#you know like from yuba city on up

[freetheshit-outofyou]

We really are living in a Bizarro World, a world where people in California want to change a law that makes discrimination illegal, so a portion of California's residence, based soley on their race, can get preferential treatment (money) over all other CA residence, while also making discriminations of all kinds legal again in the state, and they think that's a solid plan so people who were never slaves can get paid by people who never owned slaves, in a state that never allowed the slavery of black folks so they can get paid. My god this is the worst Bizarro World to be in. Prop 209 added the following to the Constitution of California: "The state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting."

[cozage]

The Meaning of Justice: Chapter 4

Yuba

You’re a Marine who’s always been taught to trust the process. And you always have, until you meet a certain pirate who won’t stop pestering you to join his crew. 

Alabasta Desert < | > Next Chapter | All Chapters

Characters: female reader, Strawhat crew, Vivi Word count: 2.3 Cw: Alabasta Spoilers A/N: After months of being on hiatus!!! Shes back :) A short one, but the updates will hopefully be coming more frequently!

You slept with the Strawhats that night, though it was considerably more cold without Ace present. You cursed him for not waiting until morning to depart, but you managed to fall asleep for a few hours despite the desert chill. 

The Strawhats trekked quietly through the desert for the entirety of the next day. Most people were too exhausted to speak, but Sanji offered several times to carry you through the sand if you wanted. You politely declined, though every time he asked you got a little bit closer to saying yes. 

It wasn’t until sunset that you came across another town. At first you thought it was rubble like the first one you had come across, but Vivi explained that you were now resting in Yuba, an old oasis town. 

“I know it’s a little dried up,” an old man called from the bottom of a hole, gathering your all’s attention. “But you’re welcome to stay if you need a place to rest.”

“We’re looking for the rebel army,” Vivi explained. “We heard they were in this city.”

The old man scoffed. “Those fools left a long time ago.”

Luffy’s mouth dropped to the ground. “They WHAT?!”

“With the oasis and the supply runs dried up, the rebel army packed up and moved its base to Katorea. Hope you’re not planning to join it. They’re a bunch of no good, rotten-”

“Katorea?” you questioned. You were fairly certain you knew where that was on a map. It was back where you started. And judging by Vivi’s face, you were correct. 

“That’s impossible,” Vivi muttered, tears welling up in her eyes.

“What’s wrong Vivi?” Luffy asked. “Is Katorea close by?”

“No.” Vivi’s lip was trembling, confirming your suspicions. “It’s an oasis near Nanohana.”

“Vivi?” The old man climbed out of the hole and walked closer to the princess. “Did you say Vivi? Is that you?”

Tears of familiarity streamed down the old man’s face. “You’re alive! Thank goodness! I have faith in his majesty. He’s not someone who would ever betray the kingdom! Oh, Vivi! Please tell me you recognize me. I may have lost some weight, but…”

“Toto?”

“Yes! Oh Vivi, I’m so happy to see you alive and well!” The old man grabbed Vivi, pulling her in for a hug as they both cried. 

“This rebellion is ridiculous,” Toto said, holding the princess tight. “They intend to settle things once and for all with their next attack. Their backs are to the wall. You must stop their foolish behavior, I beg you!”

“We’ll stop them,” Vivi promised. “We’ll find a way.”

“Oh, thank you!” Toto cried. “Please, you all rest at the inn. You can get started on your journey tomorrow.”

You changed into the pajamas the old man had offered you and gave yourself a good, long stare in the bathroom mirror. You had only been with the Strawhats for a few days, and you were already so unsure of yourself and your decisions thus far. You knew that not every pirate was like this crew, but they made you feel hope. Maybe they weren’t so bad after all. Maybe you could give them a chance. 

That chance was ruined the moment you stepped into the bedroom, when a pillow came hurling at your face and smacked into you with surprising force. You shot a glare around the room, but nobody seemed to notice. All of the boys were screaming at each other, beating one another with their own pillow. The girls were hiding in the loft, and you made a sprint up the stairs to safety, dodging a few flying pillows on the way. 

“Those morons,” Nami groaned, and you grabbed another stray pillow that flew at you all. 

“I have a pillow, shall we call it a night? The boys can figure themselves out, I think.”

Nami and Vivi both looked at you for a moment, and then burst into laughter. The three of you receded into the loft room, which held an extra large king bed.

Normally you would’ve opted to sleep on the floor, but after a few nights on the sand, your back was begging for the relief of a soft mattress. 

“Do you think we can all fit?” you asked, trying not to get your hopes up. 

“Of course!” Vivi and Nami said in sync, which caused you all to laugh. Those two were always in sync.

“I’ll sleep in the middle,” Vivi offered, jumping onto the bed. 

Both you and Nami quickly followed suit and joined her beneath the covers. The bed was plenty big for the three of you to sleep comfortably, and you could feel your eyelids starting to close the moment you laid down. Nami clicked off the bedside lamp, and the three of you were plunged into darkness.

“The boys won’t ask, but I’m not scared,” Nami said to the darkness. “You’re not going to betray us once we get back to civilization, are you?”

“No,” you answered. 

It was the truth, too. You were pretty sure you’d do almost anything you could to make sure the Strawhats got away from the Navy unscathed this time. Not because of your promise to Ace, but because of how much you believed in them. Even if it wasn’t conventional, their hearts were mostly in the right place.  

“Good,” Nami whispered. “Because I don’t want to have to make Zoro beat you up. I kinda like having you around.”

“Don’t get used to it,” you mumbled, and you closed your eyes. You could hear Nami and Vivi give a light giggle as you swiftly slipped into sleep. 

You didn’t mind sleeping with the Strawhats anymore. Despite the noise the boys caused, you found it easier to fall asleep amongst them than any night on your navy ship. You chose to blame it on the amount of energy you were exerting each day. You refused to believe it was any other reason.  

When you woke again, you could feel a person pressed against you. As you opened your eyes, the soft morning light shone in from the window to reveal the blue haired princess curled tightly against you, Nami pressed against her. Between Nami and Vivi was a ball of brown fur: Chopper, you realized after a moment. He must’ve crawled into bed with you all at some point during the night. 

You shifted slightly, trying to find a way to silently escape the bed without waking anyone up, but the moment you moved, Vivi’s eyes instantly popped open. 

“What time is it?” She sat up, looking around for any indication of the answer to her question.

“The sun just started to rise, I think.”

“We need to move,” Vivi said. “It’s going to take at least three days to get to Katorea. If we hurry, we can get there before the rebellion leaves.”

You hopped out of bed and towards the steps to the bunkhouse. “I’ll go wake the boys, you take your time getting ready.”

“Y/N?” 

“What’s up?” You looked back at the princess, who seemed to be nervous. 

“I’m sorry for the things I said in frustration about the Navy the other day,” Vivi said. “I don’t think you’re like that.”

You gave her a genuine smile. “Don’t sweat it. The Navy is far from perfect, I can acknowledge that. I hope I can make it better in the future. But I’m glad that you found help in the meantime.”

Vivi looked over at Nami and Chopper, who were still fast asleep. “They are an unusual group, aren’t they?”

You gave a light chuckle. “They are definitely not what I was expecting.”

Waking the boys was harder than you could imagine. Nobody would move for anything you said or did. You screamed, threw pillows at their head, and even smacked them a few times. You weren’t making any progress at all until Nami came down to assist. She took one glance at them and shook her head in disappointment. 

“What’s that?” Nami yelled. “There’s a helpless girl cooking meat in Sanji’s kitchen with a sword? And now the Merry is on fire?!”

All four eyes snapped open and the boys stood in front of their navigator with full attention. 

“What’s happening?!” they cried in unison, all equally panicked. 

She gave them a glare. “We’re leaving.”

The boys all grumbled, but they gathered their few belongings and packed up to set off across the desert back to Nanohana. You all thanked the old man for the hospitality, and he gave Luffy some Yuba water, straight from the oasis that had been buried by sand long ago. 

You hadn’t walked more than an hour before Luffy began another one of his temper tantrums. He sat down in the sand, folded his arms, and began to pout. 

“I quit.”

You stared at the pirate in shock as Vivi scoffed. “What do you mean?”

“I want to kick Crocodile’s ass. We can’t do anything in Katorea anyway. There’s a rebellion. That rebellion won’t stop Crocodile. Stopping a rebellion is more of Marine work. I’m a pirate and I want to beat up Crocodile. Vivi, you want it so nobody gets hurt. You want everyone to stay safe and sound. But we're up against a warlord and a rebellion. Don’t you think you’re being too optimistic thinking we can do both?”

Sanji stepped in front of Vivi, trying to shield her from his captain’s words. “Now hang on a minute, Luffy-”

“How can you say that!?” Vivi cried, storming past Sanji and to Luffy. “What’s wrong with not wanting people to die?!”

“People die.”

Vivi slapped the pirate so hard she made him fall backward. “Stop talking like that! That’s exactly what we’re trying to stop here! Nobody has done anything wrong except Crocodile! Nobody deserves to die!”

Luffy grabbed her arms and pulled her down on the ground, and then rolled over on top of her and pinned her against the sand. “Then why are you putting your life on the line?!”

You started to move, desperate to protect the Princess, but Zoro held you back. “Hang on a minute,” he mumbled, his eyes on the fight. “Trust him.”

You were tense against his grip, but you stayed where you were.

Vivi pushed Luffy off of her and pounced on top of him, immediately beginning to punch his face. 

“As if putting your single life on the line is enough!” Luffy spat at her, taking the punches. 

“What else should I put on the line?” Vivi shrieked, her fists still making contact with Luffy’s face. “I don’t have-”

Luffy grabbed her hands, stopping her mid punch. You could see the princess was completely defeated by the massive undertaking that was bestowed upon her. 

“I don’t have anything else I can put on the line,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

Luffy pushed the princess off of him, more gentle with her this time, and sat up to face her. “At least try putting all of our lives on the line together! Aren’t we friends?!”

Vivi finally let out the tears that had been welling up in her, sobs coming from her as she buried her face in her hands. Nami rushed to her, rubbing her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. 

Luffy however, was not one for comfort. Instead, he stood up and brushed his hat off. “You can cry those kinds of tears. I know this hurts you most of all. Now tell me where Crocodile is.”

Zoro finally released you, and you nodded to him in thanks. It seemed that Luffy knew what he was doing, even if nobody else did. You wondered what kind of bond had been formed between the swordsman and his captain for trust to exist so easily. 

Once Vivi settled down, you all changed course slightly, heading for Rain Dinners and Crocodile now. The walk was spent in silence until you saw the pyramid that signified your arrival to Crocodile’s territory. Surely there would be navy men here. You couldn’t be spotted wandering in with the Strawhats during your arrival. 

You cleared your throat, hanging back from the group. “Thank you all for your hospitality, but I can’t arrive with you.”

“What do you mean?” Luffy asked, clearly confused. “Aren’t you joining my crew?”

You gave him a shocked laugh. His question no longer irritated you, but it still did surprise you. “No, Luffy. I’m not.”

“But I want you on my crew!” Luffy whined. 

“She’s Navy, Luffy. Just drop it,” Zoro said, watching you carefully. You gave him a respectful nod. 

“You can come with us!” Sanji fawned. “I’ll protect you and feed you forever!”

“She said no!” Nami yelled, smacking both Luffy and Sanji simultaneously. “Leave her alone!”

You looked to Vivi now, letting the crew fight amongst themselves. “I’ll do what I can to get the Navy involved. I hope we can make a combined effort to take down Crocodile.”

“The Navy?” Zoro scoffed. “Fighting on the side of pirates?” He gave you a smirk, clearly aware of what kind of hole you’d be digging yourself if you presented it that way. 

“I’m not making any promises,” you explained through clenched teeth. “But I’ll do what I can.”

“Thanks for all your help,” Luffy said. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing you soon.” 

“We’ll be enemies,” you warned. 

“Nah!” Luffy flashed his signature smile and readjusted his hat. “We’re friends now!”

Everyone turned away from you and headed off to the city, leaving you alone with flustered cheeks. A pirate shouldn’t be calling you a friend. And yet, that’s exactly what they were. Your heart ached watching them leave, but you were fairly certain Luffy was right: you would meet again soon. The sea had a funny way of making that happen.

[brainyxbat]

Chapter 10: Luffy vs. Vivi! The Tearful Vow to Put Friends on the Line

(episode 103/104)

The evening after getting separated and reunited, they continued on through the desert. "Hey, Luffy," Usopp panted, "What did your brother give you?"

"I dunno," Luffy looked it over again, "It's just a scrap of paper."

"Just a scrap of paper?" Chopper asked.

"Lemme see that." Sanji took it away to investigate, and held it in front of the sun. "It really is just a scrap of paper. It's not even a note, or anything."

"A-are you serious?" Usopp panted.

"I'm not really sure either, but..." The paper flew out of his hand from the breeze; to Luffy's horror, Lashes began chewing it up. "Hey! Don't eat that!" He punched his head, and retrieved the paper back. "Sheesh!"

"Give me your hat, Luffy!" Nami held her hand out.

"Huh? This?" He did as told, although was confused of her intentions.

"If it's that important, I'll sew it to the underside of your hat ribbon."

"Oh! Great! Sew it good!"

