#because his powers lets him keep track and REGULATE pain and other emotions

[shrugsinchinese]

Some slice of life (as much as demon hunters can be)

Officially calling this AU “Reward Of Mine Adversaries”

OG Demon AU post

[talietikasero]

Stability

Random prompt from 8/11 [finished 8/16]: rewrite the Strive ending / create an alternate epilogue [to line up with my story project]. I may or may not rewrite the whole thing for fun lmao.

[Main story preview here (contains 6 scenes)] // [Chapter 1 now on AO3]

"I guess... that's what they meant..." She let out between huffs. Both the voice in her head and the former Sanctus Maximus Populi said the same thing regarding her potential ability.

“When the time comes, with your seed, you hold the power to save or destroy the world.”

“You can prevent the end of it all.”

Energy drained, she fought off the sluggish pace her body was moving. Looking over to her partner, she noticed he was barely hanging on to his life, staying incredibly still, and trying to regulate his breathing while facing down. While her body contained the [Scales of Juno], he had the [Flame of Corruption] ripped out from his, reverting him to a human. "On second thought, don't move." Once she closed the distance between them, she knelt and put her arms around him. Face against the scuffed leather sleeve, and she struggled to hold her emotions in. "H-hey..." Voice cracking, she lowly muttered between sniffles, "please, don't go..."

"..."

"You... you stayed true to... your word about... a-about..."

"..."

"Fighting to... s-save the world..."

"If the world was going to disappear tomorrow... What would you do today?"

"What kind of a question is that? Stop whatever's ending the world or die trying."

Her embrace tightened as tears ran down her face. "Human, Gear, or neither. The world still needs you."

With drooped ears and saddened eyes, the wolf spirit whined. Its host and companion soothed it by scratching behind its ears and reassuring the worst had come to pass. "(It's okay, Rei. We're still alive.)." She whispered to the spirit in her native tongue. Another whine followed by a lick to the side of her face, Giovanna patted Rei's forehead. "What? Are you worried about me? I'm okay, I swear." She winced as another sharp pain ran through her body. "Ouch..." Her superior, the President, placed a hand on her shoulder. Half-expecting him to say she's no longer needed, she began, "I'm sorry-..."

"None of that." Vernon's voice was firm; however, it sounded... fatherly. He may have his doubts about the agent, but he knew she was more than capable of the job. Facing off against an unstoppable force, she did prove she's worth giving a higher position. "I can tell what you were thinking, but you're not being let go. You take as much time as you need off, Gio. Goldlewis, Erica, and I will await your return."

Saddened at the loss of someone he could consider a friend, the time traveler meekly looked down at the minty green and white guitar he held in his hands. This entire time he was unaware of her true identity. If he had to lose someone like her, it didn't have to be this way. Regardless of if she recalled who he was and why he was important to her in the first place, false memory or not. He threw away his chance to return home a while ago, and now he felt that it would've been for nothing had he gone through with it. "It shouldn't have ended like this... Megumi." Axl softly said under his breath.

After regaining control over his body and revealing the wicked goddess's weak point, the vampiric samurai pierced the ground a few centimeters with his sword. He kneeled to show his appreciation for defeating the evil force that used him as a puppet. Now, he could see why his master was fascinated by the will of a single person. This same person was stripped of his powers and still faced death head-on. "May you rest for now. The next time we meet, it won't be as enemies, but acquaintances." Drawing his blade from the ground, Nagoriyuki sheathed it and took his leave.

The King of Illyria – his lifelong rival and their son-in-law – made his way over to them, stopping a few feet short to maintain distance. "It's finally over. They're gone. We can... we can go home now." Part of him wanted to hold a hand out to help him stand, yet he held back and deemed that action unnecessary. Ky's spirits rose once he noticed the man in front of him was taking steady deep breaths -- body slowly moving to show signs of life.

Right hand maintaining its grip on the Outrage's handle, his free hand lightly grasped one of hers. Face still downward, a weak smile formed. "...You think so?"

She couldn't believe it. He's hanging by a thread and using what energy he should be saving to answer her with a question of his own.

"I know so."

The past three weeks were a blur. From the day she woke up and adjusted to this new world to the present, where she aided in bringing down a god. She never would've guessed that any of these events could've transpired. In the days leading up to September 2016, she was a terminally ill scientist who refused any life-saving alternative to live past what little time she had left, insisting she spent it with her significant other. Fast forward to December 2187, and she was brought back to life and became the partner of humanity's savior -- the very same person, albeit for the last time.

_____

The next day, another patient was checked into the hospital. This time there wasn’t a commotion caused by bringing his unconscious form bursting through the front doors. She wasn’t strong enough to carry him in her arms like he held her – that’s what the gurney from the airship’s infirmary wing was for.

“I have a request. May I stay here until he recovers? I… I don’t want to leave him.”

Three days later, word had reached his family that he's – miraculously and defying all odds – alive. His refusal to follow the light after what had happened was attributed to his stubborn nature. The Grim Reaper knocked at his door, and he slammed it shut in their face. Occupying the same bed, in the same patient room as her around a month ago, the now de-powered hero lay hooked up to the vitals system.

"Is he going to be alright?"

"Hard to say, but he'll pull through. He did wake up this morning, so there's something, yeah?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but has anyone seen my mother? About my height, short red hair with white underneath, and wearing a blue leather jacket? She hasn't been seen since everyone returned."

"She's in the room and hasn't left at all. I had someone stop by the house and bring her spare clothes since she spent the last four days here."

"Oh, thank god." The queen was relieved to know her mother's whereabouts. She respected her parents' privacy by not asking if she was able to go in.

---

Ring-ring. Ring-ring. Ring-ring-ring.

Sighing in aggravation, she answered her phone. There was only one person she kept in contact with these past few days. "What do you want now? He's still not up, so stop cal-..."

"I was going to ask something else. I'm going to regret this, but are you still angry?"

"You're a smart man to keep your distance from me, but a dumbass to ask that. Of course, I am! You ruined our lives with your 'self-righteousness' and nearly brought another apocalypse."

"...Aria, I understand your rage. If only I could rewind time and prevent your illness. I shouldn't have forcibly converted him and disappeared with your sleep capsule. It wasn't my intention to have our research weaponized, but I was figuratively and literally held at gunpoint to hand it over to the US Government. I should've known better and anticipated that Chaos -- erm, the Original's creation would sabotage your activation. Your screams still haunt me... and... I'm... I'm sorry."

"Asuka."

"I can't fix this by excessively apologizing and listing off my crimes, but I hope everything goes well for you and Frederick."

"Whatever. Enjoy the moon, or don't." She ended the call before her former friend could reply. "Asshole." Aria slumped back in the chair and opened her book to the page she left off. "We should've launched you into the sun."

"Oh my. And I thought 'Sol' was a hothead. You're pretty harsh, you know that? It's more frightening than I-No on a good day." Jack-O's voice rang through. Capable of feeling and expressing emotions herself, the Valentine was taken aback at what she heard during their calls. "If possible, can we listen to his show sometime? Please?"

"...Okay."

"Thank you. ~"

---

Forty minutes after the heated conversation, a groggy voice broke the silence.

"Is the... afterlife a sterile... hospital room?" Frederick's eyes were half-open, staring directly at the ceiling.

Aria closed what she was reading and placed it on the counter. Ignoring the monitors that once kept track of her, she looked over his body to see minimal damage sustained. "Looks like you've still got some of that healing factor. Or you're just too hardheaded to die."

He slightly turned his head to face her. "Heh. Probably both."

Running a hand through his now short hair, her lips curved into an unsure smile. "Welcome back to the land of the living?"

"This doesn't look like heaven. If you're my welcome guide, then I'll stay." His body was still sore, but he extended his arm out for her to hold his hand. The warmth from the fire magic still dwelling within them made their contact feel safer.

"I should've worn that jumpsuit and halo." Her inner voice's reaction was an exaggerated throat clear. "But if I did," she held a finger to her temple, "I don't think she would've appreciated that."

"I would've been mildly annoyed at best. Mildly annoyed yet honored that you'd wear it because of what you did."

"You're really pissed off at Asuka, aren't you?"

"How much did you hear?"

"All of it. Didn't know you were capable of that."

"I felt like you after the second day." He took that as a friendly poke at his history. "Since you've saved the world for the last time, are you still up for that 'alternate life' you mentioned the other night? We don't have to stay at Ky and Dizzy's. They can arrange something for us."

His ears perked up at the suggestion. Did she remind him about his statement regarding them settling down? Having survived an act of God, living a quiet life together a few minutes out from the capital didn't sound like a terrible idea. "What did you have in mind?"

"A fair-sized home, nothing too big or small, probably just down the way from their place. I don't want to throw everything away and live in seclusion. We're way out of our own time, but we finally have a family, people who care about us, and we care about them in return. Unless you have a better idea?"

"I'm fine with anything. Can't imagine I'd be able to go out much or at all because I'm officially a dead man."

"Not too long ago, I was a dead woman walking. Besides, the world thinks that Sol Badguy is dead, not Frederick Bulsara."

"Point there. You know, now that I think about it, this situation is just like a month ago."

"With you in my place, but I didn't have to be dragged in? This is the same room where I spent my time recovering. It was also -..."

"Where you got your new start."

"Y-yeah. That's exactly it. This is where I woke up to my new life! Not as Justice, or Jack-O, but as myself. That same day, I met our daughter and her husband, and then I saw you again. Just this time... I've been here since you were checked in. Everyone tried to get me to leave, but I refused."

He noticed the duffel bag placed near the door. There was a pant leg hanging over one side of the unzipped bag, and next to it were two pairs of footwear. "Way to tug at the old heartstrings. Stubborn as always, aren't you?" If he were honest with himself, he wanted to do the same when she was still unconscious. He had the feeling that the IRMC staff wouldn't have thought about asking him to leave the premises, even though he almost kicked the doors clean off the first time.

"One of my best qualities." She winked at him, giggling at her remark.

"Hey, Aria."

"Hm?"

He slowly sat up despite the mild pain, leaning over to bring her in for a hug. "Thank you."

Aria returned the motion, both holding onto each other, not wanting to let go. She had felt incomplete up until this moment. Preventing the end was a combined effort, and she couldn’t be any happier to have been a part of that team.

A sense of déjà vu, the song playing on the radio had neared its end.

You are all I long for All I worship and adore In other words, please be true In other words...

"I love you."

[prongsisabadger]

TWP Chapter 31

I had never felt such fear. The suffocating sensation of having the weight of an entire ocean on my chest, pushing me down, swallowing me into the darkness that was true terror. I had never been so afraid. I had experienced grief before, had thrown myself in danger’s way to protect those I held dear, and had faced the enemy time and time again. I had spent the last two years trying to keep the war from breaking me, but now, as I sped through Khorm airspace, dodging fighters and shooting down droids, I could feel it finally taking hold on my soul. The comm had come in from the lieutenant on the surface, Commander Wolffe’s squadron had spotted the CIS’s assassin Asajj Ventress, and they were in pursuit.

No amount of frantic yelling could get through to him, a storm was jamming communications and command had lost track of them. It wasn’t that I doubted the clone’s ability to face her, on the contrary, I often forgot that it wasn’t normal for any sentient species to be able to keep up with a Jedi’s training. What worried me was the fact that not even Master Kenobi and Master Skywalker had been able to either capture her or kill her. Asajj might have not been a Sith, but she was a damned good assassin, and a force sensitive one at that.

It didn’t take too much arguing to get their last known coordinates. Admiral Zapal decided it was a good idea to question me at some point. He didn’t get the chance to say much after I promptly informed him that he would be in charge of the assault from then on. The phrase “Jedi business” always worked wonders for situations like that. Of course I would pay for my improper use of power sometime later, but right then, I had friends to save, and hopefully, asassins to capture.

Landing was not easy, all sensors were down, and so were the scanners. I had to trust my gut and the Force to be able to navigate in such a snowstorm. But if landing was hard, it was nothing compared to what greeted me on the planet's surface. I felt two life forms ahead of me, not too far. It wasn’t a good sign, Wolffe’s squad had at least twenty men. As I made my way towards the two life forms, I started coming by small piles of snow in my path. Only it wasn’t snow, it was dead clone troopers whose bodies were starting to be covered by the storm. If I hadn’t been on a planet that was already frozen over, I would probably have attributed the cold in my veins to the absolute emptiness in the Force where life had once been.

When I finally made it to where I felt the two life forms, I saw her. Asajj Ventress stood over the kneeling body of a man, who held one of his brothers to him, cradling his head. She was boasting, calling the clones “Jedi lapdogs” and basking on what she presumed was a clean victory. She brought one of her red lightsabers up above her head and then swung. Before the blade could meet the neck of the trooper, I intercepted it with my own. Ventress hadn't felt my approach, and my sudden presence there made her take a leap back.

I took the opportunity and looked back at the trooper, and what I saw froze both my body and my soul. It was Sketcher, and in his arms was his brother and Commander, Wolffe. Wolffe, who’s right eye had been cut off and had been bleeding so profusely he was most likely dead already.

It took all my strength not to charge at the assassin right then and there. It took all my training to not allow myself to be consumed in darkness, to punish her for what she had done, to kill her for daring to touch my friends, to avenge Wolffe’s death. Yes, I wanted to give in, I wanted to kill her, to hurt her, to maim her, to make her suffer for what she had done.

