#on her portion and organizing other creators

[homestuckreplay]

Webcomics at Day 100 #1: Kevin & Kell

Pages read: 9/3/1995 – 9/3/1996 & 4/13/2009 – 8/18/2009; about 380 pages

Reason for selection: Best I can tell this is the oldest webcomic that’s still running as well as among the first ones made. It updated every weekday from 1995-2000 and every day since then without breaks, totaling around 4500 strips as of 2009 and 10,000 strips as of 2024. This webcomic is older than I am and has been around for over 90% of the internet’s public history. While not originally intended as a ‘furry comic’ it quickly gained popularity among furries, who are an important internet subculture. K&K meetups happened at furry conventions in the 2000s.

Current status: This comic is an eternal truth of the internet

Content warnings: predator/prey dynamics

Overall thoughts: I think this strip is charming. It’s functionally identical to a newspaper strip, and there’s nothing about its presentation that couldn’t be done in print – which makes sense as its creator was already a newspaper cartoonist before starting this. Being published on the internet allows readers easy and instant access to the archives without having to buy the newspaper each day, although the sections I’ve read don’t take advantage of this by having long running storylines that require reading the archive. There is overall continuity, but jumping from 1996 to 2009 wasn’t super confusing. At the time of writing this the website is quick to load, well organized and really easy to navigate, so it’s no work at all to just start reading and get lost in the comic.

Content wise, the strip features anthropomorphic animals living in modern society (humans appear to be mythical creatures?) and includes a lot of jokes about animal traits manifesting in school, work and day to day life. Some specific jokes such as the hedgehog character getting stuck to things with her many spines are used often. Quite a few jokes rely on the fact that a significant portion of society are killing and eating the other portions on a daily basis, which is written in a lighthearted way but won’t be to everyone’s taste. I’d also describe the comic as ‘boomer humor’ in some places. Bill Holbrook began writing the strip in his late 30s so is older than the average early webcomics artist, and writes about family and technology from that perspective. The content also focuses on both nontraditional relationships and traditional family dynamics, and the ways these rub up against one another, while avoiding any genuinely controversial topics.

I love how Holbrook draws rabbits – Kevin and baby Coney’s designs are adorable to me and are the visual highlights of most strips. The character R.L., wolf and CEO of Herd Thinners Inc., is never shown in full – only his drooling mouth, fangs, and hands clasped on his desk are shown, which kicks ass as a villain design. Holbrook is also really good at conveying a character’s overall mood or vibe just through their body language in a still image, which is impressive considering how many different species he’s working with. The comic began in black and white and switched to color in 2000, and while I don’t think the color significantly improves the strip, it does make it easier to distinguish between characters of similar species as the cast has grown.

Connections to Homestuck: K&K doesn’t use the affordances of the internet (such as including gifs/sound in the comic) but it is definitely about the internet. It’s established imemdiately that titular couple Kevin & Kell first met and fell in love online, and that Kevin’s job is the system operator for the ‘herbivore forum.’ Kevin attends an online high school reunion, daughter Lindesfarne (INCREDIBLE character name) attends a virtual prom, and son Rudy stays in touch with his long distance girlfriend via email. Jokes about online life being inferior to digital are rare, and spending a lot of time online is normalized within the world of the comic, a decade or two before it became normalized in the real world.

K&K also plays with the boundary between digital and real space, and commonly depicts a character typing something into the computer to cause a physical effect in the world far away. Computers physically react to the digital content they are used for, such as Kevin’s computer starting to grow leaves and plants when he spends too much time on the herbivore forum, and digital phenomena are represented physically such as this depiction of a firewall:

I don’t think Rudy and Dave are the exact same archetype but Rudy does wear sunglasses 24/7 and is a different flavor of above it all coolguy whose feelings aren’t as secret as he thinks.

Continue reading? Probably! Despite being loosely drawn archetypes I did start caring about the characters quickly, enjoyed reading enough to go well past day 100, and have marked my place to come back to. It’s sweet and low effort entertainment that I can easily see myself digging into when I’m tired or sick.

I have sponsored today’s update which only costs $5 and is a small contribution to webcomics history.

[queerpgs]

Friday 6th September - CAIN

Good evening my crepuscular cavaliers! We have a new GM, Alice, making her QueeRPGs debut this coming Friday with CAIN.

For those of you who haven't heard of it, CAIN is a new RPG by Tom Bloom, creator of the RPGs Lancer and Goblin with a Fat Ass as well as author and illustrator of the web-comic Kill Six Billion Demons.

Mission Log: Operation Weeping Mountain Location: Rowbury, pop. 64 2012.01.13 09:43 - A man is found dead with limbs removed. Subsequent investigation by local police force fails to find a cause. 2012.01.23 19:11 - A woman is found dead and bisected in the local sawmill. Local police called. 2012.01.23 23:01 - Exorcists dispatched. Commence operation. Humanity is cursed, host to a roiling psychic sea barely understood or controlled, a phenomenon arising purely from the darkest portions of the human soul. While most humans are blissfully unaware of its presence, others are more sensitive. When it grows wild in these hosts, SINS appear, terrifying supernatural monsters that are anathema to reality itself. CAIN is the solution, the global supranational shadow organization dedicated solely to the hunting and execution of SINS. It’s mission is clear, its purpose steadfast. Is there anything better than a good hunt? Just think, you’re all set to slaughter to your heart’s content. YOU are an exorcist, a powerful psychic soldier and tool of CAIN, honed and wielded for one purpose: WIPE OUT THE STAIN

Pack your pencils, a fistfull of D6s, and come down to West End Games on Friday 6th September, it's going to get interesting. Please arrive at 18:00 for a 18:30 start.

Due to the nature and content of this game all players must be over the age of 18. Content Warnings: Abuse, Gore/Violence, Mob Violence/Lynching, Financial Poverty, Death/Murder.

[tawakkull]

SPIRITUALITY IN ISLAM: PART 27: SHUKR (THANKFULNESS) 

Literally meaning gladness felt about and gratitude shown for the good done to one, Sufis use shukr to mean using one’s body, abilities, feelings, and thoughts bestowed upon one to fulfill the purpose of his or her creation: being thankful to the Creator for what He has bestowed. Such thankfulness is to be reflected in the person’s actions or daily life, in speech and in the heart, by admitting that all things are directly from Him, and by feeling gratitude for them.

One may thank God verbally by only depending upon His power and strength, as well as upon His bestowal or withholding of favors, and acknowledging that all good and bounties come from Him. As He alone creates all good, beauty, and bounty, as well as the means by which they can be obtained, only He sends them at the appropriate time.

Since He alone determines, apportions, creates, and spreads [all our provisions] before us as “heavenly tables,” He alone deserves our gratitude and thanks. Attributing our attainment of His bounties to our own or to another’s means or causes, in effect thereby proclaiming that He is not the true Owner, Creator, and Giver of all bounty, is like giving a huge tip to the servant who lays before us a magnificent table and ignoring the host who is responsible for having it prepared and sent to us. Such an attitude reflects sheer ignorance and ingratitude, as mentioned in:

They know only the outward face of the life of the world (apparent to them), and they are completely unaware of (its face looking to) the Hereafter (30:7).

True thankfulness in one’s heart is manifested through the conviction and acknowledgment that all bounties are from God, and then ordering one’s life accordingly. One can thank God verbally and through one’s daily life only if personally convinced, and if one willingly acknowledges that his or her existence, life, body, physical appearance, and all abilities and accomplishments are from God, as are all of the bounties obtained and consumed. This is stated in: Do you not see that God has made serviceable unto you whatsoever is in the skies and whatsoever is in the earth, and has loaded you with His bounties seen or unseen? (31:20), and:

He gives you of all that you ask Him; and if you reckon the bounties of God, you can never count them (14:34).

Bodily thankfulness is possible by using one’s organs, faculties, and abilities for the purposes for which they were created, and in performing the duties of servanthood falling on each. On the other hand, some have stated that verbal thankfulness means daily recitation of portions of the Qur'an, prayers, supplications, and God’s Names. Thankfulness by the heart means that one is certain or convinced of the truth of the Islamic faith and straightforwardness. Practical or bodily thankfulness, according to others, means observing all acts of worship. Since thankfulness relates directly to all aspects or branches of belief and worship, it is regarded as half of the faith. With respect to this inclusiveness, it is considered together with patience, meaning that according to some people, thankfulness and patience are considered as the two halves of religious life.

In His eternal Speech, God Almighty repeatedly commands thankfulness and, as in the phrases so that you may give thanks (2:52) and God will reward the thankful (3:144), presents it as the purpose of creation and of sending religion. In such verses as: If you are thankful I will add more unto you. But if you show ingratitude My punishment is terrible indeed (14:7), He has promised abundant reward to the thankful and threatened the ungrateful with a terrible punishment. One of His own Names is the All-Thanking, which shows us that the way to obtain all bounties or favors is through thankfulness, which He returns with abundant reward. He exalts the Prophets Abraham and Noah, upon them be peace, saying:

(Abraham was) thankful for His bounties  (16:121)

and Assuredly, he (Noah) was a grateful servant (17:3).

Although thankfulness is a religious act of great importance and significant “capital,” few people truly do it:

Few of My servants are thankful (34:13).

Very few people live in full awareness of the duty of thankfulness, saying:

Shall I not be a servant grateful (to my Lord)?,

and try their best to perform their duty of thankfulness and order their lives accordingly.

