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mylittlediarys-stuff · 2 months

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Bite Back Part 6

It had been a week since Amaka got her powers. The one thing she can say about it is actually pretty cool.

She could walk on walls, she didn’t need to use her glasses, she could actually open up jars (Dick tights them way too much), she was able to cut her mile time in half, she was lowkey starting to love the fangs, her reflex came in handy since she was clumsy, she could shoot webs out her hand which allowed her to grab stuff across her bedroom, and she had this six senses thing that told her something bad was going to happen. She called it spider-sense.

This whole thing got her thinking she could make a good hero? A hero Bruce would be proud of? A hero that even Damian would be jealous of?

“What are you thinking about?” A voice said.

She was soon knocked out of her head and back into reality, 1st period AP biology. She had the class with Ram and Francesca ( she picked up that everyone can Francesca Frankie). She became friends with the duo right after the field trip.

She didn’t know if the due considered her friends, she only talked to them during class and waved at them in the hallway. Sometimes she would talk to them after school when Alfred was stuck in traffic.

“Nothing, I’m just tired,” Amaka said. “Didn’t sleep enough.”

“Same thing here. Wait did you hear about this-” Frankie said. It was another thing Amak picked up about Ram and Frankie. Their conversation moved fast.

One of them always changed the topic in less than a second which is confusing sometimes. They also liked to talk when the teacher is talking.

“Ram and Francesca!” Mrs. Rosemary yelled. “You two lunch detention, for talking in class. After multiple warnings.”

They also got in trouble with Mrs. Rosemary a lot.

“Come on Kamila, this is the third time you sent us to lunch detention, this month,” Ram said. “Take it easy.”

“Did you just call me Kamila, you don’t call your teacher by her first name.” Mrs. Rosemary took a long breath. “Ram, meet me outside.”

“He always has to make things worse for himself.” Frankie giggled. “Watch him get another referral”

“Amaka, can you stay after class?” Mrs. Rosemary yelled. “I have something I need to discuss with you.”

“What did you do, Miss Goody two shoes?” Ram asked.

“I don’t know,” she sat there thinking. “Maybe it was the assignment I turned in but it was 30 seconds late.”

“This is why I called you Miss Goody two shoes,” Ram said.

Actually, what did I do? I agree with Ram saying to Miss Goody two shoes because I'm actually an amazing stud-

The bell rang and with that, all the students left including her two friends who ran to the lunch line.

Amaka being asked to stay after class was one of her worst fears. She slowly approached Mrs. Rosemary, hoping for something to happen. Like telling her it was a mistake and she was good to go.

If I’m in trouble, what would Bruce think?

“Amaka, we need to discuss your friends of choice.”

Oh, I’m not in trouble. But discussing my friends seems worse, I guess.

“I don’t want to do this but Ram and Frankie aren’t the best choice for friends.” Rosemary took a deep breath in. “They seem pretty nice kids most of the time but they can be troublemakers. Nothing good will come out of being their friend.”

The girl somehow made it to lunch.

As usual, she had a homemade lunch provided by her favorite butler. A sandwich, orange slices, a bag of sour cream and onion chips, and a small apple juice.

Amaka had the same lunch routine, make her way to the door to the library, then she would sit down and eat her sandwich first, then would start doing any homework she had, eat her orange slices, then drink her juice, lastly, she spent the last 10 minutes of lunch going to the bathroom than using her phone.

But it was different today. She spent most of the lunch thinking about what her teacher said about her friends. Not talking to Ram and Frankie would mean she would have no one to talk to. They were literally the only people she talked to even if it was just for one period. Amaka decided it was a good time just to relax and bite and stop thinking about her friends.

She decided to pick up her sandwich, and the moment she took a bite out of her sandwich, her brother appeared.

Damian Wanye, the blood son.

It was four words she could use to describe the boy: smart, arrogant, rude, and violent.

Emphasize the violet part. She was pretty sure the boys got into at least 3 fights on school grounds this year and they haven't even finished the first semester. Amaka didn’t know if she should pretend not to notice him or give him a small wave. He was with his friends.

He is my brother, I should try to be polite.

So the girl summoned all her strength to wave at him.

He saw me and continued walking.

He made eye contact with me and continued walking.

He continued walking.

He is her brother but he didn’t stop but continued walking.

He won’t give me the time of daylight but gives it to his fake friends who only talk to him because of the fact Bruce is his dad.

She didn’t even realize that tears started to come out and made her sandwich wet.

Notes: Low key not the best chapter I wrote but not the best, sorry guys. Amaka had her power for a week so that means 2 more weeks until we get to her hero phase that properly be in a few more chapters.

#batsis x batfam #spidersona #into the spider verse #alfred pennyworth #bruce wayne x daughter!reader #batsis

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chrissmou · 1 year

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The Ranking and rambling of the Bridgerton Books

The promised Book Ranking of the Bridgerton Series books. Eight books are presented according to my preference from my favorite to my least favorite. You will find a summary of each book and my personal opinion on it, as well as a link to Goodreads (there you can find more on the books):

The ranking after the cut, because I ramble a lot.

1. The Viscount who loved me (Book 2): Kate and Anthony. Classic enemies-to-lovers plot with well-written characters who manage to fill you with all kinds of emotions throughout the book. You can see how vulnerable they are, the challenging family bonds, and the need to preserve their social status while protecting the family. The way the book is played out makes you love it even more.

2. It’s In his kiss (Book 7): Gareth and Hyacinth. Here Garreth and Hyacinth are an investigative couple, and the book’s plot revolves around this relationship. What is fascinating is the fact that Lady Danbury is Garreth’s grandmother. You'll enjoy Hyacinth’s delightful wit and view of the world. Stay prepared for a story full of surprises and suspense.

3. On the way to the wedding (Book 8): Gregory and Lucy. In this book, Gregory finds himself in a love confusion, as he ends up proclaiming his love to someone unexpected, someone many wouldn’t probably approve of. of the detail you’re gonna love in this book is the character build and illustration; Kate’s cool appearance, Hyacinth’s curiosity Violet’s nurturing and supportive role towards Gregory, and of course, Gregory’s “Prince Charming” behavior.

4. Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Book 4): Penelope and Colin. I was very reluctant to rank this book because it was so much fan and had a different status in a classic trope, in love with best friend’s brother. Also, in the series' previous books, you see a different characterization for both Colin and Penelope, with him being the aloof joker and her the wallflower everyone is sad about. In this one, Penelope has a secret and doing everything in her power to protect herselgf and everyone from it. On the other hand, Colin is very confused about the future contracts with the immaturity and the boyishness that he presents in the first three books.

5. An Offer From a gentleman (Book 3): Sophie and Benedict. The only reason for the position of this one is that I couldn’t be inside the first part of this book, which explains why Sophie is in this position with her stepfamily. I loved the second part and the reveal of the identity. I love the characterization of Sophie and the whole Cinderella eyed especially the relationship with Benedict. I did not like the pace of the beginning

6. The Duke and I (Book 1): Daphne and Simon. I liked the fake dating trope; the characters are a good introduction to the series. What I liked most in this one is the introduction to the two main characters, especially Simon’s reactions to finding this was Anthony’s little sister, Daphne, as it always makes me laugh. The fears, on Simon’s side about his father, are portrayed with a reality you need to understand. On the other hand, Daphne is a very good character but naive and a little boring with perfection which sometimes made me cringe.

7. To Sir Philip, With Love (Book 5): Eloise and Philip. I have to say, I read the books after I saw the first season of the TV Show, and I love Eloise as a character in the series, she is funny and independent, something I am drawn to. She has something of that in the books, especially in this and in the previous one. I liked that and the plot of how they met via a letter, but it didn’t have the impact I was expecting from a book. I love the twins and the pranks, but it was a little intimidating for the character of Philip.

8. When he was wicked (Book 6): Michael and Francesca. I made the mistake to read the reviews of this book before the actual book and it made me anticipate it more than the other books in the series, but in the end, I was disappointed in the whole plot. The plot is of the second time Francesca is getting married and how she copes with the depression of her first husband’s death. You see a character who has to decide what she wants to do but also wants to fulfill her dreams. I liked that but I was underwhelmed by how unappreciated she was of her surroundings, especially Michael, and that makes her a little boring. The good thing was that Michael is an interesting character and has this way to make you love him even if he has womanizing ways.

#Bridgerton #romance books #book rant #ramblings #my thoughts #kanthony #garreth hyacinth #grucy #colin x penelope #benedict x sophie #daphne simon #eloise x phillip #michael francesca #book rank

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pulpsci-fitimewrap · 3 years

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UBIK

Philip K. Dick

“But I guess you can't live very long without arousing hostility; you can't please everybody, because people want different things. Please one and you displease another.” Patricia Conley, a woman with a special ability : she can undo events by changing the past

"Listen, Mr. Chip, it wasn't like any dream I've ever had before. A great hand came down from the sky, like the arm and hand of God. Enormous, the size of a mountain. And I knew at the time how important it was; the hand was closed, made into a rocklike fist, and I knew it contained something of value so great that my life and the lives of everyone else on Earth depended on it. And I waited for the fist to open, and it did open. And I saw what it contained." Francesca Spanish, the stoned

In blue, pulsar B1509 "the hand of God” stalking RCW89 gas cloud

The GodHand, Berserk chapter 85, By Kentaro Miura... awaiting to the advent of the 5th of the fleshless flesh.

“I am Ubik. Before the universe was, I am. I made the suns. I made the worlds. I created the lives and the places they inhabit; I move them here, I put them there. They go as I say, they do as I tell them. I am the word and my name is never spoken, the name which no one knows. I am called Ubik, but that is not my name. I am. I shall always be.” UBIK, the brand (LOL)

P.K. Dick’s wife words: Ubik is a metaphor for God. Ubik is all-powerful and all-knowing, and Ubik is everywhere. The spray can is only a form that Ubik takes to make it easy for people to understand it and use it. It is not the substance inside the can that helps them, but rather their faith in the promise that it will help them.

“... I constructed a tangible reality corresponding to your minimal expectations...” The villain

#ubik #phillip k dick #scifi #manga #science fiction #philosophy

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malecdiscordserver · 4 years

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We’ve officially come to the end of the Malec Discord Mini Bang 2020 presented by the Malec Discord Server. We had a fantastic turnout with 35 writers, 21 artists, and 22 betas making it across the finish line. I hope you’ll join us in giving everyone a huge round of congratulations for this fantastic content.

Take a look at the AO3 collection here!

Without further ado, here is a masterpost of all submitted pieces for this event. Please be sure to give all of these fantastic creators the credit they deserve for these amazing stories and incredible pieces of art.

The Games We Play by @accal1a

Rating: Explicit Summary: Alec and Aed play a diabolical game, Magnus and Francesca look on, teasing their partners all the while.

When Life Doesn't Give You Lemons by @jesssssah

Rating: Mature Summary: Magnus and Alec are contestants on Masterchef. Without a recipe, they must each make a dessert by celebrity chef Jace Wayland or risk elimination from the competition. Magnus' talent is for desserts but Alec is inexperienced at those. So to save him from going home Magnus must give him some lessons in baking.

The Angel's Treasure by @notquiteascrazy

Rating: Mature Summary: When a change of life circumstance gives Magnus the means to go in search of adventure, there is only one person he can think of who should accompany him: his college friend, Alexander Lightwood. After all, what could possibly go wrong with taking the man you've always had a secret crush on to explore a tropical island on the hunt for long-lost treasure? Link to completed fic

You Are The Music in Me @brightasstars

Rating: Explicit Summary: Alec wakes up one morning, in a hospital’s bed, alone and far away from home, only to discover that he has lost his lower leg and all that he had, is now gone forever. With his new life, comes new relationships and encounters, and Alec finds himself working on his dream with Magnus, a famous cello player, who shares with him more past than he could imagine. Heart grows fonder as they get to know each other but it terrifies Alec to reveal everything to Magnus, scared that it would be too much, for he isn’t ready to lose everything all over again.When truth is forced out of him, even his own skin doesn’t feel safe enough. Luke’s question echoes through his mind, is he ready to let someone see him? let someone love him? A story of losing and winning and everything in between. Link to completed fic

hollow crown by taurussieben

Rating: Teen Summary: He nodded at himself in the mirror, took the keys from the bowl on the sideboard in the hallway, checked for his pockets for his card and phone, and stepped out. The door closed behind him with a soft click.

“I think we should take a break.”

A story about how we shape our own world and that sometimes, that shape is much more different then we thought it is.

of track meets and heartbeats by fallenhurricane

Rating: General Summary: Alec takes a deep breath and rolls his shoulders, bouncing from foot to foot. He adjusts his grip on the pole one last time before starting his run.

His run feels good and right; his knees are pulling up high and the pole is steady, if a bit lighter than normal, in his hands. As he approaches the crossbar, he straightens and speeds up a bit, extending his arms above him. The bottom of the pole settles into the plant box and Alec swings himself forward and up, just as he’s done hundreds of times before.

But.

While Alec has plans to clear this jump and advance to set his personal record, the pole that Camille loaned him has a different idea.

OR: The high school track team injury AU nobody asked for.

Please, Don't Turn Back by hmweasley

Rating: Teen Summary: Once they're 18, both demons and angels must visit Earth with their own personal missions before they come of age. For angels, this means saving souls. For demons, it usually means little more than corrupting a human or two, but Magnus isn't a run-of-the-mill demon. He's the son of a Prince of Hell, and his mission must reflect that. What Asmodeus gives him is a mission that's rather straightforward on paper: kill Alexander Lightwood, the son of high-ranking angels.

There's just one thing the plan doesn't account for: how Alexander makes Magnus feel.

Dormancy by Hermit

Rating: Teen Summary: Love used to be a weed that threatened to choke him. Now, it will never again be in the cards for him. Magnus absolutely, and with all the certainty of centuries, knows this. Until Alec Lightwood unknowingly waters his heart. It decides to grow. This is undeniably a problem, but both Alec and Magnus have to choose if it can bloom.

catch me when i fall by @mirrorofliterature

Rating: Teen Summary: When Magnus Bane walks into Alec Lightwood's office on one frosty fall night, fresh from a conference about a particular world-destroying lie-detector, the Damocles sword doesn't drop onto their heads.

Or: Robert Lightwood doesn’t tell Alec about the Soul Sword, and things change. Magnus and Alec stay together. Yet -

How much more does he have to lose - how much more does he have to suffer - before he’s finally left alone?

In the perpetual, lonely silence filling his home, Magnus Bane falls to his knees, and cries.

Meet Me On The Ice by @aceon-ice

Rating: Teen Summary: Magnus is at the top of men's figure skating, with a solid winning streak, but he's no longer interested in the sport- until he meets Alec Lightwood.

Alec is a pairs skater struggling with competition anxiety whose life takes a turn for the better when he's approached by Magnus Bane.

AKA the figure skating AU nobody asked for but I wanted to write.

Artwork for Meet Me On The Ice by @koryandr

the way to a chef's heart by @lecrit

Rating: Mature Summary: After a scorching review on his restaurant in one of the world's most famous food magazine, world class chef Magnus Bane is set on finding the food critic who dared to slander his art and make him change his mind. He doesn't expect someone as stubborn or infuriating as Alec Lightwood.

Artwork for the way to a chef’s heart by @whatanexcitingfewdaysithasbeen

I loved your colours (before I loved you) by @hopesilverheart

Rating: Explicit (Chapter 10 only) Summary: Magnus Bane is a journalist who's always dreamed of modelling for Lightwood Fashions. When the CEO Alec Lightwood starts looking for new models for their spring collection, he jumps on the occasion.

In the meantime, Alec Lightwood is struggling with the idea of finally announcing his role as co-designer. When Magnus Bane strolls into his life, Alec is torn between keeping his secret or throwing all caution to the wind. Link to completed fic

Artwork for I loved your colours (before I loved you) by @calliartss

Bleeding Heart by sivan325

Rating: Explicit Summary: “Are you sure? Maybe there is some other alpha out there for you?” Jace asked.

“What other alpha?” Alec asked as he stared at the beta, and added, “I don’t have a choice in that anymore, I’m without an Alpha, I’m more like pack less, someone that does not belong anywhere.” Link to completed fic

Artwork for Bleeding Heart by @miss-shiva-adler

They Call Me a Thief by @lightwormsiblings

Rating: Teen Summary: The Lightwoods are relatively new to the criminal scene but are quickly making a name for themselves. What happens when they run into world renowned con-artist Magnus Bane and his team when on a job after which Alec realizes he and Magnus might be after the same thing.

or a Shadowhunters Leverage AU

Artwork for They Call Me a Thief by @killiarious

Love, but Make it Fashion by theweird1

Rating: Explicit (Chapter 9) Summary: Alec couldn't stand corporate life anymore. Now he needs a job and Izzy is the girl to help. Unfortunately, it is to be a PA to the most overbearing and annoyingly handsome fashion designer to ever grace the pages of Vogue. A man with a heart of ice, but even ice can be thawed with enough care. Ghosts from the past will surface just when it looks like love is in the air. Suddenly Alec finds himself in the most awkward position of pretending to be his boss’ new fiancé. Magnus and Alec will have to decide if their fake engagement can become a reality before they are completely torn apart. Link to Chapters 1-5 Link to Chapters 6-Epilogue

Artwork for Love, but Make it Fashion by Kuro

To Shine A Light by Nadja_Lee

Rating: Mature Summary: Alexander Lightwood is a very old and powerful Warlock, who has risen to become a leader for the Downworld. When one of his people, the Warlock Andrew Underhill, is accused of breaking the Accords and faces sentencing Alec shows up at the New York Institute to set the record straight. Camille, leader of the NYI, has plans for the powerful Warlock, plans she is eager to see carried out. She has Idris’ best soldier, Magnus Bane, assist with the interrogation of Alec, unaware what she is setting in motion by doing so as Alec and Magnus are instantly drawn to each other. Soon Magnus will have to choose between helping Alec and his oath to Idris. Will Magnus dare to risk it all for the possibility the powerful Warlock will take a chance and open his heart to him? Link to completed fic

A Bit of Space by @facialteeth

Rating: Mature Summary: Alec and Magnus are the sole survivors after their spaceship crashes on an uninhabited planet. They have no way to contact anyone to let them know they’re still alive but somehow, they make it work. In the end, all they really need is each other. Link to completed fic

Artwork for A Bit of Space by @accal1a

A Prince of Gold and Glass by @harkasun

Rating: General Summary: When Magnus sends himself to Edom in order to protect Alicante and the world, Alec must come to terms with the possibility that the man he intended to marry has sacrificed much more than his freedom. Meanwhile, in the demonic realm, The Queen of Edom finds a warlock, the half-breed son of a Prince of Hell whose corruption can ensure that the throne of Edom is once again claimed by a creature of demonic royalty: one who will become her Prince of Edom. Link to completed fic

Artwork for A Prince of Gold and Glass by DarayFlair

Cradling the Sun by @cuubism

Rating: Mature Summary: Alec’s known for a long time that Magnus is a hard person to hold. He’s so much—so much power, so much energy, so much brilliance, so much love. He shines so bright he’s hard to even look at directly, never mind try to hold in one set of hands. Now that Magnus himself is losing his grip on all of that, well. Alec will just have to hold him a little bit tighter. Link to completed fic

Artwork for Cradling the Sun by @faejilly Also found on YouTube and Spotify

A piece of night sky by myulalie

Rating: Teen Summary: There are rumors that Valentine is back. And he's searching for something. When his dealings with dark magic cause swarms of demons to crawl New York, the city is not safe at night, especially for downworlders.

