#I'm bad at topography though

[miasmaghoul]

Hi friend

I just found out someone very important from my youth passed away today. Do you have any soft ghoul thoughts in your brain tonight? They would be greatly appreciated and recieved with love.

Thanks 💙

Oh my dear, I'm so sorry for your loss. This is a hard day for me too, the anniversary of a major death in my life. I empathize. Know that I'm always around if you need to talk.

I know it's a little late, but here is a short, soft dewther thought for you (because it's me and what else would I do) ♡

On a cold winter morning, there's nowhere Dew would rather be than right here.

Aether had appeared in his room entirely too late last night to be polite. Had knocked shyly on his door and whispered through the oaken slab, asked if Dew was awake. He hadn't been, but he's always been a light sleeper and needlessly weak for Aether.

He'd invited the other ghoul in with a grunt, already pulling back the blankets and cranking up his internal thermostat to get the sheets toasty. Aether had shuffled in on slipper-clad feet, wrapped in a fuzzy purple blanket and shivering so hard his teeth were chattering. He'd kicked the door shut and hurried to Dew's bed without so much as a greeting. He really didn't need one.

Aether's always cold in the winter, nearly as bad as Rain. Nearly as bad as Dew himself, back in the day. He doesn't complain though, not even once. Never so much as a peep, not when Rain was borderline hypothermic and in need of care.

Dew sees it, though. Sees Aether pull on more and more clothes - today's getup was a long sleeved thermal under a sweatshirt, thick sweatpants and two pairs of woolen socks under his slippers. He hears it too, mannerisms he's learned from years and years of exposure. That's how he knew to sleep off to the side tonight, knew to drag out the extra heavy blankets he never needs.

Aether had crawled under them without a word, bringing with him the unnatural chill of the void at the center of his being. Enough to make even a fire ghoul shiver. He hadn't complained, though. Had simply tucked Aether in up to his ears and snuggled up to his chest. Had buried his face in the shivering ghoul's neck and wrapped him up in long limbs. Had bled his warmth into that frigid body and smiled where Aether couldn't see it at the pleased groan he'd earned.

Dew never sleeps on nights like those. He's too preoccupied with making sure Aether's comfy, that he's warm and safe and sleeping off his bone-dewp exhaustion. For Dew, the loss of one night is nothing in exchange for the gentle rumble of Aether's peaceful snoring.

Plus, it means he gets to stare without getting caught. Once the shakes die down, Dew can pull away enough to look at Aether as much as he likes. To take in his rugged features, to memorize the lines on his face and the wrinkles by his eyes. He gets to admire Aether's beauty the way Aether does his - with pure, unabashed adoration.

Perish the thought of Aether actually seeing the besotted look on his face. Dew would never live it down.

The next morning is the best, though, and that's where Dew is now.

Aether had shifted onto his back once his muscles had relaxed. Dew lays molded to his side now, one leg hooked over Aether's hip and an arm slung over his belly. His head rests on the larger ghoul's shoulder, angled just so that he can take in Aether's serene expression. The sun has only just started to rise, its pale light washing stone walls in pinks and the faintest bit of orange.

The light does things to Aether's face. It brings out the hump on his nose and the chips in his horns. The splash of freckles decorating his cheeks. The curve of his lips and the line of his jaw. Dew can't help but touch, has to trace the topography of Aether's visage with the tip of a single, elegant finger. Has to commit every bit of it to memory.

The sun is fully up by the time Aether wakes. Dew hunkers down and watches him blink hazily at the ceiling, watches him get his bearings. Basks in the pleased hum he offers when Dew gives him a gentle squeeze, nuzzling onto his sweatshirt. Dew chirps when Aether noses at his hair, affectionate and sleepy.

"Mornin', firefly," Aether croaks. It's one of Dew'a favorite ways to hear him.

"Morning," he greets, voice low and warm, "how'd you sleep?"

"Mm, really good," Aether replies, and Dew can hear his smile. He pulls back to fix the other ghoul with one of his own. Aether strokes Dew's cheek. "How about you?"

"Like a baby," Dew says.

He thinks the soft kiss Aether gives him is worth the lie.

#miasma's work #the band ghost ficlets #dewdrop ghoul #aether ghoul #aether x dew #aether/dew #dewther #aethdew

[writer-of-various]

ɪ'ʟʟ ꜰɪɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ, ʀᴜᴅʏ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪ : ʀᴜᴅʏ, ᴍʏ ᴅᴇᴀʀ, ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴅɪꜱᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀ

"The human mind has needs to survive that correspond to the needs of the body. The human mind needs interaction, it needs to be stimulated by entertainment of another living thing, without it, the human mind cannot function properly. The subject has been confined in its cell without light, energy, or human interaction. The subject is showing signs of anxiety, fear, anger, anticipation, and early symptoms of anxiety. The method is working."

– Park, H.

Rodolfo Parra stared at the map with narrowed eyes, his gaze switching from the topography to the little symbols and objects he and the team used to estimate their moves and where the location of enemies could be. The intel they had was solid, too solid and self-reassuring, it gave him a reason to doubt it all. His boys didn't seem to be too worried, but he worries about everything, he goes over the "what if's" and the possible mistakes they can make, and have they underestimated the enemy? The mission just felt easy, too easy to plan and execute, and it is causing his nerves to spike up in anxiety.

"Looking at that map won't make the mission come by faster" a deep voice startles Rodolfo out of his trance. He turns around and forces a smile at his best friend, Alejandro Varags, hoping the older man didn't look through his facade.

"I know that, Ale. I just have...doubts." His gaze turns to look at the map and Alejandro sighs, something heavy and sad and it makes Rodolfo freeze and look back at him.

"We have a lead, Rudy, that's all that matters now. If Price trusts this lead, we can too." Alejandro says softly and Rudy can't help but feel irritated. He trusts his teammates, he trusts 141, but this isn't about trust. It's about his gut churning and his mind and body screaming danger and even though he isn't a parent, he has these stupid maternal instincts to protect his family, which is Alejandro and 141.

"This isn't about that, Alejandro! I know something is wrong, something bad is going to happen, I just don't know what. We can't go on this mission, I'm sorry, but I won't let you guys get hurt." Rudy exclaims at first before softening his tone completely, his big sad eyes triggering something in Alejandro, but the colonel knew this was important. They had a lead on Makarov, they needed to go and risk everything if it meant Makarov's head on the pavement.

"And I'm sorry too, Rudy. You don't have to go, but our hermanos and I will be leaving tomorrow. It's up to you." Alejandro murmurs almost sadly but Rudy rolls his eyes, angrily walking out of the planning room. He shoulders past Ghost when he walks out, not sparing a single glance at his friends as he retreats to his quarters. He's going on that mission, and will make sure he dies before his boys. It's the least he can do now.

February 09, 2024

0545

141 Safehouse, London

141 stands around a table, the map Rudy was glaring at almost 12 hours earlier still laying on it, and Captain John Price is giving out the brief. Rudy listens idly, as a certified medic and the sergeant major, Price usually comes to him when it comes to practicing and writing out briefs, so he knows what his captain is going to say. He can feel the excitement radiating off of Johnny MacTavish, or Soap as they fondly call him, but Kyle Garrick, or Gaz, seemed to be hesitant and nervous, his fingers fidgeting with one another and he seems to pulling at soon-to-be loose strings that Rudy would have to clip to make their equipment neat and perfect.

"Any questions?" Price concludes, looking at his boys and Rudy shakes his head to put his input. Ghost, Alejandro, and Gaz also shake their heads or murmur a quiet "no", but Soap, the ball of energy he is, raises his hand. Price nods at him and the Scot grins widely that it makes Ghost sigh with anticipated stress and anger.

"Once we get Makarov, can I blow him up?" It's innocently said, something honest despite the wild grin stretching his lips, and Price sighs.

"No, Soap, we need the bastard alive. I admire your enthusiasm to kill the bastard, though." Price says and Soap deflates the slightest for a second before becoming his boisterous self again. "Alright, if that's all, we're leaving in 10, make sure you have all your equipment and be by the transportation when you're done."

Rudy is the first to leave the room, he had everything packed and accounted for because he couldn't really sleep last night. He tossed and turned, his stomach churned and his mind screamed at him to not go, to let those idiots learn on their own, but he couldn't abandon them, he just couldn't. He packed his things, made sure his uniform was pressed and had no loose strings, he used the moonlight to clean his weapons and polish his boots, he made sure the bullet proof vest hanging by the weapon lockers with his tabs on the velcro was fitted and also had no loose strings. Loose ends. And after that thought, he began his internal turmoil of guilt and fear and anger all over again.