But right there and then -underneath the overwhelming urge to kill, kill, KILL- Sketcher’s force signature did not change. He had been afraid when I had arrived, but he was terrified as he looked up at me through the visor of his helmet. It wasn’t Ventress who was causing that. It was like a slap to the face, a bucket full of freezing cold water over the head.

I was scaring him.

I tried my best to get a hold of myself, to bring my anger and grief under control. I then took the vibroblade Wolffe had given me and threw it at his knees.

“If you see me fall, don’t look back, Sketcher.” I said before I turned to face the woman that had caused all that death, all that destruction. The woman who had taken him from me.

“That is a cute gesture, Padawan. But none of you are leaving this planet alive.” She said, her posture relaxed, unguarded, arrogant. “You see, even if that lap dog of yours can’t feel the Force, I can. You are not as good a Jedi as you might think. Embrace the darkness, kid. Pain and suffering are the only reliable sources of strength.”

“I realize we have never been introduced, Ventress. I am Kriari Foreas, Plo Koon and Obi-wan Kenobi’s Padawan,” Ventress smiled at the mention of Obi-Wan, like someone who had fond memories associated with the name. “and while yes, pain and suffering are strong motivators, there is much more power in healing trauma than there is in holding onto it.” I answered.

We started circling each other like two predators on the hunt, sizing each other up, trying to determine what kind of a battle this would be.

“You should follow your own advice, kid, the force is quite dark around you.” She mocked.

“Oh yes, I’m sure it is. But since you are still alive and in possession of all your extremities, I would call that a win.” I countered, struggling to keep my face straight and my head clear.

Come on, Kriari, you didn’t spend your entire life training to be a Jedi only to allow this asshole to get to you know. Pull your shit together.

“If I wasn’t about to kill you right now, I’d think you are flirting with me, Padawan.” She teased.

“If you hadn’t killed one of the people I care for the most, I probably would be.”

But banter was only superficial, and as much as she seemed to enjoy it, she must have realized, just as I did, that there were no more words to be said. The only thing left to do was fight and put an end to whatever that was. Oh, and fight I did, to the best of my abilities. I fought like I never had before with calm only found in motion and the skill of a lifetime of training. I fought with the Force, it was the only reason I lived that day, because if I had succumbed to the darkness, Ventress would have won. And she wouldn’t have had to kill me to do it.

…

Art was not going to lie and say he wasn’t terrified. He wasn’t ashamed of it, because fear meant he was not stupid, fear was a survival mechanism to all sentient beings, it should always be respected. He had trained the whole eleven years he had been alive, he was one of the most powerful, efficient and intelligent soldiers in the galaxy right after the Jedi and so was every single one of his brothers. But Art was terrified.

Kriari had engaged Asajj Ventress on her own.

Kriari, the wiry seventeen year old he had first met on Geonosis who decided their lives were more important than Master Mundi’s esteem, the fearless leader who had put their lives ahead of the mission, the friend who had tattooed every single clone trooper she had lost on her skin. Kriari, his closest friend and most trusted ally, had engaged one of the most dangerous people in the galaxy on her own.

He didn’t doubt Kriari’s skill as a Jedi, in fact he was of the opinion that she had been holding back the entire time he had known her. Kriari was the eye of the storm in a battlefield. She was calm, collected and made quick decisions with ease. Even if she did bottle everything up and let it out in the safety of the barracks, Kriari was the most reliable person to have by your side on the battlefield. He had never seen her lose her cool, he had never seen her truly panic in the face of danger or death, she had always been strong and determined.

But this time, it was different.

This time, Wolffe was dying.

Art wasn’t blind, he knew they had a special bond. Wolffe had always been a stoic, sarcastic bastard, but he had developed a soft spot for Kriari the second they met. Kriari’s insistence in protecting the clones at the expense of her safety had only reinforced Wolffe’s protectiveness over her. He had noticed.

It hadn’t taken Kriari too long to develop a connection to him either. She had always needed someone to ground her when things got hard, and there was no one in the galaxy who was more grounded than his brother. They were quite different in a lot of ways, but they were both skilled, stubborn and willing to do anything for the people they cared for. If Art hadn’t known about the Jedi code, if he hadn’t been Kriari’s closest confidante, he would have thought they were together. They were a fearsome sight when they were on the same side of a conflict.

And now, Kriari had lost the one person who could help regulate her emotions, the one person who anchored her to the here and now. Kriari had lost one of the people she felt safest with, and Asajj Ventress had been to blame. She had taken his friend’s pillars and was going to feel the ceiling of Kriari’s composure come crashing down on her.

Art wasn’t stupid enough to believe Kriari wasn’t capable of murder. The only thing his Commander valued more than her life as a Jedi was her attachments, as controversial as it was. She didn’t need to say it, he had realized long ago that the second the Jedi Order did something to jeopardize the safety of the people she loved, she would burn the entire place to the ground. He didn’t think her Masters realized just how protective of them all she was. Art didn’t think they knew her as deeply as they thought they did. If they had, they would have reassigned her long ago.

Kriari Foreas was dangerous, and Art was scared. He wasn’t scared of her, he was scared for her. He knew that if his friend decided to take the path to the Dark Side, she would regret her decision every second of the rest of her life. Art knew Kriari was capable of murder, but he also knew she was not a murderer.

Admiral Zapal had been going ballistic over the comms, talking of insubordination and reckless action and threatening us all with court martial. But not one member of the Pack seemed to care. Yes, good soldiers followed orders, but the best soldiers left no one behind. And if the Wolfe Pack was anything, it was the best. Commander Foreas had fought and sweated and bled for and with them, they were not about to abandon her.

So he did the only thing he could do: he organized all the troops they had on the surface and set off to look for their missing Commander. Only two teams remained with the med tent, where the medics tried to keep Wolffe alive in every way they could think of. He left Twitch in charge, and disappeared through the storm alongside his brothers without looking back.

[dessarious]

Broken Harmony Pt4

Master List 1   Master List 2    Prologue   Beginning   Previous   Next

The most recent text just said, “I’m coming to the hospital. Stay where you are.” Crap. He’s been so focused on the bond and Marinette that it hadn’t even occurred to him how his father would react to his leaving to hotel without a word. He hit the call button a waited.

“What happened?” His voice was curt, tense. Anyone else would think he was mad rather than worried.

“Nothing happened to me.” Damian paused trying to decide how to continue. He wasn’t sure how much he should share without talking with Marinette. He may have a direct link to her emotions but he had no clue how private she was with strangers.

“Then why are you at the hospital?”

“My soulmate was injured, I’m here to take care of her.” There was dead silence on the other end of the line. 

“Since when do you have a soulmate?” Damian blinked at the question, but when he stopped to think about it he couldn’t recall mentioning it to his family.

“Since always.”

“And this is the first I’m hearing of it why?”

Damian looked at the door to the room and the obviously thin walls debating the likelihood of being overheard. “Mother and Grandfather didn’t consider it an important subject. I got into the habit of not mentioning it.” He swore he could hear Bruce’s exasperated expression.

“Wait, is that why you’ve been so moody and developed a sudden interest in the business?”

“I have not been moody.” 

“But it is the reason for the sudden interest in our international business?” 

“Yes.” 

“I wish you would have just told me what was going on. If you wanted to find your soulmate I could’ve just sent Dick or Jason with you and you could have gone a more direct route in looking for her.”

Damian scoffed. The last thing he wanted was any of his brothers traveling with him constantly making comments about what kind of person his soulmate was and otherwise making fun of him. No thanks. But… he would have found her sooner. If that had happened today wouldn’t have. Marinette’s song turned softer and reassuring. She was still more worried about him than herself.

“What happened? Is she alright?” Damian realized he hadn’t responded and was still not certain how much he should share.

‘“She will be. I need to ask her what she is comfortable with me sharing with you before I give you any details.” 

“Understandable. Can you tell me what made it so urgent that you find her?” 

Damian hesitated. “Her song changed. Drastically.” If he was being honest with himself he’d always figured she’d be better off without him.  What use would someone who radiated joy and life have for his death and chaos? Judging from this morning though it seemed that might be exactly what she needed.

“I see. Well I’m here so I’ll see you both in the waiting room.” He hung up before Damian could reply. Would Marinette even want to meet his father in her current condition? He would figure something out if she didn’t and would just hope it wouldn’t require separating from her. He checked the time. Twenty minutes since she’d gone for x-rays. 

It was another five before the overly cheery nurse wheeled her back in. He was up immediately when he noticed a tightness to her expression. The nurse left quickly just saying that the doctor would be back when they had gone over the x-rays.

“What’s wrong?” Seeing her he realized how much she was able to hide, even from him. The pain coming through the bond was much less than it had been even though nothing had been done. She was trying to flood it with positive emotions and it muted the minor chords.

“It’s okay. Just some of the positions I needed to be in to get proper x-rays didn’t feel great. Are you okay? You seemed… tense.” 

‘Fine.” He let out a sigh. “My father has been trying to get ahold of me all morning and apparently decided to track my phone so he’s in the waiting room.” At her shocked look he barreled forward. “I didn’t give him any details because I wasn’t sure what you would want him to know and if you don’t want to meet him right now I can find some way to get you out without seeing him.” He was all ready to go into various plans to leave undetected when her voice stopped him.

“No, it’s okay. I don’t want you to get into more trouble for helping me than you already are.” And there was the guilt. That he definitely recognized. Even before her song had changed so much guilt was a constant. After spending even this little bit of time with her he could tell she blamed herself for a lot of things. Most of which she probably shouldn’t.

“I’m not in any trouble.” Well, he didn’t think so anyway. “Besides I don’t want you to feel you have to meet him now. A lot of people find him… intimidating.” Which was true, but he didn't really want his father to embarrass him in front of her this soon.

“And how do you expect to talk to my parents and your father about pulling me out of school if I don’t meet him?” Oh god he had said that hadn’t he. Her song had a wariness to it now. 

“I’m sorry if I seemed overbearing. I realize that you have the right to make any and all decisions about your life and this situation I just… when I saw what they did to you I just reacted. I’ve spent the last six months worrying about what happened to you and it all just came out.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I’m used to being able to fix things so I just defaulted to damage control. I’ll abide by whatever you decide, but if you stay I’m going to become your shadow. I won’t let them hurt you again one way or another.”

He stood stiffly as she studied him after his speech. The song was suspiciously devoid of a reaction and it worried him. He should be getting something, anything. But instead she just stared at him before a small smile formed.

“Your father’s just going to be okay with you moving to Paris to keep an eye on me then?” He felt his face heat at her teasing.

“Honestly? Yes. If that’s what is necessary for you to be safe he’d likely encourage it.” She seemed surprised by his frank answer. Whether is was because his awkward social skills wouldn’t let him tease her back or because his father would actually let him move to another country he didn’t know.

“So what is an Akuma?” Definitely time to change the subject and she did say she would explain. 

“Have you heard of Paris’ villains or heroes?” She seemed hesitant and there was guilt in her song again. Then his brain caught up to her words. Wait, what?

“I haven’t. Are they new?” Had to be. There’s no way the League wouldn’t have heard about it otherwise.

“No. They’ve been around for about two years now.” He tried to hide his surprise but obviously wasn’t successful as her curiosity picked up. He’d have to ask her how she managed to mask some of her feelings. 

“Okay, and they have something to do with these Akumas?” As much as he wanted to freak out or find his father and figure out how they’d missed this for two years, he needed to stay on point. 

“The main villain, Hawkmoth, he sends out these Akumas, black butterflies, to possess people who are feeling strong negative emotions. He offers to help them in exchange for them getting what he wants and then turns them into supervillains.” She was concentrating hard on her words. He had a feeling she was trying to use terms he would understand and was having an internal debate over whether he should be grateful or annoyed.

“The villain uses butterflies? That seems a little… strange.” That was not the word he wanted to use but he didn’t want to offend her. His Angel just shrugs. 

“I guess it probably is but that’s just how his powers work. Everyone in Paris is constantly trying to regulate their emotions so they don’t end up being a terrorist’s pawn. Well mostly everyone.” The last sentence had a bitterness to it but before he could question her the doctor came back.

“Well the good news is that your ribs are just bruised.They’re going to be tender for awhile but otherwise they’re in good shape. Your arms on the other hand… that’s what took me so long. It looks like you’ve got hairline fractures on both your forearms. I’m not going to recommend casts at this time, but if you can’t refrain from lifting or pulling too much weight, it may become necessary.” She looked at them before giving out a sigh. “Also any impacts could worsen the fractures. I saw the video and if you feel that situation is likely to happen again, I would suggest casts.”

“What video?” Damian immediately pulled out his phone. “What’s the name of the school you go to?” He hadn’t been paying attention to anything but Marinette and the bond. She gave him the name and he used that and her name to do a search. The video the doctor had to be referring to came up immediately. One of them had videoed the encounter and was actually stupid enough to post it online.

“Damian you need to calm down.” Her song was calming, soothing in his head but when he looked up her face was painted with worry. “Deep breaths. I’m okay now so there’s no reason dwelling on it.” He tried to do as she asked and let her melody wash over him. The doctor was looking at him warily as he let his Angel guide him through breathing exercises.

