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jeffletstalkaboutit · 3 years

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Hi there, this is part one of a series I’m working on featuring Jeff wittek and the female lead Avery. Still working on full story...

Full story will go up on Wattpad when it’s finished.

AVERYS POV

UNKNOWN LOCATION

My eyes violently flashed open, my body following the sudden shock of oxygen invading my lungs. I remained in place by straps, anchoring down each limb of my body to the seat beneath me. A dim light flickered, opposite of me, pushing my attention to the circle of heads surrounding me.

5 men, 5 women including me, all tied down to their seats, unconscious.

where am I?

All I could remember was waking up, here. My own name whipped from my memory.

Just as I started pushing against my restraints I noticed the man beside me start to wake up. One by one their eyes flashed open and the sudden fear of not knowing where we were or who they were was evident in each of them, but no one said anything. The room went dark, with not even a flash of light to be seen, Until a tv just above the red flashing light from before, turns on exhibiting a woman with short black hair in a black suit top. She was in a lab of some sort, behind her was a group of people in lab coats, and a glass wall separating them. A loud static noise pierces through the air before the woman spoke up.

"Hello, My name President Aries, You all are probably wondering where you are, why you're here, and who you are." as the lady spoke I couldn't help but notice the people behind her, they walked around urgently, scared. Yet, Aries was so calm a smile on her face.

"Each of you, hand-picked for certain skills and unique brain patterns you hold, You were picked and put together to form a team that could survive just about any situation."

She paused for a second, displaying deceit covered by pain and discomfort.

Flashes of people dressed in fancy clothing danced across the screen. Tall Buildings with large glass windows, Fields of grass and animals, and lastly a globe covered in mixes of blue, brown, and green.

"300 years ago, the Earth was our home. The technology was thriving and taking the world by storm, but little did we know it would come to destroy us. The earth soon became uninhabitable, after the human instinct of destruction overcame our planet." Pictures of firey red explosions covered the screen, leaving me with one memory.

I was on a plane, when the bombs went off, 300 years ago? My eyes drifted to the people around me as they watched the screens intently, none of their faces bringing back any memories.

"Those who made it onto the exodus ship survived and were put into cryosleep, to be woken up when we reached our destination of the planet Larz. Fast forward 300 years into the future, sadly we never arrived. The exodus was sent back on route to earth. Around 52 hours ago 15 doctors and I, were brought awake for a code white. Emergency evac of the special alliance, That's where you all come in. The 10 of you make up the special alliance. The protocol reads that I set out an order for each of you to be removed from cryosleep and evaluated for the evacuation of the exodus to Earth. To put it simply, The exodus failed and we hope that this beautiful gift of life we have given you, can, in turn, save the human race." I watched in shock as the men and women behind her were shot down by men in black uniforms.

"Underneath each of you are backpacks filled with supplies all of you will need, Once you are released from your seats you are permitted to remain in your pod until the doors open by themselves then you are to make your way to Washington DC where you will be met by the last standing 'home' base, They will lead you from there. your names are on the back of your tags on your jackets, be grateful, for they are the only knowledge of your past life you will have. always stay together, and survive. You are the last of the exodus." President Aries ends her speech walking out where the gunmen were before the screen goes black. In that second all of our restraints are released and a dim light above us flickers on.

I Immediately, stand and rip my jacket off. Just as she said The name 'AVERY' was stitched into the inside of the collar of my jacket.

"Avery," I say lightly looking up at the group around me. Some of them began to slip their jackets off and relay their names out loud.

Xavier, Andy, dillion, lacey, Aubri, jeff, Luca, Abey, and Sam.

"she said we were handpicked for certain skills we each have? what skills do we have that normal people don't?" Xavier says as he slides his jacket over his tall stature. His hair was a dark mop of hair that almost covered his dark brown eyes.

"Dude they erased our memories and put us on a ship to a toxic, explosive planet and you worried about these stupid so-called skills we all possess?" Aubri speaks up next, she was a little taller than me but with raven black hair and bright blue eyes.

As they all went back and forth, I found myself wandering back to my chair. I slid the black backpack out from underneath it before plopping it down onto the seat.

What happened on the exodus? and why was Aries lying?

I unzip each part, searching around for any trace of my identity other than my name. I had to agree, the thought of never knowing who I really am scares me more than what's waiting outside of this ship. My fingers clutch a slip of paper in the front of the bag, I pulled it out quickly. It read,

"AVERY KANE

LEADER/STEALTHY"

I turn slightly so I'm facing the rest of the group before I speak up,

"Hey, There's a card in the bags, with your name on it...and I'm guessing our skill," I say loudly so everyone would listen. I rubbed my forehead, slightly paranoid about my card.

"Dillion harris. Medical?" each of them read of their titles, dillion being our medic, lacey nature guide, andy communication, Luca hand to hand combat, Abey sharpshooter, Xavier building/construction, jeff strength, sam human map, and Aubri being stealthy.

"Avery?" Andy questions, making everyone glance at me, ready for me to read my great strength.

"Leader, stealthy," I say making Aubri laugh.

"so you're in charge? we're screwed." Aubri says, Before rolling her eyes and plopping down on the ground. Everyone stayed quiet, at loss for words at this moment.

the room stayed quiet for what felt like days but was only minutes, we all sat on the floor, rummaging through the things in our bags or just staring off into oblivion, trying to escape the lingering feeling of a complete and utter void of our lives. The feeling of fear, of not knowing what's beyond these thick metal walls, The feeling of distrust and not knowing each other.

The feeling of the unknown. I didn't want to lead? I'm the smallest person here.

That night I didn't sleep, waiting anxiously for the door to open.

Everything president Aries said replayed in my head, dissecting every word.

She said that the earth was destroyed by humans 300 years ago, I was in a plane when the bombs went off, we were put into cryosleep along with the other survivors, something happened, code white was announced, the president was woken up and we were ordered to be sent to earth. She said we were the last of the exodus.

What happened on the ship that caused the code white? And where is president Aries? who were those people, gunning down the scientists?

Why would they erase our memories? what I did know is Aries's emotions weren't true in the video, so why should we believe anything she says?

So many questions bounced around my head, leaving my emotions swirling.

How was I supposed to be a leader? These people wouldn't listen to me even if I tried. Maybe Lacey but the rest of them either seem like a bitch or could be way smarter than me, bigger than me.

And if everyone in the exodus is dead why would it matter if we stuck to what these dumb cards say?

The sudden sound of crackling filled my ears, my breath hitched in my throat as the door of the ship started to fold open.

The light flooding in. Burning my eyes, making me block it with my hand.

Within seconds everyone was awake, staring hopelessly at the door revealing millions of colors of green and blue. We all slowly advanced the exit with caution.

The trees outside were thick and tall almost completely shading the ground, green moss and grass covering every inch of brown from the dirt and the tree bark.

It was beautiful. Breathtaking. The air felt moist and hot, so I'm guessing rainforest?

"well, Avery since you're the 'leader' you go first," Luca says, my eyes drift over to his dark chocolate hair. The newfound light, illuminating his bright green eyes.

"yeah, sure ill die first," I say as I step down off the ship and onto the green grass, just standing there for a second.

"what? you waiting to kill over?" Xavier says with a light laugh.

"if the air was toxic, we would have all died when the door opened," I say as I step further out just to turn around and look at the ship. It was a tall circular junk of metal with a pointy tip.

My eyes drifted back to the others, who were all staring at me with questioning looks.

"well?" just as the word flowed out of my mouth, Jeff jumps down, holding out his hand to Aubri. Which she took with a smile before hopping down.

"So where do we start? we have no idea where we are or how to get where we are going." dillion says, he seemed very nervous. His blonde hair was short and styled back in a way that suited his face beautifully.

"Anyone have a map?" Abey says. She had dark skin and beautiful, strong facial features. Her voice sounded like butter. My eyes drifted to sam, she is Koren, quiet and very pretty, with long brown hair.

"sam, You're the guide, right? Check your bag for a map." I say, making her start making her way back in the ship. a few seconds later she returns with a piece of paper in her hands.

She hands me the paper, making me sigh before I open it and lay it out so everyone can see. It was a map of the united states with a circle on one end and an x on the other. under the circle read 'Washington DC'

"so I'm guessing we are the X?" Andy asks. I nodded slowly before glancing up at the sky, The sun was just on the horizon in the east.

"It's 6 am, so we should probably get going, we need to find water," I say before handing the map back to sam and making my way to the ship before Luca speaks up.

"I say, Fuck 'president Aries' we are alive and on earth, free-range. why should we listen to some dead president anyway?" he says making me roll my eyes, he assumes she's dead, does everything think that? why would they kill her, if she was the president...

Even if she's lying, we have to go. well find out if she's lying when we get there. Staying in the jungle isn't going to find us any answers.

"so stay," I say before making my way into the ship to gather my supplies. I pulled the compass out of my bag along with the pocket knife. After a few seconds Abey, lacey and sam come in.

"We are with you, I don't know about the rest of them but That president lady put you in charge for a reason, and I'm not so happy with the idea of staying here with those idiots," Abey says as she gathers her stuff.

"They won't survive on their own, we were sent here as a group for a reason, the special alliance," Lacey says, looking up to me. "and the rainforest can be very dangerous..."

"They'll come," I say, making my way out with Abey, lacey, and sam behind me. I glanced over at lacey, "what kind of animals live here?"

"Oh, just tigers, monkeys, elephants, gorillas..." Lacey says, getting quieter as she kept talking. we made our way out of the ship,

my eyes followed Luca until I passed him, making my way into the woods.

"You guys are just gonna leave?"Aubri asks dramatically.

I tilted my head slightly with a shrug, before walking through the thick trees.

#lets-talk-about-jeff-baby #jeff wittek #jeff wittek x reader #vlog squad #davids vlogs

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losille2000 · 4 years

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Mister America, Prologue: Massachusetts

CHAPTER NUMBER: 1/? CHARACTERS: President!Chris Evans/OFC (see notes) GENRE: Romance/Drama FIC SUMMARY: After a massive social media write-in campaign organized by others, Chris finds himself thrust into a spotlight that he is unprepared to handle. His campaign managers suggest that a political marriage might help him weather the storm and help his image during the campaign... just so long as it isn’t the one woman Chris really wants. RATING: M WARNINGS: Nothing. AUTHORS NOTES: This story is AU in the fact that this is the 2020 presidential race, and Chris is a candidate. But everything in the past is still the same with him being an actor. Also, COVID-19 is not a part of this story. I needed to play in a land where COVID didn’t exist and “Captain America,” in his alter ego, punched out a Nazi in a metaphorical(?) way. For more on the story, go here.

This first part is prologue-y.

I have also curated a soundtrack for all 50 states, and then some. You can listen on Spotify right now, may eventually put it on Youtube. There will be 50 chapters (I’m hoping), but many of them will be shorter.

Also on AO3!

Boston, MA Evans for President Campaign Headquarters November 3rd, 2020 30 Minutes Before First Polls Close

Stage fright is no joke.

When it hits, it hits like a semi truck going seventy on an icy Massachusetts road. In the blink of an eye, you’re completely obliterated. Except this is on stage and you’re not dead, even though you wish you were. In fact, you’re very much alive. Alive enough to feel the force of the impact, followed by the squeezing in your chest and choking on your breathless words. Paralysis takes over. Cold clammy sweat slicks your palms and also trickles down your back to that one spot between your shoulder blades you can’t reach, but causes your costume to uncomfortably stick to your skin.

There’s no escape. You know what’s coming. You worry you’ll forget your lines, or trip on your cue, or make a complete and utter fool of yourself. You feel like an imposter, questioning why you’re here, in this role, when that dude, JD, from your acting class years ago was a million times more talented than you, and you’re the one that got that teen movie deal. You’re the one who became one of America's most beloved superheroes for a decade.

You’re also the one who has a very real chance of winning the 2020 presidential election, despite no college education, limited understanding of what elected officials in DC actually do on a day to day basis, and the closest thing you have to experience as a “boss” or “commander in chief” of anything was a movie set or two where you were director and executive producer.

Nope.

What I, Chris Evans, have is a dedicated online fan base who took the time to write my name into ballots when they discovered I had filed for ballot access in every state of the union. I didn’t do the filing on a whim; we sat around late one night talking about the interviews I had been conducting in DC for a website about party positions on important issues. My business partners and I came up with the idea that a long form documentary about campaigning would be interesting, and we determined the best way to understand the process was to become a “candidate” myself. Meaning, we only planned to use the credentials to be on the front line of the campaigning process. I was never going to create signs and make speeches or debate with others.

I never intended to run a legitimate campaign.

But, as I mentioned, something strange happened during the Democratic primaries. People started to vote for me, a trickle of rain in a hurricane.

I won a few primary delegates.

Without even trying.

Not enough to win the Democratic ticket, but enough to make pollsters sit up and take notice.

My loyal fans stepped in again, undaunted, and ignited a storm. They dubbed it “Operation America’s Ass” and created a grassroots campaign across the country with GoFundMe donations and a lot of pluck. I thought it was a joke. A part of me still does think it’s a joke. I mean, what other explanation is there for this mess? For the red, white and blue bunting hanging on the walls with the “Chris Evans for President” sign plastered underneath it? For the staffers who stop briefly to see if I need anything...‘Would you like a drink, sir?’... or, upon seeing how pale I look, give me a vote of confidence… ‘Are you ready for your acceptance speech?’ There’s absolutely no good explanation as to why there are twenty or thirty people buzzing around the hotel suite waiting for results. They’re so energized with hope for a better future.

Hope that I can be everything they ever wanted in a president.

An Independent president, free from party oversight.

A president with class.

A president for the people.

A president who can bring the United States back from the brink of destruction at the hands of previous leaders.

I wish I had their confidence.

When they asked me on career day in school what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always said artist. When I was older, in high school, I knew I was going to be an actor. Never president. The job never entered my mind as being a possibility, not even when I used to work for my uncle’s congressional campaigns. Or when I started filming those interviews.

Why does anyone think I, a straight white momma’s boy from Boston should be president in 2020? Just because I made a few popular Tweets about the current president’s lack of leadership?

