#or go to arenal early and catch some live music

[dreamings-free]

.

[holykillercake]

One Year

pairing: Zoro x Reader

word count: 2k

summary: No summary this time. I´ll just say this ¨Bartholomew Kuma and Sabaody¨. Read at your own risk. Seriously, ¨KUMA AND SABAODY¨, do you understand?

highlight: ¨Everyone did their best, but no one could have done better.¨

warnings: angst with happy ending; Sabaody Archipelago spoilers (?)

notes: Hey guys! This was a request from @roronoatrash​ in which ¨Zoro who has 0 sense of direction seemed to always find his way back to is s/o, and his s/o only.¨. I really hope you like it!💚 This is also the first time I write a Devil Fruit user, so I'm considering a sequel to develop the character and add more humor.

𝕷𝖊𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖘, 𝖗𝖊𝖖𝖚𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖘, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊!

It was a cloudy and melancholic day in the New World. The men on board were leisurely enjoying their afternoon; some drinking, some napping, some eating. The air was humid and cold, and the tides were strangely calm. No one seemed to care. After all, that was the New World. 

¨Boss!¨ the lookout shouted from the crow's nest ¨Something is falling from the sky! It´s going to land on deck!¨

All men tilted their heads to look at the sky, watching a tiny black spot become bigger and more recognizable.

¨Is that what I think it is?¨ the captain asked himself, not believing his eyes.

¨Boss, is that a girl?¨

¨Yep, I think so.¨

They stood still watching what they suspected was a girl fall from the skies. The red-haired took a quick glimpse at his first-mate and officers, and since no one moved, he felt safe to assume that that was not a threat. Mainly because whatever was falling towards the ship looked dead already. 

The body fell through the main deck and went straight to the lower level of the ship. The captain and his officers stood around the hole on the wooden floor, observing the unconscious and injured body of a girl. 

¨I´ve seen some crazy things rain around here... but this is new.¨ he spoke.

They were ready to have someone dispose of the dead body when the girl opened her eyes, putting herself on her shaky legs. Blood dripped from her eyebrows and nose, and she had bruises all over. Her eyes wandered around as if she was looking for something.

¨Z-Zoro...¨ she spoke when her teary eyes met the captain´s ¨I-I need to find Zoro.¨ 

That was all she said before falling on her knees and collapsing. 

                                                             </>

Almost a year has passed since the tragedy in Sabaody Archipelago. A year passed since you were defeated in the fight against the marine force. Your gashes closed, and your bruises healed, but there was a wound that would not go away, even after one year. 

So much had happened since that day. Luffy had broken into Impel Down, fought in the Paramount War, and lost his brother, Ace. A few days later you received the hidden message he had left you, saying that you were no longer going to meet in Sabaody in three days but in two years.

It took you a while to understand the situation you and the rest of the Strawhats were in, and it took you even more to let go of your selfishness and trust them. The guilt for not being strong enough to protect yourself and your comrades ate you alive during the first weeks, but then you considered how they must be feeling too. No one could have done better. 

Everyone did their best, but no one could have done better. 

For one year, whenever a News Coo flew by to deliver a newspaper, you would run and grab it before anyone did, hoping to see another message from your friends. But the status of your captain was the only one you knew so far. You knew he was training with Rayleigh-san, and this whole two years thing should have been his idea. 

When Bartholomeu Kuma used his Devil Fruit powers on you, you ended up landing on the ship of the Red Hair Pirates. They would always tell you how you rained on their Red Force and broke the deck floor. They said you were looking for someone, and during your stay in the infirmary, you would always call for the same person. 

For months nightmares had you waking up in the middle of the night panting and crying. The same one, torturing you in an infinite and merciless loop. 

Every detail, color, and noise. Everything was so precise and clear in your head. 

When he fought still injured from the last encounter with the Shichibukai; when he stood up and faced the Warlord fearlessly. Even with the damages caused by Kizaru and the Pacifistas, he stood up. 

And maybe your eyes fooled you, maybe your exhausted body played a sick trick on you because he was there until he wasn´t.

 Right in front of your eyes.

 His cropped green hair and tanned skin, the vibrant red and white striped shirt, the scar across his chest, the haramaki, and the swords. Gone, simple as that. 

But after all the training that you had with the Red Hair Pirates, you seemed more in peace with yourself. After one year, the nightmares would bother you only every once in a while. You were not prepared for the New World before, maybe still aren´t, but you will get there. 

And they made everything easier. It was no mystery why Luffy liked them so much. Whenever you were not engaged in a fight or some other Emperor crap, those guys were incredibly light-spirited. And the moment they realized you were part of Luffy´s crew they treated your wounds and welcomed you onboard. 

Shanks agreed to have his men training you, but he made very clear that no one would babysit you, so it was ¨keep up or keep out.¨. You spent most of your time with Yassop, Benn, or Roux, for they were the best in the abilities you exercised. 

Inside the Strawhats you were a stealth agent, mostly because of your Devil Fruit, the Nagi Nagi no Mi, once possessed by a Marine Commander. Another Supernova, the Surgeon of Death Trafalgar Law had told you that before shit broke in Sabaody. 

You used that combined with your fighting skills to breach the enemy´s first line of defense before they saw you coming. Usually, Usopp would assist you with the sniper training, trade he ¨learned from a friend¨, Sogeking. 

His father was an extraordinary sniper, and he used the same kind of firearms as you, differently than Usopp´s slingshot. Benn´s combat skills were remarkable, and Roux was exceptionally fast for a man his size. You haven´t had a lot of opportunities to fight the Red Hair himself, though you had a strong will, his Haki was something you have never seen before. 

¨We´re going to a bar, kid. You´re coming?¨ Benn asked you with his cigarette on his lips. 

You pondered a little over his invitation but decided to decline it. ¨Thanks, Benn, but I´m keeping a low profile tonight.¨ He nodded and smiled, turning to follow his crewmates ¨Don´t drink too much, we have training tomorrow!¨ 

The first mate laughed shortly and spoke without looking at you ¨Roger that, kid.¨ 

You walked the opposite way, wandering between the vegetables and gimmicks tents, feeling the kind sunset kiss your skin. There was some music playing, kids running around with ice cream in their hands, laughing loudly and happily. Marketers were announcing their prices, housewives were thinking about delicious recipes to prepare for their families, and couples would sit together around the font, swearing love to each other.

