#we're in the process of moving among other things

[hedgehog-hell]

Proof of life in the form of a surge redesign

[sneepity-snoop-snorpity-sneep]

I gotta blabber for a sec about how much I appreciate how unique and SO not-simple of an antagonist Olrox is.

like he's introduced as the Vampire Who Kills Richter's Mom, and it was a straight-up murder. Like he fully sought her out, she was in the process of sending her kid overseas most likely because she knew he was coming - even before we fully get Olrox's side of the context, we can tell that shit was personal. Right down to the vivid green eyes, he's giving weirdly chill disney villain vibes. But the entire rest of the show? He's the dude in the bad guy car of the villain train just sitting and judging (OH is he judging) every other person there.

Olrox tracking down and killing Julia Belmont is the most confrontational we ever see him get. Every other scene he's in? He's watching, assessing, sometimes philosophizing, and eventually pulling his own chess moves, but fighting? Rarely! And the additional context of his character makes him even more fascinating!!

Olrox is really one of the only vampires in both Castlevania and C: Nocturne that seems to hold onto a connection to a human's life - even after he's no longer one. He reminisces to Mizrak about being a human during the fall of the Aztec Empire, he chooses to spend his time more like a human than any vamp since Lisa sent Dracula traveling like a human way back when.

Homeboy crossed the Atlantic by fucking ship, at a time when the trip took literal weeks and weeks and he can't even leave his quarters except at nighttime (granted, idk if he *has* a faster way to cross the ocean but it kinda seems like he'd do the ship trip anyways) he chooses to rent a room at an inn instead of staying at the chateau (and boink a cute human in said room, cough cough), and really seems to avoid other vampires - although I'm not sure if that's cuz he just doesn't vibe with 'em in general, or because he really doesn't vibe with the current hot vampire philosophy of the century, which seems to be very heavy-handled colonialism + elitism

I kinda wouldn't be surprised if it's both honestly - given that the only other vampire we meet besides him who spent time in the americas/new world was a literal plantation owning slaver (and unless I misremember, Annette says there were multiple vampires among the rich in St. Domingue), it seems pretty likely to me that whoever turned him was probably a vamp who had a direct hand in the downfall of his nation - coming to the New World specifically for conquest and to seize resources seems like it would be hella appealing for vampires. It would make a LOT of sense for Olrox's standoffish behavior around the other vamps to go back to him having been turned by someone very similar to them, who was probably not just an enemy to him, but part of this massive wave of destructive change in his human life.

like he really gives an impression of actively disliking and withdrawing from every other villain's motivation in this show - and it makes a lot of sense if my speculating is even a little bit close. The vampire's goals in Nocturne would be very nearly the same thing that drove the fall of the Aztec Empire - desire for power and control, justified by some """""natural order"""" hierarchy which really just boils down to 'we want all of this and we're going to indulge in making up a dramatic jerk-off reason why we're entitled to it, since you can't stop us taking it anyways and we've got time'

Dude seems to make little effort to be vampire-like - we rarely see him revel in his power like many other vampires do, as well as seeing him nonchalantly rubbing elbows with humans. He speaks fondly of a man he loved, who he fell for while said guy was still human, TO the other human he is currently crushing on! And I do mean crush, like he doesn't react to or treat Mizrak like a plaything, almost every time we get an Olrox lore-drop it's because he's talking to Mizrak sincerely about things that matter to him. He LIKE-likes this human, to the point of jumping directly into a fight to whisk Le Crush to safety in front of a vampire so powerful he won't directly oppose her! Absolutely fascinating behavior all around.

MAN but I want to see some flashbacks from this guy - as far as we know, vampirism is completely an Old World thing - Europe, Asia, Africa, every other vampire we've seen in both Castlevania shows has been from these continents. Were there even any vamps there at all before europeans landed on the shores of the americas???? I mean, I've heard of one of the old religions in mesoamerica having a suspiciously vampirelike god, but how would that connect to Olrox getting vampirized as a 30ish Aztec man?

MAN OH MAN but I am looking forward to seeing what Olrox gets up to in s2 -I'm burning to know if he's gonna survive the series or not, because despite him being the first villain we meet in Nocturne and doing a deed that usually gets villains the 'karmic death' ending, overall he's not really being written like a bad guy the audience wants to see go down. especially since he's not actually in opposition to our protagonists and has a vested interest in keeping one of Team Good Guys newer members alive. My guess is he's either going to get a similar ending to Isaac, a villain that we root for who actually catches a break and doesn't die, ooorrrrrrrr he's gonna get a Highly Tragic sort of death

[astromachy77]

Marriage in the Reconstituted Sith Empire and the Jedi Order post-KOTOR

Daniel Erickson wrote about this on the pre-launch forums:

Easy to give the official answer. But first let's make sure we're all on the same page. Cultures change over time. They move one way then another, values shift, influxes of new peoples or discoveries change what is considered normal, etc. So if we're strictly talking about TOR then arguments based on things that happened thousands of years earlier or later aren't really applicable except to compare and contrast. Our views on modern marriage are not those of ancient Rome, and I doubt in 3,000 years they will be the same. So let's talk about where Jedi and Sith during the time period of The Old Republic.

For the last two hundred years the Jedi Order has been getting steadily more conservative. The liberalization that was necessary to restock the Jedi's numbers in the century after the events of Knights of the Old Republic II is now looked back on as a necessary evil. In the time that followed there were a number of terrible Dark Jedi who emerged as warlords and worse.

The two factors that showed up the most often in analysis of what caused Jedi to fall were unorthodox training methods and romantic entanglements. Thus in the following centuries training became more orthodox, with a return to the Jedi Order's earlier traditions. Which Masters were allowed to train padawans (and which could train more than one at once) became more restrictive and romance became one of the most guarded against emotional weakness. As the game opens it is possible to get married as a Jedi but it requires a lengthy process of approval including from the Jedi Council itself. A couple must prove beyond a shadow of a doubt they are both able to handle the strain romantic couples can endure. All children of Jedi are taken from them and raised by the Jedi as a whole, the same as other Force users in the Republic.

For the last thousand years the Sith Empire has needed stability and growth more than anything else. That means alliances that prevent power struggles. It means encouraging the creation of more children. Which in turn means marriage and a focus on family.

Where once the individual was judged largely alone, bloodlines are now incredibly socially important. A Sith from a long line of powerful Sith will find his path through the Academy easier, his opportunities increased. A family with no Force-users who suddenly find themselves with a Force-sensitive child will sacrifice everything they have to get them martial training and mental discipline coaches - for if that child passes the Academy and becomes Sith the entire family will rocket to the penultimate social class in Imperial society, side by side with moffs and governors, second only to Sith themselves.

Marriage among the Sith is usually between only two people and is often to forge a political alliance. Marriages of love do happen often among the lower ranked Sith but decrease the closer the Lord is to the top of the pyramid-shaped power structure. Marriages between Sith and non-Sith are rare as the Sith believe it dilutes the chance of a Force-sensitive offspring. It is a common, though unspoken of practice, for Sith parents to kill a non Force-sensitive offspring and deny it ever existed, claiming the baby was stillborn, etc. A Sith with openly non Force-sensitive offspring is believed to be admitting the thinness of the blood in his or her family line.

Adultery is common among the Sith but officially illegal. Divorce is strongly frowned upon but killing one's spouse for adultery or any other provable offense is socially acceptable. The one time you see obligatory divorce is when a member of the Dark Council breaks a couple apart to stop the assimilation of too much power in one place.

[lucianhuntress]

Day 10. Sunday x Reader: 26. “How did you find me?”

This one escalated and is slightly longer than the others so far. 🙇‍♀️

The big Halloween festival everyone has been waiting for has finally arrived in Penacony. The streets are decorated with bats, pumpkins, spiderwebs and silly looking ghosts. People wear a wide range of costumes: IPC armor, Robin, the Astral Express crew and different characters from Clockie seem to be popular among the masses.

It is a good excuse for you to wear a cute version of the Hamster Ball Knight; ears and clothes that match his colors —not forgetting a cute little acorn plushie and an acorn bag.

Robin was the one who invited you out as she wanted to introduce you to someone; someone you feel slightly nervous of as you have heard he is quite in high position on Penacony— and he is your best friend's brother on top of it all.

Festivals like these are perfect excuse for Robin to wear an outfit that makes her unrecognizable; her being the most famous songstress on Penacony and all.

“What does he look like?” You ask from Robin, who is dressed up as an origami bird.

“Oh, I think we're slightly similar. Last time I saw him he had silvery hair like me— oh and he is Halovian too.” Robin seems to be enjoying herself, admiring other people's costumes while eating a candied apple she picked up from a stall earlier. “But he didn't tell me what kind of outfit he would wear.” 

“Should you text him? It's like searching for a needle in a haystack.”

Robin whips out her phone and starts typing a message. Just then, someone taps her shoulder gently. You both turn to face the tall man behind the two of you, wearing a Hanu outfit; large, black sunglasses, a dark-gray hat and a navy blue coat.

His visible silvery hair, and wings at the back of his neck are the revealing aspects of his true identity.

“Sunday!” Robin exclaims, pulling her brother into a hug and his shades nearly fall off in the process. Your eyes meet his golden ones briefly and you feel a tiny flutter in your chest as he smiles at you weakly while tapping Robin’s low-poly shoulder.

