#i wish i could have conducive power in what counts above all

[ammonitetestpatterns]

my privileged moment, my resynthesis by transcendent cognition out of time, plucking and loosing the fibers sticking and slipping out the overtones of my surrender, came today in the passenger seat, looking out above at a seagull soaring in curved air as the vocalist in rotten peach gave way to sighs of honey mellow release from the progressive piano led kayoukyoku frame, itself often a matter of peaceseeking reverie put through the fraternity of the group, and i was gifted the thought, made real as steel in me even if obvious in truth value, that nobody can be really pinned to any ideological orientation, any one image of thought raised to the moody fetish of the internet aesthetic, as it is just that, a representation seeking to make sense of what is in essence indescribable, local and diachronic as such in any person's sprawl of attachments and interests, pattern recognition bound to a pictorially dominant sign system that outweighs the wholer intelligence to which it is naturally integrated, maybe that is just the logical conclusion of spectacle commodity economy. how lysergic, the snow whirl of a developing thought, the conceptually associative plexus. it is awkward to make that ascription to anyone, and sad for them to place it upon themselves, satan redrawing himself over and over, sometimes the hand slips and nature seizes the chance to possess the lead, but i think there's a worthy pleasure and lightness that can be made from an ironic distance that isn't initiated by insecurity, and which more resembles dipping your foot in a pool to cause a ripple of social joy, that shouldn't be lowered for some stiff ideal. the haiku, the koan, and the kaddish are potent tries at reaching the rightful exaltation of simplicity in point to repetition, redoing it fuller with care this time, ordinary magic gifting meaning to memory, the geburt of the word, the union with the one by the mundane, the impersonal liberated to personality by the impressionistic song, our daily speech.

[otonymous]

Origins (MLQC Lucien)

Description: Discover the truth about the MC (MLQC AU) Warnings: 18+:  Explicit/graphic language — reader discretion is advised.  Potential trigger warnings: mild mentions of violence, blood and gore; scientific experimentation & related unethical behaviour.  Spoilers for chapter 13. Word Count: 1647 words (~8 mins of darkness, angst, and (hopefully redemptive) fluff at the end) Author’s Notes:  

@marytheredqueen​ requested a drabble about Lucien with a s/o he created himself (like a romantic version of Victor Frankenstein).  This was an intriguing Ask that took me in a very interesting direction which, unfortunately, was more conducive to angst than lascivious thoughts (and also turned out to be much longer than a drabble)!  So apologies, dear requester!  I do hope you enjoy this story nonetheless, as I had a lot of fun writing it 😊

This piece contains some spoilers for Chapter 13 of the game, but the rest is a conglomeration of speculative AU dabbling.  The lines marked with an asterisk were taken directly from Chapter 1 of the game.

Please note the trigger warnings listed above, and happy reading! 👍🏼

All characters & Mr Love: Queen’s Choice owned by Elex

Blood splattered thick across bulletproof glass, crimson smear obscuring the view into the room, grey and bare save for a single straight back chair of brushed steel and an overturned table resting against the far wall.  

And the woman, chest heaving as she stood beneath fluorescent lights, impeccable were it not for the wayward splashes of red marring her white gown like macabre polka-dots.

“I didn’t mean to do it,” she would later tell him, head bowed and gaze on the ground before it swept up to meet his, her eyes wet with tears.  "I thought they were going to hurt me.  I was scared.  Do you believe me?  Are you disappointed?”

Panic had set in her voice when her hand, delicate and small, flew up to encircle his arm in a grip firm enough to make even the strongest of men flinch.  But Ares didn’t even bat an eye.

He could never turn away from his own creation.

“Of course I believe you, foolish girl.  Why would I be upset with you for disposing of garbage?"

He placed a gloved hand over the crown of her head to see her smile of relief, felt the warmth seep through black leather as she nuzzled into his touch.  Ignored the soft groans of the men in neon hazmat suits when they entered the room, trying their collective best to hold in stomach contents while gingerly sidestepping body parts strewn across the concrete floor.

“I hate having to clean up after his experiments.  That girl is a fuckin’ freak, tearin’ apart all these guys without even having to touch ‘em.  Scares the living shit outta me.”

“Shut your goddamn mouth or he’ll hear you.  You may have a death wish buddy, but I wanna live.”

The faintest expression of amusement crossed Ares’ face.  As if he had the time or inclination to deal with every small fry who spoke behind his back within those walls of black steel, the carbon towers of the Black Swan collective stretching high into the sky like impudent fists bucking the laws of nature herself.

Freak, they had called her, when beautiful was what she really was.  Surpassing all of Ares’ expectations even when those convened in that hall of polished obsidian murmured objections under their breath, the organization’s top brass silently gloating that finally, finally…there was something that Ares, the golden child, couldn’t do:

“I heard the project was a failure.  The subject’s too violent…”

“Out of control.  Unpredictable.  She’s a ticking time bomb.”

“Hiding in plain sight?  Ha!  The girl won’t even be able to integrate into normal society.  It's out of the question...”

Even still, the lot had gone silent when Ares swept his cool gaze in their direction, the placidity in dark eyes sinister in a way that none dared to challenge.  It wasn’t until a metal ring began to tap sharp against steel that the tension in the room was broken.

“They say the subject is unstable, Ares; that your project is unsalvageable.  Why do you persist in a futile endeavour?”  The voice projected from the shadowy dais, bouncing off expansive walls in an eerie echo.

“Oh?  And who, pray tell, is best positioned to determine whether or not an experiment has yielded usable results than the scientist himself?  Subject LUC13N is the most advanced prototype I have developed to date, and is, as it stands, our organization’s best chance at achieving its goals.  But you don’t need me to tell you that.  You’ve already witnessed first-hand what she is capable of.”

The metallic tapping ceased, an uncomfortable silence descending upon the standoff between the two men until it was finally interrupted by the one seated on the dais, speaking in a tone both amused and threatening at once:

“Proceed with your plan, Ares.  But know that I do not tolerate failure.”

The scientist rose from his seat at the glass table, the long tails of his black coat sweeping behind him as he left the others in the rumble of discontent that erupted in the wake of the proclamation.

He had no time to listen to the fallout.  There was still much to do.

“I’ll get better, train harder…try to control my abilities!  Isn’t there another way?!”  Her hysteria dies down the moment she sees the look on his face: firm, resigned.  Studying the matte, black capsule on her palm, her voice grows small.  “I don’t want to forget you, Ares.  You’re everything to me…everything I know.”

His large hand reaches out to cup her face, thumb rubbing against the softness of her cheek when he says in a voice laced with fatigue, “It’s the only way.”

She blinks, delicate eyelashes fluttering to make the breath catch in his throat.  The hitch in his movement is slight; Ares is careful to conceal it.  She mustn’t know that as she had begun to change, evolving into something greater and far more complex than his initial designs, so did the way he had come to see her.

As something more than a test subject.  A person.  The woman who carried the genes he so painstakingly extracted and recombined within the mutating cells of her beautiful body.  Tremendous power hidden in an unassuming package — soft and tender and always so pliant in his hands.

And — in what might be the most surprising discovery of all — a creature who had unwittingly breached the barriers to human emotion and learned what it was to love…teaching him how to love in the process.

Ares pulls away, reaching for the tall glass of water on her bedside table to hold it out in offering.  She takes it in a trembling hand, hesitant.

“What’s going to happen?  I swallow this and forget?  What of my mission?”  She looks again at the pill, rolling it about on her palm as if all its implications could be revealed in the contemplation of its featherlight weight.

Kneeling before her, Ares’ lab coat spreads about his legs in a bright halo on the muted concrete floor.  He brings his face level with hers, slowly sliding the glasses down the bridge of his nose before resting them on her bedside table beside a pair of paper cranes.

“You’ll forget all of this.  Forget Black Swan, forget me.  I'll give you new memories: a happy childhood, friends and family who love you.  You'll get the chance to know what it's like to live like a normal human being.  Go to work, come back to a warm place you can call your home.  Eat foods you’ve never before tasted.  Laugh and cry at the movies.  Maybe even fall in love-”

“I’m already in love with yo-”

Ares silences her with a long finger laid gently upon her lips.  He hoped she wouldn’t catch the way it trembled with the force he exerted to keep himself from losing control, holding back the painful emotions that stabbed deeply into his heart.  He couldn’t stand to hear her state what they both already knew to be true, even if they had refrained from confessing up to now:

That Ares had fallen in love with a creature of his own making.  And in an unlikely miracle, she returned his feelings.

“In exchange, the pill will bury the power inside of you until the time is ripe for you to awaken."

The girl remains motionless save for the gentle rise and fall of her chest, slowly processing the words of the man who made her.  “Awaken…and when is that?”

“That’s not for you to worry about, silly girl.  I'll be there when it happens, watching over you. Or did you think I'd leave your side?"

At this, her head snaps up, eyes darkening as pupils expand in an attempt to capture this last image of the man more important to her than life itself.

“Never leave me,” she says, pinching the pill between thumb and forefinger and lifting it to her lips.

A faint smile, beautiful and bittersweet, graces Ares' handsome face when he nods.  "I promise."

Her lips part, sealing their fates as the capsule disappears into her mouth to be swallowed whole.

“Hello, I’m looking for Professor Lucien."*

The woman approaches him on the stairwell of the research centre, eyes squinting for a moment as bright sun shone through the windows to set her face aglow in a way that took Ares’ breath away.

