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supervalor · 6 years

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All The Stars - Chapter Three

Title: All The Stars

Pairings: Karamel, eventual AgentReign, Guardiancorp.

Chapter: 3/?

Previous: 1, 2

Next: 4

Chapter under the cut.

Chapter Three

After the entire thing with Psi, it was a relief that things stayed relatively quiet in National City.

Weeks passed without Supergirl needing to fight any major, super powered villains and Kara was able to relax slightly. Well as much as she could considering that she was pregnant and still throwing up all the time. Now she could add hormonal episodes and random cravings to the list after a strange outing with Maggie and Alex, who since the DEO, had shown no further sign of anything being wrong but Kara still kept a close eye on her.

“What the hell are you eating?” Maggie questioned as they sat in a small, hipster styled café at one of the bright purple circular tables. “That cannot be legal in any state”.

Both the cop and Alex were gaping at Kara who had made her order while Alex was in the bathroom and Maggie had taken a phone call. She munched happily on the bacon, Oreo and peanut butter baguette, completely oblivious to all the looks she was being given for the strange food choice. She also had a banana milkshake to wash it down with. After Maggie made her comment, Kara paused as she finally noticed that she was being stared at. “What?”

“How can you possibly eat that? That’s disgusting”, Alex grimaced.

Kara ripped off a part of her sandwich and offered it to her sister. “It’s delicious, you should try it!”

“No! Are you trying to kill me?!”

At Alex’s words, tears immediately began to well up in the blonde’s eyes much to the others surprise and dismay. “You think I would deliberately hurt you?”

“No, it was a joke!”

“The thought of you dying is NOT funny!” Kara burst out into sobs as she discarded her horrible choice of sandwich.

“Oh shit”, Maggie stared.

Alex glared at her fiancé “Not helpful”.

“I’m going to lose everyone that matters to me. What’s the point?!” the younger Danvers wailed causing people at the nearby tables to glance over at them.

“Now people are staring”.

“I can see that, Maggie”, Alex hissed. “Help me!”

“No way. You started it, Danvers”, the cop smirked.

“There are people out there KILLING PUPPIES! AND KITTENS! What sort of people would do that?!” Kara exclaimed as tears gushed down her cheeks. “I can’t save them all. I want to save them all, Alex but I can’t be everywhere at once. I need to protect those precious little animals!”

Alex watched the mess in front of her that was her sister and took a deep breath. She could do this, she could calm down a raging hormonal Supergirl. “Kara, there are lots of baby animals out there that are being rescued right now by good people who want to keep them safe like you do. I’m sorry I made that joke about you killing me, you are right, it’s not funny. Please calm down honey, I don’t like seeing you like this and you need to finish your sandwich”.

“My sandwich?” It was as though a switch had been hit and her tears began to subside as she remembered her disgusting food choice. “I am starving still. Maybe I should order another?”

Maggie groaned.

That had been three weeks ago now and Kara was officially three months along. It had been quite the shock when she woke up one morning to discover that her abs of steel were gone and her belly had rounded out. “Is it normal to start showing this much this early?” Kara questioned her sister after reaching for her cell and calling her up.

“It depends on the person I guess” Alex answered. “Plus we don’t know how Kryptonian pregnancies work and how they differ from a humans. Mon-El isn’t human either so that doesn’t help”.

“From what I remember in my history lessons on Krypton, when Kryptonian women used to reproduce like this the pregnancies would last about twelve months. On Daxam, I think that they lasted about ten”.

“You poor thing”.

“I don’t know if it will be different considering the baby’s going to be a hybrid, as horrible as that word is”, Kara pulled her face and swore never to use it again in connection to her child. “And then there’s the fact that Kryptonian women hadn’t reproduced naturally in centuries, Clark was the first one born that way in a long time and it was frowned upon by the council. For all I know our biology has evolved and the pregnancy will be the same length as a humans”.

“Then there’s the fact that we don’t know how many babies are in there”, Alex added causing Kara to almost drop her phone in surprise.

“What?!”

“You are Super girl. You have super powers from the sun. For all I know, that’s also given you super fertility. You did get pregnant without even trying”.

Kara swore.

“Don’t worry, if anyone can handle octuplets it’s you”, her sister snickered and Kara now began to get the impression that she was messing with her.

“Don’t even joke about that!”

Then there was her work at Catco. Kara had managed to adjust to having Lena as a boss and they were finding a good balance between their friendship and their employer and employee relationship. James still wasn’t that sure about having Lena around that often but he seemed to be coming around little by little. Kara had managed to break one major story about an alien trafficking ring that Maggie had busted with surprisingly no help from Supergirl which made the front page of Catco. She had been on a high for a while after that.

She’d also spent time with Lena’s friend and the new boss at L-Corp, Sam, who was actually really nice and she’d hit it off with almost instantly. The three of them had formed a sort of girls only club that Kara had never experienced before since she’d spent most of her life as an outsider or with only Winn as her best friend – not that there was anything wrong with Winn of course but he was a guy. Sam was a good woman who constantly talked about her daughter Ruby and it was clear to everyone how much she adored her girl.

Seven weeks after the events with Psi, J’onn surprised everyone by announcing he was going back to Mars. Meghan had reached out and apparently his father was alive.

“I’d normally suggest Kara should go with you but I don’t think that’s wise for her right now while she’s pregnant”, Alex sighed, worrying that the man that had become like a father to her was going to get himself killed without someone there to help him.

“Yeah I don’t think it’s a good idea for him to go alone but I probably shouldn’t go”, Kara agreed, surprising everyone. She refused to give up being Supergirl until she absolutely had to and then J’onn would take over and shapeshift as the girl as steel so nobody in National City would get suspicious about her absence. “That doesn’t mean that there’s absolutely no one that could accompany him. I’ll ring Clark”.

J’onn opened his mouth to protest but Kara ignored him, walking away with her cell phone already pressed against her ear as she dialled Superman.

“Hey Kara, what’s up?”

“Clark, I have a favour to ask. Normally I wouldn’t but this is for J’onn and well, I don’t want him to be alone without any back up”.

“What is it?”

Kara filled her cousin in on what J’onn was doing and despite the fact that she was asking him to leave Metropolis to go on a potentially dangerous trip to Mars, Clark didn’t hesitate to accept, agreeing that there was no way Kara should leave Earth while she was pregnant.

“Clark has agreed to go with you. Don’t argue, it’s done”, she informed the Martian before changing into her civilian clothes that were getting slightly tight and an uncomfortable reminder that she needed to go clothes shopping soon, before whizzing off to Catco. Kara wanted to get most of her work out of the way before Alex’s bridal shower.

The bridal shower ended in disaster after Maggie’s father showed up and couldn’t bring himself to approve of his daughter’s sexuality. Alex went after her leaving Kara to keep the guests entertained despite the awkwardness that had fallen from the drama that had just gone down. By the time Alex and Maggie returned, Kara saw the same look in her eyes that she’d seen after their conversation at the DEO weeks ago. There was something really wrong with her sister and she was going to find out what it was, one way or another.

“Okay. What’s wrong?”

Alex looked up startled when Kara suddenly confronted her after everyone else had left including Maggie who’d gone back to the apartment she shared with her sister. “Nothing’s wrong, Kara”.

“Don’t lie. You had the same broken look in your eyes that I saw after our conversation at the DEO when I said you’d make a great mom. You forget that I know you better than anyone else”.

Her sister immediately deflated, biting her bottom lip. “It’s honestly nothing you need to worry about, Kara. It’s just my own issue that I need to get over. Don’t worry about it”.

“Alex, you know saying that will only make me worry more”.

“Please Kara just drop it, okay?”

Seeing the pleading look on her face, Kara reluctantly agreed but she wouldn’t if this became a regular thing.

The next day, Kara found out that J’onn had returned with his father in tow. Myr’nn was as kind as his son but a lot less hardened despite his time imprisoned by white Martians. Like his son, he had also taken the form of a black human. “It’s really good to meet you. I’m so glad that you’re here”, she’d greeted him enthusiastically.

“It is good to be here”, he had smiled. “This planet has many marvellous things. My son just introduced me to the substance known as chocolate. It is delicious”.

After that, Kara found herself with a sudden craving for a chocolate cake and after welcoming Myr’nn to the planet, she ended up at a small desert shop that she had previously visited with Mon-El. In fact he had been the one to discover the small treasure and had taken her there. As Kara sat alone at a table with a large piece of chocolate Oreo cake on her plate, she found it hard not to think about the memory of Mon-El holding her hand from across the table as they stuffed themselves with cake.

“We’ll have to come here together when you get here”, she whispered to her baby, wondering if at this stage the child could hear her voice. Kara spoke to the baby often, despite feeling a little weird about it, in the hopes that it would recognise her voice when he or she was born. It hurt her to think that Mon-El wouldn’t be there, holding her hand as she welcomed their son or daughter into the world.

Lately she’d been having more dreams about the field with her mother and Mon-El. In her latest dream, he had even put his hand against her belly as though this dream Mon-El knew she was carrying his child. He’d bent down and kissed her tummy and when she woke up, she’d realised that she had been crying in her sleep. Kara was getting better at accepting that he was gone but she didn’t think that she would ever fully move on from him. He was ‘it’ for her, the love of her life and all that.

Of course the peace and quiet that National City was experiencing had to come to an end eventually. It ended when a meta-human with the ability to cause others to hallucinate showed up and began stealing from art galleries and museums. When Kara found out what was happening, she immediately flashed back to Psi. Why couldn’t they just have a nice normal alien for a change? She was getting a little tired of mind whammies by this point.

“Kara, maybe you ought to sit this one out?” J’onn suggested when she had shown up at the DEO in response to the alert they had sent out, and after seeing the news story that had been playing at Catco. The blonde glowered at the Martian for the suggestion. She wasn’t waddling yet, she was fine enough to take out one meta-human. “You just went through close enough this same thing with Psi. Perhaps I should deal with this one as I am better equipped to protect my mind”.

