#makes me feel grim for the future of my publications

[puppyparkmoving]

My g-d sweet savior i just noticed a typo in the fic i posted yesterday

#squeaks #when i tell you I work avidly to avoid posting writing i havent combed over myself and with several grammar checkers #and somehow still my aphasia wins and day by day has me making spelling and grammar mistakes i never did before #it genuinely actually makes me so depressed and anxious cuz ppl r so mean to me abt it #i didnt used to make mistakes like that p much ever in my actual writing #makes me feel grim for the future of my publications

[bvtbxtch]

You Don't Scare Me | Eddie Munson

Day Fourteen of Kinktober

Summary: Eddie is used to scaring most of the people who walk through the Haunted House in the old Starcourt Mall. He's determined to make you squirm after you walk through and show no signs of being scared by him.

Pairings: Scare Actor!Eddie x Grumpy!Fem!Reader

wc: ~2.8k

Warnings: This is porn with some fluff so as always 18+!!! MDNI!! Sexual themes, fooling around with a stranger, fingering, oral (f receiving), public sex acts, choking and domination (if you squint)

Thank you all for sticking with me, it is literally almost the end of November, so I am thankful that y'all are still around to read! And to my lovely friend @darknesseddiem for inspiring me!

You hated Halloween more than anything. You couldn’t understand your peers' desperation to get black out drunk in someone’s basement, dressed up in the smallest garments of clothing they could find (and excuse it as some sort of costume). But, you were new to town, so when the girl you met through the Hawkin’s high journalism club, Nancy, you remembered her name to be, invited you to the haunted house that went up on the edge of town, you hesitantly agreed to join her and her group of friends. This might be your way to meet some new people. If opportunity knocks, you suppose you better answer. 

-

A nervous shiver trickled down your spine as you and Nancy leaned against the Wheeler station wagon, engaging in small talk about your move from Nevada, and about the new friends you were about to meet. You were told of a girl your age with short strawberry blonde hair, and a personality almost as eclectic as her fashion sense. And of a boy that people called the hair, a charmer in all ways women, but that he had been warned not to pursue you. You flashed Nancy a devilish smile.

“What if I want him to pursue me, Nance?”

“He’s a serial dater, Y/N. And I can say from experience, a much better friend than a conquest.” If Nancy’s response wasn’t enough to deter you, her history with Steve Harrington was. You presumed fucking around with your only friend’s ex isn’t a great way to stay friends. 

You formed your group with warm smiles and welcomes; you absorbed the three of your new friends’ banter. You felt out of the loop, but not unwelcome. The addition to Robin and Steve made you feel hopeful for the future of your friendships.

The four of you made your way through the painted asphalt of the abandoned Starcourt mall that hosted the Halloween festivities. The once shiny new sliding doors were pried open and painted black to welcome the bravest teens into the makeshift haunted house in the west wing of the mall. Robin and Nancy had already jumped at the few scare actors positioned around the entrance, Steve flinching every so often. You stood stone cold, unphased by the kids that were paid far too little money and wore far too much fake blood for their own good.

You bravely volunteered to go through the foggy entrance first; Steve followed behind you with Robin and Nancy hiding into each other’s shoulders. The fog opened up to a desolate looking carnival with old rusted rides festooned around the large room. You sauntered around the space, taking awestruck gazes at the crumpled metal and grim lights looming over you. You found the narrow corridor that led you to the next room. 

Suddenly, a tall figure popped out in front of you, eliciting shrill shrieks from your party behind you. You felt your heart jump into your chest, but not out of fear.

The figure that stood in front of you donned a ripped striped shirt and tight black jeans. You had a perfect view of his long arms and the tattoos that danced across them. You looked up to the figure’s face and were met with beautiful brown eyes glinting with an unreadable shine. His pale skin had been made even paler with white face paint, and his eyes were bracketed around black smudged triangles. You could tell how plump the boy’s lips were even when camouflaged under a black painted frown. His visage was framed with dark curls. He looked more majestic than frightening. But as much as your heart thumped, you weren’t scared, so you pretended not to be impressed with the person blocking your path. He put his muscular arm up on the wall, further blocking you in. As your friends panicked behind you, you simply flashed your bright eyes up at him and you slipped under his outstretched arm. You continued on without giving so much as a slight glance back, encouraging Steve to do the same to pass the stranger. The man dropped his hand from the wall and pressed himself back into the hallway, his eyes never leaving your figure. 

You were going to be the death of him, he could tell already.

“Holy fuck, Y/N! That was kind of badass!” Robin exclaimed, her and Nancy trotting back to rejoin you and Steve. “That fucking freaked me out.”

“What is so scary about a guy in clown makeup?” You shrugged. Little did you know the very person that you were talking about, the guy that had made your heart jump to your throat, was following closely behind you, separated only by the prop walls he had helped build days earlier. 

-

“Eddie, you can’t abandon your spot!” His skeevy boss yelled to him when he caught him trawling through the small walkways. “You gotta be the first scare, man! There’s nothing else in that corridor!” Eddie didn’t look back at the pudgy man with the combover shaking his fist. 

“Fuck off, Brad. I gotta do something” Eddie murmured. He needed to find you. He was willing to give up this shitty side gig and go back to solely dealing again. 

Eddie was overwhelmed with confusion. He was enchanted by you, but your lack of reaction in a haunted house of all things… But the way you looked at him. There was something different in your eyes. You were bored. But you looked at him with an invitation to cause trouble. You terrified the hell out of Eddie Munson, but he couldn’t get enough. 

-

You wandered aimlessly through the shabby makeshift walls. Eddie watched as you stood stoic scare after scare that normally made anyone jump. His eyes trained on your figure. Eddie needed to see more of you. The boy tapped a small boy dressed up like a gremlin waiting to pop out of the corridor you were walking through. 

“What are you doing, Eddie?” the boy hissed. 

“Just move, man. I need your spot” Eddie used his hidden strength to move the boy. His eyes stayed peeled, waiting to see your curly hair to come into his vision. 

-

You strolled through the crowded corridor, giggling quietly at Steve and Robin’s third argument of the night.

“I’m telling you, Buckley. You couldn’t be a scare actor because you would literally scare yourself.”

“Umm, says the guy who literally jumped into my arms when that demon animatronic went off back there. And like, aren’t you scared of clowns? You were made for beauty pageants, Steve.”

“Let me tell you someth-”

Steve’s words were stolen from his mouth as Eddie dashed out of his hiding spot. His sleek form lunged towards you, pushing you back towards the back wall. His hands caged your head, leaving you nowhere to look but his hypnotizing eyes. They looked aflame with passion and frustration. For the first time of the night, your breath hitched. Your chest heaved softly, waiting, wondering, hoping for what the boy was going to do (to you) next.

A small smile flashed across the curly haired boy’s painted face. He slammed his hands against the wall beside you, eliciting a short gasp from your plump lips. You didn’t ignore the glance that Eddie took at your lips before he pushed himself away from you, and onto the wall across from you. He bowed and gestured your friends foreward, leaving you to the back. You could barely peel your eyes away from the figure in front of you, but you pulled yourself from the wall and his punishing stare. You shook him out of your thoughts as you strode towards your friends, now far down the hallway. You felt a hand on your wrist and you were pulled away and into the darkness. 

Suddenly, you were met face to face with the mystery that had been following you, crammed into a small corridor. His body loomed over yours, too close, but somehow not close enough. His breath fanned over you and you couldn’t help but feel faint. He was even more beautiful now that you had all the time in the world to examine him. He licked his lips and you couldn’t help but mirror him with a gulp.

“Why aren’t you scared of me, doll?” his low voice rasped. You couldn’t speak, your throat closing. You tried your best to open your mouth, but Eddie’s thumb running across your lower lip shut it. You mustered up all of your energy.

“I’m not one to scare easily,” you sighed. You felt small underneath him, like he could devour you whole.

“You seem scared now, sweetheart. Do I scare you?” Eddie stepped closer to you, his hand finding his way to your hip. His eyes were dark, but there was a tenderness there. He silently told you that you could leave at any point and he would still thank you. “Or, do you feel exactly what I’m feeling?” Eddie didn’t need to wait for a response, your eyes were glowing with want-need. 

Eddie pressed his painted lips to yours, pressing his chest against yours. His hand ran up your side, and to your neck. His skin burned against yours and you wished you could wear his hand like a locket for the rest of time. You kissed him back feverishly, hoping that with every move of your lips, Eddie fell more enchanted with you, like you had with him. Lucky for you, Eddie had jumped off the deep end and was ready to drown in everything that is you.

Eddie pulled away and let out a small giggle. A sound that made your heart stop. 

“You have paint all over your face now.”

“I don’t give a fuck” you breathed as you pulled Eddie’s face to yours. The kisses grew from explorative to heated. Your hands snaked up to wrap around the nape of the beautiful boy’s neck. His tongue traced your bottom lip in a desperate plea to explore your mouth further. You opened your mouth in permission and his tongue met yours with a moan. Eddie slotted his jean clad thigh between your legs and pushed into you further. You felt the heat radiating off of your core between both of your jean clad bodies. You huffed into Eddie’s mouth, begging for more. 

“You want more, darling? You don’t even know me.” Eddie teased. “Plus… I’m at work! What would my boss think?” you wouldn’t let the boy’s words get to you. You couldn’t think about your situation too much. 

“Well, seeing as you’re the one that pulled me in here, it sounds like this whole ‘stranger’ and ‘at your job’ are your problems not mine… plus, I could go, if you want me to?” You attempted to push Eddie off you, but his grip on your neck and hip became desperate. You smirked at his reaction.

Eddie let go of you in favor of fiddling with your jeans. He let out a low chuckle that rumbled through your whole body. 

“So, you’re a brat, hey? I should have fucking known. Too bad for you, I’m too curious to see what you sound like when you fall apart under me.” You moaned at his words and you pulled him back into a searing kiss. His hands found their way through your jeans and panties. You let out another breathy moan into Eddie’s mouth. Eddie’s hands and mouth paused and he detached his lips from yours.

“But, you gotta be quiet doll. Can’t have anyone find us, and someone’s gonna be back here in like 5 minutes to kick my ass so…”

His slender fingers slipped through your folds, you can’t help but shudder. Eddie bit his lip to suppress his baritone moans. “So wet already… and just for me?” he praised, making your pussy flutter.  He pushed one finger into your waiting entrance, leaving you no time to adjust. Your knees buckled in sheer pleasure. You bit your lip hard, trying to suppress any moans threatening to spill out. Your hands moved up from Eddie’s neck to his luscious locks and you pulled on them to bring his mouth back to yours. He braced against you with a small ‘tsk’.

“I wanna watch you, doll. I wanna see how good you look when I finger fuck you.” His hand flew to your mouth to prevent the groan that was paired with your eyes rolling back. 

Eddie was talented. His pace was unrelenting and he knew the right angle to bully your quivering cunt at. He spread you open further by adding another finger. You shook, feeling so satisfied, so full. You could barely keep your cool that you had been desperately clinging to. The waves of heat flooding your system.

“P-please-”

“Eddie”

“Eddie.please.” You cried.

“Hmmm, I love it when you say my name.” The boy cooed. His words hurled you closer and closer to your climax. Your legs began to shake around Eddie’s hand. A frustrated gasp wracked your body as Eddie removed his fingers from your desperate pussy. 

“Eddie-” You were hushed by the tall boy’s frame dipping down so his head was at your waist. You looked into his beautiful brown eyes quizzically, and he returned your look with a mischievous smile. He pulled your jeans and soaked panties to your knees and pulled his face into you. 

“I need to taste you, please?” You were on the edge, overstimulated and desperate to cum. You shook your head violently and without a second to lose, Eddie’s mouth was on your sensitive core. You yelped at the sensation of his perfect lips sucking against your clit. A large hand snaked from your wait to your mouth. The lack of air sent lightning bolts through your body. Eddie hummed into you and you collapsed over him. 

“Taste so good-”

“Y/N” You answered for him. He hummed into you again, sending shock waves through your legs. Your breath hitched and Eddie could feel you tense around where his fingers once were. He stared up at you as he gave one last suck onto your sensitive bud. 

You saw white, your head felt like it was full of cotton. The waves of pleasure were too much for you to comprehend. Your pussy clenched around nothing and you cried into Eddie’s hand. You could feel the vibrations of him moaning as he licked up your essence. He expertly worked you through your climax, to the point where you were deliciously overstimulated. He waited for you to pull him off of you, licking you clean in the process.

You couldn’t help but giggle when his presence loomed over you again, a large spot around his mouth and chin bare of face paint. He wiped his mouth and you could finally see the plump pink lips grinning back at you. 

“Nice to meet you, Y/N”  You couldn’t help the blush that grew across your cheeks. 

“Nice to meet you, Eddie.” 

Eddie picked up the bottom hem of his shirt and wiped your mouth clean of the black smudges of paint. He grabbed your hand and kissed the back of it. 

“Can I maybe get your number, so I can eat- I mean take you out on a proper date?”

You smiled up at the gorgeous boy. He had rooted through his back pocket and held a sharpie in his hand triumphantly. You took it from him, and wrote your phone number on your arm in your neat writing. You blew on his arm, sending goosebumps straight through his heart. 

“You better call me after that, Eddie. I don’t know what I’d do with myself if you didn’t” 

“Well, lucky for you, I have no intention of leaving you alone.”

With a smile, Eddie grabbed your hand and led you through the back corridors and gave you a sweet peck. He pushed you through a small entrance so you were back by Robin’s side. 

-

With a scream,  you reunited with Robin.

“Holy fuck! Where the hell did you go?!”

“I got lost. I took some wrong turns and ended up in the back corridors somehow.” You were thankful that the room was dark so you were able to hide your red hot cheeks. Maybe Halloween wasn’t so bad… and you might just have a change of heart about Hawkins after all.

-

Eddie sauntered back through the narrow maze of staff hallways, a shit eating grin plastered on his smudged face. It faltered slightly as he entered the male dressing rooms. Brad stood to greet the teen. His sweaty brow furrowed and his fatty chin wobbled in anger.

“Munson you’re-”

“Fired.. Yeah, I got it.” the metalhead chuckled. 