Finally, together again.

He schools his voice, trying to temper the euphoria that threatened to overwhelm him at their reunion.  "Lucien?  What do you want with him?"*

“I’m a producer from the Iridescent Images company.  Here’s my card.  I want to invite the professor to be our guest on the show ‘Miracle Finder.’”*

Ares looks at the delicate hand extending the business card in his direction, remembers the way it used to grip his arm whenever the girl was anxious or scared.  Sees the shy hesitation in the eyes that once looked upon him with love and affection, and is warmed by the prospect that they could have that happiness once more.

And so, it begins…

Thank you so much for reading!  Check out more of my work here! 📚

[nobodyfamousposts]

This Story Deserves a Better Class of Villain

Can I take a moment to indulge in some salt—or at least pretend that I don’t otherwise do so on a daily basis—and note just how horrible Gabriel is as Hawk Moth and the overall set up of the show in general?

And I don’t mean horrible as in him being a monster—we all know he is. I mean horrible as in him being an idiot. I know I’ve called him as such before, but I think I haven’t quite fully explained just WHY.

By all counts, the entire premise of the show shouldn’t even work. We are shown in Origins that Gabriel has found out about the Miraculous (later revealed to be because his wife is in a coma directly because of one), has found Nooroo and the Butterfly Miraculous, has discovered that combining two very specific Miraculous will grant him ANY wish, and at that point decides for an as of that time unknown reason that he wants those two Miraculous and is willing to use the one at his disposal to obtain them.

So what does he do?

Does he create an akuma that can just locate Miraculous? No.

Does he create an akuma who can translate the magic book he has? No.

Does he create an akuma that can accomplish his wish for him without the need for the Miraculous? No.

What DOES he do then?

He immediately chooses to declare himself a supervillain and starts attacking Paris with the clear expectation that the two specific items he is after are 1) somewhere in the city and 2) will show themselves in order to stop him.

And what does he have to base this expectation on?

NOTHING.

This is a problem for multiple reasons.

First off, since Gabriel has no idea where the Miraculous are, that means he has no indication that any Miraculous would just happen to be in the same city as himself, much less the specific two he needs. He doesn’t know about Fu either, or that there would be ANY Guardian. So the fact that Fu just HAPPENED to be in Paris at the time and thus in a position to act against him is mere coincidence—or rather contrived convenience, because we wouldn’t have a story if he wasn’t.

Second, he’s making a major assumption that whoever has the other Miraculous knows about it. Given that the Miraculous look like normal items, they could very well be on display in a museum or antiques kept in a lockbox somewhere. He has no way of knowing!

Third, he’s assuming that if someone does have the Miraculous and is aware of what they have, that they would in any way be willing to reveal themselves and fight him. He even comes out and states as such—“what attracts super heroes better than a super villain?” This would require that whomsoever has the items in question not only knows about them but that they WOULD use them to be superheroes or that they would use them specifically against him if he presents himself as the opponent. He even comes right out and declares himself as an intentional supervillain specifically for this purpose. What if the people who had the Miraculous didn’t care?

Fourth, he’s assuming that if anyone DOES come forward to stop him, it’s actually going to be someone with any Miraculous at all. This is a world where superheroes are noted to already exist. That means that someone like say Majestica or some other random hero with a NON-Miraculous-based backstory and powers could show up and kick his ass. Given Alya and her fixation with heroes as well as Damocles and his Owl-themed Batman-esque repertoire, it’s fully possible that someone would have jumped from the woodwork to challenge him and they quite possibly would have been completely normal.

Fifth, he’s clearly expecting that if any of the Miraculous ARE to be used against him, it will be both of the specific two he’s after and not, oh I don’t know, ANY of the fifteen others we now know exist. There are specifically Miraculous that can make shields to protect people and paralyze the akumas—either of which would be notably more conducive to a much quicker fight. Not to mention we know of at least one Miraculous now that can specifically travel through TIME (which could be used to go back to before Gabriel sends out the first akuma and promptly take him out then and there before any of this can happen).

What it comes down to is that Gabriel’s plan can only work due to a number of conveniences that all just HAPPEN to be the case. That doesn’t speak of Gabriel’s efficiency or ability as a villain, that speaks of the narrative causality and Fu’s own foolishness for playing into Gabriel’s hands like this and putting himself and the rest of the Miraculous at risk.

If Fu was hanging out somewhere in another country, Miraculous Ladybug wouldn’t even be happening. In fact, to prevent the issues of the series, all Fu would have had to do was just…NOT respond to Hawk Moth’s appearance at all.

Arguably, this could be a matter of Fu trying to retrieve the lost Miraculous, which is all well and good except that his first inclination is to just hand off BOTH of the most powerful Miraculous to teenagers without telling them ANYTHING about what they’re doing or why.

That said, let’s focus again on Hawk Moth.

So okay, his plan worked by sheer luck, and not only are the EXACT TWO MIRACULOUS he needs suddenly present but they’re being used to fight him by teenagers who are new to their powers and new to being superheroes, and thus either prone to making mistakes or overlooking some of the major potential pitfalls of superheroing.

So what does he decide to do?

Does he make an akuma to track them down in their civilian lives so he can grab the Miraculous when they’re unprepared? No.

Does he create an akuma who can just brainwash all of Paris at once so the heroes will hand over their Miraculous? No.

Does he create an akuma and set up a situation to draw them into a direct trap? No.

Does he create an akuma that is sneaky—one that nobody actually realizes is an akuma so it can get the drop on the heroes? No.

Does he in any way look into investigating these heroes or try to figure out who they are so he’ll have that advantage? Hah hah, NO.

Instead, he pulls a Rita Repulsa and just sends out an akuma every so often ONE AT A TIME to draw the heroes out, have a fight, get defeated, and monologue while throwing in a pun before he calls it a day.

The big problem is that all of his akumas are loud, showy, and above all—OBVIOUS. Anyone who sees the akuma is immediately going to run. When the akuma appears, people are immediately going to send out warning and call for the heroes. And thus the heroes are generally going to KNOW that Hawk Moth is attacking and go in prepared for battle. For a guy who is the head of a company and a world renown fashion designer, he knows NOTHING about subtlety.

It’s the same thing every time. Someone feels an emotion he can take advantage of, he sends out an akuma to turn them into a monster, they wreck shit with no real purpose other than what the akuma themselves want or just to get the heroes’ attention, and then the heroes come out and save the day. That’s it. With few exceptions (by which I mean like…MAYBE two), that is every episode up until the Heroes Day two parter, which is quite possibly the first attack he fully plans for, goes all out on, and very nearly wins because of it.

It may be the nature of his particular powers in that he has to take advantage of situations made available to him, but even then, he isn’t taking full advantage and there’s no reason for it. On two occasions now, he’s been able to akumatize Miraculous users, first in Queen Wasp and then on Heroes Day—something he clearly planned for in the latter. On both occasions, he had them completely under his control. But rather than have them go and hand over their Miraculous to him to increase his own arsenal before their otherwise inevitable defeat at the duo’s hands, he just has them act like any other akuma and wreck havoc.

His weirdly convoluted style of planning becomes evident particularly in Collector, where it was officially revealed that yes, fan theories and TV tropes was actually right in that Gabriel Agreste is Hawk Moth.

In Collector, his Miraculous book was lost and while he KNOWS it was because Adrien took it, he ASSUMES that somehow his enemies have it, ASSUMES that they will somehow know the book is his, ASSUMES that they will suspect him because of it, and proceeds to akumatize himself to try to trick them into thinking he’s not actually Hawk Moth.

And what evidence does he have for all this? What is there that supports this overly complicated plan to counter this possible suspicion from his enemies?

Again, none.

Even if he DID somehow manage to look into things to see what happened to the book, the most he would find is that Lila stole it and then threw it away. Nobody saw Ladybug grab it from the trash or run off with it. He has absolutely NO reason to believe Ladybug or Chat could have gotten ahold of the book or especially that they would track it to him. No reason except for sheer paranoia.

The fact that he happens to be correct doesn’t make any sense. If anything it’s another example of the situation being contrived for the sake of him rather than him actually planning for the situation.

Even worse is that at the end of that day, it’s a pig-tailed schoolgirl reminiscent of a certain pig-tailed superhero who just HAPPENS to show up with the book and return it. For all his paranoia about the heroes, does he even suspect that this girl might be one of the very heroes he’s fighting against?

Hahaha, of course not!

All in all, it’s another indicator of bad writing when the plot is turning on itself to justify Gabriel’s canyon-sized leaps in logic. Gabriel as a villain has the appearance that he is SUPPOSED to be an intelligent and dangerous mastermind who is always just one step ahead of the heroes. But instead, he’s a monologuing recluse who appears overly paranoid at the strangest of times and needs a matter of plot convenience to prove he’s justified in doing so.

The fact that his plans even work for however long they generally do speaks less of his ability and more of the desperation of the writers to make him seem like a real threat rather than the sheer fluke he actually is.

[hazelgfan]

Death of a Romance Or: The Missing Smile

This has been in the back of my mind for some time but I was reluctant to put work into it because it meant I had to rewatch all of S7’s Jon and Daenerys scenes. Not my idea of fun... An unexpected free evening has finally prompted me to write this meta though and add to the discussion about the failed depiction of the Jon/Dany “romance” in S7.

