#but I was convinced I had to do the full width of the loom

[viciousewe]

Rate my setup

[kpopnotksoda]

stray kids reaction to you graduating

hyung line, depending on if people like it i might do a maknae line

yeah it’s our first writing piece

yeah it’s me, admin ☾

enjoy!!

bangchan

It was finally the day you would get out of a hell called high school, and being 12 hours away from your boyfriend was stressful not having him there for you, constantly. You loved him and he, you, but it was hard to convince him and yourself that you did when the distance was overbearing. You put on some music and carried on getting ready for the big day, your hands clammy from stress. You slipped on your grad uniform and dusted off the small hairs here and there from the lengthy period that it was tucked away in your closet. You heaved a sigh as you slid it over your form and drowsily snooped out to your dimly lit kitchen, flipped on the light, pulled up a barstool to your counter, and glanced over to the clock beaming green, lighting a the small area in a ten centimeter radius. 6:08am You managed to whip up some eggs and a bagel before 6:30 and get out just before school started. The entire preperation for your ceremony was spent fisting your hands anxiously, waiting for the big moment without him. You stepped up to the pedestal, your knuckles white from the pressure from your palms. Your vision turned hazy as you scanned the crowd for people you knew and thought you spotted your one-and-only but it was just another man in the crowd. As you spoke, you felt tears welling up in the corners of your eyes as you prepared to end the relation with Bangchan but as you were finishing up the heartwarming spiel you spotted the attractive boy in the corner, your spotty tears turned into a river, riddling water droplets over your freckled face, unable to fathom anything else other than the one man you never expected to see for another few months, was there. Looming in the doorway, waiting with a bouquet of flowers and practically sobbing, as were you. Your solemn feeling was replaced with joy and contentious emotion. You were stuttering in your bland rant about how high school challenged you and you were excited to eventually get a well paying job and get on with your crass life, but you didn’t care. You got to hug the one you loved after your prolonged life in such a dysmal school with a just as dysfunctional relationship that was going to be fixed with one evening of walking around uptown together, and falling even deeper in love.

Woojin

It was difficult. Really fucking difficult to try and survive high school alone, but still in a relationship. People starting making rumours about how you’re not actually dating anyone and you just want to be cool, you start getting emotional in classes because everyone else can be touchy with their s.o. but not you. Difficult. With visits only every few months and calls regularly, the distance was getting to you and from what you could tell it was getting to him too. It was finally time to praise your ‘amazing’ teachers and how much they’ve taught you over the years, so pretty much just a bunch of cockamy. You planned to say a few words, take your diploma and get out but when you started your speech and inevitably couldn’t see your boyfriend, tears pricked the corners of your eyes and you could feel your mouth drying up. You needed him there and you knew you did but you didn’t have him there and you were going to have to suck it up. So you did. Until you saw his face ducking behind a bouquet of flowers, you flashed a petite simper before chastely finishing off your already-hurried tangent. You tripped over yourself to get down the steps but you found yourself running to his lean figure and enveloping him in a tight hug.

“you recognized me” he pouted at you, jokingly

“how could i not”

Lee Minho

You found yourself often being exhausted from the pressing social anxiety of being lonely and the undermining feeling of feeling alone seeing as your boyfriend was in an entirely different continent and throughout high school, people stopped believing he existed. Fed up with the rumours and the impending weight of a long distance relationship, you tried getting more sleep. Needless to say, it didn’t work. You were counting down the days until your release from the prison-like school you were burdened with. It was too much. It didn’t matter how much you called him on the phone, or how much you texted, it wasn’t the same as having him there, in the flesh, holding your hand or your waist or some other part of your body. As the day you got out arrived, instead of stressing about the speech, you were worried about that exact thing. When you could see him again. You knew it would be a while, months, years even. But that didn’t break the small spark of love that was ignited within the pair of you. Amourously, when he was in town, you would follow him around like a puppy. You were scared of losing him— you are scared of losing him, but you didn’t. You reached the wooden stool perched upon the stage and shuffled your recipe cards a bit and got them in order. Your hands were shaking, the pressure was kicking in. You were talking in front of hundreds of your peers, their parents, their grandparents, everyone. You stammered out the first few words scrawled messily along the weak paper, and found it a challenge to stay balanced. Knowing that you hadn’t any support after the ceremony, no one to tell you you were fine, you felt your knees start to buckle and your vision turned blurry. You knew that you were about to pass out, salty tears ruining your clarified vision, your knees shaking momentously, the soft ringing in your ear. It was all there, and then, it was all black.

You woke up to the sound of an ambulance, only making your headache worse, and someone holding your hand. Even though you were exhausted from the stressful experience, you wanted to know who cared as much to be there with you. Not many people believed that you, in fact, had a boyfriend, not even your roommate. So who would want to ride on an ambulance with a fibber? You glanced over dazily and you saw him. In the flesh, Lee Know, sitting there, gripping your hand, staring at you intently.

“It’s been a while” he started to tear up, as did you. It was three months since you saw him last and even though, the gurney was holding you back some, you hugged him and kissed him.

“Don’t go back yet” you uttered, shaking from shock and exhilaration

“Wasn’t planning on it.”

changbin

Photo albums were your favourite thing nowadays, with your boyfriend gone and gone for a long time, the only memories were photographs. So you cherished them and whenever he begged you to not break up with him because of the stunting distance, you had to lie through gritted teeth and say you never thought of it. When in reality, you wanted skinship, hugs, kisses, holding hands, everything, and he knew it too and he felt guilty for being unable to give it to you. He would’ve been lying too if he said that the thought of ceasing your relationship never crossed his mind, and he did say that. Eventually, you realized your relationship was toxic and the day you realized that was coincidentally the day of your graduation ceremony, therefore applying more stress onto your already heavy shoulders. You planned on breaking up with him if he didn’t show up and maybe it was unrealistic to expect him to be there after a long plane ride, but you could still hope.

After getting your own hopes up, you stepped onto the pedestal and started reading your carefully written speech that you took countless tedious hours rewriting and rewriting again. It had to be perfect, but it didn’t matter because after scanning the crowd you realized the one person you were inclined to impress was seemingly absent. You felt tears gathering in your eyes, and you slightly tilted your head down to glance at the photo of the two of you that you tucked away in your cape-like gown. This is the end.

You thought to yourself, the dreaded thought kept nagging at you, you didn’t want to listen but you had to. Or so you thought. As you kept scanning the crowd, feeling your knees trembling, you saw him. You cut your script short and wanted to get it over with. You ran into he crowd gleefully, and straight into his arms.

“I’m not leaving for a long time”

“Good.”

Hyunjin

You hated goodbyes, well more like you hated saying good byes, but even with your detest for the act, you found yourself often saying them to no other than your boyfriend. It wasn’t in person either, whether it be over video chat or on the phone, or was just as painful to know that you wouldn’t be able to hold him in your arms for a long while. You lived with that, you had to, or else it would rip you apart for the entirety of your relations with the boy. With the pressing anxiety of your relation, and having to spiel on about utter poppycock acclaims about your below par school, it was getting to you. It was pretty much the same for everyone, no one wanted to do it but they had to for some reason.

“goodbye, love” you wrapped up your final phone call before heading to the school to present your ramblings

“goodbye, babe” he replied

“wait are you okay? it sounded like there were a lot of people where you are”

“yeah just a little crowded, i can’t wait.”

“for what?”

“you’ll see”

disregarding your boyfriends cryptic final message, you bid eachother an i love you and a good luck before hanging up and finally leaving for the ruddy excuse of a school. The drive was seemingly long, you kept clicking your fingers on the wheel becoming more impatient as the seconds passed. You pulled up, fully dressed in your graduation outfit and stalked in careful not to make much noise, you were late so you couldn’t disrupt. You squeezed your way through the doorway, but a hand gripped yours. You jumped a little, biting back a yelp from surprise and whipped your head around to see Hyunjin, holding your hand for dear life. You grabbed him and forced him into a hug before driving your head into the crook of his neck. He was so happy to see you and you were getting a few looks for interrupting the ceremony but you knew it was worth it, both of you did. It was finally your turn to go up and talk and you did with an enormous, ear to ear, unerasable, smile plastered on your face. You kept glancing at the boy for reassurance and he gave you thumbs up and his cute little beaming smile before giving you an infatuated look. You wrapped up your speech and he was clearly clapping the loudest, and making sure you knew he was too.

admin ☾ masterlist

[spooky-ghostwriter]

Dressed to Kill - Chapter Seven

<– Previous Chapter

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That night, Tsukiko dreamt.

