#fount of sound

[savagewildnerness]

Not me rewatching S1, hoping to notice all the little details I may have missed, but instead being inappropriately amused by the innuendo of the positioning of the upturned sound horn of the gramophone (why is it even called a horn too 😭)

Just chance & my secretly naughty, playful mind? Or intentional? You decide!! 😂😭 Anyway, it amused me! 😇😅

[bpdonnie]

thinking about how rise of the tmnt had two sonic voice actors in the same show at one point

[heartysworld]

Riding into love // LN4

Lando Norris x Reader

W.C.:2k

The one time Lando turned his niece's horse riding lesson into a speed dating event.

MASTERLIST

It was a bright Saturday morning when Lando Norris found himself in front of his car, waiting for his niece Mila to grab her riding gear. His brother Oliver had entrusted Lando with taking Mila to her horse-riding lessons for the day, and Lando was eager to spend some quality time with his favorite little girl.

“Uncle Lando, I’m ready!” Mila called out as she bounded down the steps, dressed in her attire, her riding helmet clutched under her arm and a huge smile on her face.

“Alright, let’s go, champ,” Lando replied, ruffling her hair. He opened the door to the car, and Mila hopped in, bubbling with excitement.

The drive to the riding stables was filled with Mila’s chatter about her friends, her horse, and everything she loved about riding. Lando listened attentively, enjoying her enthusiasm and making a mental note to remember all the little details she shared.

When they arrived at the stables, Mila quickly spotted her best friend, your younfer sister, Lily. You were busy helping Lily with her helmet when Lando and Mila approached.

“Hi, Lily! Hi, Y/N!” Mila greeted them cheerfully.

“Hey, Mila! Hi, Mr. Norris,” Lily replied politely.

Lando smiled and corrected her, “Please, call me Lando.”

You looked up and offered a friendly smile. “Nice to see you again, Lando. Thanks for bringing Mila today.”

“No problem at all. She’s been telling me all about how much she loves horse riding on our way here.” Lando replied, his eyes briefly meeting yours.

Mila and Lily quickly ran off to get their horses ready, leaving you and Lando standing by the fence. There was a moment of silence before Lando decided to break the ice.

“So, how long have you been coming here with Lily?” Lando asked.

You looked over at him and replied, “A few years now. Lily started when she was six, and she’s been hooked ever since. What about Mila?

“Just over a year. She’s obsessed with it,” Lando said, chuckling. “She even told me she wants to be a professional rider one day.”

You laughed. “Sounds like Lily. It’s great to see them so passionate about something, though.”

Lando nodded in agreement, watching as Mila and Lily mounted their horses. “Yeah, it is. It’s nice to see them happy.”

A comfortable silence settled between them as they watched the girls begin their lesson. You caught Lando glancing at you occasionally, admiring your smile and the way you interacted with Lily and the other kids. There was something about you that he found incredibly attractive.

After a while, you turned to him. “So, Lando, do you ride?”

“Me? Not really. I mean, I’ve tried it a couple of times, but I’m more comfortable with four wheels under me,” Lando joked.

You laughed. “I figured as much. It’s a different kind of thrill, that’s for sure.”

Lando smiled, feeling a bit more confident. “Maybe you could give me some tips sometime. You know, if you’re free.”

You raised an eyebrow, a playful smile on her lips. “Are you asking me out, Lando Norris?”

Lando chuckled, a slight blush creeping up his neck. “Maybe I am. Would you say yes if I did?”

“Depends on where you’re planning to take me.” You teased.

“How about dinner? Somewhere nice, where we can talk without the sound of engines or horse hooves,” Lando suggested.

You considered for a moment, then nodded. “Alright, dinner sounds good.”

Lando grinned. “Great. How about tomorrow night?”

“Tomorrow works. I’ll give you my number so you can text me the details,” You said, pulling out your phone.

The two of you exchanged numbers, and as the lesson ended, Lando couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement. He hadn’t expected to score a date while taking his niece to her riding lesson, but he wasn’t complaining.

One date after another, you fount yourself infatuated with Lando and his presence. It was no surprise to you when he asked you to be his girlfriend on the fourth date. Ever since then, he spent every free moment either with you or coming up with arrangements on how to take you with him to as many places as possible.

Several months into your relationship, Lando decided it was time for you to meet his family at one of their family dinners. Your relationship had grown serious, and he wanted you to feel like a part of his life, both on and off the track.

The evening of the gathering, you arrived at Lando’s family home, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. Lando greeted you with a kiss and led you inside, where his family welcomed you warmly. Oliver and his wife, Savannah, couldn’t help but joke about Lando’s knack for turning a simple outing into a romantic escapade.

“The one time we leave my brother take Mila to a riding lesson and he managesto score a date. How does that happen?” Oliver teased, nudging his brother playfully.

Lando laughed, wrapping an arm around you. “What can I say? I’ve got skills.” He said, before leaving a soft kiss on the side of your head.

Savannah smiled warmly at you. “We’re just glad to see him so happy. He’s been talking about you non-stop for the past couple of months.”

You blushed, feeling the warmth of their acceptance. The evening was filled with laughter, stories, and delicious food. You felt at ease with Lando’s family, and it was clear how much they cared for him.

As the night drew to a close, you and Lando found a quiet moment together on the porch. The stars were twinkling above, and the soft hum of conversation filled the air from inside the house.

“Thank you for bringing me here,” you said, resting your head on Lando’s shoulder. “Your family is wonderful.”

Lando pressed a kiss to your temple. “I’m glad you liked them. They already adore you.”

You smiled, feeling a sense of belonging. “I adore them too.”

Lando looked at you, his eyes filled with love. “You’ve made my life so much better, baby. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

You leaned in and kissed him, your heart swelling with affection. “I couldn't have said it better, Lan.”

As the months went by, you and Lando started making mkre and more appearances at the paddock as a couple. The media and fans quickly noticed how much more laid-back and happy Lando seemed, both on and off the track. It didn’t take long for everyone to connect his newfound ease to your presence in his life.

“Looks like someone’s in love,” one of the reporters teased during an interview.

Lando just smiled, glancing over at you as you stood a few feet away from him. “I guess you could say that.

The journey from a horse-riding lesson to a loving relationship had been unexpected but beautiful. You had found each other in the most unlikely of places, and now, you were each other’s biggest supporters, you couldn't ask for a better unexpected match.

MASTERLIST

Feedback and reblogs are greatly appreciated!

[babyshoesnerdshit]

night shift

CW cursing, child neglect, sexual harassment, misgendering, drunk person (although not very well written lol), general violence, slight infantilization

idk i wanted to try my hand at writing some shitty platonic yandere batfam x transmasc reader (its self indulgence bby)

Hunger pained (y/n)'s stomach. Stupid cheapskate convenience store didn't give employee discounts though so he had to wait until he got home to eat anything, if there was even anything to eat that wasn't spoiled. (y/n) would have just stolen something to eat from the store (he didn't give a shit about their profit) but the security camera mocking him in the corner kept him from it. And with his phone almost dead (y/n) had nothing to do but stair at the wall and listen to the shitty radio station the store played.

