#riding discipline overview

[rochestertrailriders]

Beginner Horseback Riding Lessons: A Starter Guide

This podcast episode provides an insightful guide for beginners on starting horseback riding lessons. It discusses how to choose the right lesson program, what to expect during lessons, the essential attire and safety gear needed, and the physical expectations and rewards of riding. Special attention is given to the inclusivity of the sport, with a nod to programs like EquiCenter that cater to…

[secretmellowblog]

Les Mis Canon-era Paris Photographs: Jean Valjean and Cosette’s route to escape Javert, in Pictures!

Jean Valjean's escape through Paris is Victor Hugo's way of mourning the Paris he knew from before his exile, the Paris before the modern renovations.

Hugo wrote Les Mis from exile in Guernsey, at the same time as Paris was undergoing a series of massive renovations. The "Old City" of medieval Paris that Hugo loved was being replaced by the “New City" of Baron Haussman. The dark medieval labyrinth lit by oil lamps was being replaced by modern wide streets and standardized architecture lit by gas lamps. Victor Hugo is nostalgic for the Paris he remembers before his exile-- so Jean Valjean is able to escape Javert using things unique to the Old City. He escapes through a labyrinth of tiny medieval streets in a neighborhood Hugo claims was destroyed during the renovations; he climbs over the convent wall using the rope from an oil lamp, the very oil lamps that were being replaced by the more modern gas lanterns. The dark maze hides him from police surveillance in a way modern streets cannot.

A man named Charles Marville photographed Paris shortly before many (though not all) of the renovations occurred. In this post I'll go through all the different streets mentioned in the Valjean-Javert Paris chase chapters, and provide Marville's photographs whenever they the image has been labeled with the name of the street. Note that there may be some inaccuracies. Some street names changed over time.

Here is a map of what the chase looks like, taken from the book "Paris in the Times of Victor Hugo."

A quick overview: Jean Valjean starts in a slummy half-built suburban area. This area is highly associated with the King; the royal Jardin des Plantes is nearby, and King Louis XVIII often rides by in his carriage during the afternoons. After travelling down a bunch of streets, "zigzagging" back and forth, Jean Valjean decides to cross the Seine over the Bridge of Austerlitz (a bridge named after one of Napoleon's victories.) Then he reaches the areas of the city near the Faubourg Saint Antoine that are more associated with working class rebellion. From there he enters a dark isolated half-built medieval neighborhood near marshes and timberyards, with narrow mazey alleyways, that Hugo mostly made up. Hugo pretends this medieval neighborhood used to exist, but was destroyed like many others during the recent renovations. Now that we've gotten the overview out of the way, let's go more specific!

The chase starts out in "the old quarter of the Marche aux Chevaux." At the time, this was a less inhabited and poorer area of Paris; it's described as basically a slum. Here are some of Marville's photographs :

Then we're told "Jean Valjean described many and varied labyrinths in the Mouffetard quarter, which was already asleep, as though the discipline of the Middle Ages and the yoke of the curfew still existed. He combined in various manners, with cunning strategy, the Rue Censier:"

"and the Rue Copeau," (according to the map I linked earlier, the Rue Copeau is now the Rue Lacepede. Here is Marville's pic:)

"the Rue du Battoir-Saint-Victor and the Rue du Puits l’Ermite. There are lodging houses in this locality, but he did not even enter one, finding nothing which suited him. He had no doubt that if any one had chanced to be upon his track, they would have lost it."

"As eleven o’clock struck from Saint-Étienne-du-Mont:" (note: this refers to the church of Saint-Etienne)

"he was traversing the Rue de Pontoise, in front of the office of the commissary of police, situated at No. 14." (Jean Valjean sees Javert and the police following him on this street, because they're visible in the light of the lantern from the police station.)

"He took a circuit, turned into the Passage des Patriarches, which was closed on account of the hour,"

"strode along the Rue de l’Épée-de-Bois

and the Rue de l’Arbalète, and plunged into the Rue des Postes."

"At that time there was a square formed by the intersection of streets, where the College Rollin stands to-day, and where the Rue Neuve-Sainte-Geneviève turns off." (Note: these streets are labeled Montagne-Sainte-Geneviève, but not Neuve-Sainte-Geneviève, so they may be different streets! But I'm putting them here anyway.)

"It is understood, of course, that the Rue Neuve-Sainte-Geneviève is an old street, and that a posting-chaise does not pass through the Rue des Postes once in ten years. In the thirteenth century this Rue des Postes was inhabited by potters, and its real name is Rue des Pots." (Annotation: Hugo's bein silly and making little puns. He's snarkily pointing out the "new saint-genevieve street" is old, and the post street rarely has post-chaises/carriages go through it.) (Jean Valjean hides in the shadows and watches to see who shows up in this big square intersection of streets. In the moonlight, he recognizes Javert.) "He slipped from under the gate where he had concealed himself, and went down the Rue des Postes (which I shared a picture of previously), towards the region of the Jardin des Plantes." (Note: the Jardin des Plantes is a royal garden. Here is a modern photo from Wikipedia.)

"He left behind him the Rue de la Clef,

"then the Fountain Saint-Victor, skirted the Jardin des Plantes by the lower streets, and reached the quay. There he turned round. The quay was deserted. The streets were deserted. There was no one behind him. He drew a long breath.

He gained the Pont d’Austerlitz." (The Pont d'Austerlitz, named after Napoleon's victory at the battle of Austerlitz, is a very famous bridge. Marville has no photographs but here's an 1830 engraving:)

"The bridge once crossed, he perceived some timber-yards on his right. He directed his course thither. In order to reach them, it was necessary to risk himself in a tolerably large unsheltered and illuminated space. He did not hesitate. Those who were on his track had evidently lost the scent, and Jean Valjean believed himself to be out of danger. Hunted, yes; followed, no." Here's the quai by the pont-au-change-- a different quai, but gives you an idea of what the areas around the Seine often looked like.

(Then Jean Valjean sees Javert and the other police on the Bridge of Austerlitz, following him. He hurries towards the darker alleys of the city.)

"A little street, the Rue du Chemin-Vert-Saint-Antoine, opened out between two timber-yards enclosed in walls. This street was dark and narrow and seemed made expressly for him."

Here's an abandoned timber-yard-ish looking picture:

But Marville has no photographs of this street. I'd have to double check, but iirc this is the part where Hugo starts to 'make up' more street layouts. I wouldn't be surprised if this street really WAS made expressly for him (meaning Hugo made it up.) "The point of Paris where Jean Valjean found himself, situated between the Faubourg Saint-Antoine and la Râpée, is one of those which recent improvements have transformed from top to bottom,—resulting in disfigurement according to some, and in a transfiguration according to others. The market-gardens, the timber-yards, and the old buildings have been effaced. To-day, there are brand-new, wide streets, arenas, circuses, hippodromes, railway stations, and a prison, Mazas, there; progress, as the reader sees, with its antidote."

(Here Hugo talks about the Haussman renovations directly, claiming that if his street layouts are "inaccurate" it's because these are some of the Old Medieval Streets that were razed during Paris's recent renovations. He goes on for a while comparing Petit-Picpus to various other areas that were changed during the renovations.)

"Le Petit-Picpus, which, moreover, hardly ever had any existence, and never was more than the outline of a quarter, had nearly the monkish aspect of a Spanish town. The roads were not much paved; the streets were not much built up. (....) Such was this quarter in the last century. The Revolution snubbed it soundly. The republican government demolished and cut through it. Rubbish shoots were established there. Thirty years ago, this quarter was disappearing under the erasing process of new buildings. To-day, it has been utterly blotted out."

The Petit-Picpus, of which no existing plan has preserved a trace, is indicated with sufficient clearness in the plan of 1727, published at Paris by Denis Thierry, Rue Saint-Jacques, opposite the Rue du Plâtre;

and at Lyons, by Jean Girin, Rue Mercière, at the sign of Prudence.

Petit-Picpus had, as we have just mentioned, a Y of streets, formed by the Rue du Chemin-Vert-Saint-Antoine, which spread out in two branches, taking on the left the name of Little Picpus Street, and on the right the name of the Rue Polonceau. The two limbs of the Y were connected at the apex as by a bar; this bar was called Rue Droit-Mur.

The Rue Polonceau ended there; Rue Petit-Picpus passed on, and ascended towards the Lenoir market. A person coming from the Seine reached the extremity of the Rue Polonceau, and had on his right the Rue Droit-Mur, turning abruptly at a right angle, in front of him the wall of that street, and on his right a truncated prolongation of the Rue Droit-Mur, which had no issue and was called the Cul-de-Sac Genrot." Here is @everyonewasabird's attempt to puzzle this out:

It was here that Jean Valjean stood."

Then Jean Valjean escapes by pulling down an old oil lantern, strung up by ropes. Hugo notes that this would have been "impossible if the streets were lit with gas, the way they would be after the renovations. This picture shows an old oil lamp strung up by ropes:

Finally, Jean Valjean climbs over the wall into the Petit-Picpus convent. This convent is fictional. Hugo pretends it used to exists but is no longer around-- another relic of the early 19th century that has been lost over time.

TLDR:

Jean Valjean's escape through Paris is Hugo way of mourning the Paris he knew from before his exile, the Paris before the modern renovations. To quote Volume 2 Book 5 Chapter 1:

The author of this book, who regrets the necessity of mentioning himself, has been absent from Paris for many years. Paris has been transformed since he quitted it. A new city has arisen, which is, after a fashion, unknown to him. There is no need for him to say that he loves Paris: Paris is his mind’s natal city. In consequence of demolitions and reconstructions, the Paris of his youth, that Paris which he bore away religiously in his memory, is now a Paris of days gone by. He must be permitted to speak of that Paris as though it still existed. It is possible that when the author conducts his readers to a spot and says, “In such a street there stands such and such a house,” neither street nor house will any longer exist in that locality. Readers may verify the facts if they care to take the trouble. For his own part, he is unacquainted with the new Paris, and he writes with the old Paris before his eyes in an illusion which is precious to him. It is a delight to him to dream that there still lingers behind him something of that which he beheld when he was in his own country, and that all has not vanished. So long as you go and come in your native land, you imagine that those streets are a matter of indifference to you; that those windows, those roofs, and those doors are nothing to you; that those walls are strangers to you; that those trees are merely the first encountered haphazard; that those houses, which you do not enter, are useless to you; that the pavements which you tread are merely stones. Later on, when you are no longer there, you perceive that the streets are dear to you; that you miss those roofs, those doors; and that those walls are necessary to you, those trees are well beloved by you; that you entered those houses which you never entered, every day, and that you have left a part of your heart, of your blood, of your soul, in those pavements. All those places which you no longer behold, which you may never behold again, perchance, and whose memory you have cherished, take on a melancholy charm, recur to your mind with the melancholy of an apparition, make the holy land visible to you, and are, so to speak, the very form of France, and you love them; and you call them up as they are, as they were, and you persist in this, and you will submit to no change: for you are attached to the figure of your fatherland as to the face of your mother.

[fxshigurosbae]

ılı.lıllılı.ıllı.

now playing ► KINKTOBER 22, third week.

OVERVIEW. he keeps you from moving, even if you beg and cry.

♫ SONG DURATION.

0:00 ——◦———— -2kwords

parental advisory ! explicit content

LYRICS. step!father, pseudo!incest, male!dom, breeding, cockwarming, pet names, riding, begging, grinding, nipple play, orgasm control, dumbification, overstim, manhandling, dacryphilia, aftercare, daddy kink, creampie, age gap, size kink, unprotected sex, strong language // toji [37] user [19]

ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ : ▮▮▮▮▮▮▯▯▯

— the playlist

DADDY’s relationship with you, without a doubt, was immoral, lusty, dangerous and, both knew that. what shouldn’t be excluded too, was the fact mommy’s marriage was somewhat, actually totally, toxic. since, for now, only you had found out of her affair with that man-whore satoru, while on the other hand, behind that sweet not-so-innocent act, her husband, toji, corrupted his step-daughter, all behind the wife’s back. in the end, everything was a lie, except his love, affection — and obsession — for you.

it has been at least two years since you’ve met — back then, freshly eighteen and now, pretty close to being twenty, you are just nineteen and in college — toji was a lucky bastard to have you. such a pretty little obedient doll for him to use, corrupt and take care of, all at the same time. and, this time, wide, broad shoulders and arms held you in his lap, legs spread open and accommodated around his hips and thick thighs. only you and the man, nearly two decades older than you were in the house, with the tv on the background, playing a random movie — one which you were not even paying attention to, mostly because you were facing him and, for the mere fact that you had been too focused on having his girthy addictive cock inside your cunny for around half an hour now.

“daddy… please, can’t take it anymore.” embracing arms around his neck, arching back and uncomfortable trembling legs. toji’s hands kept you still the entire time, if you did dare move, you knew there’d be punishment — that could be such as having his hips follow you, leading to a situation where there wouldn’t be relief of any of that constant suffering ache or, maybe, not being rewarded for your disciplined composure — the problem is that there was simply no more energy left for you to keep going.

