#CCz

[kthingz]

茶籽ccz

[ali-annals]

Chaotic Coffee Zombies- One

Masterlist Chapter Two Chapter Three

Pairing: Timari

Rating: T

CW: Mentioned off-screen character death, Tim is slightly OOC

Taglist (open): @aquilavela @ghostdoodlen @jennifer-rose123 @questioning-blob-of-fog

A/N: Happy birthday to my first bae @aquilavela!! I hope you have a wonderful year<3

~~~~~

“Kaalki, voyage! Divide! Spots off!” Marinette stumbled through the portal into her room and froze.

Oops.

“Young lady, what do you think you’re doing?”

She squared her shoulders and faced her parents. “Surprise?”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” “I couldn’t because…magic. But since I’ve just taken Hawkmoth and Mayura’s Miraculous, I guess now I can? Maman, Papa, I’m Ladybug, hero of Paris.” And Grand Guardian, she added silently, crossing her fingers behind her back.

“That’s why you were- oh, sweetie, if we’d known…” Sabine’s arms wrapped around Marinette, Tom engulfing both of them from the side. “I’m so sorry, honey. But you said you have Hawkmoth’s Miraculous?”

“I’ve settled with him,” Mari said grimly. “I don’t need to be Ladybug anymore.”

“He’s…you didn’t…”

“No, no, he’s still alive. I did punch him several times before I fixed everything, though.”

“As you should’ve,” Sabine nodded proudly. “You know we would have understood if…” she trailed off again, the whole situation making her usually chatty mother at a loss for words. “I’m sorry.”

Tikki flew out from behind Marinette’s back. “It’s not your fault for not knowing, Mme. Cheng! The Miraculous magic does a good job of keeping its wielder’s identity hidden. You should be proud of the- your daughter! She is the best Ladybug I’ve ever worked with!”

Tom and Sabine stared at the kwami in shock.

“Maman, Papa, this is Tikki, my kwami. She’s the ladybug kwami of Order, Creation, and Good Luck.”

~~~

After supper, once some of the shock wore off, Tom and Sabine had a good long talk with Marinette about the past five years. Tears and laughter were freely expressed as they were finally able to be openly emotional.

Luckily, school had just ended three days ago, so Marinette didn’t have to get up early for school. Once Nadja Chamack and Ladybug reported that Hawkmoth and Mayura were finally defeated, most of Paris shut down for the week to vent. The weeks after would be soon enough for celebration.

Mari explained the whole situation with Lila, and how Chloe and Kagami were the only friends she had left.

Now that Hawkmoth was gone, she could freely leave Paris. She still loved the city, but it had taken too much from her, and she needed a change. Tom and Sabine agreed.

“We’ll move to America,” they decided. “Your uncle Jagged is from Gotham; he’ll know good universities for you to attend.”

~~~

Jagged was ecstatic to have Mari closer to his home, and eagerly loaded her up with links and places to check out. He offered to write her letters of recommendation for whatever she wanted, confident in her abilities to pursue her dreams in any field.

A realtor friend of his found a shop with living quarters above it, like their current house, in a good part of town and for a decent price. After some renovations, it would be a dream bakery.

She could attend Gotham Academy for her Grade 12 credits and graduate in December, thanks to the way her French requirements translated to American credits.

It didn’t take the Dupain-Chengs long to pack up, sell the bakery, and fly to Gotham, New Jersey. Not a word was said to her former classmates. Only Chloe knew where Mari was, and she’d never tell. After her apology and joining of Mari’s squad, she was mostly ignored by the others. Chloe and Kagami were saddened to see their best friend leave, but knew a new environment would be more conducive to her healing and growth.

At least they had video calls and texts to keep in contact.

~~~

While the renovations were being completed, the Dupain-Cheng family shacked up at Jagged and Penny’s Gotham mansion. It was nowhere near as large as some of Gotham’s Old Elite family’s mansions, such as Wayne Manor or Drake Manor, but it was definitely sufficient for the five of them (six, counting Fang).

Mari had a lot of fun working with Jagged and Penny on his new album, both on songs and styling. She was recording background vocals for Jagged on a bonus track when her parents stopped by the built-in studio.

“Mari, you sound amazing, sweetie! I can’t wait to hear the rest of your songs! We’re going to the bakery to check on the renovations, and then have a lunch date; we should be back around two. We can bake your birthday cake with you then, if you want?”

“Sure, that sounds great. Have fun!” Mari hugged her parents quickly. “Oh, did you get the lemons for the peel garnish?”

“Oh, no, we didn’t. We’ll pick them up on our way home. Love you!”

“I love you too!”

Months later, she was glad those were the last words they shared.

“Marinette, honey?” 

She glanced up at Penny’s approach, flipping through a catalogue for inspiration for Jagged’s new suit. Why was Penny crying?

“There was a bank robbery. Your parents were helping some kids hide when…I’m so sorry, sweetie.”

Marinette didn’t want to believe it, but some intuition in her gut told her that Penny was telling the truth. She collapsed into her arms, weeping.

~~~

The next morning, Mari emerged early from her room. Though she knew she didn’t have to, she explained anyway. “I’m wearing red, not black, because it was their favourite colour on me, especially after they found out I was Ladybug. Penny, do you think it’s possible for me to have died yesterday as well? And then can I become legally emancipated? I was researching last night…this morning, I guess, and I think I’ve got things figured out. I just want you to check them to make sure they’re sound and y-you approve.”

She would not break down, dammit. She had a life figured out and she needed to follow it now.

Jagged started to speak but Penny cut him off with a warning glare. She’s coping…she’s used to bottling up her feelings…she just needs some time.

Penny took the papers and flipped through them. “This looks legally sound; you’ve put time and effort into planning this. You’re a strong, smart, talented young woman; I don’t know why you shouldn’t be emancipated.

“You do know we’d love to adopt you though, right?” Penny asked carefully. “If you’re worried about being a burden, please don’t be.”

“Yes, I know. I appreciate it, but…not now. I can’t.”

“We understand.” Penny patted her shoulder comfortingly. 

Jagged snapped out of his shock. “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want, Mari! Pen’s right, we’d love to have you as our daughter officially, but in our hearts it doesn’t matter. We’ll sign anything you want.”

“Thanks, Aunt Penny, Uncle Jagged. I do have a few more papers for you to sign.” A thick file, carefully organized and colour-coded, slid along the breakfast table. Penny figured that Mari hadn’t slept all night; not that she could blame her. “Name change, legal emancipation, property transfer…” she flipped through the tabs. “Most of these we can get filed pretty quickly. Jagged’s friends with a judge here so we can probably get some things moving a bit quicker, too.”

“Great. Thank you.” Mari poured a mug of coffee, gulped it down in four sips, and poured another before leaving the room. Penny shivered, but figured if there was ever a time for overlooking something, it was now.

~~~

Thomas Dupain, Sabine Cheng, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng died on July 8th. On July 9th, Mara Stone was born. 

She bought the partially-renovated bakery and had it finished as a studio/sewing shop, with the top level furnished as MDC’s headquarters.

Mara decided that since she had a new name, future, and school, she’d change everything. Chloe, Kagami, and Penny (and sometimes even Jagged) went on shopping trips, helping her furnish her new living and working quarters and replenish her much-picked-over closet.

For a girl’s date, Kagami and Chloe dragged Mara to a spa, where she was transformed.

Her waist-length blue-black hair was chopped down to a stylish bob, the white-tipped ends just brushing her chin. Her bangs had grown out over the past couple months and now simply added layers to frame her face.

Her closet was now more befitting of a fashion designer, departing from her white, pink, and grey, and containing reds, blacks, blues, and a multitude of colours.

Courtesy of Chloe, she could now walk in heels without tripping, which, when heels became a staple in her wardrobe, added several inches to Mara’s stature.

Jagged and Penny often spent weekends driving to the beach for Marinette to practice swimming and attempt to face her fears from Syren. She was soon swimming like a duck and gained a nice tan for the first time in a while, a light spray of freckles blossoming over her cheeks and shoulders.

For the entire summer, Mara stayed away from anything Ladybug-related, beyond feeding the kwami.

But once the school year was just around the corner, she pulled out the Miracle Box from the depths of her closet. 

She wanted to rotate the kwami, so they could each have turns being out of the box. If the Bats let her, she wanted to join them on their patrols sometimes. Maybe they would introduce her to Wonder Woman, who could introduce her to Hippolyta. 

How to get their attention was the question…

Ideas filled her head as she walked home, her arms full of fabric to work on Jagged’s upcoming tour outfits, as well as hers and Penny’s– plus the spiffing up she wanted to achieve for her Gotham Academy uniform.

“Gimme yer money, lady.” A gun was shoved in her face from the dark alley. 

“Sorry, I spent it all on fabric,” she replied cheerily, nodding at the bolts in her arms, preparing to kick the robber’s gun hand.

Robin swooped down, punching the man into incapacitation.

Plan D it is!

“Oh monsieur, merci beaucoup! Vous m'avez sauvé la vie!” Mara gushed, playing the part of helpless, frightened tourist to perfection. Hugging a shocked Robin and air-kissing his cheeks, she slipped a tracker on his utility belt, underneath a compartment, where she hoped it wouldn’t be immediately found. 

“Ma’am, you shouldn’t be out alone so late.”

“Oui, oui,” she nodded shakily. “I was shopping and ah– how to say– lost the time,” she laughed self-deprecatingly, shrugging her shoulders. “Merci beaucoup.”

With a wave, she headed back in the direction she came from, just in case he decided to follow her. Luckily, he seemed to be called somewhere and left after watching her turn the corner to the more populated Diamond District. 

Once she was sure there was no tail on her, she ducked through the streets and back lanes until she reached Miracle Designs, her shop. She didn’t want to be known as MDC here yet. After she graduated and had time to handle large orders, then she planned to announce her identity.

Mara stored her fabrics on their appropriate shelves, locked up, and portalled back to her room in Stone Manor. Why all the Gotham Elite’s houses were [surname] Manor, she wasn’t sure, but she thought they deserved more creativity if they were going to go to the trouble of naming their houses.

After supper, she helped wash the dishes, then told Jagged and Penny she was transforming and going out for a bit.

Pulling out the receiver for her tracker, she saw that its last signal originated from a house just down the road…Wayne Manor.

Ha! She was right! 

She’d suspected the Waynes were the Bats for a while now. They had excuses, alibis, even Bruce Wayne and Batman in the same place at the same time. The public were convinced there was no way the Bats were the Waynes, except for a handful of hard-core conspiracy theorists.

But as someone who had a secret identity and access to magic, she knew how easy it was to create excuses and body doubles. If the Bats were really as smart as they seemed to be, it would be a piece of cake for them to keep their two personas separate. Especially if they had access to alien tech via the Justice League and were filthy rich, with access to elite tech and disguises.

Martian Manhunter was a shapeshifter, was he not? It would be easy enough for him to impersonate either Bruce or Batman, especially since he worked with the Bats. Trixx had done an excellent job of illusioning Marinette and Ladybug talking to each other before- it wasn’t that hard.

