#I am an avid bug lover

[mushramoo]

alright I’m gonna say it. if u go out of ur way to kill insects I think ur mean. (And no, I’m not talking about bugs that startled you or were in your room, or accidentally stepping on ants) like I don’t care how “useless” or “creepy” that bug is, if u kill shit on purpose when it is of no danger to you, ur an asshole.

[linnienin]

⁓⁕🍷 🌸 V e n u s ⁕ a n d ⁕ h o w ⁕ y o u ⁕ c h i l l 🌸 🍷⁕⁓

Disclaimer: Take what resonates. I'm not a professional astrologer, i just am an avid researcher and i use my personal experience when writing my posts (Also, pls, don't copy my work, i spend lot of time on it, thanks)

Ahhh Venus, the planet of love. We use it to talk about our relationships and misadventures in our love life. But it also is the planet of feminine energy, enjoyment, relaxation and indulgence. How do you chill using your Venusian energy? Let's find out looking at your Venus's sign and degree

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⁕ Aries / 1-13-25 degrees : *aggresively flying on the couch* play TV, *loud setting on*, watch the tv for 1 minute, gets bored, *roll off the couch*, goes to the kitchen, sees people, start a little chase (Jason Momoa meme entered the caption) 👀👐. After annoying people for a bit, do a little workout, tries to lift a 700 kg cause they *confident*, fail, they still confident, opt for the 0.5 kg, now they happy 😊💪. Dance lover. Enjoy drinking energy drinks. Not really a sipp-er, more of a chugg-er lmao. Carbs are their heaven, they cannot have enough (cause they move a lot, they need the energyy). When laying on the sofa need to put their head on someone else's shoulder or legs or head to feel safe and receive the physical contact they really crave. Enjoy taking short cold showers. Like playing chess (they're good at strategizing and know when to attack and they're bold about it). Cut their hair as a relaxing activity (until they have no hair left to cut lol), likes dyeing them too, preferabily with bolder colours.

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⁕ Taurus / 2-14-26 degrees: The yawn-er. They're MASTER at chilling. They chill doing everything, i'm not kidding, are they at home, are they at work? They be chilling allll the time. Lovers of the sofa, bed, and others soft big surfaces. Chill by taking their time doing everything, they be starting cooking at 9 a.m. to serve a meal at 1 p.m. ✨Sloth with grace✨. Quality over quantity. Enjoy passing time doing nothing...literally. They be like fixating on a thing and looking at it for an hour straight. Mad control of their focus. Meditating without realizing It. Probably sip chamomile. They like to think time doesn't exist, they got all the time in the world (until they wake up one day, look into the mirror and realize they forgot to shave their mustache for all this time). Hella romantic, enjoy picking up flowers, endless walks in nature, veery slowly, they be stopping every 2x3 to admire a little bug passing by.

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⁕ Gemini / 3-15-27 degrees: Tea time with their personalities. Lmao, no but they literally chill by checking in with their thoughts and their ideas. Loves listening to podcasts and documentaries. Multitasking hobbies. Yup, i have no clue how they even relax by doing 1738283 things at a time but it's a way to shut down their thoughts for a while. Yeah, i know, i just told you they chill by thinking too, but sometimes it becomes too much and they have to switch the brain off. Relax by painting their nails. Get experimental with makeup. Write fanfics but leave them unfinished 👀. Admire their pretty handwriting. Enjoy reading and talking about gossip a looot, too much hehe. Like to play games that require a broad knowledge on everything (ex Trivia). Thinking about doing stuff but actually not doing it lmfao, they just love to think about soo many ideas, that is a way to relax, but then they don't even write them down and poof, they're gone and they can't remember them and they get mad about it :(

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⁕ Cancer / 4-16-28 degrees : Cuddling with their pillow 24/7 (cause deep down they feel alone... 🥺). Play animal crossing. Imagine their future family, even tho they're actually stuck in the past lol. Most likely to binge watch series for a whole day and get emotional about it because they get too attached to the characters. If they could they'd never leave the house...ever lmao, total homebodies. Relaxing by spending time alone or with very closed ones, friends/family. Probably likes to collect plushies, funko pops, or mini cute figures of their favourite fictional characters ✨. Cooking and baking can be a relaxing activity to them, especially if they do it for their family or their guests. Have 'grandma's hobbies'... knitting/crocheting for example lol. Enjoy so much making photo albums, and even more looking at them from time to time. Love going to the sea, early mornings walking barefoot on the sand and admiring the immense ocean and the sun rising, they're fans of little details and very romantic/sweet scenarios. They enjoy being helpful to others, so they'll probably ask people if they can do something for them (especially if they see people struggling doing something, they'll gladly volounteer to offer their help).

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⁕ Leo / 5-17-29 degrees: Stars wannabe. Intensely crying in front of the mirror portraying a desperate girl that has been cheated on, then recompose themselves and admire how good they just were pffft. Put on glasses even at home to feel extra, hit the door while walking cause they can't see a thing, get on the floor purposely, decides to play the blind character, gets up, * sudden dramatic enhancement of the other senses*. Dancing with the starssss. No seriosuly, they should apply, but as the professional dancer cause they so good! (and well they're not stars.... yet 👀). Like the other 2 fire venuses they enjoy moving their body so workouts are very appreciated, but leos especially loove hiit workouts, go build that cooore. Lovers of loong passionate and romantic dramas, they wanna feel all the emotions and they stay loyal to a specific series so they wish it could go on forevahh (hello..."Beautiful" lmao). ✨ Randomly transform their home in a runway show. Start walking like a model to feel themselves ✨ List all the things they can do and skills they acquired to feel good about themselves, then they list all the things they wanna work towards to use that self esteem boost to enhance their motivation and work towards their future goals.

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⁕ Virgo / 6-18 degrees : Killing the chilling. No seriosuly, these people seem like they can't 100% chill properly, and some of them may take 'something' to feel completely detached and lost from reality for a bit... 👀 They chill by making plans. Always trying to find things to do and learn to always get better. Working on themselves is their favourite project. Scanning the room in bed instead of chilling, seeing if there's something they need to adjust or clean. Overthinking the heck out of their lives...wait weren't you supposed to chill? Nevermind 🙈. Roasting others...in their minds hehe, they won't let others see how much they enjoy analizing their mistakes. 'Lemme give you advice on this thing' , others: uhm... ok but chilllll. And you ask Virgo venuses whyy they continue to give advices even when people don't listen to them. Well... saying 'I told you' is more satifying than hearing 'i don't care' 😘 (underlying validation issues). Well...i mean, they could chill while crafting, i give you this, it's probably the only time where they get near the definition of chilling...but hey hold on, cause soon enough they gonna find out details about how they're not perfect at what they do so kill the chill again and let the procrastination beginnn (wait... is procrastination's Virgo's way of chilling?)

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⁕ Libra / 7-19 degrees: They wanna experience the finest things in life. They go to that fancy restaurant, get that fancy dress, buy those fancy flowers... they wanna feel cuddled by life and specifically... lifestyle. They need to feel they value by surroundings themselves with valuable things. That's why they chill by going shopping or talking to new people, because where they see value in, they get value from. It's all about feeling good about themselves. Have a sweet tooth (but enjoy eating overall, it's like they enjoy the experience of taste, they're not really picky ultimately). Can splurge on personal care, lots of tools for facials or expensive skincare (cause after eating sugar they need to mantain the perfect skin lol). They work a lot on the mantainance of the self. That's why they have a good eye for fashion and aesthetics, because they have been researching and analizing everything that's out there to understand what's better for them, but they still haven't found out their true style due to their indecisive nature 😂. Plus let's admit it, they like to change often and renew themselves to maintain that 'interesting persona' 👀

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⁕ Scorpio / 8-20 degrees : Drowning their nose in personality tests. Seriously, when these people wanna chill, all they got on their mind is how to understand that mind even more. They're detectives of their own psyche. Lovers of shadow work. Let all those intense questions unfold! Obsessive researchers. They find a topic they like, they delve deep into it until they've found enough to feel satisfied and jump on another theme to obsess themselves over. Probably watching a lot of documentaries on criminals and unresolved cases trying to find the final answer themselves. Masters at playing Cluedo. Read everybodies's minds in every single setting, it makes them relaxed by feeling in control of the room's energies, and yeah... even during lunch between family members lmao. Need plenty of alone time. They're secretly training to become wizards/witches 👀. Probably like to sip pomegranate juice or any other juicy and thick flavoured drink. Sometimes they forget to even eat because of how invested theyre in their researches lol. I know you're already attractive as hell, but y'all take care of your bodyyy

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⁕ Sagittarius / 9-21 degrees : The boy/girl scout. Those people HAVE to move, they can't stay still or they'll start to stress out. They love a good trip somewhere new, visiting places abroad, taking that bus/train and not knowing where it'll take them (they get lost easily lmfao but they don't mind it, it's part of the thrilling experience). Documentaries lovers: can't go out? Let them wander with their minds. Like to change activities often as they get bored quickly. Enjoy trying to eat different types of food from different cultures. They like to go shopping a lot, to have little souvenirs of all the places they've been to (can tend to overspend depending on other placements in the chart). The one who find excitement in daring to do what everyone else don't want to do. Can love to pertake in volounteering activities, especially if they require them to sail to another country, they enjoy being helpful to other people in need (if underdeveloped can have hero complex). Probably enjoy playing on the Wii in competitive games, they're always up for a competition, even for the slightest thing, like "who can finish up this bottle of water first?? Ready? Start!" (they can announce little challenges like this veeery randomly and everyone will follow their lead, it's crazy haha)

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⁕ Capricorn / 10-22 degrees : Counting their money. Sorting their bills. Sooo relaxing right, especially when the money in your bank account keep groowingg 👀 (they probably watch cash envelope stuffing videos + budgeting on YT). Relax by doing the same routine every day, they can do it without even thinking, and that to them is relieving. They enjoy the adulting process, so actually...going to work can feel like chilling to them lol, they like to feel a sense of responsibility, it makes them feel motivated to always grow, and having a sense of order and stability, that's what makes them feel relaxed and safe. Constantly reading self-help books. Probably sipping their wine while chilling or an expensive drink or a concentrated drink (blueberry juice peraphs). They like high quality items, so they usually shop designer clothes/accessories, they love those labels lol. They love the sofa, don't ask me why lol, most people love the bed, capricorn venuses love the sofa, periodt (can it be because the space is restricted and Cap being ruled by Saturn, planet of restrictions... well, could be).