Every day was like that. The citizens would wish their neighbors ¨good morning¨ from their windows; bakers would open the doors early, letting the delightful smell of fresh bread wake up those who slept in.  

How could you, in the middle of all that happiness, feel so sad and lost?

You sighed and made a route change. Maybe you needed a little bit of booze. 

The island where Shanks had decided to dock was in the Grand Line, a place where they were known and welcomed. So you knew where they were, and it would be a short walk to get there.

¨Y/N?¨ 

You turned automatically, thinking that a crew member had gotten lost and was looking for his captain - or boss, how he likes to be called.

 But when you saw the man standing in front of you, everything stopped. The music, the kids, and the love promises. 

At some point, you started to cry and hyperventilate, believing you were in another nightmare, and you would have to go through that day all over again. Your lover carried pain in his eyes as well, like his fears were the same as yours. 

Those minutes you stared at each other felt like hours while you kept every detail of him in your memory. His hair was slightly longer, and his complexion was paler, even with the sunset painting his skin. 

¨Z-Zoro...¨ you whispered shakily.

He gave a step forward ¨Y/N... it´s you...¨ 

You ran in his direction as soon as your name fell out of his mouth. Your arms embraced his neck, and your legs gave up when he held you tight against his body, whispering comforting words as you broke into tears. 

¨I...¨ nothing but sobs came out.

¨I know... me too.¨ he fondled your hair and hid his face in the curve of your neck. And there stood the both of you, not wanting to let the other go. 

                                                          </>

¨How did you know I was here?¨ you asked and he blushed a little.

¨I didn´t... I had to buy stuff for the castle, and I got lost.¨ a loud laugh came out of your mouth. It was so obvious, how didn´t you guess that?

¨They didn´t give you a log pose?¨

¨They did, but I took a nap and when I woke up, I was here.¨

You spent the rest of the day cuddling on the beach sand. Zoro was laying on his back, and you were resting on his chest. You had one year worth of conversation to catch up on, and neither of you rushed to do so. He told you about Mihawk, the creepy island in which the only native habitants were copycat human drills, the boat he destroyed, and even how he begged the Warlord to train him.

The sun had started to hide behind the sea, and the warm sand was cooling down. The sound of the waves crashing on the shore together with the salty breeze made you question if you had died at some point, and that was heaven.

¨You´re paler.¨ he chuckled.

¨It´s not very sunny where I´m living.¨ 

¨Hm...¨ you hummed ¨And how long did you take to figure out Luffy´s message?¨ 

¨Oh...¨ he thought for a second ¨ I knew right away.¨ you giggled and doodled on his chest with your finger. 

You felt his chest go up and down as he let out a sigh. 

¨I missed you, Y/N.¨ he hugged you tighter. 

¨I missed you too.¨ you stayed in silence for a few minutes ¨Anyway, when are you setting sail again?¨ You asked him softly, and he tensed up. ¨I know... ¨ your lips began to tremble ¨ I don´t want to go either, but what happened in Sabaody... I don´t want that to happen ever again.¨ you bit your lip as tears started to roll on your cheeks. 

He wiped the tears with his fingers and pulled you closer. None of you wanted to part ways again, but not only those were your captain´s order that was your future. If something like that happens again in the New World, a two-year separation would be the best scenario possible. 

¨It won´t. I promise.¨

When the night came, you decided to stay on the beach and talked until you fell asleep under the stars. The best sleep you´ve had in a long time. No nightmares, no agony, and no pain. Just the warmth and peace you missed so much.

On the following morning, you helped him get the provisions for Mihawk´s castle. You toured around the city holding hands and joking, kinda like the couples sitting by the font, enjoying every second you had before he left. 

If he didn´t get lost trying to go back to Kuraigana Island, it would be a quick trip. You assisted him with the bags and walked him to his boat. Your heart ached to say goodbye to him, but you had to. The circumstances were bigger than the two of you.

¨I love you, Zoro.¨ you hugged him and tried not to cry again.

¨I love you more, Y/N.¨

¨Careful with the naps, ok?¨ he chuckled and nodded ¨One year. We´ll meet again in one year.¨ 

¨Wait for me. I´ll go get you, and we´ll return to Sabaody together.¨ 

¨But how will you know where I will be?¨

¨It doesn´t matter where you´ll be. I´ll always find you.¨

[threadbond]

Mun as Operator Isekai Style!:

(Going to put this under keep reading since it’s super long. I did this once before, but now that I know a bit more about the game I can finally write it the way I am more comfortable with. Also I added some more answers, since I have no self control of my actions.)

Repost don’t Reblog!

You get sent to the Arknights Universe Isekai style! So how well do you think things would go for you in this Post-Apocalyptic  Quirky Fun World?

01. Basics

What Race are you?: Perro since I am a doggo. (Would be a Chow Chow)

Where do start from?: Probs Bolívar

Do you have Oripathy?: Maybe not due to dumb luck alone.

What Abilities, Skills, Powers, etc do you have? (Sorry will update this part later. Just want to post it already.)

weapon(s): My fist to punch/take things. type of arts:  S1L1: [Auto]  S2L1: [Manual]  S3L1: [Manual]   trait 2:  base talent:   base talent 2:   class: Defender tags:  strength:     mobility:   phys resistance:  tactical acumen:  combat skill:  arts assimilation: 

How do you survive?

Gambling. With what ever money I could get my hands on I would use it to try to get more all while limiting myself. Might also get some people who might want my lady luck, when I would ask for my time to be payed with some of what ever they win after all.

Do you seek out a Faction, or try to join Reunion or Rhodes Island?

I’d join Rhode Island since it would help me out in the long run. Aka giving me a place to stay, and able to have a bed of my own.

02. Interpersonal

Who you do (HOPEFULLY) run into first?:

Nightingale, Specter, Shining, or Pramanix (It’s not a Isekai if the male character from a different world is not meeting a mysterious looking woman. Then it leading it to them fighting and hoping they do not die.)

