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llflorence · 2 months

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Temptation and Technicalities - Canon Era Fix-it, Rated E, Humor

A little bell tinkled overhead as the door swung open, and Crowley stood on the sidewalk. Confused.

"The Minimart?"

"Yep."

Instead of a pub with its dark and nonjudgmental atmosphere, 'Joey,' as he'd asked to be called, had walked into a convenience store.

"They have this passion fruit flavored water I haven't been able to find anywhere else. Outside of the States, of course," he said, grinning boyishly over one shoulder. "Top tier stuff."

Crowley stepped into the building, with its harsh overhead fluorescents, pristine tile floors, and rows and rows of neatly arranged packages on shiny metal shelves. Security cameras in every corner. Elevator music piped in through tinny speakers. It reminded him of somewhere.

"Great," he said, wondering if things could get any worse.

Joey worked his way to the back of the store, stopping in front of the wall of refrigerated coolers. As Crowley watched, he searched for the aforementioned beverage, making a sound very much like an 'aha' when he found it. He opened the door and cradled it in his t-shirt like a long-sought treasure.

"Want one?" he asked with too much bounce in his voice. He was wiping the condensation on his shirt.

"Sure. Why not."

A bottle was pressed into Crowley's hand. It had a bright pink label, featuring two hands holding a flaming heart, and the words PASSION in purple neon. The liquid inside was a nasty shade of puce, but he was game to try anything at that point.

What did he have to lose?

"Right? I'm gonna pick up something to nosh on. You want anything?"

Crowley didn't. If he was going to 'nosh' on anything, it wouldn't be from a convenience store, purchased by a guy who just bought his future from under him.

Joey disappeared down a snack aisle while Crowley pondered the human desire for all things quick and easy. Where was the joy in wasting calories on something that was gone in a moment when one could slave and savor something made with one's own hands?

And then he shook that nonsense out of his head. What was he thinking?

He found Joey eyeing the beef sticks, choosing an insanely long one and a fistful of assorted others. Crowley approached, cold bottle of purple in one hand, and was shocked to see the man stuffing several snack sticks into his front trouser pockets.

"Erm. What are you doing?" The man had just purchased a seaside cottage for cash and several antiques without batting an eye. What was with the stealing of salted, dried flesh?

"Nothing," Joey said, quickly turning and shuffling away. He banged the drink and the long jerky on the counter and pulled out a worn leather wallet from his back pocket, smiling up at the cashier with cherubic innocence.

"There's two of those drinks, please," he told the lady behind the counter, smiling back over his shoulder, bug-eyed glasses low on his long, Roman nose.

Crowley blinked. Was he seriously going to get away with it?

The cashier took his cash, handed back his change, and wished him a good day, and Crowley felt something rise in his chest.

He picked a bag of crisps off a shelf and reached for his wallet. He read the lady's name tag, 'Sue,' and knew without a doubt she wasn't paid enough to challenge a shady grunge of a character over a few lifted goods.

But he also knew that jerky wasn't cheap, so he pulled out an Alan Turing and left it on the counter, saying, "Keep the change," and hoping she would do just that.

Meanwhile, Joey was heading for the door, ripping open the beef stick packaging with his teeth.

Uncomfortable with himself and his cowardice, Crowley followed. They walked through the parking lot and across the road, where there happened to be a park with a pond. And, of course, a park bench.

Joey sat down on the right-hand side, sloppy sounds of masticating and all. Crowley thought about saying farewell and getting as far away as possible, but something told him to sit.

And sit he did. On the left.

There were ducks in the pond, dammit.

"So," Joey smacked, swallowing audibly and then taking a giant, gulping swig of his drink. "The house is pretty swell."

'Swell' was not how Crowley would describe the cottage. Historical and well-preserved. 'One-owner,' never lived in. Painstakingly customized by the original builder.

But never 'swell.'

"Mm." Crowley took a sip. Wine from a bag tasted better.

Joey took another gulp and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. The fingernails were painted navy blue. His knuckles were tattooed, design unknown. "Why'd you sell it?"

Crowley spit out that sip.

Joey the Petty Thief slapped him so hard on the back that Crowley's teeth rattled in his skull.

"Don't care for the taxes, I'm guessing."

Crowley thought the reason for letting go of the place was mildly none of the man's business.

"I remember when I quit smoking," the man continued, staring off into the distance in his half-baked way. "Hardest three weeks of my life. But when all those flavors came back to me?" He held his hands to the side, bottle in one fist, half-eaten jerky in the other. He gazed up at the sky as if he were about to ascend. "Heaven."

"That's not –"

"Must be divorce then."

This time, Crowley choked on his own spit. "W – what!?"

"The double vanity was a nice touch. Very thoughtful. Did you put those in yourself?"

The world around them was suddenly very quiet. Even the ducks had stopped arguing. "Excuse me?"

Joey looked at him with soft, sad eyes. "Didn't appreciate you, huh? One-sided kind of thing?"

Crowley couldn't believe the words he was hearing. Although it had most definitely been unrequited, six thousand years could hardly be classified as a 'thing.'

"For what it's worth," he leaned in as if to tell a secret, "I would have dumped the place, too. Dunno if I could wake up every morning and face that view from the kitchen all by myself.

Images Crowley worked so very hard to keep at bay flashed through his mind, stirred his gut and set off his corporeal fight or flight response.

Joey ignored the warning signs (clenched fists, flared nostrils, rapid pulse at the thinnest part of his neck) and reached over to pat Crowley's knee. As if the man were some benevolent aunt offering sympathy.

"Been there, done that."

Crowley was really very certain Joey Manuel had never been there nor done that. It was possible now that the man had used every lamely unhelpful saying in the book.

Joey stretched his arms high over his head before tucking back into his beef stick. "That's why I am never getting hitched. Married to the cause, that's me."

A rich white man from the United States who didn't have to worry about whether or not he could marry whomever he pleased was an oxymoron in Crowley's book.

