#BA Exam News

[writers-potion]

𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫

Like many other fields, magic comes from a combianation of natural talent, determination, study and practice. Here are some ways that your character can learn, either to develop throughout the story or as a part of their backstory.

School of Magic

It may ba a school of magic for children, a college of magic, a mage academy, or even a university offering postgraduate degrees in comparative magic and magical anthropology.

Students sign up for full-time study, often on tuition-bed-and-board basis.

Depending on the type of school and level of education, students will be taught subjects that address various aspects of their magic system, sometimes even non-magical subjects.

Apprenticeship

This is where a senior magician takes one or several trainees to lern under them. The terms of the contract would vary, but the basics of it would be that the student is indentured for certain years of service in return for an education.

There may or may not be payment involved, and the appentices may live with the master.

Self-Study

A magician can plausibly teach themselves through research, reading, trial and error.

This is reclusive, organized, studious characters who have self-discipline and intense curiosity.

Part-Time Study

It is also practical to study magic as a hobby, and to devote only a few hours every week to training.

Many organizations offer part-time courses: community colleges, pagan religious groups, New Age societies. There may or may not be an examination/certification requirement.

Informal Learning

Non-professional magicians can pick up some skills that are passed down from mother to daughter, or a few lines of magic that goes viral among teenagers.

Candidate Selection

A magical academy's entrance exam or a master choosing an apprentice may look at the following: ability to concentrate, memory, creativity and imagination, motivation moral integrity, ability to control thoughts, patience, health, sensory awareness, natural affinity for magic, existing skills in related fields, faith and piety, etc.

Initiation

When the student has passed the probationary period, he is initiated into the craft. This ritual often takes place during a solstice or equinox, or an annual event like a festival.

Some systems of magic may have several levels of initiations or degrees.

Some systems may have lethal consequences for candidates who fail to pass the test.

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[accio-victuuri]

one day i will write a proper per episode post about yibo’s show, but right now, just sharing some really heart felt reactions from people who watched the documentary. 🫶🏼

yibo is so easy to love if you just give him the chance!

(P1) "exploring the unknown" is a must-see for every postgraduate candidate preparing for the exam. I originally watched it with the mentality of watching a documentary about wilderness science, but after watching it, I realized that I was narrow-minded. This is not just a documentary about survival in the wilderness. In the journey of exploring the unknown, we are often driven by a desire to conquer, eager to challenge the limits and prove our strength. However, there is such a documentary that subverts the traditional concept of exploration. It is not about how to conquer nature, but about how to coexist harmoniously with nature and how to love every inch of land on this planet. The protagonist of this documentary is none other than Wang Yibo. He was not challenging the authority of nature, but challenging his own limits. I really like what he said: "I never believed that I couldn't complete it, it was just a matter of time." This sentence really gave me a lot of thoughts. Looking back at the time when I was taking the postgraduate entrance examination, if I had seen such a documentary, I would really have less anxiety. In the process of the examination, everyone is challenging their own limits. Because I took the postgraduate entrance examination relatively late at that time, I didn't have much time left. At that time, I was anxious and uneasy. Fortunately, I met a group of very good people at that time, which allowed me to quickly get out of anxiety. The postgraduate entrance examination is a long and challenging process, which requires you to have a firm will and good qualities.

(P2) In order to get to know my daughter's idol better, I watched it again..."Exploring the Unknown" made us feel a different Wang Yibo.

In the past, we felt more about him in film and television works, and documentaries are different from film and television works, because the characters in film and television works are more about the plot settings, while the characters in documentaries are closer to the characters themselves. But the documentary is different from ordinary documentaries. It is not just about recording scenes and processes, but about challenging and experiencing the extreme geographical environment.

First of all, you must have the courage to challenge, and dare to challenge, especially when facing an unknown and uncontrollable environment, people will involuntarily produce fear, which really tests the courage and courage of the participants, and in "Exploring the Unknown", Wang Yibo showed it vividly, allowing us to feel the power from him. Just like what Wang Yibo said in the film, "I used to think that every time I did something new, the first time in my life would become less, but after trying, I found that there would be infinite first times. Secondly, you need to have super physical fitness. The complex natural environment of Ba Wang Ling, what you will encounter and what will happen in the process of chasing gibbons are all unpredictable and uncontrollable, and the necessary condition to face it calmly is that your physical fitness must be absolutely super. Long-distance hiking and swimming, Wang Yibo's super physical fitness is fully displayed. Super physical fitness is not trained overnight, nor is it obtained by persistence for one or two years. It is the result of more than ten years of accumulation, perseverance and self-discipline. It also shows the superhuman perseverance.

(P3) I have a new understanding of the stars my daughter likes. Last night, I watched the documentary "Exploring the Unknown" created by Wang Yibo. This is the first time I have watched a star program carefully from beginning to end. Although Wang Yibo's name has worn calluses on my ears, why do I say that? Because my daughter is his die-hard fan. After watching the program last night, I really got to know him and it really touched me. In the Hainan Bawangling Nature Reserve with a temperature of up to 35 degrees, we all know that the temperature is 35 degrees, but people may feel nearly 45 degrees. At the same time, they are also tested by various animals. In such an environment, in order to throw a rope to the opposite tree, he threw it for a whole hour, doing repeated actions again and again, and thinking about the skills and strength of the actions again and again. In the middle, the explorer said to take a break and come back, but he did not stop and still insisted on throwing it down. Seeing this makes me admire him, and it makes me understand why he can succeed. His tenacity, perseverance, his determination to achieve his goal, his fearlessness of hardships, and his courage in the face of adversity are destined to make him successful. He is the spiritual representative of the younger generation. I remember his donations and on-site disaster relief during the 21st flood in Henan. He is a public figure with a sense of responsibility and mission. So my daughter likes him, which makes me feel relieved. Because I believe that she can definitely draw more positive energy from Wang Yibo, because she likes him, she will definitely make herself better.

[thatliftgirl]

Well guys, today was a success after all! I woke up not feeling great but I’m better now. Anyway, I hit 5 👇, ÇVŚ, Sákş off 5th (just the skirt and shitty jewelry), wôrlď màrkět, últá, art store, stárbùckş and nôrdşțròm.

1st pic:

- Pens from craft store

- random stuff from 5 👇

- Starbucks keychain

Total: $69

2nd pic:

- stupidly overpriced jewelry that I līftèd out of spite from sákş ôff 5ťh; for some reason they were sooo rude and sussed me so hard at the fitting rooms so I just got a skirt.

Total for shitty jewelry: $1,161

Pic 3: wôrłd mârkét. Random stuff I wanted lol

Total: $82

Pic 4: ülțà. I didn’t get much at all and only one palette to bo0st bc this store has like no good brands?? Anyway I took it as an opportunity to try some totally new stuff and brands. I’m excited (:

Total: $461

Pic 5: ÇVŚ haul and 5 👇 socks.

Total: $92

Pic 6: n0rdys and a skirt from off 5th. Sweater is Vince, cardigans from Rails, and skirt is Ba&sh.

Pic 7: n0rdys: all silk shirts from Vince to bo0st. Still need to get an account to start bo0sting!

Pic 8: still n0rdys and silk shirts from Vince. I only had room for like one brand lol but next time we’ll do a different one.

Pic 9: n0rdys. Silk shirt from Vince, 1 Vince sweater and 2 cashmere sweaters from Allsaints.

Total for clothes: $6,466.

And the grand total: $8,331.

It was a pretty good day! I didn’t get to go everywhere I wanted but hopefully during the week I’ll do more. Expect my first ever min1s0 haul tomorrow! Won’t have time for anything more bc of exams and my concert tomorrow. Happy holidays!

Remember, it’s all roleplay! I would never shoplift. 💜💜

[lunas-side-anime-blog]

Modern College Student/Gf Mikasa Ackerman Headcanons

Armin Version: Here Eren Version: Here

scary goth girl that everyone is too scared to talk to but secretly crushes on

psychology major bc I think she had a tough childhood and wants to better understand trauma / help others

somwhere in the middle between Armin and Erin when it comes to academics

like I don't think she is as intense about grades as Armin is, but I also don't think she's as laidback about school as Eren

moderately studies throughout the week, but it's just basic note taking and chapter reading, i don't think she's afraid to miss a few classes though if she feels like it

only really crams and does all-nighters right before an exam if she thinks she needs it

i think she wears men cologne and deodorant and it fits her soo well, idk how to describe it but she smells powerful but comforting at the same time?

maybe like woodsy with strong notes of vanilla and cashmere

loves a black cold brew: no creamer, foam or sugar like she's so intense that way

i think she's that one cool girl who always walks into class like a few minutes late with a hot resting bitch face, AirPods in and a cold brew in hand

tall girl and I think her height is prob her fave feature about herself, like I can see her wearing more heeled boots or platforms to exaggerate it

wears lots of black and hardly any makeup besides some light eyeliner most days

doesn't talk alot unless she fr knows you, i think most people would just hear her say "here" for attendenace and that's it

doesn't go to parties unless she has to

I think think she'll only go to watch eren and armin. she knows eren loves to go overboard and armin will most likely get distracted so she takes it upon herself to be the sober one watching everyone's drinks

def a girls girl like if she sees another female in an uncomfortable situation shes jumping in, no questions asked

i can see her working out with eren so in my mind shes ripped too and yeah...most guys don't fuck with her

has a cute lil skincare routine, only has like a three step process tho since I think she has naturally good skin

she secretly loves facemasks tho and doing her nails with armin as rewards for studying lol

I think out of the main three mikasa would have the most instagram followers, which is so funny bc she doesn't know why she's so popular?

