#Golden Bay transport

[enmi-land]

⌕ ENFiNiT MEMBERS PROFiLES .. ❞

ENFINIT ❨ 엔피니트 ❩ is a sub-unit of the group ENHYPEN, a nine-member co-ed group formed on the survival program, I-LAND. It consists of the female members of the group, Kiara and Mila. They debuted on November 30th, 2020 with the song, 'Lucid Dream', their contribution to ENHYPEN's debut EP 'BORDER:DAY ONE.’

▞ › #GROUP NAME EXPLANATION﹗▞

ENHYPEN is a mix of an en dash and a hyphen that connects different words to create new meaning, members of ENHYPEN will connect, discover each other, and grow together. ENFINITis a name that combines the en dash with infinite possibilities of the group when the come together as one. Their male counterparts, ENIVERS, is a name that combines an en dash with universe, to show that they are connected by the universe they share together, even when physically apart.

▞ › #ENHYPEN FANDOM NAME﹗▞

ENGENE ❪ 엔진 ❫

▞ › #DORM ARRANGEMENTS﹗▞

❪ 1 ❫ Kiara & Mila

❪ 2 ❫ Heeseung, Jay, Sunghoon & Ni-ki

❪ 3 ❫ Jake, Sunoo & Jungwon All of the members have their own solo rooms

𖦹 ݁ ﹐KiARA ❳ ݁ ⸒ ˚

﹟ STAGE NAME ‣ Kiara ❪ 키아라 ❫ ﹟ BIRTH NAME ‣ Kiara Park ﹟ KOREAN NAME ‣ Park Kyunghee ❪ 박경희 ❫ ﹟ CHiNESE NAME ‣ Pu Kaian ❪ 朴凯安 ❫ ﹟ POSiTION ‣ Main Rapper, Vocalist, Dancer ﹟ BIRTH PLACE ‣ Somerset, New Jersey ﹟ BIRTHDAY ‣ November 7, 2001 ﹟ ZODiAC SiGN ‣ Scorpio ﹟ CHINESE ZODiAC SiGN ‣ Snake ﹟ HEiGHT ‣ 170cm ❪ 5’6” ❫ ﹟ BLOOD TYPE ‣ AB ﹟ MBTi ‣ iSTJ ﹟ NATiONALiTY ‣ Korean-American ﹟ REPRESENTATiVE EMOJi ‣ 🦁 ﹟ SOLO FANDOM NAME ‣ Kiwis ﹟ MiC COLOUR ‣ Gold ﹟ KiARA FACTS ‣

She's the oldest child and has three younger brothers

She ranked 5th on I-Land

Despite being born in America, she grew up in Seoul, South Korea

Training Period: 5 years

She started training to become an idol at 14 and was a trainee at YG for 2 years before auditioning for BigHit

Her parents are very wealthy

She has the longest training period out of everyone in the group

Education: School of Performing Arts Seoul

She is fluent in Korean, English and Japanese

Her nicknames include 'Kiki', 'Mama Bear', 'Golden Girl' (because she was good at everything), 'Ddeonghee’, ‘Music Fairy’ (Behind the Profile Shoot)

Her favourite food is Kiwis

She doesn't like growing her hair past her shoulders

In the 'One and Only' M/V, her Pokémon partner was Umbreon

According to Kiara, Jake and Jay remind her a lot of her brothers, which is why she bickers with them the most

Her closest idol friends include ITZY's Ryujin, IVE's Yujin and Gaeul, Jeon Somi and TXT's Beomgyu

When asked what made her want to be an idol, Kiara said, "I was good at it."

Of all the members, she's the tidiest and always cleans up around the dorms

Kiara doesn't like aegyo because she thinks it doesn't suit her image

Kiara's special charm is that she looks cool no matter what she does

She can have an intimidating appearance at first, but members say that her smile is surprisingly cute

She is a producer in many of Enhypen’s discography and other groups as well, hence her nickname ‘music fairy’

She is the shortest of the group

When asked why she didn’t want to be leader, she claimed she could be very strict as it is and finds it hard to express her emotions at times, so she didn’t want her members to feel like she didn’t care for them

Her biggest inspiration as an artist is RM from BTS

Her Chinese name Kaian was given to her by Mila, and means ‘quiet victory,’ which Mila believed represented Kiara the best

Charming Point: charisma, girl crush, chic visuals, cat eyes (Behind the Profile Shoot)

Likes: cat videos, sleeping in, spas, kiwifruit, short hair, RM, BTS, Enhypen, taking morning walks, songwriting and producing (Behind the Profile Shoot)

Dislikes: aegyo, mess, swimming, vegetables, people who walk too slowly, people who manspread on public transport, wearing skirts to perform (Behind the Profile Shoot)

Motto: "Do what you can do. What you can't do, do better."

Show more Kiara facts . . .

𖦹 ݁ ﹐MiLA ❳ ݁ ⸒ ˚

﹟ STAGE NAME ‣ Mila ❪ 밀라 ❫ ﹟ BIRTH NAME ‣ Milana Bai ﹟ CHiNESE NAME ‣ Bai Minglu ❪ 王明璐 ❫ ﹟ KOREAN NAME ‣ Baek Mirae ❪ 백미래 ❫ ﹟ JAPANESE NAME ‣ Shirakawa Mitsuri ❪ 白川 光璃 ❫ ﹟ POSiTION ‣ Visual, Vocalist, Dancer ﹟ BIRTH PLACE ‣ Sunshine Coast, Australia ﹟ BIRTHDAY ‣ March 31, 2003 ﹟ ZODiAC SiGN ‣ Aries ﹟ CHINESE ZODiAC SiGN ‣ Goat ﹟ HEiGHT ‣ 173 ❪ 5’7” ❫ ﹟ BLOOD TYPE ‣ O ﹟ MBTi ‣ ENFP ﹟ NATiONALiTY ‣ Chinese-Australian ﹟ REPRESENTATiVE EMOJi ‣ 🐼 ﹟ SOLO FANDOM NAME ‣ Miluvs ﹟ MiC COLOUR ‣ Pink ﹟ MiLA FACTS ‣

She was born in Sunshine Coast, Australia but moved to Shenzhen, China when she was 9 years old

She is an only child

She comes from a wealthy family

Training Period: 2 years, 1 month

She ranked 3rd in the final episode with 1,181,289 votes

She isn't a picky eater and can eat almost anything

She did competitive cheerleading for 7 years before switching to dance after a back injury

She ran away from home to pursue her dream of being an idol because her mother didn’t approve

Her nicknames are 'Princess', 'Kirby' (because she eats anything), 'Wildcard', and 'Milana Monroe' (Behind the Profile Shoot and Self-Revised Profile)

In the ‘One and Only’ MV, her Pokémon counterpart was Jigglypuff

Her Japanese name came from the name of a character in the anime Demon Slayer, which fans claim she resembles

She was called a born star by Bang-PD because of her raw talent and fast growth rate (I-Land Ep. 1)

When her grandmother took her to get a fortune-reading, she was told she would be loved by many people

Mila's grandmother is her biggest supporter and has a shelf dedicated to her achievements

Education: Shekou International School, Hanlim Multi Arts School

She ranked 7th on TC Chandler's Most Beautiful Faces of 2020

She has a 03-liner group chat with Le Sserafim's Kazuha and ITZY's Yuna

She mentioned her closets idols friends are ITZY's Yuna, IVE's Wonyoung, Le Sserafim's Kazuha and Yunjin, and Kep1er’s Xiaoting

She is currently learning about producing music from Kiara

Kiara says that Mila and Heeseung have the most raw talent in music that she’s ever seen

Specialty: stage presence, flexibility, versatility, languages, modelling, facial expressions, ending fairy

Charming Point: Pretty smile, visuals, cute laugh, bright personality, hype-woman, starry eyes (Self-Revised Profile)

Likes: Jake (x5), Sunghoon, ENHYPEN, performing, dressing up, eating, shopping, sweets, watching dramas/anime, sleeping in, reading, working out (Self-Revised Profile)

Dislikes: Horror movies, sleeping alone/with the lights off, waking up in the middle of the night, math, sports (Self-Revised Profile)

Motto: "Live each day as if it's your last"

Show more Mila facts . . .

Related: ENFINIT Discography | ENHYPEN Members Profiles | ENIVERSE Members Profiles | ENIVERSE Discography . . .

[tough-n-dumb]

Fic Meme

13. “Ask me again.”

thank you! this one is show!verse, set while inej leaves with the volkvolny crew (or does she...) listen, this one is indulgent and probably exactly what you think it'll be but i Need to fix how the show left them

13. "Ask me again." (Kanej)

This was it. They would leave for Ketterdam tomorrow morning. He had his money; the Ravkan crown in his pocket; his revenge. He should have been satisfied. He wasn't. Because what was waiting for him back in Ketterdam now? A kingdom, yes, but a crooked one, now forever off-kilter. He would be a king without... without... He would be a king, and what else was there to want?

Kaz stood on the roof, leaning against the fort's parapet, overlooking the vast strip of barren land the Fold once dominated. The setting sun turned the sand a fiery, golden hue; an antithesis of the darkness that had reigned there for so long.

He had been up here for a few hours now, avoiding the jovial, adrenaline-fueled festivities in the halls beneath. He'd initially climbed to the roof to watch the small airship take off, transporting the Volkvolny's ever-growing crew to the main ship. He hadn't been able to, receding to the other side of the high walls at the last minute. Just as in the chapel, he couldn't turn around; he couldn't bear to watch her leave. Even the thought of her caused a prickle on the back of his neck, a shiver wrapping around his aching spine.

"Ask me again, Kaz."

Inej's voice was soft, airy, the syllables of his name turning sweet and lilting. It wasn't possible.

Kaz turned, and there she was. He must have been more sleep-deprived than he thought, the visage of her so startingly solid and real. But the way the sun caught on her hair—braided once more—and the light hitch in her breath when his eyes met hers confirmed that she was here: brightly lit and corporeal. Not some specter of loss like Jordie.

"Inej, what are you doing here?" His voice was hoarse and rougher than usual, even to his own ears.

"Ask me again," she repeated.

"What are you—" he began.

"No," she interrupted, drawing closer, the space between them quickly diminishing. "I'm here because I need you to ask me again."

Realization of what she wanted dawned on him and something turned sour in his stomach.

"Why?" he ground out. "So you can tell me no all over again?"

She only stood there, watching him, picking him apart with her dark eyes. He supposed he had been the one to teach her the patience of a thief, after all.

"You were supposed to leave hours ago," he deflected.

"Yes."

"You didn't."

She smiled, the quirk of her lips small and ambiguous. "It appears that way, doesn't it?"

"Why are you here?"

"I told you."

"I'm not going to ask you to stay, Inej. You already made your answer clear." If she wanted to humiliate him, he wouldn't bend.

"Just try."

She was looking at him with the sort of rawness and expectation she had when praying to her Saints—full of hope and belief in something divine.

Damn his pride; damn it all.

"Inej." He took a step closer to her, then another, until they were merely inches from each other. If he reached out, he might be able to touch her. "Don't leave. Come back to Ketterdam and stay with me. Please."

She was on him before he could finish the word, instead sighing it into her mouth that was now pressed against his. She met it with her own, a whispered, yes that buzzed hot against his lips.

Yes.

The word reverberated around his skull while she kissed him and kissed him. Her hands were balled in his coat, his own gloved ones pressed tightly to the curve of her waist. She was so alive in his arms, her lips so soft and warm, even the harbor waters were kept at bay.

Yes.

Too quickly, she pulled away, and he watched as a heavy breath left her pretty, pinkened mouth. Her eyes flitted all over his face, snatching at his tells. He couldn't imagine what she must have found, but it left her smiling big and bright up at him.

"Ask me again," he parroted, thumb brushing against the flare of her ribs.

"What do you want, Kaz?"

