#And they strike up a proper correspondence

[corsairspade]

Halenthir scenario where they get married for tax benefits (in a platonic good friends sort of way) and fall in love long distance via sending each other letters with ideas on how to best leverage their marriage for tax evasion.

[legendsgalore]

Eiland finds you asleep

Another day, another find!

At least that’s what Eiland hopes. Ah, he wonders how you do it. It would be bitter, how after so many years of studying and searching, and excavating, he had scarcely turned up even a fraction of what you had found in three seasons, except the pink-haired man was too excited to bother.

You had furthered his research so much that some of his historical correspondences’ letters were feeling tinged with jealousy. But, they could not deny the importance of the finds! 

Mistria’s relevance had fallen with their rank after the earthquake, but after the revelations found as a result of a literal treasure trove of evidence emerging, Eiland was a little smug reading multiple inquiries about excavation trips fellow researchers wanted to make to the town.

Not that he was smug of course, petty feelings like that wouldn’t do anyone any good, especially not him. But, Eiland muses, another thank you gift sent your way might be due soon.

He was on his way to the Western Ruins, the chilly fall air just the right temperature to keep his walk brisk, without hurried from cold. Eiland absent-mindedly plucked a blackberry from a bush as he considered what to get you.

Would you be suspicious if he bought an entire cake again, and *had* to give you a slice or two…? Or maybe he should find another dessert recipe for you, you seem to enjoy making and selling them, not that he was paying attention to when you went on a baking spree. He definitely didn’t make sure he was always able to purchase at least one dessert from Balor before the merchant sold them off.

Hmm, maybe a dessert recipe was too selfish of him. Now what to get you…

The princeling had stepped into the grounds deemed the Western Ruins, and the sound of the sea not-so-gently crashing against the nearby cliff was calming. Turning left, Eiland made his way down to the dig-site, and over to his tools, permanently left there.

He doesn’t waste time and picks up his iron shovel-gifted by you of course-and heads over to do some digging. Just as he makes his way down the slope, he pauses.

It seems like you had beat him here, but you’re curled up in the corner opposite to him. Eiland can’t see your face, and his heart drops at your stillness, and he rushes over to your quiet form.

Eiland calls out your name, and then stiffens as you shift in response. But instead of responding to him, you turned over and he could see your face now.

You…were asleep.

Eiland feels his jaw drop. You were curled up in the corner, hidden from the fall wind, and sound asleep. Were you waiting for him?

No, no, Eiland chides himself, that’s not the point now. He frowns and puts his hand to his chin. What to do? He definitely can’t carry you back to town, not like Balor or March could. But waking you up was out of the question. He couldn’t fathom how tired you were, but if you were asleep here he was not going to be the one to wake you up.

He…couldn’t handle doing that, the pinkette admitted to himself. He would feel bad watching your cute nose scrunch up, and then you look up at him with unguarded and sleepy eyes, and then you would say “...Eiland?” In a sleepy and cute voice and….

Gah, no Eiland. This isn’t the time. 

He shakes his head, and then an idea strikes him. He unclaps and removes his cloak, and gently places it over you, like a blanket.

There, he has done something now. 

Eiland feels himself beam, and then blushes at himself.

Ah, wow, he’s being quite silly about this, isn’t he? He really should wake you up so you can obtain proper sleep in your own bed. But, he looks again at you. You have tucked yourself into his cloak, and looked oh-so cute.

Eiland picks his shovel up, and, with one last glance at you, quietly pads over to the opposite side of the dig-site, and starts digging, albeit very quietly.

And no one would be any the wiser if maybe an hour later, he stopped for the day, and read a book next to your sleeping form, instead of digging.

[catofoldstones]

The Ashford Theory and my patience running thin

Welcome, welcome my guys, gals and non-binary pals, to another scream into the void that the Ashford theory is, in fact, very jonsa

On to the arguments!

1. The suitor has to have the correct last name, not family, look at Joffrey Baratheon, you stupid jonsa

Hypothesis - the suitor has to have the corresponding name, not family, and because Jon is a Snow he’s out of the running. The other prong is fAegon who is actually a Blackfyre and not Targeryen, who can also be the suitor.

Thesis - Joffrey is the only other suitor to have a different name. Joffrey and Jon have also been set up as foils from the start of AGOT. Joffrey is a bastard masquerading as the rightful king and Jon is the rightful king (thrice crowned) masquerading as a bastard. It makes sense that they are the only two suitors to have the wrong name as this establishes them as inverses in another way. The last suitor being the foil of the horrible first suitor thereby showing character growth, and plot progression and resolution? Count me in.

As for Young Griff being a Blackfyre, here’s a meta or two, maybe even an argument, for him being the real Aegon VI Targaryen but take my personal fav evidences of Tyrion figuring out that Young Griff is Aegon VI Targaryen and then, Varys literally telling a dying Kevan Lannister about the true Targaryen prince and why would you lie to a dying man? How does that serve your purpose?

This is literally grrm telling us who Young Griff actually is, though this does not count him I out of the contenders, it reduces the weight of him being the fifth suitor, due to story arcs and well, his doomed fate.

Conclusion - While Aegon VI is a strong contender, there is much, much more literary weight and nuance with Jon being the Targaryen suitor.

2. Lady Ashford was not crowned the Queen of Love and Beauty by any champion!!! Take that jonsas

Hypothesis - tQoLaB is a title analogous to a betrothal/love interest

Thesis - there have been no allusions to the title of tQoLaB while trying to foreshadow a relationship, except for a really, really bad one (r + l) that plunged the whole realm into a civil war and we should not take that as a good sign

Conclusion - we’re grasping at straws here besties

3. Dunk disrupted the Ashford Tourney, therefore Sxndxr will disrupt Sansa’s prospects and other things

Hypothesis - Dunk & Sxndxr are are analogous and since there was no conclusion to the Tourney we can safely assume that it’s sxnsxn foreshadowing

Thesis - Brienne is the Dunk asoiaf corollary, not Sxndxr. Brienne is theorized to be Dunk’s descendant. She even has her shield painted like Dunk’s, apart from their striking character parallels and being a true foil to all the other knights in the story. Mr. Gravedigger is just tall :/

“Your door reminded me of an old shield I once saw in my father’s armory.”

Brienne II, AFFC

Brienne has Dunk’s shield in her family home possibly because she’s a descendant of Dunk but then goes ahead and gets her shield painted exactly like this one

“[The painted shield] was more a picture than a proper coat of arms, and the sight of it took her back through the long years, to the cool dark of her father’s armory. She remembered how she’d run her fingertips across the cracked and fading paint, over the green leaves of the tree, and along the path of the falling star.”

Brienne II, AFFC

Secondly, just because the tourney did not have a (satisfactory) conclusion does not mean that the tourney did not exist to serve a purpose. I doubt grrm would likely give out his whole story as early as 1998.

Conclusion - BRIENSA 4eva!!!!!

4. Valarr Targaryen died of a sickness and Aegon VI is doomed to die and is connected to a sickness, are you looking at the nerves popping out of my thick, brainy skull

Thesis - the fifth suitor is 100% Aegon and there’s no one else

Hypothesis - there is a Targaryen.. currently dead.. in the books… (thnk u @istumpysk for ur galaxy brain). The plague in the story serves to connects Aegon more to Dany than to a northern girl he doesn’t know about and might not like since she’s a Stark and his mother is Elia Martell.

Conclusion - jonsa

5. This is all a coincidence & u jonsas are reaching as always

Hypothesis - though george is known to tie every deep end, every crack theory, even farfetched ones that the readers have not caught, this one thing completely skipped his notice because exceptions are always there

Thesis - yes, because this is acotar & not asoiaf and he’s not grrm, i am

Conclusion - JONSAAAAAAAAAAAA

[isolaradiale]

. . . . .

"Mmhm, I see, I see... Your father did tell us you had a bit of a mishap with your art project. We couldn't help coming to give some advice." Solaris muses, circling the diorama of the city. Currently, it's been moved to a coffee table.

"Yes, he told me I should try and spin it as if I had done such a thing on purpose. But I don't see how I could possibly..." "Oh, we had an idea for that!"

Mimosa flutters from behind, resting her hands on Janus' shoulders. The glint of mischief hiding in her rosy glasses does not escape his notice.

"We could help you mirror it in the city proper, you know!" "What?" "It's an interesting theory. The structures you made still stand, but what gives them life and personality has been greyed out." "I wouldn't say that--" "So how do you fix it? Do you paint them with the hues and values they're supposed to be, or do you pick something new?" "What do you do with the spots where the paint bled together? Do you paint over that, too?"

As the two bounce back and forth in this terrible game of brainstorming, Janus begins to put his hands to his cheeks in mounting horror.

"Oh, no. No no no. Absolutely not--" "If we make someone look like an old black and white movie, what happens? Will they try to change to technicolour?" "Would they paint themselves the colour palettes they're used to? Maybe it's something entirely different. If we make those hues correspond with their personalities..." "I--I'll have no part in this! The last time something like this happened, everything--" "Ah-ah, don't worry."

Mimosa leaves Janus side to twirl next to Solaris, who makes an artful pose himself, as if framing the splotchy mess of a diorama in his hands.

"We have this one completely under control. Not like last time." "I'll make sure of it. Just a little bit of editing... ah, Mimosa, what if we..."

Janus can only move his head as the two take their leave, watching them scheme and snicker. He turns back to look at the model of the city. And in a scramble that almost makes him trip over his own feet, he rushes to his boxes of paints.

"--I have to at least put the base coat back on, or they really won't have anything at all!"

. . . . .

Welcome to another zany event for the fall season! It looks like Mimosa and Solaris aren't done causing trouble, but this time, it should be harmless. Right? (Right...?)

Taking inspiration from a creative mishap, the Stars have decided to effectively render the city in greyscale--including the people residing in it--to see what really makes everyone so colourful. Thankfully, most people will start with a base hue.

What does that mean, though? Here's a handy-dandy list of notes!

As soon as it strikes midnight that night, your muse will find that they've been completely greyscaled, save for one colour that represents who they are at their core, and only that colour! - Think of it like those 'what colour is your soul' quizzes. If your muse was only one hue, what would it be? For example, a character that is inherently cheery might turn completely yellow or pink, while a hot-headed character may turn red or orange to reflect their personality.

Your muse cannot help but feel and act whatever hue/personality they seem to be. However! The more your muse interacts with the people around them, the more colours (and feelings/facets of their personality) will open up to them. This will also physically reflect on them. - If your cheery yellow muse bumps into a sad, blue muse, you'll both have a new colour to express. Now you can feel happy (yellow) AND sad (blue)! And perhaps a sort of melancholy joy, like watching your best friend win that prize you wanted instead of you. Of course, you're happy for them, but sad you didn't win. - Or maybe those two colours mix into being green with envy... And suddenly, you have a new colour ;3

Any inanimate object your muse interacts with (except their Island Issued Cell Phone) will take on your muse's hue. Every step you take will leave a colourful footprint in its wake, every hand rail will have colourful handprints. More on that later.

