#I'd Climb the Highest Mountain

[passed-out-real]

Alexander Knox Filmography Part 1

Over 21 (1945)

The Judge Steps Out (1948)

I'd Climb the Highest Mountain (1951)

The Night My Number Came Up (1955)

Alias John Preston (1955)

Reach for the Sky (1956)

High Tide at Noon (1957)

The Saint (1962)

The Damned (1962)

Woman of Straw (1964)

[thepeonysbackup]

Cheek to Cheek

Summary: After a rough day, Alastor decides to take your happiness into his own hands, or moves to be precise!

Warnings: Fluff!! WIP!!!

Request: Yes/No

Songfic!!!: ♬♬♬

At this point, you were boring a line into the floor from how much your heels clicked against the tile flooring, only going quiet every few seconds you walked over your fuzzy white and purple rug. "She had the audacity to point that smug ass angelic weapon into my face while she was at it. Claiming I want to make trouble when all I've done for the hotel is support her girlfriend with everything I have?! Doesn't she realize that if I wasn't trying I would be out hopping rooftops, shoplifting, and running these streets lawless like how I was seven months ago?!" The soft hum from Alastor spurred you on to continue as you turned around again, this time stopping because you felt done, chest rising and falling while you stood relaxed. "Sounds to me like you were rather dreadful." That caught you off guard, "What..?"

The sudden flick of the radio dial, the click so loud it made you jump as the music started to play. Alastor's shadow smiled mischievously from the ceiling for its choice, as he stood he walked over to you with his eyes closed and smile ever present before he took hold of one of your hands and pulled you near.

'Heaven.. I'm in heaven... And my heart beats so– that I can hardly speak..

And I've seem to find the happiness I seek.. When we're out together, dancin' cheek to cheek.'

To your surprise, the steps were slow, merely the both of you slowly turning to the music and swaying with one another to the beat. His hand gently held yours, eyes now opened to stare intently down at you as he spoke, "My Dear, if I had ever met you while you were behaving in such a manner I promise you we would not have gotten off on the proper foot." His smile turned soft as he spun you and pulled you back into him, your back to his chest while he held your waist merely for a moment but long enough for his touch to be burned into your mind.

'I'm in Heaven, and the cares I had through the week, seems to vanish like a gamblers lucky streak.. When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek.

Oh I'd love to climb to mountains, reach the highest peak. But it doesnt thrill me half as much as dancin' cheek to cheek.

Oh I'd love to go out fishing, in a river or a creek, but I enjoy it half as much as dancin cheek to cheek.'

"Now Darlin' dance with me~ I want my arms around you, these chaaarms about you will carry me throoough, is heaven!~" He sang out, making you laugh a tad as he truly put in effort as he spun you out again, posing dramatically on one knee while pointing towards you. He wanted you to continue the second part, which since it was only the two of you, you obliged to. "Take it away doll, sing it!"

"Heavenn, I'm in heaven!~ And my heart beats so, that I can hardly speak~~

       And I seem to find the happiness I seek, when we're out together dancing Cheek to cheek!!~"

He laughed along with you when you finished, gently pinching your cheek while leaning back down to your level as he did. "See that's the one right there," He mused with enthusiasm, quickly capturing your lips for a mere moment before pulling back with a wide grin on his face at you own genuine smile of disbelief, "That little one right there most definitely is my favorite, please wear it more often dear. A dance will always bring out a smile, never hesitate to seek me out if ever you are in need of one again, my darlin'. Til we meet again." And with that he was gone in the flash of his shadow, slithering away under your doorway.

   What just happened?

[karasukarei]

Daily questions 10 - Tomiyama Choji

For all other translations, see this post!

Tomiyama's answers:

If you have 500 yen, how would you use it? - I'd buy lots of candy! (t/n: the candy he refers to here is dagashi, which is very cheap candy children buy; think stuff along the lines of candy corn, chocolate coins, etc.)

If you could travel to somewhere in Japan for a holiday, where would you go? - Mt Fuji! To climb the highest mountain! (t/n: there were some comments on twitter talking about how he can reach the top at one shot, which is very tough. Normal people would start climbing on day one, stay at a rest house overnight halfway up, then get up at 4am or something the next day to reach the summit by sunrise)

What's your favourite condiment? - Ketchup! Because it's sweet and salty! (t/n: he'll be good friends with Sakura)

What do you think about before you sleep? - Eh? Think? I'm asleep so I don't know! (t/n: Idk why but I find this so precious ;-;)

What would you eat for your last meal? - I want to eat lots of dagashi until I'm completely stuffed! (t/n: see translator's note at Q1 about dagashi)

Recently, was there something that made you a little happy? - I picked up 100 yen!

If someone of the opposite gender asks you for your contact number, what would you do? - Ok, sure! Here it is! By the way, who are you? (t/n: NO TOMIYAMA YOU DO NOT DO FIRST THEN ASK QUESTIONS LATER)

I was ambivalent towards Tomiyama at first (even after the manga), but after going through his answers to these questions I can really see why Togame and Shishitouren like him so much ;-; He's literally a ray of sunshine ;-; I'm really happy the anime team gave us so much extra content, it lends so much more depth to the characters beyond the main story in the manga.

[luke-o-lophus]

In The Light

Nathan Bateman x Female Reader

Summary: Nathan takes you camping to the highest mountain in his estate. He may have more plans than he's letting on.

