#onion architects | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

the-chosen-fanfiction · 1 year

Text

Nathanael | Reassurance | Romantic

Dialogue prompt: “Wait, did you just say you love me?”

Requested: Yes

Your initial plan to marry Nathanael has changed ever since Jesus came along, though now that your future seems to be different than originally planned, you are in need of some comfort from your fiancé.

Jerusalem is positively crowded yet you pay no mind to the hustle and bustle taking place around you. Instead, your eyes are focused on the finely decorated columns that stand proudly near the entrance to the Temple, with tall, vertical lines running from the base all the way to the top, where it holds up heavy stone.

Nathanael, wicker basket of onions, lentils and garlic in hand, follows your gaze upon noticing you, a pleasant stirring within his chest at the way you inspect the architecture. Yet another detail that surprised him about you – you had made a genuine effort to appreciate the designs of buildings ever since your engagement to the architect, and he adored you for it.

He brushes up next to you, which startles you slightly. You smile sheepishly, momentarily meeting his chocolate eyes. “Jerusalem always intrigues me,” you say, “It’s different from Betsaïda in many ways.”

Humming in agreement, Nathanael gestures to the pillar you had been looking at. “You know what that kind of column is called?”

“Doric,” you respond without a breath, and he almost gawks at you.

“How did you… How did you know that?” he gasps, impressed.

You flush slightly and pinch your bottom lip in between your thumb and index finger. “I don’t spend all of my free time patching up tattered robes, you know.”

Nathanael scoffs, grinning as he rolls his eyes. “I know that,” he muses, “But I mean, I had no idea that it interested you to such an extent.”

With a shrug, you look back at the column. “Well, if I am to marry a man who is known in the business, I should at least get familiar with his life somehow, hm?”

The architect sweetly smiles. “Getting familiar with my life? (Y/n), as soon as we are married, you are going to be my life.” he flirts.

The comment makes your cheeks turn red.

“You’ve got no idea how pretty you look right now.” Nathanael teases. “Now come on, let’s head back to the inn so that we can prepare ourselves a little something for on the road.”

You playfully punch his shoulder, which he pretends to be hurt by. Laughing, you hook your hand into the crook of his arm, holding him close.

That was before the accident, and before Jesus. The memory dances around in your mind as you stare at him from a small distance as he chats with Philip and Thaddeus about something that makes the latter cringe visibly, and Philip rolls his eyes as he laughs at your fiancé.

At least, that is what he still is, right?

Everything had changed ever since He called you. Or not you, literally, but rather Nathanael.

Weeks before Jesus asked him to follow Him, Nathanael had been deemed responsible for a serious casualty on a project he had been working on. Tense and paralysed with guilt, he had hardly sought contact with you these days, leaving you to prepare for the wedding on your own.

And then, there was Jesus, Who came like lightning on a clear summer day and threw both of you off guard. Nathanael’s sour mood had instantly cleared up, his sombreness making place for his overly honest and likeable self, but he has never directly addressed it to you.

He acts as if nothing has ever happened and it nags at you.

Certainly, you are utterly grateful that the Messiah has been the very reason for this shift – nothing will ever be the same again now that He happened – but you feel lost, as if you do no longer belong in Nathanael’s world despite the sweet words he directs your way, like referring to you as ‘his girl’ whenever you’re in good company. Perhaps that is what stings the most: he has no idea that he hurt you.

You are snapped out of your thoughts by Mary’s sudden presence next to you. She gives you an uncertain look, frowning in worry. “(Y/n), are you alright?”

Finding her gaze, you blink quickly to shake away your pain. “I-I’m fine,” you lie, “Just… Sunken away in thought.”

She narrows her eyes, nodding slowly. “Hm… What were you thinking about?”

“Nathanael.” you immediately admit, knowing that denying such would be in vain, and a ghost of a smile plays over Mary’s lips.

“Of course you are,” she says, “But why the sad eyes?”

Your brow furrows and you huff. “Ah… That’s something between him and I.”

“You don’t have to talk about it,” Mary reassures you, “As long as you know that I’m here to listen. But if there is anything between you, the best you can do is bring it up to him.”

With a grateful smile, you sigh deeply. “Thank you, Mary. I think we’ll manage.”

Behind you, a few of the men walk up, one of whom is Nathanael. “Hello ladies,” he quips, “Are you ready to go to market?”

Mary lets her gaze go between you and Nathanael as you look at one another, the awkwardness in your eyes going completely unnoticed by him. “Where is your beautiful smile, (Y/n)?” He taps your nose, prompting a small grin from you, butterflies tingling inside your gut at the soft touch. “There it is!” he laughs, wrapping an arm around you.

With the group, you leave camp to head into the city, the roads dusty as people travel back and forth. Despite the way your fingers wrap around Nathanael’s arm as you hold onto him, you feel distant.

It would be unfair to hold it against him, you think to yourself. He went through something very tough and you can only imagine the shame he must have felt. It was more than reasonable that Nathanael would follow the Messiah without a second thought, and even though you wouldn’t have it any other way, you felt like you were starting to become less and less important in his life.

“(Y/n)?”

You jump slightly at the sound of your name. Your fiancé chuckles and repeats his question. “What kind of broth would you like for tonight?”

“Ah, mutton,” you say, “Either that or duck.”

Nathanael nods at Philip, “You’ve heard the lady, mutton or duck it is.”

“Right,” Philip sighs, “And what are you going to get? Leeks? Eggs?”

Mary pipes up: “Actually, I think it’s better if I get both of these. After all, I need to head to that part of market anyway to get our kitchen knives sharpened.”

“Can’t Zee do that for us?” Nathanael immediately queries, but is ignored as Thaddeus announces his task of getting fishing wire.

Philip’s eyes widen as an idea pops up. “How about you two go to get some fabrics? Andrew and Thomas tore their tunics a few days ago, which reminded me that we need to get more things patched up soon.”

“Good idea,” Nathanael replies.

Thaddeus hums. “In that case, let’s meet back here in half an hour, okay?”

The group agrees to this and everyone goes their way to complete their task, as do you and Nathanael. You browse a few stalls without buying anything, indulging in the scent of freshly baked goods, until the seamstress’ stand appears in the line-up of small shops.

Instead of heading for the proper linen right away, your eye falls upon the fine, richly decorated textile that is hanging from the small overhang and reaches all the way to the ground. Letting your fingers slip over it to feel how smooth it is, Nathanael lets out a soft sound. “That’s lovely,” he says, “Would be a great material to use as curtains.”

You hum and nod gently, looking at him from the corner of your eye. “I think it’d look good in our future house.”

“Ah, yes, I’m sure.” he agrees without a moment of hesitation.

Turning to him, you squint slightly. “ Right ?” you huff, but he doesn’t pick up on your questioning expression.

“Yes, and perhaps with this soft fabric on our cushions.” He fingers a richly textured velvet that neither of you could even dream to afford.

“Can I help you?” the lady behind the stand queries. “That’s on clearance.” She nods at what Nathanael is looking at, but he shakes his head.

“Ah, no, thank you. We’re just looking. It’s not as if we’re in need of cushions in our home at the moment, so perhaps another time.”

You swallow thickly as she gives a friendly smile and turns to help another customer. Sighing deeply, you shake your head and head for the materials you actually need.

“We should keep this in mind though,” Nathanael states, “This place seems like a decent deal.”

“What ever should we need it for in the future?” you ask, “It’s not like we won’t be coming back here.”

Nathanael may not be the sharpest when it comes to picking up social cues, but he catches onto the sorrowful edge in your tone.

“Hey, love, why the pout?”

You huff and give him a small roll of your eye. “I’m not pouting.”

He plants a hand on his hip. “Something is clearly bothering you.”

“Why would you care?”

“Because I am your fiancé.”

You stare at him with hurt in your eyes. “Are you?” you whisper.

A moment of deafening silence befalls the two of you as you lock eyes for a few endless seconds. Nathanael seems to go through several emotions at once, eventually ending up at confusion.

“Wh… I don’t understand? What do you mean, (Y/n)?”

Before you can reply, the lady behind the stand comes to assist you with the cheapest linen you’ve picked out for the tunics. You hand it to her and leave Nathanael waiting for a while longer, every possible answer swirling around your mind.

Now that he has finally picked up on that you’re not happy with how things are between the two of you right now, it is time for a full confrontation, which is not your strongest suit. Even though you’ve tossed and turned for countless hours on end thinking about how to bring up the issue, now that you’re about to do so, all possible answers you’ve ever formulated in your mind fade at once.

You thank the vendor and turn to Nathanael, who watches you in puzzlement. “Come,” you tell him, heading out in front of him in order to find a more secluded area. Meanwhile, your heart hammers inside your chest, throat dry with nerves.

Once you halt in an alleyway, Nathanael finally dares to speak again. “Love?” he questions with an expectant edge to his tone, “Can you please tell me what is going on? Is everything alright? Did I say something wrong, or did I do—”

“You didn’t say anything ,” you whimper, “You haven’t reassured me at all! Ever since we left Betsaïda to follow Jesus, you’ve shown me nothing that you still want to marry me!”

Tears are hot behind your eyes, frustration suddenly spilling from you. “When the accident happened, you were in your full right to be upset! I completely understood that you needed time for yourself, but I missed you, Nathanael! We used to be such a strong team, and you lost yourself in going to the bar and isolating yourself when all I wanted to do was comfort you! I-I-I had to go to choose a wedding venue all by myself because I couldn’t find you! My parents, they—”

You hiccup, tears streaming down your cheeks. Nathanael looks at you with an ajar jaw, shaking his head in slight disbelief. “I had no idea that I made you feel that way, my love, I–”

“I’m not done, Nathanael! Then Jesus happened, and He is wonderful! He is everything we’ve prayed for because He is the Messiah! So all of our plans completely changed, and so did our initial wedding date! That is totally understandable, and I don’t blame you for that. However, you barely show me that you still see me as your future wife. You kiss me, cuddle me, introduce me to others as your fiancée, but not once, not once , Nath, have you even brought up the fact that we have to reschedule everything. My parents sent me a letter and are so upset with you for not taking initiative anymore!”

Out of breath, you sob for a few seconds whilst Nathanael attempts to process what you just said.

“I-I am not as good with things like these,” Nathanael stutters, “And I know it is not an excuse, and I am not trying to make it sound like one, but love, I am so deeply sorry that I’ve made you feel that way, as if you matter any less to me right now. Which you don’t! You mean more to me every day. It’s just that He showed up.”

You wipe your face on your sleeve, but it’s of no use as fresh tears keep spilling, everything coming out all at once. “I know,” you whisper, “As I said, Jesus is not the problem here. All I needed was a little bit of reassurance that you still want to marry me one day. I don’t know how long it will take, as long as you still show me the desire to do so, because you might be an airhead from time to time and you might not always understand me, but oh, Nathanael, I love you so much. And even if it takes years before we’re tying the knot, that is okay, just let me know that you still want me. That’s all I require.”

His eyes widen. “Wait, did you just say you love me?”