Rudy walked to the kitchen they had, a decent size set up that no one really used unless they made themselves a late night snack or made coffee or tea, the boys were always considerate to not wake him in the pitch black darkness of three in the morning for a cup of tea or an omelet. They fed themselves when needed, but they would always choose his cooking over crappy rations. Rudy worked to clean the rest of the dishes in the sink, scrubbing hard with the sponge, taking out his frustrations on the plastic that held their food. The water scorched his hands, steam rising as the temperature increased but he felt numb as the clock ticked and the seconds flew by, each minute a minute closer to death. The what ifs, the mistakes, the facts and doubts and questions and the ultimate vow to ensure he dies before his boys do. Alejandro liked to tease him, liked to tell him he was like a mother hen, and now he can see it, he can feel those instincts and wondered if his mother ever felt this way before she turned into a drunk, sad person.

"Rudy, you alright?" Gaz's voice breaks his thoughts and he looks over at the slightly younger male. He nods, opening his mouth to talk but he couldn't, because he couldn't worry Gaz about the mission. It wasn't his duty, his place, to spread the panic and the facts of the mission. He's just their sergeant major, he isn't an officer, that was Price, Alejandro, and Ghost's jobs.

He turns off the sink and forces a small smile, wiping his hands off on a small kitchen towel and trying to shake away the numbness in his hands.

"Yes, I'm fine." He almost whispers, and Gaz obviously doesn't believe him but he still nods, walking away after a moment and Rudy lets out a sigh he didn't know he was holding. He follows after the other man, grabbing his supplies and putting on his vest, nodding at Soap and Ghost before stepping out of the house and into the crisp, winter air of London. Alejandro and Price were standing by the military jeep, sparing glances at him that he ignores, getting inside the driver's seat and mentally preparing himself for what is to come. He doesn't know what to expect, really, anything is possible in war, all he knows is that death feels so close.

He turns on the car and waits patiently for the boys to get in, Soap and Gaz riding on the back, while Price and Ghost sit in the backseat. Alejandro sat in the passenger seat by him, and Rudy prays– he isn't a religious man but he prays– that Alejandro doesn't speak or say something about their disagreement. He wouldn't be able to handle it, he would spill everything and he would inflict fear in 141. He couldn't. He too was too scared for the mission lying ahead.

It's a small drive to the nearest Royal Air Force base, the team getting out of their jeep and letting some random soldier come over and drive their jeep to the parking garage. Price gets the transportation and evac brief and gives it to them when they board the helicopter. Rudy watches as land grows farther and farther away as the helicopter rises in the air steadily, the scenery passing by when it points forward and heads off south. The gun in his hands feels wrong, his heart is beating fast like a hummingbird's wings, his mouth suddenly feels dry and his stomach turns and it feels like he's about to throw up. But he stays silent, unmoving, and continues to hopelessly pray.

They barely manage to get through the compound's main entrance before a RPG sends a rocket a few feet away from them, their bodies flying back from the explosion and Rudy can feel something warm trickling down the side of his head. He stands up, gun aimed as chaos ensues, the shouts of the enemies as they rush closer to shoot at them and he curses under his breath, crouching over to Alejandro and pulling him against a concrete barrier. 141 is up and hiding, Price shoots over the barrier and Soap is shakingly trying to take out his explosives from his equipment belt. Rudy grabs the gun lying in the ground and shoves it into Alejandro's hands before shooting at the enemies.

"Fuck!" Ghost shouts in alarm, and Rudy looks over to see an armored vehicle driving over from down the road.

"RPG!" Soap warns, and Rudy ducks back behind the barrier and the ground shakes as another rocket flies out and lands close to them, rubble flying up in the air and dust clouding around them. Rudy coughs as it feels his lungs, Alejandro immediately runs his hands all over his body, his mouth moving but everything sounds muffled and Rudy's pupils blow wide as fear eats at him. Alejandro is shouting, and he's pressing his hands against his body, but he can't feel the touches, he just knows his best friend is grabbing him as his eyes flicker back and forth, taking in the scene around him. He's thrown over Alejandro's shoulder, his grip on his gun tightening as he aims at the enemies that were closing in around him and shoots. 141 watches their back, Price's mouth is also moving but there's just a ringing in Rudy's ears that scares him.

He's put in the back of the military rover they were issued to use to travel to the location, Alejandro kneeling over him and suddenly he feels excruciating pain and a shrill scream leaves him.

"I'm sorry, amor, I'm sorry." Alejandro's voice comes clearer and Rudy almost cries in relief, the pain in his side going numb and he puts a hand there, but Alejandro moves it away and shakes his head, a shaky smile making his handsome features look solemn. "Don't touch, Rudy, you're going to be okay. Ghost, drive!"

The car starts moving and he hears Gaz, Soap, and Price talking fast, anger and panic in their voices and Rudy whines, wanting them to stop arguing. They do, turning in their seats and frowning at the sight of Rudy, immediately blaming themselves for his injury.

"Stay awake, Rudy" Price orders and Rudy nods, but his eyelids felt so heavy and the need to just take a small nap was overwhelming that he let it conquer him, but the peace didn't last for long. His body is jolted, thrown across dirt and mud and everything burns and starts aching again. He whimpers, a loud explosion ringing his ears once more and he tries holding his head up, his heart beating fast when he sees the military jeep upside down a small distance from him. He hears footsteps and muffled voices and forces himself on his back, trying to breathe but it's getting harder to.

A shadow envelopes him as black dots dance around his vision, the corners of his eyes going dark and all he could remember seeing are two, bright blue orbs staring down at him as he goes unconscious.

And the final thought of why his boys didn't listen to him.

12 hours later

When Rudy comes to, the first thing he feels is the sharp pain in his side and on his temple. He feels groggy, his movements slow and as he blinks the blurriness away from his eyes, he realizes he's sitting on a cold metal floor and the space around him is pitch black. He tries to stand but the clinking of something hitting against something else had him freezing up, his blood running cold and as he feels around his wrists, he finds them shackled. They're snug on him, no way of him sliding out or trying to force his hands out.

"Fuck" He mumbles, squinting his eyes and trying to make out anything but it was futile, the room was too dark and the pain of his wounds had him sitting back down and panicking. Were the boys okay? What the fuck happened? All he remembered was feeling like shit in the back of their transportation and the next thing he was flying, and lastly he saw something blue. A familiar blue color but he can't figure out why it felt and looked so familiar.

He felt around his body, his equipment was missing and he had no boots, and he had a matching pair of shackles wrapped around his ankles. His anxiety peaks and he tries calming himself down but he is blind and oblivious of the whereabouts of his men. Were they even alive? Yes, they had to be, if they weren't alive, then nothing is stopping him from killing himself.

Rudy is stuck with his atrocious thoughts for what felt like forever, in reality was only an hour, until a bright light blinded him briefly and the sound of metal hitting a wall echoing what he now can see is a small room. He looks up after shielding his eyes, grunting when four men storm over to him and force him to stand. He winces, pain shooting up in his right ankle and one of the men holding him lets go immediately, and Rudy barely blinks in time when a loud gun shot rang out and warm blood splattered across his face. He gasps, turning his head and his eyes widening when he sees him.

"G-graves" He chokes out, a shiver running down his spine when the supposedly dead man smirks.

"Rudy, I missed you." Phillip Graves says lovingly, a big grin on his face and Rudy growls, lurching forward but the men hold him back, their grasps gentler this time which confuses him.

"Fuck you, cabrón!" He hisses and Graves chuckles, as if he was being cute, and it made his stomach twist with so many emotions he couldn't count or even acknowledge without feeling like crying.

"I see hanging around those monarchs has really changed you, Rudy. But I know you, I know you inside and out, literally." Graves mocks and Rudy huffs out a laugh, shaking his head and staring at the man in disbelief.

"It was only a few nights, gringo. And what makes you think I would ever crawl back to your sorry ass after you betrayed me? You took my base, my men, you're stupid idiots injured me and my guests, and you locked up my colonel. A blue on blue attack isn't pretty, Graves." Rudy growls out and the American huffs, shaking his head but that smile never falters. It's unnerving.

"Don't act like that, baby. Yes, I'm here now and want you to be mine, but you're missing the bigger picture, Rodolfo. You could be on my team, you get the respect and recognition you deserve." Graves says, and he makes it sound like it was obvious, as if he was talking to some dumb teenager. It makes his blood boil.

"Fuck you! Go back to your boss, because he won't be alive the next time you plan a visit."

"General Shepherd sends his regards, and he wishes for prayers for his...untimely death." Graves' voice lowers, and Rudy's eyes widen as the words hit him. Did he really kill Shepherd?

"How the fuck are you alive?" He asks, and Graves chuckles.

"I wasn't on that tank, babe." He shakes his head, a hand placed over his heart and he sighs dramatically, his tone mocking with the next words. "I lost a loyal dog that day, though."

The men let Rudy go, stepping back and Graves walks over, his hand gripping his chin and forcing him to meet his stupid blue eyes. "It'll be so much easier if you just surrender now, Rudy. I really don't want to hurt you."

Rudy spits on his face, his features settled in a fierce glare as he pulls his face away and points his chin out defiantly.

"Vete al infierno, pendejo."

Graves wipes the spit away and sighs, stepping back and nodding at his men.

