#I once went to summer school in a place where it was 45 degrees and oh my god I’ve never wished I was dead more

[raysofcrosby]

Give us the preview bestie 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽

hehehehe i also have ethan’s reaction typed up too if we want that 🤪 but without further ado, here it is💛

*wltay bonus chapter spoiler beneath the cut—unedited of course*

She shut the drawer and walked into her and Matt’s bathroom, leaning against the bathroom counter and staring down at the box as she exhaled heavily, opening it and tilting the three tests out of the box and into her right hand. Suddenly, she felt that same fear she had back when she was 17, even though she was older now and her situation was different. Caroline wasn’t a 17, almost 18 year old high school senior whose boyfriend was going off to live and play hockey in another country. She’s a 28 year old woman with two degrees, a successful job and is set to get married in two weeks.

But standing in right now holding the box of pregnancy tests, she was more nervous than scared. Her and Matt had talked about having another baby, but were going to wait until after the wedding to actively try for one. That gave them enough time to settle down and unpack in the house they’d bought in the same neighborhood that Gio and Lauren live in and came highly recommended, just at the end of the season and were set to move into in August.

Which meant that they weren’t going to try for another baby until that August and September time frame, which would put them at a summertime delivery, where Matt wouldn’t have a 50/50 chance of being away for a game or God forbid, a long road series in the States or anywhere else in Canada.

Yet if any of these tests said positive, then that meant they could be sitting at a much earlier time frame— depending on how far in the pregnancy she was…if she was even pregnant. For all she knew, the stress and fatigue she’d felt really were from dealing with school and finalizing the wedding details. And that sudden craving could’ve just been her body saying “hey, calm the fuck down and have some ice cream and fries,” instead of “hey, lol…you’ve got a baby in here!”

“Hey, we paused it for you cause I know how much you love Tim Riggins,” Matt laughed, walking into the bathroom, his right thumb pointing back over his shoulder as he stopped in the doorway “What’s that?”

“I bought it at the gas station before we picked you up.” Caroline handed him the box, still clutching the three tests in her right hand as she draped her left arm across her stomach. Matt turned the box over, his eyebrows furrowed until they raised as his eyes skimmed the pink front.

“Have you taken them yet?” He asked, lowering the box as he looked at her.

She shook her head, sighing heavily. “I’m 28 years old. I’ve been here before…” she looked at him, a frown on her face. “So is it bad that I’m absolutely terrified?”

He placed the box down onto the counter and walked in front of her, stepping close and trapping her in front of the counter as he reached up and cradled her face. “You’ve got me this time,” he whispered, his thumbs brushing against her cheeks. “I’m right here and I’m not leaving. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

“This...it’s earlier than what we wanted,” she whispered, looking down at the tests in her hands. “We’ve got so much stuff to do to get settled...if these come out positive and I’m pregnant, then–”

“Then we’ll just have to shake it up,” he replied, getting her to look at him again. “There’s nothing that can’t be pushed back and we’re not doing this alone, Care. We’ve got our families, we’ve got friends here to help us out. We’ve got this...so stop psyching yourself out and pee on the sticks, okay?”

Caroline laughed and nodded, standing up and resting the tests down onto the counter, before standing in front of the toilet and turning around. “Can you get me a cup?”

“A cup?” Matt asked, furrowing his brows. “Don’t you just pee on the sticks? Why do you need a cup?”

“Because it’s three different tests and each needs to be peed on for a certain amount of seconds, Matthew. And who’s to say I know how long I need to pee for,” she sighed, looking at him. “Please, just get me one of those plastic cups from the pantry or something?”

Matt nodded and walked out of the bathroom, sliding the door partially closed behind him. Caroline unbuttoned her jeans and slid them down along with her underwear before sitting down on the toilet, awkwardly waiting for Matt to come back.

“Okay one, Ethan’s FaceTiming Melody and says to tell you hi,” Matt said, pushing the door open before walking into the bathroom and closing it behind him. “And two, here’s your solo cup.”

Caroline took the cup and looked at him. “You’re staying here?”

“I mean…yeah? You peeing in front of me isn’t something that bothers me. I’ve literally been inside-“

“Okay but please just…wait out in the bedroom or something? Just so I can pee in peace without you staring at me.” She sighed.

“Sure, I’ll let you pee in peace,” he laughed, walking over and kissing the top of her head before walking back towards the door, sliding it open and walking into their bedroom before sliding the door closed.

Caroline tried not to think about how nervous she was or how stressed she was going to be if she was in fact pregnant. Instead, she focused on their upcoming wedding in two weeks. How everything back home in St. Louis was prepared and all of their stuff for the wedding had already been shipped down. Now all they needed to do, was make sure their mail was redirected for the summer, their fridge and freezer were empty and make sure they were at the airport in two days time to catch their flight.

She folded up some toilet paper, placing it onto the counter before resting the cup on top of it, then moving to finish up before going on to washing her hands. Her hands weren’t even shaking as he unwrapped each pregnancy test and unfolded the instructions, making sure using this cup was an okay method to do.

One by one, she dipped each test into the solo cup, holding it for the allotted time before resting it back on top of the instructions until all three tests were done. She rid of the cup, pouring it into the toilet before flushing and tossing it into the bathroom trash can, reminding herself to empty it before they went to bed.

She washed her hands one more time before she walked over to the door and opened it to see Matt leaning against the wall just outside of it. “Permission to come into the bathroom now?” He smiled, standing up straight.

“Permission granted smartass,” she laughed softly, rolling her eyes.

“How long does it take for a result?” He asked, leaning against the bathroom counter and looking down at the three tests.

“They’re three different tests,” she said, reaching behind him and grabbing the box, turning it around. “The digital is three minutes, the rapid test is 45 seconds and the early result is a minute.”

“Oh shit,” he huffed, looking at her. “Do you just want to wait the whole three minutes before looking at them all? That way if there’s a mixed result we’ll know?”

“Yeah, that’ll probably be best,” she nodded, crossing her arms as Matt pull out his phone.

“Three minutes starting now,” he said, starting the timer and putting his phone down on the counter before grabbing her hands and leading her out of the bathroom and over to the bed. “And we’re waiting out here so you don’t stress yourself out staring at the timer.”

Matt sat down first, reaching out and holding her hands again as he pulled her closer and she stood between his legs. “What are you thinking about?” He asked, his hands coming up the backs of her thighs.

“Just how I can’t believe I might be pregnant. I’ve never missed a shot, and we’re always careful about having sex near the time period where I’m set to get a new shot.” She sighed, resting her hands on his shoulders before moving them down his back. “And if we do, we use a condom just to be sure.”

“Maybe you’re not pregnant and you’re just stressing yourself out,” he shrugged, tilting his head up at her. “Why do you think you’re pregnant anyway?”

“I was craving a milkshake and fries.”

Matt snorted. “That’s it? All this panic because you wanted a milkshake and fries?”

“It was one of my top cravings when I was pregnant with Ethan,” she pouted, linking her fingers together at the nape of his neck. “But I’ve always been stressed, exhausted, a little achy-“

“You also just wrapped up your first school year here while planning a wedding in St. Louis and I literally had to carry you to bed last week because you fell asleep grading extra credit assignments on the couch.” He laughed, fingers brushing against her thighs. “Maybe your body is just telling you to relax a little and indulge in some sweet and salty treats.”

She slid her left hand down beneath the collar of his shirt, fanning them out across his back as her right hand fiddled with the chain of his necklace. Matt’s gaze still on her own as she sighed. “What are you thinking about?”

“What we’re going to do if you’re pregnant or not,” he said, shrugging.

“And? What’s that?”

“Well, if you are pregnant, then once E goes to sleep we’ll celebrate in our bed,” he smirked, wrapping his hands around her thighs before tugging her onto his lap, her knees on either side of him as he rested his hand on the curves on her ass and placed soft kisses up the side of her neck. “And if you’re not, once E goes to bed we’ll come right back in here and spend all night trying until you are.”

Caroline rolled her eyes, trying to shove him back. “You’re so annoying,” she laughed, trying to wiggle out of his arms as he blew a raspberry against her neck. “Matthew!”

“Might not want to do that,” he laughed, holding her tight in his lap. “I really don’t want to have to walk back out into the living room with a raging boner, where our 10 year old son is currently waiting to finish the show.”

“Speaking of raging boners,” she sighed, leaning back against his arms hugged around her waist. “That book my Dad told me to order? The one that’s by the same Doctor who wrote that care and keeping of you book I had when I was 10, but this one is for boys puberty? It came in the mail and is currently sitting by the front door, waiting for you to open it and present it to your son.”

“Oh, now he’s my son?” Matt laughed, groaning soon after. “Do we really have to? I mean he’s only 10-“

“10 and already needing to wear deodorant, Matthew. Boys start puberty at 11, but can start as early as 9. He hasn’t asked any questions yet, but I think it’s best if you just sit him down one day and go over the book.”

“Why don’t we go over the book, hm?” He smiled, pressing a kiss to her lips. “I’m sure he’ll want the mom support there.”

“I’ve already dealt with 4 year old Ethan asking how to get his penis to go back to being floppy, Matthew. At the breakfast table, with my parents and Andrew sitting there.” She smiled, patting his shoulder. “I’ve done my duties of awkward boner talk, now it’s your duty as his loving and supportive father. Besides, I doubt he’ll be comfortable asking me any questions. He still can’t be around me in his underwear unless he has shorts on.”

Matt pouted, sighing. “Fine. Tomorrow we’ll go out and have a fun guys day before I ruin it with your puberty book. Or I could pull an ultimate embarrassing dad move and do it on the plane,” he smiled.

“That’s guaranteed silent treatment,” she laughed, kissing him. “But Ethan’s pretty good with body talk since my Dad’s a pediatrician and I’ve always answered questions as appropriately as I could whenever he did ask. He just won’t want to talk about it with me.”

“Yeah, well I-“ Matt’s generic iPhone sound erupted from the bathroom, signaling that the timer was done. They both looked over towards the bathroom before back at each other, Matt’s hands moving up towards her lower back. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, kissing him one more time before sliding off of his lap and standing up on the floor with his assistance. Matt grabbed onto her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers before bringing it up and kissing the back of her hand.

They walked into the bathroom, Caroline stopping just before they reached the tests and turned around, looking at him. “I take one and you take one? Should we pick up all three?”

Matt laughed. “Relax. We’ll each grab one, then, if needed, we’ll pick up the third.”

Caroline nodded, staring at the tests before picking the one up on the left, Matt reaching for the one in the middle as they both looked down for a result. Caroline had picked up the digital test, because her answer was staring right back at her.

YES

“Did you get a defective test?” Matt asked, furrowing his brows. “I thought the lines were supposed to be super faint or something.”

Caroline looked over at his test, seeing the bolded second line before grabbing the last test on the counter and seeing the same result. “No, they’re not defective. That just means I’ve got some serious hCG levels going on.”

“So you’re pregnant?” He asked, looking up from his test.

Caroline nodded, turning the other two towards him and laughing quietly. “I’m pregnant.”

Matt exhaled softly, blinking as he stared at the three positive results before the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile. “You’re pregnant. We’re having a baby.”

#thatch-ho3 #answered #wltay

[conradscrime]

Betsy Aardsma

May 09, 2021

Betsy (born Elizabeth Ruth) Aardsma was the second born in a family of four children. She was born in Holland, Michigan on July 11, 1947 to parents Esther and Richard Aardsma and grew up in a religious conservative household. Esther worked as a housewife and Richard was a salesman.

When Betsy was a child she found a love for art, poetry and developed a concern for the underprivileged. She went to Holland High School and was quite a good student, graduating with honours in 1965. Betsy had a dream of becoming a physician. 

After high school, Betsy enrolled at the Hope College in the fall of 1965, to become a medical student. In the fall of 1967 Betsy enrolled at the University of Michigan to study art and English. She then began to date a medical student named David Wright, who was her first serious boyfriend. Betsy graduated from the University of Michigan with honours in the summer of 1969. 

Once Betsy had graduated from university she planned to join the Peace Corps and travel to Africa, however she decided to enrol at Pennsylvania State University (known as Penn State) when she realized her boyfriend, David, would be attending there and he told Betsy he could not guarantee he would be faithful to her if she travelled abroad. 

Betsy enrolled at Penn State in early October of 1969 and she lived in Atherton Hall, a residence on campus with her roommate Sharon Brandt, who said that Betsy spent her free time either studying or hanging with her boyfriend. 

Thanksgiving 1969 came around and Betsy was supposedly very stressed out due to the fact that she was behind on an English assignment. She spent the day with her boyfriend, David, his roommates and their girlfriends before she returned to her dorm the following day with plans of meeting some professors for advice on the assignment. 

On November 28, 1969 Betsy left her dorm with her roommate to visit the Pattee Library to get research material for her English paper. At one point her and her roommate parted ways, agreeing that they would catch up later that afternoon to watch a movie. 

At around 4 pm Betsy spoke with one of her professors, Nicholas Joukovsky, where she stated she wanted to visit the Stack Building. Shortly after that she encountered two of her friends, Linda Marsa and Robert Steinberg where she had a brief conversation before entering the library. Betsy then placed her purse, jacket and book inside a carrel before walking towards a card catalog. 

When she found the reference she was looking for, she began to walk down a flight of stairs to the Level 2 core stacks, around 4:30 pm. The last potential sightings of Betsy occurred minutes after 4:30 pm, when an assistant supervisor named Dean Brungart saw a girl wearing a red dress standing alone in an aisle. Dean also noticed two young men talking quietly to each other in a nearby aisle. 

About 10 minutes later another witness, named Richard Allen, overheard a conversation between a male and female in the general direction of where Betsy was standing as he was using the photocopier. Richard told police he couldn’t hear what the two were saying but it didn’t sound like anything alarming to him or give off the notion that it was anything other than a normal conversation. 

A few moments later Richard heard a metallic crashing noise before he saw a young man “barrel” past him. Somewhere between 4:45 and 4:55 pm Betsy Aardsma had been stabbed one time through the left breast with a knife while she was standing between rows 50 and 51 in the Stack Building of the Pattee Library. 

After she had been stabbed, Betsy slumped to the ground close to the end of the aisle, falling on her back. Two other students, Joao Uafinda and Marilee Erdley observed a man running from the direction of the stabbing, concealing his right hand, and yelling, “that girl needs help!” Marilee said the man was dressed in knaki washable slacks, was wearing a tie and a sports jacket. He had well kept brown hair, was around 6 feet tall and about 185 pounds. He may have been wearing glasses.

The man apparently led Joao and Marilee into the Core, where he pointed to Betsy. Marilee began checking for signs of a pulse and Joao noticed the man leaving the library, so he followed him upstairs and aw the man run out of the library. Joao said he tried to chase the man, but was outpaced. This man was last seen running in the direction of Recreation Hall. The identity of this man has never been found. 

Marilee was joined by other bystanders, including a librarian as they attempted first aid on Betsy. They called the campus hospital at 5:01 pm, and responders were initially told that a “girl had fainted” in the library. Two student paramedics came to the scene moments later and Betsy was placed on a gurney and taken to the Health Centre as paramedics tried to perform CPR on her.

Everyone, including the responders thought she had fainted at first, because she had urinated where she fell and she was wearing a white turtleneck sweater, with a red sleeveless dress over the sweater and there was only small amount of visible blood. The sweater was very thick so it wasn’t obvious that there had been a tear in her sweater. 

Shortly after being transported to the Health Centre, a senior medical individual noticed the blood and they cut through Betsy’s clothes to reveal the single stab wound. Betsy was pronounced dead at 5:19 pm. 

Because everyone initially thought Betsy had fainted, there was no reason to think that the library was a crime scene and the janitor had already cleaned up the urine on the floor of the aisle. Police found that about 440 students had entered the Pattee Library between 4:30 and 5 pm that day. 

Multiple factors led police to believe that Betsy knew her murderer personally as she had likely been approached by this individual and had not attempted to scream or run away. Police didn’t believe she had been stalked and she had been expected to be at Penn State that day, she was supposed to be spending the day elsewhere with her boyfriend. They also found Betsy’s diary, where not once had she indicated that she felt uncomfortable by anyone at Penn State in the 8 weeks she had gone there. 

Another theory is that Betsy possible saw a homosexual encounter or witnessed a man masturbating In the library and was killed to silence her. More than two dozen pornographic magazines were found concealed between books where Betsy had been murdered and there was traces of semen on the floor, shelves and walls. It seemed as though people were using this area to engage in sexual activities without being caught. 

Another theory is that a Penn State professor by the name of Richard Haefner was responsible for Betsy’s murder. Haefner was born in 1943 and was described as well respected but socially awkward. He had obtained a doctoral degree in Geology from Penn State and was extremely intelligent. However, Haefner was known to have bouts of explosive anger, accusations of pedophilia and molestation and was accused of stealing the university’s rock collection. 

Apparently Haefner had dated Betsy but she ended it whatever they had in October 1969 because she was becoming more serious with David. Apparently when asked, Haefner claimed he had not known about Betsy’s death until November 29, the day after it happened. However, apparently Haefner showed up at another professor’s house hours after Betsy had been murdered and said, “Have you seen the papers?” Betsy’s death had not yet been reported in the papers. This professor said Haefner’s behaviour was so strange that after he had left the professors and his wife wondered if he had had anything to do with it, though the professor never reported this to police. 

Haefner was never charged and died from a heart attack in 2002. His cousin, Chris Haefner believes that he was involved in Betsy’s murder. Chris claimed one night in 1975 he overheard Richard Haefner and his mother having a conversation where he heard them talking about “what Rick had done to that girl at Penn State.” 