Alec is doing his best to keep the city safe. With no support from the Clave, the New York Institute is desperately understaffed. He begins patrolling with help from the Downworld factions - which proves to be tricky at best, and becomes almost impossible when the werewolves start hunting Alec.

His siblings have no idea of what he’s up to at night and to keep them all safe Alec needs to keep it that way.

Then, he meets the High Warlock of Brooklyn. Suddenly, patrolling also includes pop songs and bird puns in between watching someone's back when fighting demons.

But, what’s one more secret to keep? Link to completed fic

Artwork for A piece of the night sky by @jesssssah

Dona Nobis Pacem by lawsofchaos

Rating: Teen Summary: “When Alec kneels before you on that dais, Magnus,” Jace keeps going, “he’s telling every person present that it is your judgement, your respect, that he places before all others. In you placing that rune on his neck, Alec is publicly proclaiming that it’s your blessing and your judgement on him and on his reign as Head that gives him the right and the authority to uphold the Covenant.” Link to completed fic

Artwork #1 for Dona Nobis Pacem created by @cloudburst-ink Artwork #2 for Dona Nobis Pacem created by @cloudburst-ink

isn’t it just so pretty to think (an invisible string) by @iambeingcoy

Rating: General Summary: alec had jumped at the chance to work in paris when the offer presented itself to him. it was a chance to run away from new york for a year under the guise of a good career opportunity. there, he meets magnus. while falling in love with the other man, alec finds himself falling in love with the city too. when the year begins to come to a close, alec doesn't realize that what you're running away from can always catch up to you and, just maybe, he isn't the only one who has been running.

it's easy to fall in love in paris.

Artwork for isn’t it just so pretty to think (an invisibly string) by @spark-draws

Copper, Gold, Silver, and Glitter by YourAverageNerd

Rating: Teen Summary: "Oh. Yeah. You know how you invited Magnus Bane to Jace and Clary's wedding as a joke?" Alec shrugged. "He actually showed up. We went out for lunch yesterday."

Silence. It was silent. The kind that Alec craved and usually could never find and wow, he should drop bombs like this more often because he really liked it.

Then Jace ruined it by nearly screaming, "I'm sorry, what!"

(In which there's a wedding, some celebrities may be nicer than they appear, and Alec is trying to keep himself from turning into smoke.)

Blame It on the Fairy Dust by slyvir

Rating: Mature Summary: Pandemonium is Magnus's territory, the lack of Alec's presence by his side despite the latter's apparent open stance on downworlders is slowly brewing into political issues. That clubs are not Alec's scene it is not a surprise, the reasons why he tried to avoid nights at Pandemonium however blindside Magnus, especially when they came out in the open in a fashion that is uniquely normal for them.

Both Alec and Magnus are ready to give away a piece of themselves for the other. Suffering in silence, with the intent to protect their partner from pain or guilt. But the way to Hell is paved with good intentions. And the more one let someone else in, the more one can get hurt. No one has any doubt that Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood are deeply in love, they show it all the time, even when no one’s looking. So it should not come as a surprise that they end up being each other’s reason to hurt so much. Link to completed fic

Artwork for Blame It on the Fairy Dust by @a-ghost-named-k

In Every Universe, We Find Each Other by EternallySilverMagnusandAlec

Rating: Teen Summary: Tensions have been rising between the Clave and the Downworld to the brink of near revolution in the wake of Valentine's return. Magnus is asked to lead in these trying times, pushed to fight at the forefront of his people and the downworld as he has for centuries. Despite this, Magnus and Alec still meet and dance around with whatever is growing between them, time stretching into months of stolen interactions despite the swelling conflict, and fall in love. And Alec Lightwood still makes the decision to choose Magnus Bane. Or: A collection of moments in a time of growing tension Magnus and Alec share, and the product of their final choices

Artwork for In Every Universe, We Find Each Other by @greentealycheejelly

Codename: Bane by @bidnezz

Rating: Mature Summary: Magnus Bane meets Alec Lightwood by pure coincidence on two occasions: one morning in a quaint coffee shop, and again during a mission briefing for The Clave. It’s only supposed to be one mission, but leaked information and the kidnapping of his friend and mentor Ragnor Fell lead to undesirable predicaments, and hard as he tries to keep it professional, Magnus can’t help his growing affection for the spy he’s hired to watch and navigate through the murky treachery of espionage.

Artwork for Codename: Bane by @myulalie

A Wonderful Institution by @rhosyn-du

Rating: Teen Summary: Magnus doesn’t have time for this bullshit. Warlocks are disappearing in New York City—five people in less than three months—and Magnus is determined to find them and protect the rest of his people from whatever took them. He doesn’t have time for politics, and he certainly doesn’t have time for whatever nonsense the Clave is proposing about marrying a Shadowhunter to a Downworlder as part of the new Accords. He doesn’t really have time for a pretty Shadowhunter who’s surprisingly kind to warlock children, either, but, well, he’s always been good at multitasking.

Alec always knew he couldn’t have what he wanted, but he’s spent the nearly four years since the newly-appointed Consul recalled his parents to Idris without explanation making the best of what he can have. When life suddenly offers up almost everything Alec actually wants on a silver platter, he can’t quite bring himself to trust it, especially when it comes with a million caveats and a side of impending disaster. But he knows how to handle disasters, even if the return of the Circle on top of Clave secrets that could destroy the Accords is way beyond the disasters he’s used to fielding. Hope, on the other hand? He doesn’t know what to do with that. Link to completed fic

Artwork for A Wonderful Institution by @bidnezz

Coming to America by PisangGoreng

Rating: Mature Summary: His Royal Highness Asmodeus Magnus III is the crown prince and sole heir to the throne of Edom. He has never left the island and is pretty desillusioned with the royal treatment. The law says he needs to wed before he turns 30, so on his 29th birthday his father arranges a marriage for him. But when his fiancée turns out to be an awful familiar face, Magnus takes matters into his own hand.

He bargains with his father, who gives him 3 months to do whatever he wants. So Magnus comes up with a plan: he's going to live life as a normal guy and find a partner all by himself in New York.

Not wasting any time he starts looking for love, with little success. Until he encounters the most handsome, intelligent and charming man he has ever seen! Without realizing it himself Alexander Lightwood sweeps Magnus off his feet, and along the way Magnus finds that he's in deep and has no plan, his dream guy is already in a relationship and every day he is closer to his return to Edom.

And even if he manages to get Alec's attention, will there ever be a good time to tell him he's been a prince all along?

An adaptation of the 1988 romantic comedy Coming to America (but probably a lot less funny). Link to completed fic

Artwork for Coming to America by amillustration_

until death do us part by ColorfulWarlock

Rating: Explicit Summary: In the past, a still traumatized six-year old Magnus thought he would have to endure the darkness of Edom alone. Until another child – a boy with dark hair, pale skin and bright hazel eyes – found him and lighted up his heart.

In the present, the High Warlock of Brooklyn Magnus Bane works with the Shadowhunters and other Downworlders to bring Valentine down. What he doesn’t expect is that Valentine controls a very powerful being, and how to fight someone to whom you give your heart centuries ago?

Artwork for until death do us part by @eternallysilvermagnusandalec

Keris by AlterEgon

Rating: Mature Summary: A recent death shakes Magnus Bane with some eerie parallels to his own past. As the supposed suicide turns to probable murder, he begins questioning the circumstances surrounding his own mother's death. When proximity to the dagger that took his mother's life brings him visions of details long forgotten that do not fit into the narrative he had taken as truth regarding her last days or weeks, he, Alec, and their friends and family begin to investigate, uncovering unexpected connections and a killer who has been on the loose for far too long

It's What You Do With Life That Matters by @skylar102

Rating: Teen Summary: Alec has come to the Sinnoh region in search of a rare pokemon. Along the way, he meets a trainer who is more than willing to help him out. Is there more to the stranger's generosity? Will Alec be able to capture the pokemon he's been long searching for? What secret is Alec hiding?

On this journey, Alec is going to make new friends, finish a long overdue promise, and finally confront a piece of his past.

Aligned by @jaackkitty

Rating: Teen Warning: Non-con in a chapter (not descriptive or explicit) Summary: In six months, Prince Alec Lightwood is set to become King of Idris. He’s been waiting to take the throne since his parents' unexpected death at sea eight years ago. Since then, Valentine Morgenstern has been serving as king. Needless to say, Valentine’s rules & regulations only serve Valentine and his trusted followers, with no regard for the well-being of the people of Idris, least of all the magic users. Afraid of them, he created a law to bind their magic to another. By circumstance, Alec finds himself aligned with magic user, Magnus Bane. Link to chapters 1-9 Link to chapters 10-16

Artwork for Aligned by @greentealycheejelly

My Fearless Love, I Will Not Say Goodbye by @arialerendeair

Rating: Explicit Summary: When their first time together results in an accidental mating bond, Alec and Magnus have to decide how they want to proceed. Especially since they were both sure that the other didn't want a full mating...right?

Also known as: Alpha Alec, Omega Magnus, and a fuckton of pining. Link to completed fic

Artwork for My Fearless Love, I Will Not Say Goodbye by @skylar102

Sixteenth Sunset by Nhixxie

Rating: Mature Summary: NASA astronauts Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood spend one year living and working together in the International Space Station. They fall in love one astounding view of Earth at a time.

Artwork for Sixteenth Sunset by @miss-shiva-adler

Untitled experiment by @imandras

Rating: General Summary: But it happened at the time that in one of Alec's lectures the proposal to conduct an experiment was presented so convincingly, that Alec and his guitar were allowed to (or rather had to) spend some time (with considerably less wages) in the subway.

And as fate would have it (she was in a good mood this morning) Magnus went to work earlier than usual, because he wanted to start the day pleasantly with his dear friend Cat and an extensive breakfast together.

Remember, it's all Simon's fault!

Artwork for Untitled experiment by @a-ghost-named-k

#malec #shadowhunters #malec discord mini bang 2020 #magnus bane #alec lightwood #magnus x alec #alec x magnus #mini bang #big bang #malec big bang #masterlist #writing #writing challenge #fanfiction #fanfic

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doloresrojo · 3 years

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Hel’s Daughter

Notes: Although I've never read one of his books, I was inspired by Rick Riordan. I also took some elements of different works of fiction, like Francesca Simon's "The Monstrous Child", the History Channel show "Vikings", Neil Gaiman's "Norse Mythology" and other sources. English is not my native language, so there might be mistakes when it comes to grammar and spelling.

Hope you like it.

The word miracle didn’t exist for the old Norsemen; the concept was foreign to them. If you wanted the favor of the gods you had to take it through sacrifice and blood, prayers were not enough. The gods demanded action. Hel, the goddess of the dead, ruler of Helheim, receiver of those who died an unworthy dead, believed this just as much as the Aesir and the Vanir; and yet, she couldn’t think of a better word to describe the baby that was about to come out of her womb. For thousands of years the gods and goddesses had roamed Midgard coupling with mortals leaving offsprings everywhere. So far, Hel had been the only exception when it came to offsprings. Nobody told Hel that she couldn’t conceive, she just assumed it, after all, half of her body was a corpse. She thought that she wasn’t supposed to produce life, it was not her domain. But having a child had always been one of her deepest longings.

Hel was a witch too, her mother the giantess Angrboda was a völva, and a powerful one; Loki had not chosen her only for her beauty and wickedness; power attracted Loki more than anything, and before being separated from her children she had thought her daughter well. Hel could cast a spell for almost anything, but her favorite was the art of illusion. Hel could make the left side of her body, the one that was a corpse, complement the right one. She knew that the other gods disdained her appearance, and she had used that to her advantage, she loved to play with them, but when it came to mortal men she knew that she had to conceal that part of her if she wanted their attention. So she presented herself as a beautiful Nordic woman: fair skin and smooth as the ice, green eyes like a meadow in the spring, scarlet red lips and long blond hair that reached down to her waist. She looked like a princess from a fairy tale, ancient and mysterious.

The father of her baby was a young Irish musician that was living in London, one of her favorite places. He wasn’t particularly ambitious, he hadn’t left Ireland trying to make it big, he was a wanderer and an artist, a good one for that matter. At first Hel had been attracted to his voice, raspy but comforting, like whiskey running through your veins; then as she watched him she realized that he was shy and he was honestly baffled when someone showed interest in him, and it wasn’t an act; she could see it through her left eye, that eye could only see the truth; he knew her as Sigrid and for one night they worshiped each other. Trough sex, Hel was able to feel the rush that only living bodies feel, the feeling that she couldn’t completely have on her own. And this boy was good at what he was doing, despite of his clumsiness and hesitation, once he got confident he became aware of what his partner wanted and delivered. He wanted to see her again and she didn’t oppose the idea, she told him that she would come back; but she didn’t, not because she didn’t want to, she was expecting his baby and she didn’t know what to do. Hel never thought that she would have to deal with such a human and mundane situation.

The pain was excruciating, she had known pain but never like this. The pregnancy had not been an easy one, for the majority of the time she had to stay in bed, more than once the baby tore her left side almost coming out before time. She believed that if the baby was born dead she would be more angry than sad, all that pain for nothing; she longed for a child, yes, but now she felt bitter. The fates had given her so much sorrow: a deformed body, an untrustworthy, narcissistic and negligent father, a family broken by the fear of others, a kingdom that resented her no matter how much she cared of her subjects’ wellbeing. So no, she didn’t believe that the fates will let her have a piece of joy; her own piece of joy. She could have a corpse baby, ready to be put to the ground. A living corpse, cursed to be a living dead. A monster, just like her and her brothers, destined to endure the wrath of the gods.

“Just one more push, daughter, it’s almost here”. Angrboda was assisting her. When Hel arrived to Nifelheim her mother was already waiting for her; she had been killed not long after the gods had come for them.

“Pray to the Bloodmother”. Said Modgud, the giantess that guarded Gjallarbù, and her friend, who was supporting her back and holding her from the armpits.

With a cry that declared war she pushed as if her life depended on it, she felt her left side finally being ripped apart, and she collapsed on Modgud; she felt herself being dragged to unconsciousness, then a memory came out of nowhere: She was back at Jötunheim, with her brothers in her room, she was lying on Fenrir looking at the view from her window- ice mountains and snow being carried away by the wind- Jörmundgandr coiled beside them with Fenrir's tail rubbing him. Her sanctuary. She was brought back to reality by a high pitched baby’s cry. She opened her eyes and saw Angrboda, astonished, looking at the new born. With tears falling down her face she said:

“It is a girl, Hel. A beautiful baby girl”.

Using her remaining strength she sat up and held her arms out for her baby. What she looked was a healthy baby demigoddess, with ten fingers and ten toes, an upturned nose and a lot of hair on her head. Chestnut hair and brown eyes, just like her father.

“Thank you, Bloodmother. She has her father’s looks”.

Hel kissed her daughters forehead and wept; they were tears of happiness, her baby lived. And that was also the problem: No living being could live in Helheim, which meant that she could not stay with her, she had to live in Midgard. Soon she would have to let her go. The fates truly despised her.

***

No matter how much she hated the three dreadful sisters giantesses, they had the answer to her questions. She swaddled her baby and went to pay them a visit at the foot of the tree of life, the Yggdrasil. The sisters were beautiful, three maidens in the prime of their youth, who could believe that they were ancient and feared by gods and mortals alike?

“You took your time, queen”. Said Urd, the Norn that commanded over the past. She was picking up branches and leaves that had felt from above.

“But alas, no one can escape their fate. Not even a god”. Skuld, the one that presided over the future said, she was looking at the well of fate, the Urðarbrunnr.

Hel looked to Verdandi, the one that ruled the present, waiting to see if she had also something to say. She didn’t even acknowledged Hel, she just took a branch out of a basket and snapped it. Hel flinched and held the baby tighter, Verdandi had just terminated someone’s life. Tossing the branch she said:

“Don’t make that face, Hel. You are the queen of Helheim, death shouldn’t make you flinch. It is natural”.

“She is a mother now. Nothing will ever be the same for her”. A smiling Urd said.

Condescending bitch, thought Hel. Maybe it was the nerves but she was feeling mocked by the sisters. Either way, they were talking as if she wasn’t present.

“I am here…”

“Oh, we know”. Verdandi sounded exasperated, bored even. “You want to know what awaits to your child. Put her in the crib”.

