#also i love how it took me 5 tries to spell prejudice right

[simptasia]

ya know, humanity isnt actually mean and selfish. i got outside a bunch nowadays and people are quite nice out there

[ace-trainer-risu]

oh here! i’ll come ask you for book recs lol. do you have any spooky and/or autumn-y book recs? or just your fave books :)

First of all, I'm sorry this took me SO long to answer. I want to say I've been busy but it's just been general [waves hand vaguely] life.

ANYWAY thank you for asking! I actually don't read scary stuff a lot b/c I'm a wimp, but I have a few spooky/autumnal books up my sleeves! Let's see what we've got!!

1) The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Let me just start by saying that Sarah Waters is one of my absolute favorite authors ever! All her novels are suspenseful, twisty historical novels with great female and queer characters. Although, fair warning, actually The Little Stranger is like her one novel that isn't queer, but it is VERY good. If you read The Little Stranger and like it, please read Fingersmith and/or The Paying Guests.

The Little Stranger is set in the countryside of post-WWII England and follows a mild-mannered doctor as he becomes increasingly involved in the lives of the family living in the local, increasingly decrepit, possibly haunted mansion. Think Downton Abbey but creepy. Strange things keep happening inside the house, from dog bites to mysterious sounds to creepy black spots. Literally just typing that gave me goosebumps. It seems like someone may be out to get the family, but who...or what? Is it simply the ghosts of their own painful memories, or is something more? Sarah Waters is excellent at lush, intricate historical detail, and she leans into that here to create an atmosphere of slowly building dread and horror and mystery.

That being said, as a person who isn't normally a fan of horror, I don't think this book is too scary. It's more of an atmospheric, psychological horror than a jump-scare, bloody horror. It's not a book that will give you nightmares (probably), but you might lie awake thinking about it.

Also. Pro-tip. As a haunted(?) house story, the house is obviously fairly central to the story. Dear fellow Americans, keep in mind that the British refer to the floors of a building differently than us. For Americans, the ground-level floor is called the first floor, the floor above that the second floor, etc. For the British, the ground-level floor is the ground floor, and the floor above that is the first floor, etc. There's all sorts of creepy references to characters hearing noises above them on the first floor, but I was just like, Why are they always in the basement?

2) Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia

This and the above are two very different books, and yet they are both set in the mid-1900s and both are about weird, creepy, maybe-haunted houses. What can I say, I like gothic fiction.

After our heroine, Noemi, receives a bizarre, borderline incoherent letter from her beloved cousin, she sets out to visit her in the literally decaying mansion she resides in with her husband and his new family deep in the countryside of Mexico. All Noemi wants to do is persuade her cousin to come back home with her, but her cousin's new in-laws are very determined not to let that happen...or to let Noemi leave either. Secrets abound in the bizarre house and even creepier nearby cemetery, and soon Noemi finds that she too is suffering from bizarre dreams and visions...although, are they just dreams?

This book is so weird, but in such a good way? I read it for a book club and every week we had increasingly bizarre theories about what was going on, we were googling alchemy and fungi and St George, and some of our theories were even right. Although definitely not all. Another very twisty one that keeps you guessing.

In terms of scariness, interestingly I think there's more overtly creepy and horrifying moments in this novel than The Little Stranger, but I found TLS more overall scary? But that may be because I read it quickly, which I think is the ideal setting for suspenseful stuff, and I read Mexican Gothic over a longer amount of time since it was for a book club. This one does have some more typical horror elements to it, but I don't think it's more creepy than terrifying.

3) The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey

I listened to this one as an audiobook and the audiobook is excellent so would recommend that, but have no doubt it would also be great to physically read.

Oh my god this book...it's more thriller than horror, but I think it fits the brief. There were multiple moments listening to this book that I literally gasped or said "OH MY GOD!" out loud, and there are moments which are very creepy and horrifying. There's a particular scene in the backyard... Again, incredibly suspenseful and twisty. And the character development and character psychology is just! really really good! There's also really interesting and knotty feminist stuff which is a lot more complicated and nasty than some of the "girlboss" stuff which is popular right now.

Super minimal summary: All you really need to know is that it is a sci fi novel about a scientific researcher trying to pick up her life after her marriage has imploded, only for everything to go BATSHIT WRONG. Trust me, that's all you need to know, it's better to go into this not knowing what's going to happen or what to expect. I had no clue what this novel was about when I started it, and holy shit. Very good book, absolutely recommend this if you want some super suspenseful, creepy sci fi that will make you say "oh my GOD" repeatedly.

Okay, shifting gears a little now b/c autumn isn't just spooky, it's also cozy and restful and daydreamy!

4) The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker

This isn't maybe a cozy book per se, but it's a great book to cuddle down with on a dreary day and lose yourself in. If you've ever asked yourself, "What would it be like if you crossed Pride and Prejudice with Howl's Moving Castle except the wizard was way worse but somehow still sexy" - then you should read this book! I actually came across this book b/c I was like, I wanna read a book that's a portal fantasy but for adults, and this book was like OH here's everything you wanted.

It's about a grad student, Nora, who has totally stalled out on her dissertation and is at a shitty wedding when she accidentally wanders through a portal into a beautiful, fantastical fairy world. At first, everything is amazing and literally perfect...but surprise surprise, not all as is it seems, and soon everything goes to, how should I put it, shit. Nora escapes, but rather than returning home, she finds herself trapped in a far more dreary realm. But not one without it's own charms and it's own magic, and Nora finds herself the student-slash-sorta-captive of the crochety, sexy, maybe-killed-his-wife magician Aruendiel* and she begins to learn magic herself.

Unlike the above books, this is not a fast-paced, twisty book, and I think if you go into this expecting high fantasy along the lines of Game of Thrones, you may be disappointed. It's not really a typical high-fantasy novel, it's more of a cross of an 18th/19th century realist novel, a fairy tale, and a fantasy novel. But if you want that, then it's REALLY good! I loved this book! And the magic in it is so cool, something about the way its described feels so visceral and real and like you could really do it if you just tried hard enough. There is a romance and it's totally, intentionally hashtag problematic, but it's very laid back, very slow burn, so I think even if you aren't a person who digs romance you can still enjoy this. If you're looking for a feminist-leaning fantasy novel that you can just sink into and lose yourself in, this is the perfect book. You will long to magically fix broken plates.

5) The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry by C.M. Waggoner

Honestly I can't even justify why I think this one is an autumn book. It simply is. It's autumn colored in my head. It is the coziest book I have ever read about necromancy and crime. Also I just want to recommend it. This is another one that I listened to as an audiobook and it's also a good audiobook, for those who are interested. But it also means I will not be able to spell absolutely any of the character's names.

This novel follows Delly, an enterprising young scoundrel of a fire witch with a teeny tiny gin habit as she attempts to support herself and her hot-mess of a mom in the roughest neighborhoods of Fantasy-City-That-I-Can't-Remember-The-Name-Of. Lice...gate? When Delly comes across an advertisement for a bodyguarding job for young women for a hefty fee, it seems like the answer to definitely not all but at least some of her problems. She accepts, along with an interesting assortment of other sorcerous young ladies, including a wonderfully bitchy Absentia (my love), a young woman who can turn into a boar, boar girl's necromancer mother, and the very sexy part-troll Winn, who in my imagination looks like Gwendoline Christie and talks like Miranda Hart. Which. Perfect woman. Winn being a fine, wealthy young lady, Delly can't help but think to herself that it wouldn't be such a bad thing if Winn happened to fall in love with her and carried her off to be rich and spoiled the rest of her life.

Of course, things quickly don't go to plan, and soon Delly and her companions find herself caught up in wicked schemes of murder, drugs, and an undead mouse named Buttons who says BONG. I love Buttons SO MUCH.

This book is just a silly romp of a novel which worms into your heart and your brain. It's fun and cute and gay, and also it made me cry. I haven't stopped thinking, "Not quite regulation hammerball" since I listened to it like half a year ago.

Also, while I'm here, this novel is set in the same world as and features a few of the same characters as Unnatural Magic. Which is also a hell of a book. Literally the best bisexual relationship I have ever fuckin read. It's a winter book tho, so I simply can't go into it here.

Aaaaand...that it's! Happy autumnal reading :)

[lunarity2013]

PostwickShip Fic Ideas

So I beat the main game of Pokémon Sword this past weekend, and I have been COMPLETELY obsessed with this adorable ship — to the point where I have been writing down all these ideas for a fic for it, and I just really needed to put the words to paper (or google doc, I guess) and share them! @kuumamochi - here ya go!

So quick note, I changed their ages so she, Hop, Bede, and Marnie are all around 16 instead of 10-12, and I actually made an OC for this to use instead of the base Gloria/Yuuri, so first some little details about her!

OC: Elizabeth

Called: Lizzie

Age: 16 (birthday - Spring)

Hair: long, caramel blonde; usually tied back into to twin braids with side-swept bangs

Eyes: large, round, icy blue eyes (get darker closer to the center)

Height: 4′11″

Weight: 115 lbs

Starter: Sobble  (nicknamed “Darcy”, like from Pride and Prejudice)

Likes: strawberries, hydrangeas, warm blankets, and a good book

Dislikes: meat (she’s vegetarian), scary stories, snow, and sports

Favorite Pokemon Types: Fairy and Grass

Typical Outfit/Style: knit beret, striped shirt, short skirt, hoodie, thigh-high socks, and ankle boots

Personality: shy, a bit oversensitive as a child, easily upset by harsh words or by bullies, slowly grows out of it and comes out of her shell as she grows up with  Hop; always felt like a “damsel in distress” when Hop would stand up to bullies for her, and wants to be the one to stand up for him for once; always thinks before opening her mouth, sometimes for too long and misses her chance to speak in a conversation

Family:

Mom: Sara

energetic, but soft-spoken; worked as a journalist in Hammerlocke for years before meeting Lizzie’s father, and moving to Postwick to become a mother and an online journalist

brown hair, blue eyes, 5′0″

Pokemon: Budew, Munchlax

Dad: Dimitri (deceased)

shy, very calm; prefered books to people in most cases; was working as a low-ranking police officer (alongside many cousins named Jenny) in Hammerlocke when he met Sara; later moved with her to Postwick and became a small-town detective

Died of illness when Lizzie was 7

blond hair, purple eyes, 6′0″

Pokemon: Pikachu “Zeus”

Aunt: Carol

Her late dad’s older sister

Lives in Ballonlea, working as a teacher

blonde hair, purple eyes, 5′4″

Pokemon: Cutiefly “Zipper”, Ponyta “Magi”, and Clefairy “Momo”

Grandpa: Phillip

Her mom’s dad

Former Dark-Type gym leader before Piers (his eldest grandchild)

Currently retired and living in Spikemuth

Pokemon: Obstagoon, Thievul, Grimmsnarl, Phantump, Skuntank

Cousins: Marnie and Piers

Their mother is Lizzie’s mom’s younger sister

She was also the Dark-Type gym leader for several years until Piers took over

History with Hop:

Grew up with Hop for as long as either can remember

It was always the two of them against the world

Hop protected her from bullies

Lizzie patched him up when things got “too real”

Always figured they’d be together forever, no matter what

Leon gave Hop his first Pokemon (Wooloo) right before he left on his Pokemon journey

Lizzie was a little jealous and wanted one too

Leon said he could catch her one, but then Hop one-upped him and said he’d find her a shiny Wooloo instead

Lizzie agreed to let Hop find one, and hasn’t tried to catch one until he finds her a shiny Wooloo

It’s been six years since this, and he’s still looking

Lizzie realized she had a crush on Hop when he came over to cheer her up after being stood up for a date at age 13

They watched Pokemon league matches while eating ice cream until they finally passed out on the floor at about 3am

Hop turned 16 first, and should have been the first to go on his Pokemon journey, but insisted on staying another six months until Lizzie’s birthday so that they could go on their journey together

Hop realizes he might have a crush on her right before they start their journey, when they both reach for the Wishing Stones

He sees her eyes light up in the stones’ glow, and gets the “oh no, emotions” feeling in his gut

Their Journey Begins:

Lizzie gets her Sobble because it reminds her of her childhood self

She wants to be for Sobble what Hop was for her

She names him Darcy, after the character in her favorite book

Hop is only a little jealous she named her first Pokemon after the love interest to the character that shares her name (No, Liz, I didn’t read it, you just talk about it all the time and I can’t escape it!)

