#( c: emira. )

[eternalconsxlationprize]

Location: cocktail bar at the beach || closed to @emiradursun

Here's the thing about Colton; he was not used to California beaches. Hamptons, for sure. Maybe Coney Island too. But Aurora Bay beaches were still a novelty to him. Hand in his pants' pocket, he spotted her looking at the menu of the nearest cocktail stand. It had been a while since he approached a woman; call him vain but women tended to go to him. Was it his looks or his last name and money; he'd never know for sure.

As he approached, he heard the bartender try to talk her into frankly another stupid variation of a margarita. What a damn tool... Leaning against the stand though, he grinned noting the look on her face. "No no no..." he sighed feeling his soul ache for the poor gorgeous girl. "She's not into what's easy for you to make." Colton mused. "How about you make her something you haven't made a dozen other girls so far?" he asked the bartender.

"How about..." he started, taking a moment to appreciate her better. "A Woo Woo if you're into fruity things...or a good old French?" he smirked scanning her face for any hint of annoyance meaning he overstayed his welcome. "Maybe even Ranch Water if the lady prefers tequila..." Colton raised an eyebrow at her, challenging her to play with him.

[gracecromwell]

closed starter: @emiradursun

"Oh hey, don't mind me...wasn't stuffing my face with a corn dog or anything," Gracie laughs, using the napkin to wipe her hands and mouth away from any ketchup. She enjoyed a good corn dog and may be slightly hungry from staying up half the night sewing. "How are you? Enjoying the festival?"

[esmemaxwcll]

Closed Starter: @emiradursun

"You know the saying, 'thirty, flirty and thriving'? It's a lie because I honestly don't feel like I'm thriving, I feel like I'm drowning as I pay off my student loan debt." Esme shared with Emira as she placed the shirt back onto the rack. "I could honestly start an OnlyFans and maybe...just maybe get myself out of debt but you see...I get camera shy so like that would be a complete bust."

[christinaxwagner]

fairgrounds w/ @emiradursun

"So, tell me what's new in your life." Christina asks the girl as she walks next to her, her eyes glancing around to look at the fair.

[christinaxwagner]

the golden longue w/ @emiradursun

Christina glances down at her phone in between the calm periods, checking her messages because Colton has been making Xavier send her all the funny photos they've been taking together all night. She's glad he has someone that loves him so much in his life. She scrunches up her nose at the latest picture, chuckling under her breath as she moves to put the device in her back pocket. Her gaze raises up to see Emira standing there. "Wow, look at you!" She laughs, walking over to her. "What can I get started for you this evening?"

[sweetness-pop]

Hiya! 💗💋🍓🌸Sweetness*POP🌈🍭💀🌟 here!

I would love to share this idea to you PlayStation gamers!

I recently had been imagining what would it be like if in the mid or late 2020s there were to be an upcoming and unexpected Playstation crossover game starring 3 female characters:

Talwyn Apogee of Ratchet & Clank

Keira Hagai of Jak & Daxter

& Carmelita Fox of Sly Cooper

Either for the PS5 or upcoming PS6.

The 3 main voice actresses:

Ali Hillis as Talwyn Apogee

Hillis voiced Talwyn in Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus. Her other roles include Dr. Liara T'Soni of Mass Effect series, Audrey Gassenarl of Valkyria Chronicles II, Karin of Naruto Shippuuden, Andra Cressen of Star Wars: The Old Republic (2011), Presa of Tales of Xilla (2013), Dr. Ariel Hanson of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, Black Cat/Felicia Hardy of The Amazing Spider-Man Video Game (2012), and Lightning Farron of Final Fantasy series.

Erica Lindbeck as Keira Hagai

Imagine when J&D franchise makes surprising return, some of the characters will have new VAs. And Keira's 3rd VA will be Lindbeck. Her other roles include Sayaka Igarashi of Kategurui, Kaori Miyazono of Your Lie in April, Eli Ayase of Love Live! School Project, Futaba Sakura of Persona 5, Cassie Cage of Mortal Kombat 11, Daki of Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba), Lady Nagant of My Hero Academia, Emira of The Owl House, and Loona of Helluva Boss.

& Alésia Glidewell as Carmelita Fox

Glidewell voiced Carmelita and Constable Neyla in Sly 2: Band of Thieves. Her other roles include Zoey of Left 4 Dead (2006), Sedna of Demigod (2009), Alma Wade of F.E.A.R. 2: Project & F.E.A.R. 3 (2009-2011), Chell of Portal, Krystal of Star Fox Assault, Metroid's main protagonist Samus Aran in Super Smash Bros series.

The rating of this game would be ESRB T (Teen) in North America, CERO C (Ages 15 and up) in Japan, and PEGI 12 (Suitable for ages 12 and up) or even PEGI 16 (For ages 16 and up) in Europe.

The content of the game:

Fantasy violence, Blood, Language, Suggestive themes, Mild use of drugs of alcohol, & Sexual themes. Oh yeah, there would be certain reasons why this game would be rated T/C/12(or 16) with this kind of content. Remember when Ratchet & Clank games use to be rated T and toned down to E10+? Or remember that Jak & Daxter was franchise for a teen audience? But do you remember how the Sly Cooper series was always rated E and E10+.

The game would be action/adventure filled with female empowerment.

Plus, a very interesting and sweet storyline were while being the unexpected ones to save and protect their worlds as some unknown force is what mixing their universes dangerously, the 3 heroines help each other out and blossom a close, strong, deep and loving bond together.

Do you all know what would also be cool? If Richard Steven Horvitz (roles include Daggert of The Angry Beaver, Zim of Invader Zim, Billy of The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Raz of Psychonauts, Kaos of Skylanders, and Moxxie of Helluva Boss) were to have a voice role the game either as a badass close ally/handler or one of the villains to the 3 heroines!

