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dauntingatdusk · 3 years

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Jeffrey Dahmer - The Milwaukee Cannibal (pt.2)

DAVID THOMAS (23) – September 24 1990

David Thomas aged 24 was murdered and dismembered by Dahmer. Dahmer begins to take photographs as he dismembers the body and while the murder is in progress.

CURTIS STRAUGHTER (19) – February 18, 1991

Curtis Straughter engaged in oral sex with Dahmer, he is later murdered and dismembered. His bones were crushed but Dahmer kept his skull.

ERROL LINDSEY (19) – April 7 1991

Errol Lindsey is drugged and strangled by Dahmer before he is used to perform oral sex. Again Dahmer dismembers his body and keeps the skull.

ANTHONY HUGHES (31) – May 24 1991

Anthony Hughes, who is deaf and mute, is passed a note from Dahmer at a club. In Dahmer’s usual routine he invites him back to his place for photos. Dahmer murders Hughes and dismembers him, keeping his skull also. However before Dahmer dismembered the corpse he left the body lying around the apartment.

KONERAK SINTHASOMPHONE (14) May 26 1991

Konerak Sinthasomphone is offered money from Dahmer, and he follows him back to his place. Dahmer drugs the child and assaults him while he is unconscious. Dahmer experimented on Konerak also, drilling into the back of his skull and injecting hydrochloric acid. He did this in attempt to cfeate a “zombie” that he could have complete control of. At some point Dahmer leaves the apartment and Konerak stumbles from the building. He is spotted, bleeding from his anus, by two girls who call the police. The police investigate while Dahmer returns and explains that the child is actually his 19 year old lover. The police leave without any further investigation and Konerak is later murdered and dismembered. Dahmer also kept his skull. If the last name sounds familiar he is the brother of the 13 year old Laotian who got away from him.

MATT TURNER (20) – June 30 1991

At a gay pride parade young Matt Turner meets Dahmer. Turner would become another victim of Dahmer’s and his skull is placed in the freezer. His body is also one that Dahmer left lying around his apartment as he was dismembered.

JEREMIAH WEINBERGER (23) July 5 1991

Weinberger and Dahmer meet at a nightclub and Jeremiah actually spends the entire night at Dahmer’s apartment. When he requests to leave the next morning Dahmer became enraged and treats him not unlike Konerak. Dahmer uses boiling water in place of hydrochloric acid. Turner was left in a coma like state for two days. Dahmer would later strangle him. Weinberger was dismembered and his head was placed in the freezer alongside Matt Turner.

OLIVER LACY (23) July 15 1991

Lacy spends some time with Dahmer at his apartment engaging in consensual sexual activity. As he had done with his previous victims Dahmer drugs Lacy and murders him once he is unconscious. Lacy is dismembered and both his heart and head are placed inside Dahmer’s fridge.

JOSEPH BRADEHOFT (25) July 19 1991

Bradehoft becomes Dahmer’s last murder. The two men have consensual sex at the apartment before Bradehoft is drugged and murdered. He is dismembered with his head and torso being placed in the freezer. His other remains however were placed in a large barrel of acid that Dahmer had purchased in Early July.

TRACY EDWARDS (31) July 24 1991

Tracy Edwards is the last man who Dahmer brought back to his apartment. Tracy was given a cocktail to make him drowsy. Dahmer tried to sexually assault Tracy. Tracy had began to struggle when Dahmer put a handcuff on his right arm. As Dahmer reached for a knife Tracy ran for the unlocked door. Dahmer attempted to pull the man back inside and a brawl broke out. Tracy hit Dahmer on the side of the head which knocked him to the floor. Edwards escaped and ran into the street where he was able to flag down a patrol car. The Police returned to Dahmers apartment and began their investigation. Police found photos of various states of dismemberment, a severed head on the ground, the fridge and freezer containing a heart, flesh, and a portion of muscle. The freezer contained 3 heads, a human torso, a bag containing more flesh and internal organs. The cupboard contained various chemicals and 2 bleached skulls. Also on the floor was a large kettle holding 2 hands and set of genitals. Police found 3 more skulls in a filing cabinet. The wardrobe was opened to show a complete skeleton, dried human scalp, and more genitals. In a small box they found 2 more skulls and next to the box was a 260 litre vat containing acid. Inside the acid police found 3 human torsos in various stages of decomposition. Dahmer is arrested.

AFTER ARREST

Dahmer is charged with four counts of homicide, from the evidence police find in his home. Dahmer admits that his crimes were wrong and did not shift blame. His bail was set for 1 million dollars. On January 13 1992, Dahmer changes his plea from innocent, to guilty with an insane defense. While Dahmer admitted to killing the fifteen identified victims he continued with his defense that he suffered a mental disease and as such should not be held responsible. On February 15 of the same year Dahmer is found guilty of 15 counts of murder and sentenced to 941 years in Jail.

DEATH

On November 28 1994 Dahmer is sexually assaulted and murdered in prison by Christopher Scarver at age 34. Scarver was a convicted murderer. Dahmers body was cremated, per his request, and his ashes were split among his parents. After Death in December 1995 a judge ordered the cremation of Dahmer’s brain, which had been preserved at the request of Dahmers mother who hoped to have it studied. Joyce hoped that studying the brain would determine whether or not biological factors were behind her sons behaviour. However, Lionel sought out the cremation because that is what Dahmer requested.

PYSCHOLOGY

Conditions: Necrophilia: Lionel Dahmer noticed four year old Jefferys fascination with animal bones collected from beneath the family home. Dahmer also collected dead animals from the sides of roads. Dahmer however did not enjoy the act of killing animals, a big difference from most seriall killers in their youth. He merely was fascinated by their bodies. In High School Dahmers interest would persevere. It is believed that this fascination grew into something erotic in adolescence. Dahmer would gain another obsession at this age: compulsive masturbation. His two biggest interests would slowly began to coincide. Dahmer found the warmth from a recently deceased body arousing, however similiary to how Dahmer took no joy in the killing of animals, Dahmer claims to not be a sexual sadist. He states that he derived no pleasure from his victims’ terror or pain. Dahmer would frequently keep pieces of his victims and use them in his masturbation. He even went so far as to keep on the heads in his locker at Ambrosia Chocolate Co. Dahmer also planned to build a shrine of sorts with the skulls and skeletons of his victims. This was supposed to be a kind of supernatural shrine and help Dahmer stay connected to his victims. Cannibalism: While Dahmer initially admitted to eating one victims bicep because he wanted to try it Dahmer put another victims head and heart in the fridge to eat later. Coworkers reported that Dahmer brought meat from home with a “special gravy” but refused to let any taste it. Dahmer would also keep chopped human meat in his freezer which he shaped into patties. He would later state that he ate his victims to keep them with him forever, similar to why he kept their skulls. Pedophilia: Dahmer was arrested numerous times for exposing himself to minors or molesting them. He somehow avoided capture for these crimes. His adult victims all shared a boyish appearance and were young in age. It isn’t clear whether the allegations that Dahmer was molested by a teenage neighbour are true, but it is common in most pedophile’s background. His father has claimed he was but Dahmer denied it and no charges have been made. Denial is not unusual, however and even more so among men. Exhibitionism: Dahmer’s exhibitionism could be seen as an outgrowth of his pedophilia. In August 1982 Dahmer was charged with drunk and disorderly conduct after exposing himself to a crowd, which included children. Four years later he would be arrested for lewd behavior after he was caught masturbating infront of two twelve year old boys. He confessed to five previous incidents of public masturbating and was sentenced to one year of probation. He was also ordered to seek therapy, which he failed to do. Depression: Paraphilias are frequently comorbid with depressive symptoms. Right before he was arrested Dahmer sought and killed victims while he reported his depressive episodes to his probation officer. Dahmer also alluded that losing his job would be a good reason to kill himself. Substance Dependence: Dahmer had a long, long history of substance abuse. He abused alcohol frequently beginning in high school where a classmate recalled Dahmer drinking scotch in class. Dahmer would continue this behaviour into college where he would often pass out drunk on his way back to his dorm. His alcoholic behaviour also got him dishonourably discharged from the army. According to defense expert Carl M. Wahlstrom M.D, Dahmer had to drink in order to murder his victims and that he did not enjoy that act of killing. Asperger’s Disorder According to Lionel (Dahmer’s father) Jeffery as a young child did not hold eye contact, showed blank facial expressions, was stiff and rigid, and had trouble interacting with other children. Quote from Dahmer “The subtleties of social life were beyond my grasp. When children liked me, I did not know why. Nor could I formu- late a plan for winning their affection. I simply didn't know how things worked with other people.... And try as I might, I couldn't make other people seem less strange and unknow- able. (Silva et

al., p. 1349). “ Silva et al. (2002) belive that Dahmer’s fixation on corpses and body parts allowed him to reimagine them as love and sex objects. Morever, his meticulous fascination with bones and body parts from a young age is also a sign of Aspergers – as much as his social and emotional impairments. It is noted however that borderline personality disorder and Aspergers is difficult to tell apart in adulthood since both impair interpersonal relations and share several core symptoms. Several facts and events in Dahmer’s life seem to actually argue against an Aspergers diagnosis. There was an incident where police caught Dahmer chasing a naked and bleeding 14 year old boy. Dahmer was able to convince the police that nothing was wrong – even though he had a decomposing corpse already in his bedroom. SOURCES A&E Biography Video: Jeffrey Dahmer https://murderpedia.org/male.D/d/dahmer-jeffrey.htm Baumann, Edward, Step into My Parlor: The Chilling Story of Serial Killer Jeffrey Dahmer. 1991. Dahmer, Lionel, A Father's Story. William Morrow and Company, 1994. Davis, Don, Milwaukee Murders, Nightmare in Apartment 213: The True Story. St Martin's Paperbacks, 1995. Martingale, Moira, Cannibal Killers. St. Martin's Paperbacks, 1993. Tithecott, Richard and James Kincaid, Of Men & Monsters: Jeffrey Dahmer & the Construction of the Serial Killer.