A/N: 18+, fully consensual smut, bit of powerplay, Nathan has control issues, brief reference to scars and wounds that are canon. Written on the spur of the moment on my phone so typoes. Thanks to @my-secret-shame for thinking it's an idea worth a story

"Holy fuck", you whistled, taking in the sight before you. When Nathan had suggested trekking up the hill to camp, you'd expected...a camp. It did pique your interest that you weren't carrying tents, and he'd insisted it's not necessary to pack much. Now it made sense. At the top of the mountain right behind his research facility, the man had built himself a cabin worthy of magazine covers.

"How did you...", you start, eyes sparkling in awe. "There's not even a path..."

"Life finds a way", he says shrugging off his daypack and padding over to a fully stocked wine cabinet. "Fancy a glass?"

You blink owlishly as Nathan pours a couple drinks without waiting for your response. You were still sweaty from the long hike up. Heck, you'd had to climb up rock faces at a couple spots. Within six hours you'd gone from lush rolling meadows to grey rocks and thin flaky snow. Your feet bring you to the French windows overlooking the valleys, his estate lands as far as your eyes could fathom. It's a beautiful sight, the empty rolling hills, and the knowledge there's not a single other human for all the miles around.

"I come here to take a break from everyone", He hands you a glass, tilting his own in a salute. You scoff before you can stop yourself. His brows pinch in a faint frown and his chin tilts down. His wide brown eyes peer over the gold rimmed glasses, daring you to explain yourself. "You talk as if you're not a recluse already", you mutter, setting the glass down after a small sip. Usually he'd challenge a comment like that, or outright start a debate, but today his lips curl up into a smirk.

"I lied", he shrugs, a far too recognisable spark of mischief in his eyes. Before you can open your mouth to respond, he closes the few inches separating you. When you're back knocks against the thick glass of the floor to ceiling windows, he's grinning like a cat that got the cream. "You wanna know why I really come here?" he eggs you on. Something tells you it's a trap, another of his games you really shouldn't play into, but you're oh so curious. When he presses the rim of his glass to your chilled lips, coaxing them open and slowly pouring some in, you slowly nod.

"I come here", he starts, drawing away the empty glass and setting it aside. "To remind myself" His warm fingers trace your cold rosy cheeks, pausing and taking in the slight tremor in your form. "...To remind myself what's mine"

Your brows shoot up, ready to call him a cocky bastard. But words die on your tongue as a large palm settles at the back of your neck and swiftly turns you around so your face is pressed against the glass. The glass is surprisingly not cold, but there's a thousand feet drop before you. Nathan's hand slowly strokes down your back, as if petting a pouting toddler. "Relax, it's strong enough for an elephant", he says in a voice that doesn't seem eager to reassure you.

"What the fuck, Nathan", you hiss. "Let me go"

"I could", he starts, gathering your hair and sweeping it across one of your shoulders. You feel the soft brush of his beard on the sliver of skin on the other shoulder. "Or I could tell you why you're here"

You sputter in indignation at the comment. "A certain someone told me we're going camping", you huff, pressing your hips back into his. Two can play this game.

"And you believed them. Seems like my algorithm did a better job at choosing you than I'd expected", his voice is practically dripping with mirth.

"Your genius creation didn't work as you'd expected. Who would've thought", you mutter dryly.

That makes him pause. His fingers loosen around your neck, and he even takes a step back. The warmth of his broad form hovers inches away and it feels like a loss in more ways than one. Did you cross a line? Fuck, yes, you did.

"Nathan...I...", you whisper carefully. "I didn't mean to..." His hands leave you completely now, and you swiftly turn to face him. With his lips pursed he shrugs,"I brought that upon myself" He doesn't resist when you grab a hold of his hands, press a chaste kiss to his chest where you know the scars are.

"You did", you agree. "But that wasn't cool...am sorry" He regards you carefully for a few moments before he shakes his head with an amused chuckle. "You're too empathetic for your own good", he points out. "Or you wouldn't be stuck with me"

"How do you know you're not stuck with me?", your eyes dance playfully, grateful for the dissipating tension.

"Because, baby, when I'm up here.... whatever the light touches and my eyes can see, it's mine"

It sounds conceited, superfluous. If this was anyone but Nathan Bateman, you'd shrug it off as pretentious. But this man is honest, raw. As infuriating as it is to hear, it's the truth.

"I wanted to show you the sunset from here", he continues, stepping closer. His hands slide under your shirt to grip your sides, chest pressed against yours. "And I wanted to see how you look in the falling light", he completes.

Everywhere the light touches....

Your eyes are wide in a mix of awe and disbelief when he presses his lips to yours. From that it's a few moments to you moaning deeply into his mouth, tongue rolling over his as you both struggled to get the upper hand.

Your cheek bumps against the glass again, and his hands are almost rough as they pull down your trekking pants. He's grinding into your ass, hot and hard, hands grabbing your breasts in pure hunger. "Fuck me", you demand, rolling your hips into his. "You don't give orders", his snap comes out almost as a purr. If the harsh pinches on your nipples were meant to be a rebuke they didn't achieve the intended outcome.

"I decide what happens here", he whispers into your ear, rewarding your grunt of frustration with another strong squeeze of your breasts.

"M-make me yours?" your voice falters, and you swear you feel his hips stutter.

"Say that again", his voice is breathless.

"Make me yours Nathan, show me who I belong to", you moan, groaning as that earns you a sharp nip on your bare neck.

"Don't bother keeping quiet, angel", his warning sounds more of a gloat. And that's all the warning you get before he quickly parts your thighs and impales himself in one bold stroke.