What if it will be a huge extremely, unexpected surprise that this game will turn out to sell really good around the globe?! It'll be the one crossover game that fans have never asked for! Plus, imagine in the one country, this upcoming PlayStation game will be selling even better. And that one country will be Japan! Japan would end up making lots of advertising with entertaining commercials and 3D digital billboards in Shibuya of Tokyo, and merchandise like figures and anime-style posters. Hell, there could even be a Japanese dub for the game too!

Imagine these brand new seiyuus (who are also singers) for the "PlayStation Move Heroines":

Marina Inoue as Talwyn Apogee

Inoue's roles include Armin Arlert of Attack on Titan, Yoko Littner of Gurren Lagann, Yumiko Miura of Oregairu (My Youth Romantic Comedy is Wrong as I expected), Rei Miyamoto of HighSchool of the Dead, Tohka Yatogami of Date A Live, Momo Yaoyorozu of My Hero Academia, and Mai Zenin of Jujutsu Kaisen.

Rie Takahashi as Keira Hagai

Takahashi's roles include Takagi of Karakai Jouzou no Takagi-San (Teasing Master Takagi-San), Emilia of Re:Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu, Megumin of KonoSuba, Tomo Aizawa of Tomo-Chan is a Girl!, Anzu Hoshino of Romantic Killer, and Ai Hoshino of Oshi no Ko.

& Yoko Hikasa as Carmelita Fox

Hikasa's roles include Rias Gremory of High School DXD, Emilia Justina of The Devil is a Part-Timer!, Hwaryun of Tower of God, Utahime Iori of Jujutsu Kaisen, Kyoko Kirigiri of Danganronpa, and Yoh Asakura of Shaman King (2021)

Our heroines would even have a special color to always represent them in their together crossover game. Talwyn-yellow💛, Keira-pink🩷, and Carmelita-light blue🩵. (Hehe just like idol groups☺✨)

💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵

This ideal PS game could also give the 3 supporting characters who are the love interests of Ratchet (Talwyn), Jak (Keira) and Sly (Carmelita) the spotlight and recognition that they should deserve to have.

My question for all of you is that if Sony were to make this happen someday in the future, then should this be canon to the PlayStationVerse?

So what do you Playstation fans think? And 1 more thing, imagine seeing the first official image looking like this:

The 3 Playstation Femme Fatales standing next to each other. Talwyn in the center, Keira in the right, and Carmelita in the left. And they happen to be wearing what look like hooded black suits that are similar to the skydiving stealth suits of Deku (Izuku Midoriya), Dynamight (Katsuki Bakugou) and Shoto (Shoto Todoroki) from the movie My Hero Academia: World Heroes Mission, but only combined together with what looks like the black catsuit of Nancy Makuhari aka Miss Deep of Read or Die. Talwyn: black with yellow trim and black hoodie with yellow striped black lombax ears. Keira: black with pink trim and black hoodie with top pink/bottom black crystal horns (similar to the dark horns of Dark Eco Jak), and Carmelita: black with light blue trim and black hoodie with black raccoon tails as ears with sky blue ring stripes. Talwyn Apogee, Keira Hagai and Carmelita Fox looking like beautiful, hot, dangerous, sexy and badass Playstation ladies in the image.

Here is the post to my ideal concept for them to wear for the FINAL SHOWDOWN!

And this happens to be from my YouTube comment on a video showing PlayStation Move Heroes cutscenes. (I am TETSUSakura91)

Please share feel free to share your comments and opinions on this idea for a PlayStation crossover.

Thank you.😘

🔥✨🌹🩵💛🩷💋🔫😎

[tohwitchesduels]

GO WITCHES DUELS! - Second Round

And there we are folks we finally reached the second round of the tournament. Here are links to previous posts if you want to see progression or a memento, since this shall be yet our another new pinned post. But without further updo, let's see how the bracket has changed now that we enter the quarter-finals of this tournament with 8 strongest witches so far.

The following battles of the second round of this tournament shall be:

Amity Blight vs Willow Park - Winner: Willow Park

Viney vs Boscha - Winner: Viney

Gus Porter vs Luz Noceda - Winner: Luz Noceda

Hunter vs Bria - Winner: Hunter The Golden Guard

Soon we shall see what the match-ups of the semi-finals will be like but aside from the official battles of the second round this post shall also feature the battles of loser brackets and of course previous match-ups as well, so here you go:

The Losers Battles:

The Fierce Battle Royale - Winner: Emira Blight

Gavin vs Angmar - Winner: Gavin Deamonne

Emira Blight vs Matt Tholomule - Winner: Emira Blight

Edric Blight vs Jerbo vs Skara - Winner: Skara

Amity Blight vs Boscha - Winner: Amity Blight

Gus Porter vs Bria - Winner: Gus Porter

Gavin Deamonne vs Barcus - Winner: Barcus

Skara vs Matt Tholomule - Winner: Skara

Jerbo vs Barcus - Winner:

Boscha vs Gus Porter - Winner:

Amity Blight vs Bria - Winner:

Boscha vs Bria - Winner:

Amity Blight vs Gus Porter - Winner:

The Requested Battles:

Willow Park vs Boscha - Winner: Willow Park

Hunter Deamonne vs Gavin Deamonne - Winner:

Edric Blight vs Emira Blight - Winner:

Willow Park vs Emira Blight - Winner:

Amity Blight vs Edric Blight - Winner:

Gus Porter vs Matt Tholomule - Winner:

Hunter vs Gus Porter - Winner:

Willow Park vs Gus Porter - Winner:

Hunter vs Boscha - Winner:

