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headspace-hotel · 2 years

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What feels so strange about growing plants, and making friends with plants, and generally being aware of my ecosystem, is that it's not a "head" knowledge, it's a "hands" knowledge.

It feels strange for me, at least. My formative years were spent in a homeschool co-op that was roughly 50% anti-vaxxers, so in spirit, I'm the sort that has yelled "just believe science!" until my throat hurt. I've clung to peer-reviewed papers, as an abstract concept, as the sole beacon of truth in a dark world, and found Facebook groups full of people that thought just like me: if it's not proven, if it's not science, it's false, and science is truth.

There are online communities of people who "believe in science," and t-shirts that affirm the wearer to "believe in science." This is not the worst place you can be, in a world where people believe things like "eating lemons makes your blood more alkaline, which cures cancer" and "polio was renamed to ALS in order to hide the fact that polio vaccines don't work."

However, science is not a doctrine. It's a process. It points to truth, but it doesn't produce truth as an end result. There is no end result. The results are endless, actually.

What word do I use to describe what I've been doing? I'm gardening, sure, but that makes it sound like I do things to plants, when mostly, the plants do things to me. I'm learning about the living things already around me. I've learned to identify so many plants, and I know about what role they serve in the ecosystem.

"Gardening" is a difficult word because it means planting things in the ground and tending to them, but plants plant and tend themselves. So since we have to use the word "gardening," we have to think of plants as either belonging to a garden or not, depending on whether a human put them there. Plants either grow on their own or a human, a "grower," "grows" them. Isn't it weird how that verb is transitive?

However, I understand now that even knowing the name of a plant is, in some way, "gardening" it, because it affects my behavior toward that plant, which is the thing that "gardening" is, just in a different amount.

Humans can transport seeds and plants, supplement nutrients and water, but this is just participation. A gardener doesn't create plants, they help them to grow. So it follows that any act of "helping" is also gardening—thinning out a stand of wild plants, moving a wild plant from one spot to another, choosing not to mow a wild plant down.

I have more of something than I used to. The thing that I have more of now is knowledge, but a lot of this knowledge isn't facts. Ecology is a science. Scientists study ecosystems. It is possible to know facts about ecosystems. But ecosystems are not made of facts.

I know that most people desperately need to know more about the ecosystems around them. They need to know about the plants and trees near them. I think this is literally essential to saving the world as we know it. But they don't need to learn facts—not just facts. They need to learn something Else.

For the past several months, I have been learning things that are not facts. I hesitate to call them skills. But they are like skills. Both gardening and plant identification are impossible to fully teach from a book or a written resource, because you have to know not what something is, but what it is like.

I rely on my senses—feeling the suppleness of a twig, the dampness of potting soil. Identifying plants is so hard starting out because the qualities that identify them best have to be experienced.

Back when I was first learning to identify trees, I discovered that there was a black walnut tree at the end of our road. I was just then entering the extremely frustrating reality of how many plants there are and how few photos of them at all growth stages exist on the internet. I didn't know what a fucking "petiole" was. Leaves all just looked like leaves and I wanted to cry.

But I tore a twig from one of the trees down at the end of the road, and I instantly knew it was a black walnut tree! And I couldn't describe to you how. I caught a whiff of the smell of the crushed leaves, and it pulled up a memory of the walnut trees at the farmhouse when I was a child, dropping their heavy green fruits all over the grass. I'm not even sure how to describe the smell. It's very fresh and spicy, but earthier and less "clear" than the word "fresh" would suggest.

And I identify a lot of plants in ways that you can't just...depict. Alianthus altissima, tree-of-heaven, is hard to draw or photograph in a way that lets you see through the picture what makes it distinctively Alianthus altissima. The best way to identify it is by its odor. Tear off a leafy twig and smell it—it smells exactly like peanut butter and the mustiness of a damp basement.

I am learning things that don't exist in books, that are specific to my immediate surroundings. The specific community of organisms found in my backyard, what they're doing. How my plant and animal neighbors are related, and how their relationships change.

I am learning just how little we know. There are so many plants, so many local plant communities. There are more relationships in an ecosystem than there are scientists that could possibly study them. I look up a question about a particular plant and there's just...nothing.

I have to use my own knowledge, my own observations. I have to do tiny science every day, where Big, Capital S Science can't help me. "Is this non-native plant harmful enough that it is better to get rid of it even if I can't replace it yet, or is it providing enough benefits to other organisms that it is better to let it stay?" Sometimes no website or book or article can answer this. Constantly I encounter this kind of question, and I have to observe and decide myself. I have to trust that I can be taught by my ecosystem, and that this knowledge is, in its own way, valid.

It is uncomfortable to be here. I want to convey my knowledge to others, but it sometimes feels almost pseudoscientific, superstitious. I want to be rational and rely on the experts, and teach other people to do so; I know that what "seems" right often isn't, and that personal observations are flawed, even useless, in many areas. But not only are these fuzzy, instinctual observations sometimes all we have, they are an essential skill that is needed to save our world.

There's also the fact that research doesn't happen fast enough to function all alone as a guide. Invasive species lists on state websites are basically decades out of date and not regionally specific enough. The Callery/Bradford pear tree, bane of my existence, is not "officially" designated an invasive species to my knowledge, and there is relatively little research on its role as an invasive species, but it is declared invasive, primarily by common consensus that it's Satan in tree form. Crowding and shading out other mid-succession shrubs and trees, forming thick, almost monoculture masses of ugly glossy foliage replacing whatever else would have grown there.

And the severe threat of the Bradford pear is specific to my region; its particular severity may be specific down to the square mile of land I live on. Some scientists may be studying it, but they're not studying my state, my county, my neighborhood.

It's insane how many TYPES of forests there are. You would think that within a specific biome and climate, a forest is a forest is a forest, but no. There are a bajillion specific associations of trees with specific relationships that form special ecosystems. It's insane how many types of moth there are, too. And it really blows your mind to look up a moth's host plants and read that we're not really sure of the full range of plants its caterpillars can eat.

You'll be reading something and it will say "We don't know this" but you will know, because you've seen it—and then you think to yourself, well, isn't that what people say about Nessie and Bigfoot and little green aliens? Can we trust what we observe for ourselves? Can we trust people to know what they see?

Maybe not—but we have to.

#learning #trees #plants #ecosystems #native plant gardening #gardening #science #knowledge #questions

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miinatozakiii · 6 months

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have we met before?

myoui mina x fem!reader ; fluff, angst

synopsis: you and mina are destined to meet in every universe, it’s fate, it’s inevitable—but that doesn’t mean the circumstances are always ideal for the two of you.

warnings: mentions of food

wc: 5.5k

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬

a/n: based on those silly little drawings on tiktok that also have my heart screaming and crying bc they're so cute but sad for no reason like stop pls you're just a silly little stick man why am i sobbing

“do you think we know each other in every universe?” you ask in a small voice, almost a whisper.

mina turns her head to face you, you’re still looking up at the ceiling, breathing slowly. “what kind of question is that?” mina responds, laughing lowly from the sudden inquiry.

“i don’t know, I saw it online,” you start, turning to meet her gaze—squishing your cheek against the mattress in the process. “something about people meeting in other lives and universes, it was pretty interesting.” you add sleepily.

mina’s arm moves to settle down on your shoulder while you lay on the bed facing each other. you look at her with a tired, warm gaze through weighted eyelids. mina softly drags her knuckles over your skin, it makes you sigh contentedly.

“so what do you think?” you press again.

mina just smiles at you and uses her fingers to push loose, messy hair away from your face. you hum groggily in response and lean into her touch.

“i’d hope so.” mina murmurs, looking at your drowsy state.

she takes a moment to fully take in your presence, then presses a kiss against your forehead.

“me too.” you agree, resting your hand over her knuckles.

in this universe mina has just moved into the city, relishing the beautiful, new environment as she strolls around the area.

there’s a couple to her right across the street. they hold hands and swing them gently while they laugh and gaze at each other lovingly—mina smiles at the sight.

mina spots a small restaurant from her peripheral vision, something about the plants growing around it catches her eye, as well as the simple design and lights in the front. she walks towards it, fixing her loose, gray shirt.

she watches a woman step out the restaurant, and that woman is remarkably appealing. the woman kneels down to pet the calico cat that sits in front of the calatheas plant, the woman’s thumb rubs the top of its head, earning a pleased purr.

the woman fetches a small can of water, quickly tending to the plants by watering them, and inspecting them a bit after.

mina makes her way over and catches the attention of the waitress in the apron—the same woman who had tended to the plants. She turns and smiles immediately at mina, setting the can down and greeting her.

“hi, can i help you?” she asks. the woman’s voice is enchanting, it’s soft and welcoming.

mina nods then eyes the rest of the restaurant, it’s quite cozy.

“yes, do you serve lunch?” mina asks.

“yes ma’am, come on in, i can find a seat for you. it’s not too busy at the moment.” the woman says, urging mina to follow her, “there’s only our regulars here at the moment, many empty seats for a lovely lady like you.” mina’s lips curve upward from the unexpected compliment.

the woman leads her to a little table near the window, a small pot occupies it and it holds a healthy-looking fern in it. the waitress hands the menu over to her with both hands—which mina accepts gracefully.

“i’m y/n,” you start, “i’ll be your waitress. i’ll be back in a couple of minutes, take your time.”

what a wonderful name.

when you return, mina has picked out what she would like to order. you approach the table with your signature grin—one mina finds very captivating, sweet, and cute. she has trouble keeping her eyes off your lips for a moment.

“ready to order miss?”

“yes. may i have a bowl of the glass noodles?” mina asks. you nod and started to write on the small notepad in your hand.

“yes ma’am, anything else?”

“green tea would be great.”

“alright. by the way, the glass noodles come with a side dish, any protein on the menu-“ you point to the protein options on the menu with your pen, “there.”

mina reads through the options: salmon, tuna, mushrooms, tofu, chicken, beef, shrimp, and pork.

“what would you recommend?” mina questions, making you think to yourself for a bit.

“my favorites are the tofu, it’s seasoned very well. you can never go wrong with tuna or salmon either, but those are just my preferences. all the protein choices are wonderful.”

“i’ll take the tofu then.”

“alright. so, japchae with a side of tofu and some green tea for the pretty lady in the corner.” you say as you charmingly smile at mina, “will that be all?”

mina giggles at your boldness, nodding. “do you always flirt with customers?”

“only the pretty ones that catch my eye—you’re the first to do so.” you admit.

“i’m flattered, y/n.” mina responds. you smile brightly from how she uses your name, and because she’s tolerant of your stupid flirting.

You giggle. “your order will be ready in a bit. i’ll make sure to pull at the chefs strings to have it out as quick as possible.” you say, “anything to satisfy the lovely lady.”

mina laughs at your comment then rests her chin on her palm. “thanks waiter.”

you arrive ten minutes later and snap mina out of her daydreaming, she’s been staring at the window and watching the people of the city pass by. she could get quite comfortable knowing that a lovely waiter is within a one-mile radius.

“your japchae and tofu, as well as your tea.” you beam, setting down her hot tea and meal.

mina smiles and the aroma of the food pleases her senses, so does the waiter’s delightful presence. the food smells wonderful, it looks delicious too. you nod at her before scurrying to help out the group of elderly men at the other side of the restaurant, they pat your shoulder and make you giggle. seems like your presence is something that everyone is fond of.

as you swiftly run a hand through your tousled hair, the lines of your face come into sharper focus, accentuating your features. the black apron around your waist becomes slightly taut as you tighten it, giving mina a glimpse of your punctilious nature. you reach for a soft rag and press it firmly against the worn wooden surface. the tendons in your forearm flex with each wipe, they’re quite toned.

mina's gaze lingers on your arm, drawn to the dainty tattoo adorning your wrist. it’s a subtle flower-like design, its colors blending seamlessly with your skin—mina thinks it’s cute.

but it's not just your appearance that intrigues her. there's something intangible about you, an inexplicable familiarity that fogs up her mind. in the short span of thirty minutes, you’ve managed to create a tranquil atmosphere around her with the help of your dorky charm.

it's as if you have a unique ability to make her feel instantly at home, even though she can't recall ever meeting you before. the way you carry yourself so casually, the kindness and warmth that radiate from you, all contribute to this puzzling connection she feels.

you hand mina the check after she finishes up, the price is not bad at all. you grab her bowl, small plate, and tea cup, balancing them effortlessly on one hand.

“can i pay with cash?”

“of course, let me put these dishes in the back. you can pay up at the register since it’s cash.” you respond, departing temporarily.

mina shuffles through her purse and pulls out a few bills, making sure to tip you generously for your wonderful service and lovely charm. she walks over to the register, you’re behind the counter with a strand of hair falling over your face and tapping at the screen.

“your total is fifteen hundred yen.” you say. mina hands you twenty-five hundred, making you raise your brows in surprise.

“i liked your service.” mina shrugs, bashfully avoiding eye contact. she puts her wallet back into her purse, and explains, “i just moved into the city, i’m really glad i ran into someone as sweet as you on my first day.”

you grin and feel a warmth spread across your cheeks, “is that so? i’m glad. i hope you like it here, i’d love for you to visit again. i wouldn’t complain if a beauty like you were a regular.”

mina’s lips turn, it’s hard for her to make eye contact with you. a small laugh leaves your lips as you take the money she had slid across the counter, carefully handling it then placing fifteen hundred yen in the register, and putting a thousand in the tip jar.

you beam at her again, “thank you, have a great day miss.”

“it’s mina.” she corrects politely, “my name is mina.”

“pretty name. fits you.” you respond, ears growing pink. mina laughs and waves at you with a gummy smile—it’s adorable and you want to see it again and again. butterflies flutter in your stomach from the sight of it. the elegant woman with the cute beauty marks walks towards the door, and as you sense this fleeting moment, your eyes search frantically for something that’ll have mina trudging back in the future.

spotting a pen and napkin nearby, you swiftly reach out, snatching them up in your trembling hand and scribbling a string of numbers on it.

mina steps outside and takes in the scenery of the restaurant, it fits the lovely, calm neighborhood that it occupies.

“wait! mina!” a voice calls out. she turns and spots you, rushing out the door and settling yourself in front of her.

you hand her the napkin you scribbled on. “this is my number, i’d love to get to know you more.” you say timidly as mina takes the dainty piece of paper.

“you’re cute.” mina boldly states, laughing softly, “this place isn’t far from my apartment, and the food is good. there might be a new regular here soon.”

“perfect.” you hum.

“thank you for the food, i’ll see you again.”

