#RO: Kazuo

[unshackled-if]

I feel shy asking this but how would the RO's react when mc is like very close to the RO's face and like there's like a tension as the RO's maybe expecting a kiss but the mc kiss them in the forehead and mc smile cheeky "Mhmm? We're you expecting a kiss?" Mc is like teasing them(It's alright if you don't wanna answer this :3 )

this ask made me giggle and kick my feet in cuteness. 🥺💗💗

Aurelian:

Aurelian's face brightened with a gentle smile as he leaned in towards MC, never breaking eye contact. There was an undeniable connection between them, a spark that seemed to fill the air.

Drawing closer, their noses almost touching, Aurelian's smile widened as he closed his eyes, anticipating what would happen next. The anticipation hung in the air, thick with a mixture of excitement and curiosity.

But what came next was something different, something unexpected. Instead of a lingering kiss on the lips, MC planted a soft, delicate kiss on Aurelian's forehead.

His eyes fluttered open in surprise, a mix of confusion and delight crossing his features. The touch was tender and affectionate, but not what he had anticipated.

"Wait, were you expecting something else?" teased MC, mischief twinkling in their eyes. Aurelian felt his heart skip a beat, caught off guard by the playful twist.

Blushing, he looked away, a hand instinctively rising to cover his mouth, his ears turning a deeper shade of red with each passing second. The unexpected gesture had left him momentarily speechless, his mind racing to find a response.

"You and your tricks..." Aurelian finally managed to utter, his voice carrying a mix of surprise and fondness. The room filled with the sweet sound of MC's laughter, their joy infectious.

Aurelian couldn't help but join in, his embarrassment fading into a warm, lighthearted moment between them.

Elara:

Elara had been eagerly waiting for this moment. She had meticulously planned a date with MC, taking them to her cherished spot in the forest by the river. The setting was perfect, with sunlight filtering through the leaves, casting a soft, ethereal glow on the surroundings. Every detail had been carefully noted to ensure perfection, from the picnic blanket adorned with wildflowers to the basket filled with their favorite treats.

As MC leaned their head on Elara's shoulder, her heart fluttered with excitement. The gentle breeze rustled through the trees, carrying a sense of serenity and anticipation.

Suddenly, she heard MC's voice calling her name, and she turned to see their face drawing nearer, adorned with a beaming smile. A wave of warmth enveloped her as she instinctively moved closer, her lips parting ever so slightly, ready for a tender kiss.

However, instead of their lips meeting hers, she felt a feather-light brush of their lips against her forehead. Surprise washed over her, and she couldn't help but hold her forehead, her mouth agape.

"What? Were you expecting something else, silly?" MC playfully tilted their head, their smile radiating affection.

Elara blinked, processing the unexpected gesture, her mind caught between the initial anticipation and the sweetness of the moment. She couldn't help but chuckle, a soft, joyous sound escaping her lips.

"Yes... but it was the sweetest surprise," Elara finally responded, her own smile brimming with warmth and happiness.

Kazuo:

Kazuo perked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. As he turned around, still in the midst of polishing his sword, his eyes lit up with delight. It was MC, and they had come to find him.

The weariness etched to their face didn’t go unnoticed by Kazuo. Setting aside his sword, he noticed MC rubbing their neck while letting out a weary sigh. It was clear they had just completed a difficult mission.

Filled with concern, Kazuo patted the chair in front of him, silently inviting MC to take a seat and rest their body.

"Here, this will help," he said, rising from his own seat and beginning to knead MC's back with skilled hands. As MC winced in pain, they called out to Kazuo, beckoning him to come closer.

Kazuo leaned in, expecting a sweet kiss. To his surprise, MC planted a gentle peck on his forehead, their lips barely grazing his skin. The unexpected gesture caught him off guard, and he blinked in astonishment.

"Haha! You were expecting something else—Ouch!" MC playfully teased, their voice turning into a yelp of surprise as Kazuo tightened his grip on their shoulder.

"Stay still..." Kazuo closed his eyes, continuing the massage, his face showing a subtle blush. MC rolled their eyes in adoration.

Aiden/Ava:

"You better run, or I'm going to gobble you up!" A exclaimed, their hands raised like a playful monster, sprinting towards one of the nearby children who burst into laughter. A began tickling the child, accompanied by silly eating noises as if they had devoured their small friend.

Amidst the cheerful chaos, A heard a familiar chuckle behind them. They paused, turning around swiftly, their face lighting up with joy. MC stood there, a sight that never failed to elicit a beaming smile from A. The distance between them seemed to shrink as MC crouched down, meeting A's gaze.

As MC leaned closer, their lips gently brushed against A's forehead, surprising them with a tender kiss. "You were expecting something else, weren't you?" MC playfully teased, a mischievous grin adorning their face.

However, MC's playful moment abruptly shifted to astonishment as A enveloped them in a warm bear hug, holding them tightly. "I love you! I love you! I love you so much!" A exclaimed, peppering MC's face with affectionate kisses. MC blushed, their face glowing with warmth, not anticipating this burst of adoration.

"Okay! Okay! Stoppp—" MC managed to utter amidst laughter.

SC:

MC had a plan, determined to finally catch SC off guard after all this time of being the one teased and tricked. Nodding to themselves, MC called out for SC, repeating their name several times, but there was no sign of them.

Concern began to creep into MC's mind as they searched every nook and cranny, their anxiety growing. Suddenly, a voice sent a shiver down their spine. "Boo..." SC seductively whispered in MC's ear.

Startled, MC swiftly turned around, their eyebrows furrowing. Standing just inches away was SC, their laughter filling the air as they held their stomach, wiping tears of amusement from their eyes.

"Oh, sweet MC, I'll never tire of teasing you." Frustration welled up within MC, and without hesitation, they grabbed SC, pulling them closer with force.

SC's eyes widened in surprise, but they quickly regained their composure. "A kiss? Hmm..." SC slyly smiled, expecting something more.

However, to their surprise, MC countered with a swift kiss on the forehead. "You were expecting something else? Who's laughing now?" MC smirked, a sense of pride evident in their achievement.

SC chuckled, shaking their head in amusement. “ My dear MC, we’re just getting started. Let the game truly begin.”

Their response left MC slightly sweating in regret.

[unshackled-if]

STOPPP When I tell you I gasped when I saw this 😭 I love everything about this!! Thank you so much it looks absolutely amazing!!

You can’t create a ronin werewolf with past trauma and expect me to not draw him lol.

This is my scribble for Kazuo from the @unshackled-if

Really looking forward of meeting him in the story!

(I took some liberty at drawing his hair and scars.)

[tamsudoiceo]

"Hãy coi nó như phần thưởng thêm"

Lev Tolstoy từng viết: "Mọi gia đình hạnh phúc đều trông giống nhau, nhưng những gia đình bất hạnh lại bất hạnh theo những cách khác nhau". Đây ko hẳn là câu chuyện về hạnh phúc gia đình, mà gần như là 1 triết lý nhìn nhận sự việc trong cuộc sống, trong đó có công việc kinh doanh. Các doanh nghiệp khởi sự theo nhiều cách khác nhau, vận động khác nhau, và thành bại cũng khác nhau. Và nhìn vào các doanh nghiệp thành công bền vững lâu dài, đâu đó ta thấy rất nhiều ĐIỂM CHUNG. Bài viết này dành cho 1 trong các điểm chung đó.

"Hãy múa võ ở giữa võ đài"

Quyết định khởi nghiệp đã khó, đưa doanh nghiệp từ 0 đến 1 còn khó gấp bội. Trong quá trình đi từ 0 đến 1, bạn hãy quên nội dung bài viết này đi, bởi khi ấy một "nhân tố mới" (chính là DN của chúng ta) để khách hàng, thị trường đón nhận và ủng hộ thì cần rất nhiều sự độc đáo, sự gắng sức, sự hồi hộp lo lắng, sự đánh liều,... không chỉ của riêng bạn (CEO) mà của cả đội ngũ đi cùng nữa (Đấy chính là lý do vì sao những người founder hay tham gia từ những ngày đầu là những ng được trọng thưởng nhiều nhất!). Nhưng sau khi đã lên 1 rồi, bạn sẽ đứng trước 2 sự lựa chọn: dẫn dắt DN đi tới mục tiêu 10 hay 100. Nghe thì hơi kỳ, bởi nếu chỉ có 2 số mục tiêu ấy thì đương nhiên là chọn 100 rồi??! Nhưng thực tế ko dễ như vậy, vì thực ra ko có ai xuất hiện đặt câu hỏi để bạn chọn cả, mà chẳng qua đây là lúc bạn phải chọn để rẽ vào 1 trong 2 con đường liên quan tới cách vận hành doanh nghiệp: tiếp tục đi trên dây hay hướng dần về phía giữa võ đài.

Đi trên dây, hay chính là chính bạn và DN của bạn trong giai đoạn đi từ 0 tới 1 đó, là all-in mọi thứ và đánh liều với tất cả. Còn đi về giữa võ đài là sao? Đây là hình ảnh ẩn dụ mượn lời từ huyền thoại kinh doanh Nhật Bản Inamori Kazuo: "Hãy múa võ ở giữa võ đài!" ("võ đài" ở đây là sàn đấu môn Sumo nhé, nó không có dây chăng như ở võ đài quyền anh đâu, rất dễ ngã!) Hiểu đơn giản là hãy chiến đấu ở nơi rộng rãi, nhiều đất, tránh khỏi rủi ro "trượt chân" bất chợt.

Liên hệ trực tiếp tới hoạt động kinh doanh, thì áp dụng đầu tiên đó là việc tránh đặt mình vào các tình thế đặt cược all-in có thể nguy hại tới sự tồn vong của doanh nghiệp trong nháy mắt, kể cả khi rủi ro đánh giá là "thấp". Giả dụ khi ta đi vay nợ số tiền quá lớn để đầu tư vào 1 dự án với kỳ vọng đem lại bước tiến đột phá về lợi thế cạnh tranh. Hay như câu chuyện của ngài Arakawa - cựu CEO Bridge Stone toàn cầu, khi ông thấy nhiều doanh nghiệp thả nổi các khoản vay ngoại tệ (ko bảo hiểm tỷ giá) khi đầu tư nhà máy tại nước ngoài... Những cuộc "tất tay" này có thể thoát 1 lần, 2 lần, nhưng những rủi ro Thiên Nga Đen thì thường nhiều hơn những gì bạn nghĩ (thế mới gọi là Thiên Nga Đen!). Bạn hãy có những tầm nhìn và quyết định đột phá, nhưng hãy kiểm soát, chế ngự rủi ro bằng cách khống chế tổn thất nếu chẳng may bạn trượt chân trên dây. Nhưng quan điểm này có thể hiểu rộng ra hơn nữa.

"Hãy coi nó như phần thưởng thêm"

Mở ra và vận hành các DN nhỏ, chúng ta thường dễ bị rơi vào cảnh "mong manh". Cái đó là điều dễ hiểu. Nhưng kể cả khi đã đưa DN đi lên bước "tương đối ổn định" rồi, cái tâm lý Kinh doanh Mong manh đó vẫn cứ đeo bám, chi phối hành động của chúng ta. Đây chính là lý do khi nhiều doanh nghiệp đi từ 0 lên 1 rồi xong mãi cũng chỉ dừng ở 2,3, cùng lắm là 5x. Con đường lên 10x, rồi 100x sao mãi cứ thấy "như là giấc mơ" vậy. Bạn đâu biết rằng 1 trong những yếu tố cản trở chính là tư duy Kinh doanh Mong manh kia.

Hãy tưởng tượng, khi DN còn mới, thì để huy động sỹ khí, bạn phải dựa (gần như hoàn toàn) vào yếu tố uy tín cá nhân, hô hào tinh thần, và những lời hứa hẹn... Rất may là đa phần anh em cùng nghe mình và đồng cam cộng khổ. Nhưng vẫn cứ bài ấy, bạn khó lòng tập hợp được đủ những người tài cần thiết. Chưa kể ae thời kỳ đầu cũng ko thể nào cam chịu mãi được.

Hoặc về sức làm việc. Hồi đầu thì mọi người đều máu lửa, làm việc quên ngày đêm, coi đó là bình thường và chẳng ai đòi quyền lợi. Nhưng sau này bạn thấy chỉ có 1 số ít cán bộ còn tinh thần đó, trong khi rất nhiều người làm ở mức (bạn cho là) "vừa phải". Bạn thấy như thế này thì công ty "làm sao mà sống được!"

Về hạch toán tài chính cũng vậy. Giai đoạn đầu sản phẩm chưa được đón nhận, doanh số chưa nhiều, dẫn tới lợi nhuận rất hạn chế. Phản xạ chung của DN nhỏ VN (thậm chí cả DN trung, rồi lớn) là chơi bài 2 sổ, nôm na là khai man để đỡ nộp thuế. Thậm chí có nơi ko chơi bài này thì cũng ko còn gì (!)...