I just think her aesthetic and vibe is very cool, if her account is set to public she would quickly get a lil following

lots of secret admires with this one, men and woman alike

I can see her being BI or Pan too so like that's very conveient

other than armin and eren, I think Mikasa would be besties with Yimir and Sasha

i can see them going to concerts together, shopping, late night drives, getting food (at sasha's demand lol) like i think they'd be a chill lil trio

views eren and armin as brother figures btw, gets grossed out when people ask if shes dating them

obviously a very protective friend

the type of freind whose like "what's their name" when you tell her you're seeing someone new and within an hour Mikasa will have an entire report on where they went to school, all their exes, hobbies, pets, address, ect.

I can see her getting a masters tbh, I def think armin would talk her into it so I think they would be grad school buddies while eren finishes his BA (he'll lag behind them a year or two since he changed his major so much anyway)

Loves cats and I think she'd have one or two if armin and eren are cool with it

I think she would have a few tatooes and piercings, but very subtle ones she can hide since I think as a psychologist she'd want to be taken seriously

music taste is kinda stuck in middle school tbh, still loves my chemical romance with a passion

I don't think she'd smoke weed or drink

^^ not that she has anything against it but i think she just hates the feeling of not being in complete control of herself so she stays away from things like that

never gets sick? it's actually medically fascinating

Overall she's that one quiet girl in class who looks scary but is a sweethear and everyon'es dying to be friends with

As your GF

omg I think she'd be the best significant other tbh

I think you would meet her in a meet-cute way since it's always the people who you least expect to be cheesy

I think maybe like you accidentally tripped and made her spill her coffee in class. you look up an see this tall, ripped, emo looking chick and you rush to apologise and give her your drink in hopes she doesn't flip

shes like "...ok." and takes it. but then the next class she randomly sits next to you and passes you a drink and is like ... "i hope i got your order right?"

the dork memorized your drink akjglalg

after that she kinda keeps sitting next to you and attempts small talk, so you realize she's actually v sweet and exchange socials

which is great bc I think mikasa is way better at flirting over text than in person and you'd quickly understand that she likes you

First date would probably be a show, i think she'd take you to a local band she likes and would get a quick bite after it

I think for second date she'd like you to choose what you guys do and then third she chooses, you guys switch bc she's all about that equal effort

once you agree to be her s/o she'd gonna be so annoying on social media like she's def gonna loose some followers as she only posts you now

type of partner to notice the smallest changes in you right away

you give her a peck and shes like "why aren't you wearing your usual lip balm? do you not like strawberries anymore?"

in bed she's a dom, is that even a queston?

I think she's actually a brat tamer, in my head rn she gets a lil smirk when you act up and i think she just mentally notes what to punish you for later

mikasa views sex toys as allies not enemies, and yeah i think she has an impressive collection so buckle tf up

okay so she's kinda yandere (tbh i think most ppl from the aot universe are but esp mikasa) I think shes very protective and a touch paranoid?

like i think her past is kinda messed up and I can see her mind running wild with ideas if not reassured

so you can just oversleep for a bit and you'll wake up to mikasa practically breaking into your apartment to make sure you're okay bc you suddenly went silent on her

some trust issues too, would def be really upset if you didn't give her the passcode to your phone

doesn't like your friends or anyone else you talk to tbh, she just doesn't think anyone else has your back like she does and will always remind you

i also know her manipulation skill is cray being a psych major, I don't think she's as good as Armin but ik she can weaponize some therapy speak and make you feel a lil stupid (only does it for your own good she says)

doesn't get jealous but does get even

I can see the little shit putting thumbtacks in pockets or laxitives in drinks if someone dares flirt with you, she can be so evil sometimes i just know it

she isn't even scared of the aftermath bc she knows eren and armin have her back so she wants the smoke tbh

the type of partner to death stare someone from behind your back but when you turn around she's suddenly all :)

would love matching tattoos with you if you're down

think she'll be the quickest to bring up marriage too, porbably only a few months of dating and she's like "so when we get married-" and you're like "!?"

big spoon gf, you can be bigger than her and she don't gaf she's still holding you not the other way around

Overall a really sweet girlfriend who just wants to protect you and keep you all to herself

Can be a lil crazy at times, but she means well I swear !!!

Nicknames for you: love, my other half, wifey/hubbie

Songs that fit the vibe: The Perfect Girl by Mareux, Breezeblocks by Alt-J, Me and Your Mama by Childish Gambino

"You're such a strange girl, the way you look like you do."

"She's morphine, queen of my vaccine, my love, my love, love..."

"Girl you really got a hold on me, so this isn't just puppy love"

(She's so hot omg I love her, i developed a lil crush writing this! Anyway srry the moodboard didn't include couple stuff, girlfriend aesthetics are way harder to find than bf aesthetics and the ones I did find looked nothing like her :( tell me if you guys like this series, totally open to doing more characters! not even just from aot, i also kinda wanna do demon slayer or hxh, also love jjk and chainsaw man but I didn't read those mangas yet so I may not be the best at it!!)

[ghostgirl-22]

a mistletoe artrick story? 👀

Thanks so much for the prompt my lovely 💜 This ended up being completely SFW so I’m either very sorry or you’re welcome. Either way I hope you like it <3

—-

It happened once last year at the winter formal. Patrick won prince or king or something like that so he already had a lot of attention on him which meant people were watching when he pulled Art to the side to ask about something… Art barely remembers what it was. What he remembers is that they ended up under the mistletoe.

“Guess what? Now you have to kiss.” Someone shouts followed by a lot of laughter and chatting.

Art isn’t used to being the center of attention and as embarrassed as he is there is a small, small distant part of him that likes it. Still he doesn’t want this kind of attention. He wasn’t even going to do it but someone said it’d be bad luck not to. Come to think of it that someone was probably Patrick.

Art doesn’t need anymore bad luck. So he lets Patrick pull him closer, wearing one of his goofy grins.

“It’s the kiss you’ve all been waiting for,” Patrick announces to their classmates. Most people are laughing but some are actually cheering. Patrick’s girlfriend Madison rolls her eyes but she’s smiling.

It’s theatrical, Art knows that. And Patrick knows how to put on a show. Still, Art shivers a little as their lips touch. It’s probably nothing. Patrick has soft lips. But it’s nothing. Everyone laughs it off makes the obligatory vaguely homophobic jokes and they continue to dance all night.

None of that’s the weird part actually. What’s weird is what happens the next month. Patrick does well on an exam he was dreading. “I got a B+” he exclaims and he kisses Art straight on the lips.

Art rubs his mouth idly but Patrick looks like he’s already forgotten about it and he runs to call his mom. So Art forgets about it too.

And then in February. Valentine’s Day, actually. Art got a bunch of Hershey’s kisses from his new girlfriend Christina. Patrick sneaks one off his desk and later says, “I guess I owe you.” And he cradles Art’s head and plants a kiss right on his mouth. He grins after as Art stares at him dumbfounded and shrugs. “Kiss for a kiss.” And without another word he leaves to go wash up for his date with Madison.

It gets to be normal after that. Their first doubles win of the tennis season. Patrick kissing him right on the court. Just so quick you wouldn’t think twice about it. But Art can’t stop thinking about it.

He gets a kiss on his birthday. Twelve midnight Patrick crawls into his bed while they’re finishing homework.

When he gets his acceptance letter from Stanford. “I don’t think you should go but good job.”

When Christina breaks up with him for Tim Lyons because “he’s just a better player.” Patrick’s making a face, “Tim? Really?”

On the Fourth of July. Hidden away in the boat house on Patrick’s family’s estate.

And the kisses are changing too. Sometimes it’s short and sweet. Other times it’s slow and intimate. Sometimes Art thinks he might have feelings all tied up in this.

They kiss like that, in front of Tashi Duncan. Just the most beautiful girl Art’s ever seen. She seems to be into it— the kissing. And poor Madison is history after that.

He hates Patrick a little bit after the junior US Open final. But that doesn’t keep him from letting Patrick kiss him something quick before they go out to search for beer.

By September they’re kissing in Arts bed just because it’s Tuesday.

On Halloween Art can’t recall what it was like before the kissing became normal. Patrick visiting Tashi at Stanford but staying in Arts room and before they all go to some dumb Halloween Party. Patrick kisses him. They meet Tashi for drinks and he kisses her.

Art’s in this weird place where he doesn’t really know who he’s more jealous of.

