#*Sunbeam (Lea)
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redgoldsparks · 7 months ago
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Hi, I just read your book gender queer and wanted to tell you that i have never felt more seen by a book in my life (or any media for that matter). Im also genderqueer and somewhere on the aro/ace spectrum and your book put into words alot of things I’ve never known how to express. Thank you for putting yourself out there!
(also do you have any other comic book recommendations?)
Hello anon! Thank you for this kind message! I very much do have comic book recs. In no particular order, here are some favorites. Not all of these are books are queer, but many are. If you want queer specific recs, here are some other asks I've previously answered- books about nonbinary identities, nonbinary mostly fiction
Memoir/Nonfiction 
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley 
March Trilogy by Senator John Lewis, Nate Powell and Andrew Aydin
The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
Fetch: How a Bad Dog Brought Me Home by Nicole Georges 
You & a Bike & a Road by Eleanor Davis 
Tetris: The Games People Play by Box Brown
The Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott and Harmony Becker
Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls 
Hey Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka 
Almost American Girl by Robin Ha 
Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang 
Dancing at the Pity Party: A Dead Mom Graphic Memoir by Tyler Feder 
Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook, Ryan Estrada and Ko Hyung-Ju 
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton 
Homebody by Theo Parrish 
The High Desert by James Spooner 
Fiction
Prince of Cats by Ronald Wimberly 
This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki
Skim by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki
Seconds by Bryan Lee O’Malley 
Nimona by ND Stevenson 
The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang 
The Hard Tomorrow by Eleanor Davis
On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews
Grease Bats by Archie Bongiovanni
The Chromatic Fantasy by H.A. 
Salt Magic by Hope Larson and Rebecca Mock
Beetle and the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne
Kiss Number 8 by Colleen F Venable and Ellen Crenshaw 
Finder Library Vols 1 & 2 by Carla Speed McNeil
Castle Waiting: The Lucky Road by Linda Medley
The Deep and Dark Blue by Niki Smith
Across a Field of Starlight by Blue Delliquanti 
O Human Star by Blue Delliquanti 
Snapdragon by Kay Leyh
Cyclopedia Exotica by Aminder Dhaliwal 
Woman World by Aminder Dhaliwal
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen 
A Frog in Fall by Lisa Sterte 
Thieves by Lucie Bryon 
The Great Beyond by Lea Murawiec
Short Stories
The Amazing Screw-On Head and Other Curious Objects by Mike Mignola 
Other Ever Afters: New Queer Fairy Tales by Melanie Gillman
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palushiemalis-fr · 1 month ago
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dergtober -- day 17 -- Lost
Sabrathan’s tail flicked to and fro as she craned her neck over the window ledge, the rest of her long body reclining lazily on the chamber floor. She shook out her antlers, they tinkled with the small bells and the festive streamers she had tied to it for the celebration. She sighed, she was beginning to tire of them now.
She watched her clan mates fly and twist in the cloudless sky to the tune of ecstatic horns, flutes and drums below. The sun was setting on the last days of the Mistral festival and soon they would return to the light territory. Sabra didn’t feel ready to leave.
She glanced at the satchel she had brought over, once heavy with sunbeam fig treats, dried sour strawberries and pelagas bark tea. She had brought a lantern fashioned from painted paper and filled with glowing Reedcleft Sparklers. There had been golden tortoise shells and ferret pelts strapped to to her bags that had clinked and flapped the entire flight over. Now all traded for scrolls.
She had read every one of them as soon as she could; poems, treatise, hatchling doodles and all sorts of wonderful insights into the Cloudsong’s ways. Yet she didn’t recognise a single one. No poems about abandoning hatchlings or apology letters to her directly. She was a fool. All she wanted, she had to admit, was two words. Just two words. ‘Moon Road’.
“Scuse’ me.”
Sabrathan lifted her heavy head to see a little Spiral fledgling tugging at her mane. She smiled, it was one of the little ones of the Wind clan who were hosting them. She was covered in swirling colourful face paints and smiling with a toothy grin.
“Yes? Can I help you?”
“Ondran said that Lea said that Amble said you had sticky june bug sweets.” She handed over a scroll smudged with facepaint, “Can I trade you for some?”
“Of course you can!” Sabra laughed and pulled out a small bag of dried june bugs coated in toffee, “Here you go...!”
The Spiral beamed and immeadiately began crunching on it before scampering out the chamber, returning only to pop her head through the chamber door to thank her and scurrying away again.
Sabra idly toyed with the seal on the scroll; maybe it was better to leave them unopened, she thought, she wouldn’t leave on a disappointed note. She looked out the window and saw the spiral now clumsily flying through the air, sharing out her toffee bugs to her nest mates. She gave her a wave and Sabrathan chuckled.
What’s the festival without trying to take a chance and have a bit of fun?
She broke the seal and unfurled the bamboo paper. No doodle or spring haiku, just a map. She furrowed her brow as she read over the blotchy green ink, it wasn’t easy to parse but the location wasn’t that far off from where she was staying. She checked her compass, South-West on an Islet in Singer’s Brook.
She strapped on her satchel and jingled her antler bells again for good measure before leaping from the window into the air. Soon a small party of her clan mates and hosts joined her as she sailed in the air. The face painted fledglings looped around her until they waved her off. What better way to get into her home-flight spirit than take off on an adventure...?
After she had left the Cloudsong, the melodies and drumming became distant and she could only her the gentle tinkling of her bells. An hour or two passed and the sun had sunken into twilight. Reedcleft sparklers lit up her descent, disturbed from their perches but the gust from her large wings.
“Here we are...” She whispered to herself.
The islet felt like a whispering place. A place didn’t demand quiet, but inspired it.
Statuettes of spirit guardians sat on the edge of the brook that forked around the islet. Frogs, axolotls, cranes and kitsune, all eyeing her in the luminous nightfall. A small shrine lantern covered in moss sat nearby, long abandoned and worn. She ought to leave an offering before she took off, she thought. She curled up under a willow and caught her breath from the journey. Its fronds hung over her and formed a little shelter, it felt cozy under the dimming skies.
She wondered if there was anything special about this islet, other than the fact it was as serene as it was. She laid her head down, perhaps flying out so late wasn’t the wisest idea. But she could lay down to sleep in this unclaimed territory until morning.
The Moon rose over head and the stars began to wink into focus. Then, a fwoosh. A blue flame woke in the shrine lantern. Sabra almost jumped up before she noticed another then another all lighting one after another. She hadn’t noticed the other lanterns encircling the islet, some were broken and half sunken into the moss. Yet they lit up all the same.
She got up and wandered to check on them, perhaps this was a sacred place and she ought to move on with an apology to the spirits. Then, she spotted the tomb stone. An upright stone, covered in chickweed and sandcreeper. Perhaps she could make amends by clearing it from its face to allow it to be legible.
She pulled off the foliage gently with her claws, trying to mind the stone beneath.
- Tomb of the Moon Road Clan - Our Souls rest before their journey into the stars, carried on the Great Singer’s winds...
Sabrathan’s mouth fell open. The silence that had haunted her life where her family should have been wrapped around her in that moment. Every prayer for a memory of understanding beyond the words left to her as a young hatchling, ‘Moon Road’, had been answered by the silence she was engulfed by.
She read the names by starlight. Of course, she recognised no one, she had been so young after all. To be found carried on a storm to the Hewn City ruins, the only words she knew was ‘Moon Road’ she had parroted until she was ready to learn to read.
She had her answer now. A heavy, thudding, painful answer, a heavy burden to carry home. She wept, throwing herself at the bottom of the tombstone. She sobbed until the crickets stopped singing. Sabrathan finally ran out of tears and heaved a rattling sigh.
She didn’t feel heavy at all. Something had lifted from her chest, and the journey home would be the easiest it had ever been...
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escherstrange-ffxiv · 3 months ago
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#3:Tempest
"Close the flap, Izzy. You're letting the rain in."
The storm battered against their tent that not even tying the flap down could stop the brothers from hearing the wind howl outside. Joshua huddled at the other end of the tent while Wil nestled itself snugly in Isillud's coat, folded and placed beside his pillow. Isillud tucked his legs close to his chest, concerned for his brother and the storm.
He didn't need to ask; Joshua understood. "The Garleans have left Dalmasca. Nobody will be patrolling the cliffs in this storm." The younger elezen looked up from his book, "Though once it subsides, we must enter the city immediately."
His brother's uneasiness did not go ignored. "A gil for your thoughts," Joshua offered.
Isllud sighed, reaching to pet the crow. "What if it's gone? What if we came for naught?"
