#Jolts Tibet | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

mariacallous · 2 years ago

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During the recent G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi got up from the banquet table to shake hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping and have a brief conversation—their first in-person exchange in three years. Although both sides remain tight-lipped about the interaction, it nonetheless raised hopes among observers of a breakthrough in their 30-month border crisis, which began with a deadly clash in Ladakh in 2020. But any resolution that might emerge will not dispel the challenge posed by massive changes at the border undertaken by China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

This marks the third straight winter that around 50,000 Indian reinforcements will spend in Ladakh’s inhospitable terrain in the northern Himalayas, warding off an equal number of Chinese troops stationed a few miles away. Despite intermittent dialogue between the two militaries, Indian Army Chief Gen. Manoj Pande recently confirmed that China has not reduced its forces at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Chinese infrastructure construction along the border is “going on unabated,” he said—confirmed by independent satellite imagery and echoed by the latest U.S. Defense Department report on China. Pande said the situation is “stable but unpredictable.” That unpredictability has become structural.

India and China have so far held 16 rounds of border talks between senior military commanders as well as numerous diplomatic and political engagements, but an agreement on actions to reduce the tensions in Ladakh has been slow to materialize. Of the seven areas in Ladakh where Indian and Chinese soldiers have faced one another since 2020, two have seen no change while the rest have seen each side take a limited step back. The challenge for India is becoming more concerning on the eastern part of the LAC—between the state of Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet—where China has an infrastructure and military advantage, putting New Delhi on the defensive.

The widening power gap between India and China—military, technological, economic, and diplomatic—now constrains New Delhi’s options on the border. It also raises tough questions for India’s geopolitical partnerships, such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (known as the Quad), and its aggressive approach toward Pakistan. The border crisis will hang over India’s decision-making for the foreseeable future.

In October, the Chinese Communist Party held its 20th National Congress, and Xi assumed an unprecedented third term as leader. Among the images broadcasted at the Great Hall of the People minutes before Xi ascended the stage was a video from the Galwan Valley in Ladakh, where at least 20 Indian soldiers and 4 PLA soldiers died in a clash in June 2020. The videos showed PLA regiment commander Qi Fabao standing with his arms outstretched to stop Indian soldiers from advancing. Qi was selected to be a delegate to the Party Congress, underlining the importance of the border crisis to the Chinese Communist Party’s narrative. Harnessing nationalism, the party wants to convey that it will protect what it considers Chinese territory at all costs.

India’s military and political leaders now confront a reality at the border that should have jolted them into serious action: China has a distinct advantage over India, which it has consolidated since 2020. By investing in a long-term military presence in one of the most remote places on Earth, the PLA has considerably reduced the time it would need to launch a military operation against India. New military garrisons, roads, and bridges would allow for rapid deployment and make clear that Beijing is not considering a broader retreat. The Indian military has responded by diverting certain forces intended for the border with Pakistan toward its disputed border with China. It has deployed additional ground forces to prevent further PLA ingress in Ladakh and constructed supporting infrastructure. Meanwhile, New Delhi’s political leadership is conspicuous in its silence, projecting a sense of normalcy.

Beijing refuses to discuss two of the areas in Ladakh, where its forces have blocked Indian patrols since 2020. In five other areas, Chinese troops have stepped back by a few miles but asked India to do the same and create a no-patrolling zone. This move denies India its right to patrol areas as planned before the border crisis began. The PLA has flatly refused to discuss de-escalation, in which both armies would pull back by a substantive distance. The question of each side withdrawing its additional troops from Ladakh is not even on the agenda. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson rejected any demand to restore the situation along the LAC as it existed before May 2020. The PLA continues to downplay the severity of the situation, instead emphasizing stability in its ties with India.

If the situation in Ladakh is “stable but unpredictable,” Indian military leaders have told Foreign Policy that major stretches of the LAC’s eastern sector—2,500 kilometers (or 1,553 miles) away—are an even bigger cause of concern. In 1962, this area was the site of a humiliating defeat of the Indian Army at the hands of the PLA. Today, massive Chinese infrastructure development and troop buildup closer to the LAC has placed India at a military disadvantage. In September, Pande said when it comes to infrastructure in the area, “there is lots to be desired to be done.” Recent reports suggest at least three additional PLA brigades remain deployed in the area even after the Party Congress, further worrying Indian military planners.

China officially claims the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh, which includes the Tawang Monastery where the sixth Dalai Lama was born in 1683. Tawang was historically a part of Tibet; Chinese officials, such as Dai Bingguo, who served as China’s boundary negotiator with India from 2003 to 2013, have publicly stated that it would be nonnegotiable in a permanent settlement of the disputed border. As questions arise over the succession of the current Dalai Lama, who is 87 years old, Chinese sensitivities about Tawang will intensify—even more so when linked to its internal security problems in Tibet. In the coming years, it is likely to become a higher priority for China.

Still, it is in Ladakh that the Chinese have built up infrastructure at a frenetic pace, with only military operations in mind: roads, bridges, airfields, heliports, accommodations for troops, and storage and communication infrastructure. Pande noted that one of the biggest developments is the G695 highway, which runs parallel to the LAC and gives the PLA the ability to quickly move from one valley to another. Flatter terrain on the Chinese side already gives Beijing an advantage, now further bolstered by infrastructure—an extensive network of new roads, bridges, and heliports.

In the 1960s, the PLA needed one full summer season to mobilize and launch military operations in Ladakh for the next summer. Now, it would need a couple of weeks to undertake the same operation. Indian military planners must live with this scenario, even if the current border crisis is resolved.

Modi approaching Xi in Bali recalled a short exchange between the two leaders on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, in 2017. Then, their conversation sparked diplomatic communications between New Delhi and Beijing that aimed to resolve a standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam in Bhutan, which China claims as its territory. The talks led to disengagement, but the Chinese only stepped back a few hundred yards. They have since consolidated their military deployment and undertaken massive infrastructure development in Doklam, such as roads, helipads, and a military garrison. Even if an immediate crisis was averted, the status quo was permanently altered in China’s favor in Doklam.

