#I also have the Sky Fish but there’s a problem with the model so

[finrays]

The minute I saw this model on Yeggi, I blacked out and suddenly my printer was like “Job Complete” and this thing was here

[tetsunabouquet]

House Of Anubis: How The OG Dutch/Belgium show was butchered in its adaptation by Nickelodeon Part 2: Nienke (Nina) & Amber

I was inspired to pick these for part 2 because of @evelhak sharing a post regarding Stella and Bloom's friendship in the original Winx Club cartoon, because the friendships do have some similar building blocks in their respective original shows. So today we will go over Exhibit B, why Nienke and Amber had a superior friendship in the original, why Nina leaving after S1 was bad writing and my problems with how they adapted Amber. 1. I think it might be wise to start with my problems with Amber in the English adapration first. For one, they definitely decreased Amber's bimbo factor in the adaptation because in the OG she was THE lovable bimbo. Amber was more naive and ditzy in the OG, sure she had good intuitions, the occasional creative spark and an implied secret love for at the time niche interests like anime, but she was still a bimbo. And as an anime fan, I take offense in removing her being a closet otaku. You see, in the OG Amber adores this fictional show that very much sounds like an anime- her description of the show contains Japanese names and the show is about a ninja who has a talking fish. It's called Nancy Ninja, and she actually busts out cringy attempts at martial arts that has the same energy as the Naruto run after she asked herself, "What would Nancy Ninja do?" That scene is just iconic, including Appie (Alfie) staring at the sky as a response and questioning God why he created blondes. I'll be going over how their ship was butchered in part 3 where I will be adressing Jeroen (Jerome) and Appie (Alfie). 2. This is part of why Amber and Nienke in the OG share some similarities with Stella and Bloom. Amber, like Stella, is both a bimbo and an 'It' girl. Unlike Amber in the English adaptation, OG Amber also never left the show and remained part of the Sibuna gang until graduation where she ended up becoming a model. Nienke on the other hand, is still an attractive girl even though she looks more like a wallflower in comparison to Amber and as the new one arriving so shortly after Joyce's disappearance she has targets on her back immediately. Yet Amber is one of the first to let go of her suspisions and actually becomes the person to support Nienke coming out of her shell like when she develops feelings for Fabian- Amber is the one Nienke can rely on for advice and throughout the series Nienke does become less shy and insecure thanks to the confidence she gains as the Sibuna leader and the emotional support she receives along the way. These characters could have easily been enemies, like the shy underdog taking up against the popular pretty bitch- but no. Amber and Nienke become best friends pretty quickly. Like Stella, Amber is also fiercely loyal and a bit protective which is why she was inititally angry when Nienke was her new roommate without an explanation what happened to Joyce. Amber is one of the likeliest characters to cut a bitch if something happened to her friends, right behind Patricia. 3. As you can see, Amber and Nienke never left the show- together with Fabian they are actually the most reappearing characters. In the OG, Appie (Alfie) actually was played by a different actor at first but he dropped out to go to acting school. He was replaced with another actor and they explained it away through a magical curse that literally altered his identity. Which is why Nina leaving the show after S1 is complete bullshit. The OG literally had a gimmick which they could have used for at least Nina's character considering she is the show's protagonist. The fact Nina is an orphan just like in the OG, actually means she has an easier time in certain ways if her identity was changed as Appie still had a family. Appie being physically a stranger to his loved ones is a small storyline he goes through. Nina's barely would have needed a small storyline like that as she only would have needed to prove herself to the Sibuna gang. This is why Nina leaving the show is nothing more but bad writing, because why remove your protagonist without a reason?

(I'm reliving my sapphic freak outs over Nienke yet again) Please watch the OG! This fanwebsite contains links to Google Drive documents of fan-subbed episodes. And here is also a video about Nienke and Fabian's ship because seriously-its difficult to explain how this ship was revered by so many back in the day.

[samwisethewitch]

Earth-Friendly Witchcraft

Whatever religious or spiritual tradition they identify with, most witches agree that there is something sacred about the natural world. We draw our power from the earth beneath our feet, the sky over our heads, and the air in our lungs.

And yet, many of us live in societies that are actively contributing to the destruction of the natural world. Most developed nations have a linear economy, which means resources are extracted and then sent on a one-way trip to consumers who will use them and then throw them away. This leads to overflowing landfills, air and water pollution, and quickly disappearing resources. The World Economic Forum predicts that, if our habits don’t change, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. And I dearly hope that by now we’re all familiar with the reality of climate change and its devastating impact on global ecosystems.

I’m not trying to scare you, but I do want to point out the hypocrisy of drawing power from the Earth in our magic while simultaneously contributing to her destruction. If we truly want to consider ourselves spiritual allies of the planet, we need to make an effort to live our lives — and practice our magic — in ways that are less harmful to her.

You don’t have to become an environmentalist or switch to a zero waste lifestyle, but we can all make little changes for a more sustainable life. There’s lots of information out there about how to live a more Earth-friendly lifestyle, so in this post I’ll be focusing on how to apply that same philosophy to your witchcraft.

Steps to a more Earth-Friendly Practice:

Limiting your consumption will automatically lower your negative impact on the planet. Follow my previous guidelines for avoiding consumerism to start shrinking your carbon footprint.

Avoid plastic as much as possible. According to the WEF, 70% of our plastic ends up in a landfill or in the world’s waterways, and according to Julia Watkins, author of Simply Living Well, only 9% of household plastics get recycled. Plastic (unlike glass and metal) cannot be recycled indefinitely — it can only be recycled a handful of times before it becomes too degraded to be repurposed any further. There really is no way to make plastic safer for the planet, so it’s best to just avoid it altogether. Look for tools made of metal, wood, or glass instead of plastics, and try to order things shipped in paper and cardboard when possible.

Create spells that won’t leave leftovers. One of the big contributing factors to our current environmental crisis is that we just produce too much waste. You can avoid this in your magical practice by crafting spells that won’t leave you throwing away a big ball of candle wax, herbs, and paper. Kitchen magic is a no-brainer for this, since kitchen spells are meant to be eaten. If you want to do a candle spell, use small candles that will burn up completely — I find larger candles are more likely to leave leftover wax. Making magical bath salts is another great option for leftover-free spells — just make sure everything you include is safe to go down the drain and won’t contribute to water pollution!

Forage for your own spell materials. One of the best ways to avoid plastic packaging and cut down on emissions from shipping is to use materials from your backyard! Learn about the plants, animals, and minerals native to your area, and take regular nature walks where you can gather what you need. Remember to only take as much as you need and to be careful never to damage the plants you harvest from. Make sure to carefully disinfect any animals bits you pick up — you can do this by burying them in salt for a full moon cycle and/or setting them in the sun/under a UV light for several days. If you find a dead animal and want to strip and clean its bones for use in ritual, this is a much more involved process and will require special research, equipment, and lots of time. And, of course, never eat anything you have foraged unless you happen to have an advanced degree in botany.

Keep a magical garden. Another great way to connect with the planet and shrink your carbon footprint is to grow your own herbs, vegetables, and fruits. You can, of course, grow food for your kitchen if you have space, but even if you live in a tiny apartment you can grow a handful of magical herbs in pots. For a list of common houseplants and their magical associations, check out this post.

Shop for spell materials at a local farmer’s market. Buying local is a great way to avoid the environmental impact of shipping produce, and it allows you to support small farms. Farmer’s markets also typically carry seasonal produce, which can help you align your magical practice with the cycles of nature. Farmer’s markets are a great way to find seasonal fruits and vegetables for kitchen magic, but you can use the produce you find there for other types of spells as well.

Trade paraffin wax candles for beeswax or soy wax. Paraffin, the material used for most cheap candles, is a by-product of crude oil, which is not only highly unsustainable but contains carcinogens (chemicals that may cause cancer). Beeswax is a sustainable alternative, and beeswax candles produce a “clean” burn, meaning it does not negatively affect air quality. Soy wax is a slightly pricier, vegan-friendly sustainable option that also produces a clean burn.

Use undyed, unbleached paper for your written spells. The bleaches and dyes used in most commercially available paper have a toxic effect on the environment. Colored paper cannot be recycled or composted because it will contaminate everything it touches. Use plain, unbleached paper for your written spells, especially if you plan to bury them in the ground or dispose of them outside.

Make sure your essential oils are ethically harvested. Essential oils are tricky — although they are marketed as natural, many of them are produced through unsustainable methods. Because essential oils are concentrated, it may take thousands of pounds of plants to produce a single pound of oil. This can have a devastating impact, especially for endangered plants like white sage or palo santo. Look for ethically-sourced, wild-harvested essential oils — these are oils that are gathered from the wild in ways that don’t hurt the local ecosystem. Mountain Rose Herbs and Eden’s Garden are two brands that are committed to sustainable essential oil production.

Instead of burying a spell in a jar, bury it in a hollowed-out fruit or vegetable. Many traditions call for spells to be buried in the ground. Items like jar spells and witch bottles are traditionally buried on the witch’s property. The problem with this is that plastic and glass bottles do not biodegrade, and will remain in the ground for years. Instead of putting these materials in the ground, bury your spells in a hollowed-out fruit or vegetable. As a bonus, you can choose this item to support your intention. For example, you might use an apple for a love spell or a spicy pepper for protection. Just make sure everything inside the spell is also biodegradable!

Keep a compost pile as an offering to your local land spirits. Compost is an easy way to reduce food waste, and it gives your garden a boost! Even if you don’t have your own garden, you can give your compost to a fiend who does or look into donating it to a community garden. When composting, it’s important to maintain a balance between carbon-rich “brown” ingredients (leaves, undyed paper, cardboard, etc.) and nitrogen-rich “greens” (fruit and veggie scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells, etc.) — you want about four times as much brown as green in your compost. Start your compost with a layer of brown — preferably twigs or straw to allow good airflow. Alternate layers of green and brown materials as you add to the pile. Every time you add to your compost, verbally express your gratitude to the land spirits. Your compost should be moist, but not soggy — you’ll know it’s ready when it’s dark and crumbly and smells like soil.

Make your own tea blends with loose herbs and a reusable tea strainer instead of buying teabags. Witches and tea go together like peanut butter and chocolate, but the individual wrappers on teabags create a lot of waste. On top of that, since many of these wrappers are dyed, they may not even be recyclable. Keep your teas earth-friendly by buying dried herbs in bulk and blending your own teas. Making your own blends is not only better for the planet, but also allows you to choose each ingredient for a specific magical intention.

Find ways to use your trash in your craft. This one is pretty self-explanatory. Instead of throwing things away, find ways to use them in your magic! Use food scraps from cooking, like carrot greens and potato peels, in spells. Turn an old shoe box into a travel altar. Add your coffee grounds to spells to ground them and manifest results in the physical world. You get the idea. Be creative!

Research different models for Earth-friendly living, like the zero waste/low waste lifestyle, sustainability, and the solarpunk movement. This will give you more ideas for a sustainable lifestyle, as well as a sustainable magical practice.

The funny thing about Earth-friendly living is that, the more time you spend taking care of the planet, the more connected you feel to it. I encourage you to try some of the ideas on this list — you’ll be amazed by how quickly you develop a deeper relationship with the Earth and all her creatures.

Resources:

Of Blood and Bones by Kate Freuler

Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins

“By 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans, study says” from The Washington Post

A Sustainable Mind podcast

Practical(ly) Zero Waste podcast

[caspercryptid]

Well hello there

Can you tell me a story about Sky and Mel accidentally falling for each other? :'

(also I don't know if that pairing has a name but I call them Golden Youth ✨)

Hello! I hope this works <3 CWs: Lab accidents, little-a mention of sky crushing on jayce as well as viktor. It's the being surrounded by hot people. Someone help her. ____ Usually it was the boys’ fault when things exploded.

They had reached the point of just being the boys in Sky’s head, because she felt like...one of the boys, spending time with them. Despite the fact that she was their assistant, she felt like more often than not her job was less to assist and more to enable.

Strategically, granted. Cheerleading one of them at the wrong moment led to explosions, and broken glass, and Jayce offering to carry her out of the lab so she didn’t have to walk on glass to get out, which was....its own kind of harrowing. More so than the explosions. It was bad for her heart, and she had more than enough to deal with crushing on Viktor, she really didn’t need to feel any more messed up over Jayce and his puppydog smile. No ma’am. Not going down that route.

Truly, her life wasn’t difficult in any of the ways people expected it to be difficult. The science? The science wasn’t easy, but it was pleasantly challenging. Sure, she couldn’t keep up with Jayce and Viktor, but A. No one could and B. She didn’t have to. She assisted, she peer reviewed their experiments, made sure their results were replicable. It was important work, systematic, and it didn’t require her to come up with new ideas, which was an added bonus.

People tended to give her strange looks when she admitted that, and she smiled blankly and did not explain how many experiments go absolutely nowhere at all, how many months and years of her life she’d poured into statistical insignificance. Have you ever done science? She does not ask. Do you want to attempt to predict numbers that do absolutely nothing at all and then crunch them into a calculation that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that they’re meaningless? Do you want the tiniest shift in result to determine if you get to eat this month? If the university takes you seriously? Do you want to hinge your entire livelihood on one guess and watch as people around you simply lie? Didn’t think so.

Anyway she doesn’t say any of that. She says it’s a privilege to work under such brilliant scientists, and it is, that’s true. Everything Jayce and Viktor touch turns to gold, and maybe that’s why she’s so desperately smitten. She wants some of that light. To be Midas-ed into her work... working.

It is truly admiration and not jealousy, especially because they make her life so much easier by association. They keep her days bright and interesting. And that’s the problem, because they are also.... Attractive. So very. Incredibly. Attractive.

It’s hell.

And then Jayce brings his girlfriend to the lab, and Sky breaks all the windows.

In fairness, the experiment had been unstable, and that was mostly Viktor’s fault. But he’d noticed it, had been saying something that was probably wait or hold steady, but then the most beautiful woman Sky had ever seen walked in the door of the lab through the door Jayce was holding open, and Sky.... dropped the ball. And also the hexcore.

It’s one of the new synthetic models, and they had been stress testing it, and it... does not entirely explode.

It does let out a wave of force powerful enough to knock both Viktor and Sky onto their asses, and while Jayce absolutely dives to catch Viktor before he hits the ground, Sky is left on her back on the tile, dazed and confused, the world blurry without her glasses. She flops out an arm, trying to find them, managing a tiny “Sorry, Viktor.” that’s answered by a mumbling of Zaunite that approximates to “Don’t worry about it” but translates more literally into “It’s not worth the fish.” She’s thinking vaguely about how idioms translate terribly– another sign she’s conked her head on the ground a little bit hard, when a gentle pair of hands set her glasses back on her nose, and Sky processes the fact that Mel Medarda is kneeling beside her, looking concerned. The gold clips in her hair catch the light behind her and give her a halo as she smiles at Sky.

“Are you alright?” She asks.

“I’m fine.” Sky squeaks. “Just. Fine.”

She is not fine. By the rate her heart is thundering, she may never be fine again.

Dammit.

[wonder-kid-pugh]

Homesick - (Christen Press x reader)

Hey guys!!! Honestly heard this song and loved it so much and thought it would be good for an imagine. Halfway through writing it I thought it would have been better with an army service person but honestly was too tired to change it all. But I hope you enjoy!!!

You look so peaceful in our bed

I didn't wanna wake you when I left

To catch my plane

And I'll be trailing through the sky

Just another silhouette up high

Before you wake

I groan quietly as the alarm on my Fitbit buzzes awaking me from my peaceful night. I lay there for another minute before deciding I unfortunately have to get up. Ever so slowly I gently slip out from Christen's grasp and quietly get out of the bed.

I start to move around the room getting ready. The benefit of having everything packed the day before means I wasn't in a rush to pack and I all I had to do was get changed. As I check my watch I see I need to be leaving soon to make my flight. But as I look over at Christen who is still sleeping peacefully in the bed I smile softly at the sight.

She looked so serene and peaceful. She looked so relaxed as her chest rises and falls in slow rhythmic breaths. I frown knowing how hard she's been working lately on Re Inc alongside training and everything else that needs to be done. I sigh and bite the inside of my cheek. We had a traditional, sort of like an unspoken rule. Whenever one of us had to leave for somewhere we would always wake the other up to say goodbye. Sadly it was usually me doing the waking up having to travel a lot for work.

But knowing how stressed she been recently about Re Inc's new capsule launch and the upcoming Olympics, I didn't have the heart to wake her up.