You laugh through your tears at his shocked expression and nod. “Of course I do, silly. And I’ll always do so, despite your thick skull.”

A wonderful blush colours his neck and cheeks pink and he opens his arms to initiate an embrace, which you gladly accept by wrapping yourself around him. He kisses your forehead before resting his chin on the crown of your head, rubbing gentle circles over your back.

“I am deeply sorry, (Y/n). I had no idea that I was making you feel that way, and you don’t deserve that. No matter how long we will keep following our Rabbi, know that once the time comes that we are to settle down, you and I are going to do so together.”

You sniffle and smile into his tunic, squeezing him tighter. “Good,” you breathe, “If you could… Keep telling me that from time to time. That would make me very happy.”

He hums in agreement and sighs happily, carding a hand through your hair at the back of your head. “Of course I will, (Y/n),” he promises, “I love you, too. And I’ll give you my word: When you and I are married, we will build our own house. I’ll design it in whatever way you’d like, adding every detail you want, and then I’ll make sure I’ll earn enough money so you can decorate it to your heart’s content.”

You blush at the words and nuzzle your nose against his, smiling when he wipes the damp streaks off your face with his thumbs. “I don’t mind,” you reply, “I don’t care about living in a perfect house and owning beautiful curtains or having an overhang supported by doric columns. What matters is that I’m with you , no matter where we’ll go and no matter where we’ll live.”

Now it’s Nathanael’s turn to be flustered again, and he chuckles a little. “And it’s my desire to take care of you, my love. Now, I fear that we’ll need to head back to meet with the others, before they’ll worry and come look for us.”

With newfound confidence in your relationship, you hook your hand through his arm gladly, carrying the fabrics to the meeting spot you’d agreed on, with Mary giving you a content look once you show up closer than ever, knowing that being upfront about your feelings has brought you back together.

#the chosen x reader #x reader #reader insert #nathanael #nathanael x reader #the chosen #fanfiction #chosen x reader

21 notes · View notes

ardenssolis · 5 months

Text

@pairidaezah said (inbox):

"Azizam," Kaveh murmurs idly, not looking up from his place at the stove, hip thudding against a lower cabinet as he pulls another pan from it, "would you mind handing me the eggs?" It takes him until he's partway through slicing onions to realize what he's said, face going slowly, thoroughly hot. Only the fact that he's still holding the knife- one of Ozymandias's knives- keeps him from slamming both hands into his face and dropping into a crouch to hide. Instead, all he can do is keep cooking, working on their breakfast with the continued presence of the heat in his face. Whether Ozymandias calls him on the slip or not, Kaveh remains flustered and contrite, uncertainty lingering in the shadows of his gaze. "Sorry," he finally says, still keeping his hands busy (with making coffee now) as he glances at him from the corner of his eye. "That was... presumptuous." Gnawing at his lip, his hands finally still and go flat, fingertips tapping at the counter nervously. "I never really asked- do you... mind it? Endearments and that sort of thing, I mean."

AZIZAM. THAT NICKNAME WAS unexpected, such snapping him out of his thoughts as he turned his attention away from his logbook. Numbers and calculations were forgotten in that instant, brows raising with surprise. It was a simple term of endearment, one shared between friends, family, and lovers alike, yet even so, he was not aware that Kaveh had been pondering granting him such. So, that did beg to question – where did he stand in the other’s mind? In which category did he fall in when it came to the Architect? Should he tease them? ❝Ah, now this is certainly…different. Have you been mulling over this for some time?❞ Then again, the ease at which it slipped from those lips was most curious in itself. Although Kaveh continued on prepping for breakfast, the fact that his back was turned spoke volumes to Ozymandias. No doubt he was not meant to hear that at all.

How interesting.

Humming softly, there was mirth in such as he turned his gaze back to the book laid out before him. ❝It is fine. I do not mind it.❞ Smirking, he did not glance back at Kaveh, but they probably heard the amusement in his tone before anything else.

They would not get by lightly.

❝Should I give you one too? Perhaps before I turn in tonight, I will think of something for in the morning.❞ Was he being serious? Was he merely jesting? It was hard to tell with him, even more so when it was always so much fun to see Kaveh flustered. Only time would give them a definite answer. In the meantime, however, they would just have to wait and wonder.

#pairidaezah #;v: ???#;;au (ge impact)#;mini #;post: beta #[RIP Kaveh]

2 notes · View notes

lunarsands · 1 year

Text

ALSMP Fanfic: Wherever These Flowers May Grow Ch 2

Characters: goddess!PearlescentMoon, actual!angel!Sausage, starborne!Scott; reintroducing: floran!Scott and introducing: floran!Sausage, with special guest Empires SMP S2 Joel and a cameo by Origins SMP CaptainSparklez

Relationships: MythicalSausage/Scott Smajor

Tags: Canon Divergent, scosage, fluff

Warnings: Character Death (temporary as usual with this series), a tiny bit of angst

(Sequel to Echoing Through To You, When The Skies Cry, Until The Blood Moon Descends, and Then We’ll Rewrite the Stars)

(Also available on Ao3!)

Summary: Pearl sends Sausage and Scott on a mission to help out on another mortal world different from their old one. Scott finds himself returned to an old set of powers; Sausage gets new ones which, as it turns out, he has some trouble controlling. It’s not exactly a honeymoon trip, but they do meet a nice new godling while there.

[ Chapter One ]

Chapter Two

When morning arrived, Sausage was surprised by how refreshing it felt to have those first rays of sunlight reach him. It was like going straight from knock-out tired to wide awake. It was no wonder Scott had always been up at the crack of dawn when he had been a floran in the other world. “Mmm, that’s so nice and warm! I don’t even feel like I want breakfast or anything! Maybe a little water, though,” he added thoughtfully, as Scott made the vines lower them to the ground before disassembling the hammock and returning to normal placement.

“We’ll find some on the way,” Scott said, although he was now standing there gazing at him with a dreamy smile.

“What?”

“Umm, nothing. This way.” Scott took his hand, his expression soft, then they started off for the day’s trek. Sausage had a light-hearted smile of his own as he squeezed Scott’s hand, and for a while he stopped worrying about the overgrowth he left behind with each step.

A short while later they reached the edge of the mesa, with red sand as far as the eye could see and spires of terracotta rising all around. Sausage ran ahead to see if any greenery would spring up, and sighed loudly in relief when the sand stayed bare. “Hurray! Okay, good, I was worried I was going to cause some kind of floral apocalypse or something!” He laughed nervously.

Scott eyed the sprigs of jungle grass that had suddenly begun to creep out onto the sand toward Sausage. “Don’t count that possibility out just yet…”

Sausage groaned. “Aw, come on, now! I’m still trying my best to not make it happen!”

“We’ll go further away where you won’t get distracted by what is growing, and then I’ll help you figure it out.” Scott took his hand again to drag him away from the jungle’s border, although this time he did so mostly in order to feel out how much power Sausage was leaking into the ground.

It felt much like the light of his halo when Scott had been experiencing the side effects of winter. The man simply radiated rampant energy. He supposed that was all part of his personality, but he would still try to help him get it under control. Maybe it simply needed to be redirected…

“Hey, look, more ruins!” Sausage slipped his hand free as they came around one of the larger spires and ran over to begin investigating. It was the architect in him, Scott thought fondly with a smile. He did give pause, however, when he saw just how big the area of the ruins was once he took a better look around. It appeared as if dozens of colorful if not eroded towers had fallen, with one particularly large building looking like it had been split down the middle.

Scott hurried after him. “Sausage, be careful – this looks old, but the ground could still be unstable.”

“Yeah, I know – but the sand has been filling it in.” Sausage pointed to where the red sand had been blown by the desert winds to pile against the base of the structures and over most of the fallen onion domes as well. They still picked their way through carefully, until they reached a spot where the mesa ended and there was a dip toward gravel and stone.

Scott’s gaze followed the line of a crack going from the mesa out across the empty gray expanse until he saw some other buildings – more towers, which were tilted, white and topped by faded pink domes lined with prismarine. Sausage joined him a moment later; and then a moment after that, some greenery began to poke out of the stone, although it wilted soon after. Scott moved closer to investigate. “Sea grass… This used to be an ocean. If I had to guess, shifting tectonic plates caused it to drain, and affected those towers out there.” He pointed.

“I, ah, don’t think I want to try to go out there and check those ones out. These are enough to explore around in, you know? And this is exactly what we need so I can learn, right?”

“Yeah, it’ll do. And if we want to check your progress, we can come back here to see how much sea grass you accidentally summon.” He smiled teasingly while Sausage grumbled.

They returned to the ruins and chose a space away from any gaps in the ground. Scott clapped his hands together. “Okay, we’ll start with focusing on what you can already grow on yourself. Put out your hand and think about growing a fern frond on your palm.”

“That sounds weird.”

“…Imagine you’re holding a feather,” Scott suggested, realizing that floran logic might not immediately help.

Sausage held out a hand then pinched his fingers together. A small frond grew, winding its way up between his thumb and index finger. He grinned. “Hey, it worked!”

“Good. Think about it falling off – drop the feather.”

Sausage opened his fingers but the frond stayed. He pinched it again, giving himself the mental image of a feather, then tried turning his hand downward to ‘drop’ it. When it continued to remain attached, he shook his hand rapidly. “I mean… I’m not used to consciously dropping feathers when they’re attached to my wings. They molt on their own.”

Scott moved closer and clasped the fern-bearing hand. “I’m going to try something. Let me know if this hurts.” He grasped the middle of the fern and mentally asked it to let go, as if it was the same as one planted in dirt. The stem separated from Sausage’s hand. Scott held the frond up with an inquiring look.

“Nope, didn’t hurt. I barely felt that. What, uh, does that mean if I grow something else?”

“I think you’ll need to ask it to remove itself.”

“But… you didn’t say anything.”

“Not out loud. I think it, and the thought reaches the plant through floran energies.”

“What.”

“Like you pulling a flaming sword out of thin air. Or, I assume that’s how that works. You ask it to appear.”

“That’s more like reaching into extra pocketspace.”

“Oh. Hmm…” Scott tried to think of what else to compare it to. “Well, like Pearl calling on you from the other side of the realm, and you do what she says because of that connection.”

“Huh. Okay. I guess I’ll try it out.”

They spent the day practicing, with Sausage serving as the only surface for plants to grow on, ranging from producing more of the same type of flowers he already had in his hair to summoning whole other ones. Scott was relieved that nothing grew out of control; he wouldn’t want Sausage to end up completely covered in blossoms or foliage.

When the afternoon began to wane, they moved to poke around the ruins a bit, looking for a stable piece of architecture to shelter under for the night. They chose one of the smaller onion domes that was laying on its side with only a minimal drift of sand blocking the opening. Scott was starting to miss the feeling of dirt under his feet, but it was necessary to remain there for a little longer. If it ended up bothering him too much, he figured they could always head back to the jungle.

