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seasidesandstarscapes · 3 months

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Right in the Numbers - Chapter 5

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Summary: Bobby and Don have a heart to heart

Words: 2449

AO3

Practices are awful.

Sure, Don is able to make it through with a false smile, his plays are still decent, but he feels the tension on the ice.

Bobby watches him, their usual silent conversations now muddled and hazy. Don doesn’t stare like he used to, turns away when Bobby takes a beat too long.

Don avoids him when he can outside of practice too. In fact, it’s been a couple weeks since they last slept together.

He finds excuses to stay away, tries to focus on hockey. The sport has gotten him through the darkest of times, maybe it’ll work its magic yet again.

Of course, observant as ever, Joe has picked up on Don’s grief and brings it up of all times when they’re stuck in the penalty box together.

“What’s happened between you and Moch?”

“Joe,” Don chews around his mouth guard. “Not here.”

“Then when? None of us have seen you off the ice. And from what I’ve heard, neither has Bobby. You two don’t even sit next to each other on the buses anymore.”

There is a chorus of cheers as the other team scores a goal and Don can just hear Bobby’s heated swearing rising over the arena.

“It’s nothing,” Don finds renewed interest in his stick. “We’re just doing our own thing.”

“Yeah, okay,” Joe rolls his eyes. “I haven’t seen Bobby like this since—,” he cuts himself off, turns away.

Joe let something slip, but now Don can’t just leave it at that.

“What are you talking about?”

“Oops, my time is up. See you on the ice,” Joe scrambles out of the penalty box.

“Rantz!” Don shouts after him over the din.

This gets him a raised brow from Gordy as he skates by and Don’s throat already feels sore from raising his voice like that. When he’s on the ice again, Don can’t focus. Joe’s words toy with him, dangle some cruel temptation that Don should ignore, but he just can’t. He gets slammed into the boards, numb to the pain, ignorant of anything, anyone else. This fire only burns and Don misses his shot again and again.

They lose this game. The team trudges off the ice, barely acknowledging one another. Maybe it’s not all Don’s fault but he still feels like he’s to blame.

The small talk is low and murmuring in the locker room and Don sticks to himself, showers and changes as quickly as he can so he can talk to Joe.

Except Joe is nowhere to be found. And Don doesn’t see a single sign of Bobby either. He’s left spinning circles in the locker room, aimless and wandering, until he bumps into Roger.

“Something up?” Roger asks, unperturbed by Don’s sudden approach.

Don’s face flushes and he shakes his head. “Wanted to talk to Joe about something.”

“More like someone,” Chuck edges in.

Don grimaces as the rest of the team stares at him, the room caught in a deafening silence. A headache is starting to form at the back of his mind and Don leaves without so much as a wave. The hallway is just as quiet, unsettling and lonely, as if the mirage will break at any second.

That is, until two voices drift from around a corner. Don comes to a standstill, his breath caught in his chest.

“—still think you should tell him,” Joe mutters.

“Yeah? And what good would that do?” Bobby bites back. “I don’t need another sympathy card.”

“Moch, it’s not sympathy,” Joe sighs. “What happened with your—our last team…it hurt you. They hurt you.”

Don’s stomach drops. He’s so afraid of what will follow, knows he should leave but he’s frozen in a steel trap. He’s anxious to hear more.

“Save it, Rantz,” Bobby snaps. “It’s better this way. I don’t need him, hell, I don’t need any of you.”

Bobby’s footsteps echo but Don realizes too late that they’re heading in his direction. The moment Bobby rounds the corner, they’re caught in the same wide-eye stare.

“Don,” Bobby starts but Don doesn’t want to hear it.

He marches past Bobby, past Joe, who calls after him. Their voices are too loud, the fluorescent lights are too bright. Don all but runs to his car, speeds away from the arena and to the safety of his apartment.

His phone gets tossed to the side before he collapses onto his bed. Bobby’s words play on repeat and Don feels his heart slash in two. The tears don’t come though, instead replaced by an anger that consumes Don. After everything, after all this, he’s nothing but a plaything for Bobby.

He gets to his feet and paces his bedroom, cursing to himself with fists clenched. He could make Bobby hurt, make him see what he’s done. But as he thinks this, Don shames himself. Bobby has been through something awful. He’s taking it out on the world and Don can’t blame him.

He and Bobby were good together. They’re supposed to be best friends. Even with this pain, Don doesn’t want Bobby to suffer again. He can’t do that to the man he loves.

Falling back onto his bed, Don stares at the ceiling. The dissipating anger morphs into longing and a need to hold Bobby, to tell him everything’s going to be alright.

With a huff, Don checks his phone and guilty relief washes over him when he doesn’t see any missed calls or texts. Tonight he can think things through, sort out the mess with Bobby tomorrow.

Midnight edges in and Don is laying in bed, scrolling through his phone in an attempt to feel some semblance of sleep. A text from Bobby pops up and Don replies before he can stop himself.

It’s so casual, their hellos, the small talk, Don almost wonders if he imagined what happened after the game.

Come outside. Bobby then texts cryptically.

Don frowns, turns towards his window. He can’t see anything beyond the trees and gets out of bed with a small groan. Looking down, Don sees Bobby standing next to his car, phone in his hand.

He should just crawl back into bed, forget all this, but they need to talk.

Throwing on sweats and a hoodie, Don heads out of his apartment, meets Bobby at the front door.

“Want to go on an adventure?” Bobby smiles.

“Alright.”

Don climbs into the passenger seat and the two drive off in silence. Sparing a glance at Bobby, Don notes the clenched jaw, how his eyes shine with what Don can imagine to be sadness.

They head down a desolate road, the headlights cutting through dark woods, when Don finally notices the sky.

Shimmers of green dance across deep indigo, splashing the night with paint strokes of beauty. He’s mesmerized, caught in a moment so rare and delicate, he only hopes it will last.

Bobby pulls off into an open lot that breaks out into a sprawling field and gets out of the car to sit on the hood. Don is slow to follow but he slides next to Bobby as they look up at the sky.

The borealis makes Don feel so small, so insignificant, and it’s comforting. There’s nothing more expected out of him than to just take in this moment with Bobby.

“Do you ever think about what our lives would be like if we hadn’t met?” Bobby doesn’t take his eyes off the sky as he asks this.

Don inhales, his hands wringing in his lap. He doesn’t know how to answer. The seconds tick by, but Don’s voice is caught, held down by fear, desperation.

“I’m glad,” Bobby breathes, “if anything. You’ve made me feel like I’m worth something, you know?”

He gives Don a small smile which he easily returns. Bobby’s eyes on him steal Don’s breath and he can only look back, his words screaming, trying to claw their way out.

“I think maybe it’s good if we end things here,” Bobby says the words that stab Don in the chest. “Just be friends. No more sex. Nothing more.”

Don nods, even though he doesn’t agree at all. His wounds and his pride fight within him, but he stays silent.

“If you still want to watch my channel though, I don’t mind.”

“Thanks,” Don finally speaks.

He curses his inexplicable cowardice, his overageeable attitude. He should just grab Bobby and shake something, anything, loose. He wants the truth. Instead, Don settles into the unfamiliarity of their new normal.

In the end, Bobby is right. They were edging into something real and Don doesn’t want to be the cause of pain that must be all too familiar to Bobby. At the very least, the friendship isn’t over. They’ll always have each other’s backs.

That’s more than enough.

Still, Don doesn’t push Bobby away when he shuffles closer. His arm falls easily around him and Don doesn’t say a thing when Bobby lays his head on his shoulder.

When Bobby drops Don off, neither say goodbye and Don heads right into his apartment. He’s exhausted now, his head throbbing, body aching.

As Don lays down, his screen lights up with another text.

I’m sorry.

Shutting off his phone, Don squeezes his eyes shut and buries his face in his pillow.

Sleep doesn’t come easily tonight or many nights after. Don is a walking zombie when they get to the semi-finals, yet somehow he manages to score the goal that secures their spot in the top eight.

He accepts the embrace Bobby gives him, tries not to hug too tight. The smile Bobby gives him is somber and the light in his eyes isn’t as bright these days. Don doesn’t know how to bring him back. He’s not sure he can.

Don just wants time alone, to figure out his life from here, but tonight, he’s dragged out to the bar with the team. He keeps it to one drink and water, not wanting to lose control when Bobby is so close.

Bobby, however, is not so sensible. He takes every shot offered to him, orders strong drinks that would make Don sick in an instant. So, of course, he’s helping Bobby back to the hotel, their arms linked, one hand gripped tight to Bobby’s sleeve.

“Why’re you so good at hockey?” Bobby slurs as they stumble down the street.

“Practice.”

“No, like,” Bobby waves. “Not everyone can play and they still make the leagues.”

“I don’t know,” Don laughs a little.

It’s hard not to be amused by Bobby’s drunken ramblings. He’s gone on hours long tirades from why they deserve to win the Cup to the ridiculous price of chicken nuggets. Don has listened enraptured, if only because he doesn’t know how Bobby always has so much to say.

Bobby keeps on talking from the lobby to the elevator and finally, his room. They haven’t been roommates for a while now and Bobby has snagged one all to himself.

Don sits Bobby down on the bed, helps him take off his hoodie and shoes.

“Stay with me, Donny,” Bobby reaches out for him.

Don’s shoulders sag. Bobby is still so affectionate and he makes it difficult to move on from what they were.

“Bobby, you should rest,” Don steps out of reach.

He goes to the bathroom to fill up a glass of water, then rummages through Bobby’s bag to grab some pain medicine.

When he gets back to Bobby, he’s managed to rid himself of his shirt and jeans and he lays on his stomach, limbs haphazardly thrown about on the bed.

Setting the cure-alls to the side, Don sits Bobby up, then presses the pill into one hand and the water into the other.

“Take this and drink the whole glass.”

Bobby grimaces at him but does what he’s told. Water dribbles down his chin and he wipes it away with an uncoordinated hand. There’s still water on his face though and Don’s fingers twitch at his sides.

With a small sigh, Don takes the glass from Bobby, waits for him to lay back down before he sets to leave. Bobby grabs him by the hem of his shirt and Don’s heart thuds in his chest.

“Please? I don’t want to be alone.”

Don should refuse. He needs to get out before he misinterprets what Drunk Bobby might be saying between the lines.

Instead, against his better judgment, Don takes off his outer layers and crawls into bed next to Bobby. Bobby immediately drapes himself over Don, lets out a small contented sigh.

This feels too nice, too warm, and Don fights back his tears. He hugs Bobby close, the healing scars on his heart tearing open yet again.

Don doesn’t know how he falls asleep but when the sun forces his eyes open, he finds himself alone in the hotel bed. He can hear the shower running and he lays back, staring at the ceiling.

He’s been doing so well. He’s pulled himself back, but then Bobby drags him in. It’s some kind of cruel twist of fate that he’s stuck in this loop.

“Morning,” Bobby says as he comes out of the bathroom.

He’s drying his hair with a towel that gets tossed to the side before he digs through his bags. All he has is the towel around his waist now and Don aches to reach out.

“Thanks for taking care of me,” Bobby smiles as he grabs his clothes. “I have a bit of a headache, but that glass of water probably saved me.”

The corner of Don’s mouth twitches and he simply watches as Bobby disappears into the bathroom. At least he doesn’t have to watch Bobby change this one time. Taking his moment alone, Don dresses in last night's clothes and tries to smooth out the wrinkles.

Just before he can leave however, Bobby pops out again, freezing Don in his tracks. He shouldn’t feel guilty. He has to get back to his own room and shower after all.

Bobby opens and closes his mouth, his stare darting, distracted. Don waits, not sure what he wants to hear.

“Mind if I sit next to you on the bus?”

Don blinks. It’s been lonely not having Bobby jabber in his ear, making him play hangman and tic-tac-toe. Bobby falling asleep against his shoulder.

When Don nods, Bobby’s face finally relaxes into a familiar grin and Don’s spirit lifts. They wave goodbye as Don finds his opening to head back to his room, a heavy breath leaving him.

Some things are finally headed back to normal and Don can’t be more grateful. There’s still some heartache to work though, but he can handle it.

He’ll be fine.

#coxstroke #bobby moch #don hume #bobby moch x don hume #don hume x bobby moch #salix's sideblog escapades

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sapphicrpc · 2 years

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DISCORD TIMESTAMPS TUTORIAL

discord has a feature that allows you to use universal timestamps in any channel in any server, and even in dms!

the main benefit for roleplayers and roleplay admins is that this simple bit of code will show people any given time in their timezone and preferred format, according to how their device/application is configured. this eliminates the need for messy timezone conversions when posting about upcoming events, opening dates, etc. (no more 4PM EST / 9 PM GMT / 6AM JST (oh wait, but now we've crossed midnight so what day is that?)... it gets confusing really fast, daylight savings can throw the whole thing off, and furthermore the date "5th march" might be shown in different formats depending on where you are in the world. is 5/3 in may or march to you? see... time is chaos)

this little bit of code allows you to bypass all that and just show people the time and date in the way that they want to see it to avoid confusion - you can even use it to do live countdowns!

under the cut you'll find a full tutorial and explanation. don't worry it's not complicated, it's only two steps long - you don't need to be good at coding or anything!

discord uses UNIX TIMESTAMPS. unix is a form of universal time, presented as a 10 digit number - i won't get too nerdy about it here, but essentially it is the number of seconds that have passed since january 1st, 1970, 00:00 (UTC).

sidenote if you've ever wondered why excel timestamp codes change before and after this date, this is why! again, i'm just nerding out here but it's a fun little tidbit i think.

SO... how do you use it?

STEP ONE

first of all you need to get your 10 digit number. you can just google "unix timestamp generator" for this but i will recommend THIS ONE HERE. (thank you to our lord and savior dans tools)

you'll be presented with a page that looks like this - all you need to do is change the date and time to whatever you want. if you're using this to set the time of an event, make sure you set this time to whenever you want your event to start IN YOUR OWN TIMEZONE. this tool automatically updates based on your machine's local time, so this is important. it also makes it super easy, absolutely no time conversions required from you.

so now copy that 10 digit number, that's your unix timestamp. you've done the hardest part.

STEP TWO

now all you need to do is put this into discord. below you'll find a table of outputs. all you need to do is pick how you want your timestamp to appear and use that code (the input column) with the 10 digit number you just generated

here's an example of how it looks (this is using the Long date/time function)

note: whether it comes out as 12 hour or 24 hour depends on how you have your computer/phone configured. it uses your local settings so no need to worry about date order confusion or anything like that!

i hope this is clear for everyone - if it helps please give it a reblog as that helps me out a lot and feel free to come to my inbox with any questions.

#rph #discord rp #discord rpg #rpt #rp resource #discord #.discordtut #.discordhelp

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mostly-megan · 2 years

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Spring Fever

Werewolf Frankie x F!Reader

Rating: PG Fluff

Description: Frankie believes that it’s time for him to start giving your little partially werewolf son his first hunting lessons

Word Count: 3,450 (no beta; we live and die by the sword)

Warnings: Mentions of “hunting” with no explicit descriptions, mild mentions of werewolf transforming, wolves (idk you guys, this one is pretty mild all over)

(A/N): So I mentioned to @pettyprocrastination in a dm once the idea of werewolf Frankie being a dad with the sweetest little boy and I promised to make a fic with it. THAT WAS 2 YEARS AGO!!! But anyway, this fic is dedicated to Tj’s lovely friendship and extreme patience, I hope you like it💚

Tagging some others who maybe interested: @princessbatears @maybege @frannyzooey @themarcusmoreno @absurdthirst

Even from the car port outside, you can hear giggles and loud little footsteps in the cabin. You and Frankie share exasperated eye rolls and sighs hidden behind soft smiles as you pass each other. You had just opened up the doors and windows to air out your monthly retreat and Lucas was running wild with excitement.

You walk up the deck steps, carrying one of the coolers of food you had bought on the way up, and see a small, fuzzy blur circling the living room. On the way to the kitchen, you can see your son chasing his tail so fast it was even making you dizzy. Eventually you hear a soft “oof” and look back to see him back in human form bonking against the couch cushion and landing on the floor with dizzy giggles. “Lucas, you’d better be wearing pants when I look back up. We’ve talked about keeping our clothes on.”

You softly chuckle at the small gasp and frantic shifting of fabric. He stumbles into his shorts and t-shirt and toddles over to tug lightly on your pant leg, “Mama, mama, I almost got it that time! Didja see Mama?!” He giggles again as he wraps his little arms around your legs to steady himself. Pulling more cold food out of the ice chest, you play with his soft curls with your other hand, “I did, sweetheart. You’re such a silly pup today, that looked like so much fun!”

Frankie groans as he places another box of food on the table, “Alright, mijo, you got your sillies out, but now we need to get some work done. Okay?” His little face mimics his father’s seriousness as he sits for his shoes to be tied. Once your husband stands, Lucas dutifully marches passed him to the yard. Frankie’s now slightly amber eyes flash up to you with a playful smirk just as he turns through the back door.

When you all get to the cabin, you all assume your usual jobs once the bags are brought in: you get the food put away, Frankie splits the firewood, and Lucas skips all around the yard picking up every piece of kindling. It started because it keeps him busy and tires him out, but honestly, he does a wonderful job. Frankie always says his ass was saved a few times thanks to the hoard of dry twigs you now had on hand.

As you finish stocking the fridge, you can hear your 5 year-old’s happy chatter to his father, who could only really respond in affirmative grunts as he lets the hatchet fall to split the wood. You smile as you start preparing dinner. As excited as they all were, there certainly was a nervous sort of anticipation.

As long as you’ve known your Frankie, he’s always taken 3 days off a month for an extra long weekend. A medical exemption was the official reasoning. Very few really knew that he retreated up to the woods so he could run and hunt as an apex predator during full moons, Santi being one of them. He, in fact, had come with you two the first weekend Frankie decided to tell you about his monthly curse.

