#you're allowed to rest on your laurels no matter what

[opportunity-strikes]

hey so this is your permission not to improve at your hobbies. you dont gotta do more or try new things with it. you arent obligated. are you happy drawing the same 3/4 profile headshot of your blorbo??? do that. enjoy walking but dont wanna go further than your usual route at your usual pace? dont. enjoy collecting trading cards but dont actually like playing the game? never play the game. like learning the names of birds but dont care about their calls? just learn those names babeeeyyyy.

do what you want as you want and as many times as you want in the ways you want to. i am actually asking you to do this. you dont even need to get better. crush that weird feeling that you need to be doing 'more'. the goal doesnt have to be improvement. it might happen incidentally but like, thats whatever. you can set the goalposts and then just sit by them and enjoy the scenery. if you decide to move them or get up and sit somewhere else thats cool, but you dont gotta. doing things that make you happy is enough

[danieyells]

. . .I could've sworn I did Ritsu's already. Apparently not. Yuri's one of my favorites and he's the one I chose in the beginning so I'm saving his for when I'm a little better rested(I have Monday off because of another doctor's appointment, so that's the lastest i'll post it)

RITSU IS SO. . .I LOVE HIM. I'll rag on him a lot because he's so tunnel visioned and just like. . .repressed. And he needs to touch grass(figuratively) but also. . .when you've been set from childhood to work and care only for your work and only know your work. . .it's understandable that he is the way he is. . . .

The way he changes as his affinity goes up is very repressed too. . .but you can still see the change at the end a little. He's a very stagnant character. . .but still interesting to look into the mannerisms of.

Hello: (the first time the game is opened after that character is set as home screen NPC. Only happens once per day, unless the character is switched out and back.)

"Any self-respecting inspector would stay comfortably ahead of schedule—I suggest you get into the habit. Let's go—there's no time to waste."

dude this is the 'you've logged in for the first time today' dialogue why are you assuming that i must be late! rude.

You've Got Mail: (whenever there's something in the inbox, usually Arena rewards)

"Did you check that notification yet? We could have a request from a client, so please do so right away."

Default: (requires no affinity, has no time constraints)

"I have been assigned to Sinostra, so I will not allow them to stand trial, no matter how villainous their actions. That is the Shinjo family policy."

"I shall ensure the Gala is held this year, and that Sinostra will wear the Laurel Crown. I have never made a promise I couldn't keep."

boy i can't wait for that to fall through--he, respectfully, needs the humbling.

"I've read the Compendium of Laws countless times since I was a child. Memorizing its contents is a rite of passage for the eldest son of the Shinjo family."

and somehow it ended up an artifact he can use as a weapon? I really wanna know what it does tbh.

"What business do you have with me? Please keep in mind that I charge 5500 yen per half hour for consultations, tax inclusive."

(roughly $35USD, although it's faster to just think of it as $55--) WE ARE BUSINESS PARTNERS. WHAT ARE YOU CHARGING A MFER FOR.

"As long as I have a notebook, my business cards, a binder, paper, and my voice recorder, I can handle the initial stages of any case."

i need my binder every day too ritsu.

Affinity 1: (between 5am and 11am)

"{PC}. Are you aware of the responsibility your position as inspector entails? I suggest you tidy your appearance and wipe that vacant look from your face."

they do not need to be aesthetically in order to be inspector. as long as they're paying attention it may even be better to look vacant. lure them into a false sense of security. also it's easier to pay attention if you're comfortable, in my experience. . . .

Affinity 2: (between 11am and 4pm)

"You've lost your notebook? Just a moment. ...At 9:04 AM, it was inside the photocopier. Yes, I do have that information recorded."

Affinity 3: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Have you seen Taiga Hoshibami? Strange... According to my behavioral model, he should be in the casino at this time..."

Affinity 4: (between 8pm and 5am)

"At the end of each day, I compile information about every person I encountered in my notebook. It always proves useful eventually."

yandere adjacent behavior, except it's for everyone and not just one person lolol

Affinity 5: (between 8pm and 5am)

"The vice-captain has asked me to organize some documents. Let's start by making copies of everything in case the originals become lost or damaged."

Romeo has a line that references this as well!

Affinity 6: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"I always have my business cards on hand. It should go without saying—any lawyer who fails to gain their client's trust during the first meeting is not worth their salt."

Affinity 7: (between 11am and 4pm)

"A post-meal coffee must be drunk black. Unnecessary additives only interfere with the natural flavor."

Affinity 8: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Until the age of three, I spent my days visiting the greatest sights the world has to offer with my mother, as from four my studies would prevent me from doing so."

is that child abuse? i think that's child abuse. you learn the source of ritsu's problems very early on in his affinity--he has had zero normal social interaction opportunities and no childhood. From birth until he stopped being a toddler he was just flying around the world looking at beautiful things, no stability in his location or world aside from the presence of his mother, and then he went home and probably basically got locked away to study law the moment he could sort of read. His whole existence was molding him to work. . .Subaru is similar, even down to what age they were forced to start preparing to work at. But Subaru is at least better adjusted, probably because acting awarded him better opportunities to try and think about how other people think.

Affinity 9: (between 8pm and 5am)

"According to my behavioral model, there is a 29% chance that Taiga Hoshibami is currently at the baccarat table."

Affinity 10: (between 10pm and midnight)

"I review the day's coursework for two hours then prepare for the next day's classes for three— no more, and no less. Six more minutes of silence, please."

WHERE DO THE RECORDINGS COME IN TO THIS. This mans somehow has 40 hour days. Maybe his artifact slows down time or something lol

Affinity 11: (between 5am and 11am)

"Good morning, {PC}. We have a meeting at 3 PM today, so please adjust your plans accordingly."

Affinity 12: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Darkwick Rulebook Article 183: "For the protection of anomalies, unnecessary running indoors is prohibited." This rule has been in place for over one hundred years."

wait how old is this school? how old is the Institute???

Affinity 13: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"All right. We need to organize our notes from today's investigation, so let's relocate to the diner. Our usual booth, of course."

Affinity 14: (between 5am and 11am)

"The content of our classes may be novel, but I topped the year in the scholastic ability test—they are nothing I can't handle."

so among the first years' scholastic ability tests, Ritsu was 1st, Leo was 2nd, Sho was 5th. Considering there are only four new first year ghouls then that must include the general students too. I wonder where Ren placed? Probably not very high. But still, Ritsu is a genius. . .or at least very very good at memorizing information. Lots of book smarts, minimal other smarts.

Affinity 15: (between 5am and 11am)

"As your business partner, I request that you improve your conduct. Please refrain from consenting to any further uncompensated labor."

Affinity 16: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Our Anomalous Law classes are truly fascinating. There is a long history well worth learning about— though of course, I have already mastered the basics."

Affinity 17: (between 10pm and midnight)

"I cannot afford to be complacent, even before bedtime. It's vital that I check the day's notes again to ensure nothing has been missed."

Affinity 18: (between 8pm and 5am)

"I set time aside in the evening to watch opera performances online. It allows me to get my thoughts in order, and provides a change of pace."

when??? what time??? because he has to review all of the audio recordings and notes from the whole day--what time does he have to do anything in???

Affinity 19: (between 10pm and midnight)

"I just finished checking my recordings from today. You sighed a total of four times— is something troubling you?"

i love the vibe of this. rather than silently nothing your sighing and potential exhaustion or scolding you for not caring for yourself, he expresses concern towards you. also, it's so soft yandere. like he already records everything you say and do, to confront you over it on top of that he shamelessly defends his recording and notetaking. . .if not for that he recorded everyone it would really be so yandere lolol. instead it's just his odd and overbearing way of showing he's beginning to care.

Affinity 20: (between 5am and 11am)

"You struggle to get up in the morning? I can contact you each day at a set time if you like, but I'll have to think about how much to charge..."

affinity 20 and my guy still wants to charge for his time. . .we're gonna have to teach him to have A Singular Normal Social Connection aren't we. and we're probably gonna fail.

Affinity 21: (between 11am and 4pm)

"You wish to have lunch with me? All right. We are business partners, so I will accompany you free of charge."

wait maybe i spoke too soon.

Affinity 22: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"This is for you, {PC}— it's the takeout coffee I often purchase. Your performance will decline if your mind isn't sharp."

his increased attachment is shown in the bare minimum of understanding normal human social interaction and caring for you by sharing his things and his time without charge. In trying to make you the best you(from his perspective) that you can be. Because that's what his parents did for him--so surely that's the best expression of love he has, aside from obsessive study and understanding.

Affinity 23: (between 8pm and 5am)

"I feel we made solid progress toward the reinstatement of the Gala today. Let's reconvene again tomorrow and continue working together to realize our goal."

Affinity 24: (between 10pm and midnight)

"Could I ask you to accompany me a little longer, {PC}? I realize it's outside of business hours, but...I would appreciate it if you could make a special exception."

