#Gemstone Publishing

[evilhorse]

Svengoolie 45th Anniversary Boo-Nanza #1 (Scott Shaw! cover)

[smashpages]

FCBD 2024 ROMEO VS JULIET KILL SHAKESPEARE ADV Gemstone Publishing

This is one of almost 50 titles that will be offered on Free Comic Book Day 2024.

[dirtbra1n]

okay so you’re all gonna do me a favor right. you’re gonna read this fan-translation of the first part of The Case Files of Jeweler Richard Vol. 2 Case 4. and if you like me even a little you’ll read to the seventh part of The Case Files of Jeweler Richard Vol. 2 Case 4. and then you can do whatever the hell you want after. but I NEED you all to understand the levels on which this chapter fucking RUINS ME even if you know nothing about anything else at play here. Okay. thanks

[angela-art13]

"Crystal Cave" published in yogurtculturezine's (on IG) 'Crystals' issue 💎🔮

[keycomicbooks]

Free Comic Book Day 2024: The Overstreet Guide to Collecting Comics J. C. Vaughn Story, Brendon Fraim, Gene Gonzales & Brian Fraim Artists

#FreeComicBookDay2024: #TheOverstreetGuidetoCollectingComics #JCVaughn Writer, #BrendonFraim, #GeneGonzales & Brian Fraim Artists There are million-dollar comics and comics we read just for fun. Whatever you collect, that's your business, so just collect what you love. https://rarecomicbooks.fashionablewebs.com/Free%20Comic%20Book%20Day%202024%20The%20Overstreet%20Guide%20to%20Collecting%20Comics.html @rarecomicbooks Website Link In Bio Page If Applicable. SAVE ON SHIPPING COST - NOW AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL PICK UP IN DELTONA, FLORIDA #Gemstone #RareComics #KeyComicBooks

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Emerald Spectacles from India, c. 1620-1660 CE: the lenses of these spectacles were cut from a single 300-carat emerald, and it was believed that they possessed mystical properties

These eyeglasses are also known by the name "Astaneh-e ferdaws," meaning "Gate of Paradise," based on the symbolic associations between the color green and the concept of spiritual salvation/Paradise. That symbolism (which is rooted in Islamic tradition) was especially popular in Mughal-era India, where the spectacles were made.

The lenses were crafted from two thin slices of the same emerald. Together, the lenses have a combined weight of about 27 carats, but given the precision, size, and shape of each lens, experts believe that the original emerald likely weighed in excess of 300 carats (more than sixty grams) before it was cleaved down in order to produce the lenses. The emerald was sourced from a mine in Muzo, Colombia, and it was then transported across the Atlantic by Spanish or Portuguese merchants.

Each lens is encircled by a series of rose-cut diamonds, which run along an ornate frame made of gold and silver. The diamond-studded frame was added in the 1890s, when the original prince-nez design was fitted with more modern frames.

The emerald eyeglasses have long been paired with a second set of spectacles, and they were almost certainly commissioned by the same patron. This second pair is known as "Halqeh-e nur," or the "Halo of Light."

The Halo of Light features lenses that were made from slices of diamond. The diamond lenses were cleaved from a single stone, just like the emerald lenses, with the diamond itself being sourced from a mine in Southern India. It's estimated that the original, uncut diamond would have weighed about 200-300 carats, which would make it one of the largest uncut diamonds ever found.

The lenses are so clear and so smoothly cut that it sometimes looks like they're not even there.

Both sets of spectacles date back to the mid-1600s, and it's generally believed that they were commissioned by a Mughal emperor or prince. The identity of that person is still a bit of a mystery, but it has been widely speculated that the patron was Shah Jahan -- the Mughal ruler who famously commissioned the Taj Mahal after the death of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan did rule as the Mughal emperor from about 1628 to 1658.

The emerald and diamond lenses may have been chosen for symbolic, sentimental, and/or cultural reasons, or they may have been chosen simply because they're pretty and extravagant; the original meaning and purpose behind the design is still unclear. Experts do believe that the eyeglasses were designed to be worn by someone, though.

At times, it was believed that the spectacles had spiritual properties, like the ability to promote healing, to ward off evil, to impart wisdom, and to bring the wearer closer to enlightenment. Those beliefs are largely based on the spiritual significance that emeralds and diamonds can have within certain Indic and Islamic traditions -- emeralds may be viewed as an emblem of Paradise, salvation, healing, cleansing, and eternal life, while diamonds are similarly associated with enlightenment, wisdom, celestial light, and mysticism.

The Gate of Paradise and the Halo of Light were both kept in the collections of a wealthy Indian family until 1980, when they were sold to private collectors, and they were then put up for auction once again in 2021. They were most recently valued at about $2 million to $3.4 million per pair.

Sources & More Info:

Sotheby's: Mughal Spectacles

Architectural Digest of India: At Sotheby's auction, Mughal-era eyeglasses made of diamond and emerald create a stir

Only Natural Diamonds: Auspicious Sight & the Halqeh-e Nur Spectacles

The Royal Society Publishing: Cleaving the Halqeh-Ye Nur Diamonds

Gemological Institution of America: Two Antique Mughal Spectacles with Gemstone Lenses

Manuscript: From Satan's Crown to the Holy Grail: emeralds in myth, magic, and history

CNN: The $3.5 million Spectacles Said to Ward off Evil

BBC: Rare Mughal Era Spectacles to be Auctioned by Sotheby's

[bonny-kookoo]

Jungkook

𝕻𝖗𝖎𝖒𝖆𝖑 𝕭𝖔𝖓𝖉𝖘 [Teaser]

It doesn't matter how heavy the crown one wears might be- if it's made out of lies, it's worth nothing.

Tags/Warnings: Medieval AU, Alpha!Jungkook, Omega!Reader, Angst, Fluff, Adult Themes (such as smut, Violence and blood)

Type: Oneshot

Wordcount: long. Very long actually considering what I usually write.