“Meh. Sand in my fronds,” Sausage grumbled as he tried to get comfortable laying on his back. “Nope. Hammock was better.” He huffed in annoyance and rolled over onto his stomach, putting his face down on his arms. Then, muffled: “Nope. Sand in my mouth.”

Scott laughed quietly. He waved a hand over his arm repeatedly, growing a long strip of moss. He removed it then folded it up into the approximation of a square. “Here. Use a pillow. It will dry out by morning, but it’s better than planting your face in the ground.”

“That sounds like some kind of nature horror stuff that I don’t even want to think about, oh no.” Sausage pushed himself up to sit back on his knees, then accepted the improvised pillow. “Thanks. I guess I should try doing that?” he asked, watching Scott fold up another one.

“Mm, maybe after more practice. You might end up making a whole blanket. I don’t think I want to spend more than one night out here, anyway. Florans rest better with soil nearby.”

“Oh. Is that why I feel kinda itchy? And not from the sand in my fronds.” He twitched his shoulders as if to shake off the annoying grains.

“Ah, so you did notice. I was wondering if you would, since you aren’t used to everything florans experience.”

Sausage yawned. The sky outside was steadily darkening. “You’ll have to tell me in the morning…” He settled onto his side, snuggling his head against the moss pillow. “Oh, yeah, this is much better… Good night!”

~*~

Sunrise woke them, and although the warm light was streaming into the dome unfettered, something was making a rhythmic tink, tink noise off of it. Sausage wandered over to the opening and poked his head out, peering upward. “Uh, Scott? It’s raining.”

The other floran was rubbing the sleep from his eyes and didn’t quite catch on. “Huh? But it doesn’t rain in mesas…”

“There is exactly one cloud. Right above us. And... I think… someone is standing on it.”

That got Scott’s attention. He came over to look, squinting upward. “If we’re florans, then it makes sense for others with powers to be here. Might be a subtype of thunderborn.”

A voice called down to them, “Did someone say thunder?” The cloud grew darker and lightning crackled along the underside. A small boom of thunder followed. The two ducked back into the dome, just in case.

The cloud lowered into view, but the figure standing upon it was much taller than even the dome, so only the legs and bottom of a short chiton could be seen. Sandaled feet stepped off onto the sand, then the person leaned over to look inside. “How’s it goin’, fellas?” A face with brown eyes and a green stripe in dark hair grinned in at them. “Hello, I’m Joel, local thunder god. Thought I’d check in on things. Although, yuck, standing on the ground is weird. Also, this hurts my neck, so why don’t you come out here and we’ll have a chat.”

The two florans glanced at each other, then Sausage took Scott’s hand and led the way out. The godling sat down on the cloud as if to not tower over them too much. Scott smiled with some amusement as Sausage fell right back into his old habit of putting himself in front of potential danger first, despite Scott being the more experienced floran.

Joel looked at their clasped hands. “Well, isn’t that kind of cute. I heard you’re the new nature sprites in town.”

“Florans, actually,” Scott corrected. “We’re only here to help.”

Joel muttered under his breath, “Doesn’t look like you’re doing much to me.” Then, louder, he said, “So, what’s the plan for here? Were you going to turn this into some kind of oasis? I could probably help out, too. You need more water? It looks like you might need water. Since, to my knowledge, plants need that to grow.”

Sausage let go of Scott’s hand and rubbed the back of his neck, realizing they had possibly been wasting time while he struggled to get a handle on things. “Well, we really only came out here because I’m more powerful than we expected.”

Joel raised an eyebrow. “Wow, that’s very humble of you to say.”

Sausage bristled. “Hey, I can’t help it! I used to be a seraph before we got here! Very powerful angels, if you didn’t know!”

“Right, right… So, what are your names, so that I’m not calling you ‘Floran One’ and ‘Floran Two’?”

“I’m Sausage, this is Scott. He was a starborne. Y’know, also powerful, moving the stars themselves—”

“Yeah, I know about those. I remember getting complaints from them when we blocked up the sky at night while they were trying to help sailors navigate. As if they were above us, when we control the actual atmosphere.”

The florans traded looks again, mutually uncertain about the pronoun change. “A-Anyway,” Sausage stammered, “I needed some practice first, then we were going to get to work.”

Scott eyed the cloud. “Although, now that you’ve mentioned it, some extra rain wouldn’t hurt. We’re supposed to do some terraforming, too, and if we’re going to transform barren areas, that means rerouting rivers.”

Joel chuckled once. “Part of us thinks you aren’t meant to turn the entire planet into a lush paradise. That part would be me, with my own opinions. Deserts and mesas still have their purpose. I think this world’s overseer meant to fix the broken parts, or heal over the scars in the land – whatever way you want to phrase it – with your piteous floran powers. You’d never be as powerful as me, after all, but I can’t be bothered keeping track of how much rain each type of flower needs. But this particular place is only suffering from regular time and erosion. Like you say, a little extra water could change that. I can show you some really ugly spots.”

“Now who’s being humble,” Sausage muttered.

“Maybe just point us in the right direction,” Scott suggested. “Then we can fix up anything we happen to find on the way, and come back around if you decide to, say, dump a ton of rain over here.”

“I suppose I could do that. If you go back the way you came, on the other side of that jungle you were in, there are some uninhabitable plains to the west and then some mountains to the southeast of there. You’ll know them when you see them.”

Scott gave pause. “Wait, you’ve been watching us since the jungle?”

“Yeah, that’s where we first saw you walking around.”

Sausage blurted out, “Who is we?”

“Um. Rude.” Joel scoffed. “Never you mind.” He did, however, look uncomfortable for a second. “Anyway, I think it’s time to be getting to work. Don’t have all day to fix up a planet, and you’ve got some walking to do. I’m sure you plant-types aren’t interested in flying anywhere. I mean, you might fall through the cloud, and then what would I do?”

Sausage’s bottom lip wobbled, and Scott thought he might start some sobbing theatrics about his loss of wings, so he pushed his partner toward the far side of the dome. “Yeah, we’ll be on our way. Nice to meet you, I guess.”

Joel stood and waved as the cloud lifted up into the sky. He then zipped off, apparently not following through on the promise of rain.

“Weather gods. Right,” Sausage commented flatly.

“Don’t tell me that gave you flashbacks, too?”

“I couldn’t control rain, so not really.” Sausage flicked the fronds hanging close to his neck. “Let’s go. I’ll do some practicing on the way. I have a sudden urge to make myself useful.”

“You’re not going to let what he said get to you, are you? I honestly don’t think he was trying to rub it in. He barely knows anything about us. He’s probably used to lording over mortals. And we don’t really count as those, right?” Scott grinned and nudged him in the side with his elbow. “And now that you’ve got the hang of summoning whatever flowers you want, we can do what we love best – arranging a garden.”

Sausage smiled at him in response.

They casually made the journey back over the sands. When they neared the border Scott tilted his head a little, squinting with uncertainty. He jogged the rest of the way, then halted.

A lot more foliage had crept out onto the sand.

“Whoops…” Sausage put a hand to the back of his head. “Eh-heh. The plants really are going to keep coming to me.”

“Call this a field test, I guess.” Scott sighed, hoping all the practice had helped. He gestured for Sausage to walk ahead.

The other stepped over onto the actual dirt, a tentative look on his face. A small bit of the grass grew taller around his foot, but shrank back to normal height when he lifted it. He gave Scott a hopeful grin, then put a finger to his lips. “Shh, I need to think.”

Scott smiled with a brief chuckle and nodded. They set off again, with Sausage leaving minimal disruption in his wake this time. Scott decided the growth at the mesa’s edge must have happened overnight while Sausage was asleep and couldn’t consciously keep hold of the power he sent into the ground.

They should probably stick to spending nights in a tree for the time being.

By the next day they reached the other side of the jungle, emerging into the area that they had seen from the treetop and, presumably, was the one Joel had indicated. The soil was desiccated, most of the ground appearing gray, although it wasn’t all stone. The chasms littering the area were intimidating up close, but they cautiously investigated. With Sausage holding onto his arm for an extra anchor, Scott leaned over the side to get a look at what they were dealing with.

“Hey, so—remember how you said this looked like a lot of lava? That’s… not lava down there.”

“What else would it be?”

“I think it’s liquid redstone.”

“Okay… What do we do about that?”

Scott moved away from the edge and contemplated the distance between that particular chasm and where the jungle ended. “Well, you’ve learned to limit your power. Let’s see what happens when you cut loose. We can use roots to break through this tough ground and see if it will fill these in, burying all the redstone. We’ll probably end up with like a bunch of ditches in the process. But let’s start with one of them at time.”

He motioned for Sausage to follow him. He made sure they were within the boundary of the jungle before going to the closest tree. He waved his hand down the base of it and out over the grass. He kept his hand out as he turned to the ruined land. The ground started to buckle. He raised his hand slightly and the end of the root broke the surface so he could show Sausage what he was causing to happen. He then lowered his hand, and the root burrowed back into the soil.

Scott moved to line his arm up with the nearest chasm. The line of buckling soil continued to move until it reached the edge of the chasm. Scott flicked his hand sharply, then whipped it back and forth. They could hear the cracking sounds as the root thrashed, breaking off pieces of stone that tumbled down into the chasm. The light from the river of redstone was peppered with shadows as the debris landed in it.

Scott paused, waiting to see if that would accidentally set off some kind of adverse reaction, but after a moment the light went back to a solid glow. He smiled over at Sausage.

The former seraph rubbed his hands together. “Alright, let’s see!” He put both arms out, palms pointed at two different trees, then he thrust his arms forward. Scott nearly lost his balance as the ground heaved. Multiple raised lines appeared, speeding out across the ruined land. With a rumble, the affected roots burst upward out of one side of the chasm and shot across to the other, destroying the top edge in one pass. Sausage yanked his arms backward, and in a messy array the roots turned around, punching down into the next level of stone then back across the chasm.

He repeated the motions several times, wearing away that section and causing neighboring spots to start crumbling.

Scott summoned up a different root, making it grow to lift him up higher so he could watch the progress, leaning over the boundary of the jungle. Within minutes the glow from the redstone river had dimmed.

Sausage crowed with laughter. “This is fun! It’s kind of like unleashing holy fire! I think I’m getting the hang of this power even better this way!” He twisted one hand through the air and two of the roots zigzagged across the far ends of the chasm, completing the collapse. It was still going to be a hazardous gap in the ground, but now they knew they had an effective way of filling it in.

They could work on leveling out the land after the rest of the chasms were dealt with. One by one, they directed roots to break up the soil and stone. Scott tried coaxing several at a time, but he couldn’t compete with the dozens Sausage could manipulate. That certainly made things go faster, so he wasn’t about to complain.

After a point they needed to stop and prepare a spot for the night. Scott had Sausage stay on the border of the ruined land and simply stand there while grass began to work its way into the tough soil toward him. The much smaller roots would break it up enough to allow water to permeate the ground later. Maybe Joel would happen to come by and help speed that up. Scott couldn’t tell if there would be regular rainfall here or if it was like the mesa.