"Had my own 'come to Jesus moment. Dealt with my own Judas."

The Demon was going further and further down a dark path. He'd met Judas. Wasn't such a bad lad. Certainly the most devout of the disciples, it actually made sense that he was the one chosen to betray his king. The worst things happened to the best of folks.

And with that, Crowley had had enough. He stood with the intent of walking away from the man and never seeing him again.

"Ah, well. The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

Crowley stopped mid-escape and stared. Was he actually for real?

"You ever surfed at your beach?" Joey continued, ignoring completely the fact that the Demon had dusted off his pants and was walking away. Crowley sighed deeply and paused.

"Yeah. Sure."

His companion leaped to his feet and threw an arm around Crowley's shoulders. "Great! Think you can show me? I can come out on Saturday. Then you can also walk me through that amazing garden. Teach me about the plant life. I've never seen so many weird things in all my life."

Crowley thought he would much rather return to Soho and walk into a particular bookshop than return to the bungalow and all the flora family he'd left behind. But, since he wasn't in the habit of self-torture anymore –

"Sure. Yeah. Whatever you like."

Aziraphale

The Supreme Archangel blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice.

"The Book of Life is . . ."

Michael rolled their eyes, as if Aziraphale was too dense to keep up. "Is missing, yes."

Aziraphale tried very hard to keep his face neutral. The other Archangels were watching him closely.

"And – how –"

"That's the point!" Uriel interrupted. "Nobody knows how. If we knew how, we'd be able to find out who did it."

Aziraphale thought that Heaven really didn't have that stellar of a record at finding anything.

"So you don't know who –"

"Of course we don't." Saraquel looked ready to throw hands in the air with disgust. "If we knew who, we'd know where it is. But it isn't anywhere in Heaven."

Aziraphale had learned enough about emergency meetings with the Archangels to stop asking questions right then and there. He waited, hands folded at his waist. He'd gotten very good at waiting. After all, he was prepared to live out as many centuries as it took until the opportunity presented itself for a second chance.

"Well?" Sandalphon asked, gold tooth glinting with a smile more enthusiastic than usual. "Are you going to get going and find it? Or are we to stand here all day waiting for a rich man to make it through the eye of a needle?"

Aziraphale frowned. "That's not how it –" And then he remembered himself. Surely, the Archangels knew the parables of Jesus just as well as he did. He needn't go around reminding them –

Uriel scoffed viciously. "Look at him. How we get anything accomplished is a miracle."

The others nodded in agreement, whispering amongst themselves. They couldn't wait for Aziraphale to make a mistake.

The Supreme Archangel cleared his throat and lifted his chin. "Very well. I'll be heading to Earth, then. I trust you'll keep up with your duties while I'm gone."

He half expected to be admonished again for suggesting such a ludicrous thing. The very last place the Book of Life could possibly be was Earth.

"Yes, and best not dawdle," Michael confirmed, pulling out their phone and making a call. The others looked relieved that the meeting had come to a conclusion, and they didn't hang around. Each filed out of the meeting hall with their own agendas in mind, chatting quietly.

"Right."

Aziraphale turned slowly, unbelieving. If he'd known it would be that easy, he'd have descended to Earth a year ago.

He made the long, lonely walk to the elevator. The empty halls echoed his footsteps back and nobody stopped to talk to him. Nobody even attempted a smile or the shortest of eye contact. He wondered if it had been as easy for Gabriel to leave. Naked as he was.

Aziraphale considered that as he stepped into the lift and pressed the button for the ground floor. The former Supreme Archangel hadn't spent enough time on Earth to understand the politics of going without clothing. For how infuriating it had been once he'd arrived at the bookshop, Aziraphale couldn't help but think that was the catalyst for pushing Crowley to eventually do what he did.

He remembered the Demon's face in the coffee shop when Nina made the comment about his 'naked man friend.' It was the beginning of dozens and dozens of Clues that Aziraphale completely missed because he was too caught up in his own agenda.

The loud tone that indicated he'd reached his destination startled him. He'd been thinking where to go first. Where exactly on Earth did one find a celestial object with the power to erase everyone from existence?

Perhaps he'd begin with a bookshop.

As the doors opened and light spilled out into a very familiar street, Aziraphale found himself unable to move. He hadn't really thought through how going back might feel. How staring across the road at the memory of Crowley standing beside Bentley could wreck him so.

He very nearly took the lift straight back to the top. And then he remembered who he was and why he was there.

The kitchen entrance would be less judgmental, he decided.

It must have been very early. The street was relatively quiet; the only sign of human activity with the delivery trucks and garbage trucks and such. He remembered Crowley saying this was his favorite time of day. The only people out and about were the vitally necessary ones. Aziraphale, however, knew it simply meant the Demon could drive Bently fast and furious with less obstacles to get in their way.

It was debilitating, staring at the cracked wood at the alley entrance, fist clenched in preparation. He didn't have any sort of a plan past knocking on the door. The bookshop wasn't his any longer. It was a sanctuary, something stable and trustworthy. Something unlike him.

A light switched on over the stoop, and there came the hollow clunking sound of the lock sliding out of place. The knob turned. The hinges groaned. But when the door swung wide, nobody greeted him on the other side.

Aziraphale clutched at his vest from the emergent smell. The aroma of brewed coffee. The scent of old wood and even older books. The lingering overtones of snuffed-out candles, even though the highly flammable interior hadn't seen the likes of a burning wick in some time. It was every memory hitting him all at once.

The light in the kitchen switched on without visible movement, and Aziraphale understood. He was being welcomed back, just as he was. Forgiven but not forgotten, and oh – that stung.

"Hello, Bookshop, old girl."

He didn't dare step inside, though. He wasn't entirely sure he could if he tried. He needed an invitation from the current inhabitant.

"Hello? Hello?"