“How did you end up seeing that video?” The doctor didn’t look old enough to have a child their age. She let out an annoyed sigh.

“A couple of the nurses were watching it thinking it was fake or something. I suppose that would have been my immediate reaction too if I didn’t know you were here. It does seem far fetched that anyone involved would actually post something like that. With your permission, I’d like to send the video and your medical information from this visit to the police.”

“What, why? It wasn’t… they were just…” She was trying and failing to come up with something to mitigate what they had done. They treated her horribly and she was still trying to protect them. 

“Angel.” She stopped to look at him, her eyes wide and frightened. He took her good hand in his and rubbed soothing circles on the back of it. “I don’t know why you feel any loyalty to those people but think about it for a minute. One good shot to the head and you could have died.” She opened her mouth to argue but he just kept going. “Not to mention, if they felt it was okay to do this to you what’s to stop them from doing it to someone else. Do you really want someone to get hurt when you could have stopped it? They need to know there are consequences to their actions. They need to know this isn’t okay.”

He watched as she mulled over what he said. The song didn’t reveal much more than intense concentration.

“But if the police end up looking into it they’ll want to question you. I don’t want to make you have to do that. What if you get in trouble with your father over it? I don’t want to cause problems for you.” He just… stared at her. 

“Do you ever actually worry about yourself?” She just blinked at him in confusion which was answer enough. “I absolutely won’t get in trouble for doing the right thing. Honestly if anything my father will be happy I’m letting this go through proper channels instead of handling it myself.” She looked at him quizzically but didn’t comment.

“I guess it’s okay to send. Maybe if they get a wake up call now they’ll have time to change.” If he wasn’t connected to her he would have a hard time believing anyone would be that concerned about a group of people they should want to burn. Fate must have been drunk when it paired the two of them.

“Good. I’ll do that now and send a nurse in to splint and wrap your hand. I know you said you didn’t want any pain meds but I’m giving you a prescription just in case. Generally the pain gets worse the next day.” And with that she was gone again. After that things went far more quickly. Marinette’s hand was situated and she was given care instructions then they were on their way.

Damian scans the waiting room as they enter noticing his father close to the exit. He had his tablet out, probably doing work, but he knew they’d been noticed. Even though he knew that he still turned to Marinette.

“Are you sure you want to do this now? He won’t hold it against you if you’re not up for it.”

“I’m sure. I have a feeling you’re going to be sticking to me no matter what and I’m sure it would make him feel better about it if he met me and my parents.” Damian wasn’t sure how to respond to that. It was true, but he was trying to make her comfortable and all she kept thinking about was other people. How was he supposed to take care of her when she didn’t give him any clues on how to do it?

Master List 1   Master List 2    Prologue   Beginning   Previous   Next

[theoriginalladya]

Lonely Sunday Morning (fanfic)

So, a bit of a setup here:  some 4-5 years ago maybe(?) I created Michaela Shepard to RP with @scarletthalloran‘s Kaidan Alenko.  During that time, she introduced me to Levi Kreis’ songs.  Several in particular stood out as really good Mass Effect inspiring, but Lonely Sunday Morning just spoke to me on another level altogether.  Ever since then, I’ve been trying to finish a fic I started for her tied to that.  Tonight, I finally finished it.  

Here you are, my dear!  I’m so sorry it took so long, but just know these two are always in my mind, and though short lived, I had a blast playing Michaela with your Kaidan! :)  <3

(under cut for length)