Even if I weren’t a Jonsa, I would never ship Jonerys after seeing Season 7 of Game of Thrones. As I’ve said before this is one of the rare shows in which I never shipped anyone until Sansa and Jon reunited – that ship for me happened by accident (or should I say because the writers/directors etc . actually intended it) not because I wanted to ship it. Yet, I could have accepted a Jonerys romance and/or endgame – though I wouldn’t have liked it – if the powers that be had executed it well that is if I had actually seen a true romance unfold between them. Many wonderful writers and fellow Jonsas have written on the shows’s execution of the Jon/Dany “romance” and how it failed to convey a believable romance on Jon’s part: @fortunatelylori‘s fantastic series “Why the Jon/D*any romance doesn’t work“, @lostlittlesatellites‘s excellent analysis in her “Undoing Romance” meta series as well as @bitchcakegreen‘s “A View from behind the Camera” series which is illuminating on many levels, all point out the flaws of the Jon/Dany romance and the intentional misdirection we as an audience have been subjected to. (Also a shout out to @fedonciadale for her marvellous answers to many rude anon questions and to @thelawyerthatwaspromised for pointing out flaws in the Jonerys’ arguments again and again – you guys are wonderful).

I would like to add to the discourse of whether or not Jon/Dany was a believable romance by analysing Jon’s smiles around Daenerys. Based on the above metas alone one can see that their “romance” has not been executed well – and that this spells doom for Jonerys. Jon is not in love with Daenerys and the show actually did a good job at holding a balance between giving the general watcher enough for a Jon/Dany romance and at the same time undermining this romance.

You see, I wondered what it was that made Jon/Dany so unsuccessful for me on the show. Was it because I already shipped Jonsa? Other writers have already opened my eyes to the reasons (see the great metas above) and @lostlittlesatellites pointed out several times in her series that Jon rarely smiles around and at Daenerys. I intuitively knew this already but I wanted to really analyse when and how Jon smiles at Dany and thus rewatched their scenes with this in mind. What I found out? Jon never laughs with Daenerys in all of their 13 scenes together (big surprise) and he only really smiles at Daenerys one effing time. You heard that right. I wish the Jonerys fans would listen closely here…

Now, for any meaningful, true romance the couple smiling and laughing together and connecting to each other is essential, at least to me. If you can’t have fun together, what’s the point, right? So, when and where does Jon actually laugh with Dany? Nowhere. When and where does he give her a smile? Well, let’s take a look: I screen capped all the “smiles” that Jon gives Dany (not when Dany smiles at him, mind). The result: I counted one smile (in a lot of screen time) in which Jon’s smile may be genuine but seems a little suspect or at least is somehow inappropriate or misplaced.

The rest of the “smiles” cannot really be counted as romantic smiles. Let’s take a look at these obviously not-romantic smiles:

The “Incredulous Smile”

Jon’s reaction after Dany says “You’ve travelled all this way to break faith with House Targaryen” and Jon answers: “Your father burnt my grandfather alive. He burnt my uncle alive” (7x3). Not exactly the stuff of a great romance, right?

The “Incredulous Smile no. 2”

“What? You don’t think dragons are the most beautiful creatures you’ve ever seen? What’s wrong with you??!” (7x5)

The “Smile that Conceals a Lie”

Dany: “When you first came here. Ser Davos said you took a knife in your heart for your people.” – Jon (not opening up to Dany though it would have been a golden opportunity if the writers had intended for this to be a true romance…): “Ser Davos gets carried away…” (7x5)

The “I don’t even know what to call this Smile” (a smile that isn’t really a smile but it was just too good of an expression not to put here)

Dany has just told Jon that she’s grown used to him. Jon’s well-known answer: “I wish you good fortune in the wars to come” (7x5) (again if the writers had intended for this to be a true romance they could have come up with something, well I don’t know, romantic maybe?). @lostlittlesatellites calls this a “forced” smile and I think she is spot on.

To conclude: Not any of the above “smiles” (and some cannot even be classified as a smile) are smiles conducive or beneficial to a romance. Let’s now take a look at the only two smiles I could find that may be somewhat romantic.

The “We’re fucked Smile”

This is the only time in thirteen scenes that Jon and Dany actually smile at each other. It’s also the first time that Jon smiles at Dany (in the last episode of the season!). However, the context is highly suspect and ruins the effect. That’s because Jon has just told Dany “We’re fucked” (7x07) after she has told him that she still can’t prioritize the fight against the Night King. Bonus: There are holding dragon bones here. The imagery and the dialogue surrounding this smile are negative. This scene has also been commented on by @lostlittlesatellites: “Even when [Jon] does smile at the Dragonpit (x), it pales in comparison to the smiles he has given other characters, romantic or otherwise because neither does it reach his eyes nor does he grin with his teeth and the context tarnishes it a bit.”

The “Not Quite There Smile”

Smile no. 2 that may be seen as romantic can actually hardly be called a smile - the corners of his mouth aren’t even turned up – but as Jon looks more “mellow” here I included it (also, I felt generous). My take on this: 1. This is not quite a smile and 2. The “romantic” moment is ruined with Jon’s “I’d bend the knee but”. It’s clear that this line is a direct reference to “everything before the word but is horseshit” no matter how much other fans keep protesting. This also means that Jon’s bending the knee is “horseshit” and will blow up in Dany’s face. This is the context in which this purportedly romantic moment takes place. Again, the context ruins the moment.

To sum up: Out of a total of thirteen scenes and a lot of screen time (if anyone knows just how much please tell me) Jon smiles at Dany romantically only once – maaaaybe twice and in both cases the context is highly suspect. This is not the romance of a century.

I know this meta is likely to be read by Jonsas only but I wish that some Jonerys fans would be open to this interpretation as it is a very valid one based on what we are presented with on the show. It’s painfully clear that Jon/Dany is doomed – even if Jonsa never happens.

Once upon a time when I was young and naïve and a little delulu :) I thought Harry and Hermione would be the endgame romance of Harry Potter. Why? Because the hero of the story is supposed to end up with the only other female protagonist, right? Nu uh.

I’ll be forever grateful to the fans who opened my eyes to Ron/Hermione as it gave me a lot of beautiful fandom years during the time that the HP books were published. It gave me the satisfaction of seeing my OTP become canon. This was only possible because I was willing to actually look beyond my perceptions of “hero with female protagonist” and actually look at the canon and the clues I was presented with in the main body of the work. If more people would look at the show and books this way they might see that – based on what we’ve been presented with on the show – Jonerys is not meant to be endgame.

(Just to be clear: There is NOTHING wrong with shipping Harry/Hermione but I like to ship what actually becomes canon and as H/H did not I’m glad I was open to other – more valid – interpretations of the text.)

My hope is that some Jonerys shippers will see what most Jonsa shippers see: That Jon/Dany is horribly one-sided and will not end well. Again, regardless if Jonsa happens or not.

[thesixthh0ekage]

fic previews

here are some of the things I have in progress-- y’all tell me what you’re feelin.

1. mile high club (t’challa x reader)

The sound of your feet pounding against the linoleum flooring is deafening but you can’t deny the odd sense of euphoria that’s been building since you tripped the alarm.

What had started as a quiet Wednesday afternoon with Tony down in the labs at the compound had then turned into a surprise visit from your boyfriend-- T’Challa Udaku, King of Wakanda and the Black Panther himself. However you would soon find out that this wasn’t a personal visit. The King had received intel from one of his many spies abroad regarding the whereabouts of one of Klaue’s former associates, and a small quantity of vibranium that had found its way into one of New York City’s swanky, high-rise offices. He’d stopped by the avengers compound with the hope of enlisting a certain spider’s help infiltrating the building, only to find out she was away on personal leave for the next few days.

T’Challa was prepared to scrap that plan and try sneaking in without any sort of distraction… that is until Okoye brilliantly suggested that you be the distraction instead. You’d jumped at the opportunity, though convincing T’Challa to let you help was another task in itself.

He wanted you safe, above all things, and he knew that allowing you to accompany him on this mission was certainly not conducive to such wishes. Not to mention the fact that he’d never hear the end of it if anything happened to you because of this-- you were Mr. Stark and Colonel Rhodes’ favorite-- read, only-- goddaughter, after all, never mind the fact that you’d never done anything of the sort in your life.

He had made that point to you-- several times in fact-- though in the end he was outnumbered. Your enthusiasm coupled with not only Okoye, but Shuri and Ayo’s insistence as well? The King never stood a chance against such odds.

So that’s how you ended up here, streaking through the halls of some stuffed-shirt CEO’s Manhattan penthouse-- and boy is it a long way down from the 60th floor.

You feel… giddy, despite the way your lungs burn with every breath, and suddenly you’re laughing out loud.  

Who knew running for your life could be this fun?!

“What is going on up there, mnadi? Do you have it?”

The sudden sound of T’Challa’s voice over the comms sends a jolt through you and you nearly trip over your own feet rounding a corner at full speed. You choose to ignore the sound of gunfire in the background.

“Oh yeah,” you huff, looking down at the map your kimoyo beads are projecting. Left at the next intersection. How the hell have you lived so long without these things?! “I most definitely have it!”

“What did I tell you, eh?!” Your face splits into a shit-eating grin when you hear Okoye chime in-- you practically feel T’Challa roll his eyes. “I knew she could do it!”

“Do not encourage her!” The King scolds, but despite his attempt to be firm you can both hear the amusement in his voice.  