"Look, you want to listen to an aetherial tart-"
"The 'aetherial tart' was our mother."
"She looked like our mother, you said," Joshua corrrected him. "But there's no reason for Sydney to lie. If the Dark is calling you, then it most likely. We'll figure the why of it when we enter." He snapped the book shut and pulled his blanket to his chin. "Time passes faster if we rest now."
Isillud rested his hands on his stomach as he lay. "I wish grandfather was here."
"I wish he was too." Joshua turned to face the tarp. "So I can kick his arse for foisting this on us."
───────── ౨ৎ ─────────
Dew and salt mingled in the morning mist, a sunbeam shining over the ruins. "There it is, Izzy: Old Lea Monde."
The tide had subsided to reveal a ruined city, the waters of Valnard lapping at the edges, seeping through cracks and creating rivers where streets used to be.
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"After you."
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ultra-nohai · 4 months ago
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TRANCE VORTEX 11
The eleventh installment of the Trance Vortex series is finally out on YouTube! Featuring Roxvix, Barcode Brothers, Tokyo Ghetto Pussy, Ben Nicky, and Love, Inc.
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TRACK LISTING:
CD1
——————————— 01 STARSPLASH Free 02 ALICE DEEJAY Celebrate Our Love 03 LOVE, INC. You're A Superstar (City Of Love Radio Mix) 04 SCAN The Sound Of The Earth 05 LADY VIOLET Inside To Outside 06 BARCODE BROTHERS Flute 07 THREE 'N ONE Sin City 08 BEN NICKY Adagio for Strings 09 AVACANDA Go! 10 S.P.Q.R. ft. LEA HEART Hypnotic State 11 ROXVIX Reality Check 12 RICHI M One Life to Live 13 RED 5 Da Bass 14 DJ JURGEN One Step Away 15 FUTURE BREEZE How Much Can You Take? 16 DJ QUICKSILVER Ameno 17 FLOORFILLA Anthem #5 (Enter the Arena) 18 DJ DEAN Kick Off
CD2
——————————— 01 TOKYO GHETTO PUSSY You Make Me Feel (Kai Tracid Mix) 02 THE TAMPERER ft MAYA Feel It 03 PLAYAHITTY The Summer Is Magic 04 IAN VAN DAHL I Can't Let You Go 05 CAMISRA Let Me Show You 06 KENNY "DOPE" presents THE BUCKETHEADS The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind) 07 REEL 2 REAL I Like to Move It 08 ARMAND VAN HELDEN You Don't Know Me 09 STRIKE U Sure Do '99 (Jono's Big Mix Edit) 10 PAUL OAKENFOLD Southern Sun (DJ Tiësto Edit) 11 KEY4050 & PLUMB I Love You 12 APOLLO BROTHERS One Of Us 13 SUNBEAM Outside World 14 REFLEKT ft. DELLINE BASS Need To Feel Loved (Adam K & Soha Vocal Mix) 15 DJ SAMMY The Boys of Summer 16 BRYAN KEARNEY & PLUMB All Over Again 17 LAMBDA Live Together 18 ATB ft. YORK The Fields of Love
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liminalpebble · 2 years ago
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The Refugee: Chapter 37
Masterlist link 
Loki stayed true to his promise and kept watch over the sleeping form of Lenora the whole night. Daybreak began to stream into the tower room and over the couch where they had settled and Lenora shifted in his arms as the sunshine kissed her face. 
He watched as the light glimmered in her parting dark lashes and flashed over the dusky ink and violet halos of her irises, like a sunbeam shining over a deep well. Vlad held his vigil as well but over the course of the evening made his rounds to different corners of the room. His eyes never seemed to leave Loki, regardless of where he settled.
She was waking slowly on her own, but he wished he could let her sleep a little longer. Unfortunately, he had to go. “Lenora, darling. I have to attend a meeting of the generals soon, so I need you to get ready to go to the medical wing for observation.”
She nodded from beneath disheveled hair. “What sort of meeting?”
He was taken aback at her interest. “Well...we'll be discussing the movements of the Jotun. That sort of thing. Thor will be there as well.”
“May I come with you? I need to be informed of the war's progress if I'm to be of any use.”
For a second, he was dumbstruck by this cold efficient Lenora who seemed to replace the angry mournful ghost of Lenora from the terrible night before. “Uh...yes..of course. But are you sure you feel up to it?”
She nodded. “I'm going to clean up and dress. I'll just be a moment,” she informed him, already heading towards the bathroom as he began to interrupt, ready to tell her she wasn't allowed to be alone.
“Loki,” she sighed, “there aren't any windows to jump out of in the bathroom. Just give me a few minutes.”
He blushed a little in embarrassment, then stood and magicked himself clean and orderly again in preparation for the day. Just as he was finishing up himself, Lea swung out in a cloud of steam wearing the kind of leggings, tunic, and boots that the young knights might wear, hair swept up with a stylus. She gave him a wary glare as she came over to her jewelry and magicked them away in a purple flash to her pocket universe. “I'm sure you won't blame me for finding a more secure place to store these,” she said, as she strode to the door.
Loki hesitated and gave her an annoyed glance, nodding to her outfit. “Really?” he said dryly.
“Loki, pick your battles. I can look like this and be useful without discomfort or you can find a a very nice gown being used as kindling in that hearth in a few hours.” She smirked wryly at him but then her face quickly fell to seriousness. “Look me in the eye and tell me you'll keep your promise not to hurt Magnus if I behave...uh...as myself.”
Loki met her gaze with a sincerity that startled her. “Lenora, I swear to you. I won't hurt him. He's safe no matter what you do.” He stroked her hair behind her ear, kissed her forehead, then just stared at her for a moment.
“What?” she said, impatiently.
“You're really something, you know that?” he said with a very tired smirk. “You have iron in your spine, little empress.”
She shrugged. “You'd know, wouldn't you?” she quipped gesturing to her back, where his blade had been. “Look, I can be miserable, half-insane, and uselessly self-destructive, or I can be miserable, half-insane, and useful. I might as well be useful. If I don't distract myself I'm going to lose my mind entirely.” Unable to meet Loki's beautiful gaze for fear of emotions making an entrance, she instead looked around for Vlad, who was napping in a corner, having been relieved of his guard duty. She was happy to let him sleep as she closed the door behind them.
---
She sat attentively, taking meticulous notes for herself at the table of generals and department heads in the war room, scanning over the map littered with figurines and notes of strategy. Thor was surprised to see her, but greeted her warmly, pulling out a seat beside himself for her. What began as civil debriefing and debate was quickly descending into a room full of men yelling over each other.
Lea leaned over to Thor and asked, “Can you help me get their attention, please. I have some thoughts.”
Thor nodded. “My pleasure, sister,” he said standing. His bellow of “SILENCE!” ricocheted through the echoing hall as Lea stood.
She said, “Thank you. Gentlemen I have several ideas for your consideration.” They grumbled but the two royal sons of Asgard shooting them death glares silenced them.
“Your Highness, am I correct in assuming that our main problem lies in gaining the cooperation of the protectorates and incorporated kingdom to send forces against the Jotun?” Lea stood as tall as she could with a wide legged posture, trying to match the men in the room, and pointed out the problematic areas on the map.
Loki spoke in his regal tone. “That is correct. Since many are conquered territories they are rather...shall we say...unenthusiastic about sending military aid against the Jotun, though it is in their own best interest.”
Lea said very thoughtfully and deliberately, “What if the empire were to make it much more in their best interest to do so?”
Loki nodded, intrigued, “Are you suggesting bribery?”
“No sir, I'm suggesting that the carrot almost always works more effectively than the stick.”
He hummed in thought. “go on.”
“Perhaps the empire's reach lately has been exceeding its grasp...gaining and conquering territories and kingdoms that are burdening the empire at large with more responsibilities of overseeing governance and compliance. Sire, the calculations are clear, you would have to relinquish some territories soon, even without a war on your plate, but in this context we can use it to our advantage.”
“Lady Lenora...your point. I suggest you make it.” Loki said, wincing a little at his bruised ego.
“What if you offered the reluctant territories the reward of full restored sovereignty and some reparations in exchange for their full military support against the Jotun? The empire gets what it needs at less of a loss than simply relinquishing your rule. Also the public perception of a generous and deliberate gesture will read much better than a loss of control. What say you, gentlemen?”
Thor spoke. “An excellent solution, Lady, however His Highness would need to project some reason to the public for his sudden benevolence, otherwise, suspicions of weakness and desperation will abound. Something must be done so that it garners popular approval and admiration of their emperor.”