She found herself once more in the beautiful forest she'd imagined on the night of her previous show. Now, however, she had no opportunity to admire its beauty.

She ran at a full sprint.

Something was behind her, chasing her, but she dared not look back to find out what. The only thing she could do was run.

The only sounds she could hear were her own breathing and pulse, both far exceeding her comfort zone. No part of her was comfortable. Still only wearing pajamas, her bare feet slammed hard against the dirt road with each step.

Finally, after all too long, she found the crossroads. However, at this point, both the left and right paths felt equally imposing.

The skyscrapers to her right were blackened by shadows, cast by dark clouds looming in the sky. A bolt of lightning split the sky, illuminating the towers for an instant. Despite the storm clouds, Tsukiko knew she'd be able to run faster down that path. That for a while longer, she could outrun whatever it was that was gaining on her.

But the left path. Something about it seemed different than the last time Tsukiko had saw it. The building-sized trees were still just as monstrous as ever. The thorns on the vines that barricaded the path were still as sharp and vicious. And yet, something had changed – the barrier of foliage felt less tightly packed. She could see a tiny gap where, just maybe, she could worm her way through. At the very least, it was no longer impossible.

Tsukiko knew that the thing behind her would catch up to her soon.

She dove for the vines. Crawling on her elbows and knees, she squeezed herself into the gap. A thorn caught her pajama's shoulder and carved away some fabric, but she kept persisting. Inch by inch, she crawled deeper into the brambles. A thorn struck her in the face. She closed her eyes for safety, trying to ignore the blood dripping down her cheek, and continued ever further.

As she dragged herself through, it was clear now that this was no safe haven. The gap had lured her in, but the plant life deeper in was more compact. By now, it was no different than it had been that first night; she may as well have been trying to inch her way through barbed wire.

Still, whatever was behind her was getting closer. Tsukiko thought she could hear it at the crossroads. She'd made her decision, and she was forced to continue. Her hands clutched pure pain as she used the thorny vines themselves as handles and pulled her entire weight further in.

Tsukiko couldn't tell how far into the thorns she'd brought herself, let alone how much further it went. In a moment, she learned she may have gone too far.

Something wrapped around each of her wrists. It felt like a thick, dry root – similar to what the pumpkins had used to propel themselves during the fight.

Tsukiko screamed as the tight grip pulled, forcing her deeper into the thorny vines.

The Alesia Circus' neon sign was not one that either Tsukiko or Galen wanted to see again, and yet, it shone brightly above their heads as they exited Galen's parents' truck.

The start of November yielded chilly winds. Though they both wore thick coats, Galen noticed Tsukiko shivering as they walked the circus grounds.

“Got anything in your purse to keep you warm?” Galen asked, pointing towards the bag she held under her arm.

“I sure don't,” Tsukiko pouted.

Given that Halloween had been as late as Tsukiko and Galen would ever have considered an outdoor show, so it was no surprise to them that the circus was beginning to pack up. Workers roamed the grounds, carrying boxes and tools; Galen thought he may have recognized a few of them from Tsukiko's kidnapping. The men and women were being directed, not by Vercingetorix, but by a man neither of them had seen before.

The man towered over any of the stagehands, let alone Tsukiko and Galen. He was dark-skinned, and the directions he gave had a slight hint of an Indian accent. He was clearly a performer of some kind. The billowing red-orange robes and turban he wore were too extravagant for him to be anything else.

The man glanced up from his clipboard and noticed Tsukiko and Galen.

“Gabrielle!” The man called over one of the workers. “Please take over for me.” He tossed the clipboard to a blonde woman, then moved towards the kids.

“Tsukiko and Galen, I presume,” He said. “My name is Ravindra.” He extended his hand and gave a warm smile. “It's a pleasure to meet you.”

During his turn to shake Ravindra's hand, Galen suddenly remembered the name from his research on Alesia's website. “Ravindra... you're the circus' fire-breather, aren't you?”

“Yes, I am,” Ravindra replied.

“Ooh!” Tsukiko exclaimed. “I always liked fire-breathing.”

“You haven't tried it, have you?” Galen asked.

“Nah. Mom wouldn't let me. Too dangerous.”

Ravindra laughed. “It isn't the sort of thing you should try to teach yourself, no. But once learned, it's no more dangerous than any of your tricks.”

“Even the card tricks?” Galen asked.

“Papercuts are a serious concern,” Ravindra said, doing an impressive job of keeping a straight face as he said it. “Now... I assume you have some business with Vercingetorix? Perhaps you are accepting the invitation?”

Immediately, the warm mood faded. Tsukiko and Galen were quickly reminded of the reason they'd came all this way.

“We want some answers,” Tsukiko said bluntly.

“Pretty down to business for high school students,” Ravindra said with another loud laugh. “Oh well, that's good. Vercingetorix likes his performers with a business sense.”

“Answers,” Tsukiko repeated, as the three of them began to walk. “I didn't say anything about business deals.”

“You will be joining the circus eventually, won't you?” Ravindra asked. “Vercingetorix can be very persuasive.”

Tsukiko glared at the man for a few more paces.

“Right!” Ravindra laughed once more. “You know all about his persuasiveness!” He coughed. “I shouldn't laugh about that. That box trick was a terrible thing to do, and frankly, I voted against that approach.”

“You put it to a vote?!” Galen cried.

“That is how we make all our decisions here,” Ravindra said. “All of the lead performers vote on such matters. Vercingetorix officially has veto power, but never uses it. We, he says, are more important to the circus than he is himself. Can you believe that?”

“Well, what is a circus without performers?” Galen asked.

“A series of well-organized tents,” Ravindra answered. He almost laughed again, but stopped himself and continued, “A circus without performers may not be interesting, but a circus without a manager would simply be chaos. I have some command of the stagehands, but I could not have kept the circus profitable for all these years.”

They stopped.

“One moment,” said Ravindra. The three of them had approached a mime. Despite the circus being in the process of packing up, the mime was in full costume and make-up and practicing. His white-gloved hands touched an invisible wall that ran perpendicular to the path that Ravindra had been walking.

“This is Henry,” Ravindra said. “I suggest that we give him a wide berth. It's hard to tell exactly where his wall ends.”

“I'm sorry, but if he's practicing his miming in the middle of a field...” Galen muttered, walking past Ravindra. He continued forward on their current path. As he strode beside Henry, his head hit something. He recoiled, clutching his forehead.

“You really...” Tsukiko grinned for a beat. “Walked into that one!” Ravindra humoured her with another loud laugh as Galen rubbed his head.

“Thanks,” Galen muttered. “Keep laughing.”

“Hey, that was a compliment,” said Tsukiko. “That was some good miming you did.”

“I wasn't acting,” Galen protested. “He actually has a sheet of glass there.”

“What?” Tsukiko asked. She leaned forward to where Galen had been struck. She exhaled hot breath and noticed no change in the space before her. “There's nothing here.”

Ravindra crossed his arms and watched in amusement.

Tsukiko extended a finger and poked the space. To her awe, it stopped a window's width from where Henry was pretending the wall to be.

“There is something here!” She cried. “You cheating cheaters!”

“This is no cheat,” said Ravindra. He stepped behind Tsukiko, put one hand on her shoulder and pressed one finger against the invisible wall beside Tsukiko. “This is Henry's power.”

Ravindra brought his finger back a few inches, and then extended it once more. This time, it passed through the air as per normal. Ravindra shuffled Tsukiko aside and walked through the wall with no resistance.

Henry, finally distracted from his act, turned to Ravindra and acted out silent yelling and angry gestures.

“I'm sorry, old friend,” said Ravindra, spreading his palms. “Did you truly want them to believe you're a cheat?”

Henry shrugged exaggeratedly. Then he relented and turned to Tsukiko and Galen. He launched into an act of charades that was presumably to be an explanation of his act. However, as Henry began pointing at his eyes and head, and miming various different objects, Tsukiko and Galen were completely lost. “Perhaps, Henry,” said Ravindra. “It would be better if I were to explain.”

Henry made a grand show of snapping his fingers in anger, though no sound escaped them.

“Henry is extremely good at his act,” Ravindra explained. “So good, in fact, that when he has decided to place a wall in one location, his fingers never stop even a fraction of an inch before or after the target. This precision has some interesting effects on the human brain.”

“What,” Tsukiko and Galen declared in unison.

“Anyone who watches his act will be themselves convinced that a wall exists. It will even affect their subconscious, and the brain will prevent them from moving through it, just as if it were a real wall.”

