#most things do tend to have an effect for me within 2 or 3 days so i guess it is very possible

[msburgundy]

it seems like it would be too soon for it to actually be making a difference but i feel really good (but not too good lol), like the kind where you suddenly realize how bad you felt now that you no longer do. so hopefully that doesn't change

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Quick world lore question; does the game ever specify what kind of potions/poisons exist in twst? Like, since it's technically a fantasy world, would things like health/stamina potions like you'd see in rpg's exist? Or would it be closer to reality, like home remedies and basic pharmaceutical stuff?

I'm only an EN player and I havent read all the pomfiore student's vignette's so if they answer this there then im sorry for the bother ; ;

Potions aren't talked about in the only Pomefiore students' vignettes! (In fact, if we're talking just strictly Labwear vignettes... Vil and Rook's don't really focus on potions at all; only Epel's sort of does.) There isn't actually a ton of lore about potions, and in the times when they do become relevant, the writing tends to focus more on the ingredients and/or the preparation process rather than what kind of potion would be produced. For example, the entire Labwear series of vignettes frequently brings up rare or dangerous plants that require the application of magic in order to safely harvest, such as the mandrake and the lantern blossom.

I wasn't able to check all vignettes (since that would be like... what, probably a few hundred at this point? If not that, then at least over 100.), but there's definitely mentions of potions with various effects. From all lab vignettes alone and combing through the main story, here's what I could glean:

transformation/transmutation potions (prologue, book 2, Beans Day, book 6, etc; this is probably the most often mentioned type of potion)

voice-changing potions (Leona Labwear vignette)

color-changing potions (Epel Labwear voice line)

plant growth potions (Epel Labwear voice line)

sleeping potions (Silver Labwear vignette)

awakening potions (Silver Labwear vignette)

magic enhancing potions (book 2)

a potion that changes one part of your body to that of an animal's (book 3)

itch-relief potion (Lost in the Book with Stitch)

potion that heals burns instantly (Jamil Labwear vignette)

On the subject of poisons, no specific kinds are mentioned as far as I'm aware. There's a Poison Refining class (Cater Labwear vignettes), but we don't really get specifics. When poisons are talked about, it's usually in reference to the Fairest Queen or the Pomefiore dorm leader being skilled in making potent poisons, or it's Kalim talking about the many attempts on his life and unnamed poison antidotes. There may be more mentioned in other places, but at this time I don't have the capacity to check every single event and vignette. If you know of any more that aren’t listed here, please let me know and I can update the list!!

It should also be noted that "potions" can also be used for other purposes. This includes creating special effects for movies (mentioned in Vil's Labwear vignettes) and enhancing the effects of skincare (book 6, Azul Ceremonial Robes, etc.).

You'll notice that the effects of these potions can also be achieved via regular spellcasting. (In fact, we see Adeuce practicing color changing magic in Floyd's Labwear vignettes + Vil using color changing magic to help himself hide from paparazzi, etc., Jack's/Malleus's/Azul's UMs also allow them to do things without the help of potions.) Because of this, I believe that potions are meant to be an alternative way of spellcasting without actually needing to use magic. This makes already prepared potions usable by mages who don't want to expend energy/build blot as well as by NON-MAGES.

Within the world of TWST, there is an occupation known as the “medical mage”, who appear to combine magic and medicine into their practice. Furthermore, what is called “Potionology” in EN is written as 魔法薬学 (literally, "magic pharmaceuticals") in JP, implying that there is, in fact, an intersection between magic and medicine. This is similar to how "technomancy" is described to be the cross between magic and technology.

In terms of a "healing potion", there are instances which show that a magic potion may heal or at least speed up the body's natural healing process. For example, in 7-68 of the main story, Baur gives Lilia something to drink to help him with the dire blow he just took. It doesn't appear to restore him to full health though, as Lilia states he still needs rest afterward. In EN, they use the term "potion" but in JP they use "薬" (kusuri), which is "medicine". Baur qualifies the character with "魔法" (maho), which is "magic", so the term he's using is "magic medicine". This is probably the closest thing to a "healing" potion that we know of in the TWST lore.

So technically, yes, TWST has "healing potions". I wouldn’t say there is one blanket cure-all potion though; based on what we know of potionology and how it’s very similar to irl chemistry classes, we can assume that there are generalized “healing potions” but that there must also be far more specialized and targeted ones, similar to medicine irl or non-enchanted or non-magic infused medicine. This is supported by Riddle mentioning a potion that instantaneously heals burns, implying that there is no “cure-all”.

I would imagine that, like transformation potions, “healing potions” would have to be highly regulated since they’re basically a drug 💀 (There would probably be OTC types too, given proper governmental approval!)

[misscammiedawn]

"Your mind makes it real"

So I was watching the new Folding Ideas video on meme stock and how a cult formed around a number of ideologies regarding financial systems and short selling.

I like watching videos like this. Dan Olsen does a number of good videos on different online conspiracies such as Flat Earth and NFTs and then you have HBomb doing the same thing with anything from Colecovision to the war on christmas and alt right grifts.

And whenever I research these sociological trends I become uncomfortably aware of the fact that I exist within one of these little closed circles. (Well, more than one given the communities and support groups around psychology and mental health, but I'm here to talk about Kink today)

Hypnosis, especially within our community, is entirely held up by a series of beliefs with an internal language that creates a massive divide between those in the know and those out of the know and it literally only works because we believe it works.

In many ways what we do is as much sociology as it is psychology.

And I kind of that it's okay for that to be true so long as we all occasionally remind ourselves of that fact and never abuse the power we each possess as authors of that shared narrative, because much like under hypnosis our hypnotees are suggestible and need to have care in what we provide to their open mind, educators within the community have an eager and open audience that stretches further than we know and regardless of intent, our beliefs and teachings will become their facts and reality as surely as had we have programmed a hypnotee to believe them as they wake on the count of 1--2--3!

Okay. Let me break this up a little.

Does this mean I think hypnosis is fake and we're all just going along with it?

One of my partners and I have had conversations about subjectivity in both hypnosis and mental health spaces before and we hate that one of the most approachable quotes comes from an author that leaves a bad taste in our mouths.

"Of course it's all happening in your head [...] why on Earth should that mean it's not real?"

One of the big differences between the online erotic hypnosis community and the NGH (National Guild of Hypnotists) who rue our existence is that we do not require legitimacy to function when they themselves exist in a half-truth state where when receiving both of my certifications it was impressed that we needed to perform an uneasy dance of providing services without practicing medicine because hypnotherapy is not licensed psychology in the same was that chiropractors are not performing medicine.

Within *certain portions* of hypnokink we are perfectly okay with the idea of being wrong and of sharing ideas.

Wiseguy said it best in his class "The best induction is the one that works" and what works works because it is effective in that moment between that particular hypnotist and that particular hypnotee.

Likewise, the more educated a person becomes, the more effective hypnosis becomes. Understanding trance is a tool to achieve it faster. Even a cold hypnotee who is being introduced for the first time receives an education via pre-talk which we tend to believe is more important than the induction itself.

You know what I mean when I talk about pretalk, right?

"We all go in and out of hypnosis multiple times a day" "Highway hypnosis" "Flow state"

These are all real and observable things and we can view hypnosis impacting a mind on an EEG.

Hell even Oh No Ross and Carrie (a podcast where they join insular communities with intent to learn if they are cults/grifts) did an episode on hypnosis and conceded that the principals of suggestibility, hypnotic state and conditioning are all just... how the brain works... and that you can't really dive into fact/fiction when it's essentially telling a person to do something and they either do it or they don't.

It's not mind control. It's suggestion and even within our circles we all agree that mind control is a fantasy.

So I guess... it's as real as we all agree it to be.

The issue is that group agreement of all the little elements is held up by The Community as a whole and... maybe we should talk about the vulnerabilities at play there.

What do I mean when I talk about insular communities?

Recently I read a REALLY good line on a quote on Twitter that speaks to what I mean here:

And this is what I mean when I talk about belief systems inside and outside of the community. It's a good post as I firmly agree with what it communicates.

The Online Hypnosis Community is a term with no specific borders. In my reality it's the orbit that happens to take place around those who are known, trusted and teach at the primary US erotic hypnosis convention circuit.

However I know that in reality the online hypnosis community contains multiple pools and factions that I either strictly ignore, such as ones surrounding dangerous figures like NeuralNets and Nimja or ones I am not close to, like local kink scenes for cities across the world including those where English is not a first language or mlm communities where I do not really have a place, to niche pockets such as the furry hypnosis community, dronekink and even the tiny little subniches such as Empty Spaces and HDG which have splintered off into entire little separate universes with their own language and core beliefs.

For the most part this is a beautiful thing. What I'm describing is no less a divide between interests as being a member of the "Video game horror" scene and not visiting the niches of Indie Game Horror, Japanese Horror, creepypasta mods and such.

Every community has pockets like this.

But the more specific and tight a community becomes, the more "insular" it is. Language and widely held beliefs begin to gather in tighter pressurized windows. One need only look at how brainwashing and conditioning are viewed collectively in darker corners to see the difference and this is to make nothing of things like political and social beliefs in certain corners.

In those dark corners "You can't be hypnotized to do anything you don't want to do" is an essential lie WITHIN their insular community so that they can maintain a degree of plausible deniability and power over their people.

So what's your point?

That is the question, isn't it?

I guess the answer to that is... "always question what you believe, why you believe it and don't assume everyone around you does or should think the same thing."

When discussing red flags in the community on Discord and Twitter with other educators, I've always said the biggest red flag an educator can have is teaching that there is believing they have all the answers.

ALL OF US are working in this space from a belief system. An organic and living one which is impacted by our interactions with the kink, with one another and with the world around us.

No one individual in our community holds all the answers. Not me, not the authors of the manuals that we push, not Richard Nongard, Milton Erickson.

It also means we need not be defensive about our hobby and beliefs. Many will never accept what we do as actually having any basis in reality and that's okay. We're making spaces for play and some will just see us as overactive roleplayers who are tricking ourselves into believing things and to that I always say:

"You're dang right we are. That's the point."

It's not magic. It's not hard science. It's just belief, confidence and a willing to play along.

