#SADLY lost some parts but still was able to save the jacket and the hat so that's the biggest part...!!!

[skeletondoggy]

GUESS WHO’S BACK BABY!!!!

AFTER SO MANY YEARS, THE MATADOR COSPLAY HAS FINALLY BEEN REPAIRED!!!! It took a lot of work to get it all the way back up to snuff, but so happy to share it again and be walking around!!!

I’LL BE WEARING THIS FOR FANIME THIS WEEKEND SO IF YOU SEE ME PLEASE SAY HI! REALLY EXCITED TO GET TO WEAR THIS AGAIN!!! WILL BE POSTING MORE PICS THROUGH THE WEEK LOVE YOU GUYS

[dear-alex-chill]

SHADOW WAR EPILOGUE

There was a loud buzzing and ringing in his ears. Someone was talking but he couldn't hear, he felt like he was underwater. That's when he felt the pain kick in. It felt like someone had dragged him by his shoulders through all of Duckburg and back to the bin before throwing him and leaving him. Gyro groaned before turning his head to the side and feeling a mix of water and spit fall out of his mouth. He was pretty sure he tasted something like iron but he wasn't going to think of that. He coughed up more water still unable to move. Eventually he was able to breathe on his own as he layed there still not opening his eyes. He could tell it wasn't light out so he simply layed there unmoving. Gyro secretly hoped that he'd fall back into unconsciousness soon so he could fast forward the pain. His wish came true as he embraced the sweet numbness.

--5 Minutes Prior with Fenton----

They had done it! They had defeated Magica and he got his suit back. Everyone was swimming in the money ((or at least trying to)) except for Scrooge who was staring out. Fenton walked over, wondering if Scrooge too had seen a weird shadow ball covered in purple magic fall out of the sky during the battle. Fenton had just showed up when it happened, he assumed it was debris, but one could never tell.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He offered to Scrooge

Scrooge stared ahead, his eyes scanning the water. "Where'd he go?" He muttered

"Um, who exactly?" He asked. Was someone lost or hurt? Did someone get carried off by the shadows? Did magica still have power? Was there another threa-

"Gyro."

Fentons heart stopped as a sinking feeling quickly replaced the victorious buzz he had been feeling. "W-what?"

"He was flung into the ocean during battle. I didn't get the chance to see him resurface." Scrooge stated looking at the water.

Fenton felt his heart quicken. "Was he uh, was he surrounded by shadows and purple light?" He asked nervously

"Yes. Magica wanted to sacrafice him but that old coon couldn't tell if I was lying by saying he was a work aquaintence" Scrooge chuckled a little.

"..oh.." Fenton murmured

"I'm sure he's fine. Gyro's a lot tougher than he looks, and for what we give him credit for" he added before turning back to his family.

"Thanks for the help lad." Scrooge said walking away leaving Fenton alone with his worries.

Gyro had been the one in that blast. Fenton just assumed no one could survive it so it must've been debris. His heart rate sped up even more as he nervously walked to the edge of the bin staring at the water. Fenton shook his head, deciding to go down to the beach/shore instead. He'd probably get a better view from there.

---

Fenton walked along the shore looking at the water out ahead of him hoping to see a sign of anything. A rubber life jacket floated past that looked like it could fit one of the kids but nothing else was out there. Fenton kept walking as the light faded. Maybe Gyro had made it to the opposite shore? Maybe Gyro went back into the bin and was down in the lab? Maybe Gyro was safe at home treating his wounds? Fenton hoped it was the last option but his gut said different. He kept walking, staring at the great expanse of water before he heard something. It sounded like a labored groan from another creature. Fenton turned his head curiously before he spotted a familiar shade of yellow amongst the sand. He ran over to it, picking up Gyro's hat that was laying on the ground. He held it close to his chest; It still smelled like Gyro. It also smelt like seawater, fish, and dirt but that didn't matter to Fenton. Fenton inhaled the scent his heart beating more as he felt calm for a moment. Naturally his anxiety returned and heightened but he had a new sense of determination. If Gyro's hat had made it back then so would Gyro, he couldn't be too far. Another groan this time quieter suprised Fenton as he looked around, spotting a hand upturned towards the sky. Fenton ran over still holding the hat, he slowed down as he got to the person.

It was Gyro.

Gyro was there lying in the sand, one arm up by his head the other one limp at his side, his body partially turned on the side. His hair was messy, soaked, and dirty. His feathers were coated in sand and Fenton was sure that Gyro would not want to wear that outfit again. Fenton looked at Gyros face, crouching down and brushing the hair out of his eyes. Gyro was peaceful almost, obviously ignoring the small amount of blood on his beak and the obviously horrid condition he was in. Gyro's face was relaxed, the bags under his eyes lessened and he wasn't scowling or frowning. Fenton felt tears come to his eyes as he smiled seeing Gyro in one piece. That smile quickly faded when he realized Gyro was breathing very shallowly, his chest rising and falling only once every 15 seconds. Fenton knew Gyro needed medical attention ASAP but he wouldn't be able to carry him himself and yelling wouldn't do that much good. Fenton stepped back a solid 3 feet before yelling out,

"Blathering Blatherskite!" As the armour came flying towards him.

