#if not a dancer body type then a swimmer body type like can we be real

[starlooove]

I hope whoever drew this dies lol

[esmeraldablazingsky]

the only person in fontaine who i think should have visibly shredded abs is clorinde. look. listen. i have an essay

furina has maintained a performer’s figure for a long time but she’s more of an actress and singer than a dancer. she has the muscle tone of a macaroni noodle, and also her body composition is 80% pastry. but you know what we love her for that

navia is definitely deceptively strong for her hyper femme presentation. girlie puts in the work! shes not a gym rat tho. she has better things to do, and macarons to bake

wriothesley you could definitely make a case for more than the others, but also, consider this. he’s not a mangy half starved wolf anymore. he’s comfortable, he can get whatever he wants from the kitchen staff, he puts sugar in his tea. it’s not like he’s lost any of his combat edge but he doesn’t HAVE to be a lean mean fighting machine anymore, he has other strengths, and he likes it that way!

neuvillette is the world’s most pampered dragon. furina summoned him 400 years ago and proceeded to spend those 400 years ordering him premium water and making him do paperwork and try fancy foods with her. he does not want to go outside, except if it is to swim. you may not like it but this is the ideal sea-animal-guy body type (strong swimmer muscles smoothed over by a layer of squish, like a seal)

sigewinne is literally a marshmallow have you ever seen a ripped melusine I don’t think so. but that wasn’t in question, right?

clorinde though!! clorinde. duelist and bodyguard supreme, a well known figure whose athleticism is highly publicized. she doesn’t HAVE to have abs, but she’s definitely the fontaine character I would most readily believe does

[probablynotnothing]

The power of daydreaming and imagining what we would actually love to experience, without being critical, pessimistic or judgmental towards ourselves, is so important.

It's amazing and brave to cope with mental health symptoms. However sometimes it makes more sense to center effort towards building a mindset that lets you side step and make irrelevant a lot of the stressors which cause your mental health symptoms to become loud.

It's ok to know your personality, advantages and disadvantages, and to cultivate a lifestyle which isn't tying to make you go against your grain and cram yourself into a lifestyle that doesn't truly make you feel nurtured, excited, and safe. Living is meant to be brave suffering- we don't have to constantly have heaps of struggles on our plates in order to be good, capable, worthy people playing our parts in society.

It's good to dream about ways to combine passion, play, and affording a lifestyle. It's good to be pragmatic and accept the trade offs or stresses which to you are worth it, because the benefits you feel overshadow the uncomfortable or "yet to be understood" parts.

We can have anything but not everything, so what do you want to experience? What might you want to experience? You may not have all the super specifics figured out, but do you at least have an inkling or set of daydreams you can examine for similar through lines?

What do YOU as an individual really value in life? What do you like, compared to what have you been told you should like? What does your mind come back to again and again in your fantasies or consumption of media or daydreams of the future or admiration of other people's lives? What things feel so naturally a part of the way you live and think about life that you might not even include it as being of significance? What feels like play to you?

In the book Play by Stuart Brown, M.D., he lays out 8 types of play "personality types" that he's observed.

The Joker: People who love getting playful reactions out of people and connecting with fellow people through humor.

The Kinesthete: People who need to move in order to think and process. Athletes, swimmers, runners, walkers and hikers, dancers, people who lose themselves in movement and body intelligence.

The Explorer: People who love exploring new physical places or ideas, searching for new perspectives, emotions and insight into the world and people.

The Competitor: People who find joy in framing activities as a competition, and competing for a higher and higher ranking, whether competing with yourself or with other people.

The Director: People who love to orchestrate and plan activities in order to see a beautiful desired outcome be birthed into existence.

The Collector: People who love collecting objects or experiences, as a solitary activity or as an activity that connects you to fellow enthusiasts.

The Artist/Creator: People who find joy in making things - woodworking, pottery, jewelery, paintings, furniture making, knitting, cooking, gardening, etc

The Storyteller: People who love imagining themselves as a part of a story, certain narrative, or perspective, whether through writing a narrative you find fascinating or immersing yourself in a narrative constructed by fellow people.

I think it's important to understand which forms of play you gravitate to, so you remember that as an adult there ARE ways you naturally play (play is essential for mental and physical health). Especially if you normally think of yourself as not playful.

Whatever ways you naturally gravitate towards play, let yourself do those things, while consciously affirming these are acts of play.

[whatsonmedia]

Why the Latest Series Strictly isn't Box-Ticking?

One Paralympian And a Gay Man Is hardly a Woke Response Just recently it wasn't article in the Telegraph that really disappointed me. I'm not going to say who the writer was, but what I will say is that what they wrote to be over very short sighted and derogatory at best. The article was a direct critical response at the BBC over the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing. As anyone who watches the show, including myself, will know that it's a show about dancing. And for those who watch the show so is that it's about entertainment but most importantly, it's about inclusion and diversity. Last time I checked, diversity and inclusion were about bringing people together from all walks of life and backgrounds. Whether that be by religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or by race. Now come what I read on the article from the Telegraph, this is where I confess, that I didn't read it all in it's entirety. Thankfully, I was watching a morning talk show on TV where it was being discussed.  The basic gist of the article was that it was accusing the BBC sea of being woke. Basically claiming that the producers were just bringing people like Richie Anderson and Ellie Simmonds in just to tick boxes.  Richie Anderson is a TV and radio host who is also openly gay. Hey he is also no of mixed raced background. Ellie Simmonds is a paralympic swimmer who has a form of dwarfism. At the end of the day anyone can say that was past 3 or 5 years TV producers have been trying to force the whole equality and diversity agenda down everyone's throats. However, for a great many years we've all been used to seeing the same type of contestants over and over again. Every so often it's just nice to see different types of contestants on TV. It's not one of those 'forcing it down your throat' thing at all, but more of a showing but there are many different types of other people out there are and that we should be embracing this sort of change rather than criticise it. Now over the years we've had a number of contestants from the disability and LGBT + community. We've had JJ Chambers, Will Bayley, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Julian Clary, Scott Mills, Susan Calman and even Will Young to name a few. Now last year ear we had Rose and John who both represented the LGBT+ and Disability community and I don't recall any argument about their participation, so why is it being brought up this series? Why has the appearance of people from various minority groups such an issue for some people? Just what is it about seeing people from certain minority groups that upsets people? As I have mentioned on numerous occasions in previous columns, I myself am Autistic. Now I have admit I wouldn't mind seeing The Chase star, Anne Hegerty, or former Gogglebox star, Tom Malone Jr, participate in a series. Now before you ask, it wouldn't be part of a box ticking or woke decision, it would be because there's probably meet good contestants. Also Gogglebox star Tom Malone Jr is a freestyle dancer. I'll confess that another reason I admit to it is because it's a good way of sticking two fingers up up at a blind ignorance. Autistic people are viewed in certain ways, and those 'ways' are never really positive in that there's always this preconceived notion that they can't. I'd definitely see it as a way of saying "wanna bet". So no, it wouldn't be as part of a box ticking thing will because I think they'd actually make good contestants Something that many people don't actually seem to stop and think about is that that when people from certain groups participate in programmes like this it helps send a positive message to people both within and outside of those communities To the people within those communities it shows them that's something that they believed it was beyond them is actually possible, and to those outside those communities is that actually they can and that they're just as good as their are heterosexual and and able bodied counterparts.  Ultimately it sends out the message that's this is for everyone and that at anyone can do this. Whether you're wheelchair bound or LGBT + you can feel included. If you watch any dance show whether it be Strictly, Dancing on Ice or So You Think You Can Dance the message it sends out is that it is for everyone and that no one should be excluded. Want further proof, Did you see Ellie Simmons the form of the waltz with her dance partner? She's 1.25 m, basically 4ft high high as she performed an incredible dance routine. Her Heights which is a result of their disability didn't hold her back at all, if anything, we will all too distracted by her dancing and that's regardless of her stature. As for Richie being gay, quite honestly who the hell cares and why should we care. And even I have to admit that he definitely knows how to strut his stuff on the dance floor. But just in case we haven't forgotten Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood and former judge Bruno Tonioli are both gay and yet we never seem to to have a dig at that. At the end of the day can we just see it as that in this series there is a rich variety of contestants and just enjoy it rather than see it as an excuse to accuse the BBC of being too woke and trying to tick boxes?https://www.shropshirestar.com/entertainment/showbiz/2022/09/24/strictly-launch-black-countrys-ellie-simmonds-and-richie-anderson-paired-up-with-dancers/ Read the full article

[mauesartetc]

What is, in your opinion, something or some things that we can learn from Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel as both writers and artist?

There's plenty to learn, though the sad thing is, much of it is what not to do. (Strap in; this is a long one.)

Visuals

- Don't let one color dominate your palette. It overwhelms the eyes and makes characters blend in too much with the background. I'm glad they toned down the red a bit in Helluva Boss, because damn.

- Conversely, don't use so many different colors on background characters that they look out of place in the world. Yes, I'm aware these characters were fan-created, but Viv Medrano could've given these fans a palette as a guideline to stay within so their designs feel like they belong in the show's setting.

Here's the master palette I used for my hellhound designs, based on colors taken from canon Helluva Boss characters.

By making adjustments to the value and saturation of each of these colors, I created a range of new ones that wouldn't clash with the established setting.

Now let's apply the same approach to the background characters in the Hazbin pilot.

For the recolored pic, I took hues from Charlie and the background, and tweaked values and saturation as needed. And for the sake of cohesion, I did a quick and dirty faux-compositing pass on the image.

Notice how the added background shading lets Charlie stand out much more clearly from the extras. In short, paying closer attention to color theory would've made the pilot much more visually pleasing.

-Don't give all your characters the same body type. Not only is this boring to look at, but it robs them of their individuality. We all have unique habits and interests. Maybe one person loves to eat, maybe another likes to work out, maybe another never has much of an appetite. Maybe someone has a HUGE appetite but never gains much weight due to their fast metabolism. Also note that there are numerous ways to be muscular; a bodybuilder's frame will be different from a swimmer's, which is different from a dancer's, which is different from a weightlifter's, which is different from a track star's. It's all about which muscle groups are doing the most work.

Now if there were a story-based reason for everyone in Hazbin (and plenty in Helluva) being stick-thin, this would be easier to forgive. If, for example, sinners took on an undernourished appearance and constant feeling of hunger as part of their punishment, that'd make much more sense. But given Viv's long history of designing stick bugs before she ever gave a thought to Hazbin, I highly doubt this physiological uniformity has any bearing on the story. She just likes the aesthetics of skinny people. Nothing wrong with expressing one's tastes, as long as it has a purpose. Which brings me to my next point:

-Don't include stuff in your designs just for the aesthetics. If it doesn't serve some kind of tangible function, leave it out. Accessories, for instance: Does the accessory show a sense of style unique to this character? Is it part of a uniform? Does it hold special meaning for the character, such as a family heirloom or treasured gift? Does it serve a practical purpose, such as glasses to improve their eyesight? Is it symbolic?

A metric ton of Viv's characters have bow ties for the simple reason that she likes the way they look. Nothing deeper than that. She's only concerned with what she likes, not what the characters like. And much like the samebody syndrome, this steals away their individuality. If so many characters make the same fashion choices, it makes them look like a hive mind. Don't do such a grave disservice to the souls you've created. They deserve better.

-Make the environment make sense. Ever wonder why IMP's building in Helluva Boss has imp horns on it? Isn't that like humans working in a human-shaped building? Some sort of cultural rationale could make this work, but I doubt Viv thought that far into it.

(Writing tips after the cut)

Writing

- Give your characters agency. I've talked about this before, so I won't go overboard with detail, but it definitely applies to Helluva Boss.

These characters don't feel like real people due to how contrived their choices are. Why didn't Blitzo silence his phone while being hunted by murderers? Why did Octavia fully forgive her dad, no questions asked, even when he couldn't explain why he cheated on her mom? If Loona hates being around Blitzo so much, why didn't she just stay with the succubi on the beach? Why did Blitzo make out with the guy who treated him like a slave in the trip-out sequence mere minutes before? Why did Moxxie make a huge romantic gesture in an environment where such gestures are frowned upon? Why did Blitzo draw attention to himself when he knew there were people in the room he didn't want to engage with (and don't say "because he was defending Moxxie and Millie"; he could've easily done that without showing himself. There's a thin line between courage and stupidity, and he's crossed it several times)? Why did Stolas bring an imp to a couples-only club despite knowing it'd ruin his reputation?

