#benefits of living next to the cathedral

[persephoine]

i have acquired a cathedral pass, meaning i can visit canterbury cathedral any time i want, and i’m going to be abusing that privilege

#cathedral #dark academia #dark academia aesthetic #catholism #aesthetic #canterbury #canterbury cathedral #church #mine #benefits of living next to the cathedral

[yancherrysoda]

Wind God

This is inspired by @heyheydidjaknow​ Good Wine story so it’s a yandere Venti x reader.

She helped me with the tense shifts and gave advice on how to make this sound more creative, as it was previously very stiff and written as if it were an essay. I’m not a writer, but I really wanted to give my own take on this plot.

The image above was created using artbreeder. I tried my best to make it look like the Decarabian Tower.

Link to the original: Good Wine

Word count: 3.330

You woke up with a jolt, startled by the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance. You blinked a few times and sat up, feeling a surge of panic as you realized you had no idea where you were or how you got there. Looking around you noticed you were lying inside some kind of tower surrounded by swirling air currents where huge rocks made up the area, and a semi-transparent platform with a strange teal seal engraved on it was underneath.

You scrambled to your feet, feeling dizzy and disoriented. The platform resembled glass and you felt as if it would shatter if you stayed on it any longer.

‘’Oh!’’ Someone spoke, breaking the silence. ‘’You’re awake. Are you okay? I didn’t expect you to recover so soon.’’

You cast a glance at the person in front of you; their calm demeanor distinctly contrasted with your current state of panic.

‘’What’s going on? Where am I?’’ You asked. ‘’What am I doing here?’’

Venti didn’t answer right away; his gaze fixed on you as he took in your puzzled expression. His features softened, and after a brief pause, he reached out his hand towards you. ‘’Please, let me explain.’’

You hesitantly eyed his outstretched hand, unsure whether to stay where you were or approach him. Despite having someone familiar next to you, you were still on high alert.

After taking a deep breath to calm your nerves, you decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. You grasped his hand and sat next to him, keeping your distance.

‘’I should begin by saying that I mean no harm to you. You’re a person who has a heart of gold, and I cherish you deeply. Your presence in my life has been nothing but joy so far. You’re kind, compassionate, and selfless. You’re empathetic to others' feelings, and you were always there for those in need,’’ he paused. ‘’You were always there for me.’’

The wind around you two got calmer the more he poured his feelings into words.

‘’I wonder if you’ve ever noticed this. Perhaps my behavior made it obvious, but I’m not human,’’ he said, turning to face the other way while fidgeting with his cape. ‘’I am the Anemo Archon; I have taken the form of a human to talk to people. I know it’s difficult to understand, but in all my years of existence, I’ve never felt this way before.’’ Pausing, he bit his lip and looked at you. ‘’Despite my divine nature, I am capable of emotions just as humans are. In other words, I caught feelings for you, and I can’t bear the thought of living without you.’’

Venti scooted closer to you and placed his hand on yours. ‘’There hasn’t been a single day when I haven’t thought of you.’’ His eyes showed that familiar sparkle that you had seen many times before. ‘’Do you remember that time at the cathedral trying to avoid Barbara by hiding behind the pillars? Or when I asked you to meet me at Windrise for a walk? You ran to hug me and we ended up tripping and falling into the pond.’’ He let out a laugh. ‘’We walked all the way to Starsnatch Cliff in our wet clothes just to look at the stars.’’ He looked at you, trying to meet your eyes. ‘’I’m grateful I got to meet and spend my time with such a wonderful person like you, YN.’’

You tried to process his words, but the weight of his confession was overwhelming.

‘’And you brought me here to tell me all of this?’’

He let out a deep sigh. ‘’I… I hope that at some point in your life you’ll end up feeling the same way about me, how I feel about you.’’ He extended his hand to caress your cheek. ‘’And with you here, I won’t have to worry about anybody else taking you away from me.’’ He continued. ‘’I am well aware that my actions are selfish—they even go against my very own principles. However… I couldn’t help but act upon them.’’ He looked at you. ‘’Tell me, YN, is it unethical for a God to have romantic feelings for a mortal?’’

You quickly stood up. You scanned your surroundings more carefully now that you were fully awake, but this place looked unlike anything you had ever seen before.

‘’Where are we?’’ You asked, your tone firm.

Venti tried to remain calm, lest you do something drastic.

‘’We’re in Old Mondstadt. Specifically, on the Decarabian Tower.’’ He answered, trying not to appear bothered by your constant pacing around the seal. ‘’I thought this would be the perfect place to have this conversation without anybody bothering us. Plus, the view up here is amazing, don’t you think?’’ He cast a glance at you, but judging by your expression, his attempt to lighten up the mood did not work.

You turned away from him and hugged yourself tightly, trying to alleviate the anxiety that had been building up inside you.

Venti stood up from the floor, his movements gentle and deliberate. He approached you from behind and wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you closer to his chest. He nuzzled his face into the crook of your neck, making you shiver. ‘’I’m sorry.’’ He muttered. ‘’I would never have wished to make you feel this way.’’

You stood frozen, feeling a lump in your throat, unable to answer. Soon, tears stream down your face and fall on his sleeve, soaking it. He turned you around, placed his hand on the back of your head, and hugged you tighter before saying in a low voice, ‘’I love you, YN. I will do everything I can to make this work, to make you happy.’’ He promised. ‘’I swear on my own life I’ll do anything for you.’’

The tears continued to flow as you struggled to maintain your composure. You couldn’t understand why the remaining years of your short life had been ripped away so cruelly.

Venti stepped back, withdrawing himself from you. ‘’I’ve got to take care of some things; one of them is bringing your stuff here. I won’t be long; please wait for me.’’ He took your hand in his and squeezed it before he snapped his fingers. You felt a gust of wind that made you close your eyes instinctively, and after you opened them, he was gone, leaving tiny feathers behind.

‘’Fuck.’’ You cursed under your breath in frustration as you wiped your tears.

-

Looking around the tower, you noticed there wasn’t just one wind barrier surrounding it but several of varying sizes that seemed to have space between them. You still had the wind glider with you, which gave you an idea; perhaps you could use it to escape the tower. After you got it out, you grabbed onto one of the tower’s pillars and looked down. There didn’t appear to be a bottom to this tower; regardless, if you were to fall, you definitely would not survive this.

With all your courage, you ran and tried to glide through between two wind barriers, but you immediately panicked as the wind glider was violently shaken. After several minutes of battle and when you felt the exhaustion take over your body, somehow, you finally ended up on the other side of the barrier. When you landed on one of the ruins, you saw just how damaged the surroundings were. It looked like an abandoned village but on a larger scale. With the wind glider still behind your back, you carefully descended even further. Once down, you frantically looked around for a way out.

The crumbling remnants lay spread across the landscape, a haunting reminder of a past era. Nature had begun to reclaim what was once grand and imposing, as vines made their way through cracks in the weathered stones. The overgrown foliage scratched at your skin, and the fallen debris threatened to trip you up with every step you took.

You noticed a path that led out of the ruins and follow it without hesitation, hoping it will bring you to freedom. As you moved through the crumbling structures, the air became heavy with an eerie silence. The vibrant sounds of life were absent and replaced by the faint rustling of leaves and the echo of your footsteps, amplifying the feeling of solitude and isolation.

Just as you were becoming accustomed to the silence, a crack of thunder rang out once again. Startled, you continued along the path, but were soon confronted by a ruin guard.

Quickly hiding behind a fallen pillar, you peeked out and saw it walk past you. It seemed to be unaware of your presence, its footsteps fading into the distance. You tried to steady your breathing and calm your racing heart as you used this time to look around for a way out. Luckily, you spotted a cave that was situated very high up. The foliage on the boulders could be used to climb up to it.

You thought you were safe as you darted from one ruin to another, but the ruin guard locked on to you. You heard a loud and ominous beeping before the machine fired missiles at you, leaving you no chance of survival.

Feeling a strong gust of wind surround you, you are met with Venti’s form materializing between you and the machine. He was preventing the projectiles from reaching you both by creating a wind barrier. They eventually exploded on the barrier, dispersing debris and dust around. Your heart pounded in your chest as you realized the danger you narrowly avoided.

You saw him move his hand in a slashing motion, successfully splitting the ruin guard in two like it was butter with the help of the wind.

He turned around to face you, his expression a mixture of concern and frustration. ‘’How did you get down here? What were you thinking? I told you to wait for me!’’ Venti tried very hard to maintain his composure, but he ended up yelling at you. ‘’I could have lost you!’’ You felt his arms wrap tightly around you, his grip almost desperate.

You pushed him away and shouted, your voice filled with anger. ‘’What was I thinking? What were you thinking when you brought me here? Trapping me against my will, isolating me from the rest of the world? Do you think I will show gratitude for saving me right now?’’

Thunder rumbles yet again, and the rain begins to pour heavily, drenching the desolate ruins. You backed away and ran towards the boulders beneath the cave, but another wind barrier stopped you.

‘’Let me take you back.’’ He spoke.

You simply walked around the barrier and approached the foliage on the boulders as you attempted to climb up, but were pushed back by the wind. Rage welled up inside you as you realized that escape was futile. How does one escape from a God?

As you struggle to get up to your feet, the rain continues to fall, soaking the ground beneath you. Despite the powerful winds summoned by the Anemo Archon to impede your escape, your determination remains unshaken. You lock eyes with him, a mix of defiance and resilience in your gaze.

‘’YN…’’ Venti’s voice is pleading. He moved closer and reached out a hand to help you up, but you moved away from him while you were still on the ground, supporting your body on your elbows.

‘’I won’t let you take me back,’’ you stated firmly. ‘’I won’t be confined by you. This is not the life I desire or deserve.’’

The wind howls around you, mirroring Venti’s internal conflict. His gaze pleads for you to give in. Seeing as you are not up for negotiation, he withdraws his hand with a heavy sigh and takes a step forward.

As you pushed yourself up from the ground, you immediately took off running in a different direction. However, he quickly caught up with you and now stood in front of you, which caused you to trip and fall backward.

‘’Let’s go back, please? It’s raining a lot. You will end up catching a cold.’’ He attempted to lift you by grabbing your hand, but you pushed him away.

‘’I fucking hate you!’’ You screamed. You tried to make sense of your surroundings, as they now appeared blurry. ‘’We were friends; we had a good relationship. Why did you have to ruin it?’’ A shuddering filled your chest, and a choked wheeze escaped your throat. ‘’Why? Why did you do this? You want me to love you back? What cost you to try and build that sort of relationship with me the normal way?’’ While you yelled, you caught sight of a stone that looked like an arrowhead lay on the ground.

He tried to approach you once more, and without thinking, you grabbed the stone and stabbed him in the shoulder with as much force as you could. Venti breathed in sharply and stumbled a couple of steps back as the arrowhead pierced his shoulder.

‘’Do not approach me.’’ You spat.

He pulled on the protruding part of the arrowhead and got it out, causing some blood to spill onto the ground.

You tried to move away from him with your elbows as you were still on the ground. They started to bruise, and your arms eventually gave out, which caused your body to fall on your back. You felt completely exhausted.

As you lifted your head, you noticed Venti come closer to you while he held his wounded shoulder. Your vision became too blurry at this point. You quickly became lightheaded and passed out.