A similar resolution of the Ladakh border crisis would carry bigger risks for India. Unlike in Doklam, China has entered areas in Ladakh that Indian troops regularly patrolled until 2020. Reinforcing the LAC over the vast span of Ladakh would require enhanced deployment of Indian ground forces. This permanent instability would put the Indian military under further pressure. With an already limited defense budget—China’s is more than four times as large—shifting more troops to the border would also divert resources from the Indian Navy, where multilateral cooperation with Quad partners to contest China’s influence in the Indian Ocean region is an absolute imperative.

Fearing escalation, India is forsaking even limited offensive options, such as launching a quid pro quo military operation to capture some territory in Tibet to arrive at the negotiating table with a strong hand. New Delhi’s defensive position instead seems to acknowledge its widening gap with Beijing; due to this power differential, it is unable to even use economic or diplomatic instruments to target China. After all, India’s bilateral trade with China—its biggest trading partner—reached record levels this year, with an all-time high trade deficit in Beijing’s favor. The U.S. Defense Department report on China reveals that Beijing has warned U.S. officials not to interfere with its relationship with New Delhi; Kenneth Juster, a former U.S. ambassador to India, said New Delhi doesn’t want Washington to mention Beijing’s border aggression.

India’s defensive posture plays out in its approach to diplomatic engagement and security cooperation. Unlike its Quad partners, India abstained from voting against China on the Xinjiang issue at the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in October, and its comments on China’s crackdown in Hong Kong or aggression toward Taiwan have been guarded. Modi participated in both the BRICS summit and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit this year, along with Xi; Chinese delegations are still regularly invited to New Delhi for multilateral events. And an Indian military contingent participated with a PLA contingent in a military exercise in Russia this year.

The current situation along the LAC, both in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as China’s refusal to discuss issues on India’s agenda for resolving the crisis have added to the structural instability in their relationship. Chinese infrastructure development and the widening gap in power means that this instability will become permanent, even with a solution to the immediate crisis. India’s military will remain under pressure and on guard. Pande made this implicit when discussing future Indian plans on the border in November. “We need to very carefully calibrate our actions on the LAC [so as] to be able to safeguard both our interests and sensitivities … and be prepared to deal with all types of contingencies,” he said.

The risk of an accidental military escalation between Asia’s most populous countries—both nuclear powers—has increased significantly since 2020. This will continue unless Modi and Xi find a new modus vivendi. Establishing guardrails in the relationship will require political imagination and an honest appraisal of relative strengths; failing that, New Delhi faces tough geopolitical choices. It has so far eschewed any security-centric step with the Quad that could provoke Beijing, but murmurs from its partners about reticent Indian policy are bound to get louder. Meanwhile, India’s reliance on Russia for military equipment and ammunition now falls under a cloud of suspicion. And an unstable border with China prevents India from targeting Pakistan, a tactic that has proved politically rewarding for Modi.

The fundamentals of Indian foreign policy that have held steady since the years of former Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru—namely, strategic autonomy and ensuring territorial integrity and sovereignty—will come under greater stress as the border crisis looms over New Delhi. Modi boasts of great ambitions for India as a “Vishwa Guru,” or master to the world—a euphemism for a global superpower. But questions raised by the situation at the border with China continue to limit him.

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synkiller82 · 5 years ago

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Collapse Into Me Chapter 30 - It all ends where it began

Gabriel stood next to his wife’s open casket, taking her hand in both of his. He gaze clouded as a memory came to the front of his mind.

Gabriel walked into the parlor, drawn by the music and soft giggles coming from within. Emilie was sitting on the bench, a young Adrien next to her.

“Try again, my darling,” Emilie cooed to the boy.

“It’s too hard,” Adrien whined, dropping his hands from the keys. “I’m just too small. I’ll never play like you.”

“Never say never, Adrien,” his mother remarked, placing his hands back on the keys and setting hers back as well. “I was once small and inexperienced, like you. You will grow into the piano in time.”

Huffing, Adrien began playing the opening section of “Merry Go Round of Life” at a slow pace, his mother humming along. This time, he made it through to the end without missing any notes and grinned up at his mother. “I did it!”

“Yes, you did!” She exclaimed as she hugged him. “One day, you will be an even better pianist than I am, I can tell.”

“No one is better than you, Mère. Right, Père?” Adrien turned to his father expectantly.

“You are quite right, Adrien,” Gabriel agreed as he walked further into the room.

“You are both biased,” Emilie huffed, crossing her arms across her chest.

Gabriel leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Of course not. It is the honest truth. For now, anyway.” He looked over at Adrien and winked.

“Two against one, Mère! We win!” Adrien jumped into his mother’s lap, causing her to giggle with him.

“Thank you, both. Now, who wants to go get some ice cream?!”

“I do!” Adrien threw his hand in the air and waved it around.

“Emilie, it is too close to dinner for treats,” Gabriel remarked sternly, causing Adrien’s smile to fall.

“It’s fine,” Emilie argued, placing a kiss on Adrien’s forehead and putting him down. “Go get your coat, kitten.”

Gabriel shook his head as Adrien scurried out of the room to obey his mother. “You spoil him, Em. That was not the Chopin piece he is supposed to be learning.”

“He already played that one for an hour, Gabe.” Emilie turned her eyes from the door and looked up at Gabriel. “Let him be a child and have fun while he can.” Her hand reached up to hold his, giving a small squeeze.

A strange realization jolted Gabriel from his memory. Emilie hadn’t held or squeezed his hand at that time. Confused, he looked down to find that her hand was wrapped around his. His eyes shot to her face to see her eyes fluttering open. She looked around for a moment before her gaze met his.

“Gabriel,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “Where are we? What happened? Where is Adrien?”

Gabriel leaned down and wrapped his arms around his wife, feeling hers weakly do the same. “Don’t worry, Em. Everything is fine now.”