"Yes, yes!" She quickly, and neatly stitched it on. "Okay! All done! Here you go!" She held it out to him.

"Thanks!" He beamed, and put it back on. "Now I don't have to worry!"

"There's nothing written on it," Zoro pointed it out, "What point is there to keeping it?"

"Ace told me to keep it, so I'm keeping it!"

"Your confidence isn't based on anything," Sanji remarked.

"So what? It's right a lot!"

"I don't know about that," They all drolled, except Venus and Vivi; the latter turned to look ahead.

"Someone carry me," Usopp groaned.

"Everyone! Yuba is just over those big rocks!" Vivi announced. "Let's make one more push to get there!"

"Okay!" Luffy, Venus, and Chopper cheered.

"Yuba, huh?!" Luffy jumped ahead.

"Yep! Yuba!" Nami followed more calmly.

"Yuba!" Chopper cheered.

"Carry me, Zoro," Usopp griped.

"Don't be such a wimp," He refused.

"Ooh! Carry me too, Zoro!"

"Once again, no!"

""Once again?""

"Don't worry, Usopp!" Venus beamed. "We'll get there soon, and you can rest all you want! Here."

He was surprised when she pulled his arm around her shoulders. "V-Venus?"

"I'll help you the rest of the way."

"Oh, th-thanks, but-"

"Venus, don't exhaust yourself," Zoro ordered, "I'm not carrying you again."

"I'll be fine!" Usopp blushed, as his walking stick was unused for the time being. She was so considerate. "Zoro!" She frowned in disappointment when the swordsman hauled Usopp over his shoulder, putting an abrupt end to her assistance.

"I got him."

She pouted silently, as she continued walking.

"Up ahead! I see a light!" Vivi pointed ahead.

"Did we make it to Yuba?!" Luffy asked. "I can't really see with all this sand!" Everyone looked on, with Nami now on Lashes' back.

"What could that sound be?" Vivi looked more closely in concern. "The city doesn't look right!"

"How so?" Venus asked curiously.

"I dunno. It's almost like..." Her eyes widened. "A sandstorm! The city of Yuba is being struck by a sandstorm!" They arrived after it was over, but the city was a complete mess. "This can't be..."

"This is bad," Zoro remarked, "It's almost no different from that Erumalu City!"

Luffy heaved in parchment, as he looked around the area. "Where's the water?!"

"Wasn't this supposed to be an oasis city, Vivi-chan?" Sanji asked.

"The sand has raised the ground! The oasis has been swallowed up!"

The sound of digging caught everyone's attention; they turned, and approached a thin, aging man shoveling the sand away. "Are you travelers?" He asked without looking back. "You must be exhausted from your trek through the desert." They looked on silently. "Sorry. This town is a bit dried up." He looked back at them. "But you're free to rest here, if you want." Vivi warily used her hood to cover her face. "There are plenty of inns here. They are this town's pride, after all."

"Umm, we came to this town, because we heard the rebel army was in this city," Vivi informed.

He turned back again, but more sharply. "What business do you have with the rebel army?!" To everyone's shock, he began hurtling barrels at them. "Curse you! Don't tell me you're hoping to join the rebellion?!" After calming down, he continued digging. "If you're looking for those fools, they left town long ago."

Not good! "They what?!" Luffy exclaimed.

"No!" Vivi cried.

"A sandstorm hit the town just now, but it certainly wasn't the first. The sand has dried up after three years of drought, and sandstorms began to frequent this town ever since. Little by little, the oasis of the past was swallowed up, leaving what you see now. With the town's flow of supplies gone, not even the rebel army's protracted struggle would have worked out. So the rebel army moved its base to Katorea."

Vivi gasped in horror. "Katorea?!"

"Where's that, Vivi?!" Luffy asked. "Is Katorea close by?!"

"It's an oasis next to Nanohana."

The man stopped digging. "Katorea is the town where I got lost, and met Lashes!" Chopper realized, then turned to the camel when he began grunting. ""When you saved me..." Lashes says he was carrying rebel army goods to Katorea!"

At that, as Venus facepalmed, Luffy, Usopp, and Sanji began beating up Lashes in fury. "Why didn't you say so sooner?!"

""Whatever!"" Chopper translated, which resulted in more beatings.

"Why did we come all this way, then?!" Zoro exclaimed.

Everyone turned back when the man approached them, seemingly having a sense of deja vu. "Vivi? Did you say "Vivi"?"

"Wait, old guy!" Luffy stood between them frantically. "Vivi isn't the princess!"

Zoro punched his head. "Don't tell him that, moron!"

"Vivi-chan? Is that you?" She was surprised when his bony hands laid on her shoulders. "You're alive! Thank goodness!" She was quiet. "It's me! Don't you recognize me?" He was disappointed when Vivi didn't seem to. "I suppose I can't blame you. I did lose some weight."

At that, her eyes widened again. "Toto-ojisan?" Her hand went up to her mouth in shock.

He teared up. "That's right!"

She began feeling choked up. Last time she saw him, he was fat and jolly-looking; now, before her, he was skin and bones. "It can't be..."

"Toto-ojisan?" Luffy repeated in curiosity.

"Vivi-chan, I have faith in His Majesty! He's not someone who would ever betray the kingdom. Don't you agree?!" He fell to his knees, and cried wordlessly, as everyone looked on. "This rebellion is ridiculous! Those fools... so what if it hasn't rained for a mere three years? I have faith in His Majesty. Most of the country still does, in fact. So many times... so many times I tried to stop them. But they won't listen to anything I say. The rebellion won't stop. Their strength is at its limit too. They intend to settle things once and for all in the next attack. Their backs are to the wall." Tears streamed down his face. "They're prepared to die! Please, Vivi-chan! Stop those fools!"

After a few seconds, Vivi held out a white cloth with a warm smile. "Don't worry, Toto-ojisan."

"Vivi-chan..."

"We will stop the rebellion."

Toto began crying again. "Thank you!"

-

Later on, as Luffy helped Toto dig, the rest of the crew settled down in one of the many inns, ready to get some rest. "Finally, real beds," Venus remarked joyfully when they walked in, with Lashes staying outside. "And they're bunk beds too! I get a top bunk!" With a giggle, she barreled past everyone, and stood at the ladder. Through unzipping, and stepping out of her boots, she beamed at Usopp when he followed her suit, shoving the pervy cook away from calling dibs. "Goodnight, Usopp-kun!"

"Goodnight, Venus-chan!" He grinned back. His eyes caught a quick glimpse of her knee-high socks, as she climbed up. She laid on the cozy mattress, set Burton's carrier by her pillow, and crossed her arms over her chest to get fully comfortable. "Okay! Excellent work today, my fellows!" He praised enthusiastically after she was settled in. "So let's hit the hay for now, and regain our strength for tomorrow!" He quickly laid on the mattress under Venus'. "Nighty-night!"

He only got one second of rest, before a pillow to the back of his head startled him back awake. "You've been sleeping this whole time!" Zoro scolded.

"Why, you..." Usopp growled, "Don't compare me with you monsters!" He threw his pillow at the swordsman's face.

"Now you've done it!" Pillows began flying, one knocking Chopper off the bed behind Vivi.

"Besides, you win today's laziness award, Blue-Nose!" Usopp sneered.

Chopper got into his face with a glare. "It's not my fault I can't stand the heat!"

"Sanji-san," Vivi's surprised voice diverted their attention, "That's my-"

They turned to see Sanji had made himself comfortable in Vivi's bed, and was holding up the covers invitingly. "Yes, I thought you might have a hard time sleeping alone tonight-"

He was cut off by a pillow in the face. "And what do you think you're doing there?" Usopp pointed accusingly, as Chopper snickered.

"Oh, that took some nerve," Sanji sneered, "Which one of you is spoiling for a fight?!"

On the bunk above, Nami was already irritated by the antics. "Do you guys not understand the concept of a nap?!" When a pillow was thrown at her, she threw it back.

"Alright!" Sanji cracked his knuckles. "You're in trouble now!" Not noticing Vivi getting struck, he ran into the battlefield.

In the midst of the fight, Venus was hit in the side of her head; as Burton jumped back while in his carrier, she continued to sleep soundly like it never happened, the only evidence of the incident being her newly tussled bangs. Nami watched in irritation, as the boys fought and wrestled, before turning to Vivi; to her surprise, she just smiled fondly.

-

"I'm sorry for being so unseemly, Vivi-chan."

"No, you're not unseemly at all!" She assured. "Well, we should be off!"

"Oh, Luffy-kun," Toto approached the captain, who had kindly helped him dig the previous night, "Take this with you."

Luffy and Usopp perked up at the offering: a barrel thermos! "Wow! Water!"

"Water!" Usopp gushed.

"You found some?!"

"Last night, just after you fell asleep while digging, I reached a moist layer of sand. That water is the moisture I managed to extract from it!"

"Oh!" Luffy beamed. "That sounds kind of complicated, but thanks!"

"It's genuine Yuba water! I'm sorry it's all I could get."

"I'll drink it with care!" He assured.

With that, they began trekking once again, with Nami on Lashes' back. A a few minutes in, however, Luffy suddenly sat under a skinny tree. "Huh? Luffy!" Usopp turned back, as everyone stopped. "What're you doing?!"

He stayed put, looking strangely defiant. "Luffy?" Nami slid down to the ground.

"What's wrong, Luffy-san?" Vivi asked.

After a moment of silence, he finally responded. "I quit."

"Huh?" Everyone stared on in absolute confusion. Quit? What did he mean by that?

"You "quit"?" Nami repeated.

"Luffy-san," Vivi frowned, "What do you mean?"

"You can't quit now!" Venus urged.

"Yeah, c'mon, Luffy!" Usopp scolded. "We don't have time to put up with your whims, you know! Get up!"

"Aren't we going back?" Chopper added.

"Yeah," Sanji agreed, "If we don't go back to Katorea the way we came, and stop the revolt, a million citizens here are going to clash, and things'll get ugly quick! This is for Vivi-chan! Now let's go!"

He grabbed Luffy by his collar, but to his shock, was tossed aside. "That's boring."

"Say what?!" He raged.

"Vivi!"

"Yes?"

"I wanna kick Crocodile's ass!" He glared furiously, making her step back. "If we stop the people rebelling, will that stop Crocodile? Besides, we won't be able to do anything in Katore, anyway." Everyone listened silently, surprised by his sudden wisdom. "We're pirates, you see. Things are better off without us around."

"He can really get straight to the point without thinking sometimes," Sanji remarked.

"Despite being Luffy," Usopp added.

"T-that's-!"

"You want it, so nobody dies in this fight," Luffy cut Vivi off, "None of the citizens, and none of us! Even when we're up against a Warlord of the Sea, and a million people are going wild, you hope everyone will stay safe and sound." He gave her a hard look. "Don't you think that's too soft-hearted?"

Nami noticed Vivi shaking, with her hands in fists, and decided to intervene. "Hold on, Luffy! At least show some sympathy for Vivi!"

"Wait, Nami-san," Sanji held his hand out.

"But..."

Vivi was now angry, as she threw her hood back. "And what's wrong with thinking that?" She demanded. "What's wrong with not wanting people to die?!"

Luffy was undeterred. "People die."

At that, Vivi suddenly slapped him in the face, hard enough to send him rolling. "Stop talking like that!" She shook her head, and panted. "Say that again, and I'll make you pay! That's exactly what we're trying to stop here!" He looked up at her from the ground. "The rebel army, the royal army, and the people of this kingdom haven't done anything wrong! So why do people have to die, when it's all Crocodile's fault?!"

As Luffy staggered to his feet, no one was prepared for his next move: punching Vivi in the face! "Luffy!" Venus exclaimed in shock, and tried to move in, but Zoro kept her back.

"Then why are you putting your life on the line?!" He demanded.

"Whoa, Luffy!" Usopp's eyes were wide. "You're going too far!"

Sanji was seething, ready to kill him. "Damn it, Luffy!"

Vivi pushed herself up, before tackling the captain on his back. "Just one look at this kingdom, and even I can tell..." He trailed off, as her fist was raised.

She then struck him. "Tell what?!"

"What most needs to be done!" He continued through repeated slaps and punches; and he wasn't finished. "As if putting your single life on the line is enough!"

"Then what should I be putting on the line?! I don't have-!" She stopped, and calmed when Luffy grabbed both of her hands. "I don't have anything else that I can put on the line."

He threw her off, and sat up angrily. "At least try putting all of our lives on the line together! Aren't we friends?!" She gasped at that, and her hand cupped her mouth, as tears welled up. "Aren't we friends?" She started to cry, as he grabbed his hat. "Oh, you can cry those kinds of tears..."

"Uh, Luffy..."

"Hold on," Zoro stopped Venus again.

"I know you actually hate this, and want to beat him up the most!" Luffy brushed the sand off his hat; Nami knelt down by Vivi, and hugged her closely, as everyone wore a serious face. "Now tell me..." He put his hat back on, and stood straight, "Where Crocodile is!"

[whiteshipnightjar]

Does art make a difference?

Aw, sure. Of course there are degrees of extremity to the potential change that art can effect, depending on how many people are able to engage with it. The Beatles made a huge difference in the world. But Henry Darger, Jeff McKissack, Karen Dalton, Pauline Oliveros, Kenneth Patchen – there are so many folks who have made great art and not gotten massively famous for it, yet I think there are all sorts of ways their work informs and shapes other people’s work, and brains, and decisions.