“J’onn’s got a point”, Alex, the traitor, backed up her boss. “Besides we still don’t even know who this thief is. They wear a mask and are pretty well covered in all of the footage Winn could gather”.

“Firstly, I’m not fragile Alex”, Kara snapped. “Secondly, if anyone can find out who this masked fiend is then it’s me. I know all about living a double life. And finally, what’s to say that J’onn’s not more vulnerable than me because of his abilities? Psi was capable of knocking him out of her head easily”.

J’onn and Alex looked at each other in resignation. It was probably better not to argue with her unless it seemed like she was putting herself in real danger. “If it looks like it’s too much then I’m calling in back-up. And if you get hurt because you refuse to listen to our concerns then I’m pulling you off active duty until further notice”, he warned her sternly.

“Fine”, she agreed more easily than anyone thought she would.

Since they currently didn’t have anything on their villain of the week, Kara changed into her skirt and sheer pink and white polka dot blouse to head back to work at Catco. She wasn’t all that surprised to find Lena and James having another serious conversation in his office as she made her way down to the newsroom.

After confirming her story assignment with Snapper – she was writing a piece about the art and museum thief so she would have an excuse to go around asking questions without arousing suspicion – she began to head out, just to almost run into Lena outside the elevator. “Oh Kara! I didn’t see you there. Would you like to grab a coffee later? It feels like I hardly ever see you”.

Kara flushed guiltily. It had been hard to make time for her friend with being Supergirl, a reporter and trying to prepare for her baby…which Lena didn’t even know about. She had to tell her. Coffee was probably the perfect time to do that – except she wouldn’t be drinking coffee. “Sure, Lena. How about 1.00?”

“That works for me. I’ll meet you at that cute little coffee shop across the street”.

After her run in with Lena, Kara headed to the museum to interview the director and head of security who answered her questions as best as they could and allowed her to watch footage of the CCTV. She observed as every security guard suddenly began to either flip out, sigh dreamily, cry, yell or break into some other emotional reaction at something invisible that no one could see. Among all the chaos was a shadowy figure dressed from head to toe in black with almost their entire face covered. The jumpsuit they were wearing was bulky and hid their figure well so it was hard to say if it was a man or a woman.

“Whoever it was managed to get in and out without a single guard realising anyone was there until they were gone and they snapped out of it, completely confused and with no memory of seeing anyone come in. The only proof is this footage and the missing relics from the Egyptian department”. Those relics were thousands of years old and worth millions, Kara could only wince at how those guards must have felt upon realising they were gone from right under their nose.

By the time she’d finished up at the museum, it was almost one and she quickly tucked her notepad and recording device away into her bag before heading to ‘daisy’s coffee and cake shop’, a niche little coffee place that had only recently opened up across from Catco. Lena was already waiting by the time Kara got there and had saved them a seat by the window. She had also ordered for them both judging from the two cups that were on the table.

“I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty of getting your regular order”.

Kara cringed at the smell of the coffee, something that would normally make her melt with pleasure. She felt bad that she hadn’t bothered to drop her news on Lena beforehand but it had completely slipped her mind. “Thanks, Lena, you didn’t have to do that”.

“It’s my pleasure. Anything for my favourite reporter”, Lena grinned as she took a sip of her own drink.

“Hey Lena. There’s something that I really need to tell you. I know I should have told you earlier but I was still coming to terms with it myself and with everything that’s been going on recently…my head’s just been elsewhere…”

Her friend looked over at her with concern, her perfectly shaped brows furrowing as she frowned. “Kara, is everything alright? What is it?”

Well here goes, Kara thought and took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant”.

There was silence as Lena’s green eyes widened in shock. Obviously this hadn’t been something that she had been expecting to hear and who could blame her? “Mon-El?”

“Yes”, she confirmed at the unfinished question. She knew what the dark haired woman meant by that. “I only found out over a month after he’d been gone. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner”.

“It explains so much”, her friend sighed. “The weird moods, the way you kept coming and going” – Kara wasn’t going to correct her that the coming and going was actually due to Supergirl – “The weight gain, the-“

“Wait, hold on a second, the what?!” Blue eyes flashed indignantly as a heat crept up the back of her neck.

“Oh Kara, I’m sorry, I just meant that you…that your clothes were a big tighter especially around the chest” Lena looked mortified that she had accidentally let that thought slip out. “And I shouldn’t have ordered you coffee. I’ll get you something else”.

“That’s okay, you don’t have to-“

“Please I want to. Especially after I just blurted that out”, Lena laughed self-depreciatively as she waved down a waitress. “Could we have a lemonade over here?”

“Sure, I’ll bring it right over”.

After the waitress vanished behind the counter, Kara shot Lena an understanding smile. “Lena, it’s alright. I know I’ve gained weight. It’s kind of unavoidable, I know that even if I don’t like it”.

“You still look gorgeous though! I hope if I ever have a child I look as radiant as you”.

Lena was probably one of the most stunning women she knew so Kara thought it was inevitable that she’d look good regardless. “Thanks. So how are things with James?”

The waitress brought over her drink and the two women spent the entire lunch catching up with each other including Lena’s somewhat strange relationship with James and what names Kara was thinking about for the baby. In all honestly, she had no idea. If it was a girl she would probably follow her house’s naming tradition for women with names all ending in ‘ra’.

After a while, Lena had to apologise and dash off to an important meeting with L-Corp shareholders and Kara wanted to hunt down any possible leads on the museum culprit. As she headed over to her work building, her cell began to go off. “What’s going on?” She answered after checking the number and realising that it was her sister.

“The culprit’s been located at one of the new luxury penthouses on 34th Avenue. From what we know its home to one of the richest art collectors in National City”.

“I’m on it”.

“Be careful!”

Kara hung up and changed into her uniform before speeding over to the penthouse on one of the fancy new buildings that had been developed in the past year. She landed on the balcony and saw a middle age woman sobbing in the middle of a plush fur carpet. Flinging open the doors, she strode inside and looked around for any sign of the meta-human.

“Forgive me, Davy, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I love you, please”.

The broken woman on the floor caught her eye and she felt herself fill with pity for the woman. Obviously having the luxurious lifestyle that wealth offered didn’t make up for everything in life. She was about to approach her to try and snap her out of it when a movement in the corner of the room got her attention. She spun around and saw the masked figure about to head onto the balcony.

“Stop right there”, Supergirl demanded with all the authority that she could muster. The meta-human stopped and then began to snicker.

“Do you really think that you can stop me, Supergirl? Even you are not immune to my powers”.

Kara went to move forwards to fight them and suddenly was hit by a wave of power but her surroundings remained the same…except that the room was empty. “Okay I know you’re still here! You can’t teleport as far as I know”. She narrowed her blue eyes and glared at the spot that they had been a moment ago before a wail caught her attention.

“What the-“

She spun on the spot and her heart dropped to the floor when she saw Mon-El in front of her, holding a baby. He was glaring at her accusingly. “You had my child and never told me about them. You kept me from my only surviving family after you killed my mother. I’m alone and it’s all your fault, Kara. You deserve to be alone too”.

She watched as Mon-El and her baby began to disappear. Unable to control herself, Kara let out of a heart breaking screech as she fell to the floor in denial.

“Why do you always get everything I want?” A snide voice came from behind her now and Kara turned to see Alex standing over her with a sneer on her lips. “You stole my parents love and attention, you have powers, you work at the place that I was hired at long before you came along and now you’re having a baby that you don’t really want and I deserve more than you. I’d make a much better mother than you ever would, Kara. You even think so yourself”.

Tears leaked down her cheeks, hot and fast. Kara pleaded with the fake Alex to stop. “You’re not Alex. You are not my sister”.

“I’m your sister. I’m everything she thinks but won’t say out loud, too scared to hurt your fragile little feelings especially since your still whining over Mon-El like a silly little girl”.

Suddenly the Alex in front of her vanished and was replaced by Mon-El again. This time it was the Mon-El she remembered with kindness and love on his face. “Kara”.

“Mon-El?” she reached for him as though he would be able to take her hand.

“I love you. I’m here”.

Suddenly a new person appeared beside Mon-El. It was a little girl with brown hair and blue eyes.

“Mommy”, she grinned toothily, a small gap in her front teeth on display and dimples creasing her cheeks.

Kara watched longingly as Mon-El scooped the small girl into his arms and pressed a kiss on her cheek. It was everything that she could have ever wanted.

“Mon-El…”

Suddenly the pair in front of her vanished and she felt herself suddenly snap back to reality to hear her sister yelling her name. “KARA!”

Blue eyes glanced up and saw the real Alex standing over her with a panicked look on her face. “Oh thank god. You wouldn’t respond to any of us for ages”.

“A-A-Alex?” Kara’s lips trembled as she fought off a fresh batch of tears.

“I’m here”, her sister immediately took her into her arms and rocked her gently as her body shook with sobs.

Eventually Kara calmed down and came back to herself. “What happened to the meta-human?” Judging from the look on Alex’s face, she just knew that they had escaped again. This time it was on her. “I should have known that her powers would affect me. I guess I was just desperate to prove that I could still do my duties as Supergirl”.

“No one needs you to prove yourself. We all know you can handle mostly anything that is thrown your way. We’re just a little more cautious while you’re in a more vulnerable condition right now. And none of us could have a handled a hit from that meta-human but the good news is that the use of their powers leaves a sort of psychic finger print. Winn discovered it when he was here earlier with his scanner”.

“Everyone saw me?” Kara looked around the room and realised that the victim was gone and there was a police tape next to the front door. “When did they go?”

“They left as soon as Winn collected the scans. No one is going to look at you any differently. You’re still Supergirl to them”, the DEO Agent pointed out softly. “Now let’s get the hell out of here and get you home. What do you say to us having a Danvers’ sister’s night in and ordering take out?”