The answer to all these questions is "Because the plot demanded it" (seriously, Ozzie's was just one big idiot plot that could've been avoided entirely if the characters used their brains). But let's be honest, if we non-fictional folks found ourselves in the same situations, the outcomes would've been very different due to our possession of common fucking sense. It's hard to relate to and root for characters who make so many facepalm-worthy decisions.

Your characters aren't your puppets. Let them drive the plot, not the other way around.

- Show, don't tell. Yeah, you've probably heard this phrase in the past. In this case I'm applying it to Truth Seekers.

First, we have the DHORKS agents (any clue what DHORKS stands for, by the way?) saying no one takes them seriously, yet they work out of a huge skyscraper with at least a few dozen employees and access to a nigh-unlimited variety of weapons. Whoever's funding all this must take them seriously; otherwise this person/people wouldn't have blown such a huge wad of cash on them.

Then, Blitzo claims he's only hard on Moxxie because he cares, yet we've only seen him berating Moxxie, belittling him, threatening to withhold his paycheck because of a mistake, making fun of his "smooth brain" and "baby dick", stalking him and his wife, watching them have sex, and did I mention the rape threat toward them in Ep 1? If Blitzo had shown some caring behavior prior to this, it'd be so much easier to believe him. But as it stands he's an abusive little shit who straight-up gaslights Moxxie in this moment, and Moxxie just... goes along with it (again, as the plot demanded). Blitzo's words don't match his actions at all, and this is the main protagonist we're supposed to sympathize with. On that topic...

- Don't coddle any of your characters just because they're your favorites. Their actions should always have realistic consequences, regardless of how unrealistic the genre and setting may be. If Blitzo and Stolas had gotten their just desserts from day one, Octavia would've left Stolas, Loona would've left Blitzo, and Moxxie would've fucking quit IMP and filed a restraining order. Yet nearly everyone in their lives lets them get away with murder because the writers favor them. This is beyond insulting to the audience's intelligence. Don't make the same mistake.

- Give romantic partners things in common other than the romance. Whenever we see Blitzo and Stolas sit down and have a conversation, it's always about their relationship or Blitzo's job, and the talks take place in either Stolas' bed or on a date. And at some point between episodes 6 and 7, Stolas' attraction to Blitzo magically developed from lust to love... off screen. If the writing gave this more time to evolve organically over several episodes, the relationship might actually be worth rooting for.

Don't these people have hobbies? Political views? Favorite foods? Favorite restaurants? Favorite movies? Opinions on the huge power gap between them? We know Blitzo's favorite animals are horses; maybe he could gush to Stolas about that-? Y'know, just so they have something to talk about other than sex sex sex grimoire sex.

And here's a thought: Maybe they could... laugh about something together? Cry about something? Experience strong emotions in each other's presence other than lust? That's how you make the audience care about your romantic pairing: Understanding the difference between adult content and mature content.

- Cut the fluff. The Hazbin pilot did NOT need to be half an hour long.

First, there's Vaggie's exposition dump to Angel Dust regarding Alastor's past. She could've simply said "I don't trust him" and then explain why to Charlie in two sentences. This would leave Alastor's origins shrouded in mystery and make the audience curious to learn more in future installments. Plus, he wouldn't seem so ridiculously OP (you're tellin' me some guy who died in the '30s killed tons of overlords who'd been around for centuries, and no one was prepared for it? Also, I thought only angelic weapons could properly kill demons-? Gettin' some Gary Stu vibes there) and the animators wouldn't have to deal with that sequence.

Then there's Husk and Niffty. They really didn't need an introduction here, as they add nothing to the story's climax. And as another ask pointed out, neither did Cherri Bomb. She has no powers outside of her weapons, so Angel could've just taken some bombs and fought Sir Pent on his own. If all these characters were cut from the script, it would've saved the animators countless hours of work (it's so obnoxious how complex Husk and Cherri's designs are), and it would've saved the audience from slogging through a slow-paced second half.

That's all I have for now. May we all learn from these pitfalls and do better in our own projects going forward.

[echoeternally]

If Another Pair Survives Together...

Balancing the votes between various combinations of remaining options in the Hero’s Second Wind poll will bring them into the next story together. Those potential scenes are found on this page!

Brief descriptions and scene titles will be included below!

Fair warning: There is some content dealing with death below as well.

Second warning: This post is long to depict several developing scenes!

... ... ... ... ...

Alakazam & Politoed

Taking some time to adjust along the mountainside, Alakazam attempts to bond with Politoed by reading a story, but...

...

“Oh, this reminds me of an old legend that I read a while back,” recalled Alakazam. “It was the one about the two dragons.”

“Those two that were always together even though they were like opposites in a few ways?”

“Yes! Ah, I thought I was the only one that still knew about that.” Alakazam chuckled. “It was such a lovely story, there were a few versions, a few different pairs of dragons, but they…” He hesitated as his eyes twitched. “Uh, they were sometimes…”

“…It’s usually stories about them becoming lovers, in spite of the opposite natures, right?” Politoed waited as Alakazam faced him. “…Alakazam?”

“Sorry, it, ah…we just both enjoyed…” A tear slipped from his eye. “It…”

Politoed waited a moment, as another tear cascaded from Alakazam, and then a few more started to come out. He got up as Alakazam turned, and they hugged as he sobbed into Politoed, still patting him.

... ... ...

Shaping Up A Magic Knight

Alakazam offers to tutor Politoed with dabbling into magic, which the curious latter is somewhat hesitant about.

...

“I don’t know if magic is really my thing, Alakazam.” Politoed scratched at his head. “My brother was always the stronger between us, sure, but I still think that I’m capable enough relying on my natural abilities.”

“Well, you’re certainly not learning with that attitude,” muttered Alakazam.

“Don’t we have enough magicians on the team?” Politoed placed his hand on his hip. “There’s Delphox, even if he is blind. Then we’ve got Gardevoir, Lilligant, Froslass, Mewtwo, and you.” He shrugged. “I don’t think there’s much of a need for me to join those ranks.”

“You do realize that you could become incredibly more powerful if you could combine physical efforts with magical ones, correct?”

“Like Lucario?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“But he’s not really that invincible.” Politoed gazed down at the tome in his hands. “I just don’t know about this…”

“It is entirely your choice,” relented Alakazam. “Perhaps I’m trying to overcompensate, but I do truly believe that you would be a capable candidate for such combinations.” He lowered his eyes. “It’s certainly a unique avenue to explore.”

“Don’t really need that anymore,” mumbled Politoed.

“Sorry, that’s not how I meant it.” Alakazam sighed. “It’s just that not many knights do get such an opportunity to pull this off. Just…think it over a little more, when you have a chance.”

He strolled away from Politoed, who watched him for a moment, and then returned his attention to the tome.

... ... ...

Machamp & Poliwrath

Completing an early trial battle against rivals, Machamp and Poliwrath celebrate their win for a moment. Neither is good for comforting.

...

“Ha!” Machamp placed his lower hands on his hips and beamed. “Tough battle, but nothing that the two Empire powerhouses can’t handle!”

“You know it!” Poliwrath smacked Machamp’s back. “You and me, tough as they come!”

“Yeah, together for…ever…”

Poliwrath watched as Machamp slouched. “…That something you two—?”

“It was a little phrase we had,” murmured Machamp, hastily rubbing at his eyes. “Since we were kids, we always brought it up, and the way his face lit up whenever we brought it up, I just…he was so happy, and I, uh…sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Poliwrath patted Machamp’s lower arm. “It’s not like I’m any better off. We’re managing, we just need…more time…”

“Maybe a lot more…”

“…Probably, yeah…”

... ... ...

Enchanting Performances

Poliwrath and Machamp join Greninja and Chesnaught in their review of majestic performances between competing artists, including their friends.

...

“These performers are great!” Poliwrath rubbed his hands together. “Tonight’s been fantastic, don’t you think?”

“Well, yeah, I guess so!” Machamp slumped back in his chair. “I feel like I’d appreciate more styles if I studied up more on cultures and less on legends.”

“It’s not just the dancers, though they are amazing!” Poliwrath chuckled. “Lilligant, I was expecting. Him? Definitely not.”

“Tell me about it!” I grinned as I turned to Greninja nudging him at the other table. “Someone definitely enjoyed that one for sure.”

“How about the singers?” Poliwrath drummed on the table. “Primarina, I was expecting him to be as flawless as he was. But that Leavanny? Who knew she had that kind of a voice in her, huh?”

“She did that entirely without her band,” agreed Machamp. “…Did anyone else cry from that song? I feel kind of silly if only I did.”

“No way, I was bawling,” piped up Poliwrath. “That emotion was too overwhelming for me!”

“It makes sense why she…um.” Machamp and Poliwrath watched me as I glanced aside. “Uh, don’t worry about that.”

... ... ...

Poliwrath & Alakazam 

After traveling up the first leg of the mountains journey, Alakazam thanks Poliwrath for his help, and comforts him when it goes sideways.

...

“You know, the lake up here reminded me that I don’t think I got the chance to thank you properly.” Alakazam smiled at Poliwrath. “Your quick thinking got me out from the water so swiftly, and I barely processed what had even happened the whole while.”

“Ah, I was just panicking a bit,” admitted Poliwrath. “Saw someone in the water scrambling a bit, so I just wanted to make sure you didn’t drown or anything!”

“In spite of being around water so long, if I hadn’t been careful, I could have.” Alakazam laughed. “Can you imagine? That would’ve been dreadful.” He sighed and smiled to Poliwrath. “So, thank you again for pulling me out.”

“Nah, no worries.” Poliwrath rolled his eyes. “Wasn’t much trouble, you’re light enough, though heavier than I was expecting.”

“Really?” Alakazam rubbed at his arm. “I think that’s a first.”

“Oh, no, sorry, that was stupid of me.” Poliwrath clutched at his head. “I just meant, you know, you were heavier than who I was…expecting…”

“…Ah.”

“Can’t believe how much of an ass I am,” grumbled Poliwrath. “Alakazam, I’m sorry, that wasn’t called for.”

“Missing your brother is as normal as a sunset, Poliwrath,” insisted Alakazam. “My heart aches over Machamp, so I understand.”

“Yeah, but it’s…I just…” Poliwrath slouched. “…I didn’t think I’d ever miss him the way that I do now, you know? He was just always there, so I never…I never…”

He jumped as Alakazam gently placed his hand over Poliwrath’s arm. He twisted to him, and Alakazam nodded, softly smiling. Tears welled up in Poliwrath’s eyes and he hastily brushed them away.

... ... ...

Teleportation Troubles

In the middle of a trial, Poliwrath struggles to regain his bearings after Alakazam warps them around a bit.

...

“Hang on.”

Alakazam placed his hand behind Poliwrath and they disappeared in a flash. Another one flickered from behind me, and I spun back to them.

“Ugh…” Poliwrath shuddered. “How do you do that all the time?”

“What? It’s a quick warp.” Alakazam folded his arms. “Don’t tell me you get motion sickness. You swim!”

“It’s not the motion, but that felt weird for me…” He looked at Alakazam, and then to me. “Neither of you seriously feel anything with that?”

“Well, I can sink into shadows and travel in this weird space that lets me quietly approach enemies,” I reasoned. “Plus, ninjas do a lot of vanishing acts all of the time…so, no.”

“And it’s literally second nature for me,” reminded Alakazam.

“Ooh, you guys are weird…”

“You’re one to talk, Mister Mouthless.”

“It’s right here!” Poliwrath pointed at his body, but I just blinked at him. I turned to Alakazam, who shrugged his shoulders. “Aw, come on!”

... ... ...

Politoed & Machamp

Surviving an early mountains trial mishap, Machamp thanks Politoed for his rescue, but this stirs memories for the frog.

...

“Can’t believe I almost drowned out there again,” joked Machamp. “Thanks a bundle for rescuing me a second time, Politoed!”

“Ah, you know, we’re natural-born swimmers.” Politoed laughed as Machamp grinned at him.