'this should do it' he thought looking at the Gizmosuit armour on him before he rolled over and scooped up Gyro, carrying the man bridle style and grabbing Gyro's hat. Gyro's body was limp in his gizmo-arms, his head lolled to the side. Fenton looked at him sadly praying to God he would be ok. Fenton rolled back to the bin to be greeted by everyone, as Fenton held up Gyro, Scrooge's face hardened demanding Fenton take him to the hospital and Launchpad to start the car. Donald and Beakly took the kids inside promising them a sleepover in the bin and vending machine snacks.

--3 Days Later with Gyro--

There it was again.

That blasted buzzing/ringing sound.

Gyro let out a growl or a grumble or some sound to express his annoyance before realizing his throat hurt. Gyro cracked open his eyes just a tiny bit to see where he was. It was a room that was both familiar and oddly different. White walls, a small tv shaped blob, some steady beeping sound, muted colors, Fenton at the foot of his bed, sheets, industrial cleaning smell, closed curtains- wait, Fenton at the foot of his bed?! Gyro looked down more, unable to make out the details but able to see a tan blob with a yellow blob and part of a purple blob.

"Wh-hmmm?" He slurred as the blob moved. Gyro now saw two eye shapes as the blob moved more, it looked like Fenton was looking for something he had.

Gyro slowly blinked, trying to squint and see Fenton or anything more than 2 feet away from him really. The blob moved closer before he put something on Gyro's face, Gyro's vision cleared up as he was able to see around him. Sure enough Gyro was in the hospital, wearing a cheap hospital gown, with Fenton there to see whatever condition he was in. Gyro felt a sharp pain in his chest as he winced, Fentons face growing in concern.

"Sir are you ok?"

"I'm just fine" Gyro replied through clenched teeth

"You can't expect me to believe that statement" Fenton replied

"I can hope" Gyro responded feeling the pain subside to a dull throb.

"Well you should rest. You're not getting released until tommorow anyways. No point in faking your fine"

"But I am fine!" Gyro protested trying to move before feeling his shoulders hurt too and settling to lay back.

Fenton walked over putting his hand on Gyro's.

"I'm glad you're back sir" he said warmly

"T-thanks.." Gyro mumbled looking away

"I'm serious, I'm glad you're alive." Fenton replied

"Well, I'm not exactly. I mean, I'm gonna be in debt for years being in this hospital room! How long was I out anyways?"

"3 days" Fenton replied as Gyro leaned back groaning

"I'm financially fucked." He deadpanned

"I wouldn't say that.." Fenton said

"Well I would. Why do you think me and Manny gave a grade-A medkit in the lab? I'll tell you it's not company policy." Gyro responded, his mood sour.

Fenton looked at the door, "I'm sure you'll be fine. I can try to help if you want?" He suggested

"Oh no. No way. You are not paying a cent. That's final" Gyro said stubbornly

"Neither of you are paying a cent." Another voice said as both of them turned to see who it was. Scrooge walked in the room, shutting the door.

Gyro leaned back miserably, 'could this day get worse?' he thought

"Gyro." Scrooge said as Gyro snapped to attention.

"Y-yes?"

"I'm paying for this hospital stay, so you won't have to worry about that." He said with a small smile.

"T-thank you sir!"

"I'd thank your 'assistant' for getting you from the shore if I were you" Scrooge said nodding towards Fenton. "If not for him we would've lost our greatest inventor"

Gyro looked at Fenton suprised, a blush creeping onto his cheeks

"You have the week off while we redo the lab, if there's any additions within reason, send a report to the office for approval. I have a meeting to attend but,"

He walked over to Gyro, putting a hand on his shoulder

"It's good to have you back, son" he said before leaving as Gyro stared in shock

"Wow.. adoptive son of the richest duck in the world" Fenton joked

"S-shut up" Gyro responded

"Nope. And you can't make me" Fenton teased

"I'll take away your Gizmosuit privileges." Gyro replied

Fenton faked a gasp. "How dare you! After saving your life too!"

"Oh please, we both know you wouldn't let me die." He replied

Fenton sighed knowing he lost. "You're right.."

"Of course I am."

Fenton looked up at Gyro before the nurse walked in.

"Visiting ends in 5 minutes" she said before walking out.

Fenton looked at Gyro as they made eye contact, Fenton smiling a little. "See you tommorow?" He asked

"Sure." Gyro responded

Fenton walked over to Gyro before giving him a mouth boop on the forehead and leaving Gyro a blushing mess.

