#lord & berry

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 1 Part 13 (Spooky Day Scandal!)

Holly joined Heather at Sherman Bagley High School and started spending more time with Kristopher Bell, the eldest son of Michael Bell and his wife Cecilia. The young teens had known each other since childhood because their parents were friends, and once they passed puberty, they started to see each other in new ways. It wasn’t long before they were boyfriend and girlfriend, as innocent as such love could be in ninth grade. Their parents were supportive but kept watchful eyes over them. When Heather and Holly wanted to throw a Spooky Day party for their friends, their parents attended as chaperones.

But Heather’s first big party-planning blunder came when she realized she’d forgotten to call it a costume party on the invitations. She thought it was a given since the party was on Spooky Day, but when only her family was dressed for the holiday, she realized she’d made a mistake. She still pulled out the pumpkin carving station and baked spooky-themed sugar cookies for guests to enjoy, but she felt a little silly in head tails and blue body paint as a Twi’lek while her friends were in party dresses.

Everett came with Malia and their younger brother, Kash, and Bob and Annette stopped by to visit Daisy and Neal, but Spencer was on vacation with her family in Selvadorada and couldn’t be there. Heather didn’t mean for anything to happen, but this was the most time she’d spent with Everett since he and Spencer started dating. She’d missed him, and her feelings hadn’t gone away. They danced and she saw him noticing her elaborate costume with its form-fitting tank top.

She invited him outside to stargaze even though the weather was overcast and cloudy, and in the moonlight the moment overtook them. Years of unsaid feelings came out in their kiss – Heather’s first, with anyone. But rather than the twinge of butterflies Holly described from kissing Kris, Heather was immediately filled with guilt. She made an excuse and put herself to bed, but rather than head home, Everett lingered in the village. He couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss.

(NOTE: No, I'm far too much of a noob to have screencapped any of this and yes it is terrible. I have so many regrets.)

Everett loved Spencer. He’d been head over heels for her since they were children, but everything with Heather was just easier – except for Heather’s own inclination to pull back and bury herself in her studies. She was already so driven, while Everett was more than a little afraid to grow up. He turned to his mother’s grave hoping for guidance, drawn to the Holy Book and the scripture of the Watcher to make sense of his feelings. He wanted his life to mean something. He didn’t want to be defined as a cheater. He made his way along the River Bagley, through Old New Henford where Spencer lived with her family, and on to Lord Volpe’s ruins in the Bramblewood to think.

This had always been his favourite place in Henford, and not just because addictive chocoberries grew wild among the broken stones. Said to have been planted by Lord Volpe himself, Henford was the only place in Simlandia where chocoberries were known to grow wild, and this was celebrated at Finchwick Fairs when bakers in town would try to out-do each other with their best chocolate pies. But there were no locals around to pick berries tonight, and Everett could be alone with his thoughts beneath the stars.

He wandered back to the Nesbitt house and found River up late, amped up on too much Spooky Day candy. River clumsily admitted he saw Everett kiss his sister and Everett panicked. He begged him not to say anything, and to protect his sister’s reputation, eleven-year-old River easily agreed. Still, Everett spoke with Heather when she woke up. She’d been so wracked with guilt she slept horribly, and when he asked if she’d ever date him, she sputtered that she’d never want to hurt Spencer or ruin her friendship with him. Everett pushed away his disappointment.

Where would Heather and her crush on Everett go from here? ->

<- Previous Chapter | From the Beginning

[buntebloggerei222]

❄️Eisprinzessin❄️

*Unbezahlte Werbung durch Verlinkung/Produktnennung- Box wurde von mir gekauft!* PinkBox/ 15,95 inkl. Versand/ pro Monat Aboboxen, monatlich kündbar. (www.pinkbox.de) Da ich mit der „Pinkbox“ in den letzten Jahren zunehmend unzufriedener war und mir die Inhalte von Monat zu Monat weniger zusagten, zog ich die logische Konsequenz und kündigte das Abo. Da ich aber einige Unboxings der Septemberbox…

[emlaurenox-blog1]

Sprinkle Happiness - Brought to you by Birchbox (Jan 17 edition)

Sprinkle Happiness – Brought to you by Birchbox (Jan 17 edition)

Last week I got home to a lovely treat on my doorstep – my January Birchbox.It was a much needed surprise after such a manic day – or rather week – at work. In between the gym, making healthy lunches to take to work and back to back meetings all day, everyday last week, I was starting to go a little insane. So believe me when I say that I was delighted to receive this little gift “to me, from…

[oneprompt]

Helloooo! How u doing? Hope things going over there!

Glad to meet another one piece x reader blog! 💕💕 I was wondering if I could have a drabble or headcanons (whichever u prefer honestly) about jealous Zoro x chubby s/o? It can be NSFW or SFW (again whichever u prefer)

A jealous partner just hits different u know? 😳😳😳

Thank u for ur time!

authors note : hello ! <3 im doing rather well , thanks so much for asking <3 hope you’re doing lovely <33 i hope you don’t mind that i picked NSFW for this one ;; jealousy just blends perfectly with NSFW .. Anywho ! i hope you enjoy the headcanons + drabble <3 Oh ! i mainly kept the reader gender neutral , as i wasn’t sure if you wanted it as a female , male or nb. i hope that’s alright with you <3

NSFW WARNING BELOW <3 please skip if such content makes you uncomfortable.

........

........

Jealous! Zoro x Chubby! Reader Headcanons

tags : jealousy , ( slight ) breeding kink , possessiveness , marking

• It takes quite a lot to get Zoro jealous. He’s a swordsman and swordsmanship is all about honor and respect , even towards opponents.

• But if a certain Straw Hat even breathes in your direction, he’s quick to make jealous. Sanji had no limitations when it came to his flirtatious attitude, he didn’t even hold back flirting with you, someone who was knowingly in a relationship, let alone someone who was dating Zoro.

• Zoro doesn’t hesitate to stride over to you and Sanji, quick to shout and possibly hit Sanji. Who does Sanji think he is? Zoro hated that sleezy face Sanji would make, allowing his eyes to trace along every piece of exposed flesh you had as you sunbathed on the ship deck. And Zoro especially hated how your face would flush in embarrassment from the other mans compliments.

• When he’s jealous, Zoro gets a lot tougher when it comes to bed room activities. Most of the time, he’s slow with his strokes, leaving light kisses along your stomach or neck, depending on what position you two were in. But when he’s jealous? Boy, oh boy... Jealousy is the plague! Do not expect to be able to walk straight afterwards

• He’ll definitely bury your body in hickies and bite marks, wherever his mouth can reach, it’ll be throbbing from Zoro’s lips. Zoro lacks shame, really. He doesn’t mind if people notice the marks he leaves upon you. If anything, Zoro wants people to see them, it strokes his ego.

• Zoro wants to be able to see your face 100%. He loves seeing your sweet expression sink with pure ecstasy. The way you’ll drool and blush an unbelievable shade of red as he rams up into the warmth of your body makes him grin with delight. Zoro knows nobody can do this for you, that only he can. And that feeling is the greatest to ever bask within him, the feeling of superiority of all the men who have ever looked at you in a lewd way.

• Zoro loves to grope your body, as well. He likes to feel every bit of you, from your chest to your lovehandles, he wants to feel it all. He loves knowing your plump body is only for him to feast on.

• If you ever show shame in your body type, Zoro is quick to correct you with eager touches. How idiotic do you have to be to neglect such a treasure? Zoro will always be there to remind you of the value your body holds to him, and why you should find pride in it as well.