“You Water Types make it look so easy, but I do know how to swim too,” teased Machamp. “Grew up around water like anyone else in the Empire!”

“Sure, we all learned swimming, luckily for Empoleon.” Politoed tapped at his cheek. “Makes me wonder what he’d do with someone that couldn’t swim.” He sighed. “You know, Poliwrath used to help me out a lot when we first started. I don’t think I’d be as capable in the water without him.”

“No?”

“Maybe at some point, but…” Politoed sank down. “…Maybe I’m not as much of a natural as I claimed.” He looked to Machamp, who reached over to him. “He was such an ass when we were, you know how, back home, but…when we were young, and I was scared at first, because I had a bad experience with water very early on, but he was so patient and he…he…”

“He was with you whenever you needed him,” finished Machamp, and he lightly rubbed Politoed’s head.

“…Yeah…” Politoed heaved. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to go on without him…”

“It takes time, but we’ll get there,” assured Machamp. “Remember, you’re not alone.”

“Right, of course.” Politoed smiled to Machamp, picking himself back up. “Thank you.”

... ... ...

Making a Mighty Bouncer

As they continue to climb and deal with the mountains, Machamp decides to try a different kind of confidence booster for Politoed.

...

“There’s got to be a way that we can climb up there.”

“If we can’t climb or fly, how about we just have someone bounce?” Machamp glanced to Politoed, who jumped up.

“Me? Bounce that high?” He shook his head. “Are you crazy?”

“Come on, you can make that!” Machamp crouched down and cupped his lower hands together. “Here, I’ll even give you a boost!”

“No way!” Politoed winced. “You throw hard and far!”

“Right, you combine that with your bounce, and that’ll help you soar further up!” Machamp rubbed his head. “Unless you’re too scared, I guess.”

“What was that?”

“Hm? Oh, nothing.”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“Nah, just thinking that you’re too, ah, timid for it?” Machamp shrugged his shoulders and lifted his upper arms. “But, it’s fine. We can think of--”

“Just shut up and get ready to throw me,” grumbled Politoed, to Machamp’s delight.

... ... ... ... ...

(Remember, these are scenes in development. However, this is what you can look forward to, should the vote tallies of two additional options be close enough together! See if you can get their combined return for the stories!)

(Head back to the poll here!)

(Still not sure or want to read more? Check back here!)

[vminni]

Besties Pick Bae

“I just don’t understand why we have to do this,” Jisung whined, knocking his heel against the leg of his chair. “It’s stupid.”

“We’re doing this because you need a man and you have terrible taste.”

“I do not,” Jisung huffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he glared at Seungmin. “My taste is fine.”

“Your taste is trash,” Jeongin chimed in. “Trust us on this one.”

“Excuse me.” The camera director looked like he’d aged 20 years in the last five minutes, “I’ve asked three times. Could you please just introduce yourselves?”

“Oh right, sorry,” Seungmin didn’t look the least bit sorry. “Our bad.”

“Just your names and ages for now please. Starting with Jisung.”

Jisung eyed the camera sullenly, “Hi, I’m Jisung and I’m 19.”

Seungmin waved brightly, “I’m Seungmin and I’m 19 years old.”

“And I’m Jeongin and I’m 18,” Jeongin’s smile was blinding.

The camera director sighed, “Jisung, could you try to look like you want to be here?” “I don’t want to be here,” he rolled his eyes, but plastered on a fake smile anyway. The faster he got this over with, the faster he could go home and plot his revenge on the two idiots he called his best friends. “Hi! My name is Jisung and I’m 19.”

“Better, now talk a bit about why you came on the show.”

“Basically, my friends think I have shit taste in men and signed me up for this without my knowledge because they think they know better than I do. They’re wrong and I can’t wait to prove that today.”

The camera director rubbed tiredly at his temples, “You know what? Fine. That’ll be our angle for this episode. Be as bitter as you want, we’ll just run with it. Next question. What’s your type?”

“I don’t have a type,” Jisung shrugged. “Just boys.”

“Wrong,” Seungmin piped up. “Jisung’s got a superiority complex. His type is people he thinks are below him. He doesn’t want anything to do with anyone who’s better looking or more talented than him. He only goes after people he knows will worship him.” “That’s not true!”

“It is,” Jeongin agreed. “So today we want to find him someone he would never pick for himself. Someone who’ll push him out of his comfort zone and make him a better person.”

“Jisung is super creative, so we want someone like that for him. Someone who does something in the arts, whether it’s music, dance, sculpture, paint. Anything like that.” Seungmin smirked at the camera, “And preferably super hot.”

Jisung smacked him on the arm and the two of them squabbled for a bit as Jeongin stayed smiling at the camera.

The director rolled his eyes and cut the scene. “Alright, Jisung, take this blindfold and put it on. We’re going to move your chair so your back is to the stage. Seungmin and Jeongin you can stay there. Once all the boys are in, the blindfold can come off.”

Jisung did as he was told, resettling into his seat once it had been moved. He clutched at his bopping knees, nerves starting to set in now that this was actually happening. He hadn’t been on a date in a while and he never been on a date with a stranger. Especially not one his two idiot friends were choosing for him.

“Alright, guys. Come in and line up, then we’ll start with introductions.”

Jisung could hear footsteps and shuffling as his potential dates all settled into place behind him. He could also barely make out Seungmin and Jeongin whispering to each other, but their actual words were lost in the noise.

“You can take off the blindfold.”

Jisung did so, resisting the urge to turn around and ruin the whole thing. His heart was starting to beat a little faster and he wondered if his face was as red as it felt. This whole thing made him feel vulnerable, and it was not a feeling he enjoyed. Jisung liked being in charge. Today everything was out of his hands.

“Please introduce yourselves.”

“Hi, my name is Chris, but you can call me Chan if that’s easier. I’m 21 and I’m a swimmer.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Hyunjin.” There was a bit of shuffling from Seungmin and Jeongin at that point and Jisung could tell from their smirking faces that Hyunjin was hot. He dropped his head into his hands and sighed. “I’m 19 and I’m studying to be an interior designer.”

“My name is Changbin, I’m 20 years old and I’m a rapper.”

“Hello, I’m Woojin. I’m 22 and I like to sing.”

“G’day, I’m Felix. I’m 19 and I’m a third degree black belt in taekwondo.”

“Hi, everyone,” the boy giggled slightly and Jisung lifted his head up, suddenly intrigued. “I’m Minho. I’m 20 and I’m a dancer. I used to backup for BTS.”

“He sounds cute,” Jisung breathed, not even realizing he’d said it out loud until he heard that pretty giggle again.

“Thank you,” the smile was obvious on Minho’s voice. “You sound cute too.”

Jisung flushed and looked down, twisting one of his rings around as he did his best to avoid his best friends’ gazes. He glanced up briefly and Jeongin shot him a wink and two thumbs up. Jisung flipped him off in return.

“So far everyone sounds really good. Everyone is artistic, which is one of the major things we’re looking for. Jisung is into writing and producing music, so we definitely want someone creative. There’s a couple people that stand out right now, but we’ll have to see how it goes.” Seungmin clapped his hands together, “I’m excited. First question, thoughts on horror movies?”

“I’m not much of a movie person.” Jisung had already forgotten half the contestants names, but he imagined they were answering in the same order they had introduced themselves in. “I don’t really have time for them.”

“I don’t like horror movies.” That was Hyunjin. He could tell just from the way Seungmin and Jeongin were looking at him. He had no doubts they were going to try to keep him around for as long as possible, even though his first answer already went against Jisung’s.

“I like horror movies!” Jisung knew that was the boy who said he was a rapper, but his name was escaping him at the moment.

“I also like horror movies.” Jisung had no idea who that was.

“I hate scary things. Comedy is more my style.” That was the boy with the deep voice and the English name.

“I love all movies!” Jisung knew that was Minho. He straightened a bit at his voice and heard Jeongin giggle lightly at his obvious interest. “Horror movies are great because they lead to more opportunities for cuddling. And I really love cuddling. ”

“Jisung is a big horror movie fan,” Seungmin tapped his finger against his lip. “I’m really sorry, but we’re going to have to let you go Felix.”

The eliminated boy stepped down and exited the room, walking past Jisung as he did so, “Good to meet you, mate.”

“You think he’d be interested in rapping?” Jisung asked once he disappeared. “That voice is killer. Maybe I should get his number later.”

“Focus.” Jeongin wiggled a bit in his seat, “Okay, second question. How do you feel about skinship?”

“I’m a big fan of skinship.” Chan! That was his name.

“I like skinship if I’m comfortable with the person.” Jisung noticed that both his friends were looking at Hyunjin with heart eyes. At this rate he was gonna end up with him just so they could get his number. Pouting, he sunk down into his seat and crossed his arms.

“It really depends.” That was the rapper boy again, “It’s all about my relationship with that person and how I see them. It’s definitely not something I’m into with people I barely know.”

“I like it sometimes.” Jisung wracked his brain and finally came up with a name. Woojin. The singer.

“I love skinship! Like I said before, cuddling is my favorite. Especially with someone cute and tiny. Like Jisungie.”

Jisung almost jumped out of his seat to defend himself, remembering at the last second that if he did the whole thing would be ruined. Instead he chose to whine, “What makes you think I’m small?”

Minho giggled prettily, “Your head doesn’t show above the chair.”

“Hmph,” Jisung was highly insulted. “This is just a big chair, I’m perfectly normal sized”

“If you say so.” There was a clear flirtaious lilt to Minho’s voice, “I’ll guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

“You’re all probably taller than Sungie, except for Changbin.” Ah, that was the rapper’s name. “Unfortunately we have to eliminate someone once again.” Seungmin leaned towards Jeongin and the two of them whispered back and forth for a bit, “This has nothing to do with your height, but Changbin, we’re sorry. Jisung is huge into skinship, in fact it’s probably killing him to be sitting there right now without touching anyone.”

The chosen boy stepped down, saluting Jisung as he left, “Maybe we could collab sometime. Give me a call.”

“Now, onto our third question.” Jeongin eyed the remaining contestants, “Would you consider yourself talented?”

“I like to dabble in a lot of different things, like music and art and dance. But I wouldn’t say I’m talented. I’m not awful, but I’m definitely not the best.” Chan’s tone was humble, “Except for swimming. I’m good at swimming.”

“I love to dance, but I’ve gotten to where I am today because of hard work. Not talent.” Jisung wasn’t even sure his friends were hearing Hyunjin’s answers, they were both too busy drooling over him.

“Want me to sing for you right now? I can prove I’m talented.”

“I danced with BTS, if that doesn’t tell you that I’m sexy and incredible, what will?” Minho’s voice turned sultry, “I’m very talented. I know exactly what I’m doing with my body. I’ll prove it to you later, Sungie.”

“Alright, let’s keep this rated PG,” Seungmin quickly jumped in to stop Minho. Jisung pressed his hands to his flaming cheeks and hoped his insane blush wasn’t being picked up on the camera. “Jisung has a bit of a superiority complex. He’s confident and talented, but he doesn’t like to date other people who are because he always wants to be the best. Which is total bullshit and Jeongin and I will not stand for that. So I’m sorry, Chan. We need someone who’s a bit more confident and willing to put this idiot in his place.”

Chan stepped down, flashing a peace sign and a dimpled smile as he disappeared.

“And then there were three.” Seungmin rubbed his hands together gleefully, “If you win the honor of taking our baby Jisung on a date, what would your plan be?”

“Dinner and a movie, I guess.” Jisung rolled his eyes at Hyunjin’s boring answer and the way his friends were lapping it up, “The movie first so we’d have something to talk about during dinner.”

“A fried chicken picnic at Han River.”

“I don’t know if baby Jisungie could handle it, but I’d take him to a club. We could dance up on each other in the darkness and I’d let him touch me anyway he wanted.”

Seungmin let out a delighted cackle, “You should see Jisung’s face right now. He’s so red. It’s incredible. You pass just for that.”

“I think we’re going to have to eliminate Woojin this time. I’m sorry,” Jeongin apologized. “Jisung hates fried chicken.”

Woojin gasped as he approached Jisung, hand clutching his heart, “How could you?”