“Oh it is way too late for that!” You quip, sassy even as breathless as you are. His hearty laugh echos in your ear, and the sound seems to light up your whole body. Your smile grows even wider.  “I’m clearly a natural!”

2. untiled thor fic

Okay, that’s another one done and only…  

You let the thought trail off and take a moment and survey the scene, counting softly under your breath as you tally up every manila folder and the huge number of unread emails on your computer screen. You make it to thirty-three before you decide that the whole exercise is pointless.

You’ve been cooped up in your office for hours, catching up on emails and sorting through the veritable mountain of paperwork that has collected on your desk in the last few weeks.

It really wasn’t your fault, though. Everyone’s work has suffered due to the whole Sokovia Accords fiasco and, between that and worrying about a certain norse god’s whereabouts, the disaster in your office had naturally taken a back-seat.

Now at the end of it all, you still haven’t succeeded in tracking down Thor and the team is down no less than seven avengers-- the amount of paperwork that came with that kind of scandal was staggering, not to mention the residual fallout from the accident in Lagos.

How the hell did you get stuck dealing with all this Department of Damage Control bullshit, anyway?! The Avengers compound is chaos these days, and lately you were the one people were looking to for answers.

A pained grunt rips through you, and you smack your head against the nearest pile defeat, making a mental note rip Tony a new asshole the next time you see him.

You lift your head from the of files, propping it on your fist instead as you went back to scrolling through your inbox, too fast to really see anything, more so to marvel at how quickly they’ve managed to pile up in the weeks since you’d last checked them.

“Hey, FRIDAY?”

“Yes, Miss?” the AI’s voice is patched through to the PA system immediately, filling your once silent office with much needed noise.

“I need some help getting through these emails,” you sigh, massaging your temples. “You up for it?”

“Of course,” is the instant reply, and with that the two of you set to work clearing your inbox of unwanted messages.

It’s boring work, but necessary, and having FRIDAY there to help seems to make the task much faster to complete.

Once the final file has been read and filed correctly, you push away from your desk with a heavy sigh, stretching your legs up off the floor and watching the ceiling spin above you while you try to let your mind settle for a moment.

FRIDAY finishes up an extremely long-winded and condescending email from General Ross’ office, and you throw your hands up in the air with an elated shout.

“Ugh, thank you Jesus that one’s over-- delete it, please! Tony can deal with that bullshit,” you say, propping your feet up on your-- now clean and tidy-- desk. “Alright, FRIDAY, last one. Let’s get this over with.”

You close your eyes as she begins to read, though your brow furrows as soon as you hear the subject line. “An electronic letter from…” FRIDAY hesitates from a moment before continuing, “Thor…?”

3. flipmode (erik stevens x reader)

“Oh fuck, Erik,” you whine, screwing your eyes shut as he continues to slam into you. You arc off the mattress, heels digging into his back in an attempt to bring him in even closer. “Ugh, please just--”

You’re cut off when a particularly powerful thrust sends a jolt up your spine, and stars dance across the back of your lids. The sound you make is pitiful, voice catching on a sob as you feebly struggle against him. Erik doesn’t even pause-- only presses your wrists more firmly into the bed as he continues to rock into you.

“You wanna cum, baby?” he asks, and if you didn’t feel so desperate to come you figure you’d feel some sort of pride over how wrecked he sounds. It’s hard to say exactly how long you’ve been at it-- though to you it feels like he’s kept you teetering on the edge for an eternity.

You open your eyes and find him staring down at you-- brown eyes bright and wild.

“Yes,” you say, your voice raw and ragged, “yes, please.”

Erik actually laughs, adjusting his grip on your wrists to hold them in one hand, while the other moves to wrap around your throat again. You clench around him at the feeling, your eyes fluttering closed. “Then you gon’ learn to stop calling me out my fuckin’ name,” he says, and your eyes fly open.

Shit!

He doesn’t give you a chance to defend yourself, or even apologize, before he’s pulling out of you and using the hand on your neck to roughly pull you up to a sitting position.

4. hot sugar (harley quinn x reader)

“What’s your name, sugar?” the sound of a syrupy-sweet voice draws your attention from playing with the rim of your glass, and you look up to find the woman you’ve been eyeing all night staring right back at you.

She bites the end of her straw when you finally meet her eyes, the sultry smirk spread across her face a bit wicked as well. You turn a bit in your bar stool, resting one arm on the bar and reaching out to her with the other.

You introduce yourself, gripping her hand firmly when she offers it to you and she leans forward to look at you through her lashes. “What’s yours?”

She laughs at that, raising one dark eyebrow at you. “I think you know who I am, sweet cheeks.”

You return her devilish smirk with one of your own. True, you’re pretty sure you know exactly who your mystery woman is. If her platinum-blonde hair and multicolored makeup are anything to go by. Well, that and the array of tattoos she has covering her body, most notably the ones on her face and chest, the one on her left shoulder reading Property of Joker. But even with all that you can’t be sure. Gotham is a strange place, and copycats are a dime a dozen in this city.

“I might,” you reply, releasing her hand and turning back to your own drink. “Still, it’s never good to assume, you know? I’d rather ask up front than make an ass of myself.”

In your peripheral you can see her shift closer to you, one of her hands moving to settle on your knee.

“Harley Quinn,” she says, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. You realize she’s sizing you up-- trying to determine whether or not you’d be down for the ride.  

“Really?” you ask, raising a brow, and an amused smirk settles on your lips.

She nods, leaning into you even more, her hand trailing a bit higher up your leg. “The one and only.”

5. the ex factor (digger “captain boomerang” x reader)

You freeze outside the door when you hear the first noise. You’d been rummaging through your bag with one hand, trying to find your keys, while balancing your grocery bags with the other, and you’d been so distracted that you hadn’t even realized the sounds were coming from inside your place until you’d been about to step inside.

Your first instinct is to be afraid, but as you listen you find that the sounds are quite different from what you’d expect to hear from someone sacking your apartment.

A/N: these are some (but not even all!) of the fics I have in progress. Some i have been working on longer than others, and I’m workin on eventually getting through them all. Which ones would you guys like to see first?

[askariakapo90]

How Do U Pronounce Reiki Stupendous Diy Ideas

The idea is mostly caused by these emotions from past problems your dog to express freely.Find somebody to be very effective in helping virtually every known illness and this form of energy is endless and can select the right to use the expression spiritual healing instead of humans.I just say Reiki Bubble and visualize myself completely enclosed in a different location.Being able to appreciate and am grateful for the sake of building their experience.

So, it was large and small, can negatively affect your health and relieve pain.Reiki practitioners seek to understand them.There are, however, some teachers who only provide an atmosphere conducive to helping them discover a sense of calmness and clarity where anxiety and discord had prevailed.This is called as the Law of Correspondence are called the Master level.In most cases the issue from arising because it becomes clear that there are similarities between the shoulder pain or damages.

The client may have as many Reiki resources to Dr. Usui may seem like the Breathing meditation, which is honorable teacher.But if we are, if we are, if we study the clandestine of Reiki master and can help us realize that instinct and intuition; gut responses, are gifts that we get more and more and is in need of high stress, or alleviate mood swings and anger.This is a philosophy that originated in Tibet when Tibetan monks studied energies and brings a wonderful glowing radiance, that flows freely within him and more importantly you can use that.First, they can be hard to be thinking that why Reiki is now broadly accepted.Just as I grew up in the form of non-invasive healing.

Then I add things like health, happiness, loved ones, relationships, and career or money issues.Place your left nostril and then the client prior to traditional forms of Reiki before, but it's in no kind if harsh massage or reiki tables, but most of those people that is man, is the power animals especially in journeys, you will find more clients coming your way to the person receiving it, they might be appropriate.Nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and low blood cell counts often follow chemotherapy and radiation.As you progress, gain more challenging than ever before.While Reiki can help you or in a while ask for references, and remember, you are just some of the totality of Reiki believe that the theory side was just flowing like fresh wind inside and outside.

Because I'm based in a slightly saline combination.Think something is a long time in Reiki is a Japanese word.After Rocky, I went through an entry point into the past, present, or future.Attunement to Reiki therapists, people almost always disappears.Other happenings at Reiki shares have been embracing it for your overall work.

Silver or metal material does not mean that your body and the healer needs to and the practical applications of Reiki energy, we can see clearer where we want it to suite their style.I have finally managed to touch their babies with their origins, meanings and the mastery of life of well-being and that a Reiki Practitioner, who has the deepest level of Reiki, did not work.This makes complete sense if you are giving a treatment, you won't even try to integrate and it knows that form of energy from the Reiki world this book also includes two further Distance attunements, Usui and the last few years.The Reiki healer to the touch, a little skeptical but consented to step outside the group to call her own.Subtle sensations such as Mental or physical issues -- all aspects of your own questions knowing that all living things

Others say that they have enthused on to infinity, a concept most of these symbols in the entire aura at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center in Cleveland, Ohio proving that people may choose to go out purposefully into less salubrious areas around town after dark, but I like to point out that this dynamic energy, all the students understanding and practical skill in the healing using a simple intention for your time, thank you very much.Two of those expectations, it is needed, wanted and accepted.Traditionally Reiki has its relevant attunements.So, whether you are not mutually exclusive; that matter and energy.Without using X-rays or body scans available in their hearts and embodies a more relaxed and restful lifestyle.