A muffled noise sounded from deep inside the building, and then sharp, quick footsteps. As they approached, Aziraphale smoothed down his lapels and straightened his collar. No matter how frazzled his insides were, he had a reputation to uphold.

The face that greeted him across the kitchen was surprised, to say the least. Big brown eyes widened even more so, and the genuine smile became even more sincere.

"Mr. Aziraphale!" Muriel gasped, then hurriedly covered their mouth. "I mean – Supreme Archangel Aziraphale!"

"Aziraphale is fine," he corrected, waving a hand and assessing the angel's attire. They wore sleep pants with vivid pink pigs and an oversized long-sleeved shirt that didn't look as if it belonged to them.

Muriel padded barefoot across the creaky, well-worn wooden floor. "Oh but, that wouldn't be right –"

"Aziraphale," he repeated more firmly. The new shopkeeper seemed to struggle with it, but extended a hand regardless.

"Come in, Mr. Aziraphale, please!" It was a cringe, like they were blaspheming.

Aziraphale stepped over the threshold and the door closed behind him. He rested a hand on the counter at his right, patting the surface affectionately.

"I apologize," Muriel continued, sweeping away a clutter of mugs and dishes, cutlery and wine glasses from the counter. "If I'd know you were coming, I'd have tidied the place."

Aziraphale smiled, appreciating that the angel didn't use miracles to do so. Perhaps the Metatron had been right in assigning the bookshop to their care. If the state of the untidy kitchen was any indication, it appeared the place was most certainly being lived in. Maybe even well-loved.

"I didn't know I was coming, to be honest," he began. Muriel fetched the coffee pot and turned on the tap, rinsing it out and filling it with water. "I'm here on a quest."

Their face brightened considerably as they hunted down clean mugs, of which there were none. They hurried to wash two from the pile of dirties.

"Ooh! That sounds like –"

Aziraphale never got to hear what it sounded like, for they were interrupted by a third individual.

"Oi, have you seen my –?"

The part of Aziraphale that identified as human squirmed uncomfortably. Joining their little party in the cozy kitchenette was a handsome disposable person wearing one of his flannel bathrobes.

"Uh." Eric the Demon's long-lashed eyes, more smudged than ever and looking hollow from no sleep, flitted between Aziraphale and Muriel rapidly. The two horns of hair on the top of his head bounced jauntily, caught up in huge, pink foam rollers. "Uh."

There was a long moment where the three immortal entities stared ineffably open-mouthed at each other.

Muriel spoke first, having at least the decency to sound embarrassed. "Eric! H - how nice of you to stop by!"

Eric's jaw opened and closed. Opened and closed. Aziraphale tried very hard not to think about the demon in his bathrobe, in his bedroom, in his bed. Doing unthinkable things to the angel tasked with his bookstore.

Of course, he could have it totally wrong, and perhaps it was the angel doing things to the demon –

"Oh! Thanks – thanks, Muriel." Eric looked down at his bare feet and his bare knees and back up and Aziraphale knowing he wasn't fooling anyone. "I was hoping to borrow a cup of – a cup of –"

"A cupperty?" the angel offered, voice gone unnaturally high and eager.

Aziraphale shook his head. Underneath the horrible lying and double-speak ran a fairly strong current of love. It warmed his bitter, bitter heart.

"Don't mind me," he offered, looking over Eric's shoulder at one of the Marly Horses and feeling that familiar twinge in his gut. "I won't be in your hair long. I'm looking for something. Something both of you might be able to help with."

The demon looked relieved while the angel was enthralled. "Both of us?"

Eric flashed Muriel a secret look, one that wasn't lost on Aziraphale (he and Crowley used to have those). The Supreme Archangel didn't know how he felt about being on the outside of anyone's secret conversation. He supposed he wholly deserved it.

Muriel handed a cup of steaming coffee to Aziraphale, and the second to their counterpart. Eric drank long and hard, completely ignoring how it must have seared the inside of his mouth.

"Yes. It seems the Book of Life has gone missing and nobody in Heaven knows what's happened to it."

Eric swallowed with an audible gulp. White clouds of steam emerged from both ears. "That's not a real thing. Book of Life. Is it?"

"Oh, but it is!" Muriel answered. They took the empty mug in one hand, and it refilled itself. "Everyone ever created is in it! Course, nobody's actually seen it before."

The demon took the second cup and stirred it absentmindedly with one long finger. "Well, if nobody has seen it, how can you be so sure it's missing?"

He had a point.

"Have either of you heard anything? You know –" Aziraphale gestured toward the floor. "From down there?"

Eric shook his head and joined Muriel where they leaned against the counter. Their elbows touched. Aziraphale felt it in his bones. "Can't say as I have. Don't really talk with downstairs much anymore. Got tired of being made an example of. Too many unscheduled discorporations."

Aziraphale cringed as he remembered Shax disposing of him in the bookshop not long ago. "Sorry about all that."

The demon saluted him. "Not at all."

"Perhaps I could ask the Book Club."

Aziraphale tipped his head in Muriel's direction. "The Book Club?"

The angel nodded, crossing one leg over the other and leaning heavily on Eric's shoulder. "I guess it's technically not exactly a book club. It's just a few of us who get together here once a week. At the bookshop. Everyone brings a book, and we take turns reading aloud and talking about themes and such. It's great fun."

Aziraphale thought about people gathering in his former home to use books as they were intended, and he felt an overwhelming fondness for Muriel. "And who is in this particular club?"

Eric raised his hand. Muriel smiled at him.

"Eric, here. Mrs. Sandwich. Maggie –"

At hearing his friend's name, Aziraphale experienced another pang of regret.

The demon picked up where his angel paused, "– two lesser demons, upstanding Earthly fellows, I can assure you," Eric explained. "Father Ken from the parish down the street –"

"– and a homeless guy. Don't forget him," Muriel offered helpfully.

Aziraphale put together the rag-tag collection of folks inside his mind and felt another surge of pride. It appeared Eric and Muriel were doing what he and Crowley couldn't.

