#First internship in Shanghai

[zhaosbin]

mr shen will see you now - s. ricky

summary: literally just the beginning of 50 shades of grey...

reader: ricky x afab reader

warnings: dom ricky x sub reader, oral (m receiving), cold!ricky, they have sex on his desk... MINORS DNI

a/n: i will proofread this in the morning also TYSM to the anon that sent this in ur sooo real

-

it was the first day of your new internship and somehow you got stuck interviewing the most affluent man in shanghai. you didn't really know much about shen ricky, other than the fact that he owns half of china and was ridiculously gorgeous. from the outside, he seems like a very stern and cold man so you were anxious the entire day leading up to the interview.

entering shen enterprises, you approach the desk lady who was dressed head to toe in YSL. you thank god you had worn a nice dress today although it was rather short, it seemed to fit the vibe of this place.

"excuse me, my name is y/n i'm here for the interview with mr shen" you say impressively composed.

to your surprise, the rather intimidating looking desk lady was actually very sweet.

"oh hello dear! please take a seat and i'll go check if he's ready" she says cheerily.

you thank her with a nod of your head and a smile while you try to keep your anxiety under control.

breathe y/n. it's just an interview like the hundreds of ones you've done before. it's just an interview...with an insanely attractive man... you cut your thoughts off when the desk lady reappears.

"mr shen will see you now" she says professionally while smiling at you.

you quickly get up to follow her into the elevators and try your hardest to push your thoughts from before away.

when the doors open you step out, half expecting the desk lady to walk in with you. you giggle out of nervousness and wave to her as the doors of the elevator shut, leaving you alone in front of his door.

gathering up any bit of courage you had left in this moment, you gently knock on the door to his office.

"come in" a deep voice says and you take one last deep breath before you open the door.

you don't think anything could have fully prepared you for this situation. not your four years of college or the three internships you had prior to this one. no. nothing could have prepared you to meet shen ricky.

you didn't think it was possible, but somehow he was even more gorgeous than he appeared in the magazines and newspapers.

hoping he didn't catch onto you openly eyeing him down, you take a seat with your pen and paper in front of his desk.

mr shen looks down at you, an unreadable expression on his face.

"h-hi my name is y/n and i'm here to interv-" he cuts you off.

"i know why you're here. i have a lot to do today so if we could get on with the questioning please" he says very straightforward.

you nervously smile and open ur notes to find the questions your company had prepared.

while flipping through all of the pages, you didn't notice the beautiful man in front of you staring at your legs, or rather, the parts that weren't covered from your short dress.

after finally finding the page with the questions, you look up at him to find him making direct eye contact with you.

"so the first question i have for you is to what do you owe your success" you say while reading the page carefully.

mr shen sighs.

"are these really the questions you want to ask me? you can look at any interview i've done before and find the answers to all of these" he says while sounding annoyed.

all of your anxiety comes back and your palms start to sweat. you haven't even been here for 5 minutes and you already pissed him off.

before you could even come up with an answer, he beats you to it.

"i want to know about you" he says sharply.

"about me? but sir i-i'm here to interview you" you mutter out confusedly.

having someone as cute and fragile as you calling him sir ignited something in ricky.

"i want to know why you chose to wear such a tiny little dress to come interview me. was it on purpose?" mr shen says almost seductively.

you had to have heard him wrong. there was no way this gorgeous man even took notice of your clothes let alone the length of them.

"i-i don't know what your talking about sir" you say gulping and biting down on your lip just a bit.

it was only a bit, but once he saw that there was no stopping him.

he motioned for you to come over to his side of the desk. you knew the interview was over at this point and you didn't really care if you got fired. maybe you did care a little, but the wetness beginning to form in your panties was all you could focus on.

you quickly get up, not wanting to piss him off even more. once you were standing in front of him, he patted his lap.

your eyes widened. he had to be joking. there was no way. there was just no way.

poking his tongue into the side of his cheek, you could tell mr shen was starting to get fed up with the slowness of your actions.

after seeing that, you immediately plop down on his lap, the skirt to your very short dress riding up your thighs a little more.

mr shen started gently rubbing your legs and you were trying to keep your breathing under control.

"are you okay with this?" mr shen asks you, for once sounding sincere with his words.

"yes mr shen. please" you all but whimper out.

"call me ricky or sir. do you understand?" he says going back to being his stern self.

"please sir. i need you so bad". you could feel the dampness from your panties transferring onto his expensive suit but neither of you cared.

after hearing this, ricky immediately pulls you in for a kiss.

the kiss didn't last very long and it was rather innocent, well, that was until he started grabbing your hair and kissing you harder.

you moan into the kiss while sliding your hips up and down his thigh desperate for any sort of stimulation.

ricky smacks your ass and you yelp.

"be a good girl darling" he says almost threateningly.

you halt your movements on his thigh and try to distract yourself by focusing on his lips against yours.

ricky pulls away from the kiss and pushes you down onto your knees.

immediately understanding what he wanted, you quickly undo the buttons to his expensive slacks.

you pull down his boxers immediately to see his cock already dripping with precum.

you waste no time attaching your mouth to his cock, taking as much of him into your mouth as you could fit.

ricky groans and shuts his eyes, grabbing the back of your ponytail to guide your movements.

"i knew you could be a good girl" he says smugly.

the only reply you could give him was a muffled hum around his base that had him jerking his hips.

after a few more bobs of your head, ricky was getting close. too close.

he gently pushed your perfect mouth off of him and made work of stripping your clothes off of you.

he lifted you up with ease and placed you on top of his desk.

having had enough of all the foreplay, ricky lines up his tip with your achingly wet core and slowly pushes in.

you both moan at the feeling and he leans in to kiss you again.

his slow speed didn't last very long and he easily switches into a much faster pace.

"fuck you're so tight" ricky groans out.

"please sir, make me cum" you try not to shout as his cock is ramming into you.

and your wish is his command.

after a few more harsh thrusts, you feel relief wash over your body. fucking you through your orgasm, ricky cums right after and let's out the sexiest moan you'd ever heard. you swore you could die.

before the two of you could even take a breath, there is a knock at his door. he places his large hand over your mouth.

"mr shen your 5 o'clock appointment is here" the same desk lady from earlier chimes behind the (thankfully) locked door.

"cancel it" ricky says sternly staring into your eyes.

you had a feeling this interview would last more than your reserved 30 minute time slot.

[jacquesthepigeon]

In my mind, Tom and Sabine met when she went to Paris for a student exchange/internship early in her university career and they had a grand sweeping romance that was nearly put to an end when Sabine’s visa expired and she had to go back home. But never fear! Tom set his aerophobia aside and took a flight to her! Of course they almost had to do an emergency landing halfway because of his massive panic attack and they had to pump him with enough tranquilizers to knock out an elephant but he made it his destination and reunited with Sabine, huzzah!

They married fairly quickly after and moved to a relatively remote mountain village after Sabine finished her studies. They had fertility issues on Tom’s side so it took a couple years of trying for a successful pregnancy. Marinette was very much raised by a village. A neighboring elderly clothes maker would act as her “grandmother” and babysit her frequently, igniting Marinette’s interest in fashion. Tom’s bromance with a local martial arts teacher led to Marinette being trained fairly early on. The family would help with neighboring farms’ harvest, take road trips around the country in their van during holidays (flying was not an option after how badly it went for Tom last time), and genuinely formed strong bonds in the region.

However, Marinette eventually started aspiring for a life that was not compatible with their countryside setting. They could’ve moved to Shanghai to be closer to family and have the resources she needed available but it would come with complications due to Tom’s sketchy citizenship status. So once she got accepted to an art school in Paris, they picked a western name for Marinette, packed up their belongings and headed off on a summer-long road trip (again, airplanes were not an option).

Once in Paris, Marinette’s first friend was a girl she met at the nearby chinese community center, Socqueline. It took her a bit to adjust to french life but she was on friendly terms with her classmates (- Chloe and Sabrina).

Hello, present

[justanotherpersonsuniverse]

SPOILERS FOR CHAPTER 70 PN BELOW Lets fucking go cap! ok it’s the weekend, I have my own writing block and I finally finished my fucking assignments and handed them in, I’m practically free forever!! (exams loom in the distance, i willfully ignore their shadow)

I’ve started by reading from chapter 67 just to bring myself back into the mindset (and because they are hype as all hell chapters), this is faster than starting my like 7th re-read.

I even made myself a cuppa to really settle in, the vibes are immaculate, I played Bizet Carmen while reading this time

The dichotomy of Juleka:

I don't want to hurt anyone!