Eddie grabbed his bag with a smile and a bow to the chubby man, who was now furiously flattening his greasy comb over. He wiped his face with an old bandana tucked into his back pocket. He slammed out the shabby doors that lead to the abandoned mall, blowing carefully on his newest tattoo that you had given him. If it were up to him, he would drive himself to his friend’s tattoo parlor and get it inked permanently on his arm, like you had been tattooed on his heart.

taglist: @eddies-acousticguitar @mmunson86 @sadbitchfangirl @hideoutside @anxiousobserver @ali-r3n @brinleighsstuff @@filth-fiction-archive @vintagehellfire @kirstinjayjay @poofyloofy @sluggzillaa @aol19 @dark-angel-is-back @keikoraven @emxxblog @adrenalineeerevolver @crybabyddl @lovemegood @cherry-pop3547 @cherry-pop3547 @cozmiccass If you would like to be on my taglist, please consider following and fill out this form!

#eddie munson #stranger things #carly writes #eddie munson ff #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson edit #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson smut #eddie munson x female reader #stranger things 4 #kinktober #kinktober 2023 #smut #reader insert #x reader #female reader #eddie smut #eddie stranger things #eddie munson brainrot #scare actor! Eddie munson

[elderscrollsconceptart]

This will be a long post but I've been thinking about this since last night.

I get a pit in my stomach when I think about the new Fallout TV show and the chance TES may get a show if the Fallout show is super successful.

I've been hearing the show has been pretty good, but ive also heard some grim rumblings and worries about certain directions Bethesda/Amazon are taking lore-wise in the Fallout show. Apparently Todd has said everything in the show is canon.

I've not watched it myself as I'm not a huge TV watcher in general, but I don't know if I want to see Bethesda or an outside studio make massive changes to TES lore which affect both past and future installments in TES purely for the sake of "making good TV".

I am most certainly not a "modern Bethesda" hater or of the opinion that modern TES/Fallout games are bad. I pretty much love them all. (I even enjoyed Starfield, huge glaring flaws and all!)

I genuinely believe they are trying their best to make fun games. I also understand they have had a lot of struggles over the past decade+, particularly in company direction and budgeting of necessary resources (pre-Microsoft acquisition).

The old Zenimax upper management was awful (Trumps brother was literally on the Zenimax board of Directors before he died). And infamously refused budget allocations towards serious game engine improvements that were desperately needed. Bethesda has had alot of struggles but I feel they have always tried to do the best they can, even if the final result is middling.

I am also not a Todd hater. Even if he's not necessarily the best game designer, he has a lot of heart and passion and seems to genuinely care about Bethesda and its employees. I am glad he seems to have a genuinely good relationship with Microsoft and I have high hopes for Bethesda's future in the long term.

All that said, there are just certain changes that can happen when "Hollywood comes knocking" per se., even if most of the main creative decisions still come from Bethesda. TV shows can be fantastic and lauded with praise but if they are based on an established property with established lore, they often ultimately go in creative directions which negates the lore and other non-TV entries in the series.

Just look at GOT. It started off amazingly, and GRR Martin had a direct hand in all the early series. It was the best show on TV until suddenly GRR was no longer involved directly and the show runners started making their own decisions. They started ignoring established lore and making "changes and improvements" which nose dived the series by the end.

Perhaps I am paranoid, but I can see something similar happening to Fallout if the show is big and keeps getting new series. Furthermore, I hold a deep dread that TES may be next. Just think, how many people talk about GOT anymore? How many people are hyped for the next book(s) in the series? The books didn't get bad right? Only the TV show did.

But that's my point. If Fallout or TES have these big smash initial hits on TV but begin to fail after a while, it damages the series as a whole, not just the TV show. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see TES/Fallout TV shows be nothing but great. I just worry as I've been hearing of major major lore changes being made by the Fallout show. These changes are irrevocable and utterly change the lore of that series, and not necessarily for the better. I'll try to refrain from further judgment on that, but I'll leave with this question:

What if TES had a super quality and popular TV show which negated large parts of pre-Oblivion lore? Suddenly, due to the show, innumerable people/places/things which were iconic to the TES series were no longer around or perhaps not even canon anymore? What if those things were just lost or written off for the sake of a TV show?

As a fan of TES, and maybe even of that TV show, how would that make you feel?

I'm am not trying to stir controversy here, but I think we as a fandom need to have more public discussions about this. We also need to be prepared to not dump on any new changes to the series or lore without giving them a fair shake. Something being "new and different" does mean its awful. Changes can be good or bad but they must be carefully considered.

I hope this new Fallout show's premiere will provide us a good chance to consider the future of TES media and lore outside the games before any changes are announced or made.

#the elder scrolls #tes #television #fallout #fallout tv show #elder scrolls tv show #tesblr #worries

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Yk something that I would really enjoy if Yana did in twisted wonderland? Make evil/awful characters be RSA students instead of NRC students. It would make sense considering rook,silver, Kalim, and kinda ortho? Are kind people with quirky personality that don’t really fit into the campus at all. Plus, I feel like a perfect school with no issues is too bland and too much of a dream come true. Yana never came off as the type to toss potential for a good thriller. Anyways, My vote for secretly fucked up RSA student?

It 100% has to be lotso hugging bear from Toy Story 3, he fits perfectly into being an awesome handsome swell class representative that everyone adores and respect, to outsiders though? There is something off about how he runs the classes and newcomers… 😭 ahh, there is so much I can go off but don’t wanna make this too long.

Obviously we have Hans from frozen, hector from Coco, Robert Callaghan from big hero 6, there’s prob a few more I skipped but those are the few I can think that can fit into RSA. Respectful young men with potential futures ahead of them, goody two shoes that don’t defy the law… at least what our NRC boys think. Just a simple idea though, I don’t think it will ever happen so a poor person can only dream 🙃

TWST!Lotso perpetually smells like strawberries/j

You never know, it might! Yana did say that she wanted to continue the main story of Twisted Wonderland following what I will call the “first arc” (which encompasses all 7 OB boys and Grim). There’s also future Halloween events to consider (Yana has already indicated that’s she’s very excited for the next one)!

We don’t know exactly what that “next” main story might entail, but a lot of fans theorize it will involve increased exposure to or interactions with RSA. If that’s the case, it would be very boring if the RSA students all turn out to be perfect and problem-free. I’m sure some trouble would eventually arise.

The “twist” villains of Disney seem like perfect candidates to be the “black sheep” in a school supposedly full of good-natured souls. It would also give TWST an opportunity to actually… fix??? Make up for??? Some of their poor implementation in the actual films (which is a point they’ve been criticized for, since most recent Disney movies have either had bad twist villains or no “real” villain at all). In my opinion, Hans is a particularly poorly written one—

If we want to get super modern, I think even King Magnifico from Wish (I think it’s out to the general public now?) would count as a twist villain. (Even if the advertisements all make it clear he’s the bad guy, within his own universe he is still considered a good guy!) Although… looking back at the twisted characters we’ve seen so far, all of them essentially come from older, more “classic” Disney films, so maybe the far shinier and more recent Disney villains won’t be “twisted” so soon?? 🤔 That’s just me speculating though!

#twisted wonderland #twst #disney twisted wonderland #notes from the writing raven #Wish #King Magnifico #Lotso #Toy Story #Toy Story 3 #Prince Hans #Frozen

[get-back-homeward]

Now and Then Day

This sideblog began after watching Get Back nagged and nagged at me until finally I started to look closer at context relative to the Beatles discography and suddenly started experiencing these WAIT WHAT moments every day as what I thought I knew got turned inside out. The appeal was in looking at something you knew like the back of your hand from another direction and seeing/hearing something new you hadn’t seen/heard before. But I had no idea we’d get another song to add to the mix in 2023.

I knew Now and Then day would be an experience. I thought I’d have to wait the whole day before listening. But I got lucky and found a few minutes to listen to Now and Then when it was first released this morning. And inexplicably clicked to hear the remastered Love Me Do instead. I cannot explain my brain.

I then tried to start Now and Then and noped out before 15 seconds in. Too overwhelming. Not the right time. I was too rushed and needed more space to mentally prepare for it.

I caught NPR covering the Now and Then release today on my drive home. They had a Lennon biographer (I didn’t catch the name) reviewing the song. He said the song recalls John’s more delicate tunes like Beautiful Boys (sic) and mentioned John started the song in 1970.

Say what?!

Here I was late last night trying to nail down a better date for John’s demo than “late 70s”. Meanwhile, biographers are just here on national public radio pushing lies. Did he have ChatGPT write his comments?

Oh yeah, they also said it was created with AI no qualifier.🤦‍♀️

They played a few snippets of the song including one new piece not in the doc but refrained from playing it in full. It was mostly wrong Beatles facts all segment.

Trying the song a second time hours later, I got through it in one piece but was feeling abit 🥴 about it as a song itself. Having just listened to the original demo was probably a mistake, and I could hear all the seams and feeling the Frankenstein song effect.

Third attempt sounded more together, with the seams not quite as noticeable. I was prepared for the changes, the layering bits from other songs, and noted highlights of the instrumentals: the strings, George’s guitar bits, and Ringo’s flourishes. I love Paul coming through on the future tense certainty of “I will love you” (is that I Will?). Ringo’s shimmering effect choice (is it tams?) is such an entrancing closer. Giles’ score and Beatles recycled bits do mend the seams well once I stop thinking about them too much.

On fourth listen, my biggest notes are questioning why Paul’s harmony with John isn’t more distinct. He shows a lot of restraint here but maybe too much? Did Get Back get to him in other ways than the most obvious? Is he just self-conscious about his own voice? Or is it the limitation of the tech when it comes to harmony mixing?

The strings were what I was most worried about, but their entrance at the 1:15 mark really kicks it up a notch to transition into the singalong. Other standouts are 1:40 with George’s flourish and 2:29 peak with the guitar solo.

Lyrically, it’s the conditional and if I make it through it’s all because of you that haunts in layers of meaning both grim and cathartic that reverberate through time and space.

If John makes it through emotionally to 1980 and has a comeback? Congrats, bud you did it. But he’s stopped physically through no fault of his own. There’s the obvious mourning of that lost potential even 40 years later.

If this song this voice this message of John’s makes it through to 2023 and reaches the public? Well, success there, Paul’s tenacity saw it through with help from many friends. John’s voice and song lives on through Paul’s wish to conjure him by his side. On the Day of the Dead no less. I was reminded of the concept of tulpas today and was knocked back on my heels by the thought.

If John as an artist and Beatles as a band make it through so fans are still listening in 2023? This doubles as a bit of a fan love letter, and thank you for 60 years. Released on the day Beatlemania first appeared in black and white.

But then there’s also a reflector on this. Some original Beatles fans have aged with Paul and Ringo and others have not and aren’t here to share this like John and George. There’s grief and mourning from those still here about those lost, and the song acts as a catharsis. A kind of thank you to the band for being there for fans in good times and bad. The symbiosis of fame between a band and its fans across the decades.

It’s a lot.

I spent some time looking at the youtube comments on the song. Some original fans but many second and even third generation fans. And quite a few stories about a loved one who loved the band and recently passed away like this one:

And this:

But also in there are stories of catharsis and healing.

And many memories of the joy that Beatles music has brought to people’s lives. We all have these stories of how their songs weave into our own life. But it’s the joy that I keep coming back to as the secret sauce to the band’s earliest days. I often think of those early songs more in terms of feeling then anything, and it starts with the first single.

I love the Love Me Do remastering. That harmonica sounds so crisp. The bluegrassy harmonies have never sounded better. The ones on ple-ee-ee-ease still give me chills. Ringo’s drums moved forward in the mix to appreciate that driving beat just a bit more. I can hear the bass too. I can’t wait to hear what the other early Red album tracks sound like.

But next to Now and Then, I’m also looking at the lyrics like I never did before. Why give it another glance? Written by a 16 year old kid, it always sounded a bit juvenile and simple. But suddenly next to Now and Then, there’s a weight to it I never heard before.

Love, love me do

You know I love you

I’ll always be true

So please, love me do

It sounds like a promise. Now and Then is fulfillment of that always. It’s no longer just the whim of a kid. But rather the beginning of 7 decade devotional: To John, to the band, to fans, and reflected back again. The love is reciprocal from all sides.

How’s that for a WAIT WHAT moment? Paul turning the least likely song inside out and backwards. And he didn’t even add a lyrical middle eight.

#my text #song reactions #had to write up today #overwhelmed #too many thoughts #not well organized but felt wrong to leave them to the tags #what a weird day #hesitating to tag it #now and then #dont mind me im still processing it #i still post on tumblr dot com like its lj 2008 #i used to do tv ep reactions but song reactions is a first #i probably missed some bits #waxing poetic about cassette tapes another day #conversations with ghosts #grief #a tag ive had here for over a year now that i swear i will do something with one day #someone mentioned hauntology and when i get a working brain again yes lets get on that #taking real love free as a bird and now and then together #for the record the moment that actually made me flat out sob today #t was the anthology youve got to hide your love away with john’s ‘ready macca?’ #sitting on a vidding project all year but that ones getting added

[phoenixstark1708]

the daughter of an archangel

chapter 1

sooo..... this is my backstory in my marvel DR, major trigger warnings, this also crosses over into supernatural later, but i havent even written that yet.

trigger warnings: abuse, torture, blood, death, fucked up timeline, etc.

pairings: later will be sam/dean winchester, and even later will be bucky,

in this, endgame/inf war doesnt happen, i took plenty of creative liberties.

summary: (this is written in first-person) phoenix is a girl who was created by the nazi organization HYDRA, and she meets the winter soldier on a mission, i cant say much more without spoiling future chapters. will try to proofread but no promises.

word count: 2,654/10,649 - that ive written so far.

change of POV's will be indicated

“Get up you stupid pig!” the guard said, in a thick Russian accent, banging the cell door with his truncheon. He shone a flashlight in my eyes, making them burn from the lack of light for the past two days. I stretched out my sore muscles, wincing from the scabbed-over cuts all over my body. After days of no contact with anyone, just me and the cold, dark cell. Somehow being dragged away for training almost feels like a blessing. I stood and allowed him to cuff me. at this point, I know the drill. “so, Angel, how was your weekend?” He asked while holding my shoulder, guiding me out of the cell – the only place I’ve known as home for my whole life – literally. I was born in the damned bullpen. My mother died during birth, I guess having twins really had her beat.