“see you, mina.”

a tender silence envelops both of you as you exchange a knowing glance, the unspoken connection blooming with a newfound sweetness. something about mina seems oddly familiar, weirdly comforting—you’re not one to flirt so easily, but the words had just spewed out your mouth every time you talked to her.

you wonder: maybe you know her in another universe, you remember hearing about that theory from one of the elderly customers. maybe you’re good friends someplace else—maybe more.

in another universe, a complex web of fate had merged your brother, jun, with mina—a princess from a kingdom that held tensions with your own. their marriage seemed to hold the promise of easing the strained relations between the two kingdoms.

jun, the epitome of the stereotypical prince, perfectly fit into the mold. women swooned over him and he possessed the necessary “princely” skills, he seemed to have it all. however, beneath his "charming” exterior lay a massive ego, pissy attitude, and a small, smooth, and pathetic brain. he carried himself as superior to you, despite his cowardice and controversial morals.

as for yourself, in this royal universe, you were less recognized compared to your stingy brother, but still held a significant position. while you may have lacked certain attributes expected from a princess, it honestly mattered very little since you weren’t in line to inherit the throne (you didn’t like the thought of all that work anyway, so you were relieved.)

a generous freedom was granted to you, which allowed you to develop an intellect that your brother desperately needed, and a great personality compared to the prick of a prince. admittedly, you possessed a prominent physical beauty, attracting numerous suitors, but they often drew back after realizing you weren’t just a stupid, submissive woman who they could boss and fuck around with.

you had first seen mina at the altar while she was getting married to your brother—a fate so cruel it makes you want to object, especially only hearing that she’s a soft-spoken, kind soul—according to your father.

something about her seemed oddly familiar, even as you watched from afar. she turned towards you only once, and you made eye contact in that brief moment. your brows creased when your heart recognized her, yearning for an odd reason. she turned back to face jun and you ignored the sensation in your chest, figuring that the feeling in your heart might’ve been the sorrow you had for this newlywed: princess mina.

you never have dinner at the same time as your brother, so you’ve never had dinner with the new addition to your kingdom. though this changes when jun is sent away for the night (for whatever “princely” reason, you don’t know, and neither do you care.)

you’re seated across from your brother’s wife, and this is the first time you’ve seen her up close and in person. she’s beautiful.

you find yourself captivated by mina's ethereal beauty, unable to tear your eyes away from her radiant presence. every curve and line of her face is a testament to perfection, leaving you marveling in awe.

mina’s features are more than attractive, they’re perfect—no painter could ever capture the full glow of her visuals. her lips look so soft, the way her silky, dark hair effortlessly flows down her shoulders makes you yearn to run your fingers through them, losing yourself in their silky texture. as she gracefully picks up a piece of salmon, the way she chews it delicately, you can't help but be captivated by her composure and grace—damn, you think, she even eats elegantly.

when mina’s eyes meet yours, you shyly look away at the strangely flustering eye contact, feeling nervous for whatever reason.

most women would feel a bit insecure, self-conscious, and maybe even intimidated in your situation. however, all you feel is an unspeakable attraction from your brother’s wife, which has got to be messy.

It gets messier when mina looks at you while you avoid eye contact, and you quickly pretend to be busy by gracefully picking up a piece of salmon and chewing it like a princess should (because mina is right in front of you).

mina observes you, her eyes filled with a deep curiosity while she tries to sneak subtle glances. it's evident that she recognizes the resemblance between you and your brother, but you’re definitely the better-looking sibling. her gaze lingers on the white ribbon holding half your hair up, rendering you even more fascinating in her eyes. stray strands of hair gently frame your face, and as you tuck them behind your ear, her eyes follow the movement with a mixture of awe and allure.

though you and mina have never engaged in conversation, the inscrutable (homosexual) tension between you two is undeniable, as if you were destined to meet.

“is there something on my face?” mina asks, voice soft and wow, even her voice is beautiful. she tilts her head when she catches you stealing a glance.

“oh, no, sorry.” you respond politely, “i just, um, noticed your beauty marks. they’re pretty.”

(you don’t know why you chose to compliment her now and here when you’re alone in this dining room and the tension is prominent—are you trying to embarrass yourself?)

“thank you, y/n was it?” the sound of your name being articulated by that delicate voice of hers is enough to have your cheeks burning.

“yeah, y/n.”

“you’re quite pretty too.”

you smile and poke at your salmon, “thank you.”

two weeks from that dinner, you find yourself meeting with her and spending more time with the lovely princess since her own joke of a husband can’t do so. mina was never fond of jun anyway, he boasted too much, and you were much more pleasing to the eye—and her heart.

you lead mina around the castle, holding her hand and dragging her to the large library in the east wing. you ramble about the books you’ve read, cheeks flushing lightly when you go on a tangent about romance novels. when you stop gushing about books out of fear of boring her, she urges you to go on, giving you that signature grin that makes your heart leap.

a few weeks after that moment in the library, mina finds herself situated in your own bedroom. it’s a large room, fit for a princess like you. the room smells like peaches and is tidy for the most part, though books clutter some spaces and it honestly feeds mina’s growing interest in you.

the ribbon in your hair is worked at with your slim fingers and your locks are let down with a swift motion of the fabric. you run a hand through your hair and lead mina to your bed, grabbing her hand and urging her to sit down next to you.

mina sits down and you hum, softly while you lean against the headboard of the bed.

“are you tired?” mina asks, and you shake your head.

“not really.”

“it’s quite late.”

“perhaps.” you say, turning over to face her. “you know, speaking of sleep. i’ve been having dreams about you.”

mina raises her brows and giggles, “really now?”

you hum, “yeah, it’s a flash of different scenes, different lives.”

“sounds interesting.”

“mhm.” you sigh, looking from the mole on mina’s nose to her lips. “we always end up meeting. do you think we know each other in every life? like, maybe there’s other universes where we’re… maybe we’re best friends in another kingdom, or maybe we’re commoners.”

“that’s a possibility. you read a lot of books, maybe they’re creating that fantasy world up in that brain of yours.” mina teases, subconsciously scooting closer to you.

your gaze stills on her face, you stay silent for a moment and mina grows flustered as you travel across her features with your look. your hand moves over to brush a strand of hair away from her face, and your thumb rubs against her soft, delicate skin—just below her left eye.

“an eyelash was there.” you say, and her cheek grows noticeably warm from the contact of your thumb on her skin.

“i had this one dream, you know…” you start, moving your thumb along her cheek and tracing the side of her face with your pointer. you lean a bit closer, and mina does too, she stares at your plump, soft, peachy lips. “we were really close, like this.” you practically whisper, voice lowering as you mumble.

“yeah?” mina asks, leaning closer. now both of you are staring at each other’s lips, bodies reeling in closer as if there were a string of desire pulling your hearts closer to each other.

mina tilts her head and her eyelids start to shut, you mirror her action and do the same. her cold fingers find your cheek and softly caress your skin, pulling you in closer for a kiss.

her lips are as soft as they look, warm against your own despite the chill of her fingers on your face—though they seem to burn into you the deeper the kiss grows. the locking of lips is dangerous, especially with mina seeing as she’s married to your brother and all. the two of you know everything will have to be behind closed doors, love can be difficult.

mina pulls away with lidded eyes and you whine in response.

“did we do that in your dream?”

“yeah, a few times.”

“déjà vu i guess,” mina murmurs against your lips, “i’ve had the same dreams,” she admits before sliding her hand down to your neck, gently gripping your hair and twirling it around her finger. she kisses you again, your lips recognize the feeling.

in this universe you’re on the way back to the ice rink. you’ve forgotten your bag filled with your shoulder pads and gloves.

you check the locker room and there’s nothing, but you do spot momo’s unlocked locker. knowing the clumsy, forgetful teammate, she had probably rushed out after getting a call from that sana girl she’s been talking to. the swooning lesbian had most likely left the building in a second, you’re using that against her for sure.

“where is it…” you grumble, wandering around the locker room and shuffling through every corner.

a sigh leaves your lips and you head out to the rink, it has to be there if it’s not in the locker rooms; otherwise, you’re completely fucked and your wallet might come to life just to kill you if you don’t find that dumb bag.

you step into the rink area, your face getting hit with the cold air of the room. the issue at hand is completely disregarded when your gaze lands on a figure gracefully gliding across the ice, her presence seemingly ethereal. her movements are an intricate dance on the frozen surface beneath, each glide harmoniously transitioning into the next. you’re captivated to say the least.

her body glides effortlessly, proof of her unquestionable talent. with every spiraling twirl and soaring leap, she effortlessly keeps your attention on her, you’re enamored. her skate blades etch intricate patterns into the ice, similar to the way yours hack at the ice when you speed through players to score a point during your scrimmages.

the woman stops and her eyes meet yours, making you redirect your attention elsewhere, reminding you of the reason why you’re even back here past practice hours.

she skates towards the gate that leads out the rink and you quickly walk away, scanning the seats for your blue bag. it has to be here somewhere; you prayit’s there.

your prayers were answered—a blue bag is spotted on one of the benches with the same shoulder pads you had used earlier, you let out a sigh of relief.

when you make your way back towards the door back to the lobby, you’re face-to-face with the same woman who had been skating—she had been the only other person here besides you at this hour, further emphasizing her devotion to her art.

she examines you carefully. your hair is still disheveled and your nose is also pink from the practice you had earlier. you’re wearing a comfy-looking navy hoodie, as well as matching, baggy sweatpants—though maybe a slightly darker shade. the blue bag is held over your shoulder, sitting along your back while you carry it.

mina swears she recognizes you, the messy hair that falls over your face and that dorky, awkward smile you shoot her is strangely familiar. maybe she’s met you at this rink before, that’s probably the case.

“sorry, did i interrupt you?” you pry, scared to have disrupted her elegant performance.

“no, not at all.” she responds. you look her up and down, eyeing the full black outfit she wears briefly before meeting her soft eyes and appealing features. you pause for a brief moment when you see the two recognizable beauty marks: one above her top lip and the other on her nose.

“have we met before?” you ask, curious as to why there’s a weird understanding from her.

“i don’t know, maybe we have.”

“you seem very familiar, i can’t put my finger on it.” you mumble, brows furrowing lightly.

“i- i thought that too.”

you put out a hand, “i’m y/n.”

mina reciprocates the gesture and puts her hand in yours—a strangely perfect fit, as if her hand has been there before.

“mina.” she says, staring at your hands making contact.

“do you always practice at this rink?” you question, interested as to how you’ve missed someone as eye-catching as her.

mina nods. “i usually practice later or in the early mornings.”

“that’s why i haven’t seen you around.” you hum, “i practice during late afternoons.”

“are you a hockey player?”

“yup.” you respond proudly, shooting a grin that makes the figure skaters own lips turn. you shove your hand in your pocket and find your phone, checking the time. “i’ll leave you to your practice, you skate beautifully by the way.”

mina smiles and you contemplate whether you should pry and find out more of her schedule just from seeing the curve of her pretty lips. “i’ll see you y/n, hope we run into each other again.”

“likewise. have a great night mina.”

“you too.”

you’re a lucky woman, very, very lucky.

you run into the beautiful figure skater two days later, and then two days after that, and somehow you’re running to her after every other practice.

quick conversation and small talk is exchanged between the short periods of time that you see each other, a friendship blossoms quickly.

mina, with her quiet demeanor, has always been reserved, even around her own coach and most people she interacts with. however, something about your presence makes her feel instantly at ease—as if you’ve known each other for years. your charm effortlessly melts her tension away, creating a comfortable atmosphere where she’s no longer limited to her usual three-word responses.

beyond her enchanting beauty on the ice, mina's personality shines in its own unique way. her lovely features are undeniably captivating, but it's the tenderness in her remarks and descriptions of her day that truly warms your heart. each word she utters, spoken in her soft and honeyed voice, forms an urge to know more about mina.

not even a month later, the two of you find yourselves in a small diner sitting across from each other.

your cheek is in your palm while you listen to mina go on about her recent fixations and interests—one being the legos that she had finally bought after eyeing for two months. you find yourself laughing at the way she talks about the plastic building pieces with such passion and excitement, your smile growing wider with each remark from the divine woman in front of you.

mina goes on about her dream of being a professional figure skater, that it’s been her dream since she was a litte girl. she even admits that she’d love to travel to other countries to train and learn more, she’s fond of foreign training programs. the success she craves inspires you, and soon after you exchange your own dreams of being in one of the big league hockey teams. you give mina a little background on yourself, explaining that you lived in canada for half your life, which also happens to be the same place where you started becoming infatuated with hockey. mina nods in awe, listening with intent.

the two of you ramble and laugh and smile and blush—it makes the two of you so amazingly giddy.

the date is cliché, something out of a movie: dinner with a beautiful woman, paying for her meal, and then driving her home—before she leaves, you kiss her cheek—she blushes and kisses you on the lips, leaving you in the car with a flushed face and a dangerously quick heart rate.

most of your relationships in the past—if not all, have been quite rocky after a couple of months, but that’s not the case with mina.

there’s a simple understanding between you two, as if you already know each other’s likes and dislikes by heart. you’re accustomed to mina’s mood swings and troubles, always being there if she needed a shoulder to lean on. there was a silent understanding, and mina was glad that she had you. mina is understanding when you explain your past and the difficulties of pursuing a hockey career, and once you’re done shedding a few tears you exchange your first “i love you’s.”

it's safe to say that being with mina has been the best time of your life, not even a year has passed by and she’s had you swooning more than momo had been when she first got with sana. you’re hooked, you’re in love.

there’s nothing that could break you and mina up, not with the wonderful communication and understanding of boundaries. you two were perfect for each other, there was no way anything could hinder the relationship.

“can we talk?” you and mina say together, surprised that you said it at the same time with the same uneasy tone.

“you go first.” you urge, mina shakes her head.

“no, you go.” she responds. you laugh to calm your nerves, to ease your worries, to stop the tears that start to well in your eyes, it works temporarily—but mina can sense the tension in the air, and it’s frightening.

you inhale, then exhale slowly.

“i was scouted, they want me in one of the best training facilities and teams in canada.” you croak out, a lump forming in your throat after you speak. mina purses her lip and you can tell she tries to stop herself from crying, closing her eyes and turning her head downwards.

“y/n,” she says, voice shaky, “they… they want me training in korea.”

you blink and tears spill, rolling down your face.

“i think you should take it, mina.” you say heartbreakingly, “you’re very talented, i know it would get you far. it’s your dream, i know how much you liked the training over in korea.”

“i think you should take,“ mina cuts herself off with a sniffle, “you should go to canada.”

the two of you aren’t lying, wanting the others to achieve their own dream, but the inevitable product is the two of you parting. that’s the last thing you want.

if you had known that you would’ve met mina earlier, she would’ve been your dream, you’d give up everything for her and mina would do the same for you. however, these offers are something that the two of you have been longing for, and even if your hearts may shatter by taking up these opportunities, the two of you know it has to be your choices.

you pull mina into your arms, a bittersweet embrace. her tears stain your t-shirt, yours seem to stain hers as well.

“i’m sorry.” mina cries.

“don’t,” you sob, “it’s okay, we’ll be okay.” you add, though you’re unsure yourself.

the distance is impossible, and it’s already difficult to spend more than three hours a day with each other now, so thinking of how it would be while you’re thousands of kilometers apart has you holding onto mina tighter, knowing that you’ll have to let her go.

your flight leaves in less than two hours, and you still have to go through baggage as well as security.

a tear slips down your cheek as you hold onto mina, you don’t want to let go, you can’t, but you have to.

you two had a long talk filled with tears and runny noses about how this would go down, and you decided to spend the last few days together, savoring and cherishing the last moments of each other’s presence. sure, the two of you could see each other now and then, but it would be too hard to keep a long-distance relationship going when your schedules are full and your bodies are tired. the time difference doesn’t help either. it just won’t work out, no matter what obstacle you tried to work around, it was evident that this wasn’t going to cut it with the new circumstances.

so you two decided to do what was necessary: break up.

mina pulls away with tears spilling down her face, she’s wearing the sweater you gifted her on her birthday. it makes you sniffle.

