#ec banks

[cardentist]

if you've never heard of evillious chronicles, or if you Have heard of it but you've never looked into it, watch this one song out of context and if you like it then I have a way to get into the rest of it here [Link 1, Link 2]

[pinazee]

Im sorry but “9 year old girl solves murder and saves Wonder Wharf” is a pretty big fucking deal. That kid is a fucking legend Chloe

[fyjm]

Music Bank Broadcast Recording | © LOOK AT MIN

[angeloftrumpets]

i always think my younger self would hate who i am but i think i would get along really well with my younger self

[secretunknownwonderland]

本科办理LSBU硕士毕业成绩单Q/薇28013 71829办理伦敦南岸大学本科/硕士学生ID卡offer录取通知书,办LSBU学生ID卡/offer录取通知书,办LSBU【本科毕业成绩单】,办LSBU硕士毕业成绩单/留信认证,ECE认证/WES认证London South Bank University Diploma

[mars-and-the-theoi]

Low energy Devotional Acts for when you don’t have a lot of energy (or time, or money, etc.) pt. 9

🔥Hestia🔥

- put on one of those fireplace videos, or light a candle, or if able light your own fire in the fireplace (or have a bonfire)

- listen to a devotional playlist for Her

- if able do some cooking/baking

- if unable to do that gather some recipes either online or in any cookbooks you may have!

- watch a cooking/baking show

- try your hand at making bread

- watch home renovating, decorating, etc. shows/videos

- if able do some cleaning- doesn’t have to be anything huge just something small like maybe just picking some socks up off the floor or something

- enjoy a hot drink (tea, coffee, hot cocoa)

- watch your comfort movie/show

- if able learn how to knit, crochet, etc. or do some if you know how and are able

- if unable watch knitting or crocheting videos/tutorials

- if able (in every sense of the word here) spend some time with your family or text/call them can be your blood family or chosen family or even your good friends! (Family can be anything you want it to be imo)

- look up important home keeping skills! And watch videos or tutorials on them if you don’t know them (like mending clothes, ironing, etc.) which are all good skills to have ((I add this one because I know at least in America home ec classes have been cut and are pretty much nonexistent like I went through it in middle school but then they got rid of it once I went to high school and in hs it wasn’t mandatory like it was in middle school))

- read up on how to be a good host or guest

- if you like hosting events plan your next gathering

- go through photo albums or pictures and reminisce on the happy, funny, and joyful moments

- if able donate to a food bank (I personally go through my kitchen about 6 times a year-I do a lot of the kitchen work/organizing in my family as I do the cooking so y’know I’m already there so I may as well-and whatever I haven’t used or no longer have plans for I donate! Ofc make sure it’s not expired first and also if able include things like a manual can opener and such! So even though I don’t have too much money myself this system enables me to still be able to help which personally makes me feel good as I grew up utilizing those things so it’s nice to help!)

- if you have pets spend some time with them! They’re important family members as well! Maybe spoil them with their favorite treat and/or activity! Cuddle with them! Just let them know they’re valued and loved family members as well

- be kind to the homeless (yes, even the “bad” ones they’re ppl too and unnecessarily cruelty isn’t helping anything)

- look up ways to help the homeless and if you’re able help out or volunteer or donate (I might make a separate post on stuff to donate as there’s a lot of stuff some folks don’t think about when it comes to giving donates and such)

- hell you could even volunteer or donate to an animal shelter! If that’s more for you and something you’re more comfortable with! They’re homeless too are they not? (I do some volunteer work at the animal shelter myself so I’m very passionate about this)

(and if you have to utilize anything like food banks or government assistance in any capacity work on not feeling bad for needing those things. I know, easier said than done trust me I know again I grew up using those things. But you’re simply getting what you need to survive. And there’s nothing wrong with that. You’re not bad, you haven’t failed, you’re not a leech, etc. you’re just someone trying to survive and there’s no shame in that. There’s no shame in needing help. And not only is that a great devotional act in itself, it’s also just great in general. I do a lot of activist work and such and trust that there’s people who care and people who-again, like me-get it. You’re okay. You’re still a good person. And still deserving of good things.)

[spotaus]

Did some redesign mock-ups for Ec-4o.verse Cross, Fresh, and Error!

These guys didn't really *need* redesigns but I was having a ball with Trech (Ec-4o!Fresh) and gave him Arcade Carpet designs and decided I needed to redesign some others too! (Check below the cut for Old Designs, Lore, and a Stupid Screenshot from my pal @/Neonsix67)

So OLD DESIGNS:

(We're gonna act like I drew Trech more than twice-)

So, old art, yucky, whatever. We know the drill lmao- but because Ec-4o.verse is such an ongoing project these guys have been through a bunch of redesigns. Regrettably, me from 2 years ago was unaware of Layering and Shape Language, so they look kinda gross.

Cross' design has consistently been my favorite I think, just because he was a later addition and so had a bunch of my newer ideas integrated. They all have their flaws tho (Cross was too lean and got thrown between Baby and Grown Guy too often in my art. Error uhhh... yeesh. When I say I couldn't draw him, I meant it. I never knew what to do with his wires and I kept putting him in armor? Fresh just wasn't fleshed out enough. He was that SparkleDog of my verse.)

Also: I wanted Fresh to be top-heavy, like, big baggy round clothes on his upper half then lil guy legs. Cross I wanted to be more flat and strict, hense his clothes being all Tube-shaped. Then Error needed Triangle vibes. His old design was too Rectangle for me. The exposed limbs are mostly just for me because I love a-symmetry and also I don't keep a consistent clothing style, so I like to keep a visually interesting element (like a limb) exposed for clarity's sake when I draw them in new poses later.

LORE:

Cross: A robot (Ecto) who was initially a Guard-Model ecto. He was one of the last to be turned over when the government was rallying citizens to donate their bots to fight in the war. He was remodeled and supplied with a special task by his Programmer: Protect THE FILES at all costs. He's rather small for a guard-bot, but makes up for it with his agility and sheer stubbornness. Blue finds him heavily damaged and on low battery in an old lab, guarding a room that was sealed tight. His Old design utilized Shields (scarf detached to become them) but his new design is much more focused on quick bursts of offense. If he gets you first, then you're no longer a threat.

