#cs prompt challenge

[darlingshittalk]

Possible W?

Pru put in the update journal that the limit for the prompt point myo might be removed or made higher

Well that’s a good sign, hopefully that’s implemented because the limit was a stupid idea to begin with.

[andtheywerefootballers]

WIRTZIALA University AU ficlet!

prompt by @disastrouscarrots

Word Count: 681

Synopsis: University AU in which Jamal's an architecture major whose biggest enemy is math and Flo happens to be his math tutor.

A/N: Idk how it works abroad, so putting a lil context just in case, but next to some lectures you have tutorials (Tutorium) where a tutor (sometimes a fellow student in an advanced semester) teaches the course. And @disastrouscarrots told me Flo slayed his math exams during hs so 💅. Flo doesn't have to be a math major to teach the course btw, ig just be in a math-involving major (engineering, cs, ...your headcanons can go wild here).

(ficlet below cut)

Jamal stares back at the weather app, then switches to his messages. Leroy isn't answering. The hallway is mostly empty with some steps echoing from afar. He stands before the seminar door: First one to show up like an overeager, innocent freshman. 

Leroy promised to tag along for their first math tutorial, he knows Jamal's a lost case who stopped going to the math lecture after the first week. He quit the 500 pages powerpoints filled with confusing equations, a professor who's supposed to speak German, but talks in mathematical lingo and theoretical messes and decided to have a mental breakdown at home rather than in a lecture hall instead. 

So. Leroy knows Jamal needs both academic and mental support after being betrayed by the fact that he has to take a theoretical math class.  For architecture. Like, huh? He didn't sign up for engineering, or administration or whatever. He signed up for architecture: construction, design, creativity…not exactly numbers. The uni counseling didn't brief him on this. 

He hears the door fall shut across the hall, glancing up in hope but finds only a handful of students he doesn't recognize. Coming towards him. Straight in his direction. There's a guy leading the group in front. He has a bag slung over his shoulder, wears baggy jeans and an oversized dress shirt. Silver rings flash around his fingers, a denim chain dangles from his waistband. Appears to be a chill dude. Judging by his short, slightly disheveled ash blonde to brown hair and darting eyes, he seems as lost as Jamal feels. 

Maybe he can bond over their fashionable sense of style and shared hatred over maths… because man doesn't look motivated but quite in the motions.  Quite I don't want to be here, but I have to be. Because I also have to practice this exasperating nerve-wracking subject called maths. Then the stranger meets his eyes— Jamal's heart stumbles and he quickly averts his gaze back at his phone. At Leroy's incoming, 'Sorry, won't make it.'

He doesn't roll his eyes. No. It's fine. Maybe Jamal can make a friend today instead. 

And then the guy passes him by and pulls out keys and unlocks the door, the door to the seminar room, like he's some teacher, like-

he's the teaching assistant, the tutor. 

It swooshes in his mind, any remaining thoughts flying away. He feels stupid for reasons he can't really put into words. And then he feels embarrassed, the back of his neck heating up as he realizes this is the guy who will try to teach you and see you're made of straw and empty space. He peeks down the hall, the urge to run away, hide, pay Leroy to take his math exam overbearingly strong. But then he mentally slaps himself, inhales, rolls his shoulders and braces himself for a challenge. Walks through the door to a medium-sized classroom with tables and chairs arranged in an U-form.  He takes a seat by the side, not immediately at the front, not too far at the back. Just right for an incognito plan to talk and interact as little as possible. 

But his classmates ruin his plan because they sit in groups at the end of the U, or parallel to him and he curses and wishes Leroy was here after all. Because now he's sitting on his own, sticking out like a sore thumb. And he feels the tutor's eyes on him. 

He introduces himself as Florian but he's fine being addressed as Flo as he's "only a semester above you guys, so no need to be formal and all." 

He takes his time to talk, mumbling and correcting himself a lot of times, sometimes fiddling with the hem of his shirt, biting his lips. It's…a little endearing. He's scatterbrained but clear when answering questions, even though there are a grand total of like two being asked for the whole lesson. 

From an outside perspective, Jamal may seem focused: furrowed brows, nodding along, taking notes. 

The notes in question are only doodles though, and his eyes are not following equations, but something else. 

[kmomof4]

Rocky Horror Halloween CS Spooky Season/ Autumnal Bingo

Here is my second offering for the CS Spooky Season/ Autumnal Bingo Challenge!!! And yes, I'm x-ing out 2 squares on my card with this one, Rocky Horror and Couples Costumes.

Many thanks to @hollyethecurious for coming up with the idea and making the bingo cards, and for settling the grammar argument between me and my beta @jrob64 , even if I lost said argument. Joni also deserves my humble thanks for betaing a fic centered around a movie she's never seen. Thank you both so much ladies!!! Love you both bunches!!!

As you can see above, I now have artwork to add to the fic thanks to the talents of @motherkatereloyshipper !!! I hesitated to ask her for this manip of Snowing to put in the picset because honestly, I thought it would look very weird, but she did it and it looks SO GREAT!!! So please join me in giving her all the love!!!

Summary: Emma and her boyfriend Killian are dragged by their friends to their college's Halloween tradition, a showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Rating: T

On ao3 if you prefer.

Words: Approx 1000

Tags: Rocky Horror Picture Show, Halloween Fic, Spooky Season Bingo

Tagging the usuals. Please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed.

@jrob64 @winterbaby89 @hollyethecurious @the-darkdragonfly @jennjenn615

@donteattheappleshook @undercaffinatednightmare @pirateherokillian @cocohook38 @qualitycoffeethings

@booksteaandtoomuchtv @superchocovian @motherkatereloyshipper @snowbellewells  @djlbg

@lfh1226-linda @xarandomdreamx @tiganasummertree @bluewildcatfanatic @anmylica

@laianely @resident-of-storybrooke @exhaustedpirate @gingerchangeling @caught-in-the-filter

@ultraluckycatnd @stahlop @darkshadow7 @fleurdepetite @captainswan-kellie

@soniccat @beckettj @teamhook @whimsicallyenchantedrose @thisonesatellite

@jonesfandomfanatic @elfiola @zaharadessert @ilovemesomekillianjones @mie779

@kymbersmith-90 @suwya @veryverynotgoodwrites @myfearless-love 

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

Prompt: Rocky Horror/Couples Costumes

“I cannot believe I let you talk me, us, into this,” Emma grumbled.

“Oh, come on, Emma,” Ruby cajoled, holding on to her boyfriend Victor’s arm as they navigated themselves through the field just outside of their small town. It was littered with blankets and lawn chairs for the Halloween screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. 

While the families of Storybrooke were trick or treating around the neighborhoods and small businesses of downtown, the small private college sponsored their own Halloween event more suited to the young people who lived at the campus.

“It’ll be fun,” Ruby continued. “Killian has never heard of Rocky Horror, so as his girlfriend, it’s your duty to educate him about it!”

“How can I educate him when I’ve never seen it?” she asked indignantly.

“Exactly,” Ruby answered.

“I’ve got much better things to do with my time than to sit through this completely nonsensical excuse of a Halloween film,” Emma groused.

“As long as I’m spending the evening with you, lass, I’m content,” Killian whispered in her ear, waggling his eyebrows and making her giggle. 

“I’ve heard things about this movie over the years,” she replied lowly, so Ruby and the others wouldn’t overhear. “And it’s… somethin’...” The equal parts chagrined and dubious look on her face made Killian wonder exactly what she’d gotten them into.

The group finally found an open space in the field, big enough for their blanket and all the lawn chairs they’d brought with them. They got settled and had just pulled out the dinner provided for them by Ruby’s grandmother, when the MC of the evening got up on the stage.

“Welcome to Storybrooke University’s annual Halloween showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show!” Regina Mills, the president of the Student Government Association announced. While Regina was a great leader of the SGA, a good actress she was not, and Emma had trouble containing her smirk at the obvious distaste her friend had for the yearly event that she had no choice but to continue.

“There are a few ground rules that you should know about,” she continued, as several members of the audience booed, Ruby included. Regina shot their friend an annoyed glare, and then continued with her spiel. “We at the SGA and the faculty of Storybrooke U encourage everyone to have a good time tonight, singing and dancing to the songs and enjoying whatever refreshments you’ve brought for the show. However, if anyone gets too loud and disruptive during the showing, you will be asked to leave. If any couples get too hot and heavy during certain scenes, disturbing the people around you, you’ll be asked to take it inside.” 