Apparently they had planned for a good case/bad case scenario. Good case, Santi would be a helpful resource for most of your questions and help you acclimate to what Frankie deals with in secret. Bad case, you start panicking and Santi could carefully knock you out and they lay you down, setting up that you had slipped on the loose stair and gotten a good bonk on the head. Luckily for everyone, you were more amazed and curious than terrified.

Slowly, the newness and strangeness bleed away until it became nothing more than another occurrence in life. You pay the bills, you do the laundry, and you go up to the cabin to let him get his urges cleared.

You’re pulled from your thoughts back to heating up the stew with an unceremonious cry of “MAMA!” You turn to the little voice and can’t help mirroring the huge grin spread out across his face, “Is it time yet, Mama?!” Your eyes shift to the clock over the stove, “Not yet, sweetheart. Papa said he’ll take you out around 6 so there’s still light. See, the clock has a 4 right now.” He huffed and climbed into one of the kitchen chairs.

You’d think his pouty face would be over being told not to go Trick’r’Treating yet. “I know you’re excited, we just need to eat dinner. Why don’t you help me get it ready so we can eat sooner?”

This seems to appease his impatience for now, slipping out of the chair and coming to his step stool in the kitchen to help you get dinner ready. You hand him a spoon and show him how to butter the bread while chattering about how much he helped his father with the firewood. You tell him how proud you are of how helpful he’s been this trip, but your focus is starting to slip again.

You knew who Frankie was when you were committing to this relationship. You knew that when you talked about having kids and again when you discovered you were pregnant with Lucas (well, technically Frankie accidentally told you, but you were still the one to confirm it). Now though, you couldn’t help but worry about your sweet little boy going hunting at night.

Ever since he could have solid foods, Frankie would go out to hunt while you stayed with Lucas. His grandfather’s old property was safe and large enough that human hunters wouldn’t be anywhere near him. He’d go into the bathroom and slowly change into his other form, groaning and grunting at the uncomfortable tug he described in his muscles. Coming out, he’d almost look like an incredibly huge dog, soft brown fur curling like he needed a good trim at the groomers. But his eyes had the same lovely depth and warmth, even if now more amber than dark brown.

After checking one last time on you and the baby, he’d go out for hours and bring back elk or deer. You would wait in the living room, where you could see the pouch from the window until your husband, the man, once again stood there, soft tummy wrapped with a towel from the bin out front around his waist. Quickly cleaning the meat, he’d bring it inside and throw it to cook in the kitchen while he showered.

He’d come out warm and all smiles and kisses as he made himself a plate full of meat and some potatoes or rice and sat with you at the table, helping to cut Lucas’ portion of meat into small enough pieces. But now, you wouldn’t have baby Lucas to cuddle and kiss while Frankie happily brought back the meat they’d need to feed themselves and their wolves.

Frankie had gently brought it up to you that maybe Lucas would benefit from coming on a hunt once in a while. Only for small game, of course, but it would still teach him valuable skills he would need to care for himself when he was older. You were originally horrified at the thought that Frankie wanted to bring your son who couldn’t even tie his shoes to hunt wild animals. But Frankie had given you time and talked it over with you for long enough until you realized that it would be what he needed.

As you ladle the stew into bowls for the three of you, Lucas cheers at his father coming inside and clammers down the step stool to run up to him. Frankie groans and lifts him high up before blowing on his tummy and dropping him onto the couch, squealing with laughter. You feel his warm palms slide around your stomach to pull you back to him as you sit the warm bowls on the table.

“Mmm, I’m not sure if you or dinner smells better,” his whiskers tickle along your neck as he leaves a series of small pecks up to your ear. “Well, you just said that it was a toss up between me or beef smelling better, so you should go with dinner right now and blame it on your stomach, hot shot,” you giggle as Frankie lowly growls in your ear and swats your bottom before moving to fill the glasses with water and a little cup of milk.

Eating during a full moon with a wolf man and a wolf toddler was a practice in spinning plates. As soon as you chastise Lucas for shoveling beef stew into his mouth, you turn to see Frankie’s cheeks puffed out with food. You give him a glare as he slowly swallows, straightening himself a bit and murmuring a reminder to his son to eat patiently. Frankly, at this point, you don’t know why you even bother to try.

“I’m finished, Papa!” Lucas is off like a shot as soon as his bowl was clean, but Frankie is off right after him, scooping him up, and plopping him on the couch. “Not so fast, mister, we need to talk first.” The little boy let out a long “Aaawww…” as his father drops him on the cushion in front of the coffee table. He groans as he sits and pulls out a map from his back pocket.

You join them after loading the dishwasher and look over the crinkled paper landscape. Frankie had been painstakingly planning out the trail he would take Lucas on as the hunted, coming up on weekends to make the entire path.

“Okay, buddy, what path are we going to take?” Frankie looks at your son with pride, certain he knows the answer. “Purple! ‘Cuz it’s my favorite color,” Lucas bounces on the couch with excitement, “Papa made it all purple just for me!”

Your husband has never looked so proud. “Exactly! And where are you going to stay while we’re out?” Lucas’ face goes stone serious, “Right next to Papa because the woods is dangerous! And, if I gets lost, I stand still and blow my new whistle!”

Frankie cut a paracord to hang an emergency whistle around Lucas’ neck, loud enough to be heard in a half-mile radius. With his heightened hearing, Frankie would be able to hear it and find him before any hunter would register it. Your son’s answer at least calms you knowing he’s prepared in case anything happens. You squeeze Frankie’s shoulder before walking back to the master bedroom, changing into comfy clothes before washing your face.

A knock at the door just as you finish draws your attention back, the space now filled with Frankie’s broad frame. “How are you doing?” his voice betrays his apprehension, he’s told you from the moment he brought this idea up that you have final say. You fold the towel you were using and sigh, “Fine, I guess. Sort of like when he started preschool, I’m so excited for him, but I’m terrified.” Your husband rubs the back of his neck, giving away just how nervous he is too. “But I know you’ll never let anything happen to him, even when changed.”

He looks back at you with a soft half-chuckle, pushing away from the wall he leaned on to pull you into a hug, warm and reassuring. You nuzzle against his neck, inhaling his woodsy scent. When you leave the embrace, he cups your cheek to bring you close for a slow, deep kiss before the inevitable strikes.

“Papa, PAPA LOOK IT SAYS 6!!!!” You both chuckle before your little boy bolts into the room, pointing at the bedside clock. Frankie scoops him up with a playful growl, making the boy giggle. “Ah, it my pup ready for his first hunt?” Lucas’ head nods so fast you watch him almost tip out of his father’s arms.

You laugh at his enthusiasm before leaning in to kiss his little cheek, “My sweet baby, are you sure you wanna go out? You could stay here with me and have cocoa!” He looks at you like you asked him to never watch TV again, “Mama, I gonna be scary wolf like papa!” Frankie chuckles, kissing his cheek and setting him down, “Okay, then let’s fold our clothes and get changed.”

With that, you slip out of the bathroom to lay on the bed. As you had been trying to teach your toddler privacy, you’d included any time he was a wolf. Frankie taught him to neatly fold his clothes and change in the bathroom to minimize any notice. As you try to distract yourself with a magazine you brought, you hear Frankie’s strangled grunts as he transforms and a little “hmph” from Lucas. Your husband teases that his old bones make changing unpleasant, but not gut-wrenching like movies always showed.

Upon hearing the door open, you look up to watch your hulking wolf husband emerge with a small pup zipping in front of him and up onto the bed. “Oh, look at this! Too bad Lucas isn’t here, he always wants a puppy!” You scritch under the soft, rounded snout as he giggles at your feigned forgetfulness, “Mama, it's me!” You smile at him and stand as Frank joins you, scooping up the boy.

You all walk to the front door, Luke nearly vibrating with excited energy as Frankie slips on a bright orange safety vest. You both hope that maybe it would keep any hunters from shooting on site, mistaking him as someone’s hunting dog. His whistle is placed around his neck and he’s off pawing at the door like an over-eager puppy. “Luke, come say good-bye to your mother before we leave!” Frankie puts on his own vest, carefully tucking the map in the pocket.

Lucas whips around to sit at your feet with uppy hands. You whirl him up and blanket his cheeks with kisses, “You be a very, very good boy for daddy, okay? Have a wonderful time and learn so, so much for your big boy brain!” Lucas looks upset suddenly and wiping at the tear slipping down your cheek, “Mama, you crying!!!” You chuckle wetly and take his fuzzy hand to give a kiss, “I’m just so excited for you, honey! Now, you go be the very best hunter and bring me back all your stories!” And he’s off to the door again.

Frankie steps up, wrapping an arm around your waist as he wipes away yet another tear. “You had better take good care of my baby, Francisco Morales, or else hunters won’t be the only thing you’d have to worry about,” he rubs a thumb over your cheek before pressing a scratchy kiss there. “I’d never let anyone touch a single hair of fuzz on his body.”

With that, they’re out the door hand in hand, Lucas chattering his father’s ear off as they start along the path marked with purple spots every few feet. You stood on the deck to watch as they leave, trying desperately to keep your tears away as you lay out two towels on the deck for them. “One hour,” you say to yourself, “you only need to distract yourself for one hour.” Now faced with an empty cabin, you halfheartedly turn on some movie.

It’s campy and a little low-budget, but the main bad guy makes you think of your husband somehow. Only if he was more vampire bat than wolf. But your distraction doesn’t last more than 20 minutes before you hear loud footsteps and Frankie half-soothingly, half-panicked murmurs of “it’s okay, honey, we’re back, you’ll be okay”. You bolt over to the door to see Frankie still in wolf form carrying your little boy wrapped in one of the towels, eyes all red and tired with mucus dripping from his tiny nose.

“Mama, I don’t feel good,” he whines tiredly, reaching for you with gooey hands you ignore to scoop him up as he starts furiously sneezing. “Sweetheart, what happened?” you examine him against your chest for any wounds or marks. “H-he won’t stop sneezing, he was right next to me in the brush and all of a sudden he couldn’t breathe without sniffles.” Feeling his forehead and side of his neck, you don’t feel any possible fever or infection.

“I-I think he has allergies, he’s not sick, just sniffly. C’mon, baby, let’s get you all steamed up in the bath,” you quickly walk to the bathroom down the hall and set our poor little guy in the bath. Taking the showerhead, you gently rinse any pollen off before plugging the tub and filling it with warm water. You hear the master bathroom’s shower turning on as soon as you turn off the water. Now that the steam curls around the room, Lucas takes more filling breaths. But after a few moments, the sniffles start again and tears fall down his nose instead.

“I-I s-so sorry, mama! I-I wanna be a good wolf like daddy!” He’s almost wailing now as he rubs his eyes. “Honey, it’s okay! You just had a yucky day! Next time, we’ll take your allergy pill before going out so you aren’t getting all stuffy from that junk.” He looks up with wide eyes, “B-but isn’t papa mad at me?” Your heart breaks a little as you wipe his eyes, “No, Luke, nothing would ever make him mad at you. Did you know daddy has allergies, too?”

He wipes his face with his whole arm, gasping a big relieved breath, “Really?” You take a clean washcloth to wipe off his face, swiping away any lingering junk, “Oh yeah, he got real sick when he first left for the army and they had to give special pills every day to keep him moving.”

Lucas looks over your shoulder and his eyes grow wider, prompting you to turn and see Frankie slowly walking in now in his loose sleep shirt and sweats. “How you feeling, bud? Is your nose still stuffy?” Lucas nods silently as his father sits with a groan on the ground with you. You pull the drain and wrap your son up in his fuzzy hooded towel. “We were talking about your stuffy nose from boot camp,” you catch Frankie’s eye to silently communicate the need for a story. And your amazing husband catches on.

He ruffles his son’s hair with the towel and groans, “Oh my goodness, it was awful. It’s 98 degrees, burning hot, and I’m standing their with the worst stuffy nose as we tried to run drills,” Frankie loosely pinches your son’s nose and makes a little honk sound. “Why do you think tío Santi calls me Catfish? I was always gulping down air in my mouth because my nose was too stuffed.” Frankie mimes opening his mouth and closing it like a fish, making Luke quietly giggle.

He throws his little arms around his father’s neck, “I sorry I not a good hunter, papa.” Frankie hums sadly, kissing the chubby cheek and holding the back on his head in his large hand, “It’s okay, mijo, you weren’t feeling well. I wanted to get you better! We can just try again next month, okay?” Luke sniffs and nods, all excited again.

You stand up with a soft groan, putting your hands on your hips, “Well, since papa didn’t get any snacks for you two, how about I warm up the leftover stew while daddy gets you into some comfy pjs?” Lucas’ excited gasp has you smiling again, “Yay, my tummy needs food, mama!” Frankie scoops him up, tickling his sides to make him giggle, “If you get some food ready, babe, I’ll get this spring fever monster all cozy.”

You walk into the kitchen and take the food out of the fridge, laughing as you hear more toddler squeals as your boys play. He might be part wolf from his father, but at least for a little bit longer, he could just be your baby boy still.

#werewolf frankie morales #frankie morales x reader #frankie morales x fem!reader #werewolf frankie morales x reader #catfish morales x reader #triple frontier #megan writes now

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bottlecaprabbitgames · 1 year

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Weekly Update for 27 March, 2023

Howdy, folks! Welcome to the last update of March! Time really has flown, jesus-

Mind Games: Trepidation

Onto our favorite subject! If you guys haven't seen, there have been multiple edits pushed for mostly Chapter 1 and 2 this week! These edits have added new options to some dialogue choices, some customisation choices, and some variation to certain spots where I saw I favored sarcastic MCs over others. There have been a couple of grammar fixes pushed in Chapter 3, 4, and 5, but I have not done a more thorough editing of those chapters; after putting in some achievements, my brain kinda just. Flat-lined and needed a break, lol!

I have gotten LOADS done on Chapter 6! I am actually in Scene 3/4 for the rough draft, with about half of Scene 3's rough draft completed. Again, the rough draft is just me going through and picking one option for each branch and getting through the story so I know where it'll go when I go back to flesh it out! However, that's still a LOT of progress!!! The whole chapter is at about 5,600 words, and before doing the update I had started editing Scene 1 for a bit to start fleshing out so it's not so much work later.

A few things with MG:T:

In case you aren't aware, MG:T is only expected to be 9 Chapters, NOT including Interludes and the Epilogue. We are over 50% done with the game! VERY EXCITING!!! (Especially as I am ITCHING to get to book 2, lol!)

Chapter 6 is expected to be out in April. I will be releasing it in full as I'm expecting it to be a small to average size chapter.

I am always open to feedback and suggestions! Honestly, I would REALLY LOVE for you folks to tell me where you think improvements could be made or where you'd like to see more choices/what kind of choices you want to see more of. Be the change you want to see, lol!!

Remember: Every time an update is pushed, your saves will be corrupted! I try to push things all at once, but I never know how much I'll get done at any one time so sometimes I push smaller updates over a course of a day. If you aren't seeing anything new, it might be because your save is before the update was pushed!

I am still checking this Google Form! I am considering making one that is all about feedback and suggestions, and I DO check the one that's listed there daily! I actually have an active list of suggestions and stuff people have given me, and I do try to take the stuff you guys tell me needs fixing and put those fixes into the game!! Those of you who have answered the feedback section have been amazingly helpful and I appreciate it so much!!!

In case you missed it, I do have a page up now that has a list of all the free scenarios I've posted in the past and present, at least, the ones I could find! It also has a list of sneak peeks from Patreon I've posted! Some of them are a bit outdated as they're from, like, when I first started writing the game back in 2018-2019, but they're still enjoyable!

There is a poll up on Patreon right now that ends in 2 weeks! It's letting Patrons vote for which RO(s) will 100% be featured in April's scenarios for Patreon, and as a special treat, one of the 2 chosen ROs will be available to the lower tier as well! And, the lower tier can always vote in polls. The tier prices are $3 and $10, with $3 opening up polls, a sneak peek, discord benefits, weekly update+ content, and credits mentions (I will be putting every Patron I've had in the past in the credits of the game(s) they were supporting me during development!), with occasional monthly bonuses. The $10 tier opens up EVERYTHING I have, and everything that gets posted monthly!

I think that's all I got to tell y'all this week! See you at the next update! (Where I can hopefully confirm being done with at least one of the scenes in Chapter 6, hehe.)

#weekly update #mind games: trepidation #mind games #interactive fiction #if #interactivefiction

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the-faramir · 5 months

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Niji-iro Midori: The Reluctant Ringmaster

Chapter 5: One Does Not Simply Walk Into Abberton

The Celestial Menagerie escapees fled through the night, but the journey from Escadar to Abberton was no short stroll. Abberton was over 30 miles away as the crow flies, and a direct path was not optimal for a rag-tag band of refugees without supplies.

Bufurug led the way, as he knew the Starstone Isles like the back of his hand. Even though he had reverted back to his natural form seconds after the escape, his short shoony legs took surprisingly long strides.Erol Korkut, a human, and Alyssa Sunmeadow, a halfling, both of whom had worked with Toby selling concessions, followed closely behind, still dressed in their work aprons. Next came Midori and Itty-Bitty, with Lyla Cadwalader, a gnome animal trainer, making great strides to keep up. Bringing up the rear, and guarding the company from behind, were Brondin Stonehammer, a dwarf security guard, and Stefano Xenides, a human rigger.

Bufurug guided the procession northward toward the river flowing down from the mountains that lay northeast of Escadar. "We'll need water if we want to make it there alive! Keep going along the eastern riverbank. It will lead us to the foothills of the mountains near the Erran Tower. From there, we should find a road leading northeast to Abberton. Let me formulate a plan for supplies—I know how to survive in the wilderness.

"For now, it doesn't look like we're being followed, so let's take advantage of the cover of darkness and press on as quickly as we can till sunrise. Keep quiet and save your breath, and we'll take a breather at first light."

After hours of hiking by the riverside without incident, the sun began to rise. Bufurug called for a rest. "It's plenty warm out still, so you all can take a nap by the riverbank. Lie on your backs and prop your legs up on a tree if you're aching from the march. I'll keep watch and prepare my spells in case we run into any trouble."