---

Marinette opened her eyes to find herself lying on the floor of Master Fu’s shop, Tikki hovering over her. She sat up slowly, trying to piece together what had happened.

“Marinette, are you alright?” Master Fu asked, helping the young heroine sit up.

“I think so,” she replied, shaking her head to clear it some more. She looked across the table to see Adrien in much the same state. How long had they been like that?

“Were we able to fix it? Is everything okay now?” Adrien asked.

“Yes! You did it!” Duusu answered, flying in circles above the table. “My miraculous and my owners are whole once more!”

Marinette watched as Adrien’s face lit up and tears welled in his eyes. “Come on, Chaton, let’s get you home.” She called for her transformation and took Adrien’s hand, helping him stand. They were almost to the door when Master Fu’s voice stopped them.

“Please remember that the butterfly miraculous is still out there, Ladybug. You must retrieve it.”

Ladybug nodded. “Of course. I’ll take care of it as soon as I get Adrien home.”

Adrien and Ladybug landed in Adrien’s room a short time later, the former buzzing in nervous anticipation. He all but bolted for the door, but stopped with his hand on the doorknob.

“What’s wrong, Adrien?” Ladybug asked as she joined him.

“What if Duusu was wrong? What if she doesn’t remember me?” Adrien whispered.

“A mother will never forget her child, Adrien. As for Duusu, we just have to trust what she said. Come on, I’ll go with you.”

With a nod and a grateful smile, Adrien opened the door and headed downstairs. He wasn’t sure where his parents would be, but he started his search in their room. The door was slightly ajar and he could hear two voices inside. He quietly knocked before pushing the door open.

There, lying on the bed, was his mother. His father was sitting in a chair next to her, their hands intertwined. It was something Adrien never thought he would see again. He slowly moved towards the bed, scared that this was a dream and he would wake up upon reaching it.

“Adrien, my kitten,” his mother cooed, letting go of Gabriel’s hands to spread her arms open for him. “You’ve grown so much.”

“Mere,” Adrien sobbed as he fell into his mother’s embrace, holding her tightly to make sure that she was there and this was real.

Gabriel smiled at the reunion before movement caught his eye. He turned to see Ladybug standing in the hallway, silently watching, with a smile on her face and tears streaming down her cheeks. He quietly got up and met her in the hall, closing the door partially behind him.

“I believe my family owes you our gratitude. You did what I could not,” Gabriel started, holding out his hand and the butterfly miraculous to her.

Ladybug looked down at his hand, then up at him, before shaking it. “I didn’t do that much. I’m just glad Adrien has his family back.”

Gabriel nodded and turned to re-enter the bedroom, closing the door shut behind him.

---

Three days later

“Citizens of Paris,” Ladybug began from her place on the stage in front of the Eiffel tower. “Two years ago, from the beams above me, I vowed to all of you that Chat Noir and I would protect you from the villain known as Hawkmoth and defeat him once and for all. Today, that promise has been fulfilled!”

The crowd cheered before Ladybug motioned for them to quiet. “Chat Noir and I confronted Hawkmoth after chasing him down. Unfortunately, he was killed during the battle and my cure was unable to bring him back, as his death was the result of a fall and not connected to the miraculous in any way. His identity will not be disclosed, out of respect for his family, who did not know about his activities.”

There were some shouts and grumbles from the crowd. “With his defeat, it is time for our retirement. We are no longer needed to keep Paris safe and will be returning our miraculous as well. We cannot thank you enough for your support all of these years and we can only hope that, if the need arises again, you will once again support the new heroes as you have us.”

She turned to Chat and held out her fist. “So, what do you say, partner? One more time?”

He stepped closer to her and bumped her fist with his. “Pound it!” they shouted in unison and the crowd exploded in cheers.

That day, there was a parade held in their honor, as well as parties throughout Paris. As the superhero duo moved along the rooftops for the final time, they could feel the spirit of Paris becoming brighter than the lights on the tower. All too soon, they dropped into a familiar alley and released their transformations for the last time. Adrien took Marinette’s hand and led her to the familiar shop where they would bid goodbye to their kwamis and Master Fu. He had already told them he would be leaving for Tibet and the monastery of the Guardians once the miracle box was once again whole. Neither teen wanted to lose their companions or their mentor, but they understood that they were no longer needed and it would be dangerous to keep their miraculous. So, they bid Tikki and Plagg goodbye one final time and placed their miraculous in the top of the box.

Two days later, Master Fu’s shop was empty when they walked past it.

---

Master Fu climbed the stone steps that had once brought him dread. He had never wanted to be a Guardian, and had made a huge mistake that had caused the temple to go missing. He knocked on the door and waited for entrance. It wasn’t long before another guardian answered and escorted Fu to a meeting room.

“Wang Fu, it is unexpected to see you again after all of these years,” one of the gathered guardians announced. “To what do we owe this meeting?”

“Master Chen,” Fu started, placing the miracle box in front of him and bowing his head. “I have only come to return the miraculous to the Order.”

“Will you not be staying?” Another guardian asked.

“I did not think I would be welcomed,” Fu answered truthfully.

“What you did was reckless, but you have learned your lesson and, from what we can see, have become a noble and wise Guardian without our assistance.” Master Chen looked between the others assembled before continuing. “We are in need of someone who can inform us about what has happened since that fateful night. We believe you, Wang Fu, would be the right person for this task.”

Wang Fu looked up at Master Chen. “It would be my honor.”

#miraculous ladybug #adrienette #adrien agreste #marinette dupain cheng #fluff

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alicepink-me · 5 years ago

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The New Guardian

Story Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng is an adult in the real world, guarding the Miracle Box in Master Fu's place. She's in love with Chat Noir, but refuses to tell him her feelings. New holders appear to fight the duo and shake up their lives. Marinette makes a tough decision about her future as Ladybug.