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⁕ Aquarius / 11-23 degrees : The videogamer. Have way too many hobbies that have nothing in common. Wanna splurge on those headphones too? You already have the bunny ears ones, the cat ears ones, the led ones, guyzzz you have a whole collection of them lmao. Are probably into reading about the unknown mysteries of the universe. Conspiracy theories lovers (they just love when they can confuse others people's minds with all their absurdities). The ones who find excitement in daring to do what everyone else don't want to do. Collectors of technology stuff, yup, they still have the gameboyy 🥺. Unpredictable af but they enjoy being this way so people can always question them and think of them as interesting. Introverted people that need to recharge by being alone. Probably Webtoons and manga lovers. Enjoy pertaking in protest marches, feeling part of the crowd (sense of belonging) and feeling they can contribute to a greater cause. They feel the need to do something crazy once in a while, so if you see them bunjee jumping randomly, or trying others 'dangerous' activities don't be surprised (pls, be careful, and don't try anything illegal....understood?👀...pfft, i already know you're gonna roll your eyes, and think, here we go, another sheep that is trying to tell me what to do lol)

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⁕ Pisces / 12-24 degrees : Do you think thinking about "what ifs" is relaxing?? Y'allll pleaseee, i know the feeling is good when you imagine your perfect reality...but...you literally take it as a hobby and do it way too much...to your own detriment 😭. They looove watching romance movies and dramas, it's their bread and butter (to give food to those daydreams right?🙃). Play music ALL day and get lost in their world, and then suddenly it's time to go to bed and they realize they lost another day to daydreaming, now they got to the nightdreaming phase of the day lol 😂😭. Loves taking baths, the contact with water feels truly healing to them, they could stay in the water 24/7. Can be extremely good at painting or drawing, or singing (and other artistic activities too), and relax by doing these activities. Just asking, but are y'all ok with the low blood pressure?😢(also curious, do you tend to have low blood pressure?). Can relax but lose themselves watching the phone,especially social medias. Until they realize they're literally watching and living an illusion, they think they live by watching everyone else's lives and connect with them through the screen, but they're not living their own life by going out there, and experiencing the world as main characters, not just extras of their own lives.

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Congrats! You've reached the end! ✨

Hope you enjoyed this post, always rememer that we are not just one placement, so if you didn't resonate, that's ok, i'd love to know your feedback in both cases (if you did or did not resonate), it is always very appreciated 🥰

Wish you a wonderful day! 🍷 Yours, Linnie 🌸

[blazenfire223]

[ID in undercut]

Some Button designs + the final buttons I made for my Communication Systems class. 2 are for friends, 2 are vents, 1 is EVERY, and 1 is my pfp because I thought it was silly. Can you guess which is which? 🫠

[ID 1/10: A digital illustration for a button idea. It shows a dusty and bloody hand reaching out from underneath rubble holding a Palestinian flag. The background is of a bright blue sky and a sun that looks like a halo around the flag. At the bottom are the words "From the river to the sea" in the colors of the Palestinian flag. /End ID]

[ID 2/10: A digital illustration for a button idea. It is a self portrait with Storm holding their face. You can't see their mouth, only their eyes, which are big and dripping tears of their respective flags from left to right, nonbinary and trans. The background is brightly colored and psychedelic. There are words at the top and bottom of the screen that read "I am not a danger to you" in reference to their identity as a Trans-nonbinary person. /End ID]

[ID 3/10: A digital illustration for a button idea. It shows Kate, a friend of Storm, from the chest up. She is wearing a light blue jacket with a pink shirt. She has her hands up greedily as she stares at a peice of bowtie pasta. She has her tongue out and looks excitedly at the pasta. The pasta has a face is looks scared and worried about being eaten. Above Kate are the words "Avid pasta lover". The background is a simple cool grey. /End ID]

[ID 4/10: A digital illustration for a button idea. It is Storm's fursona. They are a lion with long brown hair put up in a half bun. In the illustration, only their face and right hand are seen. They are grinning while pulling down sunglasses and winking at the camera. Above and below them are words that say, "Cool Kid Syndrome". The background is a simple light blue. /End ID]

[ID 5/10: The finished button design for the Fursona piece. It is on a large button with the same as previous except the text of "Cool Kis Syndrome" is wrapped in a circle. /End ID]

[ID 6/10: The finished button design for the 'Advid Pasta Lover' piece. It is on a medium sized button with the same image with hungry Kate and scared pasta but with a more blue background rather than grey. /End ID]

[ID 7/10: A medium sized button for Storm's partner. The design of of a lady but Storm drew with text on the top and bottom that say "Give a bug a hug". The background is a simple light green. /End ID]

[ID 8/10: A small button with the Palestine design on it. It has the same clear sky, halo background with the hand sticking out of the rubble holding a Palestinian flag. /End ID]

[ID 9/10: A small button with the trans-nonbinary design that says "I am not a danger to you". Everything is the same except the background is lighter and the font of the text is not the same as in the original concept. /End ID]

[ID 10/10: A large button with an older Good Omens piece on it. It is the EVERY kiss between Aziraphale and Crowley with the words EVERY overtop in white. /End ID]

[night-market-if]

hi!! just wanna tell u ur IF is a masterpiece and gabriel has been living rent free in my head (still absolutely in tears at his reaction in book 2-) but i am curious since belladonna is afraid of birds-

what is one animal that each RO cannot stand/dislike? and also their favourite? i'm an avid animal lover and would hang out wif bugs and frogs time to time so im curious about the ROs!!

Hazel loves all animals but they don't really like her. So, it's a bit of a twist on that one.

Gabriel does not like any animals that are loud. Or messy. Or need a lot of care.

Milo hates Mr. Billows. He isn't a huge an of bears either. He is certain that they will get him one day.

Malcolm is not a small creature lover. Not as a pet at least. Out in the wild is fine.

[yootato]

PLEASE READ

DONT REPOST MY ART! NOR USE IT WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!! pfps are fine with credit!

⚠︎ CW/TW: Occasional gore/blood and horror elements, bugs and arachnids

BEFORE YOU FOLLOW:

᪥ Please don't follow me for a specific series/fandom but for my art itself, as i don't tend to stick to a single thing. ( I have many hyperfixations and switch between them a lot )

᪥ I might post slightly suggestive things but NOT explicit nsfw

᪥ I don't check dms/inbox here often as my main platform is instagram

DNI: If you are any of these please block me ( even if you aren't one but support people who are ) otherwise i'm inclined to block you myself:

Basic dni criteria, Proshippers, Zionists

✿ More about me! ✿

❀ I'm yoot ❀ she/her ❀ middle eastern ❀

❁ Avid cartoon lover and enjoyer of all things silly ❁

𑁍 My socials are just tumblr and instagram 𑁍

✿ Commissions: closed ✿

As for requests i won't guarantee i'll draw all of them. I usually just do the ones i might enjoy the most or are easy, and only if it's media i am into. I am usually busy irl so requests will be done when i'm free and feel like killing some time so don't take it personally when i don't do yours u_u

Enjoy your stay! ✿ ❀ ❁

[uselessmicrowave]

hey i wanted to request a match-up since i saw your match-up requests are open, if that's alr!!! id prefer MTMTE Lost Lighters and/or G1 or TFP Decepticons

Appearance: thick 2C/3A curly dark blond & purple hair at shoulder length. buglike blue eyes and lip piercings ; vertical labret + dolphin bites. 2 tattoos, one of my passed away kitten and 1 of a praying mantis on my arm. im tall and awkwardly portioned due to ehlers danlos. lots of keloid scars and a bit fuzzy. slight baby face. pale as frick frack and translucent skin with veins showing.

Pets: 7 CATS. 2 dogs. 1 ball python and a small colony of madagascar hissing cockroaches. i am an avid animal lover and a nerd about all their behaviors, biology and habitat preservation.

Fav foods: RAW GREEN BEANS, vegetable fried rice, hashbrowns and eggs, s'mores, pesto pasta ; not vegetarian / vegan but prefer ethical sourcing of food and have my own garden.

Style: flexible but usually comfortable hippie goth / casual 70s . almost everything i own is green and brown, but I also have lots of purple stuff (fav colour)

Hobbies & interests: chalk art, painting, drawing, metal bands lead by girls, dubstep, entomology, mycology, dragons, robots/ai, TRANSFORMERS, aliens/ufos, lucid dreaming, tarot cards, a solarpunk society, anti-capitalist

Smarts: bugs, animal and human health + biology, fungi, symbiotic relationships in nature, communication, being a mediator, giving advice

Bad habits: I've picked at my skin since I was a baby, as I have ocd + dermatillomania. because of it i am littered with bumps, scars, and can't shave due to ingrown hairs or risking making a scrape and then scratching until im sent to the er weeks later with cellulitis. i also have problems focusing and have a dissociative disorder that makes me not myself. i have bad anxiety that i cope with well, but if i stay up late i can overthink myself into a sobbing fit for no reason.

My personality: my friends describe me as WEIRD. my mom says im an alien. i would say that the people i know and i all agree i am creative, artsy and kind of an old soul. im patient sometimes but also get overwhelmed by certain situations because im autistic and can't multitask. i love helping others and when spending time with friends i like to make them gifts or play outside with them and look for bones or cool plants, or roleplay warrior cats with my besties. i have "childish" interests but am mature and independent, and am a caretaker. i had a rough upbringing and as an adult i feel like i heal my inner child everyday by living as autistic as possible.

whew that was long. anyways, thank you, feel free to ignore!!!!!! just wanted to shoot a shot bc these match up things always look fun lol. thanks!!!!! XP

Hello! Apologies I only wrote for one of the continuities. I’m matching you with TFP Megatron!

Megatron

He’ll get you more purple clothing to match him.

Grabs your hands and holds them when you’re picking at your skin, then he’ll carry you to the medbay for Knockout to patch you up.

Megatron believes that seven cats is a bit… obnoxious, but nevertheless will make room for all of your pets.

Jokes about your bug colony being an army… he thinks it’s hilarious that you have an insect army of your own.

Megaton holds you close to his spark when you overthink things/start to cry.

Everything is weird on the Nemesis, so you’re not out of place on the ship to him.

He does his best to appreciate and support all of your interests, even if he sees them as childish.

At least once a week he’ll take you to a new foresty area, where you can “observe all the different types of mushrooms and squirrels you want.” He’ll usually sit in a clear-ish area and watch you frolic through the trees.

[seriouslysam8]

Sam, sometimes I get so traumatized by searching simple requests on AO3 and getting the weirdest shits.