“But you just walked through it!” Galen argued.

“I had my eyes closed!” Ravindra explained, laughing. “Since I couldn't see where Henry's wall was, it couldn't affect my subconscious. However, if you are still touching the wall when you close your eyes, your sense of touch will continue to fool itself.”

Tsukiko brought her finger off of the wall. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and walked forward. She never felt the surface of the wall again.

“You're through,” said Ravindra. Tsukiko opened her eyes and found herself a few paces past Henry.

“Do be careful,” Ravindra added. “If you open your eyes halfway through the wall, your mind will believe that your body is trapped on the wall and won't be able to move at all. Furthermore, since you're touching the wall, closing your eyes won't be enough to convince your brain that the wall doesn't exist. So you need Henry to move the wall for you.”

Galen, deciding to ignore the whole situation, took a few more paces to the right and bypassed the wall completely. Henry gave an appreciative bow to him as he, Tsukiko and Ravindra continued their walk.

The look of confusion Tsukiko and Galen shared said more than words could. They had witnessed a lot of impossible things over the past few days – they had even performed impossible things themselves. With a concerned glance back to the mime, they mentally prepared themselves.

Clearly, the impossibilities had not ended just yet.

“Have you been to this circus before?” Ravindra asked. “As guests, I mean.”

“I haven't,” Galen said. “You, Tsuki?”

“I don't remember,” Tsukiko said. “I've only been to a circus once, and I was really young then. It might have been Alesia, or it could've been some completely different circus.”

“Only once?” Galen asked, genuine surprise in his voice.

“Well...” Tsukiko twiddled her thumbs. “I may have gone a little overboard on circus food. And given myself a stomachache for a week. And two cavities. Mom didn't think that was worth it.”

“Did you?” Ravindra asked.

Tsukiko shrugged. “The cavities were only in my baby teeth anyway. And man, those were the best four candy apples I've ever had.”

“I think Ravindra meant whether the circus was worth it, not the food,” Galen said dully.

“Oh.” Tsukiko stroked her chin. “I can't remember any of the acts.”

Ravindra laughed. “It doesn't sound like it was. Hopefully it wasn't Alesia after all, then. We do have very good candy apples, though.”

“Hold on. Did you say four?” Galen asked. “You were young enough to have baby teeth and you ate four candy apples?”

“I – it was a long day and we were walking a lot and – ” Tsukiko stammered. “You know what? I don't need to explain myself to you!” She crossed her arms indignantly, making a 'hmph' noise. It was then that Tsukiko noticed a group of brightly-coloured figures in the distance tossing objects to themselves and each other. She stopped walking for a moment to watch them more closely.

“What's up?” Galen asked.

“The clown that Vercingetorix brought to our show threw a firework or something,” She muttered. “I wonder which one she was.”

One of the clowns, upon receiving a green ball tossed from her partner, threw the device high into the air. It never came down; instead, it exploded with a sudden loud pop, spewing a cloud of smoke through the sky.

“Was that a grenade?!” Tsukiko demanded.

“A cherry bomb in a plastic grenade shell, actually,” said Ravindra. “Grenades are much too heavy and the debris they fling could be dangerous.”

The clown who had thrown the bomb waved to Tsukiko and Galen, then ran over as fast as her inflated shoes would allow. Upon closer inspection, Tsukiko saw that the many coloured polka-dots that decorated the clown's outfit had fuses sewn into the fabric, making each one a cartoon bomb.

“Hi there!” said the clown. She grabbed Tsukiko's and Galen's hands, shaking them both in a bizarre three-way handshake. “I'm Miss Isle! Nice to meet you!”

Miss Isle looked only slightly older than Tsukiko, though the white facepaint made it hard to tell for sure. She had wide, gleeful eyes and a huge smile – to Tsukiko and Galen, it looked like Miss Isle would hardly have needed the exaggerated features her makeup provided.

“I really liked your show!” Miss Isle continued, still shaking Tsukiko and Galen's arms. She spoke faster than either of them could believe, adding, “I mean, we only got to see a couple tricks, but they looked neat! How's your snake? Did it get through the battle okay? Hey, another thing – ”

Tsukiko's mind felt more shaken than her hand as she tried to process each question Miss Isle threw her way.

“Miss Isle, please,” Ravindra said, finally cutting her off. “We're looking for Vercy. He's at Stage 2, right?”

“Ooh! Are you guys joining the circus?” Miss Isle asked eagerly. “Do you want to team up sometime? I could tape a card to a grenade and throw it and blow it up!”

“That does sound cool,” Tsukiko said, imagining other ways she might add explosives to her show.

“Tsuki,” Galen said in a dull tone.

“Right.” Tsukiko snapped her fingers. “We're not actually here to join, but maybe – ”

“Aw, that's too bad!” Miss Isle said, launching once more into rapid-fire speech. “Because I've worked with Ravindra and Stiletto before and they both thought my stuff was a little too dangerous but you're already used to danger anyway – at least, fake danger – so I feel like – ”

“Miss Isle!” Ravindra said, raising his voice slightly.

“Oh yeah, you asked about Vercy,” Miss Isle cleared her throat. “Yep, he's at Stage 2.”

“Thank you,” Ravindra said. “I'm sure we'll have time to chat after Tsukiko and Galen have met with Vercy.”

“Sure,” Tsukiko agreed.

“Yay!” Miss Isle cheered. She pointed back to where the other clowns were still juggling. “I'll be over there chucking bombs to myself.”

Galen emitted a nervous chuckle as they continued.

Ravindra opened the flap to the next tent, and held it aloft so Tsukiko and Galen could enter before him. There, near the opposite end, stood Vercingetorix. He, as Ravindra had been doing, was holding a clipboard and explaining plans to a sizable set of stagehands. Noticing the new visitors, Vercingetorix stopped himself from going into a lengthy plan for the tightrope stands that were to be taken down and packed up into various trucks.

“Ah, Tsukiko and Galen!” said Vercingetorix. “I see you have returned.”

“Yeah,” said Tsukiko. “Didn't even have to get kidnapped this time.”

“I see I'm never going to live that down,” Vercingetorix muttered. “Well, that's all right. Are you here to discuss performer contracts? I have a couple drafted out.”

“We're really not,” Galen said.

“What we're here to discuss is the plant monsters,” Tsukiko added.

“That is also reasonable,” Vercingetorix admitted.

“What were those pumpkins?” Galen asked.

“Dryads,” Vercingetorix said simply. “We'd never seen pumpkin dryads before, to be honest, but it wasn't exactly unexpected. The two of you did a fantastic job dealing with them.”

“That's not a real answer,” said Tsukiko.

“Unfortunately, it's all you're going to get.”

“Is that right?” Tsukiko asked. “Look. I'm not in the mood for non-answers.”

She unzipped her coat. As the zipper passed down her neck, Vercingetorix saw the familiar green and brown pattern of the Tank Top. Finally, Tsukiko cast her coat aside, then pulled the peaked cap and gloves out of her purse. In an instant, the gloves were on, and she neatly centered the hat on her head.

“You're going to tell us everything you know about dryads,” said Tsukiko. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ravindra raise a hand. She shot him a glare, and he backed down.

“You kids must watch a lot of movies,” Vercingetorix chuckled. “Do you honestly think it's a good idea to threaten me with the very clothing I gave you?”

“If it's what I need to do to get a straight answer out of you, then yes.”

Vercingetorix spread his arms and said, “Very well.” Then, he called out, “Stiletto?”

Before Tsukiko had the chance to wonder what stilettos had to do with anything, she felt the hat fly off of her head. She reached up to confirm it, and as she patted her hair, she wondered how someone had managed to reach the hat without her noticing.

The hat was a few feet to Tsukiko's left. With her still stunned in confusion, Vercingetorix walked over to it and picked it up.

“Thank you, Stiletto,” He said.

“My pleasure,” A woman's voice replied.

She stepped out of the shadows to the right – a tall woman in a sparkling red dress. The woman, who Tsukiko assumed was called Stiletto, had short auburn hair with one particular coil dangling to her nose. What caught Tsukiko's attention the most was what covered her dress. Several bandoleers wrapped around her body, and Tsukiko could see another underneath the long slit in Stiletto's dress. Each one of the bandoleers was full to the proverbial brim with ornate daggers of all shapes and sizes.

A matching dagger was sticking out of the grass, just beside where the Tank Top's hat had fallen. It took Tsukiko a second to piece this information together.