"You."

thank you again and thank you for reading!! does this totally fit and seem feasible to where we left them? probably not. but i will take any and every opportunity to me them kiss

fic prompt meme

[lokisgoodgirl]

The Greatest Showman [Loki x Fem. Reader]

Part of the Secret Santa Drabbles hosted by @fictive-sl0th A Link to my Masterlist is HERE Summary: Loki's interest in musicals provides some interesting inspiration for the bedroom. Warnings: 18+ Minors DNI. Smuttish. Language. (w/c 931) A/N: Prompt: Loki loves musicals - hope you like it @wheredafandomat 💕

“Darling I had an idea, about what you said, regarding roleplay and... inspiration.” You hummed in acknowledgement, engrossed in the book in your lap as you lay tucked in bed. The proceeding silence broke your concentration, looking up to your lover leaning naked against the bathroom door-frame. You giggled, placing the book to the side. “Sorry. OK. I’m listening.” “To me? Or to him?�� Loki purred, casting his eyes down to what strained upward against his taut stomach.

You smirked, raising your eyebrows and casting the duvet aside, patting the mattress. “To you, my love. Now what’s your idea?” you said seductively, running your hungry eyes over his sculpted body.

He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, a knowing smile tugging at his lips. “Musicals.” he quipped, waiting for your reaction. “Musicals.” you repeated sceptically, your forehead creasing. “I know you’re a fan of them but...I don’t know. I’m not sure there’s anything very sexy about musicals Lokes.” you murmured apologetically, seeing his smile broaden. “Au contraire, darling.” he purred, raising his thumb and forefinger to the side. “I shall present three options for tonight's lovemaking festivities.” He snapped his fingers, the room around you dissolving into darkness. The bed was transported to the side of a circus ring, the smell of sawdust swirling in your nostrils. You gasped as a solitary spotlight snapped onto your dark god. His face was lowered, a top hat glinting beneath the cool hue. A chorus of drums and stomps sounded in the air, voices harmonising as they bayed for their master to begin. You clenched, gripping the sheets beneath you. He looked fucking incredible.

Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for. Been searching in the dark / Sweat soaking through the floor. Loki was dressed as a Victorian ring-master; P.T Barnam, to be exact. A theatrical red overcoat sat tight on his shoulders; a gold brocaded waistcoat snug around his midriff, the same heavy thread adorning elaborate cuffs. A garish golden broach adorned his shoulder, the tight fit of his black trousers doing nothing to hide the godly cock hard beneath them. He raised his head, cheekbones flashing dangerously beneath the brim of the hat. His hair fell around his shoulders, a cream starched cravat wound intricately around his neck. Shadows cast against his exposed jawline in the circular light as he used an ornate cane in his grip to push the brim upward, revealing a coy smile. “Are you ready for the show?” he projected, spinning towards an invisible crowd that roared with applause, that velvet voice filling the theatrical space. You shivered with desire, coveting every inch of his powerful form coated in structured wool; the buckles of his overcoat glinting in the light as he turned back to face you. Suddenly the room spun again, and in a second the sawdust and empty stands were gone. In their place, a rich red curtain stretched upward endlessly; rustling in a ghostly breeze. Loki stood on a low stage as familiar music played; a piano tinkling to life in the gloom. A dark high-collared cloak surrounded his body, his face even paler than usual. Deep purple makeup coated his lips, his eyes enlarged with dramatically smokey eyeshadow. Those cheekbones sang in the low light, heavy contouring sweeping upward. In a flash, he threw the cloak backwards, making it flutter to the ground by his feet. You gasped again, hands flying to your mouth as Loki strutted down the steps of the stage in time with the music.

Why don't you/ Stay for the night? Or maybe a bite/ I can show you my favourite Obsession A sleeveless corset was laced haphazardly to his midriff, dark sparkles fizzing in the low lights against his chiselled abs. Sinful fishnet stockings stretched against those thick thighs, running down endless legs into a pair of high heels. The suspenders strapped to a belt around his hips hung against a devastatingly tight pair of leather underwear. His manhood throbbed against the fabric with every stride, teasing you as you crawled forward to rest on your knees. Begging. You could feel saliva building in your mouth as Loki drew closer in time with the music, his curls wild. He was charged with raw sexual energy as he flipped his hair, crawling atop the bed like an animal. A pearl necklace hung invitingly as he stopped at your eye level on all fours, reaching to draw a finger over your lips with one gloved hand. Your eyes fluttered shut, ready to be irrevocably fucked by your sweet transvestite lover before you felt the room shift once more.

The final option, you thought as your head spun; seeing a burgundy warmth growing behind your eyelids. You braced as something rocked beneath you, opening your eyes. Hundred of candles glowed in ornate candelabras floating in the air, shimmering water passing inexplicably beneath the small barge you found yourself in. An angelic soprano voice filled the air like a heavy scent, intoxicating your senses as flames danced on the subterranean canal.

In sleep he sang to me / In dreams he came That voice which calls to me / And speaks my name

Stone pillars towered to black nothingness above, candles dotting the air in swaying, ethereal rhythm. Your head whipped round, finding Loki looming with another flowing, more luxurious cape swirling around him. He was sombre as he steered the boat with one long oar. A high-necked shirt accentuated the angle of his jaw leading down to a tight waistcoat. Always so tight, you thought; squeezing your thighs together. The god’s hair was tied back with a ribbon, half of his beautiful face covered by a white, porcelain mask. The exposed side of his mouth was curled in a secretive smirk, enjoying every second of his theatrical endeavours. You tried to speak, words catching behind your teeth before the air was knocked out of you by another shift of magic. Loki’s lithe frame was suddenly pressed to yours on your bed, his tongue slipping between your lips as you squirmed beneath him. He thrust his hips gently against your open thighs, naked and ready to grant you anything you desired. “So, my darling...which musical anti-hero will you take to your bed this night?” he purred against your cheek, placing messy kisses down your neck as you moaned in anticipation. “All of them?” you whispered shyly, hearing Loki chuckle before the room swirled around you once again.

@lokischambermaid @lady-rose-moon @gigglingtigger @holymultiplefandomsbatman @muddyorbsblr @xorpsbane @lokikissesmyforehead @simplyholl @fictive-sl0th @ijuststareatstuffhereok89 @loopsisloops @thedistractedagglomeration @loveroflokiforpoeticjustice @123forgottherest @holdmytesseract @joyful-enchantress @sititran @jaidenhawke @silverfire475 @mrsbarnes32557038 @michelleleewise @vbecker10 @imalovernotahater @thomase1 @morriggannlostinfandoms @ladylovesloki @marygoddessofmischief @xorpsbane @filthyhiddles @peacefulpianist @maple-seed @yelkmelk @mistress-ofmagic @five-miles-over @goblingirlsarah @ozymdias @peaches1958 @your-taste-on-my-lips @lokisgirll @lokidokieokie @kikster606 @peachyjinx @peachyymallows @soldeloki @tbhiddlestan83 @trickster-maiden @lunarnights95 @coldnique

[bat-under-a-bridge]

more ocs cause i forgor to post

ramble below!

The Watcher

He/Him

Elite scav!!!

Found his way into LFW's can and was given the Mark

It took a while, but LFW's endless supply of pearls and Watcher's really good work at fixing things, the two became really close!

Mainly just chills around LFW's can and fixes where he can

Doesn't really like other scavs, he tends to stay on his own, oddly

Lake of Falling Waters

He/Him

Gen 3 Iterator, conservation/transportation based

Never liked their creators, constantly (on purpose) ignored The Great Problem because he believes it is a stupid thing to fight against

Their group consists of him, No Destination, Brightest Star of Darkest Night, Eldest Tree of Burning Forest, Youngest Tree of Burning Forest, and Finder of Knowledge Known.

Second youngest of the Bay of Golden Land Group

Despite being conservation based, he doesn't enjoy the local wildlife, other than Watcher, though that took a while

LFW can be very pushy and childish when he wants to be. Which is most of the time

LFW never forgave his creators for leaving.

[thatblackravenclaw]

Pen Pals

a/n: you guys know how Andrew Garfield’s parents are British but he was born in L.A. but he still has a British accent that’s not extremely British with a little bit of an American twinge? that’s what the reader sounds like. also, i go by the grades of everyone in the books so Cho and the reader are a year older than the golden trio and a year younger than the twins. 

Blog Details | Let’s take a trip

Fred Weasley x Black!fem!reader (Ravenclaw)

warning(s): british slander bc im a raging american (RED WHITE AND BLUE MF THESE COLORS DON’T RUN BITCH lmfao please believe me when i say im joking), cursing, mention of drugs and alcohol use, tooth rotting fluff

word count: 3.3k

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.

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“Are you writing to that British boy again?” I hear from over my shoulder.

“Yes, and have you heard of personal space?” We erupt in giggles as I push her away.

I close my notebook and move from my desk to my bed. The foot of my mattress is barricaded with boxes. I look around and see my childhood home become empty and filled with boxes and buckets. The walls that were once painted with polaroids of my friends and family from over the years is now back to its basic color of brown that was painted when I was born. My desk is no longer covered with knick-knacks and clutter. The room is just empty. I’m happy that my mom got promoted so my dad gets to go back to his hometown, but it’s going to be hard leaving a place I’ve spent ¾ of my life in.

My mom is a Magizoologist. She came to the United States 20 years ago for a business trip. My dad is a Dragonologist. Their paths crossed when she came to help take a look at a sick Dragon. He showed him how their sanction work and over time I guess they became close because 3 years later I was born.

We used to go back and forth between Illinois and England for about 4 and ½ years before mom decided to just move here. I guess the distance was just a little too much for them, so she decided to move here and now we’re moving back.

I lay down on the bed and stare at the ceiling. It’s scattered with glow in the dark stars that I begged for when I was 7 and ten years later, here they still stick. I’ve been asking dad for four years to take them down. He always said he’d get around to it.

The air feels dry, and my throat is scratchy. I’m trying my best to hold my tears at bay. I love England. It’s a second home to me. Whenever I’m out for summer break I go to my grandparents’ house in Norwich. This is different though. I’m going to be living there now. The British accent I had when I was younger has faded overtime to an American-British hybrid. I’ll surely be made fun of for it.

Maya lays down next to me. We’ve been best friends since the 3rd grade. Just the two of us against the world. Now I have to go through the rest of university without her.

“Maybe it won’t be bad. The worst part is going to be eating their food.” Her jab pulls a smile to the corner of my lips.

“I’ve heard the food at Hogwarts is actually pretty good.”

“Not possibly better than Ilvermony.”

“Never!” I dramatize the word with a gasp. Really selling it as if saying Hogwarts food is better than Ilvermony is a federal offense.

The dust settles and a silence washes over us. It’s a comfortable silence. Soaking in our last moments together. I know it’s not forever. I get to come back here on holiday, and she can use the floo network to visit me, but it won’t be the same. This is the person who has a key to my house because she’s considered family. The same person who that brings me an extra banana nut muffin every day before school just because she knows it’ll bring a smile to my face. I won’t get that anymore.

“What time are you guys leaving tomorrow?” Her head turns towards me, but I keep my eyes trained on the popcorn ceiling in fear that the tears I’ve been holding back will give me away.

“Early. I think 6. We’re meeting the realtor with the keys at 7, so we need to make sure that all of our stuff gets transported this in one fell swoop since we’re apperating there and apparently mom came up with a spell to have our stuff apperate to the new house.”

“Hm. Have you told British boy that you’re got accepted into Hogwarts?”

“Fred doesn’t even know what I look like. Let alone that I got accepted to the same school as him.”

“HE DOESN’T KNOW WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE?” I slap my hand over her mouth and shush her.

“Bitch, shut the fuck up. My parents are right down the hall and don’t know I have a pen pal. They said it was dangerous because people pretend to be someone they’re not, but what the hell?”

She pushes my hand off of her mouth and sits up. Her back meets my headboard and she straight ahead at the door.

“Do you know what he looks like?”

I nod my head yes before rolling off of the bed. I feel to the last page of my journal and find and find a polaroid of him and his brother George from when they went to something called The Quidditch World Cup. I do a quick look over before making my way back to the bed and offering my hand to Maya. She looks at the picture and you can almost see her eyes bulging out of their sockets.

“He has a twin brother?”

“No it’s just someone he met at school.” I resist the temptation to roll my eyes at her comment, but the attitude goes completely over her head.

“Is he single?”

“Maya!” I exclaim with my jaw dropped. “What? You can have a twin and I can’t?”

“Oh hush. You said yourself that you don’t even date white boys.”

“That was before I saw this one. Besides, he’s a ginger so he’s exempt from that statement.”