It’s December when they go out to eat at some themed restaurant to celebrate the end of their first semester. Patrick’s ordering drinks with his fake ID. Art leans next to him on the bar. Tashi taps his shoulder and points up at the feature where wineglasses are hanging and she’s smirking at the mistletoe draped just above them. “Guess that means you two have to kiss right?” She says.

Patrick grins at Art and Art feels his skin heating up. It’s some kind of kismet obviously.

“Oh come on,” Tashi teases, gently rubbing Art’s shoulder. “It’s not that big of a deal. Cause I know for a fact you’ve done it before.”

[manicpixiefelix]

is reader rich? how rich are we talking, like what their family heritage or something?

idk im sorry i just like exploring lore

Don't apologise I love thinking too much about the lore for my stories (also this will probably develop into something far more concrete as the story progresses)

this is regarding head, heart, hand if you wanna read the fic 🥰

Also, warnings of parental emotional neglect and distance regarding the reader's backstory.

So I'm thinking the reader is from Old Money, long-time generational wealth, like the Cattons. While I assume their grandparents were more occupied with the family business, I think on their mother's side, both their father and their mother are image-obsessed "philanthropists" who make a big show of their charity fundraisers and feel-good endeavours, despite their family money almost definitely being sourced unethically.

The reader and Felix are childhood friends, since their parents are old friends, as the Catton's used to attend many of the reader's family publicity events, usually just Elspeth and Sir James, but several times they brought Felix and Venetia when encouraged.

Most people don't actually know the reader is even their parents' child. They were born to satisfy their grandparents wishes for a grandchild, but neither of their parents were particularly interested in raising a child. After Felix and Venetia took a liking to them, and Elspeth too, their parents were more than happy to let them spend breaks with the Cattons after they were finally old enough to send to boarding school.

The reader is a legacy student at Oxford (I think that's the term when one or more parents have graduated from the institute). While their mother comes from old money, she, like Felix, was attending more as something to do. She met the reader's father there, and he is well off, but from much newer money. Both sets of grandparents have approved of the marriage, and while the reader's mother finished a BA in Art History (that she uses to determine the value of various paintings across the world to then auction them for charity), their father studied law. While he completed his degree, he never attended the exam to allow him to officially become a lawyer, as soon after they were married, the reader's father fell ill, and he elected his new son in law to become head of the business. These days it's more of a symbolic title, they simply use the money while the company's board of directors actually runs the company.

They're very distant with the reader, even more so than Sir James and Elspeth are with Venetia and Felix. reader's parents just seem to be glad that they became so quickly independent, without realising how emotionally neglectful they were, which is another reason the reader clings so strongly to Felix. That independence their parents see is also why they believe the reader is capable of making important decisions so young, hence why they were allowed to attend the same schools as Felix and Farleigh and Venetia in their youth.

😅😅 maybe I actually have thought about this a lot haha I love this stuff, is there anything else you'd like to know?? I'd love to dive into this world, it helps me figure out how to write it and these characters going forward 🥰🥰🥰

[justanothervigalanty]

You were sat on Jason’s lap on the couch traysing the scars on his arms and he was playing with your hair. Bruce was scribbling some work stuff on a notebook in his armchair, Damian was sat with titus and ace drawing on his hands. Stephany was reading her school book and cass was studying for an upcoming exam when Tim came running in.

“Jason it’s on!”-tim

Jason signed siting up still holding on to you to look at what tim was on about tim showed Jason his laptop

“Holy shit put on the Tv!”-jason

Damian picked up the remote and put on the news everyone looked up to watch what was happening it was Batman, red hood and robin on the news fiting the joker. Everyone was fixt on the scene when the joker through some knife’s at them you looked up to see Batman grab robin and cover him with his cape but red hood was left to doge them leaving a cut acros his chest

“Well that was visibly favouritism” you said (you don’t know anyone’s vigalanty job’s identity)

everyone looked up at you even Bruce looked up

“What do you mean by favouritism y/n?”-bruce

“Well you all saw it Batman new red hood was there and robin was visibly ablaze to hide behind that garbage truck but red hood was out in the open and had no chance of dogging all of those knives but still Batman went to protect robin who didn’t need it when red hood was In Visible danger.”-you

Jason looked down holding you closer

“It did look like that knife hurt”-Jason

which was his way of saying ‘y/n is right it was favouritism and that knife really hurt!”

“Well yea I guess it would of”-Bruce said

“Hay y/n who even is your favourite hero?”-tim

everyone looked at you

“It’s robin right?!”-damian

“Umm not really robin seems a bit spoiled same for nightwing”-you

Jason sniggered as his glancing over at a secretly very offended dick

”how about red robin or spoiler or many batgirl?”-cass

“Umm no probably not red robin is all brans no brawn and spoler and batgirl don’t normally show up.”-you

Jason turned your face to look at him

“Ok time for the million dollar question ready babe.… what are you thoughts on red hood!”-jason

“Oh umm wow he is actually pretty cool! Ha that’s actually pretty funny!”-you

“What?”-jason

“Um god this is embarrassing. When I first met red hood when I was 13 he was kinda still a criminal but he stopped the joker from throwing a load of grenadines at me so I wow um this is awkward, I had this massive crush on him it was probably stupid I mean dating a vigilante wow that right there is death sentence!”-you

Jason just smiled at welst the other ps looked at you in disbelief. When the news finished Tim put on back to the future in the back round as everyone continued their stuff. At some point you leaned your head on Jason’s chest which made him flinch

“Oh god jay I’m sorry did I hurt you!”-you

“No I’m fine just-ow crap I’m fine it’s all good!”-jason

“Um no it’s not! i’l be right back”-you

“Shit!”-jason Said covering his face with his hands “babe-

before Jason could stop you. You hade left the room and he folded after you. He found you in your shared room where you where looking through your mind frige in the corner of the room.

“What are you doing?”-jason

you pulled out a ice pack and towel of the floor

“This, here it should help.”-you

“Thanks”-Jason sat on your bed and placed the ice pack on his chest.you just stood there knowing he was hiding something

“I feel like you’re starting at me?”-jason, he smiled at you at you sat down next to him.

“Jay it’s an ice pack it goes on your skin not shirt”-you said taking of his shirt to show a massive gash across his chest lit looked like a knife cut.

“Jason what the hell is that!?”-you

“Oh um I just I was-“-Jason

“Your red hood aren’t you.” You said standing up

“Shit. Babe I was going to tell you just oh god I’m so sorry”-Jason walked over to you and took your hand

“That’s why you come home late and how you got all those scars isn’t it?”-you

Jason didn’t speak he just nodded when he looked up he saw you trying to hold back tears

“Ho god n/n I’m sorry.”-Jason , he hugged you so tight and you just leaned your head on Jason’s shoulder crying.

“Hay baby it’s ok why are you crying it’s all ok”-jason

“I-I , you a-almost died yesterday!”-you

“Ho babe. Y/n I’m so sorry I”m here it all going to be ok”

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Hello, what's your opinion on Rita Skeeter and the prees on the wizarding word?

Like, Rita Skeeter as a character — I love her. I think she's lots of fun, and I always found her incredibly entertaining. She's actually one of the smarter characters in the series and isn't given nearly enough credit for how many things she gets shockingly right (when she cares to write the truth and isn't just after a good story, but even then she's hilarious).

Like, I'd buy her books 100% just for the entertainment value. Like, I wish in the set of the Hogwarts library books like Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts we also had the Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, as in, the whole book.

That being said, like all the press in the Wizarding World, she's crocked as shit.

I mean, The Prophet publishes whatever the minister & Wizengamot tell it to publish. There isn't really freedom of the press since all the large newspapers (yes, even Witch Weekly to a degree) are authorized by the government and push whatever agenda the government wants to push.

Year 5 (and later year 7) are the most glaring examples of that. With Fudge and the ministry going all: "there's no war in Ba-Sung-Se" on Voldemort’s return during Harry's fifth year. Tbh, the moment the official government-founded newspaper started publishing with the intent and purpose of discrediting a 15-year-old more eyebrows should've been raised by literally everyone. Like, no self-respecting would do what they did unless they're lying/hiding something big. (Like, no self-respecting politician with actual power who's secure in their position would do the shit Fudge pulled in year 5. That's like, classic desperation, and grasping to his little remaining power with the skin of his teeth moves. Like, these are moves you do when you know your time's up)

How easy it was for the Death Eaters to take over the press and the ministry is another example of how authoritative the Ministry of Magic, and by extension its press is. They regulate everything from what spells you're allowed to cast, the education, the exams, and travel (portkeys and floo networks can only be set up through a ministry office + apparition license), they regulate the importation and deportation of goods, and almost all of the population works in the ministry or with the ministry in some capacity. They then, of course, control the press completely and the Prophet only publishes what the ministry allows it to publish.