In the Slumbering Weald, they get separated in the fog, and have to try and find each other as well as the lost Wooloo

They don’t see the sword or shield Pokemon until they find each other again, holding hands to not get lost again

They’re still holding hands when they wake up after passing out in the fog

Lizzie’s second Pokemon and Hop’s third Pokemon are a pair of Rookidee, who they help out and that choose to stay with them

The two bird Pokemon bicker like an old married couple half the  time they’re together, but cuddle and coo at each other and hate to be apart for too long

Hop, oblivious: “Look, they’re just like us! Best friends who can’t be kept apart!”

Lizzie: *facepalm*

They travel together all the way to Motosoke, camping together in the Wild Area

Lizzie teaches Hop how to cook, so as not to starve or poison any of his Pokemon or himself

His Pokemon are forever grateful

After opening ceremonies, they take on different gyms

Lizzie starts with Milo’s, while Hop takes on Nessa’s first, then they switch and meet back up in Motosoke for Kabu’s badge challenge

This starts as the longest either of them have ever been apart, and they’re both nervous while putting on a brave front

Just about every battle they’ve ever had has either ended in a draw, or been cut off by something

They don’t find out who is the “stronger trainer” of the two until the Semi-Finals

***

I think I’m gonna stop here for now, let me know if anyone wants to see more! I’ll post a link if I end up writing a whole drawn-out fic for this concept!

Note: please ignore any spelling/grammar errors, I used my computer to type these and it’s kind of shit.

[minhoslut]

♡ summary: Y/N is a fairy in a world of magic hating humans, who moves into a house with seven young men after being kicked out of her old dorm. She learns about all their secrets while hiding hers for as long as she can. Lots of parties, games, sex and maybe even love.

♡ pairing: ot7 x fem!reader, fem!reader x various idols

♡ chapter: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ? |

♡ series warnings: alcohol consumption, blood mention, drug use, mxm, fxf, threesome, foursome, orgy, swearing, anxiety, depression, past trauma, past abuse

♡ series genre: fluff, smut, slight angst

♡ series rating: R

♡ word count: 2041

♡ posted on: AO3

♡ chapter six: now what?

When you woke up, you were in an unfamiliar room, curled into the body of a man with a mop of pink hair on his head. Jin. Last nights escapades returned quickly and you sighed, looking around the room. The four-poster bed was huge, with white sheets accented with gold. In fact, that seemed to be the theme of the whole room, the side tables, the vanity, and the wardrobe were all a similar cream with gold decals . It was pretty, and it smelled just like Jin. Speaking of, he was dead asleep, and you wanted a shower. Remnants of Jins orgasm were drying on your bare body and it was less than pleasant. The issue now was finding the clothes that had been tossed who knows where and making it to the bathroom. You managed to slip out from the sheets and started looking around the room for your missing garments.

You eventually gave up on your own clothes and threw on the oversized white shirt Jin had been wearing last night. Tiptoeing out of the room and up the stairs to your own, you managed to not bump into anyone else. Probably passed out , you mused. Grabbing an oversized pink sweater, some undies, and a pair of white thigh-high socks, you headed to the bathroom and drew a bubble bath. Once it was filled and you were satisfied with the temperature you pulled off Jins shirt and lowered yourself into the tub. The warm water began to relax your sore muscles immediately, last nights activities had worn you out more than you had thought.

As you ran over everything that had happened last night, you bit your lip slightly. It really had been so sexy, Chungha was stunning and you wished you had gotten her info. Jin probably has it. Speaking of Seokjin, you really hoped that he wouldn’t act weird. The boys had started getting comfortable with you and you didn’t want that to change just because you had boned one of them. You sighed as you began to scrub your body, it’s not like you can change anything now, what’s done is done. You paid extra attention to your shoulders, the spots where your wings grew were feeling tender for some reason. Maybe I’ll mix up some pain-relieving tea.

After rinsing all the soap away, you dried off and pulled the sweater on, letting it fall to mid-thigh. Your white high waisted panties might end up exposed but you didn’t really care, you chuckled while sliding your socks up over your knees. You put your white locks up into a high ponytail with a black scrunchie and left the bathroom. Skipping down the stairs, you bounced into the kitchen and began to gather the ingredients for pancakes, aka the perfect hangover brunch. Playing your 1 of 1 album by SHINee quietly off your phone, you sang along softly as you mixed everything together. After pouring the first batch on the grill you began to cut up some fruit, then set the table. Just as you were putting the fluffy golden-brown pancakes on the plate, Jungkook walked into the kitchen.

“Morning.” He mumbled sitting down at the table and ruffling his hair sleepily. He blinked a few times before looking at you eyes wide. “You made us pancakes? Are you an angel, oh my god, marry me?” He said in a much too serious tone that had you laughing over the grill. “Maybe one day if you’re lucky~” You teased, flipping the second batch and then moving to boil some water. Namjoon, Hoseok, and Jimin came down then, singing your praises as they sat at the table and began to serve themselves. You felt a hand on your waist, and turned to find Taehyung, who had also come down with Yoongi, and was being flirty as always.

Now that all the pancakes were cooked you joined the rest at the table, at the same time Jin also sat at the table. Everyone conversed happily as they ate, discussing the party and their various levels of hangover. When everyone was done, Jimin turned towards you. “Thank you for making us food all the time Y/N! You’re the best~” He cooed blinking his impossibly long lashes at you. You blew him a kiss, “Anything for my boys.” Taehyung smirked, “Your boys huh? When did that happen?” You tapped your chin and pretended to think hard, “The day I walked in here.” You settled on a bright smile on your lips, which was soon mirrored by seven others.

“It was so smart of me to suggest we get another roommate.” Jin said crossing his arms and sitting back in his chair. “Your idea? Since when?” Yoongi said laughing with the other boys at Jins claim. “Namjoon was the one who did everything, and he suggested it in the first place!” Jungkook added. “So what! It’s my house so really I have the final say, so you better be grateful.” Jin said turning up his nose. “Seokjin, we’ve all lived here for like, ever, so don’t even try that.” Hoseok snorted, standing up and clearing everyones plates. Jin, mature as he is, stuck out his tongue but joined Hoseok in cleaning up. Jungkook filled the sink and Jimin stood by with a towel ready to dry the dishes as they were washed. Taehyung settled on returning the ingredients you had pulled out to their homes.

“Ah~ Really having so many roommates is nice! At my old place, I always ended up doing the cooking and cleaning.” You said, making a face at the memory. “Your old roommates don’t sound very good.” Namjoon said, shaking his head, you grimaced, They didn’t know the half of it. “Well if they had been great, I would have never come here, so in a way, it was a good thing.” You said with a smile. The familiar anxiety that always came when you thought of your old home began to settle in your stomach, prompting you to announce that you’d be going for a walk.

You tried to ignore the slightly confused looks you received from a few of the boys, slipping on some shoes and heading out the back door.

The air outside was crisp, and the sun was peeking out from behind a few fluffy white clouds. You took a deep breath and headed down the same way you had the first time. Humming to yourself as you walked, you tried to shoo the horrible memories of your previous home out of your mind. It was frustrating that you couldn’t seem to shake them, you had tried many spells but trauma had always been quite magic resistant. The underlying gnawing in your stomach is always present but worsens at times like this when you feel pulled back into your past.

Times like this made you wonder if life was even worth it. It was tiring, hiding your true self. You often worried that you would never find someone whom you’d want to spend the remainder of your life with. If you did, would they accept you? If they were human they would die much earlier than you, so would you even try? These questions plagued your mind and clouded the future. You felt yourself start to cry and began to run farther into the woods, letting the wind whip your tears away. The world was a blur of green as you ran, your feet pounding on the moss and dirt-covered ground.

You didn’t know how long you ran, but you came to a stop when you found a huge tree with long and wide branches. Beginning to climb the tree, you tried to focus on your steps rather than your crowded thoughts. You climbed about midway up the tree, still under the cover of the forest but higher than most humans could get too. There was a breeze up here and you pulled your knees into your chest while you sat on the branch, resting your head atop them.

You wished for a different world, one that was without prejudice. Your heart had broken the day you had been told to leave your village, only to be shattered once more when your roommate had betrayed you. You had loved her so much, the two of you had always spent the most time together out of all your roommates. The five of you had been so close, yet they had thrown it all away in an instant just because you were a fairy. You curled tighter into yourself, tears returning to your eyes. Why did nobody want you for who you were?

You sat in the tree for a while longer before jumping down and making your way back to the house. When you got there you found Seokjin, Jungkook, and Taehyung messing around in the pool. “Yo Y/N! You ready for round two of the party?” Taehyung called, pushing his blue hair out of his face. “You can bet your ass I am!” You answered laughing slightly as you watched Jin shove Jungkook under the water. “Join us, the waters perfect~” Jin said a small smile dancing across his lips, “I think I will actually, be right there!”

Up in your room, you pulled out a baby blue high waisted bikini bottom and a matching rectangle top with spaghetti straps. Pulling it on and grabbing a towel, you returned to the pool and jumped right in. The water was the perfect temperature as it wrapped you in its welcoming arms, making you smile to yourself. Coming to the surface you shook the water off your face and threw yourself onto Taehyungs back. “Gotcha~” You teased, holding around his neck lightly, feeling his back muscles against your chest.

“No fair, why hug him?” Jungkook whined from the headlock Jin had him in, apparently, they hadn’t settled their play fight quite yet. “Jealous Kook? Come here and get me then!” You said with a flirty wink. “I’m wounded that you’d leave me so easy doll~” Taehyung said wiping a fake tear from his eye. “You’ll have to keep me away from him then I suppose.” You shrugged, sticking your tongue out at him cheekily.

Strong arms wrapped around your waist and you shrieked as Jungkook pulled you off of Tae. “Success!” Jungkook cheered carrying you over to the deeper end. You couldn’t stop your laughter as Taehyung chased after the two of you, faking slow motion. You saw Jin shake his head and let out a laugh of his own before joining Taehyung in his oh so slow pursuit of rescuing you back from Jungkook. Somehow you ended up in Jins arms, princess style, while Tae and Kook were having a pool noodle sword fight. “They are absolute five-year-olds I swear.” Seokjin muttered, making you nod in agreement.

“By the way Y/N, I just want you to know that what happened last night doesn’t change anything.” Seokjin said, his tone turned serious. “None of us really view sex as something that changes a relationship, other than the sex itself, and if the parties are both in agreement more closeness or flirtiness. I don’t want you to be worried, and I’m fairly certain from what I know about you so far, that you feel a similar way.” You leaned your head against his broad chest, “I do have pretty much the same view. I want all of us to stay close and comfortable, and for me, sex is just something that happens when there's mutual physical attraction. I’d love to be flirty and close with all of you like I’ve said I’ll tell you if I’m uncomfortable.” You felt him give you a squeeze, letting you know he heard.

It was like a huge weight had been removed from your chest, knowing that the boys felt the same way you did. “You can share the message with the others, and I don’t mind if you talk about what we did with them. I have a feeling I will end up with all of you at some point but don’t tell them that yet.” Jins laugh made your own body shake, “You really are a unique person Y/N, I’m glad it was you who joined our little group.”