“I’m really going to miss you Maya.” We make eye contact for the first time in a while and her eyes soften.

“I’m gonna miss you too Angel.”

She looks down at her watch and tells me that it’s fifteen minutes to ten meaning it’s almost curfew. We share one last tearful goodbye as she walks out of my bedroom door for the last time.

.          .          .

Sure enough, at 5:45 my dad woke me up and told me it was time to get ready to leave. I had taken one last look around my room and made my way downstairs to meet my mother so we could all leave. Right as the clock struck 6, my parents let me grab the powder and be the first to see our new home.

I stood in the foyer and tried to convince myself that it isn’t the best house I’ve ever seen. It’s got a cottage core vibe going on, on the outside. It’s cozy, but big enough for all of us. I wanted so badly not to like it. We went to the backyard and there’s a small river filled with a family of ducks. To the right there’s something that looks like a shack, but bigger. My parents then explained to me it’s my own apartment. That’s when the smile broke across my face. I was finally getting my own space.

The house tour didn’t last long due to the tight schedule we are on. I ended up just waving my wand and letting the magic unpack my stuff as we were right back in the fireplace. Why? Because tomorrow is the first day of school and I have not done any school shopping. The stuff on the list differs a little bit from the shopping list we had for Ilvermony so dad thought it best to wait until we got here. We had to go to Diagon Alley anyway for everyone to open up a bank account.

Now, I’m standing in Madam Malkin’s getting measured for everything. Once I’ve been basically poked and prodded all over my body with clothes pins, I stare out the window and watch everything and everyone pass by. As if someone had played a slow potion button, I see a whole family of red heads walk down the cobblestone and sure enough one of them is Fred. I snap my head down and try to cover my face with my hair. I don’t know why I did that. Once again, he has no idea what I look like.

“All done. You can step down now.” I look over to Madam Malkin and grab my uniform and robe out of her hands. I thank her and rush out the door. Thankfully my parents are done with their list too so we decide to go home.

.          .          .

The next 18 hours go by quick. I didn’t get a chance to really enjoy my apartment or decorate it due to packing up my trunk since we once again left early in the morning for transportation.

The train ride was painfully boring. No one told me how long it is from England to Scotland. I sat with some mundane people whose names I don’t remember. They were also half asleep and exchanged pleasantries only out of politeness. We bought some stuff off of the trolley and then went back to our own worlds.

At one point it became a little suffocating and I needed to pee so I got up and started walking through the cars when I heard a “Have you heard from her yet, Fred,”. I had stopped before becoming visible to their compartment. He told them no and that he was a little worried. That’s when I remembered that Maya distracted me so I never got to finish the letter.

At the moment, I’m standing at the front of the line of 1st years because I’m new as well but I’m older so I get to get sorted first. My hood is up and I’m looking at the ground, suddenly interested in my shoes. Professor McGonagall informs everyone that I’m a new student from the American wizarding school and I feel my face heat up, knowing the amount of comments I’m about to get from everyone.

She calls my name and I carefully walk up the stairs. At this point my hood is still up so no one has gotten a clear view of my face. I want to do a big reveal of sorts. I sit down and let the hood slide from off of my head. There’s gasps from all across the hall. Some whistles from a few guys. Whispers from a few girls. A handful of people conveyed nonchalant expressions which I greatly appreciate over being fawned over. My eyes gravitate toward the Gryffindor table and I catch Fred already looking at me. His friends are nudging him with an elbow while also looking at me. I guess that answers the question of if he told his friends about me or not. I can’t decipher how he feels, but the adoration on his face calms my nerves enough.

I break our eye contact to look back down at the floor as not to fall off of the stool. I make haste to the Ravenclaw table. I greet everybody and they instantly start asking questions. I laugh as I can’t understand them all at once, but it’s funny hearing them squabble like seagulls. A hand is placed over mine and I look in the direction of where it came from. A beautiful Asian girl gives me a small smile.

“Hi y/n, my name is Cho.” I return the smile and tell her that it’s nice to meet her. A silence washes over the table. I become befuddled and look around to distinguish if I did or said something wrong.

“I thought you were American?” Someone says from the other side of the table. I don’t catch sight of who said it, but respond, nonetheless.

“I am. Well, I’m half. My mom is American and my dad is British. I was born in Manchester but was raised in America.”

An understanding nod is shared amongst the table in hearing vicinity and the conversation ceases as someone else is sorted into Ravenclaw.

.          .

After dinner the prefects give the first years a quick tour of the castle and show them to their houses. Cho snuck me with the other 5th years. I’m thankful as I far from want to be touring the castle with a bunch of children. Besides, I have a map of the school and I’ve created a spell that can bewitch the map to help me find my classes.

We make our way up the many staircases and are faced with a large door with an Eagle head as the knocker.

“The only way to enter the common room is by answering a riddle. If you get it wrong, then you have to stand here until someone else comes and says the correct answer or until someone from the inside opens the door.” She says to me. I nod my head in understanding.

“Wanna try it?” Another Ravenclaw asks me. A male. I believe his name is Talbott. I nod my head again and step closer to the door.

“When young, I am sweet in the sun. When middle-aged, I make you gay. When old, I am valued more than ever. What am I?” The voice bellows as the Eagle moves its beak. It shakes my core a little bit.

I look around at the other Ravenclaws. Some with quizzical brows. Some with a knowing look. Others just looking and awaiting my answer. The answer would have caught me up if it weren’t for the last clue; “When old, I am more valued than ever.”

“Wine.” There’s a click sound as if unlocking a lock, and the door slowly opens. Smalls cheers are shared as we walk in.

I’m stuck at the entrance of the threshold inside by the sight in front of me. It’s probably the most gorgeous room I’ve ever seen. The ceiling is coved and gives the illusion of a clear night sky. Stars litter the ceiling and give off the effect of actual twinkling. A blue velvet couch sits in front of a fire, with matching chairs on either side. What really catches my attention is the enormous statue of Rowena Ravenclaw in front of a bookcase. We never had anything like this at Ilvermony. Our emblem was a serpent and we would just have those displayed in various parts of the common room. I watch as everyone goes to various parts of the room while some go behind the bookcase. Cho grabs my hand and also brings me behind the staircase. She shows me that behind this staircase is where the dorms and bathrooms are. I follow her up the staircase and to a dorm. The rooms inferior to the common room but not any less gorgeous. The beds align with the wall as each dorm is in the shape of a tower.

“I see you got the middle bed. Seems fitting as you’re new.” No malice in her tone, though I can see in some way it might have seemed like it.

I sit on the bed and exhale. Truly exhale. This whole journey has been happening too fast. Now that I’m sorted into a house, everything else seems easy. I went over my schedule with Cho and we have all the same classes except Defense Against The Dark Arts. I guess I’ll survive one class without her.

“Well come on lazy bones.” A different girls says to me. Anastasia I believe.

“What?” I sit back up and ask with pure curiosity.

“It’s time to get ready for the party.”

“What party?”

.          .

The beginning of the year party. The party where everybody gets blacked out and regrets it in the morning since we start classes at 8 am.

I believe I heard someone earlier yell about flower. A Hufflepuff I believe. I had put on the sluttiest thing I owned and made my way down to the party with everyone else. None of us wear heels, as not to be caught by the caretaker.

The party is in full swing when we open the door the ballroom. The lights are dimmed, but the strobes of light are pungent. We barely make it to the drink table without bumping into everyone on the way. At the drink table is a tall red head with another tall read head which I can only assume is me about to be dealing with the consequences of my own actions.

“Excuse us,” Cho exclaims at the two while trying to push our way to the punch bowl. They look our way and go to move but freeze when they set their eyes on me.

“Y/n?” Fred asks/yells.

“In the flesh,” I yell back.

His smile reaches his eyes as he pulls me in a hug. My face in brought into an awkward place where it’s not quite his chest but not quite his stomach either. I wrap my arms around his middle and hug him back. He smells like cinnamon. I welcome in the scent as we hug for a few more seconds. I can only imagine what Cho is thinking right now.

We pull back at the same time and he begins to speak again. I can’t really hear him over the noise of the ballroom. I look in the direction of the entrance of the room and point to it. He nods his head and we walk towards it, hand in hand.

The door closes behind us but we still stood with our hands intwined.

“Pen pals for 4 years and you didn’t tell me you were transferring.” He exclaims while keeping his voice down.

“I wanted to surprise you.” I say sheepishly.

“Considered me surprised.” He smiled no longer reaches his cheeks but its more somber.

We hear footsteps coming from the far end of the corridor. He pulls me and we start running. I don’t know where we’re going but I trust him. A giggle threatens to out my mouth as we are going up the maze of stairs.

After what feel like forever, we make it to the floor that the Ravenclaw tower is on. I see that Gryffindor is also on this floor. In the middle of both is a spiral staircase. Great. More stairs. He leads us up to a room that looks like a classroom with multiple astronomy tools and an openness to the outside.

“Welcome to the Astronomy classroom.” I unknowingly let go of his hand as I look around in amazement. There’s a celestial sphere with all the constellations on it. A fancy telescope by the balcony. It’s quite literally the Ravenclaw common room in classroom form.

“Gods, this place is gorgeous.” I walk onto the balcony and stare up at the sky. All the stars twinkle and the moon is full.

“As are you.” I turn my body around and face him. He walks up next to me without breaking eye contact.

“Not a disappointment, am I?”

“Only a little. I expect more of an American accent.” I laugh at this before looking down at my shoes.

“You and everyone else. It’s there a little bit with certain words and phrases.”

.          .

I sit on the ledge and we talk for a bit. Not much to tell considering I know almost everything about him and vice versa. We talk about school and the people here which eventually leads to the topic of dating.

“Anyone here you fancy yet?”

“You could say that.” I look into his eyes and see if he’s able to read in between the lines.

He leans in and I hear my breath hitch. My fingers grip the railing. His eyes jump to my lips and back to my eyes.

“Who is it?” We both know.

“He’s in Gryffindor. Tall red head with freckles. His brothers are also in Gryffindor.” We inch closer.

“I might know him. What’s his name?” 3 inches apart.

“Ron.” He rolls his eyes at the answer with a chuckle.

“Shut up,” and then he kissed me.

.

.

.

Fred Masterlist | United Kingdom

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

CHICAGO, Illinois  — Pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel demonstrators blocked roadways in Illinois, California, New York and the Pacific Northwest on Monday, temporarily shutting down as part of a coordinated day of action against Israel’s war in Gaza.

In Chicago, protesters linked arms and blocked lanes of Interstate 190 leading into O’Hare International Airport around 7 a.m. in a demonstration they said was part of a global “economic blockade to free Palestine,” according to Rifqa Falaneh, one of the organizers.

Traffic in the San Francisco Bay Area was snarled for hours as demonstrators shut down all vehicle, pedestrian and bike traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge and chained themselves to 55-gallon drums filled with cement across Interstate 880 in Oakland.Kibbutz Nir

Similar protests were held across the United States and around the world, after the group A15 Action called for coordinating a “multi-city blockade… in solidarity with Palestine.”

“In each city, we will identify and blockade major choke points in the economy, focusing on points of production and circulation with the aim of causing the most economic impact,” the group said on its website.

Protesters marching into Brooklyn blocked Manhattan-bound traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge. In Eugene, Oregon, protesters blocked Interstate 5, shutting down traffic on the major highway for about 45 minutes. Protesters also blocked roads Monday in Philadelphia, and anti-Israel rallies were held in Los Angeles and other locations.

Demonstrators chant slogans at an outdoor shopping mall in downtown Los Angeles during a “Strike for Gaza” protest calling for the US to stop funding Israel and for a permanent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, on April 15, 2024, in Los Angeles, California. (Robyn Beck / AFP)

Near Seattle, the Washington State Department of Transportation said a demonstration closed the main road to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Social media posts showed people holding a banner and waving Palestinian flags while standing on the highway, which reopened about three hours later.

Protests were also planned in Canada, Italy, South Korea, Colombia and Belgium, while the X account for A15 posted photos of demonstrations in Greece, Spain and Australia.