“Robin was just about to text you,” you explain happily. At least you'd be able to continue the festival exploration without a worry.

“Oh, right! This one here is my brother Sunday and this cute hamster is—” 

“I've heard about you,” Sunday speaks with a cautious undertone in his voice as he eyes you up and down. His golden gaze lingers on you even when speaks to his sister: “shall we?”

You and Robin change knowing looks and you grab her arm as you continue walking down the street full of people, stalls and music while chatting casually and you and Sunday catching each other from eyeing the other one a few times. You're not sure if you're feeling extra warm because of the crowds or because of Sunday’s appreciative glances.

As you get deeper into the festival area, the amount of people increases and suddenly it's hard to move around without elbowing someone. Somewhere in the masses you end up losing Robin and Sunday. That's what you get for checking out a creepily decorated stall.

All alone in the crowd you wonder if you should just stay at one place or go somewhere obvious and text Robin. You look around and notice a Halloween decorated gigantic Clockie in the middle of the street, dividing the crowd like a rock in a stream of water. That would be a good spot to wait for the others at.

You pick up your phone and are surprised to find out you have no battery left. So much for texting Robin. So you do the next best thing and push your way through the crowd and make it to the statue. You sit down at its feet and hold on to your acron bag and plushie for comfort.

A few moments later, what feels like an eternity but is equal to just a couple of minutes. You notice someone sitting down next to you and you turn to him— Sunday. He is looking at you behind his shades, not knowing how his eyes wander and take in all of your details from much closer range.

“How did you find me?” you ask, not sure if you want to jump and hug him or cry after being so alone and helpless to call anyone.

He chuckles, knowing something you clearly don't, but you're happy to see a familiar face. “I knew I had to come here,” he answers ominously, lowering his sunglasses, “worry not, I know where Robin is and we can leave if you want to…” his voice trails off as he ponders on his own words.

��Or we can sit here a bit longer?” Your question is sudden, like you weren't even supposed to ask that, yet somehow you want to stay there slightly longer with Sunday.

“Well,” he begins and moves closer to you. You swallow, heat pooling down your stomach and you can't take your eyes off of him. “This statue is oddly comfortable.”

[nickblaine]

here's a summary of 6x01. MAJOR SPOILERS beneath the cut. i'm describing the entirety of episode 1 (including a surprise reveal at the end) so proceed at your own risk.

the episode is mostly serena and june. there are a couple B plots but they only have 1 scene each.

first things first: nick's one and only scene. god damn. he makes the most of it.

we see him get dropped off at his house in NB in HANDCUFFS. undone tie, shirt buttons open, stubble, longer curls. boy's a hot mess. (we're feasting)

rose is waiting for him on the porch while they remove the handcuffs but she's not speaking to him. someone tells nick that rose's father is waiting inside. nick just lights a cigarette and leaves.

he's down on the beach, smoking and brooding, when commander wharton shows up. nick says rose has every right to be mad, but wharton is nice to him (in a manipulative way.) he says nick needs to get his priorities straight and that he and rose "have a lifetime to figure it out." nick looks like he balks at that for a split sec.

then wharton turns all fatherly and tells him what a bright future he has. according to nick's micro expressions, he gets a little mushy at that. daddy issues and all.

when wharton walks away nick mutters the cutest "fuck" to himself. running joke.

the other B plot is moira and mark tuello. canada is becoming friendly with gilead which means shunning the american government. mark tells moira they're going to shut his office down. she says she still wants to fight, and starts coming up with ideas where she mentions jezebels. mark is shocked to find out she was there. he asks her how she got out and she says she killed a commander. mark is very impressed and ends the scene with "well that's something."

as for june and serena on the train. it's actually kind of entertaining because serena has like, a REALLY bad time. she is trying too hard to be nice and june is rolling her eyes and telling her to fuck off the entire episode. they also act like a married couple and june even mentions that.

june's arm is infected i guess (she says this is the day after the car accident) so a doctor who happens to be on the train helps her. serena is so fucking privileged she is like an alien among these refugees, so naturally she gets recognized. the doctor pulls june aside and tells her he turned serena in and she's getting arrested when they stop.

btw june learns from an off screen phonecall to moira that the train isn't going to vancouver because the city is overwhelmed with refugees. but no one knows where the train is actually going.

anyway, for some reason the doctor asks to hold noah and proceeds to get creepy and threatening. he announces to the whole traincar who serena is and stirs up a mob. everyone starts screaming at serena how much they hate her lmao

june tries to protect serena from getting lynched because she has noah back in her arms. serena blows it and starts going full gilead wife, telling everyone that america was full of whores getting raped and murdered and that gilead saved them. june is like, goddamnit

so then the mob starts dogpiling on serena to beat her up. june gives up on serena and tries to take noah so he won't get hurt, but serena refuses to hand him over. so june pulls an emergency stop and makes the train brake suddenly.

while everyone falls over, june drags serena out the back of the train car and locks the door behind them. the mob starts banging on the door. she tries to convince serena to run for it but she's too cowardly. she argues with june until they start taking off again, so june pushes her off the back of the moving train.

some time passes, and june arrives at the end of the line which is apparently alaska. it's still the usa.

she and baby holly are in line with other refugees to get processed. one of the doctors (we can't see who) is looking at names on a clipboard. when she sees june's name, she drops the clipboard and starts calling out for her. june looks up and it's revealed to be holly (her mother) and they tearfully reunite. the episode ends there.

[bomberqueen17]

solarpunk tallships bisexuals sequel

ok so. I did manage to finish the draft of that novel at the beginning of March, and I've mostly been able to let it sit while I started work on the sequel. I have already identified some structural edits I will need to make in order to make the sequel line up and have enough room for itself. (This is better than my fanfic writing process, where often i posted things before writing the follow up and then had to figure out how to get out of the corner i'd painted myself into lol, though more often than you'd think I did have a plan and had left myself wiggle room. well, it might be less often than you'd think, though.)

So anyone who had signed up to cheer-read or beta-read that, that's all up and available for comment now! Huge thanks to those who have responded, that was enormous and got me through the dark dark winter lol. I knew I couldn't get through that alone. But I'm not out of the woods yet and I would love some more company.

updates on sequel and a snippet behind cut:

I have about 50k of the sequel banged into chronological order by now, though it's still got a lot of... well the plot antagonists are just called [BADGUY] at the moment, among other things.

It is straight-up the first 20k of the solarpunk mammoths novel I published on Dreamwidth in 2018 or so, interspersed with new plot pulled from the setup in the first book, and a whole new direction for the mammoths novel which did peter out originally for want of coherent plot so this has fixed that.

I have to get it banged into shape but I am due to go back to work at the farm next week so I'm trying to decide-- I think I will put up the beta doc for comments in the same way, but I'm not sure who to include on it. I guess I'll put on everyone who signed up, whether they got around to vol 1 yet or not, with the understanding that life gets in the way sometimes, but also like-- no pressure, if you aren't interested anymore or super just don't have time, i'm not trying to be pushy.

I dunno, I don't have a process for this. Just know: vol 1 is complete but not finished, I will be rewriting it at some point, it's open to further discussion and possibly could use some structural critique as well as I'm never sure about my pacing etc, but I'm letting it sit for a bit right now to get the sequel approximately shaped and then I will be looking harder at feedback and such. (I know it needs a lot more physical descriptions and more vividness in the environment and I need to flesh out the worldbuilding and hammer out the bits where I have to depart from the Age of Sail Aesthetic to actually make my own shit, etc., and a lot of the Politics Etcetera will make a lot more sense once I get it properly framed in to support vol. 2.)

And so vol 2 is underway and I will soon be soliciting comments on that as well!

so, as promised, a snippet, and yes, we're getting different people's POVs in this volume so our POV here is Cpt Haines:

The University loomed, a tall stone wall with a gate and gatehouse, tall concrete and stone buildings behind. The guard in the gatehouse recognized Lt. Atkins, and waved at him, and Mel and the entourage trooped in behind him. “Now,” Atkins said, “the real test is, which part of the engineering department has custody of her today?” “Tom,” Mel said, catching his arm. There was a large animal in the courtyard they were approaching, a big shaggy brown thing that moved. “What is that.” Atkins stopped short, staring at it, completely stunned.  “It’s a fucking mammoth,” Kinsie said, astonished into swearing.  “Is that supposed to be here,” Mel said, instinct making her step in front of Kinsie, her arm across Atkins’s chest. Like she was going to be any real protection, but it was reflex. They were all armed, all carrying swords or knives, but nobody had a gun. And the creature was huge, and it had noticed them, and had its head up and its ears waving in interest.  “That’s a--” Atkins said, struggling to speak. “That’s--” He grabbed Mel’s wrist. “It’s all right. They’re-- citizens, here.” “They’re-- what?” Mel glanced over at him.  “They’re not animals,” Atkins said. He was staring at the mammoth with a rapt kind of intensity. He took a few steps forward, and Mel thought to stop him, to pull him back, but let him go. “They’re people. They can talk.” “Like the dolphins,” Mel said.  The mammoth waved its ears, and made a squeaky sound, surprisingly high-pitched, then turned away, moving slowly farther back into the courtyard, walking sideways. They cautiously followed, now all of them behind Atkins, who was walking more purposefully.  He walked right toward the creature, made a strangely formal gesture, and said, “Greetings, honored relative.”