Like… I was searching for a „Harry Potter& James Sirius Potter“ fanfic with some „Fluff, Angst and comfort“ and the first thing that showed up was an explicit Fiction with Harry doing the devils tango with James S. (Without any of the tags that I put on the search bar????) Than I changed it with „Albus Severus Potter&James Sirius Potter, Brothers, Fluff, Family“ and… again… incest🫠

And it went on and on… James Fleamont Potter/Harry Potter, Lily Lu/Harry Potter, Sirius Black/Harry Potter, Harrys Parents/Harry,… Dumbledore/Harry (I just searched for Albus and Harry. Some fix it. I don’t even know what I wrote wrong)

Only cursed Ships🫠 Is it maybe a bug?🫠

I am not long on AO3, read all my fav fics on ff.net by reddit recs and started reading AO3 much later.

Do you know how to block such weird and disgusting shits on AO3? And on Tumblr too?

Tumblr recommended me so many Wolfstarbucks (Poly James/Sirius/Remus) and so many Jegulily (James/Lily/Regulus) fanart and it doesn’t matter how many times I blocked it, it still recommends me that🫠

Help?🫠

I am just 20🫠

I FEEL you but I am the worst person to ask this question because I am old. I legit exclude a bunch of tags and STILL can’t find anything I want to read because it’s weird shit. So I don’t go looking for fics anymore.

I really rely on recs from trusted Hinny authors or readers.

A good place is to go on the tumblrs of the authors you know you like and see what they recommend. Changes are, you’re gonna like what they read because it’s probably similar to what they’d write.

Another great place is the Ginny’s Lovers Discord. It’s a discord dedicated to Hinny lovers. They are so friendly over there. There’s a thread? (see I’m fucking old) where it updates whenever selected authors post. So sometimes you get things you don’t want to read or from different fandoms because the author used to write Hinny, but I have put a lot of stuff on my TBR from there. But I’m weird because I can’t read a bunch of WIPs at a time because I forget what’s happening so most times I just wait until a story is finished to read. I only keep one WIP at a time (that updates fairly consistently) but I constantly check the fanfiction updates tab there so I can see what stories are still posting and not. You can also ask for recs on different CHANNELS (is that what they’re called?? See how fucking incompetent I am??) with something specific and those amazing people always come through. While I’m not very active on there because social anxiety, they’re all super nice and helpful and may help you find stuff you want to read.

Other than that, ask your favorite authors on tumblr what their favorite stories are or what they’re currently reading.

Make friends in the fandom and read what they read. @funbunnypotter26 is an AVID reader of all things Hinny and Jily. She’s my sister from another mister. She knows exactly what I like and don’t like and she sends me recs ALL THE TIME. Everyone needs a friend like her because she just knows how to find the gems. What is your secret?!?!?

But those are my suggestions. I hope that helps!

[paradigns]

🌦 « ( nichole sakura, thirty-two, cis female, she/her ) ☼ congratulations, kaede nakano, you’ve been accepted as a park ranger in hampton valley in grand hazel national park this summer! we could tell from your application that you are eccentric and defiant, so we are so pleased to welcome you from redding, california for your fifth summer on staff. hopefully you can check singing to wild animals, watching the sunrise at the peak, and configuring the perfect camping set up off your bucket list. please consult your employee handbook with questions! ↷

( @npbulletin​ ) hellaur i’m anne <333333 there is a brief bullet mention drugs in the intro below! like this and i’ll seek you out on d*scord or you could just message me first if you’d prefer at bigtimerushstan there!

kaede was born and raised in san diego, california. that was her home with her moms <3 but then she moved to get closer to the redwood national park where she usually works full-time. she wanted to explore a lil more so she negotiated a part-time summer position at grand hazel.

she also sells upcycled jewelry on the side -- you’ll probably find her outside looking for usable materials. maybe you’ve found her by a trash can, maybe behind the park buildings. nature is bountiful. the business is on hold during the summer while she builds up her collection and focuses on her job at grand hazel.

she’s a vegan and she won’t kill spiders. maybe a stink bug if they get annoying but she’ll try not to!!!

she’s pretty empty-headed sometimes, and she kinda lives in her own world. she’s like a mixture of synclair james from living single and phoebe buffay from friends.

live laugh love is literally her life motto.

avid w33d smoker.

she has so many plants in her home it’s like a plant nursery. come to her if you need help with your plants.

i’ll copy and paste some of the wanted connections, but i’m always up for a good ole brainstorm!!!

mortal enemy who believes in the exact opposite of what she believes in (veganism, nature is best, live laugh love, killing spiders is bad, etc)

best friends who’s just like her

best friends who’s not like her at all but they’re supportive <3

friends who’ve bonded over her plant knowledge or her jewelry or whatever

friendly acquaintances who are still getting to know each other

petty rivals (she will NOT move her little plants from the common area)

enemies because of something personal (they’re exes, they dated the same ex, they said the other person’s hair is ugly and they’ve been personally offended ever since, shut up about the flowers already, etc.)

childhood friends/enemies/lovers

unrequited crushes (kaede crushing on your muse, your muse crushing on kaede, either or <3)

regular and casual hookup

i am up for anything tbh just lmk <3

[duskythesomething]

PINNED POST / ABOUT ME / BYF

before following me be aware, i block blogs that looks like bots. no icon, no profile header, no original posts, etc. if you think your blog may look sus but want to follow just shoot me a message! i understand not everyone is very into blog customizing.

my in-depth about and byf pages are on my desktop page here !!

i am 22y/o, i do sometimes post nsfw thoughts and posts. if you are 14-15 please do not follow me at all. if you are 16-17 please be aware of what you are following and take responsibility for yourself and your dashboard. if you are 18+ you are welcome!

i have trauma related to agere/cgl/ddlg related communities. i would prefer those who post related content do NOT follow or interact with me, and either block me or inform me so i can block them. exceptions MAY be made for agere specifically but not the others.

my personal tag is #mrowr.txt i'm happy to tag whatever may trigger, upset, or annoy my followers- you just gotta let me know ! i do not tag pokemon content or specifically tag queued posts, my queue is over 100+ and posts twice a day

hiiiii i'm feliks !! also known as dusky, and i'm BUG !! i'm an avid pokemon fan and reptile & crustecean lover, and lately i can't get enough of isopods. i use they/he pronouns and i'm just a silly little guy. i'd love to be muts if you happen to post some stuff i'm into, or even just be pals (although i'm awkward at messaging at first!)

[duskowithapen]

Of Flowers And Tattoo Needles Chapter Three

Read on Fanfiction

Read on AO3

A Resolution

“Don’t you dare tell her, bug!”

Luka wasn’t sure what the hell was going on. Adrien had walked into the tattoo parlour proper, standing toe to toe with his fiancée, having a full argument in front of them. If Adrien is in a relationship with this Kagami, then what was up with the pet names and the forehead kiss?

“Why are you so intent on keeping this a secret?!” Kagami demanded, waving her rapier under the blonde’s nose threateningly.

“I wanted it to be a surprise!”

“You know that I hate surprises!”

“But this is a good surprise, I promise!”

“Adrien, I swear if you got a dragon tattooed onto your chest I will do something drastic!”

“C’mon Kagami, like Marinette would let me get something so obvious-OH-GODS-DON’T-IMPALE-ME—”

Much to Juleka’s displeasure – she was watching the argument with one of her signature ‘ah yes, chaos’ smirks – Marinette intervened before blood could be shed. “Maybe we could all calm down and talk this out like rational, non-violent human beings. I don’t think bloodstains will do anything for my shop’s reputation.” She pressed a hand to her hip and started Adrien down. “Unless you want to keep playing the scaredy cat, chaton?”

Adrien’s mouth dropped open. A hand was held dramatically to his chest. “So cruel m’lady!”

Kagami huffed and lowered her weapon, turning to give Marinette a bow. “My apologies, Mari-hime. I shall eviscerate him outside.”

“Let’s just not eviscerate anyone, hmm?” Marinette sighed.

The pout that appeared on Kagami’s face made Rose giggle, and it seemed to remind the swordswoman that yes, there were other people in the store. In the back corner, while the redhead was intent on his work, the client was watching them. Kagami bowed again. “I did not realise you had other clients, Mari-hime. Was this a bad time?”

Marinette waved a hand towards the couches. “It’s okay, Gami-chan. I was about to get Luka’s tattoo started, but I should probably help my idiot of a best frien before he gets himself killed.” Adrien visibly wilted at the look Marinette gave him. She turned an apologetic smile onto Luka, and he blinked at the full force of those beautiful bluebell eyes focusing completely on him. “Are you okay if I postpone your tattoo for a little bit? I promise this won’t take too long.”

Luka shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets. He was really missing his guitar now. “I’m fine with that. You’re not the only one wanting to know about someone’s tattoo,” he directed at Kagami, who hummed questioningly. “My sister and her partner have been pestering me about my tattoo all morning.”

“See!” Adrien burst out, “Keeping your tattoo secret until it’s finished is normal Kagami!”

A loud clap stopped the argument from restarting. “Alright! If everyone could just sit down, we can get this cleared up,” Marinette said in a tone that demanded total obedience. There was a glint in her eyes that suggested great violence on those who did not comply.

Luka was very lucky that he was standing in front of one of the couches in the first place. That tone of voice, that look on her face… he dared any man not to get a bit weak in the knees.

“Sounds like a plan,” Juleka murmured as she brushed past, shooting him an uncomfortably knowing look as she sat by Rose’s side. “Considering that Luka thought you and Adrien were together. Care to explain how he could have come to that conclusion?”

There was a moment of silence. Luka and Marinette’s faces flared up in identical blushes. Adrien’s face reddened slowly as he bit his lip. Kagami’s eyebrows rose past her fringe. In the back corner, the client was still watching like the whole situation was a soap drama.

Then laughter.

Luka’s head snapped up as Kagami of all people started giggling, stern face crinkling into a smile as she tried to smother her amusement behind one fist. Adrien finally took a breath, losing his battle with the laughter he’d been restraining. His tugged his fiancée down onto the other couch with him. “Oh god, really?!”

Marinette dropped into the seat beside Luka, face hidden behind her hands. He leaned in a little. “I feel like I’m missing something?” He said lowly.

A blush still stained her face when Marinette looked up. Despite their closeness, she didn’t shift away. “Just a little, yeah,” she replied hoarsely. “I just feel so stupid. There I was, practically throwing myself at you, and you seemed interested, and then Adrien walks in, and oh god, you must have thought I was some floozy, that I was flirting with you despite having a boyfriend – which we’re not by the way, I swear I’d never cheat on you – I mean, if we were together I wouldn’t cheat – not that I’d cheat on Adrien if we were together, which again, we aren’t – but I wouldn’t have said those things or done anything if I was with someone else, but you didn’t know that, and ugh it’s all just a great big fucking mess –” Marinette stopped with a sudden inhale as Luka pressed a finger to her lips.