After a few hours with no incident, Bufurug quietly roused each of the team, one by one, most of them groaning at the early wake-up call. Midori's stomach gurgled in protest. "Hey, Bufurug. I hate to bring this up, but did anybody, ya know, pack any food?"

"No, no, Midori. None of us were prepared for the sudden escape. We'll have to forage for food." Bufurug turned his attention to the river. "Hey, you two, stop drinking! You need to go upstream some more for safety. And you, there! For the love of Erastil, if you're going to use the river as your latrine, do it downstream from where people are drinking!" Bufurug stomped off to assist, muttering, "Ugh, tenderfoots."

"Hey, Squirt!" Itty-Bitty, the seven-foot-tall, 300-pounds-of-muscle orc clown stepped over to Midori and gave her a hand up. She still wore her clown's greasepaint from last night's performance, and her pink-and-purple hair puffs were starting to sag. "I got a caramel apple if ya want. I been keepin' it in me pocket." She proceeded to pull the lint-covered treat out of a pocket in her gaudily patterned pants, trailing a few lines of softened caramel like brown cobwebs.

"Gah!" Midori reacted with revulsion. "No, that's fine, Big Sis. Ya had the forethought to pack a snack, so ya deserve to keep it all for yerself."

"All right. I always keep one in me pocket. Just in case. And the case is now." Itty-Bitty popped the apple into her mouth and pulled out the stick, tossing it into the river.

Bufurug gathered the company around him to discuss foraging. "Everyone! I know you are all tired and hungry. But rejoice! For Aroden has blessed this island, built the Erran Tower, and placed an aeon orb atop it to provide us all with the bounty of nature! A brief search should provide you with all the sustenance you need for the day."

"All we need?" Midori queried with a mischievous smirk. "Well, I feel a mighty need for some deep-fried tofu after all that runnin'. Let's see if Aroden provided us with some wild ‘tofudebeests.’ I'll try callin' one!" She cupped her hands around her mouth and bellowed out the guttural, annoying call of the imaginary creature that she had just made up.

Bufurug was not amused.

Midori looked over at him and stopped making her racket. "Yeah, I know. Can we forage up some soybeans and make tofu?"

Midori grinned hopefully at Bufurug.

"That's...no." Bufurug was somewhat frustrated, but willing to educate Midori. "First, the soybeans we eat are a cultivated crop. Even if we were to find wild soybeans, they'd be different. If we had the right soybeans, tofu is a whole process on its own. You make soy milk—"

Midori interrupted, "How in the hells do ya milk soybeans?"

"No, no, not that kind of milk. Once you have the soy milk, you cook it, and strain it, and add bittern or gypsum or lemon juice to curdle it. Then form and press it. We just wouldn't have the time or effort to waste on that. Plus, we have no equipment for food prep or cooking. We'll have to find fruits and nuts, rest while we eat, then go. We're too close to the Menagerie still to risk cooking fires, so no small game, either. They could find us, and then our escape would be for naught. I reiterate: no fires!"

Bufurug turned to address the team as a whole. "Anyhow, when foraging, be careful about which plants you touch, too. Remember, 'leaflets three, it's not TP; berries white, not a delight.' For that matter, don't touch any berries or fruit that you haven't eaten before. Well, don't eat any berries at all, just to be safe. Edible leafy greens could be confusing to those not in the know, as well. You should be able to find cherries, crab apples, apricots, peaches, and grapes this time of year. Maybe walnuts and figs."

Erol piped up, "I thought cherries were berries!"

"No, they're more closely related to apricots and peaches," Bufurug answered.

"One more thing. Most of you are unarmed. While you're out there, try to find fallen branches suitable to use as clubs or staffs. This land is full of dangers; we want to be able to defend ourselves."

During her foraging, Midori found a peach tree with a few ripe fruits and she started to pick the few that she could reach. She composed and sang on the spot a song about peaches and how much she loved them (which was mostly the word "peaches" repeated ad nauseam). She also came across a grapevine laden with fruit hanging off of tree branches beyond her reach, but she took one look and exclaimed, "Bah! Those grapes are probably sour, anyhow."

Over the next hour, everybody noticed that there was not very much fruit to gather. One by one, each of the comrades returned with meager handfuls of fruit, alarming Bufurug somewhat.

"I don't understand! There should be plenty of fruit to eat! What has happened to Erran? Have the gods forsaken us? Has Mistress Dusklight really kept me locked away from nature for so long that I haven't noticed what's been going on here?" He cast his eyes downward in shame. "Can I even call myself a druid anymore?"

Midori raised her voice in frustration. "We each have, what? A handful o' fruit? An' we need to go on a day's forced march on that? I...can't see how that can work out."

The reality of Midori's current situation and the circumstances in which she had left the day before hit her with full force. Tears welled up in her eyes and her voice began to quaver. "Mistress...no. Dusklight. Just Dusklight. She doesn't deserve to be called by a fancy title! She abused us all! She MURDERED Toby!" She sobbed twice, sniffled, then wailed in regret, "AAAAAAAAH! An' we just walked away without a fight!" Tears streamed down her face as she fell to her knees.

Erol and Alyssa approached Midori to comfort her. Itty-Bitty walked over to give her a side-hug and a shoulder on which to cry.

"They would have killed us all, kid," Bufurug reminded her evenly. "Never underestimate Dusklight. She is more skilled than she looks, and her cronies also have surprises up their sleeves. Not everyone in the Menagerie is there under duress. Some relish the thought of killing."

"Then we'll have to hone our skills and come up with surprises of our own!" Midori stood up, wiped the tears from her eyes with her palms, and steeled her face with grim determination. "I swear to Cayden Cailean, I will kill Dusklight or bring her to justice! Then all of our folk still under her control can be free!"

Midori started to sing.

🎶🎶🎶

Toby, you were my friend, my partner in crime We shared our dreams, we had a good time But then she took you away from me She made you pay too much for your petty thievery

Dusklight, you're a monster, you're a tyrant, you're a fiend You killed my Toby, you broke my heart, you shattered my dream But I swear by Cayden Cailean, the god of freedom and wine I will make you pay for what you've done, I will end your reign of crime

You think you're clever, you think you're smart You think you run your circus like a work of art But you don't care about the people you hurt You make them suffer, you treat them like dirt

But I'm not alone, I still have my friends We left your gods-damned hellhole, we made our amends We'll start our own show, we have a new goal We'll spread joy and hope, we'll heal every soul

I will make you pay for what you've done, I will end your reign of crime

🎶🎶🎶

Midori raised her fist and shouted, "Who's with me?"

Midori’s friends cheered in solidarity with her.

Stuffing her meager forage into her belt pouches, Midori muttered, "Well, I just lost my appetite. Sooner we get there, sooner we start trainin’. Let's go!" She ran off up the riverside ahead of the gang.

Bufurug tried to warn her, "Midori, hold up," but she was already on her way.

Midori nimbly ran around a copse of trees that hid the big bend in the river where it shifted from flowing from the east to flowing from the north. There, upon the riverbank, she discovered a wreck of a boat that must have crashed no more than a few days earlier.

"Hey!" Midori called out, "anybody here? Anybody need some help?"

Nobody replied except for Bufurug as he ran around the trees to catch up. "What happened?"

"A wrecked boat," Midori replied. "Musta been goin' way too fast, lost control, and crashed into the riverbank at the bend. No crew around. I see some crates. We should see if there's anythin' we can use." She sniffed the air as some of the others caught up. "Ugh. Something smells like rotting meat." As she walked around the bow of the boat, Midori found the source of the foul stench.

"Oh, no. Well, that'll be the captain." A corpse lay in front of her, his head dashed upon the rocks, his clothes torn, and the majority of his flesh eaten. A sword belt holding a rapier remained fastened around the waist. "Hmm. Ya won't be needin' this anymore."

Unbuckling the sword belt from the late captain's waist, Midori unsheathed his rapier to examine it. Rapiers were Cayden Cailean's weapons of choice. Finding this particular one to be in good condition, Midori smiled. "I shall call you...'Lightsnuffer,' and I shall use you to snuff out Dusklight's..." She twirled the tip of the blade while trying to find a word less awkward. "...light!" She grasped the rapier in her hand, awkwardly, and gave it a few clumsy swings as if she were chopping wood with a hatchet.

"I can help teach you how to use that," interjected Brondin, who had come up beside her, narrowly avoiding the swing of the blade. "I'll help train you when we get to Abberton."

The team started searching the wreckage. The hold in the back of the boat held several items, secured in place with a cargo net. Brondin and Itty-Bitty pulled back the net to let the others take stock.

Lyla called out, "Here's a keg! I'll bet it's beer!"

Alyssa added, "Oh, and a box of wooden mugs."

Bufurug pulled the lid off of a smaller crate. "Medical supplies! We can treat our cuts and scratches."

Midori pried the lid off of her wooden crate with a stray piece of metal from the wreckage. She detected muted scents of dried beef, tallow, spices, dried fruits, and baked wheat flour. "Iron rations? Survival food?" She rummaged through the crate to see how much was there. Reminded of how hungry she was, her stomach gurgled.

"Hey, everybody! Food! Over here!" She saw a few more crates with identical markings. "Enough for us all!"

As the others began to gather around, Midori opened one of the cloth-wrapped packages, exposing a stack of very thin cakes that were baked a light brown on the outside. She gingerly picked up one of the cakes and looked at it with a doubtful expression. "Ugh. Cram. Hardtack. Bland as ash. Or maybe we lucked out and it's halfling wandermeal?" She nibbled at a corner, and flavors of caramelized sugar, butter, vanilla, citrus peel, and cinnamon burst onto her tongue. Her eyes opened wide and she shoved the entire cake into her mouth, chewing noisily and attracting the attention of the rest of her comrades.

Lyla asked, "What have you found?"

"I dunno, I thought they were hardtack, but they turned out to be crunchy cookies and they're freakin' delicious!"

More of the group gathered around, some taking samples from Midori's stack.

"Yeah, ya know what? These taste like elven magic. Yeah, yeah, from those elves who live in those hollow trees, bakin' cookies and stuff. Y'know, the Keebluriel Elves!"

Midori's logic confused Bufurug. "The...what? That's not a real thing, Midori." Everyone else was used to Midori's nonsense, so they just shook their heads and went back to what they were doing.

After a quick meal of iron rations, Errol opened up the cask of beer and poured everyone a mugful. Midori stood up and cleared her throat, garnering everyone's attention.

"Clearly, this cache of supplies is a boon from Cayden Cailean! Praises are in order!" As everyone raised their mugs up into the air, she began to sing:

🎶🎶🎶

Here's to Cayden Cailean, Cayden Cailean, Cayden Cailean Here's to Cayden Cailean, he's with us tonight He's happy, he's jolly, he's blessed us, by golly! Here's to Cayden Cailean, he's with us tonight!

🎶🎶🎶

"So drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!"

Everybody drank quickly, finding this beer to be the best they had ever tasted. They all returned for a second round.

Once everyone had eaten their fill, Bufurug advised "Load up your pockets and pouches with as much food as you can carry. We'll stick close to the river. Keep drinking more water than you think you need to compensate for the dried food. We should have more than enough to fuel a one-day hike to the foothills without stopping for foraging. When we get closer to the Erran Tower, we'll surely find better forage. The aeon orb, the stone circling the top, has been imbuing the land with magical energy for millennia, thanks to Aroden, and should be stronger near the tower even if it's starting to weaken out here."

"Did Aroden create the aeon orbs?" Alyssa asked Bufurug, "I hear he pulled the Starstone Isles right up from the sea floor so we could have a place to live."

"Well, no. Although Aroden created the aeon towers—the one here on the Isle of Erran and the others on the Isle of Kortos—he went to the Darklands down below us and liberated the stones from an underground jungle. That was the Orvian vault of Vask. The aeon orbs were being used to support the xulgaths living there."

"Xulgaths?" Alyssa had heard of them before. "I thought they only existed in stories our parents would tell us to get us to behave. Did they die out when Aroden took the orbs?"

"Oh, no. You see, Aroden left one behind for them. The xulgaths live on in the Darklands to this day."

Worried, the halfling replied, "Do you think they'd come up to the surface to take the orbs back?"

“That would not happen. Although raiding parties come to the surface from time to time, it seems that the passage of time has caused the xulgaths to...well, forget about the aeon orbs. I've heard that they barely remember any details from their formerly great civilization.”

The company managed to hike toward the foothills without incident that day, and they camped for the night in a small clearing near where the river flowed down from the mountain.

Midori woke to a quiet commotion in the camp. Bufurug and Brondin Stonehammer whispered urgently to each other while sounds of whispered communication came from the surrounding woods. "Could be bandits," Brondin whispered.

Brondin saw Midori stirring and walked over to her. "Midori," he whispered, "we find ourselves surrounded. Prepare yourself and draw your rapier. If they turn out to be hostile and they get close, stab forward at a face or torso if you see an opening. We're not sure who they are, but they could outnumber us."

Midori hissed, "Aw, man! I'm too tired for this! I have a better idea." She stood up, cleared her throat, and prepared to project her voice.

"Midori, no—!" Bufurug tried to stop her to no avail.

With her magically amplified voice, Midori let out a loud, long yelp that sounded like a cross between a dragon's bellow, a lion's roar, and a rooster’s crow. All those in the camp who were still sleeping scrambled to their feet in a panic. In the surrounding woods, the voices cried out and retreated into the distance.

"Midori, what in the nine hells was that?"

Midori shrugged and simply explained, "If you hear weird noises In the night, simply make weirder noises to assert dominance."

Bufurug addressed the company. "Bandits are easily startled, but they'll soon be back, and in greater numbers. I suggest we break camp and move on. The Erran Tower is not far. Drink up, as we are leaving the river behind.

After everyone had a chance to prepare for the hike, the group left for the Erran Tower on a seldom-traveled trail through the forest. They arrived about an hour later, as the sun began to rise over the eastern horizon and started to burn off the fog.

Coming around a bend in the trail, the procession saw a large clearing that was home to the Erran Tower, a 300-foot-tall mudbrick pyramid with a flat top, above which orbited a large, glowing stone.

Bufurug instructed, "We have arrived. Fan out and gather fruit, but be mindful of your surroundings." The team found the produce to be slightly better than by the riverside, but not much. Bufurug lamented their situation, but directed the group to a road leading from the tower toward Abberton, going back into the woods and toward a bridge crossing a fog-filled dry creak bed.

As the group passed by the mudbrick tower, Midori remarked "What is that smell? Did something die in there? Glad we're not exploring the inside of that thing."

After hiking several dozen feet farther down the path, Bufurug held up his hand to signal the company to stop in their tracks. "Wait. Listen." Complete silence weighed down on the forest like a heavy blanket. "It's quiet. Too quiet," he whispered. "We're in danger. Prepare yourselves."

As everyone readied their weapons and glanced around the path frantically, Lyla pointed back to the entrance of the tower. "There!"

Erupting forth from the tower entrance came a small squadron of four reptilian humanoids with dull gray, scaly, mottled skin, wearing leather armor and tattered hides and armed with nasty-looking weapons. The one in the lead pointed at Bufurug and his team, exclaiming in Draconic, "Rotinivokari! Amid!"

Bufurug, incredulous, identified them. "Xulgaths? Here? Friends, you are in over your heads. You should run."

"Well, looks like it's showtime!" Midori drew her rapier and encouraged her friends. "I think we can take 'em. They don't look like much."

She shouted at the attackers, "Step right up! Step right up! Come and get yer ass-whoopin'! We're not afraid of a buncha rubes like you!"

"Midori, wait!" Bufurug tried to stop the impetuous kitsune, but was too late.

Midori charged toward one of the xulgath warriors with her rapier, thrusting forward to target his chest, but her blade only caught in his armor. Midori looked up into the warrior’s face glowering back at her. "Hehehhhhh, maybe I should be a BIT afraid," she admitted as she backed away, turned around, and ran back to the company.

"Stay back, everyone," Bufurug barked his orders at the group, "I shall handle this, myself!" He grasped a sprig of mistletoe hanging from his belt and began gesturing and chanting to cast a spell.

"Sruthán, leanbh, sruthán! Tá bálseomra trí thine! Sruthán, leanbh, sruthán! Sruthán an mháthair sin síos! Fire in the hole!"

Bufurug gestured as if he were throwing a ball, and a blast of flames erupted from a spot roughly in the center of the xulgath warriors' formation, engulfing them in fire. One xulgath was quick enough to duck and roll to the edge of the blast, swearing in Draconic and in considerable pain from his burns. The other three screamed in agony briefly, then went silent, collapsing to the ground.

Midori exclaimed, "Holy crap, Boof! I didn't know you could do that!"

"Second edition allows for it," the shoony druid replied.

Midori stared at him blankly. "What?"

"...nothing," Bufurug shrugged.

Bufurug sprinted toward the surviving xulgath, readying his makeshift staff for a strike. Stefano ran up alongside, fists at the ready. Once within range, Stefano slowed down and began to cough and heave from the xulgath's stench. Nonetheless, he let loose some punches, which the xulgath dodged easily. Bufurug, blessed with a shoony's snout, suffered no ill effects.

The xulgath quickly sized up his two opponents, then swung his club at Bufurug, hitting him in the shoulder. A follow-up bite and swipe with claws connected only with the air.

Bufurug shouted, “Athraigh an bata seo ina sail éille!” His staff darkened, hardened, and grew heavier as he spun it at the xulgath, connecting with one end and following up with a strike from the other end that struck the xulgath's head.

As he fell, the xulgath warrior shouted out in Draconic, "Letoclo udoka, yicari-xiiwiss!"

As Draconic was the de facto language Xa Hoi, her neighboring country when she was a child, Midori knew the language well. She translated, "'Help us, spinesnapper'? What...what is a spinesnapper?"

As if in answer, the slow, rhythmic sound of ponderous footsteps echoed through the forest. A much taller, uglier, and more muscular xulgath emerged from the tower and shambled down the forest path, wielding a large stone maul. He growled menacingly.