-

You opened your eyes, feeling a dull ache in your head. You grunted as you lifted your arm and placed it on your head. You tried to lift yourself by propping yourself on your elbows, but felt someone ease you back onto the pillow and kiss your forehead.

‘’You shouldn’t get up so quickly. You’ll pass out again.’’ Venti insisted.

‘’What are you doing?’’ You asked, your voice hoarse from screaming earlier.

He went back to the end of the bed and carefully wrapped the bandage around your knee, then cut the excess with scissors. ‘’Taking care of your injuries.’’

Disregarding his advice, you lift yourself and sit up. You reach out to your knee and feel the bandage around it. As you do so, you also notice your bandaged elbows. ‘’Why? I tried to—‘’ The room spun around you, your head felt heavy and your vision went fuzzy for a few seconds, almost pushing you to the side if it weren’t for Venti catching you right away.

‘’What did I tell you? You’re not listening to me.’’

You gripped his shirt while trying to sit up straight to regain your balance. ‘’I tried to kill you.’’ You finally said.

‘’So you did.’’

‘’Then why are you helping me?’’

He laid you down for a moment, took a glass from the table beside the bed and poured water into it from a jar before he helped you up again and handed it to you. ‘’Isn’t it obvious? Loving someone implies caring for them.’’

As you drank the water, you looked at his bloody shirt. He noticed your attention fixed on his shoulder. ‘’It’s fine. Injuring me with such a lame weapon has barely any impact on my vessel.’’ He furrowed his eyebrows. ‘’That said, I hope you’ll refrain from trying anything like that again in the future.’’

‘’I can’t promise anything.’’

Venti sighed and then looked at your bandaged knee, elbows, and the Band-Aid on your cheek, nodded in approval and stood up, taking with him the first aid kit that he had brought to patch you up.

‘’Where are we this time?’’ You asked him, placing the empty glass on the table.

‘’We are in a house that’s in a realm separated from the outside world. Things like time and weather work a little differently here.’’ He put the bandages and scissors inside the box and continued. ‘’It’s called the Serenitea Pot; I’m sure you heard of it. It was given to me a while ago by an old friend. I didn’t have a use for it before, but I certainly do now. ‘’He explained. ‘’I planned to bring you here anyway, but I thought it would be best to begin our conversation where we first started to explain who I was. I figured it would help you connect the dots faster.’’

You got up from the bed and looked around. It was a small bedroom with a twin bed and two nightstands on either side. There were two windows, one behind the bedpost and another next to it. A rectangular desk with a potted plant, candles, and books on top was beneath the second window. The bed and desk were separated by a yellow changing screen, creating an illusion of two distinct room sections. You also spotted a fancy ottoman at the foot of the bed, a wardrobe a few steps away, and the exit door next to it.

‘’This place is safe. You are free to roam around the house and even go outside. I took the time to decorate it in a way that I thought you would like. ‘’Venti’s speech caught you off guard, making you jump. ‘’You can’t leave this realm without my assistance. It has everything you need. I will bring more things from the outside world for decoration as time goes on.’’ He smiled at you.

You walked up to the window and leaned against the desk beneath it. It looked like you were located on an island, and the house seemed to be on a small hill.

‘’I’ll go change and then prepare you some food.’’ He gestured to the door. ‘’It’s been a while since you last ate anything. You can use the shower after eating. There’s one on this floor, right in front of your room, or you could use the one in mine that’s upstairs.’’ He winked at you.

You reached for the vase.

‘’Alright, alright.’’ He held his hands up. ‘’Let’s not resort to violence again…’’

He then exited the room, giving you some peace a quiet. You took a deep breath and gathered your thoughts before you returned your gaze to the room. You couldn’t deny that Venti put effort into making a comfortable space for you, but you weren’t happy about being imprisoned here.

You walked over to the wardrobe and opened it to find a variety of clothes arranged inside. They were all your clothes, neatly folded and hung.

After a brief inspection of the wardrobe, you then crossed the room to the desk beneath the window. The books that adorned its surface drew your attention. You took one book and flipped through its pages, discovering that it was a collection of short stories by various authors. It was a wise choice on Venti’s part to provide you with intellectual stimulation and entertainment.

Next, you decided to go outside after a few moments of exploration and stepped out of the exit door onto a stone pathway that led down the hill. It was surrounded by lush vegetation and vibrant flowers. The hill was full of cedar and birch trees that filtered the sunlight through the leaves, casting a glow around the entire area. One would say this could be the place of your dreams, and you would have been content with staying here if it wasn’t for the situation you were in.

You deviated from the pathway to go lower down the hill and reached the sea surrounding the island. The view was breathtaking, with crystal clear water stretching out as far as the eye could see. There was no sign of other land, so there was no way for you to leave. Not that it would matter anyway, considering you were separated from the outside world.

#yandere #venti x reader #venti x y/n #yandere venti #lord barbatos #genshin impact #genshin impact x reader

[earlgreyinpajamas]

Any fics w (not actually) unrequited love? Preferably pining Arthur/Bond, with happy endings:)

merthur

1. the desire beneath by insane_falcon (@insane-ohwhyfandoms)

Merlin and Arthur have been best friends through high school and university, where they eventually add benefits to their friendship. Which is where everything goes wrong—a small taste of something more that leaves them both literally starting to die for more.

~~~

dfhalsjkf the misunderstandings

2. It Was One Kingdom, Once by queerofthedagger (@queerofthedagger)

“He cursed me. I’m coughing up flowers, Gaius—what other possible explanation is there?”

“Well, there is—”

“He was mad at me, it’s exactly something he would do. Infuriating, obnoxious, goddamned sorcerer that he is probably finds it funny to—”

It is said that the sins of the father should not be cast upon the son. Unfortunately, a father's miscalculated bargain can still come back to haunt you—Arthur is twenty-one, has a kingdom to rule, and apparently, a magically binding marriage contract with the Prince of Escetir. Prince Merlin, who has magic, a dragon, great dislike for Arthur, and still no intention to back out of the contract.

The worst part is, to a degree, Arthur understands—as a sorcerer, he wouldn't trust Uther Pendragon's son either. So he simply has to convince Merlin that he can be trusted, and the contract can be broken while they secure peace between Camelot and Escetir. It's a good plan.

Right up until forces conspire against both their kingdoms, more secrets come to light, and Arthur starts coughing up flowers.

~~~

i am screaming!!

3. Not Just a Kiss by Sorceressofdragons

Though Arthur hadn’t felt it, time had passed while he’d been with the Sidhe after Camlaan. When he returned to Camelot, fully healed and with Merlin at his side, it was to find Gwen remarried and with a family. He grieved but stepped aside, only wanting his one-time queen and love to be happy. Several years later, he and Merlin are bespelled by a dying witch, who insists they are both fools. They soon learn that if they don’t kiss every few hours, they are stricken with a severe illness. Knowing it will put the crown at risk, they keep it secret from all but a select few and quietly adjust their lives around it. Soon it becomes apparent that there is only one cure for the spell, but Arthur has long since come to terms with his unrequited love for his manservant and is afraid of all that will change if they go through with it.

~~~

hello i am not okay

00q

A Matter of Convenience by junetangerine (culuyetille)

‘twas why the whole thing had been sanctioned in the first place: minimal disturbance of the status quo, just a blip in their routine, no consequences. So what if the Quartermaster had had an untimely, dangerous heat and 007 had been the one assigned to see him through it. Both of them knew better than to let anything come of it. (Alpha/Omega dynamics)

~~~

the pining is impeccable

2. the simplest of crimes by pdameron (@slverjohn)

Bonds says, "We should get married," as if he's simply commenting on the weather, and the circuit board Q's been fiddling with bursts into flames. The two incidents are not unrelated. * Bond and Q get married. It's not what it looks like.

~~~

there aren't that many pining!bond fics so this fic and the next are pining!q fics, but this author writes pining q so well that it would be remiss of me not to rec their fics

3. as permanent as stone cathedrals by pdameron (@slverjohn)

Q has been in love for two years, six months, and twelve days when James Bond walks away, leaving him with a bleeding head and a broken heart on a dark and noisy London bridge.

~~~

one of the 00q classics imo

#00q #bbc merlin #00q fic rec #00q fic recs #00q fanfiction #00q fic #merthur #merthur fic rec #merthur fic recs #merthur fanfic #merthur fanfiction #merlin emrys #merlin bbc #merlin #merthur fic

[marvelstarker-mha98]

The Runaway Distance Life Of A Little Stark chapter 29: The Story Of Your Life

Characters & Pairings: Tony Stark & daughter!Reader, Pepper potts & reader. Pepper potts x Tony stark, Happy hogan, tony stark, Pepper potts, Steve rogers & tony stark, Roberta Rhodey & tony stark, Maria hill & Tony stark, Ben parker, may parker & peter parker, Nick fury & Phil coulson, lots of characters mentions.

Summary: The funeral Co author with: callikc Tag:  @venomsvl  @geeksareunique The cathedral was packed for the ceremony.

Pew after pew was lined with people.

At the front of it all stood the pastor. He was talking about your life and your accomplishments, giving you honors and praise for all the good deeds and world-changing decisions.

The casket was next to his podium, decorated with flowers. The picture they used was the one Tony found in your letter. Lastly, the casket itself was an open one.

Your body lay inside, cheeks flushed with blushed color, subtle but evident eyeshadow decorating your closed lids, and the most perfect shade of pink to color your lips. Your hair was made presentable and as neat as humanly possible to make it seem as if you were merely sleeping.

Your clothes had been done too. Instead of the raggedy clothes you wore on your deathbed, you now had a white ensemble. You looked like an angel in the dress, and those who were close to your heart certainly thought so as well.

Tony, Pepper, Rhodey, Roberta, Happy, Hill, and the Avengers sat at the front. Those behind consisted of the disguised Coulson and Fury, Coulson's SHIELD team, Jane, Darcy, and Erik, the Parkers, Ned and his parents, and Harley - who had run away to attend the funeral - had left a note to his mom. Matt and Foggy and even the SHIELD scientists you met at the Triskelion were all there too.

Other SHIELD alumni and the rest of the civilians and press were all gathered outside where they could hear the events through the open doors and a connected speaker.

"(Y/n) Stark was truly special." The pastor was saying. "Her life was filled with adventure and bravery and determination. She was a helpful mind to some, but a friend to all. She fought with valiance and passion which certainly shone in her work and home life. To commemorate her story, she has been bestowed on this day the following."

He began to list your achievements.

"The Act of Heroism Award, for those who accomplish extraordinary feats of heroism by risking their lives for the benefit of others in a dire situation. The Secretary of Defense Medal for Valor, for those citizens who perform an act of heroism or sacrifice, with voluntary risk to their personal safety in the face of danger. The Meritorious Honor Award, in recognition of a special act or service or sustained outstanding performance."

Once it was done and the mentioned medals placed in your casket, he continued with the main speech.

"Whether they happen in a single instance of bravery or through continued service to others, acts of courage and self-sacrifice symbolize the American spirit, and are recognized every year by our nation's greatest heroes. (Y/n) Stark takes her place among them today, and will be remembered by generations to come for her selfless acts. She was an extraordinary young woman, and was taken from our world too soon. It is a grievous occasion for a parent to have to bury their child, and no such word for the loss of a child can ever become because the fate is just too unfair."