I could bust out the EKG studies or describe the altered states of consciousness and I will ALWAYS preach how suggestible a person is in and out of hypnosis and the dangers of what we do because those dangers are real and present. But at the end of the day, I want to take a moment and evaluate "what if I'm wrong?"

And the correct answer to that is "will I or someone else be hurt by my ignorance or misaction" and act accordingly.

But that's me. That's my belief system and I am aware of the fact that what we do is entirely built upon our belief that it works and that we are being safe and sane and fun.

That doesn't make me right. That doesn't mean I didn't learn some bad lessons.

It just means I want to keep doing better and I trust that the people around me are all doing the same. With hope of growing. Learning more about individuals and the community as a whole and trying to make this place better.

Because... if I stand in front of a room and teach a class that carries some bad ideas. They'll take seed.

And let me tell you something...

This community is FULL of bad ideas

I've been here since the early days. I was there when Warp My Mind and Wendi.com were the two sites that popped up when you went searching for files. I was there during the implosion of Inraptured and the transphobic meltdown of Isabella Valentine. I have witnessed hypnocon board after hypnocon board fall apart. I've seen scandals and dramas and chaos.

I was there when Bimbopolitic was outed as a CIA plant for fucks sake. Please don't ask follow-up questions. My head is still spinning from that saga of events.

and that inevitably means I have internalized some dumb shit in my day. I've been unlearning it as much as I can over the past 5-6 years. But it's there.

Likewise a lot of the books I read and grew up on are based on the beliefs of less than wonderful human beings. Milton Erickson is no rolemodel, but damned if his theories aren't worth looking at.

This is one thing I respect about sleepingirl's NLP Book. The conceit was to study what PUA instructors taught and see what could actually be used from an objective standpoint. Actually interrogate the beliefs of NLP from a "I don't know anything" standpoint.

If I have any point in my whole ramble of a post it's that. Approach learning things with the curiosity of someone who is willing to learn and doesn't know any better but with the wariness of someone who has been burned too many times and knows that there's bad actors all over and everything needs to be turned over a few times to examine.

At the end of the day I just want a safe community full of positive ideas and if there's one thing I've learned about hypnosis it is this "positive associations stick, negative suggestions are harder to ground"

Both in the good way and the bad. Unlearning things is hard.

Let's just be aware that we're all playing in the same sandbox. Share our tools and try to build something beautiful.

and never stop asking "...am I sure about this?"

*Shrug* Or don't. It's just a suggestion <3

[archivalofsins]

Hey, this isn't going to be a long post because I want to get back to playing Caligula Effect 2. However, confirmed that Double is mostly a dream with small snippets of reality while MeMe is reality with breaks into dreams. Also that the graphs we see displayed distortedly throughout Double are a polysomnography.

X X

"I’m probably just having a bad dream, I need to wake up soon." - "All I did was dream, and that’s what you found GUILTY? “He’s a liar”, you said, and made me out to be a scoundrel, why?"

So, let's talk about this for a bit.

all gifs made by @apatchworkstar

So, in Caligula Effect 2 there's a heavy focus on the meaning of the word dream. It's highlighted multiple times that a dream can be something you have at night while sleeping or refer to something you want to do in the future. So, throughout double the word dream itself even has a double meaning.

I think that when John states all he did was dream contextually he's referring to the dreams one has when they sleep. I believe this because the structure of Double as I stated before is more dream like than MeMe. Though I have another pertinent reason for believing this outside of that. Let's discuss the telltale signs of a dream displayed throughout Double first.

1. Takes place mainly in one location.

Unlike MeMe where we change locations frequently. From the underpass to the inside of their home, to the dumping area outside of their home, to their bathroom. Double is limited to the train station and the train only. Despite seeing John commuting he never makes it home or to work. He is confined to this location.

2. Seemingly endless terrains. (Never-ending passages or areas that seem to go on forever.)

3. Partial literacy or none. (Not everyone can read within dreams but those who can rarely can read the same thing twice. Instead the words will either keep changing or go blank.)

People who can read in dreams are pretty rare. They tend to be in communications based professions or writers.

CAN YOU READ IN YOUR DREAMS? SCIENCE REVEALS WHY MOST PEOPLE CAN'T

There are also other things that can't be done in dreams according to other sources.

X

That are helpful when it comes to differentiating between reality and dream in Mikoto's case. Also bringing more scrutiny to John's statements during the interrogation where he claims they attacked random strangers on the street an impossibility if it was really a dream like they both claim. We see in Double that none of the people have faces, they're all mannequins.

Since John stated he attacked some stranger it makes sense for everyone in Double to appear this way because in dreams you can't really just create a full ass person that you've never seen before. So, this makes everyone in John's version of events a stranger to him. However, you know where that's definitely not the damn case.

In MeMe where we see this guy plain as day-

As Mikoto does a very physical activity. However, this is a good time to interject- Dreams are very personalized.

Personal anecdote. I once had a dream when I was in a bookstore, and I was browsing around. I'd read a book I'd liked but I was unsure if I wanted to really commit to purchasing it but there was limited time was there with others, I had like twenty minutes at most, and I'd looked at a clock just to see what time that'd be. When I went to skim the book again it was blank. Then I looked at the clock and it was blank too. I was in high school at the time and had already looked into information around dreams and became acutely aware I was which led to a bit of lucid dreaming before I woke up. In other dreams I've been in fights, used weapons etc. even ran for a good while.

So, yeah, I've done physical activities in my dreams before, and I've seen people I know and have never known in my dreams too. It's different for everyone.

Yet, it's still valid to question-

Why would Double something primarily from John's perspective follow the rules of dreams more than Mikoto's?

If what they did was just a dream, then those rules should be applicable to both songs not just one.

It's not as though all of MeMe just shows the reality of the situation either. In fact, dream and reality are more neatly separated within their first trial song. Something that is displayed by one of those things listed. The inability to look in mirrors.

And being confined to one place regardless of how it changes over the course of the video.

So, yes there are very logical ways to discern between what is a dream and what is reality within Mikoto's trial songs. Milgram has done nothing to hide this. They even further displayed this by putting dream in large font for all to see over most of double.

Yet what's the other thing that makes me so sure that when John is discussing dreaming, he's discussing the dreams you have while sleeping and Mikoto is discussing dreams for the future?

For one Mikoto is specifically paired with the woman who sings this-

"Is the damage to get in the way of someone’s dream."- "If it damaged someone’s dream to the points of stopping it I’ll gouge you out with my fangs."

So chances are a part of the reason they were connected is because they lashed out due to someone gettting in the way of their personal goals and dreams. Yet there's also the fact he plainly fucking states what his dream was in his written trial one interrogation.

Q.04 Are you picky when it comes to fashion?

Mikoto: Of course I am. Nobody would want to ask for anything from an unfashionable designer, right?

06 What do you hate?

Mikoto: working overnight / reptiles / violence

Q.14 Where do you think you’ll be in 10 years?

Mikoto: It’d be nice if I could build up my own self-sustaining design business. That’d be pretty liberating.

"Hey now, I saved you, right? So why in the hell are you crying? Cling to me, hoist me up as your “savior”, stand up and sing out your gratitude, that’d be good."

Mikoto even uses similar verbage to that used in his first written interrogation when asked about these things in the lyrics of Double. Such as right, and that'd be good.

So, yeah there's all that.

[frogsmulder]

What Will Become of Us?

Janeway/Chakotay on new earth; rated e; 2k words

Chapter 2/3 - Read on ao3

The next night, under the light of the stars, Kathryn sinks into her tub of steaming hot water, washing away the aches of a day's hard labour. They were still mending odd ends from the storm, but things were slowly coming together. Chakotay had even started sanding down the headboards again. She had started digging out plots to grow vegetables not too far from where he had set up his work bench. It was an ideal spot, partly covered by the shade of the trees to the left, enough light to the right, far enough from the cabin but most importantly, close enough still to watch Chakotay work. 

The water sloshes as she scoops up handfuls to pour it over her shoulders. Kathryn sinks a little further into the tub and laughs to herself. Yesterday, she would have stolen quick glances in Chakotay's direction, discreetly watching him work while admiring his skill. Today she openly teased him, gazing at the deft movement of his arms and shoulders working out the imperfections of the wooden surface. All day, he had smirked back at her, making her blush. 

“You're staring, Kathryn.”

“Nonsense, I was just seeing how you were getting on.”

“Why? See something you like?”

She bites back a smile and looks to the heavens, wondering if the rest of her life would be spent flirting with him so freely. The heat that pulses through her is invigorating–makes her feel alive in ways she thought she had forgotten. She soaks in the feeling as thoughts turn to fantasies. Memories of the softness of his lips from the night before awoke within her an ardent need and those memories shift to dreams of tonight. She brings her wet fingers to the edge of her lips, daring to trace their previous encounter. A smile grows against her fingertips. 

A waft of warm spices from the cabin snaps Kathryn from her girlish indulgence. She retracts her fingers from her lips and clenches them into a fist, shook by her own preoccupation. Stepping out of the bath and drying off, she dresses in her silk nightgown and bundles her hair in a towel upon her head. The smell of dinner and the sizzling of frying vegetables draws her into the cabin. There at the small makeshift stove, Chakotay is skilfully tending the skillet. She comes up behind him, laying a hand around his arm and peering in tip toes over his shoulder. She hums, “Something smells delicious.”

He turns to look at her eyes subtly dancing over her curves wrapped in pink silk. Dipping his head slightly, his nose tickles the hair escaping the towel at the top of her head, the smell of her sweet soap lingering there. “Something does.”

Chuckling, she tears herself away to sit up on the table and unrolls the towel, using it to rub dry the ends of her hair. “You know, I think I could get used to this little arrangement of ours: you cooking while I take a soak. It's certainly not the retirement I expected but… I think I'm going to enjoy it nonetheless.”

He stops and shakes his head. 

The thought of her retiring is as alien as anything they've ever encountered. He taps the wooden spoon off on the side of the pan. Slowly, he turns around, stepping up to her with a determined look in his eye. “Arrangement?” He places one hand on the table next to her hip. “Is that what you are calling my generous offer to cook for you?” His other hand comes down on the other side. 

His face is inches from hers. A culmination of a day's worth of teasing boundaries clearly showing their effects on him, his gaze not straying from her lips. She rolls her eyes at his playful demonstration, deciding not to give into his seductions just yet despite their fast effects on her. “I could subject you to my cooking again if you wish–” she waves him off– “but trust me, this is better for both of us.”