Itty-Bitty hefted her pruned tree branch and ran toward the new foe. "'GRRRRR' this! Yer not so big! Stay away from me friends!" As she charged, winding up her makeshift club, the much larger xulgath spinesnapper swung his maul to connect with her as she approached, knocking her back down the path, where she landed with a sickening crunch.

Reacting quickly, Erol and Stephano ran to Itty-Bitty's aid, pulling her to her feet. As the blow from the maul had fazed her somewhat, they walked her back to the rest of the party.

As the spinesnapper approached, Bufurug shouted, "Make for the other side of the bridge! I will hold back our foe!"

As the spinesnapper approached, Bufurug chanted once more “Ag siúl tríd an tine, tá cinniúint i mo l��mha. Ag fanacht le tintreach a bhualadh!“ A lightning bolt shot down from a cloud that had just appeared above and connected with his foe. Now covered in soot with smoke rising from its scales, the spinesnapper shook his head to clear it, snarled, and once again moved toward the group.

Bufurug sustained his spell. “Buailfidh tintreach!” A second bolt struck the xulgath, but did not slow his approach.

Bufurug retreated halfway across the bridge then turned to face the oversized xulgath, slamming his staff onto the wooden bridge.

"You shall not pass! I am a druid of the Wild Order, keeper of the Isle of Erran! You shall not pass! Return to the underground shadows from whence you came! You shall not pass!"

As the spinesnapper stepped onto the bridge, almost on top of the shoony druid, Bufurug called down yet another bolt: “Buailfidh tintreach,” striking the xulgath, but also splitting the bridge in two, the tower-side half collapsing into the creek bed.

Bufurug toppled over with the spinesnapper, but managed to grab on to the edge of the bridge. The xulgath grabbed Bufurug's legs and struggled to pull him down as well. His fingers slipping, Bufurug called out to his allies, who were staring, dumbfounded, "Fly, you fools!"

From thirty feet away, Midori reached out, screaming impotently, "Bufurug!" Her companions grabbed her, wordlessly encouraging her to run.

Bufurug could hold on no longer and fell down into the fog....

...followed suspiciously quickly with a muffled thud and a cry of pain from the xulgath spinesnapper. Bufurug's voice carried lightly over the air, "I'm...okay."

The party ran over to the edge of the bridge and peered into the abyss. The fog had cleared out, revealing a ten-foot depth with Bufurug unceremoniously sprawled on top of his unconscious foe. "I guess it didn't have so much fight left in it and I finished it off with that fall. Somebody toss me a rope!"

After helping Bufurug out of the creek bed, the procession continued down the road. Eventually, they crested a hill to see a village about a quarter of a mile away. There was much rejoicing.

Midori caught a whiff of a breeze blowing toward them from the village. "Oh! Lamb, beef, chicken! Bread! Somebody's cooking!" She pulled her coinpuse off of her belt and examined the contents. "I still have the entire cash drop from my booth from the night we left. Looks like lunch is on Dusklight!" Midori ran forth to scout out the source of those wonderful aromas with half of her friends running after her.

"I must advise caution!" Bufurug warned. "Slow down and stay together. Don't attract any unwanted attention. We don't know who awaits us in the village."

Midori and the others stopped to let the others catch up, then Midori's nose continued to lead the group toward the local inn, a three-story building built on top of a rock outcropping. The sign above the door read, "The Miners' Den" and featured a carving of a shovel and pickaxe, crossed diagonally across the sign.

Midori opened the door and walked inside, looking about the sunlit foyer eagerly. The others filed in after her. The wide staircase on the right side of the room led downward into a stone-walled basement lit by torchlight. Smiling welcomingly, a human woman with blonde hair in a burgundy peasant top and a skirt stood behind the reception desk on the left, with shelves and racks of keys behind her, and an open hallway leading to the rest of the building.

"Hello, and welcome to The Miners' Den! Are you here for lunch?"

"Lunch! Yes!" Midori piped up enthusiastically, "Whatever you're cookin’, we can smell it from down the road. We gotta get some of that!"

Bufurug strode up to the desk and signaled for the front desk clerk's attention. "A hearty meal for eight, if you please; also water and a keg of beer. We have been walking some distance and could use something substantial to replenish our strength. The young lady in green has graciously offered to treat us all."

The clerk turned to Midori. "Oh, how nice! The crew downstairs can get you a family-style lunch spread and your drinks for..." She grabbed paper and quill to jot down the order. "Five silver even. Will you be staying in the inn for the night?

Midori reached into her coin purse, pulled out five silver pieces, and handed them to the clerk. "Oh, we—"

Bufurug interrupted: "That all depends on a few...variables. Once I've had a bite to eat, I was hoping to ask you a few questions before we finalize our itinerary."

The clerk replied, "Very good, sir! We have a washroom on the right at the bottom of the staircase before the entrance to the common room. Clean water from a hand pump from our underground well. I'm sure that you all would like to wash up first after collecting road dust from your journey." She opened the covering on a voice pipe installed in the desk, blew its whistle, and spoke into it: "Vruti, table for eight. Full service. Keg of beer."

The sound of multiple yipping voices speaking the Draconian language in the background came up through the voice pipe, along with a more clear voice speaking in common, "Yah, we can do that, Gwen. We set up now."

Hearing the voices in the background, Midori asked the hostess, "They speak Draconian? You got workers from Xa Hoi?"

The hostess smiled and replied, "No, they're locals. You'll see. And they're friendly. Now go on down and grab some lunch."

The party descended the staircase, stopped by the washroom to clean the dirt off of their faces and hands (except for Itty-Bitty, who reapplied grease paint to her face instead of washing it), then moved into the common room.

Before them stood a torchlit cavern strewn with wooden dining tables and chairs, some occupied with what appeared to be locals. Various hallways branched out from the room at odd intervals, interspersed with closed doors. At the far end of the cavern, a wide window with a counter opened into the kitchen, showing a cooking fire surrounded with rotating vertical skewers full of meat. However, the feature that most interested the party was the staff: all kobolds, standing two or three feet tall with long tails and sharp horns, each one with different colored scales. Cooks in white jackets and toques worked in the kitchen. A few servers in black aprons who carried large trays laden with food bustled around a large table set for eight.

Midori's eyes opened wide, trembling and sparkling. "Eeeeee! Itty-Bitty," she whispered as she elbowed her friend in the ribs, "those are kobolds? They're so damned cute!"

"Yeah, those are kobolds," Itty-Bitty replied. "Usually they run away or try killin' ev'ryone when ya find 'em. Never seen 'em serve lunch before."

"Ooooo! They're so cute I gotta punch somethin’!" Midori proceeded to punch Itty-Bitty in the arm, without inflicting any pain, of course. "Can I have one? Can I take one home?"

Overhearing this interaction, Bufurug hissed at Midori, "Those are people just like you and me. You can't 'have one.'"

"Well, I'mma ask 'em to join the circus with us, then."

"Midori, behave yourself.”

A green-scaled kobold in black pants, a white shirt, and a black bow tie approached the group. Midori raised her arm and pointed her index finger at him, her mouth agape, about to say something about how adorable his ensemble was with the darling bow tie and OH MY GODS ARE THOSE TEENSY LITTLE EMERALD CUFFLINKS? but Bufurug pushed her arm down and gestured to her to keep quiet before she could say anything.

"Welcome to The Miners’ Den. I am Vruti; I seat you at your table. We hope you are hungry. Food is fresh and locally sourced. Meat is hot off the skewers." Vruti gestured invitingly to the table. Seven of the group rushed over to throw themselves into seats, blindly grabbing what morsels were closest and tossing them either into their mouths or onto the plates in front of them, as was standard meal procedure at the Celestial Menagerie when the fare was more than simply stew ladled out into bowls. The other customers looked at them with various levels of disgust.

Bufurug spoke levelly yet firmly as he unhurriedly walked over to the eighth chair, "Friends, we are out in public. And in public, one is expected to adhere to at least a minimum level of table manners. Stop and look around you. These fine people are savoring their food, enjoying it. We are in no rush. We have enough food for all of us. Take a look at what is laid out for us. Pass the serving trays around the table in an orderly fashion. Put whatever looks good to you in a flatbread and wrap it up. Take small bites."

Looking around the table, the party saw platters of roasted red meats and poultry, smoked sardines, warm folded flatbread, chopped fresh or pickled vegetables, crumbled goat's cheese, and bowls of dips and spreads. Each setting had a mug of water and a mug of a pale, crisp lager, the remaining beer waiting to provide refills in the cask on a stand at the side of the table. After Bufurug's admonishment, they reigned in their impulses and behaved like civilized customers.

Midori had put a variety of ingredients into a flatbread, wrapped it up, and took a bite. The beef and lamb slices were flavorful and juicy, with a little crispiness around the edges. Tomatoes added more juiciness and pickles provided some crunch. The crumbled cheese and fluffy white garlic sauce added saltiness and sharpness. Altogether, it was a flavor profile that she had never tasted before in her life. "Whoa! This sure beats the mystery stew back at the Menagerie! Hey, Bufurug, why didn't we ever eat this stuff back there?"

"Well, Midori, economies of scale and the effort of preparing a meal for dozens of people who want to eat at the same time. It's different, here. We're paying for flavor and quality, and the kitchen crew has been working since morning preparing for this meal. The Menagerie had us maximize filling our stomachs while minimizing cost." Bufurug finished his wrap and drank down the contents of his water mug. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some questions for the hostess upstairs." Bufurug left the table while the others continued to eat and drink.

One of the kobold servers refilled Midori’s water mug and she thanked him in Draconic, “Si vinxa.”

Surprised, he replied, “Vs'shtak? Wux renthisj Vs'shtak? <Draconic? You speak Draconic?>”

“Axun,” Midori confirmed, “si yora svadrav si jahus vi sihe persvek Minkai. <Yes, I learned when I was a child in Minkai.>

The kobolds gathered around Midori and started asking questions in Common and Draconian simultaneously, not pausing to wait for answers. "Where are you from? Tir wux tepoha vi mrrandii? Tiric nomeno annish ekess qe lekiqa? Sjek ilfis kackic vi ticket ekess wer circus tir astahii mahhn gethrisj shafaer? Svabol tir kakalack siofme yth varmunch hefoc? What is the circus like? Kii tir yth rigluin kemir bras? Do you need more roasted chicken? Svabol shilta yth anku astahi? Svanoa tir jekivemivi xurwk suorraic? Kii ui coi relgra tourist zissknir sjek yth shilta ti jotop sva astahi? Svabol ui wer ultro di ir cha'sid svrakir?"

It is quite possible that Midori misunderstood some of these questions, but she tried to answer to the best of her abilities. And yes, she did need more roasted chicken.

Soon, Bufurug returned to let his comrades know that Myron “Thunder” Stendhal himself would be driving out to this village tomorrow on a supply run and would gladly offer a ride to the group.”Please, you’ve all had an ordeal, so get some rest and relaxation until mid-morning tomorrow. I’ve booked us a room with blankets and pillows for sleeping. Let’s gather again in the common room for dinner and breakfast.”

After lunch, more kobolds came through the common room with trays of artisanal jewelry to sell. Most of the circus folk turned down their offers, but Midori’s attention caught on a particularly striking black silk choker with a green gemstone. She had the coins available, which she had never had growing up in the Celestial Menagerie, so she purchased it right then and there.

On leaving The Miners’ Den with Itty-Bitty to go explore the village, Midori looked down at her tattered barker's outfit. "This won't do. I don't want Papa Thunder to see me like this after all this time. An' it reminds me of workin’ at the Celestial Menagerie. Let's go spend the day shoppin’!"

Itty-Bitty replied, "I dunno, Squirt. That’ll take all day."

"All right, how about a shoppin’ montage instead? There's always time for a quick montage!"

When they had found a suitable clothing store in town, Midori tried on several outfits in various colors and designs. She eventually settled on a peasant outfit with a green skirt and a white top under a brown bodice.

After their shopping foray, Midori and Itty-Bitty returned to The Miners’ Den in time for dinner.

The party sat at the same table from lunchtime, which was set with a dip made from fish roe and potatoes with flatbread on the side, fresh broiled fish and octopus, and spinach-feta pie. Carafes of house wine sat at both ends of the table.

After the party had eaten with minimal chatter, one of the kobolds led the group to the sleep chambers, where most everybody fell asleep almost instantly, exhausted from the past few days. Midori, however, stayed up to take a long, warm bath before turning in for the night, using up an entire bottle of shampoo in the process.

The next morning, they woke up to a breakfast of toasted bread, soft cheese, eggs poached in tomato-pepper sauce, and steaming mugs of black coffee. As Midori was finishing her meal, she heard a shout from upstairs: “It’s Myron’s wagon! He’s here!” She swallowed her last mouthful, gulping down some water, and threw some coins on the table, shouting “Thank-you-very-much-for-everythin’! The-food-was-great! I’ll-be-back-sometime-soon! Byeeee!” She then ran up the stairs and out the front door to where the wagon approached The Miners’ Den.

The wagon slowed to a stop and Myron stepped down onto the roadside.

"Papa Thunder!" Midori shouted as she ran toward Myron, tears streaming down her face. "I've missed you so much! How long has it been? The years have been such a clouded blur!" She jumped toward Myron into a tackle-hug that spun him right around as he hugged her back.

"Oof!” Myron exhaled forcefully. “Hello there, little kit! It's been a while, for sure. You were under Dusklight's influence for half of your life. I'm amazed that you were able to get away! She had threatened to kill you rather than let you come with me when I left. Bufurug told me a few details of your escape, but said that he'd have to regale me with the tale later."

"What, Bufurug?” Midori scrunched up her face pensively. “You just got here and he's been with us all night. How...?"

"Your friend has a hidden talent. He can walk the fire's pathway and transport himself between large enough fires to cover, well, pretty much any distance. He appeared in our cooking fire about lunchtime yesterday and gave me the basics. So of course I made plans to come out here straight away! You're family!" He gestured to the rest of the gang. "You're all family! Now that you've escaped Darklight's clutches, you're welcome to come live with us if you'd like. All of your skills would be a welcome addition to the Circus of Wayward Wonders!

"It will be like coming home. Over the last year, other escapees from the Celestial Menagerie have joined up with us: the Kanbali family, the Dwarven Throwers, Elizia Pumperknickle, the Flamboni Sisters, and some others. They'll all be immensely pleased to see that you managed to escape as well."

As everyone loaded into Myron’s wagon and they started on the drive to Abberton, Midori began to sing:

🎶🎶🎶

Now we're in the back seat of Papa Thunder’s wagon And he's driving to the Circus of Wayward Wonders And now we all know that this is where we belong And our new family’s going to be so strong

🎶🎶🎶

Chapter 1: We Are On a Diplomatic Mission to Absalom

Chapter 2: The Circus Arrives Without Warning

Chapter 3: Hi-Diddle-De-Dee, a Carny's Life for Me

Chapter 4: Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys

Chapter 6: The Circus of Wayward Wonders

#pathfinder #pf2e #extinction curse #character backstory #original character #kitsune

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king-of-better · 2 years

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FINAL supplements

These were originally prices of worldbuilding text on the DVDs for final, the GGG DVD included them with explanations.

1: A leaflet explaining GaoFighGar distributed at the 1st GGG Convention, at G-Island City in 2007, touting the 2nd Gen Ul-Tech Engines and Programs Rings. The convention was held between GaoFighGar successfully forming in January 2007 and the battle in Paris in July.

2: The main theme song of "Les Vierges d'acier" an unauthorised film about KoRyu and AnRyu made due to their fame in France. Unable to get the robots themselves, human actors were case, which contributed to the films poor performance.

3: Transcript of a dialogue between Mobile Unit Captain Evoluder GUY, Volfogg, Porc-Auro, and the American and Russian Intelligence Robots, immediately prior to the commencement of Operation Mermaid Tears in Copenhagen, on 2006/08/07. The missions was to Rescue Mode Warp personnel from a hostage situation. Porc-Auto was only able to run support, as he is currently mounted in a non-transforming vehicle. The American and Russian units are prone to squabbling.

4: A draft of Rose Approval's statement on GGG's exile, with some areas replaced due to being worded too strongly either positively or negatively, even if she supported their actions.

5: An email sent from Shuu to Gimlet on March 31, declaring himself the ideal candidate for the ZMC Project all subjects so far having died, and confessing his reasons for wanting this, asking to be be recommended for the role to Thanatos. Bionet acquired some Zonder Metal after the EI-01 incident, and used it to develop Metal Cyborg technology.

6: A Diary entry by Dr. Shishioh Leo on 2003/10/11. The Mecha Lion has been officially renamed Galeon after the data was found in it's Black Box, and he marvels at it's flying under it's own power and managing to penetrate EI-01'S barrier when it saved Gai. He has now determined looking at Galeon's structure that it was designed to be the central component of a larger being, and while they don't have those other components, he knows they have to recreate said components. Obviously, Galeon was originally the central component of Genesic GaoGaiGar, but they didn't have the Genesic Machines.

7: Message exchange between the weather girl who became EI-22, and Kazamatsuri Sumire, over July and August 2007. On 07/07/30, The weather girl returned from holiday in snowy Paris, and wonders about the GaoGaiGar, GaoFighGar fight. Sumire is worried the fish that Valnar eats will run out. On 07/08/09 they react to GGG's exile. On 07/08/12 the weather girl invited Sumire to the Pikkapika Parade after Bottom the World had to cancel the Chika parade due to flooding, but Sumire is to concerned about Valnar, what with whales washing up. On 07/08/22, Sumire tells her friend to keep strong in the face of the devastation, and trust in GGG.

8: A note from Rose Approval requesting that if humanity is destroyed by the devastation, that Taiga and Hyuma lead the survivors of GGG as the Jew humanity. She hopes the Key to Victory she gave Swan will be unnecessary, but understands the Goldion Crusher may be needed. This was part of a Last Will and Testament she prepared in case of humanity falling.

Project Z

A short picture drama included with the GGG boxset as promotion for what would eventually become GaoGaiGar Vs Betterman. They'll definitely be a little repeating myself when I start reading that.