He wants to spend time with you. And he's realizing he can just ask that. But he's so entrenched in legal and business mannerisms he doesn't know how to say "i want to be around you for longer". You're his business partner. It's bad form to request your attention outside of work, it has no value towards your goals and business efforts, but. . .that he's making a sort of formal appeal for your attention outside of work is as far as he can get in terms of expressing his affection right now.

Affinity 25(max): (no time constraints)

"It seems we make better business partners than I would have expected. I look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with you."

kind of comical that his max affinity line is still so formal after a more friendly 'please spend time with me late at night' 24th. . .but also, he wants you to be his business partner for longer. i think that counts towards something! It's a reason to stay with you! Maybe over the course of your business partnership he'll learn how to express deeper feelings. . .he's going to need an heir, after all--

Spring: (March-May) (between 5am and 11am)

"There has been a noticeable increase in reports of suspicious activity of late. More incidents means more business. Be prepared."

(between 11am and 4pm)

"You have a petal in your hair. A little more to the right. No, not there. Just let me remove it. Hold still."

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Indeed, the cherry blossoms are in bloom. Incidentally, Japan's oldest cherry blossom tree can be found in Yamanashi Prefecture and is estimated to be 2000 years old."

ritsu would probably kill at historical trivia night.

(between 8pm and 5am)

"I had tempura at the cafeteria today. It didn't come close to the tempura I would eat with my father at the historic soba restaurant we used to frequent though."

Summer: (June-August) (between 5am and 11am)

"This one is for my face, and this is for my body. I have six handkerchiefs with me— enough for morning, noon, and night. I cannot let my opponents see me sweat."

why's this giving me ace attorney prosecutor energy. . . . .

(between 11am and 4pm)

"I witnessed a half-naked man running around in this vicinity. Did you see him? He is risking a charge of indecent exposure."

but we saw Kaito in his underwear and you said that meant he wasn't at risk of indecent exposure. . . . . . . .

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"The warmer it gets, the more of a racket people make. Honestly, how were these people raised?"

to relax and have fun during the summer break. . .you should give it a try.

(between 8pm and 5am)

"You want to go and watch the fireworks? A rather childish request, but all right. So? Where would one go to view them?"

FIREWORKS DATE FIREWORKS DATE just don't touch him without getting his consent first that could be counted as sexual harassment and he'll Get Your Ass.

Autumn: (September-November) (between 5am and 11am)

"The weather is much more pleasant for going out on professional errands now. A first-rate lawyer keeps their boots on the ground. Now then, let's get going."

(between 11am and 4pm)

"I object to the cultural assumption that fall is the season of the arts. The arts should be enjoyed throughout the year, regardless of the season."

you and yuri would get along well i think. until you realize the guy is a medical malpractice suit waiting to happen. then you'd criticize him and he would take that so poorly.

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Once I've perused the relevant documents in the library, I plan on doing some reading. Please excuse me."

(between 8pm and 5am)

"The nights may grow longer in the fall, but daylight hours should not affect the time you rise and retire. I'll see you tomorrow."

Winter: (December-February) (between 5am and 11am)

"I have detected a change in how Taiga Hoshibami divides his time since the weather has taken a cold turn. It has created quite a quandary for me..."

yeah he doesn't like getting out of bed when it's cold. he also eats a lot more, like a bear about to hibernate. shockingly behavior patterns tend to change with the seasons.

(between 11am and 4pm)

"I've never experienced snowfall heavy enough to obstruct my movement, but I'd like to deepen my knowledge of the phenomenon for future reference."

to frostheim then! i'm sure that place is just awful for movement in winter.

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"I'm heading to the diner to fulfill a request from Ren Shiranami. Perhaps I shall enjoy a warm bowl of soup while I'm there."

. . .I wonder if this is an Obey Me!Raphael situation where he has no grasp of that the food is not good. . . .

(between 8pm and 5am)

"People say that hard work is the key to success, but it only took me a year to master German—as was the case with Italian and French."

His birthday: (January 13th)

"Indeed, today is my birthday. I've always celebrated this day by enjoying my mother's cooking, but from this year I am striving for a more self-reliant existence."

MAMA'S BOY MAMA'S BOY tbf up until he was 3 his mother was probably his only social connection and then he was locked away studying so. . .his mom is probably the only one he has like. . .personal feelings and attachment for. you'll be a tradwife too :) but also that he's trying to be more self-reliant at darkwick. . .that really does explain that he's like. not used to any sort of social interaction or doing things he hasn't been told to do by his parents. maybe in his time at darkwick he'll realize how good it feels to just. . .be a person. dedicate time to fun and relaxation. realize that work isn't everything. or maybe he'll be so judgemental towards the lifestyles of others he'll retreat even further into his current habits.

Your birthday:

"Happy birthday. A year older, a year wiser. I have high hopes for your performance in the coming year."

New Years: (January 1st)

"Happy New Year. Let's devote these next 365 days—or 8760 hours—to finding fitting solutions to the challenges that come our way."

what if it's a leap year. can we take the extra day off?

Valentine's Day: (February 14th)

"Thank you for the chocolates. Are you gifting them to me out of social obligation, or is this an expression of affection? Your answer will influence what you receive in return."

(for the uninitiated, that is very much a thing in Japan where on valentine's day a girl give some men in her life--like coworkers--obligation chocolates, which are generally not as nice and most likely store bought, although this practice is losing ground. friends get friendship chocolate and you give people you're actually attracted to or in a relationship more extravagant, expensive, or homemade chocolates to express your true feelings or a desire to be in a relationship with them. Ritsu is essentially asking 'is this because we're coworkers or are you asking me out' because White Day is the day for return gifts in response to given valentine's day gifts, and in the case of chocolates given to someone you wanna go out with they can act as a response to that proposal. presumably if you're asking him out he wants to give you chocolate to agree to get with you, since he's bothering to ask. . . .

White Day: (March 13th)

"White Day has its roots in Japan, having been invented by a certain historic confectionery shop. With that knowledge, please accept this."

'here's some trivia. and some chocolates. we are now in a relationship. should this be as fruitful as our business partnership, we can discuss marriage plans within the year.'

April Fool's Day: (April 1st)

"The spreading of false rumors is subject to strict punishment under Article 233 of the Penal Code. Do you still intend to continue this ruse?"

NO FUN ALLOWED.

Halloween: (October 31st)

"Coercing another party to choose between a "trick" or a "treat" could amount to intimidation. Engage in such festivities at your own risk."

NO FUN ALLOWED PART TWO: ILLEGAL BOOGALOO.

Christmas: (December 25th)

"Religious freedom is guaranteed by Article 20 of the Constitution. If this is a day that you wish to celebrate, then I will accept that."

he can't make you work on religious holidays you need off!!

Idle: (about 20 seconds without interacting with the game) (below 13 affinity)

"Five seconds have elapsed. Yes, that is how long you've kept me waiting."

(13 affinity and above)

"How long do you intend to keep me waiting? As always, I am on a tight schedule today. Please hurry up."

Absent: (logging in for the first time in 2 or more days?)

"I've been expecting you, {PC}. You weren't planning on breaking your promise to me, were you?"

SUCH A HARD-WORKING, SOCIALLY INEPT LAD. But Ritsu's a lot of fun, I give him a lot of shit and i desperately need him to touch some grass and get a reality check and learn about how others live and maybe experiment. . .but like i love him for being such a little shit. he's so. . .ignorant to the rest of the world and how other people are. . .i love seeing him try and dissect other people's behavior and intentions and coming to the conclusion that they must want the same things as him because he just. . .has no grasp of interests and intentions that aren't his own. . . . It makes me facepalm but also makes me laugh 8'D good boy. quality boy.

[thisgirlnamedblusy]

Four "unfairy" tales

Part 3 & Part 4 (end?)

Pairing: Marilyn Thornhill/Laurel Gates x Fem Student! Reader (Fairy)

Warnings: angst, fluff…

Word count: 4,048

Summary: You loved her, but you're gonna starting to see that she hasn't got good intentions, what are you gonna do?

N/A: Requests are open to you all!!! This is the sequel to this one. I want to finish it with that part, but if you want me to continue, just let me know.

3: A "fairy" book

Love was a strange feeling for you. You had been always attracted to women, but never in such a vivid way. That you were a fairy was not an advantage, all the feelings that could be considered "good" were much more intense for you. It was something unexpected. You didn't expect something like that. But it happened.

There was a connection between you that couldn't be explained, you could only feel it. It was something forbidden, frowned upon, something that was not supposed to happen. The visits to the conservatory immediately changed their purpose, being forbidden meetings in which you kissed and hugged. You didn't put aside your training, but you shared it with those other things.

“Tomorrow there is an excursion to Pilgrim World, it is voluntary, are you going to come?” Marilyn asked you, holding on to your waist while you manipulated a flower.

“No thanks, I don't like that kind of museums,” you said, shaking your head. She released you and raised her eyebrows.

“Come on, why not? We can go taking a walk through the woods... Besides, the others will be entertained and we can, you know, escape for a while,” she seemed to insist.