A crib appeared at Hel’s feet, carefully she set the sleeping baby in the crib and the sisters stood beside it. They looked at the baby for what to Hel felt like centuries and then stared at each other. Urd was the first to speak:

“Your daughter is not like any other child a god has ever had; she is special, one of a kind. She is the only child you will ever have; she comes from the barest place in the nine worlds and holds so much power. She will be pure magic, she will be the one who will tip the balance when the end of everything comes”.

“You mean?”

“Yes. Ragnarök”. The sisters said in unison.

Ragnarök, the twilight of the gods. The prophecy had done so much damage already to her family. Fenrir was in Asgard, chained with a sword stuck in his mouth and Jörmundgandr was forced to hold the waters of the mortal world with his tale already in his mouth.

“How?”

“That is yet to be seen. Just like you queen, her part in it is yet not defined”. Answered Skuld.

“You wretched… tell me what you know!”

“Hush now. We don’t have all the answers, you already knew that before coming here. And you’d be wise to mind your words, unless you want her to have a similar fate like the rest of your kin”. Verdandi reminded Hel that they could tamper with fate how they saw fit, so it was wise no to offend them so they would be on her side.

Hel took a breath and swallowed her anger.

“Forgive me… I am scared. I don’t know what to do to protect her”.

The sisters softened at Hel’s turmoil. Skuld and Verdandi went back to their places, resuming their work, Urd picked the baby up from the crib and gave her back to her mother.

“You already know what you have to do to protect her, your child is not safe. She is in a very precarious situation. There is only one place were Odin, and Loki, might not find her that easily; your powers will be useful for that. Not to mention your love for her, that’s your greatest weapon against everyone that comes to harm her”.

***

After leaving the sisters Hel realized that she needed to act fast. It was only a matter of time for everyone in the Nine Worlds to find out about her daughter's existence; she had cast an invisibility spell on the baby to prevent Odin from seeing her in his dreams but that wouldn’t last forever. Loki was still bound inside of a cave for what he did to Baldr, but the fates had mentioned him and that didn’t surprise her; the gods didn’t understand the full extent of Loki’s powers; bound to a cave with a venom serpent over his head was not enough to contain him. She knew the place that the sisters meant, the one were her daughter would be safer: Midgard. The world of the mortals had changed and with it also Odin’s ability to see everything there; mortals moved faster in comparison to the old days. A lot of things were happening at the same time in Midgard, it was hard for the All Father to keep his eye on them.

Hel was dreading this, to let the father know of the existence of their child, but she didn’t trust anyone else with her daughter’s safety. She had seen his heart, he was a good person; still, she knew that she was asking for too much. They had been together only once and he was young, clearly not ready to be a father. She had to try though; and if he refused, well, she could force him to do it, but she didn't want to do that, because she wanted her child to be loved. Hel's mother loved her, she loved all her children, but not Loki, he didn't know how to love anyone. She wouldn't let her child to be with an unloving father, that wound never heales. So if he refused, she would find someone else to take care of her child. There was no other way.

***

The father’s name was Ciaran, little dark one. He didn’t usually have nice dreams, he always dreamed of unpleasant or strange situations that left him feeling confused or disturbed. However, this dream was extremely different. He was in a place surrounded by rocky cliffs enveloped in green foliage; there were rows and rows of mountains surrounding the land like a belt or a fortress. The wind was cold but it wasn’t unbearable and even though they were near the sea the wind was dry, it could burn your skin. The land had also sterile patches; this place was a harsh one. He heard a surge of water, even though he was now far from the sea, he thought it was a waterfall but the sound was inconsistent; it was a geyser, there were hot springs too. Amazed, he touched the water, warm, it felt so real. He wished he could stayed there forever. Just when he thought that this place couldn’t mesmerized him more, he saw a volcano, and it was not dormant, smoke came out of it.

He loved this place, wherever it was, and he knew it was real, it had to; he didn’t think his imagination as vivid as it was could produce such a place. His favorite part was the beach, with its soft black sand; he sat there for a long time, seeing the waves come and go, breathing the sea breeze. He felt in so much peace.

Hel had been watching this whole time. She was the one who orchestrated this dream; Iceland had always had a calming effect on her, she hoped that he would feel the same way. She felt guilty, she was about to ruin his good spirits. Ciaran heard footsteps, when he turned he found the most beautiful woman in the world. Sigrid, the lovely Sigrid. He laughed when he saw how she was dressed: A long emerald gown with gold and silver embroidery, a black fur cloak as long as her gown fastened with a small gold chain, a copper choker of a snake that ate its own tail around her neck, her impossibly long hair was braided and on top of her head was a crown made of bones and stones. Now, his dream was getting more usual: Nonsensical.

“What’s so funny?” Hel asked, teasingly.

“Nothing… I’m just being silly”.

They didn’t say anything, they just looked at one another.

“You look beautiful, Sigrid”.

“Thank you. Do you like this place?”

“I do, I have no idea where I am but I love it”.

Hel stood beside him and scooped some of the sand in her hands.

“It’s called Reynisfjara beach”.

Ciaran’s eyebrows shot up to the top of his forehead.

“The what?”

Hel chuckled.

“If it’s better, you may say that you’re in Iceland”.

“Really?” Ciaran asked.

“Yes”.

This was a dream, he knew it; but if that was true then why did everything felt so real. The sand that he took form Sigrid’s hands, the smell of salt, the cold wind on his skin, and her. Specially her. It was just as the last time, so natural and effortless. As if to prove himself that she was in fact real, he cupped her left cheek; being in the land of dreams made him bold. She just stood still.

“Where did you go, Sigrid?”

How she wished that she was Sigrid, that she was a normal human woman that could venture to have a relationship with him. Hear him sing his beautiful songs with his lovely voice and caress his skin to sooth away all of his sorrows. But she wasn’t Sigrid and she’ll never be, and there were more important things to talk about right now.

“My name is not Sigrid, I’m not who you think I am”. She removed his hand off her cheek and took a few steps back. Closing her eyes, she let her glamour drop.

She couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes right away, so she listened. For a long moment he held his breath, he didn’t move, but his heartbeat sped up. When she finally opened them she saw him with his mouth agape and his eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. He backed away from her in horror. If you asked anyone, they would tell you that Hel had no heart, because it was in her corpse side, she couldn’t feel anything there. That was not true, in that moment she could feel her heart breaking. Not wanting to hear hateful words from his mouth she broke the silence.

“I am sorry for deceiving you, I promise you I meant no harm. My name is Hel, Norse goddess of the Underworld, of Helheim, daughter of Loki and Angrboda. And I need your help”.

Ciaran looked at her with suspicion but also with interest, when they met he had known that something was different about her, now he knew what was it. She turned so her right side faced him maybe that would make things easier for him. He came closer and turned her so he could see her completely. Hel hated to feel evaluated, normally she would punish on the spot anyone that dared to looked at her like this; still, she let him, she owed him this much. He put both of his trembling hands on both sides of her face, the corpse side didn’t feel as he thought it would; the flesh didn’t come off at his touch, there was no stench, in fact, she smelled sweet, too sweet, it was hard to describe. The air around her was colder and her right side felt unnaturally soft.

“Is this not a dream?” He asked still holding her.

“It is, I used magic to enter your dreams. I brought you here because I love this place, it soothes me. I hoped that it would do the same to you, that made easier what I’m about to tell you”.

“There’s more?”

Hel removed her cloak, revealing that she had been carrying a baby in her arms this whole time. Ciaran looked at the baby and then at Hel, comprehension slowly making way to his mind. He opened his mouth but nothing came out, he just looked at the baby.

“I thought that I couldn’t have children, I had been sleeping with mortal men for centuries and nothing ever happened. I don’t know why it was different with you”.

Ciaran didn’t know what to do. Maybe Hel was being manipulative, she took the opportunity to put the baby over his chest, and luckily he took her, maybe more as a reflex than a conscious move.

“She is in danger. She needs to hide from the other gods and from my father, I talked to the fates before coming to you. Our daughter is meant to bring balance when the end of the world comes; she is not like any demigod that’s ever existed. She will be hunt down if we don’t hid her from them”.

“Did you just say the end of the world?!”

“I know it’s a lot to take. But if you accept to be her guardian I will help you; I will be watching over you both, I will instruct you, my treasure is more abundant than the one that Odin keeps in his halls, I will provide for you. Anything you need”.

Ciaran shook his head, this didn’t make any sense. He was just a regular guy, how in the world was he going to be able to protect a demigoddess?

“I don’t… how will I…” Then the baby opened her eyes. She had his mother’s eyes, his eyes. Fatherhood and motherhood were supposed to be different, or so he was told. Fathers were supposed to take more time to feel a bond with their children, it was normal. But now holding this baby, he felt it, he felt that bond. This was his baby and he was her father, he was certain.

“What’s her name?”

“I haven’t named her. I was hoping you would choose a name for her”.

“I always liked the name Felicity for a girl”.

Felicity meant happiness and joy, everything that Hel was not. It was perfect.

“I love it”.

Ciaran smiled and touched Felicity’s little face.

“Ciaran, do you think you can love her? I want her to be loved not just protected. Do you think you can love her as her father?”

“I already do”. And by the gods he did. It was insane but it was true.

“I’m going to need your help, Hel. You will have to teach me, I don’t understand anything that’s happening and I don’t know how I’ll protect her from gods and such”.

“I will, no matter what. I swear”. Said Hel fiercely. She put on her cloak and took Felicity, hiding her once more.

“It’s not dawn yet in London, go back to sleep, Felicity will be there in the morning. I need to say goodbye first”.

Ciaran nodded, he doubted that he could go back to sleep, but Hel made sure of that with a sleeping spell. He would need all the rest he could get.

***

Back at Helheim, Hel asked her mother and her servants Ganglati and Ganglöt to go to her treasure hall and gather enough jewels and valuable trinkets to secure a substantial income for a year. Angrboda took a look at her daughter and understood what she was about to do; it pained her, but it was the right thing. She kissed Hel and left, Ganglati and Ganglöt behind her, moving at the speed of a snail. Hel adverted her eyes elsewhere and when she looked back at where the siblings were they were gone; most likely, they were already at the hall waiting for Angrboda. They were one of Helheim’s greatest mysteries, to this day Hel doesn’t know where they come from or why they move so slowly as long as they are being watched.

She sat on her bed, Sick-bed, the very same bed where Felicity was born. She retrieved a silver pendant of a rune from a jewelry box. She dangled it over Felicity’s head, the pendant catching the light of the fires illuminating the room, her little brown eyes following it.

“This is the Hagalaz rune; it’s a rune that is associated with me. It represents the wrath of nature, destruction, trials and testing and crisis that leads to completion. If anything the fates said is true then it represents you well, my love… a god cannot always be everywhere at once, I certainly can’t; this pendant will be my eyes and ears, as long as you wear it I’ll be able to know where you are and if you need my assistance. Never take it off”.

Hel chanted the incantation necessary to bind herself to the pendant, green light poured out of her hand and danced around the pendant settling in the rune. Felicity watched everything with a serene expression, as if magic was already normal to her, as if she hadn’t been born a few days ago.

“Felicity, if only I could let you know how much this hurts me. I dreamed of you for so long, forgive me. This is not what I wanted for you, for the both of us… I don’t know what your father will tell you about me, but rest assured your mother loves you, and I am willing to tear everything apart for you”.

***

Ciaran woke up in the morning feeling rested; it had been a while since he had slept so well. He stretched and savored the feeling before remembering everything. He stood up and looked around his room, and there she was. Felicity, his daughter. A bag was next to her basket on the floor, he knelt and peeked at the basket, she was awake, and in her tiny fist she was holding something, he took a closer look and saw that it was a necklace, a pendant of a rune. Even he had heard of runes, and he knew that this was meant for Felicity to have. He opened the bag and found jewels, golden coins and precious stones, Hel wasn’t kidding when she said that she had treasure. Now it felt truly real. The dream that Hel had called upon felt real enough, but now it had materialized. Last night he was a musician that worked odd jobs to get by and was content with being aimless, and now, he was a father, a father of a demigoddess. Hel had not been very specific about the dangers that followed Felicity, and now him he supposed; how was he going to explain this to his parents? To his friends, he needed help, he had to go back to Ireland. This was not going to be easy, even with Hel’s help and support, but he was up for it. Whatever was coming he would face it, he would be there for his daughter just like his parents were there for him no matter what.

***

Verdandi saw everything as it was happening. Hel resumed her role as the queen of the Underworld, pretending that her heart and mind were there, Loki was struggling and raging in his bonds and Odin was vigilant as always, but still unaware of the existence of Felicity. The father was preparing to go back to his homeland with his kin. He didn’t know what awaited them. Not even her and her sisters knew for sure. The pieces on the board that was Ragnarök were scrambled. Some of the pieces were still set in their rightful place: Fenrir was still going to kill Odin and Odin would kill him in return, Thor and Frey would perish as well, and so would Loki. Hel’s role was still unchanged; she would provide her father with an army of the dead but it seemed that the rest was up to her. After Ragnarök the world will be reborn, a new order will come; that’s were Felicty’s part comes in to action. She will either lead the gods in this new world or she will return to the giants what was taken away from them so long ago, as their ruler. Why was she the one bestowed with so much power? Simple, this girl had inherited the power of Ymir. Everything came from Ymir; the giants, the world as we know it, and even the gods. Odin and his brothers had killed Ymir, little did they know that had Ymir wanted to they could have killed them in the blink of an eye. They were nothing compared to Ymir, but Ymir had chosen to sacrifice themselves so marvelous things were born. Ymir was great, and the greatest thing about they was the purity of their heart. But Felicity was not Ymir, and it was yet to be seen if she possessed the same purity of heart. None of this worried Verdandi, whatever this girl happened to decide to do with her power was… unimportant. As long as the outcome was unchanged, the rest didn’t matter.

#hel norse goddess #norse mythology #helheim #ragnarok #paganism #pagan god #nordic paganism

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oosteven-universe · 3 years

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Vampiverse #01

Vampiverse #01 Dynamite Entertainment 2021 Written by Thomas Sniegoski & Jeannine Acheson Illustrated by Daniel Maine Coloured by Francesca Cittarelli Lettered by Taylor Esposito A different Vampirella for every thread—for every kind of story—across the Fabric of time and space. A Vampirella of every conceivable notion born to protect her particular reality . . . but now something—someone—is killing them and stealing away their precious life energies and growing in power. It is up to the Vampirella of one of these universes to gather some of her special sisters to stop this growing threat and keep it from destroying the Creator of all things—the Artist—and preventing the unraveling of all reality. Well there are ways to introduce one to a multiverse and I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen it done quite like this. The opening does a magnificent job in piquing the curiosity and interest factors and getting you to go further into the story. We get so much here from this Artist and how important Vampirella is to this multiverse through how the tapestry is seen. Now this tapestry is mentioned throughout the book and it actually reminds me of an episode of the Librarians where the weave of time was cut and stitched back together changing history. It's a side not for sure but I thought it worth mentioning and it struck a chord with me. I am very much enjoying the way that this is being told. The story & plot development we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well. The character development we see through the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how they act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter does a fantastic job in bringing these characters to life. The pacing is excellent and as it takes us through the pages introducing the story, the characters and this multiverse they are in in such a way that really grabs you. How we see this being structured and how the layers within the story emerge, grow and strengthen we get a magnificent look at how well this is really written. I like how we see the layers opening up avenues in the story that can be explored should the desire arise and even if they aren’t they still add this great depth, dimension and complexity to the story. How everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is extremely well achieved. I am very much enjoying how we see the interiors here. The linework is stupendous and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create this level & quality of detail we see within the work is extraordinarily well rendered. The creativity and imagination we see here is phenomenal and the creature that Vampirella has in the Garden is beyond expectations. How we see backgrounds being utilised to enhance and expand the moments as well as how they work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkably talented eye for storytelling. The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show a great understanding of how colour works. The application of colour and how light sources change the shades show a great expertise. I’m thrilled beyond belief with this book. I was afraid something different was going to occur, that we’d see all these different Vampirella’s in their own stories with different artists, but that it goes the way that it does really makes me excited for what is to come. The writing is super strong and solid, the characterisation is fabulously witty and interesting and these dynamic interiors really bring this to life beautifully. A new Vampirella series that continues to break all the rules, why yes please I think I will.

#Comic Books #Comics Reviews #Dynamite Entertainment

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queennicoleinboots · 3 years

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Chrissy And All Of Her Glorious Titles Have Spoken

A/N: Sequel to "Bears, Eat Your Heart Out, Chrissy, The Baby Girl with Many Glorious Titles Is Trying To Arrive. Apparently, So Is Everyone Else.

"Lights! Sound! Costumes! Make-up! Camera! Action!" Chrissy with all of her glorious titles spoke with her distinct English voice.

The cameras turned on to reveal seven speakers sitting at the purple Planetary Broadcasting Corporation's newsdesk sitting seven inches apart wearing seven different colors, seven different style shirts, and seven different collars having seven different personalities and representing seven different cities.

Blinky blinked seven times and wore a light teal long-sleeved button-down shirt with a gold chain collar. He wore round-framed glasses. He represented Ocala, Florgia, United Emirates of Chinta.

Count Vanilla growled 63 times and wore an off-white polo shirt with a pocket on the left side of his chest with a silver chain around his neck. He wore square-framed glasses. He represented The Fountain of Youth City of Georgia.

Banana Ice rolled his eyes fully in the back of his head before he spoke, "I'm Banana Ice, the submissive husband of Abigail Ice and son of Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas, the beautiful lady sitting next to me. I'm truly honored to be next to her and in front of you broadcasting, and... translating Count Vanilla's growls that translate Blinky's blinks. My mother will speak French." He removed his lip piercings to make it easier for us to understand him. He still had that same mohawk and wore the same black collar with the bananas hanging off of it, a sleek black long-sleeved button-down shirt with a banana yellow collar. He represented Graytown, Georgia, United States of America that is still America.

"WHAT?! YOU'RE MARRIED TO MY DAUGHTER?!" Bruce Ice shouted as he turned toward Banana Ice. "Nobody fuckin' informed me!" He was wearing a silver and blue tye dye blazer with a white button-down shirt, a pale blue tie, and a thick gold chain down his neck. He represented Athenia, Glorgia, United Emirates of Chinta.