(y/n) hated the night shift, it almost guarantied he would have to deal with more crackheads and drunks than his coworkers. Regardless of his feelings about the night shift it paid the most (even though that was still barely minimum wage), and he really needed the money. Even though (y/n) still lived with his mother (and technically father but he was hardy ever around), his parents had stopped taking care of him a long time ago. So (y/n) was the one to take care of himself. Sometimes he had to take care of his mother too, reminding her to eat or sleep. The bells on the door jangled, shaking (y/n) from his train of thought. Ah yes, the other type of Gotham crazies. Vigilantes.

"Hey kid."

"I'm not a kid." for some reason the batclan had decided that the 5th avenue convenience store was the best place for mid-patrol snacks.

"Ah yes, the old and wise 18 year old. My bad." Red Hood had a thick layer of sarcasm in his mechanical voice. (y/n) couldn't see his face from behind his helmet but was entirely sure he had the stupidest smirk underneath. (y/n) simply rolled his eyes (fighting back a smile) as hood moved about the store grabbing a random assortment of food and drinks. As hood was filling his arms the bell sounded again, this time it was a middle-aged man. (y/n) could smell the alcohol on him from the register. The man looked around, stopping as he saw (y/n).

"Welll helllooo~" the man had started leaning on the counter of the register. "Yoou're a fine slut, i could show you a reeall goOod time~" He smelled even worse up close. (y/n) sent a panicked glance over to Red Hood who had dropped his things and was now walking aggressively towards the man. "Wha you ignorin me BITCH!" the man lifted his arm to strike. (y/n) flinched, lifting his arms to cover his face.

"Leave. Him. Alone." Hood's voice was dark and low. His grip on the man's arm was painful if the man's face was any indicator.

"H-hey Mr. Red Hood. me and the lil' lady were just havin a niice talk." The man had lost any confidences and aggression he once had in fount of the crime lord. "She wuz jus bein a bitch, you understaannd right?" he sniveled. A sickening crunch was heard from the mans arm where Red Hood's grip tightened. The man started convulsing with pain and screaming. (y/n) felt sick.

"I'm going to deal with this trash. I'll be right back." Hood dragged the man out of the store, bells jingling behind him. It was moments like this where (y/n) remembered just how dangerous Red Hood actually was. Living in Gotham, (y/n) had gotten unfortunately used to getting catcalled and harassed, but he could never stop the shaking of his hands and the sinking feeling in his stomach that came with it.

Moments later the bells sounded again, (y/n) couldn't help but jump slightly. It was Red Hood.

"Sorry about that kid." hood picked up the food he had dropped earlier and set it on the counter.

"Ah, it's ok." (y/n) hated how small he sounded. Taking a breath he started to scan the things hood had picked out and tried to steady himself. "It's Gotham, shit like that happens all the time."

"That doesn't make it ok." Hood sounded softer than before. (y/n) felt anger crawl up his throat, the bats always treated him like a kid. Even Robin! And he was, like, 12!

"That'll be $29.47, you want a bag?" (y/n) tried not to show his anger. As upset as he might have been, Hood did just save him from an icky situation.

"Nah." Hood picked up half of what he bought with one arm as he flipped a 50 onto the counter. "Keep the change." He started to leave.

"Hood, you're forgetting half your shit." He had left a large banana nut muffin, a pack of gummy sharks, a chocolate milk, and a packet of pizza flavored combos.

"They're for you kid, you look starving." He was out the door before (y/n) could protest.

(y/n) sighed with a light smile, well at least he wouldn't be hungry for the rest of his shift.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jason was fucking livid. This god damn BASTARD! Who the fuck did he think he was, harassing his little brother. Raising his FILTHY had at him. Jason was seething.

"RR" Jason turned his comm on.

"Jonathan Davis, 54, 237 Maple Street, apartment 122, married to Eliza Davis, daughter is Maria Davis, place of work 57 West End Road." Tim already knew, he was watching it from the security camera back at the cave.

"I only spared him so that you could make his life something worse than death." Jason staired down at the beaten and bruised body of the man.

"Don't worry. It will be." Tim's voice was cold and calculated. No doubt already planning all the ways this man would watch his life fall apart.

Jason leaned down to the barely conscious man, "If you DARE go fucking near him again, I'll leave your head for your wife and daughter to find in your fridge." the man simply looked at him with fear. Jason grabs him by the scalp, "Do you understand?" his tone was dark, made even more intimidating by the mechanical modulator.

"Y-yes! I understand! I understand!" the man cried.

"Good." Jason shoved his head back into the filthy ground of the alleyway. 'right where trash belongs' Jason thought to himself.

[blackmetalbats]

Dies Irae

I am so sorry but i did a deep dive on the Dies Irae because of the last malevolent episode and now its gonna be all of you's problem.

one of the oldest and most frequently borrowed of all melodies is the ecclesiastical plainsong to the sequence 'Dies Irae', because of the theme's intrinsic merit, but also its liturgical associations. No record of its origin remains, but both words and melody appear to have been suggested by a passage from the Respond ' Libera me, Domine', which follows the Requiem Mass (catholic mass for the dead) on solemn occasion.

SOURCE: Gregory, R. (1953). “Dies Irae.” http://www.jstor.org/stable/730837

the Requiem Mass contained several special components; the Dies Irae was one of these, formally added to the Mass in 1570. Its text was penned by Thomas of Celano during the late 11th or early 12th century, and it offers a graphic depiction of the horrors of Judgment Day for sinners. the New Catholic Encyclopedia states that

"The medieval Sequence stresses fear of judgment and condemnation."

SOURCE: Brooks, E. (2003). "The Dies Irae ("Day of Wrath") and Totentanz ("Dance of Death"): Medieval Themes Revisited in 19th Century Music and Culture." https://scholarworks.uark.edu/inquiry/vol4/iss1/5

Centre panel from Memling's tryptich Last Judgment (c. 1467–1471)

the text contains three basic references:

(1) Zephaniah 1:15,16

That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements.

(2) II Peter 3:10-12

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

(3) finally, the judgment portion of Matthew 25 is cited as part of the scriptural basis for the "Dies Irae."

THE TEXT, in an english translation from the original latin

Day of wrath and doom impending, David's word with Sibyl blending! Heaven and earth in ashes ending!

O, what fear man's bosom rendeth, When from heaven the Judge descendeth. On whose sentence all dependeth!

Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth, Through earth's sepulchers it ringeth. All before the throne it bringeth.

Death is struck, and nature quaking, All creation is awaking. To its Judge an answer making.

Lo! the book exactly worded. Wherein all hath been recorded; Thence shall judgment be awarded.

When the Judge His seat attaineth, And each hidden deed arraigneth. Nothing unavenged remaineth.

What shall I, frail man, be pleading ? Who for me be interceding. When the just are mercy needing?

King of majesty tremendous, Who dost free salvation send us. Fount of pity, then befriend us!

Think, kind Jesus! my salvation Caused Thy wondrous Incarnation; Leave me not to reprobation.

Faint and weary Thou hast sought me. On the Cross of suffering bought me; Shall such grace be vainly brought me ?

Righteous Judge! for sin's pollution Grant Thy gift of absolution. Ere that day of retribution.

Guilty, now I pour my moaning. All my shame with anguish owning; Spare, O God, Thy suppliant groaning!

Through the sinful woman shriven. Through the dying thief forgiven. Thou to me a hope has given.

Worthless are my prayers and sighing. Yet, good Lord, in grace complying, Rescue me from fires undying.

With Thy favored sheep O place me, Nor among the goats abase me. But to Thy right hand upraise me.

