#the found family energy with these three especially is unmatched

[calluna-of-the-grey]

Been thinking a lot about the torment of my current dnd character: Astra

They were raised with high expectations placed on them - the oldest "true" child of the noble Thorngrove family's second son. They needed to do well, they needed to prove themself especially because their father had failed to live up to their grandparents' expectations in many ways and they admired their uncle and aunt who had risen to being a general and marshal respectively and highly respected dragonriders. It became their dream to become just like them and trained and studied hard for decades for it.

Their adoptive siblings were never quite accepted by their grandparents but Astra themself was close with them. The older ones, at least. There was a halfling named Poppy, who was the oldest of the children and looked after the younger ones to protect them from and help them avoid the scorn of their grandparents. She was never as close with Astra because of this - Astra was never someone who needed her protection because they would never have to deal with the same things that the adopted children did - but they had an understanding from their shared affection of the other siblings.

Bree was the second oldest - already five years younger than Poppy - and was a very cheerful gnome who got up to a lot of trouble. She was the one closest with Astra and also with Poppy - their primary connecting tie. Then, there was Soren, a half-elf the same age as Astra. He was quiet and bookish and his studious personality matched Astra's very well. While Bree would often drag them both out on "adventures", Soren and Astra when left alone would be very content with sitting in the castle library with a book.

For a long while, it was just them, though they gained more siblings later on - both blood related and adopted - and Astra did love them as well, the adoration that they had for Bree and Soren especially was unmatched. When Bree grew up, she knew she couldn't stick around. Poppy had taken up a job in the castle kitchens to carry on her role of looking after her siblings when they needed her but Bree had always had a tougher time and she couldn't be cooped up. When she made up her mind to become a bard and travel the country, or the world, Astra gifted her with the lute that they had been given years back. It would be better in her hands anyway. Soren always admired that she did that and, when he came of age, he followed Bree into adventure.

Astra, meanwhile, trained with a monk by the sea and met a sea elf named Ariawyn. They took part in the Trial of the Drakes with another (adopted) brother of theirs: Alaric, their best friend Ariawyn, and many others and all three of them succeeded. They each formed a bond with a dragon egg and it was something that Astra would always consider the best moment of their life as they held it in their arms.

When it came to deciding their role along with the others that they were going to run a territory with with as dragonriders, Astra ended up having to take over the role of spymaster. They weren't prepared for it and they didn't know how to properly be a spymaster but they were determined to do their best. Running the territory was turbulent - especially at first - and all of them were scrambling to figure out how to do this but most worrying of all was a dream they'd shared fortelling the return of a great evil: the Lichelord. A man so terrible that the spirit realm itself refused to take him. A mortal-turned-immortal so powerful that it took several gods smiting him to finally be rid of him in an act so devastating that the land surrounding where this event happened is a permanent scar of necrotic energy.

Somehow, they were involved in his fate: whether he would get brought back or not. Bit by bit, they uncovered more information about what bits of their prophecy meant and found clues to what they might need to do.

After an incident where Astra and another of the council, Ariphena, almost lost their dragon eggs, Astra became much more protective over their egg. They would visit it every day. The increased security wasn't as reassuring as watching over it themself so, with the absence of the one who had been looking after them (a dragon lord who had left to tell the king when Astra had confided in him about the prophecy they'd had), Astra took up the self-appointed role of guardian of the eggs. They would read in their egg's presence - sometimes, in the dead of night when they were sure they were alone they would read to the egg in the hopes that the dragon inside might hear it or that the egg might hatch soon. Alaric and Ariawyn's dragon eggs had hatched and although they knew it could take decades - even a century - Astra still hoped that they would have the same luck that their loved ones had. To an outside observer, sometimes it could seem like Astra's office had moved to where the eggs were being kept because when they just had paperwork to do, they would move it to stay by their egg. Most amusing to their council members, perhaps, was their newfound habit of giving the egg a gentle pat each time they arrived or left after Ariawyn and Ariphena had suggested showing the egg affection.

Soon enough, their clues about what they should do to prevent the return of the Lichelord turned to a potential answer in the form of theories matching up with a vision that one of them had received. All of it was pointing that they needed to go to the Otherland and what better time to go than as soon as possible. With Ariawyn deciding to stay to look after the territory, the other three quickly put the plans together to find that place in Alaric's vision. They were off within a matter of days.

The Court of Flames was a place of endless danger. The time they spent there was no more than a few days but it was filled with more danger and fear than Astra had faced in their lifetime.

They made it back, with only a brief accidental run-in with a giantkin beholder where they landed that they fled from, and talked at length about what they should do to find out how long it had been - or not been - whether they were in the past or future or returned a mere few minutes after they'd left. They wanted to make sure not to run into their past selves but as it turned out, they needn't have worried because as they got back to Dragonspire, it was very evident that time had passed. The place was bigger and the streets were lit up, but as they ran into people, nobody recognised them. Astra tried to get into the tower where they used to live - where their eggs were - but got turned away, with the guard saying impersonation was a crime.

Upon getting arrested from another event and reuniting with Ariawyn, they learned that it had been 187 years since that day that they left. That news in and of itself was devastating. To return to a colder Ariawyn, one that didn't seem to care for them, citing that they had abandoned her, and then to realise that the siblings that Astra had once been so close to were dead. Astra had never said goodbye to them. They hadn't had the chance.

With tears in their eyes but a voice that they tried to keep as even as possible, Astra asked Ariawyn to just grant them the mercy of one thing: to tell them if their egg had hatched. With a look of genuine sympathy and regret, Ariawyn looked to the bronze dragonborn that stood to the side of the room. Their dragon had hatched and grown up without them and they hadn't been there for them like they were supposed to be. They hadn't been able to teach them things and show them sights that they'd once promised to the egg on one of those nights where Astra was awake at hours no one else was.

Just a few days ago, everything had been okay.

"Was it worth it? Going to the Otherland?" Ariawyn had asked during that reunion.

"It was not worth it for me," was Astra's reply.

#oc #dnd oc #dnd art #dnd character #dnd campaign #dungeons and dragons #my art #sketch #digital sketch

[butterflyscribbles]

Anyone still into Minecraft Story Mode these days?💜💚❤️

#mcsm #Lukas #Jesse #Radar #minecraft story mode #was listening to the ost and sorta plummeted headfirst down the rabbit hole as I tend to do #the found family energy with these three especially is unmatched #miss them lots #also I hc that Radar is 15 and was promptly adopted shortly after s2 gn #lukesse

[wildwoodmage]

CROSSROADS

@boundforfreedomsonsal SonSal Week Year 3 Day 3

Second day in a row I'm cheating by repurposing fic I already had mostly written, but actually it's sonsal mod's fault for making prompts that suited my pre-existing drafts! This one is a continuation of Starlight Symphony, an AU featuring Sally as the Goddess of Order and Sonic as... well, why don't you read it for yourself? ;3 High fantasy with a touch of philosophy. Does it count as major character death if the scene takes place in the afterlife? Anyway...

Despite what humans and lesser gods might believe, Sally, Queen of the Gods, was not omniscient. Her knowledge was vast, unmatched by any who had not personally woven shapeless matter into planets and stars. She heard the song of every newborn soul, and remembered all who had come before. Human history was a tome she returned to time and time again, spending centuries pondering the stories of the strange creatures she and her husband had created. The future, however, remained behind a veil. Scourge had a unique talent for bucking her predictions, bending fate to his ever-shifting whims. Every once in a while, a human was born with a similar talent. These humans drew power from their defiance, their ability to stare fate in the eye and not blink. Sally soon realized that humans with this ability often became heroes, healers, leaders, or destroyers. They changed fate and the fate of all who followed in their wake. When Sally peered into a human’s future and realized that it was shrouded in chaos, she knew that they were one to pay close attention to.

When the triplets were born, fate ceased to be predictable. Infinite possibilities clouded Sally’s vision, and as much as the mystery vexed her, she found that she could not tear her eyes away. A lesser mind, studying them, would find them unremarkable; three children without wealth or protection, likely to die in obscurity. But they survived, and as they reached adulthood, Sally began to see the signs of three uniquely powerful souls, shining with defiance and infinite potential. Sonic, the eldest, was courageous and kind. He was a shield between his family and the myriad of dangers that threatened them. Sonia was a firebrand, with ambition that would never be satisfied with a life of poverty and fear. Manic was clever, and although his wit was often used for petty tricks, he could not fully conceal a profound love of justice. All three were dishonest, as humans often were; they pretended not to care about a world that did not care for them, but Sally could see that they ached for any innocent who suffered, and they yearned for a kinder future.

For two decades, a blink in the lifespan of a god, Sally watched them from afar. And when one reached the Isle of Souls, she approached him. Sonic lay on his back, cushioned by ivory sand, while rhythmic waves lapped at his feet. He stared up at a blue-gray sky, eyes tracing subtle shifts in the clouds. In all the years Sally had watched him, she had never seen him lie so still. On Earth, he had been eternally restless, his body overflowing with more energy than a single human could possibly contain. Here, however, he enjoyed a moment of perfect peace, untroubled by want or memory or anything that was not the rolling waves. He deserved it. Sally felt a twinge of pity that it may not last.

The Queen didn’t speak as she approached, not wishing to disturb him until he was ready. Her preferred form when speaking to humans was a lady, small and unassuming at a glance, with sensibly cropped hair and clothes of sturdy, deep blue linen. Unlike her husband, she cared little for striking awe and fear into the hearts of men. She found it was far more satisfying to reveal her true nature piece by piece, beguiling her followers not with power, but mystery. Her blessing was reserved for those who sought the truth beneath the surface. When she sat beside Sonic, legs folded demurely beneath her, only the vivid color of her eyes and clothes indicated that she was anything more than another ghost.

With uncharacteristic slowness, Sonic turned blank white eyes on her. He smiled, friendly but not familiar. “Howdy, stranger,” he said. “I didn’t know there was anyone here but me.”

“It’s best to give new arrivals space to adjust,” Sally said. “I hope I didn’t interrupt.”

“Nah, it’s alright. I was just enjoyin’ the atmosphere.” Sonic looked back up at the sky. His face was smooth and slack, untouched by worry. Although he had worn a carefree mask on Earth, there had always been fury and tension seeping through the cracks. Now, he couldn’t even remember what had troubled him so. Sally was almost jealous. Almost.

“I love to come here,” she said. “There’s not a place in the universe that’s more peaceful.”

“I believe it,” Sonic said. “But I haven’t seen much beyond earth and the night sky. How much of the universe have you seen?”

“All of it and more,” Sally said. Sonic snorted as if she had cracked a joke, although her tone was entirely sincere.

“All of it, huh? And here I thought I was well traveled. What’s your name, stranger?”

Sally introduced herself, and was momentarily taken aback when Sonic extended a hand for her to shake. His smile was effortless, and Sally had seen shades of it in the years before. To Sonic, everyone was a friend until they proved otherwise, even someone like her. She gave his hand a polite shake.

“I’m Sonic,” he said.

“I know.”

“Of course you do.” Sonic’s tone was mirthful, unafraid. Perhaps it was the soothing balm of his surroundings that kept him from worrying, but Sally suspected that she would not intimidate him even if they were still on Earth. Even if any sensible human would be afraid of her. “You know everything, right? Can you tell me where we are?”

“This is the Isle of Souls, a waypoint between Earth and infinity. Ghosts rest here until they are ready to move on.”

Sonic was quiet for a moment, his smile softening into something more subdued. “I’m dead.”

It wasn’t a question, so Sally didn’t answer. “What do you remember?”

“Not much,” Sonic said. “Faces. Family. I’m missing a lot of details, and the actual dying part is a big ol’ blank.”

“That’s normal. Those who die tragically rarely remember right away. The memories will return as you make peace with your fate.”

“And my family?”

“Grieving, but safe. I cannot predict their futures, but I suspect that they will not join you here anytime soon.”

“Good.” A pang of sadness crossed Sonic’s expression, the first since his arrival on the Island. “Sort of. I guess it’s normal to miss them. I want them to be safe, but I think they’d like it here.”

“Most souls wait here until their loved ones arrive. You are welcome to do so. However…” Sally chose her next words carefully. It was exhilarating, speaking with someone whose actions she could not predict, but the uncertainty was unfamiliar and vexing. “I would like to make you an offer.”

At that, Sonic propped himself up, turning away from the blue-gray waves to look Sally in the eye. “Do you always sound this spooky, or do you crank it up a notch for the recently-dead?”

“Words have consequences, especially when they are misunderstood. Especially words from a goddess to a human. I want to be sure you understand the gravity of your decision.”

Sonic breathed out a sigh, casting a longing glance back at the endless ocean. But he sat up, facing Sally, as tension crept back into his posture. “Alright, Your Majesty. I’m listening.”

“You have two paths forward,” Sally said. “You may remain on the Isle of Souls like multitudes before you, and those that will come after. Ghosts are welcome to stay as long as they like. When you are ready for eternal rest, you will sail across the ocean. The horizon is beyond the reach of even the gods, and on the other side you will be truly at peace. No matter what path you choose now, that horizon is your final destination.

“You died sooner than I expected. You are not the first human to do so, and you will not be the last. But I believe that you still have a story left to write. If you accept my offer, I will grant you a portion of my power, and you will be my agent in the realm of the gods. The reaper who brought you to the Isle is one such agent, though you would have different responsibilities. You would be not unlike an angel from human stories, a messenger and a warrior, defying those who would disrupt the balance between the gods.”

Sally couldn’t predict the future, but she knew with complete certainty what Sonic’s first question would be. “Would I be able to go back to Earth?”

“No,” she said. “If I were to bend the laws of life and death, even for my own champion, my own power—and every universal law I uphold—would erode. Any time you cross into the mortal plane, your power and ability to communicate with the living will be severely restricted. You are dead, and you will remain dead. Should you accept, your service will be temporary, and when it ends you will return to the Isle of Souls.”

A wiser man would ask for time to think. Sonic merely looked at the starless sky, then the horizon. The energy that flowed through him in life and death alike had him fidgeting, sweeping his fingers through the soft sand. Sally couldn’t predict him, couldn’t see into his racing thoughts, but she had crafted his beating heart and recognized her husband’s gift, the restless defiant that flowed through his veins.

She was not surprised by his answer. She couldn’t wait to be surprised by what was to come.

#sonic the hedgehog #sally acorn #sonally #sonsal week #deity au #sonic gijinka #wildwood glyphs #death /// #death tw

[and-damntheconsequences]

Alright, here we go: Merlin astrology

Immediate disclaimer: I'm not good at this.

(Scroll down a little way to see what I've actually given them — you'll see where to stop — I just wanna mention some stuff first.)

*

Exactly two people want this and one of them is me, but that's good enough so let's go.

So, I've gone through some of the episodes to see if the show actually tells us when their birthdays are, but even though Arthur's birthday is shown and feasts for festivals for Beltane and Samhain are held (May 1 and November 1 respectively), there doesn't seem to be much overlap that I can see. The closest I can find is that in 5x03, Gaius briefly mentions that the Horn of Cathbhadh was traditionally used at Beltane, so Arthur's birthday would have been a short while before then, if he had done the same. But I'm not convinced that tradition matters all that much to Arthur, and there doesn't seem to be anything to suggest it wouldn't work just as well on other days — plus Arthur would have missed the Beltane feast had he gone then, and people would have been far more curious of where he was, which they don't seem to be.

So we don't know when either he or Merlin have their birthdays. Also since King Arthur doesn't have a specific set of years it took place in (only roughly 6th century AD), I have no point of reference for any other astrological placements.

I could be very wrong, and I definitely could have missed other things in different episodes, but this essentially puts it as a completely clean slate, so this is based just on my own thoughts about them.

Again, I'm not good at this. This is just based off of my own past knowledge and lots of Google to check everything. Lots.

I've also based their birthdays off of a completely different type of astrology that I'll do a post on later.

**

Okay here we go:

Arthur:

Birthday: July 28th

Sun Sign: Leo

A person's sun sign represents their most basic personality, and the traits they hold that remain constant throughout most of their life. At it's most basic, the sun sign says "I am."

For Arthur, Leo seems like a perfect fit. Leos are the Kings and Queens of the stars, the leaders and front runners of the sky. Their element is fire, which shows their driven, passionate, and warm hearted nature, and as Leo is ruled by the Sun, these qualities go double. Leos are confident, self aware, and have a personality that can dominate others, which can often lead to them displaying extreme arrogance or being very egocentric. They are able to speak their mind, but if not reminded, can sometimes neglect the feelings of others on a quest for status and influence.

Leos are represented by the lion, which symbolises the qualities of power and courage. These animals are known as fearless, able to withstand great challenges, and assured in their own strength. They can sometimes be a little aggressive or overbearing, but they have the power to walk with great dignity, and both give and receive high respect.

Moon Sign: Leo

A person's moon sign represents their emotions and deeper, more veiled, identities and subconscious tendencies. They may also show a person's more instinctive self, or the potential that they could reach. Where the sun says, "I am", the moon says "I feel"; the sun is action, and the moon, reaction.

Leo moons are bright with energy, and best in their element when they are shown admiration and respect — especially for their charm and wit. They may struggle due to a demand for respect, but the respect is well deserved for the leadership and willpower they show in order to help others. They are sharp and have intellectual potential, but can sometimes try to process things far too quickly, missing subtler clues in communication and jumping to rash conclusions. Some misunderstandings can take them completely by surprise, which other people may be confused or thrown off by.

Leo moons enjoy having an outlet for their energy, seen as the "wild child" of the zodiac moons. This often manifests as taking risks, but they are naturally lucky, so this usually pays off. They are also often optimists, perhaps for that reason.

I've also given Arthur the same sun and moon sign, and not only because they seem to fit the best. Those with sun and moon signs in the same zodiac are associated with a dark or new moon, and that energy drives them to influence change, and create their own mark on the world.

Ascendant: Aries

A person's ascendant, sometimes called their rising sign, is the sign that was on the horizon at the time of their birth. It represents the public mask a person may show to others, and the impression they may give off, as well as their own personal outlook on life. If the sun and moon signs are "I am" and "I feel" respectively, the ascendant probably says, "I seem".

For Arthur, I considered a few, but decided that Aries was the best fit — in doing so, making all of his main three signs fire signs.