Chapter 17: A Team Once Again

Tea and glass shards covered the floor. Adrien stared at Marinette as she paled, still not reacting. Her silence was scary. Marinette took a step away to the side, slipping in tea. Adrien darted forward to catch her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Marinette finally blinked, relieving the burning sensation. Adrien stood her up and embraced her in a bear hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" He exclaimed, squeezing her tight. Marinette's mouth fell open. "You had me worried." Her eyes watered and her fist balled. "I missed you so much." Adrien let her go with a smile, holding her shoulders.

Marinette's hand shook before jolting up and punching Adrien right in the cheek. He stumbled back, holding his face in pain.

"Ow, ow, ow . . . " Adrien moved his jaw. "Why did you . . . hit me?" He looked up to see tears streaming down Marinette's face. Her fists were tight and she shook with anger. "Woah, wait what's wrong?" Adrien sprung up.

"Why did you do that?" She gritted her teeth, tears falling to the floor. "How could you do that to me?"

"Do wha-"

"This!" Marinette shouted. Her voice broke. "You're Adrien Agreste . . . "

"Is that a problem?" He asked, stepping closer and dodging shards.

"Of course it is." She sobbed. "It can't be you. Anybody but you . . . " Marinette faced her bed and buried her head in the sheets.

Adrien stood next to her. "Well that hurts a bit." He sighed. "I know it's a lot and you just woke up. I probably made a few mistakes in there somewhere. I'm not really sure what I did. I guess I was a little too excited and ended up rushing things, but I'm okay with waiting. I'll wait forever for you." He leaned against the bed. "I'm sorry if I hurt you though. We haven't talked since high school graduation, or at least not without masks, but even then, we hardly know much about each other anymore. And I'm rambling . . . " Adrien looked over, but Marinette still hid her face. Her cries were quieter now. "Who knows what we could've been or what we can be? I think we could be amazing though. After all, we were good friends before."

"That's one of the problems." Marinette lifted her head, staring at the wall. "You always thought I was your friend, but . . . I loved you. I loved you so much, yet I never told you and I just died away with my high school self. I had to move on because you never cared enough to feel the same. It took years and all I realized in that time was that I could never stop. I could never forget my feelings, but I did find someone I loved even more than you and that was Chat Noir. You were always worried for me and always by my side even if I wasn't there for you. Even if I denied your feelings for so long and put you through so much pain, you stayed with me." Marinette sniffled. "I rejected you everyday and never cared to listen. It wasn't your fault, for I was selfish, but I still wanted to blame you. Now . . . I've accepted what I've done. I know I've done you wrong and I can't make up for it. I wish I could fix it, but I can't. And now . . . you had to be both. You had to be both of my loves and both of my heartbreaks. Double the pain and tears . . . "

Adrien blinked, trying to piece together what she had said. Most of it was new and didn't make sense, but he understood some bits and pieces. "I wish I could've heard that long before we met Willow." Marinette let out a giant sigh. "And I'm definitely not mad." He formed a smile. "Even if you ran, you gotta reach the finish at some point. You can finally slow down."

Adrien looked around the room, spotting a box of tissues on one desk. He snatched it before setting them on the bed and grabbing Marinette's arm. He pulled her up before handing her a tissue. She was a little calmer than before and might be able to think straighter.

"Is this okay?" He asked.

Marinette nodded. "I'm all disgusting now." She wiped her face. "My makeup's running." She looked at the cloth. "Leave it to April to dress me like a corpse." Marinette sniffled.

"You look beautiful." Adrien's thumb wiped the last tear from her cheek.

She frowned. "But what I've done . . . is terrible."

"It's not a crime to love someone, Marinette." Adrien stepped closer. "Unless we're both criminals." He grabbed her hand, delicately holding it.

"I'm selfish." Marinette started. "I don't deserve you being here right now. You could've moved on in Paris and found someone better, yet you traveled to Tibet to piece me back together. Why don't you leave? I rejected you before. Why didn't you stop?" She looked up.

"Was I supposed to?" Adrien chuckled, staring at her hand. "And why would I stop now, knowing that you feel the same?"

"Do I have to reject you again?" Marinette's eyes met his. "If I tell you that I don't care about you anymore, will you leave and forget about me? Find a better life?"

Adrien released her hand and moved his to the sides of her face. "Look into my eyes." He commanded. Blue flashed to meet green in an intense gaze. Adrien didn't move. Their minds spoke for them, without either one moving. Their breaths synchronized with each passing second. "Do you love me, Marinette?" He asked soothingly.

"Yes . . . " She muttered.

Adrien jolted forward, pressing his lips against Marinette's. Marinette blinked as her eyes widened. Her hands raised, unsure, before wrapping around Adrien. Adrien smiled in the kiss, turning his head. She felt so warm, yet fragile, and all he wanted was to protect her. He would even if it meant from herself. Their long-awaited kiss was even better than expected. The emotion within it was never ending.

Adrien pulled back, scanning her face. "There's no need for you to put yourself down, Marinette. If you really wish to blame yourself, then all is forgiven." He smiled. "I forgive you, so you should be free. Nothing should hold you back now."

"Thank you." Marinette smiled as she wrapped her arms around Adrien, easing into another hug. "I'm sorry for running." She mumbled against his chest. "I am really glad you're here though."

"I've ran away from many of my problems too, so you're not the only one." Adrien rubbed her back before looking to the wall clock. "Hey let's sit down. We're gonna be here for awhile." Marinette released him before jumped up to the bed. Adrien followed and scooted next to her. "Well since this has been a very interesting reunion and we've figured things out, I should probably tell you what I did after finding your letter."

Marinette looked up to him. "I'm sorry again."

"Stop apologizing." Adrien clutched her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. "If I'm telling my story, I should be the only guilty party here."

Marinette nodded. "I told you not to find me, so . . . why did you come looking?"

"You were my first love. How could I not?" He replied. "My feelings for you had never changed, but we weren't kids anymore, so I switched to a more mature approach. I kept our heroic duties more professional than they were before and decided that secrets were better than for me to annoyingly pine after you. It may have seemed as if I moved on, but I only kept my emotions hidden. Once Willow forced you to . . . admit some things, I planned to tell you how I felt, but that never happened because you left."