The glory of humanity, upon him be peace and blessings, whose soles swelled because of his long supererogatory prayer vigils (tahajjud), was a matchless hero of thankfulness. On one occasion, he told his wife ‘A'isha: Shall I not be a servant grateful to God? He always thanked God and recommended thankfulness to his followers, and prayed to God every morning and evening, saying: O God. Help me mention You, thank You, and worship You in the best way possible.

Thankfulness is the deep gratitude and devotion of one who, receiving His bounties or favors, directs these feelings toward the One Who bestows such blessing, and the subsequent turning to Him in love, appreciation, and acknowledgment. The above Prophetic saying expresses this most directly.

People are thankful for many things: the provisions, home, and family with which they have been favored; wealth and health; belief, knowledge of God, and the spiritual pleasures bestowed on them; and the consciousness with which God favored them so they could open themselves to the knowledge that they must be thankful. If those who are thankful for such a consciousness use their helplessness and destitution as “capital” and thank Him continuously, they will be among the truly thankful. It is narrated from God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, that

The Prophet David, upon him be peace, asked God Almighty: O Lord. How can I be thankful to You, since thanking You is another favor that requires thankfulness? The Almighty responded: Just now you have done it.

I think this is what is expressed in: We have not been able to thank You as thanking You requires, O All-Thanked One.

One can be thankful by recognizing and appreciating Divine favors, for feeling gratitude to the One Who bestows favors depends to a great extent on due recognition and appreciation of them. Belief and Islam (including the Qur'an) lead one to recognize and appreciate favors and thus turn to God in gratitude. One can be more aware of these favors, and that they are given to us by God out of His mercy for our helplessness and inability to meet our own needs, in the light of belief and Islamic practices. This awareness urges us to praise the One Who bestows upon us those favors and bounties that we consume. Awakening to the meaning of:

As for the favor of Your Lord, proclaim it (93:11),

we feel a deep need to be grateful and thankful.

Everyone is naturally inclined to praise the good and the one who does good to him or her. However, until this feeling is aroused there is no awareness of being favored by someone else, just as fish are not conscious of living in water. Furthermore, these favors may be attributed to the means and causes used to obtain them. If it is blindness and deafness not to see and appreciate the favors we continuously receive, then it must be an unforgivable deviation to attribute them to various blind, deaf, and unfeeling means and causes. The Prophetic statements: One who does not thank for the little does not thank for the abundant, and: One who does not thank people does not thank God, express blindness and deafness to favors and remind us of the importance of being thankful. Such verses as: Mention Me so that I will mention you, and give thanks to Me and do not be ungrateful to Me (2:152), and: Worship Him and give Him thanks (29:17) tell us that it is God Who truly deserves to be thanked, and also remind us of His absolute Unity.

Thankfulness can be divided into three categories. The first category consists of thankfulness for those things that everyone, regardless of religion or spiritual attainment, desires. The second category consists of thankfulness for those things that, although apparently disagreeable or displeasing, reveal their true nature to those who can see them as favors requiring gratitude.

The third category of thankfulness is that kind performed by those who are loved by God and view favors or bounties from the perspective of the One Who bestows them. They spend their lives in spiritual pleasure that begins in observing God’s manifestation of Himself through His favors, and take the greatest pleasure in worshipping Him. Although they are always enraptured with the spiritual delight flowing from their love of Him, they are extremely careful of their relationship with Him. Such people constantly strive to preserve the Divine blessings that have been bestowed upon them, and always search for what they have missed. While they constantly deepen their belief, love, and gratitude along the way toward Him, the “nets of their sight” are filled with different blessings and gifts.

O God! Include us among Your servants whom You love, have made sincere, and have brought unto You. Grant peace and blessings to our Master, the Master of those loved, made sincere, and brought near unto You.

[ihaveapicrewaddiction]

Part 2 of MHA picrew ocs <3 Same creator as before, Tiefling Maker by Crowesn

He/him

Quirk : Regeneration. He can regrow and regenerate damaged limbs, as well as regenerate organs, within limits. He can also heal others by absorbing their injuries and then healing himself normally.

Quirk drawback - Regeneration slows down the more it is used until it stops working.

Additional info - He is inspired by axolotls, but only in the healing part, not the aquatic part.

He/they/it

Quirk : Shapeshift. They have the ability to change into whatever form they choose, as long as it is within a certain mass limit. The smallest he can go is a large cat, and the largest they can go is a large horse.

Quirk drawback - The more it is used the harder it is to maintain a forms shape until eventually he is forced back to their default form, (being whatever form he wears the most).

Additional info - He is a huge fantasy fan and maximalist so it loves mashing up different animal parts he thinks look cool onto its appearance, he feels he can’t get enough of them, hence why they are so overcrowded with features.

He/him

Quirk : Camouflage. He can change his body and clothes to perfectly conceal himself in any environment.

Quirk drawback - His skin becomes irritated and itchy the more his quirk is used.

Additional info - He is obviously inspired by a chameleon, but only has the camouflage aspect no other animalistic traits besides the visible ones. (a large portion of these are animals, i just love hybrid ocs)

She/her

Quirk : Analysis. She can have an understanding of people’s quirks, weaknesses and fighting style with a single glance, though as the target leaves her sight the information fades.

Quirk drawback - If overused information can become muddled and it becomes difficult for her to focus.

Additional info - Growing up Ragdoll was her favourite hero due to the similarities in their quirks. Inspired by a bird cause why not.

[measlyfurball13]

Fanwork creators self rec! When you get this, reply with your five favorite fics/art/podfics/etc. that you've made, then pass on to others. Let’s spread the self-love 🌼

Well, I'm a fic writer, so prepare for an esoteric assortment of fics in no particular order!

I'll open with my most recent, and the one I consider my best. This is a found family hurt/comfort fic starring Team Dark (comprised of Shadow the hedgehog and his two closest friends Rouge, and Omega, for those unfamiliar with the franchise.) Shadow is immortal, nearly indestructible, and saddled with some truly terrible PTSD around the ones he cares about dying on him, and it was interesting to portray that through a narration style I'd never tried before. This was also the fic where I really fleshed out how I write Omega, who is my all-time favorite character in the Sonic franchise. He's the most delightful blend of blunt and violent but also more caring than he lets on.

This one also deals with the unusually serious subject matter of post-mortem care. I remember waffling about posting this fic for weeks, worried that people would think a Sonic fanfic with such a down-to-earth subject matter would be scoffed at. Surprise! I was wrong. Once I posted it, this fic got a ton of positive attention, which I was grateful for.

Next up is a truly strange pick- it's a League of Legends fanfic, yet it's not about Veigar, the character I hyperfixated hard on for a solid year. I like the fics I've written with Veigar, don't get me wrong, but I like this one better. It stars Kassadin, a lone desert warrior who lost his family to the darkness he's trying to find the heart of, and Kai'sa, a woman who was consumed by said darkness but managed to wrestle back control of her body.

I really got to develop a unique character narration for the lead, Kassadin. It's a particularly strong, mature, and unique character voice, one that I enjoyed writing a lot and am quite proud of. I also leveraged some fantastic dramatic irony- anyone familiar with League lore knows that the monster he encounters is actually his long-lost daughter, Kai'sa. Yet his attitude towards that fact continually fluctuates, before ending on a negative-leaning note, something that was very challenging for me to do! (I'm a chronic therapy-speak writer, something I'm constantly working to avoid.)

I think it's underrated. League isn't a big fandom anyway, and I posted this onto an otherwise Veigar-focused blog. Perhaps I should post it on AO3.

I just had to mention one of my famous Sigma Overwatch fanfics on this list. I wrote a shitload of fic for this character, and almost all of it blew the fuck up back in 2019. I was the first person to post fic for Sigma once he came out on this website! (Not this fic in particular, mind you, but I thought that fact was worth a mention.)

Of my absolute deluge of Sigma fic, this is probably my favorite. The rest are good, but are a little simple. This one, though, has the thematic thread of "control" woven throughout it that I'm quite proud of. I also feel that this is the fic in which I captured the morally grey character of Moira the best- her emotions towards Sigma are complicated, but ultimately, she is his superior and the one responsible for a portion of his mistreatment here at Talon. This fic is essentially about her coming to that realization, and I think that's a powerful moment. It's a character dynamic I haven't seen anywhere else in media/fic. I'm proud that I wrote it.

Okay this next one is weird. By all odds, it should be my least favorite work, right? I'm not a romance writer. Doomfist is far from my favorite character. Hell, I'm not attracted to men, yet this fic continues to linger in my conscience as one that I'm immensely fond of.

I wrote it for and to evoke the writing style of the lovely amazing @ow-old-men. Gabe (op of that blog) has such fucking amazing imagery in his fics, and my imitation of that resulted in some of my favorite imagery and vibes I've ever written. I also think it's some rather strong character work- it's a moment where a confident, practically invincible socialite allows the mask to slip for just a second with a stranger.

Particularly, it's that singular moment that the entire fic was based around, the one that I suggested to Gabe in the first place. The idea that one of the proudest and most powerful men in the world would kneel for you without question so that you could kiss his forehead. Idk man, I still remain in love with the vibes of this one, even though it's so far outside the confines of my usual writing.

And finally, to finish this list off, I just have to plug my longest posted fic to date. This is my incredibly niche crossover of two obscure sci-fi shows that have my whole heart. It was also my first true practice at writing a long-form character arc, to which I think I succeeded.