“It’s okay, Marinette,” he whispered, ignoring their avid audience. “I admit, I was confused, but I figured I could try and clear it up today anyway. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d made a wrong assumption,” he said with a self-depreciating chuckle, “I’ve never been all that good with people. I find it easier to communicate through my music than anything else.”

Marinette opened her mouth to reply, and Luka had to restrain a shiver at the feeling of soft lips against his guitar calluses. “I really am sorry, Luka. I keep forgetting how mine and Adrien’s… dynamic can be seen by other people.” She paused for a moment, looking away, before continuing, “And I think you communicate pretty well like this. Better than my anxiety-fuelled rambling anyway.”

Luka leaned in a little closer, drawing his finger down her chin and barely brushing her neck before pulling it away. “I thought it was kinda adorable,” he whispered.

Adrien coughed, pulling the two out of their haze. “Uh, I just wanted to apologise, Luka. I’m a very touchy-feely kinda person, and I keep forgetting that not everyone, y’know, hugs and kisses and just generally touch their friends as much as I do. I was… isolated as a kid, and I never really got the concept of personal space.” Now, didn’t that sound concerning?

He waved a hand at the nervous looking blonde. “That’s okay Adrien. I can get a bit touchy too – I shouldn’t have made assumptions. People have thought the same thing about Juleka and I before.” That had made for a very awkward conversation as they explained to the landlady no, they weren’t teenage lovers, but siblings who had decided to move in together.

“It’s all the nicknames,” Juleka said with a smirk, “Wasn’t it your dad you asked if he needed to design two wedding dresses, Adrien?”

Marinette groaned deeply and twisted to bury her face in Luka’s shoulder, hand grasping his jacket just in front of her face. “Don’t remind me,” she said, words half-muffled, “I can’t look Mr Agreste in the eye anymore!”

“Out of curiosity, where did the nicknames come from?” Luka asked, trying to keep a straight face as he wrapped an arm around Marinette’s waist, holding her to his side. Based on Juleka’s fake retch, he wasn’t very successful.

It was Adrien’s turn to blush, as he grabbed Kagami’s hand. “Well, like I said, I was an isolated kid. The only kind of unsupervised social interaction I got was when I played Ultimate Mecha Strike online. When I was thirteen, I met a player called Buginette03 – who tuned out to be Marinette – and we got pretty close, despite not sharing our real names. I’d ask Bug for advice when it came to my father, or later on, social stuff, and then she’d ask me for help when her anxiety spiked, or she started catastrophising.”

“And he’d use me as a sounding board for his awful pickup lines,” Marinette cut in, finally pulling her head away from Luka’s arm. It suddenly felt very cold. “You are such a cat-ch is a horrible excuse of both a line and a pun.”

“Hey! It worked with Kagami, didn’t it?”

Both Marinette and Kagami rolled their eyes. “Obviously, she took pity on you, kitty,” the tattooist said, deadpan.

“I found your determination in finding a successful line pitiful enough to be amusing.” Was Kagami’s response.

“Meowch!” Adrien said, insulted. “So cruel, ganging up on a poor cat!”

Marinette rolled her eyes and turned to face Luka properly. “Anyway, after almost a years worth of playing with each other and chatting, we decided to… reveal ourselves, I guess? I was so surprised when I realised that the snarky, goofy LostKittenOnTheCatwalk was actually in my class.”

Adrien slapped Kagami gently when she scoffed at his username. “Hey, I thought it was funny! I was thirteen!” He shook his head for a second. “But yeah, I was both surprised but not when I found out that Marinette was Buginette. Like, once I knew, I wondered how I could have thought it was anyone else.”

“We tried to date for a little bit,” Marinette said, taking up the narrative. “We thought that it was a ‘meant to be’ kind of thing, but it didn’t really work out.”

“We’re partners, but not? We work better as close friends, or siblings, rather than lovers,” Adrien looked at Marinette with a small smile. “I’m just glad that Marinette chose to remain friends with me. Probably not her smartest move,” he said with a shrug, “But oh well.”

Kagami flicked Adrien in the shoulder as Marinette pulled a pencil out nowhere and threw it. “Don’t get started on that again, chaton,” The tattooist said sternly. “We were both young, and stupid, and made you, stupid mistakes that we both learned from. And I will get Kagami to bash that into your thick head if I have to!”

Adrien waggled his eyebrows halfheartedly. “Not wanting to bruise me up yourself, m’lady?”

Marinette’s response was a raised eyebrow and crossed arms. “I think I’ll leave that dubious honour to Kagami. Besides, I already got to stab you.”

“Indeed,” Kagami said with a frown, “I am still waiting for an explanation of your tattoo, Adrien.”

“Well-look-at-the-time-gotta-GO!” Adrien was on his feet in an instant, sprinting out of the store. “See-ya-later-guys-bye!”

Kagami followed suit with a low bow, a murmur on how nice it was to meet them all, and then she was gone, smirk crossing her lips and sword held firmly in one hand. Luka wasn’t sure if he should be worried about Adrien’s safety or not.

His attention was pulled away when Marinette patted his arm. “They’ll be alright,” she soothed, “Kagami’s been stressing out over a fencing competition for a while, so Adrien’s been drawing out the whole ‘no you can’t see what my tattoo is’ thing so that she’ll actually take a break. Pretty sure this is the first time she’s left the dojo for something other than food or sleep for a week.”

“What is Adrien’s tattoo?” Rose asked, leaning forward.

“I’ve still got the concept page, if you’ll just give me a moment…” Marinette jumped up and rifled through her desk, returning with a thick, tattered at the edges sketchbook. She flicked it open to a drawing of a curled up dragon the size of Luka’s palm. It was Chinese style – all long body, short legs, fur crest running down it’s length, flowing whiskers – in various shades of black and red. The crest was a pale shade of yellow, contrasting with the dark gold underbelly. Lighter gold made up the claws and teeth. The eyes were, surprisingly, a rather normal brown. The dragon was curled into a circle, with it’s jaw open. Interestingly, it wasn’t breathing fire, but rather a stream of what appeared to be wind, portrayed in curling lines of grey that created clouds around the dragon. Scattered throughout were tiny gold stars.

“It’s beautiful, Marinette,” Luka breathed, glancing up at the blushing artist. “You’re incredibly skilled.”

Her stammers were covered up by Rose’s squeals. “It’s so detailed Marinette! I take it that the dragon is meant to be Kagami?”

“Ye-yeah. It’s inspired by a story about the dragon of the stars, which was one of Kagami’s favourite when she was little, and Adrien wanted to have it curled up over his heart to show how she both owns his heart and protects it – thus the clouds and kina scary expression.” Marinette traced over the drawing slowly. “Definitely one of my best works.”

“Just one of your best?” Luka asked lowly.

When Marinette looked up, a blush still tinted her cheeks, but there was a determined spark in her eye. “Yeah. There’s this messy haired florist who’s getting my best tattoo at some point, if he still has time to have it done?”

“I’m all yours Marinette.” And oh, how Luka hoped he could make that literal.

“Well, that’s our cue to leave,” Juleka said with a smirk, grasping a protesting Rose by the shoulders and pushing her towards the door. “I expect progress photo, big brother!”

He just waved a hand in her direction, not taking his eyes off Marinette’s. “Yeah, yeah, I will, you impatient brat.”

When the door shut behind them, Marinette extended one ink-stained hand. “So. Ready to get stabbed?”

Luka took it. “By you? Always.”

A few days later, after tattoos were drawn, inked, admired, wrapped and cared for, Luka appeared outside Charmed Ink. In his hands was a large bouquet of flowers – Pink orchids, larkspur, daffodils, cherry blossoms, blue morning glories and hyacinths. In the very centre was a single lilac.

For love beginning.  

[inexhaustiblywild]

Hello folks!

So, in the grand tradition of my people, I am here to celebrate the people that made my life infinitely better, colourful, and all the more happier.

I am not doing this in any particular order, I just want to celebrate all my friends here and say a few heartfelt words and let you guys know while the year was less than appreciative to all of us, I think you guys were some of the best parts of it.

@codenamepinetree: so according to this you were the first person to follow this blog when I made the move and honestly that move was a great idea. I was super shy about it at first but I think we have grown into a pretty comfortable (at least in writing) relationship. Sadly I am still a bit of an awkward bean on the chat but that’s Cricket for you. I love Jackal, he’s so infuriating to Ernessa and you gave us a story of corruption, twisted love, and you let me explore her years in the military which I almost never get to do.

Outside of our threads you are a great friend and I know I can call on you with any crazy plot ideas I may stumble on my way through the day. I see such great potential in our crazies and our muses. Hope this new year will bring out the best for you!!!

@ericbrandonrp: you are actually my oldest mutual here, staying with me for over three blog changes so far and I feel like I owe you a lot for making me feel welcomed in this community of OC’s and you gave Ernessa and I a great story of love and betrayal. I know our activity has a bit dwindled and that’s mostly my fault. I shall remedy that as soon as I can. Tho regardless of activity I consider you a great friend.

as for Eric I love him, he is such an awkward fellow with very good intentions towards his loved ones. I love his enthusiasm, how he embraces new things and experiences. I wish Ernessa was kinder to him but heartbreaks do make great stories I suppose.

@seesgood: just like your url you see the good in everyone and I think many would agree with me when I say you are one of the pillars of this community, you spread positivity, joy, and love to us all even when we feel down. I see you rally for people, and I cried to you myself several times about how this community made me feel at times. It is because of you that I still have this blog, because of you that I didn’t pack my shit and moved on. Both of us love you so much. If you ever need anything call me.

I don’t know how to explain Caroline without letting Ernessa take control cause as far as she is concerned Caroline is her everything. She is warmth on a cold day as she’d put it. I think Ernessa loves her selflessness so much, her desire to be loved, her insecurities and vulnerabilities which Ernessa will protect or fight with her life. She is the kind of a woman someone should write sonnets about and you made me a stan for life. Both for you and for Caroline. We love you!

@quiisquiliae: hello friendo, the year is almost over and I send you and my lil dude all the love! In my heart you will always have a special place for being the person who introduced me to the glory that is dragon age and since then I have played that dumb game three times and loved every moment of it. Sadly, we didn’t get a lot of threads out this year, such is life, but I enjoy our every chat and the stupid banter our muses get up to. You and your crazy trash boys are a must in this community.