Should politics and art mix?

Well, everything mixes, the New Statesman! That’s like asking if a knee-reflex hammer and a quadriceps tendon should “mix”.

Is your work for the many or for the few?

That’s for the many/few to say. I just crank out the hot jams.

If you were world leader, what would be your first law?

Gravity. I feel like we need to tighten up the constitutional protections that particular law enjoys. It’s a ticking time bomb, if you ask me.

Who would be your top advisers?

Cute angel on one shoulder, cute devil on the other.

What, if anything, would you censor?

Maybe we could all agree to not bust each other’s chops all cut-dang day.

If you had to banish one public figure, who would it be?

Don’t know, banishment might be a little extreme, but I’d sure like to take that Stephen Hawking dude down a notch or two. Right? Are you with me?

What are the rules that you live by?

Basically, “bros before hos”. I feel like if you stay true to that, everything else just kind of falls into place.

Do you love your country?

I love William Faulkner, Dolly Parton, fried chicken, Van Dyke Parks, the Grand Canyon, Topanga Canyon, bacon cheeseburgers with horseradish, Georgia O’Keeffe, Grand Ole Opry, Gary Snyder, Gilda Radner, Radio City Music Hall, Big Sur, Ponderosa pines, Southern BBQ, Highway One, Kris Kristofferson, National Arts Club in New York, Ruth Crawford Seeger, Joni Mitchell, Ernest Hemingway, Harriet Tubman, Hearst Castle, Ansel Adams, Kenneth Jay Lane, Yuba River, South Yuba River Citizens League, “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”, “Hired Hand”, “The Jerk”, “The Sting”, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, clambakes, lobster rolls, s’mores, camping in the Sierra Nevadas, land sailing in the Nevada desert, riding horseback in Canyon de Chelly; Walker Percy, Billie Holiday, Drag City, Chez Panisse/Alice Waters/slow food movement, David Crosby, Ralph Lauren,San Francisco Tape Music Center, Albert Brooks, Utah Phillips, Carol Moseley Braun, Bolinas CA, Ashland OR, Lawrence KS, Austin TX, Bainbridge Island WA, Marilyn Monroe, Mills College, Elizabeth Cotton, Carl Sandburg, the Orange Show in Houston, Toni Morrison, Texas Gladden, California College of Ayurvedic Medicine, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Saturday Night Live, Aaron Copland, Barack Obama, Oscar de la Renta, Alan Lomax, Joyce Carol Oates, Fred Neil, Henry Cowell, Barneys New York, Golden Gate Park, Musee Mechanique, Woody Guthrie, Maxfield Parrish, Malibu, Maui, Napa Valley, Terry Riley, drive-in movies, homemade blackberry ice cream from blackberries picked on my property, Lil Wayne, Walt Whitman, Halston, Lavender Ridge Grenache from Lodi CA, Tony Duquette, Julia Morgan, Lotta Crabtree, Empire Mine, North Columbia Schoolhouse, Disneyland, Nevada County Grandmothers for Peace; Roberta Flack, Randy Newman, Mark Helprin, Larry David, Prince; cooking on Thanksgiving; Shel Siverstein, Lee Hazlewood, Lee Radziwill, Jackie Onassis, E.B. White, William Carlos Williams, Jay Z, Ralph Stanley, Allen Ginsberg, Cesar Chavez, Harvey Milk, RFK, Rosa Parks, Arthur Miller, “The Simpsons”, Julia Child, Henry Miller, Arthur Ashe, Anne Bancroft, The Farm Midwifery Center in TN, Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, Clark Gable, Harry Nilsson, Woodstock, and some other stuff. Buuuut, the ol’ U S of A can pull some pretty dick moves. I’m hoping it’ll all come out in the wash...

Are we all doomed?

If we keep our expectations pretty low I think we might be fine. I mean, we’re definitely all dying at some point. There’s no getting around that. But between now and then, things might start looking up!

— Joanna Newsom for The New Statesman, 2008

[hardboiledteacozy]

tagged by @yuuris-hair ! Thank you for the tag c: Always a pleasure to see you on dash and notifs

⟡ rules : answer + tag 9 people you want to get to know better and/or catch up with!

⟡ fav color : Teal

⟡ last song : I've been listening to the "Heaven's Tower" arrangement in A New World: Intimate Music of Final Fantasy vol III. I love the og song from FFXI and they made it even better with that pizzicato and the wind instruments. Ough it's so good

⟡ last movie : I think it might have been Wes Anderson's Asteroid City on the plane back from Japan? Haven't watched a movie in a while tbh

⟡ currently reading : Heike Monogatari, the H. McCullough English translation from 1988

⟡ currently watching : Dungeon Meshi and the new Fallout show

⟡ currently craving : Doughnuts. Also soba with yuba; I forget the name of the dish

⟡ coffee or tea : Coffee! Particularly black coffee, which I'm a big fan of. I also do love tea though. I feel like that one scene in Scott Pilgrim whenever someone asks for tea because I always have at least 6 varieties to offer

tagging @knightzp @thelocalmuffin @starburstgalexies @scribesen @asoftspotforangels @faerieyuri @literary-moon-witch @n4c9s and @sailor-galileo if any of you feels like sharing your own!

[silkendandelion]

Mirage In The Desert - Chapter 10

Summary: After weeks of searching, River believes he’s found the answer to his question: a boy with a straw hat and his friends.

Rated Teen and Up Audiences for language, implied violence. Cross-posted to Ao3, same username. Send me a DM: yell at me, send flowers. Cheers.

~*~

They believed the hardest adjustment would be the heat.

For Oasins, community and family were foremost, and for the mighty 35 that traveled to join the rebels, now separated by hundreds of miles for the first time in centuries, the heat was injury to insult.

Upon arriving to Yuba, they were instructed to abandon their clothes. The long, blue linen wraps called shen were worn by all Oasins to protect their legs from the sun, and yet could be tied to the waist by the bottom hem to stay dry while wading in the ocean. Their gold, while thankfully wasn’t confiscated, was ordered to be shipped back to the island.

They chose to package their shen as well, piling a single crate full with earrings, piercings, necklaces, gold from their hair, from their mothers, some of which had never been removed since parents years ago covered their babies in sun beams and stars.

So they stood naked in front of the love of their ancestors, covered in the rags of the rebellion, and nailed the crate shut.

Mercy, is that they would be in Yuba when the island receives their burden, never to see the tears of the mothers and brothers that open the crate, believing this would be the only box they receive if their loved ones do not come home.

“I promise it’s for your safety,” Koza said, unable to meet Esai’s eyes for more than a glance.

“I would never—,” he took a deep breath. “I understand how difficult this must be.”

“You can’t.” Esai’s conviction burned his face, unflinching and unafraid. “But I can. So promise me one thing, leader.”

“Of course.”

“That 35 Oasins will return to our island when this war ends.”

Koza met his eyes finally, torn between an earnest but naive speech of devotion, and an apology that would mean too little as he watched his men begin handing out guns.

“I promise.” ____ ___ __ _

Avoiding each other should have been harder, in the casino.

The tourist city went on, festivities uninterrupted, an unstoppable wheel of commerce incapable of slowing for the pain of a battered victim like love. And so they went on too, comforted by the memories of stolen whispers behind the hands that sheltered the flame of a cigarette, of uttered promises to meet when only the candlelight is left.

River couldn’t recall the last time they more than spoke, and Crocodile knew it was the morning he was too selfish to tell him goodbye.

“Sir, someone is here to see you,” Mila said, gesturing to a young man at her side that carried a loosely wrapped parcel under one arm, his hand already extended for a handshake.

“Pleasure to meet you, Crocodile, sir. My father’s tells me you’ve been his customer for ages.”

He dismissed Robin beside him with a wave of his hand, idly pocketing the papers she delivered before he acknowledged him, though without shaking his hand.

“Your father’s a talented craftsman.”

Another small gesture offered the man a seat at the bar next to him, and he realized Crocodile must live most of his life with his ambitions fulfilled by only a turn of his hand or the words he spoke.

“You’re too kind, sir. I have your order here. You know, I believe our best work is custom made—pieces of our customer’s vision, a shared creation.”

“Do you always prattle on about romantic things without introducing yourself? Or do I make you nervous?” His cigar cutter, thik, broke the silence.

The apprentice’s sentiment skidded to a halt, face suddenly hot, and he fidgeted with his shirt to dispel the embarrassment under his collar. “I—of course not. I mean, I’m not used to meeting the customers. I usually sew most of the day—”

Crocodile was content to smoke while he studied him, his chin on his hand while he waited as patiently as he was capable. He stammers like the fool.

“Crocodile,” came the voice of said fool, and River appeared at his side to offer an envelope in his first two fingers.

“Hm?”

“For you.”

A report, now tucked into his breast pocket beside Robin’s papers, but he couldn’t take time to admire the deliverer when River vanished, off to blackjack or some other, probably to avoid either of them saying too much in front of company.

He opened the tailor’s parcel to distract his restless mind and unfolded a silk scarf, Oasin blue, warm from the walk over as it slipped between his cool fingers.

Will he even accept gifts when we are so far apart?

“I made that coat.” The young man’s voice broke him from his thoughts, and he turned to see him watching River coddle the tourists at a card table.

“It took me a week and all the faux sable we had. I told my dad ‘I want to meet the person who could order such a beautiful coat’.”

Crocodile didn’t care for the fondness in his eyes while he studied him adjusting his hair pin, hands no longer fidgeting with his shirt and now ringing themselves for courage.

“Lulusian crystal buttons, cashmere and silk. He’s an associate of yours, isn’t he, Crocodile? Will you introduce me?”

The young man turned back to him but found Crocodile’s previously bored gaze overwhelming, a warning to flee before he loses his temper in front of the customers. How the warlord managed to keep his voice level baffled them both, though he knew the man’s instincts must be ringing alarm bells.

“Why would I do that?”

“Well, I was hoping—”

“Hoping for what? Dinner? What can a tailor’s apprentice offer eminence?”

The shrewdness of his words, his irritated rumble, lit a glimmer of realization across the man’s face, his shoulders wilting and eyes in his lap, obedient. “… I have overstepped. I’m sorry, sir, I hadn’t realized you two were…”

“Leave. Take that with you.”

He gasped, “Please, sir, I truly meant no offense! Take it, free of charge!” And offered the box above his bowed head.

Tourists lifted their heads to notice the commotion at the bar, their eyes scratching across Crocodile’s already thin patience.

“Keep your money and your product. It no longer suits me.”

His disapproving finger silenced the man’s protest, the box again tucked under his arm as he fled.

From where he had witnessed the altercation across the casino floor, River’s hard stare burned a hole in his temple. He endured, regardless, unwilling to let his mask slip on a weakness as coarse as jealousy.

Would he make you happy? He’s just a boy, liable to break your heart when he proves he is as selfish as the rest of the world.

Could you love him if he never broke your heart the way I did? ____ ___ __ _

Days to Operation Utopia: 3

Aboard the swan ship business continues the same, the errand runs and treasure hunting of Mr. 2 and Mr. i, both finding peace in routine even as the latter is hyper-aware of the clock, ticking down hours in the back of the mind.

“Newspaper, Mr. Faustina.” A crew-mate found him smoking by the open window, and went over to the hand he offered.

“Thank you,” he said while blowing the smoke away. “Has Mr. 2 decided on what he wants for dinner?”

“You know how the captain is—”

“I’M IN THE MOOD,” came a sing-song voice from outside the door.

“Speak of the dancer, and they appear.” River laughed quietly. “Isn’t that how the saying goes?”

“Well, not exactly—”

“FOR A SEAFOOD SURPRISE, YES SURPRISE!” Mr. 2 sang as they fluttered into the room, spinning wide before they got into River’s space to put a boop on his smiling chin, a playful ‘bleh’ on their tongue when they spotted his cigarette.

“A meal fit for a king. OH, by the sea, I see, with a beauty to rival the ocean. Yes, the one sitting here by the window, whom I wishwouldquitsmoking forever and ever moreeeee.”

“Hey, I think I’m in this song somewhere,” River said around his cigarette, though he gently pressed it into the ashtray anyway.

“Mr. 2, I’m starving. So how about this: anything you catch, I’ll cook. Yes? I’ll make—” His offering was cut off by the okama’s delighted screech, and the door slamming shut while they raced to begin fishing, no doubt.

No reason to be alarmed, Mr. 2 was known for flouncing about as they pleased, and River leaned back in his chair, wondering whether to relight his cigarette when a muffled splash came from the window.

“Mr. 2?!”

The crew all scrambled to lean over the railing, everyone except the helmsman and River, who ran to the bow to track the bubbles of a foolish devil fruit eater, bound to sink. He braced on the railing, ready to dive in after them, before a mighty wave of water burst upwards to nearly soak them all.

“Yahoo!”, came Mr. 2’s excited yell, their manicured hands holding tight to the back of a species River didn’t recognize, a slippery, porpoise-looking animal that wasn’t large enough to be a sea king—but still probably shouldn’t be ridden.

