#or from a tiny or remote island somewhere | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sanakimohara · 3 months

Text

“SUREAL SATISFACTION” K. S. Pt. 2

…part 2. I keep my promises. 🖤 I MIGHT write a pt 3..not to sure about that yet....

[ MDNI ]

++++++++

"…and then sign here for this one." The delivery man held out his iPad for you, resting the electronic pen in your hand with a smile, and despite your nerves running rampant, you flashed one back before scribbling letters that somewhat resembled Seungmin's name.

It wasn't perfect, but it was good enough for you.

"Alright, thank you, miss. Have a wonderful evening." He took his belongings, rushing down the hall before you could utter a word back, and left you alone with your package in your arms while Seungmin's box lay at your feet.

You stared down at the flat, medium-sized box, curious about what was inside but uncomfortable asking or analyzing it for clues.

It was his package, which meant it was his business and certainly not yours.

Open it. Seungmin won't notice. Just one peek won't hurt…

A tiny voice in your head begged you to open it, chanting question after question as you picked it up with your free hand, but you ignored the twinge of curiosity to focus on your purchase.

"Sign for it."

That's all he had asked you to do…

However, when you set Seungmin's box on the kitchen island, you noted how heavy it felt. Whatever was in there had some weight to it.

The sound of metal jingling inside indicated multiple items were enclosed, too. These were small details….but they were enough to make you stare at it for a while longer, more curious than ever, but ultimately decided to stamp out your temptation to pry with the eagerness to glimpse your package instead.

You left the kitchen, heading straight for your room and shutting yourself inside before sitting in the middle of your bed with the large box. There wasn't a single label on it, the shipping stamp was strategically hidden at the bottom, and the clear tape holding it all together was layered at least twice.

You thanked whatever higher power there was that Seungmin was still out because if he'd been at home, you would've never gotten past the kitchen without hearing questions from the older. He'd pester you just for fun; gaining a personal moment of entertainment from you was his favorite pastime, and though you tried to ignore his callous comments, you'd always engage in his antics.

For now, he was gone, and you were slightly relieved. No chance of interruptions, guilt, or teasing from him.

Wasting no more time, you grabbed your pastel-colored pocket knife from your nightstand, flipping it open before slicing it through the tape. "Holy…sh- wow.." you whispered in disbelief as you opened the box, an intricate machine neatly folded inside with added accessories and rope set on top of it, taking your breath away. You had prepared yourself to feel shameful -at least a sense of remorse- about having to buy an automatic sex toy -complete with bindings and remote. But not a slither of those emotions were felt.

Elation.

That's what coursed through you.

You were beyond happy, grateful even, and the grin on your face as you unpacked everything made it obvious.

With everything laid out on your bed, the box long discarded somewhere in your dimly lit room, and the instruction booklet in your hands, you started to put it together.

Every direction was followed to the letter, and thirty minutes later, you were done. "That was way easier than I thought…" you mumbled to yourself, slowly stripping your clothes off and getting comfortable on the bed. You sat up for a couple of seconds, rerunning the setup instructions in your head just in case you needed to free yourself suddenly. Then, when you were confident unbinding yourself wouldn't be a problem, you started tying the restraints.

You bound your wrists first, pulling the rope around them tight with your teeth before you tied your ankles to their respective cuffs. You relaxed then, lying back into your warm covers with a soft sight as you nibbled on your bottom lip. The remote was clasped tightly in your left hand, covered in the same silicone material that the dildo was -except it wasn't drenched in cold, clear lubricant.

Do I really want to do this? You asked yourself, eyes sliding closed as you tried to weigh your options, but then the memory of Seungmin scandalously moaning your name -knowing full well you could hear him….and the sloppy sounds of his cock fucking his fist to the thought of you…

That was enough motivation for you.

It was all you needed.

"Fuck it…." You hiss, giving up on logic as the events of last night corrupt your brain, reminding you precisely who and what was making you do such vile things in the first place.

"Click"

The remote buzzed to life as you hit the large 'start' button in the middle, prompting the artificial cock to press straight past your folds, and the stretch it inflicted on your cunt had your mouth falling open to let out a lazy moan. Maybe it was the lack of sex for nearly a month or the fact that you could only imagine Seungmin sinking into you the same way, but the usual pain that came with forceful entry drifted to pleasure unnaturally fast for you.

You knew it was the latter reason, his name tumbling off your tongue like a soft song the longer you fucked yourself. Your body was trembling, collecting a cold sweat as the fleshy cock tapped against your cervix, slowing and quickening its pace based on how many times you tapped the arrows on the remote.

Moments. It took mere moments for your slippery walls to tighten around the dildo, covering it with a thick glaze of cum. You couldn't utter a word as the overpowering orgasm hit you like a tidal wave, causing your toes to curl and your hands to shake so bad that you dropped the remote. You should've panicked then but were perpetually stuck on the rise of another climax as the toy remained on.

Coming once should be enough….

One… I only need to come once.

That's what you tried to convince yourself as your hips rolled to fuck your cunt harder onto the contraption. It felt too gratifying to stop; the sound of your wet cunt being split open echoed around the room, mixing with your high-pitched moans, and the combination pulled you further from reality. Every time you came -which went uncounted after the third time- Seungmin was present in your fuzzy train of thought.

The heat of his hands when he grabbed your hips to move past you in a tight space. That infamous smirk he'd give you during tidbit arguments and how his voice lowered when he addressed you by those pet names you hated but counted the seconds between him repeating them.

All the minuscule praises he'd give you at the oddest moments, followed by his eyes rolling when you didn't accept his compliments….

---- ---- ---- ----

"I'm going out tonight. I'll be back late, so don't wait up for me."

He gave you a once-over stare, licking his lips as you sauntered around your apartment, "Have fun, pretty girl. I'll still be here when you get back."

You scoffed, resisting the urge to smile at his chaste flirting, "I know I'm pretty Min. You don't have to remind me…"

Seungmin chuckled, eyes fixated nowhere near your face as you slipped on your heeled boots. "I'll remind you as much as I want, sweetheart…" he retorts matter of factly.

You roll your eyes, fighting back a blush as you stand and head for the door. Seungmin's gaze burns into your backside right up until you slam the front door behind you.

"Bye, baby!" He yells loud enough for you to hear down the hall, and you groan before shouting back, "I am not your baby, Kim Seungmin!" And like clockwork, you can hear his laugh echoing in the apartment.

"You will be soon," he mumbled as the sounds of your heels clicking down the hall faded.

---- ---- ---- ----

His laugh is always condescending but oh so sweet. He gets away with so much, insults you when it suits his mood, and you get off to it like some twisted fiend.

Even now, with your nerves on fire and your core ramping up another coil of pleasure. You imagined the pure delight Seungmin would get from teasing you.

The thought brought a tired smile to your face as your head pressed back into the pillows, your back arching slightly while the knot in your stomach slipped loose, and the sound of his name vibrated the air around you as dribbles of cum leaked from your entrance.

"Seungmin…" you whined loudly, on the verge of cringing from overstimulation, and your body reflexively writhing away from the dildo. There was no escape from it, and you were too dazed to untie yourself to reach for the remote and hit 'pause.'

It's been so long.

You couldn't bring yourself to end it so soon….

God, you should've thought because the sound of Seungmin's heavy footsteps as he shouted, "What do you need, sweetheart? I just got home…" in response to you calling his name had you panicking within seconds.

Was he back?!??? Since when?!? How did I not hear him?….fuck fuck fuck!….

You were torn between yelling at him to not come in and reaching for the tiny remote that had fallen to the floor. Either option would take a toll on your already fucked out state, but unfortunately for you, Seungmin had pushed your door open just as you made a decision.

You groaned in embarrassment as he stared down at you, emotionless and unmoving. You stared back at him through the fallen strands of your hair, swallowing a whimper as your gaze met his, and your pussy pulsing harder around the toy at the sight of him.

Seungmin didn’t utter a word for a solid minute, contemplating if what he was seeing was real and trying his best not to climb on top of you and replace the shitty excuse for a cock so he could fuck you right himself.

He only snapped out of his daze when he saw your soft and slightly swollen lips move to speak to him.

"Please…Min…could you…help me?" Your purring tone flipped a switch in Seungmin, dragging a heavy breath from the man as he slowly walked over to the edge of your bed. You gazed up at him with puppy dog eyes, hoping he'd take a little pity on you and end the tortuous embarrassment you felt without question.

"Min, please…just-just turn it off…nd' I'll explain-" He shook his head, chuckling in disbelief as you begged for his help, "Help you?" He repeats your question, eyes going dark as you nod in response, "Yes…" you mumble.

Seungmin turns his head, a smile plastered on his face as he watches the dildo plunge in and out of your dripping cunt, each thrust causing your thighs to tremble, and he feels a twinge of jealousy knowing he's not the cause of the reaction instead.

"No." He flat-out refuses your request, and your heart drops. "W-what why? Min, please-"You attempt to reason with him but choke on your words as he clasps a hand over your mouth and trails the other down the center of your body.

You wriggle under his touch, eyes flickering from his face to the hand inching towards your puffy clit. Seungmin places a knee on your bed, leaning closer to your spread form as he greedily studies its fluctuations. Your breasts draw his attention first, gently swaying as you squirm in his hold, but his focus quickly shifts to your cunt as he circles two fingers around your budding clit.

You jolt from the added friction, eyes rolling to the back of your head when he lightly slaps your bundle of nerves before returning to rubbing it slowly. His pants grow tighter as your muffled cries switch between excited moans and shaky screams.

A smile tugs at his lips, ears prickling with satisfaction, and his cock twitching the louder you get. "You sound so much prettier moaning like bitch in heat," Seungmin taunts. Pressing your head harder into the pillows when you try to shake his hand off.

The rough action makes you immobile, vulnerable to his touch and the endless fullness the dildo provides. You fidget with the restraint on your wrists, able to loosen the rope just enough to slip a hand out to grip the collar of his shirt. He grimaces as your manicured nails dig into his skin through the fabric, leaving one of many marks you'd inflict on him for the night, and Seungmin was prepared to endure every single one.

He'd waited for this long enough.

You could fight him all you wanted, but his mind was set, and your body betrayed every protest you made. Seungmin shrugged your hand off his shoulder with ease, giving your cunt a light slap as you came undone for what felt like the hundredth time. Your chest tightened, fighting for oxygen and letting out a weary scream all at once.

"Breathe, kitten. Breathe for me…mhm," Seungmin's lowered voice was your lifeline, guiding you through the earth-shattering orgasm, and he adjusted his hold on your mouth just enough to let you pant for air.

The ceiling looked like a blur of color to you. His charming features remained crystal clear to you despite your lack of focus, and when the black dots stopped flashing in your vision, you lulled your head to the side to gaze at him properly.

He stared back at you, smiling smugly as you struggled to stay sane. "I should leave you here like this for the rest of the night." His soft laughter follows the semi-serious threat, and you whine in disagreement, grasping for mercy again as he stands up.

"Min, please…I can't feel my legs…I need a break…" you whimper as your thoughts twitch on Indian with your shaky breaths. Seungmin crosses his arms over his chest, strolling to the other side of your bed where the remote fell. He doesn't look away from you as he picks up the device. He holds it up, admiring it briefly before looking back down at you, "I'll help you out of this on three conditions."

You scoff, ready to burst into tears from frustration, but knowing Seungmin's bargain was your only way out.

"F-fine, what do you want?!.."