Luz Noceda vs Boscha - Winner:

Edric Blight vs Luz Noceda - Winner:

Emira Blight vs Luz Noceda - Winner:

Previous Battles:

Amity Blight vs Emira Blight - Winner: Amity Blight

Edric Blight vs Willow Park - Winner: Willow Park

Jerbo vs Viney - Winner: Viney

Boscha vs Gavin Deamonne - Winner: Boscha

Angmar vs Gus Porter - Winner: Gus Porter

Luz Noceda vs Skara - Winner: Luz Noceda

Barcus vs Hunter the Golden Guard - Winner: Hunter

Bria vs Matt Tholomule - Winner: Bria

And of course, one can't forget the character profiles of the participants of this tournament:

Amity Blight

August "Gus" Porter

Hunter The Golden Guard

Luz Noceda

Willow Park

The Blight Twins

The Detention Track

The Glandus Kids

The Mean Kids

The rules are the same as they used to be. The duels are 1v1 and the winner advances further while the loser stays behind. If the participants will tie, however, a battle royale shall proceed to settle down the score. The ask box will be open for potential battle requests in case some people would not meet each other in the tournament due to the ranking making it impossible for them to meet (like Gavin and Hunter perhaps, though I could be wrong for all I know, but it doesn't look well for Gavin to battle anyone who advances as far as I can tell). Over time this post will be also updated and expanded on and later replaced once the old news no longer fits. I hope I will wrap up most of the tournament before the university catches up to me.

Rankings:

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

Emira Blight

Skara

Matt Tholomule

Edric Blight

Jerbo

Barcus

Gavin Deamonne

Angmar

DISCLAIMER: Do not vote under the pretext of liking some characters more, we're voting based on who is a better battler, not a more liked character. Otherwise off with your head!

Re-invitations:

@casualartisandeer @wren-writes-things @the-godofchaos-himself @violet-prism-creatively @watery-melon-baller

@thescarletdaffodil @akmonasyrk @lapluieellepleut @damianwaynelives @crushpunchh

@impact801 @evermorecatra @rosetyler42 @memory-overload @cwolfnerakagnome

@branmuffins22 @zyrafowe-sny @metalinjector95 @michaela-artist @goingtohellwithyou

@iheartleopards @thatwierdquietkidthatdraws @sophiesophsofia @tbonner2 @amity297

@itslilacmoon @egqwhites @fabseg-creator @blackblooms @allpplareequal

@ch3rrymotel666 @yourlastbraincell64 @amorphousprimordia @johannepetereric @21ack

@daisyheadmaizy @kathythepirateking @the-owl-house-blorbo-brawl @wolfspirit-12398 @awesomepopcan99

@oreostuffing41 @brenns125 @rosemaidenvixen @fashionablegoose @manglex5

@harthic @islelynn @autumn-crow13 @literal-ray-of-sunshine @mesaydumbshitwithfunnyvoice

@luzura-the-princess-witch @magidragon12 @throughthethornvine @aspenonpawzzz

[melodyxleee]

Melody’s lips curled into an easy smile as she rested her elbow on the table, chin propped in her hand. “Oh, you know,” she drawled, amusement flickering in her gaze. “Teetering somewhere between creative genius and an existential crisis—so, the usual.”

She took a sip of her coffee, letting the warmth settle before tilting her head at Emira. “But enough about me,” she mused. “You’re the one with the impossibly busy schedule—so tell me, what’s been keeping you running around this time?”

Every time Emira stepped foot into Driftwood, a smile always came to her face as the incredible smells of the coffee and pastries pulled her in. Moments later, she had more pep in her step with her coffee in hand and took a sip as she looked around. Hearing a voice, she looked over to see Melody and smiled at her, almost immediately taking the seat she offered. "I don't think I could ever pass up the opprotunity of getting caught up with you, Melody," Emira said to her friend as she sat down. "How have you been lately?" @melodyxleee

[aptericia]

OC intros! 😊

POV you can choose to side with a) corrupt politicians who hate war so much that they’re willing to kill a lot of innocent people to avoid it, b) warmongering rebels who hate corruption so much that they’re willing to kill a lot of innocent people to take it down, or c) bitches who don’t care about anything beyond saving their own skin. And you have no idea who’s who :)

Here are the 5 prominent characters for the graphic novel I’m (very slowly) working on! I posted a bit of info at the beginning of last month for OCtober art challenges, but now I’m finally giving them a proper introduction! Keep reading for info about each of them~

TRACE he/him age: 31 Tech assistant at Sandoval, a police station and prison at the edge of a vast, unexplored marsh. Unfulfilled with his lot in life, he is eager to exceed expectations and fix problems where he finds them. His probing leads him into an investigation that others are desperate to keep him from completing.

SIGNE she/her age: 32 An undocumented immigrant who was arrested at the edge of the Marsh and is being held at Sandoval. Has a violent, unstable demeanor, yet appears to be free of the curse that crushes the will of others those who cross through the Marsh. Somehow, she knows secrets about Sandoval that even Trace doesn’t.

OFFICER CORTEZ she/her age: 50 Chief Officer in charge of the police station side of Sandoval. Determined to protect it from the mysterious attackers that have been targeting the country’s law enforcement institutions.

NOÉ he/him age: 29 A security officer at Sandoval’s prison, and Trace’s friend. Although more carefree than the latter would prefer, he’s less afraid to speak his mind.

OFFICER EMIRA they/them age: 38 Moved to Sandoval to take charge of its guard force after the mysterious disappearance of the previous captain. Friendly with Trace and the other staff.

[captainimprobable]

WHATS UP BABES I've got four cons coming up in the next three months so it's that time again! Lineup time!!!