“Kaalki, voyage!”

Mare portalled into the Batcave, internally fangirling just a tiny bit. It is real!!!

She stepped around the corner, hands up. “I wish to speak to Batman.”

“How did you get in here?” Gotham’s Dark Knight asked, hand on a Batarang.

“I made a portal. Have you heard about Paris?” “What about it?”

Mare explained the situation from the past five years, ending with her retirement as Ladybug. By then the entire Batclan had gathered and were listening in shock at what had transpired, things they had no idea about.

“We never heard a word about that.”

“So, which…Miraculous are you using, and what’s your vigilante name?”

“The horse. It creates portals. My name is Mare.” Mara had specifically chosen Mare as her name, since it sounded similar to her civilian name and she could brush off an accidental reply to the wrong name.

“Let’s spar and see how you do,” grunted the Bat. “I’m not putting someone in danger under my mantle.”

Violent coughing sounded from the cluster of Bats behind him, which he ignored.

“You pass,” nodded Batman approvingly. 

Yes! All her training paid off!

“You can join us when you wish, as long as you give us a heads up. Oracle will give you a comm so you can connect to our channels so no mishaps occur.”

“Was that you or your Miraculous?” asked Robin. 

“My Miraculous suits protect my body and give me power-ups and magical abilities, but I have to call upon them to use them. My fighting skills are all me, Bird Boy.”

Robin’s jaw dropped. “Bird Boy?!”

Mara wondered if maybe she shouldn’t possibly insult her new coworkers and boss’s son(?) before she’d even officially joined the team, but her worry was allayed a moment later.

“You even screech like one!” cackled Red Hood, pointing at Robin derisively. The Bats quickly descended into anarchy.

It made a little ache appear in Mara’s heart and she absently rubbed at her chest. She missed her old friends and team at times like these, even if they’d outgrown each other long ago. “Voyage.” In the chaos, she escaped to her room, where she cried into a pillow.

~~~

Miracle Designs was decorated in creams and neutrals, with pops of colour dotted around, creating a rainbow for Mara to live and work in. The kwami had had a hand in decorating and deciding what things would look like, and now everyone was happy with their new living situation.

Gotham Academy was a twelve-minute walk from MD; a nice stroll most days. Penny had completed the enrollment signings and picked up her uniforms the week previous; now the only thing that remained was actually attending the academy.

Occupied with creating the Stones’ tour outfits, revamping her own wardrobe and uniforms, and adapting to life on her own, Mara was far too busy to accommodate commissions at that time. MDC’s website asked for her clients’ patience while she settled in North America, much to one Tim Drake-Wayne’s sadness.

~~~

Mara woke bright and early, having had a good sleep for a change. Still, she needed her coffee. On her first week in Gotham, she discovered a lovely coffee shop that sold an amazing blend of energy– Goth Bean, it was called.

She threw on her uniform and headed down the street to Goth Bean. Luckily, it was on her way to the Academy. She requested her usual order, the barista growing ever more concerned that there were two coffee zombies in this city (or as she called them, combies).

Mara Stone strolled into school unnoticed and slid into an empty seat in her first class. Picking a boy to attempt to befriend–he looked like he needed her coffee more than her– she turned to the tired boy she sat beside. “Macaron? I have some gluten-free ones, if you prefer. I’m Mara Stone, by the way.”

She’d cried all the night before as she made the macarons, the first and last year she made them alone before her first day of school.

“Thanks. Tim Drake.” He took one, sniffing it cautiously. “These smell as good as Alfred’s!”

“Is that a compliment?” she asked teasingly, handing him her coffee.

He looked at it, then her, perplexed.

She shrugged. “I drank half, but you look like you need the remainder more. Don’t worry, it’s not poisoned or whatever. Neither are the cookies, by the way.”

“Thanks.” He still looked at her suspiciously, but chugged the coffee anyway. “And yes, that’s a compliment. Alfred makes the best cookies…I think you should have a bake off. I can judge.”

Marinette snickered, ducking her head when the teacher entered the classroom.

Maybe she could make some new friends after all.

She found herself in classes with Tim all day, except for one period. Compared to Europe’s curriculum, the classes were a breeze (though they would’ve been harder if she hadn’t studied English until she was fluent in it.)

She noticed Tim also whipped through the work, completing most of the homework in class; it turned into a friendly competition. Although, noting the glint in Tim’s eye, she second-guessed the friendly part of the competition.

Their teachers noticed, groaned inwardly, and wondered what they’d done to deserve having Tim Drake in their class, together with the new student, and apparently in academic rivalry.

However, the new girl did keep the Wayne kid from taking over the classes somewhat, so maybe this wasn’t all bad…

The first half of their classes were spent doing the work and quietly heckling each other, the second half mocking the curriculum and planning ways to better teach the school (their hypothetical students would hate them unless they were also certified geniuses).

The other students found Mara nice, especially when she distributed cookies; she was also found terrifying, especially since she got along too well with Tim Drake!

The third day of school found the two coffee addicts pairing up to work on a project. 

“I’d offer to go to my house, but my brothers are…extreme. Can we go to yours, or somewhere like a coffee shop, instead?”

“Sure, my place is fine. Leave now?”

“Sounds good.”

They walked to MD, Mari taking him in the back way so that her designs wouldn’t be seen or disturbed. “This is me!” she said brightly, changing from her kitten heels to her house slippers.

“Nice place,” agreed Tim, looking around. “Is that- do you have two Keurigs?”

“Yep, I need them a lot. Do you want some of my magical energy brew? You look a bit sleepy.”

“Sure; what’s in it?”

“Trade secret,” she winked. “Want to spead the work on the table over there while I make it?”

“Sure. What were you thinking for the format?”

“Wow, this is a magic energy boost! I love coffee,” sighed Tim.

“Thanks, I added a little extra just for you.” It’ll help keep you safer.

~~~

“Whatcha lookin’ at, Timmers?” Jason flopped over his chair, twisting unnaturally to see the screen.

“Move, Jason. You’re heavy. I’m looking up a classmate; she’s new and I need to confirm she isn’t a threat.”

“Boring.” Jason left to find Dick to bug.

[ Mara Stone

07/09/2006 (17)

AFAB

College Francois Dupont  Paris, France

GPA: 4.0

Class President (Raised $30,000 USD via various fundraisers and events)

Note: Parents recently deceased; legally emancipated ]

Hmm…interesting.

~~~

“Hey, Mara. You finished the project?” Tim slid into “his” seat beside her, sliding a to-go cup from Goth Bean across the desk.

“Yep, you?” She gulped the cup in twenty seconds, impressing and worrying Tim.

“Are you okay?”

“Of course! Why not? I was just up late working on some art.”

“Uh huh. Late being another definition of all night?”

“Like you’re one to talk,” she sniffed. “I do it all the time; I’m fine.”

“What type of art?” TIm ignored the truth Mara pointed out.

“An outfit for my uncle. I design clothes for him and my aunt sometimes.”

“Oh cool. So you’re into fashion?”

“Yep. I like to design and make clothes. My ex-friend was a model for his dad actually; it’s kind of funny. I guess birds of a feather flock together.”

Tim looked at her, then back at the board. “Who’s your favourite designer? Mine’s MDC– I dunno if you’ve heard of them– they’re still pretty niche, but they put so much attention to detail into their works. I’ve been trying to commission them forever but they haven’t been open in ages,” he moaned into the desk, missing Mara’s double take and choke on her coffee.

“I don’t have a favourite designer currently, but I do agree with you MDC has some nice work.”

“Nice work? I’m offended on behalf of MDC. They put so much work into all their designs!”

Mara sunk into her seat more and more as Tim defended her alter ego to her face.

Tim’s mental file on Mara gained several more notes.

[ Name: Mara Stone

Age: 17

Birthday: 07/09/2006

Birthplace: Paris, France

Notes: 

Caffeine addict (Insomniac)