Lamia narrates on the final battle approaching him and his fellow Somniums, 6 new allies are shown to us.

Mamoru sends a message to Hana asking about things of G-Island, and asking after Yosef and the puppies. He's current at GGG Space Centre in America, working with Yaginuma and Takanohashi, who Rose Approval pardoned. Kaidou has been is Australia seeing Yuka. The Orbit Base has been installed with a new Division Ship, and a new NeuroMechanoid, and the GaoMachines are being recreates, Mamoru and Kaidou will serve as Head Divers. He hopes the plan to save GGG will succeed.

In a test of the new Kakuseijin GaiGo, Mamoru, in the Womb Head, communicates with the Space Center, specifically Yamajii of Akamatsu Industries, the company contracted to created Kakuseijin GaiGo. In order to use Fusion Kakuseijin GaiGo has to be in Active Mode, controlled by Kaido from Cereb Head, but the programming needs work. They cannot proceed with Project Z until Fusion works, so they can escort Division VI; Infinite Connected Tank Ship Mizuha to Jupiter to harness THE POWER. Wile for Mamoru, Kaidou and even Akamatsu this is in aid of saving GGG, it also represents an advance of the Space Energy Development Plan.

Understanding their position, Mamoru tries to give Kaidou control, but there's no connection, and Kakuseijin GaiGo crashes into the sea, Mamoru escapes in Purification Mode, but Kaidou doesn't emerge. Lamia communicates with Mamoru, telling him the time is now. Mamoru remembers him from communicating in the Trinary Star System, but doesn't understand Somniums, and is warned of the dangers to come, before Lamia leaves atop a glowing jellyfish.

Mamoru remembers Kaidou, and manages to telekinetically pill Kakuseijin GaiGo out of the water, but Kaidou is unconscious. Mamoru sees what he thinks is the sun, but realises is something else. The Somnium are ready, while Mamoru thinks about everyone he needs to save (Stallion and Piggy don't get name checked, and I'm not sure if he knows Papillon is dead) then realises with a start the brilliant light in the sky looks like a form of a flaming Genesic GaoGaiGar, possibly using THE POWER, is this the Conquering King Lamia warned him of.

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mex-sickos · 2 years

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I posted 6,791 times in 2022

253 posts created (4%)

6,538 posts reblogged (96%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@special-support-section

@cerastes

@festive-jungkook

@captainjobvious

@mysterious-heroine-x-alter

I tagged 1,941 of my posts in 2022

#azoor layne - 235 posts

#literally - 84 posts

#save for later - 84 posts

#crumbsader kings - 62 posts

#this is badass - 35 posts

#quite literally - 20 posts

#literally me - 19 posts

#umusume - 15 posts

#okay but literally - 11 posts

#umusume :) - 11 posts

Longest Tag: 136 characters

#‘just invest in vit’ fuck you coward if you aren’t playing soc as a glass cannon you’re less then garbage and your opinion means nothing

My Top Posts in 2022:

21 notes - Posted November 21, 2022

Shoutout to @sillynightmarearbiter for the idea for this

So you’ve picked (back possibly) up Azur Lane, I get it, pngs are cute, it’s a generous gacha and the gameplay is refreshing for the usual turnbased gachas, it’s a home run in every way shape and form- You’re in deep (or at least you wanna try and be) but there’s one small issue, everyone is telling you BiS (best in slot) gear that takes OpSi or Research to get, research takes months and you need BiS gear to farm OpSi in any way that doesn’t take decades so what gives? Must you slog and suffer in the mines? Oomfie im here to tell you that 90% of people in this game who give decent advice have also been playing this game forever, the low level scene is alien to them- but fear not! Your beloved oomfie Smugg will pass you the deets on how to gear up your pngs like a pro without having to spend a decade looking up cheap strats, gimme a couple paragraphs of your time and you’ll be c6ing and meta 15ing in no time at all

Let’s start with a bit of a preface, this will take grinding- a lot of grinding, 10s of thousands of oil of grinding, the road to heaven is paved with violence but- rejoice, unlike old AL you no longer have to do it yourself! If you’re doing something that you can leave your phone on and press a button every once in a while by all means do it! I grind during viddy gaems, while I’m cleaning, anytime I’m not actively using my phone (which isn’t all that often ngl but) I’m always on the grind- you don’t need to go crazy and stupid like me but you get the idea. Enough cock rating, time for a taste test

Chapter one- baldi’s basics

I’m sure you’ve noticed certain ships share certain slots, every ship has Auxiliaries (shortened to auxs), Most ships have Main guns (shortened to mg), most Vanguard (vg) have torpedos (torps), and a whoooole lot have Anti Air guns (AA), Carriers (and light carriers) have Dive Bomber (DB), Torp Bombers (TB) and Fighters (don’t shorten this one idk why), a few of these share a BiS (remember best in slot, this one will be said a lot) so we’re gonna go over shared first

Torpedos :) -

Torps are classified in two different ways, either you’re willing to manual (control your funny little kansen) or you’re not (auto)- I will tell you now, top level play of this game is auto mostly, with a bit of manual for the hardest stuff you can find, don’t get caught up on the silly stuff, both are challenging in their own right if you know what you’re doing- For auto torps you’re going to want mags (magnetic), and I’m sure you’ve all heard the name Quintmags

the crème de la crem, but tragically they’re locked behind gear lab, which takes OpSi, which takes good gear. I’m sure I know what you’re all thinking “oomfie if quintmags are the best don’t we just rarity down, the gold mags are easy to get” I like where your going with this but hold your horses, rainbow quintmags have much better tracking then their gold cousins, what you’re gonna want are gold quadmags

See the full post

31 notes - Posted March 23, 2022

Lately I’ve been absolutely OBSESSED with this image of Essex as sundowner (Sexdowner)

36 notes - Posted August 10, 2022

59 notes - Posted July 25, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Oomfie do you have the. The "cum about it" Formidable gif?

Here you go king use it wisely

79 notes - Posted December 16, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#Only sharing this because I think it’s insanely tucked up that my top post is from litcherally less then a week ago

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eriellesudario · 5 years

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The creation of Operation: Restoration – A Club Penguin D&D Campaign

Recently, I just got into Dungeon and Dragons (fifth edition). I guess it was because I wanted to play something with spellcasters and Skyrim isn’t compatible on my Mac. So I gave it a whirl and I now enjoy it.

I mentioned my new found interest over in Discord – asking people if they played it. Chris Giddeon (aka: Polo Field), then mentions about how when he worked in Club Penguin, they did it in a way similar to Dungeons and Dragons. One of it being that all the major and minor mascots have character sheets.

Throughout the past few days, more talks about Dungeons and Dragons and its connection to Club Penguin‘s development. It’s really interesting to know that such an iconic game played some influence on Club Penguin. Soon, there was talk about creating a Club Penguin RPG and I started drafting creating Gamma Gal and Shadow Guy character sheets.

And one day, I woke up with shocking news…

Operation: Restoration

The story we’re playing is based of a modified version of Operation Blackout

It’s been 100 years since Herbert took over the Island. Since then, the climate has changed and things have gone haywire over the island. The wildlife became more hazardous than ever before and it’s one penguin for themselves. The EPF has disbanded and since then, all hope is lost.

The puffles are no longer cute and friendly and will attack anyone they’ll see (even each other), Herbert’s robots are monitoring the island to prevent anyone from ending his tyranny, and penguins can’t trust each other due to them attacking, stealing, and backstabbing each other.

You play as “The Resistance”, a group of penguins who live at the very edge of the wilderness, miles away from the main town area. You’ve managed to escape 1 year after Herbert took over and just hid and train over the years. You are one of the surviving penguins who managed to kept their sanity, and your squad has been planning for years to take back the island. Will you be able to save the island or will Herbert forever reign?

Operation: Restoration is a Club Penguin D&D campaign inspired from this piece of work I’ve made for Chris when I did art request over on Twitter. It’s my belief that Herbert has the potential to fully take over the island, however, is thwarted by his own stubbornness.

1/2 of the campaign is homebrewed as a lot of the encounters will be custom and due to it being Club Penguin – everyone has to fit around the canon character archetypes.

You need to know – I’m still new to d&d. I just started playing back in March of 2019. I barely, yet slowly learning how to play the game. But nevertheless, I accepted the offer and started working on getting people interested.

Outcome

This campaign got the attention of both Rocketsnail (Lance Priebe – Club Penguin co-founder) and Screenhog (Chris Hendriks – Composer).

We had 1 week to prepare as we got interested from enough people to make a manageable party. As everyone worked on their character sheets, I worked on the story which contains 4 parts (5 chapters each).

…Or at least the main points.

So far, the campaign is going well. With a few regulars and some players who skipped a few parts but are strong enough to at least complete the level.

I now plan to write the events that happened in the campaign here in this blog in a form of creative fiction so keep an eye out.

#club penguin #2019 #dnd #operation: restoration #operation restoration

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novumtimes · 4 months

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Biden administration canceling student loans for another 160000 borrowers

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is canceling student loans for another 160,000 borrowers through a combination of existing programs. The Education Department announced the latest round of cancellation on Wednesday, saying it will erase $7.7 billion in federal student loans. With the latest action, the administration said it has canceled $167 billion in student debt for nearly 5 million Americans through several programs. “From day one of my administration, I promised to fight to ensure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity,” President Joe Biden said in a statement. “I will never stop working to cancel student debt — no matter how many times Republican-elected officials try to stop us.” The latest relief will go to borrowers in three categories who hit certain milestones that make them eligible for cancellation. It will go to 54,000 borrowers who are enrolled in Biden’s new income-driven repayment plan, along with 39,000 enrolled in earlier income-driven plans, and about 67,000 who are eligible through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Biden’s new payment plan, known as the SAVE Plan, offers a faster path to forgiveness than earlier versions. More people are now becoming eligible for loan cancellation as they hit 10 years of payments, a new finish line that’s a decade sooner than what borrowers faced in the past. The cancellation is moving forward even as Biden’s SAVE Plan faces legal challenges from Republican-led states. A group of 11 states led by Kansas sued to block the plan in March, followed by seven more led by Missouri in April. In two federal lawsuits, the states say Biden needed to go through Congress for his overhaul of federal repayment plans. A separate action by the Biden administration aimed to correct previous mistakes that delayed cancellation for some borrowers enrolled in other repayment plans and through Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which forgives loans for people who make 10 years of payments while working in public service jobs. The Biden administration has been announcing new batches of forgiveness each month as more people qualify under those three categories. According to the Education Department, 1 in 10 federal student loan borrowers has now been approved for some form of loan relief. “One out of every 10 federal student loan borrowers approved for debt relief means one out of every 10 borrowers now has financial breathing room and a burden lifted,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement. The Biden administration has continued canceling loans through existing avenues while it also pushes for a new, one-time cancellation that would provide relief to more than 30 million borrowers in five categories. Biden’s new plan aims to help borrowers with large sums of unpaid interest, those with older loans, those who attended low-value college programs, and those who face other hardships preventing them from repaying student loans. It would also cancel loans for people who are eligible through other programs but haven’t applied. The proposal is going through a lengthy rulemaking process, but the administration said it will accelerate certain provisions, with plans to start waiving unpaid interest for millions of borrowers starting this fall. Conservative opponents have threatened to challenge that plan too, calling it an unfair bonus for wealthy college graduates at the expense of taxpayers who didn’t attend college or already repaid their loans. The Supreme Court rejected Biden’s earlier attempt at one-time cancellation, saying it overstepped the president’s authority. The new plan is being made with a different legal justification. ___ The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Collin Binkley, The Associated Press Source link via The Novum Times

#The Novum Times

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mydearestkippy · 2 years

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13 March 2023 - 6w5d

Dearest Kippy,

I remember when your papa and I first found out that I was pregnant with you, 2.5 weeks ago. The date was 24 February 2023, and we had just gotten home late on a Friday night, after 3 hours of bible seminar with Han Hui. It had been an incredibly exhausting week at work, and my period was due the next day. Though I was saving my one pee stick to be used after I had clearly missed my period (so, not until 2-3 days later), something in me (perhaps the Holy Spirit) prompted me to do the pee test there and then. And so I did. I wasn’t expecting much, because I had all the symptoms of someone whose period was gonna come (pimples, cramps, etc).

I peed on the stick, and when the pee stick showed a clear positive within a minute, I was in a daze. I called your papa into the toilet and we rejoiced. It all sounds so factual and calm as I am typing this now, but trust me that when it happened there were squeals and shouts between your papa and I! I can’t exactly remember what we both said but your papa was, as always, cool as a cucumber. He did already suspect that I was pregnant because he had realised how much more hair I was dropping than usual (and he had looked it up to confirm that pregnant women drop more hair haha).

Still in a bit of a frenzy I went to shower. When I was done and drying myself, I burst out into tears - of joy- because I couldn’t believe how incredibly blessed we were to have conceived you. All those months and years of admiring and playing with other people’s babies, casually browsing and discussing names of my future children, feeling like I want kids but I am just not ready or would never be, journeying with my best friends / sisters in Christ through their pregnancies and childbirth and seeing their kids grow up slowly - culminated into this very moment where I can say, here I am, it is my turn now. To be a mother. I am going to have a child - to have and to hold for the rest of my life; a child who will be dependent on me and his/her father to be his/her whole world. So much to take in. But more importantly, how God provides, and in such impeccable timing too (we only started trying for you this month, and we conceived you immediately!)

Fast forward a little to 9 March, which is just 5 days ago- we went to the gynaecologist (Dr Choo Wan Ling who came recommended by a dear friend of your mommy’s), and we saw you for the first time:

There you are, all 0.38cm of you - that little white blob in the black cavity of mommy’s womb, flanked by the two +. And as I was seeing you for the first time, I was also able to hear your heartbeat. B-bop, b-bop, b-bop...I wanted to cry when I heard each unmistakable throb, capturing the life that God was giving to you.

At 6 weeks, you were the size of a grain of rice. You were (are) so tiny but you are already so perfect. Mommy is so excited for you to grow steadily and exponentially over the next few weeks. Come week 7 you’d be a peanut, week 8 a blueberry, week 9 an almond, week 10 1 grape, and week 11 a perfect plum.

As for symptoms, thank you for being good and not giving mommy too much trouble. Apart from some slight cramping (more so in the first few weeks - which I had mistaken for period cramps) which is normal as the uterus is expanding to make way for you, and intense fatigue (mommy can’t survive without getting at least 8-10 hours of sleep every day) due to the body needing lots more energy to form the placenta, the worst I’ve experienced is bloatedness, which sometimes causes mommy to retch.

Bloatedness is caused by increased levels of progesterone during the first trimester. Progesterone relaxes the smooth muscle tissue throughout my body, including the tissue in my digestive tract- which slows down digestion and ensures that nutrients I consume have plenty of time to enter into my bloodstream and reach you. Unfortunately, slower digestion results in more wind and discomfort in the gut, which causes the bloatedness. Mommy thinks the bloatedness shows quite clearly now, in the form of a stomach bump under tighter fitting skirts.

Well, I think those symptoms aren’t too bad at all, but let’s see how it goes. Mommy has been taking folic acid (a tablet a day). Folic acid is important in red blood cell formation and for healthy cell growth and function. The nutrient is crucial during early pregnancy to reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spine. Mommy will also start taking calcium tablets- this will ensure your teeth and bones will be strong next time, and that mommy will also not suffer from bone loss (osteoporosis) during old age. Mommy is looking forward to receiving a healthy and perfect you into the world on or before 2 November 2023.

Right now mommy won’t be sharing this good news of your existence with my friends officially yet (although a few people, like mommy’s parents, already know), until the first trimester has passed (in another 6 weeks). Meanwhile though, mommy has had to make adjustments to her diet. I have changed all my morning coffee capsules to decaf versions, and banned myself from any alcohol and raw food at all. Before I was pregnant, I had thought that it would be so hard to give up these things and control my diet so strictly (mommy has an issue with self-control and loves her coffee / oysters and sashimi / a glass of wine or can of beer from time to time, you can ask daddy) but somehow it has not been as hard to resist these things as I thought. The harder part is in not arousing my friends’ suspicion as I reject eating the very things I used to love, or as I convey the fact of my bloatedness and intense fatigue (without revealing the cause) to them.

Mommy shall sign off now, with this drawing of a cute pokemon called Mudkip, which you have been nicknamed after.

My love for you began since you started growing in my womb, and my only mission is to keep you safe and love you always.

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puttingherinhistory · 3 years

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“Covid has unleashed the most severe setback to women’s liberation in my lifetime. While watching this happen, I have started to think we are witnessing an outbreak of disaster patriarchy.

Naomi Klein was the first to identify “disaster capitalism”, when capitalists use a disaster to impose measures they couldn’t possibly get away with in normal times, generating more profit for themselves. Disaster patriarchy is a parallel and complementary process, where men exploit a crisis to reassert control and dominance, and rapidly erase hard-earned women’s rights. (The term “racialized disaster patriarchy” was used by Rachel E Luft in writing about an intersectional model for understanding disaster 10 years after Hurricane Katrina.) All over the world, patriarchy has taken full advantage of the virus to reclaim power – on the one hand, escalating the danger and violence to women, and on the other, stepping in as their supposed controller and protector.

I have spent months interviewing activists and grassroots leaders around the world, from Kenya to France to India, to find out how this process is affecting them, and how they are fighting back. In very different contexts, five key factors come up again and again. In disaster patriarchy, women lose their safety, their economic power, their autonomy, their education, and they are pushed on to the frontlines, unprotected, to be sacrificed.

Part of me hesitates to use the word “patriarchy”, because some people feel confused by it, and others feel it’s archaic. I have tried to imagine a newer, more contemporary phrase for it, but I have watched how we keep changing language, updating and modernising our descriptions in an attempt to meet the horror of the moment. I think, for example, of all the names we have given to the act of women being beaten by their partner. First, it was battery, then domestic violence, then intimate partner violence, and most recently intimate terrorism. We are forever doing the painstaking work of refining and illuminating, rather than insisting the patriarchs work harder to deepen their understanding of a system that is eviscerating the planet. So, I’m sticking with the word.