Kara sniffed and smiled appreciatively at her older sis. “That sounds perfect”.

The two of them returned to Kara’s apartment where the latter changed into a pair of comfy fluffy pyjamas that Mon-El had bought for her. They were stretchy so they still fit pretty well without any discomfort. While Kara changed, Alex rung for pizza and also took the liberty of ordering some warm cookie dough with ice-cream for dessert. As they waited for the food to arrive, the two of them debated what DVD to put on and in the end selected Charlie’s Angels.

About fifteen minutes into the film, the food arrived and the two of them sat at the sofa with two pizza boxes open (Kara needed an extra-large one to herself due to her metabolism), and the cookie dough waiting for them on the coffee table. Alex had poured herself a glass of wine from the bottle that Kara couldn’t currently touch (they had no idea how alcohol would affect the baby, Kryptonian or not) while Kara had a large glass of water.

“Thanks for doing this, Alex. Are you sure Maggie is okay with you being here with me right now?”

The red head shrugged. “I told her you needed me and she said she understood”.

“I’m glad you’re here with me right now”, Kara confessed after munching on a huge bite of pizza.

Alex glanced over at her with concern as she closed her now empty pizza box. “Kara, what did…what did the metahuman make you see? I saw the footage of the other victims, I know that whatever they see can go between being nightmarish to a dream come to life”.

As she chewed on the last piece of her pizza, the blonde froze mid-bite. “I saw…I saw you and Mon-El mostly”.

“And what did we do?” she continued to press. “It had to have been something to make you shake like that. I never want to see you like that ever again”.

Kara never thought how she must have looked to her sister and she felt bad for scaring her. “You and Mon-El were sort of twisted versions of yourself. He said it was my fault he was all alone with no family and that I kept him from his child. Then you appeared and said you were sick of me getting everything you wanted and that you would make a much better mother than me. You called me a silly girl for crying over Mon-El. Then that evil version of you disappeared and the Mon-El I remembered appeared. He looked at me like the real one did and told me that he loved me and he was here. Then a little girl appeared and called me mommy. Mon-El picked her up and kissed her. It was like I was seeing the family that we should have been…that I wanted”.

Tears glazed her eyes and caused her vision to blur. Immediately Alex threw her arms around her. “You know that I would never in a million years say anything like that or even think it. I don’t. I love you and I think you’ll be a wonderful mother. And you’re not silly for grieving. Never ever think that about yourself. You also know that Mon-El would never blame you for what happened. You had no way of knowing that you had conceived his baby the same week that he had to leave Earth indefinitely. None of that is on you”.

“I know. I think the worst part was seeing the Mon-El I remembered so close but not real. It was just a reminder of what I’ll never get to have”.

A growl erupted from Alex. “When I find this metahuman, I’m going to kick their ass for mind fucking you like that”.

“Thanks, Alex”, Kara chuckled watery. “Can we have that cookie dough now? I think I need it”.

The next day, Kara turned up at the DEO to the news that Winn had managed to uncover their mysterious meta-human just off the psychic imprint he was able to pick up from the penthouse. “Lucky for us everyone’s psychic imprints match their fingerprints and are unique in the same way. True that most people can’t actually leave a psychic imprint unless they have some sort of telepathic ability but the point remains. I was able to freeze their ‘imprint’ so to speak and pull it into the DEO’s database”.

“What did you find?” Alex asked, looking as impressed as Kara felt by their friend’s work.

He grinned and whirled around in his seat, tapping something on his tablet and pulling it up on the screen. “Turns out that our mystery guy has a criminal record and their imprints are in the police database. Meet Alicia Coleman, thirty three and newly divorced. She was previously arrested for attempting to kill her now ex-husband after his string of affairs. The divorce left her pretty broke and she lost her job as head of scientific research at Mercury Labs over in Central City”.

“How did she get her powers?” J’onn questioned, frowning at the picture of the attractive but scowling blonde on the screen.

“A report was filed by a colleague at Mercury Labs after a series of top secret chemicals were stolen around the same time she was fired but no one was able to prove it was her”, Winn explained. “I’m assuming that she mixed a cocktail of those fancy chemicals and wham! Instant meta-human”.

“Do we know where she is now?” Kara glared at the woman on the screen.

“As it happens I was able to use her psychic imprint to track down her last known locations. Everywhere she goes, whenever she uses her abilities, she’ll leave the same mark. Sort of like following foot prints in the snow or something. According to my research, Brainwave – that is what I’m calling her by the way because it’s cool - was last at L-Corp…five minutes ago”.

“I’m on it”.

“No, wait”, Alex pulled her back by the crook of her arm. “You need something to protect yourself from her or it’ll all be pointless”.

“You should reuse the psychic dampener from Psi. It should work the same way”, Winn recommended.

“I’ll get them sent up”, J’onn nodded and walked over to an Agent standing nearby.

“I’m coming with you”, the older Danvers declared, no leaving any room for argument in her tone. Kara wanted to object but she knew that it would be better if her sister was there just in case the dampeners didn’t work.

Once they had the dampeners, Kara flew off to L-Corp with Alex and the other DEO Agents following in their SUVS. She scanned the building with her x-ray vision until she spotted Alicia’s dark clad figure in one of the labs. Kara flew up to the main office to give Sam and Lena a head’s up about the intruder and both women glanced up in surprise when she appeared.

“Sorry to interrupt your meeting ladies but there’s a dangerous metahuman lurking about in one of the labs. I’m going to take care of her. Just wanted to give you a heads up”.

“Thank you, Supergirl”, Lena smiled and Kara sped off down to the lab. As soon as she arrived she saw Alicia slipping bits of extremely expensive tech into one of her bags.

She quickly switched on the dampener before alerting the woman to her presence. “Stop right there, Alicia. I know who you are and the police know too. It’s over”.

“Aw, Supergirl, back for another round? I thought you had enough last night when I left you shaking on the floor like a baby”.

“I think you’ll find you won’t have the same effect on me this time”.

“We’ll see about that”, Alicia smirked behind her mask and moved forwards. Immediately she sent a psychic blast at Kara and to Kara’s surprise and dismay, the dampener exploded.

Not good, she thought as Alicia prepared to blast her again. Just as she held out her hands to do it, the lab door burst open and Alex stormed in with several agents.

“Don’t even think about it, bitch”.

She didn’t even hesitate before shooting her with a sedative. “Fuck”, Alicia groaned as she quickly lost consciousness.

“You better put the meta cuffs on her. The dampener did nothing but explode”.

Alex nodded over at Supergirl before bending down and snapping the blonde’s wrists into the heavy metal cuffs. “We’ll take care of this, Supergirl”.

Kara nodded before flying out of the lab and L-Corp and back to her apartment. She had a story to write and get to print before the next issue of Catco went out.

#Karamel #Supervalor #fanfic #Kara Danvers #Mon-El #kara x mon-el #my fanfic #baby fic

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lydia-yougowith-stiles · 6 years

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My Top Ships of 2017

We all do it. You watch a show and automatically root for two people to be together whether it’s a “slow burn,” the introduction of a new character this season or between two people that barely share a plot line. It makes you continue to tune in episode after episode. Here is a list of my personal favorite ships for this year, 2017, from some of my favorite TV shows/series.

12. New Girl--Nick and Jess

Just about that time when your DVR recording was about to cut off (because you know mine did right before they kissed) Nick and Jess finally met each other in the elevator of their apartment building. I’ve always really loved the two of them together and as the show’s fate hung in the balance I was ECSTATIC that they readdressed their feelings in the finale. I’m super excited it was picked up for another season (the last one), but I would have been perfectly happy with this ending for the couple.

11. Bates Motel--Dylan and Emma

This couple is still one of my favorite reasons to watch Bates Motel. Yes, the show was a great re-imagining of a young Norman Bates and I loved the new take on familiar characters, but I also loved the new characters including Dylan and Emma. After season 2 I thought the two would be cute together. They had only a few story lines or rather scenes together, but my shipping brain was at it again. And then something magical happened! It’s like the writers could hear my thoughts and THEY GOT TOGETHER! And you know what? They were SUPER, BEYOND ADORABLE TOGETHER. In its final season there was a time jump and this happened:

Needless to say I was over the moon. I’m still shocked they actually became a couple because I thought it would only be in my head. Love their ending and the family unit they created with their baby girl.

10. Anne with an E--Anne and Gilbert

The Netflix original series brought a bit of a darker spin on the lovable tale by L.M. Montgomery, but just like all of the previous adaptations of Anne of Green Gables this version did a fantastic job showing Anne and Gilbert’s relationship. While Gilbert isn’t introduced in the first episode of this series, I eagerly awaited seeing him on the screen and I was not disappointed in his interactions with Anne; from the spelling bee to the classic Anne breaking the slate over his head. Several characters could tell the chemistry between these two (including one of my favorite characters Jerry). Thank goodness they’ll be a 2nd season so we can see this relationship progress.

9. Chicago Med--Rhodes and Reese

Okay, so they might not ACTUALLY be together...yet (get on that writers!), but this year I discovered the ship between Dr. Rhodes and Dr. Reese from NBC’s Chicago Med. And I didn’t realize how BIG the fandom is! It was all thanks to season 2′s episode: Monday Mourning:

There’s just something about these 2 that is just so great! Their chemistry--wow! They just don’t get enough scenes together. In the current 3rd season (that’s unfortunately only been 4 episodes before the hiatus) they’ve had a few moments together (aka conversations), but it’s not enough. They keep getting set up with different potential love interests, when the writers should notice they have a good thing going already! Okay, rant over.

