#streaming services cannot be trusted with my love

[pseudoherpetologist]

Sooooo Watcher is currently imploding and I have a lot of thoughts about it, especially on my anxiety of what this might mean if their streaming service actually works.

Spoilers on today’s announcement video: Watcher is moving all of their content to their own streaming platform for a fee of $5.99 /month, and they are also archiving all their old content so we cannot watch it for free anymore. This is supposed to all happen by May 31st.

I fit within the majority of feeling disappointed and betrayed. I can’t afford that, and even if I could, why would I support that when other options have not been tried yet? A patreon? Exclusive content? More merch? It’s frustrating seeing creators we trusted to understand and empathize with their audience slap us across the face like this.

I keep thinking of other channels, other companies, that have been on YouTube for longer and have not done something like this to us. Game Theory, Try Guys, Smosh, Drawfee, the list goes on and on. I understand their content might be less work/ money to make, but I feel like most fans would be fine if the quality had to go down a little for us to keep everything free. We don’t need a whole complex set design for them to teach us history or weird mysteries and love it.

And lastly the reason why it gives me so much anxiety is if this actually does marginally well, we might see more YouTubers alienate their content like this for money. Not only would we have major streaming services to worry about, but now all these minor ones too for YouTube content creators that have 1/100th of the available media. I’m exhausted.

[p-redux]

You know, I am stunned at the lack of logic and critical thinking in this fandom. It’s like those with extreme opinions have such strong confirmation bias that they can’t get out of their own way. When I read some of these posts on lots of different blogs, I am struck at the logical questions that are never truly answered- well except by ad hominem attacks and logical fallacies and extensive conspiracy theories.

1. Wouldn’t a TV show that’s not on a well-known and popular streaming service love the PR they’d get if their costars were actually in love and in a real life relationship? What value does the production company gain by keeping them hidden for almost 10 years? I can’t logically see that it would bring more profits. So we’re supposed to love a loyal, brave, committed, and family-oriented Jamie, but we need a single, sexy Sam to sell the show?? Cognitive dissonance anyone?

2. Now that it’s well established that Sam and Caitriona essentially ARE Outlander and are EPs, wouldn’t they have the power to say no more if this “ narrative” was true? If they quit, there’s no OL. Couldn’t they refuse to film anything else if they aren’t allowed to tell the truth (if it’s hidden)? It’s interesting that Ron and Terri are married, Maril and Matt have twins together, but S and C were forbidden to be together? I would think that could be a legitimate lawsuit. Didn’t they renegotiate new contracts since the first season?

3. Do people actually believe that Sam and Caitriona are good people, philanthropic people, hard working entrepreneurial people, wonderful human beings but at the same time think that either of them would actually lie about their own children? With Sam’s childhood, people honestly think he would deny his kids AND be away from them for months? That they both would lie and deceive us about her father’s funeral?

4. So it’s been 10 years and NOT ONE person associated with either of them has publicly and clearly stated, with no doubts or other possible connotations, that they are really together? No costars? No personal friends? No teacher of their kids? No hospital personnel where the kids were born? No extras on OL? No crew members- even those that have been gone long enough that any NDA they signed about the production would have expired? No hotel staff where they may have traveled with their kids? No former “fake gfs” who might be pissed? No friends of “ fake gfs” that want to defend their friend and set the record straight? Not one person who has been associated with OL who might just think this is harmful to children? No photos of them with kids in public- clear photos, not reflections or someone in the background that we cannot clearly identify? Not videos where we cannot tell who is actually there? Wouldn’t someone somewhere have gotten a photo of them together as a family? In ten years? Have you P, seen evidence that I haven’t? I have seen nothing but reflections, blurry images, unidentifiable people in the background. Am I missing something?

5. About their chemistry- they aren’t the only actors I have ever seen that have great chemistry but no real romantic relationship. There are lots of them. It’s like people don’t know what actors actually do. So much of chemistry in acting between actors is about trust and respect for the work. Even some of the best chemistry has been between actors who didn’t really like each other in real life, but were able to use their chemistry and their talent to create characters we believed loved each other.

6. Lastly, I can’t wrap my brain around liking and respecting these two actors for their work and for their real lives, while claiming every day they are lying to me.

People see what they want to see or what they need to see to support their position.

Occam’s Razor tells me that the simplest explanation is often the best one.

Hopefully when OL finally ends, these two will get some peace.

Now, watch the “but what about ______? “start.

Bless you Anon for summarizing everything I and countless other SANE fans have been saying in the Outlander fandom for the last 9 years. The thing is...some Extreme Shippers continue to ship for a few reasons. I put them in these categories:

1. OG shippers who have invested SO many YEARS in their SamCait fantasy ship. They want to "save face." It's embarrassing to acknowledge that you were fed and believed a LIE for so long. Their egos can't handle it, so they'd rather double down, and find a way to pretzel their brains around things that are obvious facts to the rest of us. They don't want to feel like they "lost." So, they just keep on denying the TRUTH and the mountains of evidence showing that Sam and Cait are not a couple in real life. The alternative is too painful to them. It's been too much time, too much energy, too much of themselves invested in the ship, and they are missing something in their real lives. The ship fills that void.

2. New fans to Outlander who have recently discovered it. They've gone down the rabbit hole of shipper Tumblr, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter X accounts and they haven't climbed their way out yet to blogs like mine, and other Non-Shippers.

3. The Fake Shippers who pretend to be shippers to MAKE MONEY off those still clinging on to the life boats. There are still bloggers and shipper groups who know they have a captive audience in shippers holding out hope that some of what the original shipper leaders sold them might actually be true. These fake shippers manipulate gifs, pictures, videos, SHOW shippers what they WANT to see. They keep them hanging on with podcasts, magazine, subscriptions. They sell them trips to Scotland, conventions t-shirts, mugs, daily "proof" that Sam and Cait secretly live together with their 5 bairns. And because con artists are experts at conning people, they make everything believable...and some poor souls buy what they're selling. Literally BUY 💵 what they're selling. Sadly, this fandom is filled with a lot of retired women with disposable income, who are lonely or disillusioned with their own lives. And they are easy pickings for the money hungry fake shippers.

So, in summary, the reason there are still some SamCait Shippers is a combination of fake shippers SELLING them the fantasy AND women needing to STILL hold onto the fantasy. With a few actually mentally unwell women thrown in here and there, who have diagnosable mental health issues.

It's actually quite sad. If only they had gotten off the ship with the rest of us years ago, they could have been enjoying celebrating REAL love. Instead, they're on a constantly rocky ship that causes them disappointment more often than not. Here, on terra firma, no one needs Dramamine. It's lovely. Because it's REAL. 💞

[justchronicallyillthings]

I've had some time to think abojt the watcher leaving YouTube thing and here are my thoughts:

I understand the people who are excited for the move and the ones who hate it

I love the ghoul boys and have been watching them religiously since season 2 of buzzfeed unsolved. I've made many friends by bonding over their content. And I want them to succeed more than anything. But I also cannot afford another subscription service same as other people. And that is what is upsetting. We love their content and it hurts to know that we are losing it so suddenly. There are other ways they could have done this: slow shift to subscription, lower subscription price (6 dollars is a lot when you need every penny to survive), or providing more exclusive content through patreon.

I think the build up to the announcement, the silence afterwards, and some of the comments in the video are very ignorant of their fan base and fully believe that it is contributing to the overwhelming anger and dissappintment.

In this day and age nobody is excited about the amount of ads things have or that everything is a fucking streaming service. It's just so damn much and so frustrating. I can tolerate ads for them. But I cannot tolerate adding another subscription to the bare minimum I have. Now if they joined with other youtubers to create their own streaming platform to generate more revenue then I'd be more likely to support them. But to pay 6 dollars for their content alone when seasons are only 4 to 6 episodes long. No thank you. Not to mention building up to that announcement and acting like it's something that we should be excited for is complete bullshit and betrays the trust of the fanbase. The overwhelming negative view of it should be enough for them to realize what a mistake this is. But they haven't walked it back. And I've yet to see such overwhelming disproval of something like this in forever. So the silence from them is extra loud right now.

Lastly, to talk about how much it costs to make shows and keep people employed and to use that as justification is insane.

I don't think anyone would complain if the quality of shows were to decrease. We fell in love with the content in the day in age of buzzfeed 5 minute long, shitty episodes. And the quality has never been the draw to us. It's been the friendship and humor of the boys. And to lose that because of greed/money/whatever other reason that is the justification for it is a slap in the face. It alienates the majority of the fanbase and its a true dissappintment.

I wish the boys the best in this journey. I truly do but I cannot follow them down this path because I can't afford it and even if I could: I wouldn't. It's a stab in the back and honestly I'm so fucking sick and tired of everything being a subscription now a days.

[stickthisbig]

I fucking loathe hearing "this is why I hate musical theater." You know why I loathe it? Because I've loved musical theater since I was a child, and sometimes I hate musical theater.

I hate stunt casting, and I hate people who complain about stunt casting. I hate that everyone dismisses it as the gayest of professions when it runs on white gay cis men who are pretending to be straight discriminating against people who are browner and/or queerer than them. I hate that the best way to be a gay star is to be a handsome masc with only the tiniest, tiniest fruit flavor. I hate that lesbians have just been dropped from the discussion. I hate that Hamilton doesn't mention Cato Howe. I hate that every show about/starring people who aren't straight and white has to be all things to all people or completely dismissed. I hate all that fucking bullshit that happened on Jagged Little Pill. I hate reading yet another article from a gay man who has been horribly betrayed by the theater because he didn't pretend to be straight. I hate performing Sondheim. I hate it when people only think music is erudite when it is bad to listen to. I hate that Kimberly Akimbo ever fucking got made, let alone in the 2020's, and I hate that Broadway had the audacity to congratulate themselves on it. I hate that A Strange Loop is such a good idea but sounds like it needs two more editing passes. I hate that Steve Martin didn't finish his EGOT because of Lin-Manuel Miranda, who didn't need it. I hate Love Is Love merch. I hate people who blame all the problems of the theater on Lin-Manuel Miranda because he's the only musical theater professional they can name. I hate that the musician's union will never let us have an electronica musical, and I hate that the reason is that producers cannot be trusted to do the right thing. I hate that my favorite musical falls into antisemitic tropes when it could have done better. I hate watching Idina Menzel sing. I hate the reworked version of "Schadenfreude". I hate what happened to Jeff Whitty. I hate that my favorite King Herod is Chris Moyles. I hate people who defend the Bridgerton musical. I hate having to learn things from TikTok. I hate that Diana was half of the smoke test for proshot streaming. I hate that there are hundreds of shows with archived recordings that none of us will ever, ever, ever see. I hate that there's never been a credible attempt at theater as a streaming service or event cinema, even though opera pulled it off. I hate 1776; I don't have a reason, I just think it sucks out loud and I've never made it all the way through.

But whenever someone says "this is why I hate musical theater", they mean that it's embarrassing to watch a bunch of faggots prance around and burst into song for no reason, and what's worse, theater people have the unrepentant gall to take it seriously.

That's why I like musical theater. Get on my level or get out.

[captain-grammar]

Netflix cancelling a BUNCH of their shows featuring diverse casts and WLW characters reminded me of a rant I had earlier in the year on Twitter with regards to The Old Guard but didn't share here. So, here it is.

I've seen tweet after tweet on yonder Twitter from people who were unaware that there's going to be a sequel to The Old Guard so if you'll indulge me, I'm about to don a tin-foil hat and speculate wildly as to why it's slipping in under the radar and what might be the reasons for that.