He hits an arrow on the remote, causing the dildo to pick up speed, and you jolt from sudden overstimulation. "I wouldn't be so mouthy right now, kitten… I'm only trying to help, remember?" He feigns sympathy, adorning a frown as you helplessly fall back into the bed. Your whole body feels numb, excluding your pulsing cunt that's practically being milked to death.

"N' sorry," you admit defeat, unable to speak above a whisper as your mind goes completely blank. Seungmin inhaled sharply, enjoying the sight of you crumbling to pieces as he listed his terms for the supposed 'deal.'

"I'm going to fuck you." He wasn't asking, and you smiled wide upon hearing the demand.

"… Okay.." you mutter, eyes glossed over with lust as he returns to his previous position next to your bed -only this time, he moves to hover over you correctly. Your breath hitched as he wrapped your arms around his neck, indirectly lowering his face closer to yours.

"From here on out, you'll call me 'Sir' or 'Master.' Nothing else…Think you can do that, pup?"

You nod slowly, heart thundering in your chest as his eyes lower to your parted lips, "Let me hear you say it.." he mumbles, and you feel a blush creep onto your cheeks.

"Yes…sir."

Seungmin pecks your lips as soon as the words leave your mouth, and you moan into the quick kiss, glad to finally taste and longing for more as he pulls back to list his last condition.

"You'll give your all to me. Everything. I'm done running in circles with you…"

Your cunt spasms in delight as your mind registers his possessive statement.

You hadn't expected him to ask you to be his like this, but…

"Whatever you want…sir. N' yours.."

He smiled as you closed your eyes in pure bliss, gripping a fist full of his hair as you teetered on the edge of cumming, but as your peak began to reignite, he hit the 'stop' button.

You didn't know whether to glare at him or cry joyfully as he set the remote on your nightstand and sat up to free your lower half from the toy. Seungmin was careful not to put his entire weight on you as he untied your ankles, but you could feel his solid cock throbbing right over your pelvis.

Your eyes were steady on the rise in his pants, mouth watering in anticipation as you felt your legs drop free and Seungmin's hands kneading your inner thighs to help you gain feeling again.

"Thank you…" you whisper gratefully, content with laying under him, gradually resurfacing from the waves of pleasurable aftershock.

He glared at you, shifting on the bed so your legs were on either side of him, and you winced at the spasms of pain the movement caused in your lower half. "Thank you, what?" Seungmin gripped one of your ankles, pulling it so your dripping core was pressed to his clothed erection. "Thank you, sir!" You yelped as the contact overwhelmed you, the fabric of his pants, along with the imprint of his length, tickling your clit as your hips bucked involuntarily.

"Much better…" he cooed, lowering his head to capture your lips in a long, well-deserved kiss.

Finally, he could stop feigning for you and claim what should've been his a year ago.

You. And only you…

Mind, body, & soul.

+++++++++

TAGS: @httpswilloww 🖤 + @sorasbl0g 🖤 + @miserya99 🖤+ @y-ur--i 🖤+ @ivyreadsstuff 🖤+ @nannetsz 🖤+ @hynmgj1nnn 🖤+ @blackhairandbangs 🖤+ @sharksandminhos 🖤+ @fawnpeaks 🖤+ @myseungsungheart 🖤

I have a feeling you guys are going to ask for a part 3 on this...Like, I can feel it in my bones, but we will see how the draft process goes.. [ BONUS CONTENT + ]

….oh he DEFINITELY has pretty moans- uhm I mean….wow isn’t he just so ANGELIC (Ii would do anything for this man) 🖤

471 notes · View notes

rookfeatherrambles · 3 months

Text

What if there was an au where Jon is an undergrad looking to write a dissertation to get a PhD and in order to get that, he agreed to research the ecosystem on a remote and tiny island somewhere off the coast of the UK for a mysterious benefactor named Simon Fairchild? What if he was fine with the isolation, preferring it to being around people, and did his due diligence recording everything from how many eggs were in the nests of the birds on the cliffs to how much garbage washed up on shore. What if he started growing feathers himself, waking up sick every morning. Unable to eat food. Slowly, painfully turning into a bird that throws up plastic and shards of bone. What if Simon Fairchild put him there for a bet? Would that be wild? What if the son of the other person involved in the bet, Peter Lukas, overheard them both talking about the poor bastard they dumped on an island for the world's shittiest Eldritch tug of war, just to see what happens? What if Martin gets it into his head to rescue Jon and hijacks the supply boat they've been sending to the island to keep Jon alive and well stocked for his work. What if Jon has wings now and is very sick. What if Martin absolutely wrecks the boat because he has no idea how to steer and dock it, and Jon rescues him. What if Martin's first words upon waking up in Jon's bed are 'I came to save you'. What if Jon doesn't want to be saved. What if they fell in love. What if they slept together in the same bed and bound Jon's wings so he couldn't fly away and eat weird shit. What if it was domestic but they both know they've been abandoned on the island to die, because whatever Jon is becoming is too dangerous to let live. What if Martin tells Jon he can eat him, if he wants to one day when he's had enough. What if Jon tells Martin that afterwards, he'll just fling himself off the cliff. What if they kiss and spend one final day together? Would that be fucked up or what?

#the magnus archives #jonathan sims #martin blackwood #jonmartin #tma au #tw: character death #peter lukas #simon fairchild

130 notes · View notes

total-drama-takes-takes-2 · 4 months

Text

ttwt episode 10

“Last time, on Total Takes World Tour: The teens you’ve grown to know and hate had a… surprise landing on the remote island of St. Helena, where they recreated the decisive Battle of Waterloo as a tribute to its most famous resident. Mal revealed a smart side to her crazy, prompting Ass and Courtney to make an unexpected alliance. Julia finally got Patrick eliminated, and Team Friendship became just a little more unraveled. Who will survive today’s challenge? Will anyone? Find out right here, right now, on Total Takes: World Tour!”

The sun finally disappears behind the sea of clouds, only visible from the windows of the clunky jet plane soaring through the skies. It’s dark now, but no stars are visible.

Julia peers outside the single tiny window in economy and squints, then turns back to her team. Ass and Courtney are sitting a significant distance from herself and Mal, whispering and giggling amongst themselves. The aforementioned is closer to Julia, but still holding her space as she stretches out on the bench, scrolling through her phone. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Julia takes a seat next to her. “So, what’s the M.O. for today?”

“Hmmmmm?” Mal asks, not bothering to tear her eyes away.

The blonde grits her teeth. “Any idea where we’re landing next?”

“I haven’t had the chance to run my Predictinator since yesterday. I’m running low on storage space,” she sighs. “What’s it gonna take for a girl to get a 30TB hard drive around here?”

Julia rolls her eyes and looks out the window again. A few lights are visible through the evening mist, piercing through the carpet of clouds like rays of sunshine. She turns back. “Lights, so, we’re somewhere populated. Paris, maybe?”

---

JULIA: “I wouldn’t announce it in front of anyone on this plane, but I think I might be the only smart player left,” she pauses to snort. “Who’s gonna out rank me? Pinkie Pie? Daria? The Nutcase? I don’t think so. If anyone’s gonna pull us together, it’s me.”

---

“Unlikely,” Mal says, adjusting a pair of cat-eared headphones on her head. “While the lack of stars is definitely a sign of light pollution, we’re not in Europe. I’ve been tracking our flight times, and we’ve been flying way longer. If I had to guess…” she thinks for a moment as the cat ears light up to an aggressive shade of pink. “Western United States. I guess it could be Vancouver, but the air and temperature don’t feel right.”

Julia raises an eyebrow. “How-”

“I went to San Diego comic con last year- total ripoff, by the way, the east coast conventions are so much better- and I was wearing my latest Diluc cosplay, and-”

“Okay, I’ve heard enough,” the blonde sighs, getting up and walking away out of economy.

Michela watches the interaction from across the room with bated breath. She turns to Albert. “Something’s up with that team,”

The boy, still absorbed in his book, looks up for a fleeting second. “Isn’t there something up with all of them?”

“Yeah, I guess, I mean like…” she holds out her hands and moves them apart, indicating the space between Mal and Julia, and then Courtney and Ass. “Totally split.”

Albert sets down his book and thinks for a moment. “Maybe… we could use that to our advantage,”

“We might have to,” Michela says, gesturing to herself and her last remaining teammate.

---

First class feels much bigger than usual with everyone crowded in the same area.

Bonnie and Kelly are squinting at a crude drawing of what appears to be a bell with a horse’s head in red crayon. Finally, the goth sighs. “I have no idea. I give up,”

“No giving up!” Staci insists, urging Phillip to shove the drawing closer to them as if the distance would suddenly reveal something to them.

“Come on, it’s obvious!”

“Um… steam boat?”

The small hour glass on the pull-out table in the center of the area runs out of sand and Phillip sighs. “It’s a physical manifestation of the concept of grief,”

“What?” Bonnie snaps, throwing their arms out. “WHO chooses that for Pictionary!”

“I thought Eiffel Tower was too obvious,”

The goth slinks back in their seat, groaning as if in a tremendous amount of pain. Kelly offers them a reassuring shoulder pat. “It’s our turn, Bonnie- I’m sure we’ll do better this time!”

They grumble, but relent.

In the opposite corner of the cabin, Max grimaces and holds his hands over his ears tighter.

---

MAX: “Staci thinks we haven’t been “working as a team” lately, so she’s been forcing the dunces to play “team building exercises”. AKA, kiddie board games. I only got out because I flipped the board after Phillip started crying when he lost Clue. I’m in time-out,”

---

“This is torture,” Bonnie mutters.

Finally, the intercom crackles to life and, like an angel descending from heaven, Chris swoops in to save the day with a different kind of torture.

“Attention, passengers! We’ll be landing in Los Angeles, U.S.A. shortly- so buckle in!”

No one wastes any time rushing to their seats and double-buckling before the plane plummets, accompanied by the sounds of screaming teens. Kelly and Staci grab onto Bonnie, who quickly shakes them off.

Phillip tries to grab Max’s arm but the latter dodges just in time, and he smacks face-first into the arm rest.

Economy isn’t doing much better. Julia covers her head, Michela and Albert duck, and Courtney and Ass grab the edge of the bench while dodging all the loose wads of gum and candy wrappers flying around the Zero-G cabin. Mal struggles to post a Tweet while the room trembles from the air force.

Finally, the plane swoops over the Southern Californian hills, pulling up just before colliding with the mountain face (but not before taking out one of the “O’s” in the Hollywood sign, leaving it as “Hollywod”).

The metal bird lands gently and delicately on the sandy, arid desert hills, its doors opening and releasing the woozy contestants with a round of hisses and groans.

Chris grins at the sight. “Apologies for the rough landing- nighttime- low visibility!”

“Sure,” Courtney mumbles, a deep inflection of sarcasm in their tone.

“Welcome to Hollywood! Famous for its movies, stars, and, well… fame!”

Kelly squeals, forcing everyone on their side to cover their ears.

---

KELLY: “Finally, I knew my luck would turn! I’ve always wanted to go shopping in Beverly Hills, strut the Walk of Fame, visit the gorgeous beaches… if there’s anything the Cali coast is known for, it’s good vibes and positive energies!”

---

“Right,” Chris grimaces, pulling his hands off his ears the second Kelly quiets down (thanks to a quick hand-over-the-mouth from Max). “Anyway… today’s challenge is all about the Stars- you’ll be climbing the metaphorical ladder from being pathetic nobodies to being someone important, like me!”