You sighed and thought about your options. Staying at Nevermore, getting bored by yourself, or going on a trip to that museum, with a walk and love affairs included.

“Alright.”

The walk to that place was quiet. Nature surrounded you and that made you feel good. The little animals that lived there came to you, it was a side effect of being a fairy. With no one around, you could afford to walk hand in hand. You were so happy that you didn't even remember that conversation with your mother, at least until your mind brought it back, in the midst of that pleasant time.

“Is something wrong?” Marilyn asked when you stopped walking. You looked down pensively and sat down next to a tree. The redhead sat next to you.

“It's just that…” You said, playing with the leaves that were on the ground, making them fly in circles. “Well, I can try to forget it, but I can't stop thinking about my mother. You know, when I finish the school I'll have to go home and…”  As you speak, the knot you had in your stomach became bigger and bigger.

“Oh, honey…” Marilyn sighed, putting a hand on your leg. “It does not have to be this way.”

“I have no other choice…” You said, resting your head on her shoulder.

“Of course you have. Listen to me, (Y/N). I'm not going to allow it.”

You opened your eyes and shook your head slightly.

“I do not know how. I'm sure my mother will chase me to the end of the world.”

“Not if she doesn't know where to find you,” the redhead said, looking into space.

“Do you want me to run away from my mother? It seems crazy,” you said, raising your head and beginning to think that it wasn't such a bad idea.

“I know, but also the love I feel for you is…” She sighed.

You smiled at those words, but you weren't selfish. You knew you couldn't change her life just because you didn't accept your fate.

“But Marilyn, you have your whole life here, your work… I don't want you to have to give that up for me.”

She looked at you, but she didn't say anything. Her expression turned serious and you could even feel some anger inside her.

“(Y/N), for a long time I…” she began, as if she doubted her own words. “It doesn't matter. I only ask you to trust me. Do you trust me, (Y/N)?”

You knew the answer before she could finish the question.

“I trust you,” you said, being completely sincere. She loved you, and she was the only one who had ever shown it to you. You did not see hidden interests, nor cruel intentions. It wasn't right, but neither was marrying someone you didn't love.

“I'll tell you clearly, (Y/N), I need your help. But you have to trust me and not ask questions, will you be able to do it?” She asked you, cupping your face with her hands.

That was a strange request, and curiosity began to invade your thoughts, but you would do anything for her, it was hopeless. You were too innocent, your mother always told you so, but you didn't think that was an absolute flaw.

“Burn in hell, witch!”

The spectacle of that museum was terrifying, at least for you, and surely for your companions as well. You didn't understand how they made you see a fake witchcraft trial, it seemed like they were making fun of you, plus the actors were pretty bad.

You felt hands on your waist and you looked back.

“Shh, follow me.”

You nodded and disappeared into the crowd. Marilyn was looking all around, as if she was avoiding being seen. You stopped in front of an apparently old building. The redhead went to the door, which she tried to open, without success.

“Locked, of course,” she growled. After that she looked at you. You were quietly watching your lover, who seemed desperate to enter that place.

“Marilyn, what, what are we doing here?” You asked, hesitating.

“I have to go in there. There is something I need.”

“What thing?”

“A book, an old book,” she answered you.

You stayed the same as you were, your intuition was crying out for your attention. Something was causing you some discomfort.

“But, but that's stealing,” you said fearfully.

She smiled casually at your remark.

“It is not. I'll just borrow it. When I don't need it I'll return it,” she told you calmly. “It's important, (Y/ N), also remember that you promised not to ask questions and to trust me.”

She was right. If you had to stop questioning yourself, you would, you would do it for her. Hesitantly you approached the door, bending down to look at the lock. It seemed big enough that you could squeeze through it if you shrunk. You felt the need to do it, the need to help her.

“I think, I think I can go through here,” you said, pointing to the lock.

"How?" She asked suspiciously. There had certainly been a change in her character.

You closed your eyes and tried to concentrate as much as possible. I had rarely managed to shrink you, but you had to at least try. When you noticed the strange sensation of your wings pressing against your clothing, you knew you could do it. You took off your jacket to let them peek out of your shirt, while everything around you seemed so much bigger. The hole in that old lock got big enough to look like a door compared to your size soon. You held yourself in the air as best you could, you weren't the best to flying. You clumsily passed through the keyhole and immediately grew larger again. Your time in that state was very limited.

“Ow!” You complained, falling noisily on the ground.

“Are you okay?” Marilyn asked from the other side of the door.

“Yeah…yes, I think so,” you said, rubbing the arm you hit the ground with. You shook your head, trying to clear away the dizziness caused by the effort. Surprisingly it was much less than other times, maybe your training did help.

You searched for the lock on the door and opened it. Marilyn rushed in, startled.

“Someone is coming,” she told you, her eyes wide open.

You approached the door and leaned out, seeing how what seemed to be the boss of the place was approaching. She couldn't see you there, it would be your downfall. You swallowed hard and blew on the palm of your hand, causing golden dust to scatter around the area.

The woman who was heading towards that house stopped dead and, shaking her head, turned around. You sighed in relief. It was simple magic, dissuading anyone passing by from even looking at the house, but it seemed to affect you more than shrink you. You leaned against the wall and tried to clear your vision, which had become blurry.

“I already have it,” Marilyn told you, holding a scary-looking book. When you looked at it, a chill ran through your body. “Thank you, (Y/N), you are incredible,” she told you, giving you a quick kiss on your lips.

You just nodded, leaving that place. You were exhausted, terribly exhausted and dizzy. The way back to school was difficult.

“Wait, I think I need to sit down…” You said with a weak voice, before feeling how your strength disappeared completely.

“Oh, my God… (Y/N). (Y/N)!”

That was the last you heard before everything went black.

Your actions will define you, (Y/N), be careful. If you look evil in the face, evil will stare back at you...

“(Y/N), (Y/N), wake up…” Marilyn's soft voice pulled you out of a strange dream full of strange warnings.

You blinked, realizing that you were no longer in the woods, but in a room you didn't know.

“Where…Where am I? What happened?” You asked, sitting up in bed.

“You fainted, honey, you gave me quite a scare,” the redhead responded.

“Oh, well, surely it must have been the effort... I don't usually do so much magic in a single day,” you said, shaking your head. Marilyn stared at you and frowned.

“Your… Your eyes,” she told you, worried.

“What? What's wrong with them?” You asked, unable to see why she was worrying so much.

“They're like… Red… Is that normal?” She told you, looking at you more closely.

“Did you say red?” You asked scared.

That was not normal, and you knew it. Over the centuries there had been many kinds of fae, but not all of them were good. Your grandmother told you several times about some who deviated from the path of good, to follow the path of evil. Nature was wise, and it knew how to distinguish between bad and good deeds. Thus, each fairy chose her path. Having red eyes was just a symptom that something in the way you act was changing, that you had done something wrong, and that disturbed your nature.

It wasn't something irreversible, at least that's what your grandmother told you. According to her, everyone made mistakes from time to time, but it was something so innate to any type of creature, that you always had the opportunity to change it, at least until it was too late. You should have noticed before. Stealing was wrong, and you had collaborated in it, even though you didn't understand why. You did it for love.

“No, it's nothing…” you sighed, leaning in to hug her. She stroked your head gently.

“You always manage to surprise me, (Y/N),” she told you. “You have taught me many beautiful things.”

Her tone changed a bit and she moved closer to you.

“But there is something, that if you want, I can show you,” she whispered, caressing one of your legs under the sheets.

"What?" You asked, noticing a strange energy in your body.

“I'm going to show you to love…” She said softly, kissing you afterwards, passionately.

4: An "unfairy" creature

Everything had changed so much in a very short time. Your eyes recovered their normal color and you couldn't help but be somehow worried about that. You weren't a bad person, nothing like that. Your conscience tortured you at the thought of having stolen that book, or rather, of having helped to do it. But then you thought about Marilyn, how she treated you, she loved you, she kissed you. Your relationship was going fast, and your heart couldn't beat anymore if you weren't with her. Your bad premonitions ended the moment her eyes looked at you.

“It can't be…” The redhead whispered, looking at a vial with a strange liquid, while you trained your powers.

“What's wrong?” You asked, seeing your lover's obvious frustration. She smiled at you innocently and shook her head.

“Oh, nothing, nothing. I'm trying to make a serum that manages to give plants some vitality. Although it seems that they are comfortable here, they need a little help,” she told you, shaking that bottle.

You looked around you and frowned.

“I think they are fine, I don't see anything strange,” you said surprised. Marilyn laughed.

“Maybe they are, but I try to overcome myself, you understand?” She told you, nervous. You nodded and walked over to her.

“I can, I can try to help you if you want.”

“Oh no, it's not necessary.”

She was strangely nervous and restless, which made you feel bad. You loved her with all your soul and you couldn't bear to see her worried or upset. You would do anything for her, always.