Kitt, the AI from Knight Rider, wakes up far in the future and realizes that his closest companion is likely long gone. Over the course of this fic, he goes from wanting to deactivate to learning to open back up and allow a new person into his life. There's also some good ol' buddy-cop shenanigans between him and Garibaldi, the security officer aboard the space station that Kitt wakes up on, including a particularly fun scene where Kitt helps him cheat at cards.

This fic is showing its age just a tad with some of the writing and characterization of the Babylon 5 characters, but I'm still immensely, immensely fond and proud of it. Writing this fic taught me a lot that I'm applying to my current projects now. I wouldn't be where I am now without this one.

[shelbbswrites]

Hi Shelby, as someone who has seen a lot of tv shows and is a lover of rom-coms, I wanted your take on chemistry between actors/characters. With shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty and HSMTMTS airing around the same time, the discourse around actors having and not having chemistry has naturally picked up. I wondered what your take on the whole chemistry discussion is. I always see people say that chemistry is subjective, or that preference and bias for a certain ship plays a role in whether people see chemistry or not.

For example, TSITP, people rave at the chemistry between the actors who play Conrad and Belly, while saying Jeremiah and Belly don't have any. Yet, a large portion of people who watch say they do have great chemistry.

Same goes for HSMTMTS, you see fans and articles from other tv reviewers rave about the chemistry between Josh and Sofia while playing Ricky and Gina. But, you also have a large portion who feel like they don't have any chemistry or that Mack and Gina had more chemistry in lesser scenes. I had read some articles from other reviewers before the season aired to the public that loved Portwell but admitted that the chemistry between Ricky and Gina was undeniable. Other neutral ones said that the chemistry between the two was organic.

I know over the years creators and writers have come out and admitted that certain actors chemistry changed the plans for the their show (ex. Dawson's Creek with Joey and Pacey), causing them to go in a completely new direction.

Do you think all of this is just a simple answer as we're humans who have different opinions, with chemistry between actors being subjective, or do ship preference and bias come into play? Do you struggle with this being a tv reviewer, trying not to be biased based on your own personal preferences?

PS - I have read your articles over the seasons of HSMTMS and know you liked Ricky and Nini as well as Gina and EJ. So, because I know for sure that you watch the show, I also wondered what your thoughts were on Ricky and Gina's chemistry this season and overall. Did you feel like they had a lot of chemistry? Some? Not as much as others?

I appreciate if you do answer as I tend to ramble once I start writing, sorry about that lol

Sorry it's taken me a bit to answer this ask. I've been watching football all weekend, so I've been pretty absent from social media — unless I was posting about football.

But no apologies are necessary for the long ask. I appreciate your passion and the time it took to write this out. I'll answer it by each paragraph, so I don't miss anything.

Chemistry is interesting because it is often objective, but we often can't help but be subjective. Sometimes, if you prefer one relationship over another, you may see more chemistry between those actors than the ones that make up the other pairing. However, for the most part, I see chemistry as objective. People either have it or they don't — and with rom-coms that can make or break it all.

For instance, Your Place or Mine. I don't think Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon have all that much romantic chemistry, but I think Reese Witherspoon and Luke Wilson DO in Legally Blonde.

As for The Summer I Turned Pretty, I think all three actors are great. Genuinely. They all have chemistry. But a different kind of chemistry because every dynamic is built on different characters. At this point in Season 2, Belly and Conrad have a different chemistry than in Season 1. That fire still crackles between them, but Conrad is trying to fan the flame to keep it burning, but Belly is moving on because she doesn't know how Conrad feels.

Whereas with Jeremiah, he's only starting to open himself up to Belly again. That hesitance to letting her back in and Belly starting to see Jere differently than in Season 1 informs the actors' chemistry.

But if someone is so adamant about Belly/Conrad or Belly/Jeremiah being superior that they don't even entertain the idea of the other relationship or try to understand where the characters are coming from, then there may be some resistance to seeing the chemistry between the actors.

For HSMTMTS, I think the same remains true — mostly.

Joshua Bassett and Sofia Wylie DO have chemistry. That's part of what made Ricky and Gina's connection jump off the screen all the way back in 2019 in Season 1. Personally, I don't think Mack and Gina had romantic chemistry. They could've, but the show shut that down pretty quickly when Gina met Mack and he was quite rude. From then, they became good friends and that's all I got from them.

Bringing Portwell into it, Sofia Wylie and Matt Cornett also have great chemistry. But their chemistry is different than Wylie and Bassett's. And that's okay! That's what I like! That's what makes the dynamics different and more exciting to watch!

I, too, have read and listened to writers discuss how actors' chemistry can change plans and inform story, and I think that's just smart. It's smart to write towards an actor's strengths when you can.

So, yes, I do think everyone will always have different opinions about chemistry because there is such a passion and loyalty to romantic relationships. And sometimes that dedication makes it hard to see beyond it and look at the bigger picture.

As a critic and an aspiring TV writer, I try to be as subjective as possible. I have my preferences as a viewer, as anyone does. But when I'm reviewing a show or analyzing a theme in a feature, I try to be as subjective as possible and understand where all characters are coming from at all sides. I tried my best to do that in my HSMTMTS Season 4 review and my analysis of TSITP's love triangle after the first three episodes. I'll link those below in case you, or anyone else who may read this, wants to read them.

And thank you for reading my articles! That means A LOT.

[reasoningdaily]

For Catherine Morris, the founder and executive director of the Boston Art and Music Soul Festival, Franklin Park is a sacred ground of sorts. The site is home to Elma Lewis Playhouse in the Park, an open-air performance venue that has hosted Black artists since 1966. The park's tie to Black history is one of the reasons Morris decided to host BAMS Fest there. “Franklin Park is ground zero for us because of Elma Lewis,” she says. “I stand on her shoulders.”

Lewis, a famed Black Boston arts educator and organizer, created Playhouse in the Park in the 1960s to serve marginalized communities in Boston. BAMS Fest is a festival that continues the tradition set forth by Lewis — taking up space in one of Boston’s central locations to celebrate Black people and Black art. “We need to think about how our people experience a green space, as Black and brown bodies,” Morris says. “It's fertile ground. It's native ground. All those things we need to be in tune with.”

WBUR is a nonprofit news organization. Our coverage relies on your financial support. If you value articles like the one you're reading right now, give today.

These concepts shaped what would become the first annual BAMS Fest in 2018, where two stages featured musical acts at Franklin Park. The festival also had vendors, street artists, resource tents and more. Around 2,200 people attended the first BAMS Fest. Five years later, the festival is expecting close to 15,000 people.

In the past, BAMS Fest has been a free, one-day experience. This year, that will change. “What's been remarkable is the decision to scale, going from one day to basically three days,” says Morris. “We start with the inaugural BAMS CONX conference, centering Black imagination, entrepreneurship, connection and unity at the Berklee College of Music.” Patrons can expect to hear discussions on topics like equity in music, songwriting, sneaker culture and more. The conference will feature creatives and industry leaders, including drummer and composer Terri Lyne Carrington and journalist Dyana Williams, co-creator of Black Music Month.

“We have chefs. We have food trucks. We have a dedicated kids' zone, which is called 'Kids Play.' We have Black and brown face painters; we have dance,” Morris says. “We have a vendor market. We have over 50 Black and brown nonprofits and businesses. And we added a job fair this year.” To celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, Grandmaster Flash will close the festival, followed by an afterparty at Chez-Vous Roller Skating Rink.

One other marked difference from years before is the addition of a tiered ticketing system. Buying the BAMS Fam Access Pass at $225, for example, gives visitors access to the entire lineup of events offered during the festival, along with priority seating at Saturday’s events. The new ticketing model was an important decision as the fest moves toward an end goal of expanding and offering more to patrons.

“As a nonprofit organization, as a cultural movement that started from zero to get to where we are, the tiered ticketing model allows for people to support,” Morris points out. “The sustainability of continuing our tradition requires investment. It requires investment from the business community, from the local community, from the arts community.”

However, “there will always be a portion of this that will remain free to the public,” Morris says. Patrons who cannot buy a tiered ticket can always register for free to experience the music, art, vendors and more at Saturday’s festival at Playstead Park. At the end of the day, Morris wants visitors to feel free: “Feel free to take off your shoes. You should feel free to be able to run. You should feel free to be able to do a cartwheel. You should feel free to dance."

One of the musicians taking the stage this year on Friday night is Tim Hall, a Boston-based musician. He’s been playing the saxophone since he was 9 years old and now teaches other musicians at Berklee College of Music as an assistant professor in the professional music department. He's also the co-owner of the digital media company HipStory.

Hall has played on a multitude of stages and at many shows but his upcoming performance at BAMS Fest will be his largest to date as a featured artist. "It's very emotional to now find myself performing, not as a sideman, not a session musician for somebody else, but to do my own music at the festival," Hall says. "It's been an emotional experience."

Hall worked at BAMS Fest in different roles between 2015 and 2021. Although he’s no longer working with the nonprofit on the business side, he still feels BAMS Fest is essential for musicians like him. Not only does the festival offer an opportunity to play on one of its two stages, but "there is an educational component to working with artists. It wasn't just like 'Submit your art or submit your profile,'” says Hall. BAMS Fest sought to create active platforms for artists to develop professionally.

But both Hall and Morris point out that the city is still lacking major music venues and spaces that allow for expansive expressions of Black music and culture. Because hip-hop is included in the festival, Morris says she's run into barriers like insurance companies refusing to cover it. “There is a level of tension or trepidation with law enforcement about a potential, you know, gang affiliation.” The festival pays a higher premium because of assumptions about hip-hop. “It's something we have to deal with every single year,” says Morris.