“poor princess, so weak can’t even wait. ya pretty lil’ cunt’s swallowin’ me whole, yet’s not enough?” like a whispery groan in your ear, he won’t admit his libido is already reaching the maximum tolerance — but the man wants to see you crumble first, which is already an ongoing case.

“nhn, please! please, fuck, need…” unable to finish the sentence nor formulate comprehensible phrases, plus your entire body stuck and firmly fixated, by his hands, right above his half-clothed pelvis. and, what was even more unfair, was to have his full cock inside, rawly resting right over your cervix, pressing against those sensitive spots. warming your interior, filling you up in a way that you’re able to wrap your gummy walls around it to feel even more of the immense pressure.

“use y’er big girl words, angel. c’mon, can’t hear ya.” a smug chuckle left his scarred soft lip, staring at you from a slightly higher angle, since manspreading made his figure lightly sink into the couch.

“uh-ngh, daddy, please, wan’ you to fuck me, fuck me so bad.” your voice was in a very high-pitch, taking the form of the most seductive thing existent, it took great strength for toji to continue this child’s play, but he was sadistic and, determined. there was just no mercy, in the slightest, even if restrained, begging, in the brink of fainting, while doing the absolute most to attempt moving your hips, nothing worked on him. your fragile chest rising in a brusque rhythm, sweat on the forehead, a single drop running on the middle of your spine, even your guts trembled from this never-ending waiting.

“good girls know how to wait,” the outer part of his right hand caressed your needy cheek, giving you — what you thought could be — an opening to strugglingly grind halfway forward. that same comforting hand, then, in a matter of seconds, was cupping your cheeks in a rough handling way, squishing them together as your eyebrows furrowed “confusedly”, as so to play dumb. lips now quivering, breathing through the small gap of your mouth and your nose, as if the air had been limited, pussy immediately clamping — and hearing what you thought was a very gutturally low moan come from him. “really wanna make me disappointed in ya, don’tcha, sweetheart? if ya do that one more time, swear won’t move a single inch tonight.” gosh, you were miserable, even moaned for what he said, pathetic. with a tighter grip on the tiny bit of chubbiness of those cheeks. the way the corner of his lip curved into that same smugly smirk, the way his eyes looked at your pouty restricted lips with such perversion, the way his hips just plunged in an almost unnoticeable, but very much so, upward movement, which led into fitting his already-all-the-way-in cock even deeper inside, the combination made you cum real good, an escalating fragmented squeak accompanied. that made you lose count, of just how many times you had probably came already that night, not even being started. toes cramping from curling, corner of the eyes burning from wiping off tear drops, nose cutely in a reddish tone. “fuck, ya know how sweet’s to see my lil’girl cumming like that on my cock? an’m’not even fucking her.” a tsk from toji, followed right after, releasing your numbing cheeks and jaw to, then, focus on groping your covered tits — wearing that slutty white round neck, short sleeves and even shorter and tighter crop top — which rested just two fingers below your nipples — with thin borders of the word angel written on it, in light pastel blue, exactly what you were, in fact, what you just pretended to be. playing with your nips over the fabric, with just a single artificial touch, it made them harder, more erect, and your pussy, again, wrapped itself around his cock — that man had patience and so much fucking control. “g’nna fuck ya when the time’s right, so I can see ya forget y’er own name, angel,” he chuckled at the playful reference, seeing you bite your bottom lip. “ya gon’ wait, isn’that right?” supporting yourself on his thighs, leaning back, feeling the tip of his thumbs circling your nipples, eyes closing just slightly, legs shivering, every circle sending heat into your body, increasingly. with an instant nod to his question, that hypnotizing goddamn curve on his mouth, showing just a tiny bit of his teeth, as toji continued to play with your breasts, squeezing a little bit, rolling the buds, watching yourself slide backwards on his thighs, arching your back. “good, good, that’s a good girl.” he whispered, it sent you over the moon, the way those words spilled out of his mouth, your pussy feeling warmer, hotter, burning, tighter, suffocating — yet he did not give it in to you.

“t-toji, please, think m’gonna pass, pass out.” what a chuckle you heard from the man, your doe eyes, staring back at his merciless ones.

“that’s what’m aiming for, bunny.” you felt as if melting under his grip, currently, hands fondling with your ass, hips as if glued onto his body. daddy, in a swift move, pulled your crop top over your boobies, exposing them for his sight, noticing reddish tones on the nipples from the intense friction. he was decided in making you explode, collapse, cum as many times as he wanted but, what he forgot was that he also had been losing his mind. then, toji’d never imagine the effect you had on him, how you’d make him feel that way, when you now looked at him this way — sobbing almost, tears running, biting your lower lip as close to bleeding, sinking your nails into his thighs, toes about to break from curling — those fucking hypnotizing, pitiful, needy, begging, miserable eyes, they were the death of him, not only that but…

“daddy, please, fuck me, please, cum’n my pussy, pl-please daddy.” your voice ever so low, so soft, so sweet, so endearing, that it immediately invoked something buried deep inside him.

“fuck, sweetheart, if ya ask like that,” a heavy exhale from him, it was loud enough to make you shiver. “fuck y’rself on my cock, come on, baby, let me see ya do it.” your eyes shined at his demand, freeing your waist from the intense grip as you immediately, without hesitation, began effortfully jumping on his long cock, burying itself deeper, skin meeting at his crotch. gosh, how you moaned, whimpered, cried, with tits bouncing, hips moving wavily — up and down, back and forth — like however you could. His eyes fixated on your face — your eyes that were too shy to look at him — and, smirking at the image of your cock-hungry expressions, plus, there was yourself watching it being fucked in and out of your pretty pussy from an angle above. leaning back, still supporting on his knees and thighs, also throwing your head back, having some kisses on your neck, some fondling and groping all over too. noticing his large hands guiding your waist, adding thrusts from below as well, bringing out even more whining, that desperate whining from your lips, escalating, descending, choking, sobbing and even those messy ones. your eyes slightly closing, already sloppy pace becoming even slower, your thighs contracting, jittering body as you came once more, specially with one of his digits circling your clit, for a few seconds. hearing mumbles under your breath, maybe dizziness taking form, yet, he held your firmly under his grip, slowly thrusting his way up into you.

“don’t think’s over, ya gon’ cum how many times I fucking want to.” he added, making sure you’d not give up on him, making sure you knew who was in charge. your body fell forward, holding onto his broad and manly shoulders, as toji lifted his hips from the couch, gripping onto your own waist and kept it still, so he could easily fill you up, balls deep, pounding up and down, this time. he was strong, so fucking strong, he could easily handle you, he could easily break you in half, if he wanted to. as you, moaned and let out incomprehensible words in a low broken voice, whispering his name occasionally onto his ear, like a hypnotizing melody. “daddy, love it s’much, daddy, ah! f-fuck, daddy.” with an on-growing smirk on those goddamn scarred lips, those which slightly touched your ears.

“know ya do, can feel my princess’ lil’pussy squeezin’ me real good.” and a chuckle from him, that lead you to whimper like a puppy. “wan’ me to cum in ya?” immediate pleas, repeated please!please!please. digging your nails on his back, jolting at each thrust, scratching the covered skin, leading into him grunting. holding your hips up, easily bouncing your body up and down, along with those rapid, deep, profound pounds, that in a matter of seconds, became slow and controlled, pretty rough ones — feeling the squeeze of his cock whenever his pretty head caressed your cervix, his cock pressed lewd kisses inside your pretty cunt. your skins collapsing together, clapping loudly enough to compete with the sounds of your own frequent moaning. his pretty girl was close to the point of drooling, drooling for cock, for cum, getting so dumb-fucked, blabbering stuff randomly, in a choking way, mixing with your prolonged cries. advising about your thousandth, upcoming orgasm, he chuckled, obviously mocking the way you were so sensitive. “i’ll let ya, since my pretty thing’s been taking me real nice, been a nice doll f’me.” whimpering, more restrainedly, back arching, more, toes curling, again, nails digging, deeper, pussy squeezing, harder. with a sloppy pace, a change in the rhythm, you desperately felt it crash over you devastatingly, attempting to close your legs together, feeling a caress on your ass with his thumbs, a grin against your neck — that was being filled with pecking kisses — and, another powerful pound, while you were about to finish squirting intensively, it was enough to find an ever better spot, and to have it filled with that warm cum, with daddy’s precious warm cum, drying him completely with a tighter squeeze. “fuck, bunny, ya milking my cock, gonna make me want to fuck ya again.” his voice could kill, it had an effect that sent shivers down your spine, you once more repeated yes!yes!yes!, clueless almost, emptying it inside your tight walls, forming a white ring on the base of his cock as you came down your high completely, alongside his, by a matter of seconds. slowly, leisurely lifting your sore hips, pulling his cock out of you in a quite effortful move, even if being assisted by toji’s large hands — it was harder after seeing him breath so heavily, his chest moving up and down so seductively, legs shaking more — still feeling the liquid in, his tip leaving your pussy with a clamp of your destroyed cunt at last, cum began dripping down your thighs so easily. breathless, disoriented, dizzy, exhausted, sweaty, you stared back at him, hearing low chuckles, noticing his signature smugly smirk, his hips adjusting on the couch, his body sinking in it, again. “go clean yo’self up, mommy’s gonna be angry if ya dirty the couch, she won’t let me play with ya no more either.” you huffed exhaustedly. “come on, baby, or do ya want me to do it for ya?”

🔖: @shi-thats-kiera @ashthemadwriter @drxkenhubbie @witheldclouds @jeanswife101 @drpepperlov3r @bontensbabygirl @simp-lauren @mattheosluttyprincess @fatenpara

[pensionsweeks]

Exploring BMX Bikes: Features, Benefits, and Popular Models

BMX bikes, short for Bicycle Motocross, have evolved significantly since their inception in the 1970s. Originally designed for racing, BMX bikes are now popular for various disciplines, including freestyle riding and dirt jumping. This article delves into the key features, benefits, and some popular models of BMX bikes, providing a comprehensive overview for enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

Key Features of BMX Bikes

BMX bikes are designed to withstand the rigors of tricks, jumps, and racing. Here are some defining features that set them apart from other types of bikes:

Frame Design

BMX bikes typically feature a sturdy steel or aluminum frame that is both durable and lightweight. The geometry of a BMX frame is designed to offer stability and control during high-impact activities. The low top tube allows for easy maneuverability and trick execution.

Wheels and Tires

BMX bikes usually come with 20-inch wheels, which are smaller than those on standard bicycles. The smaller wheel size enhances agility and responsiveness. The tires are often knobby or treaded to provide better grip on various surfaces, including dirt and pavement.

Gearing and Drivetrain

Most BMX bikes are single-speed, which simplifies the drivetrain and reduces maintenance. This setup is ideal for the demanding nature of BMX riding, where precision and reliability are crucial. The single gear also contributes to the bike’s lightweight and robust design.

Suspension

BMX bikes typically have a rigid frame with no front or rear suspension. The lack of suspension contributes to a lower weight and greater durability, which is essential for executing tricks and jumps. Riders often use their body weight to absorb shocks and impacts.

Handlebars and Pedals

BMX handlebars are generally wide and high, providing better control and leverage. They often feature reinforced crossbars for added strength. The pedals on BMX bikes are designed to be robust and provide excellent grip to prevent slipping during tricks.

Benefits of Riding a BMX Bike

Riding a BMX bike offers numerous benefits, both physical and recreational. Here’s why BMX biking can be a rewarding experience:

Physical Fitness

BMX biking is a full-body workout that engages multiple muscle groups. It enhances cardiovascular fitness, strengthens leg muscles, and improves overall coordination. The dynamic nature of BMX riding also helps in building core strength and endurance.

Skill Development

BMX riding requires and develops a range of skills, including balance, agility, and timing. Riders often learn to execute complex tricks and maneuvers, which enhances their problem-solving abilities and boosts self-confidence.

Community and Culture

BMX biking has a vibrant and supportive community. Participating in BMX events and competitions provides opportunities to connect with other enthusiasts and be part of a larger culture. The camaraderie among riders fosters a sense of belonging and encourages continuous improvement.

Fun and Recreation

Whether it’s racing on tracks, performing tricks at skateparks, or riding on dirt jumps, BMX biking is inherently fun and exhilarating. The challenge of mastering new tricks and the thrill of riding contribute to a highly enjoyable recreational activity.

Popular BMX Bike Models

Several BMX bike models stand out in the market for their performance and features. Here are a few popular options:

1. Haro Bikes - Haro Master

The Haro Master is a classic BMX bike known for its durability and style. It features a robust frame, high-quality components, and a design that pays homage to BMX’s heritage. The Haro Master is suitable for both freestyle and racing.

2. Redline Bikes - Proline Expert XL

The Redline Proline Expert XL is a well-regarded model in the BMX racing scene. It boasts a lightweight aluminum frame, a responsive geometry, and a reliable drivetrain. This bike is designed for competitive racing and high-speed performance.