Aries ascendants are seen as brave, fiercely opinionated, and independent. They have a strong and commanding presence, the warrior of the zodiac, and that can come off as a little intimidating at times. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, and Aries ascendants will be the ones seen to lead the battles. They are trailblazers and initiators, who base their actions heavily on instinct and quick pace decisions, though that leads them to be very short tempered, rash, and often bossy. They may leap before they look, and choose just to deal with the consequences later, but they have strong intuition, and a determination to succeed.

Merlin:

Birthday: Dec 23rd

Sun Sign: Capricorn

I've already given the meanings for the signs, so I won't rewrite those. I'll just go straight onto the individual sign meanings.

For Merlin, I wasn't so sure of his signs as I was Arthur's, and I actually decided his birthday based on a different and lesser known type of astrology, which I'll make a post on later, because it makes more sense for them both.

However, Capricorn actually does fit moderately well for him. Capricorns are the hard workers of the zodiac, the ones with the determination and resourcefulness to get stuff done when it most needs doing. Their personality, and most innate knowledge of who they are is based on purpose, and the need to feel as if they have contributed something important. They are patient and brave, and perhaps the most traditional of the zodiacs, which in turn makes them incredibly stubborn. Their earth element means their stamina is unmatched, and in times of crisis, they are the most reliable and efficient, and have an unparalleled devotion and loyalty to those they have allowed within their circle of friends and loved ones. While they can be seen as boring, overly practical, and responsible, I believe that a major presence of other zodiac elements in Merlin's chart would help to balance that out.

Moon Sign: Cancer

Again, this one might seem a little controversial, but I do believe Merlin's moon being in cancer makes the most sense, and I have a lot of reasons. The sign of cancer is itself ruled by the moon, which means that by having the moon in this placement, the influence it has over Merlin's life would also be amplified. This means that his inner self and deeper, hidden, identity, would play a major role in who he is, and how he views himself, more than any other moon sign.

Cancers moons are one of, if not the most, emotionally sensitive moon signs, though its not often so clearly shown. They have a true depth to their feelings, which is often hidden away out of a need to protect themselves. It is assumed that this depth and complexity makes them weaker, when in fact the complete opposite is true — they are able to develop true resilience, and won't crumble under under emotional pressure. They are always struggling to be better, and working towards self improvement and reaching the best of their own potential, which compliments a Capricorn sun very well.

In turn, they are incredibly nurturing and gentle, with a generous and family-oriented approach to many aspects of life, whether that be oriented to biological or found family. They work towards long lasting relations, and form deep connections with the people they allow to become close to them. They are also incredibly selfless, and can easily fall into the trap of allowing their self worth to be decided by their worth to others, as in their heart they truly want to do good by others. There are the kindest of souls, always hoping to see the best in people, and often allowing others to let that kindness go underappreciated — they aren't doing the right thing for the sake of recognition. At the same time, they can have a competitive nature, and are deeply intuitive and receptive.

They can be deeply hurt when betrayed or unappreciated, and will often close off and seek to hide away at times as a means of defence. This would be especially true for someone who's sun sign is contradictory, and Capricorn is Cancer's opposite, often putting up walls against vulnerability because they fear what they may lose if they show it.

Again, his moon sign has a secondary meaning when put with his sun. Cancer and Capricorn lie at opposite ends of the zodiac, and people with moon and sun signs which conjuct in this way are associated with the full moon. This energy means they will be someone of diversity and conflict, who will struggle with the differences of what they need and want, and who they are and who they should be. They will need to create compromise, and seek to find happiness within themselves, instead of desperately reaching out to find purpose and contentment elsewhere.

Ascendant: Sagittarius

For Merlin, his drive and goal is based on what he is told is his destiny. Right back in the first episode, his pain is that he doesn't understand why he is the way he is. When Kilgharrah tells him that he has a destiny, he latches on to it, and that is the nature of a sagittarius ascendant.

Sagittarians are the adventurers of the zodiac, the explorers who see life as a quest, and for a Sagittarius Ascendant, the prize they seek is meaning and truth. They are deeply philosophical people who will see every moment as an opportunity, and will use it to infinitely expand their own horizons, in whatever form that takes. They often may have a lot of faith in things greater than themselves, and that hope is integral to the interconnected way they view themselves and the world.

They are sometimes restless individuals, and value fun and adventure. They have an urge to explore in every sense of the word, and I believe that Merlin would have indulged that far more had he been given the safety and change to do so.

They are also social, and make friends effortlessly and sometimes in the oddest of circumstances. It may be the optimism that they seem to radiate upon first meeting them, although his Capricorn sun sign would dampen that when around those he is closer to.

Sagittarian Ascendants are often unapologetically outspoken and harshly opinionated. They are naturally witty, but can be blunt, or come across as rude when that isn't their intention, and this backfires all too often.

Capricorn and Sagittarius don't have much in common, so they would both conflict. His sun sign would make him more serious and realistic than his ascendant would otherwise allow, and in turn, his ascendant would make him more impulsive and social, as all signs within a person's chart have a great affect on each other. Someone with both will often flick back and forth between positive and negatives. The contrast may also lead him to keep secrets, as his "public mask" and true desires and sense of self are quite different, but in time, these two aspects can make space for each other, and productively blend the heavenly kindness and earthly wisdom that these signs bring.

Again, I won't do his whole chart, but I believe Merlin's chart is one that conflicts in many ways, as he has many things pulling him in many directions. Many times, he struggles to choose between what he knows to be necessary, and what he believes to be right, and I think his chart would reflect that. However, I think that in time and away from the pressure he has always been under, these aspects would blend together in a very beautiful way.

******

To put it very simply, Arthur's a King and he knows it, and Merlin's a mess.

So there we go. Several hours of research and writing to create something that will never be useful to anyone ever, but it was fun to do at least.

I'll do the other type of astrology soon, I have that all decided, it just might take a while to decide how I want to write it. And then actually write it.

#please don't hate me if this is wrong #I'm just the friendly neighbourhood witch #having some guesses #merlin #bbc merlin #merlin emrys #emrys #merthur #merlin astrology

[attack-on-neverland]

2.1 The Main Trio

In both Attack on Titan and The Promised Neverland, the main trio consists of three character tropes which are The Empath, The Distant but Loving and The Savior (who I also like to call “The Genocidal Maniac.” The existence of these tropes especially in the main three characters is important to recognize because these three are also generalizations of the attitudes of the people of their world. This mix keeps things relatively balanced and stable until one of them breaks the delicate balance for whatever reason.

Armin, Eren, and Mikasa (AOT)

Norman, Emma, and Ray (TPN)

1. Armin and Emma - The Empath

Armin (AOT) and Emma (TPN) make up The Empath. Both initially reject the idea of having to strike first and would avoid casualties at all cost. These characters would rather risk failure than harm innocent people (again, initially). They have a deep sense of compassion and can even empathize with the enemy and prefer to talk things out rather than engage in battle. Both Armin and Emma are also the ones to eventually stop the genocidal plans of Eren (AOT) and (Norman). Both characters also selflessly sacrificed themselves to save their loved ones.

Armin dreams of reaching the outside world and seeing the wonders of nature, which is why he joins the Survey Corps in order to secure peace for them once again. In the face of death, he chose to talk it out with Bertholdt, holder of the Colossal Titan and tried to get him to join their side. Even when his life was threatened, Armin hesitated to strike first, which only changed when Captain Levi instructed him to do so or else they would be killed. It is also Armin who stops Eren’s plan of destroying everything outside of Paradis and establishes the Alliance. Armin willingly sacrificed himself and got burnt alive by the Collosal Titan to ensure that he could buy time for Eren’s plan to work (He got revived eventually). However, he does live by the principle that “People who can’t throw something important [humanity] away can never hope to change anything.” This represents an eventual shift in Armin as his innocence is broken and he abides by the rules of war rather than reject them completely, opposite to Emma.

Emma also dreamed of the outside world and meeting all of her siblings with their families before they discovered the painful reality of their world. Throughout the whole series, it was shown how Emma would do literally anything to protect her younger siblings as she would stay behind to hold down enemies, set off on dangerous journeys with the older kids, and even struck a deal with That Person* which meant sacrificing herself to safely bring everyone back to the human world. However, Emma’s empathy doesn’t only manifest in her sibling relationships, but extends to everyone, even their biggest enemies. She befriends devils Mujika and Sonju, forgives Lucas after he endangered her life by bringing her to Goldy Pond, and extends her love to all the adults who were the reason behind the existence of the plantation. She cries out when she sees the demons being massacred by Norman, and begs for him to reverse things. She recognizes that no one is inherently bad and that everyone is just doing what they can to survive. In the end, Emma’s deal with That Person reveals that she traded what she loved the most (her family and her memories of them) in exchange for the freedom of all humans. This resulted in Emma ending up on some mountaintop (in the human world) with no concrete memories, but feelings of pain, longing, and sadness while all the other kids lived their happy lives together and arrived safely in their destination. Trust me, I cried BUCKETS.

2. Mikasa and Ray - The Distant but Loving

Mikasa (AOT) and Ray (TPN) make up the Distantly Rational but Loving trope. Aside from both having black hair and emo hairstyles, these two characters both exhibit the most skill and wits among all the other characters. In times of turmoil and panic, these two managed to keep a cool head (most of the time) and allowed everyone else to survive in safety. Both characters can be said to be distant because they are rarely seen enjoying themselves, presumably because of their traumatic backgrounds which is why all of their energy is focused on getting stronger and saving everyone. Their loyalty is unmatched, and they would be willing to destroy anyone who gets in the way of the safety of their families. This attitude stems from dark backgrounds that made both characters value life and the people around them so much. Despite their willingness to achieve any lengths, these characters still manage to think logically, and do not intend to cause unnecessary harm even to enemies.

Mikasa used to be a sweet and loving child who enjoyed the little things and simply being around her parents. However, everything changed when her parents were murdered by kidnappers, leaving Mikasa an orphan. She witnessed all of this violence and was supposed to be killed as well if she weren’t saved by Eren. From that day on, Mikasa grew to be outwardly distant, presumably to avoid getting attached to anyone who could possibly disappear in an instance. However, she was also attached to Eren and all of her comrades in the Survey Corps. She tried to hide that vulnerability under her cold exterior, but no one would ever doubt her love for her comrades. Witnessing her parents’ deaths made her swore to become stronger in order to protect those she loved.

From a young age, Ray was seen to be quieter than the other kids. Instead of playing, he would spend his time reading books, doing research, and observing everyone. This is because he discovered early on that Gracefield was not an adoption home, but a farm with children as their produce. However, he had to stay quiet and volunteered himself to become Mama’s spy so that he would not be shipped out early. The trauma stems from the awareness that each shipped out orphan became meals for demons, but being unable to do anything about it. For years, he had been a slave to Mama in order to acquire the parts he needed to aid their escape plan. It is evident how his loyalty to his siblings does not fade as he would sacrifice himself for the safety of everyone else. Like Mikasa, he still keeps a calm demeanor and can rationalize under dire circumstances.

3. Eren and Norman - The Self-sacrificing Savior / "Genocidal Maniac"

Eren (AOT) and Normal (TPN) both make up “The Savior” or the “Genocidal Maniac”. These boys both start out as innocent, wide-eyed children who wanted to explore the world. They are both passionate about saving all of their family and even sacrificed themselves for their safety. However, they are both drastically changed by a deeper understanding of their reality. From being hopeful optimists, they come to see the reality that no one else realizes. From the day of their realization, they come to an understanding that they have to be “devils” in order to save humanity in an attempt of self-sacrifice. They know that nothing would be able to redeem these sins, yet they still push forward to destroy anything and anyone that gets in their way. This is because they know that there is no alternative that guarantees their safety except complete annihilation of everything else. They eventually trade in their humanity at the cost of lives of children, innocents, and everyone who might get in the way. However, one key difference is that Norman (TPN) gets a chance at redemption, while Eren (AOT) does not. This will be further explored in Being Bound by destiny vs. Defying destiny.

After witnessing the death of his mother, Eren vows to exterminate every last titan in order to guarantee the safety of humanity. He trains hard in order to become an efficient member of the Survey Corps and promises to use his Titan power to defend everyone. Eren is hopeful, arrogant, and stubborn, and this causes him to dive in head first when anyone is in danger. He literally sacrifices himself and is eaten by a titan to save Armin, and he sacrifices himself time and time again. However, when the Survey Corps reach the ocean, Eren realizes that the real enemies are those across the other side of the ocean. The humans who wish for the demise of Paradis Island and its residents. Their enemies are not titans, but other humans. From that day on, Eren distanced himself from everyone and made his own plans. He had gone to extreme lengths to detach himself from his comrades so that they would have no power to stop him and the wrong-doings will be all his. This eventually resulted in Eren's attacks on Marley because he found out that the whole world was going to launch an attack on Paradis to exterminate the “devils” of society. In the end, Eren successfully activates the rumbling and ended up killing 80% of the world population because he knew that discrimination towards Eldians would not end until the world starts anew. His friends were able to save the 20% because they stopped Eren by having Mikasa kill him. Brb, gonna cry AGAIN.

After learning the truth of the house from Ray, Norman decided that he had to aid Emma’s plan of saving all the kids in the house, even the defenseless young ones. To do so would require utmost planning, strategy, and tactics that would put the three at risk. However, Norman decided that the benefits would outweigh the risk and proceeded with Emma’s plan. Unfortunately, Mama stops them in their tracks and decides to ship Norman early in order to stop him from ruining her plans. Emma and Ray do everything they can to save Norman and include him in their plan, and Norman pretends to agree. Unbeknownst to the two, Norman had already planned to betray them because he was afraid that the attempt to save him would only put everyone else at risk. This leads to Norman sacrificing himself and letting him get “shipped out” by Mama. However, instead of being turned into food, he is taken in as an experiment of Project Lamba, where he endured great suffering as a test subject. It was during his time here that he witnessed firsthand the cruelty of the demons, and decided that there was no other way but to exterminate them. He saw the realities of the mass produced farms where children don’t even gain autonomy and consciousness, he met fellow Lamba experiments who would have certain illnesses for life, and he endured the pain firsthand. After a series of events, he breaks out of Lamba and finds Emma and the other children. By this time, Emma had already realized that not all demons were bad and that it was simply a matter of survival for some of them. Norman, however, did not buy into this kind of thinking. When he told his plans of genocide, Emma firmly rejected this and asked for a few days to find an alternative before Norman could continue with the plan. While Norman agreed, he betrayed her and carried out with the plan earlier than expected and caused the degeneration of thousands of demon villagers. In his heart, Norman did not want to do this, but believed that there was no other way. He did not want to bring others in the plan because he wanted to keep the blame to himself as part of his self-sacrifice. Unlike Eren, Norman is redeemed when he reunites with the others and tries to forge a new plan.

[chilling-seavey]

Anything But Mine (d.s.) - Chapter Thirty-One

A/N what do you think Daniel should do?

Thursday, August 20th, 2020

Summer was coming to an end and the new school year was approaching quickly. Even in the dwindling last days of August, the weather was hot and sunny, making a perfect opportunity for a beach trip. Of course, it was Aidan’s idea, filling backpacks with coolers and bags of chips at some time before noon. His housemates woke to find him almost ready to leave and he ushered them upstairs to get themselves dressed and ready.

Callum had convinced Florence to join them; the concept of Callum and Aidan back to conversing still almost foreign to her. But, she would do anything for her brother and his happiness, so she got her daughters dressed and out the door with too many bags on her arm. Florence was surprisingly happy to hear that both Grayson and Emilio wanted to join their group to the beach for the day. Things had been sort of awkward since the meeting with the doctor three weeks prior but they still tried to assure her – and themselves – that were still allowed to be friendly despite the circumstances.

They were to all meet at the boys’ house by the university first, making sure they had enough supplies to last the day and were all accounted for. Clementine was beaming, bouncing on her toes with excitement in the living room, running around her mother’s legs. Callum had greeted Aidan with a quick hug, the action making Florence smirk to herself. It still felt so normal.

The boys had started to come back downstairs, dressed in their swim trunks, t-shirts, sunglasses, and flip flops, towels draped over their shoulders. Corbyn approached the newly arrived group first, taking the newborn from the stroller and held her close, cooing a little ‘good morning’ to her.

It wasn’t long until the front door opened, and Cayleigh was walking in, dressed in a bikini and oversized t-shirt, her long brown hair tied back with a scrunchie. She greeted everyone loudly, before she pressed a kiss to Daniel’s smiling face. Florence didn’t even bother herself with looking at them, her heart still aching with the fact that Daniel wasn’t speaking to her.

“If we’re all here, let’s go!” Aidan clapped his hands once, making his way to the door.

Loaded with coolers, canned beer, a few pop cans, and enough chips to survive a zombie apocalypse, the group made their way to the city bus. Their group was excessively large, especially with Florence and the stroller and Daniel with his guitar, and strangers offered them rude glances throughout their trek to the lake.

Since it was a Thursday, the beach wasn’t too busy, allowing them excess space to set up, laying out a bunch of blankets and an umbrella. Florence set up Penelope in the shade of the umbrella, both her girls layered in sunscreen. Clementine was eager to get in the water, trying to squirm away from her mother trying to apply sunscreen to her cheeks.

“Come on, baby orange!” Jack beamed, taking her hand and running with her towards the lake, Clementine’s little coral flouncy bathing suit rippling as she ran messily across the sand.

“Always have a hand on her, Jack!” Florence shouted after them.

Most of the group had gone to the water right away, the pile of the boys’ shirts and their shoes sitting on the large towel beside Florence as she sat with the newborn and watched. It was too early post-partum to go swimming, so she was stuck on dry land all day. She didn’t mind, she always loved to spend one on one time with baby Penelope. And watching Clementine have fun.

Between Grayson and Jack, Clementine was having the time of her life, splashing happily in a foot of water, the grown men needing to sit on the bottom to be comfortable to play with her. Grayson earned himself a splash in the face by the toddler, making her shriek with laughter.

Most of the group was deep in the water, Zach dumping a pail of water on Cayleigh’s head who screamed and tripped over Emilio, the two of them falling messily with a huge splash. Callum and Aidan were farther down, their close proximity and clear enjoyment making Florence smile warmly. It was a reality she didn’t know she missed.