Bạn đã từng "nhờ vào" những điều này để công ty tồn tại tới ngày hôm nay, nhưng liệu đây có phải là những Điều kiện để vận hành 1 DN hay ko?

Nếu nó vẫn là Điều kiện cần, dù trong thực tế hay trong Tư duy, thì có lẽ con đường Trưởng thành của DN bạn vẫn c��n xa đó..

Tokyo, T2/2022.

[olmazsa-com]

Japon Erkek Kedi İsimleri EN GÜZEL

Japon Erkek Kedi İsimleri bir listesini ve bu  eşleştirmek için anlamlarını derledik - ancak kediniz hangi listeden seçtiğinizi umursamayacaktır. Ayrıca, kedinize en uygun ismi bulmanız için isimleri kişilik ve görünüşlerine göre sınıflandırdık. Okumaya devam edelim ve isim listemize aşağıdan Göz Atalım İsim Listesine Hemen Git Kediniz için neden bir Japonca isim seçmelisiniz? Japon dili üç farklı alfabe ile yazılabilir . Bunlardan ikisi, hiragana ve katakana, hecelerdir. Üçüncüsü, kanji, logografiktir: her işaretin kendi anlamı vardır ve bu nedenle Batı alfabelerinde olmayan görsel bir boyuta sahiptir. Japonca isimler çok çeşitlidir, çünkü aynı kanji farklı şekillerde okunabilir ve farklı kanjiler aynı şekilde okunabilir . Hecelemeyi seçtiğiniz kanjiye bağlı olarak Ki, örneğin "ağaç", "parlaklık" veya "değerli" anlamına gelebilir. Japonca'da, ad öğeleri bir araya getirilerek kolayca yeni adlar oluşturulabilir . Genel olarak, - shi , - ro , - o veya - ta ile biten veya dai , ichi , ji veya kazu öğelerini içeren Japonca isimler erkektir. Japonca isimlerin telaffuzu kolay net sesleri ve heceleri vardır, bu nedenle kediniz onları aradığınızda kolayca öğrenecektir. Japon isimleri, herhangi bir cins için mükemmel bir seçimdir, ancak özellikle o ülkede ilk kez yetiştirilen Japon Bobtail ve Kurilian Bobtail için . Kişiliğe bağlı olarak Japon Erkek Kedi İsimleri - Akio: Parlak adam veya kahraman - Akira: Parlak - Daisuke: Büyük yardım - Haruka: Uzak - Haruto: Uzaklaş - Hayate: Ani - Hibiki: Yankı - Hideaki: Mükemmel ve parlak - Hideyoshi: Mükemmel ve erdemli - Hiko: Prens - Hiraku: Destek - Hiroşi: Cömert - Isamu: Cesur - Katashi: Sıkı - Katsu: Zafer - Katsuo: Muzaffer kahraman - Kazuki: Barış ve umut - Kazuo: Barış adamı - Ken'ichi: Çalışkan olan - Kenshin: Mütevazı güven - Kiyoshi: Saf - Makoto: Dürüstlük - Masaru: Zafer - Naomi: Düz benlik - Noboru: Yükselen - Nobu: Uzun süreli güven - Osamu: Disiplin - Rin: Onurlu - Ryou: Havalı - Ryouichi: Birini temizle - Ryuunosuke: Asil haberci - Shin: Hakiki - Shinobu: Dayanıkl��lık - Shou: Ödül - Susumu: İlerleme kaydet - Takashi: Evlada dindarlık, asil, onur - Takeshi: Askeri - Takumi: Becerikli - Yasu: Huzurlu - Yoshi: İyi şanslar - Yuu: Cesur, nazik, üstün - Yuudai: Büyük kahraman Ayrıca ilginizi çekebilir: Kedi İsimleri En Güzel **2022 En Sevimli Kedi İsimleri Görünüşe göre Japon Erkek Kedi İsimleri - Aoi: Yeşil veya mavi - Ayumu: Yürüyen rüya - cj - Dai: Büyük, harika - Daiki: Büyük ağaç - Haruki: Güneşin parlaklığı - haya: şahin - Hikaru: Parlaklık, ışık - Hideki: Mükemmel ağaç - Hiroto: Büyük planör - Kaede: Akçaağaç - Kaito: Yükselen okyanus - Kaoru: Kokulu - Ken: Güçlü - Kenta: Büyük ve güçlü - Kohaku: Amber - Kuro: Siyah - Kurumi: Ceviz - Kyou: Kayısı - Maru: Daire - Mikan: Mandalina portakalı - Miruku: Süt - Momo: Şeftali - Ryuu: Ejderha - Shiori: Kıvrılma, bükülme - Shiro: Beyaz - Shouhei: Huzurlu planör - Shun: Hızlı - Taichi: Büyük olan - Tama: Top - Al: Bambu - Tora: Kaplan - Tsubasa: Kanat - Yuki: Kar Erkek kediler için diğer Japonca isimler - Aiko: Sevgili - Aki: Sonbahar - Ayame: İris - Gorou: Beşinci oğul - Haru: Bahar, açık hava - Hinata: Güneşli yer - Ichirou: İlk oğul - Itsuki: Ağaç - Jiji: Kiki'nin Teslimat Servisinden Kedi - Jirou: İkinci oğul - Kotetsu: Küçük demir - Michi: Yol - Minoru: Meyve veren - Minto: Nane - Natsu: Yaz - Nori: Tören - Ren: Lotus - Riku: Arazi - Saburou: Beşinci oğul - Shirou: Dördüncü oğul - sora: gökyüzü - Takara: Hazine Erkek kediniz için mükemmel Japonca ismi buldunuz mu? Hangisi olduğunu bize yorumlar bölümünde söyleyebilirsiniz Read the full article

[creativinn]

Kazuo Oga Background Art Exhibition - Halcyon Realms - Art Book Reviews - Anime, Manga, Film, Photography

Posted By yonghow on July 23rd, 2007

One of the perks of living in a big metropolis like Tokyo must be the wide and wonderful choice of art exhibitions. Over my 3 years of stay here I have been fortuitous enough to attend some truly breathtaking ones like Mucha and Pixar’s 20 Years of Animation, certainly not exhibitions that strut by your house everyday.

Kazuo Oga’s exhibition at the Tokyo Museum of Comtemporary Art, which I visited with Ros yesterday, is the latest addition to that fine list.

Kazuo Oga, as the exhibition poster succinctly states, is “The guy who painted Totoro’s forest.” – a formidable credit to any background artist’s name; only he is much, much more. Kazuo-san has been involved in most of Miyazaki’s best works like Kiki’s Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle and my personal favourite Princess Mononoke. Now that’s only the short list. This exhibtion is the first ( and probably the only ) time that one can get to view Kazuo-san’s entire body of background illustration works, both Ghibli and personal, numbering about 600 pieces in all.

Kazuo-san’s background art is the soul to every successful Ghibli animation film. Words can do little justice to the sublime beauty of his work, and no, its not quite the same as looking at the pictures from any of his published artbooks – this one you really need to see the original works up-close to truly appreciate their technical and aesthestic brilliance, right down to every deftly applied brush-stroke.

Ghibli fan or not, if you are lucky enough to be in Japan right now, or are planning to come within the next 2 months, ( it runs till the end of September ), this is one event you simply cannot miss; it might very well turn out to be the best highlight of your entire Japan trip.

The prints you are looking at are some samples from the special collectible book released only for this exhibition, containing all of the 600 pieces on display. No photography is allowed within the artwork gallery section, so these prints are the next best thing I can show.

Availability of book – You can purchase a copy from Amazon Japan.

I also highly recommend the “making of” dvd/blu-ray documentary from Amazon Japan, which contains digital scans of all 600+ pieces of Kazuo Oga’s works shown at the exhibition – Read my review of the dvd on this post.

You might also be interested in these items :

This content was originally published here.

[dragoneyes613]

1. Pride and prejudice - Jane Austen

2. Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien

3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë

4. Harry Potter series

5. To kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

6. Some parts of The Bible

7. Wuthering heights - Emily Brontë

8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell

9. His dark material - Philip Pullman

*10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens 

11. Little Women - Louisa M. Alcott

*12. Tess of the d'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy 

*13. I got about halfway through Catch 22 - Joseph Heller 

14. Complete works of Shakespeare

15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier 

16. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien 

17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks

18. Catcher in the Rye

19. The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffeneger

*20. Middlemarch - George Eliot (*TBR)

21. Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell

22. The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

*23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens 

24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy

25. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams (five out of six books)

26. Brideshead revisited - Evelyn Waugh

27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky

28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens

33. Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis

34. Emma - Jane Austen

35. Persuasion - Jane Austen

**36. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis 

37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

38. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis de Bernieres

39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne

41. Animal Farm - George Orwell

42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving

45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery (the entire series!)

*47. Far from the Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy 

48. The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood

49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding

50. Atonement - Ian McEwan

51. Life of Pi - Yan Martel

*52. Dune - Frank Herbert (*TBR)

53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

***57. A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens 

58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley 

59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night -time - Mark Haddon

60. Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov

63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt

64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

*65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas 

66. On the Road - Jack Kerouac

67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

68. Bridget Jones’ Diary - Helen Fielding

69. Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie

70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville (DNF)

71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

72. Dracula - Bram Stoker

73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

74. Notes from a Small Island - Bill Bryson

75. Ulysses - James Joyce

76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome

78. Germinal - Emile Zola

79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray

80. Possession - AS Byatt

81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

83. The Colour Purple - Alice Walker (TBR)

84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro (TBR)

85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

87. Charlotte’s Web - EB White

88. The Five People You meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom

89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton

91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery

93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks

94. Watership Down - Richard Adams

95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole

96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute

*97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas (*TBR)

98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare (I read it translated into Modern English, does that count?)

99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

***100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

The BBC estimates that most people will only read 6 books out of the 100 listed below. Reblog this and bold the titles you’ve read.

1. Pride and prejudice - Jane Austen

2. Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien

3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë

4. Harry Potter series

5. To kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

6. The Bible

7. Wuthering heights - Emily Brontë (TBR)

8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell

9. His dark material - Philip Pullman

10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens

11. Little Women - Louisa M. Alcott

12. Tess of the d'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller (DNF)

14. Complete works of Shakespeare (TBR)

15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier

16. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien

17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks

18. Catcher in the Rye

19. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffeneger

20. Middlemarch - George Eliot

21. Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell

22. The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens

24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy

25. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

26. Brideshead revisited - Evelyn Waugh

27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky

28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens

33. Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis

34. Emma - Jane Austen

35. Persuasion - Jane Austen

36. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis

37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis de Bernieres

39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne

41. Animal Farm - George Orwell

42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown (DNF)

43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving

45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery

47. Far from the Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy (TBR)

48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding (TBR)

50. Atonement - Ian McEwan

51. Life of Pi - Yan Martel

52. Dune - Frank Herbert

53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

57. A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens (DNF)

58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley (TBR)

59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night -time - Mark Haddon

60. Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov

63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt (TBR)

64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas (DNF)

66. On the Road - Jack Kerouac

67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

68. Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding

69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie

70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville (DNF)

71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

72. Dracula - Bram Stoker

73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

74. Notes from a Small Island - Bill Bryson

75. Ulysses - James Joyce

76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome

78. Germinal - Emile Zola

79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray

80. Possession - AS Byatt

81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

83. The Colour Purple - Alice Walker (TBR)

84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro (TBR)

85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

87. Charlotte's Web - EB White

88. The Five People You meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom

89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton

91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad (TBR)

92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery

93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks

94. Watership Down - Richard Adams

95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole

96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute

97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas

98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare

99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo (DNF)

[kohakuhime]

The Reluctant Guardian, ch. 16

Hi guys! Here I be with another update~! I wanted to take the time and thank those following this story for leaving comments or liking/reblogging - you guys are awesome~! Also, special thanks to @mpuzzlegirl for help with this update!

Disclaimer: this takes place post canon, and this refers to events that take place in an alternate verse. Michael, Carmon, and Isabel belongs to @mpuzzlegirl​; Rowen, Sylvie, Ellie and the twins belong to me; and YGO and its associated characters belong to Kazuki Takahashi.

Michael could not help but feel a good degree of satisfaction at the surprise on Dartz’s face when he stepped through the front door, just as the sun started going down. He had clearly not been expecting them to actually have the television up and running when he returned, and yet when Dartz entered the house it was to find Sylvie placidly watching Bambi on what Sora had cheerfully dubbed the “frankenvision”.

“Do I need to worry about fires?” he asked, tipping his head at the haphazard wiring sticking from the back of the television.