Extreme violence is efficient. 

The fact that we didn’t get ladybug trying to kiss rena when she was shot by dark cupid is tragic

This time i listened to shoot to thrill by ACDC, and Burn it down by awolnation for the badass parts

Anyway finally onto Fei, that only took me two hours (i briefly wrote shit so yknow, a good time!)

Fei’s tragic backstory be upsetting frfr, Like damn brother you watched your dad die in front of you? Do you need a blanket and a hug?

The tone change from “My life ended when my dad died.” to “summer was awesome!!” made me snort horrible it’s not funny- but it kind of is-

Oh my god Juleka got a break for weeks AND WE DIDN’T GET TO SEE IT??? Tragedy. (i’m kidding, so happy that she got a break <33)

Rose thirsting over Panthera in a crop top is too funny- you just know if it was anyone else Juleka would be pouting like “damn what do they have that I don’t?” 

Oop her hands still kinda fucked, curiouser and curiouser. I wonder if she has tried to practice her secondary power. Which rq, it was SUCH bullshit that LB gets two and the cat miraculous gets one in canon, so happy you retconned it

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH MY GOD OK CAP I AM SO HYPE HYPE SHE GOT A MODELING INTERNSHIP?????? Like sure cause nepotism but i’ve been wanting to see Juleka try out modeling in a real environment for ages cause like thats something she is interested in yknow and i just- 

Augh, hype as hell. And an excellent reason for her to be going to Shanghai, I applaud your problem solving to fit Juleka into the show's narrative! I applaud it always, but this one was more difficult than usual methinks

I have pizza now it is 8pm

Anyways; NOO GABEY BABY DON’T BE EVIL VIBES TO JULEKA SHE’S JUST A LITTLE THING

Oh my poor awkward Juleka… Gabriel wasn’t helping but this is so funny, dude you vowed to kill this girl like a month ago open your eyes

I NEED juleka’s modeling arc to be a thing. Idk how into detail you went but i’m hoping for some i’m rabid i’ve been waiting for this for like 3 years

Oh airports SUCK i feel her anxiety so much, poor thing… i forced my friend to share her location with me one time so we could stalk each other, we never turned it off its kinda funny

… why is Anarka banned from airports?? Being “a living weapon” is so vague.

Killing myself rose and juleka are so cute- and obsessed with each other- every hour is insane

I love Juleka instantly becoming a disaster on baby’s first flight

Juleka instantly being on high alert around gabriel is so real.

“Right,” Mr Agreste’s face didn’t twitch nor soften much in response, just nodded in understanding and turned back to stare forward. “The opening of this store is essential to the future of the Agreste Brand, you two. Opening it much sooner is very good news. There will be other fun times with your friends.”

Hardass, fuck off!!

Poker with literal chips made me laugh- adrien would be terrible at poker

Spiderman far from home? Nah, Panthera Noir far from home. 

“Oh that building looked fun to climb.” please Juleka unhinged parkour arc when?? Like people turn away from her and then look back and she’s up a tree. 

HELP “bye bye bag” is so real-

She’s so scary, but I wanna ask what her hair dye is. Do it. Please. I think you would factory reset Nathalie and she would answer on autopilot

Awkwardly playing chess is so real, also; yippee!! Adrien and Juleka bonding even more after the acting debacle!!

“Knights were cute. Little pony’s. Rose always wanted to move her knights cause they reminded her of unicorns.” please this is literally my strategy in chess, i just move them around and sometimes i win because i confuse people so badly

LB overthinking chess is hilarious. 

Adrien POV???

YOU CAN LEARN MANY THINGS FROM JULEKA SUCH; HOW TO BE A CAT. sorry i just had the mad idea that Adrien might find out this chapter… i would go insane if that turned out to be right

“Knowing info about me is pretty easy when your Wikipedia is super detailed” that’s fucking depressing. Adrien baby that’s a terrible way to get to know someone and not the same experience at all- 

Gaelic is a real language!! And a bitch to learn- I briefly tried with my dad and we both gave up, we’ll just stick with scots english

“Where do you disappear during akumas?” hard hitting question Adrien, ten points!

And is also making me high key suspicious about him finding out, the vibes are there

Nah, nah evil. Gabriel spend time with your son goddamnit 

GET HIS ASS JULEKA YES GIRL I LOVE YOU

The fact that she thinks she isn’t brave sometimes infuriates me, like babe i get your insecure but your brave as hell. 

QUEEN SHIT JUST WENT DOWN THERE

Juleka ripped him to shreds hell fucking yeah.

Wait. why did she give him the king? Hawkmoth called himself a king… cue the x-files music

Who the fuck is this asshole? Fei. Kick his ass, i command thee. 

Oh curious, she has burn scars from the fire, i like this detail. 

I feel like Fei and Juleka will get along, based on the ever present rage against one guy

She is being used augh

“Your father deserves to be avanged.”

“He does.” UMM GIRL YOUR DAD WOULD HATE THAT WEREN’T YOU THERE FOR THE FLASHBACK??

I want Cash to gtbnrvice this asshole is just using her desperation for information- 

I want Juleka to scare him into telling them, as Panthera, i think she would be quite good at that. 

Juleka is a feral beast who needs her outside time (i like how she wants to run on rooftops a lot its cute)

LORE LORE LORE LORE 

Excited. The prodigious?? Tell me more silly cheese guy

Ummm. i need the prodigious to show up, i can’t remember if thats what Fei has or if this is future future foreshadowing, this is exciting

New arc unlocked: freeing the Kwami from their jewelery or the curse. 

Also; yes sadistic plagg in the face of the guardians temple being destroyed, you go girl

Guardian temple? Swallowed whole? Sounds frightening. What a feast.  HA

Model Juleka yippee!

Help- adrien your advice is trash-

Ok existential conversation, yes girl let me spiral-

No sick girl Nathalie let adrien speak i want to know what he thinks of the best girlies-

Plagg wanting to take him under his wing- Juleka saying he wants to replace her with Adrien- ITS ALL COMING TOGETHER. 

Nah if you actually do have a reveal to Adrien i am going to go buckwild- cause either the vibes of the chapter got me but i think I guessed before any of the concrete foreshadowing

Ok sick girl nathalie actually has some sound advice and is being lovely to Juleka 

Yes Juleka use your strength

FEI STEALING CAMERAS??

Get her ass Juleka, or- politely bite her arm juleka?!?

Juleka is just brawling in an alleyway- like damn sister- watch out for bruises you might not be allowed to model-

Oh god what if she took plagg during some of their scrapping- actually, that would be fine. Juleka would just go insane and fight her

Juleka; desperately grasping for something familiar and bantering with Fei

Fei: what the fuck is wrong with her?

Nicest mugger I’ve ever met real and true

Wait

NOO JULEKA THEY WON’T LET YOU MODEL LIKE THIS

YEAH KICK. HER. ASS. 

Plagg stays with Juleka yippeee!!

Help their dynamic is so funny- exactly what i was wanting. 

Juleka would want to learn how to disappear even better than she already does wouldn’t she

Nah not Fei thinking “well that was fucking weird” while juleka is like “Oh that was cool” Juleka is so weirdgirl core i love her

Oh shit she stole marinettes stuff Tiki is there- 

Kick the asshole in the balls Fei, i command thee.

I am so happy Nathalie and Juleka have some sort of alliance, in my as to be written huge tragedy based on Nathalie Gabriel and Emily (which is extensively planned), I think Nathalie is more similar to Juleka as a teenager. 

Adrien and Nathalie interaction- “yes we- we did it” agyuhtvrinjfeok love her. 

Marinette blinked vacantly, standing in the back alley streets of Shanghai with a paling expression on her face and her entire inventory ghosted from her person.

WHERE THE HELL AM I!?

HELP SHE’S SO FUNNY- i love disaster marinette please-

and thats a wrap for Fei! i started this before five and it is now ten pm- i did other things though.

this was awesome cap, I look forward to the next chapters and I shall review them tomorrow!!!!!!

I hope you enjoyed <3

GLAD YOU ENJOYED!!!!!!

[gothteddiesdotcom]

when I first went to these bike jumps earlier this summer I met this guy around my age from Shanghai who was in the states for college and interning in town and I saw him every time I went for the first two months, we traded phone numbers and would share snacks we brought with each other and he went back to China for his Dad’s wedding and won’t be back in my state since his internship ended and it really bums me out! But it’s also just really really cool I get to meet people from so many places and make friends with them over common interests

[lissyartfil]

Hi guys!! It's my very first post here, so I decided to make a shart introduction about my self.✨

My name is Alisa, I'm 17 y. o.