A/N: This fic was actually written prior to moonlit, and the draft is available on patreon. But I could never really let go of it, so I'm finishing it these days.

Note: this is a 'sister-fic' to another work called Moon Of Claiming, which has similar themes and world building, but different plot. The draft for that is also available on patreon, and I'm planning on publishing that one after this one. Both fics will be Early Access there.

⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅

The goal is clear.

His prize is right in front of him, your body held by silver chains, your eyes still shining like two polished gemstones with tears of pain and fear, as you’re forced to watch whatever might happen.

But your tears are unnecessary. Jungkook doesn’t even think about failing.

All that he can think about is the way that silver metal is burning your skin, how that is the only thing holding you back, weakening your body so much so that you’re unable to even move anymore. He can’t stand the sight of them keeping you close like this, far away from his reach, even though everyone around, wolfblood or not, knows that you’re his. Not just chosen by him, but chosen by the moon herself, born to become his mate. And yet, he’s being challenged.

A joke, really. That is what this is to him.

“She’s got stamina, doesn’t she?” his opponent claims, already convinced that he will win this chase- most likely with the help of the same foul tricks he used to get into his position in the first place. “it’ll be easy to catch her.”

Jungkook stays silent. Because deep down he knows- he’s right.

You’ll be weakened, not only by silver and wolfsbane- but also from fear, from being alone, left to run through the woods in search of anything that could become safety. And in a state such as that, you’ll most likely be completely unable to differentiate between friend and enemy- you’ll just take whatever you can get, even if that alpha isn’t him.

But he will find you first. He knows he has to.

Tonight they may take you away from him- keep you from him, but tomorrow, when the moon sits high in the skies to watch over him and witness the whole thing unfold, he’ll get you back. Tomorrow he will prove it to all that some things are not just pure chance- that your bond is more than just luck on his side, and that your choice was always written in the stars.

Tomorrow it’s time to show the fake king how much power he really holds.

[starstabberzirc]

The first game in the series is officially published! It’s a free in-browser retro-style collect-em-up with nineteen levels, infinite lives, wacky collage graphics, and a bunch of evil weirdos all trying to stop Zirc from collecting precious Plot Crystals.

Master tag list for the devblog:

Enemy design: common fodder up to bosses

Level design: stages and non-enemy hazards

Game puzzle: specific challenges requiring something besides stabbing

Game design: player items, powerups, interface, sound/music

Gamedev: progress updates on the game itself, and also occasional complaining about the arcane nature of programming

[archiveikemen]

"Mobius Chord" Main Story Prologue: Chapter 1

This is a fan-made translation solely for entertainment purposes with no guaranteed perfection; expect mistakes, grammatical errors, and some creative liberties. All original content and media used belong to +ONE by Ikemen Series and KansaiTV. Please support the game by buying their stories and playing their games.

Read this before interacting

Koto Suzuno: Alright, I’ll hit send and… there! 

Koto: YES—! I’m done with my manuscript! 

I nearly shot both arms up to celebrate the accomplishment, but decided to lower them and pretend I was stretching.

(I forgot I’m here at Keido to focus…) 

“Keido” was a quiet café hidden in a peaceful alleyway, away from the bustling streets. 

With the warm sunlight shining through the windows, this has been my favourite place since my college days.

The small flower vase on the table sparkled like a gemstone, alleviating the tiredness in my eyes after staring at my laptop’s screen for as long as I could remember. 

Café Owner: Well done, Koto-chan. Here’s a treat for you. 

Koto: Eh? Wow, thank you so much! 

I received a slice of cake from the café owner whom I was on friendly terms with as a reward and enjoyed its wonderful taste while flipping through a magazine. 

— “Fortessimo”. A magazine that focused on the music industry. 

It’s publisher was the company I had just submitted my manuscript to, and my very first article was planned to be featured in it. 

Koto: In a month’s time, an article I wrote will be here… I’m so happy.

Kamiya Takara: Yo, Koto! How’s work? 

Koto: Oh… Kamiya-san! 

Kamiya: You’re here again.

Koto: Indeed. I find myself very productive whenever I'm at Keido. What about you, Kamiya-san? 

Takara: Just taking a quick break. I’ve been staying up all night since yesterday to keep watch… 

Koto: Since yesterday!? You must be so tired…! 

Kamiya-san ordered an espresso from the café owner and rubbed his eyes to relieve the fatigue.

Kamiya: Actually, I was thinking it’s about time I contacted you. 

Koto: Oh… is it regarding my older brother? 

Kamiya: Yeah. Fortunately or unfortunately, there were “no leads” this time as well. 

Riku Suzuno – my older brother. 

Around the time I entered college, he vanished without a trace as though he had been spirited away. 

We have no clue if he was taken away by someone or left on his own accord. 

Kamiya: Naturally, he hasn't contacted you either, huh?

Koto: … Yeah.

Kamiya-san was my brother’s best friend since their schooling days and also a former bandmate of his. He now worked as a detective.

Despite the fact that my brother’s missing person case has long expired, he continued helping search for any leads. 

Whenever information on an unidentified young man surfaced, he would discreetly look into it on my behalf. 

Kamiya: Damn it, what exactly is that guy up to… making his sister worry this much about him. 

Kamiya: In the blink of an eye, you graduated college, got a job at an advertising firm… and now you’re standing on your own as a writer. 

Kamiya: Honestly, even if he does come back, I don't think I’m going to let him act like some great older brother. You’ve really worked hard to get to where you are, Koto. 

Koto: It’s not like that. I’m still only just starting out as a writer. But… thank you. 

Kamiya: Nah, don’t say that. The advertising firm gives you additional responsibilities at work, right? That’s because you're capable enough for that. 

Koto: I think it’s purely due to the company being short staffed, and this time it just so happens that a senior colleague attended the same college I graduated from. 

Koto: By the way, Kamiya-san, will you be attending the “Autumn Gathering”?

It referred to the party happening next week celebrating the college’s 111th anniversary. 

