#peri's wifi is down

[bybyebitheway]

BI THE WAY

A WIP (re)INTRODUCTION

Genre: high science fiction/ science fantasy

Tag: #btw.wip, bi the way, btwUpdates,

Status: updating, chapters 0 - chapter 1 part 1.

POV: third person limited (multi)

Themes/Tropes:

ocean punk, LGBTQ main characters, POC main characters, BIPOC main characters, bisexual leads, women leads, Lovecraftian inspiration (minus the vile vile racism), monstrous betrayals, supportive family, found family, redeeming the monster, soft magic system, gore, violence, dark academia, rogues gallery, escape the lair, monster of the week,

Synopsis:

BI THE WAY is a text based adventure taking place in the distant future where humankind has colonized the moon and brought metropolis to its ocean floors. We follow our protagonists, the family crew of Bison's & Daughters, as they discover the abandoned underwater sea colony of CAPRICORNUS-25.10. Will they discover the secret of the colony before it manages to find them first? Read the tale to find out.

Characters:

BI THE WAY is a text adventure filled with many unique and crazy characters, some of which include: DR. JOAN BISON [she/her] Doctor of Engineering. Mother and captain of the BISON & DAUGHTERS RESEARCH CREW submarine. DR. NEWTON BISON [he/him] Meteorologist. Father and dad-pun pun-fessional of the BISON & DAUGHTERS RESEARCH CREW. BETH BISON [she/her] Doctor of Astronomy. Daughter to JOAN & NEWT BISON. Lead navigator to the BISON & DAUGHTERS RESEARCH CREW. PRUE BISON [she/her] Doctor of Marine Biology & General Surgeon. Daughter to JOAN & NEWT BISON. Lead medical expert to the BISON & DAUGHTERS RESEARCH CREW. PERI BISON [she/her] Doctor of Oceanography & Computer Science. Daughter to JOAN & NEWT BISON. Lead wifi-wiz to the BISON & DAUGHTERS RESEARCH CREW. MONSTER OF THE WEEK [?/?] The thing lurking from episode to episode, chapter to chapter. Can't you see it from the corner of your eye?

Excerpt:

A man is lowered down into the sea, his hand anxiously holds the railing of the diving stage while the steel cage sinks its way down towards the open depths of the Southern Atlantic Ocean. The crew of 'The Fool's Bounty' had planned their voyage to deliver equipment to the solar farms of Antarctica months in advance, wanting to steer clear of storms only to find themselves in the middle of one over night. Naval Cadet Whit Ness is asked to stay above, keeping an eye on the weather and waves surrounding them as well as taking the control of the helm for the night. Left alone on the deck, the young crewmate sails "The Fool's Bounty" smoothly through the sudden downpour they've encountered. Whit begins to think the storm will let on soon, but as they say about the sky being as fickle as the sea.

Where To Read:

[ AO3 ] [ NEOCITIES ]

TAGGING: [ask if y'all would like to be added/ removed]

@thelaughingstag @sevendeadlysams​ @the-aesthetician-writes​

[the--highlanders]

28, 30, 34, 42 :3

O:

(sticking this under a cut bc it got long hdfk)

28. Who should have been a companion but wasn’t?

I think last time I did these asks I talked about Kirsty? and I still stand by that, I love her. she would have been so much fun as a companion. but this time I'm going to throw in Molly from Evil of the Daleks as well!! I just find her super endearing even though she doesn't have much screentime. she's shown as adventurous and clever and bold enough to challenge the lie that Victoria's in Paris.

and I think she would have had fun dynamics with Two and Jamie as well - we don't get much of her with Two, but she clearly sees him on the same level as Maxtible and Waterfield and is a bit flustered and nervous interacting with him, so it would have been fun to have a character who was kind of. similar to Katerina in a way, with a little bit of push-and-pull between a companion who's expecting the Doctor to act in a particular social role, and a Doctor who's adamant that they're something else entirely. and Molly has a little bit of that gentle tension with Jamie too, in the scene where he's insisting she use his name, and the way she's a bit intimidated by him but also wants to look after him. I love Victoria dearly of course but it would've been interesting to see them pick up Molly instead!

30. Who did you not used to like, but really like now?

oougfjhkd idk omg!! I think I came to most eras of the show with an expectation that there's something good about everyone. Clara definitely grew on me but that's more to do with the writing and the fact that she's a more interesting character in s9 than in s7 (which isn't necessarily a bad thing!! like Moffat made some Dodgy choices obvs but I also don't think it's the worst thing in the world to have her unfold to the audience, and in many ways she grows and changes quite naturally). in terms of classic who, maybe Peri? not that I didn't like her when I started watching her episodes, but I didn't expect to like her as much as I did.

34. Best two-parter?

the first one that jumped into my mind was World Enough and Time/the Doctor Falls and. yeah I do genuinely think they're brilliant episodes and probably my favourite new who series finale. the shift away from 'the series ends/the Doctor regenerates after a universe-ending disaster' was such a breath of fresh air.

The Stolen Earth and Journey's End are also super fun to me. like they're just so silly and fan service-y that I can't help but love them. + I have really fond memories of just having gotten into Torchwood, going on holiday and having no wifi to rewatch it, so watching that two-parter just for the Torchwood content.

there's a lot of others that I like though! the Empty Child/the Doctor Dances, the Magician's Apprentice/the Witch's Familiar, Hell Bent/Heaven Sent. even ones like the Rebel Flesh/the Almost People and Under the Lake/Before the Flood have some cool ideas in them, though they're not really top of my rewatch list.

42. Favourite series?

HHH okay favourite new who series is definitely s10. I'm lesbian.

tempted to say s4 for classic who? all of Two's serials are strong ones (I mean. there's not really a Two serial I dislike except the Space Pirates), I love Ben and Polly, and the War Machines and the Tenth Planet are really good as well. the only one letting the side down for me is the Smugglers honestly, and that's mostly because I hardly remember it rather than me thinking it's bad.

s5 and s6 are close contenders though!!