While the wicked are confounded. Doomed to flames of woe unbounded. Call me with Thy Saints surrounded.

Low I kneel, with heart submission. Crushed to ashes in contrition; Help me in my last condition!

Ah! that day of tears and mourning! From the dust of earth returning, Man for judgment must prepare him;

Spare, O God, in mercy spare him! Lord all-pitying, Jesu Blest, Grant them Thine eternal rest.

the first six stanzas describe the Judgment. the other stanzas are lyric in character, expressing anguish of one of the multitude there present in spirit; his pleading before the Judge who, while on earth, sought him unceasingly over the hard and thorny ways from Bethlehem to Calvary; and now, in anticipation of the Judgment, pleads before a Savior of infinite mercy, who, on Judgment Day, will be a Judge of infinite justice, before whom scarcely the just will be secure.

SOURCE: Demaray, D. E. (1965). "Thomas of Celano and the" Dies Irae". https://place.asburyseminary.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2018&context=asburyjournal

[liaromancewriter]

Stand By Me

Premise: Cassie experiences the downside of having Ethan Ramsey as a mentor.

Book: Open Heart (post series) Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine) Rating/Category: Teen. Angsty Fluff Format: Prose + Text and Pic Fic Words: 2,610

A/N: Submission for @choicesaprilchallenge24 prompt, two-word sentence starter: "you're wrong"

Part 1: The Calm

Cassie Valentine had never traveled quite like this. The cargo plane’s interior was cavernous and dimly lit, a stark contrast to the tightly packed but bright commercial jet that had flown her and Ethan Ramsey from Boston to Miami for the first leg of their trek to assist humanitarian efforts after an earthquake in Haiti.

Cassie thought idly that the jet had been more comfortable with its plush seating. She sat cross-legged on the cold, metal floor, a duffle bag shoved behind her, cushioning her lower back from the unyielding steel, and scanned her surroundings.

The sparse interior was devoid of the usual comforts of commercial flights. There were no overhead bins, seatback trays or in-flight entertainment to pass the time. Just an expansive, unadorned metal hull echoing with the sound of the engines, a constant, deafening roar that made any attempt at conversation futile.

“Hope you’re strapped in tight, folks,” Hank, the team leader, shouted above the noise.

Standing in the center of the plane, his legs spread for balance, he stretched his long arms to grip one of the loops hanging from the ceiling.

“It’s going to be a bumpy ride, but at least there’s no middle seat to fight over,” Hank continued matter-of-factly as the plane gained speed on the runway, its sides rattling in response. A few people chuckled.

He finished his safety instructions a minute or two before the wheels lifted off the tarmac, and quickly strapped himself into a jump seat on the far side. He caught her watching him, and winked flirtatiously.

Back on the ground, Ethan had greeted Hank with an easy familiarity borne out of their shared experience during the Amazon mission years earlier. The casual insults had rolled off their tongues as they needled each other jokingly.

Cassie suspected this trip would be eye-opening in more ways than one as she spied on Ethan’s relaxed profile out of the corner of her eye. As if sensing her scrutiny, he glanced askance at her and she gave him a thumbs up signal.

She huddled inside the leather jacket, shivering from the chill that permeated the aircraft as it began its ascent. Leaning her head on Ethan’s shoulder, she smiled ruefully at Libby, the petite red-haired fifth-year surgical resident strapped in across from her.

They’d gotten to chatting in the hangar as they waited for the plane to be loaded with boxes filled with medical and food supplies and humanitarian aid packages. Libby, on her third trip to a disaster zone, had been a fount of information on what to expect and advice on how to manage in crude living conditions.

Cassie felt a sense of adventure mingled with apprehension. The headlines coming out of Port-au-Prince had painted a bleak picture of destruction, death and despair.

When Ethan’s contact in the WHO reached out asking for medical volunteers, Cassie knew she wasn’t going to be left behind this time. She might not have experience in field hospitals, but it was time she got it.

Ethan hadn’t argued or tried to talk her out of it. They were doctors; this is what they did.

As the plane reached cruising altitude, Cassie peered out of a small window near the floor. The view was obscured by a thick mesh covering the outside, but it did little to diminish the sense of wonder at the vast blue sea below, the calm surface broken only by the white crests of waves.

The flight was long, longer still, with nothing to do to pass the time. Cassie found herself drifting off to sleep, lulled by the monotony of the engine’s roar and the comforting feel of Ethan’s arm around her.

The next thing she knew, he was nudging her awake. The plane’s vibration beneath her had changed, gradually descending as they approached their destination. The atmosphere inside was abuzz with anticipation. Shortly after, the plane touched down on the tarmac, the landing rougher than the take-off.

“Ready?” Ethan asked as they unstrapped themselves once the plane had come to a halt.

Cassie nodded, stretching her arms and legs to shake off the stiffness. “Next time, remind me to grab a sleeping bag and some snacks.”

He chuckled, but his smile was soft as he stared into her green eyes. He ran his index finger down the side of her face, tucked back a lock of blonde hair that had escaped her ponytail, and tilted her face up.

The kiss was a mere brush of the lips, whisper soft, barely there before it was gone. It was the last moment of normality. Once they disembarked, everything would change.

Part 2: The Storm

The oppressive heat and humidity were unlike anything Cassie had experienced before, although she’d certainly been to the tropics. Her brother’s island home on St. Thomas was a few hundred miles east, but its luxurious, air-conditioned environs were worlds apart from the rows of beige-colored tents spread out in every direction.

The back of her short-sleeved cotton scrub top was damp from perspiration, so she lifted the hem to air it out. Exiting the stuffy interior of a medical tent housing non-urgent cases, Cassie took a deep breath. The pungent smells of human waste and unwashed bodies hit her nostrils immediately, and she started gagging.

Sweat dripped down her face, and she wiped it away with the back of her hand. In the last few days, she’d lost her weight in fluids as they dug latrines, carried supplies from one end of the field hospital to another and spent hours in airless spaces treating patients whose eyes were inconsolable with loss.

It had taken her more than a minute to get her bearings, but Ethan had been in his element. She knew he’d volunteered with Partners in Health when he was a resident and fellow. But she’d had a hard time picturing the sophisticated, opera-loving Dr. Ramsey in such crude surroundings, digging ditches, boots covered in mud, grime staining his clothes.

They had both been busy in their respective areas, retreating every night, bone tired, muscles aching, to their assigned bedroom in staff housing near the hospital. All they did was sleep before waking up early to do it all over again.

Suddenly missing him and desperate to feel his arms around her, Cassie marched down the dirt path between tents, her green eyes searching for him or someone familiar who could tell her if they’d seen him.

Her ears pricked when she heard his deep voice and distinctive laugh close by. Changing directions, she followed her instincts and turned left, slowing down when she saw him standing in the middle of a clearing, his back to her.

Ethan was with an older man she hadn’t met before. His gray hair was long from the back, brushing past his collar, with deep-set eyes and a hooked nose. He spoke English with a heavy accent, gesticulating with his hands for emphasis.

The other man caught her spying on them, and his voice boomed, chiding. “Ah, another acolyte for my young friend. It’s always the same story, eh, Ramsey?”

Cassie flushed when she realized he was referring to her.

Surprised, Ethan spun on his heels and relaxed when he spotted her. “Cassie.”

Her earlier euphoria faded, replaced by a gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach as she joined them.