Yes, Rita criticized the ministry after the attack at the Quidditch World Cup (rightfully so, might I add) but that was allowed criticism. You don't see how much control the ministry has over the press when it's business as usual because Fudge knows a story like this would only require a performative slap on some random ministry official's (that isn't him) wrist. It's criticism that affects nothing and doesn't require anything from him, nor does it undermine him personally, so it is allowed. But the moment the ministry needs the Prophet in line, it falls in line. I mean, we see in OotP when Rita doesn't fall in line with the new orders she gets fired:

none other than Rita Skeeter, ex-journalist on the Daily Prophet and one of Hermione’s least favorite people in the world.

(OotP)

(I would give the ministry credit that running a private newspaper like the Quibbler at least isn't illegal. That being said, the bar is at rock bottom).

[oddballwriter]

Dwelling in the Night

Series Masterlist

Pt. 2 Pt. 3 Pt. 4

Summary: There's a new vigilante figure out on the streets at night. And there's also a new neighbor on the same floor as Steven and the rest of the boys.  

Warnings: Mentions of blood, dead bodies, crime, all that. Reader is a vampire so it's implied that they consume blood and all that. Also, Y/N kills, but the act is never actually written or depicted. Steven being dumb and clueless for reasons of the plot. This is mostly Steven-centric and Marc-centric but Jake's here too but doesn't really do anything for the plot other than simply have some lines that progress the plot. Gender-neutral reader with they/them being used for them. Heads up, it does get a bit confusing in one part but I think it's fine.  

Author’s Snip: I wrote this in one sitting and it's currently 1:30 am. Honestly, anything to stall my studying for an exam for one of my classes. I wrote this fucking unit of a shot involving my love for vampire Y/N's just to do it.

Notes: Please appreciate vampire reader. We need more of that in the x reader community. I as a reader would love for that to happen more often. Thank you.

Word count: 2,600~

I’ll shut up now. Enjoy!

The system took pride in their patrolling. Even if it was still doing work for Khonshu, they were still free in what they did when coming across a criminal rather than being yapped at. It brought a sort of satisfaction of taking, or at least scaring, another threat off the street. But things were getting weird, and slightly disturbing.

Criminals had started to drop like flies with a theme of them being found in dark alleys with bitten throats, but there was never any blood to be found that made sense with their wounds. Just their pale corpses with looks of fear or shock in their glazed-over eyes.

Jake admired the simple tactic of scaring off would be scum by the fear of being the next person in the obituaries, but he had to admit that the method of doing that was unsettling. He just killed them and let whoever came across the scene be shucked with cleaning the mess.

Marc worried that this other party wasn't actually someone necessarily on "the right side" and this was an actual threat to the public that just so happened to have a streak going with having their victims coincidentally being criminals.

It wasn't until they came across two cases that proved that worry otherwise.

The first was a girl they found running around the alleys in a panic. When they went to her and asked if she was okay, she was babbling about something in her panting. "There was this guy! He dragged me into the alleys, he held up a knife to me and was threatening me!" she explained pointing in the general direction, but she kept talking "But this... in the shadows, there were these two glowing lights, like eyes! And this person came out from there and grabbed them." she said. "I just ran off I didn't know where to go! They were blocking off the way to the street." she exclaimed.

It was actually Steven who was fronting then. He helped her calm down and led her out of the alley system and back in to get the perp and maybe help whoever got him away from the poor woman. But when he found the guy, he was like all the others he and the system had heard about.

Dead with a bitten throat, fear on their face, and hardly any blood in the pool for it to make sense.

The second was with Marc himself. He dropped in on a duo of muggers who cornered a young man, getting a left hook in on one of them. But his buddy ran off into the dark and dank alleys to get away. Marc needed to do a few more punches to get the first down and out before chasing after the second, but he swore he could've seen a figure follow after them in the corner of his vision.

He heard the sound of what must have been the guy's scream as soon as Marc moved on.

But when Marc got there, he was already on the wet brick floor writhing and grabbing at his neck. He saw them. A figure in the shadows where the backlights couldn't reach to show them in all say for a silhouette, had ducked into another alley. "Hey!" Marc called to them before chasing after them. But when he turned the corner, they were gone, only seeing a complete dead end.

When Marc came back to the guy, he found him trying to breathe through a gargled, and bitten, throat. He tried his best to help the guy since he was still alive. Unfortunately, bites to the jugular weren't kind injuries to those who are dealt them.

🩸🩸🩸

"I don't understand," Steven mutters as Marc slides back into their flat after patrolling and finding a few more crooks who came across this other person. "Why the injuries to the neck? And how is there hardly any blood?" he questions, "There's nowhere for it to go. There's nowhere for them to go. They just come out of nowhere and pick these blokes off and leave in such a short moment.".

"I don't know. And I don't think I want to know. This freak's keeping the load easier for us by doing whatever they're doing with these guys." Marc says, emphasizing the word 'freak'. "Hey, watch who you're calling a freak, amigo. We aren't exactly normal either." Jake says, mostly joking. "Yeah, sure. But we're not the one who's having our guys come up without a drop of blood left in them." Marc defends.

A crash is heard from nearby, in the flat next door.

"The hell's going on over there?" Marc muttered to himself as a reaction to the sound, but Steven said a name almost instantly.

"Who?" Marc asked.

"It's Y/N. They're our neighbor. They moved in a few months ago." Steven answered. "I've never heard of them." Marc comments before Steven quips back with "That's because you two hardly meet anybody.".

"Give me the body for a bit. I want to check on them. That sounded like something big fell over." Steven requests. Marc shrugs and switches out after briefly instructing "Put the body to sleep when you're done.".

Steven un-summons the suit, steps out into the hallway, steps towards your door, and knocks. After a beat, the door opens enough to have your head pop through, but not enough to show the rest of your flat like a fully opened door would. Which he didn't really mind, you always did this whenever he or anyone would knock. "Hello." Steven greets you with a little smile.

You look worried at seeing him in front of you. "I heard a pretty loud noise come from your flat. Is everything okay?" Steven asked. "Yeah. I'm so sorry. I knocked over a shelf." you answer. Steven is shocked for a bit, "A shelf? My word. Are you sure you're okay? Do you want me to help you lift it back up?" Steven stresses as he moves to the side to peak into your flat to see how bad the damage is. But you quickly pull back in and tighten the width of the open door to a sliver , making him unable to see the inside with a "No!".

He pulls away, startled at the sudden reaction.

You open the door back up to step out again. "I'm sorry about that." you timidly apologize. "It's fine. I can pick it back up on my own. Thank you for offering to help and for your concern." you say. "There's some blood on your hand." Steven notices. You pull your hand behind your back at the realization. "It's fine. I'll clean it up myself." you blurt out as you go back into your flat with a quick "Good night, Steven." before closing and re-locking the door behind you, all before he can properly react.

"Good night?" Steven repeats back in confusion.

"That was weird." Marc comments, exposing that he had watched the whole thing go down. "Yeah. They... are a bit strange. They don't really come out most of the day." Steven explains. "Why were they up this late?" Jake buds in, having seen it all too. "It's nearly four in the morning and they look wide awake and aren't in any pajamas." Jake adds.

The next time Steven saw you, you were bringing a huge box into your apartment a few days after that night.

"Need help?" he asked. "Sure. It's actually really hard to drag around." you admit. As he picked up the other end of the large, and heavy, box and walked with your pace into your flat you spoke. "I'm sorry about the noise and acting weird a few nights ago. I was just embarrassed from having woken you up." you explain. Steven gently huffs, "No need to apologize. I wasn't asleep anyways. I was pulling an all-nighter like you were." Steven reassures. You look at him for a moment, "Oh right. Yeah. I do that a lot. I do better with work at night." you remark.

You two manage to get the box past some things it would have bumped, into and into the space between the space of your bedroom and living room. That's when he sees that there's no bed there in your bedroom area, glancing at the box to see a depiction of a bed frame.

"Changing furniture?" Steven asks. "Yeah. I already sold my old one." you say. Steven quarks a brow, "When? Have you had to sleep on your sofa-?" he asks as he turns towards your living room area before interrupting himself with a "Woah!".

There in the area, where a coffee table should be, was an authentic-looking coffin. "Quite the decor there." Steven comments with a breathy little chuckle. "Yeah. I like the look it had." you claim.

Looking around your flat for the first time, Steven could see it. It wasn't exactly goth per se, but there was a weirdly somber and antique look to your decor. It had that same attic look that Steven's did, but you had an attic feel of that of an abandoned house that was left for the dust bunnies to call home. Almost haunted house-esk with the draw curtains adding to it all.

"Is someone in there?" Steven jokes, mostly to himself. "No." you stutter out, "But it does still open." you mention as you walk towards it to show him by lifting the lid.

And, wow. It was real. It still had the pale pink padding and even the pillow inside of it, still pristine as ever, ignoring a couple of scratches on the outside wood.

"Impressive. How'd you even get your hands on this?" Steven asked. You thought for a moment, most likely trying to recall the answer to that question. "Some funeral places have spares that never got sold. So they sell them for a much cheaper price." you say.

Steven nodded as he took another look at the coffin.

"Well, it really is a nice touch." Steven complimented. "Thank you." you reply with a sigh.