[mydarlingklaus]

Black Roses: Chapter 1

Hey guys!! So I’m back with a new story, didn’t take too long haha. I’m pretty excited for what this one has in store because it’s kinda different than my others stories but what I have planned already has me antsy to write the whole thing! This chapter is over 3000 words so it’s under the cut. The link to my ff account will be at the bottom so please, please leave a review!  Reviews motivates writers to continue their craft and it’s really important. Thanks (:

"Okay, so I think I finally have the theme for the Homecoming dance, you're going to love it!" April Young clapped her hands together excitedly drawing attention to her poster board. "How about, A Night in Paris? It's simple, classy-"

"And incredibly overdone and basic." Caroline interrupted the girl's pitch with an annoyed huff.

In about a month the Whitmore Academy for the Supernaturally Gifted were putting on their annual homecoming dance.

The boarding school housed a variety of species of young supernatural students such as: vampires, witches, werewolves, sirens and banshees. Every year a different faction organized and hosted the dance, and the witches were in charge for this year. Caroline had been looking forward to planning this event since her first year. As not only the top student in her division but also most ambitious, naturally did she take the reigns as head of the committee. Everything had to be perfect, but she was still contemplating on the theme and her team was no help when they only had a month left.

April fidgeted with her fingers and gulped at Caroline's disapproval. "Umm, right. Uhh how about masquerade?"

"Pass." She quickly dismissed.

The other girl's mouth opened and closed, scared to say anything else that might cause her to be kicked off the committee or simply upset Caroline.

April gulped. "How about-"

"How about, we take a break and reconvene later?" Bonnie suggested much to both April and Caroline's relief.

Quickly nodding, April grabbed her purse off the table and rushed out the classroom without giving the flustered blonde another glance.

"You didn't have to be mean, Care. That girl literally worships the ground you walk on." Bonnie laughed turning towards her friend.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "She does not, and it wasn't intentional. All her ideas were just terrible."

"Then why did you ask for her input?"

She scoffed. "Because I thought I owed it to the rest of you to at least hear your suggestions considering how mad you were last time I planned something without you."

"Knowing you'd make the final decision anyways no matter what we say. Very considerate." Bonnie sarcastically said.

Touché.

Caroline never denied she was a control freak; a firm believer in doing things on her own if she wanted it to be perfect.

The blonde sighed standing from her chair. "I'm sorry Bonnie. I just have a lot to get done and one less thing on my to-do list would be great."

Her friend sighed sympathetically and reached out to bring Caroline in for a hug. A much needed one.

"You're gonna get it all done. If anyone is capable of having a whole plate of tasks and ridding all of them in a blink, it's Caroline Forbes." Bonnie praised with a comforting smile as she pulled away.

Caroline struggled to return the expression.

Maybe she was a bit over ambitious this school year. She had tons of extracurricular activities as well as a heavy class schedule with even more difficult spells to learn. But Caroline was determined to make her last year the best, even if that meant she stressed herself out till the end.

Weakly smiling back at her friend, Caroline swung her bag over her shoulder. "Bonnie Bennett, my favorite motivator. I wish there was a spell that could get all my tasks completed for me."

"Don't we all." She smirked.

"Let's go the cafeteria before the lunch hour is over. I'm in need of a brownie fix before practice." Caroline practically begged heating her stomach grumble in hunger.

"Hey heads up!"

Caroline turned hearing Tyler's voice and her face nearly colliding with the football he threw across the room. Muttering a deflation spell under her breath caused the ball and Tyler's smile to fall.

It landed flatly in front of the table she occupied.

"Seriously!" Caroline snapped.

Tyler laughed. "Sorry. I swear I was aiming towards Jeremy." He guiltily claimed nodding towards his friend.

"How about you not throw a football in a cafeteria at all, ever think about that?" She hissed, turning back into her seat and ignoring the eyes focused on the scene she created.

The raven haired boy raised a brow sitting beside her on the lunch bench and scooted closer so his lips hovered her ear.

"I'm sorry babe, okay?" He muttered into her ear and leaving a swift kiss on her cheek that effectively changed her mood.

Lunch hour was always the most chaotic time of the day but oddly organized.

Each clique of supernatural creatures sat with their own, very rarely interacting with the other species. Though all the students took a few general courses together and extracurricular activities, one would think they were all complete strangers. It was common knowledge to sit with your own, no one ever questioned it.

Caroline however made exceptions. Given that she was dating Tyler Lockwood, the alpha of a wolf pack, so maybe she wasn't completely prejudice.

There was only one group that she had zero tolerance for and despised from the rest; vampires.

Since childhood Caroline was taught that vampires were the root of evil, especially towards witches. They not only made it a sport to kill her kind but also manipulated and stole from them for centuries. Witches were seen as disposable to them. They were too trusting in the past, not realizing the demons that lured them into their demise. Every witch was raised the same and followed the same beliefs.

Vampires were hated by most of the factions, but the main war was between the them and witches. It irked Caroline that she had to share a space of education with them. Forced to attend classes together and other school events. She never interacted much with the group, just knew of a few by reputation alone. Most notoriously the Mikaelson family; specifically Klaus Mikaelson who was her same grade level. Leader of the vampire faction and Caroline's enemy since freshman year, who she currently caught glaring intensely at her from across the cafeteria.

Klaus Mikaelson.

His name alone said it all. The Mikaelson Family held a legacy at Whitmore academy, all the children attended the school except the youngest son. No one denied how incredibly gorgeous and wealthy the entire family was, but they also possessed a sinister reputation. Currently two out of Klaus's seven siblings also attended the school but in different grade levels.

- As if this place needs more than one Mikaelson.

Klaus's parents were one of the school's biggest donors. They funded the brand new track/football field as well as the library. But not all their generous donations came from the warmness of their hearts. Mainly to keep Klaus from being kicked out of school due to his weekly visits to the headmistress' office for, sneaking off campus, feeding on other students and god knows why else.

Caroline had known him since she was 15, he was already a vampire by then. She never asked when he turned or how old he was, didn't see the point and they already hated each other from that first orientation. They not only ran with different crowds but Klaus was simply bad news, and most importantly a vampire. Causing havoc and mischief throughout the school, probably killing in his free time and purposely trying to get a rise out of her whenever he could. Caroline wanted no part in it.

Swirling a pencil between his finger and thumb, his vibrant blue eyes never left the back of her head. Caroline quickly looked away, Tyler was talking but she barely payed attention. Heart racing and head clouded in confusion. She tried to act like she didn't sense his heavy stare but it was like a magnetic pull calling for her to look over at him again.

She did.

Caroline slightly turned her head and was hit with the familiar heat.

The moment their blue eyes met fire ignited. From the tips of her toes to fingers Caroline felt the fiery intensity from his stare wash over her violently. His glare never faltered even as the redhead girl beside him scooted closer till underneath his arm.

Klaus's fingers lazily drummed up and down the her bare arm as she whispered in his ear but he never faced her, still keeping his focus on the blonde witch across the way. His squint deepened and head tilted, like he was studying her.

Caroline swallowed.

An uneasy vibe filled rushed over, chill raced up her spine at his intense gaze.

It felt like they were the only two in the room.

Caroline gulped pressing her lips into a line and brushing him off. She turned to Tyler with a grin.

"It's okay. Sorry, you're not doing anything wrong. I've just been really stressed lately, I'm taking it out on everyone." She pouted.

"You okay?" He asked.

She nodded with a smile. "There's just a lot to do in so little time but I'll get it done, I always do."

Tyler pecked her on the lips. "That's my girl. Come on, I'll walk you to practice."

"Such a gentleman, as if we both don't have practice at the same time in the same location." Caroline pointed out jokingly swinging her legs over the bench to stand up.

"Don't ruin it. I'm trying to be romantic." Tyler claimed with a wink.

Caroline giggled as he helped her out her seat and grabbed her books.

Waving goodbye to Bonnie and the rest of her coven, she interlocked fingers with Tyler's as she followed him towards the exit. For some reason she felt like all eyes were on her, failing to brush off the shivers from earlier.

Against her better judgment, Caroline couldn't resist sneaking a glance at the vampire's table and bewildered when Klaus Mikaelson was no longer in sight.

"5, 6, 7, 8...and 1!" Caroline snapped her fingers to each dance count her fellow cheerleaders were performing in front of her.

On top of all her other responsibilities Caroline also lead the school's cheer team for the past two years. She never had much of a chance to rest, constantly keeping herself busy. The first football game of the semester was approaching and she was determined to get her girls in good shape before then.

A bigger challenge than it should be.

She frustratedly groaned watching a few of the girls miss several counts in the routine. Rubbing her forehead as if conforming the migraine she was sure to feel soon. Not being able to handle it anymore she abruptly ordered them all to stop.

"Just stop!" Caroline let out a heavy sigh and clasping her hands together.

All the girls haulted, half out of breath and exhausted.

"Elena, sweetie can you move to the back." She instructed.

The brunette witch scoffed. "Really Care?"

"It's nothing personal but you're literally missing every count, a lot of you are!" She glared as she paced. "Our first game is in a week, a week! and we're nowhere near prepared."

"Well maybe some would be more focused if Dana wasn't ogling the enemy." Bonnie commented, raising an eyebrow towards the bleachers.

Caroline creased her forehead in confusion until she looked for herself; her blood immediately coming to a boil when she saw him.

Damn you Mikaelson.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning back towards her squad and flashing her signature smile.

"I'll be right back. Go over the routine again until you get it right, oh and Dana," Calling out the distracted girl. "Interrupt our practice with your googly eyes again, and consider your spot on the team revoked." Her smile as fake as her calmness.

Dana gulped and nodded in response before Caroline walked across the field towards the bleachers, towards him.

Her long legs illustrating determined strides and fueled by annoyance. For some reason she caught herself indirectly interacting with him more than usual. They rarely spoke to each other for the past four years and now she was seeing him more than once a day outside of classes.

It was ticking her off.

Finally landing at the bottom of the bleachers with hands on her hips and a crooked brow, Caroline tapped her foot on the turf impatiently.

Offended was an understatement as Klaus was still focused on whatever he was drawing in his sketchbook, not acknowledging the blonde's presence in front of him.

There was no way he didn't sense her standing there. Getting under her skin was his sport.

She dramatically coughed. "Excuse you?"

Caroline stood her ground as Klaus's head shot up and eyes finally met hers. He looked at her blankly and the corners of his mouth twitched as if he wanted to smile.

A familiar chill crept upon her as their mutual gaze held strong even when Klaus shifted in his seat. She ignored the way he slowly eyed her from her tank top down to her practice shorts and bare legs, then back up to her face. Caroline felt violated but said nothing. She refused to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

He was obviously challenging her, he tend to do that a lot during their rare moments. His baby blues appeared innocent but reeked of sin. Piercing into hers effortlessly, pulling her in like a trance. Caroline would never admit how much it intimidated her.

After what felt like an eternity, Klaus spoke. "Sorry love, I didn't see you."

She huffed. "Yeah sure. I know your eyes work since they were practically burning a hole through my head earlier."

"So you did notice?" He teased raising a brow.

Caroline rolled her eyes.

His smallest remarks made her want to gauge his eyes out.

God she hated him.

Caroline groaned. "What are you doing here?"

He forehead creased in confusion. "Not sure what you mean, love."

"Don't call me that." She spat causing him to stop drawing. "I mean what are you doing here, on the bleachers? This is a closed practice."

Klaus cocked his head to the side. "Yet you're outside, on a public field..."

"We reserve this area for the same two hours, three times a week. Nothing's changed. That's been the schedule for the past four years."

"Oh I'm sorry. I never cared enough to memorize your schedule, princess." He placed his hand over his heart in fake sympathy. "Contrary to your belief the world doesn't revolve around Caroline Forbes and this field doesn't belong to you either."