Bonnie rolls their eyes.

“Your first step is enclosed in this sealed Award envelope- you’ll be hunting for these throughout your stay here in La-La-Land,” the host says, pulling the glossy golden tickets from his shirt pocket and tossing one to each team. “First team at the last location wins immunity and first-class amenities. As they say in the theater industry- break a leg. Or two!” Chris chuckles. A helicopter suddenly swoops overhead, dropping a ladder for him to climb.

The teens watch as he ascends and begins floating off into the night. “Oh, yeah- almost forgot- like any Star, you’ll be avoiding the Paps- paparazzi, that is!”

“Ooh, I’ve always dreamed of being a famous actress- or a singer- or a triple threat!” Kelly squeals. Albert rolls his eyes. “I love having my picture taken!”

“Yeah, but not by these guys,” Chris shouts. “Good luck!”

Max massages his temples. “Okay, listen- as much as you oafs want to soak in the limelight like a dying houseplant, we need to keep a low profile. I-”

“Not so fast, Max,” Staci says, shoving a finger in his face. “Let’s hear from everyone before making any big decisions. We need to work as a team if we want to win!”

He hisses, but is luckily restrained by Bonnie when Staci turns her back.

“If we lose, she’s done,” Max whispers harshly. “I’m not going to be a part of her little friendship experiment. They’re destroying the team!”

“Anything to get out of-” Bonnie shudders. “Group bonding.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Still as solitary as ever, I see?”

“I’ve been improving,” they say, shrugging. “I’m just not sure how to like… not explode into a million angry pieces when I get fed up with everyone’s crap. What even is that?”

“Overwhelm. You went from no friends to all the friends. I’d imagine that’d take some adjustment,”

Bonnie’s eyes drift over to Albert and Michela as they open their envelope. “We both have some adjusting to do, huh?”

Nearby, Julia clears her throat and opens the envelope. “Oh, great, it’s another one of Chris’ stupid riddles. What does this even-”

She takes a deep breath, and then sighs. “Mal, would you-?”

Courtney and Ass make fleeting, annoyed eye contact, but don’t say anything as Mal peers over Julia’s shoulder.

The brunette sighs and rolls her eyes. “It’s just a haiku,”

“A what?”

“A haiku- you know, an ancient Japanese poem. You guys are like, so uneducated!”

“Okay, fine,” Julia grits her teeth. “What does it mean?”

---

JULIA: “As much as I hate that little IPad baby twerp, she might be the only other person on this team who has any competency. If I can keep goading her into participation without wringing her neck, we might have an easy ride to the finale three,”

---

“If it’s fame you seek, find the place of solid stars, and make like a bee,” Mal reads. “Hm… solid stars…”

“The Walk of Fame? Those stars are pretty solid,” Ass prompts.

Courtney shakes their head. “But what does that last part mean? “Make like a bee…?” What do bees have to do with the Walk of Fame?”

“Maybe Chris hid a bunch of killer hornet nests there,” they grumble in response.

Julia shakes her head. “If only there were someone… ugh. SMARTER THAN ME who could help out,”

Mal smacks the gum in her mouth and gives the team a sideways glance. After a brief silence, she sighs with a smile. “If you insist…”

She nabs the paper from Julia’s grip and reads it, then reads it again, and then holds it up to the lights of the city as if it’d do anything. Then she nods. “The wax museum,”

“What?” Julia snaps. “How?”

---

MAL: “Does it bother Julia that I’m good at things? Yes. Do I care? Not really. I’ve barely got enough storage space to unlock my phone… if I can “team player” my way into a hard drive, so be it,” she pauses to flick a lint ball off her shirt. “Besides, this is child’s play. I’ve been stalking and collecting data on deleted blogs since I was eight.”

---

“Uh, duh? Solid stars- bees? Wax statues,” Mal says, crumpling and tossing the clue behind her. “Can we get moving now? I’m getting like, NO bars here.”

---

Max pushes open the door to the now-closed and empty wax museum and peers into the dark foyer. “This is it,”

“Team work makes the dream work!” Staci says proudly, accidentally shoving him out of the way as they strut in. “Let’s go, guys!”

Bonnie helps Max to his feet and he grumbles, then follows the leader inside.

“Okay, problem: It’s too dark to see,” Staci says, scratching their chin. “Solution! Let’s find a light switch. Any volunteers?”

“Ooh, me! Me!” Kelly announces, dashing off into the dark before slamming into an unseen wall. Staci winces.

“You okay there, teammate?”

“Just… happy… to be included…”

Max rolls his eyes as he and Bonnie are ordered to go help them up. A sudden fwoosh catches everyone’s attention and they turn to its source.

Phillip is holding a lighter, emitting a short spark of flames that illuminates the area around him.

“Where’d you get that?” Bonnie asks, raising an eyebrow.

“I always carry a lighter on me, in case I ever need to light a smoke,”

“You smoke?”

He pauses for a moment, and then sulks. “No. I have asthma,”

“Well, it’s a good thing you came prepared anyway!” Staci says, patting him on the back. “Lead the way!”

---

BONNIE: “Staci isn’t a bad person, she’s just… a little in over her head. It’s like they’re reciting dictionary terms, not really leading… but I’m not going to test my luck. I might be next in line,” they shiver.

---

MAX: "Yeah. We’re dead,”

---

STACI: “Am I doing a good job or what? I finally feel like I’m getting the hang of this leader thing- college, here I come!”

---

Michela and Albert push the double doors open and dash in.

“It’s so dark in here- we must be the first ones!” she gasps, grinning. “Let’s find a light switch and get our next clue.”

The two run in further, seconds before Team Yaoi dashes in.

“That was Michela and Albert- how are we last?” Courtney huffs.

“Never mind, let’s just-” Julia thinks. “Mal, does your phone’s flashlight still work?”

She shrugs, her eyes still fixed on the screen. The blue light casts a menacing shadow over her face. Julia grits her teeth.

“Mal, would you be so generous as to-”

“On it,” she says, flicking on the flashlight and illuminating the darkness.

Dozens of lifelike statues surround the team, their dull stares sending shivers down everyone’s spines.

Courtney swallows a lump in their throat. “Okay… is it just me, or is this place kinda-”

“Creepy?” Ass says, finishing their sentiment with a nod.

Julia shakes her head. “Let’s just find our clue and get out of here,”

They press on into the dark.

---

“Hey, look!” Kelly says, pointing ahead. “There’s a note from Chris on the wall!”

““Your next clue is hidden somewhere in one of these statues- in order to find it, you’re going to have to get personal- heh. One unlucky teammate is going to have to carefully undress the statues, one by one, until you find it. Don’t worry- they’re not totally lifelike. Good luck!”” they read.

Max rolls his eyes. “He even enunciates his evil laughs in writing,”

Bonnie crosses their arms, ignoring their friend’s remark. “So… who’s gonna strip them down?”

The five of them look between each other awkwardly. Max turns to Staci. “Alright, since no one’s stepping up, looks like our leader is going to have to pick a volunteer,”

“Doesn’t that kinda beat the purpose of volunteering?” Staci chuckles, looking a bit pale. “Well… alright. How about-”

“I just got my nails done!” Kelly insists.

“I hate the feeling of wax,” Bonnie grumbles.

“No way, it’s way too gay,” Phillip quivers.

Staci swallows a lump in their throat and then turns to Max. “Would you-”

He shrugs, giving them a wicked grin. “Nah. I’m not much of a leader, after all,”

---

MAX: “Staci wants to role-play Mx. President? Fine. But I’m tired of being her VP every time she wants an easy out. If she’s going to actually learn how to lead, she’s going to have to make a hard choice eventually,”

---

STACI: "Okay, I'm no prude but... bodies make me a little squeamish. They're just so... fleshy,"

---

“That’s okay! I can figure this out,” Staci says, pacing back and forth. “Okay, okay, I’ll do it. Right?”

The other four teens shrug, and then follow her into the darkness.

---

“Oh this is SICK!” Julia gags, reading Chris’ instructions.

Courtney shrugs. “Hey, better than doing it to a real person like in the original season. Even though these statues are creepy as all hell,”

“They’re not so bad. They kinda remind me of my anime figurine collection. I have the largest collection of exclusive one-time-run limited supply Haikyuu figures in continental Canada, you know,” Mal says, poking one of the statues with a giggle. Julia rolls her eyes.

“Let’s just get this over with,”

The faint, ever-dreaded song bell catches their attention, and the entire cast seems to collectively groan.

“It’s creepy how they stand there, and don’t even blink!” Courtney sings, walking by an Elvis.

Ass crosses their arms. “I don’t wanna see them there, all smooth and pink!”

Julia leans into the two. “Hey guys, could we bribe Mal to strip them all down?”

Ass shrugs “I say let her at them-”

“Nuh-uh, she’ll burn this place down!” Courtney snaps.

Across the floor, Team Friendship isn’t faring much better. Staci is trembling, beet-red and unable to even undo a single tie on Marilyn Monroe. She turns back to the team for help.

Bonnie looks away. “No way, I can’t do it- I swear I’ll spew!”

“And I’m allergic to sequins-” Max smirks.

“Okay, that’s just cruel,” the goth comments.

Phillip holds up his hands defensively. “My sigma lifestyle, prevents me from touch!”

Kelly blushes and clears their throat. “Um, well, I think it’s just a bit too much,”

“If we’re gonna find that clue, there’s only one thing to dooooo!” Bonnie sings.

Max nods. “Force someone to strip them down-”

The four players sing in unison, pointing at Staci. “And sorry, Stace, that’s you!”

They groan, looking pale.

“If we’re gonna find that clue” Julia sings, nudging Courtney and Ass with either elbow. “There’s only one thing to doooo!”

“Force someone to strip them down,” Courtney and Ass nod, both pointing at Mal. “And Mal will have to do!”

Mal shrugs.

“Hey I think I got something!” Michela says, pulling an envelope out the back of Lady Gaga’s dress. “Come on, let’s go, quick!”

Albert shakes his head. “Good, let’s get out of here- this place makes me sick!”

Team Yaoi sings as Mal shreds the clothes off the figures one-by-one. “Yeah, we’re gonna find that clue!”

Staci unzips a single dress, looking green and dizzy. “We’re doing what Chris proposed!”

“Force someone to strip them down,” Max sings merrily, nudging Bonnie.

The rest of the team harmonizes in unison. “Cause if we don’t we’re toast!”

Bonnie walks throughout the rows of statues, hand clutched to their heart. “Totally to-oh-oh-oh-oh-oast!”

Staci shudders, pulling their hand away from the dress. “I don’t think I- guys, I can’t even look at Barbie dolls naked, it- it freaks me out!”

Max rolls his eyes. “Well, I’m not doing it. Bonnie?”

The goth shakes their head. Kelly whistles innocently, looking around the room. Phillip begins backing away, but doesn’t look where he’s going and crashes into a wax statue of Taylor Swift, both of them falling backwards.

The flamed tip of his lighter catches onto her tousled blonde locks and she goes up in flames, melting slowly and dreadfully into the concrete floor. Phillip winces.

“Hey, look!” Bonnie gasps, pointing at the melded beige remains of Swift. A single, wax-covered envelope pokes out of the mess.

Max grabs it and tears it open. ““With your wax surprise, find where the magic happens, and the crowd goes wild.” Any thoughts?”

“Wax surprise must mean the clue. Where the magic happens is what bosses say when you’re about to sign up for the worst job of your life,” Bonnie thinks aloud. “And the crowd…”

Max and Bonnie look at each other and speak in unison. “A studio!”