In this devastating time of Covid we have seen an explosion of violence towards women, whether they are cisgender or gender-diverse. Intimate terrorism in lockdown has turned the home into a kind of torture chamber for millions of women. We have seen the spread of revenge porn as lockdown has pushed the world online; such digital sexual abuse is now central to domestic violence as intimate partners threaten to share sexually explicit images without victims’ consent.

The conditions of lockdown – confinement, economic insecurity, fear of illness, excess of alcohol – were a perfect storm for abuse. It is hard to determine what is more disturbing: the fact that in 2021 thousands of men still feel willing and entitled to control, torture and beat their wives, girlfriends and children, or that no government appears to have thought about this in their planning for lockdown.

In Peru, hundreds of women and girls have gone missing since lockdown was imposed, and are feared dead. According to official figures reported by Al Jazeera, 606 girls and 309 women went missing between 16 March and 30 June last year. Worldwide, the closure of schools has increased the likelihood of various forms of violence. The US Rape Abuse and Incest National Network says its helpline for survivors of sexual assault has never been in such demand in its 26-year history, as children are locked in with abusers with no ability to alert their teachers or friends. In Italy, calls to the national anti-violence toll-free number increased by 73% between 1 March and 16 April 2020, according to the activist Luisa Rizzitelli. In Mexico, emergency call handlers received the highest number of calls in the country’s history, and the number of women who sought domestic violence shelters quadrupled.

To add outrage to outrage, many governments reduced funding for these shelters at the exact moment they were most needed. This seems to be true throughout Europe. In the UK, providers told Human Rights Watch that the Covid-19 crisis has exacerbated a lack of access to services for migrant and Black, Asian and minority ethnic women. The organisations working with these communities say that persistent inequality leads to additional difficulties in accessing services such as education, healthcare and disaster relief remotely.

In the US, more than 5 million women’s jobs were lost between the start of the pandemic and November 2020. Because much of women’s work requires physical contact with the public – restaurants, stores, childcare, healthcare settings – theirs were some of the first to go. Those who were able to keep their jobs were often frontline workers whose positions have put them in great danger; some 77% of hospital workers and 74% percent of school staff are women. Even then, the lack of childcare options left many women unable to return to their jobs. Having children does not have this effect for men. The rate of unemployment for Black and Latina women was higher before the virus, and now it is even worse.

The situation is more severe for women in other parts of the world. Shabnam Hashmi, a leading women’s activist from India, tells me that by April 2020 a staggering 39.5% of women there had lost their jobs. “Work from home is very taxing on women as their personal space has disappeared, and workload increased threefold,” Hashmi says. In Italy, existing inequalities have been amplified by the health emergency. Rizzitelli points out that women already face lower employment, poorer salaries and more precarious contracts, and are rarely employed in “safe” corporate roles; they have been the first to suffer the effects of the crisis. “Pre-existing economic, social, racial and gender inequalities have been accentuated, and all of this risks having longer-term consequences than the virus itself,” Rizzitelli says.

When women are put under greater financial pressure, their rights rapidly erode. With the economic crisis created by Covid, sex- and labour-trafficking are again on the rise. Young women who struggle to pay their rent are being preyed on by landlords, in a process known as “sextortion”.

I don’t think we can overstate the level of exhaustion, anxiety and fear that women are suffering from taking care of families, with no break or time for themselves. It’s a subtle form of madness. As women take care of the sick, the needy and the dying, who takes care of them? Colani Hlatjwako, an activist leader from the Kingdom of Eswatini, sums it up: “Social norms that put a heavy caregiving burden on women and girls remain likely to make their physical and mental health suffer.” These structures also impede access to education, damage livelihoods, and strip away sources of support.

Unesco estimates that upward of 11 million girls may not return to school once the Covid pandemic subsides. The Malala Fund estimates an even bigger number: 20 million. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, from UN Women, says her organisation has been fighting for girls’ education since the Beijing UN women’s summit in 1995. “Girls make up the majority of the schoolchildren who are not going back,” she says. “We had been making progress – not perfect, but we were keeping them at school for longer. And now, to have these girls just dropping out in one year, is quite devastating.”

Of all these setbacks, this will be the most significant. When girls are educated, they know their rights, and what to demand. They have the possibility of getting jobs and taking care of their families. When they can’t access education, they become a financial strain to their families and are often forced into early marriages.

This has particular implications for female genital mutilation (FGM). Often, fathers will accept not subjecting their daughters to this process because their daughters can become breadwinners through being educated. If there is no education, then the traditional practices resume, so that daughters can be sold for dowries. As Agnes Pareyio, chairwoman of the Kenyan Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Board, tells me: “Covid closed our schools and brought our girls back home. No one knew what was going on in the houses. We know that if you educate a girl, FGM will not happen. And now, sadly the reverse is true.”

In the early months of the pandemic, I had a front-row seat to the situation of nurses in the US, most of whom are women. I worked with National Nurses United, the biggest and most radical nurses’ union, and interviewed many nurses working on the frontline. I watched as for months they worked gruelling 12-hour shifts filled with agonising choices and trauma, acting as midwives to death. On their short lunch breaks, they had to protest over their own lack of personal protective equipment, which put them in even greater danger. In the same way that no one thought what it would mean to lock women and children in houses with abusers, no one thought what it would be like to send nurses into an extremely contagious pandemic without proper PPE. In some US hospitals, nurses were wearing garbage bags instead of gowns, and reusing single-use masks many times. They were being forced to stay on the job even if they had fevers.

The treatment of nurses who were risking their lives to save ours was a shocking kind of violence and disrespect. But there are many other areas of work where women have been left unprotected, from the warehouse workers who are packing and shipping our goods, to women who work in poultry and meat plants who are crammed together in dangerous proximity and forced to stay on the job even when they are sick. One of the more stunning developments has been with “tipped” restaurant workers in the US, already allowed to be paid the shockingly low wage of $2.13 (£1.50) an hour, which has remained the same for the past 22 years. Not only has work declined, tips have also declined greatly for those women, and now a new degradation called “maskular harassment” has emerged, where male customers insist waitresses take off their masks so they can determine if and how much to tip them based on their looks.

Women farm workers in the US have seen their protections diminished while no one was looking. Mily Treviño-Sauceda, executive director of Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, tells me how pressures have increased on campesinas, or female farm workers: “There have been more incidents of pesticides poisonings, sexual abuse and heat stress issues, and there is less monitoring from governmental agencies or law enforcement due to Covid-19.”

Covid has revealed the fact that we live with two incompatible ideas when it comes to women. The first is that women are essential to every aspect of life and our survival as a species. The second is that women can easily be violated, sacrificed and erased. This is the duality that patriarchy has slashed into the fabric of existence, and that Covid has laid bare. If we are to continue as a species, this contradiction needs to be healed and made whole.

To be clear, the problem is not the lockdowns, but what the lockdowns, and the pandemic that required them, have made clear. Covid has revealed that patriarchy is alive and well; that it will reassert itself in times of crisis because it has never been truly deconstructed, and like an untreated virus it will return with a vengeance when the conditions are ripe.

The truth is that unless the culture changes, unless patriarchy is dismantled, we will forever be spinning our wheels. Coming out of Covid, we need to be bold, daring, outrageous and to imagine a more radical way of existing on the Earth. We need to continue to build and spread activist movements. We need progressive grassroots women and women of colour in positions of power. We need a global initiative on the scale of a Marshall Plan or larger, to deconstruct and exorcise patriarchy – which is the root of so many other forms of oppression, from imperialism to racism, from transphobia to the denigration of the Earth.

There would first be a public acknowledgment, and education, about the nature of patriarchy and an understanding that it is driving us to our end. There would be ongoing education, public forums and processes studying how patriarchy leads to various forms of oppression. Art would help expunge trauma, grief, aggression, sorrow and anger in the culture and help heal and make people whole. We would understand that a culture that has diabolical amnesia and refuses to address its past can only repeat its misfortunes and abuses. Community and religious centres would help members deal with trauma. We would study the high arts of listening and empathy. Reparations and apologies would be done in public forums and in private meetings. Learning the art of apology would be as important as prayer.

The feminist author Gerda Lerner wrote in 1986: “The system of patriarchy in a historic construct has a beginning and it will have an end. Its time seems to have nearly run its course. It no longer serves the needs of men and women, and its intractable linkage to militarism, hierarchy and racism has threatened the very existence of life on Earth.”

As powerful as patriarchy is, it’s just a story. As the post-pandemic era unfolds, can we imagine another system, one that is not based on hierarchy, violence, domination, colonialisation and occupation? Do we see the connection between the devaluing, harming and oppression of all women and the destruction of the Earth itself? What if we lived as if we were kin? What if we treated each person as sacred and essential to the unfolding story of humanity?

What if rather than exploiting, dominating and hurting women and girls during a crisis, we designed a world that valued them, educated them, paid them, listened to them, cared for them and centred them?“

#women #coronavirus #life and style #world news #inequality #Covid 19 #COVID-19 #feminism #womanism #gender inequality #gender equality #corona virus

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loverrrgirl · 2 years

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KISMET- Austin Butler x reader - PART 11

Warnings: we’re starting to get spicy so minors, it’s nothing much yet but you should exit the premises. The chapter after this one has me swooning and the next two chapters I have planned also having me throwing up.

I’ve never made a fic before so send me tips and tricks and loves!

Here’s a masterlist

What do you think is gonna happen next?

I marched right back up to the 8th floor. Walking quickly to my dad's room only to find mom wasn't in there. "Hey kiddo." I heard dad say. "Oh hey dad! Have you seen mom?" I asked as I was already turning around to look in to Jude's room. "I'm not sure where she went. She did tell me a boy stopped by here for you though" he said inquisitively. I blushed. "Yes that's exactly what I need to talk to her about. WHAT DID SHE SAY?" I asked, definitely sounding way too excited and verging the line of desperate. Calm down girl. Calm down.

"Oh hey Stella." I heard form behind me. "A really cute boy stopped by for you. You actually just missed him." She teased. She was enjoying this. Getting to be front and center for all of my life events. Although we kept up and talked every other day while I was in New York, I wasn't dating anyone. So she's been missing the boy stories since college.

"Okay what did he say?" I asked eagerly.

"Oh he just said he was hoping you'd be here. He's gonna come back tomorrow. He was actually very polite. How do you know him?" She raised an eyebrow at me.

Of course he was. Have you met him?

"We met on the plane on the way here. He dropped me off here instead of me taking an Uber. I guess I left my sweater in his car and he wanted to make sure I got it back." I said, staring off in to the distance. I could feel the butterflies starting up just thinking about it.

After not too long, the doctors came in and told us that as long as dad and Jude were able to get around on their own by the end of the next 7 days, they'd be able to head home. I went down to the cafeteria to order us some celebratory ice cream. Things felt good for the first time in nearly a week. We all had a feeling of hope that we didn't have before.

The next morning, both mom and dad suggested that I just go home and hold down the fort while they finished up their hospital stay. Not to say I couldn't come visit. But they were suggesting that I meet up with some friends, relax, sleep in a real bed while I could since I wouldn't be staying that much longer now that they were on the mend.

I forgot that I needed to text Austin the address. I pulled out my phone and shakily typed his phone number in.

What do I say? Do I just play it cool and only text him the address? Do I say "hi I've been thinking about you nonstop since I saw you last" ??? Of course not. But I was thinking it.

Once his number was saved in to my phone as Aus so that no one passing by would ever see his full name in my phone and ask about it, I started typing the message.

"Hey you. (: it's Stella. Here's the address: 78654 Melody Lane. See you at 6!" I typed and quickly pressed send before I could over think it.

I think I'll throw right up. This is crazy.

The whole drive home was a blur. I hardly remember driving at all. It was almost 1pm and that meant I had 5 hours to get ready. Surely I didn't need that amount of time but I was going to use all of it anyways.

I started with a shower, making sure every single hair was shaved off my legs. Yep. The top halves of them too. Just in case. I scrubbed, I exfoliated, I did my most thorough skin care routine. I got out of the shower and moisturized my whole body.

I liked to wait until my hair was half way dry to blow dry it the rest of the way. I got my hair in rollers to set and then started on my makeup. I wasn't even sure where he was taking me so I figured a soft glam look would be a safe bet.

It was nearly 4:30 at this point and I heard the doorbell ring.

He said 6. That can't be him. Who the hell is ringing the bell?

I walked slowly out of my room, down the stairs, and towards the front door. I pulled my robe closed and tied it in the name of decency in case it was someone selling Girl Scout cookies or something. The bell rang again.

Jesus. I'm coming. Be patient.

I opened the door to find a man in a nice pair of jeans and button up shirt. He was holding a white box. It was secured closed with a large silky gold ribbon. "Stella Porter?" He inquired. "Uh. Yes? That's me." He handed me the box and walked away promptly.

This feels like a trap and I'm probably about to be fucking kidnapped. That would be just my luck right before going out to dinner with Austin. It's just the way the cookie crumbles for me I guess. If this is how I go, this is how I go.

I walked back up the stairs, turning the box over and checking it out to see if there was a tag anywhere. There wasn't. I got to my room and tossed it on the bed, bracing for the possibility that it would probably explode when I did that. It didn't.

Phew. Just open the box Stella.

I untied the gold bow, slowly. Savoring the moment before the surprise just in case it was someone's dismembered finger or something. It would have been an awfully large box for a finger I suppose. I removed the ribbon and pulled the lid off. There was a handwritten note on top of pearlescent white tissue paper. It said "I can't wait to see you in this dress tonight. See you soon."

I set the note down and opened up the tissue paper slowly. It was a dress. I pulled it out to reveal it was a black silk dress. The slit up the leg was high and the neckline was low. But not too low. A classic silhouette.

I walked over to the mirror and held it up to my body, imagining what I'll look like in it. What he'd think of me in it. I started feeling those butterflies again. I laid the dress out on the bed so I could finish getting ready.

I put the finishing touches on my make up, unrolled my hair and styled it. I thought I looked pretty damn cute. Austin better think that too.

I glanced at the clock. 5:30pm. I better get dressed. Once again I held the dress up to my body in front of the mirror. I dropped my robe and put on some black lace underwear, then I slipped the dress over my body.

It fit my body perfectly. It was tight in the right places, loosened just enough in others.

How could he have known what size dress to send me? He's incredible.

I did a little spin in front of the mirror. Shit. My underwear lines were visible. This fabric showed everything. I slipped my underwear off from underneath the dress. I guess it's just the kind of dress you don't wear undergarments with. And I smirked a little wondering what Austin would have to say if he knew.

I remembered I had this pair of strappy black heels. They would look perfect with this dress.

*ding dong* the doorbell went off.

Shit.

I tapped my phone. 6:00 on the dot. Of course he is here right when he said he'd be.

I threw on my shoes and nearly ran to the door to meet him.

I pulled the door open and he was all dressed up. Black suit pants with a black button up shirt. He left the first few buttons undone. And I wanted to undo the rest of them right here, right now. The butterflies in my stomach turned to fire.

"Wow. Stella. You look incredible." He held out his hand to me. "Are you ready?"

The dress ⬇️

Austin's Point of View

Right after I left the hospital I went out shopping for an outfit I thought she'd love to see me in. I walked by a store and saw a black dress on display in the window. The slit was just high enough on the thigh. It would let you imagine but also leave you desperate to see the rest. The neckline was set perfectly. Not too low cut and not too high cut that it clashed with the silhouette and height of that slit. So I B-lined directly in to the store. I couldn't stop thinking about how Stella would look in that dress. And I needed to see her in it. I held up every size dress until I found the one that I thought fit her frame well. And I prayed it would fit her just right. This was risky.

I wasn't sure how she'd take it. Me, dressing her for the night. And I wouldn't typically do this on a first date. But everything was tunnel vision now that I'd imagined her wearing that dress.

I asked the cashier to gift wrap it for me, hoping I wouldn't have to re-wrap it when I got home. She finished tying the bow and it was gorgeously wrapped. I wondered if Stella's eyes would light up at the gift or if she'd sit there confused but I didn't care in this moment.

Just then, I got a text from a number I didn't know.

Please be Stella.

It was Stella sending her address. I waited all night for her to text it to me. I didn't like being made to wait. But I knew she was preoccupied at the hospital so it would have to do.

Later in the day I sent my driver to her house to deliver the dress. He had never done anything like that for me before and I was thankful he didn't ask questions.

Once I got home, I took a shower and looked through my wardrobe. I because so occupied with getting that little black dress to Stella that I didn't even bother going in to any other stores. I decided on classic black suit pants and a black button up. I left the top three buttons undone and added a thin gold chain to my neck. I slipped my rings back on my fingers and grabbed my favorite pair of black dress shoes.

I grabbed the Volvo keys and headed out.

God I can't wait to see her again.

I sat the whole drive in silence. I deciding between being nervous or excited. I landed on both. I really hoped she liked the dress and that it fit her well. I couldn't imagine anything fitting her poorly.

As I was pulling up to her house I noticed it was 5:58. Cutting it close Aus.

I gathered myself and walked up to her front door.

Do I ring the bell? Do I knock?

I decided on the bell so she could hear me if she was upstairs. It took all of about 45 second for her to get to the door.

Stella opened the door to reveal that she had the dress on.

"Hi" she said to me, eyes sparkling as she suddenly looked down. She was nervous too.

She looked immaculate. The dress fit the curve f her hips just right. The thigh slit hit the exact spot I'd hoped it would. And boy was I imagining more. Craving more. The neck line lay across her chest perfectly. Just low enough to show the start of cleavage but high enough that she wasn't exposed too much. I didn't want anyone looking at her like in that way. I could take her with me anywhere in this dress. The way the thin straps hit her collar bones. The way her light brown curls cascaded down her back teasing the low cut back of the dress.

"Wow. Stella. You look incredible." I finally said, hoping she didn't think I was speechless for too long. I held my hand out to her. "Are you ready?"