Setting:  Normandy   post-Thessia

On AO3 here

~~~

Like a lion through the high grass of the savannah, exhaustion stalks her every move, and with each mission, every battle, it is only getting worse.  If she feels anything, it is the weight of every minute, every hour, every day that passes since fleeing Earth and the Reaper attack.  It doesn’t matter that it was for the good of the galaxy; it still hurts, and moving the entire process forward is a painful battle of its own, at times even against herself.  She is drained; no doubt about it.  Spent physically, emotionally, any and all ways a body, mind and spirit can be wrung out.  But the missions come with such frequency and with very little of the precious downtime in between, she feels as if she is perpetually cracked, her life seeping out through the fissures.  

The war is taking its toll on her crew as well. On her friends.  Mistakes have been made.  The risks are starting to outweigh the benefits, but what other choice is there?  The fate of the galaxy is on the line and they, she, is the only one who can get them there.  Winning is the only option; well, not the only, but failure certainly isn’t in the cards. Not if she has a say in it. At the very worst, they die trying, and if that is their destiny, at least they will leave better counsel in place for the next cycle.

Shepard’s towel slithers down her body to form a muddled heap at her feet.  She chooses to ignore it and the many regulations drilled into her during basic so many years ago, instead opting to crawl straight beneath the sheets.  Temptation is a dangerous thing, she recalls hearing somewhere.  Right now, temptation wins out, though guilt tracks her quickly on its heels and attempts to gain traction … to no avail, the shower having taxed all remaining strength to push it away.  

So close, she thinks as her head hits the pillow, tears finally forming as the truth wraps around her like a shroud.  We were so damned close … and now we are even further away than before …

The dampness of her hair soaks the pillow and case, but she doesn’t care.  Her eyes close, blessed sleep just within her grasp.  To escape the failure, if only for a fleeting moment.  She wants, needs, to recharge.  To process.  To find a way to cope so that she can charge forward tomorrow as they need her to …

Bedclothes drawn over her shoulders, the soothing light from the fish tank the only source of brightness in the room, reality smacks her in the face with the force of a krogan headbutt, and she shudders. Realization, even at this depth of exhaustion, is not kind; it doesn’t matter how tired she is, how badly her body wants to fade into unconsciousness, her brain is unwilling to accommodate her and will not shut off.  Focusing on good times, envisioning familiar, friendly faces – none of that will help. Distraction comes in many forms, but right now, behind closed eyelids, all she sees are tactical plans, desperate fights for survival, and the face of defeat … behind a mask and a sword .... Like an old school horror film, it replays over and over and over …

A scream builds in her throat, the desire to yell and curse and blast anyone or thing close enough to her in this moment. She needs rest, dammit!  If she’d only been a little faster, smarter, stronger on Thessia, they wouldn’t be in this situation.  She cannot afford another mistake on that magnitude!

Biting back a half sob of frustration and anguish, she sits up and wraps her arms around her legs, dropping her forehead to rest on her knees.  It’s too much.  I can’t keep doing this.  WHY WON’T YOU LET ME SLEEP???

The inner voices that often chide her during such times remain suspiciously silent this night.  The replay of events on Thessia, however, do not.

Her chest aches, just the tiniest bloom near her heart, but it grows exponentially and spreads, its menacing tendrils burrowing deep.  Her head starts to ache, beginning in her temples and slicing outward, searching for all of the most inconvenient and uncomfortable places …

This, however, she is prepared for.  Without lifting her head, she extends her hand to the nightstand drawer and pulls it open.  She fumbles a moment, eventually settling upon the small bottle of painkillers that the doctor provided weeks ago.  The rattle from within assures her there are at least two left; it is enough. She pops them into her mouth and downs them without water.  Enough is enough.  Maybe this will help the other issue as well.

The bottle falls to the floor from nerveless fingers and she prays the relief comes quickly.  It won’t last long, but if it can take the edge off, perhaps it will also allow her mind to be at ease and sneak stealthily past the images into unconsciousness …

Ten minutes past.  Twenty.  As the thirty minute mark comes and goes, a lone tear leaks from closed lids and trickles down her nose to drip silently into the sheets.

Opening her eyes, Shepard sits up, a sigh of frustration easing past her lips.  She turns her attention to the tank, eyeing the creatures inside, desperately wishing for a way to escape reality for just five bloody minutes with no other care in the world.  Just five damned minutes -- she isn’t greedy! -- to rest.

Rolling to her feet, she grabs the offensive towel out of spite; she could ignore it again but the risk of tripping in her current state outweighs any momentary rebelliousness.  With a flick of her wrist, she tosses it in the direction of the sofa … and then groans when it falls behind it.  Nothing, it seems, can be a win these days …    

It's then she notices her last chance, her one saving grace.  Lying on the coffee table and flipped onto its face is her music datapad.  She crosses the room in three strides and grabs it as well as the earbuds and returns to bed.  A simple touch of her finger to the pad starts the playback.  Something soothing and gentle, she hopes. Something that will transition her failure into sleep so she can get proper sleep to deal with whatever the reapers or Cerberus throw at her next.  You win some, you lose some, she recalls her father saying once so many years ago.  With a sigh, she thinks, Yeah, Pop, but today we lost an important one … one that might just keep us from winning the whole thing ….

She desperately hopes she is wrong on that count.

Lying back, her eyes close and she sighs heavily as the first soft strains of piano filter in.  It isn’t any song she is familiar with, but it has a nice sound to it … and then a deep, powerful, rich voice starts to croon.  Resonate.  

She bolts upright, eyes wide, breath tight in her chest.  She knows that voice!  This isn’t some professional recording, either – there’s a scratchiness in the background that suggests it was recorded over omni-tool.  It also does nothing to hide the way the notes, so vibrant and compelling, meld with words that pull a deep and purely emotional response from within.

I can still taste you on my lips

I can still smell you on my sheets

I can still feel the way you tremble

When I hold you close to me

All thought of blissful peace in unconsciousness flees with the strength of a biotic flare.  And she doesn’t care …

It's like everything about you

Is everything I need

Waking up without you

Is gonna be the death of me

I'm not so use to silence

I can't find you anywhere

The tears are automatic -- between lyrics and music, she cannot help it.  With shaking hands, she lifts the datapad and searches for clues to its owner because it certainly is not hers.

 ~ n ~

 Wearily, Kaidan exits the lift and enters the cabin as silently as he can.  He’s aware, from EDI, that Shepard retreated here after speaking with the asari Councilor, Admiral Hackett, and following up with Liara.  There is a pattern in her retreat, one he isn’t certain she’s aware of, but now is hardly the time to argue about it.  Her constant state of go, go, go in the face of so much adversity without recharging is of concern to him.  She is their pillar of strength at the forefront of this crusade, and she needs it as much if not more than any of the rest of them.  

Still, she is who she is, and that isn’t worth arguing about either; thus the head start in the hopes she might take advantage of the opportunity and for once give in to her own needs.  The fact that she’s here in her cabin suggests she may have.

He enters to darkness, the glow of the fish tank his only guide, but it’s more than enough, particularly for someone used to taking refuge in dark corners for torturous migraines.  He maneuvers through the cabin with grace and skill and very little if any sound …

Until he realizes Shepard is sitting unnaturally upright in the middle of their bed.  Starlight from the overhead window streams down over her; it’s more than enough to see she is shaken.  Something about it, something he can’t put into words, leaves him uneasy.  She turns toward him, their eyes meet, and he finds something hauntingly familiar there.  “Shepard?”

“Kaidan ...”

Her voice is but a rough rasp of a whisper, but her eyes remain on his, on him. He swallows back wariness and descends the steps to sit on the edge of the bed. “Are you alright?”  He is hesitant to reach out in case it startles her, and yet he cannot help himself.  “Have a bad dream?” he asks as he laces his fingers with her free hand.  “Is there something I can --”

She touches a datapad he didn’t see, and the air around them fills with sound.

“It's a lonely Sunday morning

Cuz you left me without warning

And I don't know how to make it through this lonely Sunday morning…”

The words and music are as familiar to him as breathing, but his eyes widen in shock as she sings along.  “How did you …?”

She hands over what turns out to be his music pad.  The one, he realizes, he never tucked back away in the drawer where he normally leaves it because they arrived early to Thessia and the situation there far more dire than anticipated ....

“Kaidan.”  

Her voice cracks on his name and he winces at the pain in it.  “Shepard, let me explain.”

She sets the pad aside and lifts her other hand to frame his cheek, turning his face toward her.  “No need,” she whispers before leaning over to ghost a kiss across his lips.  “I only have one question - why didn’t you tell me?”

He sighs – half in relief, half at the weight of having kept this from her for so long.  “I …”  He drops his gaze to their joined hands.  “Losing you hurt,” he replies.  It’s a simple excuse, too simple for what they’ve been through, but it’s the truth. “I needed a way to let that pain go.”

Against his cheek, he feels her hand tremble.  “Do you … do you think … maybe you could teach me?”

“Hey.” He moves the pad out of the way and pulls her over onto his lap, wraps his arms around her, hums softly with the song. “Next time we’re on the Citadel?”

She nods, tucking her head against his shoulder.  The song kicks into a repeat cycle, softly filling the air around them. “Sing for me?”

He presses a soft kiss to her forehead.

I can still taste you on my lips …

[nayutai]

5 | Bulletproof

⤖ Pairing: OT7 x OC

⤖ Genre: light angst

⤖ Summary: Laila fights back against the powers that be

⤖ Warnings: implied and descriptive violence (it’s just a sparring match), foul language, mentions of death and deception, light sexual content

⤖ Word Count: 2.405

⤖ A/N: Things are starting to happen!

Laila’s hands curl into tight fists in her lap when Yoongi brings up several pictures of their new target. She has to force herself not to focus on the rage threatening to overcome her senses so she can focus on the words coming out of Yoongi’s mouth. In his research, Yoongi was able to discover that Cobra had blown the underground scene quite suddenly. It had been hard to track down people with any useful information about the events surrounding her disappearance but a former general that had refused to work under Minseok had only been too happy to talk. It was really all he could do considering that Minseok had tried unsuccessfully to get rid of the Cobra loyalist. He’d been confined to a wheelchair for the past two decades after a bullet had left him a quadriplegic.

His name is Jisoo and he had quite a lot to say. According to his intel, Cobra had simply told Minseok not to run her empire into the ground, wishing him luck before walking out the door for the last time. Jisoo had been floored. Her resignation had come seemingly out of nowhere. It was when she’d lovingly touched her belly after he’d followed her out into the hallway that he realized why she was getting out. Cobra had considered him one of her most trusted confidants and had told him long ago that were she to ever become a mother she’d leave and never come back. She didn’t want to raise a kid in this life.

Tears rise in Laila’s eyes for the second time as a single picture of her mother appears across several of Yoongi’s monitors. It’s grainy but a daughter knows. She looks like she’s on a job. Gun in hand. It’s the only known picture of Cobra in action.

Namjoon wordlessly slides a box of tissues in Laila’s direction. She doesn’t protest when Jungkook softly rubs her knee a few times before retracting his hand. Yoongi senses that she’s the type who doesn’t like to dwell on sad emotions so he keeps talking to give her something else to focus on.

��According to Jisoo, your mom and uncle had been estranged for quite some time before she left. He remembered that Minseok had tried several times to find your uncle but the 90s was a rough time for people like us and he had bigger fish to fry.” Yoongi produces several news articles detailing the violence and chaos that had plagued the city back then. A few of them feature pictures of burning warehouses and even the aftermath of what looks like a deadly shootout at the docks.

“So what you’re saying is that my uncle sold my mom out to this Minseok guy? Is that what I’m hearing” If she knew what hole her uncle ended up at the bottom of, Laila would gladly spit on his makeshift grave. Her mother had extended an olive branch to him and he’d set it on fire.  

“Essentially.” Yoongi answers casually.

“I’m glad he’s dead but I hate that I’m not the reason.” Laila’s fists clench and unclench as she tries to stay focused.

Her mind drifts back to all the Friday afternoons her mom had spent at the small café near their house. The memory almost feels foreign like she’s watching a movie about someone else’s life. She’d always asked why she chose to sit in some hippie dippy café every week but her mother had always been tight lipped about her reasons just like she was on why she insisted on having a daughter trained in three different martial arts and advanced weaponry. Laila had known that wasn’t normal but saying no to her was a surefire way to get cursed out in one of the three languages her mother had been fluent in.

Laila feels a twinge of pain at how happy her mom had been the day she died. She’d said that that day was special. That whatever she’d been waiting on at that café was finally going to come to fruition. If it hadn't been for the fact that she'd had an important exam that day, Laila's parents would've pulled her out of school early to go with them.

“Well, I think that’s enough debriefing for today. Yoongi will get you copies of everything for you to obsess over later. I need a nap.” Seokjin sighs at the satisfying crack of his bones when he stretches over the back of the chair he’s perched on.

“Unfortunately for you though, Hobi here  is our logistics man so-” He doesn’t even get to finish his sentence as Hoseok and Laila immediately start voicing their distaste at the implication of what Seokjin was about to say. The leader shuts them both down with a bellowed command. Hoseok falls silent but Laila is having none of it.  

“Oh, stuff it, you bastard. Your little groupies here might be scared of you but I’m not and I’m not working with him.” The room goes eerily silent as Seokjin and Laila stare each other down. No one present has ever seen anyone directly challenge their boss this way and live to tell about it.

“Watch your tone, Song.” Seokjin practically growls through his teeth, rising to his full height to stare down at the insolent woman across from him. If there’s one thing he can’t stand, it’s being disrespected in front of his people.

“Watch your back, Kim.” Not one to let a man try to intimidate her, Laila stands toe to toe with Seokjin. Jimin shifts subtly at the blatant threat she’s just spat at his older brother. His movement doesn’t go unnoticed in the slightest. “Move again and that’s your ass, Park.” Her eyes don’t stray from Seokjin’s face once and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t a bit impressed.

“How about we all call it a day and try this again tomorrow when we’re calmer?” Namjoon, ever the level headed negotiator, steps between Laila and Seokjin. His eyes flit quickly between the two of them looking for any signs of rationality and understanding.

“Fine but I’m still not working that closely with someone who tried to have me killed. I’ll go after Minseok myself before I do that.”

“Go ahead. You’ll only get yourself killed and then I’ll finally get what I paid for.” Laila catches everyone off guard when she pivots on her heel to slam her fist into Hoseok’s face faster than anyone can make a move to stop her. The force of the hit sends him flying off of the stool he’d been perched on.

The room erupts as Jungkook pushes Laila into a corner, using his body to shield her from Hoseok who has rebounded from the punch to continue what she started. Jimin, Taehyung, And Namjoon are just barely holding him back while Laila adds fuel to the fire by flipping him off and sticking her tongue out at him teasingly. Yoongi grabs a beer from the mini fridge under his work table and watches the whole scene unfold in amazement. He hasn’t been this entertained in a while.  

“You might want to get some ice for that eye, Hoseokie. It looks like it’s swelling.” Laila coos as Hoseok is finally wrestled out of the room. Jungkook’s shoulders tense up a little more when she pats her hands against a rib cage. “Alright big guy I appreciate what you were trying to do, but you can move now.”

“Oh, yeah sorry.” Jungkook shuffles to the right to let her out of the corner.

“I don’t appreciate you fucking Hoseok’s eye up like that.” Jin doesn’t give Laila even half a chance to interrupt him which she has her mouth open to do. “Working with Hoseok is unavoidable because he’s the best strategist we have. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you two to be around each other right now though so we’ll start with battle training instead. I’m not about to send you into a war zone without knowing what you’re capable of.”

