#the seven of mannan

[amchara]

Effortless Ch. 3: Spirals, Ghosts and Buckfast

One / Two / Three / Four / Five / Six / Seven (completed fic) 

(Completed fic at Ao3, posting to tumblr with a few minor edits)

Summary: After moving to England to live with Tessa and Jem, Kit ends up attending a local sixth form college alongside his Shadowhunter training.

Featuring- a charming but slightly broken Kit, typical teen drama, mundane friendships, pop culture references, Carstairs-Gray family moments, a rotating cast of our favourite Shadowhunters as guest tutors and of course, some unacknowledged pining for one Ty Blackthorn.

Wordcount: 6,490 words for this chapter

Rating: Teen, this chapter: depression spirals, drinking as means to cope with depression, brief mentions of racism

CHAPTER THREE: SPIRALS, GHOSTS AND BUCKFAST

December-April 2014

It took almost until almost the end of Emma’s visit for her and Kit to have the conversation he had been dreading.

They were finishing up a sparring match on the raised platform in the training room. Kit could feel the recently applied Deflect and Stamina Marks on his shoulders burning as he jumped back while Emma drove forward through his weakening defensive stance.

“Boop,” she said, tapping his nose.

Kit batted her away, and dropped his two training sticks. “Yield, I yield,” he said, pushing back the sweaty hair that was sticking to his forehead.

Despite the cold December day, they were both wearing tanktops. Kit saw with some satisfaction that Emma also had beads of sweat gathering on her forehead, although she wasn’t breathing as hard as he was. She looked more like she had a healthy glow, like she had just finished a light yoga class, rather than two punishing hours of calisthenics, climbing practice and several sparring bouts. Plus he had taken her on his running route earlier in the morning. Disgusting, he thought. But he felt proud he had kept up to her pace until now.

He flopped onto the ground of the platform, reaching down to grab his water bottle.

When he rolled back up, he could see Emma had sat cross-legged a few feet in front of him, a serious look in her eyes, as she leaned on one of the training sticks as it supported her steepled hands underneath her chin. “So… Kit,” she said.

“What?” Kit asked. “Do I have food caught in my teeth from breakfast- you’re supposed to tell someone about that, pretty sure that’s in the warrior code-” He was suddenly nervous.

“Why didn’t you say goodbye to us before you left?” Emma asked softly. “You just… left.”

And there it was. Kit felt like the air was closing in around him, a fraction of what he had felt that day on the fields outside Idris, when he had made the Riders of Mannan’s horses disappear -- to save his and Emma’s lives, when he had first been told about the First Heir. He stared at her.

“I- uh,” his voice caught.

Emma waited but when it was clear he wasn’t going to say anything further, she dropped her gaze. “I think some of it has something to do with the battle,” she said. “And what happened with the Riders-” she said. “That’s my suspicion. Don’t forget, I was there, and despite what happened… afterwards, I still remember the start.”

Kit wished his poker face was better as he knew he let a small grimace cross his face.

“And I suspect you’re not able to tell me more,” she said, studying him.

“I can’t - but maybe someday, Emma,” Kit said, relieved that she was focused on that aspect.

She nodded. “I get that. Jem told me something similar. But Julian also thought it might have to do with the prior events too…” Terror seized Kit’s heart. Julian and Emma had been discussing him?

“With your dad dying in front of you. And Livvy dying so soon after,” Emma continued.

Kit wished his eyes would stop watering, and that his heart would stop pounding. “I- yeah, I mean, I was fine eventually,” he said roughly.

“You don’t have to be,” Emma said, reaching out to grab his hand briefly. Kit wished she would stop- maybe some of that was true but he had also been a complete failure of a human, and Ty was still unreachable to him and Livvy was still an undead ghost…

He had missed the next part of her speech. “And… speaking as someone part of the dead parents club, I totally get throwing yourself into something else to try and just live.”

“How did it work for you?” he interrupted.

Emma smiled a crooked, knowing smile. “I lived only for revenge for five years and then fell in forbidden love with my parabatai and became a giant burning angel… So while I guess it eventually turned out, I think you’re probably currently in the lead on the better coping mechanisms by fleeing the country and trying out mundane high school,” she said. “And hooking up with mundane girls- I see you have a taste in violent girls if that Ellie girl is anything to go by. She looked like she wanted to murder me.”

“College,” Kit corrected absently. “And she’s not my girlfriend.”

Emma waved a hand. “My point stands. But you know- when you’re ready, you should come visit us again- I know we’d all love to see you, especially Ty and D-”

“I doubt Ty would actually care,” Kit said harshly, suddenly tired of the conversation. He stood up. “Thanks, Emma. I’ll think about it. I’m going to go have a shower before lunch. I’ll see you there.”

He hopped off the platform and crossed the room, hoping Emma wouldn’t follow him and try to press her point.

She didn’t. And she didn’t bring the topic up again during the remainder of her visit. Kit held his breath the day Julian visited but luckily he had been delayed even further than anticipated wrapping up business in London, so was only able to visit briefly on the last afternoon, to join in on a Sunday roast lunch before he and Emma planned to head back to Los Angeles.

Kit skulked around in the kitchen most of the afternoon, not wanting to be ambushed by another conversation with Emma or start one with Julian. He offered his assistance to Tessa, who seemed both amused and suspicious of Kit’s sudden sous-chef interest.

He suddenly had a thought and texted Ellie in between peeling carrots and parsnips. U in for a sunday roast at mine? id say i fancied pizza but id rather u r here to help me eat it

Ellie was over like a shot. “I got your back,” she told him grandly, as she swept in from the drizzly day.

The resulting mealtime was stilted but both Julian and Emma just seemed mildly amused at the mundane conversation, while Tessa and Jem were confused at why Ellie was suddenly there but realised they couldn’t disinvite her without appearing impolite.

“You have many other hot ‘family members’ that are planning on dropping by? Ellie asked, after they had finished lunch. They were lurking by the front door, Ellie getting ready to leave. “I didn’t notice anything super culty, I mean- they seem a bit out of touch with pop culture and politics but nice enough. Can’t say I minded the eye candy though-- what do they put in the water over there?” She lifted eyebrows appreciatively.

“Oh- you mean Julian,” Kit said. “Yeah- I ah, wouldn’t. Emma’s pretty handy with a sw- knife, I mean words,” he said. “And no, I don’t think there will be others anytime soon.”

Ellie gave him an odd look as she waved good-bye.

Kit closed the door, and turned around, and started. Julian was there, lounging like a dark panther in one of the alcoves, arms crossed casually.

“Hey, Julian,” Kit said, nervously.

Julian smiled. “Hey- I just wanted to say goodbye. Sorry we couldn’t catch up further but we promised Dru we’d be back in time before she returned from the Academy.”

His blue-green eyes were as piercing and perceptive as ever, looking at Kit. But Kit couldn’t detect any anger in Julian’s face and he relaxed fractionally.

“Yeah, too bad we didn’t have more time,” Kit mumbled.

Julian’s gaze passed over him and Kit tried to avoid squirming. He worried Julian could still read the situation with Ty, around raising Livvy, on his face. “I know Emma’s already extended the invite to you to visit- and I just wanted to repeat it. Despite how everything ended, you should know you’re always welcome at the L.A. Institute, if you ever want it.”

Kit’s heart squeezed, and he couldn’t resist asking. “Thanks. How is… everyone?”

A shadow passed briefly across Julian’s face before he controlled it. “We’re getting by,” he said simply. “But it’s not been easy. Some days are hard. I imagine you’ve experienced something similar.”

“Yeah.”

They both fell silent at that, acknowledging the chasm of grief that was always there, and the struggle not to tip over the precipice. Kit resisted the urge to ask about Ty. 

Then Jem came to tell them the tea was ready, and Kit was suddenly glad that soon it would just be back to him, Tessa and Mina in Cirenworth.

Except it wasn’t. A week later, on Boxing Day, there was a large bang in one of the upstairs rooms, and two minutes later, Magnus, Alec, their two kids, and Jace and Clary piled downstairs, and Kit suddenly remembered the previous year, when they had also dropped in to exchange presents and ‘escape the hell that is New York ahead of New Year’s Eve’, according to Magnus.

Last year he had enjoyed the visit, as it was a break from the monotony of the grey December days. While he tried to enjoy this year’s Christmas activities and visitors, the tired feeling that had been growing over the past week was dragging at him. Probably he had been doing too much training, he thought. Emma had run him a bit ragged, plus he had had end of term coursework to finish in the evenings up until the break for Christmas.

While Alec, Magnus and the kids ate shortbread cookies in the grand visiting parlour, he showed Clary and Jace the training room, and caught them up on the past few months.

“Mundane high school- how’s it going?” Jace asked, with an easygoing grin. “I don’t know if you know this but I bet Jem you’d-” he stopped as Clary elbowed him in the ribs.

“I think it’s great,” Clary said firmly. “I wish I had finished my GED.”

“Yeah, it’s good,” Kit said, not wanting to get into it. “Hey- let me show you some of the weapons Jem and I found in the attic. We’re sorting them to see if they can be restored.” He directed Jace over to a cache of ancient weapons that he knew would at least spark a good half hour’s worth of conversation. Jace’s eyes lit up, and Kit mentally revised the time upwards to at least an hour.

The rest of the visit from the New York Shadowhunters was uneventful and dare he say it… fun. After a quiet but peaceful Christmas Day with Jem, Tessa, the following days were filled with children shrieking down Cirenworth’s halls - Mina included - and the warmth of company kept days busy with countryside walks, gentle training (too much food to do anything else), and games like charades and pictionary that were filled with laughter and comfortable conversations. It was so saccharine at times it almost gave Kit a toothache, despite his love of sweet things.

He remembered Christmas’ past in Los Angeles, his dad barely doing anything to mark the occasion, maybe getting a discount wreath to hang on the door, ordering Chinese food on Christmas day, and Kit pretty much forgetting it was the holiday season, save for the homeless people wandering past with Santa hats.

He was fairly sure which Christmas he preferred.

The only major downbeat to the period was when he passed by the conservatory near the end of the visit. Magnus and Tessa were talking in low tones, and he heard his name mentioned. “- job keeping Kit safe-”

He paused near the glass door, trying to eavesdrop while keeping out of sight. “The wards haven’t tripped since early summer,” Magnus said. “That’s good, at least?”

“Yes, it is- and the initial alarm was only triggered by a couple small piskies who were easily scared away.” But there was a doubtful tone to Tessa’s confirmation. “I just don’t trust it.” Kit could hear her walking across the stone tiles, as if pacing, and he shrank back. “But I also recognise we can’t live always looking over our shoulder.”

“No- you have to carry on,” Magnus agreed. “But I agree. It’s strange that there hasn’t been any further whispers from the Seelie and Unseelie courts.”