[thesupernaturalhouse]

This started out as a funny snipper. How tf did it turn into a fanfic?? Also this took me so long anyways, pt3 of the accidental overlord vaggie fic

Alastor: shoves Vaggie between him and Rosie and drops Frank onto her lap

Vaggie: trying to process how tf a giant dragon got through an elevator among many other things

Carmilla: thank you for coming today. I've gathered you all here to talk about the millions of souls-

Vaggie squeaks so quiet no one hears her: I'm sorry fucking how many??....How- How do you check that?? Gets ignored

She's just squeezing poor frank like a stress toy

Carmilla ignores her: You own. And how their at risk with the new extermination schedule. And how we minimize the damage going to be caused by it.

Finally looking aorund the room

Carmilla: Zestial, so god to see you- ....Alastor?? And- eyes narrow the protective overlord

Alastor, leaning over to block vaggie form view because he's petty as fuck: hello! Yes yes, I know, I've been absent for a longgg time and I'm sure youre all DYING to knwo where I've been~

Carmilla:...no. not really, shrugs but welcome back anyways I suppose....I am interested about who you've brought though....

Vaggie: just staring out into space, regretting her life choices and trying to count how many people owe her 'favors'

Carmilla slgihtly concerned/unnerved: In any case, this year's extermination was brutadal. A good 16% of the population was killed off. With them coming back in only 6 months I think it prudent that we-

Velvette: just fucking kicks the door open Yeah, I've got it handled Vox? Are you doubting me? ME might I remind you? Yeah, no. That's what I thought. Yes, yes, I know, thank you V, see you later Okay, bye, kisses darling!

Carmilla: nice of you to finally join us, Velvette. Will you.....colleges? be joining us?

Velvette: What? No way. They have better shit to do than to listen to some old windbag who think she's tough shit! Haha, no. Immm here to represent!

Carmilla:...charming. now, back to what I was saying, we need to-

Velvette: waves her arm frantically

Camilla feeling like a preschool teacher: yes??

Velvette: well, on the topic of discussssss throws exorcists head down let's discuss

Alastor: oooo tasty!!

Vaggie: ohhhhh my god....whispering to herself is that Tuff?? Wtf- how??

Carmilla:......where...did you get this?

Velvette: doesn't matter. We found it, though. And if these angle fuckers can be killed, then the game of cat and mouse has changed, the boys and I have-

Vaggies distressed squeaking as Velvette continues, Zestial jsut slumps his tea

Velvette:....the fuck is wrong with you two?? Looks at vaggie leans downs to get closer....also you're new

Vaggie: uhhhhh......thank?? You??

Velvette: narrows eyes before her head snaps ti zestial

Zestial: we shouldn't go to war with such meger proof.

Velvette:...meger- MEGER PROOF!? ITS a dead fucking Exorcist!!! What more do you WANT!? A video of it being killed?? No- this is definitive proof- if you can't see that, maybe you're going blind old man.

Zestial: it may be dead but how? It could be by a demon, but mayhaps it died due to unrelated reasons

Vaggie: Well, angles have hurt their own kind. Wouldn't be suprised if killing was another option for them

Everyone's heads snap to her

Vaggie:.....did....I say that out loud?

Carmillas narrows her eyes: how do you know that.

Vaggie: I um...I....I saw it happening?

Velvette:....wait aren't you the princesses whore? What are you doing out if your bird cage hm?

Vaggie: I....what??

Carmilla shaking her head: we're getting off topic.

Zestial: Carmilla is right. If we rush to war the angles would purge all of the sinners for daring to even TRY an uprising

Overlords: muttering

Alastor: why don't we put it to a vote?

Vaggie: depends is one of the options 'can we all just go home pelase?'

Alastor: hmmm no!

Vaggie grumbling: I hate you.

Velvette narrows eyes: ohhh okay I see. Grandpa's to scared to make a move! So then there's no point in it huh?

*the respect less song which I am not writing*

Zeezi: pft, what the hell? we literally JUST got here!

odette:....mom??

Carmille:....meeting dismissed.

Vaggie: uh, does this mean we can go home?- gets glared at .....okay sits back down like a scolded kid as she thinks about wtf jsut happened

Vaggie to herself in a defeated tone:.....she never told me how to see how many souls I own.....how many people owe me favors?

Proceeds to try and calculate and count on her fingers and Alastor watches in amusement, after sending off frank, and Rosie watches slightly concerned as to wtf her friend did to this teenage child....and maybe also finding it a bit funny

Part 2 | Part 3(here!) | Part 4

[southernmermaidsgrotto]

🕯️Baños Espirituales 🕯️

Los Baños Espirituales or Spiritual Baths can be used for a wide variety of things. Generally, we're talking about baths when It's some kind of infusion or decoction made for washing a person specifically, but the same making process can be used to make other washes (for floors, doors and windows, etc.) The term "bath" also includes things like head washes, foot washes, and more.

⚠️This information below is to be used only by my black and indigenous peoples as this was written by an Afro-Indigenous Latina for our people. If you're not one of us don't appropriate, and let this be a source of education only⚠️

Altough we call them baths, normally it's not a thing that you would lay down to soak in. These are 90% of the time something you'd throw over your body and just let it run, more like a shower. To keep the water running is to keep things moving, not stagnant. With some exceptions, of course, like sweet baths or flower baths, where you want to soak in, to literally "soak in" the sweetness and blessings.

Among their many uses, we can categorize them as baños de sal o baños salados, baños amargos o de hierbas amargas and baños dulces.

Baño Salado or Salty bath: A bath where the main ingredient is salt, normally, coarse salt grains. These are done to cleanse and purify deeply and thoroughly a person. After a salt bath you must always do a sweet bath or you'll be weakened to malignant spirits and energies.

Baño Amargo or Bitter Bath: A bath where the main ingredients are bitter herbs, such as. These are done to protect and drive away evil spirits. They're what you'll reach for 99% of the time to cleanse, instead of a sweet bath, as it doesn't weaken the person, but fortifies them, and you don't always have to do a sweet bath afterwards.

Baño Dulce or Sweet Bath: A bath where the main ingredient is sweet herbs, flowers, and things like milk, sugar or honey. Within this category you'll find specifically baños de florecimiento or "flowering baths" done with mostly flower petals and with the specific purpose to bless and fortify a person.

These are just the kinds of baths that are widespread in curanderismo and brujería traditions across all latin america, our shared, common cultural knowledge. There's many other types that are more specific in use, such as baños blancos, which aren't mentioned here for a reason. Those kinds are Religion-specific and have to be learnt from a proper authority within the tradition, such as a mãe de santo, pãe, babalawo, santera, etc. The making of these religion-specific baths involves specific preparations beforehand that have to be followed to honor the Gods and Spirits involved and called to bless you through that bath (cleanse you, protect you, heal you, etc), there's specific songs and prayers to use, often in african or african-derived languages or in indigenous languages, the deep knowledge and initiations necessary to do offerings done before and after to any entities, deities, or spirits involved, etc. Don't be reckless nor disrespectful. That'll completely beat the purpose of the bath you intend to make. Before you run off to try to do something you found online, always consult and respect the guidance of spiritual authorities and learn your ways from respected Elders.

To make your own baño:

If you're using soft parts (leaves, flowers, stems) you'll be making an infusion of these for your wash or bath. Bring water almost to a full boil. Place your herbs on the container you'll be using (traditionally you use a palangana, plastic or porcelain or metal, anything, but any big bowl or basin at hand will do), then pour the water on the herbs and start shredding them, to release their juices. Give them a good massage and mix the water. All the while, say your prayers and give thanks to the water, the herbal allies you're using, the Ancestors, the Creator, and all the Spirits who walk with you and watch over you.

If you're using hard parts (roots, barks, shells, fruits, etc) you'll be making a decoction, "cook" the ingredients in your water and leave it for at least another 5 minutes before taking it out of the stove. Same thing, when it's at a decent temperature for you to put your hands in the water, but still not cold, shred them, massage to release the juices, mix the water, all while praying aswell.

It's recommended to use fresh ingredients, but if all you have is dry herbs, or other dry ingredients (shells, peels, etc) you should also add a little prayer asking the water, the Ancestors, God, whomever you pray to, to revitalize and awaken these spirits to aid in their task.

In ATRs, afrobrujería and afrocuranderismo traditions, as in any african derived practices, is a common recommendation to let the water run from the nape of your neck down, and never touch your hair or head. This is because the Spirit(s) that are located in your Head cannot be washed or in contact with just about any herb or Spirit, and it requires a special care and knowledge to prepare head washes that fit each person's Spirit(s). The only way to learn that is to ask an Elder, a Priest or Priestess of a religion from the same Ancestral Line your Ancestors hail from (and thus, their Spirits). For example, if your Ancestors where taken from Yorubaland: santería, regla de ocha, ifá, candomblé, macumba, umbanda, and a long etc, depending on what region they were settled into on this side of the Ocean. The Priest or Priestess will perform divination for you and ask the Gods (like the Orixá) who rules your head and what kind of taboos you have (including what you can and cannot use in baths).