“You know each other?” The other man asked, glancing between her and Ethan.

“Klaus, meet Dr. Valentine.” Ethan made the introductions. “Cassie, this is Dr. van Rijn, special missions head at the WHO. We go way back.”

“Valentine, Valentine. Why do I know that name?” Dr. van Rijn tapped one finger against his lips before his eyes cleared in recognition. “Ah, yes, of course.”

Cassie felt a momentary high at being recognized by someone of his stature, but his next words had her deflating like a balloon popped with a pin.

“You’re the intern!”

“That was six years ago,” Ethan shook his head in amusement. “She’s hardly an intern anymore, Klaus. Dr. Valentine is—”

“Your mentee, or rather, your protege,” he interrupted. “Yes, yes, Ethan, I remember. My hair is more gray than when we last saw each other, but my memory is sharper than ever.”

“But your hearing could use some work,” Ethan retorted, shoving his hands in his pant pockets. “As I was saying….”

Cassie saw herself standing in a long tunnel, the dismissive words spoken by the other man echoing around her. Intern. Mentee. Ramsey’s protege. Reduced to nothing more than that.

“Cassie, are you alright?”

Ethan’s concerned voice broke through her reverie, and she looked up, startled. They were both staring at her, one in disquiet and the other with curiosity.

“Sorry, I was miles away,” Cassie said. “What were you talking about?”

“Ethan was just telling me you’re now leading his former team,” van Rijn said. “That’s quite an accomplishment for one so young. You made a smart decision when you chose to train under Dr. Ramsey. He’s one of the best and most astute physicians I’ve ever met. You’ll go far if you keep following in your mentor’s footsteps.”

Incensed at the implication that her success was not of her own making, Cassie opened her mouth to deliver a cutting retort or at least defend her record. But Ethan stepped in front of her, figuratively, and beat her to it.

“That’s unfair, Klaus,” Ethan said sternly. “Dr. Valentine is brilliant. She diagnosed and found a cure for Naveen when he and I had both given up. She’s the keynote speaker at this year’s AADM conference, just like I was all those years ago, and is a special advisor to a Congressional national committee on healthcare affordability.”

He paused, frowning slightly before continuing. “And before you shove your foot even further down your mouth, you’ve apparently forgotten that she’s also my wife.”

Cassie stared in shock at Ethan, her ears ringing. His wife?!? That’s how he chose to end this? She thought they were partners and equals first, but clearly, she’d been mistaken.

“I heard you’d gotten married,” van Rijn said, flustered, “but I didn’t realize it was to…”

His words trailed off, and his cheeks turned red with embarrassment as he glanced at Cassie.

Ethan, too, watched her warily as she continued to stand there in stony silence, arms folded tightly across her front.

As she grappled with her emotions, feeling the old imposter syndrome return, Cassie knew she would blow her top if she didn’t walk away now. Preferably with her dignity intact.

“It was a pleasure,” she almost tripped over the word, “to meet you, Dr. van Rijn. I have to get back to work.”

She nodded rigidly at Ethan. “I’ll see you later.”

She was practically running once she was out of sight, unable to slow down despite the heat making her lightheaded.

Cassie often counted her blessings that she’d gotten a chance to work with Ethan, the compassionate and caring doctor who’d captured her heart. But for the first time in her life, she wished she’d never met Dr. Ramsey.

Part 3: The Aftermath

Part 4: The Closure

Ethan poured Malbec into a long-stemmed wine glass for Cassie the moment he heard her keys rattle in the apartment door. He’d had his ears cocked for the last half-hour, the trepidation building with every passing minute.

He heard the swoosh of the hallway closet door as she likely hung up her coat and the clatter of her shoes hitting the hardwood floor. Just as she walked into the living room, he took a large swallow of his wine and promptly started coughing when it went down the wrong pipe.

“Are you okay?” Cassie asked, her brow furrowed in concern as she approached him and brushed her hand up and down his back.

Ethan nodded, wheezing as the cough tickled his throat. He set the glass on the counter before he spilled the drink all over the kitchen floor. Finally, he managed to get himself under control.

Cassie lifted the glass of wine he’d poured for her and sipped slowly, her eyes closing as she savored the taste.

“You always know just what I need,” she said with a deep sigh. “M&M was particularly long and exhausting. Tell me, why did I choose to stay in academic medicine?”

“You’re wrong,” Ethan said quietly, causing her eyes to drift open and stare at him in surprise. “I don’t always know what you need. Something’s gone wrong between us. Things haven’t been the same since Haiti.”

Cassie pursed her lips and watched him above the rim of her glass, not reacting to his statement in any other way. Then she finished her wine and set the glass down on the counter.

“We already discussed this back then and today on text,” Cassie reminded him. “What else is there to say?”

She shrugged, and then her eyes turned hard like steel. “I need to stand on my own, but who you are, what you are…well, it casts a long shadow. I didn’t like how you and Klaus reduced me to someone who exists only because of what you saw in me. And not because I worked hard for it.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“I know,” Cassie cut him off. “You might not have meant to, but you defending me without giving me a chance to do it myself, you might as well have.”

“Why can’t I stand up for you?” Ethan said, frustration leaking through as he stabbed his fingers into his hair.

“I need you to stand by me, not for me,” Cassie said, her tone measured in response to his heated one. “I will always be measured by your reputation, just like you have to contend with Naveen’s legacy. We can’t control what others say or do. I’ve accepted it.”

“Then why are you angry with me?” Ethan shot back.

“I’m not angry.”

Cassie closed the distance between them, her smile throwing him off. When she took his hand and laced her fingers through his, he felt as if the tight band around his heart loosened.

“I’m not angry,” she repeated, squeezing his fingers. “But I resent that, despite what we talked about in Haiti, your natural inclination on seeing that Pictagram post was to respond defending my honor.”

“Don’t deny it,” she cautioned when he started to do just that. “If I wanted to shoot down small-minded individuals, I’m more than capable of doing it myself.”

Ethan took a deep breath in and then exhaled. “I did want to do that,” he admitted. “I saw red because what they said was so far from reality.”

“If you thought that was bad, it’s good you’re not on Reddit,” Cassie said, twisting her lips in a wry smile.

“You know, if someone attacked your reputation, I’d be upset too.” She nestled against him, and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“But we both know the truth. I respect you enough to let you tear into shreds anyone that came at you. Give me the same courtesy, at least professionally,” Cassie added, angling her lips to kiss the underside of his jaw.

“If it was a personal attack, you have my permission to destroy them with that deathly Dr. Ramsey glare.”

Ethan snorted with laughter when she perfectly mimicked his angry expression.

“You’ve got yourself a deal,” he said, framing her face between his hands. His lips hovered above hers, waiting, prolonging the anticipation.

“You may kis—”

But she didn’t need to finish for he was already kissing her, and she was kissing him back. Everything was finally right in their world.

-----------------

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @coffeeheartaddict2 @crazy-loca-blog @jerzwriter @lady-calypso @mainstreetreader @peonierose @potionsprefect @queencarb @quixoticdreamer16 @justyourusualash @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @cariantha @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[m8tuna]

My cleric learning about sex for the first time, he was just trying to be friendly :/ also Astarion sounds exactly like the curly fount don't @ me

[talonabraxas]

Science and the Rainbow Body

We have looked at some aspects of what modern biophysics, biophotonics, phonics (sound), and neurology can bring to our understanding of the Light Body. And the anatomical discovery of the microscopic primo vascular system and fascial tissue give us new perspectives on tsas, nadis, meridians, and the body’s energy channels in general. But at some point science is left in the dust. It cannot keep up with ancient esoteric knowledge, cooked for millennia in the crucible of direct inner experience, not intellectual theories. This particularly refers to the science of the Five Elements, and the loss and distortion of this knowledge in Western intellectual culture, medicine, and religion.