“Did you hit my hat off with a knife?!” Tsukiko demanded.

“From fifty feet away, no less,” The woman replied smugly.

“This is Stiletto, the Alesia Circus' knife thrower,” Vercingetorix said. “She is very good at her art, and I dare say does not approve of people threatening my life.”

“I'm not a fan,” Stiletto agreed. “Oh, and don't worry, Vercy. I hit the hat with the handle. It won't be damaged.”

“Good, good,” Vercingetorix said, dusting off the hat. “Well, Miss Tanner, I'm afraid you can no longer threaten me for information. You've lost your primary bartering chip.”

Galen took a moment to survey the surroundings. The only one behind them was Ravindra, and he was just far enough away that he felt he and Tsukiko could outrun them if they needed to. This was Galen's favourite plan at the moment. He glanced at Tsukiko, and noticed her gaze fixated on the Tank Top's hat.

It was true that Galen's method would cost them the hat, and by extension, the Tank Top's ability to transform. Galen's fist clenched – he feared that this cost could be too high for Tsukiko.

“Well, regardless,” said Vercingetorix, “I'm willing to continue our conversation, though as I said, you shouldn't expect too many answers. He spread his arms. “There are a lot of things that even we don't know about dryads. Where they came from, what they truly are... these are mysteries even to us.”

Looking at the hat in his hands, Vercingetorix added, “The dryads seem impossible. And yet, we can see them right before our eyes. Perhaps we are being fooled by a simple trick, as is normally the case for our own acts.”

“You sure seem to know about them!” Tsukiko cried. “You knew enough to give me a weapon and lead them directly to our show!”

“I did no such thing!” Vercingetorix protested, sounding insulted. “I gave you the Tank Top exactly for the reason I told you – so that you could use it in your show.” With a faint smile, he added, “Of course, the fact that it can turn into a tank in a pinch certainly doesn't hurt.”

Tsukiko crossed her arms.

“I don't buy that,” She said bluntly. “You don't give people a tank because they can use it for jokes.”

“She's right,” said Galen. “You would have kept the tank for your own battles. The only reason you would have to give it to Tsukiko is because you knew they were coming.”

“Ah, I see the misunderstanding now,” said Vercingetorix. “You see, to myself and the people of the circus, the Tank Top I gave you is just a simple shirt. The Religalia only respond to certain people.”

“Certain people?” Galen repeated.

“Religalia?” Tsukiko asked, deciding that was the word she wanted to be elaborated the most.

“Religalia is the term for clothing with abilities like the Tank Top, yes,” said Vercingetorix. “Most aren't quite as flashy, but all of them are useful in their own ways.”

Tsukiko forced herself to believe what she had understood from the man's words.

“There are other... things... like the Tank Top?”

“Correct. And to answer Mr. Galen's question, yes, the Religalia only respond to those with a strong conviction in the impossible, such as the one Tsukiko has capably demonstrated already.”

“This is the deal I offer you,” said Vercingetorix, stepping closer to Tsukiko and Galen. “I want the two of you to join our circus – and our battle. In return, I will give you the normal boring perks of a career, such as fair wages and room and board as we travel the nation.”

Holding up the hat, Vercingetorix added, “But I also offer you something I guarantee you will never find anywhere else. You will have access to all of our circus' Religalia, with all of the impossibilities and mysteries associated with them. That is the traditional right of Alesia's stage magicians.”

He placed the hat back onto Tsukiko's head.

“As you have likely seen from our other performers, there are more wonders waiting for you.”

Vercingetorix walked past the kids and Ravindra, then held the tent flap open himself.

“If you're at all interested, I'm willing to show you another.”

[siphen0]

What’s up everyone! Welcome to Beyond The Panel. Coming at you today with talk about the DC’s Legends of Tomorrow season finale “Swan Thong”!I was not ready for this week to come. Legends of Tomorrow is the last of the Arrowverse series to conclude its season, and I still felt like I wanted more. Which is more than I could say for some of the others. This show right here is the best one that they have to offer (Black Lightning a close second), because it offers something to us that is refreshing from the rest. Fun, endearment, and everything you would think writers should be more willing to embrace when their stories exist in a comic book world.

What came next was entertaining. Fighting back was always going to be easier said than done, though it was how the Legends overcame this challenge which made this finale fun. As the season finale, they wasted little time to again show us what it means to be a Legend. It means being the screw-ups, yet always trying to do the right thing. If they were the type to tuck their tails between their legs every time a villain knocked them down a peg, they would not have made it this far. Much of the pushback from the Fates was them trying to kill the idea that the Legends aren’t the problem. Though here they were in a situation that is nothing new to them. I mean that is what you expect from a hero, right? They sprang back into action, they made a plan, the plans changed, and they still managed to get the job done doing things their own way.

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Some could say that the Legends probably should have faced a greater challenge since they were defying gods, but this is a story of good versus evil. I didn’t mind that the Fates were so confident in their power and control that they allowed the Legends to get away with as much as they did. When you had the kind of power they did, the last thing you would fear is people who you have already beaten. You pick up a comic book today and you would be surprised by how many stories you find where the villains leave you with the same impression. This is that show where the writers have no problem bringing a story you would read in a comic to life. Now how they defeated the Fates was another story. That was uplifting because you wouldn’t believe that the Legends would have it in them to convince regular people to trust them and stand up for their right to choose.

Charlie’s farewell was touching. I’m sure some probably didn’t see this coming, but Legends of Tomorrow is the kind of show where people move on once their stories come full circle. From the minute we found out that this was about putting the Loom of Fate together, and that Charlie was one of the three Fates, you knew that at the end of the day this was going to be it for her. This episode was all about Charlie making the choice to remember why she broke the Loom in the first place. Choice and family can be a cruel combination. You get so caught up in trying to put their needs before your own that you end up sacrificing much of what makes you happy. In Charlie’s case, she was sacrificing the free will of everyone and herself. Her wake-up call even came from an unlikely source. It warmed my heart that it would actually be Lita of all people. A character you didn’t think would ever have that much of an important role to play in his, and yet knew all the right things to say to the person who needed it most.

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The totem Zari’s farewell was also touching for a story that was able to come full circle. We all knew that there was no way two Zari’s could exist alive in this timeline. No one gets off that easy. It was a slow crawl full of suspense, but it was worth it to get to a point where she could say a final goodbye. Zari is a hero in this show because she is selfless. To spend two lives trying to save her brother? That is more than most heroes could say they have done for a loved one. The execution was perfect for that reason alone. One just has to wonder now, how will they handle two siblings on the ship and one totem to share between them?

If there was one thing I loved most about this season finale? It is the sheer fact that you will never find a comic book show bold enough to give you that final action scene to the beat of the ‘Thong Song’. The minute Nate first tried to play that song, you knew the moment was going to inevitably come, and they nailed it when it did. It didn’t make too light of a serious situation either because the fight choreography was great. There was even a few tricks from some of them, like Constantine, which was awesome with the right effects. The icing on the cake was probably having Nate of all people actually dancing in the middle of it. This is the kind of thing I was waiting to see more of from him. Just because Ray is gone, doesn’t mean he should fundamentally change in the process.

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Legends of Tomorrow — “Swan Thong” — Image Number: LGN515b_0432b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Sisqo and Nick Zano as Nate Heywood/Steel — Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Legends of Tomorrow — “Swan Thong” — Image Number: LGN515c_0134b.jpg — Pictured: Dominic Purcell as Mick Rory/Heatwave — Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

You couldn’t have asked for a better ending to an Arrowverse show than what we got from the DC’s Legends of Tomorrow season finale “Swan Thong”. In fact, I would say that aside from Black Lightning, Legends was the only one that actually got a full ending. Didn’t surprise me either because this is the only show which consistently didn’t disappoint you when it came to releasing on time.

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DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Season Finale “Swan Thong” Review What's up everyone! Welcome to Beyond The Panel. Coming at you today with talk about the DC's Legends of Tomorrow season finale "Swan Thong"!I was not ready for this week to come.

[torentialtribute]

England complete series win over Pakistan as decision day looms for selectors ahead of World Cup

Decision-day arrivals for England with Eoin Morgan and the selectors spoils for choice when they sit down on Monday to solve their World Cup puzzle and come up with a final 15 after another comfortable victory over Pakistan .

The good news is England, 4-0 winners in this dress rehearsal series after Sunday's 54-run victory, have never had such an embarrassment or riches ahead of a home World Cup they really do have an excellent chance of winning.