Jisung rolled his eyes, “I don’t hate fried chicken. These two idiots just want to keep staring at Hyunjin.”

Woojin laughed, “Fair enough. He’s pretty hot.”

“Time for the final question. Drum roll please.” Jeongin made the noises as Seungmin continued speaking, “Why should we pick you?”

“Um,” Hyunjin hesitated. “I don’t know? I’m nice, I guess.”

“You should pick me because clearly Jisung is interested. He’s been reacting to my answers all day. And if what he just told Woojin is right, you two have only been hanging on to Hyunjin because you like him, not Sungie. Pick me, I’ll treat him right.”

“Fair point. Congrats, Minho. You’re the winner.”

Hyunjin exited the stage and Jisung saw him for the first time. He understood why his friends were so enamored, but the boy definitely wasn’t his type.

“Give Seungmin your number before you go or I’ll have to hear about it for the rest of my life,” Jisung offered Hyunjin a small smile, and the other boy returned it before sneaking a shy glance over his shoulder at Seungmin. Jisung’s friend grinned at him and a slight pink dusted Hyunjin’s cheeks as he hurried out.

“Sungie, put your blindfold back on. It’s time to meet your man.”

Jisung did as he was told, his hands trembling slightly as he slipped the material back over his eyes. He stood up, took a deep breath and straightened the edge of his shirt.

“Cute,” Minho’s giggling voice was close. Too close. A hand brushed his face and suddenly Jisung could see again, the blindfold lifted away.

He blinked once. Then twice. Then a third time.

“Holy shit, you’re beautiful,” he breathed before flushing red and clamping his hands over his mouth.

Minho just laughed and reached out to poke one of Jisung’s warm cheeks, “And you’re the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.”

Jisung batted his hand away and Minho caught his wrist, twining their fingers together loosely as he grinned at Jisung. Jisung couldn’t fight back his own smile and he gave Minho’s hand a gentle squeeze as they stared at each other.

“This ended shockingly well,” the camera director removed his headphones and nodded to the four boys in front of him. “Thank you all for your participation.”

Minho started to walk out, tugging on Jisung’s hand, “So can we start our first date now? Or is that too soon? Do you just want to exchange numbers and met up later? We can go to the club later. Or we don’t have to, if you don’t want to. We can watch a movie and cuddle. Your friends said you like skinship. I do too, so that’s great. Or we could go for a walk by the river. That could be fun. You could meet my cats. I have three. Or we could…” Minho trailed off to stare at Jisung, who was doubled over in hysterics, their fingers still tangled together. Minho pouted, “Why are you laughing at me?”

“You were so confident before! What happened?”

“Shut up,” Minho knocked Jisung’s hip with his own, smiling sheepishly at the other boy’s continued laughter. “It was easier to flirt with you when I couldn’t see you! Stop laughing, I’m sensitive.”

Jisung got his laughter under control, but lost it again when he looked up into Minho’s pouting face. This time, Minho joined in, giggling softly before breaking into full on belly laughs, one hand on his stomach and the other still holding tight to Jisung’s.

“Idiots,” Seungmin smiled at the two boys fondly. “It looks like Jisung has finally met his match.”

“We did great,” Jeongin agreed, high fiving his friend. “And you got Hyunjin’s number.”

-

“So,” Minho hooked his chin over Jisung’s shoulder, tightening his arms around the younger boy’s waist, “was it worth it?”

Jisung leaned back into his touch, ignoring the movie that played out on the screen in front of them. Him and Minho had decided on a horror movie marathon with extra cuddles as their first date and Jisung would never admit it to his friends, but they’d done great.

“Definitely worth it,” Jisung tilted his head back and offered the other boy a soft smile. “If I had met you in real life, I never would have gone for you. You’re too pretty. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but those idiots were right.”

“To be fair, you picked me out yourself as soon as you heard my voice. I think your friends would have chosen Hyunjin if you weren’t so obviously into me.”

“This is why you’re my new favorite,” Jisung settled more comfortably into Minho’s hold, tipping his head back to press a sloppy kiss to the curve of the older boy’s chin. “I do have fantastic taste. They were right about one thing though.” Jisung batted his eyelashes seductively at Minho, “I do have a superiority complex. So please worship me accordingly.”

[letswritefanfiction]

Pokémon Alphabet Challenge: U is for Unexpected

A/N: Can also be read on ffnet here

Each paragraph is a different scene. They start off being weeks or months apart, growing to be years apart. Inspired by I Wasn't Expecting That by Jamie Lawson (from which the last line is taken).

The biggest surprise was the first.

He was ten years old and certainly not thinking about death. Well, maybe Pikachu's but not his own. But later it occurred to him that he very well could have died—he and Pikachu both could have. Had it not been for Misty and her stray fishing line.

It was a surprise that she'd stayed. He wasn't bothered about it particularly, happy or sad. He'd definitely been confused—and the whole bike thing had definitely been annoying—but she…well, she was decent company. And Ash had always liked that.

*

Maybe he didn't really see her until the Gym Battle. Meeting Brock as a Gym Leader and then becoming friends was such a switch to finding out that she was a Gym Leader after the fact. He had been surprised and amazed that she was in such a position, but then, when he battled her, it added up. She was good. And at the time, he'd had too much pride to say it, or even consider it, but she was far better than him.

*

Ash had always loved his birthday, but his mom had warned him that on the road, there would be very little that she could do for him. If he wasn't staying at a Pokémon Center that day, then they might not even be able to talk until a few days after. And there would be little she'd be able to do for him in terms of a cake. When he woke up to the smell of sugar and Brock and Misty standing in front of him with a strange, flame-baked cake, he couldn't believe it. He knew Brock was behind the cake. But he'd told Misty his birthday one of their first days traveling together. And she'd remembered.

*

The first time he had seen Pokémon as a threat was when those Spearow had come after him. That had been a moment of realization for him. But at the same time, it didn't change anything. He still loved all Pokémon and continued to think the best of him. So it was a surprise all over again to encounter the destructive and threatening Squirtle Squad. And it filled Ash with a new and unfamiliar fear when they'd threatened Misty out of nowhere. Long after the panic of making it back in time to save her had faded, he thought that maybe that was the moment he realized they had become friends.

*

In hindsight, his life had already been put at risk once or twice by this point, but waking up in a sunken boat was the first time that he thought: Wow, we really might not make it out of this. But it was her; she saved them all almost singlehandedly. He'd had no idea that she was capable of that. And despite occasional jokes and jabs, truly, he never questioned her capability again.

*

There was a good moment. There was the nonsense with the Gastly and, frankly, the utter nonsense with Brock, but the maiden festival was a good time. Ash had always worn traditional garb for events at his mother's behest, and he'd never complained because he never wanted to upset his mom. But he didn't like wearing them. But when he saw Misty wearing one, it was different than when he'd seen his mom dressed up. She looked…special. That was all. And then they danced.

*

Then there was the first time he died. He didn't see it like that at the time, but later, when he thought about it—and when she yelled it at him—he realized, yeah, his soul had been outside of his body; he had died. And, strangely, it wasn't the last. Or even the second to last. It took him a long time to realize all that. But she'd known right away. Or feared for it, at least. She and Brock both. He, Pikachu, and the Ghost Pokémon had just been having fun. But when he saw the fear in their eyes, he hoped never to do it again. He did, of course. But he was always so, so sorry for it. Maybe more than anything else.

*

She could have been anything. He'd never been that bright or had any ambitions in athletics. He'd never thought about anything else but being a Pokémon Master. But seeing her play the part of the Misty Mermaid after only a day's rehearsal it struck him that she really was amazing. She was an actor, a water dancer like her sisters, she could have been a swimmer for sure, but she just loved Pokémon. Like him. He'd always loved that about her.

*

The League was something else. He'd never had feelings as big as the ones he'd felt during his first Pokémon League. There was excitement, fear, confidence, nerves, achievement, ambition, all rolled into a nearly twelve-year-old body. And he needed a tether to keep that all on Earth, to keep it all bound. His mom was that. Professor Oak was that. Brock was that. She was that. Time and time again, she was that.

*

And she'd been there when he'd needed her most, which was after. Even when he didn't want her there, she was there. And he was grateful.

*

He honestly hadn't been prepared for Brock leaving. Not in a way where he was distraught or lost, but where he didn't know what to feel at all. He'd never considered any element of a journey's end before; as far as he was concerned, he'd be traveling forever. But he wasn't alone in his feelings. Every experience was easier when you knew you weren't alone. And right beside him was someone going through the exact same confusion and loss. So he was okay. Because he had her.

*

When one door closes, another opens. Before they were even able to settle into a routine without Brock, in walked Tracey. Tracey, who was a great, welcome addition to their group. But he was different. Different from having Brock. And different from having Misty. Not even in a good or bad way, but enough to notice. That was all. He just noticed.

*

Starting a new journey hadn't been the plan. Well, of course it had been the plan, but not here, not now. But when he decided to stay in the Orange Islands for a while longer, he knew that she was staying as well. She was there for him—there supporting him. Whether he had a plan or not, whether they were staying or not; she was there. The life of a traveler held no certainty. But he had that.

*

He'd seen her smile a million times. Really, he knew it by heart. Usually, her mouth was closed, but her eyes would squint, so he would know that she meant it. That it was a real smile. But sometimes her mouth would go wide, almost trapezoidal in shape, uneven and uncontrolled. That was when she thought something was really funny, or maybe something really wonderful had happened. He didn't even remember what had triggered it, but one day, she gave that rare second smile, and his chest felt warm. And he couldn't help but smile too.

*

He was being a jerk. Maybe he wasn't the most self-aware kid on the planet, but he liked people enough to know when—on the rarity that it occurred—he didn't get along with someone. And he did not like this Danny guy. And Misty was kinda pissing him off. But that was a separate thing.

*

She wouldn't talk about it. He wasn't exactly sure what had happened on Trovita, but she was acting differently. Even days later. Tracey wouldn't talk about it either, and it seemed like he knew more than Ash did. Even though they'd been together the whole time while Misty had been out. He was confused and he didn't like being confused, but he also wasn't the type to dwell on stuff. And if everyone said that he'd understand later, then he would just have to trust that he would.

*

She'd saved him. Not for the first time and not for the last time, but just like the day they'd met, she pulled him out of the water and saved him from drowning. But it was different this time. This time it wasn't a rogue hook from an anonymous fishing pole. This time, it was his friend, his best friend, risking her life in the cold, dangerous waters as she swam for him. She could have sent out one of her many Water Pokémon. But she didn't. It was his life in hers. And he was safe.

*

She'd been there when he lost. His worst moment into the days where he'd been at his worst. And now she was here when he won. He was proud of his Pokémon. He was proud of himself. But when he saw her smiling so big, so proud of him, his chest swelled. His heart felt bigger than it ever had. And it was only the start.

*

It was like Brock had never left. But at the same time, the group dynamic was different. Brock didn't seem to have so many fights to break up. They were just getting along. It was smooth, it was easy, they were happy. Well, they'd always been happy, but now they were good. Really good.

*

It was a weird thought, Chikorita having a crush on him. He'd never really considered anything like that before—certainly not coming from a Pokémon. But somehow, it got him to thinking. It was never good when that happened.

*

He was usually the one to fall headlong into the water, but this time it was her. Ash watched in shock as she, with Pikachu and Marill in hand, fell into the stream and was dragged away from him. And in that instant, he wondered how she handled watching him fall so many times. They'd both witnessed Brock fall off that bridge back in Kanto, but this was different. With a frightening urgency, Ash leapt to his feet and ran towards the stream, with promises of saving her flying from his lips.

*

There was nothing spectacular about the first kiss. There was no proclamation of love or affection, and there wouldn't be for a long time. Maybe it wasn't even supposed to happen, but on an insignificant night, filled with insignificant talk, she leaned over and gave him a little kiss. And they blushed and they did not talk about it. It was the first and even then, he suspected it wouldn't be the last.

*

It wasn't romance, or even a relationship. They didn't go on dates. They didn't hold hands. The things they said weren't any different—they still fought as they always did, though it was less than in the old days. It wasn't about any of that, though. It was the shy smiles, the warm blushes, the secret thoughts that made it exciting and new. They shared something now, something neither of them had ever had before. And, for now, it was just for them.