I don’t know which one of your boys I should shout out for because they are all garbage and I love them. (It’s in the name people!) Writing with you is some of the most fun I had, and I think I will give this spot to Tal because in the end his enthusiasm about stabbing people is what this holiday is all about. Tal is a mess, a hot mess but a mess. A hero that someone should have probably left home, but he’s now stuck with it. He is fun, he is stabby, and he has colourful ideas on how to hurt people. 10/10 would recommend.

@anditsxsorrows: I think you were the most surprising friend of the year. When I moved blogs I didn’t think you’d have any interest in me. Idk why but I’ve always been a bit shy around you and didn’t think you’d have much for lil ol’ me but boy was I wrong. You are a welcoming, open minded, and over all such a lovely person. Each time we write you kill me with how good it is. I wait for it and the anticipation of it is great but the BAM the real thing knocks me out every single time. You are quickly becoming one of my go-tos in terms of plotting and other shenanigans.

Klaus is exactly like what Ernessa is. They are from the same soul or star, or idk. I am not as good as them in terms of poetry and talking nice. But they are certainly something. Klaus’ love of art and the immediate acceptance he showed to Ernessa is something neither of is will forget. She is so in love dude, like it’s such a terrible idea to get them together because imagine the death toll alone but I love them. I love Klaus and how pretentious he is sometimes, and how he shows great kindness to Ernessa. Klaus is not a good person by any stretch of imagination, but he is an amazing friend and a lover (at least to her and that’s all that matters.).

@fvk-destiny: I have been thinking and this year certainly wouldn’t have been as good without you or Lambert. I am still getting to know you but what I see is something I admire. You have been a wonderful friend to me so far and I see you interact with others and that only cements my good opinion of you. I am looking forward to knowing you more outside of rp. You certainly have been one of the highlights of this year.

Lambert is one of my favourite muses to write with because honestly, I can see him as I read it. I am an avid fan of the third game, and I loved him ever since he decided to go on a homicidal rampage for his fallen friend. We stan Lambert in this house. Then as the story progressed, I loved him more. Then you took all these things I loved about him and made it into something much more compelling, and deep, and you gave him the story he deserves. I read him and all I want to do is give him a hug. Also I command him for letting a random woman off the street to just barge into his business and start ordering him about. I can’t wait to see what else we can create with him! To many more years of story telling and friendships!

@mxuntainlion: so, I found you through Lambert and what I find it has been! You took a little-known character and run with him. That requires imagination, dedication, and a lot of love. I always admire people who can take characters like Aiden and make them whole. You gave him an incredible story, and I love that me and my girl get to be a part of that story in some little way. Talking to you off rp has also been a delight, though I worry sometimes about these things I am really happy to gather my courage and now I consider you a friend. This year has been shit for so many reasons, but you and Aiden made it a little less horrible.

In terms of story in canon we don’t know much about Aiden but then here you are giving him this amazing and heart-breaking love story, make him this sassy, snarky and confident character. I know that next time I play the game that mission is gonna be so much more emotional because you made Aiden a real person. Ernessa is imprinted on him like a little duckling, she needs a big brother, she needs someone that she can prank her favourite cousin with. Idk she seems to adore him, and they make a very lovely adventuring company. I can’t wait to see their stories develop.

@humilemvatis: I remember feeling a bit hesitant to approach you because I am a potato but then you were so easy to talk to! I think I’ve been bugging you ever since. You took a unique approach to Jaskier and while you kept all the things that made us love him, you gave us even more reasons to love him! I think you are a very talented story teller and I am sure your bard would side with me on this. I followed you at the start of December and within that time you have been an amazing friend and source of inspiration.

Jaskier, I sincerely apologise for everything Ernessa says and does and will say and do. Their thread is still in it’s stages of infancy, but I can tell it has the potential to go some unexpected places. I love this Jaskier you have, his immortality, his inability to see his own worth and value at times. He needs a good soup as my grandma would say. I love him so much already and Ernessa’s appreciation of him is genuine tho she admits she judged him too quickly at first glance. She’ll remedy that soon!!!

[missile-silo]

Mums got a stomach bug so I’m testing social distancing with this. If it works and no one else gets it I’m gonna be so very happy because I am in a constant war with feeling sick because I am lactose intolerant and an avid custard lover.

[inikavulpixelreviews]

Okay, Let’s Actually Talk About Snom and Frosmoth

872: Snom

It's taken us a while, but we've finally got our first Bug/Ice type! Though I also suppose it was only a matter of time before the Jewel Caterpillar got a rep in Pokemon, with how much it's shown up in internet articles as “neat bugs to look at.” Never mind ALL bugs are neat to look at... but yes... Jewel Caterpillars are nice too. Snom is about as perfect of a stylization as you can get. I love its pudgy little body and how friggin squishy it is in its animations. It even has secret adorable feeties!

It also has a neat way to not just make the icicles on its back just a cheap visual gimmick. Snom evidently loves to eat snow, which it then turns its eaten snow into the ice crystals on its back. Neat!

873: Frosmoth

Oddly electing to skip a pupae stage, we evolve straight into a moth Pokemon and... HMMM I expected just a little bit better. The base body is perfect, with its fuzzy antennae and how it has fuzzy arms that it folds around itself to make it look like it's engulfed in a very warm coat. As well as the fluffy eyelashes. It's overall the first moth Pokemon to really incorporate moth's reputation for being one of the fluffiest bugs out there.

I just wish its wings didn't feel so weak. The snowflake-esque pattern is a good start but it once again feels like they cut things short before the design was entirely done. I was half expecting a more elaborate pattern to light up during attack animations or something but no such thing occurred. Which is disappointing, since the pretty patters are part of what makes moths so pretty.

I get that the Woolly Bear Moth, the moth Frosmoth here is mostly likely taking inspiration from, is not too colorful, but it still has a neat monochromatic pattern on its wings.

That said though, it is neat enough to translate a moth's powdery scales as “snowflakes.” Shedding scales seems to be a go-to power when it comes to granting fictional moths superpowers, but the snow scales are definitely a neat idea!

Personal Score: 8.5/10

Though that said... I have some concerns.

Remember earlier at the end of Centiskorch's review where I said it'd be really disheartening if there was only one other Bug type this Gen, let alone only one more arthropod? Frosmoth is it. Most generations are pretty good about showing off a pretty good variety in arthropod Pokemon. The only other time we only got three lines was Gen 6... but it was somewhat fine because despite having one of them being taken up by the obligatory butterfly, one was a pistol shrimp and the other a goose barnacle! And of course this isn't to mention how much Alola absolutely SPOILED us with perhaps a handful of repeat animals like a stag beetle and a hornet... but it was made up for because we wound up getting so many long-awaited Bugs like mosquitoes, cockroaches, and even an isopod.

Unfortunately, this is all Galar has to show, at least unless they were holding out on us and all the new arthropods are behind the DLC or something. A second ladybird, a second centipede, and now our bajillionth lepidoptera. One of the biggest appeals of a new generation is seeing which of your favorite animals will get represented next. And of course, as an avid lover of bugs, I am not at all picky what new bugs turn up in Pokemon. I have my preferences, but anything new is good for me. So... yeah. Imagine my heartbreak upon learning my favorite phylum was getting benched for an entire generation. I'm all for repeating animals but this is silly, given how arthropods make up the majority of the known animal kingdom. So many of my dream Pokemon are things along the lines of Mantis Shrimps or Treehoppers or Grasshoppers or Pelican spiders. In fact, as far as “dream animals I want made into Pokemon” goes, the only Pokemon that's really come from any of my “dream animals” is Applin and the later Dreepy line. Compared to the previous generation which delivered me an isopod, diving bell spider, a mosquito, a bee fly, a coconut crab, and something properly mantoid. At least solely from a standpoint of new animal representation, Gen 8 is easily the worst Gen yet.

All this to say that these are reasons why I'm gonna start a small little “finale” for the Pokemon reviews after I do the Gen 8 wrap-up. Exactly what I'll keep hush on for now, but I'll be working on it.

Of course, “finale” as in “for now.” Still got the DLC to talk about later this year and I'll probably review Pokemon designs until either me or Pokemon dies, whichever happens first.

[Archive]

[royalalbertamuseumblog]

Curating your ultimate RAM visit

As the largest museum in Western Canada, we understand that it may feel a little daunting to visit RAM – where do you start? What are the must-see objects? What if you don’t have a lot of time?

Fear not: We’ve compiled a collection of highlights that will satisfy any visitor, from the casual dabblers to history buffs!

The Nature Lover

If you’re looking for dazzling geodes, wild animals, and ancient creatures, you’ll want to head up, up, up to the Natural History Hall.

Take a left to enter the world of gems and minerals. The giant purple geode or holey concretion might capture your attention at first, but don’t dismiss the small specimens just yet. Did you know we have a piece of Mars on display?

If you’ve ever wondered what the oldest fossil in the RAM collection is, seek out the stromatolites in the Ancient Alberta section. They’re approximately 1.4 billion years old!

While the massive Ice Age mastodon and mammoths are sure to catch your eye, you may be fascinated to discover the story of the Saiga Antelope. She may look like a Star Wars character or some not-so-distant cousin of ALF, but she’s definitely from this planet. Unlike most Ice Age creatures, the saiga antelope didn’t go extinct. In fact, you can still see them today in Russia and Central Asia.

Press on to the Wild Alberta gallery, and see if you can find the living hognose snake in one of the dioramas. Here’s a hint – it may be just under your nose… or your feet!

The Avid Anthropologist

From the earliest people to Alberta today, you won’t find your typical textbook history in the Human History Hall. Once you enter through the gallery doors, head clockwise to catch these exhibits.

For Cree communities, winter is the time that you share stories – and certain stories can only be shared in winter! Visit the interactive display of Wîsahkêcâhk, under the second panoramic landscape from the left, to hear storyteller Billy Joe Laboucan recounting one of the Cree trickster’s humorous adventures. This story can only be heard in the museum after the first snowfall. Once the snow melts, the story is gone until next year when the snow flies again!

Head around the corner, and step back in time through the temporary exhibition, I Am From Here, where you can visit a long-gone diner, welcome home a railroad porter, and meet the descendants of early Black settlers in Alberta.

Many First Nations and Métis women gathered together in the winter, sat by the firelight making beadwork, embroideries, quillwork or moose-hair tuftings, while sharing tea and catching up on gossip. Some mothers would coax their children into bead-sorting duties – separating them out into small parcels by colour and size. Seek out the Sewing for a Living exhibit to see examples of Indigenous women’s incredible talents with beads, quill, needles and thread.

You saw the biplane hanging in the lobby, now see the flight suit of the man that flew it. Wilfrid Reid (Wop) May, First World War flying ace served as a fighter pilot in the First World War. Head to the display case below the yellow airplane to check out how many layers he would wear while flying!