On the way to the hell chamber – sorry, training room - I saw him, I saw Benjamin. For the first time in weeks, I saw my twin. He looked rough. Probably just had a sparring sesh with one of the winter soldiers. he’s always been smaller than me, But there was something different. he seemed especially weak. I haven’t eaten anything in what I assume has been around 4 days. He probably hasn’t either. They were always doing this, trying to weed out the weaker members. Its grim, but I knew he would die soon. It was clear that I was stronger, and if it came down to it, I would kill him without a second thought. After all, that’s how I was trained. I was bred, raised, and trained to be ruthless. And that is the only reason that I am still alive. HYDRA has no room for error.

As I walked into the training room, I saw the winter soldier, long, brunette hair, with a metal arm. The only time ive ever seen him is in cryo-sleep, he looked so peaceful, so harmless. The man standing before me was soemthing different entirely. His eyes were blue as ice, and just as cold. He looked right through me, almost like a drone. “this is her first mission. You will be supervising her.” he hands the man with a metal arm a file containing four pictures of senator james martin, whos been a public neusence for hydra for a while. The winter soldier grabbed me by the arm and dragged me through the door.

It was a quiet drive on the Harley, at the moment, we were just n full assassin gear. My small arms were wrapped around his waist, making him clearly tense up. His metal arm was glinting in the moonlight as we pulled into a nearby parking garage, a birdseye view of the gathering senator martin. “I will stay up here while you go inside. As many casualties as possible. No survivors.” He said gruffly, setting up the rifle. “They won’t let me in. I’m wearing a costume.” I said, my voice gravelly from days of no use. He glanced down at me for the first time, and gazed at me for a moment, before pulling out a T-shirt that had the senators face on it, and a pair of grey sweatpants. “Change into these, keep your weapons concealed until my signal.” I quickly stripped. he turned away, giving me privacy. I was more then used to being watched, so this was surprising. I fixed the too-large clothes, and looked harmless. Instead of looking like an eight-year-old assassin, I looked like a normal kid.

There was something in the winter soldier’s eyes that I didn’t recognise, almost like affection. I walked down the stairs of the parking garage, feeling his eyes on me the whole way. Slowly, I crossed the street, nearly getting hit by a truck that I didn’t know to look for. As I made my way to the entrance of the granite building, I noticed trucks outside, like the kind I saw at my home, - armoured trucks. I, of course thought this was normal. “Careful, there are hostiles in the building. Captain America and the black widow are protecting the target.” His voice came through my earpiece. “I don’t know who they are” I whispered back. “You will. They won’t want to hurt you, use that to your advantage.” And with that, he went radio silent.

As I walked barefoot through the large doors, I spotted a woman in a similar outfit to what I wear, only without the red skull. She spotted me immediately, and I tried to disappear through the crowd. I was unsuccessful. A man in a red, white, and blue uniform grabbed my arm gently, holding a shield in his other hand. “Who are you kid?” He peered down at me “I’m here to see my daddy.” I said, feigning panic. I pulled my arm out of his grasp and ran toward a random man, tugging on his shirt. Shield guy turned away before he could see the man push me away. I stayed by him, trying to convince the people that he was my father. I got a little turned around, when a perverted looking man grabbed my wrist “hey sweetheart. You’re gonna come with me now.” He said, his voice just as weird as him. The man in the jumpsuit put his hand on his shoulder “why dontcha leave the girl alone pal.” He dragged him away.

Just then, his signal came, by shooting the senator in the gut, taking him down. The panic set in immediately. People running around screaming like headless chickens. The man with the metal arm burst through the door, sealing off the only accesable exit. I grabbed the first person I saw, they just happened to be the senators daughter. She couldn’t have been more then seventeen; I snapped her neck. I unfurled my wings and tripped some old man with them. I stabbed him in his corroded artery, a fatal blow. Killing got easier the more I did it.

The fight went on like this for a while, until the red-haired woman pushed me to the ground “stay down kid.” seeing me pinned down, the man i was on the mission with began to make his way over to me. I waved my hand, and the woman went flying, hitting the wall with a thud. Oh yea, something I forgot to mention; I'm not a normal person. In addition to having my DNA spliced with the peregrine falcon, giving me wings, and the ability to fly, I was also experimented on with energy from the soul stone, one of the six infinity stones. Ergo, I had ‘powers’. The winter soldier stared at me, shocked, his brief moment of distraction caused him to get a wooden chair to the head. He shot the dude that hit him.

The man in the flag costume, and the woman ran. Smart. Tactical retreat. I ran to every person I saw, and killed as many as I could. Once we were sure that there were no more targets, the winter soldier grabbed me, and threw me on the motorcycle behind him.

We stopped at a motel that charged by the hour… if that tells you anything. “we will stay here for a while. You need to get clean, I know that the hoses hurt.” he said, a hint of compassion in his voice. Hes right. They used fire hoses to ‘clean up’ whenever any of us got dirty. I walked into the bathroom and stripped. I didn’t close the door, because I assumed I wasn’t allowed to. I didn’t know how to use the shower so I just sort of stared at it, waiting for it to turn on. The man walked in, turned the handle of the shower, and left. I jumped when water started to spurt out of the faucet. I stepped into the water slowly, gauging the temperature before completely immersing myself into it. My muscles involuntarily relaxed at the sensation of the warm water. I began rubbing the dirt off of my limbs when the winter soldier walked in.

He didn’t look at me, but made a damp washcloth and started cleaning his wounds. They were worse then I assumed, and I coudnt help but observe him while washing the rest of the dirt off of my body. I only sustained minor cuts and bruises in the fight, but he had deep lacerations on his face, presumably from the chair. I stepped out of the shower and stood there, a towering three-foot-seven-inches, short for my age. He glanced at me and handed me a towel while dabbing his wounds “whats this for?” I asked “dry yourself. They will notice our absence if were not back soon.” so, I dried myself off, and put on my uniform, running my fingers over the red skull with tentacles, like a squid. I giggled, imaging it wiggling its tentacles.

Bucky

The little girl was looking at her uniform, giggling. For a moment I thought of two young girls in brooklyn. I was a teenager with sisters… what? No, I wasn’t. I am a weapon for hydra. Whats going on? I was steadily bleeding from the prick who hit me with a chair, we needed to get back to base. She suddenly looked up at me, concern evident in her sweet, blue eyes. “are- are you okay? You're bleeding,” she frowned. “Let me help you. I can make people feel better.” I skeptically sat on a bed near where she was standing. She slowly reached over to me; I shied away when her hand got close to my wound, remembering the various punishments I've had over the years. I am a wild animal. I need to be controlled. She looked into my eyes, the child-like glimmer long gone. It's unfair; all children should have that. No. She is not a child; she is a weapon. That’s it- like me. She gently laid her small hand on my head near the cut. All of the sudden her eyes started glowing, a certain gold color I'd never seen before. Her hands began glowing the same, and my head started tingling.

I immediately felt better. I can't explain it, but she somehow lodged herself into my memory, unintentionally. And I knew I would never forget her. She looked at me worried, noting the glazed look in my eyes. “are you alright? I'm sorry if I hurt yo-” I cut her off “My name is Bucky,” I blurted out; I had no idea where that came from. “You need to call me Winter, or ‘the winter soldier’, otherwise they’ll kill us both” she looked at me confused and alarmed “okay… I will” “we need to go back.” so I took her small hand, gently, and led her to the HYDRA-issued motorcycle we came here on. The drive back to base was cold. I could feel it in my bones. I couldn’t help but wish I could help her warm up. I didn’t know what I was feeling, but I knew HYDRA wouldn’t like it. I am a machine. Not a man.

I rode up to the gate “солдат?” soldier? “миссия успешна. приветствую гидру.” mission successful. hail hydra. The gate opened, and we rode into the garage. She was immediately ripped off the back of the bike and dragged away. “you are late. The camera in your suit shows you made a ‘pit stop’. She had an effect on you. You will both be heavily punished for this.” no. I practically jumped off the bike. I grabbed the mans neck and snapped it before being sedated. The last thing I heard before I got knocked out was “well, after we make them watch, we’ll have to wipe him again.” I woke up strapped to a modified autopsy table. Modified so I was reclined enough so that I had a clear view of the girl. And she had a clear view of me. One of the doctors walked in with an array of surgical instruments “doctor- sorry- creator! Thank goodness! I was scared we were taken by the bad people!” the little girls face lit up with relief. The doctor sighed and placed his kit on a surgical tray, the knives clattering against the cold steel. “child, птичий урод.” bird-freak “you have been very bad. And you know what happens to bad children.” he put on surgical gloves, and picked up a Sickle Probe, the device that dentists use. He walked toward her slowly “creator, im sorry! It was a mistake! Please. Im sorry” she cried out. however, she didn’t struggle against the restraints. “it is too late to apologise freak. You will be punished.” “yes sir.” she slumped against the autopsy table, keeping her fear-filled eyes on the doctor. He walked up to her small body, and turned off the magnetic cuff, allowing her arm to fall. The monster grabbed her arm, and stuck the hook of the sickle probe into the inside of her elbow. She began silently crying from the pain, blood slowly dribbling from the wound. He slowly dragged the hook down her arm, toward her wrist, tearing her skin. The blood was flowing heavily now, and he was trying to stifle her cries. After reaching her wrist, he put the probe down and picked up a rusty razorblade.

He moved to her chest, and drug the blade down her sternum, and to her lower stomache. She was crying freely now. “heal yourself.” she did as she was told, her eyes glowing gold, and the wounds shimmering as they healed instantly. He grabbed a klein tool – essentially a broader pliers. He walked to her bare feet, and clamped down on her small toe. He bent it to a sickening angle, causing the bone to snap with a disturbing CRACK. She screamed. He used the wire-clipping part of the klein tool to cut off a patch or skin on her foot. He grabbed a knife, and made slow, deep, and deliberate cuts all over her body. After nearly an hour, he decided hed had enough of that. he only reason she was still alive was because she wasn’t fully human – she couldn’t have been. “heal. Now. Not your foot though. You will deal with that.” she did as she was told. She was exhausted. She collapsed against the table before he shocked her with a set of jumper cables rigged up to a car battery. While watching this, I struggled against the restraints so much, my wrist began to bleed. Every time I screamed for them to let her go, my restraints would get an electrical charge. I was muzzled like a dog. Reminding me that I am no better then one. I am one. She screamed every time he cut her, shocked her, stabbed her, or tore the skin off her flesh. When she screamed, the building would shake. Not figuratively either.

She was clearly more powerful than she could see. She could easily kill him, she could kill everyone in this god forsaken building. HYDRA had control over her mind. But not in the same way as they had mine. They beat her down, made her feel powerless, made her think wrong is right, and right is wrong. I have to get her out of here. The doctor made his way over to me “judging by your reaction, she made an imprint on you. Well, time to forget her!” he said, laughing malevolently. “no! You cant-” I was cut off by a blow to my temple. They dragged me to the Memory Suppressing Machine. A white hot pain ripped through me. I couldn’t remember the mission, but I could remember a girl. A sweet, young girl. I knew I should protect her. As far as they're concerned, I don’t remember a thing. “Желание. Семнадцать. Ржавый. Рассвет. Печь. Девять. Добросердечный. Возвращение на родину. Один. Товарный вагон” my trigger words.

let me know if you wanna be tagged in pt2

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes smut #bucky x reader #female reader #smut #avengers #bucky fanfic #bucky x you #catws #dom!reader #supernatural #castiel #spn crack #spn #bi dean #jack kline #marvel cinematic universe #marvel #mcu #marvel mcu #infinity war

[mysteryshoptls]

Mozus Trein Voice Lines (7th Unified Exams)

About His Campus Affairs

The other day, I received a letter from my daughters. As I live alone, they were concerned for my health and bade me to call for them if ever the need arises... It still feels to me as though they were born only recently, but children really do grow up so quickly.

You believe you are given too many assignments? Schoolwork is a student's main focus. Anything else is unnecessary. However... If you do discover something that is of greater importance, you should inform me. If you are able to discover something, that is.

Students nowadays wish to research everything using the internet. The internet is filled with misinformation and cannot be trusted. In the end, books are still the best source of knowledge.

It is absolutely inexcusable to yawn during an important lesson. And yet, despite how ill-mannered yawning in public is in and of itself, how disappointing that it is not an uncommon sight...

Every professor here at Night Raven College considers each student's future prospects extremely seriously. If our instruction is rigorous, it is all for that reason. Understand this, and fully devote yourself to your studies each day.

On His Outfit/Appearance

I cannot say I am at all particular with my outfits. I simply make sure my attire and personal grooming is that of an appearance befitting a professor. Naturally, I always have lint roller for cat hair at the ready as well.

About His Everyday Life

No matter how busy I may get, I strive to clean every single day. That includes the kitchen and bathroom... If I were to keep my place in a state of disarray, my late wife would be devastated.

About Grim

You and Grim may not have been admitted to this school by any proper means, however, I would never make any distinction between students. Even if you cannot use magic, you will be treated the same as any other student.

About School Staff

The other day, I consulted with Vargas-sensei on whether there were any exercises I could do in order to maintain my health. ...However, I was not expecting him to recommend me to play magical shift. I'm sure that would be more likely to cause more harm to my body, before it improved my health.

I often request Sam to place an order of toys for Lucius. Only on occasion do I actually purchase toys he recommends... However, the ones he suggests seem to always be more favored. What could possibly be different between the toys he and I select?

#twisted wonderland #twst #mozus trein #twst trein #twst translation #mention: vargas #mention: sam

[theonethatyaks93]

Character/Plot Notes for Upcoming Dark Pinky x Future Brain Fanfiction (+ a Preview!) (Also, Happy Dark Pinky Thursday!)

Hello everyone!! This is kind of new territory for me, but I'm excited to announce that my very first Dark Pinky x Future Brain fanfiction is currently in the works! And it's not just one fanfiction; it's an entire series that establishes my own universe. I've had this idea for a while, but after looking at the askdarkpinky blog and reading an unhealthy number of Dark Pinky fanfiction, I finally decided to put my concept to writing. I consider this to be a passion project of mine. It has changed quite a bit over the past few months, however, the core idea is still present: establish a Dark Pinky and Future Brain world and write an angsty, dark, and melancholy continuous story. The series will be titled Dark Future, and each separate fanfic will either be a one-shot or a multi-chapter. Some of these fics might even take on a different style such as first-person perspective or alternate/side characters getting the spotlight. I've only posted one fanfiction on AO3 before which is titled When He Loved Me (go check it out, but it's not the best as it was my first work). This will be better executed since I've been planning for longer. I usually do this kind of character analysis/plot analysis in privacy, so I can remember personalities and story beats while I work. Since this is a larger project and that it involves a few characters whom I've never worked with before, I wanted to post this publicly to gain feedback from you guys and to show everyone my ideas. Just a quick note; the preview will not reveal any major spoilers I have planned or character moments aside from setting up the plot. It's also very long and you don't have to read it. Also, this will be rated T for dark themes, light violence/implied violence, and some gore, albeit it's very brief and not graphic. Alright, let's begin!