[pureamericanism]

One of the great tragedies of the Rust Belt* is that it did not define itself as a distinct cultural region until well after its great era of flourishing was over. For the century from about 1850-1950, this area was not merely the industrial heart of the nation, but also its cultural center. And yet the inhabitants of the area, if they thought of themselves as having a regional identity at all, it was as inhabitants of the generic ‘north’. Its status as a center of cultural innovation was pooh-poohed by the fact that the nation’s political and intellectual elite was, even as it is today, strongly based to the coastal northeast, and this Eurocentric elite had a very different set of priorities than the cultural avant-garde of the as-yet-unRusted-Belt. This area produced little in the way of ‘high art’ in the expected form of novels, symphonies, and oil paintings. But what it did produce...

In 1900, Chicago was the occult capital of the nation, a hotbed of wild theorizing and underground publishing of all manner of Theosophical weirdness. Meanwhile, Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright were producing the first wholly indigenous tradition of monumental architecture, setting a pattern for all of urban modernity. The Dayton, Ohio based Wright brothers - often abused in pop-historiography as some sort of rude mechanicals - were slowly and methodically systematizing the science of aerodynamics in preparation for the first ever instance of heaver-than-air flight in human history, with world-shaking consequences. And up in Detroit, Henry Ford was not merely revolutionizing transportation and manufacturing, but setting a standard for industrial relations that would create an unbelievably influential model for decades to come. It might sound strange to modern ears to cite Henry Ford as a bleeding-edge figure, but Fordism served as an inspiration to both Bolsheviks and Fascists, as well as to domestic New Dealers, while simultaneously pleasing and alarming old-fashioned Anglo liberals. The Long 20th Century is a series of footnotes to the Rust Belt Golden Age.

As can be seen from this too-brief summary of the luminaries of the epoch, it was a deeply unique Golden Age, characterized by cultural traits all its own. Technical prowess, utopian visions, and thorough systematization were its characteristics, as was a sense that a lone individual or small group could, through sheer innovative genius, change the world. While the archetype of the Mad Scientist is based on Mitteleuropean models, it was here in Mittelamerika that it achieved its apotheosis. The definitive cultural history of this region and era has yet to be written**, which just shows how underappreciated the underlying unity still is, but it in a large part contributed to the dynamic optimism that we all now take for granted as distinctively ‘American.’ But as the area felt the collapse of the long bubble economy that funded its flourishing, and its brightest sons and daughters fled west to contribute to the explosion of creativity along the Pacific slope that is now likewise collapsing, it finally awakened to a sense of unity that had previously been hidden by arbitrary State boundaries.

That, at some point, this area will again be the center of some sort of vigorous culture seems an inevitability of human geography, but will it again share the same features of optimism and technical prowess, or were those mere incidental features of a bunch of people with a Protestant work ethic suddenly getting access to the tremendous wealth provided by a vast agricultural base + fossil fuels? Man alive, I don’t have the slightest clue, but I hope that there is some sort of afterlife or metempsychosis so I can find out.

* here roughly defined as the geographical area constrained by an irregular polygon whose points are Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Davenport, Green Bay, and Flint.

** unless it has and i’m just ignorant of it, in which case please let me know so i can rest easy that i don’t need to do any work and can just sit down and read the thing. honestly, even tangentially related book recommendations are appreciated.

[catdotjpeg]

[Dozens] of Bay Area residents shut down the San Francisco #GoldenGateBridge in response to Israel’s bombing of #Rafah, to demand that President Biden stop supplying Israel with weapons and to call for an immediate #ceasefire.

-- Brooke Anderson, 14 Feb 2024

The protest, which began shortly after 7:30 a.m., halted traffic at the mid-span of the bridge for approximately 20 minutes and was cleared just after 8 a.m., according to Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz, director of public affairs for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District. Chanting “Free Palestine,” protesters locked arms across all lanes of the bridge and unfurled a banner that said “Stop Arming Israel” and “Hands off Rafah.” “Our security staff were on scene within minutes and the protesters cleared soon thereafter without incident,” Cosulich-Schwartz said in an email. “No arrests are currently being reported by CHP.” A California Highway Patrol official added that there were “some possible scuffles between motorists and some of the protesters” but said no injuries had been reported.

-- "Golden Gate Bridge Briefly Blocked by Activists Calling for Cease-Fire in Gaza" by Juan Carlos Lara and Matthew Green for KQED, 14 Feb 2024

[magician-kitty]

Minor Scale

Ice constricted around her wrists and waist. Her legs were somewhat free but with the heavy body on top of them, all she could see was Darkness, hearing the constant sound of eerie whispering.

"Why so sad, little one?" A voice said. Bai-He looks up from her imprisonment to see none other than the one who's currently taken over her body.

The Lady Bone Demon.

The Lady Bone Demon is a demon with white skin, red eyes, and prominent cheekbones. Her hair is white and a part of it tied into a bun while the rest of it is straight and loose. She has magenta lips and medium blue eye shadow.

She wore a black dress with purple around her upper waist, gray designs at the sides, and white long-sleeves, a white chestplate with one row of rib bones at the bottom and a gold half circle at the center, as well as sharp purple shoulder pads.

The young girl glared silently toward the bone demon.

"There's no need for that face child, this is a day for celebration," She smiled. "Destiny is upon us." She cooed.

Bai-He held a deadpanned expression on her face. "You know, Dad said you were crazy. But I didn't think you were a complete psycho!" She yelled angrily.

Lady Bone Demon frowned, "I don't expect a child like you to understand, but no matter. In time this world will cease to exist, and a new one shall take its place."

Bai-He scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Yeah you say that now, just wait until they come and save me, you're gonna wish you'd- " Lady Bone Demon grabbed onto Bai-He's face, digging her nails into her skin. Bai-He grunts, attempting to push the demon off her, but the chains held her tightly.

"I think your sassy little mouth is starting to irritate me," She growled, eyes flashing red. Lady Bone Demon then lets go of her face, stands back up. "But no matter."

Bai-He raised a confused brow. "Why?" She asked. The bone demon smirked, leans down and whispers something into the girl's ear.

Bai-He gasped, a feared look spread on her face that send shivers to her spine. "No...y-you wouldn't..." She trailed off.

Lady Bone Demon just smiled eerily, "Now if you'll excuse me, my destiny awaits." She gave the girl a bow before walking away into the darkness.

Bai He attempted to stand, but the more she struggled the more the chains held onto her tighter. "Wait! No! You can't, leave her alone!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deep within of the Lady Bone Demon's old lair, the two monkey demons were dodging traps, as they looked for information on The Lady Bone Demon. Monkey King grunts as he holds up a spike ceiling trap threatening to crush him, "Baby! A little help please!?" He shakily asked for Macaque's help.

"Hold on for a second, Peaches!" He yelled, as the shadow trickster was dodging traps himself.

"Any minute now, Honey!" He exclaimed, quickly pushing the spike ceiling trap above him away. Macaque dipping himself and his husband into a shadow portal transporting them to the outside of the throne room.

Wukong pants, sighing in relief, wiping away sweat. "Thanks hon. I told you this place would be full of traps," Wukong grumbled.

"I know. I'm sorry, okay?!" Macaque whined, tail drooping as he followed his husband.

Monkey King turned and caressed his mate's face. "Macaque you gotta calm down, I know you're worried about her, we'll get her back." He reassured him.

"I know, Wukong..."

"It'll be okay...~," Monkey King smiled, giving his husband a quick peck on the lips. All of a sudden a golden projection of MK appeared. "Monkey King, it worked!" The teen cheered smiling at her achievement.

"MK?" The husbands gawked in surprise. "Hey guys! I finally got a hold of Astral Projection," She smiled. "And it only took five nosebleeds!" MK grinned wiping the thin trail of blood from her nose.

"What!?" The husbands screeched in horrified unison, their tails puffing up.

"But that's incredibly unsafe!" The Monkey King said in a worried tone.

"Aw don't worry you two!" MK said in a reassuring manner. "Im fine, right guys?" As soon as she mentioned the shadow twins, they appeared on the Astral Projection. "Father!" The two greeted, their tails wagging happily.

"Hey there little ones," The shadow demon smiled gently, yelping as he had to duck, not realizing that he'd set off another trap.

"Is everything okay?" Savage asked in worry. "Are we distracting you?"

Monkey King shook his head. "Nah you're not, just more dead ends," The Monkey King sighed. "But hopefully, this old lair will give us something we need."

Macaque's six ears perked up, hearing the sound of eerie whispers. "Wukong..." He trailed off.

"Uh bud, I'm afraid I'll have to cut this a bit short," Wukong spoke up, giving the trio an apologetic look. "But! I do have some new lessons for you guys to try."

This make them excited. "MK, keep working on shrinking and growing yourself." MK nodded, "You got it!" Macaque then turned to the twins.

"Savage, I want you and your sister to practice summoning your own weapons. You're going to need them sooner or later, okay?"

The twins nodded. "Yes, sir!"

"Oh! I just remembered something, MK got kissed by a boy!" Savage suddenly blurted outs

"Say what!?" Monkey King yelled, causing his husband to cover his ears.

"Uhh, i think we have a bad connection, Kay bye!" MK waved as the projection ended. MK groaned, glaring down at the little monkey.

"What, I'm right ain't I?" Savage asked, looking innocent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile in the Sewers, The little girl held up her arms, she was still currently creating the mech. The powerful artifacts that were needed hovered next to it. "I don't know who taught you to take revenge, but it ain't normally this boring! Can we hurry this along?" Spider Queen demanded, hanging upside down her arms crossed.

The girl blinked, her eyes focused on the hologram. "With time and patience, the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown." she said as she spun a small part of the projection in front of her. "There are still more items we have yet to add to the furnace, destiny cannot be rushed my queen." the little girl stated.

The Spider Queen huffed in frustration. "So you keep saying, well my patience is growing thin little miss mystery." She rolled her eyes. "At least lighten up a little, your creepy whisper business is getting on my nerves."

The little girl turned her attention back to the furnace uninterested in her patience. "Let me out, let me out of here!" Bai-He voiced echoes through her head, making her run her head in frustration.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MK let of a sigh of exhaustion as she mopped the floor for the third time. "I'm finished, Pigsy."

"Thanks kid," Pigsy sighed in relief. "This place needs to be spick and span! I got a very special guest coming!" Pigsy said as he cleaned every surface, organized everything so it was perfectly in line.

"Did someone say free noodles for a special guest?" a voice said making Pigsy and MK looked towards the entrance, seeing Tang leaning against the door as he pushed his glasses up.

"Im sure it ain't you hon, if that's what you're wondering." Pigsy growled as Tang took a seat. "Honey, that anyway to speak to The Golden Cicada Yum yum?" Tang asked smiling at his husband, Pigsy huffed.

As the two husband argued a bit, MK's mind wandering back to her lesson. 'Shrinking myself huh? How the hell am I supposed to do that?' MK's thoughts were cut short as her body started to glow. She let out a shrieked before she started shrinking.

She fell through the pipes, hitting against the side at every turn before finally falling to the ground in a large cavern.

"Ow! F**k that hurts!" MK groaned standing up rubbing her sore head but the looks down at herself. "Hey, I did it. I shrunk myself!" She exclaimed.

The poor girl realized that not only she finally shrunk herself, but she shriveled up in fear when she recognized she's back in the Spider Queen's lair.

"No, no, no, No! The Spider Queen's lair" She trembled in fear as her arachnophobia started kicking in. "Not here, not now, come on!" MK yelled, her voice echoing throughout the lair walls.

Spider Queen perked up when she heard a familiar voice echoed the the walls. "Ah, The Monkie girl!" Spider Queen grinned, landing back on the ground. "My day just got a little more interesting. She said with a smirk.

The little girl sighed, "My Queen, perhaps you should-" The Spider Queen interrupted her.

"Sorry! Can't hear you over the sound of me rushing destiny, kay bye!" Spider Queen taunted, swinging her web MK's location.

'Hm, perhaps I can use this to my advantage' She thought, The little girl smirks, her eyes flashing blue.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, MK continued focusing on her breathing, trying to calm herself. "It's okay, it's going to be fine! I'm going to be fine!" She panicked.

She looked towards the viewers.

"It's finally gonna happen! A spider's gonna wrap me in its web and eat me!"