“I...hadn't thought of that,” Lenora sighed out slowly, honestly. This relational side of things had never been her forte.
A politician, particularly skilled at assessing public image, raised his hand to speak, and Loki nodded his consent for the man to do so. “Perhaps Lady Lenora could be useful in this way. Your Majesty is planning to wed the young lady, are you not? And to crown her empress.”
“I am,” said Loki, with a small proud grin.
“A public display such as this would be excellent for the morale and trust of the people. Stories about Lady Lenora abound in several kingdoms, noting her status as a refugee as “one of them” so to speak. They already know that her discovery of the Heksejotun predictions is what gave us the advantage we currently have. Wedding a woman from one of your own conquered nations, elevating her to empress in gratitude for her service to the empire, might give the people some more trust in the benevolent king identity you've been hoping to foster anyway. They would trust even more that you have their best interests at heart, if they believe she has your ear...and your heart.”
Thor shrugged, “It certainly worked with Asgard. Our trust and collaboration has greatly improved since Lenora's involvement as an adviser...No offense intended, Emperor.”
Loki rolled his eyes, but nodded to his smirking brother. “None taken, Prince. These are all rational points and I shall consider them. Thank you, gentlemen,” he looked to Lenora, “And lady. This meeting is adjourned.”
Once everyone had filed out except for Lenora, Loki, and Thor, the god of thunder noticed how both Lea and Loki's faces fell into looks of utter fatigue. He wondered what kind of hell they had been through yesterday after he parted with them, and he noticed how Lenora kept her rather too long tunic sleeves draped over her palms. He noticed how his usually sartorially demanding brother didn't even bother to cringe openly her choice of men's attire. In these situations, Thor had the rather odd advantage of being a good deal more perceptive and intelligent than anyone gave him credit for. He wasn't sure what exactly they had gone through, but he certainly knew the aftermath of a battle when he saw one.
“Well, darling,” Loki said, swanning up to Lea's side and giving her a tired but kind smile. “It looks like we have a wedding to plan.”
“I don't! Let the politicians plan it and I'll show up when and how they tell me to, saying the lines they give me. I don't care. We have a war to end. I don't want any more people to have to suffer becoming refugees,” she said coldly, but then she smiled wryly to both brothers. “Anything to make me wear those horrible dresses, huh?” Thor laughed loudly at that as he took his leave.
Loki leaned in closely to whisper smoothly into her ear and slide his arm around her waist. “On the contrary,” he said punctuating his sentence with a soft kiss to her cheek, “any reason to get you out of them afterwards.”
She didn't want to smile and blush at that, but she couldn't help it. That was his favorite smile from her; the one where she tried not to and couldn't help herself. Lenora had always been a good deal more utilitarian than romantic, but her betrothed was hopelessly romantic enough for the both of them. He looked forward to coaxing that smile from her for the rest of their lives together.
@gigglingtigger @peaches1958 @lokisgoodgirl @thedistractedagglomeration, @thenerdyoldersister @goblingirlsarah @sweetsigyn @unlucky-number-13
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bubbles-the-banshee · 2 years ago
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Happy STS!
“Your story gets told from someone else's perspective. Whose is it?“
Thank you @toribookworm22 for another awesome ask!
Goddess Dead is actually told from multiple, first-person perspectives (current secondary-narrators include Acon, Lea, and Octavius); however Eliott, the protagonist, is the primary narrator, and chapters from other characters’ perspectives are usually shorter and listed as .5 chapters. Moreover, as the story is “written” by Eliott, it’s been my idea that these different perspectives are just Eliott playing pretend. 
However, it’s been really interesting to imagine how the book would change if either Acon, Lea, or Octavius was the primary narrator. 
Goddess Dead from Acon’s perspective would be angry, lonely, and isolated where Eliott’s is hopeful. The core of Acon’s story, his self, is that he is a foil to Eliott. He is Eliott, if their life before the book had played out differently—if they had made different choices and drawn different cards. Under the right circumstances, Eliott could have been Acon, and Acon could have been Eliott. What separates them is, more often than not, the luck of the draw (though neither are particularly lucky). They are, in drive and passion, so similar it’s painful. It is their ideals, the lessons they’ve learned, the friends they’ve made, and how they carry their pasts into their present that differ. Overall, the story and its messages wouldn’t change so much as the tone. Imagine, if you will, a painting of a tulip—one sitting under a sunbeam, and one painted under the light of the moon. 
I’m not sure how Goddess Dead told from Lea’s perspective would work, because—in a weird way—Lea and I are too similar for me to be completely comfortable writing in her shoes. (I’m not sure how this makes sense, but it does.) She’s very caring, controlled, and not so much grounded as level-headed—practical. She wouldn’t want to tell the story like Acon or Eliott. I think, with her as the narrator, the story would turn into a collection of letters or diary entries peppered with memories of her friends and loved ones. I imagine that the narrative would switch from primarily present-tense to past-tense. 
If the story was told from Octavius’ perspective, it would be very abstract. He would tell Eliott’s story, but the details would be more fluid—more vague and sensory. As a living mote of magick, Octavius experiences the world differently than Eliott, Acon, and Lea. He isn’t a collection of thoughts; he’s a conversation between people. He is feelings not lessons. There would probably be a lot less dialogue; I’m almost imagining “Ping” by Samuel Beckett levels of “What the fuck is going on?” Octavius is just a lil’ guy who understands the cruelties and injustices of the world, the struggles that Eliott faces, but he’s not nearly as jaded; he describes the world around and within him with the same wonder and cadence of a toddler. Goddess Dead would probably be a lot more fun and have more illustrations, if Octavius wrote it.
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wethelimbo · 1 year ago
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ㅡ The W.T.L
𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦.
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Courage runs through Wil’s veins like a surging river, fueling his determination and pushing him beyond the boundaries of fear. With each step, a fire burns within him, igniting a spirit that propels him forward. Loneliness is merely a stepping stone on his path to tranquility.
𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘰��𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦.
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Amid the chaos, Travis remains unfazed, a beacon of serenity in a world of haste. His serene demeanor speaks volumes, conveying an inner peace transcending the external circumstances. Serenity fills the air around him, enveloping all fortunate enough to be in his presence.
𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.
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Lea’s kindness knows no bounds, and her compassion flows freely. Like a sunbeam breaking through the clouds, she has a way of brightening even the darkest days. With a smile that can light up the night sky, she brings a sense of lightness to any conversation or interaction.
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palushiemalis-fr · 2 years ago
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(I was hit by inspiration and wrote this....)
Sabrathan’s tail flicked to and fro as she craned her neck over the window ledge, the rest of her long body reclining lazily on the chamber floor. She shook out her antlers, they tinkled with the small bells and the festive streamers she had tied to it for the celebration. She sighed, she was beginning to tire of them now.
She watched her clan mates fly and twist in the cloudless sky to the tune of ecstatic horns, flutes and drums below. The sun was setting on the last days of the Mistral festival and soon they would return to the light territory. Sabra didn’t feel ready to leave.
She glanced at the satchel she had brought over, once heavy with sunbeam fig treats, dried sour strawberries and pelagas bark tea. She had brought a lantern fashioned from painted paper and filled with glowing Reedcleft Sparklers. There had been golden tortoise shells and ferret pelts strapped to to her bags that had clinked and flapped the entire flight over. Now all traded for scrolls. 
She had read every one of them as soon as she could; poems, treatise, hatchling doodles and all sorts of wonderful insights into the Cloudsong’s ways. Yet she didn’t recognise a single one. No poems about abandoning hatchlings or apology letters to her directly. She was a fool. All she wanted, she had to admit, was two words. Just two words. ‘Moon Road’.
“Scuse’ me.”
Sabrathan lifted her heavy head to see a little Spiral fledgling tugging at her mane. She smiled, it was one of the little ones of the Wind clan who were hosting them. She was covered in swirling colourful face paints and smiling with a toothy grin.
“Yes? Can I help you?” 
“Ondran said that Lea said that Amble said you had sticky june bug sweets.” She handed over a scroll smudged with facepaint, “Can I trade you for some?”
“Of course you can!” Sabra laughed and pulled out a small bag of dried june bugs coated in toffee, “Here you go...!”
The Spiral beamed and immeadiately began crunching on it before scampering out the chamber, returning only to pop her head through the chamber door to thank her and scurrying away again.
Sabra idly toyed with the seal on the scroll; maybe it was better to leave them unopened, she thought, she wouldn’t leave on a disappointed note. She looked out the window and saw the spiral now clumsily flying through the air, sharing out her toffee bugs to her nest mates. She gave her a wave and Sabrathan chuckled.