Who do you think you’d be best friends with?: All the robot starters, and I will act like those sweet a little kid looking up something on goggle and thanking it for the answer I was looking for. Man I love these robots they are great. Manticore since she is a very sweet person, and man she needs a friend. I wouldn’t be able to feel right not saying hi to her or spending time with her as a whole. Sure she would be invisible, but I would still chill with her. Next would be Ethan. I would bug the hell out of this man, and be that clingy friend just so he could get it that I will make him food, listen to him talk for days, and do crimes with him. And no one will stop me. The last on the list will be Matterhorn and Hung. I can see us bonding over cooking, and us teaching each other new things to cook when we have time or need a quick meal to make for people or ourselves.

Who would you most likely get into conflict with?:

-groans- I don’t like to think of this since it’s a sad topic to think about. But if I have to pick, then I can see two I would more then likely get into conflict with, with out meaning to. First is Orchid. I can see us meeting with me giving her a bad introduction of me as a person, and would avoid me because of it. I try to fix it, but she doesn’t have no time for me, when she is a busy woman who has her hands full looking after her own group.  The second is Flamebringer. He would hear my record of sparring with lot of operators, and would want me to pick him for that day. But every time that happens something will be destroyed. So we will have to pay with it using our own credit. Doesn’t even matter if I or he broke something we fought with no limits and didn’t think about it until it was too late. And it will get so bad I would have to avoid him, since I would need my credit to gamble with after all...

Who would be a (HOPEFUL) love -interest for you?:

my thoughts changed from my original list so this one will be different. Also gonna limit myself to answering only 3 operators I can see me getting with or trying to get with in one way or another. But my 4-6 is Matterhorn, Sesa, and Chiave. I like these three so much that even if it doesn’t work out I would like to be there friends. Now on the real ones. 1.) Ethan. Okay listen I tried very hard not to like him, but the more I knew about him, and played him in game was making me fall for the lizard by the day. It was like being smacked by his tail be knocking out from one swat of it. I like his fashion. I mean have you seen his second anniversary outfit? HOT DAMN! I would be low key jelly around him because of it. Plus I think it would be cute if he asks me to make him something at 3 in the morning, and I will do it no matter how tired I might be. Not only that he has a feel that he would be easy to talk to, and be around as a person, ya know? I love this lizard too much. I am not sorry. 2.) Going to be shallow for the last two, but number two would be Jaye. I like cute guy’s with fluffy hair, and scars on there body. Dated a guy with scars on his legs. They where sexy what can I say. Now back on topic I would hang out with him to tell him about the dishes I know how to make while helping him out with his cooking hobby, would be down to help him fish no matter how cold it is or how early I have to wake up. Not only that I would feed him my dad’s skillet flounder dish and see him melt from the flavor alone. So yeah, I like the cute panda man who makes sushi. So sue me. 3.) The third one was a hard one to pick but I would go with Arene. Idk why I like guys who are fashionable, twinks, with great hair, but with those two being easy to talk to or hang out with, Arene would be so hard to really figure out. I like a challenge so I would go for it! Plus his voice reminds me of a gentle summer breeze, and i would be attracted to that. Anyways, I can see us finally talking is when he kicks my ass with us sparring, and I say something with out thinking about it form my world being a well known tactic, and he would want to know more, since he likes to learn things like that. So I would teach him everything I know, and even some weapon facts I know. I can see when I run out of facts I will just use things I use from media to fight, him not wanting to hear none of it will leave, and me fighting him until he dose listen. He is gonna learn something, and i will be damned if he doesn’t. Not only that he is a bit of a trickster, and damn I like guys like that too. I have a type what can I say. To end this I looked up there birthdays and I like a Aquarius, and two Virgos. As a Gemini wtf is wrong with me? It will never work out. Man if that isn’t prove I am not ready to date, then idk what is. XD

Who would you be rivals with?:

To be honest I have no idea. I guess who ever says I am there rival? So first comes first served.

What is your dream (un)wanted harem?:

To be a baker and to be the best man I can be. I could go into detail, but I already wrote lots as it is.

03. Direction What do you do?: Try not to die and rely on my luck like the dumbass that I am! As well as make as many friendships and bonds as I can to help me later down the road. 04.Extra

What Food would you more the likely eat the most of in this new world?: (Here is a link of some of the foods from the game.) Potato and bread. I know I can eat something similar to meat, but nah. Give me bread! What would you do late at night at the base?: I would do two things. Read the lore of the new world if it comes in English. If not I am screwed let’s be honest. Unless I have Isekai  powers to read there language, then that’s good. No problem there. And two I would make late night snacks for people. If I get caught i will just run away. Can’t get in trouble if they can’t catch you after all. Not even gonna rat out who was hungry that night. My lips are sealed.  Do you talk about being from another world with people or would you be secretive about it? I would spill all the jam of being from another world. Not even going to hide it. And if people see me as crazy oh well. I’ll live. Who would ask about your world in the Rhodes Island? What would happen because of it?: I can see the doctor asking a lot of questions about it, since it’s the doctor, and that bound would be them understanding me a bit more, and forgiving me for not knowing certain things about there world. As well as me asking questions to them before hand to be sure I don’t do anything stupid. But if we are talking about a operator, then it would more then likely be who ever my main friend is, and me telling them stories of my life, and it resulting in them wanting to know how something looks or asking me some questions I might not be able to answer fully. Who do you think would not believe you are from a different world? What would there reaction or actions be from this? I know the one who would not believe me would be Kal'tsit. I can just picture me saying, “In my world we didn’t have anthropomorphic animal people. We where connected to Homo sapiens.” And her thinking I am in the same situation as the doctor and lost my memories. She would say I was crazy but oddly enough I can see her not going to that conclusion, since it would be too simple of a answer.  So she would check up on me to see how I am doing because of me answering her question of my world. If you could be able to bring one thing from your world, then what would it be? Also it has to be something you own so pick wisely: My laptop with my music on it. I will die with out it, and I can just earn credit to get headphones so no problem with operator’s not knowing my trash taste in music.  Examples:  What horrible thing would you do by mistake with out knowing the effects, until it’s too late at the base? It wouldn’t be a mistake. Everyone will know the powers of memes....But real answer is me making sweets for the kid operators every Friday. Nothing bad so far, but I can see some operators wanting some of the desserts as well, and it getting so bad the doctor has to be involved. No one ate sweets that day... Would you have a Codename or would you just use your normal name?: I wouldn’t use my name, and would like to be named jawbreaker after the 1999 movie, cause I like movies, and will still reference them, since I am a dork. What would your dialog lines be in game?: “Let’s us be in the eternal twilight...“ “I don’t count cards I’m too dumb to know how! It’s luck! LUCK!“ “Doctor you seem to have woken up early today. Want me to cook you some breakfast?“ How would the other operators describe you? In the limit of 5 traits: Serious, gambler, sleepy, reliable, and hard to read. Lastly how do you want to end this? Any final words?: I will end it with just a gif of the FC I am using.

