#i went too ham on the gem its fine

[grailknightmonty]

sparkle bright like a diamond ✨

Amazing design for the mans by @ingapotejtoo :D!! im so normal about this guy (lying)

[ddullahan]

Here's a prompt I've been thinking about writing but never will Ruby finds that whenever she checks out a book from the library its been checked out before by a W.Schnee as well. Like every book she chooses. So she's suuuper curious as to what type of person she is. She thinks theyre really similar because they have the same tastes in books.And they meet and she finds out that Weiss is nothing like her at all.And cute shit happens? Idk I didn't think this through 😂

BRUH WHAT THIS IS SO FUCKING CUTE I went ham on this lmao thank you so much for the prompt idea!! I picture Ruby and Weiss in their twenties in this as a PSA lol ---------- The library was solemn that afternoon. Ruby wandered the stacks, breathing in the paper and leather from the shelves around her. The tips of her fingers skimmed the spines, silver eyes drifting over with no real clarity behind them. She pulled a book free from the shelf with the title The Beast of Vale, automatically flipping it open and skimming the inside cover. Someone sneezed with the force of a gunshot in the distance and Ruby nearly dropped the book, a flustered apology whispered out of sight. She recovered with a soft giggle, tucking it under her arm. Arching up onto her toes to glance at the other covers, there was a second sneeze and another hasty apology. Ruby bit her lip to stifle another laugh, pulling a second book free, Dust Below Dawn, and set to reading the inside cover. She pinched that to her side too, reaching for a third book - and a third sneeze rocketed through the quiet library. She heard a soft swear nearby and shuffled her books into her hands, curiosity pricking at her skin. She slunk to the end of the aisle, poking her head around the corner. “Bless y-” She choked off mid-sentence, her eyes widening. The woman seated amongst the thick red leather couches was far too pretty to be real. Stark white hair draped over her shoulders in silk waves, braided at the temples and leaving the rest to fall loose. White bangs framed her brow, partially covering a thick pale scar over her left eye. Most of her face was covered by a pale blue handkerchief furiously rubbing at her nose, but Ruby could still catch the gem blue eyes squinted against the pressure. They matched the dark and light blues of her three piece suit and matching heels. She had a sleek looking laptop on the coffee table in front of her, a lipstick stained coffee cup set beside it. Accompanying the laptop were several blue-bound books stacked as far away from her as possible, without the threat of them falling off the small table. The woman sniffed daintily, catching Ruby’s movement and hastily folding her handkerchief back into her inside pocket. “Oh -” “Oh um -” Ruby stammered at the same time, nearly jumping out of her skin as those blue eyes focused completely on her. “Did I -” “Bless you!” Ruby blurted out in a panic. The woman paused, blinking at her. “...Thank you..?” “You’re pretty - Welcome!” Ruby squeaked, her heart pounding so hard she was sure she could feel it through the books clutched to her chest. “You’re pretty welcome. Yep.”    An almost invisible smile pitched the corners of the woman’s eyes, amusement coloring her tone. “Pretty welcome. That’s a new one.” Ruby flushed red to the tips of her ears, a clumsy little laugh bursting from her, unchecked. “Well I’m uh, a new one. New-new person, I mean. We’ve never met before. So I’m new. To you.” The working percentage of her brain immediately wished to crawl into a hole and never come out again. Thankfully, her flustering seemed to amuse the woman further, prompting a light, stuttering laugh from her red lips. Ruby was surprised with herself, amazed she was still standing beyond the force of that smile. “You are.” The woman said evenly. Ruby immediately wished she’d worn something nicer to the library, as the weight of those blue eyes skimmed over her attire. Big black boots and black rose stockings lead up to a simple short black dress cinched at the waist and deep red cardigan thrown haphazardly over her shoulders, the tattered ends reaching down to her ankles. The soft red sleeves were pushed up her forearms, black bracelets around her wrists and a simple black choker wrapped around her throat. She didn’t bother with make-up that day, and she bemoaned it silently. “S-so um.” She shifted awkwardly, the woman’s eyes snapped up to hers immediately, the words sticking in her throat. She swallowed and tried again, clutching her books tighter for sanity. “A-are you um. Okay? Those were some pretty powerful sneezes.” The woman’s spine stiffened a little, crossing her legs at the knee. Her hands folded over on her lap. One of her heels drifted a little loose, cruxed at the ball of her foot. She had the presence of someone three times her actual size and Ruby could only watch the transformation in awe. “I’m fine, thank you for your concern. It seems I’m mildly allergic to the dust in these books. And not the useful kind.” Her lips pursed in the semblance of a frown. “Oh, that’s tragic.” Ruby flushed back up her eyes. “I-I mean, not tragic tragic. Just, um. It sucks you can’t smell the paper without sneezing.” “Yes I...thought the same.” She tilted her head, a few strands of her hair curling over the sharp line of her shoulder. Ruby wondered absently if meeting someone gorgeous was supposed to feel like dying. “Have you read those books before?” “These?” Ruby looked down at the books in her hands like she’d forgotten they were there. Honestly it was hard to remember anything now that she could breathe. “Uh no, not yet. I was planning to check them out though.” “Dust Below Dawn is enjoyable, as long as you don’t mind egregious prose and flowery alliterations.” The woman hummed, her spine relaxing as she reached for her coffee cup. Ruby tried not to stare too hard as her pale throat bobbed with a sip. “Wow, words.” Ruby murmured under her breath, shell-shocked that she’d missed her entire sentence. “Alternatively,” The woman continued, either ignoring or missing Ruby’s lack of attention, “The Beast of Vale is a masterwork. The author spent a dangerous amount of months near Mount Glenn just researching the properties of the city and grimm surrounding.” Ruby snapped out of her daze, glancing down at her copy of The Beast of Vale in wonder. Her feet were moving before she even realised it, cardigan sweeping out in a flutter behind her as she dropped into the opposing red couch. She leaned over the books now relocated to