The bath is there seems to be at least one very unlucky bowler who will be told they are missing out even though they have done nothing wrong and played their part about the last four years in taking England to the top of the one-day world.

England meets Pakistan at Headingley to seal a series victory as the World Cup draws near "class =" blkBorder img-share "/>

England meets Pakistan at Headingley to seal a series victory as the World Cup draws near

It is the sort of 'problem' teams insist they love to have and it certainly beats the bad old days when England would barely have a handful of decent white-ball players to call on let alone at least 17 or 18 who would walk into any other squad.

David Willey, with one expensive wicket as Pakistan were bowled out for 297 chasing England's 351 for nine, and Joe Denly appearing the most vulnerable members of a squad who have had far too much power for Pakistan in this Royal London series.

The absence on Sunday of Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett at Headingley suggest all three have done enough to be named at Lord's on Tuesday while Tom Curran will surely join them after an excellent series with ball and bat.

Joe Denly (L) and David Willey may be most vulnerable ahead of the squad announcement

Chris Woakes 'three-wicket new-ball burst in nine balls and five in all in Pakistan's reply after Morgan had elected to bat' as a rehearsal for losing a World Cup toss was further evidence of his importance to England and provided more bad news for Willey.

Only if England really do believe they must have th he variety of a left-arm swing bowler in their squad will Willey survive the emergence of a rare talent in Archer just in time for this World Cup, with the convenient help of a change in qualification rules. In which case Plunkett would come under scrutiny.

Denly, too, could miss out if Morgan and coach Trevor Bayliss can convince national selector Ed Smith that Liam Dawson, in superb white-ball form for Hampshire this season, is a better bet as backup spinner despite his absence in this series.

Squad newcomer Jofra Archer appears to have done enough to earn a World Cup place

National selector Ed Smith (L) and head coach Trevor Bayliss have some key decisions to make

The final full one-day international before the World Cup followed a familiar path, with England Pakistan's batting far too strong and their bowling good enough to stop One recording in the five matches, with the first washed out at the Oval.

At least one of England's batsmen should have gone on a really big hundred, or even England's first double in one-day international cricket, on the flattest of Headingley pitches and against a Pakistan side who were shambolic in the early overs

England had reached 95 for the loss of just James Vince, again giving it away after a fantastic start, after 10 overs and 191 for two at the halfway point as Pakistan struggled to find any sort of accuracy or penetration.

And when Joe Root and Morgan were cruising along in a stand of 117 in 19 overs England looked set for their highest ever one-day international score, let alone having content with the biggest recorded by any side at this famous old ground.

Joe Root (L) and captain Eoin Morgan put on an impressive state of 117 to help England to win

But Morgan, who approaches the World Cup in superb form himself, will be content that all his batting big guns have spent quality time in the middle of this series ahead of their World Cup date with destiny against South Africa on May 30.

Jos Buttler was a sublime in Southampton, Jonny Bairstow a belligerent at Bristol and Jason Roy a tremendous at Trent Bridge in all smashing centuries and now the captain hit five sixes in his 76 off 64 balls aided by some woeful Pakistan bowling and fielding.

If anythi ng Morgan was usurped by Root who hurried to 84 off 73 balls, emphasizing the importance of anchorman for the rest of England's big hitters to bat around.

Tom Curran demonstrated his improved batting with a final-over scoop in a sparkling display

The elder Curran brother then again showed what a much improved batsman he is, an extraordinary last over scoop over his head off Hasan Ali for four the pick of his 29 off 15 balls with two sixes in a late England flurry after they had lost four for 38.

Pakistan rallied after Woakes early burst through Babar Azam and Sarfraz Ahmed but three brilliant pieces of fielding, two of them a run out and catch the unlikely figure of Adil Rashid and the other a smart dumping from Buttler via his right leg, ensured England were to have no hiccups despite some productive last wicket swishing. Job done and now about the selectors

Wicket-keeper Jos Buttler produced a smart stumping to dismiss Sarfraz Ahmed "class =" blkBorder img-share "/>

Wicket-keeper Jos Buttler produced a smart stumping to dismiss Sarfraz Ahmed "class =" blkBorder img-share "/>

Wicket-keeper Jos Buttler produced a smart stumping to dismiss Sarfraz Ahmed

The only disappointment was a poor crowd at a Headingley ground boasting its impressive new Emerald Stand, with even the famously raucous Western Terrace in surprisingly subdued mood.

The ground was barely two thirds full and the decision to hold an Ashes Test here in Leeds this summer rather than Trent Bridge looks ever more questionable. It was the only blot on a very rosy landscape.

Man-of-the -match Chris Woakes emphasizing his importance to England with a five-wicket haul

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Once homeless, Quakes eMLS rep CaliSCG is gaming to help others in need

March 31, 20181:00PM EDT

Yes, Alan Ortega plays video games for a living.

Yes, he’s amassed a following of more than 39,000 fans on Twitch; and yes, he’s the first eSports signing of the San Jose Earthquakes. And with next week’s eMLS Cup inching closer, he’s in a reflective mood.

“I think about this every day,” says Ortega, whose gamertag is CaliSCG. “I’m aware of the fact that it’s a dream come true. Like, I play video games for a living. It’s a dream job.

“I’m very grateful for the position that I’m in, and even though I’m not the biggest streamer, that’s what I’m striving for.”

That Ortega been able to craft this success represents an incredible triumph, let alone when you consider it was nearly sidetracked altogether.

Ortega escaped a period of homelessness following his family’s eviction in 2016, living with one of his best friends while his mom stayed with his older sister. Despite an uncertain living situation and financial stress, he didn’t let the situation derail his streaming career.

Then just 22 years old, Ortega worked two jobs – one early in the morning and one in the afternoons – before arriving back to his friend’s house and hopping right back into the streaming grind, trying to get his show off the ground.

“There were a lot of people in my life to thank for helping during those tough times, from people watching my stream helping me to forget the stress of the day, to my friends helping me clean out the old house when we had to leave,” Ortega says.

Looking back, he credits his friends for helping him reach this early career peak, acknowledging that without their support and encouragement, he would never have been able to get off the ground.

Yet gaming wasn’t the only career path he considered. While attending San Joaquin Delta College, Ortega aimed to earn a position as a working academic. He’s passionate about helping people, and experience working with kids at an afterschool program directed him toward becoming an educator.

“I didn’t really know what my options were or what I wanted to do, but I found myself to be passionate about working with the youth while I was working at the YMCA,” Ortega says. “And it was just so fun for me working with kids that I was sure I wanted to go into teaching.”

But as his profile in the streaming community started to grow, a decision loomed: He could go into teaching, but likely at the expense of a credible shot at gaming professionally, which could help him support his family.

“It was definitely risky and a tough decision to make, going full-time on Twitch,” Ortega says. “I thought about it for months, and I’m the type of person that believes you should always do what makes you truly happy.

“I had a long talk with my mom about it before I made the final decision. She wasn’t in favor of it at the beginning, but I convinced her that this was something I really wanted to do, and I gained her support after that.

“Twitch was always something that I truly love.”

Then the real work began. Committing to streaming meant successfully navigating the Twitch partnership application process. Meet their criteria for eligibility, and he would become a partner. It took a year – during which Ortega was denied twice – before finally breaking through.

Now that he’s finally making his own dreams a reality, Ortega is using his platform to help others facing the kinds of adversity he has overcome in the past.

“At the end of 2016, I was working with eighth-graders,” Ortega says. “There were these two kids – a brother and sister – and then a younger sister in the kindergarten section. I knew they were going through a tough time, and then I got news that their mom had passed away from cancer.

“Their dad wasn’t in the picture, so they had to move in with one of their aunts, who had other children as well. Now, they suddenly had to take in three more kids, and their situation got a lot harder. So, I thought I would use my platform to try to raise some money to help the family out with the kinds of things they’d need for the rest of the school year.

Ortega was able to raise more than $ 1,500 to help the family through the power of the community he has built on Twitch, bringing people together to help others facing a tough situation – one not unlike what Ortega has faced in the past.

“This stream was an amazing experience, not just because of what we were able to accomplish, but because of how personal it was. It just hit so close to home,” says the Stockton, California native.

“I always told myself, you know, if I ever got a platform where I had a voice, I would use it not just to improve my life, but to help whoever I can.”