"Oh yeah. That's going to be discussed in a later broadcast," Banana Ice said as he looked at Bruce Ice.

"Well, we should have prepared that AHEAD of time! How the hell am I going to concentrate? I have questions goddammit!" Bruce Ice shouted as he hammer fisted the desk with his right paw.

"Ay, merci, Bruce Ice, ay. Some of us would like to introduce ourselves. You sort of cut me off, as you say. Do you mind?!" Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas asked in her heavy French accent as she narrowed her brownish hazel eyes that had heavy mascara on the lashes at him. When wasn't that woman picture-perfect? She wore a pure white pearl necklace, a blue blouse with brownish gold speckles on it, and her sapphire wedding ring on the ring finger of her left paw. Her fur was brushed to perfection. She represented France.

"ABSOLUTELY! BUT THE SHOW MUST GO ON! Back to you, Gloria Balalalala-lalalalalas," Bruce Ice tried to say.

"Lala lala lala lalalas," Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas corrected him. "Ay. You English-speaking bears drive me crazy, I swear. But yes, I am Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas, wife of Skipper Balalalalalalalalalas and mother of Francesca Asiago Cheese, Victoria Filetmignon, and... Banana Ice? When did my son change his name to that monstrosity? This is news to me, Banana Ice," she said as she yanked a few of his ear rings with her right paw and stared at the camera.

"Yeeeeeooooooooow! That's in a later story as well, Mother Dearest," Banana Ice said as he winced in pain. "Ooooowwwww!!!" He gently rubbed his left paw to gently ease her paw off of his ear.

"THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED AHEAD OF TIME!" Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas and Bruce Ice yelled as they stared daggers at Banana Ice.

"Sorry! We didn't have time until now! I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Banana Ice said to them with wide eyes before he turned back to the camera. "Besides, there are much more pressing matters to discuss than my existence right now."

"Very true," Bruce Ice said before he cleared his throat. "Hello, PBC viewers, I am Bruce Ice, husband of Megara Ice, daughter of Abigail Ice and three other female cubs that shall not be named because they are minors. This is a no-minor broadcast!"

Blinky, Count Vanilla, Banana Ice, Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas, Prince Oliver: Werewolf of the United Planets, and a new golden bear named Penn made growls and nods of agreement.

"I COULD NOT AGREE MORE! NO MINORS SHALL EVER PARTICIPATE IN THE PLANETARY BROADCASTING CORPORATION NEWS REPORTS EVER. IT WILL BE RARE THAT THEY ARE EVEN FEATURED, MUCH LESS TELLING NEWS ON THIS ESTEEMED NETWORK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I FINALLY GET TO SAY MY PEACE. It only took a DAY. The hell is wrong with this planet?! I'm Prince Oliver, Werewolf of the United Planets formerly known as Prince. Ahahahaha! No really. "Purple Rain" was my song. Some asshole from America stole my song. Bastard." Prince Oliver: Werewolf of the United Planets was wearing only a black tie and a black spiked color. He represented the Greek region of Hades.

Blinky, Count Vanilla, Banana Ice, Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas, Bruce Ice, Penn, Chrissy, and all of her glorious titles chuckled.

"Ahem. I was formerly known as Prince Oliver, Werewolf of London, but as you all know, if you watch this network AT ALL, London is literally burning in Hell right now. That's why a bunch of my crew and I, no seriously, I stuffed over 10,000 of us on that spaceship. When we all exited the ship, it looked like a multitude of clowns coming out of a car. It was RIDICULOUS!" His greenish gray eyes and mouth were wide as he spoke.

"I can vogue for that," Chrissy, babybaby said on a separate green screen as she wore a black and white maid outfit, a black collar with a gold bell in the front, black fishnet stockings, and black high heels. Her black and gray fur was brushed perfectly.

The green screen showed the footage of her, 44 wolf puppies, Master wearing a black and silver fox fur, EliEli: Mistress of the United Planets, Catman, Stan Doe, the entire cast of the PeeWee Herman show, 300 assorted cats, 400 dalmatians, 500 other assorted dogs, 600 goats, 700 sheep, the Chinaman from the pranking soundboard, the Vietman from the pranking soundboard, an android popularly known as Mark Fuckerberg, Max Headroom, 209 fat bears of all colors, and countless clowns, including Ronald McDonald and Pennywise the Dancing Clown, burst from that ship. How did they fit?

"Excuse me. I normally wear a black wig to further accentuate my head, but it's entirely too fucking hot on this planet for that shit right now. Summer everywhere in the last few galaxies has been ABSOLUTELY BARBARIC!" Chrissy, babydoll with all glorious titles spoke as she stared directly at the camera with her kaleidoscopic greenish yellowish hazel eyes.

Blinky, Count Vanilla, Banana Ice, Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas, Bruce Ice, and Penn laughed and nodded with agreement.

"Hahahahahaha!!!! All right. Hello Everybody, as if the news isn't crazy enough without the first bit of news we heard today, I'm Penn with Off Grid Desert Farming with Penn and Alexia doing a GUEST appearance on the Planetary Broadcasting Corporation news network to explain what is actually going on behind the jab, mandates, checkpoints, and why these space ass... aliens are pushing it so hard among all the planets," Penn spoke with his southern accent. He was a golden bear with serious blue eyes. His fur was brushed perfectly as well. He looked to be the same age as Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas, but in reality, she was much older. (She looked much younger than she was and gave that trait to all of her children.) He was wearing a navy blue shirt and his platinum wedding ring.

Penn continued to speak, "Sorry about delaying our news report on August 11, 2021 until now. The powers that be were downloading contact-tracing software to everyone's electrical devices. They are used to track and control jabbed people. They are also used as weapons against you if they decide to make it self-destruct in T minus five seconds. The jabbed are automatically being downloaded into. The patent number that has been downloaded into their brains is 060606. The jabbed are now (encrypted voice done by Chrissy, Encrypting Genius saying Five GEEGEEGEE) repeater towers. They are the temples made without hands. But SO ARE YOU. The Creator made the unjabbed without hands. More news will come on this topic. Please watch my news broadcasts on the 900 Club, Stumble.cahm, BiteChew.cahm, and Facefail.cahm. Thank you for listening."

"Yes. Thank you for sharing, Penn. Finally, some useful stuff this morning," Prince Oliver: Werewolf of the United Planets.

Blinky blinked. Count Vanilla growled Penn's message in his own words and spoke Penn's references verbatim in bear growl language to the bears.

"You have the choice on which side you take. I, personally, like to watch sports for hours, sing the American National Anthem, drive Captain America's speedboat, fly in my Batbearmobile, read books about everything including religious texts... from all sides. I personally like to debunk the arguments of all pastors on TV.... except Penn. Penn is solid. He is speaking correctly on the Federal Emergency Medical Assimilations news and what they are doing to us PATRIOTS!" Banana Ice grabbed the desk tightly with his paws and leaned forward for a moment before he sat back down and began to speak calmly. "Also, Austria Australia have cracked down on the unjabbed and stripping their rights away as they speak."

Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas translated Banana Ice's message in French. She added more, and Bruce and Banana Ice worked together to translate her message.

"In France, they are looking for the unjabbed and are trying to silence them with blowdarts," Bruce Ice said.

"League of Legends is a true story. Teemo, Trastana, and Lala are among us. They are shooting the (encrypted voice done by Chrissy, Encrypting Genius saying PLAGUE MEDICINE) and I mean that in the most sarcastic way. They are inhuman. They are (encrypted voice done by Chrissy, Encrypting Genius saying Communal Toilets)," Banana Ice said.

"No one wants to hear the Truth," Penn said. "People are talking about the CDPCP Captain Planet American shielding that separates the jabbed from the unjabbed. They're real. They're coming and coming fast! This is not a joke. This is real. I repeat. This is real. Banana Ice said correctly that Austria Australia has started to crack down on us unjabbed. They have come door-to-door asking for papers just like the Germans did to the (encrypted voice by Chrissy, Encrypting Genius saying JuJubes) back in the 1940s on Earth and God Knows Where Else. Then if you don't have papers, they take you away to some throwaway galaxy where no one can find you."

"IT'S UNAMERICAN! IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL! PATRIOTS MUST RESIST!" Blinky, Count Vanilla, Banana Ice, and Bruce Ice shouted.

Bears shouted in the background.

Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas spoke wildly in French. She spoke in English. "I'm just a messenger! I did not write these news!"

Penn spoke, "Read John 3:16. Read Psalm 91! That's what will save you! Stay strong. Do not get jabbed. Humble yourself. You know better than to take the (encrypted voice done by Chrissy, Encrypting Genius saying PLAGUE MEDICINE)! Amen!"

The screen switched to Chrissy and her glorious titles. A screen was scrolling with her titles. "Thank you, Penn, Banana and Bruce Ice, Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas, whoa! That name should be a title! Count Vanilla, Blinky, and last but not least, Prince Oliver, Werewolf of the United Planets for your news today. More will come after this short break."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

A video of Chrissy, her glorious titles, and her 46 wolf pups playing played for five minutes as an intermission. It was still entirely too fucking hot for her to wear the wig.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

The camera then showed Chrissy, submissively and dutifully our reporter standing in front of a photo of Mars still without her wig.

"Hello Everybody, as I am forced to say on every broadcast in case you aren't informed, I'm Chrissy, babybaby, baby baby hit me baby one more time, not Aguilera. Ugh. My glorious title changes every minute, I swear. My Dom is a cruel jokester. But," Chrissy.... spoke before she started. "Let us get on with our next broadcast. Jaybird, a floating head on Mars-"

Banana Ice was beginning to crack up. Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas elbowed him hard with her right elbow.

"Ahem, yes," Chrissy, babybaby space reporter on live television said before she was trying not to laugh. "Jayhead from Mars would like to tell us about a new and upcoming screenplay author who is a lot like me, not he or it but maybe something in between. Jayhead! Excuse me Jaybird, how are you doing?"

Jaybird's bald floating face with thin brown eyebrows, hazel eyes, a distinct nose, and small lips was staring at us in front of a giant intergalactic "solar system" green screen. "I'm great. Thank you, Chrissy-," Jaybird said with a Cleveland, Ohio accent.

At this point, Bruce Ice busted up laughing. Banana Ice had completely lost it and started to hyperventilate while laughing. He was falling out of his chair. Count Vanilla stared at the camera and looked disturbed. Blinky looked confused and wanted to know what happened to the rest of Jaybird's body. Penn was smiling and suppressing laughter.

"Excuse me. What's so funny? I haven't even told the story yet," Jaybird asked.

Chrissy, baby master of laughter suppression said with a grin, "Excuse me, Banana and Bruce Ice! Do you MIND? Some of us..." she said as she involuntarily giggled. "Would like to hear the news today. Could you please be quiet?"

Banana Ice was rolling on the floor while his chest heaved as he laughed. He was wearing black dress pants and those godawful ridiculous banana rocket shoes. It's dangerous to only spend a minute shopping for new shoes. The shoes were firing off and making him scoot across the floor. Bruce Ice was falling out of his chair laughing. Penn was throwing his head back and laughing. Blinky and Count Vanilla were laughing hysterically as they watched Banana Ice jet across the floor as he laughed. Prince Oliver, Werewolf of the United Planets was laughing sheerly out of disbelief.

Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas was trying to talk over the laughter. "This is why you don't wear rocket shoes in a news broadcast. What a mockery of news journalism. Or was that his point?" Even she was trying not to laugh.

"I have no idea," Chrissy, baby giggles said as she was giggling. "I think that clip's going viral."

Jaybird's floating head was hysterically laughing. "Wow! That's the embodiment of space right there! Sci-Fi, eat your heart out. And here I thought robots writing movie scripts was hilarious. Shoot, the best form of entertainment is buying your children rocket shoes and making them laugh hysterically to see what happens."

Chrissy, baby mama giggles stickles crackalacka cracked up. "Yes. Wolf pups with rocket shoes flying around would be something," she said with more laughter. "Whoever he bought those shoes from is going to have a massive increase in sales."

Banana Ice was trying to calm down and turn his shoes off. "Sorry! I just don't understand what's going on right now."

"Does anybody?" Chrissy, babybaby with more questions than answers asked.

"I doubt it, but this upcoming AI script-" Jaybird was trying to say before he was rudely interrupted by Banana Ice's continued laughter and scooting across the floor with rocket shoes.

Seriously, why the fuck did he buy those?

"I need to mute that screen. I can't report like this," Chrissy baby drama queen said as she walked off the set for a second. "Zachary Girrafinakis, mute screen 1 please!"

Zachary Giraffinakis, my newly hired slave who happened to be good at working cameras, looked exactly like the American actor Zach Gallifinakis. But he was behind the scenes and was born and raised on the Green Planet. We really do live in an alternate reality. I allowed Chrissy, babywolfgirl bitch mama news reporter with 46 hungry pups to borrow him for this breaking news report. Zachary Giraffinakis kindly muted the screen.

But Banana Ice was mute laughing and trying to shut off his shoes with not much success. Bruce Ice was beating the desk and heaving with mute laughter. Blinky was crying as he blink-laughed. Count Vanilla was mute growling and mute laughing. Penn was wiping his eyes while mute laughing.

Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas was mute speaking. The closed caption said, "You have to excuse my son. His brain is malfunctioning. I don't know why it happened. He got that faulty brain mechanic from his papa."

Prince Oliver, Werewolf of the United Planets was mute laughing and wiping his eyes with his tie.

"Thank you, Zachary Giraffinakis, now we can continue this news broadcast. I'm telling you. Today's broadcast alone has been one big news blooper. It goes to show that the events of the multiverse truly have begun to mock the multiverse itself. Perplexing," Chrissy, amused babygirl newscaster spoke.

"Yes. Truly. And the AI movie script writer actually touches on that," Jaybird said with a chuckle. "Excuse me. I'm still trying to get over a ridiculous-looking bear scooting... hahaha across the floor with rocket shoes. I mean, who wears rocket shoes to a press conference? That's a great screenplay idea for the AI script writer! Haha! I have no idea if he wrote one like that yet."

"No idea," Chrissy, babygirl Wolf Mama still in disbelief said. "I don't think I'm ever going to get over this traumatic experience." She was giggling.

"Me neither. Someone has GOT to make a Sci-Fi movie with malfunctioning rocket shoes during a news broadcast. If you're watching this Bouregard, you need to calibrate the transcripts from this broadcast and MAKE THAT INTO A MOVIE!" Jaybird said with laughter.

"How would he do that?" Chrissy, perplexed babywolfmama asked.

"Well, it all started with Ross Godwing, who collaborated with Oscar the Grouch to come up with this Artifical Intelligence Unit, sort of like Spock from Star Trek, that could write scripts using an algorithm that pools lines from all Sci-Fi scripts that have ever even been thought of. One day, they sat near a computer, the AI unit was computing a script by putting its head through the computer screen. After about five minutes, the AI unit took its head out of the screen and spat out a script for an hour and a half long Sci-Fi movie. The movie was called Moonfall," Jaybird answered.

The screen then showed a poster with a space background with a large white moon in the center and rainbow-colored 1960s style font saying "Moonfall." Two brown bears were on either side of a small female red bear. They all wore white space helmets and gray spacesuits.

"Moonfall is about a... very strange space station that has three bears in it who are trying to survive. They are in a disjointed love triangle. The first male bear is named B, and he has green eyes that are crossed the whole time. He is the leader of the group. The female bear is named X, and she has gray dead eyes. She spends all of her title in front of a computer that talks to her in gibberish. The other male bear is slightly smaller and is named Ib, and his eyes are all black. He speaks mostly in gibberish. His favorite line is 'I want to stick my head in a telephone socket.'," Jaybird continued.

Chrissy, curious babywolfmama, nodded and spoke, "That sounds advanced for an AI unit. And that is very eye-opening to see the result of years of Sci-Fi script writing. And a lot of the best stuff comes from 60 years ago. I'll be daaaamned."

"Yes. When the Sesame street crew got together and read the script, they pissed themselves laughing," Jaybird said.

"I can imagine. Would you like to play some clips from the movie?" Chrissy, curious babywolfmamallama asked.

"Why sure!" Jaybird said before he spat out some film.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Moonfall (2021), Act 2 - Holy TIHS, bro!!!!

Some Sci-Fi rap music was playing in the background, and the main computer was spitting out lyrics.

"I don't give a fuck. I'm rich, bitch.

Three pods and a ship. I'm rich bitch.

Hit the bar and blow it up. I'm slick, bitch.

I don't give a fuck."

Then the song "Intergalactic Fanatic Scholastic" by Peter Whitey Parker and the Floating Clowns started to play. (It sounds like "Intergalactic" by Beastie Boys.)

While the computer spit out these lyrics,

"Intergalactic, planetary, planetary, intergalactic

Intergalactic, planetary, planetary, intergalactic

A new born dimension, a new born dimension

A new born dimension"

"COMMA!" B shouted in a high-pitched nasally voice.

B and Ib started to dance wildly while shaking their fat bear asses on camera. B kept sticking his tongue in and out and poking himself in the stomach. There was text above B's head that said, "Yes. These are stage directions. I told this mother f%$#^@ to do it."

Ib started shaking wildly and yelled in a deep baritone voice similar to yoitssteve on Twitch.TV, "Radio Mania! Radio Mania!"

Then the computer imitated Peter Whitey Parker's voice verbatim. It sang while it showed Peter's face on the screen.

"Don't you tell me now to well smile

I'll make you stick it around worth your while

Beyond my numbers what you can dial

It's because maybe we're so versatile

Style, profile, I say

It back brings always me when I hear, "ooh, child!"

From Savannah River out to the Nile

I grind the marathon to the very last mile

Well, if you fondle me I feel reviled

People always sayin' my body is wild

Got you gall, got you guile

Walk with me I'm a grape-o-phile."

Clowns, Ib, B, X, and Peter danced.

Then the signal got interrupted.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

"Whoa! What the hell?!" Jaybird shouted.