her lap, leaning forward eagerly. “Wow so you’ve read both of these before?” It was only after a beat of silence that Ruby realised how pink the other woman’s cheeks were, how wide her eyes had grown. “I- well yes. I wouldn’t know anything about them if I had no interest.” “Do you research the authors of all the books you read?” Ruby asked curiously. “Only the ones I care deeply for. I like knowing the process involved.” “That’s super neat!” The woman blinked like she’d just been blindsided. “Thank you?” “On a scale of one through ten, what would you rate Dust Below Dawn?” Ruby bulldozed on through the conversation, gaining confidence now. “Six.” The woman replied, almost startled by her own quick response. “The Beast of Vale?” “Nine.” “Okay okay, how about - are these books yours too?” Ruby prodded the small stack closest to her, careful not to jostle the stained coffee cup. “They are.” “Have you read them already?” “...Yes.” The woman’s flush crawled higher on her cheeks, her sharp scar imperious amongst the pink. “Okay,” Ruby flipped the top book over, skimming the title. “What would you rate - oh hey, I’ve read this one! What would you rate Atlas Knights?” “Ugh, two.” The woman wrinkled her nose. “I read it faster because I wanted it over with. The main character was unbelievably whiny.” “I dunno, I was under the impression she had a hard time expressing herself.” Ruby hummed, flipping the cover over to the library checkout slip.  She found her name, R. Rose, and another below hers, W. Schnee. A bit of recognition itched at the back of her mind. The woman scoffed. “Well what rating would you give it?” Ruby’s attention switched on a dime. “Mm… probably a five.” Ruby frowned. “The world was cool. But if the main character had a hard time expressing herself, the author also didn’t give her a chance to be better. It’s like, she’s saved by her knight, but still a brat. The other characters all know she’s a brat, but none of them talk to her about it. She isn’t given a chance to be a person, she’s just given a flaw and stuck with it for the entire story.” The woman hummed in reticent agreement, reaching for her coffee again. Ruby pointedly didn’t watch this time, sliding the book aside to look at the one underneath. She made a little curious hum under her breath. “I’ve read this one too. What did you think about Song of Ice and Rust?” “Probably rated a seven or eight. I enjoyed the twist immensely.” Ruby looked up at her with a bright grin, heart thundering uncomfortably in her throat. “It was so good, wasn’t it!?” She received a small but genuine smile for her enthusiasm. It made her feel like she could fly to the rafters. “The dragon really sold it for me, I wasn’t expecting it to be the ancient king.” “Gods I read that and almost screamed - it was like three in the morning though so I had to contain myself.” “That must have been hard for you.” The woman said with false sympathy, though her smile remained curled. “Hey! I’ll have you know Miss -” Ruby glanced on the inside of the cover, finding again her name and the same W. Schnee underneath. “Schnee, I’m perfectly capable of containing myself.” “This conversation has proved otherwise.” She replied smoothly, though a bit of stiffness had returned to her spine. Her gaze seemed to be searching for something, but Ruby wasn’t really sure what it was she wanted. Shrugging it off, she moved on to the last book on the table, a small frown gracing her face. “Man this is so weird, I’ve literally read all of these.” Ruby said, tilting her head curiously. “We must have similar tastes in literature.” “We must…” Ruby squinted at the inside of the cover, spotting the same W. Schnee below her name. Something itched at the back of her mind again. She dropped the cover closed, swinging open Dust Till Dawn’s cover. There was the same simple cursive of W. Schnee. “Have you read The Nevermore’s Quarry?” Ruby asked, suddenly, looking up at her. She knew full well that book wasn’t anywhere near their little table. The woman blinked, leaning forward curiously. “Yes, I have. How did you-?” “The Harbinger Sons?” Ruby asked, silver eyes widening. “...Yes?” The woman looked equally as mystified. Her eyes drifted above Ruby’s head in thought. “Have you read Of Bones and Evil?” “Yes,” Ruby breathed, her grin growing wider by the second. “Fortune’s Fallacy?” Ruby just nodded, her entire body lighting up with a different kind of energy. “What in the world…” The woman murmured. “I think you might be my library soulmate.” Ruby said. She had no idea someone could turn so red in such a short time, admiring the flush under the woman’s scar. Ruby was almost entertained, watching as she sputtered in the cutest kind of fluster. “Y-you can’t just say that to someone!” She stammered. Ruby’s confidence came roaring to life. She pouted. “So that means I can’t ask you out either?” “I- what.” Blue eyes blinked rapidly, the very picture of an error message written in human form. “I thought your name looked familiar. I’ve been reading the same books as you for almost a year straight.” Ruby tried not to show how much her palms were sweating, nerves shuffling in cold versus the warm wake of her momentary confidence. Predictably, her mouth started running without her permission.“I think we have a lot in common and I’d like to get to know you and maybe possibly talk more about books when I don’t look like a scrub. You’re like, other-worldly gorgeous and you’re so far out of my league but my sister says I can’t write anything off without trying it first and I figured I’d try it out y’know, benefit of the doubt and holy moly I’ve been talking for way too long-” “You only know my name from the books we’ve read?” The woman spoke it more like a statement, almost like she couldn’t believe what she was saying. “Um. I mean I’d like to know your first name. But, yeah.” Ruby gave in and brushed her palms down the front of her skirt, fingers starting to shake with adrenaline. “Weiss.” She replied absently. “Weiss Schnee.” Ruby’s lips twitched into a nervous smile. “Ruby Rose.” Weiss gave her a once over, the astonishment fading into something entirely different. Her gaze carried a weight to it that had Ruby’s palms sweating double time, her twitchy fingers immediately fiddling with her red cardigan. “...Alright.” Weiss gave a slow, smooth smile. Ruby almost passed out. “Wh- really?” “Do you have a pen on you?” “I- yes!” Ruby all but evacuated the library ten minutes later, a number written on the back of her hand next to a clear, red lipstick stain. She nearly ran into a pole, but she knew it’d be ten thousand percent worth it. She couldn’t wait to see the look on Yang’s face.