The sounds you make are filthy, needy moans and pathetic begs of going harder, faster. His hips are fucking into you at a punishing pace, and your trek-tired body would've given out had he not held you up by your chest. He chases his orgasm with all the focus of the genius he is, but damn is he good at what he does. Your lips leave a small line of drool on the glass as your mouth parts in a silent cry, pleasure overwhelming every sense. When he finally cums in you, you're shaking at the ebb of your orgasm, knees weak and mind in a daze.

You wake up to soft sheets and a warm figure pressed to your front. Morning light poured into the room and the man curled up with his back to your chest was still sound asleep. You began to push yourself up to wash, but dropped back to the bed with a wince.

Nathan was up in a jiffy, eyes almost wild as he looked for potential dangers. His face softens into a chuckle when he sees it's just you, curled up in a way that explains exactly why you'd winced. "Too much?", his voice is teasing. "Did you forget I'm not an Android?" you huff, watching as his figure steps off the bed and disappears into the washroom. "You asked for it. Quite literally", he comes back with a wet cloth, coaxing you to lay back and placing the warm fabric on your swollen folds.

"Well now I can't trek down", you're actually worried now. The climb up had not been a breeze and the idea of going down in this condition was frankly terrifying.

"We're not trekking down. Arthur's getting the helicopter here in two hours. Told him we have a medical situation."

"Very believable, Nathan", you grumble burrowing your head in his chest. "A medical situation that can wait hours"

"It's a shit ruse", he agrees. "And that's how he'll know you're mine."

[heleentje]

Revalink week day 5: Paraglider

A day late, but I'm glad I got this out!

In loving memory of that time I started a new save of botw, got to the cryonis shrine, and killed myself by jumping down because I'd forgotten I didn't have the paraglider yet.

The hill felt perfect, though for what exactly, Link couldn’t tell. It is meager consolation: when no reassuring tug jolts his shoulders to break the plummeting sensation of freefall, he realizes just how badly his memory has failed him again.

Ah.

Later, when he’s gingerly prodding at his bruised ribs and the scrapes his tumble earned him, he gives it some thought. What exactly made him think jumping was safe?

Really, the answer is obvious.

The paraglider in the old man’s hands had filled Link with a profound sense of wrongness. It was ill-suited to the man’s size, the delicate frame looking like it should break under the weight. More than that, Link had taken one look at it and known he’d wanted it, more fiercely than anything he’d wanted in his half day of memories. But even that fierce longing doesn’t explain his sudden recklessness. It doesn’t explain the vivid sense-memory he gets whenever he looks at the nearby hills and the far-off mountains, the tug of desire to make it to the highest peaks only to feel the rush of descent again.

It must have been his, then. He wants it back.

The thought of having it in his possession again spurs him on. He fights his way past the monsters with skills only half-remembered and climbs to the top of the icy mountains to reach the last of the shrines the old man indicated. When he emerges again, the power of a new rune in the Sheikah Slate, the old man appears with the paraglider and more empty promises in hand. He thinks of taking it by force, and only barely quells the urge. Then he thinks of jumping down the mountain again, and somehow that urge is even harder to fight.

When he finally has it in hand again, after a trek to the very top of the temple, he finds that he cannot even enjoy it. The revelations of the old man — of the king — weigh him down. The castle in the distance is no longer an abstract danger he planned to avoid, but the embodiment of his own failure. How is he supposed to succeed on his own where an entire army failed in the past?

At least the feeling of flight, of the wind rushing past his face, is enough to distract from it for a moment until inevitably, his feet touch the ground outside the Great Plateau. That night, when he has reached the first stable on his journey and has learned not to flinch whenever people’s voices get too loud, he takes out the paraglider again. The wood has been treated by an expert hand; the cloth has been made so well that neither rain nor heat affect it. Still, it is not new: time has had its effect on the paraglider as well. He begs needle and thread off another traveler and finds that his hands remember the action of darning.

He does not remember the symbol woven into the cloth.

“Looks like something from the Rito,” says the innkeeper. “There’s this Rito bard who comes around every so often. If you stick around, I’m sure you can catch him.”

Bird people, something in Link’s deeply buried memories says. It would make sense, for them to be the ones to create a way for a Hylian to fly. Up on the Great Plateau, he had seen the menacing shape of a giant bird circling the western reaches of Hyrule. His feet wish to take him there. But he has to continue his journey towards Kakariko Village. So he does not wait for the elusive Rito bard, but instead takes the path further north from the stable.

Lady Impa’s words at least give him an excuse to seek out the Rito. They also give him a name.

Champion Revali of the Rito. The words stir little within him, but they sound as if they should. He fought side by side with the Champions. So was the Rito Champion a friend of his, someone who would give him the tools to take to the sky?

It takes days and days before he can even find out. The plains of Central Hyrule are treacherous and leave him no chance to use the paraglider; the eternal thunderstorm above the Thundra Plateau makes flight a hazard. Even the mountains of Tabantha, so inviting from afar, are buffeted by harsh winds that would crush him against the cliffside given the chance.

But at least he gets there in the end.

Rito Village would be idyllic if it weren’t menaced by the Divine Beast Link spotted all the way back on the Great Plateau. No memory comes to him as he enters the village either, but that’s okay, because near the top of the spiralling staircase, he finally finds what he was looking for, in chipped paint on wood: the same symbol woven into the cloth of his paraglider.

Revali’s Landing.

This must be it, he thinks, elation making him light-headed. And then his memories finally catch up to him and crush his delusions to dust.

If Champion Revali was an ally of his, it was only in the most technical of senses. The Champion saw no worth within him, felt no desire to take to the sky and fight side by side with him. The trail he’s been chasing for so long is a dead end. Champion Revali could never have been the one to give him the paraglider.