The question of whether or not Boston is hostile to hip-hop has been raised again and again by musicians and festival organizers like Morris. WBUR's Amelia Mason reported in 2018 that hip-hop artists, DJs and event coordinators faced heightened difficulties when trying to book acts or ran into roadblocks when trying to execute hip-hop themed events.

For Morris, it makes the work BAMS Fest is doing even more important. “We're more than a festival,” she says. “Everything from challenging our city government around the permitting process, how Boston police are involved in the permitting process. There are a lot of us giving our lives to the work so that future curators and producers and organizations don't have to go through what we are experiencing right now.”

Despite the hurdles, the outcome is worth it. As Morris says, BAMS Fest is more than just a festival — it's a movement. “Doing a multidisciplinary intergenerational festival that feeds people, gives them nourishment, something they can be proud about starts to change the attitude about what's possible and will hopefully inspire the next generation to go bigger,” says Morris.

[game-o-hungy]

DISTRICT 1 INTERVIEWS

Kaski Nothering

Cleo: Hello, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! I am your host, Cleo Patrick. Tonight, we are going to be joined by the honorable tributes of our nation! Here we have Kaski Nothering of district one.

Kaski: *mutters in French*

Cleo: I'm sorry, what was that?”

Kaski: Je ne parle pas Anglais. *gestures with hands*

Cleo: ah, can someone get a translator for my darling here?

*translator comes in and sits next to Kaski*

Cleo: It’s lovely to have you here, darling! Now, I have some questions for you today.

Kaski, translated: all right.

Cleo: ever since you have arrived, we haven't seen you much. What do you think about the Capitol? What do you enjoy most?

Kaski, translated: I enjoy the people and architecture; the buildings are very pretty. I cannot say anything about the food, though, for I bake better than all of you. *winks*

Cleo: *laughs* That sounds like a wonderful talent to have in the arena. Anyways, how do you like your stylists? Do they fit your style?

Kaski, translated: they are good… but the glitter, not so much. *shakes head sadly* too itchy. I prefer my normal clothes.

Cleo: I see. What do you have to say to the other tributes this year?

Kaski: *looks directly at the camera* Pour tous ceux qui ne le savent pas, la confiance est une faiblesse. c'est un couteau.

Cleo: uhh…

Kaski, translated: I mean, I wish you all the best of luck!

Cleo: a friendlier message than other tributes… *shifts in chair* How did you feel about being reaped, knowing that you are not from here?

Kaski, translated: I was confused a lot of the time, and scared. I have no real chance of winning, because of my knee. *gesture with cane* My only chance is to bribe the tributes with baked goods.

Cleo: *chuckles* Maybe you can make me something to see how well it would work. Is there any parting message you would like to say?

Kaski, translated: don't come between me and a jar of flour, if you want a long life. *smiles menacingly*

Cleo: w-well, darling, best of luck and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Cleo is the interviewer for this year’s Hunger Games. They don’t really know what to make of the weirdos like Kaski and Miracle.

Kaski’s creator didn’t really care enough about Claire to write her interview, but there is this.

Cleo: Kaski, what would you like for Christmas this year?

Kaski: Sourdough starter.

Cleo: Well, that sound won—

Kaski: 250-500 year old sourdough starter.

Cleo:

Cleo: all ri—

Kaski: From France. *stares*

Cleo: just let me—

Kaski: sourdough.

Cleo: Would you—

Kaski: pastry.

Cleo: SHUT THE F—

Kaski: IN A STAND MIXER FITTED WITH THE PADDLE ATTACHMENT, CREAM THE BUTTER AND BOTH SUGARS ON MEDIUM SPEED UNTIL COMBINED. ADD VANILLA AND EGGS. IN A SEPARATE BOWL, WHISK TOGETHER FLOUR, BAKING SODA, BAKING POWDER, AND SALT. IN THREE INCREMENTS, ADD FLOUR MIXTURE WHILE STIRRING. SCRAPE DOWN SIDES OF BOWL. ADD CHOCOLATE AND MIX UNTIL JUST COMBINED. PUT DOUGH IN FRIDGE TO SET. MEANWHILE, PREPARE BAKING SHEETS AND PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350 DEGREES, BEFORE DIVVYING UP THE DOUGH INTO TWO-OUNCE PORTIONS. ROLL INTO BALLS, THEN PRESS DOWN LIGHTLY WITH PALM. BAKE EACH BATCH WITH NO MORE THAN 6 ROUNDS ON EACH SHEET FOR 12 MINUTES, FLIPPING BAKING SHEET HALFWAY THROUGH TO ENSURE EVEN COLORING. LET COOL FOR 5 MINUTES BEFORE TRANSFERRING TO WIRE RACK. STORE IN SEALED CONTAINER FOR UP TO THREE-

Cleo: 💀 bruh

Cleo: What would you like for this fine Christmas, Claire?

Claire: uhh… *gum smack* makeup, I guess.

Cleo: all right… anything else?

Claire:

Cleo: Are you all right? Claire?

Claire:

Cleo: CLAIRE? CLAIRE?

Claire: *gurgles*

Cleo: Can someone help? Claire, can you hear me?

Claire: *blinks* awh, sorry. You made my brain actually think and it almost killed me. I don't, like, know what else I want. Don’t do that again or I'll, like, die or something.

Cleo:

Cleo: WTF IS WRONG WITH DISTRICT ONE??

As the mom friend who organized the interviews said:

“I feel so bad for Cleo; they have to deal WAYYYYY too much. The tributes this year are either idiots or mentally ill or BOTH ;-;”

“they host interviews for ONE year and ONE YEAR ONLY just because ALL the tributes are INSANE”

[itsyourchoicedevotionals]

Another Opportunity To Bless

“Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering…” Genesis 22:8ESV

How generous are we with God? Jehovah Jireh, God-provider, called Abraham to be His friend. Then He told Abram, “…My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations…thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.” Genesis 17:4KJV. Abraham 100 years old, Sarah ninety, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham. Isaac was a supernaturally given son, for Sarah was unable to have children. Thus, Isaac was similar to a payment to Abraham from God for his faithful heart in trusting God. “Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.” Hebrews 11:19NIV. Read Genesis 22:11-13 to see God provided the lamb needed for the offering.

Centuries later Abraham’s children were slaves in Egypt. Slaves have nothing. Yet, we read Jehovah Jireh had raised up Moses to lead His children out of slavery: Exodus 3:21-22, 12:26NASB “…it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed …every woman shall ask of her neighbor…articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters… …Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have their request. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.” The Israelites were provided by God wages for their 400 years of slavery in Egypt.

After leaving Egypts’ slavery, God instructs Moses to make a tabernacle for worshipping Him. Exodus 25:2NLT “Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them.” Everything God asked for had been given to them by God’s favor. Jehovah Jireh only asked for a portion, a ‘tithe,’ of what He’d provided.

Did Jehovah Jireh really need what He asked from them? Creator of everything needed nothing, but another opportunity to bless His children. Looking for a giving heart of trust in Him— 2Corinthians 9:7NIV “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” God shared freely with man. Would man share freely with Him?

Thousands of years people have debated the subject of tithing. We won’t spend our time looking at that. Each individual will join tithe camp of their choice. Everyone needs to agree on the aspect of giving. Solomon revealed two types of hearts —Proverbs 11:24NET “One person is generous and yet grows more wealthy… another withholds more than he should and comes to poverty.”

Paul instructed Galatians 6:7KJV “…God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” …2Corinthians 9:6KJV “…He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

African people were starving. A mission organization sent thousands of 100 pound bags of wheat seed. The distributors tried to show the people to plant the seed, ‘tithing the seed for their future— they refused. Everyone was gobbling up the seed as fast as they received it. Planted, the seed would’ve eventually provided an abundant crop of food to replenish their food supply for years to come.

Everything we have comes from our generous God. When He asks for a small portion, a ‘tithe’ of what He’s given back, it’s because He wants to provide us with a lamb. This is a heart issue of love and respect, especially in these dark days. What’s your response? It’s your choice. You choose.

LET’S PRAY: Father God everything comes from You. Help me to be as generous with what You’ve given me, as You have been generous to me, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.

by Debbie Veilleux Copyright 2024 You have my permission to reblog this devotional for others. Please keep my name with this devotional, as author. Thank you.

[znorton]

Yeah, I'd even be more forgiving of it if we were talking about an author who was just as hateful and caused just as many problems as Rowling has but who died long enough ago that they no longer have the ability to affect the lives of living people. A *lot* of historical creators either were absolutely terrible in their actions toward marginalized groups or would have been had they been aware of them....but their ability to do harm anymore is gone. Rowling's isn't. She is an active threat to living people and giving her more money, fame, clout, or cultural cachet all increase her ability to make good on that active threat.

It's not that you're a "bad person" for liking the stories she told--I don't care about the weight of other people's souls and am not in the business of guessing those weights in the first place. It's that whether you like her stories or not, until she can no longer benefit from your purchases and/or attention, giving those things to her actively aids in the actions she is performing today.

It's the same thing as the Chick-fil-A debacle from a while back. Chick-fil-A genuinely makes pretty tasty sandwiches! You're not a bad person for liking them! But buying that food was (and I suspect, still is, despite their assurances to the contrary and laying low to avoid notice) giving them money that they were giving a portion of to organizations that were aimed at restricting the civil rights of LGBT people. So if your commitment to fighting that sort of thing was genuine, one would expect that you would not be able to justify buying that food to yourself, even if it's your favorite food in the world. And if you can justify it to yourself, it only makes sense that the people who are affected by that company's actions are going to question your commitment to their safety and freedom.