He licks his lip and turns his head. “What's a man to do to get a little gratitude around here?”

“Oh, I am grateful,” she murmurs, her palm finding its place against his chest. His smile grows hard to hide and she leans in sharing his mirth. 

Chakotay’s hands slide up her back, callouses from hard labour tickling the bare skin of her shoulders. He draws circles around her skin, fingers slipping under the strap of her gown. 

“Kathryn.” His whisper is irreverent. 

“Yes.”

The silk slips easily from her shoulder. Her breath hitches quietly as she lets him slowly undress her of her nightgown, tearing away at the lasting rubble of her emotional walls. Eyes locked with his, she encourages him, digging her fingers into his chest, scrunching his shirt in her fist. Two fingers under her chin, he steadies himself as he leans in, delicately capturing her lips. Intentions clear with this first contact, Kathryn presses forward, opening herself to a new world of sensation, taste and touch flooding her senses. She fists his shirt tighter, pulling in closer, needing more. Running her other hand round to the nape of his neck, she fingers through the short tufts of his hair. She can't get enough as she deepens the kiss, whimpering, finally knowing the taste of his tongue.

Chakotay hums, his movements still relaxed. His fingers slip down her throat and over her clavicle, bringing down the top of her silk neckline. He kisses down her neck, words vibrating against her skin, “Kathryn–” his fingers tease the tops of her breasts, rising and falling rapidly with her growing anticipation– “Let me show you my gratitude.” Light fingertips dance all the way down her body, and casually grabbing her hips, fingers digging in, he brings her forward.

He lifts the hem of the gown up her thighs and she impatiently rolls her hips forward. “Please, Chakotay.” 

When his fingers find her sex, his touch is generous, teasing her entrance, skating her arousal up to her clit, playing and spreading and diving back in. She groans in the agony of ecstasy as he works her close to the edge, two fingers curled inside her and a thumb drawing loose circles around her clit. 

Fingers still wrapped in his hair, she tugs him in for a searing kiss, needing the reassurance of his lips that this is real. Her dreams no longer the cruel trickster, she licks at the prominent arch of his cupid's bow, takes his bottom lip between her teeth, begs him with her tongue. She palms him through his pants feeling him twitch and grow, and fumbles with the fastening. He chuckles at her fervour and she laughs too; only yesterday was she tossing and turning with conflicting feelings and now she is completely engrossed by him, his smell, his touch, his smile, those eyes. She never wants to leave the gaze of those adoring eyes. 

As soon as she slips his pants off his hips, she reaches for his dick, coaxing him with long, languid strokes. He gasps and breaks their kiss, falling forward to pit his forehead against hers. He grunts as explores his length and brings him closer with a grab of his ass. She brings him to her cunt and closes her eyes as she guides him in, a moan strangled in her throat at the building pressure. 

Everything else in the universe dims and mutes. All there is left is Chakotay; his hands cradling her face, stroking back her hair while he waits for her approval. Reaching up to cup his cheeks, she gives a small nod and kisses him before she can lose herself in those deep brown eyes. 

Slowly, he begins to move, encouraged by her breathy little moans. Panting, he drops his head to her shoulder and she clings to his back scraping over the material of his shirt. His caress uncovers her nightgown, the soft silk shifting over his hands as they roam. Touch still gentle, he brings her legs up higher over his hips, thrusting deeper. Kathryn gasps, moans growing louder. Overcome with the insatiable need for his closeness, she arches into him. 

That familiar well of pleasure slowly creeps up on her; a feeling of deep fullness growing hotter until suddenly it bursts within her and she's clutching, grasping, moaning his name. He mumbles hers over and over against her shoulder, breath tickling her skin in hot bursts, his movements now quick and frantic. She holds him tightly as she feels him come, slumping against her. 

Their heavy breaths fill the small space and Kathryn smiles in the quiet of the moment. In that quiet the universe made sense: nothing could touch them, like they were outside time itself. She brushes her fingers through his hair and rests her head next to his. He places small kisses along her neck until he stands up in front of her once more, grinning ear to ear, somehow still shyly despite what they have just done. She reaches out one thumb to his dimple, stroking affectionately, mirroring his content. 

The corners of her mouth twitch from an upturned smile, slowly falling with a sobering realisation. Chakotay's eyes dart back and forth between hers, trying desperately to read her expression. 

“Do you smell burning?”

His eyes go wide. “Oh, shit!”

Stumbling over to the stove, he quickly turns off the heat and removes the pan, softly cursing under his breath. From behind, she can see him wiping his brow, despairing as to what to do. 

Kathryn laughs. The simplicity of everything so different to how she imagined things would go wrong if she opened herself up to a relationship. 

“What's so funny?” he inquires with just a hint of a bite as he pulls up his pants. 

“Maybe–” she laughs again. 

He looks around from the stove to the pan of charred vegetables, from the fastening of where he held his pants, finally to her. She can feel the heat rise to her cheeks but he doesn't look away, instead he drinks in her dishevelled look. Her gown is still hiked up around her waist, the neckline still stretched down, and the feeling of satisfaction still warms her belly, along with a burgeoning hunger for more. 

“Maybe it's a good thing we never did this on Voyager.”

His smile is small and weak. “Maybe,” he concedes. 

Her stomach drops. She thought they had both wanted this, that he was the one that put the ball in her court. Did she miss something? Is that the colour of regret upon his cheeks? Suddenly the mess he has left her in bothers her; the stickiness between her thighs is a clawing reminder of the happiness she thought was possible. 

He looks to the floor. “I'm sorry, Kathryn.” It's halfway between a whisper and a choked sob. 

Standing up, she straightens herself out, ignoring her own emotions, approaching cautiously. She reaches out to put a hand over his heart, looking up to see his eyes, curved with a sorrow she hasn't seen before. 

“Voyager…” he murmurs and takes her hand. “I miss them too.”

As quickly as her heart had fallen, hope now sores in its place. She rests her head against his chest, offering her comfort. He has been so bright and optimistic these past months, encouraging her to let go that she has thought she was alone in her grief.

She listens to the steady beat of his heart, guiding her through memories of him next to her always, on the bridge, in her ready room, in her quarters–even sickbay. But always the family of their crew was never far away. And now the two of them are alone in the emptiness of a makeshift home. 

Standing up on tiptoes, Kathryn presses a kiss to Chakotay’s cheek. “We have each other.”

[star-junk]

Only Bones

Ch. 3

Rating: Mature

Pairings: Alastor x ReaderOC, Vox x ReaderOC, Future Lucifer x ReaderOC

Second Person POV, Change of POV, Slow burn (or fast burn - really moving through the plot quickly), please forgive the typos.

Warnings: Dark Themes, Altered state of consciousness, possessive behavior, mention of dv, non-con elements in the future, cannibalism and just things not being nice--it's Hell.

General Notes: Still not sure if Alastor will remain ace within the confines of my story. Also, operating under many assumptions for Season 2 so walk with me on this one.

Author Notes: I know nothing about TV production so I'm just winging most of this. Continuing with the breakneck pace bc otherwise I'd spend endless chapters setting shit up.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea?” Jo asks.

“Hmm, I think I only feel better about it because it’s Rosie’s friend? He seemed nice enough.” You reply, sprinkling flour over the table for the dough you’re working on. The old radio you bought plays a nice melodic tune as you prepare for the next day’s special orders.

“He’s the Radio Demon, Nuria.” He insists.

“I mean, yes he is, but I hear the Princess is really nice too, so.”

He makes a point to walk over to you so you can see the skepticism on his stare while still stirring pie filling, bowl in hand and everything. “I just find it amazing how quickly you flip once money is involved.” 

“C'mon, Jo, it’s not like you’re any different.” You respond.

He pauses his stirring. “Yeah, but I actually have survival instincts." He argues, "You remind me of my uncle, you know. He used to work for the mob in the Greed Ring and guess what? He went missing years ago!” You roll your eyes, concentrating on the dough instead.

Jo refused to come on the agreed upon day, saying he wanted nothing in whatever it was you were getting yourself into. So there you were bright and early at the time and address the Radio De—Alastor gave you. 

Parking right in front of the Hotel, you had to admit the renovations made the place look like a 5 star stay. It stood out against the rest of dilapidated buildings in the surrounding area, and much like the V Tower; Different elements come together to represent a single entity. There was a radio tower at one end (no guessing who that space belonged to) and a red apple at the other.

“Quite the sight, isn’t it?” 

You nearly jump out of your skin. Alastor stands right outside to your van’s window. Your hand goes to your chest to keep your heart from escaping out of your ribcage as his smile widens. 

“H-hi, yes, yes it’s quite beautiful. ‘Morning.” You greet. “Dear Lord, you startled me.”

“My apologies, I tend to have that effect on people.” He opens the door motioning for you. “Please, Charlie is eager to meet you.” 

“Thank you.” You smile, reaching for your purse and the tasting boxes. He snaps one of his fingers and suddenly there’s a tiny shadowy creature taking the boxes from you. No matter how many years pass, you don’t think you’ll ever adjust to these kinds of things being a normal occurrence. He then helps you out of the van. “You're very kind.” 

“Ha! Aren’t you a darling.” He responds amused. You pause only for a moment before linking an arm with his when he offers it, his old manners shining through. You’re starting to see why Rosie likes him so much - ‘a proper gentleman.’

Walking up to the Hotel you take in the view. The landscape is mostly dead as it is in most places of hell but was at least kept neat. You spot some widow’s kisses blooming here and there, so the soil couldn’t be a complete lost cause.

“Do you have many guests staying?” You ask to give yourself an idea of how much work will be involved if things go well in this meeting.

“Hmm, not currently, no. But Charlie is hoping for more soon.” You get the feeling he's not very attached to the Hotel despite also being its Facility Manager.

“I don’t see why people wouldn’t want to book a stay. The renovations are quite nice, aesthetics alone should draw in crowds, if anything.” You are being completely honest about that.

“They’re… acceptable, I suppose.” And there it is again. As if he didn’t have a hand in that either, but for all that you know maybe he didn’t. “Though the staff is wonderful, a very welcoming bunch, you’ll love them!” He concedes.

You sure hope so. You swallow nearing the Hotel’s entrance, your hold unconsciously tightening around his arm.