That brought a round of hoots and hollers from the audience and made Emma wonder if she and her sexy boyfriend might be able to exploit that rule to get out of sitting through the whole movie. The smirk and raised eyebrow on Killian’s face told her that he knew what she was thinking and was wholly in agreement.

“Karaoke mics are over here to my right,” Regina continued, “but to participate on stage, you must be in costume. At the end of the show, costumes and karaoke performances will be judged, with the winner - or winners, in the case of couples - receiving this magnificent trophy, as well as getting free admission to the football game Saturday and $100 in free concessions.” 

Cheers broke out from the crowd around them, with Ruby declaring that David and Mary Margaret, dressed up as Brad and Janet, were sure to win. Their costumes were exact replicas of the characters - all the way to Brad’s glasses and plaid bow tie, and Janet’s white hat on top of her red, shoulder length curly hair. Plus, they’d been practicing “Dammit, Janet” for weeks. Ruby and Victor were also dressed up, but Ruby went for a sexy Janet costume while Victor was dressed up as Rocky. 

“Everyone enjoy the show!” 

Regina finally left the stage and joined their group, cuddling up with her boyfriend Robin next to Emma and Killian. As the movie got started, their group dug into their meals, while David and Mary Margaret hurried to the stage for their song. Emma was thoroughly impressed with how into it they both got. They cavorted across the stage, copying the blocking on the screen and when David got down on one knee, his voice going up into falsetto, Emma and Killian both howled with laughter.

When it was time for the “Time Warp”, their friends coaxed Regina, Emma, and Killian to participate, and once it was over, Emma had to admit, it was rather fun. Ruby and Victor got on stage for “Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me” and Emma snuck a glance at Killian to see him looking at her instead of what their friends were getting up to on the stage. Thankfully, the song was over before Regina had to go up there and get them to stop.

Once the movie was over, and the judging was complete, Emma had to admit to having fun at the seasonal event.

“See?” Ruby asked, elbowing her in the side as they packed up. “I told you you’d have fun.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Emma conceded. “But I stand by my statement at the beginning that this was a stupid Halloween movie.”

“Next year,” David began, holding up the trophy he and Mary Margaret won.

“Next year,” Emma interrupted, “Killian and I will do our own thing.”

“And so will Robin and I,” Regina agreed.

“Since you made it all the way through the movie,” Ruby replied, “we’ll grant you clemency next year.”

Killian rolled his eyes at Ruby’s concession. “Your mercy is appreciated, lass.”

He turned to Emma and waggled his eyebrows. “The night is still young, Swan. What say you come back to my place for a nightcap? The movie gave me a few ideas.”

A grin spread across her lips as she grabbed his collar and pulled him to her for a passionate kiss. The whoops and hollers from their friends were hardly noticeable with their heavy, panting breaths when they finally separated.

“Lead the way, Jones,” she whispered.

“As you wish.”

~*~*~

Thank you for reading and sharing! I'd love to hear what you think!! Only one more fic for a bingo, and it'll be very short and sweet, so keep an eye out for it later tonight!!

[captainswanwipwednesdays]

CS WIP Wednesday Challenge (an evergreen list)

A new WIP writing challenge every week! Dust off your keyboards and bust out your red pens, because we're summoning the muse whether she likes it or not 🧚‍♀️

Feel free to jump in and out as you please - just make sure to tag us so that we can reblog all your updates!

If the week's prompt doesn't work for you, write anything you want! Write what calls to you! Just write something! The same fic can also be used for more than one prompt!

Week 1

👻 The WIP haunting you most (you know which one it is - it's the first one that came to mind when you saw this challenge)

Week 2

👵 Your oldest posted WIP (can you even remember what year it was when that one first went up?)

Week 3

🥰 Your favorite WIP (which one do you actually WANT to be writing right now, regardless of what anyone else thinks of it)

Week 4

🕛 The WIP that has gone the longest without an update (have pity on us readers please)

Week 5

💡 The WIP that has all the notes/outline already done but you haven't managed to start (that's half the work done already!)

Week 6

🎂 The WIP you most recently updated (more cake!)

Week 7

🤏 Your shortest WIP (as in the one that will be the shortest, so short that you can totally write it... right? right.)

Week 8

🤷‍♀️ Any WIP - 500 words (shake that muse until words fall out - any words at all!)

Week 9

📜 Your longest WIP (look how many words you've already written! What's a few more?)

Week 10

🫶 Your WIP with the least amount of notes (let's give it the attention it deserves!)

Week 11

☝️ A oneshot WIP (come on, you can do it! It'll totally stay a oneshot....)

Week 12

🔥 That smutty WIP/scene you've been avoiding (suck it up and write the smut - or fade it to black - just don't let a little smut stand in your way!)

Week 13

☹️ The WIP you started and abandoned/decided not to post (don't let that WIP be an orphan!)

Week 14

🙌 Your posted WIP with the most comments/kudos/notes (give the people what they want!)

Week 15

✍️ That one scene/bit of dialogue in a WIP you don't want to/haven't been able to write (make them do the thing or say the thing even if they do or say it badly!)

Week 16

🃏 Dealer's choice (whatever your heart desires, writers, that's all we want you to have)

Week 17

😈 A new WIP (You've already got so many on the go... what's one more?)

Week 18

😭 That WIP that's going to be so long and involved you don't even want to think about it (Time to bite the bullet and write that first/next sentence)

Week 19

🪈 The WIP you talked about but never started (we're waiting - time to pay the piper...)

Week 20

👀 Let someone else pick which WIP they'd love you to update (it's not peer pressure if it's your friends right?)

🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋🖋

Feel free to send me any suggestions you might have and we can add them to the list - There will be a weekly post as well for each topic as a reminder.

Happy Writing!

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

Christmas Reruns 2024–Day 11: The Yuletide Challenge (1/3)

Merry Christmas if you celebrate it and happy holidays if you don’t!  One of the things I love about Christmas is watching reruns of all the old classic Christmas movies–Christmas is a big time for nostalgia.  A few years ago, I decided to incorporate that tradition into my fandom life and post my CS holiday reruns.  So here you go!  Enough holiday (mostly) fluff to get you to New Year’s Day. (With a new story posting on Christmas Day.)

Word Count: 1643

Other chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

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Today’s story is an AU based on this prompt from @kmomof4​: Character A vows to do something nice for a stranger during the Christmas time. Character B is that stranger. It was written in 2017.

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Emma took a deep breath, smoothed down her tight red dress, and stepped through the doors of The Rabbit Hole, the premiere bar in the tiny town of Storybrooke, Maine, and scanned the interior for some poor, sad soul who looked in need of Christmas cheer.  She rolled her eyes.  How the hell had she let Mary Margaret talk her into this?

It all started the week before, when Emma had gone to her adoptive brother David’s and her sister-in-law Mary Margaret’s loft apartment for Thanksgiving dinner.  Emma had never been a big holiday person.  Growing up in the system, being in and out of group homes, she’d never really had a family to spend the special days with, at least until David’s mom, Ruth had taken her in just before her fifteenth birthday.  By that point, Emma was used to being a loner, and she preferred it that way.  If you don’t let people in, they can’t hurt you, right?  Most Thanksgivings and Christmases, even now that she was an adult with a brother and sister-in-law she loved, were spent alone, take-out and Netflix her big holiday companions.

But after a bad break up with her longtime boyfriend, (what had she ever seen in Walsh, that idiotic flying monkey!) Emma had decided it was time for a change.  She’d packed up her swanky New York apartment and relocated to Storybrooke where there was a job as her brother, the sheriff’s, deputy was waiting for her.  And with Emma living in the same town during the holidays, Mary Margaret simply would not take no as an answer to her invitation to have Thanksgiving dinner with the family.

Emma had to admit dinner with the family had been nice.  There was something so damn heartwarming about sharing a holiday with the ones she loved.

It was only after the feast had been consumed, the dishes had been washed, and the post-meal nap had been taken that things took a rather unfortunate turn.

Mary Margaret got awkwardly to her feet (it was one of the drawbacks of being nearly 7 months pregnant, after all) and clinked her water glass to get everyone’s attention.

“So David and I have been thinking,” she’d said.  “We thought it would be a good idea to start a new family tradition during the holiday season.”

Emma was immediately on alert.  When her sister in law had that look in her eyes it always spelled trouble.  “Um…okay?  Just what kind of tradition are we talking about?”

“The Yuletide challenge!” Mary Margaret said excitedly.

“I have a feeling I’m going to regret asking this,” Emma said, “but what exactly is a Yuletide challenge?”

“I saw an article about it in the holiday edition of my favorite magazine, Storybrooke Today,” Mary Margaret said.  “Basically, the idea is to spread Christmas cheer to the people who need it most.”