“The twins gave it their seal of approval,” said Michael. He saw the skepticism on the man’s face and frowned, feeling defensive of his cousins. “Look, they don’t care if their inventions blow up in their faces, but they won’t endanger anyone else with what they put together.”

“Fair enough.” He looked around and raised an eyebrow. “Where are the rest of you?”

“After Sora and Claire finished the television they got bored. Rowen got them to wash the sheets for our beds, but the dryer’s rubbish and the twins nearly blew it up trying to fix it.” Michael pointed outside to where he could see Rowen directing the twins in stringing up clothes lines and hanging up the sheets.

“Ah.” A pause. “Rowen seems to take charge of them quite frequently.”

“Uncle Valon and Aunt Serenity both had to work once Aunt Serenity was off maternity leave, so Uncle Raph or my dad offered to watch them during the day. By extension Rowen also’s kept an eye on them over the years, so just by default—“

“They listen to him,” Dartz finished, rich amusement in his voice. “I take it he doesn’t realize he has that amount of influence.”

“It wouldn’t occur to him, no. Between that and looking after Sylvie, he just naturally takes over as,” Michael replied.

Dartz did not say anything right away. “Older siblings tend to watch after those smaller and younger than them, don’t they,” he said at last, and it was as if he was addressing more than one person. Michael snuck a look and noticed the faraway look in the man’s eyes.

Sylvie looked over in that moment and jumped. “Oh! Mister Dartz! You’re back!”

Dartz started, coming out of his thoughts to look down at the little girl. “Yes,” he said warily. “I’ve returned.”

“Did you want to watch this movie too? I’m sorry, I can start it over for you!” said Sylvie, rising from her seat.

“No, child, I had only stopped by for a moment. You do not have to restart your movie on my account,” Dartz said, perhaps too quickly.

Sylvie, caught comically in mid-motion, blinked at him. “Are you sure, Mister Dartz?”

“Quite. Please, take your seat.”

Sylvie returned to her seat on the sofa, shooting furtive glances at the man standing by Michael. Dartz did not seem to notice, at least not until he looked down at Michael and said quietly, “Is something wrong with my appearance?”

Michael tried not to smile. “She’s not looking at you, Dartz. She’s looking at your hair.”

“What about it?” Dartz’s hands seemed to twitch once more to his hair.

“She wants to braid it��right, little fey?” Michael added, grinning over at the younger girl when she ducked her head. “Sylvie loves playing with long hair and she’s been eyeing yours since she saw it. Ro’s got really short hair, and Claire’s is too fluffy to really do anything with.”

There was a violent flinch and Dartz’s features went slack, a stricken expression on his face. Sylvie had not seen it, as she had been staring down at her hands when Michael had spoken—perhaps a lucky thing, as the reaction would have worried her.

By the time Sylvie looked up, however, the expression was gone and replaced by another neutral mask. “I see,” said Dartz. There was something in his voice that Michael could not fully identify. “Is that so, Sylvie?”

Sylvie hesitated, and then offered a very shy nod. “Yes sir. I don’t mean to bother, and you can say no, but you have such long hair and I’d love to braid it…oh! But only if it’s okay!” she added hastily.

Dartz eyed her for a long moment, expression unreadable, and then slowly crossed the room to hang up his cloak. Sylvie looked momentarily crestfallen, but her countenance suddenly brightened when Dartz returned to the couch, sitting in the middle beside her. “I only ask that you do not make it hard for me to brush it out later,” he said simply.

Sylvie’s eyes lit up and then she hopped off the couch. “Thank you, Mister Dartz! I have to grab a couple things, and then I’ll be right back!” she announced happily, and before they could stop her Sylvie darted outside.

“That was…unexpected,” Dartz said after a moment’s pause. “Does she normally do that?”

“Sylvie? Not really,” Michael replied, hiding a smile. He was not being entirely truthful, as he had a feeling he knew where Sylvie had gone. “She’ll be back in just a moment, though.”

His smile faded and he sobered. Dartz was alone in the house with him—here was a chance to talk to him sincerely, without worrying about being overheard. “Dartz.”

“You want to know what has been happening beyond this place.” There was not a question in his voice—Dartz had known what had been on Michael’s mind.

“Our families…are they safe?” he asked without any preamble. “Kazuo, Mikomi? Aunt Isabel and Uncle Noa?”

“Safe but restless. They want answers and none are forthcoming. The same could be said for Rowen’s family, and for the twin’s relatives.”

“Do you know who’s doing this?” Michael asked, his voice hardening. “The person who’s behind all of this? The ones who…who killed our parents?”

Dartz did not immediately answer, but his lips thinned and his eyes darkened.

“You do, don’t you?” Michael persisted. His voice rose in spite of himself. “You know who’s doing this!”

“Rowen has already told you what you need to know—“

“No, he’s told me what you want him to know!” Michael burst out. “You know more than what you’re telling us! We aren’t naïve kids, we can handle this too!”

“I am not keen on recruiting any more child soldiers,” Dartz said sternly. “What I know is that you do not need to concern yourself about that information. You are removed from the situation and so this is not your concern.”

“Not my—not my concern?” Michael snarled. “Don’t you dare tell me I have to sit idly by while my parent’s killers walk free!” Dartz started and Michael continued. “Yeah, I figured it out. That was why you were so angry that night, wasn’t it—you found out that these men were the ones killed our parents!”

Dartz remained silent, though his fists clenched.

“What are you doing about them? Why haven’t you gone to our families with that information? You know who my uncles are, you know they could expose him in an instant!”

“He made Seto Kaiba disappear from the public eye with little effort. He was able to almost successfully kidnap you in broad daylight in a crowded place. Those maneuvers are made by someone who has the power to make anything he wants happen.”

“Your point?” Michael spat.

“Do you really believe your family safer if they know who it is after them? Do you think that, knowing the ones responsible for so much tragedy in your lives, they would sit still and allow him free?”

Michael stiffened.

“If he could make Seto Kaiba and Yugi Mutou disappear—both of which are more than well-known in Domino—what makes you think them safer for knowing? If it were me in this man’s position I would squash anyone who gave so much as the slightest inclination of knowing my identity. And believe me, I have been in that position.”

“They could defend themselves better if they knew the name of the man who’s hurt our family so badly!” Michael snarled. “They could find a way to expose him and get justice for our parents, or at least be on guard against him! My uncle is a Kaiba, and while he’s not Uncle Seto he’s equally as formidable!”

“And if they have a weapon that’s greater than your uncle’s technology or his influence? Something that no one can fight on equal terms? Something…magical?” The last word was spoken in great hesitance.

Michael frowned. “Magical? This guy has magic on his side?” he asked. His stomach clenched at the thought. What kind of magic would have Dartz of all people wary? Dartz, who had lived ten thousand years with magic at his disposal, was afraid of whatever this enemy had. Dartz, who had worked with the Orichalcos—

He blanched.

The Orichalcos.

“You understand, then.” Dartz’s eyes held a grim light to them. “If I involve them, I have no way of protecting them. Even as weakened as it is, the magic holds enough potency to still do great damage.”

“It’s supposed to be gone. Aunt Isabel…Mama, Dad…they said it was gone,” Michael whispered.

“It is not. What do you think I have been doing all these years in the aftermath of my defeat?” Dartz asked, something old in his voice. “I’ve been tracking down my Orichalcum, bit by bit, and destroying it. Yet somehow, in spite of all precautions I took, this enemy has an undetermined amount of it in his possession.”

“Awful careless of you to let someone get their hands on the stuff, don’t you think?” Michael asked severely.

Dartz did not contradict him. He didn’t get the chance to—the door opened and Sylvie bounded in, arms full of wildflowers. “I’m back again, Mister Dartz! I have some flowers too!” she added brightly.

Dartz stared, his composed mask breaking as he looked at Michael for an explanation.

“Sylvie also likes weaving flowers into braids and making flower crowns,” Michael replied, smiling in spite of himself. He looked to the younger girl and rose to his feet. “Sylvie, I’m gonna go help Rowen outside. We can finish Bambi later—I think you’ll be busy anyways.”

The little girl nodded and skipped over to Dartz, who was watching her warily. Michael wondered why a ten thousand year old king and former cult leader would be so intimidated by a little girl, but he pushed the thought away and stepped outside. Sylvie would be fine by herself, he determined—she would be too preoccupied by Dartz’s hair to remember her shyness.

Sora and Claire were currently in the tree above Rowen, happily swinging through the branches and leaving Rowen on the ground to finish hanging linens. Perfect for the conversation he needed to have—the twins didn’t know about the Orichalcos.

“Oh! Hey Michael!” Rowen looked over as Michael came down the stairs. The smile on his older cousin’s face faded at the expression on the other boy’s face. “Something wrong?”

“A minute?” Michael’s voice was grim. “Alone.”

Rowen nodded, glancing up at the tree before coming forward to meet Michael at the base of the stairs. He listened grimly as Michael relayed in a low voice what Dartz had told him, but he did not look surprised. When Michael finished speaking, the older boy folded his arms and sighed.

“Did he tell you?” Michael said quietly.

“No, but I suspected,” Rowen said flatly. He did not sound particularly pleased at admitting this. “Dartz made a comment a couple days back about having limited magic to shield us, and even as advanced as tech is these days it wouldn’t warrant something like this. Given our family history, there’s really only one magical force that would warrant so many precautions being taken.”

“Rowen—“

“I know. I don’t know what to do about it, though,” Rowen said. “If we were there in person with our families that’s one thing, but we’re in the middle of nowhere and magically trapped in this area. Dartz has some way of leaving here, and it involves the front door. I looked at the frame and the door itself this morning, but there doesn’t seem to be anything magical about it that I’ve seen.”

Michael nodded—he had looked at the door himself before. His eyes narrowed and his fists clenched. “He knows who’s doing this, and he knows they have the Orichalcos. Even if his magic is so limited, he should be able to outthink whoever’s doing this and should even be able to find his missing Orichalcum. Why hasn’t he?”

Rowen shook his head. “I don’t have an answer for that, only a guess, and I suspect it has to do with our remaining family,” he replied. “I will say this, though: whoever it is, they’ve got to be well-funded.”

“You’re thinking someone corporate, or someone wealthy?”

“Probably both, if we’re right. It just comes down to who it could be,” Rowen sighed, hands shifting to rest on his hips. “Dad wasn’t really connected to anyone in that setting outside of your uncle. Any ideas?”

“No. I never paid attention to that sort of thing, although I wish I had now. Even if I did, we can’t get a message out. So…how do you want to play this?” he asked grimly.

There was a whoop from the tree behind them and both boys jumped, turning to face it. There was no distress in that voice, though, and in fact when they turned it was to find Claire perched on a branch high above them. She was laughing at Sora, who seemed to have tumbled out of the tree into a disgraceful heap.

Rowen marginally relaxed, and Michael felt a fraction of the tension ease from his shoulders. It was hard to carry any sort of worry when watching the care-free actions of the twins.

“For now, Michael,” Rowen said quietly, and the red-haired boy looked to him, “for now we keep pressuring Dartz as much as we can. He’s the only one who can give or ask for help at this point.”

He paused. “We’ll also have to start looking to find a way home. We’ve been here and idle long enough. When he leaves tomorrow…we’ll have to try and get into his study again.”

                                           +++++++++++++++++++

Rowen had not been certain what he would find when he stepped back into the house. He had definitely not been expecting to see Dartz sitting on the floor in front of the couch, with Sylvie happily weaving flowers into his hair and braiding as she talked. Michael had only left her alone for ten minutes or so, but he had not expected Sylvie to have braided as quickly as she had—nearly a quarter of his long hair had been plaited

“What’s your favorite Disney movie, Mister Dartz?” she had asked as Rowen came in.

“I do not particularly have one,” he replied evenly, eyes fixed ahead. When Sylvie’s hands paused, he added, “I did find their animated version of Atlantis rather…interesting, to say the least.”

“I haven’t seen that one,” said Sylvie, face scrunching into a frown.

“Perhaps your brother might have, or at least know where to procure a copy.”

Sylvie paused again. “What does ‘procure’ mean?”

“To obtain, or to acquire an object.” Dartz did not turn around, his voice rich with amusement when he sensed rather than saw Sylvie’s confusion. “It means he can get a hold of it.”

“Ohhh,” Sylvie said, expression brightening. “You use a lot of big words, Mister Dartz.”

“My vocabulary is quite extensive, yes,” he replied mildly. “And ‘extensive’ means I have a lot of fancy words at my dispo—to use.”

Rowen couldn’t help but crack a small smile. “You always talk so formally, even with kids?” he asked aloud.

Dartz slightly turned his head, his eyes shifting over to Rowen. He couldn’t move his head, as Sylvie was currently braiding, but there was a distinctly amused curve to his lips. “Me talk very fancy, yes,” he said, and this time Rowen let out a startled bark of laughter. Sylvie giggled, hands momentarily stilling.