Instead I settle for a gentle kiss on her forehead. I freeze as she stirs in her sleep as she shuffles around in the bed before burying her head into my pillow. With one last smile I creep out of the room leaving her a small note on the counter before leaving for the airport.

Knowing by the time she wakes up I'll be high in the sky.

You tell me that you had that dream again

When I didn't have to go

I wish that we could live inside your head

I had barely stepped into my hotel room when my phone rings. I drop my bags before fishing around in my pockets to find my phone. But I smile as I see the name pop up on my screen, "Morning Chris".

"You didn't wake me this morning..." I didn't even need to see her to know that she was pouting on the other end. I bite my lip, "I know but I know how hard you've been working and you just looked so beautiful and peaceful. I just couldn't do it". She giggles, "Maybe it's because of the dream I was having".

I flop back into the bed settling back into the mattress, "What were you dreaming about?" "You woke me up and told me that your gig was cancelled and you didn't have to leave". I chuckle and run my hand through my hair, "I like the sound of that. I wish we could live inside you head".

And I know that you'll feel better

When you're sat there in my sweater

That I gave you to remember

Being on the sofa next to me

And I'm waking up at 6:00 a.m.

To call before you go to bed

And tell you 'bout the day I've planned

And listen to the one you had

And when I'm homesick

I've got you on my home screen

So anywhere I'm going

I know that you'll be with me

Until I hold you, darling

I grin, "I'm sorry I didn't wake you up. But I have a surprise that will make you happy". She hums, "Oh yeah? What is it?" "Go look in the wardrobe" I tell her. I can hear her shuffling on her end as she no doubt goes to the wardrobe. Then I hear her coo over the phone, "Awe Y/n..." I smile, "I know it sucks being away from each other a lot of the time especially with conflicting schedules and stuff. But I hope this will help remind you I'm always here for you".

She giggles, "It's smells like you and a small bit of popcorn". I had left her one of my oversized sweater which she always loved to steal off me. She had spent many nights curled up in my sweater on the sofa for our movie nights. It was one of my favourites but I could never be mad at her for taking it. She just looked so adorable all swallowed up in the massive hoodie.

"This way" I tell her, "whenever you start to miss me. You can just put this on and think of the two of us cuddled up on the couch". She lets out a content sigh, "I love you". I smile, "I love you too".

Your friends, they ask you all the time

Why'd you wanna wait another night

When I'm not home?

And nothing seems to settle down

Just another day, another town

And we're alone

As much as I love my job it did suck at times. Being a photographer for hire was brilliant as I got to do what I loved and got to travel all over the world meeting amazing people. The problem with being in such high demand means I'm traveling a little too much at times.

It also meant that I was purely reliant on reputation alone. Thankfully I had spent years building it up. It didn't hurt that I was very versatile doing just about everything from travel pictures to modelling shoots. But in building up a reputation it meant that I couldn't turn down bookings.

And it seems that I always had the worst timing with luck. It seems that just as I finish up a job I get booked for another one. Postponing my return home. Things just never seems to settle down. Meaning spending even longer away from Christen. Or just when I come home she's leaving for camp or matches. I would be hopping town to town. The two of us alone.

But not really

But I can never let this go to waste

The further that I go

The more I seem to love you every day

But no matter how far away we are from each other. No matter the distance I travel it could never diminish how much I love Christen. It's as if the further I travel the more my love grows for her. I guess what they say is true.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

And I know that you'll feel better

When you're sat there in my sweater

That I gave you to remember

Being on the sofa next to me

And I'm waking up at 6:00 a.m.

To call before you go to bed

And tell you 'bout the day I've planned

And listen to the one you had

And when I'm homesick

I've got you on my home screen

So anywhere I'm going

I know that you'll be with me

Until I hold you

When I'm homesick

I've got you on my home screen

So anywhere I'm going

I know that you'll be with me

Until I hold you, darling

After touching down in New York and hailing down a taxi I slump back in the seat as they drive me to the hotel for the night. But the first thing I do is check the time difference. It just became apart of my routine everytime I went somewhere for work. I would always check the time difference between where I am with wherever Christen is.

I had made it a priority to always call Christen before she goes to bed no matter what unless it was organised before hand for some reason.

Of course I never told Christen this. Purely cause in doing so it means that I would have to be awake at insane hours in order to call her. Of course it was a pain but everything was worth it to hear about Christen's day.

As I get to the hotel I immediately slide into the bed not even bothering to change and instead just dropping my bags and getting comfortable underneath the warn blankets. Knowing I only have a few hour before needing to wake up to call Christen.

I groan lightly when I hear the alarm on my phone go off. I sit up in my bed with a yawn before taking my phone off the charge and dialling Christen's number. I rub the sleep from my eyes as it rings. But it doesn't take long as it only has the chance to ring twice before I hear my beautiful girlfriend's voice on the other end, "Hey Y/n!"

I smile tiredly, "Hey Love". "You okay? You sound tired. Early start?" I chuckle quietly she has no idea. "Eh it's okay I just woke up is all". I stifle a yawn, "But don't worry about that how was your day?"

I can't help but smile as she begins her long rant about her day. Starting off with the usual with her morning yoga and meditation and everything. Then tells me about Kelley acting like a crack head at training and work for Re Inc. "Mal was asking for you as well today" she tells me making me smile. "Awe" coo, "tell the little nugget I miss her too".

"Do you have much planned for the day?" She asks. I shrug although I know she can't see me, "Well other than the shoot I have today I don't really know. Maybe if I get a chance I can go explore maybe take a few pictures". She groans, "Uh I wish I could go exploring with you". I smile, "Maybe one day I'll bring you back with me and then we can explore together". "I would like that" she says softly.

There's a small pause before she speaks again. "So do you know when your going to be coming home?" She asks quietly. I sigh knowing it was coming. She asks every time and I hate it. Purely because I can never give her a good answer. I never liked giving her an answer only for her to be disappointed when another job calls me away again. "I don't know Chris" I sigh. "I have this gig which is a city wide shoot which could go on for days if we get delayed and then I might be getting called for another in England afterwards".

I could practically see the frown on her face, "Okay..." I sigh and play with the ring on my finger, "But you know that I'm doing everything in my power to get back home to you". "I know". I inhale deeply, "I love you so so so so much Christen Press". I smile as I hear her giggle down the line, "I love you too". "To the moon and back" I whisper. She sighs contently.

"To the moon and back"

I know that you'll feel better

When you're sat there in my sweater

That I gave you to remember

Being on the sofa next to me

I groan quietly as I rub my eyes tired from constantly staring at the screen. When I glance up I see I've been editing these photos for over 3 hours now as the it now shows that it's nearing 4am. I slump back in the chair and stare up at the ceiling just taking a moment to rest my eyes.

I loved photography and taking pictures of different things. But this was the part I hated the most. Editing. Was simply the bain of my existence. It was just a slow process and took so long to do such small things. And as much as I wanted to just go to sleep I knew I couldn't. The longer I put these off the more pressure I'll be under to get them sent off.

It would also lead to just a bigger amount of pictures to edit and that didn't seem all that appealing either.

It didn't help that all my thoughts just seems to trail back to Christen. She's probably in the middle of team bonding or free time right now. Probably hanging with Tobin or someone right now. What I wouldn't give to just be cuddled up with her right now taking a nap.

I missed her so much right now

My thoughts are interrupted by my phone pinging. I sigh as I grab my phone only to see it's an Instagram notification. I scrunch my face "I've been tagged?" I shrug thinking it's just probably someone posting some photos I took for them but instantly smile when I see who it was.

It was a picture I had actually taken a while ago just for fun but it came out extremely well. It was a picture of Chris sitting on our sofa looking away from the camera and instead to the seat beside her. The light streaming in from the windows we're hitting her perfectly. But the best part was her sitting them in my baggy sweater adorning her small frame making her look even smaller than usual.

Christenpress Wish you were here next to me

I chuckle as I like the photo. Christen was such a tease. She knew that fans had suspicions that she was dating someone but would never come out and directly say who. It was quite funny seeing how many people speculated Christen and Tobin were dating from photos I had taken. Taking friendly gestures way out of context.

After staring at the picture for a while longer I switch off my phone and get back to editing the photos. Wanting to get these done as quickly as possible. Because the quicker I get these done.

The quicker I get home to her.

And when I'm homesick

I've got you on my home screen

So anywhere I'm going

I know that you'll be with me

Until I hold you

When I'm homesick

The day had been longer than it should have been. The shoot had a rocky start with an overbearing manager interrupting the shoot constantly and questioning everything every 5 minutes. I was quickly coming to the end of my tether but I finally cracked. Not only was he making the model uncomfortable, he started questioning me. So I eventually kicked him off the shoot.

Which was the best decision as the model finally relaxed enough to continue on with the shoot. It ran much smoother after that but we had a lot of time to make up for. And along with the wardrobe changes and travelling between locations the day was just tiring overall.

It didn't help that homesickness hit my like a train today.

I don't know why but everything just remind me of Christen. It was almost crippling how much I missed her. Wanting nothing more than to be in her arms. But I plastered a smile on my face and grinned and bared it. The only thing getting me through the day was my phone.

My phone was my lifeline and my medicine for homesickness. Whenever I was having a bad day or just missing home all I had to do was turn on my phone. And I was met with Christen smiling up at me from my home screen. It was a picture that I think one of her teammates took. It was of a picture of a few of us at a party or team celebration I honestly couldn't remember. With Tobin, Pinoe and a few others either side of us while Christen was sitting on my lap with my arms wrapped around her and my chin resting on her shoulder. Both of us smiling at the camera. It was of It's my own way of always having her with me.

She has my sweater and I have my home screen. And that will keep us going until we're back together again.

I've got you on my home screen

So anywhere I'm going

I know that you'll be with me

Until I hold you, darling

I focus my camera waiting for the perfect moment until I quickly snap the photo. I grin as I see the outcome of the shots and swear that she could never take a bad photo ever. I wait anxiously taking the occasional picture until the whistle finally blows.

I pull the snood closer to my face and pull my hat down further down my face making me almost unrecognisable. As I make my way onto the field I snap pictures of the players trading after match pleasantries and talking to each other. I smile as I see her smiling and laughing with Tobin and Mal. I raise the camera to my eye and wave at them, "Hey! Can I get a picture?" 

They all nod before standing beside each other and smiling at me with their arms around each other. I quickly take the picture before lowering the camera, "Beautiful! Thank you but I was expecting a better reaction from you".

She looks at me confused before I lower my snood and smile at my girlfriend, "Hey Love". She gasps at me before launching herself into my arms giving me just enough time to move my camera away from getting crushed and catch her in my arms. I spin her around in my arms before putting her back on her feet. "Your here! Omg your actually here!" She squeals as she wraps her arms around my neck.

After passing off my phone to Mal with a smile I securely wrap my arms around her waist pulling her even closer to me, "Yes Darling. I'm here".

We sway side to side for a bit just enjoying being back in each others arms again. "I missed you" she whispers into my neck as I kiss the side of her head, "I missed you too. So so so much Chris".

She pulled back just even to look into my eyes before leaning in to kiss me. Finally being back in each others arms we were so happy to be back with each other. "I love you to the moon and back" I whisper pressing my forehead against hers.

"I love you to the moon and back"

[diegos-butt]

Electricity chapter 4

Summary: For the first time in her life, Melody Williams is moving out of her hometown to Minnesota where she got a job as a crime journalist for the Minnesota Daily. But this city does not only have a new job for her to offer. What will happen when she crosses paths with detective Walter Marshall? Heads up, a little electricity is involved ✨

Walter Marshall x Melody Williams (Curvy OFC)

Warnings: mention of murder, a bit of fighting

Wordcount: 3.9k

A/N: don’t do anything reckless y’all. Let me know what you think of this chapter. 😘

Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3

•••

Somehow the universe was on my side for once. Once I got home, I noticed I had a new text message. I was surprised to see that it was from Walter. He asked if I got home safe. What a gentleman.

I figured he just wanted to make sure I got home safe, I didn’t think too much of it. If anything, I didn’t think we would end up texting each other for three days in a row. Did I wish that would happen? Yes. Did I actually believe it could happen? Definitely no. I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t believe it.

“Have you been texting with him again last night?” Gia asked when she saw me yawn and stretch my arms out above me. We were having a slow morning at work, and this was the third time she showed up at my desk.

“Maybe,” I smirked. Even though it started a little awkward, we were still texting. After I had texted him back that I got home safe, and he send a thumbs up emoji, it was silent for a moment. I had thought about what I could possibly text him next. I grabbed my phone to compose a text when a new message already popped up.

Walter: Still sure you want to live here?

A smile had formed on my face. He thinks he is funny huh. I was wondering what I could text back, and I thought to myself: what would I tell my friends to text back in a situation like this? Normally, I would never listen to my own flirting advice, but at that moment, I did.

Melody: Might stick around. Heard the detectives in town are quite something.

Since then, we had been texting constantly. Alright, maybe not constantly, we were both busy during the day, but we spend a good amount of the late evening texting. We got to know each other a little better. I told him about my family, and I shared a few awkward stories. For example, I told him about the time I was too stubborn to put on sunscreen during the summer, and I got sunburned to bad, I would never forget to apply it ever again. I still apply it every day, even in the winter.

In return he told me all about the shenanigans he pulled as a kid, and that he had a kid himself, Faye. At first, I was a little bit surprised, but then I figured we would have a babysitter once we would get children. Mel, get it together. You are not even dating him, you don’t even know if he likes you and you are already thinking about having children with him?! Our kids would look damn cute though..

“Earth to Mel! Stop daydreaming for once, and get some work done.” Carmen laughed and threw a pen at me, which I skilfully dodged, but it did wake me up from my little daydream.

“There is nothing to do! No development in the murder case and that’s all I am covering right now,” I said and spun around in my chair. “I am so bored right now, I don’t even know what to do.”

“Text your man, see if he has any new information?” Gia suggested.

“Hmm, he avoided talking about the case. Maybe they are having trouble getting a match with the murderer on that dating app.” I had told them about what happened the other day at the police station. I might have a hearing problem now because they had screamed so loud, I’m convinced the entire building heard them. It’s safe to say, they were very excited and convinced he liked me.

“Besides, he’s not my man!” I said while throwing the pen I picked up back at Carmen. “I mean, I wish, but he is so out of my league.”

“No one is out of your league, and I swear he’s into you. I saw the way he looked at you at the bar and at the crime scene. I have an eye for these things, trust me,” Carmen said and dodged the pen as well.

“Whatever,” I sighed. I spun around in my chair a few more times before an idea popped up in my head. “Guys, what if we set up an account on that dating app?”

“And then what? Meet with a creep? No thank you,” Gia said with a disgusting look on her face.

“I’m not a fan of that plan either. Please don’t do something like that Mel. Don’t do anything stupid. That could be very dangerous, and you know it,” Carmen agreed.

“It’s not like I’m actually going to meet him. I just want to see if I can figure out what profile he is using this time.” I stood up and looked out of the window. I oversaw the city, the sky was grey, and it was slightly raining. “Alright, fine. Can one of you give me something to do in that case? Otherwise I will make a dating profile.”

Later that day I laid in bed, trying to sleep. It was 1am and I had been trying to sleep for two hours, but I was still wide awake. I felt restless and didn’t know what I could do to fall asleep. I had tried to drink some tea, didn’t help. I watched an episode of The Office, didn’t help either. It also didn’t help Walter hadn’t texted me back for hours now. I wondered if he was already getting tired of me.

You know, I could, maybe, possible, just make an account on that dating app and swipe for a while. Maybe I would come across someone that matches the profile that the murderer would use. Gia and Carmen will probably kill me though.

I grabbed my phone. I hesitated for a second, but I downloaded the dating app. After I made an account and uploaded some cute selfies, I finally got to do some swiping. The most guys that came up were pretty basic. They didn’t spike my interest at all. They were the typical white boy, all with the same haircut and they looked like they did not only skip legday, also arm- and chestday. Half of them also posed proudly with a fish they had caught. As if that’s something girls like. Too bad none of these men look a little like Walter.

I also came across a few good looking, decent guys. I knew that was not what the police were looking for, so I swiped them to the left. The next profile was of a guy who was way too good looking. He also only had one picture. It was obviously that this picture was stolen from a model. The bio creeped me out a little. He said he liked to hike in nature, and he enjoyed the silence. You enjoy the silence? Are you trying to creep me out on purpose or what? I swiped him to the right. It was weird but I felt like this could be the one the police were looking for.