[weaverlings]

in the dining room, with the ring

so for @cecilos-week‘s “proposal” prompt... in which Cecil and Carlos are, theatrically speaking, huge hams.

listen I don’t know that I can communicate to you how foolish this is?? just ridiculous. but in a fun way? I had fun with it anyway and also it’s extremely gay, promise. check it out.

Cecil stood at the front of Old Woman Josie's dining room in an outfit of clean lines and matching colors. The outfit was, in the strictest sense, a costume. He raised his arms to throw back his cloak, and grinned.

"Welcome back," he proclaimed, "to tonight's mystery dinner theater!"

He clasped his hands back over his chest, a gesture that was all fluttering red silk and black velvet settling around him.

"Unfortunately, trying to hold a murder mystery dinner theater would have led to a severe fine and jail time for misusing emergency services, so it was just a regular mystery dinner theater." He opened his hands, peacemaking, apologetic, and soothed, "But as you have learned tonight.... There are other crimes. Arson. Fraud… oh, and of course, theft."

He allowed himself another moment of silence, both for the pacing and to luxuriate in the stir that passed through the players.

Josie Ortiz tapped the arms of her chair, grinning a challenge back at him from under her deerstalker hat. No detective was pluckier, but perhaps she had claimed a prize beyond a puzzle that night.

Abby Palmer, one half of the ominous housekeeper couple, folded her arms over her chest. Did the pastel iridescence of her tuxedo hide beneath it a different kind of shine?

Dana Cardinal in a double-breasted coat, medals gleaming, did her best to maintain governmental solemnity. It was a good effort, but she could not quite stop smiling. Maybe it was because she had not had such a good time in quite a long one, or maybe she was eager to share a secret which would, ultimately, harm no one.

And the beautiful heiress, strung with pearls and draped with feathers over the simple silhouette of a black dress. Carlos' eyes were bright, attentive; his teeth pressed into his lower lip with anticipation. What did he know? So much. Maybe because he had never lost his family heirloom, after all.

All eyes were on their host, who offered his most decorous smile. "Yes, something terrible has happened tonight. No, not merely happened - it was an act of willful malice. A crime, indeed, has been committed-" He ducked down to whisper quickly into a nearby potted plant, "But not for real, guys, okay? We're totally just pretending - Ahem. Yes, a crime! The prized jewel of a noble family has been stolen!"

"Oh, darling, no!" Carlos exclaimed, and swooned in his seat. He sobbed desperately, "It's just too terrible!"

Maggie Pennebaker fanned him with the book she was carrying. Tamika Flynn leaned over the table, and offered, "Ooh, hey, I've got real smelling salts in my emergency kit! You wanna try some?"

"...Honey? Are you okay?" Cecil started around the table, unable to curb an instinctual response to his boyfriend's distress.

Carlos lifted his head just enough to wink at him, and then fell against the chair again, this time pressing the back of his hand to his forehead. Tamika smirked, and sat back down. Maggie fanned harder, and nudged a glass of wine toward Carlos with her free hand.

Cecil reclaimed his place at the front, and gathered their attention by spinning into place and swirling his cloak around him. He went on, "Yes! And it happened tonight! Right. Under. Your. Noses. No one has come or gone from this house since the jewel vanished. Even now, the criminal… is among you! Among us! They must be, and their ill-gotten gains must be, as well.

"Now, the time has come." He pushed back his sleeve, and made a show of fiddling with his watch. "You have had two hours to sniff them out. And I have here what exists nowhere else in Night Vale. The truth of two hours." He smiled at Carlos. "Have any of you solved this mystery, or will the criminal and their treasure escape justice, as well?"

Carlos' faint gasping caught, and then he was laughing, still with his head thrown back. A high, dramatic sound; intentional, delighted syllables. When he deigned to sit up, everyone was staring at him. He set his chin in in one hand, and twirled the end of his feather boa slowly in the other.

"Oh? What's so funny, зайчик?"

"Why, darling… Of course, I've solved it. I know who the thief!"