“Oh there’s nothing to fret, my dear, there’s nothing but good ol’ chums here, mostly.” He says with a bit of flare as the doors to the Hotel open and you step inside. 

It’s just as luxurious inside as it is on the outside, of course it is, you don’t know what you were expecting. The varied crimson hues are heightened with the golden touches here and there. The furniture with elaborate designs looks expensive as all hell and yeah, maybe you could make good business here if—

“Hello, HI! Welcome!” 

A youthful cheery voice greets you. It’s Ms. Morningstar the Princess of Hell herself. You hardly have time to return the greeting as she takes your hand in a very enthusiastic handshake. Her eyes and smile outshine anyone you’ve ever met before. “We are sooo excited to make business with our first vendor.” She gushes with not an ounce of malice in her voice, “Alastor spoke very highly of your pastries.” 

“Thank you, your Royal Highness. A pleasure to meet you.” You reply, finally letting go of Alastor’s arm.

“Charlie is fine.” She waves off the title.

“Hon, we need to see if we even like them first.” Someone says behind her. 

"I'm sure we'll like them, Vaggie." She replies to a girl with long pale hair and sooty skin. "This is Vaggie, she’s our Hotel’s Manager .” She smiles, dragging the other girl by the hand. They must be close. The other girl gives you a once over before extending her hand.

“Hi, nice to meet you.” Her tone is way less cheery than her companion, but is at the very least neutral. “You’re one of Alastor’s little… friends?” 

Oh, whatever idea she has of you must be reset at once. “I just had the honor to make his acquaintance last week, Rosie introduced us.” 

Her brow perks up at that. “Wait, these are not— “

“No, Miss, I wouldn't dare.” You assure her. “Rosie has her own special orders. These are the ones we sell at my shop for the general public.” 

“So these are not people pies?” A girlish voice draws your attention below. A short crimson bob frames a single intense eye. “Are you Alastor’s new soul? Are those wings? You smell good!” The petite girl waves, her eye trained on you with a mixture of curiosity and predatory glee. 

“And this is Nifty, our Cleaning Staff.” Alastor introduces.

Ah. “Hi… Nifty, a pleasure to meet you.” You don’t even dare shake her hand.

“Alright that’s enough of introductions,” Vaggie claps stepping forward, “show us the goods, we still got work to do putting this event together.” Her bossy tones gives her away former (current?) military.

You glance at Alastor who merely chuckles before commenting. “She’s always like that.” 

Ah. 

Charlie guides you to the currently unstaffed bar where the tasting boxes were set. “I wish everyone could be here to give their opinion.” She sighs. 

“Babe, as long as you like them it should be enough.” Vaggie is right about that, you think. “Who knows what time Angel will come back and Husk? At this time of morning? Forget about it.”

“Alright, but maybe Dad wants to come down?” She says procuring her cell phone as you get busy setting up the samples—wait, the King of Hell is staying here too?

“Oh don’t bother His Highness, dear, it’s far too early in the morning.” Alastor says, resting a gentle hand over hers. “And hadn’t he been feeling rather… undisposed lately?” 

“Yeah, but I mean he shouldn’t spend so much time holed up there.“ 

“I can set some aside, if you’d like.” You offer, you weren't so eager to meet him, tense and overwhelmed as you are right now.

She smiles, turning to you, “That would be great, thank you.”

“Of course.” She was a breath of fresh air. It’s ironic the Princess of actual literal Hell turned out to be one of the nicest people you met down here. You hand everyone a plate with the pie samples. “Alright so starting from the right  is our shop’s best seller, it’s darkberry with yumava fruit. I should mention our flour is made with a combination of actual topside flour and wheat from the Wrath Ring. We use organic butter from cattle also from Wrath, its brought up by my shop’s assistant. And the sugar comes from... “ You go on about the ingredients and cooking method, watching as their faces go from skepticism to full enjoyment. “I can make the more savory ones as appetizers as well. Princess, I think these would go great with the event if you’re trying to foster a kind of environment sinners can call home and you know what they say, there’s nothing more comforting than homemade pie!” 

Her brows rise at that; Yup, she’s yours. She sets her fork and plate down, grasps your hands coming inches from your face declaring. “We’ll take 100 of each!” Oh Boy.

“What— Charlie, we don’t even know if that many will show up in the first place!” 

“Because we don’t know Vaggie, we should prepare!” And you can’t help but chuckle at her enthusiasm.

“She a funny one.” Alastor comments, having read your mind. 

“Princess, how about we do 10 of each? That would still be plenty.” And more realistic to the numbers of attendees. “I’m sure you’ll have other foods to offer as well.” 

“Okay, yeah, sorry… I’m just kind of nervous, we’ve had a lot of inquiries lately” (‘Five is not a lot,’ the little maid chirps but you pretend not to hear her.) “about the Hotel so I want to make a good impression.” She admits scratching the back of her head and wow, she really does seem to care for this place.

“I understand, Princess, but your friend is right, it be a pity if the food went to waste.” You rest a hand on her shoulder. “But let me write down this really good recipe I know for frazzled nerves in the meantime.” You offer with a smile.

You thank the Princess once more for her business, it has been the smoothest transaction you’ve ever done, half of the commission already paid in advance.

Alastor waits for you, offering his arm again to walk you back to your van.

“She’s great.” You comment,  making your way down the pebbled road leading to the gates.

“That she is, my dear.” He answers, “Nothing like her Father.”

Oh. “Got a beef with the King of Hell?” 

“Hah ha ha!! No, of course not, nothing of the sort...” His frown at odds with his sharp smile. You prod no further as you near your van. “I thought you’d certainly take her initial request for a hundred pies— Oh the hilarity!”

You laugh along with him. “It just didn’t feel right doing that, you know? But maybe it would have been different if she had been a brat.”

He laughs, “Seems like you and I have a lot in common,” and who would have thought? “Well, I’ve delivered you safe and sound to your vehicle, so I’m afraid this is good bye— “

“Wait, Alastor.” You interrupt climbing inside the van, “I have something for you.” You procure a bottle of wine, it’s the kind Rosie said he likes the best. “A thank you gift for everything.” 

He looks from the bottle to you for a brief moment before responding, his head tilting to the side as if deciding how to respond. “Oh My, you shouldn't have!” He says finally bringing the flat of his palm up to refuse. “I cannot accept.”

“Aw, after I went through the trouble?” You shoot him your best hurt puppy dog eyes.

“Hmm.” The soft sound of changing stations comes through the strange filter he emits as his eyes settle on the wine. “Well, who am I to scorn a lady’s thoughtful gift?”

You chuckle, handing him the bottle.

………………….

The next day you stopped by Alicia’s speakeasy to pay the rental for the bakery space, being one of the handful of buildings she owned around the city. Dim cool light welcomes you as you enter, alongside the smell of cheap beer and cigarettes. Goodness knows how you were able to work here every night.

“The usual, Nuria?” Old Vince asks as soon as he sees you take a seat.

“Yes, the usual.” You nod. “Is she busy today?” 

“When is she not, doll. But let me let her know you’re here.” He leaves to get her as soon as he’s done with your drink. You hope Alicia comes quickly. One time you had to wait almost two hours before she remembered you were there. ‘I forgot’ she said, though you’re sure she did it on purpose - never getting over you leaving her employment. You’re gonna be so mad if she makes you do the same, you had some shopping to do today. In the mean time you sit there reviewing your shopping list making sure nothing is missing while you wait. Declining offers for company here and there.

“Hey there, beautiful.” Alicia’s fake affection draws your attention up. Her scaly skin and green eyes glistening in the low ambiance of the bar. Draping dark fins parted to one side to hide the ugly scar at the corner of her mouth.

“Hi Alicia. I’m here to pay rent.” You get to the point, going through your purse to retrieve your wallet.

“Yeah, about that, babe. Rent went up.” 

You have to be kidding. 

“What?! Again?!”

“Yeah, turns out demons from other rings are interested in setting up shop in the city now that we know angels can be handled.” She explains, crossing her arms to inspect her nails.

“Alicia, please don’t do this to me.” This could really affect the rate of your savings, you’re barely making enough of a profit - discounting the debt you have for the equipment, packaging materials, ingredients, electricity, Jo’s wages, the van, and your own personal expenses - your own rent. Why the fuck do you still have to pay rent in hell?!

“I could keep it the same if you came back to perform,” Oh this scummy bitch, “Dezba is long gone, so he can’t tell you what to do anymore!” She snorts mockingly.

“Do not!!” Your voice low as your body moves on its own, jabbing a finger at her chest. “Don't you ever dare bring him up again! Now how much is the increase, you vindictive old bitch!” 

“Twice for that.” She answers, unbothered. 

Fuck!

………………………..

You pour over the budget books back at the pie shop, reviewing receipts and expenses. The careful balancing act that took you months of hardwork and dedication  to get going toppled over by that single one unexpected expense. 

“Relax, Nuria, is not as bad as you’re making it out to be!” Jo tries to console you, hand on your shoulder. “You’re still making enough to cover even the rent increase.”

“But now I can’t save Jo! That’s the issue here! And what happens when the next increase comes? And yeah we’re doing okay right now, but who can say this will always be the case? Will other expenses start increasing too?! When will we ever own a place of our own if— ” 

“Nuria, Nuria! Relax, okay? You still got options, ask Rosie for help.” 

“No, I could never… “  She has been helping you enough, you slump over the table, you want to cry. You know you’re truly in hell when capitalism exists even down here.

Knocking at the front of the bakery pulls you out of your misery, you both look at each other. No deliveries were expected today. Peeking from the corner of the kitchen you spot a tall corpulent figure. You really should invest in a security system, you think in hindsight. You swallow turning one of the lights at the front of the shop.

The light reveals a man dressed in a swanky suit, a manic smile plastered on his face - a poor attempt at friendliness when his shark incarnation speaks to a predatory nature. 

“I told you we should keep at least a gun or two on hand.” Jo whispers.

“You must be Ms. Nuria! May I please come in? I mean no harm, I’m a representative from VoxTek.”

VokTek? You and Jo exchange puzzled glances before you decide to open the door. Jo goes to stand where he kept his studded metal bat for shady situations like this. Not like it could do much if someone with that influence wanted to do something to the shop.

“Yes. How can I help you?”