With enough interactions and perspectives, your muse will be back to their old selves in no time! If, that is, they want to go back to their old selves at all. Maybe another colour palette suits them better than before...?

"It can't be that easy, though."

And, you're right! The experiment did more than reduce everyone to solid (or no) colours! Some other strange things are happening, too. Such as...

The NPCs of the city have not escaped unscathed. Unlike you, though, they have no hue to them at all. However, they'll absorb colours from your muses by proximity and action. - If your deep-green jealous muse is around, NPCs will turn deep-green too, and may want what you have--and might try to take it by force. But a calm mint-coloured muse may just leave you alone and soak up some vibes. - This extends to creatures of the island, too, so watch out!

Sources of water in the city (the ocean, lakes, ponds, swimming pools, etc) will wash away at least one colour from you. (You can still drink and cook with it without any effect, though.) Better not get caught in a rainstorm any time soon!

To combat this, you can find paint cans with a random colour paint in them around the city. You never know what you're going to get, though!

The city itself is completely greyscale, so navigating it might be a challenge without any colourful landmarks to stand out. That being said, your muse will leave colour wherever they go, like they're a giant paint roller. And so will everyone else's muses! Figuring out populated areas will be Very Easy, but you might get disoriented in places that don't get a lot of foot traffic.

These are the major issues...... for now :)

FAQ

"Do I have to pick a hue at the beginning? I can't decide on one."

It's entirely possible that your muse can start in greyscale, and just has No Personality. In that case, they'll take on the hue of the first person they interact with.

"What do we do if a colour has multiple associations with it?"

Each association of that colour is a valid one, and there are no incorrect colour associations. Each colour is whatever you need it to be in the moment. The definition of "red" for your muse may not match the "red" of your RP partner--and that's okay! What may be helpful is to make an event info post explaining your colour choice, how you interpret it, and how it would affect your character!

"Do we have to stick to basic colours like red, yellow, green, blue, etc?"

Nope. Maybe your muse is a mauve, emerald, beige, or aquamarine. Pick any colour you think is best for the moment!

"In theory, could we use the paint cans laying around to add hues to others by splashing them with it or something?"

PVP is enabled, if you want to be a menace! (with mun permission, of course)

"Is the comic in black and white for plot reasons?"

No, I'm just lazy :c

Have a question you don't see on here? You can message the Masterlist!

See you in a week! Make sure to get as many colour perspectives as you can, okay? :)

[weenwrites]

Hey hey Ween! I wanted to ask about you writing something for bots reaction to a human who is new to the team and trying to get too make friends and make conversation with the bots? But they have poor memory and stiff/rough social skills so they may fidget when speaking and too remember their names they have a paper that they carry around w/ all the bots names written in said bots corresponding color scheme (doesn't have to be this I just thought it would be a cool idea 😊). Also tries to offer help in any numbers of ways. Uhh I don't really have any particular bots in mind besides Wheeljack and while I do enjoy scenarios I'm just as cool with headcannons if that ends up working for you and/or inspiring you more🤝🫂. Feel free to add any other bots if ya want👌! (Also it's still Friday where I am as I send this in I don't want ya to think I'm ignoring your post.)

"What was your name, again?"

Summary - How are you supposed to remember all these weird names? Characters - Wheeljack Content - Crack, Gen Category - Scenarios Trigger Warnings - None

✎ A/N: Sorry it took a LONG while! And also what I meant back then was that the request had to be sent in when it was Friday where I was. I can't remember whether you sent it in while it was still Friday my time or not, but eh I'll do it anyway. And I'm sorry if it's a bit short, but I didn't really want to specify anything in the end to try and be more 'immersive'.

[ Please do not repost, plagiarize, or use my writing for AI! Translating my work with proper credit is acceptable, but please ask first! ]

"Don't forget Bulkhead and Bumblebee!"

"Yes, yes... I've got them down," Y/N mumbles.

They don't bat an eye at the shadow that looms over their shoulder and onto the table, because it's far more important to concentrate on remembering all the names that Miko had mentioned to them. Their colored pencil in their hand glided across the paper with ease, of course occasionally stopping to switch colors.

"Hatche—wait no, it's Ratchet... And... Who was the other one you said, Miko?" Y/N asked, looking up from their paper, "The uh... The one that started with—oh! Wait! Uh, Spokelean!"

"Smokescreen." She corrected with a giggle, placing particular emphasis on the 'screen' part to his name, "So you're done with writing down all their names?"

"Yeah, just about..." They mumbled, brushing some eraser shavings aside and reaching over for their pencil to correct their mistakes.

But they felt nothing but empty space where the correct colored pencil used to lay, and after a quick look around, they had found the escapee-pencil laying underneath the table. With a sigh, they had stooped down onto all fours and scooched underneath the table, reaching out to fetch it when all of a sudden, the heavy thumping of metal footsteps shook the ground.

With a startled yelp, they shot up and the back of their head met the underside of the hard, wooden table. Through gritted teeth and a set frown, they retrieved the pencil and slowly stood back upright, rubbing the back of their head as they looked up to see who had walked in, but they were met with an unfamiliar face.

A white bot sporting red and green streaks on his chest, and a pair of gray... For lack of a better word, finials, on the sides of his head, and a large crest on top. Aside from the fact his paint-job bore a striking resemblance to the flag of Italy, another notable feature of his was the pair of twin swords sheathed on his back.

"Wait... Who's that, again?" Y/N's face scrunched into confusion as they further scrutinized him.

"Oh, hey Wheeljack!" Miko hollered.

And at the girl's beck and call, the bot shoots her a grin upon sight, and he closes the distance between them in mere seconds.

"Hey kid!" He pauses and shoots Y/N a glance, "oh, and who's this?"

"Oh uh, my name's Y/N, and you must beeee..." Their voice tapers off for what almost feels like eternity, and they scramble their mind for a clue—any clue as to what his name was. Miko had literally mentioned his name mere seconds ago, yet now of all times, their brain decided to blank. "Uhh... Your name was..."

"Wheeljack." He finishes.

"Ye-yeah! Wheeljack! Wheeljack. How are you? It's nice to meet you."

"Never better, Bulk and I just got back from patrol."

"Ooh! Did you find anything while you were out?" Miko grinned.

"If by 'anything' you mean 'decepticons', then 'fraid not. We thought we picked up one of the cons' energon mines so we tracked it down."

Miko sprung forward on the couch, "Was it a trap?"

"Nah, it was just an old crater, the cons had sucked it dry and left a long time ago."

Y/N frowns, "did anything good come of it at least?"

"Nothin that I can see, but it is what it is," he shrugs, "Anyway, you're the newcomer, eh?"

"Yes! That would be me."

For a hot second no one said a word. Wheeljack looked to them expectantly, thinking they'd run him through the whole story, not lead him straight to some rather awkward silence. And once Y/N caught the gist of the conversation, they simply pressed their lips shut even harder.

Would it be too awkward to continue now? No one's said anything for some time now, so maybe they shouldn't continue? But if they change the subject now, it might seem like they weren't really listening to him, so maybe they should—

"Soo, Y/N, why don't you tell Wheeljack about how you got here?" Miko spoke up—thankfully being the one to break the ice, "How you met the team and that kind of stuff."

"Right! Right, I should probably do that..." They chuckled, "alright so... it all started like this..."

[mariacallous]

When I was a foreign correspondent in West Berlin during the dying days of the Cold War in 1988, a British spy gave me a vivid insight into the state of Germany’s intelligence services.

‘If you want the Kremlin to take something seriously, give it to the Germans and tell them it’s a secret,’ he said. ‘It’ll be on every desk in the Politburo the next morning.’

Clearly little has changed in the intervening years.

On Friday, the Russians revealed that they had eavesdropped on a discussion between the head of the Luftwaffe and three top air force colleagues about the highly contested question of donating Germany’s long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine.

Such weaponry would help that country strike Russia’s logistics depots and supply lines, such as the Kerch Strait Bridge that links Crimea to Russia proper.

Top brass in any self-respecting country would conduct such sensitive discussions on encrypted lines using special handsets, with the participants in secure locations — an arrangement known in this country as a ‘STRAP environment’.

But the gormless Germans used Webex, a conference-call system akin to Zoom.

One participant dialled in from Singapore — using his bog-standard phone. So, too, did the Russian intruders. Unbelievably, nobody noticed the extra, silent participant.

Nothing was decided on the call. The missiles’ delivery remains blocked by German chancellor Olaf Scholz. But the 38-minute recording, released by the Kremlin, did reveal that he has lied to the German public.

According to the brass hats, well-trained Ukrainians could program the missiles with targeting data — something Scholz had claimed would require German specialists on the ground in Ukraine. This would be an impossibly provocative step in his view.

But the worst damage was done not to reputations but to allied security.

‘If we’re asked about delivery methods, I know how the British do this. They always transport them in Ridgeback armoured vehicles. They have several people on the ground,’ said the head of the German air force, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, referring to the Storm Shadow missiles that we have donated to Ukraine.

Discussing military secrets on an open phone line is a sackable offence. But you cannot sack a whole country. Western allies are confronting the reality that our biggest and richest European ally is an appalling liability.

No 10 yesterday described the leak as ‘a very serious matter’ but declined to be drawn on whether there are plans to restrict our intelligence- sharing with Berlin.

But no one would blame them if they were considering just such a response. After all, Scholz is in the doghouse for other reasons, too.

Only last Monday, he let slip that British soldiers were on the ground in Ukraine assisting with the use of our Storm Shadow missile system.

This would come as no surprise to Moscow. But it is still embarrassing to have a sensitive detail blurted out by the leader of a supposedly trustworthy partner.

Chairman of the Commons’ Foreign Affairs Committee, Alicia Kearns, didn’t hold back, describing the blunder as ‘wrong, irresponsible and a slap in the face’.

The bleak truth is that, in the eyes of Western allies, Germany is now regarded as worse than useless.

And no branch of its security set-up is in a more parlous state than its clueless, leaky secret services. A senior official in the German foreign intelligence service, identified only as Carsten L, and an alleged accomplice, Arthur E, went on trial in December for spying for Russia. The pair were arrested, not thanks to German diligence, but thanks to a tip from the FBI.

Former CIA officer John Sipher describes German spies as: ‘Arrogant, incompetent, bureaucratic, useless’.

Yet it is no laughing matter for the Ukrainians that Scholz dithers on sending weapons. High hopes of the Zeitenwende — ‘change of eras’ — that he announced after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 have shrivelled.

Germany’s puny military remains under-equipped, ill-led and cash-strapped. Berlin’s aversion to hard thinking about security lies partly in its two catastrophic defeats last century, and its role as a potential nuclear battleground during the Cold War.

This past stokes anti-Americanism and anti-militarism. ‘Even the worst peace is better than the best war,’ said a leading German thinktanker as Ukraine began its struggle for survival.