Tony closed his eyes as he held Pepper's hand again. Roberta rubbed his back soothingly, allowing him to rest his head on her shoulder.

He didn't know if he was supposed to go up and say something or not. After all, what could he possibly say that was worthy enough? The people outside probably knew you better than he did. He broke the promise he made to your mother - to Madeline - so many years ago, and he wouldn't ever be able to forget it.

"Now, to say a few words about (Y/n), I invite Maria Hill to come up." The pastor said.

Hill nodded and stood from the bench, the gentle thud of her shoes on the floor echoing in the large space. Silence crowned the room until she stopped behind the podium to address everyone.

"By now you know who she really was." She began. "(Y/n) worked at SHIELD for many years as one of our most valued and respected engineers. She created equipment for the best agents and completed projects not a lot of us could ever fathom. I remember the day the director found her. She was stubborn and afraid, but already determined and adamant about protecting the people she cared about. She would only join on the condition that the people she loved were safe and that she got a new life."

She moved on to explain your time at SHIELD.

"During the years I knew her, she made it clear she was perfect at her job. She was sarcastic, a workaholic, addicted to coffee, and she wasn't opposed to using her looks and wiles to get what she needed from certain people. She had an open heart even if she claimed it was locked tight. She helped anyone she could, she was happy doing it, and she had amazing ideas that came out of nowhere. She wouldn't sleep until it was done. She was a true Stark."

The people most personal to you chuckled in agreement. Even Tony managed a weak smile. You had certainly lived a life. The sleep schedule sounded concerning, though.

It was starting to feel like he had actually known you.

However, he was slightly miffed that you flirted to get what you wanted. He didn't like the idea of guys - or anyone in general - falling for you. There was a sense of protectiveness even now.

"She'll be missed." Hill said. "The people who loved her, the ones who talked to her, and the ones who knew her as Ellen Campbell, we'll all have a piece of her in us."

For some unknown reason, it was true. Even the ones who had only seen you once such as Jane, Erik, and Darcy felt the same odd sense of loss that the ones who knew you properly like the Parkers and Coulson's SHIELD team did. It seemed impossible that one singular person could have such a magnificent impact.

"(Y/n) had several families." Hill explained. "Her blood, her work, and her friends. But there's one in particular I think she'd like to remember. There was a family who lived next door to her in Queens. She loved them with everything she had."

Tony looked up in surprise at the same time Pepper, Happy, and the Rhodeses did. They all exchanged looks, unable to believe that for years you were only boroughs away from them the entire time. How did you stay hidden for so long?

They looked back at the podium as Hill continued.

"They told us she was the best guardian angel they had. But she was more than just that. She was their neighbor, their daughter, and their sister all at once. They didn't know if she was a runaway or a rich kid or a lost woman, they just... Cared for her. She was sent to watch over them and it turned out they did the same. They lost her as we all did but she won't be forgotten. She will always live in our hearts."

In the pews, Ned and MJ both looked to Peter. He was quietly sobbing into his aunt and uncle's embrace. As May also cried, Ned's moms did their best to comfort her with reassuring motions. Ben was heartbroken as he listened to the speech, being reminded of when he lost his brother and sister-in-law. They left behind their son and he never stopped caring for Peter as his own. He wanted to do that for you too, to be there when you had no one else. He loved you the same at least.

Tony couldn't fathom how you were so close to him all these years. You could have easily reunited by accident and yet all the odds seemed stacked against it. He was jealous of the family that supposedly looked out for you, but he also couldn't help but wonder if you talked to them about him.

"I'm sorry to her father." Hill finished, focusing on Tony specifically. "I wish things were different."

With that, she finished her speech. The pastor thanked her as she rejoined the bench. Shortly afterwards, people were allowed to stand and say their goodbyes in their own time. While Tony stepped back to compose himself, Hill took it as an opportunity to talk more privately.

"I meant it." She told him. "I wish it didn't end like this."

Tony kept his gaze ahead. "Fury was supposed to bring her back, not keep her away."

"It wasn't the plan. He was going to take her home until she asked not to. She was scared and confused and did what resulted in the least danger. I'm sure you would've done the same."

He didn't say anything, knowing she was right.

"They talked about you." Hill added, noticing the look. "About Badassium, the Avengers Initiative, Stark Industries. No matter how angry she was back then, she still loved you enough to ask."

By now she had guided him to the edge of the casket where your SHIELD uniform and copies of your medals were piled. She handed them to him in silence and Tony could feel his lip tremble the second the fabric touched his skin.

He had to take a breath.

He lifted the uniform up and rested his head against the material, closing his eyes.

Pepper noticed the two and walked over to help Tony. She kissed his cheek and rubbed his back soothingly. He held the uniform up for a moment longer before silently asking for Pepper to take it. She did so with a gentle hand and he smiled in thanks, turning to Hill again.

"Thank you for the speech." He said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She also put on a smile. "Of course."

After that, it was finally his turn to say goodbye to you.

Every step closer to the casket felt like a step closer to the edge of the world. He could barely breathe. When he finally got to it he had to hold the sides so he wouldn't simply collapse.

You looked like you were sleeping.

His sleeping angel.

Why did it have to hurt so much?

He very slowly leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to your forehead, lingering for just a moment because he knew that this was truly the last goodbye.

"I love you." He mumbled.

Then he reached for the pendant around his neck. It had done so much for him in the recent years. It was motivation to find you, it saved him from the scepter's compulsion, it reminded him of the life he missed, and it was simply his reminder of you.

"Your mom wanted you to have this." He said, undoing the clasp and holding it in his hand. "We're so proud of you, babygirl."

With that, he placed it around your neck and laid it out on your chest. He closed his eyes again, focusing on his breathing.

"Remember something good about me. If you can, that is." He looked at you again. "I'm sorry, (Y/n). But maybe you'll get to meet your mom now. She's just like you. Brave. Smart. Beautiful..." He trailed off, not knowing what else to say. "I'll see you both again. I promise."

The sound of a procession outside was what finally faltered his attention from you. He looked over his shoulder to see the officers outside getting the civilians to stand back as a few SHIELD agents stood in the clearing with their guns held to the sky.

Each one fired a shot out of respect and each time Tony flinched. He didn't know why.

-

The burial was even harder than the goodbye.

You were in the open grave now. You were out of his reach. Any hope that it might just be a bad dream was squandered.

People took turns again, this time to drop flowers on your casket as it rested in the earth. Some cried as they did, some muttered thanks, and some simply bowed their heads.

Tony was very surprised to see a little boy at the funeral. He was clinging to an older couple and seemed shattered by what was happening. Was it the family that Hill had mentioned? He'd never seen them before.

Then of course there was another young boy that showed up. This one, on the other hand, he knew. It was Harley.

Harley dropped a rose on your casket and, while he didn't cry, he was very clearly sad about it all.

Tony stared, amazed and bewildered at the same time. Did Harley know you too? Surely not. That seemed impossible. Where was his family? Why wasn't he in Tennessee?

Some distance away, watching it all play out under the shelter of a tree, stood the disguised Coulson and Fury. They didn't get too close for many reasons, the obvious one being that both of them were meant to be dead themselves.

(pretend they are in disguise) "She didn't deserve this." Coulson was saying, solemn eyes watching the crowd thining.

Fury nodded once. "I know. She will be missed."

"It's more than that. She had this... This gift. One look at her smile and it stayed in your head, one conversation and it felt like you'd known her all your life, and for those who called themselves her friends and family... Her impact was monumental."

"Trust me." He said. "I'm aware of the mark Miss Stark could leave. We've all seen it."

Coulson sighed softly. He wouldn't just miss you, he would mourn you for weeks. Months, even. Maybe years. He would miss the hours you spent together and he would miss all your nicknames for him.

"I never thanked her for fixing up the Bus." He said.

Fury again nodded, this time showing some true emotion. "I never thanked her for the quinjet. SHIELD has lost a great asset."

For another minute, they stood in silence.

"Will you talk to them?" Fury then asked, nodding to the Avengers. "Let them know the truth?"

Coulson considered it, but shook his head. "Some things are better left buried. And we don't need Tony Stark finding out about TAHITI. A grieving parent is one of the more dangerous things in the world."

"At least we can agree on that." He said.

"What about the shooter? Will you find him?"

"I'm leaving that to Stark since we both know he won't relent. But in time, we will. He won't be alone forever. He needs his team."

Another silence.

They went back to watching everyone leave until only the people very close to you or Tony remained in the cemetery. A few graves down from you was his own. Sam, Steve, and Natasha were standing there talking amongst themselves.

When he was sure no one was watching, he reached inside his jacket to take out a mission file. Coulson watched, curious, as Fury offered it to him.

"What's this?" He asked.

"The traitor." Fury replied. "Find him."

Back at your now filled grave, Roberta, Rhodey, Happy, Pepper, and Tony stood in solemnity. Roberta held a handful of gladiolus flowers and tenderly placed them on the fresh dirt.

"I'll visit every month." She promised you. "Take care, little one."

"She'd like that." Tony said, attempting a smile.

She managed a much more secure smile and embraced him in another hug.

"Would you like to stay with us?" Pepper asked her. "It'll save you from all the traveling. At least for a few weeks."

Roberta nodded thankfully. "Of course, dear. I'd love that."

"I think you'll like it. The Tower is very accommodating."

"If Tony built it, I have no doubts."

Pepper was about to reply when another voice called out first.

"Ms. Potts?"

They all turned to see a man with shaded glasses and a cane walking over. Hill was with him. One look at the bag by his side told Pepper all she needed to know.

"That's me." She said, greeting the two halfway. "You must be Matt, yes?"

"That's me." He confirmed. "I'm very sorry for your loss. (Y/n) was a very dear friend."

"Thank you. She was."

Tony watched with suspicious eyes. He looked at Hill and thought back to what she said at the service about how you would flirt sometimes and how people loved you. Was this a boyfriend of yours?

His eyes were drawn to the cane the man now held in his hands. Was he blind?

"Who's this?" He asked, walking over.

As Pepper talked to Matt, she also thought the same, having forgotten to tell Tony about your lawyer situation in all the preparations.

"Sorry, Tony, this is Matt Murdock."

"Who-dock?" He questioned.

Matt merely smiled and offered a hand. "It's good to meet you, Mr. Stark. I'm here because of (Y/n)."

Tony hesitantly shook his head. "I think everyone is."

"Of course. My condolences."

"How did you know her?"

"I'm her lawyer. We sorted through her will."

"Her lawyer?" He frowned, confused and curious. "You're a lawyer?"

Matt nodded with a thin smile. "I know. Who would hire a blind lawyer, am I right?"

Hill, who had gotten to know him quite well now, lightly nudged his arm. "Don't joke. You accepted her request."

Tony looked to Pepper who offered an apologetic smile.

"Is it - Is it just us?" He asked.

"I'm going to need you, Ms. Potts, Mr. Hogan, Mr. Rhodes, and Mr and Mrs. Parker." Matt explained.

"Sorry, who?"

"Benjamin and May Parker."

"Yeah, I'll rephrase. Who?"

"They're here." Hill stated, motioning to a couple some distance away.

