#challenge acceped

[the-californicationist]

The Old Way

Listen... I don't even know what I'm on with this. Just... don't judge me. Omfg what is wrong with me.

AO3 Link -- TW: omegaverse wildness, biting, blood, etc.

Your people are starving, and your clan's Alpha has asked you, their only remaining Omega, to give yourself up as a sacrifice to save them. So, you agree, and you are to be mated to one of the Alphas of Clan 141, praying that it is to any of them except Alpha Price. He is known to have a knot that is impossible to take, but when you finally meet him, you're not sure of what's possible anymore. Will you risk it all to be with him, even if his knot might kill you? One way to find out…

The Old Way

You couldn’t see the stars. The shroud that hung over your head was made from fine, black silk, and through its thin organza, you could barely make out the shape of the Watcher in front of you, much less the glittering galactic expanse overhead. You were wrapped like a gift, and if you wanted to save the lives of everyone you’d ever loved, you would remain cloaked in your darkness, hidden, waiting for your big moment. More than anything, you wanted to pull your veil away from your eyes just to see the familiar constellations again, to comfort yourself with their shapes, to make one last independent choice before all of your volition was stolen from you forever. 

That wasn’t the right word. You couldn’t steal something that was given freely. You were not bound, and you were certainly not forced to wear the shadowed veil against your will. You had selected this path for yourself, and now you were living through the consequences of that decision.

As the only Omega in your clan – the first one born in seventy years – you were raised on the knowledge that you may one day be asked to give up your life for your clan. After the war, life was hard, and now that your people were stuck in a seemingly endless drought, it had become even more desperate. Your clan leader, Alpha Roan, had come to you six weeks ago with a terrible look in his eyes, a palpable guilt, still wearing his mourning collar for his long-lost mate, Omega Kiran, and he had asked you if you would be willing to undergo The Exchange.

His own wife had come to your clan through The Exchange, and although they had chosen to perform a private ceremony, you knew that it had been a challenge for her. Before she died, she had taught you much about your role, but you were still a youngling, and some things were just not for you to hear at such an age. 

You thought about the years that had passed after the loss of your clan’s Omega. Alpha Roan had insisted on your education, and your training, but the idea that you would be asked to leave your clan through The Exchange was always a distant threat. But, now, here it was. You had been called by your Alpha to sacrifice yourself for their benefit; not in a marriage of love, but in a clan trade. 

You had been asked by your Alpha to think about your choice. After he left you to ponder your choice, you sat down in your chambers surrounded by your Watchers, the women who had raised you, who had taught you to read, to write, to fight, and to charm. They looked at you with the same guilty, knowing eyes, and they asked you if you were prepared to make the sacrifice. 

“You do know what awaits you at the end of The Exchange, don’t you, Omega?” Watcher Trinity had asked you quietly, holding your hands in her shaking fingers, the wrinkled skin of her knuckles folding and stretching over her thin bones. 

You nodded, “Yes, Watcher. I am to be given to a new Alpha.”

She had looked at you then, her eyes sharp and calculating, trying to figure out how she would ask her next question.   

“Do you know the way in which you will be given, Omega?” 

Her tone chilled your heart, sinking through your body like ice across a pond, freezing you in place. You waited. There was more that she needed to say, and you allowed her to explain. 

And now that you knew the truth, you felt fully prepared to accept the terms of the agreement. You would deliver your people from their strife, and any pain, any shame, and any horror that you experienced from this point onward would be in service to your clan. You hoped that would be enough solace to sustain you. There was no shame in your sacrifice, you knew that. But, in your soul, you knew that knowing a thing and experiencing a thing were two vastly disparate sides of the same coin. 

You informed your clan Alpha, holding your chin high, 

“I accept the terms of The Exchange, Alpha Roan.”

“Your people are forever in your debt, Omega. Watchers,” he addressed your caregivers, “Please make preparations in the old way of our clan.”

“The old way, Alpha Roan?” Watcher Trinity had asked, her voice giving away her apprehension.

“Yes, Watcher. We will follow the law, no matter how… upsetting it may be. Clan 141 is too powerful for us to take any undue risks. If they do not accept her, we may not survive their engagement.”

Even in your sheltered little academy, you had heard of Clan 141. Their clan was small, but it was deeply feared. If any other clan dared step out of line, the 141 were there to rain hellfire and destruction down on them until there was nothing left. They were not cruel, but they abided no violent acts in their territory, and any whisper of rekindling the war efforts or of superseding the peace treaty was dealt with swiftly and decisively. 

Before the war, kings and presidents and generals had pulled the strings. Now that the world lay in ruins, the 141 was the only thing between your small clan and total destruction from larger, more aggressive packs. The 141 was the only reason your people still had other clans to trade with; they had made sure smaller communities had access to fair market costs for food and services, and no one dared to shun your merchants now that you were under their protective wing. 

Your Watchers had done their best to ease you into your preparations. Clan 141 would be at the neutral ground in six weeks, and your team had tried to make every moment of that window meaningful in your training. They had started slowly, teaching you to stretch your untouched hole with your fingers, showing you diagrams and depictions of your own anatomy, warning you of the physical trial of taking an Alpha’s knot. 

It was mortifying when you endured your first test. Watcher Gillar and Watcher Bhin had made you sit in front of a mirror and show them your progress. You were told to clench and release the muscles of your hole on command, fluttering it to prove its strength. Then, they had produced a carved, glass phallus, expecting you to practice on a smaller model before moving you up to a more advanced size. 

You took it from their hands, looking at its curved, rigid shape with wide-eyed curiosity, trying to swallow your grief at being seen doing the unthinkable by people you considered to be your closest friends and caregivers. It almost made you regret your decision. But, your people needed you, so you rested the smooth tip of the phallus at the entrance of your hole and began to shove it inside of yourself. 

This new feeling was overwriting your mind, so alien and yet so very comforting to you, confounding in its sensations yet overwhelming in its unique, bright pleasure.

It was a struggle, but you managed to slip it into your body almost down to the large, bulbous knot on the end. The sharp pain of being entered for the first time was not as terrible as you had feared, but when you pulled the phallic rod back out of you, it was cloudy with your slick and your blood. 

“Try the knot, Omega. Your Alpha will be twice as large as this, at least. You do not want your first experience to be at the ceremony. I know that you will want to appear strong in front of the other clans.” Watcher Bhin encouraged you, holding you to her shoulder as she sat behind you, trying her best to comfort you through such a harrowing ordeal. 

You put their practice cock back inside of you, slipping down further than you had, feeling the wide anatomy pressing against your entrance, but still unable to take the full knot inside. You pushed and pulled with your muscles, just like your Watchers had taught you, but it wouldn’t budge. You were panting, sweating, and teetering on the edge of an embarrassing orgasm in front of your Watchers, and you gasped out, exasperated, 

“I can’t. I don’t think I can do this, Watcher.”

“Lay back, Omega. I will help you,” Watcher Gillar said softly, replacing your hand with hers at the base of the phallus. 

You lay down on your back against your soft pillows, trying to avoid your Watchers’ pitying eyes. Then, you felt a cool gel being applied around the sore ring of your hole; something to ease the way since there was no true Alpha present to coax your slick from your glands. Watcher Bhin had held your hand in hers, gripping you tightly, letting you squeeze her through the pain, wiping away your tears as the glass bulb of the pretend knot began to split you, stretching your body before finally popping into place.

You Watchers had comforted you for a few minutes, but then you were told to begin your meditations.

With much difficulty, you sat up, feeling the heavy knot nestled against your walls. Then, Watcher Bhin handed you a firm pillow, and you understood that you must straddle it, and that it would push the knot against you. You were to train your body and your mind to accept it so that you would have the stamina to withstand the ceremony. 

“Do not be afraid to listen to your body, Omega. We will return to help you remove it and recover. I will light some incense for you. Concentrate on your strength.”

You nodded, uncrossing your legs and settling yourself over the firm pillow, feeling the deep, sacral grind of the phallus as you set your weight against it. When you were left alone, you began your breathing techniques, but all the while, a flush was rushing across your skin, the shadow of a rising desire to come, and yet subtly different. Something whispered in your mind, and you wondered if you could call your slick down yourself, without an Alpha’s help. 

So, you tried, rocking back and forth across the pillow, churning the knot within your core, feeling the rounded tip rubbing against your deepest parts. You removed your robes, letting the flush keep you warm, watching yourself in the tall mirror, meeting your own eyes. 

It took only minutes before a true orgasm was upon you, but you tried to hold it at bay, searching through the sparkling, cracking fog of pleasure for the part of you that made you special. No Beta would survive a knotting; they never did, and it was a crime to even try. But, you were meant for it, and you knew that your Watchers’ training would not let you down. You breathed through the bliss, reaching out with your mind towards your slick, imagining it, visualizing your success, manifesting it deep within you. 

When the Watchers found you later that night, they woke you with cool rags and worried faces,

“What happened, Omega? How did you…” Watcher Gillar looked down at your bare legs to where the pillow sat under you, seeing a torrent of slick and milky come covering your skin and the silk of the bolster, confused by how you could produce it without an Alpha’s beckoning call. It was just not done, not even considered to be a possibility. 

After that night, there was much chatter amongst the Watchers. They consulted old tomes, dusting off the pages in the library of your little academy where you trained far away from the rest of your village, kept up here in your tower like a Delphic oracle, buried like a treasure. 

The training became more intense, and each practice phallus that your Watchers produced became harder and heavier, each bearing knots that were unfathomably large. You used your newfound power to face each of your challenges, less ashamed now to perform in front of your team, but knowing that the ceremony would be something else entirely. 

You had asked about it one night as your Watchers were helping you bathe after a particularly difficult practice session, 

“Will there truly be none absent from the ceremony, Watcher Trinity?”

“Only the cubs and their mothers are forbidden from attending. Otherwise, all clan members are obligated to witness The Exchange. We will even invite Clan Farlight and Clan Seres to the feast as a token of goodwill. You know this, Omega,” her tone was a little impatient, wondering why you were asking such a basic question, “Your Alpha has asked for your ceremony to be conducted in the old way, according to the original scrolls.” 

“I am worried that I will dishonor you with my abilities. I cannot seem to take even these false knots without tears,” you repeated the old scripture, chanting it rote to your Watcher just as you used to do when you had started your adult training, “Omegas are vessels. They will silently submit. The ceremony will be still, honoring the sacrifice.”

Watcher Trinity knelt down beside your bath and made you look at her. Her eyes softened, and she told you,

“Yes, that is what is written, but it is not that simple. You have already honored us with your sacrifice. We have no grain. We have skinny, milkless goats, and our well is nearly dry. When we feast after your ceremony, the full bellies of your people will mean so much more than any perceived weakness that you are reluctant to show.” She grabbed your hand out of the warm water, holding it in hers, “If you need to cry, we will understand, and we will be comforting you from the crowd. Trust me, Omega.”

You tried to put it all out of your mind as you marched down the path, following behind your Watchers as they surrounded you, adorned in their own ceremonial garb. They had worn their armor and their long, red robes, carrying huge, black scythes like walking sticks, as was the custom of your clan. Your Alpha was walking in the front of your pack, guiding your clan to the meeting point. You could just see the white, canvas tops of the tents and yurts that had been constructed for the ceremony, meant to house hundreds of people for at least three days. Yours was the biggest, its adornment the most splendid. But that was little comfort to your frayed nerves. 

You were miles from home at this point, missing the comfort of your room and your books, knowing that you would never return there, and that perhaps your new Alpha would not allow you to keep any of your belongings from your old life. 

You’d heard horror stories from some of the Betas in your clan, tales of Alphas who used their Omegas like slaves, keeping them clad in irons, surviving in dark dungeons only to be used to breed and to give their Alphas carnal pleasure. 

While you were being prepared for this journey, a pair of Beta women had helped you paint your skin, drawing intricate symbols and prayers in gold flake, chittering about the ceremony and the feast without knowing what you had been through over the past six weeks.

“This is the first time I will witness a ceremony done in the old way,” Beta Lilia said. 

“Do you know which Alpha will claim you?” Lilia’s friend, Beta Tyran, asked you, not knowing how loaded her words were.

You shook your head; you didn’t even know how many Alphas belonged to Clan 141. Lilia gushed about them for you, taking the conversation out of your hands,

“Clan 141 has four Alphas! Can you imagine? I hear that they have an entire army of Omegas as well. Alpha Garrick is so handsome, and he has three gorgeous Omegas. They are almost too beautiful to look upon.. I saw him when I was at the central market once. He was leading a team, hunting the vagabonds who set fire to a farmer’s field, you remember when that happened? It was years ago now. He was so imposing. But, that other one was there, too.” 

She made a face that was strong enough to make you ask about it,

“Which one?”

“The Ghost, Alpha Riley. They say that no one has seen his face. He wears a terrifying skull mask. I heard from Yair that he has three Omegas as his guards, all masked as well. Yes! Guards! They have armor and weapons and huge, bulging muscles. Beautiful and lethal –”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Beta Tyran interrupted, “No one would give their Omegas weapons. No one would let their Omegas out in the public markets! Imagine the danger.”

Lilia shrugged, “Yair said that these Omegas were the danger.” 