[6-and-7]

Doctor Who Cooking Headcanons

1. Right out the gate,they use the food machine for more or less everything. They are a Time Lord, cooking is menial labor and therefore beneath them. However, the more they travel, the more they find that cooking can be really quite intriguing. Once their friendship with Ian and Barbara develops, they ask if perhaps there are any Earth meals they they particularly miss, and if perhaps they might like to use the TARDIS kitchen to recreate them? With the Doctor there to supervise, of course. No, they don’t want cooking lessons, Chesterman, what nonsense. Eventually, with some trial and error, the Doctor learns how to make scrambled eggs. It is a source of great secret delight to them. Their favorite thing to make is cocoa, a reminder of a bright and witty human that very nearly stole their heart.

2. Enjoys baking, which they are rubbish at. They are, however, quite good at making soups, stews, salads, anything where measuring is done in more haphazard dashes and pinches with occasional tastings and frequent sniffs. Jamie will eat almost anything, though even he turned up his nose when the Doctor tried to make a fruitcake. Victoria is quite fastidious. The menu for her tenure on the TARDIS mainly consisted of soup, sandwiches, and tea. The Doctor branched out a little more after she left-- Zoe was scarcely any more fussy than Jamie about the quality of the food.

3. Most meals are either served at the UNIT canteen or at some members club in London-- the Diogenes or some similar institution. However, on the nights when they can’t make it out of the lab, they tend to boil eggs and tea over Bunsen burners. If they happen to be bored, or if there’s nothing good for lunch that day, or if they feel Jo isn’t as enthused about science as she could be, they might try something fancy, ranging from liquid nitrogen ice cream to molecular gastronomy. After all, it is only chemistry.

4. All of their companions were astonished at how good they were. It was nothing to write home about, exactly, but they were convinced that his laissez-faire attitude extended to food. It did not. They had at their disposal a compendium of every recipe in the known galaxy, in the form of K-9, and made a point of never repeating meals, though they did make note of what each of their companions favored. Harry liked simple, hearty meals. Sarah-Jane enjoyed a good roast. Leela quickly developed a fondness for barbecue. It was Romana where the Doctor fell into a pickle-- she was as closed off from culinary delight as their first self had been. Therefore, he made a point of cutting loose, each night something new and exquisite from some far-off corner of the galaxy.

5. In many ways, their culinary skill was superior to Four’s, but their range was somewhat limited. They enjoyed nutritious, down-home meals-- things like roast vegetables, ham, mac and cheese. They refused to use celery in their dishes on the basis that their companions would make fun of them, which was probably true.

6. Really very impressively skilled. Peri was quite alarmed when the first meal the Doctor cooked was six courses, comprised of ingredients and techniques from nine different planets and seventeen various cultures. After awhile though, as their mind settled and healed after the trauma of regeneration, their menu settled as well, much to Peri’s relief. This incarnation was truly skilled at blending flavors, bitter into sweet, salty into umami, sour into tangy. Much like their clothes, their tastes were colorful, and somewhat jarring at first. However, it couldn’t be denied that in cooking, the Doctor had excellent taste.

7. For Ace’s sake, they usually stuck with Earth cuisine. It didn’t hurt that they themself had developed a liking for it. Most dinners tended towards comfort food, fatty and meaty and sweet. That may or may not have been related to the departure of Mel and her nigh-draconian control of the menu. Some nights, though, when they were feeling particularly piqued, the Doctor would conjure up obscure, obscenely complicated meals from long-dead civilizations and turn them into a feast fit for any king. Generally, the night after, they would land somewhere in 20th century America and go for hamburgers, after which the Doctor would take Ace back to the kitchen and teach her to make cookies.

8. As with everything else, their cooking skills were... variable. One day, they might fix up lobster, the next they might forget to put flour in their cookies. They tended to depend quite heavily on the food machine.

9. Cooking was, for them, somewhere between science and stress relief. Everything was done by hand; beating eggs, kneading dough, shredding vegetables, everything. For a long time, they wouldn’t even let Rose in the kitchen. The night after Father’s Day, though, she found herself at the kitchen door. It was wide open, and the Doctor stood with his back to her, stirring a pot of soup on the simmer. There was a chopping block on the other counter, with carrots, celery, and leeks sitting next to it. She took the hint. After that, cooking together became a frequent activity on the TARDIS-- sometimes, they even let Jack join in. Those were the fun nights, where everyone smiled and laughed, and splashed one another with cake batter. When it was just the Doctor and Rose, they talked, but it was much more subdued. When it was just the Doctor, it was almost totally silent.

10. Everything is automated. Bread machines, toasters, blenders, they love it all! And they love combining them in increasingly bizarre and unusual ways. It’s a thing that boils potatoes, slices bread, gets free WiFi, and translates Sanskrit into Spanish! Amazing!

11. They aren’t allowed in the kitchen anymore. They know what they did.

12. While traveling with Clara, they were pretty good at making more or less everything. By the time they got to Bill, though, they mostly lived on ramen, curry, and delivery pizza. However, that didn’t stop them from taking a lecture that was supposed to be about Emily Dickinson and telling all the students how to safely prepare fugu, including a live demonstration.

13. Exceptional at baking, basically fine at everything else as long as you don’t mind it being a little burnt. They have a habit of making dishes from whatever place and time they’re planning on taking the fam, but since those plans hardly ever last the night, none of them have ever really noticed. Cooking is, for them, a social thing, and they like to get at least one of their friends in the kitchen with them.