The simplest Baño Salado includes only coarse seasalt. A simple Baño Amargo would take rosemary or pine, rue and yarrow, no salt, but you can add things like lemon peels or lemon slices. A simple Baño Dulce is milk with sugar or honey and roses, and for a Baño de Florecimiento specifically, flowers of three colors (red, white and yellow, for example) with sugar and a splash of florida water or some alcoholic drink (like vodka or rum), to which you can also add orange blossoms, orange blossom water or simply orange peels/slices.

🕯️May this aid you and yours in your spiritual journey. With love, Nao🕯️

[lightofraye]

I had this as an ask--I think the person was going around a bit to get some folks' input, which doesn't bother me. But I decided to grab the full screenshots and point to the part that had sparked a conversation among some folks. I even had a couple of followers ask for my thoughts.

Now... this did come up in a little group chat amongst me and a few others. We all have thoughts on it.

Oh I should probably go to the part I'm talking about. My bad.

The tweeter--HanmeiCui--tried to capture all that was said during Radio Company's little BBQ dinner during AustinCon. And folks were intrigued by Number 8.

"Fans asked him what he misses most about Texas and he said, I don't? I am still here all the time. I am here now, I was here a few weeks ago and then a few weeks before that. My whole family's still here my mom and dad are in Dallas I often visit them."

HanmeiCui also added: "So I kind of… I didn't catch what he said after that but I got the idea that he thinks of himself more like commuting, instead of permanently moved out."

Given he doesn't have any property (none that we have to officially verify ourselves with public records anyway) in Austin or Texas as a whole... FBBC is... something. Sold, not sold, either way, the brewery won't be back. Maybe a small taproom to keep incompetent brother-in-law Gino busy after he ran FBBC into the ground. Ahem. Yes, there is a house on the FBBC property but... near as we can tell, no one lives there.

The Ackles sold the rest of their properties--the condo, the lake house, etc. Also sold the Colorado condo.

Near as any of us could tell... no properties in Texas.

It had been largely assumed that if Jensen did visit his parents, it was likely without Danneel in tow. So if Jensen does visit often as he indicated, he may just be staying at a hotel, a friend's guest room (Steve does have a place in Austin), or the like.

I mean, Papa Ackles is 75 now. (Oh dang, his father is just a couple of years older than mine.) I imagine Jensen would want to see his parents a bit more. And for a while, he had the free time to do so.

A lot of folks have interpreted the statements in a few ways. One was a kind of professional "He's trying to keep the ol' boy Texan persona" going. Another was "Maybe he's trying to get re-established back in Texas without the wife." A third was "Maybe he has a place in secret in Texas"!

My thoughts?

I want to believe it's number two--getting re-established in Texas without the wife. (Come on, you know I'm an anti-Danneel. Why are you reading my stuff?) He's certainly made a few decisions this past year and a half that have me poking at the game board of life and going "Hmm...."

Such as his Social Media changing from a mix of family and business to strictly work posts (and frustrating his stans in the process, heh); such as Danneel going completely radio silent on her IG (but still commenting on others, hmm); such as selling all of FBBC without a new location in place; buying a mansion across the darn country and so far away from most of his friends and family; to seemingly abandoning CMP to Danneel to destroy.

There's still a few things we're not seeing. A few things we're not aware of. I could speculate until my face turned blue. For now, I'm content to sit and wait and observe the chess board.

[jpitha]

Contests

The humans make everything a contest.

Everything.

Mal'zamar was moving down the hall towards the engine room. It was xer turn to take a shift monitoring the Flip drive for any anomalous readings. Xe had to admit the human's Flip drive was far more powerful than the limited Flashwarp that the rest of the Community used, but it was annoying that someone basically had to be watching it all the time so that it didn't "get out of line." Xe still didn't know what the humans meant when they said that, but they insisted that the drive had to be monitored at all times.

As xe passed the humans common room - every Community species had a common room set to their own environmental preferences - xe heard the commotion. Mal peeked in and saw three humans sitting at a table. All three had stripped their outer integrements off to the centers of their body, and their skin was moist from their bizzare active cooling systems. In front of each person was a small white plate, and on each plate was a single Elmar Pepper.

Mal'zamar's feathers rippled a shudder. Xe had little experience with humans before this tour and had never realized they were so... moist. Jenny from engineering noticed Mal standing at the doorway and waved. "Mal'zamar! Come in! Eva, Anya and Kellan are trying to see who can eat the spiciest food without making a face."

Mal's face feathers bristled. Xer face looked twice the size it normally did. "They're what?"

"Ever since we found out that your species consumes fruits with an analog to capsaicin, we've been excited to try them and see how spicy they are! Reg was able to pick up 4 different varieties of Elmar Peppers, and Eva, Anya, and Kellan all declared they could take the heat the most. Nobody could decide, so we're having a contest to see who can take the heat.

Mal's species is similar - though not exactly the same - as the group of animals on Earth known as Birds. Mal'zamar cannot fly, though the religious texts say at one point deep in the past they could; xe doesn't really believe that though. Xe never really followed the popular religion. One thing that is similar between Mal's species and Earth birds is the fact that neither can taste or process capsaicin - one of the things that taste 'spicy' to Humans.

The 'spice' had evolved to make the fruits unpalatable to mammals and similar creatures, so that only birds ate the fruit and spread the seeds wide. Humans decided they liked the poison and bread theirs to produce more.

With the Elmar, the fruits that had more of their analog to capsaicin had a pleasing color, so they were bred to have more of the chemical. They could taste no difference in the high capsaicin fruits compared to the low capsaicin fruits.

Jenny turned back to the group at the table. She raised her hands for silence and the entire room fell silent. "On three, each of you will take the pepper and take one bite. You will chew and swallow the bite entirely and whoever reacts, loses. If, after 2 milliunits (about half a human minute) you do not make a face, you take another bite. Whoever can eat the most without making a face wins. Are the instructions understood?"

Kellan, Anya and Eva nod silently, not looking at Jenny.

"Aaaand, Go!"

With almost religious reverence, each picks up the pepper and takes a bite. Mal'zamar notices they are quite a pleasing deep purple color. They are a recent cultivar and quite popular among the Elmar lately. Xe imagines that means they must contain quite a lot of capsaicin.

One milliunit after the first bite, Kellan breaks. His face contorts into a horrified grimace, as if only now he realizes what he has done. He slaps the table once, and jumps up, running to a glass containing a white liquid on a rear table. There are jeers and laughs from the watchers.

Mal is invested now. Xer shift forgotten, Xe watches the contest. Eva and Anya lock eyes, staring at each other. They chew and swallow without flinching. Methodically, they pick up the pepper and take another bite, and another, and another. Mal can see that Eva's active cooling is working harder than Anyas, but Anya's face is more flushed.

Finally, there is one bite of pepper left. As they reach for it, Anya's hands tremble, but her face remains placid. Eva picks it up and pops the rest into her mouth, chewing and swallowing. Anya puts it to her lips and shakes her head. She puts it down and gets up to get the drink from the rear table. "Okay, you win Eva, that's too spicy for me. It has a really nice flavor though. Fruity with a heat the builds and builds. We should try and make some chili with it."

Grinning widely, Eva gets up and gets her drink as well. "Making chili with those would be a waste. Those should be in a curry."

Mal'zamar notices there are still some peppers left on the table. "Can, I have one?" Xe looks at Jenny.

"Sure, but we have to warn you they're pretty-" Before she can finish Mal takes one and pops it into xer mouth, whole. Chewing thoughtfully she looks at Eva and xer feathers ripple satisfaction. "These are quite nice. Did you buy any more? I could make you pepper sauté, like the Elmar do."

Eva and Anya perk up at the mention. "We'd love that Mal! We could have a rematch!"

[docholligay]

One of the things this movie does really well is letting you sit with the silence of a moment. Even here, at the opening, we're watching Fujino THINK. We're watching her process and try to figure out what she's going to do next.

AMong other things, this movie has a pretty good bead on creative life, and how sometimes it's just sitting there staring at a piece of paper, trying to figure out your next move. Sometimes, being creative means doing a lot of work that isn't actually all that fun. Sometimes creative work is indeed work.

[french-unknown]

𝖍𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖒𝖊

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘: luffy, zoro, nami, usopp, sanji, robin 𝖈/𝖜: fluff, domestic 𝖜/𝖈: 2.6k +

| m a s t e r l i s t | - | p t . 2 | - | p t . 3 | | e v e n t . s u m m a r y |

𝖑𝖚𝖋𝖋𝖞

trick and treat

Attracted by all the lights on in the residential area of the island, you approached them with Luffy.

To your great astonishment, there were a large number of children wandering between the different houses in different costumes, more or less frightening. You were confused to see so many children outside at that hour. And above all, without supervision. However, after all the islands you had visited, the costumes didn't surprise you that much.

You then fixed your gaze on a particular group who went up to the steps of the house to your right.

They knocked on the door, and when a woman opened the door, they said "trick or treat" as they handed out each of the containers. Then, much to your confusion, the woman laughed before taking out a bag of candy which she shared among the children. As if it were perfectly normal to give candy to a group of costumed children who ring the doorbell after dark. You stayed where you were while the woman closed the door and the children left for the next house.

The same process began again.

On every street corner, with all the groups of children, everything happened the same way. Always with the same sentence.

Trick or treat?

As you glanced next to you to talk to Luffy about it, you noticed that he had also disappeared. You looked around in panic and ended up finding him alone at the entrance to a house a few meters from you.

You could only run toward him at the same moment he knocked on the door.