Plot-Here's a basic, still in development, plot description for the entire series:

After a massive falling out, Future Brain abandons his former husband, Dark Pinky, and runs away to live a life of seclusion alongside his former adversary turned-friend, Julia. Dark Pinky spends years searching for his estranged partner, eventually seeking the help of the beautiful Billie to aid in his pursuit. Unfortunately, after Future Brain comes to a horrifying realization that his husband may cause the world to dissolve into disarray and ruin, he sets off to try and rekindle his relationship with Pinky. Meanwhile, Dark Pinky continues to attempt to find Brain in secret, while continuing to put up a threatening image in the public eye. However, an old foe is plotting to seek revenge on his mortal enemies once and for all. Dark Pinky and Future Brain must attempt to rebuild their rapport in order to gain back control of the world and to realize that certain past mistakes need to be fixed.

There are a lot more elements to this premise than what I've put here, including complex characters, side plots, and fanfictions entirely dedicated to the villains. This universe has a kind of grim origin story that I came up with back in late 2021. Here's a bit from the currently in progress first draft of the very start to this universe:

"The plan has been very dangerous, yet it succeeded with flying colors. The world was theirs in an instant. With one swift attack, the military was abolished, and the world leaders surrendered each country they had dominance over. Bloody corpses lined the streets in the days following, leaving the people of the planet in anguish. It was almost surreal how everything had panned out in the end. And at first, he was satisfied and had convinced himself that he was making Earth a better place for all. However, after the construction of their palace was completed and after the hundreds of private and public executions commanded by him were carried out, the ever-present feeling of dread began to take him day after day. Future Brain had convinced himself countless times that he was happy; though now, it was an almost impossible feat. These feelings of sorrow and shame wouldn’t go away, no matter how hard he tried."

A part that wasn't mentioned here that I want to say is that Dark Pinky and Future Brain didn't start off like this. The reason why they look so maniacal and off-putting is that it's a result of Brain's actions to world domination (to be discussed in an origin story). His plans become increasingly more dangerous as time passes, with him and Pinky receiving more serious injuries. Eventually, this constant barrage of pain, plus an electrical shock, causes Pinky's mind to deteriorate until he becomes Dark Pinky. He's now hyper-focused on world domination and Brain decides that taking a more violent path is the key to their success. Going by Future Brain, he and Dark Pinky launch a brutal attack on the world, causing it to fall into their grasp. But while Dark Pinky loves his new life as a ruler, Future Brain shows quite a bit of regret for his previous actions. This point of Brain hating the world he and Pinky have made is a massive plot point and it's what causes most of the tension in the series. There will be a lot of conflict between Dark Pinky and Future Brain, as they bicker over their different viewpoints. Brain is going to be very hard on himself here as he blames his actions for Pinky being changed. This is one of the reasons why he leaves Dark Pinky behind to live a life of seclusion. There will be a few references to episodes from the spin-off series since this universe takes place after the events of the 1995 show. Since this is an alternate universe, there will be very few or no references to the Animaniacs reboot considering this takes place during that time period.

Characters- There are quite a few recognizable faces here from other Dark Pinky x Future Brain universes, but there are also some new characters that are going to be incorporated. The list below only features the main characters or the ones that get more focus; some others will be getting mentioned or will have a brief cameo. The characters with significance include Dark Pinky, Future Brain, Snowball, Julia, Billie, Egwind and Romy. Their designs are either inspired by the designs from the askdarkpinky blog or are my own original creations. Some of their personalities have been altered such as an unusual character being made a major antagonist or Julia being Brain's closest confidant.

Locations- These are just a few ideas I had for possible major locations of the series:

Dark Pinky and Future Brain's Castle- The primary destination of the entire work, this palace is inspired by the look from the askdarkpinky blog, though it's a little larger. It's located in Washington D.C on the ruins of the White House. It's massive and features lots of rooms, a throne room, spaces for the soldiers, dungeons, and even a library/study room.

Acme Labs- Shuttered after Dark Pinky and Future Brain took over, the lab is abandoned and desolate. Access is restricted for anyone aside from officials. This also is the hideout for Future Brain after his escape from Dark Pinky since his personal living space is located in the basement. Julia resides here also. Brain uses Julia's technology to spy on Dark Pinky's location to avoid getting caught.

Snowball's Fortress- Hidden in the woods, Snowball has created a home for himself after Acme Labs' closure. Here, he spies on Dark Pinky and Future Brain, creating devious schemes to take the world from them. It's not very large, but it has a space where Snowball can create his inventions and an advanced system of computers for watching over Dark Pinky and Future Brain.

Preview- This is a little idea of what is going to happen in this series. This comes from the first fanfiction in the series "Darkness" and it's the ending from that fanfic. Here's a little snippet of the first draft (It's not that little, though. 2000+ words?! This isn't even the entire fic and it's almost longer than my previous work! Yeesh!):

Despite the thunderous chaos that occurred during the day, the castle was quite peaceful at night. Most of the soldiers, aside from the ones on a night shift, had dissipated into the inky blackness of midnight to rest away. The servants that didn’t tend to their mouse overlords’ evening needs slept quietly in their personal quarters without a second thought. And even the ones still awake tried their best to stay as quiet as possible, since Dark Pinky’s temper tended to flare immensely in later hours and that would mean Future Brain would get angry, too. Being on the receiving end of their rage was nothing to cough at; your life was basically in jeopardy if you were to wrong them. Most servants, however, drifted off around 11:30, despite being informed not to do so. All seemed quiet and serene.

The last of the butlers, who carried delicacies on the finest plates, had settled in at around 12:30, when quite suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream echoed through the halls, followed by the sound of shattering glass. Servants, maids, and the night guards nearly leaped from their posts precisely at the time the loud noises occurred and rushed to aid in whatever was going on. Many people were in their nightwear, rubbing sleep from their eyes.

The entourage of associates arrived at Dark Pinky and Future Brain’s room in only a matter of seconds. A soldier rapped on the door in a panic, hoping that all was well. “Your Highnesses is everything alright?” he questioned once, then again, then again. No response. Panic began to settle in with the group; had their rulers been taken? Luckily, the door was unlocked, which was unusual. Though they were told to avoid entering the room without knocking, at this point, there was no other choice.

The servants, guards, and maids filed into the room via the human-sized door. They were met with a confusing albeit disturbing sight. Dark Pinky was kneeling on the floor in only his plush purple robe, back facing away from everyone. Only a single lamp lit the room, hazy shadows lingering everywhere. Pieces of shattered glass surrounded the mouse, though it seemed like he didn’t care or notice. His paws seemed to be against his chest as if he were holding something precious. The only sound in the room was heavy breathing. Very heavy breathing.

“Uhm, are you okay, sir?” one of the servants spoke up, doing his best as to not upset his leader.

A chuckle was the response to that question, followed by a light gasp. “He’s gone.” Dark Pinky murmured discreetly. “He’s gone.”

The night guards eyed each other, the perplexity rising. “Who’s gone?” a soldier in the back of the group asked.

“He’s gone.” A breathy sob emerged from the mouse as he un-cupped a paw and pointed it towards his bed. Surely enough, no one was there. “Brain’s not here.”

Even more glances occurred between the people in the room. Usually when this happened, it wasn’t anything to get distraught about. What was so different now? One of the servants stepped forward in a tentative attempt to get more information.

“Your Excellence, I’m certain that if we just sent out the guards, we’d find you husband somewhere in the castle…”

“HE’S NOT HERE!!!” Pinky roared, abruptly standing up and turning to face the cluster. His eyes were bloodshot, and his cheeks were matted and damp from what looked like tears. He kept his paws close to his middle despite all the thrashing.

“Sir, are you convinced that Brain has vanished completely? He might just be in the kitchen or in his study room or-”

“I can assure you that he’s left the castle! I know! I know everything! I read his mind!” That was a lie. Brain had already been gone by the time he’d awoken to get a drink.

“But are you sure…”

“BRAIN’S GONE YOU IDIOT!!! I’M POSITIVE, STOP DOUBTING ME!! NARF!!!” Dark Pinky yelled, though it came off as more of a moan as his voice cracked.

The group of servants and soldiers moved closer together at their ruler’s sudden outburst. Some cowered in fear. One guard pushed himself out of the huddle, quivering in his purple uniform. “If you are sure that Brain has departed the perimeter, what can we do to assist you in his return?”

Pinky froze for a moment before letting out a snarl. His shoulders slumped as he stared at the ground below his feet. “Find him.” His mouth twitched. “Search everything and everywhere. Leave nothing untouched. Go to every corner of this miserable planet if you must. If he thinks that he can escape me, I think he’s more stupid than what he lets on.”

The soldiers nodded and departed the room to instruct their colleagues about the situation. The rumble of their boots quavered through the entire palace, yet Pinky still didn’t look up. Only the servants and maids remained standing in the doorway.

“As for the rest of you,” Pinky finally raised his head from facing the floor, staring at the miserable helps. He briefly read their puny little terrified minds full of concern. He liked the fear he instilled in them; it was comforting. “You are to scour the castle and look for any hints at where Brain might’ve gone. Check the security cameras, look at locks and see if they’ve been picked. Do anything you can to get a better idea of where he is. Fail me, and the dungeon will be your new home. Understand?”

The servants nodded, still shivering ever so slightly. They bolted out of the room at a rapid pace, setting off to track down the security footage and investigate the locks. Their jobs depended on finding these answers.

He didn’t move until the door slammed shut. He didn’t say a word. He eventually turned away to face the balcony, the dark blue atmosphere painting everything in unsettling colors. Usually, midnight was Pinky’s favorite time of the day, since the world seemed to stand still, and all the hustle simply faded into nothingness. Now, it just seemed bleak, unrelenting, even sinister. It did fit the persona he’d made for himself over the years, but something seemed twisted. For the first time in a while, Dark Pinky felt…uncertain about what was to come. Brain was gone. The mouse he loved most was gone. He let the moment sink in, bearing its claws to slash at his insides, turning his mind to mush.

The next few moments were made of pure silence. Pinky’s heart hammered against his chest, each beat causing him to feel weaker and weaker. The faint hum of servants’ thoughts trickled away until waning completely. Not even the sound of a familiar voice approaching was enough to pull him from his mute state.

“Dinky? Dinky, where are you?”

Billie.

“Julia’s run away. I don’t know where she went. Do ya know anything about where she went? I’m scared for her! Dinky? Please answer me!”

She sounded so desperate, so confused, so upset. Her thoughts were very scattered and shrill. Pinky winced as they entered his mind. It was like nails on a chalkboard. He tried to keep his composure, yet it was so difficult. He turned to face the door as he drew shuttering breaths. He loathed Billie quite a bit, and even her headspace was insufferable. Pinky ignored her calls. He didn’t care that Julia was also missing.

He brought his attention back to the balcony, gazing out into the vast void of black sky. He felt another cry working its way up. He held it in as best he could. Dark Pinky was so tired, yet so angry. Why had Brain left? What did he do? Was having the world not enough?

Hot tears escaped his eyes very freely. He brought his attention to his paws, still clasping onto something. Pinky uncurled his fingers, revealing the object: a tiny gold ring that sparkled with light pink diamonds. It began glowing in the light from the lamp.

Brain’s wedding ring.

The symbol of their love, their devotion.

He’d left it.

That’s how Pinky knew he was gone. Forever.

The room around him grew dizzy. Pinky felt his knees give out instantly, collapsing to the floor with a loud thud. His head hit the ground first, sending an astronomical amount of pain rattling towards his skull. His arms reached in front of him, the ring slipping away and clinking on the tile. The blue-eyed mouse felt a sharp twinge of discomfort coming from his arms and legs. He briefly sat up peered down at his lower limbs, grunting when he saw blood trailing through his ivory fur and bleeding into the fabric of his robe.

He'd fallen on the shards from when he’d thrown the water glass on his nightstand after seeing the wedding ring.

It had just sat there, on the dresser. No letter, no warning, nothing.

The abnormal amount of blood was alarming, but what made Dark Pinky really panic was the ring slipping away. He got up on his knees, reached out, and grabbed it quickly, pressing it against his bloodied red chest and robe as if it were his most valuable thing. Seeing all the jewels sparkle pink, the color of Brain’s eyes, proved too much. Especially when he stared at his own ring, the matching light blue diamonds complementing perfectly with the pink.

The tears came back with a vengeance. The sobs Pinky had tried to suppress spiraled out of control. His breaths came out labored and shaky. The pain from the gashes on his arms and legs burned even hotter. His head throbbed. Pinky’s emotional state was in ruin.

“B-Brain.” He began incoherently stuttering, forcing out the word that meant the most to him, though he’d never say it. “B-Brain. Oh Brain! Brain! P-Please! Brain!” Another sob, this one even stronger. The excess moisture in his eyes came rushing out in abundance. It wouldn’t stop.

The sobs turned into wails lightning fast. Dark Pinky was in so much pain, physically and emotionally. It was weird that he’d be this distraught, and yet, he didn’t pay any mind to it. Brain had left him. He deserved to be upset. Still, he hoped that no one would hear him.

“P-Poit.” The verbal tics began slipping out. In between each cry, his nonsense words would find their way to his vocabulary again. They kept coming and coming. Pinky did all he could to push those inane phrases away, but he was already having a tic fit. “N-Narf! Poit! Zort! Troz!” His body shuddered with the outbursts, the cuts still running red. Each tic made his chest ache to unbearable degrees. The tears poured out in massive amounts.

“P-Poit, Poit, Poit!” Pinky wheezed, his voice sore from sobbing. He clasped the ring even tighter in his left paw, reaching his right paw to his head. He felt so miserable. He felt like that vulnerable and pitiful creature he used to be, the one who messed everything up. The one who interjected sentences with random nonsense. The one who got unhappy at the stupidest of things.

The one that Brain loved.

Pinky began having trouble catching his breath, gasping for air. He needed to prevent himself from acting like his old self; he was improved now. Stronger, tougher, ruthless.

Brain hated the new you.