“I’ll be back with a feast for us! Wait for me, baby!” The beast rocketed off with a pink blur attached to their back.

“You can’t swim!!” River called after the racing split in the water that approached the horizon.

“Full speed after the captain!”, shouted the crew as they clamored to their posts, and River gave an exhausted but not unhappy groan.

“What a mess. Well, he’s sure to make a friend wherever he ends up.”

No doubt about that, and the Strawhat pirates that fish them out of the ocean, half-starved but in good spirits, are no match for the ballerina’s cheery candor. Well, at least the less suspicious ones are.

“You all are too trusting,” Nami sighed, though she couldn’t hope to compete with the one man show and their lively audience.

“That’s an incredible ability!” Chopper cried, delighted, when the ballerina mimicked them with a carbon copy of their furry face, down to the broken antler and blue nose.

“I have a memory function too. With my other hand, I can—” They touched their face with a pop, flipping through a variety of faces, though it seems their signature twang required actual effort to suppress.

Even the King.

From where she watched, the princess Vivi froze, a pang of fear shooting through her stomach when she recognized her father among the catalog of faces. The novelty of the ballerina’s show ripped away, she knew immediately the identity of the intruder they had fished up and brought aboard without a second thought.

“Impossible—”

“Oi, pay attention! There’s another ship coming up on us!” Sanji said to their captain and commander.

The swan-like ship, matching her owner, approached the Merry at a leisurely pace, crowded along the railing with a worried crew hoping to spot their missing captain.

“And that’s—” Vivi nearly bit her tongue, pushing down her instinct to say the name of the man on the bow, his dark hair waving behind him and wearing a regal suit that separated him at sight from the plain pirates beside him. What could have been a prince from one of her storybooks was just another proof of danger, and she knew they might have to fight before they even reached Alabasta.

“Time to say goodbye already…?” The ballerina suddenly mounted the railing, trailed by the affectionate little crowd of young pirates.

“But not forever, I’m sure. We’ll meet again, friends, and don’t forget—Friendship has nothing to do with how long we’ve known each other.”

The glittering tear they brushed away had the kids cheering, even their captain, also in tears. Outrageous, if you asked the others.

“Don’t cry for me!”, was the stranger’s last hurrah, muffled by the distance traveled from bow to bow, and intermingled with the prince shouting something about “Mr. 2, you idiot”, and “what do you mean you didn’t catch any fish?”

“MR. 2?!” The Strawhats cried, but could only stare helplessly at the swan ship as it sailed away.

“Like, Baroque Works, Mr. 2?” Usopp croaked.

“Yes,” Vivi said. “I’ve never been allowed to meet Mr. 2, but I’ve heard the rumors. Of a tall, broad ballerina with a pink coat that reads ‘Bon Clay’ on the back—”

“You really should have noticed sooner,” Zoro and Luffy groaned.

“—And their partner, Mr. i, who was brought on as an officer a little over a year ago, and carries twin swords of chased silver. While the prevailing rumor is Mr. i used his feminine beauty to secure his rank, I don’t believe Crocodile would take such a risk.”

Lighting his cigarette, Sanji stood unimpressed by the railing. “We shouldn’t underestimate either of them.”

“Mr. 2, he—” Vivi paused to avoid tears. “He has my father’s face in his memory. The king, Nefertari Cobra.”

The silence that followed only confirmed Vivi’s fear was shared by the young crew, as well as that they were firmly within enemy territory now, much sooner than they had hoped.

“You could wreak a lot of havoc with a power like that,” Zoro said.

“It’ll be problematic if we run into them again, since Mr. 2 now has several of our faces.”

A handful of guilty Strawhats wilted under Nami’s pointed stare.

“And Mr. i will be protecting them,” Vivi said.

“Then it’s a good thing we ran into them now, so we can make a plan.” Zoro touched Luffy’s shoulder to reassure him, and hopefully everyone else.

“We’ll be ready next time.”

The outline of the desert island had been visible for hours, but never felt closer than when they stepped over the puddles left behind by the fantastic Mr. 2, an enemy who minutes ago had been close enough to touch. For such a young crew, a hopeful collection of friends, they never struggled to believe they were ready to face a Warlord of the Sea and the people under his command who had killed before and were prepared to do so again upon order.

They didn’t know how it would open their world, from villains who pillage to usurpers who the world is the goal. ____ ___ __ _

Back on the swan ship, River hung up Mr. 2’s sopping wet coat to dry by the window, offering them a dry one, identical, of course, while the latter corrected their makeup with a damp rag.

“You’re awfully excitable for a devil fruit eater that was just fished from the ocean,” he said and brushed some invisible dirt off their sleeves while they turned to embrace his hands with theirs.

“I made new friends.”

“No wonder you’re so lively. Their sail seemed familiar, actually,” he wondered aloud, only half-listening to Mr. 2 rattle on about the pirates, something about a tenuki, cute girls, and a boy in a strawhat.

Until he gasped.

“Mr. 2, that’s it. You—you’re a genius!”

“Of course I am, wait wha—” They spluttered when River placed a firm smooch to their cheek, head spinning wild like a runaway roulette wheel.

“I’M A GENIUS!”

River dashed away to his room, ignoring the shouts from the deck about the feast, and snatched the newspaper from the table. The papers were no match for his impatient flipping, now rumpled, torn at the corners, but the bounty pages remained intact, and he held up the printed smile of a cheery boy in a strawhat.

“Monkey D. Luffy: 30 million. A devil fruit eater.”

I’ve never hired a pirate… Can I ask this of him? How much money will it take?

His wallet thudded on the table, spilling coins that were only a fraction of his stash at the casino. Between his jewelry and extensive wardrobe, he would make the Strawhat a very wealthy kid if only he agreed to help them. And if it’s not enough, well, they can have his labor too. Wouldn’t be the first time.

Pirates won’t refuse money. That much I know.

Nearby in Nanohana, a collection of Billions were surprised to see their snail phone light up with violet eyes and a shiny, lapis blue shell wrapped in gold station chains dotted with gems the color of a sunset sky.

“Who?” The highest ranked among them wondered before picking up.

“Hello? It’s Mr. i.”

Some gasped, others groaned, but the one holding the receiver gave a sinister smirk. They had come to the city to hopefully remove Mr. 11 from their roster, and to them it appeared a second leader spot was about to open.

“Ah, long time no speak, Mr. i. What can we do for you?”

“A ship with a ram’s head mast is coming to land. I want to know when it makes port.

“Is that all? Should we greet them—”

“NO, no. Do not approach. That’s an order. He steeled his voice to seem commanding, enough to deter all but a few.

“Expect a call then.”

“Don’t keep me waiting.” Click, went the receiver as the snail fell sleep.

“Tch, how spoiled,” The Billion griped. “You heard him. Find the ram’s head ship, and the rest of you: the marines are on their way. Let’s greet Mr. 11 appropriately.”

River hurried to tuck away his snail and throw on his coat, carefully pulling his hair out of the way of the furred collar. The time until Operation Utopia was down to hours, and he wouldn’t get a do-over if their plan failed.

Perhaps I should change clothes. I can’t be recognized in the port by any of the Billions if I’m going to try to meet the Strawhats.

“River baby! Come eat, the fish is almost—” The ballerina stopped, suddenly struggling to swallow the bubble of wine in their throat when they saw him emerge in Alabastan linens, limbs decorated with gold, and face veiled by Oasin blue.

“I’ve never seen you look like such a local.” They placed noisy, lipstick smooches on the back of his hand.

“Easy, Mr. 2,” he deflected, though his cheeks were already pink. “I’m afraid I won’t be joining you for dinner.”

“Be still, my heart—WHAT?!”

“Something’s come up, an emergency. I have to get to port immediately.”

“But we aren’t docking until the other side of the island.”

They and the crew followed the flutter of his linens to the bow, watched him brace a sandal foot on the railing to hoist himself up.

“You’re not going to JUMP, are you? Let’s talk about this, baby, let me take you—”

“It’s okay, Mr. 2.” He crouched to return their gentle boop to his nose. “You keep going to Rainbase, and I’ll meet you there. Yes?”

His easy smile, tacked with a wink, disarmed any hope to convince him to reconsider.

“Be safe! Oh, please, be safe!” Mr. 2 watched him go down into the water with barely a splash from the experienced swimmer.

They turned back to their crew, many of whom leaned over the railing, curious to witness the strength of his stroke, as fast as any fish even against the drag of his clothes.

“We’ll rejoin him in Rainbase. What are we waiting for? Full speed!”

‘Yes, Mr. 2!’ ____ ___ __ _

His snail phone began to ring as he rung the seawater from his clothes on the shore, and he waved awkwardly to the people standing at the port that witnessed him emerge from the ocean like a merman who’s been gifted legs in exchange for a wish.

“They’ve arrived in Nanohana. They must be planning to travel along the shore after they resupply,” said the snail from beneath the little feathered cap of the Billion on the line.

“I’ve arrived myself. Thank you, sirs.” He clicked off the receiver, though he couldn’t spot the ram’s head ship among the other boats at port.

They must have dropped anchor inside one of the alcoves, attempting to stay hidden.

Shouting from the shore startled him to hide his face, securing his veil while he watched marines bark orders at each other from the blue warship that took up most of the length of the harbor.

Best for me to stay hidden too then.

Marines were likely the last place Baroque Works would attempt to infiltrate in their schemes, but he supposed he can’t be too careful. After 15 months, he struggled to understand the extent of Crocodile’s influence, as well as imagine what would become of the island if their operation went unhindered.

The sun began to bear down as the afternoon went on, and after hours of winding up street after street, chasing glimpses of the crew’s path through the city, he rested in the shade between buildings to stretch out his sore feet.

“I haven’t worn sandals in forever... Where did they go?” He sighed.

From his hiding place, he leaned out to see a boisterous merchant walking the market in front of his stall, waving around a poorly painted piece of fruit.

“A relic of ancient power! One bite offers one thousand years of life, and you, yes YOU, can take home the entire apple for only 1000 berries!”

“Not this bit”, River groaned as he peeked around the corner to attempt to spot the Strawhats among bargain hunters and pushy merchants. There they stood, the long nose and tenuki, the most willing customers he’s ever seen, in shambles over the apple merchant’s impassioned spiel.

”Nami! Nami, can we have 1000 berries? This man is selling magic apples!”

“Absolutely not!”

River blanched, suddenly woozy, and not from the sun. “I… may have overestimated them.”

Shik. A sharp blade pressed against his throat from behind.

“You’ve been following us since port,” a male voice said, his short green hair and dark eyes visible in the blades reflection.

“I really haven’t,” River’s chuckle hitched when the blade pressed tighter, “I mean, you’re right. I have been looking for you all… You must be the Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro. Though I’m not a pirate.”

“That won’t save you.”

“I have a question to ask your captain.”

“Captain’s not here.”

“Are you kidding me?” He felt Zoro tense against his back, but River just groaned a loud, dramatic sigh. “It won’t mean anything unless I ask the captain. Where is he?”

“He got held up. And I never said you could.”

“I want to ask for his help. He’s strong, isn’t he? As you must be.”

“Zoro, don’t wander too—oh!” Nami gasped in alarm when she saw him at River’s throat. He let him push the sword away with a finger, only after he had a moment to process his request.

“He says he wants our help.”

“The newspapers say your captain is the strongest pirate in the East Blue. I want to hire him to defeat the strongest man on our island.”

“You mean—”

Vivi’s appearance from behind Nami took the word’s from all of their mouths. She and River stared for a moment before she averted her eyes, fear overridden by shame to face the man she helped to kidnap from his island.

“So it’s true you’re a traitor, Miss Wednesday,” River said, and relief fell from his lungs. “Thank goodness.”

Sanji appeared at her side, too close. “You know the princess—?”

Nami’s fist came down hard on his head. “SANJI!”

“Princess?” River looked back to the young girl.

“I’m sorry… Mr. Faustina.”

He smiled after a long moment, a bittersweet thing. “Strong girl. Abandoning your throne to slum it with us, and searching for a cure for our sick island... If you’re here then I’m too late. You’ve already secured their help.”

“Why are you here, Mr. Faustina? You’re Crocodile’s left hand.” She said, her distrust of him coming back to furrow her brows.

The darkness that washed over his face laid heavy over his eyes, sorrowful and bleeding vengeance at the corners. “Crocodile must be stopped, and I will play my part to the end. I can help you, but only a little. Get to Rainbase on your own and maybe we can win before the war begins.”

“There’s no way we can trust you,” Zoro said.

”It’s not your decision, is it—” River was interrupted by a resonating crash from the street over, the sound of Captain Smoker being hurled through rows of houses with the force of a rubber boy’s feral hunger, and taking a Whitebeard commander with him through every wall.

”Luffy!” Nami cried, correct in her assumption that explosions and commotion usually pointed towards their captain.

“It’s his,” River said, his smirk doing nothing to comfort their distrust of him. ____ ___ __ _

Gone before the Strawhats could further protest his involvement, the streets pushed against him as River rushed into the gaping hole that was the newly made front door of the restaurant.

“I’ve found you, Strawhat Lu—where’d you go?”

He looked around the destroyed diner and finally at the flabbergasted server. “Where did he go? The strawhat boy.”

“That way, I think. He and his friends all ran off without paying.”