Derek Sherwood, a man who runs the website ��whokilledbetsy.org” also believes Richard Hafener was responsible. “He was there, he had intimate knowledge of [the crime], he was interviewed by police and he lied to them,” said Sherwood. 

“I think that the Aardsma murder may have both burdened and emboldened Rick, if he truly committed it,” said Sherwood. “Burdened in the sense that he probably always felt that he had to watch his back for police and his past, so to speak, and emboldened in the sense that once you’ve gotten away with murder, everything else is small potatoes.” 

Betsy Aardsma’s murder remains unsolved 60 years later but the Pennsylvania State Police are still actively seeking any information about the case. The above photo is that of Professor Richard Haefner and Betsy Aardsma. 

#UNSOLVED MYSTERIES #unsolved true crime #unsolved #true crime #murder

[mcwriting]

sweet home alabama (2)

Hi all! Between marriage project and some one shots, I decided to upload this chapter!

Reminder: Characters have strong southern accents (save for Tom in the present).

Masterlist

Word Count: 2618

Warnings: slight injury mention

∆ present ∆

The weekend came and went, allowing Tom some time to get a new wardrobe for farmwork and acquire a pair of boots, as his last pair had been passed down and worn out by Sam years ago.

Tom had been enjoying a peaceful rest when he was jolted awake by two hands forcefully shaking him.

“What the- Sam! What are you doing?” Tom exclaimed, sitting up.

“You gotta go to Mel’s today, right? Sun rises in an hour. Better get up and eat ‘fore you head over there,” the younger brother explained. Tom tossed back his head and groaned.

“Fine. I’ll get up,” he replied, tossing off his quilt and sheet.

With the money Tom had made in recent years, he had been able to send some home every so often, which helped fund a much needed expansion of the family home. Unfortunately, they hadn’t added enough bathrooms for each brother to get their own.

“Tom! What in God’s name is taking you so long! You’re gonna be working cotton not modeling it!” Harry yelled, pounding on the door.

“Alright alright! It’s all yours!” Tom exclaimed as he opened up the door. Harry couldn’t help but laugh at his brother.

Though Tom had dressed in a button up, jeans, and boots, he had also made sure to style his hair until every wisp sat straight.

“You know you’re gonna sweat that gel off in ten minutes, right? Especially if you wear a hat.”

Tom rolled his eyes.

“Harry, you know me. There’s always a camera somewhere. Gotta be ready for anything. And it’s pomade, not gel.”

The other young twin just rolled his eyes back and slammed the door shut.

∆

A few minutes down the road, y/n was getting ready to start her own day. She rose at dawn like always, stretching a bit and hopping out of bed.

Though she was living a country life, she still took the time to do a full skincare routine, being especially attentive to the products she used and how much sunscreen she applied.

Since she wouldn’t be at any farms in the morning, y/n put on leggings and tshirt and headed out the door, a granola bar in hand. She only had to drive a mile away to get to the “s.h.e.d.”

As usual, she was the first one there, so she keyed in and turned on all the lights. She took in a deep breath of the smells of the soil and chemicals around her as she tossed on her lab coat.

You didn’t think she was any ordinary farm girl, did you?

In reality, she had actually gone to UCLA, getting degrees in both chemistry and environmental engineering. Now she had spent the last year doing research thanks to a grant to improve the agricultural health of her hometown so she could eventually receive a master’s degree.

But we’ll talk more on that later.

Now that the sun was finally peeking above the horizon, her two lab assistants finally showed up.

Her assistants, Ciara and Jacob, were students at a community college in the town 45 minutes away. They were bright and the three always enjoyed working together, as they played fun music and conversed while recording research.

“Hey! Glad y’all could finally make it! Y’all know that last week I collected more samples from Mel’s, so today I want to prepare a gram from each jar in solution so we can run samples and start looking at what nutrients need supplementing and where so I can put a fertilizer together for tomorrow.”

The two were happy to follow their boss’s instruction, and y/n couldn’t help but smile as she scanned over her lab, remembering where she started.

∆ 16 years old ∆

Y/n had always been good at school.

A straight A student, never one to act out or deliberately miss work. Everyone knew she was bright, and she continued to prove that as she aged.

By sophomore year of high school, she was already an above-average scorer on the ACT and was taking courses above her grade level to keep from boring herself.

But in a town as small as hers, one could only get so advanced in high school alone.

Thankfully once she was a junior, the community college Ciara and Jacob were now attending allowed students to enroll in some basic online classes and receive credit, so long as they had good enough internet connection.

Because she was ahead, y/n had a free period where she could mooch off of the school’s wifi in an empty classroom. However, she didn’t have the same luxury at home, and had to go to Tom’s to complete any assignments after school.

By this point, Tom had been going to small auditions for a couple years, picking up the occasional commercial role and making a few bucks here and there, enough to get his family better TV and internet, anyways.

“Hey, y/n?” Tom asked one day, late in the fall. He laid back on the bed, tossing a foam basketball above his head while y/n worked on her college math class from the floor. She hummed in response, holding a pencil between her teeth.

“What are you plannin’ to do with all this college stuff anyways?” he asked. His accent was still as strong as ever. He hadn’t taught himself to let it go yet.

“I’on know. Maybe git a degree and move out of this town for a while. Find a real job that ain’t baling hay or planting stuff. You know I really love science,” she replied. She knew she had a lot of options, she was only a couple points away from that perfect ACT score by now.

There was a pause as she continued to tap numbers into a calculator and record them.

“I got another audition ‘fore thanksgiving,'' Tom announced after a while. Y/n didn’t look up.

“Oh yeah? What for, toothpaste ad or somethin’?”

“Uh, no actually. This one’s for a movie. A real movie.”

Y/n dropped the pencil and looked up at Tom, pushing up from the ground to sit on her knees as he sat up straight.

“Really? You’re serious? You ain’t pulling my leg or something?”

Tom smiled big and nodded.

“I mean it. I really got this audition coming up.”

“Oh my gosh, TOM!”

Y/n quickly stood up, tackling her best friend in a hug, practically ending up on his lap. They stayed that way for a while.

“Tom, this is seriously incredible. You’re gonna be in a movie!”

He pulled back quickly.

“Don’t be too quick, now. This is only an audition, there’s no way to say I’ll actually get the part-” he started, but y/n got off him and kneeled on the floor, so that her eyes were level with his and she could grab his upper arms to look at him directly.

“You’re gonna get that part,” she smiled, unable to contain her excitement. “You’re gonna nail that audition, and you’re getting that part. This is gonna be your big break, I just know it.”

“Thanks for believin’ in me. Hopefully I won’t prove you a liar this time,” he replied, pulling her up into another hug.

She ended up being right, too, because after his first audition, he got a callback during Christmas break and secured the role which he’d film the summer between junior and senior year.

The pair knew they were really starting to grow up, but didn’t let their different pursuits come between them just yet.

Tom was the one who drove her to her final ACT where she got her perfect score (since she didn’t have a car yet), and the movie filmed a few hours away in the Birmingham area (where y/n drove Tom’s truck in his absence since he was still too young to live there alone).

It worked, for the most part.

∆ present ∆

Tom drew in a sharp breath and winced, limping through the barn and plopping onto a hay bale as he gulped down some water. He had been walking up and down the rows watering the plants, as the four-wheeler Melanie’s dad typically used to water was broken.

“How’s it looking, Mr. Carmichael?” he asked, dabbing away the sweat on his forehead with a towel as he rehydrated.

The older gentleman stood up and looked at Tom.

“Well, son. I’ve almost got this thing here fixed, but you ain’t looking too good,” he pointed out.

“What do you mean, sir?” Tom asked. He may have lost his accent, but didn’t forget his manners.

“Looks like you’ve been ridin’ horses the way you’re walkin’. New boots? Not to mention that sunburn you’re startin’ to nurse. Why don’t you run up to the house and have Mel fix those up. I’m sure her momma fixed some lunch for ya, too.”

“A- are you sure, sir? I’ve only got about 10 more rows before I’m done.”

“No, no. It’s alright, boy. Run along and fix yourself up. I’ll handle the rest.”

Tom thanked the man and slowly got up, immediately remembering the pain in his feet and now aware of the stinging on his cheeks.

He’d forgotten that boots don’t really break themselves in and he hadn’t worn very thick socks. He also had somehow neglected that the sun beats just as hard in the farmlands as it does in Malibu.

He waddled up to the house, where Melanie was on the porch reading a book.

“Well by God, Tom. You’re walkin’ like you just got your back blown out for the first time,” she laughed, causing his cheeks to redden more.

“They’re new boots, alright? Now could you help me out? Your dad said you might know of something?”

She looked past him towards the barn, then closed her book and nodded her head towards the door, standing.

“Come on. Momma made you a sandwich if you want it. You can leave your boots by the door.”

They headed inside, a large living room on the right and the kitchen to the left. Tom wiggled his shoes and socks off in the entryway as Melanie ducked into a hallway to grab a few things.

“Oh Tom! I’m glad you came in! Are you hungry? I’ve got lunch for ya,” Mrs. Carmichael said as she appeared from the kitchen.

“That would be really nice, Mrs. Carmichael. Thank you,” he replied as she sat him down at the kitchen table, placing a plate with a turkey sandwich and some chips in front of him along with a glass of sweet tea.

He dug into the meal, immediately realizing just how hungry he really was. By the time he’d finished the sandwich (which really didn’t take that long), Melanie appeared with a laundry basket full of stuff. Tom washed down his meal with some tea before speaking.

“Jesus, Mel, how much does it take to patch up some blisters?” he asked.

“First off, don’t be takin’ the Lord’s name in vain in this house,” she commanded, pointing her head towards her mother in the living room, to which Tom covered his mouth and shot a thumbs up. “And second, I figured it best just to grab all my stuff than dig through it.”

She plopped the basket on the table and herself into the seat next to Tom, stealing a chip from his plate. It crunched in her mouth as she began pulling out random things like a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, and meds.

“What’s that all for?” Tom asked, brows furrowed. Melanie gave back an equally confused look and went back to digging.

“What do you mean? They’re just medical supplies.”

“Well, yeah, but I mean why do you have a stethoscope and stuff?”

She paused what she was doing and looked back up at Tom.

“You do know I’m a nurse, right?” she asked. She immediately knew he didn’t by the way his eyes popped open.

After high school, Melanie had been able to go off and get her nursing degree, now working in the closest hospital which was, you guessed it, 45 minutes away.

She usually worked 12 hour shifts at the hospital Tuesday through Thursday, spending her other days at home so she could respond to small needs around town, especially on weekends when people liked to get drunk and be reckless.

“Oh, wow. I didn’t realize that. Good for you,” Tom replied, unsure of what else to say.

“It’s alright. You’ve been gone quite a while and we all know you ain’t checking in on what happens ‘round these parts no more. Now take this and let me grab the aloe from the fridge,” she said, dropping two advil on his plate and getting up.

Tom did as told, feeling the weight of what she had dismissively said. He really hadn’t checked in since leaving. Sure, his brothers and Harrison sometimes kept him in the loop. At least, he thought so.

He was trying to remember what the last big piece of news he had heard about home was, but came up short. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had seen anything on social media about home, since he’d unfollowed most of the people back home after his career took off.

They all reminded him of y/n anyways.

“You mind if I put some of this on your face?” Melanie asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. He obliged and she spread some of the cool aloe gel over his sunburn.

“Feel better?” she asked, to which he nodded. “Good, now let’s take a look at those blisters.”

She cringed when she saw how beat up his feet were. She pulled out a bit of numbing gel, hydrocolloid bandages, and fabric tape. Soon enough, she had his blisters all covered up and was handing him some more bandages and tape.

“Now I want you to leave these on as long as possible, alright? When they fall off or the spot in the middle gets too big, you’ll switch ‘em out for new. You should be in ship shape here in a few days. And you best not forget sunscreen from now on.”

“Will do. Thanks again, Mel. Hard to believe I’ve been gone long enough for you to become a nurse and all, huh?” Tom asked, half joking. Melanie nodded.

“Yeah, well. ‘Lot’s changed around here, even if it don’t look like it. You’d be surprised… Now before I forget...” Melanie quickly got up and left the room, returning with two wood and metal contraptions. “Here’s some boot stretchers to put in your shoes when you get home. Should help stretch ‘em out and I’m sure the boys would lend you some leather conditioner.”

With that, Tom put his boots back on and thanked Mrs. Carmichael for the meal, heading back outside. He found Mr. Carmichael sitting on the now-functioning four wheeler.

“Well, boy, you all good?” the older man asked.

“Yes sir. Melanie got me all taped up and your wife made a great lunch. So what else do you need me to do?”

Mr. Carmichael looked around for a moment, staring at a few things, then back at Tom.

“Well I got the rest all watered and y/n won’t be around with fertilizer till tomorrow so why don’t you go home and rest up those feet, eh?”

Tom tried to object, as it was still quite early in the day, but the old man wouldn’t have it. He eventually conceded and gave one last thank you, hopping into his old truck and heading home, pondering why y/n would be bringing fertilizer in the coming day.

∆

A/N: hope you guys are liking this story so far! I really love the time jumping, and the progression of it in future chapters is really cool!

Send a message or ask if you’d like to be added to my permanent or series taglists so I can verify you’ve been added!

Tag list: @jackiehollanderr, @one-big-fangirl, @l0lmk, @primadonnasdream, @bookworm06, @thenoddingbunny-blog, @agentnataliahofferson, @spider-babe, @stxfxniexreads, @mortallythoughtfulgurl, @onebigolemess, @justafangirlduh,

#sweet home alabama #tom holland #tom holland fanfic #tom holland fanfiction #tom holland x reader #tom holland x you #tom holland x y/n #tom holland story

[yeaahishowedupatyourparty]

@.JaneyPowellx: This has been something I’ve been debating doing for a long time now and it’s never really felt right. Even now, with all of the words on paper, or typed on to a digital page, it doesn’t feel right. I found writing fiction through the desperate need to escape reality & I’ve done everything in my power to keep them separate. Whether your favourite work of mine is Harry Potter, The Selection, We Were Liars or Twelve, you’ll never find me in them because they’re idealised situations in world’s that could be just around the corner or in far off places. 

This story is different. It isn’t fiction and it isn’t escapism. It’s set in the real world and within the 21 years I’ve been alive. If you’re holding this book in your hand after purchasing it or have just downloaded it from my website, I’ll be bold enough to assume you already know the basic premise of the plot and you already have your expectations. There’re different versions of this story on true crime YouTube channels, in the newspapers and on blogs, some written with a good lot of research being done and others written just for clicks. It’s been a hard thing to accept, but all of them are somebody’s experience of the event and therefore hold a certain degree of truth. 

This is just another version of a story that you might have heard before, this time told by me, Janey.  CHAPTERS 1-3: TRIGGER WARNINGS THROUGHOUT FOR ABDUCTION, ASSAULT/HARASSMENT, DRUGS & ABUSE

//OOC: This isn’t a full on story, just the outline! I think it’s taken her ages but she’d definitely record like a diary-styled retell of everything that happened to her involving the abduction that happened when she was 15. It’d be super cheap and available in stores AND online but all the profit would be go to appropriate foundations. 

CHAPTER ONE - Happy Birthday! 

In this chapter, Janey would start out by describing her fifteenth birthday. The year before, she’d seen Harvey, her older brother, cross a milestone - his sweet sixteenth. Therefore, the expectations for her birthday were pretty high. She was expecting the big party, huge balloons, special presents, a sip of alcohol and extra privileges but alas, she was only turning fifteen. Her parents were very clear about birthdays, drinking and other rules: 16, 18 and 21 were the milestone birthdays, otherwise parties were smaller and inexpensive. 

She’d go on to explain how she’d been sulking all day because of it and explicitly remembers refusing to blow out her birthday candles after dinner. It would be something she’s embarrassed by now but at the time, it was perfectly reasonable. She’d mention that most people who only know the twenty-one year old her wouldn’t recognise fifteen year old Janey. A moody teenager who insisted on dressing like Jade West from Victorious and took way too much interest in her pink flip-phone (another thing she wasn’t happy with, seeing as Harvey - being 16 - had recently got a better one).  

It’d talk about how her parents were firm but fair and well known in Violet Springs. Her Mum was a teacher and, to Janey’s horror, actually taught her in Year 7. Her Dad is an independent photo journalist who mainly covers local sporting events. She’d explain how they’re amazing parents and even if fifteen year old her couldn’t see it, they were equally amazing to Harvey, Annabel and herself. 

Janey would go back to writing about having serious middle child syndrome and never making life easy for her parents. She wasn’t “naughty” but definitely pushed boundaries by breaking curfew, getting in trouble in class and talking back a lot. She’d confess that she cared a lot about being in the “right” crowd in high school. Deep down, she was always a naturally quiet person but felt the pressure to be as loud as the other girls. She wanted attention, and to be popular, and for boys to like her; that was all that mattered & if she knew then what she knew now, she probably would’ve slapped herself because she has no doubt that that’s what ultimately led to everything going wrong. 

She’d mention that her birthday is the 19th of March (and she prides herself on being a true Pisces as it’s also her moon sign). It also gave her a couple of months until summer, where she and her friends planned her REAL birthday party since her parent’s wouldn’t give her one. They’d decided that they’d go to the open fields in between Lilac Heights and the Cotswolds (?) during the summer and drink, get high and just have a good time. She’d explain how the group of girls she was friends nearly all had older boyfriends who were in college and it was easy to get a hold of stuff they probably shouldn’t have been having. 