"Oh, my. Did you all hear that?" Cecil placed his fingertips just so over his heart. "Does anyone have anything they wish to say before, perhaps, their true nature is revealed?"

He let silence settle again, as complete as it could be in a crowded room.

"No? Well, alright." He offered Carlos an exaggerated bow, beckoning him to continue. "Go ahead, зайчик."

Carlos stood up, but his movements were deceptively demure. He batted his eyelashes, and crossed the ends of the feather boa over his chest. He began to pace around the table, stopping by each seat as he spoke.

"It could have been any of us. At first, I thought it must be…  the housekeepers! Between the two of them, and their access to the house, well, who else could it be?"

Steve clapped his hands to his face, the very picture of indignation, nowhere near the reality. "Oh, but we've served this family for generations!"

"Mhm. We would never," Abby agreed. She tipped her head onto the shoulder of Steve's matching tuxedo, and smiled easily up at Carlos.

"But did they?" Cecil suggested in a stage whisper. "Maybe… they did."

Carlos held up a hand. "No. You wouldn't. I didn't want to believe it, so… I didn't. And I started thinking about other possibilities. Once I had opened my mind to them, it seemed so obvious… My little cousin! Ever since she arrived last night, she's been so sweet. Opening doors, fixing things, laughing at everyone's jokes - even those which were not scientifically accurate. So, maybe a little too sweet. Very suspicious, darling."

Cecil mused, "And even the sweetest faces can hide dark secrets…"

Tamika fluttered her eyelids right back at Carlos. "What? Me? But I was going to have a share of the estate, anyway. Unless you think I wanted more? Oh, how could you ever suggest that?"

Carlos stopped, once again teasing the end of the boa between in his fingertips. "I didn't. Actually, I was really confused about what your motivation would have been until just now - it didn't make sense. So, I mean, I know it's not you. But that's really useful information, thank you, darling. I'll keep it in mind."

Tamika folded her arms, and settled back into her chair with a firm nod. "Oh. Good. Glad we're on the same page."

Carlos moved on. "Professor Pennebaker… I thought you might be interested in studying the gem. Then I remembered that you're a professor of geology, rock-based divination which is not a real science at all, as opposed geonomy, which is legitimate earth science. Major Cardinal might have wanted the gem to decorate her pocketwatch, so that she could at least have one that was pretty, even if it was still completely useless..."

"Oh, um. But I-" Dana coughed, and tried again, lowering her voice and speaking gruffly. "I forgot the pocketwatch that went with the costume. Sorry."

"Aww, it's alright, darling. These things happen. And it means you couldn't have done it. Neither could Josie, because she has a dog, and everyone knows dog owners are morally infallible, because dogs are so precious that their inherent goodness rubs off onto their owners, a little more with each pet. Mhm. Scientific fact, darlings."

Erika, standing beside Josie's chair in a dog-ear headband, said, "Woof."

"And that leaves…" Carlos whirled, and pointed across the table to a dour figure in an eye patch and rain slicker. No one knew her relationship to the family, only that one Janice Palmer had shown up late last night, storm-drenched, with the appropriate invitation and enthusiastic glower for everyone involved. "The mysterious stranger!"

Janice glowered harder, but this resulted in a strained expression that was more like a pout. She said, "Aye! It was me!"

"Oh! A confession!" Cecil exclaimed. "But why did you do it?"

"Yes, darling, you must tell us why! None of us have any idea who you are!" Carlos insisted.

Janice pulled a card from the pocket of her slicker, scanned it, and proclaimed, "It's because I am the descendant of your long-lost cousin, Reginald, who your parents left stranded on a desert island! But over the years, the island became a popular vacation resort and got its own airport! I just flew in last night for my revenge and… boy, are my arms tired…?"

She looked down at the card again, then gave Cecil a dubious look. He nodded encouragingly behind Carlos' back. Tamika caught Janice's gaze, and rolled her eyes in solidarity.  

"Oh, no! My dear mamà and papà!" Carlos gasped. "And that explains the greatest mystery of all - why you arrived storm-drenched when we live in a desert that averages less than twenty-five centimeters of rain per year!"

Cecil pressed a hand to his chest, and declared, "Ooh, what a twist!"

"Yes! But you know what? If I can't have the jewel, no one can! I'll never tell you where I hid it!" Janice cleared her throat, and cackled distinctly, "Mua-ha-ha!"

"Hmm. I wouldn't be too sure, darling." Carlos smiled slyly, and waved away any concerns with a flick of his wrist. "I solved that mystery, too. I know exactly where the jewel is!"

Janice huffed. "Impossible! My hiding spot was perfect!"

"Oh, but of course, it's possible. In fact, not only is the jewel here, in this house, it is in this very room!"

Cecil pivoted, and threw out one arm, holding the cloak so that the lush, crimson lining spilled forth as an invitation. "Then reveal it to us, зайчик."

"I will. Just you watch, darling."

Carlos crossed the dining room. No one else made a sound; the click of his heels echoed and died as he swung aside a framed landscape on the wall. Behind it, Josie kept her fine porcelain, as was typical, and under the gravy boat on the bottom was a panel, the usual storage space for the dining-room beehive. Josie's, however, did not contain a beehive, nor even a few final segments of honeycomb. Instead, Carlos pulled out a plain, wooden box with a gilded latch. He spun to show them.