A woman came out as you reached him. She looked at you strangely and looked you up and down.

"Trick or Treat?" the black-haired boy almost yelled.

"Aren’t you too old for candy hunting?" She asked, perplexed.

"We’re never too old for candy!" Luffy declared with a laugh.

Faced with the innocence of the response, as well as the relaxed behavior of your partner, the woman also relaxed and laughed in turn. She seemed to be more comfortable.

"And what are you dressed in?" she questioned happily as she pulled out a bag of sweets from her back.

Immediately, Luffy took his straw hat off his head in order to turn it upside down and hold it out towards the woman as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"As pirates, ma’am!" He responded with good humor.

"You should improve your disguise, then." She laughed. "You two don't really look like them. You're not scary enough!"

"We're not this kind of pirates." He retorted.

The woman then stepped back before closing her door, not without greeting. Luffy then took your hand and walked away as well, waving.

You spent the rest of your evening being pulled from house to house by an excited Luffy who couldn't hold still at the thought of having more candy. He wasn't your lover anymore, just a little boy.

𝖟𝖔𝖗𝖔

haunted castle

It was evening, and night would soon fall.

However, thanks to a certain swordsman whose sense of direction equated with his abstinence, you found yourself at the exit of a dark and foreboding forest, looking at a gothic castle that seemed anything but welcoming. Nervously, you passed the large black wrought iron gates that demarcated the land and thus entered the gardens that surrounded the fortress.

Everything was fallow and unmaintained. The shrubs and bushes were in random shapes while the grass was tall and lush. The trees were so gnarled that you wondered if it was really normal. The winding sandy walking paths didn't make you want to venture into the plots either.

However, what terrified you the most was the feeling of being observed from the moment you went through the gates.

Unfortunately, the boot prints you saw in the sand—made obvious by the lack of other marks—forced you to move forward into the green space of the property. At first, you huffed loudly but you still went anyway.

You followed the footprints, eyes glued to the ground because of the fear, praying to find Zoro as quickly as possible.

Around you, you heard the vegetation rustling with its branches, leaves and thorns clashing. And this even if there was no wind. Furthermore, despite the abundance of shelter for animals, you heard no birdsong or rabbit footsteps. You understood that an October evening was not the most favorable but you still found it quite suspicious in such a lush environment for animals.

Something cold then touched your hand.

You jumped so hard that you felt the tension in your neck go down to your shoulders. A shiver of fear ran through your entire body and goosebumps immediately covered your arms without you being able to do anything.

Yet, when you looked at where the contact was coming from, there was nothing.

You wanted to leave.

From there, you started trotting to find Zoro and you finally found him walking between two bushes. Hands in his pockets, he walked quietly. You immediately jumped on him to ask him how he ended up there.

"I wanted to see if there was anyone in the castle to offer me a drink but I can’t get out of the garden." he explained naturally.

Suddenly, a child's laughter was heard behind you and when you turned around, there was nothing.

You immediately grabbed the swordsman's hand and towed him towards the exit. You ran as fast as you could with fear coursing through your veins as well. You were so scared that you were convinced that, if he put up the slightest resistance, you would have been ready to knock him out so you could drag his unconscious carcass out of there.

When you passed the gates, you didn't stop and continued to rush towards the boat.

𝖓𝖆𝖒𝖎

horror movie night

You and Nami were the only two who were assigned to guard the Sunny during this stopover. And the navigator wanted to spend the evening watching a movie.

What Nami wanted, Nami got!

So she convinced Sanji to keep the ship for a few more hours and took you to the nearest town to find a movie rental store. As soon as you entered the shop, you were immediately intrigued by the simplicity of the store. There was a desk, where a paunchy man was reading, as well as two shelves full of binders whose spines were annotated with words such as "romance", "detective" and "autobiography".

To your greatest amazement, Nami went straight to the one marked "horror".

You tried to hold her back at first but she avoided your hold and opened the binder. She flipped through the pages. You then noticed that, on each page, there was the title of a film with its summary and its official poster. But all these images of blood, killers and weapons made you a little uncomfortable.

"Um...Nami?" you called her.

She muttered in response, too busy reading the synopses.

"I’m not sure about the horror movie?" You continued, unsure.

"Come on!" She said, looking up at you. "I really want to see one. And then, if you're afraid, you can just snuggle up against me!"

The idea of being able to cuddle up to the girl you've been crushing on for a while made you shut up for good. You had been looking around for a few months but nothing had come of it yet. Still on cloud nine, you didn't follow when she retrieved one of the papers that interested her before bringing it to the man behind the counter.

When you reconnected with the outside world, the man came back from the back room with a Den Den Mushi who had probably already recorded the desired film.

"It’s 1,000 Berry to rent the Cameko. Do you have anything to project?" he asked then, facing Nami who shook her head, and he returned with another snail even bigger. "It's 1,000 more for the Proko that goes with it. That will, therefore, be 2,000 Berry. They must be returned in good condition and their care is your responsibility for the entire duration of the rental."

Nami tried to bargain, and when she reached a price she thought was fair, she paid the man so that you could finally leave with your two Den Den Mushi.

Arriving on the ship, you found Sanji waiting for you to leave and he had prepared hot chocolates for you as well as snacks. So you both settled into the beds in the women's quarters, warm under the covers, with your hot chocolates and snacks.

Nami started the movie and you spent the night pressed together, shaking in fear.

𝖎𝖓𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘 SOURCE | onepiece.fandom.com - Den Den Mushi - The Cameko (カメコ, Kameko, VIZ: "Cam-snail") are baby Visual Den Den Mushi who have yet to gain the ability to display signals from other Visual Den Den Mushi. They are able to store images and videos, as well as transmit them as signals to their adult form, the Proko. - The Proko (プロコ, Puroko, VIZ: "Pro-snail") are an older Visual Den Den Mushi that have gained the ability to receive signals emanating from the Cameko, while simultaneously projecting and disseminating the visual content captured by the Cameko onto larger video displays either via wires connected to a display or by using their eye to project the light.

You just found my 1st Easter Egg!

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐞! (ﾉ^ヮ^)ﾉ (・º. • )

𝖚𝖘𝖔𝖕𝖕

pumpkins carving

"Mine is better." Usopp declared confidently as he wielded his scraping tool.

The two of you were sitting face-to-face, cross-legged, on the floor of his workshop. An old blanket was under your buttocks to protect the floor. Between you stood a dozen tools of all kinds, ranging from knives to scrapers to markers as well as, most importantly, two large pumpkins.

It had been at least an hour since Usopp came back with a pumpkin under each arm and asked you to dig one with him. You immediately jumped at the opportunity and, very quickly, this whole experience had turned into a competition.

Who would make the best Jack-o'lantern?

As soon as you had started gutting them—keeping the parts removed so Sanji could cook them, obviously—the sniper was already taunting you. He talked to you about ratios and measurements so that the eyes and mouth were perfectly proportioned to the size of the food.

But you preferred to go by instinct with your marker and your imagination.

Throughout the process, you saw him trying to cheat to see what your Jack-o'lantern looked like from trying to kiss you to peeking into or waiting for you to go to the toilet to go to your side of the blanket. Even after a few strokes with the spatula, he was still trying approaches.

Finally, after two intensive hours of pumpkin carving and with a sticky floor and hands, the Jack-o'lanterns were finished.

Then came the time to decide between you.

Obviously, you each voted for your creations so, to find out the winner, you asked the entire crew to vote for their favorite pumpkin. Unfortunately, the votes didn't help because, after four more votes from each side, you were still tied.

It was only when Sanji called a truce for the meal that you stopped bickering.

Despite this, when evening came, the little arguments were back. So you were still bickering when you were getting ready for bed and then when you were in the bed itself. When you were both exhausted, you decided to declare both winners as well.

Satisfied, you lay down comfortably to sleep. And there, in the crook of his arms, with the warm blanket covering you and his smell of gunpowder surrounding you, he kissed you on the forehead before whispering to you in the dark.

"Mine was better."

𝖘𝖆𝖓𝖏𝖎

winter dessert cooking

The kitchen of the Thousand Sunny was exceptionally mess-like.

Ingredients and dishes were lying all over the counter and it was mainly your fault. Whether it was the pot of honey that wasn't put away, the flour that you had unintentionally sprinkled outside of the bowl or the whisks and spatulas that were lying here and there, it didn't at all resemble Sanji's clean habits.

However, for the moment, he didn't really care.

For him, cooking deliciously smelled of honey and spices. His discerning nose even detected slight traces of citrus and vanilla. Besides, what mainly occupied him was you, in an adorable apron—at his request—who was stirring the dry ingredients in the bowl while keeping a nervous eye on the pan on the stove.

"It’s boiling!" You exclaimed hastily. "Sanji! It's boiling!"

"Pour the liquid into the bowl, then." He laughed at your disheveled but still adorable appearance.

You then rushed to the pan to put out the fire before carefully lifting it to pour its contents into your first container. Then you put the pan down and started stirring again.

"Sanji!" you called him. "There are lumps."

"Stir more." he replied, still leaning on the counter next to you to admire you.

But, instead of stirring more, you suddenly let go of the whip before turning towards him. In passing, you collected a small handful of flour which you threw at him meanly on his own apron. You rested your hip on the counter and crossed your arms before looking into his eyes.