"Listen-"

She stopped herself mid sentence, stepping to the side when a few of the werewolf track stars made their rounds on the field passing them by. Flashing them an awkward smile Caroline stared into the distance, away from him tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She pretended to stretch by lifting one leg onto the railing and gracefully bowing her head till her forehead touched the knee. Quirking her head to the side, she lifted her upper body and the leg stretched atop the railing fell with ease when the runners were finally gone and she faced the vampire again.

Last thing Caroline wanted were rumors to circulate about her being associated with Klaus Mikaelson in any way.

Klaus observed the awkward moment and her foot reading the ground again, shaking his head with a soft laugh.

"You're quite flexible." He commented.

An unwanted blush roused her cheeks briefly. "Shut up." Caroline barked.

"What's the matter? Scared people might see you fraternizing with the big bad vampire?" Klaus accused.

Caroline scoffed. "Please, we are not fraternizing. I'm telling you to leave because this already stressful practice would be a lot more tolerable without you present."

He grinned. "Not that I owe you an explanation but I'm just here waiting for my sister Rebekah, who for some reason takes pride in being part of a team that doesn't trust or like her." He added.

Caroline recalled when the younger Mikaelson auditioned for the team over the Summer, and given the school's rules of no discrimination amongst species, she had no choice but to accept her.

A rule she wasn't ecstatic about.

"Trust me, if it were up to me vampires wouldn't be allowed on the cheer team at all." Caroline countered.

"And you're supposed to be the good guy in every scenario, right?" Klaus muttered looking back down at his sketchbook.

Caroline was taken aback, and even second guessed her comment.

- No, no he will not turn this on me!

Closing her eyes and taking a slow deep breath, she responded. "Look, I'm kindly asking you to please leave. I don't need you distracting my girls more than you already have."

Klaus stared up at the off beat squad who were more focused on the two conversing than perfecting their routine.

They all fell back into formation when Caroline whipped her head to the side to see what Klaus was laughing about.

She winced watching them dance.

Embarrassment wasn't a strong enough word.

His soft laughter ceased but smirk remained. "As much as I'd love to take the credit, I don't think your girls' lack of rhythm has anything to do with me. But I'm nonetheless flattered." He smiled. "They take after their captain, I presume."

"Klaus go, or I'll make you go." She threatened.

The amused vampire squinted and closed his sketchbook but stayed seated. His stare puzzled and expression curious. Klaus wasn't fearful of her threat but more intrigued, she always intrigued him.

Placing the book to the side and leaning forward, Klaus interlocked his fingers and challenged her once again to a staring competition.

Caroline gasped when Klaus was suddenly in her face, their noses almost touching. The only thing separating them was the metal railing she didn't realize she was gripping onto. She fought off the urge to thoroughly observe his full raspberry colored lips, dark blonde curls resting on his neck, multiple necklaces dangling on his chest and the scruff occupying his facial hair area. Dressed in a grey Henley, black jeans and black boots. Simple yet effective.

His usual baby blues now a wild gold that sunk her in his pool of temptation.

The black veins underneath his eyes spiraled near his cheekbones beautifully. His fangs hung outside his lips and tip of his tongue teased the sharp edge when he faintly smiled.

- Okay, I never said he was hideous.

She hated falling into his games but it was hard to resist. There was an undeniable allure that he naturally possessed, that caught systems off guard, including Caroline's. All vampires were gifted with the spell, if you could even call it a gift. She would never give him the satisfaction that he was in anyway superior to her, even if that meant petty disputes.

Klaus tilted his head. "Is that so, love?" He provoked softly.

Caroline's mouth agape as his glare hardened, she couldn't predict what his next move would be. Blinking out of the haze, she took a step back from the railing. Intensely keeping her focus on the vampire, she muttered a spell under her breath instantly bringing Klaus to his knees. The veins on his temples now visible.

His vampire features retracted as he winced in agony, eyes shut tight and pressing his hands against both sides of his head to suppress the pain. The closer Caroline got the more pain she inflicted. She inflicted the pain with her mind alone.

It was a little trick witches had been using on vampires for centuries. Equivalent to a human's aneurysm but twice as painful. Both felt a bit nostalgic considering this exact scenario playing out during their first meeting freshman year.

A football coach blowing his whistle snapped Caroline out of her fun and relieving Klaus of his torment.

She ignored the questioning expression Tyler showed from across the field.

"Well, nice to know you still like playing dirty." Klaus breathlessly laughed standing up my straight.

A cheeky asshole till the end. Fighting the urge to entertain him with a reply was more difficult than she thought.

"Leave." Caroline demanded pointing her finger towards the exit gate.

His chuckle came out more breathless than intended, almost in hysteria. She didn't realize how much her wannabe alpha female tactics amused him, especially when she thought she was winning.

Putting his hands up in surrender his laughing ceased.

"All right. I could easily retaliate and rip out your throat with my teeth but I'm a man who chooses his battles wisely so I'll go, this time." Klaus conceded, bending over to grab his book and bag.

"Good." Caroline quickly replied brushing off the threat.

She slightly stiffened when Klaus exited the bleachers. He towered over her, throwing his backpack over his shoulder without breaking eye contact.

- What is up with him and staring?

Despite her irritation Caroline entertained each of his stare downs willingly. Hands still on her hips as he stood directly in front of her.

Klaus took note of her chest rising and falling, hearing the hitch in her breath she tried to disguise as a cough. He followed her bottom lip twisting between her teeth, her blonde tresses knotted in a ponytail. Looking up to her eyes again, Klaus's lips twisted into a smirk.

"I guess I'll be seeing you, love." He declared then began walking away.

Caroline pressed her lips together watching him exit the field. She didn't want to look away until she knew he was gone for good. He was taking his precious time, small graceful steps like he knew she was watching. The other cheerleaders observed her observing him but Caroline didn't even notice.

What was it about him that gave her the shivers and irritated her soul? No one and that affect on her besides the arrogant vampire who snuck under her skin. Even when she swore to never fall into his traps she did, every time.

Staring away for one second and in a blink, Klaus was gone.

The witch was perplexed.

- How did he always manage to do that?

She released a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Ultimately she chose to ignore her curiosity, and refuse to ponder any further thoughts about Klaus Mikaelson. There was so much on her to-do list and no room for distractions.

Bonnie yelling her name brought Caroline back to reality. The blonde swiftly looking behind her at her team who were still was struggling with a simple dance routine.

This was going to be a long day.

PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! Link to my account is here! It’s much appreciated! Hope you enjoyed Chapter 1 (:

[ellnaturae]

Strength is Compulsory

Who: Kitty Wilde ( @wildevvitch ), Tina Cohen-Chang ( @cohentoplaywithmagic ), Blaine ( @happilyeveranders ) Anderson and Elliott Gilbert. Location: Undique Stadium. Time: 24th May 2019. Summary: Kittina vs Blelliott. Triggers/Notes: violence, stabbing, homophobia, slurs.

Blaine usually doesn't come to Undique Stadium with a furrowed brow, one manufactured from anger. Its usual place are doubt, self-pity, and disappointment from how one-sided he's been in active duels, from how pointless his presence even feels. The last fight alongside Kurt only shows how different their caliber. Blaine feels alienated from his own body, his own magic, and try as he might to say things will change for the better, and he'll progress, he has an abject reminder he's stagnating. From the result of the battles, all he has received is hundreds of notes on his fellow students and how great they are with their magic and how Blaine just... isn't. But he can't allow himself to get inside his head when he's facing off with one of the most challenging people he's ever dealt with. Kitty Wilde. Blaine paces in the training room, wondering if Elliott's on his way or if Blaine should use their pendant, and he lets go of that cool piece of metal affixed around his neck when he thinks he hears someone approaching. Elliott enters the room, his expression matches his friend's frown but he hasn't seen him yet. He usually fights Kitty only verbally, partially because he told himself fighting her solved nothing, but mostly because he has to admit to himself she is a little... scary. Holy magic, potentially knowing the kneeling spell, it would be that crazy fight he told Santana to stop him from doing, but here he was, ready to fight her with all he got, influenced by the limit of his patience and anger. However, even in times like these, when an uncomfortable knot is starting to form on his stomatch wondering if this would end up anything but well, when he sees Blaine waiting there a small smile appears on his face and he feels a little better. Last time they fought it didn't go great at all, but his trust on Blaine was unwavering, and he believed firmly on them as a team. They could do this, right? "Hey, partner" he winks at Blaine as he stand next to him. Kitty was scowling when she entered the stadium and saw the brat Anderson and his Shedim. 'What an eyesore. Doesn't matter. God will give me His favor and I will WIN.' Kitty thought and raised her cross necklace to irritate Blaine and Elliott. "You two are going to witness God's love today. Repent now or I'll show you God's hatred." She threatened them. She stuck her nose up at the offending sights. Kitty was slightly nervous about Alena but she'd come when Kitty was fighting a demon. She had to. Tina was speeding her way to the stadium not wanting to leave Blainey Days, Elliott-Senpai and Wilde all in the same room together without her to defuse the tension or Kitty being Kitty. Rushing in, she grimaces as everyone was already there. Hopefully, bitter words had not been traded but as she walks in she was too late with Wilde threatening her best friends. "Don't underestimate them, Wilde," Tina calls out,"Pretty sure that these two can show you the most love than any god could." Blaine can't hide his dislike of Kitty Wilde when she strolls in. She's literally threatening us, Blaine thinks and stands closer to Elliott for support -- his or Ell's, that's debatable -- and fires back, "You'd be surprised today." Blaine gives Elliott a look, an encouraging one, when Tina enters in and doesn't know how to add to it. His relationship with Tina feels tenuous too, and Blaine's mind softly nudges him to remember what transpired with Rachel not long ago too. Does he know what Tina's thinking about too? What's going on with Tina and Kitty to make Tina stay with a legitimately vile person? Elliott looks at Kitty showing her cross and he touches his ear where he is wearing his inverted cross earring as a response. He gives a little squeeze to Blaine's shoulder and then places himself a couple of steps before him. He then takes a look at Tina wondering why she isn't on their side of this fight "Let's just start this" he says annoyed as Ziggy appears around his arm surrounded by smoke. He has never wanted to get into a fight more than he wanted today. Kitty rolled her eyes at the garish earring. "Queers just love ruining everything." She muttered. She doesn't listen to Tina because she doesn't need to. However, Kitty was eyeing the three of them to see what would happen. 'Who knows, this could be a trap. People aren't as loyal as they say they are.' Kitty was looking straight at Tina and ignored the anger brimming inside her. 'Those stupid anonymous messages from that raccoon bitch. Who's the liar here? Trashy? Or her?' Kitty tossed her pretty ponytail behind her and threw the salt across the ground to scare Elliott. She walked past them with a mean smirk. "Whatevvs, Trashy. Get on the stage and let's get this done. I have an appointment for nails later." She ordered Tina to stand in front of her. Tina was starting to become slightly anxious for this fight as her hands felt clammy taking out her phone in preparation.  Everything on the room felt on the edge, as she takes a look at Blaine who steps closer to Elliott who seems rather annoyed and boomed. Tina thinks back to the first time she physical met Kitty along with the brutal battle with Blaine. Even though it was training she didn't want that to happen again. Looking at the two boys, Tina never wants to find herself face to face like this with them. This was her doing what she thought was best.  She takes her place in front of Kitty, not because she was taking orders, it has just always been apart of their strategy to be like this. Standing with Kitty behind her and her best friends in front of her, the unease flurries more. If Kitty does hold back at least Tina would be in front to try and defuse it all.  "Wilde," she barks back at the order, facing Bee and Ell to ask them,"Same rules that we had at the SP torment sound good?" Blaine pulled a face at the slur Kitty threw at them and also at Tina's passiveness. "Not as much as hypocritical homophobes love to blame gay people for every instance." He said evenly but it was clear he was not humoring Kitty Wilde or even Tina when she looked at him as they took their places on stage. Unlike other duels, Blaine was seething when he bowed out of politeness of dueling courtesy. Blaine couldn't believe Tina taking her place like this. What exactly was happening at Zephyrus? "Ell, let me know if you need any backup." Blaine whispered. "Who attacks first?" He asked the two women in a polite if tight tone. Elliott frowns "Fuck you, fascists like you ruin people's lives" he looks at Kitty then back at Tina when she is a few steps away from him "Sure" he looks at her confused, he really didn't want to fight Tina, but he was starting to wonder if she did want to fight them. He never had doubted Tina before, but her behavior lately... He sighs and before he gets more serious and on position he turns to Blaine "let me know as well, you can count on Ziggy too" when he faces Tina again his face turns more serious. Kitty smiled at Blaine and Elliott's comments and laughed them off. clicked her tongue at Tina's suggestion and smiled behind her at the two weaklings in front of her. "Yeah, let's show them. This time we won't have St. Pierre or Boulder holding me back." Kitty boasted and pointed at the two of them with prejudice. "With God as my witness, I'll make you two see the light." Kitty couldn't see Tina's face and wondered if the three of them were plotting something against her. 'I can't trust anyone.' Kitty thought. 'I always get betrayed. The club. My parents. That bitch Alena. I need to strike first instead of being hurt first!' Kitty decided to take the initiative.