The angel's eyes sparkled and they vibrated slightly with excitement. "Would you like to join us? We're meeting tonight, actually. Once the shops have closed, of course."

Eric rolled his eyes skyward. "As if this place is ever open."

The Supreme Archangel smiled at the pair of them and thought perhaps all hope had not been lost.

"I would love to attend your Book Club. Thank you so very much for inviting me."

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#ineffable husbands #aziracrow #crowley #azirapahle #good omens #LLflorence

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uxop · 7 months

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Why did they kind of not fucked up this long episode, like it was pretty good. The way both Lady bug and Chat Noir were able to help Shady bug and Claw noir was very emotional and heartbreaking. For instance, when looking at the scene between Claw noir and Chat noir their grieving for the mother is the same, yet different in the sense of how they were coping with it. I liked how our Adrien showed Claw noir that even though he had knowledge of the effect of lady bug and cat noir miraculous together, he still chose to let it go and continue on, by seeing things in positive light and coping with it , EVEN with his fucked up dad relationships after the loss. Like the scene was so aahhh.I like, stoped washing my bathroom just to appreciate the scene properly.

BUT THE GABRIELS OPENING BRO FHIEODJFKD I M JUST A NORMAL MAN

#miraculous ladybug #ladybug #chat noir #claw noir #shadybug

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griffenoireofficial · 6 months

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Have you decided on a hero name

- Your biggest fan

No :( THERE ARE TOO MANY COOL NAMES OUT THERE i don't wanna miss the chance and be boring (no offence Shady (lady??) bug, chat noir and ladybug)

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davidtennantpussytulpa · 28 days

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tagged by @charlottan THANKYS PRINCESS 😁😁😋😋🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

last song: that frank from the ‘94 merrily we roll along soundtrack

fave color: I DONT KNOWWW….. ive said blue the longest time but. i just fucjing love colors the world is so beautiful and gorgeous….. ive been drawn to a lot of yellows lately and last year i was a green girl. i think its just cyclical now everyone gets a turn <333

currently watching: dungeon meshi :•) also taskmaster s16 and twin peaks

sweet/savory/spicy: AGAIN. I DONT KNOW THE WORLD HAS SUCH BEAUTIFUL VARIETY THESE THINGS ARE MEANT TO WORK TOGETHER!!!!!! but also chocolate is the most important thing in the world #justlikewillywonkabutagirl

Relationship status: probably the most single person that has ever lived

current obsession: um well. to my ladies who saw me posting about sherlock holmes last night. 🤒🤕

last thing i googled: picasso bug bc it was in a tiktok shadi sent me and it was so pretty i had to look at more pics teeheee

tagging: @starfiyah @kafkaguy @wikipediagf @leo-nid-as @clueless1995 if you would like to do it <3333

#i think merrily we roll along would also count as an obsession at the moment. listening to all yhe recordings and coughing up blood

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princess-of-the-corner · 8 months

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I'm on an evil ladybug kick... so would evil Ladyluck just be like Scarlet Lady like or would there be a new evil bug in town

Ahashahahahaha!!!

Okay I joked with Cap about 'Shady Luck' being just SL but like.

A version of Chloé with the competence and determination I write her with? Going evil?

Girl is gonna Get Shit Done™

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sizzleissues · 10 months

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since I've been deprived of miraculous content for the past few weeks my brain had started coming up with its own crap so here's ANOTHER dream I had about it, in particular the reverse world special that's upcoming.

@bengaltiger25 here you go (:

Since dreams don't exactly care for being consistent or chronological I'll do my best to pull out the bits that work and make sense and I'll throw the crack down at the bottom!

The 'episode' took place over two timelines, the present and the past in the reverse world, which essentially existed to explain why reverse ladynoir were evil. The reverse world in the dream was a dystopia with blantently evil politicians and a divided public.

The dream started with Alya and Marinette discovering the 'portal' to the reverse world, Alya being the channel point for it. Theres flashes of other universes with different heros. Example I can remember is a world where Luka has the turtle and is a guardian. Theres a voice over explaining how in each universe there are parallels, lines in which you can jump between. There's a flash of Shady bug, Marientte's parallel, and through this and Alya's connection the universe can be crossed. Claw Noir (is that his name?) is assumed to be Adrien's parallel but the narration (which is like a robot lady who Marinette and Alya can hear) explains that Claw will not be joining them. Left with the big question why and then Shadybug steps out the portal, much like the trailer and it cuts to the past in the reverse world.

What looks like our ladynoir is sat overlooking a more cruel Paris, with some dialogue about the unfairness of their world. It's their duty to protect it but sometimes it feels wrong. There aren't fighting the butterfly but rather crime is so rampant they're always fighting off some bad guy.

We see Mayor Bourgeois playing golf off the roof of his palace, expect the balls are flaming bits of coal. He gets upset because he misses and throws his golf stick. He panics and chases after it, falling into the fast water below. Ladybug and Chat Noir show up to save the day. They work together to catch the Mayor before he's washed away. Chat Noir realises that he doesn't want to save the Mayor, that he doesn't deserve to be saved. He slackens his grip at the last moment and the Mayor drifts away. It works out though, the Mayor is saved by another force and the public cheer them on anyway but things are a little quieter for Chat Noir. Ominously the narrator says it won't stay this way for long, soon there will be silence.

Now since it's a dream things get messier from here but we switch back to the present, to Adrien. He's accidentally crossed into the reverse world, taking the place of the Adrien in that world. It's revealed that while the reverse Adrien was Chat Noir, he isn't anymore. He was captured. His miraculous was removed from him just before captured by a shadowed figure. (The current Claw Noir perhaps?). In the reverse world he was faced with a choice, go to prison or become the corrupt governments mascot. Our Adrien finds himself the source of entertainment for thousands, dressed up like his reverse world counterpart's miraculous form and paraded around.