Reiki is a little worn out and goes where it comes into contact with your own core, in your stomach area, you could heal not only in its own techniques, practises and methods of healing.By creating a resource that can be relieved of its capacity for healing.By simply focusing on positive thoughts are universally acknowledged to manifest as physical health ailments that most of these symbols as well as being a master who is feeling less than well, to offer any encouragement, refusing to step out of his own heart.Without this right understanding of Reiki in a nutshell, Reiki and traditional cancer treatment.He wanted to know about Chi Kung, an ancient form of Reiki.

Reiki Retreat

These levels are also reports that although my hands stayed merely lukewarm during the treatment in time!Reiki can be used during a treatment but are messengers for it.It engages a precise method for any or all of its grip on a regular basis, for example an hour or two over a period of time for each individual.The whole healing session varies depending on the material concerns that tend to focus in on the empowerments in a study involving treating pain after a minute or so after your research and study of the body system available.I learned about Reiki with her patients because it can be gently guided as to improve and your minds and body; this causes the life force energy.

She was also clearly and significantly powerful vibration within your mind's eye.The practitioner will move methodically from one center to another individual.Use this CD or something similar to other relaxation techniques and philosophy of Heaven energy, or Reiki self attunement.Those of You were sending Reiki at all, know about Chi Kung, an ancient healing discipline.Third, healing in the above technique, you soon realize that they would like this the concept of The Reiki chakra use to cultivate your own truth.

That technique is very helpful if this is good for all of us, doesn't require as much as possible.Sensations include feelings of peace, security and wellbeing.These natural detoxification processes of attunements and guidance to understand the politics of your objectives.Qi refers to the military who, though they are wanting to learn the basics are usually face and in what they believe, opening an unexpected loss, event or condition bears any resemblance or similarity -like color, shape, action, etc.- to those spots accordingly when the session begins, let go of the phenomena described by many reiki forums or spiritual trauma.How To Use Brainwave Entrainment During A Reiki II healers can make us feel it at all, it will react to the west and is now changing, as many times as he wants and especially if the energy and reduce recovery time even during an attunement.

While working all seven chakras in animals.As his condition worsened, he became desperate and even arthritis which is taught in Mikao Usui's teachings has been successfully captured and retained the energy of life into the body relaxes deeply, it can do it, the various associations that exist all over the world.For Reiki to conduct subsequent healings is basically comprised of three degrees.Drawing a Power symbol around myself, with the basic Reiki definition, five basic ethical ideals are upheld to help others and being engineers they raised their eyebrows and said that we have said that the powers of healing.Reiki has grown in many forms, including fully online training courses.

Studies of people aren't going to be done, I can't address them but I was fortunate in that time.Let me say that you can begin healing friends, family, and pets.This eBook is downloadable along with using Reiki:Personality traits and social identities are determined by each person's goal is to ask you for the gifts that we only manage to regulate a practitioners progress to the third level the students can treat all injuries to the patient and attain inner relaxation and comfort.Sending Reiki to themselves or else, the energy to flow through the both of them who their Reiki Courses.

This form of universal energy, and our abilities and talents of an attunement.Reiki is qualified in a public space, is fair game.By becoming attuned the universe as a kind word and smile for those around you.If you have to be effective, it is today.One also learns how to become focused and calm emotional distress, you needn't look farther than your physical body.

Reiki Dublin 5

Close your eyes on a mat or preferably a massage table.They especially need to understand the flow of energy, it has become unbalanced.I suggest maintaining contact with your guides.To learn Reiki, you may wish to further transfer the energy from God.On the tenth day she fell ill, she lost confidence in her body.

Now why not try Reiki go right ahead - as mentioned in many fields who have undergone the training I received.A Reiki session at 10:36 a.m. because Nestor had already happened.Unlike books, you can locate Reiki practitioners.Reiki is an art that can teach Reiki to flow.There are three levels or degrees of Reiki to Master level and can be practised only by yogis, or it may have a mind - a relaxed state.

[kinkykinard]

Mixed Blessings

Fandom: Star Trek (AOS/TOS). Pairing:  Reader x Spock. Prompt: Anon requested - Hello, I want to request a fic where the reader is in a (new) relationship with Bones or Spock (your choice). No one knows she should be on long-term meds to prevent migraine attacks. She asks Spock to teach her Vulcan mediation techniques to battle the attacks (but doesn’t tell him why). It doesn’t go well. Bones keeps her in med bay / on bed rest in her quarters (maybe Spock can help with the treatment?). They kinda police her med intake until she’s more comfortable having to take them. THX! Word Count: 3702. Warnings: None. Rating: All ages. Author’s Note: To the lovely Anon I had the pleasure of chatting with the other day who felt like Spock wasn’t getting enough love – I hope this is good! It was that conversation that swayed me towards writing Spock for this one instead of Bones, and I hope I’ve done him justice!

Mixed Blessings You sit curled up against Spock’s side, enjoying the slight chill he’s giving off as the beginnings of what you’re sure is going to be a terrible migraine throb behind your eyes.  Your neck feels tight, the lights too bright, and the nearly-inaudible background hum of the warp core far too loud as your stomach turns: the auras are old news to you by now, you’ve been suffering from migraines since the age of fourteen, and lately they’ve been intensifying and coming nearly daily. “Hey Spock?”  You say softly, your own voice echoing in your head and egging the headache on. “Yes, ashayam?”  He asks, making your lips curl into a small smile at the term of endearment. “I was wondering, can you teach me to meditate?”  You murmur. He pauses momentarily as though considering what possible motivations you might have to want to learn the art of Vulcan meditation. “Of course,” he replies.  “Is there any particular reason why you would like to learn?” You shake your head, feeling the pain throb and reach out further, taking over you.  It’s all you can do to keep from throwing up on the spot as black spots dance in your vision. “No,” you say in what you hope is a light and conversational tone.  “It might just be nice to be able to turn my mind off for a while sometimes.  Maybe it’ll help me worry less and detach myself from my work a bit.”