Kitty pressed her palms together to pray. "Heavenly Father, I’m but your humble servant, lend me your power. Fill your holy vessel with your magnificence! Soul Armament!" Kitty pulled something out of thin air. It was her glaive but it still had a cracked end. When Kitty grabbed it, she didn't feel any body there behind the weapon. 'Still being such a brat!' Kitty grimaced at Alena's absence. When that fish came back, Kitty was going to give her a talking to. "Heavenly Father! I’m but your humble servant, lend me your power. Fill your holy vessel with your magnificence! Shield your Chosen One!" Instead of protecting Tina, Kitty shielded herself. Kitty: (1d7 + 1d10)*2 Shield Kitty = ((5) + (10))*2 = 30 Over her shoulder, Tina with gritted teeth,"You are not going to be like that with them. Don't you even dare." All of this was already hard enough standing on the in between, Tina swears that it was getting hotter here the more anxious she was becoming. Kitty was in no mood to hold back evident from not even to wait to hear how she wanted to battle as she attempts to summon her Soul Armament but something, something was off about it, she tries to work out what it was but she only bared witness to her Soul Arment a handful of times.  Something pauses as the Bloodline Witch protects herself first, not Tina. "What the..." Tina is thrown off muttering under her breath. This was not how they did things. What was going on in Kitty's head? Tina snaps out of it as she looks at her best friends, both sporting a more serious look. A flat line upon her face as she summons one of her queens to the right of her.🔮⚔👑 ⚔️ 🔮  taking full form, in all its data glory.

Tina: 1d7+2+1-1:  1d7 Queen HP = (1) = 1 Blaine tries as he might to understand Tina's logic, he cannot. "Why are you over there?" He asks from behind his position, trying to get Tina's attention. "Why are you fighting us? Does Kitty have something on you? I just... I don't get you, Tina!" Blaine finally lets that last bit out. It's a bitter truth and Blaine's been skirting around it but now it's out there. Blaine sees another data creature summoned next to her and Blaine bites behind his lip and sees that he needs to take down the enemies.

Blaine: 2d6kl1 Attack Queen = (2+2) = 2 Blaine fans both hands out and casts, Esteemed one of wind, please help me clear my path! Blaine doesn't have a lot of emotional control and his mind is teeming with questions. The loss of focus makes his spell waver but it's enough to slice toward Tina's digital creature.

Tina: 2d7kl1-1 Queen Counter Blaine = (4+3)-1 = 2

Elliott hears what Blaine asks Tina, maybe what he was also wanting to ask but hadn't been brave to all this time either "I'm interested to know to..." he says as Blaine attacks. He takes that moment to concentrate if Blaine goes for the Queen, he will go for Kitty. He shakes his arm a little as if telling Ziggy, this is your turn. The snake slowly moves to his hand and starts disappearing into smoke, when the smoke disperses a rusted chain appears around the place where the snake used to be. He lets one of the ends of the chains hang and he starts swinging it in the air. 

Elliott: 1d6 + 1d5  + 2= (6) + (4) + 2 = 12

Elliott he throws the chain against Kitty's shield.

Kitty whispered back to Tina with a bitchy glare. "I'm going to be whatever I want with anyone, you're not my boss. You're supposed to be my battle partner. So battle. Or I'll fight by myself. That's what you want, isn't it, for me to be alone!" Kitty wouldn't let that happen. She wouldn't lose. Everyone would hate her if she did. She shook her glaive to throw one more attack when the light inside fizzled out. "Cheese and rice, what in Big Daddy God's holy name?" Kitty swore. The glaive didn't feel powerful. It felt like there was no magic inside. "Alena? Hello? Is this you?" Kitty yelled at her weapon. She wasn't paying attention to the chain thrown at her. It clanged loud against her shield and Kitty looked up to see that heathen demon had a Soul Armament too. 'That can't be right. God would never give...' Kitty was frightened.

Tina watches as her Queen is obliterated by Blaine's wind fading away into binary ones and zeros. Remnants of his cause her hair to flicker behind as she stun by his words. Despite being behind Elliott, his words were loud and clear. "You, don't get me?" Tina repeats in disbelief. "You seriously don't get me?" She repeats out loud trying to understand what her distant best friend was asking of her. "It was meant to be just us but then, then Kitty came in and I don't want you fight just her. I don't want to have Kitty fighting alone," she looks back at her Socium Partner. "That's all this is Bee! You too Senpai. This is all that it is." Rather clearly, it wasn't there was something more than just fighting face value.  Not attacking, she sticks with her plan to just to keep on summoning, this time to her left  🔮 ⚡ 🐉️⚡️ 🔮 her magic circle glows as she digitally constructs her usual partner.

Tina: 1d7 Dragon HP = (4) = 4

Blaine 's face gets hot from the disarming tone Tina takes up with him. What is he missing here? That's what he is asking from Tina, to fill him in. "Why? You could have told her no! I said no! But she's threatening people, and are we kidding ourselves when I say no one seems to respond to that? That we all think if we ignore that she'll go away? Why are you fighting with her, then? If you're so against her beliefs?! Why don't you want to have her fighting alone? She's the only one who thinks I should go to conversion therapy, and that Elliott deserved to be a slave! That's not all this is! This is more than just a simple duel, this is our lives here! How are we supposed to feel when you're on her side, and then say 'this is all that it is' without understanding why we'd be upset?!" Blaine moves forward. "If you don't want to fight me, that's fine! But don't stop me from fighting Kitty."

Elliott chain swings in his hands for a moment he stands there listening to Blaine, he has Tina right in front of him and he looks directly at her "Is that all that it is?" he asks echoing Blaine's sentiment "I feel like you are the one not getting it..." he sighs "You always say you are on our side, that you support what we believe in, and your words are beautiful and touching... I want to believe in you, because it's you, but... what are we left to feel when we see you standing in front of her?" he pauses " your words mean nothing if they are not backed up by your actions" he says bitterly and swings the chain up in the air ready to attack again.

Elliott: 1d6 + 1d5 +2  = (2) + (2) +2 = 6

Elliott sents the chain Kitty's way again.

Kitty: 1d6 + 1d10  = (2) + (3) = 5

Kitty didn't understand why Tina wouldn't just zap the two of them like she had done with Kitty in the past. What was her partner thinking. Was this a trap for Kitty? "Come on, move your digital summons! Hit them with your tech magic! You were so strong with them!" Kitty said to Tina hotly. She wasn't even listening to Blaine and Elliott talking. 'Who cares to listen to their dumb heroic speeches.' But she caught onto a part the Shedim had said and fired back, "Why are you guys acting like I'm not even here! Freaking notice me! I'm here!" She was getting angry. "Is this the secret plan with the three of you, to pretend I'm not here? Fine. I'll make sure you guys notice me. Get the hell out of my way, Trashy." She didn't want Tina to get caught under the beam even if Tina was thinking of betraying her. Kitty smashed the end of her glaive into the ground and it sparked with a little life. The glaive cracked more. Heavenly Father! I’m but your humble servant, lend me your power. Fill your holy vessel with your magnificence, let my spirit be yours, my body nothing, let it bear all wounds, all pain, all death, for my place is with you in Heaven, shed me of this mortal sin…  Kitty's body was sparkling with light.

Here is were the strain and voices tug in Tina's heart and in her mind. All the things that she had gone on ignoring blinded by her feelings, deniable feelings towards the toxic Bloodline. This is were all the lines seem to blur between feelings and the way that they rippled out, hurting, ruining and restricting lives.  She runs her palms pushing her away from her face to try speak without a crack in her voice,"Because I didn't wanna tell her no, I didn't want her fighting you one on one, either of you. Kitty is powerful and I think we know that." Tina looks between Blaine and Elliott,"Just because I'm fighting along side her does not mean that I believe the same thing as her. Please don't think that, that is nothing I ever want you to think of me. I'm not on her side when it comes to how she thinks we should live. But then...." she struggles and stammers,"One thing, one thing that no one else see's no one else see's is the reason why we have all be partnered up in the first place. After...after what happened that night with mom and dad..." Tina looks directly at them,"Kitty makes me feel safe. She strong, she can fight, she can heal she can protect. It's a feeling I'm trying to ignore and say that I don't need, I can't help it if that is the way that she makes me feel. Call me selfish for it but it's true." So lost in her own battling thoughts and emotions she vaguely hears Kitty until her voice is fuelled with anger and a bright light leaves from Kitty. That fear that trembles comes over her knowing the spell all too well. "Kitty, no!!!" Tina screams taking a step closer to Kitty's left.

Blaine replied, "Why didn't you want to? What's wrong with telling Kitty 'no'?! Who cares if she's powerful if she's evil. I don't care if she's strong, I'll fight her regardless because she's wrong!" Blaine saw Tina's face screw up and wished he could feel sad, but he couldn't. He couldn't when the sadness and pity and sympathy he was feeling for Tina dissipated when she moved away from Kitty, revealing what was behind her. Tina revealed she didn't feel secure with Blaine or Elliott. Only Kitty. Even if Kitty was the one threatening their lives. Blaine's blood ran cold at seeing the prone girl on the floor, glowing. He remembered the spell Kitty was doing. He remembered a year from ago. Kitty was facing Elliott. She was going to hurt Elliott and not even that -- Kitty's holy magic could kill Elliott. "No!" Blaine moved in front of Elliott, right in the line of Kitty's aim.

Elliott can't even react, everything is happening so fast. Tina runs aside, Blaine gets on the way, Kitty is... shinning? He acts by instint realizing Blaine is getting on the way to protect him, but he doesn't want his friend to get hurt either so he tries to move him aside.

Elliott: 1d6 to push blaine = (4) = 4

Blaine: 1d6  = (3) = 3

Kitty: 1d50*4  = (36)*4 = 144

Kitty didn't see anyone acknowledging her in their talk. Including her socius pactum. They were speaking around her like Kitty wasn't in the room. She couldn't respond due to the spell but she wanted to scream at them. She wanted to scream at Tina. Tina liked her because she was strong. So what about when Kitty was weak? Was she worthless? When Kitty was weak, didn't they all take advantage of it? Sister Quinn finally replied when Kitty told her about Alena's disappearance. Tina told Santana Lopez, the trickster, all about Kitty's moment of weakness in the desert. But they all pretended they didn't hurt Kitty. They pretended Kitty was the only one who hurt them. 'Nobody asks me if I feel safe. Only God protects me but sometimes I don't feel secure.' Kitty felt the power rise up in her though. She had to let it explode. And let my body burn up in your light of Justice, oh Heavenly Father!! She sent the blast in front of her. Whoever it was, they would taste Kitty's pain.