He sits down heavily, hands clutching the cloth of the paraglider. Whoever gave it to him must have seen some worth within him regardless. But Rito history is short and fleeting. Their name, and who they were to Link, are long lost to time. All he has of them is this one gift and the freedom it has afforded him.

[father-in-lawliet]

L (No, I'm not Kira, why do you ask?), what is your real name? 🤗

oouh. i've been waiting for this question. thank you for the ask, "stranger."

anyhow. there's a long explanation to it, and since this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, i think i'd like to take the long route to truly illustrate the importance of my name, for it is very special to me.

you might be surprised to know that my name has been passed down through centuries and centuries of generations. watari had informed me of it's high significance when i was a child. many people in my family line were gifted it as a sign of power, dominance, and overall strength. that might seem ironic considering the first letter is an L, but i assure you there is much more meaning as you begin to learn the context of its origins.

if i recall correctly, the first individual to have my name was a respected warrior. a warrior who grew sick and tired of the crime-ridden world he was forced to live in. it was tragic for him, seeing the community which he loved so dearly fall down a path of chaos and disorder. he was determined to bring righteousness back to his village, so he began searching.

as he searched, he came across and old legend of two orbs. these orbs were prophesied to grant balance and order to the user's life. all the user had to do was simply bring the orbs back to the place they wished to restore this lost order and cut them both into halves. this way, the orbs could plant their seeds of light into the area and keep justice firm in its environment.

when the warrior received this knowledge, he knew it was fate. it was his destiny to find these orbs, to bring his village back to the beloved nature that it had lost. and so he searched. he began a long vigorous journey, climbing mountains and fighting monsters of the night. it was treacherous, exhausting, and it had brought him to dark unknowns that he would never be able to forget; however, his journey was worth it. for inside the highest mountaintop of the land laid the golden orbs he was looking for.

he immediately took them and ran back to his village. he ran all the way to the center of the area, carefully laying the orbs down as he took cut his sword through the middle of each.

the orbs cracked apart, their seeds conjoining into a singular magnificent ball of light.

the warrior watched as it sank into the ground, illuminating his dark city into a land of hope. the frowns of his befallen friends had begun to turn into smiles. finally, his land had returned to its beautiful origins. the warrior was overjoyed. so overjoyed that he even began to kiss the cracked halves of these spherical wonders.

now, what was this warrior's name you ask? the name that's been passed throughout centuries? the one i carry onto this day?

...

Ligma Balls.

[mandowifey]

Helloo if i may, i'd like to request the ethan char assigning 👉🏻👈🏻 People usually calls me Alvin and i goes by any pronouns, but i mainly use She/Her. Im an Androgyne who is significantly short ( less than 5 feet lol). I p much love to explore new places and nature especially mountain and beach. My love language is basically teasing and being mischief JABDAJJAJAJ. I think that's all 💖💖

(THIS TOOK ME AGES I AM SO SORRY AND HOPE YOU'RE AROUND...)

But seriously, thank you for waiting so long for your piece. I cheated a little and checked out your profile. (Oops) So that being said, I assign you...

Arthur Harrow.

Arthur Harrow x GN!Reader

Warnings: Fully SFW, Implications of manipulation, heights, reader has amnesia. This was also not proof-read!

• • •

Amidst the town tucked inside the Austrian Alps, you had found your home.

The people had welcomed you with open arms, and you had quickly adapted to this new life. It was difficult for you to discern how you ended up here to begin with, as your memories grew fuzzy whenever you attempted to recall your life outside of the compound. Regardless you trusted them, and Arthur especially, as your new family. Anything that existed before coming there no longer mattered to you as you had let it go some time ago.

A series of gasps tugged you out of your thoughts.

At some point you had decided to scale the bell tower in the middle of town and situate yourself at the top. This spot was one of your favorites as it was the highest platform in the little community which granted you a 360 degree view of the mountains and planes surrounding you. The problem with this location wasn't the fact it was over 30 feet off the ground, but in fact that it was so old. With a sinking foundation and old wooden support beams, this tower was overdue for repair. Arthur had scolded you the first time you'd been caught climbing it, warning you that one wrong move could collapse the entire structure with you under it.

This was why you couldn't understand how you found yourself perched at the top once again.

"Y/N," Came Arthur's firm voice from down below.

Looking down amidst the crowd of concerned faces, you spot the leader of the flock staring up at you. His expression from this height was difficult to read, though you knew he was displeased. Arthur stood at the front with his hands resting on the cane in front of him, his brows vexed. He knew you had a penchant for exploring and roaming where you could, but he had warned you about this particular place.

"Can you come down? It's quite dangerous up there." He called again, though his voice never reached the intensity of a shout. Arthur had been handling business when a few concerned followers had come to him, alarmed that you were back on the tower and in danger of falling. Seeing you there once again irked him, though he figured with your amnesia from the accident you couldn't be faulted. Your spirit lasted even while your memories did not.

Embarrassment lights your cheeks in reds and pinks. You had caused a scene without ever intending to. Carefully, you descend the tower and mind your footing, even more aware of yourself than before. As you ease down to the ground, a sigh of relief washes amongst the crowd. You feel a hand on your shoulder and turn instinctively into Arthur's chest, your small arms winding around him and holding tight.

"I'm sorry."

Warmth encompasses you as Arthur holds you into his broad chest. He's warm and smells of tea, a scent that has been a comfort to you for some time now. As you sink into his chest and breathe him in, he rumbles like thunder. "We are going to have to find a safer way to satiate that explorer's appetite of yours, little one." A smile tugs your lips, and you press more into him.

