang-tawa ako sa staff, kasi tinanong ako kung talaga bang ang goal ko and nung mga kasama ko is legit na nakasalampak lang sa sun beds from 9 am until sunset after mag-school by the beach ni Alonso with a background na WOW na WOW sa classmates niya. LOLOLLOLL. Also, oks buffet and food ng Hennan. Bacon, pancakes, overeasy eggs, cereals and soymilk. Meron sila lahat niyan. Sulit din massage nila. As in. Ganda ng rooms. Pang malakasan din ang WiFi. -Pinaka mura at masarap na carinderia is Triple J, recently open lang sila tapos since sinuyod ko na muna ‘yung Station 1 to 3 ng breakfast na quality at pasok na pasok sa budget, solid na solid ito. Malapit siya sa Cafe Maruja tapos ‘di mo aakalain na okay ‘yung food. Bait pa nung owners. As in kasi talagang hands on sila. At laging superlative service. Sila pa nga nagpapasensya na medyo ‘di pa okay ‘yung place nila. ‘Wag mo i-judge ‘yung look ng store front nila, paki usap. Sana talaga derecho ‘yung business nila kasi ang mahal nung rent ng space. -Speaking of owners and rent sa Boracay... dahil alagad ako ng milktea, super loooove Taipei Milktea. Again, ang chixx ng owner tapos ang adorable ng kid niya. ‘Yung sobrang liit nilang puwesto, off the roof ‘yung rent pero with a smile she shared na tiyagaan lang talaga. Meron din silang delivery kaso Boracay time so maghihintay ka ng 1.5 hours max para sa milktea mo. Apart from beach goers and tourists, bulk ng clients niya ay mga establishments like government offices, hospitals atbp.

-Nakapanayam din po natin ang ilang sales assistants and sabi nila, medyo bumabalik-balik na ‘yung sigla ng isla kahit badly hit sila talaga nung pandemic. LOL. Tapos, syempre tinanong nila kung kamusta ba ang lagay ng kumpanya, sabi ko, push lang tayo. Laban. :D HAHAHAHA. ‘Di ko lang sure bakit sila nasa beach front nung time na ‘yun. ‘Di ko na rin tinanong kasi ‘di ko naman KPI ‘yun. Hahahahaha. Saka, walang basagan ng trip! Iba talaga ang dominance ng org namin. :D Hahahahaha. Omnipresent. Ems. -Best tattoo artist: Inkzomia yasssss. Eto pa ‘yung sobrang weird. Since I collect tats from places I visit, 2x ako nagpatat sa Boracay of all places pero ‘di natin papayagan... Ihahabol natin ang Ink #2 ng Siargao this year. Then habol tayo ng tat sa Palawan sana this year. Manage lang ang leaves ng mainam kasi balik San Vic tayo. Oks na ako pa-tat sa PPS or Coron. Galing-galing ng team ng Inkzomia. Sarap pang kayosi/vape + inow. ‘Yung first tat ko, kakaopen lang nila ulit tapos sabi ni Sir, g daw siya sa 4K pero damn, 5+ hours niyang ginawa for a 4x5 ink. Sobrang kakatuwa din kasi family of tattoo artists sila. Then nakwento niya na wala siyang tats kasi ayaw niya lang. May piercings siya though. :D Saka ‘yung mga artists na ‘to, panlaban sa Manila overrated artists. Sobrang professional, down to earth pero alam nila what they are worth. Naglolokohan nga kami kasi parang naka-refer ako ng 4x sa kanila dahil maganda talaga quality, tapos may dreadlocks pa na referral ko rin. :D Mag-sale na ba talaga ako ulit? NOOOO. Tapos na tayo sa client management. Madadarang na namang tayo sa high and lows ng instant gratification and invalidation. :D -Moven is like Fuego/The Farm na luma pero okay ang service. Kung baga sulit. Tinanong ko nga staff nila bakit wala sila masyadong hits sa Google. Sabi nila is they choose that route kasi market talaga nila is word of mouth and before pandemic, always puno sila. Not sure pero bakit kasabay namin ‘yung isang childstar turned vlogger nung pumunta kami? :D Mabait naman siya from afar tapos tuwang-tuwa ako kasi akala ko batang naka eyelash extensions, naka-Balmain shirt siya na pantulog. Tapos sabi sa akin nung kasama ko, loko raw ako kasi si childstar-vlogger pala siya. Naglolokohan pa kami ng friend ko kasi feeling namin mas pak ‘yung service sa amin ng staff compared sa group nila kasi nakahiwalay kami sa lahat tapos prime seats kami sa lahat ng transfers be it kami lang or may kasama. Thank you, Moven! Nasulit ang danak ng funds sa’yo at naka-ambag ka sa Miles ko. LOLOL. -Isa lang ang main source ng flowers sa Boracay. HAHAHAHAHAHA. May ilang pasurprise na akong natawid dito kasi requested po, opo. Syempre, I hate flowers pero ‘di tayo papa-stop bilang nairequest nga po with impit. Sakay ka lang trike, alam na nila ‘yun. Sobrang bagal lang pero maganda silang gumawa. Promise. Decent prices din saka puwede mo silang bigyan ng budget tapos sila na magaadjust. ‘Di sila masyadong sumasagot sa messenger kasi super lean team sila. Cute din na isa sa florists nila is straight guy na sobrang wala sa look niya na makakapag-arrange siya ng flowers. Hihintayin mo lang talaga kaya mag-run errands ka muna. -Andoks in Boracay is like a unicorn. Laging puno kahit ‘yung sa side ng Station 3. LOLLOLLOLL. Parang may magnet sila ng crowd. Pero I guess, decent ang pasok at labas ng food compared sa ibang restaurants with similar price points. -Mahal ang tubig at kuryente sa Boracay. As in. pati laundry. Pati seafood. As in lahat. Pero ganun talaga, poor ecotourism tapos isla talaga so lahat angkat. So kung digital nomad ka, please, please factor in these gastos kasi mhie, ‘di siya biro. Buti na lang ‘yung apartment namin, sobrang bait ng landlord. OG taga Boracay ‘yung clan nila kaya maayos kausap. -Sa mainland, check out Agimat Ube Creme. Paki usap. Sobrang sana may presence sila sa airport kasi sayang. Ansaraappppp. As in. Very, very good. Nanalo pa sila ng several awards ang syempre, proudly local. Paki check please. Pero walang sisihan ‘pag nahalukay ube tummy mo kasi addictive siya. Dapat ito na lang staple Boracay pasalubong kesa calamansi cupcakes or Two Seasons cheese pizza e.