“Hey, you tosser!” Claire called over the top of the pile of laundry in her arms, a note of genuine affection in her voice. She shifted the bedsheets over to a free arm and gestured grandly to the television. Sora was behind her, grinning just as broadly as his sister. “We got it runnin’!”

“I noticed,” Dartz said. He sounded impressed. “Very well done, you two.”

Michael, who had been behind the twins, moved over to the sofa and sat down where he had been before. Dartz’s eyes flickered, gaze moving between Michael’s too calm features and Rowen’s expectant gaze, and then he fixed his attention forward. Rowen moved out of the doorway and into the kitchen, deciding now was as good a time as any to start dinner

For a moment Rowen wondered if Dartz was truly watching the movie, and then the man cleared his throat. “Aside from getting the television to work and laundry, what else have you been up to?”

Michael’s disbelief had to have mirrored Rowen’s. His older cousin was not so subtly listening to the conversation. Was Dartz…was he serious? “Not much,” Michael said at last. He thought about it, and added a pointed, “We don’t have anything to really do around here.”

“Ah.”

A long, awkward pause followed. Sylvie continued to work on Dartz’s hair, not noticing the tension around her. Dartz’s hands twitched in what looked like a drumming motion, but paused when Michael looked at him. At length, Dartz sighed. “I never did fully master small talk.”

“Not even as a businessman? Isn’t that a crucial skill to have?”

“When modern day conversation consists of constant complaining about the stupidest of things, you tend to tune out the majority of conversations in that setting.” Dartz rose to his feet, reaching up into his sleeve.

Michael could not stop the snort of laughter from escaping. “Do you really keep stuff up your sleeve?”

“It’s convenient and certainly stops me from carrying a utility belt. Not much of a fan of belts,” said Dartz, sounding prim.

“Of course you aren’t. There’s a fun thing called ‘pockets’. You ever hear about them?”

“A pouch sewn into an opening on clothing whose European debut was in the thirteenth century. Practical and functional, but I do not particularly like them in my robes,” Dartz replied absently. He straightened in place, holding up a plastic bag. He did not turn around as he said, “I believe there was a movie you wished to see?”

Michael froze, recognizing the bag in the other man’s hand. He could hardly breathe as he reached for it though there was a tremor in his hands as he took it from Dartz. “You…how did you…?”

Dartz rose to his feet, startling Sylvie. He moved towards the kitchen, ignoring Sora’s snickers at his unfinished braided hair. “I believe there is a promise you made not so long ago,” he said to a very startled Sora. He looked over at Rowen and moved over to the stove top. “I will make dinner tonight. You have a movie to watch.”

Sora leaned over the top of the couch to peer at the movie that Michael had pulled out from the bag. “Dear Santa, I Can Explain? Oh wait, Mikey, is that the movie you wanted to see?”

“Yes,” said Michael, his voice soft and reverent.

Claire and Sora exchanged quick glances and then disappeared upstairs to put away the bedsheets. They returned within seconds, simultaneously leaping over the back of the sofa to sit on either side of their cousin.

Rowen took a quick moment to explain what he had been planning for dinner; he initially tried to remain behind to help, but Dartz firmly steered him out of the kitchen. “I know how to cook,” he said, sounding exasperated. “I do not require your assistance to make chicken.”

Michael had been wondering how to best break Sylvie away from her movie, as it was one of her favorites, but to his surprise the little girl had already taken out Bambi and was putting it away when he looked over. “Oh, Sylvie, you didn’t have to—“

“It’s okay,” Sylvie said cheerfully as Michael came over with the movie. “I can finish it later.”

Rowen ruffled her hair affectionately and then sat down; Sylvie hopped into the spot next to her older brother. Michael put the movie in and reclaimed his spot between the twins. There was a nervous flutter in his stomach. He’d seen his mother’s movies before, but somehow this movie felt different. His father was in this movie—he had not heard or seen his father, not since That Day, and he found himself almost impatient for the movie to start.

The premise was simple: a singer who was returning to her hometown for inspiration had found that her normally festive town had lost its Christmas spirit, and it was up to her (along with what the cover described as “Christmas magic”) to bring it back. That was his mother’s role, and as the movie started and she appeared on screen Michael’s heart ached. Mama had been younger then, but no less recognizable.

“That’s Auntie Carmon?” Claire asked, staring round eyed at the screen. “She’s so pretty! She always has been, mind, but still!”

“I agree,” Michael said, starting to smile fondly. Her smile was contagious and bright and he could not help himself. His mother had just arrived in the town, and Michael found himself scanning the crowd for his father. He knew his dad was in this movie, but just where—

He blinked, rubbing his eyes, and then he reached over for Rowen to sharply jab him. “Ro, big guy in the background, by the bookshop. The one with the brown hair.”

Rowen frowned, eyes traveling the screen until he found the person Michael had been gesturing to. “Yeah? What about him?”

Sora had seen what Michael had as well, though, and he let out a delighted yell. “It’s Uncle Raph!”

“What?” Rowen started and leaned forward, heart momentarily stopping.

In the kitchen, Dartz dried his hands and came back over to the sofa. “That can’t be right,” Dartz said quietly. He slowly sat down in the armchair, something unreadable on his features. “He didn’t like the spotlight and wouldn’t appear in a movie.”

Even as Dartz spoke said it, though, Rowen had recognized his father. In spite of the wig there was no mistaking the jawline, the physique, or his father’s eyes. Sylvie’s eyes lit up and she clapped her hands. “Papan! Rowen, it is Papan!”

“You’re right, lamb,” Rowen said, a huge smile spreading across his features. Rowen felt something in his chest loosen and his eyes softened. “I had no idea he even did this.”

Rowen’s father was not the only one of the surprise cast members. Moments later, a high school friend greeted his mother’s character and this time it was plainly evident who it was. Rowen’s eyes were overbright even as he smiled, and Sylvie’s voice was filled with joy as she cried out, “Mama!”

Michael straightened, eyes wide. Aunt Ellie had been in this too? How had he not known? There had been no mention of this on any of the forums he had looked through while trying to find a copy of the movie. It was an unexpected but ever so lovely surprise.

The scene shifted from Carmon arriving into town to a different location in the town. It was a Santa’s Workshop building that looked like it had closed down (probably playing into the plot), and stepping out of it in full elf costume regalia—

��DAD!” Sora crowed, a fist pumping the air as Claire squealed in joy. “RO LOOKIT, IT’S DAD!”

“Only Valon could look right at home in such an obnoxious costume and manage to not look downright ridiculous,” Dartz said, a note of exasperated affection in his voice.

Uncle Valon was carrying something in his hands, what looked to be a marble bag of some kind, and after a moment he bumped into the twin’s easily recognizable mother (”MAA! IT’S MA!” came the deafening roar). The bag fell onto the sidewalk just as his mother’s car pulled into the spot next to it. Ah—so that was what it meant by “Christmas magic”, thought Michael with a grin.

And it wasn’t even just Rowen’s parents or the twin’s family who were making appearances. A couple in the diner was easily recognized as Aunt Isabel and Uncle Noa. There, in a corner of a bookshop, was the twin’s Uncle Joey and Aunt Mai. And at last—at last—

“Dad,” Michael said, his voice soft as his smile grew.

His father was leaning on the counter, watching his mother move through the bookshop. The wig did little to disguise his father’s appearance. He was relaxed, smirking over at his mother when she looked over. “Truth really is stranger than fiction,” his father quipped. “Welcome back.”

Sora and Claire let out identical crows of laughter, and Michael found his vision starting to blur as he smiled. He didn’t care if the movie turned out to be cheesy or the plot overdone or whatever criticism some stuck up critic wanted to level at it—having his parents and his family in this movie made it all worthwhile.

Hi Dad.

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[unshackled-if]

Currently have an appetite for Angst, so I want to order some suffering if you don't mind~. How would the RO's react if MC is dying in their arms after protecting them from a fatal attack? How would they cope after MC death? Thank you so much~~

I don’t mind at all angst is my forte. 😈

Aurelian:

Aurelian's heart raced as he held MC's limp body in his arms, the warmth of their blood seeping into his clothes.

He was in shock, screaming for MC and trying to push on the wound to stop the bleeding.

"No, no, no, this is NOT happening! MC! Talk to me!"

He felt like the world was moving too fast, with thoughts and emotions flowing through his mind.

MC's breath came in ragged gasps. "Aurelian," their voice barely a whisper, and Aurelian leaned in closer to hear them. "Thank you..."

Aurelian felt a lump in his throat as he looked at MC's fading eyes. He couldn't help the tears that streamed down his face.

"Don't speak," he whispered, his voice breaking. "You're going to be okay. I won't let you die." But even as he said those words, Aurelian knew they were a lie.

He tried to heal them, but MC's injuries were too severe, and there was nothing he could do to save them.

"Please don't leave me," he begged, his voice quivering in desperation. "I need you, MC. Please come back to me. I can't live without you."

MC's eyes closed for the final time.

Elara:

Elara always knew that this world was dangerous and that great risks lurked in the shadows. But she had never imagined that one day, she would be holding the almost lifeless body of MC.

Tears streamed down Elara's face as she cradled MC in her arms. "Why did you take this mission?" she whispered, her voice filled with anguish. "You knew the risks."

"I wish you had listened to me. I wish I could have protected you better," she continued, her voice cracking with emotion.

MC's eyes fluttered open, their gaze cloudy and unfocused. "Elara," they said weakly, blood flowing out of their mouth. "Don't blame yourself. This was my choice."

"No! It wasn't supposed to end like this. You were supposed to come back with me," she cried, her voice raw and broken.

MC's hand weakly reached up, touching Elara's cheek. "I'm sorry," they whispered.

Elara clutched MC's hand, her tears falling onto their skin. "Don't leave me," she pleaded. "Please, don't go. I love you."

MC smiled weakly, their eyes closing for the final time. Elara held them close, her heart shattering into a million pieces.

Kazuo:

Kazuo lay there as MC was dying in his arms, the blood on his hands and the tears streaming down his face a testament to the pain he felt.

"MC, please, please, it's going to be okay. You're going to be okay," he whispered, his body shaking uncontrollably.

MC's eyes were closed, and their breathing was shallow. Kazuo could feel their life slipping away, and he didn't know how to stop it.

He wanted to make it stop. He wanted the blood to stop flowing. He wanted everything to just stop.

"I'm sorry," MC managed to say between coughs. "I couldn't... protect you."

Kazuo's heart ached at those words. "What do you mean?! You saved me! You saved my life! And now I can't even save yours..." His voice broke and shook from pain.

MC's hand weakly reached up to hold his hand. "I'm glad... I'm..." Their breath grew even more labored, and their hand fell back to their side.

"No, no, no," he cried out. "Don't... don't. Please, speak to me."

But it was too late. MC's breathing stopped, and their hand went limp in Kazuo's grasp.

He let out a scream of agony.

He held MC's lifeless body tightly, not wanting to let go. "I love you," he whispered into MC's ear.

“I’ll always love you.”

Aiden/Ava:

A rushed over to MC and held them in their arms, their heart racing with fear. "Why did this happen? No, everything is going to be okay," A shakily rambled as they tried to stop the bleeding.

Soft, shallow breathing came from MC. They were fading fast. A was trembling with shock and denial. The wound was too severe, they had lost too much blood. They didn't know what to do.

Breaking them from their shock, a bloody hand was on their cheek. MC smiled weakly, their eyes filled with love and tears. "Thank you... for everything."

Tears streamed down A's face non-stop. They tried to speak, but their mouth was dry.

"You can't leave me. I love you. I love you so much," they managed to say.

But it was too late. MC's pulse stopped, and their hand went limp.

A's heart felt like it was being ripped out of their chest. They had never felt this much pain and emptiness.

"Why did you have to die?" A questioned, tears falling onto MC's skin.

They held MC's body tightly, feeling like they were holding onto the only thing left in the world that mattered.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry that I couldn't save you... I’m so sorry."