• When Zoro is in a mood, he often likes to drain his seed inside of you, filling you to the brim with his musky semen. He’s very territorial , as you can tell. Very into marking, wether with marks or his own cum.

Jealous! Zoro x Chubby! Reader Oneshot

“H-hey... can’t you be a bit gentler?” Your voice seeped out in between the harsh pants that circulated from you. The way Zoro was palming at your body was as tight as the grip he would use upon his sword. Mixing such powerful touches with the grinding of his rock hard member made it even more difficult to speak through. You could feel his precum dribble against your hole, making your warm body hotter then it already was.

Zoro didn’t make an effort to reply, as he was clearly in his own little world. All of this over Sanji and his cooking .. All you had done was compliment the chef on the straw berry and vanilla parfait he had graciously served you. It wasn’t your fault Sanji took ever little thing to heart... Yet, even as you had explained the scene, Zoro still didn’t let up with his sudden yearning for your body.

It was embarrassing, nearly. The way Zoro’s face smothered against your stomach, his calloused fingers scaling against the surface of your body. Everytime Zoro would leave a kiss or hickey against your stomach, you’d jolt in pleasure. It felt so good but having him smother your stomach like that... it was far too much.

“Zoro...not my stomach...its-“ You gasped out loudly as you were suddenly impaled on the forth of Zoro’s member, that action completely cutting off your words. You felt your toes curl and your legs tremble from the intrusion. You were already so sensitive, and that certainly amped it up further. Your eyes peered up at Zoro as he sat up, his tanned hands firmly squeezing your love handles as he let you consume every inch of him.

“Eh? It’s not what, Y/n?” Zoro smirked down at you, letting out a raspy laugh. He didn’t hesitate to begin to move his hips, letting his member exit your warmth before burrowing deep inside once again. “You better not have been thinking what i think you were...” Zoro knew how you felt about your body. You didn’t hate it but some days he would notice the way you’d gaze upon yourself, a small frown taking over your face. “Because.. the whole Grand Line can tell how fucking hot you are,” Zoro hissed, his breath growing slightly heavy as he quickened his thrusts.

You couldn’t tell if your face was hot from the temps tire of the room and the man that hovered over your naked form, or if it was hot from what Zoro had just said. Zoro was never new to vulgar compliments but that one was far too for you to handle, making you tighten around Zoro’s shaft. This was certainly different from the sex you two typically had. Zoro was never a man to falter, always staying at a steady pace but today, it was nonstop. You couldn’t help but let the loud moans that brewed within your throat out. You felt guilty, because God knows the rest of the crew was trying to sleep right now. But you couldn’t help it, you couldn’t help but gasp and call out for your lover as he pounded your deepest parts.

Zoro felt a never ending source of confidence against the rest of the ship and their mates. He knew he was the only person to make you scream in such a way. The thought that he was the only one who ever got to see you in such a manner just made him even more excited. Nobody got such a great view, nor would they ever. You were Zoro’s and Zoro’s alone, no one could come between you two, not even a damn War Lord.

Zoro was consistent, never stopping his rapid and rough strokes. He didn’t even pace himself, as you two got further into the session. It was sloppy, at that point. You two had been going at it like animals for about an hour or so, giving not a single Straw Hat time to get a blink of sleep in the time window. Fluids gushed from the both of you, the sticky fluid you dumped against his member just made such a lewd noise every time he would thrust inward. It was loud as he rammed into you, matching with the smacking of flesh.

You were close, and with the look that rested on Zoro’s face, he was just as close as you were. The room was full of moans and groans, the playful banter from before had ceased to be, melted within the bed sheets, along with the sweat that was produced from you and Zoro.

“Zoro...! I’m close!” You mustered out, throwing your head back into the mess of pillows that remained behind you. It was as i you were molding into the bed, slowly sinking into the wet bed sheets, marked with your own juices as well as the ones from your lover.

With how suddenly your walls clamped against Zoro’s shaft, it didn’t give him a single moment to think about pulling out. It was as if you were attempting to milk him of every drop of cum he could produce. And so, you did. The warmth of Zoro’s seed was an overwhelming force that seeped into you, painting your walls white with the thick fluid.

An animalistic groan escaped Zoro as he drained his balls, filling you as much as he could with his semen. It felt so satisfying to fill you, almost as if he were trying to impregnate you, wether he could or not. The feeling of him not just branding every bit of you on the outside but as well on the inside was the best feeling he could ask for.

You were his. Inside and out, you were marked by the worlds top wanted ‘ pirate hunter ‘ , the right hand man to the worlds future pirate king.

[yumi-michiyo]

Bird on the Wire [9/?]

Rating: T

Genre: Romance/Humor/Angst/Slice-of-Life/Slowburn

Pairings: Rachel Berry/Quinn Fabray

Links: Fanfiction dot net | AO3

As always, if you're just here for the story, links are above; if you want to read the extended notes, click on the cut below.

Extended Notes and Meta:

In the original draft, there were a few subplots about Kurt and Karofsky, Burt's heart attack, and Quinn's disagreement over faith with Mercedes. These got cut because I can't handle an ensemble fic with too many subplots. I have a one-track mind, and that track is taken up by Quinn and her Olympic gold medal for running away from her problems.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone reading this for being here. Faberry and Glee is mostly dead in the year of our lord 2021 but popular canon continues to disappoint fans with their piss-poor excuse for lesbians (I'm looking at you, Supergirl).

I know that I'm setting up Sam as a perfectly nice boyfriend here, but rest assured that's not going to last.

Good news! I can promise you that the Faberry is amping up and starting to happen.

[thevividgreenmoss]

Malkmus found his voice as a songwriter in “Summer Babe,” the first track on the 1992 album Slanted and Enchanted. This song has exactly the swaggering, classic-rock sound that the title leads you to expect: Kannberg’s guitar strides forward, Malkmus’s voice lilts up and down, everyone’s having fun. It’s such a grand come-on that the words probably register only in the corner of your ear: something about waiting for a summer babe. Listening again, you find that the clichés you thought you heard aren’t there. “She waits there in the levee wash, mixing cocktails with a plastic-tipped cigar,” Malkmus has been singing. “Minerals, ice deposits daily drop off your first shiny robe. . . . Yooouuu’re my summer babe.” Your classic-rock song has been hijacked by surrealists. Malkmus sings it with such cool passion that the irrational lyrics somehow flow as nostalgically as the conventional lyrics they seem to have replaced.

Despite its surface beauty, Brighten the Corners is even more manic in its mind games. Malkmus’s voice is closely recorded, and in several songs he half sings, half speaks in a style that falls somewhere between jazzy rap and talking blues. So you can’t overlook the fact that that the first track, “Stereo,” begins with the inscrutable words “Pigs they tend to wiggle when they walk; the infrastructure rots, and the owners hate the jocks, with their agents and their dates.” A few moments later, the topic, so to speak, has switched to the falsetto croon of the lead singer of Rush—”What about the voice of Geddy Lee? How did it get so high? I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy?” A band mate chimes in, “I know him, and he does!” Malkmus answers, “Well, you’re my fact-checking cuz.” The idea that such a song could have its own fact-checking department is Pavement’s best joke since the Jason Priestley hoax. “Stereo” culminates in the amped-up, delirious refrain “Listen to me! I’m on the stereo! Stereo!” Heard on the radio, the song seems to be celebrating its unexpected arrival there, on wings of nonsense.