"Behold! The stolen jewel is inside of this box! My stolen jewel. It's been in my family for all eleven years of recorded history!"

This time, it was Carlos who paused to absorb the reactions. Gasps, a collective shift forward in seats, even polite applause from Maggie.

"You're right," said Cecil, once everyone had settled again. He had to wait. He spoke much more quietly than before, as though he would cry out if he did not keep his voice low. He held out a hand. "It is yours, зайчик. Come here, and let's have a look, shall we?"

Carlos, however, had been waiting all night. Perhaps the heiress, languid even in triumph, could have waited a moment longer, but the heiress was not real and Carlos was, and he was a scientist. Curiosity was deep in his nature. He opened the box, and looked inside.

And then he looked up.

"Cecil." He said, and then he thought he should say something else, but nothing came to mind by the time his voice came out. He just repeated, "Cecil!"

"Oh, Carlos, wait! You- Well." Cecil took a breath. "Well, you can open it. If you want to. It is yours."

Over Cecil's shoulder, Steve was already crying. Abby dabbed under his eyes with a handkerchief, and Dana leaned forward to see around her. Josie gave Carlos a thumbs-up.

Carlos wore an odd expression. At once reserved and bursting, and he, too, spoke gently. "No. No, I was thinking. I mean, I've been wondering. You were the one who got everything ready. Even when I wanted to help, you were very insistent, and normally you are so eager to do things together, so. I mean. Scientifically speaking, so."

He passed the box back to Cecil, and looped the feather bow over his elbows, hands clasped over his stomach. "I want to hear you say it."

Cecil accepted the box, and pulled another, smaller box from inside of it. He set the former down on the table, and held the latter clasped in both hands, and already there were tears in his eyes but he wanted to say it as much as Carlos wanted to hear it. He pushed the cloak out of the way, so he could get down on one knee without stomping on the fabric.

He offered up the little box on his palm, his eyes squeezed shut as his fingers found the seam. His heart was hot in his throat and his throat itself was tight around it so he didn't know if he would be able to speak, after all. But he flipped open the box, and he looked up in the same instant into Carlos' dark and delighted eyes, and Carlos was bouncing at the knee because he could not rock up and down on his heels, Cecil's зайчик for the evening and his bunny always.

Cecil said, "Carlos. Clever, beautiful, imperfect, oh, I had so much I wanted to say, but it's all running out of my ears, but, but you said you wanted to hear something and I know what you meant! Carlos, will you marry me?"

"Yes! I absolutely will!" Carlos shrilled. "I will do this because, personally speaking, I love you!"

"Oh…" Cecil nodded back, almost unable to express himself beyond a thrilled grin. "Neat!"

"It is! It is neat! It is the most neat, oh, honey-voiced honey!"

Cecil slipped the ring out of the box, and Carlos offered his hand to his fiancé. Cecil slid the ring on, and then just held Carlos' hand, and they both stayed there, breathless, until finally Cecil kissed the ring and then up to Carlos' knuckles. Then Carlos dropped to his knees and threw his arms around Cecil, catching him in a kiss. Cecil rested his hands on Carlos' hips, wrapped in silky fabric, and Carlos slid his arms down to hold Cecil under his cloak.

The moment broke when they separated, but beyond its crystalline fragments waited the rest of their lives, which would be one life, joined where they chose. In that beyond, their family and friends congratulated them. Cheers and hugs in a confetti-shower of noise and contact. Erika trumpeted, and Josie nudged them with her elbow, as everyone had to wait for their ears to stop ringing. And then there were decorations to take down, false mustaches to remove. Carlos finally reclaimed the wine Maggie had offered him, and Cecil found some, too, as she shared a small toast with her friend and his fiancé.

At the end of the evening, Cecil held Carlos' feather boa as he slid into his lab coat. Cecil tugged the lapels straight over the silky black dress, and murmured giddily, "Oh, you look just so… so scientific. Beautifully scientific. Scientifically beautiful. Hey."

Carlos beamed. "Yes... darling?"

Cecil offered him the boa. "Have I told you that I love you recently? Because I do. I really do."

Carlos took the boa back, and ran it through his hands. He spun one end thoughtfully. Then, he swished it up and over Cecil's neck, and tugged downward. A suggestion, absent any real force, but Cecil bent so quickly that their lips smashed together. Neither one of them had any complaints about this. Carlos felt the cloak slide heavily around his shoulders, and lifted his arms around Cecil inside of it.

"Mmm! Oh..." Cecil broke off the kiss without pulling away.

"Thank you, Ceec. Tonight was… Oh, it was wonderful! I had such a good time!" Carlos said, his breath soft on Cecil's lips. "I could not have asked for anything more, which means…"

"What does it mean, Carlos?"

"It means it was perfect, scientifically speaking. Nothing to be added, or taken away. People can't be perfect," Carlos whispered, running his hands through Cecil's hair. "It's just not scientifically possible. But maybe some things can be. Some nights."

"Then, every night I spend with you." Cecil leaned his forehead against Carlos'. "Every one. Good, or bad. Because I wouldn't change any of them."

[rhetoricandlogic]

JOINT REVIEW: THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING BY CATHERYNNE M VALENTE

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday. With exquisite illustrations by acclaimed artist Ana Juan, Fairyland lives up to the sensation it created when the author first posted it online. For readers of all ages who love the charm of Alice in Wonderland and the soul of The Golden Compass, here is a reading experience unto itself: unforgettable, and so very beautiful.