“We earned a reprieve due to the upheaval in Faerie with Kieran taking the throne- probably many alliances are being made or broken to adapt to this unexpected situation. I don’t expect it to last but it has bought us some time.” Kit had rarely heard Tessa sound so strategic, and he remembered how she had once, long ago, been married to the head of the London Institute and helped him run the London Enclave.

“Are you and Kit exploring his powers?”

There was silence. “Not yet,” said Tessa. “He needs time… to deal with his grief, to find himself. And he’s still training with Jem - and going to his mundane school. I plan to start him soon- but he’s still so young- fragile in many ways.”

“I know, Tessa. That’s the trouble with Shadowhunters though- and you know this as well as I do. We saw it for Will, for James… and for others who didn’t have the happiest of endings,” Magnus’s voice was gentle. “They don’t usually get that chance to be young and carefree before they have to face their battles. All we can do is make sure they are prepared as much as they can be.”

Kit crept away before they spotted him. He knew he would have to face the music about the First Heir stuff but the way that Magnus and Tessa spoke about him- their faith in him to survive whatever was going to come after him… well, it wasn’t exactly inspiring, was it? Maybe he should just focus on enjoying the time he had right now, given his non-likely future.

The hollow, deadening feeling that had been creeping in at the edges widened, and Kit pushed it away.

--

The first two weeks of January term passed in a blur of drizzle, darkness and cranky teachers who used to smile at his witty remarks now staring and ordering him to pay attention. Kit stared at his alarm clock each morning, watching it tick over until seven am, and he had to get up in order to not be late for college. He stopped going out for his usual runs. He heard Mina cry out a couple mornings and he knew that he could get her easily, but he stayed in bed until he could hear Mina instantly quiet from Jem’s soothing greetings, ignoring the guilty feeling building in his chest.

Kit knew he was spiralling and he was scared about descending back into the fugue state that had defined most of the previous winter. And his nightmares were intensifying - almost nightly he now had a front row seat to his dad, Ty, Tessa, Jem and Mina getting eaten and torn apart by mantid demons.

The frustrating thing, Kit thought, was that he was perfectly aware of how messed up he was, but he just couldn’t figure out how to snap out of it.

Until Harriet Ketterly’s party, that is.

In all my dreams before my helpless sight,

He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace

Behind the wagon that we flung him in,

And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,

His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;

If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood

Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,

Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud

Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—

Kit intoned with style, and then looked over. “Something something, Dulce et decorum est.” 

“That’s deep,” Ellie said, listlessly. “Do you think I could find some mustard gas for Jack?” she asked in a darker tone. Ellie had broken up with Jack two days prior and was still in the depths of the breakup. She handed him another bottle of smirnoff and Kit took a big swig. They were sitting on a deep sofa in Harriet’s fancy front room, with Kit trying out some sarcastic running commentary as various members of the Drama club passed by. He also decided to liven it up with some of the World War One poems he had memorised for their English Literature’s poetry module. It had nothing to do with the fact he sometimes thought of a certain Blackthorn, who might appreciate the solemnity of the poems and...

“Hey, Kit-” Ade said, snapping his fingers in front of Kit’s face. “Eamonn was looking for you.”

“What?” Kit sat up. “Oh- I was supposed to-” Something, he was supposed to do something. He took Ade’s helping hand, but swayed suddenly as he stood up. Oh yeah, that was it- he had a running date to meet up with Eamonn at Harriet’s party. Oops.

“Whoa, you’re definitely pissed,” Ade watched him with friendly interest.

“Here-” Ellie handed him a green bottle, suddenly perkier. “You have a chance but not if you’re completely sloshed. This isn’t a cure but it could help.”

Kit looked at the bottle. “Buckfast? Isn’t this the medicinal wine sold by those monks down the road?”

“Yeah,” Ellie said. “And it has a ton of caffeine in it. It’ll give you the liquid courage you need to go get your boy.”

Ade looked skeptical but he didn’t argue, just pointed the way he had last seen Eamonn.

It didn’t help him get Eamonn - Kit had missed his chance, as he could see Eamonn trying to negotiate with Harriet over a clearly vomitous Ben… but he did appreciate the feelings a few drafts of Buckfast could give. A deadening of feelings and emotions but also, an energy boost to get shit done.

So, he helped himself to a few of the leftover bottles. Purely as an evening nightcap, he thought.

--

And though the taste was foul, he found himself pouring some of it into his evening tea each night throughout the rest of January and into early February. It allowed him to finish his homework, help Tessa with tidying up from dinner, and play a couple hours of video games, with the caffeine usually wearing off afterwards, enough for at least a couple hours of dreamless sleep.

But mornings were tough, and looking at the growing bags under his puffy eyes, Kit wondered if it was worth it. And training was relentless with Jem continuing to ratchet up the challenge by moving on to teaching him about the various specialty weapons that Shadowhunters of the past had used.

“Kit- are you hurt?” Jem quickly set down the chaliker he had been holding, making his way over to Kit.

Kit winced as he looked down at the shallow cut on his collarbone, slicing his shirt open. He had stumbled and forget to block as Jem had come in from the side- a stupid mistake and an unusual one, given they had been training now for more than six months.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Kit said, dabbing at the blood, pushing Jem away as he bent to look at the cut.

Jem straightened up and Kit thought he could see a hint of suspicion cross his face. Kit suddenly wondered if he had been able to smell the Buckfast that had been quickly downed before the session - it had only been enough to give him a small buzz. He drew a quick, graceful iratze on Kit’s neck with his stele, and Kit could feel the small burn as the cuts sealed up.

Jem stepped back, assessing his work. “Let’s finish here for the evening. You look tired. Perhaps you should head to bed early,” he suggested. 

Kit nodded and slunk away.

--

It should’ve been an easy job, lifting a couple bottles. But Kit had gotten soft since coming to England, and he was out of practice shoplifting.

“Oi, you there-” the florid-faced cashier came hurrying after Kit.

Kit continued to casually stroll out the door but there were several elderly shoppers congregating at the entrance of the Sainsburys and he wasn’t about to push past them. He might be a shoplifter but he wasn’t a monster.

He turned around, plastering what he hoped was an innocent smile on his face, preparing to BS his way out. But he was suddenly flustered as Tessa came out of nowhere, and he could feel her gently pulling out the two bottles he had hidden.

“Thank you for getting the wine, darling,” she said, her voice slightly too loud. He started to speak but the small shake of her head and look on her face warned him to be quiet and or to risk all hell breaking loose. She handed a wiggling Mina to him.

He stood there, letting Mina play with his hair, while Tessa spoke to the cashier and returned to pay for the Buckfast and the whisky he had grabbed.

When she returned, Tessa’s lips were in a thin line but she didn’t raise her voice as she told him. “Get in the car, Christopher.”

On the way back to Cirenworth, Kit kept sneaking glances over to Tessa, who appeared to be deep in thought, her brow furrowed, as they drove on the narrow roads back home.

Feelings of shame rolled over him, and he stared out the window. He knew he should apologise but he couldn’t find the energy to get the words out.

As they exited the car, Tessa moved around to get Mina, and when she stood up, she finally spoke. “You’re… grounded,” she told him. “You can go to college and then home- no going to Ellie’s or Ade’s or anyone else’s house.”

“Fine,” Kit said flatly. “I don’t care.”

He stomped across the gravel and into the house.

--

That evening, as Kit returned to the kitchen for his third round of cookies, he could hear Jem and Tessa speaking in low voices nearby. Kit crept closer, and was rewarded by finding out that indeed, they were talking about him.

“I’m just worried.” He heard Tessa say. “I know this is a stage… but- I can’t help but remember what happened with James and-” she sighed heavily.

“There’s no magic bracelet this time,” Jem said. “And although it was a trying time, James got through it, with some scars, admittedly- but Kit isn’t facing the same situation.”

“But with Matthew too…” The sorrow in Tessa’s voice startled Kit, and he strained to remember who Matthew was in the long list of dead Shadowhunters that he had tried to memorise.

“This isn’t history repeating itself,” Jem reassured her. “But let me try- I have an idea that might get through to him.”

--

“We’re going on a drive,” Jem told him, the next day- a Saturday - as Kit shuffled down to breakfast.

“Thanks but I’m good,” Kit said. “I’m busy.” He yawned as he poured himself an extra large bowl of Crunchy Nut cereal. He passed over an extra spoon to Mina and they had their tiny, regular Jedi fight before she grew bored and threw the spoon off her chair and returned to eating a rusk.

He thought the matter closed, until Jem returned with his coat, a seraph blade, and small, antique globe that Kit had never seen before, and placed it beside him on the table.

“We’re training. It’s not optional,” Jem said, and Kit heard the quiet thread of steel in his calm voice.

Kit rolled his eyes but he complied and went to get changed.

They bumped along narrow roads heading into Dartmoor, the grey sky overhead, and the lingering fog throwing the scenery around them into a dim portrait that made everything seem unreal, as if reality was fading at the edges.

Jem stopped the car, in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere. Rolling hills, peppered with large boulders stretched out in every direction. “Hey- if this is about the drinking- you know you didn’t have to bring me out this far to hide my body- pretty sure Cirenworth’s gardens are big enough,” Kit said, trying to make light of the situation.

“What are you-” Jem gave him a strange look, and then unbuckled his seatbelt. “Come, let’s get some of the equipment out of the boot.”

“What are we doing?” Kit finally asked, as they opened up the trunk - or the ‘boot’.

“Ghosthunting,” Jem said, his eyes scanning the small array of gleaming weapons and arcane items in front of them. Kit recognised some from his Shadow Market days.

“Oh, of course-” Kit said, trying but failing to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

“It’s a skill you’ll need to know,” Jem told him. “Not all fights will be with demons.” He started handing several items for Kit to add to his weapons belt. He started explaining each one, and despite his annoyance, Kit found he was listening intently.

But his passing good mood soon turned sour, as they hiked further and further into the hills and the light drizzle turned into a steadier downpour. Kit was cold, and tired and very much over this whole Shadowhunter thing.

“Is this a punishment?” he asked Jem. “Cause of what happened with Tessa at the supermarket? C’mon- you guys knew when I came to stay with you that I had a klepto streak.”

Jem looked over at him, rain streaking down his calm, passive face. “No, it’s not a punishment.”

“Then what are we doing?” Kit asked, frustration starting to spill over.

“We-” and then suddenly Jem stopped, and Kit could see why. Ahead in the mist, three huge, hulking figures were emerging over the hill.

He could see the Anglo Saxon warriors moving down, and while he knew that they physically were unlikely to be able to hurt him, particularly given the equipment they carried, it was cold comfort. One of the Ghosts turned his gaze on Kit, and on his blackened face with milky white eyes Kit could read a murderous expression. He gulped.