I swiped for a little while longer. Swiping a few sketchy looking profiles to the right until I felt my eyelids drop. Yawning, I put my phone aside and finally fell asleep.

The next morning my alarm woke me up. I stretched out after I turned the alarm off and grabbed my phone. There were a few messages, one of them was from Walter, but what spiked my interest was that I had a few matches on the dating app. I wanted to check it out, but I noticed I had to get out of bed and take a shower if I wanted to be at work on time.

After I had showered and got dressed, I grabbed my phone. The first message I opened was from Walter. He had texted me at 3am.

Walter: We were working late today, no breakthrough in the case. Missed texting with you, can I make it up by calling you tonight?

My heart skipped a few beats. He wanted to call? With me?! I stared at the message for a few seconds while I felt some butterflies flying around in my stomach. Okay, no need to freak out. He just wants to call, he is not proposing. Yet….

Melody: I missed texting with you too. And of course, you can call me tonight. I look forward to it.

Before I could overanalyse my response, I hit send. Take a deep breath Mel. No need to read into this too much. I checked my other messages and texted my mom and Gia back. My mom wanted to know how I was doing, and Gia needed an approval of her outfit of the day.

I walked to the kitchen and grabbed some milk and cereal. While I was eating my breakfast, I noticed the notifications from the dating app. There were a few new matches, and one of them had send a message. It was from the guy with the creepy profile. His name was John. Millions of people are named John, you could’ve at least been a bit more creative while choosing a name.

John: What do you say good looking? Let’s skip the talking stage and just meet up?

I shivered at the thought of meeting up with this guy, but he could be the one they’re looking for, right? I decided to just go to work and deal with it later.

The workday was slow and boring. I finished a few articles but spend most of my time gossiping with Gia about our favourite celebrities which annoyed Carmen at first, because she wanted to get some work done, but eventually she joined us. I also told them about Walter’s text from that morning. If I weren’t sure I already had a hearing problem from their screams before, I sure as hell would have one now. Those girls made sounds so high, I’m surprised the windows didn’t crack.

The rest day went by slow, and before I knew it the clock showed me it was 3pm. I had decided to not tell Gia and Carmen about the fact I downloaded the dating app and was considering meeting with ‘John’. I mean, I would inform Walter about it. I wasn’t a complete idiot. No need to stress those girls out. Why would I?

My phone buzzed and I picked it up. Another message from ‘John’.

John: What’s it going to be beautiful?

I thought about it, and what could go wrong? I would inform the police, aka Walter. Besides that, I can put up a fight. It’s not like I am a damsel in distress. Plus, the upside of being a little bigger; I’m harder to kidnap, you got to be pretty strong to even lift me up. I shrugged my shoulders and texted him back.

Melody: Sure.

Short, but clear. I looked around the office, Gia and Carmen both sat at their desks typing on their computers. They had no idea what I was doing. They would probably kill me, right here right now. Before I could change my mind about not telling them, my phone buzzed again.

John: Tonight, 7pm? A new bar just opened up, we could get a drink there.

The rest of the message contained the address of the place. I googled it before I answered. The website of the place popped up, and as I suspected, it was clearly a fake website. Bingo. I texted him back, saying I agreed with his plan.

The rest of the hours I had to spend at the office went by surprisingly quick. Soon people were starting to leave, and so were Gia, Carmen and me. We parted ways in the entrance hall, and I drove home. Once I was home, I looked in the fridge, and I came to the conclusion I had forgotten to do groceries. Again.

I wasn’t in the mood to order take out, so I quickly drove to the supermarket. Unfortunately, unlike last time, I didn’t ran into Walter. Shit, I still have to text him about my meeting with ‘John’. I’ll do it once I get back home.

I drove back home and started making dinner. After I ate dinner, and did the dishes, I looked at the clock. It was already 6.30pm and I had to leave soon. Glaring down at my outfit, I decided I wanted to wear something more comfortable. I went to my bedroom and stood in front of my closet. I grabbed an old pair of jeans and a simple long-sleeved black tee. No way I’m going to dress pretty for this guy. Wait, what if he actually is the guy from the picture? Nah, not gonna happen. Shit, I still need to text Walter.

I needed to hurry up and put the tee on. While putting on the jeans, I suddenly heard a sound I didn’t like to hear. I look down and saw the jeans have ripped in the area between my thighs. Thick thighs save lives? They sure as hell don’t save jeans. I thought while throwing them across the room. Quickly I grabbed another, old, pair of jeans and put it on. I put my shoes on and fixed my hair.

I ran into the living room again and grabbed my jacket. With my car keys and phone in one hand, I locked the door behind me with the other one and made my way to my car. 6.45pm, right on time. I started the car and drove off.

While I stood in front of a red light, I remembered I hadn’t texted Walter. Shit. Contemplating what to do, I decided to call him. He didn’t answer. Shit. I left a voicemail instead. The red light turned green and I continued driving. Once I had to stop in front of another red light, I decided to text him as well. I noticed how the streets around me became emptier and emptier.

The street where I was supposed to meet ‘John’ was dark and pretty empty. The sun was settling down, making it even darker. I parked my car at a parking lot and checked my phone. No response from Walter. Not yet at least. I was alone in the parking lot and decided to wait for a few minutes.

Alright, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Maybe this was pretty dumb. And why did I forgot to text Walter. Why couldn’t I have done that sooner?! You know what, I’m just gonna go. This was dumb. And reckless.

But before I could start my car, someone opened my door. A man stood there, he was tall but not very muscular and he did not look like the profile picture at all. He looked at me with a creepy grin that made me regret doing this.

“Hello there, nice to meet you. I’m John and you must be Melody. Why don’t you step out of the car?” he said. I didn’t knew what to say, so I nodded and wanted to step out, but he spoke again. “Why don’t you leave that phone of yours here, we don’t need it do we?”

I knew I had to play by his rules. So, I left my phone and stepped out. He took the keys out of my hands and locked my car. I tried to keep thinking straight. Walter should be here soon, right?

John kept talking to me in the meanwhile. He kept telling me how pretty I was and how glad he was to meet with me. I stopped listening when I heard my phone go off in the car. Walter. If that is not him but my mom, I will do something to her.

“Come on, let’s get away from that car, shall we? The bar is right around the corner,” he spoke. We were the only people in the parking lot. I noticed he had parked his car a few feet away from me. Something was definitely not right.

“You know, I’m actually good here. Could you give me my car keys back though?” I asked. I knew he wouldn’t, but I had to stall. I really hoped the police would show up anytime now.

“Ah please? Just one drink?” He took a step closer to me and grabbed my wrist. I quickly twisted my wrist, releasing it from his grip. He looked at me with an unpleased look, and I suddenly felt a presence behind me. Never sneak up on me you dumbass. I thought as I felt the presence got closer.

Once I felt someone was right behind me, I didn’t waste another second. I took a step to the right and shoved my elbow straight into the guy’s nose with full force. He grunted in pain and when I looked behind me, I saw he grabbed his bloody nose with both his hands.

“Creepy Greg from finance?!” I say surprised. “Could have seen that one coming.”

“You bitch!” the guy in front of me yelled. He raised his fist and threw it at my face. Well, he attempted it. I dodged it and slammed my fist into his face instead.

“Sorry, that might leave a mark,” I smiled.

Creepy Greg from finance was still standing behind me, crying, and telling me I broke his nose and that I would pay for it. Make me.

I looked back at the other guy, and he swung his arms at me again, trying to hit me. I ducked to the side a few times, avoiding being hit. Sadly, I couldn’t escape all his attempts to hit me. His fist met the left side of my face. I felt my blood boiling from anger. I took a deep breath and raised my fists. While I was about to throw a punch, I heard loud noises. Cars. Thank God, they’re here.

Before I could comprehend what was going on, policemen were already running towards us. One tackled creepy Greg and a familiar figure tackled the other guy and threw a hard punch in his face. This is not supposed to turn me on. At all.

Walter got up and handed the guy over to another cop. The guy looked at me in disgust, but I didn’t see it. My eyes were focussed on Walter. He closed the gap between us by taking two passes.

“First of all, that was insanely stupid and dangerous and very dumb. This was reckless behaviour! But we will discuss this later,” he said vigorously.

“Yeah, I figured,” I said. I opened my mouth to continue speaking, but he spoke first.

“Are you alright? Are you hurt?” he said with a concerned look in his blue eyes, and his hand caressed the cheek that had been hit. As his rough, calloused fingers touched my skin I felt a spark of electricity going down my spine. His other hand found its way to my waist, and he pulled me a little closer to him. His body radiated a welcoming warmth, and I smelled his familiar musky cologne.

“I’m fine, just got hit once. You should see creepy Greg’s nose,” I snickered.

“I did, and you sure know how to throw a punch,” he smiled. “I’m glad you’re okay. And I’m glad you called and texted me. I’m sorry I missed the call. If I hadn’t missed it none of this would have happened.”

“No, don’t be sorry. This was a pretty stupid, reckless plan and I should have called sooner,” I quickly answered.

“It was indeed reckless and stupid,” he sighed. “Look, we need to take your statement. Why don’t I take you home after?”

“I’d like that, but my car is here,” I said while pointing at it. His hand left my cheek, but his other hand remained on my waist. He was so close to me, and I felt so comfortable despite what happened a few minutes prior.

“We’ll take care of that, don’t worry.” He grabbed my hand, interlaced his fingers with mine and guided me to one of his colleagues. My heart was racing and skipped a few beats at the same time. His hand felt warm and comforting. I never wanted to let go.

We reached his colleague and he started asking me questions and he squeezed my hand before letting go. He walked away to speak to some of his other colleagues and I immediately missed his hand, it felt like mine had fitted perfectly in his.

I told his colleague what happened, and I could see he thought it was really reckless, but I also saw in his eyes he was kind of impressed. He complimented me on how I stayed calm, but he did tell me to never do anything like this again.

Once he dismissed me, I looked around for Walter. I noticed him already walking towards me, and he offered me a little smile.

“So, Liam is going to take your car down to the station and I will drive you home, alright?”

“Thank you,” I smiled at him. “Can I get something from my car? My phone and keys are still in there.”

After we got my stuff out of the car, he pointed at a big truck. We walked towards it in silence, and he placed his hand on my lower back. Oh god, please keep that hand there forever. Okay, I might be incredibly touch starved.

Unfortunately, we reached the car too soon and his hand left my back to open the door for me. I climbed in and he closed it. He walked around the truck, took place behind the drivers’ wheel, and started the car. While he drove into the street he asked for my address.

We sat in silence next to each other, the radio softly hummed a rock song. I looked out of the window, it was dark and suddenly I realized that what I had done tonight, could have ended badly. Really badly.

“Hey, are you okay?” Walter put his hand on my thigh but when I looked at him, his hand shot up to my cheek to wipe a falling tear away.

“Yeah, yeah. Just realizing that this maybe wasn’t a smart thing to do,” I offered him a small smile. His hand left my cheek and found its way back to my thigh. The warmth coming from it spread throughout my entire body and I didn’t think twice and placed my hand on top of his. He turned his hand around and interlaced his fingers with mine for the second time that night.

He smiled at me and focussed on the road again. We were near my home, but I did not want to be alone now. Heck, I wanted to be near him. I didn’t want him to go. It felt so good to just be around him. I have never felt so comfortable around someone so quickly.

He parked the truck in front of my apartment building, not letting go of my hand.

“So, we’re here,” I mumbled. He grunted in response. We sat in the truck in silence for a few more minutes until it started to rain. I knew it was now or never, he was not going to offer going inside with me. Not after what happened. Perhaps he thought I wanted to be alone.

I felt anxious, but I decided to just ask it.

“Could you stay with me for a while?” I avoided looking at him, but he squeezed my hand and his other hand gently grabbed my chin, making me look into his eyes.

“Sure thing doll.”

•••

> chapter five

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[fantasy-anatomy-analyst]

(image description: eight sketchbook drawings of characters holding a variety of pride flags, all nude and posed in ways that match some old fine art pieces. The nudity has been censored with cute digital flower stickers. end description.)

Characters:

Dalmar, intersex man. Kouto, nonbinary. Chacha, agender. Parva, nonbinary. Xulic and Kidron, genderqueer. Obeli (or Abuela) Moruga, genderqeer. Olli, demiguy. Sajak, genderqueer.

Genderqueer is kind of my default for "well, biologically and culturally, they already don't have binary sex or gender, so they kinda default to genderqueer." And I know maybe some people will be bothered by that, but it's just part of the worldbuilding I've written around all these non-human and frequently non-mammalian species of people.

The uncensored version is on my Patreon page. I do have one more drawing to add to this series, but since it's four child characters I will not need to worry about adding any censors and keeping the original image only on my patreon, as they will simply be wearing their pride flags as whole outfits.

The previous part of this, my binary trans characters, can be found over here.

detailed character descriptions and explanations of the pose references under the cut

Dalmar Ubora, a black intersex elf man with short black hair. He is holding his arms up as he holds the intersex flag, mimicking the pose of Virgin Mary from Titian's painting "The Assumption of the Virgin". The shading was washed out by the photo, but his belly is still clearly round from pregnancy. Dalmar is an interesting case, in that he was assigned male at birth based on his outward appearance, continues to identify as male throughout his life, but finds during puberty that what was believed to be an undeveloped penis was actually just a non functional body part. Instead, what actually developed to full functionality was his uterus. He still identifies as a straight cis man, and has come to terms with his body. He is married to a medically transitioned trans woman, and he could undergo operations to change his body if he wanted to. Instead, he has embraced his body and even birthed some children who were conceived via sperm donations. This is why I wanted a Mary pose for him, and this painting in particular is about Mary being welcomed into heaven as a blessed holy woman. Dalmar may not be a miraculous holy figure, but there is a reverence in the way he has come to love his body and chosen to bear children, including the surrogate birth of his brother's child.

Kouto Hayashi-Loryck, a slender nonbinary elf with black hair tied into a bun. They are holding the nonbinary flag and standing in the pose of a statue known as "Apollo Belvedere", which is so old no one knows the artist's name. One arm raised, one lowered, legs in the relaxed contrapposto pose. Kouto is an artist and an art model. Apollo is a god of the arts, and regarded as a beautiful and sexual figure. Kouto is bisexual and admittedly a very sexual and flirtatious person. They did settle into a happy marriage though (actually they are Dalmar's in-law and the sperm donor for the aforementioned surrogate birth.) Marriage has not stopped Kouto's flirtations, merely limited their targets to a singular person. It felt right to give him this pose, from a pretty well known portrayal of Apollo. Beauty, art, and sex, all defining traits of Apollo and Kouto alike, all present in a pose where the figure seems to be reaching for something above them.

Chacha Faraji, an agender black elf with short hair. They are facing away from the viewer, seated on a stool that is covered by the draped agender flag. No physical traits that could betray their agab are visible. Chacha is sitting in the pose of Reubens' painting "Venus at the Mirror". The arm closest to the viewer ends at the elbow, while they hold a mirror in front of their face with their one whole arm. Their face is seen reflected, smiling, little wrinkles visible by their eyes. I chose this painting in part because it did allow me to obscure Chacha's agab. They were my first nonbinary character, and I never really settled on an agab. But also, I enjoy putting characters who have unconventional bodies into poses associated with Venus or Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty. Chacha is missing half an arm, they are getting older and it shows in the wrinkles on their face. Chacha is also Aromantic and Asexual, the full queer triple A battery. The mirror pose has become an independence of beauty. "Look but don't touch." Chacha is beautiful, and they do not need to be beautiful for anyone but themself.

Parva Turbatus, a white nonbinary elf with shoulder length curly hair that has been shaved down on the far side of their head. They are holding the nonbinary flag, standing in the slightly closed off pose found in Paul Gariot's painting "Pandora's Box". One hand on their chest, one hand held out to hold the flag. They have top surgery scars on their chest and a c-section scar on their navel, though all of these have unfortunately been hidden by the flower censors. I chose a pandora pose for Parva because they have one of the most intense tragic backstories of any of my characters. Like Pandora opening the box, they have suffered through many things but came out the other side with Hope, and healing.