Within the first week if The Old Guard being released in July 2020, it was already in the top 10 most streamed movies on the platform at reached around 72 million households in a month. Incredible viewing figures. It was well-reviewed by critics and a runaway smash hit with viewers - "certified fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes - and gained an active, passionate fanbase online the instant it was released (hello, welcome to Tumblr) due in part to the fresh take the movie had on the dull, formulaic action-movie genre.

Netflix had momentum. They had the stats to work with and a fanbase to back them up. They could have announced their intention to make a sequel back when interest was fresh (as they did with the likes of The Gray Man) and gotten everyone excited while it was being talked about. Because it was being talked about. A sequel was in the works fairly early on with the cast and crew pretty much confirming as much on social media. But in this fast-paced, binge-consume world, Netflix seemed to wait until all the hype had died down before making it official.

WHY? Why take a big-hitting, genre-bending, record-smashing movie that you KNEW had proven to be a success and KNEW had a follow-up in the pipeline and let it die? A hugely sceptical part of me has a theory that it was down to just how genre-bending it was.

From my experience online, the vast majority of those who enjoyed it reflect the characters of the movie and the team behind it - diverse, LGBTQ+ individuals who rarely see themselves on screen without it feeling like a kind of tokenism. The movie was directed by the amazing Gina Prince-Bythewood - a black woman. The cast was lead by two strong females who were neither sexualised or portrayed as damsels in distress. Two of the men were unashamedly in love with each other. All of the main male cast were allowed to be emotional and even cry. In the action genre, these things are all but unheard of. Male characters are rarely given emotional complexity beyond revenge and women are usually relegated to the role of side-kick, love interest or doe-eyed ingenue learning from the "best".

Because the genre tends to lean towards a stereotypical male audience.

A part of me wonders whether that's why Netflix didn't give it much promo and kudos and have let the pot come off the boil in terms of hyping The Old Guard's return. The service has a history of platforming voices that are anti-LGBTQ and cutting diversity within its ranks. And now they're at it again, axing a slew of shows after only one or two seasons that all seem to feature wlw relationships fairly prominently.

If you're not a straight, cis, white male then they're not interested in catering for you. If you're a minority, too bad. The fact that The Old Guard was a hit with the very communities they seem to be actively oppressing is a hurt that Netflix seemingly refuses to live with.

I'm just sick of "was the movie/show popular among straight white men?" being the metric against which a piece of media's success is measured. As if that demographic is the Holy Grail and if your fans aren't 28 year-old cis dudes, you've somehow failed.

I thank Netflix for bringing some truly great stories to life but at this point, I cannot trust them to keep them safe any more.

[aurora-australis-tumbles]

Hello! *waves excitedly* May I request "fuzzy socks" and "mulled wine" for Phrack? Thank youuu 🥰🧦☃️

Hi!! 👋 And of course, friend! But… oh goodness. This one clearly took a left turn somewhere. What can I say, these two simply cannot be trusted, even (especially?) on paper. 😂

Anyway enjoy!! 🧦 🍷

---

Phryne settled herself on the couch, mug of wine in one hand, remote control in the other, and began to peruse her late night Christmas Eve viewing options. It was a chilly night, for December, so she tucked herself in cosily, glad for the fuzzy socks that he’d given her recently as a joke after years of complaining about her cold feet at night. With a sigh, she scrolled through the various holiday fares on her various streaming services without finding any that called to her, all of them either too schmaltzy or too cloying or too... too for her current mood. 

It wasn’t that she was lonely, of course. She’d had a lovely dinner with Mac and her wife, and video chatted with Jane until the time difference had finally proved too much for her daughter. She’d even stopped by Aunt P’s for a bit in order to help tip herself firmly into the “nice” column for the year. So, no, she wasn’t lonely, even if certain Detective Inspectors had broken tradition to follow stupid leads in stupid Sydney on stupid Christmas Eve.

Phryne sighed again, mostly at herself this time. She really wasn’t lonely, she knew that. She just missed him. And good wine and fuzzy socks were a poor substitute for a stupid boyfriend who was currently out of town on the night they always spent together.

Rolling her eyes at her own foolishness — really was there anyone less traditional than her, why did she even care? — she took a rather large sip of her rather good wine and had just decided to scroll her phone for a bit instead of the TV when the object in question rang, said stupid boyfriend’s name staring back at her.

“Ho, ho, ho,” came a deep voice in greeting when she answered.

“You know I prefer 'my darling',” she reminded him archly, and he chuckled. “How’s New South Wales?” she asked, her tone returning to normal.

“Rainy, last I checked. How’s Victoria?”

“Unusually cold,” she replied, and she could almost hear his sympathy shiver through the phone. “Did you find your witness?”

“We did,” he confirmed. “At the bottom of a bottle. Hopefully he’ll be sober enough by Boxing Day to answer our questions.”

Phryne bit back the urge to sigh again. Boxing Day was two days away, and she’d been secretly hoping he’d be back by Christmas.

“Hopefully,” she said instead, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

He paused. “So I guess you’re still mad at me then?”

Trying and failing it seemed.

“I’m not mad,” she replied honestly. “Why would I be mad? Just because I’m spending Christmas Eve alone, when I always spend it with my partner…”

Just because she wasn’t mad, didn’t mean she couldn’t lay on the guilt. Just a little.

She had grown up with Aunt P after all.

“Anyway I’m really not mad,” she assured him when he didn’t reply right away. “In fact, I’m quite comfortable.”

“Oh? What are you doing?”

“Drinking mulled wine.”

“And what did you mull it with?”

“Cognac?” she replied, voicing going up slightly as she refrained from sharing the exact ratio she’d used to make it.

Through the phone and farther away than she wanted, Phryne heard Jack bark out a laugh at that, and she imagined, just for a moment, that she could hear it much, much closer.

She really did miss him tonight. It was not that she couldn’t do without him — she could, of course, and did often. It was just that this was their night. The anniversary of another night, years ago, with too much wine and finally revealed feelings and the start of something wonderful. They hadn’t spent a Christmas Eve apart since.

Until tonight, that is. 

Still... their work was important, and it’s not like he’d had a choice, and it did no good to dwell on these things when Phryne could think of much better uses for a phone connection. 

“What you should really be asking,” she suggested slyly. “Is what I’m wearing.”

He paused for a moment, and when he came back, his voice seemed impossibly deeper.

“What are you wearing?” he asked; she clearly had his attention.

“Nothing,” she lied, even as she plucked at her stylish pyjamas — last minute Christmas Eve visits to her aunt aside, she was probably still on the naughty list anyway, so what was one more little fib?

He coughed. “Oh really?”

Through the phone, she could almost hear his eyebrows raise.

“Well,” she began in a breathy voice, “apart from those socks you gave me that is.”

Another pause.

“Even better,” he assured her, voice now laced with the humour she loved so very much.

She sighed for the third time that night.

“I miss you,” she admitted quietly, though it was hardly a secret. She expected him to say it back. He always said it back.

He didn’t say it back.

“You know,” he started instead, and she frowned at the change, “I was watching the news and they’re saying Father Christmas has just been spotted over Melbourne.”

“Oh really?” she asked, pretending his deviation from their norm didn’t sting a bit. “Well maybe you should have caught a ride with him.”

He tsked, sadly. “No room on the sleigh, I’m afraid. But I think you should go look outside all the same. See if you can spot him.”

“Jaaaack,” she began, dropping the act, not particularly in the mood to play now.

“Just look outside, Phryne.” One more pause. “Please?”

“Fine.” Putting her wine down on the coffee table, she stood up and walked to the window. Looking out and up, she saw nothing except stars. “And what is it I’m supposed to see?” she asked.

He sighed.

“No, you need to...” he coughed. “You need to look north.”

If her wine hadn’t been quite so well mulled, she might have cottoned on to his plan earlier, but as it was a smile still spread across Phryne’s face as the penny finally dropped and then she fairly sprinted across the room to the front door, though she did take a second to compose herself before she opened it; fuzzy socks or no she was still Phryne Goddamn Fisher and she did not pine.

When she did open it, the picture of casual interest, she saw exactly what she’d hoped to.

“Jack,” she breathed, and he, still holding his phone, grinned back at her. “How?” she inquired as he hung up and put the device back in his pocket. “How did you get a flight on Christmas Eve?”

He shrugged. “Took my chance with standby. I must have spent half the day browsing those ridiculous airport gift shops, selling the absolute tackiest holiday junk. But then, somehow, there was a spot. Must have been a Christmas miracle,” he supplied with a wink, right before his face turned apologetic. “Though I will, unfortunately, have to fly back on the 26th. And I am afraid that your gifts this year are a Toblerone and keychain that says ‘Sydney’.” 

She snorted at that involuntarily, and he gave her that lopsided smile she loved. “Ridiculous airport gift shops have their uses, I suppose,” he added.

“They’re perfect,” she assured him. “Just what I wanted.” Then she reached out a hand to pull him inside. “Well that,” she continued coyly, turning toward the hall, “and for you to put us both firmly on the naughty list before midnight.”

He chuckled. “Yes, well, I have something else that might be able to help with that.” Curious, she turned back to find him looking both uncharacteristically bashful and extremely pleased with himself. “Picked up something else while I was browsing.” 

His eyes flicked down and she followed his gaze with her own, landing square on his belt buckle to see that his usual subdued brass affair had been recently replaced with an enormous. sprig. of mistletoe.

Holiday junk indeed.

“Ridiculous airport gift shops do have their uses?” he repeated, a bit of a question now as he anxiously awaited her response to his impulse purchase and impromptu arrival.

Phryne stared at the green floral monstrosity and suddenly couldn’t stand it anymore. Too much emotion, too much wine, too much him. She burst out laughing with the sheer joy of it all, no longer playing it coy or casual, just wrapping her arms around him and holding him close as he joined her with his own happiness and they laughed together on Christmas Eve. 

When, several minutes later, she stepped back — the mistletoe well and truly crushed now — she rolled her lips and shook her head. 

“You know,” she said, twinning their fingers together and leading him backwards towards the bedroom. “I'm not sure that my, ahem, kisses can be compelled by sprigs of parasitic greenery.”

“Hemiparasitic,” he corrected. “Of the genus Viscum.”

“Oh I’m sure it will,” she teased with a wink. He arched a chastising eyebrow at that, which she frankly found a little hypocritical of a man currently sporting a hemi of his own.

“Now,” she continued, pulling him through the bedroom door and shutting it behind them, her mulled wine left alone in the living room to watch It’s A Wonderful Life without her. “Let’s see what we can do about getting on that naughtly list, shall we?”

“Yes, I believe your request had something to do with firmly,” he reminded her with a smirk and she cackled at his cheek.

It really was so good to have him home.

“I do have one request of my own, though,” he informed her, right before he kissed her.

“What’s that?” she whispered, close enough to brush his lips with her own.

“Phryne?”

“Yes?”

“Leave the socks on.”

She laughed again.

And she did.