He made some vines form another hammock. The thought did occur to him that spending the night out in the center of the ruined land could also speed things up, although maybe only after they were sure the ground was stable enough.

~*~

The next two days were spent wearing down the sides of the chasms until all of them were reduced to sloping furrows. They continued to work with the roots to loosen and rearrange the ground until the area more resembled rolling hills, sans greenery. By the third day Scott deemed it safe to sleep out in the middle of it. He crafted sleeping mats out of woven vines with moss pillows again while Sausage practiced making a shelter out of available large tree roots, eventually shaping a decent lean-to.

They awoke to the sound of rain, although the ground closest to them was only getting wet because of stray raindrops. Peeking out, they saw a very precise circle of clouds leaving them with a little island, since the tough soil wasn’t absorbing the water as quickly as regular dirt, even with their efforts to break it up.

Joel swooped down on a white cloud, stark against the dark storm clouds. “Nice work, fellas. You made some decent progress. I’ll leave this here for a while. Maybe you’ll get a new stream from it. See you later!”

Just like that he was off, cutting upward through the storm clouds. They closed up after him.

Sausage looked around at the growing puddles. “Should we go somewhere else and come back later?”

“I think we take the day off. Or at least take a passive role. Come on, sit back down.” Scott held a hand out toward him after returning to his mat. Sausage hesitated, eager to keep working, but when Scott beckoned, he came over and took his hand, kissing his knuckles before sitting down beside him. Scott put his arm around Sausage’s shoulders, gently hugging him against his side. “We might get a little sleepy from lack of sunlight so it’s okay to take it easy. Not that we couldn’t travel to some place where it isn’t raining, but, y’know, we did a lot of work the past few days.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“You’re always so restless,” Scott said affectionately. “You can think about spreading the grass toward us. That will help, too.”

“Hm-m. Okay.” Sausage peered out at the rain, picturing the edge of the jungle in the distance, then closed his eyes before drawing in a breath. He spread his hands out flat, as if smoothing a blanket. “I’m thinking about a carpet of grass over this whole area.” He held the pose for several seconds, then opened one eye to take a look.

“It’s not going to happen that fast. You’re not that powerful.”

“I know,” Sausage said in a sulking tone. “I just thought I’d try.” He laid down with his head on Scott’s lap, twig halo pressing into his hair. “I kind of want to get this done fast so we can go home, but at the same time I kind of want that home to be Heaven’s Reach? Pearl’s realm is nice and all, and also like home, but I still miss our home. This world has to have a place that looks like that, so maybe it’s better to stay here longer until we find it, and we could do a little something special to make it look like Heaven’s Reach, and it would be our mark on this world. A personal mark, not just what we’ve done to fix things.”

“We could do that…” Scott smiled down at him and traced a fingertip over the swirl pattern now making up his scar.

Sausage smiled softly back at him. “That storm god mentioned some mountains. Maybe we’ll find a place there.”

~*~

The rain tapered off shortly before sunset, so the two florans only took a quick walk around to check progress. The former chasms were now small ponds, but it would still take a little more time for greenery to reach them. Sausage was happy to see that the grass had actually advanced over the past day and he repeated his blanket-spreading ritual before they settled down again for the night.

The next morning, they decided to let the plants do their thing without extra help and set out to find the mountains Joel had suggested to them. Given the direction he had said they were in, Sausage and Scott figured he didn’t mean the mountain range that was at the far side of the area they were currently in.

Along the way they patched up any rough spots, calling up new growth where it looked like the greenery was struggling, and they used tree roots again to burrow around in search of more accessible water tables. They sprinkled around biome-appropriate flowers and improved the flow of streams where mud and gravel had spilled across interrupting the water’s path.

They came upon a set of cliffs with some type of ruins having fallen to the bottom when the top ledge had given way. It wasn’t as massive as the mesa ruins, but they did find a pit full of amethyst crystal shards, already partially buried by a landslide. They decided to cover it up some more so that a future explorer might dig it up later and get a shiny surprise.

Continuing on their way, they found traces of colorful stone along what might have been a road at one time. There were signs of an earthquake that became more apparent the closer to the mountains they got, until they had to start climbing over large chunks of rock that had clearly fallen down the mountain slopes.

Even though the temperature was dropping, they pressed onward to find out why Joel had singled out this place when it honestly looked like simple, normal erosion had been in play again. Their first clue was streaks of a red substance on the ground that wasn’t like the liquid redstone. Inspection revealed it to be some type of soil, but nothing was growing on it despite it cutting through regular grassy areas. In fact, when Sausage tried coaxing some grass onto it, the grass shriveled and died.

Scott glanced up ahead past a rise in the path. “Whoa.” He tugged on Sausage’s arm and jogged over the rocky hump. Before them, laid across several peaks and shallow valleys, were whole swaths of the red soil, along with the blackened scars of cooled lava flows.

Sausage studied the landscape. “I think we’re going to have to get some trees up here first before we can even begin to tackle this one. Any ideas for the red stuff? Do you think if I stand on it long enough it will become normal dirt?”

“You could try. Just don’t get hurt by it. I’m really not sure what that is, but it’s obviously preventing the land from healing itself. From the looks of this basalt, it should have been long enough for the grass to spread. There doesn’t seem to be a caldera, so this came from fissures, and had to have happened decades ago. I’m going to look around some more.”

“Okay! I’ll be right over here. Standing.” Sausage walked onto a grassy area, purposely leaking power so the grass would grow around his footsteps to make sure it responded, then he chose a block of red to stand on. It was about half a minute before he got antsy and started walking along the whole line of strange soil instead.

Scott explored for a while, taking in the extent of the damage. There did seem to be a concentration of the substance in one particular area, and below it was evidence of a large lava flow that had gone all the way down that side of the mountains. He returned to the other area and crouched down, placing his hand against the ground to get a sense if any plant life might have a memory of the fissures. What he got instead was a flash of extremely powerful magic that had been released, leaving an impression like a shockwave. It wasn’t what had caused the eruption or the corrupted soil – as the plants now told him it was called – but that magic had put a stop to the spread.

There was then a… silence, as if all life in the area had been temporarily quelled, and the plants had only resumed their existence – unfrozen, as it were – when the world itself began to breathe again.

Scott contemplated what that meant as he headed back to where he left Sausage.

“Hey, Scott! Look! It’s woorrrkiiiiing!”

The red around where he had been walking seemed to leech away, replaced by blue-green soil instead, and even a bit of grass had begun to grow at the edges. “Maybe I should give that a try,” Scott mused. He stepped onto the next nearest line of corrupted soil and walked back and forth, thinking about it turning blue-green.

After a few minutes nothing changed, whereas more of the spots around Sausage had done so. The former seraph halted and shrugged. “I guess it’s a ‘me’ thing. You could maybe work on something different? There’s a valley over there that looks okay. You could get a flower field going.”

Scott debated on what he wanted to do. “I’ll see what I can do with the basalt patches. It might be easier for me to get roots to start breaking it up than to do what you’re doing. And we should go collect some pinecones from the trees further down. I think it would be fine to sleep on the ground here, but we’ll still need some shelter for the night.”

“I’ll go get them! You see what you can do, then we can make a plan of attack!”

By the time Sausage returned, Scott had covered most of the basalt lines with a thin layer of grass. He hadn’t touched the ones in the spot with the biggest concentration of corrupted soil, choosing to leave it for another day – or even for an overnight campsite after they got the trees set in place.

“Let’s start them in that valley and after they’ve produced more pinecones, we can spread them out.” Scott took a few from him. He tossed one up into the air and neatly caught it, smiling. “This part shouldn’t take long.”

[ Chapter Three ]

#alsmp #alsmp fanfic #alsmpshipping #scosage #mythicalsausage #scott smajor #dangthatsalongname #joel smallishbeans #floran!scott #floran!sausage #empires s2 joel #soul liminality 2 #lunar yarns

9 notes · View notes

cafeleningrad · 1 year

Text

For a few weeks now I came across some articles calling out the “missing the aim”, “hollow”, “shaky” class-fight media like the White Lotus, the Triangle of Sadness, Glass Onion, or the Menu relishing more in making fun of uber rich standins from real life personalities. As much fun as it can be to caricature fee-fees of rich people demanding service job labour, I’ve to agree that apart from comical or tense scenes these media do very little to me because they dwell only on their surface of uber rich vs service people tone deafness and a fantasy of service worker retribution. And also it’s often brought up how Parasite and sometimes Squid Game were the primary inspiration/kick-off for these niche but popular productions by Hollywood but... the reason why so many Hollywood media stories of poor vs uber rich missed so much context from the Korean sources. I can’t blame critics for not knowing to much about Korean culture but the amount of many to not even attempt to research about the culture of a non-US-movie baffled me. (i.e. takes like “Ali is a token” when uh, the struggle of migrant workers and language barriers used against them was an explicit theme, “the foreign spectators were too cartoonish” as if US imperialism and use of Korea in geopolitics weren’t an issue influencing Korean politics, “Ji-yeong’s Christian religious abuse is too clichee” Evangelist churches and their money exploitation in South Korea.) The entire reason why Parasite is so layered is not only because the divide between rich and poor, and the social reinforcement was clever told - it was BUT it was a larger commentary about South Korean social mentality, the house itself was a symbolism of Korean history as a whole: The original architect as mythical mocharchic area under which things seemed idle, North-South divide and fight marked by Moon-Gwang’s imitation of Northern propaganda, and later a foreign family having moved into the house whereas Ki-Woo is still clings onto the desperate dream that if he only earned more money he would get the house for himself. While capitalism as the bad system preventing the Kim family to rise it is a layered comment on how capitalism and history strongly marks the South Korean social mentality.

And that’s, in my opinion, why so many Western uber rich vs. poor media productions remain so superficial as well a mere entertainment to mock rich costumers which got on our nerves - don’t get me wrong, it feels gratifying but ultimately which enriches me only as much as popcorn for a meal.

#Lewis rambling

7 notes · View notes

kath-trashh · 1 year

Note

10, 14, and 24 for the mc ask game :)

Gonna preemptively put this on a read more because I'm going to end up rambling a lot I think!

10. If one were to peek inside their wardrobe, what would they find? What outfits do they wear on a casual day? Travelling? In a formal setting?

Rin- Rin wears a lot of pretty flowy clothes. On a casual day, you can find them wearing loose skirts or pants that allow them to run around freely. While travelling, they generally wear what they wear on a casual day, but more reinforced with leather tunics or something to that line. In a formal setting, it's the same. They don't like being forced to wear things that would constrict them, especially if they had to run around or fight.

Avis- On a casual day, Avis wears pretty plain clothes. They've got like, a couple cotton button-up shirts, one leather belt, and like, a cardigan-vest thing. That's all they wear on casual outings. When travelling, Avis probably adds a cloak that they've enchanted to be waterproof/resistant to the elements, but that's rare because Avis really hates being forced out of their comfort zone. In a formal setting, they usually like cleaning up and taming their gigantic poofy hair but they can pull off anything from a dress to a three-piece suit if need be.