"You're making me do this Rudy. You will be mine, I found you now. You will never leave me, you can fucking change your name or mind, but you will never leave me." Graves snarls before walking away. The door shuts behind him and his Shadows, and the lights turn back off.

Rudy curls into a ball, hugging himself tightly as he sobs quietly. The darkness closes around him, suffocating him, and he suffers panic attacks throughout the night and the days following, his mind playing sick tricks as he feels the presence of something, he can hear the whispers of someone– but there was no one.

And he refused to go insane.

#rodolfo parra #phillip graves #phillip graves x rodolfo parra #alejandro x rodolfo #alejandro vargas #task force 141 #los vaqueros #cod modern warfare #writer of various' works #call of duty #mk ultra #all warnings are on ao3

[tokyogruel]

1 4 and 5 muu for ask thingy!

1. favorite song lyrics?

after pain:

"If I was gone, If I had just disappeared I overheard, I found out How much I’m not needed"

"ねえなんで痛-痛-痛いのやめてくれないの？"

"I want to feel “alive”, is it ok if I breathe?"

"ごめんなさい」は届かないよ　(いつか届くかな) 「ごめんなさい」は届かないよ　(いつか届くかな) 「ごめんなさい」は届かないよ　(いつか届くかな) 「ごめんなさい」は届かないよ"

"I don’t want tomorrow to come, I want to forget yesterday I was miserable, someone please help me"

"それなのに消したはずなのに夢に見ちゃうのよ"

"Let’s meet up inside the pain, a place just for me Postmortem makeup to hide my heart, how to solve it is a secret The stabbing of the little devil’s voice, counterattack being a suicide note"

"「“あなた”が好きよ」"

its not my fault:

"I told you I’m queen, and it’s always the same God gave me everything, everything is as I wish"

"どうなるかわかってるよね？"

"Sorry for hurting you, but I didn’t mean it I am doing this is just because of being bored"

"I told you I’m queen, and it will never be changed I’ve got EVERYTHING, everything is as I wish"

otome dissection:

"ドキドキしたいじゃんか誰だって 恥をしたい　痛いくらいが良いんだって知った"

"Without you, none of that matters Both of us with our masks on, we flirted"

"This disease, the whole package, I'll send it to you as an attachment I don't wanna go so far as to share all the things that cause me pain I just wanna run away from this love…"

"君が別の人のことを好きになるって夢を見たんだ 否定してほしい　ねえ愛して？"

"乙女解剖であそぼうよ 涎をバケットの上に塗って 確かめよう　期待外れ最高潮だった あの夜から"

MKDR:

"言っちゃった もう一時だけ隣りに居たい"

"I’m sorry, come back Carbon dioxide, your atmospheric concentration"

"浸ってたいよ　泥沼の夢に 身勝手だって言われてもペロリ"

"It’s not uncertain, there’s no future I want to be reborn with your face"

"Even if you flip over the words “I hate you” There’s no “I love you” hidden there"

"I’m mad with idealism, imagining a smile My bloodshot wish will soon be relieved

But there’s no love anywhere that’s “just fine”

"だから妄想感傷代償連盟 愛を懐いて理想を号んだ 行き場のない愚者のメロディー 再挑戦・転生・テレポーテーション 何回だって　重ねて逝くんだ 終わりなき愛の隨に　さあ"

"愛や厭"

"怒ってる？　…怒ってない。 阿吽の呼吸でズレるビート"

"だけど「大丈夫」なんて嘘を覚えて仕舞うの"

"The topography I protected by hating love Is beginning to warp properly Isn’t it the worst? It’s like an interpersonal lotion We’ll hurt each other over and over A blended love philosophy"

fun fact: muu's songs are some of my favorites of all of the prisoners. i have listened to the MKDR instrumental more times than i can count

4. favorite minigram episode/moment?

hands down.

5. favorite voice drama line/moment?

crying b:

"Muu No… No way. This is so messed-up. I… Even though I'm not the one in the wrong, they want to sentence me to penal servitude… That's so messed-up."

(hm,,, strong aversion to servitude, huh muu?)

"Muu Guard-san, what you're saying is pretty difficult to understand and I can't keep up. Say it in a way which'll be easier for me to grasp."

"Muu What should I do then? What should I do in order for you to forgive me, guard-san? I'll do anything! Um… Anything painful or embarrassing is out of the question though… And, I don't wanna do anything scary either…"

"Es Haruka's loyalty towards you is one thing, but with this kind of relationship, I think it's only natural to wonder if you're using him for something.

Muu Ehh… Guard-san, do you not have any friends?"

"Muu Wow, poor thing~... I'll teach you! Friends aren't like that, you know. Rather than using each other for something, we just get along because we're comfortable around each other. That's all."

(i really dont understand when people say muu and harukas relationship is toxic or unhealthy... muu explicitly states she is not using him, theyre friends, she gives him things with no expectation of getting gifts in return, and he listens to her. which i doubt she would point that out... unless other people dont listen to her when she talks)

"Muu … Guard-san, I think you're really doing something bad. Isn't it a bad thing to act like there has to be something wrong with someone for them to get bullied?"

"Muu Besides, even if I've done something wrong, there's nothing that could justify bullying someone. Guard-san, I thought you were a nicer person."

"Muu But if you were like, "I won't forgive you, Muu! Revenge is bad!", then wouldn't that imply that it's also bad for me to bully someone back after they bullied me? Since we've all done something bad anyway, doesn't that mean that I've not done anything wrong in the end?

Es …I think I'm kinda… starting to get your point… maybe…

Muu … Guard-san, are you maybe not that intelligent, after all…?"

#creature speaks #ask tag #thank you pupa!! #im happy for any excuse to think about muu more

[georgieluz]

Juleeees, how are you? I'll go with 4, 10, 11, 21 and 28 for the "not from the US" ask set

jess! hello!! i'm not too bad, thanks! just got back from braving the rain to buy christmas jumpers (it's christmas jumper weekend at work on friday so had to go searching), how about you?

4. favourite dish specific for your country?

probably glamorgan sausage, which isn't made of actual sausage. it's made of cheese, but it's a vegetarian alternative to normal sausage. but yeah, usually made with cheese and leek.

i do also love a slice of bara brith, but specifically the one served in the restaurant at my workplace!

if we wanna be really basic then welshcakes are always a good shout and i have one every friday with a cup of tea in work!

crempogs are soo very good also!!

10. most enjoyable swear word in your native language?

ooh okay so i don't know if it would necessarily be the most enjoyable but it's the one my friends and i used most whilst growing up and that's "cachau bant" which is a way of saying "fuck off" but if you translate it literally it's "shit away".. and then i can't not include "cont" which i imagine you can guess the translation of (we use it affectionately here though, so it's more like "alright, cont?" or "shwmae cont" when you greet your friend)

11. favourite native writer/poet?

okay, it's probably very predictable to choose dylan thomas but i do love his poems and his poetry is loved for good reason! he didn't write in cymraeg, only saesneg, but he's welsh and wrote about wales and life here, and i think the fact that he wrote in english and not welsh speaks a lot about the journey our language unfortunately went on

also r.s thomas' poems about wales are always interesting to study, in particular welsh history, which has the ending lines:

when we have finished quarrelling for crumbs under the table, or gnawing the bones of a dead culture, we will arise and greet each other in a new dawn

his other poems a welsh testament, welsh landscape, the village and sorry are all really interesting as well!

niall griffiths is a great welsh author too. his books set in aberystwyth are really really good!

oh and richard king!! both his books about music and his oral histories of wales book are 11/10!!

menna gallie's work is awesome as well, i loved 'the small mine' which explores how a fictional welsh village comes together after a mining tragedy. it focuses a lot on how women in the community deal with the loss. her other books are great too and she has a really witty writing style that i enjoy a lot

a few others: owen sheers, gillian clarke and sarah waters!

not quite relevant, but still worth a mention, is the story of the soldier-poet known as hedd wyn and the eisteddfodd of 1917!

21. if you could send two things from your country into space, what would they be?

ohhhh this is really hard.. does it have to be an object or can it be like just a welsh tradition or?? oH WAIT I KNOW i'd send mari lwyd up there!!! to maybe freak out all the aliens. it's one of my favourite welsh customs and traditions for christmas! this is what it looks like:

28. does your country have a lot of lakes, mountains, rivers? do you have favourites?

oh boy! it does indeed... if you wanna know how many mountains wales has, it's better to just look at this topography map

there aren't any genuinely flat areas of wales. my high school was near the top of a mountain, and my house growing up was halfway up the same one. we hated having to walk up it every morning, and yet, we still went down to the village on our lunch hour. maybe that's why we were all fucking tiny bc we trekked up a mountain twice a day.

here's one of our rivers, which we similarly have a fuck ton of

so yeah. a shit ton of rivers and a shit ton of mountains. my favourite mountains are the brecon beacons bc we used to go there so much when i was growing up. it's like a tradition for welsh people to climb there and hike there as soon as the weather gets milder!

oh wow, sorry this was SOOOO long but it was fun to talk about these things so thank you for asking!!

for this ask game!