*

He hadn't thought about crushes since Chikorita had made hers obvious, but this girl Macy suddenly put the topic on his mind again. And, abruptly, he realized that Misty probably had a crush on him. And, though there was no way to tell, nothing to compare to, really, he probably had one on her. He didn't know what to do with that, but, if anything he smiled more often when he looked at her.

*

Another loss. But, for some reason, this one didn't sting as much as the first. Maybe it was because he was older, maybe it was because he'd experienced it before, maybe it was he'd made it further this time. Or maybe it's because he knew how good the after was. He'd lost, but now he had a whole new journey to look forward to. He didn't know where they'd go next, but he was certain that, somewhere, there was another round of badges to collect, and another League for him to try his luck at. And that made the losing not so bad.

*

The hardest thing he'd probably ever done at that point was leaving Charizard at the Charicific Valley. For some reason, that goodbye, even though it hadn't been permanent, had been the heaviest weight to bear. Perhaps it's because they'd been through so much, perhaps it was because he'd struggled for so long to get Charizard back on their side, and it felt like they'd only just become friends again. But the idea of leaving Misty was so much harder. She'd been there since before Charmander, before Brock, before everyone but Pikachu. And she'd been by his side the whole time. And just like with Charizard, he didn't want her to leave, but he couldn't hold her back. So le let her go. But before that, he kissed her, and kissed her, and kissed her.

*

It was a hard decision to start over again. New region. Just Pikachu. No Misty. No Brock. Just his experience and penchant for good luck. Gary was an influence, of course, but it was more than that. He'd relied on Misty and Brock so much in the past, but now he didn't have them. Not in the same way at least. It was time to trust himself, and know that they would still be there inside him.

*

Most people begin relationships when they're together; theirs began apart. They couldn't talk often, because it was typically many days between towns and access to a phone or mail service. Plus, she was busy and they were, after all, in different time zones. But the effort that was there was different. She had seen more than three years go by where he rarely phoned his mom, Professor Oak, or Brock while he'd been away. They didn't usually have much new to talk about, but that wasn't the point. The talk was nice, but the contact was better.

*

He was glad that she wasn't jealous of May. At this point, he knew that Misty was not immune to jealousy by any means, but something about being in an actual relationship must have calmed her. Or maybe the distance just meant that she had no choice but to trust him. He certainly trusted her.

*

The Gym's reputation was soaring, and he was so proud. Now that he'd challenged just about two dozen Gyms, he really had perspective on what had been only his second Gym Battle. And, with all due respect, the Cerulean Gym had been a mess. And he was willing to bet it hadn't gotten much better in the past few years. But after only a few months of her being in charge, it was rising in the ranks in Kanto, past Forrest, Aya, who'd taken over for Koga, and A.J. the new Viridian Gym Leader. That was according to the articles Brock had helped him find, at least.

*

Since being with her, he had gotten better at keeping in contact with everyone in his life. His mom, Professor Oak, and his other friends—when he could. Sometimes letters were the only way, since traveling friends weren't always at Pokémon Centers at the same time. But he did his best—or at least, much better than before. Something else to thank her for, he figured.

*

He'd been worried about how to act when she came to visit in person. What were the expectations now that they were 'together?' But the worry ended up being for nothing. As soon as she came, it was as natural as it had ever been. Not to say that it was the same as it had been when they'd first started traveling again—no not at all. They held hands, they kissed, and now when people made jokes about them…well, he still blushed, but it felt very different. But it wasn't just that lovey-dovey stuff. They were too distracted by the Mirage Kingdom for the most part anyhow. It was good to know, though, that they were still them.

*

The L word came so naturally he almost missed it. She said it first, and he had to do a mental rewind to check that he'd heard correctly. But of course he had and of course she'd said it, because the truth was that he loved her too. And she definitely didn't miss it when he said it back.

*

There was one thing that struck him on his journey through Hoenn that he couldn't help but get stuck on. May had only just started off as a Coordinator, but she was already well on her way to the Grand Festival. She was following her dream parallel to Ash challenging the Hoenn League. But Brock and Misty—who had had dreams long before Ash had come along—hadn't done the same. They'd been his support, following him where he'd gone, always done what he wanted. And that quickly concerned him. But when he spoke with Misty, she told him one thing. That a person could have multiple dreams, and somewhere along the way, traveling with him had become her dream as well.

*

He'd kinda thought that when the year was up and her sisters returned, she would come back to him. But, at the same time, he wasn't surprised when she didn't. She'd found her place in the world and, slowly but surely, she was on her way to becoming a Master. So he kept traveling. And she stayed there. But they were nevertheless together.

*

Their first date was a year in, when he was in Kanto for the Battle Frontier. The truth was that he didn't care what they did, where they went, or that they even went on an 'official' date, save for one thing; he knew that she wanted it. She was a romantic, and that was that—he was going to ask her out. They went to a fancy restaurant that his mom recommended, and it cost what a week's worth of meals on the road would have. But to see her face…it was worth it and more.

*

When he entered the Battle Frontier Hall of Fame, he was hit with a dilemma. If he became a Brain, he'd be able to stay in Kanto, fighting really strong Trainers and meeting new Pokémon. And he'd be close to Misty. But he wanted to keep traveling. And he wondered if that was selfish.

*

He went off to Sinnoh with Brock, and she, again, stayed behind. It was routine, and they were happy, but for the first time, he wondered something. How was this going to be sustainable? He asked her and, for once, she admitted that she didn't know. As he went through the Gyms, one thing was clear: he'd made the right decision to continue traveling. He loved meeting new Pokémon, and Dawn reminded him how much he liked meeting new friends. If he was going to have to stop one day, it wasn't just yet.

*

Maybe journeys became stale for some, but for him, this one felt very different, primarily for one reason: Paul. Gary had been a good rival in Kanto, but after a while, they weren't challenging each other anymore. Their paths hardly crossed, and they'd become quite different from one another. And now he was a researcher, of all things. Paul was first real rival in a long time, and maybe even more of a challenge than Gary. With Gary, it had been petty childishness that had pushed him. Now, it was something greater. Of course, he could really test himself against, Paul, but there was also a point to be proven. And he wasn't going to settle.

*

Though he hadn't realized it at the time, he knew he'd experienced jealousy in the past. He thought he knew the extent of it in terms of his relationship. But he hadn't realized that it could manifest in other ways, one of those being jealousy of others' relationships. Sure, they were only in the budding stages, but May and Drew were able to have that at each others' side, traveling together. And even though he wanted it all the time, that just made him want Misty to be there more than ever.

*

Lorelei stepped down from the Elite Four, and Misty's name was on the short list of replacements. He'd never been immersed in League politics before dating her, but now he followed every move of the Kanto League. Usually Gym Leaders were first choice to fill the slots, then Frontier Brains, then Trainers with other accolades, like League victors or even Top Coordinators, though that was uncommon. Regardless, in the current moment, he hardly cared about his career as all eyes were on hers.

*

She got it. And that only meant one thing. For most of the year, she could travel again. With him.

*

As soon as he got her back, Brock left. It turned out that in all his time riding along with Ash's dream, he had been working on his own. And he'd discovered that that wasn't the dream he wanted anymore. He was going to be a Pokémon doctor. And for that, he needed school. So on the happiest of notes, ones again, they went their separate ways.

*

This time, things really were different. Even though her dream was well in the works, now they made sure to make time for the both of them. They spent more time by the ocean. More time catching new Water Pokémon and training together. He developed a real patience for fishing. Their relationship was tested for the first time and they found out that yes, indeed, they could be together always, and still love one another.

*

The first time they made love it was awkward, as it tends to be. It was messy and, at times, uncomfortable, but it was also lovely and amazing. He'd been a little surprised to find himself ready for such a thing but, with her, it was the easiest choice he could have made.

*

They went through the Leagues, Unova and Kalos, and they waited as the Alola League became up and running. He was always better, and always closer. Always closer, but never there. But maybe it was better that way because, as he often joked with her, he'd have no idea what was next if he ever made it.

*

They were married young, both nineteen and blissful beyond all belief. Brock was the best man and Pikachu was the ring bearer. It was small, but perfect. It was early, but long, long awaited.

*

Then there was talk of children. They both wanted them, but then he wouldn't be able to travel anymore. That was less an issue for her, because she was an Elite either way, but without traveling, what did he have? Then Blaine retired, leaving the Cinnabar Island Gym conveniently open.

*

He became the first traveling Gym Leader. Sometimes you would find him at the Gym, and sometimes you had to find him elsewhere, not always close. The child in him loved the game of it all, and he wondered how Misty had ever complained about being a Gym Leader. She argued that she hadn't complained often. But she didn't argue long, because she loved being able to come back to an island home.

*

They had three, which was at the same time way too many and hardly enough. Part of him wanted to have enough kids to have a family baseball team. But she drew the line at three, and he was just fine with that. Of course, they were all Trainers, and one by one, they left the house on journeys of their own, just as their parents had done so long ago.

*

When the kids were gone there was one choice to make: stay settled—as settled as they'd ever been—or begin travel again?

*

Was it even a choice?

*

The most fun they had was when they would not-so-accidentally stumble across one of their kids journeying. They would cry out that eye contact had been made and assume a no holds Battle. It wasn't exactly fair, but no one objected. That wasn't the Ketchum way.

*

They grew old together. And when she got sick, the journey had to stop. But it was the perfect time to recall how easy it would have been to have missed all of this. They might have spent their whole life as friends or not even that, had it not been for a few surprises along the way. They were sad, but they laughed.

*

Then you closed your eyes, you took my heart by surprise. I wasn't expecting that.

[ofheroesandheralds]

OC Interview Meme - Saarnos

Tagged by: No one. Saw it by coincidence on @seboostianillustrations‘ blog, and wanted to do it.

Tagging: @taerellavellan and/or @oceans-bleed-black, and perhaps @thereluctantinquisitor and @angrykittybarbarian if any of you are in the mood to do it! I’d also love to tag @chaitea09 but tumblr won’t let me. Also, anyone who’s not tagged but in the mood to do it shall feel free to do so, and tag me too so I can take a look at all your cool OCs!

1. What is your name?

“Saarnos Adaar. That translates to ‘raging flame’.”

2. What is your real name?

“That is my real name. Or are you asking for the name my parents gave me? That would be Junior. Well... Ramin, officially, but they’d never use that.”

3. Do you know why you were called that?

”Yes, because my parents wanted me to choose my own name once I was... uh... mature enough. My father was Tal-Vashoth, and he valued freedom very highly. Especially the freedom to choose your own identity, which you couldn’t ever do under the Qun, so they called me by a neutral nickname so I wouldn’t grow too attached to the official one."

4. Are you single or taken?

He laughs.

”I wouldn’t call myself taken, but I’d lie if I said I was single, too. There is that one man I have... an affair with, whenever we both happen to be in the same place, but neither of us calls it a relationship, and we both see other people too when we’re in the mood.”

5. Have any abilities or powers?

”Plenty of them! First of all I’m a mage. A fire mage, specifically, which was the main reason for the name I chose. I’m also a damn fine dancer, an acrobat, and I could kick an apple from the top of your head while balancing on one hand and having the other one tied to my back!”

6. Stop being a Mary Sue.

He gives a huge grin.

“How am I supposed to stop being perfect at everything when I’m just... perfect at everything?”

7. What’s your eye color?

“Some would say yellow, but I prefer to call it golden.”

8. How about your hair color?

“Black. Simple as that. No touch of blue or anything, not ‘just a very dark brown’ - just black. Silky and shiny, though!”

9. Have you any family members?

“Not anymore. At least none that I know of. My parents both already passed away, and I don’t have any siblings. There were also no more relatives on my mother’s side, but since my father used to live under the Qun, we never got to know if he had any other relatives.”

10. Oh? What about pets?

“Nah. I like animals, but I’m not really the type to keep any. Taking care of another creature would interfere with my lifestyle, so I’m sparing myself of that... as well as the animals.”

11. That’s cool I guess, now tell me about something you don’t like.

He groans.

“Cold weather. I hate it. I mean, I don’t have a big problem staying warm or anything, I’ll just make my own fire, but... I can’t quite explain it, there’s just something to it that I really, really don’t like. I try to stay away from cold or rainy places. Might just be my Antivan heart!”