 He rubbed his head, feeling his fingers against his fur. “Stop-poit! Just stop-narf! You’re-zort-better than-poit! This!” Each verbal tic interfered with his words. It became harder to speak each second. Even as he rubbed his forehead, he still could feel streams of tears trailing from his eyes. These horrible thoughts were maddening.

Brain hated you. He was using you. You finally do what he’s always wanted, yet he abandons you.

The weight of everything proved too much for the mouse. Pinky felt his knees give out once again, this time, his back being the first thing to hit the floor. He felt the shards of glass pierce and prod at his skin, but he didn’t bother acknowledging. It was futile to use this as an attempt to calm down. He didn’t call for a servant to clean up the mess. He might later, but not currently. Pinky just let the blood run out, mimicking the way his emotions were spilling. He knew his robe was ruined. He had an inkling that many of these gashes would scar. And yet, he didn’t demand for anyone nor ask anyone for help. It was just him. Brain certainly wasn’t there. Why should he ask for someone when his whole world had fled into the night?

Dark Pinky hugged his legs tightly, feeling his navy-blue colored nails dig into the skin on his shins. The cuts stung, but the blood from them was cold. He let some of it run across his fingers. It felt good. In his left paw was the ring, also pressing against him. His tail dropped at his backside and his chipped ears drooped as he sank into the ball he’d formed with his body. Laying on the floor was uncomfortable, especially with the glass pieces, but it was the only thing he felt like he could do.

He felt another round of sobs and tics coming, only this time, he held them back. Pinky bit his lip with his sharp fangs, though it was a tad painful. That wasn’t a concern. His eyelids grew heavy, to the point where he couldn’t keep them open anymore. He began rasping quietly as he felt himself relax, his breath now even. The last thing he saw before closing his eyes was the eerie night sky, mixed with the light from the table lamp. One solemn excess tear trailed down his face, landing on his chest before drying up. Dark Pinky growled once, though it burned as it escaped his throat.

“I’ll find you some day, Brain. You can’t hide from me for long. Narf,” he rasped before feeling the world fade around him, as he sank into the darkness of his subconscious. Brain wouldn’t get away from him so easily.

*end of preview*

Art gallery- Here's some fanart that inspired certain scenes and moments in my fanfiction. I like to do this when writing to get ideas or to construct a tone or mood. All work featured here is from @wimsiecal who I owe a lot of thanks to for establishing the best Dark Pinky universe of all time!! Seriously, if you're reading this, I apologize for you having to sit through my crappy first draft work to see your mention:

This art inspired the vibe I want to give their relationship plus a scene later on.

This work inspired Dark Pinky's look without the suit.

This inspired Dark Pinky's robe design (which you can see in the preview above)

Would you believe me if I told you that this inspired an entire scene in my fanfiction?

So, yeah, that's all I have. This doesn't give off major spoilers for any surprises I have in store, but I hope it gives you guys a general idea of my writing skills. I was debating on making this since I don't know if people will be interested in this, but it's my first time writing for Dark Pinky and Future Brain, so I decided I wanted some feedback from all of you. If you liked it, that's great! If you didn't, that's fine, too. I'm not a great writer by any means, so I'd like some constructive criticism on what to improve on. Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great day! Happy Dark Pinky Thursday!!

#pinky and the brain #patb #brinky #dark pinky #dark pinky thursday #fanfiction preview #yes this is chaos but I don't care

[angelicsaiko]

Sooooooo I have had this idea of a guilty gear alternate universe going through my head that would take place in the future of strive, however, it is dark and also something entirely off canon but I was wondering if I should actually write this idea out? I want you all to read this very improvised version of the idea and tell me what you think. Should I make a story off of this? Even if you don't know anything about guilty gear, I would still like to hear your opinion!

Trigger Warning! There are mentions of murder, disappearances of people, descriptions of dead bodies, human imprisonment.

The idea goes as this; 300 years into the future, the world was seemingly at peace with itself until the disappearance of Carmilla, Asuka R Kreutz's daughter, along with her newborn daughter. Asuka had also been reported to have disappeared. After these disappearances, the world was terrified of who else would go missing, and after the disappearances had happened, a group of powerful people would rise public to the media, and these people were against magic. They preached that the world did not need magic and even stated that it was dangerous for humans. Including the events that happened at the Whitehouse 300 years ago, showing that anyone with the use of magic could pull off something just as bad and even worse. They also stated that with the power from gears, they could cancel out magic and make the world safer by taking away the people's ability to use magic. At first, humanity refused such an offer. That was, until slowly people in power would start to die, falling out of society one by one like they were being targeted. These deaths would be reported to be caused by magical elements, and as more and more people were assassinated, humanity submitted to the group of people and allowed them to guide humanity to a new world.

What they didn't know, however, was the crimes they committed and their true source of power. For it was not from a gear, but somebody who had put humanity on their path in the first place till now, and the one that humanity would slowly forget about along with magic.

This stories main protagonist is named Iris, a girl who doesn't remember anything about her life, even just a little. Only remembering bright lights and the faint sound of screaming that haunted her nightmares. She had woken up in an abandoned building that was not long full of people, but now empty with flashing red lights with papers, tables, and tools all over the place along with rubble from the walls and ceilings littering the halls that was filled with strange scratches with puddles of blood not too far away from them. The bodies of the people, however, were terrifying to see. Their life looked sucked out of them while also looking to be fried in the chest area where there would be a gapping hole where their heart and ribcage used to be. Not to mention the scratches and bruises on every single body in that hall and in all of the rooms. One room caught Iris' eye, however, that was away from the all blood filled horror that was the rest of the building.

The room was completely white, unlike any of the other rooms, that held a pedestal in the middle of the room that had a big book at the side of it, under broken glass and the corpse of a man who's entire body was burnt to a crisp. Iris would go into the room curiously and pick up this book. It was old looking that had a gear-looking contraption at the front. She would try to open this book, but she couldn't, as if it was locked somehow, but there was no lock on it. Her heart told her to take the book anyway, feeling somehow connected to it, and so she kept it and left the room with the book in hand.

After walking through the bloodied halls and exploring the place, finding things that confused her more but made her little mind even more curious, she found a huge hole in a wall that led to the bright outside compared to the dim building that she had woken up in. The sky was grim with evidence of raining soon, along with dead grass that surrounded the entire area, but after all of this, she only found more corpses that were all sprawled about onto the dried grass that weeped sorrow. However, one thing in the distance set her heart racing when she saw a cloaked figure not so far away. If only she knew where this new life would take her after she saw that figure.

#guiltygear #guilty gear strive #guilty gear #writing #stories #story ideas #ideas #need opinions #writing ideas #fanfiction #fanfic

[ghooostbaby]

maybe it's because i had to get a new computer for school in the last few months (and also being back in University post-pandemic when they figured out they can offload a lot of costly labour to provide university services by offloading the responsibilities to the students by making things "virtual/online/digital")

but it feels like a very steep curve of acceleration in just how mediated by online/digital/computer accounts and processes my life is ... everything i need to do or need to acquire I have to find some online platform that I need an account for and then have to go through all these extra identity verification methods to get into and then invariably some part of that process goes wrong, or i DO get into them and then something I'm trying to use them for and there's no accessible way to find support from a fellow human. just the coldly serene text of the FAQ pages spinning me in circles where the thing I need that should be so attainable I get error after error that I can't contact anyone to help me resolve... it's kind of grim and terrifying what the future is going to become with such an accelerated push into more and more computer automated technology.

i truly do feel like a ghost trapped in a machine ... it feels totally alienating. like I'm just floating in this vacuum of metal and 2020s website design unable to enter anywhere, just doing 2 step verifications and creating and entering account information and account synchronizations that go nowhere and i can never move beyond this place...

even my fucking university exams. all of them this semester are "remotely proctored", for courses required for the degree we have to provide our own space to do an exam (when there are reports every night on the news of the complete crisis of housing in this country) on our own computer, download a chrome plug-in that seems to be spyware that will monitor you through your webcam and microphone and record your screen, and if AI notices any flag behaviours notify your prof who will watch your video to see if you were cheating... the amount of logistical work I had to do to get set up for this exam, when I have enough to do with studying for the exam, it makes me so angry how much of University services are being eroded away and the work is being pushed off on students to do for free, actually we're PAYING THEM to do this. I even have a disability and asked the disability office for accommodations for the exam, because when I was at a University before I had always been told part of my accommodations were to do the exam in a separate space to help with distractions and anxiety... so if that's the case for an exam where the University handles all the logistical considerations, I would think it certainly should be where I have to do the exam in my home where I have no control over the noise around my apartment or find some public place to do it, and all the work I need to do setting up my computer for this ... and the disability services basically said "nice try" and gave me some canned bureaucratic "please fuck off" response. the last exam I did I booked a study room at the library and took out one of the laptops the library loans and the webcam was not working and I missed the first 35 minutes of the hour time limit trying to figure it out. I contacted my professor and the exam support (thankfully at least this is ONE case one of these online platforms allows access to a human support person) and they started the hour from the time I got into the exam, but it was so stressful. the next day my professor emailed me to get the details because they wanted to make a complaint about the library for it and I'm like ... these librarians are the ONLY things keeping me from totally losing my mind and just being a human presence talking to me and helping me out in the faceless void digitally automated hellscape...

i had kind of been safe for a while with my ancient macbook that just couldn't access certain websites and apps, that was slowly having more and more apps and websites just refuse to support my OS anymore ... now that i can access them I have to say this is much worse.

#THIS IS A RANT #computers #i wish you a very die #ARGH #fuck google #fuck AI #give me back human beings #'dark academia' for real #dystopic academia #technology

[we-pay-for-everything]

I keep thinking about the great TVD discussions you've been having this week and have to tell you that you're doing a public service! Holidays are a tough time for a lot of us, and you're allowing us to focus on fun stuff like TVD ship/character analysis rather than the grim aspects of real life. I was thinking about why I too prefer Cordelia to Caroline by a smidge, and it's weird because I LOVE Caroline and can definitely relate more to the "insecure neurotic" type (as she accurately describes herself) than Cordy. But like you I love Charisma and how she makes Cordelia lovable and sometimes even vulnerable underneath the snippy mean girl exterior. And there's also the fact that Cordy is such an independent thinker, truly her own person. Like, yes, she enjoys being popular and at times wants to be 'famous', but her choices even back in high school and certainly afterwards reflect that she very much has her own mind and will blaze her own trail rather than ever pandering to others or giving a damn what others think. She opts to date Xander despite the fact that it will destroy her high school friendships and overall status, she constantly foregoes even trying to lead a glamorous LA lifestyle in favor of risking her own safety to help innocents in dingy areas of the city, she'll always make the choice to do something with purpose that helps people over just frivolous fun. Not saying that some of this doesn't apply to Caroline too, but Cordelia's excessive confidence - while not something I relate to, lol - also results in her being more brave, assertive and independent minded than almost any character ever, and I just admire that about her so much.

Oh, I wasn't expecting that! I know the holidays can suck, but I wasn't expecting for my replies to help anyone. That's so sweet :) I'm happy to help! My holidays suck too, but right now I'm not truly on a break.

I've never thought of Cordelia that way, as a trailblazer. I guess that since all the characters put their lives on the line to fight monsters, she just doesn't stand out to me. I don't see her as being braver or more independent-minded than the other Buffyverse characters. Maybe Xander and Willow were used to being unpopular, but they sacrificed a lot of normal experiences too, and Cordelia was too poor to have a glamorous lifestyle in LA. She's definitely brave, but she showed in season 1 that she cared about appearances too. Although she changed, she just became like everyone else who sacrificed their future to a good cause. It might seem like a bigger deal with Cordelia because everyone else came from "nothing" (Wes, Fred, Xander), but, in the end, Cordelia had nothing too - unlike Gunn, who sacrificed his friendships to join A.I, and Lorne, who left behind an actually semi-glamorous lifestyle.

But it's true that Cordelia's confidence results in her fighting for herself and putting her foot down many times, which is a good thing. I think Caroline was confident and had to make sacrifices in her life as well, though maybe not as many as Cordelia. That was sort of the difference between AtS and TVD though - the Angel gang sought out danger while, in TVD, danger found them.

I don't know, I have a weird relationship with Cordelia! Overall, I like Caroline better. My love/hate relationship with her is mostly love except in season 4 and in some scenes with Stefan. I love Cordelia more though because of CC and because I love Angel the most.

Thanks for the ask and for your kind words! You're making my days better too :) Tumblr is honestly the only place where I feel valued and like my opinion means anything. Apart from my mom, real life makes me feel inadequate and dumb (she does too sometimes), but here I feel smart and like I fit in, so thanks <3

#ask #ats #btvs #tvd #cordelia chase #caroline forbes #thanks for the ask!

[jasmariswonderland]

For Secrets Ask 📒📔💃🐇🌜 for Yuulan, Farron, Taima, and Danica. Sorry it's so long.

(A/N: Lowkey, long asks are my fav. I just need a little extra time to finish them. 😊)

OC Secrets Ask Here

📒- For a secret journal/diary they keep (Bonus: Share an entry from it!)

Yuulan's Diary Entry ~ November 30th

Saw Tsunotaro again this evening. He seemed in low spirits but when I asked him what was wrong, he wouldn't tell me but he did ask me something kinda odd. He asked me if I were to have a birthday party, would I invite him. I told him my birthday already passed but if I were to have a party, of course, I'd invite him. That seemed to make him happy and we went on our usual evening walk together. I guess there was something he wasn't invited to and that's why he's feeling down. I get it, it sucks feeling left out of things and I usually feel very left out around here since I can't use magic or fly on a broom. I don't know how much Tsunotaro knows about me or my situation, but I think I'm gonna keep that to myself for the time being, who knows what he'd think if he knew how useless I really am. But I do think I'll invite him for tea sometime soon, hopefully.

📔- For a secret sketchbook they keep (Bonus: Share a sketch or doodle within it!)

Yuulan doesn't really keep a sketchbook but she does doodle a lot in her notebook. Most of her doodles consist of drawings of Grim, random patterns and designs and Mickey.

💃- For a talent that they like to keep hidden from others

For reasons unknown to her, Yuulan has strong proficiency in languages. This is a holdover from her Scala training as one thing she was taught was various languages used in the different worlds outside her home. She's able to pick up on languages pretty easily and understand words only after hearing them a few times.

🐇- For a secret item they keep (stuffed animal, comfort object, etc)

Not sure how much of a "secret" it is, but Yuulan is very attached to the holiday card Malleus gave to her, ESPECIALLY after she realized the truth about his identity.