Error: an Ecto who was one of the first bots handed over. He was a former data storage bot that worked at a small library. As one of the first data-bots to come in, he was immediately modified and put to work alongside other Ectos to compile all of the nation's history into their data banks. Error was particularly receptive to overloads of data, so he continued to be modified and made into the prime data-bank. When the war started, he was eventually hidden away and sealed in an air-tight room. Eventually Cross was sent to guard the door. They were eachother's only company for... years? Error isn't fond of touch or tampering with hid systems, as everything he knows is barely abd haphazardly stored on unsafe files. Each Crash he endures takes more and more of his own personal data away, and he refuses to lose any more.

Fresh (Trech): A Parasite that was created by Sci to repair living beings in the same way that an Ecto can auto-repair itself. Fresh is actually a liquid that, when placed in contact with a wounded/dying person, it can invade their systems and stop all forms of bleeding/dusting. Fresh wasn't supposed to be sentient, and was meant to be scrapped, but he ended up being vital in stopping the war. In turn, Sci granted him freedom. Fresh can inhabit humans, monsters, and Ectos, but prefers skeleton monsters. He often defies the logic of his world, but what Fresh doesn't? Blue meets him far into the story after he's unraveled a lot of mysteries. Fresh just drops by after hearing rumors of Blue's repair work, and is met by less-than-warm reception from Error and Geno.

Other:

I was trying to save the image and my phone was bugging out, so I sent it to Neon. Safe to say she has peak comedic timing 😌💖 (For the record, we are both adults, and also my parents are aware I draw utmv stuff, so she had to make the threat actually a threat lmao---) I also love Chilchuck talking with the Operator. We are the dynamic duo frfr.

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

begging for more EC!reader if you’ve got anything cooking in that brain of yours!!!!

"Well this was a capital idea," Alfred said, pouring you a glass of wine as you look over the prep list for dinner.

"You really didn't have to move everything-"

"Honestly we should have done it years ago. Everyone is grown up now. Families all over the place- it really is a nightmare."

"Still-"

"Humor an old man," he huffed, surveying the knife kit you brought with interest. You'd sharpened them all to a razor edge and he didn't doubt that if he left you to it you could and would simply MAKE dinner. BUT. He didn't want you to think you had only been invited to cook.

He'd been dying to have you for years. From the second he'd come through your door and you'd pulled him into a bone-crunching hug and offered him a beer. You were... charming in your way.

Messy, foul mouth and insistent that the line cooks selling weed in the alley behind the restaurants did more for Gotham than the GCPD. Raised by a single mom on grit and food bank donations- he could see your appeal to Jason.

"Let's get started, shall we?" you ask, taking a sip from your glass.

"Absolutely." He raised his glass in mock toast, "May this be my leasst dramatic Thanksgiving-"

"So this would be a bad time to say that Jason and I are in a polycule and I'm pregnant and we don't know who the father is?"

Alfred paused blinking and half choked, "I'm sorry, what?"

And when you grin at him, crinkling your nose he fought the urge to throw an onion at you. "At least compared to that anything else will seem tame."

"Just for that, I expect chocolate souffle." he said sternly

"Yes, sir," you snort, picking up a knife to start chopping.

[mxmajor]

Alright SydCarmy Mafia AU Premise

There are still chefs, same family restaurant and other businesses, psuedo family, but the businesses are used as a money laundering front.

Richie is still involved with drugs but is a higher ranking lieutenant, Natalie still has that finance degree and background, works at the bank as a cover but is involved.

Just like in canon, cousin Michelle is a restauranteur, something the family doesn't see as viable like real estate had been as a cover, but as things bloom for her, they see the opportunity to move into a larger bracket because a lot of money moves through fine dining establishments each week.

And with that, they invest in the beef a bit more, and when they see the nascent talent of a prodigy, they push for Carmy to be out in the world to become the canon chef we know.

Mikey hopes that being away from the family will keep Carmy on the straight and narrow, clean and unsullied by their bullshit. Mikey failed to make it beyond the Berzattos, but Carmen would be different, if he keeps him at arms distance. Little did he know, the Family was reaching further than he could push his baby brother away.

Syd is tapped after catering for a private party to stage for a CDC position at one of the BZ Group restaurants, an opportunity that could take her 20 year plan to have her own restaurant as a culinary iconoclast and cut it in half. They had inventive and successful establishments in New York, California, and here in Chicago, and if she could lead a program in one of their kitchen's to snag a F&W award, or retain and increase one of their Michelin Star kitchens...This could accelerate her career way more than micro-planing citrus.

The Restaurant group has a reputation in the city, but in the food world, that reputation is a life time opportunity. And one of the reasons for that reputation is successful, famous, nay, legendary hometown hero Carmen Berzatto that might even be her EC if she nails this. It's not like she'll work their forever, right?

Possible routes:

Shy anxious Carmy is a cover to get her to join in and she falls deep into the life before realizing what this is all a front for. he's been in on all of it and groomed to take over, he just needs a partner to expedite by his side.

OR

Carmy is trying to keep her out by being an asshole because he doesn't want her to get sucked into their underworld as he tries to figure out if the story he was told about his brother's death was true.

OR

Sydney witnesses something she Should Not See™, so they have her marry Carmy so she can't testify against him (fake marriage au) but they fall for each other over time as they bond over food in the menu of chaos around them.

BONUS: Mr. Berzatto was taking care of and/or his family was offered up as collateral because he owed folks money. but he is still out there and might come back 👀👀

Or he's the big bad boss behind it all but none of his kids know him or see him "for their safety"

Okay, I am handing off this baton lol.

(when I say pass the baton, i mean i'm tryna crowdsource a mafia au, please add an idea or take an idea and run with it lol.)

[stxllanutxlla]

Thank you

Ft. Xiao

If only he knew that what he said would be a big impact on you. If only he knew it would hurt you so much. If only he knew it would scar you forever. If only.. he knew, he wouldn't have said that. But he doesn't. Up until now but then, he met a certain female traveler.

"Why have you come?" He asked, his voice naturally hoarse.

"Traveler here wanted to ask you if you have met a certain person! They have [HC] hair" Paimon smiled cheekily at Xiao, giggling to herself for some reason.

The traveler- Lumine groaned in annoyance as she looks at her emergency food small companion, she sighed looking back at Xiao who was also looking at Paimon with a dumbfounded look but a hint of irritation is visible.