3. Fit Bike Co. - STR Complete BMX Bike

The Fit Bike Co. STR Complete BMX Bike is designed for both beginners and experienced riders. It features a strong steel frame, durable components, and a versatile design suitable for various BMX disciplines. Its affordability and performance make it a popular choice among enthusiasts.

4. Subrosa - Salvador

The Subrosa Salvador is a stylish and high-performance BMX bike designed for freestyle riding. It features a chromoly frame, responsive geometry, and quality components that enhance trick execution and durability.

Conclusion

BMX bikes are versatile and robust, designed to handle the demands of racing, freestyle, and dirt jumping. With their distinctive features, such as sturdy frames, small wheels, and simple drivetrains, BMX bikes offer a unique riding experience that combines physical fitness, skill development, and fun. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or new to the sport, exploring different BMX bike models and understanding their features can help you find the perfect bike for your needs and preferences.

[axelpvtmkt]

 USDCAD: Riding the Bullish Wave

Current USDCAD Market Overview

The USDCAD pair is showing clear signs of the Canadian dollar's (CAD) weakness, with prices reaching 1.37881. This trend reflects broader economic conditions and market sentiment towards the CAD and the US dollar (USD). Historically, the USDCAD pair is sensitive to economic data releases from both Canada and the US, making it a critical pair for traders.

Factors Influencing USDCAD

Several factors influence the USDCAD pair, including economic indicators, central bank policies, and geopolitical events. Interest rate decisions by the Bank of Canada (BoC) and the Federal Reserve significantly impact the pair. Additionally, economic data releases such as GDP growth rates, inflation rates, and employment figures can drive price movements.

Anticipating Movements in USDCAD

Given the current market conditions, there is a possibility for the USDCAD pair to continue moving upward, pushing the price into bullish territory. However, it’s essential to wait for the market’s reaction to the upcoming data release. This cautious approach allows traders to respond to actual price movements rather than relying solely on predictions.

Trading Strategies for USDCAD

Traders can use a combination of technical and fundamental analysis to trade the USDCAD pair. Technical analysis involves studying price charts and indicators to identify trends and patterns. Key technical indicators for the USDCAD pair include moving averages, Bollinger Bands, and RSI. Fundamental analysis focuses on economic data and news events that could impact the pair.

Long-Term vs. Short-Term Strategies

Long-term traders might hold positions based on macroeconomic trends and central bank policies, while short-term traders can capitalize on price volatility by using leverage and trading on margin. Both approaches require a thorough understanding of market conditions and a disciplined trading strategy.

Conclusion

The USDCAD pair’s current position suggests potential for further gains, particularly with anticipated bullish movements post-data release. By staying informed about market conditions and using a strategic trading approach, traders can capitalize on potential movements in the USDCAD pair. Whether you’re a long-term investor or a short-term trader, understanding the factors influencing USDCAD is key to making informed decisions.

[matthewcahill]

Have you ever found yourself in a trance, captivated by the power of suggestion? Hypnotherapy course in Cambridge, anyone?

This isn't some hocus-pocus. It's science. And you can master it.

Dive into an enthralling journey through the subconscious mind, exploring how our thoughts shape reality and how words can be tools to heal and transform lives.

Imagine walking away with techniques taught nowhere else but here—Emotional Freedom Techniques or energy healing, perhaps?

Buckle up! You're about to embark on a thrilling ride towards mastering compassionate hypnotherapy—a skill that's more than just career progression—it's a way of life!

Hypnotherapy Training in Cambridge: An Overview

Cambridge is a hub for hypnotherapy training, with courses offered by several renowned schools. One of the most notable is the Inspiraology Hypnotherapy Training school (IHT). 

This institute introduced the UK to its multi-modular hypnotherapy training course. This approach emphasises empathy and uses indirect suggestions during therapy sessions rather than direct ones typically used in traditional hypnotism.

A Legacy of Quality Education

IHT's legacy continues as it trains more individuals interested in this unique therapeutic discipline. The school has successfully trained thousands of students so far, making it one of the largest contributors to hypnotherapist talent across Europe.

The variety and depth of approved training courses available are vast enough to suit any prospective student's needs or preferences - from beginner-level introductory modules to advanced study programmes designed for seasoned practitioners looking to hone their skills further.

Diverse Learning Opportunities

Courses aren't just about understanding theory but also focus on practical applications. Students get hands-on experience under expert guidance, which lets them confidently use these techniques when they start practising professionally after completing their studies.

In addition to formal coursework, trainees have opportunities for mentorship with experienced professionals within their chosen speciality area – giving them an invaluable source of knowledge beyond what can be found solely inside textbooks or lectures alone.

A Culture Rich City Fostering Growth

Situated amidst the rich culture and academic atmosphere that Cambridge offers, studying here becomes an enriching journey altogether. But don't take our word for it—visit Cambridge and see for yourself how the city's vibrant academic culture makes it an ideal place to learn hypnotherapy.

No matter where you're from, Cambridge is an ideal place to learn hypnotherapy due to its vibrant academic culture and picturesque landscape. From its picturesque landscape that inspires peace and tranquillity (a plus when studying therapy techniques.) to the lively student community that fosters creativity, this city offers just about everything you need as a hypnotherapy student.

Key Takeaway: 

Cambridge is buzzing with hypnotherapy training opportunities, particularly at the Inspiraology Hypnotherapy Training School (IHT). This place gives a wide range of courses suitable for both novices and seasoned practitioners, emphasising hands-on learning as well as theory. You'll also get to benefit from mentorship programs with professionals in your field. Plus, you can't beat the lively student community and stimulating academic environment here.

Understanding the Course Structure of Hypnotherapy Training

The structure and content of hypnotherapy courses in Cambridge are designed with a keen focus on equipping students with practical skills. Let's dissect this process, shall we?

Small Class Sizes for Optimal Learning

First off, class sizes matter. Big time. Smaller classes give you more attention from trainers, fostering effective learning during hypnotherapy courses.

Early Bird Rate and Registration Documents

Moving onto fees - who doesn't love a good bargain? Early bird rates can help shave off some pounds from your course fees if you act fast enough. It's like catching that worm when the rooster crows... Or something to that effect.

To get enrolled, though, there's paperwork involved – yes, even here. You need to fill out an application form before joining any running courses. But don't worry; it's nothing too scary or confusing.

Accredited Providers of Hypnotherapy Training in Cambridge

Inspiraology Hypnotherapy Training, part of the prestigious HPD network, is another great place offering quality hypnotherapy training.

If you're looking to pursue a career in hypnotherapy, IHT Cambridge could be a brilliant option. A combo that's hard to beat.

Techniques Taught During Hypnotherapy Courses

Moving on to the actual meat of these courses – what techniques will you learn? Well, Milton Erickson has been quite an influence here.

Emotional Freedom Techniques

Specifically, we've woven Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) into our course material. One standout example is the Manifesting Tapping Technique, a powerful EFT method inspired by Neuro-Linguistic.

Key Takeaway: 

Embarking on a hypnotherapy course in Cambridge equips you with practical skills, thanks to the keenly designed structure. Small classes at respected institutions like IHT Cambridge ensure personalised attention for effective learning. Grab early bird rates for a bargain, complete your paperwork, and then dive into learning innovative techniques such as Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT).

Accredited Providers of Hypnotherapy Training in Cambridge

If you're considering a career shift into the realm of hypnotherapy, Cambridge offers accredited training institutions. One such provider is IHT Cambridge.

IHT Cambridge Hypnotherapy

An acclaimed institution for hypnosis education, IHT Cambridge Hypnotherapy is well worth your consideration. It's earned respect for its comprehensive and professional approach to teaching this fascinating discipline.

The courses at IHT Cambridge are designed around contemporary practices like Milton Erickson's methodologies that shape modern-day therapeutic hypnotism. These methods make sure you're learning not just theory but practical applications as well.

You might be wondering about how the Inspiraology Training Institute fits into all this. Besides local providers like Changeworks, there are also some top-notch distance learning options available. 

Finding Your Path Through Accreditation

Courses offered through both face-to-face and online mediums are accredited by recognised bodies. This accreditation assures that the quality of education provided aligns with set standards.

Experienced professionals, certified by recognised bodies to ensure quality education, have been carefully selected to provide the best learning experience. So, rest assured, your time and effort invested will be worthwhile.

The IHT's Role in Hypnotherapy Training

Beyond setting up the first Ericksonian hypnosis course in Europe, The Inspiraology Hypnotherapy Training (IHT) has trained thousands of students since its inception – an impressive feat indeed.

Evidencing the widespread interest in hypnotherapy, it appears that a significant number of individuals have opted to undertake training with Inspiraology Hypnotherapy Training (IHT).

Key Takeaway: 

Cambridge is buzzing with top-notch hypnotherapy training. Places like IHT Hypnotherapy give in-depth courses grounded on current methods. The Inspiraology Hypnotherapy Training (IHT) leaves its mark on many programs. Plus, you'll discover recognised online learning choices from respected institutions.

Techniques Taught During Hypnotherapy Courses

It's essential to note that hypnotherapy courses aren't all talk and theory. They're chock-full of hands-on practice, especially with powerful techniques like the ones pioneered by Milton Erickson.

Milton Erickson's Approaches

Milton Erickson was no ordinary psychiatrist; he revolutionised how we perceive and use hypnosis today. His techniques emphasise building rapport with clients, utilising their language patterns, and employing indirect suggestions.

Ericksonian methods are designed to engage the unconscious mind directly, sidestepping any resistance from our conscious minds – pretty clever if you ask me. This unique perspective makes his teachings a key component of many hypnotherapist training programs.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

"NLP is about discovering the most efficient way to interact with your mind." NLP explores how we think (neuro), communicate (linguistic), and create our worldview through learned behaviours (programming).

N - Neuro refers to how we filter and process our experiences via senses.

L - Linguistics represents how we make sense of those experiences through language.

P - Programming explains the patterns of behaviour and thinking that we learn and repeat.

Understanding NLP can lead to profound personal growth, better communication skills, and improved problem-solving abilities. It's like having a cheat code for your brain.

The Power of Role Play

But hey, don't just box role-play into game night. It's got way more to offer.

Key Takeaway: 

Hypnotherapy courses are a rich blend of theory and hands-on practice, teaching you techniques like Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). You'll also explore the pioneering methods of Milton Erickson, designed to engage directly with the unconscious mind. And don't forget about role play – it's not just for game night.

Career Opportunities Post-Training

So, you've finished your hypnotherapy training and earned that shiny certificate. Now what? The world of career opportunities in the field is wider than you might think.

The completion of a comprehensive course like those offered in Cambridge allows graduates to showcase their expert skills, opening up numerous paths for professional development and growth. With your newfound knowledge, it's time to explore where these skills are.

Read more

HYPNOSIS TRAINING COURSES AVAILABLE IN LEICESTER

[moneyvesta]

SIP vs. Lumpsum: Which Investment Strategy is Right for You?

Understanding the Fundamentals

A Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) is a method where you invest a fixed amount periodically, say, monthly or quarterly, in a mutual fund scheme. On the other hand, a lumpsum investment is a one-time bulk investment in a particular scheme.

Both strategies have their own set of advantages and considerations, and the choice ultimately depends on your financial goals, risk appetite, and investment horizon.

The Advantages of SIPs

SIPs are like a trusted friend who helps you build wealth gradually and consistently. Here's why they're often favored by investors:

1. Small Steps, Big Rewards

One of the most significant advantages of SIPs is the ability to start small. You can begin your investment journey with as little as ₹100 per month. This makes investing accessible to a wider range of individuals, including those with limited disposable income.

2. Rupee Cost Averaging

SIPs leverage the power of rupee cost averaging. By investing a fixed amount at regular intervals, you'll be buying more units when the market is low and fewer units when the market is high. This averages out the cost of your investments, helping you navigate market fluctuations more effectively.

3. Discipline and Consistency

SIPs instill financial discipline by encouraging you to invest regularly. This consistency can be a game-changer in building long-term wealth. Plus, many banks and mutual fund houses offer automatic SIP facilities, making it even easier to stay on track.

4. Compounding Magic

As your SIP investments earn returns, those returns are reinvested, allowing the power of compounding to work its magic. Over time, this can lead to significant wealth creation.

Advantages of Lumpsum

While SIPs offer a gradual and systematic approach, lumpsum investments can be a powerful tool for those with substantial capital at their disposal. Here are some key advantages:

1. Capitalizing on Market Opportunities

If you have a knack for identifying market lows, a lumpsum investment can be an excellent way to capitalize on those opportunities. By investing a substantial amount when the market is down, you can potentially reap higher returns as the market recovers.

2. Achieving Specific Goals

Lumpsum investments can be particularly useful for achieving specific financial goals, such as funding a child's education or building a retirement corpus. With a concentrated investment, you can potentially reach your target faster.