Emma crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.  “Yeah, I don’t really do the whole ‘Christmas cheer’ thing.”

“Oh come on, Emma!” Mary Margaret insisted.  “Christmas is the season of giving!  At least listen to the whole idea before rejecting it.  I promise this challenge will make us all feel warm and fuzzy inside.”

The puppy dog eyes.  Her sister in law was giving her the puppy dog eyes.  She wasn’t playing fair.  Not at all.

“It actually sounds like a pretty interesting idea, Emma,” David said, backing up his wife after she tossed him a pointed look. 

Emma sighed.  “Fine.  What exactly are the rules of this whole Yuletide challenge thing?”

Mary Margaret’s smile could light up the sun.  “Each of us will find a person in town—someone we don’t know, or at least don’t know well—who seems down on their luck, or sad, or just in general in need of cheer.  We make it our mission to do little acts of kindness for that person throughout the season.  You’ve got to do at least one good thing for them per week, and once you’ve picked your person, there’s no going back!  That’s your person for the season.  Could be by Christmas time we’ll each have a brand new friend!”

Emma wasn’t a people person.  She didn’t do random acts of kindness for strangers.  She kept to herself and let them keep to themselves.  Life was just better that way.  Still…Mary Margaret was really excited about this idea.  What could it hurt to spread a little kindness during the busiest, most hectic time of year?

“Alright,” Emma said on another sigh.  “Count me in.  I’ll take the Yuletide challenge.”

And that’s how Emma found herself in a bar, dressed to impress, looking for someone who looked sad and down on his luck.  It was nearing the end of the first week of December, and she’d yet to find her victim…er giftee.  She had to find someone fast before she forfeited the challenge before even beginning.

Emma saw him right away, as though a magnet had drawn her eyes to him.  He was handsome (hot as hell, really), with his soft black hair, mesmerizing blue eyes, dusting of scruff, jeans and black leather jacket.  But it wasn’t his looks that immediately drew Emma to him.  It was the dejected, almost despairing look on his face as he nursed his glass of rum at his lonely table at the back of the establishment.  If anyone needed a little Christmas cheer, it was this guy.

Squaring her shoulders, Emma walked purposefully to his table.  He looked up at the sound of her stiletto heels moving across the floor, his eyes showing surprise and appreciation as he took in the sight of her.

“This seat taken?” she asked, reaching for the chair across from him.

He waved with his right hand.  “Be my guest, love.”

The smooth, British accent, combined with his far above average looks did things to her insides.  Emma turned away, taking the chair.  Get it together, Swan!  You’re not some teenager who gets crushes on hot strangers!

“So, my name’s Emma Swan,” she said.  “And who might you be?”

“Killian Jones,” he answered, “but people have taken to calling me by my more colorful moniker.  Hook.”

The man raised his left arm, and Emma noticed the nautical hook which sat in place of a hand.  Well that wasn’t weird or anything. “Um…why do you have a hook instead of a hand?”

Smooth Emma.  Really smooth. Nothing like starting out the Yuletide challenge with a major faux pas.

One dark eyebrow rose and a half smile draped his lips.  “I’ve always been fascinated with Captain Hook, so after I lost the hand, my Halloween costume was rather obvious.  The hook has proven so bloody useful, I simply chose to keep it.”

“Oh, well…sorry about your hand.”

A shadow passed over his face.  “Aye, well, it’s been five years, almost to the day since the accident.”  He closed his eyes for a moment, then drained his glass in one gulp, hastily pouring himself another.

If Emma didn’t miss her guess, and she rarely did, an ability to read people was one of the things that made her one of the best bail bonds persons New York had ever seen, there was more to the story, than simply the loss of a hand.  The poor guy was in misery even alluding to the event.

Nice job, Emma.  Instead of spreading Christmas cheer, you’ve managed to make this guy relive his worst memory.

“Killian….I’m sorry…”

He waved her off.  “It’s no matter, Swan.  Seems it’s a night for melancholy musings, but I survived.  Now, I’d rather discuss something pleasanter if you don’t mind.  What exactly brought such a beautiful woman to my table on this cold winter’s night?”

Emma took a deep breath.  Here goes nothing.  “So I was wondering if you’d help me with something.”

His eyebrow rose in question.

“Let me buy your next round,” she said, “and then, well, maybe I could do some nice things for you.”

His expression changed in an instant.  Surprise and melancholy replaced with pure lasciviousness.  “That’s quite the offer, darling.  It’s not every day a gorgeous woman offers herself as my Christmas gift.”

Emma felt her face flame.  “Oh my gods!  I wasn’t propositioning you, Killian!”  (Though…if he kept looking at her like that…well, there was no telling what might come of this night.)

He sighed dramatically.  “My profound loss.  So, Swan, if you weren’t asking me for what, I assure you would be a very, very pleasant roll in the sheets, what precisely were you offering?”

“You see, my sister-in-law, Mary Margaret, had this idea for the holiday season….”  And with that she laid out the whole sappy challenge for him.  “And, I don’t know.  You just look like you could use a friend.  So what do you say?”

Killian took a long sip of his rum, and Emma tried her best not to watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed, not to follow the line down to his firm chest where luscious, abundant chest hair peeked out from beneath a partially buttoned shirt.  “Oh I don’t know, Swan.  I rather think spending a night together in my bed would count as a kindness.”

She rolled her eyes.  “Yeah, not happening.  We’re talking warm, fuzzy, purely platonic acts of kindness.”

He sighed dramatically, and she grinned in spite of herself.  He was such an idiot.  But…he was an adorable idiot, and she couldn’t help but sense she’d enjoy the time she’d inevitably spend with him, should he accept her offer.

A soft, almost shy smile replaced the teasing on his face.  “Very well, Emma.  I will be the recipient of your challenge.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NEXT CHAPTER->

[bigmilk-13]

CSOC WEEK: DAY 3

Prompt: Relationships

@carmensandiego-ocweek

FAMILY:

Francessa Messina Denaro - daughter of an Italian mafia godfather (Sent to kill Orfeusz but killed his brother instead since he's an identical triplet). Was killed by her family after they found out she didn't finish the job, but that was ten years after Florence was born.

Orfeusz Meadowes - Died in a "terrorist attack" sent by Francessa's family. The youngest Admiral in Polish Marines history. Loved his daughter a lot even though he barely saw her because of work

Zeus Meadowes - Florence's uncle, Orfeusz's identical triplet. He was the one Francessa killed, since she fell in love with Orfeusz and she knew that her family would kill her if she didn't do her job. She ran away with Orfeusz to Poland afterwards.

Tadeusz Meadowes - Part-time member of the Polish Land Army since he has a muscle disease, only living relative of Florence (well, used to be), raised her till she was 16. Taught her everything she knew and died protecting her from a machine gun

WORK:

"We women have got to have each others back, Phantom."

Julia Rothman - Leader of Florence's former organisation, SCORPIA. Was quite attached to Florence when she first came, since she saw "The Incident™" happen first hand. Was the one that ordered to take Florence and invited her to join the international criminal organisation. Florence was by far the most skilled and the youngest, so she became her favourite.

She gave Florence the nickname Phantom, which then evolved into the codename "The Phantom Sniper" after she did nearly all her sniping missions successfully without getting caught.

Professor Yermalov - her mentor at SCORPIA, was in charge of the martial arts unit, helped her become even better at stealth than she already was. She was quite attached to him and he was like a father to her even though most people at SCORPIA considered him rude and frightening.

Countess Cleo- Basilisk's mentor. Forced them to do everything and also was the one that made her anorexia get worse. Basilisk looked up to her but Cleo just saw her as just some other extra

Tigress - Mortal enemies, always competing but Tigress knows that Basilisk is better than her. She liked the challenge though

Carmen Sandiego - all will be revealed in cs-oc week prompt 7

Alex Rider - To be honest, they were best friends at SCORPIA. When she came, she became the youngest but earlier he was- so they bonded over being the youngest at the criminal organisation. Alex always respected Phantom and vice versa. When SCORPIA fell after Basilisk's experiment, and she saw Alex's face in the news after some kind of escape- even though she was brainwashed she knew she remembered him. She just didn't know who he was.

[justkending]

Justkending Birthday Writing Challenge!

Hello friends! Today is my birthday, and I was planning on doing this at the beginning of the week and calling the deadline today but ultimately lost track of time. But still! I would love to do a little writing challenge amongst my readers who have grown over this last year, and I want to acknowledge y'all's talent :)

Here are the rules:

Choose a writing prompt by sending me the number and the character you are writing for.