[krystalreverb]

Crown Prince

here we go guys yet another let's do this

laslow's pissed you guys watch out because laslow is P I S S E D

this is a quick little implied sexy fic because I feel bad about not having wifi at home so I had to lug my computer to my boyfriend’s house to post my terrible fanfiction, my endings are crap, but here you go

CW: violence, blood, implied sexual content

Laslow had just sat down to eat. This was not what he needed this morning. It was 5:30 in the morning, and Laslow just wanted to eat. But here he was, listening to a group of obviously extremely stupid wyvern knights chattering back and forth simply inches from him at the next table over. A shadow passed, but did not alert Laslow.

“I'm just saying, for a guy who's supposed to be leading us, he doesn't do a whole lot of his own work, does he?”

“I mean, he's supposed to be the prince, but he's like, totally stiff and harsh. I don't think there's a person alive who's seen him smile. He's like one of those Hoshidan automatons, all lifeless and stern.”

“Ahem.” Laslow finally interrupted.

“Oh, great. It's the prince's little lapdog. What, gonna cite us for a little talk?”

“I may do more than cite you if you continue. Prince Xander is a bloody fucking saint, and you lot have no idea what he's been through.”

“I'm just saying, he could lighten up a little.”

“Could you, in his circumstances? He's responsible for hundreds of thousands of soldiers. You lot included. I have seen him hunched over his desk at 4 in the morning, reviewing troop orders. I have seen him at his worst, and you lot don't deserve the mercy of his smile.”

“Listen to this guy! What a load of shit. You're his personal retainer, of course you're obviously sleeping with him.”

“Excuse you!” Laslow stood. “I don't appreciate this attack on my character, or the attack on his! I suggest you smarten up and recant before you see exactly what I mean!”

“Come on, then! Tell us! What makes the high and mighty Prince Xander tick?”

“You lot have no idea what it's like. Do you have any idea how much a crown prince sacrifices? You sacrifice your happiness, your freedom, your very soul again and again, shielding pain, because without you the army would crumble, and your kingdom along with it. Do you know what it's like, coming back from a raid limping and bleeding, but having to put on a smile because showing weakness would be a death sentence?” Laslow was almost frothing at the mouth with anger. “Prince Xander sacrifices so much of his personal freedoms and liberties just so you lot all stay alive through the next day! Without him, I have no doubt you will all fall to some sniper's arrow in the middle of the night. Do you have any idea what he's been through? I don't think you do!”

“Alright, now you're just getting mouthy. He's a prince. He has all the money and power he could ever want. Who wouldn't be a little fucking happy with that? And he still shoves people away. You can't talk to the guy! He just brushes you off.”

“He doesn't have the opportunity to be happy about that! Don't you understand?”

“Name one person he hasn't shoved away and alienated because of his machismo fuckin' harshness.”

“He still has me!” Laslow roared. “I am by Lord Xander's side day after day. I haven't taken a bloody day off in months because this war is still raging. I, too, have stayed up far beyond a healthy bed time helping him. Lord Xander makes it a requirement that both of his retainers know how to sign his name properly. He simply is loaded with too much work to do it all himself.”

“Ha ha ha! Such a dutiful little lapdog! Tell us, does he reward you? Tickle your ivories, late at night?”

Laslow swore he felt a vein in his forehead threaten to burst from stress. He gritted his teeth.

“Alright, I'm going to give you to the count of three. If I don't see some recanting, I'm going to recant your fucking noses into your skulls. One.”

“Really? You're gonna fight all of us? In case you haven't noticed, numbnuts, there's ten of us and one of you.”

“Two.”

“He's really gonna do this. Alright, boys, form up. Let's show this little pampered poodle who the real men in this army are.”

“Three.” Laslow's fist launched into a soldier's nose, knocking him clean off his feet. Blood sprayed from his ruined nose. Laslow jabbed out an elbow, slamming one guy in the side with it, making him double over. He flipped his fist up, smashing him in the face and sending him reeling backwards.

One guy got behind Laslow and locked his arms above his head. To retaliate, Laslow jumped high, curled up, then slammed back down with enough force to throw the guy over his head and into the far wall, breaking both of the poor bastard's arms in the process.

The mess hall burst into chants of “Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!”

The knights started playing dirty, coming at Laslow two or even three at a time. One-by-one, Laslow knocked them all unconscious with well-placed punches to their heads, one after the other. It was almost a beautiful dance, the way he flipped and spun around the knights trying to hit him. Not a single hit was landed on Laslow. Soon, Laslow was surrounded by a squad of fallen wyvern knights, broken and bleeding. Laslow's fist dripped with blood, not all of it his own. Laslow looked up.

He locked eyes with Xander.

Laslow bolted, running out of the mess hall, abandoning his breakfast.

“Laslow!” Xander called, but it was too late. The mess hall quieted into a dull murmur of shame at their behavior.

Xander went running after Laslow. He found him, washing the blood off his hands in the kitchen's sink. “Laslow.”

“I'm terribly sorry you had to see that, milord. I didn't know you were there.” Laslow said quickly.

“Laslow, you were defending my honor. I'm not upset.”

“I just punched out ten Nohrian wyvern knights with my bare hands, and you're not upset?”

“I'm mildly annoyed it resorted to violence but they kind of had it coming. I suppose I should be grateful I have such a dutiful and strong retainer.”

Laslow chuckled. “It's strange, a bit. I have such intimate knowledge of what it takes to survive in wartime. It isn't easy. Those knights seemed to be under the impression that you're untouchable, infallible, like you're something more than human. You're a human being, milord, regardless of your status, we're all the same in the end, just a sack of bones and meat. And I saw many of my friends die in war. Every day I had to put on a smile, just so my dearest friends would keep up morale on the battlefield. Everyone looked up to me for strength. And here I am, a foreigner trying to make my way in Nohrian society.” he rambled on for a bit. “But I... I heard them, and I... just snapped. How dare they? You do everything for them. Your very soul is fractured, and you're doing everything you can to hold it together. If they can't see how much you do to ensure their survival... then maybe they don't deserve it. No.... no, I shouldn't say that.” Laslow shook his head and fished around in the kitchens for something he could use to dress his wounds.