Hobbies: study, learning English, reading and writing fanfics, watching Netflix and kpop shows.

Favourite series: Stranger things, Skam (Norway and Spain)

Favourite music: all, I'm meloman

So, im learning in HSE Lyceum in Russia and trying to enter American university.

I really want to become film producer and now go on internship on Russian comedy tv channel as assistant of main film producer.

In future I intend to move to Norway or Sweden, because I'm in love with this countries.

Actually this august my family will move to Shanghai, China, so I'll have a lot of things to tell you about.

It's time to say good night, so I leave you here with some music.

[princess-of-the-corner]

I mean Gabriel was not only able to instantly recognize her during the Shanghai special but recalled her first and last name too

So Gabriel knowing who Marinette is makes sense because she did win that hat contest. A hat good enough to where it was allowed to be a showcase piece in Gabriel's fashion show worn by /Adrien/, and then noticed by Audrey and beloved and Audrey offered her an internship in NYC.

So like. Gabriel should absolutely know Marinette's name from a business perspective and he should really try snatching her up before someone else does.

(If he weren't a fucking moron)

[edendaphne]

“Discordant Sonata” Chapter 19

>>Click here to read on Ao3<<

>>Click here to read on Wattpad<<

–––––

CHAPTER 19: ATTACCA

Music glossary:        Attacca - "To attack at once"; used as a direction in music at the end of a movement to begin the next without pause

–––––

(Mood music: "The Conversation" - Pearl Django)

Being mere months away from graduating lycée meant that their group of friends didn’t have as many classes together, due to their diverse individual interests and talents. However, they always made sure to make time to hang out after school before their extracurricular activities began.

And thus, Adrien, Nino, and Alya made their way to the classroom where the art club gathered to meet up with Marinette. From there, Adrien would make his way to either fencing lessons or Chinese, depending on the day of the week. Marinette would join him on days when he had Chinese (as she’d become determined to master the language ever since her uncle visited from Shanghai a few years back), Alya would go to her journalism club, and Nino would travel to his part-time internship at the local recording studio.

“–and the backlogs just keep piling up!” Alya spoke as they walked, voice full of vigor and excitement. “I’ve had to recruit yet another mod to help me keep order in the forums! Especially since the Ladyblog has started going international and we’ve had to organize servers in different languages. You wouldn’t believe how crazy it’s gotten in there recently!”

“Dang, babe,” Nino interjected. “Sounds like things are super rough for you right now.”

“Not really, more busy than anything. Especially because I have that big research article due next week, there’s just not enough hours in the day to try to read everything that goes on in there. But I have my mods report to me daily, ‘cause I always like to stay on top of everything that goes on in the chats!”

“What’s gotten everyone so riled up in the Ladyblog lately?” Adrien chimed in. “I don’t recall it being nearly this busy last year.”

The trio entered the art club’s classroom and settled down at the table where Marinette sat, getting her various sketches organized. The art teacher was quite easy going, so they didn’t have to talk in hushed whispers and could come and go as they pleased.

“Well, to be honest, it’s because of Chat Noir,” Alya replied.

Adrien tried to contain his surprise. “R-really? What– uhhh, what do people have to say about him?”

He winced inwardly. He knew he shouldn’t ask. But curiosity got the better of him today. Maybe learning the news through the filter or Alya’s paraphrasing instead of reading the negative comments firsthand would lessen the sting of what people said about him.

Marinette whipped her head around at the mention of his alter ego. “Wait, what about Chat Noir?” she inquired.

“Girl,” Alya replied, her voice filled with renewed exuberance. “You would not believe how much we’ve had to censor and moderate all the inappropriate things people have been saying!”

Adrien flinched in his seat. “Wow… do people really hate him that much?” he asked, trying to conceal the dejection in his voice.

Alya busted out into loud guffaws. “Hate?! Dude, most people don’t hate him; they LOVE him! By ‘inappropriate’ comments, I mean the kinda stuff you wouldn’t want your grandma to catch you reading! There’s a whole giant section dedicated to his new fan club!” she said as she removed her glasses so she could wipe away the tears of laughter.

“WHAT?!” Adrien squawked in confusion, his face feeling hotter than the ovens back at the bakery. “A fan club??”

Marinette burst into uncontrollable snickering. “Has it really gotten that bad?!”

Nino joined in, “Bro! Adrien, I can’t believe you haven’t heard Alya rant about these rabid fans before! They call themselves the ‘Noir Nation’, and the kind of things they’ve been writing would make adult romance authors blush like schoolgirls!”

Alya nodded, thoroughly amused. “And that’s not including all the fanfiction people have been writing.”

“Wait– the WHAT?! There’s fanfiction?!!” Marinette gaped in shock, as if she’d been hit in the face with an enormous pie. “Alya, how come I never knew about this?!”

“Why? You wanna read em? Girl, you’ll get no judgment from me. If you wanna check ‘em out for yourself, just go check under the hashtag ‘Ladynoir’.”

Marinette stammered as her arms flailed in her bewilderment, accidentally knocking her phone off the table and onto the floor, her eyes bigger and rounder than Adrien had ever seen them. “They have a ship name?!” she screeched.

“Just mind the ratings though,” Alya advised. “Some of them can get pretty steamy. You wouldn’t want someone to catch you reading those in public,” she added with a wink.

Marinette continued to sputter incoherently. “NO, I am NOT gonna read it!! It would be different if they were fictional characters, but I could never read fanfiction about real people!”

Alya raised a skeptical eyebrow at her. “Mm-hmm… Sure.”

Marinette’s hands flew to her face, trying to hide how red her entire face had gotten, and released a long squeak that resembled a hamster on helium. As shocked as Adrien was about these rather unexpected news, seeing Marinette’s over-the-top reaction brought a wide grin to his face and he busted out laughing.

He bent over to retrieve Marinette’s phone, since she was too busy being mortified to notice it had fallen to the floor. As he was about to hand it back, the screen lit up and Adrien saw the lockscreen wallpaper: it was the same photo of Ladybug and Chat Noir that he himself had saved earlier that day. He smiled, not exactly sure what to make of it, but finding it adorable that she’d liked the photo enough to set it as her lockscreen.

He tapped her shoulder, waiting for her to respond. She emerged from behind her impromptu hand shield and turned her head, then her eyes widened once again as soon as she saw what Adrien was showing her. She jolted straight up, stiff as a board, and her eyes met his, cheeks turning tomato red. He winked at her, amused about this little secret between them, and handed back her phone without a word.

Marinette accepted it with a meek-sounding, “Thanks,” looking like she wanted to explain the photo, but not able to do so unless she wanted Alya and Nino to find out that she was potentially a… ahem– “Ladynoir” shipper.

Switching the conversation to something else (which Marinette seemed to be eternally grateful for), the group chatted until it became time for them to scatter to their next destinations.

With a wave, Adrien exited the classroom and headed towards fencing practice, one of the few activities he decided to stick with despite not being forced to participate. Fencing, along with Chinese lessons, were not only enjoyable, but were also quite useful. Sadly, he didn’t have access to a piano anymore, so he wasn’t able to pursue that hobby for the time being. Hopefully later down the line, when things had settled down and he’d found his own place to live, he’d be able to finance one.

Thinking about the future had become an exciting pastime instead of an anxiety-inducing one, and it was all thanks to his friends and those he cared about. He smiled as he reached the door to the locker rooms, continuing to daydream of what was to come.

(Mood music: "Recollection 3" - Shirō Sagisu (BLEACH OST, "The Diamond Dust Rebellion")

Adrien finished getting dressed for fencing, his head still blissfully floating in the clouds. He stored his belongings into his assigned locker, shutting it with a loud clang, which echoed through the empty room.

Huh...? Empty?

He swiveled his head around, surprised that there was no one beside him. He stood up and began walking down the large room, peeking down the other locker rows looking for his classmates; but there was nobody.

Where was everyone? There’s no way that every single one of them was running late. Had his lessons been cancelled and he’d somehow missed a text message or email? He began heading back towards his locker to check his phone for any schedule changes.

Before he reached his destination, however, heavy thudding footsteps broke the eerie silence. Adrien whipped his body around to greet whoever they belonged to.

The owner of those footsteps was one of the last people Adrien expected to meet here.

“Gaspard?!”

Adrien stood agape, face to face with his old bodyguard, whom he hadn’t seen in a couple of years; not since he’d resigned and moved out of the country. Nathalie had mentioned that in his resignation letter, Gaspard said that he’d become involved in an overseas business venture involving the market of rare action figures. Nevertheless, Adrien couldn’t help but suspect that his father’s ill temper and poor treatment of their employees was the true reason for his departure.