Mareike- I think out of all my fan apprentices, Mareike has the widest variety of clothes in her wardrobe. On a casual day, Mareike wears what's basically a pantsuit with leather boots and leggings if she needs to survey a location for her architecture work. When travelling, she really likes dolling up overpreparing with a coat that has a lot of pockets to store all kinds of things. In a formal setting, Mareike isn't averse to popping out a full ballgown or the like, especially if it's for a dance.

Jaxen- Unfathomable scumbag of the deep. His casual wear is his assassin's outfit, and that's the only thing he wears. He has not showered in weeks. Dude does not give a single flying fuck about anything. He could and would show up to a formal event covered in blood.

14. What are their favorites (i.e. flower, drink, food, color, etc.)?

Rin- Favorite food is scrambled eggs, favorite drink is fizzy soda, and favorite flower is peonies. Aside from that, favorite color is green, and favorite animal is a hawk (which is also coincidentally their familiar :'D)

Avis- Favorite food is French onion soup, favorite drink is chamomile tea, and favorite flower is chrysanthemums. Favorite color is pale yellow, and they're not quite sure what their favorite animal is!

Mareike- Favorite food is oatmeal, favorite drink is warm milk, and favorite flower is lavender. Favorite color is a light bubblegum pink, and her favorite animal is the kingfisher

Jaxen- Favorite food is Turkish delight, favorite drink is hot cocoa, and favorite flower is the red poppy. Favorite color is blue, and his favorite animal is the jaguar

24. What's their relationship to the main 6?

Rin- Rin was once a librarian working in the palace-- but before that, they were an orphan who grew up alongside Asra and Muriel as childhood friends. When Muriel was forced to fight in the Coliseum, Rin sought him out to read him stories and comfort him. They're friendly with Julian and Portia, and Nadia to an extent, but they're less familiar with her. They have a slight distaste for Lucio, but post-revival are more likely and willing to set him on fire.

Avis- Avis was incredibly close to Asra and Julian, working alongside Julian to find a cure for the plague. Previously, as one of the strongest magicians in Vesuvia, Avis and Asra often talked for days and weeks about different spells and how to augment them. Due to often being engrossed in their work, they weren't very close to anyone else.

Mareike- Mareike was close friends with Nadia, even though Mareike was technically at the palace as the royal architect under Lucio's orders. Mareike has at least what could be called a deep distaste for the way Lucio runs Vesuvian affairs, but respects Nadia and her ability to work. She is also close with Julian, after they bonded over a mutual sort of frustration in dealing with Lucio's lack of desire to affect real change.

Jaxen- The only real connection he has from the main 6 is Lucio, having known the Count before he entered Vesuvia; they met when they were both lone mercenaries, and after a scuffle, Lucio left Jaxen badly wounded. He totally doesn't hold a grudge over that. In any case, he inspires mostly unease and distrust in others, with Asra expressing a general sense that something is distinctly 'wrong' about Jaxen and his powers.

#answered!#anyways i love jaxen so much #awful fuckin dude #the arcana oc #the arcana fan apprentice #fan apprentice

4 notes · View notes

angelinosplumbingemergency · 1 year

Text

The Looff Hippodrome

Looff Hippodrome is a landmark of Santa Monica, California. It is a beautiful and historical structure that has been cherished by the community for decades, and it remains one of the most gorgeous backdrops for movies and television shows.

The Looff Hippodrome is a unique building that was built in 1916 by Charles I. D. Looff, who was a world-renowned carousel crafter and amusement park developer. He and his son Arthur worked primarily on the West Coast, designing and building carousels, roller coasters, Ferris wheels and full-scale amusement parks.

Although Looff designed many of his own rides and structures, he was also responsible for the carousel at Coney Island in Brooklyn. He and his family were German immigrants who came to the United States in the late 1800s and made a name for themselves as amusement park empresarios.

Their company built amusement parks, roller coasters and carousels across the country, including those in California, and even at the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. They were well-known for their whimsical style and the fanciful designs of their carousels, which were hand-carved from wood.

Architects of this time sought to make their buildings as visually appealing as possible, and they incorporated elements from many different architectural traditions into their design. This was especially true of carousel buildings, which typically sported octagonal towers at three corners and a cupola that was inspired by a Russian onion dome.

Today, the Looff Hippodrome is a National Historic Landmark, and it has been carefully restored over the years. It is a wonderful example of the kind of whimsical architecture that made this period so popular.

It is also a testament to the dedication and devotion of people in the community who have tried their best to preserve the historic integrity of this landmark. For instance, when the city proposed a plan to tear down the pier and Hippodrome in order to build a bridge to a man-made resort island, a group of activists formed the Save Santa Monica Bay organization to fight the plans.

They successfully lobbied the city council to keep the pier and Hippodrome intact. It was a long and difficult battle, but their persistence paid off in the end.

The Hippodrome itself is a beautiful and charming building, and it was a great addition to the Santa Monica Pier. It still features a beautiful hand-carved merry-go-round, a Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousel #62, which was originally built for Venice Pier in 1922.

Visitors today enjoy riding on this beautiful merry-go-round. Its fanciful painted upper rim and 1,100 electric lights add to its historic charm.

For those who want a real taste of this magical building, there are plenty of tours available. These tours can be booked online, and they are a great way to see the Hippodrome from inside.

The merry-go-round itself is a beautiful, hand-carved, wooden ride that is in excellent condition. It is also one of the few remaining original merry-go-rounds in the country, which makes it very rare and special.

3 notes · View notes

cero-tia · 2 years

Text

A prologue, a death, and a birth

TW: Vampires, blood loss, death, stuff that vampires do to people who don’t want to be vampires. Don’t @ me. Also, it’s long, so...strap in.

In the shadows of tall buildings and grand cathedrals, a country lad used to trees and haystacks could get awfully tired of craning his neck up and about to see it all. Of course, even a farmer who had been visiting the city every spring and summer month from the time he could lift a melon could still find things to fascinate and distract him, so it was extra important that he keep his head on his shoulders and see to his duties. It just wouldn’t do for him to let his family down by failing to sell their wares, or losing it in a bar or an alley, or letting anything happen to their produce. Still, it was always a challenge to get into and out of the grand city walls without letting this or that pull Cero away.

If it hadn’t been for the presence of his father, sturdy and solid beside him on the cart, the lad might even be tempted to stray to some of the more alluring places in the city that drew him every time he came. Bakeries around the edge of the market district put out such a sweet, light perfume of sugary pastries and sweet sour loaves, and there were many more than just the few that the cart passed on its way to set up for sales. There were grand stone buildings further into the town, where the bigger business was done and the richer men lived their lives, that peasants and poor farmers might still wander through to feel a sliver of the grandeur of the architects of the past.

The grandest of such buildings could have held anyone’s attention for weeks on end, and Cero had always been wistfully curious about what it might look like to wander the halls and explore the lovingly curated gardens and paths under her shadows. His family was as devout as any, but such grand cathedrals as Our Beloved Lady existed far outside of a farmer’s world no matter how much he felt its call.

At least, this is what the boy’s father told him anytime he thought to venture a suggestion that they take a peek inside, or try to attend a service after market. It was always a ‘No, and who’s going to watch the cart while you’re in their talking to the gods?’ or a ‘You don’t need fancy walls to say your prayers.’ It didn’t seem right to correct his father that Cero was as deeply entranced by the sheer physical grandeur of the black and gold towers and spires as he was curious about the religious devotees that called it home. You weren’t supposed to just be ‘curious’ about the gods’ home; that was as rude as asking a neighbor if you could nose around their houses just for the sake of it.

So Cero stayed obedient to his father, and stayed a wistful, starry-eyed dreamer when they rode their solid old cart through the Lady’s gentle shadows. One more simple farmer, drawn to and intimidated by the intricate workings of the orders who served the gods, unable to cross the lines that lay in the ruts of the roads in and out of town.

Except one day, the lines in the sand and the ruts in the road led the boy astray, away from the paths he had always known and followed and into a world to which he had never given a single serious thought. In one dreadful moment, he was pulled into a dark embrace in the very shadow of the Lady that put him forever out of her reach.

It was a market day, as it always was—and as he though it always would be. Today was unique though in that it was to be the first day that the young man was to go to town alone, to sell their wares and to bring home the necessities that would keep the family another month. In the end of the hot summer months, they had baskets of dark green squashes heaped in their cart, along with warty orange pumpkins, sacks of golden onions, and the heads of fat, seed-heavy sunflowers that Cero’s mother liked to grow for the beans to climb. It was time to start clearing the fields of the last of the harvest, so there was not as much variety of produce or quite the sheer volume to move today. It was decided that Cero was to be entrusted with the cart and the old horse to bring the wares to market and to purchase seed corn, green thread for his mother, and a block of bees wax to bring with him on his way back. He had also been given leave to see if the bakers had any sweet pastries left at the end of the day, and to purchase enough to share with his parents and sisters if there were.

No one had been particularly concerned about the safety of getting into or out of the city, not even for a single young man with a horse and a cart. Though they lived outside the walls, and away from the shadow of the Lady and the buildings that clustered around her feet like chicks under a grand dame of a hen, there were plenty of safe roads that led in from the gentle hills and farmland. Even with the sun sinking lower in the sky as autumn came slipping in, it remained safe for a lone traveler to move into and out of the city as long as he didn’t tarry too long after sundown.

The thought of safety was hardly a worry in the young man’s pretty blond head though, as full as it was with the responsibilities he had been given. He knew how to stock the cart to make a fine display, and how to hawk the squashes and sunflowers to anyone who came past, and his easy smile and cheerful demeanor made him easy for men to trust and pleasant for women to tease. He had a strong back and a dutiful speed when it came time to pack up the last of the vegetables, and by the time the sun dipped into the delicate architecture of the ornate cathedral, he had already found his bag of sweets to share and readied the old mare for the return home. It had been a most successful day, and he looked forward to nothing more than sharing his tale of the day with his family, and basking in the warmth of their trust and affection. He was a simple lad, with simple dreams, and there wasn’t the wisp of a cloud in his sky as he fed the horse one more apple for the road.

“Good sir, a moment of your time….”

The youth looked up to find a young woman standing a few paces back from his cart, and he immediately hopped down from the driver’s bench.

“Of course, Mum—what can I do for you?” It wasn’t unheard of for latecomers to the market to seek out lower prices on the last of the day’s offerings, and Cero knew better than to offer disrespect to a lady. Especially one such as this; he was almost captivated by the startling grace about her, from the way her hair shone even in the waning light to the soft cant of her head and the delicate lilt to her voice. He was not unused to easy conversation with the fairer sex, but the woman was nigh on intoxicating to even behold.

“Are you, perchance, traveling out through the north gate?” she asked, clutching her hands together at her breast. “I lost my cousin in the bustle of the market today, but she knew I know the road back to her home, and must have left earlier in the day. If it’s no trouble, if you’re going that way anyway…might I ride with you, so far as the river?” She looked so hopeful, Cero thought; if his parents heard that he had denied a young woman a safe escort to her home, they’d never be able to look at him without shame again.