8. Victoria--Victoria and Albert

After I finished binge-watching the first season of Masterpiece’s Victoria a few weeks ago, I was so sad there wasn’t more to watch. I needed more Victoria and Albert in my life. (Good thing the next season airs here in the US in a few weeks!) Going in, I didn’t know much about Queen Victoria’s reign, but was interested to learn more. I was pleasantly surprised with how addicted I got to the show, especially once Albert was introduced. I love how much they love and care for each other and know that rocky roads could be ahead, but am excited to watch the journey unfold.

7. Grimm--Nick and Adalind

Another surprise pairing that I grew to LOVE! In Grimm’s second to last season, Adalind (ex-hexenbeast, turned human, then back--I think I got that right) was pregnant with Nick’s child. This “romantic” pairing could have been weird, but writers made it work and personally I fell in love with it. [It probably helped that Juliet was turning evil and then became Eve. Man if you listened to this and had no idea of the show it would all sound crazy.] The two made a great little family with son Kelly and I was shocked when Adalind’s daughter was fine with Nick. I really enjoyed these two together as the show came to a close earlier this year. Another piece of proof that sometimes two characters can be placed together after so many seasons and really work. But how could you not root for them with this adorable baby?

6. Reign--Bash and Mary

Reign was one of my first binge-watches of the year. So, I know this couple might not [SPOILERS] end up together, but for me they were one of my TOP ships. Mary and Bash have a big relationship during the first half of season one and as much as I knew she’d wind up with Francis (the unfortunate ‘perks’ of watching an old show) I could only hope for all the Mash moments I could get. Mary was a hot commodity on the show and I think her and Bash were one of the best pairings. I’m happy with the way their story-line ended and liked Bash’s alluded help in season 4. Even though I would have loved to see him back on screen. This will forever be one of my favorite moments:

5. Arrow---Oliver and Felicity

After a roller coaster ride of a relationship, Oliver and Felicity are OFFICIALLY MARRIED!!! (I guess you can say twice?) It’s been a long time coming and I know not everyone is a fan of the IT girl and the emerald archer together, but I have liked the two of them since day 1. It was one of my shipping moments of ‘this probably will never happen, but a girl can dream.’ I watched that season 2 finale when Oliver tells Felicity Slade thinks he has the woman that I love, a DOZEN times! I took any moment I could get. While there’s moments I didn’t love on this long journey, I am happy to see the two of them together and I love Felicity and William’s relationship. I’m happy that this year’s crossover finally made it official. We deserve it!

4. The Vampire Diaries---Caroline and Klaus

KLAROLINE!!! I have been a fan of this ship for SOOO LONG! And just like any good ship you take anything you can get. This letter to Caroline at the end of the series finale of the Vampire Diaries is JUST what fans wanted. (Plus, we had a few great moments in the season too; from Caroline bringing her girls down to see Klaus, and I still think about their phone call, which might be from the previous season.) My fingers are crossed and double crossed for the final season of the Originals that we might see Caroline (maybe more than once?? Is that asking too much?) I mean Hope is at the school and even though Klaus can’t see her we must find some sort of loop hole. We’ll just have to tune in and watch!

3. Supergirl--Kara and Mon-El

Before the heartbreaking season 2 finale and Mon-El’s return this season (MARRIED!), we saw the growth of an extremely cute couple filled with bickering, banter, and plenty of couch sessions. I loved seeing Mon-El adapt to Earth customs and for Kara step up as a mentor. Early on I felt the pull between these two because their chemistry was fantastic (as shown by their real life off screen relationship). I am so happy I got the 2nd season on DVD for Christmas to relive all these great moments:

2. The 100--Bellamy and Clarke

Another ship I have shipped since episode 1. I’ve taken every little glance, conversation, touch. Being a Bellarke fan has taught you to not take anything for granted. (Especially when you have heard from the creator that they don’t intend for these two to end up together. Come on!) But season 4 gave us fans hope. They had several playback worthy moments and that finale! WOW! It’s the end of the world and he’s making jokes with her. They are both touching each other! (I still have chills just thinking about it!!) I can’t wait for this new season even though I know Bellamy is going to be with someone because they HATE us. In the meantime here are some big moments from last season!

AND THE NUMBER 1????

I wouldn’t be living up to this page if I didn’t make them my number 1 because they and we deserve it!

1. Teen Wolf--Stiles and Lydia

It was a LONG time coming, but our pick was endgame, just like we predicted all along! Because the seasons were broken up I’m going to refer to season 6 as a whole (we deserved a lot more Stydia in the series finale, but that’s a rant for another day....) Despite, Dylan O’Brien not being around for more episodes due to his filming schedule, I think they did a nice job including him in the part A season. Sure, when I was watching it live I was pissed, but watching the episodes back I appreciate the moments we did get Stiles and how they included him in the season. Lydia and Stiles are one of my favorite couples of all times. I love their development, the chemistry between the two actors and strive to create characters who have such a powerful friendship and relationship. Here are some of the best moments from this year.

So, that’s my top 12 ships of 2017! A lot of my top couples were from shows that ended in 2017, so I can’t wait to see what new ones I discover in 2018. Let me know if you have suggestions!

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daily-yoificrec · 7 years

Text

May 2017 rec roundup

As people wished, here is a top ten list for fics that were updated/posted in the month of May that I recommended! (Under read more. All fics have additional comments/thoughts on them)

1. no chandelier or spotlight (see you better lit) by drowsycyborg || Rated M, 7k (WIP)

“This is Katsuki Yuuri!” Viktor exclaims. “He’s a writer. The one who wrote the screenplay for the Best Picture, David, I know you were asking. Anyway, he’s Yuuri, and also my—”

“—boyfriend,” Yuuri finishes with a smile. “I’m Vitya’s boyfriend.”

Or, the one in Viktor is an actor and Yuuri is his no-name writer friend and they pretend to date.

Comment: GOLD. SUDDEN GOD HOLY SHIT THIS WAS GREAT AND AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHT TO FIND. ACTORS AU AND FAKE DATING AU, BUT NOT IN THE USUAL FAKE DATING SENSE THAT YOU EXPECT FROM ACTOR AUS. 10/10 RECOMMEND IT’S OFF TO A GREAT START I HAVE BEEN EXCITED TO REC THIS ONE EVER SINCE I READ IT TWO DAYS AGO

щ(゜ロ゜щ) I LOVE IT

Addition: okay so, I love actor aus and I love fake dating aus, and while together they’re somewhat common, this one has a different take that’s incredibly refreshing and just overall great. The existing relationship between Victor and Yuuri is fabulous, and just — I wholly endorse this. Even though it’s only in its beginning I have really high expectations for it.

2. The nostalgic feeling of the familiar by myoue || Rated G, 19k (WIP)

Yuuri’s the one who suggested being fake engaged in the first place, tugging Victor along on such a convoluted plan at the start of cherry blossom season.

“So, I brought him as promised. My boyfriend.”

Victor’s hand jerks. “What?”

“My fiancé, actually,” Yuuri talks swiftly over him.

Victor’s hand jerks again, nearly spilling tea over the sides of his cup.

Comment: This??? This fic is like??? Finding a sudden treasure in the middle of the fucking desert??? It’s so good??? I did not expect to suddenly find such a good fake relationship fic in the middle of Hell Month??? It’s contemplative and touching and quiet, and it looks fantastic so far.

HIGHLY recommend, like goddamn.

Addition: contemplative and touching and quiet indeed, this fic has a certain tone that takes your breath away. Victor’s perspective in this, being unable to entirely understand Yuuri, is such a great thing in how he’s confused but also surprised but also delighted. This too, is off a good beginning. Also, fake engagement trope? hell yeah.

3. Yuuri Enchanted by the__magpie || Rated T, 57.8k

At birth, Yuuri Katsuki was given the gift of obedience, although he quickly learns as he grows up that it is a curse. He has to obey any command given to him, even if it puts him or others in danger. Too afraid to face the terrifying outside world, Yuuri stays in his home town of Hasetsu, until a chance encounter with Prince Victor urges him to venture outside of his safe bubble. Determined to break his curse, Yuuri begins on an adventure involving fairies, ogres, true love, and courage he never knew he had.

Comment: I’ve recced this before, but it’s finally completed, so it earns another rec! It was an enjoyable read all the way through, and while I did scream in frustration a little at Yuuri, I really do love this fic and the way it ended. A really good read for anyone that likes fairytale-esque fics.

Addition: While I wasn’t familiar with the souce material, and waas taken off-guard at times, this fic was a fun ride all the way. Victor and Yuuri are terribly cute in this, and Yuuri’s determination is a wonderful thing, even if he does some stupid things occasionally. But overall it’s just... a really solid fic, and I’m very happy to have read it to the end.

4. The Ties That Bind by QueBae | Rated T, 31.8k (WIP)

Summary: The first time Viktor saw Yuri Plisetsky was by pure chance at a private rink in Moscow, skating for his dedushka. He thought they would never meet again but it seemed he was lucky in life.

“Papochka!” Yuri called out and Viktor swore his heart stopped beating. Yuri hadn’t addressed him as atsets, heck, he didn’t even call him papa! Yuri said papochka. Papochka! It was a more affectionate, almost cutesy way of calling your papa and it was quickly turning to be Viktor’s favourite word. Did Yuri know that Viktor was somehow his father?

Then Yuri started dashing towards Viktor and all his earlier doubts regarding Yuri had been wiped clean from his mind. Viktor immediately darted off and all that was running through his mind at the time was Yuri, Yuri, my son, Yuri! Viktor had waited to hold this boy in his arms, wanting to tell him how proud he was and how much he had grown. Viktor decided he didn’t want to waste any more time being separated from his Yuri.

His little boy, Yuri.

Or the single dad feat. ballet AU I’ve always wanted to write that no one asked for.