What’s the festival without trying to take a chance and have a bit of fun?
She broke the seal and unfurled the bamboo paper. No doodle or spring haiku, just a map. She furrowed her brow as she read over the blotchy green ink, it wasn’t easy to parse but the location wasn’t that far off from where she was staying. She checked her compass, South-West on an Islet in Singer’s Brook.
She strapped on her satchel and jingled her antler bells again for good measure before leaping from the window into the air. Soon a small party of her clan mates and hosts joined her as she sailed in the air. The face painted fledglings looped around her until they waved her off. What better way to get into her home-flight spirit than take off on an adventure...?
After she had left the Cloudsong, the melodies and drumming became distant and she could only her the gentle tinkling of her bells. An hour or two passed and the sun had sunken into twilight. Reedcleft sparklers lit up her descent, disturbed from their perches but the gust from her large wings.
“Here we are...” She whispered to herself. 
The islet felt like a whispering place. A place didn’t demand quiet, but inspired it.
Statuettes of spirit guardians sat on the edge of the brook that forked around the islet. Frogs, axolotls, cranes and kitsune, all eyeing her in the luminous nightfall. A small shrine lantern covered in moss sat nearby, long abandoned and worn. She ought to leave an offering before she took off, she thought. She curled up under a willow and caught her breath from the journey. Its fronds hung over her and formed a little shelter, it felt cozy under the dimming skies.
She wondered if there was anything special about this islet, other than the fact it was as serene as it was. She laid her head down, perhaps flying out so late wasn’t the wisest idea. But she could lay down to sleep in this unclaimed territory until morning. 
The Moon rose over head and the stars began to wink into focus. Then, a fwoosh. A blue flame woke in the shrine lantern. Sabra almost jumped up before she noticed another then another all lighting one after another. She hadn’t noticed the other lanterns encircling the islet, some were broken and half sunken into the moss. Yet they lit up all the same.
She got up and wandered to check on them, perhaps this was a sacred place and she ought to move on with an apology to the spirits. Then, she spotted the tomb stone. An upright stone, covered in chickweed and sandcreeper. Perhaps she could make amends by clearing it from its face to allow it to be legible.
She pulled off the foliage gently with her claws, trying to mind the stone beneath.
- Tomb of the Moon Road Clan - Our Souls rest before their journey into the stars,  carried on the Great Singer’s winds...
Sabrathan’s mouth fell open. The silence that had haunted her life where her family should have been wrapped around her in that moment. Every prayer for a memory of understanding beyond the words left to her as a young hatchling, ‘Moon Road’, had been answered by the silence she was engulfed by.
She read the names by starlight. Of course, she recognised no one, she had been so young after all. To be found carried on a storm to the Hewn City ruins, the only words she knew was ‘Moon Road’ she had parroted until she was ready to learn to read.
She had her answer now. A heavy, thudding, painful answer, a heavy burden to carry home. She wept, throwing herself at the bottom of the tombstone. She sobbed until the crickets stopped singing. Sabrathan finally ran out of tears and heaved a rattling sigh. 
She didn’t feel heavy at all. Something had lifted from her chest, and the journey home would be the easiest it had ever been...
'The Windsinger and his brood spend weeks preparing for the Mistral Jamboree, writing messages, poems, nonsense, and including map fragments of the places they have traveled in the past year. The gathered Messengers’ scrolls used as festival currency are the fruits of those labors.'
(source)
It's the Mistral Jam so I just wanna mention one of my favourite bits of canon Wind lore - the Messengers' Scrolls are specifically made just for this event and they can have any sort of nonsense written or doodled on them xD
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chrancecriber · 2 years ago
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Radio SunLounge Romania (March 12, 2023)
23:55 York - Be A Giant 23:50 Daytripper Feat. Patricia Chaviano - Until The Sunrise (Chillout Mix) 23:45 Paradise Airlines - Nassau Beach (Paradise Chillout Mix) 23:40 Max Melvin - Ease 23:34 Vincenzo - Summer Breeze 23:28 Esonic - Chilly Moments 23:21 Tactful - No Fear 23:18 Leftfield - A Final Hit 23:13 Duo Varial Feat. Enaïd - Fly Away 23:08 Blank & Jones - Beyond Time 23:01 Blank & Jones - Happiness (Franco De Mulero Main Mix) (With Cathy Battistessa) 23:01 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 22:56 Monodeluxe - One More Day 22:50 Cane Garden Quartet - Be In Love 22:44 Charlie North - Saltwater (Ambient Mix) 22:38 Christian Hornbostel Feat. Sarah Chris - Looking Back On Tomorrow 22:33 Paul Hardcastle - First Light 22:29 Catching Flies - Daymarks 22:26 Delicado - The Sound Of Fashion (Original Edit) 22:22 Mystic Diversions - Josephine (Album Version) 22:18 Fous De La Mer - Time To Wake Up (Volver A Despertar) 22:12 The Diventa Project - Bang Bang (Lazy Hammock Chillout Mix) 22:08 Pnfa - She Found Moments 22:05 Counting Clouds - Daylight 21:59 D. Batistatos - Empty Glass 21:56 D.batistatos - Summer Wind 21:52 Frame By Frame - Out Of Norway 21:50 Trebles And Blues - The Soulmate That Seldom Speak 21:45 Corcovado Frequency - Connect 21:38 Night And Day - Miracles Feat. Mirjam (Original Mix) 21:34 Soulavenue - Stuck In A Dream 21:30 Sonic Adventure Project - Haze 21:29 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 21:24 Debora Vilchez - The Words You Said (Smooth Vocal Flair Mix) 21:20 Minus 8 Feat. Sharon Harris - Pussycat 21:16 Massive Attack - Teardrop 21:13 C Cil - Calm & Quiet 21:08 Chris Reece - Island Of Love 21:03 Antonio Carlos Jobim - Brazil (Alternate Take) 20:59 Moodorama - Weird Love 20:53 Marc Hartman - Like The Sunset (Original Mix) 20:53 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 20:50 Mani Beats - N&n 20:44 Paul Hardcastle - Apache Warrior 20:39 Velvet Lounge Project - Someday (Nux Easygoing Remix) 20:34 Arrojas - Over The Past Year 20:30 Zenyatta - Too Good 20:26 Approaching Black - Back To Darkness 20:23 Duane Alpert - Cool Experience (Laurent Paradise Mix) 20:14 Leendder Feat. Chaz - Everytime You Cry (Satin Jackets Remix) 20:10 G-spliff - Won-'t Part 20:06 Bob Harz - Somebody Loves Me 20:02 Krall Bradley - Money Cant You Buy Love (Swing Orchestra Mix) 19:56 Aandra - You Are The Gold (Feat. Soul Sista Shakti) 19:56 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 19:51 Paul Hardcastle - Chillstep Echoes (Feat. Maxine Hardcastle) 19:45 Danny Hay - Night In (Original Mix) (Original Mix) 19:41 James Farrelli - Can't Get You Out Of My Head 19:36 Xemplify - Naughty Secret 19:32 Naomi - Another Bite Of The Apple 19:28 Paolo - Turn Me On 19:23 Ambient Lounge All Stars - Club L'amour 19:21 Aquilo - Put Me Down (Original Mix) 19:16 Samantha James - Tree Of Life 19:13 Il Greco - De Longpre 19:07 Spooky - Dub Addiction 19:03 Moca - Too Far Out 19:02 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 18:57 Lea Perry - Dubby Sunset Sky At Cafe Del Mar (Ibiza Beach Mix) 18:53 Naoki Kenji - Samishi 18:48 Lyn Leon - Tomorrow 18:43 S.w. - Within A Dream 18:43 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 18:40 Greenfinch - Sad Ballerina 18:34 Bonobo - The Keeper 18:29 Korsakow & Noel - Sweet Poison Of Your Love 18:23 Velvet Lounge Project - Why Should I Say No! (Flashbaxx Rmx) 18:18 Michael E - Promise 18:15 Myth Syzer - Bonbon A La Menthe Feat. Bonnie Banane (Stwo Remix) 18:10 Moondust - In Between Days (Feat. Querubyna) 18:06 Urban Phunk Society - De Janeiro 18:00 The Maxwell