“i’m going to miss you.” you say in between tears, “too much.”

“me too.” she says. her nose is red, eyes pink, and her bottom lip quivers.

“i’m sorry, i’m so sorry, i wish we could-“

“y/n, i love you. i want you to achieve this dream.” mina cuts you off, “i’m willing to let you go for it to happen.”

“i’ll love you forever.” you cry, “whatever happens, there’s always a space in my heart for you. when you make it to the big screen, i’ll cheer for you. promise”

mina closes her eyes and wipes her tears, “and I’ll do the same. god, y/n… i love you so much.”

“don’t say that, please my nose is getting stuffy,” you say, trying to lighten the mood. your voice cracks, it’s shaky. “i promise in another universe or something like that, everything will work out, and we won’t have distance keeping us apart. in every life i swear mina, i swear i’ll find you, we’ll meet and we don’t have to part like this and- fuck, god i can’t do this.”

mina laughs, it’s not out of amusement. she’s going to miss your dorky little rambling. “you’ve been watching too many marvel movies.”

“stop that,” you sigh, smiling in between tears. “but I swear, I will.”

“is that a promise?”

“yes mina, yes.”

mina smiles again before tip-toeing to kiss you, you get the faint taste of her salty tears. the kiss is quite long, both of you not wanting to pull away, not wanting to part.

your hand lingers on mina’s cheek, it’s soft on her skin, she melts into your touch one last time.

“i love you always.” mina says, using her own thumb to wipe away your damp, pink cheek.

“me too.” you rasp, “always and forever.”

#twice x reader #kpop x reader #twice imagines #twice mina #kpop fluff #twice angst #myoui mina #myoui mina x reader #mina x reader #mina imagines

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rebeccathenaturalist · 20 days

Text

Okay, y'all, it's rant time again. Buckle up.

A new report just came out from Public Citizen highlighting the dangers of using apps and AI foraging guides for identifying mushrooms, particularly when mushroom foraging. It's the latest in a string of warnings that are fighting against a tide of purported convenience ("just take a picture and get your answer instantly!")

I've ranted about this since last August, and I also wrote up a detailed post on how to identify an AI-generated foraging guide. I'm also including info on the limitations of apps and AI in The Everyday Naturalist: How to Identify Animals, Plants, and Fungi Wherever You Go. I'm not just saying this to toot my own horn--it's because nature identification, and teaching it to others, is literally what I do for a living. So this is a topic near and dear to my heart.

I teach a very, very specific sort of identification class; whether we're focusing on animals, plants, fungi, or all of the above, I walk people through a detailed process of how to observe a given organism, make note of its various physical traits and habitat, and use that information to try to determine what it is. I emphasize the need to use as many sources as possible--field guides, websites, online and in-person groups, journal articles, etc.--to make absolutely sure that your identification is solid.

And every year, I get people (thankfully, a very small minority of my students) who complain because my two-hour basic mushroom hunting class wasn't just five minutes of introduction and one hundred and fifteen minutes of me showing slide after slide of edible mushrooms. There are so many people out there who just want a quick, easy answer so they can frolic in the woods and blithely pick mushrooms like some idealized image of a cottagecore herbalist with a cabin full of dried plants and smiling frogs or something.

While I do incorporate a bit of information on getting started with the app iNaturalist in my classes, it is as only ONE of MANY tools I encourage people to use. Sure, it's more solid than most apps because, in addition to the algorithmic I.D. suggestions it initially gives you, other iNaturalist users can go onto your observations later and either agree with your I.D.s or suggest something different and even explain why.

And yet--even as great as iNat is, it and its users can still be wrong. So can every other I.D. app out there. And I think that is one thing that the hyper-romanticized approaches to foraging--and nature identification in general--miss. In order to be a good forager, you HAVE to also be good at nature identification.

And nature identification is an entire process that requires you to have solid observational and critical thinking skills, to be able to independently research using many different types of tools, and be willing to invest the time, patience, and focus to properly arrive at a solid identification--if not to species level, then as far down the taxonomic ladder as you can realistically manage. (There's a reason even the experts complain about Little Brown Mushrooms and Damned Yellow Composites!)

People mistake one single tool--apps--for the entire toolkit. They assume any book they find on Amazon is going to be as good as any other, and don't take the time to look up the author to determine any credentials or experience, or even whether they actually exist or not. It doesn't help that the creators of these products often advertise them as "the only [book/app/etc.] you need to easily identify [organism of choice]!"

I mean, sure, the world isn't going to end if you never question the birdsong results on the Merlin app, or if you go through life thinking a deer fern is just a baby western sword fern. But when we get into people actually eating things they find in the wild, there's often no room for error. There are plants and mushrooms that can kill you even if you only eat a tiny amount. And even if they don't kill you, they may make you wish you were dead for a few days while you suffer through a whole host of gastrointestinal nastiness and other symptoms.

There aren't any shortcuts if you want to be safe in your foraging. You HAVE to be willing to do the work. And any teacher, author, or product that says otherwise isn't being ethical. I'm glad to see more people speaking out against the "fast foodization" of foraging in regards to overreliance on apps and the existence of AI foraging books; I just hope it's enough to prevent more people from getting sick or dying.

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becauseicantthinkwritings · 1 year

Text

Teeth

Part 7!

Werepanther! Billy Russo x Female Reader

Masterlist

Warnings: Smut (18+), voyeurism, exhibitionism, use of sex toys, just.... absolute dumbassery.

For my loves, @idaofinfinity, @marvelmusing, @stardustmorozov, @frying-panties, @iamgettingalife, @icannotbetrustedalone, @imagine-a-fictional-boyfriend. Some of the people that never fail to hold me upright when I feel like a.... limp, barely watered plant. 😅❤

"Are you following?" He asks.

You give him a slow nod of your head.

"I'm thinking." You answer.

You scrunch your eyebrows slightly together, absentmindedly tucking your bottom lip under your teeth, biting down.

He shifts a little bit in his chair.

"We should definitely split these two systems, too much foot traffic puts the auxiliary at risk."

You get lost in thought, looking off into the corner of his office, thinking aloud about the specs necessary to make the system better.

You catch yourself, blinking in realisation that you'd been zoned out for the better part of a minute, turning back to him, to find him staring at you with the strangest expression on his face.

"Sorry- bad habit of zoning out. Where were we?"

His mouth pulls into a slow smile, you feel the pace of your heart pick up in your chest.

"Do you like strawberries?" He asks, a curious tilt of his head.

The sudden conversation shift makes you a little nervous.

You gulp.

"Yeah, they're my favourite." You respond simply.

"Great, one of our clients sent us a thank you gift," he murmurs, reaching into the mini fridge that sits beside his desk, and pulling out the cutest little tray of strawberries, "but they sent way too much. Would you like some?"

Your fingers twitch, eyes carefully assessing the plump fruit, mouth watering at the beautiful sight of them.

"You're sure it's okay?" You ask, meeting his eyes.

William nods, extending the little box to you. You reach out to cup the tray between both hands.

"They sent about five of these, you can have the entire thing if you'd like."

"Thank you, Mister Russo." You say happily as the little tray rests in your hands.

"No, wait, one condition." He says, you look up at him in surprise.

"Call me Billy? Please?"

It takes you a moment, eyes flitting between the strawberries and his handsome face.

"Okay, Billy."

The smile you share is something... more. You feel a connection, trace its way down your spine, something like friendship blooming between you.

"Would you like one?" You offer, extending the tray to him after picking up a pretty one for yourself.

He nods, reaching for a strawberry of his own.

You bring the strawberry to your nose first, breathing in the delicious scent, before pressing the cool fruit to your lips.

The delicious tangy juice spills into your mouth, you try your hardest to mask your sound of appreciation.

The fruit is delicious, smells sweeter than it actually is, your mouth flooding with the taste of it, letting the juice trickle down your throat.

You glance up at him, worried that he's staring at you, but he's not, looking out of the window instead, as he brings the fruit to his mouth.

Some of the juice spills onto his fingers, and you feel your body pull taut as he sucks the tips of his middle and index fingers into his mouth.

There's an obscene sucking sound as he cleans his fingers, and you get caught in lustful thoughts.

That's what he'd look like if he licked his fingers clean after-

You swallow, an unbelievable amount of need pulsing under your skin.

You needed to get even with him. You needed him to understand how mindless he made you, a very dangerous plan forming in your head.

He takes away your ability to think critically. It's like a high, being near him, thinking about him, catching glimpses of him in his apartment. He snatches every coherent thought, until you're all lust and no worry.

You didn't exactly think this through and you knew it, simply ordering an item online, even splurging on express shipping, so that it gets here faster.

Yet somehow you're still surprised when it shows up at your door on Saturday.

You're careful, pulling the curtains shut, sitting on your couch, cross legged before ripping the package open.

You gulp at the size of it, you've never had something so big in you, but it's the one thing you'd seen that had made you immediately think of him.

It's a translucent silicone dildo, tinted puple, with a suction cup built into the base.

You swallow, examining it carefully, thinking about the best way to torment him, hoping that he finally understands how badly you want him.

The ache for him transcends need, it's beyond desire, it feels like something deep inside of you, the very building blocks of your soul. You can't think straight, you can't focus, your cunt is wet with yearning, your body absolute- with the ideas of what it wants.

What could he even do? Realistically? He was your neighbour, and sometimes intimate things observed can be... accidental.

Billy's had a long Saturday.

His back is almost aching with all the errands he's had to run today, he's eager for a long shower and a glass of bourbon to help him sleep.

He drops his keys and wallet on his counter, sheds his shirt and kicks off his pants, leaves them where they are and decides to worry about them tomorrow.

His shower is good, steaming hot- it fogs the glass around him, he's relaxed after such an enduring day. The scent of his body wash is good, the cleanser he uses on his face makes him feel clean and he feels the grime of the day leave him.

His bathroom tiles are heated, a good expense to ensure he's comfortable.

He tugs on loose pants, something to protect his modesty while he grabs the bottle of Angel's Envy from the top shelf of his liquor cabinet.

Three fingers worth of amber liquid, one long sip that soothes him.

He feels his body relax.

It had really been a long day.

He decides to check in on you, moving to his living room, that stood on a level just a little bit higher than your bedroom, perfectly in line so that whenever your curtains were open, he'd be able to see-

The glass in his hand shatters.

It takes him a moment, for his brain to start working, for the blood swiftly redirecting to his cock to allow him to process what he's looking at.

God, what a sight.

The predator, that has been silent since he got home, finally roars to life inside of him.

Unable to stop, he finds himself as close to the window as possible, but just far enough away that the fog of his breath does not cloud his vision.

The way you look.

There's nothing he can compare it to, Venus herself would gaze at you with envy, or perhaps the same way he looks at you now, with unending awe.

It's surprising, how much thought he still has left in him, considering what you're doing, that he has the time to admire the way you look.

But how could he not?

When there's a beauty to you he's never witnessed before, when there's a voice inside of him demanding he kneel before such decadence.

You don't even know, is his next pained thought, you don't even know how you look, too lost in chasing your own pleasure to admire yourself.

So Billy takes his time, and makes an attempt to sear your captivating figure into his memory.

Your hips are canting backwards, in short, rhythmic strokes. On your knees, on top of your bed, face pressed into your sheets, impaling your needy cunt on the fake cock stuck to your headboard.

His ears hone in on you, the predator pushing his senses to the max, so that he can hear every sound you make.

Obscenely wet, is his first thought, magnificently sweet is his second.

Each backward movement of your hips pulls an endearing gasp from your mouth, as if the pathetic dildo is just borderline too big for you.

His fists clench at his sides.

The worst part is, that you're begging. As if you're not in control of your own pleasure, as if it's someone else, you beg, sweet little words of 'please' and 'more' dropping from your mouth so easily.

Absentmindedly, he realises that you're still clothed, a little purple nightdress, that ends at the curve of your rear, protecting your skin from his ravenous eyes.

Then, to his fucking surprise- as if anything else could surprise him, you turn your head, open your eyes, and look right at him.

And heaven save him, you smile, and begin rock your hips harder.

"Oh fuck, that's so good." He hears you say, head turning back to press your forehead to the sheets, hands fisting the white material in your hands.

You know he's watching, and it gives you pleasure.

Billy can hear his own frantic breaths, loud in the stillness of his house.

"Oh god, fuck I'm so close, please."

He has the afterthought that he's about to watch you cum.

He can't move, he can't look away, he can barely hear the panther in his head, raging at him, all of it is drowned out, all of it is washed away by you.

The sound you make when your orgasm hits sends tingles down his spine. It's something low and sweet, and the beast inside of him demands that he go to you and make you scream.

He almost does it.

He almost rips every door off its hinges in an attempt to get to you, but that's before you pause, turn your head to look at him once more, and begin to fuck yourself to a second orgasm.

It hits him then, that delighted smile of yours when you see him looking, it makes him realize how much of a brat you are.

And Billy didn't indulge brats.

He tamed them.

He waits till your second orgasm is over, till you pull yourself off of that pathetic fake cock with shaking thighs and drops yourself into an exhausted heap nearby.

He watches you breathe for a moment, before turning to grab his phone.

You groan a little when your phone rings, stomach flipping when you reach for it on your nightstand to see his name on screen.

It's a harmless accident, you brief yourself, and you swipe to answer.

"Hello?" You say with a shaky voice.

"That was quite a show. But I need you to understand something."

"What?" You ask, a little scared and a little breathless.

"I'm much bigger than that."

The line goes dead.

Harmless, an accident.

I didn't mean for you to see that.

These are the things you repeat to yourself as you walk into Anvil on Monday morning. You're not too worried, considering what he'd said to you the very night over the phone.

I'm much bigger than that.

God, was that even possible? How were you going to take him if you could barely take that dildo?

You're not going to be taking him, he's your boss, your head reminds you.

She was right, your brain, getting involved with him was a bad idea, a very bad idea.

The thought of it though, of having him, of crawling into bed with him, holding him close throughout the night, finding endless passionate encounters, made you ache with want.

This was bad.

He was your boss, you shouldn't be thinking about him like this.

But you couldn't help it, you wanted him like nothing before.

You're hoping to see him, you catch yourself daydreaming about it, that he would find an excuse to come to you, lean against your desk and say something, anything, ask you about your day, or how your project is coming along, maybe show you exactly how big he would be-

You swallow, clicking your pen repeatedly for a moment before getting control of yourself.

You sigh, shoulders dropping, a sad realization seeping into you.

You wanted him.

You don't get a chance to see him for the entire day.

Your banter goes unsaid.

Billy was using all of his willpower to remain human right now.

The full moon was close, the predator in his head was roaring at full volume.