“Use the Astronas and filiker, Kit,” Jem warned him, as the ghosts approached.

Kit set up a fighting stance, trying desperately to blink the oncoming rain out of his eyes.

“Well… that was...,” Jem said, at a loss for words, in the aftermath. He looked over at Kit, who was lying about twenty feet away, from where one of the ghosts had thrown him. “How did you find your first unfriendly ghost encounter? Dartmoor is full of them, so if you want to try again- I know another one around three miles further on. You did well for your first one but practice is essential so-”

“No. No, this was not fun,” Kit fumed. He picked up his scattered weapons and stood up. “You’re fucking mental, Jem! What was this supposed to be, some kind of weird intervention? You’re not my Dad- you’re never going to be. And I’m not some Will clone either- so just… fuck off, and leave me alone,” he spat out.

Jem stood there, his face in shock.

Kit stalked off, not caring.

He had barely made it five minutes down the road before he realised his mistake, and frantically pulled relics off his weapons’ belt as three more Saxon warriors closed in on him. Kit closed his eyes and started praying.

But suddenly Jem was there, with deadly grace and almost superhuman speed, quickly dispatching the ghosts.

“Shall we go home?” Jem asked, raising his voice above the rising, howling wind.

“Yeah,” Kit said in a small, defeated voice.

--

“I’m sorry,” Jem said, and he shucked off his wet overcoat, sweater, and then feeling his plain t-shirt, stripped that off as well, his lightly tanned skin pimpling with goosebumps, old, faded Shadowhunter scars scattered white around his upper body.

He and Kit had returned to Cirenworth and were immediately banished by Tessa to the laundry room to change out of their soaked clothes.

“What?” Kit was still in a less than forgiving mood. He also stripped off his wet shirt and grabbed his Avengers t-shirt from the pile of clean clothes.

“I erm-” In the dim light, Kit thought he could detect a faint blush on Jem’s cheeks. “I’m not trying to compare you but.. Will used to get in these same types of moods, and often a ghost hunt in Highgate Cemetery would help him. It would provide some distraction.”

Kit stared at him. “You’re serious.”

“Yes, I thought it would cheer you up. But I was mistaken… so I am apologising,” Jem said. “You’re going through some serious issues and I wanted to help. But I clearly misunderstood.”

Kit sighed. “Wow- it’s nice to know you don’t always have the perfect solution or that you can also be wrong. Nice to see that you have character flaws.”

Jem frowned.

“It’s just- like, you’re Saint Jem,” Kit said, pulling off his waterlogged boots but he was starting to feel weirdly warm and fuzzy towards Jem. “You’re basically perfect from what I’ve seen and heard- even when you were younger, never losing your temper, never saying the wrong things. Not like me- who’s just… messy. Emotional.”

“Hmm,” Jem said, and the solemn look on his face started to dissolve. “I was a Silent Brother for well over a hundred years, don’t forget. And you become far removed from human emotion when you become one. That experience doesn’t fade easily.”

He looked over at Kit. “But I’ve never been unemotional when I was… more human. Before and after being a Silent Brother. At least, I don’t think so. And I have been upset- angry at situations and reacted to them. Don’t forget, Will Herondale was my parabatai. I spent my teenage years becoming very used to dealing with the outcomes of his... encounters, and we created many together.” He let a wry smile cross his face. “I was almost always the one to de-escalate them though, so I had plenty of practice. But I couldn’t always control my emotions- and I did let them slip out.”

“How- by cracking a frown on that beautiful face? A small moue of disappointment?”

Jem laughed. “There was one time I punched Will in the face.” He paused, reminiscing. “And then that same night… I made out with Tessa in my bedroom for the first time.”

Kit grinned at Jem’s slip into modern slang. “Damn- that’s pretty good. What did Will do to make you punch him?”

“Tessa and I found him in an opium den.”

Kit’s mouth opened and closed. “What?! You guys came down so hard on me for even just drinking Buckfast a few times a week. Not fair - at least I’m not doing heavy drugs.”

“That Buckfast drink is a poison,” Jem said with a vehemence that startled Kit, but the moment passed quickly and Jem shrugged. “Yes- I suppose I have become less flexible - or I’ve gotten out of the practice of dealing with Herondales.”

He paused. “You are your own person, though, Kit. I don’t see you as a Will replacement. I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel otherwise.”

“Yeah, I know,” Kit said, still embarrassed over that insult. “I’m sorry I said that. That being said- I kind of wish I had known him. Will. I feel like he would definitely get me.”

“He would have,” Jem said, the fond smile that always appeared whenever he spoke about Will, playing on his face. He continued. “You two would’ve been the death of me- but I still would’ve enjoyed every last one of my last moments.”

--

The fight with Jem seemed to be a catalyst. Shortly after, Kit apologised to Tessa for the shoplifting and offered to make it up to her by offering to watch her favourite Pride and Prejudice version (the six hour BBC miniseries) and he felt like the heavy air in Cirenworth was finally clearing.

But he still found it hard to get through the dark, dreary English winter days, especially without the crutch of alcohol. But the solution to that piece of the puzzle remained missing until nearly the beginning of March.

“What’s up with you, man?” Kit asked finally, watching Ade uncharacteristically slam his fist against the wall. They were taking a break from their workout in Ade’s back garden. His dad had set up a home gym in a shed at the bottom of the garden, and Kit and Ade had been spending at least one day a week trying to improve their reps. Kit poked at his stomach- his one ab was coming along nicely…

Ade shrugged but Kit could still tell he was annoyed. “Nothing- just… stressed a bit about mocks. Mr Whittaker is an absolute wanker, mate.”

“Why, did he threaten to take you down from an A* to an A?” Kit asked, grinning.

It was a light poke but Ade’s face darkened. “Oh forget it, it’s not like someone like- like you would understand.”

“Someone like me?” Kit was stung. “What the hell does that mean?”

Ade stood up. “Nothing- never mind.” He started fidgeting with the weights, as if to adjust them but Kit wasn’t fooled.

“No, tell me-”

Ade turned around, and his face was calmer but set, like he was ready for the argument. “Well, it’s not like you have to worry about exams, hey?”

“Why not?”

Ade snorted. “Kit - I’ve been to your place. You’re set up. Honestly, do you even care if you pass your A-levels?”

“Your mom is a doctor,” Kit retorted. “It’s not exactly like you’re about to get thrown out on the streets if you fail an exam.”

Ade rolled his eyes. “You clearly do not understand Nigerian mums. But also- it’s not about- look, let me spell it out for you. You see this?” he pointed to his face and his hands. “I’m black, mate. And that comes with some additional considerations that you aren’t going to have ever even think about.” He shook his head. “I mean- I thought you might understand, given your family and your sister… but-”

Kit sat down heavily. “Ah.” The growing anger suddenly went out of him like a deflated balloon. They sat there, on opposite sides of the small room.

“Sorry,” Kit said finally. “You’re right, I don’t understand that. But… if you wanted to share, I want to listen.” He looked up to meet Ade’s steady gaze. His friend also looked like his anger was also dissipating.

“It’s not even... even like it’s overt, racism,” Ade said, almost aggrieved. “It’s just this.. Undercurrent of expectations. You know Altofts is like- 95% white. When I moved here, it’s like people already had this expectation of who I would be- and it wasn’t a good student. But stereotypes like I’d be only into football, or a London gangsta. And Mr. Whittaker is just one of the worst- he always praises me when I get a good grade, like he expected nothing better of me… and he’s not the only one.”

“And that’s why you want to get back to London so bad,” Kit said, thinking he was starting to understand.

“Yeah, maybe- although London is also the best city in the world, innit,” Ade informed him. “It has its own problems though, being black there. That’s why my parents moved us out-”

“Oh?” Kit was curious. Ade had never really opened up about his life before in London.

“Yeah…” Ade seemed hesitant suddenly. “Or at least, I think it was the reason… my mum never really said but I think it makes sense. One of our neighbour’s sons was stabbed, about a block from our home. He wasn’t part of a gang or- just a young black bloke in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Jesus, that’s horrible,” Kit said.

Ade shrugged. “Yeah- and I think it freaked out my parents, my mum especially. And so when this opportunity came up for her, I think she jumped at the chance to get us out of London, at least for a few years.”

He looked over at Kit. “Anyway- that’s my dark history.”

“Batman has nothing on you,” Kit told him seriously and was pleased to see Ade grin back at him.

“I’m sorry I made fun of you,” he continued. “Also, I know I’ve been kind of a crappy friend lately. I promise to try and be better in the future, and listen if you want to talk.”

“You have been full on angsty, Herondale,” Ade told him. “I can’t wait until daylight savings time happens and you snap out of your Mr Depressive, Heathcliff persona.”

“What?” Kit asked, not seeing the connection.

“Like- I’m not a doctor yet, but I swear you have a classic case of SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder,” Ade said, clarifying as he saw Kit’s confusion. “You’re from Los Angeles- land of eternal sun. It must’ve been a huge shock to your system to have to live in the land of perpetual gloom, aka Blighty.” He eyed Kit. “Maybe a touch of PTSD too, from whatever your own origin story is.”

He held his hands up. “Mate- no need to tell me, if you don’t want to. I know it’s something to do with a cult, or something, according to Ellie. But you know… maybe if it’s tough, get a light lamp, and spend some of that whack of money you have on some therapy.”

Kit opened his mouth, considering. He closed it again and nodded. “Yeah. okay, maybe…” He moved back to the bench. “I think we’re way over the time now- let’s get back to our reps.”

Ade nodded and came over to spot him. As he was about to start, Kit thought of something else. “Ade, you need some time to relax and chill out about exams. You should come and hang out with Ellie and I. Once a week, we watch terrible films and throw popcorn and it’s… great. Helps with the stress.”

“Okay,” Ade replied, casually. “We can use your big cinema room, right? That’s class, it is…”

Kit smiled, realising that his half-cocked plan might actually work. Ellie needed some new distraction from Jack and he knew she had been mentioning Ade more recently.

--

Maybe it was the stupid light ball lamp he had bought in Argos, or maybe that finally the days were getting longer, or that he finally started to feel as comfortable in both half of his lives - Shadowhunter and mundane but Kit could feel his spirit lightening as the days moved into April.

And one day, after spotting the tomes about Faerie lying on a side table in Tessa’s special dedicated library and reading room, he knew he also had to finally face another part of his history that until now, he had been ignoring.

He knocked on the door, one evening, while she was bent over a book. She smiled and gestured for him to come in.

“Tessa- can we talk about the First Heir stuff?” Kit asked. “I think it’s time I learned more about it...”