Here are the characters to choose from: (Feel free to ask if you have someone else in mind; these are just the ones I read about and know well.)

Bucky Barnes

Steve Rogers

Dean Winchester

3. Do whatever story you please with the prompt given. (Add warnings if needed please.)

4. Please tag me in the story, and I will add it to a masterlist of everyone's completed stories. This way, you can show your talent, and I can share it on my platform of like-minded people :)

5. Have fun with it! Even if you are not an experienced writer or feel as though you haven't practiced enough, this is the perfect opportunity! I personally have been stuck with writer's block the last few months, and sometimes prompts like these help me get something on paper.

Prompts:

"Is that a threat?" "Did it sound like a compliment?"

"All that blood looks good on you. It really brings out your eyes."

"Over my dead body!" "Well, go lay down and die then 'cause I'm not going to be told what to do."

"I didn't catch your name!" "I didn't throw it."

"Go fuck yourself." "Right now, or can I get some privacy?"

"I'm surrounded by idiots." "But at least we're hot, though, right?"

"Please stop getting shot. It stresses me out." "Well, if YOU don't like it..."

"Hold on. You died..." "Yeah, well. It didn't stick."

"Do you trust them?" "No, but I trust their anger."

"I'm forgetting something..." "Morals, probably." "No, it's something important."

"You have your entire life to be a jerk. Why not take today off?"

"Do your parents even realize they're living proof that two wrongs don't make a right?"

"I can eat a bowl of alphabet soup and shit out a better statement than whatever it is you just said."

"You're about as useful as a screendoor on a submarine."

"I was hoping for a battle of wits, but it would be wrong to attack someone completely unarmed."

"Stupidity is not a crime, unfortunately, so feel free to go."

"You're the living embodiment of 'it could get worse.'"

"It's kind of hilarious watching you try to fit your entire vocabulary into one sentence."

"Your ass must be pretty jealous of all the shit that comes out of your mouth."

"Do I get bonus points if I act like I care?

Best of luck to you all that enter!! :)

My Lovelies Forever:

@natura1phenomenon​ @lauravicente​ @kakakatey​ @traceyaudette​ @notyourtypicalrose​ @awesome-badass-cafeteria-sauce​ @sandlee44​ @thorne93​ @thefaithfulwriter1​ @essie1876​ @greyeyedsmile14​ @capsiclehan​  @xostephanie​ @averyrogers83​ @awesomenursingstudent​ @gh0stgurl​ @cs-please​ @jjlevin​ @rainbowkisses31​ @deannotmoose​ @their-bibliophile​ @kitkatd7​ @willowbleedsonpaper​ @mariaenchanted​ @snffbeebee​ @couldabeenamermaid​ @rebekahdawkins​​ @alyispunk​​ @billyseye @hallecarey1

[terraliensvent]

I don't want to open a species for several reasons, one of which is the amount of effort put into getting characters, items or myo. I want you to know that I enjoy closed species not as an investment, but as a community and the challenge that the species provides me. I want to put in the effort to get myo, items or characters and that is why I don't want the species to become open. Terra for me is balanced in getting myo, items and currency and I am completely comfortable (or have been, at least when it was active) in them. At the end of the day, if you want Terras to be free and free to do, why don't you make one-offs?

If Terra ever become open (completely), many aspects of their "arpg" will become meaningless. Prompts, foraging, items and currency will become meaningless when the species is fully open. If prompts can remain, they will become unneeded - why would you try to meet a prompt deadline when you can draw art anytime you want. The reward still won't recoup your investment, if at all. This is the reason I don't want the species to become open - most of the interactivity will become meaningless in my eyes. On the other hand a semi-open species with paid mutations retained looks better than an open species.

In the end just opening the species looks like suicide for the design approval department - I'll have to try and do something with the approvals if the species is going to open intelligently. Either at full opening don't check anything at all and let anyone and everyone in, I don't know.

Speaking of ownership, I'm endlessly bitter that nothing will change. I'm that person who loves the concept madly and who wishes with all my soul to be at the head of the species and work hard for it. Unfortunately my dreams will never come true. I am not a friend of Tycho, I am not a friend of moderators and administrators, and as we know staff just LOVES nepotism.

I am an artist myself who owns a lorekeeper species. I've been working on the site for a short time but I already understand and know many times more than Terra's current staff. I know that you shouldn't upload images that are 1k by 1k pixels. And that 4 mb is too much weight for foraging images. And that images should be drawn in the same style, and that they don't need to be that big and detailed, I know that too. So I could really fucking invest and finalize SO MUCH in the damn thing.

I'm crazy about the concept and furious that it's all going to go to waste. And no matter how hard I try I'll never be at least an artist or writer with them because I'm not their friend or favorite. And no matter how hard I try, I can never make this species better. As long as nepotism thrives there, any effort will be for naught. I just have to endure and imagine what it would be like if things were different.

for your first point, i can agree that the fun of cs comes from the prompt grind—that is the whole reason for the game elements, but terras specifically has really nothing worth it in terms of interactivity. you can do the prompts, but you only get pupas for myos. myos really have no point because approvals are slow as fuck rn and there isnt a lot to do with the characters besides more prompt grinding. items are near worthless, grubs ARE worthless, and the way the economy is now it might as well be open. terras offers nothing that other soecies dont do better and more fun, and any improvement moves at a pace slower than a geriatric snail. its just. not. worth it. i get what youre saying with opening the species making the economy “meaningless,” but as it is now (and has been for almost a year now) the economy is ALREADY meaningless

considering design approvals have been left dead for months right now, i think terras could take a lot of pointers from impims in that regard, with the basic subspecies being free range and only having the required visor head, and the lim subtypes needing a special item. that way you get to keep the arpg element of it while also opening the species and not needing as much work. you can have fun events and prompts within an open species, ive participated in a few that do lots with their community.

the fact of the matter is nothing WILL change, and it seems youve acknowledged that. if you really love the arpg grind, i recommend seeking it elsewhere, because terras has never offered anything special. hell, it barely even meets the standards set by other species.

[snowbellewells]

Very Belated Birthday Gift Fic: "Fighting Dragons with You (Time of my Life)"

This birthday gift for @searchingwardrobes is nearly a month late now, but I had promised it and really didn't want to scrap the thing. Even if it's just a bit of fluffy drabble, I still wanted to give Melanie something.

This little fic takes place sometime in the future of the happy beginning we might have seen post the s6 finale, if the show had stayed in Storybrooke. Part of the idea came from listening to Taylor Swift's "Long Live". I was driving along, and when the lyrics got to "I've had the time of my life, fighting dragons with you..." I could picture an older Emma and Killian still together and happy, looking back on all their adventures and happy they had weathered them together.

The other thing that prompted this was just that I picture you, Melanie, having such a solid, supportive marriage like I tried to envision for CS here. I haven't even met your husband (and sadly I have only met you in person once) but just from what I know, you two seem to have each other's backs so beautifully, and to be such caring and committed partners, like one would hope to find in marriage. So this was meant to be a bit of a birthday tribute to that too. (If that makes any sense!)

Okay, at any rate, here is this little one shot - I hope you enjoy it!! Happy very belated birthday @searchingwardrobes

**Also available on AO3, if that is your preference**

Summary: Several years down the line, Emma and Killian are still living their happy beginning together - reveling in every challenge as long as they can face it together.

by: @snowbellewells

As they came in the door of the house with the white picket fence by the harbor, Killian and Emma Jones were out of breath, disheveled and nearly stumbling with fatigue. Emma could tell easily just how exhausted her husband was, in fact, by the way Killian let the door swing closed behind them without even looking to see it latch carefully as he usually did, and by the way he toed off his boots and left them lying haphazardly in the entry without neatly standing them side by side before plodding straight toward the living room couch. She was right behind him though in the beeline to a comfortable seat, kicking her own shoes off as well and tossing her jacket at the hall tree without even blinking when she missed by a mile.

Emma had to chuckle tiredly as they both let out groans of relief when they collapsed onto the cushions of their well-loved sofa and sank into the cozily plush support, heads falling almost simultaneously to rest on the back next to one another. She let her eyes fall closed for a minute, knowing Killian was doing the same beside her without even looking. Once their breathing slowed to normal, she carefully tried to stretch her twingeing knee and flex her stiff ankle, hating to admit to herself the discomfort that she wouldn’t have felt even five or six years ago. From the corner of her eye as it flicked back open, Emma could see Killian wincing while he gingerly worked his shoulder, and smirked in spite of herself. At least she wasn’t alone in her aches and pains reminding her that she wasn’t 28 anymore.