That massive misstep began long ago. While ancient Greece is taken to be the fount of our Western scientific tradition, it is also where materialism took hold fiercely, relegating scientists to the study of physical objects, functions, and ever smaller components. It’s only now, thousands of years later, that physics—and a good dose of Eastern spirituality—promise a revived view of a living, conscious universe. In nature, and in the realm of biology, it is grids of information-energy that rule supreme. Aristotle, Hippocrates, and Galen could not abide the idea of five intangible formative forces and downgraded the elements into gloppy fluids sloshing about in the spaces of the body. To be fair, this was in response to the Egyptian and Babylonian perspective, held for thousands of years, of the elements as deities. Empedocles famously called these deities “roots,” turning them into a proprietary system and establishing his place in history. But the notion of a space element, already an integral part of Pythagorean knowledge adopted from Egypt and Babylon a century before, was out in the cold. This left us with the fantasy of hydraulic fluids running the body (the humoral theory), which would pervade European and Middle Eastern thought right into the modern era—tainting astrology, alchemy, and reflected in the truncated four-part psychology of Jung, Keirsey, and Myers-Briggs. But while this artifact of materialistic thinking affected a hundred generations of beings, the true knowledge of elemental forces has remained intact, preserved in Tibetan Buddhism, Indian Shaivism, Sufic healing, and the Western gnostic lineages. That is a good thing, since they play a central role in the development of the Rainbow or Light Body. That is as it should be, since it is not myth that we are composed, mind and body, of five dynamic patterns of meaning and manifestation.

In the process of creation, of manifestation, the higher is separated from the lower: gravity and levity, roots and fruits, sky and earth. Now, we reverse the process, climbing back toward union. But a simple reversion to the primordial state, to a pure unity of warm consciousness incomprehensible to our dull intellect would miss the point. Our journey as an embodied five-elemental being is not just a movement within an illusion of time and space where “nothing actually happens.” The return is everything, and in many ways the fulfillment of creation itself. It is the ouroboros, the snake that devours its own tail, the completion of the circle, which is itself empty and contains everything.

This elemental transformation process is commonly portrayed in Tibetan thangkas and repeated in almost every ritual. Within a human skull cup we visualize five kinds of meat (forbidden foods, according to Brahmanical literature) and five kinds of bodily fluids. Their specific names are not important for this discussion, but they represent the Five Elements in their female and male aspects. This mishmash is the sum of our physical existence. Here is biology; here is embodiment; here is incarnation—being in the flesh. But here is the possibility of the birth of a new, non-material form as a vehicle for a renewed consciousness. These elements will be cooked and transformed into wisdom nectar, due to the magical addition of Om Ah Hung. In Tibetan, these three syllables represent form, energy, and consciousness, although I prefer G. I. Gurdjieff’s more colorful nomenclature of “Holy Denying, Holy Affirming, and Holy Reconciling.”

The reason for this transformative possibility in the first place is that the Five Elements exist within us in a multi-layered context. We contain the five material elements, but also the five original, pure Wisdom Elements, the cosmic spark as it were. The Hindu tradition describes five koshas or levels of existence, from gross to subtle, from bioenergetic to pure consciousness. The Buddhist world speaks of three bodies or kaya in a similar spectrum. The Kabbalah describes five worlds in a descending chain of existence. Whether we count in threes, fives, or beyond, the problem remains—how to unite the lower and the higher to create something altogether new. Traditionally, we perceive each of the Vajrayana chakras as the center of gravity of one of the elements—but containing an inner structure of five subelements. And so we have elements within elements waiting to be impregnated with divine radiance and to ascend to their true potential.

Cooking the elements

Down in the depths of our viscera, in the dark recess of the pelvic container, is a secret bindu, an energetic sphere, a “bubble” of immense import. The yogin or yogini will have long prepared, through visualization, mantra recitation, focused meditation, and the gathering of blessings, creative forces, and the richness of material, planetary, biological, and spiritual energies. Prolonged purifications have taken place, readying for this moment. Now, in this most secret of places, the alchemical process, the gestation of a new Light Body begins. Conception took place long ago, in different forms of initiations, meetings with the guru, or even a direct download from transcendent sources. Now the quickening begins, the “cooking” process. As in our visualized skull cup of animals and fluids, we ignite the fire in the belly and fan it with the reversed turbulence of our “downward descending wind.” The digestive and liver fire is harnessed, and winds are drawn down and held in the vase of the belly. The anus and lower doors are drawn up and sealed. As the sub-navel furnace blazes, the Earth mandala in the belly dissolves and is drawn upward by a natural osmosis, the force of levity, of ionic attraction, in the oldest dance in the universe.

Spiral dynamics

In this “mating” process, the flame rises up to melt the Wisdom Elements dwelling in the head. This inner heat or tummo process involves spiral energies. The heavenly father energies move clockwise, always. The earthly mother energies move in an anti-clockwise spiral, always. This is clearly seen in the way that a mantra circles within the heart, depending on whether one is self-visualized as a male or female yidam or deity form. The male mantra circles to the right and the female mantra always circles to the left (from the perspective of your own body’s orientation). Spiraling down, the flow moves through the chakras producing the “four joys.” But it spirally ascends to the head again, thrusting through the chakras with another more intense effulgence of innate bliss and the experience of pure awareness (or emptiness, as it is misleadingly called).

By this process, each element in its lower or biological state is transformed, united with and blended with its wisdom form. But what is very surprising here is that, in the Vajrayana tradition, the story somehow ends. We rest in this new state of unfabricated being-knowing, merging it with various aspects of mundane existence, including arising thoughts and feelings and experiences. All is painted with a new brush. The “doors of perception” are cleansed in a utopian brave new world of consciousness.

Beginning, not ending

But the journey is far from over. What has been described above in traditional terms involves a massive movement within the water-based electron grid of cells and interstitial tissue. It is a volcanic eruption and lava flow of the packets of massed biophotons from the cerebrospinal fluid and brain’s ventricles. We have every reason to understand that photons are the vehicles of consciousness—or that consciousness is an intrinsic quality of photons. And we have clear indications that the structured water in cells, tissues, and blood is the electron-source of prana or lūng itself. As a result of this co-mingling of side-to-side, front-to-back, and finally top-and-bottom, the Light Body begins to form in earnest. Each of the elemental chakras is now part of the Rainbow anatomy containing a mandala of subelements brimming with pristine Wisdom Element force. Channels, energy, and consciousness—tsa, lūng, and tiglé—are all benefactors of the primary template of all things: the Five Elements known as Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space.

Rainbow Body by Talon Abraxas

Rainbow Body by Talon Abraxas

[oldestenemy]

“Graduation.” The wizard repeats the word blankly, staring at Headmaster Ambrose like he’s grown a second head. Honestly it would be less surprising if he had grown a second head.

“Yes, the faculty is all in agreement, you have more than surpassed the requi—”

“—Our graduation.” The wizard cuts over him, and now the effect is reversed, Merle Ambrose looks confused.