“Yayyyyy team!” Staci says weakly. “We did it!”

“Phillip did it, with his amazingly idiotic dunce routine,” Max snaps. “Whatever. Let’s get a move-on.”

---

Team Yaoi stops outside the gates of a massive studio lot, looking between the wrought-iron bars of the entrance.

Julia gives them a tug. “Locked,”

“Well, the clue has got to be around here somewhere…” Courtney thinks aloud. “Ass? Any help?”

“I’m thinking,” they respond, pacing back and forth. “If only we really were in the movies. Some deus ex-machina plot device would swoop in and save the day.”

Courtney snorts. “I wish. We could go for a corny superhero savior right about now,”

“Like in that one movie where the girl jumps off the roof-”

“-And that hero in the spandex swoops in and saves her! That was so dumb, I swear- I don’t think I’d ever be so infatuated with a man to jump off a roof for him,”

Ass crosses their arms. “Tell me about it. How dumb do they expect the audience to be to believe a working woman would throw her whole life away for some dork in tights? It’s basically the same as a ditzy princess marrying a rando she just met. I’ll never forgive my cinema studies teacher for giving me a low grade on my paper about that. He called it “too cynical”,”

“Yeah, I got banned from watching spoof movies when my parents are home,” Courtney chuckles. “Even though I’ll watch pretty much anything when they’re gone. Which is all the time.”

---

COURTNEY: “Out of all the people… I can’t believe I’m getting along with Ass- I mean, Natalie. Maybe this is some weird trauma-response to Mal and Julia’s alliance, maybe this show is just getting to me, but… they’re not half-bad company!”

---

ASS: “Courtney? I know. I used to hate their guts, but they might be the only sane person left. Even after we get Mal voted out, I don’t see any harm in continuing our alliance. It’s not like Julia’s the most pleasant person to converse with,”

---

A loud screech distracts the two from their in-depth analysis and they turn to the road, where seven black vans have pulled up.

“Don’t even tell me,” Julia sighs.

The car doors slide open and dozens of paparazzi file out, holding cameras- and stun guns.

“I guess this was what Chris was talking about,” Courtney says, looking at Ass nervously. “And the crowd goes wild!”

“I’m not sticking around for that. Run!”

---

“Okay, everyone, stay together!” Staci yells, running at the front of Team Friendship’s frantic escape from the stampede of coffee breath and flashing lights. “Remember, work as a-”

“Enough!” Max shouts, covering his ears seconds before he’s enveloped by the crowd of paparazzi.

“NOOOOOOO!” Bonnie shouts, throwing out a dramatic hand behind them as he disappears into the tidal wave. They turn back to Staci. “Man down!”

“We need a plan!” Phillip shouts.

Kelly yells ahead. “You can do this!”

Staci frowns, a bead of sweat running down their forehead. “I… I… I don’t know! I don’t know! Leave me alone!”

She screams and throws herself into the crowd, knocking over a dozen paps like bowling pins.

Bonnie blinks, turning to Kelly and Phillip. “I think our leader was just assassinated,”

“Not a bad idea though!” Kelly shouts back, grinning. They stop and throw themselves backwards, barreling over a few more people. The impact has a domino effect, and with each collision another row of paparrazzi fall.

“For my honor!” Phillip shouts, tossing himself too.

Bonnie shakes their head. “I hate you guys!” and jumps into the fray as well.

After the dust clears, and the sounds of groaning and grumbling have subsided, a hand juts out of the fog to help Bonnie up. They accept it and Max pulls them to their feet. He waves around a golden envelope. “Let’s get out of here,”

---

“The win which you need, is where stars are out of reach, skies are what you seek,” Julia reads aloud. “Okay, so… somewhere high…”

“That could be anywhere!” Courtney says, dusting off their shirt. “There’s multiple skyscrapers in this city.”

“But it has to do with actors, right?” Ass adds on as the team walks through the darkened city, wincing at their injuries from the paparazzi encounter. “There’s gotta be some agency building or something.”

“Maybe… maybe not,” a voice from the back pipes up.

The three turn behind them, where Mal is scrolling through her phone. The device itself is untouched, while the girl is covered in scrapes and bruises from the stampede.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Chris said this challenge is all about stars, right? Well, what if this clue is about a different kind of star?” She says, pointing at a hill ahead of them.

The Griffith Observatory flashes, twinkling in the night sky like a star itself. Julia sighs, not even bothering to ask, and then gestures the team ahead. “Only one way to find out!”

Mal grins and follows close behind.

---

MAL: “Okay, so I may have been lying… just a little,” she grins, barely holding back a giggle. “I’m not some riddle prodigy. It’s just that the studio infrastructure has like, no firewall, and, well…”

She holds her phone to the confessional camera, revealing live camera footage of herself in the confessional. She scrolls and it flicks to the plane galley, and then economy class, and then the cargo hold.

She takes back her phone and sits down. “I wouldn’t call it stalking so much as, per se… learning the lore!”

---

Team Friendship looks between each other as Max and Bonnie pace, discussing the clue. Staci is seated on the asphalt, far from the rest of the group, her knees pulled tightly to her chest.

“So it’s somewhere high up, has to do with actors, but isn’t a skyscraper, isn’t the Hollywood hill…” he thinks aloud, pacing. “I feel like we’re missing something.”

“A double entendre, maybe?” Bonnie asks. “‘Sky’ might be a metaphor, or a reference.”

Max groans. “This is useless,”

Kelly watches the two discuss the clue, team morale sharply dropping. They sigh and take a seat next to Staci. “They could really use you, you know,”

She shakes her head. “I don’t know anything. I’ve been playing everything by the book to a T- and I still suck at this. It’s no different than high school, or college… I’m just never going to understand people,” they sigh. “What’s the point of trying anything- friendships, school, romance… if I’m just never going to get it right?"

Kelly frowns, and puts a hand on their shoulder. “Staci, you have more strength than you know. I know I see the best in everyone, but… you’re a part of our team!”

No response. She looks away.

“Look, maybe you’re not a leader. Maybe you can’t be Max, or Bonnie… So what? You don’t have to be perfect at everything,” they smile weakly. “I know what it feels like to be out of place… but you, Staci, you belong on this team. You don’t have to be the head! You can be the… liver, or something.”

They raise an eyebrow. “Anatomy isn’t really my strong suit. Human bodies kinda ick me out,”

“My point is more than everyone has a purpose. We all have a purpose. You’re an important part of this team,”

Staci thinks for a moment, and then smiles slightly. Kelly grins, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment, before the both of them are called back to the group.

“Hey, we think we got it!”

---

Chris sits atop Mount Hollywood, tapping his watch. Despite the time, the observatory decks are packed with tourists, pointing and gawking at the lights of the city below them.

As the host checks his teeth in the reflection of his watch, a team rises over the crest of the hill and lands at his feet with a thud.

“Did we… did we make it?” Julia wheezes.

“You sure did, champ. Team Yaoi has won the challenge- and immunity!”

Only two people follow them, wheezing and covered in bruises. Michela groans at the sight of Team Yaoi already planted firmly in the winning spot.

“Dammit! I thought we actually did pretty okay this time,”

Albert huffs. “At least we’re not-”

“INCOMINGGGG!” Staci shouts, shoving a line of tourists aside as Team Friendship dashes forward.

With one final burst of energy, the five had managed to scale the hill- but not fast enough. Max sighs at the sight of the other teams, and then shrinks to the back of the group to conference with Bonnie.

Kelly cheers. “We made it! We made it!”

“We’re in last,” Phillip sighs.

“But we still made it, didn’t we?”

Albert rolls his eyes from nearby.

“That you did. Unfortunately, not in time,” Chris says, pacing between the three exhausted teams. “Team Yaoi- welcome back to first class. Team Friendship- I’ll see you later tonight. Enjoy the city while you can, folks- we’re taking off in ten!”

---

Team Friendship looks between each other nervously as Chris merrily clears his throat, munching on complimentary airplane pretzels and flipping through a Reality, Weekly.

“Hah, Blaineley’s getting canceled on Twitter again. I bet you guys are glad she’s not coming back, amirite?”

The teens stare back blankly. He sighs. “I miss Scruffy. Anyway, onto the votes. With three against her, Staci- time to take your final bow and step out of the limelight. And into the moonlight, amirite?”

Crickets. Chris glares. “Do I have something in my teeth? Helloooo?”

“Can we just get on with this?” Max snaps.

“Ugh. FINE. Staci, you have been eliminated never coming back, yadda yadda. Here’s your chute,” he tosses them a pack, which they catch with a thud.

She sulks, but stands anyway. “Well…” she says, a slight smile coming to her face. “Thanks for the experience!”

Staci waves to Kelly and jumps into the night sky, screaming all the way down. Chris sighs happily. “I missed that. Well, I’ve got a jacuzzi and three seasons of soap opera that are calling my name. See ya!”

The host walks off, leaving the remaining team members behind.

---

Julia walks into first class, holding a soft chocolate chip cookie. She plops down on the plush, comforting first class seats and leans back. Mal giggles at her phone from across the aisle.

“What’s funny?” the blonde asks, taking a bite of the baked good.

Mal clears her throat, quickly switching from live footage of the cargo hold to her Instagram account. “OMG, you’re gonna love this. My mutual posted this new Genshin meme-”

“You know what? Forget I asked,” Julia mumbles. She looks around the cabin. “Where are Thing 1 and Thing 2?”

“Bathroom and galley,” Mal states, matter-of-factly. She plugs her headphones back in and tunes out Julia’s grumbling as she switches back to the raw footage.

---

ASS: “As surprised as I am to admit it, this arrangement is… working for us, somehow. Now, I don’t want to be in the final three with Mal as much as the next guy, but-”

The door suddenly opens and closes behind someone.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize that someone was in here,” Courtney says. “It was unlocked.”

Ass shrugs. “Damn it, I must’ve forgotten. I’ve been kinda off my game lately,”

“Really? I feel like you’ve been doing pretty well,”

“That’s not what I… never mind,” they sigh. “Thanks, I guess. You too.”

Courtney smiles, and then chuckles lightly. “This is crazy, right? I feel like this is pretty crazy,”

“Yeah,” Ass smiles back with a shrug. “Crazy.”

The two beam at each other for a moment and then, without thinking, lean in and kiss.

---

From back inside first class, Mal’s eyes widen at her phone.

#total takes world tour #ttwt #im obsessed with mal you guys dont get it

13 notes · View notes

hungwy · 1 year

Text

Had a dream that I re-met with this guy from a previous dream, a bigger guy, brownish hair with a beard and glasses, smart and outgoing and loud. He was from a dream I had a long time ago. I don't exactly remember that dream, but we basically just wandered around together and it was really fun, that one-of-a-kind fun you have with newly met strangers in videogames that become buddy-buddy with you quickly, and you do some crazy stuff and it's completely intoxicating. That dream ended when he got accepted into this school or something on a remote island, somewhere like the Azores, and we had to part ways.

Anyway, in this dream, it was night. I don't remember what happened any more exactly, but he was back from the island for a short time, and we somehow had met. we argued a lot, on patios and in hotel rooms and while walking, from what I remember more religiously toned stuff, but also about politics and conspiracy theories. but he and some other guys came to my house one night, and he was driving this beat up white van with giant clear passenger windows and a super short engine compartment and parked it in the driveway. Soon we were partying again together like the old dream, running around and drinking and arguing and acting like long-time best friends.