In her thoughts, she didn’t notice Jonah walking up the beach until he sat down next to her.

“What are you doing?” Florence chuckled.

“Keeping you company.” He shrugged, draping a damp arm around her clothed shoulder.

“You like the boring squad better or something?” Florence teased, pushing him away from her.

“Definitely.” Jonah nodded, unzipping one of the backpacks and pulled out a cooler. They fell into a momentary silence. “How about Callum and Aidan?” Jonah finally spoke, taking a long sip from his drink.

“Finally. That’s all I can say.” Florence shook her head through a smile. “I know they’re still figuring things out but…finally.”

“I���m really happy for them.” Jonah agreed, propping one hand behind him on the towel. Florence glanced over at him, a gentle smile plastered on her face. It made her happy to see her brother so supported. It was a vast difference from high school, and it was so refreshing.

“How about you?” Jonah asked, returning her stare. “Are you happy?”

Florence’s smile didn’t falter but she turned to her left where Penelope was asleep on the towel under the shade of the large umbrella. She looked back to Jonah. “I’m fine.”

“Just fine?” Jonah questioned.

“Oh, my God!” Cayleigh shrieked, running up the beach towards them. “I need a drink!” she fell onto the towel with a huff, yanking over a backpack to pull a drink from. Most of their group followed after her.

Florence looked back to Jonah and pulled a tight smile, hoping it was believable. “Perfectly fine.”

The day went by quickly; most of the drinks and snacks disappearing by dinner time. Clementine was having the time of her life and crashed in her mother’s lap in the shade around 3pm. Florence busied herself with a novel, finishing it by the time the pizza was ordered. The group were sat in a circle around the multiple open boxes of pizza, Daniel playing his guitar lazily with Cayleigh curled up next to him. Clementine had claimed a spot between Zach and Jack across the circle, blabbering on to them excitedly, her energy resorted after her hour-long nap. Emilio had claimed the recently awoken newborn, talking to her quietly as she stared up at him from his arms. Of course, Cayleigh was the loudest, going on about the day with a can of beer in hand, and Daniel was absolutely beaming at her, hanging onto every word she said. Now the boys themselves were getting tired of hearing her talk so much.

“What are we going to do for dessert?” Florence finally jumped in when Cayleigh took a second to breathe. She couldn’t help but notice how Daniel’s smile fell into an expressionless stare the moment she opened her mouth. He acted like that question was an insult to his entire family. Florence couldn’t hold back her confused and disgusted glare.

Clementine yelled out for ice cream, oblivious to the awkwardness that had started to grow amongst the group.

“I can take you for some ice cream.” Daniel offered a gentle smile to the toddler, acting as if Florence wasn’t even there. But that wasn’t new.

Clementine merely sat silent and stared back, her eyes flicking between him and Cayleigh who was still wrapped up in his arms. Clementine looked up to Jack who sat beside her and then to Zach who was on her other side, both waiting for her answer. Her response was simple, her little hands wiggling into their hands, whispering a barely audible, “No thank you” to Daniel.

Jack kept his composure the best he could as he got to his feet, but Zach couldn’t hold in his laughter, trying to smother it with his free hand as the toddler led the two of them down the beach towards the ice cream shop. Daniel was left in a state of surprise. Since when did Clementine not want to be with him?

The remainder of the group erupted into fits of laughter, Daniel, Cayleigh, and Florence being the only ones not laughing.

“Bro, you just got rejected!” Corbyn said. “Brutal!”

“What did I do?” Daniel frowned.

“I don’t know but you got beat by Zach.” Aidan snorted. Laughter rose again. Florence couldn’t help but crack a smile herself, the absolute ruthlessness of her daughter making her day.

“She hasn’t gone near me all day and she hardly looks at me now.” Daniel mumbled sadly.

Florence couldn’t hold back her eye roll at how familiar that sounded to her. The hypocrisy was unmatched.

But even still, the evening progressed, Daniel playing a few songs on his guitar as the sun set. It was the perfect summer weather and the light breeze kept the humidity bearable. Florence found herself distracted, though, her mood falling fast and all she wanted to do was go home. Maybe it was the tiring day or the stress on her mind or the fact that Daniel was still avoiding her like the plague but still found it in his heart to sing the song Clementine, the song that meant way too much to her and had way too many memories attached to it. Whatever it was, Florence could feel herself start to tear up. Emilio noticed her change from beside her and he set a hand on her thigh, leaning in to quietly ask if she was okay. The gentle shake of her head was enough and he slowly got to his feet and helped her up.

“Where are you going?” Jonah asked quietly.

“Home.” Florence whispered, her voice shaking as she tried to keep her emotions calm. Grayson stood up and joined them who had Clementine asleep in his arms. The toddler still had chocolate ice cream smeared across her face and down her shirt.

Daniel still played on, not even looking up, reaching the chorus of the old folk song that he used to sing to Clementine when she was a baby. The song that was her namesake.

Callum got up as well, as if preparing to leave with her, but Florence sopped him. “Stay here with Aidan.”

“I…I don’t have to. I can come home with you.” Callum mumbled.

“Stay. Please.” Florence assured him, giving him a gentle nudge back to Aidan who was watching them with concern etched in his features. Callum simply nodded and sat back down. The boys and Cayleigh said their goodbyes, all except for Daniel who’s consistent singing was much quieter but still going. He was focussed on the sand, his fingers plucking away at the strings of his guitar, filling the warm air with pitch perfect notes. Florence took one last look at him before they headed off.

Grayson was the only one who had driven to the beach and he carried sleeping Clementine across the sand towards the parking lot, Florence and Emilio following behind him with the stroller and their bags. They were silent as the sleeping children were buckled in and Emilio squished between them to give Florence the passenger seat. She tried to keep her mind busy as Grayson drove towards the highway, staring out the window as the city lights zoomed past. Daniel’s gentle voice played in her mind, thinking back to the first few weeks of being a new mom when Matt would be out partying and Daniel would come over with his guitar to help get the baby to sleep. It brought her back to late nights in the last month of pregnancy, how every time she couldn’t sleep or was worried about the future, Daniel would be there with her, singing softly to relax her. The song Clementine. Her daughter’s namesake, and as such, the song that at one time pushed the two best friends closer than ever. She simply felt so alone.

The small sob that fell from her trembling lips surprised her and Florence pressed a hand to her mouth to quiet herself down. Emilio leaned forward and set a comforting hand on her arm, glancing at Grayson’s concerned expression through the rear-view mirror.

“It’s okay.” Emilio whispered, running his thumb in little circles over he exposed skin.

Florence simply shook her head, holding her face in her hands as she cried.

“What’s going on, Flora?” Grayson asked quietly, his right hand falling to her thigh.

“That song.” Florence sniffled. “He…He fucking sang it on purpose. That was my song.”

“Clementine?” Emilio questioned. 

Florence nodded, wiping her cheeks with the side of her hand. “He knows how much that song means to me and what it holds and he just…he just had to sing that.”

“I don’t think he did it on purpose.” Grayson said slowly, not wanting to say the wrong thing.

“If he can’t even look at me, then he can’t sing my daughter’s song. My song.” Florence pressed a finger against her chest to make her point. 

“I’m sorry.” Emilio breathed, his heart aching at constantly seeing how much she was going through in so many aspects of her life.

“Things were looking better between us. I don’t know what I did wrong.” Florence cried.

Grayson and Emilio glanced at each other again and sighed quietly almost in unison. They knew since the truth came to the surface that Daniel would find a way to screw everything up.

#daniel seavey #wdw #college!wdw #why dont we #daniel seavey fanfic #why dont we fanfic #jonah marais #jack avery #corbyn besson #zach herron #emilio martinez #martinez twins #not the dolan twins #limelight #martinator #daniel seavey imagines #wdw fanfic #wdw imagines #writing #anything but mine

[eusamson]

                       𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐊  𝐎𝐍𝐄  :  𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑  𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐄.

›  001.   how  did  your  muse  find  out  about  being  a  demigod,  and  how  did  they  react ? 

samson’s  first  experience  with  his  demigod  powers  came  when  he  was  eight  years  old  ;  an  instinctive  reaction,  he  sang  what  he  thought  was  a  lullaby  in  english  learnt  from  his  mother  (  but  was  in  fact  one  from  his  father  in  ancient  greek  )  in  an  attempt  to  calm  his  best  friend  lila  down  when  she  skinned  her  knee.   little  did  he  know  that  this  would  become  his  unofficial  claiming,  her  wound  healing  almost  instantaneously  as  apollo  responded  to  his  healing  song. 

easy  to  dismiss  as  an  overactive  imagination,  the  two  friends  kept  it  a  secret  from  their  parents,  and  it  isn’t  until  he’s  twelve  and  narrowly  escapes  an  attack  from  a  snake  way  bigger  than  average  thanks  to  a  man  with  the  legs  of  a  goat  (  just  when  things  couldn’t  get  any  weirder  )  that  the  satyr  fully  explains  his  demigod  heritage  to  him  and  his  stunned  family.

he  took  it  well  considering  ;  the  prospect  was  quite  exciting,  puzzle  pieces  slotting  into  place  that  he  hadn’t  realised  had  been  missing  (  the  absence  of  a  father  had  never  been  a  huge  point  of  contention  in  his  life  thanks  to  the  endless  love  offered  by  his  mother  and  grandparents  ).   going  off  to  camp  was  an  adventure,  and  he  wouldn’t  realise  the  seriousness  of  the  danger  he  was  in  as  the  son  of  a  god  until  many  years  later.

›  002.   how  does  your  muse’s  mortal  family  feel  about  them  being  a  demigod ?

his  family  have  been  nothing  but  supportive.   grace  always  had  her  suspicions  but  never  fully  believed  the  claims  of  her  golden-haired  lover  when  he  boasted  he  was  the  god  of  music  —  until  even  she  couldn’t  deny  the  presence  of  something  other  when  the  satyr  appears  in  their  living  room  and  proclaims  samson’s  life  is  in  danger.

of  course  they  worry,  but  samson  has  a  relatively  smooth  upbringing,  summer  camp  more  of  an  enriching  experience  than  one  that  teaches  children  to  fight  for  their  lives.   it  isn’t  until  the  attack  at  the  theatre  that  it  truly  hits  home,  and  when  grace  is  seriously  injured  and  lila  killed,  there’s  a  growing  resentment  towards  absent  father  and  ‘  the  demigod  curse  ’  that  he’s  put  upon  their  family.   but  that  resentment  would  never  extend  to  samson  —  even  if  he  feels  nothing  but  guilt  over  his  mother’s  injuries  —  and  they  support  him  throughout  his  studies  at  eonia,  visiting  annually  when  they’re  able.

›  003.   when  did  they  get  claimed  by  their  godly  parent ? 

samson’s  unofficial  claiming  came  the  first  time  he  used  his  healing  powers  at  eight  years  old  ;  his  official  claiming  came  the  second  he  stepped  upon  the  island  of  camp  haumana,  a  golden  lyre  blazing  bright  upon  his  forehead  and  only  solidifying  feelings  of  wholeness  at  knowing  that  missing  part  of  his  heritage.

›  004.   did  they  attend  a  camp ?

 camp  haumana  (  mixed  meaning  ;  literal  translation  is  ‘ student ’  in  hawaiian,  ‘ peaceful  spirit ’  in  tahitian  )  was  samson’s  home  every  summer  from  ages  12  to  17.   situated  on  the  equator  between  hawaii  and  french  polynesia,  the  uninhabited  island  was  repurposed  as  a  refuge  for  demigods  from  all  pantheons,  especially  favoured  by  those  born  in  the  oceania  region.

being  quite  isolated,  there  were  only  23  others  at  camp  during  his  time  there.   instead  of  being  split  up  by  god,  they  were  split  by  pantheon,  and  samson  found  himself  sharing  a  cabin  with  the  other  greek  demigods  on  the  island,  making  quick  friends  with  twins  of  poseidon  kai  and  malia.   their  schedule  was  based  less  around  war  strategy  and  more  around  nurturing  activities  that  made  use  of  the  natural  landscape,  incorporating  local  sports  such  as  outrigger  canoe  and  surfing  while  being  careful  to  be  respectful  to  the  island  and  the  gods  once  worshipped  there.

a  haven  of  peace,  samson  still  carries  fond  memories  of  his  time  at  camp  ;  climbing  through  treetops  on  makeshift  obstacle  courses,  firing  arrows  in  a  clearing  lined  with  blossoming  wildflowers,  singing  tahitian  songs  his  grandmother  taught  him  around  a  roaring  campfire.   in  comparison,  camp  athen’s  stricter  fighting  schedule  took  him  a  while  to  adjust  to  when  he  was  first  on  placement  there,  and  he  found  his  edges  softening  in  response  for  the  new  demigod  arrivals,  remembering  his  own  warm  welcome  and  how  that  impacted  his  stay.

the  people  he  met  at  camp  haumana  became  family,  and  he  has  plans  to  visit  the  permanent  residents  as  soon  as  the  school  year  is  over,  wanting  to  make  amends  (  there  have  been  opportunities  to  visit  before  now,  but  he  always  found  reasons  to  avoid  going  since  the  funeral  ).

›  005.   was  your  muse  ever  sent  on  any  quests ?

he  was  never  sent  on  any  quests  during  his  time  at  camp.   there  was  a  request  to  join  on  one  by  the  two  demigods  he  was  closest  to,  but  he  turned  it  down  in  favour  of  performing  as  fiyero  in  his  school’s  production  of  wicked,  the  promise  of  the  head  of  juilliard’s  admissions  attendance  what  swayed  his  decision.

the  quest  was  doomed  from  that  point  onwards,  samson’s  proficiency  in  healing  unmatched  by  even  the  resident  camp  healer  who  wasn’t  of  apollo  ancestry.   by  the  time  kai  and  malia  are  found  their  wounds  are  too  great  and  the  quest  is  deemed  a  failure,  samson  told  in  person  by  his  father  after  his  own  monster  attack  at  the  theatre  which  only  exacerbates  the  guilt  he  feels  over  rejecting  their  request.

›  006.   what’s  their  relationship  with  their  godly  parent ?

complicated.   he’d  be  surprised  if  any  demigod  didn’t  have  a  similar  relationship  —  over  the  years  since  he  last  saw  apollo  he’s  grown  a  great  deal,  having  come  to  terms  with  his  own  faults  and  the  part  he  played  in  their  happenings.   the  raw  resentment  he  felt  for  his  father  at  eighteen  is  now  dulled  by  time,  but  there’s  still  a  barrier  he’s  put  up  between  them  at  the  god’s  apparent  unwillingness  to  accept  responsibility  for  the  monster  attacks  he  and  his  family  are  in  danger  from  every  time  he  steps  outside  eonia’s  walls.   he’s  grateful  for  him  for  healing  his  mother,  but  his  father  still  leaves  much  to  be  desired.

›  007.   your  muse’s  favorite  part  about  being  a  demigod ?

while  he  believes  he’d  still  have  the  same  love  if  he  wasn’t  the  son  of  apollo,  samson  loves  just  how  connected  he  is  to  music  and  how  easily  he  picks  up  anything  music  related.   despite  the  path  of  a  performer  being  one  he  left  many  years  ago,  there’s  no  better  place  than  losing  yourself  in  song,  expressing  his  mana  and  allowing  himself  to  be  free.

he’s  also  come  to  truly  appreciate  his  healing  powers  and  how  much  good  he  can  do  with  them.   he’s  always  wanted  to  inspire,  to  be  a  beacon  of  light  for  people  that  when  he  was  younger  would  express  through  the  arts.   now  he  channels  that  energy  into  being  there  for  his  fellow  demigods,  kids  like  him  who  had  no  choice  in  being  born  into  their  circumstances.   he’s  found  his  true  calling,  and  while  there  are  fleeting  times  he  wishes  he  could  just  be  normal,  he  knows  this  is  where  he’s  meant  to  be.

›  008.   your  muse’s  least  favorite  part  about  being  a  demigod ?

the  danger.   the  feeling  of  always  watching  over  your  shoulder  when  you  step  outside  protected  walls.   he  hates  that  people  were  hurt  because  of  him,  and  will  carry  that  guilt  around  as  a  permanent  reminder  for  as  long  as  he  draws  breath.   he  hates  that  despite  demigods  dying  around  the  world  seemingly  every  day,  their  parents  are  loathe  to  react,  to  protect  those  they’ve  helped  create.   it’s  a  big  subject  of  contention,  and  one  he  will  always  make  known  to  his  closest  friends  who  are  aware  what  he’s  campaigning  for.

›  009.   what’s  your  muse’s  weapon  and  battle  proficiency ?

samson’s  primary  weapon  is  a  bow  and  arrow  gifted  to  him  by  apollo  just  after  his  twelfth  birthday.   after  his  attack  and  how  he  didn’t  have  it  to  hand  when  he  needed  it,  he  made  a  deal  with  his  father  to  imbue  an  arrow  tattoo  he  had  inked  on  his  forearm  with  a  simple  recalling  spell,  meaning  all  he  has  to  do  is  place  the  three  fingers  he  uses  to  draw  back  the  bow  to  his  tattoo  and  the  weapon  will  appear.

he’s  proficient  enough  in  hand  to  hand  combat,  but  prefers  long  range  in  a  fight  ;  his  archery  skills  unmatched  by  those  that  aren’t  apollo’s  children,  using  them  to  help  teach  at  camp  athens  whenever  he’s  there  on  placement.

#euquestionnaire #[ ☼ / EU TASK. ] #[ ☼ / CH. STUDY. ] #i finally... finished this..... #don't look if i messed any canon lore up SNJS i am Trying

[kdtheghostwriter]

SNK 122 - Avalanche

Who would have thought when it happened that Eren kissing Historia’s hand would be THE moment of Shingeki no Kyojin. Imagine you’re picking up this lovely series for the first time. You see a fresh take on the survival-horror genre and think, “I could get into this.” A couple volumes in, you discover the zombie horde tale was a clever cover for a fleshy mecha gimmick. “Weird,” you think, “but ok.” Now it’s ten years and 130+ chapters later. We’re all reading a retelling of the Norse Myth of Creation wrapped in a cozy WWII disguise.