Gyro layed back in bed staring gay ahead. Gyro thought about that kiss for the rest of the night.

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Alternate Future chapter 17: Together Forever (originally posted on July 5, 2021)

AN: Welcome back my loyal readers! Sorry to keep you all waiting these past few months, but I know the wait will really be worth it. The final two parts of Alternate Future might be some of my greatest writings yet, and I'm more than excited to share it all with you starting today. Now without further ado….

Synopsis: Steven tries to become Connie's official boyfriend.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven

Estelle as Garnet

Charlyne Yi as Ruby

Erica Luttrell as Sapphire

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Grace Rolek as Connie

Dee Bradley Baker as Lion

Kimberly Brooks as Cherry Quartz

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Featuring Ray Chase as George Ikari

--

Pearl stood in line at the Buddwick Public Library alongside many other parents and parental figures like her, waiting as a bearded, glasses-wearing Japanese-American man signed books at a table.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to not be from around here, right?" a single dad standing behind Pearl asked her.

"Well, technically yes," Pearl informed the father. "I come from a planet of beings similar to myself who are all based around gemstones, which explains my appearance. Also, just last week I helped save your world from a sociopathic revolutionary, so you're welcome."

"You foreigners say the craziest things!" the father giggled in disbelief of Pearl, who just groaned flatly as the line began to pick up.

Eventually, Pearl was at the front of the line and now face to face with childcare author George Ikari, who had his fingers clasped together as he gazed at Pearl.

"Let me guess, you are here because of your own son, daughter, or whatever pronouns your child prefers to be dubbed?" George asked Pearl while he took out another copy of his book, titled "When Your Child Wants Time Apart", to sign for the Gem.

"Well, he's not really my son, but Steven is the closest thing my team, the Crystal Gems, have to one after his mother died giving birth to him." Pearl explained as George got to signing. "And that's not even getting into the fact that his mother was a former despotic alien conqueror who grew tired of her life and the constant neglect from her fellow despots, so she faked her death because of how much she valued your planet as part of a big war, then thousands of years later she met a rock star and fell in love with him before they consummated their relationship and she gave up her physical form to give birth to Steven."

George just stared in shock at Pearl's tale before she tried to continue. "And just last week, there was this other Gem with a vendetta against Steven's mother who tried to destroy the planet and kill us a-"

"Stop." George commanded Pearl with a raise of his hand before handing over the signed book. "Just take the book and leave. Your tales are holding up the line."

"What did I tell ya, foreigners say the craziest things!" the single father from before laughed.

"I'm deeply sorry Mr. Ikari, it's just that Steven has been going through some rough times lately." Pearl apologized to the author.

"I completely understand miss." George said while pulling out his phone to show Pearl a picture of his own son, a young man with scruffy brown hair, a white dress shirt, and a nervous expression on his face. "My son Shane has had his fair share of troubles ever since his mother died, troubles that he insisted on running away from rather than facing them maturely."

"Just like Steven." Pearl compared the two boys sympathetically. "I am deeply sorry for your loss sir."

"Thank you for your kindness." George smiled, putting away his phone. "The best thing I feel could work for a situation like this is to let things play out and discuss his problems when the time is right."

"Thank you very much George." Pearl thanked the author as she finally began to leave the library with her new book in hand. "Though I doubt that'll be of any use to Steven."

--

Not too far away from the library, Steven was sitting in his room talking to Connie on the phone while she was on her study break.

"Wow Connie, looks like you got all this college stuff figured out." Steven laughed with his dear human friend over his phone.

"I've got a whole plan figured out for early admission into the University of Jayhawk, but I'm still not sure about my major," Connie explained to Steven. "Maybe I should major in political science and minor in sociology, or perhaps the other way around."

"Did all our galactic adventures together get you interested in politics?" Steven asked.

"Maybe." Connie chuckled. "But I'm thinking more down to earth, as far as long-term careers go." As the two laughed at Connie's pun, the timer on her phone began to go off. "Wow, fifteen minutes went by pretty fast."

"Aw man, these study breaks are too short." Steven complained before he realized something. "Hey wait, you left a brochure at my place last time." He stated, pulling out a brochure for Connie's college of choice to show her. "You want it back?"

"It's alright Steven, I still have two more, and the Internet too." Connie answered smiling.

"Oh, right." Steven realized. "Well, call me when you still wanna hang out, okay?"

"You know I will, silly!" Connie beamed. "Okay, for real now, bye!"

After Connie ended the call, Steven turned over on his back and gazed at the brochure in his hands. "The University of Jayhawk, huh?" he muttered to himself. "And how far is that from here?" Steven then opened up the brochure to learn how far the distance between Beach City and the university's location in Kansas was. "Oh, that far."

Once again, Steven began to glow pink as he sadly sank into his bed, fretting over how little often he'd be able to see Connie regularly. Gazing at his rose-colored hand, he then started pondering on whether he should do something about this new condition, as he had been thinking about since the titanic battle with Black Rutile.