3. One-Time Commitment

Unlike SIPs, which require ongoing contributions, a lumpsum investment is a one-time commitment. This can be advantageous for those who prefer to allocate a portion of their wealth upfront and let it grow without worrying about regular contributions.

Factors to Consider

As with any investment decision, it's essential to consider your circumstances and preferences. Here are some key factors to keep in mind:

Investment Amount: If you have a substantial lump sum available, a one-time investment might be more suitable. However, if you have a limited but regular income stream, SIPs could be a better fit.

Risk Tolerance: Lumpsum investments can be riskier, as your entire capital is exposed to market volatility at once. SIPs can help mitigate this risk by spreading your investments over time.

Investment Horizon: Generally, the longer your investment horizon, the better suited you may be for lumpsum investments, as you have more time to ride out market fluctuations.

Investment Goals: Are you saving for a specific goal, like retirement or education? Or are you simply looking to build long-term wealth? Your investment goals should guide your choice between SIP and lumpsum.

Take the first step

While this blog aims to provide a general overview, it's always advisable to consult with a qualified mutual fund advisor before making any investment decisions.

A professional Mutual Fund advisor can assess your unique circumstances, risk profile, and investment goals, and provide tailored recommendations to help you achieve your financial objectives more effectively.In conclusion, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the SIP vs. lumpsum dilemma. Both strategies have their merits and drawbacks, and the right choice depends on your situation. However, by understanding the pros and cons of each approach and seeking professional guidance, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your investment goals and risk tolerance. Book a free consultation now with Moneyvesta’s Mutual Fund Advisor and know what’s preferable for you SIP or Lumpsum.

[bazaarbite]

How do I do intraday on stocks?

Intraday trading, also known as day trading, involves buying and selling stocks within the same trading day, with the goal of profiting from short-term price movements. Here's a basic guide to get started with intraday trading on stocks:

Understand the Risks: Intraday trading can be highly volatile and risky. Prices can fluctuate rapidly, and there's a risk of losing money quickly. Make sure you're aware of these risks before you begin.

Choose a Broker: You'll need to open an account with a brokerage firm that offers intraday trading services. Look for a broker that provides low commission fees, a user-friendly trading platform, and access to real-time market data.

Learn Technical Analysis: Intraday traders often use technical analysis to make trading decisions. Technical analysis involves studying price charts, patterns, and indicators to identify potential entry and exit points. Learn about common technical indicators such as moving averages, Relative Strength Index (RSI), and MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence).

Develop a Trading Strategy: Define a trading strategy that suits your risk tolerance and trading style. This could involve scalping (taking small profits from small price movements), momentum trading (riding the momentum of strong price moves), or breakout trading (trading based on breakouts from key levels). Test your strategy on paper or with a demo account before risking real money.

Set Entry and Exit Points: Determine your entry and exit points before you enter a trade. This helps you stick to your trading plan and avoid making impulsive decisions based on emotions.

Manage Risk: Implement risk management techniques to protect your capital. This could involve setting stop-loss orders to limit potential losses, sizing your positions appropriately, and avoiding over-leverage.

Stay Informed: Keep yourself updated on market news, economic events, and company announcements that could impact stock prices. Stay disciplined and avoid trading based on rumors or emotions.

Practice Patience: Intraday trading requires discipline and patience. Not every trade will be a winner, and it's important to accept losses as part of the trading process.

Remember that successful intraday trading requires time, effort, and experience. It's essential to continuously learn and adapt your strategies based on market conditions and your own trading performance.

LTP Calculator Overview                              

LTP Calculator is a comprehensive stock market trading tool that focuses on providing real-time data, particularly the last traded price of various stocks. Its functionality extends beyond a conventional calculator, offering insights and analytics crucial for traders navigating the complexities of the stock market.

Also Available on Play store  -  Get the App

Key Features:

Real-time Last Traded Price:

The core feature of LTP Calculator is its ability to provide users with the latest information on stock prices. This real-time data empowers traders to make timely decisions based on the most recent market movements.

User-Friendly Interface:

Designed with traders in mind, LTP Calculator boasts a user-friendly interface that simplifies complex market data. This accessibility ensures that both novice and experienced traders can leverage the tool effectively.

Analytical Tools:

Beyond basic price information, LTP Calculator incorporates analytical tools that help users assess market trends, volatility, and potential risks. This multifaceted approach enables traders to develop a comprehensive understanding of the stocks they are dealing with.

Customizable Alerts:

Recognizing the importance of staying informed, LTP Calculator allows users to set customizable alerts for specific stocks. This feature ensures that traders receive timely notifications about significant market movements affecting their portfolio.

Vinay Prakash Tiwari - The Visionary Founder:

At the helm of LTP Calculator is Vinay Prakash Tiwari, a renowned figure in the stock market training arena. With a moniker like "Investment Daddy," Tiwari has earned respect for his expertise and commitment to empowering individuals in the financial domain.

Professional Background:

Vinay Prakash Tiwari brings a wealth of experience to the table, having traversed the intricacies of the stock market for several decades. His journey as a stock market trainer has equipped him with insights into the challenges faced by traders, inspiring him to develop tools like LTP Calculator.

Philosophy and Approach:

Tiwari's approach to stock market training revolves around education, empowerment, and simplifying complexities. LTP Calculator reflects this philosophy, offering a tool that aligns with his vision of making stock market information accessible and understandable for all.

Educational Initiatives:

Apart from his contributions as a tool developer, Vinay Prakash Tiwari has actively engaged in educational initiatives. Through online courses, webinars, and seminars, he has shared his knowledge with aspiring traders, reinforcing his commitment to fostering financial literacy.

In conclusion, LTP Calculator stands as a testament to Vinay Prakash Tiwari's dedication to enhancing the trading experience. As the financial landscape continues to evolve, tools like LTP Calculator and visionaries like Tiwari sir play a pivotal role in shaping a more informed and empowered community of traders.

[pickeronline23]

The Top Fashion Design Institutes in Nagpur: A Guide for Aspiring Designers

Are you an aspiring trend fashion designer looking for the ideal institute to nurture your innovative talents? Look no further! In the vivid town of Nagpur, regarded for its wealthy cultural heritage and burgeoning trend scene, we have handpicked the pinnacle trend-designing institutes simply for you. Whether you dream of growing breathtaking runway collections or launching your label, this comprehensive guide will help pave your course to success. Get equipped to embark on an exciting ride through the finest establishments that Nagpur has to offer, where innovation meets craftsmanship and dreams flip into reality.

Introduction to Fashion Design Institutes in Nagpur

Fashion sketching is a famous discipline of find out about in many parts of the world. India is no different. The town of Nagpur in Maharashtra has some extremely good institutes for fashion design. In this guide, we will take a seem to be at the pinnacle trend designing institutes in Nagpur.

Nagpur is home to many prestigious institutes that provide guides in trend design. Here are some of the most famous ones:

1. National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Nagpur: One of the most famous institutes for trend diagrams in India, NIFT gives both diplomas and diploma publications in fashion design. The institute has a well-equipped campus and affords students sufficient possibilities to attain realistic experiences.

2. Symbiosis Institute of Design (SID), Nagpur: SID is another ordinary institute for fashion diagrams located in Nagpur. It presents each undergraduate and postgraduate application in trend design. The institute has a present-day infrastructure and affords its students the latest facilities.

3. Indian Institute of Crafts & Design (IICD), Nagpur: IICD is a leading institute for craft and graph education in India. It gives diploma, undergraduate, and postgraduate packages in various fields of crafts and design, inclusive of fashion design. The institute has a superb infrastructure and gives its students all the necessary amenities for a successful profession in trend design.

Overview of the Best Institutes for Fashion Designing

Aspiring fashion designers in Nagpur have a lot of selections to select from when it comes to institutes that offer publications in fashion design. However, now not all institutes are created equal and it is important to pick one that will provide you with a fantastic education and prepare you for a profitable profession in trend design.

The following is an overview of some of the fantastic institutes for fashion designing in Nagpur:

1. National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Nagpur: The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) is one of the premier institutes for fashion format in India. It presents a four-year undergraduate program in trend design, which covers all factors of the discipline, from sketching and illustration to garment development and material science. NIFT additionally has a strong enterprise linkage, which offers college students enough opportunities for internships and placements.

2. Indira Kala Sangeet University (IKSU), Khairagarh: Indira Kala Sangeet University (IKSU) is every other high-quality choice for aspiring trend designers in Nagpur. It offers a three-year undergraduate program as well as a two-year postgraduate program in fashion design. IKSU has well-equipped laboratories and studios, and its school individuals are skilled authorities who have laboured in the industry.

3. Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU), Nagpur: Rashtrasant Tukadoji

Benefits of Attending a Fashion Design Institute in Nagpur

Nagpur is an incredibly sought-after vacation spot for trend-designing aspirants. The metropolis has some of the great trend layout colleges in the United States of America that provide comprehensive coursework and coaching in all elements of fashion design. Here are some of the benefits of attending a trend designing institute in Nagpur:

1. You will get to study with experienced and profitable fashion designers.

2. The coursework at these institutes is very comprehensive and covers all aspects of trend design, from sketching to garment construction.

3. You will get entry to cutting-edge facilities and equipment, which will supply you with real-world training in fashion design.

4. These institutes also have strong industry connections, which can help you land a job after graduation.

5. Nagpur is a very vibrant and cosmopolitan city, so you will also get to trip its wealthy culture and lifestyle while analyzing at a top-trend institute here.

Career Opportunities for Graduates from a Fashion Designing Institute

A profession in fashion design is one of the most innovative and pleasant professions. It provides adequate opportunities to be revolutionary and to experiment with special design concepts. The industry provides a platform for young designers to exhibit their intelligence to the world. A diploma or diploma from a reputed trend designing institute can help you impenetrable a true job in the competitive subject of fashion design.

The pinnacle trend designing institutes in Nagpur offer comprehensive coursework that covers all components of fashion design, from sketching and draping to pattern making and garment construction. Students additionally examine material science, coloration theory, accessory design, and merchandising. In addition to classroom learning, students get adequate chances to hone their skills through internships and stay projects.

After finishing their studies, graduates can discover employment in quite several sectors of the fashion industry such as garment manufacturing, export houses, retail stores, brand management firms, media houses, etc. With hard work and dedication, one can even start their own label or format studio.

So if you have an ardor for trends and prefer to pursue a creative career in this field, then enrolling in one of the top fashion designing institutes in Nagpur is the first step in the direction of your dream profession.

Conclusion

We hope that this guide has been useful to any aspiring fashion designers in Nagpur who are searching for excellent institutes to join. With a wealth of preferences available, it is vital to pick one that suits your man or woman's dreams and ambitions. Whether you desire to hone your skills or develop new ones, there is sure to be an institute out there for you. Good luck success on your fashion designing journey.

[jangmi-latte]

overview:

you’ve entered your first door. listen closely, you are to meet someone here. at the end of the hall, there are two doors. choose wisely, both will unlock the doors to chapter two but will have different progressions…

𝐎𝐧𝐞 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

“Madam Loiselle—”

You halted your steps, worriedly staring at your old vampire companion as she ran around the room. She looked panicked yet she had a big smile on her face. Very unlikely of her to be smiling at seven am in the morning. “Madam Loiselle!” you called when she suddenly disappeared from thin air. You hate it when they would suddenly disappear like that. They and their abilities irritate you at times. You would either be left having your proprioception heightened or screaming in the middle of the woods when they would just decide to pop up behind you.

You should probably be used to this by now.

You’ve been with them for thirteen years.

“Mada—”

“y/n!”

“Fuck!” you immediately covered your mouth upon turning around to face Charmaine who had her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed. “M-My apologies…”

“Your mouth needs some discipline. Now, why are you blabbering my name as if you’re being killed?” she asked with a huff, her arms crossing across her chest. You scratched your cheek in disquietude as you sucked in your bottom lip. “I just wanna ask why you’re running around the house…" 

"Oh.” She exhaled, taking a hair tie and tying her hair up in a neat bun. “Well, I’m preparing your stuff.”

“For what?” You tilted your head in confusion as you eyed her form who walked past you. To your surprise, there were now three bags full of your clothes and necessities. “For school,” she replied.

“School?”

“Night Raven College. You’re enrolled.”

“Enrolled?”

“y/n, how dense are you to keep asking questions and just stand there while I do everything myself?” She grabbed her newspaper and smacked your head with it. 

“Sorry…” you trailed off with a wince, rubbing your head before kneeling next to your bed as you tried to help Charmaine with your belongings. You asked, “Madam Loiselle…can you please explain what’s going on? What’s with the masquerade that happened last week? What’s with Night Raven College?” You took your chance and looked over at your caregiver. “I feel lost…”

Charmaine sighed. What’s going on in her mind, you wonder. Charmaine is someone who’s secretive with her emotions. Aren’t all vampires like that, no? She sat down on the bed and patted the spot beside her to gesture you to sit. You obliged, watching her take out an envelope from the drawer.