Adrien’s first reaction was surprise and joy, and he rushed forward to greet and embrace him. However, as he approached and got a better look at the man’s face, Adrien’s mood instantly morphed into confusion and apprehension. There was something odd about his eyes.

Something wasn’t right. Why was Gaspard here? And why now?

He came to a halt about a meter before reaching him. An oppressive weight seemed to press in all around him, and he had to suppress a shiver. “Wait. Gaspard, did–” he gulped, “–did my father send you?”

His old bodyguard did not reply, but took a heavy step towards him. Adrien stepped back.

“Please… I can’t go back. I live somewhere else now, and I’m very happy there. Whatever he told you about the situation, it’s a lie.”

His bodyguard continued to approach him, his stare vacant and unsettling.

Fighting the urge to panic, he pleaded, “You don’t have to do this. If he’s offered you compensation, I can match it; it’ll just take me a bit of time. But we can work something out, right?? For old time’s sake?”

He continued walking backwards until he bumped into something firm, but it wasn’t a wall; it was another person. Before he could turn around, they grabbed him by the shoulders, detaining him and preventing him from running away.

He was about to shout for help when something sharp jabbed him on the side of the neck, injecting a cold liquid. Adrien’s eyes grew wide in terror.

Shit.

Adrien swore as he jerked away, elbowing whoever was behind him and managing to break free. Rubbing at the spot where the syringe had stabbed him, he glanced back to take a look at his other assailant, only to see... another Gaspard?

Why are there two of him??

This was wrong. Gaspard didn’t have a twin; he knew that for a fact. He’d worked for the Agrestes ever since Adrien was a toddler and was too young to even pronounce his name correctly (hence the nickname “Gorille”, which stuck around for years afterwards). Additionally, there was something uncanny, otherworldly, even, about the way these two men looked and moved.

He shook himself out of his stupor. He didn’t have time to contemplate any possible explanations. He had to get out of there fast.

He sprinted towards the exit, but only managed to travel a few paces before he lost his footing and tripped. He fell to the ground hard, almost hitting his head on a nearby bench. As he struggled to get up, he realized that his fingers and toes had already gone numb.

Not good.

Time was running out. Adrenaline coursed through him and, with a grunt, he hefted himself to his feet and scrambled towards the exit, as fast as he could despite a heavy limp. Though his heart was hammering and his legs felt like they were filled with sand, he pushed himself, concentrating on reaching the door.

After taking a few steps, however, he realized that even if he did manage to exit the locker room, the area beyond was an open courtyard. Meaning he wasn’t going to be able to reach someplace safe before getting caught. He had no choice but to transform into Chat Noir, and hopefully Plagg’s powers and strength could help him escape and find somewhere to hide.

He’d scarcely uttered the first syllable in the transformation phrase when he was tackled to the ground. A giant hand swiftly covered his mouth and Adrien felt his hands get bound together with thick zip ties behind his back. A muffled scream of writhing frustration made its way up his throat as his limbs became more and more useless by the second.

No… This can’t be happening! Please, this can’t be how it all ends!

Just when his life had finally gained a semblance of normalcy and he’d found happiness again, it would get ripped away and he would disappear without a trace, leaving everyone to wonder what had happened to him. Leaving his friends to think that Gabriel had pulled him from school and they would never see him again. Leaving Ladybug to wonder if Chat had abandoned her forever. Leaving her to fight Hawkmoth alone. Again.

He couldn’t let that happen. He thrashed and struggled as furiously as he could, fighting the feelings of overwhelming helplessness that threatened to consume him. Nearing despair, he was too distracted to notice Plagg phrasing through the wall, away from the skirmish, in search of the only person who could save him.

(Mood music: "Run" - Ludovico Einaudi)

Marinette fidgeted with her pencil, her feet wiggled and bounced under her desk. She didn’t understand; when she’d arrived at the art club, her head had been filled with inspiration and ideas that she’d been excited to draw and execute. However, at the moment, her mind was filled with noise and disquietude.

Having had enough, she excused herself to visit the restroom. Once she’d walked far enough from the classroom, she opened her purse to talk to Tikki about her current dilemma.

“It’s the same feeling as last night, Tikki! Except that would mean one of three possibilities. Option A.) It’s nothing and I’m going crazy. And— don’t give me that look, Tikki! I can see what you’re thinking and I don’t have time for your cheeky sass right now!” The kwami snickered while Marinette cleared her throat and continued, “Option B.) that Chat is here, at this school, which is impossible because his school’s on the other side of the city, that’s why he always leaves the house super early for his long commute.”

Tikki opened her mouth and looked like she was about to say something, but then didn’t (...or couldn’t?).

Marinette resumed, “Or, C.) that my–– what do I even call it? My ‘Spidey sense’??–– that it’s got a long distance mode, and Chat is all the way across Paris and he’s in trouble! But what am I supposed to do about that from here?! I wouldn’t even know where to begin looking!”

Tikki shrugged. “Follow your instincts, Marinette. There’s no harm in taking a quick look around the school, right?”

Marinette groaned. “UGH! It doesn’t make sense!! Am I going to get interrupted like this all the time from now on?” She shook her head resolutely. “No. I can’t just go off on random field trips every single time I feel a random fit of anxiety. I’m sure it’s just leftover jitters from last night. I’m supposed to call Master Fu after school anyway; he can help me figure everything out. I’m just gonna go back to class and forget about it.”

Tikki frowned, not quite convinced, but deciding not to press further.

Marinette made her way back to the classroom in a frustrated huff. But as her hand reached to turn the handle, the feelings of danger and urgency multiplied tenfold. Without a word, she sprinted away in the opposite direction, not even knowing where she was running to, only knowing she had to get there immediately.

She reached the large common area of the school downstairs. Her head whipped around, frantically searching for something, anything. In her haste, she didn’t notice a small black creature zoom into her open purse.

A few moments later, she felt a frantic tugging at her shirt from below.

“Marinette!! Over there! Check the locker room, quick!!!” Tikki whisper-screamed as she peeked outside the purse, her tone uncharacteristically frantic.

Marinette nodded, then sprinted to the locker room.

“Wait! You should transform first!” Tikki added.

No time!

“Marinette, wait!!”

Despite Tikki’s protests, Marinette raced towards the double doors, tackling them open.

Three sets of eyes landed on her as she skidded to a halt, but only one pair consumed her entire attention. She gasped in horror, hands flying to her face as she stared at what was occurring in front of her. Adrien let out a desperate, muffled scream urging her to run.

His panicked voice snapped her out of her dazed shock; but instead of running, she stood her ground, eyes darting back and forth across the area searching for something useful. The room was remarkably barren except for a lone broom a short distance away from her. She grabbed it and leaped towards the closest attacker (the one holding Adrien down), swinging it like a baseball bat.

The man didn’t even try to avoid the hit; the broomstick merely bounced off the side of his face where Marinette had hit him. She frowned in confusion, then tried hitting him again, bringing the stick down on the top of his head like an axe.

SNAP.

The end of the broom flew off, and Marinette stared in shock at the broken broomstick.

“What the hell are you?!” Marinette exclaimed, shifting her grip on the shortened wooden stub.

She pounced at the second bodyguard, bringing her weapon down in a stabbing motion; but he swatted at her hand, disarming her. She yelped in pain, leaping backwards to get some distance between them.

She was outmatched. The only strategy available was to use their own size against them. With a feint to the side, she shot at his legs for a takedown, hoping to catch him off balance. He called her bluff and shoved her backwards with his giant palm, then kneed her in the stomach.

Winded from the impact, Marinette doubled over with a gasping wheeze, fighting with all her might to keep herself from collapsing onto the ground. She forced herself upright and attacked again. With a clumsy jerk, she lunged forward, swinging wild punches at her opponent. The shots connected but his expression barely changed; it was like beating a breathing punching bag.

The bodyguard backhanded Marinette across the face. Pain shooting across her cheek, she staggered, almost losing her balance. In her daze, she watched helplessly as the man reared his arm back. There was no chance to dodge. His fist connected with her abdomen, delivering a liver shot that shut down her entire body. She crumpled to the floor as if boneless. She tried to call out Adrien’s name, but her mouth merely opened in a silent scream.

Marinette could hear Adrien’s distressed screaming, but it sounded distant, like they were underwater. The edges of her vision grew black and fuzzy, the entire room dissolving around her. She had to consciously force her lungs to inhale, but couldn’t fill them all the way, as if a boulder had been placed on top of her chest.