"The transmission's been interrupted. What in the world is going on?!" Babywolfgirl Chrissy asked dramatically.

Banana Ice was mute-screaming. Count Vanilla was straightening his fur rapidly. Blinky was squirting eyedrops in his eyes. Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas was quickly redoing her make-up. Prince Oliver: Werewolf of the United Planets was gulping and staring at the camera as though he had seen a ghost. Penn was reading the King James Version of the Bible.

And Bruce Ice was mute-speaking and smiling. His closed caption said, "Thank Whoever interrupted that transmission. That was the worst movie I ever had the displeasure of seeing in my life."

Master then appeared on a screen by himself. He was dressed to the nines in fox furs and wolf tails. His aquamarine eyes, strong nose, full lips, and strong chin showed through his layers. Then he spoke in his deep voice, "Excuse the interruption, Chrissy, sub of many glorious titles. If I didn't know better, I would ask if you were a switch instead. But my point is, I need to announce that the Florida News Agency is no longer trendy."

"You are absolutely correct, Master. Thank you for the interruption," Chrissy, sub of many glorious titles said. "I'm as submissive as it gets, Master. I guarantee you that."

"I am well aware. Also, a fur gathering is occurring tomorrow at midnight. Be there, or be the Florida News Agency!" Master said with a chuckle.

Bruce Ice nodded, mute-laughed, and mute-spoke. His closed caption was, "Will do. I have thousands of dollars worth of furs to present at the event."

"Zachary Giraffinakis, please unmute that screen," Chrissy, sub of many glorious titles said.

"Yes ma'am," he said as he unmuted the screen.

"Only thousands, Bruce Ice? Really? I have like a whole case worth of furs. I have spent tens of thousands on furs. You don't know brown bear privilege," Banana Ice said.

"He is correct. Banana Ice... I can't with this *ridiculous* name, my dear son, is the most entitled, spoiled, and submissive subby cubby in every galaxy. I'm his mother. I can vogue for that, but as I'm saying this, I don't know whether to be proud or ashamed," Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas spoke as she visibly shrugged.

Blinky, Count Vanilla, and Banana Ice shrugged. Bruce Ice scratched his head and looked at her with a puzzled look.

"Definitely proud. His title should be Prince Banana Ice," Prince Oliver: Werewolf of the United Planets stated.

"Ashamed. The Lord doesn't award those who were spoiled here in this life. He values hard workers," Penn said.

"Actually. He's both," Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas said flatly to Penn.

"Can you explain that to us, please?" Penn asked. "I'm very confused right now."

"Oui. While my husband and I are extremely wealthy, we definitely trained my son to be inquisitive and read as much as possible. We also instilled the value of having a lot of physical activity through rigorous training. He also was taught to be specialized in his craft," Gloria Balalalalalalalalalas said.

Prince Banana Ice smiled at the camera.

"Someone put a crown on his head, please," Chrissy, sub of many glorious titles said.

"As a matter of fact, find a crown for Queen Gloria as well," Master spoke. "After all, a prince is not a prince without a queen."

"That is absolutely correct, Master," Chrissy, sub of many glorious titles said.

"Hold the phone. If Prince Banana Ice and Queen Gloria exist, then technically Abigail Ice should be Princess Abigail Ice, Megara Ice should be Queen Megara Ice, and I should be King Bruce Ice," King Bruce Ice said.

"THAT IS A BRILLIANT OBSERVATION," Master and Chrissy spoke at the same time.

"Everyone. Our news anchors are now all royalty. We have Squire Blinky, Count Vanilla, Prince Banana Ice, Queen Gloria, King Bruce Ice, Prince Oliver: Werewolf of the United Planets, and Pastor Penn," Chrissy, sub of many glorious titles said.

Squire Blinky smiled and blinked with excitement. Count Vanilla smiled. Prince Banana Ice smiled and blushed. Queen Gloria dramatically fanned herself with a shy smile. King Bruce Ice growled.

"Thank you, Chrissy, submissive queen of nomenclature," Prince Oliver: Werewolf of the United Planets said.

"Thank you. I appreciate your recognition of my being a pastor. I welcome the title, but I do not require to be called 'Pastor Penn.' I am forever humbled by the true royalty, my Lord Jesus Christ," Pastor Penn said.

"We have spoken! Can someone please get crowns, medals, and sashes for our anchors please?" Chrissy, sub with many glorious titles asked.

The backstage crew quickly rushed through the props.

"Thank you. And on that note, we will take a 15-minute commercial break," Chrissy, sub with many glorious titles spoke.

"Thank you. I need that in hopes of completing my broadcast," Jaybird said as his head took up the whole screen.

And Prince Banana Ice started laughing uncontrollably again over some elevator music that was playing to ease into the commercial break.

2 notes · View notes

heistmaster69 · 4 years

Text

pariet lilium

pariet lilium~by @heistmaster69

4th Year Draco Malfoy x OC fic.

~so uhh um I was maybe watching a video about dark academia while writing this and may have gotten a BIT carried away~

gif by @fairylightwishes all credit to them!

Frankie and Cher sat in the back of Potions class while Snape droned on about the effects of crushed versus shaved Bicorn Horn on the end result of a Pepperup potion.

“-now you see that’s exactly what I was talking about. Muggle movie stars are much more attractive than boys at Hogwarts-”

“Leonar-”

“-Dicaprio, yes.” She whispered.

“Frankie that man is gorgeous-”

‘So fine-”

Cher let out a sigh, while Frankie continued. “All the boys from Dead Poets Society-”

“So it’s decided then-”

“Yes. I’m saving my virginity until I’m of age and Leonardo Dicaprio can come and take it fro-”

“Miss. Reed.” Snape deadpanned. “If you and your friends would be so kind as to stop squealing about muggle boys in my class-I would appreciate it. That will be five points from Slytherin.”

Cher kicked Frankie under the table.

“My bad, professor.” She murmured, putting her palm under her chin and turning back to her notes.

Potions had to be her third favorite class, Frankie didn’t mind it at all, it’s just, she was a little distracted, recently. It seemed like her single-ness was beginning to get to her and she found herself daydreaming during class. She didn’t want to be as obsessed as she was, but Frankie couldn’t really help it. She wanted the movie-scene first kiss and the romance novel passion, as unattainable as it is, she craved it.

But the thing is-Frankie never let herself daydream about people she knew. In reality, none of the people she’s liked would ever like her back, and it just hurt her because she knew that no one would ever have feelings for Frankie as she did for them. Every time she let her walls down she got hurt.

A lot of the people Frankie has met have made sure she knows that she will never be as valuable, never as loved, as beautiful, as successful as others because she wasn’t as thin as others. Frankie loved herself. But her ‘friends’, her family? It seemed like they hated her for it...

Magic had always interested Frankie. Being a witch or wizard usually goes over the heads of purebloods, with the mere prospect of having the gift coming so naturally to all of them. Frankie’s isolated upbringing, rarely seeing her parents and being brought up by a strange yet kind tutor who instructed her in all sorts of topics, ranging from basic arithmetic to discovering Frankie’s magical abilities. Ms. Selwyn, around Frankie’s parents, and Kendra, during her tutoring sessions daily during childhood.

These memories with Kendra have a warm haze to them, and whenever Frankie reminisced, a smile would find its way onto her face. We would stand together in the garden, during the golden sunsets, and she would say;

“Magic is an incredible gift, it is beautiful and infinitely important. We hold the power of the universe in our hands.”

Young Frankie would stare wide-eyed, confused, and tug on the side of Kendra’s robe,

“Ms. Kendra, what’s the universe?” Frankie would ask.

“The universe is everything.”

“Everything? How much is that?”

Kendra would smile so gently and kneel down beside Frankie, grasping her small hands and gesturing towards the sky alive with color.

“More than we could ever know.”

Kendra knew the power purebloods held with the Ministry, after all, the Selwyns and the Reeds were a part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. The Ministry was still hypnotized by the status and the blood purity that these upper-class families held and overlooked the small laws broken by the elite, so Kendra and Frankie would practice small magic in their free time-in secret. The Reeds would never want their precious-little-delicate-perfect-pureblood baby daughter learning anything but the proper protocol for stuffy dinners with the Prewetts, the Malfoys, the Greengrasses, the Bulstrodes, the Parkinsons, the Notts, the Flints, or any other sort of perfect families that they could put in their larger-than-life estate.

Nevertheless, Kendra would take Frankie into the garden behind the mansion, near the rippling brook by a big oak tree. They would sit in the shade of the branches and Frankie would learn about everything her family didn’t want her to know. She learned about the inequality between purebloods, half-bloods, and muggleborns and as Kendra told her of the First Wizarding War, Frankie felt her heart shatter into a thousand pieces. How could someone think they were any better than another human being due to their blood? Their lineage? How they treat those supposedly ‘less than’? This realization caused a rift to form between Frankie and her parents-the entirety of what being Sacred 28 pureblooded perfection was.

She despised it.

Kendra warned her though, she spoke softly the words that shoved Frankie into a vault, locked her away, and threw away the key.

“I don’t know if this will ever change.”

Little Frankie blinked quickly, her wide eyes sore and puffy from tears. “Why?” She cried.

“They will never relinquish the privilege that this supremacy gives them.” Kendra let out a deep sigh and placed a tender hand on Frankie’s shoulder.

“I think you’re wrong, Miss Kendra.”

“I hope I am, Miss Frankie. I think you could make a difference.”

This upbringing of acceptance and wonder from Kendra instilled a unique view of magic in Frankie. She saw it as a privilege and took an interest in a side of magic that tended to be overlooked until necessary. Frankie liked to create spells and potions. Specifically, she had a fixation on wandless magic. It was crazy to her-she could create life from her hands. How so many of her friends and peers overlooked this, she understood but wished more people wouldn’t call people like her Loony Lovegood.

Anyways.

Frankie hid a tattered mahogany-colored, pleather-bound journal in her pillowcase. This journal rarely let the safety of her room, only transferring annually between her estate and Hogwarts. It was never shown to a soul, and it contained her life’s work in what could barely be considered spell-creation. Notes and random scribbles littered the pages, but if it were ever to be lost, Frankie would lose everything she’s done since she was six years, four months, and thirteen days old and Kendra told her about spell-creation. She thinks she would cry.

“Oi Francesca-” A voice called.

“-you’re not allowed to call me that, Blaise.” Frankie chuckled as he jogged up to her, stopping to lean against the wall with a smirk.

“I don’t care, you’re Francesca to me. Anyway, Potions, what happened in poti-” Blaise looked over his shoulder and shouted to Theo. “Oi Theodore, get your arse over here!” Blaise had a thing for using people’s full name-even if it’s not really their name, (ie Daphnessa/Pansleigh.) Frankie rolled her eyes as Theo strolled, shoulders taut, up to Blaise

“Frankie, what happened in Potions? You love potions, you’re always talking about how Potions is a really cool way to learn about how magic affects the world-”

“-Potions is a super cool way to learn about how magic affects the world-” Blaise interjected, wrapping an arm around Theo’s broad shoulders.

Theo turns to Blaise with a sarcastic stare at him. “Yeah, that.”

I want to have a stupid dumb kiss already. Which is stupid dumb and I don’t even care but I’m horny for love.

“Oh, yeah I-I didn’t sleep well last night.” Frankie choked out.

“It was kind of a relief, your constant enthusiasm about Snape’s class is alarming.” Theo snickered. Blaise snorted as he and Theo sauntered towards the Great Hall. Frankie let out a breath and followed soon after the two boys let for lunch to get to the common room.

Frankie’s boots tapped gently against the cold stone floor of the dungeons. Dust hung low in the air, illuminated by the amber glow of hanging torches that littered the walls. The dungeons are always shown as a dingy, disgusting place but Frankie found the common room comforting. She stilled in front of the entrance and spoke softly the password.

“Labebantur anguis.”

The wall dragged inwards with a low scraping sound, revealing her home. The estate is not a home, the estate is merely her stage, acting as the perfect daughter for an audience of haughty purebloods. This common room was perfect, smelling like pine and cotton and the perfect temperature. Green rugs and plush couches in front of a fireplace, tables and booths next to an espresso machine and a tea kettle. Arching windows and pillars showcasing the beauty under the Black Lake. This is home.

She stepped past the commons and walked up the winding stairs to the shared dormitories. Cher laid on Frankie’s bed with Daphne with parchment and quills set out on the emerald silk sheets.

“If you two spill ink on my bed one more time I’ll hex you in your sleep.” Frankie shrugged out of her robe and fell back onto Cher’s bed. The two girls giggled and returned to their subsequent conversations.

Cher was gorgeous. She radiated kindness and had an aura about her that made her seem impenetrable, yet she was humble. She had a crooked smile that never failed to bring one to Frankie’s face. Her eyes shone with emotion and were a deep brown that glimmered at all times. She was incredibly brilliant and the top of many of her classes. With the exception of Potions, Frankie held that spot proudly.

Everyone says that perfect Hermione Granger, the “brightest witch of her age”, is the top of every class, but ever since she had to use her time to deal with the two rambunctious children that are her friends, she holds strong at about fourth. Frankie had to admit, she had a burning jealousy of Granger. She managed to befriend Potter in her first year, as well as make friends with many of the teachers, ace her classes, and save the entire school three times by now. Not to mention, she was also very pretty. This envy flared its deep green color whenever Frankie so much as heard the name Granger.

“Earth to Reed?” Frankie snapped out of her covetous haze and met Daphne’s eyes. “Pansy’s bringing up lunch, get started on your essay, like, now.”

Frankie tipped her head in agreement and reached into her bag to pick out her Astronomy notes. “Five sheets of parchment? Is Professor Sinistra trying to kill us?”

“I think I might just use one sheet for every word: Sorry, I, Don’t, Want, To.” Cher counted on her fingers with a snort.

Daphne tugged at her bottom lip with her pinkie. “Maybe Frankie can use one of the spells from her secret journal to erase this essay from Sinistra’s mind.”

“That spell already exists, you toad.” Pansy swung the door open with several food items floating behind her, a slice of pumpkin bread levitating into Frankie’s waiting hands. “It’s called Obliviate, it has murderous side effects, and, next week it’s Reed’s turn to get the food.”

“Thank you Pans,” Cher cheered, mouth full of a danish pastry.

“Plus, the boys were bugging us to sit with them more often.” Pansy sat beside Frankie, parchment in hand. Daphne rolled her eyes.

“It’s one day a week, they’ll get over it eventually.”

“The students at Uagadou are so lucky. They have a good Astronomy program and they live in a cloud.”

Cher scoffed. “They don’t live in a cloud, Pans, They live in a castle-that’s on a cloud. It’s very particular.”

“I want to live in a castle.”

“You idiot, you do.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you bloody mean?”

“Nothi-whatever-what are we doing for Hogsmeade tomorrow?”

Draco. Bloody. Malfoy.

He walks around the school all high and mighty, like he owns the place, yet he acts like a right prat to many of its inhabitants. It’s like the boy was born with a stick up his arse. Yet, Frankie knew how he was raised, not that it’s an excuse. He doesn’t want to be the way he is, but he’s not some broken boy for her to fix.

She’s had many conversations in the common room with Malfoy after nights of nightmares. She’s shared hugs that linger a second too long and strange glances during lectures. His stone grey eyes held an emotion behind them that she couldn’t understand. It made her uncomfortable, the strange buzz on her skin where his hand met. The fluttery feeling in the pit of her stomach when they got too close. She didn’t like it. It made her feel like a creep.

She sees the way he looks at Cher. Frankie doesn’t compare to a golden, legs-for-days goddess with a waist the same circumference as Frankie’s thigh. Besides, a Malfoy should be with someone the same physical caliber as him. Frankie’s mother prayed to the ghost of Merlin that Frankie would blossom into a beautiful flower, but as her mother continuously reminded her,

“You are a disgrace. Nothing but a weed in a garden of perfection.”

It’s not hard to believe. Many pureblood parents held a disdain for their children in private. Frankie was lucky to have someone like Kendra. Other teenagers didn’t have anyone. Frankie was lucky, not special. A mere weed, removable by a weak pull. A thorn on an otherwise perfect rose, fit to be plucked, ignored by onlookers.

Draco Malfoy was never written in the stars for someone like Frankie.

Not that she liked him or anything. He was, as stated before, a right prat. A good looking one, but a prat nonetheless. They didn’t talk much, at all, instead seeking solace in the late hours of the night, a deep bond hidden from their friends. How could two people who were supposedly so perfect, be so broken?

pariet lilium.

chapter two

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allthebest20 · 3 years

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Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi

8/10. A joy to read and a great debut novel. I think the author has even better work ahead of her. The characters are complex and unique, and the book explores modernity, pain, and generational spirituality in a very readable style. I couldn’t help but make assumptions about the author as I read the book: definitely Nigerian, definitely a cook, definitely spent time in London and Canada, definitely queer, definitely raised in the Church, but also definitely spiritual. The authenticity with which she writes, especially in regards to being queer in the modern world and the cultures of different places, is what makes this book great. The story dances between the gruesome details of reality in the twenty-first century and romanticized views of youth and love. It raises a lot of questions in me about the international class system, wealth, and privilege.

The only real complaint that I have is around one of the main plot points: the rape of Kehinde when she is 12. While this is a turning point in all their lives, I feel as though it is also simultaneously underappreciated, as if the author choose this event simply because it was one of the worst things she could think of. I think this is a common pit fall for authors. A lot of traumatic things happen to this family: Kambi, the mother, is very mental ill, Banji, the twin’s beloved father, is murdered, Taiye, the queer twin, struggles with her own mental health. Yet, the rape is regarded as the primary Bad Thing and all the other traumatic events are hardly discussed. I appreciate how the author takes some time, maybe 1 chapter, to discuss Kehinde’s relationship to sex and her body. Yet, Kehinde’s life seems to be mostly unaffected by this event, except in the way she punishes her family with her silence. She is in a healthy relationship. She does not abuse alcohol or drugs. She has a successful career. Ultimately, it’s not a book about overcoming childhood sexual abuse. It’s a book about mending a family after years of pain, resentment, distance, and silence. I almost feel as though the book could have been stronger if it focused more on the effects of Banji’s death and Kambi’s violence and depression on the twins. Ultimately, though, sexual abuse is just a thing that happens to a lot of kids, and perhaps it serves a purpose to write a book where it happens, it’s horrible, but it doesn’t need to be put under a magnifying glass. It just reverberates.