“I must ask that you hurry along to the cabinet of wonders,” He starts, as though they have not spoken at all. “Mr. Lincoln is waiting to prepare you for—”

“—No.” They cross their arms. They plant their feet. They stare their headmaster down with eyes that saw the fall of Azteca, the deaths of Malistaire and Morganthe. Warm brown flashing gold in a marriage of Myth and Astral magics. “It’s our graduation, right? Mine and all the other older students—all the others who have been here longer than I have.”

“Ah, I am afraid you misunderstand, their studies are—”

“—Are what, incomplete? What part of the requirements for graduation does not attending multiple years worth of classes fall under? Or is it that you only hand out diplomas to loyal war dogs?” The words tumble out before the wizard can stop them. And honestly? They cannot bring themself to regret it.

Silence.

Heavy and tense.

“I understand your nerves have been running high due to the ongoing disappearance of Mr. Grimwater,��� Merle Ambrose sounds no different than he had before they spoke. He does not flinch. They wonder somewhere if he has trained the reactions out of himself. If he is concerned about pushing a student to anger, especially one like the wizard. Afraid of making another monster. He’s never reacted to their outbursts. Not the catatonia after Dragonspyre. Not the screaming after Azteca. Not the carefully constructed barbs they had flung at him after their final day on Khrysalis. “I shall consult with the rest of the faculty on the status of your classmates, and see what can be done.”

“I can do it.” They offer, perhaps too quickly. It’s habit. It’s safety. Send me on a quest. Get me out of this room. What can I do. How can I help. “I’m sorry.” The words are bitter and dark on their tongue. They don’t let it show.

“Very well. Consult with the other professors, and have them gather before Bartleby—I will meet them there.”

“Yes, sir.”

And they do.

One by one they make the rounds.

Dworgyn first as he’s furthest away.

Then working from Moolinda to the Elementals and eventually to Cyrus.

Everyone thus far has been in agreement.

Though they can still hear the curl of I would not expect you to advocate for Mr. Stormgate.

The wizard shakes their head, half a smile forming in spite of the barely contained fount of irritation still bubbling under the surface. The idea of graduating alone, of being even further removed from their peers-who-really-weren’t. No. No they wouldn’t go through with that.

When finally they make it back to Ambrose’s office, he is already gone.

But the office itself is packed.

“Wizard!” Penny, beaming and bright. “Have you heard the news? It seems it only just got passed around—”

“—Graduation.” They reply, happy for the fact that they do not have to be the one to break this. That nobody will have to know it was not supposed to be this way. “Through the wardrobe—cabinet—whatever.” They point to the Cabinet of Wonders in the corner, and watch as the Ravenwood upperclassmen—the Dragonspyre Academy Restoration Team—file their way through the doors.

“When you weren’t here, I was worried you’d been called away to some new problem.” Malorn says, watching with them as the others file through. “I wouldn’t put it past Headmaster Ambrose to think saving the world is more important than a silly little ceremony.”

“If that were the case, I might actually agree with him on something.”

“It’s weird,” It’s quiet, those words. “I’ve been teaching other students for—oh gods, how long has it even been now—years? I don’t know what my responsibilities are going to look like after—or—”

“—Malorn.” The wizard’s expression softens, “Breathe. I imagine you can discuss all that with Ambrose afterwards—or hey, don’t discuss it, go back to the Dragonspyre Academy and start planning a curriculum there.” It’s mostly a joke, maybe only half a joke with some of the talk the others have kept up lately. “If you really want to keep teaching.”

“Oh—Spiral no—I don’t think I could go straight into teaching anyone anything beyond—well—I dunno, Wraith I suppose now. I like teaching the younger kids, I like how excited they are to learn.” He pauses, looking back at the cabinet. “It’s not just that though, I don’t ever remember seeing a graduation happen here. I’ve lived in Wizard City my whole life—most of us have aside from Penny and Nolan—it’s just—weird.”

“First time for everything.” Is time the same in the Spiral? Has their body or their counterpart or whatever it is they can slip back into on the empty leeched out Earth graduated? Are they in college? Do they have a job?

Those thoughts make the wizard’s head ache, trying to think about Earth nowadays usually does.

“Yeah. Yeah…” Malorn says finally, giving them one last smile before stepping through.

And the wizard is alone in the Headmaster’s office.

Heart pounding for no good reason.

Who are you who are you who are you who are you.

It doesn’t matter.

Time is moving.

So are they.

~*~

The grounds of Ravenwood are bursting with guests and decoration. A small stage has been set up just before Bartleby, and one by one, by school, the students are called up.

Among the crowd of students there are hushed whispers.

Is that the Emperor of Mooshu?

What is the Headmistress from Pigswick doing here?

What’s with the bird?

The wizard genuinely tunes out a little, watches with ears ringing as their classmates walk across that little stage. Watches the Death students cross together, the void where Duncan should be heavy in the air. Like a poison. Like a fog.

They shake their head, look back into the crowd, faces from everywhere and nowhere. Zenzen catches their eye and if each of them looks away in the same moment? It is only because if they spend too long thinking about the other, the wall constructed against the grief of Azteca will crumble for them both.

They scan further, envoys from Celestia, Avalon, Zafaria—

—somewhere there is a little spark of hurt and worry for the absence of their comrades in arms on Khrysalis. But there is still so much to be done there in the name of keeping peace. Better Dyvim and Zaltanna stay where they are.

There is a set of eyes that amuses them in the fraught emotions of the rest.

Cuffed to not one but two—very disgruntled looking officers is Professor James Meowiarty.

Oh they would’ve loved to have been present for the conversation that happened at Scotland Yard to allow that.

Very suddenly they are the only one left.

It startles them, movements almost a stumble as they mount the steps up to the little stage.

Ambrose is talking, their ears are ringing again. Heroic spirit, shrewd mind, noble virtue—

They can barely hear him.

Even for you.

Even for you.

“My, my.” Professor Drake’s words break the sound of his brother’s reverberating in the Wizard’s skull. “Look at you, look how far you have come in all this time. You know well that I doubted the spark Headmaster Ambrose saw in you upon your arrival. That I did my best to dissuade you through hardship, impossibility, and playing to what I perceived as a lack of drive. I have never been more delighted to be proven wrong.”

Oh.

Oh.

They are going to cry when this is done.

They’re not going to do it here. In front of so many people. But alone, somewhere safe, this is going to hang in their chest while they heave.

“What you have done for Ravenwood, for the Spiral, and beyond that—for my family, cannot be overstated.” Cyrus Drake is smiling, it is barely there, it could be mistaken for neutrality or perhaps a smirk if they did not know those expressions so well. “You are a remarkable wizard, and one I am tremendously proud of. Keep your mind open to all the wonders that Myth has to offer, and you will never lack new avenues of discovery.”

They want to hold onto those words forever. Not yet acknowledging the other meaning within just saying them, that from this moment there is no longer the thread of Professor and Student tying them to Cyrus Drake. And that almost aches in its own way. A loss of something familiar.

The wizard hasn’t looked away from him by the time Ambrose is talking again. It’s so hard to hear anything. Ears ringing, wind blowing cold and frigid—

Wind blowing?

Had it been windy?

They raise a hand to hold the graduation cap to their head—

And that is when things all come crashing down.