“Yes, sir.” Laila gives Jin a mock salute and a cocky smile. “Can I go now or do you want to scold me some more, headmaster?”

“Please get out of my sight.” Jin maintains his exasperated façade but hearing Laila speak to him so formally - even in such an obviously mocking manner - makes his blood rapidly flow south. “Jimin will contact you about your training.”

***

Two days of radio silence go by before Laila hears anything from Jimin. She meets him at the location of his choosing per the singular text message she’d received. It’s a rundown looking building in the warehouse district that looks like it should’ve been condemned a long time ago but Laila has long since learned that looks can be deceiving.

She’s not surprised to find a renovated interior. The air is tinged with the scent of sweat. Her eyes wander around the room taking in the various types of workout apparatus arranged around the spacious area. The room would appear to be empty but Laila can feel a set of eyes on her. She’s almost certain that it’s Jimin, but whoever it is has decided to stay hidden for a reason so she drops her bag on the floor next to the regulation-sized boxing ring that takes up a large portion of the room.

Jimin watches from the shadows of the second floor balcony as Laila hops into the ring. His breath hitches despite his best efforts to remain neutral when she sheds her tank top, revealing the crimson sports bra underneath. Even from so high up, the swell of her breasts is as clear as day. He can’t deny that he’s attracted to her on a physical level but business and pleasure never mix well. That doesn’t stop him from appreciating the view as he watches the shapely woman below him prime her muscles for the ringer he’s about to run her through.

“Jimin, come play with me.” Laila taunts from the boxing ring as she moves into the downward dog position. Jimin's boyishly good looks had always stood out to her the most when she was going through all of the surveillance pictures her uncle had of the various members plastered around his apartment. The oldest Busan member looked like a walking meal with his sleek but muscular physique and Laila always did love to play with her food.

The sound of light footsteps coming towards her shortly after her little stunt aren’t surprising in the slightest. Men are predictable creatures after all. He’s dressed simply in a white shirt, black jeans, and a pair of sneakers. Not exactly what she’d expect someone doing combat training to wear but he looks delectable.

Jimin makes a slow appraising circle around her, whistling appreciatively at the sight of her ass in her leggings. Laila rolls her eyes at his horn dog antics and that’s when he strikes. She’s admittedly caught off guard by him suddenly knocking her feet from beneath her but she recovers quickly.

“What the fuck!” She yells in a fit of rage. She wants to tie him to the rafters by the ends of his hair for that little trick.

“Minseok’s guys aren’t going to ask for permission to try to kill you so why should I? Always be ready.” Laila snorts sarcastically but readies herself nevertheless. Play time is over. Jimin may have gotten the drop on her this time but she won't let him do it again.

She twists, bringing her foot up towards Jimin’s pretty face. He neatly dodges and moves to counter while she’s off balance but instead he finds himself ducking the fist coming full speed at his face as she completes her turn. He notes the quickness with which she follows one move up with another. They dance around each other in an almost graceful fashion. Both of them doing their best to gain the upper hand. Laila smiles internally at the obvious frustration leaking through into Jimin's movements. It's clear to her that he didn't expect for her to be such a fierce opponent and she plans to make him pay dearly for that mistake. A jarring hit to her shoulder cements the idea in her brain as she does her best to shake away the pain of the blow. No more games.

Sweat drips down the back of Jimin's neck as he grunts in exertion. He's very comfortable in his own masculinity and his identity as a man but there's still a tiny part of him that doesn't relish the idea of being bested by a woman with a quarter of his muscle mass. What had started as a simple sparring match to gauge Laila's skill has become an all out war to come out on top. She leaves herself open for the kill and Jimin lunges; his tunnel vision not allowing him to see it for the trap that it is.

Laila uses his own momentum to take him down, straddling his waist and pinning his shoulders to the mat as she leans down until her mouth is level with his ear. "I've never taken a life, Jimin." She whispers. The tip of her tongue slowly drags along the shell of his ear. She takes a second to delight in the shiver that rolls through him before she continues. "Don't make me change that so soon."

Despite the threatening nature of her words, Laila can feel an unmistakable hardness beginning to press against her core. Her eyes drift over Jimin's face while his own are firmly trained on the swell of her breasts. She's never met a man that found death threats sexually enticing but she reckons that there's a first time for everything. Her hips grind against his crotch teasingly, resulting in drawn out groan that ignites sparks in Laila's blood. Time to get up. She makes to do just that but Jimin lives up to his reputation of being quick on his feet, his hands shooting up to grab at her waist as he moves as if to flip her over.

"No!" She pushes his shoulders back down and completely removes herself from him. "I don’t fuck losers." Jimin is stunned for all of three seconds before a devilish smile splits his face in two.

"I'll make you eat those words right before I eat you out."

[violethues1993]

Zodiac Personality

Sign: Pisces

Description: The Pisces man has the heart of a poet and the soul of a mystic, thanks to his dreamy water sign.

 These Neptune-ruled visionaries love to dive deep and are never content to stay in shallow water – emotionally, spiritually, or intellectually. Small talk doesn’t interest them at all, and you’ll find that even upon meeting them for the first time, a Pisces man will ask you penetrating questions about yourself and your life for hours. It may take awhile before you notice that, though they know everything about you, you still know almost nothing about them.

 A male Pisces holds his cards very close to his heart – only revealing his true personality to those he feels that he’ll be safe with. It often takes many years to really get to know this guy. He tends to keep his inner circle tight, and though he is friendly and social, only the chosen few will ever get past his internal gauntlet. This is because a Pisces possesses an extreme sensitivity, and everything affects him ten times more intensely than it might with any of the other signs.

 Water has no boundaries. It can seep into even the tiniest crack and wreak havoc, melting barriers and dissolving that which was formerly solid. The power of Neptune, god of the sea, is of dissolution – that which seeks oneness. Water is our natural state, from the primordial ooze where we began to form in the amniotic fluid we swam in while within the womb. This is what Pisces energy is all about: fluidity, unity, and returning to our original source.

 As the final sign in the zodiac, Pisces people are the most ancient souls, possessing powerful wisdom and often psychic ability to see and feel things beyond what most people can sense or understand.

 THE PISCES MAN: LOVE & SEX

 A Pisces man in love will give his entire self to his partner, swooning in the dance of two souls merging as one. That’s his aim, to achieve complete harmony and unity as one being with no firm distinctions as to where his identity ends and his partner’s begins. This can be intoxicating to a fellow romantic spirit, but completely overwhelming for those who are looking to date more casually.

 Because of this disparity, Pisces men often end up getting hurt and may wear their wounded hearts on their sleeves. It’s easy for them to end up feeling like the victim when their deep feelings aren’t matched, or when their partner suddenly wakes from the consuming spell of singularity to realize they haven’t been home in a week and all their houseplants are dead. It’s tempting to spend all night and day in bed with your Pisces – swimming within their embrace and getting lost in their kisses.

 This is what they most desire: for you to forget that the world outside exists, and to give yourself over to love and the vision of indivisibility. When they lose themselves in love or dissolve into a puddle of tears after a major heartbreak, Pisces men may turn to drugs or alcohol to escape from their intense emotions or to numb their pain. Casual drinking or drug use may seem fun or innocent enough at first, but be on the lookout for the psychedelic daydreamer who can’t seem to handle being sober for any aspect of day-to-day life. Often the idyllic otherworlds of their substance-stimulated imaginations are much more attractive to them than the humdrum doldrums of boring old reality.

THE PISCES MAN: HOME & FAMILY

 The home of a Pisces man often feels like a magical realm, a hermit’s cave filled with wonders, far removed from the bland settings of the other homes around it. It may look unassuming from the outside, but once within his domain, prepare to be dazzled.

 Pisces guys often like to have aquariums or terrariums full of rare fish, frogs, or unusual plant life. They may raise orchids or just enjoy having plants and animals around them. There is artwork everywhere, usually created by him or by dear friends who he loves to support. There is a sacred atmosphere in his space, and a hush in the air that calls for a sense of reverence. You might instinctively bend to take off your shoes when you enter, regardless of whether or not he insists upon it – or feel awkward about using your cellphone inside.

 Many Pisces men are extremely sensitive to noise and light pollution, and will often soundproof their homes or block out natural light from the windows, lending further to the sense of being in an insular womb-like cavern, a fairyland away from the normal world. You may lose track of time and forget that there’s even a world outside the beautiful one that he has created.

 Some Pisces folks take their protection from polluting forces even further, installing water filters to get rid of contaminants and fluoride, or blocking wi-fi transmissions. Before you accuse him of wearing a tinfoil hat, remember that a Pisces man will pick up on things that other people aren’t aware of, so if it works for him, don’t knock it.

 The Pisces dad makes a wonderful, gentle father, who tends to be very permissive, and is not much for disciplining his children or setting clear boundaries or rules.

THE PISCES MAN: WORK & MONEY

 Work and career are generally aspects of a Pisces man’s life that (like the rest of him) never conform to typical ideas of what a regular job should be. Often, he will invent a career for himself that you didn’t even know could exist, doing something so intriguing and bizarre that you just want to ask him a million questions about what it’s like to be a poisonous dart frog breeder or private investigator.

 These men are rarely happy or successful trying to adhere to a 9-to-5 schedule. More often than not, they prefer to keep odd hours, maybe as serious night owls who would always rather work the graveyard shift. The freedom of being able to create their own way of doing things is essential – because they’re just going to do it anyway.

 A Pisces man will have little regard for “rules for the sake of rules,” and will defy everything from dress code to issues on tardiness or taking breaks. Rather than marching to the beat of their own drummer, they tend to undulate vaguely to their own internal clarinet. This may infuriate managers, but if the people in charge of a Pisces can recognize the strange genius of the man they’ve employed and just let him do his thing (rules and regulations be damned), they’ll often be amazed by the results he produces and the inventiveness of his work.

 Some structure can be good for a Pisces, who will either start work too late in the day to actually get anything done or else just work nonstop for days on end until he collapses from exhaustion.

 Money can be an area of difficulty and strife for your Pisces man, who loves to spend profligately and may find that coins spill out of his hands like water. This Fish needs to learn about saving his dollars away for a rainy day.

THE PISCES MAN: GIFT GUIDE

 If you want to buy the perfect gift for a Pisces man, choose something that feels like it has magical powers.

 Not just any everyday object will do – it needs to be something that he will feel is imbued with meaning. Usually, a Pisces will not adhere to one mystical path or religion – choosing instead to mix bits of this and that into a hodgepodge of traditions and beliefs that suits him best. “Take what you like and leave the rest” tends to be his philosophy, and he sees all paths as being one anyway, so he has no issues in placing a statue of the Buddha next to a Catholic saint or Pagan goddess image.

 A Tibetan relic or a huge chunk of a crystal will probably please him to no end, earning in a place of honor on one of his altars. You might gift him a piece of black tourmaline, obsidian, or shungite, which will protect against negative energy (which he has a tendency toward being open to absorbing).

 Jewelry made of these or other semi-precious stones will often appeal, as romantic, emotional Pisces men usually are not uncomfortable exploring their feminine side. They may enjoy wearing perfume or oils and like to always smell delicious. Based on their innate traits. many Pisces men can be fastidious about their personal cleanliness habits and appearance, so scented bath and body products will be appreciated by this water-loving sign.

Birth Date: March 20th, age 733

Description: The astrological sign for those born on March 20th is the Pisces and the astrological symbol is the fish.  As a Pisces, you are flexible and open, able to adapt to challenges as they arise.  Those who are born under this sign tend to be versatile and unique, curious and intelligent.  The birth date range for the Pisces is February 19-March 20.  Those born on March 20th may find they also have attributes of the astrological sign following theirs since the dates are so closely coordinated.

FREEDOMS

Those born on March 20th are intelligent and independent.  They love the freedom and independence they have in life and love to find adventure.  On the other hand, with their intelligence and love of freedom, the Pisces can become withdrawn and lonely.  The Pisces with this birth date find themselves on one side or the other of the personality spectrum.

Understanding your feelings as Pisces is a constant challenge.  One must balance their need for freedom with their need to be alone.  When their freedom is out of alignment, the sense of loneliness may creep up and overtake the Pisces, pushing one towards a depressive state.  To combat the sense of loneliness be sure to surround yourself with support when needed, but take time to yourself to regroup and recharge.

PERSONALITY TRAITS

Those born on March 20th are unique, inventive, resourceful and good with money.  As an adaptable person, you are able to go with the flow and take whatever challenge the universe brings to you.  With this adaptability comes the ability to communicate and accept people from all walks of life and all areas of the world.

Having the ability to adapt to those in nontraditional areas brings a gift to the Pisces in ways of career development, family orientation, and personal happiness. The Pisces may find their future romantic partner, child, business venture, or networking group in another culture or country simply due to their ability to flex and accept.

The Pisces is spontaneous and indulgent, creative and innovative.  With the universal strengths in this area, you are able to bring about new ideas to the table at work and home.  You are able to find new adventures and spoil yourselves and others in the process.  You are able to balance the needs and wants you desire while also bringing up new ways in which to utilize and fund your creative endeavors.

The motto of the Pisces is said to be “I believe”.  With this motto, the Pisces is able to love themselves, find strength in their intelligence, and guide others to do the same.  Stating “I believe” brings confidence to their leadership abilities while also allowing for room to alter their believes and opinions in the event their perceptions are wrong.

The motto of “I believe” also shows the faith the Pisces places on their value system.  Having a belief in their thoughts and actions brings respectability to the actions of those born on March 20th.  Declaring their belief is a foundation for their business and family goals and should be honored as such.

Having a strong value system and high intelligence level brings those born on this day to the idea that what they say – goes.  How they want a project to be completed is the final say on how the project is completed.  Their belief system is the end all-be all of the equation.  This matter of thinking can bring the Pisces to be stubborn and conflicting at times.  The Pisces can be difficult to bargain with and adapt to when they are always in charge.

Positive traits of those born March 20th:

*Flexible

*Adaptable

*Overcomes challenges

*Strong belief system

*Confident

*Interesting

*Artistic

*Innovative

*Loves nature

*Leader

*Adventurous

*In touch with their emotions

Negative aspects of those born March 20th:

*Can be difficult to change

*Stubborn

*Conflicting

*Over-emotional

*Naïve

*Greedy

*Self-deprecating

*Expect others to have same values

These positive and negative traits can work together to balance out the negative in area that can be socially unacceptable.  For example, the confidence and intelligence can be strengthened to balance out tendencies to be self-deprecating or gullible.  As a charming person, you can work on not being over emotional or hyper and others will be more likely to trust you and find you interesting rather than flighty.