--

Soon, Steven had decided to get up off his bed and walk downstairs, to which he found Garnet standing in the living room dressed in a hat and kerchief. "Oh Garnet, you're still here?"

"Steven." Garnet greeted Steven tersely.

"I could really use your advice right now." Steven declared racing over to the fusion. "It's about-"

"Not right now Steven, I gotta split." Garnet cut Steven off before un-fusing into Ruby and Sapphire.

"I'm terribly sorry Steven, but I'm running late for my lecture on alternate timelines." Sapphire apologized while taking off the scoutmaster's hat and giving it to Ruby, along with a kiss on the cheek, before racing off to her lecture. "See you soon!"

"Sapphire might be going, but you still got good ol' Ruby to talk to." Ruby said to Steven as she went to fetch a backpack. "Let's walk and talk scout, I got things to do."

"Oh, okay." Steven agreed as he followed Ruby to the Warp Pad, and the two set off.

--

Later that day, Steven had joined Ruby's class, consisting of Onion, Zebra Jasper, and Little Larimar, as they strolled through the woods on a gorgeous afternoon. When the class got to a good stopping point near a stump, Ruby hopped up on the stump to speak. "Okay everyone, you remember what we learned last week, right?" she asked her students. "Well, today is the day! Brace yourselves, 'cause today we're sketching nature and the animals around us!"

Onion and his Gem classmates excitedly took out their notepads to draw on as Ruby continued. "Draw to your heart's content scouts!" Ruby declared. "Feel the beauty of everything around you, and you'll have the honor of receiving this Nature Sketching Badge!" She then presented a patch depicting a paint palette and brush in front of depictions of a wolf and a bird. "Got that? Now get to drawing!"

As soon as the three pupils left to go draw the beauty of nature around them, Ruby took it as her cue to jump down from the stump to talk with Steven. "So, what did you need Garnet for?"

"It's about Connie." Steven admitted to the small red Gem. "Every time I talk with her, I feel like she knows exactly what to do with her life, mostly thanks to her parents, and I don't. When we're together as Stevonnie, I feel so ready for anything, but on my own, I feel so lost. Just, what do I want with life?"

"That's tough Steven." Ruby declared sympathetically.

"Exactly!" Steven replied. "Connie is gonna go super far away for college, and I'm gonna be stuck here in Beach City where barely anything can go right for me nowadays and I don't know what to do about them! I want to be with Connie forever, like how you and Sapphire are basically together forever as Garnet!" That was when he came to a conclusion. "Wait, if I want to be together with Connie, then she's my future!"

Steven's revelation made Ruby super excited, and she began scuttling in place with stars in her eyes, her rapid footsteps creating a small fire beneath her feet. "STEVEN STEVEN STEVEN STEVEN STEVEN!" she cheered, but stopped short once she noticed the fire she created. "Oh my gosh, one sec!" Ruby quickly ran off and came back with a towel that she used to put it out. "Anyways, STEVEN, YOU GOTTA PROPOSE!"

"Wait, propose?!" Steven exclaimed in shock. "But, we're only teenagers, we can't get married yet! But then again…"

"Don't say you haven't thought of it!" Ruby added cheerfully. "Besides, aren't there couples in this country that get married at 18 or something?"

"Y-yeah, I thought of it." Steven began blushing, which he tried to hide within his jacket. "I mean, we just had this discussion."

"Well, what are you waiting for?!" Ruby yelled happily while jumping up and grabbing onto his head. "DO IT, DO IT, DO IT! DO IT LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!"

"Are you still really sure?" Steven asked the overly eager Gem. "As I said, Connie and I are still only teenagers."

"C'mon, we told you about how it worked for Sapphire and I." Ruby responded. "And if you're successful, you'll have the honor of receiving this!" She presented Steven with a badge depicting one figure popping the question to another. "The Proposal Badge! And if you're not so sure, well, seeing the future would be really helpful here."

Steven gasped, knowing just who Ruby was implying.

--

Far away from Ruby, Sapphire sat down with her class, made up of the Watermelon Tourmaline fusion, two of the Nephrites, Orange Spodumene, Cherry Quartz, and Angel Aura Quartz, while drawing lines in the sand with a stick.

"Okay class, let's begin our lesson." Sapphire announced to her students when she spotted Steven racing towards her with a big smile on his face. "Ah, Steven. I've been expecting you."

"Hi, Sapphire." Steven greeted Sapphire. "I'm sorry to interrupt your class, but I got big news! I've been thinking about my future with Connie lately, and a chat with Ruby convinced me that I should propose!"

"Wait, don't you have to wait until you're a grown-up to do that?" Cherry Quartz inquired with a raise of her hand.