Legally emancipated

Ex-friend is a model

Ex-friend’s family is into fashion

Has bad blood with exes

Is into fashion

Is indifferent to MDC! ]

~~~

[cats-but-cyberpunk-but-zombies]

Segan Character Sheet

[particularj]

Wake up, new creature…I mean creatures…like 5,000 of them just dropped.

In an area between Hawaii and Mexico. Almost all are unique to this Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ).

Oh, and about 750,000 square miles is about to be exploited by minerals companies.

[crystalcrayazions]

#CCz #CRYSTALCRAYAZIONZ https://www.instagram.com/p/CqYnSVIhPCs/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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[webs-of-words]

could never be average in this hellish world

sources: jennifer’s body | ccz | pinterest | @/goitsmangoz on twitter | pinterest | this is me trying - taylor swift | @coming-of-age-witch on tumblr | pinterest | you’re on your own kid - taylor swift | @/kinglessqueen on twitter | pinterest

[mariacallous]

A new report by environmental groups lays out a case for banning deep sea mining—and explains why the real solution to humanity’s energy crisis might just be sitting in the trash.

Deep sea mining is the pursuit of rare, valuable minerals that lie undisturbed upon the ocean floor—metals like nickel, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements. These so-called critical minerals are instrumental in the manufacture of everything from electric vehicle batteries and MRI machines to laptops and disposable vape cartridges—including, crucially, much of what’s needed to transition away from fossil fuels. Political leaders and the companies eager to dredge up critical minerals from the seafloor tend to focus on the feel-good, climate-friendly uses of the minerals, like EV batteries and solar panels. They’ll proclaim that the metals on the deep seafloor are an abundant resource that could help usher in a new golden age of renewable energy technology.

But deep sea mining has also been roundly criticized by environmentalists and scientists, who caution that the practice (which has not yet kicked off in earnest) could create a uniquely terrible environmental travesty and annihilate one of the most remote and least understood ecosystems on the planet.

There has been a wave of backlash from environmentalists, scientists, and even comedians like John Oliver, who devoted a recent segment of Last Week Tonight to lambasting deep sea mining. Some companies that use these materials in their products—Volvo, Volkswagen, BMW, and Rivian among them—have come out against deep sea mining and pledged not to use any metals that come from those abyssal operations. (Some prominent companies have done the exact opposite; last week, Tesla shareholders voted against a moratorium on using minerals sourced from deep sea mining.)

Even if you can wave away that ecological threat, mining the sea might simply be wholly unnecessary if the goal is to bring about a new era of global renewable energy. A new report, aptly titled “We Don’t Need Deep-Sea Mining,” aims to lay out why.

The report is a collaboration between the advocacy group US PIRG, Environment America Policy Center, and the nonprofit think tank Frontier Group. Nathan Proctor, senior director of the Campaign for the Right to Repair at PIRG and one of the authors of the new report, says the solution to sourcing these materials should be blindingly obvious. There are critical minerals all around us that don’t require diving deep into the sea. You’re probably holding some right now—they’re in nearly all our devices, including the billions of pounds of them sitting in the dump.

The secret to saving the deep sea, Proctor says, is to prioritize systems that focus on the materials we already have—establishing right to repair laws, improving recycling capabilities, and rethinking how we use tech after the end of its useful life cycle. These are all systems we have in place now that don’t require tearing up new lands thousands of feet below the ocean.

���We don't need to mine the deep sea,” Proctor reiterates. “It's about the dumbest way to get these materials. There's way better ways to address the needs for those metals like cobalt, nickel, copper, and the rest.”

Into the Abyss

Schemes for delving into the deep ocean have been on the boards for years. While the practice is not currently underway, mining companies are getting ready to dive in as soon as they can.

In January 2024, the Norwegian Parliament opened up its waters to companies looking to mine resources. The Metals Company is a Canadian mining operation that has been at the forefront of attempts to mine in the Pacific Ocean’s Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ)—an area of seabed that spans 3,100 miles between Mexico and Hawaii.

The proposed mining in the CCZ has gotten the most attention lately because the Metals Company secured rights to access key areas of the CCZ for mining in 2022, and its efforts are ramping up. The process involves gathering critical minerals from small rock-like formations called polymetallic nodules. Billions of these nodules rest along the seabed, seemingly sitting there ripe for the taking (if you can get down to them). The plan—one put forth by several mining companies, anyway—is to scrape the ocean floor with deep sea trawling systems and bring these nodules to the surface, where they can be broken down to extract the shiny special metals inside. Environmentalists say this poses a host of ecological problems for everything that lives in the vicinity.

Gerard Barron, the CEO of the Metals Company, contends that his efforts are misunderstood by activists and the media (especially, say, John Oliver).

“We're committed to circularity,” Barron says. “We have to drive towards circularity. We have to stop extracting from our planet. But the question is, how can you recycle what you don’t have?”

Both Barron and the authors of the activist report acknowledge that there aren’t perfect means of resource extraction anywhere—and there’s always going to be some environmental toll. Barron argues that it is better for this toll to play out in one of the most remote parts of the ocean.

“No matter what, you will be disrupting an ecosystem,” says Kelsey Lamp, ocean campaign director with the Environment America Research and Policy Center and an author of the report. “This is an ecosystem that evolved over millions of years without light, without human noise, and with incredibly clear water. If you disrupt it, the likelihood of it coming back is pretty low.”

For many of the life-forms down in the great deep, the nodules are the ecosystem. Removing the nodules from the seabed would remove all the life attached to them.

“This is a very disruptive process with ecosystems that may never recover,” says Tony Dutzik, associate director and senior policy analyst at the nonprofit think tank Frontier Group and another author of the report. “This is a great wilderness that is linked to the health of the ocean at large and that has wonders that we’re barely even beginning to recognize what they are.”

Barron counters that the life in the abyssal zone is less abundant than in an ecosystem like rainforests in Indonesia, where a great deal of nickel mines operate—although scientists discovered 5,000 new species in the CCZ in 2023 alone. He considers that the lesser of two evils.

“At the end of the day, it's not that easy,” You can't just say no to something. If you say no to this, you're saying yes to something else.”

The Circular Economy

Barron and others make the case that this ecosystem disruption is the only way to access the minerals needed to fuel the clean-tech revolution, and is therefore worth the cost in the long run. But Proctor and the others behind the report aren't convinced. They say that without fully investing in a circular economy that thinks more carefully about the resources we use, we will continue to burn through the minerals needed for renewable tech the same way we've burned through fossil fuels.

“I just had this initial reaction when I heard about deep sea mining,” Proctor says. “Like, ‘Oh, really? You want to strip mine the ocean floor to build electronic devices that manufacturers say we should all throw away?’”

While mining companies may wax poetic about using critical minerals for building clean tech, there's no guarantee that's where the minerals will actually wind up. They are also commonly used in much more consumer-facing devices, like phones, laptops, headphones, and those aforementioned disposable vape cartridges. Many of these devices are not designed to be long lasting, or repairable. In many cases, big companies like Apple and Microsoft have actively lobbied to make repairing their devices more difficult, all but guaranteeing more of them will end up in the landfill.

“I spend every day throwing my hands up in frustration by just how much disposable, unfixable, ridiculous electronics are being shoveled on people with active measures to prevent them from being able to reuse them,” Proctor says. “If these are really critical materials, why are they ending up in stuff that we're told is instantly trash?”

The report aims to position critical minerals in products and e-waste as an “abundant domestic resource.” The way to tap into that is to recommit to the old mantra of reduce, reuse, recycle—with a couple of additions. The report adds the concept of repairing and reimagining products to the list, calling them the five Rs. It calls for making active efforts to extend product lifetimes and invest in “second life” opportunities for tech like solar panels and battery recycling that have reached the end of their useful lifespan. (EV batteries used to be difficult to recycle, but more cutting-edge battery materials can often work just as well as new ones, if you recycle them right.)

Treasures in the Trash

The problem is thinking of these deep sea rocks in the same framework of fossil fuels. What may seem like an abundant resource now is going to feel much more finite later.

“There is a little bit of the irony, right, that we think it's easier to go out and mine and potentially destroy one of the most mysterious remote wildernesses left on this planet just to get more of the metals we're throwing in the trash every day,” Lamp says.

And in the trash is where the resources remain. Electronics manufacturing is growing five times faster than e-waste recycling, so without investment to disassemble those products for their critical bits, all the metals will go to waste. Like deep sea mining, the infrastructure needed to make this a worthwhile path forward will be tremendous, but committing to it means sourcing critical minerals from places nearby, and reducing some waste in the process.

Barron says he isn't convinced these efforts will be enough. “We need to do all of that,” Barron says, “You know, it's not one or the other. We have to do all of that, but what we have to do is slow down destroying those tropical rainforests.” He adds, “If you take a vote against ocean metals, it is a vote for something else. And that something else is what we’ve got right now.”

Proctor argues that commonsense measures, implemented broadly and forcefully across society to further the goal of creating a circular economy, including energy transition minerals, will ultimately reduce the need for all forms of extraction, including land and deep-sea mining.

“We built this system that knows how to do one thing, which is take stuff out of the earth, put it into products and sell them, and then plug our ears and forget that they exist,” Proctor says. “That’s not the reality we live in. The sooner that we can disentangle that kind of paradigm from the way we think about consumption and industrial policy the better, because we're going to kill everybody with that kind of thinking.”

Just like mining the deep sea, investing in a circular economy is not going to be an easy task. There is an allure of deep sea mining when it is presented as a one-stop shop for all the materials needed for the great energy transition. But as the authors of the report contend, the idea of exploiting a vast deposit of resources is the same relationship society has had with fossil fuels—they’re seemingly abundant resources ripe for the picking, but also they are ultimately finite.

“If we treat these things as disposable, as we have, we’re going to need to continually refill that bucket,” Dutzik says. “If we can build an economy in which we’re getting the most out of every bit of what we mine, reusing things when we can, and then recycling the material at the end of their lives, we can get off of that infinite extraction treadmill that we’ve been on for a really long time.”

[blucassiopeia]

Thunder and Lightning

"A prelude spin-off for an upcoming fic"

warnings: afab!reader, long courtship, fluff, goal-driven individual, 9.2k LONG

A Kageyama Tobio x reader oneshot

a/n: inspired by this

“‘You ever think about us?” He asks me after a night out. We were sitting on my porch, waiting for his cab.

“Of course I do. I think a lot about how timing really is everything. We had the chemistry, we had the love. We had the whole universe; except for that one little detail; we weren’t ready for each other.”