Is there any petty sorrow more infuriating than finding a fic on AO3 that sits at the exact intersection of your most obscure ship and your most oddball kink, checking the author's profile to see what else they've done, and discovering that the piece you've just read is the sole outlier in a solid wall of Harry Potter fanfic?

[tawakkull]

ISLAM 101: Spirituality in Islam: Part 166

Shukr (Thankfulness)

Literally meaning gladness felt about and gratitude shown for the good done to one, Sufis use shukr to mean using one’s body, abilities, feelings, and thoughts bestowed upon one to fulfill the purpose of his or her creation: being thankful to the Creator for what He has bestowed. Such thankfulness is to be reflected in the person’s actions or daily life, in speech and in the heart, by admitting that all things are directly from Him, and by feeling gratitude for them.

One may thank God verbally by only depending upon His power and strength, as well as upon His bestowal or withholding of favors, and acknowledging that all good and bounties come from Him. As He alone creates all good, beauty, and bounty, as well as the means by which they can be obtained, only He sends them at the appropriate time.

Since He alone determines, apportions, creates, and spreads [all our provisions] before us as “heavenly tables,” He alone deserves our gratitude and thanks. Attributing our attainment of His bounties to our own or to another’s means or causes, in effect thereby proclaiming that He is not the true Owner, Creator, and Giver of all bounty, is like giving a huge tip to the servant who lays before us a magnificent table and ignoring the host who is responsible for having it prepared and sent to us. Such an attitude reflects sheer ignorance and ingratitude, as mentioned in: They know only the outward face of the life of the world (apparent to them), and they are completely unaware of (its face looking to) the Hereafter (30:7).

True thankfulness in one’s heart is manifested through the conviction and acknowledgment that all bounties are from God, and then ordering one’s life accordingly. One can thank God verbally and through one’s daily life only if personally convinced, and if one willingly acknowledges that his or her existence, life, body, physical appearance, and all abilities and accomplishments are from God, as are all of the bounties obtained and consumed. This is stated in: Do you not see that God has made serviceable unto you whatsoever is in the skies and whatsoever is in the earth, and has loaded you with His bounties seen or unseen? (31:20), and: He gives you of all that you ask Him; and if you reckon the bounties of God, you can never count them (14:34).

Bodily thankfulness is possible by using one’s organs, faculties, and abilities for the purposes for which they were created, and in performing the duties of servanthood falling on each. On the other hand, some have stated that verbal thankfulness means daily recitation of portions of the Qur’an, prayers, supplications, and God’s Names. Thankfulness by the heart means that one is certain or convinced of the truth of the Islamic faith and straightforwardness. Practical or bodily thankfulness, according to others, means observing all acts of worship. Since thankfulness relates directly to all aspects or branches of belief and worship, it is regarded as half of the faith. With respect to this inclusiveness, it is considered together with patience, meaning that according to some people, thankfulness and patience are considered as the two halves of religious life.

In His eternal Speech, God Almighty repeatedly commands thankfulness and, as in the phrases so that you may give thanks (2:52) and God will reward the thankful (3:144), presents it as the purpose of creation and of sending religion. In such verses as: If you are thankful I will add more unto you. But if you show ingratitude My punishment is terrible indeed (14:7), He has promised abundant reward to the thankful and threatened the ungrateful with a terrible punishment. One of His own Names is the All-Thanking, which shows us that the way to obtain all bounties or favors is through thankfulness, which He returns with abundant reward. He exalts the Prophets Abraham and Noah, upon them be peace, saying: (Abraham was) thankful for His bounties (16:121) and Assuredly, he (Noah) was a grateful servant (17:3).

Although thankfulness is a religious act of great importance and significant “capital,” few people truly do it: Few of My servants are thankful (34:13). Very few people live in full awareness of the duty of thankfulness, saying: Shall I not be a servant grateful (to my Lord)?, and try their best to perform their duty of thankfulness and order their lives accordingly.

The glory of humanity, upon him be peace and blessings, whose soles swelled because of his long supererogatory prayer vigils (tahajjud), was a matchless hero of thankfulness. On one occasion, he told his wife ‘A’isha: Shall I not be a servant grateful to God? He always thanked God and recommended thankfulness to his followers, and prayed to God every morning and evening, saying: O God. Help me mention You, thank You, and worship You in the best way possible.114

Thankfulness is the deep gratitude and devotion of one who, receiving His bounties or favors, directs these feelings toward the One Who bestows such blessing, and the subsequent turning to Him in love, appreciation, and acknowledgment. The above Prophetic saying expresses this most directly.

People are thankful for many things: the provisions, home, and family with which they have been favored; wealth and health; belief, knowledge of God, and the spiritual pleasures bestowed on them; and the consciousness with which God favored them so they could open themselves to the knowledge that they must be thankful. If those who are thankful for such a consciousness use their helplessness and destitution as “capital” and thank Him continuously, they will be among the truly thankful. It is narrated from God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, that

The Prophet David, upon him be peace, asked God Almighty: O Lord. How can I be thankful to You, since thanking You is another favor that requires thankfulness? The Almighty responded: Just now you have done it.

I think this is what is expressed in: We have not been able to thank You as thanking You requires, O All-Thanked One.

One can be thankful by recognizing and appreciating Divine favors, for feeling gratitude to the One Who bestows favors depends to a great extent on due recognition and appreciation of them. Belief and Islam (including the Qur’an) lead one to recognize and appreciate favors and thus turn to God in gratitude. One can be more aware of these favors, and that they are given to us by God out of His mercy for our helplessness and inability to meet our own needs, in the light of belief and Islamic practices. This awareness urges us to praise the One Who bestows upon us those favors and bounties that we consume. Awakening to the meaning of: As for the favor of Your Lord, proclaim it (93:11), we feel a deep need to be grateful and thankful.

Everyone is naturally inclined to praise the good and the one who does good to him or her. However, until this feeling is aroused there is no awareness of being favored by someone else, just as fish are not conscious of living in water. Furthermore, these favors may be attributed to the means and causes used to obtain them. If it is blindness and deafness not to see and appreciate the favors we continuously receive, then it must be an unforgivable deviation to attribute them to various blind, deaf, and unfeeling means and causes. The Prophetic statements: One who does not thank for the little does not thank for the abundant, and: One who does not thank people does not thank God, express blindness and deafness to favors and remind us of the importance of being thankful. Such verses as: Mention Me so that I will mention you, and give thanks to Me and do not be ungrateful to Me (2:152), and: Worship Him and give Him thanks (29:17) tell us that it is God Who truly deserves to be thanked, and also remind us of His absolute Unity.

Thankfulness can be divided into three categories. The first category consists of thankfulness for those things that everyone, regardless of religion or spiritual attainment, desires. The second category consists of thankfulness for those things that, although apparently disagreeable or displeasing, reveal their true nature to those who can see them as favors requiring gratitude.

The third category of thankfulness is that kind performed by those who are loved by God and view favors or bounties from the perspective of the One Who bestows them. They spend their lives in spiritual pleasure that begins in observing God’s manifestation of Himself through His favors, and take the greatest pleasure in worshipping Him. Although they are always enraptured with the spiritual delight flowing from their love of Him, they are extremely careful of their relationship with Him. Such people constantly strive to preserve the Divine blessings that have been bestowed upon them, and always search for what they have missed. While they constantly deepen their belief, love, and gratitude along the way toward Him, the “nets of their sight” are filled with different blessings and gifts.

O God! Include us among Your servants whom You love, have made sincere, and have brought unto You. Grant peace and blessings to our Master, the Master of those loved, made sincere, and brought near unto You.

[bea-trician]

Regarding a lot of upsetting things I’ve been hearing about Etsy;

To begin, I can’t ignore the reports I’ve been hearing about the company’s stance in support for is//rael and their practice of taking down listings that show support for Palestine or donate proceeds towards them. It stands in direct opposition of my personal political beliefs, which I have tried to make as clear as possible through the information and posts that I have boosted and shared on ALL my social media, not just here. What’s going on in Gaza is an open and deliberate campaign of genocide, and it’s sickening how long it’s been allowed to go on without any interference from the rest of the world. I want to do all I can to support the people of Palestine and keep calling for a permanent ceasefire.

I’ll admit, I didn’t really want to make my merch store on Etsy in the first place. I did so at the request of someone I know IRL who has been coaching me as I try to revive my art career. I’d been avoiding it due to details I’d heard through the Artist Grapevine about how unfair their policies are to the creators who try to make a living using their platform, and have now experienced firsthand the ridiculous premiums they charge for every single service they provide. The only reason my mentor advised me to set up a shop there was for networking purposes, and to make my items as easy to find as possible. At the time of making this post, my store hasn’t even been open for a month, but it’s taken up a huge portion of my daily life just to set it up and monitor it, and it has already been linked to all of my social media accounts. Now that I’ve sunk all this time into it, it seems like a depressing waste of time and energy to close the shop and have to start from the ground up on another platform. That, and I know for a fact that my mentor is keeping an eye on my progress and will expect me to keep it open, and I’m not sure how to explain my reasons to her if she sees me backing out.

Being on Etsy was far from my first choice for setting up an online merch shop. In the immediate future, I’ll be looking at other options. Most people I know use BigCartel, which I’ve heard good things about, and I do plan on creating more digital items to upload to my Gumroad store. As far as I know, neither of them have made any moves in support of is//rael, so if anyone is aware of related news that I haven’t heard about yet, feel free to let me know.