#julian's inbox #julian's ask games #cymraeg ask game!!

[dragonedged-if]

Writing Prompt: Inner Demons

So I played Sekiro yesterday and till now my mind is filled with samurai's and katanas lol.

I couldn't concentrate on my IF so I decided to write a snippet.

Also, if you're a writer or a reader you can use this as a prompt to your story or just write for fun but remember if you use it, just give me credit :)

I am standing beneath the towering bamboo trees, seeking refuge from the scorching sun. Despite the shade, the sun's rays still manage to sneak through, causing me to adjust my sedge hat for the third time. Sweat beads form on my forehead, and I can feel the sun's gaze burning down on me.

As I scan my surroundings, I can't help but feel as though the sun is taunting me, shifting its angle to intensify its fiery glare upon me. My skin feels as though it's on fire, and my throat is parched from the sweltering heat.

My hand instinctively reaches for the gourd hanging from my hip. With a quick flick of my wrist, I bring it to my lips and tilt my head back, allowing the cool, refreshing water to quench my parched throat. It's not the smooth, satisfying taste of sake, but it does the job. I'll have to find a proper bottle of sake once I pass through the next town.

With a deep breath, I take a step forward, my feet sinking into the dirt beneath me. The path ahead is uncertain, but I must remain focused and vigilant. As I walk, the sound of rustling leaves and chirping birds surround me, and I take solace in the peace and tranquility of nature.

As the sun reached its peak, a gust of wind swept through the Valley of Whispers, stirring the tall bamboo stalks into a synchronized dance. Their rustling whispers filled the air, resembling the soft murmur of human voices.

The forest earned its name not from its topography, but from the eerie sounds produced by the bamboo grove every noon. Locals believed that the whispers belonged to the spirits of fallen samurai, haunting the valley in search of peace.

I'm never been a supertitious lot but I can say that the whispers are starting to sound more clear as the minute pass by and if you listen close, you can even pinpoint a voice of a little girl.

But I dismiss the thought and focus on the read ahead, no use getting my imagination the best of me.

The wind begins to subside, but the whispers persist, accompanying me like a loyal ally. Suddenly, a blur of movement catches the corner of my eye. My instincts kick in, and I subtly adjust my hat, affording me a better view. My eyes dart to the source of the disturbance, and there, among the bamboo groves, I spot a shadow darting from cover to cover.

My senses are on high alert, and though my mind tells me that the stalking shadow is merely a trick of the forest, I know better. I have felt this sensation before, the feeling of being hunted like prey. Without hesitation, I raise my hand and grip the tsuba of my sword, ready to draw at a moment's notice.

As a ronin, I have traveled far and wide, never once straying from the teachings of my master. Even in death, his voice echoes in my mind, guiding me with his wisdom.

"Kenji, listen to me," he had said. "I will impart to you three rules that allowed me to live a long life as a samurai. First, remember that the sword is an extension of you, a part of your soul. Train it like a muscle, for if your blade is dull, you will surely die. Second, be calm of mind and hone your senses. In this world, there is no good or bad, only those who seek to kill you. And finally, never doubt your instincts, no matter how ridiculous they may seem."

As I draw my sword with lightning speed, my instincts take over. Three kunai knives come hurtling towards me, but I am ready. With the precision and grace of a master swordsman, I deflect them effortlessly, each strike ringing out like a bell.

As I turn to face my attacker, I catch a glimpse of their black shinobi garb, as dark as the night sky. It's as if they are swallowing up the light from the sun. I can feel my heart racing, but my training keeps me calm.

The figure is adorned with kunai knives strapped to their legs, and polished metal balls are hanging from their belt. But it is the mask they wear that truly sends chills down my spine. It is the mask of a red demon oni, its teeth sharp and pointed like daggers. It is a symbol of death and destruction, a warning to all those who cross their path.

I raise my voice, hoping to provoke the mysterious figure to speak. "So they sent an assassin!" I shout with conviction, my hand firmly grasping the hilt of my sword.

The stranger responds with a swift movement, shifting their sword to their left side and drawing a wakizashi from its scabbard. The small sword is like a little brother to the katana, and I can tell this is a skilled warrior.

But the stranger is not finished yet. With two swords in hand, they slowly raise their free hand to their mask. I hold my breath, knowing that revealing one's identity can be a fatal mistake in the world of assassins.

With a deft movement, the mask is removed, and my heart skips a beat. I am face to face with myself. We share the same nose, the same clean-shaven chin, and even the same eyebrows. The only difference is in their eyes, which seem to glow like red orbs, and their pale, almost lifeless skin.

"I have come to claim your soul, ronin!" the assassin growls, their red eyes glowing menacingly as they brandish their weapons.

My hand tightens around the hilt of my sword as I prepare for the fight of my life. This enemy may look like me, but they are not me. They are an assassin, sent to kill me.

But as I ready myself, I cannot help but feel a twinge of fear. This opponent is unlike any I have faced before. They know my every move, my every thought. How can I defeat them?

I close my eyes and bow my head, calling upon the wisdom of my master. "Guide my sword and offer me your wisdom once more," I pray silently.

With a deep breath, I open my eyes and charge forward, meeting the assassin's attack with a fierce clash of steel. The sound echoes through the forest as we exchange blows, each strike ringing out like a thunderclap.

As we fought, I could hear my master's voice in my mind, guiding me with every step. His teachings echoed in my heart, giving me the strength and skill to hold my own against my doppelganger.

"Kenji, remember that the sword is an extension of you," his voice whispered. "Let it flow like water, and strike with the force of a thunderbolt."

With a swift motion, I raise my sword and take a defensive stance, watching as the assassin approaches. Their movements are quick and precise, their two swords flashing through the air like deadly snakes. I can feel their eyes on me, their gaze burning into my skin like hot coals.

The sounds of our swords clashing echoed through the valley as I stood, face to face with my opponent. I was a ronin, a samurai without a master, and my enemy was a skilled warrior, trained in the art of swordsmanship.

With every clash of our blades, my enemy seemed to know my next move. It was as if they could predict my every thought, every action. But I had one advantage: I was not bound by the strict code of honor that governed the samurai.

As my enemy swung their sword towards me, I deftly parried the attack and raised my own weapon, striking them in the face with the handle. They staggered back, stunned, and I seized the opportunity to strike.

I sliced my sword across their midsection, and black blood spilled forth, sizzling in the bright sunlight. I pushed my blade into their stomach and dragged it across, watching as the blood disappeared in a puff of smoke.

But my victory was short-lived. Behind me, I heard the sound of laughter. "Is that all you've got, ronin?" my enemy taunted, rising to their feet.

I turned to face them, gripping my sword tightly. This battle was far from over, and I knew that my opponent was not to be underestimated.

#Ronins #my writing #creative writing #writing prompt #writing ideas

[steely-eyedmissileman]

Annihilation (2018)

i feel rewritten on a cellular level, which is ironic, given the plot of the film. i'd previously read the book (just the first one in the trilogy, which may have been a mistake), but the book didn't scare me or change me the way this film did. let's start with the laundry list of things in this film that set me up to like it, without commentary on their goodness: natalie portman, oscar isaac, tessa thompson, non-linear time, freaky alien stuff, colors, actors playing two different characters distinguished only by hairstyle, duplication, science, physics, etc. now here's the stuff i can say in a sentence or two: this film is visually stunning. the cinnamon topography is excellent. every shot has a reason to be there, every scene builds to the next. the score is unnerving, beautiful, terrifying. it tells you which emotion to feel, in ways that never feel overbearing. in terms of the technical aspects of filmmaking, annihilation has it.

so now let's talk about some interesting stuff. first, this movie has made me realize that i like horror movies (thrillers?). i'm a scaredy cat, and i don't think i could find a single person who knows me that wouldn't agree with that sentiment. but i liked being scared here. we don't have time to delve into the personal growth aspect of that, but i think it's fair to say that this movie scares you for a reason. the terror builds the plot. suffice it to say that this movie wouldn't work without the scariness. which is a deeply weird thing to say because, to make this movie not scary, you'd have to cut at least a quarter of it, probably more. the fear is the point, but without the fear, the emotional content gets lost. the value of the resolution depends on being afraid for lena. without lena's fear, the bit with the eyes at the end is incomprehensible. we're afraid, yes, but afraid for a reason. having said that, i don't like gore. there was too much of it.