We look at each other for the first time in years; and just like back then, there is so much love in our glance. And yet, somehow the timing is still not right. And it seems this is how it will always be for the two of us — just like thunder and lightning — our timing will always be a little off.” — CCZ

It was raining on a March afternoon and the end of the school year is nearing; and you're still here, listening to your english lit teacher reading a literature she likes the class to make an essay out. You can't help but sigh as you rest your chin in your hand, staring out to the rain as it pours outside the building.

The english lit will be the last class before homeroom and you can't wait to have the day dismissed to be in that place again, like yesterday, like the years before. Karasuno High just doesn't have that sport and the venue so you still have to travel 15 mins to Sendai, so...

You heard her giggle beside you and she poked your arm. "Let's go out during homeroom, Y/n. Our adviser's in a meeting with the others anyway."

You hummed and slouched on your chair, sighing more than usual. The day feels a little off for you, like a pending hurricane about to happen, if the rain outside isn't it.

"Just let him do his thing, Ran. Don't meddle."

"But, Keii~"

You heard a raspy chuckle at your back and you tried to ignore it. You don't even have the energy to butt in, wondering what's wrong with you. You feel your brows furrowing at the confusion.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the current class and you had closed your eyes in relief. You quickly got up and turned to your bestfriendーwell, you don't know if you are to her but she is to you. "Restroom."

She stared at you and nodded, smiling. She has a bunch of chocolates and plushies all over her desk and under, and you have too but not as much as hers. You smirked at the thought as you made your way to the floor's restroom. Ran's pretty famous in Karasuno, much more outside of school because of her achievements, skills and reputation. Her boyfriend's(?) nice, you met him once. And she's too dense for the others on her big circle of friends.

You shook your head then you wash your face in the sink, and as soon as you are through, you went back to your room to rest your seem-heavy body. Well, tried.

"Y/n! Can you be my girlfriend?"

That line shook the hell out of you, much like the thunder outside, but more thunderous when the boy, still bowing in front of you, small bouquet of flowers in hand, is in your room with all your classmates staring at the scene. You tried to open your mouth, to say something but no words were pulled from your tongue. Your eyes darted to the amber-eyed boy that's already grinning, eyes not on you, poking on Ran's shoulders that's grinding her teeth, seated on a chair behind the boy.

"Can I court you, you idiot! I told you!"

Your eyes returned to the dark-haired boy, ignoring Ran's comment and stammered a "DoーHa-Who are you? Do I know you?", still in shock. Yeah, there are chocolates and some other stuffs under your desk but no one dared to ask you out like this.

The golden haired boyーKeiーstiffled a laugh to which Ran slapped his shoulder so hard Kei got knocked to the side, to the boy beside him.

"No. Umー"

After he placed the bouquet on Ran's desk, which was behind him, he walked out to the door, head still low, to where an orange-haired boy was waiting for him, jaw dropped and wide-eyed. You recognized him instantly, how could you not? He's Hinata Shoyo of the volleyball team. Your wide-eyes turned to Ran who has her jaw already dropped at you, too. Laughs soon resounded through your classroom and you felt your cheeks burned as you saw him laugh too.

"God, it's bad to laugh but, seriously Y/n? Who are you? Do I know you?" And he laughed again, and your cheeks can't get any redder.

"Shut it, Tadashi!" Ran snapped at him and you feel your world swirled. "Oh my God, Y/n. You don't know Kageyama Tobio? Really now? Andーughh oh my goood!" She covered her face with her hands and exasperatedly ran it to her hair.

"Hey! What Tadashi huh? That's Guchi-guchi for you."

Huh? Kageyama Tobio? The star-setter of the prefecture? Ran'sーyou don't really know much about her friends and team except Shoyo, Kei and the other oneーfriend? Why would he be in your classroom and ask that question to you? You gripped the nearby chair as your world really swirled.

"ーKei. She knows him. She was just maybe shocked? I don't know."

"Somehow feel bad for Ou-sama butー"

His laughs with Kei's woke the rest of your senses. You were blinded by the light but it was immediately shadowed by three poking heads. You groaned as you felt your hot breaths, you can even feel your ears and eyes burning too. You blinked twice as your vision adjusted, tears forming in the corners of your eyes due to the burning feeling.

"A boy you didn't know surely had a fever effect on you, Y/n. I wish I had that effect on Yachi-san too."

"Wanna do it like Ou-sama?"

"No, no. I'll do it much better."

"Get out. Both of you."

Kei and Tadashi mumbled through their breaths, pouting and blaming each other as they got up and really went out of the clinic to go on with their topic.

"So noisy." Ran mumbled as she ghosted a hand on your forehead. Your lips curled up slightly at the gesture. "You're still hot. I used your phone earlier, texted your brother to get you. 39°C Y/n, can't believe you really went to school like this."

You smiled at her. "No fever this morning. Maybe because of the cold rain." And you were surprised your voice got hoarse. You swallowed hard and felt a pain in your throat, eyes squinting at the feeling.

Liar. You stayed up there all night until your legs hurt because you can't sleep. That's why you're burning up right now.

"Is she okay?"

You heard a new but familiar voice out of ajared door of the clinic. It's that same boy from before you fainted. You chewed your cheeks, remembering what'd happened.

"The girl that doesn't know you is already awake, Tobio."

"Don't tease Ou-sama like that. Should be hardーHey! Where are you going?"

Ran quickly got up on her seat and peeked at the door. You could see her glaring at Kei and Tadashi through the slight gap of the curtain from your bed. The duo behind the door went silent by it.

"Go ahead to the practice when homeroom's over. I'll wait for Y/n's brother." She went back to your side and sat at her chair while dialing in her phone. "You're still dizzy, Y/n?"

You shook your head and smiled.

"Tobio, can you please please gather Y/n's things and bring it here in the clinic?ーAh, no butsーYes, Tobio. Let the two idiots help you if you can't do it alone.ーYes. Bye."

She sighed and looked at you, her smile felt tired. "Don't know what to feel, really. But we'll talk after your fever's gone, okay?"

You nodded and suddenly felt drowsy all of a sudden through her silent hums and peaceful atmosphere, with the still calming rain outside. Can't practice today, huh. You're dumb, Y/n.

Embarassing.

Embarassing.

You're embarassing, Kageyama Tobio!

If people hasn't seen a much grumpier Tobio, then they would see it now as he trots through the halls to your classroom, Class 2-4. Still irritated about Kei and Tadashi's teasing, and Ran's favor that includes your things. Wait, scratch the latter, it's not irritating if it includes you.

He noticed Shoyo came out of his room to peek on him, and he hated how his eyes linger on him. Tobio glared at him as he passes but Shoyo ignored it and followed him to your classroom anyway.

And Tobio ignored the wide eyes, snickers and murmurs when he entered your room, went straight to your desk and plop on your chair scanning your things before carefully organizing your things into your cute bag. It was not long when the two idiots Ran mentioned came back from the clinic, brows up in his figure, and seating back to their respective chairs just behind your desk and Ran's.

"She has gifts too, under."

"Help me." He growled at Tadashi who just grinned at him, still feeling the aftershock of the embarassment an hour ago, but it was not long too when Tadashi decided to help. Because there were really many small ones, compared to Ran's big packs of chocolates.

Tobio noticed Shoyo hovering, watching, keeping an eye at the chocolates and on Tobio, pale orange brows furrowed and lips upturning to a pout. "She rejected you."

The two idiots didn't really tried hard to suppress their laughs, much to his dismay, but he just ignored them and continued on picking up the chocolates. Until he found a box with a familiar name on it.

It was a box of chocolates from a boy in his class. His face soured at the sight of strawberry and cream colored chocolates under the transparent film and tossed the box to Kei's desk. "Snack." And the three guffawed, immediately dividing the chocolates inside to four.

Tobio kept inspecting your chocolates, tossing the ones from the senders that he knew to Kei's desk like the first one. And he stopped at one in a little pouch, read the tag and snapped his scalding eyes to Tadashi who immediately raised his hands in surrender.

"Obligatory! Got a same one for Ran and Yachi-san too! Look! The same rose colored pouch!" Tobio readily ignored him and tossed the pouch to Kei's desk while Shoyo rummaged in Ran's chocolates too.

"Hey! Put that back in her pile!"

The three went as noisy as they get while sorting your chocolates, leaving Kei in an immeasurable agony in the wake of his realization that he forgot his headphones. "I hate White Day."

Your classmates stared at the scene at the back of their classroom, enjoying the way Tobio didn't deny them the showcase of his possessiveness in terms of who must give you chocolates. And he thinks you might hate him after this but he pleads in his mind that you'll be patient with him for he doesn't know how to act when it comes to youーhis first romantic feeling. He shall maybe ask Ran for advice on how to act, which he already did and obviously failed but it's all on his incompetence, or an advice from his sister Miwa. He closed his eyes as he pictures her sister's grinning and teasing.

"What. Are you four. FUCKING. Doing?"

Tobio saw Ran entered the room and immediately was seething when she assessed the situation, saw the pile of chocolates in Kei's desk, and on a plastic bag dangling in the side of your desk, and on Shoyo who was already munching out of a box of chocolates in Kei's desk, Tadashi in mid-pick from it, too.

Tobio pouted as he turned his head away from her eyes and immediately gathered the rest of your chocolates and stuffed it all in the plastic bag he pulled from one of your classmate for your chocolates. And with the flowers he bought for you, he stood and left with your things in his arms.

When he reached the clinic's door, the little flowers he purposely picked wrapped in delicate rose gold wrapping paper shake and it was a while when he realized it was his hand that's shaking. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, creasing the paper more in his hold. Then he opened the door.

There are a few moments that left Tobio scared and running, or extensive fear that'll leave him dead, that'll make him wish he's dead. Being abandoned by his teammates, being left out, or Ran, Oikawa, or the both of them.. and Atsumu, too. But Ran's the scariest of the people out there, or maybe his sister when he'll leave his dirty dishes in the sink. Orー

This.

He thought you were still sleeping. He thought he was gonna just drop your things beside your sleeping figure, and maybe revel at your sleeping face a few seconds to engrave in his mind for the days to come, and then leave silently. He thought gravely wrong.

Your attention turned to him, cutting off the conversation you had with your brother at the sudden sound of the clinic's door opening. Tobio's knees was buckling when you met his dark blue eyes, and he somehow melted on the spot.

"Yes?"

And Tobio's eyes fell on a boy older than him, might already a college student ,he thought. Tobio was sensing a protective stance from the older boy as he glides in the room achingly slow and guard up like a prey carefully prancing to a predator's cave praying to go unnoticed and unscathed.

"My things!" In Tobio's peripherals, you attempted to jump out of bed but the boy beside you held you down in the bed. He fought the desire to look at your pale face and settled your things down carefully to an empty chair near your bed, his flowers on top of the pile.

He shuddered when he remembered what you'd said barely two hours ago, and he wanted to leave right now and he would. Tobio's bow was rushed and his feet was shuffling fast, covering the distance of your bed to the door when you suddenly called out a "Thank you, Kageyama!"

His shuffling momentum was hard to resist as he closed the door and took a few steps more before he registered what you just called him out for. He was left confused as he hastily made his way back to his own room, your words, your voice that he swears was like a siren calling onto him replaying in his mind like his GC ringtone. And he slowed down, relaxing his pace and a soft smile plastered in his face.