Xander stepped forward, removed his gauntlets, put them on the counter, and gently took Laslow's hands in his, murmuring a healing spell as he ran his thumb over Laslow's wounds softly. The  glow of the magic washed over his flesh and his bloodied knuckles were slowly healed, skin and muscle knitting back together over the wounds.

Laslow breathed a sigh of relief. “I truly am sorry you had to hear that.”

“Shhh.” Xander hushed him gently. “You've shown great strength and conviction of character. You only hurt them to defend me. Those knights, when they wake up, will be subject to a court martial for insubordination.”

Laslow took a couple deep breaths, but couldn't hold it, and broke down sobbing. Xander rushed forward and gathered him in his arms, giving him an armored shoulder to cry on.

“I'm s-so-sorryyy.... I c-can't.... I'm such a fucking fraud....”

“What do you mean, Laslow?”

“You o-o-ought to k-know the truth.... can we speak somewhere more private?” Laslow sniffled.

“Of course. Come with me, we can speak in my study.” Xander took Laslow's hand gently and took him to his study, locking the door behind them.

“Okay.. Okay.... Okay. Here it is.” Laslow broke down and explained everything, from the origins of his birth, to the tremendous battle with Grima, to being sent to Nohr and fighting for Lord Xander. “So you see, m-milord... I know what it's like, to be the pillar of strength for an army. To give up my own freedoms and happiness so that others may live. It's not easy.”

Xander slowly processed what Laslow had just told him. He was a prince, working under another prince. “....It appears you do.”

“I'm sorry, milord. At first, coming here was a job. But over time, I've grown attached. I could never and never will abandon you, my lord.”

Xander nodded slowly, still processing everything. “You've had such a fraught life, and you are still choosing to defend mine?”

“Absolutely. Until my dying breath, milord. I don't care if I die tomorrow or live another hundred years. As long as you would have me, I would be by your side.”

“But you were once a crown prince yourself.”

“Please. I told you about the war. There's nothing left of my home country. It's a barren wasteland. I'm not the prince of anything anymore.” Laslow shook his head. “Gods.... I'm just so angry. How dare they insinuate that you're not doing everything you can to help them?”

“I like how it's my honor you're defending and not that they insinuated you were sleeping with me.”

Laslow snorted. “Ha! How little they know. They think themselves regular detectives, they do. But they've missed so many clues.” He stepped forward, and Xander pulled up his chin just enough to kiss him deeply, pulling him into his arms.

“Perhaps they know too much.” Xander murmured against Laslow's lips.

“Would you have me take care of them, my lord? I can make it clean. I can make it look like an accident. Assassination is sadly one of my numerous wartime life skills. I can even set Peri up to do it. Nobody will dare court-martial her. Not unless they're willing to be messily parted from their flesh.”

“No.... No, don't kill them. Let them wonder. Let them fester.” Xander said. “Wouldn't it be grand? And they still don't know a single thing for sure.”

“You're so devious, milord... it's quite stunning.”

“I would hope so.” Xander kissed him again, and Laslow melted in, double-checking that the door was locked behind them before climbing up onto Xander's lap in his study chair.

“Strip me bare before you, milord. I am yours, and only yours. Only you get to see the scars I bear.”

“Yes....” Xander breathed softly, hands reaching up to unbutton Laslow's uniform shirt with practiced, deft fingers and sliding it off his shoulders and onto the floor.

The next time Laslow caught those ten knights (now reduced in rank and confined to the castle for an indeterminate period of time), they couldn't even look at Laslow, quiet and ashamed of their defeat. Lucky for Laslow, as he was sporting a rather large hickey on the side of his neck just under his jaw, not quite fully covered by his disheveled uniform's high collar. Laslow looked satisfied and pleased with himself, and when Xander strode in for lunch, Laslow simply gave him a smug look, and Xander smiled.

[furashuban]

Reconciliation

So this is my first but late contribution for this year’s @lapidot-week. I was supposed to post the other day but my wifi went out. hope you dudes enjoy

Day 4 Prompt: Fear/Comfort

Words: 1.4K

Summary:  Although Lapis and Peridot have reunited at last, the two gems need some time to open up for closure.

It felt more like a thousand years instead of a couple months since the two gems detached from each other. None of them have been able to get over their disconnection and did not try tossing away the images of their smiles and conversations stuck in their heads. And regardless of Peridot coping with her friends back on Earth and Lapis still having her home over nothing at all, absolutely NOTHING in the cosmos would get in the way of their retentions. They were bored, miserable, and wished there gems would crack when they didn’t have each other to feel their discrete adoration.

When the days were officially out of count, Peridot spent the next countless day outside with Pumpkin. Specifically in the place they last saw Lapis fly off, because she felt strong enough to come back for only one moment. As they ambled across their property, she saw half of the former corn farm still standing healthy while the rest seemed to have died formerly. Even the tractor seemed aged with dust despite having been used a while back. But one thing Peridot couldn’t bear to see for a mere five seconds was a dug-up hole outside the farm. What used to be her home seemed more like a memorial for Peridot’s hope and happiness. And on the inside, a memorial for what she thought she had special with Lapis.

No words other than depressing sighs and whimpering were emitted. “Come on, Pumpkin. Back to the temple.” Peridot ordered soon after. She turned around and ambled towards the nearest warp pad. Suddenly, Pumpkin started barking excitingly and distracted the green gem. “What’s gotten in to you¬¬––?“ She tried to halt her, but she gasped when she saw the barn crashed to its former spot. It was right out of a dream, and she was walking close to it to see if she was hallucinating. But a familiar voice shouted her name softly, feeling her chest was about to explode. “…Lapis?” It was at that point that Peridot would always recall how her tears fell nonstop as she gawked astounded by the ocean gem’s presence. Lapis’ teardrops fell through her grin, while Peridot’s fell through her sulk and to the ground. “I’m back, Peri.” Was what the ocean gem fervently whispered. Peridot remembered how gradually she was running up to her on the spur of the moment eventually halting to stare at each other one last time and clinching an embrace they wanted to last for a lifespan.