"Please, let me explain what they look like," Lumine said, briefly side-eying her companion. "Well, to start it all, They are tall... Probably much taller than you, I can't quite describe their outfit but it fits them perfectly!"

"They have fair [SC] skin, their hair so fluffy and you can tell that it is well taken care of. Their [EC] eyes, reminded me of a deep empty void but I can see that inside of that void, there's still hope of light that you will be able to distinguish. Their lips look so soft too! Overall they're just perfect." As of now, Lumine looks like she's trying to show off her crush. I mean 👀

She cleared her throat and looked at Xiao, her eyes wide, and her mouth formed into a thin line.

"A-anyways, that's all we could describe for now." Paimon chuckled at her companion. "Do you perhaps know them? Whenever they talk about you, it sounds like they have known you for like- forever! Also, Paimon thinks that she's another adept of Liyue." Paimon kept on mumbling to herself.

He's not one to open up but Xiao didn't know, he felt like it is right to tell them his story. And so he did. Calling out the traveler and her noisy companion. He turned around and walked to the railing of the balcony and began telling them his story.

Lumine stared at him in bewilderment, her eyes wide and mouth agape. She blinked, quickly cutting out of her small world, and raised a brow at Xiao.

"Paimon is confused, Paimon is all out of brain juice." she held her head, shaking it slowly still trying to understand what Xiao has said.

Lumine cleared her throat catching both their attentions. Xiao was nervous for some unknown reason and never once did he like it. He frowned while awaiting the traveler to speak.

"I'm not surprised that you said that without a problem at all since... You're Adeptus Xiao, " She said, a small smile gracing her lips but it quickly went down as she said, "Still, you should've thought about your words first before speaking. They surely are hurt about what you said; listening to your story made me hurt, even."

Xiao's eyes widened, he didn't expect a God to have felt the same as humans but what can he say, you're the one who created every creature in the first place, including the humans he loved to call mortals.

A sudden realization went through Paimon as she suddenly speaks up, breaking the tense silence. "I remembered them saying that they are going to meet a man at the central bank today when we met them earlier. They must be there now! We should go tell them to come with us and have a talk!" For once, Paimon used her brain. And so, did they do what she said.

Hearing the door open and a pair of footsteps, you halt your conversation with Childe, smiling and ready to greet a Man who you expected to come by anytime now, but only to stop when you saw who it was.

"Ah, Traveler and her little Companion! How are you?" you greeted with a gentle smile.

Lumines' face flushed a little at the sight of the person she's been simping for a while now. She cleared her throat and greeted back, stuttering a bit.

As you were About to speak again to ask what they needed, Childe spoke. "Why it isn't for our little traveler- and her companion. Have you come here for another fight?"

You glared at him, causing him to shut up. Looking back at the traveler yet again with an innocent smile. "Why have you come here, dear traveler? Is there perhaps something you needed?"

"No, we came here to tell you to come with us. Someone you might know wants to meet you. It's sort of an emergency but not in a bad way." she said, slightly glaring at Childe who still held a sly smirk.

Noticing this, you look at him and glare but this time- harder. "Next time you use Foul Legacy, I'll make sure you never breathe again. I'll make your death slow, and painful." You whispered to him in a menacing tone.

As if on cue, Zhongli came in and felt a familiar Aura one that he knows all too well. Clearing his throat and catching all of your attention, he spoke, "I pardon my interruption, but shall we start?"

"You're late. Again."

"I know that :D"

"So who is this person you are talking about, Traveler?" You asked in a gentle tone.

"P-please, just call me Lumine," She said, quite surprised by your sudden voice. "And to answer your question, Uhm... Y-you'll see"

"Paimon is wondering why you've been so nervous, Lumine" Paimon suddenly pops out of nowhere.

"I noticed that too. Is it because of me?" Frowning, you looked at her.

"Yes! No! I mean, yes but not in a bad way!"

"We're here!" Paimon exclaimed giddily. Paimon looked at you who was quiet the entire time. "YN? Hello?"

Cutting out of trance, you boinked twice and let out a realization noise. "We're here? That was fast,"

"What do you mean fast? You've been spacing out the whole time after your little talk!" paimon cried out a little loudly.

You guys heard a large and small pair of footsteps, you turned around to see what might be but you were suddenly hit with your left arm.

Letting out a grunt, you held your arm in pain seeing a bit of blood running down from it. A small form o light began to form on the wound.

Lumine covered you up from the monsters, knowing she can't fight with you wounded. Hesitating for a moment but having no choice, she called out.

"Adeptus Xiao!"

Your eyes widen at the name.

A flash of green and black went past both of you, killing the monsters with amazing speed and skill.

Your breath hitched, not taking your eyes off of him. The person who hurt you. The person who you thought would never see again. The person you loved.

Paimon pops out again, looking around frantically in search of any monsters, but halted when he saw Xiao.

Standing there with your wound fully healed, you continued to stare at Xiao as he did to you. Silence fell and none dared to speak. The tension was thick that not even Giyuu Tomioka could break it. Sorry not sorry

"YN, he's the one I want you to-"

"Why?" staring blankly in front of you, you asked.

"I-I... I wanted to help-"

"Leave us," Xiao spoke, his voice firm. And so they did.

"You knew about this? Huh." you let out a scoff, looking away from him and crossing your arms over your chest.

"I do, " He honestly stated. "I..."

You waited for his answer, looking back up at him with a brow raised. "You?"

By now, he looks like he was having a hard time, with his face that showed he was uncomfortable and hesitating on what he was going to say.

"I don't have time for this, " having your patience runs low, you uncrossed your arms and turned around, ready to go back to Liyue Harbor.

"Wait!" Xiao runs after you, holding your wrist to stop you from getting away any further. "I'm sorry,"

You looked over your shoulder and gaze down at him. "Heh, " letting an amused laugh, you turned to him fully. "I never thought that the might Adeptus had the guts to say sorry!" holding your stomach, you laughed and laughed.

Xiao frowned, thinking he's said something wrong and was starting to feel low. Calming down from your laughing fit, you notice Xiao looking all gloomy. Smiling gently, you put a hand on his shoulder causing him to look at you with hope-filled eyes.

Chuckling, you held his face tenderly with both of your hands. "I forgive you, Xiao. I never held a grudge against you," you whispered and hugged him- tightly.