-Sayang at hindi ko na kinagat ang emails and parinig on social ng Crimson na super discounted. LOL. Daming resistance din ‘yun kasi sobrang good deal siya tapos syempre, food and experience involving arts, wine and cheese, medyo hirap hindian, pero strong na tayo. :D May enough insights na tayo about Boracay. -Lastly, kahit nasa Boracay pa ako... damnnngurlll, ‘pag natapat ako sa work laptop, wala. Para akong nasa bubble. Sabi nga ng mga kasama ko, para daw akong ‘di puwedeng kausapin which is totoo naman. Kahit nasa Cafe Maruja ako nakasalampak, todo effort po tayo sa ganaps in life para matawid natin ang mga fund-sucking place on earth na ‘to. LOLOLLOLL. Salamat sa noise-cancelling headset na Google friend approved. I really thrive outside the office unless syempre may need na face to face meetings din naman since collabs are the keys to pak projects. Pero, sana half of the month, nasa dagat ako as a view lang kasi mas marami akong naiisip dahil people-watcher po tayo, opo. Iba ‘yung baon mo ‘pag may truths and micromoments ka e. Ako lang naman ‘yun. Sa work ko na super laptop time ang puhunan, the stories beyond the screens are worth chasing. Awaw. From Boracay to deadlines na naman po tayo. LOL. Ganun talaga ako e. Tempering lang talaga ng tendency to hyperfocus na naman sa work kasi ang tinde ng balik sa mental health ‘pag overboard. Actually, kahit ano man na OD, masama. Tama na ‘to... for now. So, ElYu or La Union na ba next nating isabak dito? :D Clue: Parang Boracay din, however... Abangan.

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moonwonuu · 2 years

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wala aq masabi pero makikita mo tlg paano kagenuine sila cheol at isla sa chap na toh ahuehue

the fact na kahit nasa kanila na yung shorter end of the stick, they'll gladly settle with it. medyo naging heavy sa akin yung conflict nila :(( the fact that they both taught each other what love really meant held a place in my heart!!! it's common knowledge naman na love isn't that easy, it's easy to say pero hard to understand din at the same time. like sobrang idodoubt mo yung sentence na yan if you're actually in love but conflicted sa situation niyo ngayon kasi nga it hurts you kahit ano gawin mo and you also ask yourself if deserve mo ba na mapunta sa ganun kaconflicting na situation

pero ofc si isla and cheol yan. they choose to wait and understand each other despite it, they choose to choose each other. them being open with everything, especially their past, without difficulties will be forever endearing for me 😭😭😭 cheol showing his persistence on loving isla as well :(((((( sobrang weak ako dun - knowing that isla has some problems with herself pero him simply helping her through it and understanding + waiting instead of leaving. he doesn't push her to what he wants and what's more convenient for him. he lets her do what she wants and just supports her kasi he knows that isla's priority is herself. isla will forever hold a place to my heart kc i also see my past self in her <3 isla's growth is very commendable, her biggest support system was herself talaga. living life for somebody else is already hard enough pero she chose to leave that life and settled with improving and building herself.

yung latest chap tlg shows that there was always be part of you in the past that stays forever and it's okay. it's a big thing to accept talaga, you might not like it pero a reminder of everything will stay. naiiyak ako sa fact na isla is living the life and legacy of her mom kahit all she knew about her was merely stories (and probably photos) pero even if she didn't know her mom, ang laki pa rin ng impact niya sa buhay niya rn. she's mourning to the mom she wished stayed, the dad she deserved, and the childhood she barely got.

she treats herself as her mom would. she lets herself grow, grieve, and accept the love given to her. she loves herself on behalf of her mother.

p.s. word vomit hahahwjwusjsuqjqja pero wala sad aq

- ☁️

thank you for sharing your thoughts 🤗 alam mo naman how i enjoy reading yung mga comments mo sa mga updates ko and this one just might be my fave kasi nakuha mo yung mga points that i was trying to convey sainyo kahit minsan na iisip ko na lang if i justified their actions and this plot properly or hindi.

isla, despite not truly knowing what love meant, risked it all for cheol kasi si cheol, he was willing to wait for her and he was willing to love her despite of the flaws and “baggage” she came with, and vice versa rin kasi hindi naman rin perfect si cheol. and the assurance he gave her throughout the story kinda made it easier for isla to trust him kasi nga siguradong sigurado na si cheol about his feelings for her 🥹 tapos si isla naman, she learned how to choose for herself for once and yun is loving cheol and choosing him. and also letting the people around her cross the walls she built around herself. YOWN LANG. love ko talaga silang dalawa! 🥹

dapat nga may scene na medyo bibitaw na si seungcheol and he was going to say “i’m trying to fight for us but why aren’t you letting me” 🥹 pero hindi ko kaya kasi ang dami na niyang assurance na binigay kay isla eh 😂

#cel.replies 💌#☁️ anon #lahams kita ☁️ anon!

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abigail-pent · 3 years

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TLT Theory Redux: Secret Doors and Heists

gather round the fire, children, for I have finished my third reread and I have theories to spin. they are interconnected. they will also take the form of "a listicle, kind of". This is not as tightly written/cited as I hoped it would be, many thanks to tumblr for eating the first version of this post.

THEORY #1: HARROW WAS RIGHT

About what? Probably lots of things, but specifically about the secret door. You remember Harrow's "secret door theory," right? On GTN p. 303, Harrow and Palamedes are having an argument about what is going on in Canaan House. Harrow makes fun of Palamedes' idea that there is such a thing as a Lyctoral megatheorem. Pal lightly mocks Harrow's "secret door" theory, about which she says:

"But all this is more than unsustainable, Sextus. The things they've shown us would be powerful -- would bespeak impossible depth of necromantic ability -- if they were replicable. These experiments all demand a continuous flow of thanergy. They've hidden that source somewhere in the facility, and that's the true prize."

The action picks up pretty quickly after this, and you just sort of forget about Harrow's theory since Pal's theory is so quickly proven correct. It's set up to make you think these theories are competing, but they're not. Harrow and Pal are both right.

Proposition 1: An entrance to the River -- or perhaps the part of the River on the other side of the stoma -- is hidden under Canaan House.

Evidence for Proposition 1:

1A) On GTN p. 191, Teacher says, about Silas siphoning Colum in the facility: "He cannot empty anybody here, lest they become a nest for something else!" This is highly reminiscent of HTN p. 98, when Mercy says: " A Lyctor's body, empty, with its battery intact but nobody in the driver's seat? Do you know what could take up residence? Anything could get inside you -- any horrible or evil or lonely thing, any miserable revenant, or worse." These two places are described very similarly; they may well be the same.

1B) I'm missing the citation, exactly, but I'm pretty sure it's textual that the first time the Lyctors + John ran from RBs, they ran by dropping into the River. Quite possibly from Canaan House itself.

1C) Teacher. We know he hates the water (GTN p. 325), we know he was created for the "sole purpose of safeguarding the place" (GTN p. 373). Of course, the whole place is surrounded by saltwater.

1D) When Ianthe and Cytherea are fighting and Canaan House is disintegrating, "brackish water from the fountain spattered across the floor and trickled into the cracks" (GTN p. 418). It's been well established already that 'brackish' is the word used to refer to River water. It's also the word used to describe the water that emits from Colum's mini stomae when he dies (GTN p. 393). Why is the fountain water brackish when other water in Canaan House -- for example, the pool -- is saltwater? Seems like a clue!

Proposition 2: Whatever is behind the secret door is the source of John's power.

Evidence for Proposition 2:

2A) During the big confrontation with John in HTN (p. 478-479), Augustine's suspicions echo Harrow's from GTN p. 303, when she's describing the secret door theory. He says:

"You've offered us explanations for everything over the years. But -- some of them didn't hold up on examination . . . It was the power I could never get my head around, you know? I follow power back to its source, John. It's the skill you asked me to perfect. And the longer I looked at yours, the less things added up."