"I didn't want to believe you had moved on. I always had hope, yet I refused to tell you my own feelings because I didn't deserve you after all those years of rejection." Marinette looked at their hands. "Kind of like fantasizing over an impossibility."

"How impossible is it now?" Adrien kissed her knuckles. "I ran as fast as I could to find where in the world you could be. I wasn't searching for my partner and I wasn't being a good friend. I was rushing to tell you the truth. I couldn't wait any longer." He smiled. "As you know from high school, I dated Kagami for awhile, but we were in search of different futures. When we parted, my feelings for you only strengthened and I never dated again afterwards. I'd only be wasting time if I did."

Marinette took in the information. "But how did you find me? I doubt your feelings guided your way."

"Don't you remember our mini history lessons? Back when we were seventeen and easily distracted?" Adrien asked. "This was a few years after Master Fu relinquished his guardianship over the miraculous to you."

. . .

4 Years Ago:

"Chat Noir, are you even paying attention?" Ladybug slammed her book shut. She sat crisscrossed on a red carpet across from Chat Noir.

The boy stopped moving his hands and stared at her. "I am I swear. There's just this annoying fly."

"Oh believe me, I know the feeling." She rolled her eyes.

"You were saying something about a temple." Chat said.

"The guardians' temple, Master Fu's home and training grounds for hundreds of students." Ladybug retorted. "The most important location from our history and an even greater power compared to us. It's not a rotting memorial, but a sacred ground that we must not forget." She made eye contact with a judgey face. "But I guess you don't really care. Even if you're the one paying for this hotel room we're in right now, you'd still rather joke than take matters seriously."

"Hey, I'd pay for a thousand nights with you in a hotel." Chat smirked.

"Don't waste my time or I won't show up." Ladybug glared. "It's hard enough for us to find a meeting place like this right outside of Paris, but not too far away. We can't speak about this stuff out in the open, let alone carry documents or miraculous books, so this is our best option. Don't waste it."

"Oh come on, I'm sorry." Chat apologized, scratching his head. "I'm just having a hard time concentrating. I mean, why do we have to know all of this history about a fallen temple. It doesn't influence us now."

"Of course it does. We possess their lost power." Ladybug stared at her hand. "As long as we are Ladybug and Chat Noir, we are the leaders of a massive chain of power. Even if I'm the guardian, we are team leaders together when I disperse other miraculous. Our power of creation and destruction is a fatal equilibrium where one cannot live or emit power without the other." She clenched her fist. "And even so, with Master Fu gone . . . I am the only one who knows his story. I must explain to you what he had passed on to me. His influence won't die with me. I don't plan on leaving anytime soon, but . . . if something were to happen . . . I leave it all to you." She looked up and smiled.

"Don't say it like that." Chat scooted forward. "We'll be together forever. No one will take down Paris' unstoppable duo and no way will we give up like that. I'll learn eventually. I promise." He grinned.

. . .

"So you actually paid attention?" Marinette chuckled.

"I may have had a small crush on my teacher, but her lessons were quite educational." Adrien looked up. "I remember her mentioning something about Tibet and even though it was a long shot, I decided to find the place."

"And then you found me on trial for a bunch of stupid "crimes" agreed on by every hateful elder." She nodded.

"Actually no." He denied. "I found your dorm room first and I had a perfect plan set up to win you over, but then your doppelganger popped in to ruin it all. She even tried to kiss me, so I had to get rid of her first."

"Wait, what?" Marinette turned sideways. "A doppelganger? Did you have a really vivid dream or something? What are you talking about?"

"No, there was actually a girl here and she was pretending to be you. I, being the genius I am, saw right through her and denied her advances." Adrien announced.

"But you've fallen for so many fake Ladybugs in the past?" Marinette laughed. "I don't even know who could impersonate me like that."

"Some girl named Priya." Adrien shrugged.

"Priya?" Marinette growled, pounding her fist. "Oh I have some words for that little-"

"Okay, calm down." Adrien consoled. "She was dealt with already."

"How? I hope it was painful."

He nodded. "Well you have a really, really scary roommate."

"I know, but what did April do?"

"I'm not entirely sure. She was more infuriated that so many people were in her room, but before I even blinked, the other girl was gone and my head was under April's boot." Adrien's eyes widened. "She threatened to kill me if I didn't talk fast enough and practically spoke flames. April is terrifying, so I obviously told her everything. She clued me in on some details she learned from Priya and that was that. Afterwards, we went to find you. We gathered a few allies who we knew would stand with us on your side and formed a plan."

"Then you found and fought for me." Marinette smiled. "And I'm a hot mess." She sighed.

"You're not wrong."

"Hey!" Marinette punched his arm.

"I'm just agreeing with you." He defended.

"After all I've been through, this day needs to be over." Marinette brushed her hair back, touching over her earrings. Both were still there. Marinette's eyes widened. "The Miracle Box . . . " Marinette jumped off the bed and ran to her closet, slamming open the doors. She saw her usual pile of clothes and tore it apart, revealing the old phonograph. Marinette sighed in relief. "It's still here." She smiled. "Everything's where it should be."

Adrien hopped of the bed and moved behind her. "I haven't seen that in awhile." He chuckled.

Marinette grinned and spun around on her toes, grabbing Adrien's face before smashing her lips to his. She wrapped her arms around him, turning her head. Adrien squeezed her back.

Marinette released him. "I've been waiting years for that kiss."

"What about earlier?" Adrien smiled. "I'm pretty sure that was real."

"I was bawling my eyes out before." Marinette replied.

"Oh aren't you two cute." April said, startling them. The couple faced her, both wide-eyed. April sipped her smoothie, eyes scanning the room. "Clearly something went down by the looks of all the glass shards on the floor."

"That was me." Marinette admitted.

"I leave you two to work things out and you trash the room. Fantastic." April raised her eyebrows.