She shook her head, "No! I am the Monkie Kid, I ain't gonna keep being terrified of spiders my whole life!" MK said clenching her fists. "I can do this, I can get out of here!" She shouted before closing her eyes and focusing.

Before she knew it, MK turned back to her normal size. "Yes! I'm normal sized again!" MK cheered. The teen froze when she heard the sobbing of a little girl. "Hello?" MK called out slowly walking towards the sound pulling her staff out in case it was a trap, she peaks around a corner and sees a little girl sitting between some rocks. Her hair was rolled up around a jade green bun holder that curved up into sharp tips on its ends.

She's dressed in a qixiong ruqun with a standing collar. The ruqun consisted of a white top that secured the right blue trimmed lapel using two blue bone-shaped buttons, and a long, flowing black skirt.

"Stay back!" The girl cried out, flinching and frantically backing away from the MK.

"It's alright, I ain't gonna hurt you. I-" She stopped as she started to recognize her. "B-Bai-He?" She stammered.

"Monkie Princess?" She said in disbelief, "I-It's you..."

MK let out a sigh of relief, a smile spread across her face. She couldn't that she's here, and okay. "I can't believe it- you're-" But before she could finished "Bai He"quickly hugged her. "I knew you'd come!"

"I'm so happy, I-I thought-"

"Please, you have to help me, there's not much time!" She said looking terrified, she gasps as she heard whispers coming from the pipe.

"What was that?" Bai-He asked curling back to the wall sobbing.

"Hey, it's okay. I get it, it's scary being alone," MK said kneeling down to her, trying to ease her sorrows. "But you're not alone now, I'm here now. We'll find our way out together," MK said, smiling. "I promise." MK held her hand out for her.

Bai He started to reach out to her but stopped. "Wait! If you're here then that means..." she muttered, Her terrified face turned into a determined one as she quickly got onto her feet.

"This way! You have to follow me!" Bai He exclaimed running off, in the direction of Spider Queen's lair.

"Wait, Bai He, Stop!" MK cried out, rushing after the child, trying to stop her from getting hurt. "Not that way!"

"We really shouldn't be here!" MK panted, finally caught up to her. "We can't go yet. Spider Queen is building something...evil." she said pointing at the giant blue hologram of a mech suit.

"Whatever she's planning, it has to do something with that," she told her pointing at the furnace. "I-I've seen you use your staff, surely you could use it to smash that thing?" She suggested.

MK stared at it, staff at the ready "MK, you have to do something. Don't let her hurt someone else, please?" She begged.

MK turning to look at her. "Okay, you might want to stand back though." She told her, watching her take a step back as she prepared her staff.

"Here..." she launched herself forward with her staff. "Comes..." she pulled it above her head. "Monkie kid!" She was about to hit the hologram.

Until she saw her reflection in it, begging her to stop. "Don't do it!" The reflection told her. MK stopped right on her tracks, "Wait! Is this...this is the trigram furnace! From the celestial realm! How-"

She gasped as blue spirits came out from under the furnace, whispering quietly. MK gasped, recognising the whispers from when she fought the Demon Bull King.

'No, it can't be.' She slowly turning around as she remembered everything she'd seen and it sends chills up her spine.

The sound of Cackling came from "Bai He"a light blue storm of spirits surrounding her as her true form was revealed.

MK yelped and backed away, hitting the furnace, dropping her staff. "It's you- you're-"

"I am the Lady Bone Demon," "Bai He" chilled whisper rang in her ears as her head started to hurt, the pain getting stronger as the seconds roll by.

"You...you tricked me!!" MK growled out, clutching her head, breathing heavily.

"My, aren't you quite the observant little girl," she started, getting closer to her with every unstable change of scenery. "MK, I do apologize, but I need to take that staff," She demanded. MK, in a panic, quickly got to her feet, collected her staff and tried to make a break for it, but with every step she took, the pain kept growing bigger and bigger.

"Calm yourself," A whisper came from behind him, "It is pointless to deny me," MK couldn't take it anymore. She turned around and aimed her staff towards the girl, her not even flinching, stood there with a calm collected smile.

"What going on, W-Where's Bai He!?"

"Bai-He?" She questioned, tilted her head to the side, "Oh yes, the little girl. Quite clever is it? This body is useful...for now." she said smiling.

"Body? What do you-" She stopped, she remembered what Macaque had told her before they left.

It was her all along. She's the one that took her.

"Let her go! She's just a little girl!" Lady Bone Demon stood there for a second before she began to giggle.

"It's so cute, you really think you can stop me," LBD cooed mockingly at the girl, who groaned in pain as her vision flashed blue once more, the world around her glitching sporadically.

"I'm not going to let you win, Monkey King and Macaque will stop you and-" She gripped her head more as the glitches continued.

"Monkey King? Do you really think he can stop me? Curious that he is not with you now? Perhaps that he made the wrong choice, he picked the wrong successor" her voice seem to come from every direction,

"You were right you know," His attention was drawn back to the bone witch, holding her hands in front of her as his vision switched from her host form to her true form. "It's scary being alone!" She whimpered in the little girl's voice before her eyes were shadowed. One glowing a bright blue as she grinned. "I do pity you."

MK gagged as the Lady Bone Demon slowly started to rise out the ground below her, grabbing tightly onto her neck as she smirked at her.

"You're just a piece in a game you simply cannot possibly comprehensive." she grinned squeezing tightly, MK tried to loosen her grip but to no prevail.

Then, an explosion shook the room behind MK, making her let go and MK left gasping for breath as she dropped to her knees, her eyes filled with fear.

The Spider Queen cackled as she slowly made her way through the hole in the cave she'd just exploded, grinning. "Monkie kid! Im done waiting! I'm going to enjoy this!" She said happily, launching herself at her.

"Think little!" MK shrieked as the Spider Queen hurtled towards him at a frightening speed. She quickly managed to shrunk herself.

The Spider Queen was sent flying with a huge wave of energy, slamming into the wall and creating a shockwave. MK took that chance to retreat into the rubble, all the while gasping and trying not to trip over her own feet.

The Bone Demon watched her leave with glowing blue eyes and a satisfying expression. "It would seem that she has left you little girl..."

'No! Wait! MK, don't leave me. I'm here! MK, come back!' Bai He's voice screamed, calling out for her.

Run…

Run along as you wish, Destiny will find you soon enough.

[goldenhourindhaka]

Beef Tehari: A Taste of Dhaka’s Heritage on Every Plate

As a Dhaka native, my love for Beef Tehari isn’t just about the taste��it’s about the cultural memories and deep connection to the city where I was born and raised. For many Bangladeshis, and especially for those from Dhaka, Tehari is more than food; it’s a treasured part of our heritage. This fragrant, spiced rice dish, with its unmistakable aroma of tender beef and spices, transports me to the vibrant streets of Puran Dhaka (Old Dhaka), where Tehari recipes have been passed down through generations, each plate telling its own story of tradition and family.

A Flavor Rooted in History

Puran Dhaka is iconic for its culinary treasures, with Tehari at the heart of it all. The small Tehari stalls lining these old streets carry with them recipes that date back hundreds of years, kept alive through family legacies and shared with a love for good food. Walking through Puran Dhaka, you can smell the Tehari cooking from blocks away—its rich spices perfuming the air. Tehari here isn’t just made; it’s crafted, with each vendor carefully preserving the recipe techniques that have been passed down through generations. It’s the kind of food that draws people in, locals and tourists alike, all eager to get a taste of authentic Dhaka flavors.

Culinary Influences from Across Continents

Bangladeshi cuisine is a beautiful blend of indigenous spices and cooking styles enriched by influences from Persia, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. Tehari embodies this fusion, merging Mughal cooking techniques with local ingredients like mustard oil, green chilies, and our beloved spices. While similar to biryani, Tehari stands apart in that it doesn’t involve marinated meat; instead, the beef is cooked directly with the spices, allowing the rice to soak in the rich oils and flavor from the beef. The result? A dish with an irresistible depth of flavor, distinctly Bangladeshi in every way.

A Symbol of Togetherness in Bangladeshi Culture

In Dhaka, sharing a plate of Tehari is like sharing a piece of our culture. It’s a meal that brings people together for every kind of celebration, whether it’s Eid, a family gathering, or even an everyday meal with friends. As a Dhaka native, this dish has been part of nearly every special occasion in my life, connecting me to my heritage with each fragrant, flavorful bite. The process of preparing Tehari can be almost ritualistic, with every family adding its own touch. For me, Tehari is a taste of home, a reminder of all the times I’ve shared it with family and friends.

Here’s My Recipe for Authentic Dhaka-Style Beef Tehari

If you want to experience Tehari the Dhaka way, here’s an authentic recipe that captures the flavors of Old Dhaka. Cooking Tehari might seem complex, but trust me, it’s worth the effort. Each bite will bring you closer to the heart of Bangladeshi cuisine. I am also going to include a video that shows the cooking process in detail so that it is easier for you to recreate this at home!

Ingredients:

1teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon coriander 2-3 stick of cinnamon, 2 inches each 3-4 green cardamom 5-6 black pepper ½ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon mace ¾ cup Mustard oil 1 cup Onion, sliced 2 lb Beef, small pieces 2 tablespoon ginger paste 2 tablespoon garlic paste ½ cup yogurt 2 bay leaves 6 cups water 1 cup milk 3 cups basmati or kalijeera rice 8-10 green chilies Salt, according to taste

Instructions 1)Take cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg, mace and grind. 2)Wash the meat and drain all water. 3)Take the pot where tehari will be cooked. Heat oil on medium flame. 4)Add thinly sliced onion and sauté until fragrant and golden brown. 5)Add meat, ginger and garlic paste, yogurt, 1-teaspoon salt, bayleaves and the ground spice. 6)Cook in medium heat for about 25-30 minutes until beef is cooked and tender. 7)Add a cup of water little by little and stir the meat occasionally. 8)Separate meat keeping the gravy and spices in the pan. Set aside meat. 9)Add remaining water and milk to the pan and bring to boil. Add salt. 10)Add washed and drained rice and cover. Once the water boils again, add the whole green chilies and cook in medium heat. 11)When rice is about 50% done, add the meat. Mix carefully so that rice does not become smashed and cook covered in medium-low heat. 12)Turn off stove but keep lid on for 15-20 minutes before serving. 13)Serve with salad, kabab and chutney.

The Dhaka Experience on a Plate

Serve your Tehari with a simple side of fresh yogurt based salad (raita), or chopped onion bits for an authentic Bangladeshi touch. There’s something deeply comforting and nostalgic about this dish. Every time I take a bite, I’m transported back to the bustling streets of Puran Dhaka, where Tehari has been perfected over centuries.

Beef Tehari isn’t just food—it’s a taste of my heritage, my memories, and the stories of generations before me. It’s a reminder that I’m part of something bigger, a rich cultural tapestry woven with flavors and shared meals that make us who we are.

[solvskrift]

we carry through the fears | la'an & una pre-series

After the Gorn, La'an is found. whumptober prompt no. 6: “Do or die, you’ll never make me; Because the world will never take my heart.” | made to watch | “It should have been me.” also on ao3!

It’s sudden; one minute she’s staring at the blank metal wall of her tiny prison, the next she’s materializing in a foreign room surrounded by strangers.

La’an stands there, straight-backed and frozen still.

Then the man closest to her stretches his hand out as if to touch her, and her mind goes blank. Pain blooms at her back as she smashes into something hard. A ringing starts in her ears and she covers them, desperate to make it stop.

Awareness is crucial.

She doesn’t know where she is or what’s happened, and her mind is screaming at her that this must be another trick –

Past the hands covering her ears, La’an begins to hear singing.

Her vision focuses again, and she realizes she’s backed herself into the corner of the room, folded into herself as small as possible. There’s a young human woman crouched in front of her, several feet away, and her mouth is moving.

It’s only the two of them in the transporter room, now.

Cautiously, La’an lifts the pressure off her ears, letting the music in.

“On a wide open road, Golden helmets are singing,” the woman sings, a kind smile brightening her eyes.

“They mounted their horses, They leaped, The sound of their riding boots Could be heard far away…”

La’an uncurls a little, letting her feet slide out from under her along the floor.

“On a wide open road, golden helmets are singing…”

The young woman hums a few more soft notes then falls silent.

“Hi,” she whispers after a moment. “My name is Una. Can you tell me yours?”