Leaving aside for now the fascinating question of why John would ask Augustine to cultivate this skill, he goes on to ask:

"You're God, John. But -- as the Edenites are fond of pointing out -- you were once a man. So whither that transition? Where does your power come from? Even if the Resurrection had been the greatest thanergy bloom ever triggered, it would drain away over time. And then Mercy said to me -- in a moment of true Mercy vileness -- she said, What is God afraid of?"

Proposition 2.1: The source of John's power is not exactly Alecto, but is Alecto-adjacent. Alecto is from the space behind the secret door.

2.1A) Alecto is called a saltwater creature (HTN p. 328).

2.1B) The oldest parts of Canaan House are where the power emanates from (citation needed, but I’m sure it’s there). They are also the parts closest to the sea. As Teacher says (HTN p. 110): "The base of Canaan House dates back to before the Resurrection. We first built upward, to get away from the sea; then we built outward, to strive toward beauty."

2.1C) The Sleeper is identified with Alecto. Like Alecto, she carries a weapon, she sleeps in a coffin, she can’t be killed, and the River bubble crew is warned that the worst and most cataclysmic thing in the world would occur if she were ever to wake up (HTN p. 112, 185). Since the Sleeper is so clearly identified with Alecto, and is also identified as the presence that’s haunting the River bubble version of Canaan House, it suggests the connection between Alecto herself and the physical version of Canaan House.

Proposition 3: John has dammed the River underneath Canaan House by trapping the Earth Resurrection Beast there.

3A) Per HTN p. 43, we know there's one missing RB, since 9-5=4>3.

3B) Abigail thinks something is messed up in the River and it's dammed, and spirits cannot get across. On HTN p. 396-397, she says:

“A spirit can be trapped, trapped as every spirit in the River is trapped . . . I think there is a whole school of necromancy we cannot begin to touch until we acknowledge its existence – I think these centuries of pooh-poohing the idea that there is space beyond the River has stifled entire avenues of spirit magic, and I believe the Fifth House is waning entirely due to us reaching a stultified, complacent stage in our approach . . . Something has gone terribly wrong in the River, Harrow, and I wish you’d find out what.”

She’s describing a dam in the River that traps ghosts there. This is extremely consistent with what Teacher tells Harrow about what’s down in the facility (see 3E).

3C) On GTN p. 213, Cytherea suggests that "something has been lurking [in the Canaan House facility] forever", and when Harrow insists that "[A spirit] cannot sustain itself", Cytherea replies: "But what if one could?" We know that Resurrection Beasts are revenants, and a revenant is a type of spirit; and if any spirit was going to be self-sustaining, it would be an RB.

3D) HTN p. 172: "The card up the sleeve of the revenant, and the Resurrection Beast, is that it can inhabit anything it's got a connection to. Anything thanergetically connected with their death." So what killed Earth? Climate change, plus a massive nuclear fission chain reaction. Historically, early nuclear fission chain reaction tests took place underneath the ground (see, for example, the facility at the University of Chicago). So an underground or underwater facility could very well be thanergetically connected to the death of Earth.

An RB may very well be a continuous source of thanergy; and if this is the case, John may want to kill or neutralize the other RBs to keep other people from rivaling his power. Or better yet: harness the other RBs the same way Earth's RB was harnessed.

3E) On GTN p. 152, Teacher literally tells Harrow that the ten billion are haunting the facility. Harrow says she is “repeating exactly – to the word—what Teacher said to [her]”:

“Down there resides the sum of all necromantic transgression. The unperceivable howl of ten thousand million unfed ghosts who will hear each echoed footstep as defilement. They would not even be satisfied if they tore you apart. The space beyond that door is profoundly haunted in ways I cannot say, and by means you won’t understand; and you may die by violence, or you may simply lose your soul.”

For those of you following along at home: ten thousand million = 10,000 x 1,000,000 = 10,000,000,000 = 10 billion, or the exact number of people who died in the Resurrection. This is of course completely consistent with the Earth RB being down there, somewhere in or under the facility, because the revenant of a planet includes the spirits of every living thing on it when it was murdered.

Proposition 3.1: Alecto is one of the physical anchors for the Earth RB.

3.1A) HTN p. 454: “The only sure way to banish a revenant is to destroy the physical anchor it inhabits before it can escape the shell.” If John’s cavalier is the physical anchor for the Earth Resurrection Beast, which is the source of his power, then this would justify the characterization of Alecto as the “death of the Lord”: if she’s a physical anchor and she is destroyed, then so is the source of John’s power.

3.1B) She was the first Resurrection, and it’s plausible that she would be thanergetically connected to the death of Earth.

3.1C) HTN p. 495: Pyrrha notes that the stoma “must think [John] is a Resurrection Beast.” Which is a super interesting mistake for the stoma to make! But if John’s cavalier is a physical anchor for a RB, this mistake becomes more understandable.

Proposition 4: The other side of the stoma is not a trash space, and John actually can access it. He uses it as a battery for his necromancy. It’s a storage space for RBs, and now I guess for Lyctors too. (this is the most galaxy brain proposition, and evidence is slim)

4A) On HTN p. 340, John says: “It is a portal to the place I cannot touch -- somewhere I don't fully comprehend, where my power and my authority are utterly meaningless.” But this is the kind of shit John lies about on the reg, so take what he says and apply opposite day rules.

4B) if the other side of the stoma is related to the River Beyond, it would be to John’s advantage to keep the Fifth House scholarship from treating the River Beyond seriously (see 3B). If they don’t take it seriously as a branch of scholarship, they can’t learn anything about it, and they can’t let the RBs out from where John is keeping them.

4C) this could be why John condemns soul siphoning (GTN p. 340). If soul siphoning sends the cavalier’s soul to the other side of the stoma, and the power that floods into the empty body is from the other side of the stoma, then soul siphoning threatens John’s monopoly on use of power.

This brings me to Theory #2, born out of a delightful discussion with @mayasaura: the heist in ATN is not going to open the Tomb at all. Instead, it’s going to open the part of the River underneath Canaan House, and the goal is to free the Earth RB. After all, the Tomb has been open for seven years already.

Extant questions:

1) Mercy seemed so sure that the RBs were coming back and targeting Alecto in particular. But Alecto stayed in the Nine Houses, and didn’t get eaten by any RBs, and the Ninth House is still there. So why does Mercy think Alecto is a target, or makes the rest of them into targets? If she was lied to, what is the purpose of this lie?

2) Why does John want Augustine to hone the skill of following power back to its source?

3) If RBs eat Lyctors and both RBs and Lyctors are in the hammer space on the other side of the stoma, then, like… hey Augustine and Ulysses… are you guys ok??

#tlt meta #tlt spoilers #locked tomb spoilers #locked tomb meta #gideon the ninth #gideon the ninth spoilers #harrow the ninth #harrow the ninth spoilers

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themafia-terrapins · 3 years

Text

Into the night.

A/N: You should read the post before this to get an understanding of this AU. Fair warning, this is pretty long. Enjoy! 💚

Disclaimer: mention of child abuse ahead. Be warned!

Cold. Merciless. Dangerous. Mysterious.

They were the only words that many used to describe the Hamato Clan. No one wanted to mess with them in fear of what they would do, countless stories were told of those who had double crossed them and in result, hadn’t lived to see the next day. The most feared gang caught in a dark and ruthless world of crime, violence, blood and lust. Others wanted their wealth and power but not everything is what it seemed to be.