"Perhaps we can take you for hikes along the trails, hmm?" His hand drifts from your back to pet along your neck, then up into your hair. He caresses you, squeezing gently and reassuringly. Arthur was not angry, and you knew, though you always felt uncomfortable at the notion of disappointing him. "What about your feet?" You look up towards him, eyes round and doe like. The man smiled down at you and breathed out a soft chuckle.

"I would not offer if I could not handle it." He promised, leaning down to press his lips to the center of your forehead. Warmth blooms under your skin, and you tilt, wanting to catch his mouth with your own - but he pulls back before you two can connect. "Let's head back." His hand pulls from your scalp, and he begins to limp towards the trail that leads to your shared home.

Arthur had a habit of leaving you hungry. Hungry for his affection and hungrier for his approval. He was good at leaving you on the edge, baited, and ready to spring. You smile and jog a few steps to close the widening gap between you. "Maybe we can go tomorrow?" You offer, eyes twinkling in the late day sun. The wind rustles the tall grass, lining the ascending hills towards your building.

"Tomorrow it is." The older man chuckled softly. "So long as I do not need to coax you down from anymore towers," There was a playful lilt to his words as he tossed you an amused glance. Your heart skips a beat, and your smile broadens. "No more towers, pinky promise!"

You lift your hand and offer your pinky towards him. Arthur comes to a stop to look, and his smile stiffens. It was something you did often and upheld with the highest of regards. He couldn't wrap his head around the notion that pinkies meant anything more than digits on a hand, but he knew what it meant to you. Offering his own, the two of you curl your fingers together, and your head nods affirmatively.

"No more towers." He reiterates, breaking the connection finally and putting his free arm around you. You smile and lean into his side, taking in the view that you never grew tired of and noticing a large tree in the distance. You wonder briefly how difficult it would be to climb.

[cloud-somersault]

If you were to have a picnic anywhere on FFM where would it be?

There are the highest peaks of Flower Fruit Mountain which touch the golden clouds of the Celestial Realm, and there are the cliffs that come close, but find themselves wanting. They use the mountain face to climb closer to reaching the Heavens, but that's not their fate, no matter how badly they wish it to be.

These cliffs jut out from the sides of the mountains and taper down into the hills and valleys below. But they hide secrets, patches of lush grass and small ponds that are dying to be appreciated.

Only some animals and creatures of Flower Fruit Mountain know about these places, and they bask in the sun when the afternoon arrives, and they splash in the small ponds when the summer heat needs to be beaten.

And on one cliff, where the grass is soft and green and the view overlooks the entire mountain, red flowers bloom, their petals blowing in the breezes that come and sending blessings down to the world below.

That's where I'd have a picnic.

[1863-project]

If you were making that list, what would you consider the seven wonders of the railroad world?

Hm, putting me on the spot here!

I mentioned Horseshoe Curve in Altoona, PA for a reason.

Horseshoe Curve was completed in 1854. The purpose of it was to reduce the grade trains had to climb up through the mountains and avoid the much more time-consuming route of the Allegheny Portage Railroad. Today, there's a visitor center in the middle of the Curve, and railfans go there to watch trains go by and picnic outside.

As mentioned in the previous post, Tehachapi Loop is also impressive and I'd give it a spot - it legitimately looks like something out of someone's model train layout.

From above this doesn't even look real. But it's real!

I've seen some people put the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in West Bengal on their lists, and I'd agree with them. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site for a reason. It's narrow gauge, climbs up through the mountains, and is popular with tourists - and although it has some diesels it also still uses steam. Look at how cute this locomotive is.

Another UNESCO World Heritage Site for consideration is the Forth Bridge, in Scotland:

It's a cantilever railway bridge and was the longest cantilever bridge span in the world at the time of its opening, a title it held between 1890 and 1919. It's still the second longest today. In 2016 Scotland voted it as their greatest man-made wonder, an impressive feat in a country stereotyped as being chock full of civil and mechanical engineers.

For reaching incredible heights in the 19th century, look no further than the Ferrovías Central in Peru.

Designed by a Polish political exile named Ernest Malinowski, it was built in the 1870s and still operates today. What was known as the Callao, Lima & Oroya Railway at the time of its opening is still the second highest railroad in the world today, only being surpassed by the Qinghai-Tibet Railway over 100 years later.

It would be silly not to include the Trans-Siberian Railroad on this list - in terms of sheer scope, this thing is massive.

It's the longest railway line in the world. Nothing else even comes remotely close. Trips along it can take weeks depending on the speed the trains are running.

Lastly, for a more modern entry, I'd propose the Channel Tunnel linking England and France - at its lowest point, it's 246 feet below sea level. In terms of a modern feat of engineering, this one is definitely up there. It was completed the year I turned five, and it was a big deal even over here in the US.

Of course, the fun of this is coming up with your own! And I had to think pretty hard about this because I was trying to do it without using any locomotives, which would have been a cop-out!

Here are a few links to people having this debate online, in case you want to read more - 1, 2, 3, 4

[coldspringharbor-billysversion]

My Journey's End

The beginning of this project starts with the very first song (with lyrics) that Billy Joel ever wrote. He was 14-15 years old and recorded it with his first band, The Lost Souls, in 1964.

Well I'd climb the highest mountain 

And I'd swim the deepest sea 

If I knew you were there at my journey's end

Waiting for me

Well I can tell how much that you love me

By the letters that you send

And I'd go anywhere if I knew you were waiting there

At my journey's end

Now I may travel to the ends of the earth 

but it really doesn't matter where I'd stay

I'll come back some day

Now I'd cross the widest prairie 

And I'd send the highest plane

If I knew you were there at my journeys end to be mine 

For the rest of my days

Now it really doesn't matter

How many things I may send

'Cause I'd go anywhere if I knew you were waiting there 

At my journey's end

Billy's thoughts: "This song sucks" "you gotta start somewhere"

[illarian-rambling]

Thanks for the tag and the fun questions @mk-writes-stuff!