Faintly, she felt herself getting picked up off the ground and carried away over someone’s shoulder. Disoriented and semi-blinded, the sudden movement and rough jostling made her head spin and gave her vertigo. She gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block it all out.

A few moments later, they stopped moving, and she heard a door burst open. Where were they? Before she could gather her senses, she was in the air, thrown several meters away, landing with a hard thud. A sharp pain traveled down her body as she rolled into the wall across them. The shriek that tried to escape her throat emerged as a strained, shallow whine.

The man stomped out, leaving her alone in the room. “Stop…!” she rasped out, managing to tilt her neck upwards, head pounding.

The bodyguard slammed the door shut, followed by a bang and a clattering sound that could only mean he’d broken the doorknob of whatever room she was in.

Marinette's vision became more and more blurred. At the verge of losing consciousness, she fought to keep her eyes open as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

No, she couldn’t pass out! She had to save Adrien! Stay awake, Marinette, stay awake!!

She bit down on her lip hard, focusing on the sharp sting, on the swelling that was already forming around her right eye, forcing herself to feel the pain her body was in. At this moment, feeling pain was better than falling unconscious. She concentrated on her breathing, slowly regaining her senses.

She reached down to open her purse and get Tikki’s help… only to be met with emptiness. Panic settled in her gut as she realized that sometime during the skirmish, the purse had slipped off her shoulder. She sat up, slowly, so she wouldn’t risk feeling faint again from the change in positions.

She squinted, adjusting her eyesight to the darkness of the room. It seemed to be some sort of supply closet. After a failed few attempts to stand, she crawled towards the door instead, careful not to bump into the crates and shelves that filled the area.

The girl eyed the broken doorknob wearily. She was pretty proficient at lockpicking and breaking into things, but not as good at breaking out. Her only hope was that Tikki would be able to find her… if she was even nearby.

She swore to herself. Why had she rushed in and attacked two grown ass men (who, incidentally, may or may not be supernatural to boot!) instead of hiding and creating a strategy?! Now she was useless, Tikki was gone, and Adrien was surely on his way to get auctioned to the highest bidder in the criminal black market and ransomed off for an enormous sum. Great job, Marinette. Adrien’s been abducted and it’s all your fault.

Gathering all the determination she could muster, she tried to call out for help. But her voice was still too hoarse, and only a weak croak came out. She clenched her fists, grumbling irritably. Time for a different approach. Somehow, she needed to make noise.

After a brief search, she found a hard, metallic object that she could use to hammer on the door. She tested it out; it was surprisingly effective. She doubled her efforts, making as big a racket as possible. Hopefully, it would only be a matter of time before somebody heard her, let her out, and she could go find Adrien.

She couldn’t let anything else happen to another loved one. Not again.

–––––

I'M REEEAAAAALLY SORRY FOR THAT CLIFFHANGER JSHDKFJHSKDF ᕕ(╯°д°)ᕗ  I tried splitting up the sections differently but it didn't really flow as well.

But the next chapter is almost done, so I'll have it ready by next weekend!!

[ahz-associates]

Best Universities for UK Master’s Degree

A student is interested in learning about the best UK universities for master's degrees when considering studying there. Before limiting their options and starting the application process, students must conduct extensive study.

Students from all over the world must weigh their selections because the UK is home to more than 100 universities. There are numerous undergraduate and graduate degree possibilities. For instance, some students may check for rankings of UK universities for MBA and base their decision on them if they are considering UK universities for a master's degree.

Top UK Universities for Masters Degrees

It can be challenging to evaluate institutions based just on their rankings if you're seeking for the best master's degree in the UK. Rankings are one of the first factors students take into consideration while weighing their selections. It should be noted that while the institution's overall ranking is important, it is also important to consider the ranking of each individual department.

The University of Manchester

The university offers one of the most practical Masters in Business Administration programmes in Europe and the rest of the globe and is home to the Alliance Manchester Business School, the top-ranked post-graduate institution in the UK.

Engagement with clients is a component of the programme. Additionally, centres in Dubai, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore offer elective module study.

The course can also be finished in twelve months, though it may occasionally be extended to 15 or 18 months.

The University of Manchester is ranked number 36 globally by the Financial Times, while QS has it at number 55. In any case, it is one of the top choices that qualified students should consider.

Durham University

Durham is a viable alternative in the rankings of UK universities for MBAs. Three specialised subjects—entrepreneurship, consulting, or technology—can be focused on by students.

Additionally, students who enrol in the 15-month programme can take advantage of business possibilities, participate in an internship, and even start their own company! The finest university in the UK for masters, Durham University's MBA also gives students the ability to travel to foreign firms, take language training, and engage in a consulting exercise.

Additionally, Durham University and the German European Business School offer an executive master's degree in business administration online. Last but not least, Durham is rated 67th overall and 64th (Financial Times) (QS).

London Business School (LBS)

Without taking London Business School into consideration, rankings of UK universities for MBA programmes are impossible. One of the greatest MBA programmes in the world is taught at LBS. They provide academic education, for instance, as well as a Global Business Experience, which entails a week-long international trip, workshops, and interaction with guest speakers.

In addition to two different EMBAs, London Business School also offers an Executive MBA. the EMBA Global Europe, the EMBA Global Americas, and the EMBA Global Asia. In instance, the former gives students the chance to study abroad in places like Shanghai, Hong Kong, and New York.

Finally, LBS is ranked higher than most countries and universities in the UK. The Financial Times rates it as the fourth-best in the world, while QS ranks it as the fifth-best globally.

Contact AHZ Associates for information on master's degree admissions to top-ranked UK universities.

University of Glasgow

For master's degrees, they offer more than 300 courses. They offered a wide range of postgraduate programmes; by earning a postgraduate degree in a new direction, you can improve your chances of success in the future.

You can pick between a master's degree (MSc, MA, MEng, or MRes), which is a one-year full-time programme, a postgraduate diploma (PgD), which is a qualification level above a bachelor's degree, and a postgraduate certificate (PgC).

You will benefit from top-notch facilities, cutting-edge instruction using standard tools, and award-winning student assistance while you are studying. They primarily provide a top-notch education at a reasonable cost.

University of Southampton

Their popular master’s degree programs are-

Acoustical Engineering

Aeronautics and Astronautics

Audiology

Biomedical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Civil Engineering

Energy

Mechanical Engineering

Maritime Engineering

It is listed among the top 100 institutions in the world and boasts academics of international reputation (QS World University Rankings 2019). They promote innovative thinking and imaginative mindsets.

With more than 21,000 students from more than 130 nations, the University has five campuses in Southampton, one in Winchester, and another in Malaysia.

It is the ideal setting for realising your potential, putting a concept into action, changing the world, discovering new passions, and figuring out what to do next.

University of York

North Yorkshire has a strong connection to the university. They serve as a centre for knowledge exchange and life improvement. Having over 25 years of experience and 252 master's degrees

They are primarily a vibrant, research-focused institution that belongs to the Russell Group. Even though moving across borders can be challenging, the university offers its own housing options close to the campus. For financial savings, international students can room together.

You can visit the libraries to use their first-rate library system to borrow and return books. Doctors, the NHS urgent care centre at York District Hospital, as well as numerous pharmacies, dentists, and opticians in York, offer medical services.

Graduate students at the University of York are automatically members of an independent, student-run organisation that is dedicated to postgraduate students. A standard swimming pool, a 3G football field, an outdoor cycle track, a 250m Velodrome, a spin studio, and other sporting facilities are all available at the University of York.

The UK is one of the most well-liked study locations in the world, and you can find the top master's degree UK thanks to the high standard of education and academic achievement.

Be careful when applying because some Scottish universities offer an undergraduate degree called "Masters of Arts" to foreign students. This programme is not the same as a master's degree.

[iwcwatches]

Success Story - Emily

“IWC is a brand that is never afraid of giving responsibility to the younger generations and truly commit in their career development. I was always given great responsibility and trust from the team which allowed me to grow and develop within my career.”

My name is Emily Bridgman, I was born in Whitchurch in England and grew up travelling the world. After following my family across the world to Paris, Mumbai, Shanghai, and Seoul, I ended up as an expat in Switzerland. Before then starting my university studies back in the UK at the University of Surrey in International Hospitality Management.