Xulic Vos and Kidron Engedi, a drow and a lizard person. They are sharing the genderqueer flag. Xulic has long ears and white hair in a braid, with a white monkey-like tail barely visible behind their legs. Kidron looks like a leopard gecko, and their tail is acting as a visual block in fron of Xulic's groin. They are standing together in the central pose of Raphael's "School of Athens" fresco. Xulic is pointing one hand up to the sky, while Kidron holds one hand palm down towards the earth. Xulic's chest is visibly flat, however I have rewritten the drow as a eusocial people, who's biology has made most of the common population infertile and visibly near identical above the waist. Xulic's agab is unknown to anyone but them, and perhaps their reptilian lover Kidron. Both drow and lizard folk have biology and cultures that do not really support a gender binary, so genderqueer suits them both quite well. I chose the School of Athens pose because these characters are scientists in fields that overlap, and they often get into deep discussions on the matter. Xulic is a paleontologist while Kidron is a geologist, and they have another friend (my protagonist) who studies archaeology.

Obeli (or Abuela) Moruga, an elderly goblin with sagging skin and axolotl-like frills on the sides of her head. She grins as she holds the gender queer flag, partly draped over the tall stool she is seated on. Her pose matches that of John Collier's "Priestess of Delphi" painting, which depicts a woman hunched over herself on a stool. Old Obeli Moruga, whose title best translates to "grandmother" is a significant figure in her community, both because of her more practical role as a leader and wise woman, but also because she has gained immortality and become an incarnation of Life Itself, after she was given the offer of such power when she nearly died in the goblin revolution. There are many figures that would suit her. Poses from statues of goddesses, like Athena or Gaia. Perhaps turning away from the theme of greek and roman figures I ended up with for my nonbinary group (dalmar is his own thing) and using the famous painting of Liberty on a battlefield. But now in her old age, all those poses of figures in more active poses, tall and imposing, simply didn't feel right. A wise old woman, hunched on a stool in a pose associated with the idea of an oracle, a priestess, a prophetess, felt much more fitting. (goblin culture does have specific pronouns for leadership, and in the common speech they have decided this translates best to the feminine "she/her")

Olli Moruga, also a goblin with axolotl-like frills, standing with the demiguy flag in his hands. He is in the pose of Michaelangelo's statue of Bacchus, god of wine, merriment, and madness. One hand up as if to salute with a cup, body leaning and perhaps a little unstable. Olli is a gay demiguy, stepping away from the naturally ungendered state of his people to embrace masculinity instead. He is extroverted, loves a good party, and has definitely been a little over his depth with alcohol on many occasions. He knows this is a problem. He used to act rebellious because of it, trying to be cool and aloof, but he has since admitted the truth to himself and now openly seeks help. His trans lover, Zaire (seen in a previous post) has become a great support to him. Even though it may seem odd to use the pose of a god of wine for a character that is trying to overcome an alcohol issue, I still feel like the vibe of Bacchus or Dionysus fits Olli well. He is not only a god of wine, but also of pleasure in general, a concept Olli embraces. Wild joy, perhaps to the point of becoming a little feral, abandoning tradition for personal fulfillment. It is unusual for goblins to embrace a binary gender, even partially. Gendered pronouns do not exist in their tongue, only being used in cases where common speech needs to be used to refer to certain significant figures, such as a leader. It is also unusual for a goblin to take a lover outside their species, since most goblins live in fairly isolated places and all mate together seasonally, depositing their eggs in a communal nursery pool. Olli stands out on purpose.

Lastly, Sajak, an amphibious person with some fish-like features such as their finned ears and a barely visible dorsal fin. They are holding the genderqueer flag as they stand in a commanding pose, one foot on a rock, one arm held out as if pointing to something below them. This pose is taken from the central Poseidon statue in the fountain of Trevi. Their head, arms, and torso are covered in dark tattoos in abstract designs, and they also have a few natural dark stripes along their arms and legs. The obvious connection between Sajak and this statue of Poseidon is that Sajak is a fish person and Poseidon is an ocean god. If I could have thought of a more medical figure, I may have made a different choice in the art reference. Sajak is primarily a doctor, a healer. They are fairly well known and they were an important figure on their home island, though they did leave eventually. Even so, there is a certain vibe to Sajak that suits the image of a powerful and unpredictable oceanic god. They are steady, intelligent, and careful, but they can become fierce when their loved ones are under threat, and the intense focus they show in their work as a doctor can be intimidating to see. There is a feeling of hidden power within Sajak, just as there is in the ocean when it seems calm. Fish folk, whether bipedal and amphibious or fully aquatic, also fit under my category of "non-mammalian people who are just kind of genderqueer by default due to their biology not fitting into a binary".

[dirhwangdaseul-archived]

In the few years, I’ve noticed there being Thai dramas where the female lead darkens her skin in order to appear “poor” or disguise as a maid. The colorism has been defended so much. Thai model Nonthawan Bramaz has talked about the colorism she has faced in Thailand.

colorism is such a fucking devil, racism's little bastard son and like in countries mostly made of people of color is our bread and butter, im mexican, i haven't talked about it in a while but the thai bl industry does feel like coming home sometimes cause i grew up with telenovelas, i never thought id see the day when the most dramatic dumbassery would be ours, gay, gay and proud, and with the thai bl industry an entire world is open to any gay fucker who wants to see actual fucking attempts at rep and no the mediocrity of the last decade centered mostly in cis white gay men that are only relatable to straight people who want sanitary homosexuality to consume

with that being said it's also exactly as beautiful as it has the same exact problems of racism, colorism that most media with people of color has, which is to say the need to put down dark skinned members in favor of upholding the beauty market, and it makes sense because in the end bl is truly not for gay people, not now, even tho it ha changed in the end its always about the teenage girls it's marketed towards to and well tbh now boys as well, and these companies know it, like for all i love lovely writer the show blatantly portrays a very whitewashed version of thailand and even last year had more color than this year and like im talking about the background shots ffs, but like in the end the fight belongs to thai activists and im just so glad to see artists talking about it and even fandom that usually overlaps with kpop fandom which also has helped worsen the problem if anyone can remember like a year ago or two where most shows were saying their leads were hot like kpop artists like they aren't referencing their fair complexion or w/e but fr it's a huge ass problem and im just rambling here cause it's so wide reaching but really all hinges on one thing, these industries detest dark skinned people and anyone is fair game on that alone, most of the time they portray criminals and no good people with darker skin or just straight up brownface just like today s episode of fish upon the sky, which i guess bring us back to the point, if i were to answer myself what was the need for all that and i wish people remembered this is why it hurts for people of color to see that shit, is that in the end you're always reminded that you're not a person in the eyes of others but something more akin to a barely thought idea, and so the purpose of this shit is never to be funny not really, it is always a reminder of who gets to have what based on looks and looks alone, and like what else is new i guess, but pfft i really wish people would stop ignoring the elephant in the room

[szalacsi]

history

“I’m from Malaysia. 

China has traded with Malaysia for 2000 years. In those years, they had been the world’s biggest powers many times. Never once they sent troops to take our land. 

Admiral Zhenghe came to Malacca five times, in gigantic fleets, and a flagship eight times the size of Christopher Columbus’ flagship, Santa Maria. He could have seized Malacca easily, but he did not. 

In 1511, the Portuguese came. 

In 1642, the Dutch came. 

In the 18th century the British came. 

We were colonised by each, one after another. 

When China wanted spices from India, they traded with the Indians. When they wanted gems, they traded with the Persian. They didn’t take lands. The only time China expanded beyond their current borders was in Yuan Dynasty, when Genghis and his descendants Ogedei Khan, Guyuk Khan & Kublai Khan concurred China, Mid Asia and Eastern Europe. Yuan Dynasty, although being based in China, was a part of the Mongolian Empire. 

Then came the Century of Humiliation. Britain smuggled opium into China to dope the population, a strategy to turn the trade deficit around, after the British could not find enough silver to pay the Qing Dynasty in their tea and porcelain trades. 

After the opium warehouses were burned down and ports were closed by the Chinese in ordered to curb opium, the British started the Opium War I, which China lost. Hong Kong was forced to be surrendered to the British in a peace talk (Nanjing Treaty). 

The British owned 90% of the opium market in China, during that time, Queen Victoria was the world’s biggest drug baron. The remaining 10% was owned by American merchants from Boston. Many of Boston’s institutions were built with profit from opium. 

After 12 years of Nanjing Treaty, the West started getting really really greedy. The British wanted the Qing government: 

 1. To open the borders of China to allow goods coming in and out freely, and tax free. 

 2. Make opium legal in China. Insane requests, Qing government said no. 

The British and French (with supports from the US), started Opium War II with China, which again, China lost. 

The Anglo-French military raided the Summer Palace, and threatened to burn down the Imperial Palace, the Qing government was forced to pay with ports, free business zones, 300,000 kilograms of silver and Kowloon was taken. 

Since then, China’s resources flew out freely through these business zones and ports. In the subsequent amendment to the treaties, Chinese people were sold overseas to serve as labor. 

In 1900, China suffered attacks by the 8-National Alliance (Empire of Japan, Russian Empire, British Empire (including India), France, USA, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary). 

Innocent Chinese civilians in Peking (Beijing now) were murdered, buildings were destroyed & women were raped. The Imperial Palace was raided, and treasures ended up in museums like the British Museum in London and the Louvre in Paris. 

In late 1930s China was occupied by the Japanese in WWII. Millions of Chinese died during the occupancy. 300,000 Chinese died in Nanjing Massacre alone. Mao brought China together again from the shambles. There were peace and unity for some time. But Mao’s later reign saw sufferings and deaths from famine and power struggles. 

Then came Deng Xiao Ping and his infamous 'black-cat and white-cat' story. His preference in pragmatism than ideologies has transformed China. This thinking allowed China to evolve all the time to adapt to the actual needs in the country, instead of rigidly bounded to ideologies. It also signified the death of Communism in actually practice in China. 

The current Socialism+Meritocracy+Market Economy model fits the Chinese like gloves, and it propels the uprise of China. Singapore has a similar model, and has been arguably more successful than Hong Kong, because Hong Kong being gateway to China, was riding on the economic boom in China, while Singapore had no one to gain from. 

In just 30 years, the CPC have moved 800 millions of people out from poverty. The rate of growth is unprecedented in human history. They have built the biggest mobile network, by far the biggest high speed rail network in the world, and they have become a behemoth in infrastructure. They made a fishing village called Shenzhen into the world’s second largest technological centre after the Silicon Valley. 

They are growing into a technological power house. It has the most elaborate e-commerce and cashless payment system in the world. They have launched exploration to Mars. The Chinese are living a good life and China has become one of the safest countries in the world. 

The level of patriotism in the country has reached an unprecedented height. For all of the achievements, the West has nothing good to say about it. China suffers from intense anti-China propagandas from the West. Western Media used the keyword “Communist” to instil fear and hatred towards China.

Everything China does is negatively reported. They claimed China used slave labor in making iPhones. The truth was, Apple was the most profitable company in the world, it took most of the profit, leave some to Foxconn (a Taiwanese company) and little to the labor. 

They claimed China was inhuman with one-child policy. At the same time, they accused China of polluting the earth with its huge population. The fact is the Chinese consume just 30% of energy per capita compared to the US. 

They claimed China underwent ethnic cleansing in Xinjiang. The fact is China has a policy which priorities ethnic minorities. For a long time, the ethnic minorities were allowed to have two children and the majority Han only allowed one. The minorities are allowed a lower score for university intakes. There are 39,000 mosque in China, and 2100 in the US. 

China has about 3 times more mosque per muslim than the US. When terrorist attacks happened in Xinjiang, China had two choices: 

1. Re-educate the Uighur (CENSUDED by Youtube) before they turned (CENSUDED by Youtube). (**Here I could not copy the exact word, since today it is censored by YouTube if I write it next to the indicated ethnicity. It is the one used to identify those crazy people who are killing people thinking that by doing this they will be able to go to paradise**). 

2. Let them be, after they launch attacks and killed innocent people, bomb their homes. China chose 1 to solve problem from the root and not to do killing. 

How the US solve terrorism? Fire missiles from battleships, drop bombs from the sky. 

During the pandemic, When China took extreme measures to lockdown the people, they were accused of being inhuman. 

When China recovered swiftly because of the extreme measures, they were accused of lying about the actual numbers. 

When China’s cases became so low that they could provide medical support to other countries, they were accused of politically motivated. Western Media always have reasons to bash China. Just like any country, there are irresponsible individuals from China which do bad things, but the China government overall has done very well. 

But I hear this comment over and over by people from the West: I like Chinese people, but the CPC is evil. What they really want is the Chinese to change the government, because the current one is too good. 

Fortunately China is not a multi-party democratic country, otherwise the opposition party in China will be supported by notorious NGOs (Non-Government Organization) of the USA, like the NED (National Endowment for Democracy), to topple the ruling party. 

The US and the British couldn’t crack Mainland China, so they work on Hong Kong. Of all the ex-British colonial countries, only the Hong Kongers were offered BNOs by the British. Because the UK would like the Hong Kongers to think they are British citizens, not Chinese. 

A divide-and-conquer strategy, which they often used in Color Revolutions around the world. They resort to low dirty tricks like detaining Huawei’s CFO & banning Huawei. They raised a silly trade war which benefits no one. Trade deficit always exist between a developing and a developed country. 

USA is like a luxury car seller who ask a farmer: why am I always buying your vegetables and you haven’t bought any of my cars? When the Chinese were making socks for the world 30 years ago, the world let it be. 

But when Chinese started to make high technology products, like Huawei and DJI, it caused red-alert. Because when Western and Japanese products are equal to Chinese in technologies, they could never match the Chinese in prices. 

First world countries want China to continue in making socks. Instead of stepping up themselves, they want to pull China down. The recent movement by the US against China has a very important background. 

When Libya, Iran, and China decided to ditch the US dollar in oil trades, Gaddafi’s was killed by the US, Iran was being sanctioned by the US, and now it’s China’s turn. The US has been printing money out of nothing. The only reason why the US Dollar is still widely accepted, is because it’s the only currency which oil is allowed to be traded with. 

The US has an agreement with Saudi that oil must be traded in US dollar ONLY. Without the petrol-dollar status, the US dollars will sink, and America will fall. 

Therefore anyone trying to disobey this order will be eliminated. China will soon use a gold-backed crypto-currency, the alarms in the White House go off like mad. 

 China’s achievement has been by hard work. Not by looting the world. I have deep sympathy for China for all the suffering, but now I feel happy for them. China is not rising, they are going back to where they belong. Good luck China.”

[tcm]

James Stewart in the 1950s By Susan King

Jimmy Stewart was one of the biggest stars at MGM in 1940s and 1950s. In fact, he had just earned the lead actor Oscar for his indelible comedic performance in THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (‘40) when he became the first major performer to enlist in the U.S. Army in March of 1941, a full eight months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Stewart, then 32, had made his film debut in THE MURDER MAN (‘35) and quickly became a leading man at the studio, earning his first Oscar nomination for his memorable portrayal of an earnest young senator in Frank Capra’s MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (‘39). Audiences and critics loved the lanky, tall young man who excelled at playing an Everyman, the boy-next-door who was earnest, kind and often brave. Stewart, who was an experienced amateur flyer, spent a year training pilots at Kirtland Army Airfield and then in the fall of 1943 was sent to England. He ended the war with 20 combat missions, won awards for his service and remained in the USAF Reserve, where he was promoted to brigadier general in 1959. He retired in 1968.

When he returned to films in Capra’s holiday favorite IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (‘46), he was 38 years old. He looked older; his hair was graying. He had only been out of the service for a year. There was a gravitas to his performance, a gravitas of someone who had seen the horrors of war. His George Bailey was still the Everyman, but one in despair, someone who is about to commit suicide. He earned his third Oscar nomination for his beloved performance. And, he followed that up with strong turns in the newspaper drama CALL NORTHSIDE 777 and Alfred Hitchcock’s ROPE (both ‘48).

But I think Stewart did his best work in the 1950s. He was certainly adventurous playing flawed, conflicted characters and eccentric individuals. There was a dangerous, nervous cat-like quality to his roles. And there was often a sexiness to his performances. He also worked with some of the best directors, including Hitchcock, Anthony Mann, Billy Wilder and Otto Preminger.

Stewart began his fruitful collaboration with Mann—they made eight films together—with the gritty Western WINCHESTER ’73 (‘50). Mann had made a name for himself in the late 1940s with such low-budget atmospheric films noir as RAW DEAL (‘48). Mann brought a noir sensibility to WINCHESTER ’73, in which Stewart plays the Everyman on the edge doggedly trying to find the Winchester ’73 rifle that was stolen from him, while laser-focused on tracking down the man (Stephen McNally) who stole it and also murdered his father. Stewart is just terrific playing a conflicted man who is filled with rage.

