#cause just the ocean would be one thing (and it's very prominently displayed too)

[raayllum]

I love rune cube placement foreshadowing, it's my favourite

[obi-wkenobi]

Whumptober 2021

Day 5: Comfort (alternative prompt)

Read below or on A03.

“I need to leave for work now,” Bail said, picking up his datapad from the table and smiling at Obi-Wan. “Once I’m back we’ll have some more time to talk about how you could help the Rebellion. You’ve been away from any action for a long time,” he teased gently.

Obi-Wan huffed and nodded, resisting the urge to remind Bail that he would only be on Alderaan for a short while. Luke still needed him on Tatooine, after all.

In the silence of Bail’s home he decided to use the computer to check the HoloNet. 

Ten years ago he never would have had to do such a thing, as a Jedi he was always kept up to date on the latest Galactic news and hadn’t realised just how much he took it for granted until he was forced to live on Tatooine. His homestead in the Dune Sea didn’t offer him close-by access to prominent Senators or the Republic’s capital, instead he barely even saw one individual in a standard week and so the latest news was the furthest thing from his mind.

At first it had been difficult, but as he glanced through the news he found that he didn’t care for any of it. This knowledge wouldn’t affect his life whatsoever, he had adapted himself to a myopic worldview whereby his only considerations were how much water he had, what he should eat next, how he would get that piece of food and if Luke was safe. Why should his focus be on anything else? He was still a Jedi and so he knew that he should still somewhat care for the state of the Galaxy, but he could also acknowledge that he was a bit bitter. The Galaxy had not helped the Jedi and so why should he care? Perhaps if he had the ability to do something about it then he would. He huffed to himself, such thoughts were pointless. 

Soon afterward he went to explore the house, where he quickly found a patio door that led to an expansive garden blooming with exotic flowers. In the distance a winding gravel path could be seen leading to a large, bountiful lake. He stood there in awe, amazed by all the colours, flourishing in an infinity of shades. The lake mesmerized him the most, it’s complete stillness, yet also its constant motion. The ripples that could be seen from a harsh breeze and the small splashes made when wildlife came up for air. They showed that it was a living thing, not just an inanimate object. 

There weren’t such colours or displays of life on Tatooine, all he had to see there was an endless expanse of sand, capable of movement but always the same; coarse, rough, and beige, with no indication that it relied on its surroundings to survive. 

Obi-Wan stood there for a long time, staring at the lake in contemplation. A consequence of Tatooine was that time had become unimportant to him, why shouldn’t he spend a minute or an hour on one task? Other than the darkening of the sky there was no need for him to monitor time. What was the point when there wasn’t even the changing of a season to keep him company? He was unable to say what year he had broken a finger whilst climbing a canyon wall, or what month a sandstorm had blown down the enclosure that contained his Bantha. If asked he could comment on which had come first, but not the exact date that they happened or the amount of time that had passed in between. 

The tedious desert had taught him the one thing that he had always needed to learn, how to live in the present moment. Although, he suspected Qui-Gon had not had such drastic teaching methods in mind when training him all those years ago. 

Therefore, he wasn’t too surprised when Leia turned up at his side sometime later. She stood there with him as he continued observing the boundless swaying of the trees and ripples of the lake, so like his time spent watching the ebb and flow of the Dunes outside his home. He wasn’t disturbed, nor did he mind when she slipped her hand inside his own, patiently waiting for him to start a conversation. 

Eventually though, it appeared that she was unable to contain herself and so she asked, “Do you like the water? I think I prefer space, that way I can fly wherever I want.”

Obi-Wan pulled a face instinctively. “I much prefer the water, flying isn’t something that I really enjoy.” He wondered if he had been exiled to an ocean world if he would have come to hate water, just as he had come to hate sand. 

“You don’t like flying?” she said, aghast. “But you must have flown to loads of planets.”

“I have,” he conceded. 

Still curious, she inquired, “Did you just have people flying you to places then? Like your Padawan?”

He stiffened immediately, his hand tensing within Leia’s. 

“You don’t like talking about him do you?”

Obi-Wan didn’t know what to say, so he said nothing.

“Father told me that he died, is that why? You must miss him, especially after you spent years and years together.”

He battled with his grief before deciding on the truth. “It’s hard to talk about someone who you miss.”

She gazed up at him, innocent and oblivious. “Maybe one day when the Jedi Order is restored you can have another Padawan?”

His eyes closed in anguish. One day the Jedi Order may be restored, but it wouldn’t be in his lifetime. And even if it was, he wouldn’t take on another Padawan lest he failed them as well. 

A tug on his hand drew his attention down and he stared at Anakin’s child, whose earnest eyes only made him think of the young slave boy he had met on Tatooine. 

An unpleasant wave of helplessness crashed over him then. He was the one unifying thread intertwining the fate of the Galaxy together, he was bound to these children—and Anakin, and it was his destiny to bring them together and to ensure that their purposes be fulfilled. It had never been his decision to do so though, that had been taken from him when Qui-Gon had made him promise to train a troubled, young boy. And so he may have been the key to everything, but his life had never been his own and he must bear the brunt of it—of the responsibility and the guilt, for they had always been his alone. 

Leia frowned at him in concern, her underlying Force sensitivity undeniably able to sense his distress. “Ben?”

The soft name roused him from his despair and he scolded himself for being unable to find balance, for letting his fear still hold him hostage even after all this time. Surely he could find some cause for joy here? Leia was safe and happy and that more than anything should have stirred his optimism. But even that didn’t comfort him, who knew what might happen to Leia should he fail in the end.

“Are you okay? Why are you so sad?”

He smiled at her gently, though he was sure it wasn’t convincing. “I’m okay.”

Her lip wobbled threateningly, so he fell down on one knee and grabbed both of her hands in his. “I promise I’m okay,” he reassured.

Irritation appeared on her face even as her eyes pulled down in worry. “You’re lying,” Leia mumbled. “You’re so sad, I can feel it, you’ve been sad since you got here.”

What could he say to that? Obi-Wan knew his shields were strong and so he could only assume that she had a certain talent for detecting people’s emotions, but how does one explain to a child the extent of his grief? The sadness of his Force signature was always present now and he very much doubted that would ever change.

It wasn’t that Obi-Wan hadn’t accepted his loss, he had. He had accepted the destruction of the Jedi and had accepted that it was his pupil that had helped with the genocide of his fellow, but he was a forever changed man because of it and as a result, his presence had changed too.

As with before he decided to be honest, or at least as honest as he could be. “I am sad, but that doesn’t mean that I’m also not happy. Seeing you and your father has made me the happiest I’ve been in a long time.”

In a display of perception that no normal child would have, she narrowed her eyes at him and observed him with quiet interest, “Really?”

“Yes,” he said truthfully. 

Having decided that he wasn’t lying, Leia gave him a nod of acceptance and then launched herself at him and drew him into an enveloping hug. It took his breath away. He had not been touched with such kind intent in nearly a decade and the knowledge that it was Padmé’s and Anakin’s daughter doing so made him want to cry from both happiness and remorse. 

“Thank you,” he mumbled, further sitting on the floor and pulling Leia onto his lap, smiling when she rested her head on his shoulder.

[mylittlemystery]

Odd and Even

Summary: Korekiyo’s a bit of an odd guy, to say the least. Then again, Shuichi could use a little diversion from the norm in his life.

A/N: oh yeah, it’s ‘lee Kork hours. Takes place in an AU where they attend Hope’s Peak Academy the way they expected to. Can be considered a fulfillment to an anonymous prompt (don’t send any in expecting them to be completed - we all know how terrible I am at that).

The sun was particularly extroverted today, considering it was still the middle of March, and the gentle warmth made Shuichi ponder on taking off his jacket for a moment. The field just behind Hope’s Peak was largely abandoned during this time of the day, what with most of his fellow students attending their afternoon classes, so it posed an ample opportunity to get away from all the hustle and bustle congregating in the halls.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Korekiyo observed from his seat a few paces away. “The weather we’ve been having has been quite mild, all things considered…”

Shuichi nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it really has been…”

“I sometimes forget how lucky we are to live on a planet surrounded by such bountiful foliage,” Korekiyo continued on as he wrapped his arms around his raised calves. “So many of our customs and traditions have stemmed from the very existence of nature itself, you know.”

Shuichi was about to respond, but the feeling of something becoming entangled in his hair ultimately put a stop to this. “Ah, what the-?”

“No need to panic,” Korekiyo reassured as he crawled behind the other man, “a leaf just blew onto your head. Here, I’ll take care of it.” Remaining wary of the pain he might cause the other’s scalp, he delicately unraveled the leaf with his lengthy fingers.

A sharp gasp escaped Shuichi’s lips before he could stop it at the sudden shock of the other’s long strands of ocean green hair brushing against his jaw. “K-kiyo!” he spluttered indignantly.

Having thankfully managed to free the leaf before this outburst, Korekiyo quickly scooted over to face the frontside of his fellow classmate. “I apologize,” he spoke with a glimmer of gentle sympathy in his eyes. “I did not mean to hurt you.”

“N-no, you didn’t hurt me!” Shuichi hurried to correct said statement, but he found a gentle simmer of heat traveling to his face at the prospect of having to reveal the truth. “It’s just...your hair was tickling me, is all,” he muttered as he rubbed his forearm sheepishly.

“Ah, I see.” Korekiyo’s gaze softened noticeably at this conclusion. “Tickling is quite a strange phenomenon, isn’t it? The sensation it provokes can be so overpowering that it’s even been used as a method of torture in some areas...were you aware of that?” He almost sounded...amused…

Shuichi forced his body to suppress the gentle shudder it threatened to undertake at the mere thought of being tickled in such a manner, and he instead furrowed his brow in reply. “Are you making fun of me?”

Korekiyo hummed a little at this, eyelids fluttering closed in a dramatic expression of naiveté. “I only wish to educate you, Shuichi,” he insisted, but the gentle smirk he was wearing made its presence known through his voice.

The detective rolled his eyes in exasperation, letting out a huff as he adjusted himself to face the other completely. “Well, if you really want to educate me, answer me this,” he countered in a rare display of annoyance, “are you ticklish?”

Korekiyo raised an eyebrow at the bold inquiry, but he didn’t hesitate in delivering his response. “Yes,” he confirmed matter-of-factly, as if it were the most ordinary question there was, “I am.”

As much as Shuichi didn’t want to admit it, he was left utterly gobsmacked at such a calm reply. He had expected the other to protest at least somewhat, but once again it felt like the Ultimate Anthropologist was always two stops ahead of his train of thought. Was this...a lie? A quick way to make a fool out of him? He didn’t peg Kiyo as the type, but-

“Well now, what are you going to do, Shuichi?” A sly voice queried, unknowingly breaking the shorter boy out of his rambling head. Korekiyo hummed once again, golden eyes half lidded with an unmistakable sense of impishness. “Let me guess: you’re going to try and tickle me, aren’t you?” A gentle huff of a laugh escaped his lips. “Want to have me begging and squirming beneath your fingertips, hm~?”

While Shuichi may have been unable to see his face, he was almost positive it had turned a shade of cherry red. Despite the other being in such a compromising situation, he was the one that was getting flustered...God, what the hell were they doing?! “N-no, I-”

“Then go ahead - I won’t stop you.” With that, Korekiyo lay flat on his back with his arms draped across his stomach. His coy gaze followed the other like a hawk, and he once again cocked an eyebrow when there was no immediate followthrough. “Oh? Lost your nerve, perhaps?” Apparently, he had foregone listening to any answer that wasn’t an acceptance of this challenge.

For a few moments, Shuichi gazed at the figure of his friend laying in the grass. A great sense of embarrassment still boiled within the pit of his stomach, but another emotion was gradually emerging alongside it...competitiveness. Perhaps Kaito’s influence really was starting to rub off on him, but something about the other’s laidback nature was starting to rile him up. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious,” he murmured as he pulled himself closer to the taller boy. “I suppose I can entertain you for a little while…”

Korekiyo’s eyes merely closed in an apparently content expression. “It would be my pleasure.”

Like the shot let off by a starting gun at the head of a race, Shuichi took these words as his cue to begin. He started off rather timidly, fingernails idly tracing across the other’s prominent collarbones through the cloth of the jacket.

True to his word, Korekiyo dissolved into giggles almost instantaneously. His laugh was breathy and bright, said sounds slightly muffled by the face mask covering his mouth, and his arms wrapped around his torso just a little tighter. “Ehe...ehehehehehe…”

Shuichi couldn’t help but blink in surprise at this sudden reaction. The gentle laughter that was drifting along the breeze could only be described as...endearing. “Wow, you really are ticklish,” he whispered to himself. “I hardly touched you…”

It was so faint that you could’ve easily missed it if you weren’t a very observant person, but a definite flush rose to Korekiyo’s face. His typically composed features crinkled with a hint of surprise, however said expression was gone in the blink of an eye.

Unfortunately for the taller boy, Shuichi was anything but unobservant. That rare display of humility...it was this that truly rendered him speechless. As it slowly occurred to him how out of character it was to see the other one caught off guard, a delicate warmth began to brew just behind his ribcage.

Mischief.

“I mean, it’s not even like I touched your bare skin,” he continued nonchalantly as he situated himself on top of the other’s waistline, former apprehension completely washed away by this sudden burst of power. His fingers walked themselves down lower, lingering over the curves of the anthropologist’s lithe sides. “You must be pretty sensitive if you can feel something as soft as this through your school uniform…”

“Shu-shuichi!” Korekiyo gasped out before his voice was lost to his own steadily increasing titters of mirth. While his arms may have been wrapped around his torso, they did little to protect himself from the detective’s prying hands. What was once a mere dusting of color along the cheeks had now turned into something that was nearly opaque, giving him a rather adorable look of embarrassment. “Ehehehehehehe!”

Despite himself, Shuichi couldn’t stop the small smile from creeping across his face at the sight and sounds laid out before him. He almost wished he could catch a glimpse of the other’s supposed grin, but he knew better than to try and tamper with that mask. “Hmm…” Carefully, he slipped his spidering fingertips underneath the jacket and undershirt that were in their way. “Now, if my hypothesis is correct, your laughter should grow in some noticeable fashion once I actually get to your skin - let’s see if I’m right.”

Indeed, Korekiyo devolved into a rather strained sort of cackle once those nails so much as grazed his lower abdomen. The dangerously fleeting contact made his entire body erupt with goosebumps, his muscles quiver helplessly, and his head unconsciously start to bury itself in one of his shoulders. “Shuhuhuicheeheehee!” he nearly whined. “Ihit t-tihickles…”

“Ah, just as I thought,” Shuichi noted aloud, evidently deciding to ignore the other’s meek complaints. “You’re definitely more susceptible to tickling once someone gets past your shirt, but I would expect that of almost anybody. What I’m really curious about is whether or not you have a sweet spot…” He allowed himself to come to a standstill as to let the weight of his words hang in the air. “Well, Kiyo? Do you have one?”

Korekiyo didn’t allow this opportunity to catch his breath go to waste, heaving in quiet gasp after gasp as he lay trapped by his offender’s slim figure. For once, it appeared that he had found himself at a loss for words.

“Then again, if you’re having too much fun, I suppose I could go searching for it myself. After all, I-”

“My sides!” the anthropologist suddenly spat out. He felt the temperature behind his cheeks rise to a boiling point at the atypical waver in his voice, and he cleared his throat in a vain attempt to collect at least some of his bearings. “M-my sides are most likely the worst place…”

It took every ounce of Shuichi’s self control to not scamper away right then and there. Suffice to say that this flustered admission had gotten under his own skin, and his imagination began to run wild with just how he would react being in the other’s shoes. Still...it would have been just as awkward to abruptly cut things off where they were, so, after taking a moment to solidify his resolve, he dug his fingernails into the specified area with a tender ferocity.

The results were instantaneous: Korekiyo let out a rather girlish squeal before utterly melting into a puddle of hysterical wheezing and disoriented wriggling. He dug the toes of his boots into the earth beneath them, arms still clinging to himself in a reflexive stance of protection. “Keeheeheeheeheeheeee!”

It almost felt like he had been lured into some sort of trance - the detective could feel his mind going blank as he stared down at the red faced student. It was adorable, it was enchanting, and it must have been so...torturous. He could keep the other boy here for hours if he so desired, playing those nerves like a fiddle, and nobody would be able to stop him. All the other would be able to do was laugh, and laugh, and laugh…

“Sh-shuichi, Shuichi!” Korekiyo finally cried out, evidently at his limit. Bandaged fingers came to wrap around attacking wrists desperately, applying enough pressure to leave a mark in their wake. “Ihi cahahaHAHAN’T! N-noho more, pleeheeheeheeheeheeease!”

Reminded of his surroundings thanks to the sharp pain that was abruptly thrust upon him, Shuichi nearly tripped over his own limbs with how quickly he clambered off the panting man. “I-I’m sorry!” he rushed to say, completely and utterly mortified by his own actions. “I don’t know what came over me, I just-”

“There is no need to apologize,” Korekiyo cut his panicking companion off between the last of his labored breaths. After a few more moments passed, with him having sufficiently calmed himself, he propped himself up into a sitting position once more. “Though, I must admit, I didn’t expect you to be quite so...ferocious,” he spoke gently as he brushed a few stubborn blades of grass off of his uniform. “You were aware that my sides were supposedly my worst spot, yet you lingered there for quite a while…”

“I...I must have lost track of time,” Shuichi mumbled sheepishly as he pretended to draw a striking interest in the legs of his pants. “I haven’t heard you laugh like that before, you know?”

A faint twinkle of amusement made itself known in Korekiyo’s gaze. He hummed thoughtfully as he cocked his head to one side, hands idly rising upwards to toy with the medallion that lay across his chest. “Well, that much is to be expected - one can truly lose themselves when participating in activities such as these. It’s only natural that you would do the same, Shuichi.”

Said man couldn’t help the small sigh of relief that escaped through his clenched teeth, and his posture sagged ever so slightly compared to its former rigid stance. “So...you’re not angry with me?” he asked with an unmistakable lilt of hope in his tone.

“Of course not,” Korekiyo reassured as he laid a hand on top of the other’s. “I gave you permission, after all.”

Had it been left at that, Shuichi would have been rather grateful. Unfortunately for him, that vice of a grip returning to his right forearm left no room for misinterpretations.

“However, I am most curious about one thing,” Kiyo murmured close to the detective’s ear, eyes narrowing with devious glee when it earned him a preemptive shiver. “Would you happen to have one of these so-called sweet spots?”

Shuichi could only manage a dry gulp in response.

[dreamersleeps]

Red Wings of Temperance

A Possible Influence Behind the Color of Hawks’ Wings

A deck of tarot cards is made up of 78 cards, and the first twenty two are known as the Major Arcana. They were created in the 14th or 15th century but were not used for divination purposes until the 18th century. Tarot card readings are not meant to predict the future but to offer spiritual guidance. 

The image above (from Oracloo) depicts the 14th Major Arcana card in the tarot deck which is known as: XIV Temperance. 

Like me, I’m sure that your mind jumped to a certain pro hero as soon as you saw the figure’s red wings. 

What might Temperance have to do with Hawks? Let’s first look at a couple definitions of the word first. According to Merriam-Webster: 

Temperance

1. moderation in action, thought, or feeling

2. habitual moderation in the indulgence of the appetites or passions 

If Temperance is drawn, it means: 

Balance, patience, and moderation in life. 

To think before we act. To look at both sides of an issue, to walk in another’s shoes or their path before we pass judgement. To be compassionate, considerate and fair in our dealings with others (bluestartarot). 

That you have a clear, long-term vision of what you want to achieve. You are not rushing things along; instead, you are taking your time to ensuer that you do the best job you can. You know you need a moderate, guided appraoch to reach your goals (biddytarot). 

Other Red-Winged Figures 

Before we begin I’m going to point out that there are a couple other Red-Winged figures amongst the Major Arcana. 

I’m not aware if nudity in art is allowed on Tumblr so just to be safe, I cut the bottom half of both these cards because they depict nude individuals. 

The tarot card on the right is VI The Lovers and XX Judgement. Out of the two, I think you could perhaps make some connections with Judgement and Hawks but I think that Temperance works the best. 

Symbols of the 14th Arcana

There are quite a few symbols on XIV Temperance, but I’m going to focus on a select few. Interpretations may differ based on the source but I tried to stick with those that were repeated throughout the different websites I read through.

The most important part of this card is the act of pouring water from one cup to another, signifying a balance of duality and a mixture of two separate objects. This is where the card gets its name, the process is called “tempering” which is a slow process to eventually find a perfect middle ground (wemystic).

Other dualities that is represented on this card can be: male/female, spiritual/physical, emotion/logic, conscious/subconscious and subconscious/superconscious (we mystic).

Temperance revolves around supreme balance. One foot is on land which represents the Earthly, material world and the other is in water, which represents the emotional, subconscious world. 

The winding path leading to the mountains represents the journey through life with its twists and turns. The sun, appearing as a glowing light is a symbol of staying true to one’s life purpose and meaning (biddytarot). 

Fire/Red wings: Physical passion, anger. Muscles and strength necessary to maintain composure and reach a higher being state. 

Blue water: Emotions, peace, calm. Groundness and refreshment. 

White gown: Pure thought. 

Yellow Iris: Communication, thoughts, learning, feminine/masculine. 

Temperance’s wings are either referred to as “fire wings” or “red wings.”  If we want to make connections to we can argue that his Fierce Wings Quirk is the source of his physical strength, even though he displays some insecurity about his back not being “reassuring” enough for others to depend on. 

Other than his red wings, I don’t think I’m confident enough to draw a clear connection between his appearance and the other prominent colors that appear on Temperance. Hawks’ visor was blue before the anime chose yellow, and he does have the yellow color palette going on. 

However, the meanings of the colors do line up with Hawks’ character. He is a character who is always trying to be calm and collected no matter the situation. Hawks is a character who is constantly seeking, taking in, gathering, and analyzing information. According to the fandom website, Hawks’ surname translates as: “hawk” (taka 鷹) + “see, visible, idea” (mi 見 )

While his first name translates as: “disclose, open, say” (kei  啓) + “enlightenment, understanding” (go  悟).

Sun: Also appearing as the angel’s third eye, it represents the merging of personal aims with the universe’s plans for the individual. 

So similar to many others, I like to see Endeavor as the sun to Hawks’ Icarus (side note: I also like to see Dabi as Apollo in the Icarus theme). 

The bit about the eye is interesting as well: I believe that eyes play an important role in the story telling with Hawks, Endeavor and other characters. There are interesting similarities between the two characters and the Egyptian Gods Ra and Horus (@/bokunowtv also pointed out some interesting details as well).

Recently, it also seems like Hawks’ storyline will be intertwining with Endeavor’s. Hawks has expressed verbally in Chapter 299: “Starting with my origin, so to speak... Endeavor’s in trouble.” While they did team up professionally as heroes in the past, it seems that Hawks intentions this time will be personal. We have yet to see what he is planning to do and how things might pan out, however this path will probably lead him to Touya. 

Triangle: Representative of the fire element and holy trinity. 