La’an swallows, lips pressed into a thin line. She wrenches her eyes away from the woman’s - Una’s - face and glances all around the room, taking everything in. She must be on a starship - a fairly large one judging from the size of the transporter bay.

Bigger than the Puget Sound, anyway.

La’an’s breath hitches, the screams echoing in her ears. “Manu,” she whimpers. “Manu…”

“Manu,” Una repeats. “Okay, good job. I’m not going to hurt you, Manu.” She reaches out a cautious hand, palm up. “Do you think you could let me take you to sickbay? I just want to make sure you’re not hurt.”

La’an doesn’t correct her; she can’t make her lips move to do it. But she grits her teeth, braces herself.

With a deep breath, she takes Una’s hand.

-------

After her cuts and scrapes are healed (and she’s given some clothes that aren’t stained with blood), she follows Una silently to the mess hall. La’an hasn’t let go of her hand since the transporter room, and she wonders if Una’s fingers are as numb as hers.

But she can’t bring herself to let go.

The USS Martin Luther King Jr isn’t like the colony ship. The officers they pass stare at her, intrigued. There are no families on board, no children, and La’an gets the feeling this is the most interesting thing they’ve encountered in a while. She tucks herself close into Una’s side and tries to ignore it.

When they get to the mess hall there are only a few other people scattered throughout the room, and La’an is thankful.

“What would you like?” Una asks, leading her over to the replicators. “We can make pretty much anything here.”

La’an immediately thinks of the jiaozi her mother would make for her, and her breath quickens.

“It’s okay!” Una says quickly, giving La’an’s hand a squeeze.  “You don’t have to choose. How about some oatmeal? That’ll be easy on your stomach.”

La’an nods.

Una smiles in relief.

They find a table at the back of the room, away from everyone else, and La’an takes the seat by the wall so she can see the door. Una slides her chair close enough that their shoulders and thighs are touching, and it gives her the courage to slowly, slowly release Una’s hand.

Una doesn’t ask La’an questions, just chatters on about the ship and its crew and the space station they’re heading toward. She doesn’t make a fuss when La’an can only finish half the bowl of oatmeal. She doesn’t complain when La’an takes her hand again and holds on like her life depends on it.

“Manu is - he was my brother,” La’an whispers, staring at the table without seeing. “I’m La’an. La’an Noonien-Singh.”

Una’s face pinches with sadness, but her lips quirk up encouragingly. “Nice to meet you, La’an Noonien-Singh.”

-------

The first officer finds them and informs them that La’an will stay in sickbay for the remainder of the journey as there will always be someone there to supervise her.

Una’s expression hardens though her tone is perfectly respectful when she says, “That’s alright, La’an can room with me until we get to the station.” She looks down at La’an. “If that’s okay with you?”

La’an nods quickly, so grateful she feels her throat begin to burn. She blinks hard, viciously smothering any tears.

-------

As an ensign, Una’s quarters are tiny. But she doesn’t have any roommates and La’an breathes a sigh of relief.

“You can take the bunk,” Una tells her brightly. “My back’s been hurting anyway, I could use a night on the floor.”

La’an looks at her doubtfully, but Una’s already rolling out a sleeping bag next to the bed.

“Sweet dreams, La’an,” Una murmurs after they’re both settled. “Get some rest.”

La’an shut her eyes tight, her family’s faces bursting into her mind.

I haven’t earned it, she thinks, I haven’t earned it.

-------

She wakes screaming.

She doesn’t remember the dream, only the tearing and the blood and the screams. The begging.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” says a soft voice, and suddenly Una is next to her on the bed. She reaches out tentatively, as though she isn’t certain if she should touch.

La’an throws herself into Una’s arms, clinging desperately to her nightshirt. The tears finally spill down her cheeks and she’s sobbing so hard she can’t get any words out.

“It’s okay,” Una tells her, stroking her hair. “You’re safe now, you’re safe. I won’t let anything else hurt you, I promise.

She tightens her arms around La’an’s shaking body.

“I promise.”

[my-sun-m00n-and-stars]

Cad Bane Smut

An excerpt from my Cad Bane x OC fanfic on AO3. 4k words.

The Sleight of Hand looked much like how Kiara remembered it. They entered through the small cargo bay made for transporting goods and prisoners. She glowered at the cages as she passed by, recalling the first time she had ever been aboard the vessel. They climbed the ladder up into the bowels of the ship, emerging into the cockpit.

“Why hello there, Master Bane! I have the ship prepared just as you asked for—all ready for launch. Is there anything else you require?” Todo popped out of seemingly thin air, his gears whirring with excitement. He paid Kiara no attention.

“Secure yerself fer takeoff n’ shut down,” Bane replied gruffly, pushing past the little droid to sit in the pilot’s chair. Todo seemed to wilt, and in spite of herself Kiara felt a pang in her chest for the little droid. 

“Hello Todo. Are you going to call me Mistress Scarr while we’re on this mission?” she teased. 

“Certainly not! I have one master, and that is Mister Bane. You are simply an asset!” he cried, pointing a quivering metal finger at her, as if the very idea of disloyalty to his creator caused him great anguish. 

“Quit harassin’ m’ droid n’ sit down. Let’s get off of dis cesspool n’ into hyperspace. Den ye can see de rest of de ship,” Bane barked. Rolling her eyes, Kiara obeyed, and Todo engaged his metal clamps onto the wall before shutting down, his yellow glowing eyes going dark. 

Based upon the size of the ship looking at it from the outside, Kiara was skeptical as to how much of it there was left to see. It was smaller than Slave One, and that had barely enough room to house multiple people. There only could have been one, maybe two more rooms that she had yet to discover on the vessel. 

Bane took off from the ship depot, carefully maneuvering above the tops of the buildings on 1330 but staying low enough so that he would not be in danger of grazing the roof of the level. He seamlessly merged into a skylane, and in the distance Kiara could see the golden rays of sunlight that signaled the existence of a porthole to the surface. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, absorbing the pleasant warmth on her face as the cockpit became illuminated by the natural light of the sky as they emerged into the fresh air.

She took one last glance at the exit she would have taken to fly back to her apartment, and then it was gone, and they were soaring above the top level of Coruscant. Instinctively she scanned the horizon for the Jedi Temple, and the Senate building that resided adjacent to it. Her breath caught in her chest as she squinted at the small glint of a window on the top floor of the Senate building, where she knew the Chancellor’s office was located. But that too faded away as they climbed higher, the horizon turning deep navy blue as they entered orbit of the planet, waiting for their turn in the hyperspace lane.

She had always been enraptured by the view of Coruscant from the heavens. The bursts of warm light from the densely populated urban districts and the glowing lines that traced the most popular traffic lanes painted a beautiful, webbish picture. It truly was a shame that the planet held so much…anxiety for her. 

Although, said anxiety was ebbing more and more the further away from the surface they drew, and once inertia pinned her back into her seat when they entered hyperspace, it dissipated entirely. Sidious could not reach her now. Taron could not reach her now. For the next five days, it would just be her, Bane, and a neurotic droid as they made the long journey to Raxus on the opposite side of the galaxy. 

“Come. I’ll show ye de livin’ quarters,” Bane announced, unstrapping himself from the pilot’s chair now that the ship had stabilized into hyperspace travel. In the back of the cockpit was a door, and he lead her through it to a small kitchenette. It was smaller than the kitchen she and Darius had in their apartment, but looked to be just as functional with a stove, small icebox, sink, and oven. She nodded in appreciation, and he showed her through one more door to his chambers. 

She could not help but smirk. The queen-sized bed in the corner took up most of the space in the room. A small closet took up the entirety of the left wall. She wondered if he had identical racks of dusters and hats hanging up in there.

He watched her expression with a sneer. “Ain’t up t’ yer lavish standards?”

“I would have thought it wasn’t up to yours, given how you decorate your apartment,” she shot back.

“Dis ship is fer functionality. Ain’t no time fer relaxin’ when yer on de job,” he scoffed. She shrugged. 

“Not very functional for two people,” she pointed out. “Tell me, when you bring other partners on the job do they all sleep in your bed?” she asked, her voice lowering into a sultry rasp as she raised an inquisitive brow at him.

“Only de pretty ones,” he replied, his chest rumbling. Maintaining eye contact, she dropped her satchel of her few necessary belongings onto the floor.

“Don’t see the point in either of us wearing all of this gear when we’re all alone like this,” she almost whispered, toying with the strap of her armor. A fang popped out from his lips. She could see his internal battle with himself, torn between his lust and his resistance to her request for him to be naked. She shed her traveling cloak next, allowing it to pool into a puddle of black around her feet. He shrugged off his duster and satchel, allowing them both to clatter to the ground. Feeling brave, she took a step forward until their bodies were just inches apart. Gently, she trailed her fingers up the cloth of his tunic, letting her fingertips rest against the top button.

“Please?” she breathed, looking up at him through her lashes. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, and he lifted his fingers to replace her own, undoing the buttons of his shirt and allowing it to fall. Giddy, she set to work on her own armor, expertly loosing her straps and buckles. She could see in her peripheral vision as he removed his boots and gauntlets, his movements growing feverish. With a hiss, his breathing tubes detached and he set them carefully on the nightstand. Her own movements grew hurried as well, breathing deeply as she removed her utility belt and slunk out of her scales.

No sooner had she stripped down to her underwear than he was touching her, him in nothing but his undergarments. She drank in the sight of his nearly-naked body, running her hands over the lean muscles in his chest and arms, the bumps and divots of scar tissue, and the small differences in his reptilian anatomy. He touched her with just as much zeal, covering the creamy expanse of her skin with his large blue hands, squeezing, kneading, and massaging her curves. He latched his teeth onto her neck, sucking, biting, and leaving a trail of bruises in his wake. She clutched onto the exposed skin of his neck, lolling her head back to give him easier access.

“Get on de bed,” he commanded, and she did not need him to say it twice. She removed her bra as she crawled onto the bed, and shimmied out of her panties, throwing them aside.

Oh, how he had missed this sight. How he had pleasured himself to the memories of her body over the past six months. Part of him had questioned whether or not he would ever get the chance to have her in his bed again. He should have learned by now to never doubt himself.

“Eager lil’ thing,” he commented, tilting his head as he looked at her. “Flip over.” She did so instantly, her cheeks flushed in anticipation. He grabbed her by the ankles, and she yelped as he dragged her down to the end of the bed. She closed her eyes and lifted her hips into the air, waiting to be filled, wanton. 

She did not expect his tongue. She gasped out and lurched forward as he took a taste of her core. He gripped the backs of her thighs to steady her, practically pulling her backwards and onto his face.

He worked agonizingly slow. It was as if he was savoring every moment. His tongue worked languidly, the rough strokes starting at her clit, dipping inside of her pussy and tasting her sweetness, before dragging up to the end of her slit. He took deep breaths in between each lick, smelling the scent of her arousal. She felt her muscles tense every time he dragged the appendage over her bundle of nerves, sending spikes of pleasure shooting up her spine.

Kiara dared to look behind her, clenching the sheets as she watched Bane at work. He met her gaze with eyes narrowed in amusement, before he changed his pattern, focusing solely on her clit with his mouth. Jolts of pleasure washed over her as he settled into the rhythm that he had discovered six months ago that brought her to her finish.

She moaned and groaned as he worked on her, feeling that familiar feeling of release building up within her. He hummed appreciatively as her pussy began to produce more wetness in her heightened arousal, lapping up every drop eagerly.

She came in his mouth with a cry, clenching the sheets into her fists and her legs curling upward off of the floor. He remained latched on, bringing her to completion and then some, grunting as he attempted to lick up every last drop. Eventually her thrashing grew to be too much, and she threw him off of her as her body trembled, recovering from the intensity of her orgasm.

“Tastes even sweeter dan I remember,” he chuckled, and she felt him clamber on top of her as she lay on her stomach, her legs quivering. “Don’t tell me I licked de fight outta ya already,” he whispered into her ear, his fang grazing her lobe. He grabbed a pillow  from the top of the bed. Sliding one arm under her limp hips, he lifted her up just enough to slide the pillow under her hips, raising her pussy to the perfect angle.