Janey would talk about how the field has become iconic for completely different reasons now. If you google it, you won’t have to scroll very far at all to see pictures of it sectioned off when the police were searching for her. But, that summer it was beautiful and everybody was tanned, having fun and happy to be going into the last year of high school. Janey would explain that she’d always been insecure about not having a boyfriend, but she and her friends planned to change that because one of their boyfriend’s was bringing a guy who she’d been speaking to online. He was 22.  

The end of this chapter would be romanticised and Janey would reflect on how it was the last time she was ever “old Janey.” Her plans had been to sneak back in through Annabel’s bedroom window and get into bed before her parents even suspected a thing. But, that never materialised. 

CHAPTER TWO - As It Happened. 

In this chapter, Janey would mention that she’s going to tell everybody exactly what happened that night. Details the police couldn’t even figure out when they tried to piece it all together. There’d be a trigger warning that she’ll be mentioning drinking, harassment and abduction but would promise that it isn’t graphic.

The first part would be about how the field party was a typical summer thing; hot weather, people drinking and having fun as well as sneaking off into the forest (but not too deep) to do god knows what. She’d talk about how she ignored the constant texts and calls from her Mum when it got dark, and how she was drunk. It’d also cover that she was introduced to the friend of her friend’s boyfriend  and even though he wasn’t her type, she was excited about the attention. When it got too dark to see anything, most of her school friends decided to call it a night but Janey went to Downtown Springs with the guy she’d met and his friends because they promised they could get her into Indigo, which they did. 

Most of the night was fun; she was bought drinks, there was lots of flirting and she felt special...which is kind of the hole she’d been trying to fill throughout her teen years. She’d definitely then mention that the guys she was with and every person like them exploit people who aren’t feeling their best and would talk about surrounding yourself with people you trust and not just people who are giving you what you want. 

At one point, the boyfriend of her friend (who was now at home) started getting really loud and rowdy. To this day, Janey doesn’t know if it was genuine or just an act for an excuse to get her to leave the club with them and not go home like she’d planned. They were kicked out before it was midnight and she’d vividly recall passing a few people from school (including Wes and Nate - her ex, I think!) and chatting to them for a little while before the guys she was with mentioned their friend was having a house party in London. Nate specifically asked her to stay but she was set on having fun on her birthday and left with them. 

She’d talk about seeing familiar buildings of Violet Springs turn into intimidating city offices and the roads getting wider as they entered London. The atmosphere in the car shifted slightly but at the time, she was too drunk to even notice. Neither of the guys said anything to one another or her & it gives her the chills now to know that in that moment, she’d been abducted, but she didn’t know it. They got out of the taxi and Janey remembers being embarrassed about not having enough cash on her to pay for her third of the fare - something trivial now - and one of the guys just paying for it without much fuss. 

Once they stepped outside, she saw they were stood in front of a tower block that was almost completely silent. No sign of a party. That’s when she started to hesitate but was too shy to say anything; she was in a weird part of London at 11:45 with nobody she knew and no money. Also, she was sure she was just overreacting. One of the guys said that the party was on the top floor which is why nobody could hear it and even faked a phone call with the “host”. Janey took the elevator up to fifth floor with them and again, felt as if something weird was going on because the top floor was the seventh. This also ended up being something that confused the police in her investigation; witnesses who saw her enter the tower block had overheard the conversation and couldn’t piece together WHY she wasn’t seen on the seventh floor or who’d even supposedly had the party. 

She’d explain how the flat they entered belonged to the friend of her friend’s boyfriend and how eery it felt when it was completely silent. She asked multiple times about the party and both guys said they’d go up soon, but they wanted to have some more drinks and smoke before going up so that they were on everybody else’s level of being completely fucked. Janey remembers sitting on the arm of the sofa and realising how gross and dirty everything was. She wondered how someone who was 22 had given up already and remembers seeing pictures of her parent’s starter home at that age and how pretty it was by comparison. 

The longer it took for them to go back up to the party, the more anxious Janey got. Eventually, she excused herself to go to the bathroom and decided that she’d have to face her parent’s consequences and ask her Dad to come and get her. She panicked even more when her phone wouldn’t switch on and she realised it was dead...meaning, she’d have to borrow money to get home. Once she came out of the toilet, she half debated leaving without them knowing because she just had a horrible feeling but felt like that’d be rude. So, she went back into the living room and asked to borrow a phone. That’s when things shifted completely and fun flirting became intimidating harassment; sleazily flirting with her and telling her not to be boring. One of them even insisted on kissing her to shut her up but once she got really upset, they agreed to take her home on the basis she’d have one last drink. She did, and it was spiked, which made her pass out. 

The next day she woke in the bedroom of the same apartment, still fully dressed - something she was too young to register at the time, but now she reflects on it, it was the one comforting thing of the whole morning. But, her bag had gone and the door to the room was locked from the other side. She remembers banging on it and calling for someone, but nobody answered. She’d describe the panic and desperately wanting her brother or her Dad in that moment, but had to keep reminding herself she didn’t have her phone to contact them. She ended up being shut in that room for twenty-four hours before one of the guys came back; the friend of the boyfriend. He told her that she wouldn’t be going home and the more noise and fuss she made, the longer she’d stay in the bedroom. 

Janey would talk about how her biggest regret is NOT making a fuss and screaming until a neighbour or somebody heard, but her survival instincts kicked in and she was scared she was going to be seriously hurt if she didn’t listen. So, she stayed quiet and followed what she wanted him to do; which was to dye her hair brown and change into clothes he’d bought for her - a basic black tank top and sweatpants. Again, at the time she was too confused to even begin to think about why but now she knows it was because she’d soon be declared a missing person and if they were taking her into public, she looked too familiar to any description circulating. 

She’d end this chapter by saying how she remembered sitting on the floor of the living room that night while he put the dye in her hair, trying not to cry while her story first broke on to some of the news networks. But she’d also talk about how she felt twistedly happy that her parents had decided she was missing and not just out being her usual, difficult self. 

CHAPTER THREE - THE FLAT. 

She’d start the chapter with a warning about mentions of sexual abuse again. This would be a really brief chapter, but it would basically be her explaining to everyone who she was taken in the first place; trafficking; and how it isn’t what everyone imagines. She wasn’t chained up in a basement somewhere. In fact, before the news of her disappearance really blew up, she was actually allowed out given that she was with one of the two guys. She’d go to the store, or just sit in the park and once even to the gym. 

She’d explain how ultimately though, she’d been taken as a product. Neither of the guys ever slept with her, but there were other men who did and they’d pay the two guys to do so. She’d never get or see any of it and she’d talk about how from the beginning there were strict rules. Her name would be ‘Liz’, short for Elizabeth which was her middle name, she wasn’t to have personal conversations with any clients and the answer had to always be yes to whatever they asked. Also, crying or appearing upset was a big no. 

She’d talk about how this went on for a month which was enough time for the search for her to gain momentum and more press coverage. And, she knew this, because the people keeping her almost INSISTED that she read newspaper articles or watched reports about herself. She’d also mention how they would mock her parents, sister, brother and friends who obviously would make appeals or speak about it in statements and find it funny. That would often set her off and she’d argue with them, which never ended well for her. 

The chapter would be rounded up with how by the end of August and moving into September, when she was supposed to be starting college, the police released sketches of the “suspects” and mentioned that they could be in the London area. For around three days, Janey had hope and felt like she was going to be found...but the guys began to panic. That’s when she wasn’t allowed to go outside anymore & one night, she overheard the guys speaking about how they were going to move her “and the others” further away from the Capital. That’s when she knew that this was going to be a lot harder than just doing what they said until they got bored. 

#janeys projects: janey #please just pay attention to TW and stuff - i've made sure it's all labelled correctly so nobody reads anything they dislike!

[dragonrajafanfiction]

Yamata-No-Orochi: (Part 4) Erii

ITT: The Mic Drop Heard Round the World.

The sun woke you. Bright light shone through the windows, forming a halo around the curtains and projecting the shape of raindrops from the window onto the carpet. Mingfei had left shortly before you fell asleep of exhaustion and grief. 

You’d fought hard and rebelled against the world, but this last rebellion had taken you too far. Z raised, saved, and safeguarded you. But you refused to play his love game, and that was all it took to discard you. Caesar had been at your side, encouraging you to live all this time. But now that the clouds had gathered, and the darkness of the world surrounded you, he realized that, like Chance, life was not in the cards for you. And Chu Zihang? Well, he always was a sword at your throat.

Once again the world was laughing, mocking you with its silent game of keep away. Love? Syke! Happiness? Syke! Companionship? Syke!

You hated this world. Mingfei went to Erii’s room with the Desert Eagle. What was stopping you from planting your mind in the ground and tilting Tokyo into a rift in the Earth, like it was the undersea Takamagahara? To watch its towers topple, and its buildings burn would be a fitting end to a Godzilla movie.

The hotel phone rang, insanely loud. You reached over and picked it up. “Pizza Hut,” you mumble.

Lu Mingfei stammered for a moment. Then he laughed. “Hey. You, me, Erii road trip. Right now. I left some clothes for you.”

His voice over the phone, it sounded like Z’s. You are silent, mind completely inert, spirit aching. “Sure whatever.” You hang up.

You shower and pull a comb through your hair three times, leaving it to fall over your shoulders. You don't bother with jewelry or make up. He left you a pair of skin tight jeans and a shirt that said Wild Thing across the front. White ankle socks and blue low rise canvas sneakers go over your feet.

The phone rings again. Mingfei sounded breathless. “Come now! We have to go!”

You hang up the phone and dash outside. Mingfei is waiting for you in a cherry red porsche. Erii waves with bright enthusiasm from the passenger side as he gets out and folds the seat down so you can get in the back. “Erii this is my friend, MC, She’s sick like you.”

You startle. Mingfei just went out and said it. You hold out your hand and she takes it, examining your fingers with her dark red eyes. You were lighter skinned, but this girl was near transparent. She scribbled on a notepad. “Nice to meet you. You are very pretty.”

“Guys buckle up!”

Your seatbelt had just clicked when Mingfei down shifted and floored it. The engine let out a mighty growl and the car took off like a rocket down the street. But Mingfei was relaxed, with an impish, ‘catch me if you can’ sort of look. Something in your chest stirred awake.

Erii held up her notebook. “Sakura is the best, right?”

Her smile was so sly, not something you expected to see. “Oh yeah, he's awesome!”

Her nod was sassy, like, Damn Straight.

You look at him again. He was smiling like he was angry. He was acting recklessly. The buildings were a blur outside the windows. The car rumbled like a beast underneath you as the accelerator didn't let up. You weave through traffic like lightning and soon the police are tailing you with flashing lights.

If you thought you were going fast before you were mistaken. The car dug deeper, and it felt like you floated over the road. The police car faded into the distance, unable to keep up.

He pulls into a service station and pays the attendant way too much cash. “Where are we going?” You ask.

“It's a surprise!”

“Does MC like gum?” Erii held out a piece and you helped yourself. 

You lean forward. Erii was covered head to toe in clothing, despite the good weather. 

“MC said that Erii is not stupid, that Erii is smart. MC was right, you knew a lot about yourself. But MC was sad so I wanted to take her too.” Lu Mingfei was saying. “Because she cares for Erii and understands her.”

Erii looks at you for a moment. Then she wrote in her notepad, “Cheer up. Sakura is very lucky. Thank you for caring about me.”

Her expression was so earnest and happy. Did she really understand herself? You hold out your hands for the notebook and pen. You write, “I'm too sick so my friends are scared of me.”

She takes one look at the notepad and her eyes widen. She snatches it back and writes, “Erii is not scared, Erii will be your friend.”

“Please be my friend.” You say softly.

Erii reaches out and seizes your arm. Her face is serious and she nods. When you stop at the supermarket, she drags you along, purchasing snacks and a gigantic stuffed teddy bear. Erii was not interested in herself. She wanted to cheer you up! She understood beyond words the lifelong loneliness, the constant rejection, and growing up in a world that feared you. She forcefully shoves the teddy bear into your hands. And pulls you along. It's so big you can't see around it.

Her image blurs with that of Renata. If Renata had a chance to grow up, she would be this bold.

The bear is so tall it folds against the low ceiling of the porsche. You squeeze in next to it.

“MC is from Siberia. Where she is from, the sun doesn't set in Summer. And in Winter, it doesn't rise and lights dance in the sky.” Mingfei says as you take off again.

Erii swivels in a full body, “What?!” expression and you laugh. “It is true. It's exactly like that.”

“That is AWESOME!” She turns the notepad to you and then writes, “I want to visit your home!”

You recall your promise to Caesar to go dog sledding and feel a pang of regret. But your mind has already replaced Caesar on the dogsled and put Erii there. “Let’s go dogsledding!”

She looks confused.

“Here give me your notebook.” You draw a sketch of a dog sled pulled by a team of panting dogs.

If Erii’s eyes got any bigger they would fill her face. She wrote, “IS THERE SANTA IS HE THERE”

“I… no Santas not there, but we can pretend to be Santa.”

“MC is awesome!”

Before dusk, Lu Mingfei and you two ladies arrived in the town at the southwest end of Shikoku, which is more than four hundred kilometers from Tokyo. The Porsche sports car ran for a full four hours. The whole time Erii peppered you with questions about life in Siberia while Mingfei drove. She had the impression of a magical frostland full of sky and sea. Her sparkling impression was free of brutal reality. For four hours you spoke only of the beauty and wonder of the north. Erii’s notebook is filled with sketches of white quail, snow geese, cute arctic foxes, bears, seals, and whales.

    The open-air parking lot was empty. Lu Mingfei found a parking space to park the car, and opened the door to hear the tide. You could not see the sea. A large hill stood between you and the ocean. The waves sounded like reverberating between the sky and the earth.

    "The sea?" Erii wrote to Lu Mingfei, with excitement in her eyes.

Lu Mingfei nodded his head as an answer. 

Ah the ocean… maybe four hours ago you might have been upset to meet up with the water. Now you just laugh.

Erii looks at you curiously.

“Did you know I got to ride dolphins?”

Erii practically staggers. 

“If you're lost in the ocean, sometimes dolphins will rescue you.” You hook her arm in yours. “They're big and strong and won't let you drown.”

“MC knows so much.”

“Erii knows a lot about Erii’s world. I know a lot about mine.”

Erii nods and smiles.

Lu Mingfei pulled out the compass, opened the long-prepared map, and took you to the town not far away. The sign in front of the town reads Umezuji-cho. At this time of the year, the streets of Tokyo must be bustling with people, but in this small seaside town, there are no people on the streets, only a group of elementary school students in school uniforms passing by.

Mingfei seemed to be in a rush, but Erii dallied with you, asking questions and marveling at the tofu shop, or the batik store. More than once, Mingfei had to come back and usher you forward. He clearly had some sort of plan in mind.

You find out that he hurried was so you could catch the last mountain tram, which was built next to the town's shrine and had a 45-degree angle track that made a staccato sound as you climbed.

    On both sides of the track there are dense trees. These trees cover the track like thick clouds, and it is as if you are walking through a tunnel of ever-changing colors, a tunnel made purely of foliage and flowers.

Both you and Erii are stunned with wonder. You did not have such dense forests like this growing up. The air is full of birdsong and frogs and early season cicadas. You feel someone take your hand. Erii points to your face. A bright tear shone there like a pearl. You didn't know you had shed it.

  "Sakura is not Japanese, right? How do you know such a beautiful place?" Erii wrote in her little notebook.

    "I saw a drama made in Japan. This is a very famous scene from that drama. I saw that drama a long time ago."

    "What was the name of that TV series?"

    "Tokyo Love Story." Lu Mingfei wrote one stroke at a time.

 "I liked that Japanese drama so much that I searched the Internet for all kinds of information about Ehime Prefecture, and finally learned that the ending scene was filmed in Umezuji Town, and that the school and the separate stations in the drama were real. I had always dreamed of traveling to Umetsuji-cho and had done a lot of homework.”

You and Mingfei did not really know each other. You did not think he was this level of a romantic so you didn’t understand why Caesar would want to pair you two. Now it made a lot more sense.

Lu Mingfei took out a handkerchief and blindfolded Erii: "You will see a beautiful view when you untie the handkerchief later."

When he handed one to you, your jaw drops. “I can’t believe you.”

He doesn’t say anything, just ties your eyes. You feel his hand close around yours. You can’t see Erii’s expression. “Erii, I’m so excited. This is fantastic!”

You’re smiling, you can’t stop. The memories of the events of the days before roared like angry hordes of monsters in your mind, but Mingfei and Erii have shut the gates on them. His warm hand in yours, the rhythm of the sun's rays between the trees, the crunch of your footfalls on the trail, the constant sound of birds. It was all so soothing.

 You walk the decades old mountain mining path, a road with uneven stone patchwork. At the end of the road is a long closed mine. In order to commemorate the mine that raised the town, the residents of Umezuji Town donated money to build a wooden temple-style building over the entrance and exit of the mine. Each rafter is hung with carp flags for prayers, and various porcelain dolls are placed under the eaves. This is a local custom. If the town's family gave birth to a boy, they would come here to hang a carp flag, and if it is a girl will put a porcelain doll.

 “It's exactly the same as the Internet says." Lu Mingfei said.

The tracks of the mine car had long been rusted, and weeds grew among the sleepers. You followed the track to the edge of the cliff, and Lu Mingfei helped you to climb a rock that protruded from the cliff.

He pressed his hands on you and Erii’s shoulders and said, "Now you can take off the blindfold."

You untied your handkerchief. 