So far, I haven’t made many sales on etsy, and hopefully traffic will remain on the low side so it won’t be too big a transition to move my shop somewhere else. I don’t know the exact numbers, but I’ve definitely donated more to help Palestine than I’ve made off my etsy store since it opened back in January. Rest assured that I want to leave the platform as soon as I possibly can. In the meantime, however much money I make on my Etsy store, I will be matching or exceeding the amount in donations to pro-Palestine organizations.

I strongly discourage anyone from shopping on etsy, and if you do have interest in any of my merch items, I’m completely willing to sell them to you directly through DMs with payments over Venmo. I’m still making art, and I want to share it with you, without perpetrators of ethnic cleansing benefiting from it.

If you have no money but you DO have a minute, go to Arab.org and participate in the daily click. I’ve been returning to it every day, and the button can be clicked multiple times if you open it in different browsers or on different devices.

https://www.pcrf.net/

I’m going to do all I can to stand by my beliefs and correct this oversight.

Don’t look away. Share and amplify their voices. Call for peace and justice. Don’t stop talking about Palestine.

[saturnville]

garden kisses.

pairing:college!shuri xblack! reader. warning: fluuuuuff content: in which they finally see each other after time apart. song: garden kisses by giveon & say less by anthony ramos note: the concept of college/hbcu!shuri is NOT my own. the creator is @vargskelegore and should be acknowledged as such! full credit to the creator <3

Paranoia sunk into her being. The once faint sounds of sirens alerting the city of the authorities grew louder and louder with each growing second. The rate of her heartbeat increased, each moment passing only stirring up a wary feeling in the depths of his core. 

The steering wheel seemed thicker, and her hands were clammy, sliding off the top of the thick rubber. The sirens got louder. Her eyes flickered toward the electronic speedometer on the dash. 65. She eyed the sign to her left, just a few meters away from a top sign on the corner. Speed Limit 40. She'd never been so desperate to see her. 

Blue lights peaked over the hill she'd glided over. Her eyelids fluttered momentarily and his lips moved slowly, sending a silent prayer to the goddess she didn't believe in.

Her foot lifted from the gas, the acceleration decreasing with ease. The blue lights flew straight past her and swerved behind the car in front of her. Good. She'd had too many run-ins with the authorities in America. She pressed down on the gas again and with a light jerk, her car sped down the street.

It only took a total of fifteen minutes to get from point A to point B, the dorm where she laid her head at night. He only hoped she’d let her stay the whole night and not just for a portion of it.

The engine cut off as she parked next to her vehicle—a black Toyota Camry that had been passed down from her older brother.

Her nimble fingers danced across her phone screen to alert her of her presence. Come up. Roommate is gone, was her response. She raced out of the car and dashed toward the elevator quicker than an Olympian track star. 

Her footsteps were heavy as she walked down the narrow hallway full of different living areas. Hers was at the end of the hall, away from the commotion and possible distraction of the other residents and their guests. Away from the possibility of having her pulled away at any given moment. 

She wondered what she looked like. Was she dressed in her business suit or had she traded it for an oversize tee shirt and sweatpants? Were her thick, natural locks on display, full and flowing? The door peeled open slowly, and the strong scent of tropical body butter surrounded her.

“Hi,” she, Kenzi, greeted with a small smile. Her simple greeting went over his head. Such a beautiful woman, she was. She hated basking in the beauty of her for too long because she was well aware that the beauty that rested within her soul was far greater, but for the sake of everything holy. Her gaze was leering as she stood in front of her. Kenzi looked relaxed and peaceful. Remnants of a long day’s makeup still sat on her face but her work clothes had been replaced by a viridian green night slip and a robe. Her hair, long braids, was still intact and styled in a messy bun at her neck. 

“Come in.” She sidestepped to make room for her entry. Shuri slowly peeled her shoes off her feet and looked around her apartment-style dorm. Still looked the same, she noticed, save for the new black and white paintings scattered throughout. 

“You got here quickly,” Kenzi spoke in a hushed tone. “Speed your way here or somethin��?” Shuri's eyes followed her wandering body. The slip complimented her skin wonderfully. It was thin, too. Every curve and roll was emphasized through the material. The neckline was deep and showcased the swell of her chest, and the thin straps showcased her strong shoulders that she couldn’t wait to trail an array of kisses down. 

“Something like that,” she replied. She threw a smile over her shoulder before returning to fish for two glasses in her neatly organized cabinet. “So, you rush to the cabinet but don’t greet me?”

“I said hello."

“Barely.” Shuri scoffed with her hands across her chest. The sleeves of her purple tracksuit jacket ruffled.

Kenzi's eyebrow rose. “You wanted me to climb on you like a monkey or something as a form of greeting?”

Shuri pushed off the island and stepped towards her. “Wouldn’t be so bad.” She bracketed her body by placing her hands on either side of her, keeping her exactly where she wanted her. She lowered her head to her neck, the tip of her nose brushing against her soft skin. Shuri peppered a few kisses beneath Kenzi's ear cupping her neck with her hand, ghosting her lips over Kenzi's. It was a teasing game that she loved to play, and oftentimes, Kenzi played along, but there was no time for games this time. 

Kenzi reached for her lips, capturing them with her own dominantly. If walls could talk, they’d giggle at how they looked like lovestruck teenagers reuniting after a few days apart. A frantic kiss was exchanged with heavy breathing, teeth clattering, and hands wandering. Shuri's back hit the front door and a moan escaped her lips. Her gentle hands cradled Kenzi’s face before traveling down her shoulders where her robe rested. She pushed the fluffy material down and her palms followed the trail past her waist and down her hips, which she gripped tightly. 

A sweet sound from her lips spurred her further. Kenzi’s wandering hands tugged at the string that secured Shuri's sweatpants around her slim waist while Shuri's hands danced along the curve of her bottom before scooping her in her arms. 

“Missed you, Princess…” Kenzi breathed against her lips once Shuri laid her against the plush couch cushion. 

Shuri's light eyes met her deeper ones, fiery desire exchanged between four orbs. “Missed you, too…”

[wisdomrays]

SHUKR (Thankfulness): Part 1

Literally meaning gladness felt about and gratitude shown for the good done to one, Sufis use shukr to mean using one's body, abilities, feelings, and thoughts bestowed upon one to fulfill the purpose of his or her creation: being thankful to the Creator for what He has bestowed. Such thankfulness is to be reflected in the person's actions or daily life, in speech and in the heart, by admitting that all things are directly from Him, and by feeling gratitude for them.

One may thank God verbally by only depending upon His power and strength, as well as upon His bestowal or withholding of favors, and acknowledging that all good and bounties come from Him. As He alone creates all good, beauty, and bounty, as well as the means by which they can be obtained, only He sends them at the appropriate time.

Since He alone determines, apportions, creates, and spreads [all our provisions] before us as "heavenly tables," He alone deserves our gratitude and thanks. Attributing our attainment of His bounties to our own or to another's means or causes, in effect thereby proclaiming that He is not the true Owner, Creator, and Giver of all bounty, is like giving a huge tip to the servant who lays before us a magnificent table and ignoring the host who is responsible for having it prepared and sent to us. Such an attitude reflects sheer ignorance and ingratitude, as mentioned in: They know only the outward face of the life of the world (apparent to them), and they are completely unaware of (its face looking to) the Hereafter (30:7).

True thankfulness in one's heart is manifested through the conviction and acknowledgment that all bounties are from God, and then ordering one's life accordingly. One can thank God verbally and through one's daily life only if personally convinced, and if one willingly acknowledges that his or her existence, life, body, physical appearance, and all abilities and accomplishments are from God, as are all of the bounties obtained and consumed. This is stated in: Do you not see that God has made serviceable unto you whatsoever is in the skies and whatsoever is in the earth, and has loaded you with His bounties seen or unseen? (31:20), and: He gives you of all that you ask Him; and if you reckon the bounties of God, you can never count them (14:34).

Bodily thankfulness is possible by using one's organs, faculties, and abilities for the purposes for which they were created, and in performing the duties of servanthood falling on each. On the other hand, some have stated that verbal thankfulness means daily recitation of portions of the Qur'an, prayers, supplications, and God's Names. Thankfulness by the heart means that one is certain or convinced of the truth of the Islamic faith and straightforwardness. Practical or bodily thankfulness, according to others, means observing all acts of worship. Since thankfulness relates directly to all aspects or branches of belief and worship, it is regarded as half of the faith. With respect to this inclusiveness, it is considered together with patience, meaning that according to some people, thankfulness and patience are considered as the two halves of religious life.

In His eternal Speech, God Almighty repeatedly commands thankfulness and, as in the phrases so that you may give thanks (2:52) and God will reward the thankful (3:144), presents it as the purpose of creation and of sending religion. In such verses as: If you are thankful I will add more unto you. But if you show ingratitude My punishment is terrible indeed (14:7), He has promised abundant reward to the thankful and threatened the ungrateful with a terrible punishment. One of His own Names is the All-Thanking, which shows us that the way to obtain all bounties or favors is through thankfulness, which He returns with abundant reward. He exalts the Prophets Abraham and Noah, upon them be peace, saying: (Abraham was) thankful for His bounties (16:121) and Assuredly, he (Noah) was a grateful servant (17:3).

Although thankfulness is a religious act of great importance and significant "capital," few people truly do it: Few of My servants are thankful (34:13). Very few people live in full awareness of the duty of thankfulness, saying: Shall I not be a servant grateful (to my Lord)?, and try their best to perform their duty of thankfulness and order their lives accordingly.