Then, you heard about Alpha MacTavish, a descendant from one of the ancient warlords, charming and fearsome. He kept two Omegas as his brides, always pregnant, but almost as fearsome as Alpha Riley’s guards. Alpha MacTavish often expected them to travel with their Beta friends, to take their children up into the mountains, hunting and fishing and exploring outdoors. All sorts of stories about his large, loving family. You silently hoped you would be claimed by him. It would be nice to live amongst Omegas and their cubs. 

“Which one is their Apex Alpha? There must be one in a clan with so many Alphas,” you mused, asking the girls since you did not know much about Clan 141 yourself.

The Betas shared a look, and then Lilia shook her head,

“You will not be claimed by him, Omega. Don’t worry.”

“Why?” You pried, using your influence to force her to tell you.

“His name is Alpha Price, the leader of Clan 141. He’s the deadliest man in the entire land, and he’s the one who destroyed Clan Konni.”

The weight of that news sank in, and the dramatic tone of her story had attracted other Betas and Watchers to gather around you to listen to her tale, 

“Alpha Price has never claimed an Omega. They say that he had tried. He had found one of Alpha Garrick’s Omegas to be very pretty, but she tried to take his knot and failed, so Alpha Garrick took her under his protection instead.”

“Failed?” Watcher Bhin asked, shocked by the implication. 

“My sister was a medic who served with the Alliance in the most recent skirmish, and the 141 helped defeat the rebels who were killing members of Clan Darrah a few years ago. She said that she served under the doctor who had healed Alpha Garrick’s Omega. Said he’d never seen anything like it before in his life. She was so strong, and yet…”

Lilia’s words hung heavy in the air, and all of the women looked at each other and then at you, suddenly feeling the weight of your sacrifice, ashamed at their earlier levity. Tyran shook her head and patted you on the arm, 

“Don’t worry. Alpha Price will not claim you. You have nothing to worry about.”

That night, painted gold and covered in your black silks, you sat in your tent and meditated while you waited for the other clans to arrive. Your mind kept wandering to Alpha Price and his lonely existence. Had he really injured an Omega during his claiming of her? How large must his knot have been to do so? It made you shudder to think about it, and yet deep inside of you, your core warmed from the thought. If he imprinted on you…

But, imprinting was just a myth. Something only written in old texts as a footnote or a story. It was a part of the ritual of The Exchange, but it wasn’t real. 

“Omega,” Watcher Trinity interrupted your meditation and peeked her head into your tent, “It is time to present The Cloth.”

Clan 141 was here, then. 

The ritual of The Exchange began with The Shroud, which you were already wearing. Then, it was The Cloth. If all went well, it would then be The Meeting. And finally, The Ceremony.

The Cloth was a gift from the Omega to her new Alpha, a token of her affection and a chance for him to smell her scent for the first time. In ancient legends, this is when her true mate would imprint upon her, her Omegan scent bringing out his Alphic marks, dark spots or stripes across his neck and back, making him look like a big cat, ready to bite into her neck and claim her as his own. 

She tried to shake herself out of that fantasy world. All she could hope was that one of their Alphas would be drawn to her scent enough to accept her. Her people were depending on her.

“Here is your cloth, Omega. I embroidered it myself. I hope that it honors you,” Watcher Trinity handed you a wooden box, carved and adorned with great care, and when you opened it, you found a red silk square of fabric, sewn with the sigils and symbols of your clan in fine gold thread. You smiled up at your Watcher and reached out to hold her in your arms,

“It’s perfect, Watcher. Thank you for caring for me.”

You were both fighting off tears when she finally pulled away. You hoped that your Alpha would at least let you say goodbye after the ceremony, even if you might never see her again. 

Watcher Trinity and all of the other women left you alone again in your tent, giving you privacy to prepare The Cloth. You made yourself naked, and you began to rub the silk across your neck and glands, trying to soak your scent into the piece. Then, you wiped it between your legs, swiping up some of your wetness to coat the fabric. Usually, this would be enough. You could call your Watcher back into the tent and give her the box, and you would be done. 

But, something in your heart told you to try to call out your slick. You listened to your instincts, and you began to rub the soft fabric against your folds, bringing your own pleasure to a warm, shining height. Just when you thought you might not be able to do it, that your nervousness would make it too difficult or that you might black out again from the effort, you felt something inside of you slip free. Then, your hole was flooded, the orgasm making your vision go blurry and form spots at the edges, your whole body convulsing from the strength of your pleasure, and you had to lay down just to try and stay awake through your gushing bliss. 

You felt it coat the silk and your hand, a thick, milky slick, and your heart swelled with pride. You knew that a gift this special would sway the attention of at least one of their Alphas. You trusted in your skills and training that you were worthy of this ceremony and that your people would be saved. 

Sitting up, you carefully opened the box and returned The Cloth to its resting place, soaked with your scent. You took time to clean yourself up, stuffing wet blankets into your laundry packs and hiding them away, remaking your nest before your Watcher would know what you had done. You weren’t sure why you were keeping a secret from them, but you just felt like this was something between you and your Alpha. A promise, of sorts. 

You replaced your black silks and veil over your otherwise unclothed body and called your Watchers. They entered your tent along with Alpha Roan. 

His eyes widened as he approached you, taking the box from your hands. Quietly, as if knowing that this was an extremely private affair, he whispered to you, 

“What have you done, little Omega?”

“I am doing what needs to be done, Alpha. Please, deliver my message to my new Master.”

You use of the ancient terminology caught your clan Alpha off guard, but you were glad of it. If this was to be done in the old way, then you would withstand it, but you would also do it your way. You were the Omega, here, and you were the reason your clan would survive this struggle. It was time you started acting like the heroine that you were. You would be your people’s strength, no matter the cost.

“Very well,” Alpha Roan sighed, closing the box, calling out to your team, “Watchers, bring your Omega to The Cloth ritual.”

You were guided to the path again, leaving your tent behind and walking towards the big, outdoor theater. It was a crude coliseum of sorts, a large circular pit lined with rows and rows of carved seating that was cut into the land. People had already begun to line the viewing platforms, each clan decorated in their traditional garb. You felt proud to see the stripe of red where your people sat, holding each others’ hands and praying for your safe arrival. 

You were not greeted with raucous applause but instead with reverent silence. Alpha Roan walked in front of your Watchers, and you were the last one into the theater, dressed only in your sheer shroud, trying your best not to feel self-conscious about the fact that - because of the firelight - everyone could see your naked, painted body through the veil, even though you were covered head to toe in the organza. In the tent, the lighting was low and kept you in darkness, hiding your body under the thin silk. But, not here in the theater. Your skin was illuminated by the torches, and you knew that even your friends and neighbors could now see your most private parts. 

You made sure that your face did not give away your lingering shame. 

Alpha Roan took center stage, and you saw the Alphas of Clan 141 for the first time. 

Alpha MacTavish was standing between his two Omegas, and you mused that his oldest children must have stayed behind to care for his cubs. He was dressed in his Clan’s black gear, covered in armor like a gladiator, his head shaven into a mohawk, spiked and messy on the crown of his head. His body was huge and stocky, and the Omegas seated at his sides looked so tiny compared to his bulk. But, they were strong. Their bellies were round with the promise of future cubs, and their skin and hair glowed like the stars. 

Alpha Garrick stood next to him, his Omegas seated together to his right, dressed in the finest robes you had ever seen. He clearly had a type, and you thought that they looked like triplets, all decorated in jewels and gold, riches you’d never even dreamt of. Their Alpha was every bit as handsome as the stories had promised. He had pouty, full lips that were curled in a snarky sort of smile, and his soft brown eyes exuded pure confidence. His hands were wide and powerful, resting on his curved blade that lay sheathed at his hip. 

Alpha Riley was masked, as you had been told, as were his Omegas. They were not seated, and every bit of armor that was strapped to his hulking body was also strapped to them. They had glittering knives, bows, arrows, and slings, looking like they could win their own war by themselves. Their bodies were heavily muscled, and all four of them seemed as tall as Alpha MacTavish, standing proudly in leather boots. 

Then, you saw Alpha Price. He was holding a large wooden stick, at least seven feet tall, with hundreds of notches sliced into the side. You wondered what he was keeping track of, and you shuddered to know. His beard was neatly trimmed, and his hair was cut high and tight on the sides. He was certainly bigger and better muscled than each of his men, but that was not what you noticed about him first. It was his eyes. They were piercingly blue, like glacial ice, and they were looking right at you. Hungry. 

Something inside of your core tightened under his scrutiny, but Alpha Roan’s voice shook you from your trance,

“Clan Arlos welcomes Clan 141 to The Exchange. We present you with our offering, an unmated Omega, 26 years of age, fully trained in the old ways of our people. She is our greatest gift, and we ask for your acceptance of our sacrifice.”

Alpha Roan held up the box with The Cloth inside for all to see. He set it on the large, marble altar in the middle of the stage and backed away from it, waiting for the other Alphas to take part in the ritual. 

Alpha Price spoke, and your body nearly trembled at the sound of his deep, purring voice. You were more nervous than you thought, and you tried to breathe to manage yourself. 

“We will consider your honorable offering, Clan Arlos.”

With that, he slammed his huge stick against the stony ground and Alpha MacTavish stepped up to the altar. He opened the box, and along with the other Alphas in attendance, his body had a visceral reaction. His hands went to touch the cloth and he brought it to his nose, smelling your scent with a sort of wonder and amazement. 

Then, to your great relief, he raised his hand, palm outward, as a show of his acceptance of your scent. If you accepted him as well, you would be mated. 

But, the slamming sound of the stick shook you out of your celebrations. Alpha Price called up Alpha Garrick. 

This was most unusual. Typically, only one Alpha had to agree. It wasn’t like you had much choice in the matter. Even if Alpha MacTavish’s scent did not stir your heart, you would still submit to him as expected. This was not a marriage of love but of convenience. 

MacTavish looked back over his shoulder at Price, just as shocked as you were. His Omegas looked even more taken aback, strangely offended that you would not automatically join them. But, Alpha MacTavish returned the cloth to the box and made room for Garrick, disappointed and visibly confused. 

Alpha Garrick opened the box and buried his face against The Cloth, breathing in once, twice, and then tasting the fabric, right in front of everyone. It was his right, but it was a little audacious. 

His palm went up, high in the air, and his Omegas smiled and held each other’s hands, excited at your acceptance. 

Another loud slam. Another rejection. 

You may still end up with MacTavish or Garrick after negotiations, you remembered, but you were now wondering why Alpha Price had chosen to test you against all three of his men before making a decision. It was very odd. Alpha Roan looked greatly concerned. 

Alpha Riley approached the altar, his gloved hands prying open the box, then, he lifted the bottom of his mask to reveal his mouth and nose. The slightest murmur of shock rippled through the crowd. He bent to smell your scent, and he raised his hand in the air, signaling his acceptance before replacing his mask. You thought you caught the hint of a smile just before his pale lips disappeared beneath the skull plate again. 

Slam! The stick pounded against the floor.

All of Clan 141 turned to look at Alpha Price at once. Your heart stopped. Why would he… Why would Alpha Price want to undergo The Cloth ritual himself? He had no Omega. Surely, he wouldn’t claim you now, not after what had happened. You watched Alpha Garrick’s Omegas. One of them stared at Alpha Price with wide, glossy eyes. You thought that it must be his prior candidate for a mate. She was afraid for you. They were all afraid.

All eyes were on Alpha Price as he approached the altar, and the entire theater was silent as he took The Cloth in his hands. He lay it out flat, in no rush, inspecting the wet stain that you had left for him, using his thumb to feel the fine, gold embroidery. Then, his eyes darted up to yours. He was the first one to look at you while he held The Cloth to his nose, that icy gaze making you tremble with anticipation. 

You were so lost in his eyes that you didn’t see what was stirring the crowd. There was a loud gasp and then an explosion of whispers. You looked around, trying to understand what was happening. Then, when he tucked The Cloth into his breast pocket, keeping you for himself, you saw it. 

Long, red lines began to stain his skin like lightning. All of his veins tattooed themselves across his neck, and although his armor was covering his shoulders, you knew that the marks would be there as well. 

Alpha Price had imprinted for you. 

Then, he silenced the crowd by raising his right hand, palm up, staring at you the entire time. 

You were whisked away, surrounded by your Watchers, hearing Alpha Roan’s voice behind you, sounding like protest, but you couldn’t make out the words. Compared to the initial silence, the area erupted in a shattering din, clans shouting and yelling over each other, the drama from the ritual dividing the people. 

You thought you would be taken back to your tent, but you were brought to a large lake about five hundred yards from the theater. It was quiet again. No one was allowed to follow you here, it seemed. 

Watcher Trinity tried to explain in a rushed whisper, helping you climb into a boat and rowing you out to the middle of the lake,

“There is a dispute for your claiming. Alpha Roan will negotiate new terms, and Clan 141 must decide who will be your Alpha. It will be alright, Omega. It’ll be alright.”

She sounded like she was trying to reassure herself more than you.

“What now?”

“Because there is not just one Alpha who has claimed you, they will undergo a ritual called The Trial. It is a fight; a test of will. Whichever Alpha can win will be granted the right to appeal to you first. If you reject him, then you will be given a chance to hear the appeal from the second.”

“So, it will be up to me, then?”

“Yes. Alpha Price has put the choice in your hands. Very odd, and not in our custom, but we must honor his wishes. You will wait here for the winner.”