On edge, he grips the sides of his chair hard, hears something crack.

From the moment you entered the building- he knew. Your body was calling out to him.

A sweet cherry scent, a few citrus notes added in and he knew.

You were ovulating.

Sure, you'd been fertile in his presence before, once or twice in the last few months, but it hadn't been as strong as this, and never this close to a full moon.

His self control was being tested like never before.

The predator pushes images of you, open and naked below him, the feel of your hand on his cheek, the way he'd press deeper into your touch.

Billy takes a shallow breath.

The slow way he'd take his time, fitting himself into you, watching you take every inch of him that you could.

Or maybe your legs on his shoulders, folding you in half while he makes you take every inch of him into your sweet pussy, swallowing each cry from your perfect mouth, a controlling hand wrapped around the column of your throat, feeling your cunt tighten around him as his hand tightens on your throat-

Billy shudders, body shaking with the effort to keep him human, his teeth elongates involuntarily, and he realises that he can't stay here, if he does, there is no telling of what he might do.

He stands, doesn't grab much more than his keys and his phone, and hightails it.

He almost wants to die when he smells your scent grow stronger, tapping on the elevator call button rapidly as if that brings it any faster.

The beast fights him, pulls at him to find you, your sweet scent compromising his self control.

The elevator arrives and he steps in, pressing the floor he wants.

Your voice, a little call, asking to hold the elevator.

When he reaches for the close door button instead, the beast manages to take control for a moment, pressing the button to open the doors instead.

Fuck.

He's rigid when you step in.

"Oh, Billy, hey, hello." You say, a smile pulling onto your face.

He looks angry, staring forward, but he manages to give you a nod, and a low sound of your name in greeting.

You swallow, wondering if you should interact or not, maybe he was busy with something else.

"How are you doing? I hope your weekend was great." You try, offering something easy and casual. Smalltalk was a little menial, but it wasn't bad for a casual interaction.

Except, that he doesn't respond.

You turn away from facing him, blinking at the elevator doors.

Maybe he wasn't up to interacting with you today.

Don't kiss her don't kiss her don't kiss her don't kiss her-

Billy tenses every muscle in his body to stop the predator from seizing control of him.

Hands pinned beside your head, legs wrapped around his hips, quiet moans and helpless gasps as he kisses you senseless, eager to steal your senses, desperate to make a place inside of you for himself-

Your body crying out for him and you don't even know it, your scent filling the enclosed space, torturing him. His little mate, so fucking sweet and delectable, standing beside him and doesn't know how badly he wants to sink his tongue between your thighs, drown you with pleasure until you're so sated on him that you can't walk.

Why was he fighting himself so hard again?

Right, he was your boss, and he didn't want to make you think that the only reason he'd hired you was to sleep with you.

He clears his throat when the doors open, tilting his head in your direction.

"Have a nice day." He says, before stepping out.

He hadn't even stepped out onto the floor he'd selected.

You blink, eyebrows drawn together, wondering why he'd stopped out on the fifth floor when he was going down to the parking lot in the basement.

You smile automatically when a few other people step in.

Did he leave because he wanted to get away from you faster?

Your shoulders drop sadly.

#werepanther!billy russo #teeth #billy russo #billy russo x reader #billy russo x female reader #the punisher #billy russo smut #monster!billy #monster!billyrusso #my writings

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powerfultenderness · 1 year

Text

An Odd Couple

This request was from @pizzapocketss : Maybe one of Adrian where he buys matching costumes but reader also buys matching costumes as well so they both just go as whatever they picked for each other?

Rated: T+

Pairing: gn!Reader/Adrian Chase

Summary: When you and Adrian both surprise each other with couples costumes, you come to a fun compromise!

Warnings: Some sexually suggestive dialogue, but it’s nothing explicit.

Word Count: 1562

A/N: I’m referencing the [Mariners alternate uniform, here’s an example]

⚾[#Vigilante Halloween Masterlist] 🤠

[Masterlist]

[Dividers]

For the first time in his life Adrian was in a serious relationship near Halloween. He always wanted to wear matching costumes with someone, but the age gap between him and his brother was too large for Gut to want to spend his Halloween with a kid. The year Peacemaker got out of prison, Adrian asked him to wear a matching costume but Peacemaker said no every time he asked.

Now that he was in a relationship he was excited that he finally had someone to match with! He already knew what he wanted the two of you to go as, and after making sure you'd be up for a couples costume (after explaining that him asking if you "thought we'd still be together next month" wasn’t him trying to break up with you), he went online to look for the costumes.

Even though he ordered both costumes at the same time, one came in a week earlier and he had to hide it from you and somehow keep his excitement down.

The second costume finally came in and now all he had to do was wait for you to get home.

You texted Adrian to say that you’d be a little late coming home, that you had some extra things to handle at work. That was a little white lie. You immediately ran to your car the second you clocked out because the uniforms you ordered finally came in!

Yea, you might have splurged quite a bit for Halloween costumes, but Adrian had been so nervous when he asked if you would be open to a couples costume that you thought he was actually breaking up with you! When you asked if he knew what costumes he wanted, he shook his head and said he wanted time to think about it more.

In retrospect, maybe surprising him wasn’t the best idea.

“Adrian!” You called as soon as you got home, bags in hand.

He shouted your name too and ran towards the living room, where the front door opened into.

“I have a surprise!” You both yelled as soon as you were in sight of each other.

You blinked. He blinked.

You noticed the bags in his hands. He noticed the bags in your hands.

“Why don’t you-” “You first!” You once again spoke over each other.

He rocked forward on his feet and motioned to you. “No. I insist, you first.”

You had a hunch of what was happening, “same time?”

He shrugged and held up his bags in one hand, you mirrored him. “Our Halloween costumes arrived!” “I got us costumes!”

“Okay.” You sat down and patted the seat next to you, “let’s see what you got.”

Adrian smiled, all his doubt about the costume mix up gone in his excitement. He dropped the bags next to you and started to pull out western clothing. Initially you thought cowboy, but as he popped a white cowboy hat on your head you grinned, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid!”

“Yea!” He nodded and placed a faux brown leather jacket on your shoulders, making you Butch Cassidy. “You just keep thinking, that’s what you’re good at!” He recited one of the Sundance Kid’s lines as he plopped a black cowboy hat on himself.

“Ooh! And look!” He dug through the bag and pulled out a fake mustache that he held over his top lip. He then leaned forward and planted a big hairy kiss on your lips. “What do you think? Should I grow one for real?”

You laughed and pushed him off of you. “Not a porn ‘stache! Please!”

Honestly, you didn’t mind a bit of stubble, or even a beard, but something like that caterpillar that he was holding on his face? Well, it wouldn’t be a deal breaker, but it would…take some time to get used to.

“What! I thought you loved me no matter what!” He leveled a jovial accusatory tone at you.

“I do! But if you really want a mustache like that, then we have to make some adjustments.”

“What do you mean?” He was leaning his head back and puckering his lips to keep the mustache in place so he could have both hands free and rummage through his bag again.

You held back a snorting laughter, “welllll, if you had a mustache like that, I don’t think I could let you go down on me anymore.” Adrian suddenly froze, his black faux leather jacket only halfway on. He looked at you, eyes wide, and the mustache fell off his face. He caught it and tossed it behind his back. “Got it, no mustache!”

You cackled and jumped up to get the silly thing before it got lost. You held it in place on his face and leaned down to kiss him. “I’m just joking. You’re too good at that for me to actually want to stop you.”

When you pulled away, he looked up at you with a soft smile that was slightly hidden by the fake mustache and your hands gripping the sides of his face. “I love you.”

You smiled and kissed him one more time, “love you too.”

“What’d you get?” He asked once the moment passed.

“Oh! You know what,” you pushed your bags to the floor, “we should totally just go with your costumes!”

“No! I wanna see!” He whined before he snatched up one of the bags. By sheer luck it was the one with his costume in it!

He gasped as he first grabbed a navy baseball cap with an embossed stylised “S” with a compass rose on the front. The bill was a blue-green, almost teal, color that matched the jersey he pulled out next. If he could smile even wider he would have when he saw that the jersey had been personalized with “Chase” on the back. He quickly replaced his cowboy hat and jacket with the baseball cap and jersey. “A Mariner’s uniform!”

You chuckled nervously, “yea. To be fair, I ordered those before we lost the ALCS.”

He frowned. “To those stupid cheaters!”

“I mean technically they didn’t-” he glared at you. “Yea, yea. Totally! Why don’t you try on the pants!” You quickly changed the subject before he got riled up about the years old cheating scandal.

You knew he liked to wear his jeans a little on the loose side, but you’d taken the measurements from his Vigilante uniform because if there was anyone who would look good in baseball pants, it was Adrian Chase.

He nodded and kicked off his shoes to do just that. He buttoned up the jersey and tucked it before he zipped up the pants.

“Ooh, try the socks too!” You said as you handed him a pair of navy knee high socks.

When you’re right, you’re right. Adrian raised his arms and turned around so you could fully see him in the uniform. His curly hair stuck out cutely from the cap, the jersey flowed nicely, not too loose and not too tight, over his chest and the pants? They were perfect!

“Do I look like a real baseball player?” He faced you again, dropped his knees slightly, held his fists together like he was holding a bat and lifted his elbows.

You were smiling so hard it was starting to hurt. “You look so good!”

“I bet I could beat the Astros!”

You nodded and stood up so you could kiss his cheek. “You totally could!”

His grin fell as you continued to admire his costume. “But now what are we gonna do?”

Oh!

“I have an idea!”

“Happy Halloween!” Peacemaker, dressed as Fred from Scooby Doo, opened the door to his trailer.

“Let me guess, cowboy and a baseball player? What is that?” He asked as he led you to the back of his trailer, where the others were gathered on his back porch.

You and Adrian laughed and the others turned just in time to hear your answer.

“Butch Cassidy,” you started. “And the Seattle Mariner!” Adrian finished.

“I really thought you two would show up in a couples costume.” Adebayo, dressed as a vampire, laughed.

“Uh, we are!” Adrian insisted, again and again as the others corrected him.

He insisted that you were still matching when about half way through the night, the two of you changed. This time you in the baseball uniform and he in his Sundance Kid costume.

“They just don’t get it!” Adrian complained as he dropped his forehead onto your shoulder, drunk and still trying to convince everyone that you were matching.

You giggled, also under the influence, and led him towards the front of the trailer. “Come on, our Uber just got here.”

“Do you think our Uber driver will get it?”

“Oh yea, probably right away!”

Adrian scoffed. If Peacemaker didn’t understand, then how could a random stranger understand? He looked up to tell you that you had too much faith in strangers, but when he looked up and saw you smiling at him, he completely forgot what he was going to say. So instead he just smiled and knocked both your baseball cap and his cowboy hat off your heads and peppered kisses on your face, laughing with you the whole time as his fake mustache tickled you. “Happy Halloween!” He finished, his lips landing against yours in a sloppy, sweet kiss.

Taglist:

@lululandd

#vigilante x reader #adrian chase x reader #vigilante Halloween #can you spot my houston bias slipping in?

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shoppncarticles · 1 year

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Viva Piñata

After the monumental success of Pokemon in 1996, several other companies tried giving the monster-catching craze a shot in attempts to reach the same level of commercial bounty that Game Freak and Nintendo had, though it rarely led to any long-term success. This wasn’t exclusive to just the later 90s though, since Pokemon’s continuing status as a media empire meant that there must still be a market for quirky critter-catching simulators. Enter Microsoft, who joined the gaming industry in 2001, and had a stroke of good fortune with their second console, the Xbox 360. Competing with the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360 was pretty popular and widespread for the time, encouraging Microsoft to find more ways to branch out and expand their console’s appeal.

Microsoft was also in control of Rare Ltd. at the time, the creators of games like Donkey Kong Country and Banjo-Kazooie. Figuring they could make something with broad, marketable appeal similar to Pokemon, Microsoft gave them the task of creating a new monster-collecting IP. Luckily, Rare already had a concept lying around that could fit the bill, so they set out to work developing what was supposed to be a new juggernaut. They even paired with 4Kids to get a cartoon made and ready during the game’s development.

The end result was Viva Piñata, a cross between a gardening and a pet raising simulator that gives players a garden to call their own and decorate in attempts to attract wild living piñatas to hopefully tame and live there. True to Rare’s standard affair, the game is very colorful and nicely stylized, featuring several different piñatas who each (usually) have names that combine what type of animal they are with a sugary food. You can even get the piñatas to breed if you so choose, encouraged since only 2 of one piñata type will show up in the wild at a time.

The piñatas aren’t the only thing players have to care for, though, since gardening does matter quite a bit, and plants can be farmed and bred in order to create flora which better attracts the wild paper-mâché fauna. Things aren’t all bright and cheery though, since not only will players be tormented by villainous Ruffians who seek to ruin the garden and even smash piñatas, but players are also encouraged to do some pretty twisted things to their piñatas in order to make extra cash. I mean, these are living creatures you’re sending out to get smashed at parties, after all.

Unfortunately, though, Viva Piñata didn’t see anywhere near the amount of success Microsoft was really hoping for. Despite getting that cartoon made, and spending quite a bit on marketing (I remember there being a line of Kid’s Meal toys at one fast food chain), the game struggled to find a solid foothold in the market. It sold well enough, around 500,000 copies a year after its launch, but nowhere near Pokemon’s multimillion figures.

Truthfully, it didn’t mesh well with the Xbox’s primary demographic, which were teenagers and adults who bought the console for online shooters like Halo. The children who did buy it weren’t much better off, since, while bright and welcoming on the outside, Viva Piñata has some unnecessarily strict and complex mechanics and requirements for progression that children would likely be unable to micromanage and organize. Game progression can be pretty simple, but if you’re looking to tame all the piñatas or generate a steady stream of revenue, be ready to open the in-game encyclopedia multiple times. Several piñatas have wickedly complex requirements in order to be tamed or breed.

Viva Piñata would get a sequel two years later, a truncated DS ‘port,’ and a party game spinoff, but would seem to fade away from the public’s – and Microsoft’s – consciousness soon after. It’s a real shame, if you ask me, since it’s clear that like so many of Rare’s other games a real level of care and attention to detail has been put into these games that elevates them a bit higher than other ‘Pokemon Clones.’ Hell, with how different Viva Piñata’s gameplay is, I don’t think it may even be fair to call it a Pokemon Clone, it stands well enough on its own as a unique experience.

To give this forgotten game some fresh attention, I wanted to go ahead and share some of the piñatas which I enjoy the most or find to be quite noteworthy. There are about 60 different species in total, so I can’t cover every single one of them, but hopefully this selection should still do them some justice.

Mousemallow

“My crazy grandmother always said: 1. Mousemallows are never bigger than the gap under the pantry door, 2. never fall for the "blind" routine, and 3. never trust a Mousemallow wearing pants!”

Starting with a simple one, Mousemallow is Viva Piñata’s resident cute tiny rodent. The huge paper or cardboard discs are a clever way to give it big, comical ears, and the darker coloring around its eyes gives it a cute bandit mask look. Purple is a nice palette for it, but each piñata comes with 3 alternate palettes for you to customize them with as well, Mousemallow has one that’s solid yellow that occurs whenever it eats cheese.