Implosion - The Upper Left Hand 17:55 Floor - Blue Sky (Original Mix) 17:48 Dido - Worthless 17:41 Astrid Suryanto - In A Distant Bar (Moonwatchers Remix) 17:40 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 17:36 Pascal Dubois - Sunbeams (Pure Light Cut) 17:32 Uppermost - Believe 17:28 Tafubar & Eskadet Feat. Airily - Paradise Reconquered (Original Mix) 17:24 Lemongrass - Mystery 17:20 Polymyth - Lost 17:15 Smooth Deluxe - My Sunny Day 17:10 Marga Sol - Goodbye 17:02 Tactful - No Fear 17:02 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 16:58 Stargazer - Eastend 16:53 Oscar Salguero - Let Me Be Close To You 16:49 Marga Sol - Tocca Me 16:43 Big Al - Pray For The Living 16:37 Spooky - Dub Addiction 16:34 Project 2000 - Belle Du Jour 16:29 Kuba - We Can Still Learn (Original Mix) 16:25 Alexandra Hampton Feat. Merge Of Equals - Beautiful (Original Mix) 16:24 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 16:19 Groovecatcher - Ultramarina (Original Mix) 16:14 Clelia Felix - A Moment Of Silence 16:11 Telepopmusik - Brighton Beach (Freddie Joachim Remix) 16:05 Afterlife, Calladine - Clear Blue Sky (Blank & Jones Remix) 16:05 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 15:59 Pacator - Tears (Marcielo Ambient Mix) 15:54 Stefano Mastronardi - It's Lounge Time 15:49 Cafe Americaine - Lamour (Loungematic Mix) 15:44 Black Mighty Orchestra - Ocean Beach (Cybophonia Cinematic Remix) 15:38 Soleil Fisher - Warm Winter (Sting Of Paradise Sunset Mix) 15:31 Ambitus - Answers 15:27 Pauline London - Love Can Sing 15:23 Beach Hoppers - Top Of The World 15:22 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 15:17 Mads Arp Feat. Julie Harrington - Alive 15:13 Therr Maitz - Found U (Riesso Remix) 15:08 Bernon - Don-'t Worry (Wellness For Your Soul Mix) 15:03 Afterlife - Like This 15:03 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 15:00 Myth Syzer - Bonbon A La Menthe Feat. Bonnie Banane (Stwo Remix) 14:54 Blank & Jones - Hideaway 14:49 Mo'horizons - Yes Baby Yes 14:44 Sky Sergeant - Music Connection (Dolphins Mix) 14:40 Blank & Jones Ft. Elles - Mind Of The Wonderful (Acoustic Version) 14:36 Papercut - Morning Blues 14:31 Riccardo Eberspacher - Malay 14:27 Catching Flies - Silver Linings 14:22 D. Batistatos - Jet Lagged Nights 14:18 Jane Maximova - Novel 14:13 Five Seasons - Smooth Workout 14:05 Eguana - Long Trip To Nowhere 13:59 Cinnamon Chasers - Set The Sky On Fire 13:54 Messiah Project - She Walks In Beauty Like The Night 13:49 Dub Mars - Always And Everywhere 13:44 Everything But The Girl - Single (Brad Wood Memphis Remix) 13:39 Charly Mclion - Beachday 13:33 Chimaera - Fly Away 13:30 Stj Feat. Liba - She Believe 13:24 Dj Maretimo - Blue Guitars Of Picasso (Lonely Beach Cut) 13:24 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 13:19 Dj Maretimo - Ocean Cruiser (Wavepatcher Cut) 13:13 Paul Hardcastle - Cloud Watching 13:08 D. Batistatos - Sunshine Velvet 13:03 Mind Into Mind - Ready To Fly (Instrumental) 12:59 The Funky Lowlives - You Have To Come With Me 12:55 Future Loop Foundation - I Love Her More In Summertime 12:50 Tracy Diamonds & Step Away - A Pain That I'm Used To (A Lounge Tribute To Depeche Mode) 12:46 Anthony Island - Turn Around 12:46 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 12:43 Saib. - Archipelago 12:38 Pascal Dubois - Suitcase To Berlin (Travellers Cut) 12:32 Christian Hornbostel - Away 12:27 Kraak & Smaak - Naked (Feat. Ivar & Berenice Van Leer) 12:22 Lo64n5 - Retrogram 12:18 Nox & Jab - High Expression 12:12 Eguana - Way To The House 12:07 Naoki Kenji - E-qualize 12:01 James Bright Feat Mathew Evans - Set Me Free 11:56 Afterlife - Still 11:52 Garden City Movement - My Only Love 11:48 Leftfield - Original 11:44 Beth Orton - Daybreaker 11:40 Blank & Jones - Heart Of Wax (Late Night Mix) 11:35 Collective Sound Members - Do It Like That 11:30 Naoki Kenji - Bedtime 11:24 Smooth Deluxe - Estoy Loco Por Ti (Ibiza Vs Miami) 11:19 Science For Girls With Renee Cologne - Violets 11:15 Dudley Perkins Feat. Jhelisa - Friendly Flowers (Simon S Special Blend) 11:10 Blank And Jones - Heart Of Wax (With Vanessa Daou) 11:07 Luigi Seviroli - Smoke & Mirrors 11:02 Soma Sonic - Could It Be Real 10:56 Cafe Americaine - Infrajam (Loungebar Mix) 10:51 Prana Tones - Asian Energy 10:50 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 10:47 Lemongrass - Lovely 10:42 Random Soul - I Live For The Moment (Feat Kristen Pearson) 10:37 Gary B - Love Rain Down 10:33 Opal Feat. Querubyna - Loving You 10:33 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 10:28 Jaytech Feat. Melody Gough - Blue Ocean (Original Mix) 10:25 Honour - Aradeo 10:20 Marga Sol - Midnight Flight (Original Mix) 10:16 Vienna Dc - Dope Control 10:16 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 10:09 The Man Behind C. - Como Aire Cristalino (Latin Mix) 10:05 Madita - Unspoken 09:55 Sonic Company - Alternative Road (Remix) 09:50 Paulo Sol - A Night On Beach (Instrumental) 09:45 Paul Hardcastle - First Light 09:41 Loretta Heywood - Butterfly 09:35 Blank & Jones - Barefoot On The Beach 09:30 Climatic - L'horizzonte 09:24 Michael E - Cry On My Shoulder 09:19 Mirage Of Deep - Ave Maria (Sights Of The Mediterranean) 09:13 Razoof Feat. Lady Alma - Jah Is Watching You 09:08 Lemongrass - Frozen Boy (Feat. Jane Maximova) 09:04 Giacomo Bondi & Gabrielle Chiararo - Don't Dream It's Over (Original Mix) 09:00 Jens Buchert - Fluffy Time 08:56 Bobby Hughes Combination - Olympic Girls 08:56 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 08:49 Morcheeba - Let Me See (Sonic Warrior ‘Beat’ Mix) 08:44 Adani & Wolf - The Moment (Original Mix) 08:40 Mousse T. Feat. Roachford - Pop Muzak (Ian Pooley Remix) 08:35 Edx - Falling Out Of Love (Lounge Mix) 08:35 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 08:29 Jean Mare - Everything (Original Mix) 08:24 Weathertunes - Happy Birthday (Feat. Wawa) (Original Mix) 08:18 Roger Sanchez - Another Chance (Afterlife Remix) 08:13 Van - Turkish Coffee (Original Mix) 08:08 Mario Basanov & Vidis Ft. Jazzu - I'll Be Gone (Extended Original Mix) 08:03 Faro - A Blue Kind Sphere 08:00 Tryst (Uk) - The Bay 07:57 Exhibitionist - Hands 07:57 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 07:52 Mercer & Gissal - Scandal (Feat. Nicole Grimaldi) 07:49 Fenomenon - Out Of Control 07:44 Jerome Noak Feat. Al Miller - You Got Me - Thomas Lemmer Chillout Remix 07:39 Afterlife - Dub In Ya Mind (Beachclub Mix) 07:36 Chamelodyon - Star Fruit Express 07:31 Living Room - Sundown 07:26 Hooverphonic - The World Is Mine (Eli Janney's Tight Remix (Edit)) 07:22 Roberto Sol - So Awesome (Cafe Del Mar Mix) 07:17 Riccardo Eberspacher - Sansiz Olamaz 07:12 Booper - Could Be Mine 07:09 Riccardo Eberspacher - Osiride 07:03 Max Denoise, Claire Willis - All I See (Original Mix) 06:58 D. Batistatos - Sunset At Noon 06:54 Hacienda - Be With Me 06:48 Leonardo Bertolotto - Doctor House (Original Mix) 06:43 Merge Of Equals - Take You There 06:38 351 Lake Shore Drive - Xtc 06:32 Max Denoise, Claire Willis - All I See (Original Mix) 06:28 Jane Maximova - Late In The Night 06:24 Le Garde - Wake Up Darling (Original Mix) 06:19 Sven Van Hees - Barracuda Staredown 06:09 Living Room - Maui Pie 06:04 Chicane Present - No Ordinary Morning (Original Mix) 06:00 Soro Sori - Starry Light (Vocal Dub Version) 05:55 Napalm - My Love (Tenderheart Remix) 05:51 Waldeck - So Black & Blue 05:46 Gary B - Step Into The Sunshine 05:44 Dj Cattail - Holiday Trip 05:40 Jazzamor - Lovin' You 05:38 Lostifi - Expedition 05:33 Carly Aurora - The Liar (Jepsen Downtempo Mix) 05:28 Mahoroba - Des Moments (Guitar Mix) 05:24 Jens Buchert - Jens Buchert 05:19 Lazy Hammock - Lost In Dreams 05:14 Steen Thottrup - Missing U (A Tribute To The Sun) (Original Mix) 05:14 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 05:11 Dreamhunter - Bring The Light 05:07 Hacienda - Sabor 05:02 Fjord - If I Was To Call 04:59 Eriq Johnson, Avo - So Many Miles Away (Original Mix) 04:53 Jeff