#Jeffrey dahmer #Jeffreydahmer #Dahmer #true crime #true crime blog #true crime community #true crime post

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smalltragedy · 3 years

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* natalia dyer, nonbinary + she/they | you know philomena carmichael, right? they’re twenty, and they’ve lived in irving for, like, a day? well, their spotify wrapped says they listened to the leanover by life without buildings like, a million times this year, which makes sense ‘cause they’ve got that whole wind whipping around your hair, the gentleness of decomposition, a naked blur dancing around the flames of an everlasting fire thing going on. i just checked and their birthday is april 20th, so they’re a taurus, which is unsurprising, all things considered. ( james, 22, est, they/them )

hi thank u all fr being so patient w me as i rapidly switch out muses n figure out wht the fuck im doing atm <3 also sry fr my rare presence work hs been kicking my ass like lets jst say i deserve 2 b smbdy’s housewife (misogny wins this time sry) so i nvr hv to work in my life <3 DFSLKSDHKGLFSHLKAGHLKAHLKSG this is a joke 2 clarify. anyways. this is philly she’s old bt she’s one of my very favorites ever. this intro is also old sry its nt in my usual. style. LKDFKHGLKGF

CANCER, TRAUMA, DEPERSONALIZATION / DEREALIZATION, DEATH, GRAPHIC MENTION OF DECAY, INSECTS MENTION TW.

mini playlist.

the girl who stole my tamagotchi ;; hot sugar / i dropped out ;; and the kids / pork soda ;; glass animals / wonderfully bizarre ;; bendigo fletcher / (dream) ;; salvia palth / alien blues ;; yundabar / dust in your pocket ;; glass animals / warm honey ;; willow / bela lugosi’s dead ;; bauhaus / gecgecgec ;; 100 gecs / blinding ;; florence and the machine / nantes ;; beirut / cherry-coloured funk ;; cocteau twins / not allowed ;; tv girl / oblivion ;; grimes / space song ;; beach house / dog food ;; 100 gecs / the leanover life ;; life without buildings.

statistics.

full name: philomena brontë carmichael

nickname(s): philly, phil, mena, etc.

birthday: april 20th, 2000.

zodiac: taurus sun, scorpio moon, aries ascending.

mbti & temperament: infp & improvisor / phlegmatic.

label: the halycon.

sexuality: demisexual.

pinterest.

biography.

a middle child belonging to christopher and imogen carmichael - two stanford professors. christopher specialized in british literature whilst imogen specialized in the classics. hence the name.

the order of siblings goes as such: lysander, elektra, juno, philomena, and twins orion & valora. the deal was that everybody had a greek (or in juno’s case, roman) first name and a middle name inspired by a piece of british literature circa 1800s and under. a family of nerds, if you will.

so, clearly - right off the bat, their parents are … eccentric. they’re both in love with their respected topic, and with each other, and with their kids. the carmichael family is a happy family.

they each have their own quirks and whatnot - though philly’s always been particularly dreamy - even as a child, she’d spend hours watching clouds or caterpillars or the leaves blow in the wind rather than play with other kids. she wasn’t a shy kid - she just had her own interests.

hardship doesn’t hit the family until philomena is five and starts having splitting headaches. they’re slow at first - but as soon as she’s seeing spots and unable to walk in a straight line, doctor appointments are made.

cancer tw // it doesn’t take long for them to discover the tumor, though the official diagnosis of malignant ependymoma comes a month later.

it’s grade ii but slow-moving, small enough to not be as much of a threat as worried, but big enough where removal is necessary. philomena earns a scar and brings it in for show-and-tell. for two months afterwards, philly’s at radiotherapy monday through friday.

they’re lucky - philomena’s considered cancer-free by the next year. she’s babied at first - handled delicately, as if she could break if touched - but with five other children … it doesn’t last for too long. end of cancer tw //

and life continues as normal.

her personality doesn’t shift much over the next few years - she’s awfully independent for a kid, and awfully quiet - when she speaks it’s about faeries and bigfoot, about how the sky is so blue and if you listen quietly, you can hear the leaves whisper their secrets to each other. this is not odd.

she’s close to all her siblings, but she idolizes her older sister - elektra. elektra’s six years older and dyes her hair whatever colors she wants. elektra bought a knife off a seedy guy downtown. elektra threw away all of her heels and renounced god. elektra is god. her music is loud but it’s not heavy - it’s florence and the machine.

they’re opposites - elektra’s boisterous and feels loudly, philomena’s softer and feels…less. when elektra sneaks out, philomena keeps watch. they are a duo.

philomena is smart - but she’s fifteen and hates school. hates sitting inside all day. hates the same routine - day after day - it’s all the same. her parents’ routine is the same, philly feels contained and she wants to live.

elektra’s twenty-one and just bought a brand new spanking (used but not falling apart) 19-something volkswagen … van - using her entire savings account. she says she’s tired of routine, she’s leaving the next day.

naturally, philomena stows away in the back and isn’t discovered until they’re two states away and she’s got to pee. elektra nearly crashes the van in shock.

it’s an argument - philomena vs. elektra, then them vs. their parents, then their parents vs. the school, the state - it’s an ordeal. philomena switches to an online program in the end.

it hurts christopher and imogen - lysander’s not having any of their nonsense, juno’s betrayed and alone - the twins are twins. in the end, it’s alright. the carmichael family is a happy family.

philomena and elektra take their time - it’s not a road trip, it’s their new life, permanently on the road. they stop and explore often - they do odd jobs in whatever town they settle in. they dine-n-dash, they shoplift. they survive in their own way.

during particularly desperate times, they two resorted to identity theft & credit fraud - getting away with it only by ditching the cards once they’ve made it out of state.

she drops out of high school officially when she’s seventeen - they have to drive all the way back to california to deal with the wrath of their parents and to deal with paperwork, but it’s done. philomena doesn’t know what path she wants in life - but it’s not that.

depersonalization / derealization tw // it’s during this time that the episodes occur - philomena’s outside her body, philomena’s wrapped in cotton, her memories are not her own. she’s looking in the mirror and she doesn’t recognize herself. they take shelter in a city for six months, long enough for her brand spankin’ new therapist to figure out what’s wrong with her. she’s diagnosed with depersonalization / derealization disorder - they think it’s stress. philomena doesn’t get stressed. they think it’s trauma. she laughs - she never laughs. depersonalization / derealization end of tw //

death, decay. maggots tw // there is trauma though, deep-rooted but somewhere inside - you just have to look for it.

you. just. have. to. look. for. it. look for it. look for it. look for it look for it look -

you were ten and she was thirteen, an off-trail hike in familiar woods in a familiar town, safe and familiar. it was your idea, to stray from the carved out paths, down creeks and up hills and round, and round again. you’re the one who spotted the scarf first, sticking up from the dirt and dancing in the wind like the beginning of reincarnation. it was not reincarnation, it was discovery. it was ruin. with curiosity drawn, you skidded down - with compliance, followed juno, followed your sister - clumsy in her steps and tumbling down quicker than you. you saw the corpse, but juno felt it. decaying flesh and maggot. end of death, decay, maggots tw //

and she left juno, just like that - just five years later, when juno had finally gone to the end of her wits. philly up and left. abandoned her.

philomena and elektra leave the city after that therapy session. they do not return. she’s always been good at hiding her secrets.

after ending up with warrants from their arrest in florida (after running from the law in texas), philly and elektra have wound up at irving <3 partially hiding from the law and partially bcos their trusty van’s broken down and they haven’t got the money to fix her up yet.

personality & facts.

she’s quiet but she’s confident - her voice sounds like rustling leaves, if leaves smoked a pack of cigarettes a day.