Although Hawks does not wear a triangle or square on his chest like the angel, it is still interesting to note that he wears the Hero Public Safety Commission’s diamond symbol in about the same place. Again, there is the mention of fire again. 

The Angel

Because Temperance has to do with balance and duality, the angel on the card is both masculine and feminine.

Whether they are just an unnamed angel or a Biblical angel depends on the source you are looking at. However when it comes to identifying them, while one states that it is the Archangel Gabriel, the sources I looked at overwhelmingly pointed towards the Archangel Michael.

This is very, very interesting considering that the Archangel Michael is the angel who is in all the paintings that people were comparing the cover of Volume 27 with, specifically the painting above: “The Fall of the Rebel Angels” by Luca Giordano.

My analysis first post on Tumblr had to do with pointing out similarities between the Archangel Michael and Hawks, and what that could mean. And my most recent post revisits the possible angel narrative which may be present in Hawks’ story, and how he is referred to as a “fallen angel.”

It’s exciting to see the Archangel Michael pop up again. Michael was also God’s angel of destruction and on XIV Temperance we see him tempering or blending his passionate anger with consicious thought to blend his fiery nature with his super-consciousness with calm (blustartarot). 

Temperance Reversed 

When Tarot cards are reversed, their definitions are flipped over. 

When XIV Temperance meets XV The Devil we see imbalance, disharmony, indifference and lack of empathy. When we preactice excess in our lives without moderation and balance whether it be food, alcohol, drugs, and relationships, we lose ourselves in addiction and bondage (bluestartarot). 

May call for a period of self-evaluation in which you can re-examine your life priorities. Self-healing: by creating more balance and moderation in your life (biddytarot). 

We’ve seen Hawks indulge in something or trip up a couple of times. In Chapter 186, Hawks asks if he can have Endeavor’s leftover food and Endeavor calls him a glutton. Additionally, @/scarletrain1724 has done some analysis on how Hawks is a character who is often seen around or consuming food. 

And in Chapter 265, Hawks takes Jin’s life. As Dabi states below, “sentiments” tripped him up. Hawks displays a lack of empathy here. He believes that he feels sorry for Jin and wants to help him, but Hawks is actually unable to understand him properly. I would also identify this action as one of Hawks’ narrative Icarus falls. 

The Moral of Icarus’ Fall  

This all ties in nicely as we see Hawks’ character following an Icarus narrative. There are a handful of “morals” that we the reader are supposed to gain from the Fall of Icarus but I’ll pull an excerpt from the part I’d like to focus on. 

Before taking flight, Daedalus warned his son: 

“Take care to fly halfway between the sun and the sea. If you fly too high, the sun’s heat will melt the wax that bids your wings. If you fly too low, the sea’s mist will dampen the feathers that give you life. Instead, aim for the middle course and avoid extremes.” (The Fall of Icarus - adapted from Metamorphoses by Ovid)

As we all know, Icarus does not heed his father’s warning, whether it be cause he purposely ignored him or forgot and flies up towards the sun. The sun’s heat melts the wax and loosens the feathers on his manmade wings, and he plummets in to the ocean below, drowning. 

Avoid extremes, fly in the middle and seek temperance.

The card that comes before Temperance is XIII Death.

In death we go through transition, a rebirth, changes and with these we come to XIV Temperance for the need to take the time to pause and think. To integrate and blend what we have learned on our journey (bluestartarot). 

So the question to ask is, has Hawks learned anything from his actions or will his story end with him drowning in the ocean? 

To those who were able to make it through this post, thank you! I know that it was really long but I didn’t want to divide it into more than one part. I really appreciate your time and attention! :)

[masterjedilenawrites]

The Helmeted Hunter: Chapter 31

Boba Fett x Reader

Chapter Warnings: Injuries

AO3 Link (In case you like it better over there, it’s okay, no judgement)

< Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter >

Chapter 31: Home

You fell endlessly. Indefinitely.

Down, down, down.

There was darkness and there was silence.

There was pain.

But most significantly, there was emptiness.

You were alone, you realized, before falling again.

You came to that realization over and over, each time your breath growing heavier, your heart becoming smaller. You couldn't stand it.

You let yourself fall one last time.

* * *

When you woke for real, all you could feel at first was the helmet on your head. It pressed against your temples securely and held an amount of warmth that the rest of your body didn't seem to have. You tapped at the visor, the night vision display flickering a few times before coming into focus.

There was no sky above you, only a mess of rubble and pipes. You couldn't tell where you were or how far you had fallen. Only that you were alive.

You gulped in a panic, wanting to test your limbs and functions, unsure what the damage was. That's when you became aware that your shoulder was in a sling across your chest, and that your body was laying on something soft.

"Easy there, little missy," came a familiar voice beside you as soon as you tried to sit up. A hand guided you to lay back down, and then the wrinkled face of Hondo Ohnaka appeared above you with a small smile.

You blinked in confusion, unable to remember what had happened after you'd fired that gun. You turned your head around, seeing that you were laying on some sort of blanket. A long, mirrored pod hovered just beside you, within the the space of rubble that had conveniently fallen at angles against each other. Boxes were strewn about, random contents dumped alongside them. Quadoro was tinkering with something in a panel on the pod.

"Those things are a nightmare fit into, even trickier to pilot," Hondo explained. "We fumbled around the cliffs for a while, and then saw your little explosion. And by little, I mean big. I don't know what you were trying to do, missy, but you're lucky we were there to break your fall."

You swallowed a few times, looking for your voice. "I was trying to... end it. All of it."

Hondo cocked his head at you and hummed. "Well, that's one way to do it, I suppose."

You weren't sure why, but you suddenly found yourself laughing. It started as a chuckle and then turned into an uncontrollable fit of laughter that shook your entire body and brought tears out of your eyes. Hondo couldn't help but giggle along, though he was clearly worried you'd lost all of your sanity.

"Did you hit your head too hard?" he asked, trying to get you to lay back down again. You'd sat up, curled slightly inward as you rode out your last wave of laughter, and waved him off so you could enjoy the feeling.

It was like a lifetime of worry and frustration and fear had finally been released. Everything that had built inside of you these past couple of months, trapping itself deep inside and threatening to push you down forever. All gone. Your plan had worked, and even though you'd been prepared to go down with it, you hadn't. You were alive.

You were free.

As you caught your breath, Quadoro wiggled out from under the pod and came over. "Alright, trackers should be disabled now."

"Should be, or they are?" Hondo asked, still looking at you with concern. "If everyone thinks this girl is dead, we need to keep it that way."

"They are," Quadoro asserted.

"Good, good." Hondo held onto your upper arm, the one that wasn't wounded, and made to help you stand up. "Let's get her back to her family, now."

* * *

You rested most of the way, paying no mind to Hondo's incessant backtracking and detours, and the subsequent extra time it added to the trip. He was taking no chances, and after you'd just taken the biggest risk of your life, you appreciated his efforts.

Eventually, you found yourself being dropped off at the coordinates from Boba's helmet. It was a beach, pristine and deserted, save for the ship parked on the coastline, and the two people waiting for you by the water. Hondo and Quadoro gave you another salute before heading off to have a drink in the nearby town, not wanting to intrude on your reunion.

You first took off your shoes, relishing in the feeling of warm sand between your toes as you stepped out onto the beach. Waves lapped beside you and seagulls called out above you. You weren't sure what planet this was, but you knew Boba had picked it specially for you.

It was your mom that got your first hug, not having the patience for your strolling, running up to meet you instead. Your shoulder was out of the sling, but still bandaged and sore, so you cradled Boba's helmet beneath it and returned her embrace with your other arm.

"I did it, Mom," you said through her hair as it blew across your face in the breeze. "The generator's gone. No more portals. They won't need to look for you or Dad anymore."

She pulled back and held the sides of your face, just as she had back on Eadu.

"I'm very proud of you," she whispered, her eyes bright with tears. "But I'm even more relieved that you're okay."

You nodded, your gaze flicking behind her to where Boba stood off to the side. He had changed into fresh clothes, slacks and a white shirt that made his skin seem even darker. His hands were in his pockets and he was gazing out at the ocean.

When you looked back at your mom, she had a smirk.

"I told him he could come with us," she said. She moved a hand over the helmet you still had under your arm, rubbing some of the dirt off absentmindedly. "But I think he'd rather stay out of it... do his own thing...."

"Come with us?" you echoed her words.

"To find your father. And any of the others who are still out there. I have some ideas where they might be. It's time for our family to be back together again."

You looked down at the sand, wiggling your toes in and out of the grains. Your rings caught the sunlight as they moved around. Gold and silver. Old and new.

You'd envisioned a future with Boba, agreed to start a new life with him once you got your questions answered. But you'd made that assurance when you'd thought your past was behind you, before you'd known your family was still alive. Did that change anything? Would you need to rework those plans?

"Of course...," your mom drew your gaze back up, "it will take some time to track them all down. And who knows... maybe they've all found ways to move on... like you have."

She smiled at you, the kind of motherly smile that let you know no matter what choices you made, you'd always have her love.

You were glad she was alive, that you weren't as alone in this big, crazy galaxy as you had once thought. But even if your life hadn't ended up this way, if you had stayed on your planet and remained none the wiser to all the other peoples and experiences out in that unknown space, there would've come a time where you would've moved on anyway. You would've grown and learned and lived a life of your own creation. And that's exactly what you still intended to do.

Your family and your past would always be a part of you. But now you had more. More to explore, more to learn, and more to love.

Your mom knew that, just as she seemed to know everything. Her eyes squinted playfully.

"Do you think Hondo would be willing to help me out?" she asked, looking off in the direction he'd left. "Seems like he'd be a fun travel partner."

You laughed. "Probably. Just don't double cross him. He has a thing about honor."

"Well it's settled, then." She tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear. "We'll keep in touch, hun. This won't be good-bye... just a simple, see you later."

You nodded and went in for another hug. "See you soon."

* * *

You saddled up to Boba, brushing your arm against his. You looked up at him as he gazed out at the ocean. His skin glistened in the sunshine, his curls rustled in the breeze. You weren't sure why you had ever stopped yourself from finding him attractive.

"I'm sorry," you said, finally turning toward the water yourself. Waves rolled gently from the horizon toward the shore, its foamy remnants eventually lapping up to tickle your toes. "I'm sorry I played that song and I'm sorry I didn't stick to the plan and I'm sorry that I yelled at you and worried you and almost didn't even come back to you."

He stood tall, his muscles pleasantly taught against his shirt, and yet it was the most relaxed you'd ever seen him. He didn't answer you right away, but when he did, his voice was quiet.

"Your mom told me about everything. To think I was working for your parents this whole time." He chuckled once and finally turned to face you. "I'm really happy for you. I'm glad you have a chance to start over and be with your family again."

He really believed you would leave him, that you would go back on every promise you'd made to him. He wasn't relaxed; he was sad.

You shook your head and let his helmet fall into the sand by your feet, wrapping your hands around the back of his neck. "Dumbass, you're my family now."

You kissed him, just as you wished you had in that ravine. His lips were warm and pliant, and after a second of hesitancy on his side, he finally wrapped his arms around you and pulled you up to him, kissing you back properly. You hoped your mom's attention was occupied elsewhere as you expressed every ounce of love you had for this man.

When you broke, breathless, you could tell he had let go of his sadness and was allowing himself to be happy - or at least, as happy as his frown lines would let him appear. You kissed at the particularly prominent crease in between his eyebrows, causing his face to scrunch up even more.

"I love you," you said.

He set you down and just looked at you for a while. You could see his throat bobbing as he struggled to swallow a few times. Was he going to cry? Was your fearless bounty hunter finally acting emotional?

But after a moment more, he nodded, as if finally accepting your words as not only truth, but also something he was deserving of. "I love you, too."

You liked hearing him say your name, and when he uttered it again, softly and delicately, you got a little chill up your spine.

"Hey, careful," he said suddenly, his gaze having noticed something on the ground. He dipped down to pick up his helmet as the incoming tide crept ever further up the bank.

"I like this thing," you said as he brought it between you, shaking off some sand. "I think I'll keep it."

He shot you a look, making you giggle. "You can get your own."

"But it helped save my life. It's a matter of sentiment now." You cocked your head playfully at him.

"Whatever," he huffed, pretending to be annoyed. "Maybe we'll share it."

He bent down to kiss you again, smiling the whole way through.

* * *

You woke up, blinking slowly at your surroundings. There was the familiar paneling of the Slave I's interior, the dim glow of its lights, the gentle hum of its engines. Things you had seen and heard and been around for long enough, but were just now coming into focus in a way that made you feel like you were really, truly noticing it all for the first time.

In the back of your mind, a few simple thoughts repeated themselves, as they often did when things were quiet... You were free. Your family was alive. Everything was okay.

There was a warmth beside you. You turned slightly, finding yourself nestled alongside Boba Fett. One of his arms was stretched out under your neck, the other draped lazily across your body. His chest rose and fell in a simple rhythm by your head. His face was relaxed and serene.

You reached up to graze your fingers along his hairline, brushing aside his curls. His eyes fluttered open, a sleepy smile sneaking across his face. He turned to lay on his back, wrapping his arm around your shoulders to bring you with him.

Your head rested on his chest, taking in the steadiness of his heartbeat beneath you. He was here. He was yours. But an even more powerful realization overcame you, making your heart swell full. You grinned against his chest and felt him smiling into your hair in return.

You were home.

[lilohno]

BASIC QUESTIONS

First name? “Lilo.”

Surname? “Pelekai.”

Middle names? “Makamae Kailea.”

Nicknames? “Weirdlo, Freaklo. My dad used to call me Sport.”

Date of birth? “March 11th, 2002.”

Age? “Nineteen.”

PHYSICAL / APPEARANCE

Height? “5′3.”

Weight? “119.”

Build? “Small.”

Hair color? “Black.”

Hair style? “Long.”

Eye color? “Brown.”

Eye shape? “I’ve got big eyes.”

Glasses or contact lenses? “Neither!”

Distinguishing facial features? “My dimples or laugh lines or whatever they are.”

Which facial feature is most prominent? “I don’t think anything stands out that much.”

Which bodily feature is most prominent? “My hair.”

Other distinguishing features? “Hm, nothing.”

Skin? “Tan.”

Hands? “Small.”

Make up? “I don’t wear makeup often. There’s no point. It’s just going to smear when I get in the water, and I’m always in the water.”

Scars? “A small faded line on my right shin, who knows how I got that.”

Birthmarks? “I don’t have any.”

Tattoos? “Nani would kill me. I should do it.”

Physical handicaps? “None.”

Type of clothes? “I like muumuus, shorts, tank tops and grass skirts.”

How do you wear their clothes? “I rock them!”

What are their feet like? “Usually shoeless. I don’t mind flip flops and sandals, but I’d rather be barefoot.”

Race / Ethnicity? “It’s a mixed bag.”

Mannerisms? “Overexaggerating.”

Are you in good health? “Yes.”

Do you have any disabilities? “Nope.”

PERSONALITY

What words or phrases do you overuse? “I don’t think I overuse anything.”

Do you have a catchphrase? “No, but I should. That’d be cool.”

Are you more optimistic or pessimistic? “Depends on the day.”

Are you introverted or extroverted? “Extra extro.”

Do you ever put on airs? “I am who I am, you get what you get.”

What bad habits do you have? “Letting my emotions control me.”

What makes you laugh out loud? “Stanley, he’s the funniest guy I know.”

How do you display affection? “I’m a gift giver, a hand holder and a hugger. I’ll also take a lot of pictures of you. A lot.”

Mental handicaps? “Sometimes I feel like I’m emotionally immature.”

How do you want to be seen by others? “Cool! I want people to think I’m cool.”

How do you see themselves? “Different. There’s not a lot of people like me.”

How are you seen by others? “Weird.”

Strongest character trait? “I would say my resilience.”

Weakest character trait? “Refusing to ask people for help.” 

How competitive are you? “Why, what are we playing? You’re going down, buddy!”

Do you make snap judgements or take time to consider? “I consider… whether or not the snap judgement I just made was good or not.”

How do you react to praise? “I get all smiley.”

How do you react to criticism? “I’m okay with criticism if it’s actually criticism, if it’s someone being bossy or mean, I’m gonna get mouthy.”

What is your greatest fear? “Car accidents.”

What are your biggest secrets? “You’ll find out over my dead body!”

What is your philosophy of life? “Where there is love there is life. That’s by Gandhi.”

When was the last time you cried? “On the plane ride here.”

What haunts you? “The time I told my mom she was the worst mom ever. I didn’t mean it. I hope she didn’t remember that.”

What are your political views? “People should be able to love who they love, race and sex shouldn’t change a thing, and if it’s your body, it’s your choice.”

What will you stand up for? “Everything I believe in.”

Who do you quote? “My mama and my daddy.”

Are you indoorsy or outdoorsy? “Outdoors! I wish I could just hang a hammock up and sleep on the beach every night.”

What is your sinful little habit? “Sneaking pictures of strangers.”

What sense do you most rely on? “My sight.”

How do you treat people better than you? “I try to learn from them.”

How do you treat people worse than you? “They’re only worse than me because they’re a bunch of stinky bullies… and I still treat them better than they treat me.”

What quality do you most value in a friend? “Uniqueness and goodness!”

What do you consider an overrated virtue? “Tolerance. I shouldn’t have to tolerate someone else being annoying if I don’t feel like it.”

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? “I wouldn’t change anything about myself. I like myself.”

What is your obsession? “Elvis freaking Presley.”

What are your pet peeves? “Being told what to do.”

What are your idiosyncrasies? “Before we moved I had to feed Pudge the fish every day. I hope someone is still feeding him. I hope he didn’t get mad at me.”

FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Is your family big or small? Who does it consist of? “It’s small. Right now there’s only me and Nani, but my mom and dad still count too. And Stanley, Stanley is my chosen family.”

What is your perception of family? “Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”

Do you have siblings? Older or younger? “Yeah, I’m the youngest.”

Describe your best friend. “He’s accepting, he’s funny, he likes me for who I am, he’s willing to learn and grow, and he’s loyal.”

Ideal best friend? “Stanley Jookiba.”

Describe your other friends. “I don’t have any other friends.”

Describe your acquaintances. “I don’t have any of those either.”

Do you have any pets? “I wish.”

Who are your natural allies? “Just Stanley.”

Who are your surprising allies? “Is Stanley surprising? If so, him. If not, no one.”

PAST AND FUTURE

What were you like as a baby? As a child? “I was happy. I was loud and headstrong and I stuck out like a sore thumb when I tried to bond with other kids. I haven’t changed all that much.”

Did you grow up rich or poor? “We did okay until it was just me and Nani.”

Did you grow up nurtured or neglected? “Nurtured. There was so much love.”

What is the most offensive thing you ever said? “Anything I said when I was mad at my parents. I didn’t mean it. I wish I could take it back.”

What is your greatest achievement? “My wall of Polaroids. They’re beautiful.”

What was your first kiss like? “This kid at school said I was too chicken to kiss a boy, so I kissed him. He didn’t like it much.”

What is the worst thing you did to someone you loved? “I’ve caused a lot of trouble for Nani. I don’t think she even cares.”

What are your ambitions? “To stop ocean pollution once and for all.”

What advice would you give your younger self? “Hug your parents every chance you get, and keep being you.”

What smells remind you of your childhood? “Sand.”

What was your childhood ambition? “To be the best hula dancer, just like my mom.”

What is your best childhood memory? “All the times we sat outside laughing at the silly constellations m mom would make up.”

What is your worst childhood memory? “The night my parents never came back home.”

Did you have an imaginary childhood friend? “I had a few.”

When was the last time you were crushed with disappointment? “When Nani told me we had to move.”

What past act are you most ashamed of? “One time I got into a fight and bit the girl. I got in trouble. I don’t know if I’m ashamed though, she deserved it.”

What past act are you most proud of? “The hula dancing competitions I won.”

Has anyone ever saved your life? “In a way, I feel like Stanley did.”

Strongest childhood memory? “Surfing with my dad. I’d sit on the board with him when I was too young to even walk, and he’d paddle us out to the middle of the ocean. I always thought it was so cool.”

LOVE

Do you believe in love at first sight? “Maybe.”

Are you in a relationship? “Ew, no.”

How do you behave in a relationship? “I’ve never been in one.”

When did you last have sex? “No, no, no!”

What sort of sex do you have? “And I’ll say again, ew.”

Have you ever been in love? “Only with Elvis.”

Have you ever had your heart broken? “I had to go to gravestones to tell my parents I graduated high school. Yes, my heart has been broken.”

CONFLICT

How do you respond to a threat? “Swingin’.”

Are you most likely to fight with their fists or their tongue? “My fists.”

What is your kryptonite? “Shaved ice.”

If you could only save one thing from their burning house, what would it be? “The last picture I have of my parents.”

How do you perceive strangers? “Interesting. Very interesting.”

What do you love to hate? “My big sister. I love her, but she’s annoying.”

What are your phobias? “I… I don’t like cars or storms very much.”

What is your choice of weapon? “My fists of fury!”

What living person do you most despise? “Freakin’ Mertle Edmonds.”

Have you ever been bullied or teased? “That’s all the kids back home did.”

Where do you go when you’re angry? “The beach. The ocean drowns out all of my feelings. Or I go into my bedroom and scream into a pillow.”

Who are your enemies and why? “If I had an archenemies it would be Mertle. She brought it on herself.”

WORK, EDUCATION AND HOBBIES

What is your current job? “I don’t have one, but I really need to get one. It’s getting harder and harder to afford film.”

What do you think about their current job? “Well, if you’re talking about school, it’s okay, but I’d rather be in Hawaii.”

What are some of your past jobs? “I get it! I’m a freeloader, okay? Don’t rub it in!”

What are your hobbies? “Surfing, swimming, photography, crafts, hula dancing… I may or may not dabble in a little black magic.”

Educational background? “I’m in my first year of college.”

Intelligence level? “I’m a smart kid, don’t doubt me.”

Do you have any specialist training? “No. I’m not in the CIA.”

Do you have a natural talent for something? “Surfing!”

Do you play a sport? Are you any good? “Does surfing count as a sport?”

What is their socioeconomic status? “I’m probably on the bottom.”

FAVORITES

What is your favorite animal? “Fish! I also like dogs! But fish!”

Which animal do you dislike the most? “Humans.”

What place would you most like to visit? “I’m not interested in being anywhere but home. That’s where I’d go.”

What is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen? “The ocean.”

What is your favorite song? “Blue Hawaii, but it’s a close tie between anything Elvis.”

Music, art, reading preferred? “Music.”

What is your favorite color? “Um… blue. Maybe.”

What is your password? “K1ngElv1sTh3K1ng.”

Favorite food: “Kalua pork.”

What is your favorite work of art? “Reflection Of You by Walfrido.”

Who is your favorite artist? “Elvis!”

What is their favorite day of the week? “Saturday.”

POSSESSIONS

What is in their fridge? “Pineapple slices. Nothing else. Well, whatever Nani has in there. I haven’t been grocery shopping yet.”

What is on your bedside table? “My lamp, a couple of seashells and one of my dad’s old books.”