---

December Prompts

[darkfinch]

i have to ask. why do you not like clane crawford

you MISUNDERSTAND FUNDAMENTALLY

i do not know him as a person, so i can't like him Personally, but i enjoy mr crawford very much as an actor; i think he's very good at what he does and i appreciate the unique chaotic all-in energy he brings to his baffling filmography. i am enjoying his 500 dollar indie movie era and the SECOND that the integrity of joseph chambers (or, as my dad calls it, "the honour of jonathan whatshisname") Becomes Streamable i will be streaming it in whatever legal way i can. he has good hair. cool guy

the "i can't perceive this dude" vibes are just like.....like you know how you watch someone give an interview and they've obviously got a prepared, media-appropriate headspace they've slipped into + carefully curated established barrier between Real Self and Publicly Perceived Self? customer service persona? and they'll naturally curate their energy and the things they say to come across a certain way? they're prepared? they know what they're saying and doing and what they're trying to present to you?

mr crawford does not do this

mr crawford just says words. he just says words you cannot ask him about anything he will either sound like a cop who's just discovered the concept of introspection, a man who is actively counting down the seconds until he can exit the interview, or a normal fucking Guy who has completely forgotten that he's being recorded. it's too much i can't do it

like he is SO PASSIONATE about the things he talks about he is KNOWLEDGEABLE he LOVES MOVIES but also i cannot trust that he won't just toss a That's Altogether Too Much Raw Information bomb into the centre of the convo at the drop of a hat. he says so much and i don't need to learn the things he is saying, it's not that it's Bad information it's just that i would like to know less. don't tell me this <3

i like him tho i want the best for him i hope he stops doing nfts

[roo-bastmoon]

Roo is a little skeptical today

In which I ponder the likelihood of tattoos, ski trips, and becoming a workaholic recluse.

Okay, first of all, I have trust issues after being pranked so many times. I can clearly see Tae's 7 tattoo in the photo he posted on Insta, but I cannot see it in any of the stills from the swimming video he also posted.

Do you see it? Am I crazy? Is Mr. Kim pulling one over on us again?

That looks like a naked knee and thigh to me. Am I nuts? You can tell me I'm nuts. Maybe I need to get my eyes checked!

Second of all, it's entirely possible (and would be awesome!) if some of the tannies got to go skiing or snowboarding together right after such a hard day seeing Jin off into the military. Could totally happen.

But one account has Hobi with JK and Tae; the poster said they recognized Hobi and Tae and then identified JK by his hand tattoos... which, if you're skiing outdoors during a cold winter, aren't you wearing gloves? We have to take their word for it because they have no photos or other witnesses.

Then another account has a manager that's supposed to be with JK and Tae and Hyungsik of Wooga at a different resort. And it could all be true. But, if you're out on the slopes, why don't you put your expensive designer shoes in a locker? Why would you neatly line them up, bows tied, perfectly posed for photographic proof? Unless a staff/stalker did it while they were out on the hills? In which case, this is a bit of a violation, isn't it?

And the manager just happens to have the exact same pair of shoes as Hobi, but on a different day? So they go to two different ski resorts on Wednesday and Thursday of this week, and wear pristine shoes that they leave out for others to touch and photograph?

Ehhhhh.... It sorta feels like this is a set-up for misinformation. Which I guess happens. People want clout, or like to fool others... So I think I'll wait to hear from the members if they went, and then be happy they are getting out and having fun if so.

But on that note, I know Park Jimin is working his (super fine) ass off for his album these days, but we've barely seen him since the summer! He went to 2 soccer games, a play, and was tagged in a dinner pic with Hobi and Joon. He also went to see Sungwoon off into service, but that's hardly fun relaxing social times.

I hope Jimin is getting out covertly from time to time, letting off steam, so he can replenish his energy and creativity. But this is a man who used to practice until 4am in the studio, then get up and go to school at 6:30am. He just overworks himself. I'm so excited for PJM1 but I'm also excited for him to have a chance to rest and enjoy life a little (whether I can see it or not).

These have been today's skeptical thinky thoughts.

While I have you, are you streaming for BTS and voting for my fabulous bias Jimin? Only 9 days left, and there's a huge gap. All it takes is 2 clicks! You can vote twice ever six hours!

And on twitter, please use the hashtags:

I vote #JIMIN for Asian Celebrity of the Year #ACOTY2022#NETIZENSREPORT#ACOTY2022JIMIN

@thenreport

Plus also vote for this one.

Okay, thanks. I gotta get back to my deadlines. I love you guys. Bye!

[myshredda]

Hello!✨

Chaos idea: The clump try to have a movie night but spend two hours scrolling mindlessly through their prefered streaming service because they just can't decide on a movie

They end up watching Bluey, that's the only show they all love equally

But then they start fighting about which episode to watch!

Red would probably cry with sleepy time, especially that part where Chili assures Bingo she will be there for her even if she can't see her bcs I firmly believe Red never had his parents tell him that, (he just gives off daddy and mommy issues, specially in the family episode and how most of the time he tries to avoid confrontation like that part where he fires Duck due to pressure). And maybe baby race

Duck would LOVE the episode where Jack and Rusty play army with all those military references that remind him of his childhood and youth (even tho hes like, 30) He would probably like baby race too

I think Yellow would like the butterflies ep, and he would be constantly singing the poor little bug on the wall song as vocal stimming (i know my sister and i did haha!)

Green it's kinda hard… It's maybe because i have not finished watching all the episodes (i just cannot binge watch it because i cry way too much and i end up exhausted) but i can't choose an episode for him… i was thinking maybe the bedroom one, but it's not right enough…

I would probably continue to watch it and maybe when I finish I could give him an episode!

For now, he just likes all of the episodes :D

Oh I cry over every single episode of Bluey no matter what so I'm right there with you.

Yeah. Red would weep every time Chili and Bandit are good parents bc he very obviously did NOT have a good childhood and has basically no relationship with his family/peers. Sleepy Time would make him cry SO BAD man... Poor guy. He's role in my AU really is, like, ending his family trauma with him and ensuring that Yellow and Green have the supportive family he never had, so the bedtime episode would really get him :( poor guy :(

All I could think of during that army episode was Duck lol, he's my go-to army guy now. I think he'd also really like the episode with Chili's dad because he feels kinship with Mort being a crazy old dude that's kind of a curmudgeon but deep down loves his family (bonus points for him being implied to be a veteran)

Yellow loves all the silly episodes and the songs but I think he'd also love Sleepytime because of Bingo's relationship with floppy reminding him of his relationship with Doggie.

Green's a toughie, but I really think he'd resonate with Space the most. He'd love the scientific aspects of Mackenzie pretending to be an astronaut, and also wanting to be the lead explorer. SPOILERS here if you haven't seen this episode, but the separation anxiety and abandonment issues that Mackenzie experiences in this episode remind me so much of Green. They way he feels like it's up to him to save 'the crew' and how terrified he actually is of being abandoned by his family, especially because it's happened before in the past. But he has to learn to trust the people he cares about to care about him in return. (🥲🥲🥲🥲)

[royposting]

Most terfs i see are vehemntly against consensual stuff such as BDSM and the likes of that. I see many even against porn and sex work in general. I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable for calling you queer, i was going on lgbt+ history there.

As for oppression, yes sexism and opression exists, but blaming every man and putting down men isnt going to fix anything. To be equals you cant pull down people to your level, you have to work together to rise up simultaneously. Am i saying work with sexist people? Of course not, fuck those people. I'm saying you have to work with your allies, no matter who they may be. This idea of "all men are inherently evil" doesnt work towards any goal other then harming men. Most of the men that get harmed are men who are already oppressed anyways.

Can you give me an example of your idealogy ever actually helping someone that doesnt put down someone else?

may i ask you, what is the difference between a man beating a woman because he just loves beating women, and a man beating a woman because he loves beating women AND it gives him a boner? consent is irrelevant, in this context. i used to pratice bdsm before i became a feminist, so trust me when i say i know all of the arguments of consent, etc. turns out i just absolutely hated myself and figured that if i asked others to harm me, i didnt have to harm myself. i consented to all that was done to me, but it has still left me with a completely broken sexuality. note also how radfems arent against all kink - none of us could care less if you like sucking toes or pretending youre ballooning up to massive size. the violence, however, is harmful.

thats not even mentioning how violence in sex has become so commonplace that literal children on tiktok speak about wanting to get raped, choked and beaten. its not healthy.

as for porn, how can you tell that the video youre watching is consensual? how can you tell the actors are in the videos because they love it and want to be? why should we normalise that very, very young people can feed themselves a steady stream of extreme violence committed against women, all while masturbating - creating an orgasm, a perfect way to wire their brains into thinking violence = good.

i am a survivor of ”sex work”, actually. id like you to ponder about the fact that all ex ”sex workers” out there are extremely against ”sex work”. selling feet pics on onlyfans is not the same as the reality for most women who sell sexual services. most are trafficked, dependent on drugs, are raped regularily. ask yourself, should the extremely rare and few sex workers who love their professions and have the ability to choose their clients speak over us who have survived and speak about the horrors we faced?

i cant say i quite understand your argument re: men. the truth is, all men benefit from our oppression. i have yet to meet a man who actively fights for womens liberation. its not about being equal, its about being liberated, and we cannot be if we coddle men. id also like to ask you - do you think men speak like this to other men re: sexist views? have you seen the way men speak about women in their enclosed spaces? i do agree that not all men are evil, but the truth is enough of them are that youre not safe around any of them.

radical feminism, in my opinion, allows women to find sisterhood, something ripped away from us by patriarchy. we can speak about womens voting rights, our rights to have our own bank accounts, abortion rights, right to divorce etc, but i think you already know all of those which is why i speak about personal experience.

a woman who unlearns centering her life around men is a powerful woman. giving women their voices back, and their bodies, and the love of other women is to me worth unmentionably much more than mens hurt feelings. womens lands, womens movements and even just all female friend groups - i have a circle of radfem friends who are all absolutely incredible people - they all collectively put womens needs and wants back into focus. men have always centered other men, so why shouldnt women center other women? why are you not in the inbox of MGTOWs, MRAs and redpillers? what is it specifically about radical feminism that is so provoking?

[the-invisible-queer]

OKAY

Let's talk about Watcher!

SO Thursday night is when I decided to take my break from Tumblr. I also decided that maybe I'll catch up on Watcher content I've missed out on because I'd been slacking the past few months. So the plan was to binge Watcher this past weekend. That didn't end up happening.

But then they posted Goodbye YouTube.

At first I really thought they were moving to Amazon Prime. Which I would hace been hyped and supportive of fully.

So when they said it was their OWN streaming service it was a blow. Because I adore them (yes even Steven) but they don't produce enough to make me want to pay $6 a month IF I had the money.

I don't cannot afford that for a streaming service.

And at first I was willing to support them even though I couldn't follow them. Because I do adore those three dorks.

I was an avid Unsolved and Worth It viewer. And I loved when they went on their own. I have loved and supported Watcher since the channel launched.

I was looking forward to rewatching Puppet History UNTIL I LEARNED that they had archived all the fucking episodes. That pissed me off.

People were also rubbed the wrong way that they made it seem like $6 is affordable for everyone.

NOW they just posted the apology video rolling back what they said.

But the trust is lost. I still love them. But it's gonna take some time to be as hyped as I was.

I'm glad they took accountability and decided not to do that original choice.

But goddamn.

WHAT A TIME!

[thewahookid]

A Special Announcement!!

During the Apparition to Marija yesterday,

Our Lady asked Marija to invite us all

to meet on Apparition Hill today,

January 1, 2024,

to pray together with Marija

from 3:00pm until 6:00pm.

Mary TV will live stream this time of prayer!

Join us at www.marytv.tv

January 1, 2024

Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God

Dear Family of Mary!

Today we honor and praise Our Lady, Mary the Mother of God! The Father chose her from all of creation to be the Mother of His Son, Jesus. We cannot fathom the wonder of Mary, chosen to be the Mother of Christ. But we can contemplate it. It is very helpful for us to allow the Holy Spirit to expand our minds to begin the glimmer this heavenly reality.