Stand alone or series: It can be read as standalone but hopefully it will be a series? Pleaaaaase Ms Valente?

How did we get this book: The author made the book available online free of charge, a couple of weeks ago and we rushed to download it. But we will get final copies soon.

Why did we read this book: Because it looked and it sounded great. And it won an Andre Norton Award. Not to mention that it is a Catherynne Valente book.

Review:

First Impressions:

Ana: I will try my best to be coherent about this book and not to break out the caps lock too much but it will be hard because OH MY GOD. This is the book that rescued me from a horrible reading slump; it is the book that made me realise that Cat Valente is an AWESOME writer (which I already suspected but this settled the matter); it is a book that is so beautifully written and full of incredible imaginative twists and ideas that I constantly had a sense of wonderment reading it; but above all, this is a book I will treasure forever and keep close and go back to, many times in the future. I just know it.

Thea: I have been an unabashed Cat Valente fan ever since I picked up The Orphan’s Tales (thanks to the glowing reviews from trusted bloggers), and I have seriously loved her adult fiction. When Ana sent me an excitable email (replete with many exclamation points and capslocking) that The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland was available for free download, I joined in the jubilation and immediately scurried my way to Ms. Valente’s website. And then I read the book, and then I fell in love. This is the first book from Ms. Valente that I’ve read that doesn’t employ the nested story-within-a-story, alternating chapters, narrators, and storylines – and even without that particular flavor, Ms. Valente’s writing shines. I, like Ana, loved this book, and I, like Ana, plan on rereading and treasuring this gem of a novel countless times over.

On the Plot:

Ana: It opens one fine day, with (The Somewhat Heartless) Twelve-year-old September being invited to visit Fairyland by the Green Wind. She says yes (and how could she not, being a fierce and adventurous girl?) and travels forthwith by means of Leopard (which is obviously, the best way to travel, if you ask me). In Fairyland, she will have many adventures and meet new friends including a half-library Wyvern (who most certainly is NOT a dragon) and a blue boy named Saturday. But also: this is where she might lose many things (including her shadow) and meet the all-powerful Marquess who sends her on a quest to retrieve a mysterious casket and what lies inside may well change Fairyland forever.

I am in AWE, folks, in AWE at Cat Valente’s creativity. This book is so full of wonderfulness that it is difficult to know where to start. Perhaps with the narrative itself, with an omnipotent narrator who sometimes interrupts the story to speak directly to the reader. It is so easy to get this wrong, to have these interruptions jarring and disrupting the narrative but not here: here it works well, and it adds to the story rather than disturbing it.

Then there is the creativity, the imagination: like for example, a creature that believes himself to be the son of a library and another one that is a soap golem; there is a herd of wild bicycles as well as flying leopards.

But this is only SURFACE, because underneath each creature has an underlying idea or concept or issue that is addressed with subtly and beauty: from a search for self-identity (if Wyvern is not the son of a library, then who is he?) to the horrible truths of slavery; from selfless devotion to political unrest. This is a book that celebrates fairytales without ever being derivative and never forgetting that they can be dark and gruesome. It sort of reminds me of Peter Pan and Neverland and how every child wants to visit Neverland and its wonders but let’s not forget: it is indeed a dangerous place inhabited by bloodthirsty people including young boys who are there because their mothers and nannies lost them.

Because in the end, I think that the most important thing to say about The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland is: you cannot have adventures without grief. And there is no shying away from it. But despite the grief and darker undertones, there is a lot of love and friendship here enough to – I can’t resist any longer, allow me to break out the caps lock- FILL MY HEART WITH JOY.

And then, to make things even BETTER, this book has the most amazing illustrations!

(link)

I mean, seriously. How can anyone resist?

Thea: Yes, yes, yes. What Ana said. The Girl (I am truncating this title because it is cumbersome to type, and much like September, who loves “A through L” as her friend Wyvern’s name, it is far too many syllables) is a gorgeous, imaginative novel that celebrates the daring-do of youth, the magic of the unknown, and the pitfalls and horrors of power. Also, this is decidedly unlike any other novels I’ve read by Ms. Valente, not only because the narrative style is more traditional, but also because the prose is ever-so-slightly screwball (I mean that in the best way). I completely agree with Ana that the omniscient narrator is a fantastic touch and sets the overall tone for the novel – doing the whimsical, breaking-the-fourth-wall type of narration can easily go sowrong – providing levity and whimsy, but tempered with actual thematic depth (the aforementioned examinations of slavery, of polity, and so on and so forth). This is a tall order, and to accomplish all of that in a children’s book, without ever becoming preachy or ham-handed, or completely frivolous is flabbergasting. I am honestly in awe of how Ms. Valente managed to weave together some of the most absurd story elements (migrating bicycles, hello!) into a cogent, poignant story.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland is an amalgam of some of my most treasured stories, conjuring comparisons to The Neverending Story, Peter Pan, but most of all, it feels to me like a modern, more-fun version of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – and if anyone is worthy to earn comparison to these classic works of children’s fantasy literature (even surpassing them), it is Catherynne Valente.