Ortega isn’t just a one-hit wonder, either. Since he began his partnership with Twitch in 2017 after graduating from college, he’s worked with several organizations to set up charity streams benefiting children.  Among these was a 30-hour FIFA livestream in December 2017, during which he helped raise more than $ 4,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

FROM HOMELESS TO RAISING 4000+ FOR MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION. UNBELIEVABLE STREAM BROS. WORTH THE 30 HOURS OF NO SLEEP FOR RAISING MONEY TO A GREAT CAUSE. YOU GUYS ARE TRULY UNBELIEVABLE AND FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, LOVE YALL!! GOD BLESS EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED <3 pic.twitter.com/bEEplskoUo

— CaliSCG (@CaliSCG) December 10, 2017

“Staying awake was definitely the hardest part,” Ortega admits. “But I had a lot of help from the community, both in the chat and with some of the biggest streamers dropping by the stream to show support. I think at one point we had more than 8,000 people watching.

“That was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, when it comes to streaming, but I knew it was going to be so worth it when I hit those 30 hours. It was basically me playing FIFA for 30 hours straight, interacting with people in the chat, them helping me stay awake during the rough hours, trying to keep myself awake.”

While the task of having to stare at a computer screen for more than entire calendar day is undoubtedly daunting, stream-a-thons are becoming an increasingly popular way for streamers to build their platform, benefit worthy causes, and give back to the eSports community.

Ortega’s work has indeed brought him an increased profile in the gaming community, which means the community of fans – not just streamers – is taking notice of him. Ortega has always valued the people who tune in to watch him play, and his ability to cultivate relationships and build an organic community starts with one simple step: bring the good vibes.

“The one thing that I mainly focus on is simply just asking how their day was,” Alan says of his interactions with fans in the Twitch chat.

“It just matters so much. If they’re having a good day, then they bring good vibes, and if they’re having a bad day, then it’s my responsibility to make them feel better and forget about it.

“If I know someone is having a bad day, I just try to focus a bit more on that person, I try to make sure I’m interacting with them. It’s literally like I’m hanging out with friends for however long I’m doing the stream. It’s super casual and really fun. But at the same time, it’s a little bit like having your own late-night TV show.”

Soon, Ortega will go from hosting his own show to guest-starring at eMLS Cup. His accomplishments are testament to his attitude: Alan Ortega is here to win.

“Going from being homeless to what I have now – I know the competition is [going to be] tough, but I don’t let that discourage me, because I know anything is possible.”

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Once homeless, Quakes eMLS rep CaliSCG is gaming to help others in need was originally published on 365 Football

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Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/stranger-things-season-2-told-us-expect-season-3/

'Stranger Things': What Season 2 told us to expect for Season 3

There's no way to not binge watch Stranger Things no matter how hard you try to make the nine episodes last as long as possible. Especially knowing that Season 3 won't be around until 2019, but all of us here at MTTG wound up breaking our Season 2 viewing into two days unlike Season 1 which had us spending all afternoon glued to our 4K television. The Duffer Brothers have said they wanted this season to wrap up more plot threads than in the first season, but it seems they left plenty more for us to comment on and then ask what will come of them in 2019. Season 2 didn't end with such a big cliffhanger as one did, but it did give us a nice warm happy feeling even (who couldn't get all fuzzy feeling at that dance?) with that little peek into what's coming back. HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO WAIT? After Season 1 premiered, it took Stranger Things creators Ross and Matt Duffer 15 months to write, film, and add all the creature-feature special effects to the second season of their hit Netflix series. With stars like Finn Wolfhard, David Harbour, and Millie Bobby Brown increasingly in demand on major upcoming film projects like It 2, Hellboy, and Godzilla: King of Monsters, the Duffer brothers might find it even more challenging to get their entire cast together to film Season 3. Either way, fans likely won’t get another installment in this particular adventure until 2019. No Game of Thrones or Stranger Things in 2018? What’s a genre-lover to do? When Season 3 does premiere, the Duffers have confirmed the show will feature yet another significant time jump in order to keep pace with its young, growing cast members. If Stranger Things does leap forward one year in time (say, to the end of Eleven’s confinement?), then expect to see a few more inches of hair on its leading lady’s head and, perhaps, the start of her first-ever school year with the rest of her friends. If all the kids—Eleven, Mike, Will, Lucas, Dustin, Max—are 14 in Season 3, that means we’ll likely see them all bravely entering the dangerous territory of ninth grade at Hawkins High. WHO WILL BE THE BIG BAD?

If the finale is any indication, the Big Bad of Season 3 seems like it will be the same as ever—the giant, shadowy creature that the kids call the Mind Flayer. As Ross Duffer told The Hollywood Reporter:

They’ve shut the door on the Mind Flayer, but not only is it still there in the Upside Down, but it also is very much aware of the kids, particularly Eleven. It had not encountered her and her powers until that final episode. Now, it knows that she’s out there. We wanted to end on a little bit of an ominous note. Well, no wonder the episode concluded with that classic 80s ode to stalking: 1983’s “Every Breath You Take” by The Police. We’ve seen the Mind Flayer looming over Hawkins before, but now it seems to have zeroed in precisely on Eleven—and will be closely watching every breath, step, claim, smile, vow, and move she makes. HOW WILL IT GET IN?

In previous seasons, Will has acted as an unwilling gateway of sorts to the Mind Flayer’s attempts to invade and destroy Hawkins, Indiana. Will he again act as the monster’s vessel? The Duffers have said the once-possessed Will has now been cleansed of any supernatural invaders, but actor Noah Schnapp is not convinced. “I personally think it’s not all out of him,” he told THR. “I feel like it can’t be. There’s this massive monster taking over all of Hawkins, and all you have to do is light a few fires and turn on a few heaters, and he’s gone? It just doesn’t make sense to me, really. He’s still there—I just don’t know how.” If I were Mike, I would keep a close eye on my best friend for any sign of “The Spy.”

IF NOT WILL, THEN WHO?

If the Duffers are not playing coy and Will is completely cleansed of any trace of the Mind Flayer, then who else could help the many-legged creep sneak back into Hawkins? Well, bear in mind that while exploring the creepy underground caverns created by the monster, both Sheriff Hopper and Dustin got sprayed in the face with Upside Down pollen. Hopper wasn‘t wearing any protection when he got hit—twice. Dustin, who was sensibly wearing goggles and a bandana, claims some of that dust got in his mouth. Either one of them—both emotionally fragile people at the end of Season 2—could be unknowingly incubating something nasty.

And if Hopper does wind up being the vehicle for this particular brand of evil, a quick trip under his cabin floorboards could hint at how that nastiness might manifest. We haven’t seen Hopper’s war experience take a toll on him (the grief he was nursing seemed pegged to his late daughter), but Vietnam-inspired P.T.S.D. was very much a subject of fascination in 80s pop culture. Will Season 3 take us on a hellish climb up Jacob’s Ladder (1990)? CHEKOV’S DEMODOG

One final possibility for a Season 3 invader could be the dead (or is it?) Demodog that Dustin and Steve stuffed in Joyce’s fridge. The creature doesn’t get another mention—not even in the “One Month Later” montage—but it’s hard to imagine students of pop culture like Ross and Matt Duffer ignoring something as enticing as that thawable critter on ice.

ANOTHER ANTAGONIST

If the Duffers want to give the Mind Flayer a rest for a year, only to bring him back for the planned fourth and final season, then there are a few other possibilities as to who might cause trouble for Eleven et al. next year. High on the list has to be her long-lost “sister” Eight, a.k.a. Kali (Linnea Berthelsen). Kali’s particular set of skills—being able to make you see whatever she wants you to—plus her violent, vengeful mission could easily put her on a path to come to blows with Eleven. (Those hallucination skills could also link up with a potential PTSD plotline for Hopper.) We also don’t know what Eleven’s other labmates (One-Seven, Nine, and Ten) are up to. We could have a big X-Men-esque showdown on our hands before all is said and done.

Another possibility for Kali and her rag-tag band of punks is that the Duffer brothers intend the seventh episode of this season to operate as a backdoor pilot for an Eight-centric spin-off series. (In fact, the brothers referred to that episode as “a whole little other pilot” when speaking with Entertainment Weekly.) Given the critical reaction to Eight’s episode (which was mixed at best), that spin-off seems unlikely. But either way, we’ve surely not seen the last of Kali who, bear in mind, is named after the Hindu goddess best-known for being “the destroyer of worlds.”

PAPA, CAN YOU HEAR ME?