Each piñata species also comes with a unique home building you can place in your garden (which isn’t necessary to keep them around, but is if you want them to breed). Mousemallow’s is a large grandfather clock, which is quite clever given the Hickory Dickory Dock nursery rhyme. The additional mouse-shaped wood carvings are a nice touch too.

Buzzlegum

“Why do Buzzlegums make honey? I think it's a bribe so we'll be their friends. I mean, without the delicious, sweet honey, you're left with nothing more than a fat wasp.”

I don’t think you can get much dopier than this bee. This thing looks like it’s barely had a coherent thought in its life. Buzzlegums don’t have to just sit around and look stupid all day, though, you can build a bee box in your garden to make the Buzzlegum produce honey for some extra profit. If you make it wear its own beekeeper’s hat, it can even do the whole process automatically.

Candary

“Not only is the Candary small and yellow, but it can "detect" poison gas in mines. Not only pretty but practical too.”

The Candary’s description makes note of the poor bird’s tendency to be used to check for toxic fumes in mineshafts, something Rare already poked fun at in Banjo-Tooie with the character Canary Mary. Candaries don’t have it any easier, since you can build your own mineshaft in your garden for extra cash generation too. While you could hire some miners to dig out rocks for you, you could also buy a gas mask for your Candary and send it into the mines by itself instead. Remember when people half-jokingly (or even seriously) would question the ethics of Pokemon catching and battling? Well, the world of Viva Piñata has no qualms using these colorful candy-filled animals for hard manual labor. In fact, it’s even more efficient to have a Candary work in the mines since you don’t have to pay it salary. Now that’s economic!

Sherbat

“When Piñatas were just evolving, what would become the Sherbat was developing a taste for extreme sports. For a time, it looked like street-pizza extinction. Then one morning, that strange creature with the sagging armpits became a Sherbat legend!”

...what?

The Sherbat is kind of disappointing, since it looks more like a cartoon exaggeration of a rabbit more than it does a bat. It is pretty amusing, though, seeing it flap those tiny wings as it flutters around your garden.

Actually, the Sherbat first comes in a Sour variant when spotted in the wild. Sour Piñatas are usually nuisances to your garden, causing a variety of problems either for your plants or current residents. The Sour Sherbat specifically will ‘drain’ your piñatas as if it were a vampire, causing them to fall ill. Once one Sour Piñata of a given species has been tamed though, all future wild piñatas of that species will be normal and harmless. It’s a shame though, in the case of the Sherbat, since the Sour variant is so much better looking than its normal design. I love the oversized wings and tiny body, and the sinister little eyes and fangs are a great touch too. You could theoretically keep a Sour Piñata in your garden if you wanted, but it would just cause annoyances until you either tame it or smash it into candy.

Sherbat homes are at least excellently designed. I really enjoy the exaggerated and uneven shapes of the gothic fence and tower, and the glowing green lantern is a great cherry on top.

Arocknid

“This eight-legged Piñata is perfect for any birthday party that takes place on October 31st, but it's not always the most popular Piñata on the block. There's a reason some folks can't wait to whack it with a stick, and it's not just the candy inside!”

I’m happy to see a spider piñata is a part of this catalog, and even happier to see it has a full eight legs and multiple pairs of eyes. The description also shines some light on the fact that, despite being alive, these piñatas are still filled with candy and smashed at parties without remorse, which you can even send your own piñatas to for some cash. They always return unharmed, though, so you needn’t worry about their well-being. Physically, at least.

Arocknids are also predatory, they are based on spiders after all. Taming one means that you have to let it eat two of your Taffly or Raisant piñatas. It’s not hard to do that, since you can attract two piñatas of one type from the wild, but what the game doesn’t tell you is that you actually need 4 of either piñata in your garden to get the Arocknid to actually visit. As I said previously, you can’t attract that many of one species from the wild, so you’ve either got to buy more from a piñata hunter or start breeding them.

Also, one of Arocknid’s alternate palettes give it an orange body and purple legs, gained by eating – what else – a Jack-o-Lantern. Succeeding where Pokemon failed, I see.

Reddhott

“Imagine scorching the furniture when you sit on it. Imagine having to move every few seconds because if you don't, the ground underneath you sets alight. What kind of life is that? Who is responsible for this?”

The Reddhott’s description shows how this game is still chock full of Rare’s signature sarcastic writing style, and acknowledges how twisted it is for you to go and make one these things. Unlike another piñatas, Reddhotts can’t be found in the wild, and instead must be evolved from pre-existing ones. By setting a normal Taffly piñata on fire, then quickly dousing it, you can get a Reddhott, the piñata version of a firefly. Kind of. It sells for quite a bit of money, and Tafflies are easy to come by, so you could get a bunch of them and turn them into Reddhotts for a quick profit. Y’know, if you were a demented pyromaniac or something.

Pudgeon

“All Pudgeons are filled with state-of-the-art GPS tracking systems. So, like a feathery boomerang, they always come back. Take them on holiday, load them up with duty-free and avoid hassle with the customs.”

This thing perfectly captures just about everything about Pigeons. The incredibly tiny eye is what seals the deal, though, I think. Just like the Buzzlegum, it looks appropriately dopey and thoughtless like the real thing.

Bizarrely, one of the requirements a Pudgeon needs to meet before it can breed is that it need’s to be wearing a Reporter’s Camera accessory. That’s a feature too, that you can dress up your piñatas in little knick-knacks and clothing accessories. Why a pigeon needs to wear a camera in order to procreate is beyond me, though.

The Pudgeon’s home is a statue of the game’s main antagonist, Professor Pester, only splattered with… some kind of white substance. You never see piñatas defecate during gameplay, so it’s a mystery where those droppings come from. Especially since you buy the statue already in that state.

Cluckles

“Right from the beginning, scrambled, boiled, or fried; then there's the cute fluffy bit (ahhh); then we dive right back into roast, boiled or fried. How can there be any left?”

Cluckles is quite the cute chicken piñata, I really enjoy how round and simplified its body is, and the nice palette of red, orange, and green it’s got make a good mesh of colors. It looks like one of the most believable piñatas of the bunch, for what that’s worth. Cluckles is also quite a useful utility piñata too, since it’ll help speed up the hatching any eggs in your garden, helpful if you’re trying to get awards for breeding a piñata type multiple times.

Profitamole

“All that time spent underground has deteriorated the Profitamole's eyes so they can barely see. This has probably saved the species because, let's face it, Profitamoles don't look too hot.”

I don’t know what that description is talking about, Profitamoles are positively ADORABLE. Look at how small and fluffy this thing is. It’s just a nugget of fuzzy piñata paper. I guess the problem might be the fact that it looks like it’s got red eyes? But that’s just rings around the outside of the eyes, otherwise it’s got a normal set of peepers. Profitamoles are helpful too, they’ll eat up and big clumps of dirt that happen to appear in your garden, either from improper mine usage or enemy Ruffians invading your turf.

Profitamoles come in Sour variants too, and while they certainly aren’t cute anymore, they are quite cool with their huge mouths and gnarly, jagged teeth.

Newtgat

“Ever wanted a Jameleon but found out they were too expensive? Your old Lickatoad is looking tired and out-of-date? Get a Newtgat-functions like a Lickatoad but with all that expensive Jameleon styling that you love.”

Called a newt, but more clearly resembling an axolotl, Newtgats are incredibly cute amphibious piñatas. Yeah, amphibious, because despite being made of paper-mâché these things can swim around in water with no consequence whatsoever. Maybe due to the axolotl’s predatory nature, but if you have both a Newtgat and a frog-like Lickatoad in your garden, the two will constantly quarrel and start fights with the other. These ammphibians don’t get along, it seems.

The Newtgat is pretty simple in gameplay, but can be fed a chili pepper to evolve into a Salamango, quite clever since axolotls themselves are just larval salamanders which never fully mature.

The Salamango’s cool and all, and has a neat fire theme going on, but I’d keep a Newtgat just the way it was, though. Is this how people feel about Wooper in opposition to Quagsire? I guess it makes more sense now.

Twingersnap

“When it comes to improving something, it's obvious that two is twice as good as one. This is the next step in Syrupent evolution. But they aren't just two heads - the left head is touch sensitive too!”

An evolution of sorts from the basic snake piñatas, Twingersnaps are based on real world mutations found in snakes that create two heads between them, only Twingersnap is a snake with two heads at each end rather than a fork. The method of getting a Twingersnap is a bit morbid, since instead of evolving a current Syrupent into becoming one, you have to deliberately smash a Syrupent egg right before it would’ve hatched in order to get one. You’ve ruined his thing’s birth and given it an unnatural mutation. Things don’t just stop there, though, because there’s also…

Fourheads

“Imagine the intellectual power! Four brains working in unison! A pity that someone skimped on the limbs, or this creature could have been revolutionary.”

Doing the same thing and smashing a Twingersnap egg will get you a Fourheads piñata, now resembling a hydra more than the average mutated snake. It even spits up argonaut helmets when attacking. Every piñata has a different object it uses when attacking, but none felt especially noteworthy until now. It’s a wonder that Fourheads is still able to breed and make eggs of its new species, considering it’s a mutation of a mutation. The wonders of piñata biology!

Doenut

“This animal is fast and flighty, not the sort of animal that you'd expect to get caught and eaten. Unfortunately, the horns on its head pick up T.V. signals and transmit them straight to its brain, a lethal distraction.”

A tamer example, the Doenut is a charmingly bright and colorful deer piñata. What’s most noteworthy about Doenut though, is what their house looks like.

For whatever reason, the Doenut’s home is a disco club, with a dancing deer neon sign. Sure, alright. Whatever makes these piñatas happiest I guess.

Macaraccoon

"The Macaraccoon is just naturally sneaky. You can trust it to behave now, but its twitchy movement doesn't inspire confidence."

Another big softie, the Macaraccoon gets the important charms of real raccoons down into a little candy-filled package. It even can upchuck Romance Candy once tamed - special food that helps piñatas breed faster if their specific requirements have already been met once before. The only downside about Macaracoons are that the game's aversion to use blacks or greys for piñatas' primary colors means that the Macaraccoon can't be a sleek monochrome, but it isn't a huge loss. The big mouth is pretty cute, it gives the Macaracoon a muppety look, almost.

Macaraccoons also come in Sour forms initially, featuring a huge rectangular shaped set of chompers they use to snack on any eggs you may have lying around. Dastardly for sure, but that red and black palette and set of oversized triangle teeth strike my fancy enough to maybe slip an egg or two its way. Hypothetically.

The Macaraccoon can be an utter pain to try and tame though, since it requires you to have 5 Master Romancer awards, only achieved once you’ve bred a piñata type at least 5 times (and keeping each child - it won’t count if you don’t have 7 members of a species in your garden at the same time).

Crowla

"When you see the Crowla, think less "dark, sinister, grave robber" and think more "garbage collector." It may stop that shiver tickling your spine."

Despite being a harmless, tamed piñata like all the others in your garden, Crowlas still has quite the mischevious grin of a ne'er-do-well that gives it a good splash of character that I like so much in my darkly-colored critter designs. Like Pokemon's own Murkrow, Crowlas has a jagged beak, nefarious-type expression, and charmingly gloomy palette. Crowlas also first appear in your garden as Sour Piñatas, but actually keep some traits from their eviller origins, namely the jagged underside of their beak. It might be my favorite of the whole bunch, honestly. Look at how devious it looks!

Sour Crowlas are much more wicked designs, thanks not only to the red and black palette, and the twisted curls of its patterns, but also the even more jagged shape of its beak, resembling a broken eggshell. I really like how most of the thing's body is dedicated to its mouth, it feels like some exaggerated enemy from another game. Sour Crowlas are quite dangerous since they'll kill sick piñatas before they can recover. Very morbid indeed!

Cocodile

"After some soothing, the Cocoadile's lethal snout becomes home to nature's widest grin."

Speaking of things that are almost entirely mouths, the Cocodile! This big gator's mouth is nearly twice the size of its own body, and its even got a bunch of rounded-down snaggletooths to boot just to make it even dopier and goofy looking. Cocodiles are actually pretty big in-game, but are entirely harmless like other tamed piñatas. In fact, Cocodiles have a utility feature, since they can be directed to water plants with their tears. Y'know, like crocodile tears, get it? I thought it was a bit clever.

There are Sour Cocodiles too, and I really like the contrast that they've got a big underbite in comparison to the normal Cocodile's overbite. That's a very imposing set of teeth, too. I've got to wonder what they're filling these piñatas with that isn't candy. Sour Cocodiles are quite a nuisance since they'll scare off any visiting NPCs in your garden, but who can blame them really?

Pigxie

"There is something very, very wrong here. I think this is a lesson in right and wrong for us all. That nagging voice in your head sometimes gets it right!"

The Pigxie isn't a natural piñata, and is instead a unique species created when you successfully get a pig-like Rashberry and a swan-like Swanana. Players hoping to receive a cool winged pig piñata will be sorely disappointed when this more realistically portrayed mutant hatches from the egg. The picture doesn't portray it well, but Pigxies are very asymmetrical and lopsided, leaning to one side at all times since their left seems to be lower down in their anatomy than the right. The left wing is smaller than the right, and its mouth even seems to be at a diagonal angle rather than the position it ought to be. Even worse, any tamed Rashberries or Swananas in your garden will try picking fights with Pigxies, as if deeply frightened and disgusted by the poor thing.

Surprisingly enough, like the Fourheads before it, Pigxies are actually capable of breeding still, but maybe it's better if you don't make that happen. One feature that I haven’t mentioned yet is that piñatas can come in ‘wild cards,’ meaning that a normal piñata will have some kind of additional feature on its body like spikes or tufts of fur. To get one means that you have to breed two piñatas while at least 6 members of that species are currently in your garden. I bring this up because these wild cards are effectively genetic mutations, unique traits and bodily growths which don’t carry down to future offspring. With enough dedication, you could. if you wanted, create a Pigxie with even more mutations. One of which includes a single, curled tusk, blocking most of its lopsided mouth.

Dragonache

"The ground shakes as it moves, the trees quiver when it roars, its breath can scorch the earth. Truly incredible and utterly terrible, and all the more desirable for it."

The final species in the original game, the Dragonache is a hidden piñata that can't be found in the wild and instead must be discovered and raised through various complex means. If players have a mine in their garden and have used it often enough, a Dragonache egg may be unearthed in it. The egg must then be hatched by a Cluckles, and then the Dragonache baby must be fed a set of five items and other piñatas before fully maturing into an adult. None of this is explained clearly in-game, but unlike some of the other strict requiremetns for taming or breeding other piñatas I think this is alright since the Dragonache is meant to be a hidden reward to experienced players.