often underestimated - philly’s petite and looks like she’d fall over if a plastic bag blew too close to her. she’s independent - for the most part. elektra is the only person philly takes orders from.

has always been considered odd - weird, strange. still talks about the trees as if they’re listening, as if they’re old friends. she’s vague and doesn’t elaborate on the things she says.

believes in pretty much any superstition you throw her way. luck is very important to her. if you ask her if the earth is flat, she’ll say probably. believes strongly in bigfoot and the lochness monster. has personally seen aliens, and loves ghosts almost more than herself.

she can be amusing - whether you ‘get’ her or not, her outlook is often bright - she talks about the negatives the same way she talks about the positives. can be seen as naive or gullible, but she’s plenty smart. even if half of her education has come directly from google.

philly doesn’t laugh. a smile, yes - often, in fact - not always reaching her ears, or bearing teeth - but these are not indicators of her happiness. philly is consistently content. she thinks many things are funny - she still will not laugh.

her voice is often monotonous - she doesn’t sound dreary, she sounds far-away. her voice carries. her emotions are often unknown to others.

is apathetic in most situations. she’s hard to bother - she’s incredibly patient and enjoys the company of most - tolerates them at the very least. it’s hard for her to express her emotions, because she feels them so little that it’s very nearly not worth it. her affection is not verbal - it’s small touches and gestures of kindness, love in her own way.

is a fan of knock-knock jokes and bad puns. she won’t crack a smile while telling you them, nor does she expect you to laugh. she just enjoys them.

she owns a motorola razr covered in puffy stickers - hasn’t ever had a smartphone. she’s a fan of emoticons. her favorite is :o)

has a lot of bruises and scratches and scars - she’s often getting herself into pickles. there are always, at the very minimum, three bandaids on each hand.

she has insomnia, so she’s awake often. is often seen wandering town - even when she shouldn’t be, even when it might be dangerous. her intuition is delayed. when she does sleep - her dreams are vivid and fantastical.

keeps a box of memories - sentimental bits and pieces she’s picked up over the last few years. there are a lot of buttons and postcards, but any teeny tiny object will do.

her style changes every week - most, if not all, of her clothes are thrifted. one week she’s baby spice and the next she’s lydia deetz. she combines pieces from different styles often - she looks like a barbie clothed by a child. she feels most comfortable like this.

will either patch-up the clothes that get too worn or reuse them in some way. sometimes donates the clothes she gets tired off - isn’t minimalistic, but she’s learned to keep only a small amount of possessions.

the only consistency is her lucky ribbon - it’s pastel yellow and silky and as thin as a shoelace. she ties it onto her outfit of the day, everyday. if she loses it, she’s lost. elektra has a matching ribbon.

has no problem with minor theft - she only takes bare minimum, puts herself and elektra first and that’s how it’s always been.

currently living in florence, their van, with her sister elektra <3 currently residing in lilac ridge.

they used to live in motels on the occasion, the cheapest room, and more often than not they’d both go home with strangers for a comfier bed and a hotter shower.

it was a common occurrence - she didn’t sleep with them - but somehow, she weaseled her way into their homes anyway. has come out mostly unscathed, on most occasions. this has been a practice ever since they’ve been on the road.

really, truly - has not slept with anybody, had her first kiss at thirteen with a frog. this doesn’t bother her. (smirks at leo)

will consume anything you put in front of her - isn’t picky.

listens to whatever they’ve picked up along the way but she likes instrumentals the best. her second favorite genre is 1990′s and 2000′s top hits. they’re nostalgic for her. third favorites? florence, of course. fleetwood mac. the bird and the bee.

loves storms - will go out in the rain and will risk her life for it.

owns a pair of roller-skates and is often skating rather than walking. unless she’s on grass - then she’s walking barefoot.

has many hobbies, and gets bored of them often. her favorite hobby is welding. she’s not certified.

also, juggling.

also, accordion.

the kind of girl who’ll do any job you give her. odd jobs are her favorite jobs. babysitting is her least favorite - but she does it anyway. has lost children before. have they ever been found? not by philly.

dyes her hair blonde often and cuts her own hair - bangs included - finds it cathartic, likes the itchiness of bleach.

everything she does is often in pursuit of feeling free, alive, and meaningful.

( like her frequent visits to the woods, late at night when the moon is high and full. it’s freeing to dance around a fire, stark naked in the cold. builds immunity )

comes and goes wherever she pleases, nothing & nobody can stop her (besides elektra).

has a certain knack for getting animals to like her. has too many ‘pet’ rats that reside with her, alongside a baby raccoon & a few crow pals. has a new animal companion everyday, but she doesn’t contain them or force them to stay.

wanted plots.

speaking through my third eye ... ;; philly is new in town n shes very strange. constantly lives in a state in which she does not exist (at least on the same plane). this is her harassing the locals. this is her slipping thru their fingertips as they attempt 2 understand her. they get close smtms bt philly jst. whisks herself away.

hollows of our eyelids ... ;; perhaps there is smbdy jst as strange as philly. i’m out here calling fr all the weirdos. lets be friends. lets hv philly n co go on adventures n discover horrible sites n uncover ancient secrets tht lie deep below irving. mayb nt tht. bt im jst saying. this is fr the dreamers. da weirdos. the jugheads. LHKDSHFSADLKGFHLSKADG fr those who also feel as if they r not real.

bills n aches n blues... ;; ya this is my call fr all negative plots. bills (catching philly be a thief and a fraud), aches (mayb heartache? unrecruited feelings or w/e theyre called?), n blues (ooooh so sad... so sad ... angst ...) obviously i am a genius. i wldnt say tht philly is here 2 make enemies bc philly doesnt care much abt ppl bt perhaps tht cld b an issue. tht she doesnt care much abt others. mayb ur muse is jst like. cn u pls care. n philly is like. i am incapable. sry. sucks.

n also ,, ;; like. anything i’ll. take anything. philly is weird lets come up w surreal plots tht verge on the edge of like. nt being correct fr this verse. suddenly theres vampires? or so they think ... smirks. anyways. shes been 2 jail n been in the circus (shoutout 2 kirby) n dances naked in the woods n hoards animals n treasures. we hv a lot to work with here obv.

#irvingintro #death tw #decay tw #maggots tw #dissociation tw #depersonalization tw #derealization tw #cancer tw #trauma tw #zooweemama #anyways. kira's will b up soon

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6ftslytherin · 3 years

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An Ismarie fic

Marie Lowell's heart was in pain. For the past couple of days in fact. The girl she liked was probably happily dating her crush by now. Marie hadn't check on Ismelda since Emily Tyler had read her dairy aloud. She tried to follow her after she had run off but Marie was stopped. As it turns out, punching the girl that exposed your crushes secrets got you two weeks of detention. She was on her way to report for her punishment for the fifth time this week by way of an empty hall.

Marie knew beforehand that Ismelda liked Barnaby. She might have been the only person that she had told. She was honored to be trusted with Ismelda's secret. It was the lowest she had allowed the protective wall around her heart to fall. At the same time... Marie was jealous.

She didn't hate Barnaby. She knew he was smarter than people thought, not in a conventional, academic way. He was kind. He was handsome. Every woman's dream man. It made sense Ismelda would like him. They would look cute together. Couples that were made of opposites were cute. He was the opposite of Marie.

Maybe she had been holding out hope. Her parents were both bright and shiny people, so similar people could have a happy relationship. But there was a major problem. Ismelda never mentioned being attracted to girls. Marie knew she was gay. She had known since she was twelve, publicly out since she was fifteen.

Marie was another stereotype. A lesbian that had developed a crush on her straight friend. What was wrong with friendship? Queer girls can have same sex friends, Marie had some. So why did she have to fall for a girl she knew was Interested in a boy? There were plenty of girls she could go out with that might like her back.

Marie was worried she might actually be a masochist. What other explanation could there be? Maybe something had messed with her brain years ago or perhaps she had been born like this.

Marie realized she had been scratching at her head, as if her thick hair wasn't messy enough on it's own. If only she had inherited her dad's straight hair. Maybe touching it was a sort of comfort to her from the time she didn't have any. Chemotherapy was never nice.

Marie almost jumped out of her skin when she heard an angry scream followed by a loud smash. She looked around for where the sounds could have come from. There was a door that was barely open. Another yell and a smashing sound. A little part of her brain told her the room was full of banshees that were waiting for her (and braking vases for some reason.)

Marie slowly opened the door. No banshees, but again, a scream and a vase smashing against a wall. In the abandoned classroom was a panting Ismelda. She hurriedly used repairo, let out a primal scream, and threw it again. Pieces of vase shot everywhere as she collapsed onto her the floor.