Here is a short explanation from Magnificat that is very good for us to ponder:

The Greatness of the Mother of God

Our Lady is the Mother of God because Jesus Christ who was born of her is God. To Jesus Christ she gave what every mother gives to the child that is born of her, and for which she is called the child’s mother. Our Lady is the Mother of God just as truly, as fully, as literally, and exactly as every other mother is the mother of her child. By reason of her divine motherhood and the special relation in which this places her to the Blessed Trinity, Our Lady was necessarily a creature apart and unique from the very first moment of her existence. To make her worthy of her marvelous destiny in every way, God so created her soul that from the first instant of its existence it was filled with grace. Our Lady then, by this special intervention of God, applying to her by anticipation the merits of the Passion yet to come, was conceived untouched by the sinful legacy of the Fall.

As Our Lady was thus unique in her creation in grace, so is her place and role unique in the glory of heaven. Thanks to her actual kinship with God according to his human nature, there is a union between Our Lady and God that no other saint can come to, and because of this union her power of intercession is unique. So much so that it is the common teaching of theologians that God has so disposed things that whatever graces are granted to mankind are granted through Our Lady’s intercession….

We do not adore Our Lady, but the honor we give her is greater than the honor we give the saints. “The Blessed Virgin,” says Saint Thomas Aquinas, “from the fact that she is the Mother of God, derives a dignity that is in a way infinite from the infinite good that is God. And in this sense just as there cannot exist anything better than God so there could not be made anything better than herself.” Between this most glorious of all God’s creatures and the rest of us there is moreover this special link: In a very real sense, she is the Mother of us all. For Our Lady is the Mother of him whom Holy Scripture calls the firstborn among many brethren (Rom 8:29). And he, when dying, giving her to be the Mother of the beloved disciple Saint John, foretold and created her role as Mother of all Christians. Such are the reasons and the origin of the immense place Our Lady occupies in the daily life of every Catholic.

- Monsignor Philip Hughes (Magnificat - January 2024)

And here is a message from Our Lady in which she shared about her motherhood with Mirjana:

February 2, 2020 "Dear children, by the act of the decision and love of God, I am chosen to be the Mother of God and your mother. But also by my will and my immeasurable love for the Heavenly Father and my complete trust in Him, my body was the chalice of the God-man. I was in the service of truth, love and salvation, as I am now among you to call you, my children, apostles of my love, to be carriers of truth; to call you to spread His words, the words of salvation, by your will and love for my Son: that with your actions you may show, to all those who have not come to know my Son, His love. You will find strength in the Eucharist - my Son who feeds you with His Body and strengthens you with His Blood. My children, fold your hands [in prayer] and look at the Cross in silence. In this way, you are drawing faith to be able to transmit it; you are drawing truth to be able to discern; you are drawing love that you may know to love truly. My children, apostles of my love, fold your hands [in prayer], look at the Cross. Only in the Cross is salvation. Thank you."

I know this is a lot to read, but on this day, we can give Our Lady the time it takes, to get to know her better! She is Our Mother too!! God bless! And don't forget to join us on Apparition Hill today at 3:00 pm Medjugorje time to pray with our Mother!!!

(Our Daily Rosary with Denis and Cathy will be live at 2:00 pm Medj time today)

In Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!

Cathy Nolan

(c) Mary TV 2024

Mary TV. Inc. | www.marytv.tv

[churchgrace]

Grace World Church | Five-Fold Ministry

"Dear Heavenly Father, I come before You today with a heavy heart burdened by the weight of depression. I humbly ask for Your divine intervention and healing touch upon my mind, body, and spirit. Lord, in Your infinite mercy, please replace my feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and despair with Your comfort, peace, and joy. Help me to find strength in my weaknesses and to persevere through the challenges that pray for depression brings. Guide me towards the necessary resources, support, and treatment options that will aid in my recovery. Grant me the courage to reach out to others for help and to share my struggles honestly. Surround me with understanding and compassionate individuals who will provide love, encouragement, and a listening ear. Heavenly Father, I surrender my burdens to You and trust in Your faithfulness to carry me through this season of darkness. Fill me with the assurance of Your presence, reminding me that I am not alone in this journey. Renew my mind, renew my spirit, and lead me to the path of healing, restoration, and lasting joy. In Jesus' precious name, I pray, Amen."

Grace Church is a common name for various Christian congregations and denominations around the world. The term "Grace Church" typically refers to a place of worship where individuals gather to express their faith, seek spiritual guidance, and grow in their relationship with God. These churches often emphasize the message of God's grace, highlighting the unmerited favor and love that He extends to all people. Grace Church aims to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment where individuals can experience the transformative power of God's grace, find community, and engage in worship, prayer, and service. These congregations may offer a variety of ministries, programs, and activities to support the spiritual growth and development of their members, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose. Grace Church seeks to be a beacon of hope, compassion, and love within their local communities, reaching out to those in need and spreading the message of God's grace to all who are willing to receive it.

If you are seeking a miracle prayer request online, it is essential to find a reputable and trustworthy platform that offers a supportive community of believers. Many religious organizations and websites provide online prayer request forms or forums where you can submit your specific prayer needs. These platforms typically have dedicated teams or prayer warriors who will pray on your behalf. When submitting your miracle prayer request online, be sure to provide clear and concise details about your situation, expressing your faith and trust in God's power to intervene. It is important to remember that while prayer can bring comfort and strength, miracles are ultimately in the hands of God, and His will may unfold in ways that we may not always understand. Keeping an open heart and maintaining faith throughout the process can help you find solace and peace, regardless of the outcome.

I apologize, but as an AI language model, I don't have real-time information or access to specific websites. Therefore, I cannot provide the exact details or link to the live stream of Burtonsville Church. However, many churches and religious organizations now offer live streaming services for their worship gatherings. To find the live stream of Burtonsville Church, I recommend visiting their official website or social media pages, as they often provide information about their worship live stream services, schedules, and any necessary links or instructions to access them. Alternatively, you can search online using specific keywords like "Burtonsville Church live stream" to find relevant results and sources that may provide the information you are looking for.

streaming live church, Church Burtonsville, online prayer request, prayer for motivational.

[lasclrc]

Listen epub on mac pro

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This doesn’t mean you should stop there, though. Truth be told, many Americans who listen to SiriusXM radio are there only for Mr. Basically, they feature interviews from The Howard Stern Show plus some exclusive SiriusXM video that isn’t available anywhere else. Howard 100 and Howard 101 are two original shows hosted by Stern on SiriusXM. In case there’s a need for an introduction, Howard Stern is America’s beloved radio and TV personality, writer, author, and King of All Media (according to his Twitter profile). One of the most prominent gems that attracts millions of listeners is Howard Stern’s daily show, broadcasting exclusively on SiriusXM since 2006. From serious sports broadcasting channels like MLB, NBA, and NFL to Travor Noah and Comedy Central Radio that will have you laughing like a drain in no time. SiriusXM covers a mix of acquired channels and original content. In January 2020, the subscriber base of SiriusXM reached an all-time high of 34,9 million subscribers. Its satellite radio service provides access to the top weather, entertainment, news, music, and comedy channels by subscription. is a huge radio broadcasting company headquartered in New York. What is SiriusXM and why you should try itĬall it the Netflix of radio. And yes, it includes the universally loved Howard Stern live daily show. To help millions of people around the world cope with their seclusion in the time of quarantine, SiriusXM announced they are giving away free access to the Premier Streaming plan until May 15. But choosing to focus on perks instead of cons is something that everyone can do, especially with all online opportunities arriving at our homes. I am pissed off.Staying at home can be a blessing and a curse - that’s what we’ve all been forced to realize due to a rapid COVID-19 outburst. Apple and Amazon have gone to far with their controlling users. I cannot afford to buy a new mac let along pay for upgrading all my apps just to run on 10.10 on my 4yr old iMac. Would you trust Apple and Amazon now? I live on SSI/SNAP due to disabilities am born with.

Listen epub on mac pro upgrade#

So content I have in my Amazon account is forever locked up out of my use until I upgrade my Os and the Kindle app. And on sep.15th the app on my iMac will no longer work at all anymore. Senior Amazon support staff explained that Apple requested Amazon force all Mac kindle users to upgrade to the 10.10 before they can use the latest Kindle app.

Listen epub on mac pro for mac#

You can check the Kindle version number by choosing "Kindle" from the menu of your app and then selecting "About Kindle." Please see our troubleshooting pages for Kindle for Mac if you have any other questions.

Listen epub on mac pro install#

You can easily download and install the latest version of the Kindle for Mac from our download page on Amazon.

Listen epub on mac pro update#

Our latest update (version 1.11.0 or above) is still free, and includes important bug fixes that are required to continue using the app. It's time to update your Kindle for Mac app! We appreciate the time you've spent reading with our Kindle for Mac app, but you have registered a version on one of your computers that is out of date and scheduled to be retired by September 15. Would like to share an email I got from Amazon a few days ago:

[themousefromfantasyland]

THE GIRL WHO PRETENDED TO BE A BOY

What about a transgender fairy tale for Pride Month?

This variant is a English translation by Andrew Lang of a Romanian fairy tale called Ileana Sînziana. In this long, but fun tale, a powerful new Emperor wants in his court all the male heirs of the Emperors who he already dethroned. Knowing her father doesn't have any male heir, the youngest daughter of an old Emperor decides to dress as man and goes out in a journey.

In the end she is "cursed" to be a man, becoming Făt-Frumos, here translated as Fet-Fruners, a stock Romanian character in folk tales, a knight hero similar to Prince Charming. Făt-Frumos can be roughly translated as handsome infant or child or handsome boy.

Once upon a time there lived an emperor who was a great conqueror, and reigned over more countries than anyone in the world. And whenever he subdued a fresh kingdom, he only granted peace on condition that the king should deliver him one of his sons for ten years' service.

Now on the borders of his kingdom lay a country whose emperor was as brave as his neighbour, and as long as he was young he was the victor in every war. But as years passed away, his head grew weary of making plans of campaign, and his people wanted to stay at home and till their fields, and at last he too felt that he must do homage to the other emperor.

One thing, however, held him back from this step which day by day he saw more clearly was the only one possible. His new overlord would demand the service of one of his sons. And the old emperor had no son; only three daughters.

Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.

At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:

'What secret grief is troubling you? Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure? To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.'

'My daughter,' answered the emperor, 'what you say is true. Never have you given me one moment's pain. Yet now you cannot help me. Ah! why is not one of you a boy!'

'I don't understand,' she answered in surprise. 'Tell us what is wrong: and though we are not boys, we are not quite useless!'

'But what can you do, my dear children? Spin, sew, and weave—that is all your learning. Only a warrior can deliver me now, a young giant who is strong to wield the battle-axe: whose sword deals deadly blows.'

'But WHY do you need a son so much at present? Tell us all about it! It will not make matters worse if we know!'

'Listen then, my daughters, and learn the reason of my sorrow. You have heard that as long as I was young no man ever brought an army against me without it costing him dear. But the years have chilled my blood and drunk my strength. And now the deer can roam the forest, my arrows will never pierce his heart; strange soldiers will set fire to my houses and water their horses at my wells, and my arm cannot hinder them. No, my day is past, and the time has come when I too must bow my head under the yoke of my foe! But who is to give him the ten years' service that is part of the price which the vanquished must pay?'

'_I_ will,' cried the eldest girl, springing to her feet. But her father only shook his head sadly.

'Never will I bring shame upon you,' urged the girl. 'Let me go. Am I not a princess, and the daughter of an emperor?'

'Go then!' he said.

The brave girl's heart almost stopped beating from joy, as she set about her preparations. She was not still for a single moment, but danced about the house, turning chests and wardrobes upside down. She set aside enough things for a whole year—dresses embroidered with gold and precious stones, and a great store of provisions. And she chose the most spirited horse in the stable, with eyes of flame, and a coat of shining silver.