"If I asked to cook this with you," you began."it was to cook WITH you. Not for you to stand and watch me."

At your sulking tone, Sanji just laughed lightly, even though inside he was exultant to see you pouting. So he approached you, smiling, and took your place in front of the bowl to start mixing again for you. Satisfied to finally see him working, you stayed by his side to watch him whip skillfully.

"Amour, can you get me the melted butter, please?" He asked, looking at you. When you returned with the requested ingredient, he temporarily stopped his task to lean towards you and kiss you gently. He finally pulls away from your lips after a short while. "Thank you."

And he mixed the butter with the preparation and poured everything into a dish that he handed to you. He then opened the oven and watched you put the gingerbread in the oven. Once he closed the door, he came up behind you to place kisses on your neck.

"We have 20 minutes of cooking time," he explained to you. "Any ideas for what to do until then?"

𝖗𝖔𝖇𝖎𝖓

exploring graveyards

When Robin had asked you earlier in the evening to get ready because she was taking you on a date, you had been ecstatic. You had imagined a walk in a romantic place, a meeting at the library or even, let's be crazy, a restaurant.

Yet, now that you found yourself walking with her through a cemetery, you were starting to regret it a little.

"I'm not sure we're allowed to just wander around here, Robin." You tried, hoping it would get you out of there.

She looked at you.

"It’s not like they’re going to come and complain to anyone." She answered you, smiling.

You smiled back at her even if yours was somewhat shaky. While you were uncomfortable walking around in the middle of the night, with no one around except your partner, among the graves of people you didn't even know, Robin seemed to be peaceful.

Happy even.

So you didn't dare say anything more and you simply took her hand before moving closer to her. But, while her discreet smile on her lips and her almost sparkling eyes told you that she was happy to be there, she said nothing. Not a single word to distract you from the unromantic or even terrifying setting.

The hooting of an owl above you made you jump.

As Robin chuckled at your leap, you asked her why she wanted to come here.

At first, you had simply asked the question to break the silence—and to make her forget your startle—but, as soon as she started to answer you, you were glad you had asked.

In fact, she then began to tell you that she was looking for the tomb of a very well-known researcher in the world of archaeology. Since she started, she continued by telling you what research he had carried out and how it had advanced her study circle. A soft, enjoying smile curled her lips as she spoke quietly and her eyes shone with her passion for history.

You then drank in her words as she focused on her interest in studying skeletons and what it could teach her about the person's life as well as the society that surrounded them before their death. She continued her speech throughout your visit to the cemetery to the point where, when she finally wanted to leave a few hours later, you had not noticed the time had passed.

You had been captivated.

𝖘𝖊𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖙𝖔𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖔𝖜!

𝖏𝖔𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖙𝖆𝖌𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙 𝖎𝖋 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖉𝖔𝖓'𝖙 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖙𝖔 𝖒𝖎𝖘𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖞 𝖚𝖕𝖉𝖆𝖙𝖊

𝖙𝖆𝖌𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙: @iheartamora @bontensh0e @opchara @idsmash717 @lys-ada @xomingyu @parkyrr @yasmiinberkaa @dozcan123 @anotherproblemsos

[dedalvs]

My brother and I agree with you on connections but while we're discussing it, we've forgotten what the term is where like, different locations pronounce words differently so you can tell people from outside the group or region by their pronouncation. We think the word we're thinking of is hebrew.

Okay, okay, before this gets out of hand, let's talk about phonetics: the study of speech sounds.

Humans can make a bunch of different sounds with their mouths. The languages we speak take a portion of these sounds and make meanings using those sounds. Other sounds we make are treated as alinguistic. They may feature in onomatopoeia or other sound gestures (like the "tsk, tsk" sound we make when disapproving of something), but they don't participate in the actual creation of words for a given language—even if they will in another language (so the "tsk, tsk" sound, which we transcribe [ǀ], isn't used in the word creation process in English, but it is in Xhosa, where it's spelled c).

Speech sounds are characterized by where they're produced in the mouth (called place) and also what kind of sound they are (called manner), among other things. Two common manners are stops and fricatives. A stop is so called because the air flowing out of the lungs is briefly stopped by making a complete closure either between the tongue or lips or glottis and some part of the vocal tract before being released again. [p] is an easy one. You close your lips and so air can't pass from your lungs out of your mouth anymore. It's stopped at the lips (and also the velum, which has to be closed). When you open your mouth again, it makes a [p] sound.

A fricative, on the other hand, is basically a fixed obstacle in the path of the airflow out the lungs. It doesn't stop the airflow completely; it simply forces the air to move around it, changing the natural sound of that airflow. Try breathing out normally (an [h]) and then making an [s] sound. Notice that the sound is much sharper. It now has to get around your tongue sticking up like a middle finger, and so the sound changes.

Okay! It's important to understand these two manners of articulation to get to the main event.

An affricate is a sound that starts like a stop and ends like a fricative. This means the airflow is completely stopped, but when it starts again, your articulators don't move away completely, instead briefly coming to rest in fricative position.

In English, one common affricate is [tʃ]. We transcribe it like that because it starts out as [t] and finishes like [ʃ] (that is the IPA symbol for the "sh" sound). This is the sound found in aaaaaaaaall of these words:

chap

which

witch

Tchaikovsky

Despite the fact that we think of [tʃ] as one sound, it is not. Consequently, it makes no sense to say there is a silent "t" in "witch". Rather, there's an unspelled "t" in "which".

*****

Addenda for those who have had some phonetics: Yes, I've ignored aspiration for the purposes of this demonstration. It's not relevant, as the same would apply to /t/. Nor is the precise placement of the stop in [tʃ] relevant, as the places aren't distinct in English the way they might be in a different language. Also if you're wondering if there's ever a distinction between /t͡ʃ/ as a speech sound and a sequence of /t/ and /ʃ/ in English, yes, there is, but that has more to do with the realization of stops at word boundaries, so, for example, the /tʃ/ sequence in "salt shop", if such a thing existed, might end up being realized as [t̚ʃ] or even [ʔʃ], which few English speakers would interpret as /t͡ʃ/. If word-final /t/ weren't realized in this way, it likely would be more recognizable as /t͡ʃ/, aspiration or no.

[idkwhatooputhere]

Jealousy Under Berlin Lights

The night in Berlin was vibrant, every corner of the city teeming with life. "Friesenjung" had been an unexpected hit, and the mood among your group was euphoric. Aggu, Joost, and you decided to celebrate the success in one of Berlin's most popular clubs. The air inside was thick with the pulse of music, the dance floor, a sea of bodies moving in sync to the beats.

You had been a crucial part of the recording process, helping behind the scenes. During those late nights and long days in the studio, you and Aggu had formed a close bond. He was charming, talented, and had a way of making everyone around him feel special. But tonight, watching him surrounded by fans, particularly one fangirl who bore an uncanny resemblance to you, stirred a pang of jealousy.

Aggu seemed particularly engaged with this fangirl, his hands lingering on her waist as they danced. The sight gnawed at you, making it difficult to focus on the celebration. Joost, ever the observant friend, noticed your discomfort and made his way over to you.

"Are you okay?" he asked, leaning in so you could hear him over the music.

"I feel jealous," you admitted, the alcohol loosening your tongue.

Joost, always perceptive, grinned. "Want to make him jealous too?" he suggested, mischief glinting in his eyes.

You hesitated for a moment before nodding. Joost led you to the dance floor. The music was a thumping beat, and as Joost placed his hands on your hips, pulling you close, you felt a surge of confidence. The two of you began to move together, your bodies swaying to the rhythm. You couldn't help but notice Aggu's eyes on you, his attention diverted from the fangirl.

Aggu gestured for you and Joost to join him, promising to pay for the drinks. You leaned in to whisper this to Joost, who chuckled. "He's jealous," Joost whispered back, his breath warm against your ear.

As you approached Aggu, Joost wrapped his arm around your shoulder, mirroring Aggu's gesture with the fangirl. The tension was almost palpable as Aggu asked everyone what they wanted to drink. Once everyone had answered, he turned to you. "Can you help me carry the drinks from the bar?" he asked, his voice holding an edge you couldn't quite place.

"Sure," you replied, sensing an opportunity to clear the air.

The walk to the bar was filled with a tense silence. "Are you and Joost a thing?" Aggu asked abruptly, his voice barely audible over the music.

"No, we're just friends," you replied, trying to keep your tone neutral despite the fluttering in your chest.

"You didn't seem like just friends on the dance floor," Aggu remarked, his voice carrying a hint of irritation.

You stopped walking and turned to face him. "What's the problem? You danced the same way with that fangirl," you retorted, feeling a mix of anger and hurt.

Aggu's jaw tightened. "It's not the same," he said firmly.

You wished he wasn't wearing his ski goggles so you could see his expression. "How is it not the same?" you demanded, your voice rising.

Without another word, Aggu took your hand and led you through the club, weaving through the crowd until you reached a bathroom. Panic set in when you saw urinals, realizing you were in the men's room. "What are you doing? This is the men's bathroom!" you exclaimed, trying to pull away.

He shushed you and pulled you into a stall, closing the door behind him. "When I saw you dancing with Joost, something inside me moved. I didn't like seeing you dancing like that with him," Aggu confessed, his voice raw with emotion.

You reached up and removed his goggles, needing to see his eyes. "Then you shouldn't have danced with the fangirl," you said, your voice trembling with a mix of relief and frustration.