Eleven could also face danger from another pseudo member of her family: Dr. Brenner a.k.a. “Papa.” Though Matthew Modine’s Season 1 antagonist only appeared in flashbacks and visions this season, the Duffers have been quite clear that there’s probably more in store for him. Matt Duffer told IGN:

I would say that if we were going to kill Brenner… as an audience member watching the show, if that was his death, that would be very unsatisfying to me—when the monster jumps on him, and we cut away. He would deserve much more than that as an ending. So yes, there’s a possibility of seeing him again. Season 2 leaned in heavily on the notion that Benner is not quite dead yet. So Season 3 could give us a battle of Eleven’s father figures: Hopper vs. Brenner. WHO WON’T BE BACK

Though we likely haven’t seen the last of Brenner or Eight, we did see the Department of Energy chased out of Hawkins, hopefully for good. I’m not saying a shadowy government conspiracy won’t rear its head in future installments, but it would be nice to give the DoE a break from the villain role. I also wouldn’t mind if Billy, a truly unnecessary new character, disappeared into thin air.

Also, please let this be the last we hear of Barb Holland. Season 2 was far too preoccupied with serving the fan demand of “justice for Barb.” Justice having been served, I hope she rests, permanently, in peace. WHO HAS TO COME BACK

As with all high school-set stories, Stranger Things may have written itself into a bit of a corner when it came to graduating characters. It’s a fine tradition for teen shows to find some excuse to have their 18-year-old characters stick around town even after their senior years end, whether it be following burnouts like Tim Riggins on Friday Night Lights or inventing conveniently localized universities like Hearst College (Veronica Mars), U.C. Sunnydale (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), or California University (Beverly Hills, 90210). So what, oh what will the Duffers do to keep graduating senior Steve Harrington in Hawkins next year? There’s no way they get rid of fan favorite and Season 2 MVP Joe Keery.

The third season could take place over 1985 summer vacation—but that seems unlikely, given the show’s penchant for autumn. Instead, the Duffers cleverly planted the idea in Season 2, Episode 1 that Steve might stick around town and go work for his old man in order to keep a protective eye on his now-ex Nancy. That’s not what I want for Steve the character. (Move on, Steve! Go to college!) But if it means the world’s best babysitter and his incredible head of hair stays in the mix for Season 3, then I’m all for it. The Jonathan/Nancy/Steve love triangle will live to fight another day.

FRIENDS AND LOVERS

Speaking of love triangles: the dynamic gently simmering in the background of Season 2 between Joyce, Bob, and Hopper means that we can all expect Will’s mom and Eleven’s adopted dad to go full Brady Bunch at some point in the future. Will the Duffers make us wait until the end of Season 4 for the moment we all can see coming?

[caption id="attachment_50486" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Not Zac Efron[/caption] NOW FOR OUR QUESTIONS ABOUT STRANGER THINGS SEASON 3 Are Hopper and Joyce finally gonna get together? Yes, Bob Newby’s heroic corpse is still warm, but Jopper fans need this question asked right up front. Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper certainly share a traumatic experience now, if not several, and they’ve got a long history that dates back to sneaking cigarettes together in high school. There’s something in their final moments this season that suggests this pair may be closer to uniting than ever before. Just think, Will and Eleven could be step-siblings! David Harbour certainly wants it to happen, saying on Beyond Stranger Things that “the sex would be a lot better with Hopper than it is with Bob.” Ouch. Were Dustin and Hopper infected in the tunnels?

A whole bunch of characters travel into the Upside Down–esque tunnels in Stranger Things 2, but two of our favorites also ingest a great deal of the funky stuff that’s floating around down there. Hopper spent a great deal of time trapped by those supernatural vines and Dustin swallowed a big chunk of Upside Down ephemera. Given the Duffer brothers’ reverence of Aliens, will these occurrences come back to haunt them? Like Will, might they develop a connection to this other dimension, or worse? If Dustin ends up having the Stranger Things version of a chest-burster, we’ll need years of therapy to deal with it.

What role will Kali play next season?

After that incredible opening scene for Stranger Things 2, we don’t see Linnea Berthelsen’s Kali until close to the end of the season, as Eleven has an adventure with her psychic “sister” that teaches our heroine the extent of her own powers. But is that it for Kali and her Warriors-esque crew? It’s hard to believe we’ve seen the last of her, not only because her connection to Eleven remains strong but because her arc ended so abruptly. There wasn’t the closure this character demands. There’s a lot more to this character and more story to tell.

Are there other numbers out there?

While we’re on the subject, are there other people like Kali and Eleven hiding in the Stranger Things universe? If we’ve met Eight and Eleven, where are the rest? The flashbacks to Eleven’s childhood and the way she connects with Eight certainly implies there could be more kids out there with similar powers. This is the kind of question that may not be answered in Stranger Things 3, but could come up in later seasons — or possibly a spinoff series. Just picture it: Stranger Things 5: Eleven Meets Twelve.

Will the Mind Flayer be the antagonist of season three?

That final shot of Stranger Things 2 is a beauty, and not just because it adds another layer to the use of “the stalker song,” as Gaten Matarazzo describes the Police’s “Every Breath You Take” in Beyond Stranger Things. The Mind Flayer is still watching every breath that the gang takes during the Snow Ball, as we see it stalking about Hawkins Middle School in the Upside Down. Does this mean that it’ll be back as the main villain next year? Or even further into the arc of the show? It certainly implies that we haven’t seen the last of this great TV villain.

Will Dr. Brenner return?

One of the most interesting developments in Stranger Things 2 is the strong implication that Matthew Modine’s Dr. Brenner is still alive. Not only does Kali tell Eleven that she hasn’t looked hard enough for “Papa,” but the Hawkins Lab goon that they threaten says that he can actually take them to Brenner. It’s not hard to envision a return for Modine’s formidable character in season three or beyond. After all, Eleven hasn’t completely closed the door on the first person to show her any care, so there’s a reason why she still hasn’t tried to track him down. (Also, Millie Bobby Brown has some fascinating insight into the Brenner-Eleven relationship in Beyond Stranger Things.) Whether it’s in flashbacks or an actual return to Hawkins, Brenner will almost certainly surface again.

Is Will Byers finally free?

The main narrative thrust of Stranger Things 2 was Will’s connection to the Upside Down, but are we sure that he’s been saved for good? We know that the Mind Flayer was able to hide itself pretty well inside Will’s mind. What if there’s still a deadly connection between it and Will? This poor kid just can’t catch a break.

What’ll happen to poor Steve?

The love triangle between Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan is all but over, officially leaving Steve as the third wheel. Sure, he’s become a big brother figure for Dustin, but is that enough to keep this character around for Stranger Things 3? He’ll be graduating from Hawkins High pretty soon, and as much as he’s a fan favorite, it feels like he’d be the one to go if the show decides to make room for new characters.

Is Hawkins Lab closed for good?

As most of the technicians at Hawkins Laboratory turned into food for Demodogs, and the rest drove off after Murray dropped his bombshell scoop about Barb’s death, it feels like the door is finally closed on the Hawkins Lab arc of Stranger Things. If we had to guess, season three will move away from characters like Dr. Brenner and Dr. Owens as primary characters, although a place like that surely has more secrets from its past just waiting to be unearthed.

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MAY WE PREPARE SOME GIFTS/PRESENTS

FOR OUR ENEMIES or for our loved ones?

GENESIS 32:13

Jacob stayed where he was for the night and prepared a present for Esau:

01/09/2017

1. INTRODUCTION.

War was looming between the two brothers and the very same brother who is preparing some gifts for Esau was the one who was on the wrong.

We live in this world with lot of mistakes and we were created very good according to Genesis chapter one, but we were not created perfect. So the element of perfection we do not have and we are always striving for perfection in our Christian Journey.

a) That is why we pray,

b) That is why we read the Word of God

c) That is why we go to Church always for God to speak to our inner lives.

d) That is why we are practicing humility.

e) That is why we ask for forgiveness time and again from our fellow brothers and sisters and the worldly people at large

f) That is why we do all the spiritual exercises since we want to be pure and holy before our loving God.

g) We almost all of us have some broken relationships.

h) We almost all of us have serious enemies around us.

2. MOST UNFORTUNATELY TIME IS NOT BRINGING ANY RESTORATION OF FRIENDSHIP.

2.1. It was now many years down the line when Jacob was away to his uncle Laban. His going away for so many years never resolved the standing problem back home.

2.2. He was now married with two wives and many children and animals that he worked for and some tricked his uncle to have the very strong animals.

2.3. He run away from his uncle while the uncle was not at home, he took everything that belonged to him and left without any Farewell.

