#i cannot believe i found this gif it is perfect xD

[lokavisi]

Two days in a row I've posted a long UPG story. Well, here goes...

If you're reading this close to the time of posting, you can clearly see that my blog name here is Lokakind. AKA Loki's child. I know a lot of people use -son or -dottir as suffixes to denote their devotion or relationship to deity within the Norse pantheon. I chose a gender neutral variant since I'm nonbinary. Though when I was originally contemplating this name last year, I was searching general Old Norse words to use to make a name. Like, "Loki's wolf" or "Loki's fire," for example. Ultimately, I felt that I could never live into any of those names, so denoting the established relationship made the most sense. That said...one of the names I originally considered was Lokavísi, which means "Loki's Prince." Being transmasc, I quite liked the softer masculine term. The second the idea popped into my head Loki got all silly. Like He took my hand to kiss it and dramatically say, ~*♡My prince....♡*~ while fluttering His eyelashes. (That is typed as correctly as possible, lol.) But as much of a reaction as it got and as much as it gave me some gender euphoria, I still felt like giving myself a royal title felt presumptuous.

Cut to a few days ago when Loki and I started talking about family, and when he said my name (Rory, which I chose as part of my transition) it sort of hit different? I can't really explain it that well. It made me feel good to hear him say it, but he's said it before. There was nothing remarkably different in the circumstances of our conversation from previous ones. I just noticed a positive feeling within myself when he said it. I brought it up and he starting asking if I'd prefer another name like Tim or Boozlebub. (Yes, that is a name he said, and yes, that is how it was said/spelled. No, he did not misspeak "Beelzebub.") Anyway, in talking about names he said he liked me thinking of myself as His Prince. When I asked why he said, and I'm paraphrasing, that such a title still denotes lineage (being His child, if he is a King) while possessing power. Inherited power that, as a child of His, I am able to (or already) possess. He also reminded me that Rory means "red king" - I already "chose royalty" years ago.

So here I am now, typing this, to say that I might change it. And, returning to the words and names I looked up originally, I looked up the meaning again. The website I found some words from listed "vísi" as the Old Norse for "prince." I recognize subtler meanings can get lost in translation, especially with old languages, so I looked it up on other sites. From what I can tell, it's related to the Old Norse adjective víss, meaning "known" or "wise." The more precise definition for vísi was poet, leader, or chieftain. Visir means king, so also a leader, and as the weaker masculine nomative vísi would then be prince. If I understood everything correctly, anyway. Please feel free to point out any errors!

But this extra little bit of knowledge really intensifies the point, I think. He wants me to recognize the wisdom (and the power that comes from it) that comes from within myself and from my family of the Jarnviðr (aka the Ironwood), and make it known - show others that I possess it, that I know who and what I am, and am not afraid to be just that and utilize the power given to me. That allows me to be a great leader if in no other way than leading by example in how I live my life. As He said, I already chose leadership with my name anyway. But as Lokavísi, I would be doing so while acknowledging my relationship with him. It still feels intimidating to try to live into that name. I'm not just putting myself on the line - I risk smeering His name, too, if I chose to claim it and prove to be a shit leader. Though again, as He said, I already claimed leadership in my name, and I know He's gonna be a part of my life and leadership anyway. So is it really that scary to take on that name that I could already maybe be sort of living into anyway? I guess it's really not.

So yeah. That's probably change. And that's why. Not that I'm saying all this to justify the change to you. I don't care about that, lol. I wanted to share because our conversation and what came of it was so meaningful to me, and if it in any way resonates with others, I'd like to share that you all. I hope Loki's wisdom blesses you all ❤️

EDIT: It's not Old Norse. It's Old Icelandic. My bad!

#thank you reading and indulging me #i cannot believe i found this gif it is perfect xD #upg #big upg #big feelings #names #loki #norse loki #loki deity #lokean #heathen #heathenry #deity work #deity relationships

[the-blind-geisha]

You reopened the love letters requests! YAY! Can I ask one from Sephiroth to the shy scientist (not sure if this qualifies, if it doesn't, just regular reader is fine). Flowers are:

BLACK BRYONT/LADY’S SEAL - Be My Support CACTUS - Endurance, My Heart Burns with Love THORNAPPLE - I dreamed of thee

NSFW, if possible? Thank you!