Tina was in a blind furry to by Kitty's side as she did the spell in a means to stop her with no knowledge how too. In her moment of desperation, she was not even thinking of the consequences to the people that were in front of her, Blaine and Elliott. Everything happened way too fast for her process it as Kitty unleashed her holy beam onto Elliott. Rationality hit in as her idiotic heart and foolish actions were leading to something that would be unforgettable and unforgiveable.

Blaine's readying himself, he doesn't want Elliott to feel the searing pain of holy magic, however something solid grabs him by the scruff of his neck, wraps a strong around around his shoulder and drags him to the side, near pushing him a good three feet away. Blaine lands in the ground in an uncoordinated heap as he hasn't been expecting it and the worst thing imaginable flashes in front of his eyes as the bright light overtakes everything, engulfing Elliott. Blaine shouts but he can't hear himself scream out Elliott's name. When the light is gone, Blaine scrambles up on his feet and runs to his partner's side. He skids on his knees and holds Elliott. "Elliott. Oh my--aether, no, no..." Blaine tucks his head in and can't help but tear up.

Elliott sees the strong light out of Kitty's body. Spreading. There isn't anything he can imagine, how this would feel, what would happen to him. And he is terrified but he is glad he did have time to move Blaine out of the way. This couldn't be good. His eyes are almost blinded and there isn't really time to react, the holy magic hits him. If he could think that time he felt intense physical pain when he was stabbed, it wasn't even comprable to what this was. There weren't words to describe it, it was like burning through inside out, as if his body could practically break in thousand pieces. And it drains him. There isn't strength in him, and he lets out a scream that makes his whole body tremble as he falls to the floor unconcious.

Her light was dazzling and blinding but how was it deadly and destructive. Tina watches in utter horror paralysed by Elliott's deafening scream, a scream that makes her blood turn cold. The scream echoes within her as flashes of other deadly screams play back fast: Blaine's from the number times she bares witness to him hurt, her own scream as she stands and watching as the moments unfurl. Her mother's own heart wrenching scream watching as her father falls hurt from the Pagan. Each times the moment plays the same: a scream, the one she cares about hurt and Tina Cohen-Chang only every standing there. Right now, the moment plays the same, all she does it stand there doing nothing, the only thing that tears this moment apart, Tina had made a choice. But her head becomes a furry between the logical, rationality and reason against complex emotions that dwell in her heart. How could the tech witch dare say she chose her heart when the sight of her the people she cares for most in the world, the two she would call her heart, she had broken and turn against? How could she say she thought with her heart? Elliott falls. Blaine to his side. Kitty is faint. And Tina does nothing. A choice was made with consequences that will last, unforgivable: making ties she once considered to be unbreakable cut and undone. There would be no coming back from this one.   

[bubblegumstardust]

Here are you book asks :D prepare for a lot! 3-8, 15-18, 21, 23-25, 30-35, 39, 40, 43, 46, 48-50 :)

time for round 2 then :D

3.Do you read books just because you saw them on tumblr??

i have read some books because of tumblr but i always check out what it is to see if i might actually be interested rather than just reading it purely because tumblr said to

4.Is there a book that you think needs a bigger fandom??

yes, Illuminae like you said when i asked you, also Zodiac, Ready Player One, The Sin Eater’s Daughter, The Diabolic, and so many other books i read because i swear like no one has read half of them

5.Do you have a snack while reading or do you close the book first??

if i can eat it one handed i will eat while reading

6.Can you ever stop in the middle of a page or do you have to finish the page or chapter first??

as long as the paragraph is finished i can stop

7.Do you borrow books from people??

nope, most of my friends don’t read all that much and they never have books i don’t

8.Do you lend your books out to friends??

if i really really want them to read it then yes

15.Do you set yourself a TBR list at the start of the month??

i tried a couple of times but i didn’t stick to it so i gave up

16.What book has been on you TBR pile the longest??

oh god idk, i mean i’ve been meaning to read Percy Jackson for years but i only just got the books so maybe that?

17.Is there a book on your TBR pile that you don’t think you will read?

absolutely NOT going to read the Uglies series or Great Expectations

18.Do you know anyone else that likes books??

yeah my mum and grandparents read a fair bit, most of my friends like books too

21.Do you write??

i do but i suck at it tbh and never let anyone i know see any of it

23.How did you get into reading??

my mum always read to me and my sister every night before bed when we were little, like cool stuff like Harry Potter, and then i just started reading. i also loved the Felicity wishes and rainbow fairy books when i was little and there was loads of them so i started reading a lot

24.Have you read a book that was really hyped up but you didn’t enjoy??

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD! why did so many people love it so much like i don’t get it 

25.Do you prefer physical books, Ebooks or audio books?? (/there is not wrong answer)

i love physical books, ebooks i pretty much only read when i’m on holiday, and i’ve never listened to an audio book but i think they’re a great thing

30.Can you leave a series unfinished or do you have to own all the books and try them all??

if i really really can’t stand the book or the book was really forgettable i can leave a series unfinished but usually if i have even the slightest bit of interest in what happens i’ll make myself finish a series. also if my reading tastes change while a long series is still being written i might not finish it and not feel bad about it (i.e. with the house of night series (which i read when i was way to young for it actually) and the morganville vampires)

31.How do you think you would be described if you were in a book??

i have a feeling i’d be compared to an angry hobbit with an alarming obsession with everything pretty and pastel coloured. also they’d definitely call me an asshole.

32.“They edged towards the shaking box that had just been delivered.” Should they open it?? You decide what happens next.

the box continues to shake as they approach and a foot away they all stop and look at it with concern. no one speaks as they all wait for something to happen until one member of the group decides “fuck this, i ain’t getting involved in some demon shit today” and turns to walk away. the others follow and they leave the box to do its thing while they go and get ice cream. later one kids mum comes home and finds the still shaking box. she turns white and quickly grabs the box up to her room before she opens it and turns of the...ah...toy

that wasn’t where i planned to take that but i’m tired okay, leave me alone

33.How do you organise your shelves??

well right now i kinda have books together with others that are in some way similar and also look good together aesthetically, it’s rather odd and complicated at the moment, more often than not though it’s done by colour and occasionally genre

34.What do you do to mark your pages??

book mark normally

35.Do you have a lot of bookmarks?? or just a few??

only a few

39.What book that has made you cry??

do you want the full list? because it’s extensive. i cry a lot. okay this is in order of what i see on my bookshelf: Half Wild, Half Lost, Siege and Storm, Ruin and Rising, Illuminae, Gemina, Obsidio, Zodiac, Wandering Star, Black Moon, Thirteen Rising, acotar, acomaf, acowar, acofas, Tower of Dawn, Heir of Fire, Queen of Shadows, Empire of Storms, Crooked Kingdom, The Hobbit, The Sleeping Prince, The Scarecrow Queen, The Raven Cycle, The Fault In Our Stars, Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, Clockwork Princess, The Diabolic, The Empress, The Death Cure, The Fever Code also a few more i think but i either can’t see them on my shelves or they’re ebooks or something and i can’t remember 

40.How do you feel when you find a typo/spelling error in a book??

i won’t lie, i hardly ever actually notice them if i’m really into the book but if i’m not absorbed enough and see when then it kinda throws me for a minute

43.Free rant, go ahead, we all know you want to. 

okay so why the heck are so many books doing this thing where they come out in hardback and then i have to wait months or sometimes like a whole year or something for a paperback to be released!? like can you not? so i know you do it to get more money because everyones like “i want this book and i want it now” so they spend the extra money on the hardback but like i can’t afford to do that, maybe occasionally but not all the time. like for the amount i read and number of books i end up buying i can hardly afford to pay full price for the paperbacks and then i can’t get books i really badly want for absolutely ages because i just can’t justify spending the extra money and FOR FUCKS SAKE CAN YOU JUST RELEASE THE PAPERBACK SOONER!? LIKE FINE YOU CAN WAIT A MONTH OR SOMETHING BUT CAN YOU NOT MAKE IT ANY LONGER BECAUSE I DIE OVER HERE.

also i’m having multiple rants here okay? 

CAN YOU FOR THE LOVE OF GOD JUST NOT CHANGE COVERS WHEN A SERIES IS ONLY PART WAY DONE OR IF YOU REALLY HAVE TO RELEASE THE NEWER BOOKS WITH THE OLD COVERS TOO!? I have straight up abandoned a series in part because i can’t get matching covers and you bet i’m pissed about it.

46.Do you have a bookish tattoo?? Do you want one??

i don’t yet but from the 25th July i will!!! :D48.Do you write, highlight, underline etc in your books

nope, can’t bring myself to, unless it was a shitty old copy of some book i hated that i had to study at school but even then i usually took notes on separate bits of paper

49.Worse book you’ve ever read??

oooooooh. um so i really, really hated the great gatsby, didn’t like of mice and men either, Abandon by Meg Cabot I hated but that’s all i can think of

50.Do you read classics?? If so, what’s your favourite??

i’ve read a few and literally bought a ton of them a few years back because i wanted to get into classics more but i’ve only read a few of them. I adore Pride and Prejudice so that’s probably my favourite

god this is long, enjoy!

[rigelmejo]

NOT MUCH BUT A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR ME SO IM RECORDING IT.

2/6/2021

I am starting to listen-read to Guardian. Ultimately, I plan to do it the same steps as the original maker of the study method proposed: read in English, listen to Chinese while following the Chinese text, listen to Chinese while using the English translation as a transcript to reference.

I might as well find out how well it works that way!

—-

Anyway, the exciting thing! So I read the Kunlun prologue English, then went to read it in chinese. I can’t listen-read this chapter lol. And I noticed:

1. Reading in chinese right after reading the English, even WITHOUT looking back at the English while reading the Chinese, still results in way more comprehensible Chinese reading (compared to just reading the Chinese without any prep). This is great news, because it means me reading my parallel text pride and prejudice - I could just read the English, then switch to the Chinese, and not bother comparing sentences and still manage to comprehend a lot and pick up some new words! Me being lazy, I love that I won’t need to compare. Also, it means even when I only have texts, I have a way to make a lot more novels Decently Comprehensible even if I’m too lazy to look up any words WHEN reading. For example, 天涯客 - it’s been a drag reading sometimes because I either need to look up a lot of unknown words and intensively read, or it’s too incomprehensible to extensively read while looking up no words. So applying this, if I read an English translation chapter, THEN the Chinese chapter I probably COULD read 天涯客 extensively (maybe only looking up words I’m particularly curious about, not needing to look up so many). It could speed up my reading, and combine the translation since i plan to read that too anyway. I am... so lazy and prefer to not look things up/prefer gently puzzling out meanings, and this seems like a nice way to make extensive reading easier and less draining! In addition, I could pretty easily incorporate it with anything I can find a translation and original for - which is a lot. It would give me a way to make use of my copy of 默读，琉璃, 杀破狼, even if I get too tired to listen-read.

Because that is a major de motivator for listening-reading. It takes intense focus, you can’t take breaks during chapters easily. Intensive reading is a bit easier since you CAN take breaks, but you have to pause to look So much up. Extensive reading is easiest, BUT if the material is too incomprehensible it feel intensely draining. It seems simple as all hell... but reading the translation, then immediately reading the Chinese, makes the comprehension hurdle way less severe and makes extensive reading much easier.