The sunset blooms full in your vision. The huge sun disc had touched the sea. Ten of millions of tons of seawater slowly swirled beneath your feet. The tide broke into white splashes under the black cliffs. The wind blew endless hectares of forest. The evening woods also look like the sea from a distance, a pale red sea, with thousands of treetops swaying with the wind, forming cascading waves. 

Small towns are distributed along the winding coastline, Lu Mingfei names of them one by one -- below the cliff is the town of Umezuji, a little farther away is the town of Yamamae, Tsukishita Castle Town and Matsuron Town, and further is beyond his knowledge.

    The town's small school was already empty, and the silent playground was empty.

    The Ferris wheel spins slowly but does not carry passengers. The Ferris wheel in Umezuji Town is only a miniature version, but it is magnified in the sunset, its huge shadow cast on the undulating sea of trees.

    On the track facing the sea, the yellow slow train rumbled through the small unoccupied station, which was enclosed by white railings with the signs "Umetsuji X" and "Tokyo X”. You wonder how long it had to wait for a nostalgic and romantic fan like Lu Mingfei. Music starts playing and you can't help but laugh in disbelief.

    Lu Mingfei had pressed play on the theme song of Tokyo Love Story. His phone was the latest and the speaker was good. You couldn't believe it. This nerdy little parrot boy and scared raccoon had somehow managed to comfort you completely. Outside the shadows of Caesar and Chu Zihang, he shined bright. Maybe being on a boat with him would be fun.

Erii held up her notebook. “The world is gentle.”

You look at her, expressionless. She was right. The world in its natural state was quiet and peaceful. You’d fallen asleep in violence and awakened in violence and pain. You didn't get to experience the romantic world like this very much. In your mind, you imagine Renata in her patchwork coat, sitting next to you. In your ears, she whispers. 

You open your mouth, “Make a wish!”

Mingfei turns to you in surprise but Erii follows along, pressing her palms together. You pray.

Renata. I am coming soon. Sorry it took so long.

You sat under the roof of the mine. Erii kept writing questions. Lu Mingfei answered one by one. This girl seems to have saved up a belly of questions, and now they all came out. Mostly they referenced Anime and Manga you have never heard of. That was Erii’s world, a world of cartoon fantasy. He confirmed or denied that reality, shaping and creating the world anew as you watched her listen intently. Lu Mingfei had taken to heart your words and was upfront and simple, not lying or trying to say things she wanted to hear. You nod in approval, your eyes serious. 

The sun gradually sank below the surface of the sea, the last afterglow scattered on the water. Half of the sun and its reflection form a complete circle.

   "So this is what the outside world looks like." Erii wrote to Lu Mingfei to see.

    "Yeah, that's what it's like, no Britannia Kingdom and no Celestial Organization… disappointed?" Lu Mingfei asked.

    "No, not disappointed, like this kind of world, this kind of world is very gentle." Erii used the word gentle once again. You repeated the word in your mind. Gentle. It echoes there. As if without the constant threat of death and adrenaline, there was just empty space.

   "I really like this world." As the sun is about to disappear, Erii wrote to Lu Mingfei. "But the world doesn't like me." Erii went on to write.

You stand up and move to the other side of her. You scoot as close as you can and rest your head on her shoulder. She hugged the huge bear and lowered her eyes like a cat that had done something wrong.

 "I'll be a problem for everyone and I've been a problem for Sakura." Erii wrote again.

  "I was too willful. So I ran away from home."

  "I should have gone back a long time ago but it's still a pleasure."

   "It's beautiful here, I should have known I should have come here on the first day. Thank you Sakura, MC, thank you.”

You lower your hand over hers as she’s writing.

"No."

Erii froze for a moment.

 "No." Lu Mingfei repeated.

Lu Mingfei cocked his head to look at her with a rare serious look: "Don't think you can know what the world is like by coming out to see it. I'm still confused after living in this world for more than twenty years. You've only run out for a few days and you think you understand?"

His eyes look at you too and you’re just as shaken as Erii. But he is right! You never set foot outside the Port of Black Swan and that was 20 years ago. You saw the whole world through that tiny lens and haughtily walked around like you owned the place. You judged others through that same view as well.

  "How big the world is depends on how many people you know, and for every person you know, the world gets a little bigger for you. There are many cities in this world. There are Tokyo, Paris, Cairo, London, Istanbul... but many of them are just names to you, you haven't been there and there are no people there you want to visit, so they don't really belong to your world. There are many, many more people in this world, but you don't know them, and they don't belong in your world. There are also lots of good food and fun and nice things in this world, but the world that really belongs to you is actually very small, just the places you've been and eaten and seen the sunset and the friends who will care if you live or die."

 "Whether the world likes you or not only depends on whether your friends like you or not. Everyone has a few really good friends. They like you, therefore, the world likes you."

The world… was not Tokyo, or Cassell or Hydra… The world was Renata, Caesar, Chu Zihang, Lu Mingfei, and now Erii. You turn your head back to Tokyo, unseen in the distance. How could you leave…?

“What is a good friend?" Erii wrote in her little notebook.

    "It's the kind of friend that's so crazy about that he'll believe in you no matter what, and he'll be with you no matter what.” Lu Mingfei growled low. "If the world really doesn't like you, then the world is my enemy."

    The moment these cold and arrogant words came out of his mouth, you seemed to hear a familiar cold laugh coming from behind you. The demon of the sad world sneering with all its mockery.

Together, you and Mingfei both jerked back, but behind you were only cherry blossoms mixed with fallen leaves swirling in a breeze, and there was no sign of Z. Lu Mingfei stared at you with wide eyes and you stared right back. His mouth opened. “MC. You… heard…?”

    "Wanted: a good friend." 

He turned back to Erii waiting for him with a small book up. 

    "I am your good friend, and you will have more good friends in the future." You say.

    "But as long as we are your good friends, how can we not like you?" He said softly.

She slowly crawled towards Lu Mingfei like a kitten, vigilantly figuring out his look. Lu Mingfei looks petrified and you cover your mouth with one hand while silently cheering, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

What did he expect? Even your heart was moving and you don’t even like him! Lu Mingfei is sitting here putting Kazama level moves on this girl and now that her arms are around him and her head is on his chest, he looks two seconds away from shitting himself. You ball your fist against your lips and swallow your laughter.

Clouds gathered in the distance and the sun had set, It was time to go. You would have to get up bright and early tomorrow to get on the boat to China. Your heart was relaxed again about Caesar’s decision. After all, he was just doing his best. If you died, you would go to rest. Caesar would be tormented for the rest of his days. He wasn't sending you on the boat to die. He wanted you to live. You still believed the omniscient Z. Leaving Tokyo was a death sentence. But you also believed Caesar had his own parallel script.

It was raining by the time the train came. You stand shoulder to shoulder on the platform. “Call me to wake me up tomorrow.” You say.

 Mingfei lowers his head and laughs.

“Oh you’re planning to oversleep? Once again I have to be the mature one.” You roll your eyes. 

The train splashes up to the platform and you make sure Erii has her ticket. She sits next to the window and stares outside. Much to your surprise, Mingfei sits you next to her. He gives you a fond smile and passes you a note.

  "Dear passengers, this train terminates in Matsuyama City. We are now about to leave Umezuji-cho station. The train is about to close......" A sweet female voice echoed in the carriage. 

The doors of the train close.

You open the note in your hand. The words make you squint.

You have to live.

You and Erii gasp at the same time. Mingfei is not on the train. The doors have closed. And he is not on the train!

You leap from your seat and pound on the glass door in front of the smiling Mingfei. “Where am I supposed to go?” You will miss the boat. You won’t go to China.

Your hands slowly slide from the glass. Erii is pressing her notebook urgently against it.

Lu Mingfei tapped on the window, "Someone will pick Erii up when you get to Matsuyama City. MC, find Ruri Kazama.”

    "Won't Sakura take me back to Tokyo?" Eriki took the small book and showed it to Lu Mingfei.

    "Your family won't like me." Lu Mingfei said.

    Erii hugged the furry teddy bear and lowered her head, her long hair like a colored cloak that enveloped both her and the bear.

    "Sayonara"  said Lu Mingfei.

    Erii nodded, finally realizing that this was their parting. The train ride to Tokyo will take several hours, but Lu Mingfei will not accompany her.

    Lu Mingfei's face was stern and he didn't say anything more. There was nothing more to say. This was the parting, his carefully designed parting. He NEVER agreed to the boat. He NEVER agreed to kill you. He had carefully pulled the wool over Caesar’s eyes and convinced you that he was going to dump you on the boat. You grinned and shook your head. But the train began to move before you could even think of a comeback.

#Dragon Raja

[chilling-seavey]

Can you please do a blurb where Daniel and Florence and the girls go to Disneyland or an amusement park or something!

I love this idea omg thank you! I think this turned out as one of my favourites!! I was going to do Disneyland but I’ve never been so I won’t be able to write accurately but I will take this lovely idea and write it more local...

As usual, I had an inspo photo... (minus the baby powder obviously lol)

Canada’s Wonderland was the place for good adventures for any age group. When Daniel moved to Toronto for school, he and his friends visited the theme park a few times (until their money ran out and they were stuck eating ramen for a week before the got another set of paycheques), so when the girls were old enough, Daniel made sure the family could go themselves. The girls had never been to a theme park before – even Clementine who was already nine-and-a-half – so when summer came around, Daniel and Florence dug into their entertainment savings to take the girls out for a day.

It was a 45 minute drive north to the park, the girls in the backseat dressed in shorts and t-shirts with little ball-caps on their tied back hair, running shoes swinging back and forth with excitement and they all sang along messily to the music through the speakers. Daniel paid for parking and they found an empty spot way too far away from the entrance, but it was to be expected on a weekend in July. The girls were slathered with sunscreen by Daniel, as Florence took the wagon from the trunk and stocked it with water bottles and the backpack full of supplies they might need for the day. Lucy climbed right in excitedly, her tiny sunglasses perched on her nose and Florence buckled her in.

They waited in line a while to get through security check and get the girls’ bracelets so they knew what rides they could go on based on their height for safety. Penelope and Lucy sat in the wagon together, looking around the park at the waterfall and huge (man-made) mountain at the end of the reflecting pool that was shooting water in fancy twirls.

“Where are we gong first?” Clementine asked, skipping to get ahead with her hand in Florence’s to try and pull her along faster.

“We’ll start small, okay?” Daniel chuckled at her excitement, pulling the wagon behind him.

They made their way across the crowded park to the kids’ area. Penelope stuck in the wagon at first, watching her sisters go from little ride to little ride (Lucy going on the tiny airplanes twice because she loved it so much). Daniel and Florence took turns going with the girls and staying with the wagon. Penelope finally let Daniel convince her to go on the merry-go-round with him and she absolutely loved sitting on the metal horse beside his own, watching the world spin around them. That was sort of her gateway and she tried a few other little things around the park before lunch.

They all stopped for slices of pizza (which cost a ridiculous amount of money), the outdoor fans not doing much against the summer heat and Daniel ended up fanning the girls with his paper plate to try and cool them down as they ate.

“Why don’t we look at other rides?” Clementine suggested. “The kid rides are boring.”

“We can see what else is around.” Florence agreed, passing her a napkin to wipe her face.

“Bored already, are you, angel?” Daniel chuckled.

“I want to go on the biggest roller coaster!” Clementine said loudly.

“I don’t know if you’re tall enough.” Daniel said. Clementine frowned at him.

When lunch finished, the family left the kids’ zone and found slightly bigger rides for the older two girls to try. The roller coaster through the mountain was a hit for Clementine but the lights and the screams as the ride went into the dark were not fun for Penelope and she came off crying and clinging onto Daniel, embarrassed as strangers stared at her.

“It wasn’t scary, Nell.” Clementine tried to reason with her sister as she walked beside them, Penelope’s face buried in Daniel’s neck. “It was just a pretend dragon.”

“There was a dragon?” Penelope’s head shot up with fear in her eyes.

“Okay, go run to Mommy.” Daniel nudged Clementine ahead of them and she took off across the walkway to where Florence was waiting with the wagon and Lucy. When the family was back together, Daniel set Penelope in the wagon as she was almost eight and was getting a bit big to be carried for long, and he pet her sweaty hair back from her face and handed her a water bottle, “Just take a bit of a breather, okay, bug?”

Penelope nodded, taking the water from him and took a small sip, wiping her eyes with her free hand.

Daniel stood up and slid an arm around Florence’s shoulders, “No more pushing limits today.”

“I agree.” Florence chuckled lightly, glancing back at their middle daughter with the drying tears on her flushed cheeks.

Of course, that didn’t last for long as they passed the biggest roller coaster in the park and Clementine was screaming, “That one! I wanna ride this one!”

“That one is way too big, Clemmy.” Florence said.

“No, it’s not! I have the teal bracelet and the sign says teal bracelet and the orange bracelet can ride!” Clementine pointed to the sign at the entrance to the queue. She whipped back around to her parents. “Please, can I go?!”

“I don’t know, angel. Why don’t we work our way up to it?” Daniel suggested, biting lightly at his bottom lip as he stared up at the copper coloured metal track that reached into the sky and dipped down into a 90-degree free fall.

“No! Daddy, please!” Clementine begged, wrapping her hands around his arm.

“I think it’s Mommy’s turn to take you.” Daniel looked to Florence.

“I can’t; I just had a baby.” Florence shrugged, gesturing to Lucy.

“Four years ago.” Daniel gaped.

“I can go by myself!” Clementine suggested.

“No!” both parents said quickly.

“This one goes upside down, you know that, right?” Daniel asked his daughter.

“Yes!” Clementine grabbed his hand in both of hers and tried to pull him towards the lineup. “Please, Daddy! Please!”

Daniel closed his eyes a moment and groaned, “Okay, fine.”

“Yay!” Clementine took off into the queue, leaving Daniel to take off his baseball hat and hand it to his wife.

“If I never see you again, I love you.” Daniel whispered, kissing her once.

“Have fun.” Florence chuckled, tucking her finger in the collar of his black tank top and pulled him in for one more kiss.

“Daddy!” Clementine shrieked.

“Coming, angel.” Daniel called back, rushing after her to line up, ruffling a hand through his hair that had been matted down by his hat. It was about a thirty-minute wait; the entire time with Daniel spent making himself more and more nervous. He hated holding in emotions in front of his daughters, but he didn’t want Clementine to think that he wasn’t as brave as she was…not to mention as brave as the other older dads around them that seemed completely calm.

Thankfully, they didn’t get the front seat and they were stuck in the middle which was perfectly fine with Daniel. He made sure Clementine was properly buckled in (twice) and checked himself a couple times too even before the worker came by to do the official check of the seatbelts and restraints. Clementine looked so small behind the over the shoulder restraints and Daniel could only pray that he wasn’t being a terrible father by letting her do this.

Soon, the train was given the go ahead and they took off towards the hill. Daniel kept glancing at Clementine on his left, her legs kicking excitedly as they dangled over the track, trying to keep himself as still as humanly possible. Now Daniel wasn’t scared of much, he wasn’t even overly scared of roller coasters either, but this 90-degree angle and the longest, fastest, tallest roller coaster in the world that did not sit right with him.

The train reached the top of the hill and paused, dangling over the side for a moment.

“Oh gosh, Clementine-” Daniel whispered shakily, barely finishing his sentence before they went over the edge. The nine-year-old was screaming at the top of her lungs and Daniel was honestly right there with her, saying a few words he was not proud of when they hit the loops.

By the time the ride stopped and they got out at the station, Daniel was a mess, trying to stabilize his legs, but Clementine was laughing loudly and running ahead to their family. With Florence and her sisters in sight, Clementine took off faster towards them.

“Daddy said a bad word!” Clementine shrieked with laughter as she reached her mother. “He said lots of bad words!”

Florence looked up to her husband who was nearly wobbling out of the exit gate, looking a bit shaky and pale. He trudged over to them and draped himself over Florence with a groan.

“Wow. Such a good dad.” Florence smiled, running a hand through his sweaty hair.

“Daddy! That was so fun! Let’s go again!” Clementine tugged at his shirt.

“No, no.” Daniel waved her off gently as Florence draped his hat on his head again. “We’re going back to Lucy’s rides now, angel.”

“Ok, you can do that and I’ll stay here!” Clementine suggested.

“Clementine Ophelia, you’re going to give your father a heart attack.” Florence laughed. “Come on, we’ll all go share a funnel cake.”

By the time the day was over, Daniel finally felt a bit better and Clementine humoured him with less excessive roller coasters to fill their time. The park had nightly fireworks so they sat by the waterfall and watched the show as darkness fell. Lucy slept against Daniel’s shoulder as they headed back to the car, Penelope and Clementine waving their glowsticks around like they were wands, high on all the sugar they had during the day.

But the car ride brought silence, all three girls falling asleep in the backseat on the drive back to the city, Florence and Daniel listening to music quietly together in the front, hand in hand. Daniel glanced in the rear-view mirror at his daughters and then looked over his shoulder to look again at their peaceful sleeping faces before smiling over at Florence and raised her hand to his lips to press a kiss to her soft skin.