#Tony stark #ironman #tony stark x daughter!reader #tony stark & daughter! reader #pepper potts #pepperoni #james rhodes #peter parker #spiderman #ben parker #may parker #M.J #ned leeds #matt murdock #daredevil #mcu #marvel #avengers

[faeriexqueen]

Songbirds in Winter (Update: 11/24/2023)

Title: Songbirds in Winter. Fandom: D. Gray-Man. Pairings: Alma Karma/Tyki Mikk, Kanda Yuu & Alma Karma (One-Sided/Unrequited Yulma), Lavi Bookman/Allen Walker. Rated: Explicit. Words: 153.5K+. Tags: Romeo and Juliet AU, Omegaverse, Alpha/Omega, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Royalty/Nobility, Renaissance/Renaissance Era, Medieval, Slowburn, Romance, Drama, Angst, Forbidden Romance, Secret Relationship, Eventual Romance, Pregnancy, Hints of Incestuous Feelings/Incest, Family Drama, NSFW, Lemon/Eventual Lemons (Please see AO3 for full list of tags and warnings). Chapters: 19/?. Summary: They had always known that their lives would be planned out for them. For Tyki, it is to eventually become the head of his family as the next alpha in line, despite his wishes for otherwise. For Alma, it is to be married off for the benefit of his kin — to be bred for political gain, regardless of his own feelings on the matter. The stage is set, and they have their parts to play. But being in the crossfire of a dangerous rivalry among noble families is never easy — not when the person you love is the very one you’re forbidden from being with. Chapter 19 Excerpt — Of Embers Left:

It was still dark when Cross returned to the third level of the cathedral, the halls still quiet and soundless. Several hours remained until sunrise, though no one else seemed to be awake — something that Cross was grateful for. He never cared to interact with the other priests, but at this moment, he was particularly wary. He didn’t need to be asked any questions such as why he was awake at such an hour — or what he was doing. Cross exhaled. He held a pouch in his hand of some ground herbs. It wasn’t the blend he usually preferred to use, but it would help abate any distress and soothe the mind. It would be safer, too — after all, Tyki hadn’t been able to give Cross details on whether it was the omega’s first heat or if it was something else. Cross had to err on the side of caution. He knew too well what could happen if he simply threw any concoction together. He ascended the narrow staircase, entering the hallway. Like earlier, it was quiet, the space dark as several candelabras remained alight along the walls. Doors remained shut, Cross’ steps swift as he approached the room where he had left Tyki and the omega— A scent slammed into his senses, stopping Cross dead in his tracks just before the door. He faltered, unable to fight the way his body tensed. He recognized part of the scent as the omega from earlier, but mixed with it was something stronger — the stench of something potent and thick, alarm bells ringing in Cross’ head. That fucking idiot.

Read on AO3.

#dgm #dgrayman #tyki mikk #alma karma #tyki x alma #d gray man #fanfiction #romeo and juliet au #update #writing update #songbirds in winter #siw

[sansimeonsims]

An Announcement

Magandang araw po, mga kaibigan.

These past few months, I haven't done a lot of updates to San Simeon and my other Filipino-themed worlds. I've been going  through a few things in real life and current events aren't helping at all. Thus, I had to focus on my mental health and professional commitments. What little time I had for simming, I reserved for low commitment projects like the Praaven Cathedral.

To put it in the  most delicate possible words, shit happened. And the build up to it sucked the joy out of many of my projects. Our current social climate isn't exactly friendly to faithful depictions of history. This goes double for contemporary history past the Second World War. And this atmosphere is likely to get even more hostile moving forward.

What Now? 

While these events have made it rather stressful to make my content, it didn't dent my love for it. I would like nothing more than to share my country's history and culture with others. I am honored to share my work to both to my fellow Filipinos and to the international Sims 3 community. The work and goodwill I've earned from making San Simeon and its sister projects makes it all worth it.

I've already made 2 commitments that I plan to see through to the end. One is the a remade  San Simeon and the other is a precolonial version set before Spanish rule. Although I couldn't muster the mental energy to work on them, I can commit to at least finish them for everyone’s sake.

What I cannot promise is if I can continue my other world building project, Camayao. This is set in a more contemporaneous Philippines and had elements of social satire. At present, I live in a cultural zeitgeist where I could get a lot of grief for doing so. And that is putting it lightly.

This, coupled with the difficulty involved in its creation, makes Camayao a tall order on its own.  Events in the past few months was the final nail in the coffin for this project and others like it. I will not make any more contemporary Filipino-themed builds in the Sims 3 set in a time past 1945.

What Next?

That said, I've already done a lot of the individual buildings. It would be a crying shame to see them languish in some folder. Maybe they can find a good home with someone else.

What am I to do with the content already created?

Some will be released as individual lot files, depending on their level of completion.

Others will be released alongside San Simeon to fill in some of the newer lots I've added to the much larger world. This has the added benefit of making that other project less of a pain to finish.

If nothing else, my past efforts will hopefully not be consigned to obscurity.

Will I ever come back to Camayao as a full world building project? I can't say. Maybe someday, but then again maybe not. I’ve a lot on my plate personality-wise. I also have other things that interest me that won’t give me as much grief. After I finish, I will resume work on the Roman world and a few others I've had planned. 

Would I allow someone else to pick up where I left off? I'm not sure, but I am open to the idea. Feel free to contact me if you’re interested in adopting it yourself. As for my other, still active projects, that is a subject for another day.

On the Matter of Facebook

My projects first became truly popular on Facebook, where I enjoyed a brief moment of Internet fame as “the guy who made a Filipino-themed Sims 3 world.” Since then, I’ve created a page to have the Facebook people see some of my newer builds and appreciate Filipino history and culture.

In the past few months, however, I found it better for my mental health to ignore Facebook. Indeed, I find interacting on that site a mentally taxing chore. As pleasant as my success there was, I am not overly attached to my following there at all. In any case, the majority of any meaningful engagement I’ve had had been on Tumblr anyway. However, since part of my real-world jobs involve managing a Facebook page, I cannot disengage completely, even if I can ignore it for health purposes.

In the interest of my followers there, I will set things up so that they get alerted for my Tumblr uploads moving forward. I should have it done in a few days after this is published.

Closing Thoughts

I’d like to thank you all for being part of this journey of discovery with me. What began as a simple set of builds for a Filipino-themed legacy challenge eventually became an obsession that lasted nearly a decade. I enjoyed learning new things about my country’s history, and it felt nice knowing that it had an impact on not just myself but the Sims 3 community and my fellow Filipinos who stumbled upon it. The appreciation you all gave certainly helped keep me going.

We live in a time where knowing the truth of our past is in jeopardy. As the old Tagalog proverb goes, whoever can’t look back can never truly move forward. I’d like to close this statement with a line from Doc J. himself:

“But the generation that deciphers these characters will be an intelligent generation, it will understand and say, ‘Not all were asleep in the night of our ancestors!’“

#Announcements #It's been a Don Anastacio kind of week

[annieandro]

A Scorpion is on fire when your moon is in Aries Look out, everybody The day begins and ends with one person, and that person is you A fight anywhere, anytime, and anyhow, with any weapons, for any reasonIdeas can only be tested by action, and theories are so much paper until you can make them live Yours is the fire and ice that devours everything and everyone it touches Even you have to keep it under control To ensure your own survival

Thе Scorpion with the moon in Taurus indicates an aggressivе bigness The voluptuous bull swells the Scorpion intensity, and adds scope to ambitions You are a quietly combative sign with an unchanging plan of battle There is a time to dig in and a time to charge And once it works, there's no reason why it shouldn't work again You always make sure it does For you hate to be wrong

Scorpio is not the most talkative native, but the moon in Gemini loosens your tongueIt also relaxes the Scorpion intensity and steadfastness of purposeYou move through life with a free and easy style that may not earn you a great deal of dollars or powerBut allows you to get a great deal more joy from whatever happens to be going on at the time

The meeting of two water signs occurs when the Scorpion moon is in Cancer You are impressionable and fluid There is a waiting plastic quality; a patience motivated by an absolute belief in yourself Your deep emotionalism is the core of your strength When this is working, you are at the top of your form But when the storm of extreme feelings come up Yours is the fury close to madness, and reason is a thing lost at sea

The Scorpion moon in the Lion's den makes for a kingly Scorpion This the sign of grand passion and grand desire A monarch who loves to rule, who makes large gestures and upholds great ideals You are a high standard bearer who is also a dedicated romantic Nothing can make you more frantic than not knowing where your next love is coming from

Perfection as a fact, not a possibility Motivates the Scorpion with a Virgin moon You are supercritical and harder on yourself than you are on anyone else Your intellect is your castle, and you have a fine view from many windows Your hope is that men will think And you live to inspire them to do so Using the Scorpion intensity to drive home what Virgo understands

The Scorpion loses some sting and feels insufficient when the moon is in libraBut you do gain a sense of people And a desire for personal gratification is tempered by concern for others, especially in intimate associations You have a warm touch, and once you touch someone, the feeling doesn't die easily For there is something of permanent beauty in nearly everything you do

There is a whole lot of Scorpio when the moon is also in Scorpio Domination is the key, and the door, and the houseThis the will indomitable You have no choice but to focus that will on something or someoneWhether it be work, love, or sex Mastery of the subject must be complete, or it loses its fascination You are highly charged, and your switch never seems to be in the "off" position

The Scorpion with his moon in Sagittarius would make a good soldier Because he would believe that God was on his side If he were laying bricks, he would be building a cathedral As a parent, he wouldn't be raising a child, but creating a life Your need is to be part of something bigger than yourself Your idealism is so strong, it separates you from the usual And this quality eventually works to your advantage, and benefit

Your slogan is, "don't tell me what to do", when Scorpio's moon is in Capricorn No one has to tell you, because your way is the only way for you Ambition, energy, and persistence equals success, just as surely as A squared plus B squared equals C squared If you want to get something, be something, or do something, that's how it's going to beIf the popular voice is against you, you'll simply quote Bernard Shaw If more than 10% of the people approve of something, it's no damn good

You're a live one, if you're a Scorpion with your moon in Aquarius You are also an original one And it is your originality of thought, and ability to create, that gives you your primary satisfaction There is a deep need, however, to find acceptance on a personal level Which makes you a loyal, fixed friend, and a devoted home person Your word is often the last word, but it usually is a valuable and a true one

The Scorpion loses some pizazz, when the moon is in Pisces The physical aspect of life's challenge is not so important And you're more likely to seek victories or gratification in the universe of the mind This native is restless and anxious about himself And he has to rise above the negatives his incredible imagination can dream up Taking a line from the popular song, "All You Need Is Love"

[hardynwa]