My favorite Stewart-Mann production is THE NAKED SPUR (‘53). In this exceptional Western, Stewart is even more wired. He plays a Civil War vet who lost his land during the war and becomes a bounty hunter. But he more than meets his match with his latest capture, a wily outlaw (Robert Ryan) and the two companions he picks up (Millard Mitchell, Ralph Meeker) to help him. THE NAKED SPUR isn’t just a Western adventure, it’s a psychological one. The scene at the end when Stewart loses it in front of the outlaw’s companion (Janet Leigh) – crying, yelling and shaking with hatred and grief – is an astonishing piece of acting.

Stewart and Mann didn’t just do Westerns. They scored a huge hit with the biopic THE GLENN MILLER STORY (‘54) and STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND (‘55). The latter was close to Stewart’s heart because it revolved around the Air Force and flying. He plays a baseball player who is reactivated in the Air Force to test flight new planes. The film gets bogged down on land when it concentrates on his private life with June Allyson, but he and the film soar when it takes to the air.

The same year he made WINCHESTER ’73, Stewart also began another fruitful collaboration with director Henry Koster. In fact, he received his fourth Oscar nomination for the delightful HARVEY (‘50) based on Mary Chase’s popular Broadway play about an eccentric Elwood P. Dowd, who has an invisible six-foot tall white rabbit named Harvey as his best friend. Stewart had filled in for the part on Broadway in 1947 when star Frank Fay went on vacation. Though Dowd is an alcoholic, the Production Code prevented Koster from showing him taking a drink. Almost 20 years later, Stewart and Helen Hayes appeared on Broadway in a revival of the play, and then in 1972 reprised their roles for a Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation.

The following year, Koster and Stewart teamed up again for the taut British thriller NO HIGHWAY IN THE SKY (’51). Stewart is entirely believable as a brilliant but absent-minded engineer who has a hard time convincing anybody that an expensive new airplane model is not safe. The film also paired him with his DESTRY RIDES AGAIN (’39) leading lady, Marlene Dietrich.

Stewart is probably best remembered in the 1950s for his work with the Master of Suspense in REAR WINDOW (‘54); THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (‘56) and VERTIGO (‘58). So much has been written and discussed about those films, all I want to say is that REAR WINDOW and VERTIGO are my two most favorite Hitchcock thrillers, and Hitch had to have really delved into Stewart’s psyche to get that brave, daring turn from the actor in VERTIGO. I know that it’s a polarizing film, but I think it’s brilliant, demanding and a psychological thrill ride. I am still very much on the fence with the only film Stewart made with Wilder, THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS (‘57). 

Based on Charles Lindbergh’s award-winning best-seller chronicling his landmark 1927 flight across the Atlantic to Paris, the film is beautifully shot and consistently engrossing. But the big problem is that Lindberg was 25 when he made the flight and Stewart was 48 when he made the film. Just as with STRATEGIC, Lindbergh’s story was very inspiring to Stewart so, he lost weight, got in shape and lightened his hair to play Lucky Lindy. He’s very charming in the part, but there’s no getting over the fact he’s nearly 50 years old.

Stewart ended the decade with a real crackerjack of a legal drama, Otto Preminger’s ANATOMY OF A MURDER (‘59). Nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Film, Best Actor for Stewart and Supporting Actor for Arthur O’Connell, ANATOMY OF A MURDER raised more than a few eyebrows for its sexual frankness at the time, with Stewart talking about rape, panties and even semen. He’s perfectly cast as the witty, brilliant small-town attorney who seems to enjoy fishing more than taking cases. He gets the case of his career, though, when he’s hired to defend a hot-tempered Army lieutenant (Ben Gazzara) accused of murdering the man who allegedly raped his wife (Lee Remick).

Stewart has a wonderful rapport with Eve Arden as his longtime secretary who secretly loves him and Arthur O’Connell as his alcoholic buddy, an attorney who gets his mojo back when he helps Stewart on the case. And the scenes his scenes with the flirtatious Remick and George C. Scott as the slick big city prosecuting attorney just couldn’t be better. Nevertheless, Stewart lost the Oscar to Charlton Heston for BEN-HUR (’59). Stewart was presented with an Honorary Award from the Academy in 1985.

[auspicious-lilana]

Two Cats, One Heart (Chat Noir x reader)

Summary: Y/n Ross and Adrian Agreste are childhood best friends, they’ve been through thick and thin, including losing their mom, and dad. Since then Y/n’s mom made her live with Adrian at his mansion and forever leaving her life. Watch as their lives Change as they become the new heroes of Paris alongside Ladybug and see how Romance sprouts between the two models.

Part 1 |  Part 2 |  Part 3 | Part 4  | Part 5 

(Make sure to comment! It brings me motivation seeing them!)

{Y/n's POV}

"Have any 2 of hearts?" I asked. We were waiting on Alya's blog live stream that she posted would happen later on while Alpha and I played card games for the meantime.

"Darling, no. I'm the king of games". Alpha cockingly remarked as I scoffed. "Go fish"

"If you're so good, tell me why you lost the last 10 games we played and now I'm here beating your butt in Go fish" I confidently said as I picked up another card from the deck.

"I was only warming up for this game!" Alpha countered. "Any Queen of hearts?"

"You said that 9 games ago, go fish" Alpha picked up a card and placed it on the desktop stand he was using to hold and hide his cards.

"Well this is was my final warm-up"

"Whatever helps you sleep. Any 5 of diamonds?" Alpha huffed as he handed me the card as I smiled placing it in my pile of other matched cards. "Your pile seems awfully short of matchings" I snickered.

"Hush child, I'm just going easy on you" Alpha snapped. "A Kawami treats its owner well. Any Joker?"

"My last card. Here you go" I said happily as he placed it in his matching pile before sighing as he saw the stock empty as I smirked." I won, again"

"There's one thing you can't beat me at". Alpha confidently said.

"What?" I said curiously.

"A bet" I raised my eyebrow, signaling him to explain further. "I bet you, the pretty boy is head over heels with you, and if you ever asked him to a date, he'd say yes" I scoffed and shook my head.

"He's not into me".

"That's what she said" I rolled my eyes.

"Besides, I'm in love with someone else," I said sighing as I looked at my poster wall.

"I know, I know. Mr. I'm the best Cat, Chat Noir."

"Hang on, 'cause we're going for a ride. Freak out! What you got here is no ordinary book, it's a tenth-grade history book. And I should know, 'cause I've got this very same book. Could our very own Ladybug be a high school student, in real life?" Alya said in her live as we seemed to missed a part of it while we were talking. I looked at it in awe.

"Ladybug going to our high school?" I thought about it before I grinned. "What if Chat Noir also goes to our school too?!"

"Don't you think you know him then?" Alpha said as he reached for his brownie and taking a bite. "Why bother yourself with cocky cats  when you could be enjoying this?"

"First of all, Cocky cats last longer than a single brownie, and they are much better looking."

"Your loss"

"My only loss is my appetite right now, you are aware you're eating a week old brownie, right?"

"The older it is, the more flavory." I cringed as Alya went live again.

" OH MY GOSH, Coming to you live, Lady blog viewers, I'm at the scene even before Ladybug, Lady Wolf or Cat Noir! This is insane!" I saw an akumatized person which caught me off guard as I stared at the screen shocked with my jaw dropped.

"Love the face change," Alpha snickered. "Total improvement." I glared at him as I showed my wrist with my miraculous.

"Time to transform," Alpha groaned as he finished the brownie in one gulp. "Alpha, Tails out!"

***

By the time I got there, Chat was also there. We met up in front of the museum as we saw the akumatized victim pull the metal bars from the museum lockdown as we looked at him with a cocky grin.

"Nice of you to hold the door open for us," I said with a confident grin before Chat and I tried to attack him before he dodged and grabbed our legs, throwing us into a coffin, which closed on us.

"Well, this wasn't what I was imagining when I said I wanted us to get some alone time," Chat jokes as I blush while I scoffed.

"What did you imagine?"

"For me to know, and you to never find out." I was pressed to his chest as he placed his hands around my waist to make it less uncomfortable. Soon Ladybug pulled the coffin open as I quickly got out as Chat did too.

"Hiding behind an innocent bystander!" Chat yelled. "You're weak, Pharaoh!" Pharaoh walked through the cage with Alya on his shoulders.

"I'm way more powerful than you are." The Pharaoh used his strength to close the bars and walked away.

"And don't forget! All the latest behind the scenes are on my blog!" I heard Alya exclaim.

"Alya is sure one brave character." I sweatdropped.

"If by brave, you mean bossy, feisty, and bold?" Ladybug asked. "Yup, that's her! Come on, get us out of here, Cat Noir!"

"Cataclysm!" Chat used his power to break the bars. "How are we gonna find them?" He asked as we ran.

"Alya's got a live stream on her blog!" Ladybug said as she and I brought out our yoyo/staff to watch the live stream.

"Hi, everyone! Alya here, live blogging from the shoulder of the terrifying villain! Huge scoop to come, stay tuned!" Chat's ring began to beep constantly.

"You two go ahead." Chat said. "I'll join you guys as soon as my Miraculous is charged up again."

"Hurry," I said. "It's going to take the three of us to defeat him." Chat nodded as we ran separate ways. Chat going back and ladybug and I chasing after Pharaoh to stall.

We watched the live stream to see Alya was going to be used as an offering.

"We better hurry," Ladybug said as I nodded before we ran right into a bubble which slowed us down.

"Oh no," I groaned as Ladybug tried to pound on her. "Can't believe we ran straight into a time bubble,"

"We've got to get out of this!" Ladybug said as I chuckled. I bet we sound and look as slow as a snail in the outside.

"ladybug! Lady Wolf! this is Alya! I just found out I'm the sacrificial offering to the sun god! Please hurry!" Alya said into her live stream.

"Hold on, Alya." Ladybug muttered. "I'm nearly there," Ladybug began to run as I glanced at her bubble and started to chuckle. She looked so funny in slow-motion. I began to run, it was the most we could do before I saw Chat pop her bubble with his baton before popping mines as I stumbled and fell onto his chest as he held me.

"Thanks for waiting around for me," Chat joked as I got up with a grin.

"No problem," I played along.

"Now we need to get to Alya quickly." Ladybug said as we ran outside. We peeked outside to see Mummies blocking the view.

"We can't see the Akuma or the girl!" I exclaimed before we all went up to the roof.

"Over there," Chat pointed as we spotted the Akuma and Alya before we began to watch the live stream from ladybug's yoyo.

"Whoa, back up! Who are those goddess chicks with the black spots and wolf ears! There, on your papyrus!" Alya exclaimed.

"Ladybug and Lady Wolf. My sworn enemies!" The Pharaoh angrily yelled. "My two greatest nemeses may have kept me from carrying out my ritual 5000 years ago, but they will not stop Nefertiti from coming back to me this time! especially that annoying wolf"

"Did you say..." Alya trailed off shocked. "Ladybug and Lady Wolf, 5000 years ago?!"

"Everyone does have a past they can learn from." Ladybug said as I stood surprised. Guess you really do really learn something new every day as a miraculous holder.

"Well," Chat said inspecting me with a grin. "You don't look a day over 3000."

"Now you know why we're so much wiser than you!" Ladybug said with a grin as I frowned.

"I am not annoying!" The Pharaoh began a ritual as a beam shot from the sky as the mummies carried Alya as she struggled.

"Ladybug! Lady Wolf!" She yelled as Ladybug got serious.

"We've gotta save her before he completes the ritual or Alya will be gone, forever!" Ladybug exclaimed.

"What should we do?" Chat asked.

"You hold back the mummies while Lady Wolf and I take on the Pharaoh."

"Why do I have to deal with these freaks while you two get to slip calmly round back?"

"Because Ladybug is the only one who can capture his Akuma, I am the one he hates the most and you're the bravest one out of the three of us," I winked as Chat playfully rolled his eyes.

"Sure," He said before Ladybug swung off. "I know you don't really think that, but I'll pretend you do."

"Don't worry," I said turning around. "I genuinely do," Chat's eyes widened as I smiled before going after Ladybug.

Ladybug and I went around as Chat went to distract the mummies.

"Hey there, you bunch of bandages!" Chat yelled from his spot sitting on the street lamb. "What do you say we wrap this up!" He grinned.

"Chat noir!" Alya exclaimed.

"Seize him!" The Pharaoh yelled as the mummies ran after him.

"Is that really as fast as you can go?" Chat taunted as he leaped from one street lamb to another.

"Wait, this looks... like a trap!" The Pharaoh exclaimed a bit too late as Ladybug swung by and got Alya. "Horus! Give me your wings!" I threw a pole at him which slowed him down as I went up to Ladybug only to have Alya's phone shoved in my face.

"Thanks for saving my butt!" She exclaimed. "You all just witnessed our favorite heroines save yet another citizen."

"Oh, uh, you're welcome. But it's not over yet." I said as Ladybug nodded.

"Not until--"

"Not until Ladybug destroys the pendant containing the akuma, and turns everything back to normal" Alya cut off Ladybug. "I pay attention"

"The Pendant!" The two heroines exclaimed. "Good eye!"

"Ah!" Alya yelled as Pharaoh knocked Ladybug and I off the building as Ladybug used her yoyo to ease her fall as I balanced myself with my staff. Ladybug soon caught Alya's phone as The Pharaoh carried her.

"Help me! Ladybug! Lady Wolf!" She yelled as Ladybug and I were fighting off the mummies as the Pharaoh placed Alya on the light beam. We then saw a car about to be thrown at Chat as Ladybug used her yoyo to pull him out of there.

"Chat Noir!" She yelled. "This way!" Chat Noir followed us as we ran inside the bus, Chat going under as the two of us got out quickly once locking the mummies in the bus as Chat flipped it over with his staff.

"We have to save Alya before she gets to the circle of darkness." Ladybug said as we nodded along as we ran towards the beam only to be stopped my the Pharaoh.

"You will not stop me from bringing Nefertiti back!" He growled. "I'll finish you off! Anubis, bring me mummies!" He began to shoot beams at us as we had to keep dodging it. Ladybug used her yoyo to tight him up for a small distraction as Chat and I used our staffs to leap over him as we began to quickly climb up the glass pyramid with our claws. "Horus, Give me your wings!" Pharaoh began to fly, dragging Ladybug in the air as Chat and I ducked low as he flew up ahead. Ladybug reached to his back as she broke the string of the pendant and threw it down.

"Chat Noir! Lady Wolf! The pendant!" We pounced down as we ran towards the falling pendant as Ladybug already jumped off his back using the yoyo to safely land as all three of us ran for the pendant only for Pharaoh to beat us to it as he stood next to it, stopping us in our trails.

"Sekhmet, give me your strength!" The Pharaoh used his strength to cause a sonic wave which knocked us down as we were soon surrounded by mummies. "It's over," He picked up his pendant.

"Ladybug!" Alya yelled. "Save me!"

"Oh, Ra, god of the sun, accept this humble offering and return the princess to ME!" The Pharaoh chanted.

"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug said as a polka dotted box containing Lady Wolf outfit set was in it. "A Lady Wolf outfit?"

"That's our last hope?" Chat asked. Ladybug used her thinking vision and the bracelet in the costume caught her eyes.

"This offering isn't good enough for Nefertiti!"

"Hey! Thanks a lot!" Alya defensivly yelled.

"Too late, Ladybug!" The Pharoah said. "The ritual has begun!"

"Set Alya free and sacrifice Lady Wolf instead!" Lady Wolf gasped as she stared at her.

"Hey!" Ladybug didn't look at her as she gave her a identical bracelet of her miraculous behind her back as Lady Wolf grinned slightly as she swiped it, swiftly covering her real bracelet with the fake one. "Wouldn't that be the sweetest revenge? 5000 years later! After all, Me and Lady Wolf are the ones who kept Nefertiti from you all these years! And you always said she was the most annoying!"

"It's true that she'd make a much more precious offering than this mortal." Pharaoh took Lady Wolf's hand. "Horus, give me your wings!"

"Seriously?" Alya said as Pharaoh threw her off the beam as Ladybug caught her. "Excuse you, but I make excellent sacrificing material!"