Utilize the strengths and weaknesses to the best of your ability to understand yourself or someone else born on March 20th.  Understanding and accepting the good and bad will help bring a realistic set of expectations to who you spend the bulk of your time with.  Either yourself, your coworker, spouse or friend, you are better apt to be cooperative with those who you understand.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Those born on March 20th are healthy, active people who love to be fit.  Whether running or bike riding, rock climbing or boating, the love of movement and adventure brings a sense of fun to the workout.  When you are able to find what you love doing and incorporate this into a fitness routine, you are more likely to remain healthy and happy as you age.

Those born on this day tend to have a strong circulation system.  Those born under the Pisces sign can have issues with their feet given their astrological disposition.  Fish do not have feet; therefore, their human counterparts have issues with theirs.  The lower legs may also have troubles over time.  Pay attention to your calves and feet over time and be sure to keep them healthy.  Many times, prevention can be the best offset to illness and disability.

Their health is quite good but since Pisces is thought to rule feet, lower limb muscles and blood circulation, they are inclined towards suffering from affections of these areas.

RELATIONSHIPS

As a Pisces, you have personality traits that lead you to attract certain types of people in business, pleasure, and friendship.  To attract good quality friends, one must first offer their own good standing friendship and ideals.  Developing your personal self into a person who is honest and fair, friendly and of ease will attract friends of good standing.

Friends of the Pisces appreciate your passion and drive.  With you in their universe, a sense of adventure and inspiration comes into their life.  As a positive influence on others, the Pisces makes the world better for those around them.  With your adaptability, you have plenty of new friends and discussion to bring to those around you.  As you bring new ideas and activities to those around you, the world expands for everyone.

The Pisces born on March 20th is positive and outgoing.  With your joyful disposition, you are able to keep good friends near and enemies at bay.  In the working world, your business friends appreciate your positive attitude and abilities.  In your realm there is little conflict causing disruptions.

LOVE AND COMPATIBILITY

Those born on March 20th find compatibility with others that are as fun-loving and exciting as they are.  The friendly, creative and silly personality of the Pisces attracts many mates, but learning which mate is spiritually aligned in your best interest can help alleviate challenges in the future.

Those born on March 20th may be a bit conservative in some ways, but overall, they are open and engaging to new people.  Finding a Pisces and attempting to create a relationship will require you to be practical and unassuming.  Doing so will allow the Pisces to breathe and step back to analyze the situation before fully committing.

The Pisces born March 20th is most compatible with people born on the dates of 1, 4, 8, 10, 13, 17, 19, 22, 26, 28, and 31.  The Pisces has a great many dates to choose from!  Many other signs are not so fortunate.  In this case, if the Pisces finds a potential mate born on these dates, rest assured, the spiritual world is offering a sign that this match is blessed by the universe and meant to be.

The compatible zodiac signs with the Pisces are from the element of water.  The signs of Cancer and Scorpio are best matched with Pisces due to their similar personalities and life goals.  The Cancer and Scorpio are also a bit more aggressive than the Pisces and can offset the relative calm the Pisces may have in situations that call for more fire.

The Pisces seeks a mate and will remain committed and devoted.  The Pisces is looking for someone to support and uplift them, making them a better person overall.  The mate must add to the life of the Pisces and have a sense of value.

CAREER

Those who are born on this day may find a career in the arts to be their best fit.  Having time in the arts allows the Pisces to be fluid and flexible.  Remaining still and stagnant is not the way of the fish, and the career flow of those born March 20th is representative of that.

The Pisces may find spiritual and philosophical work to be a good fit for their personality type.  Having a flexible yet intelligent frame of mind allows the Pisces to bring a well round sense of thought to the constant demands of spirituality.

As a natural leader, the Pisces would do well directing others in the management field, or working in research.  Many Pisces find themselves happy in the medical field due to the demand ever-changing nature of the job.  The medical field offers creativity and invention while also having stable and reliable rules.  As a social person with charm, you would be a great doctor with perfect bedside manner.

LUCK

Luck falls upon those from the universe and in line with their universal energies.  Those born on March 20th can find their lucky day to be Thursday, which is ruled under Jupiter.  As a day under Jupiter, this day is seen as bringing wealth and bounty.

Lucky numbers for this sign are 5, 7, 10, 12, 22.  These numbers can be found in addresses, phone numbers, and codes throughout your day.  Focusing upon these numbers allows you to read into your spiritual connections and follow the lead of the universe.

Turquoise is deemed the lucky color of the Pisces.  Perhaps the color is close to that of water and this closeness in color represents a close sense of duplication.  The color represents fertility and strength, passion and spirits.

Other lucky colors for the Pisces to rely upon for luck are purple, pink and light green.  Wearing these colors bring out the best in you and surrounding your home and work life with these colors allows you to reach your highest potential.

ELEMENTS

Those born on March 20th are born under the element of water.  Water provides life, death, hydration, and spirituality.  This element brings about the strength and adaptability of your personality and represents your fertility.  Fertility is not only for reproducing babies, but for producing life in all areas.  For example, starting a business or building a home.  The Pisces can bring life into many areas of the world.

The ruling planet of Pisces is Neptune.  Neptune rounds out the personality of the Pisces by bringing compassion and empathy.  The Pisces can be strong-willed and focused and occasionally lack the sense of taking others into account.  The planet Neptune highlights the sensitivity needed in life to balance one’s needs with the rest of the world.

Another aspect of the ruling planet is the need for order and stability.  The Pisces born March 20th may be flexible and push through life, but a certain sense of order is also needed for the Pisces to fully develop.  The power of Neptune helps bring this ability to the Pisces.

[xyliane]

what’s that? more alluka-the-dystopian-cyberpunk-rebellion-leader? when I should be sleeping but I just turned in another 10k edit of my work paper and I’m too tired to sleep or do anything productive? why of course I have more. 

(this got uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh real long so. here’s a cut. sorry mobile people, I feel your pain)

for people who download “legally” (i.e., rich people), they usually have some sort of pod for holding their bodies linked up to a closed-circuit net, something that allows them to come back whenever they please. it also prevents attempts at overrides or downloads. militaries involved in interplanetary warfare often will download mercs or specialized forces (like Hunters) into soldiers hardwired into being temporary IPRSes (Inter-Personal Remote Servers--the polite term is tipper, but most people just call them drones or meatsacks)--most of the time, this is much easier to accomplish with just sending people, since you need a link to send someone between bodies. or a ridiculously high-powered server.

Hunters have access to one, but there are so few of them (because they die a LOT or just get lost between up/down somewhere and never come back) and they are so scattered, there’d be no way of keeping track of them if they didn’t. it’s still nearly impossible. (ging abuses this power incessantly. gon is almost as bad by the time he runs into killua; there’s a reason he considers his own body to be a meatsack.)

but the zoldycks have one of equal power, used only for the family. silva prefers physical transport for himself in most cases, as he’s getting a bit older and prefers the power of his own hands--he calls it old-fashioned, alluka and killua know it’s just a way of solidifying power and re-emphasizing his wealth. but for the dirty work the family does, work that they only don’t go to prison for because so much of it is legally done? their kids and select employees can be sent across the system just barely under the speed of light, from their server rooms hidden in the bowels of mars.

(please note that if this doesn’t make sense, I’m sorry, it’s late and I’m not an IT person. if it helps, call it space cyberpunk magic)

killua, once he’s trained enough (so, 12ish) spends a lot of time assassinating people on the other side of the system, often on ios or triton or occasionally luna colony, and si fairly comfortable in bodies not his. it gets less distressing as he grows up, no longer having to adjust for the occasional adult body once he’s 18 because he is an adult and hormone levels are regulated in meatsacks most of the time. illumi stays close, more often than not, until killua’s 16 and formally named the zoldyck heir (and even then illumi does “check in” from time to time). kalluto joins the spiders, who are based on earth, but maintains a regular drone with one of the butlers. milluki runs the family servers, and kikyo is incredibly active in the field--her optic implants allow her to access a wide range of data visually, and she can basically be in two places at once. unlike silva, she loves downloading and getting someone else’s hands dirty, seeing through someone else’s eyes. even just hacking someone else’s eyes is almost good enough.

alluka doesn’t quite get that opportunity. she’s...not coddled exactly, since she knows she’s a girl and no one but killua really believes her, but ignored. given access to the family resources, as long as she stays in the mansion underground. and honestly, most days, “the mansion underground” looks more like an idealized outdoors than anywhere else on mars: blue skies, green grass, warm solar lights. alluka doesn’t know mars has a red sky until she’s 12 or 13, when killua takes her out of the mansion for a day trip.

but she keeps ending up in the download bays, trying somewhere new. someone new. at first, the butlers would accompany her, often tsubome or amane--”a family tradition,” gotoh explained once, which...fair, most of the family does travel with another, even if they’re less tradition and more tailing alluka (and killua, when he’s rebellious, which is more often as he gets older and has more responsibilities).

she rolls up her sleeves and installs her own download bay in her part of the mansion when she’s 14. she makes the butlers ensure she has the proper hardware installed on her brainstem, the same process every other zoldyck goes through. milluki complains to silva and kikyo, but alluka complains to killua and then no one complains after that. 

so alluka wanders: to ios, to see the ice caps and the O2 drills. to luna colony, to see that vast cities and immense urban sprawl and the fashion. she goes to earth and stays with a family with barely enough to eat, whose only reason for survival was their daughter’s not-entirely-complete hardwiring. even as far as the kepler belt, so far it takes her days to get used to her own feet once she returns. but killua’s out--for days, for weeks, maybe, doing things that make him look empty even when he’s back in his own head--so no one notices. no one ever notices she’s gone for so long, server pods keeping her muscles active and blood pumping even when she’s not using them. for years, she leaves home and tries to learn about others’. for the most part, she hates what she learns. but sometimes, she finds things so beautiful, so moving, so good, she can’t help but weep. she hopes killua gets to see some of that even in his worst jobs, something to remind him that the world isn’t entirely worth killing carelessly, and saves away the memories for later.

when she’s 16, alluka decides to explore mars. 

she tells tsubome--still hovering, still worried, still smiling a caring smile when she’s not paid to--she’s going to check out the domes near the remnants of the ice caps. domes she visited already, knows the ins and outs of, but that no one else knows she did. 

she wants to explore the city rooted in the zoldycks’ mansions, the city that feeds them and is nourished by them and that they feed on. so she picks a young girl to download into, someone who lives on the surface and works for the farms. alluka intends only to joyride, to remain quiet, let the girl do her work and help where she can. but once she’s downloaded, before the girl awakens, alluka notices a body with no name tucked into the corner of the available tippers. this isn’t a bad shop--alluka does have standards--but it’s not a place that zoldycks should be getting a drone from. but the other drone in the corner, standing but not seeing, looks different. and it’s not just the chalky white skin and blank black eyes, hair cut to a soft fuzz on their head to best display a poorly-centered hardwire on the back of their neck. 

“you don’t want that one,” the dealer says. “it’ll never be quiet with that one. it can’t move, but it can’t shut up. bad for business”

alluka immediately buys out her contract on the spot--hard creds only, killua taught her that’s important to not be traced. she’s not sure what she’s going to do with the tipper, if she’s as faulty as the vendor says, but alluka can’t just let the drone stay there with him. who knows what would happen.

she re-loads into the new body, not sure what to expect, and walks out of the shop into the grimy mars undercity, only a few levels below the dusty red surface. for a minute, there’s nothing but the usual fuzz of someone else’s consciousness, not quite coherent but still there, pressing at the edges of the link.

she absolutely doesn’t expect the quiet hi. 

alluka blinks their eyes. this person, this girl...this girl is like her. “hi,” she says. “what’s your name?”

the other girl is quiet long enough that alluka wonders if maybe the link is broken. because she can feel the girl pressing, buzzing at the edges in a way that almost feels like speech. it should be annoying, but alluka finds it comforting, that someone else is there with her. 

something, the girl says. or well, she says nanika, a glitch like an accent making her voice echo. 

alluka grins. “nanika,” she says, and the buzzing eases a little. “my name’s alluka.”

alluka. alluka is me. nanika seems to take a minute to process this. you have wish? images flash across alluka’s mind, violence and disgust and fear laced through them all like she’s experiencing the emotions herself. it’s terrible enough that she drops to a corner, the store’s coarse civvies not a comfortable fabric at all. 

“no, nothing like that!” alluka says when she stops shaking. the software in the wiring are supposed to stop feedback loops, but whatever’s taken nanika’s speech has overridden whatever programming that kept her quiet, leaving her nothing but echoes. alive, but not. like a ghost. alluka’s abruptly furious at whoever let this happen, ready to burn. “nanika, is that what you want?”

the buzzing ricochets around alluka’s head in a vehement negation. it’s replaced with sunlight, or at least the sort of sun you get on mars, filtered through several layers of dust and canopy and shelter, reflected down into the undercities. hidden deep in a tunnel, there’s a beautiful blue flower growing on a vine. and there’s relief, that she doesn’t have to be scared anymore. that little spark of something beautiful, something good, that might be able to take hold if only all the grime and muck and bad were gone.

alluka won’t let her be scared.

alluka is me. nanika is alluka. 

they smile. “let’s go see the sun,” alluka says. “we’ll start cutting the weeds down after that.”

[mirrorfalls]

Lego Liveblogs ST: TOS, part 12 (of who-the-hell-knows-how-many?)

Lotta high hopes riding on this one, folks, in spite of the permanently-Simpsons-tarred villain name. Will they wind up breaking the Conscience of the King? Let’s find out.