Politics is not war, Uzodimma charges the people of Imo state

The Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma has said that politics is not war and advised his political opponents to stop the violence and killings in the State in the name of politics. The Governor made the statement at the All Saints (Anglican) Cathedral Diocese, Egbu in Owerri on Sunday. Addressing the congregation at the end of the Church Service, the Governor reminded his political opponents that power comes from God “and as a believer in God, I am bound by conscience to do the right thing as a Governor.” He told the politicians to stop attending Church Service on Sundays and resort to financing violence and the shedding of blood of innocent Imo people the next day. The Governor promised not to disappoint the reasonable expectations of Imo people. He commended the Bishop of the Diocese, Rt Rev Geoffrey Enyinnaya Okoroafor for the choice of his Homily which he said he benefited from. Governor Uzodimma also congratulated the members of the Cathedral, men and women, and pleaded with Imo people in general to “have a rethink on what is happening in the State, characterised by violence, killings and destructions and orchestrated by the illegal release of over 1840 prison inmates at the Owerri Correctional Centre by unknown gunmen.” The Governor said despite the huge amount of money spent in stemming the level of insecurity in the State, people have continued to be afraid because of the experience of the past. “I don’t blame the people because they live with the fear of the past phenomenon.” He however appealed to the people not to sit at home any longer on Monday, reassuring them that the government had done a lot on security. “Please come out on Monday, open your shops, you have a Government that will protect you. Let us take back our State. We have no other State we can call our own.” He said as a Governor he is only holding the common patrimony of Imo State in trust, insisting that “the earlier we understand ourselves and come together, the better.” On the request of the Bishop for the reconstruction of the road from Toronto Road Safety Junction to Naze, the Governor promised to make it a priority project based on available resources, stressing that he will not give contract he is not be able to pay for immediately. But in the interim, the Governor promised to do the landscaping of the Cathedral premises and that of the Bishop’s Court to make entry and exit easy. He also made a donation of N5million on behalf of his wife, the First Lady, for the women ministry of the Cathedral. On the present hardship faced by the people as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy, Governor Uzodimma assured that soon, people will be happy as plans are afloat to ensure that the price of the dollar comes down, and fuel prices nosedive with the commencement of local refining in few months time. He requested all to be patient with Government at all levels. In his Homily drawn from Exodus 18:13-26, Bishop Okoroafor appreciated the Governor for his good works in the State and encouraged him not to relent despite the challenges and distractions. Bishop Okafor who said that Governor Uzodimma’s works in the State are there for everyone to see encouraged him to remain focused even as he reeled out the catalogue of things the Cathedral has benefited from the Governor, both directly and indirectly. He reminded the Governor of the story of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, who recommended to Moses that those entrusted with responsibilities must be trustworthy, honest, sincere, not take bribe and accountable at all times. The bishop prayed God to give those in positions of responsibility the grace they require in whatever assignment they find themselves. The traditional ruler of Egbu Ancient kingdom, HRH Mishel Egukole in his appreciation, thanked the Governor for finding time to join them at the Church Service. He appreciated the Governor for all his benevolence to Egbu people and pledged their continuing total support. The Governor who read the 1st Bible Lesson from Exodus 18: 13-26 was later invited to the altar by the Bishop for prayer along with other top Government officials. Earlier in the day, the Governor had worshipped at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Nworieubi where he told the congregation that the outing was part of his “political and religious evangelism to bring back confidence in our people who are still living in fear despite the reduced insecurity in the State.” At Nworieubi, Governor Uzodimma intervened in two projects which the Church said was weighing the parishioners down. On one of them, he donated N10million to support the erection of a primary school for the children of the Church in addition to helping secure a land for the project and on the second request, he donated another N10 million for the ongoing the Church building project. Top government officials, elder statesmen from Imo State, business moguls, traditional rulers, among others joined the Governor at both events. Read the full article

[fleurcareil]

West Quebec: La Ville de Montréal

It rained overnight so once more, I put everything wet in the car and drove to Montreal, thereby passing the 10,000km milestone... incredible how big this country is! 👀 Even though I was approaching the city in morning rush hour, until the very end there were hardly any cars on the road, and in any case people drive very politely In Quebec, moving to the right after having bypassed and hardly exceeding 110 kmh.... I guess a benefit of having lived in Toronto for so long is that I'll find all other roads a breeze to drive on 😁

First order of business; laundry in my first- ever visit to a laundromat, which was surprisingly modern and clean/inviting, whilst I dried the tent on the parking lot. I got a few sideways looks when I put everything on the tarmac and hung it off my car (which is perfect for drying stuff due to the metal absorbing the sun's heat), but I think I didn't look enough of a homeless person 😜 for people to start worrying.

I met vendor-turned-friend Nabil for lunch at an Italian restaurant in the neighbourhood of Lachine, which is a calm enclave on the shores of the river, seeming to be far away from the bustling city. Lunch and conversation with Nabil were great as always when I meet him 😘 after which I walked around the old and current Lachine canal, that astoundingly used to be the only route for shipping to reach the Great Lakes until the St Lawrence Seaway was opened in 1959.

Only 20 minutes away I'm smack downtown so after having quickly checked in & dropped my car at Travelodge ($41 parking!), I went on foot to Vieux Montreal, which despite it being over-touristy remains my favourite part of the city. In the beautiful cathedral there's a chapel dedicated to Marguerite d'Youville, who was the first Canadian-born saint, recognized for her work to help the poor. A bit later I walked by the cloister of the Grey Nuns where she died, where is explained that the name Grey is meant in French as "tipsy" instead of the colour, as a reference to her late husband's alcohol trafficking... the things you learn! 😄

I also walked by an outdoor museum exposition about the archaeological remains found underneath of the first stone market building in Canada that was used as temporary seat for the house of Parliament until it burnt to the ground after which the capital moved to Ottawa... I love it when exhibits are made easily accessible so that passers-by like me can pick up a few nuggets of local history!

Just next to the old city, I hadn't been before to the Grand Quay where the port has been rejuvenated to provide a place for tourists and locals alike to enjoy the river views with some interesting artwork and photo opps of the skyline. The metal wall-art on the right is meant to represent the sun as symbol of tourism and hospitality 😊

After all the walking, I was happy to sit down for a beer at rooftop patio Nellegan which has great views of the city, and then top it off with a glass of sangria & greek dips on another patio. On the walk home, I sat for a while on a square listening to a cello player... great city experience!

No wildlife, SUPs or hikes in Montreal ;)

distance driven this week: 740km

[thxnews]

Join the Space Race: UK Agency Launches Space for Everyone Tour

  The UK Space Agency’s Space for Everyone tour will showcase the role of space in improving life on Earth and highlight the diverse and varied career paths open to young people looking to enter this fast-growing industry - demonstrating how space works for them, and how they can work for space. The tour will feature a 72 feet replica rocket for young people to learn more about how the UK is launching into space, and also include hands-on experiences to engage and fire up the imagination. Trained hosts and industry experts will be on hand to share more about the role of satellites and the varied careers available in the UK space sector.  

UK Space Agency’s Space for Everyone tour. Photo by UK Space Agency.   British astronaut Tim Peake said: The Space for Everyone tour will demonstrate the incredible capacity of space to inspire. It took thousands of people to make my mission to the International Space Station possible and there is a huge variety of careers on offer in space right here in the UK. I hope this activity sparks an interest in the future generations who will take our space sector to new heights. The Space for Everyone tour will visit: - Southampton - West Bargate: 1-5 June - Swansea - Dylan Thomas Square: 22-26 June - Leicester - National Space Centre: 29 June - 3 July - Bradford - Centenary Square: 6-10 July - Belfast - Cathedral Gardens: 20-24 July - Aberdeen - Queens Links: 3-7 August - Newcastle - Times Square: 10-14 August - Hull - Queen Victoria Square: 17-21 August - Great Yarmouth - Sea Life Gardens: 24-28 August - Hastings - Hastings Pier: 31 August - 4 September   Ian Annett, Deputy CEO at the UK Space Agency, said: Our Space For Everyone tour is an exciting opportunity for our next generation to see first-hand what it is really like to work in the space sector and to learn about careers in this growing and exciting industry. The space sector requires various skills – many not traditionally associated with it – and champions inclusivity and the need for innovation. You don’t have to be a rocket, as there are a host of skills and talents needed to bring space closer to our daily lives and improve our understanding of this critical part of the environment for the benefit of the planet and its people.   Aside from inspiring the next generation, this tour is about highlighting the opportunities within the space industry for people of all backgrounds; championing inclusivity and the need for innovation. The roadshow is free and open to all ages, and the hope is that it will ignite a passion for science, technology, engineering, and maths in everyone who attends. Find out more about the Space for Everyone: Rocket Roadshow on the website or follow UK Space Agency on social media.  

UK Space Agency logo. Photo by Global Panorama. Flickr.  

About the UK Space Agency

The UK Space Agency is a government agency responsible for the UK's civil space program. It was established in 2010 with the merger of the British National Space Centre (BNSC) and the UK Space Exploration Programme (UKSEP). The agency is responsible for promoting, coordinating, and funding all aspects of space exploration in the UK. One of the key goals of the UK Space Agency is to increase public awareness and engagement with space exploration. The agency works closely with schools, universities, and other organizations to inspire young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM). It also supports research into new technologies that can be used in future space missions. In addition to its educational activities, the UK Space Agency is also involved in a wide range of international collaborations. These include partnerships with NASA and other major international space agencies on projects such as Mars exploration and satellite communications.   Sources: THX News & UK Space Agency. Read the full article

#Britishastronaut #IanAnnett #SpaceforEveryone #Spacejobsevents #TimPeake #UKGovernment #UKSpaceAgency #UKSpaceIndustry #UKSpaceJobs

[lgmenvs3000w23]

Life at the Edge: My Dream Interpreter Job

Next summer, I have secured a job working in what might be the most magical place I’ve ever been; Tofino BC. Tofino is on the West Coast of Vancouver Island; if you paddle straight out, the first thing you’d hit is japan. This means the marine life is different from what I see at home, where we are protected by Vancouver Island. Humpback whales return from Hawaii, large squids wash ashore from the depths, and fishermen return to port with all kinds of creatures I don't see at home in Vancouver. Tofino is rugged; the black rocks sharp and jutting out into the ocean, covered in barnacles. Surfers clad in 6mm wetsuits surf the white water waves in the cold, plankton rich waters. Tourists are warned if you fall in, you’ll be hypothermic within 10 minutes. So why do I want to live here? It’s wild. Tofino, although now busy with tourists, is at the end of the road, literally. You follow the one lane road for hours through the ancient Cathedral Grove cedars, and eventually, you hit Tofino. The ‘downtown’, with the various surf shops, extends for about a 45 second drive, and then the road ends at the sea. One of the benefits of this is that nature is generally intact. Although nowhere is safe, many ancient cedars still stand, cougars and bears roam, and kelp forests still sway in the surf. I’ve never felt more alive than when I am in Tofino. 

I am excited to find ways with my job as an interpreter to get everyone excited about the intertidal zone. It’s something I didn’t appreciate, nor understand, until I was on a kayak trip in the area in outdoor school. The guide asked who wanted to wake up for low tide at 5 am, an hour earlier than everyone else, and see what we could find. He explained the layers, how the things at higher elevations are okay only being wet a few hours a month, and how it gradually changes until you hit the bottom of the intertidal zone, where things risk desiccation only for a few minutes every couple of tidal cycles. We held tiny urchins, found sea cucumbers, and observed starfish. 

Ideally, I’d love to take people out and help them see what I see. Not only do I know where to look, but I also can recognize the more inconspicuous things. The untrained eye would graze over a chiton. Or perhaps miss a pinky-nail sized nudibranch. But I am lucky to have experience and know what I’m looking for. 

I also wish to instill a level of safety consciousness in people who are not used to being near the ocean in this context. I grew up with a healthy fear of the ocean. The number one rule when I was a kid was never to turn your back to the waves. I knew not to swim beyond where I could easily get back, and to anticipate riptides. It wasn’t until recent years that I’ve acknowledged that caution can be balanced with competency. I’m quite good at managing group safety; always looking back and counting your group members was a well practiced skill in outdoor school. I hope that I can teach people to be cautious without scaring them off all together. Simple things a local knows, like being aware of the waves and that they will potentially get bigger, that green rocks are slippery, barnacles are sharp and mussels cut deep, to wear shoes, stay low, and move slowly are the key to having a safe and successful tidepooling experience time after time.