The feeling of having each other back in their arms thrilled them greatly. “I’m so sorry.” Lapis expressed right away, having grief in her tone.

Peridot whimpered stridently and faltered before replying. “No, I should be sorry…” She countered. “I was the one that made you leave…”

They didn’t have time to comprehend why their reunion was so sudden nor did they even want to. Their feelings were automatic, and soft emits of “I miss you” filled the atmosphere.

… … …

It was three days later after their reunion and…they still felt detached from each other. Peridot was looking forward to catching up with Lapis on what she has been doing in Beach City recently, but for some reason she could not bring herself to inch closer to her. Not even the ocean gem could attempt to talk to her roommate. This was not what Peridot expected at all. All she wanted to do was go back to where she and Lapis left off and comfort one another, but that wasn’t going to happen if they kept saying less than 3 or 4 words every hour. Something was holding them back.

It was sundown as Peridot was standing by the porch of the barn, still comprehending that it was back to its original spot instead of some patch of dirt. As she looked up on where the truck was, she realized Lapis was sitting there silently. But the TV was not on, and Pumpkin inside napping on the hammock. She just seemed to be staring out solemnly on their farm like a statue. So something in the green gem made her amble inside the barn and climb to the truck balcony to see how her roommate was doing.

Lapis does not acknowledge Peridot’s presence, but she was happy to know that she was with her now. The green gem took a seat closely next to her and gawked at her complexion. She was stunning up close, but her melancholy look dismayed her a little. She faced the direction where Lapis was facing and settled down with her.

“The sunset looks beautiful, doesn’t it…?” Peridot brings up, looking back at her roommate again.

“Yeah. It is.” She answers. “There was barely a sunset where I was…”

Peridot wanted to know the details of what she meant by that. In any case, she did not want small talk. She wanted to be personal with the gem she spent her life on Earth with.

“Peridot,” Lapis continued after a long pause, relieving Peridot. “I’m…still sorry. For everything…”

“Hey, it’s okay.” she says rigidly. The green gem’s expression was slowly shifting to being equally anguished, but she resisted. She let out a soft smile to try cheering her up. “You’re here with me and Pumpkin now. Everything is fine.”

“No it isn’t.” Lapis countered clamorously. “I mean, what I did seriously hurt you and Pumpkin more than it hurt me. I wasn’t thinking right and I just took something that belonged to us. I don’t think any of us could get over that.”

She took a deep breath and let her hand run through her hair while she was overthinking wastefully. “I don’t even know why I’m still here.” Her tone fell. “I can’t tell if I’m healed Peri, and I completely overreacted. And now you probably think I’m a terrible gem for ruining your life here.”

That was false. Peridot knew well that she was hurt, but that did not matter now. “Lapis…wait.” She whispered.

As the ocean gem opened up more, she was apprehensive to her limits. “Maybe I don’t deserve to be by your side anymore.”

Peridot noticed her hand was gripping on her hair as Lapis’ tone was sinking deeper. She quickly took it, and softly caged with it both her own hands. “No Lapis, listen,” she says. “Repeat after me…I am not a bad gem, and I deserve to be with you.” The blue gem followed, and it strangely eased her down. She tried regretting the things she said while she breathed better now.

“…I made you feel useless after I left, didn’t I?”

Peridot’s grin continued to fade into grimace. “I couldn’t fix you, Lapis…from both your past and your worries.” Peridot replies. “So I did feel ‘useless’. But is this why we haven’t talked too much since you came back?” Lapis nodded, and stopped cosseting in the warmth of Peridot’s grasp. “Not really…” she replies. “I just needed time to get ready for this.”

The sun was descending more until dusk was taking shape. “I wanted to return the barn to you.” Lapis confesses. “But I was afraid I would have nothing left of you if I did.”

“Where did you go?”

She pointed upwards to the now visible moon. “I still wanted to be as close to our family as possible. We both liked stargazing, so I wanted you and Pumpkin to see me while I looked back.”

The green gem was feeling warmness taking the best of her and recovered her grin. “So you still cared?” she inquires.

“Of course I did. I STILL do.”

Both their faces glowed dimly and relished their grasp as it calmed them further. Peridot let go of one of her hands and just let the other hold Lapis’ palm. “I’m also very sorry, Lapis.” She says. “I never told you the truth, and I may never fix you from your faults. I just thought that we were entirely the same gems, trying to start a new life on another planet. But I too was afraid, by telling you anything else since I knew it would lead to mistrust. I guess my choices were worse than that.”

As the two gems finally expressed their regret, they were finally free from their senseless fears and adored seeing their smiles at last. “I promise that everything will be fine from now on. Whatever we will face, we’ll get through it together. Starting now.” Peridot pledged

It was nightfall now, and Peridot could finally enjoy a good night on Earth knowing that she had her favorite roommate back. Lapis leaned closer to her, and kissed her promptly on the lips. She almost forgot how much she missed receiving her affection.

“I will never leave you again.”

[minijenn]

Lapis: "Peridot, I think it's time that we finally settle down and get married so that Dipper can have a stable parent environment to be raised in. What do you say?!" Mabel: "Lapis, you do realize that we still have our parents in California, ri-" Peridot: *Covering Mabel's mouth* "YEEEEES!"

Peri gonna get herself a wifie. 