The cold breeze hit Leonardo’s face, as he gulped down air quickly into his lungs. He was sure those horrid nightmares would have stopped, it had been almost 11 years for God’s sake. Cursing under his breath, he knocked down the tub of medication which rattled on the floor. The view of New York was beautiful from all the way up here and as frantically as he tried to focus on it, those poisonous thoughts blazed through his mind and he had no power to control it.

“Father please don’t leave again” The young teen cried, trailing helplessly after the rat who swore angrily. Being only 13, he wasn’t able to grab those supplies that his brothers needed. They were forced to rely on Splinter but he would hardly help them. They were lucky if he even brought down the bare necessities for them to survive on.

“How many times do I have to tell you leave me alone?! Enough!” Splinter growled, loosening his tie as he made his way to the sewers steps. But Leo had to try for his brothers, he couldn’t look at their pain anymore. He couldn’t go back empty handed, to witness Raphael put up a brave front despite actively bleeding and bruised practically everywhere on his frail body. He couldn’t see Donnie on the verge of another panic attack because he didn’t know how to fix them. He couldn’t bear to see Mikey trying to hold it all together but breaking down in the bathroom , when he thought nobody was listening because he couldn’t live in this nightmare.

“R-Raph is hurt and we don’t have any more bandages” Leo spoke timidly, trying to sound clear and confident but his voice trembled. Splinter stood still and the turtle could already smell the sour whiskey from his clothes. It had been a bad day, he presumed. Whiskey was only drunk whenever a loss was incurred. And that usually meant he wouldn’t be home for days, much o the turtle’s pleasure.

“What have I said about speaking back?!” Splinter bellowed, his arm whacking Leo backwards until his shell hit the tunnel. The side of his shell had already been damaged due to constantly training day and night to perfect the routine Splinter had set them. But an audible crack had been heard and a small gasp left his lips, already seeing a trickle of blood roll down his skin staining the previous bandages. He hadn’t even time to register the pain until Splinter loomed over his body, his eyes black and dangerous.

“Father I’m-” Leo’s breath hitched in his throat, tears prickling his eyes painfully watching his hand raise slowly. ‘Not again, please not again’

“You’re absolutely hopeless, you hear me?!” Again Splinter punched the turtle, laughing each time when the terrapin recoiled in pain. Leonardo held his tongue, scared to further anger the drunken rat. Every slap, punch and kick was taken without a sound because the punishment for wincing was double the amount than the beating now. And he wasn’t so sure his shell could take anymore.

“Look at you! You expect to take on my legacy acting like a pathetic little girl?! Get out of my sight before I finish you” With one swift punch to Leo’s jaw, Splinter left to go topside. He could hear his evil voice cackle on the phone to one of his partners in this mysterious business he refused to utter a word about.

“Why do you hit us so much? What did we ever do to you?” Leo sobbed quietly, curling into a little ball on the floor. The punch on his plastron seared throughout his body, burning in hot white pain. Yet it must be nothing compared to what his brothers were going through. They were awaiting Leo but the eldest could barely move, let alone walk to their home.

Home, usually described at being comforting and loving but he hadn’t felt any of these emotions since they moved in. He used to yearn for a mother to come and take their pain away but as he grew, that dream slowly died as hope in him also began to wither.

Maybe one day things would be different...

---

Blaring traffic shocked the turtle out of his trance and with a shuddering breath, he took several deep breaths. He l

“Why must I be reminded of such memories?” Leonardo sighed, his hand drifting over his temple to soothe the dull ache. No matter how long it had been, the wound from his past was still fresh. They say time healed all pain so why did his still hurt? Some nights it was bearable and some nights it felt like he was being suffocated in his mind, slowly driving insane.

Physical pain definitely was a lot more tolerable than verbal, even now he could still hear the echo of Splinter’s voice reprimanding him whenever he failed. Those stabbing words ringing louder and louder in his ears, berating him for being stupid and weak. Laughing at how his ridiculous attempt of leading a team. Leonardo never wanted anything more than to make Splinter proud but during his years, he realised that it was never going to happen.

Splinter only cared for himself and Leo, along with his brothers, were merely pawns in his cruel game.

But now was not the time to dwell on these matters, things had to be done and completed. His phone rang jarring him out of his thoughts and he picked it up rather reluctantly.

“What is it, Silas?” His assistant/companion spoke quickly, picking up the disinterest in Leo’s voice. He was never one for sugarcoating his feelings or emotions, if the boss wanted something done it was pronto.

“Beast is requesting dinner with capo and the mob. Your presence is required, sir” Holding his urge to groan, the turtle glanced down at the lights that decorated the buildings of New York. They were so beautiful but he couldn’t even take the time to appreciate it, reality had called and with great reluctance he had to answer.

Beast... what was there to say? He was a snob, ignorant, extremely wealthy but lacked any common sense or values. Leo’s patience was practically non existent whenever he communicated with him. While he provided a great reference for other business partners, Beast himself was on thin ice with the brothers.

“Dinner at... 1am?” Leo scowled, looking at his watch. Beast, while had been an average business partner, had constant demands and ideas that were completely absurd. The brothers were tiring of his constant requests and awful timing.

“I did not suggest the convocation at this late sir” The assistant began but Leo interrupted him, wanting to end this conversation.

“Be that as it may, unfortunately I cannot attend. Cancel my plans for tonight, I have a reconciliation to attend to and the conference will take up most my time” He ordered, observing the bonsai trees that stood on the balcony. One thing he grew to adore was his plants, they were simple and with enough care and love, blossomed into something gorgeous.

“I don’t think Beast will be pleased with the rejection. He only wants a few words with the mob and especially you, Capo” Silas tried to reason but the terrapin was adamant.

“Enough. Reschedule this meeting tomorrow at 11pm sharp. Am I understood?” Leo commanded and Silas nodded, already writing it down in his notepad.

“Crystal. Enjoy your night sir” ‘Unlikely’... Hanging up, the blue cladded turtle inhaled a deep breath to collect his thoughts. Cancelling the meeting is a mistake but there were bigger fish to fry tonight. Other duties lay heavy on his mind and with a turn of his heel, he left his safe haven.

As he entered his room, a young woman appeared at his door. Her heels echoed on the polished marble floors, grinding on his last nerve. God he really didn’t want to deal with her right in this moment. Her eyes settled on his and her face lifted into a small smile, one he did not mirror back.

“Katherine, what brings you to my quarters? Surely you’re old enough to understand you cannot barge in whenever you please” Leonardo watched as the young woman quickly stepped back, picking up the heavy discomfort that lay in the air.

“My apologies Leonardo. It’s Raphael, he said that you guys are attending a conference tonight but it’s our 3 month-”

“I fail to understand how this is my problem” He was quick in letting her know, he hadn’t the time to listen to her. Truth be told, he would never understand why Raphael stuck with her. She caused more pain and grief than anything to him.

“Okay... but could you tell me at least why?” She cocked her head and Leo turned, his face set in a hard frown.

“That is between me and my brothers Katherine. I do not appreciate when people interfere in my business. That much should be painfully obvious” His tone was calm but the harsh voice was clearly heard.