It was mainly organised by alumni, and since my former workplace was involved, I was given a minor supporting role. 

Kamiya: I’ll show my face there if I don't have any cases to work on that day. It’s been a long time, I’d like to meet Go again.

Kamiya: But still, Go’s more suited to be a producer than being in a band himself. 

Go— Miyamoto Go-san was the CEO of the major music company GAIA, he was also a close friend of my brother and Kamiya-san. 

The trio used to be in a band called “ZEZZ”, which was what sparked my interest in music. 

Kamiya: The opening act at the party is said to be “next-generation superstars”— probably one of Go’s artistes. Could it be Lit? 

Kamiya-san scrolled through his phone, checking the event lineup.

(Is Lit going to make an appearance as guest performers…?)

My mind drifted back to my college days, a wave of nostalgia washing over me. 

[blueiscoool]

Ancient Egypt's 'Screaming' Mummy May Have Died in Agony

It is a startling image from ancient Egypt - a mummy discovered during a 1935 archaeological expedition at Deir el-Bahari near Luxor of a woman with her mouth wide open in what looks like an anguished shriek.

Scientists now have an explanation for the "Screaming Woman" mummy after using CT scans to perform a "virtual dissection." It turns out she may have died in agony and experienced a rare form of muscular stiffening, called a cadaveric spasm, that occurs at the moment of death.

The examination indicated that the woman was about 48 years old when she died, had lived with mild arthritis of the spine and had lost some teeth, said Cairo University radiology professor Sahar Saleem, who led the study published on Friday in the journal Frontiers in Medicine.

Her body was well-preserved, being embalmed roughly 3,500 years ago during ancient Egypt's glittering New Kingdom period using costly imported ingredients such as juniper oil and frankincense resin, Saleem added.

The ancient Egyptians viewed preservation of the body after death as crucial to secure a worthy existence in the afterlife. It was customary during the mummification process to remove the internal organs, aside from the heart, but this had not occurred with this woman.

"In ancient Egypt, the embalmers took care of the dead body so it would look beautiful for the afterlife. That's why they were keen to close the mouth of the dead by tying the jaw to the head to prevent the normal postmortem jaw drop," Saleem said.

But the quality of the embalmment ingredients "ruled out that the mummification process had been careless and that the embalmers had simply neglected to close her mouth. In fact, they mummified her well and gave her expensive funerary apparels - two expensive rings made of gold and silver and a long haired-wig made from fibers from the date palm," Saleem added.

"This opened the way to other explanations of the widely opened mouth - that the woman died screaming from agony or pain and that the muscles of the face contracted to preserve this appearance at the time of death due to cadaveric spasm," Saleem said. "The true history or circumstances of the death of this woman are unknown, hence the cause of her screaming facial appearance cannot be established with certainty."

Cadaveric spasm, a poorly understood condition, occurs after severe physical or emotional suffering, with the contracted muscles becoming rigid immediately following death, Saleem said.

"Unlike postmortem rigor mortis, cadaveric spasm affects only one group of muscles, not the entire body," Saleem added.

Asked whether the woman may have been embalmed while alive, Saleem added, "I don't believe that this is possible."

Saleem was unable to determine how the woman died, saying, "We frequently cannot determine the cause of death in a mummy unless there is CT evidence of fatal trauma." Saleem cited evidence of a fatal head injury, slit neck and heart disease in three royal mummies.

The "Screaming Woman" was found at the site of the ancient city of Thebes during excavation of the tomb of a high-ranking official named Senmut, the architect, overseer of royal works and reputed lover of queen Hatshepsut, who reigned from 1479-1458 BC.

The mummy was inside a wooden coffin in a burial chamber beneath Senmut's family tomb. Her identity has not been determined but her jewelry - the gold and silver rings with images of scarab beetles, a symbol of resurrection, made of the gemstone jasper - showed her socioeconomic status.

Two scarab rings found in the coffin of the screaming woman.

"She was likely a close family member to be buried and share the family's eternal resting place," Saleem said.

The study revealed details of her wig. Its spiral braids were treated with the minerals quartz, magnetite and albite to harden them and provide the black color indicative of youth. Her natural hair had been dyed with henna and juniper oil.

A number of ancient mummies, in Egypt and the Americas, have been found with facial expressions resembling a scream - eerily similar to Norwegian painter Edvard Munch's "The Scream."

"I use this painting in my public lectures about the screaming mummies," Saleem said.

By Will Dunham.

[cityof2morrow]

JEWELRY SHOP REMIX

Published: 9-23-2023 | Updated: 9-28-2023 SUMMARY "Master jewelers and dealers of finery. And stuff. And thangs. And stuff! We carry SimCity’s finest jewels, atomized gems, and precious, semi-synthetic metals." This set is a retro-futurist, steam-funkish remix of an older Jewelry Shop (WR/HChangeri/RetailSims, 2007 via the LiquidSims Archive) with several new add-ons. The design is inspired by The Fjord “Chiclettina” counters and ‘marvelous marbles’ walls/floors from Sims 2. All 40+ items range from §50-750 and some assembly is required. Scroll down for more details and download links.

DETAILS Requires all EPs/SPs §50-750 | Buy Mode To streamline files and potential recoloring, everything is repo’d to one of the following objects: Fjord Allshelf 001 (shelving/accents), Fjord Boxed Jewelry Display (boxes), Fjord Necklaces Display (displays/jewelry bands), Fjord Earrings Display (gems), Jewel Case (jewelry cases), Fjord Jewelry Table Glass Display (all glass), Plain Old Fjord Counter (marble surfaces), Fjord Hanging Sign (vertical images; 256x512), Fjord Store Sign (horizontal images; 1024x512) – these items are REQUIRED for textures, etc. to display correctly in-game. *RPC Launcher doesn’t always delete the “Accessories.cache” file, so you may want to MANUALLY delete the file and let the game generate a new one if you remove this set from your game.