This book could have been about a lot of things. When I picked it off the shelf at the library, I barely read the entire description, immediately caught by the spiritual nature of Kambi’s being and the brief mention of “reckless hedonism.” I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Taiye was a lesbian, and I saw a lot of myself in her: the serial string of intense relationships, always slated to go nowhere, the indulgence in food and weed and dancing and occasionally other drugs, the loneliness and missing family but not being able to connect with them, the exploration of religion and spirituality and non-monogamy, seeing and feeling things you don’t know are real. I feel like a lot of modern young adults live like Taiye does, unsure what to look for except comfort. I love how the author mentioned the chaotic draw of dating apps. I love how Taiye is a stoner. I love how Taiye loves organic butter and fair trade chocolate and cooking extravagant meals for anyone who will eat it. I LOVE how the author includes recipes for what Taiye is cooking. Although I probably won’t use those recipes, I did want to cook what Taiye was cooking, and it reads just like my brain reads when I am absorbed in a culinary project. This book could have been more about what it means to be a lesbian, but it only barely describes her formative romantic and sexual experiences. The author details the first time Taiye calls her self gay out loud and has queer sex, but this is long after she has had gay feelings and gay experiences. The author does not explore Taiye’s inner turmoil, and it is unclear if Taiye struggles at all with her sexuality in the long term.

I also like how the book explores mental illness. It doesn’t shy away from both the good and the bad parts. It doesn’t shame medication use. It explores the spiritual powers of those who’s brains work differently. Kambi’s voice explores suicide in an interesting way: both from the frequent pull of the voices, asking Kambi to escape the pain of living, and Kambi’s own knowledge that she wants to remain here with her family. Although I have perhaps 0 hard examples of mental illness being spiritual, I still want to believe that those who hear voices, who see things, who feel things, are connected to the spiritual in a way that those who live entirely in reality are not. This book explores one such case. I also found it interesting how Taiye inherits some of Kambi’s crazy (struggles to speak as a young child, depressed, sleep walks) and some of Kambi’s magic (draws people to her, sees and hears beyond). This make Taiye feel closer to her mom as she ages, while Kehinde remains unsure. This book could have been more about generational mental illness and the pain and distance it causes, but instead the author focuses on the magic of it all. It asks, quietly, if the girls should be mad at their mother, can they be mad at her? From the outside, Kehinde knows that Kambi is respoinsible for the scar on Taiye’s face, but yet we, the audience, know that Kambi had to do this to prevent Taiye from killing the rapist, Uncle Earnest. Does Kehinde know this? How can she understand? In a family, we have no choice but to forgive and let live if we cannot understand, or else remain alienated. This is the underlying message of the book.

The book has a complicated timeline: the main story line follows the events of a six month period in which the three main characters are united again in Lagos, after over a decade apart. Slowly, in tangents, the three characters’ backstory is explained.

The book features a few key locations:

Nigeria (specifically Abeokuta, where Kambirinachi is born, Ife, where she spends her youth, and Lagos, where she raises her family),

London (where the twins were born and where Taiye lived for 9 years during and after university),

and Canada (Kehinde lives in Montreal since attending university there and Taiye lives in Halifax after London).

I’ve never been to Nigeria or London, but I love the way the author writes the dialogue and the characters from each place. I cannot say if they are accurate, but they have a clear and unique voice, not homogeneous but also representative of those place-based qualities that unite an area. The characters give me a glimpse into what it feels like to be Nigerian abroad vs. Nigerian at home. She rarely writes about interpersonal incidents of racism: the characters are mostly well liked, treated nicely by the people in their life, given opportunities. I think that contributes to the feeling of romanticism in the story. Racism is discussed on a more systematic level: they have problems at the airport, Taiye learns about the history of racism in Canada. As someone who has been to Canada, knows about the history of Canada, and lives very close to Canada, I enjoyed hearing about Taiye learning about Canada’s dark side, something that is so rarely discussed by the general public. However, for those of us who are interested, the evidence is everywhere. The history is just waiting to be explored by anyone who is interested in looking just slightly beyond the state-issued textbooks. I thought the way the author wrote about Canada was really authentic, which convinces me that the way she writes about London and Nigeria must also be accurate. What it must be like to be Ekwuyasi, so intimately familiar with places so far apart.

There was one line in the book that really stuck with me: as Taiye is traveling home, she passes through the busy streets of Lagos, crowded with street children, and she is reminded of her privilege in a very visual way, something she doesn’t get in Canada or London. This is the view the West wants us to have of Africa: a whole continent made of dirty huts and begging children on busy urban roads. Yes, poverty looks different in Nigeria than it does in Canada, but that doesn’t mean that everyone in Nigeria is somehow poorer. In fact, this family has a beautiful compound and a trust fund. Despite having a trust fund, Taiye still makes decisions on a strict budget and denies herself luxuries to save money, the way I do. I don’t really know a lot of people with trust funds, so I can’t tell if this is an international thing or if there are American kids who act like this. It kind of annoyed me when Taiye wrote to the culinary program saying she didn’t have enough to pay for the program, when in reality she just didn’t want to dip into her trust fund. I don’t know if there were limited spots/funds available for people who couldn’t afford to pay full price, but I hate when rich people forget what it means to actually not have money. Being cheap and being poor are two different things, often way more opposing than people think. Rich people are often the ones who know how to exploit the system to get what they want for less, while the poor are left with less connections and less time to work it.

Still, I refrain from delivering too harsh judgement on Taiye. I do not know the size of the trust fund. I know their family home was a gift, so perhaps the fund is to be saved for medical emergencies and property taxes. I’m not sure how insurance or taxes work in Nigeria, although I know the government is very unstable. How did they pay for international university? Did that come from the trust fund? The whole plot line has me thinking a lot about wealth and class on an international level. While I grew up comfortably, I often felt like my family was poor because of how rich everyone in our town was. I wonder what it would have been like to grow up in a compound and see homeless children often, but also ingest international media that cast your entire country as poor and to know your government is unstable.

All in all, the book touches on many of the central issues of modern life While it only brushes the surfaces of these topics, it had me thinking for days and wanting to know more. Perhaps I will search out an some Nigerian autobiographies / memoirs in the future.

#book #fiction #francesca ekwuyasi #butter honey pig bread #cooking #nigeria #lagos #canada #london #halifax #twins #queer #family #spiritual #religion #wealth #class #mental illness #mental health

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tinsley-goldsworth · 4 years

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clockwork

summary: francesca watches ricky and tinsley’s relationship develop as the clock ticks by (week 22 of my 30 weeks of prompts challenge: clocks)

(read on ao3!)

wc: 1558

Francesca Norris has known Ricky Goldsworth for a very long time. She knew him when they were both innocent children who were too young to understand the horrors of the world. They both enjoyed going to elementary school together, and, when asked about their parents, they both always answered with the same “they work in business” phrase because, in reality, their parents’ jobs were very complicated.

Ricky’s mother Lucy Goldsworth was a famous criminal who was infamous for her reasonable rates and efficiency. When someone needed something illegal to be done, Lucy was always the person people went to. Her husband, Ricky Goldsworth’s dad, was a mobster that he worked with Lucy but ending up running off, hence Ricky’s daddy issues. On the other hand, Francesca’s mother was an infamous spy who was well known for her problems with authority and Francesca’s father was a journalist who was not observative at all.

Francesca’s mother met Lucy on a mission once and they both became fast friends, bonding over their shared hate of government officials. Ricky and Francesca became friends because they saw each other so often when their mothers met up to discuss how dumb politicians were.

There was no surprise that both mothers were killed during missions and that left a very important decision for Ricky and Francesca. They had to decide whether they wanted to pursue a different path from their parents or take over their jobs. To this day, Francesca still has no idea whether Ricky influenced her or she influenced him, but somewhere along the line, they both agreed to follow in their mothers’ footsteps, becoming “bad people”, instead of ending what their mothers had started.

Ricky has always been cold, even before he started killing people for cash. His cold behavior makes it clear he always destined to take on his mother’s job. Even as a child, he had little remorse to show for other children who were in his way and while he didn’t exactly deal with them by stabbing them, Ricky was still shoved them out of his way with the aggression he would use to stab somebody. Francesca, on the other hand, was responsible for talking the teacher out of punishing Ricky, which is how she realized that she had a hidden power of sweet-talking and persuasion.

Unsurprisingly, as Ricky spent more time doing his job, he grew more apathetic and whatever little sympathy he had in his heart seemed to have shriveled up and died. Francesca knew that his job required him to practically be drained of any emotion but she was alarmed by the fact that Ricky somehow grew colder as he grew more powerful.

However, Francesca’s alarm disappeared the day that Ricky stopped by her house for their weekly weekend conversation about life updates and such, since the two still remained best friends even after their new jobs dominated their lives. Francesca was adjusting the position of her clock on the wall (the time read 9:14 at night) when she heard a knock on the door.

The moment Ricky opened the door, Francesca knew that something was up with him. Her instinctive habits of reading people kicked in and she began noting all the signs, connecting them as she went along. Ricky’s top button was unbuttoned and he never left his top unbuttoned unless he was trying to impress somebody, which he didn’t really need to do in order to attract business since he was pretty well known in the criminal world already. So, this meant that he left his top button unbuttoned for somebody who he was not working with, possibly as a means to express subtle romantic interest.

Before Francesca could scrutinize any further details, Ricky made the connections for her when he took off his blazer and excitedly exclaimed, “You won’t believe what happened today! I met the dumbest, but also cutest, detective today when I was working on an assignment somebody gave to me and apparently, somebody else tipped the authorities off about the assignment so C.C. Tinsley was there and he was definitely not the detective to send because first of all, those long legs are totally wasted if he’s just standing around solving cases all the time and second of all, he got really distracted by my flirting and I managed to slip away with the goods before he could notice. He was really cute though, I’m thinking about seeing him again.”

Ricky paused his rambling to catch his breath and Francesca was shocked into utter silence. She hadn’t heard Ricky talk about anybody so passionately ever in their countless years spent together and she seemed to be unable to process the notion that Ricky Goldsworth wasn’t completely emotionless. Maybe Ricky had finally lost his mind after years of trauma from the horrors he witnessed during his assignments; that would be a more reasonable explanation than the suggestion that Ricky might be catching romantic feelings for somebody.

“I’m going to take your silence as support. I’m going to see him again, and hopefully ask him out, and maybe this can go somewhere,” Ricky concluded before he took out Francesca’s knife-sharpening tools from her cabinet. Normally, Francesca would’ve teasingly rolled her eyes since he always used her knife-sharpening tools, even though he had a perfectly functioning set at home. Instead, she was still so shocked that she just watched Ricky sharpen knives as he hummed happily to himself.

The next time Ricky spoke about C.C.Tinsley, Francesca was just about to go to sleep. It was 1:32 am and frankly, Francesca was more than ready to go to sleep after a long day of staying in disguise for her latest mission. She just finished removing her wig when she received an incoming call from Ricky. Usually, Ricky preferred to stop by to chat so this meant that Ricky either had something urgent to say or something extremely quick.

Nevertheless, Francesca picked up just in case the case was the former and, just her luck, the case was the latter. Before Francesca could even ask Ricky why he was calling her, Ricky began rambling about C.C. Tinsley.

“Guess what? I talked to him again and convinced him to go out on a date with me! It’s going to be great. But I mean, I obviously maintained my cool and stayed calm but I’m really excited! I know you’re probably planning to sleep right now so sorry for calling you but I just wanted to give you an update! Good night!”

Francesca was very certain that Ricky was either possessed, had too much sugar, or was truly infatuated with this detective for him to sound so energetic at 1:32 in the early morning.

That was not the only instance where Ricky contacted Francesca in the dead of night (or extremely early in the morning). At 3:25 am on a Wednesday night, Francesca woke up since her mission started at 5:30 and she needed two hours in order to get into her disguise. She received a chain of text messages from Ricky about C.C. yet again. This time, it was about how C.C. agreed to finally move up to boyfriend status.

As Francesca put her lipstick on, she read the enthusiastic texts that were all punctuated with several exclamations marks and random keyboard smashes to express the feeling of being overwhelmed with emotions. She was glad that Ricky hadn’t started using emojis to unironically express himself because that would be the most concerning action out of all the actions he did so far. Francesca replies with a few words of encouragement and then told Ricky to sleep and save his love for later.

There were so many more instances where Ricky talked to Francesca about his boyfriend. He invited her to his housewarming party when he and C.C. moved in together at 12:34 am on a Sunday night (technically Monday morning). He also sent her photos from his first vacation with C.C. in some secluded place in the middle of nowhere that had breathtaking views at 7:45 on a Tuesday evening.

The most memorable one was the most recent one, which was exactly at 2:45 in the early morning when Francesca received a call from Ricky. She predicted that it would be about Tinsley and she picked up, half-awake. “Hey Ricky, what’s up?”

“Fran, I’m getting married! I just proposed to Tinsley and he said yes. Would you like to be my best man? Well, I mean, technically you’d be my best woman and it goes against tradition but screw tradition.”

“Are you kidding me? I’d love to!” Francesca practically squealed, standing up as joy coursed through her veins. “I’m so happy for you! Congratulations!”

This is what led to Francesca standing at the altar, giving a speech about the specific times that Ricky talked about his fiancé and how the clock seemed to play an important role in the evolution of their relationship. She finished her speech and Ricky and C.C. finally got married after years of being in love at exactly 6:19 in the evening on a Sunday. Their relationship was the definition of clockwork and Francesca felt a little emotional at the thought of her being able to see how they decide to write their future.

click the link in bio for more bfu fics!

#sam's 30 week prompt challenge #fics #tinsworth #fanfiction #ricky goldsworth #c.c. tinsley #cc tinsley #francesca norris #bfucu #buzzfeed unsolved #bfu #buzzfeed unsolved cinematic universe #fluff

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balletroyale · 5 years

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The ballerina knowledge anon: both.

Ok well then I will answer them both here:

Start with Svetlana Zakharova of the Bolshoi Ballet. She is the most well known and well regarded dancer out of Russia right now. As Russia is the heart of ballet, she’s definitely where I would start. If you know any current dancers, you know her. The Bolshoi is one of the two top companies in Russia.

However, Zakharova doesn’t embody the Bolshoi Ballet spirit. So next, I’m sending you to look at Natalia Osipova of the Royal Ballet of London. While she technically dances in London now, she was trained at the Bolshoi and was their top ballerina for years. She’s the epitome of the Bolshoi style. While you’re checking out Osipova, check out Ivan Vasiliev as well, her ex-partner, and the best representation of the power of male dancers.

Now that you’ve got the Bolshoi covered, let’s go to the Mariinsky Ballet, the other top Russian company, known for a more delicate style. Here, check out Viktoria Tereshkina and Olesya Novikova and watch videos of the recently retired legend Ulyana Lopatkina. They will all three give you a feel of the Mariinsky style. Watch a few videos of Alina Somova, not to see good ballet, but to see the sad reality of what can go wrong when flexibility is all that is desired in a dancer. For the men, stick with Kimin Kim.

Moving westward, let’s stop at the Paris Opera Ballet. Ballet is from France and so it’s grander here than anywhere. I went into this saying I was only going to talk about current dancers but to get a feel for this company watch two of their greats dance together, Aurelie Dupont and Manuel Legris. They are the best French dancers recently and do marvelously together. If you want current dancers look at Dorothée Gilbert and Mathieu Ganio.

Continue west to London, my favorite hotbed of ballet. If you want to see the top English dancer watch Lauren Cuthbertson at the Royal Ballet. Also check out Francesca Hayward, the first black principal dancer at the Royal Ballet and star of the upcoming Cats movie. However, if you want to see the actual best dancers in London, they are not English. The Royal Ballet does a wonderful job of drawing on talent from all of the world to make their company shine. Watch Marianela Nunez, who can do every role fabulously; Steven McRae, who has some of the best jumps outside Russia; Vadim Muntagirov, Vadream as I call him, a Russian transplant wowing the London audiences with Nunez; and Alexander Campbell who is not how you’d expect a dancer to be built but who is incredible.

Before America, stop quick in Cuba to watch Viengsay Valdes. It’s important to stop in Cuba because ballet is MASSIVE there. Finally, go up to America. For the American Ballet Theatre, watch Gillian Murphy, their biggest star of this century. Also check out David Hallberg, the only American to be a principal at the Bolshoi who has the most incredible feet of any male dancer I’ve seen. Then go across the Lincoln Center to watch the New York City Ballet. They are a fascinating company practically based fully on one choreographer, George Balanchine. Their bodies and style of dance are different than any other company in the world. Here, see who I think embodies the Balanchine style best (and most successfully) Tiler Peck.

Ok, so I didn’t fully manage to keep my own opinions out of my generalized recommendations of who is most “famous”. But below are my can’t misses who I think must be watched (though everyone might not agree):

A L I N A C O J O C A R U: She is my favorite ballerina in the entire world. She brings such a unique delicacy to her dancing and manages to make everything uniquely hers. It’s incredible how her little movements and slightest changes can completely change a ballet.

Evgenia Obraztsova: My favorite dancer out of Russia right now. Not the typical Russian billowy arms and long legs, but she really captures the attention of the audience.

Ekaterina Krysanova: The dancer who I think currently best fits the Bolshoi style of dance.

Vyacheslav Lopatin: A remarkably unusual but amazing male Bolshoi dancer.

Renata Shakirova: An up and coming star of the Mariinsky Ballet.

Anastasia Kolegova: One of the most underrated dancers at the Mariinsky, and who I argue deserves promotion the most.

Myriam Ould-Braham: My personal favorite at the POB. Watch her to see watch French arms could be.