It has to be a joke. A cosmic one. I’m a punchline. I am convinced they’ll jump out from behind a doorway and yell “You’ve been PUNK’D! We really got you this time, now here, Bernie, you’re the better candidate.”

And yet…

What if they see in me something I do not?

I place a lot of stock in being in the moment. I’ve also put a lot of work into accepting the twists and turns of life instead of allowing all the “what ifs” and “what should I dos” to eat away at me. I told everybody after I was done with Marvel and financially secure enough to only work on projects I really wanted to, I’d take life as it came at me.

Well, it came after me.

To be fair, I originally chose to get into politics, even in a tiny way, because I wanted to be informed about my choices. I created a website so others could learn, as well. As time went on, I became more involved on Capitol Hill. I even did some lobbying for a few causes dear to my heart. And, yes, I did file the ballot access paperwork.

Had I unintentionally set my path in this direction? Was it inevitable for me to become a contender for the presidency?

Fortunately, I learned early on in the process that a lot of being a presidential candidate is being a convincing showman. An actor. The world's a stage, after all, and I am but a player. You have to have some solid ideas and convictions to back up the image, but a lot of the governing comes from other members of the executive branch. Should I win, I’d only be signing off on everything.

Of course, that “everything” affects the lives of more than 300 million souls. I wouldn’t trust me with a kitchen knife, much less nuclear launch codes and people's livelihoods and education and health and…

My hands shake with nerves just thinking about it.

Let it be said, once I do make it out onto the stage--be it as an actor or presidential candidate--I rise to the challenge. The energy from the audience buoys me. Makes me feel alive. But I am not, by nature, someone who likes to sign away so much personal freedom in exchange for the weight of carrying an albatross around my neck. I thought signing for Captain America would be tough; the human toll of running for president even moreso.

Actually being President? I can’t even wrap my mind around that.

It would be easy to call it quits, even now when the votes are already cast. I could have done it a long time ago, when the reality of the situation hit me the first time. I didn’t. Something told me to hold back, play it out. I persevered. Why? Somewhere, along the line, I began to believe I could do this. I could make a positive difference in the lives of Americans.

I certainly want to do right by all my supporters--and my detractors. I want to be a leader for all Americans.

But can I, really, while knowing my incredible deficiencies?

Maybe I can’t, but I can be the team leader. A brand ambassador, if you will. A good leader delegates. And I intend, should I win, to surround myself with the best and brightest. I will accept no less. I will do ‘Whatever It Takes,’ as our slogan boasts. I am American, first and foremost, and I care deeply about this country.

A real Captain America, if you will. Maybe not as strong or powerful as others, but I sure as hell can give a great speech and will defend my country from bullies until my last breath, whether they be purple… or orange.

Except, I suppose if I’m elected, I won’t be Captain America anymore. They’ll call me Mr. President.

Or, horror of horrors, what if the new name my nearest and dearest coined makes it out into the public. They tease me with it just to see my visceral revulsion and get a laugh. But if I have learned anything about the internet--and pop culture--is that if something is catchy, it sticks around for a long time.

Maybe I ought to get used to the idea of being a punchline.

So, I suppose I have a question for you.

Won’t you consider a vote for Mr. America?

#chris evans #captain america #chris evans fanfiction #chris evans fan fiction #chris evans fanfic #chris evans fan fic #mister america #president!chris evans #president

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thisgirl-writes · 5 years

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Professor’s Assistant - Part 1

Summary: College Junior, Sophie starts to develop a crush on her Political Science professor. Will it drive a wedge between her boyfriend Cody and her? Will it stay just a silly admiration?

Word Count: 1,600

Warnings: Swearing

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307

Nothing from high school could have prepared you for what was about to happen. This kind of thing only happened in the movies and cheesy romance novels, right? There was no way that you political science professor was really that attractive. Clearly this was some sort of joke he was playing on the class, maybe he got his TA to pretend to be him, just to mess with people. No one who teaches political science is that attractive, right?

It didn’t go unnoticed how every single student clearly had the same thought, as well as some other highly inappropriate thoughts about Professor Evans. Who could blame them? Professor Evans was tall, his muscles looked like they would bust through his white button down shirt. His dress slacks showing off his long legs, his hair was slicked back, which only showed off his beautiful face even more. Not even those thick square glasses could hide his beautiful blue eyes.

You tried not to stare too long since your boyfriend Cody was sitting right next to you. It was a sweet gesture at first, him taking the class with you, until you realized it was because he wanted to keep tabs on you as much as he could. At first you found it cute and adorable how he always wanted to be with you. It got weird when he even switched his major to political science also. Now you just found it annoying, part of you wanted to break up with him, but you had convinced yourself that if you left him, you would be alone forever. He was cute, and he was nice, even though he didn’t pay you much attention anymore, even that wasn’t enough for you to leave him. The thought of leaving him brought back old memories of how unpopular you were when you were younger. Sure you were cute, but you were never the type that guys wanted, until Cody came along.

“Welcome to the best class you will ever take in your entire college career! Political Science 307: Public Opinion in American Politics. I am Professor Chris Evans. You can call me professor, you can call me Chris, you can call me Evans. You can call me dude or even bro, just please don’t call me an asshole” he said as the entire class chuckled.

“This dude is so lame” Cody said under his breath.

“Shh. Don’t talk when the professor is talking Cody, that is rude” you whispered back

“Chill sweets. I’m just saying he is lame, no one needed to laugh at that.”

You decided to block Cody out and focus on Professor Evans. After all you needed this class for your major. You tried to push your own thoughts about how attractive Professor Evans was, after all, you were in a happy relationship. Okay maybe not 100% happy, but it was currently working for you.

After going over what was going to be expected of the class this semester, he let the class go early with one assignment for the next class. When Professor Evans made the announcement you heard Cody groan.

“This is bullshit” he mumbled. “It’s the first damn day of class. Who the fu--”

“Cody that’s enough.” You cut him off. “It’s a 300 class, what the fuck did you expect? We have to start taking this shit seriously” Cody just rolled his eyes at you.

“Whatever”

After class, you and Cody stopped at the campus coffee shop to take a break from the harsh Boston Winter. The warm hits you as you step inside and you take your hat off. There are a few people ahead of you in line, so you attempt to talk to Cody about the assignment from 307.

“So I was thinking about how to” you started when Cody cut you off

“You need to chill babe, we just got out of class like what two seconds ago.”

“Yeah, but it is due nex--”

“It’s due next week. You can calm down. It’s day 1 of class.” Cody interrupted you again. “Besides, it’s just 307 aka professor douche bag's class… I don’t foresee having an issue with the class, or him for that matter” Cody said, earning a smack from you.

As you start to open your mouth to try and defend professor Evans without letting your boyfriend know how attractive you thought he was, you hear someone behind you clear their throat. You turn around to see none other than professor Evans himself. He must have snuck in behind you when you were talking about the assignment.

“Professor Douche bag… That’s a new one.” He said as he chuckled. You couldn’t tell if he was actually mad, or not. “I haven’t been called that since I was in undergrad.” he smiles showing off his perfectly straight teeth. You find yourself wondering if he was one of the lucky ones who were born with perfect teeth. You hear Cody’s voice, but your mind isn’t focusing on him at the moment. Knowing Cody, he is just digging his own grave for this semester.

“I am gonna have to alter my speech for the rest of my classes now. And just to show you that I am in fact NOT a douche bag, let me buy you two coffee. What do you say?” His perfect voice pulled you out of your own thoughts.

“You don’t have to do that Profes--” You started to say.

“Please, call me Chris” He said as he smiled at you. The second he smiled, there was an instant rush of heat to your face. You could feel it, you mentally cursed your European heritage. “And I know you two are obviously in my 307 class, but what do I have the pleasure of calling you?” he asked looking directly at you. To your surprise Cody must have picked up on it, because he instinctively put his arm around your waist and pulled you closer.

“I’m Cody and this is my girlfriend, Sophie” Cody said defensively. You had never seen him get this protective of you in the past 2 years that you had been with him. You did not have time to dwell on the thought before you hear Chris’s voice again.

“Well then, Cody and Sophie, I insist on buying your coffee this time. Just to show Cody here.” He smirks.

When he said your name and smirked, it almost felt like you were melting right there in the coffee shop in the dead of winter. You suddenly lost the power to speak. This was a strange feeling to you, you had never been this captivated but another person before. Before you know it, Cody had ordered for you and Chris had ordered and paid for all three drinks. As you get the drinks, Chris grabs his and Cody grabs his, and leaves you to grab your own. As you go to reach for it, so does Chris causing your hand to brush against his. When your hands touch, you could almost feel a spark. You wonder if he felt it too. You feel your cheeks blush yet again.

“Well alright then, don’t put off those papers! See you in class!” He says as he winks at you. At first you swear you are just imagining it, but then again, maybe it was his way of acknowledging that he felt the spark too. Before you can say anything, Chris is out the door and walking back to campus.

You sit in the coffee shop finishing your drinks, Cody is scrolling through his social media accounts completely oblivious to the last 5 minutes. You start to say something to him about Chris paying for your drinks when he suddenly stands up.

“Are you done yet? Put your hat on, I want to get home. I told the boys I would be on X-Box Live after class” You don’t even bother saying anything, you just nod and put your hat on and walk out the door.

The wind has picked up, you move closer to Cody and reach for his hand, which he doesn’t take. You let out a sigh and put your hands in your coat pockets. As you continue your walk, you can’t help but find yourself thinking about Chris and the interaction at the coffee shop.

He could have just ignored Cody’s comment. He didn't have to make himself known in that situation. Did he do it because he heard Cody say his class number and then call him a douche bag, or did he recognize you from class. You quickly shake that thought from your head. No one has ever noticed you in a crowd. You had even convinced yourself that the so called “spark” you thought you felt was just static electricity. That was the only explanation.

You were satisfied with that reasoning. You had all intentions of leaving it at that. Forgetting that you thought you saw him wink at you. After all you had a boyfriend, you didn’t need to be thinking about another guy, let alone your professor. You are brought out of your own thoughts by Cody saying something about classes.

“Hmm?” you say since you didn’t fully hear him.

“I said this was going to be a long semester” he repeated. “I am still going to call him professor douche bag.”