ITEMS Modular Shop Furniture The plain counter has been retextured and has 3 slots (only small deco items can occupy the last 2 slots) while the jewelry table has 1 slot. All other furniture is deco - assemble unique display areas by pairing these and other items with one of three shelving units.

The Fjord Single Item Displays 001-003 (pictured above) get their recolors from the EverGlow Plutonium Rod that came with the Nightlife EP. Find them under Lighting > Standing/Floor Lamps – but they can also be used to gussy up displays (see below). You can get recolors for these lights HERE.

DOWNLOAD (choose one) MESHES from SFS | from MEGA SHELVING from SFS | from MEGA MARBLE RECOLORS from SFS | from MEGA JEWEL CASE RECOLORS from SFS | from MEGA COLLECTION FILE from SFS | from MEGA

*A known game bug may disable some OFB shelf slots. Not all players experience this bug in the same way, but if you do – there is a long-standing fix for it. If you cannot access more than 2 slots on shelves, download ONE of these fixes: MORE_Custom-objects-placeable-on-shelves (Numenor, 2006) MORE_Custom-objects-placeable-on-shelves+LOCKEDTILES (Numenor, 2006) Object Freedom 1.02 (Fway, 2023)) 15 Functional Jewelry Displays §250 each | Buy > Misc > Misc

This set includes 6 traditional counter-top displays with empty states.

Fjord Boxed Jewelry Display (1116 poly), Fjord Earrings Display (784 poly), Fjord Jewelry Stand (1212 poly), Fjord Necklace & Rings Display (748 poly), Fjord Necklaces Display (816 poly), Fjord Rings Display (1072 poly). You can’t really place more than 1 or 2 large displays on the shelving, so there are 8 smaller, complementary displays included as well.

Fjord Boxed Jewelry Display Two (604 poly), Fjord Bracelets Display (392 poly), Fjord Earrings Display Two (276 poly), Fjord Earrings Display Three (356 poly), Fjord Rings Display Two (472 poly), Fjord Rings Display Three (632 poly), Fjord Single Necklace Display (556 poly), Fjord Single Necklace Display Two (258 poly).

Fjord Smart Jewelry Kiosk (2220 poly); Fjord Boxed Jewelry Display Two pictured again above as well. The kiosk functions as a normal jewelry rack with a unique empty state (the glow disappears, and the screens turn all angry and red!). The label at the base of the machine uses textures from the Fjord Hanging Sign. You’ll see two torn pieces of packaging when the Fjord Boxed Jewelry Display Two needs restocking – other items have noticeably empty states as well (i.e. there will be no jewelry on the display). DOWNLOAD JEWELRY RECOLORS:

BANDS/CHAINS IN SILVER METALS from SFS | from MEGA GEMSTONES IN CURIOUS-B COLORS from SFS | from MEGA GEMSTONES IN SILVER METALS from SFS | from MEGA

Shop Signage

Show off your merchandise with updated advertisements (originals pictured on top row, remixes pictured on bottom row), as well as several new promotional designs: Fjord Hanging/Standing/Mini Signs (56 poly), Fjord Store Sign (892 poly).

DOWNLOAD (choose one) SIGNAGE from SFS | from MEGA *Since items in the Sims 2 are limited to two recolorable subsets, not all items are recolorable in the same way. For each display, the base and either the gemstones or metal bands/chains are recolorable. Find recolors for this set under the #ts2recolors tag.

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED 1) Place a counter (or table, display cabinet, large jewel case, etc.): Fjord Accessory Table (156 poly), Fjord Cabinet Metal (88 poly), Fjord Display Cabinets 001-002 (212-250 poly), Fjord Display Pedestal (12 poly), Fjord Glassbox Displays 001-002 (126 poly), Fjord Jewelry Table (22 poly), Fjord Showcase Counter (533 poly), Plain Old Fjord Counter (113 poly).

2) With “snap objects to grid” set to TRUE, assemble items on one of the shelves (3-6 slots each): Fjord Allshelving 001- 002 (12 poly), Fjord Cabinet Glass (Shelf) (28 poly), Fjord Counter Display Cabinet (~400 poly), Fjord Jewel Case Displays Reg/Small (744 poly), Fjord Jewelry Table Glass Display (116 poly), Fjord Jewelry Table Shelf (12 poly).

*For owned businesses, this is a good time to set items for sell. The short display cabinets pictured above are shiftable in case you need to move them and rearrange items on the shelf. You can click through the glass as well.

**Some debug-related items float slightly when placed on Allshelf 001 or 002 – this is something I’ve experienced when cloning BuggyBooz shelves - it’s not terribly noticeable from most angles. If it bothers you, close the gap by shifting another object underneath.

***The jewel cases have 6 slots. This may be awkward for the smaller case but that’s on purpose - to make moving several clutter items at once easier. In my opinion, the larger one looks better when paired with a shelf.

3) With “move objects” ON and “snap objects to grid” set to FALSE, shift/rotate the shelf into place as needed. As you combine different objects, some will look best when they’re all facing the same direction (i.e., the green arrows are pointing in the same direction) and others might not – this depends on what items you’re using. You can shift/combine the Fjord Single Item Displays with select objects to add neon light accents to your displays.

You’ll need “move objects on/off” and “snap objects to grid true/false” cheats to make some combinations work. You may also need fences, OMSPs, or other objects to keep sims from walking through parts of the display.

4) Use the Tile Blocker as needed (especially if you play with Object Freedom by Fway, 2023). All objects have 1-tile footprints – but some cover more space than a single tile. The Tile Blocker is included in this set to help you cover those unused tiles and keep sims from walkin’ where they shouldn’t be walkin (learned this the hard way!). If needed, you can read more about the Tile Blocker using the download link below.

DOWNLOAD (choose one) TILE BLOCKER from SFS | from MEGA Enjoy! Recolors will be available on this site under the #ts2recolors tag.