Marie was confused. What happened with Sabine's plan? Shouldn't she be in Barnaby's arms? Sabine knew Marie liked Ismelda, but her friends had all but forced her to try and get Barnaby and Ismelda together. She said she needed Marie's permission before trying out a plan they had come up with. Marie knew she could never make Ismelda happy the way she wanted. So she gave her blessing. A blessing that had felt like she had torn her own heart out. If she had remembered right, then today was the day the plan should have gone through. So what happened?

"Uh... Is?" Marie said. Ismelda whipped her head around. Her pale face was now red with eyeliner running down her cheeks. Marie closed the door and walked over to her. Her feelings didn't matter at the moment. Ismelda was in pain. She needed to help her. She kicked some of the debris away and sat next to her.

"What's wrong?" Marie asked. Ismelda cried harder as she tried to say something. Marie did her best to understand what she was saying but her audio processing disorder was making it more difficult than it should be. All she got was "I hate them" and "I want them dead."

Ismelda laid her forehead on Marie's shoulder. Marie didn't mind if Ismelda needed somewhere to cry. She was a bit glad Ismelda trusted her like this, but she felt guilty. This intimacy with her was something she craved but knew she shouldn't bask in. She was sick. How could she be thinking like this when her friend was bawling her eyes out? Marie needed to push her feelings down and let Ismelda cry it all out. That was when she made something out of Ismelda's sobbing.

"Why doesn't anyone love me?"

It felt as if Marie had been hit by a bludger. Of course people loved her. Ismelda's family might care about her much but Marie knew people did. Last year when Ismelda had visited for the first time her parents all but adopted her. Sabine defended her when others made fun of her, almost acting like the (by a few months) big sister her own wasn't. Marie wished she was more like Sabine, the more confident and openly emotional of the two.

Marie couldn't even work up the courage to reassure her that she had people that cared about her... Or did she? She swallowed hard.

"Is?" Ismelda looked at her through her red, wet eyes. "People do love you. Sabine, my parents... me." Ismelda's face twisted in frustration. "I don't mean that kind of love. I mean the kind that makes it feel like you can see new, beautiful colors. Don't you understand? Barnaby was the only boy that has ever given a shit about me. Without him I'll die alone!"

Marie did understand. "You don't get it Marie! I'm a fucking freak!" Ismelda yelled before putting her face back onto Marie's shoulder. Was this really what Ismelda felt about himself? Marie felt nauseous. How could she? How does she not see how amazing she is? Hearing her friend talk like this was devastating.

"What are you talking about?" Marie asked before she could stop herself. Ismelda's crying softened. Marie was stunned by her own boldness. She was normally so passive. What was it about Ismelda that made her act like this? Maybe just being near her made Marie braver. If there was ever a time to tell her what she really thinks, well... she already put her foot in the door so...

"I don't think your a freak, I think your amazing. Nobody else even comes close to how unique you are. I can tell you about various ways decomposition takes place and you don't say I'm creeping you out. You even ask questions because your genuinely interested in what I have to say." Marie's face was radiating heat at this point.

"Your so much more than people give you credit for. You hexed that guy that was making fun of me. You put your scarf on me when I couldn't stop crying. You help me whenever I'm having trouble with my history homework. I just like being around you. I'm genuinely confused as to why nobody else can see how wonderful you are. Even if you are a freak, then I guess I like freaks."

Marie put her hand over her face. "A-and your so p-p-pretty." Was that going to far? Ismelda had stopped crying and took her head off Marie's shoulder. She had crossed the line. There's no way she didn't. She should leave. Marie had messed up their friendship.

"Your the one that's pretty."

Marie was frozen in place. What was she talking about? "Have you seen my face? My nose is all messed up. My jaw is too square. My cheekbones are too defined. My hair is too greasy. I'm too tall. I'm too skinny. I've got big feet and small boobs. My personality ain't much better either..." Ismelda said as she played with the hair that covered her face.

Marie felt an anger rising in her. She lowered her hand from her face. How dare Ismelda talk like that? Why? Why can't she see the beauty that is Ismelda? She wasn't beautiful like a gemstone or princess gown. She was beautiful like a masterfully made casket full of advanced spell and history books. A highly polished walnut casket with a green crushed velvet interior. The books only understandable by those that truly took pleasure in their studies. Morbid, but appreciated by those that can see the beauty in it. Marie was worried her decision to become a mortician warped her ability to think clearly sometimes, but that's how she truly felt.

"I don't care about that. You deserve love too. I promise you won't die alone. You'll find someone who can appreciate you the way you deserve. You might already know your future partner or you might not. The point is you can't lose hope. Even if Barnaby isn't the one there are plenty of people that will see how special you are and love you back. I want you to understand how great I think you are."

They both stared in front of them.

There was silence.

Marie shouldn't have said that. It was too much. Did Ismelda know about her crush on her? She ruined their friendship. That must be what happened. She wasn't saying anything because she was freaked out.

That was when Marie noticed Ismelda's hand was almost touching hers. Her hand hadn't been there before, had it? What was she doing? Did she put her hand there unconsciously? Did she want Marie to notice her? Did she want Marie to... hold her hand?

No... that couldn't be. Could it? Was she misreading the signals? She must be. It was ridiculous to think other wise.

That was when Marie felt something touch her little finger. She looked back down. Ismelda's hand was touching hers now. Part of her worried if Ismelda could hear how loud her heart was violently beating itself against her rib cage.

Would it be overstepping her boundaries if she took her hand? Would it be selfish to do such a thing? She felt like her next action would change her world forever.

Marie took Ismelda's hand into her own.

She had done it. She really did just ruin her friendship with Ismelda. She was going too far. She was going to say her sweaty hand was gross and how dare she try to take advantage of her in this emotional time.

But she didn't.

She actually squeezed her hand.

Marie squeezed back.

Marie had no idea how much time had passed. Minutes? Hours? Days? She looked at Ismelda who was looking back at her.

Was the room getting hotter? Was the rest of the world even there anymore? All she could think of right now was the intoxicating pine green of her eyes and the freckles that dotted her skin like stars.

Neither was sure who moved first but both girls closed their eyes and got closer. Their noses bumped into each other and made them open their eyes for a second before going back to what they were doing. It was their first kiss.

Marie was worried her bpm had gone over 150. Her stomach was full of pixies. She felt Ismelda's hand squeeze tighter on hers. She was glad they were already sitting on the floor, even without standing her knees felt weak. Marie was sure she would wake up any moment now. That was the only thing that made sense in this scenario. Their lips left each other and they opened their eyes. They rested their foreheads together.

"Is, I like you. I like you a lot." Marie said before anything else could get in the way of her feelings. They had just kissed. She couldn't hold it back anymore. "I'm sorry." Marie's eyes stung with small drops of tears. There was no way to go back now. If only she had been born a boy. She wanted to be with Ismelda. Nothing else mattered right now except for her.

"Marie... I..." Ismelda was trying to put her thoughts together. "I don't think I'm gay. But... I think I like you? I think I've liked you for awhile.. Not like Barnaby, but close? A little different? I don't know... I think I need some time to think." She said as she ran her thumbs over Marie's fingers.

Marie felt so weird. Ismelda liked her? She was so happy. Only two people existed in the world anymore and it was them. The closen she craved was within her reach. Then Marie thought, what if she's just emotional from being rejected? She couldn't be with her if she didn't truly like her back the way Marie liked her. She was brought back down to Earth. Marie removed her head from Ismelda's and looked her in the eyes.

"I understand. You have to take as much time as you need. This isn't something we can't rush. If you decide this isn't for you that's fine. If you decide you want to try being with me than I'll be glad to accept. If you want to try being with a different girl or a guy that's alright too. But this can't be rushed. You need think if this is something you really want."

"Yeah. I've got you. Let just be friends until I get this sorted out." Ismelda said as she let go of Marie's hand. She quietly got up and walked to the door. She paused and turned back to look at Marie. Ismelda smiled a little. "I'll see you around. Don't tell anyone I was crying or I'll kill you." She said. Marie smiled back. "I know. I'll see you later." Ismelda left the room.

Marie sat in the silence.

She laid down on the stone floor.

That was when the weight of their talk hit her. She balled up the bottom of her sweater and screamed into it. She rolled back and forth. How could this really have happened? Was she high? Was she under an illusion?

Marie was panicking with anxiety. She was overwhelmed with joy. But most of all, she was definitely late in reporting to Mr. Filch.

————

"Where have you been girl? Do you think these banisters polish themselves? No! They require hard work! Something you Lowells have never had to deal with." Filch said as he roughly handed Marie a can of polish and a rag. "And wipe that smile off your face before I hang you from your feet! You Lowells always think your better than everyone else... well I'll show you..." Filch muttered as he walked away to do other work.

Marie caught a glimpse of herself in a reflective suit of armor. Her face was bright red and her mouth in the shape of a weird, anxious smile. She tried her best to force her face back to normal, but then she remembered kissing Ismelda again. Her face went back to the unusual goofiness.