[baoxahoivn26419851]

Kiếm tiền không dễ, nhưng cạn tiền còn khó khăn hơn: 9 triết lý cuộc sống, giúp bạn nâng cao khả năng kiếm tiền Tiêu tiền cho c... Kiếm tiền không dễ, nhưng cạn tiền còn khó khăn hơn: 9 triết lý cuộc sống, giúp bạn nâng cao khả năng kiếm tiền Tiêu tiền cho chuyên môn, bỏ phí cho tri thức, đầu tư cho bản thân, chỉ khi có được 3 nền tảng này, 9 nguyên tắc trên mới có thể giúp bạn thành toàn nên một cuộc đời hạnh phúc. Inamori Kazuo, người được biết đến là một trong bốn "huyền thoại kinh doanh" của Nhật Bản, trong cuốn sách mang tên "Cách sống" của mình, ông đã nói rằng: "Phương pháp tư duy quyết định kết quả đời người". "Cách sống" là cuốn sách nổi tiếng của Kazuo Inamori, cuốn sách được xuất bản năm 2012. Nội dung cuốn sách là triết lý sống về làm người và các phương pháp giúp đạt được thành công mà ông đúc kết qua quá trình điều hành các công ty trong nhiều năm. Trong cuốn "Cách sống" có 9 triết lý cuộc sống giúp bạn nâng cao khả năng kiếm tiền. 1. Nguyên tắc bỏ ra Bản chất của "bỏ ra" đó là giải quyết vấn đề cho người khác, khi giải quyết được cho người khác vấn đề nào đó, bạn mới đạt được cái gọi là lợi mình lợi người. Inamori Kazuo trong cuốn sách có đề cập tới một giá trị quan mang tên "lợi người", thực ra hiểu đơn giản thì nó chính là văn hóa "bỏ ra". Nếu tỉ mẩn quan sát, bạn sẽ phát hiện ra, tất cả những người thành công đều sở hữu cho mình tư duy "văn hóa bỏ ra". Trên nền tảng Tiktok, một vị giáo sư về tài chính đã đưa ra một ví dụ rất thú vị về tiền bạc rằng, người giàu xem tiền như hạt giống, mùa xuân họ gieo trồng, mùa thu họ sẽ thu hoạch được nhiều hơn; trong khi người nghèo lại xem tiền như bỏng ngô, "pang" một phát ra một đống, rồi sau đó ăn hết. Gieo trồng chính là văn hóa bỏ ra, mặc dù khi gieo trồng, bạn cũng không thể biết được bao giờ mới hái được quả. Nhưng chỉ khi không ngừng gieo hạt, bạn ít nhất mới có thể biết được đại khái. Có rất nhiều người vì không biết sẽ có được cái gì, nên không muốn gieo trồng, càng chỉ muốn xem hạt giống là ngô rồi đem đi nổ thành bỏng rồi ăn cho vui mồm. Suy cho cùng chẳng phải cũng chỉ là sợ khổ, sợ thiệt thôi ư! 2. Nguyên tắc mục tiêu Đáng sợ hơn cả không nỗ lực đó là nỗ lực mà không có mục tiêu. 80% mọi người không thể sống một cuộc sống tốt hơn, phần lớn đều tới từ việc không có mục tiêu, đây là một chuyện vô cùng đáng sợ. Cũng giống như văn hóa bỏ ra vậy, bạn không thể cứ tùy tiện đâm đầu vào làm cái gì đó mà không biết là làm để làm gì, chỉ khi có mục tiêu và phương hướng, sự bỏ ra của bạn mới có giá trị. Nhưng trên thực tế, người có mục tiêu rõ ràng lại chẳng được bao người, đây chính là cái bẫy của sự nỗ lực và chăm chỉ không đem lại hiệu quả. Mục tiêu giống như ngọn hải đăng trên biển vậy, không có phương hướng thì làm sao tới được đất liền? Không có mục tiêu, mọi nỗ lực cuối cùng rồi cũng sẽ chỉ như cánh hoa mỏng manh trên mặt nước, chỉ cần nước lăn tăn nhẹ một chút thôi, cánh hoa cũng sẽ có thể trôi dạt đi bất cứ đâu, không rõ đích đến. 3. Nguyên tắc hành động Biết mà làm được ngay thì mới có ý nghĩa. Biết nhưng không làm, trông thì có vẻ như là vấn đề về năng lực, nhưng về mặt bản chất nó lại là vấn đề của mục tiêu. Nếu nói, khoảng cách giữa biết và làm là 1km, vậy thì từ làm được cho tới mục tiêu là 100km, từ mục tiêu cho tới hoàn thành mục tiêu lại là 1000km. Chúng ta thường xuyên nghe thấy rằng "đạo lý biết thì rất nhiều nhưng vẫn không sống tốt được một đời", vậy thì tại sao biết nhưng vẫn không làm được? Trên thực tế, tất cả những cái mà bạn cho là mình biết, phần lớn đều chỉ là đi được 1km. Người biết thực sự, sẽ phá vỡ 1km ấy, để tiếp tục đi nốt 100km, 1000km tiếp theo. Bởi lẽ thứ để đo lường cái biết đó của bạn chỉ có thể là hành động. Nhưng hành động lại cần phải được thiết lập trên một cơ sở mục tiêu nhất định, hành động mà thiếu đi sự "ủng hộ" của mục tiêu, vậy thì nó cũng sẽ không có chút ý nghĩa nào. 4. Nguyên tắc đơn giản Nắm vững cái bản chất, làm sao để đơn giản hóa những điều phức tạp Đơn giản, trông thì có vẻ đơn giản, nhưng trên thực tế, có hơn 80% người không biết bản chất của đơn giản nằm ở đâu. Đơn giản, nghĩa là có thể nhìn thấu hiện tượng, nắm bắt bản chất của sự vật, biến điều phức tạp thành giản đơn, cuối cùng giải quyết vấn đề với ít quy trình nhất có thể. Đơn giản quan trọng ra sao? Cứ nhìn Apple thì biết, chỉ một nút bấm, đánh bại tất cả các loại điện thoại di động, chiếm phân ngạch lớn thị trường điện thoại. Nhưng, nhìn thấu được bản chất lại không phải là năng lực mà ai cũng có, nó cần tới một năng lực tư duy logic mạnh mẽ và chất lượng tư duy rõ ràng. Và thứ quyết định chất lượng logic và tư duy lại chính là hệ thống kiến thức mà mỗi người sở hữu, nếu không có hệ thống kiến thức phong phú, rất khó có thể có được chất lượng tư duy tốt, và tất nhiên cũng không thể tìm ra được bản chất của sự việc. 5. Nguyên tắc diễn tập Thành công cần diễn tập, để tránh tổn thất, giảm thiểu tỷ lệ rủi ro và thất bại Diễn tập ở đây ý chỉ trước khi làm một việc gì đó, trong đại não sẽ âm thầm tính ra được quá trình và cả kết cục. Giải pháp được tạo ra bởi quá trình tính toán này được gọi là diễn tập. Cũng giống như trước mỗi buổi hòa nhạc vậy, cần phải trải qua nhiều lần diễn tập, nếu không khi xảy ra vấn đề sẽ không biết cách hoặc kịp thời xử trí. Chỉ khi diễn tập thì mới biết vấn đề xảy ra ở đâu, rồi tìm cách giải quyết, tránh lúc làm thật rồi lại xuất hiện thiết xót. Đây chính là một kiểu diễn tập. Số lần diễn tập càng nhiều, tỷ lệ thất bại sẽ càng ít. Nhiều khi, chúng ta không chỉ phải diễn tập bên trong não bộ, mà còn phải diễn tập trong phạm vi nhỏ trong thực tế, làm vậy sẽ giúp ta tránh được những sai xót lặt vặt không đáng có, tăng tỷ lệ thành công lên mức cao nhất. 6. Nguyên tắc suy ngẫm Thất bại không đáng sợ, đáng sợ là thất bại nhiều lần ở cùng một chỗ Có câu, thất bại là mẹ của thành công. Nhưng tôi cho rằng, thất bại trước giờ chưa từng là mẹ của thành công, sau khi thất bại, biết tự suy ngẫm và thay đổi thì mới là mẹ của thành công. Trên con đường hoàn thành mục tiêu, thất bại là điều tất yếu, và nó hoàn toàn không đáng sợ. Đáng sợ là bạn thất bại nhiều lần tại cùng một chỗ, nó đồng nghĩa với việc bạn không có năng lực suy nghĩ, dù bạn có sở hữu cho mình 5 nguyên tắc phía trên thì tỷ lệ thành công cũng không lớn. 7. Nguyên tắc kiên trì Con đường thành công tốt nhất chính là kiên trì làm đến cùng Inamori Kazuo có một câu nói mà tôi rất thích đó là, con đường thành công duy nhất đó là không ngừng tiếp tục, không thành công thì đừng từ bỏ. Nhưng thứ quyết định có thể không ngừng đi tiếp hay không, không chỉ là năng lực của một người, mà còn là sự nhiệt huyết và cả tình yêu với công việc đó, vậy nhiệt huyết sinh ra kiểu gì? Đó là khi bạn làm một việc đó, càng làm càng giỏi, càng làm càng tốt, khi đó, nhiệt tình sẽ dần dần được sinh ra. Nhiệt tình về mặt bản chất thì chính là yêu thích, bạn làm càng tốt, sẽ càng thích làm, sự nhiệt tình càng lớn. 8. Nguyên tắc giá trị Chú trọng vào giá trị chứ không phải giá cả, bản chất của giá cả là vẻ bề ngoài, quá đắm chìm vào vẻ bề ngoài sẽ rất khó để thành công. Giá trị là gì? Giá trị đại diện cho lợi ích lâu dài, có thể là trước mắt bạn sẽ không thể nhận lại được quá nhiều lợi ích. Còn giá cả là lợi ích ngắn hạn, bạn chỉ cần bắt tay vào làm là nó đã có thể cho bạn lợi ích, nhưng lợi ích này lại chỉ là tạm thời, nó không có tính lâu dài liên tục. Mặc dù vậy nhưng vẫn có nhiều người thích những cái lợi ích ngắn hạn, họ muốn nhanh chóng nhận được phần thưởng cho sự nỗ lực của mình, họ đánh giá cao khả năng một năm, mà xem thường lợi ích dài hạn trong suốt 10 năm. Phần lớn mọi người chỉ chú trọng vào giá cả, chú trọng vào vẻ ngoài, đây là một nhân tố khiến nhiều người khó thành công. Ngay cả đối với một huyền thoại trong lĩnh vực đầu tư như Buffett, ban đầu chiến lược đầu tư của ông là chú ý đến giá cả, chỉ mua cổ phiếu rẻ, mãi về sau, khi thay đổi chiến lược đầu tư từ giá cả này sang giá trị, ông mới trở thành truyền kì như ngày nay. 9. Nguyên tắc biết ơn Biết ơn người đối tốt với bạn, biết ơn cả kẻ xấu xa với bạn, không có vấp ngã thì làm sao mà trưởng thành. Đời người không thể luôn thuận buồm xuôi gió, có tốt, ắt cũng sẽ có xấu. Gặp người tốt với mình, cảm ơn là lẽ tất nhiên, nhưng gặp người đối xử không ra gì với mình, hãy càng biết ơn họ, bởi lẽ giai đoạn "không thuận" mới là cơ hội để ta thấu sự đời và trưởng thành hơn. Tiêu tiền cho chuyên môn, bỏ phí cho tri thức, đầu tư cho bản thân, chỉ khi có được 3 nền tảng này, 9 nguyên tắc trên mới có thể giúp bạn thành toàn nên một cuộc đời hạnh phúc. Bạn có biết định luật sinh trưởng của tre không? Trước khi có thể cao được 15m trong 6 tuần, tre đã phải dùng 4 năm "ngủ đông", nằm im trong đất, bám rễ trong đất, sinh trưởng ra vài trăm mét dưới lòng đất để cung cấp năng lượng và đảm bảo an toàn cho sự phát triển mạnh mẽ của nó trong tương lai. Tất cả những người thành công mà chúng ta nhìn thấy, trước khi thành công, họ cũng đều đã từng trải qua thời kì ngủ đông, những nỗ lực của giai đoạn trước đều là để cắm rễ cho giai đoạn sau, đợi rễ cắm chắc rồi, kiên cố rồi, mới đem hết tất cả những tích lũy "bộc phát" ra. Mọi sự thành công đều tới từ sự nỗ lực, nếu bạn không muốn chấp nhận số mệnh, vậy thì bạn phải liều mình với nó. Inamori Kazuo nói: "Đạt được mục tiêu cũng giống như leo núi vậy, việc cải thiện năng lực là một quá trình động, đừng bao giờ để suy nghĩ hiện tại hạn chế những suy nghĩ về tương lai." Theo Báo Dân Sinh#tintuc #news

[verdanturf]

tagged by: @phynali (thanks gini, i hope you are well!)

Rules: Answer 20 questions and tag 20 followers you would like to get to know better.

Name: william

Nickname: wumbo, willy bear, wilhelm, bernice

Zodiac Sign: libra sun, taurus moon, libra ascendant

Height: somewhere between 5′11″ and 6′

Ethnicity: white

Orientation: gay

Favourite Fruit(s): i love all fruit but pineapples have a very special place in my heart and stomach

Favourite Season: summer. please do not let it be cold, i will freeze and die

Favourite Book(s): dracula, the count of montecristo, never let me go by kazuo ishiguro, the happiness hypothesis by jonathan haidt (gotta throw in some nonfiction), i read a lot of plays and i love everything by sarah ruhl, especially eurydice

Favourite Flower(s): i love ranunculus and poppies and lately im really feeling morning glories

Favourite Animal(s): all birds are amazing, but especially crows and herons, all bats are good bats, sea lions, raccoons, saturniid moths (especially the luna moth), honeybees, i could keep listing animals that i love forever...