Xiao felt warm and fuzzy but choosing to ignore it, he hugged back his face contorted to a calm one as he closed his eyes. Never had he let anyone touch him like this. He felt nice and... Loved.

'Thank you,'

ع˖⁺ ☁⋆ ୭ 🕊.⋆｡⋆༶⋆˙⊹ - VentiOfficial / StxllaNutxlla

[roseandgold137]

wip preview:

The day started like any other day. Bernard woke up, squinted against the bright sunlight – great, he’d forgotten to close his curtains – and stretched. He basked in the coziness for a few more moments. It wasn’t like he had anything to do today, right? …Right?

Bernard shot up – shit, school, his stupid alarm hadn’t gone off – and tugged his pyjama shirt off. Pants – where were his stupid pants gone – he snatched the nearest pair of cargo pants and stumbled into them. Socks – under the dresser – his shoes were downstairs, he’d grab them in a second. Bernard pulled the first t-shirt he found over his head and swung a jacket over his shoulders. 

His phone was ringing, music blaring – Do You Believe in Magic? on full blast. Bernard answered the call, balancing the phone between his ear and shoulder while he shoved copybooks into his bag. “Darla, this better be quick, because I’m running so unbelievably late right now – ”

“Well, you’d better still be on your way, because Tim just bailed on us.” Darla’s voice practically assaulted his ear – shit, he’d pressed speaker, ow – Bernard dropped his phone back onto his bed while he wrangled his chemistry worksheet into his folder. “He said it was, like, an appointment? But then he didn’t say he was coming back later, so I think I’m just stuck with you now.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Bernard said. Okay – the bag zip wasn’t too happy with the sheer amount of things that were haphazardly packed in, but Bernard managed to close it without breaking the zipper. “Hang on, I gotta run downstairs.”

Darla clearly hadn’t heard him, or she just wanted someone to complain to regardless of whether or not they were listening, because Bernard could still hear her talking while he swung around the banister. He practically burst into the kitchen – no worries about being loud, his parents left for work early anyways – and grabbed a handful of fruit – apple, apple, banana – fuck, they were out of oranges. He found a pack of crisps in the cupboard – not the healthiest option, but beggars can’t be choosers. It wasn’t enough for a full lunch – he could get something else from the cafeteria, that was fine. 

Bernard snatched his earbuds from the counter and slid them in, and Darla’s voice came in through after a second’s delay. “ – and, frankly, I’m not really in the mood to take advice from someone who almost named their dog after fertility bank – ”

“What?” Bernard asked – okay, clothes, books, lunch – he had to have breakfast, what was he doing? “Who are we talking about right now?”

“Chris? From – fuck, what class was it - don’t you have bio with him? The tall guy, with the bad frosted tips.”

“Oh, that guy. He got a dog?”

“He has three, Bernard. He’s had two of them since before you even met him.” 

Bernard settled on the granola in the fridge – hey, it was healthy, and it came in a tub, so he could take it with him on the bus – 

“Oh, are you kidding me.”

“About the dogs? Why would I possibly do that?”

“My bus is like, definitely gone by now.” If he made it to the other end of the street, he might make the other bus – but that was if it was running today, and he’d probably still be about five minutes late. Great, great, grand. “What class do we have first?”

“I have music. You have… home ec?”

“Okay. Okay, that’s okay. Ms Howell won’t mind if I’m a couple of minutes late. I’ve gotta bounce, I’ll call you back – wait, no, I won’t, I’ll see you in English.” Darla hung up on him before he got the chance, and Bernard ran out, granola and spoon in hand.

[toxinellebug]

HESPERIA/BETTERFLY kamikotized heroes Headcanons PART 1

There will be a bunch of these, but I will most likely only do 2 heroes per post.

Let’s face it; no matter what universe, Gabriel and Adrien are cut from the same cloth, therefore you should be prepared for puns.

The following heroes are NOT in chronological order of appearance in the timeline, but I will do my best to give you a rough idea of when they show up.

Some Heroes will have more detail than others.

Mr. Banana becomes…. *drumroll please*

Banana Punch! 

(Or in french, Pain Banane… Ok, hear me out, in French ‘pain aux bananes’ is banana bread, however, the word ‘pain’ is ALSO slang for ‘punch’.)

          Mr. Banana himself is a ridiculous mascot character, with ‘banana’ being a pun in itself for having a big smile, and his catchphrase of “stay peachy” a translation of the french pun of positivity, so naturally it only makes sense that his kamikotized hero form is that of a smiling loaf of banana bread wearing a martial arts head-band, and boxing gloves to punch evil-doers trying to rob some old woman when there are no enforcers nearby.

          Gabriel isn’t proud of it. But his power of Transmission gifts abilities that are best suited to the person’s emotions in that situation.

                  This Hero was a one-off that showed up before Shadybug and ClawNoir were introduced, and since only the old lady and her would-be robbers were witnesses, the act of heroism was swept under the rug for a long time because when Enforcers DID finally show up they just assumed the old lady was having a senior moment, and the two burly men had enough pride left NOT to confess they were bruised up by a loaf of banana bread, and instead claimed they were assaulted by some 6’9”, 230lb steroid fueled vigilante.

                  It took Alya FOREVER to connect the dots on this one, finally tracking down the old woman who was nearly robbed- because of course she would want to try to investigate vigilantes and see if they are tied to any conspiracies concerning a revolt against enforcers or an uprising against The Supreme….but even THIS was too far-fetched for her.  

               A little more digging led to the weirdest interview she has ever had. (There’s just something unsettling about those empty, soulless, banana eyes… *shiver*) But if you have a better explanation for how a scrawny dude in a banana costume can take on two brutes twice his size and walk away unbruised that DOESN’T involve magic, Alya would LOVE to hear it.

         (Think about it, in S4, Shadowmoth had to search specifically for negative emotions that revolved around taking risks, this means he can not just assign any random power he wants to anyone having a bad day- the power has to match their mood and desire to change the situation that put them in that mood. That is one of the limitations of the power of the Butterfly Brooch.)

Funfact: “Akuma” roughly translates to ‘demon shadow’, therefore “kamiko” would most likely be ‘blessed child’, since “kami” is god/divine/blessed and the affix “ko” is ‘child’.