12. Do you have any hobbies/activities you like doing?

”I live for my artistry! I’ve made it into my profession, actually, it’s how I make my money most of the time. My favorite discipline is a... a mixture of dancing and fighting, I don’t know if there is a name for that specific style. But it looks quite spectacular, if I’m allowed the vanity! Especially when paired with fire.”

13. Ever hurt anyone before?

“Sure. When you live a life out travelling most of the time, at some point someone will try to rob you, and you gotta make sure they fail, right?”

14. Ever… killed anyone before?

“Not before I ran into the Inquisition. And I’m also not sure if those darkspawns count as ‘someone’.“

15. What kind of animal are you?

Again, a wide grin spreads across his face.

“If I was an animal, I’d be a tiger! Look at my vitaar, I’m on the best way there!”

16. Name your worst habits.

“Why does it have to be multiple? I can’t even think of a single bad habit I have. I guess that question is better answered by people who know me, and not myself."

17. Do you look up to anyone at all?

“I don’t think so, nah.”

18. Gay, straight, or bisexual?

“A little bit of everything? Nah, honestly, as long as you’re an adult, and qunari like me, I couldn’t give less of a shit about what’s going on in your pants.”

19. Do you go to school?

“My father used to teach me some things when I was younger, but I’ve never been to an actual school.”

20. Do you ever want to marry and have kids one day?

“Ahh, oh no, probably not. I mean, I cannot speak for what’ll be in the future, but at this point in my life, with children, it’s the same as with animals. I have nothing against them, they usually love me, but I couldn’t see myself having any. That sort of responsibility doesn’t fit into my life."

21. Do you have any fanboys/fangirls?

“Oh I bet I have, but so far there’s only one person of whom I know with certainty that he likes me.”

22. What are you most afraid of?

“Being made into a saarebas, probably. The entire idea of it is just horrible, I’d rather die than living like that.”

23. What do you usually wear?

He smirks.

“As little as possible. But when I travel, I wear some light plate, mostly around the arms and legs, as well as a shoulder piece. And a waist cloth, for some decency. Not that I gave a damn, but a lot of people seem to do.”

24. Do you love someone?

“Not romantically, if that’s what you’re asking.”

25. When was the last time you wet yourself?

“As a child. Why would you even ask that?”

26. Well, it’s not over yet!

“I am just fine, keep the questions coming!”

27. What class are you? (High class, middle class, low class)

“I don’t know if I fit into any class. Back at home with my parents, I’d have said middle class, but now? I’ve got everything I need, so I don’t really care.”

28. How many friends do you have?

“Huh. That depends on how you define that. I've been to a lot of places, and I’ve gotten to know a lot of people, most of whom I’ve gotten along with, but if you’re talking about that ‘willing-to-die-for-each-other’ kind of friends, I... don’t think I’ve got any.”

29. What are your thoughts on pie?

“I like it. I prefer savory over sweet, though. Filled with meat and some good spices! I like it spicy.”

30. Favourite drink?

“I don’t even think I have one. Anything that has some taste to it, I like my food and drinks with some intensity.”

31. What’s your favourite place?

“Probably Antiva. And it’s not even some ‘back to the roots’ thing, it’s just nice there. I like the people, the mentality. And also it’s nice and warm.���

32. Are you interested in someone?

“I am very easily interested in people, so most of the time, I could answer that question with ‘Yes’.”

33. What’s your bra cup size and/or how big is your willy?

A smirk plays around his lips, while he narrows his eyes a little.

“You want me to show you? No, really! All I need to do is lift that cloth a little...! ... What? No? Hah, I thought so.”

34. Would you rather swim in the lake or the ocean?

“I’m not that much of a swimmer. I can do it, but not all too well, so I guess I’d prefer a lake? At least those end somewhere.”

35. What’s your type?

“Other qunari. Apart from that, I don’t have a type. Attraction comes spontaneously, I can’t tell you what traits I find more attractive than others, it really is a matter of my mood.”

36. Any fetishes?

“I like to have sex on a big pile of gold? ... What did you expect, a serious answer? Well. I’m not sure if I’d call it a fetish, but I really am into gold, meaning I like jewelry on my partners. It makes looking at an attractive body even more interesting!”

37. Seme or uke? Top or Bottom? Dominant or Submissive?

“I can do whatever feels best in the current situation. I would, however, not call myself submissive, it’s more like... letting a dominant person be dominant if that’s the only way they feel comfortable. I prefer being on one level.”

38. Camping or indoors?

“I’m very used to both, so it’s really not one over the other.”

39. Are you wanting the interview to end?

“Nah, I’m fine, I do like to talk about myself.”

40. Now it’s over!

“Aww, that was mean! Alright, it was fun to talk to you. Have a nice day!”

[shapenstrength01-blog]

Pilates for Teens - Everything You Need To Know

We already know Good habits like having a balanced diet, doing routine workout starts at a young age. So if your teen is not doing regular exercise and workouts? Well if you are dealing with such concern then this article is the right thing to read for some solution.

During the teenage years, we feel that there is not much time in the day after attending school, tuition. Nowadays teens are much busy playing games online or using social media but not out for outdoor play. Pilates for teens may be a great addition to a healthy lifestyle! If you want to know all about pilates your search ends here, as in this article will unveil all the information about pilates.

So what is Pilates?

Pilates is a full body workout which includes functional movement form which consists of 6 essential properties:

Breathing is related to exhaling air in and out

The concentration which helps to focus on work

Control is to increase the accuracy and strength of the body

Centring of the mind and body

Flowing of energy

Why pilates is good for teens?

Teens experience changes in the body due to puberty. During teenage days body grows and develops too. Stress, hormonal problem and peer pressure take a toll on them. Having bad posture can be prevented from this young age by practising Pilates. This is also beneficial for young dancers, players, athletes and swimmers.

Benefits of pilates:

Pilates can help to increase muscle flexibility and core strength which is the most vital for growth.

It helps to keep the body in a good posture to prevent your child's any back problem

It also reduces the chances of getting injured

It also helps to enhance the performance in sports

Stress is also reduced

Provides body confidence and reduces obesity

It's fascinating to think that one pilates class a week can provide so many benefits:

Types for Pilates Teens can try:

Pilates Curl The Hundred Roll up Single leg stretch Double leg stretch Double straight leg stretch Crisscross Pilates plank to pushup Shoulder Bridge Double leg kick Leg circle One hundred Scissor kick Pendulum Plank leg lift Plank rock Slow Motion mountain climber Hip Dip Crescent moons with balls Helicopter with balls

Things to Remember

Your teen may experience lack in stamina and find it difficult in the starting of pilates classes

You should make sure pilates classes or Pilates training centre is run by trained professionals and have valid certificates.

A checkup of your teen is important before you starting a Pilates class prevent any health-related problems later.

Your teen should wear comfortably breathable cotton for the class. It will help him do the various stretching exercises.

Your teen should perform his Pilates steps slowly and rhythmically as instructed by trainers so that will help prevent injuries.

If he experiences pain or discomfort, they should discontinue the classes. For more information visit: http://shapenstrength.com/

[balancegym]

Class Of the Month: YOGA

This month, Yoga is our Class of the Month! This month, we chatted with five of our Balance yoga instructors to learn why they love yoga, what their classes are like, and why you should try them out!

What’s your name, where do you teach yoga, and how long have you been teaching?

SF: Shayna Frankel, Balance Gym Capitol Hill. I’ve been teaching yoga for 4 years.

AH: Alexandria Hall, Balance Gym Thomas Circle and Foggy Bottom. I’ve been teaching yoga for 4 years.

RH: Rebecca Holland, Balance Gym Glover Park. I’ve been teaching yoga for almost 4 years.

AW: Amanda Wilson. I’ve been teaching yoga for three years.

BH: Betsy Huffman, Balance Gym Glover Park. I’ve been teaching yoga since 2005.

Tell us about your background - how did you discover yoga, and why did you decide to start teaching?

SF: I first discovered yoga during a previous career in a very fast paced, stressful setting. After many practices, I realized my true calling was moving away from my current job and towards something more fulfilling. I immediately jumped into teacher training, the practice spoke to me more than anything ever had and I knew that this was the path for me. I started teaching as soon as possible and life has forever changed for the better.

AH: I took yoga in college as an elective and found it exactly what I needed to stay grounded. Then I went to a yoga retreat 5 years later in Costa Rica and realized my purpose in life was to share yoga. I ended up my corporate life cold turkey and here we are. With lots of faith, tears, struggle and joy I’m living my purpose.

RH: I truly discovered yoga at Balance Gym actually, taking Betsy's classes on Tuesday and Wednesday every week. I started to expand and take more teachers at the gym. I eventually pushed myself to do yoga teacher training just to learn more. I had no intention of teaching when I started on the journey; however, it turns out I did enjoy it. When I was offered a class at the gym I jumped at the chance and have been teaching it ever since.

AW: As a lifelong dancer, I have always connected to movement as a way to manage stress and express myself. In college, a friend introduced me to yoga and it soon became a staple of my daily routine. I decided to start teaching yoga to deepen my practice and increase my understanding of yoga philosophy and anatomy.

BH: I was a competitive swimmer throughout my college career and have worked out ever since. I discovered yoga in the late 1990’s as a perfect way for me to maintain strength and length in addition to working out in the gym, and let go of a little bit of my competitive nature to find balance on and off my yoga mat. I learned so much from that early yoga practice that it led me to want to share the benefits of yoga with as many as I could.  

Why do you love yoga?

SF: I love yoga because it is one of the few places in life where theres no competition, no ego, just a chance to search deep inside learn more about the person you are.

RH: I love yoga because it is moving meditation. You can push yourself or you can take it easier on your body. There is no competition to be the best, just do what is best for you. I was doing Crossfit when I started, so it helped me move on off days and feel like I did something, without it having to be all my energy. 

AW: I love yoga because it helps me find peace and balance in a chaotic world. The skills I have learned on my mat, have been immensely transferable to the rest of my life. From the mat, anything is possible.

BH: I love yoga because the work we do on our yoga mats is a perfect metaphor for the work we do in our lives. We put our bodies into difficult and challenging yoga poses and learn to use our breath and our minds to find trust in ourselves and find personal power through them.

Why should people add yoga to their workout routine?

SF: Yoga is an amazing opportunity for the mind to take a break. Constant thoughts and stress puts a lot of pressure on the mind and body, give yourself time to relax, explore and breath.

RH: I added it as a way to de-stress. Sometimes I would do heavy lifting before and consider it my warm down. And sometimes all I did was yoga and learned a new arm balance or better alignment. It is great, because depending on what you want to get out of the class, usually you just need to adjust your mindset and tell yourself "Today I will just breathe" or set a goal and say "today I will try the challenge pose". There are always so many options you can take to challenge yourself or to take an active rest that it was perfect for me, and probably perfect for others as well.

AW: Yoga is a great way to compliment other exercise routines. Many rigorous forms of exercise can be taxing on the body; yoga helps recover and restore the body, specifically by focusing on ligaments and connective tissue. Additionally, breath work is one of the most transferable skills fromyoga to other forms of exercise. For example, many runners find that yoga helps them control their breathing better while running and makes their strides longer.

BH: Power yoga is the perfect companion to a lifting regimen because it offers strength, flexibility, balance and most important, strength in length – holding muscle strength at the fullest extension of movement. In a lifting program, muscles tend to get tight with limited range so a good yoga practice gives them room to find a fluid range of power.

What are your yoga classes at Balance like? Why should people come and try it out?

SF: I teach the Monday night Vinyasa yoga class @ 7:30pm. We work through our practice to link breath and movement and to bridge the gap between the mind and body. My classes are all levels so even if you are a beginner, I welcome you to join us a learn how yoga can positively affect your life.

AH: I teach Soulful Yoga classes. I ask you to open your hearts to change via movement, breathe, Meditation and self awareness.

RH: My classes start out a little slow, but usually I try to have a creative standing sequence in there somewhere. I try to keep it similar enough week to week so everyone can see when their strength or flexibility increases. I cue breath a lot, because I know when I started I held mine a lot, and one of the most important parts of yoga is breathing. I love sequencing, so if students have requests I try to prepare a new sequence to help them open hips or get deeper into the poses they enjoy.