“What a pity, because with just one touch, I could make that jar contain whatever you want…” You said in a childish tone.

“Whatever I want?” She asked immediately. There was something in the environment that made you uncomfortable, but you decided to ignore it.

“Yes... Well, if it works, of course. Here, give me your hand.”

Marilyn hesitated and looked back at the jar. A smile that seemed dark to you appeared on her face and she extended her hand towards yours. You closed your eyes and concentrated.

“Uncover it,” you whispered. She complied and put the vial in front of you. You squeezed your free hand and placed it on top of the container, letting silver powder fall out of it. The liquid changed color instantly. You let go of the redhead's hand and felt too intense dizziness. It was the first time that she didn't care about your condition. She seemed very interested in the compound you just created. Concentrating, she took a small drop from the vial and placed it under a microscope.

“It's incredible, it's, it's perfect…” She sighed to herself. You smiled, trying to regain some composure. You managed to see a strange book on the table. At first you thought it was that book you stole, but no, it was another one. You couldn't look too closely, because you wobbled, now, capturing Marilyn's attention.

“(Y/N), are you okay? You try too hard for me…” She told you, caressing your cheek. She gave you the same strange look as that night.

“What, what's wrong?” You asked a little scared. Marilyn shook her head and took a lock of your hair in her hand. It was silver, completely different from your hair color. You didn't understand anything. That night your eyes changed, and now your hair did. You didn't think it was possible. A change in eye and hair color meant something that simply couldn't be happening. You weren't a bad person, you were always trying to do good, but for some reason you were changing, you were turning into an evil fairy. Your eyes returned to their normal state after making love that night. According to your grandmother, good and loving actions could reverse the process to a certain extent. You wanted to take the test and you hugged Marilyn without warning.

“Tell me what's wrong, (Y / N), you're worrying me,” she whispered to you, while she caressed your head gently. You began to feel better, but you verified to your fear that your hair did not return to its normal state.

“I… I just… I think I need to get some fresh air,” you said, starting to being scared.

“I have an idea. Let's go for a walk in the woods, maybe that will be good for you...”

The fresh air was a relief for you, but your hair remained the same, although being in nature was beneficial for you. You thought it was an innocent walk, aimlessly, but Marilyn seemed very clear where she was going.

A chill ran through your body as you passed in front of a cave that didn't look very friendly. She stopped and looked thoughtfully at her, and then at you.

“Come, (Y/N), there's something I want to show you,” she told you, with a much more serious tone than usual. You nodded, having another of your bad feelings. Normally any little animal that roamed the forest would have approached you, but that afternoon nothing like that happened. Something terrible was happening to you and you had no idea why.

With an awkward step, you followed her towards that cave. As soon as you peek in, you discovered something too disturbing. A boy, whom you recognized as the waiter of the town cafeteria, was in the cave, but he wasn't out for a walk, he was chained. His terrified eyes stared at you and he began to stir.

“Help me, please…” He begged you. You didn't know how to do anything other than nod and quickly head towards him, putting your hands on the chains.

“Okay, okay, calm down, I'm going to remove those chains. Marilyn, call the police!” You yelled at the redhead, who had waited to let you pass first.

“You…” Poor Tyler said when he saw your lover. “No, don't touch me… Be careful, she did this to me, she's crazy!”

You widened your eyes, removing your hands from the chains. Of all the nonsense things you had heard throughout your life, this was without a doubt the most absurd.

“What?” You asked, looking at the redhead. Marilyn didn't have an expression of terror or concern, she just looked at the boy coldly. She reached into his pocket and pulled out a syringe. You almost fainted when you saw the liquid it contained, it was the same one you had helped her create a while ago.

“Don't move, Tyler. I don't want to hurt you,” She said with a dark voice. The boy stirred and shook the chains nervously. You couldn't believe what was happening. Moving his chained arms, Tyler accidentally touched your hand and a horrible feeling ran through your body.

“He, he’s an evil creature, Marilyn, I feel it. It's dangerous, we have to go,” you said stuttering, ignoring the fact that Tyler had told you that she had chained him. Sometimes ignoring a few things could save someone from a heart attack. She looked at you and shook her head, outlining a half smile. Her look didn't seem to be the same, she looked like another person.

The redhead ignored you and approached the boy, sticking the syringe into his neck.

“Why?” You asked, seeing how the young man writhed in pain until he passed out. “What's that? What's going on?”

“Calm down, my love…” She whispered to you, giving you a kiss on the neck.

Horrified, you saw how Tyler began to growl and increase in size, turning in front of you into a terrible monster, which you knew perfectly well.

“He's a Hyde!” You yelled.  “Come on, run!”

She didn't move, looking satisfied at the creature. There was no longer any doubt. That's why  your hair changed, that's why your eyes changed. You helped to create what made Tyler awaken his nature. You were not aware of anything, you only did it for love. The monster looked at you and roared, implying that he didn't like your presence, but Marilyn seemed very sure of herself.

“You have to obey me, I have unlocked you, I am your mistress!” She yelled, completely ignoring all the things you were witnessing.

The Hyde did not calm down and the chains that held him began to move dangerously. At any moment they would be released from the wall, and that would be your end. Despite the bad time you were going through, you decided to act.

“Stay!” You yelled, waving your hands at the monster, which stared at you, still trying to break free. You waved your hands and a fine cloud of golden dust settled on its head. It immediately stopped trying to escape and its breathing relaxed. “That's it... Calm down...”

Marilyn looked at you curiously, seeing you handle that evil beast with your powers. The Hyde completely calmed down, now looking at the redhead.

“Obey me,” she told him, causing another sharp pain in your heart.

The monster looked at her and as if he were a loyal steward, he gracefully bowed. What you were witnessing was too much for you, you weren't even able to cry. With a tired roar, the monster fell to the ground, reverting back to young Tyler.

“Perfect,” the redhead murmured. You looked at her in horror. You wanted explanations, you needed them.

“Ma…Marilyn…” You said, trembling.

She looked at you and shook her head.

“Laurel, my name is Laurel,” she answered you, calmly.

“Laurel?” You asked with a small voice.

“I'm sorry I lied to you.”

“No, I don't understand anything…” You said, grabbing your head with your hands. “Why you lied to me? Why have you unlocked a Hyde?”

“To be able to carry out my plan.”

“What plan? This has to be a nightmare,” You noticed how you began to lack air.

“(Y/N), you have to listen to me well,” she told you, grabbing your face with her hands. You shook your head as your tears finally spilled down your cheeks. “They, the outcasts, took everything from me, they killed my family…

You kept shaking your head and you slipped out of her grip, feeling that at any moment you would faint.

“You've been using me,” you said angrily.

Little by little all the memories  with her came to your head. The theft of that book, that liquid. She probably wouldn't have gotten this far without you. That revelation fell on you, crushing your heart.

“No, honey, that's not true,” she told you, trying to reassure you with her voice. “I love you, more than anything in this world. Everyone is against us, (Y/N). No one will ever be able to understand ours. Your mother, Nevermore, they are obstacles in our way. You have to help me to get rid of them, so we can be free, do you understand?”

You kept thinking. You still didn't understand anything, but to your horror, the love you felt was still there. All the horrible things she said began to seem reasonable to you, while your hair turned completely silver and already the familiar feeling of dizziness invaded you again.

“But…But I…” You said, blinking very quickly.

“You have to help me, (Y/N) you love me, don't you?”

“I…I…Yes, yes… I love you,” you said, suddenly feeling too good. An evil smile crossed your face. There was no reverse. Your mind had justified all of Marilyn's, or Laurel's, intentions, and that was too much for your nature. Love was a good, innocent feeling, but for love people always did things that weren't right. You weren't sure what she meant by “get rid of them,” but the fact that you just turned into an evil fairy told you that nothing good.

There was no guilt, no regret, no doubt. In your head you only had one thing in mind, to help your beloved, no matter with what. You even wanted to laugh. You had succumbed to the darkness, for love.

“I think it's the best idea you've ever had,” you hissed, feeling a tremendous euphoria. Laurel shook her head, a little startled by your change in attitude. “Why the Hyde?”

“Well…” the redhead began, looking at you strangely. “I have to do dangerous things.”

“Kill, right?” You said grabbing her waist. She backed away, not believing that you were the same innocent girl you were before. “I can do it myself, you don't need a dirty Hyde.”

“(Y/N), what's wrong with you?” She asked, scared, while you jumped on her neck, kissing her lustfully.

“Nothing, I feel better than ever,” you said happily. A small part of your conscience was screaming at you, but you didn't want to listen. “You haven't answered me.”

“The, the Hyde was to protect you, to protect your innocence, to avoid getting involved in all of this. Oh honey, what happened to you? You, you don't look the same one.”

You smiled again, surprisingly kissing Laurel.

“There will be no one who can stopping us, Laurel. Your enemies and mine will be defeated….”

The end?

[halodwolf]

YOOO their lore is riveting holy shit!! id love to hear more abt the gods if youd like!