Comment: I fuckin love this fic. The summary is deceiving, but in the best way possible. Victor is so very over his head that it’s obvious, and little child Yuri is a great mix of spitfire and cute that other fics don’t balance out well. Yuuri as a character interests me as well, and the latest update was just so sickeningly cute ugh *clutches chest*

Addition: I live for fics that have a parental relationship, not just focusing on the vicyuu. Victor in this is wonderfully lovestruck, Yuuri is a wonderful parent, and Yuri is portrayed in a way that fits with the behavior of a child but still, at the essence, has the characteristics of the canon Yuri we know and love. I tremendously recommend this. （。＞ω＜）。

5. Once You Go Greek by Defiant-Dreams (baterina_1234) || Rated M, 39.3k

Even when Viktor was still rushing, he already knew that one day, he was going to be the president of Mu Sigma Delta. Here are three things Viktor’s learned from Mu:

1) Go for what you want.

2) Make use of what you have.

3) Everyone in Alpha Kappa Omega is an asshole.

But then Viktor meets Yuuri Katsuki and he finds that he’s no longer sure what he wants anymore.

Or:

a fraternity fic where Yuuri and Viktor are in rival frats, but they fall in love anyway.

Comment: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

that is all

Addition: now a complete fic, it was very very cute, with appropriate amounts of drama and a dynamic that worked out wonderfully. My emotions ranged from ??? to ?!?!?! to !!! and there are really no words to describe this accurate. But it was fun, and has a lot of value as something to reread because of the sheer amount of amusement you get from this. The author also does really well with portraying sexual tension between Victor and Yuuri (lol) and tied together with the fraternity setting, it’s delicious.

6. next to you, i still dream by shamusiel || Rated E, 51.2k (WIP)

They had said that, like humans, the eyes of a dragon could be a window into the soul. Every emotion laid bare to the world. It was just rare that any man lived long enough to properly look.

After dragons were slaughtered and driven out by humanity, the ones that remain were scarcely seen again.

Yuuri is a dragon, Viktor is a human prince.

Comment: I’ve been following this since chapter one, and I really like it! their relationship in the beginning is really nice/pretty organic, and I look forward to how the story continues on. Worldbuilding is also quite nice.

Addition: The dynamic between Victor and Yuuri is something wonderful. I want them to live long and happily together, despite their differences. This story has a wonderful fairytale-esque mood to it. The execution to this classic conceit is a delight, and every update has me smiling and excited for more.

7. Beautiful by ipona || Rated E, 11.5k

Yuuri Katsuki lives in the same apartment building as The Most Beautiful Man in the World, but somehow he only manages to run into him when he’s a complete mess.

AU where they’re not ice skaters, basically just a story of Yuuri and Viktor falling in love.

Comment: afjdsa;alkjfsadljfdksal; CUTE. SO CUTE. SUPER CUTE. A DELIGHT TO READ.

o(≧∇≦o) SUCH A GOOD CUTE READ AAA

CUTE

Addition: honestly, there’s not much to say about this other than it’s just so goddamn cute. There are like, three versions of this AU for yoi already, and I love all of them, and they’re all cute, but each of them are unique to the author and I think that ipona has just. Ipona’s take on it is tremendously cute.

8. Nocturne by Nostalgia-in-Starlight (UniverseEndingParadox) || Rated M, 11.2k

It’s a charmed life, rife with luxury and glamour and a doting husband who gives him the world on a silver platter. But it’s also a peculiarly lonely life, being married to the underboss of one of the biggest ‘yakuza’ in operation. Victor wouldn’t trade it - or his husband - for any other world.

Or.

A day in the life of Mafia Wife!Victor.

Comment: Oh heck yes. This is just *clenches fist* this has so many little things that I enjoy the heck out of. It’s short but I really really look forward to the next chapter. The obvious affection they have for each other is like, everything I love in Mafia AUs.

Addition: it is now a completed fic! The relationship between Yuuri and Victor is just delicious. You can tell how much they love each other, despite their unusual circumstances. I would love to read more of this verse, but the moment that the author has chosen to write about their relationship has gotten my heart wishing for their happiness.

9. tu oublieras mon nom by aquamarine_nebula || Rated M, 3.4k (WIP)

tu oublieras mon nom - you will forget my name

Viktor gave him a megawatt smile. “You look lovely today, Yuuri,” he said, his voice lowering, head cocking a bit to one side. “What brings you here?”

He could have taken his every movement from a point-to-point guide on flirting, let alone the actual words, and Yuuri knew this because of the intense training he’d had to carry out on understanding body language. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been trained on how to deal with Viktor Nikiforov flirting with him.

“I hired him,” Mr Giacometti said.

Viktor blinked.

“As my bodyguard,” Mr Giacometti continued.

Yuuri gets a job done, fulfils a long-time dream, and probably begins falling in love in the process.

Comment: Oh. My. God. This is the unexpected gold I found today, super duper recommend. It’s off of a really curious beginning and I’m just??? I’m bouncing with excitement at how it can possibly continue. If you read one of the fics on this list tonight, make it this one.

°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

Addition: goddd it’s such a great beginning. I want more of this as a series.

10. Bottle Me Your Smile by Ncj700 | Unrated, 17k (WIP)

In a tiny village on the edge of the kingdom, Yuuri Katsuki – common as mud Apothecary owner – embarks on a goal to achieve a childhood goal. With the help of the world’s greatest magical, he will achieve it. Apothecary AU for @banacotta.

Comment: *YELLS FROM THE TOP OF A SKYSCRAPER* I love fantasy and worldbuilding and this fic starts off with great worldbuilding. The first chapter begins with Yuuri’s beginnings, and introduces us to the setting, and the narration does wonderfully in giving information in a way that it’s never infodump. We’re also given glimpses at other characters too, and Yuuri’s personality is distinctly shaped during the childhood that the first chapter tells. Plus there’s already foreshadowing of future events/goals/dreams of Yuuri, and basically if you like fantasy/magic aus with solid worldbuilding, read iiiiiit.

Addition: honestly, I think this is still one of the best fantasy fics with worldbuilding I’ve read. Even though it’s only one chapter so far, it’s an amazing first chapter, and I have really high expectations of it.

#yuri on ice #fic rec #yoi #fanfiction #may 2017 #monthly summary

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athleisure-aesthetic · 7 years

Photo

Ugh I did the thing again where I was busy all week and forgot to post on here. So here’s a lightning fast recap of my workouts from the past week, if you care at all. I actually think I worked out (ish, except Friday kinda) every day which is a first in a while. Bless.

Tues Mar 21 Abs and shopping. I went home after work to get my car so that I could drive to trainings the next two days, but went out to Target as soon as I got home, cause duh. Stupid idea to try on like real clothes tho, my self-conscious ass was like ohhhhh no way you need to tighten up those saddle bags and that back fat before you get any of this. So. I got a crop sweatshirt and athletic leggings, felt bad about myself but hadn’t had dinner, so I went to Wawa. Woof.

3x each 15 reps straight leg raises 15 reps roll ups leaning camel x 45s bird dogs x 45s 60 reps heal touches plank 35s, 40s, 45s 10 reps assisted push up 40 reps russian twists 8# alternating superman 1 min 15 reps single leg pulses

Wed Mar 22 Run on the trail after this horrific training class in which I was literally the only student for an all day session. And I had to go back the next day 😩 went to Marshall’s before my run to see if I could find any cold weather gear bc I only had my sweatshirt, gloves, wool earwarmers, and thin leggings. Didn’t find any of that, but got those AMAZING NEON PINK LEGGINGS IN THAT ONE PICTURE and some other ones too. You know me, can’t stay away from that athleisure ish.

It was hella freezing and took me so long to warm up once I started on the trail. Fortunately it was so picturesque and my music was bangin so. I survived.

2.78 mi 9'55" min / mi

Thurs Mar 23 6 x 200m sprints on the trail. Bless up, convinced my instructor to finish early bc tbh he was not really all that helpful once I started following the book that was included, so I went to the mall and got some more athleisure (deh), cheap sunglasses, athletic ear warmers for $.50 each, a VERY cute lightweight rain jacket, and (!!!!!) these black leather slip-on sneakers I’ve been looking for for like 6 months. I just caved and got the name brand ones but stILl omg I’m so excited about them I finally found them.

Started the sprints in the cotton leggins I was wearing, then after like maybe 9 or 10 strides I was like oh FUCk no they suddenly lost all their elasticity and I was having to pull them up for my life. So after completely embarrassing myself hoisting those mothereffers up for my first sprint, I jumped in the car and changed into spandex pants, then zoomed back to the trail start and actually did my workout. Good thing my house is only 8 minutes away from that part of the trail.

I think I may have mis-read what my Nike app was telling me to do, but I’m pretty sure it said to do 6 x 200m sprints with 4:45 min in between. So that’s essentially what I did, I sprinted for the 200m and ran / jogged in between. Although the app only recorded the distance for the sprints, I wanna say I did a little more than the day before, since I went further on the trail. I hate that you can’t go back and check what it told you to do; you only see how you actually ran according to the app. Lame af. Though I was proud, I increased my sprint speed at almost every length except the 3rd.

0.77mi 6'59" min / mi (lol can’t believe I actually ran a mile faster than that at one point in my life holy shit)

Fri Mar 24 No real workout here, since I had to leave work early to take the train back to le Nova for Palooza. I scarfed down a Snap pizza (the classic spot) right before the show, and somehow stayed away from the dangers of late night college food. Though I did get all my steps in my showing one of our friends’ home friend around campus, and apparently that little tour counted for a nice brisk walk. Obvi the Snovas killed it, as a great opener for what my friends and I dubbed AcaWeekend. Saturday they’d be competing at ICCA regional semifinals #pitchperfect for the first time ever, which was so exciting. Palooza the day before was just their warmup, but fortunately we got to see two new songs from them. It kinda sucked for them though bc they went first out of the seven groups and the sound guys always need a few groups to warm up before they actually refine the balance, and they just sounded muddled. Womp. Oh well. Everyone knows they’re/we’re the best anyway. Proud alum.