Tagged By: Took it. Tagging: Anyone who wants to do this.

[hotspotsmagazine]

Smokin’ and Unfiltered: Toni Braxton Talks New Album

When you have seven Grammys and an iconic voice that can drop to ocean depths, it’s your God-given right to also have a no-wings-in-my-dressing-room policy. This is Toni Braxton in 2018, still decrying the existence of pungent food in her midst before a concert. But sex? Cigars? Alkaline water? Unbreak Ms. Braxton’s heart with any of the above.

While talking up her first solo album in eight years, Sex & Cigarettes, the 50-year-old R&B diva was in tell-all mode, whether the topic of discussion was the current generation’s outspoken female artists, the Mariah and Janet duets that might’ve been (thanks a lot, bankruptcy and babies!), or the secret — hint: nose job — behind hitting those famous notes.

That album cover, Toni. You’re on fire.

Thank you. I feel good about it. You know, I was hungry while I was doing that. That was a little hard. But I love the album cover. I thought [photographer and director] Randee St Nicholas’s choice of lighting was really superb.

How would you describe your mood there?

It’s self-explanatory with that title: I’m feeling like sex and cigarettes. I feel sexy, like I need a puff afterwards.

You puff?

I smoke cigars once or twice a year. Every year for my birthday I do, and sometimes around the holidays. Smoking is not my friend, with lupus and all, but you have to have a vice or two. A nice stogie, something I can chew. Something really hardy.

You’re known for the deep end of your range, so a few puffs can’t hurt.

My voice is naturally smoky. But when I do the cigars, it’s for my birthday, and I try not to work on my birthday. If I do [work], after my show I do a little puff-puff. Not a puff-puff-pass!

Some commenters on social media aren’t keen on what you’re wearing on the album cover. One wrote, “We as older women have to set an example for younger women.”

Oh, that’s cute. It doesn’t really bother me. I think if you look good, you can wear it. Any age. For me, personally, I don’t wear midriffs. I think I’m too old to wear midriffs. To each his own. It’s just me, my body shape, I’m sure. But I work hard on my body — not just because I’m older, because I like to be in great health. And it’s OK for people to have their opinion. I have my opinion, too, on things that I probably shouldn’t. But I would never post it.

Can you talk about the pressure on you and other women to dress and look a certain way? Have those industry expectations changed with age?

Gosh, you know, I feel forever 25. It’s kind of weird. Parts of me are 25. Probably. [Laughs.] I feel good about myself. In this industry, I would be disappointed if women [tried to tell other women how to dress]. I mean, guys don’t know, but women — we should embrace each other. I look at Madonna; she’s still doing it, and Madonna’s almost 60. Who cares? Or look at me, Janet [Jackson] or Halle Berry. We’re all in the same group. So, I think it’s all about how you feel about yourself. I like that now people look younger than their age. I think that people today really see people; they’re thinking [about] age less and aren’t thinking numbers. Numbers, to me, just determine how long you’ve been on the Earth. But I’m OK with it. The women’s movement, to me, is great. I’m excited about that part.

Yeah?

I’m really excited about that because my generation in the ’90s, when I peaked, when my career was at its height, we were taught to be a little aloof. You had to be mysterious. The younger generation, which I love, they’re my favorite because they speak as loud as they want. They’re like, “We will not be missed.” Rihanna, she’s my favorite. I just love that about the new generation. It’s just nice to live your life out loud.

How are the #MeToo stories resonating with you?

I think it’s good, I think it’s about time. It doesn’t only affect women, though. I mean, I’ve heard guys who’ve been in situations where they can say “me too,” but guys feel like they can’t say it. I like that people are [now] able to speak out about things that have happened to them, like, “We’re not having it anymore.” But as a woman, I’m proud of my species.

Do you have a #MeToo story?

I don’t have a #MeToo story, thank goodness. I have close friends who have stories. Most of them have chosen not to talk about it because they have kids, and they’re like, “It’s behind me, but it happened to me too.” But I’m very lucky that I don’t have any stories like that.

Going back to the elusiveness of ’90s artists: Did that stop you from being yourself?

Early on I was allowed to be myself and express myself through fashion. I always kind of pushed the envelope on my sexuality. I think it’s definitely different rules for women, compared to rules for guys. And we had to ride the wave a little bit, the women of our generation; if we said anything, we were being a bitch. Of course now it’s just a term of endearment: “That bitch is hot.” And even now the word “diva” is coming back in style, and it’s OK to be a diva. It’s a great moment to be a girl.

Are you a diva?

Oh, all of us are sometimes, absolutely.

What are you most diva-ish about?

I am very, very particular about my [set up] when I go on stage. I don’t like having to adjust my mic when I start performing. I think it’s tacky. Instead of starting off singing, you gotta adjust your mic because they think you’re 5′6″. I’m 5′1″ and three-fourths. You would think my people would know that, but sometimes they forget.

That doesn’t seem like too much to ask. It’s not like you’re requesting a specific brand of water.

Well, I’m particular about that, too, sometimes. As long as it’s high alkaline, [I’m OK], but I think the world is about that water now. But they know that, so they get it. I don’t really have this big rider [I attach to my contract for a performance]. I don’t have anything like that. But I don’t like food in my [dressing] room. Do not have food in my room! I do not want to go on stage smelling like food.

About Sex & Cigarettes: I hear a lot of people have different takes on the title of your song “Deadwood,” and are asking you, “Toni, why is the wood dead?” Why do I have a hunch these people might be your gay friends?

[Laughs.] Yes, they are.

Tell me more.

They were asking me that! But it’s just an appropriate title! I know what deadwood is; I lived in Maryland. And being in the suburbs, as kids, you would see the wood and kick it. “Don’t bring that deadwood in the house.” So, for me, it makes sense and it’s something you just disregard and throw away. You didn’t care about it. But a lot of people were asking me, “Why the wood dead?” And I guess they’ve got a point.

You told me once that your gay boys make you a better girl.