She took a deep breath and got to work on the stairs, with her big stupid smile and a bit of hope in her heart for when Ismelda made up her mind.

She was really glad she punch Emily Tyler.

#hogwarts mystery #hphm #marie lowell #ismelda murk #oc x ismelda #fan fic #marie x ismelda #Ismarie

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philcmena · 4 years

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「natalia dyer & demi girl」⇾ carmichael, philomena, the junior radcliffe student’s records show that she/they are a taurus and 20 years old. she/they are studying wildlife science, living in noland and can be whimsical, patient, apathetic & unpredictable. when i see her/them i am reminded of the gentleness of decomposition, dancing naked around the flames, and whipping wind in your hair. ⇽「james & 21 & est & they/them.」

here’s my second !! baby child i love a lot ... much kinder ... a bit odd .. love of my life ... a classic ... a favorite ..

TW CANCER, TRAUMA, DEPERSONALIZATION / DEREALIZATION DISORDER ( ALT. DISSOCIATION ), DEATH, DECAY, MAGGOTS.

aesthetic.

wildflowers in your hair and bare feet against moss, binoculars and maps, madonna beating out of half-dead speakers in a half-dead van, whipping wind, jumping off cliffs and rolling down hills, a bandaid wrapped around each finger, cryptic bumper stickers and cryptids in the woods, facing the sun and letting the rays hit you, counting stars late into the night, dancing naked in the woods with nothing but fire to light your way, mismatched socks and lucky ribbons, hoarding a box of special treasures, shoplifting and diner-dashing, bleach against roots, pink sweaters paired with ripped fishnets and slip dresses with knock off uggs, willingly wearing crocs, glitter stickers, fungi and feeling one with them, lying down and decomposing, they’ll find us in a week. they’ll find us in a week.

basic info.

full name: philomena brontë carmichael

nickname(s): philly, phil, mena, etc.

b.o.d. - april 20th lmao !!

label(s): the amaranth, the halycon, the neophyte, the wanderer, etc. etc.

height: 5′4″

hometown: woodside, ca

sexuality: demisexual !!!!

pinterest ( & her family pinterest b/c they’re my most developed family uwu)

stats

inspired by: luna lovegood (harry potter), orla mccool (derry girls), cassie ainsworth (skins), alice (alice’s adventures in wonderland), amelie (amelie).

biography.

a middle child belonging to christopher and imogen carmichael - two stanford professors. christopher specialized in british literature whilst imogen specialized in the classics. hence the name.

so, clearly - right off the bat, their parents are … eccentric. they’re both in love with their respected topic, and with each other, and with their kids. the carmichael family is a happy family.

it doesn’t take long for them to discover the tumor, though the official diagnosis of malignant ependymoma comes a month later.

and life continues as normal.

they’re opposites - elektra’s boisterous and feels loudly, philomena’s softer and feels…less. when elektra sneaks out, philomena keeps watch. they are a duo.

naturally, philomena stows away in the back and isn’t discovered until they’re two states away and she’s got to pee. elektra nearly crashes the van in shock.

it’s an argument - philomena vs. elektra, then them vs. their parents, then their parents vs. the school, the state - it’s an ordeal. philomena switches to an online program in the end.

during particularly desperate times, they two resorted to identity theft & credit fraud - getting away with it only by ditching the cards once they’ve made it out of state.

it’s during this time that the episodes occur - philomena’s outside her body, philomena’s wrapped in cotton, her memories are not her own. she’s looking in the mirror and she doesn’t recognize herself. they take shelter in a city for six months, long enough for her brand spankin’ new therapist to figure out what’s wrong with her. she’s diagnosed with depersonalization / derealization disorder - they think it’s stress. philomena doesn’t get stressed. they think it’s trauma. she laughs - she never laughs.

there is trauma though, deep-rooted but somewhere inside - you just have to look for it.

you. just. have. to. look. for. it. look for it. look for it. look for it look for it look -

and she left juno, just like that - just five years later, when juno had finally gone to the end of her wits. philly up and left. abandoned her.

philomena and elektra leave the city after that therapy session. they do not return. she’s always been good at hiding her secrets.

three years later and her parents want philly to have a higher education - desperate for it, really - worried for her future. it’s a battle that she loses, getting her GED and applying to a local college in florida in shameful compliance.

they’re there for a year until philly gets (expectantly) expelled from the community college & the two of them are banned from the town they’d residing in up until that point. they don’t talk about it - but boy, was it one hell of a time.

they found refuge in lovell, a town that seemed to suit them well - it suited elektra’s desire to travel up and down the east coast, and it intrigued philomena enough to the point of her being content with staying. soon after, philly officially transferred to radcliffe for the fall semester & they’ve been here since!

UPDATE: another summer update! very simple ... she n elektra traveled the states again, as they always do ... like clockwork. had to be dragged back to radcliffe (doesn’t like staying in one place for too long) bt also <3 likes a lot of people here n brought them all souvenirs. it ws very nice! nothing bad.

personality.

she’s quiet but she’s confident - her voice sounds like rustling leaves, if leaves smoked a pack of cigarettes a day.

has always been considered odd - weird, strange. still talks about the trees as if they’re listening, as if they’re old friends. she’s vague and doesn’t elaborate on the things she says.

her voice is often monotonous - she doesn’t sound dreary, she sounds far-away. her voice carries. her emotions are often unknown to others.

is a fan of knock-knock jokes and bad puns. she won’t crack a smile while telling you them, nor does she expect you to laugh. she just enjoys them.

she owns a motorola razr covered in puffy stickers - hasn’t ever had a smartphone. she’s a fan of emoticons. her favorite is :o)

has a lot of bruises and scratches and scars - she’s often getting herself into pickles. there are always, at the very minimum, three bandaids on each hand.

keeps a box of memories - sentimental bits and pieces she’s picked up over the last few years. there are a lot of buttons and postcards, but any teeny tiny object will do.

has no problem with minor theft - she only takes bare minimum, puts herself and elektra first and that’s how it’s always been. she tries to be good while in lovell / radcliffe - would hate to be forced out by mobs with torches and pitchforks

currently living in noland while elektra stays in their van, florence - sometimes philly stays there during the weekends.

they used to live in motels on the occasion, the cheapest room, and more often than not they’d both go home with strangers for a comfier bed and a hotter shower.

really, truly - has not slept with anybody, had her first and only kiss at thirteen with a frog. this doesn’t bother her.

will consume a n y t h i n g you put in front of her - isn’t picky.

loves storms - will go out in the rain and will risk her life for it.

owns a pair of roller-skates and is often skating rather than walking. unless she’s on grass - then she’s walking barefoot.

has many hobbies, and gets bored of them often. her favorite hobby is welding. she’s not certified.

also, juggling.

also, accordion.

dyes her hair blonde often and cuts her own hair - bangs included - finds it cathartic, likes the itchiness of bleach.

everything she does is often in pursuit of feeling free, alive, and meaningful.

( like her frequent visits to the woods, late at night when the moon is high and full. it’s freeing to dance around a fire, stark naked in the cold. builds immunity )

comes and goes wherever she pleases, nothing & nobody can stop her (besides elektra). has befriended the campus witch, or as much as the witch will allow, and shrike as well. she knows to respect nature, and abandoned sites - she’s practically free to explore as she wishes, her only pride is the trust she’s gained.

the trust expands to animals as well, she has a certain knack for getting them to like her. has too many ‘pet’ rats that reside with her, alongside a baby raccoon & a few crow pals. has a new animal companion everyday, but she doesn’t contain them or force them to stay.

leaves her window in noland wide open because of this, because her window is conveniently right besides a tree with sturdy branches. good for animal smuggling, sneaking in and out, hiding, etc. etc. world is her oyster.

though her room in noland is ??? frankly a mess ??? already ??? usually keeps most of her possessions in her memory box but she’s also turned her room into a mini labyrinth of knick-knacks. very cozy, but very nest-like. think of howl’s room from howl’s moving castle.

wanted connections.

random encounters… it’s only her second semester at radcliffe, she hasn’t met everybody yet i’m sure

random encounters…in the wild… alternately, people she’s met before in a different part of the country. whether she’s stolen from them or crashed at their place, or simply shared a dinner. anything goes!

unexpected sleepover… someone whose place she crashed at after a mysterious night. a party, adventure, etc. etc. maybe they don’t even remember her staying over, maybe she hadn’t been with them to begin with.

employers… she does a lot of odd jobs! knows how to make a lot of things in many different mediums just to earn a small living.

friends… y’know … people who enjoy her presence, likes her oddness. they may not understand her, but they appreciate her. or maybe they do understand her, in their own way!

not friends… philly doesn’t consider anybody an enemy in the slightest, but some people may not be fond of her … think she’s a little too strange, or they refuse to understand her, or something of the likes.