OC Question Game

My questions:

What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever watched someone do?

How do you usually talk to customer service workers?

What’s the most bizarre dream you’ve ever had?

I'll be ambitious for this and go with the extended Mortal God cast

.

1) What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever watched someone do?

Astra: "I saw some dickhead alchemist strip down to swim in the N'Diki swamp once. When I asked 'im why he'd do such a braindead thing, he jus' said the 'natural salts were fixin' to balance 'is humors.' I reckon the only thing the dumb bastard ended up gettin' balanced was his parasite to blood ratio."

Mashal: "I swear I've seen Astra pull a vial of acid out of her bra, use it to melt solid iron, then put it back."

Ivander: "In some distant corners of Unity, where the factory runoff meets the alchemical waste among the canals, fish speak to you. I swear it on my good name."

Elsind: "There was this spit-turner girl I knew once who took her tea with molasses. ...Maybe that's not so weird now that I think about it."

Avymere: "I watched a man die of fright once. I didn't think that was possible."

2) How do you usually talk to customer service workers?

Astra: "I try to be a little stranger n' normal. In an entertainin' way, ya know? Give 'em somethin' to chat about over lunch break."

Mashal: "Always treat a person of the lowest station as you would a person of the highest. It's the honorable thing to do."

Ivander: "It's a transaction. I don't want to be there. They don't want to be there. No need to pretend this is anything more."

Elsind: "I always get so nervous! I don't want to be rude, or make their lives more difficult. What if I'm a bad customer?"

Avymere: "Always make a point to be polite to the person who delivers your food, or else who knows what else may be delivered with it. Servants hold the lives of nobility in their hands. Ill-treated servants act on this."

3) What’s the most bizarre dream you’ve ever had?

Astra: "There was this one night - I'd had a touch too much to drink and maybe a lil' somethin' besides - when I went to sleep, only to find myself dreamin' 'bout fallin' asleep. Again and again, I'd dream about fallin' asleep, only to start another dream 'bout fallin' asleep. It was damn trippy is what it was. Last time I touch alchemist-blend kishra."

Mashal: "I don't sleep, so, uh, do I just make something up? I dreamt once that I was riding a horse, only to remember I can't ride a horse, even though I definitely know how in real life. ...Never mind, that was stupid."

Ivander: "There was this one dream I had where I was a soldier sent to fight a great bear. It slashed one of my companion's eyes, so we took snow off the ground to numb the wound. Except, the bear came back, so we had to leave him behind. The last thing I can recall was looking back at the blind man, snow covering his eyes, as he felt his way towards death in all its slavering glory."

Elsind: "I had a dream once that I was an elf. My face was always one thing, and it never slipped. My body was so rigged and stiff. I could only breathe and see and hear out of my face. It felt awful, which was... reassuring in a way."

Avymere: "When I was a child, I had a reoccurring dream about climbing a mountain. It was summer like summer never is in Skysheer - all flowers and buzzing bees, rather than melty frost and rain. I've rarely seen such balmy weather in my life, so I wonder why my subconscious decided to paste it over my home."

.

Tagging @frostedlemonwriter @kaylinalexanderbooks @somethingclevermahogony @wordfather and anyone else who wants to play :)

Your questions are:

What's your favorite legend and why?

How do you celebrate your birthday?

What's something you'd regret if you died without doing?

[swaps55]

2022 Writing Wrap Up

Tagged by @commander-krios. Thank you!

I wasn't going to do one of these things because I didn't think I'd accomplished as much as I have in the past couple of years, but I am thankful you tagged me, because when I looked at it, there was a lot to be proud of, and I think it's important when we work so hard to sit back and RECOGNIZE what we've done, instead of just dwelling on what we haven't.

Total Words Published: 122,327. I think. I had to do math, and my math is never trustworthy. I don’t think I forgot anything? I might have. Part of me feels like I shouldn’t get credit for Concerto, because it was more or less a rewrite, but at the same time it was a lot of work so I should get credit, heh.

Additional Words Written: 27,923. This only counts drafts I intend to actually publish some day (namely two entire Fugue chapters, the beginning of a third one, and Cadenza, a fic that will get written eventually). It doesn’t include the scribbles that may or may not turn into something, or the discarded scenes that got rewritten. This number is probably MUCH higher, but I’m not doing that math.

Grand Total of Words: 150,250. I’m very happy with that. It felt like less.

Fandoms: Mass Effect. It is the only fandom I write for. I’m a one trick pony.

Highest Everything (raw kudos, hits, comments): Of fic published this year, Cantata reigns supreme in every category, even though a big hunk of it was earned in 2021. But the comments on the final chapter alone, which is definitely 2022, are mind blowing to me. Nothing I write will ever match the top kudosed stories in the Ao3 mshenko tag, but I’m floored at how much engagement Opus gets. I’ll take that over any metric.   

Highest Kudos to Hits Ratio: I think it’s Hearstoppers Beyond the Veil. Which I find delightful. It’s such a silly, sweet fic.

New Things I Tried: Sam’s POV is off-limits in Opus, but I have some future scenes that I’m going to need in which he’s my only POV option unless I get creative. So I’ve gotten creative, and am doodling some things in 2nd person to see if I can get what I need while still filtering Sam through the eyes of someone else (in this case, a more omniscient narrator Sam is unaware of). I am pleased with the results so far enough to keep working at it.