🌜- For a ‘weird’ habit or tic that no one knows about

Chewing on the tips of her braids when she's anxious or deep in thought. She's pretty good about not doing this in public but when she's back in her room, she does this a lot. Surprisingly, Grim has never seen her do this.

Everyone else's under the cut! ❤

📒- For a secret journal/diary they keep (Bonus: Share an entry from it!)

Farron’s Diary Entry ~ October 24th (His Freshman Year)

I think I just made a very big mistake. That mockup I made for Vil-san’s new stage outfit, he found it. I was foolish and left it on the dressform right in front of the closet in our club meeting room, thinking no one would stop by after we were done meeting for the day. Well, I expected him to be extremely critical of my work since it was, really, ametrauish at best. But to my surprise, he said it was adequate and, even more surprisingly, that I have a lot of potential! I’m supposed to have a chat with him tomorrow afternoon, no, this is bad bad BAD! I’ve done well so far not drawing attention to myself, what if Vil-san decides I should be a part of the Film Research Club as MORE than an assistant?! Oh Sevens, I don’t want to think about it! And I don’t want a repeat of middle school, I just want to sew in peace without worrying about judgement. Is that so much to ask?

📔- For a secret sketchbook they keep (Bonus: Share a sketch or doodle within it!)

Unlike Yuulan, Farron does keep a sketchbook, filled with designs of outfits he’d like to create in the future. He mostly draws his outfits modeled by either Vil or Sidonie.

💃- For a talent that they like to keep hidden from others

Singing, most of his friends know he plays piano very well but he can also sing too. (seriously, have you heard his voice claim sing?! Farron could have easily been part of the NRC tribe if he wanted to!) But his reserved nature keeps him from showing off this talent and plus he’d rather be known for his fashion design. Also, Pomefiore already has enough songbirds.

🐇- For a secret item they keep (stuffed animal, comfort object, etc)

Farron has a signed photo of Vil that Vil personally autographed for him at a fan event a few years before they started NRC. Farron is unsure if Vil actually remembers meeting him and lowkey, he kinda doesn’t want to ask since they’ve developed a very amiable, borderline queerplatonic relationship. But Farron did bring the photo with him to NRC and held onto it during orientation, as a goodluck charm since he really wanted to be sorted in Pomefiore. And it looks like the charm worked.

🌜- For a ‘weird’ habit or tic that no one knows about

Not really a “weird” habit per say, but each morning when Farron wakes up, he begins his morning by whispering affirmations to himself. He’s done this since beginning NRC in order to help with his confidence.

📒- For a secret journal/diary they keep (Bonus: Share an entry from it!)

Taima’s Diary Entry ~ November 5th

Well that sucked more than it had to. Classes A and D had joint P.E. again today which meant having to once again deal with the cabbage-head! Ugh! Why is he so…so…just thw way he is?! Ever since the spelldrive tournament, he has been pestering me about apologizing to him. For what, I have no idea since it’s his own damn fault Scarabia came in last! I really tried to ignore him but Ace decided to be a jackass and invite him to stretch with us. He knows we’re always at each others throats and I think it’s just entertainment for him. When he wasn’t berating me for my form, or being a human, he was openly comparing me to Malleus. Such an unfair comparison since, after all, I AM human and Malleus-sama is an all-powerful fae prince! Ugh why is he like this?! But I will admit, even if Sebek does get on my last nerve, he’s at least entertaining. And Epel let me in on a secret: Sebek is half-human himself! So I dare him to call me human again in an insulting way, I’ll have such a surprise waiting for him!

📔- For a secret sketchbook they keep (Bonus: Share a sketch or doodle within it!)

Taima doesn’t really keep a sketchbook but she does doodle a lot in her notebook, mostly chibis.

💃- For a talent that they like to keep hidden from others

Taima can play the harp a little, something she picked up from her mother. She’s pretty good with it but she’s also not much for playing intsruments and would rather leave that to Lilianne, preferring dancing.

🐇- For a secret item they keep (stuffed animal, comfort object, etc)

Now, absolutely NO ONE knows about this, but Taima has a little plush frog from her childhood that she still sleeps with. She keeps it hidden in a special drawer in her room and takes him out whenever she’s stressed or about to sleep. It was a toy one of her aunts gave her when she was a baby and she’s still attached to it. 

🌜- For a ‘weird’ habit or tic that no one knows about

Giving people secret names/nicknames. Kind of like how Rook and Floyd give people nicknames but Taima keeps all of her nicknames for people to hearself or in her phone’s contact list. 

📒- For a secret journal/diary they keep (Bonus: Share an entry from it!)

Danica’s Diary Entry ~ December 30th

Today was my last day in Sunset Savanna. All in all I had a fun time and it was nice seeing Lili again. But I saw someone else there too. Me, her and Taima were hanging out in the marketplace this afternoon and guess who we saw? Rook-san! We ran into Rook! He said he was home for the holiday too, idk for some reason I thought he was from Shaftlands like me and Vil. Either way, Taima and Lilianne convinced me I should hang out with him this evening so we did. We went to his family’s villa but we were the only ones there, we talked a lot. Somehow I felt less anxious being around him like this than when we’re at school. It’s easier thinking of him as just another guy and not my vice dorm leader. I did notice him staring at me a lot. He...really has such pretty eyes, and a very kind smile. He smiles a lot, but something about how he smiles at me is very…very…

📔- For a secret sketchbook they keep (Bonus: Share a sketch or doodle within it!)

Unfortunately, Danica doesn’t keep a sketchbook, according to her, she is artistically challenged and rarely draws.

💃- For a talent that they like to keep hidden from others

Danica wouldn’t really consider this a “talent” but she fancies herself something of an ameatur poet. She has a separate journal for writing her verses but considering she’s already very bashful about her known skills, she’d rather this hobby be kept to herself.

🐇- For a secret item they keep (stuffed animal, comfort object, etc)

Her music box, I’ve mentioned it once before but Danica has a music box that her sister gave to her on her 12th birthday, a few months before she died. She listens to it when she’s alone in her room and this is the song it plays.

🌜- For a ‘weird’ habit or tic that no one knows about

One weird habit Danica has is always arranging her items by color because according to her, that makes it easier for her to match things. Many of her accessories, jewelry and school supplies are set aside in separate containers based on their color.

#twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland oc #twst oc #oc: yuulan #oc: farron #oc: taima #oc: danica #things i've answered

[huangychen]

Sunshine comes after the storm

I still remember the enormous challenge of COVID-19 posed to me. When I first saw the news about COVID-19 on TV, I didn't realize it was going to be a world-changing disaster. It was an ordinary evening, as usual, I was sitting on the sofa in the living room, watching the long-awaited TV show. Suddenly, red warning words rolled on the screen, many channels were forced to change the news broadcast, the voice of the anchor appeared solemn and serious:

"Hello, everyone. The COVID-19 has recently emerged in many regions, and the situation is very grim." "According to the latest data, the novel corona virus has spread rapidly across the country, and the number of infected people continues to increase." "In response to the outbreak, governments are taking a range of emergency measures, including locking down cities, imposing social distancing and stepping up medical care." "We urge the public to pay close attention to the situation, follow the epidemic prevention measures issued by the government, and protect the health of themselves and their families."

The news played a series of heart-wrenching pictures: hospital patients groaning in pain, medical workers wear heavy protective suits and fighting on the front line, government officials at a press conference to report the latest progress of the epidemic. As I heard reports of how quickly the virus was spreading, and saw scenes of quarantined cities and blocked streets, I began to feel a sense of panic. At the time, I hadn't realized how much of an impact the pandemic would have on my life, and I just felt like it was a distant event that probably had nothing to do with me. However, as time went on and the outbreak gradually spread globally, with new confirmed cases and deaths reported every day, I began to feel increasingly concerned. I came to realize that this was not just a medical crisis, but a social crisis. People are forced to isolate themselves in their homes, economic activity is severely affected, and social order is challenged.

Then my parents and I chose to return the hometown, which is a small village located in the mountains. Afterwards, lockdown was implemented everywhere, and we could hardly go out, not to mention communication with the outside world. In such an environment, I gradually felt lonely and helpless, the long-term home life also made me lose hope for the future. I and my parents, my grandparents and my relatives lived in the old house, it was built themselves, with three floors is big enough for all of us. So I thought that I would be able to spend this time in the company of my family, but this was not the case. As time went by, the life in my hometown became drab and boring. I started lazy and stayed at home all day. My mental state slowly became low, and the effect of online classes was greatly reduced. It was difficult for me to concentrate and my mind often wandered, leading to academic difficulties. My weight started creeping up because of my long life at home, unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise. My father also became negative because he could not work at home for a long time, often drinking and smoking alone, and sometimes even blamed me for no reason, making me feel at a loss.

I tried to communicate with my father, hoping to understand his emotions, but each time I responded with his anger and indifference. The atmosphere at home became tense and I felt that I could not stand the pressure any longer.

(One night, I couldn't help venting my emotions to my father.)

Me: Dad, I know you're anxious too, but you can't just sit around all day smoking and drinking!

Father: Don't you understand? How difficult our life is now, I can't work, the pressure of the family is all on me, you wouldn't understand!

Me: I'd love to help you, but you never give me a chance.

(Then my mother follow the sound)

Mother: We are a family and should understand and support each other.

Father: I know, but......

After that, my father gradually adjusted his emotions and tried to face the current situation with a more peaceful attitude. My mother and I also began to actively communicate with my father, try to understand his situation, and try to find and solve the problem. In housework activities, I also try to take the initiative to take responsibility and help share the pressure of my father. Such as helping my grandparents water, trim flowers, plant vegetables and so on. These seemingly ordinary things, but let me more deeply appreciate the warmth of the family and the precious affecti

on.deepened the relationship with them.

Since then, I have adjusted my lifestyle. I began to pay attention to health, and insisted on exercising at home every day, whether it was simple physical training or outdoor walking, which made me feel the vitality and strength of life. At the same time, I also try to communicate with my family members and share their life experiences. Such communication not only makes me feel warm and close, but also helps us get out of negative emotions.

In the end, the COVID-19 began to ease, and my family and I returned to a normal life. Looking back on this experience, although difficult and challenging, it gave me a valuable opportunity to think and grow. In adversity, I learned to persevere and positive optimism, learned how to adjust the mentality, how to deal with conflict within the family. This experience has made me a stronger and more mature person and cherish every moment of my life.

[danamuseum]

Reflection and awareness -

Planning a co-creating program with the museum during crisis times

Dana Golan Miller, 10th December, 2023

This semester has been a profound journey for me, marked by contemplation of my purpose here in the USA.  I grappled with the concept of my identity as an Israeli, living here with my family in an immigrant community. When faced with the task of selecting a community to engage with and define, I initially considered the middle school students - those whom I asked to facilitate a museum visit.  The teacher at Alice Deal Middle School, a public school in DC, proved to be incredibly supportive, aiding me in my efforts to comprehend the details of their lives. Despite having a son of my own in the same age group, making the connection easier, my language limitations occasionally hindered my full understanding of their conversations. This led me to realize that designating them as a "community" at that point would be to challenge.

Upon returning home to Rockville daily to be with my family, I contemplated the reasons for choosing to reside here, realizing that the presence of the Israeli community was a significant factor. It seemed only fitting to consider them as my chosen community. As I delved into understanding who they are, I gained invaluable insights. The interviews I conducted with community members and representatives from Jewish organizations provided me with an understanding of the unique experience of being together as a temporary immigrants. This exploration brought about a positive shift in my emotions, instilling a sense of belonging within me. Writing about this community not only deepened my understanding of their identity but also contributed to a clearer sense of my own purpose here. Convinced that facilitating a museum visit for them and devising a program would be a straightforward task, I embarked on this challenge with confidence.

Then came the 7th of October and everything collapsed around me.  The first week was a shock. The violence, the killings, and the murders left us in disbelief. How could I address issues of social justice and empathy, principles central to the MET program at GW, in the face of such atrocities? I found myself in a state of confusion, shock, and fear for the future. I reached out to my family and friends in Israel. Each passing day seemed to intensify the despair, and I reached a point where writing about co-creating felt impossible. The articles I had studied in the Toolkit now seemed distant from the grim reality depicted in the media. It became painfully evident that Israel was in the midst of its worst war. The escalating anti-Semitism events added another layer of insecurity, to the extent that even speaking Hebrew in public places began to feel precarious.

Simultaneously, I observed my surroundings and grasped the scale of what had seen within the community – it was monumental. The various organizations I had familiarized myself with all shared a common goal, dedicated to supporting Israel in multifaceted ways. Witnessing this unity impressed me, and I found that I'm glad to have chosen this community during a crisis. However, a sense of insecurity crept in, particularly when confronted with Palestinian protests around the University and at train stations. Nonetheless, I began to comprehend the significance of co-creating in the ongoing war, recognizing that its resolution might unfortunately be a prolonged process.

The families around me transitioned from a state of shock and sadness to an active search for everyday life, seeking enjoyment in the offerings of the area. They desire to relish moments, to escape from the relentless news cycle, and simply breathe and laugh. I chose to select the Planet Word Museum as it presents a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our identity as Israelis and Jews living in the U.S. The inclusion of Hebrew at the museum provides a unique perspective on the significance of the language. Also, the museum offers an interactive and enjoyable experience suitable for families of all ages, allowing for laughter and fun with thoughtful exploration.

Later on, everything came together: the empathetic museum, the accessibility relevance, the case studies about museums and families, the analytic tools, and I realized that I really found the right museum to co-create with the Israeli families' immigrants living in Rockville during this crisis time. The Planet Word Museum has it all. The analytic tool, the SWOT, and Logic helped me to understand in detail how to plan according to the specific characteristics of the museum and the community. As for accessibility, the museum has everything. And also, it's close by!

On my last visit to the museum with my family, and another family from the community, after visiting the third floor, my older told me that he didn’t know English languages derived from so many other languages, even Arabic. As Israelis, we're familiar with many words in Arabic, we even adopted some. And I was thinking, it's not only about encountering the Hebrew language with confidence, it's also the awareness that eventually we're all the same.  As humans, we inhabit the same world, sharing a collective existence. Despite our diverse beliefs and values, we are all inhabitants of the same world. While it may sound somewhat idealistic, this notion lies at the core of the museum's mission. In its own way, even if just for an hour-visit, the museum served as a representation of our chosen community. This exemplifies the transformative power of museums.