“Good evening, ma’am. I am here because your lovely pies have been quite a hit at the Network.” Really? That was days ago. “One of our producers would like to extend a warm invitation for you to join us as a special guest for our early morning program, The Vibe!”

Well, this is very unexpected. “I… don’t think I’ve heard of the program before?”

“It’s a talk show, with a focus on celebrity gossip.” Jo supplies.

“Celebrity gossip is such an unpleasant way to put it. The Vibe keeps up with the latest trends, entrepreneurs and entertainers of our time!” The VoxTek representative corrects.

“Then it sounds like my humble pies would be out of place in a show like that.”

“Nonsense, why our very own Velvette gave them her seal of approval.” He flashes his phone with a picture of a very staged-going-for-natural picture of a female demon holding one of your pies, your shop’s box visible right next to her with a caption: Wanted to see what the fuss is about. Gotta say, pie was pretty legit. That was… nice, though why does she look so off-put by it? You don’t get a chance to make more observations as the phone is pulled away and the shark demon extends his hand toward you, “Whaddaya say?” 

“Nuria, if you get on the show we could get more customers and hike up the prices too!” 

"Your imp is right, once in an eternity opportunity!"

“He’s not my imp.” It’s the first thing you clarify. “But I… “ There’s something you don’t like about this, un mal presentimiento, looking at the demon’s hand. But Jo has a point, this one thing could balance the books again. “Alright.” You reply, taking his hand.

He squeezes it hard. His fanged smile doesn't reach his eyes.

“My boss will be delighted, Miss!” 

---

[cosmoknightchaos]

Howdy

I spot another OC ask, which means I’m obligated to ask you.

This is what I am here for, this is my Job.

6 or 10 for KMJ.

Also if possible 2 for Timmy

Noot I have a tag on my blog specifically for these things. You can go through that anytime. Or just ask me questions. Please I am desperate to talk about my characters

6. What is something they are absolutely hopeless at doing? Why?

King is hopeless at escapeing the Horizon. Haha fucking gottem

In seriousness, I. Uh. I don't know. King does very little besides scheme, fight with Sky, and fix his window.

Which I guess does answer the question? King is hopelessly obsessed with trying to escape the Horizon, to the point where he kind of forgets how to exist otherwise. Bro is not good at being a person with hobbies.

10. Where is your OC’s favorite place? Like if they were having a bad day, where would they run off to?

King Moonjumper hates most of the Horizon. For obvious reasons. He is so tired of being in there, and just hates seeing it with a passion. Because of this, he spends most of his time in his palace, which, if he tries hard enough, he can pretend isn't in the Horizon. It is slightly better than the rest of the Horizon is.

This may or may not be brought up in the book (I haven't decided yet lmao), but King has a small room attached to the throne room that's his personal room. What little personal items King has are in there, along with anything he's decided has emotional value from the Horizon- and, within RTTH canon, all of the gifts from Jinx. There's also places for his mask, katana, cape, jacket, etc., whether it be counterspace or a hanger or whatever. His signature red strings and stars line the ceiling, but it's a lot messier than the rest of the palace's ceiling decor is. I like to imagine that a lot of the magic-made decorations in his room are accidental.

Since it's his personal room, it's his comfort space. It's the one spot where King allows himself to be emotional, and there have been many a mental breakdown in that room. Believe me.

2. What do they think is their best feature? This can be both physical or personality wise.

Gonna be honest I have not made Timmy Hau an OC yet. He is one of two the only character I don't consider to be an OC. I should fix that.

Physicality-wise, I don't think Timmy has very strong opinions on how he looks. He's not the most comfortable with his looks, but he's a teenager and you don't really know how to look at that age. However I do have to mention that I fucking love his hair and it is so much fun to draw. Goofy-ass long icecream scoop hair <3

As for personality/things Timmy actually likes about himself, let's start pre-Horizon. No spoilers, don't worry :)

Timmy definitely likes that he has a small presence. Not meaning his height (though he doesn't mind his short stature that much), but the fact that Timmy is very sneaky. People just tend to not notice him, so he can get away with a lot. He's really good at getting places he shouldn't be.

And speaking of places he shouldn't be, let's talk about the Horizon! Timmy's view on himself changes a lot during his stay in the Horizon, and although he still appreciates his high level of stealth, there's... not really much to sneak around to. Or people to notice him. So, changing it up completely, Timmy starts to really like his natural skill at dramatic entrances. He uses his naturally small presence to sneak up on someone, then announces himself and immediately hams it up for the bit. And he's good at it. Especially when he adds a touch of his telekinesis for special effect.

Like. Look at this. He's so good at entrances. Timmy has the One liner/reveal (he's standing behind the protagonist) formula down to a T.

He balances over-the-top, dramatic lines and acting with just being a silly guy so well. You can tell he's playing up his appearances for funsies.

(Heads up: The following screenshots are from the currently unreleased Act 3 of WTSS! Context has been edited out, so there's no real spoilers, but I wanted to mention it just in case.)

These screenshots are not only within the same conversation, but appear two lines away from each other. Timmy is so good at being silly and serious at the same time and it is, not just his favourite thing about himself, but my favourite thing about writing him.

[monroeknoxwrites]

babscolum stranded in canaan house au part 3

part 1, part 2

When they reached the door Colum paused. He wasn't sure where to go. He understood instinctively that Naberius wished to be as far from this room as possible, hearing him breathe a little easier once they were in the hall.

Colum had felt the same about the room he awoken in. These rooms had a stain, a wrongness. He worried their memories fled by choice, not accident—protecting them from whatever happened within these rooms.

Lead settled heavy in his stomach as the all-consuming question crept across his brain. Silas, where was Silas?

Where were the Princesses of Ida? Where was anyone?

Canaan House was vast but he found it hard to believe no one heard him scream. Even the constructs were missing.

Their absence frightened him the most.

“Eighth.” Naberius's strained voice broke him from his downward spiral. The use of his title, not the name spoken by very few, grounded him further. He didn't question the sudden change.

“What is it?”

“I should be asking you. Will we stay here all night or did you have a place in mind?”

The arrogant edge he whetted his words with only served to expose their true intent: “Are we safe?”

A question Colum could not begin to answer.

In general he believed no one was truly safe here. Images of wiping his blade clean in an almost frantic state, continuing long after the blood had come away, flashed unbidden.

Were they safe in the moment? That remained to be seen.

He countered with a question of his own. “Do you think your house’s quarters would be secure?”

“There's no possible way I could answer that with any certainty. I don't even know how I got here or who—”

He didn't need to finish that sentence. The hand subconsciously laid over his wound spoke volumes.

He continued after a beat. “The only certainty I have is you didn't.”

“The Third places a great deal of trust in me.”

Naberius scoffed. “The Eighth wouldn't stab a man in the back.”

Colum expected him to point out the logical absurdity of tending the wounds of someone you tried to kill. He was at a loss for words at Naberius Tern speaking of his honor with such conviction.

In the end, he said, “We’ll head for your quarters.”

Naberius weighted less than him but he wasn't light and Colum hadn't woken completely unscathed himself. He felt hollow, worn thin. An all too familiar occurrence. He exhausted much of his reserves wandering the halls, he doubted he could stay on his feet much longer assisting Naberius.

Both men practically collapsed once behind closed doors. Colum managed to deposit Naberius on a threadbare sofa then lowered him into a chair opposite. That sense of being hunted lessened here.

Naberius picked at the remnants of his shirt, frowning. He glanced at Colum then his gaze skittered away. Color returned to his cheeks.

It's a good thing he can't see the state of his hair, Colum thought, mildly amused. He attributed it to the exhaustion.

They sat in silence long enough Colum nearly nodded off. Again he wondered how long he was walking the halls. Hours? Days? It simultaneously felt like he woke alone with the bloodstained sword glaring at him in silent accusation just recently and a lifetime ago.

His eyes fixed on an offending hole in the sofa he was poking at, Naberius asked, “Well, we have nothing better to do, you might as well tell me what you know.”

The weak miserable creature Colum found wallowing on the floor was replaced by a slightly tarnished, artificial return to Naberius's usual self. He lounged on the sofa in true Third fashion, one leg crossed over the other, good arm draped over the sofa. The effect was lessened by his shirtlessness and sad droop of his hair, the haunted shadows in his face. Colum hadn't seen him shift position, maybe he did drift off for a moment.

He was scrutinizing him to stall turning his thoughts to the dark pit of his memory. He hesitated gazing down into it. The nothing he found gazing back at him filled him with dread. A nothing that quietly, coldly, implied something beyond comprehension and sanity.

Colum swallowed, his throat still raw. He let the pain center him. “I'm afraid I know little more than you do about our current predicament. I came to consciousness alone, several rooms away, the last thing I remember was bedding down for the night. My extensive search of the house revealed signs of a crash or a fight, the damage substantial. There were no bodies.” Colum said before Naberius could ask the obvious question. His voice lowered , sparing his aching vocal cords. “I did not find any of the other house members, alive or dead. Nor did I encounter any constructs or the first house residents. You were the only one I found.”

Naberius blanched. His fingers stilled at the frayed edges of the hole. He’d given Colum his undivided attention as soon as he mentioned signs of possible conflict. He hardly blinked through the rest of Colum’s words.

All he managed to ask, voice a whisper of air escaping tight lips, was “No one?”

Colum nodded.

Shock, loss, and bitterness played across Naberius's face, settling at last on stunned betrayal.

“They achieved lyctorhood and left us behind.” He had not spat out the words with a sneer as Colum would have expected him to. Anger hadn't won the brief war inside him.

“We can't know that for certain.”

This elicited a halfhearted, nearly petulant huff. “Uncertainty is something we have in abundance it seems.”

Colum couldn't argue against that. They had precious little else but questions and mystery.

Naberius gathered himself enough to give Colum a scrutinizing look of his own. “You're not injured?”

“No.” Another half-truth. He didn't carry any physical injuries but he couldn't say the same for his mind and soul. Uncertainties on top of uncertainties.

His blunt answer satisfied Naberius's curiosity. He turned away from studying Colum, the shadows growing on his forlorn face. The arrogance he wore draped over himself had fled again, discarded same as his bloodied Third house finery.

The Third also left something of himself in the room. Or, as Colum feared, they had both been robbed of something irreplaceable.