“You’re joking… Okay.” River scratched his hair where the sun wore on his nerves. “A minor setback. How much do they owe?”

The server choked on his own spit when he pulled out his heavy wallet, the sun glittering off the coins as it drifted in the camel-sized hole. “They… also broke my wall.”

“Ah, of course. This should cover your expenses.” He grabbed more, and held out a handful of coins that tried to escape from between his fingers.

“And… and my friend’s wall. Next door.”

River raised an eyebrow.

And the server stared back.

Pleading eyes, and a vein in River’s forehead.

“Just—Take the whole thing, I don’t have time for this!”

“Oh—” They caught the wallet where it was shoved into their hands, cradling the handfuls of gold that spilled out of the pouch. “Come back anytime, stranger! You eat for free!”

But River didn’t hear him, tearing down the busy market street to attempt to catch Strawhat and whoever chased him. Friends? Unlikely, unless their version of hello was property damage.

Passed stalls, over stoops, under clotheslines, he finally came across a man his age that browsed a fruit stand with a brindled owl on his shoulder.

“Excuse me? Please tell me, did a boy with a strawhat run by here?” He stopped to question him, not a local if his baggy, foreign clothes were telling, along with the sharp, angled face of both the exotic bird and their owner.

If River had been educated elsewhere, or possessed more experience with the outside world, he would have paled to realize the bands on his arms were made of seastone.

“Strawhat boy? You don’t need to know where he went,” the man said plainly, deciding himself the conversation was over and both bird and owner went back to examining the fruit in the cart.

“But you did see him. Tell me which way he went, I’ll p—I can’t pay you. But I asked you a question and you admitted to knowing the answer.”

“Go home.” The man’s plain, almost bored voice turning hard to command obedience.

His answer startled River to silence, both men staring at each other for what must have been uncomfortable if not frightening moments for the fruit vendor.

A burst of flames to the sky broke their standoff, as well as answering River’s question without anything more to do with the strange man. He refrained from curling his lip, if only to not find out what his anger looked like, and chased the fire as he filed away the man’s appearance the way mice remember the smell of an owl.

Dispiriting eyes, the color of old, spilled blood, that burn from behind the lenses of his sunglasses. Dark hair slicked back over the crown of his head. And an owl.

River ran after the source of the fire but the flames and smoke easily outran him, unnatural, like they were people and not phenomenon.

“Shit! Where did they go?” He stopped at a cross street.

“There he is! Mr. i!” A crowd of Billions appeared to point at him.

“Ah! What is WRONG with this city?!” His robes flapped in the wind of his—yet another—hasty retreat. He couldn’t have known the Billions were chasing Strawhat too, though Ace and Luffy made quick work of the first wave, and luck pushed all of the separate parties towards the common ground of the harbor.

“Luffy, most pirate captains know where they parked their ship,” Ace scolded him gently while they walked.

“My navigator, she knows where I left it.”

“You’re a mess,” he laughed as they left the city streets to a series of stairs that led down to the pier.

“Get him!” The humiliated Billions yelled from atop the hill.

“Man, those guys don’t know when to quit, do they?” Ace looked back over his shoulder.

“WAIT! Wait, Luffy! Strawhat Luffy!”

The brothers turned to see River waving his arms as he sprinted at them from a side street, the Billions almost overtaking his voice when they yelled ‘Get Mr. i too! The Number seats are ours!’

“Mr. i? Like Mr. 2?” Luffy bristled, suddenly so unlike the cheery boy in the poster, and River skidded to a stop. He showed his empty hands to prove he was unarmed, well, at least he wasn’t holding his weapon.

“I come in peace! Peace, please. I want to ask you a question.”

Rubbery arms fell docile at his sides, the fire gone faster than it came. “Oh. Go ahead.”

So strange, River thought while he caught his breath.

Meanwhile, on the deck of the Merry, Nami pointed towards the sidewalk. “Look, there’s that guy! And Luffy, he’s with his brother!”

“I’ll get him—hey!” Zoro nearly snapped at the cook that put a hand on his shoulder.

“Not yet, stupid, those two can handle themselves. You’ll just be in the way.”

River paused to acknowledge the yelling coming from the ship in the harbor.

“… Anyway—My name is River Faustina.”

“Vivi told us who you are.” There it was again, that indifferent voice from the bright Strawhat boy that had sweat beading on his temple.

“Of course. I’m sorry… Crocodile has betrayed me. I will help you defeat him, if you’ll let me. Please, I would like to help you, and I can offer you—”

“Oh, sure! Why not?” Luffy cut him off, grinning wide as his arm was already reaching out into the harbor to grab hold of his ship, gone in a rubbery snap and a wild cackle.

“Wha—just like that?!” He called after the rubber boy, feeling a hot flush of embarrassment on his cheeks when Luffy waved goodbye like River was the one being outrageous and strange. Beside him, Ace just laughed, so pleased to be back among the absurdity of family.

“After all the running I’ve done today,” River sighs, too tired to notice Ace studying the side of his face.

“Would you like me to take you to the boat? Sounds like those guys don’t like you too much,” he jerked his thumb at the Billions racing down the hill, and River found himself smiling at the show of chivalry in Ace’s offered palm.

“They’re nothing I can’t handle,” he said, pleased his smirk was returned. “I’m going a different way.”

“Catch you later, River.”

Ace disappears with a mock salute on the back of a flame, his back, River realized, somehow more spectacular than Luffy’s cartoony stretching, and the sight of an ally, a real ally sailing down the coast beckons him to wonder if the spark behind his ribs is hope.

For months, laden by despair, he had been willing to accept comfort in traces of optimism moonlighting as joy, but that wasn’t good enough anymore. Not when they were so close. And though he knows the journey back to Raindinners will be hell on his feet, hot on his scalp, he welcomes the little fire beginning in his belly.

[californiaroadtoad]

Didn't Dave Barry write about something like this?

Aaaaand this week is one for the books. First of all, huge thanks to the folks at GoFundMe, particularly Tech Support, and Max in particular. Got be back up and running with this, and I'm as annoying as ever. So, huge thanks. Still, I remain off work, and I'm still trying to find something I can do for an income for myself. I hate being idled out, and I'd rather be working, but with all the foot dragging involved in getting back to work, I'm not overly sanguine about my chances. That said, I had two more appointments with doctors, and there's a possible avenue out: I have other valid disability claims ahead of me, including stuff with the VA. My body's been pretty badly abused over time, and there's a possible rating for me. Not going to lie: anything would help. I'm also looking at a couple of other avenues, primarily in training for new jobs in other areas, but still with ties to trucking. It's not much, but it's a shot. We're also looking at moving to Idaho, and I can finally spend quality time with my grandkids before they disappear completely. Two of them I never see, but the others? I'm happy to spend time with them. I'm putting in applications around Caldwell, Twin Falls, Jerome, Boise, and a few other areas. I'm not overly impressed with what I'm seeing at the moment, but if I can find the right place, at the right price? Boom. Gone. I'll move someplace that's more affordable. I had considered the Midwest. Iowa's gorgeous, as is Indiana. Spending quality time at Fort Benjamin Harrison was pretty nice, and there's a lot to recommend it. (Not that I'm fond of humidity, tornadoes, and hail, but that's Indianapolis for you.) Part of the joy of being Over The Road is you get a first hand look at so many parts of the nation. There are options I hadn't thought of for a very long time. (I still wish I'd moved to Washington State back in the late 90's when I had a chance, but there's no point in wishing.) One step at a time. In any case, my medical insurance changed. Everything is so bollixed up, and thankfully, I got some help from a lot of people to start getting it straightened out. My doctor at Sutter Medical in Yuba City helped out a lot, as did the new insurance company, though there's still a ways to go in getting it straightened out. I still need to work with a new Primary Care Physician, and with luck, I won't find myself bounced all the way back to the beginning on this journey. I also got a lot of help from our Assemblyman, James Gallagher, and his staff. there were a few snafus on the Disability, but they gave me a lot of encouragement and assistance. So, Erin Huddleson, thank you. You're a huge gem, and a great assist to this old Trucker and family. This, of course, led to a drive up to Chico today, and a chance to speak to the Disability folks up there. The staff was helpful, and went out of their way to assist us. Hopefully, I can make the return trip tomorrow, and we can finish this portion of this fight. If I can finally get cleared by the last of the medical folks, I can maybe, hopefully, possibly, be back to work in another month or two. I'm hoping. Like I said. I'm not sanguine, but I'm trying to stay positive. God knows, it's not easy. And, on another front, remember my mentioning the fraud attempt? Yeah, these guys don't give up. Let's just say it's laughable when they call up, claim they're working for Wells Fargo, then try to wheedle personal information out of you. I didn't give them anything, and I'm waiting for a call back from the Yuba City PD, and this is also being reported to the FBI. I'm not about to sit back and let them try this with anyone else. At least the business which was also being targeted in Roanoke, VA has been able to protect themselves. So that's something. More information as I can get it. I'm going to be so glad when the nightmare is over.

[alyjojo]

Past Life 🪡 Karmic Spread January 2024 - Cancer

Gender I’m Picking Up On (in the past life): Male, currently a young female, born in the 2000s, in the California/Utah area

Who You Were: Wheel of Fortune

What You Did: 9 Wands

How It Ended: 4 Swords

What Karma Was Brought With You: The Hierophant

Who You Brought With You: Queen of Wands

Additional energy: King of Pentacles

Character Card (current): The Diviner

Past Life Oracle: Wars and Battles (past), Unrequited Love & Spouse (present)

Dreaming Way: Fox & Coffin (past)

Charms:

Castle 🏰 & Broken Heart 💔 on Coffin

Flower 🌸 on The Hierophant

Family Tree (is how I’m hearing it) 🌳 on The Diviner:

Red Moon 🌙 on 4 Pentacles, 7 Cups & 8 Pentacles at the bottom of the deck:

Black Clover 🍀 on King of Pentacles:

This one is very intense. They’ve all been intense. I don’t think we carry over things from lives that aren’t intense, that seems to be the lesson for me. I knew yours immediately, it took one Google search, and I’m getting such clear & specific information on who you are now, it’s like your story WANTS to be told, I’m hearing “it will help so much to know”. I will post the Wikipedia article at the end, and there is probably loads online about you…or the accident anyway. As I’m shuffling cards, I hear “recent”, “the driver”, and “bus full of kids” followed by screaming. That’s all I needed, not one card on the table yet. Google shows an accident in Mexico first and I heard “close” - disregarding anything else too far from there, and found the Yuba City High School Choir Accident in 1976, you were the driver, Evan J. Prothero Sr. (1925-1996). Yours is the quickest return I think I’ve ever seen, and it’s confirmation for me that we do have some kind of say in returning, because I keep hearing “I can’t leave it like that”, the guilt is overwhelming in your soul. Wars & Battles have been confirmed by the grave online, you were a soldier first, and then a driver. Specifically trucking, not school bus, and there lies the problem. You didn’t know something was wrong with the bus, you didn’t know what the warning lights meant, and ignored some red flags, you had only driven a bus a couple of times, and not this kind. It was an accident, the bus toppled over a bridge I believe, and rolled down 20+ feet, landing upside down. Killing several, injuring everyone, including you - life threatening injuries.

There is a whole memorial website dedicated to the stories of every person involved, in it shows how you got this job by approaching a friend at a funeral (creepy), who gave you this job/event. The bus had something off with it so it wasn’t “legally” a school bus, but more of a charter bus, so you were allowed to drive it because you were not trained as a school bus driver. That’s why Fox is here with Coffin. Either you felt tricked by this person, or you felt like a manipulative trickster…I’m sure many parents vilified you, justifiably, but you never would’ve taken the job if you had any idea. This crushed you too, you hated that you lived, and you never forgave yourself. You wanted to hug parents and cry with them, but they hated you, and you never knew of what you could do because you couldn’t do anything, say anything, that would reflect how deeply sorry you actually were. Fox is looking away from Coffin, avoiding their eyes, avoiding the hate and heartbreak, because who could face that?

The message even in who you were, this is divine timing, something that’s followed you. Some things are not you, it’s Spirit, destined, you were meant to get on that bus, drive it, and crash it. Why, idk, but you were. Tragedies will never make sense to me, how can horrible things be meant to happen - I’m not God. Idk. I just see Wheel of Fortune has popped up so many times between the preshuffle, the past, every row on the bottom, and you have The Diviner which also shows divine timing. Your path in this life is spiritual/religious evolution, this event was the catalyst for a massive awakening in you to want to do better, be better, prove it, do good in the world, and healing yourself and this guilt - along with any of the others that went through this with you. It’s like proving to God you’re GOOD, not evil, not because he/she/they think so, but you do. Or did.

You survived the crash, barely, and lived on to old age, I think your 70’s. It’s described here as an illness, it was just time. Story of your life. The Hermit is also here showing you alone when this happened. In your bed most likely. At the bottom, The Hanged Man, Wheel of Fortune, 7 Swords. You waited with bated breath for this day to come, to have to face eternal judgement, karma, consequences, you probably believed you’d burn in hell. A feeling of self loathing is strong, and I get that still exists - without any conscious reason, it seems more like depression or a lack in confidence to you or any logical person. In the preshuffle I got 10 Pentacles is the same, something is the same. Either you’re still in the same family, born to them again as a later generation, or you’re in the same area you were before. Maybe went to the same school, or teach/work there, drive buses, something in the foundation of who you are is exactly the same as it was before.