If only he knew how long of a semester it was actually going to be.

~~~~~~~

#chris evans #chris evans fanfiction #chris evans x original female character #professors assistant #work in progress #original character

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millennium-thejiaqiverse · 5 years

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Chapter 1: The “Angel Plague”

Summary: Inspired by a real life fungus, I present to you the “angel plague”, (a very unofficial name, taken from the shape of the mushrooms). Miles is even infected by this fungus when he’s at school (probably not in the way you’re thinking of). He is rescued by the mysterious young woman from Chapter 0–but her identity is no longer a mystery in this chapter... well, only partially.

“Alright, this is the spot, into the water,” Rose cheers, “way to go everyone! The green flag is not more than 300 meters away in the mangroves, we’re almost there, stay safe!” “Oh, great... gosh you’re loud.” Tyler roles his eyes as the team holds on to the float they built whilst waist deep in water. Tinaye sighs and gives him a pat on the shoulder, “C’mon, let’s tie our float down.” “Last check, we have enough fresh water, handy tools...” Elly checks with everyone, “and we’re right on time; yup, we’re all set.”

Miles cannot really pay much mind to the group assignment, he cannot stop thinking about the cancerous plane, and the mysterious young woman who fueled it.

“Watch out for crabs and alike, just a heads up.” Rose calls out to everyone, poking a stick at the path ahead. “Are we there yet?” Tyler impatiently follows her footsteps. “We have enough time before the tides rise, what’s even the rush dude?” Remarks Adele. Before Tyler can make an annoyed grunt a shadow dashes over their heads, closely followed by Miles’s yelp. “*gasps* Miles!” Rose stops. “Woah are you ok?” Ryan quickly rushes to his aid. Barnacles, of course. “That was stupid, I got startled.” Miles shakes his head. Just as he says this some bird noises sound from above. “Ooh, the pied imperial pigeon agrees with you.” Nick winks. “Cut it out!” Miles snickers. “Sit down on this plank for us Miles,” Tinaye pulls out a wooden plank from his pack and lays it down onto sturdy ground. “We’ll just check your leg,” Ryan calmly gets to work, “Nick, would you take a step back? And watch your step please.” “K I’ll let you two do your thing, take care of my boy!” Nick swiftly backs away. “You’re lucky it’s just a small bruise,” Ryan sighs, “but this will still cost you some points on this assignment, be careful.” “Thanks, I know I need to pay more attention.” Miles agrees. “Ha, looks like the nerd is not always perfect! Now he’s slowing us down!” Tyler boos at Miles. “Hey!” Nick crosses his arms. “Tyler!” Ryan retaliates, “we’ve still got work to do, so the next thing coming outta your mouth better be useful! I’m being serious!” “Pff, fine!” Tyler throws his arms up in defeat.

After that is more wading through the mangrove growth, keeping hydrated and in the end climbing a tree to fetch their flag.

“Is this it for today?” Adele asks. “Yes, we’ll carry on further tomorrow.” Elly confirms. “Wow it’s so easy working with you guys, my last team sucked so hard.” Adele comments. “Haha, we liked you too girl!” Rose smiles. “That’s nice to hear, well I’m going offline.” Adele tells the team. “Catch you tomorrow!” Nick waves to her, “so what about the rest of you? Shall we all log off?” “Finally!” An answer from Tyler. “Sheesh, Ty...” Nick frowns.

After taking off their VR equipment (i.e. everything they experienced was simulated for the assignment, including Miles’s bruise) and exiting the group projects hall, Nick sprints up to Miles.

Miles is now thinking hard about his bday dreams, mindlessly walking forwards. “Hey Miles, what’s up?” Nick nudges Miles with his elbow. “Huh?” Miles jumps a little. “Tell me! What’s on your mind?” Nick presses, “is it your bday dream?” “Yeah, it’s nothing major, do you really want to hear it again?” Miles laughs. “I’ve known you for more than 10 years, I am positive I know everything about you, like how I can just tell something’s different with this last dream!” Nick is very confident. He’s right, but for one Nick never knows about all this “magic” stuff, however that must remain secret for safety reasons, Miles thinks. Only Nick’s constant begging does make Miles tell him about a little of what happened, “... just like that, she woke up, stood up, and before I could react disappeared along with the whole place. I barely got out before all is gone myself.” “Dude, what?” Asks Nick, “that was your dream?!!” Well, it was not exactly a dream, part of it was very real, Miles thinks to himself but decides to go along with it, “yeah, just a regular dream...” “You’ve got to write this down! Like as a novel or something, your dream is crazy stuff! Good stuff!” Nick says with excitement. “That’d be nice, but I don’t want to forget everything else and type away nonstop like a lab monkey all day,” Miles can’t help but think of his writer dad, “guess it’s not my lifestyle.” “Pshh whatevs,” shrugs Nick, “you coming to the cafeteria today?” “Nah, I’ll be in the lounge as usual, I really need some rest.” Miles replies. “Well ok, don’t let those dreams get carried away.” Nick teases him. “I won’t!” Miles says as they go their separate ways.

A few students are napping in the lounge already. Miles finds an empty spot and climbs in for a nap, he gets tired and needs sleep too often, much to his annoyance.

As soon as he’s asleep, Miles exits his body as he usually does—the best way for his physical body to unconsciously recharge when at the same time his consciousness has the freedom to carry out other tasks. With his consciousness out of his body, Miles brings questions about his bday dreams and the young woman to his mentor. While he’s getting the answers universes away, a sense of something being out of ordinary brings him to promptly return to the school lounge. Miles watches as a battered shadow person tries to take over his currently vacant body, one of their hands grabbing onto his ankle. “No, you can’t do that,” he says to them. The being turns to look at his out-of-body consciousness with surprise. “You’re not even supposed to be getting onto this plane of existence, you need to go back to your plane.” Miles tells them as he pulls them away from his body, “people will freak out when they see you, let’s get you back home.” The mention of “home” seems to freak the shadow being out, but before they could retaliate Miles is already on their plane with them. “There you go,” Miles drops them off. The shadow person gets into fetal position the second Miles removed his hand from them. “Huh, ok?” Miles is a little confused at this, “you take care of yourself.” Then he leaves and gets back to his body, not thinking much about the glittery dusts floating around that plane.

Waking up, Miles readies himself for his last personal assignment before midterms, which he planned to complete this afternoon. Unexpectedly, Miles started feeling quite sick before he puts his VR equipment on. “You good Miles?” Nick is right next to him preparing for his assignment. “I don’t know,” weirdly, Miles feels more tired after his nap, “maybe I didn’t rest well this time somehow?” “You look ill, and you’re never ill, *snickers* my mom jokes that germs and stuff burn off before reaching you.” Nick says, “my point being you should take this afternoon off and rest at home, if you still feel ill then go to your doctor. I mean, you are in no condition to nail your last assignment anyway.” “You’re right Nick, guess this is all for me today,” Miles smiles, “good luck.” “Thanks, get well soon!” Nick says as he puts on his headset.

“Afternoon son!” Max calls out from his study. “Hey dad,” Miles slams into bed as soon as he enters his room. He is ready to sleep it all off, however, a little too late for his liking he senses a intruder who’s blended in with the room almost perfectly. Not knowing who’d be there, Miles jolts up and throws an attack at the intruder, only to witness his attack pass straight through her like she’s not really there. “... You?” Miles realizes it is the mysterious young woman again, but before he could ask why she’s here, he’s already suspended in midair. Max doesn’t hear all this commotion as there’s a “bubble of silence” around the room. She then proceeds to pull something white and shining out of Miles’s body, which quickly withers and turns to dust, and afterwards drops him to the floor. “Before you sensed my presence I was going to wait till you’re asleep, as silly as it sounds now as I learnt you’ll discover me anyways;” she explains, “you were infected by a fungus that latches onto one’s consciousness in order to drain one’s life energy to produce it’s spores.” “What?” Miles cries. “Apologies if I frightened you, as I’m only here to help, I’ll be on my way as I have work to do.” She turns to leave. “How was I infected? Wait!” Miles asks. “You were in contact with its spores when you ventured to an infected dimension, the dimension I plan on taking out altogether before the fungus crosses over and grows all over this universe.” She explains in a hurry. “You can’t take out a plane like that,” Miles tells her, “some creatures might need those places to reside at the very least.” “A plane?” She raises an eyebrow. “You call them dimensions, I think,” Miles then suggests, “wouldn’t removing just the fungus be a better option? I’ll help with that.” “Yes, you’re not wrong,” she accepts the suggestion, “this will take longer than my original plan but it’ll do.” She rushes off, ignoring Miles’s offer to help. Well, feeling much better now, Miles decides to follow her and check on things; but how to repel the spores if they infect one’s consciousness? That’s when Miles hatches an idea.

Miles goes out of body again, but this time, using the Junction, Miles sends only his physical body onto the young woman’s trail, to the other plane with the glittery dusts he’s just visited not long ago, his consciousness doesn’t go with it and stays at this plane right in his room.

She’s already busy pulling the fungus off of suffering creatures, and gathering spores from bursting fungus growths, meanwhile making sure no creature is sneaking off to another plane with this ongoing infestation. “This dimension is dangerous for you...” she says, then suddenly pauses, “you sent your physical vessel?” Hearing this question from afar, Miles controls his body to give her a nod with its head. “That’s pretty creative,” she continues drawing all parts of the fungus away from any present consciousness. Guessing what she should be up to, Miles controls his body to make a sphere of fire, meanwhile keeping tabs on the whole plane from the outside himself to make sure nothing exits. She sees the sphere and uses it burn the parts she gathered, very soon the plane is clear of this fungus.

“All done!” She calls out and extinguishes the flaming sphere, “you should have seen this—the growing fungus looks like some messed up angel wings.” Upon hearing her call, Miles quickly gets there, back into his body, “Great job, the problem’s solved.” “Yes, great job to us.” She smiles, “hello Miles.” “Hello Ray,” Miles greets her back. “Funny how we’re now introduced to each other again,” Ray says. “Yeah, considering the fact we’ve met not long before on a cancerous plane, and not to mention in a previous life too.” Miles adds. “You know about your reincarnation.” Ray is surprised to hear what Miles said. “I asked my mentor when I napped today,” Miles says, “well, I asked why I kept having the same dream with you in it every time on my birthday up until we met in person and how I think I know you, I guess I didn’t think too much about that before.” “Your mentor?” Ray wonders. “Atlas.” Miles replies. “Oh,” Ray pauses for a while, “How much do you remember?” Ray asks then changes the subject, “and thank you for waking me up back when we met face to face.” “No problem.” Miles then answers, “I know we were friendly with each other because you wanted to help me, I know you are a very powerful energy folder as Atlas had told me so; but I can probe further, your highness...” Miles probes on, “Crown Princess Ray of... hold on...” his mind blurs out of nowhere. The cause of that was Ray’s interference. “I’m sorry,” Ray turns away. “That’s ok, I don’t really have to know.” Miles shrugs it off, but she’s disappeared away to somewhere else by then. Miles sighs, lowering his head... and sees the same shadow person grabbing onto his ankle, again. “You seem to be doing ok,” Miles looks at them. After staring at each other for a while, the shadow being lets go without incident.

“So how did school go? I assume you finished early today?” Max asks his son at the dinner table. “Well, I didn’t finish my personal assignment yet, I guess I was a little too tired.” Miles digs in to the simple but nutritious meal, “that’s not a issue though, I’ll be fine.” “I’m not too worried there son, we have 2 more days before Orientation Day, I’m sure you’ll manage just fine.” Yup, Miles assures himself, finishing up this assignment is surely easier than almost dying from then having to dispel some angle-wing-shaped-fungus plague.

#original #original story #original character #fatasy #mystery #magic #scifi #scififantasy #fiction #thejiaqiverse

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fallxnprxnce · 5 years

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You are such a talented writer especially in terms of exploring a character's personality, may we know the "origin story" between you and this character? Like, how did it go? What did you feel the first time you watched Hellboy II? We all always feel more interested in a certain type of characters, what made you feel so interested in Nuada? The way you explore his personality is great because he is more complex than most people think.

{out of exile} What a great question this is! I actually haven’t thought about it in a long time, heh. So... the very first time I saw Nuada was sometime in 2006 when I first saw this Hellboy II trailer in the movies. I was with my ex-boyfriend at the time, and I remember the first thing I took notice of was the creature in Nuada’s hand at 0:54. Me and my ex looked at each other at the same time and were like, “It’s a shilke!” I had been working on a short story as part of a world I’d been building for about a year (it is now my most developed fictional world), and I had created an original creature called a shilke that looked 95% like whatever that little guy was that Nuada tossed on the auctioneer’s face. I say 95% because mine didn’t have a big eyeball in the center of its back, heh, but otherwise, the size, shape, color, and even how it attacks (it sucks onto your face/head) was exactly the same. I felt kinda cool for a second, but that was quickly forgotten because as the trailer went on, I was just glued to whoever this white-haired dude was. my ex thought he was Drizzt, haha. I haven’t ever read those books, so I didn’t know who the hell he was... but I really wanted to know. I remember I wanted to know so badly, I actually turned my phone back on so I could text myself the name of the movie and look it up later. XD

I was fascinated with his appearance, his actions, his words... but most of all his voice. He seems like an angry violent sort, and Luke Goss’ softspoken, almost gentle-sounding voice is not what you would expect to come out of such a person. Plus, I recognized his voice right away because I was already a fan of his from seeing him in Blade II. So once I realized it was him I definitely wanted to find out more about the character, because LG always adds a lot of emotional depth to his characters, whether they are main characters or not, and I really love that. That’s my strength as a writer as well, character development and emotional writing, so actors like him tend to inspire me.

When I finally saw the movie, once wasn’t enough. I saw it two more times in the movies and bought the DVD as soon as it came out, heh. But my initial impression watching the movie wasn’t what I expected. I expected a fun fantasy film. I did not expect to cry as much as I did, to think as much as I did, and I certainly didn’t expect to walk out angry. I loved the movie, I really did... but at the time I was knee-deep in working through graduate school to get my PhD in environmental microbiology, in an environmental sciences department, and I had always been an environmentally conscious person. Over the years I’ve done my best to reduce my carbon footprint and to educate others on what they can do to do the same. I’ve always been passionate about environmental issues, and it takes the forefront a lot of times for me when I am voting for a political candidate or considering whether or not to work for a particular industry. And... from my specific point of view, having come through all of that and being where I was at the time, I left the theater angry and ashamed. Angry because I understood where Nuada was coming from and I agreed 100% with him (as far as environmental issues, not about the whole wiping out humans thing, heh), and ashamed because I was one of the humans he wanted to kill, essentially. I’m part of the problem, part of this misguided race, and while I realize this is fiction and there are no elves dying out because of us humans, there are tree frogs, tigers, sequoias, butterflies, polar bears, honey bees, and lots of other creatures that are slowly getting dangerously close to extinction because we over-harvest or over-hunt them, because we improperly dispose of and release chemicals into the environment that kills them, and because our industrialization habits are changing the world climate to the point of these creatures losing their habitats. So... I felt this sense of loss almost, watching the movie... as if I had just quit the BPRD myself like the rest of them at the end because I was pissed off at “our” collective behavior as a race up until that point. I found myself really mulling over what Nuada did in the movie, what was done to him, what he intended to do, what others ended up doing, and what the greater message for real life was among all of that.

My immediate response to “meeting” Nuada and seeing this movie for the first time, was to work through my thoughts in my writing. Years ago when I had more time, was happier, and felt a lot more creative than I do now for a number of personal reasons, my first response to anything I loved, hated, laughed about, cried about, etc. was to put it into writing. Not literally, and not directly... but I would let these sights, sounds, and experiences inspire me to write my own original stories and characters. Hellboy II and Nuada will forever be etched in my mind as one of the movies and characters that inspired me the most and produced the most incarnations of me thinking about this character, world, and situation. (Other characters on the same level as this are Ned Stark of ASoIaF/Game of Thrones and Karon of The Bridge of D’Arnath series.)

So what made me so interested in Nuada was how he made me feel and emote, and the sheer amount of writing that just flowed out of me after encountering him and his world. Nuada ended up inspiring five original characters of mine in three different worlds. I would like to summarize them for you, just to share a little about what he fueled for me, and I’ll try to pinpoint what aspects of Nuada or his situation inspired me to write them. Under the cut, though, because LONG:

Au’duin (in a series of short stories entitled The Ulaeri Chronicles completed in 2010, meant to be companions to an epic fantasy novel The Mask of Truth, unfinished since 2012) - His name means “elegance” in the Ulaeri language, a fictional language I created for this world. With this character, I chose to focus on my thoughts surrounding Nuada’s identity as a warrior and how he sees life through that lens, in addition to him dealing with social and racial prejudices, even among his own people. So the character of Au’duin grows up a male warrior who relies on his own body instead of magic in a matriarchal magical society that looks down on physical activity. I don’t want to get into plot and all that because long post, but he ends up getting arrested and being imprisoned in the royal palace during an assassination attempt that wipes out almost the entire royal family except for one of the princesses. He actually enlists in the help of a shilke and a sidekick of his, Jix (my leafling muse, @xleafyheartx), to rescue her from enemies that are largely magical in nature, so he is out of his element but also willing to go the distance for this one princess who had been willing to listen to him and talk to him like he was a person instead of treating him like this abhorrent warrior society hated. So I suppose I also explored some Nuada/Nuala thoughts of mine with this relationship as well.