HEY THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! I'M SO GLAD YOU LIKE IT i've put years of love into these guys and it's so nice to have the groundwork out there finally :}

there are four gods here (i know we didn't hear mention of a fourth one yet nor their chosen one >_> still working that out). they essentially coexist pretty ok for the most part. none of the four are inherently good or evil (stating this clearly bc i know the lore post makes the progenitor look pretty bad. he's fine though). rest is goin under the cut cause i talk too much hope you don't mind

the star is based around venusian deities/archetypes - aphrodite/venus/ishtar/lucifer/inanna etc. uses she/he pronouns. her name is the star because she is y'know, venus, the morning/evening star and the brightest object in the sky other than the moon. she's the spinner's sister. she's a fertility/love god at her absolute baseline but also has an incredibly strong domain of personal justice and righteousness. she's a cyclical deity with two "phases"- the morning star, which is when he is sought for her verdant nature, this is when you'd go to her for matters concerning love, life, abundance, prosperity, fertility, change, etc, and the evening star, which is considered her "fall from grace" ushering the darker side of things concerning justice, victory, war, blood, lust, etc. the most actively invested in the going ons of the story out of the four gods, has always been very in touch with mortals. wants to see the wrongs of the story righted and will intervene as much as he can to do so. manifests in the story as either a maned lioness or a feathered serpent i can't decide which, maybe both?

the spinner is your fortune god! the star's sister. rules over fortune, fate, cycles, abundance, prosperity, luck, spontaneity, and general chaos as is the way of things. she/her. is pretty detached from everything happening because she has to be, general puppeteer of the story. while atheris may not be of her, she has a very large soft spot to him because of his devotion and pulls the strings in his favor. she creates the time loop that allows atheris to fix the mistakes he's made. tends to be aloof and distanced about the way things have to happen but feels no shame in ushering bad things upon those who deserve them. works very closely with the star as their domains in fate and justice have a large overlap although they don't get along the best. eccentric and strange and completely ineffable and almost impossible to understand. thinking about her too long will give you a migraine. has an undeniable presence whenever she's around. usually attributed to jupiter as the third brightest object in the sky. perhaps manifests as a hyena with an incomprehensible face garnered in pomegranates and laurels. they say that cicada song in the summer is her singing

the progenitor is literally like. the archetypal serpent. creation/sun god. he/him. the first one and the god of gods. carved the path for the others to follow. notorious seducer and persuader. him and the spinner are closely attributed to one another, they relied on each other for the longest time. nowadays they don't work as closely, but the progenitor still has his interests in her. is basically the personification of endless potential and creation, he offers this for you to take. what matters the most about the progenitor is how you take what he has to offer, which is why he culminates violently and explosively when atheris snaps. working with him is tricky but he is not entirely cruel. he'll kick you when you're down until you stop doing whatever what's gotten you to this point and will twist his fingers in your wounds until you change. does not make himself present to mortals very often so his appearance is surprising to everyone. very old very alien and no one knows much about his motives. common mythology is that he carved the gorge that the keys live in and now slumbers in the basin of the river. manifests as a giant black snake with iridescent scales

the reflector is the last of the four! personification of the moon. she/they. the most mysterious of the four, does not communicate very often or very well literally at all. is always watching very carefully and rumor is she has a lot more hands in the pot than you think she does. rules over the hunt/mystery/personal selfhood/introspection/crossroads/nighttime/everything you can't wrap your brain around. the wolves and dogs between the two clowders are particularly fond of her. she's known as the reflector for the way the moon reflects on water and her embodiment of knowing your own self. her nature is incredibly elusive and it seems they do this on purpose. however, she does care about those who follow her in her own strange way. weaver of webs. rumored to work in secrecy with the spinner in turning the wheel of fate but no one can say for sure. manifests as a giant wolf with a mirror for a face.

both the keys and the ridges follow each of the gods equally, there is no personal preference between the two despite their differences. however, the star finds herself personally invested in the lively hood of the keys due to the tragic death of their founder and thus the keys tend to see her as the highest and closest of the four. general worship is mostly old practice and the gods are far less involved in the present day than they used to be. however, when violence between the keys and the ridges comes to a head with nerros's assassination, this very quickly changes and they become directly involved. the star is the first to act, coming to lazarus above nerros's corpse, but the others follow not too long after

[lettercrafts0]

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[veirsewrites]

Play Chapters 1 and 2 Here!

From Within is a work in progress interactive fiction piece. Written in Twine.

Long ago the Earth went through the Great Blackout. Energy grids everywhere imploded and left the world dark. Governments collapsed, borders shifted and continents drifted. That is the past. Humans of the future have since adapted to living on the derelict shell of Earth.

But this does not matter to you. You are not from Earth, you live on your Homeworld. The Homeworld is a place of abundant energy where its humanoid species has learned to live along side the planet. Half of its population has been born with energy manipulation capabilities. These capabilities allow the users to manipulate the laws of nature and physics, within reason. Just as the first rule states, manipulating the energies around you is give and take. You must give in order to take. But no one said that what you give must taken from you.

Now you find yourself on Earth. And it stinks. Like a lot. But you're not here to criticize its various smells-- you may have accidentally misplaced a powerful artifact from your world on Earth and you need to get it back.

Maybe this group of humans you've stumbled upon can help. It's not like you would know where to start. Don't take too long though, your friend is worried.

Features:

Play as a man, woman or non-binary humanoid species.

(Let's be honest, you're basically the same as a human but have powers and prettier eyes.)

Character customization.

Romance 1 of 5 different RO's or no one.

React to the world around you, watch how characters respond and form relationships with them.

Maybe learn a little something about the laws of thermodynamics?

Break things.

Setting:

Book 1 takes place on Earth - a futuristic dystopian esq shell of what used to be. It's dark all the time, the new Earth consists of two main landmasses which the world population is split between. Each mass is an urban jungle where the streets stay empty. The rest of the planet drowns in deep dark oceans, a direct consequence from the past global climate failure.

Meet the Humans:

The Field Agent - Laurel Ramos

Top agent and Second in Command

28-30 yrs old, 5' 8".

Warm tawny skin - dark brown eyes - straight dark brown hair that hangs just below her shoulders.

Intelligent, elegant and an overall badass.

You need something done? She's your woman... but only if you ask nicely.

The Ex-Agent - Jean Claude "Jace" Glackin

Ex-field agent and Head of Security

30-32 yrs old, 6' 1"

Beige toned skin - brown eyes - dark brown shaggy hair - thick stubble.

Polite, patient, calm and well spoken.

Feeling confused or conflicted? Not a problem, Jace is more than willing to help you sort your thoughts out.

The Technologist - Michelle/Michael/Mika "Mickie" Nix (selectable)

Head of Communications and Technology

24-26 yrs old, Michelle- 5' 6", Michael/Mika- 5' 8".

Warm sandy toned skin - dark brown eyes - hair a few shades darker - freckles everywhere.

A bit of a mess, a bit panicky, very smart and highly innovative.

Small golden septum ring. Cartilage piercings.

Michelle - Messy crooked bangs and hair that ends just at the top of her shoulders.

Michael/Mika - Long short hair, usually brushed backed with a lot of strays falling into their face.

Find yourself in a tight spot and need some help? Don't call Mickie. How the fuck would they know what to do?

The Researcher - August Lane

Human biologist. Researching the effects of environmental stimuli.

26-28 yrs old, 5' 11".

Sepia toned skin - light blue eyes - short curly brown hair - dimples to match

Shy, awkward, very curious and prefers the company of his books and microscopes to all else. Self proclaimed pacifist.

You need something? Anything? Don't look at Lane. Seriously. Please don't. Too much direct eye contact is overwhelming.

The Friend - Leonidus "Leo" Corwin (aka not a human)

A friend you seem to have met a little over a year ago. Loyal to a fault and has sworn to have your back no matter what.

24-30 yrs old (year older than MC), 6' 0"

Rosy fair skin - hazel eyes that often seem lighter around you - white hair that if it was brushed out straight, would fall to his nose. Often hand swept back out of his face.

Gold nose ring. Multiple cartilage piercings. Tragus piercing.

Red snake tattoo on his forearm. Red snake tattoo on the back of his hand reaching past his wrist. Red snake coiled around a sword on his calf and a large, you guessed it, red snake tattoo on his back.

Want to go on an adventure? He's your guy. Want to stand around and do nothing? He's your guy. Want to go murder an entire village? He's your guy. Need to retrieve a misplaced object on another planet? You got this, no sweat - but don't worry, you have his full unadulterated support.

[tokiro07]

I was looking at things about medaka and I read your post about "the end".She can really recreate abilities just by hearing them but that makes me debate whether that ability that she hears that exists really needs to exist.I mean. If I say that I have seen someone use a skill based on creating objects from clay, she needs to know that she really exists to copy it or she can recreate it without actually existing. I hope you understand what I say. I do not speak English very well.