Be sure to take your time in the circular What Makes Us Strong gallery. This space brings together displays from each of the five largest Indigenous nations in Alberta: Nehiyawak (Cree), Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Dene, Nakoda/Nakota and Métis. Stay to watch the 360-degree video – like the vibrant communities it portrays, there is neither beginning nor end.

The Curious Kiddo

If your little one is a seasoned RAM visitor, they may want to head straight to the Children’s Gallery, but don’t miss out on the great interactive exhibits in the history halls as well!

In the Human History Hall, young visitors can learn about how early peoples hunted the extremely speedy pronghorn antelope; travel from Pigeon Lake to Fort Edmonton with a team of “little dogs;” and giddy-up to the Calgary Stampede atop Champion, the mechanical horse.

Upstairs in Natural History, kids can walk on the wild side. Feed a baby pelican, don your feathers for a ruffed grouse dance-off, and practice your flirting skills with the humming birds.

Then, of course, head to the Children’s Gallery, where kids can make a volcano, control the wind, or put on a show! If this doesn’t tire them out, nothing will!

The Lover of All Things Bugs

This one is for all you brave visitors who aren’t afraid of a few extra legs.

If you want to start big, head to the right once inside the gallery and seek out the goliath bird eater tarantula. This species, found in South Africa, is the heaviest spider in the world. Can’t see her? Check inside the hollow log.

Prefer something a little smaller? See if you can spot the stalk-eyed fly. The males of this tropical insect use their eyestalks to stare down competitors – the biggest span usually wins!

Some people may think the giant African millipede is creepy, but not you! You recognize the important job these many-legged invertebrates play in breaking down plant material and rotting fruit. Thanks, millipedes!

What is the coolest creature in the Bug Gallery, you ask? The peacock mantis shrimp, named Lyle, is certainly a contender! Brilliant colours and an incredibly powerful punch make this crustacean a must-see.

The Instagrammer

Even if you’re just here to “do it for the ‘gram,” we won’t judge. If you’re looking for the Instagrammable spots of RAM, look no further.

Before you enter the building, be sure to walk past the Ernestine Tahedl murals on the south side of the museum. These murals previously adorned the former Canada Post building that used to occupy this site. A little #yegdt history, the vibrant pops of red, and that natural light make for a great picture!

Of course, when you first walk in, you’ll want to snap a photo with our two Mammoths in the lobby – you can’t get a more iconic “I visited RAM” snap.

Head up to the Ice Age creatures in the Natural History Hall for some dramatic snaps of megafauna. Yeah, the sloth really was that big. Be sure to include yourself in the photo for scale!

Back downstairs, you’ll need to get a shot of Molly the pickup truck in the back corner of the Human History Hall – because you can’t get much more “Alberta” than a pickup truck.

And of course, don’t forget to hashtag your snaps with  #RoyalAlbertaMuseum, or tag us so we can see them!

@royal_alberta_museum

@RoyalAlberta

Royal Alberta Museum

Bonus Stops!

Phew! You’ve covered a lot of ground in this visit. It’s probably time to treat yourself, right?

First, refuel and re-caffeinate at the Café. Have you tried the bison burger? Or maybe you’re more of a donut person – we’ve got you covered there, too.

Finally, exit through the Museum Shop! With hundreds of unique items from local vendors, including jewellery, home accents, art, food, plus toys your kids will be begging for, and RAM swag to show your museum love, you’re sure to find something you’ll love.

These are just a few ideas. We want to hear from you! What are your go-to stops when you visit RAM?

[occasionalfics]

The One To Stay, 3 (Thor X Reader)

masterlist | tost masterlist | part 1 | part 2

Summary: Time to get to work to build your defense. Your personal defense, that is. But when something doesn’t go according to plan, a wrench is thrown into the cogs.

A/N: Thoughts? I actually don’t have a lot of notes this time XD

Tags: @thewayilookatbacon @mysweetcookie99 @httpmcrvel (let me know if you want to be added to the list!)

Words: 4,811

Loki appeared to adore the idea of hidden chambers, as you thought he might. “There aren’t any connecting tunnels, and some of the rooms are still quite empty-“ you started.

“I’m sure I’ll find uses for them,” he interjected, examining the smooth walls of his room with deft precision. He didn’t speak for some time, just knocked on the flat surfaces of the room to find the hollow spaces.

“Showers are at both ends of the suite,” you told him, as if he were still listening. “Alert me if you need anything, please.”

He ignored you, so you took your leave.

Everyone was settling in, nicely, you hoped. Hulk - or Bruce, rather - didn’t appear to like the situation too much, but none of them did. You didn’t blame them. You hated these circumstances, but you did what you had to put your plan into motion. It was time your father step down or be taken down, but you needed allies and troops to see the plan through.

It would take a while to earn the Asgardians’ trust. At least Thor had almost smiled at you when you’d shown him his room. Loki liked the palace enough, and from what you’d heard, he was the least trustworthy to begin. Perhaps he’d do whatever the group at large did, though you doubted that. You had to keep an eye on him if he was notorious for having his own agenda.

The Valkyrie, Brunhilde, liked you least. You considered revisiting her room, to try to apologize for everything, but decided against it. She didn’t want to see you, and you wanted to show her that you respected what boundaries you could afford her. You needed to give her time to process that this situation would not last forever. You had to give her reason to believe that you would, indeed, restore her freedom and Thor’s kingdom to his hands when the time came.

You had to show them all that you were not a Trickster God. You were the Goddess of Mercy. Despite your aggression on their ship, you were also kind and caring. It was completely possible to be cunning and ruthless in battle, but soft and compassionate in personal matters. The two could coincide; some stories you’d heard of Thor confirmed that much.

You went to the common area, plopped on the couch, and opened the book you’d placed on the table the last time you’d been in the room. It was a fairytale collection, Midgardian in origin. One of your siblings had put it in the library long before you’d come around, but you spent much of your childhood reading through it, teaching yourself how to recognize the Midgardian letters. The particular story you were reading was about a girl the size of a thumb that was kidnapped by forest creatures - a toad, a bug, and a mole. She faced the changing of the seasons with courage and friendship, until she found the Vale of the Fairies. You were just getting to the part that you loved the most - when the Fairy Prince gave her a set of dragonfly wings and asked her to marry him, making her the Queen of the Fairies - when someone else came into the common area.

“A fan of Hans Christian Andersen?” Bruce asked.

You glanced up at him, nodding from behind your pinky, which rested just above your lips. Your other fingers rested against the side of your face, and your elbow was against the arm of the couch on which you’d sat. “His stories are so full of longing and hope,” you said.

“He was...kind of a sad guy, from what I’ve read,” Bruce said. “Liked to pine a lot, but all of his crushes were never requited.”

You frowned just a bit and said, “How sad.”

Bruce shrugged. “Could be worse,” he said, looking around the room instead of going on. You knew what he was getting at, though.

You shut the book, placed it on the table once more, then shifted to bring your legs up onto the couch, bending and tucking them beside you despite the grime on the bottom of your boots. “I hope you’re at least comfortable in your bedroom.”

“It’s kinda small,” he said. “The Big Guy...he’s used to more space.”

“Right,” you said, not having even thought of “the Big Guy” until then. “I can see about remodeling the room with higher ceilings and reinforced walls, if you’d like.” You didn’t know how long that would take, or where Bruce and the Big Buy would go in the interim, but you’d worry about that later.

Bruce stared at you for a moment, like they all had at some point between your takeover and dinner. His head was cocked to one side, just slightly enough to match his curious expression. “I don’t get you,” he said. “One minute, you’re taking down the whole team with a look and the next, you’re giving us all elaborate prison cells and offering to remodel them to our tastes. Who does that?”

You shrugged. “Someone that’s not proud of her methods, but knows there are reasons for those methods, I suppose,” you said, pushing some hair away from your face as you leaned forward a bit.

“What I still don’t get is why you want to overthrow your dad,” he said.

You hushed him, looked over your shoulders, and only returned to Bruce once you were sure there were no guards around. When you were satisfied enough to do so, you said, “My father has spies everywhere.”

“So you want to kill him?” he asked, coming over to the couch. He sat beside you, his brows furrowed in confusion. “That doesn’t make any sense!”

“That’s not why I want him off the throne,” you said, adjusting so you wouldn’t have to speak very loudly.

“Then why?” he asked.

If this was how you were going to get Bruce and the Big Guy to trust you, then so be it. “My father’s been on the throne too long,” you said. “He was a generous, giving leader once. He took care of his people. Even during my lifetime, he’s done more for the people than they will ever know. And they’re grateful to him in turn.”

“Being old isn’t a reason to kick someone off a throne, if they’re an effective leader,” he said, whispering now.

You nodded. “You’re right, Bruce,” you said. “But he is no longer an effective leader. My father had many lovers, many wives, and he loved each one more than the last. He outlived them all. When my mother died, he grieved for months. I’m not entirely convinced he’s moved past her death even still, and I was young when she passed. But ever since he returned to his duties, he’s been greedy, selfish, and unkind. I’ve had to be his voice of reason and mercy too many times since my mother’s passing, and he barely listens to me.”

“You told Thor his people could thrive here,” he said.

Again, you nodded. “And they can, just not under my father’s rule. My people and the people of Asgard deserve a leader, not a ruler. They deserve someone they know well, someone that still cares about their well being. Someone that can fight for them, in both the physical and political senses.”

He thought for a second, then said, “A warrior Princess-slash-Goddess of War and Mercy.”

“Perhaps,” you said. “Or a warrior King-slash-God of Thunder, should he prove to be a better leader.”

“That’s not what you said at dinner,” Bruce said, squinting once more at you.

“It’s not,” you said. “I do want the throne, because I think I’d make a good leader of the people. But I won’t take it unless I earn it, and I expect anyone else that contends the throne to feel the same.”

“You would just hand over your birthright to a foreigner?” he asked. “This plan doesn’t make any more sense than it did when I asked a stupid question.” That last part appeared to be more to himself than a response to you.

“No, but I would concede if I wasn’t the best option,” you said. “Are you an avid reader, Bruce?”

He paused at your seemingly off-topic question, the nodded.

“I thought so,” you said. “So am I. I’ve read all kinds of things. Wonderful, artistic poetry; gorgeous narratives of worlds I’ll never see but in my imagination; horrifying tales of war and woe and destruction. Those tend to be my favorite. I learn the most from them. For example,” you said, leaning closer to him to speak at an even lower volume. “The villains of many war stories are the pompous, self-righteous people that only fancy themselves heroes. They don’t earn their thrones through valor and service, but through selfish acts of derision and revenge. I don’t intend to be one of those villains in this story.”