2. The passage I read today was so much more comprehensible, to the point there were only maybe 5 words in 3 pages I didn’t understand. Nearly every word I understood the meaning of, alrhough there were perhaps 5-10 words I did not know how to pronounce (because I vaguely recognized the Hanzi but could not remember spelling, or with context understood the word but the Hanzi themselves were unfamiliar). So like: full comprehension was like 85-90% of the text just thanks to reading the English beforehand. Then another 5% words I could also comprehend I just didn’t know the pronunciations of/the Hanzi were new to me.

This is all roughly me guessing, but basically the experience was SO much less draining. I knew the sentences already, I’m already good with grammar, so the context from the English helped me fill in the guesses of known Hanzi combined meaning X, which were idioms meaning roughly what, which unknown hanzi with known Hanzi meant roughly what. It was so valuable oh my god. I’m just rambling because... I genuinely did not think doing this combo of steps actually made reading much easier. But WOW it sure does, and I love that I could apply this to any language study going forward. (Like I have a parallel text english/french/chinese Le Petit Prince - I’d been avoiding reading the English since I felt it wouldn’t help me practice the other languages, which is true in a way since I’d be testing Where I’m At Skill wise less, However I realize now if I do read the English then immediately go to the French or Chinese I bet I can pick up a TON of new vocab without having to look up in a dictionary or feel I’m slogging through comprehending what’s going on.)

What I read today is Kunlun prologue that I’ve read a few times since I started learning Chinese, since I got the book. I first tried to read it maybe month 7? It was so brutal, I used a dictionary for maybe 4 words, I could barely comprehend anything. Somehow tho I followed the main “gist” bare bones of what was going on - a disaster, Kunlun’s soul fire, shennong talked to him, they think there’s no going back from what’s changed. Looking back I’m impressed and baffled as to how the fuck I even understood that much. At that point I knew maybe 500 words and was literally guessing so much because I valuely knew the meaning of 1000ish hanzi and was making guesses on what they meant combined, making guesses based on grammar (the easiest part), and making guesses based on the Guardian Drama plot I was familiar with. I can’t overemphasize HOW draining this activity was. It also took a long time lol.

Then I tried to read it again around month 11. It felt SO difficult I gave up halfway, could follow what Kunlun was doing a BIT more specifically but all of the descriptions flew right by me. I had no idea how I’d gotten myself to read it prior. At maybe month 12, I tried to read it again intensively that time looking every unknown word up I got through a PAGE. Then I ran it through a machine translator, and compared the translated lines with the Chinese and looked up key words/phrases that I guessed may have translated wrong. I made a rough workable translation of the Kunlun prologue. Which is the English translation I used THIS time, before reading the Chinese. How utterly difficult it felt last time made me not want to try to extensively read it again lol - and I don’t know where I found the strength to focus and try to that very first time. So today I tried to do it again, I’ve been studying 1 year 6 months now. ToT So it took way less time than expected, maybe only a couple minutes longer than it took to read the English (since I stopped to look at less familiar Hanzi and see if I could remember their pronunciation). It was quite comprehensible, at least to a point it didn’t fry my brain. I’m over the moon tbh.

Now with reading-listening, reading the Chinese without audio isn’t necessary (just like one can skip reading the English without audio if they already are somewhat familiar with the text). I just tried it with this prologue since I have no audio for it and wanted to test myself, just to discover a new way I might wanna study in the future! Now I’m not sure if I’ll keep doing it with this listening-reading Guardian thing, since i don’t know if I want to add to the time it takes (tho happily it takes less time than expected to do the Chinese reading doing this). But I’m really happy to know now I can do it, and it feels fun and doable. I’m also pretty sure now I know how I want to read through that pride and prejudice parallel text when I get to it lol -3-)/

[clockworkopera]

LORD OF SHADOWS THEORY: PART 5: WHY JEMMA DOESN’T REMEMBER JESSA’S WEDDING

Disclaimer: My theories are built not just on the Dark Artifices, but from all the previous books as a whole, and will contain SPOILERS if you haven’t read them. These ideas are based solely on book canon.

(edit: This was written before the release of LoS. Some ideas may be a little out of date, but still interesting!)

ON THE NAME CORDELIA

I have seen this theory out there—I was glad someone else had it too. All the girls in my family have at least one name dedicated to a favorite grandmother, aunt or other female relative. Emma Cordelia and Cordelia Carstairs. The family trees are said to be either incomplete or a bit misleading, and I was thinking James and Cordelia had a daughter that was never listed, and Emma is a descendent of Tessa on a matriarchal side. Emma’s mother’s name was Cordelia too. That would mean she would have as much demon blood as the Blackthorns and Jace.

And everyone is comparing her to Jace. (I hope that Cassandra Clare puts in a scene where the two practice together—I’d really like to see who would be better!) This will come into play in a bit.

OH, MY GLITTERY MAGNUS ONE:

He’s up to his feline eyeballs in all of this. He’s the Clave approved warlock to call when you want someone to forget something…

Ever since CC told us ‘the wedding’ Magnus has been referring to, (which Emma and Julian have no recollection of) was Jem and Tessa’s I’ve been cobbling clues (LM pg157). I’ve organized the following:

--We know Magnus performed memory magic on Clary; more than just forgetting a simple memory, but a complex continuing spell of forgetting.

--We know he asked Emma and Jules about the wedding—almost as if it were a test to see if his magic was still holding. And if this memory is gone, how many others!?  

***But, here was the big question for me: Was this something Magnus did on his own, or did Jem and Tessa know? And of course, WHY?

I felt a bit like Ty going back and reconstructing a time line. During The Fiery Trial, Simon refers to Jem and his wife Tessa and they’d taught at the Academy as husband and wife in earlier stories. Ergo: Jem and Tessa’s wedding happened BEFORE Julian and Emma’s Parabatai ceremony, yet Jem introduced himself for the first time to Emma there.

***Whatever Magnus did, Jem knew about it—they had to have been in on it together or Jem wouldn’t have felt the need to reintroduce himself at the Parabatai ceremony. And the spell of forgetting happened before the Parabatai ceremony***

Theory: Some event happened that needed a magical cover up by Magnus. It wasn’t until I reread The Fiery Trial that I saw a possibility. Simon and Clary’s first parabatai test was the test of WATER: “The nature of the test requires that you have no knowledge of the test,” and I wonder with Emma’s terror of the ocean coupled with the hallucinogenic water from Lake Lyn (if that was part of their trial too), if something BIG happened during this magically induced rite of passage. Something like when James Herondale ‘accidently’ turned into a Shadow for the first time. This theory could work if Emma is a descendent, and even if she’s not, Julian is. And who knows what could have happened to Julian as he tried to help her. Jem might have then come to their aid. This might be why the book covers are in themes of water and drowning—and Emma’s recurring nightmare!

When Simon describes Emma and Julian’s Fiery Trial, he says that, “the room was occupied by a ring of Silent Brothers, maybe twenty in all…” Plus Jem. It is true that this is the first Parabatai ceremony we’ve seen and it may be standard to have that many Silent Brothers attend each ceremony, but the number seemed just a bit excessive to me. That is unless they were worried about the chance of another ‘incident’ happening.

But, why a cover up?

***Possible reasons why Magnus, Jem and Tessa did this: Julian and Emma had so much of their childhood lost to them, and Tessa having been James and Lucie’s mother knew the toll and responsibility an unusual warlock talent in a Shadowhunter could be for someone so young—especially taking into account the prejudices within the Clave for a family that is already under suspicion because of Mark and Helen’s fey blood. (This would also be a good dovetail as to why CC decided to go back and do a Lost Hours book before she finished The Dark Artifices—James difficulty with his talent I think will be front and center in that series)

Like Clary, maybe an agreement was made to shield them from this knowledge until they became adults: at that point any ancestry with Tessa could be revealed—and anything that may have held hints to the truth was ‘forgotten’. Until then, Jem and Tessa keep their distance not wanting to provoke unintended memories. (It’s always bothered me that they live in L.A. right by the Blackthorns, but have never dropped off for tea or just to say hi—five years and Emma had only met Jem once? And didn’t even know how to contact him? That made no sense to me and I actually found myself disliking Jem and Tessa for it. This explanation would redeem them a bit in my eyes.)

And I wonder if that was why Jem sent Emma the gifts of sea glass that made up Julian’s bracelet—some sort of talisman to anchor Magnus’ magic? There is something about the glass…

And now:

(LM pg311) Cristina: “I heard about you. Everyone said you would be the next Jace Herondale. The next greatest Shadowhunter warrior.”

“I’m not going to be that,” said Emma. Her own voice sounded calm and small and distant in her ears. She couldn’t believe she was saying what she was saying. The words seemed to be coming out without her thoughts forming them first, as if they were creating their own reality by being spoken. “I’m not special, Cristina. I don’t have extra Angel blood or special powers. I’m an ordinary Shadowhunter.”

--If she were descended from Tessa could those words create a ‘façade’ of that belief shown to the world—like she was shape changing into the guise of normalness? Where did those words come from? It sounds like a subliminal hypnosis thing…from Magnus?

There is also this:

-------------------------

(LM pg43-44) Emma took a deep breath. She remembered Julian telling her once that when things got to be too much, he imagined locking certain situations and emotions away in box. Shut them away, he’d said, and they won’t bother you. They’re gone.

(And she does, but not without consequence) … She imagined placing the box somewhere she could get to it easily, somewhere she could find it and open it again. “Emma?” Cristina said anxiously. “Are you all right? You look a little as if you might throw up.”

Click went the lock on the box. In her mind, Emma set it aside; back in the world, she smiled at Cristina. “Ice cream and bad movies sound great,” she said. “Let’s go.”

-------------------------

Thinking of Arthur’s Greek influence, it sounds a bit like Pandora’s box.

But, it’s not just Emma, there is Julian too: Julian’s talent is probably more along the lines of persuasion and politics (we still don’t know what Lucie’s talent was). His masks come from his ability to lie; like how he’s managed to convince the Clave that the LA Institute is running fine: (LM pg631) Julian: “How he didn’t know who he was sometimes, how he was capable of doing the things he did, and yet how he couldn’t not do them.” I really hope CC writes more about that in LoS too—that we get to see more from Julian’s POV.

An unintended consequence of this ‘shielding’ is that there are entire aspects of themselves they have learned to hide not just from themselves, but from each other. From the time of their Parabatai ceremony, in my opinion, they have always been in love. Magnus’ work may have hidden it, just out of reach from each other, because they both needed to be normal. It’s also might be what is hiding their growing parabatai magic from the Clave.

(LM pg619): “He hadn’t been a boy in a long, long time. It had been that boy that Emma had thought could be her parabatai. She would never have fallen in love with that Julian. But she had fallen in love with this one, without knowing it, because how could you fall in love with someone you only half-guessed existed.”

AND:

Their night on the beach: (LM pg428): Julian: “We never said we loved each other,” he said. “Not once.”

That couldn’t be true. Emma searched her memories, as if she were rummaging desperately through her pockets for a lost key. She’d thought it. Julian Blackthorn, I love you more than starlight. She’d thought it but she hadn’t said it. And neither had he. We’re bound together, he’d said. But not: I love you.

But, it also makes me wonder who Emma would be if she let her masks fall. And if Magnus’ magic wears off sooner than expected and they begin doing strange things, would Emma believe it was a symptom of parabatai madness? Would they even get back any of their lost memories or are they mostly gone like Clary’s? And if Julian and Emma find out they’ve been magically interfered with how will that effect their relationships with Magnus, Jem and Tessa? Would they feel betrayed, not feel very trusting when it comes to asking for help in really important matters like figuring out the Parabatai curse? Remember how furious Clary was with Jocelyn.

Simon suspects the truth about Julian’s feelings, although he never spoke of it to Clary in TotSA. I can’t imagine it has never come up since. As for everybody else (Magnus, Jem and Tessa)—I think as long as Emma and Julian keep repeating Magnus’ mantra they won’t see it either.