What is in your car? “I don’t drive.”

What is in your bin? “A ripped up drawing I messed up on last night.”

What is in your purse or wallet? “I keep our last family picture in there or under my pillow. I have my student ID a few emergency bucks too.”

What is in your pockets? “Probably sand, some old candy and ants.”

What is their most treasured possession? “The only picture I have with my parents.”

SPIRITUALITY

Who or what is your guardian angel? “I know it’s my mom.”

Do you believe in the afterlife? “Yes.”

What are your religious views? “I just know there has to be something else.”

What do you think heaven is? “The place my parents are waiting for me.”

What do you think hell is? “Scary…”

Are you superstitious? “Very.”

What would you like to be reincarnated as? “Ooh, I wanna be a fish! Or a whale! Or maybe a dolphin!”

How would you like to die? “I don’t want to think about that. Please don’t make me think about that.”

What is your spirit animal? “The humuhumunukunukuapua’a.”

What is your zodiac sign? “Pisces.”

VALUES

What do you think is the worst thing that can be done to a person? “Belittling someone for who they are, making them feel like they have to change.”

What is your view of ‘freedom’? “Being able to swim whenever you want.”

When did you last lie? “I told Nani that it was okay we had to leave. It’s not okay.”

What’s your view of lying? “It’s not a good thing to do.”

When did you last make a promise? “A few months ago.”

Did you keep or break your last promise? “I keep my promises. All of them.”

DAILY LIFE

What are your eating habits? “I eat a lot of fruit. I love fruit.”

Do you have any allergies? “I wish I was allergic to broccoli.”

Describe your home. “Home was Kaua’i, the bedroom I grew up in, my parents’ house. What we have here isn’t a home, it’s just a house.”

Are you minimalist or a clutter hoarder? “I’m a hoarder.”

What do you do first thing on a weekday morning? “Hit snooze.”

What do you do on a Sunday afternoon? “Take a walk on the beach.”

What do you do on a Friday night? “Stay up too late watching alien documentaries and YouTube conspiracy theories. Don’t tell Nani.”

What is your soft drink of choice? “Fanta.”

What is your alcoholic drink of choice? “I cannot legally answer this question.”

MISCELLANEOUS

What or who would you dress up as for Halloween? “I’ve been all sorts of things! I’ve been a vampire, I’ve been Elvis more than once, a witch, a princess… I think I want to be a mermaid this year.”

Are you comfortable with technology? “I’m uncomfortable with how easy it is for people to hide behind a screen and be mean to each other.”

If you could save one person, who would it be? “Stanley.”

If you could call one person for help, who would it be? “Nani, if I had to.”

What is your greatest extravagance? “Camera film. That’s where all my money goes.”

What is your greatest regret? “Taking my parents for granted.”

What is your perception of redemption? “Saying sorry and meaning it. That’s all it really takes to be redeemed, isn’t it?”

What would you do if you won the lottery? “Buy my house back.”

What is your favorite fairytale? “The Ugly Duckling.”

What fairytale do you hate? “The Princess and The Pea. Who can feel a pea under that many mattresses? You can’t! Being a princess doesn’t give you some sort of other wordly status! It’s frustrating!”

Do you believe in happy endings? “I don’t know anymore.”

What is your idea of perfect happiness? “Kaua’i is happiness.”

What would you ask a fortune teller? “I’d ask them if my parents are watching over me, and if they’re proud.”

If you could travel through time, where would you go? “I’d go back to the night my mom and dad died, and I wouldn’t let them leave the house. I’d make sure they stayed safe at home with me.”

What sport do you excel at? “Dodgeball. I like chucking the balls at people’s heads.”

What sport do you suck at? “Football, it’s too confusing.”

If you could have a superpower, what would you choose? “The ability to breathe underwater!”

[ashedink]

Considering some Creatures

I am a Game Master who happens to be an artist and has paleontology/archaeology as a lifelong obsession. I love drawing monsters for my games, I have a lot of drawings of final bosses and such. And dragons. And there will be dragons in this, too.

During this quarantine mess I decided to mess around with building a new setting that would heavily feature all sorts of megafauna and strange animals that are close to recognizable. To really get a scale for the world, and how small the people in it regularly feel, as well as to show my players some of the more prominent animals, I started working up creature lineups.

And I really liked how they were looking. Every creature is based in something familiar. I’m sure the mammoth is recognizable, though I decided to give mammoths in this setting an exaggerated fatty hump that keep them hardy in times of famine or during migrations when they won’t find as much food.

The small striped Five Horned one is based ever so loosely on Hoplitomeryx. They use their horns for goring attackers and males will wrestle one another by locking horns together and trying to throw each other around until one tires out. The small horns just forward of the eye acts as a guard to keep eyes from getting poked out, and they have a thick neck and sturdy shoulders that aids them in their duels and charges.

The one in the middle wasn’t expressly based on one creature, but rather a combination of giraffes, moose, and extinct camelids, with big padded feet for walking through snow, a long stride allowing them to cover a lot of ground, a huge rubbery nose for warming up air as it enters the body and also acting as an opposable digit, and a long prehensile tongue for grabbing at vegetation.

And I mean from there, it kinda

Just kept going. Here are some birds from the setting. Some folks will probably recognize the base creature for some of these: the Terror Bird (middle, striped), Argentavis (upper left, vulture), and  Pelagornis (right). The small birds aren’t exactly “based” on anything specific, more just filling out the world. Other Big Borb is based on Gastornis and it’s amazing crushing bite, the waterfowl directly next to Example Man (that’s my name for all of my comparison silhouettes) is a giant swan that lives by rivers and sea and spends most of its time walking, wading, or swimming, only really flying to cover large distances to other foraging grounds. It is a very aggressive bird, violence is guaranteed.

The last small one, the only wingless one, is called a Bush Bird. Based partially on revelations about the dodo bird: previously thought to be helpless, stupid ground birds that were fat and slow-moving, it’s likely that this idea came from caged specimens who didn’t have room to roam and were fed lots of cheap food. Though the little red-faced wingless bird might look small and helpless especially in this lineup, its feathers shield it from brambles, their primary nesting space, and they’re light on their feet, able to dash across snow, make quick turns, and recover from tumbles immediately and keep running.

Giant sloth! What megafauna-drenched lineup would this be if I didn’t include a sloth. And for this one I combined traits from several extinct sloth to make a rugged survivalist. They knuckle-walk most everywhere, but they’re also still adept climbers- of cliffs. They will climb the young, steep mountains during certain seasons to eat the seasonal fruit that is dropping that only they, birds, and humans can reach. They will also climb the cliffy coasts, descend down into the ocean to graze on sea plants, pulling their way along with their claws. While not an aquatic mammal it is a strong enough swimmer to get to shore if it loses its grip. Masters of getting where it’s hard to get to eat the things that are hard to eat.

The Apex predators of Sea and Land, known as the Sea Demon and the Huntfather. The Sea Demon is a voracious whale that hunts the known waters, the biggest threat in the sea. They’re not gentle giants, if it is large enough to be worth eating and its made of meat they’re not picky. The Huntfather is the apex predator of the land, it lays in ambush, often hunting in pairs. They utilize stealth and patience to ambush prey, using their bone-crushing jaws to bite for the legs and keep them from running away. I became interested in the idea of a creature that lives in a taiga/plains mix, and how white vertical stripes might help them blend into their environments.

Me: “Hey, what would happen if we took a komodo dragon, Biggified it to like megalania-size, and then gave it big old frill?”

This is called the Beach Tyrant. The species lives along beaches in loosely-associated colonies of other beach tyrants. It has a fluked tail for swimming, a stellar sense of smell, and the same noxious bite monitor lizards are well known for. They use their frills to catch heat from the sun and scare away creatures too big for them to handle (such as mammoths). They spend their time patroling up and down beaches hunting and scavenging.

They got the name Beach Tyrant because they tend to hoard large carcasses. In this setting humans do not have the means to hunt whales, so whale blubber or other parts are rare. Beach Tyrants will not leave a carcass until it is completely clean. They’ll sleep on top of and around it, mark the area, and refuse to relinquish until there is no carcass left.

Okay Who’s Ready For Dragons

So I want to design a RPG setting that will be fun for my players to engage with, and I don’t want it to be a 1:1 representation of our world. And I knew there had to be dragons, and I knew I wanted them to be different from every other dragon I had designed up to this point.

So, where do we get dragons? Well, we have to go back a little bit further than the mammoth for that.

The question I started with was- what if in this world’s version of the mass extinction event, a tiny pterasaur species managed to eek its way past the edge of oblivion and land in the new era? I looked at a combination of some of the largest and smallest pterasaurs. Their wing shape, their walking stance, their proportions, and worked them together with the idea of a showy, and highly social dragon.

So there are a few different “Types“ of dragons the humans of the world recognize: Black, Brown, and Colorful. In reality what they’re seeing are Adolescents, Females, and Males.

Male dragons are twice the height of their female counter parts and will defend nesting mountains in coalitions of 2-5 from invading predators and other males looking to dethrone them. Their crest is both display and a resonance chamber, allowing them to make loud honks, howls, and roars.

Females are smaller and duller in color, with smaller crests that functions similarly to the males. Females make up the bulk of the flock, a healthy dragon roost could have 20-60 of them, and they hunt in packs. They’ll lay down trails of fire to cause herds to split and scatter. They’ll even go into swarms or frenzies where the entire flock will mobilize for a hunt, especially when the youngsters are going out on their very first pack hunt.

The fire they spit is more a gooey vomit of flamable bile followed by an ignition chemical that causes the noxious mucus to catch a persistent fire. They use fire to box in or mark their intended prey, or to drive small prey out of thickets and grass cover where they can be picked off individually.

It is believed in this setting that the sun and the moon are moved across the sky by a giant blue dragon and a giant black dragon. The sun is an enormous pile of gold, and the moon is an enormous pile of silver. Legends tell of people climbing mountains to try to steal gold and silver from the sky, only to become lost wandering forever amongst the silver stars.

That’s it for now, this monstrosity is long enough.

[thelastspeecher]

Angela Pines

I just wrote another 2k words for this AU today when I was supposed to be doing the dishes, so screw it, I’m gonna start posting what I’ve written.  This is the reason I haven’t been updating my multichaps.  I’ve been writing, but only writing my nonsense.  So, presented with zero context, here is some of what I’ve written for the AU that has been occupying my every waking moment the last few days.

Enjoy.

——————————————————————————————

              The bell over the door rang.  Filbrick looked up.  He frowned at the sight of his three sons rushing into the shop.

              “I thought you were gonna spend the whole morning at the beach,” he rumbled.

              “We were, Pops,” Stanford said.  He looked over at his older brother, Shermie.  “But…”

              “But what?” Filbrick asked.  Shermie walked over to Filbrick, carrying something in his arms.  He gently deposited it on the counter.  Filbrick’s eyes widened behind his glasses.  Sitting next to the register was a very young girl, no more than four.  Her dress was caked in sand and stiff, likely from soaking in saltwater and then drying in the sun.  She looked up at him balefully through a mess of tangled blonde hair.

              “Did you boys kidnap a little girl?” Caryn asked, propping a hand on her hip. She had been shining some of the display items, like she frequently did when she needed a break from being a phone psychic.

              “No!” Shermie said quickly.  “Stan found her washed up on the beach.”  Filbrick looked at his twin sons.

              “Which one?” he asked.

              “We both found her,” Stanley said.  Filbrick grunted and made a gesture for Shermie to continue.

              “They came and grabbed me, and we went all up and down the beach looking for her parents.  No one knew her.  I figured we should bring her back here for now.”

              “Hmph,” Filbrick grunted.  He parted the girl’s hair, revealing eyes the color of the ocean.  “What’s your name, kid?”

              “An-n-ngie,” the girl squeaked.  It almost sounded like she put a “B” at the beginning of her name, but Filbrick chalked that up to her age and apparent speech impediment.

              “How old are you, Angie?” Filbrick asked.  Angie held up three fingers.  “Three.”  Filbrick looked over at his wife.  “Caryn, get her cleaned up and bring her back down here.”  Caryn nodded.  She picked Angie up and brought her upstairs.

              “What’s gonna happen with her?” Stanford asked.

              “Dunno,” Filbrick said roughly.  “Go take over polishing for your mom.”  His sons did as they were told.  About ten minutes later, Caryn returned with Angie.  She was now wearing one of Stanford’s old overalls, and her hair had been carefully combed and put into a braid.

              “Poor thing seems scared out of her mind,” Caryn remarked, walking over to Filbrick.  She set Angie on the floor.  “We should probably call the authorities.”  Filbrick nodded.  At the feeling of something tugging his pants, he looked down.  Angie was now standing, staring up at him with enormous blue eyes, pulling on his pant leg.

              “Up?” Angie whispered fearfully, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. Filbrick picked Angie up, intending on handing her over to Caryn again.  However, she immediately nestled against his chest, clutching fistfuls of his shirt.  Her tiny body shook.  Filbrick felt himself soften.  He cleared his throat.

              “Shermie, take over the register.  I’m gonna go make some calls.”

              “You got it, Pops,” Shermie said, coming over.  Filbrick carried Angie up to the apartment above the pawnshop.  He grabbed the phone and went over to his armchair and sat down.  Now sitting in Filbrick’s lap, Angie leaned her head against his chest.  Filbrick softened further.  He coughed roughly and began the process of tracking down the girl’s parents.

              Half an hour later, the pawnshop closed for lunch.  Caryn, Stanley, Stanford, and Shermie all traipsed upstairs. The twins openly gaped at the sight of Filbrick in his armchair, Angie curled up in his lap fast asleep. Filbrick glared at his sons preemptively.  They scampered away without saying anything.

              “Any luck?” Caryn asked, walking over and kissing Filbrick on the cheek. Filbrick shook his head.

              “No.  I talked to my buddy on the force.  He didn’t have any reports of missing kids with her description.  But he said that it might take a while for the report to come in.”

              “Do you think we can…keep her?” Caryn asked softly.  Filbrick grunted.

              “It’s a kid, not a stray dog, Caryn.”  Angie shifted slightly in her sleep, mumbling something.  Filbrick softened yet again.  “Randy said that once it’s been a coupla weeks, we can be confident that her family either can’t or just flat-out doesn’t want to find her. And if it reaches that point, he’ll help with the adoption papers.”

              “She’s so sweet and small,” Caryn cooed, stroking Angie’s golden, silky hair. Filbrick had done the same earlier, but stopped when he heard footsteps on the stairs.  “I feel like she was meant for us to find, Filly.  We always wanted a little girl.”

              “You always wanted a little girl,” Filbrick grunted.  Caryn rolled her eyes.  She picked Angie up.

              “Don’t act like you weren’t disappointed you didn’t have a daughter to spoil rotten.”  Caryn carried Angie off, probably to put her in a bed better suited for her size. Filbrick suddenly missed the slight amount of warmth Angie produced in his lap.

              He got up and went to the kitchen to make a sandwich for lunch.

----- 

              Filbrick wandered into the kitchen for a glass of water.  He let out a yawn.  The chaos of the previous day, when they’d finally begun the formal process of adopting Angie, had worn him out thoroughly.  In the morning, they were planning on going to the store to get Angie some clothes, something he was already dreading.  He wasn’t one for clothes shopping.

              Small footsteps sounded.  Filbrick looked over.  Angie toddled past the kitchen entryway in the oversized shirt she was wearing as a nightgown, seemingly on a mission.  Filbrick quickly set the glass he’d grabbed on the counter and followed her.  He caught up to her just as she reached the top of the staircase leading to the pawnshop.

              “What are you doing out of bed, angel?” he asked, picking her up.  The nickname was Caryn’s creation.  It based upon her name, Angela, and the fact that she’d appeared out of nowhere.  Filbrick sometimes used the nickname in front of Caryn, but not his sons.  Not yet.  They didn’t need to know he had a soft side.

              “Fwog,” Angie mumbled blearily.  Filbrick frowned.  Frog? He turned her around.  Her eyes were glazed over.  She stared at him blankly.

              “You’re a sleepwalker, huh?” Filbrick muttered.  Angie babbled at him.  “And a sleeptalker, too.”  Filbrick carried Angie over to the recliner.  He sat down and leaned the chair back.  Angie curled up on top of him.  “Your mom and I figured out your middle name today,” he informed her, stroking her hair. “Diane.”  Angie brought her thumb to her mouth to suck on it.  “Angela Diane Pines.”  Angie abruptly sat up and made like she was going to walk away again. Filbrick quickly pushed her back down and held her there.

              “We’re gonna need to get you a crib, angel,” he said softly.  “Can’t have you falling down the stairs in the middle of the night.”  Angie nuzzled him happily.  Filbrick’s eyes slowly closed.  He fell asleep, Angie curled up in his lap.

----- 

              “Hi!” chirped Angie cheerfully to the latest customer to come to the cash register.  She’d been adopted for only a day, and already she was pulling her weight, at least, in Filbrick’s opinion.  Angie loved nothing more than being down in the pawnshop, following him around.  Her big blue eyes and rapidly growing wardrobe of adorable outfits caused customers to let their guard down and pay much more than they normally would.

              “Oh, hello,” the customer gushed at Angie, poking her prominent nose, eliciting a giggle from her.  Filbrick bit back the urge to tell off the customer.  He didn’t want strangers touching his daughter, but she didn’t seem to mind, and he could tell this customer might be willing to pay through the nose.  So he let it slide.  This time. “She’s adorable.”

              “Thanks,” Filbrick grunted, ringing up the purchase.  “We just adopted her yesterday.”

              “You- oh!  That’s so kind of you.”

              “Well, my sons found her washed up on the beach.  Turned out she was abandoned.  Couldn’t let a sweet little girl like her get lost in the system. Not when she’s got a family right here that would love her.”

              “Aw,” the customer cooed.

              “Sure, things might be a bit tighter with another mouth to feed.  But we had to take her in.”

              “You have such a big heart,” the customer said.  They took out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it over.  “Here.  And keep the change.  Put it towards food for your new little girl.”  Filbrick beamed at the customer.

              “Will do.  Say ‘bye’, Angie.”

              “Bye!” Angie said cheerfully.  The customer chuckled and left.  Filbrick looked over at his daughter proudly.  Not only did her cuteness lull customers into a false sense of security, but telling the story of how she came to live with them made people want to give big tips.

              “Already, you’re making us some money, angel,” he said appreciatively. Angie giggled.  She held her arms out.

              “Up, up!” she chirped.  Filbrick smiled and picked her up.  Angie giggled again.  Filbrick’s heart melted.  Angie had been nervous and scared the first week, but now she laughed and smiled all the time.  He would never admit it to Caryn, but he had been disappointed they never had a daughter. Sure, he wanted a son to pass down his name and store to.  But he also wanted a daughter to shower with attention and fuss over.  He didn’t just like having Angie in the shop because they made more money with her around.  He liked having her in the shop because he hated being away from her.

              Filbrick was already looking forward to taking out his shotgun for a cleaning the first time Angie brought a boy home.

              “All right, angel, time to get you ready for the ceremony,” he informed her. He walked over to the door and flipped the sign on it to read “CLOSED”.  Angie nestled against his chest as they went upstairs.  Filbrick handed Angie over to Caryn, who whisked her away to be put in a formal dress they got specifically for the occasion.  He looked over at his sons, sitting on the couch, dressed up.  Like usual, their hair refused to be tamed, despite Caryn’s best attempts.

              “Pops, do we really hafta go?” Stanley whined, kicking his feet.  “It’s just a dumb ceremony.”

              “It’s not dumb, Stan,” Filbrick rumbled.  “It’s your sister’s conversion.  She’s gone through the legal adoption, now she needs the religious one.”  Stanley crossed his arms and looked away.  Ever since they decided to adopt Angie, he’d been acting out more than usual.  Filbrick didn’t like that.  “You’re going to behave.”

              “Hmph,” Stanley huffed.  Shermie leaned over and tried to press down his younger brother’s exuberant curls.

            �� “Hey, maybe if we all behave, Mom and Pops will take us for ice cream after,” he whispered.  The twins’ eyes widened.  They looked at Filbrick.  Filbrick crossed his arms, but nodded.  The twins promptly sat up straighter, already acting on their best behavior.

              “All right, time to go to temple!” Caryn announced, returning with Angie, who was eagerly sucking on her fist.  She poked Angie’s nose.  Angie chortled around her fist.  “Are you ready, honey?”  Angie removed her fist and looked up at Caryn in what appeared to be shock.  Caryn kissed the top of her head, making her laugh again.

              “Come on, boys,” Filbrick grunted, ushering his sons down the stairs. “Let’s go.”

----- 

              Angie toddled around the store, following Filbrick as he closed things up for the night.  He glanced down every now and then to make sure he didn’t step on or trip over her, but she was maintaining a safe distance behind him.

              “Your mom made spaghetti tonight,” Filbrick informed Angie.  Angie let out a giggle.  Filbrick grinned.  He’d expected Angie’s predisposition to laughing to die down once she’d adjusted to living with them, as had her pediatrician.  But two months in, she still laughed at just about everything.  It was a far cry from Stanford’s tendency to cry at everything at her age.  Filbrick went over to the door, flipped the sign over to read “CLOSED”, and locked it.

              “Papa!” a voice chirped behind him.  He froze.  “Papa!” Filbrick turned around slowly.  He crouched down to Angie’s eye-height.

              “What was that, angel?” he asked.  Angie held out her arms, beaming.

              “Up, up, papa!” she said happily.  Filbrick stared at her.  Despite taking her in months ago, she hadn’t called him her dad yet, and also had yet to call Caryn her mom.  The pediatrician wasn’t sure whether it was because she didn’t think of them as her parents, or whether she was still working on assigning names to everyone. It had taken her weeks to start calling the twins “Stan” and Shermie “Sherm”.

              “We need to show this off to your mom,” Filbrick said.  He scooped Angie into his arms and carried her upstairs, his heart racing.  His little girl finally thought of him as her dad.

              “Pops, we’re gonna go get school stuff tomorrow, right?” asked Shermie the moment Filbrick entered the apartment.  Filbrick nodded.  “Got it.” Filbrick made a beeline for the kitchen, where Caryn was stirring a pot of sauce.  She looked up.

              “How’d things go, Filly?” she asked.  Filbrick opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by Angie.

              “Mama, hold!” Angie whined, stretching her arms out for Caryn. Caryn’s eyes widened.  She took Angie from Filbrick.

              “That’s right, angel, I’m your mama,” she whispered, holding Angie tightly.

              “She called me ‘papa’ downstairs,” Filbrick informed her. Caryn squeezed Angie.

              “Oh, she’s finally really our little girl, isn’t she?  She knows we’re her parents.”  Filbrick nodded, trying to act stoic.  “And the boys have finally accepted her, too.  Our family’s complete, Filly.”  Angie looked over at Filbrick with a smile that stretched ear to ear.  Filbrick nodded again, caving once more at Angie’s exuberance.

              “Yes.  It is.”

[fuwafuwamedb]

A Cursed G Pt 25 (Gilgamesh, Enkidu, Hakuno)

Previous Part: 1 - HakuPOV / GilPOV, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

_____

She dressed up.