“But is that..not how you got Asgard?” he asked.

You shrugged. “Maybe it seems that way, but I know I’m not their hero. Despite Surtur stepping in to stop Hela, I know it was you, the Valkyrie, Loki, and Thor who saved the Asgardian citizens.”

“And Heimdall,” he said. “The Gatekeeper.”

“Exactly,” you said with a nod. “So maybe you consider me the villain of the story. I don’t blame you for it, but I intend to change your mind, and to help gain your freedom to return to Midgard sooner rather than later.”

He stared again, more like he had when he’d been standing. “You’ve cleared up exactly zero of my questions about...all of this,” he said, gesturing to all of you.

You sighed. “I hope, over time, the answers you’re looking for will find you. For now, I’ll promise you two things: first, that I’m not nearly as complicated as you think,” you said, giving him a small smile. “And second, that you will see your home again. It just won’t happen until my father is dead.”

You decided to show the Asgardians them the truth, rather than telling them. Maybe, you thought, they would believe in your cause if they weren’t taking in information from you - you, who’d kidnapped them, threatened them, and confused them.

In the morning, you met them in the common area as breakfast was being served. You had it all brought to your suite, to keep as few guards in close proximity as possible. If you’d eaten in the great hall, your father’s men would’ve surrounded you. You knew you were just lucky that your father hadn’t summoned you for breakfast, in any case.

When they gathered, you noticed that each of them looked and smelled better than they had the day before. They all walked taller, too, and wore fresh clothes. You took them by surprise, standing in the common room while food was being brought in on trays. That wasn’t the surprise though; compared to the day before, you were a completely different person on the outside.

Instead of green and black, you were draped in light pink, the color of sunsets on clear days. Instead of tight trousers and a tailored top, the pink fabric draped over each of your features, flowing from top to bottom. They couldn’t see the shoes you wore, but they certainly weren’t dirty battle boots. Instead you had on little light colored slippers. You looked like a Princess, from your twisted hairdo to the slight rouge you’d put on your cheeks to the dainty bracelet you had on that you doubted anyone could see beneath the sleeves of the dress.

“This is new,” the Valkyrie said, nodding at you. She didn’t look amused, but you didn’t mind.

You shrugged. “It’s tradition. And it’s how the citizens recognize me.”

“It’s nice,” Bruce said. He sat on the couch and watched as the last few trays were brought in and placed on the various surfaces around the room. “What’s it mean we’re doing today?”

“I thought I’d give you a tour of the city, if you’d like,” you said. “We can see how your people are faring so far.”

“It’s been a day,” Loki said. “How badly could they be doing?”

“I think it’s a great idea,” Thor said. You hadn’t noticed until then, but he looked only at you. His stare was intimidating, regardless of the fact that he only had one eye to stare at you with. Everyone else was glancing at the food, but not Thor. “After all, this is home now, isn’t it?”

“I’d hardly say so,” Loki said, sitting at the other end of the couch from Bruce.

You ignored him, gesturing to the food. “Please, eat,” you said. You waited for one of them to reach for a plate, more out of respect than anything else. But no one moved, and you remembered what the Valkyrie had said the night before. She wouldn’t eat anything you didn’t. And here, in the palace, you couldn’t blame her. If your father knew anything of your plan, he wouldn’t be above sending poisoned food to your suite.

“Right,” you said, moving to the main table to pick up a plate. You went around and filled it with cold meats and fruit, warm pastries, and a spoonful of porridge. You heard them all move to join you before you’d filled the plate, and by the time you sat down, each one of them had eaten something already. You settled in and started to eat as well, the breakfast as normal as wearing a dress made of soft pink satin, at least to you.

You were comforted when everyone ate in relative silence. No one was questioning you or the food or the planet. No one was angry or downtrodden. Everyone was at ease, relishing in the peace of the room. Bruce and Thor went in for a second helping, and as they ate, you asked if anyone wanted anything else. The Valkyrie asked for mead, which you went to find. You came back with butcher’s paper, and after you gave the Valkyrie what she’d asked for, you went around and wrapped up what was left of the food.

“Planning on giving it to starving children?” Loki asked, his tone sarcastic, like he couldn’t believe that would be your intent.

You nodded anyway. “Of course,” you said. “I normally do. Although, most are not starving.”

You could tell by the silence that followed that they were all still confused by you. And that was fine - it would be a while before they understood your choices. That was to be expected. You just hoped you could be patient enough for long enough. For now, however, you continued to wrap up what was left of the food in the paper, careful not to crush any pastries. You found a few leather satchels to stack the packages in, then helped the Asgardians with cleaning up the plates and trays, which were left in somewhat neat piles for the house staff to pick up later.

“Who’s ready for an outing?” you asked, pulling the straps of the leather bags up to your shoulder. They didn’t match your dress, but you didn’t care. The gesture wasn’t about the dress - it was about showing the Asgardians that they could trust you had your people’s well being in mind.

Thor nodded and, surprisingly, smiled. You found yourself unable to look away from his bright face, but you tried to fight through the feeling anyway. You bit your lip, turned around, and headed out of the room before anyone could catch the hint of heat in your face. You lead the way through the corridors, down bright but silent hallways and past too many doors and open rooms to count. You nodded to the guards who stood on watch at the front of the castle, then continued on into the courtyard where many festivals were held throughout the year. There was a grand fountain in the center of the yard, and rose bushes lined the walkways, filling the air with a floral, sweet scent that made you relax and walk with straighter posture as you passed them.

The Town Square was less than a mile away from the palace. The walk was warm and quiet. You didn’t turn around to make sure, but you were convinced your guests were taking in the splendor of the area. You weren’t just proud of your planet because you were its princess, but because it genuinely was a gorgeous place. Its only rival had been Asgard, as far as you were concerned.

Children were running and playing in the Town Square. Merchants lined the streets, their tents pitched and tables already assembled with the day’s goods to trade and sell. You waved to many people as they called out to you, bowing with huge smiles on their faces. Some of them you called back to by name, especially the jewelry makers. They were some of your favorite merchants along the main road that lead to the pit.

Before you’d made it to your destination, Thor caught up to you, walking at your side rather than behind you. “Your people adore you,” he said.

You shrugged. “I adore them,” you said, unable to keep yourself from smiling. “They’re lovely, artistic people. And I believe it’s important to support what they do.”

He leaned toward you, which must’ve taken extra effort given your height difference. “Does your father feel the same way?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” you said. “He used to, but I haven’t seen him outside the palace walls in some time. I prefer the Town Square to the Throne Room, in any case.”

The Town Square opened into a round pit. It wasn’t deep - there were a few concrete steps that lead to a flat surface. The area was entirely open, and at that time of the morning, it was still shaded enough to be bearable to sit in. There was a bench at one end of the pit, and children played within its confines. When you approached the steps, some of them stopped and waved. Some bowed, especially if they were older. You smiled and waved back, then picked up your skirts before descending into the pit.

The children cheered and crowded around you and the Asgardians. Some of the faces were unfamiliar to you - normally, you knew nearly everyone you met in the Town Square, but not that day. You knew the unfamiliar children had to be Asgardian, so you smiled especially softly at them as you made your way to the bench.

You put the bags on the bench first, then sat beside them. The children all filled in the space in front of you, pushing past the Valkyrie, Loki, Bruce, and Thor to find a spot as they sat and looked at you. “Good morning everyone,” you said.

“Good morning Princess (Y/N),” they called, mostly in unison. The Asgardian children all looked on, turning to their new friends for guidance or keeping their eyes directed at you. Some of them looked scared, and you knew it was because, only a day ago, you had thrown their ship off course and brought them here, to a place they didn’t know.

You knew that, in order to earn your throne like you’d told Bruce you wanted to do, you were going to have to earn more than just the trust of the four Asgardians in your care. You’d have to earn Thor’s people’s trust, too. The faces of the children who recognized you reminded you how much work was to be done.

Still, you smiled and opened one of the bags. “Those that have been here before know to take one item before passing a bag,” you said, your voice echoing just slightly enough to be heard by all. “But today we have more friends here than we normally do. So let’s share as much as we can, okay?”

Many of them gave a resounding positive answer. Some nodded, and others continued to stare. Your smile stretched as you opened one of the bags, then bent forward and handed it to a girl who looked to be about seven. She took something wrapped from the bag, then passed it before opening her item. You opened the other bag, then handed it to a boy at the other end of the front row. As they all passed the bags, you settled on the bench, pulling your feet up under you into a criss-cross position.

As they ate, you told them stories. You always did. You liked to recount the stories you read the night before, so that day you told them of the Thumb-sized girl that became Queen of the Fairies. You told them about the toad that took her from her windowsill, of the Maybug that flew her high up a tree only for his Maybug friends to ridicule her, and of the Fieldmouse that housed her during the winter, only for a swallow to carry her into Spring and the Vale of the Fairies.

“When the Fairy Prince saw her, he thought she was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen,” you said, dramatically clutching your heart to the tune of childlike laughter. “He could see how scared the little girl was, so he offered her a pair of dragonfly wings, so she could be like him. He was kind to her the way no one else had been before. When he asked the girl to marry him and become his Queen, she accepted. And there she lived, among people her size with wings just like hers.”

“I love that story,” one of the children said.

“Me too,” you said with a nod. “It’s one of my absolute favorites. And next time, I’ll tell you all about the Ice Queen who turned Summer to Winter with a flick of her wrist!”

They cheered, got up, and milled about the pit. Some children came up to thank you, and you welcomed them, hugging and smiling and laughing with them. After everything that had happened the day before, this felt so normal and wholesome, and it warmed your whole being to know you made a difference to the children.

A little girl with a long brown braid came up to you, her eyes wide and apprehensive. You didn’t know her, so you hunched down until you were eye level with her and asked, “What’s your name, sweetie?”

She didn’t answer at first. She just stared, the way many of the other Asgardian children had at you. A large body moved closer to you, and when you looked up, you saw an adult approaching. The woman wasn’t someone you knew either, and by the look on her face, she clearly wasn’t happy that you were speaking to the child.

“Get away from her,” the woman said to the child, grabbing her small arm in a larger, dark hand. Her lips puckered, and you thought she might spit at you, so you backed away and went to raise your hands. But the woman simply picked the child up and walked out of the pit. You heard her tell the girl, “We don’t talk to her, Romi. She’s a mean, evil person. She took our king away from us.”

Of course, that was when the Asgardians came over to the bench. You weren’t sure how the woman had missed them as she left, but you weren’t focused on that. There was a pain deep within you as you watched that woman walk away. It would’ve been worse if little Romi had looked at you over her mother’s shoulder, but she didn’t, and you were thankful for that at least. Still, this was just another reminder that your plans were working on thin hopes. Romi, with her round little face, had seemed so terrified of you, despite your story and your kind voice.