Sometimes Malkmus is apparently seeking out words that can’t have appeared together in rock songs before. In “Type Slowly” he sings the phrases “excruciatingly gray,” “leather terrarium,” and “Lady, I am no futurist.” More often, his choices have musical logic behind them. He pins his lines to classic rhythms—for example, Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” pattern, with the “Goode” falling between beats two and three. Malkmus invents ever odder combinations of words to fire up this old syncopation. “Shady Lane,” the catchiest song on the new album, has a gentle, hypnotic melody that keeps slipping off the beat and then falling back into line. Two Johnny B. Goode-like phrases that cause slippage are “emery board” and “worlds collide.” In another song Malkmus sings, “I vent my spleen at the Lord / He is abstract and bored”; this has the same rhythmic contour as, say, Grand Funk Railroad’s “We’re an American band.” Even if the words don’t cohere, meanings emerge. “Shady Lane” suggests a calm refuge in a crazy world, with the meaning really taking shape in the texture of the music—losing the beat, finding it again.

A Pavement album is a series of small labyrinths. The pleasure of the maze matters more than finding a way out. After many repetitions, the strangeness of the language remains; at the same time, the lyrics mesh with the music in ways that make nearly every word sound natural and exact. The band plays the same trick over and over, so far without exhaustion: weird words decay into infectious music. Pavement has found its place in the pop landscape and has refused to move an inch. It protects its core of mystery, which is also a kind of blazing innocence.

Alex Ross, The Pavement Tapes

[pokeprism]

Pokemon Found Family: Chapter 3 (Divisions)

This is the third chapter of Pokemon Found Family, my pokemon fanfic!

I’m always up for questions!

First --- Previous --- Next

Several days have passed since Jane has gotten her citizenship in Mischief Valley. She has been making routine stops to the valley’s berry gardens, the valley’s main food supply, and has adjusted rather well to the valley. Much like Jane, Geist has been in a routine of assisting with the repairs needed for Cyrus’s temple alongside the restoration force. On top of that, Geist has been mentally preparing for the day that Moshe, the governor of the valley, has been feverishly working toward. Moshe the sableye has been known for his hardworking nature even before he became Mischief Valley’s governor, seeing as he restored the restoration force to service almost single handedly. This feat alone made him the prime candidate for being Mischief Valley’s new governor, and that’s why he won the seat in the following year. But anyways, the day Moshe, Geist, and the restoration force have been waiting for dawns, and Moshe himself stands at where the noble precession is expected to arrive.

Jane is the first pokemon awake in Geist’s dwelling this morning. The young eevee yawns and stretches much like a small, mammalian pet would, then hops over to her recently obtained berry basket, a gift from Sophie the krookodile. She picks it up in her mouth, then starts toward the door as Geist wakes up. Jane's ears twitch as she hears the waking gengar, and turns her head in the direction of his bed.

Jane sets her basket on the floor before saying “Hey Geist! Good morning!”

Geist yawns, then says “Good morning to you too, Jane.” as he gets out of bed.

“Is something important happening today? You’re up early.”

Geist’s already drab expression communicates more to Jane than intended. “Yeah, today’s the tour of the valley for some foreign nobles or whatever. I’m supposed to be on ‘my best behavior’ or something.”

Jane gets a glint in her eye. “Oh? Why is that?”

“Well, these nobles are here to inspect the valley, but what that actually means is that they want to examine me, Moshe, and Sophie. I’ve been sick of their obvious double speak, but Moshe doesn’t want to look suspicious, so I’m stuck with being inspected like this.”

“Huh. Would you like me to come with you?”

“I’d love that, but Moshe has told me to keep you out of this.”

“Oh…”

“I’m sorry Jane, I should have-”

Jane cuts in with “You’ve done nothing wrong, Geist. I’ll just go get some berries for us both while you handle that, alright?”

Geist snaps to attention. “I’ll try my best, Jane. I’m hoping nothing stupid happens.” He begins to walk toward the door as he continues with “See you later, Jane.”

Geist walks past Jane and goes out the door, headed for the northern entrance of the valley. After Geist slips out of Jane’s view, she picks up her berry basket and begins to walk in the direction of the berry gardens, which ends up being in the opposite direction of where Geist is off to.

Moshe sees the start of the precession’s approach. They are right on time, just as Moshe was informed, and Moshe is thinking up a greeting just before he notices Geist’s absence. Moshe looks around for a moment, then sees Geist in the distance walking toward him at a brisk pace. Moshe has a mini freak out at this, mostly on the basis of getting deer-in-the-headlights syndrome from the approaching precession, and somewhat because of his anxiety of having to communicate with Geist in the precession’s presence. Geist, a little closer by this point, notices Moshe’s panicked expression and the start of the precession. Thinking fast, Geist initiates a phantom force and transports himself next to Moshe, emerging from the floor to the sableye’s right. Moshe watches Geist as he phases out of the floor, and comfortable in the knowledge that his curator is at his side, regains his bearing as he looks back to the oncoming precession. The nobles present in the precession are Rumble Raichu, the Ferrostock Range’s chancellor, Mimir Emboar, the minister of the Northern Coalands, Hill Stoutland, Pawland’s prime minister, and finally a quiet noibat sitting on Hill’s back. Moshe raises an eyebrow at the noibat, seeing as they weren’t mentioned in the message he got this morning, but Geist is deeply suspicious of the whole precession thanks to his tarnished view of today’s tour. Hill steps forward and bows to Moshe, making the noibat on his back snap to attention in order to remain on the stoutland. Rumble and Mimir see Hill’s gesture and quickly replicate it.

Hill, still bowing, looks to Moshe and says “Greetings, governor Moshe Sableye. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Moshe mimics the gesture and replies “It’s an honor to have you visit my realm, Lord Hill.”

Hill gets back into a standing position as he says “Anyways, I would enjoy laying out where we wanted to investigate before the tour begins in earnest.” Hill turns to Rumble with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh right!” Rumble begins, “We wish to inspect the citizenship office, Cyrus’s temple, the governor’s office, and the berry gardens today.”

Moshe nods as he says “Very well.” The nodding comes to a stop as Moshe adds “Shall we begin?”

“Yes, we’d like to carry on.” Hill answers.

“Alright then, follow me if you will.” Moshe replies.

Moshe looks to Geist to observe his curator’s expression, which was initially looking away. Geist notices the sudden attention and ends up looking first toward Moshe, then toward the precession.

Geist’s uneasy delivery communicates more than he wanted. “Of course Moshe!”

Moshe smiles, turns toward the valley, and begins to walk. The precession begins to follow, thus beginning the precession’s tour through the valley.

In the citizenship office, Sophie is preparing for the inspection she’s been dreading. She’s moved the door boulder, she’s cleaned her office as much as an indention into a cliff can be, and has taken a seat behind the counter, trying to rest for at least a moment. After a moment of quiet, the door to her home opens, and Jazz Drizzile walks out of the entryway. Sophie notices her adopted son’s presence, and turns in his direction.

“What do you need today, sweetpea?” Sophie asks.

Her tone seems off in Jazz’s frame of reference. “Uh, are you okay mom?”

Sophie, despite her exhaustion and hazy mind, responds with perfect clarity. “Jazzy, momma’s expecting some important people to come by today. Go hang out with a friend for today.”

“Okay mom.” Jazz begins to walk back into their home’s entrance, still wide open, then looks back toward his adoptive mother. “I hope your day gets better.”

Sophie smiles at Jazz, then Jazz, after returning the pleasant gaze, simply waves goodbye and closes the door. Sophie redirects her attention to the entrance to her office, and begins to wait for the precession to arrive.