On the Characters:

Ana: There is a whole plethora of wonderful characters in The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland and I fell in love with every single one of them. I felt so bad for the lonely Soap Golem who was still waiting for the return of her Queen; I felt tremendously sorry for Saturday and how terrible it was that his entire life was about granting wishes and the horrendous way he was made to grant those wishes. Hey, I even sympathise with the villain, the Marquess, once her full story is disclosed – scrap that: I completely related to the Marquess and her motivations and maybe even rooted a little for her. But just a little.

Then of course, there is September, our main character, who is so fierce and a bit heartless that she leaves her house and her family behind without even thinking twice – but that decision is brought back and thought about throughout the entire book. She is dedicated, extremely loyal, compassionate, creative and just such a cool young heroine.

Thea: Yep, this is another one of those reviews where I am sitting in the back nodding my head emphatically, playing hype-man to Ana’s lead. What she said. I loved the lovely Soap Golem, and I loved SATURDAY, and I loved the Marquess (because, having been something of a heartless child myself, I have a soft spot for characters like this), and I loved A-through-L (or “Ell”) and the Green Wind and the leopard, and of course, more than anything, I loved September. September is not particularly pretty or smart or brilliant, but she is September – a normal, if slightly heartless, little girl from the decidedly unromantic land of Omaha, who is swept up by the Green Wind and embarks on an Adventure (with a capital “A”).

What is not to love about this book, I ask you? Nothing. It is perfect.

Final Thoughts, Observations & Rating:

Ana: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland is a small beautifully packaged bundle of perfect JOY. It is as awesome as a quest-coming of age story can be and I highly recommend it to everybody who loves fairytales, awesome heroines and beautiful writing. This goes straight into my top 10 of 2011.

Thea: I completely and wholeheartedly agree with Ana. It is a fantastical sort of bildungsroman (I have always wanted to use that word and something about Catherynne Valente encourages one to stretch and use vocabulary outside of one’s daily vernacular), a descriptive fairytale, and an imaginative feast of the bizarre and wonderful. I adored this book, and it too has a locked position as one of my top 10 books of 2011 (even if that is technically cheating since it was published prior to this year).

Notable Quotes/ Parts:

When they are in a great hurry, little girls rarely look behind them. Especially those who are even a little Heartless, though we may be quite certain by now that September’s Heart had grown heavier than she expected when she climbed out of her window that long ago morning. Because she did not look behind, September did not see the smoky-glass casket close itself primly up again. She did not see it bend in half until it cracked, and Death hop up again, quite well, quite awake, and quite small once more. She certainly did not see Death stand on her tiptoes and blow a kiss after her, a kiss that rushed through all the frosted leaves of the autumnal forest, but could not quite catch a child running as fast as she could. As all mothers know, children travel faster than kisses. The speed of kisses is, in fact, what Doctor Fallow would call a cosmic constant. The speed of children has no limits.

Additional Thoughts: The author has a website for the book where you can read HOW the book came about and why plus, read the first 8 chapters online, free.

And check out the lovely trailer:

[jbkerkhoff]

Buying a “New” Radio

I look at Ebay from time-to-time, and lately I’ve been having a little too much fun. A Ten Tec Century 21 CW Transceiver (model 570) attracted my attention recently. Released in 1975, the “570” was a solid-state radio intended for Novice hams and covered five bands: 80, 40, 20 (and with accessory crystals) 15 and 10 meters.  Its “Double Direct Conversion” receiver could detect SSB and CW signals, but had only about 30 watts output. It was being sold as a “part only” device with at least two problems. The main tuning dial was frozen and it didn’t seem to have any output on transmit. Although the shipping was a little expensive, the auction price was modest price given the radio’s cult status with CW aficionados. I had always had a soft spot for Ten Tec products.

My History with Ten Tec

Back in the 80’s, I lusted after the Triton IV digital. It was expensive even though I had a good job engineering at a local TV station. Hoping for a deal, I went to the local dealer and mentioned my interest. He wondered if I could help him repair radios. He was both an amateur and CB radio dealer, and had a backlog of service tickets. Before long the deal was struck: if I would work on Saturdays repairing radios, the Triton IV was mine. I don’t remember the time frame, but I probably worked at least several months. I later traded that radio for an ICOM 720A, which I still have, but I always regretted selling the Triton IV. I worked a lot of DX on that rig.

Solving the frozen dial problem

Fast forward 40 years, and the Century 21 arrived from the Ebay seller. He had packed it very carefully, and the radio was in good cosmetic shape given its age and Ten Tec’s use of contact paper for exterior finishes. I opened the top cover and could see the reason for the frozen dial immediately: the plastic spur gear that connects the Permeability Tuned Oscillator (PTO) to the frequency dial had split in two. I took the front panel off  and I had the part out in no time. There were two clean breaks and both halves were complete. I could repair it.

The repaired tuning dial gear

A word about the plastic used for these gears. In the past, I’ve tried repairing them with super glue and epoxy with mixed results. Neither adhere well to the plastic. I recently discovered a product that works though: Loctite Epoxy Plastic Bonder. It adds a solvent that attacks the plastic, allowing the epoxy to bond. The result is strong, machinable and permanent. About 30 minutes later, the gear was as good as new. There was a some squeeze out in the center hub and around the gear teeth, but a drill bit and an x-acto knife cleaned that up.