The idea that freedom might be worth dying for counts for nothing.

Greed also plays a big role. Germany has obsessively pursued lucrative deals with Russia and China.

That contributed to Germany’s blind spot when it came to its eastern neighbours such as Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Yet it was these countries that the Hitler-Stalin pact fed into the meat-grinder in 1939.

Germany owes them a huge historical debt but, instead of making strenuous efforts to boost their security, Berlin blocked Nato defence plans for these states for years.

Worse, German spymasters stole their secrets. As I revealed in my book Deception, the German BND — the counterpart to our MI6 — recruited a top defence official in Estonia, Herman Simm, in order to keep an eye on American influence there.

What the Germans did not know was that Simm was also spying for the Russians. The damage was colossal.

I am no Germanophobe. I lived and worked there for many years. I tried to alert Germans to the danger presented by nascent, and now revived, Russian imperialism. The response was patronising and incredulous.

Meanwhile, Russian spies, thugs and crooks ran riot under the noses of the bureaucracy-bound German police and security services.

That reflects another legacy of the past: a resistance to state surveillance, thanks to the long shadows cast by Hitler’s Gestapo and then the Stasi, communist East Germany’s secret police.

Ultra-strict data-protection and privacy laws stop German authorities conducting the simplest security checks.

The consequences of this were recently highlighted by journalist Michael Colborne, who took only 30 minutes to track down a fugitive Left-wing terrorist, 65-year-old Daniela Klette, of the murderous Baader-Meinhof gang.

She had been living in Berlin under a false identity, despite being on Germany’s most-wanted list. A simple internet picture search led to her hasty arrest by the hitherto ignorant German police.

Germany’s policy makes it the weakest link in Europe’s defence. Suppose that Russia, boosted by success in Ukraine, tests Nato’s resolve in Poland or the Baltic states?

These states would respond with flinty and furious resistance. We and other allies will want to help them. But suppose Germany cries ‘Diplomaten statt Granaten’ — ‘Diplomats instead of grenades’ — and demands that the crisis be solved through talks not war?

Sitting, as it does, on the North European Plain, Germany and its supply lines would be vital in rushing aid and ammunition to the front. Yet Berlin might bristle at direct involvement and close its borders and airspace to allied reinforcements.

This nightmarish prospect is not fiction. Germany closed its airspace to reinforcement flights at the start of the Ukraine war. The uncomfortable truth is that Germany slumbers as Europe burns, and that means sleepless nights for the rest of us.

[vertigoblockbuster]

Info Dump: Ashlesha Nakshatra

Ashlesha nakshatra is the 9th lunar mansion in the Vedic zodiac, spanning 16.40' - 30.00' Cancer. The associated constellation with Ashlesha is Hydra and it's ruling deities are the Nagas, a cohort of superhuman beings that are part-human and part-serpent. A coiled serpent symbolizes this point on the zodiacal wheel.

Ashlesha is a commonly misunderstood nakshatra. Snakes don't exactly conjure fuzzy feelings. When describing the human personality, those with Ashlesha prominent in their natal charts are often noted for their propensity to behave in cunning, manipulative (often emotional), and deceptive ways. These natives are also widely recognized for possessing profound healing abilities as well as potential for enlightenment.

The symbol of a snake brings to mind a few extrapolations we can make about Ashlesha's nature. A particularly striking one, though, is understanding the serpent as representing Kundalini. Kundalini is a source of largely untapped energy inside of all of us that is located in the Muladhara or root chakra at the bottom of the spine. Associated with the lowest and most primal point of consciousness, the root chakra is concerned with our sense of survival and feeling safe. When someone goes through a Kundalini awakening, this sleeping energy is aroused and travels up the spine until it penetrates the crown chakra, like a coiled snake being charmed to life. Similar to a snake shedding it's skin, the person is transformed in this process.

Kundalini is pure life force and deeply sexual. One way those who have experienced Kundalini awakenings arouse this power within themselves is through the practice of tantra. Practicing tantra doesn't always imply sexual union, but it's one of the most potent forms tantra can take. Being in a state of extreme vulnerability during physical intimacy creates a perfect space for an awakening to happen. Similar to the way your body can't lie in the way it responds to another's, nothing that is buried in the depths of your subconscious is "off limits" during a transformational process. The person you hold to be "you," along with all of the corresponding beliefs, fears, and traumas, has to be discarded along with your socks.

From looking a little bit at how the snake is representative of transformation through arousing Kundalini, we can see that Ashlesha is a very spiritual sign. People with prominent placements in this nakshatra are usually interested in the taboo and occult, and often psychology. There is an interest in self-transformation in Ashlesha people that might be coupled with insecurity about how to achieve it. If we are operating from an unconscious place as represented by the sleeping serpent in the root chakra, it makes sense that these people have a reputation for resorting to manipulation and mind games (that they will beat you at every time). These behaviors are often rooted in a tremendous desire to feel safe and loved. If proper guidance is sought out and an Ashlesha person is willing to be really honest with themselves and tap into their less basal psychology, there is a lot of potential to heal and transcend some pretty gnarly subconscious material.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Ashlesha people naturally have healing abilities in spades. The practice of tantra, a very Ashlesha activity, is not just about drawing up power that previously lied dormant, it's about bringing soothing calmness to the parts of ourselves that maybe we didn't even realize were wounded. You have probably seen the symbol of two snakes twisting around a winged staff at a hospital or on an ambulance - the Caduceus. The staff with the snake has been used as a symbol of medicine for thousands of years, since around 1400 B.C..

The Rod of Asclepius (represented by a singular snake twisting itself around a staff) came before the Caduceus. While the Caduceus came to be used by the Greeks in association with Hermes, patron of messengers, merchants and thieves, the Rod of Asclepius belongs to the Greek god of healing, Aesculapius. The Caduceus's use as a medical symbol as opposed to the Rod of Asclepius is actually due to a mistake made by a U.S. Army Captain in 1902. It's an interesting and a kind of funny story and you can read a little more about that here: https://www.caduceusmedicalgroup.com/for-patients/legend-of-caduceus/

Why are snakes used as a symbol of medicine and healing when they are also a widespread symbol of evil and harm? A couple reasons. The ability of snakes to shed their skin indicates longevity and their tendency to quickly switch from a resting state to one of action represents recovery from sickness. The use of the snake and staff as a symbol of medicine also has Biblical roots as seen by the story of Moses leading the Jewish people through the desert:

While wandering through the desert, the Jewish people became angry with God and Moses, demanding to know why they had been led from Egypt to die in a wasteland. In response God sent poisonous snakes to them, wounding many people and killing others. The Jewish people came to Moses and expressed remorse for forsaking the Lord and begged him to pray to God to have mercy on them. God instructed Moses to build a staff with a bronze serpent mounted on it so that anyone hurt by the snakes could look at it and be healed.

Ashlesha belongs to the Mercury-ruled nakshatras along with Revati and Jyestha. In astrology Mercury rules over things like communication, intellect, kind of brainy/cerebral things. It's not really considered to be a benefic planet (like Venus or Jupiter, bringing pleasant, positive things) or a malefic (like Saturn or Mars, bringing difficult, negative things.) Mercury is dual in nature and can go either way - you have the free will to use your mind for good or for bad. The duality of Mercury can be seen clearly in the symbolism of the twins as representing Gemini. This duality exists in Ashlesha natives in their ability to flip back and forth (doing this fluidly and often without realizing) between channeling their higher versus lower consciousness.

Since Mercury is the sign of intellect and communication, it makes sense that it is the ruling planet of the nervous system. What this means for people with heavy Ashlesha influence in their natal charts is that they are highly sensitive to their environment, picking up on subtleties in communication (including ones they aren't apart of) and social dynamics. It's also not uncommon to see Ashlesha people being fastidious when it comes to personal hygiene. Beyond bodily cleanliness, this high-strung nature is extended to the way the person relates to the world. Details of interactions are picked apart, and there is a concern for social technicalities and "rules." This is a more nit-picky sign than a big-picture one. Funnily enough, while Ashlesha is often critical towards other people, they are hyper sensitive to the same lens being applied to themselves. It's like there is a sentiment here of "I'm trying so hard to get these tiny details perfectly correct (because I know that how you do one thing is how you do everything) and you should know that so you have no right to point out my (very real) personality flaws."

There is an interesting polarity in Ashlesha because on one hand, it's a very primal and sexual sign. On the other, Ashlesha is concerned with cleanliness and purity. A celebrity example of this polarity is Marilyn Monroe, who was an Ashlesha ascendant. She might be the most well-known sex symbol to exist, yet this was largely a mask she wore in an industry that wanted to profit off of her. Those close to her described her personality as sweet and empathetic, and have said that she obviously possessed a great deal of intellectual prowess. Since her death and more has come out about her life, it's obvious that she was deeply unhappy with the way she was portrayed in Hollywood as being naive and overly sexual. She was attracted towards more serious roles even though she never really got a shot at one. Her marriage to playwright Arthur Miller is one example of her attraction towards intelligence and self-expression.

At the risk of looking Ashlesha through an overly male lens, the polarity of sexuality and purity that exists in Ashlesha can be related to the psychological concept of the Madonna-Whore Complex (MWC). The MWC is a term created by Freud to describe problems men have in relating to women, particularly those they are in intimate relationships with. Men suffering from this complex, whether conscious of it or not, place women into one of two mutually exclusive categories, Madonna or Whore. Women are labelled as being either warm, nurturing, and loving or sexually desirable but not both at the same time. When left unexamined, this complex can create hefty dissatisfaction in relationships if a man is either unable to experience sexual attraction towards women he respects or is unable to respect women he deems sexually attractive. Even though the MWC concept is outdated in it's support of a patriarchal view of society and heavy influence from Western Judeo-Christian principles, the problem it speaks to is one that still exists.

With a sensitive, mercurial nervous system and desire to explore transformative (often sexual) healing, we have Ashlesha as a character that is rigidly virginal while simultaneously having an intense (maybe suppressed) sexuality to them. This is a flighty and finicky person that has a huge yearning to be asserted upon so that their sexuality can come out of it's sleeping state and they can experience the pleasure and healing that they desire.

In the beginning of this post it was mentioned that the ruling deities of Ashlesha are the Nagas, beings that are part-human part-serpent. To understand the Nagas and what their ruler ship over Ashlesha means, let's look at where they dwell in the universe, how they came to live there, and the space that they created for themselves.

In Hinduism, the cosmos is conceptualized as being globular in shape and divided into three layers - similar to how the earth has it's cool outer crust, hot central core, and it's warm mantle between the two. The outer layer of the cosmos is called Swarga, where divinities and nakshatras (or stars) are. The middle zone is called Antariksa, where part-human part-divine beings live. The 9 planets used in Vedic astrology as well as the planetary gods exist here. The third innermost layer is called Buu, where we live on earth.