What do any of these words mean? Join me under the cut. It’s time for lore.

Thoughts on the chapter first. We finally get to see the life and times of Founder Ymir. Not surprisingly, she appears to be of vague Northern European origin in what appears to be the Middle Ages. The ancient Eldians were Vikings basically, but back then they weren’t even Eldian. They were human just like everyone else…until they weren’t.

Founder Ymir’s story eerily mirrors that of 104th Ymir. As a small child, she was nothing more than a scapegoat. Born a servant girl, she empathized with the group of pigs that had been captured. She released them, no doubt ruining someone’s feast in the process. A soldier asks who the offending party is and we see a great panel of Ymir surrounded by pointing fingers John Wick style.

Much like Mr. Wick, Ymir goes on the run only in a much different context. John Wick, in his universe, is the most prolific assassin alive. He’s on the run, but he’s not defenseless. Ymir is a child and is defenseless. The men (and I do emphasize the grown men) that chase after her never perceive her as a threat. They’re having a sporting time terrifying and slowly killing this innocent child. Running out of energy and time, Ymir happens across a humongous tree and decides an odd hiding spot is better than none at all. Entering the base of the tree, she falls down into an unseen hole – like Alice into the looking glass – and just as she’s about to lose consciousness, she comes in contact with what can only be described as…this.

A parasite? An alien lifeform? An ancient Eldridge manifestation? Maybe. Just like another old Myth there isn’t really a clear answer nor will there be. ‘Tis the Source of all Organic Matter and it was always there it was, lad.

We get several lessons here about how history can warp our perceptions of the individual players in both a positive and negative sense. Ymir never made a deal with the Devil to get her overwhelming power. She literally fell backwards into a divot and came out big as a mountain. On the other hand, the Founding Titan was not this ethereal being of divine beauty. The First Titan was grotesque to look at. It had no true face and its ribs were exposed, which I guess makes sense for a creature that large. Founder Ymir was a victim of circumstance and oppression. She has the power of nature and God at her fingertips but has only known servitude. That’s why there is no objection when she hears the following.

Not only is there CLEARLY no consent here, but I’m fairly sure Ymir is barely a teenager here so – Double Dose of Yikes!

Fittingly (or tragically, who can tell at this point), Ymir has three daughters: Maria, Rose and Sina. She raises her children while helping her nation conquer the lands around them with her unmatched power. However, thirteen years after her eldest child is born, a rogue soldier makes an attempt on the king’s life and Ymir leaps in front of the spear; one final act of indentured service.

Sort of. She is told correctly that she isn’t in danger. No doubt she has come back from far worse injuries than a spear to the collar. King Fritz tells her to get up and continue being a slave and Ymir says fuck you with her whole chest and gives up the ghost right there.

This shocking development leads to two things. First, we see the most graphic panel in a series full of gore and body horror as the children of Ymir are forced by Dear Old Dad to cannibalize their mother’s still-cooling corpse in order to obtain her power. Then, we see Ymir wake up in what we now know as the Paths dimension. Here she shall stay until a certain someone is able to receive and respond to her call for help.

That’s all for the backstory, now what about the source? It’s been documented well that Isayama loves myth and folklore especially of the Norse variety. Near the beginning of #122 we see Ymir fall into a tree that Momtaku and her co-host Luna succinctly describe as “both phallic and vulvic at the same time.” This seems like a clear reference to Yggdrasil, The World Tree. Yggdrasil is an interdimensional bridge with each branch connecting to a different realm, not unlike the branches we see in the PATHS dimension. Then we have the spine-like creature that latches on to Ymir like Symbiote under the tree. See if this looks familiar.

Nidhogg is a serpent that is known for eating away at the roots of the World Tree. It also has a famous rivalry with an unnamed eagle that sits atop Yggdrasil. A constant struggle between freedom and entrapment which is of course a central theme to this story. I’ve seen meta theorize that if the briny parasite represents the serpent of the Tree, that Eren Jaeger would represent the eagle the overlooks it and seeing how he’s spent most of this tale with wings on his back, that makes about as much sense as anything else.

It’s all a lead-up to Ragnarok: the End of the World.

Yup, that looks like the end to me.

When the First King lined up those Titans to form those walls, he couldn’t have known someone would find the one loophole to circumvent his failsafe. The reason the Coordinate Powers only fully activate for those of Royal Blood. It isn’t because of their genes alone. Ymir is a slave to the Royal Family, even centuries after her physical death. It isn’t until someone gives her a choice that she even thinks to take a different course of action.

What a charmer. This panel and the one that follows are both very important to me. Zeke, in his frenzy is a spitting image of King Fritz. Yes, the are directly related but also, I think there is something to be said of him taking on the form of Ymir’s greatest oppressor. After she hears Eren’s pitch to lend him her world-shattering power we see her eyes, full of tears, for the first time. Not an accident. It’s the first time in 2,000 years anyone has treated her like a person.

This is not an official theory or anything but it’s how I interpret this. The title of this chapter ‘From You, 2,000 Years Ago’ is of great significance outside of how it mirrors the title of the very first chapter. Ymir was sending a message and when we remember the Attack Titan’s special trait of moving (and looking) forward it’s clear who the messenger was. The question then becomes, was Eren the only one who was able to answer the call? Yes, just not for the reasons you would think.

 Technically, any of the Attack Titans (or any of them, I guess) could have unlocked the PATHS with enough work. The problem is, the only knowledge of Ymir’s story and the history of the Eldian people was with the Coordinate which, historically, was possessed by the Royal Line. It wasn’t until that fateful night when Grisha stole the Coordinate away that a very specific set of conditions could be met.

Once a single person of their own free will got even a glimpse of the tortured history and fate of Founder Ymir it was enough to set an incredibly complex series of events into motion. This is why the Attack Titan, even during the Great Titan War, can never listen to reason. They know what the end game is, thanks to Eren sending them snaps of that scenery.

Eren was special after all. Just not in the way we first thought. Funny that.

  Stray Thoughts

- Keep in mind that the final panel of Eren’s new Titan exploding out of his severed head happens the instant it lands in Zeke’s hand. How must Gabi be feeling right now? You think you’ve slain the Devil of the Earth and all you’ve done instead is give him immense power and an army of unstoppable giants. Someone get the Bart cake gif in the replys.

- The most impressive part of seeing Ymir’s backstory is that it was largely done with no dialogue. Almost felt like we were reading a scroll or ancient tome. Credit to the author for crafting such a deep, rich world to explore. Somehow, Shingeki no Kyojin isn’t the story he’s always wanted to tell but it will rightfully be the one he is best known for.

- Once again Zeke blows a 3-1 lead by being an entitled shithead. He and the rest of his family knew the story of Ymir and the fate she suffered and still saw fit to not only keep her imprisoned but to use her as a tool to subjugate their own people. No tears from me, muchacho.

#snk meta #shingeki no spoilers #snk 122 #eren jaeger #zeke jaeger #founder ymir #king fritz #congrats btw to the king #you have usurped capt gross for biggest heel in snk

[dickinsonstate]

An interview with Dickinson State’s 2019 Outstanding Graduate Award winners

Allisha Dworshak (left) and Thomas Sease (right) receiving the Outstanding Graduate awards from DSU Heritage Foundation Executive Director Ty Orton.

Allisha Dworshak and Thomas Sease were named Dickinson State University’s (DSU) 2019 Outstanding Graduates at the Outstanding Graduate awards ceremony held Friday, May 10, in the Student Center Ballroom. Implemented in 1981, the Outstanding Graduate Award is the highest honor bestowed on two graduating seniors by the University. Dworshak and Sease were nominated along with 18 other students by faculty in their academic departments for exceptional performance in their fields of study.  

Congratulations on receiving the 2019 Outstanding Graduate Awards! What does this recognition mean to you? 

Dworshak: I am honored to have received one of the 2019 Outstanding Graduate Awards. This recognition means to me that I made a positive impact on those around me during my time at Dickinson State University. It indicates that all of my hard work did not go unnoticed. I consider this recognition especially special as all of the nominees this year were, without a doubt, amazing candidates and deserving of this award. 

Sease: This award truly means everything to me. I am extremely humbled and honored that the committee would even consider me for this prestigious award. That being said, I would like to congratulate all nominees and graduates knowing there were many others who were just as deserving of this award. 

Why did you choose to attend Dickinson State University?  

Dworshak: The three main factors that led to my decision to attend Dickinson State University were as follows: tuition cost, degrees offered, and the rodeo program. 

Sease: I decided to come to DSU because it was one of the only schools that was going to allow me to participate in football and track. At the time, I took pride in being a well-rounded athlete and person. Furthermore, both of these programs emphasized the importance of academics as a student athlete. This included teaching the skills necessary to be successful as an athlete, a student, and as a member of this close knit community. 

Is there a certain professor who had an impact on you while you studied at DSU? 

Dworshak: Amy Kass, assistant professor of accounting, unquestionably is the professor who had the greatest impact on me while I studied at DSU. Professor Kass was not only my academic advisor but also my Phi Beta Lambda advisor. I had the pleasure of getting to know Professor Kass on a personal level and love her passion, energy and drive. She has a kind soul, a fun personality, and is always willing to offer a helping hand. 

Sease: The professor that I looked up to the most at Dickinson State was my mentor Dr. Wendy Wilson. Dr. Wilson consistently went above and beyond for all of her students demonstrating commitment, passion, and enthusiasm in the classroom. At one point, Dr. Wilson was the only faculty member in the Psychology department and willingly taught on an overloaded schedule for more than 2 years. Having a mentor like her has inspired me as a student to want to teach at the college level in hope of influencing students’ lives in the same way she did for me. 

What is your favorite memory from your time here?  

Dworshak: It would be extremely difficult to pinpoint one exact favorite memory from DSU. I have made numerous great memories at DSU. Some of my favorite memories include national trips for organizations such as Phi Beta Lambda, Farm Bureau, and Student Senate, the many memories made during college rodeo weekends, and the simple memories of just rolling in laughter with fellow classmates and professors who I now consider my best friends. 

Sease: In retrospect, my most fond memories at DSU came from the extracurricular activities I was able to be a part of. Within these organizations, I was able to meet people who I will always consider as life-long friends. These individuals gave me a feeling of connectedness and held me accountable for my actions. These individuals also acted as my support system throughout my days at DSU. 

Do you have any advice for incoming freshman?  

Dworshak: My advice to incoming freshman is to get involved. Take advantage of everything that is offered to you as a student. Join clubs and organizations, attend events, and get to know the people around you.  

Sease: My advice to incoming freshman would be to get involved. Whether that be through sports, clubs, research, or any other extracurricular activity. It is these activities that will help you develop lifelong skills that go far beyond the classroom. Additionally, take advantage of every opportunity available. Not all people get the chance to attend college so cherish every day of it. You truly can do anything you set your mind to. 

How have you grown as a person during your time at Dickinson State?  

Dworshak: I have grown as a person during my time at DSU by learning the importance of having a lifelong commitment to serving others and the fact that you can always push past your limits. 

Sease: Coming into DSU as a freshman I would describe myself as the stereotypical jock. I did not care about school or even how I presented myself as a person. My primary concern was being eligible to participate in Football and Track. Now, however, I have found meaning outside of sports and value the importance of putting others needs before my own. During my time at Dickinson State, I was able to develop skills such as work-ethic, resilience, compassion and professionalism. All characteristics needed to be a contributing member of society. 

What are you most proud of when you look back at your time at DSU?  

Dworshak: I am most proud of the impact I made on the DSU Phi Beta Lambda Chapter and the success I achieved as an individual, as well as the success our chapter achieved on a state and national level. 

Sease: I am most proud of how I was able to develop myself as a person throughout my time at DSU. As I stated earlier, I was nothing more than a naïve 18 year old child walking through these doors the first time. Five years later, I am walking out these doors as a completely different person. It was with the help of my teachers, coaches, and friends that I was able to redefine myself for the better. 

What helped you the most in accomplishing your goals at DSU? 

Dworshak: Time management paired with drive to get things done to the best of my ability are what helped me accomplish my goals at DSU. 

Sease: The people within the walls of Dickinson State are what helped me most. Dickinson is a very special space. There appears to be an unmatched level of connectedness between its students, faculty and alumni. The community also does a great job of getting behind those who attend DSU. As a student, to see so many people come together for the love of a small town college is nothing short of remarkable. This support makes students really feel at home and enables them to do their best. 

What was the most difficult thing for you as a college student, and how did you overcome it? 

Dworshak: The most difficult thing to overcome as a college student is trying to find a balance between school, work, and still have a social life. I attempted to overcome this challenge by making sure I was focused when completing coursework, not working an excessive number of hours to ensure I would be able to maintain my GPA to retain scholarships and making time to go out and have fun with friends. 

Sease: The most difficult thing I had to overcome in college was failure. I think this is probably something that all college students struggle with initially. It is a horrible feeling. However, I began to grow as a person once I realized that failing is just a part of the process. It took me almost 5 years to realize that it is not our failures that define who we are but instead how we respond to these failures. It is about having the courage to push oneself far enough to fail that really speaks volumes about one’s true character. 

What did you enjoy most about being a Blue Hawk? 

Dworshak: The thing I enjoyed most about being a Blue Hawk was the feeling of putting on that blue and grey vest and representing my school while doing something that I loved. I enjoyed the people I got to meet and the friends that turned into family. 

Sease: What I enjoyed most about being a Blue Hawk was the continuous pursuit of excellence. Whether that be on the field, in the classroom, or in the lab. Although difficult to describe, people from Dickinson State just do things a little bit differently. This was one of the first things I noticed coming into college as a wide eyed freshman. They take the upmost pride in their work, always strive to do their best, and do not make excuses when things do not go their way. Therefore, I am extremely proud to be associated with such a respected group of individuals. 

What are your plans after graduation? 

Dworshak: After Graduation I plan on attending Law School. I have applied and been accepted to Iowa City, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the University of North Dakota. I have decided to attend UND-School of Law. Upon graduating from law school, I plan on practicing law full time. Over time, I aspire to become a partner in the firm. After I have been a partner for many years, I plan on running for governor. After serving a term as governor, I plan on applying for a judgeship. Upon completion, I plan to become a respected judge. 

Sease: After graduation I will be immediately continuing my research related to substance abuse. It is my hope to develop a single construct that is able to predict treatment efficacy for those struggling with addiction. In the fall, I will be attending the University of Louisiana while taking classes from the Psychology and Biology department. This will allow me to take an interdisciplinary approach as a future clinician. 

What will you take from DSU as you move on into the future? 

Dworshak: The most important thing I will take with me as I move into the next chapter of my life is the valuable connections I have made at DSU. I will also take with me the work ethic and study habits I learned during my time at DSU. 

Sease: Things I will take with me from DSU include the skills required to be successful in the next level of my education. Dickinson State in general does a great job of preparing students for life after college whether that be continuing their education or entering the work force. To be at an undergraduate institution with so many administrators, faculty, and staff dedicated to higher education is truly a blessing and something I will never take for granted. I want to thank all of those who helped me over the past 5 years, I will never forget what you did for me. 

[oscar-isaacs-number-one-bitch]

“Creed II” Movie Review

Creed II is the long-awaited sequel to the hit Rocky franchise spinoff, Creed (hard to believe, right?) and features Michael B. Jordan returning as our titular hero, Adonis Creed, on top of the world after winning the world championship and establishing his family name once again as the toughest in the ring. He’s training under the great Rocky Balboa (a returning Sylvester Stallone), and a fulfilling relationship with his girlfriend Bianca (Tessa Thompson). Donny’s life is the best he could ever want it to be. But when Viktor Drago, the son of the man who killed his father, comes to challenge him for the belt, Adonis must decide (with the council of Rocky) whether he is going to let his personal ties to the Drago name cloud his judgement. And Rocky must decide whether 30 years is enough time to be okay stepping back into the ring with the old Russian boxer who killed his friend.

I went to see the first Creed film with my brother back in 2015 when it first came out; it was my first time watching a movie at all in the Rocky franchise, and I loved it. In fact, I loved it so much, that movie shot all the way to #6 on my top 10 list for 2015. It was an exhilarating experience infused with an energy I rarely saw in most movies, especially sports films, at the time; this, of course, was due to the inane talents of director Ryan Coogler, and the surprise of the 7th film in a franchise that barely found its footing only one movie ago, suddenly asserting itself as perhaps the best of them all. So I was a good deal nervous when Coogler was handed the job on Black Panther (so far still the largest box office earner of 2018), as that film was due to be released in February of this year, which meant the director would not be returning to helm Creed II. Instead, directing duties were handed to a new face in the crowd, short film director Steven Caple Jr., whose only other feature film, The Land, went on to show at the Sundance Film Festival. And I’m happy to report that (for the most part) my worries have been assuaged.

Steven Caple Jr. may not have the charismatic direction that made Coogler’s franchise debut such a success, but he more than proves himself a fully capable director when it comes to helming a film of this caliber. And you can tell that his direction of this movie comes from a place of genuine love for these characters; he has a heart for them, and you can tell with every scene that he’s almost in a Creed-like situation himself – trying to live up to the legacy set by his predecessor while staying true to who he is as a filmmaker. It’s no easy task, but Caple Jr. pulls it off adequately by showing the audience that he loves these characters just as much as we do. That does mean he plays it a tad in the safe zone when it comes challenging audience conceptions of the villains, but it doesn’t mean there are no challenges to be found. The challenges that he sets in the ways of both Adonis and Rocky are personal, gripping, and you feel them every step of the way. But you don’t only feel the challenges, or the hard moments; you also feel the triumphs, fully and completely. Every time Donny gets a win in life, you feel it, including in his relationships with Bianca and Rocky, and especially in a desert training montage that rivals the best of the entire franchise.

Speaking of feeling things, one of the other main concerns going into this film was whether or not Caple Jr. would be able to helm fight sequences anywhere near as interesting or engaging as those found in Coogler’s film, and while they’re no one-shot wonders, these fight sequences hit just as hard as those did, if not harder. Every punch is felt in the bones, every hit heard by way of brilliant sound design that truly makes you feel like part of the audience sitting outside the ring (not an easy thing to make someone feel). During the final fight, my audience and myself were all applauding Donny on, rooting for him through every round. But no one will root for someone they don’t like, and this is the section where we talk about the performances (or some of them).