I am grateful to be here, engaged in studying and continually expanding my knowledge on this subject. My experiences have equipped me with a deeper understanding of how to better co-create n with museums, fostering a more empathetic perspective when defining communities. I'm now more aware of how to define community and write a co-creative program. Even though I didn't emphasize enough in the slide presentation about the museum visit itself, this particular co-creation effort during a crisis within our community taught me a sense of hope for a better future for both myself and my family. The existence of such places as this museum, is now more important than ever, offering a beacon of hope and significance.

[amessageonthewind]

September Selfship Prompts Challenge

6. Dancing together

Pairing: Zinnia/Rachel at the end of Delta Emerald (potential mild spoiler warning for the rest of the fic)

Author's note: Clue is an OC that belongs to my buddy @kammyclues

          Everything she had ever done, everything she had worked towards, and everything she had accomplished…it all came down to this. It was a celebration towards a brighter future for Hoenn, and everyone wanted to come to Sootopolis City to attend, knowing Rachel was there.

          She wasn’t used to all this attention. She was the Champion, now, but she had been so busy wrangling every problem that cropped up between Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon, Rayquaza, that damn meteor, Deoxys, the infection, and Aarman and his team trying to capture and take Jirachi for himself…it left Rachel not very much in the public eye. She didn’t really get much of a chance to actually enjoy the status.

          Though, even now that she was being heaped a lot of praise and congratulations, she still wasn’t sure she…enjoyed it. It was nice to be appreciated, certainly, but the reputation felt odd and strange. She wasn’t used to being so noticed and so popular. She was thankful that it wasn’t her dominant arm that was injured during the fight with Deoxys, otherwise she would have a lot more problems.

          She flexed her hand that held most of the bandaging together on it. Though she didn’t have much in the way of physical scarring in her left arm, the bandaging helped with the pain management and movement. It would take a long time for the injury to heal completely.

          “Don’t worry, you’re doing great!” Cedric whispered quietly from her shoulder. The rest of Rachel’s Pokémon were kept in their balls, for now, as to not crowd the room and cause any hazardous tripping hazards for anyone else. “This is a cakewalk compared to everything else you’ve faced.”

          She appreciated the Zorua’s encouragement, but she knew that he was the most worried when she came back from her space journey. Rayquaza had brought her back and Rachel didn’t wake up for eight hours once she’d returned.

          The grim reality that still didn’t feel real to her was that she didn’t survive the battle with Deoxys. She found his weakness and exploited it, she caught him, she succeeded…but she didn’t survive.

          She died…Rayquaza brought her corpse back to Hoenn, barely conscious and unable to move or speak.

          The only thing she remembered before she had blacked out…was Zinnia’s voice. It was the only thing she remembered before she died. “Please come back to me…I need you…”

          Something brought her back to life. A being so strange and alien that it was beyond description. A being made of light, yet solid. Almost mechanical, yet moving as though it were made of liquid, almost non-Euclidian. Adorned with halos and plates at each prong of each halo.

          The memory of what it had said to her rang in her head. “We will meet again. In a time before birth.” She had only ever heard it once, before, so long ago that Rachel had since forgotten it until this strange being brought breath back into her cold body.

          When she was a child, locked in a nightmare like her parents so long ago. When a shadowy Pokémon recognized her from somewhere she had no recollection. It had spoken that exact phrase. She still had no idea what it meant, and now she was determined to decipher it, somehow. In a time before birth…why can’t anyone stop speaking in riddles?

          “I know.” She said to her loyal Pokémon, reaching up to pet him for comfort. “But that’s not what I’m worried about.”

          Because truth be told, this celebration wasn’t necessarily for her. She had made it clear to Wallace that she didn’t want to be the subject of this celebration. There was something far more important to celebrate, something that was meant to be a mark towards building a better future by making amends to the past.

          Reparation. Preserving a culture that was on the brink of extinction so that it could live on long into the future. So that it could never be forgotten.

          And the person it was for had not arrived, yet. Rachel was anxiously waiting for her arrival. She knew Zinnia was a bit of a flight risk, especially after the meteor, but after Rachel laid her feelings bare, made it clear that even if Zinnia’s role was done and her duty was fulfilled, her story wasn’t over. That Rachel was losing her mind at the thought of never seeing Zinnia again, and her only comfort was knowing that Aster was with her.

          Because as long as that was true, it meant Zinnia was alive.

          The Draconid was nervous, uncertain, and Rachel had never seen her so unsteady in her resolve, before. Without a prescribed purpose, she was listless and it broke the Champion’s heart. Zinnia was a force of change despite how earnestly, dutifully, and closely she held her culture’s traditions. Rachel saw a future for Zinnia, and the only thing she wanted was to show her that.

          She begged Zinnia to keep her company, to stay with her while she recovered from her injuries, to help her get back onto her feet and get back to being a trainer. There were many mysteries that had to yet be uncovered, things to discover and legends to demystify.

          Giving Zinnia a goal and a task convinced her, but what Rachel didn’t realize was that she had touched the woman in a way no one else ever did. She didn’t even know the effect her words had on the Draconid, but they reached into a place so deep she didn’t even know it was there.

          She remembered that night clearly, when Rachel was finally discharged from the hospital in Lilycove City and was cleared to go, under a strictly prescribed physical therapy routine and painkiller prescriptions and rest. No more Pokémon battles until she was well (though, good luck getting Rachel to adhere to that).

          And there Zinnia was, outside of the city on Route 121, standing there alongside Aster and waiting there. The moment they made eye contact, the Draconid turned around and Rachel had to run beyond her prescribed limits just to catch up to her and prevent her from running away.

          The anguish in Rachel’s voice would not be forgotten anytime soon. Zinnia just wanted to make sure she would be okay, and then she would finally know peace. After all, she did everything that Zinnia thought she was destined for. What did someone like Rachel need from her, anymore? Zinnia did her duty as Lorekeeper, passing on her people’s stories to her.

          How could Rachel care so much about Zinnia when they barely knew each other? They knew so little about each other, and yet Zinnia’s heart broke at the thought of seeing Rachel so upset. She had never felt such fear as she felt when Rachel was facing off against Deoxys.

          She had never known anguish like when Rayquaza brought back her limp body. She didn’t even care about showing respect or formalities to the deity her people revered so much, all she cared about was making sure Rachel was okay.

          Zinnia never had anything to lose before she met Rachel, and now that she did, it left her terrified and unsure.

          What Rachel said in response? Zinnia would never forget.

          “Isn’t it kind of surface level to only care about the things that you know intimately?” She said, Zinnia’s back turned to her. Rachel’s hand loosely held onto the Draconid woman’s wrist to keep her in place. She didn’t pull away, letting the Champion keep her here. “It’s…superficial. Empty, in a way, to only love things you can know. There’s beauty in the unknown. People don’t love the moon any less just because it has a dark side it never shows us. People don’t love it any less just because it’s always changing and showing different sides of itself, even disappearing from view sometimes.

          “And…I don’t love the ocean any less just because it’s so unknown.” Zinnia risked glancing back at Rachel and met her passionate dark eyes. Moving earth met blazing heat, forces of change that held onto each other to keep each other from leaving. “It’s impossible for us to know its depths, its strength and storms are terrifying and awestriking. What we know is beautiful, but what’s unknown draws us to it. Don’t you want to be cared about like that…?

          “Don’t you want to be loved as deeply and truly as people love the sea?”

          That woman really did have a way with words. Because truthfully…Zinnia did want to be loved like that. She did want to be loved unconditionally, for everything she did and didn’t say, everything she did and didn’t show. She wanted to be loved whole.

          If she wasn’t convinced before, Rachel’s quiet voice, just pleading for her to stay was enough to make her stay.

          So, throughout everything that came after, Zinnia stayed. Through the terrifying and harrowing and the joyful and happy. Even when her mettle was tested, she stayed true to what she promised.

          And it all led up to this. This celebration was being held in the Cave of Origin, and Zinnia knew everyone was going to be there. Including Rachel. She didn’t really know what to expect, all she told her was that this was about something special.

          Aster gently pushed her by the legs, urging her to go in. Sighing at the little Whismur, Zinnia nodded and walked inside. The Pokémon always seemed to know best. She taught her well.

          Inside, Rachel had managed to extricate herself from curious fans and fellow League representatives to just get some time to herself. She needed a break to think, and she wanted to keep her eye on the entrance to the Cave of Origin in case Zinnia showed up.

          She still hadn’t arrived yet, so she sighed heavily. What if she doesn’t come…? “Needed to step away from it all as well?”

          The familiar voice grounded Rachel and she looked beside to see a friendly face. “I could say the same for you, Ex-Champion Steven.” The steel-haired man laughed a little bit, fiddling a bit at his metal sleeve cuffs idly. “Is it ready?”

          “It is.” Steven said, proudly as he stood beside Rachel. This project between Rachel and Steven was one that was sorely needed after the meteor. He would never forget the blazing fire in the Champion’s eyes when she confronted him about what his father’s company had done to the Draconids that lived by Meteor Falls. Every venomous word that left her mouth was one he could not disagree with. It was why he was so averse and uncomfortable with the idea of inheriting his father’s company.

          But she was right. It was his responsibility to set things right, so they came up with this. Rachel wanted it kept secret from Zinnia so that they could surprise her later, so while the Champion was running things behind the scenes and helping people, Steven was working on this project alongside her friend, Clue. A Bug trainer from overseas who had expressed a vested interest in this subject.

          Steven handled the financing and building and organizational aspects of this project while Clue handled the gathering of information and the sensitivity part of it. They were both determined to see this through.

          He was just as much looking forward to Zinnia’s reaction as Rachel was. “You seem tense.” Steven said, noticing how withdrawn the woman was.

          She shrugged. “I’ve got a lot going on in my mind.”

          He raised an eyebrow at her. Idle conversation could do her some good. “Such as?”

          Where to even begin? There was so much she had to say. “Everything.” Rachel said before composing herself. Glancing at Cedric for a moment, she took a moment to figure out what to say, templating her words before speaking them. “None of this is what I thought it’d be.”

          Steven nodded sympathetically. “To be fair, not every trainer starts their journey on the turn of a millennium.” He said to her, hoping to help ease her worries. “Quelling super ancient Pokémon isn’t an expectation of taking on the League Challenge, and it’s not part of being a Champion. It just happened to be you.”

          “It’s not exactly something that just happened to me, though.” She said, grabbing a drink for herself to have something to sip while she glanced at the entrance to the Cave of Origin. “I chose it because no one else wanted to step up to the task. I couldn’t just sit by and do nothing, in every instance. It was something that needed to be done, so I acted. That’s that.”

          The former Champion couldn’t disagree. “For what it’s worth, you did well handling everything as well as you did.” He said in an effort to reassure and perhaps even empower her. “Not a lot of trainers have the resolve that you have, and you’ve so far done a commendable job as Champion. You’ve certainly earned your place in the Hall of Fame.”

          She found it hard to accept his praise when there was a niggling feeling of doubt wriggling in her stomach that she simply couldn’t shake. “Being Champion isn’t what I expected, either.”

          That caught Steven’s interest. “How so?”

          “It’s a lot more responsibility than I thought it would be.” Rachel said, thinking about Cynthia idly as she spoke. It was hard to think of herself anywhere near her league as a Champion. Even calling herself Champion felt wrong when Cynthia was the ideal Champion in her eyes. She didn’t feel like she’d earned the right to stand as her equal and carry the title she wore. “When I started my journey, this isn’t where I thought it would go. I didn’t expect any of this. And when I became Champion…I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t think it would be such a huge responsibility.”

          Steven could certainly empathize with her. He wouldn’t admit to it, but he felt a huge wave of relief wash over him when Rachel defeated him and took her place as Hoenn’s Champion. Like a heavy burden was lifted from him that he was finally free from. “I think the assumption is that whoever has the strength and resolve to pursue that path has just as much to change the future for the whole region.”

          “And I’m not against that. I’m honestly proud of what I’ve accomplished.” Rachel replied, holding her hands together around her drink cup, sipping nervously. “But…I don’t want to be…trapped here.”

          The former Champion felt that sentiment deeply when she shared it with him. If she chose to give it up, he didn’t want to retake that seat himself. “Why would you feel trapped?”

          Sighing, Rachel thought for a moment how to phrase the complicated feelings she had about the role of Champion. “I don’t feel complete, yet.” She admitted, tightening her grip on her cup. “There’s so much I have yet to do, so much I have yet to see. This world is full of so many mysteries, and I didn’t start my Pokémon journey just to have it end here. My life has barely begun and it feels like it ends here, and I don’t want it to. But because there’s an expectation from me as Champion to be responsible for Hoenn’s affairs, I don’t feel like I can just…quit. It feels selfish, so I just feel…stuck. There are places I want to see, things I want to do, and Pokémon I want to meet.”

          Clue had talked so much about Kalos, where he grew up. It made Rachel want to see it for herself. He mentioned Geosenge Town had a great deal of history behind it, so she wanted to see it for herself. Maybe it connected somehow to Hoenn’s history in a way.

          If she weren’t Champion, she would want to go as soon as possible to see it for herself.

          Steven understood her folly. A sliver of guilt began to stick in his chest at the thought that he had passed his burden onto someone else who would have to carry it just as he did. Someone who didn’t want to be tethered to it. And honestly, he didn’t want her to be, either. She was an incredibly remarkable person and he agreed with her. There was a great deal she had yet to do, and her life had only just begun.

          Why should it end here?

          Hearing a bright laughter echoing in his direction, Steven saw Wallace, talking with some fans of his niece, Lisia. He recalled a conversation he had with his partner about his role as Champion and realized something important, something crucial.

          Rachel wasn’t bound to this role if she didn’t want to be. “You know, if you want to give up being Champion, Wallace has expressed his willingness to take the position if I ever gave it up.” Steven proposed to Hoenn’s current Champion. “I’m sure he’d be willing to do the same for you.”

          Widening her eyes, she shook her head in disbelief. “I could never ask you to do that. It wouldn’t be fair, would it? I won fair and square and I’ve already done so much for these people…I can’t just quit.”

          “Rachel.” Steven said sternly, putting a hand on her shoulder to keep her from spiraling into a panic circle and keeping her calm. “You have a life to live. An option is available to you if you wish to take it. You’re still young, you should get to enjoy it. If you want to spend that time traveling, you deserve to do so unencumbered.” He shook his head. “Besides, even if you hadn’t beaten me, I would’ve given up my position to Wallace anyway. You’re not being an inconvenience for wanting to further discover who you are by traveling and learning as much as you can.”