closing in… someone trying to get closer to her, trying to figure her out on a level deeper than what she would like, and she keeps slipping out from between their fingers every time.

mom friend mom friend mom friend… older sibling figures! dad friends! take one look at philly and instantly want to swaddle n protect her.

caught red handed… someone catches her stealing or about to dine-n-dash. do they care? who knows!

late-night shenanigans… they just walk and talk at night … very relaxing … not actually very shenanigans filled…

a dealer… because she wasn’t born on 4/20 for nothing. she’s not turning 20 on 4/20/20 fr nothing. don’t fail us.

debating conspiracies… or superstitions, really anything. maybe they’re frustrated at her apathy surrounding all situations.

no likey… :( they distrust her. probably fr good reason tho … i don’t blame you

thrifting pals… no explanation needed methinks

an eventual hook-up… maybe … possibly … it’s questionable, but it could happen! can’t stay a virgin forever! (or well. she cld. we’ll see!) she’d probably have to trust yr muse a lot though

unrequited romance uwu… probably unrequited on her end because she doesn’t usually think of anybody in a romantic sense - it’s possible, but you’d have to be something special for her to like you back. that being said …

something returned… eventually, slowly. slow. it’ll take time.

maybe something returned !! eventually. slowly. slow.

n like rly anything u want !! anything u can think of i am here 2 fulfill … we can brainstorm all sorts of wacky scenarios!! she’s a thief! she’s an accordion player! she dances naked in the woods! she’s been in the circus AND a small utah county jail!

#ruhqintro #cancer tw #trauma tw #depersonalization tw #derealization tw #dissociation tw #death tw #maggots tw #decay tw

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becomestorm · 5 years

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DRAGON FAUNUS HC COMPILATION.

previous compilation was written here over two years ago. these headcanons only apply to my specific interpretation of ren, if your muse deals with dragon faunus lore, you’re not obligated to acknowledge them. as another disclaimer, ren’s headcanoned faunus heritage, while is a large part of their portrayal, is not the most vital or a pinnacle element of it. it was something that i added because i thought that it would be interesting, but i want to make it clear that i never intend to detract from canonical or oc faunus muses’ struggles.

the initial reason i wanted to make ren a dragon faunus was because i wanted to somehow include mushu in my portrayal. there were other more complicated reasons i felt inclined to do it, including parts of a thesis i was working on at a time analysing the historical accuracies involving mulan’s confusian oriented belief system and it’s representations on the hun army in the disney movie, but none of them were as profound and simple as this post. the primary reason i choose to keep ren a dragon faunus is because it is heavily implied the spirit of the great stone dragon was imbued into mulan before joining the war.

ren’s faunus trait is a pair of ivory horns. a lot of mistrali based dragons have horns similar to antlers, and ren’s will eventually do that come professional huntsman verse, splinter into antlers i mean. when ren was a child, in an act of violence by faunus poachers, their horns were broken off. because their anatomy is a mixture of antler, soft bone, and keratin, ren’s horns would grow back in time, but it would take a long time especially since up until a year or two before beacon ren was filing them down in order to avoid being harassed. dragon horns, whether eastern or western styled, fetch a hefty price on the black market.

it’s a common thread of dragon faunus mythology that they descended from dragon shifters. of course, words were muddled up along the way, and there are many many variations of these myths. the magically protected remnants of the old world in the brother’s time left some supposed evidence that faunus, the new race, were the descendants of the depicted brother gods who often were portrayed in their bestial forms : dragons. just like the stories of the maidens were lost to time, so too were the remains and beliefs in the brother gods. but one superstition still remains among dragon faunus society, and it is that western dragon faunus are often depicted as terrifying malevolent creatures ( modelled after the god of darkness ), while eastern dragon are regularly depicted as wise and benevolent ( modelled after the god of light. )

because in this house we say “fuck you” to the one trait rule, i headcanon that dragon faunus have one main trait, and then a bunch of sub traits which greatly alter their physiology. main dragon traits are often flashy : horns, wings, tail, and / or an excess of scales. for example an important signature trait of dragon faunus is the ability to breathe fire, which separates them from any other reptile faunus. dragon faunus are born with a special venom reservoir ( what the venom is made of is a mystery, but ren theorises that it is actual liquid aura with some similar attributes to fire dust ) which leaks into the fangs. when the venom leaks out of the fangs and catalyses with oxygen, it becomes a flammable gas / smoke ( not harmful to anyone inhaling it ) meant to react to flint. dragon faunus are born with a gap in their gums specifically to place either flint or a piece of dust in there in order to breath fire. ( because of this, dragon faunus are resistant to the negative effects of dust ingestion. )

the amount of dragon faunus venom produced, and the muscles associated with the reservoir react to adrenaline, an increased heart rate, as well as an instinctive urge to bite. this makes the four major states of increased smoke production anger, nervousness, happiness, and arousal. the smoke itself is a different scent depending on the person, as it is theorised the venom is made from aura, the scent is as unique as the aura itself. ren’s smoke smells like lily incense. ren has a good sense of control over their smoke. not only does their semblance help them with controlling their emotions, but it is ingrained in lie dragon faunus to keep calm and focus so their smoke cannot be used to track them down. it is very rare of ren to lose their composure enough for someone to see the smoke ( especially when they are still hiding the fact that they are fauni. ) the smoke has a slight reflective property when inhaled, making the subject feel the same thing ren is feeling. if it is inhaled when ren is happy, then the subject will become happier too.

a fairly common attribute in some faunus are different genetic make up. ren is capable of processing raw meat in times of extreme desperation, even though their culinary knowledge and ability to breathe fire make this obsolete. they also have powerful lungs that aren’t as susceptible to things like cigarette smoke and harsh airborne chemicals, or at least corrode slower than human lungs. ren also has eyes which dilate and contract depending on exposure to sunlight, tougher nails to build up claws, fangs, etc.

dragon faunus bones are hollow, like a bird’s. to be honest, i have the same physiology headcanon about any faunus that can fly. they’re not completely hollow but there are air pockets within the bones. skeletal pneumaticity allows for a redistribution of mass within the body, and though does not drastically affect ren’s weight ( they’re a little lighter for a male their age ) this part of their physiology allows for better balance of weight within the body to allow for greater balance, agility, and ( with winged dragon faunus ) ease of flight. because of this, dragon faunus are susceptible to calcium deficiencies and bone diseases.

because ren’s horns were broken off when they were young and continuously filed down, they are small for their age. in dragon culture, it would be embarrassing to have horns this small unless you were still a child. dragons in ren’s region used to decorate their horns with intricate carvings, with jewellery, but ren is too afraid of damaging the integrity of them. the most they’ll do is wrap some flower and flower stems around them. because of their trauma concerning their horns, no one but close friends and family are allowed to touch them.

the reason the lie family heads have an extensive reputation for being isolating in regards to protecting their family comes from ancient horror stories of dragon poaching. the reason dragon faunus are so rare is because they are an ancient ancestral line rich with magic in their own physiology. they have been murdered and harvested for their faunus traits before. it’s a common thread of mythology that dragons were once made of pure magic ( originating from old stories of the two brothers ) and there is not one part of the dragon that cannot be sold for a very high price on the black market.

list of dragon part properties below, cut for length.

dragon bones are highly valuable because of their slow decomposition and strength. they are however hollow, which explains the common trait in lie heirs of valuing speed and agility over strength, making them very gifted in acrobatics and free running. dragon bones were often used to craft heat and lava proof tools. they were also used to create strong weaponry which seemed to amplify the strength of dust.

dragon eyes have six optic nerves to see light in different part so the colour spectrum, as opposed to the human’s one optic nerve. dust — aided lenses created using dragon eye could reveal parts of the dragon’s advance eyesight to regular humans and most faunus.

dragon scales are diamond hard, capable of resisting most projectiles unaffected, and are most often made of the minerals used to create their suitable gemstone, ie. an emerald scale to suit ren’s would be made out of beryl, chromium, and vanadium. dragon scales have a lifespan ; where they are fresh and newly grown they are their most beautiful and valuable, the extraction of a fresh scale is the most painful similar to the extraction of a fingernail and leaves scars in the shape of the outline of the scale. a dragon scale extracted stays the same and will not go through it’s lifespan. dragon scales dull over time, and are quicker to dull depending on the age of the dragon. when they are duller they are easier to remove, and it is at this point where they can be shaped into top notch jewellery, or even melted down into weaponry or dust — enhanced / enhancing tools. this cannot be done with fresh scales. the last stage of the scale is when they fall off to make room for a fresh new set of scales, it is at this point when they can be ground into actual dust ( this is where the foundation of ‘ dragons are made from magic ‘ mythology came from ) or turned into a potent drug which temporarily enhances semblance but at the terrifying cost of turning your flesh into crystal, and when it wears off the flesh turned crystal will either stay as is or crumble away. there is also a rumour that dragon scales dissolved into sulphuric acid, and again into 100 parts water can create an invisible ink glowing only under the magnetic conditions pertaining to the shattered moon.