Moshe, Geist, and the precession members had walked close to the center of the valley. Hill hadn’t accounted for the desert-like climate and was buckling under the heat of the day, and his noibat companion was feeling much the same thanks to being in Hill’s thick fur. Unknown to the rest of the precession and thus their guides through the valley, this noibat is of the hidden ability variety, meaning their ability, telepathy, makes them the perfect medium to get messages back to Pawland. Paul, the noibat in question, was briefed on their status as a communicator for this visit, and was told to look for a specific pokemon that had so far evaded the wishes of the king of Pawland. Back in the moment, Moshe stops and looks up at the side of the valley, causing the rest of the precession to stop and look in the same direction. Geist, who saw Moshe stop after everyone else did, awkwardly stops and rejoins the group.

Moshe then turns toward the precession. “Do any of you have a compunction about heights?” Moshe asks.

“No, not at all sir Moshe.” Mimir replies. “I know at least Rumble and I aren’t acrophobes.”

“Acrophobia isn’t a concern for me or my companion either.” Hill adds.

“Good. That means we can get up to the citizenship office with little issue.”

Moshe begins to walk to the stairs that lead to the citizenship office. Hill, seeing Moshe’s path, softly sighs and begins to follow, prompting the rest of the precession plus Geist to continue on. As the tour tramps toward Sophie’s office, Sophie begins to hear an entente of footsteps, and their volume amps up as the seconds go by. After a moment of listening to the footsteps, Sophie snaps wide awake, thinking Oh shoot! That’s the precession!, as she lifts herself off the wall she had leaned against. In one snappy motion, she gets off the wall, zips over to the counter, and nestles one hand in the other as the precession enters without missing a beat. Hill comes in with a half done statement on his lips.

“... So which pokemon operates here, Lord Moshe?” Hill turns toward the counter as he adds “Anyone-”

Hill makes eye contact with the krookodile. “Oh. Lovely. What do you go by, krookodile?”

Sophie, not appreciative of Hill’s tone but not wanting to make a scene, smiles and says “I go by Sophie, Sir Hill. Pleasure to meet ya.”

“Huh. Well-”

Paul taps Hill hard enough that he stops speaking. A flash of realization crosses Hill’s face. “Oh excuse me, thought I could say something daft. Anywho, may I know of your process here?”

Sophie’s expression shifts from confusion at the word daft, to the realization that Hill’s companion was the only thing keeping him from an off-color remark. “Well, the citizenship process here in the valley starts by asking their name and preferred pronouns, to uphold our principle of politeness here. Then, I ask the pokemon’s age, place of origin, and if they are not of age to live alone, we ask them to provide a suggestion for who they want to live with. I record everything, then begin talkin’ with the valley’s organizers to allot the new citizen some resources.”

Mimir, who had stayed quiet thus far, pipes up with “May I ask what those resources might be?”

“Most of the resources in question are berry rations, and the rest depend on the pokemon’s own needs, like for example if they need an item for evolution, a specific housing need, or even somethin’ else if they suggest it.” Sophie answers.

“Well. That’s quite a system then.” Mimir says, surprised at Sophie’s clear description.

A brief silence is had. Rumble looks to Hill as the stoutland begins to speak. “This office is satisfactory.” Hill turns toward Mimir and Rumble. “Shall we move on to the temple?”

Moshe responds without missing a beat. “Yes, of course.”

Moshe begins walking back toward the exit to Sophie’s office. The others part of the tour see this and begin to follow. Geist, making sure he was the last one in line to leave, looks back to Sophie, and waits for her to return the gaze.

“Sophie, you did good. Let’s hope nothing goes wrong today!”

Sophie simply smiles and waves back to Geist as he makes a peace sign, then leaves to keep pace with the precession, with not a care in the world.

An hour or so has passed. With some difficulty, the noble guests to the valley had examined both Cyrus Pyroar’s Temple and Moshe’s office, and had begun their trek toward the berry gardens. Meanwhile, Jane had gotten done picking up her berry ration from the gardens, and was walking back to Geist’s dwelling. As Jane is walking back to where she is staying, she sees a group of pokemon going in the direction she’s departing from, and stops to get a closer look at them all. Upon closer inspection, Jane recognizes Moshe and Geist at the front of the group, but then she notices another familiar face, Hill Stoutland. Jane’s mind recoils at the thought of what would happen if Hill spotted her, seeing as this stoutland had a score to settle with her as it currently stood. Jane restarts her trek back to Geist’s home, and her pace quickens to a moderate jog as she begins to think more about what could happen. However, thanks to Paul’s keen eye, Paul quickly notices an eevee on the fringes of his vision, and having been told to look for an eevee, Paul quickly puts his ability to use.

Paul makes his observation clear to Hill by psychically messaging him with “Lord Hill. I’ve noticed an eevee a distance aways from us.”

Hill’s ears perk up as he comes to a stop. Hill quietly asks “Can you make out any other details, Paul?”

Paul takes another look at the eevee in the distance. “Not anything else, on account of the distance.” Paul psychically continues.

“Why don’t we ask Moshe? He is informed of all pokemon coming into the valley, and I don’t believe he will expect a thing.” Hill whispers.

“Sounds like a good option. But let’s wait until the tour is over.” the noibat transmits.

Hill then looks back toward where the group was, and noticing that the group has moved, opts to go back toward where the tour has headed. However, the precession, minus Hill and his plus one, gets done fast enough that they are out before Hill is able to get into the berry gardens. Moshe, who had not realized Hill’s absence until he left the gardens, is prepared to make amends.

“Oh! Lord Hill, Would you like to see the berry gardens as well? I-I didn’t notice-”

“It is fine, Moshe.” Moshe breathes a sigh of relief before Hill continues with “Anywho, I have a question of sorts for you.”

Moshe, Rumble, Mimir, and Geist, in that order, snap to attention at Hill’s statement.

Hill, seeing he has the floor, softly asks “Has an eevee moved into the valley recently?”

Mimir puts a hand to his face as Rumble rolls his eyes. Geist, noticing Mimir’s and Rumble’s reactions, looks to Hill with narrowed eyes. Paul initiates his ability to broadcast Moshe’s answer.

“Yes, there has actually.”

Hill, surprised, then asks “Oh. Do you have any other details you have on them?”

Moshe, unaware he’s essentially being recorded, continues with “Well, they go by she/her pronouns with the name Jane. She mentioned-”

Geist butts into the exchange with “Moshe, stop.”

Moshe looks up to Geist with a confused expression.

Geist, noticing his boss’s expression, takes on an extremely annoyed look. “You can’t just tell people about who just moved in like that!”

Moshe recognizes his mistake. “Oh!” Moshe makes a small, defeated sounding noise as an admission of guilt.

Paul stops transmitting the conversation as Hill clears his throat. “Anyways, has the tour come to a stop?”

“Yes, Hill. Feel free to leave anytime today.” Moshe says.

Hill turns around, then clears his throat, catching Rumble and Mimir’s attention. “Alright you two, it’s time to get back. We have duties to attend to.”

Hill begins to walk in the direction the precession came from, and after exchanging looks, Rumble and Mimir wave goodbye and begin following Hill’s lead.

Once both of them are a ways away, Geist says “Thank Arceus they’re gone.”

Moshe turns to Geist. “Geist, what warranted that?” Moshe says, annoyed.

“The fact that they were here to test you?”

Moshe shrugs. “I mean, fair.”

Geist mentally blanks for a moment. “Wait. You knew that was what they wanted to do?”