But after a long night of partying it was over. he was leaving with his suitcase to his shitty white van, and I gave him the biggest hug of my life and was violently crying, and I was saying how glad I was to have met him and how much fun I had and how much id miss him. and he kept up this jovial attitude he had the whole time, not one for too emotional goodbyes, and slipped into this loud and jolly persona to make jokes to distract from the sadness of the situation -- which almost made it sadder -- and he got into his shitty car, continuing to yell funny stuff, and drove off into the night.

And I had a vision of him on his island, which was a small place colonized by Italy long ago, thus much of the old village architecture was Italian in style, white walled, red-roofed homes stacked over each other, all facing the beach down below. And I saw him, older and more reserved, wearing circular small glasses, sitting in the 2nd story of a building with a window facing into the tiny market square, and in there he was helping someone with their finances. My friend was living there and had for many years in the vision.

And then I woke up and felt like something had resolved, but I didn't want it to, and that instead of a weight off my shoulders something vital had but cut off, and yet I had a feeling of acceptance that any goodbye comes with.

Anyway it's 11 am

105 notes · View notes

clansocreations · 7 months

Text

Since @diana-westmoon put a post about sharing unrefined stories onto my dash and @i-am-a-world told me to waste time only when I don't have any I have decided to make another attempt at doing exactly that.

Unless I forget all about it immediately there will be the occasional Enyr-&-Allyn-posting from now on.

A few tidbits for the start, then the first part of the story.

Tidbit Number 1

The relationship between Enyr and his patron, the Thief who Stole from the Gods is sort of like the relationship of Odysseus and Athena in Epic! The Musical (and eventually goes just as sour)

Tidbit Number 2: the first time I ever wrote about something kind of like this, neither Allyn nor Enyr were the protagonists. Well sort of. It's complicated.

Tidbit Number 3: I've been daydreaming about this story for years. Only some of it is formatted as an audiodrama script. Because this story has evolved over time in some parts the characters have different names. Different pronouns. (Allyn has xe/xir now) It would take ages to clean this mess up. But the first part, where our heroes are introduced and shooed off onto their quest is good to go! I tried really hard to make it presentable.

But hey. Ultimately I just want people to see and enjoy this story. Maybe that'll even help get me unstuck from the point where the story has been for at least the last two years.

Extra Tidbit: Taras' theme song is Birds of a Feather by Fish in a Birdcage

Anyways.

The Tale of Enyr and Allyn

Part 1 Chapter 1: Enyr

A long way from here, on the far side of a vast ocean, there is a group of four islands. And on the biggest island there stands a proud city. In the beginning, there was no settlement there. There was in fact nothing of note there on that tiny rock. A few birds maybe. But all in all it was merely empty. Accounts of how and why people eventually began to live there vary. Folks who live on the neighboring continent may tell you of a traitor, a liar, a thief who fled to the most remote island like a coward to avoid punishment for stealing from gods. Those who live on that island and its neighbors however tell quite a different tale. In this story, the thief is a hero, who stood up to unjust, violent gods and used their newly gained power to protect those who could not thrive on the continent, those who were too different or unwanted to find a home there. The truth, as it tends to be with some stories, is somewhere in the middle…. This is the tale of Enyr the adventurer, who knew the Thief better than anyone, and of his trials, hardship, betrayals and love. And of Hearthkeeper Allyn who wanted nothing to do with any of them, and got caught up in them most unfortunately anyway.

In his youth Enyr decided to follow one of the gods worshipped on the islands, as many young islanders were doing at the time. Of course the Thief, as an entity of the wild stormy sea and the great unknown, could hardly be worshipped in temples. Whoever wanted to truly worship them had to set out on a journey and dedicate his life to travel. And so Enyr chose the life of a sailor. Scene change: maybe indicated by music?

Scene 2: ENYRs time as a sailor and a life changing meeting Luke: And that life suited him well. He worked hard and when the work was done he could also loosen up and celebrate. All things considered he was a perfectly normal person. In fact, the only thing worth mentioning about young Enyr was his almost eerie knack for predicting the weather. This may not seem like that big of a talent, but keep in mind that in this part of the world the weather is largely caused by the whims and fancies of a fickle god. This strange quirk only seemed to get more and more accurate the longer he spent out at sea and soon people joked that Enyr knew if the weather was going to change before the Thief themself had even decided. Maybe it was these jokes that eventually drew their attention, maybe it was the fact that on that particular night he was the only one who was still somewhat sober. One could now speculate about fate and chance at length but do those things really matter? Fact is that in his seventh summer as an adventurer at sea, our young friend was approached by a rather familiar stranger after a night of drink and dance… SOUNDS: outside of a lively pub at night, laughter, music etc. can be heard, although somewhat muffled. SOUND: Slow footsteps Enyr: (sings, very off-key, he’s clearly somewhat drunk): Adventure at sea is the life for me, I don’t get homesick no When the captain calls and the storm rolls in A-floating I shall go Now raise your glass another time Drink and beverage ho! Like the birds on high we must look to the sky A-floating we shall….go ( He trails off. The footsteps stop) (Beat) Enyr (contd): Who are you? Luke: If he had been entirely sober, he may have been able to recognize the figure leaning against the wall sooner, but as it was, at that moment he had no idea that he was speaking to his god. Only that sixth sense he had developed for the weather nagged at him: This person felt like storm season air. The Thief (clearly amused): Who, me? I am but a stranger on the breeze. A traveler, if you will. Enyr: Hm. You… You look so… familiar. (hiccups) The Thief (barely suppresses a fit of loud laughter): I have one of those faces. Enyr (confused): What'd you want? The Thief: Hearthkeeper Allyn, one of my sisters most important acolytes, has been dispatched on a rescue mission. But like my sister, xe is not a traveler, so I was asked to lend a ship with crew to the cause. To guarantee xir safety and the success of the mission. Enyr: But I don't (hiccup) sail for you, stranger, I sail for… Luke: Suddenly the young sailor felt very sober indeed, as the proverbial coin dropped at last. The weight of his situation dawned on him. This merry stranger in front of him had once raised the islands out of the sea as an act of defiance. What reason could they possibly have to want to talk to him? Enyr (voice wavering with doubt): And…I’m supposed to what, lead that crew for you? The Thief: Maybe. If you think you are the right person to carry out this task when you wake up tomorrow. (Beat) Why do you look so surprised? I wouldn't force you to do this against you will… and I certainly wouldn't ask this of you without giving you something in return. Enyr: What would you give? The Thief: Do you know what exactly it was that I took from the three continental gods? Enyr: Of course I do. Everyone (hiccup) knows that. Why? The Thief: Because I have something to give as well. And unlike them I am not too set in my ways to give it freely.

Next time: Allyn really really doesn't want to go on an adventure but it's about a kid so fiiiiine

Also there's a scene later where Enyr and Taras consider getting really wasted as part of their totally serious last ditch effort rescue mission and now that I think about it, it would be hilarious for Taras to go "oh you're one to talk booze. One time you got so utterly pissed you didn't even recognize when your god tried to talk to you" but there's no way they could know, this was literally before their time. And my totally amazing badass hero would totally have been too embarrassed to tell that little fact to anyone ever.

(also please ignore Luke. He's there because I thought I could find a home for this story in the podcast Among the Stacks which is why this is in script form also. But ultimately...nah. i have to figure out something else for Luke)

Anyways.

#enyr&allyn #sabertoothlesscreations #the tale of Enyr and Allyn #Spotify

6 notes · View notes

wispstalk · 2 years

Text

land

Cloud Ruler Temple clings to the mountainside. At times it's as if the barren slopes are all that remains of the world, an island of cold rock drifting in some hazy void. All the rest, from the wind-battered highlands to the glittering Topal bay, seems burnt away— a dream forgotten with no one left to dream it.

Martin leans in a crenel, flanked by the two watchtowers. Up here the wind rides high and wild, plucking at the ends of his hair as it races by. First Seed can only charitably be considered a spring month this far north, but the brazier nearby fends off the chill, and Bruma Valley sleeps curled at the foot of the mountain. Tanis was right: this really is the best brooding spot in the whole temple.

A hand on his shoulder. Martin had been so absorbed in his thoughts he hadn’t heard anyone approach. Before he can rouse himself to turn, a slender grey hand comes to cover his eyes.

“Tanis, what—”

“What phase is Secunda in?” the Hero of Kvatch cuts in.

“I—” Martin lets out a soft huff of laughter. “I don’t know. I was… somewhere else.”

“I know you were.” Tanis lowers his hand and cups Martin’s jaw, tilting it upward.

Secunda full, Masser a waxing crescent. A cold, clear night, with high winds herding the clouds away. One seems to have strayed from the flock, however: Tanis nudges him with an elbow, proffering a steaming mug.

An alchemist never offers tea without some ulterior motive. With the coming of spring, Tanis has been plying the temple’s residents with “blood tonics,” whatever those are. But he has a mind for flavor: the bitter, earthy root is rounded out with fennel and cardamom, sweetened with honey. The warmth of it in his hand, the warmth of Tanis at his back, settles Martin back into himself. He breathes in the aromatic steam and looks out again with fresh eyes.

Up here the plants hang on for dear life. Tough, scrubby little things, huddled low in the hollows that pock the rough granite. Down the slopes their defenses thicken: evergreens bent into crooked sprays, their rugged branches bearing crowns of bright, tender green. The spruce buds are luminous in the moonlight. Evidence of another winter survived, another chance to jostle for a place in the sun.

“A prison with a view,” Tanis remarks, “but damned if it isn’t the best view in all Cyrodiil.”

“I've wondered what keeps you here,” Martin says wryly. "Moved up in the world from your dungeon cell, haven't you?"

Tanis slips an arm around Martin’s waist. “I like it here. More than I thought I would. I've seen every corner of this land of yours by now, priest, and it's a fine one.”

Martin breaks into a faint smile. “It really is.”

Far below them the forest spills down the mountain like dark velvet. Bruma’s watchfires are tiny embers in the coal-dark valley. He makes a note to come out in the daylight. Surely there is a stirring in the cradle of the Jeralls. Sun-starved residents baring their arms in defiance of the chill, farmers out to till the fallow fields. Here he is too high up to see the bustle, but he knows— despite all, the sun will draw them out.

He spent his childhood with his hands in the soil, his body tuned to the grand order of the seasons, his mind trained to look for the potential that lives in each tiny seed. Every stretch of land on which he’s walked has given him something to love. Tall reeds waving on the shores of Lake Rumare; dark-winged skimmers nesting in Anvil’s dunes; stubborn Kvatch in the hinterlands, perched proudly on its hill.

And yes, even here. The silent, remote immensity of stone, keeping vigil over the boundless horizon.

The mountain fastness seems less an island to him now. It settles, takes root; becomes part of a living, breathing whole. A land that goes on, and on.