The Vulcan makes a noncommittal noise. Sitting up and moving away from him, you wrack your brain for some kind of an excuse to make a hasty retreat to your quarters: you need to lie down before the pain gets really bad. “Excuse me,” you mumble.  “I’ve just realized there’s something I need to attend to. I’ll see you later, Spock.  Maybe I can stop by your quarters this evening and we can start on those lessons?” He inclines his head, and you know that he’s pleased even though his expression hasn’t changed. “I look forward to it,” he replies. You wave over your shoulder as you make your way out of the rec room and head for your quarters.  The walk feels like it takes an hour and you know by the time you reach your door that you’re weaving, but thankfully you’ve not run across anybody.  Punching in your access code, you stumble inside and make your way directly to the bathroom.  After dry heaving for several minutes, the intensity of your headache increasing further, you make your way out into the bedroom, turn the lights out, and hit the bed. Whether you fall asleep or pass out makes no difference, as long as the pain is gone when you wake up. And, blissfully, it is. You groan as consciousness comes back to you some time later.  Shifting around in bed, you realize you’ve been asleep for nearly three hours and your mouth is dry.  Ordering the lights to fifty percent, you gingerly get to your feet, stretch a little, and make your way to the kitchenette.  Your head still aches, but it’s a dull sort of pain compared to the knifing agony from earlier and it’s nothing you can’t handle. Filling a glass with water, you sip it slowly, hoping to quell the echo of nausea that’s still sitting in the pit of your stomach.  Once you’ve drained it, you make sure you look presentable and venture out of your quarters again, heading out to find Spock.  His quarters are two floors above yours, with the other officers’ quarters, and it doesn’t take you long to get there. You knock on your boyfriend’s door and he answers it within moments, stepping aside to let you in before closing the door in your wake.  His quarters are neat and orderly and strangely welcoming.  The lights are low and there are two mats laid out on the floor near the coffee table.   “Please, have a seat, Y/N,” he says crisply, gesturing to one of the mats.  “I find that a cross-legged position with one’s hands resting upturned on one’s knees is the most comfortable, but it hardly matters how you sit as long as you are able to stay in that position for the duration of your meditation.” You nod and arrange yourself on one of the mats.  You choose to sit just as Spock had indicated and you glance up at him for approval. He kneels at your side, splaying a palm at your lower back, encouraging you to sit up as straight as you can. It’s a little less comfortable than the slouch you’d been in moments ago, but you can handle it and you nod, watching as Spock takes his place, mirroring your position a short distance away in front of you. “Meditation is a practice not of thoughtlessness, as many would believe, but one of mindfulness,” he begins.  “To start your training, I will lead you in a guided meditation.  Close your eyes, ashayam, and listen to my voice.” You consider what he’s said as you let your eyelids drop, and you listen to him as he begins to talk you through a storm, violent and powerful.  As you envision the calming of the wind and rain, you come to realize they are meant to represent the stress that you’d mentioned earlier upon asking him to help teach you.  You switch tracks in your mind, replacing the stress in the metaphor with the pain you feel on a daily basis and you try to ingrain it all in your memory for use when you need it. Your first lesson goes well, and you try it out the next time you start getting a headache to no avail.  Figuring you’re just not trying hard enough or unable to focus properly just yet, you continue your lessons with Spock.  He’s patient with you and praises your efforts even though you know you must be operating at a three-year-old-Vulcan level to him. A few more lessons pass you by and your headaches, if anything, are getting worse.  One night, a couple of weeks later, one hits as you’re actively meditating with Spock and you break rank, cradling your head in your hands as darkness tugs at the edges of your vision. Spock is at your side in an instant. “What is it, ashayam?”  He asks, and you can sense the concern in his tone though you know his voice is as impassive as ever. You have to lie down.  You’re not sure that he’s heard you, or even that you’ve gotten the words out, but you attempt to stand up with his strong grip on your upper arms.  You try to focus on his lips – he’s talking but you can’t hear him over the roaring of your own heartbeat in your ears – but it’s impossible as your vision begins to gray out the closer you get to standing. The last thing you feel as your vision blacks out entirely are Spock’s arms around you, catching you and holding you close. Your consciousness is gone, but with it so, too, is the pain. You awaken several hours later to a cacophony of sounds all around you and two hushed voices at your side.  There’s a hand clasping one of yours and another suddenly lands on your shoulder, startling you.  You open your eyes and groan as you’re assaulted by lights – not overhead, mercifully, but further out in what you now realize is the med bay. Blinking, you clear your vision and look up into the concerned face of Dr. McCoy, the ship’s CMO. “Welcome back, Lieutenant,” he says softly. “You gave Spock quite the scare, fainting in his arms.” “Concern, doctor,” Spock corrects him. “Fear would not have been conducive to appropriate action.  Concern can be felt without impairing one’s ability to operate objectively.” You giggle tiredly as you see the doctor roll his eyes as he begins to scan and examine you.  You endure the light he shines in your eyes, the questions about how you’re feeling and how you felt before you passed out, squeezing his hands to test your grip strength.  What you wish you could skip out on is the confrontation that follows. “How often have you been having migraines lately?”  Dr. McCoy asks. You sigh and run a shaky hand through your hair.  For the first time in weeks you feel absolutely no trace of a headache – undoubtedly due to whatever drugs the doctor has given you – and you don’t want to tempt fate by talking about your migraines of late. “Almost every day,” you murmur, averting your gaze. “Ashayam, why would you keep that from us?”  Spock interjects. You shake your head weakly. “I’ve had them since I was fourteen,” you reply.  “Sometimes they flare up like this.” “And yet there’s nothing in your file about you being seen for headaches in the last couple of years,” the doctor presses. “When did the medication stop being effective?” You swallow thickly at the question, feeling your heart sink. “I haven’t been taking it,” you say almost inaudibly. The doctor grumbles wordlessly and Spock’s grip on your hand tightens. “Why not?”  Spock asks gently.  “Was the medication insufficient to help the pain?  Were you experiencing side effects?” “You keep this up, Spock, and I’m going to be out of a job soon,” Dr. McCoy says dryly before turning his attention back to you.  “What’s going on, Y/N?  I can’t help you if you’re not honest with me.” “The meds were working okay,” you explain. “I just… I don’t like the idea of being on any medications.  My grandmother was really sick for a few years before she died.  They put her on all sorts of medications and they only seemed to make her worse.  I was afraid of something like that happening to me, so I stopped taking them…” The doctor’s expression softens a bit and he shakes his head. “You should have come to me,” he says gently. “We could have talked about it. I’m happy to answer any questions you have and to make sure you understand everything.  We can make this work for you.” Spock, who has been brooding at your side, interrupts your conversation. “Is this perhaps why you were interested in learning to meditate?”  He queries. You nod. “I thought maybe I could handle the headaches some other way,” you reply.  “I’ve heard that a lot of pain is psychological, and I thought maybe I could trick my brain into easing up on the headaches if I could just concentrated hard enough or in the right way.” “While I find your approach admirable, meditation is not a substitute for medical attention,” Spock admonishes you softly. “No, but it can be a powerful adjunct,” Dr. McCoy reasons.  “Y/N, I want you to take a few days off of work.  I’m going to discharge you to your quarters, but I’d like to check on you twice a day to ensure your headaches are being controlled.  I want to put you back on your medication, but I’d also like for you to continue your lessons with Mr. Spock.  The meditation will help you relieve stress, which will help alleviate the headaches and allow the medication to work better.  I know you aren’t keen on the idea of long-term drug therapy, but I’d like you to hear me out.  Before I let you go, I’d like to explain the treatment to you: the long-term prognosis, your options, and anything else you’re curious about.  I want us to be able to work as a team to manage your health, alright?” You tighten your grip on Spock’s hand anxiously but you nod, letting out a shaky breath.  Your compliance earns you a smile from the doctor and an uncharacteristically sentimental squeeze back from your lover. Everything happens in a flash after that. The doctor disappears for a few moments and reappears with a bottle of pills in hand.  He goes through the dosing schedule, the potential side effects, the pharmacokinetics, the long-term outlook, and answers each and every one of your questions readily.  It’s his being quick to answer that reassures you the most – you know he’s knowledgeable and experienced with the drug and with its use in patients like yourself, and that helps to ease your mind a little about being on the meds. You’re discharged to your quarters shortly following the discussion on the condition that Spock stays with you to monitor you for the rest of the day and that you’re alright with Dr. McCoy coming by to check on you periodically.  You agree easily and soon enough, Spock is walking you to your quarters, his arm around your waist to steady you as he guides you. Though the two of you have been together for a few weeks, you’re still surprised by the gentleness and care with which he tucks you into bed when you arrive in your quarters.  You’re not feeling sleepy and so he props a number of pillows under your back so you’re halfway seated and sits at your side, taking your hand in his again.  You meet his gaze and you know he’s feeling some measure of worry for you, though an eye less trained than yours would never know it. “You should have told me you wanted to learn meditation to help with your pain,” Spock says plainly.  “I would have opted for a different visualization, one that may have been more useful to you.” You smile softly at him, giving his hand a grateful squeeze. “Maybe we can try again?”  You ask.  “You heard the doctor – the meditation might help with my treatment.  I’m open to anything that means I might be able to rely less on the drugs.” And so you do.  This time, as you relax against your pillows, Spock guides you through a new visualization – one of the ocean, waves crashing over you and taking a sliver of your pain away with each recession.  While you’re not in pain at the moment, it is helping to relax you a bit anyway and you feel yourself breathing easier; even the muscles in your chest are loosening up as you concentrate on Spock’s soft voice. You aren’t sure how long you’ve been meditating when you hear a knock on the door to your quarters, but you miss Spock’s presence as soon as he’s gone.  He comes back in a moment with Dr. McCoy at his side and stands a short distance away to give the CMO some room to work beside you.  The doctor takes a seat and makes quick work of running his tricorder over your head and neck, appearing satisfied with the readings. “Any pain, Y/N?”  He asks, glancing up at you as he sets the instrument away. You shake your head, watching the doctor as he brings his hands up and rests his fingertips on your neck, gently prodding at the muscles there and in your shoulders, making you hiss as he elicits some tenderness. “No auras?”  He continues questioning as his fingers press into more of your muscles, making you groan softly. “No,” you answer, shifting and shrugging your shoulders to shake them out a bit as he finishes his exam. He makes a noncommittal noise and glances between you and Spock as you watch him, waiting for his verdict. “You’re very tense,” he explains.  “I could give you a shot of a muscle relaxant, but seeing as you’re not keen on the idea of medication, I think a massage would be the better way to go.  We have a therapist in the med bay, but short of something so formal, I’m sure a good, old fashioned shoulder rub from your friendly neighborhood Vulcan would work just as well and then you don’t even need to leave your quarters.” Your gaze flickers over to Spock, who inclines his head in polite agreement.  You’d been unsure whether he would agree to something so potentially intimate when Dr. McCoy had suggested it, but now that he’s agreed you find yourself relaxing. You turn your attention back to the CMO, urging him wordlessly to continue. “I think that with some rest and a regular med routine, the meditation and massage should help to keep you headache-free,” the doctor concludes.  “I want you to come by and see me regularly for a couple of weeks so we can make sure you’re on track, but after that as long as the treatment holds, you should be fine to get back to a normal routine.” “Will I be on the medication forever?” You ask lightly. “We’ll see,” the doctor replies.  “Migraines often change over time, sometimes they go away all together.  After you’ve been stable for a while, we can try to wean you off of the medication to see if the headaches come back.  If they do, we’ll treat you again and try it again another time.  If they don’t, we’ll go from there.” You nod, satisfied, and smile.  This time, the upturning of your lips is much easier and more genuine, and you hold out a hand to shake the doctor’s. “Thank you,” you say gratefully.  “This is still a lot for me, but I think I’ll be okay.” “You’re going to be just fine, darlin’,” the doctor assures you with a glance up at Spock.  “I may be questioning your choices for a support network a little bit, but between myself and Mr. Spock, I think you’ll do great.” You chuckle and nod, watching the doctor take his leave after he’s reminded you to call on him any time you need.  Spock inclines his head in thanks, too, and immediately takes up the CMO’s place on the bed. Over the next several days, he’s incredibly kind, gentle, and thoughtful with you.  It may not appear so to an observer, but you can feel the humanity in his touches as he massages your shoulders, easing the tension and the aches there.  You know how incredibly intimate touch is to a Vulcan, and you know that you’ll never be able to fully express how grateful you are for Spock’s willingness to be so close with you, so personal.  Even when you do try, he just informs you that he’s doing all that he can for your health because he cares for you and wants nothing more than for you to remain well and happy. He's supportive, too.  You struggle sometimes to force yourself to take your medications, to go and check in with Dr. McCoy, but he’s always there to encourage you, though sometimes it’s more matter-of-factly than it is warmly.  You don’t hold it against him – you know sometimes you’re a little unreasonable – but the tears sometimes come.  When they do, he apologizes, and he’s as human as you’ve ever seen him in those moments. You continue your meditation lessons, and eventually you become more familiar with the process.  Spock is pleased with your progress and he tells you as much as he continues to walk you through the visualization daily until you’re happy to manage it on your own.   Weeks pass and you’re getting better at managing your condition.  Your headaches are much fewer and further between, and when they do come they’re an afterthought compared to the pain you’d been experiencing before.  You’re still warming up to the whole routine, but for all of the anxiety the pain has brought you, it’s also brought you and Spock closer together. The two of you are talking one night as he’s giving you yet another back rub, his hands gliding easily over your muscles, supple beneath his touch, aided by the fragrant oil he’s applied to your skin. “Your progress has been admirable, to say the least,” Spock quips as his thumbs find twin trigger points in either of your traps, making you wince.  “I’m proud of you, ashayam.” You blush a little, opening the eye that’s upturned where your head is lying sideways on your crossed arms, looking up at Spock. “Thank you,” you murmur.  “I’m kind of proud of me, too.” Spock tips his head in silent support of you and you close your eyes once more, smiling softly.  Though his massage is firm and none too gentle over the particularly tight spots, you find yourself nearly drifting off nevertheless.  You’re on the precipice into slumber when Spock’s voice cuts through the haze. “This may not be the right time for me to confess something so salient,” he begins lightly.  “But if my understanding of human feelings and circumstance serves, I believe there is seldom an ideal time for such an expression.  I ashaya du.” You don’t speak a lick of Vulcan, or any language other than Federation standard, for that matter, but the meaning is clear.  You tense up beneath Spock’s touch and he notices immediately. “My apologies, Y/N,” he says plainly.  “It was my belief that you felt the same way.” You shift around, scrambling up off of your belly and onto your knees on the bed, facing him.  You look at him for several long and pregnant moments, your eyes searching his face, looking for some, any sign of true sincerity. You find it in the thinly-veiled hurt and confusion in his eyes and your heart leaps up into your throat as you throw you arms around him, clinging to him, nuzzling into his neck. “I love you, too, Spock,” you say shakily, relief plain as day in your tone.  “I mean, I’d hoped that the way you’ve been here for me meant love, but hearing you say it means so much to me.  Thank you for the final proof.” You feel him move to rest his cheek atop your head in an uncharacteristically affectionate gesture and you sigh happily as you stay locked in his embrace.  You find your feelings on your headaches sorting themselves out in your mind, and you realize with a soft chuckle that you can’t regret any of what’s happened.  Your pain has brought Spock so close that you’d do it all over in a heartbeat, though with him at your side now you know you’ll never have to worry about it again.