“It’s been a while for me,” she said weakly in her defense as he nudged her legs apart, nestling himself in between them. She felt as he rested his heavy cock against the crack of her buttocks.

“Find dat hard t’ believe, seein’ as I watched ya go home wit’ dat rich brat de other night,” he replied as he sank two fingers into her cunt. “Still tight as ever, though,” he continued, almost in disbelief, as he began to work his fingers inside her, opening her up for him.

“I didn’t do that for pleasure, I did it for money,” she replied breathlessly, her face turning red as he explored her insides.

“But when I ask ya t’ do dat, it’s a problem,” he grumbled, his fingers growing more animated.

“Trillionaires are a bit of a different story,” she replied through gritted teeth, the wet sounds of her own pussy drowning out her thoughts.

Bane fell silent as well, laser-focused concentration on his hand as he watched his fingers sink in and out of her, creamy whiteness from her previous orgasm coating his digits. He couldn’t take it anymore. 

She whined as he removed his fingers, turning into a scream as he rammed his cock into her from behind. His diligent efforts had done much to ease his entrance into her, but she still felt the sting of pain as her cunt stretched to accommodate his alien size. By the Force, she had forgotten just how big he was.

She keened and cried out as he pounded into her mercilessly, the pillow allowing him to go deep. He settled over her, his body weight crushing her into the blankets as he pistoned in and out of her, his balls slapping against her clit.

There was nothing she could do but lay there and take it, unable to move, unable to do anything, unable to think of anything other than the dick pumping in and out of her. He propped himself up on his elbows on either side of her, encaging her in on all sides. She felt with agonizing pleasure every ridge on his cock as it moved in and out of her, the pointed tip grazing her cervix with every thrust. She closed her eyes and held onto the bed for dear life as his movements became more rapid, chasing his own high, feral.

His hips stuttered, his strokes growing uneven, his breath becoming ragged, his head hanging over her shoulder.

“Gonna fill ya up, lil’ lady,” he said hoarsely, his chest heaving as he desperately drove himself into her again and again.

“Please,” she implored, doing her best to throw her ass backwards to meet him. With one final strangled grunt, he sunk his fangs into her shoulder, latching on, and at the same time thrust as deeply as he could, his seed exploding within her.

He gave a few more limp thrusts, his cock twitching inside of her as he recovered from his climax. She basked in the feeling of being filled, of his cool body on her warm one, and the endorphins still rushing through her system. 

Two little spots of red appeared on her shoulder where he had bit her, and he sucked at the spot lazily, applying pressure with his mouth until the bleeding stopped. The angle of his head over her shoulder allowed her to press a little peck against his cheek. He gave her a startled look, and she giggled.

“You had your tongue halfway up my pussy, but a little kiss on the cheek makes Cad Bane blush?”

“Quit flirtin’,” he glowered, pushing up off of her and out of her, sitting back on his knees. Her core ached at his absence, but she took the opportunity to roll onto her back and stretch out, enjoying the way his eyes still examined her form even whilst he was spent.

“Why don’t you take your clothes off more often?” she questioned, examining him with equal scrutiny.

“S’ inconvenient,” he replied simply, reaching over to his nightstand to grab a cig. “Why, like what ya see?” he asked as he lit it up.

“Yes,” she replied truthfully and unabashedly. “But it’s so much better when you’re both naked,” she argued.

“It’s even better when I don’t have’ta worry about my weapons bein’ out of reach,” he countered.

“Oh please,” she laughed, “who’s going to attack you in the middle of a fuck?”

“Ye can never trust a whore,” he said derisively. “A woman dat can be paid t’ let ya between her legs can be paid even more t’ slide a knife into yer back while doin’ it.”

She felt a twitch of annoyance. “I feel like there’s an insult directed at me somewhere in that statement.”

“A hit akk-dog will holler.”

She glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest, deciding that he had lost his breast-viewing privileges. “You’ve got a lot to say about whores for a man who utilizes their services so frequently,” she snipped.

“What makes ya say dat?” he asked, grinning at her wickedly.

“Everyone knows that bounty hunters and whores go together like bread and butter.”

“I can’t eat butter,” he said. “I only employ deir services when I don’t have de time t’ find somethin’ better.”

“What could be better than a whore?” she inquired, only half-serious. “Aren’t they the most experienced?”

“Experience n’ skill don’t always go hand in hand,” he muttered. “De real treat is a challenge,” he continued, eyeing her lasciviously. She laughed heartily at that statement, throwing her head back as genuine chuckles shook her. “What’s so funny?” he demanded. 

“Why do you men always take sex so damned seriously? It’s just a thing that you do with another person for mutual benefit. Or it can be a tool. Whoring is no different than taking a hunting job for a client,” she stated. 

“I t’ink dere’s a few key details yer missing in dat comparison,” he said skeptically. “I say dere’s no difference between huntin’ fer a bounty and huntin’ fer a pretty partner for de night. De more excitin’ de chase, de sweeter de reward.” As he said the words, he crawled forward and on top of her, missionary style, his cock hardening once more. Her core throbbed in response, but she was not prepared to give up the debate yet. She sat up, leaning forward until their faces were only an inch apart.

“And what do you think I am, Cad Bane? I slept with you for information. I slept with that trillionaire for money. Do you think I’m a whore?” she whispered sweetly, her eyes on fire.

Bane knew a trap when he saw one. “I think yer in a class of yer own,” he replied suavely, running a finger along her jawline. Goosebumps erupted over her skin, but Kiara held strong. She reached down between their bodies, and pumped her hand over his hard cock a few times.

“Who’s flirting now?” she chuckled. She hesitated a moment, before continuing. “I dabbled in sex work once, you know.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Somehow dat don’t surprise me.”

“It was after I left Death Watch, and was searching for some way to make money. Once I figured out that I was beautiful, it seemed like the natural choice. Quickly learned that it was not for me, though.”

“How do ya mean?”

“The amount of bullshit that you have to put up with from men is astronomical, and as you know, I have a bit of a temper on me.”

He scoffed at that. “‘A bit?’” She smiled wryly. 

“I got fired from the strip club I worked at within two weeks of being hired. They told me I only had to dance, and that I didn’t have to touch the clients. They lied, and I ended up clobbering a man who booked a private dance with my stiletto.”

“I think ye should demonstrate yer dancin’ skills t’ me sometime, without de clobberin’ part,” he quipped.

“And I think that you’re a smooth-talker, who should be careful what he wishes for,” she murmured, planting a kiss on his open mouth before placing her foot on his chest and pushing him back. He fell backwards, catching himself on his elbows, his face contorted in fury.

“If ya think ya can tease me on my own damned ship-”

“-I’m simply providing the ‘challenge’ you asked for,” she explained innocently. “Now lay back and let me on top. It’s only fair.” She was practically salivating at the image of straddling him and showing him just how skilled she could be.

Her mirth died at the look in his eyes. His red eyes darkened, his expression stoic. His cock, painfully hard, looked downright dangerous. Her smile faded.

She watched nervously as he stood up from the bed and stalked over to his nightstand.

“It seems dat we need t’ set a few things straight before we really get started on dis mission,” he said calmly. He opened a drawer, and withdrew a pair of magni-cuffs. Heat washed over her body at the sight, but she remained defiant, giving him and the cuffs a guarded look. “Just because I agreed t’ fifty-fifty don’t mean dat ye can start gettin’ funny ideas about who’s de boss in here. Now hold out yer wrists.”

She could feel slick dripping down her inner thigh. She swallowed. “Come here and put them on me.”

For one moment of agonizing tension they sized each other up. And then he pounced.

Bane grabbed Kiara by the shoulders and threw her down onto the bed. She curled her legs up and pressed her feet against her chest again, holding him at bay. Snarling, he grabbed her ankles and wrenched her legs apart and moved in between them, rendering her kicking feet useless. She pushed herself back up into a sitting position, but he grabbed her by the throat and pinned her down with one hand. Her hands automatically came to grab his wrist, and he used the opportunity to use his free hand to cuff one of her wrists. He released her throat to grab her other wrist, his sheer physical strength overpowering hers, forcing her hands together.

The metal clasped around her other hand with a clank, and he forced her arms above her head until the magnicuffs stuck to the wall with their magnetism. She huffed in frustration, trying to gain purchase with her spread legs. He watched her efforts (particularly the way her breasts bounced) with sadistic amusement. He placed his hand around her throat again, quieting her, not squeezing, but placing just enough pressure to let her know that he could if he wanted to. 

“Should’ve known ye’d be into dis type of shit,” he said, nodding at her wetness and flushed flesh. Kiara knew that there was no point in denying him, allowing her silence to act as an answer. His hand trailed away from her throat down to her chest. “I’m afraid dat I haven’t shown dese tits de appreciation dey deserve,” he said, more to himself, using both of his hands to caress the soft mounds. Her face burned both with pleasure and with embarrassment at being so easily quelled, and she set her jaw and looked determinedly away from him as he fondled her.

Eventually his groping could satisfy him no longer, and he took his cock in hand, lining himself up with her entrance. He paused.

“Look at me,” he commanded, and she found herself obeying. “When we’re in dis bed, or any bed fer dat matter, ya do what I say. I’m de one in control. I make de rules. Understand?” he exacted, his voice icy. She stared up at him, eyes blown wide. He leaned over her, placing his hand over her throat again, this time squeezing the sides of her neck lightly.

“Understand?” he hissed. She nodded hastily.

“Yes,” she breathed.

“Yes, sir,” he corrected, baring his fangs.

“Yes sir,” she repeated. She did not care anymore. She just wanted his cock inside of her.

He sunk into her, and she moaned at the feeling of being full again. He set a savage pace, as he always did, grabbing her tits as he bounced in and out of her. She moaned freely, arching her back as pleasure washed over her with every thrust, her cuffs clanking.

With their first sloppy round of sex out of their systems, he was determined for the second to last much longer. He grabbed her ankles and brought her legs to rest on his shoulders, experimenting with different angles.

“Look at me, Kiara.” She did once more, staring at him blearily as he rearranged her innards. He ran his thumb over her lips, and then pushed it into her mouth. She sucked on it instinctively. “Yer gonna cum on my cock two times before we finish. Got it?” She nodded, still sucking on his finger. “What a good girl ya are,” he said with a smirk, still maintaining his steady pace of thrusts.

He removed his thumb from her mouth with a pop, and brought it down to rub on her clit, using the lubrication from her saliva. She mewled in pleasure, tugging on her constraints.

“Ya like dat?”

“Yes,” she sighed, tossing her head from side to side as pleasure threatened to overwhelm. Bane changed around the angle of his hips, searching for the one that would allow him to hit her sweet spot on the inside. He knew he had found it when she screamed at a particular thrust, her entire body convulsing. 

“‘N how does dat feel?” he teased, snapping his hips sharply and hitting her G-Spot a few more times. He still drew circles on her clit with his thumb.

She responded with a thunderous orgasm raging over her, all of the muscles in her body tensing at once as she raced over the peak of her pleasure, her back nearly arching entirely off of the bed.

Bane let out a gravelly groan as her pussy squeezed and fluttered around his cock, the force of her contractions nearly forcing him out. He relinquished rubbing her clit, giving her over-sensitive nub time to recover, instead grabbing onto the backs of her knees with both hands.

“C’mon princess, give me one more,” he breathed, still hitting her sweet spot with every thrust, his aim just as precise as his shot.

“I can’t,” she whined, the ramifications from her most recent orgasm still spasming across her body. In spite of her words, she could already feel the second one building, the constant stimulation from his cock overpowering her body. 

“Ya can, and ya will,” he growled, moving his hands to grip her hips, dragging her body down on his cock again and again. He could feel his own climax approaching, but he would hold himself at bay until he brought her to completion again.

She stared up at the ceiling, her view bobbing with each thrust as he used her body, and watched as stars bloomed over her vision. Her body begged for respite, but her mind craved more.

“Cad!” she cried.

Kiara’s final orgasm took her violently. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes as it rippled through her body and her soul, setting every nerve on fire.

“Fuck,” he cursed, spilling himself into her, white-hot pleasure taking hold of him. He collapsed on top of her, burying his face in her chest. They lay there, panting, in silence. Her body still shook with the force of her climaxes, trembling beneath his body. He reached up and released her wrists from the cuffs, and they fell limply onto the pillow on either side of her head. 