It’s so true. Sometimes I forget to be a girl; I forget to keep it feminine. But my boys remind me to be a girl, to be fabulous about it: “Why are you standing like that? Why are you standing with your shoulders down?” The little things. They just remind me to be a girl. I love it.

The cover of your debut album, with your short hair, denim and that leather jacket, wasn’t exactly your most femme moment.

That is true. That’s kind of the ’90s — when it was still coming off the ’80s. It was a bit more pookie then.

Do you have a gay posse you have to consult before you release new music?

It’s more about my look. My boys usually get my look together for me. I have height envy: I like a particular type of shoe so I can be taller. And they’ll go, “We have to find something [else] that will give you height because those platforms are out. Stop wearing those.” But I wanna be 5′6″. I try to keep it taller and keep current. But they say: “You gotta be ahead of the season, Toni. You can’t do that. We should do this look. OK, we’ll let you [wear] that little thing because that’s kind of indicative of who you are as an artist, so we’ll give you that one dated thing.” They keep me up with the times.

What was the last really dated thing you couldn’t live without?

I wear sweatsuits with high-heeled shoes all the time. You’ll never catch me in a sweatsuit without a high-heeled shoe. I’ll never wear sneakers unless I’m going to the gym.

2018 marks your 25th year in the music business; your first album was released in 1993. I was a little gay boy when I bought it on cassette tape.

You did not say cassette tape. That’s taking me back.

What don’t people know about the making of your debut?

Well, it was just before I got my nose job. Might be too much information, but yeah: We hadn’t finished the album, so I was singing with a fresh nose job, which [was] virtually impossible because it hurt so bad. I don’t know how they do nose jobs now; I think they do it from the inside. Well, [mine] was from the inside too, but you had to wear this little thing on it, and after they took it off, it was so sore. You can’t hardly move the skin between your nose and lips, and I remember it was really difficult to sing.

Did it become easier to hit the high notes or the low notes after the nose job?

The high notes got easier. I had rhinoplasty, but I also had sinus surgery. I know, everybody says that! But it’s really true. Mine was a nose job, but I lucked out, and my doctor fixed my sinuses as well. I didn’t go in there for my sinuses — no. I went in to get my nose fixed, and they also fixed my sinuses. So, I’m telling the truth. Truth: I went in for a nose job. OK, pumpkin?

What else?

The jeans [on the cover] were really too big for me, and they were pretty much cabled in the back. That was a true story. So many little tidbits I could tell.

Why did we get a Whitney and Mariah duet and never a Mariah and Toni duet?

You know, Mariah reached out to me about doing a duet, but unfortunately, it was just before the bankruptcy was gonna happen [Braxton filed for bankruptcy in 1998, and again in 2010], but no one in the world knew. So when she asked me about doing a song together, immediately I wanted to say yes, but I couldn’t because of what was about to unfold.

Why aren’t you calling her right now?

I’m gonna have to do that. There was talk of me and Janet doing a song together, but she was pregnant. But, hey, maybe me and Mariah. We were neighbors for a second, so I probably should’ve reached out to her then, but it’s never too late. You’re actually gonna spark me to maybe talk to her about doing a remix or something. That’s actually a really good idea.

What advice would “Sex & Cigarettes” Toni have for the Toni of 25 years ago?

“Sex and Cigarettes” Toni would tell the Toni of 25 years ago to have more sex and smoke more cigars and have fun. And don’t be afraid to be a bitch.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/04/11/smokin-and-unfiltered-toni-braxton-talks-new-album/

[light-saint]

There is nothing more amazing than the feeling you get when you get to see the sun bathing your face with it’s morning light from the highest peak of your beautiful home country.

I must admit, even though Chirripó is Costa Rica’s highest mountain, I had never actually seen any image that referred to this place. I knew it was there and that it was cold (actually very cold), but never had I seen a picture of it. It was a mystery to me. Like having a treasure hidden in your closet that even though you knew there was something important there, you wouldn’t dare to even look at it.

That is how I felt of this place. I wanted to get to the top with no expectations whatsoever and see everything with my own eyes!

One of the rivers that Flows on the Base of the Mountain

We started out as a group of about 8 people planning to go do the hike. Everyone was excited at the beginning, but when the time came to show up and say “Yes! I’m going, I just payed!”, 6 of them canceled and just Juan and I ended up going. I don’t really know why this happens, and it happens a lot they say, but it’s like the mountain decides who goes and who doesn’t. I guess that for me it’s a little bit of a challenge to keep your intention on going and doing it no matter what. Sad, I must say, because they lost an experience of a lifetime. But well, not really my problem, I, on the other hand, was the happiest person alive to live this experience!

The trip started once that Juan came looking for me at about 5:30am on a Saturday. We had to drive to Perez Zeledón and from there it was like an hour drive to the base of the mountain. It was hard to keep him from listening to Justin Beiber, but I finally convinced him and we could listen to normal music for about 4 and a half hours.

Giving it all to singing.

Getting near Base

The road.

Once we got there, we actually found ourselves joining the tour bus that had left earlier. Yes, we were on a tour schedule, and had to rendezvous at the National Park to get our bracelet and tickets for food and entrance to the Shelter on the valley atop the mountain.

To make it a little bit clearer, there is actually 15 km from the base to the Shelter. Up there you are allowed to stay up to four days depending on the permit you get. We stayed up there only one night. From the shelter you can do lots of hikes. Chirripó is only one of the hikes you can do, about 3 km from the shelter, but there is also Ventisqueros, Crestones, Terbi, Ditkevi, Guardianes de las Aguas Eternas, etc, etc… Chirripo is the highest, though, standing at 3820 meters above sea level.  We made all of these hikes in just 2 days, which I don´t really recommend you doing if you want to take it slow!

Deciding what to get and what to leave to the Arrieros.

Meeting Hall

Getting ready to look for the waterfall.

The town at the Base of the Mountain

Once at the base we slept at the Hotel Uran, located about 20 m from the entrance to the Km Zero of the trail. Great food. Amazing service. Had a small talk with the whole tour group to get to know each other and off to relax. Some of us even went to a nearby waterfall located about 15 m from the hotel. Beautiful place to relax!

These are all from the time we spent waiting for midnight and walking to the waterfall.