“I did. But I didn’t want to look suspicious, so here we are.”

“Alrighty then.” Geist then turns in the direction of his house. “Anyways, I need a nap. I’m going home to Jane. Don’t bother me for the next day.” Geist begins to walk away. “See ya later, Moshe.”

Moshe, feeling resigned to give his curator some time to recoup, just sighs and waves goodbye to Geist. Moshe then starts walking back to his home, without a care in the world.

[castlemaker]

[Anzeige] Ja, Ihr Lieben in diesen Zeiten sind die wunderbaren Lifestyle-Boxen eine noch tollere Ablenkung und die neue Barbara Box 2/2020 ist eines der Highlights im April.

Nach mehreren Wochen geschlossener Läden und stark eingeschränkter Kontakte zur Vermeidung der Ausbreitung von Corona bzw. Covid-19 sehen wir nun endlich ein paar Lockerungen entgegen.

Barbara Box 2 /2020 – Der Inhalt / Unboxing

Corona mit zwei Teenagern – Abi verschoben, keine Freunde treffen

Ich muss ganz ehrlich sagen, dass die letzten Wochen für mich nicht ganz so hart waren, da ich immerhin noch täglich zur Arbeit fahren konnte und nicht im Home-Office arbeiten musste. Mit zwei Teenager-Mädels zu Hause wäre es da sicher zu noch mehr Reibereien gekommen, wobei die 2 die Lage einigermaßen verkraften. Die Kleine allerdings wesentlich besser als die Große. Mit ihren 13 Jahre ist die Kleine ja auch noch nicht die Clubgängerin und daher stellt das Zuhausebleiben für sie kein so großes Problem dar. Ganz im Gegenteil – wegen ihr könnte das mit dem Unterricht zu Hause noch eine Weile so weiter gehen.

Für die Große mit ihren fast 19 Jahren ist es aber doppelt bitter. Nicht nur, dass sie jetzt mitten im Abi wäre und die Prüfungen bald vorbei wären, nein auch der Abistreich und der Abiball wurden ersatzlos gestrichen und das Abi auf Ende Mai verschoben. Das bedeutet für sie, dass sie dann auch bis Ende Juli noch Unterricht hat, wobei sie ab Mitte Juni mit Freizeit gerechnet hat. Das demotiviert alles ganz schön und daher gibt es von ihr doch etwas mehr Gejammer als bei der Kleinen. Ein kleiner Trost ist es aber immerhin, dass sie ja nicht die einzige ist, die im Corona-Jahr Abitur machen muss.

Da sind die ab und an eintreffenden Pakete eine tolle Abwechslung und die Barbara Box 2/2020 hat uns allen das Wochenende versüßt.

Ich denke mir mal als der Inhalt der Barbara Box 2/2020 geplant wurde, hat noch keiner mit den Ausmaßen der Corona-Krise gerechnet. Umso schöner ist es aber, dass die Box das Thema Me-Time aufgreift und das Motto “Ein Hoch auf mich!” hat. In meiner neuen Box habe ich die folgenden Produkte gefunden, die ich gerne mit meinen beiden Mädels geteilt habe.

SEBAMED PRO! Belebende Augencreme (15,95€)

Die Produkte von sebamed kennt sicher jeder und der Zusatz PRO! weist auf einen probiotischen Pflegekomplex in der Augencreme hin. Der Wirkstoff Shadownyl aus der maritimen Alge erfrisch die zarte Haut um die Augen und kann die Fältchen mildern. Die perfekte Augencreme für den Mogen, die ich direkt ausprobieren werde.

BILLY BOY SKYN Hautnah (8,99€)

Zu diesem Produkt muss man nicht viel sagen. Die innovativen latexfreien Kondome sollen für eine intensive Me-Time zu zweit sorgen.

BEE NATURAL LIP BALM STRAWBERRY (2,29€)

Ein Lippenbalsam steckt bei mir in fast jeder Handtasche oder auch Jackentasche und daher benötige ich immer Nachschub, damit ich alle Jacken und Taschen damit bestücken kann. Ich liebe die Produkte von BEE NATURAL ganz ohne Tierversuche und mit 100% natürlichen Inhaltsstoffen. Der Duft nach Erdbeeren passt perfekt in die Erdbeerzeit.

BEAUTY MASK Company Effekt Tuchmaske (1,79€)

Masken stehen bei uns gerade ganz hoch im Kurs und auch meine 13jährige wendet derzeit regelmäßig Masken an. Das macht sie gleichzeitig mit ihrer Freundin per Facetime. Für sie kaufe ich sehr oft die Tuchmasken von The Beauty Mask Company, aber diese mit Hyaluron ist nun endlich mal für mich. Die nachhaltige vegane Sheetmaske aus natürlichen Fasern enthält pflanzliches Hyaluron und spendet Feuchtigkeit für sichtbar glattere Haut. Die enthaltenen ätherischen Öle der Wasserlilie entspannen und beruhigen die Haut zudem.

RIVAL de LOOP Intense Eyeliner (1,69€)

Der geschmeidige Eyeliner hat einen integrierten Anspitzer und lässt sich problemlos auftragen. Kann man auf jeden Fall immer gebrauchen und passt in jede Handtasche.

LORD & BERRY Cream Bronzer (29€)

Der cremige Bronzer ist reichhaltig pigmentiert und verschmilzt nahezu mit der Haut und hinterlässt ein seidiges Finish. Das praktische Döschen passt sehr gut in die Handtasche und kann so auch unterwegs helfen Unreinheiten und Rötungen zu kaschieren.

SANCTUARY SPA Chilli Mango & Tonka Bean (14,30€)

Die reichhaltige Bodylotion versorgt die Haut für 24 Stunden mit ausreichend Feuchtigkeit. Der Duft ist dabei sehr intensiv und langanhaltend. Ich finde den Duft unmittelbar nach dem Auftragen schon fast als zu intensiv, aber im Laufe der Zeit lässt er etwas nach und zurück bleibt ein zarter Mangoduft.

Glasnagelfeile (9,99€)

Eine Glasnagelfeile ist Gold wert, gerade wenn einem unterwegs ein Nagel einreißt oder abbricht. Daher habe ich immer eine in meinem Kosmetiktäschen für unterwegs und freue mich über den Nachschub.

TONY’S CHOCOLONELY Haselnuss (3,30€)

Ich liebe Schokolade und die von TONY’S ganz besonders. Die belgische Fairtrade Schokolade bringt immerhin 180 g auf die Waage und ist durchzogen mit ganzen Haselnüssen, so wie ich es liebe. Die Schokolade ist schön dick und weist außergewöhnliche Sollbruchstellen auf. Im Inneren der Verpackung kann man zudem über die Mission für sklavenfreie Kakaoplantagen in Westafrika lesen. Ein Kauf der Schokolade lohnt sich auf jeden Fall. Probier sie unbedingt mal aus.

Z.B. erhältlich bei amazon (Affiliate-Link*): Tony’s Chocolonely Chocolate 180g – 5 Pack, Mix of All 5 Milk Chocolate Flavours

KOOKIEKAT Vanilla Choc Chip (1,79€)

Kekse gehen immer und dieser große dicke Schokoladenkeks mit hochwertigen Bio-Zutaten wird handgefertigt und schmeckt einfach mega gut. Perfekt für den kleinen Hunger zwischendurch.