In the first 3 years of my career, I worked as an hourly wedding staff member before being promoted to a team lead alongside my studies. I then took up a 1-year internship at the Hilton EMEA Head Office in Watford as the President’s Office Intern EMEA. Although my main task was to assist the President executive assistant, I was able to undertake projects across the business in E-Commerce, Sales, and Public Relations. In October 2018, I joined IWC within the CRM team which meant a heavy focus on Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH - today known as Watches & Wonders), and I was given the opportunity to lead management of 226 top global end clients. After the end of my 6-month contract, in March 2019, I became Junior Project Manager Client Experience for 1 year. In the 1.5 years that I was on the customer experience team, I have consistently been awarded huge responsibility and the team has given me a lot of trust, allowing me to grow in my career.

In June 2020, I took on the permanent role of Project Manager Events & Guest Relations within the Marketing Department. Although COVID had come into play, IWC decided to become the first brand to develop its own personalised virtual tour. In August 2021, I took over as Team Lead Guest Relations, managing a wonderful team of driven Ambassadors and Project Managers with the slogan “Kunde ist Kunig”. Regardless of which guest walks through the doors of our IWC Museum or our Manufacture Center, we always want to give them the best IWC experience and connect them with our brand. In this new role, I oversee all projects within the team which also includes establishing analytics and data management for the department.

As you can see from my development at IWC, it' s a company that is always willing to empower the younger generation and genuinely support their professional development. Whether through the training opportunities offered by IWC, the various opportunities within the brand or the different management styles, my professional development has always been supported. Throughout my life the longest time I have spent in one place was 6 years, and I look forward to surpassing this in Switzerland and with IWC.

Emily Bridgman | Team Lead Guest Relations

[barnardblr]

havent posted an update on here in a while but i'm v much so still active n kickin.

summer 2021 (may 1-aug 13): spent it in nyc after spending a little over a year in quarantine at home in seattle, and it was the best time ever. made a bunch of memories with people i love n tried a lot of new things 👀 mental health improved tenfold. took two classes bc barnard & columbia offered summer semester for free + did an internship at columbia technology ventures. still feeling confident abt majoring in sociology! but dunno what i wanna do post-grad except for grad school... and i don't even know what i wanna go to grad school for yet. currently finishing up my study abroad application to boston university's shanghai internship program for spring '22.

fall interim (aug 13-30): spending these two weeks before fall sem at home. it's nice to recharge and see my parents and my cat <3 strangely enough this is the first time where i don't feel paralyzing anxiety over school n i think it's bc i took summer classes which kept my academic momentum going. i thought i'd feel burnt out, but i actually feel primed for fall.

things i'm excited for this fall: decorating my dorm, club meetings in person, exercising regularly again, making new friends, deepening existing friendships, study and movie dates, grocery shopping.

[richincolor]

Crystal’s 2020 Favorites

This has been an odd reading year. Sometimes I'm voraciously reading in escape mode. Sometimes the focus is just not there. Here are six books that held every bit of my attention and linger on in my mind.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas Swoon Reads [Audrey's review]

A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his traditional Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave in Aiden Thomas’s paranormal YA debut Cemetery Boys, described by Entertainment Weekly as groundbreaking.

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him. When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie off some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.

Darius the Great Deserves Better (Darius The Great #2) by Adib Khorram Dial Books for Young Readers

In this companion to the award-winning Darius the Great Is Not Okay, Darius suddenly has it all: a boyfriend, an internship, a spot on the soccer team. It’s everything he’s ever wanted–but what if he deserves better?

Darius Kellner is having a bit of a year. Since his trip to Iran this past spring, a lot has changed. He’s getting along with his dad, and his best friend Sohrab is only a Skype call away. Between his first boyfriend, Landon, his varsity soccer practices, and his internship at his favorite tea shop, Darius is feeling pretty okay. Like he finally knows what it means to be Darius Kellner.

Then, of course, everything changes. Darius’s grandmothers are in town for a long visit while his dad is gone on business, and Darius isn’t sure whether they even like him. The internship isn’t what Darius thought it would be, and now he doesn’t know about turning tea into his career. He was sure he liked Landon, but when he starts hanging out with Chip–soccer teammate and best friend of Trent Bolger, epic bully–well, he’s just not so sure about Landon anymore, either.

Darius thought he knew exactly who he was and what he wanted, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe he deserves better.

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger illustrations by Rovina Cai Levine Querido [Interview with author]

Imagine an America very similar to our own. It’s got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream.

There are some differences. This America been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.

Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered, in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family.

Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez Algonquin Young Readers [My review]

In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan lives a double life.

At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her rising-soccer-star brother’s shadow, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father.

On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila gets the chance to see just how far those talents can take her. In her wildest dreams, she’d get an athletic scholarship to a North American university.

But the path ahead isn’t easy. Her parents don’t know about her passion. They wouldn’t allow a girl to play fútbol–and she needs their permission to go any farther. And the boy she once loved is back in town. Since he left, Diego has become an international star, playing in Italy for the renowned team Juventus. Camila doesn’t have time to be distracted by her feelings for him. Things aren’t the same as when he left: she has her own passions and ambitions now, and La Furia cannot be denied. As her life becomes more complicated, Camila is forced to face her secrets and make her way in a world with no place for the dreams and ambition of a girl like her.

Filled with authentic details and the textures of day-to-day life in Argentina, heart-soaring romance, and breathless action on the pitch, Furia is the story of a girl’s journey to make her life her own.

Parachutes by Kelly Yang Katherine Tegen Books

Speak enters the world of Gossip Girl in this modern immigrant story from New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang about two girls navigating wealth, power, friendship, and trauma.

They’re called parachutes: teenagers dropped off to live in private homes and study in the US while their wealthy parents remain in Asia. Claire Wang never thought she’d be one of them, until her parents pluck her from her privileged life in Shanghai and enroll her at a high school in California. Suddenly she finds herself living in a stranger’s house, with no one to tell her what to do for the first time in her life. She soon embraces her newfound freedom, especially when the hottest and most eligible parachute, Jay, asks her out.

Dani De La Cruz, Claire’s new host sister, couldn’t be less thrilled that her mom rented out a room to Claire. An academic and debate-team star, Dani is determined to earn her way into Yale, even if it means competing with privileged kids who are buying their way to the top. When her debate coach starts working with her privately, Dani’s game plan veers unexpectedly off course.

Desperately trying to avoid each other under the same roof, Dani and Claire find themselves on a collision course, intertwining in deeper and more complicated ways, as they grapple with life-altering experiences. Award-winning author Kelly Yang weaves together an unforgettable modern immigrant story about love, trauma, family, corruption, and the power of speaking out.

Say Her Name by Zetta Elliott Disney/Jump at the Sun [My review]

Say her name and solemnly vow

Never to forget, or allow

Our sisters’ lives to be erased;

Their presence cannot be replaced.

This senseless slaughter must stop now.

Award-winning author Zetta Elliott engages poets from the past two centuries to create a chorus of voices celebrating the creativity, resilience, and courage of Black women and girls. Inspired by the #SayHerName campaign launched by the African American Policy Forum, these poems pay tribute to victims of police brutality as well as the activists championing the Black Lives Matter cause. This compelling collection reveals the beauty, danger, and magic found at the intersection of race and gender.

[islanublar]

Investors: Masrani Global

PROFILE

Masrani is one of the world's most successful corporations, with portfolios in both the commercial and industrial sectors and services spanning telecommunications, oil production, biological engineering, and construction. Generating a total profit of over $800 million in the 2014 fiscal year, Masrani can credit vision and innovation in its successes over the last two decades with CEO Simon Masrani at the helm.

Since the Masrani Global Corporation's NASDAQ market debut in 2000, Masrani has witnessed growth to over 70,000 team members, 250,000 shareholders from all across the world, and a list of stakeholders growing every day. Masrani is a significant global employer and CEO Simon Masrani has led from the top through acts of philanthropy and community engagement.

Investors have much to gain with the Masrani Corporation. Being one of NASDAQ 100 and Fortune 500 companies, 2014 saw a share price index increase of 13.2% from Q1 to Q4. With the world's best market analysts driving the corporation’s financial sectors, you can be assured that you're investing in the future with Masrani.

STOCK

NASDAQ MSRN (YTD): The above graph represents the year-to-date share-price index for MSRN on the NASDAQ market since Janurary 1, 2015.

NASDAQ Share Price Index: $158.12* -3.36 ⇓ 2.08%

CEO'S MESSAGE

As one of the leading Fortune 500 companies, Masrani Global has continued to advance and excel in major markets around the world. America, Asia, Europe and Australasia, no region has been left untouched. Having overseen a magnificent year in our two leading fields - namely genetics and research & development - we have set our sights on improving on new horizons.

Since its inauguration in 2005, Jurassic World has captivated millions around the globe. By 2015 we are expecting our 10 millionth visitor to Isla Nublar. For investors, that spells success.