Favourite Beverage: chamomile tea, inca kola

Average Hours of Sleep: over the past 30 days, my average is 7.5 hours, which is really good for me because i have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep and i do not have a regular sleep cycle

Favourite Fictional Characters: let’s start with superheroes/comics characters: arthur curry, diana prince, dick grayson, amanda waller, pamela isley, billy kaplan, wanda maximoff; aside from that off the top of my head: hermione granger, luna lovegood, jack harkness (doctor who), claude frollo (the hunchback of notre dame), azula (a:tla), iroh (a:tla), jinora (lok), cj cregg (the west wing), lapis lazuli (steven universe), raymond holt (brooklyn 99)

Number of Blankets You Sleep with: just one really light quilt

Dream Trip: mexico (i really want to ride in the trajineras in xochimilco and explore some cenotes), peru and elsewhere in the andes, the french riviera (let’s roll switzerland into the same trip?), and of course japan (especially kyushu and i’d love to see hokkaido in spring)

Blog Created: this one is only like 2 years old but my original blog is like 5 years old (it is my embarrassing high school blog)

Number of Followers: there are 40 foolish foolish people following me

Tagging: if you want to do this, go ahead! but i’m gonna tag @dlenel, @desertboyfriend, @a-ro-phichit, @xeadas, @risencas, and @queerselinakyle

[uneminuteparseconde]

Des concerts à Paris et autour

Avril 04. December + Voiron + Morzig – Point FMR (gratuit avant 20h) 05. NLF3 + Foudre & Christine Ott – Petit Bain 05. Les Filles de Illighadad + Guilhem Lacroux – Instants chavirés (Montreuil) 06. Kazuo Tsubouchi – Chair de poule (gratuit) 06. Emmanuelle Gibello – Galerie BS (gratuit) 06. Perrine en morceaux + Fumo Nero – Espace B 06. Ron Morelli – The Community 06. King Dude + Dune Massiah – Batofar 06. Tristesse contemporaine – Badaboum 06. Grandaddy + Jamie Lee + Mourn + The Black Lips (Arte concerts fest.) – Gaîté lyrique ||COMPLET|| 07. Fusiller + Ewa Justka + Ghost Milkers + Felon – Ourcq blanc 07. Stereocilia – DOC (gratuit) 07. Jarvis Cocker & Chilly Gonzales + Peter Broderick + Sarah McCoy (Arte concerts fest.) – Gaîté lyrique ||COMPLET|| 07. Function + Shifted + Lucy + SNTS + Anetha – Dock Eiffel ||COMPLET|| 08. Cachette à branlette + Wizaeroid & Sinead O'Connick Jr + Hustle White + Piste noire – Espace B 08. Miss Kittin + Clark + Danny Daze + Factory Floor + Noga Erez (Arte concerts fest.) – Gaîté lyrique 08. Astre (Marion Camy-Palou & Lionel Fernandez) – Mains d'oeuvre (Saint-Ouen) (gratuit) 09. Bed Dataries + Kate Armitage + Mouneur + Tristan Philippon Chopin + Dudi Malka – Les Nautes  10. Beth Ditto – Flow 11. Vivu + Clusters + Ravi Shardja + GNG – Olympic café 11. Broken Lights + Händer Som Vårdar + Milos Olympus – Instants chavirés (Montreuil) 12. :Of the Wand and the Moon: + Jo Qail – Petit Bain 13. Vashti Bunyan + Steve Gunn – Le Carreau du Temple 13. Glorias Navales + Sun Stabbed – Instants chavirés (Montreuil) 14. David Behrman + Ivo Malec + Thomas Ankersmit + Kara-Lis Coverdale + Cannibal (Cameon Jamie, Cary Loren & Denis Tyfus) (Présences électronique) – Le 104 14. Trans Am – Point FMR 14. Varg + Will Bankhead b2b Low Jack + Coni – Rex Club 15. Thomas Tilly + Felicia Atkinson + L'Ocelle Mare + Jana Winderen + François Bayle + Stephan Mathieu joue "Earle Brown December 52" + Hild Sofie Tafjord + Demdike Stare (Présences électronique) – Le 104 15. Hologram_ + Chrysalide + Meta Meat + Näo + Horskh + Moaan Exis + DJ K.Oz + Nine Flesh (dj) – Petit Bain 15. La terre tremble !!! + Chocolat + Mustang – La Maroquinerie 15. Gnod + Common Eider, King Eider + Me donner – Instants chavirés (Montreuil) 16. Meryll Ampe & Leafcutter John + Mazen Kebra & Roland Kayn + James Tenney + Andrew Pekler + Deathprod + Akira Rabelais (Présences électronique) – Le 104 16. Ernestas Sadau + OKO DJ + NTN + Moyo + Jan Melnick – La Java 18. Bleib Modern – Espace B 18. Horse Lords + Clouds Become your Hands – Olympic café 19. Winter Family + Jambinai – Centre Barbara FGO 19. Xeno & Oaklander + Nova Materia – Badaboum 19. Zu + Bologna Violenta – Petit Bain 20. Pharmakon + Descendeur – Instants chavirés (Montreuil) 21. Croatian Amor + Andrea Belfi – église Saint-Merri 21. Les Hôpitaux + Mamiedaragon + Ero Babaa + Zaraz Wam Zagram – tba 21. Fils de Vénus + Balladur + Tommy Genesis – Badaboum 21. Grand Blanc + Marietta + Robbing Millions +  The Parrots + Johnny Mafia + Halo Maud (Mofo fest.) – Mains d'oeuvre (Saint-Ouen) 21. Dave Clark – Nuits fauves 21. Blush Response + Surgeon + Pfirter + Parfait – Dock Eiffel 22. Komplikations + Taulard + Pour X raisons – Cirque électrique 22. Prairie-litière + Chicaloyoh + Opal – La Pointe Lafayette 22. Portable + Powell + Veronica Vasicka (Do Disturb) – Yoyo|Palais de Tokyo 22. Fujiya & Miyagi + Black Devil Disco Club + Buvette + Il esty vilaine + Faire + Oko Ebombo (Mofo fest.) – Mains d'oeuvre (Saint-Ouen) 23. Arnaud Rebotini + Jacques & Gain + Aquaserge +  Rendez-Vous + Onze onze + The Luyas + Julien Barbagello + Human Theorema (Mofo fest.) – Mains d'oeuvre (Saint-Ouen) 24. Author & Punisher – Espace B 26. Éliane Radigue par H. Breschand & L.-M. Marion + "Solo" de Jakob Ullmann + Benoît Burello : "Asphodel & the Island Sun" – Collège des Bernardins 26. Tim Olive, Anne-F. Jacques & Pascal Battus + Ritual Extra + Vincent Malassis + Paul Gremare – tba 26. True Widow + King Woman – Espace B 26. Aluk Todolo + Oranssi Pazuzu – Petit Bain 26. Kas Product – Batofar 26. Rodolphe Burger + Sylvain Vanot – Le 104 ||COMPLET|| 27. The Jesus & Mary Chain – Elysée Montmartre ||COMPLET|| 27. Gaëtan Boudy & Clément Hauvrette : cinéconcert sur "M le maudit" de F. Lang – Le Cirque électrique 27. La Femme + Superpoze (dj) + NSDos + Zaltan + DK + Epsilove – Cité des sciences et de l'industrie 27. Jean-Sébastien Mariage & Olivier Lété avec Vincent Fortemps (fest. OW-AO) – Le Générateur (Gentilly) 28. Julien Gasc + Forever Parot + Dorian Pimpernel + Orval Carlos Sibelius – La Station 28. Oxbow + Celeste + Sumac + Inter Arma (Old Town Bicycle fest.) – Le Gibus 28. Patten + UVB 76 + Le Vasco + Der Amethyst – Supersonic 28. Michel Deltruc & Patricia Dallio avec Maki Watanabe (fest. OW-AO) – Le Générateur (Gentilly) 28/29. Gaëtan Boudy & Clément Hauvrette : cinéconcert sur "M le maudit" de F. Lang – Le Cirque électrique 29. Dälek + Ovtrenoir + Jaye Jayle + Emma Ruth Rundle (Old Town Bicycle fest.) – Le Gibus 29. Sébastien Roux – Le Bal 29. Frustration + Cheveu + JC Satan + La Femme + Usé + Violence conujugale + Cannibale + Marietta (dj) + Topper Harley (dj) – La Machine 29. Unglee Izi + Mesa of The Lost Women + Videophage + Trous aux rats + Molière + Cuntre + Evil Moisture + DJ France-86 (fest. Premier sang) – Instants chavirés (Montreuil) 29. ErikM & Louise Leverd avec Clara Cornil (fest. OW-AO) – Le Générateur (Gentilly) 30. Nadja + Matt Jencik + Ensemble économique – Supersonic (gratuit) 30. Seefeel + BLN – Batofar 30. Jean-Léon Pallandre & Isabelle Duthoit avec Skallistan (fest. OW-AO) – Le Générateur (Gentilly)

Mai 01. Jean-François Pauvros avec Ludor Citrik & Joan (fest. OW-AO) – Le Générateur (Gentilly) 01. Black Marble – Batofar ||REPORTÉ|| 02. Antoine Schmitt, Violaine Lochu & Garth Knox (fest. OW-AO) – Le Générateur (Gentilly) 03. Meat Wave – La mécanique ondulatoire 04. Group A + NMO – Instants chavirés (Montreuil) 04. Qual – Espace B 04. Jeff Mills : Spirale Deluxe – La Seine musicale (Boulogne-Billancourt) 05. La Novia & Yann Gourdon : “In C” de Terry Riley – Centre Pompidou 06. Esmerine – Espace B 09. Blanck Mass – Point FMR 10. Zombie Zombie + Tomaga + None + Tristesse contemporaine (dj) (Zombie Jamboree fest./10 ans de Julie Tipex) – La Machine 11. Oiseaux-Tempête – Trabendo 11. Laetitia Sadier + Solo Astra + Beat Mark (Le Beau fest.) – Espace B 11. Ambassador 21 – Bus Palladium 12. Wire + Blackmail – La Maroquinerie 12. Étienne Jaumet + Gilb'r + Tolouse Low Trax (Zombie Jamboree fest./10 ans de Julie Tipex) – La Machine 12. Manu le Malin + AZF + 14anger + Sinus 0 – La Machine 13. Collection d'Arnell Andrea – Batofar 15. Chameleons Vox + Blue Mountain Expansion – Supersonic 15. James Ferraro + Ducktails + Typhonian Highlife – Instants chavirés (Montreuil) 16. ToutEstBeau + Fiodor Novski & The Shiners – Espace B 17. Xiu Xiu + Le Prince Harry + Delacave – Petit Bain 23. Sleaford Mods + Mark Wynn – Gaîté lyrique 23/24. Pascal Bouaziz : musique live pour "Nos féroces" de Séverine Rième (Rencontres chorégraphiques de Seine-Saint-Denis) – théâtre Berthelot (Montreuil) 24. Death in Vegas – Gaîté lyrique 24. God is an Astronaut – Flow 25. Collectif_Sin (Villette sonique) – Wip 25. Keiji Haino, Merzbow & Balasz Pandi + Afrirampo + Puce Mary (Villette sonique) – Trabendo 26. Soviet Soviet + Empereur – Supersonic (gratuit) 26. Royal Trux + Groupe Doueh & Cheveu + Uranium Club + Bernardino Femminielli (Villette sonique) – Grande Halle de La Villette 26. La Colonie de vacances (Villette sonique) – Périphérique 27. Annette Peacock + OOIOO (Villette sonique) – Cité de la musique|Philharmonie 27/28. Princess Nokia + Randomer + Marie Davidson + Doomsday Student + Mandolin Sister + The Goon Sax + Pizza Noise Mafia + Deena Abdelwahed + Volition Immanent + Mdou Moctar (Villette sonique) – Parc de La Villette (gratuit) 28. Einstürzende Neubauten + Jenny Hval – Grande Halle de La Villette 29. Ruins + Akaten + Zubi Zuva X + Acid Mother Temple SWR + Acid Mother Kirisute Gomen + Psyche Bugyo + Makoto Kawabata + Zoffy + Atsushi Tsuyama + Emiko Ota (Japanese New Music) – Gaîté lyrique 29. MSHR + Max Eilbacher & Duncan Moore + Acqua Dentata + Meryll Ampe & Romain Arnette – tba 29. Psychic TV 3 + Aikula – Petit Bain 30. Broken Social Scene – L'Alhambra 31. The Make Up + The Blind Shake (Villette sonique) – Cabaret sauvage