You looked around. You were now in the middle of the lake, and there was a platform lingering just below the water. It was a wide stone block, about three meters wide in each direction. Watcher Trinity helped you out of the boat and you stepped tentatively onto the platform. 

“Will you wait with me?” You asked, feeling the uncertainty and fear finally get the better of you. 

“No, my Omega. I cannot. These waters are forbidden to Betas. Only Alphas and Omegas can touch it. Take this. It is your flare. If you are in trouble, if he tries to get to you, fire it high into the sky and we will rescue you. You can do this. I know you are strong. Wait patiently for your Alpha,” she paused, grabbing your hand, “I realize you are doing this for us, but please, follow your heart.”

“I will, Watcher.” 

So, you waited. You meditated, standing in an inch of cool lake water as you tried to commune with the land around you. And you waited some more. Hours passed until, finally, you saw torches. Your Watchers lined one side of the lake, and they greeted the newcomers. Then, you saw him. Alpha Price was being stripped down by your Watchers. They took his weapons from him, and then his clothes, making him naked on the shoreline. He craned his neck, trying to look for you in the lake, but it was dark and you were dressed in black. 

You could see him just fine, though. His huge body was covered in short, curly hair, dense and dark against his skin. His muscles bulged and popped as he peeled away his layers of clothing. They left his undergarments on, little more than a linen loincloth. Then, you saw your Watchers attach a huge, metal collar around his neck. They clamped it together with a padlock in the back, and a huge chain was attached at the latch. 

They bound his hands, chaining them together, and then loaded him into the boat. They rowed toward you with his back facing the platform, and as he got closer, you saw his imprint markings, red and raised like jagged scars across his neck and shoulders. Your scent had marked him permanently. The welts would go down, and the red would fade, but it would always be there, evidence of his imprinting. 

The boat reached you, and he climbed out of it, sitting on the opposite side of the platform from you, just far enough to be out of range for your scent. 

His eyes found yours again, staring at you through your veil, finding your gaze with a natural ease. He held a small box in his hands, and you thought you saw the phantom of a smile across his lips as you looked over his face. 

The boat rowed to shore, dragging the long chain all the way back, and you were alone with him. It was quiet for a long while. You were just staring at each other, studying each other, trapped in a silent battle. 

You looked down at his hands, noticing for the first time his cut, bloody knuckles, and he saw the worry cross over your eyes.

“They’re fine,” he said quietly, “My men. If that’s what you were wondering.”

“But, you triumphed over them, clearly,” you replied, not trusting your own voice. 

He chuckled a bit, sighing, 

“I did.”

“You fought for me, then.”

The laughing stopped, and he lifted his chin, proudly, 

“I did.”

“And you are here for my acceptance.”

He didn’t respond to your cue, but instead, he took the box in his hands and slid it across the platform, skittering it along the surface of the water, making little splashes as it landed in front of you. 

You reached for it, opening it up to reveal a shining key. 

“Throw it in the lake,” he commanded you, using his Alpha’s voice to bend your will. 

It shocked you, and you were so close to obeying, but you stopped, cutting your eyes at him,

“What is this?”

“Throw. It. Omega.”

His voice seared through your blood, calling to you with old magic. You fought hard to keep your mind under your own control, 

“Stop! Stop it. Tell me what this is, Alpha.”

“It unlocks my collar. Otherwise, if I make so much as a shift in your direction that they don’t like,” his head turned to look back toward your watchers, “They will pull me into the lake, and I will drown.”

“And if I unlock it…”

“Then, you will be my mate,” his tone turned vitriolic then, “And you will die.”

You let his words sink in, your curiosity overcoming your fear,

“You believe your knot cannot be taken.”

He spat back, 

“My belief is not –”

“But, it’s not up to you,” you interrupted him, “Is it?”

The shock that washed over his bright eyes filled you with a sort of sick satisfaction. You should be afraid of him, but your roles were reversed out here on this rock, and you were holding him under your command. 

“Toss that key, girl. MacTavish fought hard for you. He’ll care for you. He’s a good man.”

“Are you a good man?”

“No,” he growled, his eyes dropping to the water, examining the chains around his own hands, inspecting them for the bloodstains that he obviously thought should be there. 

“I am here for my people, Alpha Price. I am not looking for a husband. I am a resource to be traded for other resources. My clan needs The Exchange. Our people are starving, and I –”

“I would not let them starve,” Price’s eyes shot back up, indignant that you would suggest that he would leave you and your clan without food or water. 

You let yourself smile slightly, teasing him, 

“Spoken like a good man.”

He twisted his lips over his teeth, but he stayed quiet. You continued to torment him, 

“Why did you raise your hand for me?”

He sighed, sitting forward, sloping his shoulders toward you,

“I couldn’t help it. My Alpha…He…” He paused, searching for the words, “I could smell you through the box. I knew you from the moment I saw you walk through the arena. And when my men all raised their hands for you, I knew you would be accepted as our Clan Omega. You are mine in every way that matters. And I cannot have you.”

His voice was full of bitterness. You wanted to smell him. What were the chances that he was your true mate? One-sided imprinting was rare, but true mates were one in a million. 

You stood, surprising him, and he jolted back, sitting up right. The chain around his wrists clattering. You looked over at the shoreline. Your Watchers held the long chain around his neck, heavy and sagging into the black water, ready to yank it tight if he lunged for you, if he fell prey to his Alphic instinct to breed you. 

He watched you approach, seeing how the water rippled with every step you took, gazing upon the dripping silks that clung to your legs, devouring you with his eyes. You stopped in front of his crossed legs, Knowing that he could smell you now. Your pussy was shielded only with a few layers of silk, and you watched him flare his nose, sniffing you right in front of his face, blowing a slow exhale of air through his lips, making the organza billow between your legs. 

“Can I smell your scent, Alpha?” You whispered, your voice slicing through the silence of the still lake. 

His chains clattered as he twisted his head to look up at you, peeling his eyes away from your pretty pussy to meet your gaze. Then, he bent his head to one side, giving you his neck, showing you his scent gland, a sea of red stripes emanating from its center. 

You bent over him, closing the gap, steadying yourself by laying a gentle hand on his huge shoulder. Then, you took a long pause and breathed him in. His scent swirled through your body, wrecking your other senses. It was only him. Alpha. Alpha. Alpha. Your Alpha. Your mate. Your true mate. 

You felt the red marks of your imprint streak across your skin, and his eyes widened in shock as he saw them branch through your veins and across your gland just as his had done. 

The click of a lock made his eyes flash back to you, and with that movement, his heavy collar tumbled into the lake, the drag of the chain singing as it scraped the side of the platform. 

“What have you done, my Omega?” Price breathed. 

It was the second time you’d been asked that question. Your response was still the same:

“I am doing what needs to be done, Master. I am giving myself to you, my true mate.”

The boats were in the water the moment the collar slipped from his neck. The Watchers were on you in moments, and Price’s Beta soldiers were there to collect him. You watched as they rowed you two apart, taking you back to your camps to prepare for the ceremony. 

Your Watchers were in a rush. There were only a few hours until sunrise. Your wet robes were switched out for red ones, and a red veil adorned your head. Underneath, you were rubbed and painted and sprayed with oils, until finally, Watcher Trinity came forward with a bowl of salve. She had made it herself, you could tell. She cared for you so deeply. 

“I trust you, Omega. I know you know what you’re doing. But, please take this. It will help your muscles relax for him, and it will make it easier to bring on your natural defenses.”

She was being coy, avoiding using the word to refer to your slick, knowing that you had your own method of calling it forth using your special power. But, you took it from her anyway, and after you were left alone again to meditate, you used two fingers to massage it into your hole, feeling its effects begin to warm you, making your flesh supple and pliant. 

A hand curled around your tent flap, pulling it open. Instead of your Watcher, you saw one of Garrick’s Omegas. It was her, the one who had failed to take your Alpha’s knot.

She stepped inside,

“May I speak with you?”

You nodded, motioning for her to sit,

“Yes, but I’m afraid I already know what you are about to say.”

Her eyes widened, 

“If you know, then why have you accepted this? Alpha MacTavish was his second. He is not to your liking? His Omegas are kind and –”

“No, they were all to my liking. I am eager to join your pack in whichever way I can, but Alpha Price is my true mate.”

You showed her your skin from under the red silks, knowing she could not see them through the red of the veil. She gaped at them, 

“Your… true mate? He could… This could kill you, Omega. I don’t want to see you come to harm, and it would destroy him. I saw how he was after my accident. I nearly blamed myself for his deep sorrow.”

“I trust my training, Omega, and I am so grateful for your support, but he is my mate. What is meant to happen to me, will.” You stood with her, seeing your Watchers hovering just outside the tent, signaling them that you were ready to leave. 

“Then, I trust you as well. The others are so excited to meet you. I wish you an easy path, and I hope your ceremony is just as you want it to be. After this, you will be our Clan Omega, and I will serve you until the end of my days.”

She kissed your cheek through your veil and left you to be delivered back to the altar. 

For a long time, you had wondered if this final walk away from your pack would be a sad one. You expected every step to be filled with hesitation and fear. But, the only thing you felt was joy. Your mate awaited you at the end of this long path, and you were ready to submit to him. He was worthy of your strength, and he would help you deliver your people from danger. You would rule beside him, helping him use the 141 for good, eradicating the evil from your land. 

The sun’s pink wash was rising out of the horizon line just as you reached the theater. The crowd was silent again, and you saw the pallor and shock painted on all of their faces. They were expecting a funeral instead of a feast. They had no idea why anyone would be so desperate as to sacrifice their only Omega to this Alpha, especially when it was not necessary. But, they didn’t realize that you were no prisoner. You were no one’s puppet. You were in charge, here, and your Alpha would breed you as you commanded him to. 

Your Watchers led you to the altar, kissing your hands through the thin cloth as they passed you to take their seats near Clan Arlos, tears in their eyes and staining their cheeks, and finally, your clan Alpha approached you.

“Alpha Roan,” you greeted him. 

“Little Omega,” he smiled, kissing your hands just as your Watchers had done. He didn’t need to, but it was his way of showing everyone that he trusted your choice, “I hope you know what you are doing.”

“I do,” you said, smiling at him through your red silk veil. 

Then, Alpha Price’s men came through the center of the theater, each of them bending to kiss your hands. But, instead of the back of your knuckles, they turned them over to kiss your palms, a sign that they would accept what you had to give them. Alpha Riley was first, and he lifted his mask to show you his mouth and chin, his kiss warm and tender against your skin. Then, Alpha Garrick knelt down, placing multiple kisses along your fingers and wrists, displaying his loyalty and respect. Finally, Alpha MacTavish knelt before you, daring to whisper to you as he kissed your palms, 

“Brave lass.”

You used your thumb to pet his lip, acknowledging his trust in you. 

Then, it was time for the Omegas to join you. They approached as a unit, not individually as their Alphas had done, and they helped you lay on the altar, guiding your body back onto the marble platform. They pulled at your silks, allowing the crowd to see your naked body, painted in fine brushes of intricate gold designs, of prayers and songs of your people, their symbols adorning you from neck to toe. Finally, they began to kiss you, licking and sucking at your mouth like lovers, showing their devotion to you as their clan Omega. 

As they kissed you, your skin began to flush hot, your body somehow knowing what was about to happen to you. The Omegas felt your fire against their lips, and they pulled your legs apart, each of them bending to lick and suck at your flower’s drooling petals, slurping and sucking up your creamy nectar. They were at your breasts, your neck, your belly, your hands and feet. You were overwhelmed with pleasure, shaking and trembling under their affection, yet moved by their deep loyalty. You knew you would be safe with them. They would care for you just as your clan had done. 

Then, you heard the familiar slam of a longstaff. Your Alpha had arrived. 

According to the ceremony, you were meant to be still and silent as a showing of your acceptance. If you moved or cried out in any way, you risked a clan war, as taking a mate without their consent was a dark offense. You had to prove to your people that you were here of your own free will, and even though you were feeling the static cling of apprehension beginning to worm its way into your chest, you tried to breathe through it, trusting your Alpha to lead you through this moment with his protective power. 

Your legs were lowered to the stirrup-style rests that were carved just below the stone table, keeping your knees wide apart, allowing your pussy to drip openly, glistening with the beginnings of your slick. You calmed yourself as they left you alone, each of them kissing you softly once more to show their reverence. 

Then, you heard the clatter of fallen armor. He was undressing, removing his warlord’s mantle and coming to you fully bare. You spotted him between the vee of your legs as he approached the dais, his imprint marks flushed a deep wine red, his body shining with the traditional oils, meant to give him another layer of aphrodisiacs, promoting his production of his seed, keeping his cock tall and hard. 

But, you knew that your imprint on his gland would do more than all of their drugs combined. He would kill every last person in this arena to get to you at this point, and although you had consented to this joining, you were no longer controlling it. He would take you, no matter what. 

Then, when he got close enough to your platform, you saw it. It was standing proudly against his thick, furry belly, dripping with precome and lubricants, glittering in the rising sun. His cock was immense. You had not practiced on one so large. And his knot was larger than your two fists pressed together. He was intact, and his foreskin was slipping down his flushed head, unable to contain the swelling glans. Your body threatened to quiver from your suspense, and you tried to move your mind into your meditative trance. 