Aggu chuckled softly, the sound easing some of the tension. "Were you jealous?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Very jealous," you admitted, emboldened by the alcohol. "I hated how she was all over you."

Aggu placed one hand on your waist and the other on your neck, his touch sending shivers down your spine. You could feel the heat radiating from his body as you wrapped your arms around his neck. His breath was warm on your lips, his gaze intense and unwavering. Slowly, he leaned in, and your lips met in a soft, tentative kiss. The initial contact was gentle, exploring, but it quickly grew more passionate. His lips were soft yet demanding, moving against yours with an urgency that made your head spin.

You felt the world around you dissolve, the only reality being the two of you in that cramped stall. Your hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as the kiss deepened. His grip on your waist tightened, pulling you flush against his body. The sensation of his fingers pressing into your skin through the fabric of your dress sent waves of desire coursing through you. The kiss was consuming, a silent declaration of the emotions that had been simmering beneath the surface.

Just as your lips were about to meet again, someone entered the bathroom. Startled, Aggu covered your mouth to keep you quiet until the person left. The anticipation built as you waited, his hand warm against your lips. Once the coast was clear, you removed his hand.

"I'd love to make out with you, just not in the boys' bathroom," you whispered, a smile tugging at your lips.

Aggu laughed softly, the tension between you easing. He put his goggles back on and took your hand, leading you out of the club. Outside, the night air was cool and refreshing. You found a secluded spot in the alley behind the club and pushed Aggu against the wall, the urgency of the moment overwhelming you.

You leaned in, your lips capturing his in a fierce, passionate kiss. This time, there were no interruptions. His hands found their way to your back, pulling you closer as his lips moved against yours with a hunger that matched your own. You could taste the faint remnants of the drinks you had shared, the flavor mingling with the intoxicating sensation of his mouth on yours.

Aggu's hands roamed your back, his fingers tracing patterns that sent shivers down your spine. You pressed closer, your body melding with his as the kiss deepened. His tongue brushed against your lower lip, seeking entrance, and you parted your lips, granting him access. The kiss grew more heated, your tongues dancing in a rhythm that left you both breathless.

Your phone rang, jolting you back to reality. It was Joost asking if you're okay. "We're okay, Joost. We won't be coming back to the party," you managed to say as Aggu kissed a your neck, his lips leaving a trail of fire in their wake.

"Enjoy your night," Joost said, chuckling. "And don't forget protection." He hung up, clearly understanding the situation.

You resumed kissing Aggu, your hands exploring his body. The kiss deepened, your fingers trailing down his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath your fingertips. His hands were equally adventurous, tracing the curve of your spine and settling on your hips, pulling you closer with each passing moment.

Aggu's kisses grew more urgent, his lips moving from your mouth to your jawline, then down to the sensitive skin of your neck. You tilted your head, giving him better access as he peppered your skin with kisses, each one sending sparks of pleasure through your body. The sensation was overwhelming, a heady mix of desire and longing that made you dizzy.

Breathless, you broke the kiss, your chest heaving as you tried to catch your breath. "I'll call an Uber to your place," you said, your voice barely more than a whisper as you pulled out your phone.

While waiting, Aggu switched your positions, and pinned you against the wall, his kisses urgent and demanding. His lips found yours again, the kiss resuming with an intensity that left you reeling. You could feel the rough texture of the brick wall against your back, a stark contrast to the softness of his lips. His hands explored your body with a newfound determination, each touch igniting a trail of fire beneath your skin,

You lost yourself in the kiss, your hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as the world around you faded away. The only reality was the two of you, lost in a moment of passion that seemed to stretch on forever. The kiss was a dance of tongues and lips, a silent conversation that spoke of desire and longing.

Your phone buzzed, signaling that the Uber had arrived. Reluctantly, you pulled away, your lips tingling from the intensity of the kiss. Hand in hand, you climbed into the Uber, the tension between you charged with anticipation. The car ride was a blur of whispered conversations and stolen kisses. As you pulled up to Aggu's place, the reality of what was happening began to sink in. You both stepped out of the car, and Aggu led you inside.

His apartment was modest but cozy, filled with memorabilia from his music career. The moment the door closed behind you, the atmosphere shifted. Aggu pulled you close, his hands exploring your body with a newfound urgency. Your lips met in a fervent kiss, the passion between you igniting like a fire.

You moved through the apartment, shedding clothes as you went. By the time you reached his bedroom, you were both breathless and eager. Aggu's touch was electric, sending shivers down your spine as he guided you to the bed. The night was a whirlwind of passion and intimacy, every touch and kiss deepening the connection between you.

As dawn approached, you lay tangled in the sheets, the aftermath of your night together leaving you both breathless and content. Aggu's arm was draped over you, his breathing steady as he drifted into sleep. You watched him, feeling a profound sense of happiness. The jealousy and tension of the night had melted away, replaced by a deeper understanding and connection.

_____________________________________________

The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow on the room. You knew that the night had changed everything between you and Aggu. What had started as a celebration of a shared success had blossomed into something much more profound. And as you lay there, wrapped in each other's arms, you couldn't wait to see where this new chapter would take you.

[justanoasisimagines]

Back To You

Summary; Dwight comes face to face with someone who he presumed was gone. Pairing; Dwight x Female Reader WordCount; 522 A/N; Requests are open. Losely based on a preference I wrote a while ago. Credit to @cafekitsune for the divider and banner!

Dwight's eyes haunted him. Creating false imagery of you, the love of his life. Lost. Dwight was uncertain. You could be alive, lost, searching for him. Or you were now gone, walking among the undead.

Dwight looked away. Inhaled and exhaled before he glanced back up. Excepting the image of you to have disappeared. Except you hadn't.

You were still deep in discussion with Arat. Dwight felt his heart pounding in his ears as the box slipped out of his hand crashing onto the floor. You turned reacting to the sudden sound.

It was you without question.

Time appeared to slow around you both. Dwight closed the distance in a matter of large strides. Not a word was spoken when Dwight finally reached you. With calloused hands, Dwight grasped your face as his lips collided with yours with a bruising impact.

Even as you pulled away, neither let go. Silent tears expressed a mountain of emotions you'd need to process. Arms circled around bodies, both holding on for dear life, afraid the other might suddenly disappear.

As Dwight leaned down to kiss you again, he took his time. Wanting to absorb every feeling, every sound, every touch. The softness of your lips sent him back to easier times.

The way you clutched onto his shirt as you attempted to ground yourself. The way lips twitched ever so slightly when Dwight leaned in for another kiss.

So many memories came flooding back, Dwight found a home within you. He would do anything he could to protect that.

Dwight realized there was so much at stake. The Sanctuary was hazardous. There were too many dangers within the walls. Always someone attempting to win Negan's favor.

The two of you would need to take off. Somewhere safe. Somewhere where people weren't constantly fighting for more power. Dwight considered asking if Alexandria would take you in.

It would be a long shot, but what did Dwight have to lose?

"Baby, I've got so many questions, but I've got to deliver this package. Wanna come with me?"

"I can as long as we collect the bundle of clothes I'm meant to be fixing." Dwight retrieved the box from the ground, deciding to take the weight in one arm so the other could hold onto your hand.

"Alright. Then we're going to head back to yours. We're packing up your stuff so you can move into my room."

They were walking around doing their duties, while so much uncertainty hung over the two.

"You know we're gonna figure it out. What to do next? One thing is certain we're not staying here long term. I don't know how. I don't know where but we're going to find somewhere safe."You nodded. Dwight wrapped his arms around your shoulders. The apocalypse had taken a lot from Dwight. Life as he knew it, but he refused to let it take you.

[drarrily-we-row-along]

Hey everyone.

Maybe some of you have noticed that my writing's been super sporadic since like June (if you haven't that's very okay) but I just wanted to write a little bit about what's been happening in my life because it's had a pretty big impact on my writing.

It turns out that I'm actually ace.

So, if you happen to notice an uptick in me writing fics with ace characters who still get to be loved, I'm just trying to process a thing.

Please feel free to skip the rest of this post if you're not interested in the harrowing journey of self discovery. I am absolutely giving too much information about my life, I'm just really working at processing everything and I'm hoping writing it out will help. And honestly, there have been some beautiful souls in the Tumblr community who have given me some beautiful encouragement (including but not limited to @basicallyahedgehog who answered an anon ask I sent them the other day with so much kindness and encouragement because I'd bawled my eyes out about one of their fics featuring ace Harry/Draco.).

(Anyway. If you want to read a ramble about all of the things I'm struggling with at the present moment, I'm gladly accepting advice and kindness at this time. Please read below the cut and chime in if you have anything hopeful to add.)

For most of my life I've pretty comfortably called myself a "picky bi" and in the past couple of years have labeled myself "demisexual" because I'm not sex repulsed; I've had sex, it was fine/good when it's with someone who I'm in love with. I moved on from the labeling, content with the label I'd given myself and whatnot.

It's been a minute (read: 8+ years) since I've been in a relationship that got to the point where I've considered having sex but I didn't really think all that much of it. In retrospect, I think this is largely because I've grown a lot in terms of self respect and honoring my own autonomy. Somewhere around 25, I started saying no when I didn't want something and if the other person didn't respect that decision they were not worth my time.