And it certianly is quite the reward! I really appreciate how the Dragonache isn't just a typical lizard-like dragon made into a piñata, but is isntead some weird conglomeration of a creature with 4 eyes, 4 wings, 8 legs, and a spiky mane of frills. What with the various intricate and colorful patterns all over its body too, the Dragonache certianly feels like an ultra-strong mythical beast of all piñatas. The presence of a Dragonache alone will also prevent Sour Piñatas from entering your garden again, regardless if you've tamed them or not, which is a nice touch as well.

That about does it for the piñatas I wanted to cover from the first game. If any of these interested you, or if you were disappointed that your preferred animal didn't have a piñata counterpart, don't fret, as this is only a decent selection of the full game's roster. I'd say try looking into the game's catalog if you're interested in more, but sadly Viva Piñata has much less documentation online than it ought to have. Though, that's not all! As I said earlier, Viva Piñata did end up getting a sequel a couple years after its release, which added even more piñata species, and new environments to boot. I'll cover my favorite additions from that game as well, so stick around if you want to see more paper-mâché foolishness.

#viva pinata #viva piñata #creature design #creature feature

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peachlover94 · 10 months

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Scrap Anime Series Idea Stockpile (Collection 1)

Here's something you might have probably not expected of me - ideas for potential new anime series both in long/continuing and short/near-OVA/ONA (Original Video Animation/Original Net Animation) form!

My question to you, is, which of the following has the most potential that would be deserving to be seen on television or online?

Hash it out in the comments below which ideas jump out at you the most and seem like they'd be fun to see.

1) Gaze Upon the Yandere Minds - In this dark josei/seinen story, Institute 47 gathers up in a massive boarding school environment ladies of the yandere type from all over the world and foist upon them one unlucky young unimpressive everyman of the dandere type whom they take an interest in. The administrators' official policy is stated not to encourage any sort of lethal violence between participants, but secretly revel in their carnage that will soon unfold. Whoever lasts the longest will get to keep the everyman named Akira for herself. Not wanting to be any woman's possession or a tool of the crooked system, Akira takes it upon himself to work through each of the ladies and see what makes them the way they are for good or even for evil. Five of these ladies, also not wanting to be pawns of Institute 47's ways, take it upon themselves to protect Akira and bring down Institute 47's wretched program from the inside.

2) Warrior Princess of the Saitamas - In this dark bishojo/josei isekai story about escaping a broken home and finding your own happily ever after, Princess Katerina of Ruritania was able to find her happily ever after with her Prince Karlos of Jerezon. But after the Undead Armies of Vanth laid waste to the two kingdoms, Katerina took it upon herself to take up a sword and shield to avenge those who have been hurt. Trying to undo Vanth's curse, Katerina is cast out of the past and into the unfamiliar future of 21st Century Saitama, Japan. A place now losing all hope and in need of a true hero to bring a happily ever after, Saitama now has on its hands a heroine looking to bring hope even when all seems lost. Starting small and realizing she has Vanth's magic within her, Katerina frees a young effeminate boy Pao Kagashima from a life of abuse and depression with his intolerant family and they try to make sense of a senseless city.

3) Underground Escape - A spotlight is shone on prostitution, human trafficking and therapy by drugs in this dark josei/seinen story about a young woman and her MTF transgender twin sister who have just been released from jail after a month inside on charges of prostitution. Released from jail and knowing they have to sell their bodies in order to support their family and get their father the drugs he needs in order to manage his trauma and psychoses, Mizuho and Natsuka decide to make a deal with a friend of theirs who is one of the last police officers trying to do actual good. The deal is the two will secretly record any interactions the two may have with certain pimps and madams suspected to be engaged in human trafficking as well as toxic drug movements and report them back to police under code names. The two siblings soon uncover a web of darkness and horror as they move to break the cycles of child poverty.

4) Valkyrie Squadron - In this epic bishojo/bishonen magical girl/boy space opera, the Black Empire of Apophis has returned to wreak havoc upon the nine planets of the Solar System as well as the four primary asteroids which are home to numerous colonies of humans, animals, plants, machines and alien life forms. The four effeminate Spartan princes of the asteroids all must leave their kingdoms to join forces with the Valkyrie princesses across the Solar System to create an elite force through which they can stop the Apophis attacks. Disguised as rather effeminate schoolboys; Spartans Ceres, Juno, Pallas and Vesta soon befriend the girls who in truth are Valkyries Helios (Sun), Hermes (Mercury), Aphrodite (Venus), Gaia (Earth), Artemis (Moon), Ares (Mars), Zeus (Jupiter), Cronus (Saturn), Caelus (Uranus), Poseidon (Neptune) and Hades (Pluto). With the powers of their arsenal, they fight back against Emperor Typhon.

5) Lone Vixen Tamaki - In this dark bishojo/bishonen drama, a troubled young trans girl who was born as Tamaki finds limited refuge from her cruel, terminally unhappy family in her few friends at school. When a Yakuza attack kills her parents and leaves her abusive siblings all in uncertain condition, one of the Yakuza agents takes pity on her and bequeaths her his sword, his gun and the money transferred from a raid on corrupt socialites to a credit card. Taking up the sword and gun to escape her destroyed home, Tamaki steals her father's car to evade the Yakuza and police determined to get her into foster families that worship conversion therapy to destroy and reforge her as the ideal man contrary to what she wants. On her journey over the Japanese islands to try and make enough for a one-way ticket out of Japan for Canada, a series of misadventures happens as she takes time to battle corruption and save new friends.

6) Revolutionary Girl Utena Reborn - In a spiritual continuation of Kunihiko Ikuhara's most groundbreaking masterpiece of shoujo, surrealist romance and magical girl drama as we first follow Anthy Himemaya as she scours the world trying to find the girl prince who truly cared about her in Utena Tenjou. On her journey, she meets a young hurting boy named Zenta who feels lost and alone in wanting the eternity of death to end his pain. Having survived her fall and gone into hiding knowing Akio may return to threaten her and Anthy again some time in the future, Utena while on the run comes across a runaway girl named Zuina trying to rescue her brother from his inner demons. Chased by various crooks and psychos wanting to possess either the kids that are tagging along with them or themselves, Anthy and Utena are on their course to reunion as they hope to break the cycle of death and heartbreak that Eternity uses.

7) Kio Kami: The Impossible Girl - The classic story of Sir James Matthew Barrie's children's novel Peter Pan gets multiple twists in this darkly comic, epic bishojo/bishonen fantasy isekai about a never-aging magical girl with extraordinary powers and a tiny dragonfly friend Gyoza Yukari who travels everywhere with her. Noticing several children including a femboy by the name of Doujin Washi in need of an escape from the horrors and humdrum of our own quite modern world, Kio and Gyoza whisk Doujin and some of his friends away to the vast paradise world of Arcadia. But terrors from both our world and Arcadia soon begin to seep across their frequent passageways - among such is the fierce yet voluptuous lady pirate Captain Quartney Sickle and the crew of her ship the Black Death. Kio and Doujin have to match wits and sword with Sickle to protect Earth, Arcadia and their inhabitants from the latter and all her beasts.

8) Recalling A Higher Ideal - In this alternate history epic drama for adult audiences, it is not Japan that joins the Axis Powers of World War II. Instead, the Axis consists of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Imperialist China. With their own sovereignty threatened by Yuan Shikai the Emperor of China, the Japanese imperial princess beseeches her father to renegotiate and or build trade and military alliances with Taiwan, the Southeast Asian countries and the Korean Republic to stand strong against Chinese aggression in the Pacific. In doing so, a Pan-Pacific Alliance is formed and its military fully integrated on gender and racial lines in order to stand tall. As an anthology, we follow the tests the Imperial Japanese Military must undergo if they are to be strong enough to protect and nurture the ideals they fight for even as they join the Allies of America, Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union in battling the forces of tyranny.

9) The Cradles of Civilization - Inspired by disaster films such as The Poseidon Adventure or The Towering Inferno; this riveting disaster thriller for seinen and josei audiences follows the graduating class of a Japanese public high school aboard a vast solid Dyson Sphere built long in the past by Earth colonists around the white dwarf Beta Sirius. But with their star Sirius B now weakening and ready to implode and possibly destroy the Sirius Dyson Sphere, every last student of Yggdrasil Public High School has to gather the survivors of humanity in order for a last-ditch escape into space to begin. Various challenges include profiteering companies now working to undermine relief efforts for their own gain, military and civilians unprepared for a bevy of calamities, and the collapsing Dyson Sphere's natural disasters. Not every soul will be able to escape, but the students of Yggdrasil will try to save the cradles of human civilization.

10) Super Surfboard Cross - In this action-packed yet humorous josei/seinen sports story; as a result of global climate chaos, the World Surfing League (WSL) is established and makes its ultimate move to make the first ever surfboard cross racing events which get the attention of naturalists, scientists and engineers alike to create a sporting experience that will outdo the World Series of Major League Baseball and the Super Bowl of the National Football League in enthusiasm. We follow a group of competitive surfers from all walks of life as they take part in the first World Circuit of Super Surfboard Cross as they all race on many islands in surfing downhill across carefully constructed courses laden with water-bound rails, berms and jumps to perform nigh-improbable tricks and compete for the gold, silver and bronze. But can they come together to foil a psychotic team of corrupt fixers who have their eyes on the victories?

11) God Mars Re: 2999 - In this reboot of the shonen mecha drama from 1981, humanity is part of a galactic civilization in the year 2999. But young Takeru Myoujin AKA. Mars and his few friends discover the former was meant to destroy the Earth that adopted him on orders from the evil Emperor Zuul of the planet Gishin if Zuul is to conquer space. Hoping to stop the evil planet Gishin as well as to save his own life, Takeru and his friends must join the Earth Defense Forces to combine Earth and Gishin technologies to combat the Zuul invasion forces. Whenever Earth is in danger, Takeru (pilot of the robot Gaia) is able to summon the five other secretly created units to combine with Gaia to assemble the titular Six-God Combination God Mars. The five other robots are Sphinx (piloted by Namida Akagi), Uranus (piloted by Naoto Ijuin), Titan (piloted by Rose), Shin (piloted by Mika Hyuuga) and Ra (piloted by Akira Kiso).

12) Song of the Amazons - In this eclectic (both in demographics and genres) story, college-age girls Ayame, Ikumi, Umeko, Erika and Ompu by day form the pop rock band the Amazons wowing swooning fans with power anthems and love ballads to challenge a cutthroat world in which youth and virginity are commodified. By night, however, the Amazons use the magical energy they gained from their audience's enthusiasm as well as five colored diamond rings to generate powered armor out of thin air and become the Amazon Claymores. As the Amazon Claymores, they ride through the mean streets of Tokyo to battle a most fiendish assortment of criminals and monsters with limited assistance from the police. Their battles also can be of a psychological from trying to avoid fame making them entitled and snobby brats by day and by night trying to avoid turning into the absolute monsters threatening all the five fight for.

13) Promise You Won't Forget Me - This dark josei/seinen story opens with the shocking and heartbreaking suicide of one Zenjin Mushou, the classmate and crush of Ichiko Yumori. In her search for answers, Ichiko turns to all the social media presences and materials Zenjin left for her over the 7 CDs he recorded telling why he killed himself including a spherical die through which she is able to venture into the digital worlds and back. Meeting with Zenjin's few online friends and completing the quests he left unfinished, Ichiko pieces together the main reasons for and inciting events leading up to his suicide and the deaths of his social media presences before he could rebuild himself. Both online and in the real world, Ichiko unravels the cultures of abuse, intolerance, assault, and pain that broke her boyfriend's heart. With her friends also getting involved and wanting revenge, Ichiko must remember Zenjin and save someone else.

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succulentstore · 5 months

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Pig Face Plant Care Guide

The Pig Face Plant, known for its vibrant flowers and resilient nature, is a popular choice for gardeners seeking a low-maintenance yet visually striking addition to their landscapes. Thriving in a variety of conditions, this plant is an excellent option for both beginners and experienced gardeners. Its unique appearance and adaptability make it a fascinating subject for cultivation. (Word Count: 70)

What is the Pig Face Plant?

The Pig Face Plant is a robust, ground-covering succulent known for its fleshy leaves and daisy-like flowers. Typically, it grows to a height of about 10-20 cm and can spread significantly wider. Originating from Australia, this plant is characterized by a fast growth rate and a long lifespan under ideal conditions. Its vibrant blooms and hardy nature make it a popular choice in gardens and coastal landscapes.

Where to buy Pig Face Plant near me？

If you're looking to purchase Pig Face Plants, I recommend visiting SucculentStore for your purchase. SucculentStore.com is an online platform specializing in the sale of various succulents and cacti. The website offers a wide range of plants, including Echeveria, Sedum, Aeonium for sale, and some rare variegated species. They cater to both retail and wholesale customers, making it a versatile choice for individual plant enthusiasts and larger buyers alike.

Key Features of SucculentStore

Diverse Selection: The store boasts a diverse selection of succulents and cacti, including popular and rare varieties.

Retail and Wholesale Options: They provide options for both individual purchases and bulk orders.

User-Friendly Interface: The website is easy to navigate, with plants categorized by genus and type for convenient browsing.

Care Guides: SucculentStore.com also offers care guides, helping customers maintain the health and beauty of their plants.

Growing Conditions for the Pig Face Plant

Light Requirements for the Pig Face Plant

The Pig Face Plant is a sun-loving succulent that thrives in full sunlight. It requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day to maintain its vibrant color and promote flowering. In regions with less intense sun, supplemental lighting such as grow lights can be beneficial, especially during the shorter days of winter. Conversely, in extremely hot climates, some afternoon shade can prevent leaf burn and excessive drying.

Soil Requirements for the Pig Face Plant

The ideal soil mix for the Pig Face Plant should be well-draining and sandy. A recommended soil mixture is:

50% potting soil

30% sand

20% perlite or pumice

This combination ensures adequate drainage and aeration, which are crucial for preventing root rot in succulent plants like the Pig Face Plant.

Temperature and Humidity Requirements for the Pig Face Plant

The Pig Face Plant prefers warm temperatures and can tolerate a range from 20°C to 30°C (68°F to 86°F). It is not frost-tolerant and should be protected or brought indoors if temperatures drop below 10°C (50°F). In terms of humidity, this plant is quite adaptable but performs best in moderate to low humidity conditions. Excessive humidity can lead to fungal issues, so ensuring good air circulation is key. During cold months, if kept indoors, it may benefit from some humidity reduction.

General Care of the Pig Face Plant

Watering the Pig Face Plant

The Pig Face Plant, being a succulent, requires minimal watering. It's best to follow the "soak and dry" method, where the soil is allowed to dry out completely between waterings. During the growing season (spring and summer), water the plant thoroughly once the soil is dry to the touch. In winter, reduce watering to once a month or less, as the plant enters a dormant period. Overwatering can lead to root rot, so it's crucial to ensure good drainage.

Fertilizing the Pig Face Plant

Fertilization is not a major requirement for the Pig Face Plant, but it can benefit from occasional feeding. Use a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer diluted to half strength, ideally during the growing season (spring and summer). Fertilizing once a month during this period is sufficient. Avoid over-fertilizing, as this can harm the plant.