Virgin, Utah

Yuba City, California

Olivehurst, California are all places associated with him.

There is a failed marriage here as well, this could’ve been an impulsive one, very fast beginning, very fast ending as well, possibly even short enough to be annulled. You learn and grow a lot from this experience, or perhaps your spiritual gifts start really developing after this time. I get you being very spiritual, possibly a curse breaker in the family, the charm I normally call “tree of life” is “family tree” for you. There could be spiritual gifts handed down through the family, you all have something, even if it’s just a mode of faith or a specific religion…like Jewish, Mormon, etc. If so, you’re probably the “witchy one” in a more conservative family. Who you’ve brought is Queen of Wands, and this relationship feels tricky. I keep hearing “friend”, but like on a soul level, I’m not sure they’re a friend here. Could be the lover of your spouse, they messaged you and told you? Or caught this person? Maybe with their own person, whatever it is feels kind of scandalous, but it doesn’t bother you either. Like they don’t hurt you, they support you. You could’ve met in a way most people wouldn’t make a friend, or they started as an enemy. If they’re a friend you two could have some very similar experiences with ick partners, maybe even the same partner, I’m seeing you both dump a guy and just move in together 😆 as the example.

King of Pentacles seems to be the fkboy here, they’re offered 10 Cups, and they’re not happy. That’s not anyone’s problem but theirs. You are meant to get over this and be successful, there are other fish. I’m getting both of them are past life connections, but neither of them are from the bus incident. I keep hearing friends, or at least the Queen is. Your mental state is 4 Pentacles, 7 Cups, 8 Pentacles with Red Moon, this is paranoia and something like a mental torture, lack of confidence, FEAR. It could be a warning, if you’re the kind of person who is easily distracted and not focused during dangerous work, driving, or anything else that needs your full attention, then this is a warning. If you have ADHD (and it’s known, no judgement), you may benefit from medication. If those do not apply, then you have a deep seated paranoia over messing up at work, and not paying attention. You could be very uptight when you need to focus, and you tend to get everything right, everything is thoroughly done, checked, safely, we don’t cross contaminate food, we lock our doors, there is a part of you that is waiting for the one day you don’t - that’s what you’ve brought with you. And being Red Moon, which is murky and unknown, is it intuition or just fear…we can’t know…is it a warning, or is it in your head? The karma seems to be the personal torture of fear, meaning both can be true. The one time you don’t lock your car, it gets stolen, even if you’ve locked it 500,000 times like clockwork. Spiritual gifts are being highlighted again, or religions, the more you delve into these subjects or belief systems, church/equivalent, books, even tarot/chakras/new age stuff, the more you will grow in ways you and others can’t even imagine 🌸

As I was putting away everything, shuffling cards back into the deck to clear, I got a message of “the right one comes in when the other leaves”, and then 8 Wands - and that I need to say that to you. It’ll happen very quickly.

[ikoninovelist]

Well Hello There!

(image description: A trainer card. The trainer is listed as Saga and features a shiny delphox named Hilda, a Sylveon named Sophie, a Gengar named Yubaba, a Shaymin named Coraline, and a Rockruff named Tippetarius. Saga is a brunette with short wavy hair, brown eyes, a bit chubby, and wearing a dark pink blouse with a light pink ribbon.)

Hey there, I'm Saga, a freelance writer and Novelist. I'm on retainer with Backpacker's monthly which gives me the opportunity to travel all over the world and see all kinds of things! I'm still happy to take commissions for PR pieces and Op-eds and the like. The Miss Christy Mysteries aren't quite enough to pay the bills after all.

Oh! Speaking of which, you can find my books here. It's a series about a P.I. and her Gardevoir who investigate strange happenings in their little town.

Anyway, that's enough about me. I'm sure you guys are much more interested in hearing about my pokemon, so here they are!

((Scroll down to Read More for OOC blog details))

--

Hilda - A Delphox and my actual starter from my pokemon journey days. I got lucky and won a lottery for her. No way could my parents have payed for my starter, let alone a shiny Fennekin. She's a bit of a diva sometimes, and can be very overdramatic, but she's really a sweetheart. Named her Hilda after seeing some pictures of what she'd grow into and figured it had a real witchy vibe.

Sophie - A Sylveon I caught as an Eevee. Eevee are actually surprisingly common in the Scioval region where I grew up (it's a couple regions southwest of Unova if you're curious) so I caught her pretty early on. She's very shy but also really affectionate when she gets to know someone. I named her after Sophie Hatter from Howl's Moving Castle Yubaba - Okay, you probably guessed this one. Yes, she's named after Yubaba from Spirited Away, though she's certainly a lot more like Zeniba. I caught her as a haunter while on a ghost tour in Symphonia City. Never did see a ghost that wasn't just a ghost type pokemon on that tour. At any rate, Yuba is pretty much the mom of the group; a prankster through and through as most healthy Gengar are, but heaven help anyone who messes with the rest of the team.

Coraline - Discovered with a bunch of other shaymin while I was traveling to do a piece for Backpacker's in Floaroma. I hadn't seen one before so I just assumed it was a common Sinnoh pokemon. Coraline kept following me into my AirBnB so I eventually decided to just catch her and take her home with me. It literally wasn't until I was going through customs that I found out she was a mythical and therefore kind of an endangered species. I'm honestly surprised, but grateful that, after a mountain of paperwork, I was allowed to keep her. She is my brave little Coraline who doesn't battle because she's too busy finding new ways to con me out of more snacks. Tippetarius - I usually just call him Tip. Found him as a puppy at the local shelter shortly after I moved to Ikoni. He didn't have a name yet, so I decided to name him after Ozma's alter-ego from The Marvelous Land of Oz. I do hope he doesn't turn out to be a secret fairy princess though. That would be pretty awkward for both of us. He's a little rascal and very playful. His favorite game is tug-of-war, though he's accidentally cut through his toys more than once when I take too long to file down the stones in his neck ruff. Like Coraline, I do not use him for battle. He is just a good, good, boy.

And speaking of good boys -

(image description: An ID for specialty pokemon featuring a Riolu named Shadow whose status is listed as "Service Pokemon")

Shadow is a service pokemon I received about three years ago. Lil guy helps me remember to take my meds and helps me with emotional regulation primarily. Apparently they named him shadow because he just really liked following the MAS trainers around and I wasn't about to name him something different just to fit a theme, lol. He's always very serious but like... in the way that a very serious child is serious. He's not about to turn down snacks or refuse to fetch a ball on his downtime, but he will take both activities very seriously.

So that's me and my little family. I look forward to interacting with you guys and maaaybe getting some commissions in... if you want. No pressure.

OOC Notes:

This is an OC Pokemon IRL Ask Blog. As such all in character posts will be tagged #pkmn irl.

This is a side blog for Ikoni Dweebs. All asks will show up as if coming from that blog but will be signed off by Saga.

As stated above, Saga is a freelance writer. I would genuinely be delighted to write pieces for others in the community as Saga if other blogs want to "commission" her (no real money exchanged, just imaginary, lol) Note however that her moral stances mean an evil team blog is going to have to be pretty sneaky and persuasive to convince her to write for them. 

Saga lives in my fan-created region of Ikoni, which is a parallel of Washington State, and grew up in the Scioval region, which is a parallel for Ohio. You can find details on Ikoni on the pinned post for the Ikoni Dweebs blog. Scioval is not very fleshed out and mostly serves as closer connection between her and Unova.

This blog will use strong language at times, but is uninterested in NSFW content.

This blog only follows other IC blogs. If you follow this blog and I like your non-IC blog I might follow it from my main, non rp account. 

Finally, the picrew I used for Saga's appearance can be found here

[geweke-kia]

SPRING ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DRIVE TO NEAR YUBA CITY, CA

1. GARDEN TOUR

It’s time for the 19th annual self-guided garden tour here in Yuba City. Attendees will tour six local gardens, so you will have some time to enjoy your 2023 Kia Niro EV Wind. The tour is happening rain or shine, so we know you’ll love your heated front bucket seats as you get in and out between all six. The map and wristband pick-up for the tour begins at the intersection of Wilbur and C streets.

There will also be a drop-in reception from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at 2121 Ranch at 2121 Catlett Rd. It will include water, light desserts, and possibly food trucks. This event is happening from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm on May 6th. Tickets for the spring garden event are $25 each and proceeds benefit the STEM Conference for 8th Grade Girls.

2. TACO FESTIVAL

The fourth annual taco festival is happening in downtown Marysville, just two miles away. Head across the river to the intersection of 1st and D st on Saturday, May, 13th. This event takes place between 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

There will be music playing, lots of food, vendors, and a kid’s area. You won’t want to miss the unique chihuahua beauty contest.

3. STAR WARS PARTY 

It’s time for the Yuba County Library’s Star Wars Party to celebrate May 4th, also known as Star Wars Day. This event is taking place two miles away at 303 Second St in Marysville. It’s happening on Thursday, May 4th from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm.

This event is very kid-friendly and is a way to promote literacy with children. Attendees are encouraged to dress up in Star Wars-themed costumes. There will be activities, storytime, games, trivia, and hopefully a special guest. All ages are invited but it’s likely best for children over the age of six.

4. YUBA CITY TOY-ANIME COMIC CON

Kids are encouraged to join in the fun at the toy and anime comic con happening in Yuba City on Saturday, May 20th. The event is taking place from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. It’s happening at the Moose Lodge at 205 S Walton Ave.

This comic con will include all-ages cosplay content which will happen at 2:30 pm. Sign-up for the contest happens at the admission table. Entry to the convention is $8 per ticket at the door and includes free parking.

There are so many different fun activities to take part in this spring here in Yuba City. We’re looking forward to another year of community events. Of course, they are always more fun when you have a stylish new vehicle to get there in. Visit Geweke Kia now to see our fantastic selection of new cars. 

Image by Jess Foami from Pixabay

[geweke-ford]

Drive on Over to These Coffee Shops in Yuba City, CA

Bridge Coffee Co. 

This artisan craft coffee house and roaster is one for real coffee lovers. They serve a variety of specialty coffees, all freshly roasted in-house and in small batches. The cafe has a woody, modern decor and atmosphere with friendly baristas who really know their coffee. They value transparency highly, so you know exactly where all the ingredients in your beverage came from. They also sell their own branded bags of beans from farms in Brazil, Colombia, and Ethiopia.

The food offered here is as high quality as the coffee, with delicious burritos, muffins, and sandwiches. They have both a drive-thru and curbside pickup, so you can drop by in your new 2023 Kia Soul GT-Line and pick up a few coffees as a treat for your workmates. If you put the coffee-cup box on the passenger seat, you needn’t worry about spillage with the Kia Soul’s wonderfully smooth handling. You’ll find Bridge Coffee Co at 101 Clark Avenue.

Steele House Coffee

This trendy, charming coffee joint has a comfy, clean, modern vibe with bare brick walls, plenty of pretty artwork, coasters shaped like vinyl records, a piano, and occasional live music. This a real gem for anyone who loves coffee houses with a bit of welcoming local character. They even have board games and card games to play. It’s the kind of place you could settle down in for hours with friends and forget time flowing by.

The courteous, knowledgeable servers can help you choose from their excellent coffee range. A few of the popular options include the iced caramel macchiato, the French toast latte, and the iced chai tea. If you’re hungry, they also have homemade banana bread, muffins, croissants, and other baked goodies. Visit Steele House Coffee at 437 Center Street.

Freetime Java

If you’re in Yuba City Mall, be sure to visit Freetime Java to refresh your shopping energy with a strong, tasty cup of coffee served by cheerful, swift servers. Along with the comfy indoor seating and great coffees, they also have plenty of food options, including a range of pizzas and delicious garlic twists. The address is 1265 Colusa Highway.

Enjoy a lovely hot or iced coffee at one of these top-notch local establishments, and then visit Geweke Kia. We’re a local community-oriented dealership that’s been serving drivers throughout Yuba City with high-quality vehicles and service for over 25 years.