The time had come. Juan and I were ready and had even taken things off of our backpacks because we knew they were not going to be needed. 11:40 pm. Everything quiet. Backpacks on our backs and headlamps not yet on. We made sure nothing was left on the room and headed out. 11:55pm. We started stretching. We had a 6-7 hour walk in front and this was totally needed. There were 2 groups: the ´slow´ one that started at 12 am and the ´fast´ one that was intended to catch the first group started at 1 am. We were on the slow one because Juan and I were both carrying a lot of weight and thought that maybe we needed to have more time on our side.

12 mid night.

“Let’s go team!” – the team leader shouted.

All of us grabbed on to our walking stick and started moving. All of us cleared our heads, switched the headlamp on and looked straight ahead. Again, much like the Arenal hike, all you could hear were footsteps and see the lights of the people you had in front. It was going to be a 6-7 hour walk, but we had our energy drinks and bars with us.

The first km is called the “Thermometer”, it’s one of the hardest. It’s called like this to measure who can handle the rest of the hike. It does live up to it’s name, i can assure you that!

14 more kilometers to go and you already feel your legs throbbing. This is a very mental hike. All you got to do is look at your next step and keep on doing it. We stayed with one of the guys from the tour and got to know him well. His name is Jean. Curious thing about him is that Juan and I thought we had a lot of weight on our backs… Well, Jean had 16kg on his backpack. He didn’t pay for the things to be taken up (They are called Arrieros, you pay for the weight taken up and they do with horses), like Juan and I did with half of our stuff.

The Thermometer

Kilometer 7 resting spot.

Juan Eating at kilometer 4.

This is Jean.

Views at Kilometer 10

Views at Kilometer 10

Views at Kilometer 10

We only made stops at Km 4, the gate where the warden had to be, Km 7, which is half way and there is also a little bit of a shelter where you can fill your Camelback again, and, km 10 that we really needed to rest a little. The last 2 km are the hardest. It’s called “La cuesta de los arrepentidos” or The Repentant Slope, you can imagine why. But from then on you get so much energy knowing that there’s one one km to go!

The repentant Slope

After the Repentant Slope.

Finally! The Albergue (shelter). It’s more like a hostel right now, though. Amazing, I must add. The architecture is great for being so high up and every room has bunk beds with super comfortable mattresses. Once we got there, we had breakfast and went directly to rest. There was a long hike still on the way and our legs weren’t answering. Oh, we also had a cold shower first. Can you imagine? We were at probably 6 degrees Celsius, and THERE WAS NO HOT WATER. All you had to do was stand in front of the shower head, count to three, and open the shower. It literally HURT. It had taken us 6 hours and 20 minutes to get up there. We got there on a great time. Almost nobody had passed us and we had a small window for sleeping.

Juan getting the Shot

View of Crestones from the Shelter

Our Room.

FINALLY AT THE SHELTER

9am. Get up again.

The next hike was Crestones.

We could barely walk but hey! This is the first time I get to go to Chirripó and we had already done 15 km up. There was no way I was going to miss any landscape. So, at a relatively slow pace, we started going up again. This time I took less stuff on my bag, yet the camera gear is heavy.

Crestones is AMAZING. You can feel the scale from the images. Up there, the valley looks like no other landscape in my country. We took a couple of pictures, had lunch, smiled like I never thought I could, and kept walking towards Terbi. We got to Terbi (3760m above sea level) at about 1:15pm. The third highest mountain.

Our Guide Jose

Hi.

Look at the scale of this place!

Can you spot him?

From there we took the same path to get to Guardianes de las Aguas Eternas, a pathway that has rocks on it’s sides and you feel really small. The next stop was El Valle de los Conejos. This was after you went down the mountain and got to a more barren type of valley with a crossroad and some benches. We had the option of going to Ditkevi (a Lake), back to the shelter, or to Ventisqueros, the second highest peak. Only Juan from the 15 of us decided he didn’t want to go to Ditkevi.

Guardianes de las Aguas Eternas

2pm. Waiting for the people at the Crossroad in the Valley.

Valle de los Conejos

3pm. Ditkevi.

This lake’s name, Ditkevi, means: Place to have close encounters with God. Jean and I waited for the group and I went to meditate for some time until everyone gathered. The energy there feels so perfect.

Someone. though, decided it was a good idea to get INSIDE the lake… it was cloudy out, temperature was cold, and yet they wanted to get inside the freezing lake!? Well… it was another challenge. A girl started out and got in with no problem, and obviously everyone started cheering and motivating each other to get in. At the end I had to… Peer Pressure basically… But who cares? I actually did want to get in. So I took off my shirt, thought of all the cold waterfalls I had got into and started running inside. The feeling is none like you’d ever imagined. You do feel like your body just changes. As if you are reborn. The skin itches and you breath again. You are another you and leave that body somewhere inside the mountains of this magical place.

4pm. We were walking back to the Shelter. Done. Some crazy ones decided they were going to Ventisqueros, so they did. My legs would have never been able to. We still had to wake up early in the morning to see the sunrise at Chirripo.

5pm. Rest. 6pm. Dinner. 7pm. Sleep. Even though my head was unbearable from the heat, the weight and the walk, I managed to get some rest.

NEXT DAY.

We woke up at about 1:30 am. Grabbed our stuff, put on a jacket and headlamps and started our walk to Chirripo. When starting out I remembered my camera didn’t have enough battery so Juan waited for me as the group continued. I ran back to the room. That moment when we were out there at 2 am, i glanced up and couldn’t accept what my eyes were looking at. I will just leave you with this image:

The Whole Milky Way!

Yes. The WHOLE Milky Way was on top of us. I just could not believe it. We stayed behind the group and managed to take plenty of long exposure images. WHAT A NIGHT! It was 3km from the Shelter to the Highest Peak, so we still had some way to go.

Finally the sun started rising in the horizon and we were almost at the top. 5 am and there was still a steep way up. We had to leave our jiking poles halfway because at this moment we were to use our hands for grabbing the rock.

5:15 am. We were on the top! I was the happiest person on Earth. The view was something out of this world. The sun was bathing my face with it’s morning glow and I was up there staring at it. Tears fell down my cheeks and and couldn’t stop smiling. The lakes, the volcanoes, the clouds, the Sun. We had the most beautiful treat I could have ever imagined having. We were blessed with that view.

The whole group with the view~

Look at the scale!~

Juan at the top!

This face resembles a lot of happiness, I promise!