The glory of humanity, upon him be peace and blessings, whose soles swelled because of his long supererogatory prayer vigils (tahajjud), was a matchless hero of thankfulness. On one occasion, he told his wife 'A'isha: Shall I not be a servant grateful to God? He always thanked God and recommended thankfulness to his followers, and prayed to God every morning and evening, saying: O God. Help me mention You, thank You, and worship You in the best way possible.

[kariachi]

So, saw somebody else doing a whole ‘what daemons do your OCs have and why’ sorta deal so, for shits and giggles, my major loves.

Marian- Torc, Aldabra Giant Tortoise

Look, sometimes a woman is a tortoise. Patient, sturdy, stubborn, reliable. An old soul who always plans ahead, with a mind that runs like clockwork. A rock in the chaos. And then, you get people who are tortoises, but more. She has a large presence, a matriarch at her heart who walks into a room and you feel it in the air, a quiet pride barely hidden under the stereotypical tortoise humbleness that requires a massive daemon to contain it. Add to that that, for giant tortoises, Aldabra’s are known to be relatively fast and acrobatic, which is a great reflection for the fact that she has the soul of an adventurer and prankster underneath it all. For all she’s reserved and hardworking, once you get her out of her shell she burns for excitement.

Monette- Cadyl, Gelada

Again, sometimes a woman is a monkey. An outgoing and communicative creature, small and unassuming, not as smart as some but enough so, with complex social networks and a tendency to keep groups of partners and associates. She trades in favors like gelada trade in acts of grooming, thriving in a group and wasting when she’s alone, not afraid to let go of some of her power and control in exchange for a more overall favorable outcome. But like a gelada you can’t let the charm and peaceful exterior fool you, because with cause she’s more than willing to bare her teeth in warning or threat to defend what’s hers.

Allison- Donnie, Austroplebeia cassiae

Why yes, Donnie’s species doesn't even have a common name, just one of so many little-noted stingless honeybees. Allie is everything you would expect from such a creature. Hardworking, loyal, creative, more focused on the whole than on herself. She lives for her family and her community, organizing people, supporting those around her, and standing for what she believes in, no matter the cost to herself. But the stingless portion is important. She hates to lie, and more importantly isn’t made to fight. While she’ll take to it if need be, it’s not in her nature to be on the front lines, and her roles is more in taking care of and lending support to those who can dive into the fray.

Dr. Carel- Lana, Northern Flying Squirrel

Though he appears to be scatterbrained, our dear doctor is more intelligent that he first seems, simply hard to understand due to how he flits from project to project that others can’t understand with dogged determination. Not one to run, not one to fight, fine alone but happy in groups as well. His, unique, viewpoint is befitting someone with a gliding daemon, as is the way his mind and feet both wander.

Var/Valko- Tarav, Bluetick Hound

And sometimes a man is a hound dog. Loyal, social, highly active, loud. Or, well, he used to be. He’s nonverbal anymore but still once he opens up you better hope you can read sign at speed because he’s not slowing down or shutting up. He reliable, playful, outgoing, and true to his pack. Adventurous and intelligent, though not a leader in any way. He’s a follower, yes, and one of the best right hand’s you’re going to get.

Irene- James, Western Pebble Mound Mouse

Is pretty much exactly what you’d stereotypically expect from a mouse- shy, a mite timid, but intelligent. She’d working on regrowing the backbone her family stole from her, but she’s polite, respectful, playful, and empathetic. True to James’s species, she’s in her element in groups despite her shyness, a creator at heart, more resilient than she first appears, and without an aggressive bone in her body (or any bones, really, but that’s besides the point).

Jadie- Wira, Ring-Necked Pheasant

Somebody somewhere ordered a prince charming, though I don’t know who. Though not immediately impressive, they have an air of confidence and grace common to male gamefowl everywhere. They’re charming, dependable, affectionate, chatty, and a hardworker, ready to drop everything and dive directly into whatever mess they need to to look out for those around them. Poly as fuck, they spoil and defend their women against all comers without a second thought, taking a fierce pride in them in all their glory, and are also strongly family-oriented, for all that they’ve run off and done their own thing.

[strawwritesfic]

Phil Coulson x Female!Inhuman!Original Character: For Everything There Is a Season [Ch. 1]

Summary: "For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven." -- Ezekiel 3:1

Rating/Warnings: All (Inhumans references; X-Men references; Agents of SHIELD canon; Agents of SHIELD season 4 (I think); meet cute; SHIELD Academy; not canon compliant)

Requester: Shakespeare girl on Quotev.

Tag List: @imaginesfire​

Request: "Phil meets her when he's recruiting at the Shield academy. He actually interviews her. While there there is an attack on the academy and a couple of the inhumans are taken. Phil while trying to help some of the kids escape is tazered (how ironic) and grabbed as they think he's also inhuman."

Notes: You might recognize the OC in this story as one from a previous Phil one shot I've written. She's received a major overhaul since then, so Kate's creator asked me to write another story about her. They've been a longtime follower, so of course I agreed.

Hooooo boy! I think this is the longest it's ever taken me to finish a request. This is actually a very, very small portion of the request, as what was given to me was enough to create a multi-chaptered story. Since I'm not really in the business of doing that as a request, I asked the requester to pick one scene. They picked the first one, which is listed above--with the caveat that it ended happily instead.

I really struggled with this one, guys. I lost count of how many times I've started over from absolute scratch. I even jumped forward in the story to try writing one of the later scenes. Every time I did, it just didn't feel organic coming without any of the previous scenes. And yet, writing the first scene with nothing more going on other than the meeting just kept coming across as pointless when I ended it happily! I started the story earlier. I started it later. Still it felt wrong, wrong, wrong.

I'm not sure that I really succeeded in writing what I set out to write. It did take me more words than I thought, however, and I figured if I just wrote the cliffhanger ending, then if the requester wanted (and is very patient), I could always go back and write other scenes from their request at a later time. I hope that they derive some enjoyment out of this, even if I am dissatisfied with the end product. At this point, I'm just glad to get it out of the way!

Chapter 1: A Time to Rend

The days that changed Kate Kane's life always seemed to her to come barreling at her right out of nowhere. For instance, there was the day she became an Inhuman. Her phone alarm went off; all she had to do was get to work on time; one tainted tablet of fish oil later, and bam! Look where she had landed herself: SHIELD Academy, a grown adult struggling to get through lessons all over again. If anyone ought to have seen the next earth-shattering event rushing full tilt toward her, it should have been the academy staff. But they didn't know. No one did, least of all Kate herself.

Her morning began much the same as her others at the academy; that is to say, miserably. She must have had bad dreams again, because she opened her eyes to find sunlight streaming through the window when her clock still read 3:30 a.m. Up too late to choke down breakfast, Kate had hurriedly got dressed, jammed an unwrapped breakfast bar in her mouth, ran her fingers through her hair, tossed her Captain America-themed backpack over her shoulder—and found a note on her door directly her to a meeting in the Director's office...

...that had started an hour before Kate even woke up.

Kate's long brown hair flew behind her as she sprinted up the hallway. The shield charm attached to her backpack's zipper swung wildly at her side. All the lights above her head flicked on and off, crackling and snapping as her anxiety hit dangerous peaks. She could imagine only one reason for the Director of the entire school asking to see her when everyone else would be in class. Her heart quailed at the thought. Sure, she hated it at SHIELD Academy. But where else could she go? Who else would take her in? Why—

Why were all of the other Inhuman students milling around the waiting room leading to the Director's office as well?

Kate skidded to a stop, but not fast enough to avoid attracting attention. The lights in this room flickered, too, and every single other eye in the room snapped over to her. She didn't doubt that their phones had turned off upon her arrival on top of everything else.

Kate gulped, smiled weakly, and held up one hand. "Hey, guys."

None of the group of ten or so greeted her in return.

"So...uh...what are we all in for?"

One by one, her fellows returned to their screens.

"Ms. Kane?"

An unfamiliar mild voice came from the Director's office itself. Kate threw one last desperate look around the group of her fellow Inhumans, but not one of them so much as glanced at her. Well, what had she expected? Even if any of them liked her, they couldn't do much to rescue her from a thorough dressing down from a SHIELD superior. She swallowed hard before heading for the open door.

"Thank you for being here, Miss Kane."

As soon as these words were spoken, the door snapped shut. Kate inhaled sharply as the well-decorated office around her turned pitch-dark.

"Electrical manipulation," the same voice from before said, in the same mild tone to boot.

Whoever it belonged to, they must have been standing very near to Kate. She couldn't see them at all with the thick curtains pulled over the windows. The stranger didn't sound threatening, though, or like he'd been hired to forcibly remove her from the premises. A wave of relief through her body accompanied a return of the overhead lights.

"Could still use some work," said the only person in the room with her. "But the promise is certainly there."

He sat on the corner of the Director's desk, his hands clasped in front of him. Although the man wore the suit common to the upper echelons of SHIELD, nothing else about him looked common to SHIELD. Kate would have pegged him for someone's accountant, or perhaps the newest literature instructor, before she ever guessed he worked as a secret agent. In fact, the longer she stared at him, the more out of place he looked. A quick look over her shoulder revealed no one else lurking about the office with them.

Phil held out a hand when she returned her attention to him. "I'm Phil Coulson. It's good to meet you."

Now Kate stared some more. Hand shaking? Normal introductions? Who was this man? Several seconds passed before she remembered that, in return for such basic kindness, he probably expected the bare minimum of polite normalcy in return.