And the rest of the classroomsーinfested with his sheepish admirersーhe passed didn't let that sight pass by, and bet that they knew what happened in your classroom, an incident that got them bitter with you and of how you responded to their King. Yet no one will dare touch you as the days went by, afraid of the consequences of their pathetic bullying.

But you did mind Tobio's actions because one, your newfound haters would stare at your every move, much when you're alone. You wanted to confront them but it might ignite something that shouldn't, so you let them.

Two, the note Tobio left with his irises are bugging you til you fall asleep, for nights.

swearing 'am not a stalker but seeing you gliding thru ice with confidence gives warmth in me to strive harder in mine too. irises for you, my confidence.

You scoffed firsthand, thinking What confidence? He even walked out on me.; thinking about how did he knew about your sport. You were sure you were secretive because you didn't want to announce to the world what you're doing, and letting others see you compete and then, failing in front of their eyes. You don't like that. But the second time you stared and really look at the irises, it somehow gave you the same thing Tobio thought you gave him. And his penmanship somehowーdon't judge Y/n.

Third was this. Tadashi courting Hitoka and immediately getting a yes from her. If it happened a month before receiving the irises, you might already be crying your heart out to sleep. Strange. It wasn't as painful as you imagined it would be. Your unrequited feelings for Tadashi of a year was somehow wavering without you noticing. And it gave you confidence to talk to him eye to eye now, brave that he won't see anything other than genuine happiness for him and his girlfriend.

And fourth, you didn't hear from Tobio since that day. Sure, you dwell on the same floor, on the same building, and on the same school but no news of him, even at the slightest sighting. And you were curious why. You're sure he's thinking he was rejected, because that was what Ran told you when she talked to you about that as soon as your fever's gone. Shoyo reportedly assumed you rejected Tobio, and the whole Karasuno population was thinking that was it.

But no. God no.

You were clearly misunderstood, but no crying on spilled milk right now. You'd let the others think what they want to think. What bothers you is what Tobio might think of you.

"You're strange. But don't worry, he's okay with everything you can give him, Y/n. And he didn't gave up on you. Spoken directly from his mouth. Though, he's really really busy right now."

Ran was talking in a moderate tone, ignoring the fact that Kei and Tadashi might be listening to them even if they had their own conversation on your backs. And she winked at you.

"You're interested with Tobio now huh?"

You scoffed and sat against your chair properly. "No." But Ran didn't buy that answer as the events after that Friday held evidence.

Hyacinths with a bit of white tulips graced your desk as you came up that Monday and it smelled so sweet, it calmed your weary bones from the kind of practice you had that weekend. Your classmates present at that minute were already teasing you with Tobio and you just had to shake your head in hopes that they will stop with the teasing.

forgive me. i don't want to hover around and pressure you, impose myself to you. love watching you from afar doing things you love. still uncertain about what you think of this, and i care about that, but i'm not gonna give up on you. that, i assure you, my hyacinth.

"Ah, Y/n-san." Ashen colored hair peeked from the door and you remembered him from one of the boys that lingered with Ran last school year. You don't know his name, but his trademark hair had made you remember who he is, well, who was he. You pursed your lips thinking you don't have a clue on what was his name.

The boy bowed to your classmates in excuse and made his way to you, carrying a messily gift-wrapped box. He handed it to you, grinning. "He said you'll need it so use it."

"Huh? Whー"

"Just take it, Y/n-san. Please." He nudged the box on you when you pushed it slightly back to him. "They'll be late. Ran-san's scary today."

"Okay." You trailed your fingers to the flowery designed wrapper as you placed it on your desk. "What's your name?"

"Yokiro-des!"

You nodded, "Yokiro-kun, tell Kageyama-kun that I appreciate this, but he need not do this.." You trailed in your last phrase, which saddened the boy's face.

"Y/n-san, Kageyama-san's really smiling lately, and out of nowhere. He's also more focused on volleyball, heard him and Ran-san talking about working him off to get picked on World Youth camp this year."

Why was the kid telling you all this? You were maybe too confused that it reflected on your face to which he chuckled as more of your classmates piled into the room, eyeing you both.

"What I am saying is that, he's more motivated now because of you, and we are liking that change. Though, Suga-san said not to pressure you.. but please Y/n-san.. let him do these things to you." And he bowed in front of you, shocking you. You immediately held his shoulders to stop him from bowing, and he did, smiling as he straightened up his back.

"Kageyama-san's a good man, Y/n-san."

Tobio sneezed and sneezed as he went on setting for Shoyo for the spike-receive drill Ran had made them practice, Tadashi and Kei on the other side receiving.

"Are we not done yet?" Shoyo whispered to Tobio as Ran ranted out to Tadashi and Kei again.

But Tobio's attention wasn't with him, nor on Ran, nor anyone in the court. It was on the other side of the building, on a girl talking to his kouhai who he asked to give the gift.

"And you! Tobio! Why are your fingers bloody? It's smudging on their arms and hands!" Shoyo just noticed his hands and irked out, getting his towel and wiped his blood-smudged hands.

Tobio sighed and looked at Ran, "Can we go now? I can't fail any subjects this summer."

Ran scowled at him and walked out from the court. He sighed again and went for his tumbler in the side of the court.

"Thank you, Ou-sama."

"Oy! Ran! Your shoes!"

"I HATE YOU!"

In normal days, Tobio might've let Ran drag on with her vents about her boyfriend but not now. He's gonna be late for Math and he can't always take Tadashi to tutor him for that, after he knew what was he to you accidentally. Ran somehow mentioned it, just the surface of it, never intentional to spill it to him, but it's all the same.

And he's trying so so hard not to hold that up on Tadashi, his friend obviously was oblivious of you having a crush on him, he almost thinks that the trio is as dense as they can be.

The whole month after that courting incident was intense for him. He rashly told Ran to give him doubles of what she can give to him, making his academics also a priority, too. And the weekends were with Miwa, learning how to knit, or with his Eita-san and his guitar, or secretly with you, watching your routines.

The latter was his calm through his stormy month, and it will be through the times to come. And the thought of you will always be with him, even during the time when he was really picked for World Youth. The Karasuno team was overjoyed of that feat, and you are, too, when Ran relayed to you the news. I mean, that's World Youth, whoa great feat, you thought.

"Tell him I'm proud of him, Ran. Okay?"

You heard a collective teasing hum at your backs and you smacked Tadashi's thigh that was just behind you. They were teasing more through the month after the hyacinths, their other volleyball kouhais are in it too whenever they have the chance, him in a distance watching with his blueberry eyes. And you wanted to let him know that you loved the rose colored earmuff and a dark blue scarf with your messily knitted name in white. use it whenever you skate, hoping this is not imposition. just want to keep you warm, cant get you fevers now. you have to continue practicing. i believe in you.

"Where's the World Youth now? Still in Poland?" Tadashi asked through the lunch one day after Tobio's camp started. You, fourー well six because Shoyo and Hitoka are here too in Tobio's absenceー were sharing tables to have lunch together.

"Tobio said it's Norway this year, and two weeks. Good thing he doesn't have failed subjects this year." Ran sighed in relief and quirked a brow on you, and winked making Hitoka chuckle in your side. "He did good Y/n."

You unconsciously nod and smiled as you ate and Shoyo snickered, earning your attention. In that swift moment, he immediately put down his phone and went on eating, and Kei noticed that.

"Do that again with me, Hinata."

"You only want to stimulate him, Kei."

"That's the point, Ran." Kei grinned and reached out for your hand across the table. "Exchange seats with her, Tadashi-kun. Can't slip this chance to torture his simpleton head." He murmured low that made you blush, much more when Tadashi snickered and abide to Kei's schemes, transferring your bento on Kei's side.

Your brows knitted when Kei wrapped his arm around your waist as soon as you took your seat, "Just for a picture Y/n. This will turn out good, I promise." He whispered in your ear, breathy and you glanced at Shoyo grinning, taking pictures of you and Kei.

"Don't want him to feel insecure." You mumbled back at him that froze him in his seat, stared at you in awe. The others with you can't make out what you said, but Kei did, he was so close how could he not hear you. Kei cleared his throat and took his hand away from you, leaned away in silent apology.

"Don't send that, Hinata."

"But I already sent it at the GC."

You pursed your lips as they synched movement, pulling out their phones. You wanted to lean on Kei to take a look but it's inappropriate for you after what you've said, but he sensed you wanted to know what's happening and did the unthinkable.

They guffawed amidst the incessant dings went on from their phones, and a soft ding from yours, and it went on. You pulled your phone while your eyes are on them watching you fish out your phone.

☆ VOLLEYBALL IDIOTS - MAIN ☆

OWL | Akinori

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! @Tobio Kageyama

CAT | Mori

That's fast unlike @Tobio Kageyama

DT | Mai

What the hell, Kei! That's foul!

JZJ | Yuuji

@Tobio Kageyama

@Tobio Kageyama

FOX | Tsumu

Invite her to the Okinawa trip next week!

We'll have more fun without Tobio!

CRW | Koushi

@Kei Tsukishima! 😤

CRW | Ryuunosuke

WHAT THE HELL! THE BRO CODE @Kei Tsukishima!

OWL | Yukippe

LMAO! @Tobio Kageyama my condolences

ITC | Motoya

Oh ho ho ho @Tobio Kageyama

SJ | Hajime

Not good Kei but LMAO

@Tooru Oikawa @Tobio Kageyama

CAT | Tetsu

🤦‍♂️

FOX | Samu

Hey! Stop teasing them!

@Tobio Kageyama

FOX | Rintaro

LOL! @Tobio Kageyama say something! Stop with the seen!

*attaches 6 pictures*

Kei Tsukishima added you in the group chat

Kei Tsukishima changed your nickname to TOBIO'S Y/N

CRW | Tobio

Just woke up and this happens

Tobio Kageyama kicked Kei Tsukishima in the group chat

Shinsuke Kita added Kei Tsukishima in the group chat

Kei Tsukishima kicked Tobio Kageyama in the group chat

Keiji Akaashi added Tobio Kageyama in the group chat

OWL | Keiji

Stop it. You two. Have shame on Y/n-san. SMH.

CRW | Tobio

Good noon there in Japan, Y/n. Hope you're having a nice lunch. 🥰

I'm sorry for the commotion.

You can leave if you don't like it here. I'm sorry.

CAT | Lev

Why are you calm here but so angry in the other GC, Tobio?

CAT | Sou

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

CRW | Tadashi

LEV!

STZ | Eita

LOL! 😆

FOX | Rintaro

I swear I don't know him

TOBIO'S Y/N

It's okay @Tobio. I'll be staying if y'all dont mind. Feel free to kick me anytime. And good morning! Have your stretches and breakfast.

And that was Kei's idea. I'm sorry.

CRW | Ran

First interaction through phone 👀

CRW | Yuu

👀

SJ | Akira

👀

JZJ | Hana

👀

OWL | Kaori

👀

STZ | Taichi

@Morisuke Yaku, tea!

CAT | Mori

🍵

CRW | Tobio

Okay, then stay 🥰 I hope you wont mind them being noisy.

FOX | Aran

Contrasting from GC to GC, I see.

TOBIO'S Y/N

Be yourself guys. Please don't mind me.

Happy to meet you all. 😊

You heard Kei and Tadashi laughed at their phones, typing away but nothing from them came up to the GC. You quickly considered what was said that there's really another GC where Tobio went amok. You smiled and patted Kei's shoulder before continuing your lunch, and Shoyo captured that again, sending it to the GC where Tobio's cursing Kei out and about. The agony of Tobio being halfway across the world is unsurmountable, he wanna strangle Kei like hell.

And you were really invited to the week-long Okinawa summer trip happening that weekend, but you had to decline. First, you're busy with the practice and the national competition you're preparing for is four months away, you have to focus. And second, it's kinda off thinking that Tobio is out of the country and doing everything he can to improve himself and you are just gonna go with his friends and laze out from practice. If he's working hard, you'll have to work hard too.