Repotting the Pig Face Plant

Repotting should be done every two to three years or when the plant outgrows its current pot. Choose a container only slightly larger than the current one, as too much space can lead to excess soil moisture. Ensure the new pot has adequate drainage holes. When repotting, handle the plant gently to avoid damaging the fleshy leaves and roots.

Pruning the Pig Face Plant

Pruning is not typically necessary for the health of the Pig Face Plant, but it can be done to maintain its shape or remove any damaged or diseased parts. Prune in the spring or early summer, using clean, sharp scissors or pruning shears. This will encourage healthier growth and can also help in controlling the spread of the plant if it becomes too extensive.

How to propagate Pig Face Plant？

Propagating the Pig Face Plant (Carpobrotus glaucescens) is relatively straightforward and can be successfully done using either cuttings or division. Here's a step-by-step guide for both methods:

Propagation by Cuttings

Selecting Cuttings: Choose healthy, mature stems for cuttings. Look for stems that are free of disease and pests. The best time to take cuttings is in the spring or early summer.

Preparing Cuttings: Use a clean, sharp knife or scissors to cut a piece of stem about 10-15 cm (4-6 inches) long. Make sure each cutting has several leaf nodes (points where leaves are attached).

Drying Cuttings: Allow the cuttings to dry for a few days in a warm, dry place. This process, known as callousing, helps to prevent rot when the cuttings are planted.

Planting Cuttings: Fill a pot with a well-draining soil mix, ideally one formulated for succulents. Stick the cut end of the cutting into the soil. You can dip the cut end in rooting hormone before planting, although this is not essential for the Pig Face Plant.

Watering: Water lightly just to moisten the soil. Keep the soil slightly moist but not wet. Overwatering can cause the cuttings to rot.

Rooting and Growth: Place the pot in a warm, bright spot with indirect sunlight. Roots typically begin to form within a few weeks. Once the cuttings have established roots and show new growth, you can start treating them as mature plants.

Propagation by Division

Timing: The best time for division is in the spring or early summer.

Removing the Plant: Carefully take the Pig Face Plant out of its pot or dig it up from the garden, trying to keep the root ball intact.

Dividing the Plant: Gently separate the plant into smaller sections, making sure that each section has a good amount of roots attached.

Replanting: Plant each division in its own pot with well-draining soil, or back into the garden. Ensure the planting area has good drainage to prevent root rot.

Aftercare: Water the new plants lightly and place them in a location with bright, indirect sunlight. Avoid overwatering to allow the roots to establish.

Both methods of propagation are effective and can yield healthy new Pig Face Plants. Remember, patience is key, as it can take some time for new plants to establish and start growing vigorously.

Why is My Pig Face Plant Not Blooming?

There could be several reasons why your Pig Face Plant (Carpobrotus glaucescens) isn't flowering:

Insufficient Light: These plants need plenty of sunlight to bloom. Ensure your plant is getting at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.

Improper Watering: Both overwatering and underwatering can stress the plant and inhibit blooming. The soil should be allowed to dry out between waterings.

Nutrient Imbalance: Lack of nutrients or an imbalance can affect flowering. Use a balanced, low-nitrogen fertilizer to encourage blooms.

Age of the Plant: Young plants, or recently transplanted ones, may not bloom in their first year as they focus on establishing roots and growth.

Seasonal Factors: Pig Face Plants typically bloom in spring and summer. If it's outside this period, it may not be the right time for flowering.

Pruning: If the plant has been pruned too much or at the wrong time, it can affect its ability to flower.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Pig Face Plant, with its vibrant blooms and resilient nature, is an excellent choice for both novice and experienced gardeners. Remember, the key to a thriving Pig Face Plant lies in providing ample sunlight, well-draining soil, moderate watering, and occasional fertilization. Be mindful of the temperature and humidity levels, especially during colder months. Propagation through cuttings or division is straightforward, offering an easy way to expand your collection or share with fellow plant enthusiasts. With these simple care guidelines, your Pig Face Plant will not only survive but flourish, adding a touch of natural beauty to your garden or indoor space.

#plants #succulents #plant blog

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aaronsewards · 1 year

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A BLUE ROAD IN THE NIGHT

Voyage in the blue night

Some years ago, never mind how many exactly, I had a really good thing going with painting, writing and research. A Gallery in Kurobe, a small city up the coast from Toyama where I live, was planning an exhibition around a poet — Fuyuji Tanaka (1894-1980) who lived in and wrote about Kurobe. Somehow the curator had heard of my painting and asked me to contribute something — she gave me a small brown book of his poems in Japanese of which I could understand absolutely nothing, I carried it around asking my wife, her friends, strangers and once some teenagers in an English lesson 1 to translate bits of just give me the gist of random pages. On the internet I found some works translated, here are seven poems from Poetry magazine and a very helpful end notes explanation of the figure in the first poem

I tried to read about Japan at that time, poetry magazines and movements, about Kurobe and this region, Hokuriku. It was a great time for printing stuff out at work and then reading it on the train, all the poetry groups and their magazines reminded me of Bolano novels, but it wasn’t very clear to me how to make some paintings yet

Luckily the curator, Mariko, started to translate the poems in book for me, like the one above, and i started to get a sense of the book and his work. I made lists of nouns and other lists of plants and birds, these translations were immensely helpful. I printed them all off at work and carried around a folder and read and write a bit in between my day job or in the evening. Then a few times when I had a free day I would take the train to one of the stations in Kurobe and take a long walk up towards the mountains through the rice fields, past old houses and huge new supermarkets and then following one of the rivers back towards the sea. I took a lot of photos, the ground was all brown and green and red and rusty, people were making fires and drying out vegetables. I picked up stones and listened to a little music or to some podcasts about the news and the faff of the world then.

My memory of that time was that it was suddenly slightly hopeful that something actually good could happen in politics, in the very narrow sliver of the world I read about regularly, something might change 2.

Life out of balance

This was all in the autumn, I was anxious to visit Kurobe as often as I could before the snow came, but that was the only winter anyone can remember where it didn’t snow in this region of Japan, in January the trees were bare and grass was all yellow and brown and strange — it seemed pretty sad to think about what Fuyuji san would have made of it, the regular order of small things happening throughout the year being such a constant in his poems. Koyaanisqatsi I thought to myself, a word I can think but not say or spell, I know it means life out of balance though, for some reason it was one of a few videos I was allowed to watch as a child.

If you want to remember you better write down the names

One night while searching online I found a reference to a James Kirkup translating some of Fuyuji’s poems, I think in a book called Burning Giraffes, I spent a long time trying to find a pdf and failing, James Kirkup seemed a really interesting person, Id still like to read his books on Japan especially. Another poet who I read about was Mitsuharu Kaneko who wrote something called the shark or sinking shark, a political attack on the government of the late 1920s in Japan. Every once in a while Id get some more pages of translations of poems from Mariko and Id read a bit more and do some paintings.

I made quite a lot of paintings that were part of that group of work. Somewhere near the end I saw people on twitter talking about a new very long Bob Dylan song about the JFK assassination, something I couldn’t believe was actually real and then once I heard it I couldn’t believe how much I loved it. I listened to it on the seafront after taking all the work to gallery and seeing the beautiful art Yukako Kashiwai and Satoshi Oka — The two other artists in the show. That was around the time the schools all closed suddenly and Corona was all over the news, there was a few months delay and then the show opened in the spring, everything was totally different in Kurobe, wild colors in the gardens and on the water, birds were everywhere.

That spring came late — but it comes all together at once — becomes lively

it was a really good time in fact, they both knew quiet a lot about Japanese poetry of different periods and we tried translating some famous haikus in different ways.

a year or so before this, in the summer while cherries were being sold in the super markets here, I cycled to a kindergarten listening to the BBC News live as the election results were called in the UK, ultimately Jeremy corbyns labour party didn’t form a government but for a few days and that afternoon especially it seemed very close to being real.

#writing #tanakafuyuji #smallpaintings #kurobe #artonpaper #japan #poetry #art #artists on tumblr #watercolourart #watercolourpainting #tanaka fuyuji #fuyuji #bob dylan #murdermostfoul #toyama #aaronjosephsewards

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nickgerlich · 2 years

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Doing More With Less

The American mindset has long been one of manifest destiny. Whether pillaging and plundering the land and people as we expanded westward, or with firms today in the corporate capitalist era, it is a “take no prisoners” philosophy. Bigger is better, and More is always better than Less.

And for better or worse, it has helped propel us into wealthiest nation status. Investors dig it.

But not all companies buy into it, and oddly enough, have even prospered by going against the flow. Call it salmoning or whatever, these companies—albeit few—are swimming upstream when everyone else is heading to the ocean.

There is probably no better example of this than Trader Joe’s, the cult-popular grocery chain headquartered in Monrovia California that has 569 stores in the US. Its smallish stores—by today’s standards—stock only about 4000 SKUs, a far cry from the 45,000 available at larger modern supermarkets.

Trader Joe’s, which is owned by Germany’s Aldi Nord, bullishly proclaims its “Less Is More” tag line whenever it can. It’s also a take-it-or-leave-it statement as well, but thus far, it has paid off handsomely, with sales of US$16.5 billion. With about 50,000 employees, each worker generates US$330,000 in sales.

It was during COVID that TJ’s operating mantra was put to the test. Most of its competitors, including first-cousin Aldi (owned by Germany’s Aldi Sud), boosted their online presence, with many also offering curbside pickup and/or delivery. Trader Joe’s wanted nothing of that.

And that is because the company firmly believes its brand is the experience, and you cannot replicate that experience anywhere outside of its stores. You either shop there, or forget it. Given that its stores are small by design and often in or near shopping centers, the addition of order pickers and delivery vehicles would unnecessarily clutter the whole space. That, of course, would help ruin the experience on which TJ’s hangs its hat.

Their product assortment is also ever-shifting, reflecting a heavy emphasis on seasonal products (pumpkin is king right now, but you better hurry, because once those products are gone, you’re out of luck until next year). The company is also dedicated to innovation, something that keeps people coming back (side note: their plant-based spinach ravioli is to die for). Other items rotate through availability, meaning that every time you go to TJ’s, its equal parts shopping and discovery.

You never know what you’ll find, again, because it is part of the experience.

With 80% of their products being private label—meaning TJ’s contracts with companies to manufacture them and put a TJ’s marque on them—it leads to higher profit margins. Typical nationally-branded grocery items often have a 20-22% margin, which, after overhead is deducted, leaves a slim 1-2% profit margin for most other grocers.

Their laid-back nautical-themed atmospherics, complete with friendly employees who are paid to answer customer questions, give advice, and walk them to the right product, reinforce the experience. And employees will even open an item to let you try before you buy, whenever that is possible.

Their “less is more” strategy also applies to its marketing, which is centered primarily on a podcast, Instagram, and a monthly in-store newsletter called the Fearless Flyer. The store has such loyal customers that fan-based Instagram accounts have popped up that showcase products and recipes. Otherwise, their marketing efforts focus on reinforcing the message, which is to come to the store.

Making matters somewhat complicated is TJ’s resistance to reckless expansion. It routinely receives hundreds of requests each year from people imploring them to build a store near them, but it is just not going to happen. They would rather people like me travel prepared with an ice chest and freezer bag so that when we are near a TJ’s store (which for me would be OKC, Dallas, Albuquerque, or Santa Fe, all four or more hours away), we load up. And I do. Heck, three weeks ago I spent $200 at one of the Dallas stores.

Adding glitter to the scene, TJ’s devotees even collect their city and state reusable shopping bags that are sold in-store for $1. Look on eBay and you’ll see what I mean. Once we figured this out, we started selling off our collection. My wife sold two Oklahoma bags for a total of $98. Not a bad ROI. As a result, we routinely buy several in each TJ’s state we visit. Even if they don’t sell, we use them for shopping, or as gift bags.

All of which illustrates that, for every glowing generalization I or anyone else makes, there are exceptions, and Trader Joe’s has hit pay dirt by doing less. There is always the possibility of finding a pot of gold far out on the tails of the customer distribution.

And that is a destiny that Trader Joe’s has made manifest.

Dr “More Or Less“ Gerlich

Audio Blog

#marketing #groceries #supermarkets #Trader Joe's #retail

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kimberlaylk · 1 year

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Interior Designer Near Me: Finding the Right Fit for Your Home

Are you looking for a local interior designer near me? Finding the correct match might be crucial, whether you’re looking for a comprehensive remodel or simply a few adjustments. But how do you decide when there are so many options available?

Start by taking your style and budget into account. Do you favor the traditional, the modern, or a combination of the three? What are you willing to pay? Following your responses to these inquiries, you can start looking for the ideal interior designer.

Asking friends or family for referrals is one technique to locate a local interior designer. Ask the architect of a space you like if you’ve seen one. Additionally, you can look up local interior designers online and read client testimonials.

Schedule a consultation with your shortlisted designers after you’ve done your research. This is a fantastic chance to get to know the designer and determine whether your personality and aesthetic preferences blend well. Make sure to inquire about their design methodology, background, and portfolio.

Interior Design Trends 2023

It’s time to talk about the newest interior design trends now that you’ve located an interior designer close by. The following are some of the most well-liked trends that 2023 is expected to see:

1. Sustainable Resources

Sustainable materials are increasingly being used in interior design as consumers become more ecologically conscious. Furniture and décor will increasingly be made of natural and recyclable materials like bamboo, cork, and reclaimed wood.

2. Warm hues

Warm colors like terracotta, rust, and ochre are reemerging in the design industry after years of colder tones predominating. Any room is made to feel cozy and welcoming by these earthy tones.

3. Maximalism

Maximalism is finally gaining the stage after years of minimalism dominating fashion. Eclectic and lively interiors are being created by utilising strong patterns, textures, and colors.

4. Biological Design

The whole point of biophilic design is to bring the outside in. In order to achieve a relaxing and peaceful ambiance, this trend emphasizes adding natural elements such as plants, water features, and natural lighting into home design.

5. Multipurpose Spaces

The popularity of multi-functional workplaces is rising as more individuals choose to work from home. Making rooms that may serve several uses, such a home office that also serves as a guest room, is a current trend.

In conclusion, the secret to building the house of your dreams is choosing a local interior designer who is familiar with your taste and budget. You can make sure your place is fashionable and useful by staying current with interior design trends. There is a trend out there for everyone, whether you favor eco-friendly materials, cozy hues, maximalism, biophilic design, or multifunctional spaces. What are you still holding out for? Begin looking for the ideal interior designer right away!

#design interior modern #modern classic interior design #new construction interior design services #interior design trends 2023

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the-darling-house · 1 year

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As we near the 31st, I figured it was time for my annual tea retrospective. I spent 2021 with Chinese tea, and this past year was a year with Japanese tea.

2023 will be for Indian tea, which I am looking forward to exploring in depth.

Here are some things that I have learned this year:

Overall, I have a personal preference for the complexity of Chinese teas to the simplicity of Japanese tea, but I have had some pretty knockout teas this year.

I’ve learned to be gentle with my pour when it comes to steamed teas, which took me about a month to figure out why everything was coming out so bitter.

I’ve finally learned to distinguish umami in tea.