Opening his cupboard door, the small picture of Eva caught his eye. A small pang of sadness washed over his body before getting a grip on himself, refusing himself to succumb to the weakness. Eva was the past yet it seemed no matter how long the years had gone by, the yearn was as strong as ever. He wondered if he would ever be free from the shackles around his heart that locked tightly in his chest.

He had to accept that no matter how much he hoped on a wishing star or to the sky, she simply was not coming back. On the side showed a glass mirror, outlining all the features on his face. Sleep hadn’t come to the turtle much recently, he was lucky to get 4 hours and that was on a good day.

“You know you can just call me Kiki like everyone else” She raised her brow as he grabbed his navy blue velvet suit, the unreadable facial expression plastered on his face while his dark sapphire eyes burned into hers. Still standing at the doorway, she felt almost scared of him. Despite being with his brother for around 8 years, she never felt like she knew Leo. No one did, he kept to himself and only showed his true colours to those he cared about.

“Katherine, if that is all you have come to say then I highly suggest you leave me be now. It would not bode well for you to overstep your boundaries” With an almost snarl, he walked forwards and closed his door.

---

“Would you like some champagne, Mr Hamato? It’s the one you specifically requested, Dom Pérignon” The waiter asked and Leo nodded his head, flicking through the newspapers as he awaited the rest of his brothers to join him. This meeting was better suited to the office, he didn’t need any extra ears or eyes to listen in on the information discussed between them.

“God, I need a drink” He could hear the brute’s voice carry through the halls and into the meeting room.

“Right away boss” Greyson, his assistant spoke and vanished to make his preferred alcoholic beverage.

“What is the occasion, dear brother? As much as I like to spend time with you, I’m assuming you haven’t called us for fun” Donnie sat down, his ankle resting on top of his thigh as his attention diverted to his brother. Delicately folding the papers up and placing them to the side, Leo eyed his younger brother with a smirk.

“Always straight to the point Donatello. And you’d be correct, I’ve called this meeting to discuss our next steps” He spoke authoritatively as the turtles settled in their seats, glancing at the board which held ideas and secret plans.

“Did ya cancel tha meetin’ with Beast tonight?” Raph asked, eyes skimming at the tablet. That was very unlikely of the leader, he was the one always nagging to keep up with business meetings and such.

“Yes, I’ll be damned if I have to listen to another lie of his again. He cannot speak clearly and I have no time for beating around the bush. Once we’re done with this proposal, it will be a big relief to have him off our backs” Leo sipped his wine, flicking through his notes. A few names picked up but on the whole, everything seemed relatively calm. But there was no resting, they couldn’t afford not to be on their guard. Trouble was brewing on the horizon, he could feel it in his body.

“Fuck sake, how many times do I have to tell you I hate when you organise my notes like this” Mikey sighed irritably as his brothers smirked, looking at each other with amusement.

It was a running joke that Mikey couldn’t hold an assistant down for more than 2 months. Perhaps it was his picky way of being organised or that he had a short temper and hated his things being out of place, they didn’t know. This new assistant fumbled with the drinks, paling as his boss shouted his displeasure.

“What happened to Donetti Licata?” Donatello asked, chuckling at his younger brother expecting another childish story about organisation as it as had been the story before.

“Fired him. Caught him screwing Mia in my bed. Which reminds me I really need to employ someone who actually has a working braincell” Mikey spoke nonchalantly while his brothers looked at each other wide eyed.

“Oh... shit. M’sorry Mike, that must’ve been hard” Raph murmured, surprised at how well his little brother was taking the whole thing. Almost... too well in his opinion. Amelia had been the light of his life, his love at one point. They both brought out the best in each other but perhaps it was simply a mirage to the toxicity that lay just under the surface.

She wasn’t the Amelia he fell in love with and as he came to grips with that, the idea of losing her forever felt absolutely scary to him. He tried everything to put their relationship on track but it was Amelia who refused to partake in anything.

“Hmm? Oh.. yeah. It was tolerable once I beat the shit out of him. I can’t ever believe I trusted the fucker....” Mikey leaned back on his chair as another glass of wine was placed in front of him. Yet the lump in his throat felt unmovable, rendering him breathless.

“Don’t tell me ya still wit’ her Mike. Yer deserve better than that” Raphael’s hand ached to knock some sense into the terrapin. Even if she would countlessly cheat on him, which she probably had done, all she had to do was flutter her lashes and sweet talk him. And just like that Mikey would forgive her in that second. In his eyes, Mia could do no wrong. She had Mikey on a leash but of course, he was oblivious to it all.

“You still with Kiki?” Mikey retorted, venom in his words while his eyes glared at his brother. Raphael’s frown deepened, holding his gaze. While he knew it was in the heat of the moment, he wished Mikey could see the damage Amelia was doing to him. Kiki was different only because Raph knew her past, knew that she was damaged too. How could he, of all people, leave her hanging alone?

“Children, behave. What do we do about these last few payments? I’ve talked to Xavier and he’s saying Gomez hasn’t responded to anything. It’s high time we pay a special visit, he’s got to know who exactly he’s messing with here” Donnie rolled his eyes at the quarrel and adjusted his glasses, raising them closer to his eyes. Leonardo seemed to be in deep thought for a few seconds before looking at his family again.

“If that’s the case then I want you and Mikey to check it out tomorrow. Me and Raph will deal with Beast, we all know how dramatic he likes to get when he doesn’t get his way” They all knew the last time they messed with Beast, how he threatened to take his money away and leave them bankrupt. Regardless of his filthy money, the turtles were not affected without it.

Years of investing and saving up had allowed them to live luxuriously. They had everything they ever wanted, Beast was just a liability to them. They needed him to increase potential business partners. To be able to stay at the top, they needed to associate with people at the top. If that meant doing business with idiots who couldn’t hold their ground and lacked any sense of morals and values, then so be it.

This was the mafia, after all. Nothing was pretty here.

“He’s clearly trying to inherit the property, why not just kill him altogether” Mikey pointed out, leaning back on his chair but Leo shook his head.

“Too risky. He may be a fool but he’s a smart one. He has plenty of connections with others, much powerful than the ones we have. We’ll keep him on the side but don’t turn your eyes, he will strike when least expected. Once we secure this deal, you can unleash all your anger on him. For now, we stay in his good books. However long that may be” He grimaced at the thought of the meeting they were supposed to have instead of this one. How long the turtle brothers would remain on his good side was unknown but hey, only a few more months of his bullshit and it was home run. The brothers continued to talk about upcoming events and nearing the end of the meeting, they all grabbed their belongings.

“Wait a sec, Amara’s coming here tomorrow?” Mikey read out the small note on the board and Leo nodded, finishing off his wine.

“Yes, well technically she’s visiting but we needed some help around here and she agreed to stick around for a while” She was a close friend to the turtles, meeting them after they newly escaped Splinter’s clutches. She had found them at a time when they were barely breathing and even without knowing who they were, she nursed them back to health. They all were indebted to her. Throughout the years, she went back to Italy since her father was part of their own mafia but her loyalty to the turtles never wavered.