CREDITS No copyright infringement intended - all imagery/trademark rights belong to their respective owners. Thanks: Crucial testing/input from ChocolateCitySim. All creators, modelers, and modders with open TOUs. Sources: Accessory Table (Triplet 3D, 2018),Any Color You Like (CuriousB, 2010), Beyno (Korn via BBFonts), Circuit Lines (Starline via Freepik), Cubic Dynamics (EA/Maxis), Display cabinet (Feel_funny, 2012), EA/Maxis, Extracted Clutter (Decat, 2014), Gold/Silver Textures (LittleLittleSimmies, 2018), Imagery/Icons (EA/Maxis; Gwenke33 and Simmons, 2011; Shutterstock), Jewelry Shop (WR/HChangeri/RetailSims, 2007 via the LiquidSims Archive), Kitchen Basic (Hafiseazale, 2016; BuggyBooz, 2008), Kitchen Basic Extras (Hafiseazale, 2016; BuggyBooz, 2010), Klevestav (2013; 2010), Low poly jewel case (Morky via Creative Commons Attribution),Necklace Display (DeeDee, 2021; Liana; Nichellerj), Necronomicon in display case (DudleyLong, 2019 via Creative Commons Attribution), New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh (Universal Motown, 2010), Offuturistic Infographic (Freepik), Quake 4 (Activision, 2005), Realistic Diamond (Boykung via DepositPhotos), Showcases counter (DHK_krm, 2016), Sigla logo DUNHIL (Naidar-InoxArt, 2023 via Creative Commons Attribution), Simlish Merry-Go-Round (BBBunny, 2017), Sunglasses (Versace via Mia Burton), Terminal 02 (ROTFL et al., 2019 via Creative Commons Attribution), The ArchAndroid (Wondaland Arts Society, Bad Boy Records, and Atlantic, 2010), TS2 Maxis Match Lingerie Store Set (SomedayTheSun, 2023).

[smashpages]

FCBD 2024 OVERSTREET GUIDE TO COLLECTING COMICS Gemstone Publishing     

This is one of almost 50 titles that will be offered on Free Comic Book Day 2024.

[nininikki]

𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐂𝐑𝐘: e. jaeger x black fem!reader

(ꕥ) summary! — love had never made you feel this shitty before. (part two can be read here.)

(ꕥ) warnings! — toxic relationships, lots of angst, implications of sex, alcohol consumption, vomiting, reader & eren are in college, (doesn’t play a huge role, but it’s implied) eren is very toxic, reader is also very stuck, i love mikasa, but she’s not very great here haha 😅 (don’t kill me pls)

(ꕥ) author’s note! — first thing i’m publishing on here, lol. wrote it in two days, which i’m sure you can tell. whatever. don’t think too hard. just vibe ok. lmk if i missed anything in the warnings!!

(ꕥ) word count! — 2.7k

love wasn’t exactly the word. at least, it couldn’t have been, right? surely something as pure and innocent and good as love couldn’t have led to an outcome like this.

it couldn’t have led to you taking him back time and time again, doling out infinite chances, and losing a bit of your dignity every time you did.

it wasn’t even supposed to be like this. hell, the two of you weren’t even dating. despite what he’d made you think. what, with the surprise dates, expensive bouquet deliveries, and his ironclad adamance that you didn’t do anything like that with anyone else.

that last part in particular was your selling point. you could vividly recount the times he’d talked you out of going on various dates for reasons you had been stupid enough to believe. maybe you were an idiot for allowing yourself to entertain it, but you’d try not to drive yourself insane dwelling on that possibility.

as you sat at the edge of eren’s bed, naked as the day you were born and fighting back the sobs threatening to rack your body, you couldn’t help but wonder how you’d got caught up in all this shit.

***

you first caught eren’s eye when he attempted to flirt with you outside of a bar one night, to which you tipsily drawled, “do i know you?” and then, as if that weren’t embarrassing enough, you followed it up with, “oh, you’re that douchebag football player!”

even through your inebriation, eren’s face was ultra-recognizable, as it would be to anyone who went to your school and also happened to have eyes.

gemstone colored eyes, skin covered in a delicious tan, long hair curtaining the sculpture that was his head, eren jaeger had an incredibly difficult face to forget about.

being the quarterback of your school’s football team and most sought after man on campus, (or perhaps in the state) it’d be more surprising if he wasn’t a douche.

so, what? not like you’re looking for anything serious, anyway. it could just be a casual thing. at that, the yes bells in your head rang loud, the sound growing more ferocious as you trailed your eyes down the expanse of his body.

for a few moments, you could see why he had so many people drooling like rabid dogs without any effort. he was fucking gorgeous. you took in a breath of fresh air, trying to sober your body and your mind. breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe.

one of your girlfriends had linked your arms together and murmured something like, “i’m sorry about her, she’s wasted.”

“i am perfectly sober.” you groaned, which wasn’t exactly true, but you were closer to sober than wasted.

he chuckled heartily, and you had to stop yourself from getting dizzy in the turquoise oasis of his eyes. or maybe you were a little drunker than you’d thought. whatever.

after a little while, you’d convinced your friends you were okay enough to give him your number, and when you did, a satisfied smile stretched across his face. “i’ll call you.”

“yeah, okay.” you said dryly, despite the fabric of your underwear feeling completely opposite.

***

a day later, and much to your sober surprise, eren had called you, introducing himself as, “that douchebag football player.” you let your face fall into your palm at the blurry memory, trying not to keel over in humiliation before he could even ask you out.

luckily, you remained steady long enough for him to invite you over to smoke later. looking back now, you wanted to slap yourself silly for even considering, and then slap her even harder for saying yes.