“What’s going on is not for me to answer, y/n. What’s with the masquerade last week was…” She paused and exhaled deeply. She looked hesitant to answer. She proceeded, “Well, you were chosen.”

“Chosen for what?”

“You’ll find out. The masquerade was an event held by three princes. Two of them are elder vampires and one is a fledgeling. The reason you were invited was because of your species.”

“A sacrifice? Is that what humans are to them now?” you grumbled while sucking in your lower lip. “Honey, no.” You looked over at Charmaine in surprise. She held, what you assumed to be, a gentle expression on her face. “Let me finish.”

“That event happens every year. Every time a human turns eighteen on the day the masquerade took place, they are automatically invited to His Highness’ place. They needed to pick someone. And you…” She looked at you. She held your hand and opened your palm, giving you the letter that you have to open soon. Your heartbeat was starting to speed up. You felt nervous. 

“You were chosen. And I have to let you go…”

“Mama, why–”

“It’s Madam Loiselle for you, y/n,” came her stern voice. Your conflicted eyes stared into her red ones. Was she going to let you go? “M-Madam Loiselle… I just have to go to school right? I-I just have to be with them for a couple of years?”

You hoped, wished, the answer was yes. Yet she gave you no answer. She looked away and stood up. “You leave tomorrow. His Highness, Schoenheit, will explain everything to you once you arrive. Remember what I taught you. Do not forget my teachings.”

“The school contains other creatures you haven’t encountered. You may or may not be the only human to walk along those halls. Be prepared.”

“Mama–!”

“Move, y/n. Pack your bags. The carriage is coming soon.” She pulled on your arms and nudged you over to fix your stuff.

You still had questions unanswered.

Conflicted and in pain, you followed her orders. Moving swiftly to pack up your bags and prepare an attire for your journey. Charmaine remained quiet throughout the whole preparation. Are you to say goodbye to her and the cottage you grew up in? Are you going to see her again?

Are you still going to be around humans again and live the life you wanted away from the immortal?

It rung.

Are you still going to be around humans again and live the life you wanted away from the immortal?

You laid your head against the glass of the carriage. Eyes swollen and damped, evident that you’ve just cried your eyes out. The passing of trees was all you could see along with the bright shine of the moon’s reflection from the sun. The galloping of the horses echoed through your ears, somehow soothing you while you think about how your life will take a sudden turn the moment you step foot out of the carriage.

In your hand, you still held the acceptance letter Charmaine gave you. You haven’t opened it. It scared you to think that the letter already wrote out your whole life. Overthinking, yes, but what can you do? You’re out of the safety of your home and from your guardian’s arms. Where can you head to when danger strikes during your journey?

You sniffled and sat up. You observed the wax seal that sealed the envelope. It was a beautiful shade of purple with the engraved accent painted in gold. It was aristocratic. Screams superiority just by glancing at it. Hesitantly, you carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. The paper wasn’t the common white one everyone would use. It was cream and sturdy. It was folded neatly, too. You carefully read the printed text:

      Congratulations!

            On behalf of Night Raven College, I am happy to congratulate you on y/n’s acceptance into our prestigious high-school. Our school has one of the most exclusive programs in the country, and we only accept the very best students into our programs. We thoroughly believe that they will do exceptionally well and that they will be a great addition to our school. To complete the enrollment process, please read the attached letter.

And it just ended there. Following what you have read, you looked back inside the envelope to see another cream paper. Except this one was handwritten in beautiful cursive, You leaned back on your seat and read the second letter. Your heart was steadily beating, however, you could feel it pulsating on your fingers as your eyes scanned over the words:

     Dear Mortal,

         I am pleased to inform you that you have been chosen to live with Their Highnesses following your acceptance at Night Raven College. Please take into consideration that you are required to oblige to their orders. This is an opportunity no other mortals could gain. No worries as your food, shelter, and other necessities are tended to. All is required is that you bring yourself in a healthy state and untouched by other vampires or immortals. 

      You will be greeted by His Highness, Rook Hunt, upon your arrival at the gates of the mansion. It is their responsibility to bring you alongside them to your transport to the college. We shall await your arrival in two days.

Sincerely, 

–

There was nothing written to let you know who the sender was. Not like that was needed. You are to live with higher ranking vampires. Those of the nobility and probably the most powerful and intelligent of them all. Who is this Rook Hunt? Schoenheit?

Then again, was that man back in the masquerade the same person – well, vampire – you were going to meet? 

This carriage ride is long. You couldn’t sit still after reading that letter nor can you stabilize your thoughts. How are you not a sacrifice, y/n? Those words in those letters already scream sacrifice to you. You are to feed them with your blood and body. You took deep and shaky breaths as you looked back out the window. Trees, trees, and all you could see are trees. 

Nonstop darkness of nature clouded your vision. As well as some figure that dashed past your vision just in front of the window.

Huh?

You blinked and immediately moved closer to the window. Your eyes frantically looking outside for any sign of the figure you just saw. It was just a blur. If it’s a werewolf, then please, you plea to be unseen. Nothing. There was nothing. You guessed you were just being delirious. Imagining things can fuck up someone’s mind, no?

“Halt!” 

You yelp the moment the horses skidded on their hooves. You were able to keep yourself steady on your seat as you breathed out. Have you arrived? You gulped and looked back out the window, it was still trees as far as your eyes could see. No light, no mansion, just a figure by the horses. Ah, damn it.

Curious, you pushed open the carriage door and walked out. Can you believe what you see? The darkness you see was brought to you by a mansion – castle? Palace? – towering over you. You were breath taken. Your throat felt dry as you stared at whoever’s home this is. You have arrived, y/n. 

“Ah, it’s nice to see you again, mon chou.”

You stopped gazing at the luxurious home to look at where you heard the voice. Nowhere. No one. You furrowed your eyebrows and quickly held the door. Mon chou. It’s him again. You gulped and wearily looked around. Vampires do love playing their little games around mortals, don’t they. “Mon chou, you’ve been scared ever since our first meeting last week!” he called and you looked behind you. Still none.

“Who are you?!” you yelled and gripped the carriage door tighter, ready to run inside even if it’s barely going to give you any safety.

“J-Just show yourself!” you yelled once again, starting to pant as you felt your heart pump more blood into your body, heightening your senses even more. 

Silence. Minutes of excruciating silence that brought you nothing but fear and worry. You wanted to run away, but where will you go? Facing the mansion once more, you noticed that the horses are quiet. There weren’t neighing. Please, if they’re also dead creatures, then you’re dead meat. You cautiously moved towards the front of the carriage and just as you suspected, the horses were skeletons.

Fucking skeletons, y/n.

You rubbed your face and stomped your feet. “Madam Loiselle for fuck’s sake bring me back home!!!” you screamed, not caring if anyone heard you. You wanted to be back to Charmaine’s arms again. You wanted to be under your blankets, reading books by the fireplace, cooking some soup, hell live a Snow White life – without the poisoning or dwarves – for all you care. This place isn’t for you.

“My, my, that’s quite vulgar, y/n,” he whispered into your ear as his cold body stood behind you. His arm snaking around your waist, tightly gripping you as you stood frozen. “Mhmm…” he hummed and chuckled. 

“Look at that gorgeous expression. The evident fear in your eyes, the way your body is shaking, ah, mon chou. You’re shaking me to the core. Makes me want to devour you,” he said. You could feel his lips against your ear. His broad chest pressing against your back as you felt your blood run cold. y/n, this is your chance.

You will…

a.) punch him in the face

b.) give a snarky remark

The Door To Chapter Two Is Now Unlocked. 

tagging:

@twstpasta @panacea-wishes @mydriases @collarjessie @twsted-caramel @softforriddlerosebaby @athaliesworld @raven-at-the-writing-desk @soukoku-trash-fanfictrashtoo @kingy-o @trashy-mctrash @peachykindalovesyou @goldenagedfollies @vivianvivvia @usagiairabokerdole

[mediaevalmusereads]

A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby. By Vanessa Riley. New York: Zebra, 2020.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Genre: historical romance

Part of a Series? Yes, Rogues and Remarkable Women #1

Summary:   When headstrong West Indian heiress Patience Jordan questioned her English husband's mysterious suicide, she lost everything: her newborn son, Lionel, her fortune—and her freedom. Falsely imprisoned, she risks her life to be near her child—until The Widow's Grace gets her hired as her own son’s nanny. But working for his unsuspecting new guardian, Busick Strathmore, Duke of Repington, has perils of its own. Especially when Patience discovers his military strictness belies an ex-rake of unswerving honor—and unexpected passion . . . A wounded military hero, Busick is determined to resolve his dead cousin’s dangerous financial dealings for Lionel’s sake. But his investigation is a minor skirmish compared to dealing with the forthright, courageous, and alluring Patience. Somehow, she's breaking his rules, and sweeping past his defenses. Soon, between formidable enemies and obstacles, they form a fragile trust—but will it be enough to save the future they long to dare together?

***Full review under the cut.***

Content Warnings: racism, blood, violence, allusions to suicide, imprisonment, and non-voluntary institutionalization

Overview: I first learned of Vanessa Riley while reading an article about women of color and historical romance, so when I finished a rather confusing (and depressing?) read, I decided to see which of Riley’s books my library had on offer. This novel originally caught my eye because of the marketing: a multi-cultural regency romance? Seems like just the thing I’m looking for! Unfortunately, the writing style just didn’t gel with me, so for that reason, I can’t give this book more than 2 stars.

Writing: While I can respect the easy-to-digest prose style of most romances, Riley’s style didn’t work for me for a number of reasons. First, I found the use of the first person jarring. If you know me, then you’ll know that first person narration feels unnatural to me (unless the book is self-conscious about the way perspective is being used). But I also found the first person strange because Riley’s book alternates between Patience’s POV (which is in first person) and Busick’s POV (which is in third person). While the shift in POV was a nice delineation between the two characters’ perspectives, I ultimately had some trouble losing myself in the story because there was such a marked shift. I found myself preferring Busick’s chapters over Patience’s because I found it easier to let the prose just kind of wash over me.

Riley’s prose style is also a bit too reliant on dialogue and rhetorical questions for my taste. A large portion of this book involves characters talking to one another, which would be fine except I felt like Riley used dialogue in order to tell readers things rather than show them. The dialogue would repeat certain ideas or events over and over again, and the flow of the conversations didn’t feel natural, as topics would change abruptly or characters would speak in ways that didn’t feel genuine. I did like moments when Patience and Busick would have a little tit-for-tat; Riley is strongest when writing Patience's witty comebacks to Busick’s insistence on military order.

But because there was so much dialogue, there wasn’t much room for anything else, and I felt like Riley wasn’t quite sure of how to create suspense without dialogue. As a result, there are a lot of rhetorical questions; “Was she a spy?” “Did he have some secret in his past?” and the like. I feel like these types of questions popped up every other page, and part of the reason they were relied on so much may have been because Riley had a tendency to tell rather than show. Riley would point blank tell us what her characters were thinking or feeling, as well as what actions they were taking, and as a result, the narrative (and characters) felt flat.

Structurally, I also think the book could have used some tweaking. Early on, I felt like Riley was using a lot of expositional dialogue to dump a lot of info on the reader, and Patience’s internal monologue would make allusions to characters or events in ways that felt awkward and/or not relevant in the moment. I even had some trouble determining what exactly was going on at first because the book starts out with an exciting scene, and the circumstances that created that scene were unclear (unless you read the book summary first). To help with this, it would have been beneficial to get some kind of prologue, and if Riley didn’t want a prologue that depicts Patience being separated from her son or being victimized by the antagonist, then maybe we can see her escaping Bedlam or joining the Widow’s Grace - anything to give the book the space to establish a setting.

Plot: This book primarily follows our heroine, Patience Jordan, as she tries to regain custody of her son, Lionel. Following her husband, Colin’s, suicide, his uncle Markham seized control of their estate at Hamlin and claimed guardianship over Lionel. The reason? To gain access to Patience’s father’s money. To cover up the truth, Markham had Patience committed to Bedlam, so now, Patience must find evidence that Markham fabricated this insidious plot - evidence that she thinks is contained in some legal documents hidden within the family home.

However, Lionel’s legal guardian is not Markham, but Busick Strathmore, Colin’s cousin. Wanting to do right by his family, Busick seizes control of Hamlin and establishes himself as Lionel’s adoptive father. Not sure if Busick can be trusted, Patience gets herself hired as a wet nurse for Lionel, and uses her knowledge of the house to look for the legal documents that will prove Markham’s guilt, thus preventing her from being separated from Lionel again.

On paper, this plot looked really intriguing, but in practice, not a whole lot happened. Most of our time is spent reading the dialogue between Patience and various other characters, and we don’t actually get to see much of her snooping around, risking getting caught, and so on. Events didn’t seem to build on one another, so I mostly felt like I was getting character snapshots rather than an actual narrative.

There’s also something of a side plot where a mysterious “ghost” causes some minor trouble around the house. Personally, I think this plot could have been more centralized; if Riley had gone full Gothic romance (I’m thinking Jane Eyre because Jane gets hired to care for a child and Thornfield is spooky), I think this book would have been a delight. But the existing tone is a little too light, so it didn’t quite achieve the desired effect.