Even though she was more than a bit winded herself, Emma couldn’t resist resting her head on his arm along the back of the sofa and sifting her hand through Killian’s dark hair, now impressively shot through with silvery-gray strands that somehow made him even more attractive, before she teasingly asked, “Feeling your age there, Babe?”

Killian snorted indignantly, as she had expected, before retorting smartly, “I believe I am doing quite alright for my age, Love. As you well know…” Somehow, despite both of their weary bodies, a twinkle came into his eye that made her flush immediately remembering just how true his words were.

Nevertheless, she hummed low in her throat, cutting her eyes to study him playfully, “If you say so, old man.”

Shaking his head, Killian wrapped both arms around her, pulling her to him abruptly enough to startle a surprised exclamation from her as he rubbed his scruffy cheeks against her neck and collarbones until she squirmed. “Why don’t we discuss this again when an actual, living and fire-breathing dragon has tossed you about?” he chided in a low rumble at her ear.

Emma couldn’t hold onto her jesting scrutiny of him any longer; she was simply too glad that he was alright and all in one piece, though out of breath and his clothes a little singed. She was tingling with adrenaline at their victory and the excitement of fighting together once again, but she would never take for granted both of them coming through a battle unscathed - not after how many time in their lives she has nearly lost him. Her hands came up to cup his face, as she raised it for their foreheads to rest against each other, affection flooding her countenance and replacing the playful mockery. “You’re right, of course,” she whispered sincerely against his lips. “Thank you for being there with me.”

As he was all-too-often able, Killian seemed to grasp what she was thinking - both the elation, and the rush of adrenaline that came from having missed the challenge of facing a foe to save their town, their family and friends, and the spark of danger that had always stoked their simmering chemistry when they faced it head-on and side by side. Winking at her in the sassily knowing way he had perfected long ago, Killian quipped, “Admit it, Lass, you’ve missed the thrill of chasing baddies and fighting for our lives, haven’t you?” His tongue did an obscene sort of run along his lower lip as he awaited her answer, and Emma felt the heat flush across her skin in response, even though she fought to deny his observation.

She reached out to smack his chest good naturedly, already realizing he knew her too well to believe her denial anyway. Still, she tried with a laugh and shake of her head, “Hardly,” she snorted, but then added sheepishly, “Well… maybe a little.”

“Aha!” he crowed, tapping the curve of his hook lightly to the tip of her nose as if to accentuate the point. “I knew it!”

“Stop,” she grumbled, not at all pleased to be so obvious in something that really wasn’t a great opinion to admit.

Killian, sensing her hesitation, sobered quickly and gathered her closer to his chest. “Ah, Love, don’t you worry,” he murmured low against the sensitive soft skin of her shoulder, his words a whispered secret for her alone. “You ought to know I won’t tell another soul. Besides,” here he pulled away just enough to waggle his brows ridiculously at her, making her stomach heat and tingle just as it had the very first time he’d done it - when they were still on opposite sides in another realm and she hadn’t known what to do with the reaction her body already had to him, with or without her conscious permission. “Dashing rapscallion, remember? I’m having the time of my life being back in action. Wouldn’t trade it for anything, dragons and all.”

Emma huffed disbelievingly, amused despite her protests at his words, knowing that as crazy and reckless as it sounded, he meant them completely. And she agreed with him in every fiber of her being - from the Queen of Hearts, to a gigantic snow monster, the Lord of the Dead himself, Peter Pan, and Rumplestiltskin - his having her back had made all the difference. Not just facing fairy tale villains, but in facing down health scares, sheriff re-elections, Henry heading off for college, and the truth of growing older, all of it was made into an adventure because he was with her on the journey. 

Studying his face, the creases of crow’s feet accentuating his adoring smile, the curve of his irresistible lips, and the wide open blue of his eyes, Emma still had to pause a moment in wonder. How had a woman to whom no one had ever paid any attention, whom most had never even noticed - whom the one who had, hadn’t hesitated to leave behind - a lost little girl no one had ever wanted - found her way to a life and a union like this? Even after years together, she and Killian were more bonded than ever, even their differences and struggles made them more fiercely devoted as time somehow hurried on. She had found her way into the life she’d always wished for on those sad blue star candles each lonely birthday for years on end. Though she had fought him every step of the way, when she had finally let Killian in, he had more than kept his word; once he’d won her heart, she had ceased to be alone in the world.

“You know it’s true, Emma,” he pressed, the smile on his face clearly seeing and understanding her fond, amazed thoughts.

Smiling back, Emma could only reply hoarsely, “You know, you crazy pirate, as hard as it is for me, I believe you.”

Pressing his lips to her forehead, Killian chuckled - as pleased at her admission and all that they had built as she was. “Even in peace time, wherever we are, Swan, there is never a dull moment with you.”

Tagging a few who might enjoy: @searchingwardrobes @kmomof4 @jennjenn615 @laschatzi @whimsicallyenchantedrose @jrob64 @apiratewhopines @teamhook @revanmeetra87 @optomisticgirl @tiganasummertree @kazoosandfannypacks @booksteaandtoomuchtv @anmylica @hollyethecurious @winterbaby89 @stahlop @bluewildcatfanatic @gingerchangeling @gingerpolyglot @lfh1226-linda @xsajx @spartanguard @therooksshiningknight @elizabeethan @the-darkdragonfly @donteattheappleshook @ineffablecolors @drowned-dreamer @wefoundloveunderthelight

[darlingshittalk]

I hate the monthly prompt prizes too, on top of its faults.

Only the first prize gets a simple myo, while second and third get some items. I think if you are gonna put participants under popularity voting (where it's obvious the popular artist is gonna win above others), might as well offer better prizes for the other two.

I think pajuxi can afford more free myo per year (even succubuns offered 10 premades + 15 slots during their anniversary month). Im sure that would up the participation numbers if the other places had myo as prizes too (and if they were raffled). Because as of right now, the species is just beginner-unfriendly and beginner-artist-unfriendly.

Pajuxi is still running the species as she did 8-9 years ago. The formula is outdated and holding the community back (also slowly killing it).

[alfgifu]

Fic analysis 13. Keeping score

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48605707

Word count: 2,148

Chapters: 1

First posted: 15th July 2023

Summary: 

It was the nature of the Great Game Aurieleteer to make extraordinary demands on its players. The rules were brutally simple, but the moves were breathtakingly intricate.

Circe of Aiaia had, at one time, prided herself on the efficient elegance of her stratagems.

How and why this came about

The second prompt challenge was on the subject of taxes, which is surprisingly fertile ground in the Nine Worlds. I had already decided to make use of the challenges to circle round as wide a range of characters, settings, and subjects as possible. I liked the idea of writing Raphael and Circe (for me their odd relationship is the best and crunchiest thing about Till Human Voices Wake Us), and the whole setting seemed perfect for a historical escapade that (as a bonus) allowed me to vicariously set the world on fire.

I had a rule for myself that I was going to complete [x] amount of my long fic (this varied over time) and the prompt fic was the last thing I wrote that week, which meant it was quite often written on the Saturday afternoon before the deadline. It became something of a joke that I would say, every week, that I wasn’t sure if I’d be taking part that weekend because I didn’t have any ideas - and then I submitted something, generally at the very last minute.

What worked and what didn’t

It was charmingly easy to insert Circe into a real historical event as perpetrator, with a bit of cursory research on Wikipedia and the pattern of a hundred Doctor Who episodes to imitate. It was even more satisfying to allow her to set fire to a government building and destroy centuries worth of meticulous record-keeping (cover your ears, Cliopher).

The flexible nature of the Great Game Aurieleteer in the books is highly convenient for fic. The players set one another tasks and can name some constraints but the nature and length of the tasks and the extent of the rules they put forward can be entirely plot-convenient.

What I learned from writing it

It’s incredibly satisfying to write a character whose moral code is distorted in ways that let them be entirely callous about most other people. They get to be scary and violent and enjoy it, and there’s a huge freedom in just going with that and not restraining wicked impulses. 

I also learned that very few other people are interested in writing or reading fic based on THVWU… for nearly a year this was the only THVWU fic on AO3; this summer someone uploaded a Raphael/Eurydice filk but otherwise Raphael and Circe only appear in fanfic where they cross over into other parts of canon.

That makes sense - THVWU was Goddard’s first novel and it’s full of dense allusions to various other authors, plus a mythological framework inspired by the kind of mid-C20th CS Lewis christian vibe, both of which can be understandably off-putting. There is a lot of potential in the world building though. I’m not sure the Great Game can ever exactly be made to make sense but it allows for some fun scenarios.