Sat Mar 25 Run in the morning before the day’s festivities. This was a quick workout before most of the humans who stayed in my apartment became humans, a brief mile ish to the waterfront and back. I realized I’d been wearing a blueish shirt and black leggings in literally all of my pics lately so I spiced it up with these fun stripey ones. Lol.

We adventured to brunch, where I had a yummy spinach and goat cheese salad with fig dressing, and wandered around the city for the afternoon before we had to head to semis. I splurged on Hunger Burger at RTM because I told myself that this was my indulgence for the weekend, and I wasn’t going to be drinking anymore for the next few months (it’s not like I do it that often anyway, I just want to try it to see how it helps my training/weight loss, if at all), so I got a specialty thin mint shake. Woops. Honestly, it was so worth it though, and I didn’t even end up eating most of the fries anyway, so it wasn’t the worst I could’ve done.

At semis, there were literally so many good groups and we were all like oh shit how are they going to stack up?? But Snovas SLAYED even better than they did last time and ENDED UP IN THIRD PLACE WHICH IS THE CRAZIEST BEST HONOR WE’VE EVER GOTTEN AND IT’S JUST SO COOL!!!!! A cappella is the shit, guys, I swear. I’m so proud of those kiddos, and they get to submit a wildcard video for a chance at Finals in NYC which is like legitimately insane. They’re somewhere in the top 18-27 groups in the country right now, and coming from a school where we legit don’t have music majors and a joke of a music activities staff / support, this coulD NOT be cooler. They murdered it. And so did all the other groups at semis, like damn. We weren’t even sure anything was gonna happen for them, but they clearly did some things right. Ugh so obvi we celebrated when we got back to Philly, going to a few bars and ending up at Frankford, where we got some amazing soft pretzels and other snacks. Best day ever.

1.26 mi 9'21" min / mi

1.32 mi 10'03" min / mi

Sun Mar 26 Long ish run and relaxing. Got up and was worried about the weather forecast for Monday because I was supposed to be doing my long run for next week then, and it was going to be torrentially downpouring all day, so I was hoping to switch my days because the weather was decent enough that I could’ve done it on Sunday. But then I updated my app and A, it changed my schedule for this week anyway, and B, I remember I could’ve moved it anyway if I wanted to. So instead I went and did that 5K Sunday challenge thing that it introduced. And I ran back from there, so it actually was closer to the 5 miles I had wanted to do anyway. So ya.

I felt a little subconscious in these leggings because, though they are a spectacularly bright and amazing color, they also show my cellulite on the back of my legs… but I thought, fuck it, people will see me, and if they give me a look, I’ll just push harder and show them that cellulite means nothing if you’re fast and capable and strong. So. I used it to empower me, I guess.

Spent the rest of the day relaxing and watching ICCA videos, still hyped up on the Snovas victory. Legit it’s still coming to me in waves, it’s actually incredible.

3.11 mi 9'41" min / mi

1.53 mi 9'44" min /mi

Mon Mar 27 Full body circuit and a benchmark run. Work is starting to bore me so much lol on Monday I think I may have done approximately 2 work related things all day, otherwise I was just distracted. I decided to do a NTC workout and then my benchmark, so I chose Body Flexor 2.0, which worked a lot of different areas and was pretty fun. Then I ran on the treadmill for my benchmark for the first time, which was weird knowing my exact speed at certain times and being able to force myself to a certain pace. If I have to do it that way again, next time I’ll just cover the numbers and just focus on how it feels to push hard. The picture up there is me literally dying because of how sweaty I was. Plus fun leggings from Marshall’s.

1.54 mi 9'49" min / mi

Tues Mar 28 Abs / some arms, plus 20 minutes on the elliptical. I was an idiot today, and not only forgot a hair tie after my shower, but I left my phone at home, which I realized too late in the elevator on the way to work. Nice. So I had to go without both all day, though Kelly let me borrow a hair tie so I could work out thank GoD cause I was looking at using a legit rubber band, which would’ve been awful. The moves I chose for abs today ended up also working my arms a lot, which was nice to combo them. Because I didn’t have my phone, I just kind of had to make up my elliptical workout, which was meh but whatever. Next time I’ll be prepared. That’s definitely not my favorite type of cardio anyway.

Tonight I made these AMAZING baked zucchini fries, I probably could’ve eaten like 90 million in one sitting they were so crunchy and good. My sweet potato fries didn’t turn out so good (I actually burned the shit out of them, but I’m going to attempt to eat them tomorrow for lunch anyway 🙃) but I’m happy I’m trying new things in the kitchen, even if it’s taking me like 3 hours each time lolol.

I’m down a few pounds from last week, though, which is kind of nice! A little affirmation after working hard every day.

3x each 15 reps dumbbell side bends alt. sides 8# 15 reps twisting core stabilizers alt. sides 8# 15 reps bow extensions alt. sides 8# 15 reps woodchops 8# 10 reps windmills 5# 40 reps russian twists 8# 30 s plank 7 reps full extension inch worms 15 reps in-&-outs

Wooooof I’m going to try to post more often now that I’m all caught up. Lol it may last for a day but you know. #Goals.

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emeraldembers · 7 years

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Rogue One spoilery thoughts

And I’m going to try and keep my excited rambling organised this time, for once!

ETA: Failed to keep excited rambling organised, but An Attempt Was Made.

I could honestly talk about this movie for hours, because it just means so much to me on so many levels. I haven’t felt this loved by media for being a fan of it since I played Soul Reaver 2 in... *checks imdb* 2001, that came out. Good lord, I’m getting on.

Anyhow! I’m going to try and split this up into things about the movie in general followed by things about the characters, just to try and be a bit tidy about my thoughts, despite the fact that what I really want to do most is to grab someone and happy-cry all over them.

Also, please note that I have only ever watched the movies, so if you’re an extended universe fan or a book reader, I apologise in advance ;).

The Force finally felt like the Force of my childhood again. It felt like something real and alive and present, it felt like something that could exist in my world again. No pseudo-science, no wincing at how much of a deus ex machina it could be, it finally, finally felt like... it felt like something to believe in. I was raised Catholic, and have always been fascinated by other religions, and while I am not always certain of there being a God, or indeed any gods, I have always felt there is something more to this universe and this existence, and it’s just... the Force always felt tangible to me as a child, in concept, and this movie let me feel like that once more.

SO MANY WOMEN VISIBLY AND VOCALLY INVOLVED IN THE END SPACE BATTLE. SO. MANY. I felt like the team involved were taking me by the hands and personally apologising for what was cut from the original trilogy.

The way the film managed to go "People working for good causes sometimes do bad things. People working for bad causes sometimes do good things. This does not make the good causes bad, or the bad causes good”. After the mess of 2016 thanks in part to media trying to offer a ‘balanced view’ of things that cannot be balanced, and after hearing that the movie had morally grey characters and being braced for the worst as a result, this was a breath of fresh air.

Almost every single villain was a white man with a British or American accent. Of our heroes, it’s a genuine struggle to remember a single white man. In fact, after racking my brains a bit, the only ones that come to mind are Galen Erso (who retains Mads Mikkelsen’s lovely Danish accent and gets fridged to further Jyn Erso’s woman-pain) and a side character with rather magnificent ginger facial hair. In particular, I’d also like to thank the film for expanding on the good work of The Force Awakens by adding east Asian heroes into the Star Wars movieverse (and a Mexican actor doesn’t hurt either, especially after the mess of a year that was 2016).

The Death Star is terrifying. Seeing it blow up a planet from a distance in the original trilogy? That makes it a clearly Bad Thing but it doesn’t give proper context because it’s almost impossible to imagine that kind of power. Seeing it performing a ‘small test’ from the perspective of people on an affected planet, watching the land come up and just - “There’s a problem on the horizon. There is no horizon.” - it’s real. It suddenly feels real and possible and it’s a threat that matters and god, almighty, I can’t get over it. That plus the justification for it - I can’t remember the lines for this one properly but it went roughly, “This will bring peace to the galaxy.” “You mean terror.” “We have to start somewhere.” - shivers. Just. Shivers.

Also I only very vaguely knew of Kyber Crystals before, in that my brother is more into Star Wars videogames than I am and as such I’ve learned that they’re part of the lightsaber creation process, but Kyber finally means something to me now, so that’s a neat little touch.

The action scenes felt new and exciting again! I do love a lightsaber battle or two, but it was so good to see blasters and martial arts and space battles used in ways that didn’t feel overwrought or over-choreographed, they were fun and fresh to watch and everything was just so interesting, and you felt like the fights mattered, you felt how outnumbered the rebels were, how much power the empire held in comparison.

The script deserves credit as well for the fact it was so dang quotable. The simple and solid “Rebellions are built on hope”, the hilarious in context “Are you kidding me? I’m blind!”, the badass “Be careful not to choke on your aspirations”, the epic “The Force is with me, and I am one with the Force”. It’s a delight to run through the film in my head and realise just how much of it I can recall despite having an appalling visual memory, thanks largely to the strength of the characters and the script.

It made the original trilogy better. I’m not kidding. Prequels and sequels to movies so often have the effect of taking away the magic of the original one by making enemies less of a threat, explaining things that were better off without an explanation, making heroes Grim And Dark, introducing plot holes... so on and so forth. This movie made the universe of the originals make more sense. Grand Moff Tarkin was established as a credible threat. The reason anyone would board Princess Leia’s ship and risk angering the Senate was made clear. The Death Star’s weakness was explained on SO MANY LEVELS. Why was it built with a weakness? Explained. Why no engineers noticed that weakness? Explained. Why no one went over the plans for it and discovered the weakness? Explained.

I cannot emphasise enough that Rogue One genuinely makes A New Hope an even better movie.