She took my hand and I led her to my car. I opened the door to help her in. The fabric of that dress showed everything. And as she stepped in front of me and turned her body to enter the car, I noticed I didn't see any panty lines.

Surely, she wouldn't go pantyless on a first date, would she? God damn.

#austin butler #austin butler fanfiction #austin butler fluff #austin butler smut #austin butler x reader #austin butler elvis #angst with a happy ending

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the-insomniac-emporium · 3 years

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Serenade (Daniela Dimitrescu/Reader) Pt. 11

Fandom: Resident Evil: Village Rating: T for language Warnings: Nope! Notes: Here we are, a breath away from the end. This features not one, but FOUR songs written by myself. If you only choose to listen to one of them, listen to the final one (Cradle of Heaven), as it is a duet I wrote specifically for this fanfiction, as something that the reader wrote to play together with Daniela. The links to these songs will be within the fanfiction itself, at relevant times. Past Chapters: Pt. 1: Nocturne, Pt. 2: Overture, Pt. 3: Accelerando, Pt. 4: Toccata, Pt. 5: Poco a Poco, Pt. 6: Elegy, Pt. 7: Harmony, Pt. 8: Obbligato, Pt. 9: Berceuse, Pt. 10b: Hymn AMAB

Chapter 11: Cadence

(Cadence: Two chords that mark the end of a song)

The stage is set, the lights are dimmed, your heart pounds within your chest, and the world is yours. Soon, it will be Daniela’s. She is right by your side, as ever, hand gently taking hold of your own. There’s a silent reassurance in her grip, a reminder that the two of you have overcome a plethora of challenges. A promise that this will be no different. Both of you take a deep breath, in sync, before exchanging a quick kiss. All of your hard work has been leading up to the coming moments. Although you are beyond confident in your lover’s abilities, there is a shadow of doubt in the back of your mind. Not for her sake, but surrounding the expectations held by her mother, the standard against which you would be measured.

“Come hell or high water, Songbird, I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise,” Daniela whispers, squeezing your hand again, eyes unblinking as they stare into yours. “You’ve made every right choice, worked harder than anyone I know, and there is nothing more I can ask of you… except another kiss to celebrate afterwards, that is.” Giggling in response gives you the moment you need to relax, nerves fading into the background of your mind. “Now let’s put on a show the likes of which my mother has never seen, mhmm?”

THREE HOURS EARLIER:

“Here, you can borrow my brooch. It’s been in the family for generations, since before we even came to the village, passed down starting with an ancestor who crafted it himself, from materials he scavenged while fleeing his home country,” Daphne rambles, helping you attach the jewelry to your shirt. Thankfully, her hands do not tremble nearly as much as yours have been for the past hour. “I’m more than sure that Lady Daniela will tell you this much, but I feel the need to repeat just how good you look right now. I don’t know where the hell they’ve been hiding this version of our uniform, but damn do I wish I could get one for my next date with Ygritte. Seriously, if you can get one in my size, please do me that favor.”

“Anything for my best friend. Especially after all the times you’ve saved my ass these past few months,” you reply, pausing to give her shoulder an affectionate pat. If not for her constant interference running, someone would have certainly found out about your relationship with Daniela. “Speaking of that… of my life being on the line, I mean… no matter what happens today, no matter what Lady Dimitrescu decides, take care of yourself. You’ve gambled with your own blood to keep me safe, but what I’ve done, what I’ve risked, those were my choices. My consequences. The last thing I’d ever want is for you to pay for them, somehow.”

Rolling her eyes, Daphne gives you a playful shove to the chest, before smoothing out the fabric of your dress uniform. Now she refuses to meet your gaze, a familiar mistiness taking over her brown eyes.

“Nobody around here is stupid enough to think you’ll die today. You managed to get Lady Daniela, of all people, to stay focused long enough to learn some absolutely beautiful pieces of music. You have proved, time and time again, that you are a talented musician, teacher, and ‘servant’. So get out there and kick some metaphorical ass, my friend, because you are ready,” she finally says, offering you what seems to be a handshake. But as soon as your hand meets hers, she’s pulling you in for a hug, holding you tight for a solid minute. When at last you part, you give her what may very well be the last smile she’d ever see gracing your lips.

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

A hand’s edge against xer forehead, parallel to the ground, kept perfectly flat. From anyone else, it would be mockery. From xer? Honest salute, solidarity in a traditional form, accompanied by a sharp-toothed grin. Mimicking the expression, you wave at Ava, glad to see that xe would be awake for your concert. After your first night with your girlfriend, Daphne had helped arrange for someone to be your “cover story” for sleeping outside of your usual quarters. With Daniela’s input (and jealousy), only one candidate had revealed themselves, in the form of a (conveniently) mute butler with an inconsistent schedule, love of mischief, and somehow the respect of the Dimitrescu family. Now, xe appeared ready to escort you to the location of your trial by fire.

“Are you sure our mutual friend won’t be upset to see the two of us together?” You teased, knowing full well that Ava was one of the only people that Daniela trusted 100% around you. In response, xe gives an exaggerated shrug, then quickly links xer arm with your own. Together you march onwards to your destiny, amused by the way xe practically skipped down the hallway. Maybe there was a certain wisdom to xer shenanigans, a carefree philosophy that encouraged laughter in the face of death, and you embraced the thought with a smile.

Before long, however, the two of you encounter another unlikely pair headed towards the same destination: Lady Cassandra, looking somewhat embarrassed, with an unfamiliar maiden at her side. Their hands are clutching each other desperately, although neither of them dares to look at the other. Instead they both watch you closely from where they’ve paused in the corridor. Oddly unfazed, Ava gives them a short bow of acknowledgement, earning xer a brief nod from Cassandra. Seeming eager to move on, she addresses you quickly before gesturing for you to keep walking.

“Good luck. Don’t fuck this up for Daniela, or I’ll never hear the end of it,” she growls, doing her best to downplay her obvious concern. Wanting to let her keep up with her facade, you merely give a nod as you resume walking towards the concert stage. Soft footsteps behind you let you know that the strange pair are accompanying you. Still walking alongside you, Ava repeatedly glances behind you, putting out xer hands in the shape of a heart, giggling all the while. If you didn’t know any better, you would almost assume that xe wanted to get hit by Cassandra.

“Ava, please calm down. If you’re not careful, she’ll throw something at you. If she does that, you’ll probably dodge, and then I’ll probably end up getting hit, and then I’ll miss the concert, Lady Dimitrescu will kill me as punishment, Daniela will be sad and whiny about it, and none of you will have any peace for, like, a month. Three weeks, bare mims,” you tease, nudging xer in the ribs. Emphasizing a pout, xe sends one last look at Cassandra and her ‘friend’ (whose hand she was still holding onto like a lifeline), mouthing words you couldn’t parse. Based on the way Cassandra groans, it was something ridiculously cheesy. Regardless, xe behaves the rest of the way there…

ONE MINUTE TO SHOWTIME:

“I love you, Firefly, and I know that you’re going to do absolutely amazing out there. I’m so proud of you,” you murmur, pressing a feather-light kiss to Daniela’s cheek. As dearly as you wish to stay behind the curtain, in her arms, you know that the show was inevitable. With one last nod to your beloved, you part the fabric shielding you, stepping into the spotlight. Imaginary crowds grow hushed at your appearance, a sea of faces greeting you warmly. In truth, there are but five members in this audience, each gazing upon you with veiled interest. Donning you best presentation persona, you set this final act in motion. “Lady Dimitrescu, Lady Cassandra, Lady Bela, and Mx. Caldwell, it brings me great pleasure to present to you, on this day, a concert performed by your own Lady Daniela. For three months now I have acted as her instructor, and these three months have been, perhaps, the most rewarding of my entire life. I could not possibly be any more proud of her than I already am. Now, without further ado… let us begin!”

Stepping to the side, a tug of a rope has the curtains parting entirely, revealing your beloved, waiting ready at the piano. All at once your audience (including Cassandra’s partner, acting as a mere servant in the background) sits up with wide smiles. They look Daniela over, taking in the sight of her fanciest dress, and the way her eyes light up with joy. By the time her fingers begin dancing away at the keys, there is not a single ounce of anxiety in your entire soul. This first song is a relic from your past, a representation of an abandoned idea, yet she plays it like a celebration. It’s fast, hits hard, a bold take right out of the gate. Admittedly, it is also somewhat short. Nonetheless, it serves its purpose, igniting a spark of excitement in those present. Once the song ends, Daniela is surprised by the intensity of her family’s applause. In the back of her mind, she trembles with excitement, knowing that the best was yet to come.

Riding this wave of pride, she immediately settles into the next song, something slower but far grander. Affection thrums inside your chest as you watch your pupil perfectly execute another piece. You can only imagine what her mother must be feeling, to see just how far her daughter has come in such a short amount of time. A quick glance in Alcina’s direction reveals the barest hints towards her being impressed. For now that was enough to satisfy you. Soon enough her face would twist in surprise, as the second song ended, and a new face steps up onto the stage: Lady Bela. Wordlessly she retrieves her violin from the back of the stage, then turns to the front with a mischievous smile.

“Now, a duet! Presenting the ever-talented Lady Bela, to join Lady Daniela for a rendition of an original song, dubbed ‘Northern Lights’. Enjoy!” You call out, before once more taking your place at the side. While Daniela did not need you to count her in for her solo performances, this feels ever so slightly more important, and as such you do your best to conduct for the duration of the song. If either of the performers need it, they hide it well. Honestly, you weren’t sure if your girlfriend had looked your way even a single time so far. ‘Twas incredible to witness her. Akin to a siren, near glowing, taking to the stage as if born to grace its center. Even with Bela working her own magic, Daniela is ever the star. Together they weave a lovely song, notes rising high into the air, swirling around an enchanted audience.

When it ends, both performers give a bow, as if the entire affair had come to a close. Without hinting at what was to come, you switch places with the eldest Dimitrescu daughter. A deep breath rattles your ribcage as you find your center, reaching out to take Daniela’s hand, the two of you raising your arms upward in a display of union. For the first time this evening, Lady Alcina narrows her eyes in what feels like disapproval. But you pay her no mind. Instead you sit alongside your beloved, quietly settling into your practiced position.

There is no introduction for this song. No announcement, no showmanship, nor even a countdown into the symphony. Simply, like exhaling a breath, the two of you start to play. Your phrases echo hers, and vice versa, calling and answering, accompanying all the while, natural as anything holy in the wild. ‘Tis the second shortest song of the night, only long enough to showcase the degree of your partnership with Daniela. As the song crescendos into an ending, you manage to meet the gaze of your employer. Perhaps it is merely an illusion of hope, or a reflection of lights above, but you swear you see tears in her eyes.

“Outstanding, incredible,” she praises, rising to her feet alongside her other daughters, clapping all the while. Once again you rise to your feet, hand clasped with Daniela’s, bowing as deeply as you can manage. Before you can even process what’s happening, your girlfriend is being pulled away from you, swept up into the arms of her mother. Desperation digs like a knife into your heart, as you ache to celebrate with her, but you remain ever in the guise of a professional. “You did amazing, my dear. I cannot begin to describe how proud I am.” The family gathers around each other, buzzing with affection fit to make the hardest of hearts melt. You are left on the outside, awkwardly waiting, without a hint of acknowledgment.

Even if this concert was a measure of your skill as a teacher, Lady Dimitrescu had never bothered to consider you more than another servant. This night was about Daniela. About your secret girlfriend, the brightest star in all the skies. That is not something that bothers you, nor does it surprise you. All that makes you wish to weep is the desire to kiss her. To sweep her into your arms, with celebratory kisses, singing her name as a praise to higher powers. In the end, it takes several minutes for Daniela to pull away enough to move back to you, and even then she cannot give you the reaction she yearns for.

“I’ll come by to talk to you tonight, I promise,” she whispers, as she gives you the weakest hug you have ever felt. Then she is returning to her family, clinging to her mother with a massive grin. Soon enough you are left alone on stage, quiet surrounding you, mixed feelings gnawing at the pit of your stomach. Something feels… wrong. You cannot put a name to it. No one has hinted to you what your beloved has planned, for none but her even have a clue. As soon as she is alone with her mother, as soon as she has the smallest sliver of an opportunity, she knows what she must do. “Mother… we need to talk. I... I have a confession to make.”

#daniela dimitrescu x reader #daniela dimitrescu #resident evil: village #re8 village #avaskian caldwell #cliffhanger #sorry folks #not beta read

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ariadnassecretdiary · 3 years

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Under this damn contract

Summary: Ariadna was just your average college student that suddenly found herself in a tight situation: she woke up inside her favorite novel! Well, isn’t that nice~? WRONG! She reincarnated as a support character whose fate is to end up dead, victim of the novel’s villain Kino, who’s thirst for blood and power makes him extremely dangerous! Right now, she’s one year ahead from the tragedy so Ariadna’s only choice is to find a way to survive. Ari must do anything in her power in order to avoid the destiny that was given to her. The question now is: will she make it?

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, […]

Chapter 2: A dream that turned into a nightmare

Mun Ari: I’m so excited for this serie! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I wanted to apologize for the length, but then I thought it was necessary for the story. Also! I can’t believe I forgot to name the march Ari lived in! So sorry about that! Also, I need to warn that this chapter may be long and a little saturated with information, but is important for the story! You’ll find out soon!

Anyway~ Enjoy!

Some days have passed since Ariadna’s shocking discovery. Sadly, when she woke up after passing out, her hopes for this situation to be a nightmare were crushed as she found herself in the Koizumi mansion once again. She felt ill and stayed in bed all day long. The third day wasn’t better, she wanted to believe in the rule that the third time was the definite one and by the fourth day Ari came to accept this was her new reality. She felt helpless and hopeless since she had no clue what she had to do next. Knowing that her destiny and everyone’s in the march was to die in a brutal way made her miserable. One day, when she sneaked to the garden to be by herself, her mind got lost in thought.

(I can’t believe that I’m meant to die in such a horrible way. Not just me, but Mia, Sir Twain, the marquess’ family and even the whole village… so many innocent people will be killed by that despicable villain.) Ari thought.

She still felt chills remembering his expression, cold and sadistic, enjoying the massacre as if it was a game. The fact he felt satisfaction by killing people as if they were insects… and the fact she experienced it first hand by that nightmare made her feel petrified with fear.

As she looked in the horizon, she saw the busy life of the people in the march and felt the tingling sensation of her tears forming in the corner of her eyes. What was the purpose of knowing what was going to happen in the future if she wouldn’t even make it past the next autumn? There must be something she ca do to save them…

Then a tiny idea popped into her mind, as if a tiny voice had heard her desperation and helped her.

(Of course! If I can contact the princes and I can warn them before the oracle does… then they’ll be able to mobilize their army beforehand! They can even send us reinforcements to guard this march and protect the people! They can even catch Kino before the whole story develops!) Ari left an excited shriek with her idea.

Ari ran inside, a new hope that lightened her gloomy state and started writing the letter.

(I’ll try to avoid many details that could question my sanity… hmmm I better send this letter anonymously!).

Ari wrote a letter telling the princes that the emperor KarlHeinz was soon to fall ill so as to check his health constantly. She also spoke about how a group of armed men was forming and will soon attack the furthest villages of the empire and kill everyone with no mercy. One of those attacks was going to happen right in the middle of the crimson moon festival.

When Ari finished her letter she asked Mia to deliver it discreetly.

“I’m sorry ma'am… but I can’t send this letter” Mia told Ari.

“W-Why not?” Ari asked.

“We don’t have access to the royal family, only those families close and influential can send them letters”.

Ari scoffed and crossed her arms once Mia left.

(I knew it was too easy to be true…) she thought deceptioned.

The next day, Ariadna went to Sir Twain and asked her about this information Mia told her.

“It’s true my lady. Only those close to the royal family can have direct contact with them. There are exceptions, for example, families that have power and therefore direct connections with them” Sir Twain explained.

“And if I want to send them a letter anonymously?” Ari asked shyly.

“That would be more complicated, since all letters that don't come from verified sources are checked by a specialized group. They are who decide which letters get to the royal members and which ones not, this is for security reasons” Sir Twain continued “Not to mention that the letter passes this same filter in each post office in the cities in between”.

(So there’s a chance that my letter is discarded even before it reaches the imperial city… not to mention they might think it is a joke or worse an attempt against the royal family) Ari thought.

“The Koizumi family… has no relationship with the royal family?” Ari asked.

Sir Twain moved his head in negation.

“I’m afraid not. Although we support the imperial family, most of the time we remain neutral to the nobility affairs. Plus we are too far away from the imperial affairs to even hear of them in advance. Most of them don't involve nor affect us. This causes us to have almost no influence on internal matters and therefore no contact to the royal family”.

Ariadna cursed her luck. It made sense they were the first family to get attacked: it was the furthest of the kingdom and had almost no impact on the kingdom’s stability. Could have easily mistaken for an attack of bandits if it wasn’t for the prediction and the raven feather.

“However…” Sir twain continued “if my lady really needs to sent her letter, I may know somebody that could deliver the letter to the central post in the imperial city”

Ari opened her eyes and let him continue.

“There's no guarantee that the letter will pass their verification, however it could arrive and not get lost in the way. It could escape the initial filters from the cities in between. This contact of mine could send it directly to the royal central post of the imperial city and hope for it to reach the royal family” Sir Twain explained.

Ari didn’t have many options: either risk to send it anonymously and hope not to get lost in the way or get discarded or send it with Sir Twain’s contact and also hope for the best.

“Is this contact of yours reliable and trustful?” Ariadna asked.

“I guarantee the highest confidentiality” Sir Twain assured.

Ari closed her eyes in thought and after some minutes she opened them again.

“Well, then. I want you to contact them and deliver my letter as soon as possible!”

A day went by and then another… until those days turned into two weeks. Sir Twain arrived one day to inform her that his contact told him her letter was discharged in the royal central post: the council didn’t even bother to open it as it came from an unknown source. Ari sighed deceptioned, yet she knew she couldn’t give up. She wrote another letter, this time not with just the warning but with proof she was telling the truth. In the second letter, she “predicted” a small incident that was about to happen three weeks prior the letter could arrive.