“At least we get ta see a new face ‘round here. But goin’ back ta before, I can’t wait ta finally kill that bastard” Raphael cracked his knuckles, unbuttoning his vest. He never was one to take orders from people, he was incredibly stubborn and arrogant to take commands from someone else. He barely followed Leo’s on a good day, let alone someone who continually threatened him and his family. If it were up-to him, he would have Beast’s head on a silver platter and sent directly to his team

“All in due time brother. For now, let’s focus on getting our money back and dealing with Beast”

#tmnt mafia!turtles #tmnt mafia!leonardo #tmnt mafia!raphael #tmnt mafia!donatello #tmnt mafia!michelangelo

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rjhpandapaws · 3 years

Note

Reed900, ~1920s AU based off of this cover of Death of a Bachelor. Nines sees Gavin poorly attempting to drink himself to death at a hotel bar, and falls in love at first sight.

// >:3 yes

Richard saw many unique people that came here to drown their secrets in privacy. He and his brothers ran this bar in secret, as most of them were run now a days. Even with prohibition in place, this was one of the more popular bars; it was a risky thrill and Richard loved it. Part of The Grande’s success was that he and his older brothers looked so much alike, only their regulars could tell them a part, and very few people dare risked becoming regulars. That was fine by him, he wasn’t one for people, he was only doing this to help his brothers. In a surprising twist of events they were hosting a bachelor party. These were some of his favorite events to watch, it was interesting to see who was there because they wanted to be and who was there because they had to be. Across the bar he notice one man with unique green eyes who seemed to be trying to drink himself out of his mind. It was worrying, Richard wondered if he was the bachelor, and under that he wondered he would ever see him again. He had never wished for a regular before, getting familiar was a risk, but he had so many questions for him. It seemed things were in his favor because his mystery guest finally noticed that his Old Fashioned was gone. He frowned and made his way to the bar once again. Richard’s shift had just started so he hadn’t interacted with his mystery guest yet, but he found himself looking forward to it. Which was also strange, he wasn’t the best at the customer service, but he was the best of the three at making drinks.

“Same thing as before sir?” He asked finishing with the glass he was cleaning, “Or would you prefer something else? I could make something a little stronger to help get your mind off of things if you would like.” “Just another Old Fashioned is fine.” His voice was a low gruff thing that Richard found relaxing, “You got a name?” “Most people around here call me Nines.” He responded as he got started on the drink, “What brings you to The Grande?” The man across the bar gave a dry laugh, “My darling older brother has decided to marry a fucking socialite so we are celebrating our last night of political freedom.” “You hardly look like you ‘re celebrating anything.” Richard remarked as he slid the old fashioned across the bar, “What’s bothering you?” The man sighed and took a long drink from his glass, “That’s a little above your paygrade don’t you think?” He raised his glass in a mock toast, “Here’s to my last night of being able to do dumb shit.” Richard raised his hand in response and watched his stranger disappear into the crowd. He served drinks in relative silence, not speaking what was more than was needed, and he was constantly scanning the room for those green eyes. He didn’t ask the man’s name as was customary, that was how places like this stayed alive, but he was regretting it. Connor had whatever he had going on with their supplier, he was about seventy-five percent sure Silas was sleeping with at least one of the cops that patrolled by here. He could maybe risk something as well he supposed, especially if Gavin wasn’t planning to come back.

Despite falling a little more in love with him every time he came up to the bar, Richard never asked his name. Connor came to join him at the bar once again closer toward the end of the night. He could feel his older sibling’s eyes on him every time the man came up to the bar. “Go talk to him, I can close.” Connor said after Gavin and another man had finished settling their tab, “You obviously want to say something to him, and I can handle closing up on my own.” “What’s the point Con? It’s not he’ll be coming back.” Richard sighed. “Have you stopped to think that maybe that is a good thing?” Connor pushed, “One of us needs to have distance from this place if something happens. Aside from risk control, all you ever do is work, if its not here its the office. You need someone to pull you out of your head from time to time and Silas and I aren’t always enough. He could be good for you.” “Or he could get us into trouble.” Richard pushed back. Connor shoved him out from behind the bar, “Go talk to him or I will.” “If it will get you to shut up, then fine.” He snapped heading for the stairs. He hoped the man was still hanging around the bar.

He found the familiar hunched form leaning against the wall. He was smoking and seemed more tense than before. Richard found his mouth moving before his brain caught up to it. “Smoking too?” Richard found himself asking, “You’re really treating this like it’s your last night.” “You know when your brother said you’d come out here, he didn’t say anything about insults.” The man said with a dry laugh, “But yeah, I’m taking one last night to indulge in all my vices. Including you if you’ll have me.” Richard knew the implication of those words that this would be a one time thing, “How about a name first.” “Gavin Reed.” He hummed, “Now let’s celebrate my last night.”

@six-video-game-peaches

#Speakeasy AU #song ask #dbh gavin #dbh nines #dbh fic #dbh #Birthday Ask Event!#ask panda #panda has all the answers!#reed900

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cdo499 · 2 years

Note

ALSO TOP 5 FIRE EMBLEM PLAYABLE CHARACTERS FROM ANY GAME

BROOOOO DONT ACTUALLY EXPECT THIS IN ANY ORDER I'LL GO WITH GAMEPLAY FIRST THEN WITH ACTUAL PERSONALITY

gameplay (aka. how much they SLAY):

- byleth

- dimitri

- KADEN OR KEATON WHENEVER I PUT THEM ON THE BATTLEFIELD IT'S ALWAYS ONESHOTS

- chrom

- FELIX. if i hear anything bad about him i'm committing a felony

personality!! im also separating this into the games i've played bc. i can

THREE HOUSES (i am so biased towards the blue lions and the ashen wolves)

- felix. i am quite biased to the blue haired gay ponytail character archetype im literally actually thinking about dying my hair dark blue

- MERCEDES <3 im so so very gay

- dimitri! im a dimitri kinnie and i am so very sorry about it

- yuri. that is SUCH a bisexual gnc man i fucking love him i hate his cliffhanger of an s support (i still love him tho)

- claude!! NO OTHER WORDS NEEDED GOD

AWAKENING

- STAHL!! from what i can tell us stahl lovers are quite rare and i am very happy to helm this goddamn ship i love my sleepy little boy

- OLIVIA. I HAVE A TYPE.

- chrom do i even need to explain

- cherche im so SO gay

- GAIUS. SWEET TOOTH NATION UNITE!!!!!!

FATES (idk why but the male characters are so much more interesting than the female ones??????)

- silas CHILDHOOD FRIENDS TO LOVERS !!!!!!

- saizo i LOVE the grumpy ninja with the scratchy voice and the special crit animation where he opens his eye and it doesnt have an iris it's SO hot

- niles i wanted to Do The Gay S-Support but i like nina so.

- effie im SO gay

- forrest THE ABSOLUTE ICON????? his hair in my conquest run was black and i think it does so much more than the default

WARRIORS (this is a special category for just one character)

1. lianna. i fucking love lianna.

ECHOES: SHADOWS OF VALENTIA (i have not finished my first playthrough)

- celica. again. gayass.