"I'll clean it up." Adrien held his hands up. "Calm down."

April's eye twitched. "Calm down?"

"I didn't mean it like that." Adrien said.

April strutted forward, her heeled boots pounding. "This is my room. Don't-"

"Okay, okay!" Marinette stepped between them, a hand in front of each of their faces. "We don't need to fight. I'll clean everything up and now that things are settled . . . we won't be here long."

April glared. "Great, you two have worked things out. Now can you leave?" Her demonic stare switched to Adrien.

"I live here too." Marinette said.

"I meant him." She looked disgusted as her eyes scanned him. "The cat."

"Where am I supposed to go?" Adrien asked, crossing his arms. "I don't actually attend this academy."

"Did you think you were staying in here? Sleep in the hall like before." April suggested.

"April." Marinette said.

"Oh don't worry." She rolled her eyes. "The last thing I want is a sad kitten on my doorstep, begging to be let in." April slurped her smoothie. "I arranged for you to stay in my friend Xavier's room. He doesn't have a roommate, so there's space for you to irritate him and not us."

"There's that charm." Marinette laughed.

April dug in her pocket before tossing a key. "There. You're all set to go." She opened the door wide.

Adrien looked at Marinette. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"You better." She smiled.

#miraculous ladybug #MIRACULOUS: TALES OF LADYBUG AND CHAT NOIR #marinette dupain cheng #Adrien agreste #miraculous #ladybug #chat noir #alice pink #alicepink-me #the new guardian #fanfiction

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odnewsin · 2 months ago

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646 aftershocks detected after 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal-Tibet border region

Lhasa: A total of 646 aftershocks have been detected as of Wednesday noon after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted the Nepal-Tibet border region, the regional government said. The largest aftershock had a magnitude of 4.4, and was about 18 kilometres from the epicentre, said Hong Li, head of the regional emergency management department. The earthquake has caused 126 deaths and injured another 188.…

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christsbride · 5 years ago

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Full of Surprises

Esther 5:4-14

God was at work in the waiting, filling her thoughts with a plan. When you wait on the Lord, you don't have to sit in a corner contemplating your navel, or walk around in a daze humming "Sweet Hour of Prayer." You don't have to go out on a hillside, eat birdseed, and strum a guitar. You don't have to wear a robe and live in a hut in Tibet for the winter. Sometimes, of course, you need to sit down quietly, by yourself, alone with the Lord for a time of quietness. Solitude and silence are wonderful when nourishing our souls. But mostly you go right on with your business. You press on with your regular activities. You just focus more fully on the Lord in the midst of it. You stay preoccupied with Him. You try to think His thoughts. You recall words from His Book that you've memorized. You feed your soul His manna.

"Great idea," the king says. "Banquets are my thing." (She knew that.) "Then the king said, 'Bring Haman quickly that we may do as Esther desires.' So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared" (Esther 5:5).

The king may rule the kingdom of Persia, and Haman may sign edicts with the king's official seal, but it is the Lord who is in control of this entire situation. And in the nucleus of His divine plan, Esther becomes invincible.

Esther must have been sitting there thinking, Isn't God great? I could have lost my head. Instead, here they are at this banquet I've prepared. The plan is working beautifully. What a surprise!

God is full of surprises. But it takes a sensitive spirit to see them, to be jolted by them. Too many Christians are lulled into languor. Some can warble all the Christian songs, recite all the right Bible verses, and quote this preacher and that teacher, but their Christian lives, down deep inside, are jaded. Are you in that condition? When that happens, you become calloused and insensitive, and you're in for a life of boredom and mediocrity. How tragic for that to happen! The walk of faith is designed to be a walk of adventure, filled with periodic and delightful surprises.

Watch for the surprises!

from Chuck Swindoll's Daily Devotional https://ift.tt/3agHPin via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Chuck Swindoll's Daily Devotional #Insight for Living

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perditaalottachocolate-blog · 7 years ago

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“I Am Alive” - 3. A new threat

Adrien Appreciation Week @wearemiraculous , Day 5: Patrol

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |

AO3 / fanfiction

There was a new threat, Ladybug said. Something far more dangerous than his Hawk Daddy, or any other villain in possession of miraculous. Adrien wondered if magical poacher wasn’t the best term here. What other words could be used to describe an alien entity that was drawn by the energy of the miraculous jewels? That hunted the holders and the kwami? As Chat Noir he placed himself near the top of food chain, but it turned out that soon every holder could be at risk of becoming prey.

When there are many miraculous jewels stored in one location, without special precautions, they distort the space-time continuum, they curve the quantum magic field, making them shine like a beacon for anyone who’s searching. Master Fu had created such a beacon by bringing the jewels to Paris. Hawkmoth had helped him, by forcing the old Guardian to activate two most powerful of the jewels. Hand in hand they brought this threat upon their heads, as well as Ladybug’s and Chat Noir’s.

This new danger meant a few things for them.

‘No more patrols,’ Ladybug ordered.

‘Sure, no more solo patrols,’ he agreed, already looking for a loophole. ‘But if you or Rena join me-’

She dropped her gaze to her lap. ‘Rena won’t be joining us for a while, Chat,’ she murmured sadly. ‘Master Fu is taking all the remaining miraculous away.’

‘B-but… what about Hawkmoth? Aren’t we going to finally stop him?’ he asked.

The thought that this could still drag for some time hadn’t occurred to him. When he discovered his father’s secret he kind of had been bracing himself for a final solution as soon as possible. They had been fighting for so long after all. Paris deserved to be a supervillain-free city.

Ladybug shook her head. ‘The guardian already left for Tibet this evening. He left us both messages but-’

‘-but I was unavailable,’ Chat finished. ‘Yeah, perfect timing,’ he added bitterly.

‘From what he said this is serious,’ she explained. ‘He wants to take the rest of the jewels to the old temple of guardians. As I understood it, he’s doing this to draw attention away from Paris and buy us some time. And the temple had some screening devices or spells or something, that will hide the miraculous from this entity. Fu is either going to bring the device thingy back here, or secure the jewels there.’