You shook your head at the thought as you untie your boots and blades and change to your slip-ons, keeping the skating footwear in your reserved locker in Sendai Ice Rink. It's already 7:33pm and you're hungry as hell, should go home directly, but the skies had plans.

"Y/n, someone asked me to give these to you." The friendly guard handed you a bouquet of red carnations, a box of pizza and is this chicken?, and an umbrella. Your eyes widened at the sight of it. You knew who was it from, you don't have to ask. He came home already.

"Where's he?"

As you were running, you're aware that the skies are having lightning shows and distant thunders are audible. It might rain soon. But you held the umbrella on one hand, the foods on your other, bouquet tucked into the plastic, bag with your tumbler, polaroid and towels not so heavy on your back.

missed your voice. missed how you seem to dance in my eyes. missed how your eyes glitter everytime i sneak a glance on you. missed you. so much. sorry for being away without saying a proper bye. wont do it again. hope red carnations can express enough the longing I have to see you.

For the past two weeks, you were left wondering about how you feel about Tobio after Kei said to sort out your feelings and work around it. You were left wondering how will you react if ever he's in front of you, standing, staring back at you even if he's got nothing to say; wondering how will you feel when he spills his heart for you just a little, face to face, again. How would you feel right now. How these months changed your perception of him, how he evolved in your eyes.

You have to see him, right now.

Heavy drops of rain came while you're halfway to the bus stop, huffing, catching your breaths, you opened the umbrella and went on running, wishing for Tobio to still be there. He still has to be there.

And you're thankful that the gods had answered your prayers, because in a distance, you can see Tobio's standing figure under the bus stop's shed, enjoying the rain in his fingertips, luggage just beside him. And he looked captivating. You stopped running and walked slowly as cars from the exit of the parking lot of the ice rink went by. Your eyes are still training on Tobio, basking his pouting side-profile to which you scoffed.

And he may have heard you scoffing through the sound of the rain and thunder because he had turned his head to you in surprise, as cars still pass by in front of you, his blueberry eyes still as deep and inquisitive. You can feel the hairs on the back of your neck rising at the seem-familiar but unknown feeling you can't deny you have been feeling when he's around you like this. This is some sort of a confirmation is it? You smiled at the thought as you watched the cars pass and to him.

He has many instances to which you make his heart skip a beat, and this was his worst one. He can feel that his heart did skip a beat, his throat constricting, eyes maybe watering, breathing heavy and raspy, hands all clammy and sweaty on the handle of his luggage, and wobbly legs. He can feel it to his bone, that he missed you. And you're standing just a few meters away from him, cars passing between the two of you, his umbrella in your hand, the food he ordered and the bouquet on the other. Your hair's all messed up and your breaths ragged, he thought maybe you ran all the way here to catch up to him and it made his heart swell a bit more.

He huffed as he composed himself, Eita, Tooru and Hajime's words kept ringing in his ears: Breathe in and breathe out. Don't scare her away, Tobio. Be clear and straightforward on your intentions, no sugarcoating. But don't give up even if things go wrong, it'll be alright.

Tobio watches you as you glanced up to the cars and back to him, a small smile plastered on your face, to which he feels all giddy. He's too whipped for you.

As soon as the cars were gone, you made your way to Tobio's space and shot a playful quirk on your brows that left him stunned.

"Okaeri, Kageyama."

You saw him steady his breath and huffed, smiling, which surprised you. "Tadaima, Y/n."

You smiled back as you walk past him to the bench of the bus stop. "Let's eat these together." You sat and tap the space beside you and Tobio made his way there and sat, all nervous.

"It's for you. I-I can't eatー"

"C'monー" You placed the pizza and chicken between the two of you, the flowers and your bag atop his luggage. "ーI'm hungry but I can't finish these all."

He squeaked an "Okay." to which you laughed lightly, biting your lip to control the laughter when you saw his face contorted in realization that his voice failed him.

"Don't be so nervous. Won't bite." You winked at him as you got a piece of pizza and offered it to him. "Eat." Pouting, he bowed his head and took the pizza slice you offered.

"Can't believe you went straight here from the airport." You took your own slice and ate, eyeing his luggage. "What time did you arrive?"

Swallowing his bite, he turned to you, "Arrived at Haneda by 3:30pm, then here by 5:45? Bought these at the station."

You offered another slice to him, eyes drifting to the flowers as he took the slice. "You should've went straight home and waited for Monday to see me." Lightning flashed through the skies as you spoke. "You should've went for a proper dinner with your family as you've been away for two weeー"

"I wanna see you immediately after I arrived here in Miyagi, Y/n, before I get to see everyone else."

You felt your heart hammering through the thunder and you can't help but smile. You put your hand down your thighs, with the slice in your hand, quivering breaths eliciting maybe from the soft winds, you wished it was from the winds.

"You know, Kageyamaー" You instinctly rubbed your knees with your free hand, head low as your voice. "You make me feel giddy."

You heard his soft hum at the end of the thunder, "You make me feel giddy, too."

The heavy rain failed to hide the soft tension between you and Kageyama. You stared at the highway where the cars and buses pass by through the growing minute of unspoken silence and soft breathy chuckles, the slice of pizza in your hand ignored for a while.

"I'm sorry Y/n." He said after the chuckles between the both of you curbed. "Am I going too fast? Am I pressuring you in some way?"

You smiled and hummed, shaking your head on his question, still can't manage an eye contact with him knowing it'll take your feelings a little bit higher and deeper.

"Not at all." You cleared your throat to spill the thoughts that have been messing with you through these months. "I should be the one to apologize. I spoke without thinking, might've offended you."

This time, Tobio was the one who shook his head and wide eyed, staring at you still head low and with a soft smile. "Y-you made me realize something, Y/n. That we should know each other more before getting to that stage. We still have our own individual goals to accomplish and I want us both to reach them beforeー"

Anxiousness was building up in his chest and the next words might've been a little louder, disturbing the peaceful sound of the heavy rain and thunder.

"If you really wanna be with me, Y/n. T-that's if you really wanna be with me." But it went breathy through the end, his voice wavering in embarassment and nervousness.

You were too stunned to speak for a few minutes, eating the slice to ease your nerves. And the anticipation for the worst gets the better of Tobio, his thighs were popping and you might've noticed it because you kicked his shoe gently and smiled at him, staring at his blueberry orbs under the light of the bus stop shed.

"I was really anxious of what you might've thought about what I blurted out of shock, of what you might've thought about me. And that, I might wanna pin more memories of you in my corkboard.. Kageyama Tobio."

You averted your eyes as you felt your heart throbbing on your throat, swallowing a large lump as you go. His blueberry eyes held storms, and you fought the feeling of being swallowed because you might like it there, too fast, too soon.

"And I like the thought of us reaching our own goals first, coz I might wanna date a world-class setter someday."

You heard him suck his breath harshfully and choke on the pizza he's eating. You fumbled fast on the side of your bag for your tumbler and handed it to him, to which he took immediately and drank from. You laughed when his choking calmed, wide eyes staring at you, lips opening and closing in attempts to speak out.

"Calm down, will you?" You spoke through your laughs, finishing the slice of pizza and taking a piece of chicken.

"I also wanna date a world-class figure skater someday, too!"

Your laughs went louder, Tobio can't get enough of the image you're showcasing in front of him right now. It's like a small rainbow amidst the brewing storm. He can't thank the people enough who were responsible of pushing him to confess to you. Without them, he might never got a chance to be here, witnessing the spectacle of your laughs that sounded more thunderous than thunder itself, shaking his whole being.

"Can we take a picture?" You asked while taking out your polaroid from the bag, setting the flowers on Tobio's lap who nodded sheepishly.

You took two pictures out from your polaroid and a ton out of your phone and his. Some of those were wacky, some just him eating, or you eating, or both of you eating. One with you holding the bouquet, one of him laughing because you told a joke before you hit the shutter and one of him trying his best to pry your fingers from your phone to which it resulted to a picture with your faces squished together for the whole frame,his face all scrunched up and you laughing.

"I'm saving this last one. This is exclusive." You took notice of his pouting face to which you laughed again. "I'm uploading one pic and I'll be tagging you cutie, is that okay?"

He nodded, pouting while eating his piece of chicken. "Just be ready to be bombarded with comments." He offered you a chicken piece. "Continue eating, the bus will come by in a few minutes."

You took a bite on the chicken he's holding out next to your mouth while your attention and hands are still on your phone and posting the picture. Welcome back, future world-class setter. Then you tucked your phone back in your bag and took the chicken from him and ate.

You continued casual talks with Tobio as you both ate and wait for the bus. Getting to know him from his perspective was actually better than how Ran and the others view of him. From his family, to how he started volleyball, up to how he begged for Ran to drag him to where he is right now, the star-setter of Miyagi next to that Oikawa Tooru that he had mentioned.

He was raw, and part of you wanted to be a part of that rawness.

And Tobio could feel the crows in his stomach whenever he asks you questions and you answer either with a giggle or a smile. He swears he tries to pay attention to your answers, and he did, but with the auditory memory of it being mixed with your giggles and smiles. He wanted to embed them all in his mind.

"Thank you, Y/n. For giving me a chance." Tobio blurted out as he takes the umbrella from your hand, kissing that hand tenderly and respectfully as the bus finally comes into view. He rubbed the back of your hand with his thumb, creating gentle circular strokes as to which you both stared at as the bus came to a halt.

You squeezed his hand and tugged lightly to make him follow you into the bus, glad your stop and his are just on one way, but that just means you have barely 15 minutes until you both will be dragged back to your priorities, your goals.

The bus was half empty when you both piled in. You sat by the window, hand still intertwined with his as he sat beside you. You both felt the drain from your athletic bodies as you leaned on his shoulder and his head on yours, the gentle hum of the running bus along the rain, the hushed murmurs of the passengers and Tobio's breaths giving you peace.

"Thank you for having the courage to ask me out, Kageyama. Now, I'm assuring you that I won't entertain anyone but you. I wanna make this work, because I'm starting to like you." You mumbled through your breaths, confident enough that he heard every single word you said, and he did because he chuckled and his next words will leave you fumbling and giddy all over again.

"Then stop calling me Kageyama, Y/n. You have to get used on Tobio or anything other than my last name because you'll be bearing that in the future, too."

You sucked your breath and froze, and he did too, maybe surprised at what he had said, both of you resembling deers in the headlights. You swallowed hard as you felt your face burn, entangling your hand that he held just to cover your face and leaned back on the seat, with a sound between a groan and a whimper.

"IーI'm sorry. Got ahead of myself. I'm sorry Y/n."

You peeked at him and he had his eyes shut close and he was mumbling incoherent phrases you can't understand, maybe cursing himself for what he had just said.

"I'm really curious as to why Shoyo said you're not good with your words, Tobio." You brushed the back of your hand with his to get his attention. "Don't worry." You cooed at him, smiling when he caught your gaze. "If things go well, we'll get there. Let's do task focus first, hm?"