[sandjsbeachbumbonanza]

Day 137 – No skins, no head

We got up early for a doctor’s appointment for S, only to find out he has a Viking disease courtesy of his dad. That explains S’ Viking hair and general Viking-like demeanour. We returned to the hotel so J could take a long nap. S was devastated to learn that he could take no skins back to the UK, this included the skin on the antique Zulu shield. Undaunted, we headed back to the store to pick up some other things, including an oryx skull and antlers and a metal shield from Cameroon. We also bought a pair of high-powered binoculars for S in the hopes he will be able to see more in Namibia.

After shopping, we headed back toward the German restaurant at the V&A waterfront, Kapstadt Brauhaus, we had seen a week ago. However, we could not find the way. Last time it was a very short walk. The route Google Maps recommended did not exist… or so we thought. We had to take a very long walk around the harbour to get there. When we got to the restaurant, we sat down and ordered a beer. Only then did we notice that the shortcut to the restaurant was a rotating bridge which had been left open while we were trying to find it so ships could pass. We knew this path was here, we just couldn’t find it.

S ordered a weisswurst with sides and J ordered a pretzel with cheese sauce and the peri peri chicken. It was not entirely authentic, but decent. The pretzel was the star of the meal.

We came back to the hotel in time for aperitivo hour(s) and then headed back to our room. As we were picking up our room key from reception, the electricity cut out. James checked his phone and saw that this was a short notice rolling blackout from 10pm – 12:30am. The hotel is a pro at dealing with this. We were given some electric lamps and escorted back to our room. The WiFi stayed on for a little while longer, powered by the inverter. When it went off, we were able to hotspot using J’s phone to organise our next stop after Namibia. We are heading back to the US to visit S’ daughter A and celebrate her first home purchase. Finally, we went to bed.

[lolimnotfunnydude]

I recently had the opportunity to video chat with a third grade class from the United States about my time in Botswana and my new home. The students read a book about a little girl in Botswana, and it just made sense that they have the opportunity to chat with someone who really lives there.

Here are the questions they asked me, and the answers to those questions:

Is school free?

Besides a school fee which is reduced for almost all students, 12 years of free education are guaranteed for each and every single student in Botswana. The school fee is supposed to cover things like the school uniform. Lodging for boarding students (most schools in Botswana are boarding schools, as they accommodate students who do not live in the village in which the school is placed) as well as food for both lodging and non-lodging students are both free. They are not an extra cost for families.

What days do you go to school?

Monday-Friday. The same as in the United States! I do spend some days at the clinic or social worker’s office, though. Additionally, the Junior Secondary Schools do not run on a 5 day schedule. The time table at my school is 6 days long. I teach on days 2 and 4, so different days of the week every week.

Classrooms at my Junior Secondary School.

How many hours a day do children go to school? What months of the year do they go to school?

This first question depends on what year of schooling a child is in. Reception, which is the equivalent of preschool and kindergarten, is incredibly short. Standards 1-3, which are the equivalent of Grades 1-3, end around 12:30pm and start at 7:30am. Standards 4 and 5 end around 3pm, and 6 and 7 end sometime around 4 depending on how close in the year we are to exams.

I work at a Junior Secondary School with Form 1-3 students, which are the equivalent of 8th-10th graders. They have class from 7:30am to 4:30pm, with an additional study hour in the morning and in the evening. After school clubs and athletics run from 4:30-5:30pm.

The school year in Botswana is split into three terms which span the entire year. They do not have a two month break during the summer like schools in the United States. First term began on January 9th, and runs until April 13th. Term two starts the first week of May and ends on July 13th. Term three starts on August 6th and ends on November 30th, with a quick break in September.

Are there tvs in Botswana?

Yes! Television is actually a very important tool for socialization in Botswana. When I was in Pre-Service Training, I sat down and watched television—specifically BTV, Botswana’s government television station—every single day during dinner. Families often gather in front of the tv for hours every night to watch soap operas from South Africa and India. You will find people talking about those shows the same way Americans talk about their favorite shows.

Does Botswana have technology, video games, and iphones?

The short answer is yes. These things do definitely exist in Botswana. Whether they are readily available and accessible to the average Motswana is a different story. Everyone I know in Botswana has a phone, but not everyone has a smart phone. Even fewer have iphones, simply because they cost exorbitant amounts and are easy to break. They cannot withstand some of the harsher climates in Botswana. Android accessories like chargers and phone cases are super easy to find anywhere, as they use the same chargers as brick phones (which are used very similarly to Trac Phones, if anyone remembers those).

Most families do not own their own computer. In fact, I have yet to meet someone who owns their own computer. But every institution—school, clinic, NGO, social worker’s office, police office, tribal office—has computers. Tools like emails are not used particularly frequently, and wifi is not widely available in smaller villages. Batswana are not totally disconnected, though. People can buy monthly plans for their phones which include social media sites and apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Whatsapp. The connection in my village is pretty poor, so usually I am only truly able to use Whatsapp, but it fits all of my needs.

Do you have video games in Botswana?

I have not seen anyone play video games, and I have not seen any video game consoles. I would assume that they exist, though, as I have seen almost every form of technology available in the U.S. here, but I would also assume that they are not purchased or used frequently.

What type of food do you eat?

I did not have a fridge for the past four months, so I was eating a lot of rice and canned beans. I also ate canned vegetables which soaked for probably too long in a brine I really did not appreciate. This was incredibly difficult, but I am proud and excited to say that I just recently received a fridge! I am excited to start using it and getting back to a semi-normal diet.

What are the traditional foods of Botswana?

The traditional foods of Botswana are delicious, let me tell you. Much of it consists of meat and a kind of starch with tiny amounts of vegetables tossed in when appropriate. One of my favorites is called paletshe; it is very similar to grits, but the granules are small enough that the texture ends up being somewhat reminiscent of mashed potatoes. There are other types of starches made from maize and sorghum as well, like sampete and bogobe. Two of the vegetable dishes include a mix of beans and spices called dinawa, and cut spinach (or bean leaves, or a vegetable called rape) sautéed with carrots and onion called morogo.