Bennett's Lounge Experience Feat. Alexandra - Sympathy 04:48 Naoki Kenji - Under The Surface 04:43 Zzouro - Rescue Remedy 04:40 Shamika Cox - Te Quiero 04:36 Beacon - It Won-'t Be Long 04:32 Lounge Vargos - Feeling Love 04:27 Alien Cafe - Sacred Mountain 04:23 Dark Matters - Together Feat. Cathy Burton (Album Mix) 04:22 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 04:16 Magica Fe - Words 04:12 Left - Lovesong 04:07 Korte - Schwebende Gedanken 04:02 Lafoliedamour - You 03:58 Papercut - Morning Blues 03:53 Chillwalker - A Dream Comes True (Red Horizon Mix) 03:48 Lemongrass - Sunset People 03:43 Puch - Playground 03:38 Faro - Dreaming In Orange (Original Mix) (Original Mix) 03:33 Hooverphonic - The World Is Mine (Eli Janney's Tight Remix (Edit)) 03:29 Roberto Sol - Miles Beyond (Late Night Mix) 03:24 Mo'jardo - Summer Rain (Original Mix) 03:24 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 03:19 Pixiefish - Stars (Ocean Mix) 03:15 Ganga Feat. Sophie Tusnelda - Blue Heart 03:11 Merge Of Equals - Back To Where We Were 03:06 Soundset City - Get It On (Deep Lounge Mix) 03:00 Michael E - Shadows & Light (Original Mix) 01:53 Bent - Swollen 01:49 The Sonic Company - Unexpected Love (Original Mix) 01:44 Cafe Americaine - Solitude Charmante (Level One) 01:39 Pascal Dubois - Deep Into The Night (Long Island Mix) 01:33 Lux - Indica 01:29 Chapel Stile - Pretz (N. Cowley) 01:25 Flunk - Sugar Planet 01:20 Gushi & Raffunk - Sound Of You (Beat Ambasada Remix) 01:15 Electric Moonlight - Spirit Of The World 01:09 Dab - The Blues 01:05 Five Seasons - Sunshine And Sea 01:00 Yan C - A Night In Paradise 00:56 Baxx - For Time To Love You 00:49 Mirage Of Deep - Northern Lights 00:43 Didascalis - Together 00:37 Blank & Jones - Hideaway 00:33 Hacienda - Sabor 00:27 Cane Garden Quartet - Flying With No Wings 00:23 Ialaz - Waves (Original Mix) 00:17 Paul Moore - My Present 00:14 Cafe Americaine - Maritime (Caribic Flow Mix) 00:09 Roberto Sol & Chris Le Blanc Feat. Ines - Ahora 00:04 Sunyata Project - Inner Lights (Feat. Miyabi) 00:04 Jingle - Radiosun.ro
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drawrty · 6 years ago
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*** by ellena3
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lightsdestiny · 5 years ago
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character tag dump
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lightsdestiny-moved · 5 years ago
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character tag dump
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connor-burrows · 7 years ago
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Harmonium by realityDream
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stephanocardona · 7 years ago
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Rebirth I. by realityDream
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vannahfanfics · 3 years ago
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ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ NYOOMS IN hellooo i would really love to request a sokai fic with the lollipop prompt!! personal anecdote: lollipops were the first sweet i ever hand-made for valentine's day because i wanted them to last longer than chocolates, bahaha :D thank you so much for all your wonderful work!!! ♡
Hi, liesles! Thank you for waiting patiently for your request! I thought it would go really well with a prompt from @sokaiweek​, “Be Mine,” so I hope you enjoy what I’ve come up with!
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Sweet on You
“Ahh, it feels like forever since I’ve been to Twilight Town!” Kairi cried jubilantly as she ran down the forest path, eager to escape the woods where they’d hidden the Gummi ship and reach the town proper. She stopped to spin on her heel in the dirt, flashing Sora a brilliant smile. “Of course, the last time I was here, I was hiding from the Organization,” she joked, twirling a lock of her short auburn hair around her finger. Sora snorted at her cheekiness, amazed at her ability to reconcile with what was probably a pretty harrowing experience. But, that boundless optimism was one of the many things he appreciated about Kairi. 
“Well, now we don’t have to worry about them,” he smiled back, leaves crunching under his feet as he followed after her. She waited for him to join her on the path, standing there with her hands clasped behind her back in that adorable way that never failed to make his heart flutter. He was glad to see that even after everything they’d been through, some things still hadn’t changed. 
“So? What do you want to do while we’re in town?” he asked when he reached her, sliding his hands in his pockets. Kairi walked along beside him, a spring in her step. 
“I want to visit Olette, Pence, and Hayner, of course! Oh— and Xion, Roxas, Isa, and Lea, too. I want to try those pretzels and sea salt they brag about so much!” she giggled. He loved her giggle, he realized dreamily. It was the sweetest of sounds, sweeter than even the bells of Scala ad Caelum ringing in the dawn blush light. “But you know,” she said suddenly, snapping him out of his daze, “I didn’t really get to enjoy the town much last time, since I was hiding away. Before we do that, can we explore a little bit, Sora?” 
“Absolutely! Anything you want, Kairi!” he agreed immediately. 
Ugh. He could hear Riku laughing now, calling him “whipped.” How was he supposed to refuse, though, when she was asking him so cutely with that excited shine in her eyes and that pretty smile on her lips? Saying no would be downright criminal!
Giggling with delight, she scampered down the path again towards the triangular gap in the brick wall that served as the entrance to the woods. Yeah, Sora reconciled with a soft smile as he watched her skirt swish around her thighs and her hair bounce around her shoulders. He was definitely whipped for Kairi. He’d always been, really. She was his light.
The sunlight enveloped them as they stepped out into the city, warm and welcoming. The tram was trundling by, rocking gently on the tracks with its metal gleaming in the sunset haze. Sora had always liked Twilight Town, not just because Roxas’ heart lay dormant inside of him. It reminded him a bit of Destiny Islands— the warm sun coating his skin, the breeze carrying the scent of trees, the atmosphere of peace and tranquility. He paused at the edge of the ledge to close his eyes and savor the sunbeams playing over his face. He cracked an eye open when he felt Kairi stand next to him. 
“I can see why they love this place so much,” she hummed, observing the honeyed skyline with lidded eyes. “It really is beautiful…” 
He could sense the “but” lingering on her tongue. 
“But… It’s not home?” he guessed, and she looked at him with a wan smirk. 
“Yeah. But it’s home to them, so I suppose that’s all that matters,” she shrugged, her look turning cheery, and he couldn’t help but grin. She always found the bright side of things— she always found the light. “But, you could definitely pick a worse home to have.” 
“Yeah, that’s true.”
Kairi took another moment to scan the horizon, watching the golden light play across the oranges and browns of the buildings. Then she cocked her head to the side with a girlish laugh. Her smile was nearly blinding as she declared, “All right, enough sightseeing! I wanna go shopping!” 
“Yes ma’am!” he said with a salute, and Kairi laughed again. Gosh, if he could only hear one sound for the rest of his life, it would be Kairi’s laugh, no question. Her giggles floated in the air as she hurried down the steps to the causeway. If Sora tried hard enough, he could see them floating around like bubbles, little iridescent, rainbow films of her beautiful laugh. He reached up to touch them, but they skipped just beyond the edges of his fingertips to float up, up, up into the honey-colored sky and red-tinged clouds. That was okay, though, because there were always more where that came from. 