***

your bi-weekly smoke sessions turned weekly, and then almost daily. but by then, he wasn’t even coming over to smoke anymore. “i don’t wanna get high with you all the time. what if i just wanna enjoy you while we’re sober?” eren had claimed as the two of you lay intertwined on his couch. you could remember the distinct feeling of your heart melting out of your chest and pooling around your feet.

then, he was coming over to your dorm with takeout bags shelved along his arms. and then texting you at random, telling you to be ready at a certain time, because he was taking you out to dinner.

and you certainly couldn’t forget the night all the pent up sexual tension and feral attraction shared between the two of you came to a screeching head. you both were high off your asses, and one thing had led to a-motherfucking-nother. next thing you knew, your back was pushed into a pretty arch as he drilled into that special spot inside of you. drool pooling at the corners of your lips, cheeks glossed over with tears, throat red and raw from the guttural moans pouring out of it.

four rounds later, when your limbs were jelly and you’d been rendered too tired to do much more, eren pulled you into his lap and played with your hair until you fell asleep. it was in that moment that you knew you were falling head over heels for him. although, he hadn’t given you much of a choice, had he?

***

then, it happened. you should’ve known something was up when he said he was headed to a party later that night, but didn’t invite you, which was something he’d always done. “you don’t really know anybody that’s gon’ be there. and i’m only goin’ for a little bit. no point in even bringing you with me.”

you simply nodded in agreement, him having thoroughly convinced you. and it wasn’t like you had any reason to think he was lying. eren never lied to you.

or at least that’s what you’d thought.

not twenty minutes after eren left, your phone had pinged with a message from one of your girlfriends.

party tonight & yes tf u are going. i’ll be outside in 10!!

you’d arrived at the party, shocked to see that there wasn’t an unfamiliar face in the throngs of people you shuffled through. bile had risen in your throat, but you chased it down with whatever was in the solo cup your friend handed you.

for a moment, you were having fun. your limbs falling into a relaxed, dancing rhythm, loud music coursing through your veins as though it were the alcohol you drank.

“oh, shit.” you heard your friend say from beside you, and the terror in her voice was enough to get you to pay attention.

anxiously, you followed the line of her gaze to a semi-vacant spot across the room. a spot where eren had another girl perched upon his lap, blowing smoke into her mouth before he attacked her already kiss-bitten lips with his.

you wanted so desperately to press your eyes shut, but the sight before you would surely live behind your eyelids for the rest of your life. so really, what was the point?

they broke away from the kiss, and you could’ve swore you tasted vomit at the sight of a thin string of saliva connecting their lips. after what felt like hours, eren’s eyes met with yours from across the room. before he could get the chance to even register you as some sort of hallucination, you bolted.

***

as soon as you’d locked the door behind you, you collapsed on your dorm floor. clothes and hair wet and chilled from the rain pouring outside, you’d nearly bit off your own tongue with all the shivers that racked you.

the sobs taking over your body were breathtaking, literally. you’d caught yourself trying to catch your breath through the tears more than a few times. at a certain point, they’d gotten so loud that you had to shove your face into a pillow to muffle the sounds.

an hour or so later, you’d decided to check your phone, only to instantly regret it once you saw the flurry of messages and calls from eren.

with each message you read, his vice grip on your heart only grew firmer. baby wya? we need to talk. if it weren’t for the ragged breaths running through your agape lips, you’d be sure you had already died of some type of shock.

i don’t want u goin to sleep mad at me baby. you wished you could squeeze the phone into pulp like an empty soda can. but your hands were weak, heavy, numb, as though they had been filled with wet packing peanuts. idk what you saw but it’s not what it looks like.

tears blurred your vision as you continued reading. pleas of, will you at least call me? and (likely empty) promises of, it’s not what it looks like and i just need to explain myself. this, coupled with twenty missed calls from him, had barbed wire wrapping around your heart, squeezing and squeezing until you were sure you could feel it explode inside your chest.

bile rose in your throat again, but you didn’t have it in you to hold it back this time. instead, you ran for your bathroom and emptied the contents of your stomach into the toilet as another wave of sobs came over your body

when you were done, you hardly recognized the person staring back at you in the mirror. the brown skin around your eyes was puffy and damp, your face mask-tight with tears, your lips wobbling pathetically. you felt the urge to throw up again.

***

“i don’t even know why you’re upset.” eren had attempted to console you. “mikasa, she’s…” your skeleton nearly folded in on itself as he said her name with the same cadence he usually did yours. “she’s nothing. she’s not y—”

“you had your tongue in her mouth.” you interjected, and you didn’t need to say anything else. hell, you could hardly bring yourself to say that.

“hey,” he said, reaching over the middle console to grab you gently by the chin. the look in his eyes held nothing but sorrow, sorrow that toed the line of pity, and pity that toed the line of condescension. “stop thinking about it, okay? we can’t work past this if you keep dwelling on the shit.”

his touch put your entire body on edge, a stark contrast to the usual. you plucked his hand off you as you held back a sniffle. “well, what the fuck else am i supposed to do?” a rogue tear fell from your eye. “i’m…” your fingernails dug into the skin of your thighs. “i’m fucking hurt, eren.”

at his next sentence, you were overcome with the urge to scream until the lump dissolved from your throat. “it’s not like i cheated or anything.” you didn’t know what made it worse: the nonchalant attitude with which he said it, or the way he kissed his teeth before what he said next. “oh, c’mon. i thought you knew we were only fucking around.”

your masochism reared its ugly head as you asked, “what?” despite already hearing him loud and clear the first time.

“listen, y/n, i like you, b—”

“but not enough to…” make me your girlfriend. the words were there, but you physically couldn’t say them. “right.”

he didn’t answer, and really, he didn’t get a chance to. you were shoving his car door open and storming out of it.

for the next four days, he’d mailed surprise gifts to your dorm, all sent with enough various apologies and i miss you’s to make your tooth ache.

you’d forgiven him a week later.

***

and then another time, more recently, he’d given you an earful for making out with connie at some party. but how could he blame you? you were drunk and still hurting from all that happened before. and besides, it wasn’t like the two of you were dating or anything. at least, that’s what you had told him.

this led to a screaming match between the two of you as eren sped down the slick road. the veins in his neck threatening to break free from beneath his skin, knuckles growing paler and paler as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “what, you thought that shit was cute? connie’s one of my best friends, and you thought you could just kiss him in front of me?”