moving on, let's talk about aliens. i don't think it will surprise many for me to say i like aliens. looking at the trappings of this blog displays an obsession with space, and that often translates to a fondness for aliens. there are types of aliens i like more though. the less like humans they are, the more i like them. if aliens are the problem in your story, it's a bit passe to frame them like the other side of a human conflict. in general, I'm a little bit over person vs person conflicts. anyone can write about fighting other people. it's a large portion of history. what interests me are person vs self and person vs nature. there's some person vs self here, but it's difficult to portray that in films, particularly in films with action set pieces, scary soundtracks, and other weird shit. person vs nature, though, that's something horror and scifi are both well-suited for. the idea of aliens as unstoppable force and immovable object is great. the aliens (alien?) in annihilation don't have nameable desires. they're just doing what they're doing. aliens gotta alien. life's gotta live. let's bypass entirely the question of whether this force is alive, in any sense of the word. more importantly, the aliens are not explicable in human terms. that's why humanity's quest to understand them is fundamentally doomed. humans are great at applying their own motivations to things, bad at accepting inexplicable or absent motivations. (see solaris by stanislaw lem, among many other works on this topic) the aliens here are not a character, so much as an expression of the callous juggernaut of nature.

now, story structure time! this is a mystery, and it does the thing that all good mysteries should do. it gives you information well before you need it and then prevents you from processing that information until it becomes relevant, at which point the revelation is both new and expected. you can't figure out what the shimmer is doing until tessa thompson (i've forgotten here character's name) tells you. however, you've seen the physical expression of this so many times that her words just give structure to thoughts you've thought for many minutes. mysteries that aren't mysteries. and yet, it's a mystery. we know that the shimmer is alien (the film told us in the first couple minutes) but none of the characters do. thus, the mystery the characters are experiencing and the mystery the viewers are experiencing are two different things. they both work, more or less.

but what interests me most about this film is the telos of it all. telos is a greek word that literally translates to end (according to google). ancient greek philosophers used it to describe the ultimate desire of an object (humans can have a variety of teloses, acorns have one: to grow into an oak tree). in literary criticism, teleological is used to talk about the extent to which a story is built to reach its own end. annihilation gives itself a telos within the first half hour of the movie: find out what's in the lighthouse. lighthouses, in themselves, have an implicit telos. the end of a lighthouse is the light at the top. the lighthouse is a structure that invites you to ascend, to discover its secrets by moving upward. the film points us upwards in another way. we know that this phenomenon is alien and it fell to earth. the answer to the characters' questions is undeniably upward. from above, the aliens fell. the characters must move inward to the lighthouse and then upwards.

now, those of you who remember the end of this film have a significant question here. no one goes up the lighthouse. we see the stairs, but lena never tries to climb them. instead, we reach the lighthouse and go downward. the film denies its own telos, contributing to the feeling of wrongness about the circumstances themselves. annihilation set up an ending point (particularly for those who have read the book) and then proceeded to deny the viewer the chance to reach that ending point. we will never know what was at the top of the lighthouse because that wasn't the point actually. the point was below. the point was within. lena and kane both confront their own mirrors. because the aliens weren't the goal of the story (they were a tool for the story to use to bring about its actual goal). the goal is that final scene, the reconciliation of kane and lena. it's a story about people dressed up in the trappings of aliens. that's good scifi, folks, a story about humans. if a story isn't about people, why write it? why watch it?

#annihilation (2018) #natalie portman #oscar isaac #tessa thompson #semmwatchlog #alex garland

[kitkatcadillac]

This is probably really stupid and in the end won't make a difference but. When I was a kid we used to live in New Mexico and went to White Sand's national park. I guess my parents took a bottle of sand.

Would the park be annoyed if I like, sent the bottle back in the mail so they could dump it back out in the park? Would they report me to someone and fine me since they would have my address? Or would they just go "Wtf who's this goofy ass sending us sand"

well i wouldn't feel too bad about something you did as a kid like that! i hope you aren't beating yourself up over that over the post i made. conservation laws have changed a lot over the last decade or two, you know? i'll tell you a story, but let me answer your question first so you don't have to scroll and search for it lmaooo

i don't know! but usually these places have addresses or emails if you want to write to them, and you can ask them directly. i really don't think you'd get in trouble for asking a question like this to them, and if you'd like help looking for a place to contact them, i'd be happy to go looking for you.

i don't think you should feel bad though, and you shouldn't feel obligated to do that, but it is a really nice gesture. i understand some of how that feels; i grew up next to the chesapeake. back in the 90s, listen... blue crabs were really abundant, so naturally people were fishing them up like crazy. some of my fondest childhood memories involve my parents bringing 6 dozen crabs home for like $80. that's an insane amount of crab.

naturally, too, they're endangered now, and there's laws and regulations on who can fish them up and how, who can sell them, etc... and a lot of the reason happens to be those childhood memories.

of course i couldn't understand back then the effects that overfishing had. i was like, four years old. i was nothing but a learning sponge, and what the adults in my life were teaching me was essentially that the bay was a veritable crab font that was bottomless. crabs forever. obviously not!!!!

but now i'm older, and i have those fond memories, and i can understand what happened and what we can do, how we can teach other people why today is the way it is and how yesterday shaped it. it isn't like i have a jar of crabs i can send back- but that would be really fun haha- the things that i CAN do are stay informed, educate, maybe donate sometimes even. if i had more time, i'd think about going and working on some projects that maybe help out the bay, or at least the local area where i live.

tl:dr; i don't think that you need to do anything about the sand bottle, honestly. i don't think you're doing irreparable harm by having it, especially since you know better now than to scoop sands off beaches that ask that you don't scoop sand off of them. i also think if you have concerns about it, the best people to ask are the people who have direct links to the preservation and upkeep of the area! i'm really proud of you for caring enough to consider it, and i encourage you to do a little research on your own local parks and topography. you know those posts that tell you what species of plants and animals are endemic to the area and all? it's really good to know that stuff! see what sorts of things your parks are doing. you never know!

#anon #skelly speaks #anon youre a sweetheart i hope you have a wonderful weekend #if you need anything let me know!!! i'll see what i can search up.

[mortalvirus]

I feel this morbid curiosity towards the Nashville school shooter particularly because we have a lot of things in common (same age, transgender, religious family, lives at home, is an artist) and that makes me feel disappointed. I do not want the people around me to live in fear that I'll snap like that because I know I won't, simply put because I'm a decent human who wouldn't fucking shoot up a school.

I am also confused because as I read the timelines given by news media and whatever the police deem okay to release, I still have no idea what the motive was here and all the information I see tells me this was premeditated act of violence, and yet it accomplishes nothing besides traumatizing families that are only victims of circumstance lest the shooter was actively trying to hunt someone in particular down.

I think its curious how it seems that the shooter is looking for something by entering only certain doors to clear the area. What exactly was the goal here??

Also I read a stupid news piece that brought attention to the shooters one morbid looking artwork (which was basic topography illustration shit, we been doing word poems like this of cinematic shit for ages, IT WAS JUST FANART ITS NOT THAT DEEP) when the rest look like someone who is just discovering how vector graphics work (listen you cant tell me that self portrait isnt a shitty traced one ok, it is). Not all the art is bad, but this was clearly someone who had room to improve.

I'm just, morbidly curious. I want to know why? Why the school? Why did it have to be that school. Why did you need 7 guns??? How the fuck did the shooter even hide 7 guns from the parents that he lived with??? My dad accidentally has found my dildos and shit before even though i always think I have a good hiding spot, seven??? guns??

Also FUCK school shooters. This is an act of domestic terrorism and by doing something like this you are committing a fucking war-crime.

#school shooter #nashville shooting #gun violence #tw #read more #thoughts

[valkblue]

(Attendez une minute!..) The nice people need to know about your Elby stuff... Tell 'em more.

(Ouais, ouais, j'comprends…) Ok, let's do this then! 👀 It's Elbaran Time!!

I spoke about maps, in an earlier post, so I'll be talking about this. I have a burning passion for maps. Old maps, new maps, Google maps, cartovilles, and even stupid plans doodled on napkins… So, of course, I painted some for the game. Here's a sample.

... and I consider repainting them at some point with my new textured brushes. 🙃 No rest for the braves wicked…

#ask wip titles game #fatesrpg #aaaaaahhh thanks! #🤣 #elbaran #my art #maps #i love maps #it's kinda relaxing to paint #when it's not painful??? #I'm bad at topography though #I steer clear from that #....... FOR NOW. #wips #kinda????

[shirakodai]

you can tell that the frequency with which the doctor treats your wounds has not gone unnoticed. he's still cordial with you, but it's become a somewhat icier endeavor to make light conversation while he examines the extent of the damage to your body.

abruptly, he says, "Helios, I can no longer in good faith abide by what you're doing to yourself. I know you're not an idiot. Act like it."

this makes you bristle. "i can make my own damn decisions, dr baizhu. you can keep taking my mora to treat me. dont pretend like this isnt transactional, at least a little bit."

"Very well." he falls silent, expertly navigating the topography of your scarred skin while he tightens bandages around your torso.

he moves around the examination table youre perched on, checking his work from behind you. unexpectedly, he reaches both hands to pull your hair back into a ponytail and holds it.

"You're not an idiot," he repeats. "Look at yourself."

he uses his handfuls of your hair to steer your gaze towards the mirror on the wall opposite you that youd pointedly been avoiding, and you meet each others' eyes in the reflection.

you heave a long-suffering sigh. "and what exactly is the point of this exercise. baizhu." you intone your words flatly, warningly. he doesnt balk.