dragon wings are one of the most light and durable materials known to man, primarily used in the age of brutality to aid in the creation of flying machines. they are fireproof, waterproof, and generally indirect damage proof. they will still break under physical pressure and are one of the slowest recovering parts of their body, the most effective outside weak spot. in a way similar to a tongue, most regenerative ability distributes to the wing first and then the rest of the body. the wings are highly important weak spots, in the words of the vikings, a downed dragon is a dead dragon. dragons with wings primarily made of feathers were also targeted; specifically because dragon quills are perfect for creating dust tattoos having no need to dip the quill in dust before applying it to the skin. it is just automatically there, since the feathers when burnt create dust in their ashes.

dragon teeth are commonly used to create dust — amplifying weapons, but the most valuable part of the dragon mouth is most definitely the venom reservoir ( mentioned above ). dragon faunus produce this all their lives, no matter if they use them or not. the smoke produced from combining the spark pouch and the venom reservoir is rumoured to reflect the temperament of the user once inhaled. the material in the venom reservoir is still unknown!! it has very few common traits, though is rumoured to take on characteristics depending on person. ren’s venom is the same colour as their eyes and aura. their venom is deceptively sweet smelling, and though ren hasn’t learnt much through experimentation, knows that the smoke they produce often smells like fading incense.

dragon blood is a slow corrosive. this is one of the most rare dragon faunus traits. in small doses can promote health and regeneration, in the rarest cases able to cure incurable diseases and even regenerate lost limbs ( like a lizard ). it can be used to heal most wounds. ingested dragon’s blood in high doses can corrode the body from the inside out, damaging the brain and language centre first. those that have abused dragon’s blood before are recorded to speak some strange ancient language before dying. the ancient lie clan believed this language was that of the moon men. unbeknownst to her, ren’s mother was a dragon faunus with one such trait. she did not know this for the entirety of her existence, though she did miraculously heal from a terminal illness as she aged. she effectively destroyed her matrilineal history of a special terminal illness that has affected their family for countless generations. she never came to know this, and until ren has children, and their children have children, they might never know.

western origin dragon horns hollowed out produce beautiful music. there is no magical trait about them save for particularly successful results when used in pagan rituals, or high levels of luck in killing enemies when made into a dust — amplifying weapon. horns are considered the least valuable of all dragon parts, and thus are the most common trait.

#hc.#long post.#ask to tag #:') it's done

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okayto · 6 years

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Alex Awards

Alex Awards are given each year to 10 books written for adults, but which have special appeal to young adults. I often recommend them to students who are getting a bit tired of the YA collection*. The award’s homepage has lists of the awarded books each year, but here are a few of my favorites from its 20-year history:

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick (2001 award)

The true story that inspired Moby Dick, in 1820 the whaleship Essex was sunk by the sperm whale it was attempting to kill. The survivors piled into lifeboats and attempted a 3000-mile journey to land as their numbers dwindled. Once a well-known tale during the days of whaling, the story is now presented as an absolute page-turner.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (2003)

In an alternate universe 1985, literature is the pinnacle of entertainment and pop culture. Literary detective Thursday Next investigates Shakespeare forgeries and book thefts before the hunt for a terrorist leads her to a device that can allow people to enter works of fiction, and her actions inadvertently change the outcome of Jane Eyre.

Fast-paced, quick-witted and tightly-plotted, this book (and everything else by author Jasper Fforde) is amazing, difficult to sum up, and absolutely no prior knowledge of any other books are necessary.

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach (2004)

What actually happens when you “donate your body to science”? Well, it could be used in crash tests…or as practice for plastic surgeons, or decomposed in various conditions so forensics people can do that “well at the rate of decomposition here in Kansas in July she’s been dead for three weeks” thing but in real life. Author-journalist Mary Roach is one of the funniest, most engaging nonfiction writers I’ve come across, and her abundant curiosity and willingness to ask lots of weird questions make the book fabulous.

Soulless by Gail Carriger (2010)

In an AU steampunkish Victorian London, Alexia Tarabotti has several problems. One: she has no soul. Two: she’s a spinster. Three: a vampire just attacked her without so much as an introduction, breaking all rules of social etiquette. And four: she just killed said vampire and is being pulled in to more supernatural shenanigans, which is not ideal during the London Season.

Fun with excellent doses of sarcasm and several other books and series subsequently written in the same universe.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2012)

Yes, yes, I know the movie just came out. I haven’t seen it. But the book is an interesting thriller—in a world where almost everything in is facilitated or done online through virtual reality (OASIS), a [generic teenage] boy races an evil corporation to unlock the puzzles of OASIS’s 80s-obsessed creator, in order to claim the OASIS for the common people and not require loads of money like Evil ComcastWarnerCorp will.

Lock In by John Scalzi (2015)

In the near future, a highly contagious virus leaves some victims “locked in” to their bodies: aware, awake, but unable to move or respond to stimulus. FBI agent Chris, locked in since toddlerhood and using an android body, teams up with a veteran agent to investigate a series of murders and finds that the real mystery goes much deeper.

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (2017)

Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children hosts those who have returned, from those worlds found at the bottom of a rabbit hole, in old wells, in the back of a wardrobe. However, not all children wanted to return, and their confused parents are eager to send them to a therapeutic school. When Nancy returns from an underworld and is packed off to the Home, her arrival coincides with a dark tragedy that threatens the Home’s existence.

Of note: Nancy is asexual and it’s not the point of her character, it’s just mentioned. (!!!!) A sequel-ish (same world, focusing on a different character), Down Among the Sticks and Bones, also was an Alex Award winner for 2018.

Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable-Path Adventure by Ryan North (2017)

Did you ever read Romeo and Juliet and wished Romeo never met Juliet? Or thought it might be better if they teamed up to take over Verona with robot suits? Or just wished those Choose Your Own Adventure books from childhood came in adult size? Good news! All of that is here!

*(This does not, of course, mean that you can’t find well-written YA books, but sometimes it’s hard to figure out where to start with “adult fiction” if one wants to explore past YA.)

#gail carriger #jasper fforde #mary roach #john scalzi #ryan north #seanan mcguire #books #reviews #recommendation

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phoebebucklephotops · 7 years

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Analyse how and why the contemporary photographers Klaus Pichler, Billy Kidd and Martino Zegwaard have explored ideas to do with decay and decomposition in their practical work and to what extent does the work force the viewer to re-evaluate how they see these subjects.

‘(Of organic matter) rot or decompose through the action of bacteria and fungi.’ This is what has been stated in the English Oxford Dictionary. This gives a clearer understanding of what decay means and wat it can be related to.

When considering the concept of ‘decay’ it can be argued that there is an important political argument to be debated especially in relation to the way that people throw food away without second thought. Photographers and journalists allow us to explore and witness the theme in full depth as we can really see how decay is affecting our world. This is a topic that has a massive effect the way the country and the earth is being treated. This essay will aim to explore the process of decay and deterioration and the way breaking down of items is affecting us and how precious things are also effected by decay. Everybody sees that flowers are a beautiful thing but when they have started to decay and become broken down due to lack of water and food, they start to look awful and revolting. We want to be able to show people that these decaying flowers are something that is beautiful when you look at them, but also be able to show how abandoned buildings and ones that are starting to fall apart still have some meaning with them.

Food waste is a huge effect on everyday life. When people throw away food that could be reused, it can show to people that everybody focuses on themselves instead of giving to others that would appreciate this. When looking at the Guardian newspaper, there is an article that has been wrote on 9.1.17 about the amount of food waste that is produced every year, ‘UK households binned £13bn worth of food in 2015’

Klaus Pichler is a contemporary artist whose work focuses on the world of decay and how it is effecting people. Pichler mainly shows his determination towards decaying foods by photographing them and informing the world know the issue that the world is having with the amount of food being thrown away. The title of Pichler’s project is 'One Third'. The reason why Pichler named his project this was to do with a survey that he has looked at that mentions how 'One Third' of the world's food is getting wasted. Pichler relates to the personal question as the aim is to expose to the world the huge effect that food waste is causing. Pichler is showing how food is becoming wasted and how much food isn’t used in the world. He is also showing the food can be used else were when people maybe don’t want it but this can be argued when looking at his work and projects.

July 16, 2014

When looking at ‘One Third’, you can see that Pichler is concerned about how healthy and good food impacts people around the world but this can be argued as others may see a different type of message that he is trying to show. When looking at Pichler’s work above, it shows a receipt that has been edited with writing that explains how food waste is causing a problem in the world, ‘one-third of food produced for human consumption goes to waste’ (Keefe, 2014).