As he approached, he did not go straight for his position between your legs. Instead, he walked around the front of the marble platform and bent to look you in your eyes, leaning his head down for a deep, heady kiss. He fed you his tongue and suckled on yours, letting it writhe inside of his mouth, rubbing against his own probing muscle.

He pulled away to gaze upon you, his eyes soft and full of joy. You smiled up at him, watching as he enjoyed the rest of your body, caressing your breasts, admiring your paintings. 

“Did my clan show you their loyalty, my Omega?”

“Yes, Master,” you answered quietly. 

“Are you prepared for me to show you mine?”

“Yes, Master. I am,” you replied, giving him a brave face despite the absolute weapon that was slobbering for you against his belly. You wanted to taste it, but now was not the time. 

He returned to the base of your platform, kneeling in front of your wet hole, bending to place his mouth against you. He began to suck, pulling your soft lips into his mouth like he was starving, lapping up the beginnings of your body’s fluids, moaning from the taste and the smell of your scent. You wanted to moan, you wanted to pin his head to your trembling quim, but you didn’t dare move a muscle or make a single sound. Breathing in, breathing out, letting the sparks of an orgasm rush through you, bringing tears to your eyes from holding back so much pleasure. 

Your Watcher’s salve was almost too effective. It had made you pliant, but now you were beyond sensitive, able to feel the pound of your own heartbeat through your hole, desperate for something to press inside of you. You needed his cock. 

But, he did not give it to you. He just sucked and sucked and sucked, and his fingers began to rub along the entrance of your slippery hole, pressing down on your pussy’s walls, testing their strength. You fluttered for him, just like your Watchers had taught you, and you felt him stumble in his movements, shocked by your power. 

He stood between your legs, his face and beard soaking from his meal, letting you drip off of his chin like a messy hound drinking from a river. Then, to test your resolve, he teased you with a little bit of meanness, stepping forward to let his cock lay along your body, measuring himself on the outside of you. He reached far beyond your navel, his lubed phallus warm and heavy, his knot resting in the softness of your folds, and you could feel him throbbing for you. 

You didn’t dare move, but you wanted to cradle his cock in your hands, to rub up and down his length, to feel the smoothness of his head and the firmness of his knot. But, you stayed stock still, showing the crowd that you would not waver. There was some soft chittering from the clans, the shock at his size obviously enough to break onlookers out of their respectful quiet. 

Then, he began notching his head at the entrance of your pussy, letting the tip slide up and down your tight ring of muscles that guarded your entrance.      

“Last chance, Omega. Call it off. Cry out, and my own men will cut me down,” he bade you under his breath, having a hard time holding his words and sentences together, his voice shaking in his throat. 

You looked up at him with closed lips, making a point to give him a soft smile as a response. 

No deal. 

You pulsed your muscles again, making your pussy lap up his sloppy precome like a little mouth, watching as he was torn apart by your action, no matter how minor. 

So, without any other choice, he fed himself into you. It was a fearsome experience, at first. You weren’t sure if you could actually handle him. But, you breathed through the stress, relaxing your body, finding that deep, secret place inside of you, making your slick drop down for him, flooding your hole to welcome him in. 

The confusion that painted his face was so satisfying. He couldn’t understand the sheer warmth and comfort he was experiencing. His cock was being sucked into you, deeper and deeper, and finally, you felt his knot. 

He pulled all the way out of you, and sheathed himself all the way back in, always reaching to that one spot, just above his bulbous anchor, and then starting his process over again. Each time his cock fucked its way through your body, humping himself into you, creamy, milking noises filled the quiet, open-air arena. The whole ensemble could hear him invading your hole, the lurid slap of skin on skin loud and unashamed. 

His phallus was large enough to rub against your most sensitive spot over and over, bullying it into producing more and more slick, making you come just by dragging his heavy cockhead over it, in and out, in and out, pounding into you with almost reckless need. 

You came for him, and your body began to shiver from the overwhelming bliss, but you held your voice. You tried to still yourself, not wanting to show weakness, but there was nothing you could do. You were shattered by his cock, coming over and over again. It was an endless wave. You had no idea where one started and the other stopped. 

You could taste blood in your mouth from biting the inside of your cheek. Still, you pushed through it, testing yourself with every push and pull of your body. 

His huge hands pawed at your hips and breasts, squeezing you, watching your plump flesh jiggle with every cruel strike of his hips. Your Alpha took your own slick and began to rub it all over your skin, swirling it around your nipples, letting it smear across your belly from his palm. Then, he painted himself, taking it from your well-fucked hole and rubbing it across his scent gland, down his chest, matting his hair with your wetness. 

Then, you felt his precome begin to pump out of him. You knew it had begun because this was when your slick was meant to wash through you, but there was no space for anything else. So, it began to pour out of you and over his knot. Every time he pushed it against your body, it threatened to slip into your hole, and you were filled with a twisted excitement, ready for it to be stuck inside of you, to churn and grind against your insides, to trap you in a blinding, rageful bliss. You nearly cried out from the heavy want you felt in your chest. 

“You ready for my knot, pretty Omega?” He growled, no longer speaking to you softly. There was no gentleness left within him. 

He shoved you back across the dais, climbing up onto it with you, breaking every protocol by doing so, but knowing there wasn’t a single other Alpha in attendance who would do anything about it unless you asked them to. But, he trusted you, lifting himself above you, bringing his face to your face, kissing you and beginning to lick your scent gland, making you see stars. 

Would he really bite you right here in front of all these people while you were about to take his knot? It was beyond intimate. Not only was it private, but it was dangerous. It was when an Alpha was most vulnerable. The audacity of this man shook you to your core. 

“Bite me, Omega. Please take me. Claim me as yours, sweetheart. Show them that you are mine. My Omega.”

His voice was ragged and deep, a hoarse purr of commands, all of which you were happy to obey. You began to lick his neck, putting your mouth over his gland as you began to suck at the round swell of flesh. Then, just as you canted your hips, feeling his knot slip inside of you, shoving and burying itself within the tight sheath of your pussy, you used your muscles to yank him the rest of the way in, and you bit down on his neck, hard, your body seizing from a hard, ruthless orgasm. . 

You heard the crack of his gland, and you felt him sink his fangs into yours, the pain and the pleasure mixing within you like a drug, his cock firing rope after rope of searing hot come into your belly, flooding your womb with his spend. He pulled his mouth away and stared into your eyes. His pupils were blown wide, his face full of disbelief, 

“My love…”

You kissed him, taking his lip into yours, suckling on it, trying to guide him back down from his tantric high. He was struggling above you, stuck deep inside of you, unable to stop himself from dumping heavy loads of his come into your body, his cock pulsing and throbbing with each burst of his cream. 

He rested his head on your neck, returning his mouth to your gland, and every time he licked it, now, you felt your pussy twist around him, threatening to slam you with another orgasm. You licked him, too, hearing him cry out against your skin, feeling the mirror of your sensations, his heavy phallus jerking as you sucked on his broken gland. 

Finally, he was able to rock back and forth, letting his knot slip out of you before popping it back inside, fucking you with it just like he did with his cock. He twisted his hips forward, driving into you with all of his strength, and then he would pull himself back out, the swell of his knot increasing with each thrust until, on the last thrust, he was finally trapped, unable to remove himself from your core. 

Now, though, it was your turn. You began to use your muscles to push and pull him from the inside, fucking him like a sleeve of smooth, soaked warmth, jerking his shaft up and down with your insides.

“Oh, fuck…” He whispered, not expecting your skills to be so advanced, but you had trained hard for this moment. You weren’t about to let it go to waste. 

You moved him inside of you, letting his knot take the brunt of your efforts, squeezing it like a fruit, making sure all of his juice melted into your skin. You made him come like this again, using the salve that your Watcher had given to you as an advantage, knowing that the heightened sensitivity you felt was now being passed on to him. He filled you up, his knot plugging your hole, preventing any of his seed from leaking out, and your tummy was swollen from his load, round and full for everyone to see. 

He sat up on his heels, looking down at you with his eyes full of adoration and wonder, watching your strong abdominals clench and twist as you used them to help you work inside of yourself, edging him over and over before pulling him down into the depths of another hard come with you. 

His hands went to the bulge of fluid in your belly, most of it flooding into your womb, unable to escape anywhere else. Your Alpha caressed your skin, marveling at the fullness. Then, he looked down at your stretched hole, playing with your clitorus that had been forced out from under its hood due to the sheer size of his knot, all of your skin bowing around it and pulled tight. 

Your Alpha forced you to come like this, milking him hard, trying not to make a sound but giving away your mind-bending pleasure with shaking, whimpering breaths. 

“That’s a good Omega. So full of my come.”

You smiled up at him, enjoying the full feeling of his come inside of you. But, you were losing your strength, and he could feel it. Alpha Price leaned over you again, grinding himself down into you and helping you reach one last orgasm, pulling himself along with you, squirting the last of his spend into your pussy. Then, he carefully twisted his cock out of you, watching the gush of his come coat the marble platform, dripping out of you and down the sides of the dais. 

You were so empty and weak, but you were being lifted, cradled in his arms, and the whole arena burst into revelrous applause. The feast had begun, but not for you. You would be in your Alpha’s tent, and there you would remain until he bred you, making sure that you were laden with his cub, sharing food and drink with him in bed while you were stuck on his knot, traditionally until sunset when you would be presented to the clans as the new Apex Omega, destined to rule beside him forever. 

“Are you done being quiet, my Omega?”

“Yes, Master,” you whispered, nestling into his broad chest. 

“Good,” he smiled, “I need to hear you scream for me.”

“And I need my Alpha to breed me. I need your knot again, Master. Don’t pull it out.”

“I’m at your command, my love,” he smiled, planting a kiss on your temple, smearing his own salve across your swollen flesh, working his cock until he was hard again. 

When you felt his knot for the second time, you knew you had made the right choice. Your people were safe, and so were you. You weren’t sure if it was the high of your claiming or the truth that you felt in your heart, but you were eager to be dripping with his come every night. Trapped underneath your Alpha was right where you belonged, knotted and full of his love. 

Seriously, send help. I was too ashamed to even reread it for typos. I'm so sorry.

[vivaspark]

Ensign Lars: Human Resources

Star Wars AU in which Luke Skywalker intends to sign up for the Imperial Flight Academy but doesn't meet the height standards, so he settles for the next best choice: Imperial Department of Human Resources.

Luke is 16 when he heads to the imperial garrison in Anchorhead with the intention of enrolling into the Imperial Flight Academy, he didn't take into account the fact that there may or mey not be a height requirement for that

But you know, he's already there, he still wants to get out of his planet and hopefully see the stars with the added benefit of getting that sweet sweet imperial salary, so our boy signs up for the next best choice: the newly formed Human Resources department of the Imperial Military.

So, our boy has a great and easy time getting thru the training process, he's apparently a natural at reading people, their intentions and whether someone is breaking some rule or protocol somewhere near him,, who knows why

Anyway, Luke "Lars" graduates and gets his first assignment, which luckily for him is one of the Navy's star destroyers, so at the end of the day he'll still be able to roam the stars like he always wanted

Oh, what ship you ask? Of course, the Devastator, Lord Vader's flagship

Had Luke known why that ship was in dire need of a human resources officer and he would've listened to his instructor and acceped the offer for the Chimaera instead, but he's a Skywalker and he won't back down from a challenge

Working with Lord Vader was an absolute nightmare. Why? Because this man has a single objective in his life and it appears to be giving Luke enough work to last him a lifetime between having to rehire a quarter of the personnel on a yearly basis and spending half of his days writing letters to the families of the "laid off" personnel and trying to explain that their child has left the land of the living because Lord Vader doesn't tolerate soldiers tripping on a mouse droid within his hearing range

The good side is that at least there are enough competent people so that efficiency is not a problem in the Devastator

Luke still has a bone to pick with Lord Vader murdering half of his hires tho. Let's just say that as a little revenge plot he may or may not have intentionally hired heavily incompetent people to fill those gaps while he's looking for actual decent hires so that his boss can share just a tiny bit of his suffering too

[astrronomemes]

CLASSIC LITERATURE: ASKS

a collection of questions to send a mun about their muse based on classic literature books. change & alter as needed.

A Christmas Carol: Has your muse ever rejected or pushed away the well-intentioned invitations of another? Why?

A Little Princess: Has your muse ever experienced “good karma” — a good deed or kind action, performed with no expectation of reward or repayment, that came back to help them in the end? Tell us about it.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Has your muse ever felt torn between what their society / culture expects from them and their moral values? What did they decide to do about it?

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: Has your muse ever experienced something unexplainably bizarre? What was it? Did they ever tell anybody about it?

Anne of Green Gables: Does your muse have a good imagination? What do they tend to daydream about?

The Brothers Karamazov: Does your muse hold any religious beliefs? Why do they hold these beliefs? Have they ever faced a trial or hardship wherein these beliefs were tested?

The Catcher in the Rye: Has your muse ever misjudged someone? Did they ever realize they had done so? What did they do to make amends?

Crime and Punishment: Has your muse ever committed a serious crime? Have they ever done something they regret to this day? What was it? Why did they do it?

Dracula: What is your muse’s opinion on the morbid and the macabre? Do they feel a fascination / connection to these things, or an aversion? Tell us why.

Emma: Has your muse ever attempted a matchmaking scheme? Why? How did it turn out in the end?