Of course.

Again.

Read the whole series here <3

[evupdates]

Loudwire's 50 Nu-Metal Albums:

11. Evanescence, 'Fallen' (2003) Possibly one of the most influential debut albums in metal history, 2003's "Fallen" took eight years to come into fruition, and boy are we happy they spent time on it! An incredibly intricate editing process included using 414 microphones to record the ride and hi-hat of the drums. The orchestral and choral sound which has come to define Evanescence fount its place in the record and Amy Lee's fantastically clean voice offers light relief to the largely male-dominated, growling vocals of metal contemporaries.

[sjerzgirl]

He just issues word salads, gobbledigook, to try to sound knowledgeable on things he only pretends to understand. His base thinks he's a fount of knowledge even as his own words prove otherwise.

[nerdygaymormon]

Stake Conference 2024

This blog is a place where I share about my experiences as a queer member of the LDS Church. I'm not going to give a full recap about stake conference, which was wonderful, but about where it intersected with me being queer.

————————————————————

Elder James N. Robinson of the Seventy came to stake conference.

On Saturday, the stake presidency, stake relief society presidency and their spouses joined Elder Robinson for lunch. To help him get to know us, we went around the table and had everyone introduce themselves by giving their name, where they grew up, something interesting about ourselves, and our nickname.

The Stake president started, and the interesting thing he shared is his journey when his son came out as gay, and that has made him more empathetic which has made him a better stake president than he would otherwise be.

His wife shared that her work is helping LDS families with queer children and helping our church be a more welcoming space.

I was watching Elder Robinson for his reactions to these two speak of having a gay child and how it's been transformative for them. He didn't show any reaction or make any remarks specifically about those things.

When it was my turn, I shared that one of my nicknames is Chuck, short for chuckles because I laugh often. An interesting thing is a video I created for a stake youth conference went viral and was viewed over 2 million times. The stake president then spoke up to share that Bonneville Communications contacted me because they were impressed by the video and the reaction it was getting, and were interested in partnering for an upcoming project...until they learned I put together the video on my iPhone. 😂

—————————

After lunch, the spouses left and the rest of us had a meeting with Elder Robinson. During this meeting he mentioned that he hopes "Come Thou Fount" makes it in the new hymnbook. I said, "I happen to know that it IS included." A counselor in the stake presidency asked me to share how I know that, and I replied that Elder Renlund is head of the committee creating the new hymnbook and he told me.

Then a counselor in the stake relief society presidency said that she wishes "Amazing Grace" could be in our hymnbook, and I shared that it also will be included in the new hymnal.

—————————

After the meeting with the stake presidency and stake relief society presidency, we all went to the leadership session of stake conference, during which Elder Robinson asked for everyone from a certain ward to come up front. He invited them to think of their favorite hymn, and when he said "Go" to start singing it as loud as they can. Needless to say, they sang many different songs and it was chaotic.

He stopped them and asked that this time they sing "I am a Child of God." They sounded pretty good. As they were singing, I was noting how diverse a group they were.

—————————

After the leadership session, Elder Robinson and his wife had dinner with the stake presidency and their spouses. Elder Robinson asked me about the viral video I mentioned at lunch, so I texted him a link. He and his wife are laughing as they watch it on his phone, but turn it off after about 30 seconds. He says it looks very enjoyable and they'll finish watching it that night.

During dinner, one of his counselors commented that the closest he gets to general authorities is hearing David's stories. Elder Robinson turned to me and asked how is it I know Elder Renlund? I shared about sitting next to him and his wife for dinner, getting invited to visit them in Utah, and we have a growing friendship as they have continued to invite me to visit when I'm in Salt Lake City. During this story I mentioned that I’m gay as it was relevant.

The counselor who brought up me meeting with general authorities kept prompting me to share about this or that specific story with the Renlunds, usually something on the more humorous side.

—————————

After dinner as I was sitting in the next session of stake conference, I had this feeling that speaking so casually about the Renlunds gives the wrong impression and that I should explain to the Seventy about how this came to be. That night I sent the following text:

—————————

On Sunday morning, Sister Robinson said that at the hotel they laughed and laughed at my video, sent it to others who would then text back what were their favorite parts.

At the conclusion of stake conference, the stake presidency and stake relief society presidency met again with Elder & Sister Robinson. We were asked to go around the room and share one takeaway we felt during the conference of something we need to do, us personally

He got to me, and I said I need to give a little background information. For the past month there's been a firestorm raging in a small corner of the internet by some members who think the church is too kind to LGBTQ people. Their posts and videos and the comments they generate are extremely mean. Some of these folks brought me up, saying that I'm dangerous to the church and by having a calling it is confusing the members. (at this point, Elder Robinson's smile drops and he looks sad)

I continued on, that in the Leadership Session, Elder Robinson called up everyone from a ward and had them sing I am a Child of God.

These were people of different genders, different ages, different racial & ethnic backgrounds, different socio-economic status, different national origins, different places in their lives, and the gospel was able to unite them.

My takeaway is I am to continue to show people they are accepted and wanted, that by combining their voices with mine we are more powerful

Elder Robinson responded, "I want you to know we (pointing to him and his wife) have your back. And you have a room full of people (stake presidency & stake RS presidency) who have your back

Before the meeting ended, he asked to speak to the stake president privately, and they met in the adjoining office for about 10 minutes. Then they rejoined us and Elder Robinson started wrapping things up.

We ended by Elder Robinson asking the 1st counselor in the stake presidency to give the stake president a blessing. It was such a good idea, the stake president gives many blessings but rarely gets one.

After the meeting, the stake relief society president (who is a military chaplain) came over and said, "My mama bear reared up and I was about to crawl out of my chair and say 'who do I need to go after?'"

The stake clerk's wife is retired from the Army and heard what I shared, she said to give her the website and she will make their lives miserable. Of course I didn't give her any details, but I appreciated the fierce show of love from both of them.

—————————

I next saw the stake presidency on Wednesday at our regular presidency meeting. We reviewed stake conference and my stake presidency decided when they meet with the bishops one-on-one to offer to give them a blessing. I think that’s a great idea as they also give many blessings but rarely receive one.

After our meeting as we’re headed to our cars, the stake president said, “Hey David, when Elder Robinson pulled me aside for those few minutes, he said several things, including that he appreciates that I have you in this calling because you bring a different point of view. That you’re a good man and I should keep you close.” 💖

Guess I'm not getting released any time soon from being the stake executive secretary 😅

[veliseraptor]

The first steps stumbling forward (mcu) sound intriguing. I'm apologising for the blast from the past!

hey I put stuff on there as an invitation for a blast from the past, so!!! this one is the post-ragnarok steve/loki fic, or at least that's ostensibly the premise of it but i'm five chapters and a hundred pages in and the steve/loki is but a glimmer in the eye. but i guess that's pretty par for the course.

the premise here was basically "thor and loki and company end up on earth as refugees, loki's presence a carefully kept secret, fugitive steve ends up hanging out with them also, developments occur" and i'd gotten as far as "developments occurring" before i got distracted and then fell off the mcu train near entirely. but I still like what I have here! it's 100 pages of pretty good writing, if I do say so myself! but I also (again) don't have an outline and only the vaguest impression of where it was going after the point I reached, so that's probably part of my issue. technically a lot of it is also just about loki figuring his shit out post-ragnarok, as he should've had the chance to do and I'm never not going to be bitter about that particular missed opportunity.

you might be noting a pattern here with my unfinished works and it is me going 'what's an outline, I don't know her' and then running into trouble with that.