"Let me guess, you're here because of my future vision?" Sapphire asked. "Let's run the numbers then." She then let Steven stand next to her before beginning to speak to her class. "Okay class, let's review what we've learned today." She began while drawing complex math equations in the sand. "Using the concepts we discussed so far, let us calculate the probability of Steven succeeding in asking Connie to marry him. Let's begin with the probability that she'll want to spend her life with someone, and then we'll multiply that by the differential factor in sociocultural marriage acceptance. Next, we multiply that by a possibly happy cohabitation, the factor of fear of engagement, the intensity of the love you share, and finally the robustness of your goals in life." As Sapphire finished her equation, she finally turned back to Steven. "Are you following so far, Steven?"

"Uh, maybe?" Steven answered as he stared at the equation Sapphire had jotted down for him in the sand, but it wasn't long before the ocean tides began to wash them away. "Oh no, your work!"

"And there we have it." Sapphire declared with a chuckle. "Don't you get it, Steven? My marriage to Ruby, our fusion as Garnet, it eluded my future vision for so long, defied the odds, and perhaps even changed the course of time itself!" she declared encouragingly. "We could just write equations in the sand all day, but then a wave of chance can come crashing in and wash everything away! Love is truly unquantifiable! Even with my gift of clairvoyance, I know far better than anyone that love can make the impossible possible! And that is why I say do it! Do it, Steven, just do it!"

"Yeah, you're right!" Steven began getting pumped up before turning to Sapphire's class. "Get one last good look at me, everyone, because after today you're gonna be calling me Steven Quartz Cutie Pie DeMayo Diamond Universe-Maheswaran!"

The class began cheering vibrantly, bringing a big smile to Steven's face as he finally realized what his future now held.

--

As the afternoon slowly began to give way to evening, Ruby and Sapphire reunited by rushing towards each other on the sand, excited about the big proposal.

"Steven told me first, and I led him to you!" Ruby cheered, spinning her little blue wife around by the waist.

"I told him to go for it!" Sapphire laughed. "Oh, it's going to be so wonderful!"

As the two fused back into Garnet, she stood still for a few moments, contemplating her components' decisions before coming to one of her own. "I take full responsibility for their actions." Just then, Garnet heard footsteps and found Pearl walking behind her, her pointy nose stuck in a book. "Pearl, I'm guessing you want to see me about the book you're reading."

"I was just thinking about calling up you and Amethyst," Pearl announced as her gaze turned from the pages to her leader. "Where's Steven?"

"Oh, nothing much," Garnet answered. "Just going to make a rash decision that'll emotionally damage him in the long run."

"Oh, that's ni-" Pearl began before she did a double-take. "WAIT, WHAT?!"

--

As for Steven, he was too busy getting ready for an evening with Connie without a care in the world, picking up a cake from Spacetries that said 'Together forever!' on it, buying some flowers from Crazy Lace Agate, lighting up the glow bracelet that brought him & Connie together to begin with and dressing up in some nice clothes. If all goes well, he would soon become Steven Quartz Cutie Pie DeMayo Diamond Universe-Maheswaran.

Meanwhile, at Connie's house, Connie kept on studying for the University of Jayhawk when she heard a roar coming from outside her window. Walking over to the window, she discovered Steven parked outside her home with Lion by his side.

"Evening Connie, how are you doing?" Steven asked his ladylove.

"Steven?" Connie replied. "What are you doing here, and why are you all dressed up like that?"

"You got a fifteen-minute study break in two minutes, right?" Steven inquired, gazing at his watch to check if his timing is correct.

"Whoa, spot-on!" Connie exclaimed, gazing at her phone to learn that he was indeed right. "So, what did you come here for?"

"You want to go for a walk with me?" Steven offered. "I'm sure you could use some fresh air."

"That's very sweet Steven." Connie smiled. "I'd really love to, but I-"

"Don't worry, we can take Lion, and then I'll bring you home in fifteen!" Steven declared with a thumbs up.

"Okay, let's do this!" Connie accepted the offer and left her room to meet Steven outside, taking a moment to tell her parents along the way. "Bye Mom and Dad, I'm spending my study break with Steven!"

Once Connie was out the door, she and Steven mounted on Lion's back and he ran away from the Maheswaran residence.

--

"Remember when we first met here?" Steven asked Connie as they dismounted from Lion and began walking down the beach.

"You mean when you tried riding a bike in the sand and then started running away screaming?" Connie replied with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I was trying to get your attention." Steven added.

"Last I remember, I was more focused on my book than your silly antics." Connie stated.

"Well, that all happened right here." Steven declared, gesturing to a picnic at the very spot where he and Connie first met all those years ago. "You like what I have here?"

"Steven!" Connie exclaimed in awe at the picnic set before them. "I don't know what to say! I also can't believe you still remember this exact spot!"

"I just remember it like it was yesterday!" Steven exclaimed just as eagerly before running over to a nearby rock to sit on.

"This is too cute." Connie squealed while blushing.