Fahrenheit 451: Has your muse ever faced censorship or backlash for a speech they’ve made, or a creative work they’ve produced? How did they respond?

Frankenstein: Has your muse ever allowed their ambition to lead them down the wrong path? What happened?

The Great Gatsby: Would you say your muse is a greedy or materialistic person? Why or why not? Tell us about a life experience they’ve faced that shaped this attitude.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Has your muse ever faced any kind of discrimination or oppression for an aspect of themselves that they cannot change? How has this experience shaped their attitude toward that aspect of themselves? Have they ever perpetuated any kind of discrimination or oppression against others, whether unintentionally or deliberately?

Jane Eyre: Has your muse ever experienced rejection, abuse, or abandonment at the hands of a loved one? How did they cope with the betrayal?

The Little Prince: Describe your muse’s childhood. What did their home look like? What were their parents like? How have they changed as a person in the intervening years?

Lord of the Rings: Would your muse prefer to literally live on forever, or achieve immortality through the stories their loved ones share after they have gone? What sort of stories do you think your muse’s loved ones would tell about them?

Moby Dick: Has your muse ever desired revenge? Has your muse ever taken a quest for vengeance too far? How did it turn out in the end?

North and South: Does your muse have somewhere they call “home” that isn’t the house they physically live in? Where is it, and why do they regard it as such? Why do they not view their literal home in the same way as this special location?

One Hundred Years of Solitude: Has your muse ever experienced isolation from others, whether physically or emotionally? Why were they subjected to this? Did they inflict the seclusion upon themselves, or did external circumstances force it upon them? How has it affected them?

Peter Pan: Did your muse ever face a challenge or hardship in their childhood that their parents could not or did not protect them from? Did your muse always have to handle their problems all on their own? If so, how has this shaped them as an adult?

Pride and Prejudice: Has your muse ever allowed their pride to get in their way? Have they ever been too proud to accept or pursue something they secretly wanted?

The Scarlet Letter:  Has your muse struggled to shape their identity apart from harmful societal labels? Did they ever choose to “go with the flow” and conform to these labels, or did they fight back?

The Secret Garden: Does your muse enjoy the outdoors? Do they experience a connection or fascination with nature?

Sense and Sensibility: Does your muse tend to be a more practical or a more fanciful person? Why? Has this trait ever landed them in trouble, or saved them from it?

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Has your muse ever been forced to conceal or suppress a part of themselves because society would not accept it? Have they ever had the freedom to be their true self? What would they do if they knew they would face no consequences or judgment for their actions?

Treasure Island: Has your muse ever been on an adventure? Where did they go? What lessons did they learn from the experience? What sorts of people did they encounter?

Wuthering Heights: Has your muse ever found themself in a toxic or destructive relationship? Who was the other party? How did it end?

[villainessprefect]

~Tell It to My Heart~

title: Heart Dealer

prompt #11: Scolding them for doing something stupid and unintentionally saying, “why did I have to fall for you”

Ace x gn!reader

Read on AO3

You let out a sigh as you wander away from the cafeteria and into the courtyard. Your eyes wander around the world, hoping to find one of your dearest friends. Ace had left the group during lunch, saying he had business and would be back soon. But the clock was ticking and he had yet to return.

Worry began to sink into your heart. You know that Ace could handle himself, but he had the tendency to get into trouble a little too much. And something told you that this might be the reason why he hadn't come back. So, you made the decision to go and find him.

And it was easier than you thought.

"Ace!" You let out a gasp as you find him with his magic pen out. He stands tall, with full pride and confidence as he looks down at the fallen Savanaclaw student. The grass around them is singed with some blades releasing smoke from the tips. There are patches that have lost their green and are now colored in ashes.

"Y-You'll regret this!" The student growls, baring his teeth. Ace doesn't flinch, wearing his cheeky smile. He watches and laughs as the other forces his body up and runs off with his tail in between his legs. Literally.

"I won't!" Ace shouts as he leaves. "You can bring a whole pack and I'd still win!" He chuckles and puts his pen away. "That was easier than I thought."

"Ace!" You shout his name again. This time, startling him. He jumps and turns to you, eyes going wide.

"Prefect? Why are you here? I said I'd be back in a bit."

"That was twenty minutes ago," you argue.

It doesn't take long for you to put two and two together. You had just missed a fight break out and honestly? You're not surprised. Although, you are surprised that he had gone to tackle this alone. Usually you, Grim, or Deuce had his back whenever he picked a fight, intentionally or not.

"So? It's not that long. I'm done anyway, so we can head back."

He tries to act nonchalant, avoiding the topic if he can. Your eyes settle on him. At first glance, he looks fine. The longer you look the more you notice the smaller things. The burnt cuffs of his uniform, the darker spots on his coat, and the cut barely hidden by his heart mark.

"You're hurt," you mutter as he passes you.

Ace stops and lets out an exaggerated sigh, rolling his eyes.

"It's no big deal. This isn't going to kill me, ya know?"

You don't argue with him. Instead, you grab a hold of his wrist and begin to drag him out of the courtyard. He protests and whines about being able to walk himself but ultimately lets you take the lead. You hear him huff before falling silent.

He probably isn't at all bothered by his injuries. If anything, you think he would see them as cool battle scars to prove his victory. It's something he would show off to Deuce and hold over his head. But you can't help but be worried for him. Maybe it is something to be proud of. He's strong enough to win a match here, but it's never without a price.

Subconsciously, your grip on him tightens.

"Let me patch you up, okay?"

"Sure, whatever. You know, you care a little too much for me, right?"

You're glad that you're leading the way so he can't catch the blush tinting your cheeks. The last thing you want is him teasing you over that and you being unable to stop him. Especially if it leads to him finding out your crush on him.

Thankfully, for some reason he doesn't poke more fun at you. When you reach the infirmary, you free him from your hold and have him sit on a bed. You're no stranger to injuries and quickly find what you're looking for. A small bandage and disinfectant wipes.

"I can't believe you left us just to get into a fight," you say as you walk back to him.

"It's not like I wanted to fight him," he pouts as he swings a leg. "He just said something that pissed me off. And when I told him to shut it, he challenged me to a fight."

"And you chose to accept it?" You ask while setting the bandage down. "Don't move to much." You order as you gently turn his head to the side to get a better look at the cut. It's hard to see, but it doesn't look too deep.

"Whatever you say, my liege," he mockingly says. "And yeah, I did. And I totally owned him."

He grins until you press the wipe against his skin. The cold touch makes him flinch and shut his eye.

"What did he even say?" You ask more to yourself than to him. Regardless, he answers.

"He was talking crap about you." That causes you to stop. You blink and your fingers rest pressing against his skin, probably dabbing at his wound too hard. Ace doesn't seem to care though. "I know you won't do anything about it, so I did."

Slowly, you remove the wipe from his skin. You toss it to the side as you get the bandage to conceal the wound, gently pressing it against him. Now it would be more noticeable that something happened, but at least you didn't have to worry about it getting infected.

Your eyes rest upon the bandage as your thoughts wander to what he just admitted. He got into a fight for your sake? He didn't have to. But the thought of him protecting you, being your card soldier in shining armor made your heart melt.

"You're an idiot," you breathe with a light laugh. "Why did I have to fall for you?"

"You what?"

Oh no. Did you say that aloud?

You take a step back and your eyes meet with his. You catch his eyes widened before tearing your gaze away. You're not sure how to handle this, how to handle him. You were supposed to have more time and not just blurt this out right now!

"I-I didn't say anything!" Your voice is weak. Your heart drums against your chest. A mixture of panic and fear crawls throughout your body. The last thing you wanted was rejection, or worse, losing him as a friend.

"Nuh-uh." His cheeky grin reappears as if it never left in the first place. He takes your wrist, holding you in place. His grip is firm, but just enough to allow you to escape if you wish. "I totally heard that. And if you wana try and lie, at least sound confident enough to hide it."

You gulp. Yeah, you should have known not to lie to him, but it was the first thing that came to mind. There had to be some excuse you could come up with. Something to get you out of this predicament so you can think of how to save yourself.

Then the bell rings and you think you've never been happier to hear it echo throughout the school. What was it they say? Saved by the bell?

"Lunch is over, we have to go to class!"

"But I'm in so much pain," Ace whines. "You can't just leave an injured student all alone here. Especially one that you fell for."

Oh how you wish you could slap that stupidly cute shit eating grin off his face.

You clench your fist and debate your options. Regardless, you would have to confront him and you know he's not going to leave you alone about this in class. Things might be worse if you don't confront him now. And it's not like he reacted poorly to your accidental confession.

So, maybe there's hope?

You clear your throat and take in a few breaths. "Fine." You face him, feeling your cheeks on fire.

"Good." He smiles and tugs you closer. You're careful not to trip, but remain standing in front of him. "So, wana elaborate?"

You bite down on your lip. "Do I have to? It should be obvious." You wonder if it is. In your eyes, you'd say yes. You worry over him like how you did today. You help him out whether he's in deep trouble or not. You even go along with his schemes just to be beside him a little longer. He knew how to have fun and make you smile with such ease. This honest trickster had complete control over your heart, even now.

"I like you, Ace."

The words leave your lips so naturally, as if they were meant to be spoken.

When you lift your gaze, you find his cheeks red. Maybe not as bright as yours, but it's noticeable.

"Hearing that sounds...nice," he mumbles. His free hand covers his mouth for a moment. It's hard to tell if it's to hide his blush or not. It hardly matters when he pulls his hand away and jumps to his feet. The sudden movement startles you, but he keeps you steady. His hand leaves your wrist only to intertwine yours with his.

"Well, if that's that then, I say we go on a date!" He chirps. "Who needs class when we have something more important to do, right?" The smile he wears makes it hard to say no to. You wouldn't let that be your answer anyway. Ace doesn't give you the option to either since he's already pulling you towards the door with that look in his eye. That glint of determination to fulfill his mission to skip class and do something fun. With you.

[mitsukiwa]

Baby, love me cause I'm playing on the radio.

previous I Pt 3 I *My wattpad user is 6arelyhuman_ if u want the outfits visuals u should read it there*

WARNING!!! There will include: angst, fluff, smut, love triangle

Summary: You love bill and there's no doubt in your heart, unbeknownst to you he feels the same way. You both have to overcome challenging events that leads the both of you to grow apart, what happens when his twin brother feels for you? Will you be able to crush his heart? What will you do to prevent hurting them both?

You were laid down on the couch of Bills and Tom's apartment, using bills lap as a pillow. Watching some Sci-Fi movie you both wanted to watch but never had the time to. You hear a door open and close from the hallway, you already knew just who it was.

Tom walks into the living room, momentarily blocking both bills and yours view on the TV screen to get to the other side of the couch. He places his laptop on top of the surface of the coffee table, he picks up your legs from their spot on the end of the couch; seating himself down then placing your legs over his lap.

You glance at him then back at the TV's screen. He reaches forward for his laptop, placing the device on top of your legs. You don't mind though, relishing in the heat it emitted. You and Bill would sometimes laugh at something in the movie, Tom on the other hand was too busy going through Emails. Even when they were on break, he just couldn't help but be a workaholic.

You laugh to yourself, earning both the boys attention. Tom gave  you a questioning look, bill on the other hand said "what?" You gesture to Tom, " He's going through Emails and shit when we're supposed to be on break"  I emphasize break. Bill laughs, "that's just Tom" "Oh, I'm sorry, I don't want us behind on anything" He sounded annoyed.

I swallow. The bite in his tone, was enough to make me worry. Bill looked at Tom then at me. He points behind him with his thumb. "I'll leave you two alone" He gently lifts up my head, getting up from the couch, I scoot down further until my back hits the armrest. Bill kisses my forehead, then leaving the living room and into his room. I turn my attention back to Tom, who had shut his laptop and placed it back on the coffee table. My eyes meet his own, his eyes resembled bill and I just can't help but be lost in them. I finally come back to my senses.

I'm unsure of what I want to say. It would be easier if I said everything I felt. But in the long shot that can ruin everything. I know I had to try and chose my words carefully. And naturally I say, "Tom, are you okay?"

He purses his lips before opening his mouth to reply. "I've been better"

I frown at his reply, "what is it?" He stays quiet. I scoot closer to him, placing my hand on his shoulder. I feel him tense under my touch. I pull my hand away from him, leaving them to rest at my sides. "Why have you been ignoring me?"

I'm caught off guard by the question and straightforwardness of it. He's looking right at me desperately. "Did I ruin something with my confession?"

All of a sudden it's hard for me to swallow down the lump that forms in my throat. "No" I force out.  "Alright, so everythings just completely fine then" The words sound hurt and I mentally curse myself out. "Yes" I squeak out. He let out a puff of air from his mouth, seeming to be fed up. "God, how can you be so fucking naive Y/N!" His hands flew to the air. I grew nervous and began to rub my hands on the fabric of my jeans.

"I'm sorry, Tom"

His head shot my direction. "I just need time to figure things out"

He seemed to calm down a bit, letting out a sigh through his nose. "I'm sorry for not acting indifferent" I apologize.

"It's alright" He said after a few moments more. I give him a smile one he returns with a slight smirk.

"I should get going home" I say pushing myself up form the couch. Tom stands up from his place on the couch. " It's late, you should stay over" There wasn't any room to argue that fact so I accept. Luckily there was some of my clothes from when I've slept over, Bill had washed them and folded them into the drawers in the guest room.