When her father saw her mounted and curvetting about the court, he gave her much wise advice, as to how she was to behave like the young man she appeared to be, and also how to behave as the girl she really was. Then he gave her his blessing, and she touched her horse with the spur.

The silver armour of herself and her steed dazzled the eyes of the people as she darted past. She was soon out of sight, and if after a few miles she had not pulled up to allow her escort to join her, the rest of the journey would have been performed alone.

But though none of his daughters were aware of the fact, the old emperor was a magician, and had laid his plans accordingly. He managed, unseen, to overtake his daughter, and throw a bridge of copper over a stream which she would have to cross. Then, changing himself into a wolf, he lay down under one of the arches, and waited.

He had chosen his time well, and in about half an hour the sound of a horse's hoofs was heard. His feet were almost on the bridge, when a big grey wolf with grinning teeth appeared before the princess. With a deep growl that froze the blood, he drew himself up, and prepared to spring.

The appearance of the wolf was so sudden and so unexpected, that the girl was almost paralysed, and never even dreamt of flight, till the horse leaped violently to one side. Then she turned him round, and urging him to his fullest speed, never drew rein till she saw the gates of the palace rising before her.

The old emperor, who had got back long since, came to the door to meet her, and touching her shining armour, he said, 'Did I not tell you, my child, that flies do not make honey?'

The days passed on, and one morning the second princess implored her father to allow her to try the adventure in which her sister had made such a failure. He listened unwillingly, feeling sure it was no use, but she begged so hard that in the end he consented, and having chosen her arms, she rode away.

But though, unlike her sister, she was quite prepared for the appearance of the wolf when she reached the copper bridge, she showed no greater courage, and galloped home as fast as her horse could carry her. On the steps of the castle her father was standing, and as still trembling with fright she knelt at his feet, he said gently, 'Did I not tell you, my child, that every bird is not caught in a net?'

The three girls stayed quietly in the palace for a little while, embroidering, spinning, weaving, and tending their birds and flowers, when early one morning, the youngest princess entered the door of the emperor's private apartments. 'My father, it is my turn now. Perhaps I shall get the better of that wolf!'

'What, do you think you are braver than your sisters, vain little one? You who have hardly left your long clothes behind you!' but she did not mind being laughed at, and answered,

'For your sake, father, I would cut the devil himself into small bits, or even become a devil myself. I think I shall succeed, but if I fail, I shall come home without more shame than my sisters.'

Still the emperor hesitated, but the girl petted and coaxed him till at last he said,

'Well, well, if you must go, you must. It remains to be seen what I shall get by it, except perhaps a good laugh when I see you come back with your head bent and your eyes on the ground.'

'He laughs best who laughs last,' said the princess.

Happy at having got her way, the princess decided that the first thing to be done was to find some old white-haired boyard, whose advice she could trust, and then to be very careful in choosing her horse. So she went straight to the stables where the most beautiful horses in the empire were feeding in the stalls, but none of them seemed quite what she wanted. Almost in despair she reached the last box of all, which was occupied by her father's ancient war-horse, old and worn like himself, stretched sadly out on the straw.

The girl's eyes filled with tears, and she stood gazing at him. The horse lifted his head, gave a little neigh, and said softly, 'You look gentle and pitiful, but I know it is your love for your father which makes you tender to me. Ah, what a warrior he was, and what good times we shared together! But now I too have grown old, and my master has forgotten me, and there is no reason to care whether my coat is dull or shining. Yet, it is not too late, and if I were properly tended, in a week I could vie with any horse in the stables!'

'And how should you be tended?' asked the girl.

'I must be rubbed down morning and evening with rain water, my barley must be boiled in milk, because of my bad teeth, and my feet must be washed in oil.'

'I should like to try the treatment, as you might help me in carrying out my scheme.'

'Try it then, mistress, and I promise you will never repent.'

So in a week's time the horse woke up one morning with a sudden shiver through all his limbs; and when it had passed away, he found his skin shining like a mirror, his body as fat as a water melon, his movement light as a chamois.

Then looking at the princess who had come early to the stable, he said joyfully,

'May success await on the steps of my master's daughter, for she has given me back my life. Tell me what I can do for you, princess, and I will do it.'

'I want to go to the emperor who is our over-lord, and I have no one to advise me. Which of all the white-headed boyards shall I choose as counsellor?'

'If you have me, you need no one else: I will serve you as I served your father, if you will only listen to what I say.'

'I will listen to everything. Can you start in three days?'

'This moment, if you like,' said the horse.

The preparations of the emperor's youngest daughter were much fewer and simpler than those of her sisters. They only consisted of some boy's clothes, a small quantity of linen and food, and a little money in case of necessity. Then she bade farewell to her father, and rode away.

A day's journey from the palace, she reached the copper bridge, but before they came in sight of it, the horse, who was a magician, had warned her of the means her father would take to prove her courage.

Still in spite of his warning she trembled all over when a huge wolf, as thin as if he had fasted for a month, with claws like saws, and mouth as wide as an oven, bounded howling towards her. For a moment her heart failed her, but the next, touching the horse lightly with her spur, she drew her sword from its sheath, ready to separate the wolf's head from its body at a single blow.

The beast saw the sword, and shrank back, which was the best thing it could do, as now the girl's blood was up, and the light of battle in her eyes. Then without looking round, she rode across the bridge.

The emperor, proud of this first victory, took a short cut, and waited for her at the end of another day's journey, close to a river, over which he threw a bridge of silver. And this time he took the shape of a lion.

But the horse guessed this new danger and told the princess how to escape it. But it is one thing to receive advice when we feel safe and comfortable, and quite another to be able to carry it out when some awful peril is threatening us. And if the wolf had made the girl quake with terror, it seemed like a lamb beside this dreadful lion.

At the sound of his roar the very trees quivered and his claws were so large that every one of them looked like a cutlass.

The breath of the princess came and went, and her feet rattled in the stirrups. Suddenly the remembrance flashed across her of the wolf whom she had put to flight, and waving her sword, she rushed so violently on the lion that he had barely time to spring on one side, so as to avoid the blow. Then, like a flash, she crossed this bridge also.

Now during her whole life, the princess had been so carefully brought up, that she had never left the gardens of the palace, so that the sight of the hills and valleys and tinkling streams, and the song of the larks and blackbirds, made her almost beside herself with wonder and delight. She longed to get down and bathe her face in the clear pools, and pick the brilliant flowers, but the horse said 'No,' and quickened his pace, neither turning to the right or the left.

'Warriors,' he told her, 'only rest when they have won the victory. You have still another battle to fight, and it is the hardest of all.'

This time it was neither a wolf nor a lion that was waiting for her at the end of the third day's journey, but a dragon with twelve heads, and a golden bridge behind it.

The princess rode up without seeing anything to frighten her, when a sudden puff of smoke and flame from beneath her feet, caused her to look down, and there was the horrible creature twisted and writhing, its twelve heads reared up as if to seize her between them.

The bridle fell from her hand: and the sword which she had just grasped slid back into its sheath, but the horse bade her fear nothing, and with a mighty effort she sat upright and spurred straight on the dragon.

The fight lasted an hour and the dragon pressed her hard. But in the end, by a well-directed side blow, she cut off one of the heads, and with a roar that seemed to rend the heavens in two, the dragon fell back on the ground, and rose as a man before her.

Although the horse had informed the princess the dragon was really her own father, the girl had hardly believed him, and stared in amazement at the transformation. But he flung his arms round her and pressed her to his heart saying, 'Now I see that you are as brave as the bravest, and as wise as the wisest. You have chosen the right horse, for without his help you would have returned with a bent head and downcast eyes. You have filled me with the hope that you may carry out the task you have undertaken, but be careful to forget none of my counsels, and above all to listen to those of your horse.'

When he had done speaking, the princess knelt down to receive his blessing, and they went their different ways.

The princess rode on and on, till at last she came to the mountains which hold up the roof of the world. There she met two Genii who had been fighting fiercely for two years, without one having got the least advantage over the other. Seeing what they took to be a young man seeking adventures, one of the combatants called out, 'Fet-Fruners! deliver me from my enemy, and I will give you the horn that can be heard the distance of a three days' journey;' while the other cried, 'Fet-Fruners! help me to conquer this pagan thief, and you shall have my horse, Sunlight.'

Before answering, the princess consulted her own horse as to which offer she should accept, and he advised her to side with the genius who was master of Sunlight, his own younger brother, and still more active than himself.

So the girl at once attacked the other genius, and soon clove his skull; then the one who was left victor begged her to come back with him to his house and he would hand her over Sunlight, as he had promised.

The mother of the genius was rejoiced to see her son return safe and sound, and prepared her best room for the princess, who, after so much fatigue, needed rest badly. But the girl declared that she must first make her horse comfortable in his stable; but this was really only an excuse, as she wanted to ask his advice on several matters.

But the old woman had suspected from the very first that the boy who had come to the rescue of her son was a girl in disguise, and told the genius that she was exactly the wife he needed. The genius scoffed, and inquired what female hand could ever wield a sabre like that; but, in spite of his sneers, his mother persisted, and as a proof of what she said, laid at night on each of their pillows a handful of magic flowers, that fade at the touch of man, but remain eternally fresh in the fingers of a woman.

It was very clever of her, but unluckily the horse had warned the princess what to expect, and when the house was silent, she stole very softly to the genius's room, and exchanged his faded flowers for those she held. Then she crept back to her own bed and fell fast asleep.

At break of day, the old woman ran to see her son, and found, as she knew she would, a bunch of dead flowers in his hand. She next passed on to the bedside of the princess, who still lay asleep grasping the withered flowers. But she did not believe any the more that her guest was a man, and so she told her son. So they put their heads together and laid another trap for her.

After breakfast the genius gave his arm to his guest, and asked her to come with him into the garden. For some time they walked about looking at the flowers, the genius all the while pressing her to pick any she fancied. But the princess, suspecting a trap, inquired roughly why they were wasting the precious hours in the garden, when, as men, they should be in the stables looking after their horses. Then the genius told his mother that she was quite wrong, and his deliverer was certainly a man. But the old woman was not convinced for all that.

She would try once more she said, and her son must lead his visitor into the armoury, where hung every kind of weapon used all over the world—some plain and bare, others ornamented with precious stones—and beg her to make choice of one of them. The princess looked at them closely, and felt the edges and points of their blades, then she hung at her belt an old sword with a curved blade, that would have done credit to an ancient warrior. After this she informed the genius that she would start early next day and take Sunlight with her.

And there was nothing for the mother to do but to submit, though she still stuck to her own opinion.

The princess mounted Sunlight, and touched him with her spur, when the old horse, who was galloping at her side, suddenly said:

'Up to this time, mistress, you have obeyed my counsels and all has gone well. Listen to me once more, and do what I tell you. I am old, and—now that there is someone to take my place, I will confess it—I am afraid that my strength is not equal to the task that lies before me. Give me leave, therefore, to return home, and do you continue your journey under the care of my brother. Put your faith in him as you put it in me, and you will never repent. Wisdom has come early to Sunlight.'

'Yes, my old comrade, you have served me well; and it is only through your help that up to now I have been victorious. So grieved though I am to say farewell, I will obey you yet once more, and will listen to your brother as I would to yourself. Only, I must have a proof that he loves me as well as you do.'

'How should I not love you?' answered Sunlight; 'how should I not be proud to serve a warrior such as you? Trust me, mistress, and you shall never regret the absence of my brother. I know there will be difficulties in our path, but we will face them together.'

Then, with tears in her eyes, the princess took leave of her old horse, who galloped back to her father.