AW: I teach an all levels Vinyasa flow class that emphasizes alignment and breath work. I offer variations of poses so that students can increase or decrease the intensity of their practice. Students can expect to work hard and feel great. 

BH: My classes are a blend of strength, balance, and an aerobic challenge. Oh, and they’re fun too! We have an amazing group of Balance yogis.

What’s your number one tip for someone who’s new to yoga, or someone looking to make their practice more challenging?

SF: I would say, "let it go". Theres no need to compare your ability to others as yoga is not a "one size fits all" type of practice. For someone looking to make the practice more challenging, I offer tons of intermediate and advanced modification options in my classes.

RH: For someone just starting I would say to find a pose that you are comfortable in and pause there whenever you need to. There are no goals. Once you make it to your mat you've done all you need to do. For someone looking to challenge themselves, I would tell them to listen as the teacher cues. You can always go deeper into a pose just by small adjustments. We also love to offer our students options, so you can always let your instructor know what you are working on and we will usually try to incorporate it into the class to give you the opportunity to practice.

AW: Continually pause throughout your class to take internal assessments. I recommend that students check in and ask, "How does my breath feel? How does my body feel? How does practice change the way my breath and body feel?" Periodically checking in with yourself during class allows students to cultivate not only a practice of strength, flexibility, and balance, but also one of awareness.

Anything else you think people should know about yoga?

SF: Yoga is a spiritual journey, in order to get the most out of the practice, approach it with an open mind and an open heart.

AH: Every teacher is different every style is different you will only find the one for you when you start exploring! And when the student is ready, the teacher arrives.

AW: Don't take yourself or the practice too seriously! Don’t be afraid to push your limits and try something new, yoga is all about self exploration.

BH: Check your ego at the door and be willing to experience yoga as a personal journey. Yogis will learn new poses, breathing techniques and their personal power through challenging poses and great work. We might not get into crow post on the first day of practice but yoga is exactly that, practice!

[garfieldtezeno-blog]

Dancing With The Stars 2009 Cast And Season Nine More Than/Under Predictions

If you're a parent searching to entertain kids this Halloween, spice up the party with some age-suitable, kid-pleasant Halloween songs to keep the party heading. go to the website is alive and nicely. Twitter was full of messages on Thursday stating that the singer had passed away. Carter took to his official Twitter account this early morning to report that rumors of his loss of life are untrue.

Mya - This singer has been the hefty favorite since before the competition even began. Her timing and footwork are precision-like and her companion Dmitry continues to offer superb choreography and routines. No way is she heading house this week.

Aaron Carter Come Get It

The final two components of the evening had been "relay dances," in which 4 pairs of partners at a time competed, with the judges naming first via fourth place winners and awarding factors according to placement. In the salsa relay, it was Donny Osmond, Ashley Hamilton ,Louie Vito and Chuck Lidell. Osmond received the highest from the judges.

Donny Osmond - While this entertainer might not be the very best dancer, he has a huge fan foundation, and continues to entertain the audience. Kym Johnson will pull out all stops to make his Charleston exciting. Furthermore, he's very active on Twitter in purchase to develop his enthusiast foundation and inspire votes. He and Kym will transfer on to 7 days five. Michael Irving received a 23, which was the subsequent lowest score to be dished out by the Dancing with the Stars judges. Michael has improved significantly in the final two weeks. Will Michael's enhancement maintain him out of tonights Dancing with the Stars double elimination spherical? Will Michael obtain enough votes from the fans at home to keep him out of the dance off?

Aaron Carter Snapchat

Age has not been type to the 68 year previous songs producer. Phil Spector -- who can title John Lennon, the Righteous Brothers, Leonard Cohen, and George Harrison among music's greats related with him - was lastly convicted of second degree murder in the loss of life of Lana Clarkson. His reserving photo - the now famed Phil Spector mug shot discovered on the Cigarette smoking Gun - gives increase to speculation that pretty much any sentence handed down on May 29 will be a lifestyle sentence. Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson - Much regard to Donny Osmond for dancing up a storm despite the fact that he has an insanely active routine (his Vegas show operates four nights a week). Donny and Kim pulled off an incredible Argentine Tango and it was reflected in their rating - an incredible 29, the greatest of the period. To believe in his plan there are some things that you have to know about him. He is a much known character at Hollywood by performing in many movies and being in numerous shows on Television. He also was a dancer and choreographer for Mariah Carey. He is very good at what he is doing and his physique is very strong and it does display that he understands his job. He has been extremely successful and labored as a dancer for Nick and important link and he is the creator of 1 of the two very well-liked workout programs: ever Hip Hop Abs and Rockin Body and now Madness.

Aaron Carter Singer

Next we listened to from the Dancing with the Stars season nine pros about the challenges of breaking the celebs' bad routines. Meh heh. That should be enjoyable. We learned from Lacey Schwimmer that Mark Dacascos talks to himself much as well often, and Alec Mazo complained that Natalie Coughlin retains her breath too often. What a surprising factor for a swimmer to do! Following up, once more utilizing the web and its myriad tools, former House majority chief Tom Delay posted a humorous Jib Jab video clip cartoon of himself and companion Cheryl Burke, dancing, on his web site. In situation anybody skipped it, Hold off posted hyperlinks to the cartoon from his Twitter web page.

Aaron Carter Today

Hamilton's father, George Hamilton was a contestant on the second season of "DWTS". He arrived in fifth location. I had the chance to ask Ashley Hamilton about his casting on this season's show. NFL star Michael Irvin and partner Anna Demidova were subsequent up on DWTS with their Samba. Michael's truly had a difficult time with the judging panels this period. The factor I appreciate about Michael is his performer's coronary heart: He appears to have enjoyable every 7 days, even when he's nailed by Len, Carrie Ann and Bruno. That said, it thought their Samba lacked a little. It seemed slow and just not precisely what I'm utilized to viewing for the style of dance. Bruno said "sometimes you danced this like a tank" and proceeded to defeat him down. Ouch. Carrie Ann said "I certainly think you have rhythm but you're dancing as well small". Len stated "it's a hard dance for a large guy" and "I'm afraid it was a little bit disappointing". Oof. Michael Irvin and Anna Demidova's aaron carter instagram Dancing with the Stars Fall 2009 7 days 3 scores: 5, four, 5 = 14. This is my plea to the producers to get their act back again together and give the viewers what they want - - fun, drama, intrigue, comedy - - and, of course, fantastic dancing. Deny us what we want and we will gladly capture "So You Believe You Can Dance" rather. It never disappoints.

[federicogoshen-blog]

Dwts: Aaron Carter Compared To Robert Pattinson In His Argentine Tango

Dancing with the Stars 2009 has its new solid for Period nine these days. The Dancing with the Stars 2009 new cast announcement for Period nine was seriously hyped on Good Morning The united states, as typical. This year's Dancing with the Stars 2009 new solid has the typical demographics on board, as athletes, B-list actors, singers, and a couple of wild cards make up the Period 9 lineup. The Dancing with the Stars 2009 solid is sure to get many people speaking, and ensure that Dancing with the Stars Season 9 gained't skip a defeat. Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff. read this has toured the world and offered hundreds of thousands of information as a teenager pop sensation. He is presently the youngest solo artist to have 4 Leading forty singles. His partner Karina Smirnoff has been competing on DWTS because Season 3, and completed in second location with partner Mario Lopez. Her other companions consist of Billy Ray Cyrus, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Rocco DiSpirito, Mario and Steve Wozniak. Because of Aaron's youth, this couple may battle, but on the other hand, they might shock even the toughest critics. Their long term on DWTS could go both way. Stay tuned.

The option to include Tom Delay in this cycle is questionable at best. While he proved to be charming in a self-effacing way, it was obviously not heading to carry him extremely far. Plus, his dropping out of the competition denied viewers one of their preferred pro dancers (Cheryl Burke).

Aaron Carter Music

Macy Grey. Sweet mercy that voice is back. Allow's hope for an early exit, or for her to put on 1 of these attire advertising her new album like she did on MTV's VMAs that 1 yr.

When I was 4 years old, I really begged my dad for a guitar. He was like, "No, you can't have 1 until you're 5." So, eventually, when aaron carter mugshot I was five, he gave me a guitar, and ever since, I never want to put the guitar down. That's really exactly where it all started. Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough/Quicksteps/Paso Doble - With a standing ovation, loaded with content material, Carrie Ann disliked Joanna's feet. Missing body get in touch with and containing as well much operating about still left Len non-plussed. Bruno said it wasn't one of their very best dances. Joanna's Paso Doble was engineered in the long term. Bruno called it a masterful reinvention of a classic. Carrie Ann known as it outstanding and perfectly executed. Len said Derek was a genius little bit of choreography. Rating 23 & 29 for a total of 52.

Aaron Carter Neck Tattoo

Age has not been type to the 68 year old songs producer. Phil Spector -- who can title John Lennon, the Righteous Brothers, Leonard Cohen, and George Harrison amongst songs's greats associated with him - was finally convicted of second diploma murder in the loss of life of Lana Clarkson. His booking photo - the now famed Phil Spector mug shot discovered on the Smoking Gun - provides rise to speculation that pretty much any sentence handed down on May 29 will be a lifestyle sentence. Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson - Much regard to Donny Osmond for dancing up a storm regardless of the reality that he has an insanely active routine (his Vegas show operates four nights a week). Donny and Kim pulled off an amazing Argentine Tango and it was mirrored in their rating - an amazing 29, the highest of the period. "I Want Sweet" by Aaron Carter. Although it was initially recorded by The Strangegloves in 1965, most children are much more familiar with the 2000 navigate to this web-site edition.

Aaron Carter 2000

Next we listened to from the Dancing with the Stars period 9 professionals about the difficulties of breaking the celebs' bad habits. Meh heh. That should be fun. We discovered from Lacey Schwimmer that Mark Dacascos talks to himself much as well frequently, and Alec Mazo complained that Natalie Coughlin holds her breath too often. What a surprising factor for a swimmer to do! Following up, once more using the web and its myriad tools, previous Home majority chief Tom Delay posted a humorous Jib Jab video cartoon of himself and companion Cheryl Burke, dancing, on his website. In situation anyone skipped it, Delay posted links to the cartoon from his Twitter page.

Aaron Carter Net Worth 2018

Natalie Coughlin and Alec Mazo - How about that costume Natalie was rocking? I'm lovin it! But that cover version of "American Woman" she and Alec danced to was absolutely heinous. I thought Natalie and Alec's Paso Doble was excellent, but the judges clearly didn't concur. Rating: 22. Hightower told him for the foxtrot "don't believe snowboarder, believe prince." Dressed in a darkish fit he has a boyish smile all through the dance to "It's My Lifestyle" by No Doubt, but he's not certain what to do with his fingers and he sickles his feet. Do you want to remain in-the-know? Then signal up to get my posts individually delivered to your in-box. Just click on SUBSCRIBE, and you'll stay up-to-the-minute with your preferred reality shows and stars. Of program, your E-mail will never be shared with anyone else.

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Ballerina Ingrid Silva on Unraveling Stereotypes: ‘I Can Be Classical and Elegant With My Own Body’

This interview is part of Health’s #RealLifeStrong series, where we are celebrating women who represent strength, resilience, and grace.

Ingrid Silva is turning the stereotype of a ballerina body on its head. Here, the 29-year-old—who's currently in her sixth season at the Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York City—opens up about being the only black girl in her ballet class, forging her own career path, and why representation matters.

Did you always know you'd become a ballerina?

Growing up in Brazil, I wanted to be a swimmer so badly. I started ballet relatively late, when I was 8 years old, and I never saw myself dancing [long-term]. When I was 11, I went to one of the biggest dance schools in Brazil, and I met a teacher who sparked more of a love of dance in me. The challenges—and how every day I accomplished something different—were magnetizing for me. Ballet was taking up so much of my life, I decided to just invest in it.

At 17, you left Rio de Janeiro to study at the Dance Theatre of Harlem. What inspired you to go to New York?

I knew it was a great opportunity, but my mom was with me every step of the way, guiding me through it. I didn’t want to go. When you’re young and you get these opportunities, it’s hard to think as far ahead as the people around you. I did see a future for myself in dance. But I didn’t imagine it would get to where it is now. I would never dream of that.