A/N: Ooh this should be enjoyable! I love those two so much. XD And she's still a reader and shy—I'm sure we all can relate to that one!

As a side note to others who catch this post: please check my pinned post or my description to see if love letters are open before sending one~! ♥

I apologize if this letter catches you off guard. I would have texted you, but what I have to say wouldn't fit in a mere text alone. Besides, I cannot say I can ever find a moment alone to speak with you on such a personal matter.

I feel we're both being watched rather closely, so this was the one way in which I could do so privately.

My mind has been in a race with my heart, wondering what to do let alone say or write. I worry if I say the few words that are on my mind, everything could shatter to dust in my very hand.

I do not wish for that.

I wish for it to thrive, grow into something more glorious than what I could dare even ponder on paper alone.

Often I find my mind drifting back to when we last spent time at The Gold Saucer. It was the one moment we were truly alone, and yet, I feel I didn't spend enough time to express deeply how I felt. I should have done more—said more. You are fearful of whatever expectations you believe I have, but I have absolutely none when it comes to my friends and the one I hold dear to me.

Hopefully, that last part is not lost on you. The one in this world that is nearest and dear to my heart is you alone.

Ever since I was paired to you regarding our work, I found the atmosphere about you quite alluring. There was something in the way you talked that made me feel at peace for once in my life. You talked to me as though I were your equal—or should I say, you spoke to me as though I were a patient at first.

You spoke me as though I were human. There...I finally found the words.

So many regard me as this 'amazing SOLDIER' with no faults. A god among men. I care little for that burden. The only reason that strength is cherished by me is that I have no fear that can obtain me. Save only one, and that's the loss of you from my life.

My dreams have run rampant as of late with visions of us together, hand-in-hand where none can disturbs us. With ease, I can feel as the wind serenades us, the canopy above giving us but a curtain of the sun's light. Every part of my body throbs with a desire that I am too cowardly to say before you, but perhaps on paper, it will be easier to speak of such things in person next we meet.

Though, I cannot deny... I wish I could see your reaction to such a fantasy. I can imagine you acting all the more bashful. It makes me smile, truly.

This vision, I wish we truly could meet one another in our dreams. A place where we could be undisturbed by all of those around us. For once, unbound by my duties and yours, we could be at peace with one another and let our inner most wilds come true.

We have spoken openly with one another a few times. My lips have spilled truth that they otherwise would not utter to another soul. May I ask if they can do more than such?

Allow them to tell a far more personal secret upon your skin as I trail from your cheek, to your throat and beyond. Your clothing will be discarded in haste by my own hands, as I whisper my ever longing want of you upon your throat, just feeling as you swallow harshly in eagerness for me to do more.

Will my breath entice your heart to quicken? Will you feverishly yearn for me to continue as I embrace you to where only your heart can feel my own? Oh, I would pray so.

Allow me to bed you there within the flowerbed all around us. A perfect vision for the perfect woman I wish to have in my life. My thighs cradling yours, giving them comfort and support as I stifle your cries of ecstasy with my lips, kissing you at a fever pitch. May your body blossom for me and me alone as I part the entrance to your womanhood with my ever growing want, feeling every budding warmth within you all the more.

Such a deep desire would have me crumble, my dear, as I shake with each eager thrust inside of you—claiming you as my own. Let the new sensation embrace you, allow you to fall to madness for want of more as it has me in these waking hours. Pulling you close, I would breath my love of you upon the nook of your neck with your breasts pillowing my chest. Let the warmth I wish to fill you with to grow roots and ensnare every lit fire within your soul to where you cannot find rest of my memory.

Will such a union leave you quivering for me to continue? I want to feel your body shake under me, hear you moan my name as sweat beads upon your skin like jewels in the night.

I want to do more than write about how I want you to be mine. I want to whisper it in your ear as I hold you close in this wretched, dying world.