A fancy version of traditional Tswana food. Chakalakah is on the top left, morogo on the top right, paletshe on the middle left, and the rest of the food should be recognizable.

Do you guys have watermelon?

There are, in fact, watermelons in Botswana. Botswana has a large variety of fruit, including several types of melons, papaya, mango, amarula (which is used to make several types of alcohol, and is even a favorite of elephants despite its tendency to ferment in their stomachs and cause them to get drunk), among others. Avacado, pineapple, apples, oranges, lemons, etc, are also all available at stores.

Does Botswana have McDonald’s? Have any of them had cheeseburgers?

Sadly, no. I found this very surprising, as I had assumed that McDonald’s had reached nearly every country in the world. But alas, I was wrong. There is a McDonald’s close to the southern border of Botswana in South Africa, but I live nowhere near the southern border, so it is not accessible for me whatsoever. I do look forward to eating at one again, though; I think this is the longest period of time I have gone in my entire life without doing so.

And yes to the second question. While there is not a single McDonald’s, Botswana is a country which runs heavily on tourism. A lot of tourists are from countries in which citizens eat hamburgers, so a lot of lodges and restaurants have hamburgers. I have yet to eat one that is of the quality I want it to be, but they are certainly not bad.

Another important thing to note is that Botswana does have KFC—Kentucky Friend Chicken. Most chain restaurants here primarily sell fried chicken. We have Chicken Licken, KFC, Hungry Lion, and Nando’s. Peri peri sauce, the popularity of which rose from Nando’s, is everywhere. One of my favorite snacks in Botswana is a chicken peri peri pie that I can get at most grocery stores. It is marvelous.

Do they have snow?

Botswana does not have snow anywhere. None of the altitudes are high enough, and even though the desert gets cold at night and the south can get very cold in the winter, it is never cold enough to snow. The temperatures—both hot and cold—just feel more intense because of the lack of heating and cooling systems within the houses.

What sport do the people of Botswana like the most?

Batswana love to play and watch sports. My perception is that both football (soccer) and netball are incredibly popular. Netball is basketball without the back board—just the net. But volleyball and track and field activities are also very popular. Students love any opportunity to run around and have fun, and adults love the opportunity to network, gossip, and blow off some steam. Sports games are community events, and they really build a sense of comradery.

  A PCV versus locals football (soccer) game during Pre-Service Training.

Do people in Botswana play football?

They do not play the American version of football. They do, however, play soccer, which they call football.

Do the people talk differently?

In terms of speaking another language, yes. In terms of having a different accent and using, technically and linguistically, another version of English, yes. Their accent includes rolled r’s, long a’s, etc. The most widely used language in the country is Setswana, although most schooling is supposed to be instructed in English. First languages can also include Sembukushu, Sekgalagadi, Sekalanga, Seyeyi, Afrikaans, Naro, etc. So many languages are spoken in Botswana that I could not possibly list them all.

What language are your books in?

Most books available in Botswana were written in English. Some are available in Setswana, and in some cases, there are books available in tribe-specific languages. For instance, there is a linguistics group in D’Kar working on translating books both into Naro and into Setswana and English from Naro.

My school and I are working on requesting more books in English to help encourage students to read and work on their English literacy. All standardized testing is done in English, and our students are lagging behind. They speak Sembukushu in their homes and then are forced to learn English and Setswana concurrently. It can be very difficult—especially because most of the teachers do not know Sembukushu. Teachers are government employees, so they are part of something called the transfer system. In order to prevent corruption, all government employees must transfer jobs and villages every 5 years. Teachers often end up in villages all the way across the country from their spouses and loved ones.

What holidays do people celebrate, and when are they?

People in Botswana are, for the most part, Christian. There is a small population of Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist people, but the vast majority are Chrstians. They thus celebrate the same religious holidays as those Christians do in the United States; they might not celebrate them the exact same way, though. Other holidays exist for pretty much the same reasons as those in the United States. Botswana has an independence day—Boipuso—a day to celebrate the first president, and others.

Do people have parades with animals for holidays?

People do not have parades with animals. The relationship between Batswana and animals is quite complex. Wild animals are protected very effectively through legislation and through intense animal reserve border controls. The country is totally against poaching, and has enacted measures which fine people intensely or even allow military to shoot people on sight if they violate certain rules regarding wild animals. Domestic animals are not treated with the same reverence. They are able to wander around wherever, and you can often find children or adults throwing sticks or rocks at them. They simply do not have the same emotional importance as pets in the United States. They are a nuisance to many people, as they are an extra food and space burden. It is understandable despite how long it has taken me to accept that treatment.

What are some types of animals in Botswana?

Botswana is really cool. It has a super large variety of animals, from squirrels and mongoose to elephants, lions, and leopards. Botswana has the largest wild elephant population in the entire world. I also think Botswana might have one of the highest donkey populations in the world, but I have no tangible proof of that. There are just a lot of donkeys. Wild animals are not restricted to game reserves, though. There are baboons all over the capital city and surrounding villages. A child was recently killed by an elephant in the village next to mine. Another child was killed by a lion just a few hours from my village. Wild animals live everywhere around the delta, and it can be a huge problem for the humans who also live around the delta. They thus have a healthy fear and respect for such animals.

What is the time difference between Botswana and the U.S.?

The time difference currently is 7 hours. In the spring, when the U.S. “springs forward”, the time difference will be 6 hours.

What is the population of Botswana?

The population of Botswana is approximately 2 million. It has one of the lowest populations per square mile on the African continent. While the country itself is around the size of Texas, its population is much smaller. Manpower can be a struggle for community mobilization and other initiatives. Sometimes there just are not enough people. Most of the population is concentrated in the South, South East, and North East regions of the country. Those are where the two cities lie, and where a lot of expatriates live.