"You win, Pharaoh..." I pretend to take off my bracelet, then tricked the Pharaoh and grabbed his pendent without his knowledge. " You want my miraculous? Go get it!" She threw her fake bracelet. Pharaoh went after it only to find it's fake a bit too late.

"A toy?" The Pharaoh screeched. "You tricked me!" Lady Wolf punched the pendant and threw it down for Ladybug to get the akuma.

"No more evil doing for you, little Akuma! Time to de-evilize!" Ladybug caught the akuma. "Gotcha!" Ladybug purifed the Akuma before releasing it. "Bye, Bye, little butterfly!" She then threw the lucky charm in the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!" Everything began to turn back to normal as Lady Wolf slid down the glass pyramid.

"Thanks, Ladybug! But, uh, I still gotta ask: how old are you, really?"

"Much older than a high school student, that's for sure!" Ladybug swung away.

"Don't you wanna know how old I am?" Chat asked as he smirked.

"Looks like I'll be able to tell for myself." Alya pointed at his ring to show he was about to turn back as he panicked and ran off as Lady Wolf and Alya chuckled.

"Well, that's my cue to leave." I left without another word as I headed back in my room before changing back.

"Man am I tired." Alpha complained as he tiredly flew to the plate of brownies left on her desk.

"How come you never told me you annoyed more people than just me?" I asked.

"What do you mean annoyed?"

"Well, during the fight. there was another Lady Wolf 5000 years ago."

"Oh,"

"Was there really more Lady Wolf's before me?"

"Many,"

"At least now I know I'm not the first to be stuck with you," I playfully sighed.

"What's that supposed to mean!" I chuckled as I sat down on my chair.

"Nothing."

"Y/n!!!"

[sami-at-ciela]

Prompt 6: Avatar

Or: “There’s too much wild crap going on for one ‘or’ line.”

I had a long chat with a buddy about how the amaro are basically dogs, and I thought about making my dogs into amaros. Sparki was a miniature schnauzer who loved me to bits but had an incredible attitude problem towards everyone else. Clearly, she’s a model amaro (maybe, maybe not).

I want to apologize in advance for the leaning on the 4th wall that shows up later in the story, but also? Nah. Revel in it.

The village of amaros had one odd dragonbird in its ranks.

Sparki was a pygmy amaro with a distinct fluffy while beard and an attitude. The first thing she did when she left her roost that morning was argue with Seto.

“Hey, Seto,” she barked, flapping over his roost walls and landing right in front of him. “Got a question for ya. That jock-looking guy you always palled around with-”

Seto gave a harrumph befitting his stature. “His name was Ardbert, Sparki, and you know it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sparki grumped, flapping her wings in a dismissive huffy gesture. “Do you know if he had any kids who might have carried on the adventuring business?”

“No,” Seto grunted. “Why are you asking this now?”

Sparki gave a dracoavian shrug. “I dunno, I saw you with the pretty Viis lady in yellow, and she found your medallion and you got all mushy-gushy over it, and it got me thinking: I wanna go on an adventure, too. I remember, before I could talk, I always came by to yell at you and Ardbert and bite his ankles. It was a good time.”

Seto heaved his best exasperated sigh. “Yes, I remember as well, even if all we heard at the time was aggressive gweeing and the panicking of the rookery keeper as he came to retrieve you.”

“Meh. Idiot should have fixed the hole in the gates faster then. Too bad there is no gate anymore.” A beat passed, and Sparki changed her focus. “So! I think I’m gonna go on that adventure. I already packed some food and water, but what else do you think I need? Aside from a traveling companion who’s big and strong- or small and strong- and can make sure I don’t get my ass bitten by a Sin Eater?”

“How did you pack-” Seto shook his head. That bit of minutiae wasn’t important. “Sparki, you should be more willing to ensure that your companion isn’t bitten by a Sin Eater instead.”

“Oh, please! If I find a good buddy, they’re gonna be my ride or die. I swear it on my honor as an amaro! I wouldn’t be an amaro at all if I didn’t love people. Like, seriously.” Sparki huffed through her nose as her mind drifted. “Don’t get me wrong. I miss the hells out of my master. We went through so much crap together. No one else would make me wag my butt harder.”

“That has always been a strange habit of yours,” Seto cut in. “If you truly plan to seek a new master for whatever reason, I would advise visiting the Nu Mou some malms away. As faithfully industrious as they are, they may very well have a lead or two for you.”

Sparki raised one wing in a mimic of a salute. “Thanks for the tip, old pal! I think I’ll head straight for ‘em. See you when I make the big time!”

“What ‘big time?’” Seto scoffed, but it was too late. Sparki had already taken off and was cackling a most distinctive “Gwee-hee-hee-hee!”

From above, the Nu Mou settlement was easy to spot, and she whooped down right in front of one that nearly fell over from surprise. “An amaro? What brings you here?” they asked.

“I’m going on an adventure, my lop-eared friend,” Sparki declared. “I was told you folks might have a lead for me to go to or a person to meet. But I’m no idiot! I wouldn’t dare ask you for a favor without giving you patronage first.”

The Nu Mou cocked their head. “Normally it is the patronage of men we seek, but in these desperate times, any patron is welcome. I suppose, while I don’t know of any special travelers beyond the ones who slew the Lightwarden, I can make it easier for you to meet more people.”

“Oh? And how would you do that?”

“I would design a glamour for you to disguise yourself as a person.”

Sparki goggled at the notion. “Count me in! That sounds awesome! What do I gotta do to help with that?”

“I require a certain type of very reflective fish from the river,” the Nu Mou said. “If you find me three, I can begin the process.”

“A very reflective fish…? Oh yeah! I know those! They were supposed to be my lunch, but I can find more easy-peasy.” Sparki stuck her nose into a saddlebag and flicked out three sparkling fish. “How’s this?”

The Nu Mou surveyed the offerings and nodded. “I applaud your preparation. These are indeed the right kind. Allow me to set them up, and we can get started.”

The three fish were laid out in a line and accompanied by gemstones and special herbs. The Nu Mou waved their wand, and a projected image shimmered over the fish. “I’ve decided to start with a dwarf as a base,” they said. “Or… something like one.”

People from the Source would have called the not-quite-a-dwarf a Lalafell.

“Huh, neat. Do I get to pick stuff out, or are you gonna choose for me?”

“I have preset options, but you are free to choose from them.”

The next half hour or so was spent grumbling about hairstyles, eye shapes and colors, and the precise angle of eyebrows. Eventually, Sparki chose her glamour: a Lalafell with black hair that faded to grey tied up in buns, deep blue eyes, and the distinct lack of pupils of a Dunesfolk.

“This is too cool,” Spari beamed. “There’s no option for me to keep my beard though. Can you fix that?”

The Nu Mou shook their head. “It would require more coding than I am capable of.”

“Coding?”

“Yes, coding. Magical programming. It’s an emerging field and nothing you need worry too much about as a front-end user.”

“Huh… okay.” Sparki shrugged and shook herself off. “So, how do I put it on?”

“I do that for you.” The Nu Mou uttered a spell in fae-speak, pointed their wand at Sparki, and in a flash of aether, she took the form of the pictured Lalafell.

“Oooooooh!” Sparki squealed as she marveled at her new form, flexing her fingers and tapping her toes on the ground. “This is wizardry! Literally! You bet  I’m giving you another fish as a tip.”

The Nu Mou began to flail. “Please, we do not require or even accept tips! We Nu Mou ask for only our established patronages, no more, no less!”

Sparki stopped testing her glamour body out, dug around in what had been her saddlebag, and flung out an extra fish. “Take. the. Tip,” she grunted. “Either that or increase your prices. Don’t undersell yourself. Three shiny fish ain’t nothing compared to the awesomeness of this glam.”

“I-I wouldn’t feel comfortable raising my prices!” the Nu Mou sputtered.

“Fine, fine, just know what you’re worth, okay? And don’t be afraid to ask for coffee. Or tea. Or even a monthly payment of 500 gil!” Sparki looked to the sky. “Aw, crap, I can’t fly in this form- wait a second.” In a display unlike anything seen thus far, she made her wings clip through the back of her avatar. “There we go!”

The Nu Mou gasped in horror, clutching the extra fish close. “Y-you can’t request a glamour like that and then immediately break it!”

“Meh, I’ll figure out how to put ‘em back later,” Sparki muttered, ignoring how aghast the fae in front of her was. “Seriously? I owe you one. When I make it big, I’m gonna make sure you’re properly credited, just you wait!”

Before the Nu Mou could object, the amarofell took off, gwee-hee-heeing all the way.

[helis97]

Now that I have revealed the ending of my other comic, it is only fair that I do the same with this one as well. As much a sit pains me to be unable to continue this comic, whose story I really liked a lot, if I can’t share it with you guys It’s as good as I never said it. So without further delay: HERE’S HOW THE STORY OF MY FANCOMIC TFP_DarkHopes WAS SUPPOSED TO END:

We are left at the end of chapter 1 with Megatron leaving Shockwave in his room after giving him his last statement. As revealed on the last page of the chapter, Soundwave is aboard the ship and seems to be up to no good (alongside Slipstream).

The story starts again with C.P., aka Chemical Preceptor (who we met in the first page of chapter 1), just not having a drink at the table. In the same room there are also Scourge, his sister Flama and a bunch of other Cybertronian. The kids are doing their homework while the others are simply eager for the ship to arrive  on Cybertron and load the first bach of citizens.

Flamethrower interrupts an annoyed C.P. telling him that not only he wasn’t able to intercept Megatron, but now the giant warlord just went to talk to the Captain. An alarmed C.P. blasts out the bar while several all same looking guards try to stop him telling him that it’s all right.

In the Captain’s office, Megatron is discussing with Captain Blatula, a single eyed black bot, and Driver Spiritus, a yellow bot who reassembles Knockout’s model. Blatula is explaining the nature of the ship: the ship’s name is YonderLight and was used as a home by many refugees during the war when the planet died. After many years, and the rebirth of planet Cybertron, the ship was completely restored and is now heading back to Cybertron to pick up the old residents, who wants to continue their life aboard the ship, and other cybertronians in general that are interested in making the ships their new home, or simply wants to travel for a while.

Blatula, talking to Megatron, tells him that the ship is not labeled Autobot or Decepticon so that anyone, in the respect of the law of the ship, is welcome aboard. However, if Megatron wants to stay aboard, he’ll have to both change his name and his appearance, not to mention that Sipsi (who is present in the room) will stay with him for a while to be sure he’s not a danger.

Megatron wonders if its safe for something like him to even exist around innocent bots, but his flow of thought is interrupted by C.P. angrily bolting inside the room with a storm of all same looking yellow guards behind. As C.P. yells at the captain, Spiritus apologizes for not being able to stop the angry bot from reaching the office. C.P. tells Blatula that he’s making a grave mistake allowing so many dangerous monsters aboard the ship, and that Shockwave was already a big risk.

Megatron is surprised by the fact that the yellow guards seem to speak simultaneously and soon notices that they all reassemble Spiritus. Sipsi explain that Spiritus is a single brain projected thought the whole ship, as he’s the Driver literally, and has many vessels.

C.P. turns his attention from the very annoyed Blatula to Sipsi, who is sitting on Megatron’s shouleder. He tries to reach for her awkwardly, as the height difference between him and Megatroni is consistent. Spiritus explains that their decision to let Shockwave on was taken not only considering the possibility of receiving the formula of the synthetic Energon, but also because apparently he was on the run with two very young bots, Scourge and Flama.

Theirs was simply an act of mercy-Spiritus and all the clones lag horribly as their grotesque voices yell that there are intruders in the Ventriculus. Everyone in the room jolts as Spiritus returns in control.

In a separate room off the ship Soundwave watches a Spiritus’ clone, broken on the ground. Slipstream explains that killing the guards is pointless as they are the Drivers’ vessels and now the whole ship is probably in panic mode. Soundwave brushes her off saying that soon it won’t matter anymore, but Slipstream stops him telling him that he better follow her lead as she has already been on the ship and knows it’s proprieties better than him. Soundwave silently stares at her.

Back on top of the ship Megatron, Sipsi, C.P. and Blatula are running down the hallway. Megatron asks what the Ventricoulus is and Sipsi explains that it’s one of the very few roads that leads directly to the Driver’s room, where Spiritus is actually located. If something happens to him, the ship is doomed. C.P. argues that is way too dangerous for Sipsi and him to go stop the intruders, but Sipsi is not going down Megatron’s shoulder, and so C.P. tags along.

Spiritus informs that the intruders are two bots, one of which is Slipstream (an old spine in the back) and a blue unknown bot. Megatron remembers vaguely to have worked with Slipstream in the past and recollects that she had the strange ability to get inside every building with no problem. With this thought in the back of his mind, he’s now very scared of loosing his new found home.

Ate the end of the hallway they meet the two intruders, Slipstream and… Soundwave?!

The now ex warlord orders Spiritus to spare his precious vessels as they would simply get destroyed. Blatula transforms into his inceticon form and warns Soundwave to stand down as he’s guilty of attacking the Driver. As an answer Soundwave emits a low frequency noise that hurts Blatula’s sensible hearing.

Megatron steps in angrily asking Soundwave, what he’s doing here, but Soundwave answers Megatron with his own registered question. Megatron freezes.

C.P. immediately accuses Shockwave to be part of this organized attack while honestly hoping to be wrong, but Megatron tells him that he might be right.

As Soundwave repeats Megatron’s registered question, the ex-warlord answer that he’s taking a break from everything and that is making that ship his home. As Soundwave repeats “taking a break” he starts talking with his voice, asking if Megatron will return after his break.

Megatron stares at him motionless. No, he’s never going back and if he had listened to his conversation with Shockwave (as he’s sure he did at this point) then he’ll even know why.

Soundwave looks down at his feet and with the saddest voice says:”We have failed you. Unicron hurt you.” Megatron takes a few steps back, alarmed by what Soundwave just said. No, it wasn’t the Unicron, he just thinks what he did is wrong… it was his own consciousness- he’s not scared, he’s not scared, or is he?

A feminine voice talks to his back and suggests him to ask it to his Mnemosurgeon. Megatron turns around to see Slipstream, coming half out of the ground like a ghost. She grabs him by his leg and drags him throughout the floor as he (and Sispsi who is on his shoulder) become intangible with her.

They cross the whole ship until they are out. Slipstream lets Megatron go and now both he and Sipsi are floating in space.

Inside the ship the situation is tragic. Soundwave and Slipstream are now in the Driver’s room, right in front of Spiritus’ body, or what’s left of it. Spiritus is inside a big cylinder full of liquid, his body missing several parts, he obviously can’t survive outside the containment. His head completely wired into the system. The thick glass would be impossible to penetrate normally.

Soundwave takes a mechanical spear with a shard of dark Energon on it and gives it to his partner. Slipstream uses her ability to become intangible and is able to penetrate the glass jamming the spear in Spiritus’ head. The whole ship screams. Shockwave from his room understands that the plan is in motion and exit his room with his Predacon, Galvatron.

Sipsi and Megatron watch the ship getting farther, Cybertron is visible, they are so close to home. Sipsi tells him to move and blast toward the ship, but Megatron seems to have given up already. He tells her how stupid he was to believe he could simply continue living alongside other living being. He then asks Sipsi what she sees when she looks in his mind. Now that he knows that she’s a Mnemosurgeon he understands why Blatula wanted her to check on him.

Sipsi doesn’t hide anything, of course they had to be sure! He’s Megatron damn it! But when he was offline, and they had to decide to put him down, she saw something in him, a spark of pity, a drop of humility, a river of remorse. But the greatest thing she found was the will to change into a better being.

Megatron asks her what she sees now; Sipsi replies saying that she sees a scared beast, a creature who doesn’t know how to stop his own creations. Sipsi begs Megatro to be strong and help her save her friends, her Sparkmate and her home. Megatron visualizes in his mind the Ghost a second time, he realizes that it was Sipsi. She also reveals that C.P. is her Sparkmate and that if he can’t fight for his own happiness, he can fight for hers. Megatron transforms a bolt toward the ship.

On Cybertron a crowd of cybertronians is waiting the arrival of the ship. We see a blue both with big wings, Thundercraker, talking to his hooded brother. He reassures him that once on the ship he’ll find a way to help him. Starscream from his hood looks at the sky with absent eyes. The crowd jolt as the ship crosses the clouds, but it’s not a ship anymore, it transformed! It’s monstrous, like a giant lantern fish. On top of that monstrosity is Shockwave.