      Betterfly probably sees his butterflies as little children, carrying the light of hope on their wings to those who are deserving of the burden of power for the greater good.

Théo Barbot becomes….

Monumenteur!

(A combination of monument and conservateur aka preservationist)

       Remember, in this Universe, Paris is “The City of Progress”.

      And Progress does NOT involve wasting money to maintain antiquated buildings and monuments from a bygone era.

      Such prime real estate would be better used for useful things; factories, banks, shopping malls, corporate buildings, apartment buildings, etc.

           But that doesn’t mean one can just go about demolishing historic architecture after selling to the highest bidder. (Not unless you want a riot).  No, no, there must be compromise!

         Nothing lasts forever, everything must go when it’s time has come; this is nature’s law.

             Economics and finances must support modern infrastructure to maintain the progress of society, not dwell in the past.

                   As such, there are no groups that specialize in preserving and maintaining historical buildings and monuments.  Old things are left as is until they have worn out their usefulness. Without specialized upkeep as well as preventative measures, these structures naturally decay and fall apart over time.   Once a building/monument has reached a point where it is considered structurally unsound (it could fall down and crush someone) it is then legally condemned for demolition, afterwards the location will be put up for sale and something new will be built in it’s place.

                     This means that in the last few decades, many of the beautiful architecture that Paris is famous for has been lost, but there are still some left.

For an artist, like Theo, it is painful to simply watch as these gorgeous pieces of history decompose to rubble in indifference.  He dreams of a beautiful Paris that celebrates it’s rich culture and shares it’s history for many generations to come!

          But what can he, a teenager, do? No one will invest money to preserve buildings past their prime. Everyone wants something new and more industrial. They are looking towards the future while turning their backs on the past.

         If only he had the ability to maintain these monuments himself! Then more people could appreciate the beauty of historic architecture and perhaps the aesthetic of a better restored monument would be pleasing enough to convince others that some history is worth preserving!

     Hesperia/Betterfly agrees.

Many of the monuments in Paris were created pre-WW1, with thoughts like hope, love, dreamers, and the enduring spirit in mind. These are not just great works of art- they are symbols of man’s determination to make the world a better place!

     As Monumenteur, Theo becomes a 7 foot tall living bronze statue dressed in French Revolution attire. Equipped with all his sculpting tools and possessing superhuman strength, dexterity, and stamina, Monumenteur is able bound across the rooftops of Paris at night to visit each Historic building/monument, and work his artistry to repair damage and carefully restore architecture, like magic.

        Suddenly, monuments that were literally 24 hours away from being declared “condemned” look brand new???  People are talking!  Opinions are divided; obviously the older generations who were born pre- WW2 feel nostalgic, and of course other generations can appreciate NOT living in a city interspersed with decaying ruins… but the biggest concern is, of course, “That better not be MY tax-money they are spending on this little art project!”  Appreciating art is one thing, but paying out the nose to appreciate it is another!

        Let’s face it, the Arc de Triomphe is lovely, but it ain’t putting dinner on the table, now is it?  (Just like in America, the Grand Canyon is a tourist attraction that generates some money for the state of Arizona, but there are many more things that could be done with that land that would be bigger bread winners if people didn’t care about history or preserving nature.)

There is also the question of “How?” Surely such a big renovation project would make a lot of noise, and take a substantial amount of time… how could such a big undertaking go unnoticed?

                 The Supreme does NOT like it when people notice things.

                       The rich don’t like it when their plans for new construction are delayed indefinitely.

          Shadybug and Claw Noir take it upon themselves to go on a little moonlight stroll to catch Monumenteur in the act. 

       Since this “hero” is big, muscled, and made of metal, it is a perfect chance for them to REALLY let loose and vent out some stress.

They are BRUTAL. 

     Having superpowers is literally the only thing that kept Theo alive. 

        Not once did Shadybug or Claw Noir stop to consider “hey, this is an actual person we are dealing with.”  They only cared about beating the snot out of him, trying to taunt the Butterfly man out of hiding by threatening to destroy the kamikotized object and turning Monumenteur into scrap metal in the process.

        The fight also leads to some visible damage to the buildings/monuments that Monumenteur has been painstakingly working to restore.

Gabriel is not some coward who would let two gang up against one while he sits on the sidelines, and of course comes to Monumenteur’s rescue just as his object is discovered and he is rendered helpless to a swift pummeling before being tossed off the side of the Palais Garnier.

          They narrowly manage to escape.

Theo is badly hurt, broken bones, hematomas, a concussion, and the damage to his hands ensures he will never sculpt again.

        Gabriel’s guilt is immense and he is stuck with a deep wave of self-loathing; How DARE he put a CHILD in such danger?! It is un-acceptable!  This young boy has been robbed of his future for the sake of a battle, the stakes of which, he can not truly fathom. 

      This can not, WILL NOT happen again!

Wars should be handled by adults, and children should be allowed to cherish their innocence!

From then on, Betterfly vows to never burden powers to a minor again (unless it’s something like, a little kid is trapped in a burning building and giving them 5 minutes of super-powers is the only thing that will get them out alive because Fire Suppressors will not make it in time).

            Later on, Alya will have to metaphorically move mountains to convince Betterfly to take her on as an ally and entrust her with powers to help him fight for the greater good. (Much like how in S3, “Feast”, Master Fu was convinced it was better to take back the cat and ladybug miraculous, rather than risk Marinette and Adrien falling victim to the Sentimonster. His fear of being the cause for their destruction as well prevented him from giving them a chance to prove they could overcome anything).

As for Theo, being crippled makes it impossible to have so many part-time jobs, but Gabriel plans to do right by that boy and offers him a part-time job as a gopher-assistant at the Gabriel brand. (It’s mostly just busy-work, but it has the name ‘Gabriel’ attached to it so it carries a small weight of respect that will look great on Theo’s resume. One day, after years of recovery and physical therapy, Theo will obviously want to pursue something more concrete, and this experience will be a rather cushy stepping stone on his career path.)

        Theo has no clue as to why THE Gabriel Agreste would offer him, a kid who hasn’t even enrolled in University yet, a job… All Mr. Agreste said was something about recognizing hidden potential when Theo entered his Derby Hat contest.

As for the property damage; No, Shadybug did not cast her miraculous “cure”.  This was strategic.

        The damage is VERY noticeable, but in a way that please The Supreme.