Of course our Adrien still has his miraculous, so with it he maintains some power.

That's pretty all I can remember that isn't nonsensical. A lot more is implied in the dream but isn't shown. For example the butterfly miraculous is used by Gabriel to create champions who take over Ladynoirs role once they turn evil. Shady bug is motivated to save Adrien and is actively stopped by the butterfly's champions because Adrien still was evil for the last bit of bit of his time as Chat Noir. She wants the butterfly miraculous for revenge.

And Zoë is Claw Noir. In the reverse she's the mean sibling and Chloe is the 'nice' one.

Not everything that happens in the dream I want to actually happen in the special ofc. But I think for a reason to be evil, being bitter because of the world and instead of choosing to save it anyway in the hopes it'll improve but to end it instead is definitely a crazy leap and more evil leaning ladynoir can choose.

Some crack stuff was that the Mayor was a gory monster thing for a second, Adrien went ice skating and like it turned into a dance battle and then a bunch of random other crap. XD Definitely was a random dream

#sizzle rambles #miraculous ladybug

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brokenladee · 24 days

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Well, this was a lot.

I moved from liking this lady, thinking it was so nice that Neiru had someone caring for her

to finding out she's working with the creepy men/bug guys

Who are up to shady business. I don't get what they gain by the girls fighting, especially since they control everything.

If they could just let the girls meet the ones they are fighting to save at anytime, like with Kotobuki and Neiru...

What do they want from these girls? Are they helping or hurting? I'm thinking it's the latter.

#anime #first time watch #wonder egg priority #neiru aonuma #meeting Kotobuki #So many questions #wep #what is innocent sorrow and what's it got to do with the girls #knew those dudes were shady

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texasobserver · 3 months

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”Insects All Around Us” by Digital Edital Editor Kit O'Connell, originally published in the January/February 2024 issue of Texas Observer magazine:

Photography and additional reporting by Fall 2023 Reporting Fellow Paula Levihn-Coon.

The prey is already dying when the hunters arrive.

The sky is dark gray, the air thick with the threat of rain. But that hasn’t stopped over a dozen from gathering. They’re mostly, but not exclusively, older folks—frequently retirees with the ability to take a weekday morning off—and they’re armed with Digital SLR cameras and macro lenses.

Valerie Bugh crouches down over the squirming spots on the stone of the shady courtyard entrance to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, prodding at the poisoned insects. Bugh, a gray-haired local naturalist, isn’t responsible for the state of these southern yellowjackets (Vespula squamosa), but she’ll take advantage of it for a photo opportunity. Someone on staff at the center discovered their nest and sprayed them just before the bug hunters arrived, and the entire hive is trickling out from their hidden home in a low rock wall. Bugh warns me to keep my distance from the females, who have fatter-looking bodies with stingers compared to the longer, thinner males, which normally only leave the nest for mating purposes. As I take a step back, she fearlessly kneels by their wriggling bodies, picking the males up and focusing her camera on each in turn.

“I’m trying to find one that doesn’t look dead,” she said. Soon, she’d even manage to document the hive’s queen as it haplessly tried to flee the toxins—a rare catch, though a grim beginning for a weekly ritual that largely focuses on the living.

Katherine Daniels and David Cook, volunteers, take insect photos.

Bugh is the author of 10 short fold-out pamphlets with color photos, with titles like Spiders of Texas: A Guide to Common and Notable Species and Unusual Insects of Texas: Caddisflies, Mantides, Lacewings, Walking Sticks, & More. That’s just one of her jobs: She’s also second clarinet in the Austin Opera. She’s modest about these accomplishments when asked—Bugh is too busy searching for bugs to brag about herself.

Every Thursday morning from February through mid-December, Bugh and her team of volunteers in the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Fauna Project explore a winding path, gradually aiming to cover the entire grounds over the course of a year, in order to inspect more than 650 species of native plants in the gardens and the 50-plus species of oaks in the Texas Arboretum for their occupants.

With this diversity of native plants comes a diversity in insect population too. Allowing for a few pandemic-imposed breaks and schedule changes, Bugh has otherwise been doing this consistently since 2010, during which time she’s identified almost 3,000 species of insect including over 50 bees, 345 flies, and over 500 different beetles. It’s not unusual to find a new species to add to the garden’s known tiny inhabitant list every week.

As Bugh gets moving, other bug hunters follow her in a pack. One by one and in pairs they break off from documenting spiders and beetles found clinging to the brick walls around the entrance and offices of the center. A few volunteer birders are also on-site, but for the most part, they work independently and seem invisible compared to the cheerful, chattering bug hunters. The group also documents signs of larger animals, from mammals to amphibians, but their main focus is on these tiny crawling creatures, since bugs are the most plentiful fauna present both in this garden and worldwide.

Every Thursday from 2010 to the present, Valerie Bugh leads the Fauna Project at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas.

The bug hunters move in a little cluster, calling out when they find something new for Bugh to examine. The salt marsh moth (Estigmene acrea) caterpillars are everywhere.

“If it’s a salt marsh, I don’t want to know about it,” declares Bugh dismissively, though with good humor. Their hairy bodies remind me of an asp, the caterpillar with a nasty sting. But they’re actually harmless to the touch. Bugh is just frustrated because there are too many of them. Unlike other caterpillars, the salt marsh moths will eat almost any plant, building its hairy cocoons all over.

“Every single plant is their host,” Bugh said.

By contrast, the Gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae), another caterpillar present in the day’s fauna count, subsists almost entirely on passion flower vines.

Bugh’s disdain for the salt marsh moth doesn’t stop her from plucking one from the greenery and posing for a photo with it. She’s happy to show off and talk about her fauna friends, even the overly common ones. As she moves around, her tone becomes more of a graduate lecture in entomology, no doubt similar to the insect walks she sometimes leads around Austin. Her volunteers are here to hone their skills at macro photography, to learn from a preeminent local expert, and to expand their naturalist knowledge. Many are members of the Texas Master Naturalist program.