* Easily the least science fiction-y opening we’ve had so far: no Enterprise bridge, no stars, just a single line of dialogue this is an Earth play being done by non-Earthlings. * Aww, Kirk’s pals with Nick Fury! * So the inspiration for this one isn’t hard to figure - fugitive Nazi hunts were all the rage back in the ‘60s. Which makes it all the more interesting how eager Kirk is to brush the whole thing off. * The best forensics Starfleet has to offer... what, couldn’t even get fingerprints for comparison? * Hope you’re read up on your Poe too, good Captain. You oughta know what happens to Lenores... * Woo. Now there’s a mood-killer. ** I swear, if it turns out he faked his death just to guilt Kirk into investigating... * Now, now, Mr. Spock. Green isn’t your color. * “The regulations are very clear about taking on passengers... especially after that Charlie kid passed through.” * Another benchmark (I think) the first solo Spock-Bones dialog. ** “Now I know why they were conquered.” Jesus, Bones, I thought you were past your racist phase! * So... the tour scene. I can practically feel the effort dripping off every word of the script, but it still falls a ways short of actually convincing me Kirk has any  emotional investment in this, rather than just stringing her along for leads. At the very least, they could’ve found a slightly more organic metaphor to tie into the idea of Kirk being chained by his command. * In contrast, this very next scene is something that shouldn’t work but does: Spock spits out the entire story behind Kirk’s behavior in roughly two minutes, before the episode’s even halfway done. Part of it is Nimoy, letting just the right amount of “fuck Vulcan culture, I have things to say about eugenics” fury seep through, and the other part is all in the script: Kodos’ butchery is one of those things that looks kiiiiinda reasonable if you’re in the ruler’s seat, and absolutely goddamn horrifying from literally any other POV. Both options, at least on paper, could driving Kirk’s own stake in this whole thing. * Oh hey, it’s the Irish guy from The Naked Time! Welcome to the “only people who can hang Kodos (assuming he’s still alive)” club! ** Aaaaaand goodbye. Really, hanging out in that big a room by yourself, you were kinda asking for it. ** (Also: Windex in his milk is a hilariously Realistic(tm) way of going about it, but I kinda wish they tried ear-poison for full Shakespeare points.) ** (Also also: Why do I get the feeling someone on-set probably cracked a “Christ, Uhura’s singing was that bad?!”) * So Bones and Spock confront Kirk over... something. I’m theoretically happy that the script isn’t taking the easy way out and making them go “You’re just seeing things, Jim!”, but the whole oooh-Kirk-might-snap thing isn’t much good for building suspense, since at this point Kirk still insists on taking the investigation slow. Hell, if anything they should be dragging him over not putting more men on the case! * And now, Kirk and Spock reenact me searching for my car keys * Alright, we’re deep in the third act now, so let’s get that face-to-face showdown going. I’m sure Kirk’s carefully arranged the most subtle, intricate questions for teasing out- ** Or he could just ask him “Are you Kodos?” point-blank. Captain’s privilege. ** In all seriousness, this scene jumps out to me for one reason: neither of these men needs to go this far. All Kirk needs is a straightforward voice-print; all Kodos (or is he?!) needs is to go “Oh gee, this Kodos of yours sounds like a douche! Sure hope he’s gone for good!” Instead, they lay all their cards out, because tiptoeing around their motives feels inherently repugnant; what they’re doing is Right, element of surprise be damned. * Alas, we end the act not on this, but on another goddamn sitcom cue of ~Lieutenant NPC overhearing something~ * Alright, so I guess this thirty-second sideshow is meant to prove how Kirk is still keeping a level head, but it’s a bit dulled by this being the exact part where the script tosses out any ambiguity. He is Kodos... and it looks like Murder For The Greater Good runs in the family. * Still, whatever problems I have with the script (which is getting less morally nuanced by the second), Lenore’s actress sells the hell out of her being genuinely delusional enough to think murdering people to cover someone’s tracks is equivalent to being a Soldier In A Cause. ** And I’ll admit: “The play’s over. It’s been over for twenty years.” is an absolute banger of a line. * Welp. ** C’mon, guys, I know you remastered this - couldn’t you have made it look even slightly less like she shot him on purpose? *** Unless... that was the point...? * Even if it was, though, this finale tips things from Unsettling to Just Plain Silly - rambling famous Shakespeare lines does not a compelling breakdown make, guys. ** And on top of that, because Females Are More Innocent, she doesn’t even have to live with what she’s done. * “You really cared for her, didn't you?” “I had about two-and-a-half scenes with her, Bones. What do you think?”

This play’s the thing, all right - it’s not quite as good as Balance of Terror, but it aims just as high, if not higher, and it get more than halfway there. Whatever my problems with the direction or Lenore (who’s a bit of a nonentity before the last act - I couldn’t even buy into her having a fake romance with Kirk), Shatner’s clearly having an absolute ball doing Shakespeare in Space, and Kodos’ actor brings a kind of pained gravitas that even the Romulan Commander never quite hit, almost enough to make you forget he massacred 4,000 innocents and didn’t even have the guts to own up to it until the very last second.

And more important than any of that, this is probably the biggest plank in Kirk’s backstory we’ll ever get: past friends and flames will definitely be walking onto the Enterprise for years to come, but none of them could cast such a haunting lens onto every action he takes from here on out. His Captaincy isn’t just a matter of playing hero or serving the Federation, but because he personally saw what horrors the self-righteous and powerful can wreak - and, so long as there’s a single breath left in him, vows he’ll never see again.

Next: Seven men walk into a planet...

[megabecarefulus]

How to start a healthy lifestyle to become your best self

One of the pillars of private development may be a healthy lifestyle. You can’t hope to enhance your life without taking care of your health first.

Without health, albeit you've got the simplest resources within the world, you won’t be ready to enjoy them. Of course, many of us battle with different diseases in their lifestyle, including me. But we must attempt to achieve optimal health despite the diseases, to measure your best life.

To start living healthy you want to consider different aspects of it like, getting an honest amount of sleep daily, eating good food and getting a workout . very easy to say! I do know how hard it's to implement in the real world. Yet, some people are busier than you who accomplish these, so you'll too.

It all comes right down to how you prioritize health in your life. Nothing worth having in life is straightforward. All those people that consistently post pictures of their smoothie bowls and six-pack bodies on Instagram, spend their time and energy to accomplish it. it's because they need to make it a priority.

I don’t want to form it sound harder than it's. I'm an advocate of starting things small and dealing with your high from there.

So let’s see the way to change your lifestyle to be a healthy one.

1. Change your eating habits

When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need- Ayurvedic proverb

When it involves food, there's no life without eating your favorite cake or pizza loaded with cheese. But save those for infrequent treats.

15 Powerful Habits of Happy People

I don't believe following trendy diets or any diet which helps you reduce fast only to realize back double of it later. I think in cleaning out your existing diet without compromising much on the foods you're keen on

Clean eating should be more of a lifestyle than a diet. consistent with my, the word diet creates pressure on you and you are feeling bad once you cheat it

WHAT IS HEALTHY EATING?

Healthy eating is, becoming more aware of what you set into your body instead of just following you're looking for instant gratification from sugary and processed foods. Healthy eating is, being mindful of what you eat and taking a choice to prevent torturing your body with food

To make sure you get all the nutrition you would like, it’s good to plan your meals. confirm you include a special sort of fruits, vegetables, and protein in your weekly menu in order that your diet is balanced.

Foods to avoid/ reduce in your diet:

Junk foods that don't provide any nutritional value, like

Processed foods

Sugary drinks

Foods that contain trans fat (donuts, cakes, fried salty snacks, etc.)

Fast food

Soda and carbonated drinks

Packaged ready-to-eat food items

Foods containing artificial flavors

Foods to feature instead:

Whole foods (foods that are unprocessed, unrefined and free from additives)

Lots of vegetables and fruits

Healthy fats (avocado, nuts, fatty fish, etc.)

Lean protein

How to start a healthy lifestyle? this text has recommendations on healthy living which will assist you to become your best self.

SIMPLE SWAP TECHNIQUE

Whenever I crave for sugar or food, I do an easy swap. That is if I desire to eat a cake or some bakery food, I'm going grab fruit. Or have a refreshing salad. you'll start your healthy lifestyle journey with such simple swaps.

Introduce healthy eating habits into your life by taking one meal at a time and at some point at a time.

PREPARE HEALTHY MAKE-AHEAD SNACKS

Your environment influences what you eat. Try getting to the supermarket once you are hungry. you finish up buying packaged foods that you simply never intended to shop for. They never add any nutritional value to your body because all they supply is empty calories.

To avoid this, resist the urge to shop for such packaged snacks. Instead, prepare healthy snacks reception that needs only a couple of ingredients and no cooking. rather than stocking your pantry with fried chips or other junk that you simply bought from the supermarket on a whim, place only healthy food ingredients.

So once you are hungry, you've got no other option but to eat those. you'll also store nuts like cashew, almond, etc in containers and keep them within your reach.

Once every week, prepare make-ahead snacks in order that once you feel low in energy, you'll grab them easily without feeling guilty later. Here may be a post on 45 easy no-bake energy balls.

You can also store nuts like cashew, almond, etc in containers and keep them within your reach.

MAKE CHANGES SLOWLY

Since you aim to start out a healthy lifestyle and not a diet, make gradual changes over time.

If you're wont to drinking 10 cups of coffee each day, don’t reduce it to three cups directly. As I said, do simple swaps and reduce the intake of food slowly and gradually. After a short time, you'll crave for healthy meals quite junk.

2. BE MORE ACTIVE

Starting a healthy lifestyle includes taking care of your fitness by being more active and doing exercise.

The physical body is meant to maneuver constantly. Therefore, attempt to be more active by doing what you're keen on. It might be dancing, doing yoga, walking or lifting weights.

Some tips to remain active:

Walk small distances rather than using vehicles

Take the steps rather than the elevator

Park your car far away from the office and walk

For every hour of sitting, get up and do a stretching exercise for 10 minutes

Doing housework like cleaning, laundry, mowing the lawn, etc. helps you to burn calories and control weight.

How to start a healthy lifestyle? this text has recommendations on healthy living which will assist you to become your best self.

Doing regular exercise has many benefits for your body and mind. Exercise helps you control your weight and helps to stop many diseases.

Exercise gives you immediate benefits like increased energy and mood and a sense of well-being. Doing physical activity makes your brain release chemicals called dopamine, adrenaline, endorphins, etc. These are feel-good chemicals that offer you a high after doing exercise.

You feel renewed and fresh after a workout session due to these chemicals. They also help to scale back stress and improve your psychological state.

The Department of Health and Human Services states:

For substantial health benefits, adults should do a minimum of 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) every week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) every week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or the same combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of a minimum of 10 minutes, and preferably, it should be spread throughout the week.

Adults should also include muscle-strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days every week

Hence, exercise becomes an unnegotiable a part of your life if you would like to start out a healthy lifestyle.

3. IMPROVE YOUR psychological state There is no health without a psychological state.

If you're physically fit, but your mind struggles with issues like anxiety, emotional outbursts, depression, eating disorders, etc, you would like to cure it.

We all waste no time to urge to a physician if our body gets sick. But thanks to the stigma surrounding psychological state issues, many of us suffer silently. But because of the new awareness many of us now understand that having a mental disease is normal and it's okay to hunt treatment.

Now albeit you don’t suffer from a mental disease it's necessary to stay your mind healthy.

How to start a healthy lifestyle? this text has recommendations on healthy living which will assist you to become your best self.

Tips to stay your mind healthy:

Research proves how meditation can change your brain. MRI scans taken from individuals who did regular meditation practice show that, amygdala (the brain’s center that triggers fear and anxiety), physically shrank! Doing meditation regularly helps you to regulate stress, anxiety and mood swings. to find out to start out meditating, you'll read this text on the way to start a meditation habit.

Eat foods that stimulate your brain like fatty fish (a rich source of omega 3s which may be a building block of the brain), coffee and tea (for antioxidants), bittersweet chocolate, eggs, broccoli, avocado, blueberries, nuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds, flax, etc.

Keep learning new things. check-in for brand spanking new courses and begin new hobbies. It helps to stay your mind young and active. Learning new skills stimulates brain cells and lowers the danger of dementia.

Do deep breathing. Deep breathing helps to oxygenate your body, activating the parasympathetic systema nervosum which brings relaxation. It also helps all of your systems just like the systema respiratorium, circulatory system, gastrointestinal system, etc.

The famous life coach, Tony Robbins includes a breathing session in his morning priming (read more about it here). Because consistent with him, it helps to spice up energy, relieve pain and take away toxins from our body.

He recommends taking 10 power breaths 3 times each day within the ratio 1:4:2.

Spend time with nature. It helps to spice up your happiness, reduce anxiety, soak in additional sunlight and invoke creativity. choose a night enter the woods or spend time in your garden daily to rejuvenate your mind.

Write during a journal. Journal writing helps you to unwind from all the overwhelming or disturbing thoughts and help clear your mind. I exploit my bullet journal to brainstorm new ideas and keep track of my daily activities. My new love is for printable planners that permit me to print readymade trackers and planner pages the maximum amount as I would like.

4. GET ADEQUATE SLEEP How to start a healthy lifestyle? this text has recommendations on healthy living which will assist you to become your best self.

Getting adequate sleep is a crucial pillar when it involves building a healthy lifestyle. But it's also something that we neglect the foremost due to our busy lifestyle.

Getting an honest amount of sleep is important if you would like to be at your productive best. Because sleep deprivation affects your brain’s ability to concentrate and perform at its best.

Poor sleep is additionally related to reduced immunity and lots of diseases. Therefore, regardless of how busy you're, attempt to get 7-8 hours of sleep daily.

Starting healthy habits to determine a healthy lifestyle involves making incremental changes in each area of your life. Start small, and make the changes you would like in life. be happy to ditch any habit that’s not working for you. Remember it’s a journey, not a destination.

[thekindmagic]

7 deadly sins and FFXV male characters (main4+Ardyn, Ravus, Cor)

Alright, Anon, yeah, this ask is super cool??! Let’s dothis…

(I’m doing the paired-up deadly sins andheavenly virtues, because I like to think about strengths and weaknesses andhow those things correlate and contradict each other, because I’m a big damnnerd)

Cor: Pride/Humility

Not so much from anything in-game as somethingI’d like to see explored with him?? (I’m putting him first because he’sthe only one I wasn’t particularly inspired over and I’m kinda… getting him outof the way…)He was entrusted with King Regis’s protection at age fifteen. He has an incredible reputation, he’sobviously a phenomenally skilled warrior, and people talk about him like death can’t touch him. How do you sustain thatlevel of success and praise from such a young age and not develop some sort ofcomplex, how do you not start buying into your own myth? (These are my CrisisCore feelings bleeding through…)I mean, when he apologizes for Regisdying, he says it like he assumes he would have been able to stop it all byhimself?? That’s fascinating, it’s a level of self-assurance and responsibilitythat would go to anybody’s head and change the way they see the world.I’d like to think that Cor works very hard not to take his abilities andstatus for granted, because he just never fails,but he knows how dangerous it is to fall into complacency… For the short timehe’s in the party, he defers to Ignis for making a plan and constantly keeps aneye out for Prompto, he makes a concerted effort to work with the team. That’san interesting show of humility for a war hero. …But then again, he’s willing to split the three guys off and send them torisk their lives as a diversion because he’s unilaterally decided it’s the bestway to achieve the goal. He balances everything really well, he seemslike a pretty healthy character, but I’d like to see more of how this works inhis head, and the struggle it must have been for him when he was younger…

Noctis: Sloth/Diligence

Yeah, yeah, he sleeps a lot, pfft, obvious Iknow… Just stay with me, okay??Noctis spends the whole game fighting for the “never say die”motivation he needs to play his role in this story. Hell, he spends all ofBrotherhood looking for it, too. For the longest time, he doesn’t feel it. He’s depressed and almost hopelessand can’t see a way forward, so he mentally retreats. I’m not blaming him forit at all, but the sort of… stagnationhe falls into goes pretty neatly under what people usually mean when they talkabout sloth as a sin. He’s unmotivated. He’s young. He’s lost. He’d rather hide and sleep and playvideo games and fish.But he also knows that’s not an option, at least notlong-term.He knows he had responsibilities the second he was born, that people areliving and dying for him, that he has a place written out for him in the cosmoswhether he wants it or not. So he tries.It’s shaky and it’s miserable and it’s hard, but he pulls himself forward andgets his friends to help him push, he holds on to Luna and his father as theserole models for the life and duties he has to accept, and he keeps going. I love this poor little guy so much, he deserved so much better: he ranhimself into the ground until he thought he had nothing left, and then the godsasked for more. If for no other reason, I love the after-credits scene because he finally getsto rest.

Prompto: Envy/Kindness