These three basic cosmic layers can be further divided into fourteen worlds. Seven of these fourteen layers are deeper within the core of the cosmos, or deeper inside of the earth, and seven lie above earth's surface. When Indra banished the Dragons and Nagas from Swarga, the outer part of the cosmos, they fell to Buu, the inner part of the cosmos. Being serpentine in nature, the Dragons and Nagas burrowed below the earth to avoid the gods policing their activity. Under the earth they created their own alternative paradise: Naga Loka, a world full of sensuality (the word Ashlesha literally means "to embrace"), pleasures, and what many would call hedonism.

Naga Loka, though technically an underworld, is not like hell. It is filled with pleasure rather than punishment and pain. One reason as to why Naga Loka is so beautiful is because it is tucked away from the sunlight - think of how neon and incandescent lights shine hypnotically at night or the bio-luminescence of some deep sea marine creatures. The absence of sunlight in Naga Loka also means that those dwelling there do not visibly age.

The word Ashlesha itself meaning tight embrace, entwining with another, and intimate contact, is a nakshatra associated with the taboo. This is not only because of the stigmatization of sex and sexuality by society, but also due to it's close relationship with the reptilian. Snakes and dragons are creatures usually representing evil and villains in all kinds of stories - Nagini in Harry Potter, the deadly cobras Nag and Nagaina in Rudyard Kipling's Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, and the serpent that tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. When someone is called a "snake," we know that that person is being accused of being deceitful, sneaky, and underhanded. A pop culture example: Taylor Swift, capitalizing on her feud with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West in which Swift was accused of being a snake, created her album Reputation. The album is full of vengeful, vindictive themes, and takes full advantage of her assigned snake-like character by incorporating heavy serpentine symbology into her work.

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I credit Vic Dicara for the information about the Nagas and Naga Loka. If you're interested in learning about Vedic astrology check out his YouTube Channel.

[tokiro07]

All this talk about Reborn's got me thinkin' about the Unione Famiglia

[Note: I had to take a few liberties with how Dying Will Flames actually work, but I'm pretty proud of what I came up with]

Sky

Juiz - as the first head of the Unione Famiglia, naturally Juiz uses the Sky Flame. Box Weapon: Fierbois Saber - using the Sky Flame's Harmonization characteristic, Juiz converts enemy Flames into Sky Flames, allowing her to disarm opponents and turn their Box Weapons against them. Box Animal: Lion (Julia) - same as above, Julia's roar turns Box Animals against their owners

Billy - originally masquerading as a Storm Flame-user, Billy revealed his true identity as the leader of Sotto, a rogue faction of the Unione Famiglia. While a part of Unione, Billy reverse-engineered the Box Weapons of as many key members as he could, replicating their abilities with his Sky Flame. Weapon: Revolvers - Billy fires concentrated Sky Flames which he can combine with other Flame attributes for various effects. Animal: German Shepherd (Veronica) - acts as a seeing-eye dog and helps direct Billy's aim

Earth

Fuuko - though initially believing herself to be a jinx, Fuuko learns that she had been unconsciously using the Gravitation characteristic of her Earth Flames to draw foreign objects to people she made contact with, often leading to accidents. With deliberate control, Fuuko has gained the ability to increase the attraction between any two specific targets and can even summon meteorites. Weapon: Handgun - Fuuko can fire Earth Flame bullets that carry a gravitational pull and hone in on a target or give a target pull as if she touched them. Animal: Tanuki (Andou) - can touch opponents in Fuuko's stead to transfer the gravity effect

Storm

Nico - having conducted extensive research into Dying Will Flames, Nico is adept at using all attributes other than Sky, Earth and Night for a variety of combat situations, though he primarily uses Storm and Lightning for their offensive and defensive capabilities. Weapon: Psycho-Pods - each Pod corresponds to a different attribute, with different combinations producing a wide range of abilities. Animal: Lab Rats x 12 (Tesla, Einstein, Edison, Curie, Darwin, Newton, Hawking, Bohr, Sagan, Kepler, Rutherford, Nobel) - each rat has been trained to mimic the abilities of other Union members, allowing Nico to recreate their fighting styles, albeit in a simplified manner

Mui - Weapons: Gloves/Broadswords- by channeling Storm Flames through her weapons, Mui's attacks Disintegrate whatever they strike. Basho Fan - when swung, the Basho Fan produces gusts of wind that carry Storm Flames to extinguish enemy Flames. Animal: Panda (Didi) - mimics Mui's fighting style and also strikes with Storm Flames

Swamp

Rip - Weapons: Scalpels - using the Swamp Flame's Fermentation, anything cut by Rip's scalpels begins to rot; biological targets have their ability to heal impeded by this process. Prosthetic legs - when kicking, Rip can launch concentrated, blade-like bursts of Swamp Flame; he can also use their Fermentation to manipulate gases in the air, producing jets that allow for flight. Animal: Horse (Iseult) - mostly used for transport rather than combat, Iseult can also fly using Fermentation

Lucy - unconsciously, Lucy's Swamp Flames excite her microbiome, causing her to be consistently sick; with proper control of her Flames, Lucy would likely be able to create a sort of "Swamp Flame Sickness" that she could weaponize to make enemies ill, though she likely wouldn't even if given the opportunity. Weapon: Pan tunic - similar to Rip, Lucy channels Swamp Flames through her Peter Pan costume in order to fly. Animal: Butterfly (Tinker Bell) - by sprinkling it scales on a target, Tinker Bell can share Lucy's Swamp Flames and grant limited flight abilities to others

Sun

Andy - formerly known as Victor, Andy was created when Juiz forced a card charged with Sky Flames into his skull, erasing his memories by neutralizing them via Harmonization. Unusually, Andy is able to enter Dying Will Mode voluntarily, channeling his Sun Flames through his body. Using his Flames' Activation characteristic, Andy's body is able to rapidly recover from any wound, and even propel lost body parts as projectiles. Andy is also quite adept at using Lightning Flames, which he uses to Soldify his spilled blood. Weapon: Kurikara - using Lightning Flames, Andy makes his katana near-indestructible; with his Sun Flames, Andy can swing Kurikara at incredible speeds. Animals: Wolf (Victor) - upon taking damage, Victor can use Sun Flames to create temporary clones from lost body parts, effectively creating an entire wolf pack very quickly. Andy is unaware why he thought to name his wolf Victor, the name seemed to just pop into his head. Silkworm (Clothy) - as Andy's clothes get damaged easily due to his fighting style, he uses Activation to spur Clothy's silk creation, perfectly tailoring clothes for himself within seconds. He does attempt to make the clothes more durable with Lightning Flames, though this often simply doesn't prove effective

Top - Weapons: Shoes - when charged with Sun Flames, Top is able to move at incredible speeds while also easing the fatigue that would normally come from moving so fast. Runner's Regalia - by wearing armor charged with Haruka's Lightning Flame, Top is able to move even faster by ignoring the damage that he would normally incur due to wind resistance while also gaining greater offensive output. Animals: Roadrunners (Miguel and Pedro) - a pair of birds that help guide Top as his dynamic vision becomes impaired while moving at highspeed

Forest

Ichico - inexplicably, Ichico suffers from a form of insomnia that makes it impossible for her to sleep. Using the Forest Flame's Realization, Ichico creates flowers that help to ease the negative effects of this insomnia. Animal: Octopus (Oxford) - riding on Ichico's head, Oxford grows vines to create additional limbs to perform tasks for Ichico

Bunny - Bunny manifests large flower bulbs to completely envelope her targets and render them immobile. Animal: Rabbit (Pikilienta Pohles) - "Pipipenda Pohpepu" as Bunny calls it plants seeds in the ground to help set traps for targets, ensnaring enemies when they get close enough

Lightning

Haruka - as a smith, Haruka's greatest ability is for improvising creations on the fly, greatly aided by her Lightning Flame's ability to draw in and bind materials with its electromagnetic properties. Weapons: Isshin Armor - using the Lightning Flame's Solidification characteristic, Haruka's armor becomes near-indestructible. She can also use magnetism to rearrange the armor's arrangement as necessary for different scenarios. Naginata - though unskilled in its use, Haruka can harden and electrify her naginata to make it an effective weapon regardless. Animal: Tortoise (Tesshu) - with its hardened shell, Tesshu serves as an anvil for Haruka to forge weapons and armor upon for her teammates.

Kururu - Weapon: Microphone - using the electrical properties of her Lightning Flames, Kururu creates a magnetic field that pulls others towards her. Animal: Ostrich (Kogomi) - Kogomi dances alongside Kururu to generate a greater magnetic field that both reaches further and is harder to resist

Mountain

Phil - Weapon: Entruster - rather than a traditional Box Weapon, Phil's entire robotic body is capable of channeling his Flames. By using the Mountain Flame's Synchronization, Phil can assimilate minerals such as stone or metal to alter the shape and capabilities of his body. Phil can also fire concentrated blasts of Mountain Flame to devastating effect. Animal: Worm (Ayatori) - Ayatori gathers rocks onto its body, making itself larger to wrap around enemies and constrict them. Outside of battle, Ayatori is quite small but long, and Phil often plays Cat's Cradle with the flexible worm

Void - Weapon: Boxing gloves - by controlling the earth around him, Void can shift the ground to grab onto his opponent's feet, making it difficult to evade his attacks; he can also gather stone into a large gauntlet or full armor, greatly increasing his striking power. Animal: Rottweiler (Bison) - while Void fights, Bison helps gather material for powering up Void's gloves more quickly

Rain

Yusai - Weapon: Katana - by launching Rain Flame slashes at her opponent's Ring Boxes, Yusai uses their Pacification characteristic to prevent them from channeling Flames and activating their effects. She can also target her opponent's body to render them numb, also preventing them from taking action. Animal: Crane (Gekkou) - by flying above the enemy, Gekkou secretly rains Rain Flame down onto the arena, preemptively disabling their ability to use Box Weapons

Enjin - Weapon: Gakuran - channeling his Rain Flames through his outfit, all of Enjin's attacks carry the ability to extinguish enemy Flames. Animal: Boar (Banka) - coated in Rain Flames, Banka charges into the enemy, forcibly extinguishing their Flames

River

Gina - Weapon: Beret- coating her hat in River Flames, Gina focuses the Flame's ability to control fluids such as water and air to create transparent constructs such as blades, though with practice she finds she can make constructs without a focal point. Animal: Jellyfish (Shinohara) -using River Flames, Shinora is able to become transparent and form barriers and limb-like constructs to aid Gina in battle

Tella - Weapon: Speakers - by manipulating the fluidity of soundwaves, Tella can create powerful defensive barriers in the air. Animal: Parrot (Morse) - as Tella is mute, Tella can transmit soundwaves to speak through Morse

Mist

Akira - Weapon: G-pen - by channeling Mist Flames through his pen, Akira can Construct real illusions with his drawings. Animal: Squid (Anno Un) - by spreading Mist Flame-empowered ink, Anno can render itself and Akira undetectable