I took a quick shower in the bathroom of the hallway. As I walked down the hall with a towel at hand, I pass by Bill's room. I stop behind the door, trying to hear what was going on at the other side. There was not a single sound, I could only imagine he had went to bed. I walk to the guest room down the hallway, closing the door behind me. I put in my dirty clothes into the basin located near the closet. Dragging my feet over to the bed in the center, i pull the corner of the covers up, sliding in them. I nuzzle my head into the clean linen. Soon enough I fell asleep.

My phone's alarm rings, the loud noise waking me from my slumber. I rub the sleep off my eyes, turning over, and reaching for my phone on the nightstand. Swiping up to turn off the alarm. A yawn escapes my mouth. I hop off the bed, dragging my feet to the door, I turn the cold knob pulling the door open, and making my way into the kitchen.

I walk over to the window by the sink opening the blinds for the morning light. I grab a cup from one of the cupboards, and serve myself some water from the fridge. I chugged down the liquid, letting out a content sigh as I feel the fresh liquid go down my throat. I place the empty cup on top of the counter with a thud. A familiar black haired boy waltz into the kitchen, puffy eyes and messy bed hair, I couldn't help but snort. He flicks me off. I only make heart hands back at him.

"I see sleeping beauty has now awoken" I tease, with a smirk playing at my lips.

"Yea, and sleeping beauties gunna make a coffee then head back to bed" I giggle at him. Bill was such a grump in the mornings completely different than his bright self. All he needed was a boost of his caffeine and everythings fine again. He heats the water in his electrical water heater. The sound begins to get louder as the minutes progress. He leans back against the counter with his arms crossed over his torso, and I look into the cabinets in search for the bread loaf.

"Third one" His voice sounds so much deeper in the mornings, I feel a chill run down my spine. "Thanks bill" I mumble. Moving over to the third cabinet. I pull out the loaf, placing it on the counter. I turn around and go to the fridge pulling out the butter and butter knife from the drawers. I take out two slices of bread, plopping them into the toaster. I pull down the leverage and the breads descend.

"Did you talk to him?" Bill saids after a pause of silence. "Yea" I let out, "I basically told him I needed time" He only hums in thought.

"Tom's impatient" Bill saids in a tone of scolding. " I know" I say. "I'll have an answer for him before tour" I assure him. Though I wasn't sure myself.

"I'll take your word for that" I nod. Bill takes out a mug, *cough cough* his favorite mug. It was black and had white letters around it. It read "I ❤️ mom's" the love was a red heart. George had gifted it to bill as a joke but turns out bill loves the damn thing. He pours the steaming water into the mug mixing in the instant coffee powder into the water. He blows into the cup, attempting to cool it down. The bread springs up, I grab a small plate, putting the slices on the plate. I open the butter, slicing the mass with the butter knife and spreading it onto the toasted bread. I put the butter back into the fridge and take my plate and seat myself at one of the stools.

I take a bite into my toast, satisfied with how it turned out. Tom stumbles into the kitchen, his cornrows messily placed around his shoulder. Wearing nothing but a pair of black briefs. Weird but accurate to say Tom was so tom.

"Guten morgen" Bill greets Tom. "Morgen" Tom groggily saids. Tom was such a mess in the mornings, much more worse than bill. Tom drags his feet over to me, taking a toast from my plate, and biting into it. "Hey! That's mine!!".  "Oops" I playfully punched his arm. "Your so annoying"

I roll my eyes at him whilst he chewed on my food. "Good to know I'm annoying" He saids with his mouth full. A smile spreading across his face. "Not in a good way you prick" i sigh out through my nose, "and stop talking with your mouth full,pig"

"What are you my mom?" "Simone would love me to be" I smirk up at him. He scoffs at me. "Leave Tom alone" Bill scolds me.

"What? He ate my toast!!!" "Yeah, only because you ignored me" Tom retorts. "I'm talking to right now you illiterate bastard" I argue back.

"Okay both of you stop acting like some children" Bill saids, he was beginning to get mad himself, really don't test billy in the mornings.

I roll my eyes away from Tom. I wasn't actually mad, but I could tell Tom was fuming. He had a way of taking things to the ass. He plops down on the chair beside me, I could feel him burning holes into the side on my skull. I shift in my seat finishing of my toast. I hop off the stool, picking up the plate and leaving it in the sink.

"I gotta head out" I say,to no one in particular. Tom asks "where you going?" "I need to finish off a canvas and mail it to the art museum in Italy"  Tom's face sours, ever since I had began my art career, he's always been unappreciative of that. "Hope everything goes well" "Thanks bill" I beam at him.

I go into the living room to get my purse I had left on the couch last night, then my phone from the guest room. I'm on my way out when I hear one of the boys call out 'forgetting something!' Bill said. I stop in my tracks, confused for a moment until finally I remembered, I walk back into the kitchen. Bill meets me halfway to him, he embraces me, I inhale his scent. I always loved how that cologne went so well with him. He dips his head down to kiss the crown of my head.

I look up at him flashing him a cheeky grin. "Bye, bill, I'll text you later on" "alright"

I hear someone clear their throat, I look to the side and see Tom with an eyebrow raised. I pull away from hug, walking over to where Tom's seated. I lean forward to give him a side hug, he snaked his arms around my waist, pulling me down on top of him. I yelp out at the uncalled for actions. He chuckles, and I can feel the vibrations by my ear, I shudder. I try to pull away but the arms around my waist waist tighten. I pull my head back to look at him in the face.

"Tom, I need to go"

He leans in, I squeeze my eyes shut, scared to open them.i feel his lips make contact with my cheek. I peak one eye open only to find Tom smirking down at me.

"Be safe" he said. I nod "I will, one last tour remember?" 'Yea' he saids below a whisper. His grip loosens, so I stand up from his lap. I grab my things walking out the kitchen and to the front door before I do leave I hear the boys call out.

Be safe!

Text me!

I yell back an 'ok' to let them know I heard them.

© Mitsukiwa 2023-Do not copy,post or translate my work anywhere.

[notetaeker]

RAMADAN CHALLENGE 2023

INTRO:

After doing a ramadan challenge for 2 years so far and benefitting immensely from it, I thought I would post some questions this year! Everyone is welcome to join! Please also let me know if u have any suggestions / notice any mistakes ;_; this is my first time hosting a challenge

Just wanted to thank the anon who asked me abt this, and also @tranquilstudy and @caramelcuppaccino. Your challenges really were my main inspiration when I decided to do a challenge ~ thank uuuu and to @nuuralshams who gave me a lot of ideas for questions and was v excited abt it 💕

RULES:

Reblog this post to let me know you're in! (and to have as reference)

Pls use the tag '#RamadanChallenge2023'

I will be rb-ing every post I see in there (unless it's spam bots)

You can do a question per day or batch them together if you like

You can also do some questions out of order if you want (like answering the surah kahf question on a friday)

Feel free to skip any question or just post abt how ur ramadan went that day / what you ate for iftar / anything tbh

You are also welcome to start late (or early! If you want to use some of the questions as a countdown to Ramadan!)

I also included some Ramadan Prep questions + Eid post if you'd like! ( Very optional...)

I will be starting the challenge when I personally start Ramadan but if Ramadan starts a day earlier for you- you can just start then!

I added a bonus day in case Ramadan is 30 days lol but you can skip it if you want if Ramadan is only 29 days

I will try my best to queue your posts but knowing me I might just mass-reblog 🤡

Anyway Allahumma Balighna Ramadan!!! / Ramadan Mubarak !!!! (based on when you're reading this)

Let me know! If you want to be tagged / reminded when we start!

PREP QUESTIONS (Optional):

Prep day 1: One thing you're looking forward to the most this Ramadan Prep day 2: Do you plan on completing the Qur'an and if so, what's your plan? Are you going to start before Ramadan? Prep day 3: List one thing that would help future you get the most out of this Ramadan, and go do it now! (if possible)

RAMADAN QUESTIONS:

Day 1: What are your goals this Ramadan? Possible suggestions: 1 habit to build, 1 habit to break, and one accomplishment you hope to gain!

Day 2: Are you working/going to school during this month? What about in previous years? How does it affect your ramadan? How do you balance the two?

Day 3: What type of worship comes the easiest to you?

Day 4: Ramadan is the month of the qur'an. What is an ayah from the Qur'an that has changed your view of things or impacted you deeply?

Day 5: Share a memory of Ramadan from your childhood or when you first embraced Islam

Day 6: What are some Ramadan traditions you have, and what are some that you'd like to pass on to others?

Day 7: Best iftar item?

Day 8: What is a suhoor necessity to get you through the day?

Day 9: Share a hadith with us that you read today!

Day 10: First 10 days end today! Do you usually pray taraweeh? If you do then is it at home or at the masjid?

Day 11: How was Ramadan during the covid era? Has everything gone back to normal where you are? Anything you miss from back then?

Day 12: Most challenging thing about Ramadan and how do you try to overcome it?

Day 13: Have you ever completed the qur'an? Ever? What abt during Ramadan?

Day 14: Which story from surah kahf hits you hardest?

Day 15: Do you follow any Ramadan lecture series online? Any that you recommend?

Day 16: Best time to read qur'an during Ramadan? What about outside of Ramadan?

Day 17: What does your ideal Ramadan day look like? What about your Ramadan routine this year?

Day 18: the second 10 days is almost over! Have you ever experienced Ramadan burnout? Any tips to overcoming it?

Day 19: Who are you spending Ramadan with? Family? Roommates? Alone? What is 1 good thing about that arrangement?

Day 20: Have you ever done i'tikaf or qiyamul-layl in previous Ramadans? Are you doing any this time?

Day 21: Any feel-good dua acceptance stories to share? It could be your own story, a friend's, or even from a sheikh that you heard

Day 22: What is something you always miss about Ramadan when it's over? / What do you think you might miss this year?

Day 23: Are you making dua for anything specific? (Any dua you want us to make for you?)

Day 24: Share an Eid memory that sticks out to you! What kind of Eid traditions do you have?

Day 25: Who is a sahaba (companion of the prophet ﷺ) that you feel inspired by? Can you share the story that inspires you?

Day 26: Mention your favorite story about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, or which of his qualities you look up to the most

Day 27: Your Laylatul-Qadr worship routine! Dhikr? Dua? Salah? Tell us!

Day 28: Think over the last month and the Ramadan that you've spent. Is there something you wish you had spent more time on? There's still 1-2 days left! What's your plan?

Day 29: Ramadan is our honorable yearly guest who is now preparing to leave 💔 What are 3 gifts Ramadan is leaving for you as a parting gift until we meet it again (inshallah) next year. It could be habits

Day 30 / BONUS DAY: If you were given an extra day to live, what would you do on that day?

EID: Eid Mubarak! Post a 3x3 or a 3x2 photoset of your eid celebrations! (Optional)

[vitaliadev]

my first game jam letsgooo

01. Brainstorm

2024.05.25, 3:27am

My 1st game jam ever that I am content to commit to (I just want the freebie course for participation lol).

Theme: Last Stand

So, it's roughly 10 days for a game on a quite broad theme, but I am very good with brainstorming part & I already know what I'm doing.

this is sparta + zombies + escape room

my process goes like this:

1.  research the definitions of themes. Basic google search, Wikipedia, tvtropes and urbandictionary are the main places to look for.

TvTropes is very good for brainstorming, it leads to multiple related definitions and common tropes you can research ad use for inspiration.

2. what associations i personally have? For me, "this is sparta" famous scene came to mind. The "special sauce" game mechanics aspect come from there

3. What I already know how to do?

Barebones Unreal Engine game with: menu, mission message, winning condition/event, next level progression, enemy ai.

Overall information gave me very specific mental visuals, which can be made in 3 different levels with unifying conditions & mechanics. Some of them could be made into endless runner or a different genre, or with emphasis on something like beat-them-up. The levels can also be potentially 3 quite different games.

4. define known limits

Time, my lack of knowledge (i cannot properly quantify yet how long something can take me to implement), working with new version of engine. I tend to get too deep into developing a lore or detailed mechanics, so:

5. limit yourself.

My goal is to make a small game, not to make a good game or visually nice game. I will do the bare minimum first (see 3.), and then add basic assets or change things like dummy colors. I am not going to dive into polishing anything. I may end up add sounds etc, but main objective is to just pack the thing up and get something playable.

So, I'm not gonna sit further on the brainstorming part and dive into the engine. 

I think the biggest help for me why i could do it so quick is because i watched game challenges like this one & it helped me to understand how to visualize final products that do not look like AAA games I dream of making. Just do something simple, playable and move on. You cna always try to iterate on your older ideas in new games. For my current level, the crucial part is to learn and constantly produce small visible results, aka "speed sketch session" like in arts (my main medium).

[phantom-of-the-ruckus]

Hello puppets theory #2: The needs of puppets

Using some inspiration from Marlow's hierarchy of needs (Which I don't particularly agree a lot but its an ok basis for my theory with the puppets)

So this goes with my theory and headcannon that Owen gave the puppets to much humanity to the point that they are more humans than puppets

Since they are now living things, my theory goes that the puppets are now exhibiting many needs that living things exhibit

We all don't necessarily exhibit all of them as individuals work differently, but I can aee some primary and psychological needs that Marlow's theory mentions

For example the need of resources to live is represented on the way puppets need host

Or the need to feed on their curious nature like Riley does with her science and experiments and her desires to be renowned.