Miennan (in The Ulaeri Chronicles) - His name means “strong one” in the Ulaeri tongue. This character was definitely meant to help me work through my Nuada/Nuala feelings and also Nuada’s anger and possessiveness towards his father/sister. This one has kindof a complicated plot, but Miennan is a twin brother to Arienne but does not know he was adopted. Basically, the Ulaeri queen never wants to admit she has a son, it’s an evil-aligned matriarchal society, so sons end up uh... disappearing, heh. But the queen’s mate at the time didn’t want anything to happen to his son, so he is able to hide him with another couple having a single child, and they just said they were twins. The problem with this is that Miennan grows up being far more powerful than his sister magically, he falls in love with her which is seen as taboo even though they are not related by blood, and his power is way out of line with his caste, so that draws attention. So with this character I explored not only the dynamics of Nuada and Nuala’s relationship, but also what Nuada was feeling as far as being alienated within his own family. Miennan ends up giving his life to save Arienne and their child, so he changes from a selfish and possessive youth to someone willing to live and die for others.

Sri’hen (in both The Ulaeri Chronicles and The Mask of Truth) - His name means “the weaver” in the Ulaeri tongue. He is Miennan’s older brother, the firstborn, in fact, but he was given away outside the Ulaeri community and never met any of his siblings. With this character (who is the ex of Channe, @fxcelessqueen), I really chose to explore some of the worst attributes about Nuada. Violence, anger, possessiveness, sexism, defensiveness, and a desire for power for all the wrong reasons. Sri’hen becomes one of the most prominent villains in the story, but he changes into actually a rather honorable character with age and with changing relationships. His relationship with Channe was utterly toxic and fueled the worst things about both of them. Being misunderstood and misguided and too arrogant to ask for help, Sri’hen stewed for decades after Channe betrays and leaves him, and he ends up becoming very evil. But as time went on, he was able to mature and to find someone else with whom he had a much more positive relationship that changed him for the better. It’s a long journey for him, about 300 years, but his is one of the most complex and detailed character arcs I’ve ever written, so I’m pretty proud of it.

Caden Ostyrian (inan epic fantasy novel called Blood is Thicker, completed in 2012) - With this character, I wanted to explore Nuada’s feelings of exclusion, abandonment, betrayal, and oppression within his own family, how an individual like him would respond, and how it might come to be resolved in a positive way. Caden was born Ashen in a world where simply being Ashen is pretty much a crime. Females are killed and males are suffered to exist until age ten and then they are sent to the Divide, a 300 ft. wall that basically walls in the country of Astvar on its peninsula. Below it is hundreds of miles of marshlands and dangerous creatures. So... Ashen people just pop up randomly in society. It’s not genetic, and I’m not going to get into what it actually is because this post is already super long, but ashen people have pale skin, white or gray hair, and blue or gray eyes, hence being called “ashen.” So all the boys are sent to live on the Divide because the wall needs to be manned to keep the rest of the country safe and of course “normal” people don’t want to do this themselves, so they force the Ashen population to do it. It’s a pretty grim setup for them. They’re basically prisoners there. Caden... was born a prince, the second oldest son of three of the king of Astvar. He was supposed to go to the Divide at age ten, but the king hypocritically didn’t send him until he was 25. Caden, like Nuada, is a natural warrior with a serious wild streak in him, so to suddenly be sent to the Divide at age 25 and have this pompous attitude like “I’m a prince, I shouldn’t be here,” really pissed off all the other people there, haha. But he ends up, after a long time of having his ego beaten down and maturing emotionally, uniting the Ashen on all three sections of the Divide and basically turns them into a very capable army that goes on to fight for their rights against the northern country. So with this character I mulled over my thoughts about Nuada’s arrogance and level of maturity, his identity as a warrior, and his ability to be an actual leader instead of a lone, pissed-off force, heh.

Aerahdlanion “Adanion” for short (in a fantasy novel called Journey, unfinished since 2015) - I honestly forget what his name means in the language of the Purplewood Elves, heh... it’s been a while... XD I never finished this book and I was really sorry that I didn’t, but certain things going on in my life at the time caused me to lose my inspiration for it. But Adanion was a very gentle and selfless elf who makes a journey by himself that he knows he’s not going to be able to complete. Basically, his people are dying from an illness, and most of them believe this is happening for a reason and that it’s their time to fade. Others, like Adanion, are not so sure. He loses his wife to the illness and then becomes afflicted himself, and although he’s starting to lose his faculties and he’s in a lot of pain, he volunteers to make the trek to the mountains where it is believed that the essence of an ancient goddess his people pray to is stored in a large crystal. His people believe this because they have a piece of the crystal, and the legend basically says that when the crystal is mended, the goddess will awaken and either save them in their hour of need, or help them all pass over into the Afterplane. Adanion ends up dying of his illness very early on in the story, but not before he stops at a human inn and meets several other characters who are moved by his cause and want to help him make this journey. After he dies, they continue on, taking the piece of the crystal to the location he specified. Adanion seems very central to the story, but really it’s about the relationships between the very different humans (some use magic, some don’t, some have conflicting religions, some have disabilities of their own, some are tolerant, some are intolerant, etc.), what they all think of Adanion’s sacrifice and the plight of his people, and how much they’re willing to do for this race of people they didn’t even know existed until they met Adanion. So with this character and story, I wanted to explore everything outside of Nuada and his people and go more into how humans looking in on his story and plight (as I was watching the movie) would feel about what was happening to them, and how that might change their thinking going forward.

Aaaaaaaand that is enough blabbing for this post, holy cow, haha. Sorry for the length. But yeah, my initial response to Nuada was to be very emotionally moved, engaged by his plight, interested in his psychology, and motivated to write characters with similar pieces-parts and explore different situations with them. And then by the end of 2015, I was looking to get into rping on Tumblr, and at that time I remember thinking okay, what is a character that is easy for me to write, that I’m comfortable with, that I know like the back of my hand, but that there’s also plenty left for me to explore and expand upon? And the first one I thought of was Nuada, heh. So he was just a natural fit for me as far as getting started. Now I have way too many muses, hahaha. XD

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kimonobeat · 5 years

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aiko bon “Profile Interview” Chapter 4 (2/3)

ーHow DID people view you in high school?

aiko: I was everyone’s wing man. (laughs) Every single time we had some kind of event in middle school, I was always busy behind the scenes, helping people out. My teacher even called me “The Matchmaker”. People were grateful, but it sorta just… extended into high school, too. I helped so many couples get together.

ーYou played Cupid?

aiko: I don’t remember any of it, but my friends have been telling me that a lot lately. One guy told me I’d given him a letter, so I asked, “What’d I write?” Apparently I’d written up a profile of a girl I was trying to match him up with, and when I gave it to him, I said, “At least read SOME of this-- she’s a great girl!” They ended up getting married and have kids together now.

ーYou already hit it out of the park, getting them to date by complimenting her!

aiko: Nah, I’m pretty sure I had feelings for him too, but I just let it be. (laughs) I don’t remember doing that at all though. When he told me I gave it to him, I was like, “Hoo boy, what did I write…”

ーDid you bring your friends together like that often?

aiko: Yup. Sometimes I even had to come between them. I don’t remember the specifics, but one of my friends wanted to ask someone out using the ‘Aiko method’. You see, back then we had this way of asking people out called the ‘Aiko method’. Like, one girl would say, “I’m gonna give the Aiko method a try today!” And we’d all go, “You are? Well, good luck!” (laughs)

ーWhat was the method?

aiko: Well, thinking about it now, it was really cold-hearted. Honestly, it’s really embarrassing. You’d ask them out by making it a quiz, sort of. You say, “Mind if I quiz you on something? Answer with either ‘yes’ or ‘no’, ‘kay? I like you. Would you go out with me? Yes or no?” The nice thing about that was it was really easy to answer. Like, doesn’t matter which one you pick, just say yes or no!

ーSounds like it makes it really easy to confess to someone.

aiko: It did! But one time when I asked that and a guy said, “Flower circle!” I remember thinking, “Boy, that was lame.” (laughs) Like, “Hey, that wasn’t one of the options! I said to pick ‘yes’ or ‘no’!” (laughs)

ーWas your method pretty popular for a little while?

aiko: Eh, just so-so. Everyone used to ask each other out after school festivals and field days. Suzumushidera was also kinda popular for that. It’s this temple in Kyoto where you can hear the bell crickets chirping all year round. Doesn’t matter when you go, you’ll hear them chirping. If you go there, you’ll also see Jizo statues wearing straw sandals. Supposedly if you put an ofuda between your hands and say your name and your address, the Jizo will come to your house so he can grant you a wish. I went there too-- everyone did. Like, “You got an ofuda? *whips it out* Well of course I do!” (laughs) All the girls had ofuda charms from Suzumushidera.

ーHow did you know about that place?

aiko: I heard about it from my relatives. When my cousin got sick once, I went to this one temple to make a wish because they told me I should. I started going there after that. Then I started hearing about that temple in magazines a bunch. “Hayashi Mariko gives it an A+!” That sort of thing. The admission fee was also cheap. It was only about 300 yen. And they gave out tea and sweets.

ーDid you go there often?

aiko: I actually only went there 3 times, because it took me about an hour and a half by bus and train to get there from my house. It wasn’t something I could just hop on over to after school because it was a temple, so it closed at like 3 or 4’o’clock. I went there on my days off.

ーDid your wishes come true?

aiko: They did! They were all wishes about love, and all three came true. The people who worked at the temple told people that you shouldn’t wish to be married if you didn’t even have a boyfriend, though. “It won’t come true,” they said. “There’s an order to everything.” That’s why they told people who didn’t have boyfriends to wish for a boyfriend first. After you found a boyfriend, you could wish to be married. “You can wish to Jizo all you want to be married when you don’t have a boyfriend and don’t even like anybody, but it won’t come true!” they said. Which is true! It’s funny ‘cause it makes perfect sense. I spread it around school because I thought it was nice.

ーDid you take leadership roles in class and among your friends a lot? Like, were you the one to take initiative and start doing something instead of just doing whatever everyone else was doing?

aiko: Yeah. I don’t think I was really ever the type to cling to other people. I got chocolates from other girls ever since I was in middle school, too. It was sorta like I had my own fan club or somethin’. (laughs) In the cafeteria I’d tell one of the underclassmen something like, “Oh, I love this magazine. The horoscopes are so interestin’ to read every month, y’know?” Then the following month, I’d see them standing in the hallway reading the latest issue!! Sometimes it really surprised me. People would wish me happy birthday and I’d be like, “How’d you know today was my birthday?” They’d say, “‘Cause I’m in your fan club!” and I’d go, “Wait, what!?”

ーWhat were you like back then? Were you a tomboy? Or like an older sister to them?

aiko: I’m not sure. I was full of energy though. I guess tomboyish… ?

ーWere you ever on the student council or school festival committee?

aiko: I was vice president of the student council during my last year of high school. I wasn’t terribly interested in stuff like that; my teacher asked me to be in it. “If I’m gonna be in this, I’m gonna make it fun.” So then I invited all my friends to join too. The whole student council consisted of my friends.

ーYou basically took over the whole student council. (laughs)

aiko: I guess so. (laughs) The president was the captain of the volleyball team, my best friend was secretary, and the other vice president was on the basketball team. They were all my friends. We spray-painted stars and bears and stuff on the walls of the student council room. One of my teachers said it’s all still there to this day. “We left the stuff you drew. We’ve got some of your history here,” they said. (laughs) So yeah, I was on the student council. I was also the leader of the pep squad during field day.

ーIsn’t it usually a guy who leads the pep squad?

aiko: I was the only girl. (laughs) That was decided on my way home from swim lessons. “You’re the squad leader, aiko,” they said. I went, “Whaaaat?! Really!?” Every person on the pep squad was part of one of the sports teams: one guy was the volleyball team captain, another was the basketball team captain, and we also had the volleyball team setter in the squad. I looked so tiny next to all these tall, big-boned dudes. I just said, “Yaaay!”

ーMost guys on pep squads wear their school uniform jackets. What costume would a girl wear?

aiko: Some of the classes at my high school wore the school uniform jackets, but some of the classes sort of just made up their own outfits. The girls in my class wore tennis coats and aprons, which kind of made us look like cute, frilly waitresses. The guys wore blouses and bowties. I got to wear a pretty gorgeous apron as pep squad leader. (laughs) It had SO many frills. We were the purple team so everyone was wearing purple clothes except for me-- I was in white. I was the smallest one on the squad, but I’m pretty sure I was the loudest. Like, loud enough that I honestly think I annoyed the people living in the apartments next to our school. (laughs) Well, I did my part the best I could, and the purple team won some medals. I was also the torch bearer at that field day. It was the student council vice president’s job. There’s a picture of me in the yearbook lighting the torch with my eyes half-open. (laughs) How bad. I was also super tan in that picture. It was a yearbook though, so that picture’s everywhere. (laughs)

ーYou were student council vice president, the torch bearer, AND you were on the pep squad. I know you hate that picture, but sounds like you had a lot of other pictures in the yearbook too.

aiko: We were all in our senior year by then too. No one paid it any mind because we were all busy with entrance exams by then.

ーSchool festivals being what they are, I’m sure you had your hands full with that too.

aiko: You betcha I was! All three years, our class performance was something I came up with. In 10th grade we did a ‘haunted house’. In 11th grade we did ‘Antarctica’.

ーWhat did you guys do to make it “Antarctica”?

aiko: We made the classroom real cold. We got a bunch of dry ice, made some penguins. Then we filled a bucket with water and had everyone put their feet in it. The first person to pull their feet out of the bucket lost the game. To give everyone a taste of what it’s like in Antarctica. (laughs) In 12th grade, we had the revolutionary idea of doing a karaoke box.

ーWhere’d you rent the karaoke machine from?

aiko: We borrowed it from Acom.

ーAt any rate, sounds like you were a pretty lively and social kid back in high school.

aiko: I guess I was. One of my friends once told me a long time ago, “You know aiko, I’ve been watchin’ you this whole time. I watched you the whole time you were walking from the shoe closet to the back gate.” Apparently I’d talked to 18 people in that span of time. (laughs) It was just about 20 meters from the shoe closet to the back gate.

ーThat calculates to about 1 conversation with someone per meter.

aiko: See? He said I’d talked to 18 different people. “You talked to that many people in that short of a distance before you walked through the gate. I really respect you for that,” he said. I remember thinking, “Huh, it really is important to me to greet all these people one by one.” I had a lot of acquaintances back then.

ーSo were you the type of person who could get along with just about anybody?

aiko: There were a lot of people I hated with a passion though. You know, people I wouldn’t mind never talking to for the rest of my life. But yeah, I was pretty social overall. I was a sensitive social butterfly.

ーWhen you say sensitive, do you mean a lot of things bothered you?

aiko: Yeah. When one of my close friends felt down, I always wondered what I did. I’d be totally convinced I’d done something, and that they were mad at me.

ーEven if you were sensitive about things like that, I still wouldn’t describe you as a shy or timid person though.

aiko: That’s true for when I was with my friends at like, school. I did all of that introspective thinking when I got back home to my house. When I was at home, I spent almost all my time holed up in my room and didn’t really leave. As outgoing as I was at school, once I was back in my room I was basically a shut-in.

ーWhich version of you would you say is your natural, true self?

aiko: Hm, both of them, now that I think about it. I don’t have to force myself and work really hard to be one or the other. I love being alone, but I’d also go nuts if I were alone all the time. On the flip side, I really enjoy being around people, but being around people all the time would be a huge pain. It’s so taxing when I don’t get a good balance between the two. That’s never changed about me. When I’m at home, I’m super low-key. I walk around listening to my Walkman even though I’m home alone. I could play my music out loud since no one else is around, but I do laundry and stuff while listening to music on my Walkman instead. (laughs)

ーIt must shock people when they find out you’re a certain way at home or out in public when they didn’t know that about you before. I bet they say, “Oh, I didn’t know this side of you!”

aiko: I’m not sure! I was so simple and naive back in middle school, though. I never ever cried in front of my aunt and always acted so cheerful, no matter what happened, so maybe nobody knew my other side. I probably grew up a lot faster because I was put into my relatives’ care at a relatively young age. I’m an only child too, so I’ve always spent more time in adult situations than I did with children my age. With all the stuff I had going on, I sorta had to be that way. I don’t mean this in a weird way, but I had to be conscious of the face I was putting on for other people, I think. Once I got into high school, it was just normal for me to be a completely different person at school than I was at home.

ーWhich version of ‘aiko’ are you when you’re with someone you like?

aiko: Good question… I don’t think I’ve ever dated anybody that I’ve showed the ‘yin’ parts of myself to. Things always ended before I could stop pretending because for the most part, I haven’t dated anyone for that long. The longest I ever date someone was about 3 months.

ーI feel like most guys you’ve been in love with felt the same way back though.

aiko: They haven’t though, they haven’t! I’ve spent WAY more time in one-sided loves, all things considered. There’s also been quite a few times where I just couldn’t bring myself to act on my feelings. I didn’t ask out the guy I’d been in love with since I entered high school until I was in my senior year… We broke up before we even really understood each other at all. (laughs) He was in my grade, and I’d always had a crush on him. I still sorta liked him even after we broke up. After that we got along pretty well as friends, but it was always a bit of a sore spot for both of us. It’s only recently that he’s coming out to me about all of this. In fact, he didn’t start calling me “Aiko” until recently. I was like, “And we’ve known each other HOW many years now!?” (laughs)

ーSo what DID he call you for 10 years? (laughs)

aiko: He used my last name or just said, “Hey you.” (laughs) Really made me wonder, y’know? He’s the type that never talks about himself either. It wasn’t until recently that he started talking to me about a lot of different things. It took him 10 years for both of us to finally admit that we had a lot of fun together back then. It took 10 years to be able to say that.