“There’s a spy in the camp,” Loki informed Thor when he came back from yet another meeting. He was in a toweringly bad mood, and Loki’d considered waiting to tell him anything, but it seemed like the kind of thing that shouldn’t be deferred.  “A spy,” Thor said, eye narrowing. “Whose spy?”  “I don’t know,” Loki said. “We only spoke briefly.”  Thor stiffened. “You spoke to him? Loki-” “Not as myself, Thor, don’t panic,” he said. “And it’s her, actually. She’s posing as one of the relief workers. I pretended to be a mother who had lost her husband looking for extra blankets for a newborn. We struck up a conversation. I did not ascertain her employer. Admittedly, I am a bit behind the times on the various spy organizations of Midgard.”  Thor stared at him. “When weren’t you?” He asked. Loki raised his eyebrows.  “I asked Clint Barton a lot of questions,” he said neutrally. “He was a veritable fount of information. SHIELD likes - liked? - to keep track of their competitors.” Thor did not look pleased. Whether at the reminder of what Loki had done, the fact that he had done it, the fact that Thor was clearly tempted to ask for more information and thus profit from Loki’s misdeeds, or all of the above, was unclear. Loki waited.  “So,” Thor said. “We have a spy.”  “Probably more than one.”  “What do you suggest we do with her?”  “Public hanging,” Loki said. “Or there’s always something more dramatic. Give me a bit and I’ll come up with a few ideas.”  “Loki,” Thor said.

[galazy-101]

Was going through some of my old drawings and found this old skeleton oc of mine that I kinda never figured out nor finished what I had in store for them. I thought posting them to see if you guys would like me to use them as well and possibly have them interact with Atmos in post's.

Their name is Fusha, and I can't seem to find the fount that I based her off of as it was similar to wing dings but wasn't and I don't think it had a an official name either, it had like numbers and letters as its search name if, and that the first character was a "F" hence why her name is Fusha. But yeah, tell me if you guys want me to finish her up and have her interact with you guys here.

Edit: Fusha from what I remember was my true first official try at making an Undertale oc for me instead of just small doodles of Sans, Papyrus, Undyne, Gaster and all the others. I had made her with the intention of a story that was around not to long after Frisk broke the barrier of the underground and that all monster kind lived on the surface now amongst humans peaceful, that Frisk would somehow convince either Asgore or Toriel to show where possible the old monster town was if it was somehow still around, and of course it is and Frisk dose convince them and the main gang goes for a simple sight seeing trip. They get there and start exploring the place with them talking about certain things about the place and how things would have worked within the town, only for Frisk to start exploring an area that had been even longer forgotten within the ancient monster town and starts to find stuff that not even Asgore and Toriel knew about and the group starts exploring that part to soon end up somewhere in a very more ancient part of the town. Basically they find a hidden part that seemed to be hidden overtime that it was completely forgotten about and lost in monster kinds history really. After they find it and start exploring it, they start hearing noises from some random part of the place, and from the sounds, they can definitely confirm that someone was there with them and of course Frisk being the Determined child that they are, they go running after them with everyone else running after the human. After some time of running after the mysterious cloaked person, Undyne is the one who tackles them down somehow without hurting them, but Undyne tackles them and manages to hold them down or something as they start trying to basically have Fusha confess on why they here but doesn't work because Fusha doesn't speak the human or modern world language and can only speak in very specific fount, so she remains silent, it isn't until Frisk points out something I'm not sure exactly what as I can't fully remember, but something that if I'm correct Undyne tells Papyrus to pull down her hood and he does which leaves everyone in complete shock, especially the two skeleton bros as they find out that she isn't a human and is a boss monster, more specifically a skeleton that somehow is a boss monster, of some sort, which no one has ever heard of a skeleton being a boss monster so this was more shocking information and find out that she's been there an extremely long time. I can't remember what else I had planned for here, but that was my base plan before I kinda forgot about her. BUT if you guys want, I can try to write or comic draw her story if you all are truly interested in seeing what I tried to have going for her.

[sun-lit-roses]

Emily of New Moon Book Club Chapter 12

Introducing Teddy!

Kind of? We hear about him more than see him, but close enough.

Emily and Ilse's first fight!

I was definitely more of the Emily style as a child - an argument meant that everything was ruined forever. And I didn't even have someone calling me an 'insignificant serpent.'

But I do love the fiery nature of their friendship, so different than most of LMM's books! Katharine Brooke and Anne have one tiff, which is what brings everything out into the open, but it wasn't a consistent thing. Honestly, I wish we'd gotten to see more of Katharine! She was a refreshing fount of sarcasm.

(Back to the book we're actually reading.)

The Tansy Patch - east of the Disappointed House, west of the moon - sounds like a delightful place. I wonder if it reminds Emily of her home? Blair Water thinks of it as a 'bare, lonely, neglected place,' which is very similar to how the house with her father was introduced.

And creepy, sad Mrs. Kent. LMM plants so many seeds in this first book that bloom slowly through the trilogy!

I'm pretty confident - given the reaction to Ellen and Aunt Elizabeth - that Mrs. Kent is not going to go over well with the book club 😂

Poor Teddy, afraid to love too much because of how his mother might react, what a difficult childhood. I do love that he helps at home, though - and I'm glad that Emily likes it as well!

Can Emily not sing? I noticed that Teddy and Ilse sing, but Emily only tells stories.

'I am not a Murray - you said so yourself.' Words coming back to haunt you, Aunt Elizabeth?

And the debunking of one possible past for Aunt Laura - no unrequited love for Dr. Burnley, it seems.

I enjoy the bits of Emily's letters, despite the spelling, as a glimpse into the day to day. I love an epistolary novel and this hits the same spot!

And enter Lofty John again! I think this is his first mention since Cousin Jimmy talked about the ownership of Lofty John's Bush.

[fyreiswriting]

Chapter 39 of Future, Past, Present is live!!!

Nyrra lingered by the fire for a time, letting her feet dangle off the mushroom and listening to the tall tales her companions came up with. Karlach and Wyll liked to try and outdo the other with increasingly zany stories, only half of which she thought had any basis in truth at all. Laughter filled the Underdark air as Gale interjected with a tale of his own– the Yawning Portal, an endless fount of legends and myths, centered heavily in them as before. He’d told the one he spoke of now last time as well; she fought not to spoil the ending, covering her mouth as though hiding fear to conceal a broad, beaming smile. When the punchline hit and uproarous laughter filled the air, she joined them. Her shoulders shook silently as she laughed without a sound. Gale caught her eye as she straightened, wiping away tears of mirth. His pleased smirk softened slightly. A wiggle of her tadpole. Should you have the time and the inclination, I’d be delighted to share that lesson with you this evening. Her heart soared, and she didn’t bother fighting down the delighted smile that spread across her face. I’d love to, she told him, honestly and with her whole heart.  He inclined his head to her, just slightly, then turned his attention back to the fire. 

In which The Lesson occurs- after 39 chapters of pining. I told y'all I like slow burns.

As an update: Chapters will return to a biweekly schedule starting this week, so the next update will go live on Wednesday. Just want to make sure I don't burn myself out or run out of chapters. :D So see you Wednesday!!