🩸🩸🩸

Again.

And again.

One alley crawler dead and paled out after another.

Finding the bodies seemed to become a normal accordance for the boys when they were out doing their rounds around the city. Whoever this was at least started to lean the bodies against the wall after doing the deed now so that there wasn't just some corpse in the middle of the alley's street.

He was still finding the people this person 'saved' too. With them saying the same thing each time. Talking about a person in the shadows with a pair of glowing eyes being the only visible thing about them and then having gotten whatever criminal tried their luck yanked away into the said shadows with a scream echoing as the victim ran to safety.

They never see the actual person though. They don't seem to wear a costume like they do. No mask. No suit. Their only identity keeper they have being that of the shadows that exist beyond any light sources. The only sign of it being them is just the animal-like glow of their eyes. And one brutal calling card for those who came to see where they were.

Tonight was different.

Marc heard the sound of gunshots and rushed to the scene. But he found someone running for their life trying to leave already. He grabs a hold of them, thinking it was a person escaping a forceful mugging till they tried to aim a gun at him. Thankfully, he manages to subdue them.

"That thing tried to get me!" they shouted frantically as they attempted to get loose. "You gotta let me go, man. I don't want to be another body found around here." they beg.

"They tried robbing someone." a voice rings through.

Marc, and also the person he was holding down, looked towards where it came from. He notices the eyes first, with their white pearly glow surrounded by the rest of their shadowy form. The eyes almost looked like the system when they wore their suits, though it was dimmer, just enough to pierce through the darkness, and looked more like the glow was coming from the irises than the whole eye.

"I stopped them before they could pounce. This one was holding more firepower than most. I didn't want to have to risk it." the voice spoke again.

It felt a little haunting. The glow was almost disarming somehow, and their voice was calm and collected as it naturally echoed through the walls of the buildings, and sounding almost familiar. Marc stood there just staring at them till the person he was holding started thrashing harder in his hold, "Let me go, that thing's going to fucking kill me! I swear to god!" they pleaded.

"You're in his court now. You aren't my issue anymore." the silhouette says looking towards the person from where they were before looking back up at Marc.

"Sorry about me leaving my actual catches around." the silhouette apologizes. "I have nowhere to put them." they add as an explanation.

"Why kill them?" Marc questioned, speaking before really thinking. "You kill some of yours don't you, Moonknight? I don't see why you're judging me." the silhouette remarks. "I meant in the way that you do. I just kill them and leave them. You do... something to them." Marc speaks, hesitating for a second at the latter end.

The silhouette stays silent for a second seemingly striking their eyebrow from the way their eyes move. "I have reasons to do it that you probably wouldn't like to hear." they say. "We're doing the same work either way. My method is just more intense than yours tends to be." they comment before slipping back and disappearing into the shadows.

Marc calls out a "Wait!" but gets nothing in return.

He's just left alone with a scared shitless would-have-been mugger and more questions.

🩸🩸🩸

"Hey!" Steven calls out as he does a brief jog over to you in the hallway. "About time I catch you out in the day." Steven jokes. "Oh. Hello, Steven. Yeah. I needed to run some errands." you say, giving an explanation for the rare occurrence. "Good thing you've come back. It's been overcast all day and would rain at any minute." Steven comments.

"Anyways. I knocked on your door yesterday but you didn't come to the door at all." Steven mentions. "Oh. Really? I'm sorry. I'm usually asleep in the day because of my all-nighters." you claim.

"Really? You've got to be the hardest sleeper then. You're like the dead in there. I knocked hard for a while." Steven explains. "So I've been told." you nervously laugh. "You must be real tired if you usually sleep in the day then," he comments. "Yeah. But I have to deal with it." you say.

"What did you need?" you ask.

"Oh. Nothing from me. I was told to tell you, by the landlord, that there would be a check of the fire alarm system next week and that some might go off." Steven explains. "They tried to knock on your door the day before I knocked, but I guess you were asleep." Steven says. "Yeah. I probably was." you reply, "I'll send them an e-mail or something telling them about my sleep schedule." you mutter to yourself.

"Well, nice running into you. Go get yourself some rest." Steven says as he bids you goodbye by patting your shoulder. "Be sure to wrap yourself in something warm too. You're a bit cold." he adds.

[dojae-huh]

x(.)com/jwoosworld/status/1866499015862526273?t=8ciz9eG8A7xH0Eu4-UykFw&s=19 How can he does all of this? Along with TMWL rehearsal, the momentum practice, SMtown practice, studying Korean history, preparing for 2nd album, and a bunch of filming for variety show contents. His time management skill is insane

Link

I would like to know as well. I fear, he has a Time-turner in his possession.

Great news, though. And I'm not even surprised, heh. Who if not Doyoung?.. I knew Doyoung would eventually secretly finish school (he can't go to a Uni without a high school diploma), but never imagined a special major like musical theatre.

So, Do and Woo both attended and participated in the graduation performance, their classmates are posting pictures now.

First of all, what this OP said.

One of the reasons people dream of being famous or becoming this or that and never achieving it is that they don't really want that. Their brain is happy just sitting on a sofa with beer in hand and a tv in front. A burrow to hide, a blanket to keep warm, food in the stomack, entertainment - what else to want? All basic needs are covered. Even sex is substituted with wifus/husbandos for most.

Those people who desperately want something have the will to do it by all means. Even if it means practicing choreos till 5 a.m. and going to school afterwards (Jae's case) or learning 2 new languages (Ten's case). Read about explorers of the past deciding to go and freeze to death in pursue of the dream to be the first in human history to reach the North or the South pole.

Doyoung is also an exeption to the rule. He is a workaholic and needs to do as much as possible, he is hungry for more achievements. He has both mental energy for that and will to push himself. Maybe sometimes to unhealthy lengths, but so far he seems to balance it well and shows improvement on the mental front actually. He also has great memory, which allows him to quickly learn (in shorter time and on the go, with less concentration) and memorise lots of faces (social connections). Do evidently also is very good at shifting his focus, doing lots of tasks in parallel (the way we saw him thinking over his solo album direction during commute). Others would be overwhelmed, it requires a trained brain.

Doyoung is assisted with the time management a lot by the agency. He doesn't need to cook, to plan the route, to order tickets and work on visas, to submit documents, to wait at the bus stops, even to choose clothes. He goes from place to place in the most convenient manner, in a personal van or first class flights. All of this both saves him time (he can learn Japanese words or a musical script in the van, for example, he is not the one driving) and mental energy (he is not making mini-choices, everyday decisions (the act of choosing eats up mental energy a lot), as well as he is not fighting "I don't want to" as much).

Doyoung also gets rewarded on a regular basis. He is given his energy back, he gets confirmation that he is moving in the right direction, that the effort is worth it, the goal is within his reach.

Lastly. Doyoung smartly unites a lot of things. For example, this musical theatre programme thing. Surely, him doing Marie gave him points on multiple subjects without attending any lectures or practices in the school. Maybe the public history exam he took way back also was counted. He will get a diploma that will both work for him as a mucial actor and for any future Uni he will go into.

He wanted to strengthen his friendship with Johnathan. He is doing it while shooting programmes (MukChu and I live alone). He went to Japan for a tv-programme, visited Disney land to unwind a bit, and did a vlog at the same time.

Still, as I said already, he is an exeption. Very few people are capable of pushing themselves this much and being able to shift from one task to a very different one (school->BA duties->musical->concert practice->history channel->meeting withJeno->2nd album) so productively.

That's why we stan!

[the---hermit]

Oh how I love my ghost mug.

26|09|2023

Today while working on new recorded lectures on my class about power theories and men's theories in the modern era I found out about another class I want to add to my study plan. One of the lectures I worked on today was held by a researcher who only started working at my uni last year and I loved everything about her lecture. The topic was incredibly interesting and her way of explaining stuff was fantastic. I found out she is holding a class on the relationship between gender and society and religion in the modern era and I am determined to add it to my future classes. It will probably turn out to be one of those classes I will have to work on by myself because the lectures are during a time I cannot physically attend but good enough. The same professor will also be holding a seminar with the professor who tutored me for my ba thesis, so I feel like everything is fitting together perfectly today. I am really really hyped about this, because taking an exam with this professor will ensure I will have the possibility to have her tutor me with my master thesis once I get to it, and the topics she works on are right up my alley. I would maybe get a chance to work again on the repression of witchcraft, but also maybe something dealing with queer history in the modern era. My thesis topic will definitely be a future me problem, but I am much more confident and excited about it now!

cozy hobbit autumn activities and productivity:

read first thing in the morning (well actually the first thing I did this morning was to walk in the kitched to find my brother about to leave for work, who stopped a couple of minutes only to show me a video of an adorable sheep he randomly found online)

worked on two recorded lectures, and highlighted the notes for one of them

did some research on future classes, and did yet again a bit of general study planning for the whole uni year

made a very minimal and quick cover page for next month on my bullet journal

worked on my crochet project

listened to the latest episode of re:dracula and I am loving the longer episodes, when I finish studying before lunch I love to shut down my thoughts with the daily episode

daily Irish practice on duolingo

📖: The Book Of Lost Things by John Connolly, The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

[ubescoups]

Run To You

Chapter Two

February 2023. 