ーSo does that mean he’s a pretty good friend of yours now?

aiko: Yeah. But he’s overseas now. I asked him why he left, and he told me he’s on a journey to find himself. (laughs) As always, I ain’t really sure what he meant by that. That’s so like him though.

ーBy the way, did the high school you attended have a uniform?

aiko: We had one, but I didn’t really ever wear it. The uniform was a navy blue blazer with one row of buttons, and pleated skirt, kind of, that had four pleats. I used to wear this skirt that wasn’t part of the uniform. I bought it in Umeda and it looked pretty good with my school uniform. I wore sweaters and hoodies with it. Well, usually a hoodie. I’ve pretty much always loved wearing hoodies… I still do! Whenever I got demerits I would always say, “It’s the hoodie, isn’t it?” (laughs) I was always saying, “I’m already at 28 points, can I just wear the hoodie?” I’ve always loved hoodies, but I totally fell in love with them in high school.

ーSo... you basically went to school wearing street clothes that LOOKED like the school uniform.

aiko: Yup. (laughs) I bought a black-ish skirt that went nicely with it, and in the winter I wore sweaters and hoodies over top of it. You were supposed to wear a white blouse with it too, but I wore a pale blue one with it. I made small additions to it while following the general ‘style’ of the uniform as much as I could.

ーDid your school not have a very strict uniform dress code?

aiko: ...Well yeah, they did, and it was annoying. Every time they found out I’d broken the dress code, they pinched me on my stomach. Just wearing a beanie in the wintertime made everyone flip out. People kept asking me if I was okay. Our high school was strict enough that they made me take off any clothes that obviously weren’t part of the uniform, though. I tried to avoid them getting mad at me for that at least, although sometimes they noticed from far away and would yell, “Hold on, what are you WEARING!?” and I’d run away. “Oh, n-no, this is the uniform. I’m wearing the uniform,” I’d tell them. “Mine’s in the wash! Yeah, in the wash.” You could’ve sworn my uniform was always in the washing machine at home. (laughs)

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#aiko #aiko yanai #yanai aiko #aiko bon #translation

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redditnosleep · 6 years

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If You See A Facebook Ad For "Choices That Matter" Avoid It At All Costs

by Hayong

I’m not sure if you have seen those little ads on Facebook, but it was one of the few that caught my eye. It was one of those, “Try to find the murderer” type deals where you receive a box every month with new clues. It was called, “Choices that Matter.”

Each box showed you a different “Case” and the thing that set this apart from every other one was the fact that if you managed to figure out five cases, the company promised to give you free cases for the rest of the year. I mean, at $15 a month, I was already pretty much convinced. You see, I don’t really have any hobbies, just like everyone else, I work, I eat, I sleep, sometimes I’ll play some games, but most of my free time is spent zoning out on either Reddit or Facebook.

Of course, I looked at the official website and made sure it wasn’t a scam, and within ten minutes the website processed my payment and assured me that I would be receiving my first case within the next five to seven business days.

I will give you a detailed list of what came with the first case, the ones I received after were all pretty much the same, more or less.

Inside of the first case was the following:

Small flashlight. Like one of the ones that you see at the dollar tree. (Batteries were included.)

Three pages of “Information” which was three pages of parchment type paper. It had the names of four people and reasons why each of them was a suspect.

A man named James was the one that sent me the box. They wanted to make me feel like, I’m a secret spy that works on the case in the background. He sent me four additional photographs and a magnifying glass. (real considerate of him.)

I was a bit disappointed. After looking over the pages of information and checking the photos I quickly pieced together that Ferdinand Gillerdunchi was the passionate lover that killed his girlfriend’s husband. On the third photo, I saw a little face poking out of the window of where the victim’s room was supposed to be. With the magnifying glass, I could easily make out that it was the face of Ferdinand.

Case closed, I guess.

I went on the website, logged into my account, and typed in the killer’s name. The screen stayed still for a second before bouncing to a plain white screen with the words “Thank you for catching the killer” written in red ink on the middle.

Though it was simple and easy, I was somewhat hooked. It was interactive enough for me to fully immerse myself into the case and I decided to keep going with it. Hell, I even got a couple of my coworkers to sign up as well.

The cases continued to come, and to my absolute delight, they became harder and harder. The fifth case was the most difficult. I wouldn’t have been able to figure it out until I realized a strand of brown hair taped to the back of one of the pictures. There were only two suspects that had brown hair, but one of them couldn’t have been the killer. They had an alibi that stated they were on the other side of the state of Louisiana at the time.

I logged in the name, Logan Sanders, and watched as the screen bounced to a completely black screen this time. I expected some sort of congratulatory message, but instead, five names appeared on the screen. The five names that I listed as the killer. A small X appeared on the left side of three of the names, and a O appeared on two of them. Below the names, words started to pop up and form into sentences.

We take your choices very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that we take it upon ourselves to eliminate the people you choose. Unfortunately, you have made the wrong choice 3 out of 5 times. These are the ones you wrongfully killed.

I let out a nervous chuckle. I mean, it still felt like a game, I figured they would just tell me that I would have to keep paying for the cases from now on, but instead, three pictures filled the screen. The first was of Ferdinand Gillerdunchi, he was in a completely white room suspended in the air. His midsection was sliced open, and his intestines were almost touching the ground.

The second photo was a lady by the name of Molly Stover I thought she killed her husband, Brad, but I was wrong, I guess. Her body was cut into three pieces. The first piece was her head, the second was her body, and the last was her waist and legs. They were placed in random corners of the room. Brad’s corpse was distorted into a heart-shape and placed in the middle of the room.

The last one was Logan Sanders. The one I submitted just minutes ago. He was tied up to a chair in the middle of the white room, there were three children holding knives. I could see the terror in his eyes, and I couldn’t do anything. I wanted to believe it was fake, but I couldn’t. It’s hard to perfectly replicate the look of absolute fear. The same look I saw my mother give my father before he shot her in the head during the middle of an argument.

I shut my laptop off and sat in the middle of my bed. I couldn’t do anything, I didn’t want to do anything until my phone started to ring. I looked at the screen. It was a call from one of my coworkers.

I didn’t answer it, but almost immediately, I received a text from him. Slowly I unlocked my phone and looked at the text. A feeling of dread overtook me when I saw a photo of a computer screen. It showed him submitting my name in the website. Underneath the photo was a short message from him.

”HOLY SHIT DUDE. That is fucking sickkkk. I didn’t even know we could volunteer ourselves as suspects. This shit is bad ass, tell me how you did it!”

I grabbed everything I could think of. My wallet, my phone, the two portable chargers I have, $300 in cash I kept for emergencies, and my car keys. I started to run out of the front door when I saw a white van pull into my driveway. Without a second thought, I ran out the back door and kept running.

I don’t really want to say where I am right now. I’m sure they would be able to track me down easily if I did, but I’m hidden for now.

I’m not asking for help, there really isn’t much you can do for me, but if you are reading this and you see an ad for Choices that Matter don’t fucking do it. Avoid it, tell everyone else to avoid it. Don’t be like me. Even if I survive, I still have the lives of three innocent people on my conscience for life.

#creepy #horror story #author: Hayong

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stefandesofia · 3 years

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Stories from the Unliving Ch 3

“And that’s how I saved humanity from a reset” said I to the wide-eyed man.

“You can’t be serious! You went through all that trouble, you literally survived through a war, stopping it BY YOURSELF! And they still ended up taking you apart to learn what made you live?”

“Ah well, it’s fine. All those people are dead now, and even if they did hold me in a cage for years, I can’t die, so I just waited for the cage to fall apart. Only took about 300 years for the metal to get too rusty, and I managed to break it.”

“Even still! It was heartless of them, they cut you up, took you apart, when you should have been treated as the hero you were! Why, if I could go back, and give them a piece of my mind!”

“They still ended up dying anyways, though I don’t know what caused it, since I was locked away. I did end up looking around, after I got out. It was very interesting, everybody was gone. There was little to no damage to the buildings around. There was cars and whatnot that had obviously crashed into things, but it’s like all the people disintegrated. That was about 4000 years into the current reset, so very high level of technology. I checked out the military bases that I knew, and most of them were empty, though a couple I couldn’t get open either, so that’s likely where you had hid that time. I ran some scans using the leftover equipment, so I could check what might have happened. The radiation was really high around. And I mean, everything dies in less than 1 seconds of exposure, and by 20 minutes, only a bloody pile is left kind of high. I’m guessing what happened there was, some sort of radiation wave hit the planet, likely something from the sun, and only the quickest and most well off people managed to hide in underground bunkers. I ended up not communicating with anyone at that point for over 3000 years until the radiation died down a bunch. I also tried helping. You know that area, waaaaay up north? That place where you people call it cursed? Where anything that goes too close, be it people or animal dies? Yeah, I did that.”

“I thought you said you weren’t an evil lich! And now you’ve cursed the whole Valley of Death?”

“Nah, I made it easier for all you to live on the surface again. I went with a truck I fixed, and by hand scraped down and decontaminated all surfaces, gathering all the radioactive material off the surfaces of literally everything, putting it in the truck and driving it off over to the Valley. You know how bad radioactive stuff is for technology? I had to use all trucks in over 300 different shipping yards, fill them in, and after the 14th-15th truckful they would stop working, and I would just start driving them in the Valley as far as they would go, and once they broke for good, I’d just abandon them, walk back the several hundred miles, and start over with another truck. Considering how deadly that area still is, even after 13.000 years, I’d say, I single-handedly managed to bring you lot to the surface thousands of years before you would have gone out on your own. And you know, you might not have, at that point. I read that people can only really stay underground for a few generations at most. Not being able to see the sky or something messes with your heads, and you either go insane, or drop dead.”

“Well, in the name of all of humanity, past and present, I thank you for the work that you’ve put in, that noone but me even realises.”

“Don’t sweat it! It actually gave me a purpose. Not being able to even talk to animals was a real bitch, so I needed something to keep me ‘alive’ so to speak. But you know, I never really figured out exactly what the issue was. I only had my speculations, but since all technology died from the massive EMP that swept over, pretty much erasing all records of things. I watched the sun from a telescope for a while, but the large ball of white didn’t help much, I’m afraid.”

“How did you look at the sun? Wouldn’t it have damaged... your... eyes... I realised the error in that question, forget I asked anything”

“It’s fine, you’re used to something, and it’s difficult to wrap your brain around anything else.”

“What about the time while you spent locked up? Did you have anyone to talk to?”

“Well, I don’t feel pain, so they would take me apart, and almost get me atomized, and then put back together, but I would still be able to speak, and whatnot, so I definitely made them enjoy my witty commentary. There was that one doctor chick. Don’t remember the name, but she had the dorkiest laugh. Every time I would comment on them taking me apart again, she would laugh. She probably got reassigned because of that. Getting too close to the subject and all that. And looking back on it, if you laugh at the joke ‘Hey baby, I hear there’s a party coming up, and I have no body to go with. Wanna go with me?’ while I am just a piece of skull on a table, they must really like you. Shame too. She was a looker. After that, all that was left was sweaty, fat guys in coffee stained lab coats. There was this one particular tubbo, he was the nastiest piece of work. He was balding, but just on top, he had the largest boil on his forehead, and his sweat stains would soak through the lab coat, even. He had the worst, most evil attitude! He would put his cup on my skull, and hold me in his greasy, little, fat hand. Would even sit on me. And then when I would tell the other people there he would say things like ‘Would you really believe what this freak of nature says? Why would I sit on it?’ and it would always work! I bet if that chick doctor was there, she would have believed me! But no! He was the replacement for her!”

“He really does sound awful. Why didn’t you talk to the leader of the settlement about him?”

“You think the general would go down to where all his lowly science dudes were? Nah, he’d stay up in his office/suite, and just have the people bring him food and news, while he sent his assistant down to give orders.”

“And you didn’t talk to that person? Why not?”

“Not due to a lack of trying, I’ll definitely tell you that! Nah, they would always put me in a box whenever they expected someone important to come. Can’t let the ‘big, bad, evil skeleton’ do anything to our dear leaders!”

“Wait, if you were taken apart, who put you back together, so you could escape? I get the sense that you can’t move then taken apart.”

“Oh, I can, I just didn’t. I can actually control every bone in the body individually. Here, watch” and I take my left fist into my right hand, detach is, and chuck it over the pond’s surface. Right before it hit the water, I stopped the bones midair, and pulled them back to me. “I can only really pull the pieces closer, and not much else. And even this took me many years to figure out.”

“That’s witchcraft! How did you do that?”

“I mean, magic doesn’t exist, so not witchcraft. I can control the bones in my body, so I am put together again, but nothing else.”

“Even so, this really is reminiscent of magic. Can you do it to other people’s bones too?”

“Nah, have to consider the bone a part of me. I guess, technically, if I just go crazy and decide, and fully believe, that all bones on the planet belonged to me, I could pull them closer and become this colossal mass of bones. I wonder if it will pull the people, or pull the bones only and leave the flesh. I guess it’s a good thing we’ll never find out, right? Ha!”

“That truly is a terrifying thought. Noone will be able to stop you, as you will be able to just control everyone.”

“Worse yet, since all bones will be mine, I will be the singular cause for the permanent extinction of all vertebrates on the planet! No more resets, no more people, no more big animals. Only me and the snails! That’s a little funny”

“I suspect we have different definitions of funny”

“Having consumed as much media as I have, you get numb to most things.”

We stood there in silence for a while.

“I think I’ll go now” said the man. “I actually have an outing later tonight with this maiden that I fancy, so I need to polish my armor!”

“Wait, don’t tell me you plan to go dressed like That!”

“Is there anything wrong with my family’s armor? It was passed down for generations as an heirloom! Only the greatest of warriors have ever worn it, and now I have that same honor!”

“Oh for the love of everything that’s living still, you can’t expect to ask a girl out and then go dressed like you’re ready to slay her! Come here!” I pulled him closer and started undoing his armor straps. “You need to dress to impress, and I bet if I still had the ability to smell, you would reek! When’s the last time you took a shower?”

“I do not know that word, but I washed up just a few weeks ago, and I haven’t even fought anything.”

“A few weeks?! Jesus! I knew it! Help me out here! Take all this tin can stuff off! Oh, lord, there’s a chainmail underneath, what are you going to fight, a dragon?”

“No, you told me all of them died out. I am showing pride in my family’s name!”

“Yeah, no, I get that, but can’t you just wear, say, a nice set of clothes, and a cape with your family’s crest on the back? And like, the sword hanging at your side, if you reeeeeaally need it that bad.”

“... I suppose that would work, but I will have to requisition a cape made with my crest. Back in town there is a tailor, that I’ve heard does a fine work at things.”

“Now we’re talking! It’s too late now to get it done, but we can still dress you up a little better. Do you have any other clothes in that pack of yours?”

“Of course, I always keep a spare set. Have a look.”

“I suppose these will have to do, now start bathing!”

Took a while to get all the grime scrubbed off, and of course, I didn’t let him anywhere near my pond with that soap of his, just sent him down the stream a bit so he doesn’t contaminate anything.

“You’re almost glowing!” I said. “I didn’t even realise your skin was that white!”

“I know, it’s terrible! It’s a show of my sheltered life! I was never allowed to leave the walled off area around the house, and the only place I was allowed to explore was the small area in our garden where there were trees planted.”

“What are you talking about, you look great! If I were a chick, and still had any skin, I’d totally go for you. But let’s get you ready, put the clothes on... Great, and let’s shine those boots. Perfect. I have an idea for finishing the look, here” and I took just the chest plate from his armor and put it over his vest. “Now this way, you can show off your house emblem AND look like you’re going on a date. Do you have a flower guy?”

“I’m sorry? Ah! If I have anywhere to buy her a flower? No, why would I do that?”

“Are you kidding me? You like her, right?”

“Sure, she’s real pretty, and very smart.”

“And you want her to like you, right?”

“Of course. She would make a wonderful wife”

“Just don’t tell her that to her face. Okay, you need to get her a flower. Just give me a minute” and I dove back in the water. I picked some bright water-weeds, a few lili blossoms, some greens from the nearby willow, and wrapped them all up in a piece of parchment, tied together with a piece of string. “Here! Now you won’t look completely helpless”

“Thank you! This is amazing! I didn’t know you could make such beautiful things with flowers”

“Yeah, yeah, had time to read books on design, and learned a thing or two. Now! Before you do anything else, before you meet up with the girl, you go to that tailor, and you get him to make that cloak. You want it to be an over the shoulder kind, and go up to right above the butt, as that will show off what you’re working with, but also will have enough space for the house logo. And the over the shoulder type is what the nobles wear just about every reset, so it’s a good bet!”

“I will! Thank you again! I will tell you how it went, when I come over tomorrow! You will keep my armor safe, right?”

“You better! And duh, it's not like anyone ever comes here.”

"You have my gratitude!"

"Come on! Off you go!"

#Stories from the Undying #storrytelling #writing

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humanscandrivestick · 7 years

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E.Q.--Le Jour Heureux de Valentine

Happy Valentine’s Day from Trancer 42 and Trancer 8392. Also, I totally want what Laika gets as a gift one day. That would be the best ever.