"And without further ado," Steven announced as he picked up a guitar to play while Connie sat down. "There's something very important that I'd like to tell you today." With that, he started strumming the guitar and began to sing. "I'd rather be tall, I'd rather be smart, I'd rather be sure you know I care." He sang for Connie. "Wherever you go, wherever you start, I'd rather be sure you know I'm there. I'd rather I always be a part of whatever you do. I'd rather be me, with you."

Although Connie was a little turned off by the deeper meaning of Steven's song, she chose to just keep those feelings hidden to not hurt Steven's while he continued singing. "Wherever we go, I already trust, I'd know what to do if it were us. I'd know what to say, I'd know how to be, I'd know your entire syllabus." Steven continued as the song reached its climax. "I can't think of any other thing in the world that I would rather do. If I could be, I'd rather be me with you."

"Oh Steven, that's so beautiful!" Connie applauded the love song. "If a little unsettling, but I'd rather not say it out loud because-" Steven then got down on one knee and presented him her old glow bracelet. "Huh?"

"Connie, will you marry me?" Steven popped the question at last.

"Come again?" Connie asked, completely taken off guard by such a proposal.

"Let's get married and live together as Stevonnie, just like Garnet!" Steven reiterated for his possible wife.

"Are you serious?" Connie chuckled at the marriage proposal. "I think we should talk about this first."

"You might think I'm being sentimental, but this makes sense!" Steven exclaimed. "I don't know what you'll be studying, but I'm sure Stevonnie will! We can go to Jayhawk together!"

"I really appreciate this little date, but come on! You're still young!" Connie said as she stood up. "And acting a little clingy, I might add." She added under her breath.

"What was that?" Steven asked Connie.

"Nothing!" Connie lied. "Like I said, we're still young. And even if some couples get married at like, eighteen, I don't think we're fit to be one of those."

"So, you don't want to be Stevonnie with me?" Steven asked despondently, but Connie was there to comfort him.

"Of course I'd want to be Stevonnie, but I'd like to be my own person too," Connie answered reassuringly. "You get that, right?"

"Yeah, but," Steven began while putting the bracelet away as Connie hugged him. "Is it a no?"

"I'd say it's not right now." Connie answered.

"But if we're going to spend our lives together, why didn't you say it now?" Steven kept on inquiring fretfully.

"We got plenty of time." Connie declared, moving on from hugging Steven to holding his hands. "Don't you worry."

"I'm not worried, honest." Steven tried correcting his best friend. "I'm just happy when I'm with you."

"I'm happy around you too." Connie replied. "It's just that-" Before Connie could finish, the alarm on her phone went off. "Oh snap, my alarm!" she yelped in realization while pulling her phone out. "Forget studying right now, I don't think it matters."

"But it does matter to you!" Steven yelled.

"And you're just as important!" Connie responded, beginning to notice Steven getting more stressed out.

"I'm fine, we can talk about it later." Steven began rapidly panting. "Look, Lion's still right there, you can go now."

"Are you sure Steven?" Connie wondered sympathetically. "You're looking a little on edge. Maybe I can hook you up with a good therapist. She's a good friend of my mom named Dr. Rebe-"

"I'm sure I'm fine." Steven cut Connie off. "Now go."

"Okay." Connie obliged before giving Steven a goodbye hug. "I'll call you again tomorrow at noon." She said before walking towards Lion to have him take her home.

"Have fun studying!" Steven continued putting up a happy front as he bid Connie farewell. But as soon as she was out of sight, that front completely fell. "Nobody I love ever wants to stay."

With that, Steven fell back-first to the sand and turned pink, the resulting impact ruining the nice picnic around him as he wallowed in a crater of his sadness, and stayed there for the rest of the day.

--

Many hours later, Steven kept on lying in the crater long into the night with tears in his eyes, and when he finally decided to get up, Garnet was there waiting for him with the picnic basket containing the cake still intact.

"I assume it didn't go well." Garnet theorized as she helped Steven up from the crater and began walking him home.

"I don't get it," Steven muttered cynically. "Ruby and Sapphire said I should go for it, and I did, but everything went wrong."

"I apologize on their behalf," Garnet stated. "You just can't trust love advice from hopeless romantics like those two."

"Then why didn't you stop me?" Steven asked the fusion.

"I couldn't see a future where you didn't try proposing to Connie," Garnet answered. "However, there were quite a few where after she said no, you forced her to fuse with you and subsequently went insane."

"Of course." Steven moaned. "Even in alternate timelines, nothing can ever go right for me."

"Don't be so hard on yourself." Garnet comforted her half-human ward with a hug to the side. "Your soulmate should be your complement, not a missing piece. Ruby and Sapphire may deeply love each other, but they still have their own thoughts, feelings, and lives." The pair soon reached the beach house and sat down on the steps together. "Whatever hole you have in your life Steven, I want you to know that Connie or Stevonnie might not fill it."