#daniel seavey #daniel seavey imagines #why dont we #why dont we imagines

[kangtaebins]

Weird Asks That Say A Lot

I said I was going to just answer all of these bc of boredom,, and so here I am

1. Coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans? Teacups are aesthetically pleasing idc what anyone says

2. Chocolate bars or lollipops? Lollipops

3. Bubblegum or cotton candy? Cotton candy supremacy

4. How did your elementary school teachers describe you? I was told that I was a leader a lot, and was told that I was very intelligent. Ah yes, I suffered from gifted kid burn out in high school-

5. Do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups? Look, plastic cups are the best. Specifically the ones with the lids and reusable straws

6. Pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear? It truly depends on the day bc some days I would say goth and other days I’d say grunge, but most days- pastel

7. Earbuds or headphones? Earbuds

8. Movies or TV shows? TV shows bc- idk actually I’m just not a movie person

9. Favorite smell in the summer? I have a weird obsession with the smell of cheap sunscreen and I have no clue why

10. Game you were best at in p.e.? I hated gym in high school and rarely participated despite the teacher being irritated with me (truly she gave up after a few months bc I really did not care at all) HOWEVER- I went to town in volleyball and still enjoy playing volleyball v much

11. What do you have for breakfast on an average day? I don’t eat breakfast often,,, 

12. Name of your favorite playlist? Probably my Navy or Indigo playlist

13. Lanyard or key ring? Key ring 

14. Favorite non-chocolate candy? Anything green apple!!!

15. Favorite book you read as a school assignment? I actually genuinely enjoyed Romeo And Juliet tbh

16. Most comfortable position to sit in? I always curl up in a ball on the couch, but in a chair I manspread ngl

17. Most frequently worn pair of shoes? Nike slides <//3

18. Ideal weather? Between 50-70 degrees, sunny but not warm, being able to wear a hoodie and not be hot or cold

19. Sleeping position? I usually either sleep on my left side or on my stomach (my back once in a while when it’s hurting bc I’m a hag)

20. Preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)? I write on my phone more than anything

21. Obsession from childhood? Hm- I was really obsessed with High School Musical as a kid. My friend and I would put it on and lip sync to the songs and pretend we were the characters

22. Role model? Is it- wrong to say myself? Bc I feel like that sounds arrogant but genuinely it’s bc I’m constantly trying to better myself mentally and learn and grow. Idk I just am proud of who I am and look to myself when I need to find motivation

23. Strange habits? Strange? Idk if it’s strange but I’m constantly twiddling with the hem of my sleeves bc I love the feeling of it

24. Favorite crystal? Citrine 

25. First song you remember hearing? WH- bitch idk tf

26. Favorite activity to do in warm weather? Stay tf inside in the air conditioning

27. Favorite activity to do in cold weather? Stay tf inside in the heat

28. Five songs to describe you? To describe me?? Girl idk I'm all over the place. How about songs that resonate with me instead,,, Alive by Khalid, Paranoid by Lauv, Phobia by Dvwn, Fake Smile by Ariana Grande, and Breathin by Ariana Grande

29. Best way to bond with you? Truly I'm not very difficult to get along with, just don't be an asshole. Talk to me about psychology, current events, say Soobin is the cutest to exist idk it's not that hard

30. Places that you find sacred? I- hm. I'm not like a church person or anything so idk. Maybe just anything really old or places with very detailed and unique architecture

31. What outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names? I don't own many clothes,,, let alone nice clothes. I also don't really dress to impress I'd much rather be comfortable

32. Top five favorite vines? Oh god if I h a d to pick???? The lipstick in the Valentino bag, they were roommates, it's an avocado- thaaanks, jared 19, and uh,,, zach stooppp you're gonna get in trouble

33. Most used phrase in your phone? Tbh it's probably "girl what-" or "no bc"

34. Advertisements you have stuck in your head? That 877-CASH-NOW ONE JFC

35. Average time you fall asleep? Between 11pm-1am

36. What is the first meme you remember ever seeing? Probably the troll face one or smth

37. Suitcase or duffel bag? Suitcase

38. Lemonade or tea? I mix them together!

39. Lemon cake or lemon meringue pie? Lemon meringue pie bc I don't really like cake

40. Weirdest thing to ever happen at your school? Y'all I- went to a hs/college mixed school,, I've seen it all. Weirdest?? Idk but one weird thing I remember was when we were making whistles in art and some dude made a penis whistle 😭

41. Last person you texted? My best friend :))

42. Jacket pockets or pants pockets? Jacket pockets

43. Hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket? Hoodie 100%

44. Favorite scent for soap? I love soaps that smell like soap. Like ok duh I know that sounds dumb but yk what I mean? I don't want lemon or mint or whatever, I like the plain soap smell

45. Which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero? Fantasy

46. Most comfortable outfit to sleep in? Oversized t-shirt, no pants. I question anyone that is comfortable sleeping with pants on-

47. Favorite type of cheese? Feta!

48. If you were a fruit, what kind would you be? I feel like I'd be a pineapple and I have no clue why

49. What saying or quote do you live by? Not necessarily a quote but more of a thought: live for yourself, enjoy each day, do what gives you joy

50. What made you laugh the hardest you ever have? I have had so many instances in which I have laughed so hard I peed and to even attempt to name one is impossible

51. Current stresses? Making sure my family gets their vaccines and stays safe

52. Favorite font? I don't think I have one? Anything except comic sans

53. What is the current state of your hands? What does this even mean 💀 I mean,, they're holding my phone, cold, and my nails are unpolished

54. What did you learn from your first job? That people are assholes but I'm capable of not giving a fuck bc life is not that damn serious

55. Favorite fairy tale? Is The Three Little Pigs considered a fairy tale?

56. Favorite tradition? Putting up the Christmas tree with my mom :( it's always a lot of fun

57. The three biggest struggles you’ve overcome? Depression, grief, and hopefully one day- smth I'm currently dealing with

58. Four talents you’re proud of having? Makeup!! But also: singing, crying on command, and tying cherry stems with my tongue

59. If you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be? Sick of these bitches

60. If you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be? I don't watch anime so idk

61. Favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.? It's this line from Eleanor & Park: "Eleanor was right: She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something."

62. Seven characters you relate to? Holy hell, 7?? Probably won't get that many but hm,,, Darlene from Roseanne, Hermione from Harry Potter, Emily from Pretty Little Liars maybe?? Idk I suddenly blanked

63. Five songs that would play in your club? As if it's Your Last by BP, anything from SHINee, anything from Ariana, also anything Rihanna, just a bunch of women tbh

64. Favorite website from your childhood? FUCKING WEBKINZ BRO

65. Any permanent scars? I have a few on my arms idk where they came from tbh, I also have one on my hand from my sister 🧍🏻‍♀

66. Favorite flower(s)? Sunflowers!!! I also really love lilacs 💔

67. Good luck charms? My dog's collar that I wear as a bracelet

68. Worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried? Licorice-

69. A fun fact that you don’t know how you learned? It takes repeating a piece of information 12 times at random to memorize it completely

70. Left or right handed? Right

71. Least favorite pattern? Fucking chevron- and realistic camo, and anything with the American flag

72. Worst subject? Yall im awful at history. American history, world history, all of it-

73. Favorite weird flavor combo? Either pickles and peanut butter or cheese and grapes

74. At what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen? I'm stubborn but also always in pain so I've become numb to a lot of body pains. I have to be at like a 7-8 before I take smth otherwise I'd always be taking it

75. When did you lose your first tooth? I was probably like 5 I was definitely in Kindergarten

76. What’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)? I fw baked potatoes

77. Best plant to grow on a windowsill? I have a love for succulents

78. Coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store? Oh my- I don't drink coffee but coffee from a gas station

79. Which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo? Driver's license for sure

80. Earth tones or jewel tones? Jewel tones

81. Fireflies or lightning bugs? I say both,, but I think I say lightning bugs more

82. PC or console? PC

83. Writing or drawing? Both

84. Podcasts or talk radio? Podcasts definitely

84. Barbie or polly pocket? Barbie

85. Fairy tales or mythology? Fairy tales

86. Cookies or cupcakes? C o o k i e s

87. Your greatest fear? Losing people I love

88. Your greatest wish? To live comfortably and be a great mother

89. Who would you put before everyone else? My family

90. Luckiest mistake? Guessing on 90% of a test and getting an A 💀

91. Boxes or bags? Bags are easier to carry-

92. Lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights? Fairy lights!!

93. Nicknames? Sam, Sammi, my sister calls me Sams, my best friend calls me Bub, and my gf calls me Baby if that counts- 👀

94. Favorite season? Fall omg it's gorgeous and has perfect temperatures

95. Favorite app on your phone? ✨tumblr✨

96. Desktop background? Its literally a pic of Soobin, Taehyun, and Beomgyu

97. How many phone numbers do you have memorized? Like 4-5

98. Favorite historical era? The one where white people learn their fucking place and stop being racist, homophobic, classist, sexist, all the -ists and -phobics,,,, so none. Fuck history :))

#idk what to put in the tags so if you actually read all of these then damn you're the real mvp

[brutuskorov]

betrayal never comes from the enemy...

(a character analysis)

basic information

FULL NAME: boris korov PRONUNCIATION: BO-ris KO-rov MEANING: boris - fight, fighter. REASONING: his father named him long before he was born. boris, fighter, if he was a boy. sezia, protector, if he’d been born a girl. for his father, his child (regardless of gender) was to be his legacy -- he meant for the name ‘korov’ to mean something. boris is not as ambitious as his father; he’s more of a follower than a leader, but he’ll be damned if he doesn’t follow his father’s words. (it is lesser known that is mother called him borya, little snatches of affection he holds close to his chest.)  NICKNAME(S): brutus, borya PREFERRED NAME(S): brutus BIRTH DATE: december 23rd AGE: 33 ZODIAC: capricorn GENDER: male PRONOUNS: he/him/his ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: panromantic SEXUAL ORIENTATION: heterosexual (while boris has experienced attraction towards multiple genders, he only ever acts on it with women) NATIONALITY: russian ETHNICITY: alaskan native; kuyokan-athabascan CURRENT LOCATION: verona, italy LIVING CONDITIONS: simple & stark, though he has the means for a more luxurious life. TITLE(S): emissary

background

BIRTH PLACE: yekatrinburg, russia HOMETOWN: verona, italy (since he was a teen) SOCIAL CLASS: boris was born poor. his father earned well enough through his criminal dealings, but spent it just as quickly -- he was a man who enjoyed life and didn’t believe in the notion of saving. boris himself made his way up  EDUCATION LEVEL: boris’ education is haphazard and all over the place due to the instability of his father’s career. he completed his 12th year in italy, but went back to russia to spend some time in the conscripted army. boris didn’t return to school for a while, focusing more on mafia activities. he did return to school and started a degree in strategic management when he left verona, but dropped the program when he returned to the Montagues. FATHER: vadim korov MOTHER: juniper korov née locklear SIBLING(S): talia korov (deceased before boris’ birth) BIRTH ORDER: i. talia -- ii. boris CHILDREN: n/a PET(S): a moroccoan uromastyx named ‘lizard’ OTHER IMPORTANT RELATIVES: cousin -- ava locklear (located in america); niece -- sonya locklear (located in america) PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS: n/a ARRESTS?: a couple times for teenage stupidity, but his connections to the mafia meant he always got off PRISON TIME?: n/a

occupation & income

PRIMARY SOURCE OF INCOME: private military contractor through almaz-antey SECONDARY SOURCE OF INCOME: montague emissary TERTIARY SOURCE(S) OF INCOME: n/a APPROXIMATE AMOUNT PER YEAR: appx.  € 180,000 / year CONTENT WITH THEIR JOB (OR LACK THERE OF)?: boris knows he didn’t earn his job -- he was placed there with the intention of smoothing the way for montague goals. he’s specifically assigned to various pharmaceutical and drug companies where he intentionally suggests security plans that leave room for the montagues to take their share. it also allows him to play the part of a bodyguard when necessary. the job satisfies the hum under his skin that demands action but it isn’t exactly his passion.   PAST JOB(S): montague soldier SPENDING HABITS: he doesn’t really spend money beyond essentials. of course, at this point, essentials includes paying off contracted killers, bribing government officials, etc. picking apart a mafia empire isn’t cheap, but he doesn’t really spend money on himself. he’s not thrifty but his income to expenditure ratio means he ends up having plenty in his bank account. MOST VALUABLE POSSESSION: tucked in a cabinet by his flat’s front door is a getaway bag -- it contains burner phones, travel documents, everything he could need to run again.

skills & abilities

PHYSICAL STRENGTH: 8/10 OFFENSE: 7/10 DEFENSE: 7/10 SPEED: 7/10 INTELLIGENCE: 8/10 ACCURACY: 9/10 AGILITY: 6/10 STAMINA: 9/10 TEAMWORK: 5/10 TALENTS: tactics & strategy, far-sighted, detailed SHORTCOMINGS: disloyal, selfish, detached LANGUAGE(S) SPOKEN: russian (fluent), italian (fluent, but accented), english (passable) DRIVE?: yes JUMP-STAR A CAR?: yes CHANGE A FLAT TIRE?: yes RIDE A BICYCLE?: yes SWIM?: no PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?: no PLAY CHESS?: yes BRAID HAIR?: yes TIE A TIE?: no PICK A LOCK?: yes

physical appearance & characteristics

FACE CLAIM: martin sensmeier EYE COLOR: dark brown HAIR COLOR: black HAIR TYPE/STYLE: usually short -- he wore it in a buzzcut during his brief stint in military GLASSES/CONTACTS?: n/a DOMINANT HAND: right HEIGHT: 6′1″ WEIGHT: 75 kg BUILD: tall, solid -- not buff, but not lean either EXERCISE HABITS: he’s very regimented in his exercise -- runs early every morning, weight trains every other day, practices hand to hand fairly frequently. he likes moving in any form. SKIN TONE: dark brown with warm, coppery undertones  TATTOOS: though he’s often contemplated getting one, he hasn’t found a design he’d like to commit to PEIRCINGS: none MARKS/SCARS: a scar on his leg from jumping a barbed wire fence, a bullet scar on his shoulder, a couple others here and there he doesn’t even remember getting -- he fought too often to remember every scar NOTABLE FEATURES: high cheek bones and full lips; his gaze is very flat USUAL EXPRESSION: stoic, veering towards a scowl  CLOTHING STYLE: he gets cold easily, so he wears jackets well into summer. he prefers neutral tones. dark jeans, beige turtleneck and an army jacket is a very typical basic outfit that he’ll wear anywhere. JEWELRY: n/a. ALLERGIES: peanuts BODY TEMPERATURE: normal DIET: his diet is unhealthy in that he very rarely cooks for himself, but he does eat a variety of food and prefers high protein diets. PHYSICAL AILMENTS: n/a

psychology

JUNG TYPE: ISTJ JUNG SUBTYPE: Type A ENNEAGRAM TYPE: type 8 – the challenger MORAL ALIGNMENT: true neutral TEMPERAMENT: choleric ELEMENT: earth PRIMARY INTELLIGENCE TYPE: kinesthetic/spatial APPROXIMATE IQ: 110 MENTAL CONDITIONS/DISORDERS: n/a SOCIABILITY: introvert EMOTIONAL STABILITY: stable, his mood does not shift easily OBSESSION(S): damiano montague COMPULSION(S): he’s very particular about the state of things in his home. he likes it clean and neat. PHOBIA(S): n/a ADDICTION(S): he knows his father had a problem with gambling so he avoids it DRUG USE: he prefers alcohol to drugs ALCOHOL USE: he drinks to unwind, sticking to beers mostly. at parties he’ll go for dark liquors but he doesn’t particularly care for booze. PRONE TO VIOLENCE?: ha. yes. but he’s tempered his instincts well.

mannerisms

SPEECH STYLE: when he speaks, it is short and concise, never more than necessary. he will answer questions at face value and doesn’t elaborate unless asked. He takes lots of pauses and is slow to reveal his thoughts. ACCENT: his russian is flawless, his italian less so -- the words tend to come out a bit harsher. his english is passable with a strong russian accent. QUIRKS: if boris can walk somewhere instead of taking a vehicle, he will. he hates public transportation however, and prefers motorcycles to every other vehicle. HOBBIES: running, walking, listen to music HABITS: he runs every morning, immediately after waking up. he drinks his coffee black (he doesn’t like espresso). he wakes up at 5:45 am every morning, no matter what time he went to bed. boris is inherently a man of habit, he likes routines. NERVOUS TICKS: fist clenching and setting his jaw DRIVES/MOTIVATIONS: revenge, justice, respect, family FEARS: failure POSITIVE TRAITS: driven, reliable, dedicated, detailed NEGATIVE TRAITS: selfishness, fails to see bigger picture, disloyal SENSE OF HUMOR: sarcasm, understatements, subtle humor DO THEY CURSE OFTEN?: to emphasize a point. CATCHPHRASE(S): n/a

favorites

ACTIVITY: running ANIMAL: gazelle BEVERAGE: water BOOK: he doesn’t really read. CELEBRITY: natalie dormer COLOR:  navy blue DESIGNER: he doesn’t know designers.  FOOD: pierogies FLOWER: red poppies (his mother’s favorite) GEM: diamonds HOLIDAY: winter holidays in general MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: walking MOVIE: the good, the bad, the ugly MUSICAL ARTIST: jidenna QUOTE/SAYING: “no legacy is so rich as honesty.” SCENERY: wide open lakes that are frozen over SCENT: pine SPORT: boxing SPORTS TEAM: italian football TELEVISION SHOW: 24 WEATHER: cold & brisk VACATION DESTINATION: mountains

attitudes

GREATEST DREAM: destroying the montagues GREATEST FEAR: failing his father’s legacy MOST AT EASE WHEN: running LEAST AT EASE WHEN: attending fancy parties WORST POSSIBLE THING THAT COULD HAPPEN: getting caught in his schemes before he’s ready BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT: returning to the montagues despite his betrayal BIGGEST REGRET: leaving in the first place -- he has to re-prove himself MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT: when he was young, he once cried after falling. his father laughed so hard, he never cried over little things again. BIGGEST SECRET: he betrayed the montagues to a russian mob TOP PRIORITIES: slowly dismantling the montague empire

#[ about ]

[kobayashi-aika]

Ultra Jump April 2018: 100 Questions for Kobayashi Aika

April’s edition of Ultra Jump was a Guilty Kiss special. It featured a photoshoot, an interview with all 3 members, and a special Q&A section with each seiyuu. Here’s Aikyan’s 100 Questions!