- LUKAS!!!! THE BABYSITTER OF ALM'S PATH

- kliff! he is here for both himself and leo he also deserves to be here i just forgot

- python and forsyth my god alm's army is such a banger and also very gay

- leon. he and yuri are the same person therefore. this

TOKYO MIRAGE SESSIONS (i have no idea how many people have played this and i havent even finished)

- YASHIRO. GAY

- KIRIA! GAYYYYY

- touma!! LOVE the redhaired intense gay trope

- tiki=waifu is THE secondary character of all time and you cannot convince me otherwise

- mamori!!! adorable <33

and i think that's all the fe games i've played!! wish me luck as i push through revelation, toyko mirage sessions, echoes, AND three hopes coming this june 24th 2022 anyway ily mar

#my posts #asks #mar #fe #fe3h #fea #fef #few #fesov #tmsfe

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thera-daydreams · 2 years

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hello :D i just wanted to share this dream i just had, which was basically inspired by your wanda! y/n i think it was because i was rereading the sweet old lady is a witch series last night (it's one of my comfort series <3)

i was basically in the place of wanda! y/n and to my surprise, i ended up rippling back in time and i failed to save the jujutsu boys (and my irl friends as well, idk kung bat nadamay sila 😭) and somehow, it was all kenjaku's fault for making me or wanda! y/n somehow helpless. like my chaos magic wasn't as strong as it used to be and i couldn't return to my present time.

it was a really weird yet cool dream since it was like a crossover of the jujutsu kaisen world and a time in my school before the pandemic, and basically i tried to convince my irl friends that i'm not from the past, and that i come from the future and i basically look for the jujutsu boys to tell them kenjaku has screwed things up. (mcu yarn? charot)

my dream ended on a cliffhanger (which upset me), but it was something like me finally confronting kenjaku himself in a corridor with people surrounding us, similar to that one manga panel where gojo and pseudo-geto saw each other before i woke up para ichika ito

thank you for being such an inspiration even in my dreams is where im getting at HFSDNDKFSDS 🙇‍♀️

omg, hi! 🥰❤

gosh, sanaol super detailed ang dreams! i wish my dreams involved my favorite anime characters, too! 🤣

but thank you also for supporting me so hard you dream of my fic! 🥺😆😩💖

#thera.answers #jjk.works

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conaionaru · 3 years

Text

Honor and Blood (IVAR THE BONELESS)

Sound of war

Synopsis: Vanya comes to a realisation and challages Lagertha (again), while the Ragnarssons make plan for revenge.

Warnings: theorizing, poisons, badass Vanya, mentions of violence

Tags:

@xbellaxcarolinax @queenbeeta @thereareendlessopportunities @chynagirl13 @astridbaby @heavenly1927 @buckysjuicyplums @youbloodymadgenius @didiintheblog @lol-haha-joke @shannygoatgruff @xvxcarolinexvx @justbecausewecan @lovemesomevesey

I don’t own the gifs. Also, thank you for your support. I really appreciate it. If you want to be tagged please write me<3

"I love your father with all my heart, Aros," Vanya whispered to the young Ivarsson in her arms. The toddler giggled at her tired tone and drolled over his fist. "But he can be tiring at times."

Aros giggled once more as his mother marched away from the hut where Sigurd and Ivar were fighting once again. The Ragnarssons were getting stir crazy, and if they don't stop, she might just go grey. What a joke that would be? Grey before twenty.

"I could hit them over the head. Knock them out and enjoy the quiet." Hoenir's gruff voice spoke from behind her as he grumpily glared at the ground. The princes fights keep interrupting him in his much-needed naps to gain back strength.

Vanya snorted and looked at him over her shoulder. "Don't tempt me, Hoenir." The tall Seer chuckled at her halfhearted response.

The plan for today was pretty easy. Gather resources and give them to the people. "Lagertha might see as a threat."

"She sees threats everywhere. I am helping hard-working people in a way that I am more skilled in. I never held a shovel."

"What do you royals do the whole day?"

Vanya smirked and looked at him innocently. "Drink and gossip, of course. Sometimes people get poisoned at dinner."

Hoenir shook his head and looked down at the smaller female. It was cowardly to hide behind poison, especially for a man. Poisons and herbs were woman's work. Speaking of... "Do you know how to poison someone?"

The ginger shook her head and fixed her hold on the giggling toddler. "I would never. It's not a pretty sight to see. I was taught how to do it, but..."

She let the words hang in the air. Not every poison was messy; some were more subtle and untraceable. Sometimes it looked like the person died in their sleep. Like Osmond did... Vanya froze in her step at the realization.

Osmond died after suffering for a long time. Some poisons can have the same effect... But who would do that? Mother? Silas? No, he wouldn't stoop so low. Waiting was more of his thing; without Stithulf, he wouldn't have even gone against Vanya.

But Siflæd was a cunning and ambitious woman. And the years she spent neglected by Osmond made her bolder. After he died, she was allowed to be somewhat happy. In the end, she got everything she wanted from his death. Expect a good new king. Instead, she got Silas.

But would she go that far and poison her own husband? After all, Siflead was schooled in poisons just like Vanya was...

"Are you alright?" Hoenir asked once again, shaking Vanya from her spiral.

She shook her head and smiled at the Seer. "Yeah... I just got lost in my thoughts. Let's got find Brynja and the thralls. We've got work to do."

Vanya walked among the people digging trenches, distributing food from a wooden basket. Hoenir and Brynja walked behind her, the older redhead holding Aros in her arms. Her red curls made him squeal in delight as he tugged at them, to Brynja's great displeasure.

"Here, have some bread." She smiled at the villager who took the loaf with a smile and split it with the woman digging next to him. She was pregnant and looked exhausted. "Hallr!"

The male thrall walked up next to her, ready to do as she asked. "Dig in the woman's place or a while. She looks like she is in desperate need of a break.

"No, Princess!"

"Nonsense! You are pregnant. The baby will thank you." She smiled and watched the man help her sit down to regain some strength, Hallr digging in her place.

Vanya continued, that's till she saw Ubbe in front of her. He was talking to Lagertha. The redhead carried on handing out bread and water till she reached the new Queen that watched Ubbe with hard eyes. Astrid and Torvi stiffened when they saw Hoenir approach behind her.

"Vanya." Lagertha smiled, making the girl's skin crawl. The fake niceness made her wary of the shieldmaiden.

"Bread and water to help you all in your efforts to protect Kattegat." Vanya ignored the greeting and handed her the bread.

"That is very thoughtful of you, Vanya. No wonder I only heard good things about you. It was hard to believe when we got off on the wrong foot."

Vanya laughed the jab off and shook her head, the smile on her lips fake and bittersweet. "I heard great things about you once upon a time too. No matter what kind of person you are, this is a good idea. The walls, I mean."

Lagertha smiled proudly, her back straightening at the praise. "It is nice, we agree. I wish we could better our relationship. If you need help with your son." Her blue eyes trailed to the happy toddler in the back. "I would be happy to give you advice."

Vanya smiled broadly at the Queen, putting her at ease for a moment or two. "I can assure you I learned a lot from Aslaug." The smile turned sour as she glared at Lagertha. "Before you murdered her in cold blood."

Vanya turned on her heel and slammed the wooden basket against Ubbe's chest. "I suppose you are done with her too. Come." She marched off, leaving the three shieldmaidens behind. Torvi tried to stop her and frowned.

"Vanya, please."

The princess shook her head and motioned towards Hoenir, who already had his sword ready. "I hope Asa and Hali are alright and healthy." With that, she marched off.

After a nice relaxing bath, Vanya planned to visit Ivar in the forge and spend some time with him while Aros slept. Hoenir, of course, followed her around like a tall, brooding shadow.