“You know, I’m surprised to see so much green here,” Kairi commented as she looked at all the small planters and flower boxes adorning the city. They perched on windowsills, rested on tables, sat on porch steps, or were positioned along the sidewalk. Flowers, ferns, herbs— everything and more could be found in the myriad of little pots littering the city streets, and their bright green fronds and stalks almost glowed against the background of autumn colors. “It really does make everything a little bit homier,” she hummed in contentment. 
“Yeah, and gives Little Chef a lot of ingredients to gather!” he added with a bright grin. 
“Oh, right, of course. That’s very important!” she giggled, prompting Sora to raise an eyebrow challengingly. 
“What? Are you making fun of me?” 
“No, it’s just nice to see that your love for food hasn’t changed,” she chuckled. “You either think with your heart or your stomach!” 
Sora opened his mouth to object, then closed it because it was true. It still felt like he was being made fun of, but darn it, she just looked too cute with that teasing smirk and the tip of her tongue sticking out between her teeth! Oh, he was whipped all right, more than Little Chef’s best frosting. He looked out to the road, and a smile played over his lips as he considered just how much Kairi had him wrapped around her finger. 
It was then that he spied something resting beside the main shopping complex, and he started thinking with his stomach again.
“Speaking of love for food…” 
A cute little cart was parked beside the complex. Pink and white heart-shaped balloons that were tied to the handle bobbed in the breeze, their metallic surfaces gleaming. Red, white, and pink streamers adorned the white cart’s side, and inside, an assortment of candies rested on a soft bed of baby-pink faux grass. Sora’s mouth began to salivate immediately upon clapping eyes on it, and Kairi laughed at him. For the first time that day, he was too absorbed in the promise of sweets to fixate on how much he loved her laugh. 
“What’s this? This is new!” he exclaimed as he pranced up to it. The young woman chuckled at his excited approach, flicking her bangs out of her face and primly resting her hands against her chocolate-smeared apron. 
“Hi there! This is a special promotion that the local chocolatier is doing for Valentine’s Day.” 
“Valentine’s Day?” he echoed. Was it really February? Time sure flew when you were running around saving the world. 
“What’s the promotion?” Kairi asked, peering around his shoulder to admire the assortment of candied goods nestled in the plastic stringy faux grass. 
“We’re giving away free samples today!” the attendant chirped. “Please, pick whatever you like— for yourself, for someone special.” She gave Sora a playful wink, which made his cheeks turn as pink as the decorations on the cart. 
Thankfully, Kairi had become too engrossed in the heart-shaped cake pops to catch the candy seller’s jibe. After carefully studying one for a moment, she plucked it out of the display and promptly took a chomp out of it. She hummed exultantly as she chewed the red velvet and red icing, then opened her eyes to smile at the attendant. 
“This is delicious! Oh, we should bring everyone something, don’t you think, Sora?”
“Totally, as long as the attendant doesn’t mind. We don’t want to run off with all her stock.” 
“Please do!” she smiled pleasantly. “We want everyone to be able to enjoy these sweet treats. All I ask is that you check out the chocolatier sometime soon to look at our complete stock!” 
After promising to follow through, Kairi and Sora began picking out free samples to bring to their friends. They tried to choose a variety while still choosing things they thought they would each enjoy. While Kairi was debating between a mini strawberry shortcake and a chocolate eclair, Sora discreetly stowed a wrapped heart-shaped lollipop in his shorts pocket. 
Of course, it didn’t go unnoticed by the candy attendant. 
Someone special? She mouthed with a smirk playing over her lips. With a sidelong glance at Kairi that melted into a loving smile, he nodded. Someone special, indeed. 
After making their decisions, Sora and Kairi headed off to rendezvous with their friends. They were delighted to find the treats well-received (though comments of pretzels and sea salt ice cream were made… and comments turned into procuration, but Sora was never going to complain about more food!). They watched the sunset from the clock tower, all of them squashed together on the ledge so tightly that poor Pence almost fell off, but it worked out all right and they had a good laugh about it. 
Just as the last red rays of the setting sun were spearing across the sky in their last goodbye, they said their farewells and headed back to the Gummi ship. Kairi pranced along the path, cooing at the fireflies flitting through the trees and underbrush to fill the gloomy forest with an earthy green glow. It was a town of sunset and greenery, two things so at odds with each other yet complimented one another so well here. And at the center of all that beautiful color was Kairi. 
She danced in a circle, laughing jubilantly as she whirled her arms around to scatter the fireflies like a thousand leaves. Her hair flowed around her face like an autumn breeze, and her skirt swished around her legs like florets on the wind. The green flickering lights and puddles of moonlight illuminated her form, and in that moment, she looked like an angel descended to earth. 
“I love you,” he whispered in reverence. He found his throat closed up with emotion, but he kept going in his head. I love you. I love you so much it hurts. I can’t imagine life without you, because I love you, I love you, I love you, and I always have. He wasn’t sure when he started crying, but Kairi saw them gleaming in the moonlight, and that’s when she stopped dancing to look at him in concern. 
“Sora? Sora, what’s wrong?” she gasped and ran up to him. He just looked down at her while she raised her hands to his cheeks, sweeping away his tears with soft, gentle brushes of her thumbs. “Talk to me,” she whispered, oh-so-sweetly that his heart broke with happiness. 
“Kairi… There was something from the candy cart that I didn’t share with anyone else,” he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. She knitted her eyebrows together in confusion as he procured the lollipop from his pocket and held it out to her. She looked up at him, then down at the lollipop. She took it, turning it over to peer through the plastic film at the simple words etched in white icing on the front of the pink lollipop. 
BE MINE.
“Sora…” she murmured, looking up at him. He smiled sweetly even through the tears that still spilled from his eyes. She looked beautiful even in the way she kaleidoscoped in his watery vision. He reached up to cup her face in his hands, and he marveled at the way her cheeks nestled so perfectly against his palms, like they were made to be held by him and only him. Her eyelashes fluttered as she stared up at him in bewilderment, surprise, and hope.
“I love you,” he whispered again, but so she could hear this time. “I love you, Kairi. You are the light of my life, you know that?” 
“Yeah,” she said, her voice breaking as her own tears broke through the dam to flow down her face. They beaded against his palms, roughened by his years of wielding the Keyblade, but still soft enough for her to cuddle into his touch. “You’re the light of my life, too. I’m yours, Sora, I always have been.” 
He smiled at that, a broken smile because his mouth just simply couldn’t display the sheer amount of joy welling up inside of him. He petted her cheeks, wiping away her tears as she hiccuped sobby little giggles that just made her cheeks warm with embarrassment. He leaned forward to press his forehead to hers, unable to stop himself from whispering, “You’re so cute.” 
“Stop… You’re gonna embarrass me,” she complained, even though she laughed. 
“I can’t help myself. You are.” 
“Can… Can you just… Can you kiss me already, please?” she sniffed, her cheeks shining like pink opals in the moonlight. 
How could he ever refuse, especially whipped for her as he was? 
He immediately rushed in to do as she said, but he let his zeal get the best of him, because his nose collided with hers. Nervous apologies tumbled from his mouth but Kairi just giggled and guided his face back down, nosing his cheek to prompt him to try again. He took it slower this time, easing himself in to experimentally brush his lips over hers. Kairi waited for her to find his rhythm, but he could feel her excitement in the way her mouth trembled. After a few tentative pecks, he smoothed his lips over hers in a full, sweet, passionate kiss, and she melted against him. 
Forget the candy cart— Kairi’s lips were the sweetest thing he would ever taste, period. 
He kissed her again, and again, and again, until Kairi was fleeing his advances with giddy, bubbly laughter. His lips still fluttered over the places he could reach— her cheeks, her nose, her forehead, her jawline, even her eyelids. He was just drowning in love and he didn’t know how else to get it out besides showering her in affection. 
“Sora,” she insisted as she ran from his lips again, and this time, he just pouted at her. She placated him with a little peck to his pursed lips, which did make him feel a little better. “We have all the time in the world now,” she reminded him with a sweet smile. “I would like to go home at some point.” 
Right. Home— the home he shared with his friends, with his family, with Kairi. He pulled away to link his hand with hers, while she peeled the plastic off the lollipop to pop it into her mouth. The BE MINE flashed in the moonlight, making Sora’s heart swell with adoration. Kairi didn’t mean for it to be a question, but he answered it in his heart anyway. 
Always, Kairi. Always and forever. 
Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to peruse my Table of Contents!
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freckled-lili · 4 years ago
Text
So some of you may be trying not to remember that I did a silly, cingey playthrough that I called Sou Doki Doki!, where I was playing Doki Doki Literature Club and named the MC after Sou Hiyori, then for the rest of the VN acted out as Sou. It wasn’t very good.