The mix of sadness, joy, and exhaustion overwhelms Elle currently. The defense of the thesis she has led since January of last year went well two weeks ago. She waited for that moment, and when the panel congratulated them, she almost floated in joy. She felt the exhaustion creep all over her body as her brain started to absorb that she was done with the most critical undergraduate requirement a college student would make. They only had to make minor revisions, which she gladly accomplished with the group within the week. All of that while reviewing for the exams she took this week. 

“Congratulations, Elle! Thank you for leading us for the whole year,” Leila, her groupmate, said as she handed her a bouquet. 

The surprise brought tears to Elle’s eyes that day. She was not precisely the perfect leader for her team, but she did her best. She struggled when two groupmates went missing in action for a while. She had to run after them to make sure things were done while making sure deadlines were met at the same time. She had no intention of excluding their names from the paper as she wanted everyone from her circles to graduate, even if it meant more work for her. 

At least one thing from her endless list of things to worry about is done. 

“Ate ko! Asan ka na ba?” Lee asks once Elle answers her phone. 

“Pababa palang ako ng jeep sa may bandang Katipunan tapos maglalakad na papunta diyan,” she answers. 

“Okay. Nandito kami sa may pinakaharap ha?” He tells her. 

“Sino nga ulit mga guest na drag queens?” She asks. 

“Mga queens from RPDR PH at Drag Den,” he answers. 

“Alright,” she coos, excited as she knows two of her favorites will be at the show she’ll attend. 

“Kaya bilisan mo!” Lee exclaims. 

“Opo, ate ko,” she chuckles. 

Deserve ko naman ito diba? 

She sighs. While her group was able to defend their thesis, Elle knows she failed her first set of comprehensive exams. Despite the good news and the event she’ll be attending for the night, she can’t take her mind off the tests this week, especially the last one she took the day before. 

A comprehensive exam of the department comprises one hundred items. Half of that is multiple-choice questions, usually about the theories of the topics they discussed, while the remaining are problem-solving questions. The time allotted for the exam is only three hours, and completing it on time is hard with the number of problem-solving items. Elle failed to answer the last twenty items during the exam the day before. She shaded the letter ‘C’ on her scantron defeatedly. 

“C for Christ na lang. Catholic school naman ito eh,” she blurted, drained. 

Jun, who was beside her throughout the exam, laughed. 

“Pinagpasa Diyos ba naman eh,” he replied, chuckling while passing his scantron to the person before him. 

“Wala eh. Anlabo ng 129. Tangina,” she told him. 

He nodded in agreement. 

“You did well, Elle. Ilang araw ka na nga walang tulog. Magpahinga ka pagkauwi, ah?” Jun said to her. 

“Ikaw rin. You did your best,” she replied with a smile. 

The jeepney Elle is riding stopped in front LRT 2 Katipunan’s north entrance. She quickly exits the vehicle to start the three to five-minute walk from her current location to Pop Up. Her earphones are blasting the playlist she curated to set her mood for the event. She’s currently listening to Magic by Kylie Minogue as she anticipates seeing Minty Fresh tonight at the event. The song reminds her of Minty’s performance, which Elle finds so iconic up to this day.

Elle reaches the venue, walks along the stores, and looks towards the spots near the stage to find Lee and whoever he is with. It’s usually like this with her and Lee. They’ve been friends since they were teenagers when they followed One Direction online and had fan accounts. The two of them bonded when they also started supporting Ariana Grande. They have known each other for years, but after the pandemic's restrictions went lenient, they started having their meetups for drag shows. 

Elle has always been fascinated by drag. It started when her gay friends, who would spend time with her on lunch breaks, treated her like a drag queen, even giving her a drag name that she can’t remember now. Yet, Lee introduced her to drag completely, especially the local drag scene. 

Lee waves at Elle from afar with a wide grin on his face. He came from the South and went to Pop Up to watch the free drag show organized by the local government and an NGO to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. The cause of the show is what enticed Elle to attend in the first place. As the internal vice president of a health-centered student organization in her college, topics like this pique her interest. 

“Bakla ka! Akala ko hindi ka na makakarating,” Lee complains as he initiates a hug with Elle. 

“Sus, ‘di pa nga simula oh!” She replies, chuckling as she embraces her friend. 

“Akala ko nga ‘di ka magpapakita. Puro aral kasi. Awra rin pag may time,” he shoots. 

“Ito na nga, diba?” She tells him. 

Elle looks around the place. There are many people, most of them here for the show. She’s proud of the local drag scene here in the Philippines. It has come a long way, especially with the fact that it has existed for decades now. There is more mainstream media visibility for the community, which makes it hard to secure tickets for some shows now, but she’s happy that the queens have more gigs to perform at. She knew how hard it was for them to earn during the pandemic. They had online shows and live selling when restrictions were strict, and they only had a few live shows at clubs when the quarantine levels were relaxed. 

“Makikita mo na si Misis today, Elle,” Lee gushes excitedly. 

“Oh my god! Performer siya?” She asks. 

He nods only. 

This is one of those rare weekends she gets out of her usual routine. She’s not the family’s runner or the family member who misses out on family dinners because she has to study. She’s not the student leader she is known for. She’s Elle, the girl who likes drag and music. She’s a fangirl who splurges her savings on drag merchandise and tips for queens. It’s one of the few days she experiences the thrill of living. 

“What time lalabas si Minty at Shewarma?” Elle asks Lee. 

“Mga bandang dulo na ng show mga ‘yon, Ate. Siyempre mga big time na eh,” he replies, eyes on the screen as the hosts start to introduce the first performer for tonight after the mayor gives her opening remarks. 

Elle sits on the chair, grinning widely. It’s indeed a good way to spend the Saturday night rather than groveling over the fact that she’s sure of not reaching the seventy-five percent grade minimum to pass the first set of comprehensive exams she took this week. 

The performances over the next two hours were breathtaking. Elle was singing along to the lipsynced pop songs by the drag queens, and Lee would film the two of them to post on his Instagram stories. They both knew the songs by heart already as they frequented some drag shows, especially the ones hosted at Butterboy. 

In the parts of the show where Minty Fresh and Shewarma Rise appeared, Elle screamed her heart out, especially when NAIA and Minty did a duet. 

“Ate ko! Ang saya-saya talaga,” Lee exclaimed. 

Elle only nodded. Just like her, Lee also has used drag as a form of escape from his life. He’s the eldest child while she is an only child. Both are bound by responsibilities in their daily lives. 

“Madam Elle!” 

Elle shot her head in the direction where the voice was coming from. Mingyu, along with Vernon, was trudging towards her. 

“Andito ka pala. Tamang tama kasama rin namin yung iba nating ka-org. Tara sa Tipple & Slaw,” Mingyu invited her with a smile.

She wanted to turn down the invitation but she needed to keep her mind off the exam that had just ended. 

“Alright. Sunod ako. Samahan ko lang yung friend ko saglit,” she replied. 

They nodded and left. 

“Ate ko, thank you ha? Namiss ko ‘to. Grabe, two months din tayo hindi nagkita,” Lee said. 

“Kaya nga, Lee, eh,” Elle smiled. 

“Kailangan ko pa umuwi sa Laguna, mhie. Sa next na Butterboy na lang?” He asked. 

She nodded. They both got out of the area as Lee’s ride was about to arrive. They did some beso before she watched him get in the car. 

Elle got inside the venue once again, going to the left while texting Mingyu. He waved his arm in the air while smiling at her as she approached them. 

““Gago, si Madam Elle pala ‘to!” Minghao immediately exclaimed once she got to where the group was. 

She hugged him back. It’s sort of a culture in their college to hug one another. Minghao still observes this despite leaving Accounting for Fine Arts in their sophomore year. The hug culture is prominent as students would run to each other after exams with long faces. They are usually tired and nervous about the results despite spending hours of their lives studying to get passing remarks. They hug to greet and comfort each other. 

“Musta buhay, Madam? Parang hindi ka na nakakakanta ah?” Minghao asks, pertaining to the lack of videos of her singing online for organizational events.

She swallows to lubricate her drying throat as she hears the questions. Elle is surprised to hear that—let alone be called madam. Those days are behind her. She’s no longer the org girl. She is just a struggling student. 

She feels her throat tighten just thinking about the comprehensive exams she finished this week. Elle feels like a fraud because she has managed to make them believe she’s smart and she’s great. In her head, she’s just dumb—an impostor. 

“Ah, ito. Buhay pa naman,” Elle replies with a thin smile before Minghao pulls her in a hug again.

On the other hand, a lad who’s drinking with them notices the newcomer. 

“Pre, sino ‘yan?” He aks. 

“Ah, si Elle. Kaibigan namin sa org. Siya kasi VP-Int namin dati,” Vernon responds.