"Can you promise that it'll be me when you reach the top, Y/n?" His voice was low as his head hung, laced with shame, pursing his lips, like he don't wanna utter those words. "I'm really pushing my luck, am I?"

"I can't promise.." You trailed and smiled at him, "But can I try my best and show you?"

His eyes were wide-eyed, and you grinned at the sight of it. Who else won't be surprised? Just four-five months ago, it was Tadashi, but now.. you have started falling for this man in front of you, and hard. The bus stop has witnessed the evolution of your feelings, and it's all thanks to Kei, and to anyone that brought Tobio to you.

The feeling isn't like with Tadashi, it's calm even when the surrounding elements were on rageーthe eye of the storm, a serene feeling. And you can't deny that you have the feeling that with Tobio, it's where you belong, all along. So you wanna do everything to make this right.

Now the challenge to the top is before you.

"I'll wait for you, even if it takes forever Y/n."

You smirked. "Why? Are you already on top, huh? You just represented Japan to the world, that doesn't mean you're at the top already."

"HEY!" His voice went louder, clearly offended and you just giggled at his scrunched up face that faltered at the sight of your laughing eyes. The passengers of the bus glanced up at both of you, embarassment momentarily creeped up your skins. Tobio immediately composed himself and huffed, turning away his face from you, chin up.

"The coach of Italy's Ali Roma was there in the World Camp and he said he'll recruit me and wait for me to take the offer. Poland's ZAKSA too." It was his turn to smirk at you, who has your jaw already dropped at what you just heard.

"Shut.. up.." You're still in the trance of shock. Italy and Poland are world-renowned in the world of volleyball, along with Argentina and Brazil, and Tobio was just invited to two of those countries. "Oh my God, Tobio."

He huffed and took your hand, "I planned to inform you after your national championships in November to reduce the pressure butー" His smile was soft now, blueberry irises staring at you. "I want you to be included in every decision I will make, even if it's still not appropriate in the state of our relationship now."

"I don't know what to feel. You're pressuring me but you're too sweet." Your voice was breathy as you leaned back to your seat, hand clasped hard at his. "But I won't give in on the pressure. Task focus."

He kissed your hand again and gave it a squeeze, somehow sending you your needed support. "You can do it, I know you can. I'll be right here, your number 1 supporter."

And you held onto what he said, onto all of his words as you pin your pictures with him in your corkboard along with the pictures of the bouquets he has given you.

Tobio was slumped on the hardwood floor of Fukurodani's volleyball court, eyes glued on his smartphone, with the rest of the teams on practice games on the courts. He came excusedーactually beggedーfor the games that late November afternoon as he watched you in his phone live from Niigata, on a national championship participated by the whole country. He asked to be with you in your competition but you vehemently declined, reminding him of both your goals.

He doesn't know much how the competition works but he knows your basic moves and some of the names of those twirls and loops. What he was waiting for was if you could do that quad-axle you've been practicing for the last 4 months. Well, he doesn't mind if you could do it or not, you're still the best for him without that move but you specifically told him it was important because that move equivalents to a large point. He whined first, reminding when you almost got yourself injured, but he somehow put his faith on you that you can do it, in a condition that you won't be injured, ever.

He saw you gliding into the rink, and his nerves all went perked up. He breathed out, puffing his cheeks to which Ran saw from the bench and took a picture of him, sending it to the GC, where the others were also watching online after Tobio told them you're competing. Atsumu even teased you that you should've invited them, the college ones, to watch live in Niigata, Tetsurou placing bets on that quad-axle and Eita whining why didn't you use any of his songs for your performance, or even in your free skate one.

And you were thankful for them, as you started gliding with the fast-paced music through the ice, wishing all your routines will go well, and reminding yourself that this will be a one step closer to Tobio.

And Tobio prayed to the gods as he watched, practically wishing for everything to go well with you not falling and uninjured, and maybe a bonus: winning. And he did shouted victorious when that anticipated quad-axle was perfectly executed along the end of your performance, pulling the whole gym's attention to him, initially getting a heavy hand on his shoulders from Ran from the scare but he didn't care. Your hardwork for that stunt was paid off as later that early evening, you were announced as the national champion of the event.

In his high spirits, he played the last set of the practice game for the day, and of the training camp, and Karasuno dumped Inarizaki by 16:25.

And that Wednesday after the extended holiday, your win was celebrated by the whole school, not curious at all as to how they knew because Tobio posted your polaroid photo with him that night after winning, took a photo with the future world-class figure skater before anyone else does. And it melted your heart, now a bit more as you saw him waiting for you with the whole volleyball team in the hallway to your classroom, a bouquet of red dahlias in hand.

told you you can do it. congratulations on your first hurdle, on to the next one. will be with you every step of the way with full faith and confidence. you can overcome everything, i believe in you.

And the week after that, you received a text from the Figure Skating National Team, inviting you to join them as soon as you graduate high school. To your excitement, you bolted to Tobio's room, ignoring the calls of your english teacher as you storm through the halls, bounding and phone in hand.

Tobio was wide eyed when he saw you, immediately approaching you with concern, running his fingers to fix your hair and before he could blabber his concerns, you shove your phone into his face, making him more wide eyed and he hugged you maybe too tight you felt your bones nearly crush beneath his arms, teases from his classmates and maybe from those peeking to the hallway for the commotion were evident.

"Y/n! So proud of you! The National Team! It's the National Team!"

You smirked with pride seething through your skin as you pulled away, "Got there first. Hurry up, slow poke."

"Are you challenging me?"

"Kageyama, we're still in the middle of the class."

"C'mon, miss. It's rare to see Kageyama-kun like that!"

"Excuse me, Kimoto-kun?"

"Yep!" You snickered at him and bowed to his chemistry teacher. "We'll talk later." And you swiftly stood on your toes to place a kiss on his cheeks, much to his bewilderment, made his face burn like hell, and you were oblivious as you hop back to your classroom typing a reply to the National Team.

Tobio seethed through his teeth, in annoyance to the challenge and flusteredness and giddiness for your actions. He can't wait to be your boyfriend so he can kiss you properly. So he took the challenge a little more seriously.

You're rubbing your palms together as your team are voicing their words of encouragement for you, your eyes on him. He's just as nervous as you, with a few of the Olympic team on his back with their own words of encouragement.

Tobio mouthed a "Hug?" through the noise around both of you and you obliged, making a beeline to him and crushed yourself into his open arms. You immediately felt calm with his arms wrapped around you and you chuckled at your own realization as he kissed your head.

"Hey! Tobio! Her hair! Don't mess with it!"

"Ran. Let them. She's nervous."

"But plushie!"

You peeked at Ran and her husband with their twins and 3-month-old baby, but Tobio covered your eyes, "Don't peek on them. You'll get ideas too far off from our plans, and I might like it." You laughed because he read you too well, washing your nervousness and tension.

"I must winー"

He shook his head and kissed your forehead, brushing his fingers on either of your cheeks as you both heard your name getting called out to get ready.

"Go bring them your thunderstorm, and take your last step towards me. I'll be waiting."

Tobio never cared of you winning. Him knowing you're doing your best to make a name for the world to revel is enough for him, and he'll not dare say that in front of you, for he values the challenge you both made for yourselves four years ago in that bus home.

He saw you taking grand wins and heartbreak losses throughout these years and he's proud of you with all that he is, that you didn't gave up, determined to reach that goal. It makes him feel giddy, heart swelling more and more, thinking that he is one of your motivation, because he's waiting for you to reach the top where he already is.

You're already at the center of the Grand Prix Final event, gliding through the ice, after 3 qualifiers to which you aced and were seeded from the world championship last 9 months in Pyongyang, Korea and Milan, Italy. This is the perfect time to have grand slams within a year, and you'll be satisfied as your name would surely be resounded through the world like thunder.

While performing the song you picked and dedicated for Tobio, you can't help but to shed brushes of tears, remembering everything that has got you to this stage, what you did to get to him, all the pictures from your corkboard through the 4 years playing on your mind like a powerpoint. And Tobio stood there in awe as he watched you perfecting everything you have practiced for this day, cheers from his noisy olympic teammatesーwell, it's mainly Atsumu and Koraiーbehind him. And he can't help but sniff and wipe his tears rolling to his cheeks, making Ran's twins laugh at him.

And if you get the chance to glance up at him during the length of the performance, you smile and wink at him through your tears, the event umpires taking notice of that little action, soon taking notice of the Japan's Men's Volleyball National Team in the ISU Grand Prix Finals, too. And taking notice of the blueberry eyed man on which the focus was on you alone, ignoring the teases from his friends.

That moment will trend more than your 3 grand slam wins that year, as you finally kissed Tobio on his lips to which he pulled you more in for a deeper, much awaited kiss of four years, saying yes to being his girlfriend.

"Huh? I thought you're already in a relationship?" Korai blabbered as he inspected your trophy, Ran's 3-year old curious little girl on his lap inspecting the trophy too.

"He even bought a ring not long ago, Y/n."

Your eyes widen on a red-faced Tobio who was now battering Shoyo, with Toshi in between. You groaned as you covered your face of which you felt reddening too, and you feel your entire being getting giddy deep to your bones as your team went teasing as soon as they heard of it.

God, Tobio really knows how to fluster you even after all these years. You're convinced that he's the lightning of his own storm, and you're glad you were strucked with that lightning, meeting his expected effect, a thunder so loud it'd be heard across the world.

And you love him, and this time if he'll ask you that progressingly bold question, you know you'll not double take on saying yes this time.

Semi Eita | Sugawara Koushi | Kuroo Tetsurou | Akaashi Keiji | Sakusa Kiyoomi | Oikawa Tooru

Reblogs and interactions are appreciated. Theories will be entertained. Cassie 2023.

[valkyrieandstrangeridingaragorn]

Hey marvel, here’s an idea, maybe you could highlight other characters or you know upcoming characters who will be an important part of the upcoming projects, like you know SAM WILSON

I honestly find it horrible that they’re pushing so hard for the white Mary sue CCz, who can do absolutely nothing wrong 🙄 when we have a Captain America that should be explored further, who has absolutely deserved his spot

Sam was given the shield five years ago. FIVE. And we've seen him once since then. But Saint Maggy? Oh, she's been in Season 1 of What If, MoM and almost every ep of Season 2. She even got some lame-ass line about how little girls in Russia dream of being like her (because why would they want to be like Natasha Romanoff, right? British S.H.I.E.L.D. founder Saint Maggy is totally someone Russian kids would idolize 🤦‍♀️).

S.H.I.E.L.D. looked elsewhere when it came to Isaiah and now Marvel is doing the same with Sam. He's there in the shadows, to be used only occasionally, but when it comes to having a Captain they prefer their Saint Maggy who apparently can withstand any and all power thrown her way: stones, Hela's helmet, the Infinity suit... but Carol hardly made it to EG because she was too OP? 🤔