But anyway.
During Act 2 of the VN I had also wrote a poem and uploaded it into three parts (mostly because the poem ended up being a lot longer than I had originally intended). But I had also encrypted the poems in different codes (Base64, Binary ... I think the last was UCode or something?), because that was gimmick DDLC also did with some of their easter eggs - hide extra poems or additional content through encryption.
After some thought, I’ve finally decided to upload all three parts in normal text for anyone who was curious about what was going on with those poems. I will admit it’s not that great, but I worked really hard on the poem so I’m satisfied with how it came out.
*skateboards out*
Tumblr media
The Man with the Glass Smile
 Part 1
Today I was invited to a game
When I arrived, there were only
Two holes
They fit perfectly for my eyes
They must have been made
For me
They said
“Look inside me”
So I peered inside
Not all things can be ignored
Inside were rivers
All rushing and struggling
To move forward
To steer their own course
Fleeing nonsensically,
A world full of tangled possibilities
But all rivers lead to
The bottomless ocean
You can’t change nature
You can’t change the threads of fate
I stumbled back
The two holes said,
“I’m sorry
Did you think that all life
Was equal in this game?
You are all nothing but
Numbers on a page
And you and I
Are the most insignificant
Of them all”
I fell to my knees
tried to scream
But
I was choking
A million beats
threatening to erupt from
my throat
Tiny frogs
trying to swim up
a waterfall
Something was dribbling
from my lips
I covered my mouth
But soon it was lea
king
from the cracks of my pale fingers
Excreting from my body
was ink and glass
It splattered over
the floor below me
A black, cracked pond that reflected
Nothing
Least of all myself
The pond grew tall
Morphed and twitched into
A figure
He had a smile made of glass
He was someone I should know
A memory shoved in the back
Or a piece of my soul I barely knew
The man with the glass smile said
“I’m sorry
You should never have been sent
To the front lines
I am not your savior
I will be the one
To walk out of this game
For you
All you have to do
Is stay inside”
I wish I could I say
I refused countless times
It’s hard to remain crystal clear
When the mind is
crac k ing
I rested my head down on his shoulders
Held him like a tired child
He carried me in his arms
Ink stained my skin
Shards pricked my flesh
There is no flawless future
So I buried myself
In the ink and shards
We held each other close
We conducted our discordant lullaby
“We/I can(‘t) keep the pieces together
We/I can(‘t) keep the pieces together
We/I can(‘t) keep the pieces together
We/I can(‘t) keep the pieces together”
I close my eyes
I will sleep
Until the poem is finished…
Part 2
…but I couldn’t sleep
There were voices
From outside
It was so cramped here
It was made for me after all
Is survival supposed to feel so
Lonely?
I saw two holes along the walls
They fit perfectly for my eyes
My isolation enticed me to peek
Not all things will be ignored
Outside there were eyes
They were upset about something
Seething, glaring, squinting
Their pupils dilating with hunger
For demise
My demise
They drew in close
They said,
“Soon
Soon
Soon it will be
Your turn to die
Soon”
Distressed, I looked down at
Myself
But I was no longer mine
I belonged to the man with the glass smile
That was the deal
With my mouth
We bared cracked grins
With my voice,
We crafted lies to conceal me
With my hands
We passed the skull to another
With their lives,
We moved forward
With his way,
My hands are crimson
It hurts
Is this really survival?
I pleaded
“It wasn’t me!
I’m sorry, it wasn’t me!”
But my mouth
Wasn’t mine anymore
The man with the glass smile
Stroked my cheek with jagged hands
Wet with inky tears
He said,
“I’m sorry
Did you think this was going to be easy?
We’re only doing this
Because you can’t
They’re only numbers on a page
All frantically adding and subtracting each other
Are you really weeping for numbers?
Don’t forget
Yours the most insignificant
Of them all”
He drew me away from the holes
We whispered out lullaby
“We/I can(‘t) keep the pieces together
We/I can(‘t) keep the pieces together
We/I can(‘t) keep the pieces together
We/I can(‘t) keep the pieces together”
Inside I tried to sleep
The poem will be over soon.
But I couldn’t think about verses
Only numbers
They’re just supposed to be numbers
Why does it hurt
When one is taken out of the equation?
It doesn’t matter
How many times it gets better
1000 x 0 = 0
All rivers lead to the bottomless ocean
The voices our louder
Swarming, twisting, writhing,
I can’t breath
Has anyone drowned in sound before?
This can’t be survival
I need to get out
So I start scratching
Fingernails rakING violently around me
A revolting
cac
O
PHO
ny
Of voices and s////cr\\\\a////tche\\\\s
Soon my nails are stuffed with pulp
Like a FATTENED cherry pie
I keep s////cr\\\\atchi////ng\\\\
I//// ke\\\\ep sc////rat\\\\ching
S ////c r A \\\\ t C H I n //// g gggggggggggg \\\\
The man with the glass smile
Peels me away from the walls
Shards pierce my skull
Ink stinging my cuts
He said
“I’m sorry
But you knew
You could never survive this game
That’s why I’m at the front lines
There are no saviors
There are no heroes
There is only surviving
You can’t really die on the inside”
We struggled
We scrEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEamed
at each other
“We/I CAN(‘t) keep the pieces together!
We/I can(‘T) keep the pieces together!
We/I CAN(‘t) keep the pieces together!
We/I can(‘T) KEEP THE PIECES TOGETHER!”
He went back outside
I kept sc////rat\\\\c////hin\\\\g inside
This is not survival
I want this poem to end
I hate how it’s coming out
I keep scr////at\\\\c////hi\\\\ng …
Part 3
…but it was all meaningless
I always knew
If there really was no chance
Then I wish I was taken out of the equation
Before I put together a glass smile
There were two holes
They fit perfectly for my eyes
I crawled towards them
And took another peek
There are some things you won’t ignore
Outside there were eyes
They were upset about something
Seething, glaring, squinting
All hungry for demise
My demise
I’m sorry
In the distance
There was a silhouette
Faint as a ghost
They fluttered towards me
Softly
A cherry blossom in the wind
Their little hands poked through the holes
I held them by their fingertips
Tried not to stain them with ink
(Or was it blood?
I can’t tell anymore
It all looks the same now)
They didn’t seem to mind
I forgot what gentleness felt like
Behind me
A cacophony of voices and scratches
In front of me
The hushing breath
Of a meadow’s breeze
They swept away
The madness of sound
I forgot what tenderness sounded like
Did you ever think
That a ghost would bring life?
I forgot what that was
I wasn’t living
I was simply not dying
I always had my head down
Trying to keep the pieces together
I was always struggling
To remain afloat in the rushing river
With one faint touch
I looked up and remembered
To bathed in the sunbeams
With one faint touch
I felt a little more grounded
And finally touched the sky
The air felt so clean and clear
I breathed again.
They asked me
“Have you ever met someone
Who became a ghost before they died?
I am a ghost for someone I lost
Just like you
Who you lost, I don’t know
You and I are simply flickering in life
Maybe I can save you
What little light I have left
I want you to have
So you may be your own light again
If I have to fade
I’m ready for that”
They let go
They fluttered away
But not to join the wind
A cherry blossom adrift
On the ocean’s surface
Ready to sink
Did you keep my head up
So I could watch you go
And never come back?
The man with the glass smile asked,
“Are you really weeping for numbers?
It’s just another subtraction
That’s how the game goes
Remember
You’re the most insignificant
Of them all
Subtracting you won’t save anyone”
Enough
My fingers flew up
Smashed the glass smile
From my face
I reached out
I already lost myself
Please!
Don’t let me lose them too!
Please!
But the two holes were too small
So I start scratching again
Dug my nails along the edges of the holes
Spread them open
I leap out
All rivers lead to the bottomless ocean
I reach out
With the last of my strength
I held up the flickering ghost
With my last breath
I blew them back into the wind
And they fluttered away once more
There are saviors here
But that savior wasn’t me
Under the surface of the ocean
I gazed up towards the reflection
Of the man who once had a glass smile
I said,
“I’m not sorry
I can’t live being made of glass
You and I
Could never keep the pieces together
Instead you just picked off
the shards from my broken body
Laid them down
For someone to bleed on
How can I walk out of this game
If you keep taking me apart
And leave me behind?
The person I lost was me
You were never really surviving
Just writing a long-winded poem
Hoping you would never have to
Finish it”
The final word
Was mine
I’m reaching the end of this poem
I never felt so happy
I sunk into the cradle of the ocean
Silence never sounded so beautiful
I smile
I sink
I live
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