"Every time I see you with wounds like these, your hair has gone whiter. Just because you were pardoned by the gods before doesn't mean you're invincible."

"im not deluding myself about that." heh. if baizhu catches your joke, his face doesnt show it. "i know what the price is."

"Do you, truly?" his voice has gained an edge youre not familiar with. "With all due respect, Helios, you're no doctor."

"so do your job and tell me the information im paying you for. whats the prognosis, doc?"

his lips tighten into a firm line as he lets go of your hair and breaks the eye contact he was holding. he returns to the little desk in the corner of the examination room, sitting behind it and fixing you with a Look as he picks up the clipboard with your information on it.

"Do you want the good news first, or the bad news."

"youll tell me both anyways so i truly do not give a shit. out with it, baizhu."

"You're such an ass when you're cornered." he crosses one leg over the other, leaning forward slightly with the clipboard resting on his knees. "Good news first, then, I suppose. Well, Helios, you can consider yourself one of the most powerful dendro users I'm aware of, especially in combination with your pyro vision."

"tell me something i dont know."

"Relax. So thorny." he continues, "This extra elemental power is strengthening your pyro affinity. You've been burning hotter than usual."

"surely thats good news, though. pyro is whats anchoring me in my body."

"Hush. The one with a doctorate is speaking." he arches an eyebrow pointedly at you, adjusting his glasses.

"Now, I don't consider myself inexperienced with cases such as yours. You've met Qiqi. Similar case, different manifestation of celestial intervention. Regardless, her vision and yours facilitate the tethering of your souls in your bodies. Usually, I wouldn't consider your vision to be... well, a fuse. But messing around with that delusion changes things."

you narrow your eyes at him.

"Even vision bearers who gained the favor of the gods in, well, more typical situations would find themselves with the very same problem you're facing. The delusion simply has an easier time rooting in your tether. And it is eating away at it the longer you use it. This is far more dire than you think it is, Helios. Your fuse is short. Do not wait to discover what happens when it runs out."

"i hate it when you act like you know anything about who i am or what im thinking."

"Surely you've noticed that the Harbinger boy's hair remains as vivid orange as the day he was born. Does he care that you're fading faster?"

this strikes a nerve and you hop down from the examining table.

"good day, doctor." a bag of mora thumps to his desk as you whisk past him.

"Take care, Helios," he calls out to the door you slam behind you, no trace of anger or malice in his voice. your visits are, after all, simply transactional. at least a little bit.

#genshin impact #genshin oc #genshin fanfic #genshin impact oc #baizhu #qiqi #tartaglia #childe tartaglia #shirakodai art #heliax #talking #this takes place pretty close to the resolution of helios and childes story #also im so sorry but idk how to insert a readmore on mobile... im on a very old version of the app :( #also yes thats his dendro delusion in the illustration :>

[feanor-the-dragon]

Hey I have a question so I live in Wylie TX so Central Texas we normally get hit a little bit like just the edge of the storm I'm guessing it won't be that way this time.... How bad will central Texas be hit and will the two lakes that I'm like right smack in the middle of be a problem... I'm just confused because this is a new situation and we don't have tornados often because of the lakes. (Also unrelated note this is the worst possible time for my dog to have a bladder stone and UTI)

So my askbox ate this until today for some reason, which makes my response criminally late... but, I'm afraid I wouldn't really have known too well anyway. I haven't lived in this part of the US for most of my life and so I'm not familiar with the geography or the weather patterns outside of the part of Arkansas where I live.

Sometimes, that gives me an advantage, cause when the weather service says shit's gonna be bad, I believe them. Others, it's a curse.

Even though it's painfully belated, I do have a bit to offer generally speaking, that should hopefully help in the future.

Even if your house wouldn’t be reached by floodwaters (like if it's on a hill or other elevelated ground), you would have to consider whether floodwaters could leave you trapped, potentially without power. It looks like those lakes are miles apart, so I would imagine that they wouldn't be likely to merge or anything, but I have no real idea of the elevation of the land between them, or how they tend to flood.

As for the severity of incoming storms... get a weather app with a doppler radar and look at it often. Follow the projected paths of storms and weather systems and compare that to where they actually go. Weatherman can be wrong. Computer models can be wrong, often because local geography/topography affects weather in ways that are difficult to account for in a simulation. Computer models have difficulty predicting storm paths where I live due to a "mountain" (just a tall, very wide hill, really) to the west of me, for example. But you can learn your local weather patterns by observation and get a feel for what a storm looks like on approach if it's gonna be a big one, or where/if storms tend to be deflected by local geography.

I use the weather channel app (which sucks, but its doppler works well enough for me), as it shows both the past path of the storm as well as the predicted path, but there are far better ones out there. My boss swears by Weather Underground, which (if I understand it correctly) is more of a grassroots thing that uses a network of weather stations in the yards of millions of private citizens. It generally has the most complete, accurate, and specific real-time weather data (for my area, at least).

As for tornadoes... there's no shame in that being new and unfamiliar, and thus a little frightening. I don’t know if there are tornado sirens in your town, but be listening for those if a tornado watch has been issued for your area.

A tornado watch means the conditions are right for a tornado, a tornado warning means there is a tornado. (I like the Cupcake mnemonic: Cupcake watch means the ingredients are on the countertop, and a cupcake warning means the cupcakes have come out of the oven/there are cupcakes on he countertop). Monitor your local weather service and, when a tornado watch is issued, you should be ready to shelter at the sound of a siren or the issuing of a warning.

If either of those things happens, it is time to bunker down. Go to your basement or, failing that, an inner room with no windows on the first floor (if possible/in a house), preferably a bathroom (the plumbing is supposed to anchor and support the walls, provide better protection) and wait it out.

Generally, bodies of water have a stabilizing effect on weather. I believe that effect is somewhat dampened in the context of large storm systems though, but I don't know enough about meteorology to be sure. There may be an elevated area, such as a ridge or large hill, that shields your town from the worst part of most incoming storms (as is the case with the town where I live as well as the one where my family lives). That's something you could better determine by watching the doppler and comparing the behavior of weather patterns to, say, a topography map. Or people say things like "the ridge keeps tornadoes from getting here" or something like (although I'd be careful to make sure and note which direction such a feature shields you from). Notably, bodies of water do not stop tornadoes! That is a very dangerous myth, and I just had to look it up to make sure. Tornadoes form due to rotation that starts high up near/in the clouds and then stretches down, and so they don't really care what happens near their feet. Never believe anyone who says a body of water will stop a tornado.

When deciding whether or not to shelter, use discretion. I'm more careful about tornadoes than a lot of people who've lived in the south their whole lives, and they think I'm silly to hunker down because a tornado is in the next town over, but I'd rather make someone overly cautious than get them hurt. And I'd rather hide from 99 tornadoes that never get close than end up not hiding from the one that does.

I hope that you and yours are safe and came through the storm no worse for the wear. I am truly so, so very sorry that I'm answering this so very late.

Also, is your doggo alright? Do they know that I, and at least half the internet, love them implicitly? Do they know that they're a good dog?

#ask #asks #anon #storm #psa #safety #weather #hurricane laura #hurricane #omg I'm so sorry that this is so very late! #It's goddamn killing me! #tornadoes #long post

[writingreactsandwords]

Hi! Could I get DAI LIs (pre-romance) reacting to a Desire Demon taking the appearance of the half-naked (or fully naked? Demons don't play around) Inquisitor to try to seduce and possess them? (maybe the team ended up in the Fade and got separated or something). In detail, if you feel like it, and maybe also non-LI companions reacting to seeing their leader like that, if you -really- feel like it. Hope I'm not asking too much!

Jumping right to it, anon! You’re not asking too much at all, though I do deeply apologise if this bloody essay of a post pops up on your dash when you’re not interested.

But honestly, long/big requests are no trouble. Might just take a little longer! I hope you like it! (Spoilers for Inquisition and Trespasser! Not, like, too NSFW but I wouldn’t want my mom reading it. Foul language ahead, buckaroos.)

Cullen (pre-romance):

Demons he knows too well.

When he sees her standing there, something inside him cracks for a moment. Cold, polished stone floors. His heavy Templar armour, the pain and sweat. The blood on the floor, the smell of abominations and growing, pulsing, rotting flesh. Her image is blinded briefly by the white translucent walls that had caged him, had trapped him in with anything that Uldred had seen fit to punish him with.

And then, as always, the cracks melt together again. A little tighter, more strained, more fragile. But his eyes can see what’s there.

It’s wearing her skin, her voice. And Maker is she perfect, the sight of her breaks whatever convincing he’d done to persuade himself he wasn’t as besotted as he felt.

Demon, he reminds himself, and the anger comes back. That it took what he wanted and wore her like a gown, took her body and made his first sight of her like this when she was unwilling, unaware. That it would use her as a game piece to break his mind makes the rage burn red hot in his chest.