Translated question template was provided by @saitou-shuka​.

Kobayashi Aika (voice of Tsushima Yoshiko) Nickname: Aikyan Birthday: October 23rd Blood type: O Hobbies: Photography, western fashion Skills: Dancing (Hip-hop, R&B, LA Style)

1. Favorite food? I like all sorts of fruits. But I like strawberries the most! Ah, but I like mangoes, peaches, and watermelon, too...

2. Disliked food? There’s nothing I wouldn’t eat!

3. Favorite snacks? Snacks made with potatoes. More specifically, Jagapokkuru!

4. Your number one favorite home-cooked dish? Cod roe pasta! It’s really tasty. I want to learn how to make it soon.

5. Favorite color? Black, grey, red, and white.

6. Favorite scent? Perfume from Chloe.

7. Favorite season? Definitely autumn. I might be because I was born in autumn, but the temperature is also good, and I like the western fashion during the season. It’s a nice season.

8. Favorite event of the year? I have allergies, but definitely cherry blossom viewing! I make plans to go with my family every year, and it’s really fun.

9. What sport do you like watching? I’m always excited and nervous when I watch figure skating.

10. What sport do you like playing? Is dancing a sport? I love dancing. I’m bad at ball sports, but I do like badminton!

11. Favorite animal? Dogs!!!!! And red pandas!!

12. If you were to compare yourself to an animal, what would you be? Maybe a dog…?

13. Are you a dog person? Or a cat person? Definitely a dog person!!!!!

14. Favorite manga? Super Radical Gag Family. I remember reading it aloud with my childhood friends when I was in elementary school…(laughs)

15. Favorite genre of manga? Anything that’s interesting, or anything that makes my heart skip a beat. I want that to happen to me too!!!!!

16. First manga you read? Was it Kobo-chan…? Or maybe those 4 panel comics that they print at the end of newspapers.

17. First anime you watched? My grandfather rented “The Nutcracker” from the video store, and I kept watching it until I got bored.

18. Favorite movie? Rapunzel!

19. Favorite musical artist? It will always be Amuro Namie-san.

20. Song(s) you listen to every day? Aqours songs!!

21. First CD you bought? I don’t really remember… It might have been Morning Musume’s “Hyokkori Hyoutan-jima”...

22. Your specialty song at karaoke? When I go to karaoke with my friends, I sing and dance to Morning Musume songs.

23. Phone lock screen? I set it to a picture of Yohane that Hyogonosuke-san drew. It’s a nice picture, isn’t it?

24. A clothing brand you often buy? I don’t fuss over brands. I just buy whatever looks good. Brands I like are I AM I and didizizi. A brand I really want is l’atelier du savon.

25. Your best outfit? Clothing dyed in jet black. It represents my identity as a fallen angel. In other words, black clothing.

26. Favorite place in your house? In my bed. During the winter, my dogs come and lay in my bed with me, which makes me like it even more.

27. What do you want most right now? Lots of Yohane LINE stamps.

28. What’s something that you’ll always carry in your bag? Some lip balm and Mintia. 

29. What’s something you’ve been collecting unintentionally? Cute cosmetics, cute hats, and cute accessories! Well, rather than unintentionally, I’ve been collecting them on purpose, though.

30. What’s your treasure? A necklace that I got from my mom when I turned 20.

31. What kind of child were you? Well...I was really good at playing by myself!!! That’s all I’ll say!!!!!

32. Your childhood treasure? I used to collect round stones. They were all really pretty and smooth! Also, I had a stuffed dog that I named Chibi-chan.

33. Your childhood dream? I wanted to be a singer and a preschool teacher.

34. Someone you respect? Amuro Namie-san. She really is a cool artist and woman.

35. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Hm...if it’s summer, Okinawa! If it’s winter, Kyoto! Maybe!

36. What country do you want to try visiting? Maybe England, or the Maldives! I’d want to become a wizard in England, and I’d want to take it easy in the Maldives.

37. Any bad habits? I always touch my hair.

38. Do you have a catchphrase? I feel like I say “No way!” a lot.

39. Charm point? What would it be...maybe my eyes!

40. A strength you have? I always see things through to the end.

41. A shortcoming you have? I get really absorbed into things and ignore my surroundings.

42. Your special skill? I’m pretty good at sewing. It’s something that I brag about sometimes, though.

43. Something you’re bad at? Being rushed. I tend to get nervous.

44. A precise weakness of yours? Being called Aika.

45. What do you want to fix about yourself? The part of me that gets nervous...

46. What are you confident you can imitate well? I think my impression of My Melody is pretty close.

47. What’s something you could live off of? My smartphone...perhaps. No, I’ll need food to live...no, maybe water...ah! Some Aqours water!!!

48. Your current obsession? Mekabu! 

49. A phrase you’ve been using a lot? Maybe “Well, those kinds of things happen too, right?”. I think it’s more fun to be positive!

50. Favorite motto? “With everything you’ve got”.

51. If you could describe yourself with one word, what would it be? Little demon.

52. Something you’ve been picky about recently? I’m often picky about my nails. I’m always worrying about what kind of clothes their color will go well with. So recently, I’ve been deciding the theme for my nails beforehand.

53. Fill in the blank with something positive: I’m actually _. I’m actually good with my hands. Probably.

54. Fill in the blank with something negative: I’m actually _. I’m actually really inflexible. Please keep this a secret.

55. Anything but this! I don’t have much for this, but...I guess I wouldn’t like anything done to me that other people wouldn’t like, either!

56. What would the world be better off without? Cockroaches, maybe… And scary movies...anything scary.

57. How do you kill time? Sleep. Watch YouTube videos. Shop online.

58. How do you relieve stress and refresh yourself? Drink beer!

59. What app have you been using often recently? SIF and AC Pocket Camp!

60. What’s something you always do once you wake up? I take a bath!

61. What’s something you always do before you sleep? I set an alarm on my phone. I never forget to set it!

62. What do you do when you ride the train? I sleep, or I look at my phone.

63. What do you do to maintain your health? I use facial masks! And I wash my hands and rinse my mouth! And I get a good night’s sleep!

64. What do you do when you have the day off? I sleep in as long as I can...If I have plans to go out, then I do my nails or go to the salon, and get all my shopping done.

65. What do you do when you have time to yourself? I shop online, play games, and sometimes go out to look at western fashion.

66. What do you do when you hang out with friends? Recently, I’ve been going out with the Aqours 1st years to photogenic spots to take photos. We wear matching outfits, too. “When it’s time to have fun, have as much fun as you can!” is my motto.

67. Where do you want to go on your first date? Ehhh? With who? A-anywhere...is fine. Other than the haunted house, an amusement park sounds nice!

68. If you were to confess to someone, what kind of situation would you want it to be? Um...when I’m getting off the train and saying goodbye, as the doors are closing, I’ll say “I like you” and then run away, perhaps…(laughs).

69. If someone were to confess to you, what kind of situation would you want it to be? I want them to whisper “I love you” in my ear. And I would just be like, “Really!?” and let it soak in.

70. What memories do you have of graduation? A lot of mysterious feelings welled up inside of me, and I cried while singing our school song.

71. Something fun that happened recently? Today! I haven’t had a lot of chances to go to amusement parks, so today was really fun!

(Note: The Ultra Jump photo shoot took place at an amusement park.)

72. Something sad that happened recently? Us first years were playing a game where we tried to make our eyebrows go in a 45 degree angle, and Aiai (Furihata Ai) told me that my face looked like a Wi-Fi symbol. It was a little sad.

73. Something funny that happened recently? I saw Rikyako’s sleeping face. It was so funny that I cried laughing. (laughs) Maybe one day I’ll release it!

74. Something about your past you want to erase? My dark history!!! I don’t really have any!!!

(Note: This is definitely a lie.)

75. A moment that made you think “This is a miracle!”?

Love Live! Sunshine!! and a sweets shop in Numazu called Grandma did a collaboration called “Datenshi’s Chocola”. And in episode 5 of the second season, Yohane named the dog that she found “Lailaps”. Well...my dogs are named Chocola and Laila. This is a miracle!!!!!

76. A moment that made you think “I’m glad to be alive”? When I’m eating my mom’s cod roe pasta!

77. What wish do you want granted in the future? I want for Love Live! Sunshine!! to be loved by even more people, and to do that, we’ll need to work hard to achieve even greater heights. There’s a lot of dreams that I want to make come true, so I’m looking forward to it.

78. What’s something you wished for that came true? This very moment!! I’m able to sing and dance, and I have the chance to do the things that I love with everything I’ve got.

79. Any fond memories of 2017? Going to Disneyland with the first years!

80. What went wrong in 2017? I cried during the 2nd Live Tour. I didn’t want to cry~.

81. What would you do if you won 100 million yen from the lottery? I would put half of it into savings, and use the other half to go on a vacation with my family. I’ll splurge on it!!

82. What would you do if you had a time machine? I’d go back in time and have fun with my preschool friends and teachers again~.

83. What would you want to do if the world were to end tomorrow? I’d spend it with my family...but I’d be really nervous. I’d probably hold them tight...

84. What would you want to eat if the world were to end tomorrow? I’d eat a ton of shrimp and fried chicken.

85. If you could bring one thing to a deserted island, what would it be? A soft futon.

86. If you were reborn in another world, what would you want to become? I definitely!!! would become a magician!!!

87. If you were reborn in this world, what would you want to become? I want to fly in the sky, so maybe a bird!

88. If you were to be reborn, would you want to be male or female? Female! I want to be born again female!

89. What’s good about being a girl? “Girls are always the best!” is what I think. You can wear a lot of fashionable clothes, and make your nails really cute!

90. What’s something you’d want to try if you were male? I’ve never had short hair, so I’d want to get a Mush-cut perm. 

91. A challenge you want to take on? I want to try floating in the air like a fallen angel while singing. And maybe try jumping onto the stage to make my appearance.

92. A voice role you want to try in the future? I want to voice an elementary schooler. Or maybe something that’s not human. (laughs)

93. If you could do any job outside of voice acting, what would it be? I have a preschool teacher’s license, so I’d do that!

94. What made you the happiest out of everything you’ve been told? Seven years ago, I was told “Your songs really encourage me. Thank you so much.” It made me really happy, and it was the day I resolved to work hard as a singer.

95. Have you been keeping any secrets from the rest of Aqours? Not at all! Y-yes...I won’t say who it is, and if I returned it, I wouldn’t tell them, but once during rehearsal, I borrowed someone’s socks, and I haven’t returned them for about a year!!!!! (laughs)

96. Where in Numazu would you like to visit again? Mito Sea!!! 

97. Praise yourself as much as possible! You’re always working so hard! You’re so clever, Kobayashi! Do your best! (laughs)

98. What kind of moment makes you think “This is Guilty”? Recently, Rikako started tickling Aina, but she keeps it a secret as to when and where she does it. That’s Guilty.

99. Your thoughts on today’s photoshoot? It felt like a really Guilty Kiss-esque photoshoot. The amusement park was really fun, and the merry-go-round really

100. Finally, a word for your fans! There might be people reading this that are getting to know Guilty Kiss for the first time, so I hope you can see some of our good points, and I’d be happy if you listened to some of our songs!

#kobayashi aika #aikyan #ultra jump #aqours #guilty kiss #for 67 pls pick me

[graemeruns]

Multiple update time: Reigate half, Sittingbourne 10 and Abingdon marathon

Oh dear, it’s been 3 months since I last wrote anything on here about my running, so now’s the time to get up to speed with what has been going on. 

After the Caterham half (detailed here) I looked at the goal races I had lined up and drew up a training plan. I actually only had two races booked in my calendar: the Reigate half marathon in mid September, and the Abingdon marathon five weeks later. So I decided to loosely follow the marathon training plan I used for my first ever marathon in Brighton in 2014, with Abingdon as the eventual finale and Reigate as one of the marathon tune-up runs. I always find training difficult in the warm summer months and during the school holidays, but this plan was doable because it shouldn’t mean excessive mileage (the greatest week being 55 miles, but most weeks between 40-50 miles). It also only meant five running days per week, so two days to fully rest and recover and not create any further injuries. I was hoping that training when it was warm would mean that the cool autumn races would be much easier too! 

I had entered the Reigate Half in 2017 at the ‘early bird’ price and it had always been my main aim this year once recovered from my injury; it had been useful to have a long term goal to focus on when I started back running in April. After my Caterham half disappointment my training needed to focus on building up the Sunday long runs (all after a fast paced Saturday parkrun) and also ensuring I tried to get one tempo or interval session in during the week. I was also determined to listen to my body, so if I felt too tired for one of the sessions, I would change it to something else, but make sure that I still got the miles under my belt. By the time the Reigate half came round on 16th September, I had managed 5 runs between 16 - 20 miles, and felt a lot more prepared than when I ran Caterham 2 months previously.

This was my first time running the Reigate half. The organisation was superb, and the communication, event village, baggage tent and parking was faultless. The course itself was all on closed roads, and I’d been warned it was quite hilly. In fact there were only really two hills - in the first mile and the last mile - but everything else was all slightly undulating; I never felt like I was on the flat at any point. My race plan was to go out at 4min/km (6:25/mile), and see how long I could keep that up. In the end I managed that pace for the first 8 miles, then started to slow, crossing the finish in 1:26:34. My whole run, however, had been slightly hampered by the hill in the first mile: going up it had been slow, so I had rocketed down it and that had made both my hamstrings sore, like a minor strain, which remained for the rest of the race. It probably didn’t slow me down much, but it certainly wasn’t nice to run with. Nevertheless, I was content with my time, and finished 1st in the V50 age category, which was an added bonus despite there being no age category prizes. You can view my race on Strava here.

After Reigate there were now five weeks until the Abingdon marathon. In the next two weeks my long runs consisted of a 16 miler with 12 miles at around marathon pace (4:13/km or 6:46/mile), and a 20 miler. The following week I decided to do a final tune-up race and entered the Sittingbourne Striders 10 mile road race. I had run this race in 2015 in a time of 64:30; you can read about that encounter here, which explains the course in detail. This year I was hoping to run a bit quicker and something in the 63 minute range. The weather was cool and conditions very good apart from a fairly stiff breeze in places, and this came to the fore midway through the race at the highest point of the circuit. I ran well, and, more importantly, enjoyed the race; I enjoy few races these days as I’m usually thinking of pace, splits and times rather than the event itself. The fact that I didn’t hit my goal time, but finished in 64:22 (which was a small PB) didn’t really bother me. Oh, and I was third too, and received a £10 Sweatshop voucher and a trophy for my troubles. 

You can view my efforts on Strava here.

Now there were two weeks left before Abingdon, so I tried to do a mini taper, but failed really because I had put myself down for the Surrey League Cross Country the following Saturday, and ended up with a 41 mile week. So in the end it was more like a 1 week taper, with a half-hearted attempt at carb loading two days before the race. I examined the training I’d done over the past 17 weeks, and the mileage worked out at an average of 43 miles/week. Compared to 2015, when I finished the London marathon in a time of 3 hrs 06 minutes on an average 52 miles/week, and 2016 when I finished in 2 hrs and 58 minutes on an average of 57 miles/week, the training was certainly on the light side. Saying that, I’d got some good long runs in, and was sure that the warm weather training would be beneficial now the temperature had dropped. I was also weighing in at the lightest I had been for some time, which could only help. Realistically, I didn’t think I could get under 3 hours again, but thought I could be close, so my plan was to run the first 13.1 mile in 90 minutes and see how it went from there.

5:10am on Sunday and I’m up before my alarm goes off. I’d sorted out everything the night before, but it still took me the best part of an hour to eat and get ready, so soon after 6am I was in the car and away. I hadn’t been looking forward to the drive much, and it took me about 1 hour 45 minutes, taking it easy as it was dark and also foggy in places, with the outside temperature about 8 degrees - perfect running conditions though! Parking was in a local school, for which there were plenty of spaces, and the event all took place at the local sports arena, so everything (toilets, baggage, snacks and coffee, and space to warm up) were all close to hand. I spotted the local scouts were selling flapjacks for 50p, so bought some to add to my pre-race banana as I was already feeling peckish from my breakfast 2 hours previously. I stayed dressed until 15 minutes before the start, did one lap of the track just to get the legs moving, and settled in waiting for the starter.

Abingdon marathon is a marathon for serious marathon runners. You won’t find many charity fun-runners here. The only real reason to run it is because it is flat and fast, and the race was packed with lean racers who were certainly not new to this game, looking for that elusive PB that perhaps they had missed at the hottest London marathon earlier in the year. It was 18 months since I last raced the distance, and I was quite nervous whether I’d be able to complete it on the limited training I had done. When the hooter went, there was the usual excited racing off by some runners who forgot that it wasn’t a 5k, but I soon fell into my own pace and let these runners gradually come back to me. 

The route heads out to the east at first to Radley, onto a footpath through Radley lakes (covered in low mist) then back to the west, twisting through the narrow streets of Abingdon town, where we were greeted with some generous support. The route then headed south out of Abingdon, along the River Thames, until it turned sharply to the west again, just before 10k, for the first of two loops through the local villages, each loop approximately 14k. It then headed back towards Abingdon town again, through western part of the town before turning back to the finish at the athletics track.