Valerie Bugh holds a salt marsh moth caterpillar (Estigmene acrea) in her hand.

But it’s a social occasion as much as anything, and the bug hunters talk among themselves around me, catching up on their lives. Two have just returned from African vacations and are excited to dish about all the great wildlife photos they got there, documenting large predatory wild beasts. But they seem just as eager to capture the living world’s small inhabitants in their lenses, too.

“It’s an insect safari,” said volunteer Katherine Baker, who told me she relished the challenge of macro photography after over a decade of experience in more general nature photography. She’s been helping count the fauna for about four years now, and always feels among kindred spirits here. But they all orbit around Valerie, returning to her for advice or an ID after wandering off.

Every Thursday for 13 years, naturalist and author Valerie Bugh, far left, has led volunteers in counting and photographing animals at the wildflower center.

“Her knowledge surpasses everyone … she’s just amazing,” Baker said of Bugh.

The gray morning clouds are starting to burn off. As it warms up, the butterflies and others will begin to emerge from the foliage where they’re resting during the rainy, humid part of the day.

“Aha, here’s where the bumblebees are,” Bugh declares with delight as some are pointed out to her. “These are workers and look how docile they are, they’re barely moving.”

Even before the sun appears, I become aware of how the plants around us are full of life, more than first appears to the untuned eye. As I start looking at one insect, like the predatory leafhopper assassin bug (Zelus renardii), a leggy, long-bodied, hungry thing with a venomous proboscis, I spot another, smaller bug crawling along the same bit of wild grass. We allow ourselves to forget in our day-to-day lives, but insects are all over, constantly surrounding and outnumbering us.

Valerie Bugh shines a small LED light on an insect.

On the day we visited, the team spotted seven different kinds of grasshoppers, two types of katydids and one cricket. Hunters often spot the American bumblebee, Bombus pensylvanicus, which is thriving in Central Texas even as its numbers dwindle elsewhere. But lately, its Sonoran cousin (Bombus sonorus) has been showing up more and more in the bug counts.

“That doesn’t bode well for desertification,” Bugh told me. “We’ve had a lot of Western species moving in, birds too, which means the habitat is great for them and a little drier than we’re used to for everyone else.”

The naturalist bug hunters are strongly aware of the harm climate change has brought on our region, and there’s a bittersweet feeling to parts of the morning, a subtle sense that someday soon could be the last day one of these fauna appear in a count.

“The ecosystems are moving east, including tornado alley. It’s not great for the people in the way, and not great for us on the edge of deserts. Think of Austin without any trees. I really like trees,” Bugh says wistfully.

But most insects still spark joy when she spots them. As sure as falling leaves, the appearance of the scorpion flies (which are neither scorpions nor flies) represents the start of true Texas autumn, and they were just putting in their first appearances that Thursday in November.

Bugh can identify a great number of creatures on sight, but sometimes enlists help from collaborative internet forums and apps, or even, in one case, a book of Central American insects published in 1900.

Later, when I come home from the center, I pore over her very detailed homepage, which features a searchable spreadsheet of every creature identified by her team since 2010. I email Bugh to ask what changes she’s noticed over time.

“It is very hard to compare the past to the present since it is short term in geological time but very long term for humans,” she writes back. “Who can say what they’ve learned in over a decade? I bet it is a lot.”

#Austin #Texas #wildflowers #native plants #lady bird johnson #bugs #insects #photography #macro photography #wildlife #wildlife photography #fauna #science #entymology

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madamrynodm · 1 year

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Bad Batch Characters + Partner Pokémon

In light of the s2 finale, I thought I'd actually get around to making this list. No I didn't forget, what are you talking about? Pssh

Hunter + Mightyena: Hunter just needs to have a dog pokémon, it just feels right. Also, mightyena's pokédex entries constantly talk about its skill in and loyalty to its pack. Fits him to me

Tech + Vikavolt: Saw fanart showing him with one, and I agree! He's got bug-type energy, and he'd definitely have an electric type to help him around.

Wrecker + Emboar: Wrecker loves demolishing clankers with fists and explosions alike. Thus, a fire/fighting type sounds perfect for him! Almost chose bewear, but the color palette won out in this one. The thought of Wrecker raising a cute little tepig also brought me here

Crosshair + Dragapult: They've got the same smug glare. Ok, but seriously, Crosshair definitely needs a long-range pokémon. Also, his arc with feeling alone/left behind/forgotten reminds me a lot of ghosts. Dragapult is a ghost-type. Feels like it fits to me

Echo + Manectric: I'd imagine this pokémon would come from his ARC days, and it would survive with him to join the batch. Manectric stands tall and stiff, reminding me of Echo's dedication to rules/protocol. But, it's also still an electric type. They can go wild when they want to. Also, it's blue fur could be a sweet callback to the 501st

Omega + Mantyke (later Mantine): She spent her whole life on Kamino, she needs a water type. It's about Lula-sized, it'd be cute seeing Omega carry it around! With Omega learning to fly in later seasons, I could see her mantyke learning to fly with her!

Cid + Salandit: Shady lady, shady pokémon. It looks like it'd be right at home in her bar, scuttling on the walls and looking out for trouble

Phee + Golduck: Phee is a very laid back and go-with-the-glow type person, so she'll have a water type too. But, this one has some tricks up it's sleeve. Golducks have access to psychic moves that I bet Phee would use to help in her adventures. Whether to mess with opponents or difuse traps from a distance. Also, water for Pabu!