~~~~

There was a bouquet on Felipe's desk when he came in that morning. A similar one was on his partner's desk, and his partner gave it a curious look as he picked it up. His was in blues and emerald greens, with palm-sized blossoms, while Felipe's was full of oranges, pinks and reds. Roses, peonies, hyacinths, even chrysanthemums. They were all made of paper, a fact that Arpeggio was surprised about as he picked up one of the blooms and found the stem was a striped paper straw. "Huh? I didn't know you could make flowers out of paper." His voice wasn't as deadpan as usual, a hint of surprise and curiosity in it. Felipe, his hair the color of stoplights with hot pink tips, smiled as he set his next to his computer and flexed his fingers, waiting for it to boot up. "Those are coffee filters. And tissue paper." Arpeggio blinked as he sat down. "How do you know?" "Well....I've made a few tissue paper flowers in my life. Learnt that people on Valentine's day will pay a guy for any pretty flower when its past 6pm and the florists are closed." "Where did they come from??" He turned to him. "Did you make them?" Felipe laughed. "Naw. Mine don't look as good as the real thing. They must be from a girl who wants to impress us." The TC stared at him with confusion. "Huh?" "Crap, Arpeggio, don't you know? Gonna be Valentine's day soon." He shook his head. "Never gotten valentines as a kid??" Felipe could buy that Arpeggio didn't celebrate holidays, but he still forgot that Arpeggio didn't have the same kind of childhood as most kids. "That wasn't something...we did. I guess once or twice I've gotten chocolate, but I'm not a huge fan so I always gave it to other people." Felipe winced good-naturedly. "Dude, don't do that.... Those represent feelings, you know?" "I didn't. I don't." Know, that is, is what he meant, but these weren't things he learnt as a young child. While kids learnt to read and write and maybe make crafts from leftover items in a home or classroom, he was training to play every instrument in an orchestra, how to run marathons, shoot guns, and memorize volumes of music. "So who are these from?" "Probably Laika." He blinked. "How do you know?" "Cuz I helped her hand dye about, oh, 300 filters in easter egg paint a few days ago. S'why my hands were rainbow-y." "I though she was dying your hair." "She was. Then we did that. She's pretty handy with paper, scissors and tape." "What are they for?" Felipe stared at him. He quelled the impulse to holler "THIRD BASE" at him, then started to laugh uncontrollably. "Dude...you on 88s? Take some gabber to keep up with the conversation. They're for valentine's day." The puzzlement didn't leave his face, and it made Felipe laugh, because the alternative was for him to pity him, and that wasn't something he wanted to do. Arpeggio needed all the time he could get catching up on a social life. "For us?" "Yeah. Sometimes, you give gifts to friends on V-day. If you're JP though, you give chocolate, and you're obligated--if you got candy on Valentine's--to give back a gift a month later. Its called White Day. When I did Valentine's, I used to hang in the J-town district and got hella chocolate. Made me a stud." He could see his detour was distracting Arpeggio so he rounded back to the subject. "Anyways. She was gonna give a whole buncha people flowers for V-day. She likes to make that kinda stuff." "What is she getting Sharp and Tungsten?" Felipe raised an eyebrow, so he continued. "I mean, I know its a romantic holiday, so I assume if there's gift giving, they give nice gifts to people...they...you know. Like." "Well you know that much, you're not completely hopeless." There was a knock at the door and Felipe called them to enter. Tungsten was there holding a small bag. It had a lot of candy and envelopes in it. "Speak of the lil devil." Felipe smiled at him. "Man, you are popular." "Dude, what? This is yours. It was outside your office door." He brought the bag over, where in delicate cursive, Trancer 42 was written in black permanent marker, and was stuffed with chocolate, candy, and lots of pink and red envelopes. Felipe pulled one out and laughed. There were a few labeled with his name, others with their number, and a good bunch with Arpeggio's name on them. Tungsten said, "I thought she was just making you flowers. She musta made you guys a bag so people would know where to leave yours." When he saw the boys' confused looks--Felipe's was more amused--he continued. "I guess you didn't hear. Everyone was doing valentine exchanges, so Laika and a buncha the girls went and made bags with the buildings' teams numbers on them so people can leave valentines to people without jamming them under the doors like last year. A bunch got ripped or something." The red-haired Trancer was opening one envelope and tucking into a bag of candy hearts, reading the valentine. "Yeah, we got a bunch last year; Arpeggio didn't know what to do with them so I put them inna box." He nudged his partner as he showed him the one he was reading, addressed to Arpeggio. "Mmmm, looka here, Pege, looks like you're pretty popular with the ladies." He shrugged, which elicited looks of exasperation from the other 2. "What are you getting the lady for the occasion?" asked Felipe. The younger boy frowned. "I don't know....flowers don't seem enough cuz she made so many, and she's better at making them. I mean real ones I could, but...I dunno." "Want something special, yeah?" "I do. Sharp doesn't know either. She's not really a jewelry girl." Arpeggio shrugged. "Well, what does she like?" "Everything." "That...doesn't....help." Felipe's eyes caught sight of the flowers on their desk. He smiled. "I got an idea....but we're gonna need someone to keep her away from home for the day." Tungsten and Felipe looked at Arpeggio who gave them a bewildered look. "Uh...I think I'm the wrong person." "That makes it perfect."

Laika wasn't sure why Arpeggio was taking her to lunch on Valentine's day, especially when she wanted to go with Sharp, but the latter was busy with some business, and Tungsten and Felipe said they were busy too. It was pleasant if a bit awkward at first. Laika's experience with Tchaikovsky's Children was exactly Sharp, and Arpeggio was different. A little colder, more aloof, though never unfriendly--at least not to her. After chatting mindlessly about the weather, work, and even the valentine's day bag she set up for them, she paused then changed the subject. They'd just finished eating. "How are you and Felipe getting along?" He turned his head slightly, as if thinking. "Hm? Well...well enough, since we aren't as...antagonistic as you can see." "You know what they say, the more you fight, the more you like each other," she teased. He gave her a sheepish smile, but it was tinged with embarrassment. "You don't believe that, do you?" "You look good together," she said with a smirk. He shut his eyes and gave a friendly exhalation. "I'm sure we do but...I don't think that's really something I'm looking into. I'd like to, despite the cliche, focus on my career. Even if Felipe was at all attracted to me, and I don't think he is." Laika wasn't sure either. "He's a tough nut to crack." "Really? He's rather easy to read. Compared to me, I suppose." "You think? Sometimes I think he's hard to read." "I suppose its because I live with him that I have the luxury of thinking that." His phone vibrated, so he took a look and saw that Felipe was telling him to bring her back. He called for the check, paid despite her protests (he convinced her it was thanks for the flowers, which she amusedly accepted), and they headed back for the apartment. Felipe was sitting in his usual spot of the playground and smoking. Arpeggio gave him a small wave as Laika approached. "Heyyyy," he said casually. "What were you and Tungsten up to?" she asked, a little miffed. He only smiled as Arpeggio passed them and headed back to their apartment. Felipe shrugged and followed. "Well, you have a good night then." "What's all this about?" she demanded but Trancer 42 only headed back, took the stairs instead of the elevator. Nettled, she made her way to her own apartment, intending to call her partners when she got in. She came to the door, and unlocked the door, then dropped her keys in shock. The foyer was draped in hanging paper wisteria flowers, with paper leaves, hanging by plastic hooks from the ceiling, and as she walked through, the living room area was decked out in paper roses, pansies, and more chrysanthemums made of tissue paper and coffee filters of all colors, some bright, other more subtle and faded. A stand of giant crepe paper roses with bamboo stick stems was in the umbrella holder. From more hooks on the ceiling are a few pomander balls of flowers made from paper lanterns and more coffee filters, dyed from the center out so they resembled dandelions in pinks and lavenders. Clematis flowers decorated the sofa arms and back. The large vase on the living area table held a bouquet of roses made from sheets of music, delicately curled from the tips of the petals. Sharp and Tungsten, both wearing crepe paper flower boutonnieres in their vest pockets, were seated at the table, a tea set and small array of petit fours and macarons all set up for 3. Her hands at her mouth as tears crowded her eyes, she couldn't find the words to say...well, anything. "Happy Valentine's Day," they said together as she quickly came over to throw her arms around them.