Barbara Box 2 /2020 – Fazit zum Inhalt

Für mich ist die Box eines der Highlights im April und ich kann fast alles gebrauchen. Was ich nicht verwenden kann, verwendet eine meiner beiden Mädels. Die Schokolade ist für mich das Beste in der Box, weil ich ein absoluter Schokofan bin. Direkt danach kommt der Lippenpflegestift von BEE Natural. Das Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis ist wie immer top und der Gesamtwert des Inhaltes liegt bei ca. 80 Euro.

  Welches wäre Dein Lieblingsprodukt aus dieser Box?

    Die Barbara Box wurde mir kostenfrei und ohne Verpflichtung zur Verfügung gestellt. Den Inhalt einer anderen Barbara Box kannst Du hier sehen.

Barbara Box 2 /2020 Ein Hoch auf mich! – Highlights im April Ja, Ihr Lieben in diesen Zeiten sind die wunderbaren Lifestyle-Boxen eine noch tollere Ablenkung und die neue Barbara Box 2/2020 ist eines der Highlights im April.

[mzmiminycnc43]

Kissproof

Kissproof by msmiminyc featuring gloss makeup Benefit beauty productmacys.com Christian Dior gloss makeupbelk.com Marc jacobs cosmeticmarcjacobs.com Lime Crime lipstick$20 – revolve.com Nudestix lip makeupmacys.com Lord Berry lipstickselfridges.com Lord Berry lipstickselfridges.com

[boxyladies]

Birchbox - November 2017

Birchbox – November 2017

To be honest with you, I didn’t love this box. I loved a thing or two, but I was mostly unimpressed with this month’s Birchbox, sadly. Most months are pretty top-notch as far as I’m concerned, but this month just missed the mark for me. Oh well, it happens.   BIRCHBOX Price: $10/month Box Type: Beauty products, 5-6 deluxe samples Why you’ll love it: Top brands, good sized samples of solid…

[flawdecay]

November Lip Monthly | Lip Monthly de Noviembre (2017)

Hoy os traigo mis primeras impresiones de la caja de suscripción Lip Monthly. El paquete llegó el día 13 a España y lo recibí el 16.

Today I bring you my first impressions of the Lip Monthly subscription box. The package arrived on the 13th to Spain and I received it on the 16th. (more…)

[chollos-amazon]

Hemos publicado en la web un nuevo #chollo para todos vosotros. Podéis ver la entrada en Chollazos Del Día:

Chollo en Amazon España: Barra iluminadora Lord & Berry Luminizer por solo 7,54€ (un 35% de descuento sobre el precio anterior y precio mínimo histórico)

[maggieinthemoon]

Sometimes you Have to Embellish; Embellished Shoes

Sometimes you Have to Embellish; Embellished Shoes

Sometimes you Have to Embellish; Embellished Shoes by maggiesinthemoon featuring pearl jewellery Rachel Comey jacket$585 – avenue32.com Balmain short skirtrunwaycatalog.com Dolce&Gabbana black pumpsbarneys.com Dolce&Gabbana mary jane pumpsbarneys.com Alexander McQueen clutch$2,620 – ssense.com Ileana Makri gold jewelry$1,260 – stylebop.com Majorica pearl jewellerysaksfifthavenue.com Yves Saint…

[multisfabulis]

A Single Ray of Light in a Sea of Darkness

Black and White (Chapter 2/7)

Word Count: 2403

Here’s the second chapter! Unlike the previous chapter, where it took me only a few hours to write, this took me a couple days, due to rewriting a bunch of crappy paragraphs and making dialogue sound and flow more naturally. Hopefully, it’s okay!

As one final note, there are characters in this fic that don’t have summaries of them posted and, as of now, will not have those summaries until well after this whole fic is posted. Regardless of that, I hope you enjoy reading this! I will accept any and all criticism you have!

Read on AO3 | Read on DeviantArt

     Eric groggily opened his eyes to Venlithea shaking him. Light peeked out from around the shoddy leaf door onto the last remaining chars of the fire. He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he stretched his body out. While last night wasn’t the worst sleep he had, the ground still felt uncomfortable to him.

     As he woke up, Venlithea gave him some berries and a flask. The berries were a multitude of different colors, ranging from black to red to dark blue, while the flask was simply a dull metallic silver. Popping a blackberry into his mouth, the sweetness burst out when he bit it, causing him to eat the rest of the berries. When he drank from the flask, cool water flowed down his throat, quenching his thirst from the night before.

     Giving the flask back to her, Eric said with a smile, “Thank you, Ven.”

     She took the flask from his hand without saying a word. Holding the leaf door to the side, she turned her head towards outside, beckoning him to go out. He grabbed his dagger and ventured into the damp forest. She followed soon after, glaive in hand and hood up.

     The ground smushed beneath their feet with each step they took. He noticed how light seemed to make a complete difference in how the forest looked. Gloomy and sinister at night while bleak and dreary during the day. Amping up the creepy atmosphere was the fog that hung just below the tree line, making everything in their peripheral vision hard to see. Thankfully, Brinegarde came into view more and more the closer they got to the entrance.

     “Thanks for everything, Ven,” he said appreciatively. If it weren’t for her, he knew he wouldn’t have gotten out of the forest.

     “...It’s Venlithea. My name,” she corrected, closing her cloak.

     Letting out a nervous laugh, he replied, “I’m sorry! It’s kinda a habit of mine to nickname people if I can… Is it okay if I call you Ven, though? If not, I’ll just use Venlithea from now on.”

     In response, she gave a shrug, not really caring what he called her. As she walked towards the town border, she seemed to be trying to hide herself, ducking behind trees and whatnot. He went on ahead of her and entered Brinegarde.

     Aside from some wet stone and small puddles, the storm didn’t appear to have affected the town much. The townspeople were out and about, some of whom he recognized from yesterday. He noticed they were gathered in a crowd ways away from where he stood. They looked about ready to go into a frenzy for some unknown reason he couldn’t fathom.

     “I don’t know what’s going on but maybe we can--” he turned around to face her only to see she disappeared-- “Where’d she go?”

     As he fully came into their view, the crowd noticed him and suddenly swarmed him. He couldn’t be bothered to answer their questions, since so many of them were from different directions. Making an effort to keep his anxiety at a minimum, he asked them the question of why they ignored Ven going into the forest. The answer he got stunned him into silence.

      The Vlixeox people had warned him about was her. Ven, the quiet elf who had helped him the night before, was the Vlixeox he assumed to be a monster. He didn’t want to believe it, couldn’t understand it. She was nothing like what he expected or what everyone thought her to be. Although he didn’t know her all that well, he truly considered her to be a good person.

     “Even so, what’s wrong with her being a Vlixeox? She’s nothing like what you all make her out to be,” he angrily said, desperate to know why they were all against her.

     “I’m afraid you’re wrong. Oh so very wrong,” a voice called out, effectively silencing everyone within the crowd.

     The mob of people cleared a path for the newcomer, allowing Eric to see who it was as they whispered amongst themselves. A tall elf, dressed in varying shades of red, stood in front of him, giving off airs of arrogance. White hair rested atop their fair shoulders as light blue eyes stared down at him. He knew, without a doubt, this was the lord of Brinegarde.

     “I am Lianthorne, ruler of Brinegarde. Charmed to make your acquaintance,” the elf said, holding their hand out towards him.

     Shaking their hand firmly, he replied, “Uh, same. I’m Eric, ruler of Aurora Zenith.”

     “Now, I believe Rowan said you wanted to speak with me?”

     “Yes, I wanted to discuss some important matters with you, regarding the future of our two towns.”

     “Then let us be off, then. We’ll talk more in my chambers.”