Juin 04. Karima Walker + Mikko Savela – tba 06. John Russell – Instants chavirés (Montreuil) 08. Primal Scream – Gaîté lyrique 08. Soror Dolorosa + Schonwald – Bus Palladium 08. Sida + Cellular Chaos – Instants chavirés (Montreuil) 09. Skinny Puppy + Carpenter Brut (fest. Download) –  Base aérienne 217 (Brétigny/Orge) 10/11. Richie Hawtin + Flying Lotus + Jon Hopkins (dj) + Parcels + Jessy Lanza + Action Bronson + Anderson Paak + Abra... (We Love Green) – Bois de Vincennes 11. Amanda Palmer & Edward Ka Spel – La Cigale 30. Geneviève Pasquier + Position parallèle + Black Light Ascension – Le Zèbre de Belleville 30>10.07. Air + Metronomy + Jarvis Cocker & Chilly Gonzales + Savages + Devendra Banhart + Michael Kiwanuka + Tindesticks présentent "Minute Bodies" + James Vincent McMorrow + Lady Sir (Rachida Brakni & Gaëtan Roussel) + Kate Tempest + Calypso Valois + The Color Bars Experience joue Nick Drake (fest. Days Off) – Philharmonie

Juillet 01. Ke/Hil + Kommando + Tunnels of Āh + AntiVallium – Le Zèbre de Belleville 05. Group Doueh & Cheveu – Institut des Cultures d'Islam 07/08. Varg + Exal + BLNDR + Ancient Methods + Voiski + AZF + Marie Davidson + Fils de Vénus + Nina Kraviz + Dixon + Marcel Dettmann + Moodymann + Apollonia + Levon Vincent + Midland Romare + Kaytranada + The Martinez Brothers + Jackmaster + DVS1 + Jlin + Avalon Emerson + Raheem Experience + Konstantin + Peggy Gou + Hugo LX + TGAF + Bamao Yende... (Peacock Society) – Parc floral (Vincennes) 15. Blawan – Rex Club 21. Hocico + Shaârghot – Petit Bain

Août 25>27. PJ Harvey + The XX + At the Drive In+ Franz Ferdinand + Cypress Hill + Ty Segall + Rone + The Kills... (Rock en Seine) – Parc de Saint-Cloud

Septembre 22. She Past Away – Petit Bain 27. Sigur Ros – Grand Rex ||COMPLET|| 28/29. Sigur Ros – Grand Rex

Octobre 03/04. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Zénith 23. Mogwai – Grand Rex 28. Peter Hook & The Light – Le Trianon

Novembre 15. Igorrr – La Maroquinerie

en gras : les derniers ajouts / in bold: the last news

[rosenxkrone-rp]

Ayane is silent after she and Kazuo tied up both Nameless and Shinoa. However, taking a look what's going on, she notices Ro's Herrscher powers much to her shock before she began to jump into action. Unbeknownst to them that Seiren arrived on time and witnessed this.

“As you wish, Lady Rozen.” Takara answered as she then notices Thorn began to awaken, likely due to an event that occurred within the tyrant’s inner consciousness. “…………..” Thorn’s evil eyes gave a red glow for a split second before he stands from the throne and began making his way towards the exit of the Ecthrian palace.

[aggressivelyfloral]

1-5, 8, 9, 10, 34&5, 50 xxxxxxxxx

1: What book did you last finish? When was that?

About two days ago I finished ‘The Buried Giant’ by Kazuo Ishiguro; in love with it mostly just because my mess of a son Gawain is in it

2: What are you currently reading?

Currently in the last few panicked days of dissertation writing so I haven’t dared pick up anything new yet3: What book are you planning to read next?ro

3: What book are you planning to read next?

Probs ‘Nutshell’ by Ian McEwan for class - have heard some weird things about it though so not sure whether it’s really going to be up my street

4: What was the last book you added to your tbr? Uni reading aside, I really want to finally read ‘The Private Lives of the Saints’ by Janina Ramirez

5: Which book did you last re-read?

‘Jane Eyre’

8: Paperback or hardcover? Why?

Paperback; I love how they eventually get all soft and floppy even when you try and take very good care of them

9: YA, NA or Adult? Why?

I generally read more Adult but not out of principle

10: Sci-Fi or fantasy? Why?

Fantasy, because modern reception of Arthuriana

34: List five OTPs 

OTPs? I haven’t heard that name around here in a long time. Mb my heart has  just become too bitter but I don’t think I could name 5; but definitely Jane Eyre and Rochester, and Achilles and Patroclus (’The Song of Achilles’)

35: Name a book you consider to be terribly underrated

‘Villette’ by Charlotte Bronte, I mean there are reasons why JE is more enjoyable to read but Villette feels so much darker and truer to life. I think Charlotte lives more between the pages of ‘Villette’- don’t read if you’re not feeling great though

50: Why do you love to read?

Firstly, because it’s entertainment, pure and simple, but also because it’s the most effective way I know of communicating words and ideas, and because I like the occasional feeling of an emotional kick to the stomach that won’t actually have far reaching psychological repercussions 

xxxxxxxxxxx

[estrikinia]

Brasiliense e Real Ariquemes decidem futuro na Série D

Brasiliense e Real Ariquemes decidem futuro na Série D

O primeiro dos quatro classificados da fase preliminar à etapa de grupos da Série D do Campeonato Brasileiro será conhecido na Boca do Jacaré, em Taguatinga (DF). A partir das 15h (horário de Brasília) deste domingo (30), Brasiliense-DF e Real Ariquemes-RO duelam, com transmissão ao vivo da TV Brasil, pelo segundo jogo do confronto eliminatório. Estreia com vitória 💛🐊 📷 Leandro Kazuo/Esp.…

[kohakuhime]

The Reluctant Guardian, Ch. 9

Takes place post canon, and this refers to events that take place in an alternate verse. Michael, Isabel, Travis, and Kazuo belong to @mpuzzlegirl; Rowen, the twins, and Sylvie belong to me; and YGO and its associated characters belong to Kazuki Takahashi.                                       +++++++++++++++++++

When he started to regain consciousness, Michael didn't open his eyes right away. Mind swimming upward through a brewing headache and dark fog, through memory of what had happened before…before what? Something urgent, something that was whispering with increased anxiety in his thoughts, but dancing just out of reach.

Sounds and scents filtered through his senses. Pine needles and fallen leaves, carried by a soft breeze. The low murmur of voices, the scent of strawberries, faint and sweet. Incense, candle smoke. The faint cry of birds, crickets chirping. Rasping breathing and an occasional barking cough.

Michael slowly opened his eyes, blinking owlishly as he stared at an unfamiliar ceiling. His vision spun and dipped for a nauseating moment and he closed his eyes with a soft groan. There was a rustle of movement from his right, and then a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Michael?”

It took him a moment to place the quiet voice, and his eyes opened to look up at Rowen. His cousin’s outline was fuzzy around the edges, but there wasn’t mistaking the brown eyes looking down at him. Rowen’s concern melted into relief and a small smile lit his weary features. “Hey, Michael.”

“You know what I say ‘bout horses ‘n’ hay,” Michael mumbled thickly, not in full control of his voice. His vision started sharpening, enough to see Rowen’s tired expression shift into an amused one. The laughter did not fully reach into Rowen’s eyes, though, and Michael saw something of…concern? Anger? He wasn’t sure, not yet, but something was worrying his older cousin—

Cousin.

Michael snapped to an upright position with a gasp. Rowen yelped and backed away. “Kazuo!” he shouted, his gaze moving around him wildly. “Kazuo!”

The world spun again and he listed—he had moved too fast. Rowen’s arm was around his shoulders before he could slip off the couch. Michael turned dazed but panicked eyes on his cousin. “Rowen, do you know where Kazuo is? He’s in trouble, he’s—!”

“Not here,” Rowen said quietly. “I don’t know where he is.”

Michael stared at him, some of the tension leaking from his shoulders but not fully leaving. He looked around, eyes scanning his surroundings as if looking for an answer. The modern décor did not look familiar to him in the slightest. The sky outside the bay windows was starting to darken as the sun went down, but he could catch the silhouette of pine trees outside them. “Where are we?” he asked uncertainly.

“Not in Domino,” Rowen replied, running a hand through his bangs. “I don’t know where we are, honestly.”

“The twins?”

“They just went outside to figure out where we’ve ended up. I don’t like them wandering around anymore than you do,” he added when Michael opened his mouth to protest. “But you and Sylvie needed someone here and they were out of sight before I could stop them.”

“Sylvie?” Michael suddenly remembered the rasping breathing he had heard and his eyes traveled to a dark leather recliner. There was a blanket he recognized as one Aunt Ellie had handmade, and he caught a glimpse of caramel blonde resting on the arm rest. Part of the reason his older cousin looked so drawn and worried, he realized. “How is she?”

“Her fever had spiked because of our little adventure, but it seems to be going down,” Rowen answered, eyes going to the couch. “Of course, she would be so much better if our oh-so-gracious host would bring back medicine from wherever he’s gone off to.”

Michael frowned at the bitter edge in Rowen’s words. The taller boy hardly ever used that voice, especially if talking about another person. “Our host?” he repeated, raising his eyebrows. “What host? Rowen, what happened?”

Rowen’s expression darkened, seeming to weigh his words carefully. He craned his neck to look at Sylvie a long moment, then towards the door. That did not sit well with him at all. Something had happened that was prompting Rowen to make certain his younger sister, even the twins, were not listening.

“We were brought here—wherever here is—by him,” said Rowen grimly. “You were here when Sylvie and I arrived. He brought the twins right after that. All three times, he used magic. No other reason we would be in Domino one minute and the mountains the next.”

Magic? Michael felt uneasiness starting to grow in the pit of his stomach. Aunt Isabel had once used magic. He’d heard stories about the Millennium Items and their powers as well. There was also one other source of magic he had heard stories of, and right now it was the only reason he could think of for Rowen’s darkened features.

His taller cousin leaned towards him. “Do you remember what our fathers used to do for a living?” he asked with a low, almost too quiet voice.

Michael heard the question, but it took him a moment to process what had been asked. Something very cold and hard settled in his stomach. “Paradius,” he said just as quietly. He was suddenly much more mindful of Sylvie’s presence in the room. It was never a good omen when their father’s pasts were brought up.

Rowen nodded, his mouth a grim line. “Dartz.”

The color drained from Michael’s face.

Dartz. The man who had destroyed his father’s life, who had murdered innocent children. The man who had nearly brought the world to its knees.

The man who had now taken them away from their families.

“Where is he now?” Michael asked, his own voice soft but murderous.

“I don’t know. He walked out the front door and literally vanished,” Rowen said grimly. His hands clenched at his sides. “Frankly I can’t tell if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

“The twins?” The question was the same, but there was a different tone to it now. “Sylvie?”

Rowen shook his head. “No.”

They don’t know who Dartz is. They don’t know what our fathers did. They don’t know how Dartz and our fathers are related.

“We need to get out of here, Ro,” he said, rising to his feet slowly. “We can’t stay here, and we both know it. Our families need to know what’s going on—that he’s back.”

His older cousin’s dark features faded once again to the tired, drawn expression he had worn earlier. “We can’t reach them. There’s no computer or phone here. The twins and I had to ditch our phones—the guys chasing us were using them to find us.”

Michael’s hand flew to his pocket, already knowing it was gone. Even so, he felt a tight knot settle in his throat when his hand gripped nothing but fabric. His mother’s last message to him, any pictures and videos he had managed to keep of his parents, all of it was on his phone.

A soft whimper rose from the leather arm chair and Rowen turned. In the space of seconds his expression cleared and his eyes had softened. “Hey, lamb,” he said gently.

Michael’s attention also went to the arm chair. Sylvie was sitting up in the chair with the blanket pooled around her waist, glassy eyes going to Rowen. There was an unhealthy flush that spread across her cheeks, a direct contrast against her pale face. Her hair was more unkempt and in every direction, but her bangs were plastered to her forehead. She looked impossibly small and so incredibly fragile.

“Row’n…my head hurts a lot,” she said in a tiny voice. “’m so thirsty.”

Michael had not even realized Rowen had moved until his taller cousin had brushed past him, heading towards what appeared to be the kitchen. He heard Rowen rummaging through cabinets, but he turned his focus to Sylvie and he sat on the sofa next to her. He did not like how long it took for Sylvie to focus on him.

“Hi Michael,” Sylvie said with a small smile, her voice barely audible. She stiffened and then her hands rose to her mouth as she started to cough. Michael’s hand started rubbing soothing circles across her back, lips thinning at the sound of the barking and harsh coughs.

“Here, kidlet.” Rowen had returned, handing Sylvie a glass of water once she had finished. “This will help.”

Sylvie accepted the water gratefully, slowly sipping at it. She remained silent as she finished the water, handing the empty glass back to her older brother before slowly lying back in the chair. She was too tired to stay awake for long, and Rowen gently tucked the blanket around her.