They should look at how Sylvie was received in the fanbase to realize doing this doesn't work. They think giving the helmet, the green suit, the magic and a tragic backstory told in ONE line is enough to make us love Sylvie like we've loved Loki for a decade + giving the shield and even the catchphrase to Saint Maggy is going to make us love her like we loved Steve, as if we loved both those characters for something as superficial as that. Ask a Steve and a Loki fan what they love from them and the helmet/shield is going to be pretty far down the list.

[quotejungle]

部分的に燃焼した木炭に大きさや外観が似ているこの塊は、多金属団塊と呼ばれ、ニッケル、コバルト、マンガン、その他の希土類金属の合金で、サメの歯や魚の骨が何百万年もかけて海水から蓄積した鉱物に包まれるという複雑な生化学プロセスを通じて形成されます。 クラリオン・クリッパートン海域（CCZ）として知られるハワイとメキシコの間の国際海域の450万平方キロメートル（170万平方マイル）の帯状に広がる団塊には、ノートパソコン、携帯電話、電気自動車に電力を供給するバッテリーの製造に必要な金属が大量に含まれています。

深海の妄想。「無知を讃えよ、人間が知らないこと… | B | 2024年8月 | Medium

[colorfultruth]

But the thing is, even if I could go back, I wouldn't belong there anymore.

-Ccz

[wilsweb-asientour]

Tag 42. 14.08.2023

(Notiz: ähnlich wie der Hiroshima Bericht ist der heutige Blog über die DMZ SEHR lang geraten)

Moin Nordkorea. Nachdem Webster gestern 23:30 Uhr mitbekam, dass unsere Dienstagstour an die DMZ (entmilitarisierte Zone) aufgrund des koreanischen Unabhängigkeitstag gestrichen wurde buchten wir hektisch eine für heute. Wir standen also 06:00 Uhr auf, mit tiefen Augenringen, und fuhren mit der Bahn zur Busabholstation an der Honggik Universtität. Der Bus fuhr pünktlich 07:20 Uhr los (leider zurück i.d.N. unseres Hotels in Myeongdong, um andere Touris abzuholen, eine Stunde hätten wir also länger schlafen können…). Unser Reiseführer hieß Jonatan, ein ehemaliger internationaler Geschäftsmann und heutiger Rentner. Er machte sofort einen super Eindruck mit seinem astreinen Englisch und tollen Erklärungen.

Der erste Halt hieß Hantangang Geopark, eins von UNESCO als „Global Geopark“ ernannter Nationalpark. Hier schauten wir uns die Sambuyeon Wasserfälle an und machten ein gemeinsames Foto. Der Bus fuhr uns dann an den Goseokjeong Pavilion, eine berühmte Schlucht samt Paddelbooten und 7-11, und dazu ein beliebter Filmort für koreanische Dramas. Jonatan zeigte uns zuerst auf einer Karte wie unser Tag aussah und dann machten wir eine 15-minütige Bootstour. Kein schlechter Start.

Als Nächstes war Mittagessen angesagt, es gab Bibimbap, eine lokale Spezialität mit Gemüse, Eingelegtem, Spiegelei, Reis und Hackfleisch. Mit einer Suppe, kaltem Wasser und ordentlich Gojujang der absolute Hit, und das für 11.000 Won pro Person (ca. 8,00€)! In der Mittagspause saßen wir neben Jonatan und stellten Fragen über den Koreakrieg, Koreas Stellungnahme Japan gegenüber und über Taiwan. Ein sehr aufschlussreiches Gespräche für uns beide, zudem ein Gespräch, welches neue Fragen hervorrief. Anreiz für einen erneuten Besuch…?

Anschließend fuhren wir in die Zivil-Kontrollzone (Civilian Control Zone - CCZ), die Zone zwischen regulärem südkoreanischen Boden und der DMZ. Diese Pufferzone ist ca. 10km dick und Zivilisten dürfen hier nur mit Begründung und unter Aufsicht Militärpersonals rein (z.B. Touristen auf einer DMZ-Tour). Bloß Bauern dürfen ihre Tätigkeiten ausführen, sie werden jedoch früh hingebracht und abends wieder abgeholt. Die Abwesenheit von Menschen ist jedoch für den Naturschutz vorteilhaft, denn die CCZ und die DMZ dienen als wichtige Naturschutzgebiete für Kraniche (danke Mama), die nach ihren Sommerferien in Sibirien in Korea überwintern. Uns wurden anschließend die Reisepässe beschlagnahmt (um die Ausreise nach Nordkorea zu verhindern - das ist kein Witz…) und dann fuhren wir in einer Kolonne zum zweiten Cheorwon Tunnel. Der 3,5km lange und von nordkoreanischen Soldaten gebauter Tunnel wurde 1975 entdeckt; er diente als möglicher Angriffspunkt, der 20-30 Tsd. Soldaten aus dem Norden durchschleusen konnte. Bei der Entdeckung kamen 8 südkoreanische Soldaten aufgrund einer bösartigen Sprengfalle ums Leben. Alles nicht so lustig, wenn man bedenkt, dass die zwei Hälften Koreas sich, trotz Waffenstillstands-Vereinbarung 1953, noch heute im Kriegszustand befinden. Bisher wurden 4 Tunnel in der DMZ enthüllt, bis zu 20 weitere werden befürchtet. Also aktive Kriegszone.

Wir zogen oben Helme an und liefen die 75m runter in den eigentlichen Tunnel. Zwar waren Ähnlichkeiten zur Marienglashöhle in Friedrichroda vorhanden, jedoch ging’s uns schon unheimlich beim Bedenken unseres Standorts unter der DMZ und keine 300m von Nordkorea entfernt. Wieder oben angekommen fuhren wir ans Friedensobservatorium, wo wir nach Nordkorea rüberschauten. Durchs Fernglas machten wir nordkoreanische Militärposten aus samt Flagge und eigenem (sehr kleinen) Observatorium. Das DMZ, übrigens unter neutraler Aufsicht der Schweden und der Schweizer, war dicht bewaldet. Die springenden Rehe, auffällige Vogelwelt und Besuch etlicher Schmetterlinge hätten den vorhandenen Friedenskontrast nicht besser darstellen können. Dieser Ort hatte echt was eigenartiges, was übles, was unbeschreibliches. Abfahrt.

Die letzte Station innerhalb der DMZ war der Woljeong-ri Bahnhof. Der Bahnhof befand sich früher in Cheorwon, eine Stadt, die durchs Etablieren der DMZ verschwand. Der Bahnhof verband früher Seoul mit Wonsan (Nordkorea), und von da aus mit Vladivostok, Moscow und Paris. Der Zug brauchte früher 14 Tagen für den Gütertransport, seit 1953 ist die Verbindung eingestellt. Südkorea hat trotz Verhandlungsversuchen und Investitionsangeboten mit dem Wiederaufbau der Eisenbahnschiene kein Glück. Die Schifffahrt via Singapur über den Suezkanal ist die teurere und heutige Alternative… Am verwüsteten Bahnhof machten wir nur kurz Halt und schauten uns einen verrosteten Wagon an, der anstatt von Graffiti mit Schusswunden angab.

Die letzte Station, jetzt außerhalb der DMZ und mit zurückgegebenem Reisepässen, war eine Aussichtsplattform mit Blick auf den Berg des Weißen Pferdes. Heutzutage in südkoreanischer Hand, der Berg ähnelt aufgrund seiner Form einem schlafenden Pferd. Der Berg wechselte zwischen 1951 und 1953 sieben Mal den Besitz und kostete mehr als 40 Tsd. Soldaten von beiden Seiten das Leben. Er war nämlich ein wichtiger strategischer Stützpunkt, der letzte Hügel westlich der flachen Felder der 38. Parallele, somit konnte Korea den Truppen- und Gütertransport aus Nordkorea stark eindämmen. Die Verhinderung eines erneuten Blitzkrieges auf 1950er Art, der damals Seoul in 3 Tagen überfiel, war also das Ziel der Südkoreaner. Darüber hinaus wird der Berg als weiß bezeichnet, weil die vielen Bomben des Koreakriegs das weiße Granitgestein verdeutlichten. Interessanterweise verlor der Berg während des Koreakrieges einen ganzen Meter an Elevation! Krank.

Die 100km Busfahrt zurück nach Seoul war relativ lang, fette 2h, die Webster allerdings nutzte, um diesen Bericht zu schreiben. Wieder in Myeongdang angekommen holten wir für Dohyuns Vater, als Geschenk für seine Gastfreundschaft, das neue weiße Bayern-Trikot. Wir gingen dann noch ein letztes Mal zusammen essen, wieder Korean BBQ und es war natürlich lecker. Zwar probierten wir ultrascharfe Chillies (wir nahmen danach beide 10 Minuten Auszeit vom Essen), aber die Soju-Bier Mischgetränke machten wie gewohnt alles besser.

Wir hoffen, dass dieser Bericht für euch aufschlussreich und informativ war. Morgen steht dann der letzte Tag unserer Asientour an. Zwar sind wir traurig uns von Asien zu verabschieden, wir freuen uns jedoch wieder auf Europa und auf einen geregelten Alltag. Bis dann lieber Leser!

Day 42. August 14, 2023

(Note: Similar to the Hiroshima report, today's blog about the DMZ has become VERY lengthy.)

Hello, North Korea. After Webster found out yesterday at 23:30 that our Tuesday tour to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) was canceled due to Korean Independence Day, we hastily booked one for today. So, we woke up at 06:00, with deep bags under our eyes, and took the train to the bus pickup station at Hongik University. The bus departed promptly at 07:20 (unfortunately, it went back to our hotel in Myeongdong to pick up other tourists, which meant we could have slept for an extra hour...). Our tour guide was Jonatan, a former international businessman turned retiree. He made a great impression with his impeccable English and excellent explanations.

Our first stop was Hantangang Geopark, a National Park designated as a UNESCO "Global Geopark." Here, we visited the Sambuyeon Waterfalls and took a group photo. The bus then took us to Goseokjeong Pavilion, a famous gorge with paddle boats and a 7-11, and a popular filming location for Korean dramas. Jonatan first showed us our itinerary on a map, and then we took a 15-minute boat tour. Not a bad start.

Next up was lunchtime, and we had Bibimbap, a local specialty with vegetables, pickled items, fried egg, rice, and minced meat. With soup, cold water, and a generous amount of Gojujang, it was a hit, all for 11,000 Won per person (about €8.00)! During lunch break, we sat next to Jonatan and asked questions about the Korean War, Korea's stance towards Japan, and about Taiwan. It was an enlightening conversation for both of us, raising new questions as well. Perhaps an incentive for another visit...?

After that, we drove to the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ), the area between regular South Korean territory and the DMZ. This buffer zone is about 10 km wide, and civilians can only enter with a valid reason and under the supervision of military personnel (e.g., tourists on a DMZ tour). Only farmers are allowed to work here, but they are brought in early in the morning and picked up in the evening. The absence of people benefits the environment as the CCZ and DMZ serve as important nature reserves for cranes. Our passports were confiscated (to prevent us from crossing into North Korea - not a joke...) and we then traveled in a convoy to the Second Cheorwon Tunnel. This 3.5 km-long tunnel, built by North Korean soldiers, was discovered in 1975; it could have allowed 20-30 thousand soldiers from the North to infiltrate. During the discovery, 8 South Korean soldiers lost their lives due to a malicious booby trap. Not so funny, considering that the two Koreas remain in a state of war despite the 1953 ceasefire agreement. So, it's an active war zone.

We put on helmets and walked 75m down into the actual tunnel. Although there were similarities to the Marienglashöhle in Friedrichroda, we felt eerie at the thought of being under the DMZ, less than 300m from North Korea. Back up above ground, we drove to the Peace Observatory, where we looked across to North Korea. Through binoculars, we spotted North Korean military posts along with flags and their (very small) observatory. The DMZ, by the way, is under the neutral observation of Sweden and Switzerland, was densely wooded. The leaping deer, diverse birdlife, and the presence of numerous butterflies couldn't have portrayed the contrast of peace any better. This place had something peculiar, something unsettling, something indescribable. Departure.

The last stop within the DMZ was Woljeong-ri Station. The station used to be in Cheorwon, a town that vanished due to the establishment of the DMZ. The station once connected Seoul to Wonsan (North Korea), and from there to Vladivostok, Moscow, and Paris. The train used to take 14 days for freight transport; the connection has been suspended since 1953. Despite negotiation attempts and investment offers, South Korea has had no luck rebuilding the railway line. Shipping via Singapore through the Suez Canal is the more expensive and current alternative... We briefly stopped at the devastated station and looked at a rusty carriage, marked not with graffiti but with bullet holes.

The final stop, now outside the DMZ and with our passports returned, was an observation platform overlooking the White Horse Mountain. Currently under South Korean control, the mountain's shape resembles a sleeping horse. The mountain changed hands seven times between 1951 and 1953, costing over 40 thousand soldiers from both sides their lives. It was a strategically significant point, being the last hill west of the flat fields of the 38th Parallel. This allowed Korea to greatly restrict the movement of troops and goods from North Korea. Preventing a repeat of the lightning war of the 1950s that captured Seoul in 3 days was the aim of the South Koreans. Furthermore, the mountain is called "white" because the many bombs of the Korean War highlighted the white granite rock. Interestingly, the mountain lost a whole meter in elevation during the Korean War! Incredible.

The 100 km bus ride back to Seoul was quite long, a solid 2 hours, which Webster used to write this report. Upon returning to Myeongdong, we got the new white Bayern Munich jersey for Dohyun's father as a gift for his hospitality. We then had one last meal together, again Korean BBQ, and of course, it was delicious. Although we tried super spicy chilies (both of us needed a 10-minute break from eating afterward), the Soju-beer mixed drinks made everything better as usual.

We hope this report was informative and enlightening for you. Tomorrow marks the final day of our Asian tour. While we're sad to bid farewell to Asia, we're looking forward to Europe and getting back to a regular routine. Until then, dear reader!