------

Notes: As always, not canon-compliant with Secrets of Blackthorn Hall. But also... I wrote this a year ago, and looking back on what we've seen for SOBH and Kit's interactions with Emma and Julian, I think the vibe here is pretty spot on. Also, nailed it with how depressed Kit is at Cirenworth. The difference is... at least in this story he's actually trying to work through it, and Jem and Tessa are trying to help in constructive ways, or at least- not ignoring it. *sigh*

#tsc fanfiction #kit herondale #the dark artifices #sobh #ty blackthorn #emma carstairs #julian blackthorn #jem carstairs #tessa gray #mina carstairs #found family #slow burn #teenage angst #kit x ty #my fanfic #effortless #alicantenet

[waltersmcpherson45]

Affiliation between emptying vein diameters as well as intracranial arteriovenous malformation lose blood: a new multicentric retrospective review

Because of an extensive data collection, the possibility to check out the process of environmental elements, knowledge as well as their conversation along with conditions in this local community.The kinetics involving circulating Yeast mannan along with anti-mannan antibodies had been analyzed throughout straight lcd trials, obtained after healthcare facility entrance, of 21 individuals together with microbiologically confirmed intrusive candida albicans along with 40 management sufferers who have myelo-ablative chemo. Your discovery associated with Yeast anti-mannan antibodies preceded the diagnosis of intrusive infections throughout contaminated sufferers, and the antibodies have been found significantly more typically within sufferers who'd knowledgeable numerous episodes of neutropenia than in the management team (Or perhaps 8.Nine, 95% CI Five.6-14.3; r < 2.05). Mannan had been primarily detected in sufferers which developed intrusive candidiasis on their initial event of neutropenia (Or even 3.Several, 95% CI One particular.4-9.6; r < 2.05). This particular statement implies that sufferers with several episodes of neutropenia are already previously encountered with Yeast infection understanding that the existence of anti-mannan antibodies during these individuals may be of an improved likelihood of developing clinically express intrusive candida albicans.Your photo-induced immobilization regarding 4-vinylbenzyl thymine (VBT) and 4-vinylbenzyl triethyl ammonium chloride (VBA) copolymers has been looked into using grazing-angle specular-reflectance FT-IR spectroscopy. Since irradiation moment raises, modifications in the structure of pendent thymine groupings within the copolymer due to the crosslinking course of action lead to changes with the copolymer system's vibrational wavelengths, along with alterations in several Infrared wedding ring intensities. With this function, chemometric methods happen to be used on your FT-IR info attained even though monitoring the time evolution involving treating associated with VBT-VBA copolymers associated with different arrangement. The spectral files acquired along with FT-IR normally provide details no more than how much conversion from the reactants within the ultimate merchandise there is however absolutely no information about what number of ingredients may take place as well as that they 3PO change after a while. The use of the particular so-called Multivariate Contour Resolution-Alternating The very least Sections enables the sequential evaluation in the contribution towards the indication due to the different varieties in the matrix info. (h) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights set-aside.Depending on earlier files on single-piece along with three-piece intraocular lenses (IOLs) there is no evidence regarding substantial variations in decentration, lean along with indicative transfer. The objective of the current research would have been to assess single-piece as well as three-piece IOLs inside patients with good axial short sightedness. A overall regarding Sixty eight eye of fifty sufferers with good axial myopia (axis period the pieces per 1000 yenaEuro parts every 500 28.Double zero millimeter) together with along with without cataract who went through complication-free phacoemulsification and also IOL implantation were retrospectively reviewed. To compare single-piece along with three-piece IOLs, the actual sufferers ended up retrospectively grouped based on IOL variety: party A single polymer-bonded single-piece IOL (in = Thirty-seven; ACR6D Sony ericsson, Corneal, England) and also party 2 acrylic three-piece IOL with fixed haptic body (in = 31st; AF-1 UY, Hoya, Okazaki, japan). Patient information have been assessed regarding best spectacle-corrected graphic skill (BSCVA), echoing of a routine and also steadiness.

[nilssonvazquez14]

The future pertaining to Mediterranean esturine habitat: 60 essential problems and also Fifty important resource efficiency study concerns.

In the absence of just about any lowering realtor, the actual buildings cleave plasmid pBR322 Genetic ended up being carried out and it is hydrolytic mechanism had been demonstrated together with major scavengers, anaerobic reaction and T4 ligase. Your kinetic aspects of Genetic make-up bosom below pseudo- or perhaps true-Michaelis-Menten the weather is also thorough, kinetic details (okay(kitty), Okay(Michael)) ended up determined being 3.Fifty seven h(-1), Half a dozen.95 times Ten(-4) Mirielle; Zero.Twenty-eight l(-1), One.Nine by 12(-5) Michael pertaining to Four, respectively. (Chemical) 2010 Elsevier Inc. Just about all privileges set aside.Targets: To research mit composition as well as vasorelaxant effect of the fundamental essential oil regarding Lippia alba (EOLA) within rat mesenteric artery. Material and techniques: Compound arrangement associated with EOLA was looked into by fuel chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Vasorelaxant influence had been examined inside vitro within rat exceptional mesenteric artery bands. Results: GC/MS analysis unveiled a good Twenty materials, along with geranial (48.58%) and also neral (Thirty-five.42%) being the major constituents. In intact rings precontracted with phenylephrine (Phe: A single mu Meters), EOLA (100-1000 mu g/mL) brought on rest, the place that the optimum impact (Emax) has been One hundred ten.8 +/- 12.8%. This effect wasn't changed following endothelium removal (Emax Is equal to 134.Eight +/- Of sixteen.5%), soon after tetraethylammonium (TEA) (Emax Is equal to 117.A couple of +/- Some.96%), or perhaps in bands precontracted using KCl (70 millimeters) (Emax Equates to 112.6 +/- Half a dozen.70%). Furthermore, EOLA was able to prevent the contraction caused by CaCl(2) and produced a small however significant (R < Zero.05) added result (coming from 75.Your five +/- Three or more.Some to be able to One hundred and five.Several +/- 13.5%, n Equates to Your five) on the maximal leisure associated with nifedipine (NIF: Ten mu Meters). Conclusions: The outcome demonstrated that EOLA triggers endothelium-independent vasorelaxation, which in turn appears to be caused, a minimum of in part, through preventing Los angeles(2+) trend via voltage-operated California(2+) programs.Copper mineral iodide was implemented like a relatively inexpensive catalyst (vs . palladium) for that high-yield synthesis involving amide derivatives involving podocarpic chemical p. The reaction included the one-step cross-coupling reaction of methyl 13-iodo-O-methylpodocarpate with amides.Mannan-containing items are able to modulating immune responses inside animals. However, different products could possibly have diverse immunomodulation. Your test has been conducted to check outcomes of mannan oligosaccharide (Actigen; ACT) on progress efficiency and also serum levels involving antibodies along with inflamation related mediators within weanling pigs (Sus scrofa) experimentally infected with porcine reproductive see more and the respiratory system symptoms virus (PRRSV). When using 33 PRRSV-negative pigs (Several wk previous) have been arbitrarily given from within hindrances to 1 of four years old treatments in the Two through 2 factorial design [2 types of diet regime: control (0%) and Behave inclusion (0.04%); sufficient reason for along with without having PRRSV] inside a randomized comprehensive stop design and style. Pigs have been clogged through first BW within just sex. Ancestry was equalized across remedies. Pigs (8/treatment) were held individually in every compose. Soon after 2 wk of an 8-wk amount of eating the actual treatment options, pigs acquired an intranasal inoculation associated with PRRSV or scam method at Your five wk old enough.

[carmenfairchild]

Emma and Julian really MURDER ancient untouchable fairies with ✨ the power of love ✨

#emma did kill one by herself with cortana #so badass #emma x julian #jemma #jemma blackstairs #emma carstairs #emma cordelia carstairs #julian blackthorn #jules blackthorn #ridders of mannan #the seven of mannan #the dark artifices #tda #qoaad #qoaad spoilers #queen of air and darkness #the shadowhunter chronicles #tsc #shadowhunters #carstairs #blackthorn #los angeles institute #parabatai curse

[heykav]

7 injured in group clash in Pratapgarh

7 injured in group clash in Pratapgarh

[ad_1] At least seven persons including one woman sustained injuries after two rival groups clashed over a petty dispute in Dharampur village under the limits of Mandhata police station of Pratapgarh district on Friday. Additional police pickets have been deployed to in the area. [ad_2] Source link

View On WordPress

#Abhishek Singh #Allahabad latest news #Allahabad news #Allahabad news live #Allahabad news today #faizul nisha #limits #Mannan #Seven injured in group clash in Pratapgarh #Today news Allahabad

[smallpressdistribution]

8 SPD Books Regarding Song

In This Month's SPD Clickhole by Lizzy Lemieux

The other day I saw that Lana Del Rey's Summertime Sadness had made its way back onto the (or at least, some) charts, despite coming out SEVEN years ago. This begs important questions, namely "Is Hot Girl Summer canceled???", and if so, "How many Reese's Peanut Butter Cups can I eat in bed while rewatching Euphoria before summertime sadness turns into year round chronic depression?" 

Basically, good music has a staying power. Even bad music has a staying power. (I just saw EW put out a "Friday" themed playlist to celebrate Rebecca Black's viral video released in 2011.) I'm not sure why. Maybe because we project our emotions onto it and factor it into our personal identity. Maybe because it marks important life events, i.e. weddings, breakups, funerals. Maybe because some songs trigger certain memories. For me, Hozier recalls the Staten Island Ferry. Dynamite conjures a middle school assembly. 

Which brings us to this month's handpicked theme: Song. From John Lennon to Buzzcocks to Nicki Minaj to Bob Dylan, these 8 books will get lyrics stuck in your head and help you ace Lana Del Rey trivia bowls (if they aren't already a national event, can anybody get on that?) 

Lana Del Rey: Her Life in 94 Songs (Squint Books, 2016): Lana Del Rey is elusive. She seems to inhabit an "violently kitsch" other-world. As Mannan, whose thesis was on "academic notions of authenticity in 'Born to Die'", writes in his forward, "I find myself in [her world] too-- sad and sexual and slipping between reality and another time." The book feels like liner notes, if liner notes traced the artist's origin back to demos and Elizabeth Grant and considered how the music industry and her poetic predecessors shaped her verse. 

Leadbelly (Verse Press/Wave Books, 2005): From Pulitzer Prize winning author Tyehimba Jess comes Leadbelly, a poetic unearthing of the blues and folk singer Huddie William Ledbetter, better known as Leadbelly. Voices of multiple speakers weave together and layer the narrative, beginning with Leadbelly's mother and father and moving to his wife Martha and folklorist John Lomax. Poems which appear as dialogue allow the reader to listen in on conversations between famous artists, and others innovative forms, like the contrapuntal, invite the reader to lend their voice in personal performance. 