Michel B. Jordan is quickly becoming one of the biggest household names synonymous with box office success, if he’s not one already. His sheer talent and charisma on screen is unmatched, and this film is no exception to his already exceptional filmography. As Adonis Creed, Jordan brings a vulnerability to his character that’s not just a requirement of sequel pictures, but an essential element. He’s asked to carry some of the larger moments given to Stallone in the previous film, and he shoulders them like these are what he uses to lift weights (also of note is the fact that he’s nearly three times as jacked as he was for the first Creed). Sylvester Stallone also returns as the lovable Rocky Balboa, and while he doesn’t play quite as big a role in the film as I personally would have liked, the impact he leaves is still achingly sincere. Stallone’s been playing this role since 1976, and yet it seems he’s still not tired of it, which is nice since he’s just so naturalistic in his performance here, and I would love to see him bring it home in a Creed III.

Time has been the kindest, however, to Dolph Lundgren as Ivan Drago. This just might be the best on-screen performance Lundgren has ever given, bringing springing back to life in a perfect encapsulation of a broken man who’s lost most of what he had before, even despite what he did 30 years prior. Lundgren is magnetic, particularly during a conversation he has with Stallone in Rocky’s diner, and it’s a near-chilling resurrection of an old villain with some beautifully added weight.

My only real issues with Creed II are with two of the characters, not necessarily in how they’re portrayed, but in their development. Bianca (Tessa Thompson) gets all but pushed to the side in terms of development apart from dealing with her hearing loss and a newfound pregnancy, both things that can be used to develop character, but only one (the pregnancy) actually gets a legitimate amount of screen-time devoted to it, even then mostly being used to show the passage of time. There’s a lot of areas where the script could have emotionally challenged her, and those opportunities just don’t seem to be taken, at least not to the extent that they actually devote a section of time to them.

The other character who doesn’t get a ton of development is Viktor Drago. While I understand that we’re meant to root for the protagonist primarily, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit of remorse for what kind of villain we almost got. He’s not one-dimensional by any means (and since Florian Munteanu isn’t an actor, it’s unlikely they were going to give him a ton of screen time), but where the script could have given him some emotional range to display, it barely scratches the surface. That’s unfortunate, given that from what I did see of the character, he has some real emotional challenges to overcome regarding his family and the life he lives.

Overall, while I don’t necessarily think it’s going to live up to the expectations set by the first film, Creed II is a worthy successor to Ryan Coogler’s smash hit. Every performer is either at the top of their game or coasting on a high road, and apart from some character development issues and missing energy in the beginning, it was a rousing good time watching Adonis get back in the ring. If they have enough material for just one more, I’ll gladly sit ringside.

I’m giving “Creed II” an 8.2/10

#Creed II #Movie Review #The Friendly Film Fan #Michael B. Jordan #Sylvester Stallone #Tessa Thompson #Phylicia Rashad #Dolph Lundgren #Florian Munteanu #Rocky #Creed #Adonis Creed #Rocky Balboa #Movie #Film #Review #2018 #New

[spale-vosver]

A Year In Review: 2018 Edition

I don’t normally make my own posts here, nor are they ever personal (I say as though I make posts at all), but since the year is very close to being over—in fact, as I’m writing this it’s 11:02 PM on December 31st—I wanted to look back at where I’ve been and where I still have to go; review the year, basically.

2018 was one hell of a bumpy year for me, though bumpy isn’t inherently bad. I met some amazing friends (you’ll all be mentioned later on) and at the same time lost and almost lost some amazing ones, whether it was to them moving away or my own mistakes. I got involved in so many new things I’d never done before: I got fully involved in theatre, I got kind of maybe in shape, I started caring about my health, I met so many new people both irl and online, I asked my (now ex but still best friend) girlfriend out for the first time it was honestly so new to me and coming out of my shell was an experience I needed.

As the year progressed and school wrapped up, though, I started to wane a bit. Anyone who knows me knows that summer wasn’t great mental health, especially since I was cooped up inside all day doing absolutely nothing but watching YouTube and playing way too much Crusader Kings, and everyone I interacted with felt the effects. I wasn’t nearly as accountable for my own health as I should have been, and I ended up hurting the same amazing people I’d met that year. Truth be told, I’ve still not fully recovered from those mistakes, and though I know no one holds it against me, they’re still some of my biggest regrets. Even now I’m still making them, but each time I make one, it’s less severe than the last time, and each time progressively less and less bad, so I’m improving, though not as fast as I want to, and unfortunately that speed won’t be achieved until I finally start CBT.

Speaking of that, this year wasn’t totally awful on the mental health front, though, considering I both went to a gender therapist to speak about advancements in my transition and was properly diagnosed with anxiety and depression and probably autism, and I can finally start treatment for them. When I do, my own efforts won’t be in vain, and I’ll hopefully have a leg up on whatever treatment I start. I just hope it comes soon, though, because seasonal depression can actually kiss my ass and no, Pennsylvania, 11 days is NOT a suitable amount of time for a break.

Anyways, now on to the real gushy stuff where I @ my friends and acquaintances and tell them how much I lurvvvv them. So, starting off with who I met first:

@thefunrepository/Camille/pash: When you let me join your discord server, I met some of the best people and best friends I’ve ever had, and for that, I’m eternally grateful. Even though you’ve now left that server, when you were there, you tolerated so much of my incessant rambling and @ing and my overall teenage boy-i-ness, but you never made me feel excluded, and I loved every second of it. Thank you so much for even tolerating me, because when I joined and was even just talking to you, that was what I needed most. (P.S.: here’s a New Years resolution for you: FINISH A WIP thanks bye I love you)

@xinnic: my fellow Irish Catholic fam, you’ve been nothing but supportive of me and my work from day one, and I can’t count how many nights over the pretty-shitty summer I spent cooling down by rambling to you about my gay trash kids and my gay trash WIP. Likewise, I’ve never gotten tired of your ramblings about your gay trash kids and your gay trash WIP, and your rambles have singlehandedly made me weak for Roísín in 1000 different ways. You’ve always been there when I needed to talk or reference something, and when you bring your meme game, it’s top tier. I remember almost crying when you started the binder squad, and though it’s no longer around, I still appreciate it. Thank you so much for caring and just being you.

@lilquill: man, oh man do we have a weird relationship. I honestly kind of thought you were annoying at first and no that’s not unique to you but I also warmed up to you really quickly. Your energy levels are unmatched and no matter how tired I am, your ability to somehow shout over text fixes that. You’ve spearheaded so many weird and memorable moments for the hell server, including the readings that led us to our voice reveals, to the ACOTRASH find and replace kerfuffle, and so many other things. Besides that, you’ve been a great friend, always pushing me to do better and be better and calling me out when necessary; I may not show it the best, but I appreciate all of it, and I probably wouldn’t be who I am right now without you. You’re also one of the bravest and most outspoken people I know, with the whole whiteblr deal only proving how willing you are to speak out against bullshit and bigotry. Thank you so much for your undying support of me and of everyone else, and I only hope to be as badass as you someday.

@gingerly-writing: ok please don’t be upset that yours is slightly shorter than everyone else’s but I wasn’t around you as much SO. You’re an insanely talented writer and memeing at you as well as sharing my writing has been so fun. I annoy you so much but you still manage to tolerate me and honestly that’s insanely commendable. I want to see you succeed in all of your projects this year and the next and the next and so on, as well as continue giving amazing advice; when you told me I was really good at characterisation, it was the first time I’d ever gotten proper writing advice, and I’ll cherish it always. Thank you for being a pal and dealing with mine (and someone else’s who we’ll mention later) shenanigans.

@olympusrox123: Sian, you fucking Aussie meme, I love you so much and you won’t get this until later because you’re on a goddamn plane but oh well. You’re insanely funny and smart, and you’ve made me laugh so many times I can’t keep count. When you took part in the name change shenanigans on discord, that was when I knew you were A Top Tier Meme and someone I could send only my freshest. Apart from that, you’re so sweet and have always been interested in what I have to say; plus, I love screaming at you about whatever and whenever and that time we read the Sherlock fic? Godly. Anyways, I just want to say that I heckin love you and that I hope you stay just as you are. Thank you for being you.

@ardentlythieving: oh man oh man oh man my ultimate meme buddy. My compadre. Second member of the three Memesketeers. The shit we’ve gotten up to together is amazing and I’ve loved every second of it. From the day we met we’ve been basically inseparable members, despite your penchant for backstabbing and betraying my meme plans due to your chaotic neutral nature, and every memey thing we’ve done together and every in joke we’ve made has been one of the most memorable meme moments of my life. You’ve always been there when I wanted or needed to just let loose my chaotic energy, and the fact that you just sort of adopted me into both your meme house and your internet family in general has made me so happy. I’ve loved playing SWTOR with you and talking about Thrawn with you and sending you the worst shit I can find, and I wouldn’t trade a second of it. Thank you for being your memey-ass self, and if I don’t get even better memes this year I’m flying to your hell-sheep-rock-land to fight you.

@thornheartcat: we’re waaaaay too fucking similar for our own good. To our taste in video games and anime (max weebage) to our experiences with ASD, I’ve found so many ways to relate to you, which has made talking to you so fun. And that’s another thing: you’re older than me by a lot, but you’ve never treated me any differently, which has meant so much to me. You’ve always put me on equal ground with you and the rest of your friends, and have tolerated my fuckery since day 1, even if you do have some questionable choices in media you enjoy. The long and short of it is, you’re hella rad and hella nerdy, and I love nerding out with you. Thank you for seeing past my age and treating me just like anyone else.

@catcatamelia: chaotic Aussie lesbian says what??? Amelia you’re fucking great and so talented and so creative, and you’re so much fun to be around. I love playing shitty and good video games with you, as well as just talking and memeing back and forth and watching you draw; you’re so amazingly multitalented and interesting that I never get bored around you. I wish that we could hang out via the interwebs more, but bullshit scheduling is bullshit scheduling and whatcha gonna do. You’ve also always been there to comfort me because, like so many of my amazing friends, we share so many issues and commonalities that you always know just what to say. Thank you for never being afraid to open up and just be your wild self. Please never change.

@sea-reader: I left you for last because I have the most to say to you. Our relationship has been up and down in the almost one year we’ve known each other, and it’s mostly due to me. Since we started talking on discord, I’ve always loved listening to you talk about whatever; you always bring your own energy and passion to it, and even if it’s about stuff I don’t know a whole ton about, I’m never bored listening to you talk about it. You’re funny, and smart, and talented, and I’m so glad to have met you in the first place. You were a major factor in helping me out of my shell; there wasn’t a day that went by in the first half of this year where I didn’t mention you in some capacity to someone I knew because you’d said something hilarious or really smart or had brought some new idea I’d never thought of to the table or just done something. Was it the most healthy thing in the world? No, and looking back on it we started getting unhealthy even before The Thing That I’m Not Going To Mention In Public, but we’re continuing to grow and improve even to this day, and for that I’m forever thankful. You could have easily shut me out after that incident, but you didn’t; you gave me a second chance that I’ve rarely ever gotten, and I’m so, so glad. I know we likely won’t ever be as close as we once were, nor will we be able to talk like we once did, but that’s okay, because it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be us, and it has to be healthy, and that’s enough for me. I love you more than I can say, just like everyone else, and I can only hope 2019 brings the best for the both of us. Thank you for being a friend, Lori, because our relationship, the good and the bad, was part of what I needed and got from all of the people I interacted with and met this year. Happy New Year, you dork.

If I missed anyone, please forgive me; it’s now 7 minutes to 2019, and I’m rushing. Tl;dr; Happy New Years, everyone. Be a little better, because you can be, even if you don’t think so.

-Geoff.

#new years 2019 #new year 2019 #new year reflection #reflection #personal tag #personal #my own posts

[secret--ink]

She wanted to blame her older sister for her music taste, or more specifically, her obsessive nature with a certain British boy band. Unable to escape the bubblegum pop vibes of NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys from her childhood, her knowledge of their songs went unmatched by any subject she studied in school since she was forced to listen to them in their shared bedroom until she was five. She had no power against turning them off, she had no power in changing any of the music really. And while she thought that she would have a break once her sister went to college, while she thought may she could finally listen to her own music and develop her own likes and dislikes, the influence was already too deep.

She wanted to blame her older sister for the way music took over her life, for the way she suddenly found herself thrust into the fangirl lifestyle, complete with her bedroom walls covered in various magazine cutouts of her favorite band. At first, it was the Jonas Brothers. She nearly dragged her sister along to two of their concerts, making t-shirts with her favorite member’s name - Nick - on the back. Spending the entire concert jumping up and down, her dad was simultaneously worried about her well-being and impressed with her energy levels. That same behavior seamlessly transferring to One Direction as soon as they stepped foot on American shores, she shelled out $700 to attend their first concert in DC - a price that was a bit daunting at first. But as she and her sister attended their concerts over the band’s five years together, travelling to different states, the price no longer seemed like a challenge.

She wanted to blame her older sister for a lot of things. She wanted to blame her for the fact that their parents had very little picture of her as a baby because she was the third child while her sister had three full photo albums dedicated to her just from her grandparents alone. She wanted to blame her for the lack of makeup tips, her sister preferring a more natural and simple look, leaving her to research for hours on Youtube to learn the newest trends and how to highlight correctly. She most definitely wanted to blame her for inheriting the oldest car the family had once she was old enough to drive while her sister, of course, got a brand new car.

But now, as she found herself sitting in the empty studio, she couldn’t even begin to think of something to blame her for. In fact, in a turn of events, she owed her sister.

She owed her sister a lot.

She watched as he emerged from the back of the stage, his body draped in a silhouette of black as he made his way through the growing cloud of manufactured fog billowing from the two machines that flanked the small space. Orders from the director coming through the loudspeaker sent the multiple stage hands briskly walking in different directions, rigging lights and taping down cables to protect the talent. She couldn’t help the small smile that pulled at her lips as she watched him play with the mic stand, endlessly raising it until it reached his preferred height.

She knew how tall he was, or at least appeared, before they met. But, it still surprised her and no matter how much time they spent together, it continued to do so. He towered over everyone he met, excluding most basketball players, and no amount of heels that she wore could ever amount to his tall stature. But, she wasn’t complaining. In fact, it was one of the most attractive things about him (among an ever growing list). She liked the way he had to nearly bend in half to reach her lips anytime he wanted to kiss her, her neck craning back until it felt like it was going to snap. She liked the way she fit against his body when he was close, his arms wrapping around her shoulders in the most protective hold she had known, his chin resting against the top of her head as he stood behind her. And she especially liked the way her ears fell in perfect line with his heartbeat as she snuggled against his chest during their lazy morning in bed, becoming familiar with both his resting heart rate and his more erratic, nervous heart rate.

She watched as his eyes searched for her, unable to see much past the now blinding spotlights that fell on him as the music started to fade in. She knew he wanted her front row for rehearsals, like he always did. He wanted her front row for all of his performances. His beacon when his anxiety got too overwhelming or when he felt the performance slipping away from him, he liked knowing exactly where she was. Just in case, he always told her. While it was a small sentiment that sent her heart aflutter in the best way, she knew the second he stepped on stage, in whatever venue, he was right at home.

And that’s exactly what happened. He breezed through rehearsal like the pro he was, equipped with his charming smile as if the room was full of screaming fans rather than a number of older beer-gut bellied men, half of whom were from England, just like the show’s host.

“That was great!” James chimed from his desk, his regular-clothed appearance still somewhat jarring as they had alway seen each other in formal attire. “Brilliant.”

Shawn laughed, “Thanks, man.”

“Shawn?” The director came over the loudspeaker. “How did that feel? Anything you want to change or run over again?”

He shook his head, unfolding himself from underneath his guitar strap, handing the instrument over to the waiting stage hand. “I don’t think so. That felt pretty good.”

“Great. As soon as we’re done running over a segment with James, we’ll go over the monologue with you. So just hang out for a few minutes.”

She could feel his eyes on her the second the director’s voice cut off, but she made sure to keep her nose in her phone, mindlessly scrolling through her own Instagram feed so that she looked completely enthralled, pretending she didn’t watch his rehearsal. It was a senseless game that they played with each other, looking as if they weren’t interested in what was going on, but it never failed to create some of her favorite moments. He knew exactly which buttons to push, or tickle in most cases, to get her in a fit of breathless tears until she was almost blue while he pried her fingers off of her phone and she knew exactly which spots to press her lips against, and circle back to when needed, in order to get him to tear his eyes away from his multiple devices.

She cracked a small smile when she noticed his hands suddenly on either side of her chair, his fingers grasping lazily around the wooden armrests, boxing her in completely. His head dropping down until it blocked her vision, “Excuse me, I was looking at that.”

“Your own pictures?”

“I like to scroll through them sometimes.”

“Mhm.” He hummed.

“Don’t judge me, Mendes. I’ve caught you in the act before.”

“Maybe while I’m bored at home. But never when I’m supposed to be watching my boyfriend’s performance…”

She finally met his gaze, her eyebrows ruffling. “What performance?”

Shawn narrowed his gaze, shaking his head, “You’re lucky your sister is a good friend.”

“Oh is that the only reason why we’re together?”

He couldn’t deny that her older sister played a big part in their introduction. Having originally met at an event for E!, she had nearly spilled her entire plate of sliders on his lap, her heels tangling with the strings of the rug that was underneath the tables. He had caught her elbows before she face-planted into the next table, but the inertia of their bodies sent them flying to the ground anyways. Her three small hamburgers flanked his hair as though creating a halo of beef, sending her into a fit of snorting laughter before she could pick herself up off the floor.

It was his favorite first impression of one of his friends and a story he never got tired of telling. To anyone who would listen, regardless of if she was there or not, it always came up in conversation. And that was exactly how he met the younger of the two sisters, the girl who had now claimed half of his apartment.