2.4. Laban caught up with him on the road and he was nearly killed if it was not God who intervened during the night and spoke strong to Laban “Be Careful what you say to Jacob said God”

2.5. But now it was time for Jacob to face reality of what he did and his mother to steal Esau’s blessings day light from his blind father Isaac.

3. JACOB HAD A PLAN TO APPEASE HIS BROTHER.

3.1. Jacob prepared some presents for his brother Esau.

3.2. Gifts are acts of kindness and humility.

3.3. Gifts are able to turn the sad and bad situations to be normal.

3.4. Gifts can really bring a smile where there was a serious war.

3.5. Gifts can settle some serious hurts that happened in the past.

3.6. Gifts are able to appease a real serious death situation to normally.

3.7. Gifts (appreciation) makes the pastors to smile and forget the bad treatment the Church did to them

4. CONCLUSION.

May we try to practice this act of kindness and let us wait and see the good or excellent results thereafter. I am convinced that the world can be a better place for all of us to live in if we can practice this little gesture of appreciating one another in a very small way of saying to the next person,

“You are so important in my life”

“I need you in my life”

“You mean so much in my life”

“You are my hero or heroine in my life”

“You are so special in my life”

“May I buy you lunch or take you out on Saturday?”

“May I visit you?”

“May I have your bank details?”

Try this and see what is going to happen, let us swallow our prides and mend broken relationships.

God be with you and be highly blessed.

Shalom

John Sigudla

Senior Pastor

Sharon Baptist Church

From: John Sigudla [mailto:sigudlaj@gmail.com] Sent: 01 September 2017 08:53 AM To: ontihetse tlhomelang Subject: BREAD OF LIFE DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Beloved in the Lord.

Let is eat and be full in our spiritual life.

Find attached today bread of life devotional thought.

Shalom

Sigudla John

Pastor

MAY WE PREPARE SOME GIFTS.docx

BREAD OF LIFE DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT MAY WE PREPARE SOME GIFTS/PRESENTS FOR OUR ENEMIES or for our loved ones? GENESIS 32:13 J…

[wesonerdy]

Regina faces off with the Evil Queen, as Killian and Emma’s engagement is put to the test. Get a sneak peek of tonight’s Once Upon a Time!

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Oncers, the OUaT writers have done the impossible… Rumple’s redemption arc is in full effect and I can’t believe I’m on board with it!

“Ill-boding Patterns” began in Fairy Tale Land with the First Ogres War. Beowulf was leading soldiers into battle, but just as all was lost, Rumple stepped in with his Dark One magic and savedd them all from the ogres. (It turns out Rumple first took the Dark One magic in order to stop the First Ogres War and save Baelfire, anyway!)

Later at the pub during a celebratory drink with the townsfolk, Rumple was joined by Bae. Everyone was in a good mood, except for Beowulf, who was jealous. He called Rumple a coward and then accused him of using dark magic, which was true. Bae then asked Rumple to give up the dagger and magic and just live a normal life at home. Rumple agreed. Unfortunately, Bae was still picked on by other boys who accused Rumple if being a monster.

Soon, the townsfolk came to Rumple to help save them and Beowulf from a monster called Grendel. With Bae’s encouragement, they set out to find Beowulf and prove they could be heroes without dark magic.

Rumple brought the dagger anyway, but gave it to Bae who promised to stop Rumple if he went to use the dark magic. They eventually found “Grendel” in a cave… butut it turned out there was no monster! Beowulf killed the villagers and planned to frame Rumple for it so that when he killed the Dark One, he could be the hero everyone celebrated.

Bae eventually got the Dark One dagger back and in a crazy turn of events, he ordered Rumple to kill Beowulf, despite Rumple’s hesitations. This darkened Bae’s heart. But to save his son from himself and his new lust for power, Rumple gave Bae a memory potion and took the blame for Beowulf’s murder himself, even though Bae now thought his father was a real monster.

In Storybrooke, Rumple, Belle, and Blue Fairy are looking for Gideon. Rumple promised Belle that he’ll do anything to save their son.

We saw Gideon break into the sheriff’s station and steal the remainder of the broken sword he tried to kill Emma with; however Rumple intercepted him. He warned Gideon about giving into the darkness, that doing so could only lead to heartbreak and not becoming a hero.

With encouragement, Gideon told Rumple about being with the Black Fairy… how he was locked away in a dungeon and being too afraid to save another boy who the Black Fairy was beating.

Then Rumple tried to give Gideon a memory potion to rid him of the bad memories of being with the Black Fairy. It didn’t work! Gideon now had the dagger and planned to make Rumple help him kill Emma and fulfill his destiny. They would repair the sword, but needed the blood of the person who forged it, the Blue Fairy. However (like with Baelfire), to protect Gideon from snuffing out the good in his heart, Rumple interceded and took Blue’s blood himself. It repaired the sword, but Blue was sapped of her magic and in a coma.

However, would there be enough time to stop Gideon again?

Elsewhere, Alt Robin stole a box of potions from Regina’s mausoleum. Regina genuinely wanted to help him settle down in Storybrooke, but Robin was still reluctant. Instead he turned to Zelena for help to escape the town protection spell and leave Regina’s attempts at reform. Zelena agreed to help, but before they could escape (with the Evil Queen snake in tow), Regina stopped them. Robin made it very clear that he resented being on Storybrooke where Robin Hood’s legacy loomed. Alt Robin tried the anti-magic potion anyway, but it exploded back on him. Regardless, Regina promised to help Alt Robin find his happiness, even if it meant leaving Storybrooke.

Later, while drinking his sorrows away in the forest, Alt Robin was bitten by a snake… who turned out to be the Evil Queen, back in full form. Since Robin still had remnants of the anti-magic potion on his hands, when EQ bit him, she was able to strip the magic from the spell that kept her as a snake. And a new doppelganger alliance was born…

Meanwhile Killian was also drinking his sorrows away. Yes, he had permission to marry Emma, but Killian knew he was keeping the truth about Davids father’s death. He knew he should keep the secret, but in truth he was desperate to tell Emma the truth. But wouldn’t he lose her? Killian confided in Cricket who gave the advice that he owed it to the relationship to be honest.

When Killian finally went home to Emma, he planned to confess. However, she stopped him before he could do so. Emma had found the engagement ring and thought Killian was proposing! So Killian got down on one knee and asked Emma to marry him. Yes there were secrets, but it still was the most beautiful moment when she said yes and he put the ring on her finger!

Do #CaptainSwan have a happy ending in sight? pic.twitter.com/l1WXYqSYAd

— Once Upon A Time (@OnceABC) March 20, 2017

  Some other observations:

Beowulf’s sword (Hrunting) is the same sword Gideon plans to use to kill Emma!

Is Rumple seriously every iconic villain?! He’s the Beast (to Belle’s Beauty), he’s Captain Hook’s nemesis the Crocodile, and now it turns out that Rumple is really Grendel!

  In tonight’s episode “Page 23” (written by David H. Goodman and Brigitte Hales, directed by Kate Woods):

REGINA FACES-OFF AGAINST THE EVIL QUEEN, AS HOOK’S AND EMMA’S ENGAGEMENT IS TESTED—Believing there isn’t room in Storybrooke for both her and Regina, the Evil Queen sets out to eliminate her other half using Robin to bait the trap. Hook, determined to make things work with Emma, turns to his old friend Capt. Nemo for advice, but Gideon torpedoes his plan before he’s able to set things right. In a flashback to the Enchanted Forest, the Evil Queen learns a surprising lesson about the true source of her misery. (via ABC)

Take a look at two clips from the upcoming show. In the first, Emma shares her good news about the recent engagement… but then we get the bad news that EQ has escaped. And in the second video, a flashback, the Evil Queen’s hunt for Snow White takes her to a small village. But her father tries to convince her to show mercy.

Regina's news about the Evil Queen puts everyone's happiness for Emma on pause. pic.twitter.com/czeRWgFFRZ

— Once Upon A Time (@OnceABC) March 25, 2017

The Evil Queen has malicious plans for Snow White except there's one problem… #OnceUponaTime pic.twitter.com/OnmdmYHk7J

— Once Upon A Time (@OnceABC) March 23, 2017

  So… I’m all for a CaptainSwan wedding as soon as humanly possible, but until Killian tells Emma the truth, things feel so tenuous!

Check out 15 images from “Page 23” and live tweet Once Upon a Time with me at 8pm ET on ABC over at @WeSoNerdy!

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

PREVIEW: ‘Once Upon a Time’ Season 6, Episode 14 “Page 23” Regina faces off with the Evil Queen, as Killian and Emma's engagement is put to the test.