“Cullen,” she whispers, and somehow he hears it as if it’s in his ear despite the distance. “Love. Darling. Aren’t you going to touch me?”

The leather of his gloves makes a soft noise as it curls around the grip of his sword. 

“Stop,” he says, and is ashamed of how his voice is strangled and cracked. Ashamed of how he can’t look at this thing.

“She doesn’t want you, Cullen,” she said, stronger and harsher, the tone of someone doling out hard truths. “I am the only version of her you’ll get. Give in to this. I’m soft. I’m real. As real as you want me to be.”

“Try harder,” he growls out, and his eyes are shut when he strikes the killing blow. 

Solas (pre-romance):

The Fade was, undoubtedly, a place of strange beauty. With its gravity-defying topography, electric greens weaving through the air and clouding the horizon with mist. The ever-present sense of danger, of eyes and fingers creeping up spines unseen. The Black City, as they called it, hung close enough that he felt he could reach out to touch it.

Yet none of it was as strange as her.

All softness and muscle stood like some terribly lifelike, terribly beautiful sculpture. She was the opposite of the rocky pitted ground. The opposite of terror.

Her presence made everything different, but it wasn’t her.

“This won’t work,” he warned, already gliding the staff into his usual stance. The spirit looked at him with hooded, sweet eyes. She was so beautiful, though admiring her here felt like a betrayal of trust. Like he should be admonished for being a peeping tom.

“I know,” it said simply. Her voice felt like something hard and sharp in his chest. “You don’t have many weaknesses, Wolf.”

He watched her and raised a dark eyebrow.

“She is one of mine?” He admired her, yes. Despite many- despite all of his better judgements, he couldn’t help but try to charm her. Couldn’t help but take solace in her, marvel at her intelligence and empathy.

It was wrong. He had not, wouldn’t (couldn’t) allow it to go further. The spirit’s spiteful grin made him shudder.

“She will be, Wolf. As you will be hers.”

He watched her as the disguise melted away in front of his eyes, a demonic violet woman stood in the Inquisitor’s place. Curiosity burnt, but he looked at it with icy eyes.

“Stand and fight.” He had to get back to the others, to her.

Cassandra (pre-romance):

Cassandra is a practical woman. She has never stilled her sword when she knew the enemy and knew the intentions behind them.

She knows now as the Inquisitor stands in front of her, naked and smiling, that he’s not him. He looks like him, certainly. Down to every hair, every dip and curve, the face she’s committed to memory despite it being downright pathetic. And… Below. Places she’s definitely not seen are still undoubtedly him.

But she knows what it is. A desire demon. Characterised, when in it’s ‘true’ form, by purple skin and long curling horns. Often female. Certainly not female right now, she thinks. Her eyes dart down, and her shame is amplified by that subtle, smug smile.

Her shield lifts when he reaches toward her.

“I could give you what you want, Cassandra,” he says in a perfect replica of the Herald’s voice. “Love. Sex. Passion. Take my hand, love. I’ll give you what he won’t.”

I want him, the real thing, she thinks though she shames herself for how soft it is. She has been tested many times before, in more difficult situations than this. 

“Die, demon,” she hisses.

Dorian (pre-romance):

Dorian knows the tricks of demons as well as any mage. They enter his dreams, his life, wait with bated breath for the pleasure of owning a man with such power as he. Sometimes desire demons, yes, offering sex and some of his deeper wishes in trade for something harmless on the surface yet terribly wicked beneath.

He’s spent far too much time with their shadow to be scared of them.

He watches the demon taking strong, graceful steps across the ground of the Fade in the body of the Inquisitor with bored eyes. Mind games. Taking his surface attraction of the man they called a leader and standing in his naked body. Trying to tempt him.

Still, Dorian remains quiet. 

“The Herald wants you,” the demon said in his voice. “He thinks about you at night, in his more… intimate moments.”

“Does he now?” Dorian asked, bored. “Whatever you’re trying to entice me with, it won’t work.” He adjusted his staff in his hand, an eyebrow raised.

“But he doesn’t care about you,” it said, ignoring him. Dorian’s eyes narrowed. “He doesn’t love you. Won’t love you. He just wants to fuck you, like all the others.”

Demons lie and trick, and besides, why in the name of the Maker would I care? He tells himself, even as something inside him hurts and his grip on the weapon tightens so much that splinters dig into his palm.

“You’re smart, Dorian. There’s nothing out of here for you. There’s nothing you can fix or do. But I can give you everything. I know you love him. I look like him, I sound like him, I can build you a reality that loves you back.”

Every word just makes him angrier, and his resolve doesn’t falter once as the mana charges up from his fingertips.

Josephine (pre-romance):

She wasn’t even meant to be here.

Josephine’s cheeks were already dark red from panic, her breaths short and her fingers gripping the ruffled sleeves of her shirt. She thought the rifts led to the same place, yet here she was, with no Inquisitor beside her-

Until there was. She felt the presence before she saw it, turned terrified with images of demons conjured, stood weaponless against an enemy triple her size. She spun, unprepared but ready- and came face to face with a person.

“Oh, Inquisitor! I-”

The press of their lips to the edge of her jaw is… unexpected. Unpleasant, almost. It’s not that she hasn’t thought about it. About them. Of course she has, they’re… The Inquisitor. Strong, brave, intelligent. Yet the mix of terror and surprise and relief and- something just being wrong has tainted it anyway. Rotted it, soured it.

The press of them naked against her breaks whatever shock was keeping her still. She nearly fell as she stumbled away from them.

“I-Inquisitor?” She said, her fear and embarrassment amplifying tenfold. They’re stood bare, mouth curled up into a smile clearly meant to be alluring but doing nothing but setting off warning bells. “You are… Not the Herald.”

“I could be,” it says with their voice, “if that’s what you want, Josephine.”

A desire demon, then. She watches it speechless, almost admiring of how complex their disguise is. Brought from her own mind, likely- her cheeks stain darker as she realises its naked form is from her own shameful fantasies.

It’s cunning, clearly. Clever. A creature of crafted deals and words, this she knows. But so is Josephine.

Stood weaponless against an enemy. Not quite. The Inquisitor would be looking for her, she knew. All she had to do was stall.

“Let us talk about what I want, then.”

The Iron Bull (pre-romance):

Bull doesn’t like demons, though he sure as hell likes the view.

Lately, the Inquisitor has been playing on his mind pretty bad, though he’s not certain why. There are some pretty clear reasons- they’re stunning, strong, genuine. They’re funny. They think he’s funny.

So the demons picked up on that, huh? He thinks, flinching as he imagines phantom fingers digging into his mind, his thoughts, picking out his daydreams and fantasies. Until they could build up the visual that had been pacing his conscious and cover themselves with it.

He knows people are weaker than they want to be and think they are, but still. That he was so easy to figure out is humiliating in its way. Terrifying in others.

“So what are you, then?” He asks, quietly. The demon’s eyes spark, something malicious and amused that don’t fit his Inquisitor’s features. It makes their body look more like a costume. A hot costume, admittedly, but with none of the character.

“I’m yours, Bull,” they say, almost sing-song, breathy and gentle. It works its way inside his ears until he can imagine the real Inquisitor saying it. Saying it in Herald’s rest, whispering it in his ear, saying it on top of him, underneath, anywhere.

He can’t help letting his eyes drag across them as they step even closer, head tilted just a little bit, hands sliding over their own skin.

“You’re good,” he nods, “but I fucking hate demons.”

He brings down the axe as they snarl.

Sera (pre-romance):

“This isn’t fucking real!” Sera yells, her voice straining against her own pitch. There’s green fucking everywhere, and there are floating rocks and- and- there are demons and shit and it’s the Fade and you don’t piss about in the fucking Fade and you don’t see the girl you’ve been pissing fantasising about in your actual dreams all naked and shit in front of you and-

“I’m as real as you want me to be, Sera,” she says, eyes sparkling with delight and- other stuff. Sera’s been squeezing at the grip of her bow awkwardly for the last however long naked Quizzy’s been stood there.

Like, what, a minute? Too long. Too close. Demon. Solas had even gone through the types- what’s this one? Desire.

She looks so… Her. It isn’t right. It isn’t close to right. Everything’s wrong and the actual Inquisitor is off somewhere with the others, or alone, and here Sera is having a stand-off with her fantastically naked body-double.

“Nothing’s real here,” Sera says, “except me. You’re just some- some piss demon.”

“Oh, Sera…” The Inquisitor says, her voice all moan-y and it’s never like that usually however much she wishes it was. “Look at me. There’s no danger in me. I’m just what you want. What you need. I might not be real, but the real Inquisitor… She wants nothing to do with you.”

“Fuck off,” she says, shaking, even though she’s letting the Inquisitor’s hand reach towards her, sliding over the air above her hip and it would be so good.

“I’ll be whatever you want me to be, love.”

And suddenly - venemously - her mind hisses, not real though, and she’s slamming the bow into the demon’s pretty face.