Fic I Spent The Most Time On: Fugue. Every single chapter of Fugue feels like a dogfight. It’s such a difficult and complex story to navigate on every level. The story as a whole obviously has been the biggest time investment this year, but each individual chapter is like climbing a mountain.

Fic I Spent The Least Time On: Yours, which is a first kiss AU. It’s a fairly simple story, but it fell out of my head and onto the page with very little prompting from me, and I love it to pieces.  

Favorite Thing I Wrote: It’s hard not to say Cantata or Fugue, but of the one-shots, I’ll give it to Space Talk because I got to make a cow-tipping joke and connect it to Arcturus.

Favorite Thing I Read: This is a very non-inclusive list. Sunset and Evening Star by @shadesofmauve, Trikalon by @dandenbo, Far From Comfortable by @screwyouflightlieutenant, Alke by @mallaidhsomo, red sky at morning by @shadoedseptmbr, we’ll dance this fading life away by @tiltingheartand, Eric and Stella's Cabo Adventure, by @writes-in-space, Friend of a Friend by @otemporanerys, in the deep dark by @urrone

Writing Goals for 2023: Finish Fugue (I am so close I can taste it) and (after a decent break), start Mezzo, Opus’ ME2 story.

New Works: Heartstoppers from Beyond the Veil, Space Talk, Concerto, Warm With You, Yours.  

Tagging (no pressure!) @baejax-the-great, @mallaidhsomo, @screwyouflightlieutenant, @shadesofmauve. Hell, if I tagged you anywhere in this post, consider yourself tagged. And anyone who wants to feel proud of what they did this year? Do it and tag me back so I can cheerlead you.

BE PROUD OF YOUR WORK. If you didn't post anything? Be proud of what you wrote for yourself. Didn't write much? Be proud of your daydreams and ideas and OCs that rotate in your head like a rotisserie chicken. It's ALL worth celebrating. Tell me about it and I'll celebrate with you!

[gemsofgreece]

not directly a question to you but maybe your followers since idk anyone I could ask (or also you, if you can answer it) :

I was talking to a guy from England and mentioned that I'd like to climb mount Olympus one day and he was all shocked like "mount Olympus actually exists??" 😳 I was speechless. isn't that like common knowledge, at least here in European countries?? did anyone have had similar experiences w foreigners?? I mean I grew up and live in germany and so far everyone seemed to know at least that this mountain exists and isn't just a mythological place. isn't it the same in the uk or other countries? I understand if someone from Asia or south america wouldn't know.. but Europe? UK?? their ancestors literally took our marbles and display them in their museums.. idk I'm still startled.

A year or so ago, Giannis Antetokounmpo did a collaboration with NIKE for his shoes and they filmed an ad spot on a peak of Olympus, insinuating that Giannis is a Greek God, he made it to the top etc. The spot was mentioning that the filming was taking place in Olympus first thing.

I would say about one third or one fourth of the YouTube comments at the time were from people saying they never imagined Olympus is an actual place. I believe they imagined it as something like the highest place in heaven, where only the gods live, and which is fictional like such concepts in other religions. Certainly not an actual mountain you can go to.

This reminded me of someone’s post here losing their mind over the fact that Mount Pelion - where Achilles was born - is also a real place. And they were losing it because a random foreign writer wannabe used it as a setting in a romantic fan fiction slash book about Achilles and Patroclus. Not even because it’s mentioned in the actual ancient literature or because it’s part of the ancient myth. I was irritated but didn’t want to ruin their moment. But here, I mean, girl are you surprised the writer didn’t come up with Pelion on their own - the only thing these writers come up with on their own are sex positions nobody can figure out 🤣

Anyway the reason for this is that in many places, mostly in USA and UK and lately a few East Asian countries, Greek mythology is treated as cool fiction. It is hardly treated as mythology, which is a people’s interpretation of real things - life and nature - on which they then base their spiritual beliefs. Imagine like a cool old fantasy book. That’s all. They wouldn’t believe how many mythological places mentioned or the ones in the Homeric Epics are actual places you can visit. Most of them are, in fact.

Germans actually are some of the most interested or knowledgeable people when it comes to anything Greek (mostly ancient of course). I am generalising a lot but who knows, perhaps that’s why you didn’t have such an experience there.

Having said that, many people know of Olympus’ existence. An average of 10,000 people climb the mountain annually (although most stop in the third peak because the taller ones are a pain in the ass).

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Pico da Neblina: A sacred peak off-limits for decades

Nearly 20 years ago, Brazil banned access to its highest mountain. Now, a new initiative could show how ecotourism can protect the Amazon rainforest from environmental threats.

T

he hekuras (shamans) gathered outside the wooden house where I sat cross-legged on the floor alongside 10 hikers and 20 locals who would accompany them on a climb to the top of Brazil's highest mountain. Wearing nothing but denim shorts and a plume of feathers strapped to their arms, the hekuras were there to perform a ritual that would protect the hikers, porters and guides and ensure they made it back safely.

They sniffed hard, inhaling pariká, a hallucinogenic powder made of Amazonian barks and plants. Minutes later – after retching and gagging – they were bright-eyed and alert, moving among the crowd, waving their arms wildly, deep in conversation with beings that I, for one, was not able to see.

I had travelled with the hikers on a two-day journey via plane, 4X4 and speed boat from the Amazonas state capital of Manaus to Maturacá, a group of seven villages deep in the northern reaches of the Brazilian Amazon that is home to around 3,000 Yanomami indigenous people. I was there to hear firsthand from the Yanomami about an ecotourism project they launched this year to take hikers to the top of Pico da Neblina – a mountain they hold as sacred, and which sits within their federally protected territory (Pico da Neblina is also the name of the national park within which the mountain is located).