It was a bit of a mystery why she bothered to do so, but she found herself spending several minutes after the shower in the morning looking through her wardrobe and picking out something a bit nicer than some of her other attire.

Gilgamesh and Enkidu were talking about fish they’d looked up while she’d been asleep, the king commenting on building something similar once they returned to Uruk.

“We could put it in the gardens,” Enkidu offered.

“I would like to get a good look at these sharks, since they are prevalent to weather disasters and known for their violence against those who tread their waters. They remind me of my lions.”

She wasn’t going to get involved in that discussion.

No, instead she was putting on some of the jewelry that Gilgamesh had left in the room. She was brushing her hair out and taking the time to fix her dress a bit more before she found herself pausing by the mirror.

Ages ago, she would have been spending her Saturday afternoon in the living room, watching crime dramas and snacking on some cheap snack from her fridge. Her phone would have been on an app or playing some light music in a vain attempt to help her focus and to fill in the silence of the empty room. She would have taken the time to maybe order a pizza as the evening wore on, perhaps some Chinese food if she felt in the mood.

The woman in the mirror was entirely different.

The attire was far too much for a lazy weekend. The extra color to her face was entirely different from her usual pallor… and then there was the impression she got from her own reflection.

Things were happening.

They hadn’t really been happening before.

“Hakuno?”

A knock at the door stopped her from thinking too deeply about what it all meant. She closed her eyes and turned away from herself, opening her bedroom door and looking at the two.

“Ready?”

“We’ve been ready,” Enkidu promised.

They drove to the aquarium with the same conversation continuing of what to look at once they were inside. She found her hand slipping into Gilgamesh’s own as they made it to the parking lot near the place, Enkidu bouncing ahead only to walk backwards as they spoke.

And then they were soon inside.

The entrance was exactly the kind of thing that would impress the two: a large dome room showed a world of jellyfish swimming with a quiet ambiance of smooth jazz and the lines of those wishing to enter the rest of the building.

The movement of the jellyfish were just as soothing to watch as one would have hoped. Their string-like tentacles flowed forth from the great umbrella shaped bells of their body.

“Hakuno,” Gilgamesh nudged.

“Jellyfish. They’re called that because they’re really gelatinous. They look like they’d be really weak, but they’re packed with stingers on those tentacles that would cause serious damage.”

The line moved, inching forward further and further as Enkidu and Gilgamesh distracted themselves with looking at the scores of jellyfish swimming around them. She could feel Gilgamesh pulling her in, wrapping his arms around her more and taking in the area.

This is what the future holds.

It was things like this that she’d be giving up if she went to live forever in the past. There would be no watching majestic fish swim or listening to music without a band playing nearby. There wouldn’t be places were everyone could go to see something without having to have a certain status that she would lack due to her gender.

They made it in, with her paying their entrance fees and moving along.

Scores of colorfish passed them as they moved into the next room. A whole reef passed before their very eyes, with hundreds of fish moving in schools to and fro. The clay being stared in awe, needing her to tug them along to the glass to get a better view.

“This is impossible.”

“Welcome to the ocean, Enkidu.”

Gilgamesh was still holding her as Enkidu moved as close as possible and watched it all.

There was something about how they looked at it all.

She had never seen someone look that way before. Their eyes were so alight, their hands were pressed to the glass. She could see them trying and failing to keep their mouth shut. It helped with the light music playing, creating more and more of an atmosphere.

“Hakuno!”

Hakuno moved forward a bit, bringing the silent king with her as the being pointed to the floor of the large tank.

“Look at that! It matches the sand.”

“It does.”

“What’s it called?”

She hadn’t a clue, but… Her eyes went to the area around them, motioning to the sign nearby.

“You can learn about them there.”

The being took off for it, finger moving along the information panel a moment before they were noting the kids around them.

A series of eyes were looking to them as Enkidu laughed and began to read aloud for them.

“No sharks,” Gilgamesh noted.

“You want to see the sharks?”

The man shrugged, all too pleased with himself for some reason. Whatever was on his mind, she wasn’t going to intrude right now. Leave him to his bubble of emotional space.

She motioned for Enkidu and began to head deeper into the building.

The rooms grew darker and darker as they went.

Once per room, they had to stop.

The glowing fish from the pressured depths of the ocean had the king and clay’s attention. Hakuno found herself reading aloud the signs for them, remaining held in the king’s arms the whole time.

They paused again at the sight of the seahorses, watching them swim around and around in their circular tank, clinging to the plants within. Each of the little fish seemed to simply gleam like gold underneath the lights, drawing murmurs of praise from the clay being.

“They’d be noble steeds if they were bigger.”

“I don’t think they’d be the best ride for getting across the water.”

Enkidu dismissed that immediately with a handwave.

Further on they went.

And there, just beyond the anglerfish statue, was the large tank she had remembered all too well. The reef below and the anemones sheltered great numbers of clownfish. The depths of the coral showed signs of eels, all of whom seemed to be enjoying the task of sticking their heads out or simply bathing under the artificial lights of their enormous tank structure.

What was most important though were the fish on prominent display, swimming just over their heads and before their eyes. Their great size was only matched by the rows of teeth that a few showed off.

They lost Enkidu to their awe once more, finding the being scampering forward to look at the collection.

The room was mostly empty right now, but they could sit on the benches near the tank without anyone interrupting them.

It was nice to settle in, even moreso to just watch Enkidu move from panel to panel to read aloud from the information. They would look to her for clarification.

“New Zealand is south from here, it’s near Australia.”

“Australia is a country and continent. Think an enormous island.”

The being nodded at each answer before they began to follow after the movement of the large beasts above their head.

“That one has younglings,” Enkidu noted.

It did?

She looked up, finding the king’s face looking down at her.

They were… cuddling.

She hadn’t really noticed until she found his face so close to hers.

The whole time they had been traversing through the aquarium, she hadn’t moved more than a half a centimeter from the king’s side. Her hand had remained firmly laced with his, holding it close until this moment, when she realized that she was holding his hand.

Her heart began to beat a little faster in their tank surrounded space. The sounds of Enkidu’s voice seemed to blend in with the silence in the background.  Now there was just that soft beating in her ears, the sound of her own chest hammering away. She could feel her body warming as she felt the other’s shadow loom over her a bit more. She could feel him-

No, she couldn’t feel him moving.

He wasn’t moving an inch now. He had simply leaned a little closer, looking to her.

It was her who was closing the distance between them. It was her who was being the fool and prolonging this eye contact.

Her hand tangled in his hair, watching the smug hint of a smile. Her breath simply stopped at an inhale as the man tilted his head towards the hand she had in his hair. Her lips found his, seeming to almost drift to his.

There was something nice about being in his arms, she thought idly to herself.

Gilgamesh pulled her onto his lap.

Hakuno closed her eyes and simply sunk into the depths of his support.

This was truly like nothing else.

She hadn’t come here in so long, having found that none of her friends ever wanted to really look at the fish or learn more about them. She’d forgotten how much the building emptied out between the guided tours.

“Gil!”

Those lips pulled back, the king setting her on the bench before he moved to look at what Enkidu was pointing out.

It was genuine interest.

No humoring her like Cu and Emiya. No yawning like Rin and Rani. Sakura tried, but she would get tired after the seahorses and want to leave. It was rare that she got to visit this room.

They could see a couple turtles joining the swimming collection now, earning the king’s and the clay’s attention. The two were commenting on the shell and the capabilities of the creatures. Both of them were grinning, taking in the scene around them.

‘You plan to marry Gilgamesh, take him home, marry him there, and then come back here to…’

Hakuno looked around at the space they were in again.

There wasn’t a single soul in there with them right now. Everyone was opting for the guided tours so they could sit through the other unique features of the aquarium. There were no friends or acquaintances.

Right now, if she picked up her phone and she opened up her contacts, she had more for her bills and her money than she had for her friends.

“Hakuno!”

Enkidu was motioning at the turtle, mimicking its motions through the water. She couldn’t help the smile that came to her face at the sight, but…

‘It’s lonesome here,’ they had told her during the last evening.

It was lonesome here.

The being and the king were moving back to her side though, Enkidu leaning in and frowning a bit.

“Is something wrong?”

She was thinking about staying in Uruk, somewhere that she barely knew a thing about and was still working to become fluent in their language. She was considering staying with Gilgamesh, who she had only really just started to get to know.

And she was thinking now about the being smiling and dancing around them through the aquarium, finding unending joy in the sight of a bunch of little fishes and in turtles.

She was finding herself unable to make a list of things in her mind that required that she be here.

Everything in the world seemed to be moving her towards the hands that were extending her way. Both Gilgamesh and Enkidu were offering to help her to her feet.

Her hands went to theirs, finding herself up upon her feet once more before she was being led to the glass.

“We were looking at this fish,” the king informed her. “We’ve seen a few like it in our Euphrates.”

“That makes sense. It’s just a ah…” She paused, looking at the two as she realized.

They were speaking Sumerian.

How long had they been doing this? When had she stopped speaking her own language? She had been talking to the two, working around saying words and things that she meant, but she didn’t know the word for turtle.

“It’s a turtle,” Enkidu replied, motioning at the sign nearby.

She gave a small nod, moving to lean against Gilgamesh a bit more.

“I like a lot of the fish, but the turtles have always been one of the ones that I look for when I’m here.” She enjoyed their swimming around just as much as the being seemed to enjoy. She could see them looking at the scene before them and thinking deeply.

Perhaps…

She really shouldn’t miss a week of classes.

She would miss a couple more after that as well, missing the last of her semester. Her teachers wouldn’t be pleased. Her friends would be wondering about how she was doing.

The strong arms around her waist said that she wouldn’t fall into despair though. The being in front of them flashed a smile that said that everything would work out just fine. The more she was alone with these two, the more the world felt like their oyster.

The two at her side seemed like they ran the world. Money was not a worry. Boredom was gone, entirely out the window and running as far from her as possible. She wasn’t thinking about what had to be next.

Her eyes were on the scene she hadn’t seen in a good couple years and she was finding herself in awe with the two at her sides.

The world she lived in…

It felt like a pair of shoes she could no longer fit into.

The new life was too promising, too exciting and vast, lying just beyond her fingertips.

“Hakuno?”

Gilgamesh drew her attention back to him.

“We should keep moving.”

People were coming into the room, rushing to the glass as they stepped back.

Enkidu wrapped their arm around hers and motioned her to head off.

They moved to the next area, settling onto the front row for a show with whales and dolphins. The king and the clay being looked upon the beasts in excitement, chattering away to her about the beasts as they would perform flips and jump through hoops.

“Hakuno! They’ve tamed the beasts!”

“We should tame ours, Gil!”

“Enkidu’s right. We’ll have to look into how they managed this. The information should be on a sign, shouldn’t it?”

“I don’t see a sign nearby, Gil.”

She pulled the two in closer, pressing her lips to their cheeks.

The two settled in.

The two settled closer.

“Siduri would like this too,” Enkidu murmured as the show went on. She was nestled between them nicely as the show came to an end, leaving her to force herself and them up to their feet.

“We should head out, shouldn’t we? It’s getting towards closing,” she told them.

“Is it?” Gilgamesh asked, glancing to the room around them.

“Ah, right, they’re only open until a certain time.” Enkidu nodded. “We figured they’d just keep the place open for us.”

Every employee would hate them if they did that.

She shook her head, motioning towards the front doors. “It is getting close to dinner time.”

“Hold on,” Enkidu motioned to the manta exhibit nearby. “You can pet the fish here.”

It had been a while…

Her hand was in Enkidu’s immediately, Gilgamesh laughing as Hakuno ended up smirking to the being and leading them to the room nearby.

They had to pet the mantas.

The skates and the mantas were too cool to miss out on.

“Hakuno?”

Gilgamesh was talking to one of the employees nearby for a few minutes as they pet the fish. At the being’s call, Hakuno turned, glancing their way.

“This was a great trip. We never would have seen half of these fish if it weren’t for you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The being glanced to their friend again, their smile going soft.

“You are worried about him still?”

“I do not like thinking about Uruk without you there.”

She hadn’t even stepped foot there yet. They were in this world, learning about a bunch of fish they would never encounter outside of this building.

Perhaps it was best to tell the being about her change of heart in the shark exhibit. The more she got herself used to the idea, the more she found herself accepting that it was going to be a thing. She would need Enkidu’s help in the end, since she wouldn’t know much about living in the palace and Gilgamesh seemed like someone who would give half directions about things.

Her mouth opened. The words were on the tip of her tongue.

A slow shift from near one of the other doors caught her attention. The dark haired woman in white and gold glanced her way, smirking a little before looking to the king nearby.

“…Hakuno?”

She forced herself to look away from where the goddess was, to where Enkidu was.

“Did I say something wrong again?”

“No, I just…”

The woman was gone.

Enkidu looked uncomfortable, pulling their hand back and accepting a paper towel from a nearby worker.

“Enkidu,” Hakuno followed after them, wrapping her hand around their arm. “Listen-“

“It’s alright.”

“I want to stay in Uruk.”

She could feel the being still, but the room still felt off from before. It felt like Ishtar was still watching them.

The being in front of her turned to face her.

“You want to stay?”

“I do.”

It was risky, but she would have the two of them and Enkidu and Gilgamesh were both incredibly attentive. She wouldn’t get bored, not with so much to do and see. This world was at the touch of a keyboard and an internet browser search.

Their world was barely even touched upon in her most detailed of books. It was full of lives that they helped and a whole kingdom…

It would take adjusting, but she would do her best.

“Just promise not to let Ishtar near me,” she asked of the being.

“She will never touch you,” Enkidu vowed, pulling her into their arms and holding her tightly. “You will like Uruk. If anyone will get along with you well, it will be Siduri. You both’ll drive Gil and I crazy there.”

She really hoped so.

“Enkidu!”

Gil’s firm tone left the being snickering, hugging her closer.

“Aw, Gil, Hakuno and I were just sharing a warm embrace. You cuddle her so much I figured it was my turn. You had only how many months before I came along?”

“Don’t forget we can send you back to Uruk,” the man growled.

“He threatens me, Hakuno. What are we to do with him?”

Marry him, probably, Hakuno thought idly.

She found herself pulled back to his side, the two beginning an insult contest that was thankfully incoherent to the other aquarium guests. Their insults turned to playful jabs in the side as they left the building, heading further and further from the doors and towards the car.

Something still felt wrong.

Hakuno glanced back, frowning as she found nothing.

“…Gil?”

The king paused from giving the being a good kick in the rear end to glance her way. “What is it?”

“How much safer is Uruk compared to here?”

“It depends,” Enkidu answered for the king, “The gods protect the people when it’s divine problems, like other angry gods.”

There was a flicker of gold not too far off, just behind the bushes.

“I think I need to do my homework,” Hakuno told them both. “Let’s head home.”

[lifeofyellowpearl]

Yellow Pearl Goes Over Old Files: Operation Backtrack

Author’s Note: Well this is embarrassing.  I’m sorry for disappearing on y’all like that. I won’t go into too much detail but I had a mental health crisis that needed tending to. I’m much better now and hope to restart frequently posting again!

It was during my continued perusal through the old archive files that yet another document of both historical and personal significance stood out to me. A military report pertaining to an operation wherein The Diamonds had hoped to retake a major spaceport that had been seized by The Crystal Gems. As I thoughtfully observed its contents, I could not help but focus in on the title: “Operation Backtrack.” There were numerous battles throughout the war, but few stood apart in terms of seminality in such a way as the battles of “Operation Backtrack” and the devastating events preceding.

It was up until this point in the war, that the menaces of The Crystal gems were willfully deemphasized within the minds of The Diamonds. That this band of lowlife miscreants could pose a true threat to one of our colonies was a possibility which the diamonds were yet hesitant to acknowledge. But this unthinkable prospect was growing harder to dismiss and what was witnessed at Spaceport Eta – 18 of Facet 12 made it nigh impossible. Indeed, our enemies were lacking in military experience and the authority of Rose Quartz was periodically put to the test by increasing incidents of internal variance. Nevertheless, these vulnerabilities were offset by the creativity and innovation for which Rose Quartz was widely known. The magnitude of her métiers was put on full display during the extraordinary takeover of Eta-18.

A collection of crystal gem forces had been gathering on the south Eastern coast of facet 6 as revealed to us by our spy satellites.  No sooner after this confounding revelation did a suspiciously serendipitous pall materialize over the area, frustrating any and all areal observation. When the pall finally began to dissipate, no trace of the enemy’s presence could be found. Further consultation with ground forces could reveal no clue as to where these gems had gone, for the number of enemy forces had remained constant on all fronts – save the inevitable casualties of war. Following a weeks-long period of infuriating stalemates and a relative quiet that drove even the most rational minds to give way to the throes of speculative paranoia, a two-pronged attack of memorable proportion was finally launched off the western coast of facet 12 by the Crystal Gems! In an uncharacteristically shameful display of panic and irrationality, our forces dissolved into a rout as their respective commanders tried in vain to maintain order in between their desperate and tearful cries for backup.

The commanders frantically spoke of titanic beasts of a particularly indescribable hideousness emerging from the ocean just two kilo-units off the coast among a horrifying fanfare of tidal waves and oceanic mist. Upon the shoulders, backs, and stationary palms of these creatures rested artillery units from whom our forces were subject to merciless bombardment. The creatures then began to approach the beaches as Crystal infantry emerged from the waterline in unprecedented numbers, overwhelming our forces and ultimately driving them further inland.

It was later revealed that The Crystal Gems had trekked across the ocean floor from facet 6 all the way to facet 12, hauling with them artillery for which their leading weapons engineer had built special deep-sea pods to protect against the natural perils of the ocean deep. The “beasts” in question turned out to be hetero-fusions of an especially disgusting sort, that to even recount such an indecent display of offensiveness stoked feelings of unequivocal revulsion among the unfortunate quartzes who laid eyes on those…things. The coastal spaceport was soon surrounded and captured within days. This gave our enemies an established presence in the eastern hemisphere as well as a beachhead within facet 12. Not to mention the control they now had over one of our few spaceports.

Due to the infancy of the Earth Colony, spaceports were sparse. The port which had been seized, Eta-18 Fascet-12, was one of only few at this early point in the colony’s maturation. Moreover, at the onset of the rebellion, the interstellar ports served an additional function as military posts through which troops and supplies could be brought in and distributed in accordance with the needs of our ground forces. What’s more, this port was the biggest and most prominent and now there were rumors circulating that our enemies had plans to take to the stars in their campaign. There was much speculation surrounding the potential machinations of the Crystal Gems and while the Diamond Authority was reluctant to publicly confirm or deny any such rumors, recent findings by The Crystal Gem Intelligence Commission – which had been given a second chance - had forced the diamonds to quietly lend, at the very least, some degree of credence to the hearsay. The Crystal Gems, as it seemed, had intentions to capture our mines in the asteroid belt and now, with the capture of Eta-18, they had the means to do just that. These asteroid mines, in the wake of this conflict, had come to be an invaluable part of an expansive – albeit hastily constructed – interstellar supply line. The surprise by which this tenacious rebel faction caught us compelled from The Diamond Authority an admittedly cursory response, allotting time for minimal organization.  Consequently, the fragility of our supply line’s integrity was highly conspicuous. Even a minor disruption would collapse the entire interstellar nexus, crippling our military efforts for weeks, possibly months!

With all this in mind, it was evident that attached to this port was a significance beyond that of a tactical setback. It was concluded that this seizure was but a component within the larger scope of a full-scale military operation that the crystal gems had been planning for months. This was extremely troubling, as an operation of such sophistication was well beyond the capabilities of some scantily organized band of rebels. Indeed, such a feat could only have been executed by no less than a truly cohesive military force – one that could realistically stand against Homeworld’s armies. For this reason, the loss of this port was cause for great alarm and speculation – much of which, despite The Diamond Authority’s best efforts, could not be put at ease. Consequently, no expense, resource, nor soldier would be withheld in our efforts to reclaim Eta-18, that confidence in the military, as well as the great authority it serves to represent may be fully restored.

Preparation began on both sides as everyone was operating under the assumption that The Crystal Gems would take advantage of their new position and push further into to facet 12 while Crystal Gem naval units would prepare for an asteroid belt campaign. However, just as we underestimated the capabilities of The Crystal Gems, so too did everyone overestimate the limits of Rose’s naivete. We were stunned to hear that Rose Quartz was “offering us” an opportunity to sue for peace. This was the latest of many attempts by the foolish rebel to bring about a diplomatic end to this conflict. It had seemed that Rose Quartz believed that a bombastic display of military might would force the Diamonds into submission, reasoning that the Diamonds would not risk the potential humiliation of losing more assets to the rebel armies.

Jaws were dropping to the ground as news of this began to spread. We would later learn that even some of The Crystal Gems were appalled by Rose’s decision. However, aside from a few detractors �� their weapons engineer being among the most vocal, many of The Crystal Gems simply elected to trust that Rose knew what she was doing. This was good news for the diamonds and created a greater sense of hope in any and all future plans to retake Eta-18.  In an effort to buy time, Rose was led to believe that a peaceful resolution was indeed within her grasp. Meanwhile, enemy forces dug in, maintaining defensive positions and a temporary cease-fire was declared. This allotted us precious time to regroup and adequately prepare to retake the base in the operation codenamed, “Operation Backtrack.”

Among the many prerequisites upon which the success of this enterprise relied was the element of surprise. It was imperative that the Crystal Gems be allotted as little preparation as possible; to the end that our armies would have nothing with which to contend save a weak and sparsely fortified perimeter. So, we poured as many resources as we could into counterintelligence, that documentation of our eventual attack would never meet the sinister and increasingly ambient eyes of our rebel foes. Given the unalloyed extensiveness of our counterintelligence efforts, we saw no reason as to why any information regarding this operation should reach The Crystal Gems. And yet, as our armies mobilized in preparation for the operation’s day of execution, word had gotten back to us of the extensive fortifications which were being set up by our enemies around the perimeter of the commandeered spaceport. This was troubling news as these fortifications were being made in clear anticipatory preparation of an oncoming attack. What’s more, enemy forces had resumed their fire. That the gems had been made aware of our operation, was an obvious and generally uncontested suspicion among the commanders as well as the diamond authority. One of the many ever-increasing failures of our counterintelligence measures.

As much as My Diamond wanted to address the potential source of information leakage from our intelligence departments, she hadn’t the time. As the Crystal Gems were embattling the Eta-18 perimeter in earnest, it was imperative that we lay siege to the port as quickly as possible. While the full element of surprise had been lost, our deceptive efforts were not entirely in vain. We had moved enough of our forces to facet-12 that an inland push was nearly impossible, and the asteroid mines were now in retrograde meaning that any efforts to try and capture them at this point would be even more of a logistical nightmare. And so, the mobilization process was expedited and soon our armies went to meet our enemies at Eta-18. The battles of this campaign initially presented themselves as efforts of simplicity; little more than skirmishes that would quickly be overcome. But much to the surprise and consternation of the general, the Diamonds, and the public at large, the battles dragged on much longer than anticipated. Our foes had surprised us with an impressive display of resilience and tenacity. One which forced our reluctant commanders to admit to the Crystal Gems a begrudging respect.