Documentation for the Ten Tec Century 21

The Ten Tec Manual

Manuals for these radios are not hard to find, with several helpful hams posting PDFs from their personal copies. I was able to find a copy at rigreference.com. The manuals  are very helpful with more than just installation and operation. They discuss the radio’s theory of operation and how each section works in detail. Voltage readings and schematics are also included. I was grateful for this help because I knew that the “no output” problem was a little more challenging.

Diagnosing the symptoms

I learned years ago that no matter what the problem, it’s a good idea to check power supply voltages first. The Century 21 is powered by an internal, transformer-isolated  power supply that supplies a regulated 12.6 volts. It’s got a beefy transformer and the supplied voltage was correct. Although there was audible white noise when it was powered, suggesting that the audio stages were working, connecting an antenna didn’t change the white noise much — even when changing bands or the PTO setting. Pressing the “set drive” button did mute the radio, and advancing the drive control did increase the reading on the “input power meter”, but not very much. Checking the output with an oscilloscope didn’t show much output, and it wasn’t anywhere near the expected frequency.

We have a diagnosis (With a little help from my friends)

The PTO

There are several good resources online and I found specific help on the QRZ.com Century 21 Restoration Forum. A couple of things stood out: these radios often had bad final output transistors, and also often needed to have the PTO rebuilt. Thinking that the finals might be bad, I started working backwards from the the final amp. Checking the output of the “Low Level Driver” board, I was surprised to see very little output and at the wrong frequency. Going back to the “Mixer” board, it’s output also had an unrelated frequency at the output. This is a simple radio (something I love about Ten Tec’s products of the era) and there were only two other possibilities. Either the PTO was off frequency, or the Local Oscillator (also on the “Mixer” board) wasn’t right. It turned out to be the PTO. It was running, but at about 2.87 MHz, and it didn’t change when the tuning dial was moved.

Partial PTO Schematic showing the coils

The PTO is the only module in the radio where voltage readings are not  provided. The QRZ forum and a couple of YouTube videos encouraged me to dive in though, and  I decided to remove the PTO from the radio. It would be easier to work on, and should I need to rebuild it, I would have to remove it anyway. Supplied with power from a 9-volt battery, I looked at the output on a scope. Nice sine waves at about 2.87 MHz. No change when I turned the tuning knob, even though I could see the ferrite slug moving in and out of a coil. The frequency should have been changing between about 5 and 5.5 MHz. Was something wrong with that coil? I couldn’t see any damage, and the wire leads seemed firmly attached to both the coil and the circuit board.

The broken coil

Looking at the schematic for the PTO, I could see a continuity check of the  tuning coil  (“L3″ on the schematic) wouldn’t tell me much since it was connected in parallel with”L2”.  “L1” and “L2,” are connected in series and used to set the overall frequency and band spread of the PTO.  I unsoldered one lead of “L3” and tested it with an ohmmeter. No connection. That explained why there was no frequency change when the ferrite slug moved and why the frequency was so low. Without “L3” in parallel with the other two coils, the effective inductance would be higher, resulting in a lower oscillator frequency. Getting the coil out of the tiny box involved removing the tuning mechanism. I was going to rebuild the PTO after all.

Repair and Rebuild

Installing the repaired coil

I’ll spare the tedious details of repairing the coil except to say that the coil dope was difficult to remove. I ended up using a small file and an x-acto knife to abrade and chip enough off to reconnect the broken lead. Also, I had to repair both leads. Both were well connected to the coil dope yet had failed underneath. I haven’t seen that before.

The dissassembled PTO

There are two good videos from K5CYF showing how to rebuild the PTO and an excellent Web page from N5ESE (captured in 2005 on archive.org) with more detailed instructions. Both mention the use of a Ten Tec “PTO Rebuild Kit” which may no longer be available. With their help, I was able to reassemble my PTO using the existing parts. The good news? The PTO now worked, and was producing RF in the expected range from 5 to 5.5 MHz.  The vernier also seemed to work reasonably well. BTW, this PTO design was used in several products of the era, so knowing how to service them is useful for the Ten Tec collector.

Testing the PTO after assembly

Output from the working PTO

Success! (or Back to the Future)

After reinstalling the PTO, the radio had output. 80 meters was a little low at 12.5 watts out, but the other bands came close to or met original specs of 25-30 watts out. The PTO was surprisingly close to frequency after having major surgery, requiring only a slight touch-up. The receiver was originally rated at 1 uV or less for 10 dB S+N/N, and I could indeed hear signals from a test generator set to 1 uV.

How is it? Like a trip down memory lane — and it has a few quirks. The direct conversion receiver hears signals on both sides of zero beat meaning that a CW signal will be heard in two places on the dial. This takes a little getting used to for us modern Superhet owners, but works fine in practice. The three section audio filters (2.5, 1 and 0.5 KHz) work well for voice and CW and I remember their audio quality fondly from the Triton IV. Best of all, and perhaps why they’ve become a favorite of CW ops, is the smooth, full break-in CW. This was novel in the late 70’s and sold quite a few radios. And as we’ve seen, it’s nice to work on a radio that it’s possible to understand. If you like CW, and have a chance to get one of these gems, don’t pass it up.  I think I’m going to have some fun with this radio.

The Ten Tec Century 21 in the shack

How to Repair the Ten Tec Century 21 – A Great Classic Transceiver Buying a "New" Radio I look at Ebay from time-to-time, and lately I've been having a little too much fun.