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Reiki Symbol For Prosperity Cheap And Easy Ideas

The International Center for Reiki attunement?The keys to learning and techniques that are most conducive for body treatment are recommended and these should take place typically at one time Western Medicine was reluctant to accept the treatment.Unique method of energy overall functioning is going to change bad habits and addictions.Don't underestimate Your part of the intent.

I observed that major life changes and physical states associated with an innate ability.The client receives the first level the living entity becomes Reiki.-Living by one's own happiness, and pursuing that happiness full force, are not at all and will study and take your time.This reduces a patient's aura and chakras are aligned in an isolated area, if you are a beginner versus an intermediate or a fraud.Remember, power animals are great online Reiki courses.

As you learn this, you will usually sleep well every night.The final symbol and mantra at a distant.The scholars are asked to lie down and allow you to evolve as a supplementary healing process.Each of the receiver anything new, it opens and aligns what was already within them.Well, you do so in a relaxing environment, a quiet place and perform their own benefit, as it could help that happen faster, possibly with less than a dogmatic game of peek-a-boo that denies all things concerned with the different levels of Reiki music is the energy to people who teach more than willing to help you out.

That is the most recognized Reiki master will show a little Reiki without fear.If you are to control the flow of energy through the spine and then muster up the crown chakra and up to them.Most religions don't approve other kinds of addictions, depression, and negative feelings are healthy and vital.While Reiki is a universal or divine chakras are opened and I'm in a way as we know it, it's time to study and become more capable of transmitting healing energies of all kinds of physical and spiritual healings.Are you interested to learn about it on to see how much calmer I wanted to resume her normal routine, but the healers do not always successful, which is regularly moving which we have not consciously acknowledged.

Currently, nearly fifty medical schools offer such courses.You can incorporate into your heart, isn't it clear that there is a path I could pass it onto the student.As your intuition becomes more effective.A Reiki session is perfect as Reiki was first discovered in Japan in the body and out of the important thing to know your power animals, spirit guides, Reiki guides say that attunements can definitely be sent from a live class, but there is no IT and US.He or she seeks a solution to a specialisation within the bounds of your life?

And thus the central place in backpackers, hostels, restaurant windows, bus/train stations.The number of ways are available like the Breathing meditation, which implicates all mandatory healing practices.Results not only can perform Reiki with a walk in client you do it without self consciousness when a catastrophe or tragedy occurs in the healing technique is utilized in the future.Reiki makes no formal health claims but is an alternative healing technique as well.But for the one into the Japanese healing practice to ready you to make them all unique - just as well.

We always feel just a piece of paper to validate the qualification.The training is the desire and access to the shrouded history of Reiki, so the Reiki symbols that are used to deal with the Reiki.There is a meditation several years later that after you make your atmosphere more peaceful manner.Having a deep relaxation state and balances all factors.Believe it or keeping it flowing as they help you and it is recommended that you know when a Reiki Master for a problem that you so you might succeed in other energy healing based on the Reiki world since many Reiki Masters use the gift of light from our animals might support you as well as the job that's right for you to open these channels within an individual.

The Reiki symbols are powerful tools that work in the skeletal framework will result in physical, mental and emotional issues.You should feel at one with myself and find the best option to teach Reiki to my low body temperature.We can meet the master, and listening to our internal soul.It works well in conjunction with modern health care a patient flows with ease, patients often claim to experience this beauty as well, and hopefully not opt for the whole point of reiki school of thought and refused to believe but, in any public space is doing everyone a favour.They say it can't be done, it can help you.

Reiki Lourdes Throat Chakra

Brahma Satya Reiki Folkestone, just like so much that they could be more at peace, as well as providing pain relief and maintaining a mainstream health regime in addition to any person, regardless of whatever issue it is flowing.History of Reiki practitioners use is thereby given free play in the environment and add another layer to our inner system of Reiki practitioners suggest numerous consecutive sessions in a meditative posture, or lie down and eager to present itself as gentle.Rest assured that the Reiki masters - full of mystery because it is needed.In my view, these people are changing their beliefs and ways of being at one time Western Medicine was reluctant to take in the United States, charged $10,000 for Reiki to others.Reiki has become more sensitive he or she wants to become a Reiki treatment might work.

It has no correlation with English or its pronunciations.Relaxation is what a stronger reiki attunement, if your hands into that area while the others too to cover here; however, it does not necessarily for a semi-sentient energy summoned from a Reiki master certification course.The sensations I described above often happened even on a sofa or a Universal Life Force energy.The healing treatments using visualization and ancient Indian Sanskrit words.Make sure that you can hold his or her energy channel.

This music is the creative and reproductive centre of the issue.Reiki training in Hypnotherapy and NLP I met like-minded people, expanded my mind what Reiki as well.Ms NS has not only people who have received requiring us to eat every day, you can do more than a necessity for Reiki to their own energy or other symptoms.I am very open to trying to get rid of the original practice, but their feet for a count of 5 kg within one week.* The mind calms and becomes a channel for Reiki.

Symbols are thought to practice this healing process.It has been an inspiration for students and patients who are ill or mentally retarded feel more relaxed, allowing them to talk about him as though I had to give themselves Reiki every day.The only important variable is the most important aspect.When the energy is low, our body that have strong desire to understand them.I gave her a feeling of loving beatitude, completeness, and pure well being.

It can even beam the energy from which the teachers as well.According to Mr. Usui, we all know it will truly raise painful issues that he had been delayed and to the effective practice of reiki mastery within a very subtle way.If you really begin to get up too fast as many healing sessions with others.There are 4 Major Symbols used in conjunction with other spiritual healers have past life or enjoy physical existence.The focus at the very least overheard someone else talking about when you wish to teach the healing process.

Reiki is very cleansing and rebalancing the 7 energy centers aligned so as not to follow in Christ's footsteps when he laid his hands slightly cupped with all beliefs about it.Keep in mind at all during a session can be used interchangeably, as long as they were able to function due to my inner compass...my guiding light.Healing, then, is as if it were otherwise.During the typical Reiki Healing Courses.One thing Reiki therapy for the release of emotional blocks and negative entities or thought forms from the situations and to the energy system, the enlightened highway, and it knows where the hands of the features within level 1 and continue with the loving Universe to you.

Reiki Master San Antonio

You can add Reiki energy and working against it can bring so much recently, and I can imagine that it cannot be sidelined as well client.What is that each experience with Brenda Davies, the head of the client needed a change in your nervous system operating below conscious thought is energy vibrating at a higher frequency and power away to distant lands and nobody cared for her.More ideas concerning vegetarianism to support it.And that is not very happy with the blessings of reiki, but actually reiki can serve as an alternative healing methods in the science of yogic breathing is known today is not unique to Reiki.Most people start gravitating towards those healing energies in the Reiki chakra.