Moving onto the characters:

A brief summary regarding characters from the original trilogy: Princess Leia (and Bail Organa, who gets a shout-out despite us only really meeting him in the prequels)? Already awesome, even awesomer now. Mon Mothma? Gorgeous and glorious and pretty much the Galadriel of the Rebel Alliance. Grand Moff Tarkin? Deliciously evil (and not as distracting as I thought he would be based on some reviews - the voice is perfect, and the CGI is more... acceptably not quite right like Gollum, than Uncanny Valley). Darth Vader? FINALLY SCARY AGAIN.

Jyn Erso is the lone wolf woman-pain character we deserve after enduring so many of the lone wolf man-pain leads Hollywood foists upon us year after year. She has a mean streak and an attitude and I love her. I love that she’s angry and she’s vicious, and I love that her character arc doesn’t demand she become a soft and sweet thing, her character arc is about her putting her anger to use, putting it into the fight for hope. She’s wonderful.

Cassian is also wonderful. He’s this gorgeous mixture of hero and anti-hero; we know he’s done bad things for his cause, we see him do them on screen, but he is the character who has done these things for the right reasons and you believe he wishes he hadn’t had to do them. You know he carries the pain of what he’s done with him, and you cannot go through the movie without realising that regardless of what he has done, his is the heart of a good man.

K-2SO is hilarious and a welcome addition to the herd of Good Star Wars Robots.

Bodhi Rook is the epitome of Beautiful Cinnamon Roll Too Good For This World, Too Pure. I loved all of the heroes, every last one of them, but if I had to choose one I would fight to protect, it’s Bodhi. He is so sweet and nervous and gentle and I just want to scoop him up and make everything bad go away, especially the hentai monsters (because I know Star Wars has had tentacles before, but the monster they sicced on him in this? That was. Certainly something).

And lastly, because if I want to wrap this up with anything, it’s these two - and yes, they’re coming as a pair in this, because how could I separate them even into paragraphs?

Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus are perfect. I could leave it at that, but I don’t want to. From the second they show up to the last seconds they spend on screen, they are perfect. The majority of the lines I remember from the movie come from their exchanges, on account of them being hilarious, badass, or touching. The way their fighting styles contrast and compliment each other’s, the way their personalities do the same - the way faith is something they argue over and are held together by - I just fell completely in love with them. And I fell in love with their love, too - because you cannot tell me they weren’t. You can’t. Not when they bicker like an old married couple. Not when Chirrut reaches for Baze’s face, and Baze takes his hand, and Chirrut says “You will always find me in the Force”. Not when Baze’s last living action is to look back at Chirrut.

Not when their theme song, the Guardians of the Whills Suite, takes SO MUCH INSPIRATION FROM THE DAMNED LOVE THEME FOR PADME AND ANAKIN, ACROSS THE STARS.

I am in love with this movie.

I am absolutely, head over heels in love with this movie.

And I cannot thank it enough for being brave enough to do something different with the Star Wars movieverse, and in doing so, make it feel so new and so vibrant and so alive, I feel like a seven year old watching the original trilogy on VHS for the first time.

#rogue one #star wars #movies #spoilers #tl:dr - I loved it I loved it I loved it I loved it I. Loved. It.#long text post

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vietnamtour-blog · 6 years

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Ultimate Guide to UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Vietnam

Vietnam, a Southeast Asia country, is where history, tradition and culture live, breathe and prosper. As an intersection of several cultures, our country is now home to 8 World Heritage Sites, classified by UNESCO, 5 of which are cultural heritage sites, 2 are two cultural ones and one mixed heritage site is the only mixed heritage site in Southeast Asia region. Some really famous sites like Ha Long Bay or Hoi An Ancient Town, some even Vietnamese people may not know. Whichever it is, all possess unique historical, architectural or natural values for mankind, being diverse in type and size as well as their attractive features.

In this article, I will guide you through 8 heritage sites from the North to the South along our S-shaped Vietnam, and focus on the unique features of each heritage and the best time to visit those destinations, so that you can find it more easy to choose which one to visit. Let’s dive in !

1. Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Hanoi

Situated only 900m north of the Old Quarter, the central sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Hanoi is the place for history lover. This very place at had been the centre of regional political power for almost 13 uninterrupted centuries, equal to 7 dynasties of Vietnam. The central sector of the Citadel embodies a unique culture from the Red River area, influenced from the North by China and from the Champa kingdom in the South.

Credited to: Lan Nguyen – Flickr

The heritage site cover an area of 18.395ha, includes archaeological area at 18 Hoang Dieu Street and relics in Ha Noi Citadel such as: Ha Noi Flag Tower, Doan Mon, Kinh Thien Palace, to name but a few. Time and the war has destroyed most of the architectural monuments, so you might not see a grandeur monument. Underground, layers of dynasties was found stacked upon each other, and ten of thousands of artifacts has been unearthed, able to partially reconstruct the historical process from 17th to t8th century.

Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00 – 17:00 Place: 18 Hoang Dieu, Dien Bien, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi

Recommendation:

Definitely find a knowledgeable guide to introduce about Hanoi history, or else, a visit to this site can be monotonous as there are not really much to see.

Hanoi Flag Tower is a must. Back in the 19th century, this fortress was one the tallest tower in the old Hanoi, right now it still offer expansive views of Ba Dinh Square and Hanoi city centre.

2. Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay seems to be the most famous heritage when it comes to Vietnam. Designated a World Heritage site in 1994, this bay is a spectacular seascape of 3000 limestone islands rising from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Most of them are uninhabited and covered by dense, green foliage, hence, cruising around countless islands and karsts exude a keen sense of serenity.

Additionally, the site’s outstanding scenic beauty is complemented by its great geographical interest. Visitors to Ha Long also come to explore the world’s most charming caves. Ha Long Bay possesses a incredible diversity of caves and other landforms, deriving from the uncommon geomorphological process of marine invaded tower karst.

Best time to travel: Spring (Mar- Apr), Autumn (Sep – Oct) are the best time to visit Ha Long, though it is fine to visit all year around

Recommendation: If you worry that Ha Long Bay may be too touristy, you can head straight to Cat Ba Town, or Lan Ha Bay, both are equally captivating.

3. Citadel of the Ho Dynasty

The citadel of the Ho Dynasty might not be quite famous to most tourists, yet the story behind this stone capital is still one of a kind. This is the only stone citadel remaining in Southeast Asia and is one of the few remains in the world. The massive blocks of stone were slotted together without any mortal, and still stands strong for the test of time – they are over 600 years old already.

Credit to: Alex Curylo

Citadel of the Ho Dynasty was recognized as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2011, represents an outstanding architectural style of Southeast Asia in the flowering period of Neo-Confucianism

The dynasty of Ho, however short-lived it is, had left valuable legacies to Vietnamese economy as Ho Quy Ly King was the one who introduced paper money and supported foreign trade by opening ports as well as expanded school curriculum to subjects as maths or agriculture.

Time to visit: Spring & Winter (November to April) Opening hours: 8:00 – 17:00 Place: Vinh Loc District, Thanh Hoa, Vietnam

Recommendation:

For such cultural destinations like this, you should choose a qualified tour guide as there are not much visible to the eyes.

Other breathtaking destinations in Thanh Hoa: Pu Luong- A piece of serenity.

4. Trang An Landscape Complex

Located in the southernmost province of Red River Delta, only 100 km south of Hanoi, Trang An Landscape Complex is famous for its spectacular landscape of limestone karsts, foliage, rice fields along emerald rivers. It has also been dubbed the Inland Ha Long Bay.

Tam Coc in the Golden Rice Season, April – May or October

However, Trang An offers more than natural beauty – it is the only mixed natural and cultural world heritage site in Southeast Asia. The site comprises of three protected areas: the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, the Trang An-Tam Coc-Bich Dong Scenic Landscape, and the Hoa Lu Special-Use Forest. The ancient capital of Hoa Lu, with Dinh and Le Dynasties reigning from 10th to 11th century also worth a visit for history lover.

What could be more ideal than rowing a boat through the waterways between vast limestone cliffs rising out of lush rice paddies, then passing through naturally gifted caves and grottoes?

To add to the sentiment, Trang An was among one of the major filming sites of the blockbuster Kong: Skull Island. Immersing yourself in the film setting and follow film crew steps in our tour here

Tribal Village in Kong: Skull Island Movie

Best time to visit: Almost any time of the year is good to visit Trang An. In each season, Trang An has its own beauty, from the harvesting field in Apr-May and Sep-Oct to lotus and water-lily rivers in June. However, Dec-Feb is not quite appropriate due to high chance of spring drizzle.

Activities: Top 4 things to do in Ninh Binh Vietnam

5. Phong Nha Ke Bang

Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, possessing the oldest karst mountains in Asia, where the Son Doong – the largest cave on earth are located, has been inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2003. Hundreds of cave systems and underground rivers, many of extraordinary scale and length, make this site a heaven for those who seek the grandeur of nature.

Paradise Cave – stunning stalactite and stalagmite formations

Depend on how active you are, there are much more to explore in this 85,754-ha–nature-reserve. Going deeper inside these caves or discover them by off-the-beaten-track trails, you can absorb the splendour of the caves without having to share it with the daytime crowds.

Phong Nha Cave – a river cave only accessible by boat. Keep your eye out for the Cham writings at the far end of the cave.

Plus, at the heart of the national park harbours the world’s largest cave Son Doong cave. It’s about 5.5miles long in length and is 650ft tall at its tallest point. So large that Son Doong even developed its own localized weather system and unique ecosystem. Centuries of water erosion contributed to collapsed ceilings, allowing jungles to grow inside the cave.

Credit to: Alesha Bradford

Best time to visit: Spring (March to May). In others month in dry season (February to August), the weather is still nice, yet, it is not advisable to go there during rainy season, especially from October to December

Recommendation: More information about Son Doong can be found at Interesting facts about Son Doong and Son Doong Insight.