He didn’t realize they were sisters while he was talking to her, though now that he knew both of them, he nearly kicked himself for not noticing the resemblance. They hated when they were called twins, but it was true - the similarities in their appearances were uncanny and had her sister not dyed her hair a dark brown, almost black color, most wouldn’t be able to distinguish who was who. But, as he jokingly made fun of her sister - in the most loving way - he should have read into the way she looked as unimpressed as a human could. Her face frozen in a deadpanned look, her lips barely budged into any form of smile. She didn’t smile. She didn’t laugh. She didn’t even twitch.

It wasn’t until her older sister drunkenly stumbled into her from the back, knocking her into his chest and slurring her way through their introduction that he put the pieces together. A rush of color turning his cheeks a deep tomato-like red as his words caught in his throat, his lips sputtering out an apology. He had tried to turn around and escape the humiliation, but she grabbed at his forearm and when he saw her smile, he knew it was all a ploy. A very well-crafted sisterly ploy.

“She had a pretty big hand in arranging things…”

“If by arranging you mean “falling into me”...” She rolled her eyes. “I guess I owe her a really good birthday present this year.”

He laughed, throwing himself into the seat next to her. His bones settling into the cushion immediately, he could feel the exhaustion finally start to hit. He was pretty good with dealing with jetlag and having been in New York City two days prior, he thought the busy schedule with his residency would keep his mind distracted enough to trick it into being adjusted to the new time zone. But, he was wrong.

“So what’d you think?” His head rolling to the side, he had to string along the conversation to keep himself from falling asleep right then and there.

Her eyes finally glanced in his direction, trailing along the line of his now slouched body. “I think you should definitely change the pants,” she began to point out, “but I’m kind of digging the shirt. And your hair - “ His eyes fluttered at the feel of her fingers running through his long dark quiff, tousling the strands loosely until they fell against his forehead in his signature look. “Your hair needs to to be just a bit more Danny Zuko, but it’s nothing we can’t fix.”

“...I was talking about the song.”

“Oh, right.”

Most times her ignorance - whether intentional or not - was frustrating. Going beyond limits he didn’t even know existed, she pushed every button in ways that got the best of his Canadian politeness. And though he often retreated to a different room holding his tongue, they never went to be angry - a sentiment that both of their parents advised. But as he watched her tongue poke out from underneath her front teeth, her nose scrunching up as a small smile grew against her lips, he knew she had watched his performance with a fine-tooth comb. She probably had a list of notes, always good things, hidden on one of her screens.

She leaned across the armrest, the close proximity of her face a sudden, yet welcomed surprise. Close enough to feel the warmth of her breath, their eyes finally met for the first time during their time at the studio and he noticed the way the soft glow of the studio lights reflected in the right spots of her irises, creating a sparkle against their dark brown color. She had always hated her eye color, but he found himself getting lost in the darkest parts of the chocolate shade at all times. When they first fluttered open in the morning, squinting as they adjusted to the brightness of the natural light, he could always pick out the very faint flecks of gold that she inherited from her father before they faded by noon. A bright coffee color whenever she was excited, they glistened with a golden hue that made his cheeks hurt, a smile permanently growing on his face as he watched her either jump up and down for hours or run through the streets of whatever town they were in, screaming at the top of her lungs. Or swallowed up in a wave of tears, the shade shifted to the deepest of colors, an almost black color. And while it was the most heartbreaking of looks he had ever seen, it was also his favorite because of her vulnerability. It was in those moments that he had fallen in love with her.

“What?”

She shook her head, pressing her lips against his in a sweet, but brief kiss. “You know it’s my favorite song.”

“It’s James’ favorite too.” He hummed.

“It’s a lot of people’s favorite. I don’t know why you’re asking for my opinion, you know you killed it. And you know you’re going to kill it tonight.”

Shawn smiled, his gaze drifting to his lap. Remembering her earlier comment, his fingers pinched the fabric of his shirt right near the buttons. “You really like this shirt, huh?”

“Mhm.” She nodded enthusiastically. “You should wear it more often.”

He raised his eyebrows, clearly interested in the path the conversation was taking. “Is that so?”

She pulled at her bottom lip, her eyes drifting to the somewhat see-through material of the white henley - his now go to style of shirt - that laid perfectly against his abdomen. Maybe it was the way it teased at the muscles she knew were underneath, her fingers ready to trace the lines against his skin. Maybe it was the way he had rolled up the sleeves to his elbows, exposing just enough of the guitar tattooed on his right arm, her infatuation with tattoos leaving her itching to add to her own collection. Or maybe it was the actual color of the shirt and its contrast against his slightly tanned skin and dark hair -

Whatever it was, it was working.

“How much - uh - how much time until they need you again - ?”

He drew a deep breath as her fingers wandered along neckline, dipping towards the top unbuttoned button. Almost feeling the touch of her skin against his and that’s when James’ voice broke through the haze. “Shawnologue time!”

She drew back quickly, “I guess that answers that question.”

“We’ll uh - “ He cleared his throat, slowly rising from the chair. “We’ll have to continue this discussion later.”

“Don’t forget, we have dinner with my sister after the show tonight for her early birthday celebration.”

“After dinner then.” He answered back, joining James at the mark in front of camera 1. Unable to keep his thoughts straight, he was thankful to have a few minutes to reread the cue cards before they began.

“And then we’re going out after dinner for drinks with a few of her friends.”

“After drinks.”

“And I think she wants to go to the Griffith Observatory at some point.” She continued.

“Are you - “

“And you have a meeting with the label super early tomorrow morning, so - “

“Ugh!” He groaned, his hands flying up towards his face. Smothering her mixed emotions into his palms, “You’re killing me, woman!”

“Love you too!”

And though he didn’t say it back in front of the twenty crewmembers, he knew she knew he loved her too. Immensely. Irrevocably. So intensely that it sometimes made his heart hurt. In all the cheesy romantic comedy cliches that he could imagine, he loved her all the same.

#shawn mendes #shawn peter raul mendes #shawn mendes imagine #shawn mendes preference #shawn mendes imagines #shawn mendes preferences #writing #mine #mendes #late late shawn

[celsiaflorist-blog]

The Best of Skagit Valley: A Visitor Guide

Growing with Landscape FabricHere in the Skagit Valley, the tulip fields are about to burst into the most phenomenal show of color. Even after living in this area for nearly 20 years, I still can’t get over how beautiful it is. No wonder every year over a million people come from all over the world to experience the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. This annual event started as a three day festival and has grown into a month long celebration that now features art shows, concerts, street fairs, bike rides and more.

Today I’m excited to share our guide for visiting this incredible area. As our farm is closed to the public, I’m happy to share some of our favorite restaurants, shops, and other places of interest. There are so many wonderful things to do in this area! You could easily spend a few days exploring and having fun. If you can’t make it for the Tulip Festival, not to worry since all of these spots are great any time of the year.

A few things to take note of when visiting the Skagit Valley during tulip season:

Weekdays are best! We’ve found that the traffic can be pretty bad on the weekends, so try to plan for a mid-week adventure if you don’t want to spend hours in grid lock. If you brave the weekend crowds be sure to pack snacks and note that there are limited restroom facilities along the way.

Respect the signs, farms and notices around the tulip fields. There are designated areas to stop and enjoy the beauty. Please don’t go walking into any fields that are marked “No Trespassing” just for a photo. The tulip fields are a photographer’s dream, just be sure to enjoy them in the designated areas. Information for seeing the tulips can be found vancouver florist.

Check ahead. As always, hours of operation are subject to change so before you head out, verify your plans with the businesses you intend to visit.

Places to visit with your kids

Padilla Bay Research Reserve: As a living field laboratory with support facilities and professional staff, Padilla Bay Reserve has a free indoor aquarium with lots of opportunities for kids to see what plants and animals are native to this area. Be sure to call [phone] for their hours of operation. You’ll also find lots of wonderful nature trails and places to explore.

Drive or hike up Mount Erie: Either drive to the top, or enjoy a hike. Mount Erie is a favorite for the locals and the views at the top are incredible! If you’re in the Anacortes area, you’ll enjoy this spot.

Visit Deception Pass: One of our personal favorite places in the park is Rosario Beach. My grandfather was a biologist and taught there, so I’ve been visiting this amazing place as long as I can remember. It’s worth planning to spend at least a few hours exploring the park and the beaches. If your family enjoys camping, you’ll want to come back in the summer.

Please note that you’ll need a Discover Pass to access the Washington state recreation lands.

Storvik Park, Anacortes: This playground has a huge place for the kids to run, climb and get all their energy out. During the summer it’s a favorite, as there’s also a splash pad for the little guys.

Washington Park, Anacortes: Located along the water, this is a beautiful place to bring your picnic. Enjoy views of the boats going in and out, while the kids play on the playground.

Places to go for a walk or enjoy views of the valley

Padilla Bay Trail: Stroller and bike friendly, you’ll enjoy a beautiful and flat walk along the bay, where the Skagit River meets the Salish Sea.

Little Mountain Park: A covered viewpoint provides a spectacular look at the Skagit Valley, San Juan Islands, Olympic Mountains, and the tulip fields. The park also provides miles and miles of hiking trails.

A few must-dos when you visit this area

Christianson’s Nursery:. One of my all time top favorite places, this is the ultimate stop for every gardener. In addition to having an amazing selection of plants, they have a beautiful garden themed gift shop, vintage glass greenhouses and the largest selection of potted garden roses in the state. Bring your checkbook and plan to stay a couple of hours!

Enjoy Chuckanut drive: This 24 mile curvy route hugs the Chuckanut mountains. Chuckanut Drive overlooks Samish Bay and offers gorgeous views of the San Juan Islands and Chuckanut Bay.

Take a ride into the San Juan Islands on a ferry: From Anacortes you can park your car and walk on the ferry for a fun day trip. Enjoy a relaxing ride, while watching for whales. You can also drive on and then spend the day or take a longer vacation exploring one of the islands.

The Red Door Antique Mall: Located in historic downtown Mount Vernon, this is one of the best places to look for unique treasures. The gals who own it are a riot and I always find so many wonderful things to take home. With 20 vendors under one roof, inventory changes on a daily basis and the selection is unmatched. Many of the props and vases that we use in our studio and photoshoots come from the Red Door. If you get a chance to visit tell the ladies we sent you!

Recommended places to eat

Seeds Bistro in LaConner: Featuring seasonal fruits and vegetables from local farms, free-range chicken, grass-fed beef, and fresh seafood from our local fishing community, there are a million reasons to visit this charming place. It’s one of our favorite restaurants in the area.

LaConner Pub and Eatery: For the best fish and chips and a beautiful view while you enjoy your meal, LaConner Pub and Eatery is the place to be. Call ahead of time and have them save you a spot right on the water.

Nell Thorn in LaConner: A little jewel of northwest! They offer a fresh, daily menu of artisan made, sustainable, farm to table NW fare, craft cocktails, fine wines, & microbrews on tap. Awesome food with incredible views!

COA Mexican Eatery: We love this place! Everything is super fresh and they have awesome margaritas. Locations are in LaConner and Mt. Vernon.

Il Granaio: If you’re craving amazing Italian food, this is your place. Having earned the reputation as the Skagit Valley’s best authentic Italian restaurant, Il Granaio incorporates the flavors of fresh, local ingredients into traditional Italian recipes. The bonus is that it’s located in the old grainary building of Mount Vernon. A true beauty!

Skagit Valley Food Co-Op: If you’re looking for a sustainably sourced deli or some wonderful grocery items, go here. This is the natural marketplace for our community and it features something perfect for everyone.

Valley Shine Distillery: Valley Shine Distillery provides an inviting atmosphere to enjoy small batch spirits, craft cocktails and unique tapas. They offer a delicious lunch and dinner menu that they refer to as “Farm to Market Classic Comfort Food with a Twist”. All ages are welcome.

C•Square and Third Street Cafe: C•SQUARE is a wonderful marketplace of specialty food shops and a farm-to-table restaurant, the Third Street Cafe. Bonus tip- try their coffee!

Snowgoose Produce: Known for their “Immodest Ice Cream Cones” Snowgoose Produce is a seasonal, family run, country market located in the Skagit Valley. They offer incredible organic produce and local fare such as fresh and smoked seafood, baked breads, artisan cheeses and carefully selected wines. When you stop by be sure to tell the owner Vico hello! What a nice guy he is!

The Donut House, Anacortes: A fun little stop before heading to a park or onto one of the San Juan Island ferries. This shop has a huge selection of fresh baked goodies and very affordable prices.  

Taylor Shellfish: If you like oysters, you’ll love this spot. Since the 1890’s Taylor Shellfish has been farming high quality, sustainable shellfish. Feast in the waterfront picnic area, or take your goodies to go.

Slough Foods, Edison: Awesome for wine, fancy meat and cheese. Our good friend John owns it- tell him we sent you!

Breadfarm, Edison: Located in the small village of Edison, Washington, just off of scenic Chuckanut Drive in beautiful Skagit Valley. Breadfarm is an artisan bakery focusing on naturally leavened breads,  rustic pastry and pantry staples.  Every item is beautifully handcrafted.

Tweets Cafe, Edison: Tweets has great food, especially breakfast and ice cream. Featuring an artisan cafe, organic coffee, and farm to table northwest cuisine. Cash or check only!

As you enjoy the beauty of Skagit Valley, I hope these ideas help you feel welcomed, and a little bit more like a local.

And if you’re from around here, and you have a few favorite places you’d like to share, please post them in the comments below!

Read more: Growing with Landscape Fabric

#vancouver florist

[interesting-blog-name]

Denzel Curry MEGAREVIEW (ZUU/13LOOD IN + 13LOOD OUT MIXX/ UNLOCKED [w/ Kenny Beats])

Denzel Curry is a rapper I’ve known about since I started listening to the genre back in 2017, and one I’ve always enjoyed for the consistent energy he brought to every song he made. TABOO was one of the first records I listened to in its entirety (I wasn’t the type to go out of my way to listen to an album), and looking back at it, it was very ambitious, energetic, well-assembled, but did have its flaws and weaker moments. The production and Denzel’s voice were definitely highlights, but the lyrics and subject matter were sometimes lost in the midst of all the focused chaos of the album, even if more conceptual and deep tracks were to be found, such as the introductory title track, BLACK BALLOONS immediately after, one of my favorites, and THE BLACKEST BALLOON.

My younger ears were very fond of the grimy, bass-heavy music scene Denzel was closely related to as well, Florida rap’s punk-influenced, aggressive Soundcloud wave, which brought artists like XXXTENTACION, Lil Pump and the subject of this review to the spotlight. I was extremely drawn to the raw violence in the sound, and part of me still really enjoys it, a style very present in Denzel’s short but blunt and potent EP, 13. This familiarity and appreciation I had with his music were what brought me to listen to these three very short projects that I’d been holding back for quite a while.

 ZUU

Starting up with Denzel’s ode to his land, ZUU is definitely a change of pace to TABOO; the Florida native mixes his unmatched essence, flows and deliveries, masterful production and the traditional song topics and sometimes structures and samples from his homeland, into a tight, creative and, above all, fun project. Anyone can represent where they’re from in a rap song, but few could do it as creatively and interestingly as Denzel.

The production in this album is definitely a highlight: mostly handled by Australian duo FnZ, famous for working with A$AP Rocky in many occasions, Finatik and Zac, alongside familiar names such as Ronny J, Charlie Heat and Tay Keith, add a fresh, dynamic beat for every song they produce in ZUU, while still possessing an unmistakable texture and style to their production. The album is most definitely focused in its intended sound, ranging from the boiling title track, BIRDZ, or P.A.T. (probably one of Denzel’s most aggressive tracks ever), to the blissful WISH, or the less bombastic, but insanely catchy gospel-like SPEEDBOAT.

The only problem I have with the beats is they sometimes seem to be mixed weirdly; the higher decibels feel like they are mixed too loud on CARLOMART and SHAKE 88, which leads to some ear-piercing moments. Nothing that can’t be tolerated though.

The lyrics, again, are not a highpoint in the project. With the production and delivery present, they’d barely even have space to be so amazing or cutting edge. While Denzel deals with loss, overcoming his broke days, and even pays a very nice homage to his family in RICKY, the punchlines are not exactly groundbreaking, and they’ll let out a chuckle from the listener at best, and at worst, form a track like SHAKE 88, dwelling into the complex subject matter of twerking. I understand the why for a track like this, but it’s not like it’s executed well, as the beat is easily the most forgettable in here, and Denzel’s lyrics are way too oversimplified. But when Denzel has to deliver catchy and banging hooks and witty one-liners, he mostly delivers, and that’s what matters.

Still, you can tell Denzel’s song topics come from the heart when rapping about his upbringing and the environment he grew up in, such as in the second verse of AUTOMATIC. The features he brings are all from his state, from the legendary Rick Ross to upcomers PlayThatBoiZay and Kiddo Marv, and the features are some of the strongest parts of the album, as Denzel has such a nice chemistry with all of them that adds a lot to the songs, from Ice Billion Berg’s banging chorus (although it does become a little annoying when his vocals are pitched up) to PlayThatBoiZay’s raging verse, to even Rick Ross’ surprisingly fitting rapping, adding a smooth veteran touch to the very young, wild and free BIRDZ.

A very nice surprise in this album was Denzel’s singing and his hooks, as both has blatantly improved over time. While he’s no stranger to delivering a few chorus melodies in tracks such as Sick & Tired off of Imperial, the vocals don’t come close to those in the title track and WISH, and the hooks in both of the mentioned tracks, BIRDZ and SPEEDBOAT are phenomenal.

ZUU is a nice, clean and raw portrait of Florida, and that is exactly what it aims to be. While the album does get weaker at its second half, with skits that take up just a little too much time on a very short project and weaker tracks when compared to the insanity that was the first half, it is still very enjoyable for what it is: an explosive tape filled with bangers.

 FAVORITE TRACKS: ZUU, BIRDZ, RICKY, WISH, P.A.T.

LEAST FAVORITE TRACK: SHAKE 88  

 7.9/10

“That was back in Carol City, yeah, when I was just a jit, with the all-black faded Dickie with the raider fit. That was it, we was lit, y’all wasn’t even shit yet. We was Three 6, Wu-Tang mixed with Dipset.”

 13LOOD 1N + 13LOOD OUT MIXX

Between these three, this was actually the first tape I listened to, and it is definitely the most aggressive Denzel’s been in a while. The mix is made in such a way to merge every song together into one big collection, so there’s not much of an option to listen to tracks by themselves, unless you don’t mind the abrupt beginnings and endings in every track.