Give me the strength I need to see you again. I want nothing more but for your fantasies with me to align perfectly.

Sincerely,

Sephiroth

#of course he says these things but he never accounts for milo #milo would find the perfect way to hack into dreams if he could #thanks for the request! #sephiroth love letter #sephiroth x mc #sephiroth x reader #sephiroth #ffvii #final fantasy #final fantasy vii #ff7 #ff7r #final fantasy 7 #love letters #mod answers #martascully #nsft

[a-gert-lush-holiday]

Day 1 continued, and Day 2

I eventually woke Lucy up at 7pm and advised her that we had two options. 1, she could go back to sleep, however we would be unable to pick up the tickets needed for the Final Fantasy Eorzea Cafe as they had to be collected today, and we would lose the reservation. Or option 2, which was go to Lawson, pick up the tickets and food, come back, eat and sleep.

Needless to say we went for option 2. I cannot tell you how much of a faff getting tickets to Eorzea Cafe has been. I tried to pre-book a few weeks ago, but for holding a reservation for more than 3 days, you need to pay upfront with a credit card. Let me tell you now, upon research online and trying it myself, it seems the only card that will work is AMEX as it can’t be linked to a foreign country. Therefore, I had to hope that 3 days before our trip there were spaces left, go through the booking site in Japanese, and then use the Loppi machine at Lawson also in Japanese. I lucked out on a space near the end of our trip, but trying to find out where to pay for the tickets was even more of a faff.

Sure, I know they’re collected at a Loppi machine in Lawsons, but did you know there are multiple types of Lawson combini in Japan? I was about to say 2, but having just googled it to find out why, apparently it’s 4. 4 shops, same name, different focuses and slightly different products. There’s a Lawson 100 (or as the clerk put it, Green Lawson), and then there’s normal Lawson (Pink and Blue Lawson). And no, Google will not tell you which is which (otherwise I really wouldn’t mind, as it didn’t for us) as it just calls all of the combini Lawson. We had so much trouble, that honestly I would check where the Lawsons are in relation to you, and then use street view to determine whether it had a pink and blue striped sign or not.

Once I had found the right type of Lawson, operating the Loppi machine was fairly straightforward as I had read a few walkthroughs beforehand, and seemed to remember most of the instructions.

Essentially, when you make a reservation you receive a QR code by email. On the machine, you want to hit the middle button with ‘Loppi QR’ on it, scan the QR code, and then it will ask you for the phone number used when making the booking.

What you need to remember then is to basically press the orange button (yes/continue), apart from on the screen where you’re asked about Ponta cards (hit the grey button). You then get to inputting your name, which looks confusing with all the buttons and no English language button, but you can input the name in the Roman alphabet by pressing the third button down in the list to the right of the characters. Input the first name, press the second button in the list for a space, enter last name, then hit orange ok buttons to confirm until the machine spits out a receipt at you.

I’d love to say that’s the whole process, but no. Almost there though. Take the receipt to the counter within 30 minutes (you can pay for shopping at the same time too), pay, sign the receipt as prompted, and the Pink and Blue clerk will kindly hand you the tickets.

Gotta love that bureaucracy! I’m sure there are things at home just as convoluted, but honestly if Lucy hadn’t been bugging me about this for weeks and I myself getting into the game in the past month or so, I probably would have stopped somewhere around my card not working online.

If you’d like to know how to make the reservation, my recommendation would be to follow this excellent guide: https://riikorinkoko.wordpress.com/2017/05/15/riikos-eorzea-cafe-reservation-guide-and-how-to-use-s-loppi-machines-at-lawson-ffxiv-final-fantasy-xiv/amp/

Only addition to this would be to open the page in Chrome if possible, so it can be automatically translated.

Back at the hotel, we ate the snacks we’d purchased, called home (or tried to, in any case), before finally heading off to bed.

I woke up again at 9am on our first full day, after setting my alarm. I spent an hour checking things like emails and trying to trace our bags, of which there was currently no news, before I woke Lucy up. Over the next hour or so we got ready as best we could with a mishmash of clothes, no makeup, and no deodorant (as that’s...kind of not a thing here due to Asian genetics?), before heading out the door around 11:15.