What does 2015 hold? We have a world-class genetics and research and development team who have some ideas that will take genetics to the next level. Using InGen technology, combined with Masrani innovation, the world is ours to make and enjoy. I wish all of you the best as we head into a new era.

Chief Executive Officer: Simon Masrani reflects on an encouraging start to the 2014-15 financial year.

FY2014 REPORT

The Masrani Global Corporation posted one the most successful years in its history during the 2014 financial year, thanks in large part to investments in more sustainable energy technologies early in Q2. Now the world's 12th richest company, Masrani Global entered the 2015 fiscal year valued at 562.15 billion dollars.

Despite Masrani Oil's L-12 hiccup in August, 2014 was a year for investors to largely celebrate. Starting off Q1 with a share price index of $159.12, Masrani Global (NASDAQ: MSRN) continued its steady rise ending the year on a high of $180.12 after a series of innovative technological approaches. For the eighth year in a row, Masrani Global showed why it is one of the world's safest investments - with a net profit of 822.38 million dollars and a positive share price index increase of 13.2% over FY2014.

Simon Masrani was optimistic on the future prospects of the workforce. "We recently set up the Masrani scholarship program, which has assisted top graduates find positions within our companies all over the world", he said from Masrani's recently renovated offices in Shanghai. "We encourage our interns to think with fresh and open minds. If someone has a good idea, it needs to be nurtured. Some of the world's most successful ventures have come from young talent who just hung onto one unique idea. This is where the true future investment of Masrani lays."

2014 saw the continued investment of assets within the industrial (Masrani Oil, Timack Construction) and technological (InGen, Tatsu Technology) fields. While the overall intention was to focus on new technologies, sharing of information across subsidiaries was the underlying philosophy.

"Last year was one of scientific advancement", said Mr. Richard Wiesner, COO of Masrani Global. "We witnessed various subsidiaries working with each other to bring about the most exciting innovations the world has yet to see. Mascom launched satellites carrying Tatsuo processors, Analysys provided data that helped Medixal drive innovative healthcare, and Axis Boulder helped Masrani Oil make advances in sustainability."

Dr. Henry Wu, Lead Geneticist of InGen Technologies, was also excited about the future prospects of Jurassic World. Speaking from a scientific convention in Chicago, he said, "Thanks to the changing nature of genetics and the limitless power of the human imagination, we can now push boundaries that were once considered to be decades away."

Wiesner credited Jurassic World's latest success to Simon Masrani's recent announcement of the new Indominus rex attraction. “Since opening we've seen online bookings skyrocket” he explained. “2015 is going to be a fantastic year for Jurassic World."

InGen Technologies temporarily closed down two of its mines in Argentina to focus on its Martel expedition in Siberia, a move that has so far yielded an abundance of highly preserved carcasses. Despite the exciting finds, Dr. Henry Wu has held back on speculating whether Jurassic World might be including recreated assets from the Cenozoic Era. "Right now we are focused on the construction of the world's most complete genomic library", Dr. Wu reiterated. "But if the world tells us that's what they want to see, we're more than prepared."

FY2013 Report

Masrani continued it's trend since 2008 to post billion dollar profits over the financial year. Now a $521.42 multi-billion corporation, Masrani Globlal is on the verge of being one of the world's top 10 companies by 2020 should current market predictions continue.

Showing no change in course for the last four years, Masrani Global (NASDAQ: MSRN) continued to set its high standards for 2013. Showing a steady incline, starting off the year in Q1 with a share price index of $138.52 and ending the year at Q4 on a high of $159.12 after rumors of further investment in InGen resources.

Hiring an additional 4,000 staff over the course of the year, Masrani looked to increase its workforce in the United Arab Emirates, with an upgraded oil refinary expecting to be completed in early 2014. With a workforce age of just under 32 years of age, Marani Global is one of the most proactive workforces in the world looking in every corner for fresh talent.

Thanks to a scholarship program with Masrani, young college students excelling in their studies can now take up internships in field offices around the globe. With inauguration set for December 2014, the Masrani scholarship program has so far seen over 80,000 applications in its first year alone.

In the last two years further investment of assets within the industrial (Masrani Oil, Timack Construction) and technological (InGen, Tatsu Technology) fields continued to be made, exciting investors with new technologies and greater profits.

"Scientific advancement is something that cannot be compromised on", said Simon Masrani. "In today's world the competition is great, and with much at stake, and with the power to deliver, we find ourselves in a unique position to deliver technical advancement capabilities that go beyond the imagination."

Despite scientific advancements, Jurassic World continued to spark debate. Within the last three years, despite visitor rates climbing, the peak in numbers continued to appear during the American school holiday season, where staff on Isla Nublar are operating at 100% capacity.

Masrani Corporation's Chief Operations Officer Mr. Richard Wiesner described the year's success as merely acceptable. "You can't expect the world's greatest theme park to merely rely on the same attractions. We need to be proactive, thinking of bigger and better things. Isla Nublar only peaks in attendance during the American holiday season. Why? Proximity. The world has seen what we have to offer, but they aren't in awe as they once used to be. We need to change that. We have a chance to over the upcoming few years."

Despite speculations in the media that Jurassic World might be seen as a slowing attraction, investors can enjoy last month's announcement of a further 300 hotel rooms to be built on the island. Some big plans are coming, so stay tuned in 2014.

Last 4 FY Profit: Masrani Corporation profit in millions of dollars.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

Following in the footsteps of my father to make his company into a global corporation has been a lifelong goal. I have nothing but the investors of this company to thank, for they have joined me in this vision.

Simon Masrani - Chief Executive Officer, Masrani

The success that this company has given back to its investors has been incredible. It is something that other companies strive to replicate, but often can't deliver. Masrani has set new investment standards.

Richard Wiesner - Chief Operations Officer, Masrani

The pleasure it gives me to see that with every building we construct is another addition to help the global economy is greatly satisfying. With 8,000 workers, we all look forward to building the future.

Anthony Leigh - Director of Operations, Timack Construction

With Masrani Energy in Abu Dhabi, our workers come from diverse backgrounds with diverse skills, all towards one common goal - to build on the success of the Masrani corporation.

Jennifer Oliver - HR Manager, Masrani Energy

[papergirllife]

Shiny Toy With A Price

Chapter 1 of Catching The Flames

Y/N,

You have been accepted for the internship position that you have applied for. We hope to see you at work next Monday. Your internship as stated when you applied will lasts for three months. If our company is satisfied with your performance, you may be promoted to a full time employee. Your office tag and other details are also in this parcel.

SM Entertainment

I did it. I really did it. The latter was shaking in my hands as I scanned through the words a second time just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. More than a hundred people applied for this post, when I applied for it I wasn't expecting to get it. For all I know I'm just beyond grateful for this.

Time to work.

Day One:

My supervisor is a man in his late forties, Mr Kang. He was the one who suggested to the company that he needed an apprentice as he will be retiring in a few years time. His whole family had migrated to Canada, leaving him and his wife in Seoul for his career.

" I love my job. I really do. Photography is something I appreciated since I was a little boy. But it's about time I moved in with my kids, my wife misses them often."

That was one of the first things he told me when I met him.

Our first task today was to take nct dream's studio promotion photos.

When we walked in, the boys could be seen lounging around. Some of them had their make up done, while some were waiting for their turn.

To say that they were attractive was an understatement. These boys could kick the popular boys back in Grade 11 in the curb. They had sharp but elegant features. Eyes that had a had a piercing gaze when they looked at you.

But they didn't look cold. When Mr Kang walked in, all of them broke into large smiles coming up to ask Mr Kang about his recent happenings.

The one with orange hair was first to notice my presence.

"Me Kang, is she the apprentice you mentioned a few months ago?"

"I mentioned her photos, but yes she's the owner of them."

"I liked the photo of Shanghai's French district, few people appreciate the view there."

I was shocked that an idol appreciated my photography.

"I was fascinated by the mix of culture there."

He nodded smiling.

"Let me do the introductions. Y/N meet Jeno, Renjun, Jaemin, Haechan, Chenle, and Jisung. Dreamies meet Y/N."

"Mr Kang still called us dreamies since we debuted. He never he gets old." Jaemin said.

"I think that's cute."

"We're 20 and we're still being cute." Jeno complained.

"But I like being called cute. Don't you think I'm cute Y/N?"

Jeno eyes became saucers after hearing that.

"Don't mind Jaemin Y/N. He's always a flirt."

I couldn't really registered what Renjun said at that moment as I was still in shock. They were all staring at my face, waiting for my reaction.