She had ridden only a few miles further, when she saw a golden curl lying on the road before her. Checking her horse, she asked whether it would be better to take it or let it lie.

'If you take it,' said Sunlight, 'you will repent, and if you don't, you will repent too: so take it.' On this the girl dismounted, and picking up the curl, wound it round her neck for safety.

They passed by hills, they passed by mountains, they passed through valleys, leaving behind them thick forests, and fields covered with flowers; and at length they reached the court of the over-lord.

He was sitting on his throne, surrounded by the sons of the other emperors, who served him as pages. These youths came forward to greet their new companion, and wondered why they felt so attracted towards him.

[Quick pause. This is a very funny trope that I keep finding in very old cross-dressing stories. The male characters find themselves mysteriously attracted to the female character pretending to be male. Think of Li Shang from Mulan.]

However, there was no time for talking and concealing her fright.

The princess was led straight up to the throne, and explained, in a low voice, the reason of her coming. The emperor received her kindly, and declared himself fortunate at finding a vassal so brave and so charming, and begged the princess to remain in attendance on his person.

She was, however, very careful in her behaviour towards the other pages, whose way of life did not please her. One day, however, she had been amusing herself by making sweetmeats, when two of the young princes looked in to pay her a visit. She offered them some of the food which was already on the table, and they thought it so delicious that they even licked their fingers so as not to lose a morsel. Of course they did not keep the news of their discovery to themselves, but told all their companions that they had just been enjoying the best supper they had had since they were born. And from that moment the princess was left no peace, till she had promised to cook them all a dinner.

Now it happened that, on the very day fixed, all the cooks in the palace became intoxicated, and there was no one to make up the fire.

When the pages heard of this shocking state of things, they went to their companion and implored her to come to the rescue.

The princess was fond of cooking, and was, besides, very good-natured; so she put on an apron and went down to the kitchen without delay. When the dinner was placed before the emperor he found it so nice that he ate much more than was good for him. The next morning, as soon as he woke, he sent for his head cook, and told him to send up the same dishes as before. The cook, seized with fright at this command, which he knew he could not fulfil, fell on his knees, and confessed the truth.

The emperor was so astonished that he forgot to scold, and while he was thinking over the matter, some of his pages came in and said that their new companion had been heard to boast that he knew where Iliane was to be found—the celebrated Iliane of the song which begins:

'Golden Hair. The fields are green,'

And that to their certain knowledge he had a curl of her hair in his possession.

When he heard that, the emperor desired the page to be brought before him, and, as soon as the princess obeyed his summons, he said to her abruptly:

'Fet-Fruners, you have hidden from me the fact that you knew the golden-haired Iliane! Why did you do this? for I have treated you more kindly than all my other pages.'

Then, after making the princess show him the golden curl which she wore round her neck, he added: 'Listen to me; unless by some means or other you bring me the owner of this lock, I will have your head cut off in the place where you stand. Now go!'

In vain the poor girl tried to explain how the lock of hair came into her possession; the emperor would listen to nothing, and, bowing low, she left his presence and went to consult Sunlight what she was to do.

At his first words she brightened up. 'Do not be afraid, mistress; only last night my brother appeared to me in a dream and told me that a genius had carried off Iliane, whose hair you picked up on the road. But Iliane declares that, before she marries her captor, he must bring her, as a present, the whole stud of mares which belong to her. The genius, half crazy with love, thinks of nothing night and day but how this can be done, and meanwhile she is quite safe in the island swamps of the sea. Go back to the emperor and ask him for twenty ships filled with precious merchandise. The rest you shall know by-and-by.'

On hearing this advice, the princess went at once into the emperor's presence.

'May a long life be yours, O Sovereign all mighty!' said she. 'I have come to tell you that I can do as you command if you will give me twenty ships, and load them with the most precious wares in your kingdom.'

'You shall have all that I possess if you will bring me the golden-haired Iliane,' said the emperor.

The ships were soon ready, and the princess entered the largest and finest, with Sunlight at her side. Then the sails were spread and the voyage began.

For seven weeks the wind blew them straight towards the west, and early one morning they caught sight of the island swamps of the sea.

They cast anchor in a little bay, and the princess made haste to disembark with Sunlight, but, before leaving the ship, she tied to her belt a pair of tiny gold slippers, adorned with precious stones. Then mounting Sunlight, she rode about till she came to several palaces, built on hinges, so that they could always turn towards the sun.

The most splendid of these was guarded by three slaves, whose greedy eyes were caught by the glistening gold of the slippers. They hastened up to the owner of these treasures, and inquired who he was. 'A merchant,' replied the princess, 'who had somehow missed his road, and lost himself among the island swamps of the sea.'

Not knowing if it was proper to receive him or not, the slaves returned to their mistress and told her all they had seen, but not before she had caught sight of the merchant from the roof of her palace. Luckily her gaoler was away, always trying to catch the stud of mares, so for the moment she was free and alone.

The slaves told their tale so well that their mistress insisted on going down to the shore and seeing the beautiful slippers for herself. They were even lovelier than she expected, and when the merchant besought her to come on board, and inspect some that he thought were finer still, her curiosity was too great to refuse, and she went.

Once on board ship, she was so busy turning over all the precious things stored there, that she never knew that the sails were spread, and that they were flying along with the wind behind them; and when she did know, she rejoiced in her heart, though she pretended to weep and lament at being carried captive a second time. Thus they arrived at the court of the emperor.

They were just about to land, when the mother of the genius stood before them. She had learnt that Iliane had fled from her prison in company with a merchant, and, as her son was absent, had come herself in pursuit. Striding over the blue waters, hopping from wave to wave, one foot reaching to heaven, and the other planted in the foam, she was close at their heels, breathing fire and flame, when they stepped on shore from the ship. One glance told Iliane who the horrible old woman was, and she whispered hastily to her companion. Without saying a word, the princess swung her into Sunlight's saddle, and leaping up behind her, they were off like a flash.

It was not till they drew near the town that the princess stooped and asked Sunlight what they should do. 'Put your hand into my left ear,' said he, 'and take out a sharp stone, which you must throw behind you.'

The princess did as she was told, and a huge mountain sprang up behind them. The mother of the genius began to climb up it, and though they galloped quickly, she was quicker still.

They heard her coming, faster, faster; and again the princess stooped to ask what was to be done now. 'Put your hand into my right ear,' said the horse, 'and throw the brush you will find there behind you.' The princess did so, and a great forest sprang up behind them, and, so thick were its leaves, that even a wren could not get through. But the old woman seized hold of the branches and flung herself like a monkey from one to the others, and always she drew nearer—always, always—till their hair was singed by the flames of her mouth.

Then, in despair, the princess again bent down and asked if there was nothing more to be done, and Sunlight replied 'Quick, quick, take off the betrothal ring on the finger of Iliane and throw it behind you.'

This time there sprang up a great tower of stone, smooth as ivory, hard as steel, which reached up to heaven itself. And the mother of the genius gave a howl of rage, knowing that she could neither climb it nor get through it. But she was not beaten yet, and gathering herself together, she made a prodigious leap, which landed her on the top of the tower, right in the middle of Iliane's ring which lay there, and held her tight. Only her claws could be seen grasping the battlements.

All that could be done the old witch did; but the fire that poured from her mouth never reached the fugitives, though it laid waste the country a hundred miles round the tower, like the flames of a volcano. Then, with one last effort to free herself, her hands gave way, and, falling down to the bottom of the tower, she was broken in pieces.

When the flying princess saw what had happened she rode back to the spot, as Sunlight counselled her, and placed her finger on the top of the tower, which was gradually shrinking into the earth. In an instant the tower had vanished as if it had never been, and in its place was the finger of the princess with a ring round it.

The emperor received Iliane with all the respect that was due to her, and fell in love at first sight besides.

But this did not seem to please Iliane, whose face was sad as she walked about the palace or gardens, wondering how it was that, while other girls did as they liked, she was always in the power of someone whom she hated.

So when the emperor asked her to share his throne Iliane answered:

'Noble Sovereign, I may not think of marriage till my stud of horses has been brought me, with their trappings all complete.'

When he heard this, the emperor once more sent for Fet-Fruners, and said:

'Fet-Fruners, fetch me instantly the stud of mares, with their trappings all complete. If not, your head shall pay the forfeit.'

'Mighty Emperor, I kiss your hands! I have but just returned from doing your bidding, and, behold, you send me on another mission, and stake my head on its fulfilment, when your court is full of valiant young men, pining to win their spurs. They say you are a just man; then why not entrust this quest to one of them? Where am I to seek these mares that I am to bring you?'

'How do I know? They may be anywhere in heaven or earth; but, wherever they are, you will have to find them.'

The princess bowed and went to consult Sunlight. He listened while she told her tale, and then said:

'Fetch quickly nine buffalo skins; smear them well with tar, and lay them on my back. Do not fear; you will succeed in this also; but, in the end, the emperor's desires will be his undoing.'

The buffalo skins were soon got, and the princess started off with Sunlight. The way was long and difficult, but at length they reached the place where the mares were grazing. Here the genius who had carried off Iliane was wandering about, trying to discover how to capture them, all the while believing that Iliane was safe in the palace where he had left her.

As soon as she caught sight of him, the princess went up and told him that Iliane had escaped, and that his mother, in her efforts to recapture her, had died of rage. At this news a blind fury took possession of the genius, and he rushed madly upon the princess, who awaited his onslaught with perfect calmness. As he came on, with his sabre lifted high in the air, Sunlight bounded right over his head, so that the sword fell harmless. And when in her turn the princess prepared to strike, the horse sank upon his knees, so that the blade pierced the genius's thigh.

The fight was so fierce that it seemed as if the earth would give way under them, and for twenty miles round the beasts in the forests fled to their caves for shelter. At last, when her strength was almost gone, the genius lowered his sword for an instant. The princess saw her chance, and, with one swoop of her arm, severed her enemy's head from his body. Still trembling from the long struggle, she turned away, and went to the meadow where the stud were feeding.

By the advice of Sunlight, she took care not to let them see her, and climbed a thick tree, where she could see and hear without being seen herself. Then he neighed, and the mares came galloping up, eager to see the new comer—all but one horse, who did not like strangers, and thought they were very well as they were. As Sunlight stood his ground, well pleased with the attention paid him, this sulky creature suddenly advanced to the charge, and bit so violently that had it not been for the nine buffalo skins Sunlight's last moment would have come. When the fight was ended, the buffalo skins were in ribbons, and the beaten animal writhing with pain on the grass.

Nothing now remained to be done but to drive the whole stud to the emperor's court. So the princess came down from the tree and mounted Sunlight, while the stud followed meekly after, the wounded horse bringing up the rear. On reaching the palace, she drove them into a yard, and went to inform the emperor of her arrival.

The news was told at once to Iliane, who ran down directly and called them to her one by one, each mare by its name. And at the first sight of her the wounded animal shook itself quickly, and in a moment its wounds were healed, and there was not even a mark on its glossy skin.

By this time the emperor, on hearing where she was, joined her in the yard, and at her request ordered the mares to be milked, so that both he and she might bathe in the milk and keep young for ever. But they would suffer no one to come near them, and the princess was commanded to perform this service also.

At this, the heart of the girl swelled within her. The hardest tasks were always given to her, and long before the two years were up, she would be worn out and useless. But while these thoughts passed through her mind, a fearful rain fell, such as no man remembered before, and rose till the mares were standing up to their knees in water. Then as suddenly it stopped, and, behold! the water was ice, which held the animals firmly in its grasp. And the princess's heart grew light again, and she sat down gaily to milk them, as if she had done it every morning of her life.