My memory of races is usually vague, but there were some parts that stuck in my mind:

There was the heavily panting runner who was taking up the whole path through Radley lakes by running in the middle (it was easily two-abreast if you ran to the side). That slowed me down a bit, and I genuinely worried that he could safely run 10k let alone a marathon. 

There were the three runners who drafted behind me for many miles, using me as a slight windbreak against the breeze. I didn’t get annoyed because I was running my own race, but it would have been nice for them to have taken turns at the front. I dropped them both later in the race.

There was the point after about 5 miles when I said to myself “Why am I doing this? It all feels quite hard, and I could just stop and go home early”. That was a strange emotion so early on, and I think I was focusing too much on the remaining distance. I calmed down by telling myself it was just a long training run.

There was the lady runner who caught me somewhere around the 18 mile mark, and it urged me to concentrate on my pace, which must have been slowly dropping. I ran with her for a few miles before she gradually pulled away and finally finished a minute in front of me. 

I remember the joy at seeing the 20 mile marker, and knowing it was only 10k to go. If I could keep my pace up I would finish in a respectable time. Although I was starting to struggle to turn the legs over, it was only in the last 5k that my pace really started to slow. 

As you run through Abingdon town with only 3k to go, you have to negotiate a twisty underpass, and climbing up the short steep far side was torture!

Finishing on the athletics track with a fast 300m sprint where I overtook a few people, including the triathlon legend Annie Emmerson. It was a great conclusion to the race.

So how was my race overall (which you can view on Strava here)? Well, I passed half-way in just over 90 minutes, and proceeded to lose another 3 minutes over the second half. My 10k splits were 42:28, 43:05, 43:43 and 44:34, so no big collapse, just a gradual slowing, although I did get my pace back on track for the final 2.2k which I completed in 9:33. My finish time was 3:03:23, which is my second fastest marathon time, albeit 5 minutes slower than my PB. I placed 152 out of the 744 finished, of which the first 124 ran sub 3 hours. Now that is a quality field of marathon runners!

Would I recommend it? Absolutely - the results speak for themselves! The race has a capacity for 1200 and does sell out, so enter early. It usually opens in mid February and is full within 6 weeks. I got a medal and a t-shirt for my £43, as well as some very sore legs for a few days, followed by a nasty head cold as my immune system wasn’t up for keeping anything at bay!

Next race is the Brighton 10k in 3 weeks. I’ve not run a 10k this year yet due to my long time absence with injury, so it will be interesting to see if I can remember how to pace myself over that shorter distance. I’d like to aim for 38 minutes but I need to shift this cold first and get some speedwork in to see if I have any hope of that. Whatever the outcome, it’s great to be back running well again.

[ficdirectory]

A Disuphere Universe Short: Finding Her

There’s one video, from the week before Dominique was taken - Jaimie’s positive she was taken - her baby would never just disappear.  

Her birthday.  She’d come to them in June, just after school let out (as was her way) to let them know her earliest thoughts on all things birthday.  

Was always a big planner.

Is.

She is a big planner.  Jaimie knows she’s out there somewhere.

So, because Dominique loves a good plan - gets that from Michael - Jaimie’s just sure - she believed that they needed four months of lead time to get used to the idea that Dominique was over the bounce house thing this year, and would like to do something more grown up.

Turned out, Dom wasn’t wrong.  It took Micheael about three of the four months lamenting how their baby was growing up.  How Can She Be Over Bounce Houses eventually turned into Soon She’ll Want Earrings and then to She Won’t Be My Little Girl Anymore.

But once Michael worked through all the stages of dealing with the fact that babies grow up, he was so on board for that final month.  For all of September he was calling places every spare minute, doing research when he wasn’t working, about what was “in” or “cool” for 11 year olds these days.

And it was Michael who found (and booked) Zombie Detective.  A thing where you get two adults and however many children in a room and they have to stay away from the zombie and solve hidden clues to escape.

Jaimie hadn’t been sold on the idea.  Dominique was smart.  A natural at practically everything she tried.  She was easily bored.

But when they surprised her, and her two best friends - Jennah and Sharna - those three were like the Three Musketeers - Dominique was over the moon.  And Michael?  Was just as into it as she was.

They set a record, those two.  As Jennah and Sharna tried desperately to keep up and Jaimie stood back with her phone, recording.  (At the time, Michael was on her about joining in, but now?  Jaimie’s so glad she has that video.)

Jaimie watches it probably twenty times a day.  The look on Dom’s face - how she broke into the biggest smile when they figured out the final clue together and they escaped.

She looked right into the camera and said, “We did it, Mommy!  I got us out!”

Jaimie remembers the hug, just after the video cuts.  How Dominique felt, held safely against her.

“Ugh, my little zombie escape artist, I love you!  I am so proud of you!”

Now, Jaimie can’t stop being glad that she told Dominique she was loved.  That her mom was proud of her.  Never knowing that in seven days time, she’d just be gone.

--

Realizing Dominique was missing?  

That’s all a blur.

All a major blur.  

Michael remembers it was Saturday, a week to the day after Dominique turned eleven and together, they saved Dominique’s two best friends, and Jaimie from zombies.  (Totally worth the $350 he dropped reserving the whole room for just the five of them?  To have that moment with his baby girl?  Well, it was priceless…)

“Team Williams for the win!” he’d said, and she’d giggled.  

“We set the record?  Really?” she’d wondered, so excited.  So driven - always - to do her best, to be her best.

That memory screeches to a halt like a record on one of his grandmothers’ records on a bad day.

Time jumps.

It’s Saturday again.

Afternoon.  (He and Jaimie did drop off but pickup was a solo mission.)

He parked and waited, ‘cause Dominique hated it when he showed up early, telling her he wasn’t a regular dad, he was a cool dad.  So, he waited until she could not legitimately be embarrassed by her Cool Dad.  He walked in.

Saw other little girls walking out.

One, Jennah Solomon, Dominique’s first best friend, lights up when she sees his face.  “Mr. Williams!  Hi!  Is Dominique feeling better?”

His brain screeches again.  That record scratched.  Damaged.  Never playing the same again.

“What do you mean?” he’d asked, a smile still on his lips.  It falters.  “Did she get sick?  Is she hurt?”

“No, I mean...I don’t know.  She didn’t come in.”

“What do you mean she didn’t come in?” Michael asks, over-enunciating, and itching to hold onto Jennah by the shoulders.  “She was waiting for you by the doors, right?  You walked in together.”

“No, I came last minute.  No one was outside.  I came in and looked around.  She wasn’t there.”

A blur of looking for Dominique.  Of trying to remember what she had on.  Of tearing the car apart for the little directory sent home with all the names and numbers on it of all the girls Dom cheers with.

One after another.  After another.  As Michael called.  Asked and hoped and prayed and willed it - that somebody might know where Dominique was.

But none of the cheer moms had her at their house.  (One of the girls said, she’d seen Dominique talking to Brittany, but Michael reread the damn directory 17 times.

32 names.  

Not one Brittany.

Calling Jaimie, Michael felt frantic.  Like he’d swallowed stones.

“Babe, I just got to work.  What’s up?” Jaimie had asked, sounding so normal.

He dragged in a breath and said the words that would break her world:

“Dominique’s missing.  Nobody’s seen her in two hours, babe.”

“Michael, don’t play me like that.  She’s at cheerleading.  You gotta go pick her up.”

“I am.  I am here, Jaimie, but she isn’t.  I’m telling you.  Something happened.”

Silence.  Long.  Agonizing.

Then:

“I’m coming right now.”

Click.

--

They called police and they showed up.  Then they gave the third degree about what kind of girl Dominique was.  If she was the type to run away.  If there were family problems.  Jaimie answered each question as clearly and calmly as possible.  Shared that Dominique was a straight A student.  Didn’t matter.

When the cops left with a “she’ll turn up,” over their shoulder, Jaimie knew this wasn’t about to be any Jesus-Foster situation.  She’d thought about it before, of course, but living it…  Well, that was altogether different.

When they searched, it wasn’t strategic.  

Wasn’t with a plan.  They had no plan.  They had people.  They had neighbors.  Family was just plain too far away.

So, they called everybody they could think of.   Asked them to get out and drive around.  Look for Dom.  Call out for her.

Jaimie had been so positive that they’d find Dominique immediately.  That day.  Or that night.  When they didn’t?  Deep down, she started to panic.

For about a week, their neighborhood search party was strong.  Michael had printed countless MISSING flyers with a picture of Dominique from her birthday celebration a week ago.

Just like she promised her daughter two years ago, Jaimie took to Twitter.  Getting Dominique’s face out there.  Her description.  A number to call.  Their number.  Just in case anyone knew anything.

Michael had the phone book out, old school, looking up Brittanys.  Because eleven year old kids don’t pay attention to license plate numbers.  Details.  So all they know is so freakin’ little, it makes Jaimie’s throat ache:

Long blonde hair.  White.  Older.

But older could mean anything.

Eventually, the massive search presence dwindles.  Pretty soon, Jaimie and Michael are the only two driving around.  Keeping an eye out.  Michael has a stack of those posters in his back seat.  Puts them up wherever he can.

“I want Dominique to see.  To know we’re looking.”

But hours turned to days.  Days to weeks.  Weeks to months.  Halloween came first - Dom’s favorite holiday.  No sign.  Thanksgiving, and she wasn’t here to request Gran’s mac and cheese.  Christmas.  Jaimie had been sure Dominique would be home by Christmas, but no.  And after the New Year, something shifted.  Jaimie still looked every time she went out, but now?

She wasn’t so sure she’d like what they found.

Valentine’s Day.  St. Patrick’s Day.  Spring Break.  School letting out.  Summer.

Never, Jaimie, thought, crying in her car.

--

Friday, August 27th.  5:04 PM.  

10 months, 17 days, 7 hours and 4 minutes after he last saw Dominique, Michael’s phone rings.

By now, he’s stopped expecting it to be somebody who might know something.  Stopped expecting it to be Dominique, lost, scared, all by herself.

But his anxiety means that he cannot just let this unfamiliar number just go to voicemail without checking it out.

“Hello?” he asks.

“May I please speak to Michael Williams?” a voice asks.

“This is he,” he offers, distracted.

“I’m sorry to tell you this, sir, but your daughter, Dominique, has been injured in an accident.”

He blinks, his brain screeching back to that day in the zombie room - “I got us out!” - to that day almost 3 years ago when he and Jaimie had this talk with her and she asked why she’d go to the hospital, and if she would be hurt.

“Which hospital?” Michael blurts, grabbing the nearest pen and scribbling four letters: UCSD.

--

It’s night.

Several hours since Michael got that call, and Jaimie’s torn.  She can’t help but be happy that Dominique’s here.  She’s alive.  Somehow, she made it.  But she’s also hurt almost beyond what Jaimie can comprehend.

Burns over 45% of her body.  Her face, both arms, both legs.  She’s not been conscious yet.  They’re still waiting.  Hoping.  Praying. Willing her to pull through.  She’s come this far.

She’s wrapped from head to toe in gauze.

Michael about passed out when he saw her.  Or it could’ve been the other news the doctor gave them: Dominique, at almost 12 years old?  Had been pregnant.

“She told the EMTs to please save her baby after she passed along your number.  She was only about three weeks along.”

Didn’t take long for the doctors to give Michael something to help him rest.  But Jaimie’s up.  For the long haul.  Maybe, for the rest of her life.  

She sees movement out of the corner of her eye as she stares, blankly at the vending machine.  Turns.  A sweet elderly woman in a fancy hat and jacket approaches her.

“You’re that girl’s mother,” she says, knowing.

“I beg your pardon?” Jaimie asks, still not yet able to shake off the shock that after almost a year - yes - she is still someone’s mother.

“The little girl they brought in here,” the woman insists.  “She asked for help, you know.  To use my phone.”

“My daughter?” Jaimie stutters, confused.

“The one who they pulled from that burning van?  Yes.  I guarantee it,” the woman says.

“What happened?  What did Dominique tell you?”

“Just that she needed to make a call.  Needed to use the bathroom.  I could tell she was in trouble.  So, I told her ‘go ahead, and I’ll guard the door.’  She stayed in there as long as she could.  ‘Til those men she was with started hassling me.  Think she came out to protect me.  Then, they got her in the van, and a few seconds later?”

The woman’s face is so sad.

“Thank you, for helping her,” Jaimie offers, her voice breaking.

“Of course.”  The woman clasps Jaimie’s hand.  “Is she okay?  How can I pray for her?”

“Right now, we’re just praying she makes it through the night…” Jaimie manages.

“Oh.  Sit right down now.”

Jaimie does.  Feels herself enfolded in the impossibly frail but strong arms of this sweet, sweet stranger.

And as she falls apart, Jaimie thinks - this woman’s arms - they feel a little bit like wings.

--

Roberta becomes a fixture at the hospital in the coming months.  She brings food and just sits in the burn ICU waiting room.

Michael takes to her.

She reminds him of what he guesses his birth grandmother might be like.

It’s a relief, to have somewhere to be.  Because Dominique, through her horrifying ordeal, has become terrified of men.

All men.

Including Michael.

It breaks his heart, but he gets it.  As much as he can.  Roberta has a good amount of insight on “the men” and “the life” and could easily recognize Dominique was a young girl and in trouble.

“So you just give her space.  It’s not personal.  You follow her lead.  Take her cues.  And eventually?  She’ll come back to you.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Michael says, blinking tears from his eyes.  “Thank you.”

Roberta pats his hand.  Then she takes her cane, and her hat, and walks out the door.

#disuphere things #disuphere universe #fic: finding her

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Official: “UTS Barrytown to be Sold” Hugh Spurgin

                                      This article has been updated.

“May 14, 2018 ... After considerable prayer, thought, discussion and due diligence, the UTS Board of Trustees has directed the Seminary administration to sell the Barrytown campus. UTS is no longer able to pay what it costs to maintain the property, while simultaneously fulfilling its educational mission in a changing world. Therefore, in consultation with the Family Federation (FFWPU) leadership, the Seminary has decided to place the Barrytown property on the market for sale.”

“...a huge building that is empty for most of the year ... The funds required to maintain a 125,000 sq. ft. building are overwhelming for a small school....”

“The Barrytown property is owned by UTS. Proceeds from its sale will be used solely to benefit our Seminary. Priority needs to be placed on ensuring the well-being of UTS as a fully accredited educational institution. Given recent reductions in funding from our sponsoring church, it became clear to our trustees that there is no other option than to sell Barrytown – if UTS is to remain viable. ...”

Hugh Spurgin

In May 2016 HWDYKYM apologized for publishing a ‘UTS Barrytown Sold’ message which we had received and posted without confirming the story with other sources. Now it is official – Barrytown is to be sold.

In May 2016, Dr. Hugh Spurgin, UTS President, issued a communiqué clarifying the then situation, which he said was ‘not sustainable’.

May 26, 2016

BARRYTOWN UPDATE

Let me assure you that, contrary to a rumor being circulated, Barrytown has NOT BEEN SOLD. However, it is clear that the current status of Barrytown is not sustainable. The future of the campus has been under study for 15 years in an effort to explore options for long-term sustainability.

It costs a huge amount of money to maintain Barrytown’s buildings and grounds…. more than $600,000 per year. Additional money has also been needed for capital improvements required by New York State. These costs fall fully on the shoulders of the larger movement. Income from conferences and rents covers only a small portion of the expenses to maintain the facility.

... For more than a decade, the leaders of UTS have been in discussions with various groups about how to ensure that the property is protected and sustained for generations to come. Ten years ago, True Father himself approved one proposal. However, because the interested party would not agree to our terms, the UTS Board declined the offer.

We have not been idle. We have been actively searching for partners who are interested in utilizing or developing the property. Ideally, that will be a person or organization with a vision that resonates with that of our Founders. Some investors have shown interest in the property and have presented their ideas. However, at present, there is nothing on the horizon that fulfills our desire that the property will continue to serve the founding vision.

For UTS, 4 West 43rd Street in NYC is the center of education, providing all of the Masters level programs. No students reside or study at Barrytown. The Doctor of Ministry intensives are held at Barrytown for a total of four weeks per year. The UTS locations in Manhattan and Maryland together with online learning suffice for our current accredited programs.

The 40th Commencement Ceremony will be held at Barrytown in the recently renovated chapel at 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 28. Everyone is invited to attend.

On another note, the Generation Peace Academy will have its graduation ceremony at Barrytown on June 18. Blessed Culture and Sports Festival will take place from August 10 through 14. Hopefully, other events will also be held this year, like the workshop for FFWPU District 2 members that took place last weekend.

This is a serious matter which needs to be dealt with prayerfully and in a timely manner. We welcome thoughtful feedback that is not anonymous.

I will continue to report developments affecting UTS, as they occur.

Sincerely,

Hugh Spurgin Ph.D. President, Unification Theological Seminary [email protected]

May 2016 comment from Patricia H.

Well, it’s happening before our eyes. I’m sure there will be an “outcry” amongst current members when the news is known about Barrytown being sold. I’m sure we’ll hear all the quotes from “Father” about how Barrytown is a precious historical site for the church and should be preserved forever. It’s “historical” just for the fact that the Lord of the Second Advent walked its halls! And spoke in its auditorium! And probably prayed on its grounds!!!! Yet, there it goes. Maybe it will be torn down and something else erected in its place.