[doingthedirtydishes]

Cologne, Germany: I came for your sausage and schnitzel and got your mustard and bier faschnizzle.

Deutschland, the land of precision engineering and order, beer and sausage, a European powerhouse with world class cities and sports teams, a place where trains are on time (within seconds),where you can find a group of drunk twenty-somethings at the cross-light – at 02:00 in the morning, with a current mix of east and west, along with so many new immigrant groups from the Middle East, a country I first visited almost thirty years ago, is a Republic close to my heart.  Each time I visit, twice in the last twelve months, my enjoyment only increases. Berlin, Hanover and Cologne are all astonishing cities, each with their own individual draw. Never was a bad time had in Germany – this year would be no different.

Most often when I visit Germany it is to see a close, dear friend, Thomas. We originally met over twenty-five years ago when he was an AFS high school exchange student staying with local friends of mine.  His host brother, Baby Snooks, was the younger brother of a close friend and so often we would maintain the same company. Over time his silly fruitiness wore on me and we became friends. After moving back to Germany, one cold winter, he invited me to Tyrol, Austria to ski with his family for two weeks. After that first trip to Europe, I was hooked. Europe was just waiting to be discovered. I also gained a new friend in life, a refined gentleman, from good stock, well-mannered and courteous, with a heart of gold.

Since I spend part of my year living in Holland, Germany is a close drive. And although I love so many different regions and cities in Germany, Cologne is one of my favorite, and also the city Tom happens to currently reside.  Berlin is by far my favorite city in Germany but it is too far a drive from Amsterdam for me at this juncture of my injury. I could do it in two days, whereas Cologne is a one day trip – doable.  Considering stops for food and little boy’s room, taking into account the Audubon and local traffic, it’s a four hour drive. My first trip to Holland, earlier in summer, I visited Cologne for four days. My second trip I decided to take a road adventure with a friend who was visiting me in Netherlands for summer.

Unlike my first journey to Cologne, a few months before, where I had to get into a rental car, attach hand controls for gas and brake, after flying across the Atlantic Ocean throughout the night, only to drive four hours to check-in to my hotel – before heading out that night with local friends for some catch-up and drinks. The next day I paid the price, reminded I was no longer twenty-three. My second trip would allow me the benefit of being a passenger, a superb luxury.  A super helpful strong friend from Philadelphia, Joe, visited me in Europe for seven weeks this summer. We decided on renting a car and visiting Germany and Belgium. It was Joe’s first time in Europe; a summer he’ll soon never forget.

Returning to Cologne brings back so many prior amazing trips’ memories, memories of times had with close companions where the smiles are forever indelibly marked on the soul.  Each time I return, it feels like a homecoming of sorts, the experience only getting richer and richer. Over time I have made many good friends – friendships that continue to flourish the world over. Some friends having moved to other regions and continents of the world, yet communication and meetings continue unabated. It does not hurt that the food is so very delicious, not to mention how good the beer tastes. My favorite German beer actually comes from Cologne – Frueh Kolsch (umlaut amiss), with its roots in this distinctive city.

Soon enough Joe would be introduced to all the spectacular facets of Germany I love so much. Upon approaching Cologne from the highway, the Cologne Cathedral, dating to 1248, can be clearly seen, prominently and proudly displaying Europe’s second highest Gothic spires high in the sky. I can still remember my first visit to Cologne over twenty years ago. Tom’s mother, Gitta, one day after a nice lunch in Moenchengladbach, where his family resided, drove me there to see its majestic beauty; ever since I have been enchanted with this quaint city. This time my arrival was via highway from Belgium, where we stopped first on our road trip. It would be no less glorious this time; both were enamored.

Cologne, Koeln in German, fourth-most populous metropolis, largest city of Germany’s most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with just slightly over one million inhabitants, located 45 kilometers from the capital of the Federal State of Rhine-Westphalia, Dusseldorf and only 25 kilometers from Bonn, where I have some very close friends and ‘second’ family, is a city that tickles my heart strings every time I visit her. Her Gothic charm, welcoming neighborhoods, diverse young population, that o’ so unique tasteful German good behavior, outdoor beer gardens, rich foods and decadent desserts, eclectic art scene with over 30 museums and hundreds of galleries all make for an unforgettable experience.

Cologne is one of the oldest cities in Germany and its name dates back to Roman times. In 50 AD the Romans founded the Ubii village on the Rhine and named it “Colonia.”  As with all Roman cities, massive gates were installed as protection from entering into the city, surrounded by an impenetrable ringed stone wall of protection. It was originally four kilometers long, with nine gates and 19 round towers. Ruins of the Old-City walls and gates can still be found throughout the city. Located next to Cologne Cathedral, the Romano-Germanic Museum (Romisch-Germanisches Museum), has the largest collection of untold archaeological artifacts from the original Roman settlement, on which modern Cologne is built.

While in Cologne I only stay at one place, Motel One. Just like Generator Hostel, Motel One, a distinctive hotel model itself, is expanding throughout Europe at a rapid rate. People absolutely love both places to sleep in Europe – each offering immense value to the customer. I mostly revolve my travel in Europe around those two popular chains.  On my visit Cologne only had one Motel One. This trip they had three. And I just read there are now eleven in Berlin. The creator cut out all the unnecessary costs like room service and daily towels and sheets, including a contemporary room with art and twenty-four hour lobby bar with contemporary furniture to sit and relax with friends. All for about one hundred Euros – Wow!

This trip I stayed at the newly christened New Market (Neumarkt) location. My previous trip was spent at their Old-City South (Alstadt-Sued) place. Both are great locations but the Old-City South is more centrally located to access all the best neighborhoods the city has to offer, and also tourist attractions. The Cathedral (Der Koelner Dom), Belgian Quarter (Bruesseler Platz), Old-City Roman walls, City Center, New Market (Neumarkt), Severinsviertel,  Haymarket (Heumarkt), Rhine River and fine culinary choices to dine out, plentiful in every direction. Cologne is a youthful city, with the hippest culture of any city in Germany next to Berlin – truly a laid-back place to dive into history, the arts and a smorgasbord of fun.

The city skyline is dominated by Cologne Cathedral, Der Koelner Dom, officially Hohe Domkirche Sankt Petru, Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, seat of the Archbishop of Cologne, a renowned monument of German Catholicism. Construction in Medieval Europe began in 1248 but was halted in 1473, left unfinished. Work began again in the 1840s and was eventually completed, according to its Medieval plan, in 1880. It is one of Europe’s most fascinating structures and is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. It’s spires, 2nd tallest in Europe, can be seen from afar – they dominate the city landscape – giving it the largest facade of any church in the world. It is something worth seeing in your lifetime.

And just thirty meters from the church doors is the beer house (Bier Haus) of my favorite German beer, Frueh Kolsch. Who ever said that prayer and drinking do not go together. Catholics have wine at mass. Cheers – first round on me. Traditional beer houses in Germany are few and far between in modern times. Beers are delivered to your table by Koebes, traditional trained beer house servers, in tall skinny glasses each sitting in place neatly in a large round tray. When your glass is close to empty, unless a coaster placed atop, another beer is set down in its place, as the server marks your beer coaster with a pencil mark. At the end of the night, they determine your bill by how many strikes are on your coaster.

One day of the trip was spent with Tom’s family: Wolfgang, Gitta, Anja, Nadja and Pele the dog (Gram: @pelleparson).  We decided to visit one of their favorite local beer gardens at the Haymarket (Heumarkt). As Kolsch beer is from Cologne, most places you visit serve that type only. We sat outside under an umbrella, in a lively outdoor walking area and square for the public, nestled among numerous beer gardens and restaurants. This section of the city is also very popular for bachelorette parties. Many a lady-to-be could be seen with her brood in pink in tow, out to party the night away.  Under the afternoon sun great conversation abound, I ordered my favorite, Wiener Schnitzel with skinny fries.

After lunch we all walked to the Cologne Cathedral (Der Koelner Dom) in the City Center district, where we would enter to take a walking tour. The stained glass windows in the church are unlike any other I have ever seen – so large, bright and vivid in color, detailed in story – truly astonishing. Afterward, we headed to Alstadt (Old-City), filled with endless shopping, eccentric street vendors and performers, and food treats. One of my favorite foods to eat in the world is Turkish street food in Germany and next door in Holland. The Belgian fries and waffles are worthy of honorable mention too. The streets in this area of the city are cobblestone and so a bit rough on a wheelchair. Nothing a little street food will not remedy.

Another night an old friend, Yaki, originally from Hong Kong, who relocated to Germany eleven years prior, a budding prospering employee at Motel One well on his way into management (met him my first stay), along with some other local mates, invited us out to an urban public open-space city beer garden in the Belgian Quarter.  Joe and I did not hesitate, immediately after a round of beers sorted, ordering a few sausage platters. There are a few things in the world worth traveling to eat: one is outrageously delicious sausages from Deutchland. Bellies filled with pork and grease, it was time to get down to serious business – beer drinking in Germany. It was a night filled with memories, and a rough morning.

As far as accessibility goes, Germany is a dream country. Only Scandinavia does it better in Europe. The highways are well equipped with accessible bathrooms and numerous places to dine. In one rest-stop in Belgium, on our way driving to Germany, well before Joe got a speeding ticket on the Audubon, in a dedicated family/handicap bathroom, there was DJ music playing aloud, along with a spinning disco ball. That was one hell of a symphonic movement – it filled my eyes with color, sound and tears.  Getting around Cologne is easy in a wheelchair. Taxis are readily available – Uber now too. Public buses are all accessible. Street trams are level to the station for easy accessiblity; underground tram has elevators.

Each and every time I visit Germany it is memorable. It is a country I adore. My ‘second‘ family there was a huge pillar of support in my accident recovery. Traveling there over the years, especially one trip in the middle of my recovery to surprise thank them all in person, has never been easy. It is the maxim forever tattooed on my head: Doing the Dirty Dishes of living – for without doing them, we never learn from our experiences or mature and grow from the lessons of life. As I state in my book, Unbreakable Mind,: Life begins when the story ends. No longer living a story, I am free to see where the journey takes me now. Often I daydream – pour me a skinny bier, lather my sausage with mustard and faschnizzle my schnitzel.

Travel Blog: Click here.

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Travel Blog links: Covid-19 stranded in NYC JFK and Maine – also travel stories on Ireland, Spain, Sweden,  Belgium, Iceland, Colombia (Espanol version), Amsterdam, Germany, New Hampshire, TN and NYC.

Personal Website link where you can also find my book, photos of my travels and updates on current projects.

Thank you for your love and support.

#steven quigley writer #steven quigley blogger #steven quigley #stevenquigleyauthor #doingthedirtydishespodcast #stevenquigley #doingthedirtydishes.com #doingthedirtydishesspiritual #doingthedirtydishestravel #doingthedirtydishes #unbreakable mind #unbreakable mind book #unbreakablemindbook #unbreakablemind

[socialwicked]

The Three-City Problem of Modern Life

But nowadays there is a  third  metropolis influencing the other two. Silicon Valley, this third metropolis, is not ruled generally by cause (it is practically the mark of a fantastic entrepreneur to  not  be “reasonable”), nor by the points of the soul (the dominant belief appears to be to be a form of  materialism ). It is a position, somewhat, ruled by the development of  worth . And a substantial element of price is utility—whether one thing is useful, or is at the very least perceived as good or helpful.