I feel like I am getting the very slightest sense of terroir. In general, I think my unrefined sense of taste and smell has come a long way since the beginning of 2021, but there’s a longer way to go yet.

I really just don’t enjoy cold brewed tea.

I have to be on probiotics when I’m drinking green tea every day LOL

The Aoi Seicha matcha was the first time I was able to sense the qi of a tea, which was very exciting

Some notes on just a few of my favorite teas this year (bolded above). I would put these three on a list of all-time favorite teas and would be more than happy to drink them on a regular basis.

Miyazaki Sabo Floral Hojicha: This is hands down the sweetest tasting tea I’ve ever had. It was made from stems harvested at a lower point on the tree from where the plant would typically have been cut, so there was a heavy concentration of the floral oils, and the roasting gave it a sort of caramelized flavor, like, literally this tea was so delicious.

Kajihara Tea Garden Izumi First Flush Black Tea: I think this solidified for me that I do really love lighter, fruitier black teas. There was a quality to this one though that I’d never tasted before and I don’t know how to describe, but I immediately regretted not buying more of it when I had the chance.

Matsumoto Cha-en Fig Wood Smoked Black Tea: This producer has a line of smoked teas using different woods, many of which were reclaimed from local whiskey barrels. I’d love to try more of them someday, and I’d definitely recommend this as an entry point to smoked teas, as it’s smoked for only a fraction of the time as traditional Lapsang Souchong and is much lighter as a result. It was a very smooth and forgiving tea, and the flavor lasted well over five steepings, the most of any tea I drank this year.

Some resources that I found useful:

GJ Tea, in particular their meet-the-farmer online events are a boon

Sono Organic Tea’s email newsletter is always informational

Yunomi life was my favorite vendor to order from

That’s about all I’ve got for now. I’ve enjoyed this year, and I am ready to take a break from green tea lololol. I think that next year I may move through Indian tea region by region, rather than category by category.

#tea #new years #my stuff

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prince--thomas · 2 years

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Bring Back My Bonnie to Me [Part One] ~~ [Tonnie + Elinor]

In which Tom and Annie meet face to face for the first time since Levi was born...[takes place: May 23, 2022 evening]

@ugly-anastasia, @mamabear-elinor

[tw -- order stuff, manipulation, thoughts of violence/murder lol]

THOMAS: This was only Tom’s second time at the old castle in the woods and it gave him the same sense of dread and foreboding as it had the last time he’d seen it. Its parapets rose high, disappearing into the trees and a dense fog lay like a blanket over the ground. A chill ran up his spine, despite the relatively warm day. Dawn was just cresting over the horizon, but in the dense forest you could not see it. It didn’t matter to Tom anyway. It just marked his second…third? day without sleep. And another sunrise where his son was still missing.

He had come only on behest of his aunt, with no idea why she had called for him. At the very least, he could see Merida and see if she had any updates on their situation. What they were going to do. And look at his cousin with his own two eyes and know she was alright.

He could do that.

The knocker on the large oak door echoed and it took only moments for Elinor to open it.

“Oh, Thomas,” she frowned, reaching up to put her hands on either side of his face. She brushed at his oily, messy curls and brushed her thumbs against the apples of his cheeks. “We are going to fix all of this, I promise.”

Tom wanted to tell her that they couldn’t fix all of it. Unless that demon could bring back Eric from the dead. (And would Tom even want him to?)

Instead, he just nodded mutely and allowed his aunt to pull him into the castle. “Come, sit down near the fire. You’re cold as ice.” She squeezed his hand, but he barely felt it. He let her lead him, though, as if he was just a small boy again, clinging to his mother’s skirts.

That was until he stopped in the doorway of the sitting room, his feet planted. “What--what are you doing here?” he snarled, his eyes wildly darting about the room--looking for his son. “Where is Levi? What have you done with him?”

“Thomas.” Despite his own anger and his own exhaustion, his aunt’s voice was still an effective whip, cracking over his head.

He was breathing heavily, his fists trembling where he clenched them.

“Let her explain.”

“Aye, she bloody well better.”

ANNIE: Annie was really good at the art of curating an emotional crisis. Her most recent online scandal was proof of that. She knew how to put on just enough makeup that she looked tired, but not ugly; the perfect messy bun that said “I don’t care what I look like right now, but I do still look good;” a matching lounge set that was cute and understated and, like, respectful or whatever. Annie was good at reading the room.

But Annie’s current emotional crisis was not curated. She did not have any makeup on, and her hair wasn’t in a perfect messy bun, it hung around her face in a frizzy, unbrushed mess. She was wearing the same jeans and blouse she had been wearing all day, but there was a noticeable coffee stain down the front. Annie clutched at the offending mug tightly, like it was a life raft.

Tom had been right. She had handed her day-old son over to murderers. What kind of mother did that? And what was going to happen now?

“Tom, I didn’t know,” she whispered hoarsely. “As soon as Elinor told me, I– I realized I had been wrong. She was just so… Eloise, she always knew exactly what to say. I thought I was doing the right thing for Levi by listening to her. And then…” Annie’s voice caught in her throat and she started to cry– not for the first time that day, or even that hour. “I’m sorry, Tom!”

THOMAS: “I bloody told you!” Tom bellowed, his shout echoing off the walls. All his frustration, all his fear, anger, and grief unleashed. He took a step forward.

Elinor cut in front of him, drawing Tom up short. “Thomas--”

Tom sucked in a deep breath and then turned away from angling towards Annie. He crossed to the other side of the room and began pacing back and forth, a couch and coffee table between himself and Annie on the other couch. Elinor stood in the middle of the room between them. He ran a hand through his hair.

Then, all of the sudden he stopped short and whirled on Annie again, gripping the back of the fragile, antique wood hard enough heard it crack.

“Where is he?” he snarled, eyes hard and sharp. “Did you LEAVE HIM WITH THEM?”

ANNIE: For Annie, tears were usually a defense mechanism. She cried when she felt backed into a corner, because she knew how to use her tears as a weapon. But she wasn’t fighting Tom. That wasn’t what this was about.

Instead, she yelled back at him, her voice low and still thick with tears and decidedly more British. Yelling felt better than crying. It felt like she was doing something. It was practically her and Tom’s primary form of communication, wasn’t it?

“I told you, I didn’t know! Stop bloody shouting at me! You’ve got no idea what it’s like to be in my position! You think I wanted this? To find out the people who were supposed to be giving him the life he deserved are bloody psychopathic murderers?!”

THOMAS: Tom didn’t want to stop shouting. Maybe, once upon a time, he would’ve felt bad for it. For shouting at Annie, the mother of his child, a woman. But right now he only saw her as a kidnapper. Taking his son from him. Leaving his son in the care of, as she said: psychopathic murderers. He had no sympathy for her. Her tears meant nothing to him. How many tears had Levi cried? How many more would he cry if he grew up in the clutches of the Order?

“I told you!” he bellowed right back at her. “I told you and you didnae listen to me! I begged you but you thought you knew better, eh? Knew my family better than I did. Thought I was what? Crazy? A brute? A liar? Why? Why would--”

“Tom--”

“Nae, Auntie,” Tom snapped at his aunt. “She deserves this! I tried--” Tears suddenly clouded his vision “--I did everything I could.”

Elinor reached out and gripped his shoulder with surprising strength. “I know,” she murmured to him. “I know. Fighting isn’t going to fix this. It is what they would want. You need to be strong. For Levi. For your son.”

Tom let out a shuddering breath, bowing his head forward as he gripped the back of the couch. He sniffed once, then sucked in a deep breath and nodded. He looked back up, still glaring at Annie but when he spoke, some of the heat was gone from his voice.

“You’re gonnae help us get him back. And you are gonnae listen. And do everything that I say. Are we understood? This is not your world. It is mine.” He is my son.

ANNIE: Annie opened her mouth to tell Tom exactly what she thought of him. That she thought he was stubborn and secretive and no, she didn’t think he was crazy, but she didn’t trust him, and that was enough to get her to listen to Eloise over him.

(That wasn’t the whole story, of course. The whole story was that Annie didn’t really feel inclined to trust men as a baseline, and she had developed a deep aspirational obsession with Eloise over the past few months, and she felt drawn to people who validated the things she already believed about herself. Annie wasn’t self-aware enough for that part, though.)

Elinor was the one to interrupt Tom, though, and now Tom was crying, and that was what actually scared Annie. She wasn’t afraid of him. She was afraid of what he was afraid of. If his family was capable of murder, what else were they capable of? What else did Tom know?

Annie stared at Tom, wide-eyed and pale. Her hand twitched and more coffee splashed out of the cup, but she didn’t notice.

“Why do you think I’m here, Tom? Obviously we’re getting him back,” Annie said, but her tone didn’t have the irritable, sarcastic tone she usually took with Tom when she said things like that to him. It was at once both desperate and flat. “I don’t care what I have to do. Sure. I’ll listen to you. If you know something I don’t, that’s fine. But I have information, too. Stuff you might not know. And they still trust me. So we’re gonna need to work together.”

THOMAS: Obviously we’re getting him back, Annie said, but that--meant nothing.

There was no ‘obviously’ about it. Tom would not underestimate the Order. They wanted his son. Tom had, technically, sworn his son to them. They would make good on their threats. He knew that they would. This was a dangerous situation. Not just for Levi, but for Tom--for everyone that he cared about.

He glanced at his aunt, who was still standing at his shoulder, a hand on his arm. Her gaze was steady, but firm and he appreciated it. At least someone else here knew what the stakes were.

“Alright: what do you know then?” Tom asked. He resented this. Working with Annie. But, at heart, he was a warrior. And it would be stupid not to take advantage of the assets he had. It didn’t mean anything. Tom wasn’t doing it for Annie. He was doing it for Levi.

ANNIE: Annie frequently preached that anything was possible if you set your mind to it. That didn’t mean she always believed it. But it was what people liked to hear, and right now, she didn’t really want to think about what would happen if they didn’t get Levi back (because she had thought about it. She had mulled it over all day. She didn’t know all the details of why they had killed that boy, Tom’s cousin, but it meant they were dangerous and they would kill again and Levi wasn’t safe there).

So right now, she was gonna have to believe it. She was putting her whole mind to this— every last ounce of determination she had. She was even working with the last person she wanted to confront right now. It was going to be worth it. It had to be.

“There’s going to be a party. Monday night. It’s kind of a meet-the-baby welcome-to-the-family type thing. And I’m invited, obviously, and they think I’m still totally fine with, uh… him being there.” Annie stumbled a little over that part, her face reddening. There was a reason they thought that. Because, for a moment in time, Annie had been totally fine with that. “Apparently it’s at a new location, this property they just got in London. They sent me the address and all. So I think I should just, I guess, uh, go in there, get Levi, and make a run for it. Not totally foolproof, but… it’s the best plan I got.”

THOMAS: Yeah, of course it was a new property. The Order wasn’t going to go back to their old haunts. The places that Tom, Phil, and John knew. The places they knew the weaknesses of. It would be stupid to stay there and, unfortunately for Tom, the Order was not stupid.

Part of him wanted to pace the floor, but Tom had never been one for pacing. He was stoic and still, as the storm raged inside him. He rubbed an exhausted hand over his face, trying to blink away the tears and bleariness. His mind chewed over Annie’s words, trying to find fault with them. He was so focused on the plan itself that he almost missed the other part.

The most important part: they think I’m still totally fine with him being there.

So, she had left Levi. She had been planning on leaving him properly. The Order hadn’t taken Levi. Annie had offered him up to them on a silver platter. Tom wanted to launch himself over the couch and strangle her. But even with the righteous fury coursing through him, he was too tired. Instead, he took a deep breath and stood up straight again, but he didn’t look at Annie. He couldn’t. If he did, he’d start shouting again.

He looked at his aunt.

“Do you think it will work?” he asked his aunt, because he knew she’d know better than him. After all, this was women’s territory. Babies and parties and things like that. His aunt had plenty of experience organizing such events.

Elinor nodded. “If they believe she gave Levi up of her own volition and just wants to come to the party, they won’t see it as a threat. She is still his mother.”

And though that did not mean as much as a father to the Order, it still meant something.

“Aye. Alright. But I’m going with her.”

“Tom, no--if anyone spots you.”

“No. I am going,” Tom snapped harshly, glaring sharply at his aunt. “I have to go.” The fire gave way to tears again as the fear squeezed his throat.

ANNIE: Annie was inclined to side with Elinor. Because even if she realized, now, that she had been wrong about Tom, she still trusted Elinor more. Tom was the one who was angry and emotional and who was making her feel the depth of all the terrible things she didn’t want to confront about her mistake.

But, then again…

Annie didn’t want to go alone.

“You can’t come in, but it might help to have someone driving the car,” Annie suggested weakly. “And, uh… I mean, obviously I don’t wanna think about the worst case scenario, and I am pretty scrappy, but if it comes down to it, might be good to have someone there for backup who’s, uh…” How was she supposed to put this. “…Trained for this kind of thing?”

THOMAS: Tom was trained for this kind of thing.

Maybe this was what his whole life had been leading up to, in some strange, twisted way. The Order had given him the tools he needed to tear it down. To save his son. If he was someone else, maybe he would not be able to. Even another Prince. Another Prince would not have the skill he had, passed down to him through his father, nor the special time spent training--the whole Order investing in him, Phil, and John, they way they hadn’t in their peers.

They had crafted Tom into a weapon and set him loose under false pretenses. Now, he was the banshee on the moor and he was coming for them. Something about that soothed him. He knew, objectively, that killing anyone would lead to his own death, but he was a talented soldier. He did not have to kill them in order to fight.

Tom still did not want to look at Annie, to speak to her. He was still boiling over with fury that she would leave their son in the clutches of the Order.

But, after a long moment, he managed to nod. Just once. “I’ll drive. You’ll go in and fetch him. If things start going wrong, text me.” He said all of this still looking at his aunt, but eventually he turned and met Annie’s gaze, his own hard as stone.

“If he’s gone, if I lose him--”

The threat burned up in his throat, because he did not know what he would do. Part of him felt that it might be satisfying to run Annie through with a sword, but the grief at just the thought was far too painful to even comprehend. So, instead, he just let it linger.

“Come on,” Elinor said softly, putting her hand on Tom’s shoulder. “You both need to rest. You have a long day tomorrow…”

ANNIE: It was what Annie was thinking, but would not say.

They weren’t going to lose him. It didn’t matter that the Harringtons had been nothing but kind and welcoming and accommodating to Annie (well, maybe sometimes they had been a little cold, which always just made Annie crave their approval all the more). According to what Elinor had said, these people were crazy evil murderers, and Annie was getting Levi out of there before any of this continued.

Not that she was comparing Charlie to a murder cult, but if the past year had taught her anything… it was when to get the fuck out of a situation.

So no, Annie was not going to let herself imagine what would happen if she failed. She nodded at Elinor and didn’t look at Tom, and then she went to start her skincare routine. She knew she wasn’t going to sleep much tonight. It was probably useless. Still, Annie clung to the routine.

#swynanastasia #swynelinor #tonnie #elimas #bring back my bonnie to me #my bonny lies over the ocean #the fall of rome

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