#can you tell i am pre-emptively fending off the winter sads #tes oblivion #hero of kvatch #martin septim #elder scrolls #oc: tanis #long post #ray writes

42 notes · View notes

roxy206 · 2 years

Note

trixya + “wouldn’t it be nice”

First of all this plays into my affinity for song lyrics as fic titles AND my random Beach Boys phase rn

Between filming UNHhhh episodes, Trixie & Katya are having lunch in Katya’s dressing room. While Katya is wolfing down a Domino’s pizza, Trixie is bitching about her schedule for that week alone — forget the rest of the year, because she can’t possibly think about it or she might have a breakdown

Katya gently reminds Trixie that she needs to slow down. Trixie murmurs her agreement. She knows Katya is right, but the next several months are already set in stone & she feels helpless. And worse, she knows it’s all her own doing

So while she sips on her Red Bull, she wonders out loud why they can’t just run away to some beach somewhere where there are no drag clubs & the Wi-Fi is too slow for videos or podcasts & even email is unreliable. And better yet — where no one knows who they are & no one knows they’re there. All they have to worry about is where they’re going to eat next & which of them is picking up the check this time

Katya lets Trixie continue building this fantasy where they drift from the pool to the beach, no corsets or padding in sight. She doesn’t ask questions about why it’s the two of them or why no one else knows how to contact them. She even lets herself consider the possibility, easily Yes And-ing the scenario & telling Trixie she’ll agree if she’s in charge of the tv remote & there’s a movie theatre on this island

They’re interrupted by a knock on the door & as they start closing up their boxes of food, Katya makes a mental note to buy some tiny umbrellas to put next to Trixie’s straws

send me a ship + a fake fic title & I’ll tell you what it’s about

#fic title game #but your dad just calls me katya #oh honeyyyyy #kimmy answers

11 notes · View notes

dolanmyer · 2 years

Text

My Forgotten Childhood Fears Unleashed (at a Peaceful Siquijor Getaway)!

youtube

It was Friday! I had just submitted my final draft for a long overdue writing project. Boy, did I need a break! I knew I needed to go someplace else: somewhere peaceful, somewhere close, yet still with that faraway vibe, no less.

Most importantly, I needed to detach myself from my work-from-home station and the boring routine I had developed while I was stuck with the grueling long overdue writing project over the past few weeks.

Believe me, I love my pets a lot! Yet, simply staying at home on this particular weekend was definitely not an option. Also, taking my dog and three cats was too much of a hassle, especially with the logistics and documents required for traveling pets. I had to go somewhere alone. Don’t worry! They were well taken care of while I was gone.

I longed for a place where I could finally relax and unwind. I also wanted to go somewhere I hadn’t been to yet, someplace where I could find new inspiration or come up with more novel ideas and solutions for my personal projects.

Right then and there, I decided to go on a relatively short trip. I immediately packed my bags and headed straight to the mystical island of Siquijor.

Siquijor, also called Isla Del Fuego or Island of Fire, has always been one of my favorite go-to Philippine holiday destinations. This tiny island province (the third smallest province in the Philippines after Camiguin and Batanes) is just a boat ride away from the cities of Dumaguete (Negros Oriental), Cebu, or Tagbilaran (Bohol). It is famous for its beautiful and fine white sand beaches, turquoise seawater, and breathtaking underwater marine sanctuaries, a perfect paradise for freediving and scuba diving enthusiasts alike.

On this trip, though, I preferred to book a secluded Airbnb mountain stay. The place was called Canjahawon Nipa Hut and Restaurant. I was actually under the impression that I would be living in the heart of a jungle since it was located on a mountain top.

My cousin had found photos of this place on Facebook which he eagerly shared with me a few months ago. He had been yearning to book this place ever since he discovered it, but just hadn’t found the time yet. So I decided to do an advance ocular inspection for him, hitting both birds with one stone.

Besides the sheer remoteness of the place, the concept of living in a three-walled hut intrigued me the most. The fourth wall was actually a door that could be folded open to embrace nature in a rather really wide hug, I should say. On top of that, imagine sleeping under the night sky on a custom-made hammock with a swarm of fireflies hovering simply everywhere. Truly idyllic or so I thought…

So, I took the two-hour ferry ride to Siquijor. When I got to the seaport, everything looked practically the same as it did on my last trip. Besides the few recently opened businesses, there was really nothing new for me to explore. I quickly rented a motorbike and drove straight to my Airbnb stay.

I had been to Siquijor several times so I was already quite familiar with the main roads found on the map app. The drive itself was quite remarkable. I could clearly see and feel the change in both the scenery and the temperature.

What I find most fascinating about the island of Siquijor is that it is so tiny that you can literally go to the mountains from the beach, and vice versa, in mere minutes, not hours. The stark contrast of the hot and humid pristine white sand beaches against the cold and sometimes wet lush tropical rain forests is simply breathtaking.

Whether one prefers merely chilling on the beach, avidly exploring marine biodiversity, or painstakingly hiking in the mountains, there are just so many options to choose from. And that’s what I love most about the laid-back lifestyle on this island, not to mention the friendly and helpful locals. More on this in the next blog and vlog. For now, I really want to share something personal, but more on that later in this blog, as well.

Yes, I got lost.

Despite my self-proclaimed navigation expertise, I still got lost twice on my way to that remote Airbnb stay. The lack of cellular towers in the mountains simply rendered my driving app useless. But with the help of a few locals, I was able to follow their somewhat vague directions and miraculously arrived at the right place.

To say the last leg of this journey was tough, filled with unexpected twists and turns, would be an understatement. The private dirt road leading to Canjahawon Nipa Hut and Restaurant was strewn with rocks and was really rough two-thirds of the way.

I think only a 4x4 vehicle like a pickup truck or an SUV or a motorbike can easily navigate through this rocky and sometimes muddy terrain. Other vehicles would just be asking for trouble if they went this way. Those determined souls with more delicate vehicles, designed for tamer city driving, would simply park by the road and willingly walk about two kilometers to reach the final destination that is Canjahawon.

Thankfully, the remaining one-third of the way has already been paved with concrete, ending right at their doorstep, or their parking area, to be exact.

Besides the few photos my cousin had shared with me and the details I read on Airbnb, I hadn't really done much research about the place at all. This post-pandemic, more easygoing approach to planning a trip is a far cry from my more intense pre-pandemic methodology. Before Covid, I used to plan a comprehensive itinerary, complete with a printed detailed budget and breakdown of all possible expenses.

Besides the trip being spur-of-the-moment, I just didn’t feel the need for any background check or any special plans for this short excursion, leaving some room (I hoped) for any teeny tiny bit of surprise! Or probably, I was just too lazy to do any planning at all. Most likely the latter.

The entrance to Canjahawon Nipa Hut and Restaurant is a wooden door right smack in the middle of a bamboo fence. Throughout my stay, the wooden door seemed to always be open, as though it were welcoming each guest with open arms as they arrived. The perfectly glued round bamboo reeds were positioned in a particular manner to hide the interior, giving a sense of privacy.

Peering through the wooden door from the outside, I immediately saw a nipa hut, a native Filipino house on stilts, also blocking the view inside. Later, I discovered that it was one of the four huts available for guests to stay.

As soon as I went through the door, I instantly felt calm and relaxed. It was as though an invisible barrier had blocked all of my worries from tagging along with me on this short weekend getaway. I wish! The truth is: I simply decided to leave all of my mental baggage behind the door. I was kind of hoping that all of my mental baggage would voluntarily roam outside, get lost in the midst of the jungle, and never come back (wink wink).

The lobby was truly unlike any other lobbies I have ever seen. It was set up with nature as its backdrop, designed to blend rather than disturb the natural landscape and vegetation.

Beautiful and diverse foliage adorned both sides of the semicircular concrete pathway leading down to the lobby and the restaurant. A humongous ancient-looking mango tree stood right at the center, providing enough shade to the locally made lounge chairs and tables scattered under it. Pebbles kept the floor completely even and dry.

The whole scenery reminded me of the Elves’ domain in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. Or at least a portion of it…

It was the perfect place to check in. In fact, I didn’t even need to go through the usual check-in process where I had to present my ID and phone to show my Airbnb booking. The staff didn’t even ask for my full name to verify my identity. I just briefly introduced myself. And they simply welcomed me with smiling faces.

It turned out I was their only guest that weekend. It was a no-brainer for them to connect the dots right away.

Of course, they were not that naive to trust a complete stranger with a backpack showing up at their restaurant unannounced. I could tell that the owner and the two cooks (a male and a female, who also doubled as room attendants) were subtly verifying my identity while we were talking. The male cook then took me to my assigned nipa hut.

The nipa hut looked exactly like the photo I saw on Airbnb.

My nipa hut was found almost at the top of a hill, surrounded by foliage of all kinds. From the restaurant, I walked up a path of rectangular concrete blocks before I reached my hut. Along the way were two other nipa huts that were unoccupied at that time.

I climbed up the concrete stairs that led to the closed main door. The male cook who doubled as the room attendant opened the door and showed me around my hut.

The first thing I saw was the lobby cum storage area that led into the bedroom itself. At the very center was a queen-sized bed with a circular mosquito net. To the left of the bed was the main door, while to the right was the doorless entry to the bathroom.

A few feet from the foot of the bed was a native accordion door that opened to the veranda. The door could be folded from the middle to the sides to open it. It could not be completely closed and had no lock.

Half of the veranda were two custom-built hammocks, each meant to hold two people. The wooden floor extended from the lobby, through the bedroom, to the remaining half of the veranda. From the veranda, one could see the nipa hut on the next hill, the signature view of Canjahawon Nipa Hut and Restaurant.

My small nipa hut is just perfect for solo travelers or couples. The built-in hammocks are one-of-a-kind and the view from the bed or the veranda is simply awesome. Canjahawon Nipa Hut and Restaurant is the perfect place to relax and unwind.

I have always dreamed of becoming a novelist. I booked this quiet, secluded place with the intention of either beginning to write my first novel (that I have already outlined in detail) or drafting the outline of my second novel. So, after my late lunch at the restaurant, I laid on the hammock and started to write. But not for long!

My lunch got the better of me and I dozed off. After a while, the afternoon sun’s rays hit the whole hammock. I woke up still drowsy, moved to the bed, and slept some more. I didn’t get up until around 5 PM, just in time for dinner.

After dinner, I started drafting the outline of a portion of my second novel. Not for long, though! Why? The power went out.

Unable to think of anything else to do, I laid down on the hammock to ogle at a million fireflies hovering in and around my hut, the huge mango tree at the lobby, other smaller trees, the neighboring huts, all the way to the restaurant and beyond.

I spent several hours in sheer bliss. So zen! My mind was all blank, all calm, all peaceful.

The fireflies stayed with me all the way until midnight. They only left me when it began to rain really hard. Everything went downhill from there.

Suddenly, my imagination ran wild! I vividly saw in my mind's eye a huge anaconda crawling up the wooden column of the hut. It seemed to be on its way to my hammock to get me.

My childhood fear of snakes was unwittingly unleashed! Probably due to the dead snake I had almost forgotten about. The one I saw in the middle of the road on my way to Canjahawon.

I had planned to sleep in my hammock the whole night in the rain. The cold was tolerable. It would have been a novelty to lie all drenched. Unfortunately, the mere thought of one huge snake crawling up my hut was enough to make me change my mind. I was left with no choice but to go to bed.

I tossed and turned for hours. The closed, albeit unlocked, veranda door triggered my imagination to go on hyperdrive. My fear of the imaginary anaconda was soon replaced with a more realistic fear of robbers or murderers out to get me.

I was quite aware that it was all in my head. Yet, I still felt vulnerable and afraid! I decided to stay up all night in full alert mode, listening to music to calm my frazzled nerves.

Call me paranoid if you like! I rarely feel safe sleeping in the absence of reliably locked doors. There are few exceptional campsites I feel safe enough to sleep in. I normally shy away from camping or sleeping outdoors since I would be lucky to sleep a wink at all.