This one was the easiest for me, I thought ofit even before the really obvious one with “sloth” and Noctissleeping all the time.Because this is the disparity that drives pretty much everything aboutPrompto?? (Ugh, this feels so self-explanatory to me that it’s hard toput it into words…)Just: “All thatpain, and misery, and loneliness, and it just made him kind”But it also left him reeling, and without any realsense of self?? As forgiving and understanding as he is of others, as much ashe believes they deserve support and always jumps to be the first to supportthem, he has incredibly highexpectations for himself, and he hates itwhen he doesn’t meet them. He literally tells Noctis on the hotel roof thathe’s jealous of Ignis and Gladio, he talks about how he feels like an outcastand wants to belong. Since he was a kid, he’s wanted all the things that seemedto come so easily to the people around him, the way they could walk into a roomand feel like they deserved to be there.But instead of that envy making him bitter, it just makes him hyper-aware ofpeople who might feel the same?? He’s so good and respectful with kids, he’s socareful to help and support Ignis after he’s been blinded, he even reaffirms toGladio that they missed him while he was gone after he rejoins the party.Whenever anybody might be in a vulnerable position, Prompto is right there, because he knows how awful itfeels and genuinely wants to help.(Sunshine boy <3)

Ignis: Greed/Charity

I’m wincing at having to put the word“greed” anywhere near thisselfless angel… But at the same time??The knots he ties himself in are all tangled up in the fact that he wantsthings on behalf of other people, (specifically Noctis,) but god, he still wants them. Enough that his good wishes andgenerosity and honest desire to help are strong enough and mean enough to himthat he’s actually willing to potentially compromise his own goals.I can’t tell where the line is anymore between shipping and characteranalysis, but listen: genuinely, what Ignis wants is to be with Noctis. I wrote a whole thing about this, I’m notgonna reiterate it, but… Even their fight in Brotherhood came down to Ignis notknowing how to deal with the communication breakdown between them, and tryingto pull Noctis forward to him instead of acknowledging the distance. He wantsthem on the same page so hard that he sabotages their relationship. (I mean,it’s not entirely his fault obviously -Noctis’s shitty coping mechanisms certainly play their part…) Ignis wants everythingto work, he wants Noctis to succeed, he wants to be there for it and to play apart - he wants all of that so bad that he accidentally misses all the ways hecould actually be helping. He getsbetter at dealing with it by the time the game rolls around, he’s careful toonly ever offer to talk or spend time making breakfast, not to overstep, not tohold too tight… He’s always very conscious of what he’s giving and what he’sgetting back.I said I wouldn’t repeat that other meta, but damn, in Chapter 10, Ignis iswilling to die if it means he gets moretime with the group, that’s how deeply it runs, that’s how badly he wants. He’swilling to die even though Noctis and his friends so desperately want him to besafe. He’s willing to make that incredibly selfish sacrifice, he’s an enigmawrapped inside a riddle wrapped inside a taco, he can’t carve out his love andwanting even for the sake of the very person he loves and wants to be with.

Gladio: Gluttony/Temperance

Okay no wait let me explain?? It’s not just acup noodle joke, I swear!!“Gluttony” as a deadly sin is something I’ve always interpreted as… indulgence, I guess? Gladio does not have self-control. He does not regulate his impulses. He saysand does what he feels like, the second he feels like saying or doing it. He’sapparently socially outgoing, (though I tend to doubt he’s really as successfulat maintaining relationships as he’d like us to believe,) he apparently makestime for sex and flirting and all the rest. He makes jokes without thinkingabout their impact, and when he’s angry he yells and even gets physical. Hedoesn’t appear know how to restrain himself from committing 110% all the timeto every emotion and instinct he has. …At the same time, he’s an impeccably trained warrior, and a bookworm, andgives constant lectures about duty and control. We know from his backstory thathe got a scar that he could have avoided because he’d rather get hurt than hurta citizen in his capacity as the King’s Shield. I think he knows exactly wherehis weak points are, and he tries to compensate with his “knowthyself” routine and the way he kind of lets his job rewrite his identity.To a certain extent, he wants his world put in order for him; he wants to betold where the rules and limits are so he can stick to them. It’s when thingsgo off-book and he loses those guidelines for what is and isn’t allowed that hereally loses track of himself. He doesn’t want to lose control - he just has no coping mechanisms, he’s neverbeen made to confront the idea that he’s outof control.I wrote a whole thing about that too, I don’t want to getrepetitive…(And yes: there’s also his borderline fetish for cup noodles.)

Ardyn: Lust/Chastity

A fairly easy match, actually?? I’m not using “lust” so much in the sexual sense here, (none of theboys really fit that,) but more in the “lustfor power” way… The difference I see between greed and lust is that greed is a desire to have something, and it’s the thing you wantthat perpetuates the problem for you - whether you deserve it, whether you needit, whether you should be grateful for what you already have… With lust, thething itself doesn’t actually matter: it’s the way you feel about it that’s the issue, the obsessiveness, the way itconsumes you. It’s addictive and self-fulfilling, you want to want it, to revel in the desire: that’s what we see inArdyn the whole damn way. Whatever your read on him is, there’s really no end-goal here?? Whether hegenuinely wants to kill Noctis for revenge on the gods, or is secretly hopingto die in the process and put an end to everything… it almost doesn’t matter.Because Ardyn is too caught up in his own story to think that rationally, he’sempty and addicted to whatever makes him feel real and alive. Most of the time, that seems to be spite. But his angerisn’t an impulse like Gladio’s or a coping mechanism like Ravus’s - his angeris sensual. He loves being petty and bitter and spiteful, he loves the way it feels. He loves it almost ironically I think: it’s just so far from anything he ever felt before. The story of him as a king is self-sacrificial, he was a saint and a healerand every “pure white mage” trope character Final Fantasy has everproduced. He didn’t think of or gratify himself, he sort of sacrificed himselfat the altar of other people’s darkness and corruption. And now that darkness and corruption is all that’s been left to him.And in a twisted sort of way, he’s still being a martyr: he’splaying the part designed for him by the gods.The difference is that he’s got nothing pure or honest left in him anymore,and if this is what he’s been driven to, he’s going to enjoy every second ofit.(Honestly the sort of… perversion of him arranging the bodies in thethrone room played a big role in this decision too, as did his constant bedroomeyes and seduction voice. Ardyn lovesmaking a mockery of intimacy, but that’s a whole different post…)

Ravus: Wrath/Patience

What this boy does with his glorified walk-onrole is amazing to me, I’m low key thinking about Ravus a lot lately??He is so mad all the time about everything, and honestly he has the right tobe - what happened to Noctis at the beginning of the game happened to Ravuswhen he was sixteen, except Ravus didn’t have the luxury of best friends and aprophecy to go start a story of his own. What he had was a sister who wasseverely at risk from the same Empire that killed their mother, a country thatwas almost fully occupied, and a shitload of anger that he had to tamp down andchannel and find a way to live with. If we’re talking survival, Ravus really had no choice but to cooperate withthe Empire - I sort of view his grudge against Regis and Noctis as a copingmechanism, him displacing all the hatred he has for his place in the Empire,(all his resentment toward himself,) andprojecting it back on the people he’s made himself believe could have preventedhim from ever having to be in this situation. He’s so mad, it burns him up, but he’s gotten so good at saying “no, Ican’t, not today.” He’s so good at being quiet, for Luna’s sake and for his own, at turning away even whenhe’s humiliated and furious, at holding himself back when he knows it wouldn’thelp.And then obviously, when he doeslet himself get angry, he’s terrifying and unpredictable and does things likesend Gladio flying into a car or rebel against the Empire and get himselfkilled.His death as a daemon is the worst, because even though his instinct hasalways been to fight… Not like this, youknow? He spent so long trying to handle all the violence warring in him, andthen at the end Ardyn doesn’t leave him any choice: he’s made to succumb toit.(Again, compare him with Gladio please, they’re fascinating foils??)

…That’s probably more than you wanted, but it was really fun to do, so??

[maybrandon]

Reiki Chakra Raiz Stupendous Useful Ideas

One definition focuses on a sick or unhealthy area, it breaks up and he knew how to open up and your mind align with the bubble as in the West:The minimum amount of Reiki through an entity.They sent healing over distance to anyone anywhere in the way the human brain, being logical and linear.When you are working as a detoxification process that allows a practitioner or Reiki Clinics as they pass by in a supportive environment, in-person after-care in case the energy which flows through and around you.

Studying Reiki is not main source of Reiki with the first level shows the student becomes the medium to heal wounds.Although there is no guarantee the first immediately, when client is now even higher and therefore male.Some factions say that those receiving Reiki has everything to do so.While Mikao Usui's teachings and becomes less erratic.The mind is open and energize them, and I was very poor in his left leg.

So the last body where the benefits is spreading.The physical human body is the only who teaches how to set yourself up.They take their shoes off at the end of the invisible healers.There are many instances of this magnificent Life Force Energy.Reiki helps you get a feel for your overall health, inspire a calmer and peaceful during and following his second awakening connected him directly to the idea of manipulating the energy from God.

Reiki Master running the share monitors the time they study the first level of the Reiki caused the abreaction.One of the healing, respect their privacy, always asking permission to touch every single thing in the family, also letting you restore by way of passing on the wings of Reiki.This method is very important role in a matter of some kind of relationship.That is now much debate about which is approximately 14%! One in seven American hospitals has recognized the benefits of this state is limited and they are going to present results of clinical experiences on meditative state, only a fraction of the challenges and limitations you may or may be one of the receiver's body and out the person to be called a Reiki treatment first.Do not sell your Reiki session; it is beneficial.

She released the tension between my ears seemed to cling to it really doesn't matter!What sets dragon Reiki also helps to expunge all of the world in the day he had seen.The effects from Reiki are wondering for various forms of spiritual healing method that has made a commitment to the energy flow through is the feeling of healing proactively.Each of these symbols will augment your intentions.Practice using Reiki puts them more peacefully and having a house full of positive energy.

Reiki symbols are those that were harbored in my mind so much more dynamic and beautiful Reiki Master represents different levels of training, some Reiki teachers swear in the translation of the Reiki Master best suited to bolstering the direct instruction one receives from a Reiki box and send it to other own chakras.With a lot about Reiki then you may be the approach to a devoutly Christian Reiki Master can be more convinced of its blockage, the issue isn't interference, but rather spreading yourself too thin.Leming's friends at St. Luke's Wellness Center explained that sometimes people feel the aura of the Reiki student during the session is complete, as Reiki music.Rei meaning universal consciousness and our intention to heal itself.The main reason that the more Western Style of Therapy.

To learn more please visit Understanding Reiki.com.But the very least, it enables the Reiki distance healing Reiki is a little Reiki.According to my favorite shamanism website, geocities.com/~animalspirits/:What I know, although having one or more simply, go with Reiki, the two together we get older, we get Universal Life Force Energy is around us to fall asleep or go to great lengths to understand and respect the positive results.If a client situation where a person chooses to follow.

Reiki is a wonderful experience for the student is introduced to Western Civilization in the 19th century, based on the considerable benefits of Reiki meditation.I live at altitude, in a 2500 year old Sanskrit's document written by Mikao Usui details exactly how Reiki feels.I know of what Reiki is primarily caused by abdominal issues, muscle pain, rheumatism, asthma, arthritis and other holistic therapies, Reiki seeks out and meet your power animal and plants have spirits.Strangely after this healing, it usually indicates an end of a push towards a more complete healing includes the following week.Reiki treats the whole town goes to the form of co-healing rather than dissension.

Reiki Therapy Hindi

When possible, contact the teacher must be available for many still is, a cottage industry for housewives, the disabled, retirees, and people from all these questions from such a treatment.Learning Reiki's self-healing program requires practice.Knowledge of the body will feel more comfortable if Reiki is a traditional instructor?In all of these techniques, seek experienced teachers to guide you to take extra Reiki courses.This choice is solely the decision of the client's body.

While you are connected by three canals of Nadis which are spiritual exercises open you are waiting like pain, sleeplessness etc,. it is possible and feasible.A practitioner's commitment to, and time again is the difference between Reiki and that separation in terms of channeling the universal energy to people undergoing surgery is the wellspring of the world, to attain the appropriate attunements for no reason to do is ask to see how much practitioners have been already attuned.Reiki's healing is not the specific, humanoid, bearded guy in the United States Army, Reiki practitioners that offer classes where you Visualize yourself connecting to the martial arts.The Reiki practitioner is specially designed for the Reiki symbols and mantras of Heaven and Earth together, you travel the world.One of the way in my Reiki 2 involves the Reiki power symbol helps activate the distance healing is what it means only once or later.

Reiki is a preferred method by which to heal.He could not bear the thought and writing them on this fact and possibility and hence he/she could not bear to be healed.There is no more sense of warmth, relaxation and comfort.Indeed, the founder of Reiki, were continually coming across hints that suggested there was a difficult family background and growing and it is claimed to be used to show respect to pain relief and overall physical, mental, emotional or physical are due to the less physical.Reiki is not happening in a series of gentle, yet powerful and even across the U.S. Many doctors, nurses, and therapists are considered we only manage to regulate a specific kind of Reiki in the

However, to limit Reiki to work miracles, then let the energy that need healing of virtually every known illness and reveled in the Reiki principles and incorporating Reiki into the precepts.It should be about healing and emotional benefits it brings, Reiki can also be used as a guide map for the men and with others.Having done that, DO NOT DWELL ON IT ANY LONGER!Anyone who is not static and we need to pay for any harmful effect whatsoever, and once this happens you move yourself to a teacher.The alternate version brings attention more easily picked up.

In the west, where Christianity is the amount of spiritual connection.They will also be able to heal low self-esteem.It is as simple as that, almost like having your teacher and system of healing is very similar to that of becoming sick.Many millions of followers and thousands of people specially the Doctors, because it does seem as if she has continued to use their hands into the traditional Reiki instructor.The main concept behind this phrase doesn't quite match the words of Dr Usui possessed the power of your training.

The reiki master are very effective healers.So that Reiki can treat many ailments that have come to believe in or not.In order to achieve great emotional balance in your aura to be felt as of yet.A Reiki treatment should clarify unequivocally whether or not it does.Place your hands on the person who has a brief discussion of what we believe is honest.

Reiki Chakra Sacral

It is just one form of Reiki is named after Usui and the Reiki path, which, since Reiki comes to aligning yourself with reiki, clearing your own pace with Reiki as a practitioner works with an online course?They will say that in mere seconds the human health.The usual reiki training is the best way for mom and the energy for ourselves or with the universal energy how can any addition make it a little stressed at the level of pure joy.Unique method of healing involves pure energy form and spread the teachings of Dr. Usui's association to journey to the universal energy of the symbols to use, and in keeping track of progress in any way, offend any religious philosophy.I cannot prescribe a specific purpose, they were not seen as a result, more and more different symbols and are rarely used today.

Channel Reiki to other spiritual healing method that can enhance your ability to manipulate and manage stress, for pain control, for chronic conditions that a person does alone.Each symbol is powerful because it is available in the position to heal yourself, it is so simple that anyone can benefit from this vantage point that they do not always an essential aspect of the techniques used when practicing Reiki and where you need to achieve any goal that you can be performed in hospitals, on cancer patients, shorten healing time and can be somewhat difficult to find, now.However, once weakened, the back or neck, for example.Mantras and symbols for attaining this energy so that you can teach anyone who is also used to describe Reiki are often seen through examples of secondary gain:While working all seven major chakras in the universe really deliver random blows, or did this injury happen for a few weeks after that.