Their valentine's flowers gracing their table, red and blue flowers combined into one vase, Trancer 42 enjoyed their job well done. Munching on a few of the leftover macarons from the set up, Felipe and Arpeggio were having a pot of earl grey tea in satisfaction. "The set up was really nice," Arpeggio said, sipping his tea. He'd seen the decorations from the picture sent earlier as a signal. "But how did you 3 ever get all that done??" "Like I said," Felipe chirped as he chewed a strawberry macaron in relish. "I've made a few of those puppies back in my day." "You really do have the strangest talents, Felipe." "You're welcome."

#E.Q.#E.Q. Fridays #Side B #Trancer 8392 #Arpeggio #Felipe #Laika #Tungsten #Sharp

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theconservativebrief · 6 years

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When protesters took to the streets to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, many of their signs bore two words: “me too.”

The words were an expression of solidarity with Christine Blasey Ford, who says that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were in high school, and with a movement that has gained nationwide attention in the last year. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) even made reference to it in her speech announcing that she would vote to confirm Kavanaugh despite the allegations: “The #MeToo movement,” she said, “is real.”

Dozens of protesters against the confirmation of Republican Supreme court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh gather outside of Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer’s office on the afternoon of Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony, on September 27, 2018. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Founded by Tarana Burke more than a decade ago, #MeToo came to new prominence in October 2017, after women came forward publicly with allegations of sexual harassment and assault by producer Harvey Weinstein. In the weeks and months that followed, the movement gained steam as more and more Americans shared their own stories of being harassed or assaulted in the workplace by people — most of them men — in positions of power. Over time, #MeToo became a broader conversation, not just about workplace harassment and assault, but about coercive and abusive behavior outside of work as well.

“The #MeToo movement is about survivors reclaiming our power,” Carmen Perez, co-chair of the Women’s March, told Vox. “It is also a movement of accountability on violence against women and sexism.”

“The #MeToo movement is about survivors reclaiming our power”

A year after the movement entered its most public phase, its long-term effects remain uncertain. Some high-profile people — Weinstein, Mario Batali, Al Franken, and Les Moonves, to name a few — were fired or stepped away from their job as a result of the allegations against them.

Others, like Kavanaugh and President Donald Trump, have remained in positions of power. And while some workplaces have made changes to address sexual harassment, it’s not yet clear whether industries will make the larger reforms necessary to truly keep workers safe. Meanwhile, the costs of coming forward, for survivors, have not lessened — according to her lawyer, Christine Blasey Ford is receiving “unending” death threats and cannot return to her home.

For many, Kavanaugh’s confirmation laid bare how little has changed since #MeToo rose to prominence. But Ford’s public testimony resulted in an outpouring of support from survivors and their allies around the country, many of whom have now focused their attention on the midterm elections in November.

For this story, Vox asked activists, journalists, and others across industries to answer a single question: “What is the #MeToo movement?” The answers varied in their emphasis — a movement once focused on sexual violence has, for many, become broader. But taken together, they made one thing clear: While #MeToo’s position in the national consciousness may have shifted several times over the past year, the movement is far from over.

Brenda Gutierrez (third from left) and Tarana Burke (center) lead the “Take Back The Workplace March” and “#MeToo Survivors March & Rally” at Producers Guild of America on November 12, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California. Gabriel Olsen/WireImage

“#MeToo is a movement of survivors and their supporters, powered by courage, determined to end sexual violence and harassment,” Ai-jen Poo, executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, told Vox. “We prioritize the leadership and healing of survivors, especially the least visible, most vulnerable among us. And we are growing in our power.”

The phrase “me too” was in use as expression of survivor solidarity long before the allegations against Weinstein became public. In 2006, activist Tarana Burke heard repeated reports of sexual violence in her work with girls through a nonprofit she had co-founded, Just Be Inc. She started the Me Too campaign that year “to spread a message for survivors: You’re heard, you’re understood,” she told Vox in 2017.

On October 5, 2017, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey of the New York Times reported that Weinstein had reached at least eight settlements with women over the preceding decades, regarding claims of sexual harassment, unwanted touching, and other misconduct. Among those who spoke to the Times was actress Ashley Judd, who said Weinstein had invited her to what she thought was a business meeting in 1997, then appeared in a bathrobe and asked her to watch him shower. “Women have been talking about Harvey amongst ourselves for a long time,” Judd said, “and it’s simply beyond time to have the conversation publicly.”

Protesters attend a Me Too rally to denounce sexual harassment and assaults of women in Los Angeles, California on November 12, 2017. Ronen Tivony/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The conversation soon grew. On October 10, a story by Ronan Farrow of the New Yorker revealed more allegations, including one by actress and director Asia Argento, who said Weinstein had raped her. (Argento herself would later be accused of sexual assault by actor Jimmy Bennett.) In the coming months, more than 80 women would report sexual harassment or assault by Weinstein.

In a statement to the Times on October 5, Weinstein said, “I appreciate the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologize for it.” But he has denied committing any crimes.

On October 15, as the number of allegations grew, actress Alyssa Milano tweeted a call to survivors of assault and harassment to post “me too” as a status.

The response was enormous. Within 10 days, 1.7 million tweets containing the hashtag #MeToo were sent, according to Twitter, and 85 countries had more than 1,000 tweets posted on the hashtag. Countless people — especially, but not exclusively, women — began to speak publicly about experiences they’d never talked about before.

Some of them started talking to reporters. Kantor, Twohey, Farrow, and others played a pivotal role in exposing allegations against a variety of powerful people. After Weinstein came celebrities like actor Kevin Spacey, who was accused by multiple men of sexual harassment or assault, and by some of making advances toward them when they were underage (he was fired from Netflix’s House of Cards and removed from the movie All the Money in the World); media figures like Charlie Rose, who was accused of sexual harassment by multiple women (he was fired by CBS, PBS, and Bloomberg); and others like chef Mario Batali, who was accused of groping or inappropriate touching by several women (he stepped away from his restaurants).

“This isn’t just a Democratic issue, this is a Republican issue, an American issue, and most importantly a human issue.”

Politicians on both sides of the aisle, from Roy Moore to Al Franken, become the subject of allegations. “This isn’t just a Democratic issue, this is a Republican issue, an American issue, and most importantly a human issue,” Jennifer Pierotti Lim, co-founder of the group Republican Women for Progress, told Vox.

Sparked in large part by wealthy, white, Hollywood actresses, the public conversation around the movement in 2017 did not necessarily serve all survivors equally. Harassment against women of color, especially those working in low-wage industries like restaurants, hotels, or agriculture, received less media coverage than the experiences of women with boldface names. Republican women sometimes found themselves isolated when they spoke out about harassment or assault within their own party.

“I think #MeToo is both a symptom and a cause of a lot of the awful coming out of the GOP right now,” Meghan Milloy, another co-founder of Republican Women for Progress, told Vox. “It’s a symptom coming from decades of a country empowering old white dudes where the women finally hit their breaking point. And it’s a cause because it’s gotten so many of our elected old white dudes to become incredibly defensive of their kind and do things like pushing through a Supreme Court nominee who was credibly accused of sexual assault.”

Discussions of #MeToo also typically focused on women, often eliding the experiences of men and nonbinary people.

“The story is not so easy as ‘cis men rape, cis women are victims,’ and I think we do ourselves an injustice when we oversimplify the issue in this way,” KC Clements, a writer and speaker who has written about barriers facing transgender survivors, told Vox. “There are millions of stories of sexual assault out there, many of them existing at the margins where few people are willing to listen or believe — many like mine as one of the more than one in two nonbinary AFAB [assigned female at birth] people who have experienced sexual assault in their lifetimes.”

More than 300 actresses, producers, and others attempted to address some of the inequalities around the movement in early January 2018 by starting Time’s Up, a group dedicated to fighting harassment through, among other tools, a legal defense fund geared toward helping survivors in low-wage jobs. “#MeToo is the next step on what has been the long journey towards a world where everyone, especially women, can go to work, school or pursue their life’s work in safety, dignity, and with respect, and have the equal opportunity as others to reach their full potential,” Tina Tchen, a litigator who is part of the leadership team of the Time’s Up legal defense fund, told Vox.

Tina Tchen, then Assistant to President Obama, (left) talks to Rep. Elaina Holmes Norton (D-DC) during an event marking the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act on June 10, 2013. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Time’s Up joined groups like the Alianza Nacional de Campesinas and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, whose members were already speaking out and working against harassment in farming and other industries.

As Rebecca Carroll, a cultural critic and editor of special projects for WNYC, put it to Vox, “The #MeToo movement is a prelude to an #UsAlways movement — women of all racial, ethnic and class backgrounds have been trying to make our way across these divisive lines for centuries; to figure out what solidarity means, what intersectional means, how to strengthen one another rather than compete or antagonize. The #MeToo movement has given us a connective thread, an important tool — a tool, not the tool — to help us find our way to each other at our strongest and most vulnerable.”

“The #MeToo movement is a prelude to an #UsAlways movement”

By the end of 2017, a nationwide — perhaps worldwide — reckoning on sexual misconduct was afoot, and even those who had been able to ignore the problem in the past began to recognize its magnitude. But the movement soon sparked a backlash.

On January 13, 2018, Katie Way of the website Babe.net reported on allegations by a woman she called Grace (not her real name), who said that comedian Aziz Ansari had pressured her for sex while they were on a date. “It took a really long time for me to validate this as sexual assault,” she told Way.

But others said her account did not belong in the same public conversation as women’s reports of assault and harassment by Weinstein and others. HLN host Ashleigh Banfield called Grace’s experience nothing more than a “bad date.”

“The #MeToo movement has righted a lot of wrongs, and it has made your career path much smoother,” Banfield said, directing her remarks at Grace. “Yet you looked that gift horse in the mouth and chiseled away at that powerful movement with your public accusation.”

Modern Romance, published by Aziz Ansari and American sociologist Eric Klinenberg on June 16, 2015, was an investigative research book on the complexities of modern-day dating. John Lamparski/WireImage

Her comments were part of a larger backlash to the #MeToo movement, much of which focused on the concern that different types of sexual misconduct would be lumped together and punished in the same way. Some of this criticism also centered on the Shitty Media Men list, a crowdsourced, anonymous document created to help women warn each other about men in media and publishing who had been accused of harassment, assault, or other misconduct. The list, which was initially intended to be private, spread widely, and soon sparked criticism.

“One man is accused of ‘secretly removing condom during sex,’ with no claim of workplace misconduct at all,” wrote Andrew Sullivan at New York magazine. “Another is damned for ‘flirting,’ another for taking ‘credit for ideas of women of color,’ another for ‘multiple employee affairs, inappropriate conversation, in general a huge disgusting sleaze ball.’ And this chorus of minor offenses is on the same list as brutal rapes, physical assaults, brazen threats, unspeakable cruelty, violence, and misogyny.”

In January, journalist Moira Donegan identified herself as the list’s creator in an essay for the Cut, and addressed some criticisms of the document. “No one confused a crude remark for a rape, and efforts were made to contextualize the incidents with notes,” she said. “But the premise was accepted that all of these behaviors were things that might make someone uncomfortable and that individuals should be able to choose for themselves what behavior they could tolerate and what they would rather avoid.”

To some degree, criticisms of #MeToo have persisted. The Kavanaugh confirmation fight reinvigorated many such criticisms, some rooted in myths and misconceptions about sexual harassment and assault. Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, for instance, reportedly defended Kavanaugh by saying that the allegations against him were not as bad as those against Weinstein. She echoed the argument made by other #MeToo critics that accusations have to be as serious as those against Weinstein in order to be deserving of public attention.

Despite such criticisms, American women have generally been supportive of #MeToo. In a Vox/Morning Consult poll conducted in March, 69 percent of women said they supported the movement. Many had concerns about #MeToo — 63 percent were worried men would be falsely accused, and 60 percent were worried that women would be denied opportunities because men would be afraid to work with them. But in focus groups Vox conducted along with the polling firm PerryUndem, women’s worries about the movement were typically rooted in a desire for it to succeed in its goal of reducing harassment and assault.

One way to measure the impact of #MeToo is to look at the consequences faced by powerful people who have been the subject of sexual misconduct allegations. About a year after Kantor and Twohey first reported on the allegations against him, Weinstein has not only lost his job at the company he co-founded — he has also been indicted on charges of rape and predatory sexual assault. He has pleaded not guilty, and is currently free on bail; his next court appearance is scheduled for November.

He is one of relatively few powerful people to face criminal charges as a result of allegations made during the current phase of #MeToo. In some cases, that’s because the allegations don’t constitute criminal offenses. In others, it’s because the statute of limitations has run out. Whatever the case, we have yet to see the first highly visible people both accused and convicted in the era of #MeToo. Bill Cosby and former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar have been sentenced since the movement began, but their charges stemmed from allegations made many years ago.

Meanwhile, high-profile people accused of sexual misconduct as part of #MeToo, from Louis C.K. to Matt Lauer to Charlie Rose to Aziz Ansari, have reportedly been planning or executing comebacks. On October 5, 2018, a year to the day after Kantor and Twohey published their story about Weinstein, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) announced that she would vote to confirm Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, despite the allegations made by Ford and others. He was confirmed and sworn in the following day and continues to deny the allegations.

LightRocket via Getty Images

President Trump said that many women were “extremely happy” with the confirmation, because “they’re thinking of their sons, they’re thinking of their husbands, their brothers, their uncles, and others.” Trump himself has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen women, but none of those allegations stopped him from being elected president. Kavanaugh’s confirmation came almost exactly two years after the publication of the Access Hollywood tape on which Trump could be heard bragging about his ability to grab women “by the pussy.”

The Kavanaugh vote, following Ford’s wrenching testimony, has led many to consider what American society still demands of survivors: that they speak publicly about some of the most painful moments of their lives, facing blame, shaming, and disbelief, all in the hope of reforms that may never come.

“The #MeToo movement lurches forward over a path of scars,” wrote Alexandra Petri at the Washington Post, after Ford testified. “The change is so slow and the sacrifice it demands so great.”