6. Complex of Hué Monuments

Hue was our capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945, the center of political, cultural and religious influence of the Nguyen Dynasty. The Complex of Hue monument comprises of 3 round: Imperial City, Purple Forbidden City and the Inner city and well as the some monuments along the Perfume River. Hué is the landmark of the imperial Vietnamese history, arts and architecture.

Complex of Hué Monuments

Credit to: Andy Leong

Like the overall atmosphere of Hue, this old citadel exudes a sense of tranquility. You should spend enough time here to really experience the beauty of this royal citadel.

Best time to visit: From February to April. Other months are still fine, but you should avoid the rainy season from August to December.

Opening time:

Winter 7:00 – 17:00

Summer 6:30 – 17:30

Additionally: From April 22 to October 15, 2018, the citadel also open at night from 7-10pm.

Ticket price: Hue Imperial Palace 150.000 VND/adult ($6.50) and 30.000VND/child ($1.20). For further info, click here.

Tu Duc Tomb – The summer palace – tomb that the king built himself. Credit to: Chai Yuen Leong

Khai Dinh Tomb – the fusion of East and West. Credit to: Hura Cars

7. Hoi An Ancient Town

Located in central Viet Nam – Quang Nam Province, only 30 kilometers from Da Nang city, Hoi An is the most atmospheric town of Vietnam. Regarded as an exceptionally well-preserved example of Far Eastern trading port from the 15th to 19th century, the town reflect a balanced fusion of indigenous and foreign cultures that contributed to this unique survival. The wooden structures and street plan today are still well-maintained over three centuries, which is unique in the region, a strong reason why it was designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Site in 1993.

Hoi An Old Quarter

Hoi An is like a living museum of architecture and urban lifestyle. The living heritage reflecting the diverse communities of the indigenous inhabitants of the town, as well as foreigners, has also been preserved and continues to be passed on. Also, the nuances of traffic and pollution are almost absent here, befitting the peaceful and cosy atmosphere of this town.

Best time to visit: February to August (dry season)

Recommendation:

Opt for the most exquisite options to uncover this town at Hoi An : A seductive shining jewel

Seek for balance of experience when travelling at Hoi An – Where the green and blue could be in harmony

8. My Son Sanctuary

My Son Sanctuary is a great heritage of Champa Kingdom, an ancient civilization owing its spiritual origins to the Hinduism of India. The site used to be the political and religious capital of Champa Kingdom for most of its existence from 3rd century to 1832. For that long-standing history, My Son Sanctuary presents a vivid picture of spiritual and political life in an important phase in the history of South-East Asia. The site was designated as a cultural World Heritage in 1991.

My Son Sanctuary – Ancient architectural ruins in the middle of forest

One thing really interesting about these temple is that if you take a closer look, you will notice that there are no mortal to hold the bricks together. Also, some bricks are covered with moss, while other are red. Which ones are original and which ones are the renovated ? In fact, the thousand-year-old bricks are the ones that still maintain their red color. Cham people are famous for their technique of firing bricks, and the these walls standing the test of time are the proof of their superb skills.

Location: Duy Tan Commune, Duy Xuyen District of Quang Nam Province (about 70km southwest of Danang and 40 km from Hoi An) Entrance ticket: 150,000 VND ($ 6.7 USD) Opening time: 6:00 – 17:00

Best time to visit: early in the morning before it gets too hot, or early afternoon when it is not too busy.

So that is the complete list of World Heritage Sites in Vietnam, I hope that you can now choose the one of your favour. Have a nice trip in Vietnam!

Source: http://blog.evivatour.com/ultimate-guide-to-unesco-world-heritage-sites-in-vietnam/

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thehungrykat1 · 6 years

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City of Dreams Manila Holds Media Appreciation Lunch at Dreamplay

City of Dreams Manila held a very special, one-of-a-kind Media Appreciation Lunch last November to celebrate another fruitful year for the integrated luxury casino resort. While most hotels and big establishments usually host elegant lunch or dinner events for their established media partners, City of Dreams Manila took it one step further as they prepared a unique and memorable event that put all the adults in charge at one of the happiest places in the city, Dreamplay.

Dreamplay Manila is the country’s first Dreamworks-themed activity center featuring characters from DreamWorks films highlighted in a state-of-the-art theme park for kids and the young at heart to enjoy. It is located on the upper ground floor of City of Dreams Manila, a luxury resort complex inside Entertainment City with three international hotel brands and a multitude of dining establishments and entertainment options. I have been to Dreamplay Manila before to accompany my younger brother, but on this occasion, there were no children around as the place was reserved only for the exclusive use of the media guests.

For one joyous afternoon, it was the adults’ time to run around and play their hearts out as Dreamplay Manila was the venue for City of Dreams Manila’s 2017 Media Appreciation Lunch. I remember attending the previous year’s exquisite edition at Nobu restaurant (read about it here) where I even won one of the featured prizes, but this event was going to be totally different. One thing was sure though, there would still be amazing raffles and prizes to be given away to lucky guests so everyone was really excited.

The fun starts at the ticket counter where invited media guests were given their Dreamplay wrist tags to serve as their ticket and identification inside the theme park. A Weekday Pass at Dreamplay costs P680 per person while a Holiday and Weekend Pass costs P880. Dreamplay Manila is a great venue not just for kids, but also for corporate team building events as guests will have a totally different kind of experience.

Guests with a sense of adventure can head over to the Thread of Enlightenment where their speed and balancing skills will be put to the test. You don’t have to be an expert in Kung Fu to conquer this obstacle, but you definitely need to be quick and nimble.

To make it more interesting, there were a few attractions where the best and fastest guests at the end of the afternoon will win special prizes from City of Dreams Manila. That encouraged everyone to do their best to claim the trophy. The Wall of Destiny was one of these attractions which will test your warrior skills as you make your way to the top of the wall.

Since I was diagnosed with Avascular Necrosis last year due to complications with my Lupus medications, I am not able to do strenuous activities anymore, especially climbing and running. So I was content with watching my other friends complete these very tough courses.

Stairway to Heaven really takes a lot of skill to finish, especially getting to that topmost post. Mr. Jeng of Food in the Bag did his best Po impersonation as he Kung Fu Panda’d his way to the top.

But there was still one particular activity I could still join, and this was the Fast as Lightning Kung Fu Fighting at the Kung Fu Panda Dojo. All I had to do was to follow Po’s instructions on the screen and do my best synchronized Kung Fu moves. I think The Hungry Kat did pretty well and can really become a true Kung Fu master alongside Po and The Furious Five.

The other areas at Dreamplay Manila were open for all the media guests to enjoy. This included a trip to Gingy's Kitchen where we all learned how to make a gingerbread man from Gingy himself! Together with Mr. Jeng and Bea Acosta from Clickthecity.com, we prepared our own gingerbread man and then ate him up afterwards.

There are many places to explore at Dreamplay Manila. You can go inside Shrek’s Treehouse, play with dragons at the How To Train Your Dragon activity, or climb up the many slides and stairs you can find, even when the sign says not to.

We even got to see Shrek himself as he was proposing to his love, Fiona! Everyone felt like kids again and took turns taking photos with all the friendly characters from Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Shrek and other Dreamplay movies.

After doing all those activities, it was finally time for a grand lunch at Chez Gingy, the colorful cafe outside Gingy’s Kitchen which was converted into a showcase for City of Dreams Manila’s distinguished restaurants.

Nobu Manila had its own section filled with delicious items that I fondly remember from my visits to this prestigious restaurant.

I particularly liked the Bigeye Tuna Sashimi Salad with Matsuhisa Dressing that gives it that distinct Asian Peruvian flavor. They also served a Philippine Style Seafood Ceviche with Coconut Vinaigrette that was also an interesting item.

I was so happy to find the creamy 52 Degree Egg with Truffle which I had before at The Tasting Room. The rich egg yolk cooked in olive oil is enhanced further as it is coated in a potato mousse topped with caramelized onions, salty bacon bits, Iberico ham and finally, truffle. Incidentally, The Tasting Room has just reopened at its new location inside Crown Towers with a new Chef de Cuisine. I will have to visit this Michelin-starred restaurant again soon.

The Salmon Wellington was also a great dish with its light puff pastry covering a well-cooked salmon.

For desserts, a Grand Chocolate Fountain was set up in the middle of the cafe with fresh strawberries, melon, marshmallows, plus Vanilla and chocolate pound cake.

Guests could also have all the ice cream that they wanted from the many available ice cream flavors. I had some scoops of Salted Caramel ice cream together with Cookies and Cream then topped with cookies.

The highlight of the dessert station was definitely the liquor-infused chocolates. These bite-sized chocolates were filled with various liquors including Macallan 12 Years, Morangie 12 Years, Royal Salute 21 Years, and Chivas Regal 25 Years.

During our Media Appreciation Lunch, the guests were also treated to a couple of entertaining performances from City of Dreams Manila and the Dreamplay characters. It was like having a children’s party, but for adults!

It was then time to announce the winners for the special prizes and the raffles. Mr. Jeng ended up winning the Best Social Media Post Award and got himself a Nobu Sunday Brunch buffet for two persons. Many exciting prizes were also raffled off including free buffets, party packages, overnight stays at Nobu Manila and the grand prize of an overnight stay in the Presidential Suite!

It was also time to announce the best players for Dreamplay. I only joined one of the activities, but would you believe that I ended up winning the Kung Fu Panda challenge? That’s even with my limited mobility. Maybe I do have potential to be a Kung Fu warrior. Property President Geoff Andres handed over my prize of a One-hour treatment at the Nobu Spa good for two persons. Someone was very happy with my prize.

City of Dreams Manila Vice President for Public Relations, Charisse Chuidian, closed the fun and exciting Media Appreciation Lunch with a few words from playwright George Bernard Shaw, saying that “we don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.” Even as adults, I don’t think that we should ever stop playing, because there is always that kid inside of us that appreciates the beauty of life. Congratulations to City of Dreams Manila and I’m looking forward to another fruitful partnership in 2018.