Creed - Weapon: Gatling gun - rather than casting illusions, Creed Constructs ammunition for his gun, giving him effectively unlimited ammo. Animal: Bombardier beetles x50 (Units 1-50) - when thrown, Creed's Units Construct and launch fragments, incendiaries, gases, or flashes of light, allowing them to serve as reusable grenades

Desert

Sean - though a weak illusionist, Sean is adept at using his Desert Flame's Hallucination ability to render himself invisible. However, to keep the "sand" from getting in his eyes, he often finds himself closing his eyes when using this ability. Weapon: Butterfly knife - Sean is able to turn his knife invisible, but generally he uses it when he is already invisible himself, so there's no particular advantage to this. Animal: Chameleon (Irmao) - also able to turn invisible, Irmao is not blinded by the use of the Desert Flame, and serves as a guide for Sean while his eyes are closed

Latla - Weapons: Crystal ball - instead of creating illusions per se, Latla uses her Desert Flames to conjure images of the future in her crystal ball as a form of fortune-telling. Broomstick - powered by her Flames, Latla's broomstick serves as effective aerial transportation. Animal: Ladybug (Leila) - able to sense oncoming Flames, Leila warns Latla of oncoming attacks and generates a field of Desert Flames to distort her image, making attacks miss Latla

Cloud

Shen - using the Cloud Flame's Propagation characteristic, Shen can attach his Flames to an opponent's body or Box Weapons and assimilate a part of their Flames. This gives him moderate control of the affected area, allowing him to force the opponent to move in ways that they don't expect, particularly when they're distracted while initiating an attack. Weapon: Nyoi-Kinko - using the Cloud Flame's Propagation, Shen's staff can extend or expand at will. Animal: Monkey (Wukong) - able to concentrate Cloud Flames into a literal cloud, Kinto'un, Wukong provides Shen with aerial transportation

Feng - using his Cloud Flame's Propagation, Feng has developed a technique to feed on the Flames of defeated opponents, resulting in seemingly perpetual youth. Weapon: Zuishin Tekkan - by charging the rod with Cloud Flames, Feng changes the rod's shape between a staff, a tri-sectioned staff, and nunchaku, each with variable length depending on the amount of Flame used. Animal: Macaque (Liu'er) - just like Shen's Wukong, Liu'er concentrates Cloud Flames into a mount for Feng, known as Kokuto'un

Glacier

Tatiana - Animal: Hedgehog (Klubnika) - using the Glacier Flame's Freezing ability, Klubnika expands its body to encase Tatiana in a sphere of ice that she can manipulate at will. Tatiana can expand its radius, reshape it into a cylinder for a more focused strike, scatter fragments in all directions, and even create limbs for greater precision. This ice is so versatile that Tatiana does not require any other weapons

Chikara - Weapon: Camera - by focusing on a target through his camera, Chikara can designate where to conjure his Glacier Flames to freeze a target in place. Animal: Deer (Ryo) - as Chikara has to focus on a relatively small area to use his weapon, movement is difficult, so he relies on Ryo to maneuver him to the most advantageous position in battle

Night

Ruin - though unknown what his original Flame attribute was, having his Flame drained from his body nearly killed him; however, his Dying Will resurrected him with the Night Flame. As a resurrected corpse, Ruin is effectively immortal, able to use his Night Flames to turn his body incorporeal when taking damage. Animals: Cat (Shadow) - using the Night Flame's Transportation characteristic, Shadow allows Ruin to effectively teleport. Bat (Blood) - on Ruin's command, Blood creates constructs out of Night Flames that can easily bypass enemy defenses

[francesminos-tt]

I sent the question before completing it but one more request to toxic!joffron

Luke becomes the lord of the tides and, although he doesn't have a good relationship with his uncle-brother-in-law, Daeron is competent in his field of work and therefore becomes one of Luke's helpers...

Daeron is behaving more decently to make a good impression and ignores an attempted fight from his husband, this makes Joff jealous/moody/bitter/upset

Obviously, when night comes, he begs Joff's forgiveness

Joffrey lay back on his armchair and threw a handful of berries into his mouth. The fruit was fresh, sweet with the right amount of tang, an exotic delicacy to have on a late summer evening. The sun was just about to set, the gentle evening breeze bringing the fresh scent of the garden through the window to his room. Joffrey bit into the fruit, letting a few drops of juice drip down his lips as he watched his husband’s back in front of the writing desk.

“What are you doing?” Joffrey asked, grabbing another handful of berries and throwing them at Daeron. The small fruit landed on Daeron’s white shirt, leaving a trail of purple stains on the fine silk. Joffrey chuckled, pleased with himself that he managed to somehow ridicule his proper husband.

“I am busy now, Joffrey.” Daeron said, not even bothering to lift his head, “I need to send this letter by tomorrow morning.”

“Since when did you become so diligent?” Joffrey scoffed, “Who are you writing to, anyway?”

“Your brother Lucerys.” Daeron replied, his tone calm and civilized, “Old Town is ready to correspond with Driftmark in unifying harbor taxes. It’s a huge step to regulate trading laws of the realm.”

Joffrey hummed as he gulped down the remaining wine in his goblet. He almost forgot that Daeron was a good negotiator, unlike Joffrey himself, who believed in actions rather than words. Joffrey knew Daeron was polite and gentle to others. He just didn't realize his brother Lucerys was one of the nobles that Daeron decided to be polite to. Lucerys had inherited Driftmark and become the new Lord of the Tide for only a year, but he had proven himself to be a capable ruler. He had restored trading between the Triarchy and Driftmark, replenishing the Treasury with harbor taxes and sorts, thus weakening Old Town as the main trading port in the realm. Lucerys wanted to strike a deal with the Hightowers, and surprisingly, instead of sending his own husband, Aemond, he turned to his uncle/brother-in-law for help. Daeron had grown up in Old Town and once served as cupbearer of the current Hightower Lord, so he was the natural choice. Not to mention everyone would agree that Daeron was better negotiator than Aemond.

But still, Joffrey didn’t expect Daeron would actually take the job seriously.

“What do you expect to get from this, huh?” Joffrey walked to his husband and sat on the edge of the desk, pulling the quill from Daeron’ hand, “Are you expecting Lucerys to kiss you on the forehead and call you a good boy?”

Daeron lifted his head to look at Joffrey, irritation palpable in his light violet eyes.

“Give it back.” Daeron demanded, “I don't have time to play your game, Joffrey.”

“What if I say no?” Joffrey curled his lips up into a mischievous smile, twirling the quill in his fingers, “What are you going to do about it? Spank me?”

Daeron’s eyes narrowed and his lips pursed into a thin line. Joffrey could see his nostrils flare, as if he was trying to hold back the desire to lash out.

But Joffrey didn't want him to. Come. Lash out. Show me how angry you can be.

They stared down at each other for several minutes, until Daeron broke eye contact first. He didn't push Joffrey to the ground, nor did he pull Joffrey’s hair or grab the brunette’s neck. Instead, Daeron sighed heavily and rolled his unfinished parchment up before standing to leave the room.

“Where are you going?” Joffrey asked, shocked at Daeron’s self-control. Daeron had never showed any mercy around him. Daeron was always quick to anger, easily provoked by Joffrey’s insult. He would turn from a polite prince to a violent beast in the blink of an eye. Their sex was filled with bites and rough thrusts, collecting bruises on each other body like triumphs.

Joffrey liked it. He liked his influence on Daeron. How he managed to bring out the worst side of the gentle prince that everyone loved. How he was able to make Daeron forget all about proper etiquette. He was proud that he was the only one who could break Daeron’s polite facade.

Until now.

“Somewhere I can write my letter in peace.” Daeron replied without looking back. Before he reached the bedroom door, the door was pushed open by maids with dinner plates in their arms.

“Go on. Get the fuck out of my sight.” Joffrey cursed, throwing the ink bottle at Daeron’s direction, only to have the intricate glass bottle land on the floor, staining the fine Lysene carpet with black ink.

Daeron did just that. He left the room with the roll of parchment in his hands. Joffrey was furious. How dare Daeron act like he was the useful one in court? He was just a cheap ambassador picked out by Lucerys. Why did he have to act like he fucking mattered?

“M-my prince,” one of the poor maids asked in a trembling voice, “w-w-where should we put your dinner?”

“Don’t bother.” Joffrey said through gritted teeth, “I am already stuffed.”

By anger.

Daeron didn't come back until midnight. Joffrey wasn’t counting, of course. In order to fight the frustration, he ordered a hot bath. He submerged his naked body into the scorching hot water and stayed there, watching his skin turn pink from the heat. Joffrey sat in the bathtub until the water turned cold, until he began to shiver and goosebumps formed on his wet skin.

Still, Joffrey didn’t come out. He curled into a ball under the cold water, shivering and swearing, cursing Daeron in every way possible.

Hypocrite. Traitor. Liar. Insufferable motherfucker.

Why did Joffrey feel so betrayed? The answer to this question was right there, but Joffrey stubbornly refused to look at it. He would never, under any damn circumstance, admit that he was upset because he could not get his husband’s attention.

Fucker.

“What are you doing?” Daeron’s voice jolted Joffrey out of his trance. Joffrey lifted his head, only to find his husband was looking at his trembling frame with an unreadable expression.

“Taking a bath. Isn’t that obvious?” Joffrey rolled his eyes, his teeth chattering.

“In icy cold water?” Daeron raised one of his eyebrows mockingly. God, Joffrey hated his perfect eyebrows.

“None of your business.” Joffrey lowered his gaze again and continued to dwell in his own frustration. He didn't need Daeron’s pity or anything.

“I am going to bed.” Daeron declared, “And I’d like my husband to enjoy me.”

“Fuck off.” Joffrey said, looking at his own twisted refection on the water surface, “Why not ask Lucerys to enjoy you, since you are working so hard to kiss his ass? Oh, wait, is it because you cannot get pass his husband?”

“Are you jealous, Joffrey?”

“Of fucking course not!” Joffrey threw the deadliest glare he could manage at Daeron, “Do I look like I care about you for the tiniest bit?”

Daeron chuckled. The motherfucker dared to chuckle. Joffrey was so furious that he splashed icy cold bath water at him, soaking Daeron’s perfect hair and wiping off the smug smile on his perfect face. It was childish of him, Joffrey knew, but he couldn't help it.

“Okay, enough.” Daeron wiped his face with his hand roughly before putting his hands under Joffrey’s armpits and picking the brunette up from the bathtub like a wet cat.

“What the fuck! Let me go, you traitor! I am going to kill you!”

Daeron dumped Joffrey on the bed sheet and covered the brunette’s naked body with his own. He didn't care the water dripping down from Joffrey’s body would ruin his silk shirt. His shirt had already been ruined by the berried Joffrey had thrown at him anyway.

“Fuck off!” Joffrey kicked his feet vigorously, but the cold water had made his muscles stiff. His husband caught his ankles swiftly and gracefully.