Collected Lyrics: Pete Shelley (Eyewear Publishing, 2018): For the first time Pete Shelley's lyrics, from both Buzzcocks and from his solo career, are collected in a single volume. Spanning over 40 years, allowing readers to return to Punk's first wave and to the singer himself who passed in 2018. Collected Lyrics also includes an introduction by Buzzcocks’ seminal designer Malcolm Garrett.

Cuntry (Trembling Pillow Press, 2017): Entirely uncensored and graphically shameless, Kristin Sanders poetry collection considers the nearly universal objectification of the female body, rendering the seemingly separate worlds of country music and porn as parallel universes. Sanders identifies each genre's female ideal, or, female "object". "The cuntry object has to a good one-- a very good girl", Sanders writes, making us to wonder, what makes a girl good? Many of the poems in "Cuntry" respond to existing country songs while responding to our questions about the female object herself. In "Daddy's Money Sung by Ricochet", Sanders upacks the hidden criteria for goodness found in the lines, "She's got her daddy's money, her mama's good looks. More laughs than a stack of comic books." Among those criteria? A cuntry girl must be: American, White, a child of a two parent household, etc. 

Album (Wendy's Subway, 2019): Album is a Mariana Valencia autobiographical solo-performance encapsulated in a book, compiling song, dance, and text. The reduction of an auditory and visual experience to a singularly visual creates a unique form in which musical direction floats in the margins and an entire section, entitled "THIS IS WHAT I LOOK LIKE WHEN I DANCE FOR MYSELF IN FRONT OF YOU", is devoted to black and white cut-and-paste freeze-frames on pale pink paper. 

Elizabeth Ellen Poems (Short Flight/Long Drive Books, 2018): Elizabeth Allen muses on music's saturation of our daily lives. From driving with the radio on, to asking our dates their favorite song, and judging them accordingly. In this 400 page collection Elizabeth Ellen riffs off songs by Nicki Minaj, Bob Dylan, Elliott Smith, and Riot Grrrl, using them as abstract entrance points into personal narrative on marriage, motherhood, and mental illness. 

UnNatural Music: John Lennon and Yoko Ono in Cambridge 1969  (Allardyce, Barnett, Publishers, 2016): "I do not have to tell you have disgraceful John's attitude was and Yoko's is", opens Anthony Barnett's concise tell-all on the famous coupling who bridged the avant-garde and pop-worlds. Barnett has long kept silent on the experience of producing Lennon's first public performance away from The Beatles, "UnNatural Music". This book serves to "set the record straight" though personal narrative, contemporary documents and ephemera.

Yr Skull A cathedral (Publishing Genius Press, 2018):  Param Anand Singh's Yr Skull A Cathedral is cacophony/symphony, an amalgamation of voices sourced from Hellraiser to Rumi in internet acronyms and traditional poetic forms. At the risk of being reductive, it is a collection of poetry which takes the form of sapphics, ghazals, translations and song lyrics. Among the source material are poems by Lorca, Alfonsina Storni, Gurdas Maan, Rumi, Bhai Nand Lal Ji, Caetano Veloso, Cesar Vallejo, and the authors own band, Nuclear Power Pants. 

#spdclickhole #clickhole #lana del rey #buzzcocks #John Lennon #Yoko Ono #Lorca #Mariana Valencia #Riot Grrrl #bob dylan #nicki minaj #elliott smith #ghazal #leadbelly #tyehimba jess #Publishing Genius Press #Allardyce Barnett Publishers #Short Flight/Long Drive Books #Wendy's Subway #Trembling Pillow Press #eyewear publishing #Verse press/wave books #Squint Books #listicle

[icywhitescar]

QoAaD theories on Ash, Kit, and Shade.

Ash: Ash is essentially confirmed to be the son of the Seelie Queen and Sebastian Morgenstern - he has green eyes, pale white hair, wears a crown ('a pale band of metal encircled it [his hair] at his brow'), and believed that his mother had sent someone to rescue him. The Seelie Queen mentioned in Lord of Shadows that she wants the Black Volume of the Dead because it contains a spell that she wants to use in order to get back someone who is close to her at the court that the Unseelie King is holding captive. This gives me a strong reason to believe that the  Ash is held captive by the Unseelie King: 

'There were weapons in the room. . . of all sorts of metal except iron.' '"I'm called Ash," he said. "Did my mother send you?" He sounded hopeful. "Is she worried about me?"' [references from pages 561 to 562 of Lord of Shadows]

I'm not exactly sure why the King would want to hold Ash captive, but it could be because he is aware that he is a potential weapon, as he is half Nephilim and half fey. The King may want to keep him so that he could use him as a weapon, or to ensure that the Seelie Court doesn't ally itself with the Shadowhunters if a war breaks out. He may even want to use him as bait for Shadowhunters, though I doubt Ash is too fond of Shadowhunters in the first place. However, when he realised that Dru was a Shadowhunter, he was still hopeful of a rescue so perhaps he is aware of his heritage. 

Kit Herondale: Kit is the only known descendant of the First Heir, Auraline,  who was the child of the Unseelie King and the Seelie Queen, thus having legitimate rights over both thrones. Could Kit be perhaps entangled in a plot where he is entitled over either or one of the thrones? "There is great power in their blood, and there is great danger too" (LoS, I didn't get down the page number sorry y'all). 

Depending on what his special power is (apparently he has some that will be revealed in QoAaD), Kit could be a powerful weapon. As he is distantly related to Ash and all fifty Unseelie Princes, something interesting could happen between them and him.

On page 536, one of the Seven Riders of Mannan recognised Kit when they attacked him, Ty and Livvy: 'Eochaid stood arrested, his eyes glittering behind the holes of his mask. The irises, too, were bronze-colored. "I know you", he said. "I know your face."' 

As the Riders were employed by the Unseelie King as searchers, (I feel like they were once used to search for the First Heir and I'm not sure if that was ever mentioned or if I made it up-) they could pop up again and want to capture Kit. The Unseelie King would be itching to get his hands on him if he finds out Kit is a related to the First Heir.

John Shade: To make it clear, the only reason I think John Shade is the warlock Ty, Livvia, and Kit encountered in the Shadow Market is because they both are warlocks who have green skin and go by the nickname 'Shade'. I think it's a bit of a stretch to assume they are the same person since John Shade (the adoptive father of Mortmain from The Infernal Devices) was killed in 1815 by Aloysius Starkweather and some other Shadowhunters but one thing the Seelie Queen said to Julian made me think that a comeback would be possible [ page 273 of Lord of Shadows]:

'"It is a weakness of your king, to regard death as so final," said the Queen with glee, "especially when it comes to warlocks."

Now that was in context to Malcolm returning but who knows? Maybe it's applicable to Shade as well since he didn't show the trio his face and wore a hood, perhaps because in 1815 he was decapitated. If he was decapitated, his head was probably kept as 'spoils' from battle, which Aloysius Starkweather showed Tessa in TID and perhaps Shade doesn't have a head right now? I'm aware that it's a stretch but who knows at this point.

I've had these ideas in my head since the second time I re-read the series in August 2018 but I am posting them on November 4th 2018 - a month before the release of QoAaD wowie! Okay, I'm done now I'll go watch emmmabooks video on her theories of what will happen see y'all! 

#Queen of Air and Darkness #QoAaD #qoaad theories #qoaad predictions #Cassandra Clare #TDA #the dark artifices #SPOILERS #the infernal devices #kit herondale #ash morgenstern

[tothewaterhq]

RECAP: THE 76TH GAMES

The tributes rose up into the middle of a grassy expanse that held the Cornucopia. The Arena was massive, especially compared to the haunted house from the most recent Quarter Quell. A lake and a castle dominated the landscape with a forest occupying the middle portion, leaving countless caves, nooks, and clearings that would soon house one of the most exciting Games in recent years.

The initial Bloodbath was unique in its onslaught of tributes turning on their partners: one of the smallest tributes, Fiona Pope of Two, killed her District Partner Apollo Brickman in a courageous act of self-defence. Shay Mattingly of Six swiftly took out her partner Ford as she escaped with a sleeve of throwing knives, and even the allies from District One, Vega Nero and Alex Brite, got into a frantic squabble over a broadsword. As pairs and trios of alliances fled the Cornucopia, six cannons fired to signal the beginning of a gruelling six day-long Games.

As the tributes settled into the Arena on the first night, the dangers had not yet been fully released, allowing the groups to settle in and explore. As the sun rose on the second morning, animals began to fill the Arena. Murderous Shetland ponies, cows with razor-sharp horns, and tiny Pine Martens that packed a ferocious bite joined mythical creatures like kelpies as they roamed the terrain. Two girl gangs began to form: one trio of gentle District Nine tribute Arista Baize, the little District Ten spitfire Kathryn Huntington, and tough-as-nails District Five tribute Vida Oldridge, and a pairing of Fiona Pope of Two and Shay Mattingly of Six.

Shay and Fiona teamed up to kill the pair from District Four, Cascade and Triton, in a nail-biting fight, while Kathryn proved that tiny truly could be mighty as she defeated Arion Barker of District Seven. Jules Churchill fought and killed Monty Byrd of Ten, as two lone wolves collided. A thunderstorm additionally crashed down on the tributes, soaking them all to the bone and forcing them to seek shelter throughout the Arena.

However, despite the stakes of the Games, love was in the air. Alex Brite of One snuck away from his ally, Vega, in order to rendezvous with Levi Jameson of Twelve, in a brief and whirlwind romance that took the Capitol by storm. Levi, who had paired up with his District Partner and best friend Kaliope Hilade, sent Alex back to his partner with the promise that both of them would remain alive to meet again the next day. Meanwhile, Panem watched with bated breath as fourteen year-old Hudson Stark pulled together traps and caught food, even sharing a squirrel with his District partner Vida.

On the third day of the Games, faeries emerged from the woodwork to challenge and annoy the tributes. They stole supplies, tied knots in hair and in shoelaces, and were surprisingly resilient for their size. As the day continued, Alex and Levi met up once again, while Kali and Vega ran into each other while searching for their lovesick partners. Unfortunately, by the time Kali and Vega agreed to work together, it was too late: Alex and Levi had been attacked by a kelpie mutt, and the girls killed the mutt before it could get a chance to kill them as well. District Eight’s Paige Mannan additionally fell victim to the mutts, in the form of a deadly wound from one of the razor-horned cattle.

Needing drama after a slow third day, the Gamemakers created an earthquake that shook the foundations of the castle, sending the main source of hiding in the Arena crumbling down. An assortment of tributes were inside the castle as it crumbled. The destruction put a fight between Arista Baize and Vida Oldridge on hold as the girls escaped just in time. Both Eight’s Zeek Degray and Seven’s Jules Churchill were caught in the castle, but after a gruelling eight hour ordeal of fighting her way out, only Jules escaped to tell the tale.