“Of course, Mum—I’m taking that road anyway, and I wouldn’t mind even if I wasn’t. I couldn’t leave a fine lady to travel alone after sundown.” He pulled a crate off the back of the cart and set it beside the bench, offering her a hand to assist her up.

“You’re awfully kind; I don’t want to impose, but I am ever so grateful. My family will be appreciative to hear of your kindness.” She rested her dainty palm in his, paying no mind to the dirt under his fingernails, and stepped up into the cart. Her touch was as light as a bird, as though she didn’t need him at all, and already chilled from the cooling evening air.

Cero was quick to reload the back of the wagon and hop up beside her, keeping a respectful distance so as not to assume and stain either of their dignities. He introduced himself as he turned the old mare north, and she did the same. Her name was Safine, and she was visiting with her family in town, from the next town down the road. Her father worked to support the church in that town; he was the youngest brother, and would never inherit the farm, so he moved to the city, she said. Her hands were fine enough, Cero had noticed immediately; she was obviously no farmer’s daughter with soft hands like that, and it made him straighten up and mind his manners to be graced with her favor and trust in his honest intentions.

She described a home Cero had never seen as her destination, off the main path and out of Cero’s familiarity with the hamlet just before the river, but he assured her it was no trouble to turn down one little extra road to see her safely to her people. She gave him a smile, and he found himself flustered by the fullness of her lips and the delicate rose of her lips in such a fair face.

They turned onto the road out of the city, and left the shadow of the high gate behind. The trees were hardly so thick as to be a forest, this close to town, but they were pleasantly shady on a hot day as one came up the road. Now they cast a lovely purple dusk, dark enough that Cero paused to climb down and light a lantern for the corner of the cart. Fireflies began winking as the travelers passed, emerging to enjoy these last warm nights of autumn before winter came with their demise and darkness.

There was no reason at all to suspect that there was anything on the road that would try to harm them, and so it was with the element of utter surprise that Cero felt himself abruptly and viciously yanked out of the cart. It happened so fast that he actually found himself moving in slow motion, and had the time to wonder with a sense of dumbstruck awe how something could have reached past the passenger beside him to haul him out of the other side of the cart. Time moved slow, then flipped and moved extra fast to adjust for the discrepancy and he found himself hitting…well, not the ground, but something awfully hard. In his dazed state he realized belatedly that he was still upright, and not beside the cart at all—in fact, he was clasped in the young woman’s arms.

“Did you catch me?” In hindsight, he would look back and feel like the worst kind of fool for his naivety. Now, catching his feet under him and realizing he was held fast, it seemed reasonable to think that he had fallen, and she had caught him. He could still hear the satisfied purr in her sweet voice in his memories, and to this day it made him shudder with a trickle of icy, primal fear.

“I did, sweet boy.” Her lips were at his ear, and her one hand held both of his behind his back, with the other clasped around his chest. Puzzled struggles became startled fear, and the tugs against her hold became frantic, if futile, thrashing.

“I’ve caught you, and now you are my little mouse to play with.”

The lad’s feet were pulled out from under him as she dragged him backwards, away from the road and the disappearing glow of his cart’s lantern. The solid old plow horse, steady and as set in her route as a wheel in a rut, continued on with barely a startled toss of her mane. The road fell away entirely as the pair withdrew into the shadows of the trees.

“Please, take the money!” The purse he carried would be important to his family, but it was nothing they couldn’t recover from, and it was nothing next to his life. Cero was cut off with a soft, strong hand across his mouth, silencing him with a frightening iron grip.

“Your money is no use to me, little mouse. I want the gold of your hair, not your pockets. I want the jewels you carry in your breast.” His heart was pounding like a frightened rabbit’s as the woman’s hand squeezed gently, caressing his face with fingertips that drew tickling lines with sharp nails over his cheeks.

“Sweet little fool, I don’t need your stinking horse or your rattling cart—I came for you.” They were in a clearing in the woods, far enough from the road that Cero could no longer see the lights of passing travelers or hear the sound of hooves or feet. They should have still been within sight of the road—it had only been a moment since he felt the jerk on the back of his neck that pulled him off the cart, but he realized with a lurch in his gut that he could see no sign in the waning light of so much as the direction of the road, let alone the well-worn road. There was a chill in his limbs now that had nothing to do with the cold hands clasping him close to a startlingly cold body. Whatever had happened, he had found himself utterly without power in an instant, caught by a woman who meant him no goodwill and was tickling at the superstitions he had been told as a young, gullible child. Things worse than bandits and unscrupulous men lurked in the shadows of the world, every child ‘knew’—there were monsters, things that looked and sounded like humans who would eat you up and spit your bones out if you didn’t obey your parents or finish your chores. Never had he given thought to the tales as something that would ever happen to him—

Time moved as though through molasses as fear turned the farmer lad’s guts to jelly and sapped the strength from his limbs. His knees gave out beneath him—or did she effortlessly pull him down?—and he found himself kneeling in the soft leaf mulch of the forest, under a faint circle of sky that was just beginning to show the sprinkle of stars. The hands released his and cupped his chin, tilting his face up towards Safine’s. She was pale in the darkness, a marble mask with black shadows for eyes that peered down at him with an intensity he could feel despite his blindness.

“You know better than to squeak, don’t you little mouse,” she purred in a voice full of teeth. “You know I can whip your pretty little head around and snap your neck like a bird wing, if I wish.” Knowing it and hearing it said were two horrifying levels of understanding, and Cero felt himself descend down into the horrified shock that was the realization that she spoke the truth.

“If you are sweet, you won’t have to suffer that. You needn’t suffer ever again. All you must do is give me a kiss. One kiss, little mouse, and you won’t be hurt.” Her words in the darkness slithered around the young man’s back and curled over his skin like snakes. One kiss? It seemed unexpectedly simple, for so dire a trap he found himself balanced upon. In this moment, he was prepared to offer it immediately, to safe his life, and he tried to tell her as much with a dreadful stammer and the choked up inelegance of a young man on the verge of tears.

The lovely face came close enough to his that he could see her smile, even through the darkness and his watering eyes. She was terrifyingly beautiful, and now there was something more that made her seem....well, inhuman. He was beginning to suspect as much anyway, much as his mind was flapping about for anything else to be the cause of the superhuman strength and speed and allure. But she was beautiful enough to make his heart ache even as it fought to break free from his chest, and he tilted his head up to kiss her.

Her lips were cold enough to steal the breath from the young man, but she held him by the face and held him close and wouldn't let him pull away. She seemed to draw the warmth out of him through the embrace, sending icy trickles down his back and arms as she drew in a slow breath against Cero's lips. One hand slipped up into his hair, never minding the sweat of a hard day's work that made the unruly fluff stiff and grimy, and curled around the back of his head. Cero, minding her threat to snap his neck if he cried out, shuddered and closed his eyes. It took an age for her to draw back from him, and only then by a handspan or so as she sifted through his hair. He wasn't looking now; he didn't want to see his death coming if she made good her threat. He didn't see the soft tongue come out to lick her lips, or the curl at the corner of her mouth like the grin of a cat who had caught the canary.

He also didn't see the horrifying sight of her mouth opening as though in a silent scream as she leaned in, and the fangs that peeked out from under her upper lip. The only warning he got before the searing pain exploded at his throat was a wisp of icy breath over his skin immediately before she tightened her grip in his hair and jerked his head back hard.

The spell that had held the boy locked in place crumbled as the vampire sawed her teeth into his freckled throat. He tried to throw himself backwards, to bring his hands up to push her away or fight, somehow, against the monster that was latched onto him with the strength of a steel trap. He could feel the softness of her skin against his own, but it was a distant and useless observation as he found it impossible to pry her away from him. They fell back together onto the soft loam of the forest floor, he below and she on top, squeezing with her thighs around his hips to ride out his frantic thrashing.

The pain was spreading now, traveling down from where the leech was latched onto his throat and settling further into his chest--his heart felt like it was punching against his ribs in an effort to flee the horror happening to him. Faster and faster he could hear his pulse getting, and the faster it beat, the quieter the roar of blood in his ears got. Everything was going cold, and he could do naught but slap weakly at the body tangled around his. Even the stars were going faint where they flickered above him, fading out as the light left the farmer boy's eyes. He thought of his family, and how they would hopefully find the trusty horse as she wandered her way back down the familiar road...but what if she didn't? What if he had cost the family their work horse? Now he wouldn't be going home, and they would never get the thread, or the beeswax, or the seed corn...they would never know what happened to him, or that he had done everything they had asked of him that day. His father would never know how proud Cero was to represent the family's farm, or how many pumpkins he had sold.... He would never get to shop for pastries or hear the great bronze bells of Our Beloved Lady tolling the noon hour from the market.

Everything was fuzzy and distant. Cero couldn't see, he felt only cold and pain. Pain in his chest, pain in his tingling fingers, pain where his lifeblood had been pulled from his slashed throat. He was faintly aware of the cessation of the pressure at his throat, but he wasn't thinking about her anymore. He was still trying to focus on the image of his mother's face and the sound of the bells when something was forced into his mouth, making him choke and cough weakly. It gagged him with a harsh iron flavor, and burned like fire against his cold tongue, but it lit another fire deep in his belly, under the cold and the darkness and the pain.

This new fire came clawing up through his chest like a starving wolf, pushing aside thoughts of family and the face of the god in the grand cathedral. It pushed aside the sight of the stars and even the last breath of air in his chest, and it latched onto the taste of blood in his mouth.

Strength surged from the deepest part of Cero's soul and pulled him back from the brink. Another taste of rich iron brought back the piercing glare of starlight above him, and he bit down on whatever it was in his mouth that was forcing blood onto his tongue. With each drop that he sucked, his strength came back. Drops became mouthfuls as he clamped his teeth into...a wrist? The young woman held her forearm between his teeth, and he seized it and held it fast so that she couldn't try to pull away and deny him the lifeblood that was surging back into him. All thoughts were beyond him--all that mattered was pulling his blood back from her, taking what had been taken.

He didn't know how long they lay like this, with him nursing from her veins on the forest floor while the stars gazed down indifferently. At some point, the woman pushed Cero's head back with a growl, overpowering his grasping fingers curled into claws. She climbed off of him and left him on the ground, and stood there watching as he thrashed and growled and howled in pain. The fire in his belly that had rushed up to take the blood from his tongue was burning him, forcing the coldness out of his joints and limbs and eyes and tongue with a heat that felt like it would consume him from within. It faded so slowly that the boy didn't realize how long he had been lying still on the forest floor, only that he finally--blessedly--felt no pain. He felt no cold, no fire, no tingling in his fingers or burning at his throat. When he lifted his fingers to the wound, shaking and afraid of what they might feel, he found...nothing. Well, there was dirt and a stickiness that smelled of salt and iron, but there was no ragged flesh, no pain. He couldn't even feel shock to find himself whole.