The love of the emperor for Iliane waxed greater day by day, but she paid no heed to him, and always had an excuse ready to put off their marriage. At length, when she had come to the end of everything she could think of, she said to him one day: 'Grant me, Sire, just one request more, and then I will really marry you; for you have waited patiently this long time.'

'My beautiful dove,' replied the emperor, 'both I and all I possess are yours, so ask your will, and you shall have it.'

'Get me, then,' she said, 'a flask of the holy water that is kept in a little church beyond the river Jordan, and I will be your wife.'

Then the emperor ordered Fet-Fruners to ride without delay to the river Jordan, and to bring back, at whatever cost, the holy water for Iliane.

'This, my mistress,' said Sunlight, when she was saddling him, 'is the last and most difficult of your tasks. But fear nothing, for the hour of the emperor has struck.'

So they started; and the horse, who was not a wizard for nothing, told the princess exactly where she was to look for the holy water.

'It stands,' he said, 'on the altar of a little church, and is guarded by a troop of nuns. They never sleep, night or day, but every now and then a hermit comes to visit them, and from him they learn certain things it is needful for them to know. When this happens, only one of the nuns remains on guard at a time, and if we are lucky enough to hit upon this moment, we may get hold of the vase at once; if not, we shall have to wait the arrival of the hermit, however long it may be; for there is no other means of obtaining the holy water.'

They came in sight of the church beyond the Jordan, and, to their great joy, beheld the hermit just arriving at the door. They could hear him calling the nuns around him, and saw them settle themselves under a tree, with the hermit in their midst—all but one, who remained on guard, as was the custom.

The hermit had a great deal to say, and the day was very hot, so the nun, tired of sitting by herself, lay down right across the threshold, and fell sound asleep.

Then Sunlight told the princess what she was to do, and the girl stepped softly over the sleeping nun, and crept like a cat along the dark aisle, feeling the wall with her fingers, lest she should fall over something and ruin it all by a noise. But she reached the altar in safety, and found the vase of holy water standing on it. This she thrust into her dress, and went back with the same care as she came. With a bound she was in the saddle, and seizing the reins bade Sunlight take her home as fast as his legs could carry him.

The sound of the flying hoofs aroused the nun, who understood instantly that the precious treasure was stolen, and her shrieks were so loud and piercing that all the rest came flying to see what was the matter. The hermit followed at their heels, but seeing it was impossible to overtake the thief, he fell on his knees and called his most deadly curse down on her head, praying that if the thief was a man, he might become a woman; and if she was a woman, that she might become a man. In either case he thought that the punishment would be severe.

But punishments are things about which people do not always agree, and when the princess suddenly felt she was really the man she had pretended to be, she was delighted, and if the hermit had only been within reach she would have thanked him from her heart.

By the time she reached the emperor's court, Fet-Fruners looked a young man all over in the eyes of everyone; and even the mother of the genius would now have had her doubts set at rest. He drew forth the vase from his tunic and held it up to the emperor, saying: 'Mighty Sovereign, all hail! I have fulfilled this task also, and I hope it is the last you have for me; let another now take his turn.'

'I am content, Fet-Fruners,' replied the emperor, 'and when I am dead it is you who will sit upon my throne; for I have yet no son to come after me. But if one is given me, and my dearest wish is accomplished, then you shall be his right hand, and guide him with your counsels.'

But though the emperor was satisfied, Iliane was not, and she determined to revenge herself on the emperor for the dangers which he had caused Fet-Fruners to run. And as for the vase of holy water, she thought that, in common politeness, her suitor ought to have fetched it himself, which he could have done without any risk at all.

So she ordered the great bath to be filled with the milk of her mares, and begged the emperor to clothe himself in white robes, and enter the bath with her, an invitation he accepted with joy. Then, when both were standing with the milk reaching to their necks, she sent for the horse which had fought Sunlight, and made a secret sign to him. The horse understood what he was to do, and from one nostril he breathed fresh air over Iliane, and from the other, he snorted a burning wind which shrivelled up the emperor where he stood, leaving only a little heap of ashes.

His strange death, which no one could explain, made a great sensation throughout the country, and the funeral his people gave him was the most splendid ever known. When it was over, Iliane summoned Fet-Fruners before her, and addressed him thus:

'Fet-Fruners! it is you who brought me and have saved my life, and obeyed my wishes. It is you who gave me back my stud; you who killed the genius, and the old witch his mother; you who brought me the holy water. And you, and none other, shall be my husband.'

'Yes, I will marry you,' said the young man, with a voice almost as soft as when he was a princess. 'But know that in OUR house, it will be the cock who sings and not the hen!'

[marvel-ousnesss]

The one with the boiling rock (Zuko x reader)

Pairing: Prince Zuko x firebender!reader

Summary: Y/N follows Azula after she overhears the Firelord's plan to get rid of his banished son. She fails to warn Zuko and ends up in the Boiling Rock thinking he's dead. Spoiler alert, he's not.

Word count: 4k-ish

masterlist

A/N: For the sake of avoiding any signs of a love triangle, let's throw cannon away and pretend Mai and Zuko are just good friends. Love you all so so much. 💜💜💜

Servants vowed to you as you waltzed through the galleries of the palace, looking for your father, General Yuan. That morning, he had told you to join him in the training arena at sundown, once the war meeting was over. You were planning on taking no detours, but that changed once you heard loud, thundering footsteps coming from across the hall. The Firelord walked with his head held high and his hands behind his back, the princess trailed right behind him, closely listening to his every command. 

"Your brother is a failure and your uncle is a coward and a traitor," he declared. "I cannot risk having them on the loose with the avatar's capture on stake." 

"I completely agree, father, they must be dealt with." She quickened her pace. 

He turned toward his daughter and she lowered her head in an indication of respect. "I've decided to send you, Azula, to effectuate their imprisonment or, be the case, take them out.” The princess’s head rose, proud. “I only trust you to do what must be done."

You hid behind a column to remain unseen while they walked past you, using your hands to silence the gasp that threatened to spill out of your mouth. The Firelord's cruelty had surprised you the day of the Agni Kai, images of Zuko’s crying silhouette curled in a fetal position were still plastered in your mind. And, even knowing he was capable of that, you didn’t find a way to comprehend how he’d not only kill his only son but he'd use his daughter to do so. 

That evening, your head was elsewhere while training. Your flames, usually potent and vibrant, were shining a faint tone of red. Your aim too was sloppy, as evidenced when your fire whip was easily blocked by your father every time you tried to strike.

"Something's in your mind." He lost his stance and approached you, inviting you to do the same. 

"I'm just a bit distracted," you lied, looking down at your feet. 

"We can head home if you want." He offered you some water. 

You nodded.

Your family's house was not far from the palace citadel, as your father was one of the most prominent figures in the Fire Nation army. You walked in silence, not even looking at him but, once you closed the main door, you couldn't hide your concern. You sat down at his study, and, after taking a sip of your tea with a trembling hand, explained what you had heard.  

"Firelord Ozai is sending Azula after the prince and General Iroh.”

Your father's eyes widened for a moment, as he had once fought alongside the kind general, but he regained his serenity immediately. "It is a reasonable move. Getting the avatar was just a way to keep the prince at sea, but now is not the time to let a traitor and a teenager have the power to control the odds of the war."

Your jaw clenched, then you swallowed hard and, unable to speak, nodded. You understood that it was probably what needed to be done, strategically speaking, and that, even if your father personally disapproved such cruelty, he was in no position to defy the Firelord; but it was Zuko whom you were talking about, it felt more than wrong to accept his cursed fate with such ease. 

"Y/N, you have always been kind-hearted, and it hurts me to see you worry, but you need to understand that some sacrifices demand to be made for the sake of victory."

That night, you were about to send a letter to the exiled members of the royal family, but there was a  feeling of uneasiness that made your stomach ache. There had to be something else you could do… That's when it hit you.

Azula and her unit weren't leaving until the following week. So you used that time to gather supplies, dig into whatever scroll you could get your hands in and steal --no, borrow-- some of your father's maps. The day of your departure came, you got up before sunrise and headed to the base from which the princess was sailing, leaving behind a small note for your father to see.  

You waited for her to show and, once her ship lifted anchors, so did yours. You knew how to sail except you had never done it without a crew. The ship you had stolen wasn't big, it was a fishing boat domestic fleets used every once in a while, so it was relatively easy to stay in control and out of the princess' sight. 

The journey lasted but a few days before Azula's ship was pulled to the shore, but the tides were too strong and you weren't as experienced. Hoping for the best, you waited until nightfall to reach the land. You spent the night searching but had no luck, so you made camp near the docks. After you finished setting your tent, you headed toward the ship you'd been following, hoping to get a glimpse of whatever was happening on deck. Luckily, there were two soldiers conversing while standing watch. 

You climbed onto the ship and hid behind reserve boxes, listening to their exchange from within the shadows.

"I can’t believe I’m in the mission to capture the Dragon of the West," one of them practically squealed. 

"Don't get too excited, I heard he’s not the same anymore." The other one laughed gratingly.  "Besides, it's not like there's gonna be a fight or anything; the princess told them Lord Ozai wants them back at the palace. Poor fools’ gonna board voluntarily."

You stepped back, teeth gritted and fists tightened. Making them walk into a trap was a devious move, but it didn't really shock you. Azula had always been ruthless and calculating. You were about to jump off-board when you tripped and made the box tower collapse, leaving you exposed. 

“Hey!” 

The guards immediately turned your way. Instead of reacting, you found yourself frozen on the spot. It was certainly not a time to be panicking. You took a breath and, with a kick, threw a stream of fire at the man in front of you and ran toward the dock while he recovered. However,  the other guard had alerted the rest so, at the very entrance of the ship, awaited Azula, dressed in a wine-colored night-robe.  

She didn’t even look phased; if much, she was mildly annoyed that you had disrupted her sleep. 

"Long way from home, Y/N. I'm guessing you didn't just come to say hello."

You opened your mouth but no words rolled off your tongue. You raised your hands and lowered your head in surrender, to avoid further trouble.  

You were a more than capable warrior, you knew that. Nevertheless, the sole thought of facing her made your body shake; let alone while outnumbered. 

"That's what I thought," she smirked. "You're a coward, just like my idiot brother. And, just like him, you'll get a coward's treatment. Seize her."

Two soldiers grabbed your arms and roughly pressed them behind your back, restraining you with metal cuffs. 

"You know what to do."

They both bowed their heads and yanked you below deck. As you walked to the cellars, one whispered, "what do we do?" 

The other one huffed. "The cooler, dumbass."

————————

Third-person POV. 

Zuko knocked on the door three times, trying not to seem too anxious. It had already been two days since he arrived home as a hero but, as such, he had been busy with appearances and meetings. He took a step back and fixed his robes, his right foot tapping as he awaited a response. 

The door cracked open, revealing a young woman, a few years older than him. He gave her a small smile but she didn’t see it, her gaze fixated on the wooden floor as she bowed deeply. 

“My prince,” she greeted. “How can I be of service.” 

“Hello.” 

She straightened up. 

“Is Y/N home?” 

Her expression shifted, then she cleared her throat. “Not at the moment.” 

“Oh, uh, thanks.” He rubbed the back of his neck. 

At that moment, General Yuan strolled through one of the doors that connected the main area of the house with the other hallways. His eyes were framed by dark circles and his shoulders fell limp, not the way he carried himself outside. 

He faced Zuko’s and immediately stood taller. “Your highness,” he said. “There is something you need to know.” 