Either way, they emerged changed, lacking. Incomplete. And for more reasons than the absence of their necromancers.

[tkblythofficial]

Tarot card 2.0 anon here to answer your questions.

Bare in my mind my friend knows nothing about them at all, she didn't even know they were famous because she lives under a rock and doesn't catch up to movies and stuff like that.

But here are the highlights.

They were definitely meant to meet. My friend said there were meant to be in each other's lives and that they meet when one of the needed the most. She sensed that the energy of the one who'd need it most was female so I'm assuming it was R. She said that they met for a reason, they are supposed to learn from each other and to grow from there.

I didn't tell her, she knew it by the cards that both of them were in relationships. She said that R's relationship felt weird. That she got the feeling her bf didn't love her, but the cards also showed he wouldn’t let her go. She still can't make sense of it, but it's like there's something about her that J needs for some reason and that he isn't going to give up rn.

She also knew T had a partner without me telling her but she said T is comfortable with BB because he knows where she stands. She said T is afraid of having all encompassing feelings for people, and that he likes BB because they both care about each other but it's not that deep of a feeling so it doesn't scare him. She said he's afraid of being in love (actually, trully, completely in love with someone) and that has a hard time with that.

She said that something happened between him and R (no cheating or anything like that, but something deep and profund) that made him feel like she was getting too close for comfort and that scared him a lot. According to her, T was afraid because she somehow managed to reach somewhere within him that no one did and that scared him and made him back off and decide into being her friend.

She said he has some kind of attraction to her that he battles constantly. Also said that at the same time he will test waters with flirtatious behavior because while he's afraid of letting her get close, he also likes seeing that he has some kind of effect on her. He likes to see her get nervous and he likes to test his boundaries because it tells him that the unspoken attraction isn't one sided.

He's very protective of her, he hates seeing her suffer and he's constantly making sure she's OK and that she's comfortable. R sees that as him being a good friend but its about making sure she's OK for him. He's also not happy with how J doesn't seem to do that for her and feels like: if her bf doesn't do it, I'm going to because it also makes him mad and upset.

She said that R misses him a lot, misses his presence in her life constantly but they keep talking to each other a lot, almost everyday they touch base because it's hard for her to stay away completely. She said that at one point she struggled way more with her attraction, but now it's like R is acting under the guise that: it is what it is, I still love my bf and now that we don't see each other every day it'll fizzle out.

But she said that if they work together which might happen because she sees the possibility, all of this might resurface.

Thank you! My tarot card friend said the same pretty much word for word and doesn’t know a lot about them either except seeing a few interviews! I wonder if I can get her to do another follow up reading since she did her reading back in Nov…

1. My friend said that R and T were polar opposites in a lot of ways but they needed to learn from each other to find a balance! Interesting your Tarot friend said that too.

2. Yup! My friend said J was really in love with her at one point but doesn’t anymore. That he has love for her as friend but doesn’t want to be a bf anymore and also won’t let her go because he doesn’t want her to move on. My friend also said it might be because he hasn’t find anyone else yet and men tend to hold onto their gfs until a new one comes around… sad but true

3. My friend said the same thing word for word almost. T loves his girlfriend but isn’t in love with her and he’s very comfortable because he knows deep down she’s not the one. Harsh but my friend said how J feels about R is how T feels about BB. Ouch.

4. My friend said this too! She couldn’t figure it out but guessed they almost kissed and T was spooked and wanted pushed her into the friendship box immediately. She also mentioned that R wanted to bring up the moment again but T kept shutting it down and begged her to drop it until she agreed.

5. Exactly! My friend said T isn’t innocent and called him clever multiple times throughout the reading. He likes the affect he has on R so he constantly pushes boundaries.

6. Interesting. My friend mentioned that T was protective too and knew that J wasn’t going to step up so he put himself in place to look good in R’s eyes. She said that T likes that R clings to him and talks to him about her issues. Your wording here stands out to me: “but it’s about making sure she’s OK for him.” My friend mentioned that T checks up on her for selfish purposes because he wants her to have a great career and be mentally healthy so they can rise together. Like he hopes R’s OK to be with him in the future.

7. My friend said the same thing. R misses him a lot and that she cried over it at one point. She said that T didn’t think he would miss her but he does as more time passes on. She said that their feelings will fade slowly (the attraction will stay but eventually they won’t see each other for a long time)

8. My friend said all hell will break loose if they do another project together lol. Because they will be older and R would be in a better place.

[rivetgoth]

One of the most notable recent examples of why I love modern art came from seeing the piece “Privatization” by Carolyn Lazard at the Museum of Contemporary Art a few weeks ago.

This picture doesn’t capture the haphazardness of the placement. You walk into one of the gallery rooms, and there are 3 air purifiers scattered about the corners of the room, seemingly at random. This strikes you as a little odd and you kind of note it in the back of your head because it’s the only room in the museum to have air purifiers. You kinda think, “Maybe they had a ventilation problem?“ and may very well move on.

Unless you notice that there’s actually a label on the wall with a short blurb, and you see the words “MEDIUM: HEPA filter purified air,” and you realize that these air purifiers ARE an art piece.

The piece was on living with chronic illness, and it was presented in such a way in order to bring awareness to the subtleties of the things that someone who lives with chronic illness or disability has to be aware of that those who do not… do not. I was so fascinated by the way this piece made use of the gallery space to achieve this. It really effectively achieved what it set out to do: Create a piece that so casually fits into the space of the gallery as a utilitarian tool that the majority won’t even notice it, except that it’s just slightly off. The average person will NOTICE it, but they won’t pay it close attention, or question it deeply. A family member I was with didn’t even realize it was an art piece. I loved the way it existed to engage with the physical space of the art museum, the way it required an inquisitive viewer to go through this mental process of noticing, questioning, ignoring, barely even fully comprehending it, the way it demanded an investigation of its existence in order to be understood, and the way this functions as a microcosm of the life experience the artist was trying to articulate through it. It was a really neat, subtle thing to do.

I was also really intrigued by the use of completely plain, basic, unmodified air purifiers. They were frankly pretty ugly, and not in a “cool” or “punk” or “grunge” way. This was the sleek, blank, glossy white of a modern iPhone charger. It felt really sterile and impersonal, one could make an argument that on their own they made the gallery room less “pretty,” really cemented in aspects of modern aesthetics, commercial production, and industry standards that I think most people, but especially those visiting art museums, let alone making art themselves, have grown tired of, to put it lightly, and I can’t help but feel that this was also an intentional decision... Especially within the context of a name like “Privatization.”

What’s interesting is I didn’t really like this piece all that much, in terms of my own personal aesthetic preferences. I mean, in the sense that… it’s not the kind of modern art that grabs me, specifically. I understand the decision to use the industry standard air purifiers but I’m more, and I mean this fully as a personal opinion, a fan of art with a little more of a fantastical element, I suppose? As an example of what I mean—and this is NOT meant to force these two artists into conversation, just my positing a simple aesthetic comparison—is Briccs 2 by Lauren Halsey, one of my favorite pieces of modern art I’ve ever gotten to see at the MOCA, a really striking city street made of mirrors and rainbows and hand drawn graffiti, large enough to walk through like a hallway. Halsey’s works have been described as Afrofuturist urbanism. I think the dreamlike, fantastical element here really grabs me, that’s the kind of modern art that tends to really speak to me the most. I could go on about this piece because I LOVE it, but I’ll save that for another day.

But anyway, that’s not a criticism of “Privatization.” I guess I say all that specifically to emphasize that when it comes to this piece, it wasn’t that I was like, “Wow! I love this!!” It wasn’t about it speaking to the depths of my soul or even just my more shallow aesthetic eye. It was more that I was just SO impressed by how thought provoking it was and how the ideas it was centering were executed. I’ve never seen an art piece make use of its space within a museum like that before, and engage with its viewers with the knowledge of being in the physical space of a museum gallery in such a way. Angel and I probably talked more about this piece than any other during our visit that day, debating its meaning and the artist’s intentions and if it was successful or not. I think that’s really impressive. I think art that demands conversation is the best. The spatiality of the piece and the mental journey it sends its viewers on in order to provoke thought and spark conversation about the subtleties of daily life we can often take for granted was really, really neat. I love modern art.

[leam1983]

Polyamory - FAQ

I'll probably append that to the pinned post some day but for now, I'm just dumping a few tidbits here.

1. What's Polyamory?

It's the wholesome, fuzzy, wistful-sigh-triggering distant cousin to polygamy, if you're looking for a hacky and borderline-insulting comparison. Polyamory is what you get when three or more people agree to form a working system together out of love and mutual respect and support. And yes sexual attraction tends to factor between all parties involved - even if polyamory doesn't exclude aro or ace types in any way whatsoever.

In effect, it's very much like your average monogamous arrangement - except there's a third head poking out of a tee-shirt's hole, somewhere. Or a fourth. Or a fifth. In my case, it's just three of us: myself, Sarah and Walt.

2. Is it true that poly people have a Top and a Bottom?

No. We might have preferred positions in bed, but the relationship in and of itself is egalitarian. Walt leads the business we run together and he tends to run our kitchen on Friday and Saturday nights, but Sarah and I take the lead on most other weekdays. We've figured out how to conjoin our aesthetic preferences into a workable mid-point and decorate the condo accordingly.

Like in any relationship, skillsets and inclinations tend to put some of us on top of the pile for certain things. I lead for most of everything Tech-related, and Sarah is the throuple's Face, as it were. If someone needs to be put on Hold for twenty minutes so one of us renews a presciption, she's the one for it. Not out of some Prescriptivist notion, but because I'm sarcastic by nature and can't keep my mouth shut, and because Walt, despite being a Canadian Anglophone, is incapable of truly channelling that fabled Canadian Niceness that gets us out of most binds.

3. But I met this guy in the Leather scene, and-

Ah. You're referring to BDSM, which is a form of playtime between consenting adults. Having a well-contained degradation kink within the confines of an otherwise loving and fair poly space does not make you a Bottom. Bottoms do not exist outside of the exact moment of intercourse. Even then, they only feature as part of similar kinks. Bottoms. Do not. Naturally Exist. Love is love.

4. You sometimes describe Walt as being able to fake Douchebag status. Doesn't that make him top d-

Stop expressing your relationships as a hierarchy. It's toxic as fuck. Stop projecting a guesstimated hierarchy on my loved ones. It's gross. Next question.