Many were also chagrined by the fact that Collins, a woman and an ostensibly moderate Republican, cast her vote for Kavanaugh. For some, it recalled the fact that 53 percent of white female voters cast their votes for Trump in 2016. “White women benefit from patriarchy by trading on their whiteness to monopolize resources for mutual gain,” Alexis Grenell wrote at the New York Times after the Kavanaugh vote. “In return they’re placed on a pedestal to be ‘cherished and revered,’ as Speaker Paul D. Ryan has said about women, but all the while denied basic rights.”

“We have to stay vigilant,” Carroll told Vox, “because #UsAlways also means All of Us. I would say white women in particular need to be mindful of that in their vigilance.”

But despite the outcome of the vote, Ford’s testimony brought with it an outpouring of support that was striking in its scope.

“I had not planned to share my story,” wrote activist Ana María Archila at USA Today. “But Christine Blasey Ford told her story to protect our country and, in solidarity with her and as a way to thank her, I decided to tell mine.”

Meanwhile, #MeToo has always been about more than the toppling of a few high-profile men. Around the country, workers continue to organize and advocate for freedom from harassment. In September, McDonald’s workers in 10 cities went on strike to protest harassment, after they said the company failed to address complaints.

“#MeToo means I no longer have to be silent when I’m harassed at work”

“#MeToo means I no longer have to be silent when I’m harassed at work,” Barbara Johnson, a McDonald’s worker who filed a harassment complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in September, told Vox.

And now, many survivors and their supporters are turning their focus to the midterm elections in November. As Jess Davidson, executive director of the group End Rape on Campus, told Vox in September, “survivors will be turning out and voting.”

It’s too soon to tell what effect, if any, the #MeToo movement will have at the ballot box. What is certain is that the movement isn’t finished.

“We have to go hand in hand, with one united voice, into a future without victims, a world of #MeTooNoMas,” said Nely Rodriguez, a staff member with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. “That is the future we are seeking.”

Original Source -> The #MeToo movement and its evolution, explained

via The Conservative Brief

#IFTTT #The Conservative Brief

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kidsviral-blog · 6 years

Text

Obama pushes minimum wage hike; small biz owners say ‘I can’t hire now’

New Post has been published on https://kidsviral.info/obama-pushes-minimum-wage-hike-small-biz-owners-say-i-cant-hire-now/

Obama pushes minimum wage hike; small biz owners say ‘I can’t hire now’

http://twitter.com/#!/BBUMH/status/301526074372808704

And the hits for small businesses just keep coming. Sarah Palin awesomely fact-checked President Obama’s State of the Union address last night. This morning, Twitter users are continuing to do so as well. They are trying to give the president a Teachable Moment regarding his call to raise the minimum wage to $9.00 per hour.

Speaker Boehner asks a pertinent question.

"Why would we want to make it harder for small employers to hire people?" asks Boehner about raising minimum wage.

— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) February 13, 2013

Greg Sargent just doesn’t get it, but happy warriors try to explain it to him.

@ThePlumLineGS Yep. A higher minimum wage will surely have employers hiring more people. #Forward

— Rschrim (@Rschrim) February 13, 2013

I asked @ThePlumLineGS where the money for a hike in the minimum wage will come from. Still no answer.

— DrewMTips (@DrewMTips) February 13, 2013

Other citizens agree.

Obama to call for increase in minimum wage to $9 per hour. How about that, small business owner?

— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) February 13, 2013

"Raise federal minimum wage to $9 an hour." Why stop there? Why not $12? $15? $20? Can we get $20?#SOTU #auction

— NY Post Opinion (@NYPostOpinion) February 13, 2013

Zing! And what about rising costs for everyone else?

Raise minimum wage, burden on employer, forced to lay off workers or raise prices. Figure it out Obama.

— Ben King (@bking885) February 13, 2013

Bingo. Those who live in the real world and not an Ivory tower, explain some facts of life to President Obama, who never had to meet a payroll in his life.

https://twitter.com/HecklersDelight/status/301561669782499328

If minimum wage goes up to 9 dollars, aont no job gonna be hiring ppl

— Abdulraheem Ope (@ComeGetUr_Girl) February 13, 2013

If Obama raises minimum wage I better get a 1.75 raise too. I'm far from making minimum wage but that's stupid. No one is gonna hire now.

— Keri Leigh White (@keri_leigh_) February 13, 2013

https://twitter.com/Kevin_MTaylor/status/301533689504989184

Increasing the minimum wage to $9.00 /hr want nobody be hiring lol #SOTU

— Mr. Stealyogurl™ (@hoodboy252) February 13, 2013

https://twitter.com/Andrew_Cox/status/301537875902738432

$9 minimum wage just means businesses will cut more hours and lay people off. Surprise! Businesses can’t magically summon more money!

— Mike Beasley (@MikeBeas) February 13, 2013

raising minimum wage will cause businesses to lay off more people did you consider that mr. Obama???

— Chels (@ChellyBakedBean) February 13, 2013

@TcotAudrey yep. This guy is focused on jobs. Killing jobs. Raising minimum wage forces small businesses to hire less

— joeberry (@joevberry) February 13, 2013

Oh good, a 24% increase in the minimum wage. Now to decide which 24% of the minimum wage employees to fire…

— Larry Correia (@monsterhunter45) February 13, 2013

if they raise minimum wage, i doubt they will hire much more…companies may actually lay some people off

— The Last Uchiha (@HesStar_) February 13, 2013

Ask a business owner if they'll keep prices steady when minimum wage is raised. I bet 98% will raise their product costs. #SOTU #minimumwage

— Rory Pitts (@Cougarfan75) February 13, 2013

$9/hour minimum wage shouldn't hurt #smallbiz too much…said no #smallbiz owner ever. #SOTU

— Brian Moran (@brianmoran) February 13, 2013

Precisely. What are small business owners saying? They are saying this will cause a layoff bomb and hiring freeze redux.

@GovernorQuinn Raising the minimum wage will force me to lay off my only employee and make it impossible for me to stay in business.

— Mark A. Javier (@JavierLawFirmPC) February 7, 2013

He isn’t alone, and others take to Twitter to let President Obama know the same thing.

obamacare+9/hr minimum wage=as a business owner I cringe every time this dude opens his mouth #SOTU

— The G (@RGVPony) February 13, 2013

Pre wants min wage $9/hr, y stop there? $20/hr sounds much better. As a former biz owner I w/not hire prez 2 manage, he'd put us out of biz

— tom lucero (@tomlucero1) February 13, 2013

My boss said months ago that she's going to lay off at least 1 person or cut hours if minimum wage goes up. Thanks Obama. #minimumwage

— Robert Morrison (@Mr_President49) February 13, 2013

As a small business owner… if minimum wage is increased then I can't hire and grow. So there's no point in staying in business.

— Dallas Thurn (@DalThu) February 13, 2013

More layoffs. “@toddstarnes: Obama to call for increase in minimum wage to $9 per hour. How about that, small business owner?”

— Jeremy O'Dell (@Jeremyodellknox) February 13, 2013

As a business owner. Raising the minimum wage that high will lead to less hours for employees, no healthcare. It is a tax in the lower class

— Dave Fantelli™ (@dfantelli) February 13, 2013

@beckyquickcnbc Raising minimum wage will cripple my business…but at least I will get from under the 400,000 tax bracket.

— Matt Connor (@gmconnor1) February 13, 2013

https://twitter.com/AlexWZaleski/status/301524217244024832

@LincolnFresno @menedspizzeria Do you know what that would do to my business? CA would then move it min wage up to keep up with cost!

— Cody Cabbiness (@codymcdivitt) February 13, 2013

So how fast will my small business go under? Minimum wage up, medical insurance cost or tax for not providing, taxes up. #sotu

— Thyme4Liberty (@_Thyme4Liberty) February 13, 2013

What!!?? $9 How is that possible??? My small business can't afford that min wage price hike?! #SOTU How? #Obama

— Rochelle Oliver (@Rochelle_Oliver) February 13, 2013

@SpeakerBoehner the proposed minimum wage increase would have cost my small business Apx. $67,000 last year. I made $64,000

— Kevin (@klbrakefield) February 13, 2013

Give my company a tax break and I'll agree to raise minimum wage. CEO's worked their a$$ off to get where they are…they earned it.

— Nathan (@NathanOKIE) February 13, 2013

"$9 minimum wage will put [name] out of business." Txt I got during the SOTU referring to his wife's multi-location, job-creating biz.

— Jordan Bush (@jordanwbush) February 13, 2013

@EWErickson ,I employ 16 high school kids at my yogurt shop. A $9.00 hr. minimum wage puts me out of business and them out of a job.

— Steve Woodward (@_yogking) February 13, 2013

@seanhannity $9.00 minimum wage will kill our business!

— Sharla Rivera (@Sharla_Rivera) February 13, 2013

@Inc absolutely not how about tax breaks that allows me to better keep my current employees still working as opposed to laying them off.

— Mauricio Lopez (@mauriciolopezjd) February 13, 2013

In order to afford to hire anyone at the proposed minimum wage with the new regulations, I would need to raise all my prices by 300%.

— DMG ICE (Official) (@dmgice) February 13, 2013

Hiring freezes. Layoffs. And going out of business. Sadly, that is just the tip of the iceberg. And to all who still believe that raising the minimum wage is just totally awesome because you think you may make a few bucks more per week, Herman Cain brings up another insightful point.

If all you aspire to do is work for the minimum wage, you won't live the American Dream! #tcot

— Herman Cain (@THEHermanCain) February 13, 2013

Indeed. President Obama thinks that is all you should aspire to. Remember that. Stephanie Cutter already said that the president has a mandate to help people enter and stay in the middle class. Now he’s extending that aspiration-crushing goal, evidently. You’ll hit a plateau and like it, rubes.

Again, thank Obama for the destructive policies that are crushing businesses and individuals across the board. You “didn’t build that” becomes “you can’t build that.” Forward!

Out of business avalanche: Small biz owners report ‘closing up shop,’ and ‘can’t afford to stay in business’

Layoff bomb joined by hiring freeze: Small biz owners say ‘I won’t be hiring for a long time’

Death spiral: Hours cut, workers pushed to part-time due to Obamacare; ‘They keep cutting my hours’

Libs call for boycott of Papa John’s as CEO anticipates cut in workers’ hours

Applebee’s targeted after franchisee mulls hiring freeze in response to Obamacare

Layoff bomb detonates; Large corporations join small businesses in announcing mass cuts

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2013/02/13/hiring-freeze-redux-obama-pushes-minimum-wage-hike-small-biz-owners-say-will-put-me-out-of-business/

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stargoldengooses-blog · 7 years

Text

Golden Goose Outlet been

DJ AM has Golden Goose Outlet been found dead in his New York City apartment.

Det. Brian Sessa tells PEOPLE that at 5:20 p.m. on Friday New York Police Department officers entered an apartment on Lafayette Street in response to a 911 call about a man who hadn't been seen for two days. Inside, they found the body of a white male in his 30s. Another police source confirmed to PEOPLE that the dead man was DJ AM.

The cause of death has not been released by the medical examiner, although N.Y.P.D. Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said there was no apparent evidence of foul play. A police source said prescription drugs were found in the apartment.

Goldstein's publicist released a statement Friday confirming the news of his death. "The circumstances surrounding his death areunclear. Out of respect for his family and loved ones, please respect their privacy at this time," the statement says.

DJ AM (real name: Adam Michael Goldstein) was 36. He had a near brush with death in a 2008 jet crash with Blink 182's Travis Barker.

"There's no reason why I lived and they didn't," DJ AM said last month at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, referring to the others who died in the crash. "It's something that I struggle with every day, you know, kind of wondering. But I鈥檝e just realized I'm never really going to know. I'm alive, and I'm here, and I have another chance. So I have to do something better with my life this time."

DJ AM's Last DaysOn Thursday, Goldstein Tweeted, "New york, new york. Big city of dreams, but everything in new york ain't always what it seems." http://www.goldengoosestar.com/

DJ AM was scheduled to work Friday night at Rain nightclub at the Palms in Las Vegas, where he has a standing gig. He was the deejay at the club last weekend. "He never drinks alcohol ' ever," says a source who has seen him there. "Every time he's there he drinks Fiji water and Red Bull ' six Fijis and six Red Bulls every night."

Goldstein had just played Dusk at Caesar's Atlantic City on Tuesday night. He was part owner of the club, which will be closed Friday night. In a statement, Dusk management said, "We are devastated by the loss of Adam Goldstein, our dear friend and valued member of the Dusk family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones. He was a true talent who will be greatly missed."

His Past StrugglesGoldstein was a popular deejay in the Hollywood, New York and Vegas club scene, and had struggled with weight, drugs and depression.

"Drugs became my identity," he said in 2005. "I would deejay until 2 a.m., go get drugs and stay up until 10 in the morning doing drugs alone in my apartment." During his early 20s, his weight reached 300 lbs.

A critical turning point in his life came in 1997, when Goldstein considered suicide. After a night of doing cocaine, Goldstein, 24 at the time, sat before a mirror and "could not move away from staring at myself," he said. He put a gun in his mouth and, sobbing, said, "God, please help me."

"I pulled the trigger, and it jammed," DJ AM said, recounting the story again at the TCAs last month. "And I remember sitting there thinking, 'You know, I can鈥檛 even kill myself.' " He said the next morning, a friend, who had managed to kick drugs, stopped to check in on him. "He said, 'Dude, you're coming with me. Let's go." And I just listened for once, and I went and I did everything he told me to do. That was 11 years ago."

After vowing to get off drugs and lose weight, Goldstein underwent gastric bypass surgery and dropped 115 lbs.

He dated Nicole Richie and got engaged to the reality TV star in 2005, though the two called off their plans in December of that year. Goldstein most recently dated model Hayley Wood but according to reports called it quits earlier this month.

• Reporting by MARY GREEN, MARK DAGOSTINO, CARLOS GREER, LISA INGRASSIA, ELIZABETH F. MCNEIL and MARK GRAY

RELATED ARTICLE: • DJ AM survives fiery plane crash RELATED GALLERY: • PEOPLE Covers: Stars we lost too soon

#Golden Goose

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