          She felt relieved that Steven was offering her a way out. She didn’t even realize how trapped she felt by it until it was offered to her, but having it felt like she was able to release the breath she felt like she was holding. And yet…there was still something else that weighed heavy in her. “Thank you…I really appreciate it. And I’m very tempted to take you up on that, but…”

          Rachel glanced at the entrance again, even exchanging a look with Clue who, as per usual, kept his face mask up as he shook his head to confirm Zinnia had not yet arrived, the two pieces of hair that stuck out of his cap like antennae swaying with the movement. “That’s not the only thing that’s holding me back.”

          “Then what is?” Steven asked, catching the way she kept looking at the cave entrance again and again and putting the pieces together very quickly. “It’s Zinnia, isn’t it…? You’ve been rather close ever since the meteor.”

          Looking away, she nodded, refusing to make eye contact with Steven, but wanting very much to talk to someone about this. “This whole thing…wasn’t just about justice and reparations. I mean – it was – but not just that.” Her deepest hope was going to be laid bare. She felt so silly for thinking it, but it was a sincere hope she had. “I know she no longer has obligations as a Lorekeeper, now that Rayquaza destroyed the meteor…but she’s still the last of her people. All of her customs, her culture, everything is on her shoulders. That’s a lot of weight that she shouldn’t have to bear. This was…” The words caught in her throat as she spoke. “I hoped…this would be a way to free her from that responsibility. To show her that her culture doesn’t have to die and be forgotten with her. That it, and her people, can live on indefinitely without relying on her to carry it.”

          He knew what this would accomplish as a long-term solution to fix what his father’s company had done to the Draconid people, but Steven didn’t realize the impact Rachel intended for this to have on Zinnia herself. Her choice of words was telling. “It’s kind of you to want to relieve her of her burdens. But I have to ask…why do her responsibilities and her tethering to them matter so much to you?”

          “Because she deserves to have a choice in her future! She deserves to have a say in where her path leads and she doesn’t deserve to have all this weight on her shoulders!” Rachel suddenly exploded, her outburst surprising even herself as she continued to speak, pure and raw emotion driving her as she continued. “Her culture is so important to her, and I want to show her how important it is to me, but I don’t want it to be something that holds her back! I don’t want it to be a burden to her! She shouldn’t have to be responsible for all this, she deserves the freedom to do and go wherever she wants! She deserves to make her own destiny and forge her own path, she deserves to have a choice in what she wants!

          “But a part of me wants her to have the freedom to come with me to discover the world and see it for herself!” Her deepest wishes were coming out without realizing it and before she knew it, she was pouring her heart out to Steven without restraint. “I want her to not be weighed down by everything here so that I can show her the things that I love most! I want to show her the parts of the world that are most dear to me, that made me who I am. I want to show her where I grew up, where I spent my time as a child, I want to share my culture and legends with her! I want to discover new things alongside her!

          “Damn it, I want to have Zinnia with me! I don’t want to be without her, I need her, because I…I…!” Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes before she realized it, and she was rendered speechless, afraid to say the quiet part out loud out of fear of leaving this celebration a broken heart.

          But Steven was not so inclined to do the same, and he spelled it out immediately when he realized what was really going on. “Because you love her.”

          The realization had never been spoken aloud, but she knew that Steven was telling the truth. When did it start? When did it progress? When did she realize it? These questions didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. It didn’t change the fact.

          Zinnia had become someone that Rachel had gravitated towards like no one else ever had before, and after the woman gave her the chance for them to grow closer after the meteor’s destruction, that gravity only grew stronger. She had grown so used to the Draconid woman’s constant presence that she felt naked and uncomfortable without it.

          And being separated from her now made her realize just how much she ached when they were apart. Rachel wanted Zinnia. She had grown to love her, and she wanted Zinnia to really understand what that meant.

          She didn’t even care if Zinnia returned her feelings, all Rachel wanted was for Zinnia to know that she was loved. That her absence meant something. That she was important and that she had a place in the world.

          That she mattered.

          “Hey, heads up, Rachel.” Clue’s voice pulled Rachel out of the mental spiral she had found herself caught in and she turned around to meet her dear friend who was gesturing towards the entrance to the cave. Though he still wore his cap and his facemask, he took the liberty of putting on a nicer jacket for the occasion. “Zinnia’s here.”

          Snapping her head immediately in the direction of the entrance to the cave, Rachel’s heart leapt out of her chest at the sight. She was here! She came!

          Politely excusing herself from Steven, Rachel wove her way through the people at the party to meet her. Clue and Steven exchanged a look between each other and they both knew what was going on. “You think they’re finally gonna get it?”

          “Who’s to say?” Steven said with warm laughter to his tone of voice as he watched the woman’s frantic rush to meet the Draconid. “But if I know Rachel, she’s not one to just sit idly by once she’s made aware of something.”

          Giving the former Champion a mischievous side-eye, Clue gently tapped Steven on the arm. “A hundred Pokédollars says they bone tonight.”

          Nearly choking on his drink, Steven struggles to compose himself, laughing while coughing up juice. “I am not taking you up on that!”

          Chuckling quietly, maintaining his outward aloofness, Clue tugged his violet facemask down to take a sip of his own drink, smirking smugly into his cup. “Your loss.” He teased, earning him a thwack from one of his Sylveon’s ribbons. Baby teetered on his trainer’s shoulders, reaching over to make sure Steven was okay before quietly observing Rachel as she walked away.

          He and Cedric exchanged a polite nod from afar whilst the Zorua’s trainer met Zinnia at the entrance to the Cave of Origin.

          Stepping inside with Aster by her side, Zinnia nervously looked about before she quickly spotted Rachel excusing herself when people tried to talk to her and squeezing her way through them. The frantic way she was doing so just to get to her made her chest flutter like no one else ever made it. She had spent her life feeling as though she were important, but she never felt like she was ever a priority for anyone.

          It was different, and it was new. She liked that feeling a lot.

          As Rachel approached, Cedric firmly on her shoulder as usual, Zinnia paused to stare at how she was dressed. She wore a dark burgundy petticoat overtop a long black silken skirt that hung down to her ankles, wearing a pair of elegant black shoes with short heels.

          But what stood out most of all was the long flowing cape she was wearing. It was held in place by a sort of collar around her neck that extended up almost like a crown around her head, sitting on her shoulders.

          It made the woman look indescribably regal despite being a couple inches shorter than Zinnia and it took her breath away how beautiful and elegant she looked. She even curled her hair to make it look wavier and it framed her face perfectly.

          Put simply, Zinnia was utterly entranced by Hoenn’s Champion. “You look beautiful.” She said, wide-eyed and awestruck by her.

          Rachel could certainly say the same. Zinnia was wearing something different, though she still wore her Lorekeeper’s cape. Underneath her cape was what looked like a kimono, but it wasn’t quite the same. It was a slightly different style, the sleeves being much bigger to allow for more airflow. It looked to be a two-piece, with the cross-collar upper body garment on top and a pileated skirt on the bottom stretched to her feet.

          The black garment had red repeating crescent shapes much like the shirt she typically wore, and the repeated cascading pattern made it look very similar to dragon scales going down.

          Zinnia also had her hair pinned back behind her ears with pins, so Rachel could get a better look at her face. And what she saw, especially with the feelings she had that had previously never been spoken out loud now out in the open, made her heart race at the sight. “Y-you too.”

          Cedric observed the pair and glanced back at Clue and Baby with a smug grin before he hopped off of Rachel’s shoulder, approaching Aster to guide her away from the middle of the cave so that they wouldn’t get stepped on. The Zorua and Whismur walked away together, leaving their trainers to simply bask in each other’s presence.

          Rachel caught the way people looked at Zinnia, with suspicion and distrust. It was true that her involvement with Primal Groudon and Kyogre and her involvement with Rayquaza in her attempt to awaken him made it to the public eye. She had heard a lot of scrutiny thrown the woman’s way just in passing, some people even questioning why any of this was necessary or why this needed to be done for someone like her.

          She was quick to remind anyone that uttered a sour word about any of this that this was a long time coming and it wasn’t about Zinnia herself, but the injustice done to her people and her culture. No matter who was a part of that culture, it didn’t deserve to die and disappear into the footnotes of history.

          Just as quickly, Rachel reminded them of how much help Zinnia had been after the fact with everything else. With the infection that threatened to spread through Hoenn had it not been for her willingness to work with Deoxys to contain the spread and use his DNA to help Hoenn further. With Aarman and his team’s threats to take Jirachi and wish himself into power to control the power of Mega Evolution and control Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza and make himself supreme ruler.

          If it weren’t for Zinnia, Rachel wasn’t sure she would have succeeded at all. The woman was integral to protecting Hoenn, and she was integral to Rachel’s life at this point. She didn’t want to imagine it without her.

          It was one of the good things about being Champion. Her influence could change things.

          Deciding to stick it to the naysayers in the cave at this moment, Rachel gave a bow to Zinnia, reaching for her hand in a fanciful flair to bring it to her lips and place a kiss on her knuckles. A bold move, for certain (and it was a good thing no one could hear the thoughts behind her head as she did this), but she wanted to prove a point.

          As Rachel looked up at Zinnia through dark lidded eyes, the Draconid felt her breath hitch when her lips met her hand. Normally she was the one who often flustered the Champion, but for this moment, those roles reversed. “May I have this dance?” She asked, her voice like rich honey.

          With a light dusting on her cheeks, Zinnia took a step forward and pulled Rachel close, snaking her arm around the other woman’s waist. “Thought you’d never ask.”

          Satisfied with the blush on Rachel’s face, Zinnia smirked. They could take turns.

          Smiling, Rachel pulled Zinnia towards the middle of the lit cave, closer to where the live performers were playing their music. As they idly waltzed close to the centre, Rachel leaned in to whisper to the Draconid. “Full disclosure: I’m a terrible dancer!” She admitted a bit sheepishly, laughing a bit once she pulled back. “I’ve got two left feet, so uh…sorry if I step on your toes.”

          By the Dragon Lord, she was just too cute. “Oh, don’t worry.” With the swift grace of her people’s sky god, she guided Rachel into a dip. The distance between them was barely any at all, and Zinnia’s signature fangs poked out of her playful smile. In a voice with a texture like royal silk, she practically purred at the Champion on her arm. “I’ll lead.”

          Pulling her back up, Rachel allowed Zinnia to do just that, carefully following her as she moved with deliberate grace in her steps. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the Draconid woman, once again swallowed by the crimson depths of her eyes. For once, she allowed herself to sink in and be drawn into their depths. She relaxed in her arms.

          For the first time, there was no trepidation. No hesitation. She simply belonged. As though they were made to hold each other, to dance together, to fit together.

          Maybe, Alpha allowing, they could find a way to sneak away. Give Zinnia a sneak peek at the location in Falarbor Town that had been erected before it was publically announced, so that she could properly appreciate it without being weighed down by public appearances or pressure.

          So she could properly appreciate all the effort put into all of this for her.

          But, she did also want an excuse to be completely alone with her. There was no doubt in her mind, there were things she wanted to say that were for Zinnia’s ears only. She didn’t want an audience for what she wanted to confess.

          It had to be this. Now that she knew without a doubt what her feelings were towards Zinnia, Rachel couldn’t afford to wait to tell her.

          After their dance, they’d sneak away and she’d do it then. As soon as possible.

#SafeshipSeptember #୨⎯ A Message On The Wind ⎯୧ #୨⎯ You Matter To Me ⎯୧ #୨⎯ Pokémon Trainer Rachel ⎯୧ #୨⎯ The Last Lorekeeper ⎯୧ #୨⎯ Tricky as a Fox ⎯୧ #୨⎯ The Hoenn League Champion ⎯୧

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It’s easy to feel powerless against such a big threat. Since the message is so urgent and the threat so pervasive, we also know that we must each take action where we can, and spread the word. We can make a difference through small individual actions that will make it easier to do the large, collective ones. At the same time, we can look to our own lives and examine the choices we make. Each of us can talk about the problems of climate change with our friends and families-and with relative strangers at luncheons. The addition of that small detail cemented for me the idea that conversations matter. I had to smile when I saw the printed reference to the oriole in Baltimore. The piece is terrific: it explains how climate affects us all, takes down some climate myths, and frames the problem through a compelling variety of places and impacts. This month Good Housekeeping ran a four-page feature (only parts were reproduced online) that riffs on many of the topics that Francisco and I discussed. And that luncheon last fall was no different. Every time I present Audubon’s findings to the public, I am reminded anew of the power of those charismatic birds inspire action. I mentioned that, for example, the Baltimore Oriole may not be in Maryland by 2080, and that areas all over the continent are projected to lose iconic bird species of their own. We got to chatting about the implications of Audubon’s report. At the awards luncheon, I had the pleasure of sitting next to Good Housekeeping’s editor, Jane Francisco. It gave me hope that we will take the challenging collective steps needed to avert the worst outcomes for birds and people.Ī couple of months later, Popular Mechanics bestowed upon Audubon one of their 2014 Breakthrough Awards. The public response was encouraging, and as the story was retold in newspapers and magazines across the globe, my optimism increased day by day. The news was grim: half of our birds are at serious conservation risk in this century. Of dialogues.Last September, Audubon released its climate report outlining the projected impacts of future climate change on North American birds. More importantly, UniDSĪchieves better robustness as it is able to smoothly switch between two types State-of-the-art task-oriented dialogue systems. Works comparably well as the pure chit-chat system, and it outperforms Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed UniDS UniDS can alternatively handle chit-chat and task-oriented dialogues in a Without adding extra parameters to SOTA baselines, Unified dialogue data schema, compatible for both chit-chat and task-orientedĭialogues, and we train UniDS with mixed dialogue data from a pretrainedĬhit-chat dialogue model. System (UniDS) with the two aforementioned skills. To this end, we propose a unified dialogue Natural interaction with humans, a dialogue agent needs to be capable of bothĬhatting and accomplishing tasks. Two systems are often tackled separately in current methods.

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Authors: Xinyan Zhao, Bin He, Yasheng Wang, Yitong Li, Fei Mi, Yajiao Liu, Xin Jiang, Qun Liu, Huanhuan Chen Download PDF Abstract: With the advances in deep learning, tremendous progress has been made withĬhit-chat dialogue systems and task-oriented dialogue systems.

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