Overall, this is obviously much more of a simple compilation, meant to showcase previously unreleased material, than an actual tape, as CHARLIE SHEEN, for example, was recorded back in 2018. Thus, the project isn’t meant to be taken as seriously, and isn’t even on Spotify, but I’ll still review it.

The most glaring problem I have with 13LOOD 1N + 13LOOD OUT is the fact that every single track is lo-fi, and it isn’t pleasing to me. I don’t know why the people behind the project would make the decision to tone every aspect of the production down and have it sound like the music is coming from an old phone’s speaker, but if you ask me, it surely takes away more than it offers.

The problem with toning the sound down is that the tracks could have been SO much harder if only the volume and mixing was normal. CHARLIE SHEEN’s chorus is seriously insane, Ghostemane’s feature doesn’t disappoint, EVIL TWIN has a very nice dark vibe to it and ZillaKami unsurprisingly fits the track perfectly, and WELCOME TO THE FUTURE has some of Denzel’s nicest singing ever, with what seems to be two different-pitch vocals stacked on top of one another, creating this very eerie but mellow melody; however, all of these tracks suffer from being mixed too low, especially EVIL TWIN: the track sounds like an Instagram snippet.

The other tracks in the project aren’t as memorable due to the fact that, without spicy features, Denzel’s solo work aren’t much more than appetizers, snippets that happened to find their way into here. NO PEN NO PAD has a very nice, unique beat, but that’s about it for the three tracks where Denzel raps alone. GOGETA is a track that wouldn’t be out of place in Act 3 of TABOO, the AK feature is nice, but Denzel isn’t super crazy on this one.

To me, it serves as a nice darker, more compact project by Denzel, with strong production and deliveries all around, not much in lyrical content - although I’ll say he has more freedom than in ZUU for wilder, meaner punchlines, as this project doesn’t focus as much on hooks and repetitions -and the features tie up the mix in a very nice way, but after the last project, what we’re left with is not as purely explosive and exciting, even if not lacking in creativity and vision.

The project’s highlights are the first three proper tracks, and after that, the listener just glides through a few impressive, but very barebones tracks until coming to a close with a relatively hard track, but unfortunately, as complained before, the mixing is not on 13LOOD 1N + 13LOOD OUT’s side.

 FAVORITE TRACKS: CHARLIE SHEEN, WELCOME TO THE FUTURE

LEAST FAVORITE TRACK: PXSH6XD SHXT

 6.66/10

“All you niggas green, I don’t make a scene. Boy you half a man, I should’ve called you Charlie Sheen.”

 UNLOCKED (w/ Kenny Beats)

Kenny Beats has had a very successful run as a producer in rap for the past 2 or 3 years, rising to popularity working alongside artists like Rico Nasty, JPEGMAFIA, Vince Staples, and many other bubbling names. His style of production is glitchy, often aggressive, but also versatile and catchy, so a collab album with Denzel was bound to be something to look forward to.

UNLOCKED was released along with a 20-minute long music video that obviously isn’t the main focus of this review, but I’ll talk about it anyway. It portrays a very light-hearted, simple but colorful narrative of the duo voyaging into Kenny’s laptop to recover the leaked songs from the album, going through a different landscape for each track, with different art-styles and themes along the way. I will say the sequence for ‘Cosmic’.m4a is easily the most intense and is very well animated, but I also liked the clips for Track 01, Take_it_Back_v2, and Pyro (leak 2019). It’s a bunch of nice little visuals to accompany and give somewhat of a background and concept for the tape.

The tape and tracks themselves, in my opinion, are enjoyable, but nothing crazy. Kenny Beats’ production is solid throughout, but it is very fortunate this album is only 18 minutes, because it ends up sounding too one-dimensional when paired with Denzel’s verses. Don’t get me wrong, they are all great performances and I fully respect the decision to go purely with a more lyrical-focused, boom bap direction, but to me, it isn’t a style that can hold up for long without any experimentation or change in tone/beat.

Every track here has Denzel nonstop rapping throughout the whole tracks, without one melodic detour like became common in his last two studio albums; the hooks are still a strong central point in all songs except for Pyro, with the most notable ones in the tracks Lay_Up.m4a, DIET_ and So.Incredible.pkg. On the other songs, the chorus sounds just like the rest of the bars Denzel spits in his verses, except repeated like two times. On one hand it is a very focused and to-the-face project, while on the other, just a little bit of variety would have been more than welcome, especially since it’s a Denzel album, and I know he isn’t a stranger to it. The black sheep of the beats in the album is definitely its biggest song, DIET_, with its bongo, jungle percussion that is reflected in its music video. The headliner to this track, though, is Denzel’s DMX-inspired inflictions in the chorus, as he utilizes his recognizable raspy, growling voice, which isn’t used nearly enough in this album, him opting for a cleaner, more precise delivery.

The instrumentals in the project are very glitchy and creative with their use of sampling vocal clips, which bring a sense of cohesion and a boom bap, MF DOOM aura to the songs, but unlike many modern trap hits, they cannot carry the rapper, as unique and wild as they are; they need to work with the artist and unite to form a memorable, hard track. Luckily, Curry just so happens to be one of the best new-school rappers for the task that is bringing life to Kenny’s beats.

Truly, the main focus of UNLOCKED is Denzel’s bars and lyricism. The first few listens, I failed to grasp the fact that this was the main attraction to the album, and almost discarded the lyrics: “It isn’t anything conceptual, it doesn’t feel like Curry is trying to say anything of value in the songs, and the beats and infliction aren’t overly hard to compensate like in ZUU, so why bother?”, I thought, not in these exact words obviously. Listening again, watching Denzel and Kenny explain the creative process in Genius, and paying way more attention to the lyrics, I realized that I’m kinda dumb. Because yes, Curry might be rapping about the same things every rapper raps about: murder, money, threats, where he comes from, whatever, but it’s the way he says it that is captivating. Not every rapstar can mention Bubba Sparxxx, Rosa Parks and the second-best Indiana Jones movie in a chorus and make it sound as good as Denzel does, nor drop pop culture references quite like he does (“Turn your crib into a game of Fallout”). I failed to notice how colorful and lively Denzel’s bars were, as opposed to the sterile, empty threats and tired “Balling like [insert basketball player here]”, “Fast car, Nascar”, “Chase the money, don’t chase bitches” lines many other rappers employ in their rhymes, or even the lyrical miracle spiritual individual wack similes that conscious rappers try and fail to drop in their songs. And even when Denzel says something you can easily picture another rapper saying, the decisiveness and bravado with which he says so is intoxicating (“I don’t write rhymes nigga, I write checks”).

The aggressiveness is almost omnipresent, but when it isn’t, it is pretty noticeable. So.Incredible.pkg is the least interesting track by far, as the rhymes don’t stand out much, and the beat is definitely the deadest of the album. Meanwhile, tracks like the aforementioned DIET_, ‘Cosmic’.m4a and to some extent Take_it_Back_v2 are ruthless, with beat and lyricism teaming up to create the best this project has to offer.

The tempo of the tracks is fast and entertaining, the wordplay is mostly at Denzel’s best, and it seems Kenny can work with any artist’s specific style and improve it a ton, a little more subtly in Curry’s case. While it isn’t as flexible and full of surprises as some other Denzel projects, it makes up for it in how raw and centered it is. The album took a while to grow on me, but now that it has, I can see how unique in its influences it is. A very nice, bright creative effort by the duo.

 FAVORITE TRACKS: DIET_, Lay_Up.m4a, Take_it_Back_v2, ‘Cosmic’.m4a

LEAST FAVORITE TRACK: So.Incredible.pkg

 7.35/10

“It’s the man of the hour. Super confident and the clothes yell it louder, and if it don’t compute then I gots to reroute ya. Dressed in all black like a motherfucking bouncer.”

#denzel curry #kenny beats #unlocked #zuu #blood in blood out #rap #hip-hop #florida rap

[forcedapotheosis-blog]

Solstice Ch. I

Alright fellas, the next chapter of Gloomy Days will be taking a little longer because reasons (I wrote them down here, if you care [x]), but that doesn’t mean that I stopped writing. What you see here is the first chapter of me trying to go back or rediscover my roots my roots as an amateur author. It’s not that evident in the first chapter, admittedly, but it’ll be getting better. I hope. And you’ll be seeing what I mean. So, what else? It has SaNami in it, because I can’t fucking help myself, is set in an alternate universe that is close to ours (Artistic License: History will be put to work a lot) and .. Sanji (the only planned PoV) will be a little out of character, but it’d spoil a lot if I tell you now in which way. Well, anything else .. let me see.

Oh yeah, reading my other fanfics I kinda came to the conclusion that, even if they are basically only about SaNami, I never really let them interact with each other (I mean, they will in the last few chapters of Gloomy Days, but looking at the other two I posted, it’s .. really not that much), that changes in this one. Hope that you’ll like it (since I’m an antisocial asshole and kinda clueless about this), but even regarding my roots it’s .. well, a little uncharted territory for me. Have fun reading it and have fun in general. The world, at least for a libtard like me, is looking really bleak right now (though I have the feeling that it’s getting a bit better in Germany) and I desperately hope that someone is enjoying his time.

Disclaimer: One Piece and its characters don’t belong to me.

PS: Thanks for all the people reading, liking and reblogging stuff. And, that deserves mentioning, special thanks to the people who sacrifice a little time to comment/review them, no matter if done here, on ff.net or archives. Always makes my day.

Chapter I: On The Road

Dearest brother,

We all remember the miserable circumstances that forced our family apart, but many years have passed since these awful times and no one of us can deny that he dearly missed the sight of you at father's funeral. I thought you might have wanted to know that, even after all the trouble and strife mother and he went through, he found his final place of rest right next to her, three years ago. Seeing him pass away made it clear to your brothers and me that we have a duty towards all members of our family to fulfill, to strengthen bonds and not sever.

You've been gone for so long, Sanji, and I wouldn't bother you if it wasn't my sincerest wish to see the rest of the family united again, even if just for a few days. And before you ask how I found out your address, what a time to be alive, isn't it?

The internet, cellphones, planes and even good old trains are all human inventions made with the thought in mind to bring humanity closer together. And in these wonderful times, it's no big deal to find out about a handsome and gifted young cook on the internet.

I'm so happy for you that you were finally able to settle down and work yourself all the way to the top. I even thought about visiting you at the Baratie, but I didn't know how you'd react. And what would've happened if I just called? I'm very sure that you would have just hung up on me, my dear brother. Thus I started writing this letter, wishing only that you think about my proposal before burning it, I beg of you.

Father's passing has shown to us all that life is ephemeral and everybody could go at any time. It would fill my heart with joy to see you again, Sanji, even if it is for the last time. You always were the best of us and I wish to see how you turned out.

The family will gather at our old demesne in the North, three weeks from now, arriving on the 20th of December to celebrate Yuletide together. Niji and Yonji will bring their girlfriends with them, and even though Ichiji is still a bachelor, his beautiful secretary, a splendid and resourceful young woman, will accompany him.

If there is someone special in your life right now, don't worry: There will be enough space to accommodate everyone.

Longing to see this family together again,

Reiju

PS: I enclosed two train tickets for you and your possible company. The train will arrive at around 23:35 if everything goes right and one of us will pick you up.

He read the letter for what felt like the hundredth time. Reiju did sound sincere about her wishing to see the family reunited. That and the fact that, besides his mother, she was the only member of his family he had any fond memories of, heavily influenced him when he made the decision to accept the invitation. Nonetheless, he kept asking himself if it was the right way to go. Over a decade ago, he broke ties with his family for good, a decision forced upon him by his father. But he's dead now, and every soul deserves peace. Maybe this could actually work out, now that he's gone? And even if not, at least trying it would have made mother happy, he told himself. Reading the letter over and over again and justifying his actions with the thought of his mother on his mind occupied most of his travelling time and he was happy about it, in retrospective. The train ride was long and mostly boring since the countryside wasn't something to write home about and he always thought about the North as being cold, rainy and bleak anyway, with dismissive residents to round up the package. Well, if the shitty weather's anything to go with, this reunion will go down the drain in no time., he contemplated while leaving the train at the empty station that was his final destination. It was astounding that a train would actually regularly visit this place. It seemed abandoned, and while a few defunct lights at rail stations were not a rare sight at all, finding a functioning one here felt like a lottery win. He never liked visiting the old manor, even when he was still a child and his mother still around to provide counterweight to his father. The place, he could recall, did seem to drain her energy more than usual and sleep never came easy in the old halls. For you, mother, I'm giving this a chance., he steeled himself and left the station to step out into the heavy rain that was pouring from the heavens. Even though winter and snow should be upon the country in full force, especially so far up north, there was no such thing as a white Christmas this year. Or a white Yuletide or whatever his family was referring to. It didn't make a huge difference, just .. what, three days? He put up his black umbrella when he left the, at least mostly, dry railway building and immediately felt all alone out here. The people on the train were taciturn, but at least they were there. And when he stepped off of it, he could at least spot a lonesome conductor. But out here? There was just a whole lot of nothing inhabited by no one in a perimeter of around ten kilometres. At least somebody's going to pick me up. Well, somebody should be coming to pick me up. But maybe this is all just a cruel joke, made up by my .. by those guys. I assume that was the last train until tomorrow morning and they'd be laughing quite a lot, knowing that I'm stranded here, in the middle of shitty freaking nowhere., the likelyhood of this situation being construed just to mock him sent a fit of rage and heat through his body, but besides clenching his fist in suppressed anger, there wasn't a whole lot that he could do about it. A cab might have been a possibility, but taking him to the nearest hotel would cost a small fortune. Besides that, it was doubtful that there even was a cab or some other kind of public transporation that he could use to solve that problem. Walking then, maybe?, he continued to contemplate after cooling down a bit, coming to the conclusion that walking the way to the nearest hotel would've been an even worse idea than coming here in the first place. If it was at all possible, the rain grew even stronger and the streets around these parts were not reinforced. Within a few meters, he'd be covered in mud from his feet up to his hip. And he didn't really feel like sacrificing his expensive leather shoes for the sake of his pride.

Cooling down had another effect on him though, his senses came back and the surroundings felt even eerier to him than before. The lonely guard was nowhere to be found and the feeling of being isolated in a hostile and uncaring world grew stronger by the minute. The cover of darkness  was literally impenetrable and not even the slightest ray of moonlight made its way through the thick, black clouds that had conquered the heavens. Still, there was nothing left to do other than cursing this damned family. He breathed in sharply when familiar sounds reached his ears and broke through the staccato caused by the heavy rain. A car!, he thought, somewhat relieved. Maybe the driver was on his way towards town and would give him a ride for a few bucks. He held out his free hand to hail the driver, as the other one was occupied with his umbrella, and balanced his black suitcase on a raised knee, all the while it seemed that every single drop of rain from all over the world decided to come here for vacations. Sure, he might've looked a little silly, standing there in the rain on just one leg, but he wouldn't risk his suitcase getting soaked. Even the roaring engine of the machine fought a losing battle against all the noise. Nonetheless, the driver did seem to see him as he pulled the car right in front of Sanji. Holy .. that's one nice car., and exactly that it was. The owner seemed to value precision German engineering and craftsmanship and when it came to cars for the higher echelons, one could say that Mercedes was unmatched. Yeah, well, not the whole truth, but there's some truth to it., he silently commented, approaching the window on the driver's side.

His heart made a loud thump when the interior lighting of the car was ignited and revealed a single ray of hope, an angel that promised to lead him through this darkest night, no, a fiery goddess to burn the shadows away, he thought. Her gentle, round and maroon-coloured eyes were fixated on him and she finally lowered the window. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea at all to travel to this place?

"Mademoiselle truly is a sight to behold, thou art so fair, where hast thou been ..", but then she cut him off.

"I take it that you're Sanji?", other than the fact that she interrupted him, there was nothing rude nor unfriendly about the way she talked, and her voice would've made him an obedient slave under literally any other circumstances. Still, his heart grew heavier by the seconds. She's associated with my family. Great. Yeah, absolutely great. I should've just walked out of here., he finally lowered his hand and took hold of the suitcase again.

"I fear that's exactly who I am.", he admitted, feeling as alone as ever. And there it was, just a beacon of light in a night that seemed unending. She smiled at him. Just a normal, casual smile that even total strangers might exchange on their way to work. But seeing it on her face, on her full lips, and extending to her eyes, it could've melted stone or split the mighty mountains in two.

"What are you waiting for, then? Put your case in the trunk and hop in, I'll give you a ride!", and he did as he was told, taking his place on the seat next to her. And she's even more beautiful when I'm not in the middle of a cloudburst., he thought, taking a look at the side of her face. Flawless, beautifully carved. A literal goddess without contest. She even smelled the part, the odour of her parfume told a promising tale of a celestial garden full of tangerines. He gulped when he realised that she caught him staring at her, looking at him with what could have been anticipation. And then it hit him, he was so enchanted by her looks, her smell and her smile - that one somehow stood out - that he forgot to introduce himself. Sure, she knew who he was, but that was common courtesy!

"I beg your forgiveness, mademoiselle, as the sight of you made me forget my manners. Please, allow me to introduce myself.", he slighty bowed his head forward and held out his right hand, palm  pointing upwards. And oh, how delighted he was when she softly placed her hand on his! It was not much of a touch, more like a butterfly gently landing on his hands. I need .. to stop this .. soon?, he tried to reason with himself, but there was no denying that the touch, even the slightest, of a goddess was as intoxicating as .. but he couldn't think of something that came even close to her. This woman was truly without equal. Her auburn hair, her flawless and soft skin, these eyes a man could drown in and die happy .. and he hadn't even seen her standing yet. But it was probably better that way, as he couldn't stop his eyes from wandering down a bit and, well, let's just say it poured fuel into the fire. It's been years since he had his last nosebleed, but now that his blood was rushing .. well, everywhere, he could already feel it knocking on the door. But wasn't there something he had to do? Realising that he was still holding her hand, he somewhat came back to his senses, softly brushing his thumb over her knuckles before lowering his head deep enough to breath a kiss – his lips were not touching her skin – on her knuckles.