What was it like to move so far from home?

When I first got here, I learned English, I learned the culture. I had to fight even more for the things that I wanted, especially being an international dancer. Just finding my space in myself and in the company, and growing as a woman and as a person, it was such a challenge. I could barely communicate, so I was lonely. I was sad. I wanted to go back for the first few days. But I always had my family’s support.

You’ve carved your own path in an industry known for its extremely strict standards—how did you do it?

People see ballerinas as a typical white, skinny, tall girl. It’s so much more than that. When I arrived at Dance Theatre of Harlem I felt very welcome. I felt like I found people who looked like me. I felt like I was where I belonged. In Brazil, there wasn’t much diversity. I was the only black ballerina in my class! And when I came to America, in this company, I was just one more.

Did that make you feel empowered to be yourself?

There are certain standards to dance that you have to follow—ballet is very specific, and you have to look formal, and you have to look a certain way. I think for me, it was more finding a way to look classical and elegant as a ballet dancer, but also look like me. I can still look classical and elegant with my natural hair. I can be classical and elegant with my own body. That was empowering.

Do you feel a responsibility to help other young dancers reach the same conclusion?

I mentor through an organization called Brown Girls Do Ballet. In my generation, I didn’t have anyone I could relate to and look up to. These girls can see me dance, or online, or in a magazine, and they see that it’s possible. And that’s where I think that representation matters. It’s not even about your body type, or your skin color. It’s about finding someone who inspires you. That’s my goal—to connect with people and help change their lives, even if it’s just through a conversation.

How do you deal with career hurdles these days?

I feel like the ballet career is going to be hard forever. You always want to be a better "you" every day. And you want to be perfect, which doesn’t exist. But one thing is important: to be consistent. And right now, I’m trying to be consistent more and more. That’s different than being perfect, because we’ll never be perfect.

What is your advice to for handling setbacks, and moments of self-doubt?

I remember that just because something doesn’t work one day, doesn’t mean it won’t work the next. And yes, you’re going to get frustrated, but personally, I started learning how to deal with my emotions. When I was young, when things wouldn’t go right in ballet, I would go home and cry. My dad once asked, “Why do you always get so upset? If it makes you so sad, why don’t you quit?” And the answer was that I could never see myself doing anything else. Growing up now, even when I get frustrated, I understand: Hey, it didn’t work today. You can do better tomorrow.

We want to hear about more #RealLifeStrong women. Nominate yourself—or a friend or family member—here. We’ll be sharing the most inspiring stories we receive in the months ahead.

Ballerina Ingrid Silva on Unraveling Stereotypes: ‘I Can Be Classical and Elegant With My Own Body’ published first on your-t1-blog-url

[clashofthekhaleesi]

Being a tree climber is very relatable to a runner, gym rat, swimmer, even a musician, dancer, or painter. It’s relatable to the first group we mentioned because it’s a matter of endurance, physical strength, and overall health and fitness. It’s relatable to the second group mentioned in that the more you practice your skills the better you will become. In our busy seasons we are honing our craft 5, if not 7 days a week. We’re pushing our bodies for 8-10 hours a day. Hopefully, if we’re going about it in a healthy way we are at the top of our game, our bodies are working at their highest level and our minds are firing quickly. ?? Then the off season hits. Obviously skills and physical abilities don’t vanish over night, but you will start to see changes in your body and work flow if you just come to a total standstill. Many of us want to think there’s just nothing comparable to tree climbing, and as a career, you may be right, but as a physical activity or skill we’re looking to perfect there are actually a lot of things outside of the tree world that will help keep us in tip top condition for when we enter back into the trees, hopefully as soon as possible! Some of the things that we’re going to cover would be great to incorporate into your day to day or weekly schedule even when work is busy as a way to switch things up for your body and mind. Let’s see what some of our options are. There are various different types and levels of practices out there. Get signed up for a class at your local studio, find an instructive app or tune into YouTube. Yoga is a great exercise but more than anything it enhances your range of motion and flexibility, which is a perk when you find yourself in an awkward position on a limb, trying to make a cut. When your muscles are tight you are far more limited in your body. Yoga is also great for strengthening your balance, a huge advantage while out on limb walks. A consistent practice will also get your blood flowing, circulating it better through out your body, which is a huge plus for health overall. Rock climbing may be the closest thing you will find to tree climbing. It shares a lot of the same gear and techniques: rope, harness, carabiners, knots. If you live near mountains or cliffs than your options are endless, but if you find yourself on flat land in less than ideal temps search for an indoor rock gym. Here you will be able to take a class that will teach you the basics and then allow you to climb their walls, which can sometimes be as high as 55 feet! Quickly you will notice the different muscles you are using and that hand eye coordination along with problem solving plays a huge part. To build strength and enhance your core try out bouldering, which are short routes climbed with no rope that rely less on endurance and more on powerhouse moves and technique.

To keep your general strength up and push your cardio, hit the gym or use what you have at home. The options of equipment may feel overwhelming but most have good instructions on the machines or there are staff to help. If at home, again, the options online and social media are endless, just be sure to listen to your body. Don’t try to fit it all in in 1 day. Mix up your routine, which keeps your body guessing and doesn’t strain or put all the focus on one part of your body. As much as you think you want huge biceps, throw a washing machine over your head, and be able to dead lift 500 pounds, when is this going to come into play in the trees? Think about a typical work day, what you would be doing and working in your body, and build that into a gym routine. Yep, in a long list of things to do to make you mind and body stronger we suggest you take a full day to do nothing. What will this do? Give your body and mind time to recover, relax, fully understand and process what’s happened the previous 6 days, and be refreshed to do it all over again. Burn out is real. And when that happens injuries happen. Your goal every day should be to be as alert as possible. Your goal should be to feel as good as possible. You can’t do that if you’re beat down. Strengthening your career isn’t always about the body. Your mind is a great tool to help you work smarter, not harder. Hire a business coach, someone who understands numbers, marketing, taxes, goal setting, and more. Do they need to know about your industry? It would be helpful, but a good business coach knows how to read your numbers and walk you through what’s working and what’s not in your business. Imagine figuring out how to save 10% more every week in your savings account or how to cut yearly costs by 15%. Imagine finding a solution to better time management or how to lock in more sales. Perhaps you need help with advertising suggestions or where to find clients. A good business coach can help you get closer to your goals in various different ways. What you don’t know you can learn, especially in this day and age when information is not at a shortage. Read a book, read a blog, watch a YouTube video, tune into a podcast, or attend a class. (We would like to mention, please make sure you are learning from a professional, someone who is qualified to be talking about the practices they are. There are many self proclaimed "know it alls" in the tree industry. Fact check EVERYTHING before you put it into practice. The safety and life of you, your crew, and clients are at risk if you do not take the time to be a true professional and learn correctly.) What do you want to learn more about? Climbing systems, Tree ID, Plant Health Care, safety practices, proper pruning practices, how to run your own business, equipment, knots, gear?

We have YEARS worth of free information right on our blog and YEARS worth of free videos on our YouTube. Feel free to start there! Keep your mind growing. Hopefully after this you are inspired to take 1-2 of these ideas and give them a try. Always be looking to progress. Don’t get so stuck in your own box that you forget to look outside of it for ways to grow! If you have any activities that you find helpful to keep your body and mind engaged during an off season drop them in the comments below!

via Bartlett Arborist Supply: Blog Posts

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Activities To Keep You At the Top Of Your Game

Being a tree climber is very relatable to a runner, gym rat, swimmer, even a musician, dancer, or painter. It’s relatable to the first group we mentioned because it’s a matter of endurance, physical strength, and overall health and fitness. It’s relatable to the second group mentioned in that the more you practice your skills the better you will become. In our busy seasons we are honing our craft 5, if not 7 days a week. We’re pushing our bodies for 8-10 hours a day. Hopefully, if we’re going about it in a healthy way we are at the top of our game, our bodies are working at their highest level and our minds are firing quickly. ?? Then the off season hits. Obviously skills and physical abilities don’t vanish over night, but you will start to see changes in your body and work flow if you just come to a total standstill. Many of us want to think there’s just nothing comparable to tree climbing, and as a career, you may be right, but as a physical activity or skill we’re looking to perfect there are actually a lot of things outside of the tree world that will help keep us in tip top condition for when we enter back into the trees, hopefully as soon as possible! Some of the things that we’re going to cover would be great to incorporate into your day to day or weekly schedule even when work is busy as a way to switch things up for your body and mind. Let’s see what some of our options are. There are various different types and levels of practices out there. Get signed up for a class at your local studio, find an instructive app or tune into YouTube. Yoga is a great exercise but more than anything it enhances your range of motion and flexibility, which is a perk when you find yourself in an awkward position on a limb, trying to make a cut. When your muscles are tight you are far more limited in your body. Yoga is also great for strengthening your balance, a huge advantage while out on limb walks. A consistent practice will also get your blood flowing, circulating it better through out your body, which is a huge plus for health overall. Rock climbing may be the closest thing you will find to tree climbing. It shares a lot of the same gear and techniques: rope, harness, carabiners, knots. If you live near mountains or cliffs than your options are endless, but if you find yourself on flat land in less than ideal temps search for an indoor rock gym. Here you will be able to take a class that will teach you the basics and then allow you to climb their walls, which can sometimes be as high as 55 feet! Quickly you will notice the different muscles you are using and that hand eye coordination along with problem solving plays a huge part. To build strength and enhance your core try out bouldering, which are short routes climbed with no rope that rely less on endurance and more on powerhouse moves and technique.

To keep your general strength up and push your cardio, hit the gym or use what you have at home. The options of equipment may feel overwhelming but most have good instructions on the machines or there are staff to help. If at home, again, the options online and social media are endless, just be sure to listen to your body. Don’t try to fit it all in in 1 day. Mix up your routine, which keeps your body guessing and doesn’t strain or put all the focus on one part of your body. As much as you think you want huge biceps, throw a washing machine over your head, and be able to dead lift 500 pounds, when is this going to come into play in the trees? Think about a typical work day, what you would be doing and working in your body, and build that into a gym routine. Yep, in a long list of things to do to make you mind and body stronger we suggest you take a full day to do nothing. What will this do? Give your body and mind time to recover, relax, fully understand and process what’s happened the previous 6 days, and be refreshed to do it all over again. Burn out is real. And when that happens injuries happen. Your goal every day should be to be as alert as possible. Your goal should be to feel as good as possible. You can’t do that if you’re beat down. Strengthening your career isn’t always about the body. Your mind is a great tool to help you work smarter, not harder. Hire a business coach, someone who understands numbers, marketing, taxes, goal setting, and more. Do they need to know about your industry? It would be helpful, but a good business coach knows how to read your numbers and walk you through what’s working and what’s not in your business. Imagine figuring out how to save 10% more every week in your savings account or how to cut yearly costs by 15%. Imagine finding a solution to better time management or how to lock in more sales. Perhaps you need help with advertising suggestions or where to find clients. A good business coach can help you get closer to your goals in various different ways. What you don’t know you can learn, especially in this day and age when information is not at a shortage. Read a book, read a blog, watch a YouTube video, tune into a podcast, or attend a class. (We would like to mention, please make sure you are learning from a professional, someone who is qualified to be talking about the practices they are. There are many self proclaimed "know it alls" in the tree industry. Fact check EVERYTHING before you put it into practice. The safety and life of you, your crew, and clients are at risk if you do not take the time to be a true professional and learn correctly.) What do you want to learn more about? Climbing systems, Tree ID, Plant Health Care, safety practices, proper pruning practices, how to run your own business, equipment, knots, gear?

We have YEARS worth of free information right on our blog and YEARS worth of free videos on our YouTube. Feel free to start there! Keep your mind growing. Hopefully after this you are inspired to take 1-2 of these ideas and give them a try. Always be looking to progress. Don’t get so stuck in your own box that you forget to look outside of it for ways to grow! If you have any activities that you find helpful to keep your body and mind engaged during an off season drop them in the comments below!

source https://www.bartlettman.com/Activities-To-Keep-You-At-the-Top-Of-Your-Game_b_1193.html