As Megatron approaches he notices the odd shape that the ship has taken. Sipsi explain to him that before the ship was a Titan, a gigantic artificial Cybertronian, meant to take care of its citizen in case of catastrophe, but during the long period of wander, an infestation of SkrappHeads devoured the Titan’t brain, and Spiritus sacrificed to become the new “brain”.

As they get closer they see Autobots' air forces struggling to keep at bay a ferocious Galvatron. This diversion allows Megatron and Sipsi to pass unnoticed to the beast, and arrive directly do it’s master.

Inside the ship, there’s panic as the shape of the rooms are now warped. Scourge and Flama are curled under a table now fearing the worst.

In the Driver’s room C.P. and Blatula are kept down by now corrupted Spiritus’ clones while Slipstream is talking non stop for the excitement. She wonders what Shockwave has in mind, with a weapon like this they can literally do anything they want. She can’t wait to find her brothers and scoop them up. She wonders if any Decepticons was ever as talented as her, not even the mighty Megatron could nothing against her power, the secret is keeping once ability secret. The thing that Soundwave is very aware of and that’s why he waited the last second to stab Slipstream in the stomach with its bare hand. And now she’s on the floor, soaking in her own Energon. Soundwave doesn’t need her anymore and she’s too dangerous to keep alive.

Outside Megatron and Shockwave are face to face. The mad scientist explains how all of this is necessary to renew the fear; that after such a long time of peace a strong demonstration of terror is needed to heal the name of the Decepticons. Megatron stares at him bored. Shockwave then continues to say how he and many other Decepticons were forced into hiding and despair after that Megatron disappeared. Shockwave is doing all of this to ensure power again.

Megatron shushes him, now very annoyed. He tells with absolute calmness that he knows that Shockwave doesn’t give a crap about anyone, not even his young Sparkling, that could be potentially in danger right now. While he’s not sure what goes in Sounwave’s mind, Megatron knows the mad scientist too well to be fooled by his facade. Shockwave just wants to return to experiment, and with an all Autobot world he can’t do that! Was raising a life, not entertaining enough? Megatron asks to his friend. Or was he chased by someone with a score to settle?

Shockwave is now pointing his cannon at him, but Megatron continues. He mocks the scientist, who with all that knowledge decided to bring back to life fossiles and turn space ships into fishes.

Shockwave, a little angry, asks what’s the point of all this useless talk. Megatron responds by throwing Sipsi at him like a frisbee. He misses him by a lot, and the two remains to stare at each other, with Megatron objecting to Shockwave that he could at least laugh. The scientist responds by opening fire.

Megatron takes shelter behind a protrusion of the ship.

Inside the Driver’s chamber Soundwave prepares to kill Blatula and C.P.

Magatron outside keeps mocking Shockwave, he tells him “You can’t give the formula of the synthetic Energon to them, it’s not your invention to begin with, it’s Ratchet’s!” the blasting gets more intense.

Soundwave releases his tentacle arms ready to electrify to death his prisoners, but the arms stop and don’t sterch further enough.

Sipsi slowly but steadily makes a complete circle, fixing her direction with her tiny rockets.

Slipstream has sunk her hands in Soundwave’s body, she grabs the ends of the tentacle arms and any other organs in the way, and pulls out.

Sipsi arrives to attach to Shockwave’s upper back with surgical precision.

Soundwave screams in agony as his organs are pulled out.

Shockwave screams in terror as he feels his arms and legs fail.

With her last srengh slipstream extract the corrupting spear from Spiritus’s head and faints.

The ship takes a hard turn, just in time to avoid hitting a sea of terrified cybertronians. Shockwave loses his balance and falls off the ship.

Shockwave hits many corners of the ship before landing on the ground; he hits hard enough to detach Sipsi’s needles from his body. He quickly gets up and angrily aims his cannon at the Minicon, but Megatron lands besides him and with two arms grabs the canon and yanks it off. To Sipsi’s surprise, under Shockwave’s canon, there’s actually an arm.

As the scientist cowards back on his knees Megatron explains to Sipsi that Shockwave adores messing with other people, but hates it if the same thing happens to him, therefore he would have never actually cut off his arm to replace it with a canon.

Shockwave now cornered tells Megatron that, if he doesn’t let him go, he’ll tell everyone about him and he’ll never be able to live aboard the ship. Megatron tells him that to solve the issue the only logical thing is to kill him. The mad scientist scream in horror as Megatro rises up Shockwave’s canon against his previous owner.

Megatron suddenly hears Galvatron comimg at him at high speed, he turns around ready for the worst, but Spiritus has already taken back control, a quik maneuver and the giant lantern fish bites the Predacon in half. Galvatro falls near them, dead.

Inside the ship, Flama starts crying.

Shockwave pervaded by emotion rushes towards Galvatron, who exhale his last breath into his master's arms.

Megatron drops the canon on the grown and starts walking toward Shockwave.

Many hours later the ship is fully operating again and people are starting to go aboard. Megatron, Sipsi and C.P. are not there to welcome the newcomers. The three are in fact at the lowest level of the ship in the penitentiary area. Spiritus informs them that Slipstream survived and, if she behave, she will be given the opportunity to stay, rather than be forced to. He exits the room as the trio turns their attention to two small cells, each containing a prisoner. Shockwave and Soundwave look at the ex-warlord silently.

The mad scientist is the first to talk, asking when he’ll be aloud to see Scourge and Flama.

C.P. with a smug answer him that they will take care of them and that he doesn’t have to worry.

As the three are leaving Megatron hears his name being called by Soundwave, he turns around to see his once most loyal Decepticon closed into a tiny cage. Sounwave watches him without saying a word. Megatron would like to say something, but in the end decides to just leave.

While going back at the main hallway Blatula gifts Megatron a helmet to roughly hide his identity.

Moments later Sipsi and C.P. are approached by Thundercraker who asks for their help in order to heal the shattered brain of his brother, Starscream.

Megatron watches them leave, then sits down to look at the affluence of people. He sees all kinds of cybertronians going in an out. He feels like his eyes are starting to close, he’s tired. He gets up and walks back to his room. He really needs to sleep now.

[eirabach]

For @gumnut-logic 's FabFiveFeb Challenge

Prompt Two - Gordon

[Can't / No clothes]

Also inspired by Nutty's TAG ages meta, because it gave me *emotions*. I'm super sorry. Added Vance Joy because it’s Gordon.

---

Under the surface you don't know what you'll find,

Until it's your time.

---

The night that Jeff Tracy took humanity's first step on the surface of Mars, he had three little boys watching at home. Gordon, he liked to say, was born of the fall out. A child created in a whirlwind of press tours and ticker tape and eventually brought home to that quiet little homestead that would never be truly quiet or homely again. 

By the time Gordon became a Tracy being a Tracy mattered. And sure money's great and influence is better, but Gordon's sixteen years old with sunlight in his hair and his eyes and his soul, and for him, for him the best part of being a Tracy is that no one ever tells you you can't.

Not that Gordon would listen if they did.

Because the other important thing to know about being a Tracy, is that Gordon isn't very good at it.

He's uninterested in physics or engineering or math. He has minimal desire to blow things up or shoot people or study space dust. He likes a party and he loves people, but he's miserable in a cummerbund and he kinda never understood capitalism.

When you're fourth, you gotta find your own way to be first. And all right Scott's a fighter pilot and John's a genius and Virgil's some sort of goddamn savant, but at least Alan can't even tie his shoelaces yet so Gordon's got one up on him. Gordon doesn't even wear shoes. Doesn't wear much of anything at all except teeny weeny trunks splattered red, white and blue.

Gordon won't be a hero, won't have a theory named after him, but what Gordon will have will be his.

Gordon's going for gold.

His muscles burn and his hair turns green and he sweats chlorine into his sheets every night, but that doesn't matter. Nothing matters but the next millisecond, the turn, the cleanness of his touch. He can't care about anything but his coach's thumb hovering over the stopwatch and the crest of his fly because it's coming. Gold. It's coming, and it's everything.

Everything.

---

Dad calls on Wednesdays at three. Alan calls at midnight just to hear him swear. He gets weekly updates on daring-do from Scott and a monthly serving of sarcasm and space babble from John.

Virgil calls because they tend to forget.

"You gonna come home, you think? Before?"

Virgil looks different, his floppy black hair cropped short, band shirts exchanged for some weird quasi military uniform. He's still watching Gordon shovel food down his throat with an expression of disgusted awe, though, so some things never change.

"Dunno." Gordon shrugs, mouth full. "Gotta keep training. Four months to go, can't lose form now."

"You should come, there's -- there's a lot changed around here," says Virgil, like that's a reason. Then, when Gordon just chews at him in reply, "Dad built you a pool."

And maybe that's a reason, after all.

Cause sure, his dad's never told him he can't, but Gordon's been gone a long time, and he's not sure he remembers the last time his dad told him he could.

---

Home's not the farm anymore, or the ranch, or the townhouse in Manhattan. Home is some island a billion miles from anywhere, where huge portraits of his older brothers stare expressionlessly down at him and his shoes squeak on the super shiny floor, humidity making his tracksuit stick to his back. 

Gordon has only really spent a few weeks here, his training all taking place under the eagle eye of Uncle Sam and sponsored entirely by Old Glory, but he doesn't remember it like this. 

The decor is still retro spy movie meets crazy billionaire with paranoia problems, and his bedroom is pretty much as he left it, but nothing else seems familiar at all. He'd left Tracy Two in a great cavernous hanger that would have been overkill even for one of dad's crazy projects, Kyrano had rushed him past huge shadowy behemoths that suggested, pretty damn strongly, that Jeff Tracy is in the midst of another too easily financed midlife crisis.

"Please tell me he isn't planning world domination," Gordon had only half joked as they’d emerged into the brightness of the villa proper. "He'd look awful in lycra."

Kyrano had glared at him, swirled back into the bowels of the island, and left him with Scott.

Scott is wearing lycra.

He's sitting behind their dad's desk, two high points of colour in his cheeks and his eyes bright with something Gordon can't name as he pours over datasets. All he's missing to complete the look is a fluffy white cat and a maniacal laugh.

"Hey. Hey." Nothing. Scott mutters to himself as he sweeps his fingers through warning signs. "Scotty, hey!"

Scott looks up.  Blinks. Blinks again.

"Gordon?"

"The one and only."

Scott stands, still grossly tall, and moves to ruffle Gordon's hair. It's not as easy as it used to be, there's an actual lift of his hand, and Gordon can't help but feel satisfaction creep into his bones. 

"You grew."

"Hear it happens."

"Got a girlfriend?"

"Got a pillow."

"Tragic."

"That's me." Gordon throws his arm across his eyes and flops backwards onto the sofa. "Sacrificing everything in pursuit of a noble goal. Hold tight, beautiful people. Only three more months and I'm yours."

He peeks out from behalf of his elbow to see Scott standing over him, arms folded, lips twisted into something a bit like a fond smile. A bit. 

Something unpleasant settles in Gordon's stomach.

"What are you doing desk work for? I thought you were out there --" He gestures to the cloudless sky beyond the glass wall. "Y'know. Saving the world."

Scott opens his mouth, but then there's a chime from the desk and Alan hollering from the staircase and Grandma crushing him to her chest, and Gordon is left to wonder.

---

Scott isn't the only thing that's strange.

There's a fish tank in the corner, empty but for a little model sub from that docudrama he and John used to love to watch with Mom, but when he lays his hand on the glass it hums beneath his fingers and makes his teeth ache. 

John's not here, replaced as resident super nerd by some guy they call Brains who makes John look dumb. Dad isn't there, either, but that's okay. Nor is Gordon, really.

He's lived apart from his family for the best part of two years, he shouldn't be surprised that they've changed. That's he's changed. But somehow, it doesn't feel like he has.

Alan's finally learned to tie his laces but still never bothers, Virgil's taken out his piercing, Grandma is being followed by a robot dog, but Gordon is still the same kid with the same dreams and he isn't sure what anybody else's dreams are anymore. Virgil's in a uniform and Scott's out of his and John is gone and Alan's looking at him like he knows stuff.

This is impossible, of course. Alan is an infant. This is the abiding certainty of Gordon's life and he intends to prove it this evening with three rubber spiders and a trapeze but whatever.

It's just that Gordon isn't quite sure where he fits, just like he doesn't know where to sit when holograms of the great and the good appear in his living room. Doesn't quite know what to make of the way their eyes skip over him to rest on Scott, or Virgil, and where the hell is John, anyway?

"Top secret," Alan says, all pre-teen smugness, "can't tell you."

"Dad'll be home soon," Virgil adds, ever the peacekeeper, "I'm sure he'll tell you everything."

Gordon's not so sure and Scott says nothing at all except a vehement 'no!' when Gordon dares to suggest going for a swim. 

So much for the pool, then.

---

Night is falling and Gordon's already ready for bed when the roar of engines fills the air and the whole family dart for the window, faces pressed against the glass. Gordon hovers behind them, unsure of his place, until Scott grabs him bodily by the elbow and drags him downstairs to where the deck leads down to the pool.

"Come on! You got to see this!"

It's a thing to see, all right. The pool withdraws beneath the villa itself, leaving a great gaping hole in the earth into which a great silver plane descends, jets first. And Gordon remembers the TV-21 and his father's fascination with speed and grace and more speed -- it's the one thing they have in common after all -- but this, this is something else. 

She disappears into the ground, and the pool sweeps over her, only the sway of the water left as evidence. Scott turns to him with an almost hysterical glee.

"Did you see that!?"

Gordon would have pointed out that he'd have to have been dead blind and comatose not to have seen it, but Scott's practically bouncing on his toes, his expression full of what Gordon recognises as real, true love.

"Isn't she beautiful? Come on, come on, Dad's gotta debrief and then --"

"Scott!" They both snap to attention, immediately turning to where their father stands, towering over both of them from the top of the stairs. "Debrief can wait. Let me see your brother."

Scott darts off, probably to hump the shiny thing, and Dad approaches Gordon, his eyes shining, dirt on his cheek.

"What do you think of her, son?"

"I think you've safely guaranteed Scotty won't be bringing you home any surprise grandbabies."

Dad snorts, clapping Gordon on the shoulder and turning him back toward the pool. They head out across the deck together, Gordon barefoot in only his sleep shorts, Jeff in a uniform like Scott's only gently singed.

"I've missed you. How's training?"

Gordon half shrugs. "Wet. Good. Pretty tiring."

Jeff looks him up and down with a critical eye "So I imagine. It looks good on you."

Gordon stretches and grins. "No more noodle arms, right?"

Jeff blinks, and for a moment Gordon almost thinks he sees something like sadness in his eyes, but it's soon gone and his dad's turning him to face the pool again.

"Will it do? I know it's not Olympic standard but we needed some room for the house and --"

"Dad," he says, because his dad is rambling and his dad never rambles. "Dad what's going on?"

Jeff looks down into the pool. The stars flicker into being in his reflection.

"Forest fire. Family home was cut off."

"Your rescue thing. You saved them."

Jeff looks at him, Gordon watches in the water as he schools his features, tightens his jaw. "This time.

"Scott and Virgil?"

"Are involved, yes."

"And John?"

Jeff looks up then, up to the darkening sky, and points. "We built a satellite. It monitors distress calls from all over the world - and beyond."

"Makes sense. Space case."

"Play to your strengths, isn't that what they say?"

"What about Alan?"

"Alan's eleven, Gordon. Even my insanity has its limits."

"And you built me a pool?"

"And I built you a pool. Is it -- " a breath where Gordon wouldn't expect to hear one "is it all right?"

"All right?" Gordon turns to him and grins. "It's perfect."

Because okay, so it's only a short course, and it occasionally has a supersonic plane blasting through it, but it's a pool and it's for him, and that's better than Scotty's super special plane. 

His dad's clapping him on the back again and smiling and that's better than any top secret technology. 

It makes a strange island full of strange things feel a little bit more like home.

Jeff's off again already though, gesturing to the round building above the villa and going on about blast radius and Gordon's content to just watch for a moment, to bask in that feeling for as long as it lasts. Then the subject changes.

"We'll be in Cape Town for the opening ceremony, of course, and I've made arrangements to ensure we can all make your races. I'm sure it won't shock you to hear Alan's made t shirts and John's bringing a banner. I hope it's safe for television."

His eyes snap to his dad's.

"John's coming?"

His dad's eyebrows twitch. "You think he'd miss it? Gordon, none of us will miss this. Not for the world. And as you now know, I mean that quite literally."