“Do you want me to fuck you so badly, that you have to repeat the word for so many times?” Daeron pressed his knee between Joffrey’s legs, and brushed the brunette’s pussy with his kneecap.

“Go to hell-” Joffrey’s sentence was cut short by Daeron’s lips on him, the alpha’s tongue invading his filthy mouth without mercy.

The kiss was ruthless and suffocating, just how Joffrey liked it. Even though he didn't want to admit it, Joffrey melted under Daeron’s touch, the alpha’s skin hot like a furnace, warming him through the core. Joffrey moaned into the kiss, wrapping his legs around Daeron’s waist and holding the alpha there with all his limbs.

“I like when you are jealous,” Daeron said after he broke the kiss to nibble Joffrey’s neck.

“I am not jealous.” Joffrey said stubbornly before adding, “Don't mention my brother’s name in bed.”

Daeron bit down on Joffrey’s collar bone, hard enough to draw blood. He licked the tiny bite mark he had just made before moving on to bite Joffrey’s chest, nipple, waist, hip and everywhere. Joffrey’s cold skin had regained its heat, so hot that it nearly evaporated the water drops on his skin. Joffrey grinded his hip against Daeron’s, trying desperate to satisfy his desire.

“Fuck! Don't stop there!” Joffrey cursed when Daeron’s lips stopped just above his omega parts, the alpha’s nose brushing against the dark bushes between his legs.

“I apologize for ignoring you, dear husband.” Daeron said, blowing some warm air at Joffrey’s twitching pussy lips, “So I am going to make it up to you. Just how you like it.”

Joffrey had to bite the back of his hand to prevent himself from screaming when Daeron parted his fat lips with teeth. Bite by bite, the alpha took apart Joffrey’s pussy, folds, clit, entrance. He licked and sucked, tasting the sweetness of Joffrey’s slick, devouring Joffrey as if the omega was a rare delicacy to enjoy.

Joffrey twitched and tossed, grabbing fistful of sheets so hard that he almost tore it apart. He was exhilarated, satisfied that Daeron’s attention was finally on him.

“You are cute when you are jealous.” Daeron murmured against Joffrey’s twitching entrance.

“Shut up.” Joffrey retorted.

[ircnwrought]

so many misc amaya headcanons bc i had way too much time to think about her at work today

the court of the autumn king is extremely formal and misogynistic. to that end, to touch a member of the royal family, particularly its female members, is a treasonous offense. only family members, attendants such as handmaidens, and body guards are allowed to touch amaya as the autumn king's wife. she has grown extremely uncomfortable with touch outside of these circumstances, which makes her return to prythian an adjustment in more ways than one. she sometimes stiffens before returning a hug, even from the ic, and is generally the first to pull her hand away from a handshake or move her body to avoid accidentally brushing against someone. it's a habit that slowly breaks as her healing journey in the night court continues.

einar sealed the marriage contract to amaya with a ruby wedding ring that she wears continuously on her left ring finger. the gem is slightly too big for her finger, because the autumn king cared more about the cost of the ring than its aesthetic, and its red color is representative of his court. the ring was charmed by a witch so amaya is unable to remove it so long as she remains married to einar and to send shots of pain through her body should she be unfaithful, a spell she has not discovered yet as she's never sought to break her marriage vows, which she considers as sacred as a night court bargain. she is only able to remove the ring when she is widowed upon einar's death.

when amaya was growing up, she favored low back shirts/dresses so she could easily call her wings and often dressed in night court colors. the blues, silvers, and purples worked wonders with her coloring and she was often radiant. after the plot, she is extremely self-conscious about her scars and adjusts her style of dress accordingly, taking to wearing high necked shirts/turtlenecks. her clothing is chosen for her by the autumn king in modest cuts and in the colors of his court (reds, oranges, blacks that usually wash her out). she will not readily show or talk about her scars to others.

einar did not see amaya's scars for a period of time after their wedding as she was never fully undressed in his presence, often still wearing her nightgown to bed as she feared what his reaction would be. when he finally did see them, she claimed they were from discipline inflicted by morven during her childhood, to which einar replied that discipline is often needed to ensure proper demeanor in a female.

amaya was a virgin upon her marriage, a fact that morven had court physicians attest to when the marriage contract to einar was signed (gross)

after einar abandoned bryce, amaya secretly kept in touch with ember to foster a relationship between bryce and ruhn. amaya believed their children should not have to suffer for einar's ego. she never blamed ember for the affair and she never held einar's sins against bryce. einar never found out about the correspondance.

amaya's magic is completely unique to her and is a manifestation of the night court's power to her outlook/personality. she is able to combine her daemati and shadow magic powers to create extremely convincing illusions/mental scenarios, a power that was exploited by morven to interrogate (torture) political dissidents. additionally, amaya figured out that shadows hold memory (think how water holds memory in frozen 2). she is not a shadowsinger and cannot understand the language of shadows, but she was able to use these "memories" to be able to somewhat teleport herself across distances (similar to winnowing but she doesn't have to have knowledge of the place in advance to use the power). for example, she can use shadows to walk through walls, though she's never been to the room on the other side. this "teleportation" power also allows her to make her body semi-corporeal, a skill that comes in handy when parrying a strike from an enemy.

when amaya uses her magic, her eyes go completely black, a remenant of ancient illyrian magic that has long since disappeared from the world but remains in the night court bloodline. she often carries sunglasses with her to be able to use her magic in public without her eyes giving her away.

i don't identify a mate for amaya purposely esp since she isn't canonically alive by the events of a.cotar and cc (and it gives me more options as a writer for plotting ships with parters), but einar certainly wasn't it. she is only his wife in name for legal purposes so there is no question their children are einar's heirs. she is not his mate, was not crowned queen, and is not treated as a consort.

[sdwhalewatch-blog]

Whale and Dolphin Watching: Investigating the Marvels of Marine Life!

Whale and dolphin watching are fantastic advancements that permit individuals to interface with the sea and witness the world's most sagacious and heavenly animals. These exercises are eminent all over the planet, allowing one to see these warm-blooded marine creatures in their customary natural components. For nature sweethearts, families, and experience searchers, barely any experience can contrast with the enthusiasm of seeing a humpback whale break or a gathering of dolphins vivaciously riding the waves.

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Whale and dolphin watching has become a general eccentricity, with areas of interest like California. During occasional movements, the improvement branched out to the ocean for a boat or exploring whales immediately from the shore. Each kind of whale conveys its remarkable temptation for the experience. Humpback whales, for example, are known for their aerobatic show and melodic tunes, while faint whales are popular for their long development.

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Conclusion

Whale and dolphin watching offers a remarkable chance to speak with nature and witness the significance of the sea's most charming animals. Whether you pick a public visit, a confidential understanding, or see from the shore, the experience leaves you with extraordinary recollections and a recharged appreciation for marine life. You protect these unfathomable species for individuals later on by supporting moral and sensible practices.

[itsumoegao]

@eraserisms

📗 Scarce details of the Black Swan's next target, named as the King of Clubs, scattered among Japan's authorities like shattered glass, each fractured fragment hoping to give anyone a shred of a clue to their identity. Which pro hero was it this time? After discovering that Shinso, after other fallen heroes, was the Ten of Clubs, detectives slowly pieced together each suit card's corresponding quirk. However, they were not positive their guess was a match, still searching for a pattern.

As the weather shifted towards typhoon season, the Swan planted a lure for panic. Each time he "slipped up" traits about a target, police and citizens were on high alert. With the reveal that the King had yellow eyes, they narrowed down to Hawks as, like with the brainwashing quirk, fierce wings were mostly non lethal.

They were wrong.

"The King of Clubs is heading towards you and he looks to be alone. You should make it quick. If you're in trouble, we'll help."

"I should be fine. Thank you. Keep your distance." Ending the phone call with a watchful cygnet, he slipped the device then rose his head slightly towards the near black ocean, illuminated by the occasional strike of lightning. The scent of rain mixed with the salty sea, not an expected setting for a battle but all the cards fell into place. As Miss Swan, a tip was given to the police 'she' was spotted at a beach, bait for the King's arrival.

Wig stuck to his face while wet from the storm as he sat upon a towel in a long raincoat, tattered but also feminine in style, his suit beneath. They had seen each other's face during their casino match but in preparation for his reveal, the Swan also wore a red mask.

In anticipation for their eventually clash, one he had waited for since organizing his list, he checked his environment. Soaked sand slowed footwork, no rooftops eliminated sneak attacks, lightning caused delays and blinding in split second decisions, and the lack of proper street lamps obscured their exact location should additional pros be called. In the event they were, a speedboat waited at the end of a dock.

All cards were in his hand. All he needed to do was play them.

The King would most likely activate his power before approaching then use his binding cloth from a distance. Beneath his mask, he formed the smallest of smiles. Eraserhead had been one of the earlier heroes Izuku studied back when he clung onto that childhood dream, when his jade eyes used to gleam. Now, he was to see a live demonstration. A first hand experience.

[jeevanrekhablog]

Endocrinology Hospital in Jaipur, Comprehensive Care for Hormonal Health - Jeevan Rekha Hospital

Endocrinology Hospital in Jaipur: Comprehensive Care for Hormonal and Metabolic Disorders

Endocrinology is a specialized field in medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders related to hormones and the endocrine system. these disorders get affect different glands in the trunk, such as arsenic the thyroid gland pancreas adrenal glands and acromegalic secretory organs, up to amplified health Problems include diabetes thyroid gland diseases metabolous disorders and further. If you are looking for an Endocrinology hospital in Jaipur, Jeevan Rekha Super Multispeciality Hospital is one of the leading options offering state-of-the-art facilities and expert care to patients suffering from endocrine and metabolic conditions.

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some green endocrinal disorders include:

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osteoporosis: A metabolous pearl disease where castanets go toffee and delicate appropriate to  release of weave typically consequent from hormonal changes or lack of calcium or vitamin d

adrenal disorders: conditions poignant the adrenal gland glands, such as arsenic addison's disease, cushing's syndrome and adrenal gland tumors

pituitary disorders: Problems relevant to the acromegalic secretory organ which get strike increase breeding and general hormonal correspondence in the body

[bronze-bell]

The garden was supposed to be still, with nature's music overtaking those chaotic and ever-overlapping and oh-so-loud thoughts. And yet, amid the sounds of leaves swaying and birds chirping, came the sound of breathing. Not his own breaths, but another's, behind him, ragged, shaky. He had to be imagining this. It was just his mind creeping in on him again.

Until it wasn't. Until he felt a tap on his shoulder and whipped around, very quickly needing to re-balance on his cane to get his bearings back together. The first thing he noticed was the flash of red and gold in front of him. The second thing he noticed was the letter in the postman's hands, held towards him. The third thing he noticed was, as his eyes wandered upward despite how he tried to keep them down, were the tear stains on a face that he could tell had makeup on it, that his arm almost reached upward to wipe away - he didn't have Victor's color of concealer or anything, but maybe he could fix something. But all he did after that twitch of motion was take the letter, the postman already out of sight by the time he could investigate even the blank seal. When he looked up, to see no one there, it was too much. Everything was too much, the words and voices and noise kept ringing in his mind. Holding the letter between his knuckles, he would strike his tuning fork as he forced himself to tread the path back to his room, forced himself to concentrate on the thing that worked to silence his thoughts.