Soon the news are talking about how all the previous restoration was nothing more than a publicity stunt by radical youths, and the so called “repairs” were nothing more than cheap, hastily thrown together facades…. A cosmetic bandaid that was all flair but no substance, thus explaining how it was done so quickly and why it fell apart just as fast.

        There is even speculation that it was a financial ploy; a delay tactic to halt the sale of the land the condemned buildings are on by rival companies who weren’t pleased knowing they would be outbid.

The public soon grows bored and the secret of magic is preserved yet again.

However, this fight causes the dark, painful black veins to spread to Marinette’s hands, and as a result, she starts wearing fishnet gloves. (They are more practical weather wise and less suspicious than full gloves, and the lace makes the veins blend in seamlessly.)

Adrien has been getting by with make-up and a “Don’t touch me” attitude, that makes sense for a surly teen but breaks his father’s heart.

PART 2

[audioletter]

Day Nineteen: Shopping Trip (John, Rodney, Teyla & Ronon)

It's the small things that become annoyances when Atlantis is grounded in San Francisco. Getting a phone plan without explaining why they'd been "out of the country" for five years, a bank card because all of theirs were expired, and housing that wasn't attuned to their every move like Atlantis was.

Luckily, the government helped them with most things - Teyla and Ronon being given official IDs and passports with a strange amount of ease - and they're all shocked when they can finally check their bank accounts to see how much money had accumulated.

"Holy shit," John muttered, mirroring Rodney at the next ATM with a grin on his face. "Gathering interest isn't just a myth."

"Well, I suppose this is sufficient for the amount for the danger we were in and the work we did," was the curt response, but John can hear Rodney humming as he pulled out fresh hundred dollar notes from the machine and put them in his rarely-used wallet.

After talking Ronon and Teyla through the process of automated banking, John turned to the three of them, his hands on his hips. "Well, I suppose now we go shopping."

"Shopping?" Teyla's eyes lit up. "I suppose I do need some more Earth-like clothing."

John waved his hand, grinning. "I'll leave that for Sam to help you with, or Amelia and Jennifer - for today, we fill our houses with the bounty of Trader Joe's."

"Trader Joe's? Sounds like some outpost somewhere," Ronon said, sounding suspicious.

Rodney sighed. "It's a supermarket, which -" he paused and looked at the sky. "I suppose is kind of like a trading outpost, just more expensive and hideously American."

"I'm sorry we have to offend your Canadian senses being stuck in San Fran, but I missed Trader Joe's and Teyla and Ronon need to experience something a little higher end than Wal-Mart for their first grocery shopping experience."

Rodney shrugged and crossed his arms, a sure sign John had won; victoriously he lead them to the SUV the government had organised for them to use whilst on Earth and drove them to the nearest store.

The smell was overwhelming - like coming home, and John knows like most expats (were they expats?), food was the thing he missed the most. The lights, the sounds, the ambience, he turns to his group and opens his arms in glee. "Trader Joe's lady and gentlemen. Grab a cart, we're gonna need one."

"Cart?" Teyla looks confused, and Rodney sighs, taking a cart from the stack at the door opening and handing it to her. "Oh, you push it and put the food inside it, clever." She began pushing it, obviously enjoying it from the outset. "There's a seat for Torren, too!"

"Okay, what do you guys want to eat?" John asked, clapping his hands together.

"Meat."

"Vegetables and grains."

"Coffee."

Expected responses, and they began to navigate the aisles deftly, filling the cart with both functional and whimsical items ("Joe O's?" Ronon asked, holding up the box. "Are they made of Joes?" "It's cereal and you'll love it, put it in the cart.").

Eventually, the cart overflowing, they reached the end of the aisles and Teyla and Rodney both looked vaguely overextended. "This is a lot of food, Sheppard, do we need this much?"

Smiling and ignoring Rodney's sharp tone - the dude wasn't a "shopper", his words - "our houses are empty, and now we check out."

"Check out is where we purchase the items?" Teyla ventured. John nodded. "Much easier than trading. And we use the card Woolsey gave us to pay?"

"Pay way too much," Rodney grumbled, but helped John load the copious amounts of food onto the conveyer belt. "Next time we hit Wal-Mart or Target."

"Is there booze?" Ronon asks suddenly, and John pulls him back to the register.

"We'll get some on the way back to the apartments, get your cards ready."

Finally, the checkout girl finished ringing them up - annoyed they wanted to use four different payments, naturally - but eventually they found themselves in the bright light of day, the typical Trader Joe's eco bags a sign of success.

They head for the car, and Teyla speaks. "John?"

"Hmmm?"

"How do we cook this food?"

John began loading the bags into the back of the SUV and ignored Rodney's smothered chuckle. Earth was going to be a learning curve for all of them, but it was going to be worth it until they could reach the Pegasus Galaxy again.

[crimeronan]

Merging the divorced Alador and Grimwalker Alador ideas for a moment.

Alador loses his fingers at some point in a lab accident, and Odalia, being an oracle foresees (I get this is kinda contrived but she's an oracle that's their whole thing and we never get it fully established how oracle magic works) "oh, this is a surprise tool that might be helpful later" maybe not knowing exactly why this is.

Fast forward a few years and one Empress legalising divorce later, messy property distribution happens (to much rejoicing by the lawyers of the isles, who proceed to make bank from both of them) and she loses the money maker.

One messy vent to Kikimora later "I just wish one of the children could have been exactly like him and perfectly compliant." (Amity being off in the EC and the twins getting out ASAP, neither spending any time with her)

One heavy investment in bribes for the trouble (Kiki wouldn't just tell her for free now would she), a little bit of dark magic in the basement involving some endangered animal parts, and next thing you know she's telling the isles she was pregnant the whole time.

Amity gets a letter telling her about "her new little brother" but she can't quite put her finger on why Luz seems to be acting so weird about it, or why Alador jr's (name pending) eyes look like Hunter's.

this is so viscerally horrifying i'm obsessed. somehow raising a clone of your ex-husband as your kid feels even Grosser than raising a clone of the brother you murdered. leave it to odalia to find a way to be Belos But Worse.....

amity does her usual thing of extrapolating the correct facts about a situation (this baby and hunter have the same eyes for A Reason, and luz knows what that reason is) & then, as usual, forms a reasonable but Patently Incorrect conclusion (hunter has some estranged blood relative somewhere with whom odalia 100% had an affair and/or did fucked-up unethical reproduction magic).

amity isn't sure what to do with this information. she asks hunter exactly one time if he thinks it's weird that her "little brother" has eyes just like his, in a Leading Question sort of way, and hunter is just like ".....no....? tons of unrelated witches share an eye color....? what is your deal."