Gordon nods, mutely. There's a build up of something in his chest. Lactic acid squeezing his heart. His dad takes pity.

"What about September? Are you still planning on marine biology?"

Gordon scuffs at the tile with his bare heel. This is a conversation he's been avoiding for a long time, now. The after.

"Yeah. UCLA."

"California?"

Gordon shrugs.

"You don't seem keen? Sydney have an excellent program, do you --" Gordon feels more than hears the shudder in his dad's exhale. "No, no Jeff stop it. You tell me, Gordy. What do you want to do?"

Gordon's voice is never small, but it's as close as it's ever been. "Was thinking WASP."

Both of his dad's eyebrows disappear into his hairline. "The military? You?"

It's not an unexpected reaction. Gordon scoffs. "You wound me, Dad. Maybe I have hidden depths."

"I don't doubt that for a moment," his dad says, then he looks up, right up, to where the milky way swirls and John sits. “You’re not old enough.”

“Yeah, I know, I thought, college first - couple of years of credits and I can join as an officer.”

“You’re my son, you can join as whatever you damn well please.”

“Dad--”

"Sorry, sorry.” And his Dad’s looking into space and Gordon’s looking down at the water and it’s kinda always been like this, between them. Gordon suspects his dad hates it even more than he does.”You know I'll support you, if that's what you really want."

Gordon finally follows his gaze, imagines John in the vacuum of space, alone with his books and his stars. He wonders if Dad had had this conversation with him, before sending him up there. "That sounds kinda like a don't do it, Dad, I'm not gonna lie."

"Can I be honest?" Gordon nods, because saying no seems kinda harsh, but his heart is thundering faster than after a sprint. "Gordon, when I designed International Rescue, I designed it for you boys. A legacy, I suppose. I wanted --" he shakes his head. "I'm getting to be a selfish old man."

Gordon scowls. "You're the least selfish man I've ever met. Pretty sure those people whose lives you saved today would agree."

Jeff shakes his head.

"I want you to know," he says, "that there will always be a place for you, here, with us, if you want it. But only if you want it." A twitch of Jeff’s lips. “God knows, I could never make you anyway.”

"Thanks, Dad." Then, a wicked grin pulling at the corner of his mouth, "Race you?"

A splash, a shout, laughter rings out into the night and hell it's cheesy but it's true; for a moment Gordon kinda feels like he's already won.

---

The Olympics are due to start in June.

May, and his father dies.

Gordon flies home immediately, thirty thousand feet over Cape Town without even looking down.

He can't.

He has a place in a legacy.

---

[just-a-starfruit]

The Night Sky

This was my submission to the Ateez Storyboard Contest, unfortunately I didn’t make it through to the final voting, but I am proud of myself for even getting the courage to submit something in the first place. It’s been a few years since I’ve written for fun and not for a school assignment, but nonetheless I hope y’all still enjoy it:’) 

Also excuse me if this looks weird, I have never posted to tumblr, please have mercy on me.

Word Count: 1.3k

Warnings: None, but if there is one you feel I need to add, please let me know:)

Yeosang misses the sight of the stars, the city lights and crowded streets were never something he got used to, no matter how long he had lived in Seoul. He misses mapping those stars, and using them to navigate the Illusion over the vast expanse of the sky. 

 The very sky and stars his mother used to sing him to sleep under, and his father would tell him stories about. The sky was boundless, and full of mystery, but here it just felt like a cage. It felt wrong.

He huffs, pushing open the door to the 24 hour fried chicken take out restaurant he begrudgingly got a job at a year back. It’s not that he doesn’t love the food, hell, he could eat it any day without problem. It’s the stuffy environment, the unreliable coworkers, and the fact that his paycheck never seems to reflect his work. It certainly didn’t hold a candle to his previous occupation.

The only thing that keeps him working the graveyard shift here is that it’s the only job that would take a homeless barely legal teen, who definitely sounded drunk from all of the nonsense he was spewing. When he stumbled into the shop, yelling about how a masked man had taken their ship and he needed help. The employee shot him a weird look but took pity on the teen, and listened to him tell story upon story about the Illusion and it’s crew. They believed it to be fiction, oh, how wrong they were. 

Yeosang slept in the police station that night.

When he woke up, it was early in the morning, sunrise, and Yeosang was startled to not hear the crashing of waves or smell the salt of the air, or see the exact position of the sun in the sky. In a panicked haze, he cried out for help, and the officer on duty told him to settle down to no avail. Yeosang was shaking and sobbing, the unfamiliarity of the world he was in now too much to take in at once. 

When he finally calmed down enough to leave, he was handed a bottle of water by the officer, “Maybe head towards the hospital, get an IV for that nasty hangover.”

The boy just looked at him and left without a word. 

He ended up back at the chicken shop, and the employee who had helped him the night previously, ended up talking to a manager, to give the boy a job and let him crash on his couch if he needed. Yeosang accepted the offer gratefully, and slept there for a month or so, until he saved up the money to rent a shoebox apartment he learned was called a goshiwon. It wasn’t the ideal lifestyle, but it would have to do until he could find everyone else.

The sound of snapping jolts Yeosang out of his train of thought, and he’s met face to face with a not too happy looking man, “Oi, I’d like to order finally. These kids get more and more lazy.”

Trying his best to not roll his eyes in front of a customer, the ex navigator smiles and forces an apology, punching in the order.

It was about 3 in the morning before someone else came barreling through the door, and Yeosang peeled his eyes away from the spider web he had been idly watching for the past hour or so. Then his eyes widened.

“San?”

The man’s eyes met his, and recognition and relief washed over his face, 

“Yeosang! What in the name of selene are you doing here?”

“I should ask you the same, how have you been? What are you doing now? Most importantly, where did you end up?”

“I ended up in Japan, in an empty Shinjuku alleyway, but the moment I stepped into a crowded area, I was approached by a modelling agent. I had honestly no clue what was going on, so I accepted. That was four years ago though. I’m here for a photo shoot though.”

Yeosang nearly choked, “Four years? I’ve only been here two.” he then began to tell the former gunner about why he was in a dingy fast food restaurant on the outer streets of Seoul, working the graveyard shift. 

“So if you’re some budding big time model, where is your manager?”

“I ran.” San said, barely above a whisper, as if the walls had ears.

“You what now?” Yeosang was at a loss of words, his mouth gaping open like a hooked fish, gasping for air.

“You heard me, I jumped ship, I felt trapped, strangled by the public to be the new “it” boy of the new generation of models. Most of all, I felt homesick, Yeo, I miss the ocean, the crew, the adventure. None of that is here. So when we were at a redlight, I opened the door to the car and ran as fast as I could.” San stood up at some point, the two having sat at the lone table and chairs that occupied the shop before swapping stories. 

“I see. Have you seen any of the others? Have you heard anything about Hongjoong?”

The model shook his head, “You’re the only member of the crew I’ve seen, I’m sorry Yeo.”

An uncomfortable silence filled the room at the news. The strong headed Captain had gone missing just before the masked man arrived, sending the other seven members into wherever they are today. He had seemed distant that whole day before, it had set the crew into unease. About a week prior to his disappearance and Yeosang’s emergence into the modern world, they had a  meeting with their alters that had gone surprisingly well, finally making amends.

The thoughts of the masked man caused Yeosang to shiver. The build of the man was familiar, yet also alien, resembling one of the taller members, even if all of them were in the same room.

The idea of another set of the boys was a crazy thought, but not impossible, as seen by the black clad masked crew of bandits they met with.

San decided to go home with Yeosang when 5AM finally crawled around, despite the tired employee saying time and time again how small his room was. San didn’t care, anywhere but in the claws of his manager and the gaze of the public would do. 

When they entered the housing complex, Yeosang flipped on a small electric kettle resting on a counter, and set a plastic bag from his work next to it. From a small bin resting beneath the counter, he produced two cup noodles and disposable chopsticks. It was definitely different from what the escaped model was expecting, but he could care less, he was starving.

The kettle switched off when the water inside came to a boil, emitting a small amount of steam from the spout. Yeosang peeled open the lids of the noodle cups a little, and poured water into them, then placed the chopsticks on top of the lid to hold it down. He pulled out a pair of boxes from the plastic bag and popped open one of them to reveal wings from his work, then he handed San a cup noodle. 

“Sannie, while I do appreciate seeing you again, you’re sure I won’t get in trouble for harboring a valuable asset to your company?” He shoves a mouthful of noodles in his mouth and winces, he forgot to blow on them. 

“It’ll be fine, I’ll sweet talk my way out of either of us getting in trouble. I ditched my phone in the car, so it’ll take a while.”

He always was one to think ahead, and never made a move without carefully calculating his actions, even reckless ones. The two boys finished their meal in silence, cleaning up when they were finished.

It was an understatement to say Yeosang was relieved to see one of the members again, afterall it had been two years.

Two years of fear and loneliness in an unfamiliar world. As he closed his eyes, he saw the same image he had always seen: an hourglass with glowing sand frozen in place.

[memorystormsanctuary]

KH Oc Week Day 6

Day 6~ Life’s Perks

Guess what I have never figured out to write because I live to torture my characters. That’s right, I have no idea how to write slice of life things usually. There’s always got to be a little angst, or I am a fish out of water. But I also love a good challenge, so here we go @khoc-week.

Annora loves to go for walks and pull pranks. And while those are some of her favorite past times, her absolute favorite past time is photography. She has a passion for candid shots of other wielders, whether it’s when they’re fighting Heartless or just relaxing in the town. She has so many pictures of her party members that Skuld has declared it stalkerish. But that doesn’t stop her from taking as many pictures as she can. For her it’s a way to hold onto the memories she makes and keep them with her.

Jax shares many of the same past times as Annora, incidentally. But he is much quieter about them than Annora. He enjoys walking through Daybreak Town and just watching all the people there. However when this treads dangerously close to his day job of gathering information for Gula, he secludes himself somewhere with a view and reads. Fun fact about this, Jax didn’t know how to read until just before coming to Daybreak Town. And even though he knows how now, he’s dyslexic so it can actually be really difficult for him. Even so, he still does enjoy all the stories he can find himself lost in when he has the patience to read.

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

Holding the camera at just the right angle was more difficult than she would like to admit. She was standing a few steps back from underneath the windowsill, bending backwards so just barely the edge was in her shot. The occupant of the windowsill was unaware of her, eyes glued to the book resting in his lap. He was curled into a tight ball, only a small bit of space between the book he was holding and his chest. Purple hair fell into his eyes, it looked like he had actually taken out the ponytail he usually wore.

Annora took a few shots before slightly shifting her position. Her feet skidded across the pavement, kicking a few stones back. Any normal subject wouldn’t have moved, but Jax’s head snapped up so quickly Annora hardly had time to register.

For a moment the two just stared at each other. Aqua eyes stared into icy blue ones, neither daring to blink. It was in that moment Annora realized just how strange her position must have looked from Jax’s perspective. She was nearly in a full backbend, trying to get an angle that the sunlight would highlight the features on his face.

“Um, I can explain,” Annora said, after the silence had been filled with Jax’s judging stare for far too long. He only quirked an eyebrow in response. Annora sighed, straightening herself out and brushing her bangs out of her eyes. “Right. Uh, would you believe I was just trying to take a picture of the sky with the roof?”

“Skuld’s right,” Jax said calmly, closing his book. “This is bordering on stalkerish.”

“It’s not stalking!” Annora said, dropping her camera so it hung around her neck. She crossed her arms and looked to the side. “It’s not like I’m looking for you guys. I just happen to find you.”

“Still stalkerish,” Jax said. He leaned over a little, looking at Annora more directly. “How can you even get a picture there?”

“I’m flexible,” Annora answered without hesitation. Jax only shook his head returning to his previous position. “I take it you’re going to tell me to get lost?”

“Yeah,” Jax agreed. Annora sighed but nodded. It was not the first time she had been told to leave her muse alone. Kariya and Zia had only tolerated her for a few moments before Zia had snapped. Skuld was for once nowhere to be found, but since Ven was also missing Annora could only guess it was a Dandelion thing. Takiko hadn’t even let her take one shot. He only glared at her from the moment she had appeared. Annora knew well enough to leave before he somehow managed to make her pay for it.

At the very least, wandering Daybreak Town was never boring. As long as Annora had lived in the town she always managed to find something new around every corner. It was a good way to pass the time on days like this when missions were already done, and the party was all doing their own sort of thing. But there wasn’t enough life to make it worth it. At least not for a photo shoot. Annora hated empty photo’s without people to make them interesting.

Reaching the fountain square, Annora sat at the edge of the fountain a heavy sigh. She held up her camera, looking through the pictures she had taken that day. There were a few good ones of Jax. The Leopardus guy who was always wearing a hat had let her take a few shots of him while he did some sort of science experiment in a Moogle shop. While in the gardens she had managed to find Lauriam tending to some of the flowers before he had another engagement. It had been a fairly successful day, but she still had too much time.

“I could always ask Chirithy, I guess,” Annora said to herself. She sighed leaning her head back to look at the sky. She froze, her eyes landing on a young girl resting on the roof of a nearby house.

It wasn’t the first time Annora had seen this girl. It had just been a few weeks ago she had run into her, quite literally. She had been a shy and stuttering mess at the time. Only really speaking when her brother had come and spoken for her. But even then she never spoke to Annora.

Slowly Annora raised her camera, focusing in on the orange haired girl. Her eyes were pointed to the sky, the seawater green reflecting the light perfectly. It would be hard to capture from such a distance. Fortunately the color of her hair brought out her eyes, and her white clothes kept her image simple. With her knees pulled to her chest she seemed even more like a child than most other wielders, but she had to be close to Annora’s age.

It took a few moments for the orange-haired girl to notice Annora. Her eyes widened as her cheeks dusted with a bright red. Annora chuckled lowering her camera again. Of course not before capturing the expression that had crossed her face. Annora stood brushing herself off and walking towards the building the orange-haired girl was perched on. She stopped as close as she could get before the girl was out of her sightline, which was unfortunately not very close.

“Hey, Strelitzia, what are you up to?” Annora asked. Strelitzia’s cheeks only got redder as she looked away, hiding behind her arm. She muttered some kind of response, but whatever it was Annora didn’t catch. She chuckled again, putting her hands behind her back. “It’s ok, I still swear I don’t bite. Wanna come hangout with me?”

Annora hadn’t thought it would be possible for Strelitzia to go anymore red in the face. But once again the girl’s face seemed to turn an even darker shade of red. It was cute. Annora didn’t move, giving Strelitzia whatever time she would need to weigh over the options in her head. Very slowly Strelitzia got to her feet and walked to the edge of the roof and jumped off, landing neatly in the fountain square. She walked to Annora, eyes down at the ground.

“Great, got anywhere you want to go?” Annora asked. Strelitzia shook her head. “Hm, then why don’t you help me?”

“W-with what?” Strelitzia asked, not daring to look up. It was a shame, up close Annora would have been able to properly appreciate the color of her eyes. All the same, it was the first time Strelitzia had spoken to her directly, and that was a start.

“Today’s my party’s day off, so I’m trying to get some good photo’s taken,” Annora explained, holding up her camera to further demonstrate her point. “The only problem is no one seems to want to tolerate me long enough to get many. Think you could be a model for me?”

“M-me?” Strelitzia asked, finally looking at Annora. Once again her eyes were wide, but it allowed for more of the green color to be seen. Her lips were slightly parted, only enough to allow for the subtle shocked look to fall on her features.

“Yeah,” Annora said. She couldn’t make herself look away. “I mean, I did already kinda take a few of you up on that roof. And you’re really expressive. I think I have a great spot in mind.”

“Um, I guess, that’s ok,” Strelitzia said, her eyes again falling to the side. Her arms went behind her back as a light pink dusted her cheeks again. Annora took a few steps back, quickly raising her camera and taking a picture. Strelitzia looked up in surprise after hearing the click.

“Sorry, that was perfect,” Annora chuckled, lowering her camera. She smiled, watching as the pink darkened. “Anyway, come on!”

Annora took Strelitzia’s arm, practically dragging her through the town. Strelitzia stumbled, trying to keep up. Annora could only chuckle turning to look at her as they made their way through town. There were plenty of places she could think to take Strelitzia. To the river through the town under the foreteller’s tower. To the lighthouse and the beach. To the gardens. To the meadow outside of town filled with flowers. Maybe even the cliffs that looked over the entire town. Wherever they went there was one thing Annora was certain of. The pictures were going to turn out perfect.