Otakon: (in no partcular order bc idk when what is happening) -Human Marceline (with the gf as Bubblegum) -Vaggie (with the gf as Charlie) -Sunday is a choice rn between a)Willow, b)lolita, and c)if my friends have a group for something i may join! ANYC: Literally no clue bc its my hometown con and i dont usually plan far for that, but I do know Saturday Ill be either Vaggie or Fizzy bc my friends are being Adam and Lute. CCE: hehehehehehe this is the one ive been adding to steadily over the past few days so! -Thursday: "Meme Restaurants" group. I'm gonna be bimbo Burger King LMAOOOO i cannot wait The rest dont have a particular day yet but I am doing: -Cam from gtn (with maita as pal) -Fizz (and possibly Swim Fizz) -Emira (with Maita as Edric) -Swim Barbie (with Maita as butch ken lmaooo i cannot wait) -something matching with rachel that we havent decided on yet! NYCC: Lol. another one I never ever plan for. but the tickets were so fucking expensive i have to go so we will see UPDATING THIS AS I GO BC I ALWAYS CHANGE MY LINEUP

[lucreziasredwyne]

@garlandhightower / @omerflorent / @visxionaries / @meredythrowan / @illyaoakheart / @ofgoldengrove / @tiriusrowan / @casimirtully / @gael-hightower / @harlonvflowers / @altanryams / @zakariyamallisters / @ofsacredseas​ / @emiravmallister

“we have instructions. get a portrait done.. whilst you are all here.” lucrezia’s tone was almost sheepish, embarrassed to have to ask for such a thing.there came groans from some. nods from some. “orders from above, i’m afraid.” “done. if you can arrange me a space, all of you need to spend some hour-”  “you need to be in it, harlon.” laughter echoed across the rolling waves of the ocean.

headcanon: in the growing build up of tensions between the blacks and greens a world away in kings landing and houses being rumoured to be taking sides, lord arlo of house redwyne arranges for a group portrait to be done by all those who spent their time on the arbor in the summer months of 128AC. within it are close friendships established by the redwynes within the old way, but also within the kingdom of the reach. none really know why he wanted this portrait done. 

picture the scene: lucrezia, mimi, illya, ayca and emira are all clustered together, with emira at the front as she is the shortest. they are smiling gracefully, their arms wrapped around emira. harlon seems to be sat on the ground before them wearing a sheepish smile, with garland standing beside him, an arm over a younger gael, both looking as though they were trying not to laugh. cedric has both of his arms around omer and mathis, a smirk on his face as omer tries to keep his face serious, his hand on cedric’s head. mathis is grinning, almost as though he were asking the painter for help. around him is casimir, almost knocking him over. tirius, zakariya and altan are stood further back as they are taller, appearing almost as watchers of the scene below them.

in the years following the war, lucrezia suspects it was for something for them all to look back on; who they were before the war, and how some things that bind them are stronger than even king and crown. perhaps it was to remember the days of youth, in the days where they were still learning.

the portrait is hung within her personal audience chamber on the arbor.

THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY s2e05 «love fool»

[solitairesys]

shoutout to the name doubles in our system

abby and abee

aidan and aiden

alex and alexis

allie, allison h, allison k, and allyson

amanda h, amanda m, and amanda y

april m and april y

bea, bee, and bee-l

bill c and bill d

king, king c, and king

brit and britney

cami and camie

carlos d and carlos r

casey, cassie, and castor

charleigh, charlie d, charlie m, and charlie s

chris, christina, and christine

claire and clarisse

courteney and courtney

eddie k, eddie m, and eddiev

el, eleven, eliana, elizabeth, ella, and elle (all respond to el)

emira and emma

ethan c, ethan k, and ethan n

eva, evan, and eve

finn and finney

fred and freddy

gin and gina

gregg and gregory

griff and griffin

harlan, harley, and harbor

hawks and hawkins

heather k and heather m

himiko and hiyoko

isabela and isabella

ivy and ivy s

jade h and jade w

james r and james w

jax, jay, and jaz

jenni and jennifer

john b, john l, john m, and johnny

kaede and kaede

katelyn and katie

klaus b and klaus h

kris and kris c

leo and leo v

lilith, lily and lina

liz and lizzie

lucy l, lucy, luisa, lulu g, and lulu p

marcie and marcy

mark b and mark f

matt and matt

max and maxx

may, maya, and mayu

mike and mikey

mandy and mindi

moon and moon

peter, pieter, and petaro

pomeline and pomni

sidney and sydney

raine, ray, ray s, raya, and rayleigh

ren, rena, and rena r

robbie and robin

roman r, roman s, rowan, and roxanne

ryan and ryan e

ryukyu ad ryuuko

sal and sally

sam, sam c, sam e, and sammy

shin, shina, and shino

star b and star c

tamaki, tatami, and tatum

tobias, toby ra, toby ro, and tubbo (all respond to toby)

tyler and tyson

vickie and vicky

will, willow, and willow p

yada, yuka, and yuta

zoe l, zoe o, and zoey

[madrasbook142]

Shipping Solutions in the UAE: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has long been a global hub for trade and commerce, thanks to its strategic location between Europe, Asia, and Africa. As a vital center for logistics and transportation, the country offers world-class shipping solutions that cater to businesses and individuals alike. Whether you're an e-commerce entrepreneur, an importer/exporter, or a multinational company, the UAE's advanced infrastructure, free trade zones, and efficient regulatory framework provide unparalleled shipping solutions.

This article delves into the various shipping solutions in the UAE, covering international and domestic shipping, air and sea freight, courier services, and the latest advancements in logistics technology.