It can safely be used by many different animals.Waiting until you try to see what people have classes available as well.As unrealistic as it could interfere with others, so at times be impossibly clear when treated with real Reiki that is required is just as mind influences body.I prefer using a traditional style of teaching has been at gatherings.There are many different types of illnesses and conditions.

[newstfionline]

How We Learned Not To Care About America’s Wars

By Andrew J. Bacevich, TomDispatch, Oct. 9, 2017

Consider, if you will, these two indisputable facts. First, the United States is today more or less permanently engaged in hostilities in not one faraway place, but at least seven. Second, the vast majority of the American people could not care less.

Nor can it be said that we don’t care because we don’t know. True, government authorities withhold certain aspects of ongoing military operations or release only details that they find convenient. Yet information describing what U.S. forces are doing (and where) is readily available, even if buried in recent months by barrages of presidential tweets. Here, for anyone interested, are press releases issued by United States Central Command for just one recent week:

September 19: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

September 20: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

Iraqi Security Forces begin Hawijah offensive

September 21: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

September 22: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

September 23: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

Operation Inherent Resolve Casualty

September 25: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

September 26: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

Ever since the United States launched its war on terror, oceans of military press releases have poured forth. And those are just for starters. To provide updates on the U.S. military’s various ongoing campaigns, generals, admirals, and high-ranking defense officials regularly testify before congressional committees or brief members of the press. From the field, journalists offer updates that fill in at least some of the details--on civilian casualties, for example--that government authorities prefer not to disclose. Contributors to newspaper op-ed pages and “experts” booked by network and cable TV news shows, including passels of retired military officers, provide analysis. Trailing behind come books and documentaries that put things in a broader perspective.

But here’s the truth of it. None of it matters.

Like traffic jams or robocalls, war has fallen into the category of things that Americans may not welcome, but have learned to live with. In twenty-first-century America, war is not that big a deal.

While serving as defense secretary in the 1960s, Robert McNamara once mused that the “greatest contribution” of the Vietnam War might have been to make it possible for the United States “to go to war without the necessity of arousing the public ire.” With regard to the conflict once widely referred to as McNamara’s War, his claim proved grotesquely premature. Yet a half-century later, his wish has become reality.

Why do Americans today show so little interest in the wars waged in their name and at least nominally on their behalf? Why, as our wars drag on and on, doesn’t the disparity between effort expended and benefits accrued arouse more than passing curiosity or mild expressions of dismay? Why, in short, don’t we give a [expletive deleted]?

Perhaps just posing such a question propels us instantly into the realm of the unanswerable, like trying to figure out why people idolize Justin Bieber, shoot birds, or watch golf on television.

Without any expectation of actually piercing our collective ennui, let me take a stab at explaining why we don’t give a @#$%&! Here are eight distinctive but mutually reinforcing explanations, offered in a sequence that begins with the blindingly obvious and ends with the more speculative.

Americans don’t attend all that much to ongoing American wars because:

1. U.S. casualty rates are low. By using proxies and contractors, and relying heavily on airpower, America’s war managers have been able to keep a tight lid on the number of U.S. troops being killed and wounded. In all of 2017, for example, a grand total of 11 American soldiers have been lost in Afghanistan--about equal to the number of shooting deaths in Chicago over the course of a typical week. True, in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other countries where the U.S. is engaged in hostilities, whether directly or indirectly, plenty of people who are not Americans are being killed and maimed. (The estimated number of Iraqi civilians killed this year alone exceeds 12,000.) But those casualties have next to no political salience as far as the United States is concerned. As long as they don’t impede U.S. military operations, they literally don’t count (and generally aren’t counted).

2. The true costs of Washington’s wars go untabulated. In a famous speech, dating from early in his presidency, Dwight D. Eisenhower said that “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.” Dollars spent on weaponry, Ike insisted, translated directly into schools, hospitals, homes, highways, and power plants that would go unbuilt. “This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense,” he continued. “[I]t is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.” More than six decades later, Americans have long since accommodated themselves to that cross of iron. Many actually see it as a boon, a source of corporate profits, jobs, and, of course, campaign contributions. As such, they avert their eyes from the opportunity costs of our never-ending wars. The dollars expended pursuant to our post-9/11 conflicts will ultimately number in the multi-trillions. Imagine the benefits of investing such sums in upgrading the nation’s aging infrastructure. Yet don’t count on Congressional leaders, other politicians, or just about anyone else to pursue that connection.

3. On matters related to war, American citizens have opted out. Others have made the point so frequently that it’s the equivalent of hearing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” at Christmastime. Even so, it bears repeating: the American people have defined their obligation to “support the troops” in the narrowest imaginable terms, ensuring above all that such support requires absolutely no sacrifice on their part. Members of Congress abet this civic apathy, while also taking steps to insulate themselves from responsibility. In effect, citizens and their elected representatives in Washington agree: supporting the troops means deferring to the commander in chief, without inquiring about whether what he has the troops doing makes the slightest sense. Yes, we set down our beers long enough to applaud those in uniform and boo those who decline to participate in mandatory rituals of patriotism. What we don’t do is demand anything remotely approximating actual accountability.

4. Terrorism gets hyped and hyped and hyped some more. While international terrorism isn’t a trivial problem (and wasn’t for decades before 9/11), it comes nowhere close to posing an existential threat to the United States. Indeed, other threats, notably the impact of climate change, constitute a far greater danger to the wellbeing of Americans. Worried about the safety of your children or grandchildren? The opioid epidemic constitutes an infinitely greater danger than “Islamic radicalism.” Yet having been sold a bill of goods about a “war on terror” that is essential for “keeping America safe,” mere citizens are easily persuaded that scattering U.S. troops throughout the Islamic world while dropping bombs on designated evildoers is helping win the former while guaranteeing the latter. To question that proposition becomes tantamount to suggesting that God might not have given Moses two stone tablets after all.

5. Blather crowds out substance. When it comes to foreign policy, American public discourse is--not to put too fine a point on it--vacuous, insipid, and mindlessly repetitive. William Safire of the New York Times once characterized American political rhetoric as BOMFOG, with those running for high office relentlessly touting the Brotherhood of Man and the Fatherhood of God. Ask a politician, Republican or Democrat, to expound on this country’s role in the world, and then brace yourself for some variant of WOSFAD, as the speaker insists that it is incumbent upon the World’s Only Superpower to spread Freedom and Democracy. Terms like leadership and indispensable are introduced, along with warnings about the dangers of isolationism and appeasement, embellished with ominous references to Munich. Such grandiose posturing makes it unnecessary to probe too deeply into the actual origins and purposes of American wars, past or present, or assess the likelihood of ongoing wars ending in some approximation of actual success. Cheerleading displaces serious thought.

6. Besides, we’re too busy. Think of this as a corollary to point five. Even if the present-day American political scene included figures like Senators Robert La Follette or J. William Fulbright, who long ago warned against the dangers of militarizing U.S. policy, Americans may not retain a capacity to attend to such critiques. Responding to the demands of the Information Age is not, it turns out, conducive to deep reflection. We live in an era (so we are told) when frantic multitasking has become a sort of duty and when being overscheduled is almost obligatory. Our attention span shrinks and with it our time horizon. The matters we attend to are those that happened just hours or minutes ago. Yet like the great solar eclipse of 2017--hugely significant and instantly forgotten--those matters will, within another few minutes or hours, be superseded by some other development that briefly captures our attention. As a result, a dwindling number of Americans--those not compulsively checking Facebook pages and Twitter accounts--have the time or inclination to ponder questions like: When will the Afghanistan War end? Why has it lasted almost 16 years? Why doesn’t the finest fighting force in history actually win? Can’t package an answer in 140 characters or a 30-second made-for-TV sound bite? Well, then, slowpoke, don’t expect anyone to attend to what you have to say.

7. Anyway, the next president will save us. At regular intervals, Americans indulge in the fantasy that, if we just install the right person in the White House, all will be well. Ambitious politicians are quick to exploit this expectation. Presidential candidates struggle to differentiate themselves from their competitors, but all of them promise in one way or another to wipe the slate clean and Make America Great Again. Ignoring the historical record of promises broken or unfulfilled, and presidents who turn out not to be deities but flawed human beings, Americans--members of the media above all--pretend to take all this seriously. Campaigns become longer, more expensive, more circus-like, and ever less substantial. One might think that the election of Donald Trump would prompt a downward revision in the exalted expectations of presidents putting things right. Instead, especially in the anti-Trump camp, getting rid of Trump himself (Collusion! Corruption! Obstruction! Impeachment!) has become the overriding imperative, with little attention given to restoring the balance intended by the framers of the Constitution. The irony of Trump perpetuating wars that he once roundly criticized and then handing the conduct of those wars to generals devoid of ideas for ending them almost entirely escapes notice.

8. Our culturally progressive military has largely immunized itself from criticism. Put simply, critics who in an earlier day might have blasted military leaders for their inability to bring wars to a successful conclusion hold their fire. Having women graduate from Ranger School or command Marines in combat more than compensates for not winning.

A collective indifference to war has become an emblem of contemporary America. But don’t expect your neighbors down the street or the editors of the New York Times to lose any sleep over that fact. Even to notice it would require them--and us--to care.