Nevertheless, it all ended in a seemingly decisive victory. One that, from my perspective of innocence, would have surely permitted an abundance of pomp and gaiety of which there could be no surfeit. And yet, My Diamond carried herself in a manner that was not indicative such occasion. When she heard about the outcome of the operation, I saw in her not a look of relief but one of concern and frustration. So far, much to my confusion, this victory had not elicited any proclamations of triumph. The following events would confuse me evermore, for when My Diamond convened with her three companions to discuss further action, they shared in My Diamond’s worried demeanor – save Pink Diamond, who’s demeanor showed an unrelenting sense of guilt and ambivalence. I saw in Pink Diamond an internal struggle of unknown cause; one that would only become more apparent in the coming years. To this day I look back and wonder what it was that provoked within the young diamond such evident inner turmoil.

Another four days would pass without any proclamation of our victory. I concluded that there was, in fact, something I was missing but I couldn’t fathom what it was. Why trouble the public any further with worry by withholding news of this operation’s outcome? Why hesitate in our celebration of our much-needed win? In a creeping moment of temerity, I was tempted to present My Diamond with these inquiries but did all I could to quell the urge for to so boldly ask such things was not within the bounds of a pearl’s conduct. I rightfully chastised myself for even entertaining the thought.

It was in a moment of near spontaneity that My Diamond decided to visit the port, that she may see firsthand the state in which it was left postbellum. Nothing about this was normal. There are a number of attributes that I could ascribe to My Diamond, ‘spontaneity’ not being among them. These inquiries were at the forefront of my mind as My Diamond set a course for Eta – 18. I accompanied My Diamond to her palanquin once our ship arrived at its destination and as I did, I was deafened by her silence.

My Diamond and I entered the palanquin and in an instant, we were jettisoned from the palm of My Diamond’s vessel. The rapid descent and the turbulence it brought about overwhelmed the auditory senses. As I looked out the window, my mind could hardly accept that we were descending as it appeared as though we were static in mid-air. Despite the speed of our descent, the surface below was very slow in gaining prominence. Not to say that there was much I was looking forward to seeing. Even from this distance, I could see that there was nothing below us. Or, to be more accurate, nothing of substance or worth. Simply a vast expanse of organic lifelessness. At this moment in time – save the few traces of modern civilization that we had brought with us thus far – the surface of this world was almost completely exanimate as it was occupied only by useless lifeforms and inanimate resources. Directly below us, the expanse of natural deadness was dichotomized between land and sea. To our east was a seemingly infinite range of worthless lowland vegetation. To our west, an immeasurably empty ocean so vast as though it extended into infinity. A thin serpentine coastline served as a line of demarcation between the two halves of this biotically dead surface. Void was it all of any true substance or vigor, as we had yet to truly breathe life into this planet of primitive nothingness. That is our mission, after all; to create life from the primal nihility of the otherwise lifeless worlds of this universe. I will never even begin to fathom why the Crystal Gems would be so against that.

As we got closer to the planet’s surface, a small yet notable trace of modern civilization began to present itself near the coastline. This was the Eta – 18 spaceport. As we got closer to the ground the speed of our descent gradually became more notable and more details of the port began to present themselves. Though we were still a ways from the surface I was already impressed by the port's magnitude. Boasting an area of nearly 2000 hectares, it was one of the biggest spaceports on Earth thus far. However, there was something strange in its appearance. I was yet unable to place my finger on it but there was almost a disorganized aspect about it. Things just felt out of place and I could not discern why.

I turned to My Diamond who was hunched over, her elbows resting on her thighs and her head resting on the interlocked fingers of her hands. Her eyes were fixed on the ground and on her face, I saw a mild look of dread. She must have caught my regard in her peripherals as her eyes suddenly darted in my direction. Instinctively, I averted my gaze and turned my attention back to the outside.

A great deal of altitude had been lost in those brief moments as we were much closer to the surface and the details of the port’s condition presented themselves in full. Shock and horror overtook me once I observed the doleful state it was currently in. Where I expected to see the magnificent architecture of buildings, hangers, starships, and an enthused and rallied army prepared to reclaim it all in the name of our glorious diamonds, I saw utter and complete destruction and a loose collection of gems sparsely wading through the abject ruination of what was once our prodigious spaceport.

Our palanquin soon landed on what little was left of the landing pad. My Diamond and I stumbled as a small depression caused the palanquin to land slightly off-kilter. We stepped off where we were greeted by the sight of nothing but absolute ruin. Save a sparse number of rogue standing walls, pillars, girders, and corbels - the port, in its entirety, had been reduced to rubble, leveled to the ground upon which these mighty constructs once stood. What truly stuck with me was the absolute completeness of it all. There truly was nothing left. I understood the necessity of airstrikes for the success of the operation but were we so confined in our desperation as to destroy the entire base? No, that couldn’t be right.  Such a masochistic act of annihilation would have defeated the entire purpose of our noble enterprise. I turned again to My Diamond, in the vain hope that I may glean some clue as to what happened here. I was deeply troubled when I beheld her demeanor. She stood rigid in a veritable state of awe. Doubtless was it that My Diamond expected to find the port in such a horrid state. That the dreadful details of its condition had been recounted to her many times over was an uncontestable certainty. But no amount of mental imagery, regardless of an utmost vividness bolstered by repeated accounts both oral and written, could prepare her for the reality that presented itself now.

I turned my attention back to the surrounding ruin. There was something about the place, aside from its ghastly aspect, that sparked within me an unshakeable feeling of dread. Perhaps, I postulated, it was the feeling of exposure that occasioned such inexplicable fear. As all the buildings were leveled, I had a full view of the natural nihility that surrounded the port. The miles of terrestrial emptiness to the east – carpeted as it was by its hideous low-growing flora –and the infinitely expansive ocean of deadness to the west. It was disconcerting as it was depressing, being in the presence of such primeval desolation. The overcast above only served to bolster my unease. Normally, our terraform companies would clear the skies of such unpalatable weather happenings in preparation for a visit by a Diamond. But this visit was entirely unplanned and so, no such preparation had taken place.

Still though, I knew that, on its own, the mere sense of exposure to the exanimate natural world was not the only source of my agitation. There was a threat about this place of an ambient nature. One that could not be seen but whose encroaching presence had somehow made itself known to me. I turned again to the ocean and as I did, I found myself troubled by an acutely increased fear whose roots ran deep within the nether realms of my inner gem. I regarded the coastline with timorous curiosity. It seemed as though my intuition was detecting an unknown menace lurking somewhere within the abysmal depths of the hideously organic brine. I turned to observe the gems surveying the damage and as I did, I noticed a common peculiarity among them. Each individual seemed to carry herself in an almost daunted manor. Every so often, one would turn her regard to that repulsive ocean of deadness and in doing so, would briefly indulge herself in a moment of silent trepidation before returning to her work still slightly afeared. These gems, as it seemed, shared in my inexplicable disquiet. I considered it all, the destruction, the aura, the fearful gems. And after a moment of internal deliberation, it all clicked. I realized, at that moment, what truly happened here and why My Diamond behaved as she did.

The expense of Operation Backtrack – In both gem power and material resources – were great. So much that to recoup the losses sustained would take months. I thought about this in trepidation as the fullest extent of the threat posed by The Crystal Gems became known to me.

The battle waged by our foes was not, in its entirety, a defensive one but in part one of external attrition. Upon receiving word of our oncoming siege – no less from a persistently treacherous insider yet to be identified – they indeed foresaw the inevitable fate of their hold on Eta – 18. We had successfully duped the nefarious Rose Quartz but once again, despite her infantile credulity, the ingenuity and inexplicable charisma of Rose Quartz went on full display as she rallied her troops at Eta-18, taking full advantage of their blind fanaticism. The Crystal Gems could not deny the end was near for their venture but rather than flee or make preparations for surrender, they relentlessly embattled their perimeter and held firm. Our general assumed this to be a final act of defiance. A last stand meant to precede a spectacular demise on a monumental scale – one that would jettison the fallen into the glorious realm of martyrdom. This, however, was not their intent, at least not entirely.

Their tenacity had only one end, to force the Diamonds into relentless deployment of their finite military forces. The Crystal Gems knew of the significance with which the Homeworld public regarded the Eta – 18 port and the ends to which the diamonds would go to reclaim it. They were also aware of the eventual end that our armies would bring to their illicit holding on the port.

And so, they secured their perimeter and held firm. Wave after wave was sent but with each advance, Crystal Gems would manage to break a hole in our line forcing us to pull back and close the gap. Eventually, our enemies were pushed back into the sea but not before razing the entire port. This, along with the expenditures of this operation, left a hole in our reserves.

But worse yet, they could still be out there, watching from the depths, rebuilding their numbers through some other unconventional means which we had yet to consider, waiting for the right time to emerge and finish off our remaining troops, to the end that they may further cripple our reserves. Before I realized what I was doing, I found myself gradually moving to My Diamonds right as to create a barrier between myself and the water. I got it now, this was not a defeat, but this was not a victory either. I did not know what to call this but what I did know is that Rose had demonstrated the extent of her weaknesses, but she had also demonstrated the extent of her capabilities. No longer could The Diamond Authority downplay the severity of the threat she posed. My Diamond turned to her left to address me but found that I was not there. She turned to her right about to ask why I had moved, but after regarding the notable fear on my face, she simply said, “Come Pearl. Let’s leave this place. We have much to do.” As we made our way back to the palanquin, I heard her mutter under her breath, “I shouldn’t have brought you here.”

Author’s Note: Here’s Operation Backtrack. I had a lot of fun making this one!

[interesting-blog-name]

SLIGHTLY NEW ALBUMS I LIKED (Little Simz - GREY Area; Monsune - Tradition; Backxwash - God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It)

More loose reviews that I write and instantly want to get out of my Word document and into Tumblr without much of an overlaying theme between the albums or any planning as to which ones I’ll be releasing at which point, but it is what it is. This time I’ll be compiling some recent-ish albums I’ve enjoyed, two of which I’ve come to know from TheNeedleDrop (I try not to watch reviews before writing down my opinion btw), and one EP from an artist I like. Here it is.

Little Simz – GREY Area

Little Simz, the 26-year-old British rapper, is an artist I’ve loved the first time I heard her, when I listened to Selfish for the first time and saw her cover of Feel Good Inc. in triple-j’s Like A Version. Today, May 30th, I was planning on listening to White Chalk by PJ Harvey, but from what I read, it’s a pretty depressing album, and I’m not in the mood for that right now, so I picked GREY Area from my future listening list.

It’s really nice to hear a rap album like this once in a while. The instrumentation is organic and well thought out, her flow is amazing, and her lyrics have so much substance and personality to them, ranging from the happier, more reminiscent tone in 101 FM to the much more aggressive tracks Offence, Boss, Venom and Pressure, she’s always giving her take on life, telling the experience of what it’s like being a black person with big dreams in England, seeing friends die while she tries to go somewhere in life through music.

The main tone she picks for her self-narrative is an unapologetic view of the world around her; she tells the listener: “’til now I ain’t ever been the selfish type, ‘till now I ain’t ever told nobody no, don’t get it twisted. This shit ain’t happen overnight” in the biggest song off here, Selfish, featuring the most calming and lavish pianos and violins in this album, and an amazing feature by Cleo Sol on the hook. Pressure features an amazing batch of verses all about. Same thing with the intro, Offence, with its bold, empowering chorus; although the track comes off more playful with its cartoonish sound effects nearing the end than the raw message of the track mentioned previously. A great, high-spirited track to start off the album.

What isn’t as high-spirited is the next track, Boss, or, to be fair, almost all the other tracks in the album. Boss is a big fuck you to anyone you might dedicate the song to: the hook has Simz’s most aggressive delivery in the whole record, and the entire message is about getting over those who hurt you and coming up.  The second verse is something else.

Wounds, featuring Jamaican singer Chronixx, deals mostly with the gun/crime problem ever-so-present in marginalized communities all around the world, and she tells the story from the perspective of both herself and as a companion of the “gun man”, repeatedly mentioned in the song (“When a gun man only knows self-hate, them bullets show no love”). I’m not super crazy for Chronixx’s hook, or the much slower tempo of the track, but it fits well with the groovy instrumental. Venom, on the other hand, is a super exciting, menacing song. She goes all out over the violins playing in the background, but unfortunately, the track burns twice as bright to last half as long.

To lighten the mood a bit, 101 FM brings the most electronic instrumental, with cheerful, banging 808s and synths, and lyrics about her come up as a rapper, probably the verses where her British accent and slang dominate the most, giving them a more personal feel somewhat. Pressure doesn’t feature the most compelling instrumental or hooks in here – the Little Dragon refrain is mixed very poorly and the vocalist just doesn’t do a great job -, but the verses compensate for that, especially the first one, probably one of the most heartfelt and important ones in this album. Therapy talks about Simz’s struggles with finding comfort in therapy. The instrumental is average for the project, but still slaps, so that’s nice.

Sherbet Sunset is an ode to a broken relationship, and a theme that could be handled so poorly by other artists is handled masterfully by Little Simz. In three verses, she displays so many sides to what I assume is one relationship, so many emotions and thoughts that she shares, it really feels like she’s transcribing something of a focused, bright mind rush over the track, and it amazes me how she can reveal her feelings so well on a track like this, progressing from the regret of not seeing how it’d go wrong, to the anxiety that comes from spending all that time for seemingly nothing, to coming to terms with it in the last verse (although not quite). It’s a stunning song now that I listen to it again.

To close it all off, we have Flowers, mainly a tribute to various artists from the 27 club, with mentions of Jimi Hendrix and Amy Winehouse in the verses, trying to relate to their struggles with drug addiction and quick fame. It’s incredibly powerful and a great finisher.

I don’t dislike one track in GREY Area. It’s well conceived, a great statement, it really feels like she gives her all to make every track memorable, and even though her delivery is mostly monotone throughout the whole album, that also works to her favor, as she has a very unique and recognizable voice. So the lyrics are extremely well written, and the only reason I don’t give more examples of that is because I got a whole lot of school shit to do, the instrumental work is clean and precise, and I don’t have a whole lot to complain about. Check this shit out if you haven’t.

 FAVORITE TRACKS: 101 FM, Venom, Selfish, Offence, Boss, Pressure

LEAST FAVORITE TRACK: lol nah

 8.7/10

“Why you wanna all dress lies as truth? Have you ever seen what silence do? I don’t wanna see no violent troops putting out fires that haven’t been started”

 Monsune – Tradition

Damn I did not expect to like this as much as I did.

Monsune is a Chinese-Canadian singer who has recently been gaining some popularity from his amazing song OUTTA MY MIND, which features a funky bassline and high-pitched guitar playing that some have compared to Childish Gambino, specifically his album “Awaken, My Love!”. I decided to check out this short EP by him to see if he had anything more to offer, and it’s safe to say, he does.

The first track off Tradition already shows what this guy can do with his production. It starts off with the same vibe off of his previously mentioned biggest track, but on steroids: a prominent bassline, pitch-altered backing vocals, sunny guitars, and drowned out drums. His voice is also reaching higher notes in this song than in OUTTA MY MIND, but then in the middle of the song it all slows down for a very welcome beat change that shifts the song from this summer anthem to a very chill R&B tune. It’s amazing stuff, although I don’t understand why he chose to put some very noticeable autotune in this part.

CLOUD is my least favorite from the EP, but it’s still a very solid song, it’s just not amazing. The bass is still very strong, and the bridge later on in the song is addictive as shit. After that track comes OUTTA MY MIND, and then his style completely switches in MOUNTAIN, which starts off with some solo guitar and his low, beautiful singing. It’s actually really moving for some reason lol. It then picks up in the hook, the drums kick in along with what I assume is a keyboard, and his voice reaches the top of his range for the backing vocals, it’s a very well-made song.

JADE finishes Tradition off extremely beautifully, with a smooth acoustic guitar intro over a nice-ass bass, some ethereal, trippy scenes of Monsune floating over the ocean and appearing out of thin air in front of you (probably not you, the listener). And then all of a sudden this madman screams off the top of his lungs in the middle of the track and I fucking love it.

The flaws this EP has are mostly related to the mixing, which I think can be a little too harsh in some sections such as the big breakdowns in JADE and MOUNTAIN. Plus, I know lyrics aren’t a focus on a project like this, but it would be nice to get something more than love songs in the future perhaps. Still, loving this EP, so glad I checked Monsune out. You should too.

 WORST TO BEST: CLOUDS, 1998, JADE, OUTTA MY MIND, MOUNTAIN

 8/10

“Don’t you wanna come down? Cause I’m so bored of walking on the same old sky”

 Backxwash – God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It

God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It is an album by American rapper Backxwash, who received a new wave of attention after Anthony Fantano reviewed this album in his channel and gave it a decent 8. I haven’t watched the review yet, but I was interested in checking it out because of the high score, and especially since when I looked it up on Spotify, the songs only had around 8000 views.

Dark subject themes and the whole dark trap aesthetic are the core of this album. I, personally, have always been a fan of aggressive, heavy rap music, from more underground names like gizmo and Fukkit, to the more mainstream variant of these sounds, like XXXTENTACION. This album, however, operates in somewhat of a separate lane.

Many of the dark, edgy rap I used to listen to religiously back in the day was borderline mindless. Shit about ripping someone open, hollow flexing, except separated from mainstream rap only because the rapper in question is screaming their brains out when talking about designer clothes, instead of mumbling like your average Lil Baby, and, of course, personal problems, depression, being mad about whatever it was. Unlike its other contemporaries, however, it seems Backxwash has much more thought and elaboration into what she wants to yell about. Instead of hiding behind bass-boosted rather formulaic instrumentals, she takes the more scenic route, with still very dark, but more intricate gothic beats, sampling various religious speeches and implementing them into songs about black magic and overall unhappiness. The Black Sabbath sample that opens up this album should be enough for any listener to immediately understand what they’re about to get into, as the title track brings heavy percussion and some of the most graphic lyrics in the album, which it already doesn’t lack. Lines about downing pills and vodka, contemplating suicide, and blank vocalizations of anger (“I want war with these bitches, I want corpses and weapons”).

The track that resembles an average edgy Soundcloud rap song the most is Black Magic right after, with its own interpretation of the “ay” flow, shouted with a tone reminiscent of someone like Craig Xen. The big difference comes with the much grander production, especially the growling guitars that get introduced halfway, reminding the listener of Backxwash’s skill as a producer. From what I could tell, she was responsible for the production of the tracks in here, and considering there are no vocal guests except for Malldate’s quick appearance in Into The Void, I’m assuming the features listed in the tracklist are all producer credits as well, the feature in this track being Ada Rook, providing the amazing guitar work for this song.

Spells is mixed for me. I don’t enjoy the attempted singing in the chorus, and it falls completely flat to my ears; the beat is hard as ever, but the lyrics feel slightly disconnected with each other. At one point, she’s talking about going to Hell to her mom, at the other she mentions doors opening and closing in an office and how there’s no one in some corridor, and it doesn’t go anywhere from that, with lines such as “heart is so dead with tissue” not exactly evoking any sort of emotion or imagery.

Black Sheep is the most effective song out of the first four; it seems to filter all the positive aspects of the other tracks and package them into one quick serving. The beat is chaotic and in a constant state of unrest, the lyrics are centered and aimed at various of Backxwash’s problems in life, such as her father, people who want to bring her down and put her “in line on the X and O’s”, and overall venting. After that comes a brief interlude, the first of two that don’t have much use in the album except as pallet cleansers. It’s followed by Into The Void, a track that mentions her paranoia of being harassed and possibly killed when walking around in the streets and the deli. It’s haunting, and definitely the best song in here; it is laser-focused in the exact way I wished the previous tracks would be. Her vocal delivery is extremely expressive, and she tells the story in a way that gives the listener a brief, but at the same time immense glimpse of the reality that trans people face and have to go through, in a morbid fashion.

Adolescence is very short and eases the pace a bit after the intense emotions of the last. It’s a message to her younger brother that quickly descents into a confession of her inner struggle, mentioning possible overdoses and being too old for the 27 Club and fearing going to therapy. What’s great about this song is the fact that, even in such a short amount of time and with a less explosive instrumental, Backxwash manages to evoke her emotions so well; this is definitely what she does best in this record, and it overcomes the times where her delivery is flawed and her words are slurred and hard to understand. After this comes Amen, and holy fuck is this an angry song. Criticizing the hell out of the church, Backxwash comes at greedy pastors and their irresponsible spending when the churchgoers who support him are in need. My big problem with this song is the fact that the hook, as impassionate as it is, doesn’t do much for the subject, and the verse is way too short to have any impact with its theme. Lines like “these politicians politicking” don’t help much either.

The very distorted second interlude, Heaven’s Interlude, takes us to the last track, Redemption, the least intense song in here, which is appropriate as a sendoff. She expresses her frustrations towards her dad’s frustrations towards her being trans, and while the entire sentiment of the song is great and well formulated, I can’t find a way around the lines “Fuck these fucking boomers, fuck these fucking losers. Fuck theses motherfucking fuckers in their fucking two truck. Fuck these fuck(sic)abusers, and fuck these fucking rumors.”, they just emanate Limp Bizkit energy.

God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It is a very passionate, real, well produced and well-conceived album; it bears themes that are immensely important to be brought to the music scene, and by mixing that message with its explosive and polished production, it amplifies it a ton. However, as powerful as her deliveries are, I believe Backxwash can go much further with her songwriting and song structuring in the future, as well as her intonation, because that was really all that was keeping this album from being legendary. If she can do more of this in songs that are longer and super focused around whichever topic she decides, she can make something legendary. And thank God she got reviewed by Fantano, I hope she can take this opportunity and make something huge out of this.

 FAVORITE TRACKS: Into The Void, Black Sheep, God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It, Adolescence, Black Magic

LEAST FAVORITE TRACK: Spells

 7.7/10

“Chosen one, sad bitch, lowest scum. Coldest, huh, black sheep talk to ‘em. If the situation changed I would have said the same shit, exactly the same.”

[forever-rogue]

Due Date

Request: Maybe you could do a roger x reader were the reader is pregnant (due soon) and she collapses at home and roger finds her and is all worried about her and the baby and takes her to the hospital and everything turns out fine she had just been very dehydrated (or something) and passed out? - Anon

A/N: I hope you all enjoy! Taglists ad Requests are open! xx

Pairing: Roger Taylor x Reader (can be read as Borhap!Roger)

Word Count: 4.2k

Warnings: none, just fluff!

MASTERLIST (link on main page)

“Yes, Rog. I know,” Y/N giggled at her husband. He had called her for what seemed like the millionth time that day, just to check in and make sure she was okay. Balancing the phone between her shoulder and ear, she wrapped her finger around the cord and played with it, the other hand resting on her very large and prominent stomach, “please stop worrying about me, love. I’m okay, I swear. I’m just tired, and your child won’t stop squirming around. It’s starting to drive me insane.”