Well I’m sure people will argue with this but if you start with these dancers you’ll be on an excellent path to learning about them all! I’m also sure I’ve forgotten even some of my favs.

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brucesterling · 5 years

Text

All Things Facebook Libra

In preparation of MoneyLab #7 in Amsterdam on November 14-15 I made the following link list. Many of the topics will be discussed there. No coincidence much of it is related to the Libra developments.

Best, Geert Lovink

MakerDAO decentralized stablecoin, collateral loans, and community governance

https://makerdao.com/en/

"The desire to travel far away and start a new currency will become a powerful driver of human expansion into space” (via Inte)

https://www.unchained-capital.com/blog/law-of-hash-horizons/

https://thenextweb.com/hardfork/2019/10/14/bitcoin-cryptocurrency-sextortion-masturbation-blackmail-monero-save-yourself-malware/

Olaf Scholz vs. Facebook's Libra

https://hackernoon.com/germany-says-nien-to-facebook-exfederal-prosecutor-blocking-libra-will-bring-national-problems-frdm32e9

Zuckerberg at Washington hearing on Libra

https://www.coindesk.com/zuckerberg-facebook-would-quit-libra-if-association-launched-prematurely

Solution for Deepfake Problems…?

https://www.wired.com/story/the-blockchain-solution-to-our-deepfake-problems/

American conservaties, Libra and Europe

https://www.aier.org/article/sound-money-project/does-libra-threaten-monetary-sovereignty

Stolen: How to Save the World from Financialisation by Grace Blakely

https://repeaterbooks.com/product/stolen-how-to-save-the-world-from-financialisation/

Anti-globalization blog

http://www.ourworldisnotforsale.net

Ethereum: Scam or Iteration?

https://www.coindesk.com/scam-or-iteration-at-devcon-ethereum-diehards-still-believe-in-2-0

A gallery selling work of cryptoartists

https://knownorigin.io/artists

A London-based crypto artist

https://xcopyart.com/

Libra coalition is falling apart as eBay, Visa, Mastercard and Stripe jump ship

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/11/ebay-drops-out-of-facebook-libra-cryptocurrency-one-week-after-paypal.html

More on OneCoin crypto pyramid scheme court case

https://cointelegraph.com/news/bank-of-ireland-execs-back-out-of-testifying-in-onecoin-scam-hearings

The Radical’s Survival Guide to Adventures in Cryptoland: Can Cryptocurrencies Save Us All? (via Inte)

https://freerads.org/2019/09/05/the-radicals-survival-guide-to-adventures-in-cryptoland-can-cryptocurrencies-save-us-all/

Tank Magazine’s Libra link list

https://tankmagazine.com/tank/2019/07/libra-reading-list/

“Degrowth is about redistribution by design, not by collapse”

https://failedarchitecture.com/degrowth-is-about-redistribution-by-design-not-by-collapse/

Bitcoin will be how we transact with aliens

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/op-ed-hear-me-out-in-a-post-area-51-world-bitcoin-could-be-our-best-hope-for-alien-interaction

A different look at the history of money, apparently more grounded what actually has happened (via Eduard)

<https://michael-hudson.com/2018/04/palatial-credit-origins-of-money-and-interest/>

EU-Funded Projects in Blockchain Technology

https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/eu-funded-projects-blockchain-technology

Rhythm in Economic Space by Stamatia Portanova

https://transversal.at/transversal/0318/portanova/en

Proposal for voluntary degrowth by redesigning money for sustainability, justice, and resilience (via Patrice)

https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/JPE/article/view/20900

France to block Facebook's Libra cryptocurrency in Europe

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/12/france-block-development-facebook-libra-cryptocurrency

Fund to launch alternative business models for online content

https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/blog/100-million-investment-reshape-economics-web/

Money is the Oxygen (via Patricia)

https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/money-is-the-oxygen-on-which-the-fire-of-global-warming-burns

Laura Lotti: Blockchain Affordances (via Luca Recano)

http://mediatheoryjournal.org/laura-lotti-blockchain-affordances/

Gavin Mueller: Digital Proudhonism (via Luca Recano)

https://www.boundary2.org/2018/07/mueller/

Coinbase: The 2019 Leaders in Crypto Education

https://blog.coinbase.com/highereducation-c4fb40ecbc0e

Proposal making in DAOs: the limitations of “Anyone Proposes Anything”

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ECB’s Mersch Warns Over ‘Treacherous Promises’ of Facebook Libra

https://www.coindesk.com/ecbs-mersch-warns-over-treacherous-promises-of-facebook-libra

French pry-trance festival that promotes local currencies

https://www.hadra.net/HTF2019/village.php?lang=fr&&page=village&&subpage=conferences

Bitcoin Rap Battle Debate: Hamilton vs. Satoshi (via Maisa)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaMJi1_1tkA&

RIP Decentralization--Sorry, Bitcoin, it’s Libra’s turn now (via Eduard)

https://medium.com/futuresin/rip-decentralization-ae2d13417da7

Libra: The social media company’s move into cryptocurrency takes advantage of regulatory oopholes

https://onezero.medium.com/the-libra-masterplan-dc9560e41c87

What’s wrong with Ethereum?

https://hackernoon.com/everything-wrong-with-ethereum-in-2019-r63gl3wr8

Of Art Tokenization, Blockchain, and Provenance with A Sprinkling of Non-Fungible Tokens

https://hackernoon.com/revolutionizing-the-art-industry-with-blockchain-d836m34vb

MEMRI (connected to Israeli intelligence): The Coming Storm – Terrorists Using Cryptocurrency (via Donatella)

https://www.memri.org/reports/coming-storm-%E2%80%93-terrorists-using-cryptocurrency

Libra, a Cyberpunk Nightmare in the Midst of Crypto Spring

https://hackernoon.com/libra-a-cyberpunk-nightmare-in-the-midst-of-crypto-spring-5543b6f6e34b

Facebook admits Libra cryptocurrency may not happen after all

https://www.digitaltrends.com/news/facebook-libra-delay-cancel-sec/

https://mur.at/ is hosting a one week worklab "block that chain” in October. Here is the open call:

https://mur.at/post/call-for-participation/

Conner Brown: Bitcoin Has No Intrinsic Value — and That’s Great

https://medium.com/coinmonks/bitcoin-has-no-intrinsic-value-and-thats-great-e6994adbfe0f

Libra untangled: what lies behind facebook's digital currency project - PART I by Andrea Bianconi

https://hackernoon.com/libra-untangled-what-lies-behind-facebooks-digital-currency-project-part-i-wq6e22hwk

Ten reasons why Facebook’s Libra is a bad idea – and we should stop it now

https://mailchi.mp/finance-watch/ten-reasons-why-facebooks-libra-is-a-bad-idea-and-we-should-stop-it-now

ETHBerlinZwei is a hackathon, a culture festival, an educational event, a platform for hacktivism, and a community initiative to push the decentralized ecosystem forward

https://ethberlinzwei.com/about.html

Remember, blockchain replacing everything...

https://medium.com/@matteozago/why-the-net-giants-are-worried-about-the-web-3-0-44b2d3620da5

From Jaya Klara Brekke’s newsletter:

Breaking the ZuckBuck overview of claims by the good crew at Alphaville

https://ftalphaville.ft.com/series/Breaking%20the%20Zuck%20Buck

The need for global payment system as a public good by Rohan Grey

https://www.thenation.com/article/facebook-libra-currency-digital/

Tank Magazine's shortlist

https://tankmagazine.com/tank/2019/07/libra-reading-list/

Good New Models podcast discussion of ZuckBuck

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-16-e-pluribus-zuck-mat-dryhurst-kei-kreutler/id1399619562?i=1000444495944

Facebook’s plan for a cryptocurrency is right to set alarm bells ringing

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/21/facebook-plan-for-cryptocurrency-right-to-set-alarm-bells-ringing

Strengthening Hyperledger Indy and Self-Sovereign Identity

https://www.hyperledger.org/blog/2019/07/18/strengthening-hyperledger-indy-and-self-sovereign-identity

Alt-C is an installation by Michal Sedbon that uses electricity produced by plants to power a single board computer mining a cryptocurrency (via Tatjana Seitz)

https://michaelsedbon.com/Alt-C

Massimo Ragnedda and Giuseppe Destefanis (eds) *Blockchain and Web 3.0. Social, Economic, and Technological Challenges*. Routledge, 2019

https://www.routledge.com/Blockchain-and-Web-30-Social-Economic-and-Technological-Challenges/Ragnedda-Destefanis/p/book/9780367139841

Facebook Libra: on the 4 steps road for World Presidency

https://hackernoon.com/facebook-libra-on-the-4-steps-road-for-world-presidency-s92sx34ji

Offshore Finance: How Capital Rules the World by Reijer Hendrikse and Rodrigo Fernandez

http://longreads.tni.org/state-of-power-2019/offshore-finance/ (via Francesca Bria)

Jack Ma’s $290 billion loan machine is changing Chinese banking (via Patricia de Vries)

http://www.ecoti.in/kZmtUa55

The Invention of Money (via Eduard de Jong)

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/08/05/the-invention-of-money

Pragues Crypto-Anarchists are Spreading the Gospel

https://breakermag.com/pragues-crypto-anarchists-are-spreading-the-gospel/

Duniter, a fully decentralized libre currency based on the relative theory of money (via Michel Bauwens)

https://duniter.org/en/

https://wiki.p2pfoundation.net/Duniter

Radix: a fast, scalable, easy-to-use ledger, ready-made for 7 billion people

https://www.radixdlt.com/

I was wrong about spreadsheets

https://www.reifyworks.com/writing/2017-01-25-i-was-wrong-about-spreadsheets-and-im-sorry

YAIR | Your Art is Reality: Unleash Digital Art

https://yair.art/

Glen Brook: In Zuck We Trust?

https://pv.glenbrook.com/in-zuck-we-trust/ (via Eduard de Jong)

New Models podcast on Libre

https://soundcloud.com/newmodels/episode-16-e-pluribus-zuck-mat-dryhurst-kei-kreutler-busta-keller-lilinternet

A massive facility that opened last spring located near Buffalo (via Stephanie Rothenberg)

https://www.coinmint.io/data-centers/

With cryptocurrency launch, Facebook sets its path toward becoming an independent nation

https://theconversation.com/with-cryptocurrency-launch-facebook-sets-its-path-toward-becoming-an-independent-nation-118987

Nate Tkacz on Facebook’s Libra, Or, The End of Silicon Valley Innovation

https://medium.com/@nathanieltkacz/facebooks-libra-or-the-end-of-silicon-valley-innovation-9cb2d1539bcd

Is Libra the West’s response to China's payments empire?

https://threebody.capital/blog/2019/6/29/is-libra-the-wests-best-response-to-chinas-payments-empire

Libra geen open cryptomunt, maar databank van Facebook (in Dutch)

https://www.netkwesties.nl/1365/libra-geen-open-cryptomunt-maar-databank.htm?utm_source=mailing%2030-jun-2019&utm_medium=e-mail&utm_term=libra-geen-open-cryptomunt-maar-databank

Introducing the Decentralized Autonomous Kunstverein (DAK)

https://dak.international/

Even Joseph Stieglitz is against Libra (via Patrice Riemens)

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jul/02/why-facebook-libra-currency-gets-the-thumbs-down

Kaspersky reports that only 1 in 10 people ‘get’ crypto

https://bravenewcoin.com/insights/kaspersky-reports-that-only-1-in-10-people-'get'-crypto

Blockchain: Technology alone cannot protect freedom of expression

https://www.article19.org/resources/blockchain-technology-alone-cannot-protect-freedom-of-expression

NYT: Libra is a bad move for Facebook (via Eduard)

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/19/opinion/facebook-currency-libra.html

Jameson Lob on Libra

https://onezero.medium.com/thoughts-on-libra-blockchain-49b8f6c26372

Stating the obvious: Bitcoin is not ready for the world

https://hackernoon.com/why-people-are-not-ready-for-bitcoin-d3adef2b2907

Andrew Keen on Libra

http://www.ajkeen.com/blog/2019/6/23/another-facebook-fk-up

Evgeny Morozov on Libra

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/21/facebooks-plan-to-break-the-global-financial-system

Final nail in the coffin for physical money (via Inte)

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2019/jun/25/cashless-monopoly-is-this-the-final-nail-in-the-coffin-for-physical-money

Facebook, Libra, and the Long Game

https://stratechery.com/2019/facebook-libra-and-the-long-game/

Libra, a Cyberpunk Nightmare in the Midst of Crypto Spring, by Daniel Jeffries (via Patrice)

https://hackernoon.com/libra-a-cyberpunk-nightmare-in-the-midst-of-crypto-spring-5543b6f6e34b

Why ICOs were doomed from the start

https://hackernoon.com/why-icos-were-doomed-to-fail-from-the-start-fe623aca1d2c

Review “DARK HAVENS: Confronting Hidden Money and Power” Disruption Network Lab Berlin/April 5-6 2019

https://www.furtherfield.org/review-of-dark-havens-confronting-hidden-money-power-disruption-network-lab-berlin-april-5-6-2019/

GNUcash, a personal and small-business financial-accounting software

https://www.gnucash.org/

Stablecoins are booming

https://bravenewcoin.com/insights/the-stablecoin-market-is-booming

WeChat is Watching

http://nautil.us/issue/73/play/wechat-is-watching

Recap (Part I): Blockchain, Open Education & Digital Identity Conference in Lille, France

https://connectedlearning.edu.mt/recap-part-i-blockchain-open-education-digital-identity-conference-lille-france/

Blockchain is not only crappy technology but a bad vision for the future

https://medium.com/@kaistinchcombe/decentralized-and-trustless-crypto-paradise-is-actually-a-medieval-hellhole-c1ca122efdec

Facebook announces cryptocurrency with the release of Libra Whitepaper

https://hackernoon.com/facebook-announces-libra-cryptocurrency-cb0f496102e7

Flash Boys 2.0:Frontrunning, Transaction Reordering, andConsensus Instability in Decentralized Exchanges https://arxiv.org/pdf/1904.05234.pdf

Things got weird for stablecoin Tether

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-04-26/things-got-weird-for-stablecoin-tether

George Gilder’s Life after Google—The Fall of Big Data and the Rise of the Blockchain Economy is disappointing American (fin.) conservatives

https://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2018/09/07/book_reviews_george_gilders_life_after_google_disappoints_103403.html

Erik Bordeleau talks fabulation, finance and cryptophilosophy at

Economic Space Agency – Transit Lounge Radio

https://transitloungeradio.net/erik-bordeleau-ecsa/

Interview with Max Haiven on Art after Money, Money after Art (for Romanian Bienale catalogue)

http://networkcultures.org/geert/2019/05/11/interview-with-max-haiven-art-after-money-money-after-art/

Social Good & Blockchain

https://breakermag.com/73-blockchain-social-good-organizations-that-are-actually-doing-something/

Banning stores that do not accept cash (via Patrice)

https://www.technocracy.news/backlash-cities-and-states-are-banning-stores-that-dont-accept-cash/

Just in case you did not notice: the unsuable bitcoin

https://hackernoon.com/bitcoin-is-about-to-become-unusable-again-a3dc48a8082d

Is Fake Bitcoin Volume a Roadblock For Full-Fledged Crypto Rally?

https://www.newsbtc.com/2019/04/03/is-fake-bitcoin-volume-a-roadblock-for-full-fledged-crypto-rally/

Welcome to the RaveEnabler Unlock your Cryptorave #10 entry by donating your CPU. Support your local Cryptorave network mine Monero (XMR) and embody another identity https://0b673cce.xyz/

-Out in June-Finn Brunton: Digital Cash, The Unknown History of the Anarchists, Utopians, and Technologists Who Created Cryptocurrency https://press.princeton.edu/titles/13537.html

Quinn Dupont speaks to Finn Brunton about his book Digital Cash

https://breakermag.com/new-book-reveals-cryptos-radical-origins/

Bitcoin and Friends | Episode 1 (via Inte)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCi3X3AbgT4&feature=youtu.be

Interview with Gina Pieters by Quin DuPont on why crypto reamains marginal amongst economists

https://breakermag.com/economists-are-missing-a-trick-with-crypto/

Dark Crystal: Back up your secrets using the trust in your social fabric

https://darkcrystal.pw/

A 'Blockchain Bandit' Is Guessing Private Keys and Scoring

https://www.wired.com/story/blockchain-bandit-ethereum-weak-private-keys/

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siriex · 5 years

Text

Thoughts on Watcher

Fate/Strange Fake is a little like Apocrypha in that there are two sets of Servants; the “False” set and the “True” set. There are two Servants summoned into every class except for Saber (only one, who sort of belongs to both the False and True set, and neither set at all) and Lancer. Enkidu is summoned as the False Lancer, but an Extra-Class (?) Servant is summoned into the Lancer slot of the True Servants.

That Servant is Watcher.

This is the first (and so far only) appearance of a Watcher class Servant in Nasuverse, and we don’t have much detail about what exactly that means, or what this Servant is. We see something resembling Heroic Spirits that were summoned with it (referred to as “shadows”), but we have not seen Watcher itself.

So what is Watcher?

I’m going to write way too much about that under the cut.

Spoilers for Fate/Strange Fake through Volume 4 and Fate/Grand Order through Lost Belt 4 under the cut. this is unedited and I am so sorry but it’s midnight and I’m tired

What We Know

Class Name

Let’s start from the name of the class. Your standard classes are Saber (wields swords), Lancer (wields some kind of pole-arm), Archer (uses projectiles), Caster (deals mostly in spells), Rider (Rides something), Assassin (stealthy), and Berserker (unhinged and violent).

There are always some really weird cases. Sabers are usually pretty intuitive. Archers can use guns (Billy), slingshots (David), lightening (Tesla)… Basically any long-range weapon. Lancers can be their own lance (Enkidu), Casters can be people who never used magic in life (Andersen), Riders can ‘ride’ human bodies (Medb and Pale Rider), Assassins can be people who were not exactly famous for their stealth (Stheno), and Berserkers can be perfectly sane (Beowulf).