"It's okay."

I replied in a timid voice. Great, it's hella obvious I was overly affected by Jaemin affection. At least Mr Kang was busy setting up the equipment so he didn't witness such an embarrassing scene.

"I'm going to help out Mr Kang with the equipment now."

What a lame excuse, I thoughts to myself.

The photoshoot went out quite smoothly. All of them were very friendly and talkative, Jisung needed a bit of a warm up though.

Jaemin was really distracting throughout the whole shoot. When he wasn't smiling, his eyes seem to pierce through you, looking for scraps of clues. I always avoided his gaze whenever he was looking at me. And that was very often.

Jeno seemed really distant with Jaemin after I and Jaemin's interaction. Did I offended him in some way?

Jeno also stole glances in my direction when he thought I was busy. Why? The others were relatively normal.

After 2 and a half hours the the shoot was finished. The boys bid me and Mr Kang goodbye with smiles on their face.

"You did really well today Y/N. Take the photos home to edit, I'll take a look at them tomorrow. Email me the original photos also."

"Yes, Mr Kang."

What just happened today?

[ramabear]

and in no particular order....

KHR

royal demon hunter - xanyams - multi chapter, sorta two parter

the royal tutor- gokuborn - multi chapter - the second half of RDH

ajin!tsuna- potential gokuxan, potential yams ship too- multichapter, beginning solidly finished

genderbent gokudera/xanxus fic (storm prompt secondary fill) -multichapter

roleswap teen!xanxus (potential of 2 sequels for this) i dont even want to get into this >.>

TYL gokuborn secondary cloud fill prompt (a oneshot, probably)

Xanxus Goes Native: secret ship >.> multi chaptered

shanghai mountain: god what am i even planning with this. multichapter, xanyams, the prequel to the cowboy!xanxus au

hide and seek, for keeps: the other ghoul fic, much....darker than the first, gokuxan

terms of courtship: mostly at a pause cause of xanxus’s inner turmoil, the bastard- gokuxan as well, fuckin,,, abo fic too lmao

6 degrees- gokuborn; this one is just so fucked up, multi chapter, mostly completely outlined

ten days- mostly pwp, another abo, gokuborn (Timeline shenanigans too) definitely multi chaptered

scar fic- the “xanxus was frozen for twenty four years” fic- gokuxan, multi chaptered, want this one to be Right. very tricky.

the fucking rewritten ending to the flame swap- just a few chapters that need tweaking and fixing fuck im pissed off about this one

khr crossovers (not including ghoul stuff/ajin stuff bc i dont really take anything but the premise there; they’re more flavor,,, less crossover)

isekai bnha follow ups: the date, sport fest, internship, camping/kidnapping (maybe more) (mostly oneshots/small chapters)

cake fix: the rewrite of HYC which takes the premise and the worldbuilding and just, jacks it right the fuck up. probably multi parts/series piece not just multi chapter (like, everything up to the rings and then the rings part separate) not sure on the ending, exactly, but, hey, we’ll get there

Counteroffer: the narts crossover/sequel to force of nature. got a good beginning, fleshing out the middle. definitely longer than the first one. 

retrograde crossover: more bnha at the beginning and then khr at the end,, possibly inko/nana ship

stranded: definitely a self indulgent fic. we’ll see how that goes

now, the Bnha stuff

all of the horror - soulmate au! bakutodo, izuku????, might end up bakutodozuku. (maybe) anyway, got a solid beginning to this one. its fucky but in a fun way :)

ranking: enjikatsuki fic (dont ask) this one is Very Long and half plotted out (though the ending keeps fucking changing on me) and will take a while to get out properly. ive got bits written that i really like so its gonna be a wild ride

this is how it is- possible direct sequel of another (posted) fic or somewhat inspired by- its a dad!katsuki fic. leaning towards bakutodo or bakudeku (or bakushin???) but might not have a ship at all? who knows

katsu-ai: don’t ask. might write but never post. we’ll see

amnesia fic: im right now having the internal fight of rewriting, oh say, the last thirty fucking pages of this thing. either me or kormi are gonna win this fight and i dont know who yet. we’ll see. 

bloodsport: literally one chapter left (maybe at most two) really should finish this

SIAOD rewrite: slow and steady, s l o w and s t e a d y. in the middle of the rewrite for exsanguination right now. trying to prevent this change from altering siaod’s canon too much. mostly using it to clarify some things? we’ll see (unlike HYC, im really trying to stay along with the similar original beats of siaod. its difficult but possible, i think)

might actually work on waylaid. the ‘enji-marries-rei-at-19-fucking-years-old’ detail of canon is... something i might have to adjust. god what a c h i l d.

give him an inch; self indulgent, unlikely to share, still kinda want to finish.

NARTS STUFF

aiding and abetting rewrite (i’m mostly joking)

siblingverse older drop: got a fun beginning, not sure where the ending should/could be. once i figure that out, i’ll have something to bridge to, i think. (its a shisui dropped in canon story. right during the invasion lmao)

chakra eater sakura: similar to the last one, but before the invasion and shisui’s much younger (you’re going to notice a theme here, i think)

the fic between the lines: >.> if u guessed “shisui dropped into canon at X point” you’d be right. dont question it. its my most self indulgent kind of fic ok

my neighbor sakumo!: i have no idea where this is going. but the beginning is great! need to figure out the ending (need to do that for a lot of these i see)

(we’re going to skip at least two other versions X in the wrong place/time because Reasons but suffice to say they are There and Waiting)

Brotherhood. Of course. sigh i need to work on that one i really do.

MCU shit

self indulgent Alien OCs Raise Loki fic; probably will never post even if i work on it

Way down we go/way down we go remix: i really like these fics. they (like most of my mcu stuff) is self indulgent and full of OC stuff. really want to work on them, not sure if i’d ever post them

Brynja Variant: will not post. not sure if continue. we’ll see

kidnapping au: more OC interaction :) multi chapter, probably wont post

Diagrams: soulmate tony/ivan fic. if i do finish it, i will post this one

Wasted Youth: not sure,,, if this has much more to it. maybe a few more chapters? we’ll see. if i do finish it, i’ll post it (probably)

Observer: Of course (and its flipside) i really need to at least work on one chapter of this a month (like brotherhood) s i g h

random other shit:

doing business as; the regulus finds and raises harry fic- not sure,,, where i want to go with this. if i can figure that out, i think i could work more on it.

moreno: a fic for me and one other person. very self indulgent OC stuff. almost certainly will never post, but hey. masked cannibal serial killers. thats always fun 

so. that’s about 35-40 fics, give or take a few, that are all in my WIPs and that i’ve been sorta working on for the last,,, while. (some the last few months, some a few years old) some have several thousand words, some just a few hundred, but almost all of these have at the very least one scene written for them, if not more. 

i suppose the idea is to pick several of them to keep on permanent rotation with each other until It’s actually fucking finished. not sure if i should juggle between two and three or five and six. kind of would like to have different types/different fandoms i’m focused on at a time. plus there’s stuff that’s already partially posted that, well, probably should have priority. 

this list is mostly for myself to read through and like, figure shit out, but if you have questions or want to know more or are desperate for one WIP over another, let me know. i write for me, but i also write for you. 

i’ll, hopefully, make a decision this weekend and be able to start july on a prepared foot. or something. we’ll fuckin see i guess

[todaywastheperfectday]

R o o t e d

For the latter part of my 20s

I want to be rooted in a place 

I turned 20 in Toronto, juggling 2 jobs and an internship.

I had the opportunity to go to Iceland and New York 

I turned 21 Washington, D.C.

I had an internship at my dream organisation

I travelled to China, Singapore, Thailand to see my parents

I turned 22 & 23 in Toronto

Graduating from McGill University, had my first full-time job at the Ministry of the Attorney General

Moved to Hong Kong at 23

Travelled to Shanghai, Beijing, Qingdao, Korea

I turned 24 and 25 in Hong Kong

Travelled to the U.S., back and forth between Toronto, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou, and even had a chance to go on 2 missions trips to Cambodia and Yunnan

I turned 26 in Singapore in the midst of a Global Pandemic

I spent the first half of my 20s travelling, going places that I adored, exploring new cultures and opportunities and God grew my heart for His people and allowed me to witness and co-labor with him in building His kingdom in diverse places around the world

The first half of my 20s, I collected experiences and opportunities, build communities in diverse places, and developed a heart for city-dwelling 

For the latter half of my 20s

I want to be rooted-

Rooted in the Word, rooted in the Lord, rooted in a place.