“i didn’t think i could, eren. i did. and if connie was really your best friend, he wouldn’t have let me.” you saw his eyes go fuzzy with white-hot fury, and could’ve laughed maniacally in satisfaction at the sight.

for a few brief, sick moments, you’d thought to yourself, good, you deserve this. but you squashed that feeling before it could turn into something worse. “you did the same thing to me, so just get over it.”

he came to a red light and took a moment to card his shaky hands through his hair. “it’s not the s—”

“not the same?” you scoffed in his direction, unbuckling your seatbelt and shoving his car door open. your dorm wasn’t too far away to walk. “yeah, whatever. just drop me off here.”

***

thus began the vicious cycle that you and him were all too familiar with. perfect, bad, worse, i’m sorry, perfect.

as of right now, you were in the middle of bad, which was awful considering you weren’t sure how things could get worse from here.

still naked from a round or two (or three) of earth-shattering sex, you’d heard eren’s phone ping with a message. figuring your orgasm-fried mush for a brain was playing tricks on you, you ignored it. until it pinged again. and again. and again.

eren usually slept like the dead, and you knew his password. what would be the harm in looking? you’d fought with yourself on it for a good five minutes before deciding.

you stretched your arm out over his slumbering body and plucked the thing off his nightstand. he twitched slightly, and terror struck your heart for a brief moment, but he’d only turned over on his stomach and wrapped his arms around your pliant waist.

warmth chased the terror away, and you considered not even checking the damn thing. until it pinged again.

you extended your arm out above your head, the safest way to hold it that wouldn’t risk disturbing him, even if you risked dropping it onto your face.

after unlocking it, your eyes had to trail over the notifications three or four times to be sure you hadn’t hallucinated. five messages from mikasa. that alone had your heart running in circles, but the actual messages proved to be undeniably worse.

r u done w her yet? i miss you. can you come over? or i can come over there? just call me when u can.

suddenly, eren’s arms began to grow tighter and tighter. squeezing you until your ribs cracked under the pressure, until your lungs collapsed from lack of airflow. or maybe that’s just how you had felt.

much to your ever growing horror, they had been texting for weeks. late night talks, plans of meeting up, exchanges of photos you’d much prefer to forget you saw. you name it, it was there.

silently, you put the phone back on the nightstand and tried to get yourself to fall asleep.

***

you hadn’t slept a wink, and now here you were: slugging your clothes over your body as the sun began peeking over the horizon. eren was still asleep, and you had managed to peel yourself out from under him just enough to make your leave.

your leave.

the words, the concept even, left a bittersweet taste simmering on your tongue. you were gonna leave him alone, and for good this time. because you were amazing and special and deserved ten times better than him, or that’s what you spent the majority of your sleepless night trying to convince yourself of.

your eyes, swollen and red, were begging to flutter shut, but you just… couldn’t. because you knew what vision would be sitting behind your eyelids the moment you did, and that prospect terrified you enough.

when you left his room, you didn’t dare look back at his sleeping form. not because you didn’t want to, but because you just couldn’t. couldn’t because of how weak he had made you; so weak that he didn’t even have to be awake to convince you to come back to him.

you stepped through his front door as though it were a portal to another world. another freer, happier, healthier world. the nippy morning air provided a temporary solace to your shaken figure. you took a deep gust in, hoping to give yourself a brief illusion of stability. breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe.

© NININIKKI. do not translate, copy, or modify my works in any way shape or form.

[just-mothman]

Waiting with you: Thiollier x Tarnished

Synopsis: When a familiar Tarnished makes their way to Thiollier's Cliff, he wasn't sure what to expect. But such an open display of emotion was certainly on the bottom of his list. Still, he found himself unable to let them cry alone.

Tags/Warnings: previous partner death (Rogier, Implied), Grieving, hurt/comfort, strangers to friends

Author's Note: It has been a while since I've wrote fan-fic to publish, but this sad little lad man convinced me to. I'm a little rusty, so apologies if it reads a little awkwardly. The story includes my Tarnished, Conrí, specifically, and uses they/them pronouns (for ease of reading, since technically they use any).

Enjoy.

Unlike almost everywhere else in the Land of Shadow, the cliff on which Thiollier sat seemed to be the most peaceful. Despite it overlooking a poison-filled swamp, the quietude it offered was something rare. The air seemed fresher here too, gently wafting the grass into waves. Perhaps this is why Conrí decided to stop at this grace. Dismounting Torrent, they lifted a hand of Rowa fruit for him to eat before he dissipated into blue sparks. With a sigh, they looked over at the empty sea just a distance away from the cliff. With heavy steps, they wander over to the Grace, sitting down beside it. Their head tilted over to the sickly man sat on the few rocks, the strands of white hair from his headdress lightly floating in the breeze.

Thiollier had noticed their presence yet had not looked up, as he was unable to halt the trembling he felt. It had been with him since their first meeting. Conrí uttered no words, yet their ghostly eyes peering through their tangled black hair had sent strikes of fear up Thiollier’s spine. Even when they first acknowledged the Site of Grace, he couldn’t stop noticing the unrelenting presence of death that hung around them at every moment. So, he had become even more quiet around them, finding it best just to not take note of them and keep his head down.

But despite this, something of a morbid curiosity had welled up within him about the silent Tarnished. Carefully, he looked up from his hunched position. As usual, their eyes appeared unblinking as they looked at the golden light of the Grace. Despite this, Thiollier could sense something else within the engulfing fear he felt when looking at their seated form. Something melancholic? He was uncertain what it was, but the curiosity stirred stronger in his breast and kept him from tearing his eyes away.

With slow, methodical movements, Conrí reached forward and pushed their hand into the Grace. Their hand did not come out the other side, yet they barely seemed phased. Thiollier was much less nonchalant, a jolt of surprise making him jump in his spot. Their hand seemed to plunge further into it, a furrow appearing on their brow in concentration. It seemed that almost their whole forearm had been plunged into the sparkling gold before they became still.