Blackwall (pre-romance):

“Inquisit–” Blackwall chokes on his words when he sees her. After the destructive wake of realisation has settled - and it takes a while, embarrassingly - his first thought is, absurdly, it’s been too long. He looks at the Inquisitor’s nakedness bluntly, unable to do anything else.

The would-be Warden does take a bitter sort of comfort in his self-flagellating, denying habits. I don’t deserve it is a common thought of his, so the last time he took relief in another person was…

It’s been too long.

He watches her with a dry mouth, words clawing up but choking out somewhere between the centre of his chest and his throat. He plants his feet a little more firmly into the pockmarked ground of the Fade, don’t forget this isn’t real, and curls his finger into fists as the supposed Inquisitor makes her way towards him.

Maker, she is… He wants so many things he can’t have.

The Inquisitor did not let them step into the Fade without knowledge. They all knew of the demons. They all knew they’d be more susceptible alone. “End it quickly, firmly, and do not give them a chance,” the Commander, Cullen, had told them. An ex-Templar with experience enough to look a little haunted at the thought of demons.

Despite it all, he’s allowed her to come this close. It. It to come this close. He breathes heavy when she, it, it raises its hand. Soft and warm and it lands on his bearded face not chastely, anything but; those eyes look at him with promise. Her mouth opens, wet and shining and-

“Thom.”

The illusion breaks. He raises his sword.

#Blackwall #Thom Rainier #Sera #The Iron Bull #Iron Bull #Josephine #Josephine Montilyet #Dorian #Dorian Pavus #Cassandra #Cassandra Pentaghast #Cullen #Cullen Rutherford #Solas #Still sometimes think about all those guys in tears there were no sexy demon ladies in DAI #poor fellas #Dragon Age #Dragon Age Inquisition #DAI #DA: Inquisition #Dragon Age Reactions #Dragon Age Reacts #sera is my fav to write #and i always write her first #but for some reason she always ends up being close to the bottom in the list #i need to set up a format #anyways #i hope everyone liked this #and no one bothers to read these tags #this is awful

[the-firebird69]

We have a lot more going on than just that is huge huge ships hello and tons of people are skanning for them and trying to see what they are it's very difficult and see a real big object and we're wasting them tons of them. Everyday about two quadrillion at each location minimum last night and today so far this is about 700 quadrillion visited rio and a bunch of them who know what they're doing said the topography has changed a little. And a little is enough for alarm they're a huge changes they said in the countryside along what looks like could be the edge of an object and it was about 100 ft change in some places and our sunset we should have Seabees since we hire we need to hire more to make sure that we put the topography back the same level over several weeks can we figure out something you can see that change though in space and he said it's probably a lot worse than that at first it was but you see these patches so doesn't have any solution for that except you make a patch you can a bunch that fits right in it it was green on top so you start doing that and it works still there's differences it was sensitive equipment they can find it so going after them today and we heard this we're going after your boy I'm going to use your s*** head and and they mean Trump, you said something to the trump in the future is horrified so there's too many of them too many have some voices helping them they're ruining you completely to turn you on me for mack, then he said who had to do it you had me do it. Turns around and says I don't have a gosh darn chance and hell and then you tell me that yep...our son says. Yeah really mad he said this other people he's done this to I said yeah like Sebastian you abusebja there's a list right now he made me like this and had him do this and it's like he hit his brother in the head and made him into a mutant called Tommy Allen and then he said a manifested this guy I'll send that figured out this is how it is he's doing it to all these people who are here yes are the rebels harassing me. What's around says wow I must have got to it says you have this fleet in your holding him off he told people you can't hold them off anymore and there's something else going on and it's still going to blame you for it ooh that's true they want to play mac daddy wants to blame you you can see his Mr bombastic so you got it he's going to thank God laughs as you have a few minutes out you'll remember and the truck got mad they go so I can't remember already

Video little sick cuz you start laughing a lot he said tattoos are wearing certain clothes or rebel clothes and you'll be accepted finally not all alone start doing it too people noted it and they accepted it and it said you could be doing this and started working and changed everything sorry trying to give us a hint he want some better clothes...

We can hear her what for why does that look like a bom I don't want to look like a bum. Hera is laughing but she is doing that so we have to look at that and ask her to stop that into join up with Amazonian and she needs some instruction from us old people our women. It says it's out of my hands and above my head that she's doing this and she probably doesn't feel great about it but she needs to feel great about it she's doing something like this so they say well it's not exactly right doing the right thing in this case if that's what you're doing just smiling and saying okay I'm still help see what once a week meeting with Amazonia minimum and they're arranging it.

We just got to take pretty bad there's nothing to do with anybody else but with us

UK becomes a nightmare for Max can you bring those two there it's a nightmare they don't think it's that severe so they bring George and some others and it becomes a nightmare and Jesus over here is rooting everything literally the place is fog to pieces yeah right after sopranos everything starts to sieze up north they try to come down and apprehend our son Mack and his son try resist and that's a lie they're the ones doing it and they get caught many times. And they get into a lot of trouble tons of movies and they get the crap beat out of them many times for the crimes against our son and us in Forgieners mainly the ladder

But rio is a huge deal it's gigantic now

In closing I would say her son's done a terrific job it has helped everybody on Earth and offers of our kind and enormous ways it is well above the call of duty he's doing it because this is what his life is he's a public servant but we need to help him he has basic needs and basic funding it is not in place and not from us it must be because these people are falling apart as you watch them they fall apart and become mental patients and become very dangerous you can't be trusted to do anything when they're in the state that Trump said is completely off the wall that's not who he is what he's doing just want stuff that's very dangerous and we see it I'm calling for people reinforcements too because Mac is encouraging it he's trying to threaten to blow up the Earth and he's putting bombs right now he's putting bombs out on Monroe huge ones or in the water 20 miles across and is trying to put them into the hole and they won't go in there until he opens it except for light up outside so we're going to go over there and see what we can do about it I have tons of agents there I'm saying what I'm trying to approach it it's threaten all over the planet. Just calling the emergency meeting and we've had one but we're going to be in the war room he says and we're bringing generals in I'm going to break these people as thry insist on it

We meet now and it's about Cape Verde I'm going to take care of business

Thor Freya

But to me now and we're going to take care of business I'm going to make sure this is right

Hera

All in in 15 minutes and we're going to prove that this is necessary to do this meeting and show you what we need he has a sense of urgency it's a little different and he's getting information from our spies for his and say we must listen. Since there's too many locations and it's too big for them to stop and they need us and we need to make this huge very fast and we need to invade they have huge threats on we're going to start invading so let's find out where and what

Olympus

[witch-apologist]

what are some of your favorite movies and why? ☺️

Disclaimer: many of the characters I claim as autistic are not texturally autistic but in my heart of hearts they are

Stardust: Its just a FUN movie Also autistic guy finds love with a woman who does not ask him to jump through a million hoops for a chance with her like his original crush. GNC captain puts on a front of hypermasculinity only to find out that his crew new he was GNC the entire time and still respected him.

The Ring: Very scary 10/10 the cinnamon topography

Fear Street Saga: an excellent love letter to the fear street books while having really good sociopolitical commentary and lesbians WHO LIVE.

Anastasia: pro: best historical fantasy featuring real people ever con: romantasizes the Romanov reign.

The little mermaid: Autistic teenager with a special interest in humans flees her emotionally abusive home and gets tricked into having to get a guy to stay amongst the people she admires (but on the plus side she actually does like the guy)

The princess and the frog: First disney princess I could point my little sister to and say "She looks like you! "

The Swan Princess: The inherent romanticism of wanting to kick your love interest in the shins and turning him down when he cant give you any reason other than beauty to like you and then Him spending several years of his life regretting it and training to save you from your kidnapper despite everyone telling him to give up on you.

The accountant: Autistic(textually) guy uses his special interest to become a badass action hero, smartest character in the movie is a nonverbal autistic person none of it is inspiration porn or vanity projects and though (as far as we know) the actor is not autistic he avoids harmful stereotypes and uses things he experiences similar to autistic people to portray the character.

Tangled: Autistic girl spends formative years locked away by a parental figure who insists they're "protecting" her. Finds love with the first person to offer her freedom. Cons: Antisemtic stereotypes in Mother Gothel that only get worse in the animated series (even though I do like the series too but it has its uh... many faults)

The Haunting (1999) one of my favorites as a child features a bisexual polyamorous woman who LIVES. Also Owen Wilson. Cons: Liam Neeson

The Last Unicorn: Childhood favorite very beautiful stylings

Twilight series: They suck and have a lot of issues with bigotry and romantasizing really bad things but there are some good parts and I enjoy it critically.

The latest Candyman: AN EXCELLENT movie by Nia Decosta and a wonderful reframing of the original Candyman movies.

Paranormal Activity 3: Objectively the best installment in the series but you have to muddle through 1 and 2 to understand it.

BOP: I'm a Harley Quinn Fanatic and it was really good and really well directed

I'm probably forgetting more but this is off the top of my head.