1. International and Domestic Shipping Solutions

The UAE is home to some of the world's largest ports, including Jebel Ali Port, Port Rashid, and Khalifa Port, which facilitate the smooth movement of goods across borders. Whether you need to ship goods within the UAE or to international destinations, a wide range of shipping solutions is available.

a. Domestic Shipping

Domestic shipping solutions are ideal for businesses operating within the UAE. Companies can choose from road transport, local courier services, and same-day delivery options. Some of the best domestic shipping providers in the UAE include:

Emirates Post – A government-run postal service offering domestic parcel delivery across all emirates.

Aramex – Provides express delivery services with tracking capabilities.

Fetchr – A tech-driven logistics company that offers door-to-door deliveries using mobile tracking technology.

Zajel – Known for its fast and secure courier services across the UAE.

b. International Shipping

For global shipping needs, businesses and individuals can leverage the UAE’s connectivity to major international shipping routes. Leading international shipping companies operating in the UAE include:

DHL Express – Known for its fast international courier services.

FedEx – Offers reliable international freight and courier solutions.

UPS – Provides extensive shipping and logistics services worldwide.

Maersk – A global leader in container shipping with operations in UAE ports.

2. Freight Solutions: Air, Sea, and Land

The UAE offers multiple freight solutions catering to different business needs. Choosing the right freight option depends on factors such as the type of goods, budget, and delivery timeline.

a. Air Freight

Air freight is the fastest shipping solution for high-value or time-sensitive goods. The UAE has world-class airports, including Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH), which serve as major cargo hubs.

Benefits of air freight in the UAE:

Rapid delivery times.

Secure handling of sensitive and perishable goods.

Global connectivity with daily flights to major destinations.

Some of the leading air cargo carriers operating in the UAE include:

Emirates SkyCargo

Etihad Cargo

Qatar Airways Cargo

Lufthansa Cargo

b. Sea Freight

For businesses looking to transport large volumes of goods at a lower cost, sea freight is a preferred option. The UAE’s deepwater ports, such as Jebel Ali Port and Khalifa Port, handle millions of containers annually, providing efficient maritime shipping solutions.

Advantages of sea freight:

Cost-effective for bulk shipments.

Suitable for heavy and oversized cargo.

Multiple container options (FCL – Full Container Load, LCL – Less than Container Load).

Popular sea freight service providers in the UAE include:

Maersk

MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company)

CMA CGM

Hapag-Lloyd

c. Land Freight

The UAE’s road network connects to neighboring GCC countries, making land freight a convenient option for regional shipping. Trucking services are commonly used for transporting goods between the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and other Gulf countries.

Key land freight providers include:

Al-Futtaim Logistics

Agility Logistics

Emirates Logistics

3. Courier and E-Commerce Shipping Solutions

With the rise of e-commerce in the UAE, the demand for efficient courier and last-mile delivery services has grown significantly. Many shipping companies offer tailored solutions for online businesses.

a. Same-Day and Express Delivery Services

For businesses that require fast shipping, same-day and express delivery services are available. Some of the best providers include:

Talabat Mart – Specializing in quick grocery deliveries.

Quiqup – An innovative logistics provider for same-day deliveries.

Jeebly – Offers express delivery services for e-commerce businesses.

b. Cash-on-Delivery (COD) Services

Many e-commerce customers in the UAE prefer Cash on Delivery (COD). Shipping companies offer COD services to facilitate secure and convenient transactions.

Top COD shipping providers:

Aramex

Fetchr

Zajel

4. Free Trade Zones and Logistics Hubs

The UAE has established numerous free trade zones that offer logistics and shipping advantages for businesses. These zones provide tax exemptions, reduced customs duties, and streamlined import/export processes.

Some of the key logistics hubs include:

Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) – The largest free zone in the Middle East, supporting over 8,000 companies.

Dubai Logistics City (DLC) – A dedicated logistics hub near Al Maktoum International Airport.

KIZAD (Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi) – Integrated with Khalifa Port for seamless maritime logistics.

5. Advanced Shipping Technologies and Innovations

The UAE is at the forefront of adopting cutting-edge logistics technology to enhance shipping efficiency. Some of the latest innovations include:

a. AI and Automation in Warehousing

Automated warehouses and AI-driven supply chain management tools are being used to improve logistics operations. Companies like DP World and Dubai Customs use AI for predictive analytics and efficiency optimization.

b. Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency

Blockchain technology is being integrated into shipping and logistics for secure and transparent transactions. Dubai has launched the Dubai Blockchain Strategy, which aims to digitalize supply chain management.

c. Drone Delivery and Autonomous Vehicles

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are testing drone delivery systems for last-mile logistics. Companies like FedEx and UPS are exploring the use of autonomous vehicles to improve efficiency.

6. Choosing the Right Shipping Solution in the UAE

Selecting the best shipping solution depends on various factors such as budget, delivery speed, type of goods, and destination. Businesses should consider:

Cost-effectiveness – Sea freight is cheaper for bulk goods, while air freight is ideal for urgent shipments.

Delivery Time – Air freight is the fastest, whereas sea and land freight take longer.

Reliability and Tracking – Opt for providers with real-time tracking and excellent customer service.

Conclusion

The UAE offers a diverse range of shipping solutions to meet the growing demands of businesses and individuals. With world-class ports, airports, and logistics infrastructure, along with cutting-edge technology, the country is an ideal hub for international trade and shipping. Whether you need express courier services, freight transportation, or e-commerce shipping solutions, the UAE provides efficient and cost-effective options to ensure smooth and reliable delivery.

[alicexcheng]

"Margaritas and painting? Now that would be fun." She agreed, she could just imagine the giggles of am I doing this right or just a nice tipsy going on. "Yeah, let's go before she starts talking about being one with the brush."