"Kate," she said as she grasped the hand for a quarter of a second, then added, "Kane."

"I'm aware. Why don't you take a seat, Ms. Kane?"

He did not offer her a chance to decline. Before she could so much as hedge, he had walked around the cluttered desk, sat down in the Director's plush chair, and interlaced his fingers in front of him. Then Phil looked up at her without saying another word.

What other options did she have? She could hardly flee the confines of the office. This Phil would know exactly where to find her as long as she stayed on the campus, and trying to leave the academy grounds would only get anyone they sent after her hurt. Kate pulled off her backpack before dumping it on the ground and plopping herself into the hard-backed seat in front of the desk.

"Thank you," said Phil. "By the way, I like your zipper charm."

Such a bizarre compliment did not merit a response. The longer she stayed in this room with Phil, the stronger the buzzing in her stomach became. Kate felt that if she did not escape soon she might plunge the entire building into the Dark Ages for the rest of the afternoon. "What is this all about, sir?"

"Straight to the point. I appreciate that."

"I'm not trying to be rude. I just—I have to get to class. I'm in enough trouble as it without missing things, so..."

"I'll make sure to let your instructor know you were with me. This won't take long. You might even get back in time for the end of class. I just hoped to get to know you a little bit this morning."

Of all the strange things Phil had done that morning, suggesting anyone human might want to know her personally was the strangest of all. Kate tried to force a laugh at the obvious joke. The noise came out as more of a whimper. "And why is that, sir?"

"I run my own covert SHIELD team. What with the recent explosion in Inhuman numbers, we're looking to recruit."

Kate's second sardonic sounded a little more like the genuine article.

"You don't believe me?" Phil asked.

 "No offense, sir, but no one wants Inhumans saving the planet. We're not exactly Captain America."

"No one is." Was it Kate's imagination, or had Phil's tone suddenly turned a little bit reverent? When he went on, he didn't sound any different than he had when she'd entered the room. "My team is entirely pro-Inhuman. The fact that a lot of people aren't is precisely why we want to bring a few in."

"Well, even if that is the case, I can assure you your team doesn't want me."

"And why is that?"

He intended to make her say it out loud, didn't he? No matter how gentle and accountant-like Phil made himself out to be, Kate had worked one thing out during her stay at SHIELD Academy: SHIELD didn't hire idiots. No way had he missed the way everyone just outside the office avoided her. The Director could not have failed to give Phil an entire file on her many screwups. And she refused to believe he'd missed the sudden power outage from before either.

"I'm not very good at doing anything Inhuman," she said at last. "The rest of the Inhumans don't want anything to do with me either. If your team really wants someone to go spread good will and peace for us, the last person for the job is me."

"Really? It sounds to me as though you'd be a perfect fit."

"What, do you guys have a habit of taking in unwanted strays?"

"Something like that."

Kate opened her mouth to argue, but once again found herself completely unable to do so. It wasn't because Phil hadn't given her an opening, however. This time, she simply found herself speechless. He wore the sweetest smile on his face—the sweetest smile that she had seen directed at her in a long, long time. When he looked at her like that, she could almost believe that someone out there had faith in her to turn her life around.

And then he was right back to business: "It's not an immediate position. As you saw earlier, I have other interviews to conduct. I also expect all of the potential candidates to take several psyche evaluations before they're pulled from the academy. But—"

A tremendous crashing noise sounded from somewhere behind Kate. The ground shook. A few bits of dust and cobwebs fell from the high corners of the room.

Phil snapped his mouth shut. Kate's eyes went wide.

And then the screaming started. Pounding feet. Slamming doors. The unmistakable crackling of Mordis's energy beams. The acrid odor of Sammy melting a plastic chair.

Kate broke eye contact first to turn toward the door. "What the—"

"Stay put."

Phil appeared beside the door a moment later. As he moved closer to it, the commotion quieted. No more banging. No more stampeding. Just voices growing softer and softer.

"That was some training exercise," Kate said weakly. "Last week, they flooded a room to see how each of us reacted to water. But that was the pool room, so I don't think they broke anything. It's weird that they'd spring one us on a recruitment day, though. Do you think..."

She trailed away as she realized that he wasn't listening. The people outside had fallen silent, too.

Phil's eyes were riveted to the doorknob as he lifted his right hand. The motion drew Kate's attention to the dark object he gripped—and she felt the blood drain tangibly from her face. Her question of why he'd drawn his gun got stuck in her throat. No matter what she did, she couldn't seem to force the words out of her mouth. Her anxiety ratcheted ever upward; the lights above their heads flickered on and off so rapidly that they sounded like they were sizzling.

That Phil noticed. "Kate—"

The moment he turned toward her, the door slammed open, catching Phil in the back. He pitched forward. Still only twisted in his direction from the chair he'd directed her into, Kate let out a squeal. Was it of worry? Of fear? She didn't know. Outside the room she could see nothing but dust, debris, and the towering shadowy figure who had just sent Phil sprawling on the carpet. Whoever they were, they were dressed all in black, including what looked like a gas mask strapped to their face.

"Pack up anyone in here as well," the figure said.

Kate thought they must have been using a device to distort their voice, though she didn't have time to consider that. No sooner had the person commanded it than did two smaller figures dressed in the same uniform step around their leader and into the office. Phil stirred at last, but he didn't get as far as lifting his firearm a second time before the new arrivals moved forward, heedless of what they trampled underneath their thick boots. He cried out in pain.

For some reason or another, that sound above all the others drove Kate to her feet. "You leave him alone!"

"Kate, don't—"

One of their assailants jostled Phil roughly as they lifted him entirely off the ground by the back of his shirt collar. Kate gasped. No longer flickering unsteadily, every light in the room pulsed. She hardly noticed. The fists she lifted in front of her quivered. Meanwhile, several of the heavy pens behind her lifted several inches off the desk surface.

"Ah," the big one said. "We've lucked out. Here's another piece of refuse for us to take out."

"Excuse me?" said Kate.

"Grab her, too. And be quick about it. The truck's already loaded with rest of them, and backup's on the way."

The big one spun around. Kate knew they'd disappear in a matter of moments. Gritting her teeth, she flung her pens forward with all her mental might.  Each whistled through the air with a mighty crackle of electricity following in their wake. They neared their target—and fell to the floor with one swing of the person's enormous hand.

"What did I say? Filth. Five minutes. That's all you have."

The big one stomped off and disappeared into the haze of debris. Kate watched them go until something near her crunched. Stiffening, she looked up just in time to see one of the two remaining assailants lunging for her. She quickly kicked her vacated chair into their path. They went down like a sack of bricks. Another hand on her shoulder doused Kate's relief the second it arose.

"Five minutes?" said the second person in a voice just as distorted as their leader's. "This one won't even last two."

Maybe they were right. Already the first attacker had got to their feet and yanked Kate's arms behind her. She knew as well as anyone that she couldn't fight her way out of level three in the Academy's Danger Room. What good would she be in a real fight?

Then she saw Phil's prone body laying motionless by the door. Her breath hitched before she heard a moan from that direction. So he wasn't dead, but he was hurt. He was likely to be more hurt if these two dragged him off to the aforementioned truck.

Something in her hardened at that thought. Whatever these crazy people thought, Phil was just a regular guy—a regular guy that was so kind he had gotten hurt trying to protect her, the useless freak always one mistake away from being expelled from the one place that would have her. She swallowed. Then she forced every ounce of power inside her into her hands until electricity blasted from them in two enormous, fist-spanning sparks.

The two assaulters exclaimed. Kate didn't care whether it was in pain or surprise; she just cared that they released her at the same time. She leaped away.

Five minutes. That was all she had to last. Less than that now. Surely the rest of the Academy had reinforcements on the way. No one could ignore this kind of attack. If she just kept Phil safe that long, then someone better than her would show up to finish things up.

"Wrangle her! Now!"

Here they came. Kate never had been top in her class during battle lessons, even when the Inhumans were forbidden to use their power. She would try, though. For Phil's sake, she would try.

Kate darted between the two and back toward the desk. She pulled down anything and everything behind her just as often with her hands as with the electricity surging through her every molecule. Her skin blazed with an intensity just as hot as the lights in the office. All she could think of was keeping the other two away from Phil for as long as possible.

Suddenly, the room plunged into darkness again. But it wasn't the room. It was Kate's own eyesight. Her head spun. Goosebumps raised across her once-scorching arms and legs.

She had done what she had thought to be impossible. She had burned herself out.

Still she whirled. Still she tossed. Still she fought with all her might. The whole room looked like a roller rink in the nineties.

Another large hand seized her arm once more. Now Kate had not the strength to pull free, let alone to tase either of her opponents off of her. Though she tried, her remaining feeble shock waves seemed to affect them not at all.

"Five minutes on the dot. Right again," said one of the people in black.

"Leave...leave him alone," Kate panted. She could hardly keep her head up, but she didn't want to take her eyes off of Phil. "He's not..."

Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. Was this an ability that one of them had? Or had she pushed herself far enough to die? They needed to know! They had to know they could leave Phil behind! But Kate simply couldn't get her mouth to move. With the last vestiges of her strength, she staggered toward Phil. She couldn't get far with the two heavy attackers latched to each of her arms. If she could just warn him, just wake him up, even just keep these two busy for one minute more, then maybe...

She never got to him. Before she could take a second step, she felt herself hoisted into the air. A stinging a pain in the back of her neck. A rush of cold through her veins.

Then...nothing.