5. Can you cheat on each other?

No, of course not. I can disappoint a partner if I leave them out of the loop for too long, but Walt, Sarah and I are currently in a healthy state that allows us to keep tabs on one another efficiently. All three of us get our daily recommended quota of affection, support, love and care. And yes, we also get in plenty of shenanigans. Great loves are always built on solid friendships first, IMHO.

6. Your boyfriend is in his sixties?! Eww!

Guess what: you'll be in your sixties too, some day, assuming no unfortunate events unfold. Walt is just a few steps ahead of me, metaphorically speaking, but we plan on getting the most out of the time we'll have together. For now, he's incontrovertibly and immutably one of us - the one who turned the couple into a throuple.

7. "Throuple"? That'll never catch on...

Not that I asked for your opinion, Random Person, but it fits our needs pretty neatly. We have the dynamics of a couple, but there's three of us. Simple and elegant.

8. Is Walt still gay?

It's irrelevant, honestly. Walt likes the both of us - that's all. He has a slight preference for me when it comes to bedroom stuff, but what began as base fondness for Sarah turned into pseudo-paternal protectiveness, then to cadging a few kisses, and to slowly figuring out what it feels like to kiss a girl when your last hetero experiences date back to when Ontario's Catholic schools were in full swing. Things more or less unfolded from there.

9. So, Walt's bi now, right?

Again, that's irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. I'll leave the Pride Flag anxiety to people who really do want to make sure they fit in their exact little niche and represent it specifically; I just fly the basic Inclusive Pride design, myself - and I like to keep things discreet. Walt carried the older Pride flag design as a lapel pin for several years, but typically disguised it as a featureless lapel button.

10. You've been poly for how long?

Including my two years spent waffling about and being unsure; about nine years. I met Sarah at my previous job, moved in with her in 2015. I also technically met Walt in 2015, but we didn't become flirtatious with each other or openly attracted to one another until 2019.

11. Did you spend a while thinking you'd gone gay?

Nope. I headed home after Walt first kissed me, gathered my wits and told Sarah. It some getting-used-to on her part, but she knew Walt as a coworker and knew he wasn't the stereotypical Gay Rake. She figured if he'd confessed to me, it had to be serious.

12. Was Walt sad that you wouldn't break up with Sarah for his sake?

Maybe, but for something like a minute or two. We'd discussed Walt earlier, and I figured there was a chance for us to either go from a couple to an at least open relationship, but I was pleasantly surprised when Sarah admitted that she also felt things for Walt.

Everything was cleared up in the span of a single conversation, over dinner.

13. None of this can last, can't it?

Of course it can't last. I'll die, Sarah's also going to croak, Walt's going to shuffle off his mortal coil - leaves fall, the seasons change, atoms shift their positions and constantly unmake and remake the Universe as we know it, quantum entanglement is this ever-changing morass none of us will ever fully tame, and-

Oh, you meant the relationship? Well, that's just none of your business now, isn't it?

[mangatxt]

20 questions for fic writers

tagged by @creativenicocorner; thanks nico!!

tagging @kreauxlighe @tomezeme @mosshook @carriecmoney and anyone else who wants to do this. no pressure!

answers under the cut

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

23

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

489k. i want that half-million by year's end.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

currently, i only write mp100 fics. my ao3 has some older fics from hq!! and a couple other fandoms I used to write for.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

i'm not gonna list them out because they're all older stuff i'm less enthusiastic about recommending now. the top four are daisuga (hq!!) fics I wrote in college, and the fifth is an inukoko fic I wrote before tokrev ended.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to keep up with them. It means a lot to me when people take time out of their day to send me their thoughts, and I've made a lot of friends from it! But I get overwhelmed and behind on it sometimes, and then I'm like... I probably shouldn't respond to this until I post a new chapter. oops.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

hands down, weekly consultation (mp100, gen, mcd).

second place goes to the one for the road (tr, kokoinu), which ends in a breakup.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

most of my fics have happy endings.

the parachute candidate (mp100, serirei) has a pretty happy ending. so do halo effect (mp100, serirei) and phototropic (mp100, gen).

but i think the happiest ending is probably the twelfth annual rising sun spiritual union holiday decoration contest (mp100, serirei), because reigen wins money instead of more time with roshuuto.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

i've been super lucky to have overwhelmingly positive reception to my fics. i didn't love all the foot commentary on that one tokrev fic, but it is what it is.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

i do. very serious smut only, like dick hanahaki and schrödinger's office smut and slow-motion trainwreck sex column

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

i wrote a short haikyuu!! x fullmetal alchemist fic for daisuga week a long time ago. that's probably the craziest one.

in medias res (mp100, gen) is the little match girl isekai, so that probably counts too. reigen literally crosses over.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not to my knowledge

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

a few offers, but i'm not sure if they were completed

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

i have been responsible for the prose output of all of my fics, but i've had a lot of help for various plots. for example, i feel that half the blame credit for bringing flora obscura into being should go to @crownorclover

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

serirei (mp100). it has two characters i adore individually, a setting with so much canonical room for shenanigans, and a lot of open-endedness to the development of the relationship that makes it fun to speculate over.

i'm still partial to kokoinu (tokrev) too. both kokoinu and serirei have that bodyguard/loyalty trope to them and are often written within a greater found family. it's good stuff.

i also like the inherent appalling messiness of reishuuto but it's not that serious

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

that novelist!hawks fic i started once. rip.

16. What are your writing strengths?

i like an off-the-wall premise, and i am incredibly committed to the bit.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

i tend to overwrite things. need to work on brevity.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

for the manga series i write for, i try to write in scanlation/fansub language for the most part. that's how i interacted with them originally, so that's how the character voices sound in my head. not everything in one language has a 1:1 translation into another.

mp100 has a lot of cultural/wordplay jokes that don't translate well into english. i have a lot of wordplay in my fics to match the tone, but i've only managed to make a wordplay joke that translates both ways once. so much respect for translators who figure out how to make that work on a regular basis.

i try to do as much research as possible to get things right, but i know i'll make mistakes. for that reason, i really appreciate people who beta read for me, who put together writing resources and other research materials, or who are kind enough to leave constructive feedback.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

pokémon.

i can't find it anymore but at one point, my 12-year-old ass wrote a fic where gym leader chuck's wife is like "chuck you spend all your time with the waterfall. i want a divorce." laksjdlkasj

i'd totally write it again.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

the parachute candidate.

(i think i'll like sage advice a lot more when i finish it)

[yamisnuffles]

twenty questions for fic writers

Tagged by my best gal @feralkwe

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 46. I have a lot of fic that just lives on Tumblr or that was on older fic sites, so that's not really indicative of my total fic amount lol.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 338,924. Again, A LOT of one shots and stuff elsewhere.

3. What fandoms do you write for? On AO3, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, FFXIV, Skyrim, Good Omens, One Piece, and Star Wars

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Blitzed (GO 1941 smut and my first smut ever lol), The Altus Inquisitor (DAI AU, pretty much as it says on the tin), Get Closer To Me (GO S1 night at Crowley's place fic), Heartbeats (a series of one shots for a One Piece Corazon lives AU), and The Ecstasy of Anthony J Crowley (GO divinity kink smut fic)

5. Do you respond to comments? I try to! I didn't always but I'm trying to get better about that because I really appreciate each and every comment.

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Uuuuuh, might be For Want of Words? It's GO post S2 and not fix it so it is not happy lol. Possibly Wicked White, which ends as Shadowbringers ends and thus isn't the happiest place for a WoL/Emet fic lol. Otherwise, they're series and neither finished but my Law as the new Corazon AU series was just bummers all the way down and, ironically, Too Much of a Good Thing gets progressively less... optimistic. Lots of sad smut and series I guess.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? If I resist making a smut joke, Just For Two is one of the fluffiest things I've ever written. Pure GO S1 fluff fic written for the fun of it.

8. Do you get hate on fics? Not really? I got an... indirectly cruel comment one time on something but people are generally very nice on the fics themselves.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Yes. The Good Omens kind lmao. I mean, I've branched out but it was the first fandom I wrote smut for and continues to be the one that gets the most. It hovers between that M and E rating for good reason. Very feelsy and in the case of GO, I love some religious symbolism lol. I like to weave it into longer works but I also happily write one shots (or try, sometimes it takes a few chapters to get to my one shot plans).

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? I don't think I've ever written a crossover. I've done crossover art but I tend to stay within a fandom for fic.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I'm aware of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Again... I don't think so?

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Yes! I used to write with my best friend a lot in high school and I adored it. It's one of the things I miss most about that friendship and, in general, something I miss doing.

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship? Do I even have to say? Aziraphale/Crowley own my soul. That said, I do have the softest of soft spots for my Trev/Dorian and Shakarian. Also, Justice/Anders/Hawke because it burns with the added power of spite.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? Ahahaha... *sweats nervously.* So many. I am determined to finish the Altus Inquisitor but it's hard to get my heart back into DA with good reason. I'd love to continue my various OP series but I doubt I ever will for a few reasons.

16. What are your writing strengths? Characterization. I work really hard on it. I obsess over it. There is nothing I think of more in any fandom than characterization lol. I'd also like to think I'm good with emotion and description.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Finishing anything ever. I'm a whimsical creature and if I'm not into something at the moment, it's really hard to get myself to focus on things. I also feel like a monkey with a typewriter any time I'm trying to write smut, but I think that's just the nature of the beast.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? I am really bad with languages so I try to just avoid it.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Jurassic Park! As a wee bab I wrote about a raptor ripping someone open and eating them lmao.

20. Favorite fic you’ve ever written? Oh man, oh man, this is actually really hard for me. There are a lot of things I've written that I'm fond of for different reasons. I adore my AUs because I put so much of my soul into them to make them feel authentic. Various fics for various fandoms hit hard for different reasons. If I absolutely HAD TO choose, I'd say either The Altus Inquisitor, because Lucien is my baby and I genuinely enjoy rereading it, or Dig Down from my GO AU, which I feel like is just a strong short fic and best sums up that whole series. Both are hard to recommend though because one is chronically unfinished (I am trying!) and the other is smack dab in the middle of a series.