And when he raised his eyes in the darkness--the darkness that was no longer a curtain over his eyes, but a rich and beautiful hue of blacks and blues and browns that revealed every intricate detail of the trees surrounding him--he found the woman, standing against a tree, watching him. Safine, he remembered--her name was Safine. Her mouth was smeared with blood--his blood--and when she saw him seeing her, really seeing her, she smiled. Where before it had felt like trying to gaze adoringly up at the very sun, now he felt no agonizing throb in his chest to gaze upon her beauty. Now she was simply wonderous, and he could see every tiny detail that made her lovely without feeling the need to weep at the sight of it.

"You've made me richer with your gold and jewels than you could ever know," she said quietly, stepping forward to extend a hand. Cero lifted his to accept it dumbly, stumbling to his feet as she pulled him up with a strength that no longer surprised him. "And I, in turn, have given you the power that kings and gods can but dream of. Come, little mouse. Let me show to you our kingdom." She slipped her arm through his, moving him gently as she would a beloved and aging grandfather, and turned him back towards the road, and the city.

#immolation AU courtesy of lordofcrowns #vampire au #blood and gold #cero au #wriring #drabble #drabbles #here have 4100 words on how to kill a blond

17 notes · View notes

normalaboutmedia · 1 year

Text

tagged by @howiehamlin smooch <3

what book are you currently reading? american psycho AND heartstopper volume 2, truly the two extremes

what’s your favorite movie you saw in theaters this year? glass onion!!!

what do you usually wear? t shirt (usually band tees or shirts from my favorite media), black cargo pants, belt chain, docs

how tall are you? 5’6

what’s your Star Sign? do you share a birthday with a celebrity or a historical event? taurus!!! no celebrities that i know of but when i went to see Glass Onion i happened to be wearing a taurus necklace almost EXACTLY like whiskey’s in the movie

i’m so hungry o you go by your name or nickname? nickname always. my full name is forbidden

did you grow up to become what you wanted to be when you were a child? when i was a kid i wanted to be an architect even though i had no idea what they actually did. so no i did not fulfill that dream thank god

are you in a relationship? if not who is your crush if you have one? i am single, and i’ll never tell ;)

what’s something you’re good at vs something you’re bad at? i’m good at cooking and singing, i’m bad at remembering things and most video games (but i play anyway)

dogs or cats? both!! i used to be more of a dog person but now i have a cat (his name is Charlie) and i’ve been convinced

If you draw/write, or create in any way, what’s your favorite picture/favorite line/favorite etc. from something you created this year? probably this piece i did of abner krill for a suicide squad gift exchange! i’ll post it on its own at some point too <3

what’s something you would like to create content for? the sopranos!!! but i wanna wait til i’m done watching it, i’m on season 4 right now

what’s something you’re currently obsessed with? drawing spongebob characters (i’ll show an example hehe)

What’s something you were excited about that turned out to be disappointing this year? i was supposed to go on a ghost tour in san francisco but my family cancelled it :/

what’s a hidden talent of yours? i can do some tosses with a flag and rifle cause i did winterguard in high school! i have other talents too but i’m very obnoxious about them

are you religious? nah

whats something you wish to have at this moment? an arepa from this venezuelan place by my house i’m so hungry

thank u for tagging me!! i’m tagging @mcwexlerscigarette @odekirk @aminta @charlie-hustle

5 notes · View notes

samedayagratours · 1 year

Text

Where to Get the Best Views of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India

Many people have attempted to describe the Taj Mahal's beauty. The architect, Shah Jahan, stated that "it made the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes." Rudyard Kipling described it as "the embodiment of all that is pure," and Rabindranath Tagore described it as a "teardrop on the cheek of eternity."

Although it may appear that I am exaggerating, if you were to ask me what is the most beautiful building I have ever seen, there is no contest; the Taj Mahal reigns supreme. I'm not alone in this. I'm certain that the over 4 million tourists who pass through the complex's massive red sandstone gates each year to see India's most popular tourist destination would agree with me.

Most visitors are already familiar with the Taj Mahal and its history; built by Shah Jahan in 1631 as a memorial for his third wife, who died in childbirth, the main mausoleum took only 8 years to complete, but the complex as a whole wasn't finished until 1653. As a result, it is frequently referred to as the world's greatest love monument. What most people don't realise is that you don't have to enter the complex to get a good view of the building's gleaming white onion dome.

If you want to see the Taj Mahal from a different perspective, here are my favourite alternative locations to visit.

Suggested tour: Taj Mahal Sunrise Tour, Same Day Agra Tour, Agra Sightseeing Tour, Agra Tour from Delhi

Mehtab Bagh

The Mehtab Bagh gardens on the north bank of the Yamuna river offer one of the most captivating views of the Taj Mahal. Beautiful Mehtab Bagh is a long, rich green lawn filled with floral shrubs that was created to resemble the Taj Mahal's own ornamental gardens. According to legend, Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor, had long planned to construct a tomb for himself there that would be an identical replica of the Taj, but made completely of black marble. The concept was inspired by the fantastical tales of European traveller Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, who visited Agra in 1665. It was alleged that Shah Jahan's son Aurangzeb overthrew him before the structure could be constructed.

Opening Hours: 6am – 6pm Entry fee: 100 Rs

Must Read: What Other Attractions in Agra Are the Best for Tourists

From a Boat on the Yamuna River

The Taj Mahal is in view as the sun is sinking, a boatman is navigating a wooden boat across the Yamuna, and the enormous white onion dome is reflected in the still waters. This is the scene that you typically see in travel guides or publications. Tourists are not permitted to ride a boat on the Yamuna, according to the law. Nevertheless, this does not imply that it is impossible; all you need to do is know who to ask and where to look. Who, after all, would want to sacrifice the Taj Mahal's best view for the sake of a few rules? Most hostels in and around Agra offer this tour but I found that the best way is to do it yourself from Dusshera ghat. (250 Rs p.p.)

The Trails of The Taj Nature Walk

This verdant parkland area is a short distance from the Taj Mahal via the East Gate Road and is crisscrossed by walking trails, picnic areas, and lookout points. If you're seeking for a little peace & quiet, you can anticipate it to be rather peaceful compared to the rest of Agra because the nature reserve is 70 acres in size and stretches from the road towards the banks of the Yamuna. While I was there, only two other couples were seen strolling the trail

Opening Hours: 7am – 6pm

Entry Fee: 100 Rs. for foreigners, 20 Rs for Indians.

Must Read: Must Visit Attractions around Agra

Agra Fort

This remnant of the Mughal era made of red sandstone is Agra's most spectacular building except the Taj. Emperor Akbar started building it in 1565 along the Yamuna River's banks, and his grandson Shah Jahan later added white marble decorations. During his rule, what had been a vast military castle was changed into a palace.

The fort's size will be what most impresses you. The walls occasionally reach a height of 20 metres across its 2.5 kilometre diameter. The interior is just as spectacular as the exterior once you enter. The Shish Mahal (mirror palace), Khas Mahal, Diwan-e-khaas (hall of secret hearings), Moti Masjid (pearl mosque), and Nagina Masjid (gem/jewel mosque) are just a few of the magnificent buildings you can find here. To get the most out of your visit, my recommendation is to meander around the numerous buildings for a whole morning or afternoon. Opening Hours: 7am – 6pm Entry Fee: 100 Rs. for foreigners, 20 Rs for Indians

Chhatris by the Yamuna River- The Secret Taj Mahal Sunset Point

Possibly my favourite off-beat place to photograph the Taj Mahal from, this chhatri (dome shaped pavilion) by the Yamuna river is a must-visit monument in Agra. It is located just a short walk away from the East Gate entrance of the Taj, though getting there can be a bit tricky if you are alone and do not know where to go.

To reach this secret Taj Mahal sunset point, walk towards the direction of Dusshera Ghat on Dusshera Ghat Road from the East Gate entrance of the Taj. The perimeter wall of the Taj will be on your left as you make your way to the riverbank. Now, instead of going straight to the Ghat, take the first right (there is a small diversion so try not to miss it) to continue onto Dusshera Ghat Road.

#Where to Get the Best Views of the Taj Mahal in Agra #India #7 Best Taj Mahal View Point Locations in Agra #Where to Find the Best Views of the Taj Mahal in Agra #12 Best Taj Mahal Viewpoints in Agra #Taj Mahal View Point (Agra)#Best Views of the Taj Mahal

3 notes · View notes

theglassdragoncollective · 2 years

Text

Everwood Intro

Hello, this is the intro and faceclaim post for the Everwoods, a small subsystem of the Dragon that reside in a forest canyon in our innerworld’s equator, The Place That Lies Betwixt.

We are a more isolated subsystem, a small group of largely elven and spirit scribes surrounded by an evergreen forest, with not much but each other’s company and tasks we receive from Internal Affairs. We also have a somewhat unique relationship to the Apple Orchard, a fairy subsystem that lives up north in the canyon alongside us.

[Image Description: Picture of mist falling thick over an evergreen forest. End ID]

Telmar (He/Him)

Telmar was the first discovered member of this subsystem, an elven scribe who appeared while we were rereading the first thing we ever wrote and where he got his name (originally the name of a dagger). His position in the system is that of a scribe, and he is a level-headed friendly guy who knows how to get things done. Also in a long-term relationship with his boyfriend Mhedaeve.

[Image description: Picrew of Telmar, a tall scrawny pale elf with long dark brown hair that whooshes to the left over pointed ears. He wears bright orange makeup under his eyes and wears a green tunic under a dark travel cloak. A floating white ribbon circles him as he stands in the forest, a bow and arrows strapped to his back. End ID]

Mhedaeve (He/Him)

Mhedaeve is an architect, and a very asocial and aloof person who very much likes doing his own thing. He is a mist spirit and spends most of his time lurking over Telmar’s shoulder. They are boyfriends.

[Image Description: Picrew of Mhedaeve, a tall pale man with long black hair that almost floats around him, staring forward with half closed eyes, with thick eyeliner but even darker eyeshadows, and a slightly open mouth, completely dead expression. He wears a high-necked black shirt with a skull choker, and a translucent black overshirt. The background is a dark grey with white eyes staring at him from all sides all around. End ID]

Achilles (He/Him)

Achilles is a negotiator, being one of the friendlier and extraverted Everwoods. He is an elemental spirit, embodying the presence of open spaces and autumn, which is why he has the symbol of a flying eagle, and his favorite colors are oranges and reds of the fall season.