[simplegenius042]

Another Late WIP Wednesday and a Late 6-sentence WIP Sunday

Tagged by @adelaidedrubman @socially-awkward-skeleton @direwombat @cassietrn and @inafieldofdaisies for WIP Wednesday and invited by @demigoddessqueens to join in for 6-sentence WIP Sunday.

Rules for the 6-sentence WIP Sunday: Make a new post and share six sentences of an upcoming WIP. Then tag some friends!

Tagging @strangefable @poisonedtruth @voidika @josephslittledeputy @josephseedismyfather @chazz-anova @derelictheretic @ec-10 @gaeadene @g0dspeeed @henbased @jillvalentinesday @neverthesameneveranother @deputy-morgan-malone @strafethesesinners @vampireninjabunnies-blog @wrathfulrook @shallow-gravy @a-rose-in-a-garden-of-weeds @snake-in-the-garden @ladyofedens-blog @little-wolf-seed @minilev and @deputyash + anyone else who wants to join.

One WIP for Far Cry The Silver Chronicles and another for Life, Despair & Monsters. Snippets below the cut.

For WIP Wednesday I got more Silva's Hope. Also... some short action! [NOTE: This fic is still under heavy construction, so some things may or may not change in the future]

[TW: Violence, blood and death]

Upon crawling onto the pond bank, Silva took a moment to still herself and breathe, a choice she knew wasn't the most sensible given the circumstances.

She spat out the pond water, the taste vile and cold like the river water. Her head felt heavy, unfocused, not helped by the darkness of the night. Disoriented from the crash but still conscious, still awake, still alive. Were her fellow co-workers so lucky?

Yes... And no.

She remembered her panic at how limp and stagnant their bodies had been, and Joseph, that falsa profeta bastarda, telling Nancy (of all the people she thought would sell her out, she never once suspected the kind elderly woman who had been a second mentor to the junior deputy like the Sheriff) to stand down.

"No one is coming to save you," he had told her. He had told her like it wasn't a fact she already knew. A lesson she hadn't already learned. A sick, stale joke that only his God seems to find funny, to her expense.

The relief she felt when he left, when the others awoke from what she thought would be their final slumber. The selfish gratitude she felt towards Jannah, the relief that she hadn't survived another disaster alone again.

But it didn't last, she reminded herself. Besides maybe the Mariscal, her fellow colleagues; Hudson, Pratt and Whitehorse were likely captured, taken away by these santos. If the Peggies were anything like the congregation back on the Archipiélagos, then the fates that awaited her mentor and recently acquired friends were either conversion or execution, depending on how patient the cult's beloved profeta really was.

She weakly chortled; a preferred substitute, the mirthless laugh to the strangled sob she wanted to let out. A strange sensation that weighed heavy on her chest. And to think I had escaped, she mused to herself, finding no strength to restrain the thoughts and fears, shaking her head with a clenched jaw, To think I had escaped it all. No longer a prisoner, but a free survivor.

Joseph's words came to mind with more force; the way he called onto his obedient servants to begin "the Reaping", to kill all who stood in their way, that a seal had been broken. That the Collapse had begun. It sickened her, how the words of a man (just a man) like Joseph Seed were no different from Father's own.

The major difference she could tell between the two was that Father succeeded his vision, got what he wanted, and Joseph was just a fraud given too much power and trust. He doesn't know anything about the Collapse. She did. She lived through it.

Hadn't I? Had she not played a hand in the destruction of her people, the justification used to bring the Enforcers to the front doors of her Father's most hated enemy with guns and fire?

The Collapse has begun. That's what the falsa profeta said. The Collapse has begun. The words she had never dreamed to hear, nor wished to have lived to witness. The Collapse. A title. A simple title that was used to rule her life with fear. A title that profeta threw around like it held any weight anymore, as if it didn't prove his words, his status, his so-called visions, were all false.

It had to be.

She embedded her gloved hands into the mud on the bank of the pond, shaking as her protected fingers curled around the wet dirt.

It had to be.

She couldn't accept any alternative, not after what she's seen. What she was left to live with.

The crunch of sticks and dry grass crushed under the weight of approaching boots caught her attention, and the distant hollering tipped her off to their source.

The santos were approaching, and she was still kneeling over on the pond bank. One hand clutching mud. The other shifting around, searching, until it wrapped around a pointed rock, twisting it out of the ground.

The voices were getting louder, the boots approaching closer, though decreased in sound, with voices disappearing as the hunting party separated.

She heard two; one each on both sides of her, confirming her targets. She clutched the mud further into her palm, and the rock was breaking off the bank with ease.

"Do you remember my instructions piccolo boa? On what to do when caught?"

Silva dragged the rock closer to herself, still kneeling over, still small and vulnerable. The enemigo's lights shined close.

"Look weak, and keep whatever you can use close and out of sight."

Silva's heart pounded, but she soundlessly took deep breathes, eyes closed as the light to her right shined onto her figure.

"Atta girl. And when they come closer?"

The santos to her right startled at the sight of her hunched down figure, and he called out to his amigo as he approached closer.

"Found her!"

"Aim for the visors..."

Silva opened her eyes as the two peggies attempted to swarm her, swiftly turning and throwing the clump of mud at the peggie to her right, a bald man with a long beard, his pained groans indicated success but his amigo alarmed his amigo.

She turned to her next target, a man with a smaller beard but long hair. He rushed forward, lifting the butt of his rifle at her kneeling form. As he brought the rifle to her head, she dodged, and with her free hand, latched onto the rifle's stock.

Unveiling the pointed rock, an efficient substitute to her dagger, Silva used the momentum to propel herself up, and bring the peggie closer down, his face stretched into horror as the rock closed in.

"...And hit straight for the eyes."

Droplets of warm crimson and clear fluids splattered on her cheek and chin, an unexpected contrast to the clean kills she was used to with the Enforcers. Shaking away the distinction, she returned her focus to the dead man leaning forward.