"I feel like this would be more entertaining with margaritas," Emira chuckled as she looked at her colors of paint ready to be spread across the blank canvas in front of her. "Would you want to go get margaritas instead or should we try and paint?" She asked, now a soft laugh escaping her lips as she looked at Alice beside her.

[neophytye]

Redwood

Fandom: Shades of Magic - V. E. Schwab   

Summary:  

Our favorite group of people try to mess up with the dead, and things go south. 

Or Lila brings a Ouija on the last day of October and chaos ensures. 

Words: 3k approx. 

∅∅∅∅∅ 

Kell Maresh didn’t came to London too often these days. It has been 6 years since they defeated Osaron, since Maxim and Emira died, since he left to explore the world alongside the wonderful Lila Bard. 

Since his magic broke apart and never came back. 

Since those days, he usually only came back here in rare and important occasions, but never overdoing his stay, for this place didn’t feel like the home it used to be. Even his red colors felt.... odd now, like he was impersonating a long-gone person, like his magic. 

 - At least my room is the same – he thought, lookig around the room where he once felt like he belonged. 

So many memories were here, most of them good, for sure, but the events surronding Osaron made some of them look bad now, and it hurt. So, that's why, a few years back, he made the choice to go away. 

He needed to see the world, sure, he wanted to be with Lila too. But as much as all of that, he also needed to start afresh; the emotional load here was too much to bear back then. 

And he was scared that, if he stayed too much now, the load would be too unboreable again. But he would try, for all the people that counted on him. 

 - It’s just three days – he repeated, looking at the calendar that was sitting on his room. 

He was going to spend the last days of October here in London, while their ship refilled with all the necessary things. It wasn’t a completely unwanted stop, but Lila had reassured him that if he wanted, they could go and search for another spot. 

He didn’t want to make foolish decisions based on past ghosts, so they ended up here. Kell only hoped that this visit was as uneventful as possible. 

Lila, on the other hand, had other plans. 

∅∅∅∅∅ 

Lila, indeed, had another batshit idea. 

Later that day, she had sent some letters to people close to her, to have a small gathering the last day of the month in Rhy’s room. It wasn’t an unusual place, per se, but, normally, Lila used to make use of Kell’s old room. 

Not that he cared a small change. The thing that made him flinch more was the lack of the details; normally, considering how she was, that would mean very bad news, but when he had confronted her in person, she had reassured him that all she wanted was try something from her place. 

So, Kell decided to trust her. It wasn’t commonplace that she wanted anything to do with Gray London, let alone talk about it with more than one person at a time. He wasn’t foolish enough to let this occasion past; he was as interested as ever. 

Before leaving his room, he had yet again to make a choice. As he looked in the mirror, he saw himself in those familiar red colors again, and he doubted if he should go with or without them. He was about to change to a greyer tone when a guard called to his door. 

He was running late. 

He decided that red would have to do for now, as he run to his brother’s room. It wasn’t long before he got there, and for once, he was impressed not to be the first to arrive; normally, as an antari, he was expected to be the earliest in everything, but in these times, that rule wasn’t enforced anymore. 

And it looks like he was getting lazier, because he was the last one to arrive. While he was opening the door, he pushed the door so fast that he made some things that were near it fall. 

Lila looked back at him, and made some sort of joke he didn’t quite hear; probably something along the lines of “clumsy prince”. He smiled back; didn’t want to bring down the happy mood they looked like they had. 

Scanning the room, he saw they were actually a small gathering, consisting of his brother, Alucard, Lila and now, himself. 

 - If Lila is going to talk about her past, this makes sense 

And she came walking right to him, making his heartbeat in anticipation and completely clearing his mind of past worries; she was quite literally one of the few people in this world that kept him sane.  

But he failed to notice that her attention wasn’t focused on him. Instead, once she reached the door, she looked down and picked up the things that had fallen over. 

Curious, Kell tried to glance over to see what this was all about, but she quickly returned to where he first found her standing. Alucard and Rhy looked at him, equally perplexed; they didn’t have a clue what was happening. 

A few seconds passed and Kell still stood there, not really knowing what to do. Lila noticed that everyone was waiting on here, and she gestured Kell to come over them, while she started explaining. 

 - So, there is this new thing going on around London – she said, as casually as ever – and it is basically a game that is played on the last day of October. 

She showed everyone a wooden board with letters and numbers on it. This board also had the High Imperial’s “Yes”, “No” and “Goodbye” engraved on them. 

Kell honestly didn’t know what she was talking about; he had, through his whole life been interested in the other Londons’ cultures, yet, he had never heard or seen a board like that. 

His curiosity was in all-time high, and he felt like his old self would have enjoyed this, so he let himself relax, hearing as Lila explained an important part of her culture. Kell could easily noticed that she was very... thrilled to talk about this, something rather unusual. 

 - So, the folks call this “Ouija” - she explained – and it is going to help us talk to people long gone. 

 - Long gone.... - Alucard said, carefully – as dead? 

That was, Kell realized to late, a very bad topic to bring up. In Grey London, he knew that people believe in ghosts and the permanence of the self after death. That wasn’t so widespread here, considering that here magic ruled everything supernatural. 

 - Yes – said Lila – We are going to try and contact dead people today. 

Rhy and him exchanged a look they both quickly understood; they didn’t quite buy that this was going to work, but none of them wanted to be the one to tell Bard so. Alucard wasn’t so scared of her, though. 

 - You have to be joking – said Alucard, laughing – I don’t think that's going to cut it Bard. 

Lila, on the other hand, remained unfazed. She simply reached for her coat and took out a comically large plectra and looked back at Alucard. Alucard’s face went as blank as a new blanket. 