Elsewhere in the Arena, the new alliance of Vega and Kali attacked Fiona and Shay, and Shay sacrificed herself to give Fiona enough time to escape. Fiona ran off just as Kali delivered the killing blow to the girl from Six. Distraught with grief, Fiona ran into Kathryn Huntington, and the two ferocious little girls fought hard before Fiona ultimately killed Kathryn. Dayta Oberon was then caught in a snare, and while Arista Baize cut her down from the tree, it was too late: Dayta was ultimately wounded by a pony mutt, and Arista mercy killed her to ease the pain.

Capitol audiences continued to grow restless at the slow pace of the Games, and thus a feast was called. All water sources in the Arena grew toxic and distorted, and the only fresh water could be found at the Feast. Arista Baize attempted to escape the fight by hiding in the Cornucopia and running off with her bottle, but was attacked by Hudson of District Five, and killed the younger boy in the ensuing fight. As the feast grew bloodier, Vega Nero killed Vida Oldridge of Five, while Fiona Pope was overcome with anger and vengeance, and pinned Kali to the table with her knives before killing her. And in a heart-wrenching display of hubris, Vega Nero neglected her survival training and died on the beach after consuming toxic water.

With only three tributes left, the stakes raised. Only Arista of Nine, Fiona of Two, and Jules of Seven remained. As the Shetland ponies herded the girls together, Arista fell victim to their powerful and brutal hooves, collapsing in the grass and placing third. Fiona and Jules fought viciously, but in the end, Jules and her brass knuckles got the upper hand. Rigor mortis set in, and Fiona died on her feet just as she was going in for another try at her life. Jules was taken from the Arena, the “lone wolf” becoming the Victor of the Games.

Characterized by unlikely alliances, fierce female competitors, and bonds that reached far past District lines, the Seventy-Sixth Hunger Games was truly one to remember.

FINAL PLACINGS //

1. Jules Churchill, District 7 // Victor of the Games 2. Fiona Pope, District 2 // killed by Jules Churchill 3. Arista Baize, District 9 // killed by pony mutts 4. Vega Nero, District 1 // killed by ingestion of toxic water 5. Kaliope Hilade, District 12 // killed by Fiona Pope 6. Vida Oldridge, District 5 // killed by Vega Nero 7. Hudson Stark, District 5 // killed by Arista Baize 8. Dayta Oberon, District 3 // killed by Arista Baize 9. Kathryn Huntington, District 10 // killed by Fiona Pope 10. Shay Mattingly, District 6 // killed by Kali Hilade 11. Zeek Degray, District 8 // killed by castle cave-in 12. Levi Jameson, District 12 // killed by kelpie mutt 13. Alex Brite, District 1 // killed by kelpie mutt 14. Paige Mannan, District 8 // killed by arena dangers 15. Arion Barker, District 7 // killed by Kathryn Huntington 16. Triton Betram, District 4 // killed by Fiona Pope 17. Cascade Firth, District 4 // killed by Shay Mattingly 18. Montgomery Byrd, District 10 // killed by Jules Churchill 19. Blossom Juno, District 11 // killed by Vida Oldridge 20. Enzo Stalk, District 11 // killed by Zeek Degray 21. Apollo Brickman, District 2 // killed by Fiona Pope 22. Myron Barley, District 9 // killed by Kathryn Huntington 23. Ford Turner, District 6 // killed by Shay Mattingly 24. Dexter Code, District 3 // killed by Vega Nero

#games recap #76 #// apologies for the delay on this! it took a very long time to write #// there were so many alliances and stories so it was hard to figure out what ended up in the recap but everyone is mentioned at least once!

[ttwsponsorsweekly]

76TH REAPING RECAP

Hey, hunger babes! The Quell is over, which means we’re back to our traditional reapings. I, for one, am super ready for the next twenty-four Hunger Games’! And the next Quell will be our one hundredth!!!! Oh, how exciting!!! 

So without further ado, here are the kids that stood out to me this beautiful Reaping Day!

District One is back at it again with the smoking hot Careers! Did you see the confidence in Vega when she took to that stage?!? And rumour has it that Alex wasn’t even supposed to volunteer at all! How dramatic!

Fiona Pope from Two is our latest surprise baby from a Career district, and I love her?? She’s so sweet! I’m so glad no-one volunteered when her name got called!

A volunteer from a lesser district is always worth talking about, and Dayta Oberon delivered for us this year! I love when tributes volunteer for their siblings!! #throwback to Katniss Everdeen from Twelve, anybody?

I’m not sure Triton is as bulky as our beloved Lincoln Conway, BUT he’s still pretty cute?!?? I think it’s those big brown puppy-dog eyes. Anyway, definitely keep an eye on this one. District Four might be able to pull a double-victory out of this!

Five’s Hudson Stark has the greatest, most floofy hair! I hope his stylist doesn’t mess with it or use gel or anything, that majestic mane needs to be on my TV screen as much as possible!

Volunteers outside of the Career districts are always fun to see, and Shay Mattingly delivered for us this year. I wonder if that lil lady she volunteered for is a girlfriend...? I’ll try my best to find out for you, babes!!

Another cutie with great hair from Seven!! Maybe Arion will finally break their enormous fail streak and actually live through the first day. Fingers crossed for you, darl’!!

Paige Mannan is the prettiest tribute I’ve seen from Eight in a LONG time! I’m glad, because pretty tributes make pretty victors! and we all love a pretty victor, lbr. I wasn’t sure about her district partner, Zeek, but rumour has it he’s some kind of super genius?? So maybe he’s worth looking out for, too!

How freaking cute was Nine’s Arista Blaize at her reaping?? So calm and collected, just the right level of nervous I’d expect from an outlying district... I already love her. 

Ten’s tributes this year could not be more different, and I am SUPER excited to see them interact more on-screen! The chariot parade is going to be really interesting, I can tell you! Little Kathryn is only twelve years old, whereas Monty Byrd weighs in at the other end of the spectrum at eighteen. Talk about an age gap!!

I wasn’t too excited about Twelve’s kids until I heard they were bffs, and now I’m SO invested!!! What do you think bffs do in Twelve? Do you think they braid each-other’s hair and talk about their crushes?? I would LOVE to braid Kaliope Hilade’s hair whilst Levi paints my toes, and then we could all swap, and it would just be the most fun thing!!!

#reaping recap #vega #alex #fiona #dayta #triton #hudson #shay #arion #paige #zeek #arista #kathryn #monty #kali #levi #hashtag 76

[sageofthestage]

M.A. Mannan is a business executive living in Pakistan

I am a winner!

Thank goodness I have a results oriented get it done attitude!

🏆🏆🏆

trophy

Sage of the Stage

POSTS ARCHIVE

image

SPACESHIP SET

PALM BEACH & PALM SPRINGS

THE TWO PALMS TOGETHER MAKE A ROUND OF CHEERFUL APPLAUSE!

SPACESHIP SET

OUR DREAM COMES TRUE AT SEVEN STAR CENTER!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SPACESHIP

SET

JET⭐️SET

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

👬👬👬

two men holding hands

��‍💼👨‍💼👨‍💼

man office worker

🕴🕴🕴

man in business suit levitating

👩‍💼👩‍💼👩‍💼

woman office worker

🧑‍💼🧑‍💼🧑‍💼

nonbinary office worker

[mihsignultra]

001 - Zepharma Caconal 2

002 - Zepharma Brecol Capsulle

003 - Nintendo Gamecube Bleach

004 - Chifure

005 - Sato no Osonae

006 - Sonicare

007 - Contac 600 ST

008 - Contac Sekidome ST

009 - Unilever

010 - Lux Super Rich

011 - Yubinkyoku Post Office

012 - Johnson & Johnson Acuvue

013 - Yamayoshi Chips

014 - Takeda Benza Capsulle

015 - Lion Kirei Kirei

016 - Duskin Mop

017 - Bienkaori Hair Color

018 - Meiji Dairy

019 - Meiji

020 - Meiji Cho-pan

021 - Meiji Xylish

022 - Kiri

023 - PS2 Disney Kingdom Hearts

024 - PSP

025 - PSP

026 - PSP Derby Time

027 - Tsukijiri

028 - Nintendo DS Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop

029 - Christmas Sale

030 - Book Off

031 - Yamazaki X-Mas Cake

032 - MUFG Bank

033 - Toshiba

034 - Toshiba Vodafone 803T

035 - Vodafone

036 - UC Card

037 - Sankyo Lulu A

038 - Sankyo Lulu A Capsulle

039 - Mister Donut Pockets

040 - Trite

041 - Asahi Wonda

042 - Asahi Super Dry

043 - Asahi Wonda Shot & Shot

044 - Asahi Super Dry

045 - Asahi Super Dry

046 - Promise

047 - Suntory Vitamin Water

048 - Suntory Boss Black

049 - MUFG Nicos Card

050 - Otsuka Ure Pearl

051 - Kumon

052 - Art Nature

053 - Canon Selphy

054 - Seven & i Holdings

055 - 7 Eleven

056 - Zurich

057 - Zurich

058 - Septon 

059 - Bochuriki

060 - Mondamin

061 - Tamago

062 - Earth No Mat

063 - JT

064 - JT

065 - Bathroman

066 - Aiful

067 - Aiful

068 - Kirin Fire

069 - Kirin Green Tea

070 - Kirin Gogo no Kocha

071 - Kirin Potato Kokochi

072 - Misawa Home

073 - Diga DVD Player

074 - Panasonic Camera

075 - Panasonic D-Snap

076 - Sofina Rise and Vital Rich

077 - Kao Blaune Natural

078 - Kao Wareia Clean

079 - Kao Resesh

080 - Kao Resesh

081 - Kao Humming

082 - New Naive

083 - Naive

084 - Revue Essence In

085 - Kanebo Faircrea White

086 - NTT DoCoMo Saidai Hangaku

087 - DeAgostini Ships Collection

088 - Mannan Life Fruit Jellies

089 - National Washing Machine

090 - National Pro IU

091 - National Living Showroom

092 - National Living Showroom

093 - Biore

094 - Biore

095 - NTT Communications Platinum Line

096 - NTT Communications Platinum Line

097 - NTT Communications

098 - 2nd Street

099 - Sharp Dolce

100 - Shiseido Haku

101 - Shiseido Uno

102 - Shiseido Ag+

103 - Sanikleen

104 - Nissin Cup Noodle

105 - Nissin Cup Noodle Kimchi

106 - Nissin Soup

107 - JA Kyosai

108 - JA Bank

109 - JA Kyosai

110 - Acom

111 - Acom

112 - Acom

113 - Acom

114 - Sapporo The Fruit Sparkling

115 - Sapporo Draft One

116 - Sapporo Beer

117 - KDDI au

118 - KDDI au

119 - Taisho Kanpo Ichoyaku

120 - Taisho RiUP

121 - Taisho Damarin Ace

122 - Taisho Collac II

123 - Oyatsu Company Karakari Chips

124 - House Kantomen

125 - House Natural Brown

126 - House Sawaya Katoiki

127 - House Vermont Curry

128 - House Tongari Corn

129 - Marukome Miso

130 - Dove Moisture Shampoo

131 - Nicorette Gum

132 - Sky PerfecTV!