The second part of relfexion is. Do you consciously recreate them? In case you "copy" or recreate them unintentionally, you could invent a detrimental ability to defeat it.

If I'm understanding you right, you're wondering if Medaka can use The End to "copy" Skills that don't actually exist, as it's been proven that she doesn't need to actually witness a Skill in use to do so

I've been wondering about this for a very long time, and I think that Medaka can in fact create new abilities if she thinks to, but probably doesn't because she doesn't quite realize she can

Consider this: The End's ability isn't actually to "copy" Skills, it's to "perfect" Skills. Weaknesses, drawbacks, limitations, and deficits in potential are all wiped away until the ideal form of the Skill is realized. Well, wouldn't requiring firsthand exposure to a Skill be a limitation? In fact, wouldn't requiring that a Skill exist in the first place be a limitation?

Genetically, The End is a combination of both Maguro's Analysis and Naze's Remodeling: Medaka analyzes a target Skill and any physiological changes her body would need to undergo in order to facilitate it, then automatically remodels her body to fit those changes. In its incomplete state, The End needs a reference to know what changes it's going to make, tracing the existing Skills before altering and improving them

Once The End has been perfected by its own analysis of itself, naturally it would be able to intuit the changes it needs to make to Medaka's body without a reference point, aside from knowing what ability it wants to make

And therein lies the problem: no matter how good it is at making abilities without reference materials, it still requires that Medaka have something in mind to make, otherwise it would just be randomly generating powers non-stop, which would itself be a greater weakness than the alternative

So why doesn't Medaka use this aspect of The End whenever she needs a new ability to match a situation?

Well...because she NEVER needs to

Medaka has proven time and time again that she's perfectly capable of doing anything through sheer willpower and might alone, even if she didn't have The End. In fact, having a utility belt of a power that allows her to just make up new powers on the fly isn't Medaka's style, it's Ajimu's

The mentality necessary to rest on one's laurels and generate powers to match situations rather than using the abilities already at one's disposal is closer to a Not Equal than an Abnormal. That's how Ajimu got 13 quadrillion Skills in the first place; she didn't even choose to have them appear, they all just did naturally as she needed them

Therefore, if Medaka were to allow The End to truly perfect itself, she would lose an important aspect of herself, ceasing to be an Abnormal that views herself as Normal and becoming a Not Equal

Honestly, solely based on mentality? Medaka shouldn't even be called an Abnormal or a Plus or anything like that. She should be her own class altogether: Equal. She doesn't view anyone as below her or above her in terms of skill level, Skill type, seniority, economic class, etc. She believes in the equality of human value, and she herself is no exception to that

Y'know, when Medaka Box ended, I thought it was a huge shame that Medaka lost The End as she grew older, but now that I think of it, that was really the ultimate way to perfect Medaka: actually making her equal to other people. I'm sure she's still incredibly strong and intelligent, but having god-like superpowers was only ever going to alienate her from other people no matter how old she got or how good she was at controlling it. Having The End leave and allow Medaka to live as a Normal truly was the most fitting end

[psychicmedium14]

Your 2020 September Horoscope

September is the ninth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, the third of four months to have a length of 30 days, and the fourth of five months to have a length of less than 31 days. September will reveal all the layers of your multifaceted personality. You’ll be genuinely happy to be absorbed in a new engaging activity. What else will the month bring you?

♈

Aries:

At the end of June, your ruling planet, Mars, entered your sign. This has offered the benefits of enhanced energy, motivation, and drive, not to mention a boosted libido. From September 9 until November 13, Mars takes a break and moves backward. You might feel like a marathon runner, forced to come to a standstill. Progress might feel as if you walk through waist-high, wet concrete. But, until November, you have a chance to assess what or possibly who is worthy of your continued efforts. Try to connect with what's helpful about this need to pause and reflect.

♉

Taurus:

During September, much in your world could be subjected to two things: secrecy and reflection. The two go hand in hand because you could call a personal 'time out' to reflect upon what your efforts are bringing in every area of your world. You could be aware of where results aren't forthcoming or possibly where a particular 'spirit' has 'flown.' Whatever you decide, any action you take will likely be supported with plenty of necessary thought. But be prepared to distance or detach yourself to come up with answers or solutions.

♊

Gemini:

Where friendships or group efforts are concerned, you probably bring a unique brand of energy and enthusiasm that others appreciate. But from the 9th until November 13, you could show less willingness to interact or involve yourself. If you're tired of reaching out to or supporting others, then you could be keen to see who makes an effort for a change. You also have two powerful lunar influences affecting your career, home, and family. A Full Moon on the 2nd could have marked a professional turning point. A New Moon on the 17th offers a new beginning related to your living space or domestic setup.

♋

Cancer:

Since the end of June, Mars has blessed you with increased energy and enthusiasm that you've been able to focus primarily on professional pursuits or career advancement. From the 9th until November 13, Mars goes retrograde. This backward motion could result in you feeling more deflated than elated where career prospects are concerned. You might sense momentum grinds to a halt, or effort hasn't paid off in ways you hoped it would. But regardless of how your professional mojo dips, by November, you'll regain your focus and 'give your all' to what truly inspires you.

♌

Leo:

A backward-moving Mars is a weakened Mars, and you could find your enthusiasm and motivation to pursue an educational or mind-broadening goal diminishes or nosedives. 'Mind-broadening' can cover quite a list, but is primarily associated with anything connected with law, studying, travel or media. But it's your financial picture that could have you punching the air with joy. A Full Moon on September 2 targeted money, income, and monetary gains, as will the New Moon on the 17th. It looks like your patience and diligence have paid off - literally!

♍

Virgo:

September is bound to be a revealing and decisive month. A Full Moon on the 2nd targeted partnerships and commitments. Depending on your personal circumstances, this can mark the start of a new beginning or bring a necessary ending. A New Moon in your sign on the 17th offers a clean slate where a new and improved 'you' is concerned. Self-development and self-improvement could be increasingly important. Finally, with a backward-moving Mars influencing finances, you have a chance to assess your monetary position and make improvements or cuts where they're needed.

♎

Libra:

September is all about taking steps to make you feel better on the inside and outside. A Full Moon on the 2nd and New Moon on the 17th encourage you to take your physical and mental health seriously. It could become clear what changes are needed to your diet and lifestyle to help you to be the best you can be. But a backward-moving Mars from the 9th could reduce your energy and enthusiasm toward a partnership or commitment. From this month until November, you could assess whether the effort you invest is worth continuing to make - or where it's not reciprocated on someone else's part.

♏

Scorpio:

You can certainly shine this month, my Scorpion friend. Venus can help bring pats on the back and praise that you and others know you've earned. The coming weeks offer a chance to showcase and remind others of talents you possess. But support or adoration you receive won't allow time to rest on your laurels. A backward-moving Mars affects your work and service to others. You could feel unsupported or left to your own devices where tasks or projects are concerned. But, by November, you'll be able to shine once again having demonstrated your ability to knuckle down, work under pressure, and persist where others may have given up.

♐

Sagittarius:

September looks set to be about finding a necessary balance between home and family matters and making professional progress. A Full Moon on the 2nd could have brought a domestic matter into the spotlight and possibly require you to assist or support a family member. But it's the New Moon on the 17th that offers a clean slate or a new beginning with a career-related goal. Whether a promotion is on the cards or you decide to branch out on your own, what culminates on or around mid-September will be the result of your faith-driven efforts.

♑

Capricorn:

September is brought to you by two keywords: stability and harmony. With Venus influencing what you own, owe, or share with others from the 6th, money disconnected from your earnings could arrive or indicate that a financial risk taken could come up trumps. But with Mars moving backward from the 9th until November 13, you could find an increasing amount of effort is required to keep things sweet on the home and family fronts. It may be your Capricornian grounding that is needed to keep disruption, delays, and conflicts at bay or at least manageable.

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Aquarius:

To say that September has a strong financial slant is an understatement. You had a Full Moon on the 2nd that influenced your income and valuables, and this could have created tension, disruption, or anxiety related to monetary matters. But see what transpires on or around the New Moon on the 17th. This offers a fresh start or clean slate connected with money that you don't earn. This is about windfalls that come from inheritances, grants, rebates, or loans. You could find that any cash-related chaos you experience at the start of the month diminishes from mid-month onwards.

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Pisces:

September could have commenced with emotions running high, due to a Full Moon that was in your sign on the 2nd. This could have brought a powerful emotional release that had been building for some time. But in whatever way suppressed feelings or emotions emerge, you can be certain that the experience was healing or cleansing. You also have a backward-moving Mars affecting your income and possibly your confidence in a money-making pursuit. You could decide that what has generated cash in the past requires too much effort now. Use the time between now and mid-November to decide where your income is most likely to reflect your passionate or creative efforts.

[kittenshift-17]

Hey Kitten! I was wondering if you're majoring in writing? I'm a high school student who's applying to college right now and am also really interested in writing (potentially to the point of considering it as a career), and was wondering if you had any tips ^^

Goodness.... How do I answer this without sounding terribly cynical and crushing your hopes and dreams and ideals about the world?