My theory is that Owens reflection of the puppets only goes beyond the main four characteristics in the game he represented that was presented in all four puppets, however the puppets are their own free individuals ans creations of free will with their desires and needs.

This goes mostly reflected on their needs and wants, and of course what they desire based on those Nicks

I am not particularly fond of trying to find a way to connect Owen into the puppets and his past as it does takes away of the puppets individuality, and it stretches a lot of the lore we were given to the point it doesn't feel natural to me, but that's my silly personal opinion

I do respect and understand those who do believe in those Owen theories, I just happen to strongly disagree, but I am more than fine if you believe the latter and disagree with me. There is no confirmation of what the actual lore is, and I do love to read and see other variations

The puppets all have a need of survival, ao that goes out of the picture as it goes with Everyone.

So my theory for each of the puppets are the following

Mortimer

Mortimer exhibits a great need of control in his environment including his subjects. I believe it's tied to his desire of staying in power and being the true voice of the puppets (As he's rather paranoid)

Mortimer exhibits a need of safety. This goes more into him being a paranoid as he's afraid and is suspicious that everyone is doing stuff behind his back and he wants to make sure he's safe from danger as the "Father" of the cult

Mortimer see and has a great desire of seel upgrade through comparing himself as as a king and wanting his show back it feeds with his desire around his ego

I do think he has a slight physiological need of companionship, but he wants subjects rather than a "family"

Riley

Riley has more compex needs, so I'll start with the Good boi as her need of companionship. As she has a strong bond and most likely a codependency with Mortimer, he's the unstable individual that she cannot fulfill that need +She really misses her good boi

Riley has the need of improving and challenging herself. Riley has a pretty damn good self-eateem and she knows she can do better than her current situation as she expreses it im the tapes

Riley has a need of approval from Mortimer although she has a good self-esteem. I do thibk this is due to Mortimer's rather chilly and unstable demeanor. Riley wants to prove herself she's worthy as Mortimer is a always criticizing everyone.

Now I do believe part of Riley is seeking for a safer and more grounded place in the host world as the way they are living limits for their survival needs

Daisy

Daisy seems to have a great need of self worth and appriciation which she doesn't have on herself. I'll say this goes more into the esteem needs

I am not sure if Daisy has a need for companionship, but I guess it could be related to her need and desire to be nice and pleasant to people to like her.

Ummm for Self a actualization, I'll say Daisy wants more people to not treat her as this dumb person and she wants people to respect her and be nicer to her as she's nice to them

For safety, ummm I think that Neeed was satisfied after Riley helped her accept Danger mode as part of her

Nick

First and foremost Nick has a lot of self-esteem issues that he hides through some related Narcissism (I forgot what is called, but ifs about usikg narcissism to deflect your low-self-esteem )

For safety, I do believe it's related to escape Mortimer's physical abuse and be in space where he can lower his defense mechanisms and be himself

Self actualization could be Nick wanting something good for once like a better upgraded room and Mortimer at least favoring him

Well, I'll talk about Nicks feelings now. As a reminder, I dont think anyone is related and they're a cult. So, let's dive into the most important need he has:

So, we know about Nick's feelings and I have seen people theorized it was translated into Owen crushing on someone, but I think this is more about Nick's physiological means of love and companionship as I do think a tape is implying Owen to be an AroAce. So Nick's love and desires for Riley delivers from his need and desires to have love, give love, and recieve love. I do believe his painting reflects his needs of having a strong and trustful relationship that he's hesitant to have because he's embarrassed to admit he...well wants Riley to be his mate as in thr last tape he seemed to have an idea of what they were going to do at Mortimers office (I saw a scripted version error on the rosco's origins video that made me belief Nick thought perhaps he was either tying the knot with her or want to escape) this goes with his hopeless romantic fantasies but it goes into another set of headcannons. Tell me id you're interested

Well, there you have it folks!

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STUDY OF CHOICES, how to deal with the impossibility &. the fruit of improvisation.

mariam : silent forest enthusiast &. a writer stuck to minor details. against the teaching of wizardry, seeing this poor existence a veritable field of blasphemy. spiritual, religious &. kind-hearted, the maiden’s 22 years old, enamored with the possibility to gather a sane plethora of knowledge, never underestimating the responsibility of spreading the opulence of conceptualization. raised by her English teacher after the mysterious departure of her mother &. her 2nd husband, without knowing her legacy &. accompanied by a bag full of books after venturing outdoors — an orphan in the grace of liberty. NICKNAMED THE GREEN ADVOCATE &. A POETIC WANDERER.

miriam is the old maria everybody knows, undoubtedly carrying this irrevocable onus replete with untraceable informations bound to resume bizarre &. almost—untranslatable occurrences in the family’s lineage &. its condemnable inheritance, surprisingly not devoid of dark arts’ interminable staggerings in unheard outcasts’ familial—oriented tenets, absolutely frightened by an eventual acceleration of unsatisfying pursuits of sacrilegious bedrocks this miserable biological uncle ferid won’t refuse to discard… &. then this unswerving johan who prepares disputable challenges for entertainment purposes, passionately dodging the true scope of wise exchanges. miriam’ll refuse to contact old acquaintances, won’t hesitate to use rudeness as a last resort to opposites who dare to cross a bit of boundaries’ prime line &. crude prices — punishment triumphs over so-called civilized &. meditative negotiations because justice’s rarely totally served — discards the existent quota of goodness secluded by gentry’s selective circles for power’s sake &. dominion’s grips, barely concentrates on excusable pours of unjust treatments even if the past of the concerned individual explicates the contorted switch because nothing justifies thuggery’s varying degrees, utterly supports the contumacious additions when it comes to exhibiting gender issues &. problematic normalizations replete with daunting arguments to the point of starting a negotiation instead of swallowing a no with coherent &. reasonable explanations as an answer. since her position in the alcazar remains irrefragable &. her reputation offers each day a wild range of eulogies, criticisms, nicknames &. avid curiosities, manifold changes might take place, especially when deep—rooted typical creeds restrain any particular group from embracing the honor of learning &. becoming true heralds &. stalwarts of wisdom — the ebb of rulings shall prosper in a haven for solitude’s respectfulness &. inevitably care about outdoorsy diversities without lessening the importance of one single seed of one’s road, implying that it’s prohibitive to tolerate a morsel of unfairness, severely ordered to hail accountability &. nourishing the spirit with daily recalls of honorable traits. relationship’s growth will now depend on wisdom’s coursework &. set of values, not offering a second chance to excused villainies &. immediately in cautious surveillances, discreet analysis of an individual’s worthiness through fundamental creeds &. defended causes. also… totally against all kings &. queens, other scholars, soldiers, ministers, varying advocates &. unequal treatments — in each clan — &. miriam’s well–known for several refusals of karlheinz’s courteous invitations &. if there’s an acceptance, it’s only to discuss small matters tied to the alcazar’s reputation, the importance of scholarship &. the rules. miriam makes sure to show the uttermost disdain when it comes to paying attention to karlheinz’s messages.

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How Can Dr. Karen Hawk Help You Overcome Anxiety in Gilbert, AZ?

Anxiety is a pervasive and often debilitating condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It manifests in various forms, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic attacks, social anxiety, and more. For those struggling with anxiety in Gilbert, Arizona, Dr. Karen Hawk offers specialized psychological support designed to help individuals manage and overcome their anxiety. This article explores how Dr. Hawk’s expertise can make a significant difference in your journey toward recovery, the methods she employs, and the benefits of seeking professional help.

Understanding Anxiety and Its Impact

Anxiety is more than just feeling worried or stressed; it is a mental health condition characterized by persistent and excessive worry that can interfere with daily activities. The physical symptoms can include increased heart rate, sweating, trembling, and muscle tension, while emotional symptoms may involve feelings of dread, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.

1. Types of Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders encompass a range of conditions, each with its own set of symptoms and challenges. These include:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Characterized by chronic and uncontrollable worry about various aspects of life, such as work, health, or relationships.

Panic Disorder: Involves recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, which are intense episodes of fear accompanied by physical symptoms like heart palpitations and shortness of breath.

Social Anxiety Disorder: Marked by an intense fear of social situations and interactions, often leading to avoidance and significant distress.

Specific Phobias: Involves an irrational fear of specific objects or situations, such as heights, spiders, or flying.

Each type of anxiety disorder requires a tailored approach to treatment, emphasizing the need for specialized psychological support.

Dr. Karen Hawk’s Approach to Treating Anxiety

Dr. Karen Hawk’s practice in Gilbert, AZ, is dedicated to helping individuals overcome anxiety through a combination of evidence-based therapies and personalized care. Her approach is designed to address the unique needs of each client, providing effective strategies for managing and reducing anxiety symptoms.

1. Comprehensive Assessment and Diagnosis

The first step in overcoming anxiety is a thorough assessment. Dr. Hawk conducts a comprehensive evaluation to understand the nature and severity of the anxiety, as well as its impact on the individual’s life. This assessment may involve discussing symptoms, triggers, and the client’s personal history. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for developing an effective treatment plan.

2. Evidence-Based Therapeutic Techniques

Dr. Karen Hawk Arizona employs a range of evidence-based therapeutic techniques to address anxiety. These methods are grounded in scientific research and have been proven effective in treating various anxiety disorders:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is one of the most widely used and effective treatments for anxiety. It focuses on identifying and challenging negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to anxiety. Through CBT, clients learn to reframe their thinking, develop coping strategies, and gradually face their fears in a controlled manner.

Exposure Therapy: Exposure therapy is a specific form of CBT that involves gradual and controlled exposure to feared situations or objects. The goal is to help clients reduce their fear and anxiety by facing their fears in a safe environment, eventually diminishing their intensity over time.

Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation, can help individuals manage anxiety symptoms by promoting relaxation and increasing awareness of the present moment. These techniques are often incorporated into therapy to help clients develop coping skills and reduce overall stress levels.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): ACT focuses on helping individuals accept their anxiety and commit to taking actions that align with their values. It encourages clients to develop psychological flexibility and resilience, allowing them to navigate anxiety without letting it control their lives.

3. Personalized Treatment Plans

Dr. Karen Hawk AZ understands that each individual’s experience with anxiety is unique. Therefore, she develops personalized treatment plans tailored to each client’s specific needs and goals. This personalized approach ensures that the therapy is relevant and effective, addressing the root causes of anxiety and providing practical solutions for managing symptoms.

4. Support and Education

In addition to therapeutic techniques, Dr. Hawk provides education and support to help clients better understand their anxiety and how to manage it. This may include teaching clients about the physiological and psychological aspects of anxiety, providing strategies for self-care, and offering resources for additional support.

5. Collaborative Approach

Dr. Karen Hawk Arizona values collaboration in the therapeutic process. She works closely with clients to set goals, track progress, and make adjustments to the treatment plan as needed. This collaborative approach fosters a sense of empowerment and engagement, allowing clients to take an active role in their healing journey.

Success Stories: How Dr. Karen Hawk Has Made a Difference

The effectiveness of Dr. Karen Hawk’s approach is evident in the success stories of her clients. Many individuals who have struggled with anxiety have found relief and improved their quality of life through her guidance and support.

1. Overcoming Panic Disorder

One success story involves a client who experienced frequent panic attacks that disrupted their daily life. Through a combination of CBT and exposure therapy, the client learned to identify the triggers for their panic attacks, develop coping strategies, and gradually confront feared situations. As a result, the client experienced a significant reduction in panic attacks and gained confidence in managing their anxiety.

2. Managing Social Anxiety

Another example is a client with social anxiety disorder who struggled with intense fear of social interactions. Dr. Karen Hawk’s use of CBT and mindfulness techniques helped the client challenge their negative thoughts, practice social skills in a controlled setting, and gradually engage in social situations with greater ease. The client reported improved social confidence and a reduction in anxiety related to social events.

3. Coping with Generalized Anxiety Disorder

A client with generalized anxiety disorder sought Dr. Hawk’s help to manage chronic worry and stress. Through a combination of CBT and relaxation techniques, the client learned to manage their anxiety more effectively, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and improve their overall well-being. The client experienced reduced worry and a greater sense of control over their anxiety.

How to Get Started with Dr. Karen Hawk

If you are struggling with anxiety and seeking professional support, Dr. Karen Hawk is available to help you on your journey to healing. Taking the first step towards addressing anxiety is essential for achieving lasting relief and improving your quality of life.

1. Scheduling Your Appointment

To begin working with Dr. Karen Hawk, you can schedule an appointment by contacting her office at (480) 218-2289. This initial contact allows you to discuss your needs and arrange a convenient time for your visit. Alternatively, you can email Dr. Hawk at karenhawk@rca.llc to inquire about services and set up an appointment.

2. Exploring Dr. Hawk’s Services

For more information about Dr. Hawk’s approach to treating anxiety and the range of therapeutic options available, visit her website at Dr. Karen Hawk Psychologist Arizona. The website provides details about her services and offers insights into her therapeutic methods and philosophy.

3. Office Location

Dr. Karen Hawk’s office is located in Gilbert, Arizona, at Arizona 85298, United States. The office is designed to provide a comfortable and confidential setting for therapy, ensuring that you receive the highest quality of care.

Why Act Now?