The group I was with was anxious to get started after months of preparation. But no-one was allowed to leave Maturacá for the eight-day hike without first being granted the hekuras' protection.

"These mountains are sacred, they're the home of spirits – bad spirits and good spirits," explained José Mario Pereira Goes, president of AYRCA, the Yanomami association set up to run the ecotourism project. "[Those] who practice traditional medicine, they know who the spirits are, and have to protect the people that go there. The spirits can take away the soul of a person and that person dies. You think that [Pico da Neblina] is simply a mountain, but not for them."

The protective ritual I'd witnessed in Maturacá "closes off" the visitors' minds and bodies to any interference from spirits on the mountain, Pereira Goes added.

The opening of Pico da Neblina to tourists marks the end of a nearly 20-year wait for some hikers, after the Brazilian government banned access to the mountain back in 2003 due to the high numbers of visitors, some of whom left rubbish behind. Under the new visitation plan, the Yanomami will be able to generate income from tourism to help resist the lure of damaging yet lucrative gold mining by members of their own community, as well as outside miners. If successful, it will help support local communities and could be an example of how carefully managed ecotourism can help protect the Amazon from outside groups looking to exploit the land.

Continue reading.

[mickgaydolenz]

sooooo heres my dream :) I had two

I was running around my neighborhood because I wanted to be in the marathon that was going on even though it was like. three people me not included. and each time I'd get close to them was when they'd stop for water and I always used that time to catch my breath but then they'd be gone, so instead of following them I decided to just go to the finish line and see them there, which was a school, and I think to myself once I get there, "oh I wanna check the school out" aaand end up on like, the highest floor and looked out the window at the finish line but didn't see them so I kept looking around, and then I decided I wanted to crawl under one of the beds and out the other side for fun, but when I did that a ZOMBIE came under also and started attacking me???? so as quickly as I could while under a bed I crawled away but the thing grabbed my ankle so I smashed its head in with my foot😭 then ran to a window and called down to the people who were watching the finish line and asked them if they were back yet and they said no, so I ran down and began looking for them because if there were zombies I don't want these guys to get eaten. and eventually I find them and one of the guys is kinda sorta infected he's like, still him, but now trying to eat us, except ME for some reason, he like, said into his watch "take Raya home, and, give her a nice hairstyle." and stuff??? and then a helicopter came above me and began taking me while he ate these teenagers??? then I woke up

then I had ANOTHER dream because I am sick at the moment, and I sleep a lot (for reasons)

I was out in this field which had to do with work, but we were all concerned because everything was dying, so we wandered around and found the EXTREMELY steep mountain, like no joke it wasn't even climb-able, BUT we could smash our hands through it and use that as a way to climb up, and when we did we realized it was like, a dam made of ice holding a volcano, and it was melting, so everybody else stayed trying to fix it and my boss and I left to go and try and warn people but nobody listened and we just ended up sitting at a restaurant talking about how we were going to fix this, then a lady turned around and yelled at my boss because she didn't understand what we were talking about, and I was so angry and stressed out that I just got up and yelled at her "don't spit that shit at my boss or I'll kick your fcking ass! turn and face the window!" then. I...slid her chair to face the window. which was weird. and then from across the restaurant I see a gang come over and Gerard Way was in it (@rollingthunderevue thanks a lot RORY you've exposed me to mcr) and they came over, grabbed me by the shoulders and took me to the other room and beat the fuck out of me. as you know I feel things in my dreams which can be fun but not when you're getting pulverized, and eventually they sent me to my table with my boss again and another girl was sitting there who looked a little cray by stereotype, she had the big scary eyes and messy hair, and she kept giggling about how much money she had, and I had to sit next to her so I asked her about her money and stuff so she pulled out a single dollar bill and held it over her eye like and eye patch and giggled, then handed it to me. fcking Michael Nesmith was on the bill. instead of a president. it was Michael. I turned around, the other side was Michael too, he was doing the splits and smiling, then I asked her how tf she got this and she just laughed some more and put it against MY eye like an eye patch and I told her that Mike couldn't even do the splits???? then this girl who was a part of the gang and around my age sat at our table and began doing things, all the while she kept trying to take my things, and each time I would slowly pull something away so she wouldn't take it she'd just laugh and go "that's right, dog! take your little thingies now, hun." and then my other coworker came in to give us the rundown on everything and how they were fixing it, then asked me why I had a black eye and busted lip which in return I just told him to go back and keep fixing it, then I woke up and a giant creepy American girl doll was by my head which made me yelp but at least I was away from evil MCR gang

raya what in the actual fuck 😂!?!?!? those are both FEVER DREAMS!!! the standout moment (other than maybe zombies and an ice cover volcano) was fucking CHAPSTICK DOING THE SPLITS ON A DOLLAR BILL!??????!??!?

[whatsabriard]

Watch With Me: The Skipped Episodes

1x22 - Death Set

Jonathan: Darling why don't you slide over and you drive tonight. Jennifer: Oh, alright. Jonathan: Because it'll give me a chance to look at you. Jennifer: Oh Jonathan. Jonathan: And you know how much I love to look at you. And I can kiss you. Have my arms around you. Jennifer: Oh I see. Jonathan: And touch your eyes. Jennifer: Ah Jonathan I wish you'd told me before we left the house. We could have avoided such a delay. Jonathan: I'd climb the highest mountains, cross the widest spaces, just to hold you in my arms. Jennifer: Awww.