I finally felt safe enough to sleep around 5 AM. The sky was brighter then, since the sun was about to rise. I woke up at almost 11 AM, missed breakfast, and was just in time for brunch.

My Host was gracious enough to extend my checkout time to late afternoon. No one else was booked that day, that's why. So after brunch, I killed time driving around the island.

Driving through the countryside is one of my favorite pastimes. It is one of my simplest pleasures in my minimalist life. Some of my best ideas had been thought out while driving.

Driving through Siquijor is a dream! What more could one ask for? Fresh air, practically no traffic, exquisite scenery, and more!

After my drive, I checked out of Canjahawon Nipa Hut and Restaurant and checked into a non-Airbnb place. My new place is definitely not worth mentioning because it was not as interesting or unique as Canjahawon. Rinse and repeat! All I did was sleep, eat and drive around throughout the entire weekend. Then on Monday morning, I took the first Ocean Jet trip back to Dumaguete.

End of this adventure, ready for the next one!

Here's my to-do list for my next trip to Siquijor:

freediving at Tulapos Marine Sanctuary

another unique stay in Jungle Hut (Lazi, Siquijor)

get freediving (AIDA) and diving (PADI) certified if I don't get them sooner in Moalboal (Cebu) or Panglao Island (Bohol), whichever trip comes first.

This is my major takeaway for this adventure:

I need to accept my fears with open arms. I have always thought that I had already overcome my fear of snakes. Yet, it still hit me by surprise from out of the blue. I need to address my fears the best way I know how.

Fear is a given. It will always be there. Instead of spending all my time fretting about it, I will deal with each fear as it comes, only if it actually happens. I will live one day at a time, one fear at a time. My general rule is: to forget my fears until I actually need to face them.

I read somewhere that to overcome one's fears, one must expose himself to the source of fear. Come on! Who would want to be stuck in a place with an anaconda (just like the movie), or a man-eating shark (just like in Jaws, the movie)?

Thanks to freediving (one of my favorite hobbies), my fear of sharks seems to be not that intense anymore. I guess reading articles and watching documentaries about sharks helped me de-escalate my fear. In contrast, I continue to feel an intense fear of sea snakes and all kinds of snakes in general, since I find them too disgusting to look at even in mere photos or videos.

For the latest updates, do follow us (my pets and me) on these social media platforms:

Instagram: instagram.com/DolanMyer

Twitter: twitter.com/DolanMyer

Facebook: facebook.com/DolanMyer

TikTok: tiktok.com/@DolanMyer

Do you like what I do? Would you like to show me your support? How about buying me a coffee or snack on any of these platforms?

Patreon: patreon.com/DolanMyer

Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/DolanMyer

SubscribeStar: subscribestar.com/DolanMyer

BuyMeACoffee: buymeacoffee.com/DolanMyer

Subscribing to any of these websites will give you early access to my videos. Your coffee or snack treat will allow me to work at my favorite cafes all day long without guilt.

Please like, comment, share, and subscribe! Your likes, comments, and shares will allow my videos to reach more like-minded kindred spirits like us.

Thank you for your continued support!

#Siquijor #Travel #Blog #Vlog #Youtube

2 notes · View notes

richardknowsaspot · 1 month

Text

New England Can be Cool

Over the Summer I spent 2 months in Europe. As corny as it sounds, when I got back to the states I had a newfound appreciation for a place I once considered mundane. A week or so after I landed the urge to travel was already creeping back up on me. Luckily, the opportunity to travel again arose when my friend Noah invited me and a few friends to stay with him at his place in Maine. I had been to Maine a few times so I was ready for some pretty rural vibes, but this was a whole new level.

Fun fact about Noah: he lives on a small island off the coast of Maine that you can only get to by boat. Excited as ever we packed our car and set out for the weekend. The drive was only 2 hours, but that was just to the marina. Once we arrived we had to say goodbye to our car, and haul all of our belongings down to the docks. It was there we met up with Noah, tossed our bags into his boat, and set off for the island. It only took about 30 minutes to get to the island from the main(e)-land (no pun intended). I haven't been on a boat in years so that experience alone was quite invigorating. As we approached the island the rocky coast became apparent and I was thrilled to explore somewhere new.

That night we kept things pretty chill. We made a delicious dinner with produce grown and freshly harvested on the island. It was so refreshing to eat a meal made with such clean ingredients, you could really taste the difference. We wrapped up the night pretty soon after because we had an early morning ahead of us. The next day we were setting out on another journey. This time to an even smaller, more remote island. We planned to go camping for the remainder of the weekend on this tiny island that was completely uninhibited. That morning we packed all of our things as efficiently as possible, walked down the docks and set sail towards our next location. The boat rides through Casco Bay were awe-inspiring. The landscapes were so unencumbered and natural. It felt so good being somewhere I could feel connected with the world again after being away for so long.

As we approached the little island that would be our home for the next 2 days, we scoped out the best place to drop anchor. There was a small opening at the top of the rocky shore which hosted a small field of soft green grass and a fire pit. Once we decided on that spot we began loading our supplies into the dingy, and transporting them to shore. We set up tents, tied our hammocks in the trees, and made quesadillas on the fire for lunch.

Once we were all settled in it was time to do some exploring. Though the island was completely uninhibited and had zero infrastructure, Noah knew it like the back of his hand. He led us to the tallest point on the island to get the best view of the land and the ocean. After taking in the scenery we decided to get some much needed beach time in. As we descended back into the woods and towards the shore the scenery was like nothing I had ever seen before. The grass seedmed greener, trees seemed taller, flowers more colorful, even the bees on them appeared abundantly healthy. We approached a clearing in the tall grass that revealed a stunning pebbled beach. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, a similar feeling I had multiple times on my trip to Europe, only this was only 2 hours from home. The area surrounding the beach itself was so naturally beautiful. The fact that it had never been altered by humans was extremely apparent. I began realizing this is what nature should look like. As someone used to beaches in more urban areas, this was mind blowing for me. Everything was just so picture perfect. The best part of all was that none of us had cell service. We were quite literally forced to just exist, basking in the sun and swimming in the clear ocean water.

After some much needed sun, we headed back to our campsite and napped in our hammocks. It was truly one of the most peaceful experiences I’ve ever had. Eventually dinner time rolled around and we decided making pasta over an open fire was a good idea. Believe it or not it actually turned out great. There’s something about bare bones cooking that makes you appreciate the meal so much more. This was also around the time that I had my first official shandy which, if you know you know. Next we did the obvious, smores, then set back out for a little evening stroll. This time we went to a beach on the other side of the island. There was a pretty shallow tide pool that stretched for a few yards. We waded through the water for a bit and Noah taught us how to catch baby lobsters by hand. The wholesomeness of these activities was enough to get someone off their antidepressants. There’s something so grounding and fulfilling about truly connecting with nature that just simply cannot be replicated.

After a little night swim we headed back to our site. Apparently in Maine there are little to no laws so we shot off an alarming amount of fireworks and just sat there admiring them. Eventually all the sun from earlier in the day caught up to us and it was time to retire to our tents. I very quickly learned that while I love the vibe of camping, sleeping on the hard ground with bugs actively trying to drain me of all my blood was maybe not for me. That being said I made it through the night alive.

Little fact about me, one of my favorite foods is campfire pancakes. Though I got a rough night's sleep, I was up and at em the next morning, going to town on some smoke infused bisquick flapjacks. When breakfast was finished we cleaned up before going for one last swim. As we were packing the dingy I did end up submerging my entire leg, up to my knee, shoe included, in ocean water, but it was on par with the vibe so I couldn’t complain.

As we were heading back to the larger island that had actual evidence of human life on it I was feeling so grateful for the experience I just had. This little weekend trip changed my perspective completely. After being in Europe for so long I was convinced America sucked (it definitely does but that's a whole other story) and I wouldn’t be able to experience such an inspiring time in nature. Visiting these small islands rewrote that narrative and helped me realize there are entire new worlds surrounding us, we just have to put in the work to find them.

My biggest takeaway from this trip was that New England can be cool. You don’t necessarily have to fly anywhere or leave the country to experience a whole new way of life. Being around people who grew up in places like these tiny islands was totally eye opening and I’m extremely grateful to have caught that invite. Ever since that trip I’ve been looking forward to the warmer weather in hopes pay coastal Maine another visit.

0 notes

gmanwhore · 2 months

Note

Jane Egbert -> Jane lives a mostly average life in her house, she lives with her dad who tries to appeal to her interests but often ends up embarassing Jane accidentally, however it could be said that overall Jane lives a completely normal childhood, often finding herself indulging in her interests in sleuths and pranks in her free time. She often admires her late poppop, who is said to be one of the most legendary pranksters of all time.

Dirk Strider -> Dirk lives in a tiny apartment building somewhere in Texas with his older brother Dave who is a movie star and just an overall cool guy that everyone loves, Dirk looks up to him but also feels overshadowed by him due to often just being seen as "Dave Strider's little brother" which causes him to have an inferiority complex. In his free time he often makes sick beats to entretain himself or spend time in robotics, his crowning achievement: Hal.

Roxy Lalonde -> Roxy lives in a mantion close to a waterfall, her house is spacious and she often likes to make as it if it is a wizard lair. She has a very loving Mom, however she often leaves her alone in her attempts to banish an evil force that hides itself in a puppet, which causes Roxy to worry that her Mom might be obsessed with the thing. In her free time Roxy likes to write wizard fanfiction or steal some of the wine from the sellar when her Mom isn't looking.

Jake Harley -> Jade lives in the middle of a remote island in the middle of nowhere in the top of a technological tower that was previously owned by his defunt grandmother whose body he has in the basement as taxidermy. Jake is taken care of by an extrange feline that his friends have started to refer to as the Gcat who often saves Jake when he needs it despite the thing's usual indiference. Jake often likes to indulge in cheesy movies and adventuring.

OH HELL YEAH!!!!

#asks

1 note · View note

apollomusing · 1 year

Text

World’s Strangest Beaches You Have to See to Believe

Picture the perfect beach—tropical breeze, white sand, and crystal-clear blue water. Now picture something a little less conventional—a beach made of black pebbles, a beach of multicolored clay rocks, or an entire beach that glows in the dark. No matter what you’re looking for, these 5 strangest beaches in the world are sure to surprise and delight you!

Glass Beach – Fort Bragg, California This beach is littered with colorful glass pieces that have been tumbled smooth by decades of pounding waves. This unique beach was created from years of dumping trash off the cliffs above into the ocean. The glass pieces were broken down over time by the surf and eventually swept up on shore. Now it's one of the most beautiful and unique beaches in all of California! Bring your own pair of sunglasses - this beach will make them look great!

Papakolea Beach – Hawai’i This is probably one of the most stunning beaches on our list. Papakolea Beach features beautiful green sand thanks to olivine crystals that have eroded from the nearby cinder cone volcano. It's truly a sight to behold as you can see pieces of green glass mixed in with golden sand while relaxing on this remote Hawaiian shoreline. Make sure to bring some hiking shoes so you can explore all that olivine has to offer!