"It's just that you guys make it so easy!" Steven revealed as he took the basket from Garnet. "Can't believe I'm saying this, but it's kinda your fault for being so dang perfect!"

"I know you're upset Steven, and I take responsibility for your plight," Garnet apologized to Steven. "but blaming others as much as you blame yourself won't help."

"Then maybe shoving this adorable cake in my face will!" Steven declared as he opened the picnic basket to reveal that the cake was in pieces.

"It probably won't." Garnet deadpanned, but Steven didn't listen and started eating the broken cake anyways.

"Well, I'm still gonna do it!" Steven exclaimed, his mouth now full of cake.

"I know," Garnet added as she gazed up at the sky. However, what she didn't catch was a fly buzzing around her and Steven, and its green eyes started blinking.

--

"Ah, romance. So utterly futile." Black Rutile grimaced as she watched the live footage of Steven drowning his sorrows in cake through a hard light welding mask. "Still, all that trauma could be useful in the future."

As Black Rutile was spectating on Steven's pain, she was hard at work on her plans for revenge, using a blowtorch to put together the final touches on a special wrist-mounted device. Once she was done, the villainous Rutile aimed the device at a rock carved into the exact shape of White Diamond's gem and fired. The resulting blast destroyed the rock and left a massive cloud of ash where it once was, but she wasn't satisfied with the smattering of pebbles that once made up the rock.

"Hm, need to work on the disintegration aspect a bit more." Black Rutile pondered while retracting the welding mask into her visor and began going back to the drawing board.

--

Guess who's back? Back again? Black Rutile's back, she's no friend! And on that rather sad turned ominous note, we conclude the first chapter of Part 3. Now that we have Steven's romance issues out of the way, expect to see the following in the coming chapters, in no particular order.

Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl re-enact Ace Attorney while Steven becomes even more scarred for life.

Viva Los Diego! Lapis & Amethyst get involved with a James Bond parody, Garnet & Bismuth solve mysteries together with a police officer who's basically the Plumber from Ratchet and Clank, Pearl matches wits with a snooty film director who's like Michael Bay, David Cage, Neil Druckmann & Zack Snyder in one, and Peridot tries promoting her CPH reboot.

Steven hangs out with Spinel and plays basketball with Wolverine.

Peridot finally gets her own song.

Jasper finally gets her own song.

A certain Stevonnie-chasing jerk dares Steven to reform him.

And finally, Black Rutile plays a role in a certain event in Fragments, the final chapter of this part.

Have I gotten your interest yet? Good, cause strap in everyone, it's gonna be nuts.

[bunny-wk-fanfic]

Personal Indulgence 2

A little something that I’ve written a good while back and have been holding onto for whatever reason. I hope everyone enjoys this!

The 1920’s were, well, they were roaring. Only, Kagome never thought she would get to experience them first hand. Not that she had anything against experiencing new things, or new times, she would rather be able to do so while not on the run. She was still lost on how she got to be in the beginning of the 20th century, and with the Shikon was still in her possession after all, she was quick to learn that there were many that knew of its existence. A whole magical community of witches, wizards, and magical beings.

Sadly, there was at current a rise of a wizard that was set on world domination, somehow word of the Shikon got to him and so she was on the run. It was a lot harder to fight against evil using magic when most of the world stopped believing in it at large. Again, if she weren’t on the run, she would have enjoyed her travels. Across China and Hong Kong, India, Egypt, Turkey, across Europe, and now on a ship to America. Sadly, she didn’t stay anywhere long enough to enjoy the sights and cultures. The magical community had impressive means of travel to catch up with her.

“Kirara?” her steps were only slightly muffled against the thin carpet, arms wrapped tight around herself as her gaze flickered over every corner. “Kirara, this isn’t funny!” her hushed tones still rang loudly in her ears.

While it wouldn’t be that odd to see a cat on the ship, even in this age, one with two tails would be quick to gain attention. And there was the fact that she was still getting used to sensing witches and wizards. What with their damn ‘notice me not muggle’ spells and charms.

“Kira-!” she paused when she heard a faint mew from further up ahead. Holding still, even her breath, she waited until she heard it again before rushing towards where she thought the source could be. Another downfall about witches and wizards, the moment she sent out her abilities to sense and search, they became aware of her themselves. Not directly knowing who or what was going on, but they immediately went on edge. “Kirara!”

Turning a corner, she spotted the Nekomata sitting facing a corner while looking up at a fire extinguisher. “Kirara, you scared me running off like that.” her brows furrowed when Kirara gave her a quick glance only to return her gaze to the fire extinguisher with a softer mew. “Did you find something?”

Approaching the corner herself, Kagome began to examine the brass container, giving Kirara an absent scratch behind her ears. It took a few moments, but she quickly saw what had attracted Kirara’s attention. “Oh! Hello there.”