[warwadaw]

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drives, but was a little disappointed in removing two panels to swap drives (a backplane would resolve this and would be a great upgrade option for users willing to pay a little extra money).. Caroline is as quick and sardonic as Anthony is athletic, sensitive, and popular. That's why we have become a popular destination for discounts. Boeing's new 737 MAX can cross the Atlantic nonstop, and an airline only needs to sell 189 seats to fill it. Before you fall, ser. Scobee, 46, commander of yesterday's mission, was on his second shuttle flight. Carollo met with the Tribune for three hours last week at Big Ten headquarters in Rosemont, zapatillas guess mujer corte inglesIll., to offer insight into the profession, review the season and break down some controversial plays. The vaults were full of old clothing, garments claimed from those who came to the House of Black and White to drink peace from the temple pool. She married a teacher and I went as a counting-house clerk, not a commercial counting-house, but just a counting-house. On Monday. When men are dying every hour, no one looks too hard at one more dead man, especially one as well despised as Nurse. At 1 2.) Such musings hardly provide a legal justification for ripping Microsoft apart.. His family truly honoured his life in personalizing the service Life Celebrant Getz led the congregation and paid tribute to a man who was a friend to all he met A video tribute of photos from days past captured his memory while the song, In The Wind softly played in the background Ray time spent over countless cups of Tim Hortons coffee while visiting with many of his friends, gave true meaning to the life he treasured most in the fellowship that followed family and friends shared in one last cup of Tim Hortons coffee in Ray memory.. I think they're going to go a long way.". One lunged at Ser Hosteen with a dagger, but the big knight pivoted and took his arm off at the shoulder. Two of Roose Bolton’s scouts had come straggling back through the Hunter’s Gate to report that Lord Stannis’s advance had slowed to a crawl. Wun

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[tabloidtoc]

Entertainment Weekly, February

Cover 1 of 2: Daniel Kaluuya of Judas and the Black Messiah 

Page 1: Contents, second cover featuring LaKeith Stanfield

Page 2: EW insider 

Page 3: Sound Bites 

Page 8: The Must List -- Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci on Supernova 

Page 10: Keegan-Michael Key on The History of Sketch Comedy 

Page 11: All American, Jersey Shore: Family Vacation 

Page 12: Lana Condor on To All the Boys: Always and Forever 

Page 15: Fake Accounts by Lauren Oyler, Jeopardy! 

Page 16: Nancy Johnson on her debut novel The Kindest Lie 

Page 17: The Black Church: This Is Our Story This Is Our Song, Foo Fighters -- Medicine at Midnight 

Page 18: My Must List -- Lionel Richie 

Page 21: First Take -- Zack Snyder and Dave Bautista on Army of the Dead 

Page 23: Dennis Quaid on Reagan 

Page 24: Cover Story -- Moment of Truth -- two of the most talented stars of their generation Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield reach stunning new heights in the epic and Oscar-bound Judas and the Black Messiah 

Page 28: A King’s Journey -- how director Shaka King went from oddball comedy to the powerhouse drama of Judas and the Black Messiah 

Page 35: The Happy List -- for a sweeter 2021 come enjoy our catalog of tiny pleasures 

Page 46: Mad Love -- how Zendaya and John David Washington quarantined together to make the red-hot romance Malcolm and Marie while Hollywood was on lockdown 

Page 50: Breaking Big -- 10 rising stars poised to make waves in 2021 

Page 51: Paul Mescal 

Page 52: Taylour Paige 

Page 53: Mateo Askaripour, Brandee Evans 

Page 54: Haskiri Velazquez, Omar Apollo 

Page 55: Simu Liu 

Page 56: Emma Corrin 

Page 57: Jasmine Cephas Jones, Reid Miller 

Page 58: The Missing Star Spangled Girl -- on the cusp of breaking out in Hollywood the 27-year-old dancer, model and actress Jean Elizabeth Spangler vanished October 7, 1949 leaving behind a purse and a mysterious note and a young daughter; inside the chilling still-open case 

Page 64: Name Calling for Fun and Profit -- after launching in 2017 as a Hollywood-adjacent curiosity Cameo the site that lets fans buy personalized video messages from celebrities of all strata is booming in the pandemic era 

Page 68: News + Reviews -- with the release of 12 never-before-collected essays in Let Me Tell You What I Mean Joan Didion reminds readers that she’s been right about everything all along 

Page 72: Movies -- Here Comes the Sun -- the 2021 Sundance Film Festival is going virtual but these movies prove it’s as exciting as ever and will kick off Hollywood’s comeback year 

Page 73: Performance Spotlight -- Ruth Negga -- in the period piece Passing the Oscar-nominated actress delivers her most devastating turn yet 

Page 74: Yuh-Jung Youn -- the supporting star who stole the festival breakout Minari may be new to most American audiences but she’s ready for her close-up 

Page 75: 3 Questions with Viggo Mortensen

Page 76: Role Call -- Regina Hall -- the Hollywood chameleon’s eclectic career reaches wild new heights in the bonkers crime comedy Breaking News in Yuba County; Hall looks back on the parts that brought her here 

Page 77: My Dark Vanessa -- she’s already made her mark as an ingenue and now with two buzzy new indies Vanessa Kirby seems prepared to take the lead 

Page 80: Parental Guidance -- welcome to your new crib sheet on the best entertainment for kids from toddlers to tweens -- Q&A with Alyson Hannigan -- in Flora & Ulysses Alyson plays a romance novelist whose daughter teams up with a superhero squirrel when life starts to get nutty 

Page 82: TV -- Batwoman Beyond -- as Batwoman’s new leading lady Javicia Leslie brings a fresh attitude to Gotham 

Page 84: The Great North 

Page 85: Big Trouble Ahead -- after its shocking fall premiere and a recent escape new hit series Big Sky ramps up, Q+A with Jared Padalecki -- after 15 years of playing Supernatural’s Sam Winchester, Jared is donning a new hat for Walker 

Page 86: Drama Queen -- Queen Latifah balances the scales of justice on the reboot of The Equalizer 

Page 87: New Friends on the Block -- nothing fuels all the feels like authentic female friendship on TV especially for residents of Firefly Lane 

Page 88: Ted Danson on The Mayor 

Page 89: What to Watch 

Page 96: Music -- Q+A with Brittany Howard -- the rocker is no stranger to Grammy glory but the nominations for Jaime, Howard’s solo album named after her late sister, represent something new 

Page 97: 3 Things to Know About Chika -- the Alabama rapper and Best New Artist nominee on her city and her music and her competition 

Page 99: Hear Jhene Heal -- the R&B singer’s therapeutic approach to her 2020 album Chilombo netted multiple Grammy nods and a new sense of self 

Page 101: Q&A with Gwen Stefani -- The Voice coach and No Doubt frontwoman’s new single and music video Let Me Reintroduce Myself is a celebration of all things Gwen 

Page 102: Barry Gibb goes country -- on Greenfields the legendary Bee Gee recruited Dolly Parton and Keith Urban and more for twangy takes on his trio’s disco classics; saddle up as Gibb details his favorite moments 

Page 104: Books -- 15 books we can’t wait to read in 2021 -- literary heavyweights, YA blockbusters and a flurry of family sagas -- this year is going to be a page-turner 

Page 105: Author Spotlight -- Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley, Critic’s Pick -- How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones 

Page 106: Books of My Life -- Samantha Power -- the U.N. Ambassador under President Obama publishes her lauded memoir The Education of an Idealist 

Page 107: Working Guy -- in his biography of the late great Mike Nichols journalist Mark Harris explores the life of the decorated director who seduced us all 

Page 108: Come As You Are -- acclaimed novelists R.O. Kwon and Garth Greenwell coeditors of the new erotic anthology Kink discuss sensuality, shame, and the changing face of desire in literature 

Page 112: The Bullseye

[lovemesomesurveys]

Are you between the ages of 30 & 40? Yeah.

What was your favorite Saturday morning cartoon growing up? I remember getting up to watch the Saturday morning cartoon lineup on ABC, which I think was called, “One Saturday Morning”, that showed cartoons such as Recess, Pepper Ann, Disney’s Doug, The Weekenders, etc. I also remember watching Kids WB, Fox Kids, Nickelodeon, and the Disney Channel. 

What was your favorite toy as a child? I was obsessed with Barbies. In High School did you wear acid washed jeans? No. That was never my style. 

How much was a gallon of gasoline when you first started driving? I don’t drive.

What was your first car? Since I don’t drive, I haven’t had a car.

Who taught you how to drive? --

What was your high school mascot? I’m not sharing that.

Did you go to your Senior Prom? I did.

What did you do after graduation? I went to community college, got all the general ed stuff done and my AA, then transferred to UC to focus on my major and get my BA.

What was your first job? I haven’t had one.

What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was a kid I wanted to be a teacher.

Any posters on your bedroom walls growing up? Oh yeah. I had all the posters from the teen magazines covering my walls.

Do you remember the first time you drank a beer? Yeah, it was when I was 21.

Did you ever try cigarettes? No.

How did you spend your summers growing up? I actually used to spend a lot of time outside *gasp* Shocking, I know. I played with my neighbors or my cousins, or I just played by myself with like chalk or cruising around in my motorized toy car, haha. I also liked swimming in my little plastic or blow up pool.

If you could change anything from your teenage years, would you? Yes.

Do you remember your first time? I’m a virgin. 

Ever look back and wish some things were still the same? Yeah. :(

After high school - straight to college or straight to work? Like I said, I went to community college and then to UC.

How much did you make per hour at your first job? --

Favorite home-cooked meal growing up? My mom’s lasagna and chicken tacos.

Favorite place to eat out growing up? Getting fast food was always fun haha. 

Did your parents live in a different country before you were born?: Nope.

Do you have a preferred coffee brand?: Not particularly. There’s some I definitely don’t like, such as Folger’s and Yuba. 

Have you ever dated someone who was terrible with money?: No.

If so, how did it affect the relationship?:

How often do you paint your nails?: It’s been like 4 years since I’ve painted my nails.

Do you know anyone who's related to a current or former world leader?: No.

Do you do your own taxes, or do you hire a professional?: I haven’t had to do taxes since I’ve never been employed. 

What is something you don't have any natural talent for?: I don’t have natural talents. :X I can’t sing, I can’t dance, I have no artistic abilities... the list goes on and on.

Did you watch this year's Eurovision?: I never watch that.

Have there been any periods in your life that could be described as being chaotic?: Uh, yeah. Most definitely.

What is something you frequently forget?: Hmm. I don’t know. I have a pretty decent memory.

If I looked in your fridge right now, what would I find?: Stuff like coffee creamers, milk, eggs, cheese, Pillsbury sugar cookies, several different condiments, sandwich meat, yogurts, etc.

How do you feel about your body?: I’m very self-conscious about it and don’t like it at all.

Who is someone you would like to get to know better?: There isn’t someone at the moment.

If you had to move to a new city, where would you move?: I don’t know.

Have you ever traveled on a double-decker train?: No.

At what point do you consider a relationship to be 'long-term?': Uhh. I mean, I kind of think of it as when you both decide to be in a committed relationship and continue together going forward, then it’s a long-term relationship. Like, you’re not just casually dating or unsure of what you’re doing. Does that make sense?

What jobs did your parents have when you were growing up?: Retail jobs.

Do they still have these jobs? Or different jobs? Or have they retired?: My mom is a manager at Walgreens and my dad works at a car repair shop.

Do you own any winter sports equipment?: No. I have no use for that.

Do you have a cell contract plan, or are you on a pre-paid plan?: I’m part of a family plan thing.

Would your parents be okay with you dating someone of another race? Yes.

Do you like when friends stop by unexpectedly? No, that was never my thing. My family and I like to be notified and have something planned. I always wondered if that was a common thing to do because that’s how it always is on TV shows and movies and I’m like do people really do that?? lol. 

Where are the following people and what are they doing: mom, dad, sibling(s), best friend, significant other, ex, and last person you kissed? My mom is just getting off work so she should be home soon, my dad is in the living room asleep, my brother is in his room doing whatever, my best friend is my mom, I’m single, I have no idea what my ex is doing or where he is, and the last person I kissed is my ex, so.

How strong are your feelings for the last person you kissed? I don’t have feelings for him anymore. It’s been several years now and I’ve moved on long ago. I don’t have any bad feelings towards him or anything, though. I hope he’s well.

What was the last thing someone else bought for you? My brother bought me Wingstop for dinner tonight.

If your parents looked in your purse/book bag would they find anything you don’t want them to see? What about your bedroom? Do you have anything hidden in there? Nah. I’m also 31 years old, so they wouldn’t be looking in my things anyway.

How close are you to the last person you hung out with? Can you be your complete self around them? My mom and I are very close and yes.

If you decided to call your ex right now, do you think he/she would answer? How would the conversation go? I honestly don’t know. I wouldn’t call him, though, so guess we’ll never find out.

Are you attracted to the last person you exchanged numbers with? I don’t even recall the last time I exchanged numbers with someone.

Is music a daily part of your life? No.

Yellow nail polish: yes or no? Sure.

What do you think of country music? I like some country music.

Have you ever ended a relationship but wish you could’ve kept it a little longer? Yes.

Did you go to your high school’s graduation? Yes.

If you could live the last three months over again, is there anything you’d change? I don’t know about the last 3 months... that’s not much time. I need to go much further than that.

Who was the last person to message you on Facebook? What would you do if that person told you they have feelings for you? The daughter of my mom’s best friend. Uh, no that wouldn’t happen. She’s happily married to a man. 

How did you feel when you woke up today? Like a zombie, as always.

Who was the first person you talked to today? What did you talk about? My mom. She was getting back from grocery shopping when I got up and she was telling me about stuff regarding that and some other stuff. 

When you apply your make-up, do you do it in a specific order? I would do eyeliner and then mascara and called it a day haha. I never wore much makeup. I dabbled with foundation, concealer, bronzer, and highlighter a few times, but it required too much work for me and it just wasn’t really my thing. In high school and in my early 20s I also sometime wore eyeshadow. I rarely wore lipstick, but sometimes a tinted lip gloss. 

Did you do anything sexual last night? No.

Do you think the last person you Facebook messaged is a virgin? She’s married, so probably not but *shrug* That’s really none of my concern.