I also think that the whole Widow’s Grace stuff removed a lot of agency from Patience. While I liked that Patience had friends - especially friends in high places that could wield social influence to help her - having an organized, underground band of women was a little much for me. I would have preferred to see Patience concoct plans and discover information on her own, rather than having the Widow’s Grace act as the architect.

Characters: Patience, our heroine, is fairly likeable in that she’s brave, determined, and fiercely loyal to the people she cares about. I really enjoyed following her as she tried to search for her legal papers, outsmart Busick, and bring her companions along for the ride. I also liked that she had a lot of complex emotions surrounding her husband’s death; while the marriage wasn’t happy (and she has a lot of feelings about being treated as an Other), she also feels guilty about potentially contributing to her husband’s depression and wonders what she is going to tell her son about his father. I liked seeing her try to work through all these emotions, all while remaining focused on her goals.

Busick, our hero, is also fairly complex, but my appreciation for his complexity is dampened by some of the cheesiness that surrounds his military outlook on life. Busick is a former soldier who is working through his feelings about being injured in battle. Two years before the story begins, Busick loses his leg and must either use a prosthetic or a wheelchair, and he has a lot of issues with the perceptions surrounding his disability. As a result, he tries to hide the fact that he’s missing a leg; he never uses his wheelchair (except when alone) and plays it off like his leg just isn’t healing right. This kind of internalized ableism could have been really interesting to read about, especially since there was an opportunity for Busick to learn more about his value as something other than a soldier. However, Busick’s desperate desire to be useful to the war effort came off as fairly ridiculous; not only does he bring soldiers into his home and conduct drills in his yard (wouldn’t that be done at a camp or base?) but he tries to put Lionel on a strict military-style schedule and requires people to witness him as he rides a horse around the lawn (to prove his strength?). His past as a notorious rake isn’t really utilized effectively either; while we get allusions to his amorous activities, I didn’t really see how it was relevant. Did the military give him more discipline and now he’s reformed? Does he find himself slipping back into his old ways now that he can no longer fight on the battlefield? How does this situation with Patience and Lionel challenge all that? I think I would have liked to see Busick grow a little more, maybe by having him use his guardianship of Hamlin and Lionel as a way to “prove” that he’s changed from rake to responsible, disciplined adult (and his disability threatens that by making him seem incapable, so he has to deal with that as well). And while there were some hints at those kinds of things, they really weren’t central to his story.

Side characters were fairly enjoyable in that they had sweet relationships with the heroine or hero. I particularly enjoyed the relationship Patience had with Jemina - her fellow inmate at Bedlam who suffers from amnesia. I appreciated that Riley didn’t make Jemina seem “crazy,” but instead, she was a capable woman who demonstrates genuine affection and concern for her friend. I also liked that Busick had a similar support in Gantry, a viscount who is helping Busick with Hamlin (and with self-acceptance?) while also struggling with his own family issues. Lady Shrewsbury, the head of the Widow’s Grace, was interesting for the role she played in using her social power to get Patience into Hamlin, but otherwise, I didn’t really like the idea of the Widow’s Grace (because it removes some agency that could have been given to Patience instead).

Markham, our antagonist, is barely present, so I don’t really have many thoughts on him. While his actions were sneaky and abhorrent, and I appreciated that Riley didn’t use him to showcase a bunch of on-page misery, I also thought he was underutilized.

Romance: I hate to say it, but I think Patience and Busick lacked chemistry. I couldn’t quite see how each character enriched each other’s emotional lives; Patience seemed to like Busick because he was fatherly towards Lionel and because he was kind, while Busick seemed to like Patience because she was pretty and defiant. I wish Riley had done a little more to make them feel made for one another; maybe Patience challenges Busick’s rigid outlook on life and shows him that he has value beyond just being a soldier. Maybe Busick shows Patience that she matters as a person - something that was lacking in her marriage to Colin - or that she doesn’t have to take on all her burdens herself. There were hints of some of these things, but because of the writing style, I thought we were told rather than shown that the two characters had feelings for one another.

I also think the romance lacked heat and longing. While not every romance has to be sexy and steamy, I do think that there should be some element of longing that plays out in how the characters interact physically. One place where Riley actually does this pretty well is when Patience discusses how well she works with Busick while taking care of Lionel at night - the two hand him over to one another and move around the room as if doing a “dance,” and they brush against one another and smell each other’s scent. But other than that, it felt like I was smacked in the face with statements like “I noticed his mouth and wondered what it would be like to kiss it” or “Didn’t you notice? He follows you with his eyes!” I personally like these physical moments to be a little more subtle and for them to build on one another without the author having to spell out what they mean for me.

TL;DR: A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby has an intriguing premise and good characters, but ultimately lacks a strong plot, gripping prose style, or steamy romantic chemistry. Most of what holds this book back is the overuse of dialogue and rhetorical questions to create suspense, as well as the tendency to tell not show. While I would love to rate this book higher, the prose just isn’t there.

[equiverse]

More Fly Sheets and Halters!

Happy Wednesday EVers! We have a couple of updates today! Updates *Added riding school icon, which shows if a horse has been entered into a riding school (note this only shows that the horse has been submitted; it does not indicate completion) *Normal fly sheets and halters, available in classy black and white, are now available in the General Store

(The featured background is from the August event shop) *The landing page now is restyled like the old hub, and includes your activity, the recent news posts, your farmstead's status, a yard overview, and a random horse for sale

*Speciality settings are available on player pages, for players who have reached level 10 - these are searchable in the player search and include preferences for breed, discipline, and focus Bug Fixes *Fixed apple trees not being plantable in farmsteads during the on-site fall season *Fixed brown perlino dun displaying incorrectly on mustangs in the custom horse creator *Fixed message center inaccessibility due to large message history (messages older than six months are now viewable via an archive) Don’t forget to keep an eye out for our next event, Summer Stargazing, which returns very soon, on August 1st!

[pumpkin-royalty]

Oogie Headcanon: 

Disclaimer: In this headcanon, we’ll explore the relationships, expectations & general attitude Oogie has toward each member of the trio. ( While this is just a general overview within the HEU & how Oogie may initially interact with any of these muses, dynamics can change per interpretation || thread -> None of this is set in stone if you want to write with me and play one of these muses !!! ) 

Please note -> These are snippets of my thoughts meant to be expanded on as Oogie’s character becomes fleshed out. 

Shock: 

Status - The Eldest Child

Oogie’s General Attitude -> While he often finds it hard to discipline his only daughter, Oogie does expect the most from Shock as the unofficial keeper of her siblings he makes allowances when she serves her cohorts whatever retribution the deserve for crossing her. He believes she is easily the smartest among their ranks and because of this it is hard to imagine a scenario in which he does not dote on the young witch excessively. 

Oogie’s Expectations -> While all members of the trio are fiercely independent, Shock is recognizably intelligent & readily the most methodically bellicose ( typically why she has the upperhand in a fight ). This is the reason she is in charge of the upper house & he expects her brothers to fall in line as she sees fit. She is also to be the most self reliant & mentor her brothers on the art of controlled + systematic chaos. 

Oogie & Shock’s Familial Bond -> is relatively stress free & works flawlessly despite her penchant to speak up if she feels something unfair has occurred between them. In this way, Oogie is able to nurture her need & desire for order & allow her to balance her interests while also carrying out his orders. 

Lock: 

Status - The Middle Child

Oogie’s General Attitude -> Lock’s being the middle child was already going to be hard, but it’s made even worse because Mr. Oogie Boogie can see a little bit of himself in the boy ... and he doesn’t like it. While Oogie does not go out of his way to praise Lock in particular it should be noted he does respect him as both a person & a henchmen. This does not often come across through Oogie’s seemingly disinterested approach to the boy’s upbringing, instead leaving his main mentoring to Shock. 

Oogie’s Expectations -> Lock is the most determined of the trio & takes challenges tactfully to gain the most reward from them. Unfortunately, he is an awkward mix of Shock and Barrel’s extreme traits: Shock’s careful cultivation & understanding of situations  ... as well as Barrel’s smug and cocky demeanor. This often puts him at odds with Oogie because he occasionally can’t deliver all that he promises ... leaving him vulnerable and unsure ( like a young Oren Burton, himself. ) For this reason, while Oogie cares deeply for all his children: Lock is his last priority & therefore the boy must look after himself because of Oogie’s inability to parent him meaningfully.

Oogie & Lock’s Familial Bond -> Seemingly non-existent, no matter how much the little devil tries to prove himself worthy of the Boogeyman’s time and effort. ( By the time Emily comes around and takes an interest in the boy - the damage has been done & he has parental attachment issues in that, he doesn’t trust any of the ‘ grown - ups ‘ around him. This persists even as he continually attempts to please Mr. Ooogie Boogie. )

Barrel: 

Status - The Youngest Child

Oogie’s General Attitude -> As Oogie’s favorite among the trio, Barrel is extended a myriad of privileges & rewards. Most importantly, given his prodigy standing as an agent of complete and utter chaos ... he has been granted the title of next in line for the Boogiehood || Boogeyhood proper. While Barrel will be the new face of disaster and fear one day, Oogie knows that the other two will rise to the occasion to challenge their brother and in so doing, better themselves for a position alongside him. ( This has been discussed with Jacklyn & the Mayor, at length and will be carried out accordingly since each child has a pre-secured place in the small-time running of the boogiehood. Barrel is the only one up for the entire title of Boogeyman™.) 

Oogie’s Expectations -> Barrel is the most unpredictable & uncontrollable of the trio. As such, Oogie indulges the more violent & sadistic urges the little gremlin might be concocting in his scheming little brain. Barrel’s creativity and lack of care for both his own well being || other’s wellbeing is what really solidifies the child’s place in Mr. Oogie Boogie’s decayed heart. He is everything the Boogeyman could want in a protégé. Oogie himself mentors Barrel, invested in nearly every facet of the boy’s upbringing & progress. In Barrel he sees no real fault & would do anything in his power to grant the boy his every whim and desire, if only in the name of keeping Barrel’s creativity and excitement for the prospect of his future title intact. 

Oogie & Barrel’s Familial Bond -> Possibly the most positive at face value & yet, most strained and trying of all three. There is a lot riding on Barrel’s capacity to grasp, come to terms with and execute the goals Mr. Oogie Boogie has set for him in particular. While Oogie isn’t confident as of yet that Barrel is Boogeyman material, he has every ounce of faith that he can be molded into what he has potential to be ... which is the best Boogeyman, the likes of which Halloween Town has never experienced. 

[man-reading]

The Bibliophile, Drew Marvin Frayne

Publisher: NineStar Press

Genre: Gay Historical Romance

Length: 221 Pages

Reviewer: Kazza K

Purchase At: amazon.com, NineStar Press

Blurb:

Nathanial Goldsmith is the only son of the richest man in the Idaho territory, Jessum Goldsmith, the Silver Baron of the Western Lands, as he is called in all the newspapers. But life in the late nineteenth-century American West weaves no magic spell for Nathanial, who longs for the academic worlds his father has forced him to leave behind.

To toughen him up, Nathanial’s father has indentured him to a ranchman, Cayuse Jem, a large, raw-boned, taciturn man Nathanial’s father believes will help teach his son to “become a man.” Cut off from his books and the life he has always known, Nathanial is not only forced to co-exist with Cayuse Jem but to truly get to know him. In doing so, Nathanial discovers there is more to this silent horseman than meets the eye. And, in the process, Nathanial also learns a few things about life, about human nature, and about the differences in being a man and a boy…

Review:

I do not know what kind of man I am, or what kind of man I shall become. I do know, however, what kind of man I admire.

Nathaniel Goldsmith has kept a journal off and on during his youth, mostly when he experiences tedium or is concerned by difficult events that are out of his control, ones generally involving his father. He is the only son of Jessum Goldsmith, a wealthy man who has been dubbed the Silver Baron of the Western Lands by the press. Nathaniel has happily been away in Boston while studying for the past four years. However, his father believes in a man working with his hands and using his wiles, being a man’s man, definitely not having their head in books, or their heart in libraries and humanities. Idaho is to become a state soon enough and he has his eyes on politics for himself, for his son, and the best way to do that is for his heir to know the land and help out in the family business. It’s to this end he calls Nathaniel back home to the Idaho Territory from university, effectively ending his son’s dreams of teaching, libraries, of academia.

Nathaniel is resigned to his fate but exceedingly disappointed his father has summoned him home from somewhere he felt he fitted in, so easily able to access the books that are his great love and passion. He knows everything has irrevocably changed for him now that he is eighteen. Although the money itself has never been something that has meant much to Nathaniel, he has known a nice lifestyle, including boarding school and the family’s private salon car. But now, for at least several months, he is to assist a man who works for his father, raising, training, and selling the beautiful and sought after appaloosas, a Scotsman who goes by the name of Cayuse Jem. He lives a rustic life in a small shack on the edge of Goldsmith land. So instead of the mines, it’s with this “slovenly” horse wrangler that Goldsmith senior believes his son will begin the education required to harden him up into the “real man” he expects his son to be.