Maho Beach – St Maarten This isn't just any ordinary beach; it's one of the busiest airports in the Caribbean! Maho Beach offers visitors a unique opportunity to watch planes land right over their heads as they relax on this famous seaside strip located just outside Princess Juliana International Airport. If you're feeling daring, take a dip in the ocean as low-flying planes thunder overhead at full speed–just don't forget your earplugs! Solar Beach – Sint Maarten This might be one of the most surreal beaches on our list. Solar Beach is located on an uninhabited island just off Sint Maarten's coast and at night it glows with eerie blue light thanks to bioluminescent plankton that call its waters home. These tiny organisms give off light when disturbed, making for a mesmerizing experience underfoot as you paddle through its warm waters in search for more glowing creatures! Hot Water Beach – New Zealand If you want to experience something truly unique then head over to Hot Water Beach located on New Zealand's Coromandel Peninsula. As its name implies, this beach has hot springs bubbling up through its golden sands during low tide–allowing visitors to enjoy their own personal hot tubs right at their feet! Just be careful not to stay too long; temperatures can reach up to 65 degrees Celsius (149 Fahrenheit).

From hot sands and glowing plankton, multicolored clay rocks and glass-filled shores—these 7 strangest beaches are true marvels worth exploring if you have ever dreamed about visiting somewhere truly unique. So grab your swimsuit and sunscreen and get ready for an unforgettable adventure like no other! Who knows? You might even find your new favorite destination along the way!

#beach #beachday #beaches #beachlife #beachwear

0 notes

jasonblaze72 · 2 years

Link

0 notes

leam1983 · 2 years

Text

On Bilingual Frustrations

Rewind the clock five years back, and you find me at the end of my Bachelor's, stuck with the most boring part of the whole ordeal: picking my last two electives.

I have one single, measly semester to go. I technically have my degree, I even put in my application for my Master's just before leaving class three months prior - but I can't have that goddamn slip of paper and fix in on a wall somewhere until the sacrosanct System says I have all the Funbucks required. In simpler terms, I'm still short two credits. So, I spend the summer putzing around, looking for bullshit seminars I could attend wherein I could swallow flies and still earn a glowing commendation. Eventually, I pick Canadian English Pronounciation and Essay Structure 103. The second one's easy pickings; I ace it while skipping on the seminars. The first one, though?

Now, I'm French Canadian by birth. I grew up on a mixture of TV Ontario, YTV, the Vermont pickups for Fox and ABC stations and the occasional smidgen of Canal Famille. The end result is I sound like a French Canadian Montrealer when I speak French, but like an undetermined quasi-Texan from somewhere North of the State, when I speak English. I blend in with Americans almost flawlessly, except if you plunk me in corners with extremely specific dialects, like remote Louisiana parrishes or tiny little islands off the East Coast where the Scots brogue never faded off of local tongues.

It also means I can't speak Canadian English to save my life.

About, out, spout, count - I saw these with the O in the back of my mouth, in typical American openness. The proper Canadian pronunciation places the O at the front of the mouth and gives it a slight Celtic lilt. It's not "about", it's "abaoüt", to exaggerate things.

I spent six months trying to Federalize my English, my teacher took to me like a case of terminal bad posture for a chiropractor and vowed to "fix" me. In the end, I started asking myself if undoing almost three decades of Americanized mental conditioning was worth it for the sake of fitting in with my study buds from Kelowna or Sault-Ste-Marie. In the end, I realized it wasn't worth the hassle.

Besides, I pass for a local as soon as I slip into Burlington, once or twice a year. People stop me like I'm supposed to know my way around, ask for who it is I'm planning to vote on the primaries - I could build an entire American persona that nobody could catch me lying.

Guess I don't have to worry about not passing for Canadian.

#linguistics

0 notes

mandyloves2read · 2 years

Text

🌸Book Review🌸

Between Hello and Goodbye by Emma Scott

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such a beautiful story about love loss and healing my heart is so full after reading this book the emotions the writing invokes from you is so amazing to me from the first chapter I was completely drawn into this story I loved the details the scenery I could almost smell the ocean and island life and the characters oh my I loved the whole cast of them ! My heart aches for Asher he carries so much on his shoulders but loves so fiercely and Faith was absolutely perfect for him and just what he needed the chemistry between them from their first encounter was amazing and of course true to Emma Scott style we have tragedy and heart ache but that’s one of the things I love about this author is her ability to take real life tragedies and write about overcoming them and all the healing and emotions that go with it I just can’t recommend this story enough!

⠀

Between Hello and Goodbye by Emma Scott is now live!

⠀

She's a city girl in Seattle. He's a firefighter in a rainforest. This is never going to work...

⠀

Faith Benson isn't your emergency contact, she's the party-girl friend you call for a good time. The gal-pal who loves mimosas at brunch and martinis at Happy Hour. But her carefree lifestyle threatens her job at a top Seattle ad agency. There's no one better at landing big accounts (when she shows up) but her boss demands she take a leave of absence to get her head on straight.

⠀

Faith heads to the remote Hawaiian island of Kauai, far away from the vices that get her in trouble. A twisted ankle on Day One requires rescuing by a man who is vice personified--a gorgeous firefighter who awakens feelings in her heart she never knew existed.

⠀

Asher Mackey doesn't get involved with beautiful tourists beyond taking them to bed and then watching them leave his tiny island. He's devoted his life to the safety and care of everyone around him...except himself. Until he meets Faith Benson, the city girl whose vibrant, inner beauty shines a light on the dark corners of his life, showing him how safe—but empty—it truly is.

⠀

Despite their best efforts to keep their distance, Faith and Asher fall hard and fast, but there's an ocean between them. Both are building their lives on opposite sides of the Pacific while their feelings for each other grow more profound and undeniable by the day.

⠀

Something has to give.

⠀

When Asher receives devastating news, he and Faith have to decide once and for all to entrust their hearts fully to the other or return to their safe—but separate—worlds. Because neither can endure much longer, living somewhere between hello and goodbye.

⠀

Between Hello and Goodbye is a contemporary romance about love, loss, and experiencing life in all its facets. It deals with sensitive topics that may be triggering for some readers.

⠀

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

⠀

Amazon: https://amzn.to/37SVdNX

Amazon Worldwide: mybook.to/BHandG

0 notes

appellationsandepithets · 2 years

Text

Looking for something different but is actually a name?

Try scrolling slowly through medieval names. Some may feel a bit unusual at first but let them sit with you for a few minutes. See if any feel similar or relate in some way to a more contemporary name you are looking to update.

Medieval Names

Adelais - a French diminutive of Adelaide. Adelaide is a German named created by two components that means "a noble kind of person". This one is probably my personal favorite diminutive of Adelaide, second would be Adalie. A modern variant that I really like is Everaide, which takes the word "ever" and the component "aide" to mean "enduring kindness".

Amabel - while proving that sweet factor, that quite frankly is part of most names ending in bel/bell/belle, Amabel is just different enough for some to provide what they are looking for. A French name that's a variant of Amabilis, that means "lovable".

... continued - Medieval Names

Anchoret/Ancarat - I still haven't decided which spelling I like the most here. These spellings are Old English variants of a Welsh name that means "more to love". That can make it hard to resist when you're holding your tiny little one and wondering what to call her. The pronunciation here with both would be to put the emphasis on the middle syllable.

Avalie - Ava itself can have three possible meanings, from three different parts of the world. But as it has "lie" on the end, an English word meaning "field", one could make the assumption Avalie was originally formed somewhere in the UK, giving the name the meaning "living field".

Caelia - is a Roman name meaning "heavenly". It has a great literature connection as Caelia was a Fairy Queen in Richard Johnson's romance Tom a Lincoln. Caelia is the ruler of an island called "Fairy Land," populated by women who have slain their warmongering men. She begs Tom and his companions to stay on the island so that it might be re-peopled. There is much more to the story and provides a connection to King Arthur. Caelia doesn't sound too remote or inaccessible to modern ears and might give some a lovely honor name possibility to others with similar sounding names.

Catalina - I also have had a huge fondness for this one for a very long time. It is one of many ways to honor a mother or grandmother named Katherine. This is a name from Spain, meaning pure.

Cateline - I learned of Cateline around the same time as I found Caitlyn, 40 years ago. Not having grown up in the UK, finding these alternate ways to spell one of my favorite names, Kate, nearly made my heart sing, and still does. The pronunciation would be

/kāyt-leen/ but could also easily be /kāyt-līyn/, though with the latter and the proliferation of another medieval name Caitlyn, I fear for the constant need to course-correct people in their pronunciations assuming you are actually saying Caitlyn instead.

Elisende - This is a Flemish spelling of a Catalan form of the Visigothic name Alahsind, composed of the Germanic elements alah "temple" and sinþs "path". This name was born by Elisenda de Montcada, the fourth and last wife of King James II of Aragon.

But as a name for today, I like it as a possible honor name of Elisabeth or even Cynthia/Cindy, based on sounds or spelling. Some other possibilities, that have the same meaning, are Ayan (Bengali), Keala (Hawaiian) /kee-ah-lah/, Lane (English), and Michi (Japanese).

Emelisse - This is a French name with an interesting meaning, "universally smooth". Personally, I think I prefer this one to Emmeline

Eulalie - This is the French spelling of the name Eulalia, meaning "well-soken".

Gwendoline - Many are familiar with Gwendolyn but not many have heard of

/gwinn-dah-leen/.

Geneviere - I fear for the constant spelling issues here but for the brave at heart, this is actually one of my favorites on this list.

/zhan-ah-veer/ - meaning "white phantom".

Genevieve - This one also has a kind of interesting meaning. It simply means "tribeswoman", which makes me wonder more about how it came to be a personal name, but it is of unknown origin. There are some fun nicknames for Genevieve but, of course, is lovely as is. Possible nicknames: Gen, Genna, Veva, Vivi, Vieve /vee-ev/. My experience with this name and native French speakers is that it's pronounced /zhan-vee-ev/, which I find to be just as beautiful as the more American-ized pronunciation, /jinn-ah-veev/

Ingaret - This appears to have been inspired by both Anchoret and perhaps Margaret. It means "most beloved". I actually like the familiarity many of us already familiar with Margaret would have with Ingaret. With the clever creation of this name it wouldn't surprise me if we were to find Annegaret somewhere in the ancient census rolls. Ingaret and Annegaret could work very easily as an updated honor name to those with loved ones named Margaret.

Isabeau - Isabeau has recently been showing up in naming forums as a way to honor all of the Isabels out there without being direct. It is a sweet beautiful name that means "beautiful promise". Not a bad place to begin at all.

Ismerie - I first saw this one spelled Ismary, but I suppose I prefer this variation. The original Isomerie means "follower of St. Anne".

Isolde - Another name popping in and out on name forums, is Isolde. This is a name formed from two Germanic elements to mean "ice battle". There are several variations of spelling for this name, the oldest being Yseut, from series of 12th century romance poems, Tristan. Then later as an opera, Tristan und Iseult. Tristan is actually Sir Tristan, a knight of King Arthur's round table. Isolde is a great beginning for those looking for strong names for their daughters.

Jehanne - In naming my own children this was a name I considered as my husband is named John. We ultimately went with a different variant but this one stays right there, tugging at my heart. I've seen from serval sources, that this is possibly the real name of Joan of Arc. The pronunciation may vary depending on where you live. I've heard /zheh-ann/,

/zhoo-ahn/, and /zhoo-inn/ from native French speakers, the beginning being just like the "je" in "je suis", and I've heard /jāy-ahn/. The latter may be more Anglicanized, but I still like it.

Joceline - another French name meaning, "daughter of the Goths". This is an unexpected way to spell a more familiar name, Joselyn. Both have the advantage of a great nickname, Josie.

Leatrice - This is the clever creation from one of our long-ago mothers. She combined Leah and Beatrice to give us Leatrice, meaning "weary traveler".

(continued...)

0 notes