“Type mo?” Chan asks. 

The lad doesn’t respond. He drinks his beer while watching Minghao and Elle talk. 

“Ewan ko lang kung may oras sa’yo ‘yan kasi busy lagi ‘yan. May bumabakod din diyan eh,” sabi ni Chan. 

He doesn’t pay attention to the younger’s remark. In the lad’s eyes, Elle looks intimidating. He can observe that she carries herself well and knows what she wants and needs. Their eyes meet and Elle gives him a little smile. 

“Seungcheol, meet Elle. Sikat ‘to,” Mingyu says, introducing her to the lad.

Elle only gives Mingyu a funny face before facing the lad. 

“Nice to meet you, Seungcheol,” she says. 

It didn’t take long for the group to dance to the music blasting over Pop Up. Mingyu’s other friend, Soonyoung arrive with his girlfriend.

“Madam Elle, ito oh!” Chan exclaims

Elle opens her mouth to let the alcohol from the bottle into her mouth for five seconds while the group cheers and takes some videos. 

Finally, she’s relaxing as the alcohol kicks into her system after some bottles of beer and the vodka she just downed. 

“Kaninong sigarilyo ‘to?” Elle asks. 

“Sa akin. Kuha ka lang kung gusto mo,” Vernon says. 

She lights up a stick as the music changes. Elle smokes whenever she wants to let the alcohol have a maximum effect on her or whenever she needs to calm down. At this moment, she needs both to happen. 

After some games and shots, Elle feels a little dizzy. She knows she has to slow down so she sits on the table. 

“Okay ka pa, Elle?” Seungcheol asks the lady, who looks a bit buzzed and on her second stick for the night.

Elle makes a mental note to give Vernon a pack of cigarettes the next time they see each other.

“Yeah, okay naman. I don’t see you around the hallways, ah? I would assume na di ka taga-accounting? Educ ba or Conservatory?” Elle asks. 

“Taga-Ruano ako,” he answers with a smile on his face, making his dimple visible. 

“Ah, yung mga sagabal sa daanan,” she scoffs, earning a chuckle from the lad. 

“Mga first year lang ‘yon. Ikaw siguro yung isa sa mga tumatakbo sa umaga kasi late,” he teases back. 

“First of all, panghapon ako. Second, oo late ako kaya huwag kayong haharang-harang,” she shoots making Seungcheol laugh again. 

A girl with a strong personality, he mentally notes. Elle takes a swig of her beer in silence afterward. It is one of those moments when she forgets how to socialize as she has let her life revolve around her program and studies. 

“Okay lang naman ‘yan, nak. You are working hard for the future. You have all the time in the world after college to have fun.”

Her mother’s words but Elle feels like she’s slowly wasting away, exhausted from everything. 

“Uwi na ako,” Elle says. 

“Hatid na kita?” Mingyu asks. 

“Nakapagbook na ako ng Angkas. Besides, if ihahatid mo ako, it will take long. Magpapatanggal ka pa ng amats,” she says. 

“What if ako na?” Seungcheol asks.

She shakes her head. 

“You go on and have fun. One minute away na rin lang rider ko,” she says. 

She bids goodbye to everyone and exits the establishment. It will take her another month before she can go outside like this. 

[corleonewrites]

La Vérité

AU: Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

Vincent Renzi x Original Female Character fanfic.

Summary: Two people connected by the same past. Two lawyers. And one tangled case which brought them back together again, giving them the opportunity to sort out their feelings towards each other, no matter how painful memories are to both of them can be.

Chapter 2. Nocturne No. 8 In D Flat Major

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Underground train was running fast, taking me to my destination: to the café, which was situated in the heart of Paris, right in the Place Vendôme, to meet Vincent. Chopin’s compositions in headphones were passing my ears by without notification as memories started to pop up in my head. I didn’t want to fall into them, but I couldn’t help it just how couldn’t delete old conversation with Vincent from my messengers. It was a habit of mine to reread them from time to time, making me hurt once again.

______________________________________________________________

“Have you heard that there’s going to be teachers exchange this year, Camille?” – asked Loise, a friend of mine when we studied at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.

It was the final year of master’s studies. I just turned 24 and looked forward to finish studying and start new chapter in life after my graduation. At that time, I wanted to make a pause in studies after receiving my master’s diploma and return to them to get PhD in a couple of years later.

Nothing was extraordinary in exchanging teachers and tutors, as it happened during my BA studies and I myself had one year study exchange and lived in London for final year during receiving bachelor degree.

“And I’ve heard from Estella that he’s quite handsome”, continued Loise, “She saw him in the corridor, he was asking for our lecture room.”

“Oh, please, you’re only thinking about these kinds of things when our exams and degree essays are soon”, I rolled my eyes, taking pens and notebook with student book out from my bag. Sometimes it was pissing me off when everyone was talking only about boys. And yes, sometimes I was jealous for my friends who actually was in relationships, but at that time I concentrated only on my studies.

“And she’s not the only one who thinks the same way! Helene and Annie think that he’s handsome too!”, finished Loise when the door to the lecture’s room opened and the man entered the room: slim figure in grey jacket and black turtleneck, slightly tousled grey hair, and blue-green eyes which caught my attention. I must admit that he was handsome indeed, but at that time I just sat on my desk and opened the notebook, giving to the man zero cunning affair-like attention whatsoever.

Meanwhile, almost every girl in my group, and there weren’t many of them, got all their eyes on him and I felt embarrassed because of it.

“Good morning, class”, the man said and placed his bag on the desk’s chair, “My name is Vincent Renzi and I’ll be your tutor and mentor for this whole study year of your final studies.”, Vincent said and turned to the chalkboard to write his name on it.

I wrote his name in my copybook and looked at him once again, this time paying close attention to what he was about to say to us. How good was his handwriting. I could say it definitely when I looked at the chalkboard with Vincent Renzi name on it.

“I know that we don’t have a lot of time for fooling around, because your final essays are about to be written, but because I don’t know you at all I’m offering you one task for today’s class: take a piece of paper and write a small essay about you. It can be anything you like: why did you decide to study law, what was your favourite subject at school, what’s your favourite colour, just anything”, he smiled a little when he heard how students laughed at his offer cheerfully, “And if you don’t want to write about yourself – write an essay about something you like or want to discuss. Or don’t write at all, and do what you want, but just be quiet.”, he sat on his desk, “You can take your time, you have it until lunchbreak”, Vincent finished and opened his small red notebook and started making notes.

“I’ve told you he is cute”, Loise whispered to me, smirking, but I just rolled my eyes.

“Oh, stop it, Loise, and start writing”.

______________________________________________________________

“Pyramides Station”, the voice of the underground train informed me. It was my stop.

Trying not to fall into the memories completely, I excited the underground. The street was quiet and snowy. Crossing through the traffic lights and crowds of people who were shopping gifts for Noёl, I was getting closer and closer to my final destination.

I asked myself all the time if I was sure that I wanted to take new case, believing ahead that it’d be as tough as my recent one was, when I promised myself to relax and have couple of days off before starting a new one. But at the same time some thoughts were eating me: that I would miss something very great but very emotional and life-changing if I wouldn’t agree.

This uncertainty was in the air when I finally reached the café and opened the door immediately finding a very familiar man, who was sitting in the left corner, near big windows: same slim figure, his same slightly tousled grey hair which now was covering his eyes a little as he was writing something in the small red book, a cup of black coffee was standing nearby. He heard the sound of my footsteps and raised his head up and smiled with a slightly surprised look on his face when I wanted to fall into the ground, and my legs felt like they weighed a ton.

“I’m so happy you could come, Camille”, - his voice was soft and soothing as it was when I’ve heard him for the first time, years ago.

“To be honest, I wasn’t sure that I’d be here at all”, I replied dryly and ordered the cup of coffee as the waiter approached our table, “I’m still thinking about your question and I need to know the details before I’ll make the final decision”

He paused a little, probably astonished by my reply. His gaze quickly ran from my eyes to my hands, which were lighting a cigarette in my mouth.

“Of course, I understand you”, he said and moved closer to me

“Also, I still have the question: why did you write me? You could pick someone else, your colleagues, or another student from my class if you’re this kind of a picky person”, I exhaled the smoke of my cigarette”

Vincent laughed a little, when my heart started to beat faster once again.

“But you’re one of the most successful lawyers in Paris, right? And you’re free”

“Free in what way?”

“I heard you’ve just won the hearing. Congratulations, by the way, I’ve heard it was a tough one”

I smirked “Ah, that’s what’re you talking about. I got you, Vincent. And thanks, it was indeed very hard. Anyways, we’re here not to discuss my successful work, right? What’s the case that you’re working on?”

And Vincent began his story about the tangled and strange case on which he just started to work on, when all the details were still unknown and complicated.

______________________________________________________________

“What were you writing about?”, Vincent suddenly appeared behind my back when I just finished writing my essay about law in cinema.

He picked my paper, when I raised my glance at him looking unemotional.