“It’s only for a few more weeks,” he chuckled at her as he relaxed a little bit. It was so reassuring to hear her being so calm. Throughout her pregnancy, he had been the one who worried over everything, treating her like she was fragile and made of glass, even though she insisted she was fine. As her due date neared, he become more and more vigilant and if even the slightest thing was wrong, he panicked. He was like a mother hen, pecking about and squawking all the time.

Roger was sure Freddie was ready to kill him if kept interrupting rehearsal, but he didn’t care - nothing mattered more to him than his wife and their baby, “I’ll be home as soon as I can. Just hang tight until then.”

“I’m fine, Roger, I swear,” she rolled her eyes at him, even though he couldn’t see. She was sure he could hear it in her voice anyway, “stop fretting about my every move and get back to work. If you keep interrupting the boys, they’ll kick you out of the band and then we’ll have no money, and then how will we take care of the baby?”

“I think you’re being a little dramatic, my love,” he snorted and she scoffed at him. If anyone in this relationship was a dramatic, hysterical queen it was him.

“Well, that’s how you’re acting too. For almost last eight months, need I remind you,” she sighed, “now get back to work, I’m going to start dinner. I’ll be right here when you get home.”

“Fine, okay,” he gave in, but seemed reluctant to hang up the, “but if you need anything, ring me at the studio. I love you.”

“And I love you, Rog,” she said and continued on as quickly as she could before he interrupted her again, and just before slamming down the receiver, stammered out, “now goodbye and leave me be!”

“Your daddy is a very crazy man,” Y/N said out loud as she started preparing vegetables for their dinner. She wasn’t even sure if the baby could hear what she was saying, or if it even mattered, but she always spoke to them whenever she could. It made her feel connected to the baby, and she was already beyond enamored with this little human she had never even met. The baby was a result of their love, and to her nothing could compare to the feeling of nothing she was carried the child of the love of her life, “but I love him very much. And you will too. He’s so excited to meet you, and so am I. He’s going to love you so, so much. Both mummy and daddy are.”

She felt the baby stir a little bit and she stopped to savor the moment. While it was tiresome at times to feel the baby move so much, and even see it at times, she wouldn’t have changed it for the world. Deciding it was too quiet, she walked over the record player, sifted through their record collection, and quickly selected something that would be pleasant to hear in the background. She hated the quiet - the only time the house was ever quiet was when Roger was gone, and luckily for her that wasn’t too often. And with the newest member of the family quickly arriving, she knew it would never be quiet again.

Satisfied with her selection, she walked, waddled rather at this point, back to the kitchen. Her stomach had seemed to exponentially grow over the last several weeks, and she wasn’t sure if she could handle much more. She swore she was fit to burst any second, like a juicy, ripe watermelon. Y/N had wondered if for some reason she was actually pregnant with twins, but none of the many ultrasounds had indicated multiples. Although, she presumed, there was always a chance for error.

Pausing at the fridge, she smiled as she studied the many Polaroids stuck there by Roger. As soon as Roger had found that they were expecting their first child, he had been over the moon, and vowed to capture every moment with his camera. He had really taken a leaf out of Brian’s book. Every stage and month of her pregnancy had been photographed and lovingly put on display by Roger for everyone to see. She wished she could have captured the moment she had told him  - the look in bright blue eyes had been so beautiful.

Roger stared at the pictures laid out in front of them, his ocean eyes wide, shifting through a thousand different emotions - confusion, excitement, joy, nerves. He reached out and picked one up and held it up to his face to examine it closer. Y/N thought about making a comment and chiding him for not wearing his glasses, but she didn’t want to ruin this moment.

As soon as she had definitive proof of her pregnancy, she had rushed over to the studio, not caring that she interrupting their rehearsal. Freddie had seen her come in, eyes glossy, her cheeks flushed him the cold outside ear, the largest smile he had ever seen on her face. His eyes had drifted down to her hand where he spied an official looking envelope and he swore he could vaguely make out the hospital’s logo. For some reason, he had a nagging suspicion recently that the newlyweds were going to be expecting soon. By all accounts, he had been right. He gave her a wink as she came in, quickly beckoning for Bri and Deacy to follow him out, so the two could share the moment in private. They could all celebrate as a family later.

“Roger!” she shouted as she bounded towards him; he was still sitting behind his drum kit, unaware that the rest of the boys had walked out. Sometimes he got so lost in his own world, “my love, I have something for you!”

“Sweetheart, what are you doing here?” he asked as he caught her in his arms and held her tightly against his body. No matter how many times he had touched her, in any way, it still sent sparks all over his body - that’s how he knew he had loved her from the second they had met, those same sparks happened when they had first shook hands.

“I’ve got something for you,” she beamed at him, pressing a kissing to his cheek. Her whole body was buzzing with excitement, and he could tell something was up. He put his rough hands on her soft cheeks and tried to still her.

“Slow down there, love, it’s okay,” he said but she just shook her head, removed his hands from her cheeks and hastily stuffed the envelope in his right hand. He took it, eyebrows raised, but she jerked her head, indicated for him to open it. He plopped back down in his seat, and opened the envelope, pulling out the two pictures that were inside. She watched him with a gleeful smile.

Roger ran his fingers ever so gently over the black and white images in front of him. They were faint and grainy, but after a few seconds he realized what he was holding. He looked at the top of the photographs, and saw the date as well as Y/N Taylor scrawled at the top.

“Oh my God,” was all he said as he studied the pictures and looked between them and Y/N. He could feel his eyes sting and well up with tears, “Y/N, this is - what, when?”

“You’re going to be a daddy, Roger,” she confirmed as she pressed a kiss to the top of his unruly mop of hair, “we’re going to have a baby!”

“How far along are you?” he asked as his eyes immediately trailed down to her stomach, looking for any indication of a swollen belly.

“Only about six weeks, “ she said as took his free hand and put it on her belly, “our baby is growing inside there, Rog.”

He jumped up and pulled her in for a bone crushing hug. He rested his face in the crook of his neck, soaking it all in. She started crying, not able to contain her emotions any longer. He pulled back and wiped her tears away, his eyes never leaving hers, “I love you so, so much. More than words could ever begin to describe. You’re going to make the best mum ever. And I’ll try to be the best dad ever. I love you and this little bean so much.”

“I love you, Roger,” she said with a tearful smile, “I can’t believe we’re going to start our own little family.”

Y/N chuckled to herself as she pulled on the sleeve of her sweater and dabbed at her eyes with it. She had always been a softie, and definitely a crier, and pregnancy hadn’t made that any better. She pulled opened the door, and grabbed a few containers out, bringing them over to the counter, “oh my little bean. I’m so excited to meet you. It’s going to be so soon, and I can’t wait. I’m ready, but scared. But your daddy and I are so, so ready.”

She felt a wave of dizziness hit her suddenly, and she gripped the edge of the counter to study herself. Once it was over, she closed her eyes for a few moments, and tried to figure out what it was. She hadn’t experienced anything like this. Y/N put down her knife, and took a few deep breaths to calm down; she didn’t want to panic or cause the baby any unnecessary stress.

“Okay, so that was weird, right little bean?’ she tried to chuckle to keep herself sane, but went back to chopping, “everything is fine, and daddy will be here soon.”

Y/N stopped again, feeling like that same dismaying feeling was going to come over her again. She had no clue what it was, but it worried her. Having been extremely lucky and experiencing no major issues throughout the duration of her pregnancy, what it could be now was a mystery that worried her.

Deciding not to push herself, she started making her way back to the living room to shut off the record player, which had become more of an annoyance than pleasant background noise, but she didn’t make it far. Her vision blurred, and she got a sharp pain in her head. She reached out for something to hold onto, but her hands seemed to miss everything, and tripped and fell to the floor. Luckily, she fell to her side, shielding her stomach from any impact. Struggling to gather herself, she laid back down, the pain in her head increasing, a harsh pounding feeling, and a wave of nausea overwhelming her. All she managed to get out was a faint help before her head hit the ground again and she lost consciousness.

“Rog! The phone’s for you,” Bri hollered at the drummer as he held onto the receiver, waiting for him to come. Rog slipped off his headphones and made his way over to him and took the receiver, covering the speaker, “sounds important.”

“Who is it?” he asked as he jogged over to the tall guitarist.

“I don’t know, I just answered and they asked for you,” he shrugged before heading back to his guitar.

“Hello?” Rog asked as he leaned against the wall.

“Is this Mr. Taylor?” a female voice on the other end of the line asked.

“Yes, this is him.”

“Mr. Taylor, your wife has been admitted to the hospital-”

“What?!” he practically shouted. His brain raced with hundreds of different thoughts, as he ran a hand through his already messy hair, “is she okay? What happened?”

“She collapsed at your home this afternoon, you neighbor said they heard a bang and they called for an ambulance. She’s stable now,-”

“The baby! Is the baby okay too?” he didn’t know what he’d do if anything happened to her or their baby. He was beside himself with worry as Freddie, Brian, and Deacy all came over to him. They could immediately tell something happened.

“That’s the thing, Mr. Taylor, she is stable now, but she’s gone into early labor,” the nurse tried to remain calm, but Roger’s tone had her nervous, “everything seems fine-”

“The baby isn’t due for another five weeks,” he said nervous, but tried to keep it together, as his leg started to bounce nervously. A million things could happen to the baby or her. His world was slowly coming undone.

“We know, Mr. Taylor. Everything should be fine, five weeks early is generally not dangerous territory, but we wanted to disclose everything to you,” by this point, Roger had dropped the phone and was already running out of the studio to try and make it to the hospital. The boys had quickly followed afternoon, none of them even bothering to grab their things, “hello? Mr. Taylor? Hello?”

“Where is my wife?!” Roger half shouted as barged into the hospital, flanked by the boys. The admittance nurse looked at him from over the top of glasses, an annoyed expression on her stern face.

“Name?” she croaked out as she started to look down her clipboard. If only she had a dollar for every time this happened; then she could have saved up enough to retire already. But Roger didn’t care, all he wanted was Y/N.

“Taylor! Please, she’s been admitted, she’s had a fall and is in labor-”

“Room 314,” was all she said as she pointed down the hallway. Roger rolled his eyes at him, but sped off down the long hallway, the boys hot on his heels.

“God, I hope she’s okay. If anything were to happen...” he said as he slowly approached her room, getting nervous with the nagging feeling that he would be getting some bad news. She always told him not to worry, but the one time he stopped, something bad happened to her. He beat himself up, blaming it all on his actions.

“She’s as stubborn and strong willed as you, darling,” Freddie tried to reassure him as he put his arm around his best friend, giving him a tight squeeze, “she will be just fine. And that baby? That baby will be as bull headed as the two of you. I have no doubt.”

“Thanks, Fred,” the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, but he couldn’t bring himself to fully commit to a smile. There was too much worry clouding his mind.

“Come on, let’s go in,” Bri said softly as  he pushed open the door and ushered the boys in. The room was brightly lit, and a nurse was going about her business, but not before she cast a concerned look at the intruders. Roger felt his heart drop at the sound of the mechanical beeping and the site of an IV hooked up to Y/N.

“Mrs. Taylor-”

“Don’t worry, Gisela, this is my husband and our best friends,” Y/N gave her a weak smile as she tried to sit up in her small bed. She grimaced a bit as one of her hands darted to her stomach, “hi, my loves!”

“Y/N,” Roger quickly closed the distance between the two of them, hugging her as much as he could, and pressing kisses all over her face, “I was so worried! If anything were to have happened, I just-”

“Shh,” she hushed him as she put a finger to his lips and shook her head, “this is not your fault, whatsoever. It’s mine, and I am so, so, sorry that I worried you like this.”

“What even happened, love? They told me you collapsed?” he took a seat on the edge of the small bed, wrapping her hand up in his, careful not mess up any of the tubes and wires she was connected to.

“I was apparently very dehydrated, and I hadn’t eaten enough and it hit me all at once. It was such a weird feeling and it happened so fast. I remember being in the kitchen and then just falling, and then I woke up here. Luckily for me, Ms. Shelley heard me fall and rescued me,” she explained, and Roger didn’t know if he better any better or worse. He let out a long sigh as he kissed her hand. The boys all had worried looks on their faces as they took a seat in the hard plastic chairs, “but, the worst thing is that labor started early. My water broke when I got here, but nothing has happened yet. Everything looks good.”

“I was so worried when they called. I just don’t know...” he trailed off as he closed his eyes and held onto her tightly, “I’m glad you’re okay, my love. I should have come home earlier, I just had a feeling that something was going on, I should have listened to my gut.”

“Rog, no, stop. Don’t beat yourself up about this,” she said, but she suddenly squeezed his hand tightly, almost like a vice, as a contraction set in on her. Roger was startled and almost jumped out of his spot.

“What was that?” he asked and she bit her lip, trying to breathe her way through it. He looked to the boys and they all shook their heads, not quite sure either, except for Deacy. He already had three children of his own, and had been in his position before.

“I believe she’s experiencing contractions,” he announced to them, and she nodded, confirming what he had just stated, “the baby will be coming soon.”

“Indeed she is. I hope you’re ready to become a father, Mr. Taylor,” Gisela turned to him with a smirk on her face as she went about thoroughly washing her hands again, “Mrs. Taylor, I’m going to check you again, but, judging by how quickly your contractions are coming now, it seems like you’ll be ready to push shortly.”

“Oh, no, that seems like something we can hold off on,” her eyes were wide as she looked nervously at Roger. Roger’s face wore an expression of sheer panic mixed with nervous excitement.

“There’s no going back now, darling, I think it’s a little late. You should gave thought about that eight months ago,” Freddie laughed at her and she turned to him with a furious look on her face. He instantly stopped laughing, realizing that joking with a woman in labor was not a great idea.

“Unfortunately, there is no stopping a baby once it’s coming,“ the nurse laughed at her worried patient. She saw this with almost every set of first time parents she dealt with.

“Roger, I’m blaming you,” she turned to her husband, and he just looked back at her with a worried expression on his face. He was jolted when she squeezed his hand, letting out a low sigh of pain, “we’re never having sex again!”

“Yeah, okay. Like you’re going to be able to keep your hands off me,” he smirked at her and she squeezed a little tighter than necessary, hoping he felt the pain. Judging by how he lightly winced, she had gotten her point across.

“I think it’s time for you to push,” Y/N just shook her head in response. She had never felt less ready to be a mother than in this moment. What if she was an awful mother? What if she didn’t connect with their baby? What if something went wrong?

“I’m not ready,” she said in such a small voice. Roger leaned over and kissed the side of her head, murmuring all sorts of reassurances in her ear, “I’m scared, Rog. I’m so scared, I don’t think I can do this!”

“You can, my love,” he promised her, “we’ve been getting ready for this for months. You’re going to be the greatest mother any child could ever have, and even if this doesn’t go perfect, we’ll make it perfect. Because this is our baby, our love.”

“Are you sure?” she was still worried, and she felt herself start to tear up at his sweet words, and her nervousness. The newest wave of pain hit her and she didn’t hold back the small scream that came out. She had always wondered if women played the pain up, but she was saddened to see that they didn’t - the pain was very, very real.

“Mrs. Taylor, it’s time,” Y/N looked at Roger, and nodded slowly as he leaned over and pressed one last sweet kiss to her lips.

“She’s so beautiful,” Freddie whispered as he, Brian, and Deacy all peered in through the glass in the door of Y/N’s hospital room. They were all eagerly pushing each other of the way to get a first look at the newest member of the Queen family, “she favors Y/N, I think.”

“No way,” Bri insisted, easily peering over the heads of the other two, “that baby is all Rog. She’s already got his mop of hair.”

“I think you’re both wrong,” Deacy countered, standing on his tiptoes to get look, “she’s clearly a mix of the two. A perfect blend.”

“Are you lot just going to keep standing there and staring or are you going to come in and met your goddaughter?” Roger came up to the door, the biggest grin they had ever seen, stretched across his face. They eagerly nodded and followed him inside, trying to be as quiet as possible as to not disturb the newborn.

Freddie leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, and studied the sleeping baby, “she’s beautiful, darling. You both did an amazing job.”

“Congratulations to both of you,” Deacy grinned at the sight of the baby. He had been in this position before, and the feeling of getting to see your child for the first time, after months of waiting was magical; one of the best feelings in the world, “welcome to parenthood. I know you’ll both love it. We already love her.”

“Y/N, I’d say congratulations, but now you’ll be stuck with two Taylors, so I suppose I’m sorry,” Brian joked and she couldn’t contain her laughter as Roger just stared at the two of them, his jaw falling open, “I kid, of course. Congratulations mate.”

“Thanks, Bri,” Roger said as his best friend pulled him into a tight hug. He hugged him right back, happier than he had ever been.

“What’s her name, then?” Freddie asked as Y/N smiled at Roger, indicating for him to tell them.

“We had a hard time picking out a name, there’s so many to choose from,” he started, and went over to Y/N and ever so gently took the baby from her arms and held her close to his chest, “but I think the names  we settled on are pretty good. This is Gemma Brianna Jane Mercury Taylor.”

“Did you...” Freddie looked at the other boys, each of them grinning from ear to ear as they realized what Y/N and Roger had done, “for us?”

“We realize it’s quite a long name, and three middle names seems excessive, but we think it suits her perfectly,” Y/N smiled at the her favorite group of people, “if you all are okay with it, of course.”

“More than okay,” Brian said and Deacy nodded along with him.

“Oh sweet little Gemma,” Freddie sighed contently as he touched her cheek gently, “you’re going to do great things one day. I’m so glad you’re part of our family.”

“Here,” Roger said as he handed her to him, making sure she was safe. She made the smallest of sounds before relaxing as Freddie held her. Deacy and Brian stood close by him, admiring the small, tiny human. Roger looked fondly at them being going back to Y/N and sitting down next to her, “you did amazing, my love. Everything is perfect.”

“I don’t know if I could have done it with you by my side,” she admitted as he kissed her forehead, “I’m already so in love with her. And you, Rog, I love you so much.”

“I love you both to the ends of the earth,” he concurred as he gently touched her cheek, “everything is perfect. You are perfect. She is perfect. Our little family is perfect.”

“So are we taking turns with her? Rotating weekends?” Freddie joked as smiled down at her, but Y/N and Roger just exchanged glances, wearing devilish grins and laughing before collectively giving them a firm NO.

She was all theirs and nothing was ever going to break the Taylor trio apart.

Permanent Taglist: @ruinerofcheese @courtneychicken  @santa-crew @supernatural508 @ssweet-empowerment @nerissa98 @jamesbarnesappreciationsociety @buckybarnesappreciationsociety @wearegoldeninthenight @mannatgalhotra @prxttybirdz @piensa-bonito @mightyhemsworthy @shewalksinanotherworld @jems8241 @bookaddic @fairyxxfighter @asguardiansoftheavengers @esoltis280 @the-bright-lights @artisticlales @loislp @dixonsbugaboo @sleepylunarwolf @patzammit @thisismysecrethappyplace @princess-evans-addict @bookgirlunicorn @makapaka11 @bornfortherainydays @avipshamitra @clumsy-clara @justanewqueensfan @yourealegendroger @anna1523 @queenficarchive @screaminggalileochickenwrites  @hells-personal-bitch

[eldritchsurveys]

o31.

1. Do you prefer to watch a documentary that is about a situation/event or a documentary that is more of a personal character study/biography? >> The documentaries I seem to watch most often are about situations or events or like... phenomena, moreso than individuals. 2. Can you think of a recent time in which you might have been better off resisting, but you did something because you “just couldn’t help yourself”? >> Uh... probably the last time I drank a lot? 3. Are there any films you just refuse to watch, that even if a close friend recommended it you’d have a hard time actually giving it a try? >> I can’t think of any off the top of my head but there are definitely films I have no interest in watching no matter how many people love them. 4. When you are getting to know someone, do you tend to worry that the other person will lose interest in you once they get to know the “real” you? >> No. I mean, I do have my reservations about people wanting to be friends with me under what I think are false pretenses (”I seem cool on the internet” or something like that), but eh. Obsessing over it ain’t gonna make it better. Either they’ll like me or they won’t, either way, it’s not like there aren’t already people who like me for who I am. ~

5. What is something that you would like to do, but really aren’t able to because of your location? (e.g., see art or get a certain job) >> Go to the ocean.

6. What’s the most a friend or partner has ever let you down? Did it change the relationship? >> I don’t know. 7. Have you ever felt like you weren’t there for a friend or family member when they needed you? How did your relationship recover? >> Yeah. I mean, I’m guessing time and personal development on both of our parts are what caused our relationship to recover, but the habit of blaming myself for not being [x] enough or less [y] is a hard one to break, since I’d been doing it for years, lmao. I know Hallie doesn’t blame me, I’d just made up a cross to bear years ago and it’s myself that has to give me permission to drop it. 8. Thinking about your current and/or previous romantic relationships, did you generally feel the same way about everyone or did you have to date multiple people until you finally felt a certain excitement about a person? >> I definitely didn’t feel the same way about everyone, lmao. “Excitement” isn’t really the word I’d use in any case, though, I don’t think? I just think I loved everyone on different levels (and there were a couple of people I dated that I didn’t really feel anything for at all, like Anubis). The way I loved Tommy isn’t the same way I loved Darkness isn’t the same way I loved Raven isn’t the same way I love Hallie isn’t the same way I love Sparrow. That’s just... how it works. People are unique, and the way I relate to them is equally unique. Everyone calls to different parts of me, seeing as I contain multitudes and whatnot.