133 - Calpis Water

134 - Eskimo Pino

135 - Yofuku no Aoyama

136 - Pepsi Twist

137 - Asahi Kasei Bell House

138 - Yebisu Bar

139 - Propia

140 - ENEOS

141 - Tama Home

142 - McDonald’s

143 - Unimat Ladies

144 - Otsuka Nature Made

145 - Sea Breeze

146 - Face Finite Crystal

147 - Glico Puchin Purin

148 - Daihatsu Boon

149 - Orico Card Upty

150 - Choya Umesh

151 - Choya Lemon Wine

152 - Sunstar Ora 2

153 - Sunstar Ora 2

154 - JRA 2005

155 - TBC

156 - Good Year

157 - Autobacs

158 - Aeon

159 - Den Code

160 - Circle K Sunkus

161 - Mazda MPV

162 - Kojima

163 - Subtle Snowboard

164 - Sakai Deliver

165 - Kowa Vantelin

166 - Nissan Kauzo

167 - Nissan Elgrand

168 - Dengeki Soko

169 - Sharp Foma

170 - BPO

#japanese #commerical #logos

[local338]

It's #MemberMonday and today we’re featuring Refat Mannan! She is an employee at Key Food and an #L338 member of seven years! Thank you for all your hard work and for being a member of our union family! #UnionMemberMonday #338Strong #1U #UnionStrong #EssentialWorker #FrontlineHeroes https://www.instagram.com/p/CMvBnoggZVR/?igshid=16c3ezwpz9bcr

#membermonday #l338 #unionmembermonday #338strong #1u #unionstrong #essentialworker #frontlineheroes

[bbcbreakingnews]

Why Owaisi’s AIMIM poses serious challenge to Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party in UP

NEW DELHI: After a decent performance in the 2020 Bihar assembly elections, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has set his eyes on Uttar Pradesh (UP) that goes to polls next year. In UP, Owaisi’s main target seems to be Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP). It was clear from what Owaisi said during his latest visit to the country’s most populous state on January 13 that AIMIM considered SP as its main rival party. Just after landing in Varanasi, he told mediapersons that during Akhilesh government’s regime (from 2012 to 2017), he was stopped 12 times from entering UP and permission for arrival was denied to him on 28 occasions. What he said next could be music to Yogi Adityanath’s BJP government in the state. He said he was in the state after he got the permission. “Now, when I got the permission I am here,” he said. AIMIM always faces two serious questions from its rivals – that it is a “vote-katwa” party (vote splitting party) and it is the “BJP’s agent”. Owaisi, a Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad, replied to both these charges. On AIMIM being a “vote-katwa” party, he said its opponents wanted that the people should keep voting them like slaves and other political parties should not contest elections. When AIMIM contests any election, their motive is to win it, and not to ensure victory or defeat of anyone else, he said. On AIMIM being “BJP’s agent”, Owaisi’s curt reply was that his party leaders should not care about such allegations. In Bihar elections, AIMIM was in Secular Democratic Front and everybody knows who benefitted out of it. His obvious reference was to the five seats which AIMIM won in the Bihar assembly elections for the first time. In fact, Bihar has inspired Owaisi to launch AIMIM in UP in a major way. It contested 38 seats in the 2017 UP assembly elections and did not win even a single one. It garnered a mere 0.24 per cent of the vote share. However, Owaisi has declared that AIMIM would contest on about 25 per cent of the total seats – which comes to about 100 in the 403-seat assembly. As far as increasing the number of winning seats and vote share in the 2022 elections is concerned, AIMIM is eyeing the SP which gets most of the votes of the Muslims who constitute 19.3 per cent of the state’s population. In the 2017 assembly elections, SP had fought on 311 seats while its then alliance partner Congress on 114 seats. While SP won 47 seats by garnering 21.9 per cent of vote share, the Congress was victorious on just seven seats and it got 6.3 per cent of the votes polled. Similarly, Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) contested on all 403 seats but it was victorious on just 19 seats. But it garnered 22.2 per cent vote share. On the other hand, the BJP fielded its candidates on 384 seats, won 312 by garnering 39.7 per cent vote share. Om Prakash Rajbhar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) had contested on eight seats, won four and polled 0.7 per cent of vote share. SBSP has aligned with AIMIM for the 2022 UP assembly elections. Owaisi wishes to replicate the Bihar experiment in UP. Instead of being a “vote-katwa” party, AIMIM is striving to carve out a constituency for itself. It has already declared its first candidate for the next assembly elections. Abdul Mannan, an eye surgeon by profession who quit the Peace Party to join AIMIM, would be fielded from Utraula assembly constituency in Balrampur district. In Bihar, AIMIM damaged Lalu Prasad-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) the most. AIMIM split the Muslim votes which, otherwise, usually used to go to RJD. In UP, SP is likely to suffer the most with AIMIM’s serious entry. Incidentally, both SP and RJD have the same vote banks – Muslims and Yadavs (MY). AIMIM might walk away with a sizeable chunk of Muslim votes which used to fall in SP’s kitty till the last elections. While AIMIM would gain from this strategy, it would tangentially also benefit the BJP, as it did in Bihar, where the latter emerged as the second largest party by winning 74 seats, just one less than RJD out of total 243 seats.

source https://bbcbreakingnews.com/2021/01/15/why-owaisis-aimim-poses-serious-challenge-to-akhilesh-yadavs-samajwadi-party-in-up/

[helloshiningbd]

The Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal, Bagerhat has sentenced rapist Abdul Mannan Sardar to life imprisonment within seven working days after a child rape case was filed in Mongla, Bagerhat. The court also sentenced him to one more year imprisonment for non-payment of a fine of Tk 20,000.

#Child rape

[clockworkopera]

Ty, Livvy and Ultima Thule...

Ty, Livvy, ‘Ultima Thule’ and the Wicked Powers:

Ok, so I’ve got multiple theories here: I’m going to try to braid them together into a cohesive piece. They interconnect in some ways and overlap in others. These ideas are my own interpretations and extrapolations. I have done previous posts individually, so those that may have missed stuff from earlier, I have added links throughout.

1-Dreamland Poem, by Edgar Allan Poe—Titles of all the Chapters

2- Whatever Ty does that allows the Wicked Powers to happen

3- (Bronze) Riders of Mannan: Bronze to Summon the Wicked Powers

Dreamland

First, Ultima Thule means: a distant place located beyond the borders of the known world. Cassie used the reference of Thule twice in the book. The first was in Porthollow church when the demon called himself “I am Sabnock of Thule” (So beyond the borders of this world into a demon realm), and the second for the inscription of the clock at the ending (and the reference of heaven, another place beyond this world).

The chapter titles of LoS are all lines from the poem Dreamland by Edgar Allan Poe (Full poem here: http://apoemaday.tumblr.com/post/103571634145/dream-land).  The last stanza of the poem:

By a route obscure and lonely,                                                                      Where an Eidolon, name NIGHT,                                                                       On a black throne reigns upright,                                                                            I have wandered home buy newly                                                                   From this ultimate dim Thule.

I admit I was surprised the poem didn’t seem to have a significant role to the story in the same way Annabel Lee had for Lady Midnight. I have a hard time with understanding poetry (and English is my first language—I know there are a lot of international folk out there), but the website Shmoop did an excellent line by line analysis. https://www.shmoop.com/dream-land-poe/summary.html

The story of the poem goes that there is a human traveler that ventures beyond the ultima thule (maybe in his dreams). The place he visits is described visually much like Faerie, a place “out of SPACE—out of TIME”, that is “haunted by ill angels only, Where an Eidolon, named Night, On a black throne reigns upright”. On his journey through this land he sees a range of beings from ghouls to ghosts of the traveler’s past: “White—robed forms of friends long given, In agony, to Earth—and Heaven.” Schmoop translates this line: “The speaker recognizes these ghosts! They appear in the shape of dead friends, people who have been buried…and gone to heaven”. But the traveler cannot stay indefinitely, and like a dream his stay is only temporary—even if this place makes the speaker thinks the place is ‘peaceful and soothing’—“Maybe that’s because the world is so bad that he’d go anywhere to escape it, or maybe it’s because he gets to see his dead love ones.”

This reminds me of Ty.

What does Ty do?

I keep thinking back to the scene between Ragnor and James at the Academy, after James turned into a Shadow in Nothing But Shadows:

“I waited for you to ask me for help,” Ragnor told him. “I thought perhaps you might make a warlock.”

“I never wanted to be anything but a Shadowhunter,” James said helplessly.

Ragnor said, sounding disgusted as usual: “You Shadowhunters never do.”

Does this mean that James could have chosen to leave the Clave to become a Warlock? It’s sounds like a definite possibility. Since Ty is a descendent of Lucie’s, could he then have a latent warlock ability as well?

We don’t know how all the genetics work in Nephilim, and since Tessa was the only one of her kind to be born, it is all uncharted territory as to how her demon ancestry will affect or present in her descendants (there is Thule again—beyond the borders of known genetics). It could be a hidden gene is carried, and if you subscribe to the idea of epigenetics it will only get ‘activated’ under certain stressful conditions. I have a theory that stress is what triggers warlock abilities from these examples: Tessa’s was triggered by her imprisonment with the Dark Sisters, James by nearly dying, and Magnus when his step-father tried to kill him. I can’t even imagine the ‘stress’ to Ty, caused by Livvy’s death.

If the poem has deeper meaning and significance, then I think it is about Ty. His thinking pattern is different from whatever everybody else considers ‘normal’. Maybe with his unusual way of thinking, his first instinct is to go after to where Livvy is—rather than thinking like all the rest of us do, with theories of necromancy and bringing her back from the dead. This may not even be a conscious thought in his mind, more of an unconscious automatic response as his heart tries to follow her. They were going to be parabatai: “Entreat me not to leave thee, Or return from following after thee—for whither thou goest, I will go”. Ty takes the meaning of things very literally—and I would think only more so with it being such an important oath.

Riders of Mannan: Bronze to Summon the Wicked Powers

https://clockworkopera.tumblr.com/post/163610362312/mythologies-of-mannan-and-the-faerie-weapon and https://clockworkopera.tumblr.com/post/162715976952/and-bronze-to-summon-wicked-power

Manannan mac Lir is a Sea God in Celtic Mythology. His name is shortened in Manx Gaelic to Mannan.