 I comprehend that some people in Silicon Valley feel of them selves as making rationalist enterprises. Some of them might be. The city’s guiding spirit, nevertheless, is summed up by trader and podcast host Shane Parris, common among the Silicon Valley established, when he  suggests : “The serious check of an concept isn’t irrespective of whether it is true, but whether it’s valuable.” In other phrases, utility trumps reality or purpose.

 Our new century—the world from 2000 to the existing day—is dominated by Silicon Valley’s technological influence. This town has created globe-switching solutions and services (instantaneous search success, next-working day supply of tens of millions of items, constant connectivity to countless numbers of “friends”) that create and shape new wants. This new metropolis and the new forces it has unleashed are affecting humanity a lot more than something Tertullian could have imagined.

 And this new metropolis is growing in electricity. Never ahead of have the concerns of Athens and the queries of Jerusalem been mediated to us by these a good wide range of  issues  that vie for our notice and our wants. Silicon Valley, this third city, has altered the character of the dilemma that Tertullian was wrestling with. The inquiries of what is true and what is great for the soul are now largely subordinated to technological progress—or, at the quite the very least, the concerns of Athens and Jerusalem are now so certain up with this development that it’s generating confusion.

 It is tricky to escape the utilitarian logic of Silicon Valley, and we lie to ourselves when we  rationalize our motivations . The most intriguing thing about the cryptocurrency craze was the ubiquity of “white papers”—the framing of each and every new solution in purely rational terms, or the will need to present it as a products of Athens. And then there was Dogecoin.

 We’re not dwelling in a environment of pure cause or  religious enchantment , but some thing completely new.

  Explanation, faith, and  the technologies-pushed quest to make benefit at any price are now interacting in approaches we scarcely comprehend, but which have vast affect over our each day lives. Our two-decades-prolonged experiment with social media has already shown the extent to which motive, or Athens, is getting flooded with so significantly material that many have referred to it as a  post-truth  surroundings. Some social psychologists, like Jonathan Haidt, feel it is  making us ridiculous  and undermining our democracy. Humanity is at a crossroads. We are seeking to reconcile different needs—for rationality, for worship, for productivity—and the stress of this pursuit shows up in the factors we produce. For the reason that the 3 cities are interacting, we are now residing with technology-mediated faith (on the net church providers) and technologies-mediated purpose (280-character Twitter debates) religiously adopted technological know-how (bitcoin) and religiously noticed rationale (Covid-19 cathedrals of protection) rational faith (productive altruism) and “rational” engineering (3D-printed  assisted-suicide pods ).

 If Tertullian have been alive now, I imagine he would check with: “What does Athens have to do with Jerusalem—and what do either have to do with Silicon Valley?” In other words, how do the domains of motive and religion relate to the domain of technological innovation and its financiers in Silicon Valley? If the Enlightenment champion Steven Pinker (a resident of Athens) walked into a bar with a Trappist monk (Jerusalem) and Elon Musk (Silicon Valley) with the target of solving a difficulty, would they at any time be equipped to arrive at a consensus?

https://socialwicked.com/the-three-city-problem-of-modern-life/

[faeriexqueen]

Songbirds in Winter (Update: 12/20/2023)

Title: Songbirds in Winter. Fandom: D. Gray-Man. Pairings: Alma Karma/Tyki Mikk, Kanda Yuu & Alma Karma (One-Sided/Unrequited Yulma), Lavi Bookman/Allen Walker. Rated: Explicit. Words: 166.4K+. Tags: Romeo and Juliet AU, Omegaverse, Alpha/Omega, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Royalty/Nobility, Renaissance/Renaissance Era, Medieval, Slowburn, Romance, Drama, Angst, Forbidden Romance, Secret Relationship, Eventual Romance, Pregnancy, Hints of Incestuous Feelings/Incest, Family Drama, NSFW, Lemon/Eventual Lemons (Please see AO3 for full list of tags and warnings). Chapters: 21/?. Summary: They had always known that their lives would be planned out for them. For Tyki, it is to eventually become the head of his family as the next alpha in line, despite his wishes for otherwise. For Alma, it is to be married off for the benefit of his kin — to be bred for political gain, regardless of his own feelings on the matter. The stage is set, and they have their parts to play. But being in the crossfire of a dangerous rivalry among noble families is never easy — not when the person you love is the very one you’re forbidden from being with. Chapter 21 Excerpt — Christmas Mass:

He took leave from the pews, Tyki careful to avoid any of the other nobles. He used the side aisle closest to the pillars, keeping away from the crowd as he approached closer to where the cathedral doors were, both propped open as a wintry chill threatened to creep inside.  Tyki remained undisturbed, stopping behind one of the pillars. Glancing out, he got a better look at where Sahlins and Renny were, both greeting some nobles. To Tyki’s surprise, Kanda was with them, though the alpha remained a few paces back, arms crossed as he kept to himself. Alma, however, was absent. A wave of disappointment befell Tyki suddenly, though he shouldn’t have been surprised. After all…it had only been a few days since he last saw Alma. Since he had started his heat. More than likely, Alma wasn’t through it — and he wouldn’t be permitted to be out around others until his symptoms were well under control. Tyki huffed gently. He shouldn’t have been bothered by this, but he couldn’t deny he wished he could have seen Alma…

Read on AO3.

#dgm #dgrayman #tyki mikk #alma karma #tyki x alma #d gray man #fanfiction #update #writing update #songbirds in winter #siw #romeo and juliet au

[many-cheerful-facts]

Cheerful Facts about Moscow

The crucial fact about Moscow is the reality as to how much it dominates Russia despite the country’s vastness and a supposedly dispersed system of governance with its 85-unit federal system. Its dominance has increased in the post-soviet decades as its population has increased 38% (from 8.96 million to 12.1 million since 1989) while most parts of Russia have seen declines.

It took Moscow several hundred years of turmoil before it became so dominant (not that turmoil then ended). It even lost its status as capital of Russia for 200 years or so, during which time it was mostly burned down (by the Russians in 1812 – to spite Napoleon) but it always came roaring back. The soviet regime wanted to limit its size in order to encourage development elsewhere, so one needed a special permit to live in Moscow. This did not work.

One major attraction: the average GDP/capita is almost twice the national average. The other affluent entities tend to be resource-rich zones on or beyond the frigid frontier. (Of course the entire country can be considered beyond the frigid frontier.) But Moscow simply has more urban buzz than all the rest. No contest.

It is thought that the population count might be out by a million or so as it omits the numerous illegal workers from central Asia, Viet Nam, North Korea attracted, as are Russians, by the economic benefits.

The city occupies 2511 sq km, considerably more than Greater London or Toyo, and more than three times the area of New York City. Parkland occupies some 750 sq km; the city even includes a portion of a national park.

In recent years the central government has grouped the oblasts, republics, etc into eight federal districts, and Moscow is at the centre of the one called “Central”, which has its logic, but a quick look at a map of Russia shows that “Central “ is actually “Far West”. Moscow is just 450 km from the border with Belarus, but over 9,000 km (20 times the distance) from its Pacific shore.

This map shows the city in relation to its surrounding oblast (also called Moscow) in white. You can see that the city has exclaves – parcels of land not connected to it.

Twelve highways and seven railway lines radiate from Moscow. There is a Kilometer Zero marker near Red Square from which all distances are measured; these will be noted in the article on each federal subject.

Further indicators of dominance: Moscow has the busiest three airports in Russia, and their annual passenger numbers exceed the total for the next 17 busiest airports.

Of the top 20 universities in Russia, 10 are in Moscow; four are in St Petersburg, which leaves six for the rest of the country. Moscow State University occupies one of the iconic “seven sisters” built in the approved Stalinist style.

Of the 10 tallest buildings in Europe, seven are in Moscow, all in the Moscow International Business Centre (MIBC).

The twisty one is the head office of the world’s largest oil pipeline company, Transneft. The golden building on the right opened when there was no demand for its space (the Russian economy has its ups and downs) – and a portion of the building was used as a homeless shelter. There are many more buildings to come in the MIBC.

The city’s metro system, the first part of which opened in 1935 with 13 stations as a Stalinist trophy project, has 318 km of lines (more underway) and 276 stations. It is the world’s fifth largest system (the top four are all in China). It extends into the suburban oblast. The stations are renowned for their refulgence.

On an average day it handles over seven million passengers. Still, Moscow is noted for its traffic congestion.

Moscow also has a notable example of the resurgence of religion (not always Orthodox) in post-soviet Russia, such as the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, completed (in traditional style) in 2005 on the site of a cathedral demolished in 1931.

Of course the prime symbol of Moscow is what is known as St Basil’s Cathedral (although actually named the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin). The design is a mash-up of nine individual churches, thus the plethora of towers. It survived Soviet plans to demolish it (along with all other churches one logically supposes). It was built during the reign of Tsar Ivan IV The Fearsome, known more widely as Ivan the Terrible, who became Grand Prince of Moscow at age three, then ruled as Tsar from 1547 to 1584. He is a key figure in Russian history. At one point he proposed marriage to England’s Queen Elizabeth I – wouldn’t that have been interesting!

A current travel guide to Russia devotes 80 pages to Moscow, 70 pages to St Petersburg, and 75 pages to the rest of Russia. I could go on much further about Moscow, but the point of this series is to rebalance the general view of the federation.

#russia #history #world history #trivia #facts #russiantrivia

[luna-mistrunner]

on pastor sakura and kyouko

you’ve all forced my hand. we deviate from Homura to talk about kyouko’s dad, father pissshit

These are my thesis statements.

Pastor Sakura started a cult and was a cult leader.

Pastor Sakura was not a good father and Kyouko is an abuse survivor.  This is why she frames the story the way she does.

Kyouko’s backstory sequence is meant to parallel the way a magical girl falls into despair and becomes a witch.

Kyouko herself doesn’t actually believe her father was a very good man, but she needs to believe he is, or else she could fall into despair and become a witch for the same reasons Sayaka does.

Throughout the essay, I will be referring to this transcription I made of the scene using the Netflix subbed version of episode 7, “Can You Face Your True Feelings?”.

Also, (edit) shout out to @werewolfcave for giving me brainworms by showing me the most infuriating takes they receive on this topic and also talking about it in general <3

Let’s get into this.

In Episode 7 of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Sakura Kyouko takes Miki Sayaka back to her old church to explain why magical girls shouldn’t work for the benefit of others, but for their own benefit.

"'You get what you pay for' - that's how I live.  And if you live only to benefit yourself, you've got to pay for your own mistakes too.  So I don't hold this against anyone and I don't regret anything.  If you think like that, you can take most anything without getting down."

Kyouko says all this while taking Sayaka to her old church, where she lived once with her family.  Because of Tumblr’s image limit, I posted all the images here in this post and added descriptions of each frame I posted (4), but it’s important to note the way the cathedral is framed.  This is the first indication we get about what kind of story Kyouko is about to tell.