 - You know Bard.... even for your standards, that quite an unconventional weapon. 

Lila looked at him, slightly confused.... and looked between him and the “weapon” a few times, until she realized what he was implying. 

 - It's not for you – she said, laughing, but for the board. 

Kell noticed that Lila seemed too relaxed for her usual self. He felt... happy that she could find moments like these, when she could feel a little safer. He decided not to comment on that, no not break the illusion. 

Lila, for her part, left the pointer down on the board, and explained how it worked. Kell found interesting how Grey people though that their ghosts would lose their time in contacting their dead people through these.... unconventional methods, rather than, something more direct and confrontational. 

But still, he left his skepticism apart and decided to go along. His brother and Alucard seemed on board too; they, as well as him, were very curious about it, and even if this didn’t work, at least it would make for a fun evening. 

When everything was ready, they turned off all the lights except a few candles they had around the board. Those candles resembled Grey Londons ones, and they are even lighted them up manually, without resorting to magic. 

Maybe that was too much, but Lila had wanted to capture as much of the essence as possible, so they tried to dial back the elements of magic in the play. 

To begin with, they asked a simple question.  

 - Is someone here? - Lila asked 

Everyone had their hands on the board, waiting for an answer, but as the pointer looked like it was going to move, a loud noise came from the door. Needless to say, Kell got scared and jumped a tiny bit. 

They were all looking at the door, like it was some sort of foreign creature, and the same noise came back from it; someone was asking to enter. It was Ren. 

Considering the nature of the game, there shouldn’t be any problem on her presence, but neither Rhy neither Alucard wanted to get her involved, so instead, they accompanied her back with her caretaker. 

In those moments of chaos, Kell realized, they haven’t even had a look at the board. Curious, while Alucard and Rhy were leaving at the door, he stole a glace and it, and he got a lot more frightened. 

The pointer was standing on the “S”; not quite the position where it once was. IF the element was moved through magic, he would have totally noticed, so it wasn’t a simple party trick. He didn’t know what to believe in. 

 - You know – Lila said – we don’t have to wait on them. 

Lila had seen his hesitation and offering him more proof, this time, uninterrupted. And he took it. 

 - You can ask a question this time – she prompted him 

Kell didn’t have a clue what to ask, so he went for the most unreasonable thing he could muster 

 - Can you make me believe in you? - he asked, not really knowing what to expect 

The board didn’t move initially, but after a few moments, the candles began co crackle, and the lights came and went, even without moving air. 

After a few moments of being in the dark, he was relieved to see that they came back; he didn’t want to resort to magic to get them back. But his relief was short-lived; Lila was gone, without a trace. 

And he was all alone, in the room. 

In the board, the phrase “Yes” was marked, this time, with blood. That was all Kell needed to lose it. 

He left the room, and started running, shouting everyone’s name. He, for once, expected that, if this was somehow Lila’s prank, that she wouldn’t make herself appear too soon. 

Maybe his brother would pity him though. 

But his idea of a prank was quickly vanishing when Kell didn’t found anyone in the entire castle. Not Rhy, not Alucard. Even Ren was and Nadiya was missing. There were no guards either; he was truly alone. 

The theory of Lila’s prank was already on thin ice. Yes, she might have the power to do all of that, but... 

He stopped walking when he saw a body on the first floor of the castle. If he could call that body, of course; everything was so messed up... all the parts that made a person were thrown away, separated and nearly unrecognizable. 

He wouldn’t know who this was if it weren't for two key things. The coat and the ring he thought she had thrown away. Indeed, Lila wasn’t behind this all; she was a victim of this. Lila’s broken body was recorded in perfect detain in his pupils, and he may never forget about it. 

Kell felt his whole world spinning and, for a moment, he reached out for his own heart, feeling like he could breathe. But, instead of consolation, he got even worse; he couldn’t feel Rhy’s pulse. 

He couldn’t even break apart from Lila’s body yet, he was still processing one loss.... but the thought of also losing his brother was making him move fast. He was considering even using his own magic, even if it came with a cost. 

So, he used Rhy’s ring to open a door straight to him. He knew the ring was only for emergencies and his brother would get mad at him, but he felt like this was one hell of an emergency. 

A few moments after using his powers, he found himself in Ren’s room. Rhy was standing in a chair, looking directly into the bed, and his back was directly facing Kell. 

He didn’t like the situation, but he went forward. In the darkness of the room, he eventually got a glimpse of his brother. He had a smile made of blood, the same as his eyes. The crown was standing in his lap, completely broken and tinted out of the red that used to leak from his stomach. 

Kell had to run out of there, to find someone, anyone that could help him understand this situation. But once he stepped out of the room, he found Alucard. Or at least, he thinks it was him; difficult to say when his body is hanging on the roof, and you only noticed it because of the drops of blood. 

After all that slaughtering, he had seen, Kell felt broken. He didn’t even know how they got in this situation, to begin with. They had faced so much powerful threads together he couldn’t even begin to comprehend who would be able to do this. 

Kell moved like a zombie, directionless. A while after, he found himself in one of the bathrooms of the palace, and he went directly to the closest basin, to throw up. He was truly in shock, and he was deciding to go somewhere far, to clear his mind. 

Maybe even another London. But as soon as he was spinning a coin in his hand, entertaining more the idea, the mirror in the bathroom fogged up, and words began to appear. 

Do you believe now?  

Kell doesn’t remember much after that; he felt a gentle touch in his hand, something that should b, of course, impossible, considering he was alone. The touch went along a fog in his own vision, and in the next blink, he was right back on his brother’s room. 

And everyone was here. 

∅∅∅∅∅ 

Lila was worried about Kell. 