When the Rider Fal was killed, Gwyn asked the other Riders: “A Rider has passed into the Shadow Lands,” said Gwyn. “Would you like me to sound the horn for him?”

Mannan is the guardian of the Otherworld, who ferries souls to the afterlife (Shadow Lands?). He is the Celtic equivalent of Hades. He is also a Necromancer (I would think he would have more use for the Black Volume than the Unseelie King). And the Seven Riders call him their ‘father’. The Riders of Mannan are described multiple times as bronze: cloaked in glimmering bronze, bronze riders, bronze hair, masks, horses, shortsword, skin, irises, armor. Almost every physical description includes bronze.

And then there is the Nephilim children’s rhyme: “And Bronze to Summon the Wicked Powers”

And how well do angel’s weapons work on the Riders? Kit couldn’t help but notice that the angel blades didn’t seem to be cutting through the Riders’ armor, or even slicing their skin as he’d managed to do with his shortsword. There was puzzlement on Ty’s face, rage on Livvy’s as she stabbed at Eochaid’s heart with her seraph blade. The weapon snapped off at the hilt, the force of the rebound sending her staggering back almost into the river. (I won’t even make parallels to the Mortal Sword because that isn’t what this post is about)

Could this ancient pagan SEA god play into the water symbolism of the books, especially Emma’s fear of the ocean and her nightmares, or even the big HINT of the book covers? Could a path to the Shadowlands be forged through the sea, in the same way souls have to cross the River Styx in Greek Mythology?

Picture 1): This was found on Cassie’s Pinterest page, titled THULE. 2) Basis for Cover of LoS 3) Cover for LM 4) Cassie’s Pinterest: Titled: EMMA

Uniting Theory: Ty uses his newly awakened warlock power, not even understanding what he is doing to build some sort of bridge to the Shadow Lands. The problem is bridges run two ways, so if he does find a path through, that means that whatever is on the other side can get back into this world too. Wicked Powers.

 And then Cassie has this teaser for Queen of Air and Darkness:

Fear prickled up and down Emma’s arms like goosebumps. Since she was twelve, she had been terrified of the ocean: she had always believed her parents had died in it, dragged below the surface by Raziel knew what, choked to death on bitter seawater. The surge and crash of waves, the imagined black velvet of the ocean’s depths, had filled her nightmares.

Even when she found out her parents had been murdered on dry land by Malcolm Fade, their bodies thrown into the sea after death, the fear remained. She reached for it now, welcomed it in. She could feel it filling the empty spaces, the hollows left by grief.

She glanced back down at the sea. The surging whirlpool below, the waves slamming like dark blue walls against sheer needles of stone, looking like a painting of a maelstrom, a photograph of a hellscape taken from a safe distance.

The wind screamed in Emma’s ears like a warning. Another wave hurled itself against the cliffs, sending up an explosion of spray. Emma smiled grimly into the wind and salt, and jumped.

Am I the only one who wondered WHY?? This is Emma’s greatest fear—what would could possibly be so important she would voluntarily jump into the ocean? Maybe going after Ty…

#ultima thule #tiberius blackthorn #the wicked powers #the dark artifices #livvy blackthorn #mythologies #theories #TDA #original post

[khalilhumam]

In Bangladesh, criticism of government response to the COVID-19 pandemic is risky

Register at https://mignation.com . The Only Social Network for Migrants. ---

New Post has been published on http://khalilhumam.com/in-bangladesh-criticism-of-government-response-to-the-covid-19-pandemic-is-risky/

In Bangladesh, criticism of government response to the COVID-19 pandemic is risky

Eleven people were charged with “spreading rumours and anti-government activities”

#FreeCartoonistKishore banner by Kawser Shakil. Used with permission.

Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19. As if the danger of the Covid-19 infection is not the primary concern of Bangladeshi citizens, criticism of the government and the country's politicians is becoming increasingly dangerous for them. During the first week of May 2020, authorities arrested four people and charged seven others for their social media posts and cartoons criticizing the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. There has been criticism of the government's lack of preparedness and lack of transparency, management, coordination to deal with the pandemic. Until May 11, 15, 691 people have been infected with the novel coronavirus in Bangladesh and 239 people died. The four individuals who were arrested were cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, writer Mushtaq Ahmed, activist Didarul Bhuiyan, and businessman Minhaz Mannan. They were all arrested under the Digital Security Act (DSA). Ahmed Kishore and Mushtaq Ahmed were sent to jail on May 6, 2020, and Didarul Bhuiyan and Minhaz Mannan were sent to jail on May 7, 2020, after their bail requests was denied. According to the First Information Report (FIR) the charges against them include: “knowingly posting rumours against the father of the nation, the liberation war, and the coronavirus pandemic to negatively affect the nation’s image.”

Would it be wrong if someone says that the authorities in #Bangladesh, equipped with Digital Security Act, launched a crackdown on those critical to the government? Eleven people were charged with “spreading rumors and carrying out anti-government activities” yesterday! — Adnan Akib (@iamadnanakib) May 7, 2020

In the same lawsuit, similar charges were brought against seven people including expatriate journalists, a Facebook page admin and social media commenters. According to a BBC Bangla report, more than 50 people have been arrested for spreading rumours about the spread of coronavirus in Bangladesh since March this year. These arrests and prosecutions represent a serious threat to freedom of expression in the country during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. “It is only an insecure and authoritarian government that uses a pandemic to arrest cartoonists, journalists, and activists,” Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said. 

‘A lack of tolerance’ to criticism

Since the beginning of the health crisis, the Bangladeshi government has maintained that they are well prepared to deal with the coronavirus. But shortages in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers and an N-95 mask scandal brought to the fore the government's mismanagement of the crisis. Moreover, the government's labelling of the lockdown as a ‘general holiday‘ sent mixed messages to the public leading to confusion. The latest decisions to reopen garments factories, restaurants and markets while the infection is still on the rise has been widely criticized across the country. Many activists think that journalists and activists are being sued or arrested to create fear in the minds of the people to stop criticism of government mismanagement. Talking to BBC Bangla in early May, Kaberi Gayen, a professor of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at the University of Dhaka, said:

এটা কখন হয়? সহিষ্ণুতার এমন অভাব হয়েছে যে তারা (সরকার) সমালোচনা নিতে পারছে পারছে না। যখনই কেউ ভিন্নমত পোষণ করে তখনই মামলা দেয়া হয়, তুলে নেয়া হয়

When does it happen? There is such a lack of tolerance that they (the government) are not able to take any criticism. Whenever anyone disagrees, a case is filed and they arrest them.

Vidyut, an engineering student, tweeted that criticism of the government does not mean opposition to the state:

State and government are different. Being critique of government doesn’t mean they are against the state. It’s a shame that the government is not differentiating between them like most of the autocratic states.#Bangladesh#dailystarnewshttps://t.co/Carhduz4Xd — Vidyut (@BeingRashedul) May 6, 2020

Stifling freedom of expression

People like cartoonist Kishore took social media spaces like Facebook to criticise government mismanagement and measures to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

Collage of cartoons of Kishore. Used with permission.

Cartoon on the left - ”Don't (In Bengali Korona means don't)! (If you do) Will beat you with brooms, you will disappear. And we will sue you under the Digital Security Act as a Bonus.” Cartoon on the right – ”May Day is great!” (In Picture, one day labourer without work is resting and browsing on a laptop, inside his bucket with a sign “Footpath home office, Karwan Bazar”)

Md Russell Talukder shared on Facebook more of Kishore's cartoon's and commented:

People in the talk shows in the television directly and nakedly criticize the government for its policies and underperforming ministers from time to time, and compared to what they say and how they say, the cartoons of Kishore are just symbolic depiction of present realities, which can be coined with different explanations. If the government's mechanisms are not directed to allow this sort of space to the citizen, it may be a direct violation of freedom of expression at a gross level.

On Facebook, Belayet Hossain Mamun thinks that any sort of criticism of the state is becoming risky for a person:

রাষ্ট্রীয় বিষয়ে সমালোচনা করা ব্যক্তির জন্য ঝুঁকিপূর্ণ; এতে আপনার ক্ষতি হতে পারে… এই রকম এক বার্তা পাচ্ছি চারপাশে… কী দুঃখজনক নিমজ্জন…

I am getting a message like this everywhere: “it is risky for a person to criticize the state affairs; it can hurt you.” What a sad degradation of freedom of speech.

Arrests under the Digital Security Act are on the rise

According to the UK-based freedom of speech organization Article 19, the number of cases and arrests under the Digital Security Act of 2018 has increased in Bangladesh. From January 1 to May 7, 60 cases were registered. More than 110 people, including 22 journalists, were arrested in these 60 cases during the same period. In 2019, there were 63 cases under the Digital Security Act across the country.

Read more: After disappearing for 53 days, Bangladeshi journalist is found and sent to jail

In 2018, the Digital Security Act was passed in Bangladesh replacing the notorious Information and Technology Act, which was also used as a tool for silencing critical speech online. There were strong criticisms of this new law from the beginning.

Read more: Free speech advocates say Bangladesh's new Digital Security Act is ‘ripe for abuse’

Leftist political activist Feroz Ahmed writes that freedom of speech in Bangladesh has never been so hampered:

মনে হয় না বাংলাদেশের ইতিহাসে বাকস্বাধীনতা কখনো এত বেশি বাধার মুখে ছিল। [..] ব্যক্তিগতভাবে তাদের কাউকে দোষারোপ করবার কিছু নাই, জনগণের সংগঠনগুলো যদি শক্তিশালী না হয়, কথা বলবার সংস্কৃতিটা কারও কার�� ব্যক্তিগত সাহস হিসেবেই থাকবে, সমাজের স্বাভাবিক অভ্যাসে পরিণত হবে না।

I don't think freedom of speech has ever faced so many obstacles in the history of Bangladesh. There is nothing to blame individuals for specifically. If the people's organizations are not strong, the culture of speaking will remain as the personal courage of some, it will not become a normal habit of society.

Meanwhile, the government has issued a circular for its officials requiring them to refrain from uploading, commenting, liking or sharing posts, pictures, audios or videos that tarnish the image of the government or the state through social media. Earlier, on 18 April 2020 the government's health department also directed doctors and nurses not to speak to the media or social media about the coronavirus crisis. Although the government has been saying from the beginning that digital security laws have not been enacted to harass anyone but to protect people from harassment and rumours. However, the reality is very different.

Written by পান্থ রহমান রেজা (Pantha) Translated by Rezwan · · View original post [bn] · comments (0) Donate · Share this: twitter facebook reddit