[yuki-boshi]

Kai no Kiseki - English Summary - Intermission

Table of Contents

This really is Hajimari 2

Rean, Van, and Kevin are forced into the Grim Garten by Altina, who needs their help clearing the Third Domain. The groups meet for the first time. Aaron encounters Crow, and Swin and Nadia reunite with the ASO group, mentioning it’s been a few months for them but much longer for Rean and his friends. Altina emphasizes the urgency, asking everyone to help as they are running out of time.

Aaron sees this as an opportunity to show off his training, unlocking a new S-Craft. At the end of the Domain, they face Simeon.

Rufus briefly explains what happened in Van 1, prompting Kevin to ask how he knows that.

Simeon summons a Dark Dragon-class beast from fairy tales, but the group manages to defeat it.

Simeon finally introduces himself as Enforcer Number 7, the Imaginator (Illusionist in Kanji). Lapis playfully rates his introduction an 88 and Kevin is upset that Simeon's number is higher than his.

Van then calls out to the mastermind behind the corruption of the Garten, asking for the 6th Anguis, who has been watching.

Professor Novartis from the CS games appears, looking for Renne and quickly analyzing everyone.

He zeroes in on Agnes, teetering on sexual inappropriate comments. Van steps in, calling him out for being gross to a young girl, but Novartis says Van is ruining his moment.

Novartis analyzes Van, noting similarities with McBurn for his "factor" but stating that they are fundamentally different. Agnes, angered, steps forward, calling out Novartis for reducing people to mere observations. She declares that everyone present has their own burdens and reasons for being alive, telling him to stop pretending he understands them. Agnes mocks Novartis for his narrow mindset, telling him he’ll never discover the truth he seeks.

The group praises Agnes for her boldness. Rufus cryptically mentions that he’s heard of her before, and Lapis humorously gives Agnes a score of 102, surprising Judith with the high rating because it goes beyond 100.

Irritated, Novartis orders Simeon to summon another beast and change the game’s rules. Crow and the others mock him for being a sore loser. Ulrica then appears, charming Novartis into submission with her powers and teasing Quatre as a "cool shota," much to his frustration.

After calming down, Novartis complains that Ulrica is the only enforcer to have laid their hands on him. Ulrica laughs, saying it flustered him. Novartis blushes, surprising those who have dealt with him before (namely, Bergard, Swin, Nadia, Towa, and like everyone from the CS games).

Novartis tries to regain composure, saying he’s busy and while they’re distracted with fixing the Grim Garten, he’s after a hidden treasure not even Marduk knows about. He explains that while the Grim Garten is a corruption of the Märchen Garten, the system’s data remains intact. He also finds it odd that Gramheart was able to call in the Society before. Novartis declares that he’ll uncover the truth behind MK’s abnormal technological prowess. He reveals the Grim Garten’s design is based on Simeon’s preferences, gothic and dark. Ulrica leaves, promising to introduce herself next time.

The group returns to the entrance and considers joining forces to handle the situation moving forward. They discuss how time moves slower in the Grim Garten compared to the real world. Fie jokes about using it to take a break, and Nadia agrees. Crow, however, sees it as a good way to gain combat experience. They acknowledge the difficulty of coordinating, given they all log in at different times. Bergard seems lost in thought, which Van notices. Bergard hints that someone helped him enter the Grim Garten. Van realizes he’s referring to Mare.

Van summons Mare, who appears and offers to consolidate everyone into a single login, allowing one activation to pull everyone in. She also creates a resting spot for those who dare to challenge the demon king’s castle called the Sanctuary.

Mare warns them that they don’t have much time left before [_____] happens. She glitches out while trying to explain further. Van reassures her not to push herself and asks about her ability to manipulate the Garten so easily, suggesting her origins lie in the Märchen Garten. Mare responds vaguely, neither confirming nor denying, before disappearing.

Van and the others explore the area, coming across a Memento Orb. Altina and Lapis explain its similarities to the Reverie Corridor. The group, including Swin, Feri, and Fie, enjoys the campsite. Feri and Fie reminisce about their jaeger days.

Meanwhile, Crow flirts with Judith and Elaine, inviting them for tea, only to be turned down. Later, Crow jokes about his failed pickup lines, vowing to try harder next time.

Elsewhere, Aaron observes Kevin, teasing him about catching fish. Kevin retorts, before realizing Aaron called him a “quack,” and takes offense.

Van interrupts their banter, and Kevin expresses excitement over being able to fish in VR, saying he’ll tell his fishing pals. Surprised, Van laughs, and Kevin invites him to join a fishing trip sometime, which Van accepts.

Rean, Bergard, Risette, and Nadia are found at a hot spring. Bergard tells Van that it reminds Rean of his hometown, Ymir, which is famous for its hot springs. Van, intrigued, asks Rean if he loves hot springs, and they bond over it.

Quatre, Rufus, and Towa discuss the importance of working together. Quatre compares Novartis to Hamilton, saying they can’t afford to lose.

Rufus asks Van if he can access the Sanctuary without calling everyone else, and Van threatens to log Rufus out after their conversation. Quatre, feeling awkward, introduces himself while silently thinking Rufus is shady.

The Memento Orb reveals the past of a girl in the 1150s, when Edith was a smaller city. She was a poor child, trained by an old man to pickpocket. When he died when she was 12, leaving her heartbroken, she set her sights on the Levre district.

She targeted a mansion with a small, flower-filled garden maintained by the owner, not servants. One day, as she prepared to rob the mansion, she was drawn in by the sound of a piano. Entering through an unlocked door, she found an old woman playing and humming to herself. Thus begins the story of the girl who found the song of her “mother.”

(I believe this is giving more proof that this house is the same house that Gramheart owns, meaning this is either a Claudel house or Epstein's house, or possibly even Sheena Dirke's house since she would be alive at this time. I also think the character looks eeriely similar to Dominique because it mentions robbing rich people and Grimcats was known to have struck a lot in Levre District.)

Intermission ends as there’s nothing left to do.

[bhagyaachievers12]

Why Every CS Aspirant Needs a Test Series – Secrets to Cracking the Professional Level

The journey of becoming a company secretary (CS) is a challenging yet rewarding one. With the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) maintaining high standards in their exams, especially at the Professional level, every aspirant must be strategic in their preparation. One of the most powerful tools that can significantly enhance your chances of success is taking a CS Professional Test Series. However, why is a test series so important? What makes it the "secret weapon" for passing the last section of the CS course?

Let’s dive deep into why every CS aspirant—particularly those preparing for the Professional level—should make test series an integral part of their study plan.

Understanding the CS Exams Structure

The Company Secretary course is divided into three stages:

Foundation Level

Executive Level

Professional Level

The Professional Level is the final and most challenging stage of the CS exams. It includes a broad range of subjects, including advanced topics in corporate laws, governance, secretarial practices, and strategic management. These papers are designed to test a candidate’s in-depth understanding of the subject matter and their ability to apply that knowledge to real-world scenarios.

Given the complexity of these subjects and the level of competition, a methodical approach to preparation is essential, and this is where a well-structured test series comes into play.

The Importance of Test Series for CS Aspirants

1. Simulates Exam Conditions

One of the primary benefits of taking a test series is that it simulates the actual exam environment. CS exams are not just about knowing the content; they are also about managing time and handling the pressure that comes with a timed test. Test series provide an opportunity to practice under similar conditions, which helps aspirants familiarize themselves with the format of the exam, the types of questions that may be asked, and the time constraints they will face.

This practice reduces exam anxiety, enhances focus, and boosts confidence, ultimately leading to better performance on the exam day.

2. Helps in Time Management

Time management is one of the most critical skills needed to crack the CS Professional Level exams. With multiple papers and a large volume of content to cover, managing time during both preparation and the actual exam is a delicate balance. A test series helps aspirants develop this skill by:

Providing a fixed time duration for each test, thereby teaching candidates how to allocate time to each section efficiently.

Encouraging aspirants to answer questions quickly without sacrificing accuracy.

Helping identify areas where more time is being spent, prompting the need for focused revision on those topics.

By practicing under time constraints, candidates develop the ability to prioritize questions, manage stress, and improve their overall time efficiency on the day of the exam.

3. Reinforces Learning

The CS exams test a candidate’s understanding of various legal and financial principles in depth. A one-time reading of textbooks and study materials is rarely enough to ensure success. Continuous revision is key to mastering the content, and test series serve as an excellent tool for reinforcing learning.