Letting go of the embedded rock, she clutched the rifle with both hands, and kicked the man's twitching corpse back before turning around, the thud behind her ignored.

Her first target managed to get the mud out of his eyes, blinking rapidly and tearing up with a curled lip. His face dropped once he saw Silva with a steeled face and his amigo's rifle aimed at him.

She tipped her head at him as she flipped off the safety, a final farewell to the panicked man as he fruitlessly struggled with his own rifle.

And here is a 6-sentence (paragraph) piece for Sonya's Push. Hand over the spotlight Jennifer. There is a bigger fish scarier than you and Dicko, and his name's Malvolio:

Now facing Jennifer and Dicko as they approached, she could see the once anonymous champion's suit was a sharp blue covering a black undershirt, supposedly tailored for his short stature. He seemed to be somewhere in his thirties, and had a rather fine face, dark eyes complimenting his dark hair, which was groomed expertly.

Though Jennifer couldn't deny a sense of disappointment upon seeing the anonymous champion with a winning streak of seventeen matches in person; he wasn't an unusual sight from the regular rich bastard who came here, besides his clubbed cane. He looked rather normal. Though she couldn't deny how unusual it was for a man of supposed wealth like Dicko participating with his own Beastie.

Regardless, she was content with keeping up her facade, holding onto Dicko's arm as they approached him, but Dicko had stopped, almost tugging Jennifer back. She looked to the taller man, confusion breaking through when she saw his transfixed face; shocked really, and one filled with recognition as he utters in surprise, "Malvolio?"

Jennifer blinked as she looked between the two men, and saw this "Malvolio's" lips curl up into an open grin, as he proceeded to give a jovial greeting, "Well Jolly Ho, Dicko! I didn't know you owned this arena. Jeez, it's been a while since we last did business together. How long has it been? Four? Six years?"

Dicko's face remained unchanged, though Jennifer knew he was scrutinizing the short man in front of them with a cautious gaze she's rarely seen on him. Dicko subtly motioned the hallway guards to stand down, leaving Malvolio's companions alone with their contained Beastie. Despite his visible apprehension, he answered Malvolio, "Six years."

Malvolio's dark eyes briefly shifted to Jennifer, but they swiftly reconnected with Dicko's gaze, his grin widening, "Six years? And you still did not forget about little old me? Intriguing. I do hope your life has been luxurious and well in our distance. And I must ask; how have you been treating it?"

[barbarian15]

Nigel Farage’s bank accounts were closed down after Coutts decided that his views “do not align with our values”, documents obtained by the former Ukip leader show.

A reputational risk committee “exited” Mr Farage after considering a dossier detailing his comments about Brexit, his friendship with Donald Trump and his views on LGBT rights among many reasons he was not “compatible with Coutts”.

The background briefing paper even made reference to Mr Farage’s friendship with Novak Djokovic, the former Wimbledon champion, as evidence that he was not as “inclusive” as the bank.

In the trophy room with Novak's brother Djordje. pic.twitter.com/DjgD4ItdMz

— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) January 9, 2022

Earlier this month, the BBC and the Financial Times reported claims that the reason Mr Farage’s accounts were closed was that they fell below the financial threshold required by the bank. The BBC quoted sources “familiar with” the Coutts decision.

Yet in the 40 pages of documents released to Mr Farage after he made a subject access request to Coutts, the bank repeatedly says he “meets the EC [economic contribution] criteria for commercial retention”.

Writing for The Telegraph, Mr Farage accuses the private bank of “lying” about the real reason he was cut off, saying the documents show that the decision was politically driven.

He describes the file as a “Stasi-style surveillance report” and notes that the word Brexit appears in the report 86 times – which, he says, “perhaps tells us all we need to know”.

“Between 2014 and 2016, when I first banked with Coutts, no problems ever arose. After Brexit became a reality, everything changed,” he writes.

Minutes of a meeting of Coutts’ wealth reputational risk committee held on Nov 17 2022 state: “The committee did not think continuing to bank NF was compatible with Coutts given his publicly-stated views that were at odds with our position as an inclusive organisation.

“This was not a political decision but one centred around inclusivity and purpose.”

Mr Farage has said Coutts told him he was not being treated as a Politically Exposed Person (PEP) – a legal term for customers who are deemed risky for political reasons – but the dossier specifically states that he is one.

He writes: “Whoever at Coutts thought it clever to feed friendly media outlets outright lies about me sorely misjudged the situation.”

The document contains 39 mentions of Mr Trump, and Mr Farage says: “The fact that I support Donald Trump is part of this charge sheet.”

mentioned 86 times, “Russia” 144 & “PEP” 10. 

 

Support for Trump + views on immigration, net zero & the vaccine are listed as reasons to exit me.

 

They say my account is commercially viable! pic.twitter.com/QjPCuUetu3

— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) July 18, 2023

Speaking on Mr Farage’s GB News show, Lord Lamont, a former chancellor, said: “I was appalled when I looked at the documents.

“It seems to me a right to have a bank account is a fundamental right... but it appears that the executives of the bank were going through your views and saying they were not compatible with their values. That is not the function of a bank. It’s extraordinary that a bank should set itself up as some judge of political correctness.”

Some senior Tory MPs have called for a change in the law on PEPs to prevent abuse of the system. Under UK financial law, gatekeepers of the banking system must perform enhanced checks on people classed as PEPs, their families and close associates.

The Treasury has confirmed that it is reviewing whether banks are blacklisting customers with controversial political views. Under the new Financial Services and Markets Act, the Financial Conduct Authority will look at how banks deal with PEPs in a review to take place within the next year.

A spokesman for the Treasury said: “It would be of serious concern if financial services were being denied to anyone exercising their right to lawful free speech. 

“We will soon set out plans to crack down on this practice by toughening the rules around account closures, protecting freedom of expression. In the meantime, people can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service which has the power to direct a bank to reopen an account.”

Supporters of Mr Farage have warned that the PEP rules are increasingly being used to turn away any customers whose views the bank might disagree with.

Mr Farage says he is consulting his lawyers to decide what action is appropriate in the light of his treatment by Coutts.

A Coutts spokesman said: “Our ability to respond is restricted by our obligations of client confidentiality. Decisions to close accounts are not taken lightly and take into account a number of factors including commercial viability, reputational considerations and legal and regulatory requirements.”