I’m actually already finished studying, myself. I graduated with a BA majoring in Writing and Publishing 3 years ago. And without blowing holes in all of your plans, I’ve got to be honest as I tell you about how useful I’ve found my degree.... which is to say that it was completely useless and a waste of money. 

Maybe it’s my country’s outlook, but having a BA isn’t really the big deal it used to be and everyone I know who got an Art Degree basically wasted their money. I mean, those in productive arts and theatre and such find them handy due to the practical classes, but a writing degree is..... Well, it’s a lot like high school English/Literature classes. You get given texts and articles and asked to dissect them and write essays about them. It’s.... god, it’s boring. The books are about as interesting in college as there were in high school and the teachers aren’t that much more competent on the grasp of what they want in the essay, and tend to have a biased and ridiculous analysis of the stories. Sometimes the author writes the curtains as being blue just because we like blue, not because the character is depressed, ya know?

When you say you want to consider writing for a career, I assume you mean that you’d like to be an author, and if so then my advice to you would definitely be to forget about majoring in writing for a university level degree. They don’t teach you how to write in those classes. They teach you how to draft essays, and unless you want to take after George Orwell, you don’t want an essay style of writing if you’ve aspirations to be an author. 

If, on the other hand, you mean you want to look at writing as a career option for other fields than fiction or non-fiction writing, then it can definitely be useful. If you wanted to get into writing as someone who drafts up those silly example stories you see in school textbooks (you know the ones, where Sally has five apples and sells Billy three before turning purple) then they come in handy because the classes teach your how to dissect such a story for meaning and the language tool you’re focusing on, and you work backwards (which is why those things rarely makes sense).

The point is, college is expensive. And so you have to weight the options of how much you’ll get out of a degree against how much money goes into paying for it and how much real-world use it will be to you once you’ve graduated. 

Me? I have a Bachelor of Media and Communication, majoring in Writing and Publishing. 

Do you know what I use it for?  Nothing. I don’t use my degree at all. I work as an Administration Manager for a Commercial Laundry and spend my days inputting data and trading polite, yet curt emails with clients regarding their linen hire. The only useful part of my degree is my grasp on the English language that allows me to very professionally tell someone to go fuck themselves without once cursing, or even crossing the line into being rude.

Look, of everyone I know who went to college that got a BA, do you know which ones are doing well? The ones who did a double major, one is business, law, or science, and the other in languages. Seriously, if you can major in languages, do it. Pick a core language and study it like your life depends on it. Two of my friends who studied language (both of them studied Mandarin) now have some super cool jobs. One is a high level special intelligence officer for the military. The other is a financial advisor for a Chinese conglomerate and, I believe, is currently living the high life in China. 

Everyone else I know who got an Art degree, either in writing, music, communication, advertising, history, social studies or anything else pretty much had to go back to uni after they graduated, do a Diploma in education, and use their skills to become school teachers. Seriously, all of them. I know talented musicians, talented writers, history-buffs, and more, and they’re all teachers now. Teachers, or doing what I’m doing and wasting their degree by working in a job where the degree has no meaning beyond showing an ability to commit to something for 3 years. 

At the risk of sounding condescending, and potentially confusing you all the more when you’re already at a place where all of life’s big decisions seem laid at your door, I’m going to give you a list of the things I wish I’d known when I was in high school.

TIPS:

1. Be single. Seriously, if you’re currently in a relationship, I urge you to end it. I don’t care how in love you think you are, or how painful the idea of breaking up might be, you WILL regret being in a relationship when you’re in college. And I don’t just mean because you’ll be meeting new people and could be bouncing into bed with some sexy stranger(s). There are so many things that I didn’t do in college because I was too busy trying to make things work with my boyfriend (whom I dated for 6 years before we broke up, by the way). I mean, I missed out on a bunch of college events because instead of being on campus, I was driving home to my small-town to see him. I missed out on so many life experiences, ranging from skinny dipping with strangers, to wild parties, to experiencing life WITHOUT worrying about someone else and how they would react to my actions. I cannot tell you how much I regret not just ending things with him and figuring out who the hell I was because I was too busy focusing on who WE were. 

2. If you’re going to study something, pick something that will give you practical experience, not just theoretical experience. Pick something that will give you life experiences. Study a language - hell, spend a semester abroad if you can. Study something that has a real-world use. If I could go back to being in high school, do you know what I’d do rather than studying a BA? I’d become a Veterinarian. Or a doctor. Or maybe a scientist of some kind. Hell, I might even forgo college and get an apprenticeship as an electrician or a hairdresser, or maybe even a builder. I reckon I’d have made a kick ass engineer, actually.

3. Push yourself. Don’t rest on your laurels and coast through the course. Go to every class. If you go, and you consistently find it boring, or awful, then you’re probably in the wrong course and should drop it for something else. I mean it. I have a BA. I spent 3 years studying it. Do you know how much actual course-work I engaged with? Roughly 50 hours worth. Total. I never went to class. I holed up in my dorm writing fanfic whenever I wasn’t partying, hungover, or feasting. I literally went to about 5 classes throughout my final year, despite having been enrolled in courses that asked for 10 hours a week minimum face-time in the classroom and living on campus. And I still graduated. It was way too easy and I wish I could go back and pick a different course - one that would make me WANT to go to class every day.

4. Recognize the fact that, no matter how it seems like you’ve got to figure everything out RIGHT NOW, you really don’t. Be decisive, and if you have a career goal in mind, work toward it, but please, PLEASE approach a company that offers that career and ask them if you can observe for the day. They might say no, but they might not. Tell them you’re in high school and you’re thinking about angling toward a career in that field and you’d like to get a look into what that career is like. Ask if you can shadow them for a day, or a week, or even a month. Ask them questions. Don’t just tag along if they let you observe. Ask for their motivations. Ask how it all works. Ask if they’re happy. Find out what the drawbacks of that career are. You’re at the age where you can find out who you are and who you want to be. 

Me? When I first enrolled in college I was training to become a Registered Nurse. I spent a buttload of money on books and uniforms and courses to be a Nurse and then I did a practical-training stint and do you know what happened? I found out I fucking HATED it. I couldn’t deal with all the bodily fluids, and showering old people, and being coughed on and struggled against, and bossed around by doctors. And I quit. I called my parents and I told them how studying it was exciting in theory, and that I enjoyed the course-work for my essays, but I couldn’t stand the practical part. And I told them that it was fucking me up and that I’d stick it out if they wanted me to, because they were paying my accommodation for living on campus. But I found out what it was like, and I hated it. And if I’d gone to my local hospital and volunteered BEFORE applying to be a nurse, I’d have known it wasn’t for me. You haven’t got to get it right the first time, you know? You can make a mistake. But they’re expensive. If you can do things BEFORE money gets involved and figure out what you like and don’t like, do it. Always do it. Go to you local hospital and ask if they need an AIN for the week. Go to your local shelter and volunteer. Volunteer in a soup kitchen, or at your local library or youth centre. Ask companies if you can help them out for a few days and be willing to do it WITHOUT being paid. If you expect money, most will turn you down, but if you paint it as them helping you figure out who the hell you’re going to be and saving you from making potentially the worst mistake of your life if you pick the wrong course, most people are decent enough to give you a go.

5. Travel. I mean it. If you can afford to travel, and it won’t cost you a scholarship, take a year off between high school and college, and travel. See the world. Take a bestie, or go alone, but travel. I would be a completely different person if I’d travelled before college, and gone alone, rather than waiting until the summer between my 2nd and 3rd year and going with a boyfriend. Your perspective on life will change, I guarantee it. Hell, take a working holiday and work bar-jobs or cafe-jobs, or anything to pay the bills while you see the world, but for the love of god, get out of your home-town or your city. Meet new people. See new things. Learn how things work in another country by experiencing it first hand. I can’t stress this one enough because my number one biggest regret in life is that when I was in high school, I was offered a place in an exchange program to live and study in a country of my choice for a year, and I turned it down because I was in a relationship that was “going to last forever”. It didn’t last, and I was an idiot, and I insist that anyone who can travel MUST do so. I don’t care if you’ve got to backpack your way across Europe on $10 a day, if you can do it, PLEASE do it.

6. Learn how to take advice and criticism without seeing it as a challenge and without immediately being spiteful and doing the opposite. Listen to people who know better. If I’d listened to my parents, I’d have ditched the boyfriend, travelled, seen the world, and been a whole different person. If I’d listened to my Aunt, I’d have known that nursing was going to be horrible and that I’d hate it and quit. If I’d listened to family friends who ran local businesses in my town, I’d have been able to take them up on offers of things that, at the time, sounded awful, but things I’d have likely really enjoyed. 