(The royal zoo will be caught on fire due to an accident. A dog will steal a piece of meat and sneak into the zoo, a tiger will try to steal it from the dog and in the process knock over a torch. This is a proof I hope will be enough to show you I mean no harm, so please believe me). Ari wrote in the letter, she better think of another idea as acting as a ‘future teller’ is quite lame.

She gave Sir Twain some extra money for his contact to deliver a second letter. More weeks went by and those weeks turned into months. Time went by fast and now it was summer, a year before the Stars festival, the crimson moon festival… and her death. During that time, Ari never stopped writing letters trying to warn the princes about the upcoming small and big events. Sadly, all her letters were discarded and all the events she wrote about became reality, just like in the novel. She couldn’t believe this group of people thought they weren’t worth reading and therefore showing them to the imperial family!

(Maybe this group doesn’t exist at all! Maybe keeping myself in anonymocity isn’t working… but then, would the result be different if I show my identity and show I’m not a member of a family of importance to the royal family?) Ari thought as she sealed the letter she had just finished writing.

(There must be another way to contact the princes, it’s clear that the letters aren’t working) Ari thought as she saw the letter ready to be sent and destined to be thrown away (I wonder if there’s another way. If I could only get a chance to talk to one of them… but then, how can I prove it?)

Ari sighed, so many things worried her and so many things were running through her mind.

(I need to learn more about this world… The novel didn’t go into much detail about the Makai itself and I think I may be missing something. I need to get familiar with this world).

Ari made up her mind and with that she set a plan for her next move.

Ariadna got out of her carriage carefully with the help of Sir Twain. In front of her, the Constelatia library showed her beauty and glory, just like the message the empire wanted to aspire to its people. It took her six hours to arrive at the Constelatia library in Sutzig city. Sutzig city was the closest realm to her home, Iberitia, located to the south in direction to the imperial city. It was a city almost in the middle of nowhere, well known to be the headquarters of the royal academy and magic academy. Just like her previous life, some countries had university cities where only students lived and some villagers from all around the Makai that earn their living as merchandisers. The library was open to the public and widely used by everyone: commoners, wizards, nobles and academics alike. Although the imposing outside may cause wonder, what truly made this building beautiful was the inside. The roof was beautifully painted the infinite night sky, representing the infinite knowledge in the form of books it held. It consisted in a five floor building with bookcases filled with books from top to button. The vast collection consisted of a huge variety of topics and available in different levels: from easy terms for the commoners or kids to a more complex terminology for the academics or wizards. Also, the library offered various classes to the public from learning to read to specific curses from a variety of topics. The Koizumi's private library, although big, had a limited number of books of only specific topics and those weren’t the onnes Ariadna was looking for. That was the reason that brought Ari to the Constelatia library in the first place: to keep learning about the world inside the novel in which she was currently stuck.

(I can’t ask directly to any member of the marquess family as this information I’m searching is considered basic knowledge for nobles like us. Information that surely Ariadna knew since birth or learnt in school which clearly I didn’t get, since her school years ended some time before I took over her body) Ari thought as she registered to get access to the library.

Ariadna gave Sir Twain some spare time, so he wouldn't get bored looking out for her.

“Why don’t you enjoy what the city has to offer while I study? Have a look around or have some lunch!” Ari told him.

“As you wish my lady, but in case you need me” Sir Twain explained as he took out a tiny pen. “Press this button and I’ll come and find you as soon as I can”.

He gave Ari a fountain pen that had two buttons: one that allowed her to change the ink when it ran out and the other one was an emergency button that would call out for him.

“I appreciate it! Thank you! Have some fun!” she said “How about we see each other here at 4 o’clock?”

“Very well my lady” Sir Twain agreed.

Ari waved at him as he bowed and left the library to enjoy his free time.

Ariadna climbed the main stair and after locating the section of her topic of interest she made her way there. She took a number of books and sat at a free desk where she took out her notebook and started looking for information.

Several books came with several hours of reading. Ariadna stretched to rest from her sitting position and saw it was 3:30 already. She decided to leave the books she had already used and made her way back to the main floor.

(Catching up on the knowledge of a lifetime sure is hard… but once I get hold of this information I can continue with the main topic I need to know!) Ari thought as she made her way to the meeting point with Sir Twain.

The main reason that took Ariadna to the Constelatia library was the fact that she needed to retrieve information regarding the raven clan.

(The novel only explained that KarlHeinz apparently had exterminated them, but then it turned out they were exiled. Why did he not eliminate them as he had claimed? Why does he kept this information hidden? What made this clan exactly that had them sent into exile? How did Kino find them? For what reason? And how does he managed to get their help?)

As Ari was lost in thought, she accidentally stumbled into someone and ended up on the floor.

“I’m so sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going!” Ari explained as she stood up and went to help the fallen victim of her distraction.

“Don’t worry, I wasn’t looking properly either” the victim was a young lady that accepted her hand and swiped her dress from the dust from the floor.

“I’m really sorry!” Ari then kneeled to pick up her books that ended up on the floor.

“It’s ok” the young lady says as she picked Ari’s books instead.

Ari turned around to give her books back when she saw the girl stop and look into her titles.

“‘The origins of the clans’? ‘Makai's story’? Aren’t these books of basic knowledge?” the girl said as she raised her eyebrow questioning.

Ari blushed.

“T-They are, but I need them as my references,” Ari replied.

“References? For what?” the girl continued.

“Well, I have a project going on and I need to reference my sources”

“Project? Are you a student?”

“N-Not really… is a personal project”

“Then why do you need to reference your sources?” the girl kept pushing.

“I think you could say… it became a habit of mine in my school years?” Ari smiled awkwardly.

The girl then smiled.

“I find it interesting you answer all my questions even if I’m a stranger” the girl said as she smirked at her.

“O-Oh! W-Well is not like I’m hiding it” Ari felt more nervous, and when she was like that she couldn’t help but spill out the tea.

The girl then giggled and after some seconds stopped.

“You’re so honest and cute~ what’s your name?” she asked Ari.

“M-My name is Ariadna Koizumi” Ari answered as she blushed.

“Oh~ so you’re the youngest daughter of the Koizumi marquis?” the girl replied knowingly as she bowed at her.

“E-Exactly”

“What is Lady Koizumi doing so far away from Iberitia?”

“I-I came for books?”

The girl giggled again.

“True, what a silly question taking into account we’re in the middle of a library”

It was Ari’s turn to giggle.

“Let me present myself: I’m Naomi Nakahara,” the girl bowed.

Ari’s eyes widened as she recognized the name.

Naomi Nakahara, hairess of the Nakahara family, members of one of the principal clans in the Makai. She was soon-to-be duchess of the Adler kingdom.

“It’s a high honor to meet you your grace” Ari took the skirt of her dresses and bowed as she had read from her books.

“The pleasure is all mine” Naomi bowed in reply. “If you don’t mind, would you accompany me for supper?”

“Oh! That would be marvelous! I’m very hungry!” Ari exclaimed, but soon covered her mouth with her hand “I-I’m so sorry! I-I!”

Naomi giggled.

“I like girls that don’t mind being expressive, that talks about a lot about them”

“R-Really?” Ari asked as she followed Naomi.

“Yes, as that speaks of a lady that’s honest both to everyone and to herself” Naomi replied with grace “It’s rare to find someone genuine, specially in the nobility”

Ari blushed at her words, no one had told her that before.

Both ladies went to the nearest restaurant and enjoyed their food. The exquisite dishes made Ari sighed in delight as she munched them as carefully as she could. She felt embarrassed at her manners in comparison with those of Naomi’s.

Naomi was a high noble lady in all the expression of the word: her long black hair that fell perfectly down her back, her downturned eyes, the colors of the emeralds and sharp gaze were worthy of a duchess. Her pale skin gave her a porcelain doll-like appearance and gave her a sweet aura with the freckles that decorated her cheeks. Her posture, her manners, the way she spoke with elegant vocabulary and soft tone made Ari admire her greatly.

(She looks like a princess from the fairytales! I wonder if Ariadna was like her before I came in… I want to be a lady like her so bad!) Ari thought as they both enjoyed dessert and tea afterwards.

They spoke for a while about things without importance, so they could get to know each other. The conversation was lively and it never ran out of topics. So much was their enjoyment that the evening turned into dawn and it was their time to leave. They promised to keep in touch and they did. For weeks afterwards, they exchanged letters and even coordinated to go to the library during the same days. After some time, they felt like they were close to each other and felt a strange connection between them. They were so trusting and honest that they developed a nice friendship that felt almost surreal.

Yet Ariadna had to continue to investigate the clans, but no matter how long she searched she couldn’t find any information regarding the raven clan. Her suspicion was that their recordings stopped being registered when the previous imperial family were overthrown.

(I know from the novel that the clan is still alive. Unlike everyone that believes they are extinct, I know for a fact they are exiled. The question is to discover where…) Ari thought one day as she sighed tired by her favorite spot in the library.

That sighed didn’t go unnoticed by Naomi, that was peacefully reading a book next to her.

“What could be so tiring that caused you to sighed so discouragingly?” Naomi asked without raising her sight from her book.

“I just that… I came to a dead end” Ari replied as she closed her eyes to rest them from being glued to the books for hours now.

“Which topic? Maybe I could help you” Naomi offered. Ari thought it was a good opportunity to maybe have some kind of clue as to where to investigate.

“I’m in the part of the history of the clans, yet it caught my attention that the information available is incomplete” Ari explained.

Ari noticed how Naomi tensed slightly, gripping a little tightly the book on her hands.

“That’s odd, all the information of the clans is available to the public” Naomi spoke, her voice unchanged in comparison to her body language.

“Yes, I already filled in the main clans information and the minors too” Ari continued, testing the seas “Yet, one clan in particular seemed to have vanished out of nowhere and that’s odd taking into account is universal knowledge it was extinct… you know it? The Rave–”

Ari didn’t manage to finish what she was saying as Naomi covered her mouth with a quick movement.

Naomi had a fierce and menacing look on her eyes. Once she had assured Ari wouldn’t say anything further, she made her a quick sight to follow her. Ari nodded and they walked towards another wing of the library. Ari had never been in that part of the library, as it was exclusive to special members of the library. Ari supposed it wasn’t a problem for them to be there as Naomi was a duchess and that meant she had special privileges compared to her.

Once they entered a small room, Naomi locked the door and turned around seriously.

“Ari, I thought you knew the basics of the rules” Naomi said.

Ariadna shrugged, intimidated as well as scared to be called out.

“I-I” she stuttered.

“Ari, we among nobles have strictly prohibited talk about that clan in specific” Naomi continued, like reaffirming the obvious “the reason is because we know their case could be ‘inspiring’ for certain reasons”.

Ari wanted to ask more… she had to. Otherwise, how would she manage to uncover the truth? How would she be able to know what to do next? How to protect everyone dear to her?

“To be honest… I don’t have much knowledge about it. I know the basics and I feel something fishy about it” Ari dared to speak, although she felt a knot forming at her throat.

Naomi let a sigh escape her lips.

“Just because I know I can trust you, I’ll tell you about it. You mention it was a personal project, right? Then I don’t have to worry for the information to leak” Naomi stated as she took a seat in one of the tiny couches there. Ari did the same and remained silent, waiting for Naomi to start talking.

“Before answering your question about the lack of information regarding this clan, we need to go back in time. Back in the time they were still among us” Naomi started.

Ari took her pen, ready to write down the information she was about to receive.

“As you know, before the former emperor had taken over the throne, another family was the one that ruled, the Tsukinami. They had been in power for many years and they gave birth to our empire. However, the clans that formed the empire were divided and the peace that seemed to be was only an illusion, the tension was palpable as if in any moment a war would break out. As the situation worsened, the Tsukinami family spontaneously caught a disease that was killing them one after the other. Thanks to that strike of luck, KarlHeinz was able to overthrow them and place himself as the next emperor. His powers also played a great role in his victory, as many tried to confront him but failed to do so. In the end, all the clan leaders at that time had no option but to accept him as the supreme leader. He made them unify and so our empire was founded. Yet one clan in particular, refused to do so.”

Ari paused as she already sensed how might they be.

“The raven clan. They were extremely loyal to the previous family and they refused to acknowledge KarlHeinz as the leader. Especially since he placed himself through force, imposing his own will. The official story said that KarlHeinz took this as an offense and extinguished them in order to prevent any future revolution on their behalf”.

“Since they were great strategists and had a vast knowledge in military weapons, right?” Ari comented.

“Exactly” Naomi seemed pleased with her answer “Yet… There is a second version which is classified. Only the heads of the families of the original clans know about this”.

Ari tensed, prepared for whatever information Naomi had to offer.

“The truth is, KarlHeinz did feel offended by their disapproval, but that is because they were excellent allies… but dangerous enemies. KarlHeinz did try to exterminate them, but they also had an ace under their sleeves: they were naturals in the art of black magic”

Ari opened her eyes in shock. That certainly was valuable information the novel didn’t bother to explain.

“Black magic? I thought that was…”

“Exterminated? Yes, it’s natural to believe that” Naomi smirked knowingly “We all thought that. Yet their powers were so strong he couldn’t, so he resorted to sending them to exile and keeping this information extremely confidential”.

Ariadna knew much about their exile situation, but not the real reason behind it. With this new information Ari had more questions than answers. Just how did Kino manage to get there? How did he find them if this was classified information? What did he do to convince them to join him? How did he become the leader of their group?

“This is so much to take in… but I think I’m more confused about the black magic wizards. I thought wizards only possessed white magic?” Ari asked, acting ignorant as she knew they both existed.

“Just like light exists, so does darkness. Is a rule in the balance of the world. Light wizards are born to protect and serve normal people like you and I from the dark wizards”. Naomi sipped her tea to refresh her throat for speaking too much.

“I suppose since they were expelled from Makai, there’s no longer need for light wizards?” Ari asked.

“Yes, but at the same time no. We thought that once the raven clan was gone, so would the black magic” Naomi explained “ Yet in both cases, there are two types of wizards: the true wizards and the converted wizards”.

“Converted?”

“Yes, the true wizards are born with the gift of magic and awaken at a certain point of their youth. Regardless of status, a noble or a commoner can be a wizard. In the case of nobles they are given the choice to become a full time wizard, which means serving the empire and giving up their obligations as nobles. Something that most times they don’t want to, since it means giving up your wealth and title and, for many families with only one heir, is not an option. In the case of commoners, mostly all agree since it means they have access to better education and a better income for them and their families, and also acquire honor and respect in the way. In both cases, they are forced to learn to control their powers properly or acquire an object that will “nullify” their powers so they can live a normal life without risking their powers to get out of control. Converted wizards, however, are made. Same rules apply to the black wizards”.

“How?”

“Well, there are certain requirements to be a converted wizard. For instance, you have to have a certain affinity or sensibility to magic. It has been proven that there’s a gene that develops completely or halfway the affinity to magic. Just by having this affinity you can be a converted wizard. The process is simple: you go through a purification process on the night of a new moon and you are given a magic object that will be the source of your newly acquired powers. This object, also purified, converts the mana in the environment into white magic, something true wizards can do naturally”.

“And… i-in the case of b-black wizards? How do they become one?” Ari asked shyly as she sensed that it wouldn't be something nice to hear.

Naomi took a deep breath and after a brief pause, she continued.

“Black magic is an anomaly. Something goes wrong that makes the individual manifest black magic instead of white magic in the case of those born with the gift. But as you may have guessed, there isn’t much information nor “subjects” to investigate. And, from what I’ve gathered… to turn into a black magic wizard there is a ritual on a night of a full moon and there’s a sacrifice involved. Blood is needed and obtains a cursed object that will give the black wizard it’s magic”.

Ari shivered, the meaning of Naomi’s words heavy on her being.

“I-If KarlHeinz couldn’t deal with them, was it wise to exile them? Couldn’t they return? Is there any way to stop a black wizard?” Ari asked, somehow scared with this topic.

“In the case of converted black wizards, the curse item needs to be confiscated and the person purified. However, in the case of a true black wizard, depending on the power they possessed either being trapped forever under strict vigilance or death are the only way to deal with them. A purification only works temporarily on them”.

Ari thanked Naomi for her information and again swore she wouldn’t tell a soul. They made their way to a pastry shop and decided to end the conversation and talk about other stuff. But although Ari’s body may have been present with Naomi, her mind was somewhere else.

(How did Kino get his black magic powers? Is he a true or a converted black magic user? If he’s a converted black wizard… maybe he hasn’t acquired his powers yet! If only I could know this detail… maybe he could be exposed before it’s too late!) Ari thought as she hid her preoccupations behind a smile.

She felt like she carried the burden of knowing the future that not just her family and march, but the whole empire on her shoulders. The worst thing was, she felt like she couldn’t do something about it… nor did she have someone she could count on to help her. Either way, she had to be fast, time was running out and she had to come up with a new plan to try to avoid her ending. After all… it all depended on her alone.

Mun Ari: AHHHH so excited! It took some time, but finally it is here! It took me more time, but mostly the planification and corrections :’v. I’m so proud of this story! I poured so much of my heart in this story… I really hope you liked it as well! Also! Thank you everyone for the kind and encouraging words and slothy too for being my advisor :’D. And about Arino (since it’s the deal after all) I’m going there! The first chapters are for the setting, the bases for the story per say… but I can spoil you as looking forward to chapter 3 since we. are. getting. Arino! Pinky promise ^^. Thank you again for reading and see you soon!

#ariadnassecretdiary #inside ariadna's diary #under this damn contract #forced marriage au #Ariadna Koizumi Martínez #ariadnaxkino #manhwa inspired story #Mun Ari's crappy writing #very long!!#thanks for reading!!#diabolik lovers latino #diabolik lovers oc #honorable mention to sugar for the encouraging words!#honorable mention to slothy for being my advisor jijiji

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