What kind of clothes do you wear?

I wear formal business attire to school every single day. The workplace is quite fancy, and women often wear heels several inches tall to work. Your outward appearance is meant to display the respect you have for the people around you; it is not meant as a form of artistic or personal expression. I do own some clothes I had tailored for me in African prints, but I do not wear them super often. In the workplace, people primarily wear Western-style clothing. Non-government workers are more likely to wear clothes we typically think of when we think of the African continent. Botswana is hot, and a Tswana-style dress allows for a lot more air flow than a button down shirt and pencil skirt.

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Q+A: From the mouths of babes I recently had the opportunity to video chat with a third grade class from the United States about my time in Botswana and my new home.

[bobertie10]

1am thoughts...

I am having a lot of thoughts rn so instead of spamming kerry I'm gonna post them here, but my tumblr is an open book (so hannah and jess, if you are reading, don't read on): College is going good, considering everything that's happened. Maybe some day I'll post about all of it, but not today. I'm at home, can't smoke during the day because my family would notice. I am hiding green in the cupboard (built in to the wall) to mask the smell (in December I accidentally stank out my room just storing it in the bedside drawer), but my walls are thin and my cupboard creaks so I can't keep going in and out, and I can't store outside of the cupboard. It's annoying af. Tomorrow (today technically) I'll find out when I'll be getting surgery. I'll likely find out later in the day at the last appointment, but I know that 99% I'll be getting peri which I'm excited about. I've been trying to work out so that I build muscle in my chest too. I'm going to go for a walk tomorrow (today) evening and I think I'll call kerry if she's free to talk. I'll know when I'll be getting surgery and we'll be able to plan stuff like getting jobs/smoke/a flat. I'll also bring stuff to roll a fuck ton of joints and just get stoned the whole night. On Friday I'll be hanging out with molly at some point, which I'm looking forward to. She is my longest friend, and we can go ages without speaking and just fall back in places when we're together. It's great. There's no outside or background noise here so it's almost too quiet, but I can't turn up music because, again, thin walls. I'm also taking advantage of having unblocked WiFi and ordering ftm stuff - all the cheap sites are blocked. I'm hoping that the wardens at the college halls don't ask what it is when it arrives, it'll be hard to explain... Yesterday kerry wrote a page in my journal, I was feeling down and I'd let her read what I'd wrote because I was finding it hard to speak. So she wrote a page, and I'm not allowed to read it until I feel really, really, shitty. I haven't looked at it yet.

[yesadventureisoutthere]

Spring break -- Dublin

Three weeks into my study abroad in Amsterdam and we've already had a break. Although some people chose to wait until they arrived in Amsterdam to plan and book their trips with apartment mates or friends here, I didn't like the last minute and potentially expensive experience. Instead, I planned a solo trip to Ireland and then onto Scotland to meet up with my friend, Becky, who I met this past summer through the Cal BASE program.

My flight from Amsterdam to Dublin was delayed an hour due to fog, which shortened my already quick visit in Dublin. My flight was supposed to arrive at 12:00 and I had a train to Belfast at 4:50. But despite the worry that this wouldn't be enough time in Dublin, it was actually perfect. Besides the Guinness experience and a tour of Trinity College and the Book of Kells, there isn't much to do in Dublin. 

I pre booked a airport to city center bus and dropped off on O'Connolly Street. It's considered one of the things to do in Dublin but I'm not exactly sure why. It's a main thoroughfare but the better shopping and restaurants are closer to Trinity College. Not seeing much on the street and knowing I had limited time, I popped in to a very nice Holiday Inn (which are much nicer here than home) to ask for recommendations and directions. The lady at the front desk informed me that the city was very walkable with nothing being more than 30 mins away. I asked for restaurant recommendations and decided to look for "the Church." It was down a Main Street that intersects O'Connolly with many fashionable shops like H&M, Zara, Top Shop, Penny's (Primark), Marks & Spencer, and Pull & Bear. The Church restaurant was at the end of this shopping street but didn't look that good, but across the street was Nando's. They are known for their peri peri spiced grilled chicken. Before last year, I didn't know what this place was. A teammate of mine was on the hunt for it last year in London, and Andrew wanted mom & dad to pick up some of the sauces & peri peri salt that they're famous for. Mom's made some marinated chicken so I kind of knew the favor, but people have said it’s better at the restaurant. So when I planned this trip, I knew I had to try real Nando's. I went for the medium 1/4 chicken with corn on the cob & peri peri salted fries, which was a mistake.

I'm not a big fan of spicy and the medium sauce on hot fresh chicken was too much for me. My mouth was burning in just a few bites. Looking back, I probably should have gotten the mild lemon & herb sauce, but wanted the traditional Peri Peri. All in all, the chicken may have been to spicy for me, but it was very tender and moist and the peri peri salt on fries & corn was very good -- it's similar to ol'bay salt.

After lunch, I wondered around the city. I didn't have much planned for Dublin. I knew I wanted to try a Guinness and maybe look at trinity college. Both fell flat to me. I know that trinity college is historic and has a very famous Gallic book, but that's not super interesting to me. I walked around campus just to take a look though. The area around the college was more European looking than the side of the river I was dropped off at. I walked by another Nando's and by more upscale shopping as well as local pubs and restaurants. When I became bored with just wandering, I found a pub with a Guinness sign out front and ordered a pint. I barley got a quarter of the way through. For a girl who doesn't like beer in the first place, that'll be my first & last dark beer....

Then it was back over the river to find the train station. It was slight struggle because I wasn't really sure where I was going even with google maps. Eventually I made it to the station with 10 minutes to spare and a two hour train ride up to Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.

(I've begun to really like train travel: you just jump on. There's no security or long boarding wait. Doing the math, the longer journey time of a train is about the same as the airport travel time, plus there's wifi on most trains.)