The way down was also spectacular. I had never walked such an amazing landscape. It was like walking a painting. Juan and I got to the Shelter, had breakfast and slept for a couple of hours until we were ready to go down. This time we did not pay for Arrieros, so our bags weigh 12 kg each. It was going to be a tough way in the middle of the day, but we were super motivated knowing that we had such a show in the morning and we only had to go down.

Juan With the view

The view and I

Ready. Set. Go! 9am we were on our way. Music on our earphones and nothing was going to stop us. The whole scenery on our way down was also something to notice. it was beautiful. We only stopped at km 7 to re-fill with water, but from then on we knew there was no stopping. To finish it up, it started raining at km 4. This was a bit of a problem because I had a sweater and a towel strapped to my bag and couldn’t get it inside the backpack, so as it got wet, the bag got heavier. My ankles and my legs were moving on their own because I had little energy. I don’t know how I finally got down, but we did, and it was the happiest moment of all. It took us 4 hours to get down.

1pm. We had lunch at the Uran, grabbed everything and threw it in the car. Luckily Juan was the one who decided to drive. I had little to no movement on my legs.

We even stopped at the beach to get to know Dominical which I hadn’t visited, and then continued our way to the city. We were back at about 5 pm.

This was probably one of the most amazing hikes I’ve ever done, and if I have the chance, I will do it again this year for sure. I hope you can as well. The magic in this mountain is something nobody should miss experiencing. I have the treasure now, inside my chest, my lungs and my skin. This is what I was looking for.

Chirripó; the treasure mountain. There is nothing more amazing than the feeling you get when you get to see the sun bathing your face with it's morning light from the highest peak of your beautiful home country.

[idolapps]

mizuhara natsuko, "blood sweat & tears"

OOC INFO

NAME/ALIAS, PRONOUNS, TIMEZONE: sacha, she/her, gmt+10.

RESERVATION: bubblegum.

MEMBER PROFILE

FACECLAIM: minatozaki sana, member of twice.

NAME/STAGENAME: mizuhara natsuko, natsuko.

BIRTHDATE/AGE: march 2nd, 1998. eighteen.

COMPANY/POSITION:

idol, member of sweetheart @ crystal media. main dancer, sub-vocalist & visual.

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 168cm, 49kg.

TRAINING PERIOD/JOINING YEAR: three years.

INTERESTING FACTS: 

She was a J-pop trainee from 2010-2012.

Natsuko loves horror movies, games and television shows.

She would of become an animator if she wasn't an idol.

Her hobbies include dancing, sleeping, drawing and writing.

STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES:

( &. strengths )

DANCING, one of natsuko's most obvious strengths is her dancing ability. she's been dancing since she was three years old, and throughout the years has had the opportunity to learn a variety of dance styles which in return, helped her build her own dancing presence. as a teenager, she commonly filmed dance covers with her friends of both j-pop and k-pop songs, before uploading them to youtube. her biggest triumph, as a dancer, was dancing as a back up dancer for prominent japanese idol groups as a trainee back in 2010 to 2012, upon leaving to join crystal clear. she has a lot of confidence in her dancing, and has no problem picking up complicated choreography and learning it ( she enjoys the challenge, even if she gets frustrated ). it also brings her joy to help others with dancing, she likes to teach and instruct.

JAPANESE, a rather obvious strength, along with dancing, is japanese. it's something that will obviously come in use if sweetheart, or even the company, do a japanese project and are in need of a spokesperson. naturally, natsuko is confident when speaking japanese, as it's her mother tongue; she also feels an immense amount of pride and patriotism for her home country. having a second language as an idol is almost compulsory, and if not that; it's really appreciated. natsuko hopes her language skills will permit for her to represent her group overseas someday. 

SINGING, despite only being the sub-vocalist of her group, singing is a definite strength of hers, only just now, becoming more of a strength than something that sits between the good and the bad. from not being able to sing in her native tongue, to singing parts on sweetheart's album, is something huge to her. while her voice isn't immensely powerful, she is able to harmonize, sing live and also sing while dancing; to some extent. prior to becoming a trainee in south korea, singing was never really something natsuko ever thought about trying out, and if she had of gone there; she would of been bad; so it is thanks to crystal media that she's where she is now. as for the future, natsuko isn't looking towards improving her vocals to become a lead or main vocalist. she just hopes she can maintain her vocals and focus on her singing.

( &. weaknesses )

KOREAN, while it is probably not her biggest weakness as of now, it's still a weakness; one she's working very hard to overcome. natsuko more or less faked it with her korean until she made it, however, she's not really there yet. while usually coming across as very confident, bright and rather extroverted, she definitely struggled during her early trainee years due to her inablity to pick up korea at the rate which other foreign trainees were. so for a good while, she came across as very shy and timid, until she finally decided to stop seeking perfection in something she knew she'd never be perfect at. these days, she's a little quicker with forming sentences, and is a little more confident to speak when spoken to ( public wise, she's content with speaking among her members ). but, you'll still catch her looking around hoping her members will give her some guidance. she hopes that in the coming year or so that her korean will improve, so she's dedicating time to study so she can meet with her fans confidently and comfortably.

ACTING, natsuko is very transparent, and she finds it difficult to put herself in the shoes of another because she is entirely herself and her own person. despite this, she finds no trouble in creating and building her own characters in stories and comics she creates. she has heard comments regarding her acting in music videos, most of which haven't been story driving; and with negative comments comes negative energy. while natsuko would love to star in an acting role, either in a music video, a television show or a film; she knows it's not likely ( due to her ethnicity, but also her acting ability ), although it's something she'd like to get better at, as she feels it would open a lot of doors for her in the future.

RAPPING, rapping is definitely not within natsuko's skill set, regardless as to whether it's in japanese or korean. she struggles enough with singing as it is, despite her ability sing rather well for a sub-vocalist. she lacks flow, along with the rapping charisma that all rappers seem to have, and she doesn't really have an interest in hip-hop or hip-hop culture, it's not going to be something she pursues in the future. unless people want her to go out and make a fool of herself for a skit; then yeah, that is likely.