9. Imagining being in a long term relationship, are you concerned that you might lose yourself, whether by subordinating yourself to their interests or putting your desires on hold in order to support theirs? >> I’m not concerned about losing myself. I think there’s a certain amount of personal development that happens as a byproduct of being in a long-term relationship with someone else -- you change by sheer necessity, to accommodate this other person in your life. Resisting that necessary evolution is what causes a lot of relationship problems, it seems. It’s easy to go “well, I want to do what I want to do!!!” and yeah, it’s a seductive thought, but... what are we really losing by making these changes? Maybe those behaviours that our partners are trying to get us to change are behaviours we really do need to change, and it takes another person to help us see that, because by ourselves we’d have no reason to change them. I don’t know, I just think that relationships (not just romantic ones, all relationships, but you know) are fundamental to individual development, period. Anyway, that being said, there is a level of discernment that should be practiced too -- it’s one thing for a partner to get you to be more thoughtful or drink less or eat your vegetables or whatever. It’s another thing entirely for a partner to tell you that you should like what they want you to like, and do only the things they want you to do, and drop all your friends, and wear only certain clothes, and so on. I think it’s important to learn the difference.  10. Have you ever framed or displayed any of your own artwork in your room/house? >> Nah, written stories don’t look good in frames ;D 11. If you could watch any movie (even one that’s not released yet) right now, which would it be? >> Ocean’s 8 sounds cool, everyone seems really excited about it. 12. If you have ever had a partnership in which you said, “I love you,” how was the experience, who said it first, and how long into the relationship was it said? >> Uh, lmao... I don’t really remember things like this very well, like... I’m not sure it was a really dramatic occasion in any of my relationships? I mean, it might have felt really monumental to say it, but the situation itself wasn’t a whole big memorable one like with choirs singing or anything. So I don’t remember. 13. What sort of job do you think is best suited for your skills? Is this an in-demand position or something you’re unlikely to actually get? >> Hm. 14. Where do you feel like you learn the most from? For example, do you read a lot of books, learn from people you know, listen to podcasts, watch series/documentaries, or something else? >> I think I’m an eclectic learner -- I like to learn from everything. I think literally everything is a learning opportunity -- like, even the most casual conversation can teach you something, like a new joke! That seems inconsequential, but you’ve still learned something you didn’t know before, so...??? Pillars of Eternity had me thinking about zen stuff today just from doing a character quest. I learn so much from video games. 15. How do you handle occasions when you have to dine with other people? This can be a simple family dinner or a wedding style party. >> I don’t... know? Like, I just sit and eat, I’m not sure what this is asking me. 16. Do you believe it is the responsibility of businesses, or prominent business leaders (think Bill Gates) to take the lead on social issues whether by using their influence or their money? >> Ideally, yes, I feel like it should be their responsibility. Realistically, I’m not sure I want Bill Gates et al to exert any more power over the country than they already do. 17. Have you ever gone to a job interview and realized that you didn’t want the job? >> --- 18. Have you ever asked that someone sacrifice something (a habit, relationship, job, etc.) for you? >> I mean, sure. Not anything like a relationship or a job, because... I have no reason to want that??? But like, habits, sure, like asking Hallie to drink less for both of our sake. If I had a bad habit and one of my SOs asked me to drop it, I would at least give it my best try, too. It’s part of that thing I was talking about up there *points to earlier question*. 19. Do you feel any distress over the Trump administration? Do you think that you would ever be involved in resisting any current or possible future policies? >> Sometimes I feel a bit of mild distress, but mostly I just feel... really bemused. Like, I can’t believe this is our government right now, lmao. I find it very hard to take it seriously -- not in the sense that I think it’s not worth caring about, but in the sense that it is so fucking absurd. Like living in a bizarro reality. 20. Have you ever been shocked or disappointed by a friend’s general ignorance or ignorance regarding a topic you value? >> Probably, but like... whatever, man.

[patriotsnet]

What Color Ties Do Republicans Wear

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/what-color-ties-do-republicans-wear/

What Color Ties Do Republicans Wear

The History Of Party Colors In The United States

Tie-Dye 101: Tips & Tricks

Prior to the United States presidential election of 2000, which party was Red and which was Blue was largely a matter of which color a news outlet chose. On the October 30, 2000, episode of the Today show, Tim Russert coined the terms red state and blue state.

As far back as the 1888 election blue was used to represent the northern Union states and red the south, but this wasnt consistent throughout time . In the 70s and 80s the major networks starting using lighted maps to illustrate election results. Democrats were often coded blue and Republicans red, but it wasnt consistent. This inconsistent coloring continued throughout the Clinton years and up to the Gore Vs. Bush. This can all be varied by old videos and articles.

Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed

Get it as soon as Monday, Sep 13FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonOnly 1 left in stock – order soon.

Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 9FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon

Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 9FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon

Get it as soon as Friday, Sep 10FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonOnly 3 left in stock – order soon.

Red White And Blue: How Color Defines Politics

In early October, Pew Research Center noted a 1.2-point increase in voters for Republicans and a 4.6-point increase for Democrats.

Turnouts for early voting amongst young voters, ages 18-29, have been proving astronomical versus 2014, particularly in red states.

According to The Hill, as of November 2, 2018, early voting polls showed:

Arizona: +217%

Tennessee: +767%

Texas: +448%

But why do we Americans associate political leanings with a specific color? Why do we know what it means to discuss voting in a red state or blue state? And what impact does the psychology of color have on individuals and communities?

Recommended Reading: Can Republicans Vote On Super Tuesday

A Final Word On Colors

Many political parties around the world often choose their colors because of their connections to political stances, groups, or ideologies.

For example, red has historically been a color often linked to socialism and communism after a red flag was used by the revolutionaries during the Paris Commune. Revolutionaries may have picked red flags during this time as a possible reference to the 13th century red naval flags of defiance that meant a ship would kill any enemy it saw and so was flying a bloody flag.

As another example, many environmentalist parties around the world will often use the color green to symbolize nature. Finally, fascist parties have often used the color black such as Adolf Hitlers Nazi party and Benito Mussolinis Italian Fascist party because the black color represents what they intend to bring to their enemies: fear, intimidation, and death.  

Lets finish with a quick trip around the globe to see the colors associated with some prominent political parties. In the United Kingdom, the colors are flipped compared to the United States: the right-leaning Conservative Party uses blue and the left-leaning Labour Party uses red, as do the Canadian parties of the same names. Australias oldest party, the Australian Labor Party, uses red while the Christian Democratic Union of Germany has used orange and black, and Emmanuel Macron of Frances En Marche! uses yellow. 

Why Is Hillary Clinton In Red And Why Is Donald Trump Wearing A Blue Tie

Id expect the republican candidate to wear red and the democrat to wear blue, but its quite the opposite. Why is this?

The color red is thought to convey strength and aggression, which is why a lot of men use that color for power ties. The Clinton camp probably wanted to her appear commanding and authoritative, particularly when debating a loud and aggressive opponent.

Blue is viewed as more calm and soothing. Trumps camp may have wanted him to appear calm and restrained.

The whole red/Republican, blue/Democrat thing is a pretty recent association anyway, starting in the 2000 election. Its not as if those are the official colors of those parties.

It was around before that but iirc they switched colors every election.

i did not realize red/blue as party association was only that recent

Clinton was expecting Trump to wear his red tie its a power color. So she preemptively wore a red suit. He was expecting her to expect that, so he wore blue as a counter-power move.

You know, I think you might have said that as joke but with consultants and strategists and yadiyadiyada, I might just be what happened.

If he wore a red suit he would have appeared dangerously unstable, for what he wore, not what he said.

These are no official colours of either major party. Neither has official colours of any kind. Both have used red, white, and blue for their entire histories.

Also Check: What Caused Republicans To Gain Power In Congress In 1938

The Color Psychology Behind Inauguration Fashion

Inauguration day isnt just about politics, its also all about fashion.

Inauguration day isnt just about politics, its also all about fashion.

All eyes were on Donald Trump Friday as he took oath as the 45th president of the United States, but it was hard to miss the stylish outfits surrounding his inauguration.

Dressing for a major political event is an event in itself. Outfits worn by powerful leaders and their families are carefully selected and crafted by high-profile designers and stylists. Fashion experts often dig deeper into the meanings behind the colors picked for outfits that will be seen by millions around the globe.

Public image is important for all politicians, especially for the first lady, said Dr. Dong Shen, professor of Fashion Merchandising and Design at California State University, Sacramento. Colors and brands are very important.

The first lady is often an American icon but traditionally, their main role is to support their husbands presidency. Their outfits tend to balance or compliment their husbands attire, avoiding to overpower.

Shen explained, for this reason, first ladies are usually seen in softer colors or floral patterns.

Blue is often associated with the sky and the ocean, Shen said of Mrs. Trumps inauguration outfit. It often symbolizes loyalty and trust.

Why The Red Tie

So why do so many politicians wear red power ties?

Unless we ask them its impossible to know for sure. Some journalists have speculated that red is a popular color because it features in the American flag and so advertises its wearers patriotism. If this is true, though, we should see as many blue ties as red.

Perhaps the clue is in the name: power. Could it be that politicians suspect that a red tie makes them appear more powerful, dominant, and authoritative?

Read Also: Are There More Democrats Or Republicans In The Senate

Gop Candidates Stick To Red Ties At Debate

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney stood out at last night’s GOP debate, mainly for his $10,000 gaffe.

But we couldn’t help but notice the former Massachusetts governor’s other major distinction: a blue tie.

While its exact point of origin is murky , the color-coding of American politics has become common knowledge: red for Republicans, blue for Democrats. The primary-hued shorthand has extended from election night dry-erase boards to candidates’ closets, as male candidates have been known to indicate their party alignment by tie color.

And though it’s not an exact science , the red-blue divide was on full display at last night’s GOP debate — with one exception. Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Ron Paul all wore red ties, while Mitt Romney wore light blue.

Michele Bachmann, for the record, wore a royal blue blouse.

Romeny’s blue wasn’t too surprising, as it’s been his go-to hue throughout the debates. Men’s fashion expert Hendrik Pohl, the CEO of ties-necktie.com, told ABC, “Blue is the color that people most commonly name as their favorite color and it has very calming effect on people” — and sure enough, eight out of the ten major debates have seen Romney in the safe color.

What gives? Afraid of standing out, Newt? Is wearing anything other than red an affront to Texas, Rick? Trying to prove your Republican affiliation, Ron?

See pics of the candidates’ ties below… what style of ties would you like to see at the next debate?

How Did Red And Blue Come To Represent The Two Major Us Political Parties

What To Wear To A Formal Event | 3 Suit Options

It all started with television. In the early 1970s, networks like ABC, NBC, and CBS were seeking a way to demarcate which states in the electoral college had been won by each candidate. More American households had color TV sets than ever before, giving news programs covering the election an opportunity to show splashy graphics when a state was called in favor of a given candidate. 

The first network to color-code states during an election results broadcast was CBS in 1972. However, at that time, blue represented the states won by the Republican incumbent Richard Nixon, and red stood in for those taken by challenger US Senator George McGovern of South Dakota.

Theres a good reason why those colors were chosen for each party at the time: global precedent. In Great Britain, red had long been used to represent the more liberal party, which in this American use case were the Democrats. Blue stood in for Republicans by default, in part because the colors in contrast were striking on screen.

But by the late-1980s and early 1990s, those color assignments reversed. Blue became more consistently used for Democrats and red for Republicans. 

Nevertheless, it still wasnt until 2000the race between Democrat and Vice President Al Gore and Republican Texas Governor George W. Bushthat those colors became synonymous with the name of each party.

Recommended Reading: How Many Republicans In The New Senate

Which States Are Considered Red And Which Are Blue

To go along with the colors, the terms red state and blue state were popularized by anchorman Tim Russert during and immediately after the 2000 election. Today, these terms are used to refer to which party a state voted for during a presidential election. 

Generally speaking, the Northeast and the West Coast are considered a collection of blue states as most of them have sided with the Democrats since the early 1990s.

The Southern states have sided with Republicans since the 2000s, while the Midwest tends to be tougher to predict. For example, Illinois and Minnesota are currently considered blue states, while Missouri and Nebraska are red. Hawaii and Alaska have been traditionally considered blue and red respectively as neither has switched parties since the late 1980s .

The Southwest has been split since 2000 with Nevada, New Mexico, and Colorado going blue more often than red and Utah and Arizona voting predictably red. Finally, we come to the coveted purple states or swing states, such as Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan. These states switched colors in recent elections and are often a key focus of electoral campaigning and strategy. Swing states can vary by election year.

Shopping On A Hill Staffers Salary Means Deal

Kate: A lot of people dont realize how little Hill staffers make, so they probably dont realize what a struggle it is to find clothes that youre able to wear to work and that are still acceptable. Im just trying to make rent! I make $65,000, but I know some staff assistants that make $25,000.

I shop at , T.J. Maxx, and Nordstrom Rack I go to the Nordstrom in the mall, and then I go to the Rack and find the same stuff. I would never pay full price for something. On birthdays and Christmas, I try to get as many clothes as I can.

Heather: I typically shop at Marshalls and Nordstrom Rack. I still shop at H&M, but some of their stuff is more expensive and wears out quickly. Ill only shop at J.Crew Factory and Banana Republic Factory if its something that I love and fits me really well. Otherwise, I wont splurge on it. Anthropologie is where I wish I could shop if I had that kind of money, but I dont.

I wont spend more than $80 on one particular item of clothing, unless its a coat. For dresses, I wont go over $70 unless I love it. Tops I like to be $20 to $30. Pants and shirts, $40.

In a place like this, with a lot of powerful people, you want to sprinkle in items that do cost a lot of money. Ill wear a Burberry scarf with an overcoat; I carry a Tumi bag. If they see items on you that they can recognize and that they know the value of, they then assume that is expensive, when little do they know you got your suit for under $300 and your shoes were on sale for $50.

Also Check: Who Is The Speaker Of The House For Republicans

From Pleather To Puffy Coats Swapcom Uncovers The Hottest Fashions Trending Across The Country For Red And Blue Voters

October 26, 2016 05:00 ET | Source:Swap.comSwap.com

CHICAGO, IL– – With less than two weeks to Election Day, the candidate’s personal style and wardrobe has been an ongoing talking point for politicos and news anchors. From patriotically-themed pantsuits and ties to poor tailoring to disheveled hair, it is clear fashion plays a powerful role in politics. For a less serious spin on politics and fashion, Swap.com — the largest online consignment store-dove deep into millions of previous purchases to uncover how style preferences of Democrats and Republicans sized up. Based on a breakdown of how red and blue counties voted in the 2012 election, Swap.com has revealed the most popular picks among liberals and conservatives.

That’s A Lot of Look

When it comes to clothes, both Republicans and Democrats are buttoning and bundling up in interesting ways. Republicans prefer dresses to skirts and, when it is warm, buy more Capri pants and Bermuda and cargo shorts. Meanwhile, Democrats are pairing jeggings with a blazer and their favorite sports jersey topped off by a puffy coat.

Democrats are

69% more likely to wear jeggings

39% more likely to wear jerseys

31% more likely to wear sweaters

30% more likely to wear blazers

22% more likely to wear puffy coats

21% more likely to wear button-up shirts

14% more likely to wear skirts

Republicans are

Methodology:

Color And Clothing Choices

When we see certain colors, they produce chemical reactions in our brains that can make us feel certain emotions. For example you are more likely to order more food in a restaurant that is decorated with a lot of red because that color makes us hungry. Sports teams often paint the opposing teams locker room pink because that color makes people tired. Guests on late night TV hang out in the Green Room before coming on stage because that color is the most calming and relaxing. So what could certain candidates be trying to sell you via their color and clothing choices?

Read Also: What Cities Are Run By Republicans

The Psychology Of Tie Colors In The Race For President

Have you ever asked yourself the question why we only see red and blue ties on presidential candidates as of recently? Some might argue that candidates will choose those ties that best reflects their partys identify, meaning red ties for Republican Romney, and blue ties for Democrat President Obama, but this is only partially true.

Take Tuesdays Presidential debate for instance. Romney wore a bright blue and white striped tie while Obama opted for a burgundy-red piece, a change that I was very happy to see. Pre-debate I was actually hoping that Obama would be wearing a red tie a color that is synonymous with power, confidence, and excitement all things Obama lacked in the first debate.

Obama is Taking Charge, Wearing a Burgundy-Red Tie

I am now making the argument that Obamas red tie helped him step up his game during the last debate. Not only did the tie grabbed the audiences attention, but I strongly belief that it gave President Obama a boost of confidence after taking a look in the mirror.

The psychology & emotional effects of colors is definitely nothing new. In fact, psychologists have been researching the meaning of colors for decades, if not centuries, and evidence does indeed prove that certain colors do evoke certain emotional responses in people. This is nothing new to presidential candidates who pay attention to what colors to pick out for a public appearance.

Other Suggested Articles:

No Consensus On Colors Before 2000

Before the 2000 presidential election, television networks didn’t stick to any particular theme when illustrating which candidates and which parties won which states. In fact, many rotated the colors: One year Republicans would be red and the next year Republicans would be blue. Neither party really wanted to claim red as its color because of its association with communism.

According to Smithsonian magazine:

“Before the epic election of 2000, there was no uniformity in the maps that television stations, newspapers or magazines used to illustrate presidential elections. Pretty much everyone embraced red and blue, but which color represented which party varied, sometimes by organization, sometimes by election cycle.”

Newspapers including The New York Times and USA Today jumped on the Republican-red and Democrat-blue theme that year, too, and stuck with it. Both published color-coded maps of results by county. Counties that sided with Bush appeared red in the newspapers. Counties that voted for Gore were shaded in blue.

The explanation Archie Tse, a senior graphics editor for the Times, gave to Smithsonian for his choice of colors for each party was fairly straightforward:

I just decided red begins with r, Republican begins with r. It was a more natural association. There wasnt much discussion about it.

Also Check: What Republicans Voted Against The Wall

Red Vs Blue: Why Necktie Colors Matter

ByRobert Roy Britt01 March 2017

In high-stakes politics and business, there are only two colors of ties: red and blue. Oh, sure, you might spot purple or yellow now and then, but those are clear statements of aloofness, be they calculated or careless.

Few world leaders or CEOs want to be seen as aloof.

But does it matter whether one wears red or blue? Yes, suggest several studies, including one published in the journal Science on Feb. 6, 2009. More on that in a moment.

First, some color:

Tonight , during his first address to a joint session of Congress, President Donald Trump wore a blue and white striped tie. Seated behind Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Paul Ryan, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, both wore blue ties.

For his inauguration on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump wore a red tie with his dark suit, while outgoing President Barack Obama donned a blue tie. Their wives wore the reverse, with Michelle Obama in a red dress and Melania Trump wearing a powder blue ensemble.

In the first presidential debate of 2016, then-nominee Donald Trump donned a blue tie, while the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, wore a red suit. The Democrats may have decided on “red” during the election, as Clinton’s running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine donned a red tie during the first vice presidential debates on Oct. 4, while Trump’s running mate, then-Indiana governor Mike Pence sported a blue necktie.  

Related:

Republican Party Platform 2016: We Fact-Checked the Science

Desks Are Closets Too

How To Tie Dye

Heather: I have an emergency blazer in my desk that I can whip out if I feel I need to, and then an extra pair of flats in my desk. You do so much walking in DC that flats wear out really quickly. Ill keep Band-Aids and Neosporin in my desk, too, for when Im breaking in a pair of shoes. Ill get new flats every four months Ill just go to Marshalls and get whats on sale.

Jen: Im a big fan of having a lot of jackets that I keep in the office. You never know what day youll need to go staff your boss on the senate floor. Jackets that you can put on regardless of whether youre wearing slacks or a dress or a skirt and a top I think thats one of the easiest things to keep on hand. Then I have a black sweater, because these buildings can be terribly temperature controlled.

Don’t Miss: Did Republicans Riot After Obama Was Elected

The Best Presidential Suits Ever Worn

The diplomatic protocol and the demands of the presidential dress-code leave a narrow margin of freedom to express themselves freely. Who has the best taste when choosing what to wear to take charge of governing his nation? That question causes you great curiosity, because although you know that the presidents of the list below have a group of image advisors behind them, some do not look as good as they should, considering the media exposure to which their posts compels them.

Even the presidents and high official of a country cannot escape from the sharp eyes of fashion police. The following list spotlights the powerful men and women in the world who accessorize political acumen with perfect tailoring and their idiosyncratic touches.

Barack Obama

Barack Obama has declared that he is not a fan of fashion. However, Obama knows how to wear a suit and he wears it well. During his presidential campaigns he was seen with a more casual look of jeans and shirts, but in office, he has opted for an obligatorily more elegant image, based on classic two buttons. His favorite colors are the dark ones and he mostly wears white shirts combined with ties in red or blue tones. Among his favorite designers are Ermenegildo Zegna and Hart Schaffner Marx.

The former President explained the logic behind this routine:

John F. Kennedy

Harry S. Truman

Ronald Reagan

Vladimir Putin

Blue Ties Symbolic As Bush Democratic Leaders Meet

Story Highlights

NEW:

WASHINGTON Now facing Democratic control of both chambers of Congress during the last two years of his presidency, President Bush on Friday continued to move toward building a working relationship with Democratic congressional leaders.

Bush met in the Oval Office with Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, who is expected to be the Senate majority leader when a new Congress convenes in January, and Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, expected to become assistant majority leader.

I assured the senators that we will cooperate as closely as we can to solve common problems, Bush said after the meeting.

The president also congratulated the senators on their election victory and said, I know they were proud of their teams efforts. And they ran good campaigns and they talked about issues that people care about, and they won.

The new dynamic of checks and balances between Congress and the executive branch provide a great opportunity for us to show the country that Republicans and Democrats are equally as patriotic and equally concerned about the future, and that we can work together, Bush said.

Reid concurred, saying, Elections over. The only way to move forward is with bipartisanship and openness and to get some results. And weve made a commitment the four of us here today that thats what were going to do.

From our side, we think that is a symbolic indication, and were off to a good start, Durbin said.

Recommended Reading: Who Was The Leader Of The Radical Republicans

How The Colors Came To Be Red White And Blue

Of the 205 sovereign nations in the world, 21 share red, white and blue as their flags colors. But why do so many share the same trio of colors, and what do they represent?

On July 4, 1776, a resolution was passed by Congress authorizing the development of a seal for the new country which reflected the Founding Fathers values.

When presenting the seal which was officially adopted on June 20, 1782 Secretary of the Continental Congress, Charles Thomson, explained, White signifies purity and innocence. Red, hardiness and valor, and blue signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice.

The meaning behind the colors have since shifted slightly. In 1986, President Ronald Reagan declared it the Year of the Flag, stating, The colors of our flag signify the qualities of the human spirit we Americans cherish. Red for courage and readiness to sacrifice; white for pure intentions and high ideals; and blue for vigilance and justice.

According to TIME Magazine, however, Mike Buss, a flag expert with the American Legion, points to the red, white and blue used in the Union Jack of England.

They come from the three colors that the Founding Fathers had served under or had been exposed to, said Buss.

Therefore, some of the correlation between the United States use of red, white and blue along with 20 other countries, including Puerto Rico, Australia and Cuba, could come from their historical correlation with England.

[statetalks]

What Color Ties Do Republicans Wear

The History Of Party Colors In The United States

Tie-Dye 101: Tips & Tricks

Prior to the United States presidential election of 2000, which party was Red and which was Blue was largely a matter of which color a news outlet chose. On the October 30, 2000, episode of the Today show, Tim Russert coined the terms red state and blue state.

As far back as the 1888 election blue was used to represent the northern Union states and red the south, but this wasnt consistent throughout time . In the 70s and 80s the major networks starting using lighted maps to illustrate election results. Democrats were often coded blue and Republicans red, but it wasnt consistent. This inconsistent coloring continued throughout the Clinton years and up to the Gore Vs. Bush. This can all be varied by old videos and articles.

Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed

Get it as soon as Monday, Sep 13FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonOnly 1 left in stock – order soon. Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 9FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 9FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon Get it as soon as Friday, Sep 10FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonOnly 3 left in stock – order soon.

Red White And Blue: How Color Defines Politics

In early October, Pew Research Center noted a 1.2-point increase in voters for Republicans and a 4.6-point increase for Democrats.

Turnouts for early voting amongst young voters, ages 18-29, have been proving astronomical versus 2014, particularly in red states.

According to The Hill, as of November 2, 2018, early voting polls showed:

Arizona: +217%

Tennessee: +767%

Texas: +448%

But why do we Americans associate political leanings with a specific color? Why do we know what it means to discuss voting in a red state or blue state? And what impact does the psychology of color have on individuals and communities?

Recommended Reading: Can Republicans Vote On Super Tuesday

A Final Word On Colors

Many political parties around the world often choose their colors because of their connections to political stances, groups, or ideologies.