Anyway, it didn't really occur to me that perhaps going nearly a decade without thinking about/wanting to have sex with anyone (and without experiencing even vague aesthetic attraction to someone with only the odd exception here and there- some of you saw that post a couple of months ago, apparently just having the thought that someone is pretty isn't the same as attraction that allo people experience- so that panic now seems pretty unnecessary. It literally boggles my mind that people can just see a person they've never met and want to have sex with them. Anyway, I'm digressing.) Apparently, it's not a common occurrence even among demisexuals to go that long without thinking about sex if you have emotional intimacy with people (which I do). So fast forward to June when I went to a conference for lgbtqia christians and started listening to people talk about attraction.

To say that my experience of attraction and desire for sex is profoundly different than that of nearly all of the people that I talked to at that conference would be an understatement.

After that conference, I started talking to a lot of friends about their experience of attraction and their desire for sex (eventually this also included some new friends who are demi/ace) and have been a little flabbergasted by their responses. Suddenly, in light of the fact that my body doesn't interpret a lot of things the way that other peoples' seem to, a lot of things started to make sense.

I've been called a flirt (at best, and a [cock]tease in more unpleasant moments) my entire life because I always want to give people gentle physical affection; I love holding hands, touching people on the arm while we're having a conversation, playing with peoples' hair, hugging, leaning, the list is long- none of those things have ever felt like flirting to me. Every one of those actions was the end in itself, there was no artifice in my touches, no desire or even thought for more, but APPARENTLY that is not the thing that happens in a lot of peoples' bodies. It is incomprehensible to me that simple, affectionate touches are not something that everyone just wants to do to anyone that they harbor platonic affection for. This also applies to the way that I communicate with people. Again, I've been called a flirt, been told that I'm intense, been told that I'm trying to 'steal' peoples' boy/girl friends simply by being friends with them. APPARENTLY, showing "too much" interest in other peoples' lives and hobbies is flirting. APPARENTLY, getting really excited for people who are excited and doing cool things is flirting. Because (or so I have been told) the emotional energy I expend is too much to just be friends; surely, I have another angle.

Next, in terms of attraction, I experience attraction to beautiful things in nature in the same way that I experience it to people. If I'm being honest, nature makes my heart sing in a way that people usually don't. I can get caught up in the beauty of the world; the vastness of the ocean for literal hours, in the majesty of the mountains, the strength of trees, the way water carves a path through the rocks in glens and waterfalls. The world takes my breath away, it makes me weep just to exist in nature. Apparently, this in not everyone's experience of nature and apparently, many people who want to have sex don't think that trees, or bodies of water, or mountains have as much (or more, in my humble opinion) appeal than humans.

It's come to my attention that even the way that I have experienced heart break from relationships where I was "in love" and having sex is not the way that people typically experience heartbreak. All heart break feels the same to me; grieving leaving a job, grieving the death of a loved one, grieving horrible things that happen to my students, grieving the loss of friendships, and grieving the loss of a relationship feel like the same heart break. (Like some of those things hurt worse than others but the heart break over the loss of a relationship isn't worse.) One of my friends mentioned that I grieve the passing of summer into autumn (I fucking hate the winter) like the loss of a relationship and I wish I could say that she is wrong. I've been told my whole life that I experience my emotions too big and I just can't help but wonder if there is some sort of correlation there, but I digress.

The literal dream for my life is to have someone who wants to get in the car or on a plane and travel with me. Someone who I can make coffee for in the mornings and who wants to cook me dinner at night. Someone who wants to sit on the couch after a long day at work and talk about nothing, or watch a show, or just exist together. Someone who wants to dance with me in the kitchen, and hold my hand while we walk, who wants to smile at me while I ramble about nature. I want someone who wants to hold me when I cry, who wants to listen to me when I'm mad, someone who will remind me to take a break when I'm working too hard. The only thing that I actually want from a partner is just someone to do life with. It's not that I'm opposed to sex, it's just that it literally doesn't matter.

(So many things in past relationships, so many fights, so many of the reasons that I was left, so many things that I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND make sense now. Or at least they're starting to.)

So. In the process of understanding this complete fuckery, of trying to put all of the pieces that haven't quite made sense in my life into order, in the end of July my best friend told me that she's in love with me.

And on the one hand, I'm fucking over the moon, delighted, honored, speechless, crazy-happy. She's literally the best person I have ever known, she's the kindest, sweetest, most loyal, loving, amazing human being to ever exist. She loves me so well, so completely, like all of the things that I said above that are my dream; that is her. We road trip together, and she lets me braid her hair, and we snuggle on the couch and watch movies, and we talk for hours (literally hours, when we road trip we go for 7-10 days at a time and I like do not shut the fuck up for more than like 5 minutes total the entire day and she loves me; loves listening to me talk about whatever is in my brain), and when I'm going on and on about how pretty things are in nature she looks at me like I'm the pretty thing (when I say, 'oh my gosh. that mountain, tree, lake, ocean, etc. is so beautiful.' she literally says 'you're so beautiful' and I am deceased, my heart can't take it, I can't fucking stop smiling- I don't even want to), and she lets me info dump about whatever I'm learning, and she loves my brain and my stupid adhd, and she plays me sappy love songs and sings them to me (and she sings in my car, sings to me even though she doesn't sing in front of people) and and and... she makes me feel like I'm good. She makes me feel like I'm all of the things that other people have said I'm not.

And I am constantly terrified of hurting her.

There are a variety of reasons we're not planning on having sex (partially because it's not really something that I want) that I'm not going to get into but I'm afraid of being what I've been to other people. I'm afraid of her feeling like I'm pushing her buttons because I just always want to be touching her (very platonically) like just having our shoulders bumping while we walk, or putting my head on her shoulder when we're on the couch, or letting our elbows press against one another while we're in the car. BUT what happens in our bodies when we're touching like that is really different. Like I described above, for me any type of touch is really the end goal in and of itself (if I'm braiding her hair, it's safe to assume that that is all I want to be doing. If I'm leaning against her on the couch, that too is what I'm wanting.) But that's not always how her body wants to interpret touch, even if she logically knows that I'm not intentionally teasing (she would never say that she feels like I'm trying to tease her, for the record, it's just the easiest way for me to articulate what it feels like could be happening).

And I love her so much, like so much; I'd do anything for her but it's not the same kind of love that she feels for me. By which I mean that she is just really gay and actively attracted to me emotionally/physically but for me if she started dating someone else, I'd be actually fine with that. If she was dating/having sex with someone I wouldn't be jealous, as long as we still get to be friends. (And maybe her dating would necessarily change the dynamic of our friendship and that would be really hard but that's a different mental exercise.) This isn't the way that she feels.

She is so special and important to me but even the way that we are aware of the other person's presence is different. For me, if I'm in a group of people and she's there, I'm aware of that on some level but it's not at the forefront of my mind. My brain is always sort of 'triaging' the people around me when they're my friends; who's being too quiet? who has been going through a rough patch with work/family, etc? who has an exciting new thing they need someone to squeal about with them? who hasn't been included in the conversation in too long? (see the paragraph above about flirting. haha.) She's there but she often isn't the first person I'm thinking about because I talk to her almost every day, I get to love her every day, and odds are good that we either drove together or will talk on the phone our way home from the event- I see the other people there less, so my brain just prioritizes them since I have less time to love them. (This is actually really good, healthy progress for me in terms of healthy attachment and not forming a codependent relationship. My therapist and I are really proud of the work I'm doing, but I'm digressing again.) For her, though, she always knows exactly where I am. It is work for her to pay attention to other conversations, work to be in a different room. In most situations, I am the person she defaults to thinking about and wanting to be near and she has to actively choose other things if she wants to. (And I don't mean to sound like an absolute asshole, it's not like I ignore her or anything, and I'm delighted for us to be in the same conversations, it's just a different way that we engage with the world.)

I love her so much. And I'm afraid of messing everything up. Of hurting her. Of asking too much of her without asking for anything at all. I try to let her be the one to initiate physical touch (or I ask first) because sometimes it's too hard on her body and that's fair. I feel frustrated with the different ways that we experience love for each other because the way that she loves me feels so good and safe to me and it makes me feel so happy. I'm afraid that the way that I love her doesn't feel as nice for her, that it feels less than, that the way I express my love and devotion isn't as good. I'm afraid that the way she loves me is going to wear her out. She always says she knows I love her just as much as she loves me, it's just different. She says she's okay, she says that the way I love her is good for her and she's happy. But it's hard to believe.

I'm afraid that she'll fall in love with someone else who can love her the way she loves and I won't matter to her anymore (partially because that's been my experience of people who have said they're in love with me). I'm afraid.

Is it even fair to entertain the idea of maybe having a whole life together? (we're already entertaining the ideas, already daydreaming about 'what if we lived together', where we're going on our next road trip, etc. And I'm terrified.) Is it asking her to give up too much? I would spend the rest of my life with her. I'd be good and kind to her, I would love her with so much tenderness. But is it enough? Am I enough with just the things that I have to give? Is it actually possible for someone to love me for just me and not for the ways that I could contort myself to be something I'm not?

I recognize the irony in what I'm asking. I know that that's what all of these hundreds of stories I've written here say, it's what I want to believe. But is it even possible when it's reality?

I don't know. Does anyone have any good advice? Any ace people out there living with a person who's in love with them? Does anyone have something that's lasted?