Meticulously, Conrí’s arm came back through the golden light, their hand firmly gripping a hilt. As they pulled further back, a thin, silver blade slipped through the Grace. Once the sword had been fully removed, Thiollier was able to get a better look at it.

The metalwork was precise, as would be needed for a rapier. The hilt was slender, a red gemstone neatly placed in the centre of two ornamental, wing-like swirls that formed the guard. It appeared incredibly clean, polished to a bright shine that reflected the very grace it came from. It appeared to be too delicate to be wielded by someone with such brute strength, Thiollier thought to himself.

Rolling the rapier in their hands, Conrí’s gaze seemed to soften, much to Thiollier’s surprise. The near-piercing pale blue of their irises looked much softer in this moment. They sighed deeply behind the black cloth that hid the lower half of their face, a barely audible hitch in the noise. Closing their eyes, they pulled the sword’s hilt to their forehead, gently resting it there. The glint of light coming off their eyelashes developed into tears that smudged away their smeared-on makeup. Silently, they sat there. Unmoving.

Thiollier was lucky to be wearing his porcelain mask, as his mouth hung ajar and his eyes were blown wide. This wall of death, this Goliath of a warrior, was sat crying in front of him. His thoughts moved faster than he could keep up, finding every preconception of the Tarnished before him was wrong. He sighed quietly. He didn't have the heart to leave them be. He stood up unsteadily, legs feeling weak as he did so. Like a cat, he slowly and carefully sneaked over to Conrí, who too deep in their own thoughts to notice him. Despite every part of his body telling him to run, to sit back in his spot and forget this had happened, he instead lowered himself to sit near them.

It took a few moments for Conrí to notice the timid fellow at their side. Only when the scent of lavender and lilies had crossed there senses did they turn to him. It was a quick motion, which caused Thiollier to tense up. Yet their eyes did not appear so threatening now, just sorrowful. Their arms cradled the Rapier like it was glass, and would shatter with the slightest pressure.

"It... Seems important to you," Thiollier began, breaking the silence with his wobbly voice, "Was it from a friend?"

Conrí looked down and, after some consideration, shook their head 'no' and hunched over the sword once again.

"Something more?" He pried slightly.

Clutching the rapier closer to their body, Conrí's trembling gave Thiollier the answer he needed. With an incredibly light hand, he rubbed their shoulder. Despite not really feeling it through their layers of armour and cloth, the gesture was rewarded with a slight lean into it. This seemed to spark some confidence in the masked man, shuffling over to sit right beside them. Thiollier saw himself, then Conrí's scrunched eyes, reflected in the Rapier's blade.

Inky tears dripped on the blade, leaving makeup residue as they continued their journey down the length of silver. Reaching into his pouch full of poisons, the white-haired man pulled a near-clean cloth. Raising himself to his knees, his hand extended towards the swords hilt. Conrí jerked it away protectively, eyes now glaring at him in their usual, inhuman ferosity. Steeling his nerves, Thiollier did not pull his had away.

"I just want to wipe it down. You can keep hold of it, just turn the blade to me." His voice broke, betraying him and allowing some of that bottled up fear to slip out.

Carefully, Conrí rotated the blade in their grip and pointed it towards their companion. Once positioned for Thiollier, they pulled their right arm from the hilt and wiped at their face with the cloth of their undershirt. They felt the slightest dip in the rapier's position as Thiolier brushed up the blade with tentative precision. He quickly restored it's shine, each meaningful stroke of his hand restoring the luster the metal started with.

"There," he started, "It should be all good now."

Conrí remained silent, yet nodded their head in recognition. Slowly, they lifted the sword to inspect it, before slipping the tip of the blade back into the grace. They placed the sword back to it's original place the way they had before: slowly and methodically. Thiollier still had question as to how that was possible, but they waited in the back of his mind for another day.

The two remained seated on the cliff, the wind gently tugging on their hair. Both seemed at peace in the comfortable silence that now held them. Thiollier noticed, in this silence, his shaking had ceased to overwhelm him. He looked to Conrí, whose eyes no longer wept, and instead looked wistfully out at the ocean ahead. The feeling of dread and fear ebbed away.

They waited for a while, until Conrí stood up and summoned Torrent to continue their predestined journey. They waved back at Thiollier, who stayed seated in the grass.

How funny, he thought, that such tenderness could come from one so seemingly menacing. And, as much as he tried to ignore it, he couldn't help but hope they would come to see him again soon.

[saddayfordemocracy]

Edward Burtynsky, “African Studies”

From the diamond mines of South Africa to the richly textured landscape of Namibia’s Tsaus Mountains, the series spotlights the sub-Saharan region and its reserves of metals, salt, precious gemstones, and other ores. 

“I am surveying two very distinct aspects of the landscape,” he says in a statement, “that of the earth as something intact, undisturbed yet implicitly vulnerable… and that of the earth as opened up by the systematic extraction of resources.”

Taken over seven years in ten nations—these include Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Madagascar, and Tanzania—the aerial photos, which are compiled in a forthcoming book published by Steidl, present a dichotomy between a region irrevocably altered by humanity and one of immense possibility. 

Since 2013 when it launched its Belt and Road initiative, China has invested billions of dollars in expanding its global presence, with many African nations as targets. This growth, along with international competition for access and power on the continent, has widespread economic, environmental, and governmental impacts, which Burtynsky explores through the series.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz which has been used as a gemstone for many centuries and is a key economic resource in northern Uruguay. Geodes are hollow rock formations often with quartz crystals, such as amethyst, inside. Amethyst geodes in Uruguay have been found in cooled lava flows, which date from the original breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana around 134 million years ago. However, their formation has remained a mystery. So, a research team led by the University of Göttingen investigated using cutting-edge techniques. The researchers discovered that the amethyst geodes formed at unexpectedly low crystallisation temperatures of just 15 to 60 °C. Taken with their other results, researchers were able to propose a new model to explain their formation. The research was published in the journal Mineralium Deposita.

Read more.