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

(The letter is written on a rather thick, firm cardstock, the kind that doesn't fold easily. The kind that holds its shape. The kind that isn't so transparent as to show its components to those who can shine the correct light upon it. The envelope is sturdy to account for the paper within, and the seal is the same as previously. As before, Frederick can be seen waiting by the postbox, every so often striking his tuning fork as he waits, the letter in his inside coat pocket.)

Dear Victor Grantz,

I will not pretend I have a proper reply, especially since our distorted writings have... different ways of showing up. Regardless, the fact that you've sent me these writings at all... The fact you replied to me in the first place after I may have said more than you were ready for means a lot to me. I don't want to be alone again.

Victor, I know how it feels to not do well and not be able to show it. To have to pretend it's all fine. We can say these things in our correspondence, why not in any other way? Even if you're not better, I want to be with you. I don't care how much louder the voices get when I put together what happened, how much pain you're in.

When such things need to be kept secure, simply dropping them in the postbox and hoping nobody breaks the seal and snoops isn't good enough. The wrong person knowing the wrong things can... truly ruin you in ways untold. I know words on a page like this are difficult to erase, so it is especially important these stay between us.

(The handwriting here is shaky, words barely keeping themselves within their lines.)

Thank you for... believing in my work. It is more than I can say many people do. Maybe you are the one who is too kind. I do not know what finding comfort and talent in your work looks like, but I hope one day you will find that.

(The words reorient themselves here, but it is noticeable that the penmanship was done with a tense hand, as if to force such a thing, rather than let the letters flow where they may.)

Something as small as that brought you into so much... anyone could have found that letter, but you did, and you returned it. You... truly are kind.

...Perhaps that may be what they meant by 'easy to please', but... at the same time, I think there may be more to that. Not having to give much in order to satisfy... and then using such things in all the wrong ways.

I... cannot quite make out the entirety of the words here, but if I am understanding correctly from the parts I can see, you... you don't have to say a thing. I'm... afraid for you. Afraid I'll lose you.

Having such a window to the soul is a double edged sword, I suppose. Showing so much and yet not being clear about the meaning of what's visible.

I will not write such a guess. For both of our sakes, given what I've seen written previously. There is the superficial knowledge of people, and then there is this. Then there is giving each other all this information, and trusting the other with such things.

Regarding your last point, I doubt I've been thrown quite as many ways as you have. Even so, when we lose our balance, I hope we can catch each other when we fall. You're more than a postman, Victor. So much more. A person like you should never have had to go through all that.

Sincerely,

Frederick K.

P.S. Would you prefer I burn the rest of our correspondence, given your notice at the end of your last letter? (I considered asking Florian for advice on how to do so, but I was concerned that I'd tip him off, so I did no such thing.)

The postman leaves as he usually does after the letter, except... You can still hear his faint, tense breathing from somewhere around, even when he's seemingly left for any other place in the manor. He must be watching, you realise. Waiting for your reaction. Maybe you should look for him, after you have finished. Be very careful to not scare him away. After all you've gotten him to trust you enough to stay somewhat near.

(the letter is written on similar cardstock, and the envelope is brown and boring, as to not draw any attention. The seal is a similar brown, almost like it's trying to blend into the paper. It's loose, you realise, as only a small dot of melted wax keeps it together, making it easy to open even with gloved hands. He seems to have designed it so you would not need to use a letter opener, if you wished to read it here and now.

It is, again, stained, but the edges are crinkled too, as if he had been gripping it tightly as he delivered it to you. Most of the words inside are shaky, but still all are readable.)

[Dear Frederick,

You do not need to burn the letters. I am hopefully understandably paranoid nervous about anybody potentially reading them, but knowing you have kept my secrets so well... even with enough evidence to ruin me it's strangely sweet of you. Thank you. Keep me them safe, please.

I do not want to be alone again.

I am fine, I promise you. I had a visible mishap yesterday, but I am feeling better now. I can't not be. It's physically impossible. Even if I cry, I am fine. Even if I break, I will always be okay. The problem is when other people think I am not, and I get punished for it. Do not worry for me, if they find me again you'll be the first target and you're my only living friend in

I cannot talk, you should know this. It's not even the stitches anymore, they're not as tight as they were before they came here. That's how I'm able to eat properly, now. I carry a chalkboard for these sorts of occasions, but I have always felt anxious about keeping people waiting as I think. It may turn into a one-sided game of yes-or-no, I apologise.

Of course I believe in you, I don't think I could imagine a world where I do not. You fit your job like a glove, and it is wonderful to see. I do not think I have seen anybody better than you at what you do. It was a surprise when I realised people just wanted you for your appearance. I've always paid attention to the music itself, so I never thought it needed to matter. I still don't think it does.

Of course I returned it, that had has always been my job, and I don't even know how it had gotten lost in the first place. A dog who bore an address on their collar seemed to know the way to it, and she was almost my only friend then, I would follow her anywhere even if the address seemed strange, so I managed to complete the delivery.

I think I they were used in the ways they always were supposed to, but I am not used to having people to praise yet, so I am not confident in that. Does it matter if it feels nice?

I'm not a pers

You are incredibly sweet for being afraid for me, by the way. I don't understand why you are at all, but it's... Lovely to be cared about. I wonder what emotions you hold when you read the words I write you? Are they what I think they may be? I would like to see, some day.

Sincerely, Postman.]

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Midway through the strike, the Winnipeg Citizen newspaper published an analysis that neatly summed up the conspiracy theory that conditioned thinking not just about the General Strike but about the Red Scare in its entirety. Taking as its source a series of articles in the New York World, the Citizen announced that, according to “information secured in the inner councils of the Bolsheviki of this continent,” the “Red Five,” the masterminds of the revolutionary movement in Canada, were Winnipeg machinist Dick Johns, William Pritchard and Victor Midgley from Vancouver, Joe Knight from Edmonton, and Joe Naylor from the Vancouver Island mining community of Cumberland. These five men belonged to the inner circle of activists behind the One Big Union, and since the OBU was the Bolshevik conspiracy incarnate, said the Citizen, they comprised the sinister cabal that intended to take advantage of labour struggles such as the Winnipeg strike to overturn the government and replace it with a Red regime. These men had at their disposal “2,500 trained and paid agitators” who knew how “to impress and convert the wage earners,” warned the Citizen, which went on to declare that, “the Bolshevist idea […] has appealed to a greater number of people in the United States and Canada than is generally believed, and the number of supporters is constantly increasing.”

...

Early in the strike the federal government made it clear that it would not remain a neutral observer. Four days after the walkout began, Arthur Meighen, the acting minister of justice, and Minister of Labour Gideon Robertson left Ottawa on a train for Winnipeg to see for themselves what was going on. The government’s attitude was summed up by Meighen, who characterized strike leaders as “revolutionists of various degrees and types, from crazy idealists down to ordinary thieves.” When the two federal cabinet ministers reached Fort William, A.J. Andrews of the Citizens’ Committee of 1,000 was there to greet them. The fifty-four-year-old Andrews would emerge as a key figure in the strike. A lawyer and a former two-term Winnipeg mayor (he was known as “the boy mayor” because of his youthful appearance), he was a well-connected Conservative with a membership in the city’s exclusive social elite.

(Coincidentally, he had run for a seat in the legislature in the 1914 Manitoba election and lost to the labour candidate Fred Dixon, who would be arrested for his role in the strike.)

The Toronto Daily Star called Andrews “the principal human factor opposing the strike movement.” He had been “here there and everywhere” during the strike, the paper said. It was Andrews who would draft Mayor Gray’s ban on street parades; Andrews who met with visiting federal politicians when they came to town; Andrews who corresponded regularly with Arthur Meighen and consulted with him on legislation aimed at the strike leaders; Andrews who decided whether to keep the arrested strike leaders in jail or not. In short, Andrews was Winnipeg’s Wizard of Oz, lurking behind the curtain, manipulating the levers of power.

At the Fort William meeting, Andrews impressed upon Meighen and Robertson that the government had to take a tough stand against the strikers. Both cabinet ministers accepted the view that they were dealing with a sinister plot aimed at overthrowing the government. As the Star reported, the two men “are not preserving neutrality, they are openly opposed” to the strike. A few days later in Winnipeg, Meighen warned that “it is up to the citizens of Winnipeg to stand firm and resist the efforts made here to overturn proper authority.” He had already appointed Andrews the justice department’s special representative on the ground with the assignment of gathering evidence against the strike leadership that would prove they were engaged in a seditious conspiracy. On his return to Ottawa, Meighen—who had refused to meet with any of the strike leaders while he was in Winnipeg —rose to speak in the House of Commons on June 2 and made it clear that his government saw recent events as what he termed “the perfection of Bolshevism.” Meighen argued that by definition a general strike was an insurrection.

A general strike to succeed or, indeed, to continue, must result in the usurpation of governmental authority on the part of those controlling the strike. It did so result in Winnipeg; it must ever so result.

This was the crucial issue, said Meighen, not collective bargaining or some other labour issue, and the government must hold firm. “It was essential that the greater issue raised by the assumption of Soviet authority […] should be once and for all decided and be decisively beaten down …” From the beginning, then, the federal government made it clear that it was committed to the suppression of the strike, not its resolution.

There was an alternative view of the strike articulated in Parliament that day. It was proposed by Ernest LaPointe, the Liberal member for Kamouraska district in Quebec. A lawyer and future justice minister, LaPointe was one of the Laurier loyalists who had remained true to the old leader during the vote over conscription. He was considered to be one of the bright lights of the party in Quebec. He spoke ahead of Meighen, but in response to the comments of the Conservative member for North Winnipeg, Dr M.R. Blake, who had just told the House that “sedition must be stamped out” and that “radical socialist leaders must be interned or deported.” LaPointe argued that the origins of the Winnipeg strike could be found in the high cost of living and the workers’ natural resentment against a system

which allows meat trusts, flour trusts, and other dealers in the necessaries of life to pile up their dividends and multiply their millions while the prices of bread, bacon, meat and other commodities are soaring into altitudes heretofore unknown.

But what was to be done in the short term to establish peace between labour and capital, LaPointe asked? For one thing, “it is useless to mystify the public by acting a Bolshevist melodrama,” he said. These were “wild and stupid accusations.” The labour movement was simply acting on its determination to achieve equal power with the employer; the charges of Bolshevism were “slanderous attacks” on reputable labour leaders. In his view, the government was mishandling the situation and Senator Robertson had ended his usefulness as a mediator by siding so recklessly with one side in the dispute. As for Meighen, he was not temperamentally suited to settling disputes. “He stands in Canada as the Apostle of arbitrary enactments and despotic legislation,” thundered LaPointe, a reference to Meighen’s earlier role in forcing through conscription.