One would think that Vanya would have gotten used to the brother's bickering and fights over the year of marriage. What wishful thinking that was.

Ivar glared at Sigurd; his axe stopped mid hack by the blacksmith. "What in Odin's name are you two doing?!" She hissed, drawing the axe from her husband's hands.

"Talking," Ivar replied coldly, watching his wife frown at him in dissapointment. And here, she thought she would be the only one to commit fratricide. At this rate, there would be only four Ragnarssons.

"Whoever would have thought that you two were brothers?" The blacksmith's words snapped the brothers from their trance. Sigurd marched off while Ivar sat there brooding and sulking at the same time.

Vanya sighed at their antics and turned on her heel to follow the angry Sigurd. "I do not need a scolding, Vanya! Control your husband."

The redhead huffed and tugged on Sigurd's wrist. Her eyebrows were drawn together in a frown as she glared him down. "I shall put a leash on the both of you! Why can't you just get along for once? Especially now. I know you care for him."

The Ragnarsson rolled his eyes and huffed in his dramatic way. Hoenir stayed behind with Ivar, figuring that Vanya would return when she was finished with Sigurd.

The taller male looked down at Vanya and saw the axe still in her hand. With a tired sigh, he reached towards the weapon to take it away from her. But Vanya pulled her hand back and huffed in frustration.

"Tell me." She insisted.

"I tried to be civil. But Ivar wouldn't take no for an answer. So I lashed out." Gods, why must men be so feral? Why can't they just give each other the cold shoulder and be done with it?

"What did he say?"

"Shouldn't you be more interested in what I said? Protecting your husband's honor and all? You have been doing that a lot lately. Playing guard dog doesn't suit you, Sister."

Vanya rolled her eyes at his harsh remark. "Ivar's honor doesn't need protecting. He is capable of doing that himself, obviously. What I want to do is defuse the situation before we have to bury you too."

"It was about Mother." Aaah. Well, that explains it. "He doesn't like that don't mourn her. She ignored all of us. She raised Ubbe and Hvitserk just fine, giving them happy childhoods. All I had was a year with her and Father. And then Ivar came along. And that cripple was all she cared about. Ubbe raised me more than she did."

Vanya's eyes softened, and she released her grip on his wrist. "I get why you are angry. And why revenge doesn't interest you-"

"Why should it?! Father abandoned us all. The people and his family. All Mother had was the memory of Harbard, duties, alcohol, and Ivar. I don't see the need to avenge either of them. You and Ivar both see her as some perfect image. Even Ubbe thinks her a mediocre mother. I am the only one not blinded by lies!"

He seethed, the snake eye looking like it was pulsating. The redhead watched him with sad eyes. "Just because I loved Aslaug as a mother doesn't mean that I don't get what you are feeling."

Their eyes met, and Sigurd shook his head, a confused look on his face. "You mourn her. You want revenge for her."

"For Aslaug, yes. Because she was nice to me. But if it were my mother..." She let the words hang in the air, Sigurd understanding what she wanted to say. "But this isn't just about revenge or parents. I worry for you."

"I am fine."

Vanya scoffed and pointed the axe at him. "Because the blacksmith stopped the axe from slicing your throat! What if he wasn't there? You two fight like dogs, and how long before one of you dies, and we have to bury another family member?"

"Stop worrying, Vanya."

"NO!" The musician stared at her wide-eyed. "You, Ubbe, Hvitserk, Ivar and Aros are all I have. You are my family, and I don't know what I would do without any of you. Especially you."

He swallowed and tried to calm her down. "Vanya..."

"We may butt heads because of Ivar. But I care for you. You have a gentle soul."

"Vikings don't have souls."

"A gentle heart then! And a brilliant mind! What a waste it would be if you died so young. Only because you keep egging him on. I can try to keep him calm, but I won't be there all the time. And I worry that one day I will get the news that one of you died."

Sigurd sighed and pulled his sister-in-law into a hug. "I will try. But I make no promises." She chuckled at his humor and sent him off.

When she returned to their hut, Ivar was sitting on the bed, sulking. Vanya sighed and sat down next to him, but he refused to acknowledge her. She understood his jealousy, but it was unnecessary.

She loved Ivar, not Sigurd, and Aros was the proof of that. Never before was Ivar bothered by her relationship with his older brother. After all, since the wedding, they were her brothers as well. She saw them as nothing more, and yet, Ivar decided to act out now and ignore her.

Was it the fact that she ran after Sigurd, or that she looked disappointed before she did it? What was she supposed to do? Look proud that he nearly murdered his brother? After all the times she stood up to the snake-eyed Viking, Ivar had the nerve to get jealous! The insecurities were there before, but normally it led to talks, not to brooding.

Some reasons were the fact that Sigurd liked to mock his ability to walk or his temper. Another reason was the fact that Sigurd was originally supposed to be her husband. If it wasn't for Ivar's disability, that is. Silas saw potential in Sigurd's eye being seen as a symbol of the devil. And any child born with that eye would be a devil spawn and rejected to the crown. But Ivar's condition was a better choice, and so Silas chose him.

As if Vanya had no choice in staying with Ivar. She could have divorced him and married Sigurd instead. But Vanya didn't love Sigurd. Instead, she chose Ivar despite all his faults. They were lovable to her, but at times like these, she questioned her patience.

"You have no reason to be angry with me."

"I am not angry." Right, and the cold shoulder and pout were a sign of utter adoration and attention.

Vanya rolled her eyes and laid Aros down in his bed. "I am not angry either. A little bit disappointed but not shocked. I expected it, but I still hate that it nearly happened."

Ivar sighed and turned to watch her bent over their son's crib. "Sigurd brings out the worst in me."

"I can see that. But you could try to restrain yourself from time to time. He is your brother, and he isn't Silas. Your feud with him is different from mine with Silas. That doesn't make it less important, but you shouldn't let yourself be controlled by anger. There are consequences for murdering someone!"

"Yes, banishment. I know."

"And guilt. You two can claim that you hate each other, but I see the love there. I see that some parts of you worry for each other. Don't throw that away just because you both act like children."

She stood up and walked towards him. Sitting down in his lap, Vanya smiled at him softly. "If not for yourself, then do it for me and my gentle heart."

"There is nothing fragile or gentle about you, Min dyrebare (My precious). You have a kind heart, but you also have a strong spirit." Vanya smiled so brightly like the sun that it made Ivar freeze. Never was her smile so happy and breathtaking.

"Flattery gets you nowhere, Ivar." She teased, swaying her hips over his lap. Well, so much to that. Flipping them both over, Ivar got to kissing a trail down her neck. The fire in the fireplace cracked soundly as the room filled with noises of pleasure.

Vanya laid under Ivar, panting as she watched his dark blue eyes stare down at her with the usual shine to it. His eyes were always her favorite part of him, so deep, mysterious, and powerful. The sweat on her skin felt uncomfortable, but his sweet sounds and gentle touches put her at her ease.

The gods gave her many challenges in her path, Ivar being one of them. But if he wasn't her favorite challenge. "Faster!"

#vikings #original character #original female character #history vikings #ivar the boneless #Ivar Lothbrok #Ivar Ragnarsson #Ivar #Ivar x oc

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