On our way along to Kaminarimon Gate and Asakusa shrine and temple we spotted a shop that essentially was a bit like a Superdrug back home, where Lucy managed to find some basic makeup.

I really enjoyed walking round the shrine and temple; despite the insane amount of people in places the atmosphere was very serene. We both pulled a fortune, and as per usual with me, I get bad luck xD As is traditional, I tied it on the special rack and hopefully that means our bags won’t get even more delayed >.<

We also both got these wooden sticks you write your name and date of birth on which have a wish, and somehow this is supposed to bring you closer to that wish? Nothing particularly special for this, get wooden stick, write on stick, hand back stick to guy you just brought from, done. I mean, when in Rome, but somehow I feel like I just got conned into paying 200 yen to scribble on a stick.

We both picked up a drink at this point from one of the vending machines as the weather had heated up considerably, and then headed to the incense counter where you can buy incense, light it, and then waft it on yourself before putting it in the big burner so that it can be shared with others wafting the incense onto themselves. Wafting incense is believed to cleanse you.

After this we wandered round the local shopping streets and found a nice cafe for lunch. Lucy went for a cola and sandwich toastie with pizza filling; I went for a melon soda float, and spaghetti neapolitan. Both of us enjoyed the food; the soda float was the perfect thing after being in the heat.

After lunch, we headed out to the Tokyo Skytree for our prebooked tickets. We were also fortunate that prebooking allowed us to jump the long queue for the elevator and zoom right to the 350m deck to enjoy the sights of Tokyo from above. However somewhere along our travels the weather turned overcast, and therefore whilst still a decent view of Tokyo, we were unable to see Fuji-san at this point. As we also had galleria tickets, we then went up again to 450m, which again was very impressive. They also had a a barbie exhibition for some reason up at this level and a little pop up barbie themed shop. A browse around later and we both ended up buying a compact mirror each with a pretty illustration on the front.

On the way back down, we went in the main Skytree gift shop where I got a fridge magnet with a stained glass effect for our fridge back home :) At this point, we felt kind of done with crowds and queues, so it was back on the subway to the hotel for us. Unfortunately, our luggage had still not arrived >.< I had received a message earlier in the day advising me that the bags had arrived at the airport, and that they would therefore be passed to the delivery company.

I had to take a break at this point as not long after we got back to the hotel I developed a thumping headache, for which I honestly have to praise past me, who usually forgets everything but her electronics, for packing paracetamol in the hand luggage. I took one of these and lay down for a bit, and by around 7pm this had died down considerably.

At this point I decided to get a drink, so I hit up the 12th floor as the details we were given stated there is a vending machine up there; there very well might be. However, the 12th floor turned out to be the roof, and as it was raining considerably we went down to the ground floor where another one was supposedly located. And there was, only it was outside the back of the hotel, in the street past the parking lot, after going down a flight of stairs 😣 The only upside of this is that I ended up teaching the front desk clerk who helped us the words ‘vending machine’ as he did not know the phrase in English.

At this point we also needed food, so we went back upstairs to grab our coats before making a mad dash across the road to Family Mart. I have to say, combini food in Japan is honestly as amazing as everyone makes out.

In England you go to the ‘to go’ section of ASDA and maybe get a mayonnaise sandwich with a small bit of ham on soggy bread if you’re lucky. Here, you can go to the corner shop, get a meal made with fresh ingredients, have it heated up for you, and then if you really want you can eat it at the counter provided. Buy a pot noodle and want it now? Use the hot water machine to soak your noodles. Not about that life? Have freshly baked proper pastries, or warm chicken instead.

I would go on, but I’m too busy thinking about the hot royal milk tea I had out of a bottle, which was perfect in the drizzle this evening on the way home, the bacon wrapped onigiri, and caramel pudding parfait I had for dinner. And of course, I brought a few packets of kitkats to take home too whilst I was at it.

The rest of the evening was spent resting, as we needed to be up early the next day for our Mt. Fuji trip.

#japan #japan travel #japan trip report