I tag anyone who wants to do this because I am too tired to think rn. Go forth with my blessing

[boyslit]

Hyacinth

Redid her hair and added color and detail and filled out much of her character template so I feel more confident sharing :3

Name: Hyacinth

Rarity: 5★

Pronouns: She/They

Species: Long-life human

Title: Flower of the Fanghu

Path: Preservation

Element: Wind

Combat Type: Shields/Retaliation

Faction: Xianzhou Alliance

Introduction: As the architect and keeper of the gardens aboard the Xianzhou Fanghu, Hyacinth is a steadfast caretaker, a landscaper with a keen eye for beauty and symmetry, and a truly gentle soul. It's said that even thorny and poisonous plants take care not to harm her while she tends to them.

— Ability

Basic ATK - Necessary Restraint - Directs roots below the enemy to grow upwards and crush them into the dirt for X% of ATK.

Skill - Silk Hiding Steel - Unleashes a fierce gust of wind, turning normally soft, harmless petals into razors to strike the enemy. Does x% dmg/ATK and causes Bleed for 1 turn.

Ultimate - Fortress of Thorns - Obedient thorns grow up around the party, shielding them from harm and doing damage to the enemy when a shielded ally is attacked. Shields x% of Hyacinth's (def?hp?) for 2 turns and enemies take 45% dmg when attacking a shielded ally. Enemies receiving damage from Thorn Fortress have an additional 30% base chance to acquire Bleed for 1 turn.

Talent - Thousandfold Blossom - When an ally's health drops below 40%, Hyacinth shields them with a temporary wall of blooming plant life for two turns ( that also heals a small amount of health. - Eidolon addition)

Technique - Sanctuary - Creates an area of effect and enemies caught within the area are ensnared by thorny vines, taking damage and being afflicted with Bleed for 1 turn at the start of the battle.

— Eidolons

1. Morning Mist - Increases Hyacinth's Energy Regen Rate by 6%

2. A Time For Growth - Shields applied by Thousandfold Blossom restore a small amount of health to shielded ally as long as the shield lasts.

3. Hardy Cultivar - Increases Hyacinth's base def by 12%

4. Careful Pruning - +2 to skill and basic

5. Shears of Justice - Extends duration of Bleed applied by skills by 1 turn.

6. Steadfast Protector - +2 to ult and technique

— Character Lines

First Meeting: It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Hyacinth, Architect of Gardens upon the Fanghu. If you've come for a tour of our many beautiful gardens, I can arrange one of our best guides to lead you.

Greeting: It's good to see you again. I was about to take my breakfast in the Five-Corner Garden. Would you care to join me? The mist over the ponds and the unfurling morning blossoms are exquisite at this hour. We might even see some water-skating insects if we're lucky.

Parting: Oh, dear… it's quite late, isn't it? Time seems to fly at your side. (giggle) Don't worry. Plants do not rush to grow, nor should we. We will meet again soon, I promise.

About Self - [Gardens]: Most of the gardens you see aboard the Fanghu were designed by my hand. When I was younger, and there were fewer areas in need of my care, I tended everything by hand. These days I need a fleet of assistants to keep every garden flourishing.

About Self - [Lifetime]: I'm quite glad to be a long-life species. Imagine if I had to reincarnate every several hundred years, and someone else took over managing my gardens meanwhile? (shudder) … it simply doesn't bear thinking about.

Chat - [Flowers]: Are you familiar with night-blooming toad flower? No? It's a fascinating sight. If you're free some evening, I'll gladly accompany you to view it.

Hobbies: Do I do things besides gardening? Well, of course! One must have a balanced schedule, after all. I enjoy a bit of painting when I have the time. My watercolor technique leaves much to be desired, but it's a relaxing hobby nonetheless.

Annoyances: (quietly) They want how many wirebloom stems for the festival? I've told him time and time again those are in extremely limited quality because they only bloom every five years! … (clears throat) I'm very sorry, I didn't see you there. Can I help you with anything?

Something to Share: I know there's a rumor that the plants themselves refuse to harm me, but the truth is I simply have several hundred years' experience with handling them. That, and very high-quality gardening gloves.

Knowledge: There are over seventy species of trees aboard the Fanghu, alongside 47 species of shrubs, 168 species of flowers, ten types of vining plants, and 56 varieties of crops. There are, however, still some species of fruiting vines I've yet to get my hands on that will flourish well alongside our current crops.

About [Sushang]: Sushang… Ah, yes, the Cloud Knight girl. I know her parents better than she, but I do recall seeing her chase butterflies around the Mirror Pond Garden as a child. She seemed a sweet girl.

About [Luocha]: When I see him in the market, he's usually found a new plant or seeds to offer me. Now, often they aren't compatible with the ecosystem here, but I'm flattered he remembers to set something aside for me with so many other, better-paying customers around.

— Combat Lines

Battle Begins - Weakness Break: Stay your advance.

Battle Begins - Danger Alert: On your guard!

Turn Begins I: It is time to prune the rot.

Turn Begins II: Root and Vine, heed my call.

Turn Idling: (humming peacefully)

Basic ATK: Hmph! Not another step!

Skill: You should have run when I gave you the chance.

Hit by Light Attack: No matter… it will heal.

Hit by Heavy Attack: Ugh!

Ultimate: Activate: I believe that's quite enough. (2x: That's quite enough.)

Ultimate: Unleash: It is time to taste the nectar of retribution! (2x: Taste the nectar of retribution!)

Talent: I will not let you fall!

Downed: (weakly) To the soil I return…

Return to Battle: You will not get the best of me again.

Health Recovery: Thank you, my dear.

Technique: These grounds are off-limits to your kind.

Battle Won: Thank goodness… is everyone alright?

Treasure Opening: My, what a lovely selection… are you… sure it's alright to take these?

Successful Puzzle-Solving: (delighted chuckle) Child's play.

Enemy Target Found: Hmm, an invasive pest.

Returning to Town: Ahh… I could do with a cup of tea underneath my favorite wisteria tree.

[possession1981-moving]

hiya aléks !!!!! I would loveee to know your top 5 favorite skincare products <3

omg yayyy hi jade!!! so happy you sent this because i have recently restructured my skincare routine and i have some great new faves because of this 💞 bear in mind as i list my faves that i have dry and dehydrated, very reactive/sensitive skin that is acne prone and with mild rosacea so my product choices are always going to be concerned with reducing inflammation and soothing and just packing hydration lol, but a lot of the products i love are useful for many different types of skin in different routines!

hypochlorous acid!!! i have been wanting to try one for years because the benefits people tend to see are so remarkable, and indeed as soon as i started using it in my evening routine i instantly had reduced acneic activity and my skin has been much less reactive recently. i don’t think the brand really matters but i use one from clinisoothe simply because it’s the only one available in sweden.

illiyoon ceramide ato concentrate cream. this is the essential moisturizer for me honestly i’ve been using it for years now and it is such an incredible product to me. i use it year round morning and night (although recently i’ve been trying another moisturizer in the morning with good results) and it just. works. protective, restorative and ACTUALLY deeply moisturizing. for other skin types i imagine it’d be too much in the am especially but then i’d still recommend it for a night cream tbh since it doesn’t have a greasy finish or anything.

cosrx propolis toner. have used this for years as well and it’s served me so fucking well by being both deeply hydrating and incredibly soothing. i’ve recently been trying out new toners as well but i definitely am still of the opinion that the propolis is the best one i have used so far.

isntree yam root cleanser. i’ve never before really used a cleanser that i found both effective and soothing and even slightly moisturizing. i’ve had to settle for years with cleansers saying they’re for dry skin but that still leave my skin feel stripped. however this one is remarkable, i have truly no notes i love it so much.

skin 1004 hyalu-cica water-fit sun serum is hands down the most incredible sunscreen i’ve ever used. i recently switched to it from the beauty of joseon rice sunscreen i’ve been using for like two years now because that one has gotten so pricey, and they do have the same base formula so i was confident i’d enjoy the 1004. however, while boj is particular efficient at delivering a LOT of dewyness to my skin, the 1004 reaches not quite that same level but is still very much dewy enough for me AND it is also just insanely soothing. i fucked up my barrier through a product reaction in february and had been struggling for 2 months to get back to normal and one thing that kept lingering was the stinging sensation after applying sunscreen. however, when i switched to the skin 1004 spf literally within 2 days the issue was gone. like magic.

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[lottiestudying]

Hey! Hope you're doing well. So I have 10 subjects of different kinds in my syllabus including math, science, social studies, and 4 different languages. This is my final year in high school and I'm not sure how to space it all out. Can you give me a brief idea of how to create and effective timetable?

Thank you. Take care.

Oh wow that’s a lot to manage. Burnout is going to be your biggest thing to avoid, so first thing is to take care of yourself, have supports in place (family, self care, whatever you need), and obviously sleep etc.

I guess the easy answer is quality vs quantity. Don’t strive for more hours, be effective with what you have. Prioritise (what’s due first, what’s hardest to do/will take the most time/is worth the most grade) time management. Keep a solid planner, possibly a 365 page daily planner, so you can really break down your day and make use of time effectively. Try and see and link how your subjects help each other as well, so you can revise and work on perhaps multiple at once (perhaps this may work for languages, if they’re from a similar background, like all romances languages tend to have similar vocabulary. It may help you learn faster because you can identity differences and similarities between content. In addition, take really good quality notes the first time, so you don’t have to rewrite them. Pick revision methods that maximise retention and such, so you don’t need to re-learn content as frequently.

My summary tips would be-

1) Daily planner. Can be chunky, but you’ll need the space

2) Prioritise

3) Block out time, and rotate the subjects you study so you cover everything. Maybe split your subjects in half by content (languages one night, others the next, for example, or whatever combination makes sense to you) and rotate. And rotate within that, so 30 minutes on x, another 30 minutes something else, repeat. Take breaks every 3rd or 4th half hour (pomodoro technique. You can set the time to your preference of course).

4). Use your weekends wisely. Definitely take rest, but also use them productively too. Balance

5). Use your teachers and ask for help immediately. Don’t let it stack up. Follow up for more feedback, ask for support, whatever you need.

6). Look after yourself! Be forgiving.

I hope this is somewhat useful, it’s been a while since I was in high school. There’s lots of study tips content on YouTube specifically for high school too, I’d suggest looking around there 🤍 Good luck, all the best