‘But he’s leaving us here on our own,’ he chewed at the inside of his cheek. ‘With Hawkmoth and this new enemy.’

Ladybug put a hand on his shoulder. ‘We can keep Hawkmoth at bay. We’ve been doing this for so long. And with what you’ve discovered maybe we can at least prevent him from akumatizing people for some time?’ she suggested. ‘First thing that comes to my mind is that you can keep him busy so that he can’t release akumas? But I’m sure we can think of something more sophisticated, before we come up with a plan to stop him entirely.’

‘I honestly thought Fu would help us with this,’ Chat sighed.

‘You have to remember, that now us and our kwamis are at risk,’ Ladybug said. ‘Master Fu said there’s nothing more important that keeping the miraculous safe. Those without holders can’t protect themselves, like we can protect Tikki and Plagg.’

‘And Hawkmoth,’ he realized.

‘What?’

‘You said miraculous holders and their kwami. Father has the moth miraculous and a kwami,’ he pointed out. ‘He’s at risk too.’

Ladybug inhaled sharply. ‘Crap,’ she cursed, and instantly covered her mouth. ‘Sorry!’ She mumbled.

‘We have to take that miraculous away from him,’ Chat stated. ‘Otherwise we can’t guarantee the safety of his kwami nor his.’

His partner sighed and rubbed her eyes. ‘Why does everything always happen at once?’ she complained. ‘I’m too tired to think straight right now. Too much information to process, I guess.’

Now it was his turn to squeeze her shoulder. ‘I agree. This is too much for one evening. I suggest we regroup, have a rest and come back to this tomorrow.’

‘Right,’ Ladybug nodded. ‘We need to think what assets do we have at hand.’

That reminded him of a shortage of a very important cheese. ‘Speaking of assets, has Master Fu left anything for us? I’m out of my special camembert again,’ he admitted, wincing.

Ladybug giggled at his sour frown. For the last two years he’d been complaining a lot about the form in which his special powers were stored. She got cute little macarons, that after a few months were still edible, if a little stale. He was stuck with stinky rainbow cheese. It was easier to store than the usual kind, the ingredients possibly making it last longer, but the inevitable result was still a colorful mold of rotten milk that smelled as if something had been living and then died in there.

‘Fret not,’ his partner smiled. ‘I was told a fresh batch of Plagg’s treat is waiting for you.’

‘Yaaay,’ he whisper-cried in mock enthusiasm.

‘Let’s meet at Fu’s tomorrow at eight. He gave me a spare key,’ Ladybug said stretching her arms and yawning. ‘I’m sure we’ll have better ideas after a good night’s sleep.’

Chat slumped at that. He didn’t want to go home. He felt Ladybug pressing herself into his back. Her hands snaked their way around his waist and she put her chin on his shoulder.

‘Don’t worry,’ she whispered into his ear. ‘We’ll handle this together.’

‘I know, Buginette,’ he turned to her bringing their foreheads together. ‘Will we talk about this too?’ he added stealing a quick kiss. His heart skipped a beat when she didn’t pull away, but snuggled closer. It was a nice distraction. Something he really could use right now, to postpone the thoughts of coming back to his house.

‘Something tells me, you would want to do other things than talk, Chat,’ she murmured, tapping at his bell.

‘I might,’ he admitted with a grin. He could feel the heat from her face and briefly wondered if his was similarly warm.

‘Then we really need to talk first,’ Ladybug bopped him on the nose and finally withdrew.

He chased her with puckered lips. ‘Hey! Don’t I get a goodnight kiss?’ he pouted.

‘Tomorrow,’ she offered.

Chat fluttered his eyelashes and scrunched his nose.

‘Not the kitten eyes!’ Ladybug gasped dramatically, but he didn’t need his night vision to see the flush right under the edge of her mask.

‘Purrety pawlease?’ he threw in a pair of begging paws for better measure.

‘Hmmm,’ she narrowed her eyes as if considering his plea. ‘Since you’re asking nicely…’ she grabbed him by the bell and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. She was already a step away before he could even think about reciprocating.

‘Night, Adrien,’ she breathed. ‘See you in a few hours.’ And with that she took off.

The memory of her breath on his face, and the touch of her lips on his, stayed with him on his way home, making the journey and the arrival almost bearable. But they didn’t manage to chase away the dark thoughts that the night brought. He barely slept a wink listening to any suspicious sounds or footsteps. Logically he knew he was as safe as every other night for the past three years, but his stomach was still clenched and twisted. He was actually glad for the sunrise to come, so that he would finally get out and do something.

That’s how Adrien found himself on his way to Master Fu’s massage parlor half an hour earlier than he should. Ladybug promised to meet him inside the shop, transformed. Fu had equipped her not only with a spare key, but also with instructions as to their special treats’ whereabouts. They were supposed to come up with a plan of getting to Hawkmoth without putting either of them at risk, so Adrien was trying to think of every useful fact about his father he knew. Anything that could give them an edge. Despite Ladybug’s warnings from their last encounter he had not been paying enough attention to here and now.

The mental pressure hit him as soon as he turned the corner to Master Fu’s street. As if he walked into a rubber wall, he bounced off of thin air and looked around confused. His head started hurting and his vision blurred. Adrien did his best to focus on what was happening and power through the strange sensations.

There was a figure standing in front of the parlor, as tall as a grown man and vaguely human in shape. But it didn’t look like anything Adrien had seen, in real life or in digital world of games and anime. The best he could come up with was a curved space, that somehow seemed more dense and darker in the place the figure occupied. He stared dumbly at the apparition, until he registered the mad jolting in his pocket.

Plagg was bumping into him and tugging at his shirt. ‘That’s the bad guy, kid,’ he hissed. ‘Snap out of it and run!’