Bane propped himself up again and looked down at her, her bruised lips, her flushed cheeks, her dark lashes saturated with tears.

She certainly is in a class of her own.

“I think dis is goin’ t’ be a very pleasant partnership,” he declared, running a finger against her cheek that felt demeaning in nature. “As long as you know yer place, and ye respect mine.”

There it was, that spark of rebellion he always knew how to awake within her. Her glazed eyes became focused and she stared at him intently. She did not need to say anything; the ghost of a smirk on her face said it all: Good luck with that.

[tracesberberes]

From Marrakesh to Sahara: Ultimate Desert Adventure Guide

Dreaming of a mesmerizing desert adventure? Picture this: you, riding a camel over golden dunes, watching the sun set in a blaze of colors. From Marrakesh to the Sahara, this journey is nothing short of magical. Let’s dive into how you can plan the ultimate desert escape that you’ll never forget.

Choosing Your Desert Adventure

First things first, decide how you want to experience the Sahara. Whether it’s a classic camel trek, a thrilling 4×4 ride, or a serene desert camp, there’s something for everyone. If you’re a fan of traditional adventures, camel treks offer a slow, scenic way to absorb the beauty of the dunes. For those who prefer speed, a 4×4 adventure will have you racing over the sands, with adrenaline pumping at every turn. Desert camps provide a cozy way to soak up the starry night sky, with all the comforts you need.

Planning Your Journey

Getting from Marrakesh to the Sahara involves a bit of planning, but it’s worth every minute. Start by booking your transportation. Many tour operators offer packages that include transfers, accommodation, and activities. If you prefer a more personalized experience, you can rent a car and drive yourself. The journey usually takes about 8 to 10 hours, so be prepared for a road trip filled with stunning scenery. Remember to pack plenty of water, snacks, and a camera to capture every breathtaking moment.

If you’re keen on a more guided experience, there are plenty of tours that include not just transportation but also meals and guided excursions. These tours often start with a drive through the High Atlas Mountains, offering spectacular views and photo opportunities. You’ll then descend into the desert, where the real adventure begins.

What to Pack for the Desert

Packing for a desert adventure requires a bit of thought. The days can be scorchingly hot, while the nights might get surprisingly cold. Light, breathable clothing is essential for the daytime heat. Think loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts, and lightweight trousers to protect your skin from the sun. For the cooler nights, a warm jacket or fleece is a good idea. Don’t forget a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen to keep those harsh desert rays at bay.

Footwear is another crucial consideration. Comfortable walking shoes or sandals will serve you well during camel rides and sand dune hikes. If you’re opting for a 4×4 adventure, sturdy shoes will provide better support. Also, bring a scarf or shawl to protect your face from blowing sand and dust.

Enjoying Your Desert Adventure

Once you arrive in the Sahara, get ready for an unforgettable experience. Start with a camel ride that will take you through the sweeping dunes. You might feel like a nomadic explorer as you sway gently with each step of your camel. These rides can last anywhere from a few hours to a full day, depending on your tour package. The sunset camel trek is particularly enchanting, as the golden sand transforms into a rich tapestry of colors.

Evenings in the desert are magical. As night falls, you’ll gather around a campfire for a traditional Moroccan meal. Enjoy dishes like tagine and couscous while sharing stories under a blanket of stars. The desert sky is incredibly clear, providing a perfect canvas for stargazing. Many desert camps offer traditional music and dance, adding to the cultural immersion.

Mornings are equally special, as you wake up to the sun rising over the dunes. The tranquil beauty of the desert at dawn is a sight you won’t want to miss. If you’re up for it, a sunrise trek can offer stunning views and a peaceful start to your day.

Embrace the Adventure

A desert adventure from Marrakesh to the Sahara is an experience like no other. From the thrill of camel rides and 4×4 excursions to the serenity of desert camps, every moment is filled with wonder. Whether you’re seeking adventure or tranquility, the Sahara has something to offer. So, pack your bags, book your trip, and get ready to embrace the magic of the desert. The Sahara awaits, promising memories and experiences that you’ll cherish forever.

Your desert adventure is just a journey away. With a little planning and a sense of excitement, you’ll create stories that you’ll share for years to come. Ready to experience the ultimate desert getaway? The Sahara is calling, and it’s time for you to answer.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Canary Media:

Most ferries in the United States run on diesel fuel, with groaning engines that spew harmful emissions into waterfront communities. But in San Francisco, passengers on the city’s newest vessel will find the trip to be much quieter and cleaner as they zip around the bay.

On Friday, a hydrogen-powered ferry called Sea Change officially launched after more than six years in development. The vessel is the first commercial passenger ferry in the world to run entirely on hydrogen fuel cells — a technology that doesn’t directly emit carbon dioxide or toxic air pollution, just a little heat and water vapor.

On a breezy morning, city and state officials gathered at the downtown ferry terminal and climbed aboard the blue-and-white boat to celebrate its public debut. The ferry will begin a six-month pilot service on July 19, operating Friday to Sunday between the historic Ferry Building and Fisherman’s Wharf and at no cost to passengers.

Sea Change is owned by the startup Switch Maritime and was developed with support from a $3 million grant from the California Air Resources Board. A group of private partners are sponsoring the ferry’s demonstration run, including Chevron New Energies, United Airlines, and the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and Transportation District.

Sea Change is launching as ferry operators in the U.S. and globally are facing rising public pressure to clean up their dirty fleets.

Many of America’s nearly 620 ferries rely on decades-old, inefficient diesel engines, making them some of the largest emitters among commercial harbor craft. They also typically operate around densely populated and marginalized communities, exposing people to health-harming pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

In California, where ferries represent only 2 percent of harbor craft, the vessels are responsible for 11 percent of total PM2.5 emissions and 15 percent of NOx emissions within the maritime category, according to the California Air Resources Board. In 2022, the regulatory agency adopted a rule requiring all short-run ferries in the state to be zero-emissions by the end of 2025.

A growing number of ferry operators are turning to battery power to address emissions and upgrade their fleets.

[itsnazib]

A Journey Through The Aromas Of Pakistani Nihari - Easy Delicious Nihari Recipe

The word Nihari is derived from the Arabic word Nihar, which means morning. Hence the name Nihari means that it was used for breakfast.

Nihari-making originated either in the back streets of Delhi's Jama mosque, or many Lucknow enthusiasts believe it began with the fall of the Mughal Empire in the late 18th century. After, the Nawab happened from the kitchens of Oudh.

The method of preparing nihari is still more or less the same as it was in the early days. 

In those days, after the lid of the pot was covered, a dough stick was placed on its sides to maintain maximum temperature and slow cooking with steam. After lightly frying the meat, aromatic spices were added to it and left to slowly decompose and absorb the aroma of these spices.

The flavor of these spices would settle into the meat very gently, as if someone were casting a spell to entice someone.

Making Pakistani Nihar: The Easy Way

Prepare to embark on a culinary voyage, we will try to uncover the secrets of nihari, a dish steeped in tradition and bursting with flavor. 

Join us as we delve into the depths of this iconic dish, and unveil a traditional Pakistani nihari recipe that will transport your taste buds to the bustling streets of Lahore or Karachi.

Making The Best Nihari - Ingredients

Before we begin our culinary adventure, let's gather the following ingredients for our nihari:

1 kg beef shank or mutton, cut into chunks

2 large onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup ghee or cooking oil

3 tablespoons ginger paste

3 tablespoons garlic paste

1 tablespoon turmeric powder

2 tablespoons red chili powder

2 tablespoons coriander powder

1 tablespoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

4-5 green cardamom pods

2-3 cloves

3-4 bay leaves

Salt to taste

Warm water

Fresh ginger slices

Fresh green chilies

Chopped coriander for garnish

Naan bread or steamed rice for serving

Step-by-Step Instructions For Making Nihari

Now, let's dive into the art of preparing Pakistani nihari with our step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Fry the Onions

Heat ghee or cooking oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add the thinly sliced onions and cook until they turn golden brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking.

Step 2: Searing The Meat

Once the onions are caramelized, add the beef or mutton chunks to the pot.

Increase the heat to medium-high and sear the meat on all sides until it develops a rich, brown crust, locking in the flavors.

Step 3: Crafting The Spice Blend

While the meat is searing, prepare the spice blend by combining ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, green cardamom pods, cloves, and bay leaves in a small bowl.

Step 4: Infusing The Flavors

Once the meat is seared to perfection, add the prepared spice blend to the pot.

Stir well to coat the meat evenly with the aromatic spices, allowing them to release their flavors and aromas.

Step 5: Slow Cooking

Pour enough warm water into the pot to cover the meat completely.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let the nihari simmer gently for 4-5 hours, or until the meat is tender and falls apart easily.

Step 6: Thickening The Gravy

After the nihari has simmered for several hours, remove a ladleful of the gravy from the pot and transfer it to a separate bowl.

Using a fork or whisk, mash the onions and spices in the gravy until they form a smooth paste.

Pour the mashed gravy back into the pot and stir well to thicken the nihari to your desired consistency.

Step 7: Serving

Serve the hot nihari in bowls, garnished with fresh ginger slices, green chilies, and chopped coriander.

Accompany the nihari with warm naan bread or steamed rice for a complete and satisfying meal.

The Bottom Line 

With its tantalizing aroma and robust flavors, Pakistani nihari is a dish that embodies the essence of Pakistani cuisine. By following this above traditional recipe and savoring each step of the cooking process, you can experience the true magic of nihari and transport yourself to the vibrant streets and bustling bazaars of Pakistan. 

So gather your ingredients, unleash your culinary prowess, and treat yourself to a taste of authentic Pakistani nihari that will leave you craving more.

[rising-salmon-run-legend]

Muse Info

This, dear readers, is the Inkling you know as Agent 4! Disregard the massive 18-foot telephone next to him ❤️. Outside of agent work, they are also regarded as Matteo, or Matt for short! They’d much prefer you keep it long, though. He’s also casually addressed as Four by his fellow coworkers at Grizzco, which he honestly doesn’t mind, even if it’s not much of a name.

At this point in their story, they’re 21 years old, and their pronouns are he/they with no strict preference on which you use. He stands at about 5’5”.

He’s known for being incredibly adaptive to all kinds of situations— especially combat— and is known for being a “Jack of all trades, master of none” in terms of weaponry. Matteo largely has his agent work to thank for this, as it allowed him to experiment with all weapon classes at his leisure, and BOY does he love his leisure time.

Currently, Matteo is employed at Grizzco full-time as an aspiring overfisher, and they’re one of few employees that doesn’t complain whenever their shift is scheduled for Marooner’s Bay. Considering their broad range of weapon-wielding experience, they can perform efficiently in virtually every Salmon Run weapon rotation they’re slated into.

But alas, not all that glitters is gold. Agent 4 actively participates in the highly illegal act of smuggling and turning golden eggs back to the enemy for a profit. All of these shady dealings are carried out in the Deep Sea Metro, since it’s a hotspot for transportation, marketing, and trading among not just the deep sea denizens, but Salmonids as well. With the metro not easily accessible to the Inkfish public after the events of Octo Expansion, it’s shockingly easy to engage in and get away with back alley exchanges down there.

His reasoning for resorting to this is the diminishing pay he receives the longer he works at Grizzco paired with the cost of living at the heart of Inkopolis Square. Not only that, but Matteo struggles to compete with Inkfish opponents in Turf and Ranked, so the funds they earn from that also tend to be disappointingly meager.

Not that they would ever admit it, but they’ve also been largely ghosted by the New Squidbeak Splatoon for the past couple years. Last time they were tasked with any big mission was back for their debut role. Three receives preferential treatment due to their unmatched raw strength and unique ability to utilize all specials uninhibited, and Eight gets extra care due to coming from a turbulent upbringing and STILL managing to neutralize a world-ending threat at such a young age.

The end result is a rather jealous agent who feels they have something to prove. He’s now fully independent from the NSS and doesn’t keep in contact with the other agents anymore. Doesn’t help that he’s turned to a life of crime since then.

Agent 4 has the potential to become the strongest agent ever seen, but no one will ever give them that time to train and grow. They also have the potential to become the most dangerous agent, as their loyalties are…

… unclear.