"Sanji ... Vinsmoke, it is my greatest pleasure to make your acquaintance, mademoiselle.", to his utter delight, she let out a soft chuckle. And no matter how heavily the rain was hammering on the car, no matter how much noise it made, her reaction enchanted him more than everything he could imagine .. well, more than anything he could imagine safely, without risking a nosebleed.

"The pleasure is all mine, Sanji ..", good God, the way she pronounced his name sent shivers done his spine. "I'm Nami ..", a goddess called Nami? Very fitting. "And I'm your brother Niji's .. ", oh no no no no no, please, don't say 'girlfriend', please, please, don't say 'girlfriend' .. she paused for a moment which led him to finally let go of her hand, raising his face to restore eye contact. "You look a little distressed, did you see a ghost? I was just about to tell you that I'm your brother Niji's girlfriend.", that very moment, he thought that she must have been able to hear his heart breaking. Girlfriend.  His brother's. Taken. Shouldn't have come here .., he sluggishly thought. "That's .. great to hear, Nami. May I ask how .. long you've been together?", his voice threatened to give up on him, but he had to at least try to get on good terms with her. Just for the hell of it.

"Of course you may! Tomorrow it's going to be three years for the both of us, and if I'm being honest, I think that he's going to propose not long after.", well, everything got from bad, but alright, to wonderful to bad to worse to utterly freaking terrible in no time. Mere seconds ago, when she told him that she was Niji's girlfriend, he felt as if he had been suckerpunched by the world's strongest man. And there goes all the hope I had gathered since meeting the Goddess, never to be seen again, but now that she told him that she anticipated a proposal, he couldn't fall much deeper, could he? Once you hit rock bottom, the only way left to go was up. Trying to keep a straight face, even forcing a smile upon himself, he carefully chose his next words, even though his voice tried to betray him all the way.

"That's .. amazing news, Nami, really. I'm very happy for the two of you .. shall we get going, then?", yeah, good news for his despicable bastard of a brother. Maybe he changed for the better? A woman like Nami would never be in a relationship with that sodding bastard he used to be, maybe she even managed to change him?, the chances were slim, but he at least had to try to stay positive. One door closes, another one opens or whatever people in dire situations used to say.

"So, Sanji, are you sure that you're actually related to Niji and Yonji?", now, what kind of a question was that? Didn't she see his eyebrow? Also, he needed a cigarette right now. Without even thinking about the necessary movements, he snatched one of these little nails to his personal coffin out of a silvery case he carried in the inside pocket of his jacket before, again, forcing himself to look at her. "Come again? And .. would you mind if I smoke?", he really, really needed it. Even if she wouldn't allow it in the car, getting outside in the cold and rain didn't seem like a bad idea at all. Maybe it'd even help him to shake off the strange mixture of feelings rushing through his mind and body.

"I'm sure you understood.", there it was again, that beautiful smile that could melt solid rock. Genuine, beautiful and demanding an answer.

"Yeah .. they wouldn't have invited me otherwise, would they?", he still had the cigarette between his lips, waiting for an answer regarding that question. Instead of answering, she moved a little in her seat, taking the cigar jack out of its mounting and leaned over towards his side. And if that wasn't surprising enough for him, her next move definitely was. No clear thought went with it when he felt her fingers gently touch his chin to keep it, and by extension the cigarette, in place, her other hand, holding the cigar jack, moved upwards aswell and she gently touched the end of the cigarette with it, waiting for him to start inhaling. This gentle touch alone was as galvanizing as a date with an electric chair. Niji, his brother, any other man, being a gentleman. All of that seemed just so meaningless when one was confronted with the tender touch of a literal goddess. Her voice was little more than a whisper when she finally answered him again. And even though the rain was still as heavy as ever, his senses were so focused on her that he could've even understood her of she just thought.

"Will you forgive me?", she asked when the smoke finally hit his lungs and brought at least some relief with it, at least from the stress regarding the relevation a few minutes ago. But not even if one would take all the cigarettes existing in the entire world into account, not even if he smoked all of them at once, could they have even hoped to dampen the sensation he felt when she touched him.

"..?", right now, he'd forgive her shooting him in the stomach with a double-barrelled sawed-off shotgun. The cigarette was fully ignited by now and she lowered the hand holding the lighter, the fingers of her other hand were still touching his chin though. And he didn't mind it one bit.

"When I told your brothers, Niji and Yonji, the same story, they reacted with a mixture of fury and jealousy and some pretty creative swearing. You, on the other hand, and that's why I hope that you forgive me, seemed shaken but tried to remain your composure, stayed friendly and put whatever your own feelings regarding that matter were behind, even when I told you that he was likely to propose. I .. have to admit that I liked that. So, would you forgive me the small play, please?", she pouted at him. His mind though, yeah, that was still a blank place.

"So .. you .. Niji .. you're not his ..?", he stuttered slowly and she softly shook her fiery head for an answer.

"Nope, not in this life, not in the next one. I'm Ichiji's secretary. And, before you think any further, I'm only that. Nothing, not even a tiny little bit more than a secretary.", she added, obviously being familiar with how men regarded incredibly attractive secretaries. Finally, she let go of his chin, still pouting at him, waiting for an answer. Kinda sure she already knows it., after a few more seconds in which he kept the smoke in his lungs, he finally exhaled, breathing it out through his nostrils.

"There's nothing to forgive. That, and I admire your exceptional gift when it comes to acting, Nami. It was quite the sight to behold.", slowly, the creeping cold from from his damp clothing returned as the warming touch of her hand was gone. But when she smiled, it was all forgotten again. For a while now, they were just sitting there, next to each other, watching the other person silently and somehow just enjoying the company.

A while later, Nami finally put the car in motion and soon, they would finally reach the manor and Sanji would be forced to meet his family again.

Little did they know that, for whatever they might have felt in that moment, regardless of the role they had to play, they weren't even considered as worthy as a pawn.

And at the dead of the night, a solitary crow cawed defiantly against the raging storm.

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[stopkingobama]

BREAKING VIDEO: President Trump announces stunning change to Afghanistan policy

THE PRESIDENT: Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Tillerson, members of the Cabinet, General Dunford, Deputy Secretary Shanahan, and Colonel Duggan. Most especially, thank you to the men and women of Fort Myer and every member of the United States military at home and abroad.

We send our thoughts and prayers to the families of our brave sailors who were injured and lost after a tragic collision at sea, as well as to those conducting the search and recovery efforts.

I am here tonight to lay out our path forward in Afghanistan and South Asia. But before I provide the details of our new strategy, I want to say a few words to the servicemembers here with us tonight, to those watching from their posts, and to all Americans listening at home.

Since the founding of our republic, our country has produced a special class of heroes whose selflessness, courage, and resolve is unmatched in human history.

American patriots from every generation have given their last breath on the battlefield for our nation and for our freedom. Through their lives — and though their lives were cut short, in their deeds they achieved total immortality.

By following the heroic example of those who fought to preserve our republic, we can find the inspiration our country needs to unify, to heal, and to remain one nation under God. The men and women of our military operate as one team, with one shared mission, and one shared sense of purpose.

They transcend every line of race, ethnicity, creed, and color to serve together — and sacrifice together — in absolutely perfect cohesion. That is because all servicemembers are brothers and sisters. They’re all part of the same family; it’s called the American family. They take the same oath, fight for the same flag, and live according to the same law. They are bound together by common purpose, mutual trust, and selfless devotion to our nation and to each other.

The soldier understands what we, as a nation, too often forget that a wound inflicted upon a single member of our community is a wound inflicted upon us all. When one part of America hurts, we all hurt. And when one citizen suffers an injustice, we all suffer together.

Loyalty to our nation demands loyalty to one another. Love for America requires love for all of its people. When we open our hearts to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice, no place for bigotry, and no tolerance for hate.

The young men and women we send to fight our wars abroad deserve to return to a country that is not at war with itself at home. We cannot remain a force for peace in the world if we are not at peace with each other.

As we send our bravest to defeat our enemies overseas — and we will always win — let us find the courage to heal our divisions within. Let us make a simple promise to the men and women we ask to fight in our name that, when they return home from battle, they will find a country that has renewed the sacred bonds of love and loyalty that unite us together as one.

Thanks to the vigilance and skill of the American military and of our many allies throughout the world, horrors on the scale of September 11th — and nobody can ever forget that — have not been repeated on our shores.

But we must also acknowledge the reality I am here to talk about tonight: that nearly 16 years after September 11th attacks, after the extraordinary sacrifice of blood and treasure, the American people are weary of war without victory. Nowhere is this more evident than with the war in Afghanistan, the longest war in American history — 17 years.

I share the American people’s frustration. I also share their frustration over a foreign policy that has spent too much time, energy, money, and most importantly lives, trying to rebuild countries in our own image, instead of pursuing our security interests above all other considerations.

That is why, shortly after my inauguration, I directed Secretary of Defense Mattis and my national security team to undertake a comprehensive review of all strategic options in Afghanistan and South Asia.

My original instinct was to pull out — and, historically, I like following my instincts. But all my life I’ve heard that decisions are much different when you sit behind the desk in the Oval Office; in other words, when you’re President of the United States. So I studied Afghanistan in great detail and from every conceivable angle. After many meetings, over many months, we held our final meeting last Friday at Camp David, with my Cabinet and generals, to complete our strategy. I arrived at three fundamental conclusions about America’s core interests in Afghanistan.

First, our nation must seek an honorable and enduring outcome worthy of the tremendous sacrifices that have been made, especially the sacrifices of lives. The men and women who serve our nation in combat deserve a plan for victory. They deserve the tools they need, and the trust they have earned, to fight and to win.

Second, the consequences of a rapid exit are both predictable and unacceptable. 9/11, the worst terrorist attack in our history, was planned and directed from Afghanistan because that country was ruled by a government that gave comfort and shelter to terrorists. A hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum that terrorists, including ISIS and al Qaeda, would instantly fill, just as happened before September 11th.

And, as we know, in 2011, America hastily and mistakenly withdrew from Iraq. As a result, our hard-won gains slipped back into the hands of terrorist enemies. Our soldiers watched as cities they had fought for, and bled to liberate, and won, were occupied by a terrorist group called ISIS. The vacuum we created by leaving too soon gave safe haven for ISIS to spread, to grow, recruit, and launch attacks. We cannot repeat in Afghanistan the mistake our leaders made in Iraq.

Third and finally, I concluded that the security threats we face in Afghanistan and the broader region are immense. Today, 20 U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations are active in Afghanistan and Pakistan — the highest concentration in any region anywhere in the world.

For its part, Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror. The threat is worse because Pakistan and India are two nuclear-armed states whose tense relations threaten to spiral into conflict. And that could happen.

No one denies that we have inherited a challenging and troubling situation in Afghanistan and South Asia, but we do not have the luxury of going back in time and making different or better decisions. When I became President, I was given a bad and very complex hand, but I fully knew what I was getting into: big and intricate problems. But, one way or another, these problems will be solved — I’m a problem solver — and, in the end, we will win.

We must address the reality of the world as it exists right now — the threats we face, and the confronting of all of the problems of today, and extremely predictable consequences of a hasty withdrawal.

We need look no further than last week’s vile, vicious attack in Barcelona to understand that terror groups will stop at nothing to commit the mass murder of innocent men, women and children. You saw it for yourself. Horrible.

As I outlined in my speech in Saudi Arabia three months ago, America and our partners are committed to stripping terrorists of their territory, cutting off their funding, and exposing the false allure of their evil ideology.

Terrorists who slaughter innocent people will find no glory in this life or the next. They are nothing but thugs, and criminals, and predators, and — that’s right — losers. Working alongside our allies, we will break their will, dry up their recruitment, keep them from crossing our borders, and yes, we will defeat them, and we will defeat them handily.

In Afghanistan and Pakistan, America’s interests are clear: We must stop the resurgence of safe havens that enable terrorists to threaten America, and we must prevent nuclear weapons and materials from coming into the hands of terrorists and being used against us, or anywhere in the world for that matter.

But to prosecute this war, we will learn from history. As a result of our comprehensive review, American strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia will change dramatically in the following ways:

A core pillar of our new strategy is a shift from a time-based approach to one based on conditions. I’ve said it many times how counterproductive it is for the United States to announce in advance the dates we intend to begin, or end, military options. We will not talk about numbers of troops or our plans for further military activities.

Conditions on the ground — not arbitrary timetables — will guide our strategy from now on. America’s enemies must never know our plans or believe they can wait us out. I will not say when we are going to attack, but attack we will.

Another fundamental pillar of our new strategy is the integration of all instruments of American power — diplomatic, economic, and military — toward a successful outcome.

Someday, after an effective military effort, perhaps it will be possible to have a political settlement that includes elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan, but nobody knows if or when that will ever happen. America will continue its support for the Afghan government and the Afghan military as they confront the Taliban in the field.

Ultimately, it is up to the people of Afghanistan to take ownership of their future, to govern their society, and to achieve an everlasting peace. We are a partner and a friend, but we will not dictate to the Afghan people how to live, or how to govern their own complex society. We are not nation-building again. We are killing terrorists.

The next pillar of our new strategy is to change the approach and how to deal with Pakistan. We can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe havens for terrorist organizations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists.

In the past, Pakistan has been a valued partner. Our militaries have worked together against common enemies. The Pakistani people have suffered greatly from terrorism and extremism. We recognize those contributions and those sacrifices.

But Pakistan has also sheltered the same organizations that try every single day to kill our people. We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting. But that will have to change, and that will change immediately. No partnership can survive a country’s harboring of militants and terrorists who target U.S. servicemembers and officials. It is time for Pakistan to demonstrate its commitment to civilization, order, and to peace.

Another critical part of the South Asia strategy for America is to further develop its strategic partnership with India — the world’s largest democracy and a key security and economic partner of the United States. We appreciate India’s important contributions to stability in Afghanistan, but India makes billions of dollars in trade with the United States, and we want them to help us more with Afghanistan, especially in the area of economic assistance and development. We are committed to pursuing our shared objectives for peace and security in South Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific region.

Finally, my administration will ensure that you, the brave defenders of the American people, will have the necessary tools and rules of engagement to make this strategy work, and work effectively and work quickly.

I have already lifted restrictions the previous administration placed on our warfighters that prevented the Secretary of Defense and our commanders in the field from fully and swiftly waging battle against the enemy. Micromanagement from Washington, D.C. does not win battles. They are won in the field drawing upon the judgment and expertise of wartime commanders and frontline soldiers acting in real time, with real authority, and with a clear mission to defeat the enemy.

That’s why we will also expand authority for American armed forces to target the terrorist and criminal networks that sow violence and chaos throughout Afghanistan. These killers need to know they have nowhere to hide; that no place is beyond the reach of American might and Americans arms. Retribution will be fast and powerful.

As we lift restrictions and expand authorities in the field, we are already seeing dramatic results in the campaign to defeat ISIS, including the liberation of Mosul in Iraq.

Since my inauguration, we have achieved record-breaking success in that regard. We will also maximize sanctions and other financial and law enforcement actions against these networks to eliminate their ability to export terror. When America commits its warriors to battle, we must ensure they have every weapon to apply swift, decisive, and overwhelming force.

Our troops will fight to win. We will fight to win. From now on, victory will have a clear definition: attacking our enemies, obliterating ISIS, crushing al Qaeda, preventing the Taliban from taking over Afghanistan, and stopping mass terror attacks against America before they emerge.

We will ask our NATO allies and global partners to support our new strategy with additional troop and funding increases in line with our own. We are confident they will. Since taking office, I have made clear that our allies and partners must contribute much more money to our collective defense, and they have done so.

In this struggle, the heaviest burden will continue to be borne by the good people of Afghanistan and their courageous armed forces. As the prime minister of Afghanistan has promised, we are going to participate in economic development to help defray the cost of this war to us.

Afghanistan is fighting to defend and secure their country against the same enemies who threaten us. The stronger the Afghan security forces become, the less we will have to do. Afghans will secure and build their own nation and define their own future. We want them to succeed.

But we will no longer use American military might to construct democracies in faraway lands, or try to rebuild other countries in our own image. Those days are now over. Instead, we will work with allies and partners to protect our shared interests. We are not asking others to change their way of life, but to pursue common goals that allow our children to live better and safer lives. This principled realism will guide our decisions moving forward.

Military power alone will not bring peace to Afghanistan or stop the terrorist threat arising in that country. But strategically applied force aims to create the conditions for a political process to achieve a lasting peace.

America will work with the Afghan government as long as we see determination and progress. However, our commitment is not unlimited, and our support is not a blank check. The government of Afghanistan must carry their share of the military, political, and economic burden. The American people expect to see real reforms, real progress, and real results. Our patience is not unlimited. We will keep our eyes wide open.

In abiding by the oath I took on January 20th, I will remain steadfast in protecting American lives and American interests. In this effort, we will make common cause with any nation that chooses to stand and fight alongside us against this global threat. Terrorists take heed: America will never let up until you are dealt a lasting defeat.

Under my administration, many billions of dollars more is being spent on our military. And this includes vast amounts being spent on our nuclear arsenal and missile defense.

In every generation, we have faced down evil, and we have always prevailed. We prevailed because we know who we are and what we are fighting for.

Not far from where we are gathered tonight, hundreds of thousands of America’s greatest patriots lay in eternal rest at Arlington National Cemetery. There is more courage, sacrifice, and love in those hallowed grounds than in any other spot on the face of the Earth.

Many of those who have fought and died in Afghanistan enlisted in the months after September 11th, 2001. They volunteered for a simple reason: They loved America, and they were determined to protect her.

Now we must secure the cause for which they gave their lives. We must unite to defend America from its enemies abroad. We must restore the bonds of loyalty among our citizens at home, and we must achieve an honorable and enduring outcome worthy of the enormous price that so many have paid.

Our actions, and in the months to come, all of them will honor the sacrifice of every fallen hero, every family who lost a loved one, and every wounded warrior who shed their blood in defense of our great nation. With our resolve, we will ensure that your service and that your families will bring about the defeat of our enemies and the arrival of peace.

We will push onward to victory with power in our hearts, courage in our souls, and everlasting pride in each and every one of you.

Thank you. May God bless our military. And may God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much. Thank you.

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