You wondered how many more children were just as scared, all because you’d stormed their ship like a Ravager instead of a Goddess and Princess.

The smile had gone from your face already, and it did not return as Thor, the Valkyrie, Bruce, and Loki all stood around you. Thor had the leather bags hanging from his shoulder, but you hardly noticed. You couldn’t make eye contact with any of them, so you stared at the stares beyond Loki’s waist.

“That was quite the show,” the Valkyrie said.

“Didn’t go exactly as you planned?” Loki asked.

You shook your head pathetically, only half-paying any attention to the question. That child was scared of you - a small girl with braids named Romi was terrified, and would remain so because you had taken their liberator from them, and in turn, taken their freedom. All to create the appearance of pleasing your father, all to betray him and take his place. You tried to rationalize - one child was nothing when it came to revolution. But that thought only frightened you. You didn’t like it, so you shut it off and sat straight suddenly.

“I’m sorry,” you muttered. You still didn’t look at any of them as you stood. “I must return to the palace. Please, stay in town and get to know the merchants or...whatever you wish.” You picked up your skirt and pushed between Loki and the Valkyrie, moving out of the pit before any of them could really comprehend what was happening. You hurried through the Town Square, back through the streets you loved and past the people that loved you. You kept your head down and put a flat hand out over your eyes to shield them from the sun that had finally risen to its full height. If anyone called out to you then, you hardly noticed. You simply kept going, walking straight through the courtyard by the palace, through the heavy stone doors, and across the grand, spacious grounds to your suite, and then to your private chambers.

You’d had the hidden chambers built for fun, as a whim on a night when you were particularly lonely. But since then, there was one hidden room that you went to whenever you needed to be with your thoughts, or when you needed to push them out. Between your dresser and your window was a little knob. You turned it, and the wall which otherwise looked seamless, opened for you. Beyond the door, you stepped down a spiral of steep stairs until you reached the next floor; the stairs dropped off into a dark room you knew well. You crouched by the fireplace, finding it by touch alone, and carefully lit a flame with the tips of your fingers. Fire was your father’s specialty, but you’d taught yourself some basic pyromagic. When the fire had caught, you stood and undid the fasteners on the back of your dress. You let the fabric fall from your body before you went to the chaise a few feet away, where you then laid down and pulled a thick fur blanket over you.

If you pretended hard enough, the blanket still smelled of your mother: peppermint, white sage, and a hint of cinnamon. It was a comforting, cool smell that brought your memories of her to the front of your mind. You’d been young when she had passed away, but you remembered her face perfectly. You looked like her, or so people told you. But you never thought so; she was gorgeous, young, vibrant, and so kind. People always said she was the kindest of your father’s many, many wives. She loved the people the most. She’d commissioned the pit. The bench had her name on the back. It was her place to go and tell the children stories and give them treats.

But that, like much of the light on the planet, died when she did. You’d only reinstated storytime a few years ago, when you were finally able to go out and sit on her bench and pretend to be her. The only person that didn’t seem to like that so much, until today, was your father. Then again, he didn’t like much anymore.

That child, you thought. Romi. She and her mother were terrified of you. You could only imagine what your mother would’ve said, if she were alive. The longer you breathed in her scent, even if it was imagined, the more you envisioned the disappointment on her face.

That shook you harder than Romi and her mother. The possibility of your mother being so...upset with your choices broke your heart. But you’d made choices, and now you were going to have to face the consequences of those choices. You knew what she would say to that, if she could: Do it with grace, kindness, and compassion. Show them you love them. They will love you, too.

You weren’t so sure of that.

[arnoldjaime13]

Blog Tour- ENEMY ZONE by @AlexLidell With An Excerpt & #Giveaway! @RockstarBkTours

 I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the ENEMY ZONE by Alex Lidell Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

  About the Book:

Title: ENEMY ZONE (Trident Rescue Book 1)

Author: Alex Lidell

Pub. Date: January 8, 2021

Publisher: Danger Bearing Press 

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Pages: 296

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, TBD, Bookshop.org

I know all about guys like Cullen Hunt.

Gorgeous. Wealthy. Powerful.

I just fled New York to escape one.

But when I reach Colorado, it’s either take a job at Cullen’s Trident Rescue or become homeless.

And Cullen? He’s worse than I thought.

Controlling. Demanding. Jerk.

A grenade always teetering on the edge.

  He’s also hot as sin and makes my toes curl.

I hate that I dream about him.

Kissing me, holding me.

He has dreams as well.

Nightmares that only I can tame.

  I know all about guys like Cullen Hunt.

I’m smart enough to stay away.

Aren’t I?

  Amazon top-hundred author Alex Lidell delivers a page-turning enemy-to-lovers stand-alone romance, with a spunky heroine, a powerful Navy SEAL, and heart-wrenching PTSD that only love can heal.

Enemy Zone is the first book of the Trident Rescue Series, which follows a group of Navy SEALs who return home to Denton Valley, Colorado, and start a search and rescue team called Trident Rescue. The books can be read in any order.

  Pre-order ENEMY CONTACT, book 2 in the Trident Rescue Companion Series now!

Excerpt:

Cullen lowers his phone, his attention shifting fully back to me as he weighs me with his gaze. Instead of being offended, I get a strange sensation that the man is pleased with my reply. Or rather, that he’s pleased to have gotten under my skin. As if he’s trying to make up for that hint of a smile he gave me earlier, to make it really, really clear we aren’t friends and never will be.

I shake my head. “You’re a horrible human being, you know that?” I say, getting to my feet in hopes of finding a better place to read. “You’re rude, quick to make faulty assumptions, and you enjoy treating people like shit.”

Cullen leans back in his chair, the sneer spreading over his face somehow managing to make his chiseled jaw only more unjustly beautiful. He’s like one of those carnivorous flowers that look nice outside just so it can digest you more efficiently.

“Well, princess, the thing about glass houses is that you have to be careful about stone casting. From where I sit, anyone working for Denton Uncovered lacks either integrity or brains.” Cullen stands, taking a single step toward me as his voice drops. “Which is it?”

Seriously? My heart pounds, my jaw clenching so hard, my teeth hurt as Cullen takes up all the air and space in the room. We’re standing there inches apart, the world at the edge of my vision flickering with red anger. The most terrible part of his ridiculous accusation is how true the last half of his statement is. Or was. Because back in New York, I was a stupid, naïve girl, thinking I knew the man I thought I loved. Thinking the US Navy gave one lick about the truth.

Cullen snorts, shaking his head as he looms over me, his mossy-green gaze cold. Degrading. “As I recall, I made your probationary period a month. You won’t last that long, Reynolds. Christ, I don’t think you’ll last the week.”

“You shouldn’t think so much, Cullen. You’ll sprain something.” I clamp my jaw shut, my lungs filling with Cullen’s scent with every inhalation. Standing so close to him, I can make out each detail of his too-perfect face, from his closely shaved skin, to the small scar that cuts the underside of his square jaw, to the full lips that are near enough to me that my head spins.

“Don’t bait what you can’t handle.” Heat radiates off Cullen’s body in waves, each rushing down my skin.

My thighs clench together, my treacherous body waking to his presence.

“Tell you what, little girl.” Cullen takes a step toward me, a predator claiming his territory, demanding I get the hell out of his way. When he speaks again, his baritone drips with command and challenge. “Prove me wrong. Get through a month here, and I’ll give you the equivalent of a month’s salary as a bonus.”

I straighten my spine and hold my ground, even as my chest brushes against his, my breasts too large and achy for my bra. “Fine.” The word spills from my lips, my gaze locked on the green eyes that stare down at me as if nothing else in the world exists. It’s probably the kind of stare a bug gets before being squashed, but it rivets me to the floor.

Without thinking, I lift my index finger to trace along his scar, longing to feel its irregular texture.

Cullen freezes, his heart beating so hard, I can see his pulse in the soft hollow of his neck. His pupils dilate, the shifting material along his groin bulging against the zipper. My fingertip is a hair’s breadth away when he moves too hastily for me to see, grabbing my wrist in midair.

“Don’t,” he says.

I gasp, taking a step back so quickly that I lose balance when Cullen lets go and crash into the table. Radios fall from their charging cradles to the floor, a stack of papers following suit.

Holy hell. What the hell are we doing? What the hell am I doing?

Shaking my head to clear it, I crouch to pick up the mess on the floor and feel rather than see Cullen marching away. By the time I look up, the man’s gone.

  About Alex:

Alex Lidell is the Amazon Breakout Novel Awards finalist author of THE CADET OF TILDOR (Penguin, 2013) and Amazon top 100 author and KDP-all star winner for POWER OF FIVE and LERA OF LUNOS (Danger Bearing Press, 2018). She is an avid horseback rider, a (bad) hockey player, and an ice-cream addict. Born in Russia, Alex learned English in elementary school, where a thoughtful librarian placed a copy of Tamora Pierce’s ALANNA in Alex’s hands. In addition to becoming the first English book Alex read for fun, ALANNA started Alex’s life long love for fantasy books with strong heroines. Alex lives in Washington, DC. Join Alex's newsletter for news, bonus content and sneak peeks: www.subscribepage.com/TIDES 

  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Facebook Group | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | Book Bub | Instagram

  Giveaway Details:

1 winner will win a $10 Amazon Gift Card, INTERNATIONAL.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/4/2021

BookHounds

Excerpt

1/4/2021

BookHounds

Instagram Post

1/5/2021

Two Chicks on Books

Excerpt

1/5/2021

JaimeRockstarBookTours

Instagram Post

1/6/2021

Bookbriefs

Review

1/6/2021

Bookbriefs

Instagram Post

1/7/2021

In The Harem

Excerpt

1/7/2021

Three gals and plenty of books

Excerpt

1/8/2021

Books a Plenty Book Reviews

Review

1/8/2021

Why I Cant Stop Reading

Review

Week Two:

1/11/2021

Books A-Brewin'

Excerpt

1/11/2021

Books A-Brewin'

Instagram Post

1/12/2021

Adrienne Woods Books and Reviews

Excerpt

1/12/2021

Jaime's World

Excerpt

1/13/2021

Pine Enshrined Reviews

Review

1/13/2021

Pine Enshrine

Instagram Post

1/14/2021

The Bibliophilic World

Review

1/14/2021

The Bibliophilic World

Instagram Post

1/15/2021

I'm Shelf-ish

Excerpt

1/15/2021

The Obsessed Reader

Excerpt