ENGLISH, natsuko learnt english in high school as a second language, however it's beyond her now. she's struggling enough with korean at the moment, so her chances of representing sweetheart in an english speaking country aren;t that high. while she knows a few obvious phrases like hello, how are you and i love you, among other things, such as random phrases in their songs, she's clueless as to how she'd even begin learning english. this is disheartening for her, as she wants to meet with english fans and speak with them, but it's hard due the obvious language barrier. this is a weakness she hopes to overcome, with time, some good time after korean, that takes definite priority.

BIO/PERSONALITY:

( &. biography ) she was born in the spring of april, 1998; amongst the falling cherry blossoms of tokyo, japan to a humble, working class family of four. her name was mizuhara natsuko. mizuhara natsuko grew up humble and content with her surroundings; and was taught from day dot that if one truly desires something, then they must work hard and earn it. those words were the foundations that natsuko built herself around, regardless of the area of her life to which she built on. their small home more or less forced a bond upon natsuko and her older sisters, two years between each, satomi and minako. the mizuharas were what one may call close knit, known for being very kind and hardworking, and were charitable when they could be. small beginnings for a small family in their small abode, they had eachother.

natsuko wasn't studious, she'd rather put her efforts into things that were considered less practical, like dance and art. thankfully, from a young age, she and her sisters had been told that they were welcome to follow whatever path they may choose. that helped when natsuko moved into adolescence. natsuko was good at building back up plans, believing that you always needed an escape route if you plan a wasn't going to work out, so forging the dream of stardom needed several. at age three, she began to dance; nothing serious of course, she wasn't destined to end up in an academy; but wasn't it most little girl's dream to become a ballerina. as she grew, she took on more styles; at first ballet, followed by jazz and tap, then hip-hop and contemporary. by age fourteen, natsuko more or less thought she'd hit the limits, although she never made it onto point, for an opportunity arose that one may or may not want to let slip through their fingers. 

stardom, becoming an idol. she'd always admired idols, everyone idolized someone, somehow; you had to have a figure you looked up to as a beacon of hope, or inspiration. in 2010, natsuko attended an audition for a rather, prominent japanese entertainment company, with hopes of perhaps gaining trainee status, even despite her age, twelve. somehow, natsuko succeeded, showing off her natural cute charms and dance skills; she suddenly became a trainee at a company, with a newfound dream of becoming a j-pop idol. j-pop trainees, they get the opportunity to perform as back up dancers now and then, and it's a perfect opportunity for natsuko to dip her toes in the water. she likes it. she likes moving, learning the choreography, performing with a wide grin on her face. but all dreams are some how short lived, or perhaps, better things arise. 

in 2012, natsuko was approached by a korean entertainment company, only hours after performing at a small scale event as a back-up dancer; the company being crystal media, one of three, prominent, rising entertainment companies in korean entertainment. k-pop. sure, she knew of some k-pop idols, but it was a dangerous stretch for a girl so young. confronting her parents, natsuko hoped to gain some guidance or wisdom; to which she heard what she'd always heard. something along the lines of always working hard and following it, if her heart was in it. and so she went with her heart, but also her head and her gut; it was a leap of faith, of dreams and fantasies, but somehow she crossed the oceans, auditioned properly and earned trainee status in south korea. leaving behind japan, her country of birth; and the place she was beginning to grow in, was hard. friends, people she saw everyday, people she could confine in and grow with, goodbyes were hard, but necessary. 

when her parents and sisters come to visit in the winter of 2012, they're quick to notice how quiet and reserved natsuko has become; her inability to pick up korean quickly like the other foreign trainees is somewhat disheartening, and she feels stupid. she is quick to question what her back up plans are, but she doesn't really have any right now. she perseveres, keeping her head down, working hard. somehow, natsuko finds the courage to be brave, and reach out; to ask for help to improve her korean, and she givees back, helping out others with their japanese or with their dancing. she somehow learns that her future is bright, and is very much ahead of her, crystal media is a family, and crystal media is slowly becoming her family away from home. she meets her future group members soon enough, and it seems like a debut is closer than they all had of thought. who knew that a girl like her, mizuhara natsuko could go from j-pop idol wannabe to k-pop girl group rookie within a year or two.

sweetheart debut in the winter of 2015, with their debut song glass bead, and natsuko is so thankful for the concept of the group. fun, youthful with complicated choreography to keep her on her toes. natsuko is titled as sweetheart's main dancer, sub-vocalist and visual; and she's not entirely sure she agrees with the whole visual part but she accepts it. she accepts everything, this is more or less her fate, what she'd worked for, what she'd earned; her reward. 

( &. personality ) 

natsuko is renowned for her energetic, bubbly and friendly personality. she's appears charismatic both on and off stage, and is always one to make others smile or laugh. she's talkative, and loves initiating conversation; which makes making friends really easy for her. despite being young, she loves to help overs; be it giving advice or being a form of support; a shoulder to cry on, someone to vent to. her upbringing has turned her into a very charitable, humble young woman, she isn't super materialistic, and any of her bigger purchases are all brought by her, rather than say, gifts. she can come across as being quirky or peculiar at times, which has also been misunderstood at childish; although she's corrected assumptions by saying she's playful. despite her poor short term memory, natsuko is rather intelligent, having a strong interest in humanities subjects like world history ( along with music and art ). confidence is natsuko's middle name, a trait she's willing to give herself. she's quick to put her hand up to do weird or scary stuff, perhaps she's a bit fearless, or maybe natsuko enjoys the spotlight; either way, she's genuine about it. above all, she's very passionate, very driven and very hardworking; it's hard to deter natsuko from what she likes doing; that goes for her dream. she often projects her passion onto others with hopes that they'll go forth with their own interests passionately.

she is rather naive, perhaps a little sheltered, having had the support of her family her entire life. this can come across as strange when she wants to provide advice or support to people, who's issues may be a little more serious or adult like. her positivity and thankfulness for things can be a little overwhelming at times, as natsuko is always trying to look for the positives, she's definitely not a realist. she's quick to see the good in people before the bad, and in the pass, she's most definitely had people use her and take advantage of the kindness and help she always offers. natsuko is a bit of an overachiever, and can often fall into states where it's difficult to shake her out of a habit or hobby, it's almost like obsession or compulsion. she has no confidence in herself when it comes to languages, or at least she didn't; especially korean. this caused natsuko to be very sad, quiet and reserved in her early trainee years at crystal media, hence the surprise that came about when she finally let go of the need to be perfect with something that was indeed foreign to her. natsuko is an obvious pacifist, through and through.