Did any of your friends lose their virginity before they were 16? If so, did you feel pressured to do the same? I don’t have friends.

Has someone of the opposite sex made you smile today? No. It’s only been today for about 40 minutes, though, and I haven’t talked to anyone so far.

Does it matter to you if your significant other smokes? It would matter if they smoked cigarettes.

Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with? My mom.

Do you like where you are in life right now? Definitely not. 

Do you hate it when there is a fly around you? Ugh, yes. Flies are super annoying.

Is your mom overbearing? No. 

Is there snow where you live? No. :(

[flash-impact-for-good]

A world tour of innovations for urban bicycle riding

Image from S. Hermann & F. Richter

This article travels the world to see how cities, companies, and start-ups are fostering the use of bicycles for personal transportation and delivery of goods.

We are gradually getting out from quarantine, getting around on errands, and commuting back to work. Riding a bicycle is a good alternative to respect physical distancing while getting back in shape after several weeks of staying at home.

This time may be a chance for an environmentally friendly mode of transportation to strive in busy cities. Still, there are many issues to address: public space availability, safety, comfort, maintenance, and parking. Let’s see how different parts of the world are tackling these issues.

Environmental benefits

Freight and personal transportation is responsible for 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions [1]. Environmentally, a bicycle is a symbol of decarbonized transportation and sustainable cities. Bicycles are an eco-friendly means of transportation that requires no fossil fuels.

As an energy-efficient form of transportation, bicycle uses renewable human power in the most efficient way compared to other alternatives to move people and product from point A to point B: there are no greenhouse gas emissions emitted per km on a bike compared to 220g of CO2eq per km in a car [2].

Safe bike lanes

Cycling is an efficient way of using scarce space in urban areas. However, governments and cities have been struggling to give more space to bicycles. This is a chicken and egg problem. There are not enough bicycles to reserve them space and there are not enough bike lanes for bike riding to go mainstream.

Now everything has changed. Many cities across the world have created additional dedicated bike lanes post Covid-19.  

The UK government has put forward a £2 billion package to foster cycling and walking. Pop-up bike lanes with protected space for cycling, safer junctions, and cycle and bus-only corridors will be created.

Bogota, the capital city of Columbia stands 12th in 2019 Copenhagenize index, which ranks bicycle-friendly cities. Bogota has extended its formerly Sunday only Ciclovia program to all days of the week and added 80 km of bike lanes to its 550 km of existing ones.

In New York City, officials have announced that up to 100 miles of streets will have extended bike lanes and sidewalks.

There are precautions cyclists need to adhere to in order to make their commute as safe and stress-free as possible: knowing the route in advance, being alert of the environment, putting a helmet on, wearing reflective clothing, and having appropriate lighting to be seen on the road.

Secured parking

Where and how can you confidently park your bicycle knowing it will not be stolen, or damaged by weather, and will not disturb pedestrian traffic? Parking is indeed also an issue. The cities are struggling to keep up with the demand and manage sometimes anarchic parking.

In the Netherlands, a giant bike parking facility is conveniently located directly next to Utrecht Central Station, Stationsplein. It caters space for 12,500 bikes.

Automated underground bicycle parking systems are popular in China and Japan. The machinery frees up space on the surface. One system can hold 200 bikes.  To see it working, watch this “futuristic” video.

When you can’t park or when you want to travel longer distances, you may take your bike with you in a bus or a train. This can prove difficult in busy public transit. The region of Seattle has found a solution. Bikes can be installed at the front of buses.

Bicycles on buses in Seattle

Access to bikes

First things first. You need a bike. There are many ways to get one, from buying to rental or leasing.

Most large cities now have bike rental services. Rental systems can be with fixed stations or dockless, whereby bikes can be left anywhere.

Itaú’by Tembici in São Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Santiago or Velib by Smovengo in Paris both provide traditional and electric bikes. Riders park them at pre-defined spaces in bike stations.

Free Float bike rental has suffered from theft and damage. Few are still operating. Among them Dott in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Poland, Mobike in China.

Tembici bike stations in São Paulo

Electric bicycles or e-bikes participate in making bike mainstream. Less effort is needed to drive longer distances or carry stuff and you can stay fresh after riding your bike. However, electric bikes come at a hefty price compared to traditional ones: €500 to €3000 for an electric bike compared to as low as €200 for a traditional one.

Leasing models make electric bikes more affordable. Such a model is rolled out by the Dutch company, Swapfiets in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. For €75 per month, you get an electric bike of your own with the additional benefit of including repair and maintenance.

Repair and maintenance

The rental and leasing models leave the hassle of repairing and maintaining to the lessor or the rental company: a big advantage. Repairing a flat tire, adjusting brakes or derailleur, or tightening the chains are common tasks of the everyday cyclist. They are not easy when you are not into “do it yourself” or are not equipped with the proper tools (and need to stay clean in your business attire).

Going to the nearest bike shop is an obvious choice. Alternatively, you may rely on online platform that puts you in contact with a technician that comes and repairs your bike at your place. Cyclofix or Repair and Run are such services operating in major cities in France.

Bikes for all needs

Bikes, once all similar now come in very different shapes to cater to various needs:  design and performance, delivery of goods, kid transportation, and city commuting.

The number of electric bike firms is growing. High-end ones compete on design and functionalities.

Angell bikes come with a secured system against theft and modern and slick design.

One of the models of Moustache Bikes provides an ultra-low stepover frame that makes it easy to get on and off the saddle at each red light in the town.

Vanmoof bikes include automatic electronic gear shifting and integrated anti-theft technology.

A removable battery built seamlessly into the frame is Cowboys bikes’ signature detail.

In addition to these high-end electric bikes, you can find cargo bikes designed to transport children, carry your groceries or deliver a product to e-commerce customers: to name a few Italian Measy, French Douze Cycles, Dutch Urban Arrow or California based Yuba bikes.

Finally, folding bikes such as those of British Brompton are useful if you have limited storage place. It also makes multi-modal transportation possible.

Bikes at the office

Riding a bike to work is what 62% of Copenhagen citizens do every day. Without the appropriate infrastructure at work (parking space, storage space, showers, bike-friendly culture), it can be hard to change habits.  Luckily, more and more employers are working hard to foster bike commuting, a more reliable, healthy, and environmentally friendly alternative to driving.

Companies may provide for a bike fleet in addition to or replacement to a car fleet.  Start-ups have emerged to help organizations set-up and manage such fleets such as the French  Zenride or Green On.

Beyond cities

Innovation and progress are happening all over the world to foster bike riding as a mode of transportation.

Give it a try. Riding a bike brings back a sense of freedom to a daily commute. No need to have the exotic expensive bikes and gear to be a cyclist. In addition, a bike will help you rediscover the joy of stepping out of the door and exploring your surroundings like the breathtaking roads of Cormet de Roselend.

Corinne Bach, MBA INSEAD 05D Entrepreneur in ecological transition

Recap of innovations

References

[1] Fifth assessment report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2014, summary for Policymakers, and technical summary.

[2] There are different greenhouse gas. Their warming power as well as their persistence in the atmosphere are very different. Scientists have defined an equivalent between the different greenhouse gas and CO2. This way, greenhouse gas emissions can be expressed in one common unit, i.e., gram CO2 equivalent (g CO2eq). CO2 has been chosen as it represents three-quarters of total greenhouse gas emissions released in the atmosphere each year.

This article was posted in June 2020 on Transition Route - Ecological transition blog for resilient businesses

[californiaroadtoad]

Home

A few months ago, I purchased a bike from the Nexus of Evil, (AKA:  WalMart), and I’ve been trying to ride regularly.  Since today was one of the first days we’ve had that wasn’t triple digits, it seemed to me this was the best time to head out and ride. 

Now, I should point out, I used to be an avid bicyclist, even if the most advanced bike I ever had only had three speeds.  (My parents, overly controlling, demanding, abusive, insisted I didn’t need any more than that, even though the evidence showed the exact opposite.)  As an Army Brat, I used to ride all around Frankfurt, Germany, enjoying the sights of a city far older than my home country, and tolerating Hessian motorists wagging fingers in my direction at damned near every turn.  It was great, I was free, and Life, as I knew it, could be good.

As it happens, I finally moved as close to home as I could manage.  My hometown, Wheatland, CA, had some homes for sale, but they were all out of my price range.  (I’m sure many of you know Wheatland:  Come for the speed trap, stay for Traffic Court.)   But, that didn’t stop us, and we settled into a home in Yuba City, my birthplace.  This, of course, is the Yuba City that was listed as being “The Worst City in the USA,” based entirely on suspect methodology, but that didn’t stop some East Coast Tool from declaring it, even through no one from that organization had ever been here.  (My Grandfather, who at the time owned Dower’s Tavern, decided to make hay while the sun shone, and stuck a sign in front declaring that Dower’s Tavern was “The Best Bar in the Worst City in the USA.”  Folks around here were not amused, and I should point out that this sort of thing is funny once.  Only once.)

So, we’ve been here for about four years now.  Our initial plan of living here for a while, then moving to a home in Wheatland has long since died, partly due to the Trucking industry trying to pay us as little as possible, (yes, I’m a trucker), and partly due to the flippers and their wannabe acolytes driving up the market into the same sort of territory we saw in 2007.  At best, I can wait for the foreclosures, and maybe we’ll find something worth spending the money on.  It’s a mess, no matter how you look at it, and with an Assembly hell bent on keeping us broke, the State of California is turning feral. 

I should have taken my oldest son’s advice, and moved to Idaho, but with Idaho real estate prices where they are, that ship sailed a long time ago.

So, this morning, I rode down Queens as far as I could, looped around, took Onstott Road north, crossed Highway 99, riding through neighborhoods that simply didn’t exist when I was born.  By the time I was 20, a few homes existed, and by the time I hit my 40′s, that part of Yuba City had become the ‘Burbs.  Farmland was now Suburban Sprawl, and if you wait a few more years, we’ll have our very own McMansions to sneer at. 

Anyway, I rode around, and still after four years, I’m still getting acclimated to this being home.  My Grandparents were farmers near Wheatland, growing walnuts and peaches, and to tell you the truth, I was proud of that.  I can remember the few times we were allowed to be around them, riding with my Grandmother to the various businesses my family dealt with.  It was a bit of surprise that many of these were still around, including Sutter Orchard Supply, particularly as the State wants to destroy agriculture any way it can.  I’ve been riding around, looking for something I can’t identify, and I wish like hell I could. 

That’s life.  Or life as I know it.

I spent an ungodly amount of time living in Sacramento.  Bicycle riding there was out of the question for the most part:  in Yuba City, you’re a rider; in Sacramento County, you’re a target.  The pace here is slower, and around here, when you call the cops, they actually respond.  You’re treated like a human being as opposed to a statistic.  That’s one thing that hasn’t changed in over 60 years, so I’m happy with that.

At the same time, other things have changed.  Roughly around the time I was born, my neighborhood was working class, white, and most folks worked at Beale Air Force Base.  These days, a lot of these homes are being sold to young professionals.  My neighbors are largely Sikh, Muslim, (primarily from places like Pakistan, Ethiopia, and Saudi Arabia), Mexican, Hispanic, and others.  Like I said, I was an Army Brat.  This is nothing new to me, so we’ve settled in when it comes to that part of it.  Our only difficulty is the younger folks who live next door, who complain about the smell from our chickens, ducks, and goose.  (Yes, in Yuba City, you can keep a few of them.  We know this:  Code Enforcement came by, shrugged, and said have a nice day.)  The older folks next door are cool, and we share eggs with our neighbors when we have an abundance. 

Other changes have taken place.  A lot of folks work from home now, due to COVID 19, (BTW:  Get your ass vaccinated, dammit!)  A lot of the businesses I knew about have closed up, or moved, or are doing something else.  I have some extremely vague memories of the Marysville Hotel being open, though I’m not sure I trust them.  I do remember seeing Mary Poppins at the State Theater in Marysville, though the last movie shown there was Phenomenon, and the only reason I know that is someone left the poster in its case ages ago.  (It’s been gone for some time, along with John Travolta’s talent.)  Things have changed, though whether it’s for the better or worse, someone else needs to tell us.  My gaps in my presence here keep me from saying one way or another. 

I’ve talked to relatives who remained for a while before moving on.  I’m told that KUBA Radio has its studios along Highway 99.  (No, they moved ages ago.  They’re now on Sanborn.)  I’m told that NuGeneration Lanes is where you can go bowling around here.  (They permanently closed years ago.)  That sort of thing.  I mention to these folks the changes, and I’m told I’m a liar.  (I guess they never bothered to check the Internet.)  Whether or not I’m disappointed is irrelevant:  change comes, whether we want it or not.

It’s a fool’s errand to think things won’t change over time.  And for over 60 years?  Yeah, that was inevitable. 

So, here we are.  My wife and I are in the process of making Yuba City our home.  It’s coming; it’s slow, but it’s coming. 

That said, we’ll make it through.  Who knows?  We might get the offer of the century, and we get to move to Idaho.  Or we might stay here.  Either way, we’ll make it work. 

(I should point out, though, one thing hasn’t changed at all:  Sunsweet is still here, as they have been for over 100 years.  Still haven’t done anything about those nasty wrinkles, though.)

https://youtu.be/7lpytcTqaAs