———————

For a moment, you eyed the two guards overlooking the yard from an upper balcony. You gave it no mind when one of them rushed downstairs but gulped when the other one fixed his attention on you, nothing good could come from that. Before he caught your eye, you lowered your head and let your shoulders fall, hoping he'd lose interest. Thinking it had worked, you retired to your cell. However, as you walked, your arm was roughly pulled. 

You tried to break free and struggled for a few seconds, trying to root your feet to the ground. The guard easily overpowered you, for you had too little strength to resist, and threw you into an empty cell.

He still had hold of your arm, but you didn’t fight him. It was better to avoid acting up, you had learned that. However, you knew they appreciated respect, so you lifted your head and asked, "What do you want?"

Even the helmet didn’t conceal his shocked façade. “Y/N?” 

He took his helmet off and tears flooded your eyes. You wrapped your arms around his middle and let out an involuntary whimper followed by an excruciating stream of sobs. At first, Zuko was a bit taken aback by your reaction, as his muscles tensed. But then he too faded into the hug and allowed himself to breathe your familiar scent. 

“I thought you were dead,” you whispered. 

“What?” 

“I- I wanted to warn you about Azula.” You take a deep breath, not ready to let go of him. “When your father sent her after you, I followed, but she caught me when I sneaked into her ship and I-.”

He grabbed your shoulders and stretched his arms so he could look at you. His face like porcelain and his mouth agape. 

“You sneaked into my sister’s ship? Alone?” Zuko let go of you and ran his hands through his hair. “Are you, Y/N, are you out of your mind? You could've ended up dead, no-" Now, he was screaming, his golden eyes blazed with worry."-you could've ended up worse than dead!"

 Your lip trembled as you shouted back, "well, surprise, so could you!" 

"You went on a suicide mission, alone!" He started pacing around the small room. "I can't believe you did something so stupid."

"At least I had to try, Zuko." This time, your voice was tight. 

"Y/N, she's. Ahh!" He stopped pacing and threw his head back with a groan. Without a thought, he stepped toward you and, once again, engulfed you in his embrace. "I’m glad you’re okay."

Zuko's head fell limp on your shoulder while he calmed down, your hand rubbed his back soothingly for a moment before he brought back the distance between you.   

"Listen, we're getting out of here."

"How?"

"Just trust me, I'll come to your cell and get you."

He flashed you a quick, closed-lip smile and walked out. You followed after a few seconds and went back to your cell. A few hours passed and you had no news from Zuko, so you headed down the stairs with the rest of the inmates. 

You were mopping the floor, keeping your work focused on a relatively small area of the room when you spotted the familiar mess of raven hair, only now he was dressed in a uniform that matched yours. He dragged his water bucket toward where you were and began mopping next to you. 

"Are you gonna tell me the whole story now?"

You didn’t know what had driven the banished crown prince to break into a high-security prison, but the response you got was far from what you expected. 

“I kind of joined the avatar.” 

“Weren't you trying to capture him so you could go back home?” 

“I’ll explain later,” he said, looking past you and directly at a guard. Zuko grabbed your hand and guided you to where he and another girl in prison uniform were standing.

They gave you a questioning look. 

“Um, guys, this is Y/N. Y/N, Sokka and Suki.” 

After an awkward wave, you took the time to look at them in detail. 

It was a girl you had seen a few times, from a group of Earth Kingdom warriors; and a brunet, blue eyed boy you had never seen but could guess came from a water tribe. They were slightly shocked but didn’t really question your presence, making you relax. 

After a brief explanation of everything that had been going on since you were captured the four of you came up with an escape plan that would’ve been perfect if it wasn’t for the undesired addition to your team, Chit Sang.

You, Suki, Chit, and another two people he introduced as his girl and best mate would wait for Sokka and Zuko to show up at the blind spot. Then, the all of you would ride the cooler to the other side of the lake. That's where you were now, sitting on a rock with Suki while Chit and his friend discussed over where to go after the escape. 

To be honest, their petty argument was beginning to annoy you, so you turned to Suki, who was using a stick to doodle on the sand. 

“So, how do you know Sokka?” 

Her cheeks reddened slightly so she turned her head sideways. 

“Sokka,” she chuckled, “We first met a few months ago, when he, Katara, and Aang went to my island. The rest of the Kyoshi warriors and I thought they were spies.” 

“Kyoshi, where have I heard…  oh, Avatar Kyoshi,” you recalled. “My father once gave me a scroll about her.” 

You were about to continue, glad you’d found something to talk about, when Chit’s complaint cut you off before either of you could say something else. 

"Took you guys long enough," he scolded Sokka and Zuko, as they slid down the cliff with the cooler. You, Chit and Suki quickly placed yourselves against the cooler to help the others and then the five of you pushed it into the water. 

You were about to go ahead with the plan, when they brought up the following day’s new arrivals. That changed everything. 

“Sokka?” You approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

"Rescuing your dad is your chance to redeem your honor,” Zuko noted.

Sokka fell to his knees, deep in thought. 

He looked at the group apologetically. “We wouldn’t be here if I had cut my losses at the invasion,” he sighed. “I think it’s best if we call it quits.” 

You crossed your arms, and stood tall. “No, ” you deadpanned. “I know how it feels to fail, Sokka, specially when it’s someone you really care about.” Your eyes met a pair of golden ones. “It hurts so much not to try. I’ll help you, whatever you need.” 

Without a word, Sokka stood up, and walked closer to the lake with his head low.

Zuko rested a hand on his shoulder. “Y/N’s right, you can’t quit because you’re afraid of failure. How do you know you won't make it if you don't even try.” 

“Well, if you cookies are done, can we get a move on?” Chit glared at you while tapping his foot. 

Sokka shook his head.

“You guys go," you said. 

"Suki, you've been here long enough," Sokka pleaded, stepping closer to her. 

"I'm not leaving without you, Sokka." 

Zuko mimicked Sokka's actions, turning your way. "And I’m not leaving without you."

It was settled. 

"I hope this isn't a huge mistake," Sokka sighed. 

And it wasn’t, the plan failed and Chit and his people were brought back in. He had tried to row the boat and earned a burn, which was followed by a blaring scream. You watched from one of the outer beams of the building while waiting for the new prisoners to disembark the gondola. Your hope threatened to abandon you but, right before you voiced your thoughts to give up, Sokka's dad emerged. 

That's how you ended up in the very place you had started, your cell. You laid on the metal bench provided and closed your eyes, having decided to use the spare time to practice a little. You placed your right hand on the metal wall and outstretched your right, pointing two fingers at the opposite wall. The surface under your palm turned red-hot and that's where you started truly working. 

You exhaled deeply and began absorbing the heat you had generated. Bit by bit so it would efficiently pass through you and leave in the form of a thin trail of smoke. What you were doing required deep concentration so when the door creaked open you didn't even notice the intruder. Your eyes broke open as you retrieved your hands, the wall returning to its initial gray color. 

Sokka was standing in front of the now-closed door, he blinked a few times before finally asking, "were you fire bending metal?"

"Oh, no." You sat up and chuckled, "it's called heat controlling. I project heat into a surface, then let it pass through me and then out, via my other hand." 

"Cool." Sokka's mouth fell. "So it’s like... reversed fire bending.” 

“I guess you can put it like that.”

“Anyway," he spoke with determination, looking through the small window. "I've talked to my dad. We have a plan, be in the yard in an hour and a half. I'll go tell the others." 

“Sure,” you smile. “Thanks, Sokka.” 

The plan was simple: start a riot and use the gondola to escape. Easier said than done, even with the riot, you were still trying to figure out how to grab the warden and, on top of it, had no idea where the fire prince was. Although your uncertainty didn’t last long. Before you knew it, Zuko got his ass to the courtyard, Suki took hold of the warden, and the seven of you ran upstairs to the gondolas.

On the bridge to your awaiting vehicle, you encountered a few guards. You blocked their first attacks but when Zuko announced the warden was coming with you they gave you no more problems. 

"Everyone in," Suki ushered you. 

You let them get in before you as she held the door, then tried to run back and help Zuko, but Suki pulled you in and closed the door. 

From the gondola, you watched him pull the lever and kick it so they wouldn't stop you, your grip on the rail making your sweaty hands pale. He leaped toward you and barely managed to grab Sokka's hand. You let go of the rails and relaxed, knowing you had all made it, but the moment ended when you saw Azula. 

"Shit," you groaned.  

"Who's that?"

"My sister and her friend." 

Suki smirked. "This is a rematch I've been waiting for."

You just huffed and jumped on top of the gondola. As Azula and Ty Lee advanced toward it, you tried to take them down with fire-jabs but Ty Lee was too fast and Azula swung and easily dodged them. They landed on opposite sides, surrounding the four of you. You immediately charged toward the princess, determined not to fall without a good fight. Not this time.

Next to you, Zuko shot multiple fireballs out of his fists but neither of you had luck. Azula redirected every blow and you let out a frustrated growl.

"Even together,” she scoffed, “you’re pathetic."

Again, you tried; opting for a blazing ring to try and knock her out of balance. While you advanced on her Zuko covered you and blocked her blows, this gave Sokka a chance to get near. A blow of his sword took away her balance but she recovered quickly and threw a missile that you managed to dodge by merely a few inches, falling back against the pulley of the gondola. 

You got up once more but Azula's strikes were fast and repetitive, so you and Zuko would wear yourselves down by trying to block each one. You panted, concentrating to maintain your shield well built, but lost your stance when the gondola shook violently. Azula and Ty Lee fled the scene, as the guards were about to cut the line; the four of you jumped back inside and warned the others. But someone stopped the guards, you narrowed your eyes in order to see who and emitted a gasp when you recognized Mai's figure. 

But the situation you were in left no time to ask questions, the six of you sprinted away as soon as the gondola touched land. Zuko stopped after a few yards. 

"Zuko, come on," you urged. 

"Yeah, what are you doing?"

"My sister, she must've arrived here somehow." He ran toward a cliff and smirked when he looked down. He was right, there was a Fire Nation dirigible parked by the seashore. 

To say that you were exhausted after the journey would be an understatement. Not only had the last two days been more draining than the previous few months but you had used your bending to fuel the dirigible the whole way to the Air Temple. You didn’t complain, you were glad to be safe. Not to mention that you finally got a chance to catch up on Zuko’s unlikely adventures.

“We’re here,” Sokka peeped. 

You looked through one of the windows and almost didn’t believe what you saw. You had read multiple scrolls about the magnificent Air Temples and the people that lived in them but had never even imagined visiting one. 

You landed and the door opened. You were hesitant to step outside and Zuko took notice, so he offered you an encouraging smile and squeezed your hand. For a second you had forgotten that he was also a newcomer to the Avatar’s group so he shared part of the nerves you felt; besides, you knew that, whatever reactions you got from them, he’d stand by you. 

A small girl inquired, “did you at least get some good meat?”

“Yup, the best meat of all,” Sokka answered with a beam. “The meat of friendship and fatherhood.” 

That's when the four of you stepped forward, but you remained concealed behind Chit.

The three kids smiled when they saw Suki and Hakoda, and Chit was quick to introduce himself with a matching smile on his face. 

Your hiding place disappeared when Hakoda ran to hug who you guessed was  Sokka's sister, Katara, and the others advanced right after.

When they finished greeting their friends, the group turned its whole attention to you, still standing on the dirigible bridge.

The bald kid, Aang, as Sokka had briefed you, gave you a kind smile; Toph, the little girl, tilted her head in curiosity, and Katara just quirked a brow. 

Zuko cleared his throat, walking to your side. "Everybody, this is Y/N. Y/N, this is everybody."

"Hi, guys," you waved with a shy smile. 

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