For example, red has historically been a color often linked to socialism and communism after a red flag was used by the revolutionaries during the Paris Commune. Revolutionaries may have picked red flags during this time as a possible reference to the 13th century red naval flags of defiance that meant a ship would kill any enemy it saw and so was flying a bloody flag.

As another example, many environmentalist parties around the world will often use the color green to symbolize nature. Finally, fascist parties have often used the color black such as Adolf Hitlers Nazi party and Benito Mussolinis Italian Fascist party because the black color represents what they intend to bring to their enemies: fear, intimidation, and death.  

Lets finish with a quick trip around the globe to see the colors associated with some prominent political parties. In the United Kingdom, the colors are flipped compared to the United States: the right-leaning Conservative Party uses blue and the left-leaning Labour Party uses red, as do the Canadian parties of the same names. Australias oldest party, the Australian Labor Party, uses red while the Christian Democratic Union of Germany has used orange and black, and Emmanuel Macron of Frances En Marche! uses yellow. 

Why Is Hillary Clinton In Red And Why Is Donald Trump Wearing A Blue Tie

Id expect the republican candidate to wear red and the democrat to wear blue, but its quite the opposite. Why is this?

The color red is thought to convey strength and aggression, which is why a lot of men use that color for power ties. The Clinton camp probably wanted to her appear commanding and authoritative, particularly when debating a loud and aggressive opponent.

Blue is viewed as more calm and soothing. Trumps camp may have wanted him to appear calm and restrained.

The whole red/Republican, blue/Democrat thing is a pretty recent association anyway, starting in the 2000 election. Its not as if those are the official colors of those parties.

It was around before that but iirc they switched colors every election.

i did not realize red/blue as party association was only that recent

Clinton was expecting Trump to wear his red tie its a power color. So she preemptively wore a red suit. He was expecting her to expect that, so he wore blue as a counter-power move.

You know, I think you might have said that as joke but with consultants and strategists and yadiyadiyada, I might just be what happened.

If he wore a red suit he would have appeared dangerously unstable, for what he wore, not what he said.

These are no official colours of either major party. Neither has official colours of any kind. Both have used red, white, and blue for their entire histories.

Also Check: What Caused Republicans To Gain Power In Congress In 1938

The Color Psychology Behind Inauguration Fashion

Inauguration day isnt just about politics, its also all about fashion.

Inauguration day isnt just about politics, its also all about fashion.

All eyes were on Donald Trump Friday as he took oath as the 45th president of the United States, but it was hard to miss the stylish outfits surrounding his inauguration.

Dressing for a major political event is an event in itself. Outfits worn by powerful leaders and their families are carefully selected and crafted by high-profile designers and stylists. Fashion experts often dig deeper into the meanings behind the colors picked for outfits that will be seen by millions around the globe.

Public image is important for all politicians, especially for the first lady, said Dr. Dong Shen, professor of Fashion Merchandising and Design at California State University, Sacramento. Colors and brands are very important.

The first lady is often an American icon but traditionally, their main role is to support their husbands presidency. Their outfits tend to balance or compliment their husbands attire, avoiding to overpower.

Shen explained, for this reason, first ladies are usually seen in softer colors or floral patterns.

Blue is often associated with the sky and the ocean, Shen said of Mrs. Trumps inauguration outfit. It often symbolizes loyalty and trust.

Why The Red Tie

So why do so many politicians wear red power ties?

Unless we ask them its impossible to know for sure. Some journalists have speculated that red is a popular color because it features in the American flag and so advertises its wearers patriotism. If this is true, though, we should see as many blue ties as red.

Perhaps the clue is in the name: power. Could it be that politicians suspect that a red tie makes them appear more powerful, dominant, and authoritative?

Read Also: Are There More Democrats Or Republicans In The Senate

Gop Candidates Stick To Red Ties At Debate

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney stood out at last night’s GOP debate, mainly for his $10,000 gaffe.

But we couldn’t help but notice the former Massachusetts governor’s other major distinction: a blue tie.

While its exact point of origin is murky , the color-coding of American politics has become common knowledge: red for Republicans, blue for Democrats. The primary-hued shorthand has extended from election night dry-erase boards to candidates’ closets, as male candidates have been known to indicate their party alignment by tie color.

And though it’s not an exact science , the red-blue divide was on full display at last night’s GOP debate — with one exception. Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Ron Paul all wore red ties, while Mitt Romney wore light blue.

Michele Bachmann, for the record, wore a royal blue blouse.

Romeny’s blue wasn’t too surprising, as it’s been his go-to hue throughout the debates. Men’s fashion expert Hendrik Pohl, the CEO of ties-necktie.com, told ABC, “Blue is the color that people most commonly name as their favorite color and it has very calming effect on people” — and sure enough, eight out of the ten major debates have seen Romney in the safe color.

What gives? Afraid of standing out, Newt? Is wearing anything other than red an affront to Texas, Rick? Trying to prove your Republican affiliation, Ron?

See pics of the candidates’ ties below… what style of ties would you like to see at the next debate?

How Did Red And Blue Come To Represent The Two Major Us Political Parties

What To Wear To A Formal Event | 3 Suit Options

It all started with television. In the early 1970s, networks like ABC, NBC, and CBS were seeking a way to demarcate which states in the electoral college had been won by each candidate. More American households had color TV sets than ever before, giving news programs covering the election an opportunity to show splashy graphics when a state was called in favor of a given candidate. 

The first network to color-code states during an election results broadcast was CBS in 1972. However, at that time, blue represented the states won by the Republican incumbent Richard Nixon, and red stood in for those taken by challenger US Senator George McGovern of South Dakota.

Theres a good reason why those colors were chosen for each party at the time: global precedent. In Great Britain, red had long been used to represent the more liberal party, which in this American use case were the Democrats. Blue stood in for Republicans by default, in part because the colors in contrast were striking on screen.

But by the late-1980s and early 1990s, those color assignments reversed. Blue became more consistently used for Democrats and red for Republicans. 

Nevertheless, it still wasnt until 2000the race between Democrat and Vice President Al Gore and Republican Texas Governor George W. Bushthat those colors became synonymous with the name of each party.

Recommended Reading: How Many Republicans In The New Senate

Which States Are Considered Red And Which Are Blue

To go along with the colors, the terms red state and blue state were popularized by anchorman Tim Russert during and immediately after the 2000 election. Today, these terms are used to refer to which party a state voted for during a presidential election. 

Generally speaking, the Northeast and the West Coast are considered a collection of blue states as most of them have sided with the Democrats since the early 1990s.

The Southern states have sided with Republicans since the 2000s, while the Midwest tends to be tougher to predict. For example, Illinois and Minnesota are currently considered blue states, while Missouri and Nebraska are red. Hawaii and Alaska have been traditionally considered blue and red respectively as neither has switched parties since the late 1980s .

The Southwest has been split since 2000 with Nevada, New Mexico, and Colorado going blue more often than red and Utah and Arizona voting predictably red. Finally, we come to the coveted purple states or swing states, such as Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan. These states switched colors in recent elections and are often a key focus of electoral campaigning and strategy. Swing states can vary by election year.

Shopping On A Hill Staffers Salary Means Deal

Kate: A lot of people dont realize how little Hill staffers make, so they probably dont realize what a struggle it is to find clothes that youre able to wear to work and that are still acceptable. Im just trying to make rent! I make $65,000, but I know some staff assistants that make $25,000.

I shop at , T.J. Maxx, and Nordstrom Rack I go to the Nordstrom in the mall, and then I go to the Rack and find the same stuff. I would never pay full price for something. On birthdays and Christmas, I try to get as many clothes as I can.

Heather: I typically shop at Marshalls and Nordstrom Rack. I still shop at H&M, but some of their stuff is more expensive and wears out quickly. Ill only shop at J.Crew Factory and Banana Republic Factory if its something that I love and fits me really well. Otherwise, I wont splurge on it. Anthropologie is where I wish I could shop if I had that kind of money, but I dont.

I wont spend more than $80 on one particular item of clothing, unless its a coat. For dresses, I wont go over $70 unless I love it. Tops I like to be $20 to $30. Pants and shirts, $40.

In a place like this, with a lot of powerful people, you want to sprinkle in items that do cost a lot of money. Ill wear a Burberry scarf with an overcoat; I carry a Tumi bag. If they see items on you that they can recognize and that they know the value of, they then assume that is expensive, when little do they know you got your suit for under $300 and your shoes were on sale for $50.

Also Check: Who Is The Speaker Of The House For Republicans

From Pleather To Puffy Coats Swapcom Uncovers The Hottest Fashions Trending Across The Country For Red And Blue Voters

October 26, 2016 05:00 ET | Source:Swap.comSwap.com

CHICAGO, IL– – With less than two weeks to Election Day, the candidate’s personal style and wardrobe has been an ongoing talking point for politicos and news anchors. From patriotically-themed pantsuits and ties to poor tailoring to disheveled hair, it is clear fashion plays a powerful role in politics. For a less serious spin on politics and fashion, Swap.com — the largest online consignment store-dove deep into millions of previous purchases to uncover how style preferences of Democrats and Republicans sized up. Based on a breakdown of how red and blue counties voted in the 2012 election, Swap.com has revealed the most popular picks among liberals and conservatives.

That’s A Lot of Look

When it comes to clothes, both Republicans and Democrats are buttoning and bundling up in interesting ways. Republicans prefer dresses to skirts and, when it is warm, buy more Capri pants and Bermuda and cargo shorts. Meanwhile, Democrats are pairing jeggings with a blazer and their favorite sports jersey topped off by a puffy coat.

Democrats are

69% more likely to wear jeggings

39% more likely to wear jerseys

31% more likely to wear sweaters

30% more likely to wear blazers

22% more likely to wear puffy coats

21% more likely to wear button-up shirts

14% more likely to wear skirts

Republicans are

Methodology:

Color And Clothing Choices

When we see certain colors, they produce chemical reactions in our brains that can make us feel certain emotions. For example you are more likely to order more food in a restaurant that is decorated with a lot of red because that color makes us hungry. Sports teams often paint the opposing teams locker room pink because that color makes people tired. Guests on late night TV hang out in the Green Room before coming on stage because that color is the most calming and relaxing. So what could certain candidates be trying to sell you via their color and clothing choices?

Read Also: What Cities Are Run By Republicans

The Psychology Of Tie Colors In The Race For President

Have you ever asked yourself the question why we only see red and blue ties on presidential candidates as of recently? Some might argue that candidates will choose those ties that best reflects their partys identify, meaning red ties for Republican Romney, and blue ties for Democrat President Obama, but this is only partially true.

Take Tuesdays Presidential debate for instance. Romney wore a bright blue and white striped tie while Obama opted for a burgundy-red piece, a change that I was very happy to see. Pre-debate I was actually hoping that Obama would be wearing a red tie a color that is synonymous with power, confidence, and excitement all things Obama lacked in the first debate.

Obama is Taking Charge, Wearing a Burgundy-Red Tie

I am now making the argument that Obamas red tie helped him step up his game during the last debate. Not only did the tie grabbed the audiences attention, but I strongly belief that it gave President Obama a boost of confidence after taking a look in the mirror.

The psychology & emotional effects of colors is definitely nothing new. In fact, psychologists have been researching the meaning of colors for decades, if not centuries, and evidence does indeed prove that certain colors do evoke certain emotional responses in people. This is nothing new to presidential candidates who pay attention to what colors to pick out for a public appearance.

Other Suggested Articles:

No Consensus On Colors Before 2000

Before the 2000 presidential election, television networks didn’t stick to any particular theme when illustrating which candidates and which parties won which states. In fact, many rotated the colors: One year Republicans would be red and the next year Republicans would be blue. Neither party really wanted to claim red as its color because of its association with communism.

According to Smithsonian magazine:

“Before the epic election of 2000, there was no uniformity in the maps that television stations, newspapers or magazines used to illustrate presidential elections. Pretty much everyone embraced red and blue, but which color represented which party varied, sometimes by organization, sometimes by election cycle.”

Newspapers including The New York Times and USA Today jumped on the Republican-red and Democrat-blue theme that year, too, and stuck with it. Both published color-coded maps of results by county. Counties that sided with Bush appeared red in the newspapers. Counties that voted for Gore were shaded in blue.

The explanation Archie Tse, a senior graphics editor for the Times, gave to Smithsonian for his choice of colors for each party was fairly straightforward:

I just decided red begins with r, Republican begins with r. It was a more natural association. There wasnt much discussion about it.

Also Check: What Republicans Voted Against The Wall

Red Vs Blue: Why Necktie Colors Matter

ByRobert Roy Britt01 March 2017

In high-stakes politics and business, there are only two colors of ties: red and blue. Oh, sure, you might spot purple or yellow now and then, but those are clear statements of aloofness, be they calculated or careless.

Few world leaders or CEOs want to be seen as aloof.

But does it matter whether one wears red or blue? Yes, suggest several studies, including one published in the journal Science on Feb. 6, 2009. More on that in a moment.

First, some color:

Tonight , during his first address to a joint session of Congress, President Donald Trump wore a blue and white striped tie. Seated behind Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Paul Ryan, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, both wore blue ties.

For his inauguration on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump wore a red tie with his dark suit, while outgoing President Barack Obama donned a blue tie. Their wives wore the reverse, with Michelle Obama in a red dress and Melania Trump wearing a powder blue ensemble.

In the first presidential debate of 2016, then-nominee Donald Trump donned a blue tie, while the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, wore a red suit. The Democrats may have decided on “red” during the election, as Clinton’s running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine donned a red tie during the first vice presidential debates on Oct. 4, while Trump’s running mate, then-Indiana governor Mike Pence sported a blue necktie.  

Related:

Republican Party Platform 2016: We Fact-Checked the Science

Desks Are Closets Too

How To Tie Dye

Heather: I have an emergency blazer in my desk that I can whip out if I feel I need to, and then an extra pair of flats in my desk. You do so much walking in DC that flats wear out really quickly. Ill keep Band-Aids and Neosporin in my desk, too, for when Im breaking in a pair of shoes. Ill get new flats every four months Ill just go to Marshalls and get whats on sale.

Jen: Im a big fan of having a lot of jackets that I keep in the office. You never know what day youll need to go staff your boss on the senate floor. Jackets that you can put on regardless of whether youre wearing slacks or a dress or a skirt and a top I think thats one of the easiest things to keep on hand. Then I have a black sweater, because these buildings can be terribly temperature controlled.

Don’t Miss: Did Republicans Riot After Obama Was Elected

The Best Presidential Suits Ever Worn

The diplomatic protocol and the demands of the presidential dress-code leave a narrow margin of freedom to express themselves freely. Who has the best taste when choosing what to wear to take charge of governing his nation? That question causes you great curiosity, because although you know that the presidents of the list below have a group of image advisors behind them, some do not look as good as they should, considering the media exposure to which their posts compels them.

Even the presidents and high official of a country cannot escape from the sharp eyes of fashion police. The following list spotlights the powerful men and women in the world who accessorize political acumen with perfect tailoring and their idiosyncratic touches.

Barack Obama

Barack Obama has declared that he is not a fan of fashion. However, Obama knows how to wear a suit and he wears it well. During his presidential campaigns he was seen with a more casual look of jeans and shirts, but in office, he has opted for an obligatorily more elegant image, based on classic two buttons. His favorite colors are the dark ones and he mostly wears white shirts combined with ties in red or blue tones. Among his favorite designers are Ermenegildo Zegna and Hart Schaffner Marx.

The former President explained the logic behind this routine:

John F. Kennedy

Harry S. Truman

Ronald Reagan

Vladimir Putin

Blue Ties Symbolic As Bush Democratic Leaders Meet

Story Highlights

NEW:

WASHINGTON Now facing Democratic control of both chambers of Congress during the last two years of his presidency, President Bush on Friday continued to move toward building a working relationship with Democratic congressional leaders.

Bush met in the Oval Office with Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, who is expected to be the Senate majority leader when a new Congress convenes in January, and Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, expected to become assistant majority leader.

I assured the senators that we will cooperate as closely as we can to solve common problems, Bush said after the meeting.

The president also congratulated the senators on their election victory and said, I know they were proud of their teams efforts. And they ran good campaigns and they talked about issues that people care about, and they won.

The new dynamic of checks and balances between Congress and the executive branch provide a great opportunity for us to show the country that Republicans and Democrats are equally as patriotic and equally concerned about the future, and that we can work together, Bush said.

Reid concurred, saying, Elections over. The only way to move forward is with bipartisanship and openness and to get some results. And weve made a commitment the four of us here today that thats what were going to do.

From our side, we think that is a symbolic indication, and were off to a good start, Durbin said.

Recommended Reading: Who Was The Leader Of The Radical Republicans

How The Colors Came To Be Red White And Blue

Of the 205 sovereign nations in the world, 21 share red, white and blue as their flags colors. But why do so many share the same trio of colors, and what do they represent?

On July 4, 1776, a resolution was passed by Congress authorizing the development of a seal for the new country which reflected the Founding Fathers values.

When presenting the seal which was officially adopted on June 20, 1782 Secretary of the Continental Congress, Charles Thomson, explained, White signifies purity and innocence. Red, hardiness and valor, and blue signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice.

The meaning behind the colors have since shifted slightly. In 1986, President Ronald Reagan declared it the Year of the Flag, stating, The colors of our flag signify the qualities of the human spirit we Americans cherish. Red for courage and readiness to sacrifice; white for pure intentions and high ideals; and blue for vigilance and justice.

According to TIME Magazine, however, Mike Buss, a flag expert with the American Legion, points to the red, white and blue used in the Union Jack of England.

They come from the three colors that the Founding Fathers had served under or had been exposed to, said Buss.

Therefore, some of the correlation between the United States use of red, white and blue along with 20 other countries, including Puerto Rico, Australia and Cuba, could come from their historical correlation with England.

source https://www.patriotsnet.com/what-color-ties-do-republicans-wear/

[theticklishpear]

(A table of contents is available. This series will remain open for additional posts and the table of contents up-to-date as new posts are added.)

Part Twelve: Surface Features

There are a couple of factors within a planet’s creation that will help define how its surface looks from space, and if your characters are going to be peering out of any windows on their spaceships, it would be good to know some general guidelines to help with your planetary creation.

Today’s points are going to deal with terrestrial planets rather than the gas giants since your characters are actually more likely to see the surface of these rocky spheres. The visual appearance of gas giants isn’t actually looking at their surface, since their atmosphere is the most notable part of them and is thick enough that the solid core of them won’t be reached nor seen through the sheering wind forces of the swirling elements. In general with gas giants, you’re looking at bands of brown, red, and yellow shades while ice giants are shades of blue and white. So then! Terrestrial planets! What will you see from space, anyway?

Planetary/Atmosphere Coloration: Planets that are too close to their sun will have their atmospheres burned away, and the planet’s color will be determined by the elements in the soil. For planets far enough from their star to have an atmosphere, it will be colored by the elements present, like I mentioned for the gas and ice giants. Carbon dioxide, sulfur, iron, ammonia, and phosphine will lend toward yellows, browns, and reds; while methane lends toward green; and higher concentrations of water, hydrogen, and helium will lend toward bluer atmospheres. Remember, this is for viewing from the outside. The color of your sky from the perspective of the planet’s surface has different qualifications, which we’ll get into later.

Cloud Cover: Remember last time when I talked about generalities of cloud cover when it comes to your planet’s day/night cycle? You see those clouds and weather systems from space! Make sure you understand the basics of whether the planet would tend toward cloudier or clearer skies.

Craters: During the creation of the system, there’s a period when the planets have formed but things haven’t really settled down. The planets haven’t fully cleared out their orbits yet and celestial bodies may still be moving into their “forever homes,” and the gravitational forces between everything hasn’t really settled down yet. This means that there’s a period when impact is likely, and what comes from the collision of objects? Craters!

Craters are always round, regardless of the direction the meteorite impacted at since these objects’ collision basically acts as an explosion. Crater size is about 20x the size of the projectile. So if a meteorite is even just a couple of inches, you’re looking at a 5ft crater for a 3″ piece of rock!

Smaller craters will display only the bowl-shaped depression while larger impacts may leave a central peak where some of the material rebounds up with the meteorite as it comes to rest. Raised rims and a surrounding blanket of ejected material are also common for large impacts, and sometimes the force of the ejected material may cause secondary craters around the primary impact. Large meteorites can puncture the crust, causing lava to leak into the bottom.

Because of the correlation between the system’s creation and a period of heavy bombardment, your characters may be able to tell in broad terms whether the surface they observe is young or old, inhabited/intense atmospheric activity or untouched/calm. Planets like Earth that have been constantly walked over and eroded by the atmosphere won’t display their craters as prominently as untouched planets or planets where the atmosphere doesn’t throw the surface around in natural acts of reclamation. Surface where lots of craters are evident is older than surface where fewer craters are seen since the high density of craters implies a visible history all the way back to the period of heavy bombardment.

Volcanoes: Volcanoes occur on planets that are large enough not to have expended all the internal heat from creation throughout their life. (Mercury doesn’t have volcanoes: It’s small and all the energy and heat it created during its creation has already been sent out into the universe, so what heat its core creates now mostly keeps to itself. This cooling its experienced means that its mantle is solid!)

Volcanoes will differ in height depending on how thick the planet’s crust is where the liquid rock pushes up through cracks. The thicker the crust in the area, the taller the mountain will be since there’s more for the lava to push aside. The thinner the crust, the shorter the peaks, but the easier it is for the lava to shoulder through, making planets with thinner crust more prone to volcanic activity.

The hotter the rock is heated below the surface, the more runny the lava, which in turn leads to volcanoes with steeper sides since it runs off. Cooler lava has a higher viscosity (it’s thicker!) and doesn’t move as quickly as the hotter stuff. This leads to it kind of pooling around the volcanic opening and creating volcanoes that have shorter, wider angles to their wall.

The volcanoes may also simply bulge the surface without actually breaking through, or older volcanoes may collapse, causing a big depressed ring where the caldera is. Cracks and fissures around volcanoes are also common.

Plate Tectonics: If the planet’s core still produces enough heat to cause its mantle to go through convection (the same thing that causes things to boil), then the crust of your planet will undergo stresses that cause it to break apart into plates. Those plates then get shifted around in ways that cause planet-wide features such as mountain ranges where plates are coming together, ridges where plates are coming apart, trenches where one plate is sinking underneath another, and long fault lines where plates are shearing past each other.

Mountains, oceans (or very deep valleys if water isn’t present on the planet), and places where ground separates from its neighbor, moving up and down from each other to the point where once-connected continents no longer align. All of these will be very visible from space. When we’re talking about fault lines created by these shearing forces of global plate tectonics, we’re talking San Andreas fault-level activity where someday it may literally jump away from where it is now.

If you’re creating a planet to base your story on, it’s highly suggested to take the time to figure out the geography of the map based on plate tectonics, but remember that 100% accuracy is only a bonus. Most folks reading your work probably aren’t going to be so versed in the science of it that they can’t forgive a bit of inaccuracy for the sake of story.

Next up: Look up!