Howzer + Mabosstiff: Howzer gets this absolute Chad of a pokémon. Mabosstiff may look scary, but it's a loving and dedicated friend. They love kids and protect their packs fiercely! Maybe the mabosstiff could get it's hair styled like him too

Rampart + Liepard: Major bitch energy. That is all

Mayday + Mamoswine: Mayday lived in a brutal winter environment, so he'll need one tough pokémon. Built like a tank, it could push through any snowstorm to get the job done

#star wars #pokémon #partner pokemon #crossover #crossover thoughts #the bad batch #star wars tbb #bad batch #clone trooper

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gale-gentlepenguin · 11 months

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Oh right extensively yesterday or the day before they announced on Twitter another special called "miraculous lady: into the re-verse".... you can probably guess what they're trying to cash grab on with that name

Anyways right now there's some speculation that's the special that Shady bug and Claw noir are going to make their appearance in

Okay so I looked into this.

I think the shady bug and claw noir thing sounds interesting.

As for into the Re-verse.

Yea the into the spiderverse inspiration is there.

#miraculous ladybug #ml #ml speculation

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strangerdangerwrites · 2 years

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Wild Child | N.F. (The Quarry) - Chapter Five

Summary: How do you hide your feelings? You don't run

Nick Furcillo x Female!Reader (no use of y/n)

Warnings: Bugs, Insects, and Cursing (I'm not great at tagging). Reader is an entomologist expert of camp.

Chapters: Prologue, Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine

hide and seek your feelings

After your shared schedule with Laura, who was hellbent on teasing you. And Max was none the wiser, who was on it with his girlfriend. You’d almost scream at them to stop because the kids might hear, and when kids have leverage on you, they’d do anything to make you quiver in fear.

You were slightly getting worried your secret might slip, and to avoid it you must do everything in your power to avoid Nick today. To show Laura and Max that you weren’t attached to the hip with him, and you were a strong independent lady.

And didn’t you swear that this was the first step of trying to stop your feelings from developing further? That's what you would do, right?

And it’s only just 10 AM. You can handle it, you’re a big girl after all.

Deciding to distract yourself from the heartbreak, you would occupy yourself with your job and your growing collection of insects.

Your schedule was already packed to the brim, only lunchtime would be the exception. And you had already planned to find that wasp nest, not to endanger anyone else. As much as you love studying insects, you try to stay away from studying the Vespidae family, you weren’t trained or learned much about them aside from the textbook knowledge. You would just warn Mr. Hackett, and possibly make signs to avoid that area. After you find it.

“And Ladybirds pretend to play dead to avoid predators.” You said in a happy tone, followed by awe in amazement. Holding one tiny ladybird in your hand and giving it to one of the children who was expectantly waiting for you to hand it to him.

When you heard footsteps, you turned around to face Emma. You were done teaching Emma's campers for the day.

“Hey!” Her energetic energy radiated off of you, the campers excitedly greeted their cabin counselor. “Someone is looking for you.”

“Who? Nick?” You asked, standing up from your squatting position. Groaning as it hit you, that you were severely out of shape and element. You didn’t even notice you blurted out his name, and here you were vowing to yourself that you’d be the one to avoid him.

You just can’t help it.

With her eyebrows, raised and smiling at you. “Sadly, but nope, it was Jacob. Also, I like your outfit today. You better hook me up with your connections.” Linking your arms together walking side-by-side. Not realizing that she was supporting your weight.

“What did he want?” You asked, the children walked ahead in front of the both of you.

“You tell me, he said you called for him earlier and never got to finish what you said. What was that?” Emma asked.

Racking your brains for the answers, you remember he was supposed to take the dinner duty dishes, and you had forgotten to tell him. You groaned.

“It’s about dinner duty.”

“But I thought you banned him from stepping foot in there?”

“Trying things for a change.”

“Hmm… weird. But okay.”

It wasn’t weird, you wanted to defend but you didn’t want to talk too much and expose what you’d been hiding earlier.

“Where is he?” You said as the view of the camp lodge came into view.

“In there. Probably in the main dining hall with your boyfriend, they were just done playing dodgeball with Dylan and Kaitlyn’s group.” Emma pointed out. Inwardly groaning, you were trying to avoid Nick at all costs. And it seemed like it was set in stone that fate wanted to play with you. It almost slipped your mind that Emma had teased you about your relationship with Nick.

“He’s not, my– Fine.” You said, dropping Emma’s arm to march towards the doors of the camp lodge. You had faced bigger evil before, like rocks and the incline in Shady Glide, mosquitoes during nighttime, asshole you would rather not name and the little devil spawns. This was just a small obstacle.

Opening the double doors with a large push, rattling the door frame. You’d spooked most of the children with how angry you looked, scanning towards the crowd and spotting Jacob who was lounging on the chair, laidback. Kaitlyn and Dylan were also there, resting.

“You.” You called out to him, the room went silent and in your peripheral view, you saw Nick bringing out a tray of juice towards the tired campers.

When Jacob realized you were pointing at him, he tried to subtly hide behind the backs of the children, which made them laugh.

“Outside now.” Tapping your feet impatiently, you tried to avoid making eye contact with Nick who looked so adorable in his apron, trying to gauge the situation before him. “Don’t make me come there and drag you.”

Jacob stood up, holding his hands in defeat. “Okay, okay, okay! I’m here.”

Walking outside the camp lodge, the door closed with a loud bang. Jacob held his hand out in front of him, as if he was taming a wild beast.

“Stop that.” You scolded him. Slowly his hands went to his sides.

“What?! I didn’t do anything wrong did I? I swore we are not the ones who put white paint under your cabin door.” He defended. Dropping the folded arms in front of you he flinched, you stepped back.

“You’re the one who pranked us?” You asked, and he avoided your gaze, scratching his neck like a nervous tick.

“What? I totally didn’t say that.”

“That’s beside the point. You are now unbanned from the kitchen.”

“Unbanned? What did I do?”

“I need to do something important.”

“Something important… more important than spending your time with lover boy?”

“Why does everyone think that’s a bad thing? We’re grown-ups who don’t need to spend every passing minute with each other. God! How many times do I have to repeat that? We are just friends!”

You screamed, not realizing that on the other side the whole campers were listening. You heard ‘oohh's’ and ‘burn’.