Nathaniel is less than impressed with Cayuse Jem in the beginning. He cannot fathom what this man can teach him, other than increasing his boredom and contributing to a further decline of his grey matter. Cleaning up horse shit and giving one of them an occasional sugar cube is nothing of note. Milking a cow. Sweeping, fetching water, cleaning. None of it seems viable or valuable. He feels there are no lessons here, only servitude.

Nonetheless, I am counting down the days to when this accursed “lesson” ends.

Although I understood the differences with his father, that he was commanded and not considered, that Cayuse Jem, as a seeming extension of his father, appeared as if he would be his “jailer,” Nathaniel came across as rather supercilious in the beginning.

I may be sent here to work for this man, yet he is naught but a glorified ranch hand, and while I sometimes loathe my name, I am Nathanial Goldsmith, son of Jessum Goldsmith.

But somewhere along the way that changes. I suspect it was when he grew more dialectical in his thinking. When he became aware of other elements that help create a well-rounded individual. All I know is I became emotionally engaged as the writing suddenly became more personal with more character depth. Mostly, the person behind the main voice became someone I cared about instead of an annoyance. I went from struggling to pick the book up to not wanting to put the book down. It came to bed with me at night and travelled about with me during the day so it was easily accessed. I also remember thinking, after my change of heart, that it would have been a complete travesty had I not finished.

This book, this well crafted, intelligent, somewhat stealthy book, gives the reader a snapshot into another era via an eighteen-year boy experiencing life in Idaho, America, predominantly throughout 1888 but forward until 1890. The writing transports you, giving the reader a decent sense of time and place. It also chronicles Nathaniel’s coming of age. Everything Nathaniel experiences he relays back to us via his diarised thoughts and feelings and, soon enough, I couldn’t wait for the next entry.

Nathaniel likes to analogize his current plight to the classics, history, mythology. The story is clearly written by someone who knows and loves these things themselves because it flows seamlessly from a current event to that of someone or something of note from a book or history. Nathaniel names their milking cow Io, and the horse Cayuse Jem gifts him becomes Boadicea as she is strong, beautiful, the leader of her herd – and so on….

I have swept stalls, polished tack, and fetched pail after pail of water—pail after pail!—until my limbs felt ready to flee from my torso for their own sake and sanity. It is fitting, indeed, that my mind keeps wandering to the tale of Heracles and his many woeful labors.

Although the journal entries can be as mundane as mucking out stables, cleaning, sweeping, to the unexpected joy of achieving something new like cooking, as time spent at the cabin passes, there are also events Nathaniel never expected he would write about because there is certainly no ennui in regards to these situations: Illness, friendship, loss, meeting and helping the Nez Perce Indians, his first sexual experience, love, and beyond. Acceptance, and becoming the best person he can possibly be, one he likes and that suits him, is a powerful theme. So is being a complete person, and finding a Heaven in an expected Hell.

That Nathaniel teaches Cayuse Jem to read is something that gives him a great deal of joy and fulfills his need to teach. It helps to build a bridge between the two men that are already developing foundations in other areas, like respect, care, and the solidarity of mutual beliefs. He also learns how to ride a horse properly under Cayuse Jem’s tutelage, and is taught how to swim by his friend Motsqueh. Both of which he never thought he could value as much as reading or studying in a formal setting, yet he does.

It’s interesting to see the change of Cayuse Jem’s importance and relevance in Nathaniel’s eyes. To see it reflected back at him. In comparison to the small Nathaniel, he’s a bear of a man, broad, hirsute, burly. He’s strong and not particularly garrulous, and while economical with his words they are always thoughtful and positive. Cayuse Jem may work for Jessum Goldsmith, raising and training appaloosa’s – originally the Nez Perce’s breed – but that is where any similarity ends. He lives a fairly spartan existence, he’s gentle with his horses, he’s equitable with and toward others. His best friend happens to be from the Nez Perce tribe, Chuslum. Chuslum’s partner is also Nez Perce, a younger man named Motsqueh. Motsqueh and Nathaniel become so close that Nathaniel calls him brother.

The difficulty facing the Nez Perce is given page time. While it isn’t ever heavy-handed observation, it’s hard to read about people being run off the land that was rightfully theirs, about hypocritical ideas of what is ‘civilised.’

There is a definite kink to this book – daddy kink, not as in ‘call me daddy’, but as in a surrogate father figure, some expectations, and a style of domestic discipline. Not that there is any punishment, rather a sir/boy relationship where there are some quite distinct roles and ideas. I don’t remember Cayuse Jem’s age being mentioned but he would have to be in his mid-thirties plus, there’s a fair age gap. I think Cayuse Jem called Nathaniel ‘Nat’ twice in the book, at least that’s Nathaniel’s recollections, the rest of the time it’s ‘boy’. Nathaniel only ever refers to Cayuse Jem as ‘sir’ in any and all dialogue.

He wrapped his large arms around my waist, and I rested my head against him. He took the soap and rubbed my body with it—my chest, my stomach, my own engorged member and loins. “You do understand what is happening, boy, yes?” “Yes, sir,” I sighed. “And how do you feel about it?” (…) “I am most happy, sir,” I said. In response, Cayuse Jem kissed me.

…

Cayuse Jem took my face in his large, brawny hands. “You belong to me now, boy. Body and soul.” “But my father—” “I am your father now,” Cayuse Jem said thickly. “I am your family. And I am your husband. If you will have me.”

Overview:

This is not an easy book to review. I started off struggling for reading traction, but once I found it the book swept me away to another time and place. If you like the sound of the synopsis and my review, the quotes contained within, then check this book out. The Bibliophile opened up some wonderful storytelling to me and I’m very grateful to have had the chance to read it, it was a truly visceral experience – tears included. Nathaniel and Cayuse Jem are still in my thoughts several days after finishing and only the best books leave me feeling as if the characters were real, wondering if they’re still doing okay.

Honestly, I was surprised at just how clever and raw and charming the writing in this book was. I don’t know this author, at least I don’t believe I do, so they’re new to me. Apparently, they write under another name but wanted to write something more romantic and sentimental in nature. I’d say it’s more a love story than a romance, but they’ve succeeded. While the book finishes as a complete book, the ending could leave an opening for more. If so, I’ll be reading it. If not, cheers, guys, I hope you had a long and happy life together.

5 Stars!

[wellesleyunderground]

WU Reviews: Elizabeth Holmes and the Theranos Scandal

When brainstorming ideas for the next WU Review, we discovered that Tiffany Chan ‘15 had read Bad Blood, a book chronicling the rise and fall of Theranos; Cleo Hereford ‘09 had gotten the whole story via The Dropout podcast; and Shloka Ananthanarayanan ‘08 had watched the events unfold via the HBO documentary, The Inventor. Therefore, we three editors decided to combine forces to give you one mega-review about this fascinating story. Settle in!

Bad Blood reviewed by Tiffany Chan ‘15 (@omgitstiffyc)

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup is a book written by John Carreyrou detailing the meteoric rise and fall of the blood diagnostics company Theranos. While many of us came to know this story relatively late in the game, John Carreyou was the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who originally broke the story of Theranos in 2015. The format of the book allows for the stories and characters involved in the downfall of Theranos to be developed richly.

The book takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster ride. The beginning is a slow build, as Elizabeth starts the company. Over several years, the company grows steadily, and towards its late phase, it is a full sprint towards chaos. I was struck by how many people tried to stop Elizabeth Holmes and failed. Part of what makes this story enthralling is the number of people who simultaneously saw through the mirage and those who were sucked in. She managed to survive a for-cause audit by the FDA and almost being ousted as CEO by her board of directors. Then Vice President Joe Biden took a tour of her lab and was impressed by her work. Frankly, I started to wonder if she was some sort of Superwoman, immune to the rules us mere mortals live by.

While other accounts may focus on Elizabeth’s charisma, Bad Blood focuses on the people who were hurt by her actions. Each excited and talented employee was initially taken in by the promise of Theranos and all ultimately left disgraced and disappointed. The book underscored Holmes’ secretive, ruthless, and litigious nature where Theranos’ intellectual property was concerned. For me, this book also most clearly demonstrates Holmes’ failings as a leader. She made so many people collateral damage in the pursuit of personal glory. This point was most poignant in the case of Ian Gibbons, a long-time Theranos employee who was called to testify in court and tragically took his own life, balking under the pressure he was facing from the company to not say anything. Additionally, the narrator enters as a player in the third act and I found this to be really effective because we the readers empathize with him and understand his frustrations as he tries to tell this story while facing Theranos’ intimidation tactics. By building this cast of smart and relatable people, Carreyrou builds a sense of horror and outrage on multiple levels.

Simply put, this book was a trip for me to read because of all the ways it intersects with various aspects of my life. As someone who spent time working in the pharmaceutical industry, it was incredibly discouraging to hear about all the ways Theranos circumvented the checks and balances designed to keep people safe. While we might not be happy about all the regulatory hoops we need to jump through sometimes, they exist to ensure that our drugs and devices have been tested rigorously and I think people need to know that a majority of people in the industry take those standards incredibly seriously. As a Longwood Medical Campus student at the time, I can easily see how this young, female Silicon Valley CEO was lauded as THE lecturer of the year, the next big innovator. As a bench scientist, it was obvious to me from the beginning that Theranos’ pitch was pure fantasy but I had my doubts about whether I would have had the wherewithal to realize it without the gift of hindsight.

I liked the medium and content of Bad Blood because it underscores how much of Theranos was visual facade. Elizabeth LOOKED (and sounded, ha) like the next Steve Jobs. The Edison LOOKED beautiful when really it was just a sleek box with a robotic pipette inside. This story has been endlessly sensationalized in popular media but Bad Blood grounds us in what was the ludicrous and sometimes frightening reality for Theranos employees. I think this format allows for us to truly focus on the actions of the company and keep that in mind without getting sucked in by the ersatz company.

The Dropout reviewed by Cleo Hereford ‘09 (@cleoc87)

The Dropout is a 6-part podcast produced by ABC News and narrated by chief business, technology and economics correspondent Rebecca Jarvis about the emergence and downfall of Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes. Each episode is between 37 and 45 minutes, giving the listener a brief but comprehensive overview of Holmes, the founding of her company, and Theranos’ eventual demise. 

The podcast does more than simply narrate the series of events; it also includes interviews with a number of the key figures including Stanford Medical School Professor Dr. Phyllis Gardner (who heard early plans for The Edison technology and questioned its viability), whistleblowers Erika Cheung and Tyler Schultz, and Bad Blood author John Carreyrou.  The most striking interview, however, comes from the widow of Ian Gibbons, a biochemist who worked as Theranos’ chief scientist before taking his life in 2013 in the context of what is described as a toxic work environment and a pending patent lawsuit. 

What I walked away with after listening to The Dropout were the parts of the story perhaps touched upon but not fully highlighted in the hype surrounding the scandal: just how many lives were negatively impacted through the scheme either by Theranos’ work environment, the technology’s misdiagnoses, family disagreements or in Gibbons’ widow’s case, death, among the many issues that existed outside of or leading up to the truth behind Theranos being made public. Oftentimes, those affected by a particular person, organization or incident are forgotten in favor of whatever emblematic figure perpetrated the wrongdoing. The strength of The Dropout is that it does center Holmes while also highlighting the stories of and giving a voice to those she hurt. For those with longer commutes, I would fully recommend this highly engaging podcast.

The Inventor reviewed by Shloka Ananthanarayanan ‘08

My first thoughts upon starting this documentary - that lady really talks like that? I know we as a culture are entirely too obsessed with policing women’s looks and voices, but Elizabeth Holmes specifically cultivated her look (a wardrobe solely composed of black turtlenecks, à la her hero Steve Jobs) and apparently employed a fake voice, dropping down to a lower register, perhaps in the hopes that this would imbue her with more authority. Many people in the documentary also comment on her almost reptilian stare, and how she wouldn’t blink for ages. Thus, from the outset, you get a sense that this is a terrifically odd woman. And as the documentary progresses, you watch with spellbound horror as she cons some of America’s most senior business and political leaders, with seemingly no remorse once she gets caught. The woman is undoubtedly a villain, but she is a compelling one.

Directed by Alex Gibney, the film is a fascinating look at Theranos in particular, but Silicon Valley in general, and how entrepreneurs like Elizabeth Holmes can take advantage of certain loopholes and privatization to orchestrate scams of this magnitude. It’s well and good for Silicon Valley to embrace a model of disruption and to “keep breaking things,” but in the case of Theranos, when you are trying to create a revolutionary diagnostic product that human beings depend on for vital medical information, you can’t simply barrel ahead without appropriate testing, rigorous scientific discipline, and a basic understanding of regulatory compliance and ethics. The film features many interviews with employees, who initially started working at Theranos with bright-eyed optimism and visions of changing the face of healthcare, and who ended up disillusioned, terrified that they had harmed the public, and personally fearful of lawsuits and ruination. Through it all, we have Elizabeth Holmes as the Messiah, promising the world that she could diagnose hundreds of diseases by testing a single drop of blood, and lying through her teeth every time she was questioned about the technology behind this miracle.