Can Belvedere and East Garden be far behind? They are even more historical, because the Lord of the Second Advent and His Family actually LIVED there. A good friend told me that he visited Belvedere several years ago. He used to be the bookkeeper there and worked in “the vault” in the basement. It was actually his office. The current staff couldn’t open it and asked him for help, so he went down to help them. He happened to look in some of the rooms in the basement and there were all these “coffins” there made of steel or some other strong metal. He asked what was in them. The brother proudly told him there were scores of “Father’s” clothes. His suits, his shirts, his shoes, even his underwear. All being preserved for future generations to see in some far-off museum. I wonder what will happen to those coffins if they sell Belvedere??? Will anyone be left to build that museum? Will anyone care to visit it to stare at Father’s empty clothes? I think the handwriting is on the wall. The UC is dying. The money to fund it is drying up. The membership is dwindling and what members are left cannot prop it up much longer. Someday books will be written about how it all went so wrong. Then again, maybe no one will care. Time moves on and religious movements that were once “new” and “different” fade away. Buh-bye Barrytown. I guess your time is over.

Survey Monkey from 2014

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8MRHPB3

What is the Future of Barrytown College of UTS in light of  the HSA-UWC November 25, 2014 mandates?

QUICK FACTS about Barrytown College and UTS in the Fall, 2014 semester: We have: • 35 enrolled and on campus undergraduate students this Fall, • 45 Masters students • 16 D.Min. students who took courses this semester • 3 second gen in the Graduate degree programs • 33 second gen enrolled in the undergraduate program

This semester UTS achieved 75% of the enrollment goal for the undergraduate college that was set up for us by the HSA leadership.

This enrollment already brings in twice as much income as the entire graduate program.

The CFO estimates that even with tuition income based on this actual level of enrollment growth, within 1-2 years the undergraduate college can begin to help pay for the graduate seminary and Barrytown property expenses and thus to reduce HSA subsidies to UTS.  

In the Summer - Fall of 2013, UTS, in response to HSA demands, cut its staff salary expenditures by 25% and froze all construction on the Barrytown campus. Its sale of riverfront property in Barrytown in July, 2014 allowed UTS to resume construction and put back missing windows in the East Wing of the Main Building where the college campus is located.  

On November 25, 2014 the HSAUWC board of directors voted to reduce the current level of funding for UTS by 32% effective next month, January 2015. This level of funding will only be available if the UTS board agrees to 1) close the undergraduate college in Barrytown at the end of the current academic year in May 2015, 2) remove the current president of UTS, 3) form a joint committee with HSA after 1) and 2) have been done to figure out what the future of UTS should be and the level of HSA funding going forward. 

There were nine questions in the survey.

Washington, DC, Church congregation to leave the building by June 1st

The congregation of the Washington, DC Church on Columbia Road has been asked to remove itself from the building by June 1st. According to the letter from Rev. Richard Buessing, there are a multitude of safety issues.

#Barrytown #Unification Theological Seminary #UTS #Sun Myung Moon #Unification Church #FFWPU #Hugh Spurgin

[ancientbrit]

Natter #5  7/9/2020

On the way home from the Edmonds Medical Clinic for a covid check last Sunday (5th), I stopped off at my son's house to see him along with his wife Sari and daughter Willa, now 3 1/2. This was the first time since February and I could not just drive by without stopping now, could I? 

Back in February, I met their new dog Sunny. This time I was surprised that Sunny still seemed to remember me. The last time I was around a dog of this size (about 50 lbs) was when I was 17, just before I went into the RAF. We had owned Jock since I was six. My nine-year-old sister Joan had been offered a puppy by the local Air Raid Wardens post one afternoon and after getting the okay from our parents, off we went to get him.  I suppose that I didn't treat him too well at times when we first had him, although we were good friends, but about once a year he would remember and make it his business to let me know that he hadn't forgotten. I would be playing with all the other kids, making the usual din that kids make en masse and I would suddenly see Jock making a beeline for me, intent on bodily harm. He would jump up and I would stick out my arm to which he would clamp his teeth. As he would let go momentarily to get a better grip, I would be able to whip my hand away and give him a slight tap on the nose, he would drop away and that would be it - honor satisfied for another year. During the Summer holidays, we would venture forth with umpteen friends to the local park - Nonsuch, which is what remains of Henry VIII's hunting park  - his old Nonsuch Castle exists now only as foundations and cobbled streets, all of which is covered over and grassed, which is a shame.The site was originally excavated way back in 1956 for the first time since the building was razed 500 years before and it was amazing to see the things that were found still in great condition - shoes, coins, and tools amongst other things. Unfortunately, it was determined that the cost to cover the whole site to protect it was excessive and it was returned to the way it had been for 500 years. To add insult to injury a house was built over the site to house a park keeper, and to make it even worse, the property was named "Castlemain House."  Barbara Castlemain was the 'lady' who somehow obtained the property following Henry's death. Barbara was something of a gambler - a bad one and she was finally forced to sell off the property in bits to cover her debts. This park is huge and when we were kids it seemed to be infinite as although there were roads around three sides there was almost no traffic during the war except for buses and the occasional army truck. Even so, as you couldn't see them or hear them because of the vast number of trees, they didn't exist as far as we were concerned.The park was always able to absorb our numbers and we would be there from around 10 am, loaded with bottles of lemonade and licorice wood, until it was getting dark and we would make it home again, tired, dirty and hungry. Our days there were wonderful really; camps all over the place, trees to climb, an army training facility, rather like a massive Big Toy at which we excelled. Of course, we weren't encumbered with uniforms, rifles and heavy boots as the army grunts were, but we were able to whip through it in nothing flat. All very satisfying. One of Jock's attractive habits was to sing. He had a good ear for music and would join in when there was any sort of singing on the radio. Joan and I got into the habit of encouraging this practice to the point where we could just say the word 'singing' and off he would go. Until my exam results came through, which took an age then, because of a lack of examiners, who were mostly all away abroad fighting, I had to attend the secondary school next to home whilst I waited. Although over here there is supposed to be no connection between church and State, in England it is totally different.  In most, if not all schools, the morning starts with the usual roll call in class, after which the whole school collects in the hall. The staff assembles on a raised platform and the headmaster reads out any notices. Events to come, sporting awards are presented and hymns are sung, which I always enjoyed. Later at the grammar school we also were treated to a selection of classical music. Jock had the freedom to wander wherever he felt like because traffic was almost non-existent as I mentioned previously. But he normally hated to be left alone and when I rushed off to the secondary school, he would tend to follow and sit outside the school's hall. This was okay until we started to sing and then his musical imperative would kick in and his melodious tones could be easily heard above the concerted voices of the school. After a rather short time, I became known as his owner and the Head would order me to go and do something about him. This I felt must be because the head had rather a tin ear and no musical appreciation. All the other lads encouraged him by singing louder, so I got to take off and take him back home, and try to settle him down. Jock was just one of our menagerie as we also had a cat and a rabbit, quite apart from birds and other animals from time to time. Ginger the cat enjoyed the usual cats' life of independence, sleeping wherever he chose and getting along with the other inhabitants whilst staying aloof in the usual cat's manner.. The rabbit, Whisky was something else - a real character. He had access to the house, although he mostly slept overnight in a large cage at the bottom of the garden under the big apple tree. The first person to sashay down the garden path in the morning was expected, by Whisky, to unlatch the cage front and release him. If this release was not forthcoming and came a bit later, Whisky would jump down and immediately attack the legs of the tardy one. This tended to make a believer of you. 

In the winter Whisky would spend a lot of time in the house - he did like his warmth.  My Mother's favorite chair sat to one side of the fireplace and Dad's was on the other. Mum’s chair was also Jock's favorite. One evening Whisky decided that it perhaps ought to be investigated, but of course, Jock lay across it with his legs dangling into space. Whisky lolloped across the room and stood up on his back legs to case the situation. Jock growled but didn't move. Whisky returned to the other side of the room, turned and galloped back to the chair and jumped, clearing Jock completely, landing between Jock and the seatback. He settled down with his back to the chair and his feet against Jock - and he began to push and push and push. Jock tumbled off the cushion and left in a bad humor, grumbling all the way.  Whiskey settled down and went to sleep.

When I had to leave and join the RAF I was worried that Whisky might not be treated the way I was used to treating him, although why I thought this I don't know as my whole family were also  universal animal lovers. Anyway my Grandad, Mum's Dad, who was a really lovely man of whom I was very fond, offered to take care of Whisky. He had a long record of animal care, breeding birds and chickens. And so I made a crate and when I placed Whisky in it and started to nail slats across the top, Jock went nuts and started to tear at the slats with his front paws to get the Bun out. I was amazed at the obvious care Jock had for his buddy.

During the war, Jock developed an acute dislike for sudden loud noise such as bombs and guns. After the war fireworks and thunder replaced the more dangerous noises. One day, when I had been in the RAF for a year, Jock had wandered off in his usual manner, but after some time a thunderstorm moved in. It was assumed that he tried to hide somewhere but he was never seen again. My friends searched everywhere they could think he might be, They plastered signs everywhere which should have been successful as he was known far and wide, but he was gone and of course, there was nothing that I could do, being so far away. Returning home on leave sometime later the house seemed so quiet - no Whisky and no Jock; a whole way of life that I had known and loved changed. It took a long time to get over that. Walking in the park had lost it's old savor and I only did it a few times after that, once with a girlfriend and then with my sister two years ago.

In 1947 we had the worst winter in memory. We had had a large snowfall which was followed by days of hard frost. During the days the sun would barely put in an appearance, and when it did it was rather weak, trying to shine through the frost haze as a dull orange globe which would put a slight glaze on the snow, and then freeze hard. There were no snow ploughs in the south of England in those days as we never had heavy snowfall! Apart from the rough road conditions making cycling very dangerous - I came off many times going to and from school - there was one saving grace. In the woods of Nonsuch Park, there was a long, wide path from the top of the hill running down to the lower field. As a path, it formed a natural bed to carry rain and because of this, the rain had worn away the center making the path a vee shape. About one sixth of the way down there was a right hand, 45-degree bend and now that snow had covered everything this path formed a natural toboggan run. Snow had been packed on the outside of the bend and snow on the whole length of the run had been packed and polished to a fare thee well, to the point where it was impossible to stand on it without your feet whipping out from underneath you and dumping you on your backside. A friend of ours had a neat little toboggan that her Dad had made which featured half-round steel runners and the depth of the side rails was barely 2". Guiding this bolide presented a problem as there was no way of flexing the runners the way most other toboggans did. You know the type, the toboggans that are about  9" high and have a crossbar at the front which allows you to steer by flexing the front of the runners to the left or right. My friend Brian and I worked out a method that did very well for us. We realised that starting at the top meant that you could pick up some speed, but then had to take the bend fairly close to the bottom of the grooved path, or you would shoot off to the outside of the bend and go hurtling off into the trees and brush, doing yourselves a vast mischief, so it was obvious that placement in the bend was king. We worked out that the only way to steer the thing was to grip the front near to the sides and make a series of upward jerks, lifting the toboggan sideways the amount necessary to get around the bend. Just starting off alone from the top seemed rather slow, so Brian lay face down with his legs bent upwards from the knee, making his two feet into handles. We would start as high up the hill as possible and I would grasp his feet and push as fast as I could until we were running as fast as was prudent, then drop onto Brian’s back, where the extra weight would guaranty a decent rate of knots. I am not sure exactly how he managed to lift our combined weights to steer and at first he didn't get it quite right and we were catapulted off the bend by centrifugal force. But after a couple of these trips into the wild we got things right and were able to get into the groove, sometimes with the inner runner lifting and then we would be sling-shotted around the bend and shoot off down the hill. It was exhilarating in the extreme. We realized that our homemade toboggan had distinct advantages over the high, steerable, shop bought model. because of the way it was built. On those you had to sit upright to be able to steer it and the resulting high center of gravity was their undoing. Every time they attempted the run they would lose it at the bend and crash.This would all continue until it started to get dark which made things a bit risky. It was then that we began to realise just how damned cold we were and we all trooped home to agonize over feeling creeping back into hands and feet. It was all so worthwhile though and we were back again the next day I somehow doubt I will ever get the chance to return. The memories are great though and I wouldn't be without them.

The front garden is flourishing but the deer have returned to the back. All the Hostas have been taken out down to ground level now for the fourth time. All my blackcurrant crop has been eaten and the three plum trees have been stripped of fruit with branches broken. Because of the higher temps lately, I had left the greenhouse door open and they even got inside, taking off the top of the first tomato plant and damaging other potted plants inside. They have even taken a chunk out of my Cardiocrinum 'Big & Pink'. Now that is a diabolical liberty and I will not stand for it. although if I can't be where the deer are when this damage is done I am stumped. I have no idea now where they are gaining access and I totally despair of being able to grow anything. With the trees taking so much room without now getting the opportunity to produce fruit it now seems that their time has come and I will probably get rid of them soon and I am starting to feel very vicious towards them. They are costing me so much in time and effort quite apart from the money involved with nothing to show for the effort. I will check into electric fencing but the shape and size of the garden doesn't really lend itself to making an easy job of it, so I am really not sure what to do. If any of you have any sort of an idea of what might be effective, short of sitting up all night with a gun at the ready I will give it the utmost attention. Thank you all. Your fearless leader,

Gordon

[multipleservicelisting]

George Whitmore, Climber Who Vanquished El Capitan, Dies at 89

Early on the morning of Nov. 12, 1958, George Whitmore, Warren Harding and Wayne Merry accomplished something many climbers considered unthinkable: They reached the top of El Capitan.

Conquering El Capitan, a 2,900-foot-tall sheer granite wall that looms over Yosemite National Park in California, seemed practically impossible given the limited tools and techniques available to alpinists of the day. The effort took the climbers 45 days, spread out over about a year and a half.

“The type of climbing had not been done before,” Whitmore said in an interview for Merry’s obituary in 2019. “We had to improvise as we went.”

In the decades since, El Cap has become one of the most famous climbs in the world. Some professional climbers ascend it without ropes, or climb so rapidly they seem to sprint up the side; the speed record on a route called the Nose, set in 2018 by Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold, is just under two hours.

But Whitmore, who died at 89 on New Year’s Day at a care facility near his home in Fresno, Calif., blazed the trail.

His wife, Nancy Whitmore, said the cause was complications of the coronavirus.

Warren started climbing the Nose in 1957 with Mark Powell and Bill Feuerer. Their climb was constantly interrupted: They would reach a high point, place fixed ropes, descend for work or school and then resume the climb later on.

Their attempt was further constrained by Yosemite’s park rangers, who prohibited them from climbing during the summer tourist season.

Powell and Feuerer eventually dropped out of the climb, and Whitmore, Merry and Rich Calderwood joined Harding in 1958.

They often relied on climbing equipment that they cobbled together on their own, including pitons fashioned from the legs of old wood stoves. They subsisted on canned fruit, sardines and raisins, and water that they carried in an old paint-thinner can.

The National Park Service gave the climbers a deadline of Thanksgiving to reach the top, and in early November they began a sustained push.

The push took 12 days, in part because they were delayed by a heavy snowstorm. The Great Roof, an intimidating overhang, was not too difficult to navigate, but changes in the rock face near the end of the climb proved far more daunting.

“You’ve climbed up 2,700 feet or so, and all at once you get near the summit, and the nature of the rock changes so the cracks run horizontally,” Whitmore said.

Updated 

Jan. 16, 2021, 4:58 p.m. ET

At some point Calderwood descended the ropes to the ground without telling his comrades. The other three forged ahead.

For much of the last night of the climb, Whitmore and Merry huddled on the cliff face — “I felt like I was being impaled on a spit of rock for the whole night,” Whitmore said — while Harding climbed on by the light of a headlamp.

In a 1959 article in The American Alpine Journal, Harding described the final stretch as “completely devoid of cracks” and said it took “15 pitons, 28 bolts and 14 hours” to climb about 90 feet.

Harding finished the climb on the morning of Nov. 12, with Merry and Whitmore close behind. Members of their small support team greeted them with champagne.

Whitmore said that reaching the top brought “great relief.”

“No big sense of elation, whoop-de-do, nobody dances on the top or anything,” he said. “Just quiet satisfaction.”

George William Whitmore was born on Feb. 8, 1931, in Fresno. His father, Raymond, was a salesman, and his mother, Jean (Weir) Whitmore, was a homemaker who also worked for Pacific Gas & Electric.

After graduating from Salinas High School, George studied to be a pharmacist. He earned his degree in 1954 from the University of California, San Francisco, where he also took up climbing.

After college he served in the Air Force in a medical evacuation unit, and after leaving the service he climbed in Peru in 1958 before returning to Yosemite and El Capitan. He worked for some years as a pharmacist in the winter, taking summers off for hiking and climbing.

Whitmore became an ardent conservationist along the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which includes Yosemite National Park. He helped create the Kaiser Wilderness, a preserve to the southeast of Yosemite, and lobbied for the California Wilderness Act of 1984, which added some three million acres of land in the state to the National Wilderness Preservation System.

He also held various positions in the Sierra Club, where he met Nancy Gallaghan in the mid-1970s. They married in 1979, after his first marriage ended in divorce. She is his only immediate survivor.

In 2008, 50 years after they completed their historic climb, the House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring Whitmore, Harding and Merry. Harding died in 2002, and Merry died in 2019.

Whitmore continued his environmental work for decades and kept hiking until recent years, when treatment for prostate cancer sapped his strength.

In 2016 he told The Fresno Bee that he thought outdoor adventurers, like Harding, Merry, himself and the legions of climbers who followed, helped ensure that wilderness would be preserved.

“You want people doing these things,” he said, “Because otherwise, eventually, it’ll be lost to somebody who wants to use it for something else.”

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