Michael exchanged glances with Rowen as he finished. “Do you have any medicine for her?” he asked.

“I didn’t have enough time to grab any cough syrup,” Rowen said quietly. “I already gave her what I could from our first aid kit—that’s the only reason her fever’s not any higher.”

It would be so much better if our oh-so-gracious host brought back medicine.

Michael suddenly understood. They must have argued this point before, with Rowen not being able to swing things in his favor. He watched Rowen carefully place a damp washcloth on his younger’s sister’s head, worry twisting his features. The anger that had started simmering at the first mention of Dartz began to burn once again.

There was a noise on the patio and the door opened. Michael and Rowen both turned, and for one moment Michael thought for sure he was going to see Dartz walk through the door. He was not braced for that yet, and so he was relieved when Sora and Claire slipped through the door.

“It’s a no go, Ro,” said Sora unhappily. “Claire and I tried every possible direction, even splitting up. No matter what we do, no matter how far we walk in any direction, we end up right back here.”

“It’s impossible,” Claire added, expression troubled. “I mean, we’re literally walking in circles. We even tried jumping off a cliff edge—“

“—and instead of a death drop we started tumbling down the hill right outside,” said Sora hastily, noticing Rowen’s stricken expression. He sobered, hands digging into his pockets. “We can’t leave this place. We’ll end up on square one every time we try.”

They were trapped here. Michael’s hands clenched at his sides. Based on what the twins had said, they could only leave if Dartz permitted it.

Rowen’s lips thinned as he too realized the implications. “Okay, guys. Stick here from now on. No more wandering around.”

Sora and Claire simultaneously saluted. “You got it, Cap’n!” they chirped together. Their eyes traveled past Rowen to where Michael was, both of their expressions brightening at once. “Mikey!”

“Guys no, don’t do it, don’t—oof!” Michael was not fully braced for the twins to tackle him, but he was at least able to cushion his fall back onto the sofa as Sora and Claire barreled into him. He let out a startled laugh in spite of himself. “Your listening skills suck, Tweedles.”

“They don’t suck, we have selective hearing,” said Claire with a lopsided grin. She poked his forehead, her eyes flitting briefly over his features. “And anyways, you’re clearly feeling better if you’re standing up—“

“—because we reckon that if you weren’t up to par you’d be all loopy and stuff after we knocked you back down,” finished Sora brightly.

So the twins had been testing him out in their own fashion. Michael snorted in amusement. Of course they’d be unorthodox in checking on him. It did not seem like they were hurt, but between them there was a degree of nervous energy that was normally not present.

“So has anyone looked around at what we have here?” he asked.

Rowen pointed in the direction he had come from. “The kitchen is that way, and it looks like the island is where you eat. Bathroom is behind me over there,” he began pointing backwards with his thumb. He gestured to the door the twins had entered. “That’s the only way in. Down here the other rooms are locked,” he said.

“We went up and there’s three rooms and a bathroom,” said Sora, folding his arms. “There’s basics, like beds and stuff. No spare clothes or anything, but there’s a bunk bed in one of the rooms and sleeping bags.”

“It’s freaky,” Claire said. “It’s like he knew we were coming.”

Rowen and Michael exchanged glances. The sun was going down and there was a chill in the room. Michael did not have to be telepathic to know Rowen would want to get Sylvie up and away from the cold. There was going to be no way to get back to Domino tonight, especially not with interference from the magic surrounding this place. For now, they had no choice except to settle in.

Rooming arrangements were decided fairly quickly. The twins had already called the bedroom with the bunk beds; Rowen would stay with Sylvie in the larger of the two remaining rooms, using a sleeping bag rather than take the bed; and Michael would take the smaller room.

Michael did not move from the couch as the rest of his cousins disappeared upstairs. He did not have his emergency backpack to move upstairs, and anyways he did not plan on leaving the room until he had a chance to talk to Dartz.

Sometime later he heard footsteps on the stairs and he saw Rowen come back down. “Sylvie is settled in. The twins promised to keep an eye on her,” he said, sinking onto the sofa next to Michael. He offered a humorless smile. “Looks like we’ve both got the same idea.”

Michael glanced towards the staircase to make sure that no one else was around before turning to Rowen. “What’s our plan from here?”

His older cousin sighed, sweeping his bangs out of his face. “I’m going to figure out what’s going on before I decide what to do. The most I know is that a bunch of men attacked us all at the same time and that Dartz has something to do with it.”

Michael’s eyes narrowed at the mention of their host. “And what do we do about him?”

Rowen’s face clouded. He studied his folded hands, weighing his thoughts. “He’s not given me much confidence in trusting him,” he said. “Previous history aside, he’s not been very friendly or forthcoming with information. I’m…that’s why I’m down here too.”

Michael hesitated before asking the next question. “Do we tell the twins about Dartz? I understand about Sylvie not knowing yet, but Sora and Claire—“

“I know,” Rowen replied with a gusting sigh. “I’ve been thinking it since I figured out who had brought us here.”

A silence fell. Michael waited, watching as Rowen tried to put his thoughts to words.

“When we found out, our families had prepared for it,” Rowen began quietly. “My dad had dropped vague hints for years, and when he did tell me there was the chance to talk it out with him. With your family they’d told you about it since you were a kid, just not in a way you’d connect the dots until the right time.”

“The story book,” Michael said wryly.

“Right. The twins, though…they’ve never given the impression that they know anything about what happened. Our dads got the chance to tell us and so we could make peace with it—theirs didn’t.”

“Sullying the name of their dead father is not something easy to do.”

Michael had not heard the man come in, but Rowen had stiffened and moved swiftly to his feet. Michael followed suit, his gaze going to where Rowen’s was locked.

The man that was standing before them was taller, just barely so than his cousin. Michael recognized the teal hair and the golden eyes, the same features he had mistaken for Kazuo’s before he had passed out. His expression was placid, composed, and unreadable. Even though there was nothing truly remarkable about his appearance, even though he did not seem that old, there was the unmistakable aura that he was so much older. An anachronism. Someone who did not belong in this place, or even in this time.

Michael hated him on sight.

“You two know me.” It was not a question.

“Yeah, we know you,” Michael spat, bristling. Rowen’s hand rested on his shoulder. “We know what you did to our fathers.”

Dartz did not move from where he was, expression remaining tranquil. It only fanned the flames of Michael’s steadily rising temper. “Then you understand why I am here.”

“No, not really,” Michael retorted. “Some answers would be nice.”

“They will come with time,” said Dartz simply, turning to hang the long white cloak.

“No, they come now.” Michael’s voice was hard and angry. “You’ve trapped us in your house, we have no way of reaching our families, and we’ve got men chasing us. You kidnapped us.“

“I did not,” Dartz replied, voice even as he turned to face them. “The ones who were after you started that process. I merely intercepted them.”

“We can take care of ourselves—“

“Oh yes, you were doing such a spectacular job of that,” Dartz said, something close to sarcasm in his voice. “That was why you were being dragged away into a van when I found you, and why Rowen nearly was captured when the woman on the bus relayed his stop to the men tailing him.”

Rowen stiffened, softly swearing under his breath. Michael was not sure what it meant, but he did not appreciate the jab Dartz had just made.

“What of our families?” said Rowen before Michael could offer a proper retort. The hand on his shoulder tightened. “They have no clue where we are, and those men could easily go after them if they couldn’t get us.”

Michael sucked in a sharp breath. Dartz’s cool expression flickered for just a moment.

“People will notice if more adults from the same social circle disappear,” Dartz said after a beat of silence. “Children of recently deceased parents, especially teenagers, are easier to explain. Running away due to denial of death, or due to fears of being wrested from their remaining family’s custody. Suicide. Gang activity. You would be surprised what people come up with.”

“Yeah? And how long will those reasons hold up when social services come looking to check in with us? Our families could lose custody of us over this, and I don’t plan on going into foster care because of you.”

“Social services seems to have suddenly forgotten about you. They have misplaced their paperwork and do not seem to recall you or your situations. How unfortunate.” Dartz sounded a touch too glib as he spoke. Michael knew what it meant—their ‘host’ had covered their tracks.

“So does anyone know we’re with you?” asked Michael grimly. He did not like the prospect of being stranded with Dartz in the middle of nowhere.

“I would suspect Miss Corazón knows. I told her son to relay a message to her. I would also imagine she would not hesitate to notify the proper parties.”

The knot of fear for Kazuo loosened. Kazuo had been safe when Dartz had left him, if he was to believe the implication in Dartz’s statement. It was a brief moment of relief from the maelstrom of anger and suspicion in his thoughts.

“So, Dartz. What’s the reason behind this bout of charity?” Michael challenged. “You had to know this was not a smart decision to bring us here. What’s prompted you to play god this time?”

Dartz’s gaze did not flicker. There was a minute narrowing of his eyes, though, and he thought he saw the corner of his mouth turn down. “I am not going to delve into it at this time.”

“Now is as good a time as any,” said Rowen, voice cold. Michael could not remember a time when his older cousin’s voice had been as hard and frosty as it was now. “We can’t leave unless you will it. You’re the masters of our fates now.”

Rowen’s barb had hit the mark. Dartz’s shoulders spasmed for the briefest of seconds and his golden eyes widened, something haunted and hunted in them. It was gone as quickly as it had come and his expression settled.

“I can see that you do not trust me,” he said quietly. “You are justified in your hostility towards me. I do not intend to contest your feelings, nor do I ask you to forgive me for the harm I’ve caused your family. That being said, I ask that you put aside your anger. We are all here now, whether we will it or not. I ask for a truce.”

“A truce is formed by mutual agreement and trust. So far, you’ve not done a thing to warrant it,” said Michael fiercely. He gestured to Rowen, eyes flashing. “You’ve ignored his request to get Sylvie the medicine she needs, you’ve taken us away from our families against our wills and isolated us here, and you refuse to tell us why or even what is happening. What exactly are you expecting from us, huh?”

Dartz said nothing for a long moment before he crossed the room. Rowen and Michael both instinctively took steps backwards, but Dartz pulled something from the depths of his sleeve and held out a brown paper bag. “Children’s cough syrup and children’s strength Tylenol, in addition to lozenges and Echinacea tea,” he said quietly. “It is not as easy for me to procure items these days.”

Rowen hesitated, and then slowly reached out to take the brown paper bag.

“As for what is happening, it is a matter I am just now starting to delve into. I do not have nearly as many resources as I used to, so to determine what is happening is…difficult, to put mildly.”

“That is not a good enough answer, Dartz!” Michael’s voice was heated and furious.

“That is all I can give you for now. You can choose to accept it, or you can ignore it. That is the current summary of the situation.” Dartz turned, starting towards a door that was to the far right of the room.

“Dartz, wait!”

The man turned to Rowen, remaining silent but watching with an expectant expression.

“At least…can you at least tell our families we’re okay? My grandparents don’t have experience with anything involving magic, and I know Aunt Isabel is going to be anxious about Michael since he was kidnapped from the mall. Aunt Mai and Uncle Joey are going to be worried about the twins too. Can you at least do that?”

Dartz studied him quietly before finally dipping his head. “If it is feasible to do so, yes.”

He seemed to consider something for a moment, and then he spoke. “I would suggest that you make yourselves comfortable for the time being. There is food in the kitchen that you can prepare for your meals if you are hungry. I also have several spare garments you can use if you need a change of clothes.”

Dartz stepped into the room before either Michael or Rowen could respond, the door closing behind him. There was an air of finality behind the sound—Dartz was not looking for them to follow after him.

Michael felt helpless, angry, and trapped. Dartz had offered little to no answers about what was happening, about why they had to stay here, or even what he wanted with them. Rowen looked just as stormy as he sank down into the seat, studying the brown paper bag.

“He asked for a truce,” Michael said bitterly. “That’s laughable.”

Rowen offered a humorless smile. He remained silent for several moments, the sun sinking out of sight behind the trees. When he spoke, his voice was hard.

“It’s not going to be a truce he wants,” he said coldly. “He’s doing the bare minimum to gain our trust. I for one am going to give him the same treatment. I won’t ask you to—”

“I trust your choice, Ro. I’ll go with it.”

When Rowen shot him a startled look, Michael shrugged. “What was it Uncle Valon used to say? ‘Ride or die’?” he said, his voice a passable imitation of their uncle’s.

“I could be wrong. This could be the wrong thing to do and could backfire spectacularly.”

“I would rather place my faith in you than in the actions of the man who actively destroyed our families,” Michael retorted. “You’ve always had a good instinct about people. For now, I’ll tolerate him…barely.”

It was as Dartz had said and something Michael had to reluctantly agree on. They were stuck here and would have to cooperate with him—but that did not mean they would have to like it.

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[unshackled-if]

so my friend was free today, and guess what she did? Make memes again. 😭😭 and of course, I had to send them here.