7. Don’t listen to your friends. They don’t know what’s best for you, no matter how well they know you or how close you are. If they’re your age, then they’re as clueless as you right now and they don’t have any idea how to offer you actual advice that will help change your life for the better. If you want to try something, and your friends disagree, do it anyway. Learn to be independent of them. One day, all too soon, that bestie you’re so close with will be someone you see or speak to once or twice a year and - here’s the kicker - you’ll be okay with that. You might even PREFER that. The point is, you need to grow as a person and you need to figure out exactly who you are. It’s not as easy as it sounds, and it’s not always as rewarding as you might hope, but it’s important that you do it. And I know that being told to figure out who you are tends to bamboozle teens. Hell, it confused the hell outta me because I was all, “I know exactly who I am.”

I didn’t.

Ask yourself the hard questions. Figure out where you stand politically. Figure out what matters to you. Do you care about religion? Current Events? Does the opinion of your peers matter to you? Does it really? At the end of the day, when you go to bed, do you CARE if you offended someone who deserved it? Do you prefer chicken or beef or vegetarian? What would you look like with a nose ring? A shaved head? A tattoo you can regret later? Do you like boys, or girls, or something in between? Both? Neither? Are you a wool sweaters girl, or velvet jumpsuit girl? Sneakers or scuffs? Dyed hair or natural? Tea of Coffee? Boy or girl? Do you want to help the environment or end world hunger or fix the economy? Do you want to hide under a rock and never talk to anyone again? Do you want to make a name for yourself? It’s all relevant and it sounds silly, but if you’re aspiring to be a writer, find a character questionnaire of all the things you’d want or need to know about a character to write about them in a book. Fill it out about you. You might be shocked by what you learn. 

8. Don’t give terribly long winded answers like this one.

9. Never settle. You’re more than settling. Don’t settle for a partner, don’t settle for a job, don’t settle for a town, or a city, or a friend, or a life that you’re not happy with. If you aren’t happy, figure out why and make changes. You’re allowed. No one is going to stop you, and if they try, direct them to me so I can lecture them on how to be a better person. *winks*

10. Use your imagination. If you want to be an author, you’re not going to learn how in a classroom. You’ll learn by diving into a book and entering a whole new world. Practice your writing. Write fanfiction and share it to see what people make of it. Listen to the suggestions of those offering constructive criticism. PRACTICE. Read. For the love of god, read everything. Push yourself to learn how to write better, not in the classroom, but in the real world. Write whenever you can. Every day. I mean it. Literally, every day. If you don’t write, you won’t improve. You’ve got to do it. Set a goal. Tell yourself you’ll write 100 words a day, build on it from there. Be like me and write thousands of words a day, when you’re up for it. If you don’t keep your imagination alive and trying to think of new ways to tell the same story, you’ll struggle and you’ll fizzle. 

xx-Kitten

[rndyounghowze]

Broadway Theatre of Pitman Gives US Sanctuary with The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Pitman, NJ

By Ricky and Dana Young-Howze

Broadway Theatre of Pitman really rang a bell with me in their production of Hunchback of Notre Dame. This musical with music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and book by Peter Parnell was directed by John Stephan and gave us sanctuary for the night.

All Quasimodo ever wanted was one day out in the normal world. But his adopted Father Dom Frollo forbids it. But on the Festival of Fools he ventures out and meets a lovely Gypsy girl named Esmeralda. After seeing the world she opens up for him can he ever venture back in?

Direction and Choreography by John Stephan brought his usual flair for brilliant character work and expansive dance choreography. You can tell that Stephan puts his heart and soul in everything. The dance numbers did not disappoint. You had the huge stage stealing tentpoles that make us celebrate and the small intimate choreography that steals your heart.

Now for character work I have say that I don't know whether my criticism here is an acting choice, a script problem, or a director choice. I found it a strange choice for Quasimodo to talk in a lisp while speaking to some people and dropping it to sing beautifully or talk to other people. It's not the problem of his angelic singing voice that melts my soul like butter it's the problem that it rings unauthentic for a person with a speech disability to suddenly be able to sing.

Also I don't know why but there seemed to be more questions left unanswered by Quasimodo's disability than not. Such as if he is a bit deaf why can he hear things said behind him? And if he's reading lips why isn't he looking at people's faces? This is most likely a problem that production inherited from the script but characters with disabilities deserve to have that extra work done to provide great representation for the community of a differently abled audience. Oh I understand that realism is out the window in a play where he's talking to gargoyles. However you can't rest on your laurels just looking "infirm" you have to make sure your performance does not seem unauthentic to who the musical says Quasimodo is.

Other than my questions about Quasimodo (played by Will K. Carey) this guy is what Dana called "scary good" and has a wicked talent about him. He brings a sincerity to the character that I haven't seen in a long time. He makes us immediately feel like this character is someone that we know.

Although I feel that the villainous character of Frollo became bastardized by the musical adaptation our onstage Frollo (played by CJ Kish) did not disappoint in his performance. Because this new framing had him seeming more misguided than evil he was able to show a good man gone wrong. We are watching a journey of a Godly man turning into a monster.

Phoebus (played by Justin Boyd) cut a dashing figure in a cape and sword. Dana informed me I should mention that he was very handsome. I will say that we both agree that his voice was as smooth as silk and rich as cream. And his chemistry with Esmeralda was very nice.

Esmeralda (played by Shannon Q. Harkins) had that instantly approachable quality without seeming too vulnerable. She became my handhold into the musical. Her reactions and views of the world became mine. She gave the character sensuality without making her an object. No matter how other people objectified her she carried the character like a human being.

I respect anyone who can turn a cartwheel and still sing in tune and Clopin (played by Matthew Robertson) delivers. I especially love his performance in the Court of Miracles number. Instead of a Punchinello type character we get a true leader of the Romani.

I need to give a special shout out to the Jarema brothers: CJ Jarema and Andrew Jarema. I had a hard time counting all the roles they played in the course of two acts. I do know their hard work tired me out!

Krystina Hawkinson first wowed Dana and I in "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and we really loved seeing her again last night! We feel we got a really good sense of her range and talent in this show.

The minute I heard that choir I had chills up and down my spine. There are so many things that you can do with a stationary choir that you can't do with an ensemble and this show has both a choir AND an ensemble of storytellers! You can fill the entire house with the magic of the human voice and for a show about a famous Cathedral you have a huge atmosphere to create! Dana and I were divided. She thinks we could have had the choir doing something more than just sitting there. They could have been part of the action more. I believe they were just perfect and I wish that the story teller ensemble had just stayed still and joined the choir. Be sure to go and tell us what you think.

Then you hear this orchestra under the musical Direction of Jack Hill that sounds as soft as heaven one moment and as firey as gates of hell the next. The orchestra made good use of strings and percussion to sound much bigger than it was.

Set Design by David DeWeil never disappoints! I loved the expansiveness of the set which stood almost as monolithic as the great cathedral herself. However I couldn't help but notice that some of the wagons buckled and swayed as actors walked on them. If they're going to hold the weight of actors then it should support them without the audience thinking about why it's moving on its own. I say this out of love because it's beautiful.

Lighting Design by Shawn McGovern really kept a dark and dismal atmosphere throughout. I noticed that he played really heavily with light and shadow and rich shades of purple. Probably the best lighting design I've seen at Pitman in a while.

Costume Design by Thom Sirkot played with the ideas of clean and ragged. You could tell what classof society characters were by their clean white robes, their dirty smocks, or their garish colorful dresses. However onstage costume changes at the beginning seemed a little too awkward but that might have been the complex nature of them. I am sure that most nights they work like a charm.

I was so glad to see fight choreography onstage in South Jersey that finally made sense! And this past stage armorer appreciates the work of fight director Rocco Barbera in this show. But it's not without it's problems. If you're going to do dazzling sword work then don't take actors acting at full speed and make them go through fight choreography that runs at half speed. Actually let the swords hit each other. Also make sure the actors are actually moving like they want to hit something. But it was the best sword choreography I've seen in three years. If I wasn't such a stickler I would say it was the best in six.

Of course the stage was graced with hair and wig Design by John Rattacasa. I have to confess that I'm such a fan of Mr. Rattacasa that anytime I see good hair onstage I go "that's an original masterpiece by John"! And I often start bragging about wigs that aren't his. John wigged the entire female ensemble in this show and if you can't tell it's because he's just... that...good! He's my theatre good luck charm for a reason!

Before I go I have a "behind the scenes" moment for you. At intermission an usher came to our row and announced that no one should be using their cellphones. Dana was able to whisper to her that we were reviewing the show and were invited. People often ask us why we don’t just show up to show unannounced and uninvited. This is why.

There are a lot of rules for theatre reviewers and they're all about making sure the venue, the reviewer, and the audience have the best experience ever. Normally we are invited to a press night at BTOP but in this instance it was not possible in which this case means we come in whenever schedules allow. Press nights are important to make sure that reviewers don't hinder someone's fun in the course of their duties. I would love to see press openings standardized all over South Jersey

You have more chances to see this show if you haven't already seen it. Even though it's not a favorite libretto of mine the cast has several ovation worthy moments. It's really worth it.