Indeed, this film is about a cult of personality. At one point in the film, someone defines the word “credit” as deriving from the Latin “credo,” which means, “I believe.” Ultimately, Holmes managed to con many powerful people in America and make them blindly believe in her. She put many patients’ lives at risk as she sold a product that did not work and tried to orchestrate a cover-up that was laughably audacious and destined to come crashing down around her feet. I honestly don’t know how she thought she was going to be able to get away with her scheme, but it’s certainly thrilling to watch the faces of her employees as they detail what was happening in the office and get increasingly agitated as they realize the magnitude of the criminal enterprise they were involved in. 

If you don’t have time to read a book or listen to a podcast, The Inventor is a breezy 2-hour thrill ride through this scandal, and while it may not have all the details, it certainly has enough content to make you slightly sick to your stomach about how easily we can all be fooled by bright and shiny things that lack any substance whatsoever.

[twitchesandstitches]

Pokemon in Crossthicc - Overview

Pokemon and its relevant stuff in Crossthicc! This is gonna be a long one, requiring several posts, so bear with me on this one.

First off, some thoughts on the character line ups. Most of the canon Pokemon trainers, professors, gym leaders and other characters are either associated with the Endowed Fleet, or living within their territories without actually being IN the Fleet. Trainer like Misty, May and other important characters are probably Endowed, as are the Gym Leaders, professors and other ladies like Wicke, Lenora and so forth. They’re a kind of mixture of MILFy heroines and summoner-type magic users. Most professors are researchers into giant monsters and magic in general, with Pokemon being tied into both, and Gym Leaders (including all related jobs from the games/anime series, such as breeders, Alolan captains and Kahunas) tend to be independant adventurers and treasure hunters.

In general, the more heroic Pokemon characters, and Pokemon of every species, are part of the Endowed Fleet and main cast, with the most prominent among them being Wicke, gym leader-types like Lenora and Olivia, and the most prominent trainer characters like Misty. Most of them, especially characters and Pokemon tied to previous generations, were originally a part of the Smash Fleet prior to it merging with the Endowed Fleet.

Lusamine and a good portion of the Aether Foundation form the scientific backbone of the Cobalt Stingers. Lusamine is one of Vriska’s top people, and has a great deal to do with the way their mod development process works, both their refinement into highly expensive products with many benefits, and her habit of testing them on random groupie serfs.

Popular trainer classes (such as Hex Maniac) are individual characters here! That said, the core idea of those trainer classes are present in the form of common roles the trainers may use or adopt as they grow; they likely use different names, if they even have specific terms for, say, someone who uses the powers granted by Pokemon partners into disciplined raw power (Black Belts).

Most of the criminal Teams are still their own thing; defeated in past exploits, but largely still around. A few exceptions: Team Skull is a major part of the Fleet, and a lot of their iconography is popular in the fleet’s outfit styles. (Bonehead is a common term for scavenger units, in reference to Team Skull and the scav’s own stubbornness.) Team Rocket is a powerful criminal empire that initially started as a part of the Imperial Commonwealth but is growing into its own force, and Team Aqua is also a part of the Stingers. Other Teams are still present as their own thing, but either greatly reduced, in hiding, or just a total mystery.

Now, the Pokemon themselves. Unlike canon, Pokemon and the human characters are not from a specific world at all, but a multiversal phenomenon; Pokemon materialize from all over the place, and I DO mean materialize in a very literal sense. Trainers and all people who work with Pokemon in canon are translated into occupations that fit into the setting of Crossthicc, akin to summoners. Pokemon are a good deal weirder here and a lot more mystical in nature.

Pokemon, here, are not really animal-like beings, nor are they simply races of monstrous sapient beings with powerful abilities. They are explicitly animistic personifications of broad elemental concepts that make up the universe, taking on forms and concepts that are relevant to them, and when they are born into the material world, they must take on the weakest forms that can express their nature; the baby or initial evolutionary stages from canon. Consider them as being like spirits, or even summons, and would make excellent summons for the setting as a whole. It’s a bit of a shortcut for Pokemon, as otherwise they must grow in experience, calling down more and more power from a raw font of their essence from beyond, and as they power up, they develop into more complex and powerful shapes. In short, they evolve! And they MUST bond with a mortal soul to do this, to grow; they can’t really do it on their own, and rely on the experiences of others to expand their horizons.

Legendary Pokemon are explicitly gods here; not like gods, not so powerful they might as well be gods, but they are actively worshiped across the multiverse, empowering clerics and paladins,and once materialized in avatars that carried only a small portion of their powers but were nonetheless shockingly mighty. When they arise, the multiverse quakes, and that is only with a tiny fraction of their potential.

Pokemon can breed, though there is a difference between them spontaneously emerging in the ether, being summoned into being, or being born via pregnancy and eggs. In particular,  the former are initially more powerful and akin to ‘wild’ Pokemon; they’re much more reliant on mortal viewpoints to grow, and tend to prefer their more monstrous, elemental forms. They can be kind of weird, in the fashion of angels that are SO good that they’re a little alien. Pokemon born in eggs or through mortal pregnancies, are more in tune with mortal viewpoints, but have a harder time expressing their powers. They invariably treat their monster girl/boy forms as their default, and revert to it in times of stress, having some trouble shifting outside it. These are most akin to ‘trained’ Pokemon from canon, and are the most common.

And as per this AU’s theme, they are VERY big, ranging from kaiju-sized when they’re really trying, and even at smaller sizes Pokemon that are canonically small are nonetheless large enough to ride. And they can transform into humanoid monster girl/boy forms, which follow the usual rules of thiccness power in this AU. Powerful Pokemon are often extremely giant-y, and VERY curvy!

They are fully intelligent, sapient beings, and should generally be written as being almost angelic, wise entities with a bit of a wild edge. They’re very empathic, receptive to feelings from those they bond with, and Pokemon training is a friendship experience for them; if a Pokemon challenges you, it wants to go with you if you’re strong enough. The partnership goes both ways; as Pokemon grow strong, the trainer becomes more powerful, and a strong enough bond even allows one to fuse with the other, merging into a more powerful being that embodies their friendship. Across many worlds, before the cataclysm, across all species, Pokemon would teach mortals and be taught in return, both growing and continuously evolving.

At least, that’s how it used to be. But the corruption broke all Pokemon.

During the cataclysm, the magical catastrophes and shockwaves of so much death terrorized all things sensitive to such currents, driving many spirits into demonhood from sheer trauma. Negative emotions overwhelmed many magical beings, causing them to go berserk or become overwhelmed by invading forces welling out of the magical realms, adding to the death tolls. The Pokemon were especially badly hit, their minds dissolving and their powers going completely out of control, growing to massive size and becoming monstrous caricatures of their former selves. The Legendaries, the gods who derived from Pokemon, have been unable to soothe them until recent times, and even the Legendaries themselves, at least those most closely tied to the mortal planes and embodying mortal concepts, had their mortal vessels driven berserk as well.

If you’ve played Pokemon Colosseum and its sequel and recognize Shadow Pokemon here, it's very similar! But imagine that… mixed with Shin Godzilla, the apocalyptic rampage induced by traumatized horror and unending pain, and you can appreciate the scale of the horrors going on here.

The Pokemon are lost. Corrupted, driven totally feral by fear and the lingering deaths of untold trillions of souls, dying over and over again in their minds, and all this pain DESTROYS that Pokemon. The pain floods them, and all they can do is lash out, their natures becoming wild and knowing nothing but pain and fear. And in this, they have lost control of their bodies, weaponizing it purely in their most destructive force in a desperate attempt at self-defense.

Nonetheless. Even in this state, their longing to touch a mortal soul and find true friends, to create bonds across species and share their power with others remains still. To become more than what they are. Mortal hearts can touch them, remind them who they really are… and free them.

A dedicated human partner (a trainer) can bond with them, gentling their hearts and banishing the horrors they have witnessed and done, until the Pokemon gradually reverts to its true form, mind fully restored. Pokemon characters who work with Pokemon in canon are, in the AU, all particularly skilled at this and even specialize in it, but owing to the nature of Pokemon here, are more akin to summoners and spiritual mediums than monster trainers or researchers. Assume that any younger characters born into the Fleet and raised among its customs are at least familiar with what you have to do, so they can all at least calm down a feral Pokemon. Bringing back the Pokemon is a priority among the fleet, as is finding a way to bring back all the Legendary gods, who are presently lost within the magical realms and dominating vast swathes of it, their presence distorting the physical realm and causing horrific disasters. Journeying to save them from themselves and reconnect them with their godhead sources in the outer planes is a quest of epic proportions, and of dire importance. Legendaries embody the fundamental forces of existence, and are some of the most important gods remaining. They MUST be helped.

Corrupted Pokemon are analogous to Wild Pokemon from the games, mixed with pitable but highly destructive kaiju. Pokemon naturally born into the mortal realms, or those who have bonded with summoners enough to be moderated by their perspectives and freed of corruption, are akin to Trained Pokemon from canon.

Some general clarification:

There is no single Pokemon world or setting. Instead, Pokemon are native to all worlds and used to randomly show up in places that resonated with them or called them. Those born in the mortal realms tend to form their own societies here and there, while the most powerful ones from the spirit realms are most often summoned and that the two are really the same was not common knowledge. All Pokemon, but for a few, are still corrupted; the few born in recent times are not, but all others, including the Legendaries, must be helped. The canonical trainers, Gym leaders, professors and other human characters are, if still human, descended from Earth nationalities that correspond to the real life inspirations for their respective regions. Follow up posts will assume that they are human, but alternative ideas for them are VERY welcome!

Wild Pokemon are effectively all corrupted and totally feral, in the vein of Shadow Pokemon. They are broken and in pain, randomly lashing out and exploding in destructive fits. They are EXTREMELY large, many hundreds of feet tall and horrific to behold, elemental forces incarnate. With their sheer power, subduing them by force is an extremely poor idea.

Once freed from corruption, Pokemon can assume forms similar to their canon appearances and use their abilities freely, and these are explicitly magical in nature. They are, in fact, divine, as Pokemon are essentially mortal incarnations of certain principles of reality. They can also merge with people they are especially close to, granting them use of their powers, and monsterize that person with more of the Pokemon’s characteristics and giving them more power, though the person tends to become more wild. Once restored to their true selves, Pokemon follow the ‘totally sapient and probably smarter than humans’ interpretation of canon, and are equal members of the fleet or whatever organizations around ‘em. They might also fulfill the role of all purpose magical entities, or summon spirits; assume that purified ancient Pokemon fall into the latter category, and the monster girl versions must work to tap into their ancestral power and call it down, so they are also summoners in a way.

Pokemon here are FAR larger than in canon; they’re scaled up to giants, and can sizeshift freely to act as steeds, guardians or whatnot; Ash’s Pikachu, for example, is large enough for him to ride it into battle while also punching things. Assume that any given Pokemon can be as large as they feel like… within reason. While Pokemon are absurdly powerful, they do have individual limits and they’re often rather restricted in what they CAN do; they require experience to draw more of their power into their material forms.

Pokemon can also transform into two ways; they can morph into bipedal anthropomorphic monster girls (that tend to be extremely thicc, in proportion to their powers), or they can willingly transform into gigantic kaijus similar to their corrupted forms, but fully controlled; guardian monsters. These tend to be pretty dang monstrous and very elemental in nature. Pokemon born into the mortal realms, as mentioned earlier, tend to treat monster people forms as their baseline, while the Pokemon from the spiritual realms tend to prefer a kaiju-like form; those who have a strong enough bond with summoners may compromise with a giantess form, and something similar would apply to natural-born Pokemon..

Pokemon shifted into anthro form are scaled to an appropriate size: a Pikachu or Bidoof girl is going to be on the smaller size (perhaps 15 feet or so), while a Nidoqueen MILF is going to tower at at least fifty feet. The ones infamous for being big, like Wailord, will be FAR larger giantesses, on par with giantess-scaled aircraft. They otherwise have the same thiccness ratio as others; more powerful Pokemon are larger than normal and grow indefinitely, and are hyper curvaceous to suit their power levels. They can, as any other being, mod themselves up and even develop mutations appropriate for them.

All Pokemon species, save Legendaries, are represented within the Fleet, Stingers, and other factions that suit them. They provide an excellent source of powers, appearance mods, and traits from Pokemon are extremely common mutations on all people within the fleet. Natural-born Pokemon are also likely to be random populations, though are so divorced from their origins that they are likely to be very weak and indistinguishable from ordinary beastfolk; rediscovering their true heritage is a big moment for them. “Don’t you know what you ARE?”