But we can probably guess that Watcher is observing the war. Watcher’s shadows refer to it as a “lookout,” and say that it is observing the city, but this might only be tangentially related to Watcher’s identity. After all, EMIYA is an Archer, but he rarely ever uses his bow.

Watcher’s shadows claim that Watcher is not a traditional Extra Class, because it is replacing one of the Knight Classes- something that shouldn’t be possible for a traditional Extra Class. They claim that, if they had been summoned as a “proper” Extra Class, it would have been Gatekeeper. (Another class we haven’t seen in canon.) (It’s also worth noting that the Shadows admit that Francesca’s screwed with the Snowfield Grail War so much that maybe an Extra Class could manifest in place of one of the Knight Classes, and True Archer’s transformation into an Avenger might be evidence for this. But this wouldn’t be possible under the Fuyuki Grail War’s rules.)

So Watcher watches and… Gatekeeps, it seems. Or is at least related to those concepts.

Summoning

Watcher is summoned by Sigma without a catalyst. Sigma is a Master hired by Francesca to participate in the war. He has pretty much no personality, and no desires of his own. Francesca is particularly interested in him because he’s a bit of a blank slate. Normally, in the absence of a catalyst, the Grail picks a Servant that is compatible with the Master. Since there’s not much substance to Sigma’s character (yet), she’s curious to see what he summons.

And what he gets? Watcher.

Master-Servant Relationship

Watcher isn’t a normal Servant. After summoning, Sigma notices that he has not formed any spiritual connection to any Heroic Spirit. Watcher does not address Sigma, and Sigma does not see Watcher. While the latter is not unprecedented in Fate/Strange Fake (Faldeus does not notice that he successfully summoned his Servant until they write him a message due to their A+ Presence Concealment), the former is definitely outside of the norm. Sigma can feel that he is connected to something through his magical energy, but that something isn’t taking any of his magical energy.

Sigma is greeted by one of Watcher’s shadows instead.

The shadows tell Sigma that they hope he will “make it through” and “become Lancer.”

Abilities

Watcher can observe the city the war is taking place in, but it can only observe the present. Watcher can only observe a limited area, though it is not clear how large this area is. It seems to be observing Snowfield and the forest, but Tiné’s village is outside of its range.

One of the shadows says that Sigma can have dreams/aspirations “just like Watcher goes on observing reality.”

Watcher cannot read minds.

One of Watcher’s shadows heavily implies that Sigma could have access to all of the things that Watcher has observed if he knew how to use Watcher’s power.

Its shadows gain some knowledge from the Grail, but only knowledge of how the Fuyuki Grail War should go. They do not have knowledge of any abnormalities unique to Snowfield.

Trials

Watcher’s shadows also tell Sigma that Watcher is a lookout, and an “obstacle [he] must overcome to become Lancer while living.” This is (presumably) a reference to Watcher’s trials.

The shadows tell Sigma he will have to overcome unreasonable trials. As he overcomes them, he’ll become “somebody” as opposed to the “nobody” he currently is.

It seems like Sigma has some freedom to choose at least some of his trials. One of the shadows tells him that if he fights Saber, it will count as a trial.

The Captain tells Sigma to “keep struggling against God” and “never accept fate.” This is probably a reference to or advice for the trails, and it encourages Sigma to try to find a way to survive his first trial.

Here is a current list of confirmed ‘Trials’ Sigma has faced:

Trial 1 – Sigma is confronted by No Name Assassin, who asks if he is fighting for the Holy Grail. He recognizes that, as a human against a Servant, if he answers any of her questions wrong, he’ll definitely die.

Shadows

Watcher’s shadows are spirits that only Sigma can see. No Name Assassin can’t see or hear them, even when they are directly in front of her. The shadows explain that they only exist in Sigma’s brain because of Watcher’s interference. It seems like they are some kind of side-effect of being connected to Watcher. They cannot interfere in the physical world.

They are summoned along with Watcher, but they are not Watcher themselves. One of them (The Winged Boy) describes himself as “an escaped prisoner.” It’s not clear if this applies to all of the shadows, or just him.

It seems like only one shadow can appear visually at a time, and many state that they will disappear soon. They are not Heroic spirits. Narita has said that, because they are not Heroic Spirits, they may appear and act differently from how they would as Servants.

The shadows say that it is their role to “be always looking down from a height,” and suggests that Sigma can call them “Watcher.” Later on, they also refer to the thing that Sigma summoned as “Watcher,” while differentiating themselves from it. I’m using “Watcher” to refer to the thing Sigma summoned as opposed to the shadows because it is a bit easier, and it’s more consistent with the language used to refer to the shadows and the thing Sigma summoned later in the books. It seems like the shadows are actually speaking on Watcher’s behalf when they tell Sigma to call them that.

The shadows give Sigma advice and help him in battle by warning him of incoming attacks. These warnings are educated guesses based on the battles Watcher has observed in the Snowfield Grail War. The shadows cannot warn Sigma of attacks they have not seen used before.

They say that they will not communicate with Sigma unless he addresses them first unless there is something dangerous. (Demonstrably false, as the Captain comments on something Sigma is writing for his own reference.)

Here I’m compiling a list of known shadows, and their probable identities.

“The Captain” –Captain Ahab - An old man with grey hair, a scar on his face, and the aura of a marine. Has an artificial leg. The most talkative of the shadows, and the first Sigma talks to. Dressed relatively modern. Claims he would have been summoned as an Avenger, as opposed to a Rider.

“The Winged Boy” – Icarus – A boy with skeletal, mechanical wings made of feathers and wax on his back. Dressed like someone from the “Age of Myths.”

“The Boy with the Snake” – Asclepius – A young teenage boy with a white robe. He has a staff with a snake coiled around it. Claims to look younger than he is because he “used Medusa’s in a clinical study.”

“Frivolous Shadow” – Unknown – Speaks fairly crassly. Similar to Dumas. Says he’d have tried to materialize as a Heroic Spirit if Sigma had been a cute girl.

“Old Japanese Man” – Unknown – An old man dressed in an outfit that “reminded Sigma of a Japanese temple.” That said, Sigma’s cultural knowledge is really lopsided, so who knows if that means anything.

“The Knight” – Unknown – Seems familiar with the story of King Arthur.

“Muscular Shadow” – Unknown – Large and muscular. May be the Frivolous shadow. Teases Sigma, asking if he has a crush on No Name Assassin.

Other Servants’ Reactions

Enkidu senses Watcher when it is summoned but does not recognize them as a Servant or a Heroic Spirit. In response to Watcher’s summoning, they act apologetic and wonder if they’ve “angered them a little.” “Them” seems to refer to Watcher.

The morning after Watcher is summoned, Dumas has a “weird feeling that [he’s] being watched,” but can’t locate the source.

Speculation

Who/What is Watcher?

I think the most important clues here are the identities of the shadows, Watcher’s alternate class as Gatekeeper, and Sigma’s trials.

There are three shadows with pretty obvious identities. The captain is almost certainly Captain Ahab. (Captain, fairly modern clothes, a white prosthetic leg, white hair, a scar on his face, Avenger as a possible class). The boy with the snake is pretty much confirmed to be Asclepius after Narita’s tweet about Asclepius in LB4 (A staff with a snake around it, references to Medusa, clothing from the Age of Myth). The boy with the wings is seriously obviously Icarus. (Mechanical wings with melted wax? Check. White robes? Check.)

So what do all three of these characters have in common? Hubris. They all try to overcome a force much greater than them and fail/are punished for it. The hubris I’m talking here is close to the hubris we see in Greek tragedies, but I’m not sure if there necessarily needs to be a god involved. It can just be generally trying to defy the natural order of things.

Captain Ahab tried to challenge nature itself by trying to kill Moby Dick. In the text, there are references to Moby Dick as a god. He was eventually killed by Moby Dick when he gets tangled in his own harpoon line, and Moby Dick drags him down into the ocean and he drowns.

Asclepius became such a damn good doctor that he was able to bring the dead back to life, and Zeus kills him for it.

Icarus tries to escape from Crete with his father, using wings made of wax and feathers. His father warns him not to fly too close to the sun or the sea (basically don’t be overconfident and/or commit hubris), but Icarus flies too close to the sun anyway. The wax in his wings melts, and he falls into the sea and drowns.

Basically, they all tried to defy nature and/or the gods and were killed for it.

But the thing is, Watcher gives people trials. It is giving Sigma trials, and if Sigma passes these trials, he can “become Lancer,” and the more he passes the stronger he becomes. I think this has to do with Watcher’s other class: Gatekeeper. Watcher is a Gatekeeper. It gives trials to people. If they pass them, they surpass humanity while they’re still alive (Sigma becoming a Servant). If they fail them, well, they probably die. (Though they may still be elevated above humanity after they die. For example, Asclepius.)

So it seems that that’s what Watcher is, but it still doesn’t tell us their identity.

What is Watcher’s True Name?

Honestly? I don’t have an answer for you. Eurystheus gave Heracles his Twelve Labors, but I’m not sure he fits the bill. The Greek Gods in general doled out a lot of punishments for hubris, but also rewarded some of the people they punished after they died (for example, Asclepius). Not to mention that gods normally can’t be summoned as Heroic Spirits. (Though it’s still not clear if Watcher is a Heroic Spirit.)

It could also be Hybris (a Greek goddess associated with hubris), but that also doesn’t seem likely. She’s a goddess, though some texts refer to her as more of a spirit.

It could also be the Fates. That seems a bit more likely; they have the power to override the gods’ decisions, so if a human committed hubris while doing their trials, but passed the trial, they could probably stop the punishment. They’re associated with fate and destiny, and they have more say than the gods about what a mortal has or has not earned the right to do. They have a lot of equivalent mythological figures in other cultures as well.

Maybe Watcher is more of a force than a living thing (or things). We have Pale Rider (Pestilence) and Nursery Rhyme (the concept of nursery rhymes). Maybe Watcher is a system, anthropomorphic personification, or concept.

Maybe the answer’s obvious with all this evidence, but I can’t think of it.

Petite_hob on Twitter suggested Raguel. She sent me this:

According to Wikipedia, ”Raguel is one of the seven angels whose role is to watch. His ... function is to take vengeance on the world of the luminaries who have transgressed God's laws.”

That may fit as well, though it wouldn’t necessarily explain the trials.

What are Watcher’s shadows?

Watcher’s shadows are probably people who’ve taken its trials and failed. This doesn’t necessarily disqualify them from becoming Heroic Spirits (we know that Asclepius is one), but they’re probably not as strong as they would be if they passed the trials.

I’m guessing that one of the reasons the shadows look and act differently than they would as Heroic Spirits is two-fold:

1. They’re not summoned in their prime like a Heroic Spirit; they’re summoned at around the time they failed the trials/died. (Hence, Icarus having melted wax on his wings, Ahab being old, etc.) So why does Asclepius look younger than he does as a Heroic Spirit? Look no further than that experimentation with Medusa’s blood. He outright says that he looks a lot younger than he is because of it. It could be that rather than preventing him from aging, it actually de-aged him.

2. They’re not corrupted by their legends/they’re the real deal. Heroic Spirits’ manifestation is affected by legends about them, and things they did in life. How they look as Heroic Spirits and Servants doesn’t necessarily reflect how they looked while alive. (In FSF we see how different Dumas looks as a Servant than as a living human.) Servants are also summoned as only one ‘aspect’ of a Heroic Spirit. Sometimes this doesn’t change a Servant’s personality or appearance much (Saber’s alternate classes), but sometimes the same Servant can look and act wildly different depending on the aspect of them that is summoned, even if they’re summoned into the main class (Vlad III).

Of course, this is all speculation.

Narita says that the difference between Asclepius in LB4 and in FSF is similar to the difference between Apocrypha Jack and FSF Jack. Apocrypha Jack is… Jack, while FSF Jack is the legend of Jack the Ripper- not the actual individual who committed the crimes. It’s not really clear which direction the relationship between Watcher’s shadows and the original Heroic Spirits goes. Which one’s the legend and which one’s the historical figure? Was Narita referring to the person/legend dichotomy or did he mean that it’s something else similar to that? Who knows? I sure don’t.

Who else has in the Nasuverse encountered Watcher? [Wild speculation]

This section is more for my own amusement than anything else. I figure that many other people in Nasuverse have encountered Watcher, and I have a few reasonable guesses about who they might be.

I’ll separate this list out by how I think they did in Watcher’s trials. If you have suggestions, I’m open!

Passed

1. Heracles - His labors were probably his trials. Ascended to godhood as he was dying (but still, before he died).

2. Gilgamesh – Defied the gods repeatedly, killed Humbaba (chose his own trial?), killed Gugalanna. Went on a quest for immortality and accepted his own mortality, overcoming his greatest fear. Fighting and befriending Enkidu may have been a trial as well. Stopped being a tyrant, became a great king.

Failed

1. Prometheus – Brought fire to humanity. Got his guts eaten by eagles forever after as punishment.

2. Enkidu – Enkidu recognizes Watcher’s presence, and wonders if they’ve angered them. Basically, they seem familiar with Watcher. This might be through their connection to Gilgamesh, or it might be because they underwent Watcher’s trials themself. In CCC they talk about how forcing Gilgamesh to acknowledge them as an equal is basically hubris. They also defied the gods by rebelling against their purpose and killing two of the gods’ creations: Humbaba and Gugalanna. (Not to mention their feud with Ishtar.) The gods killed them as punishment for killing Gugalanna.

3. Arachne – Claimed to be better than the gods at weaving. Got into a contest with Athena, lost, and was turned into a spider.

4. Dr. Frankenstein – Decided to create life. His life ends up getting destroyed because of it.

#Fate series #Fate/STrange fake #wild speculation right here ;#No one asked for this but here's nearly 3000 words of epileptic trees ;

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niamhcampbellphotog · 5 years

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Exhibition Review

On Wednesday the 25th of September we visited the National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh. We also visited Stills gallery, however i mainly focussed on the exhibition in the National Portrait Gallery. This exhibition included three photographers - Francesca Woodman, Robert Mapplethorpe and Diane Arbus. I found this exhibition the most interesting as there was a story to each image. I have selected a few of my favourites to discuss.

Diane Arbus -

Identical twins, Roselle, N.J 1967.

Amongst all of her images, this one stood out to me. I like how simple this image is, as there isn't much going on and the composition isn’t busy so you are drawn to the twin girls. The viewpoint of this image is effective in my opinion as you can clearly see the girls from their point of view and despite the fact they are identical twins you can tell by this image alone they have different personalities due to their poses - helping tell a story. I think Diane’s approach to this image wasn’t anything complex, personally i think she just wanted to portray something that happened in everyday life at that moment in time. I don’t think much equipment was used for this image, possibly just a film camera due to the clear black and white contrast and grain in the image, which would also make sense considering when this image was shot. Another reason i like this image is the lighting, the fact it is taken in daylight makes this image even more natural which helps to capture the twins in a normal, everyday setting which helps to convey her approach of trying to highlight the importance or proper representation of everyone. This image is a Gelatine silver print and was included in the influential New Documents show at the The Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1967. Lisette Model was one of Diane Arbus’ main influences as she attended class alongside her in Greenwich Village in 1956. You can see this influence throughout Diane's images as they are both very similar styles, both portraying a realistic representation of people in their everyday lives. Another photographer i think she was influenced is Richard Avedon, due to the similar style and medium. I think this image was personal to Diane even if it was then commissioned as she wanted to capture the realities of people’s life.

Robert Mapplethorpe -

Self-portrait, 1980.

Robert Mapplethorpe’s images were probably my favourite. I liked the fact he used photography to convey more about himself as well as creating controversial images whilst exploring different subjects in the same black and white medium. Once again i was drawn to how simple this image is, the fact that it’s a self portrait adds more mystery about who he is, and the fact he is staring straight into the camera adds to this idea. This image was also one of the tamer images in the exhibition which i found interesting as there is a clear contrast. The 1950′s style stands out to me as personally it is something i like. This image looks as though it is taken in a studio setting due to the plain black background and the harsh shadows on the left side of his face, which i think works well. This image looks as though it is taken on some sort of film camera, when researching i discovered it was the Hasselblad 500, considering this image is from the 80s. This image is a gelatine silver print. I think his approach to this image was to convey himself in a different era due to the leather jacket, his hair style and cigarette. This image was taken at the height of his career when he was conveyed as a rebel in the art scene, therefore i think he wanted to prove what the power of clothing and styling can do to an image. I think this image was both personal and commissioned as mentioned it was taken at the height of his career therefore he would have grown more and more popular at that time, however it is still a self portrait. Sam Wagstaff was an influence to Robert, i found this out by researching and discovering that he actually gave Robert the camera this image was most likely shot on. As mentioned before Robert’s work was conceived with mixed opinions, as some of his images and subject matters as well as the meanings behind some of his images were sensitive and blunt.

Francesca Woodman -

Untitled, 1975-1980.

As Francesca Woodman mainly focussed her images around herself or female models where the majority of her photographs show women, naked or clothed - I liked that this image was slightly different. As told in the exhibition this image is of Benjamin P Moore who was a glass designer which shows a completely different side to Francesca’s work as she also talks about her interest in music. The main reason i was drawn to this image was because of a few reasons the strong black and white contrast works really well as i think it adds mystery, due to the fact you can only see a silhouette. I also like the slight angle in this image, which reminds me of a dutch angle as it creates leading lines to the model in the image. The angle could also suggest the idea of uneasiness. Lastly i like the lighting in the image, i think the main source of light was window light which is effective as it helps create the strong black and white contrast as the light appears to be behind the model mimicking rim lighting. Due to the decade this image was shot in it was most likely a film camera which is obvious just by looking at this image, as well as the fact all of her images are black and white. I don’t think there was much approach when it comes to this image, i think she just captured it in the moment as he just happened to be standing next to the piano with the natural window lighting flooding the room. Despite the fact this image isn't the best example i think Francesca was heavily influenced by surrealism which is clearly shown in other of her images especially her self portraits as it is clear she had no boundaries when it came to creativity.

#exhibition

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