But Adrien couldn’t run. Not when he noticed who the entity dragged out of the shop. Not when he saw her fighting fiercely to break free. Not when his blood froze with the horror of seeing the creature tightening its hold on her. The boy pushed into the rubber wall and the pressure lessened, allowing him inside. But he couldn’t move faster than a snail, as if he was wading in jelly.

She caught his eye and shook her head, signaling him to not come closer. Her hands went to her ears and he saw a flicker of light as two small black items slipped to the pavement and rolled to the side. Her gaze went to the place where they landed, and then to him to check if he understood.

‘Run!’ she screamed at the top of her lungs and stopped resisting.

Adrien doubled his efforts to move to her, but the entity was much faster. It disappeared before he even got to the earrings lying on the ground. Ladybug saved her miraculous, but this time she couldn’t save Marinette as well.

#Adrien Appreciation Week #We Are Miraculous #Day 5: Patrol #perdita writes #I Am Alive #ladynoir #adrinette #Adrien Agreste #Chat Noir #Ladybug #Marinette Dupain Cheng #ml fic

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news365times · 2 months ago

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[ad_1] The USGS Earthquakes reported that an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 on the Richter Scale jolted Nepal’s Lobuche on Tuesday morning. According to the USGS Earthquakes, the earthquake struck 93 kilometres northeast of Lobuche, Nepal, around 6:35 AM (IST). Notable quake, preliminary info: M 7.1 – 93 km NE of Lobuche, Nepal https://t.co/QsViMSdtoE — USGS Earthquakes (@USGS_Quakes) January 7, 2025 Meanwhile, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) reported a series of earthquakes in Xizang, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region, on Tuesday. The first earthquake, of magnitude 7.1, hit Xizang at 6:35 AM (IST) at a depth of 10 kilometres. NCS wrote on X, “EQ of M: 7.1, On: 07/01/2025 06:35:18 IST, Lat: 28.86 N, Long: 87.51 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Xizang.” The latest earthquake of magnitude 5 hit Xizang at 7:13 am (IST). EQ of M: 7.1, On: 07/01/2025 06:35:18 IST, Lat: 28.86 N, Long: 87.51 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Xizang. For more information Download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/5gCOtjdtw0 @DrJitendraSingh @OfficeOfDrJS @Ravi_MoES @Dr_Mishra1966 @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/aHk6kS9Zcm — National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) January 7, 2025 The earthquakes along the Nepal-China border forced residents to evacuate and move to open spaces. However, so far, no casualties have been reported so far. Speaking with ANI, a resident Meera Adhikari said, “I was sleeping at the time when the earthquake struck. The bed was shaking, and I thought my child was moving it. I didn’t pay that much attention, but the shaking of the window prompted me to think that it was an earthquake. I then hurriedly called my child and evacuated the house, and came to the open ground. I am still shaking out of fear and am in shock.” Another resident, Biplov Adhikari, said, “I was in the toilet, I noticed that the door was shaking… It turned out to be an earthquake. I then hurriedly came down to the open space. My mother also was calling me to get out of the house…” This is a developing story. Further details are awaited. [ad_2] Source link

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firefield · 4 years ago

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David Bowie - liveandwell . com (1999)

Really nice to have this included in Brilliant Live Adventures. Originally mixed by Plati, Gabrels and Bowie himself, this was submitted to Virgin in late 1998 for official release only to be rejected. This latest iteration gives the mix full credit to Plati, co-prods to Plati/Gabrels and produced by David Bowie. It’s a real “musicians mix” and has some odd and creative aspects and balances/panning tricks to it that you’d not necessarily get from a studio engineer approach. The audience is mixed higher than most of DB’s live records and there is a fantastic and very controlled kinetic energy to these performances.

Some highlights for me: I’m Deranged is totally awesome. Gail’s bass sound is atypical for her and perfect, and the effect used on DB’s voice is arresting. Some really incredible alien synths layered and sliding and stacked; with some truly brilliant drumming from Zach and relatively subdued but effective acoustic piano from Mike. They let the arrangement break down, punctuated with triggered samples and space, and it’s a wild perspective on an already excellent track. It a very “studio” sounding piece to get lost in, only to be surprised with the swell of applause that it was absolutely live.

The Telling Lies interpretation has a menace to it that I really like. Much of that comes from DB’s vocal approach - and you get a similar sense of that with the next track The Motel. Absolutely outstanding vocal here. It’s one of those vocal performances where the band seems to almost disappear for a time as DB builds this love-forsaken aural world. In comparison to that monolithic track, The Voyeur Of Utter Destruction sounds positively joyful. Mike Garson’s piano pounding blending with more alien Theremin-like synths moving into a great Reeves Gabrels guitar solo (one of my favorites from him) makes for an incredible close to record one and Bowie’s laughter after shows he knows it hit hard.

I always love Seven Years In Tibet when I hear it - it’s a fabulously arranged song, with its Doors-meets-carnival mid section, sassy sax and the numerous guitar sounds Gabrels moves effortlessly though. Gail also stands out here with a simple forceful bassline that drives the tempo and lets Zach syncopate and slip and slide around behind.

The original BowieNet-only CD release back in the day ended with Little Wonder I think, and I was interested to see this D-side closing with Pallas Athena and finally V-2 Schneider. I suppose it’s an odd decision that will either sink or swim for some people, but I like it. Since they both sit on their own D-side, they feel more like bonus tracks than part of a live show. Once Pallas Athena’s rhythms begin, you can immediately see how it fits within this particular band’s soundworld and it’s added weirdness is a plus to a relatively mundane original. It feels more akin to The Buddha Of Suburbia in this form than Black Tie White Noise. The channeling of Speak & Spell era Depeche Mode transition to V-2 is a jolt, well done and packs a nice wallop of nostalgia once those familiar chords arrive. The overt nod to early synthesized sound is nice in this context, and I swear there is some vocal percussion in there, beat-box style, probably samples triggered by Zach. Who knows. Both these tracks highlight how well-recorded and mixed liveandwell is.

All-in-all, another win for the Brilliant Live Adventures box set and it’s mix and approach sets it apart from others in the set.

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