[Image Description: Picrew of Achilles, a tall pale elf-like being, with long red hair with some falling past their shoulder up front and falling into their face, with a small wreath of flowers over pointed ears and some plants sticking out up top, he has a kind smile with large green eyes and wears a white vest over a muted orange dress blouse with a fancy orange collar. A small white mouse representing Onion sits on his right shoulder, and the background is green with a white square. End ID]

Picrew Credit (in order):

https://picrew.me/image_maker/708151/complete?cd=g2G4LDKLx3

https://picrew.me/share?cd=OAmIDuqWWa

https://picrew.me/secret_image_maker/9FA1DqSHdHbebP8R

#the everwoods #system intro #subsystem intro #intro post #telmar #mhedaeve #achilles

5 notes · View notes

synthient · 2 years

Note

Silly thought that possibly already occurred to you: if the Oracle is the mother of the Matrix and Architect the father, it also means that Smith is a literal personification of "Mom and dad, I'm gay and also stronger than both of you, so don't try any shit." (Frankly, I think becoming an Onion headline is an entirely appropriate fate for him.:))

Smith clones: I'm gay and stronger than you. And I'm gay and stronger than you. And I'm-

#the matrix

6 notes · View notes

internationalrealestatenews · 2 months

Text

[ad_1] Since transferring to South Florida final yr, Fredrik Eklund has began almost each morning on the sand along with his 70-pound Goldendoodle Money, watching the solar rise. Eklund, well-known for his time on “Million Greenback Itemizing New York” and co-founder of the top-ranked Eklund-Gomes workforce at Douglas Elliman, calls the ritual his “every day rebirth.” “After I get to see that, it does not matter what occurs through the day as a result of I've already received the day,” he stated. Loads of successful normally desires. Eklund-Gomes, which he began with co-founder John Gomes, closed gross sales totaling almost $3.8 billion in 2023 with greater than 100 brokers and places of work in New York, Los Angeles, Texas and Miamibased on the workforce. With Elliman Florida CEO Jay Parker, Eklund has secured the unique gross sales and advertising for about 1,500 new growth condos in South Florida. They're capitalizing on the emergence in new tasks, many led by New York builders providing 5 or 6 p.c commissions, designed by architects from around the globe. Eklund-Gomes is main gross sales for Witkoff and Monroe Capital's Shore Membership, the Ritz-Carlton Residences South Seaside and Witkoff and Ari Pearl's Shell Bay venture, amongst others. “It is the identical folks, however an upgraded model of all of us, included me,” he stated, referring to the New York builders, their design groups and brokers. On the Shore Membership, for instance, the gross sales workforce has secured a blended common of $5,500 per sq. foot, Eklund stated. He is in contract to buy a unit on the venture. The Actual Deal sat down with Eklund within the foyer at Eighty Seven Park in Miami Seaside, the place he and his household have been renting a unit since they moved from LA This interview has been edited and condensed for readability. Born: April 26, 1977Hometown: Stockholm, SwedenLives: Miami Seaside, FloridaFamilia: Married to husband Derek Kaplan, twins Mila and Freddy “One time we had been provided, I feel it was $18 million, $16 million behind a automotive. “We can't say from who.” What had been you want as a child? A social butterfly. I did not concentrate at school till I used to be like 12, 13. Then I acquired actually aggressive and I went for the perfect grades, the awards at college, straight As, scholarships. I had a extremely good childhood within the suburbs of Stockholm. Generally I did not come residence for dinner. We had been allowed to roam round. It was completely different. I felt very free. I felt very secure. My dad and mom traveled so much, not something fancy. We did tenting in Germany, Italy, and drove our Saab all through Europe. Very early on, I used to be drawn to the world. What was your first job? In class, everybody has to work two weeks at an actual job. You aren't getting paid. I used to be chopping onions within the basement of a restaurant, which I'm actually good at. It is like a hidden expertise. I can chop an onion (gestures) with out chopping myself. How previous had been you? 12 to 13. What are you want as a father? I am the massive child. [My husband] is the strict one. I did not actually really feel profitable till I had [kids]. Everybody at all times stated, “Wow, your profession, this and that and conquering New York actual property,” however one thing was at all times lacking. I'm tremendous concerned, tremendous current. I say that as a result of my dad was working so much. And I work so much. In order that's an inside battle I've with myself all day lengthy. I need them to develop up like I grew up, getting a piece ethic, and on the similar time being there after they want me. We're doing a extremely good job. I can say that with certainty now that it has been six years. To start with, with twins, we referred to as it twinsanity. We're discussing a 3rd. We'll see. What's your largest hope on your kids? To really feel beloved, to have a base of safety and a way of hope.

I do not need them to really feel like they're in some form of field geographically or in society. You've got talked about how Miami is a greater match for you than LA How so? LA has a variety of good issues. For me, being within the automotive so much, [there was] a bit little bit of isolating vitality. The hopes of latest growth there did not pan out. I got here there to place my mark on the town and perhaps that is my massive ego. However there simply aren't sufficient new buildings. It is at all times going to be a swimming pool and yard metropolis. It is simply how it's. It took me 5 years to simply accept that. I used to be 45 once I realized that and moved away, and I went there on a regular basis for enterprise. I do not need to appear to be I am hating LA I felt like, wow, I've a lot extra in me nonetheless. I need to work extra. I am nonetheless a hustler. Different brokerages have tried to poach you. Why stick with Elliman? One time we had been provided, I feel it was $18 million, $16 million behind a automotive. We can't say from who. John was like, “Let's do it.” And I used to be like, “Undoubtedly not.” Elliman lets us [be] an organization inside an organization. We run a workforce so massive that it is virtually like a division. We've extra new growth tasks than every other workforce and greater than most small firms on the market. If we need to do one thing, they allow us to, and so they consider in us. And we constructed out some actually superb infrastructure with them. Is there every other firm on this planet that might enable us to try this? I am certain, nevertheless it's simply now it is like household. What's an important piece of recommendation you may have gotten from Howard Lorber? He stated that there is one thing about me that may stir the pot a bit bit. This was some time again once I was extra… sharp in my angles. He stated, “I need you to consider that.” And I actually did. I had a bent to get consideration and rub folks [the wrong way]. How do you look again in your time on the present “Million Greenback Itemizing”? When our present got here out, it was sort of groundbreaking within the sense that [reality TV] It wasn't so saturated. I am actually grateful to have been a part of that period. Seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5: Someday I'll sit down with my youngsters and watch all of it. How have you ever and John maintained your friendship and enterprise partnership for thus lengthy? I consider it as a wedding. We discuss it so much to attempt to encourage younger folks to construct a workforce and discover a enterprise associate. It is onerous to discover a enterprise associate that you simply're 50-50 with, and to be finest mates and journey collectively. Having youngsters — it was only a coincidence — he has twins the identical month as I've twins, completely different surrogates, completely different states. However we do combat so much. There's this push-and-pull duality. It has been wholesome to work collectively so carefully, geographically, and in addition very wholesome to work in several states. That is the luckiest factor. He is allowed me to maneuver to LA, to maneuver to Miami, whereas he is in New York. On the similar time, I am going backwards and forwards and he is coming right here. And we're doing all of it collectively. That is fairly cool. It is actually cool. After which Julia [Spillman-Gover] you are available in. We snort and say she's the road between the E and the G [in the logo]. She retains us organized. And he or she cracks the whip. You and your workforce had been concerned within the latest $115 million sale at Central Park Tower. Has demand for the ultra-high-end section of the market returned in New York? It is coming again all over the place. massive cash [buyers] are realizing that costs won't go up so much this yr, however the low cost goes to shrink. These fee cuts are going to occur. That was a reduced deal, with out being precise about what the low cost was.

There's not a variety of trophy properties left in New York. Florida's governor has backed quite a few anti-LGBTQ insurance policies. Was that a concern while you determined to maneuver to South Florida? I wasn't involved. But it surely was one thing that we talked about, Derek and I. I've by no means, ever, as soon as felt it. Granted, the youngsters are in personal college. I'm LGBTQ, however… going again to the Howard feedback, I dwell fairly proudly. I'm who I'm, and I do not ask for permission. I strive to not dwell in a detrimental house or an area of worry. The place do you see your self dwelling in 10 years? I purchased at 64 College Place, the constructing we bought out in New York. I've [Roxbury], Connecticut, which we simply renovated. I purchased on the Shore Membership. We've the home in LA I am actually nonetheless very critical about Tuscany [for retirement]. I look each single evening. That is not an exaggeration. What do you contemplate your largest weak point? Work-wise, in all probability that I do not settle for once I'm mistaken. Personally, I must be extra quiet. How do you deal with rejection or disappointment? It is onerous, nonetheless. I used to be engaged on a brand new format with Netflix. We had been filming, and it was by no means picked up. I felt actually disenchanted. However I got here to phrases with [the idea that] perhaps it isn't the perfect place for me to be locked into the fact TV actual property nook proper now. Now there's one other format that's being mentioned. Let's simply go away it at that. I am making an attempt to get higher with disappointment. I notice that as a result of I'm fairly non secular — I would not say spiritual, however I'm going to church each Sunday — that typically the door closes since you're being form of saved from one thing. And there is one other door opening. “Nonetheless, I'm a father. They take precedence over every thing in my life. I might be mendacity if I say it isn't one thing I fear about. “I've to determine that one out.” What retains you up at evening? Nothing. I like to sleep. I sleep at the very least eight hours. I've by no means understood individuals who brag about not sleeping. I make it a sport. I am fortunate as a result of I am married to somebody who's obsessive about bedding and sheets and room temperatures and pillows, and he consistently tries to put money into new issues to make sleep even higher. If I am not in mattress, in my sheets, at 9 pm it isn't evening's sleep. What's your largest extravagance? Journey. I am utterly reckless. I adore it. It does relate to my work as a result of I do get very impressed. To review the perfect resorts, eating places. I went to Paris for Trend Week. Folks requested, “How will you go to Paris for 3 days?” I felt so energized. No jet lag. Simply being excellent helps. How lengthy have you ever been sovereign? It's going to be 4 years this fall. How did it have an effect on you? It was actually good for me, and it made me much more profitable, significantly better at my job. I am not drained anymore. I haven't got any nervousness. My physique feels very clear and really mild, paired with a variety of sleep with good sunrises. What's your largest vice? Mint chocolate chip ice cream. Each evening? I might say like two, thrice every week. And I am working actually onerous to get again my eight pack. It is not serving to. You labored briefly in grownup movies, a focus in a New York Occasions profile of you a couple of decade in the past. What did you be taught from that have? I do not remorse something. I am not that sort of individual. In some unusual means, due to the New York Occasions [story], and since it was a giant speaking level for lots of people and so they introduced it up on the present, I do not assume it was dangerous for my profession. I do not know if it was good. It was a part of the trajectory, I suppose. Nonetheless, I'm a father.

They take precedence over every thing in my life. I might be mendacity if I say it isn't one thing I fear about. It is a part of the equation. I've to determine that one out. Some tasks do not get constructed or accomplished — just like the Seaport Residences (previously often called One Seaport) growth in New York. How do you resolve which builders to work with, particularly along with your new concentrate on Miami? I can not finally management every thing, I can do my analysis, [look at a developer’s] monitor file. I may even attempt to assist and management a part of the financing as a result of if I promote over 50 p.c, and I've the appropriate studies and the comps for the lenders, typically we even assist with that. However I'm not a developer. So I simply need to belief my intestine feeling and my instinct, which is normally proper. John at all times tells me I get obsessive about some buildings. Like I can not cease obsessing a couple of new venture. That normally means it is going to achieve success and get constructed. However within the case of One Seaport, it did not. [ad_2] Supply hyperlink

0 notes