In the end, LaPointe did not have any suggestions to offer as to how the government might settle the Winnipeg dispute, though he did recommend a national conference of employers and employees to discuss the larger issues. Meanwhile, the most he had to offer was the usual vague advice from an Opposition MP: “Do something and do it now.” In precisely two weeks, the government would take this advice, though not in the way that LaPointe would have imagined."

- Daniel Francis, Seeing Reds: the Red Scare of 1918-1919, Canada’s First War on Terror. Arsenal Pulp Press, 2011. p. 136, 140-142.

[blogcontentmedia]

Small Business Bookkeeping for Dummies: A Comprehensive Guide

As an entrepreneur or small business owner, you've poured your heart and soul into building your company from the ground up. From perfecting your products or services to delivering exceptional customer experiences, you've tackled countless challenges to make your vision a reality.

However, one essential aspect of running a successful small business that often strikes fear in the hearts of many owners is bookkeeping.

The thought of meticulously tracking income, expenses, invoices, and receipts can quickly become overwhelming, especially for those without a finance or accounting background. But fear not, this comprehensive guide is here to demystify small business bookkeeping and provide you with the essential knowledge and tools to manage your finances with confidence.

Understanding the Basics of Small Business Bookkeeping

At its core, bookkeeping is the systematic recording, organizing, and maintenance of a company's financial transactions. This includes recording sales, purchases, payments, and receipts – a process that forms the foundation of your business's financial health and reporting.

The Importance of Accurate Bookkeeping

Maintaining accurate and up-to-date books serves several crucial purposes for your small business:

Tax Compliance: Proper bookkeeping ensures you have the necessary documentation to file accurate tax returns and avoid costly penalties or audits.

Financial Reporting: Well-organized financial records allow you to generate valuable reports such as profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, which provide vital insights into the performance and health of your business.

Informed Decision-Making: Accurate bookkeeping data empowers you to make informed, data-driven decisions about your business, from budgeting and forecasting to identifying areas for improvement or growth.

Access to Financing: Lenders and investors often require detailed financial records when considering loan or investment opportunities for your small business.

Key Bookkeeping Principles and Terminology

Before diving into the practical aspects of small business bookkeeping, it's essential to familiarize yourself with some fundamental principles and terminology:

Double-Entry Accounting: This system records each financial transaction as a debit and a corresponding credit, ensuring that your books are always in balance.

Accounts: The different categories you use to organize your financial information, such as assets, liabilities, equity, income, and expenses.

General Ledger: The central record-keeping system that tracks all financial transactions for your business.

Cash vs. Accrual Accounting: Cash accounting records transactions when cash is exchanged, while accrual accounting records them when they occur, regardless of when payment is made or received.

Chart of Accounts: A comprehensive list of all the accounts used in your general ledger, organized into categories.

Understanding these foundational principles and terminology will serve as a solid framework as you dive deeper into the practical aspects of small business bookkeeping.

Establishing an Effective Bookkeeping System

To ensure the smooth and efficient management of your small business finances, it's crucial to establish a well-structured bookkeeping system. This system should be tailored to the unique needs and complexities of your business, but there are several key elements to consider:

Choosing the Right Bookkeeping Method

Depending on the size and nature of your business, you may choose to keep your books manually using a spreadsheet or ledger, or opt for an automated bookkeeping software solution. Each method has its own advantages and considerations:

Manual Bookkeeping: This approach offers a high degree of control and customization but can be time-consuming and prone to human error.

Automated Bookkeeping Software: These cloud-based tools streamline the bookkeeping process, providing features such as invoice generation, expense tracking, and financial reporting. Examples include QuickBooks, FreshBooks, and Xero.

Organizing Your Financial Records

Establishing a systematic filing system for your financial documents is essential for maintaining order and accessibility. This may include:

Physical Files: Organize invoices, receipts, and other physical documents in labeled folders or binders.

Digital Storage: Scan and store electronic copies of financial documents in a secure, cloud-based storage system.

Backup and Archiving: Regularly back up your financial data and consider archiving older records to free up space while maintaining compliance.

Establishing a Chart of Accounts

Your chart of accounts is the foundation of your bookkeeping system, providing a structured way to categorize and track your financial transactions. Develop a comprehensive chart of accounts that reflects the unique aspects of your small business, making it easier to generate accurate financial reports.

Separating Business and Personal Finances

It's crucial to maintain a clear separation between your business and personal finances. Open a dedicated business bank account and credit card, and ensure that all business-related transactions are recorded and accounted for separately.

Mastering the Essentials of Small Business Bookkeeping

With the groundwork laid, let's dive into the core bookkeeping tasks you'll need to manage on an ongoing basis:

Recording Transactions

Accurately recording all financial transactions, including sales, purchases, payments, and receipts, is the backbone of your bookkeeping system. Ensure that each transaction is properly categorized and supported by the necessary documentation.

Invoicing and Accounts Receivable

Staying on top of invoicing and accounts receivable is crucial for maintaining a healthy cash flow. Develop a standardized invoicing process, track outstanding payments, and follow up on overdue invoices in a timely manner.

Expense Tracking and Accounts Payable

Meticulously tracking your business expenses, from office supplies to utilities, is essential for maintaining accurate financial records and maximizing tax deductions. Establish a system for storing and organizing receipts, and ensure that all payables are recorded and paid on time.

Reconciling Bank and Credit Card Accounts

Regularly reconciling your business bank and credit card statements with your bookkeeping records helps to identify any discrepancies or errors, ensuring the accuracy of your financial information.

Generating Financial Reports

Leverage your bookkeeping data to generate essential financial reports, such as profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. These reports provide valuable insights into the overall health and performance of your small business.

Payroll and Employee-Related Taxes

If you have employees, you'll need to manage payroll and ensure compliance with all relevant tax regulations. This may include calculating and remitting payroll taxes, issuing W-2s, and maintaining accurate employee records.

Tax Preparation and Compliance

Accurate bookkeeping is the foundation for timely and compliant tax filings. Work closely with your accountant or tax professional to ensure that you're accurately reporting your business income, expenses, and applicable taxes.

Outsourcing and Automating Bookkeeping Tasks

As your small business grows, it may become increasingly difficult to manage all of your bookkeeping responsibilities in-house. Consider these options for streamlining and delegating your bookkeeping tasks:

Hiring a Bookkeeper or Accountant

Outsourcing your bookkeeping to a professional can provide a range of benefits, including improved accuracy, efficiency, and access to specialized expertise. When selecting a bookkeeper or accountant, look for individuals or firms with experience working with small businesses.

Leveraging Bookkeeping Software

Automated bookkeeping software can significantly simplify and streamline many of the tasks associated with managing your finances. These cloud-based tools often include features such as invoicing, expense tracking, payroll management, and financial reporting.

Utilizing Virtual Bookkeeping Services

Virtual bookkeeping services provide a middle ground between DIY bookkeeping and hiring a full-time in-house professional. These services offer remote bookkeeping support, allowing you to focus on the core aspects of your business while leaving the financial record-keeping to the experts.

Maintaining Compliance and Best Practices

Ensuring compliance with all relevant laws and regulations is a critical aspect of small business bookkeeping. Additionally, adhering to industry best practices can help you optimize your financial management processes and position your business for long-term success.

Compliance Considerations

Stay up-to-date with federal, state, and local tax requirements, as well as any industry-specific regulations that may apply to your small business. Maintain detailed records and documentation to demonstrate compliance in the event of an audit or inspection.

Bookkeeping Best Practices

Incorporate the following best practices into your small business bookkeeping routine:

Regular Bookkeeping: Dedicate time each week or month to update your books, rather than letting transactions pile up.

Separation of Duties: If you have employees, consider implementing a system of checks and balances to prevent fraud or errors.

Continuous Training: Stay informed about the latest bookkeeping trends, tools, and regulations by attending workshops, webinars, or taking courses.

Leveraging Bookkeeping Data for Strategic Decision-Making

Beyond the day-to-day tasks of recording transactions and generating reports, your small business bookkeeping data can be a powerful tool for informing strategic decisions and driving long-term growth.

Financial Forecasting and Budgeting

Utilize your historical bookkeeping data to create accurate financial forecasts and budgets. This will help you anticipate cash flow needs, identify potential funding requirements, and make informed decisions about investments, hiring, or expansion plans.

Analyzing Financial Performance

In-depth analysis of your income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements can reveal valuable insights about the overall health and performance of your small business. Identify trends, detect areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your operations.

Tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Establish a set of relevant KPIs, such as gross profit margin, inventory turnover, or customer acquisition cost, and monitor them regularly to gauge the success of your business strategies and make adjustments as needed.

Identifying Cost-Saving Opportunities

Careful analysis of your expense tracking data can uncover opportunities to reduce costs, negotiate better supplier terms, or eliminate unnecessary spending, ultimately improving your bottom line.

Supporting Funding and Investment Decisions

Well-organized and up-to-date bookkeeping records can be instrumental in securing financing, whether it's a business loan, line of credit, or investment from venture capitalists or angel investors.

Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Bookkeeping Habit

Developing and sustaining a consistent bookkeeping routine can be challenging, especially for small business owners who are already juggling multiple responsibilities. Here are some tips to help you stay on track:

Prioritize Bookkeeping in Your Schedule

Set aside dedicated time each week or month to update your books, and treat it as a non-negotiable task, just like any other essential business activity.

Leverage Bookkeeping Tools and Technology

Embrace the use of bookkeeping software, mobile apps, and other digital tools to streamline your processes and make record-keeping a more efficient and enjoyable experience.

Establish Bookkeeping Rituals and Routines

Create a consistent bookkeeping routine, such as processing invoices and expenses on a specific day of the week or month. Turning these tasks into habits can help them become second nature.

Seek Support and Accountability

Consider partnering with a bookkeeper, accountant, or even a trusted business mentor who can provide guidance, support, and accountability to help you stay on track with your bookkeeping obligations.

Continuously Learn and Improve

Stay up-to-date with the latest bookkeeping best practices, tax regulations, and technological advancements. Attend workshops, read industry publications, and explore online resources to enhance your skills and streamline your processes.

Conclusion

Effective small business bookkeeping may seem like a daunting task, but with the right knowledge, tools, and mindset, it can become a valuable asset in driving the success and growth of your enterprise. By mastering the fundamentals, leveraging technology, and staying proactive, you can transform your bookkeeping from a necessary chore into a strategic advantage that empowers you to make informed decisions, maintain compliance, and position your business for long-term prosperity.

Remember, the key to successful small business bookkeeping lies in developing sustainable habits, seeking support when needed, and continuously adapting to the evolving financial landscape. Embrace this comprehensive guide as a roadmap to establishing a robust and efficient bookkeeping system that will serve as the foundation for your small business's continued growth and success.

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