I wonder if Tavvy knows though. Julian stormed off that night to save Emma when she nearly drowned and I don’t think he took the time to lock his secret door behind him. If Tavvy came looking for him or had a nightmare he might have seen Julian’s artwork of Emma—and how many times has Julian fallen asleep with the Law book opened to the Parabatai page. He’s a smart kid who put together who Lady Midnight was and is probably reading about Silas Pangborn and Eloisa Ravenscar in his copy of A Treasury of Tales for Nephilim. I think he’s observed a lot more between Julian and Emma than anyone thinks. I wonder if that is one of the roots for his nightmares—if he’s afraid he’ll lose his family.

Cristina also knows the truth, and I think she saw hints before she even knew: (LM pg80) “The room was full of bright light, and it cast an odd halo over Emma and Julian blurring out their features.” And Jem says in the Fiery Trial, “When a parabatai bond is true, when friendship runs deep and honest, it can be…transcendent.”

***Also, consider all the Blackthorn kids could have a latent talent of some kind. They might be hiding that knowledge from all of them, not just Emma and Julian.

***And if Parabatai aren’t meant to be magicians is that still true with the ones with a warlock flair?

I know these theories are long. Thanks to everyone that’s hung in there. I have two more parts to go:

Part 6:  Predictions on who Dies and Forecast of Final Ships (I think that box of Emma’s, and all Magnus’ protective magic will get smashed if a Blackthorn dies)

Part 7: Miscellaneous Characters throughout the Series Spectrum

Let me know what you think!

-----------------------------------------------

P.S. Treasure hunting in CC’s books is so cool. After I wrote this draft I had a question on TMI Source about Clary using a resurrection rune to raise a Shadowhunter. I completely blanked on it, so I went back and it was in the apropos chapter title of CoFA Wake the Dead. I read through it again and Brother Zachariah/Jem was there :)

But I also found a quote!  (In case you haven’t figured it out yet I like quotes)

(pg127) “Valentine had killed nearly all of them (Silent Brothers) while searching for the Mortal Sword, leaving alive only the few who had not been in the Silent City at the time. New members had been added to their order since then, but Clary doubted there were more than ten or fifteen Silent Brothers left in the World.”

Emma and Julian’s ceremony was only two years later—Even if the Silent Brothers managed to double their ranks in that time and Simon was right about 20 being there, then that could mean almost the entire Silent Brother contingent was at Emma and Julian’s ceremony. Again, is that number normal, or overkill?

Huh, things you didn’t know:)

And again, where might the Silent Brothers find new recruits? Go back to Theories Part 1

[letsshaqirhussyin-blog]

Shaqir Hussyin

Effective Home Tuition Service Academy

I do not know about you, however anything I get entangled in I go all the best way. For instance, in highschool I tried out for the observe crew and on a regular basis at apply I was getting ready to finish in first place.

After I took my first step on the street to wealth, my intention was to complete first. Wealth constructing is similar to track and area as a result of it takes preparation and observe. One has to exercise their mind and psychological muscle mass if they are to finish first and win the Gold as a wealth builder.

This reminds me of the time I was delivering a speech to and audience, throughout the query and reply interval a woman asked, "Are you rich?" I was not surprised by her query because it comes up usually throughout query and reply classes.

I responded by saying, "Yes I am rich." The audience said, "Wow!" The fact of the matter is I'm rich, nevertheless my street to wealth was anything however smooth.

Initially, I grew up in abject poverty, one in all nine youngsters born to two very laborious working parents employed by a tobacco manufacturing unit. As written in my e book, Residing on Larger Floor .I stated we have been so poor we spelled it roop, which is poor spelled backwards.

I thank God for that experience as a result of it taught me learn how to overcome poverty by altering my ideas and making good sound selections about money. Rising up in poverty is hard and I do not advocate anyone try it to see what it is like, belief me it was a memorable episode in my life.

Constructing wealth has every thing to do with the way you think and the alternatives you make. What do I mean by this?

Like all issues in life when confronted with a reality we have to deal with it. In other phrases, how we handle poverty is more vital than the fact.

As a child I noticed two hard working dad and mom work at the similar firm for 28 and 27 years respectively. My mother and father didn't complain despite the very fact their employers have been racist and prejudice in direction of them.

My mother and father didn't give a damn about racism or prejudice as a result of that they had nine kids to raise and they did it. Even though we did not have a lot of money we had one thing extra essential than cash, we have been taught how you can make something out of nothing and to be able to accomplish this you must think otherwise, make good selections and take decisive action.

One thing out of nothing is known as willpower to succeed irregardless of the obstacles life throws at you. In other phrases, no one ever mentioned life was going to be easy, you simply will need to have a plan to take care of the pitfalls.

Overcoming quicksand in life might be decided by the solution you come up with to resolve your monetary shortfalls. Living proof, I used to be the primary little one in a family of nine youngsters to earn a high school diploma. Neither my mother and father, nor their dad and mom earlier than them had an opportunity to finish faculty as a result of they were trying to survive a life of poverty.

I decided to attend faculty after incomes my highschool diploma, however I only had $300.00 I acquired from relations throughout my graduation ceremony. The defining moment in my life came once I was hired to work at the recreation division in my hometown in rural North Carolina.

Reflecting on the summer of 1976, I made $600.00 so as to add to the $300.00 I obtained at commencement. My dad and mom didn't have any money to give me for faculty, so I made a decision to apply for instructional grants and was in a position to safe funding all 4 years.

To maintain myself by school, a buddy of the family hired me to develop into an apprentice in his electrical business, it was electrifying to say the least. I did what I had to do to earn money so I might eat, purchase books, and buy a automobile to get to work.

As you may see the obstacles I faced throughout school was known as "lack." I overcame lack by believing in one thing larger than myself,. I believed I might overcome poverty through education and dealing and these choices made the entire distinction in my life.

In 1977, the summer previous to my sophomore 12 months I went again to my hometown and was employed to work in a manufacturing unit, it lasted all of three weeks. A week later I received a call from United Parcel Service (UPS), however I did not have a automotive to get to work as a result of it was 50 miles away.

One in every of my neighbors was a widow and owned a car but couldn't drive because of her medical situation. She allowed me to make use of her car until I might afford to buy my own. I worked at UPS for 3 1/2 years loading, unloading, and sorting parcels and was capable of sustain myself by school.

That is not all, because of my good grades in college I used to be given a chance to attend a United States Air Drive (USAF) fundamental coaching camp. Fundamental coaching lasted six weeks and after completing the program, I joined the Air Power Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (AFROTC) two year program, it paid $one hundred.00 monthly.

I graduated with educational honors and was a distinguished graduate of AFROTC. Upon graduation I was commissioned a second lieutenant within the USAF.

On my highway to wealth I served over 20 years within the USAF, retiring within the rank of lieutenant colonel. Over the course of my navy career I lead individuals and managed billion dollar programs for the United States of America.

Over a 20 yr time frame, I invested in real estate, stock, and purchased varied insurance coverage insurance policies. I retired from the USAF over 5 years ago and as we speak I am financially impartial and unemployable.

In 2002, I founded Laurel Wreath Communications Inc, a professional talking, training, and consulting firm. In 2004 I based Laurel Wreath Publishing and founded the Paul Lawrence Vann Basis a 501(c)(3) not for profit academic group to show monetary literacy and authorship..

My ardour for real estate investing resulted in me founding Pinnacle Real Estate Investments, LLC shaqir hussyin scam and the Wealth Constructing Academy. As you can see, my street to wealth was anything but easy.

One might say I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth, nonetheless right this moment I am residing a top quality of life with my wife and kids and wouldn't have it some other method.

I owe my wealth to my mother and father who taught me sturdy dedication and to make good selections for my life. i also thank all the people who supported me along the way in which and my wife who loves and helps me.

Even though your highway to wealth will take different turns than mine, I don't need you to ever surrender on believing that you simply should be wealthy. If I used to be able to overcome abject poverty and turn into wealthy, you can do the same factor. Prosperity and wealth is yours as long as you make clever choices alongside the way in which.

Who doesn't wish to be rich? The pursuit of wealth is a ardour that drives many individuals. This is why many people in the company world burn themselves out as they run the rat race and climb the corporate ladder. For this reason people with the most mediocre of skills would endure embarrassment simply to make it massive in present business. That is why folks gamble at casinos or purchase lottery tickets. These are the traditional paths that folks take with a view to strike at wealth.

There isn't any shortcut to being rich - or so the sages say. If you want to be wealthy, it's important to work hard. But what if we show the sages fallacious and say that there's a shortcut to attaining riches? There is a confirmed manner of incomes money in such a manner that you get to do the work only once. After you've done the work, all you should do is to sit back and watch your earnings grow exponentially.

If you want to learn the way this shortcut works, then it's a must to enroll in a wealth schooling program.

Why Enroll in a Wealth Creation Schooling Program?

Standard knowledge teaches us that right after we graduate from school, we've to try to get a great job that pays rather well. As soon as we scored this job, we have now to work hard to maintain this job and to get promoted to the next level until we reach the top stage on the company ladder. After we retire from the careers we have now built for ourselves, we can benefit from the fruits of our labor.

But why wait until we're 65 years old to take pleasure in life when we can do it much, a lot earlier? Life is a journey that have to be executed slowly and leisurely, or else we'll miss out on the attractive moments we could have savored alongside the best way. Do now we have to attend until we are 65 years old to have the ability to journey the world? Do we now have to attend till retirement to have the ability to bask in the warmth of our families, to read the books that we want to learn when we wish to learn them, to dwell our lives the way we had at all times needed however couldn't as a result of we are so busy with our jobs?

Life doesn't have to be the rat race. If you enroll in a wealth creation training program, you'll find out the ways you'll be able to stop running the rat race and stroll alongside the path of life with out having to fret about cash.

Be taught to Create Passive Income utilizing a Wealth Education Program

There are a lot of things you'll study once you get in a wealth training program, however the important thing concept is that you would be able to be wealthy now and stay the life you suppose you might be presupposed to reside by growing passive revenue. Passive earnings is the fruit of work you'll only do as soon as after which get pleasure from for the rest of your life.

The reply to the question is Yes! it's doable to create Wealth On-line at home. With the precise steering and the proper instruments you could be well in your strategy to building a successful on-line wealth business.

There has by no means been a greater time to start out your own business working from the consolation of your private home.

With all of the economic uncertainties across the globe, now is the time to show in direction of creating your individual success.

The most important obstacle most internet entrepreneurs face is weeding via the a whole lot of thousands of alternatives out there on the internet in the present day. Let's face it, discovering the correct wealth on-line system could be a very tedious and time consuming activity. Just what number of scams have you ever come across the place you might be promised massive giant pay-days for only some hours work? You already know what I'm talking about. There are such a lot of individuals on the market doing there greatest to take your hard earned money off you, and might I add, a few of them do a fantastic job too. Some programs provide nearly too good to be true choices but we nonetheless fall for it and hand over our cash in a blink of a watch, only to search out that we've been scammed AGAIN!

The reality of the matter is, there isn't any simple solution to create wealth online at house. There may be nothing in life that we achieve, with out the suitable quantity of dedication arduous work. Identical goes for constructing a web-based enterprise. It should take dedication and a concerted effort to attain your aim to attain wealth on-line at dwelling. The key is finding the precise wealth online system or program that can train you the abilities and techniques you want, to be successful.

Building an internet business shouldn't be much totally different from constructing an offline enterprise. You continue to need the following:

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three. A means to advertise and deliver your product or service to your customer

four. A billing account the place your customer can deposit his/her money too

5. A means to advertise and reach your goal buyer

The move of enterprise stays the identical, it's simply the principles and methods that differ. There are a variety of applications accessible on the internet immediately that can train you step by step how you can construct your on-line wealth enterprise. The challenge just comes when trying to find the precise wealth online academy that may suit your needs.