One moment he seemed intrigued by it and the next, he looked terrified. She doesn’t know what got him, but she made sure he knew she was here. Whatever he was going through, he had to know he always had her back, right? 

Even with Kell’s fear, the night went all right; the original plan was to make a prank on Kell, but considering how he was, they decided to have a lightweight evening and just having fun. 

Sometimes the board moved along with some answers; at first, she has to say she was the one moving it, but all the other times it moved by itself, or so it looked like. She wasn’t terrified, per se, but the thought of talking to ghost made her uncomfortable. 

So, after a few rounds of questions (Kell didn’t make any), they decided to stop and move onto the next thing. Kell seemed better once the board left his vision, and she felt a little bad for trying to make a prank on something like that to him. 

But, again, she decided not to press on; he would tell her what was bothering him when he felt ready. 

What she wasn’t expecting was that, that very same night, he had problems sleeping, and that bothered her too. So, she pushed on and got an answer. He told her everything he had live through and it sounded very scary. 

She wasn’t an expert on people’s mind, and she wasn’t very rational either, but she didn’t want to think on the possibility that a ghost would make that happen to someone. She wanted to believe that it was just a small hallucination he had when he spaced out. That it was some unresolved fears from Osaron. 

In reality, the next day, she picked up the board and throw it away, hoping to never have to think about these things. Or at least, not in a while. 

And, in the last day of their visit, everything seemed normal, and they all said their goodbyes and all, but she could feel Kell stiffen when he was leaving. Lila didn’t have to say anything; she only offered him her hand to show him she was there. 

For Kell.... it would take some months on the high seas to make him behave normally again, and once he did, he would, sometimes, talk about the matter as some crazy dream he had. 

Lila hadn’t lived that experience, so for her, it was only some cautionary tale of sorts... and after a few weeks, she got over the fear of it. It was only a curious story in a world filled with magic she didn’t believe in first. 

Still, she, from time to time, would doubt it, so she would talk to mages from everywhere about the experience, even to the Aven Essen, but she didn’t know either. 

Nobody was able to give her an explanation for that. And because of that, one day, a year after that, she decided to give it a go and try for herself. That way, she would be able to uncover the truth behind it all. 

[tohwitchesduels]

Pokemon Typings of competitors of the tournament

Silly post I felt like doing this because yes I got inspired from analysing Boscha and Willow's battle so here you go:

Willow Park - Grass/Fighting - (obviously Willow is the most powerful plant witch in this tournament along with having gains and fighting using brute force and the strength of her heart)

Hunter Deamonne - Fighting/Psychic - (since Hunter is a trained fighter, the fighting type is a choice by default. I picked psychic type as a secondary so it could tie all of his more magical abilities together neatly as his power of levitation, telekinesis, and even teleportation and creation can be very much related to psychic types in my book)

Luz Noceda - Normal/Dragon - (Luz is a human so on her own she's normal but I give her dragon as a second typing due to her wielding String Bean which resembles Dratini, the first and original dragon-type Pokemon introduced a lot and Luz has connection to the titans' magic that can conquer elements and has overall a lot of raw power that Luz cultivated over time)

Amity Blight - Ground/Ghost - (the way Amity uses her magic suggests she uses mud most of the time rather than either using poison and while her technique is similar to waterbending, her goo does not act like water by itself so I delved more into ghost-typing to a) reference her palismen b) reference how original waterbenders drive their strength and learned how to bend from the moon spirit and c) to connect Amity's personality and aesthetic)

Gus Porter - Psychic/Ghost - (being an illusion master means he of course would be a psychic type, along with him lowkey having telepathy and memory projection abilities, but him also using nightmare fuel while wielding his magic and his illusions also more than often being intangible, I gave Gus ghost as a secondary type, which is especially true for Gus's clones)

Viney - Fairy - (her ability to heal and tame wild animals along with her desire to protect them screams fairy type to me. I was considering giving her secondary typing, but considering Granbull and Snubull are pure fairy types while looking fierce, I decided Viney would just be a singular fairy type)

Boscha - Fire/Poison - (Boscha overall has a lot of fire moves along with being in potion track and even as a person Boscha is both fierce and toxic, so this typing is perfect for her)

Bria - Rock/Fighting - (Rocks are Bria's primary weapon and she also wields a sword and priorities physical strength so I also gave her a fighting type for good measure)

Emira Blight - Psychic/Fairy - (psychic type for her illusion casting and her level-headedness, fairy type for both her healing, compassion, and mischievousness along with her charm)

Edric Blight - Psychic/Fire - (psychic type for his illusions and intelligence (even if he can be an airhead at times, the boy's still clever) and fire type for his chaotic nature while wielding a bunch of explosives)

Matt Tholomule - Rock/Dark - (rock type for construction type and dark type that stands for how shady Matt can be at times along with his illusions that are used for deception. I didn't give either Blight Twins or Gus dark-type for their illusions as they're hardly mean-spirited in general so an "Evil" type wouldn't fit them)

Skara - Normal/Electric ( her sound attacks are hardly anything extraordinary. Electric stands for her thunderstorm and whether or not some of her sound-based abilities have the power of electricity within them)

Gavin Deamonne - Ground (Gavin uses very straight-forward abomination magic and his abominations seem to act like they're made out of clay which is even closer to earth)

Barcus - Psychic/Ghost (I committed any poison-typing for Carcus as hardly he uses liquids in his spells and his powers are so mind and spirit-like focused, I might as well give Barcus the same typing Gus has)

Jerbo - Ground/Grass (Jerbo's animations are clearly made out of the soil and he still utilises plant magic)

Angmar - Grass/Bug (Anfmar's primary magic is the plant one, but he also affinity for befriending bugs, specifically butterflies)

If you want to add anything or discuss this let me know