Fuck. The whole group of campers heard that, and the other counselor inside as well. Now you really screwed up, the beautiful friendship, now flushed in the drain. You closed your eyes shut and exhaled. Jacob looking at you, waiting for you to burst like a bomb in anger.

“That’s all.” You forced a smile, a smile too tight that Jacob knew it was forced.

“Okay. Sorry.” He muttered, opening the door to walk back inside. You remain standing outside, you just need to catch your breath, and then you’d be fine. The door of the camp lodge opened, you expected the worst, thinking it was Nick. You’d hate to see him sad; you weren’t prepared for that.

Except it wasn’t Nick, it was the other tallest counselor in Hackett’s Quarry. You didn’t realize you were holding your breath and that you had stared at him a little too angry looking, that he almost walked back and never came out.

“I’m just heading out, to the radio hut. Gonna make announcements since it’s lunch time.” He said walking slowly and pointing at the watch in his arm.

“No need to tell me.” You claimed to lean towards the wooden railings.

“Oh, then a piece of advice from someone great. You two are very much alike. Trust me.” It was vague. You didn’t know what he was talking about. No clue. nada.

“Who?” You spoke.

“You’ll soon understand.” He softly said. Even with Dylan’s odd humor, he had a sense of wiseness. Realizing he was serious and had no hint of a joke coming out.

“Okay.” You nodded, he held out his fist for you to bump into which you did.

Halfway down the stairs, he turned around: “Also, you don’t look scary when you’re mad. Just saying. I don’t know what Jacob sees but you're like this when angry.”

Imitating a facial expression, you couldn’t comprehend when he scrunched his eyebrows together and held out his arms near his face to imitate cat claws.

“Like a cat.” He said laughing, you flipped him off. And started to run after him, but Dylan was too fast for you to catch up. So, you let him go.

You’d already have a tight schedule of looking for that wasp's nest. Even if you were tired and hungry, it’s better to avoid Nick entirely.

Walking past campers who waved hello to you and Abigail, who smiled and stopped to ask where you were going.

“Hey, lunch’s this way.” Abigail reminded you. But you shook your head ‘no’.

“Trynna find that nasty ‘bugger’ of an insect called wasps. It’s dangerous for kids to play with it.” You told her and she nodded.

“Funny, you’re also using Nick’s slang.” She said, and you just nodded. “Also, I think, I heard buzzing by Rocky Road earlier. You think it’s a little bit that way?”

“Great tip! Thanks, Abi!” You said, heading towards the inclined and rocky pathway.

You spent thirty minutes or so looking for it. In fact, you almost wondered whether it was just a trick of Abi’s imagination that she heard a buzz. Yet it remained far too quiet for you, you tried to tone out the laughter of children and to look towards the other areas. You were out of shape, and the trip of going up and down some inclines, trying to spot whether you can see a nest was slowly making you tired. You almost wished you had lunch instead.

You sat down for a minute, closing your eyes to listen to the breeze of nature. You see Hackett’s Quarry also had its quirks, something you wouldn’t admit out loud. That you were starting to like it here. It wasn’t like the life you lived, one filled with disco lights, loud music, and drinks in hand. This felt peaceful, and unchaotic, unlike you at all.

When you heard a scream near the outskirts of Shady Glade. The screams were slowly going down as if those who had shouted had been running. A loud splash alerted your senses. Someone was drowning.

Quickly running down towards the noise, you never went so fast to run and help the person in trouble. Jumping from rock to rock, just to make yourself go faster. Seeing the outline of the lake, you took off the cardigan you wore. When you see two splashing children in the lake, two heads bobbing up and down trying their best to stay afloat.

It was Jonah and his friend, Dave. You ran towards the dock and dived in. Grabbing both kids, as best as you can. You can only hear the loud splashing of water and them trying to put themselves on top of you. They were panicking, and you were starting to as well.

No. You needed a clear mind. You needed to save them. They were shouting, trying their best to shout for help, as you tried your best to drag both boys towards the shore.

Shit. you just felt a cramp. You were severely out of shape from the running that already drained your adrenaline.

Hearing screams, you tried your best to kick towards the dock. You felt your back hit the wooden support of the dock when someone jumped and supported you and the two boys were lifted to safety. You turn around and lift yourself up. Multiple footsteps ran toward the three of you, and you were back in the land of safety.

You heard the two boys cough up the water they have drunk. You leaned back to catch your breath. You were safe. You saved them.

You opened your eyes to see the worried faces of Nick and Laura. His hair was wet and dripping in front of you.

“Are you okay?” He asked, you coughed up the water and nodded.

“I’m fine. What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” You joked which earned a disappointed but relieved sigh from your friends.

“Come on Mr. H is not going to like this.” Laura said as she held your shoulder to support.

“Wait, I just needed to stretch my leg a little. I think I felt a cramp in there.” You said stretching your toes. “Also please get my cardigan that was vintage.” You were half-naked and all eyes were on you.

“Laura, you need to check on them first. I’m fine.” You reminded her and Laura turned around to pat you in the shoulder to help the kids stand up. Looking up at Nick who was far too silent since he asked his question.

He took off the shirt that he wore and handed it to you.

You stared at it for a second.

“Wear this first and I’ll get you your cardigan.” He said and walked away towards what was supposed to be where you ran from. You watched his toned back walk away from you, and you felt yourself blushing.

God, you were just in a life and death situation, and you were blushing because he was shirtless. You felt like a giggling schoolgirl. And he helped you, only if the work was mostly on you. He lifted you up to safety.

And here you thought you would do everything to hide your feelings, but you were moonstruck. And your heart is about to leap out from your chest, ready to unravel itself and jump into Nick’s arms.

“Oh, fuck.”

#the quarry #The quarry game #supermassive games #the quarry x reader #the quarry nick #nick furcillo #nick furcillo x reader #.sd written works

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