Pichler was inspired by the UN/ FAO survey that was created on ‘global food waste’ in 2011. He stated that he is surprised by the amount of food that’s wasted. Pichler said that the survey has stated that one third of food is getting wasted. In an interview with the author, Picher states ‘The sheer amount of food waste shocked me and I decided to do a project on it.’ (Buckle, 2017). In regards to what Pichler wanted his viewers to see in his work, he commented, ‘My aim has been to depict the food waste issue in a quite provocative way’ (Buckle, 2017). Pichler created his project out of a different array of food items and let them break down naturally. But then he wanted to capture them at different stages in their process of decay. Pichler also comments upon the way he wanted his images to be presented and allow his audience to reflect on the way the they are shown, ‘using the same black backdrop which if often used when it comes to advertising luxury products’ (Buckle, 2017). When questioned about how he wanted the audience to ‘see’ and react to the imagery, Pichler stated, ‘I wanted to achieve an effect in which you say ‘wow!’ when you first see the images, immediately followed by an ‘eeeewwww!’’ (Buckle, 2017).

When looking at Pichler’s image, the ornate bowl elegantly houses the deteriorating strawberries and this creates and element of shock to see a subject so disgusting and can be transformed into something beautiful because of the way an artist composes and lights these. This photo has been shot against a black background allowing the audience to think about this image as Pichler is trying to promote something. Even though we know that he is trying to promote decay from food waste, others that view this may not be knowledgeable about the issue that is being shown. As Pichler has a close link with the subject due to his past, he’s promoting this towards an audience can help him campaign for the issue to start becoming recognized and acknowledged. When looking at the photo, it looks as if Pichler has put a single spotlight onto this bowl of strawberries as you can see the shadow of the bowl at the bottom. This light effects the way the image may be processed by the viewers as Pichler seems to be wanting this is be a focus point of the image. As he doesn’t want the viewers to focus much on the bowl or background, a single spotlight can help catch the viewers’ eyes.

When looking at this photo from Pichler, it shows you a design of bread that has been created into a circle but looks as if he was trying to create a pizza. It doesn’t state that he created this food in a pizza design but can be interpreted by the positing of the food. With Pichler's photos, he looks as if he has created and arranged them into a pattern of design as no photo that you look at makes you feel disgusted with these images. The pieces of bread haven't been arranged lying down, they look as if they have been hung by string and attached together but you cannot see this as the background is pitch black.

When looking at an interview, Pichler shows that he has a personal connection and mentions that he grew up in the countryside and his relatives were farmers so food and food production is a meaning topic. He mentions that he lives in Vienna and states: ‘It’s more difficult to get organic food, so I am constantly taking some effort to search for good food.’ (Buckle, 2017).

Billy Kidd is an artist that has created photos and artwork that shows how flowers can decay in many different ways and why they decay like this. With flowers, people aren’t interested when they start to decay as that’s what people expect them to do but nobody considers the effect that this may have on nature and how it could be bad for creatures that need the pollen and nectar to live on but also because if we didn’t have flowers and plants for the animals to pollinate then we could slowly start to die out as they help provide oxygen for us.

Kidd’s work addresses themes of decay. The flowers have started to decay and Kidd is trying to show his audience how there is something beautiful about these plants dying, ‘In some ways, he has breathed new life into these decaying flowers.’ (Lowry, 2012) Kidd has said that the most challenging aspect of his work is to try and capture the decaying flower at the right time in its process otherwise if it’s early then it’s just a flower but if too late then the character of the flower is lost, ‘Too early and it's just a pretty picture of a flower, too late and you've lost the flower's character.’(Seipp, 2013). It is also said that Kidd was influenced and captured by the beauty that the decaying flowers had to offer as others would dismiss the attractiveness that they withhold.

The aims and intentions that are portrayed throughout Kidd’s project seem to be that he wants to show his audience that you shouldn’t just ignore the beauty of these dying flowers even if they aren’t the most pleasant thing to look at. Others could argue this as people may have different opinions and interpretations of his work.

Kidd’s work sends a message to the audience that really allows them to have their own interpretations that his work. It’s said that his work is trying to show people that he wants to allow others to see the wonders of the dying petals instead of the disgusting dead flowers but really it allows people to make their own judgement of how they see it but on the other hand.

When looking at the first photograph, the beauty of the colours and edit that Kidd has created is amazing. Kidd has taken this image on a black background and this allows the dying flower to really be shown to the viewers. With the help of the black background, the viewers have nothing to look at other than the flower that is presented. When looking at the first image, you can see that Kidd has edited this image in an editing software as some of the petals are a lot darker than the others. This can make the viewers think about the different textures and patterns that could be presented on these petals. Kidd has taken and edited the photo so that when you look at it, you see more of the beauty than you do of the decay. There's something special about the way Kidd has positioned the flower as when you touch a flower that is decaying, the leaves start to fall off as they are weak so it would be interested to know if Kidd was gentle when handling this flower or to know if any petals fell off.

When looking at the one of the petals, the veins are showing. As they are so small and thin, they can be a bit of a struggle to see but to know that Kidd has managed to capture these and present this to his viewers, it's quite impressive. This flower might have been yellow before it started to decay but some parts of the petals have started to show a darker tone. This may be down to the editing from Kidd also along with the darkness from the inside of the flower. Kidd has used a clear focus on some of the petals and this portrays to the audience that he wants to be able to show how beautiful a decaying flower could be.

Kidd has a personal connection to the theme as he sees beauty in these type of flowers that others may not, 'saw a beauty that other people often dismiss.' (Lowry, 2012). This shows that Kidd really is interested with the way flowers decompose and decay.

Martino Zegwaard is an artist that focuses on the beauty and breath-taking views of rooms that have been abandoned and left to fall apart. Zegwaard’s work relates to the personal study question as it relates to the way decay has occurred in life. Even though Zegwaard’s work doesn’t relate to a chemical decay, it illustrates the decay as in overtime, things start to become torn and degrade.

Zegwaard states he lived in the Netherlands and used to play on building sites, ‘As a kid I used to play at the constructions sites’ (Bergin, 2016). This portrays to his viewers that buildings that haven’t fully been built yet or ones that are being knocked down are something that interests him and is linked closely to what he likes to see. Some may argue this as they may have a different opinion on what they are seeing.

Zegwaard was inspired to take these photos because of what he had experienced when he accidentally found the negatives in a dark room, ‘I wanted to see this for myself and set about finding out who these negatives belonged to.’ (Bergin, 2016) This suggests that Zeqwaard was interested in finding out about the mysteries that could be lying in abandoned buildings that nobody would explore. Continuing the research, it shows that Zegwaard was shocked by the experience that he was met by when he started to investigate different medieval and decaying castles, ‘The feeling when I first walked into that medieval, abandoned and decaying castle, was simply mind blowing.’ (Bergin, 2016).

Through his photographic work, Zegwaard is trying to show his viewers that decaying, abandoned buildings can be seen as stunning and pleasant to see. Others may argue this because when looking at some of his images, you can see that there is certainly some interesting details that you may not see if you don’t explore these different buildings. They show us that now that nature is trying to take back its surroundings of the building, it’s changing it from something that was man-made to a natural area. The message that Zegwaard is communicating with his viewers is that beauty can still lay within these abandoned buildings and people should investigate even further to know what is being shown. People back away from these types of buildings as they might be scared of the part or spirits that may be within.

This image captures the idea of nature starting to take effect on the floor. This image is beautiful as the corridor is admitting natural light through the absent windows. This really illustrates to his audience that this type of photo is beautiful to the eye. The colours are saturated enough to possibly make the audience rethink about their view on what they might think about abandoned, decaying buildings.

When thinking about the relationship between Zegwaard and the theme of decay, it shows that these buildings are something that has caught his eye and something that he is truly interested in, ‘I pick them because I think they’re beautiful or photogenic or unique buildings.’(Gragert, 2015). It shows us that he has a positive attitude towards the work that he is creating and has confidence that the images that he has taken will excite and he will again his audience’s approval within the way that he is showcasing his work.

Decay, deterioration and decomposition come across as negative adjectives but these artists make all their work defy the odds of being unbearable to view. It makes you totally think twice about the way you judge things one how they look. The artists have challenged this status quo of not liking disgusting things because their work is trying to help shape the way you may think. They have challenged critics that will try and put down this topic but they have proved how somethings so disturbing and revolting can be so simple and beautiful. Starting with Pichler, he experiments and focuses on trying to get the best image out of the food he’s working with. He aims towards expressing the beauty that comes across from his photographs. When first seeing them, it is normal for you to feel disgust but when looking at the photographs carefully you can see the beauty that Pichler wants you to see. Moving onto Kidd’s work, He takes photographs of flowers that are starting to lose their life. He captures them on a black background but that feels so important as he’s trying to show how something so simple can die and fade away so quickly. Finally, looking at Zegwaard’s work, it hasn’t seen a room that hasn’t been used before but now looking at it, it’s interesting to see the different details and features that are included.

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