Addressing anxiety promptly is crucial for preventing its impact from worsening and interfering with your daily life. By seeking help from Dr. Karen Hawk, you are taking an important step toward managing your anxiety and achieving a more balanced and fulfilling life. Dr. Hawk’s expertise and compassionate approach offer valuable support in navigating the challenges of anxiety and discovering new paths to healing.

In conclusion, Dr. Karen Hawk’s practice in Gilbert, AZ, provides specialized support for individuals struggling with anxiety. Through evidence-based therapeutic techniques, personalized care, and a collaborative approach, Dr. Hawk helps clients overcome anxiety and improve their overall well-being. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your life—act now and schedule your appointment with Dr. Karen Hawk to begin your journey toward healing and recovery.

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A 12-Minute Meditation for Challenging Emotions

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Zone Gate Part 4

-Noella went to a festival to take her mind of her recent battle- I walked around a bunch of different stall's and performer's but nothing seemed to cheer me up. Why did I let my pride get to me like that, I..I wish I could of done things differently. UGH I threw my deck on the ground....and stormed off, I tried a few more activities to try and forget about Zonelle for good. But all I saw was people having Zonelle battles....then a memory kicked in (???) "I attack with Spirit of Bird" (Noella) "I block that one with Bush Tiger". -Sigh- I remember when I used to battle with my best friend....why did she have to leave? (???) "Um excuse me mam I think you dropped these!" suddenly a guy walked up to me and gave me back my cards. (???) "Are you sure you should give them back? she betrayed her cards when she threw them down!" Ugh who was this guy? before I knew it the one giving me the deck back had retracted them.

(???) "If you beat me in a battle you can have them back full time, do you accept Eugene's challenge?". Ugh....I guess that's the guy's name his outfit was um very unique, (Noella) "I accep...." (??? "I will fight on her behalf, my name is Ziro!" (Noella) "What the heck I can fight my own battle....plus you were against him giving me my deck back!". (Ziro) "Do you think you are in the right frame of mind to battle after throwing away your cards so easily?" Ugh....I guess he was right the two then stood opposite each other. (Eugene) "I will start, I draw then summon a monster in the defence line and place 2 effect cards." (Ziro) "I see hiding your deck type smart move, I draw then summon Fire-Ball Mage!" -gulp- a fire deck. "I then activate Burning Passion which double my monsters strength and he attacks your defender!" Hmm I guess good move but that boost only lasts one turn, "I then place an effect card and call it a turn!". (Enrique) "I summon Moss Golem and he will attack your Mage" (Ziro) "I activate Ranged FIre-Ball and destroy an effect card. I then evolve my Mage into Magician of Flames"

(Eugene) "Smart move but I will activate Revival Leaf to bring back my Golem!". He got to keep his monster....but Ziro pulling off an evolution on his opponents turn was an amazing counter though. (Ziro) "Is that a bit of enjoyment I see?" I just nodded. "I summon a second Magician of Flames and both of my monsters attack you directly and I place an effect card!" (Eugene) "I activate Temple Guarding to bring out 2 more golem's in the defence line. I then activate All out Assault to push them into the offense line and all 3 monsters attack you. All out Assault destroys all attacking monsters but I didn't use my summon so I summon a new defence monster!" Wow so if he can pull off that combo again he could potentially win....(Ziro) "I draw, then I summon Sorcerer of Dark Flames! His ability destroys my other monster's" (Noella) "WHAT....that's limiting your own attack power" then it hit me....he had two monsters. (Ziro) "This is my special combo where I evolve my Sorcerer into Eternal-Flame Sage. His ability gives him a bonus attack for each of magician card I discarded this turn!"

(Eugene) "And that just happens to be enough too take out my defence monster and my remaining lives. -Gulp- guess I bit off more than I could chew" (Ziro) "Eternal-Flame Sage hit him with the grand finale spell!" and with that attack he won the battle! The two then shook hands, (Eugene) "It was an honour to witness such an incredible combo but next time I will have one of my own. Let's just say I'm in the developmental stage" (Ziro) "Haha yeah it took me a while to figure out my end game combo". Eugene then handed Ziro the deck...um (Noella) "Can I have my cards back now?". He handed them to me....(Ziro) "Now face me in a battle!" (Noella) "But why....I promise I won't toss away my cards away again". (Ziro) "I believe you but you need to remember why Zonelle is important to you and an all out battle is the key to that!" I guess he was right but I don't stand a chance against him....especially without my gate card.

[imjuanita]

How-To Purchase Sleeping Drugs Online

A good night's sleep is crucial for a balanced and productive lifestyle. Sleep disorders, such as insomnia and sleep apnea are common. These disorders can interfere with sleep which makes it challenging to fall asleep, stay in bed, or even get adequate sleeping. The use of tablets for sleep can enhance the quality of your sleep and the length of your sleep.

If you suffer of sleep-related issues You can buy Nitrazepam 10 mg at a trusted pharmacy. The last few years, online buying has gained popularity. There are numerous advantages when compared to traditional purchasing. This article will explain how to safely buy sleeping pills online.

Understanding Sleeping Tablets

These sleeping tablets help to promote sleep and increase the quality of your sleep. Sleeping tablets work by altering brain chemicals which regulate sleep or wakefulness. The sleeping tablets are available in a variety of varieties, each of which has distinct mechanisms of action, duration, and onset. The sleeping tablets are benzodiazepines as well as non-benzodiazepine and the hypnotics. Melatonin antagonists also are commonly used.

Use sleeping tablets as prescribed by your physician. Dosage and instructions for use can differ depending on the kind of sleep tablet used and on the patient's medical situation. Also, it is important to be aware of certain precautions when taking sleeping tablets, such as not drinking alcohol and taking other medicines that may interact with them.

Finding the Right Sleeping Tablets

Before buy Gabapentin 300 mg, it is crucial to know the kind of sleep tablet appropriate for your. Talk to a doctor or medical professional in order to evaluate your sleep disorder and prescribe the right treatment. Understanding the components of the sleeping pills and the potential negative effects is essential.

A way to identify the best sleeping pills is to look up online reviews written by other customers who have tried the drug. This can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness and safety of the product. It is, however, crucial to take care when relying on online reviews, because they might not provide accurate or reliable information.

Selecting the Best Online Pharmacy

It is important to choose the top online pharmacy that offers safe and effective purchasing sleeping tablets. You must ensure that the pharmacy is accredited and licensed to offer medicines online. It is possible to verify this through the pharmacy's web site or contacting the regulatory authority in your country.

When choosing an online drugstore, it is important to be aware of the privacy and security policies. It is important to ensure that your personal as well as financial information is protected from unauthorised access. The pharmacy also uses secured payment methods.

Price comparison is another important factor while choosing an online pharmacy. Although it's important to find a pharmacy that offers competitive prices, it is also important to make sure that the shop ...sells only authentic and top-quality medications. Beware of pharmacies that have significantly lower costs, as they may be selling substandard or counterfeit medications.

Place an order for Sleeping Tablets On the internet

Sleeping pills can be purchased online once you find the most reliable online pharmacy. When you place an order, most online pharmacies ask for you to sign up and establish an account. There may be a need to give personal information as well as medical information to allow the pharmacy online to confirm that you're receiving the correct dosage.

Payment and checkout processes may vary depending on the online pharmacy. Make sure that your security of your payment as well as your financial and personal information protected.

Delivery and shipping procedures may also vary depending on the pharmacy as well as your area of residence. You should ensure you that the pharmacy is able to deliver you at the right time and that the timing of delivery is acceptable.

Strategies for Safe and Effective use of sleeping Tablets

It is crucial to use sleeping tablets properly and safely to avoid any potential negative effects or dangers. Some tips for the safe and secure usage of sleep tablets are:

Stick to the prescribed dosage and duration of the medication

Sleeping tablets can interact with alcohol, other drugs and medications.

Note any possible side symptoms and notify your healthcare professional

Do not engage in activities that require vigilance like driving, or using heavy equipment while on sleeping tablets

Bottom Line

Summary: Buying sleeping pills online is a fantastic method to improve the quality of your sleep as well as duration. However, it is important to choose the correct sleeping tablets and online pharmacies and use the drug safely and efficiently. You can purchase sleeping tablets in confidence if you follow the guidelines and tips discussed in this article.

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Entertainment: Dickson street is great, lots of Pizza Boy wants his pizza right now shirt and good food. There is the Walton Arts Center which has top notch broadway events (musicals, plays, etc). TheatreSquared is also excellent for watching plays. The AMP (Arkansas Music Pavilion) has well known bands/artists every year. There is a Botanical Gardens. Believe it or not, we still have a drive-in theatre which plays current movies and is lots of fun. There is also a retro-arcade, bowling, skating rink, Locomotion (go karts, arcade, mini-golf), Gater Golf (mini-golf), several area Golf courses that are very nice, museums, and lots more. Outdoors: We are right next to the Ozark National Forrest, Beaver Lake, the Buffalo River, White River, Mulberry River, Devil’s Den state park, the Ozark Highlands Trail (218 miles through seven counties), caving, rock climbing, hand gliding, scuba diving in Beaver lake, and countless more to do. There is an excellent paved trail system that stretches from south of Fayetteville to the Missouri border with lots of parks and side trails along the way. Everywhere you turn there is hiking, biking, canoeing, geocaching, etc. Enough to never be bored. Community: Excellent Farmer’s Market, lots of community outreach programs, excellent public schools and some great private ones also (or so I’ve heard) Events: We also have lots of events in our area: Bikes Blues & BBQ, Joe Martin Stage Race, First Thursday (every first Thursday downtown), Fayetteville Foam Fest (Local Breweries, Food Trucks, Lots of Beer), War Eagle Crafts Fair, Block Street Block Party, NWA Naturals baseball games, Tri Sport Kid’s Triathlon, Fayetteville Roots Festival, Lights of the Ozarks, Ozark Valley Triathlon, Halloween Monster Dash, Color Vibe 5K Run, Primal Challenge.

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Gendered Politics

The US census states that 50.5% of the population is women. As of 2022 (pre-midterms), there were 147 self-identifying female representatives in congress. Twenty-four senators and 123 house members. That constitutes only 27.5% of the congress, proving it is much harder for women to win elections than men. This posting explores how and why women must take on masculine characteristics in order to win elections.   

I shall start by using Lauren Boebert, a congresswoman from Colorado’s 3 district, as an example. Representative Boebert (who at the time of this post is only a few votes ahead of her Democratic challenger) is usually seen wearing a baseball cap (a more masculine article of clothing) and regularly adopts masculine traits and rhetoric in order to gain votes. In the patriarchal society we live in, feminine traits are seen as weak and, therefore, not what voters wish to see in their representatives.  

As evidenced by the baseball cap, some women must take on more masculine styles of clothing to appeal to voters. For example, the image attached below shows Margert Thatcher with other world leaders at the G7 Summit meeting of 1987. She is wearing a dark blazer (fashioned after a man’s suit) with cufflinks. All the men are also wearing dark clothes and suits. She also wears high heels to ensure she is of the same stature as the men. If she were shorter, they would assume she is weaker.   

Boebert claimed during a video with a conservative comedian that “Women are the lesser vessel and we need to masculinity in our lives to balance that, that so-called weakness” she went on to iterate, “Just us being more frail and needing that strength in our lives.” Boebert makes these claims because, as groundbreaking author Cynthia Enloe argues in her book, Bananas, Beaches and Bases, “In such rivalries, women are marginalized unless (withstanding ridicule as “unfeminine”) they can convincingly cloak themselves in a particular masculinized style of speech and action. Thus a common British assessment of Britain’s first and only woman prime minister: “Margaret Thatcher was the toughest man in the room.” (pg 31)” In other words, strength and traditionally masculine characteristics will get you in power, not feminine ones.   

Another masculine tactic employed by Boebert involves her obsession with guns because they provide protection in this extremely perilous world she would like us to believe we live in. So much so that she owned a restaurant called “Shooters Grill,” where staff proudly used open carry as they served their customers. She employs this tactic not just because it panders to Republicans but also because “Among its many questionable consequences, the absorption   

of the idea that we live in a dangerous world serves to reinforce the primacy of particular forms of masculinity while subordinating most women and femininity itself.” (pg. 30)  Her voters need to have a leader who will protect them, so she tries to give off that image by taking photos of her with guns and so forth.   

Valerie Sperling’s book “Sex, Politics, and Putin” explores how the leader of Russia came to power and has stayed in for so long. Images of Putin doing “manly” things, such as riding a horse or shooting a gun, reinforces his position as a powerful leader. Critics of Putin try to undermine his ultra-masculine actions by referring to him as “botox” in order to feminize him. They reason that if he is seen as feminine, fewer people will support him. However, her studies don’t just apply to Russia but everywhere. On page 4, she says, “But a larger part of the explanation goes beyond the Russian case and is rooted in a widespread, if not universal, phenomenon: the cultural aiming of masculinity under patriarchy makes the assertion of masculinity a vehicle for power.” This is a worldwide phenomenon.  

In conclusion, unfortunately, women have to take on traditionally masculine roles to get elected. This would not happen if there were not such a “widespread acceptance of gender stereotypes and a patriarchal culture that privileges maleness and masculinity over femaleness and femininity.” It is not until our society drills these notions out of people’s minds that we can live in a more just society that judges human beings as people, not sexes.