Immediate Feedback: Test series often provide instant feedback, letting aspirants know which areas they performed well in and where they need to improve. This feedback loop aids in reinforcing concepts and addressing weak areas before the actual exam.

Active Recall: Practicing through a test series involves active recall, which is a proven method of learning. Instead of passively reviewing notes, candidates are forced to retrieve information from memory, which strengthens long-term retention.

By repeatedly testing knowledge, CS aspirants solidify their understanding and are better prepared to answer questions with accuracy and confidence.

4. Identifies Weak Areas

As much as CS aspirants strive to master the entire syllabus, it is common to have weak areas that require extra attention. Test series are a fantastic tool for identifying these areas. When students take regular mock tests, they can pinpoint which sections or topics they are struggling with. Whether it’s a specific subject like Corporate Governance, Tax Laws, or Securities Laws, a test series highlights areas that need improvement.

Identifying weaknesses early in the preparation process allows aspirants to allocate additional time and effort to those areas, ensuring a more holistic understanding of the syllabus. It’s not just about knowing the answers—it’s about addressing knowledge gaps so that the entire syllabus is covered effectively.

5. Improves Accuracy and Speed

The CS exams feature a large number of questions, many of which require both theoretical knowledge and practical application.Accuracy and speed both play vital roles in scoring well on these exams, and both can be enhanced through a structured test series. By regularly practicing, candidates can learn to:

Avoid silly mistakes: Practice helps eliminate simple errors that can occur due to oversight or lack of familiarity.

Enhance speed: As candidates practice frequently, they become familiar with the questions and can learn how to respond more rapidly without sacrificing accuracy.

Ultimately, this leads to a significant improvement in both speed and accuracy, which are crucial for performing well in high-stakes exams like the CS Professional Level.

6. Provides a Sense of Progress

Because of the extensive syllabus and the amount of material they must learn, CS candidates frequently feel overpowered. Continuous stress from studying for such a significant test might cause burnout and self-doubt. A sense of advancement and achievement is nevertheless facilitated by routinely taking practice exams and monitoring performance. Every time you take an exam and raise your score, you may see concrete proof of your progress and newfound knowledge.

A sense of accomplishment keeps candidates motivated, raises their spirits, and motivates them to continue preparing.

Secrets to Cracking the Professional Level Using Test Series

While test series are essential, they need to be used strategically for maximum benefit. Here are a few tips on how to leverage test series to crack the CS Professional Level exams:

1. Start Early

Start taking mock tests well in advance of your exams. Don’t wait until the last few weeks before the exam. Early mock tests will help you identify your strong and weak areas, allowing you to focus on what needs the most attention. Starting early also provides the opportunity for repeated practice, which improves retention and reinforces learning.

2. Treat Mock Tests Like the Real Exam

Handle each test series as though it were the actual one. Follow the time constraints, prevent from cheating, and simulate actual exam circumstances. This facilitates discipline development and eases the adjustment to the actual exam setting.

3. Review Your Results Carefully

After completing each test, carefully analyze your results. Don’t just focus on the areas where you did poorly. Also, understand why you performed well in other sections and what strategies worked. Reviewing your answers thoroughly will help you learn from mistakes and fine-tune your approach.

4. Regularly Update Your Strategy

If you notice certain areas consistently causing problems, adapt your study plan. A good test series will highlight areas where you need to focus more effort. Update your revision strategy accordingly, targeting your weak points while reinforcing your strengths.

Conclusion

The CS Professional Level exams are challenging, but with the right preparation, success is achievable. A test series is not just a tool for practice—it is an essential part of an aspirant’s preparation strategy. By providing exam simulations, enhancing time management skills, reinforcing knowledge, identifying weak areas, and improving speed and accuracy, a test series is key to acing the CS exams.

Incorporate test series into your preparation, start early, and practice regularly. With consistent effort and strategic use of mock tests, you’ll be well on your way to cracking the CS Professional Level exams and advancing toward a successful career as a Company Secretary.

[snugzisvent]

Species isnt worth it.

Not challenging enough.

Prompts give nothing worth while for the effort put in. Sorry, but some shiny reward on my profile just isn't worth the effort. "But the plipz abd droplitz!" I can forage those. Will it take longer, a little. But I managed to get 3 myth myos in a month from foraging, selling items from foraging too. So prompts are just, not worth doing for a pretty reward to sit on the profile.

Everything is super easy to get. Like, beyond easy. I like a bit of a challenge in CS spaces. Not like chows, symps and succubuns level of difficulty (where its near impossible to get a myo, or character at all). But Snugzi is so super effortless to get into, they're more of a semi-open/open species. Mostly because it is just so beyond effortless.

Maybe if I could sell adopts with my myos. But that right is reserved to staff because it is a closed species. I get it. But got stuff sitting I don't need, won't use, and is useless for trading, doesn't sell for game currency either cause they're all easy to obtain too.

The Valentines day batch? Loved how a staff member utilized someone elses idea and got it approved even though they had a "flat face' on there's as well. The last one (the lion?) Was uncomfortable to look at for me. Idk why. But also the defined, toned buldge there despite the rules too... Ugh. It just didn't sit right. That could just be a me thing though, cause it does look like a buldge to me (personal opinion here). It's like we are back in Terra! Where mods and staff get passes to rip off members ideas and get a pass regardless of their illegal traits.

Anyway...

I wish the species had a little more challenge to it. Cause as it stands... Its boring as heck, no tradeability cause everything is SO EASY to obtain making them basically useless for trading for anything. Prompts have no real reason either. Staff are seemingly getting free passes on traits (I also second the anon who wrote about it).

This species is for you if you like species that have the Closed Species title but is really open/semi-open

'Why not leave?' You nay ask. I do enjoy the species! They're cute as heck. Unfortunately I can not void the character without them losing traits that are vital to their design. So I sit and hope that the species starts giving me a decent challenge. If not... Oh well I guess.

🌱

[baitdragon]

Kewal Ahuja SGF Faces Legal Challenges Over Alleged Fraud

Kewal Ahuja SGF, the founder of SGF (Spice Grill Flame), is facing increasing legal challenges as franchise owners and investors raise serious allegations against the company. These claims, which range from fraud and financial mismanagement to misrepresentation, have cast a dark cloud over SGF's business practices, prompting legal investigations.

Broken Promises and Franchise Model Failures

SGF operates under two main franchise models: FOFO (Franchise-Owned, Franchise-Operated) and FOCO (Franchise-Owned, Company-Operated). Investors who chose the FOCO model were promised a guaranteed monthly return of ₹37,500, with SGF taking responsibility for managing the day-to-day operations. However, many of these promises have not materialized, and the company’s credibility under Kewal Ahuja SGF has been called into question. One notable example is an SGF outlet in Sector 31, Gurgaon, which was abruptly shut down within a year of operation, leaving the investor without the promised returns.

SGF's Struggling Business and Misleading Claims

To cover up its financial struggles, SGF, under Kewal Ahuja's leadership, rebranded its website, erasing critical details such as the number of active outlets. However, archived web data paints a different picture. It reveals that nearly 70% of SGF outlets have ceased operations, raising concerns about the company’s stability and transparency. Despite claims of operating over 30 successful outlets and offering returns of over 223% over six years, the reality appears far from these promises. Franchise owners and investors now argue that SGF’s marketing materials were misleading and that the company failed to deliver on its financial guarantees, damaging the reputation of Kewal Ahuja SGF.

Legal Battles and Investor Lawsuits

This has led to a series of legal actions, with New Horizon Law Firm taking the lead in pursuing justice. Lawyers Pratima Ravi and Yogesh Sharma have filed two civil suits in the District Court of Rohini: Case No. CS/DJ/302/2023 seeks to recover the promised returns, while Case No. CS(Comm) 6835/2024 demands the full reimbursement of investments. SGF’s defense in the first case centers around financial difficulties stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, but this explanation has not satisfied investors or the courts. The second case remains unresolved, as mediation attempts have failed, and SGF has yet to present a formal defense.

Outlet Closures and Investor Losses

The outlet at the heart of the dispute, which was launched during the pandemic, shut down within a year, leaving investors with significant losses. As these legal proceedings continue, scrutiny of Kewal Ahuja's leadership and SGF's business practices intensifies. The final decisions in these cases are likely to have significant consequences for SGF and its stakeholders, with the potential to reshape the company's future under the leadership of Kewal Ahuja SGF.

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

Christmas Reruns 2023 Day 14: The Yuletide Challenge (1/3)

Merry Christmas if you celebrate it and happy holidays if you don’t!  One of the things I love about Christmas is watching reruns of all the old classic Christmas movies–Christmas is a big time for nostalgia.  A few years ago, I decided to incorporate that tradition into my fandom life and post my CS holiday reruns.  So here you go!  Enough holiday (mostly) fluff to get you to New Year’s Day. (With a new story posting on Christmas Day.)