     As Lianthorne led Eric to the center of town, he could see people talking to each other, surely about them. If not that, then some buzz about him coming out of the Vlixeox’s forest. Being both the center of attention and the target of gossip didn’t help his anxiety any. He kept his eyes focused on Lianthorne’s back to ignore the voices all around him.

     His mind wandered to Ven and her plight. He thought it sad that she lived all by herself in a mucky forest, believed to be a monster by everyone when it was the complete opposite. She couldn’t have done anything to warrant such scorn yet being a Vlixeox was enough to earn a lifetime of hate.

     He was grateful to her for letting him stay in her “home” last night. She didn’t have to do that. She didn’t have to protect him from the rain with her power. She didn’t have to give him food and water. She didn’t have to lead him back to town, a place she knew despised her very being. There was no reason for her to have done any of that yet she did. What did all of those things say about her?

     Due to being too absorbed in his thoughts, he accidentally bumped into the elf’s back. Moving slightly backwards, he realized they stopped at a building northwest of where he arrived in Brinegarde. Lianthorne didn’t seem to have noticed the sudden crash and walked inside, leaving Eric behind.

     The building was made out of stone and, with the exception of a wooden door, had nothing to help stand out. On the door was an emblem, which he assumed to be the symbol of Brinegarde. In the middle was a raindrop surrounded by curved lines at the bottom with a geranium flower inside the raindrop. Whatever symbolism it had flew over his head as he opened the door and went inside.

     It immediately became apparent how high his companion held themself up to be. Lining the hall was a burgundy rug with gold trim that led to a room at the end and several painting depicting many different things hung on the walls. The house practically radiated elegancy and high class, something he knew all too well from his childhood. Quickly walking through the hall, he went into the room.

     Lianthorne sat at a mahogany desk, surprisingly clear of any documents or adornments. They held a hand out to the chair opposite theirs, beckoning him to sit. As he did, they interlocked their fingers together and rested their chin on them, a smile that almost looked like a smirk on their face.

     “So, how has your time in Brinegarde been so far?” they asked.

     “Aside from being swarmed after coming out of the forest, it’s been great,” he replied somewhat sarcastically. His first impression of them so far was that they acted a bit like a pompous jackass, which he wasn’t a fan of.

     “Well, that’s bound to happen when you encounter the Vlixeox and live.”

     “How about we talk about that after we discuss what I originally came here for?”

     “Sure, whatever you say, Eric. Next time, though, don’t hide how you really feel. Your poker face is terrible.”

     A chill ran down his spine from being found out. Granted, he wasn’t really trying to hide his annoyance at the other’s snide comment about Ven but he wanted to be civil about it. Now, however, he regarded Lianthorne to be a smug asshole and nothing they could say or do would change that.

     Despite feeling that way, Aurora Zenith’s future was more important. Entering an alliance with Brinegarde and other towns listed would surely prove to be beneficial to each party. The trick is to listen to what each leader wants and find a way that appeases both them and you. At least, that’s what he believed in, anyway.

     With how things were going between them, though, he was close to losing faith. Whatever conditions one came up with, the other would disagree, even trying to one-up them at points. This continued to go on and on until they eventually gave up, deciding to suspend negotiations until tomorrow. He felt immensely relieved, although he’d never show it.

     Now that the boring part was over, he could finally find out more about Ven. Why did everyone in Brinegarde hate her for being a Vlixeox? What even was a Vlixeox? Those, along with many others, he hoped would get answered.

     Leaning back in their chair with their arms folded, Lianthorne said, “I know what you want to say so out with it.”

     “What did you mean when you said ‘encounter the Vlixeox and live’?” he asked skeptically, “Ven didn’t try to attack me, if that’s what you’re saying.”

     “Is that its name?” They chuckled themself as they went over to one of the windows. “A suitable name for an inferior creature such as it.”

     With a tinge of anger in his voice, he replied, “Her name is Venlithea but I call her Ven for short. I’d appreciate it if you referred to her as such.”

     “Her, it, does it really matter? That’s your first mistake, caring for something that can kill you at a moment’s notice.”

     Although he was seething, he knew they were right about one thing. He was caring too much about someone that was otherwise a complete stranger to him. A stranger that had many opportunities to kill him but didn’t. If she truly wanted to murder him, she wouldn’t have let him get away. She probably didn’t have an inch of murderous intent in her body.

     He felt sorry for her. Hated and judged for her race, a birthright she couldn’t control or erase, she was forced to live in isolation. Due to him being a simple human, he’d never be able to experience it. He’ll never understand why people constantly criticize others for things out of their control. It wasn’t right or fair and it only made the person on the receiving end loathe themselves. She’d probably never show it but she must carry a lot of pain inside her, he thought.

     Going over to where the elf was, he said in an almost derisive tone, “Tell me, then, Lianthorne. If she really wanted to kill me, why didn’t she? Come on now, don’t be shy.”

     “How should I know? Maybe it sees something special in you,” they replied calmly, though they appeared to be visibly irritated.

     He felt pleased for getting under their skin, not really caring if it seemed a bit childish. If he couldn’t change their mind about Ven, the least he could do was rile them up in defiance. As much as he wanted to continue taunting them, he held himself back, remembering to not get carried away. He still needed to do business with them and provoking them was not the best course of action.

     “I believe you must be going soon. It was… nice speaking with you,” they said curtly, restraining the annoyed tone in their voice.

     With an innocent but sly smile on his face, he replied, “I feel the same way. Don’t forget about tomorrow, all right?” and headed to the door.

     “Trust me, I wouldn’t forget it,” they muttered under their breath.

     Departing from Lianthorne’s home, he struggled on what to do next. There was nothing for him to do and it was only a little after midday. Having been in Brinegarde for a day and a half, he wasn’t sure if the town had any interesting appeals to it, if at all.

     Thinking about it, he realized none of his questions were answered. He wasn’t really surprised by that, since the pompous jackass didn’t seem willing to give him any clear answers. If cooperation wasn’t a strong suit with the lord of Brinegarde, then it’d be a waste of time to try with their citizens. The only way he’ll be able to get an explanation about everything, it seemed, would have to be from Ven. He considered the possibility once before but he didn’t want to force her to open up if she didn’t want to.

     As he started walking back the way he came, he wondered if he should bring her something. An idea began to form in his head and he wandered over to a specific place in town to get what he needed.

[dterrero]

My Night With Official Outcome

(From April 2015)

I decided to spend my Friday night at Weekend Willie’s in Naples. I’ve eaten there a few times before and I love it. I wish I could spend more nights eating there than at home.

I walk in, grabbed a seat and waited for a server to get me a drink. The band onstage is preparing to open up the night. They are playing as a quintet, but at the core of the band are Zac Sperry, 21, of Naples and Julia DeTomaso, 15, also of Naples. They are Official Outcome.

Weekend Willie’s was modestly busy that night given the time of year They started out the night with acoustic pop covers, including Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours”, Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud”, Luke Bryan’s “Play It Again” and “Hero” by Enrique Iglesias.

At the end of these songs, DeTomaso switched from acoustic guitar and sat behind the drum kit.

Their drummer Ryan Cathey takes up a djembe onstage as their keyboardist Garrett Cutler plays the Jeopardy song. They also make note that the Truth Custom drum set is brand new. Julia wasted no time making it sing. She hit that thing hard. I can’t even remember the song they played. I could only focus on that ferocious drumming.