“You told us to write about anything we like. Here’s my essay about law in cinematography”

“She’s François Truffaut of our class”, Jean-Louis, my classmate and future co-worker said out loud and some of students started to laugh. I just turned back and gave them the look, when Vincent looked at them, then back at me with cunning glance, and placed my papers back on the table.

“Well, at least I now know that with mademoiselle Cadieux I can talk about films and she has a very good taste in them”

I looked at my tutor once again, because I wasn’t sure if he was mocking me or talking seriously, but he wasn’t laughing at all. And in that exact moment I understood that it’d be a very unforgettable final year of my master studies.

______________________________________________________________

“It sounds tricky”, I played with a spoon in my empty cup of coffee, trying to place all the information about the case in order inside my head, “It honestly looks very bad, especially with the fact that your client isn’t French. The law for foreigners is way harder and with the accusations that she has, it looks lost in advance”

The café started to be filled with people who came to have their weekend brunch or just a cup of coffee, couples and friends were laughing. Me and Vincent were still sitting at the same table near the big window. The snow just stopped.

“I know, but I’m sure that this case can be won and that she’s innocent. Well, at least she looks like one.”, sighed Vincent, finishing smoking his cigarette, “And the whole process is taking place in a town near Alps, I just got from there to take all papers and documents that I needed with me, I’m heading there tonight. So, if you make up your mind, Camille, I’ll help with you with accommodation”

“Many thanks, Vince, but I’m not a little girl, I can sort these kinds of things by myself”, it was really irritating sometimes when he was treating me like a small girl, he was always like that, “I’m not sure neither about the case nor about your client, but I love taking risks, so, I’m up for it”, and before Vincent tried to say something else, I finished, “And let’s just make it straight, I’ll help you out and this will be only work-related talks, nothing more than that”

Vincent looked straight into my eyes as he was trying to read my thoughts which were screaming for my loneliness and how much I missed him but hated him at the same time.

“You didn’t change a bit, Camille. You were always a cold-hearted strong and mysterious woman from when I saw you for the first time”, he tried to hide his little smile, but I saw it, pretending that I didn’t and smoked the rest of my cigarette.

For other people I looked serious and cold-hearted, and I tried to convinced myself the same way, and it worked really well during my work. But no one knew that sometimes I cried in the night when I couldn’t keep my emotions inside me no more. No one knew about my weakness. Not even Vincent and he was one of my closest people who I used to know.

______________________________________________________________

La Vérité masterlist

[camilla-denniston]

Blots

It gives me incredible joy that the academia aesthetics exist - that humans year knowledge so much that they create dream-castles about learning. But so many just 'wish they could run away to a school in New England.' Guess what - you can't.

But you know what you can do? Buy a fountain pen.

I have a Pilot pen that cost less than $25. Get that, a converter (mine is squeeze, but I can't seem to find the link; the screw should work just as well), and a bottle of Noodler's Ink, and you'll be set for pens for the rest of your life. Seriously. I've had my bottle for seven months now, written dozens of letters, marked up papers, and transcribed translations, and I've barely made a dent. Maybe I'll need to get more ink when I've worked my way through my BA, a Masters, and a PhD to boot. Maybe.

There's a reason fountain pens are fancy and pretentious. I suffer withdrawal when I use ball-point for exams and such - it's just not as smooth.

[anouchard]

Hellooo! Wanted to ask -

Did you go to university for drama? How did you get started in acting? I’m currently trying to figure out how to go about college and somehow simultaneous theatre

Thanks for answering these! You’re amazing

Hi! And thank you - I'm enjoying the questions so far.

I read English at uni for my BA, before going on to do a Foundation course and MA in Professional Acting at drama school. Graduated, got an agent, e-mailed a lot of people, found jobs on casting websites and through social media, did a lot of TIE, and then got Protocol after about two years in the industry (I'm relatively new to professional VA work - had a few paid gigs, but this is my first series).

I've been acting generally speaking since I was 8 (drama classes, LAMDA exams, school musicals, etc.), but focused very heavily on academia in school and college (sorry, sixth form!). Fortunately my uni had an incredible drama society, so that was my main pursuit outside of my degree. I also did some extra work, which was really fun!

It's all about the balance I think. I prioritised getting into uni from the age of 14 to 18, and then when I left uni I shifted to prioritising acting more. It's a very personal journey - even at drama school, the range in terms of the work people wanted to engage with was astonishing - and within the industry it feels like a real balancing act between what you get offered and what you chase. You've got plenty of time to find your way through it all. 😊

Hope that helps even slightly, and break a leg!

[dreamingkdrama]

Relationship analysis:

Seo Hwi x Nam Seon Ho

They are close friends from childhood who have always supported and helped each other. But things changes when they are challenged with reality of the regime, their past, prejudices and intrigues of the powerful men fighting for the influence.

Happy careless times will end when their ambitions put them against each other and Seo Ho driven by his desire to be appreciated by his father beats Hwi unjustly and win the exams. Hwi is dragged out of the arena and Seon Ho's father then send him away to lifetime service in army so he isn't longer a thread to his family

Seon Ho regrets his actions. He takes care of Hwi's sister Yeon, but his guilt won't stop him from trying to get more power to be able to take revenge of his father (and also get his respect, he has some really serious daddy issues). Meanwhile, Hwi is going through hell in battlefield when leaders decide to abandon his unit. Seon ho thinks Hwi is dead.

When they finaly meet again, Hwi saves Seon Ho's life begging the doctor to heal his wound he got in the fight. Hwi still thinks about Seon Ho as his dearest friend and is happy to see him. Seon Ho isn't that happy. Maybe he was feeling the guilt and sadness when he thought that Hwi is dead, but now he probably doesn't know what to do.

It seems that Seon Ho kind of regrets his actions but he decides to stick to his new role and tells some terrible things to Hwi. He admits it was him who sent him to army (but it was actually his father) and now he was sent here to kill the rest of his men. Is it some kind of reverse psychology that makes him do even worse things than he originaly regrets? I have no idea. Seon Ho also tells Hwi that his sister is dead and he will kill him too if he will come back to take revenge on his family. It's probably attempt to protect Hwi and his sister from being killed by his father who is really capable of anything. But it really isn't the best way to protect your fried's life by hurting him more.

From that day, their paths starts crossing more often and Seon Ho is acting like Hwi isn't longer his friend. He convince his father to use Hwi and make him obedient by keeping his sister hostage, which probably saves lives to both of them. But I don't understand why is Seon Ho acting so cruel even though he clearly cares about Hwi and all of this just keep hurting Hwi more and more. More open communication would help a lot. This treatment makes Hwi to change sides and join prince Bang Won who is opponent to Nam Jeon (Seon Ho's father).

Hwi is acting like he has nothing to lose. He doesn't care about himself anymore and there are many situations when Hwi almost dies and Seon Ho is trying to save him over and over again. But now he has not enough power to protect his former friend.

They now stand on the opposit side of the power struggle knowing that one day they will have to face each other and we know this will happend from the opening of the first episode.

As the events progress they meet each other in a fight few times but they have such a love-hate relationship that they are not able to kill each other. They always wound the opponent slightly so he can't fight anymore, but he survives. Seon ho even tells to Hwi: "Your sword still feels affectionate."

Hwi is very generous to Seon Ho, he saves him many times, he stops him from suicide and he apologies for being too overhelmed by revenge that he doesn't saw how much was Seon Ho suffering. But, hear me out. Seon Ho surely has not an easy life, he surely was protecting Hwi and Yeon, but a lot of suffering that he and Hwi were going through was also his fault when he was blinded by his plans and ambitions.

Almost at the end, they again find the lost bond they once had. This however destroy the alliance between Hwi and Bang Won, who is Seon Ho's enemy and who was sparing Seon Ho's life because of his friendship with Hwi. When Seon Ho tries to assasinate Bang Won and fails, Hwi comes to save him. Hwi beggs Bang Won to let them go and promise that he won't be thread to him if he just let save his dearest friend. Bang Won release them and tell them to never come back.

Hwi and Seon Ho are thinking about living better life without intriques and violence, but they are already too deep in the game and they realise that their frieds will always be in danger if they are alive. They decide to make final action. They fight their way to the palace where Bang Won just took the throne and change their lifes for lifes of their loved ones (precisely...Seon Ho sacrifice himself so Hwi can reach Bang Won and then Hwi sacrifies himself for the deal). They die together like friends. It's really epic and I am really glad for this ending, it was kind of poetic.

So, lets make some conclusion. Seon Ho is really shitty friend. Yes, he did protect Hwi and his sister, but his behavior and bad communication helped to make total emotional wreck out of his friend. Seon Ho was very immature from the beggining and he really lack someone who would love him in childhood. I think his psychical instability origin in very young age. He is lucky that he has such a good friend who will not even forgive him, but also undestands him. I am not sure I would be so sympathetic towads him if he wasn't portrayed by Woo Do Hwan who managed to make this character more layered. Hwi's feeling for Seon Ho are not very healthy. But overall, I am glad that they find the way to each other at the end.

What do you think? Did I missed something?