Rating: T

Word Count: 1643

Other chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Today’s story is an AU based on this prompt from @kmomof4​: Character A vows to do something nice for a stranger during the Christmas time. Character B is that stranger. It was written in 2017.

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Emma took a deep breath, smoothed down her tight red dress, and stepped through the doors of The Rabbit Hole, the premiere bar in the tiny town of Storybrooke, Maine, and scanned the interior for some poor, sad soul who looked in need of Christmas cheer.  She rolled her eyes.  How the hell had she let Mary Margaret talk her into this?

It all started the week before, when Emma had gone to her adoptive brother David’s and her sister-in-law Mary Margaret’s loft apartment for Thanksgiving dinner.  Emma had never been a big holiday person.  Growing up in the system, being in and out of group homes, she’d never really had a family to spend the special days with, at least until David’s mom, Ruth had taken her in just before her fifteenth birthday.  By that point, Emma was used to being a loner, and she preferred it that way.  If you don’t let people in, they can’t hurt you, right?  Most Thanksgivings and Christmases, even now that she was an adult with a brother and sister-in-law she loved, were spent alone, take-out and Netflix her big holiday companions.

But after a bad break up with her longtime boyfriend, (what had she ever seen in Walsh, that idiotic flying monkey!) Emma had decided it was time for a change.  She’d packed up her swanky New York apartment and relocated to Storybrooke where there was a job as her brother, the sheriff’s, deputy was waiting for her.  And with Emma living in the same town during the holidays, Mary Margaret simply would not take no as an answer to her invitation to have Thanksgiving dinner with the family.

Emma had to admit dinner with the family had been nice.  There was something so damn heartwarming about sharing a holiday with the ones she loved.

It was only after the feast had been consumed, the dishes had been washed, and the post-meal nap had been taken that things took a rather unfortunate turn.

Mary Margaret got awkwardly to her feet (it was one of the drawbacks of being nearly 7 months pregnant, after all) and clinked her water glass to get everyone’s attention.

“So David and I have been thinking,” she’d said.  “We thought it would be a good idea to start a new family tradition during the holiday season.”

Emma was immediately on alert.  When her sister in law had that look in her eyes it always spelled trouble.  “Um…okay?  Just what kind of tradition are we talking about?”

“The Yuletide challenge!” Mary Margaret said excitedly.

“I have a feeling I’m going to regret asking this,” Emma said, “but what exactly is a Yuletide challenge?”

“I saw an article about it in the holiday edition of my favorite magazine, Storybrooke Today,” Mary Margaret said.  “Basically, the idea is to spread Christmas cheer to the people who need it most.”

Emma crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.  “Yeah, I don’t really do the whole ‘Christmas cheer’ thing.”

“Oh come on, Emma!” Mary Margaret insisted.  “Christmas is the season of giving!  At least listen to the whole idea before rejecting it.  I promise this challenge will make us all feel warm and fuzzy inside.”

The puppy dog eyes.  Her sister in law was giving her the puppy dog eyes.  She wasn’t playing fair.  Not at all.

“It actually sounds like a pretty interesting idea, Emma,” David said, backing up his wife after she tossed him a pointed look. 

Emma sighed.  “Fine.  What exactly are the rules of this whole Yuletide challenge thing?”

Mary Margaret’s smile could light up the sun.  “Each of us will find a person in town—someone we don’t know, or at least don’t know well—who seems down on their luck, or sad, or just in general in need of cheer.  We make it our mission to do little acts of kindness for that person throughout the season.  You’ve got to do at least one good thing for them per week, and once you’ve picked your person, there’s no going back!  That’s your person for the season.  Could be by Christmas time we’ll each have a brand new friend!”

Emma wasn’t a people person.  She didn’t do random acts of kindness for strangers.  She kept to herself and let them keep to themselves.  Life was just better that way.  Still…Mary Margaret was really excited about this idea.  What could it hurt to spread a little kindness during the busiest, most hectic time of year?

“Alright,” Emma said on another sigh.  “Count me in.  I’ll take the Yuletide challenge.”

And that’s how Emma found herself in a bar, dressed to impress, looking for someone who looked sad and down on his luck.  It was nearing the end of the first week of December, and she’d yet to find her victim…er giftee.  She had to find someone fast before she forfeited the challenge before even beginning.

Emma saw him right away, as though a magnet had drawn her eyes to him.  He was handsome (hot as hell, really), with his soft black hair, mesmerizing blue eyes, dusting of scruff, jeans and black leather jacket.  But it wasn’t his looks that immediately drew Emma to him.  It was the dejected, almost despairing look on his face as he nursed his glass of rum at his lonely table at the back of the establishment.  If anyone needed a little Christmas cheer, it was this guy.

Squaring her shoulders, Emma walked purposefully to his table.  He looked up at the sound of her stiletto heels moving across the floor, his eyes showing surprise and appreciation as he took in the sight of her.

“This seat taken?” she asked, reaching for the chair across from him.

He waved with his right hand.  “Be my guest, love.”

The smooth, British accent, combined with his far above average looks did things to her insides.  Emma turned away, taking the chair.  Get it together, Swan!  You’re not some teenager who gets crushes on hot strangers!

“So, my name’s Emma Swan,” she said.  “And who might you be?”

“Killian Jones,” he answered, “but people have taken to calling me by my more colorful moniker.  Hook.”

The man raised his left arm, and Emma noticed the nautical hook which sat in place of a hand.  Well that wasn’t weird or anything. “Um…why do you have a hook instead of a hand?”

Smooth Emma.  Really smooth. Nothing like starting out the Yuletide challenge with a major faux pas.

One dark eyebrow rose and a half smile draped his lips.  “I’ve always been fascinated with Captain Hook, so after I lost the hand, my Halloween costume was rather obvious.  The hook has proven so bloody useful, I simply chose to keep it.”

“Oh, well…sorry about your hand.”

A shadow passed over his face.  “Aye, well, it’s been five years, almost to the day since the accident.”  He closed his eyes for a moment, then drained his glass in one gulp, hastily pouring himself another.

If Emma didn’t miss her guess, and she rarely did, an ability to read people was one of the things that made her one of the best bail bonds persons New York had ever seen, there was more to the story, than simply the loss of a hand.  The poor guy was in misery even alluding to the event.

Nice job, Emma.  Instead of spreading Christmas cheer, you’ve managed to make this guy relive his worst memory.

“Killian….I’m sorry…”

He waved her off.  “It’s no matter, Swan.  Seems it’s a night for melancholy musings, but I survived.  Now, I’d rather discuss something pleasanter if you don’t mind.  What exactly brought such a beautiful woman to my table on this cold winter’s night?”

Emma took a deep breath.  Here goes nothing.  “So I was wondering if you’d help me with something.”

His eyebrow rose in question.

“Let me buy your next round,” she said, “and then, well, maybe I could do some nice things for you.”

His expression changed in an instant.  Surprise and melancholy replaced with pure lasciviousness.  “That’s quite the offer, darling.  It’s not every day a gorgeous woman offers herself as my Christmas gift.”

Emma felt her face flame.  “Oh my gods!  I wasn’t propositioning you, Killian!”  (Though…if he kept looking at her like that…well, there was no telling what might come of this night.)

He sighed dramatically.  “My profound loss.  So, Swan, if you weren’t asking me for what, I assure you would be a very, very pleasant roll in the sheets, what precisely were you offering?”

“You see, my sister-in-law, Mary Margaret, had this idea for the holiday season….”  And with that she laid out the whole sappy challenge for him.  “And, I don’t know.  You just look like you could use a friend.  So what do you say?”

Killian took a long sip of his rum, and Emma tried her best not to watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed, not to follow the line down to his firm chest where luscious, abundant chest hair peeked out from beneath a partially buttoned shirt.  “Oh I don’t know, Swan.  I rather think spending a night together in my bed would count as a kindness.”

She rolled her eyes.  “Yeah, not happening.  We’re talking warm, fuzzy, purely platonic acts of kindness.”

He sighed dramatically, and she grinned in spite of herself.  He was such an idiot.  But…he was an adorable idiot, and she couldn’t help but sense she’d enjoy the time she’d inevitably spend with him, should he accept her offer.

A soft, almost shy smile replaced the teasing on his face.  “Very well, Emma.  I will be the recipient of your challenge.”

NEXT CHAPTER->