Again, Julia and Ryan rotated instruments with the Jeopardy song playing. When they feel like the joke isn’t funny anymore, Zac starts playing a blues shuffle in E. I think to myself, “OK where is this going?” Once they got a groove going, Zac does the sliding Chuck Berry riff intro to “Johnny B. Goode”. Not kidding. It got livelier as more people trickle in. From there they go into “Rock Around the Clock” and blink-182’s “All the Small Things” before taking their first break. ______________________________________________________________________________ I remember when I got the invite to like their Facebook page. It said Official Outcome formed in December of 2012 at Center Point Community Church in Naples and listed their style as “Americana pop”. Right off the bat they started playing shows all across Southwest Florida and got recognition. Indie Artist Magazine even named them the 2013 Artist of the Year. Their original vocalist Sarajane Sullivan rounded them out as a trio, but left before a year had even passed.

Zac Sperry (left) and Julia DeTomaso (right) of Official Outcome performing at Weekend Willie’s Bar and Grill in Naples on April 24, 2015. Their debut album Never Take It Slow is in the post-production phase. Photo Credit: Daniel Terrero

During the first break, I got to sit and chat with Julia and Zac about what they had been up to. For the past year or so, they have been promoting their debut release Never Take It Slow through their Facebook and ReverbNation accounts. I started off by telling them what a great performance they put on. They responded with awkward silence and some awkward thanks.

“‘Official Outcome is rude, they don’t say thanks,’” Zac said jokingly.

“You guys have a new LP coming out soon, is that right?” I asked.

“Yes,” Julia replied.

“When does it drop?”

“That’s a good question,” Julia said.

“When you find out, let me know,” Zac said. “Um . . . I don’t know. That’s the only information I can tell you at this time.”

The record, titled Never Take It Slow, was set to be released earlier this year on Valentine’s Day.

Zac said that recording was finished, but there were some decisions being made over a song being featured on their release.

“How do you feel about this being your first LP?”

“I’m excited. I think Zac is too. It’s exciting to be able to get our music out.’

“But this is your first album too, so . . .”

“Wait, wait,” Zac said. “I have to clarify this. It’s only four or five songs, so it’s like a demo. It’s not full LP.”

“It’s not a full LP?”

“It’s an EP.”

At that moment, I was slightly disappointed. I was anticipating a long player at this point in the band’s history, or least for them to have enough material written for one. Everything sort of pointed in that direction. After all, they had put out a music video for their original piece “Tell Me That You Love Me” in 2013, when Official Outcome was still a trio. ______________________________________________________________________________ After the break, Official Outcome reconvened to the stage. Again, they returned with the mellow covers like “Secrets” by OneRepublic. They followed up with a tasteful rendition “Cruise’ by Florida Georgia Line and the more upbeat “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors.

They turn up the artificial reverb effects through the vocal mics and through the guitar amps.

Julia jokingly says, “Welcome to Earth.” They take their time making sure everything is set just right.

The spacey noise is so present at this point, Austin yells from the crowd, “Are we at Woodstock?” After Julia gets all the giggles out, she sings “Royals” by Lorde.

Near the end of the song, Zac hopped back behind the drum kit to drag the song out a little longer. I got distracted by two very awkward conversations between an elderly Minnesota man and some tipsy woman. Before I knew it, the second set was over and Official Outcome was on break. ______________________________________________________________________________ I’ve known Zac since the spring of 2009 during our sophomore year of high school. He was a home-school student who ran track and field with me for First Baptist Academy. We both signed up for spring football later that year. I figured he would go to Naples High School like told me he would, but his parents decided to enroll him as a full-time student at FBA. Since then, we’ve been friends. We had common interests in music and sports, and we shared a bizarre, offbeat sense of humor. Interestingly enough, our birthdays sit right next to each other.

Zac is also one of the few friends that stayed in Naples after high school. After two semesters at Florida Gulf Coast University, he decided college wasn’t for him. I, on the other hand, dedicated myself to just schoolwork.

I wasn’t too disappointed about the record or the release date. I asked Zac and Julia about the recording process. The recording took place at the Mix Factory studios in Bonita Springs, with production work from local artists Ray Nesbitt, Darrell Nutt and Doug Tracy, whom both refer to as “just Doug.”

“What was the recording process like? Did you already have songs going into the studio?”

“We had songs that were written before,” Zac said.

“Did you improve upon them or were they good to go?”

“No, we definitely improved upon them.”

“What have the guys at The Mix Factory taught you on the production side?”

My First Baptist buddies right before our high school graduation ceremony in 2011. Zac Sperry (pictured third from left) and I (far left) have known each other since we were 10th graders. (Photo Credits: Virginia Ruiz)

“I think they taught us about arrangement,” Zac said. “Arrangement is the biggest thing that I learned about writing songs.”

“What about aesthetics? What’s their production philosophy versus your production philosophy?”

“Something that’s going to stick in your head,” Julia said, “in a good way obviously.”

“They really like catchy hooks,” Zac said. “Julia has a knack for writing catchy hooks, so they don’t have to change a lot about that.” ______________________________________________________________________________ Official Outcome jumped back onstage once more and begin with a mashup of Miley Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop” and Jessie J’s “Price Tag”. The muted instrumentation provides a great foil to Zac and Julia’s soulful delivery. As they drag out the song, Zac starts twerking onstage. Julia jokingly suggests photo editing Kim Kardashian’s butt onto Zac’s backside, which earns them a few laughs from the audience.

They can sense their limits coming on as 10 p.m. approaches, but they take it in stride. They throw an original and a hilariously censored version of Cee Lo Green’s “F**K You.” They end the set doing an extended jam on Sublime’s “What I Got”. They give credit to all the musicians onstage and opens up the musical space to let each of them solo. ______________________________________________________________________________ As far as future is concerned, Official Outcome’s plans are to keep playing shows like this in local bars and public spaces, and to seek more independence and a sense of adventure in their songwriting and production. It may sound modest, but Julia is still only a sophomore at Naples High School. She says she and has plans for dual enrollment at Florida SouthWestern College.

In Zac’s case, he’s recently completed his EMT training. Still, they have come this far since losing one member with lots of support from friends and family, and they aren’t too worried about the future. Their manager, Sheri Austin, isn’t worried either.

“As long as they are having fun and have the right attitude and remain humble and follow their dreams, that’s what’s important,” Austin said. “The minute it’s not fun anymore, it stops.”

Of course, in our shared sense of humor, I could not resist asking the very last question.

“Alright, very last question,” I said.

Zac laughs and asks “Is it like a ‘Dan Terrero-back-in-high-school’ question?” I do the best I can to tell him no.

“Do you have any guilty pleasures in music?”

“Brittney Spears,” Zac says. “Just kidding, just kidding.”

“He’s not kidding,” Julia says straight-faced. “He has that song ‘Circus’ on his phone. He knows every single word. I’m not even joking.”

“Ok,” Zac goes, “Circus’ is my guilty pleasure.”

“I’m trying to think, “I don’t know,” Julia says.

“’One Time’ by Justin Bieber.”

We all had a good laugh on that question, promised each other to stay in touch, said our goodbyes and headed home.

[mzmiminycnc43]

Fall into me

Fall into me by msmiminyc featuring glossier makeup Nest Fragrances body cleanser$25 – neimanmarcus.com Nars cosmeticnarscosmetics.com Glossier makeupmirenesse.com Mac cosmetic$14 – johnlewis.com Gucci eye pencil makeup$36 – gucci.com Lord Berry eyeliner$17 – allsole.com kate spade new york Live Colorfully Body Lotionbloomingdales.com