The wide shot shows the cathedral as an imposing, dark figure in Kyouko’s past, cut across a fiery sky.  She kicks the doors down and breaks the beams beneath her feet––this is not a sacred place anymore.  The stained glass is jagged and broken, the podium is empty, and the glass behind it is completely gone.  This is not a place of good doctrine.  It is completely barren, and it is––was––dangerous.

Here, after offering Sayaka an apple, Kyouko tells her story.  She talks about what lead her to make her wish, which she assumes is relevant to Sayaka’s choices and well-being.  After all, Kyouko, too, made a wish to benefit someone she loved, but did not return that love.  Kyouko, too, made a wish she came to regret.

“He thought that in order to save a new generation, we needed to have a new religion.” (first line of the second paragraph on my transcript post; L1, P2)

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a cult as “a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious,” with “spurious” being defined as “outwardly similar or corresponding to something without having its genuine qualities : false.”  In the Guardian’s 2009 article (old, I understand), they stated that people with connections to cults prefer the term “new religious movement,” or an “NRM.”  Shortly after Pastor Sakura came to the conclusion that they needed to change religion to “save a new generation,” he began to preach “stuff that wasn't in the Bible” and his followers stopped coming to his sermons.  He was “excommunicated by the church,” so he lost all his authority and influence.

Based on these things alone, the movement Pastor Kyouko attempted to start within the church can be defined as a “cult.”  However, Kyouko states next, “I guess it was only natural, huh?  From the outside, he probably looked like some raving cultist.“  It appears as though, because she is aware of cults, she might be wary enough to know if her father was starting one.  However, this is unlikely to be the case.

According to Cult Research’s “What makes a cult” article, cults are defined by four things: 1) a charismatic leader, 2) a transcendent belief system, 3) systems of control, and 4) systems of influence.  Even if Pastor Kyouko lost influence and control over his former church, he still had a system of control and a system of influence over his two daughters, Kyouko and Momo because he was still their father.  Kyouko describes her father thusly:

“He was an overly kind and earnest man.  Like, the type who cries reading the morning paper every morning and seriously thinks about how to make things better.” (P1)

According to definition two of “charisma” in the MW dictionary, “a special magnetic charm or appeal,” Pastor Sakura is technically charismatic.  His daughters clearly love and rely on him, to the point of being his only supporters when his church goes under.

In this sense, he was their charismatic leader.  He was their father, so what else could he be?  When you’re a kid, you hold your father up on a pedestal.  In this shot, Kyouko is shown both as a child that idolized her father even after everyone had left them, and as the hand that holds up his puppet, obscured from view, doing all the heavy lifting of framing and telling the story.

Is he necessarily a charismatic leader at this point in the story?  Well, no.  But he wanted to be.  Kyouko knew that, and she believed in him.  She believed everything he said, and couldn’t understand why no one else would listen to him.  At this time, she is at most twelve years old (as evidenced in the flashback and in Different Story), but it’s extremely likely that she was younger during the lean times.  They starved because he refused to do anything except evangelize, and Kyouko became increasingly frustrated with their situation.  So she made her wish.

“I asked Kyubey to make everyone listen seriously to what my dad said.“ (P8)

“But Luna!” you say to me.  “The argument that he’s a cult leader to his own children is rather ridiculous!”  And you’re right.  That is kind of ridiculous.  Let me re-frame this for you.  Pastor Sakura is an abusive, controlling, egotistical father.  He starves his children, indoctrinates them into a false religion, isolates them from their peers, and, ultimately, he kills them.  These are all canonical things, without any analysis, shown on screen.  The structures of power that create cult leaders are inherently abusive, comprised of control and influence, and who has more of that over a twelve year old girl than her own father?

Now.  It’s important to note that Pastor Sakura only becomes a true cult leader once he gains both a system of control and a system of influence through Kyouko’s wish.  He, himself, had no true power, no true charisma past enchanting his daughters.  It should be noted that, actually, for many men, this is enough influence.  It wasn’t, for him, and he doesn’t even seem to consider his daughters significant enough to include in his definition of “a new generation,” as indicated by the image of himself, preaching to the people in the pews compared to the shot that includes only him and his daughters.  In this shot, while he takes center stage, his daughters are pushed off to the side.  The shot’s focus is him and the empty pews.  The shot is meant to place you behind him, so you focus on this too.  It’s not about the doctrine, it’s not about saving people, it’s about the emptiness, and it’s about the way he sees himself in it.

I said that it’s only through Kyouko’s wish that her father becomes a cult leader.  She says to Sayaka, later, the following:

“Because I went and made a wish for someone else without really knowing what he wanted, I ended up bringing everyone misfortune.”  (P19)

The problem with this statement is that this is exactly what he wants.  He wants influence, he wants control.  There are notable animation shifts in this part of the story.  Most importantly, Pastor Sakura becomes fully animated in standard Studio SHAFT animation.

Pastor Sakura is shown in Studio SHAFT typical animation style, preaching to a smiling crowd of followers wearing his cross.  He moves with enthusiasm.

At this point in the essay, I will point out something important about the directing and animating for this entire scene.  Kyouko’s backstory is told almost entirely with Inu Curry animation, with only small breaks in the narration to show SHAFT’s more typical animation style.  These changes are significant, because they indicate a certain shift in symbolic meaning.  The Inu Curry puppets are concepts, people, and portrayals that have been idealized or abstracted, and are a part of the fiction that Kyouko tries her very best to believe.  But those shifts in animation to SHAFT’s more standard animation style indicate a shift to something more grounded and real.  The grain filter over the characters doesn’t change, because it does indicate that the characters are still in the past.  However, the stylized use of Inu Curry animation depicts ideas that, for Kyouko, are either dead or disingenuous.

Refer to the post I’m linking here for the next examination of this use of different animation.  On the left, the crowd is depicted using Inu Curry style, shown smiling, moving, listening with attentiveness.  Pastor Sakura preaches with fervor, in SHAFT style.  On the right, the crowd is revealed to simply be entranced, expressionless.  The left image is shown from behind Pastor Sakura –– another shot from his perspective.  A rapt audience, influence, ultimately, power.  But the shot from the side shows the reality.  Pastor Sakura symbolizes more than just an abusive father.

Kyouko uses her one great moment of ultimate agency to help her father achieve his dreams.  If he were truly a good man, maybe all he would want is for someone to listen.  Maybe just having his two daughters listen to him would be enough, then, but it isn’t.  He isn’t a good man.  But Kyouko thinks he is, so she makes a wish in that good faith.

“Saying the world can save itself without me...that’s the devil’s talk as he grinds believers under his heel and laughs at their pain, is it not?” (Different Story, canonical spin off)

Kyouko’s wish is that people listen to her father, because she can’t understand how someone she loves and believes in so much could be ignored.  But this is why.  His ego shows itself here.  It’s not about saving the world, it’s about him saving it himself.  The second criteria of a cult is thus: a transcendent belief system.  Cult Research defines it thusly:

Most religions and even political groups are going to have a transcendent belief system, meaning they’re stating how to get to some better place. But what’s different in cultic groups is they have their way to get you there. It’s what I call the recipe for change. In order to be part of the group, you have to go through a transformational process, which they dictate to you and you can’t be there otherwise. That’s the indoctrination program.

And this transcendent belief system hinges on Pastor Sakura being an integral part of it, based on the quote.  The system is very loose: just listen.  But it has to, without fail, be through him.  This cements his intent thusly: he wants to become the charismatic leader of a salvation cult.

When he learns that this is not the case, he tears everything down, calls Kyouko a witch, drinks himself into stupor, and kills his wife and daughter, Momo, leaving Kyouko the sole survivor of the tragedy.  Kyouko made the wish to benefit her father and her family, and her father took her whole family away.  Hope to Despair equilibrium, created in death and regret.  But Kyouko did not become a witch there.

Refer back to the crowd.  A rapt audience that comes to listen to someone who ultimately will bring despair?  That’s the same basic structure of a witch.  Wouldn’t that make Kyouko a witch?  No.  Symbolically, it makes Kyouko more similar to Pastor Sakura’s Familiar, who would do anything to protect the witch and the witch’s intent.  It’s Kyouko’s father that didn’t care about the doctrine––he cared about power.  He cared about holding that power in his own two hands.  But where does that leave Kyouko?

Kyouko, when she meets Sayaka and the others, is a girl with no beliefs––at least, that’s what she says.  And yet, she won’t attack you while you share food, she will offer you a snack as a greeting, and she becomes easy friends with anyone who explains themselves honestly with her.  Her abrasiveness is a front.  Her selfishness is a facade.  She still desperately wants to believe in the greater good, in a hero, in being one.  But she’s hurt, traumatized.  Her hero, her father, betrayed her in the worst ways possible.  That’s why she and Sayaka fight.  She wants Sayaka to prove to her that the world can be good, that there’s still hope to change it, that there’s still hope at all.

That’s why she’s the only one on that platform when we see Sayaka witch out in episode 8.  That’s why she tries so hard to save Sayaka, even bringing Madoka into a labyrinth to call out to them.  That’s why she turns into a witch if Sayaka dies in the portable games.  More than just using too much magic, the original PMMM series emphasizes that the key to turning into a witch is despair, which is defined by the dissonance between ideals and lived reality.  Both are contextual, framed by a person’s mindset and the events happening around them.  Kyouko could live selfishly and without regrets if there weren’t any idealistic people in the world, if there was nothing but selfishness.  But not if she thinks that hope exists and will always be taken away, the way Sayaka was taken, the way her father took everything, the way the Incubators eventually take everything too.  If every hero is destined to fall, what’s the point?

If even Sayaka, who looked despair in the face and said, “Fuck you!” could turn into a witch, if even their ideals could be smothered by something, then what’s the fucking point?  If Pastor Sakura only starved their family for his own selfish desire for power, what was the god damned point?  Kyouko needs to believe her father had something good in him, the same way she needs to believe calling out to Sayaka will bring them back.  She needs to believe that every single thing that happened since her wish went sour was her fault.  Because if it’s her fault, she can do something about it––she can change it, she can do penance, she can get back the agency she lost, it’s her fault, not her father’s.  Because Kyouko believed in saving the world and making it a better place first, and she’d hurt herself so much to make it happen.  But if her father was just a horrible person?  Her hero, loveless and faithless enough to kill her whole family and then himself, disowning her and condemning her in the process?  Then what the hell was the fucking point of all that horrible suffering?  And it would be so much worse if she then became a real witch, just like her father called her.  Familiars can incubate and become witches, too.

Kyouko doesn’t become a witch in the main series because, I think, narratively, it worked more for her arc to witness Sayaka becoming a witch and sacrificing herself to make sure Sayaka isn’t lonely.  It cements her for what she really is: someone who cares and loves a lot and, despite everything, still has faith in something good.  I believe strongly that Kyouko is one of the most badly misinterpreted characters in PMMM because she starts out talking about her story in lies to herself.  She says she’s selfish, but she dies to protect Homura and Madoka and, ultimately, all of Mitakihara city.  She dies to make sure she doesn’t turn into a witch.  She dies to make sure Sayaka doesn’t die alone.  She’s easily one of the most friendly, caring, smart characters on the show.  Her father, however, was never a good father or pastor.  He was just some guy that needed to be propped up by his oldest daughter’s emotional and physical labor, and he didn’t even love her for that.

#pmmm #kyoko sakura #pastor sakura #ask to tag #madoka meta #luna.txt #this is my longest essay AND with citations too