The little critter was a mix of twig and praying mantis, green in color with spindly limbs that ended in fine points. It made the lightest of noises as it peeked out from behind the extinguisher, tiny eyes turning between her and Kirara.

“You look lost, do you need some help?” she raised a hand, holding it within the critter’s reach. “Come on, I’m not going to hurt you. And neither is my friend here.” head tipping to the side, she watched as it chirped and chittered before slowly climbing into her hand.

It’s limbs, ones that could be called hands, wrapped around her thumb as it tipped it’s head up to look up at her. “Well then, let’s get you back where you belong, huh?” raising her hand up to her shoulder, she waited a few moments before she felt it tuck itself behind her ear under her hair. With her hands free, Kirara was able to jump up and rest securely in her hold. “Well, let’s see if we can get there first.”

With slow steps, Kagome began walking back down the hall. Every so often she would pause or stop when she heard a squeaky little chirp, a pat to her neck, or gentle tug to some hair. There were few other passengers awake at this time, but the ones that were, were drawn to Kirara more than herself. Thankfully, all she needed to do was twist her tails around each one another to make it look more look like a single fluffy tail.

That, and it wouldn’t look good to appear as if she were talking to herself. “Are we getting close?” no sooner had she asked the critter, did Kirara once again take off running. “Kirara-! Seriously… we’re supposed to be lying low.” with a sigh, she picked up her skirts and took off after her.

How she missed the sneakers of her past, sturdy shoes that were perfect for running in. And lighter, if not shorter, skirts. Kagome managed to keep her sights on the whipping tails of Kirara. Following her down the corridors, Kagome was hoping that her friend wasn’t discovered, nor that word about her got back to this supposed dark wizard.

Turning the last corner, her body tipped forward when she came to a sudden stop. Wide eyes blinked at spotting Kirara purring under the obvious affection being given to her by a strange man. Now normally, she wouldn’t care, what with how kind and patient Kirara was. But both of her tails were visible.

“...Kirara?” fingers tightening in the heavy material of her skirt, she froze when the man looked up and spotted her.

Pale eyes stared up at her as she stared back, taking in the whole appearance of this man. Blue coat, mustard vest, gray pants, brown shoes, bowtie… strawberry blond hair that curled over his brow. He appeared lanky, and would mostly like tower over her own height.

Turning her gaze back down to Kirara, she bit down on her lip unsure of what to do in this situation. He obviously wasn’t surprised with Kirara’s appearance, meaning he was most likely a wizard.

“Pickett!” the suddenness of the call from the man had Kagome looking back up to him, flinching when he was suddenly approaching her and obviously reaching out towards her while holding Kirara. “Oh, I’m sorry. You… you have my friend there.”

“...and you have mine.” her voice trembled a bit, emotions surging forth and making it hard for her to process the situation.

His gaze dropped from her shoulder to Kirara, said Nekomata purring softly as she stared up at Kagome.

“Again, I apologize. I’ve just never seen a Nekomata before. They’re very rare.” he gently offered her Kirara back.

Offering a small smile, Kagome returned the favor, using her hand as a sort of platform for the critter to climb up on. “I’ve never seen one of your friends before either. A curious little one that seemed very eager to return to you.” a quiet giggle escaped her at the apparent happy chirps it gave off as it returned to the man.

“He’s a Bowtruckle.” the man offered with a smile as said Bowtruckle was quick to scurry up his arm and slip into a breast pocket of his jacket. “Thank you for bringing him back.”

Smiling, Kagome hugged Kirara a little closer to her. “Happy too.”

Hearing voices from behind, Kagome quickly looked over her shoulder in worry, a hand petting down Kirara’s back. She wasn’t going to take anymore chances, as her markings did garner too much unwanted attention, she quickly muttered the activation for the illusion that Shippo had given her to hide Kirara’s demonic heritage while using just the smallest part of her power.

Newt’s eyes widened slightly at the markings disappeared as the woman continued to pet along the Nekomata’s back, small glittering sparks trailing behind until the markings were gone. With the creature twining it’s own tails to make it look more like a single, if not more fluffier, tail, it looked like a normal cat. Just in time too, as two crewmen turned the corner and onto the corridor they were currently standing in.

“Oh! Is everything alright?” the younger of the two looked between them as the two paused.

“Ah, yes. Trouble sleeping is all.” the young woman offered easily, a tired smile lightening her face slightly as she continued to pet a low purring Nekomata.

The two men nodded, the older looking down at the cat. “Best to keep pets in your compartment.”

Blue eyes looked down at what now appeared to be a dozing cat. “Ah. I didn’t know how long my stroll would be, and I didn’t want her causing a fuss at being alone and disturbing others.”

Dark eyes narrowed but the older man nodded. “Alright. Just don’t let it out of your sight. And use your carrier from now on.” he tipped his hat a bit, as did the younger man, before the two of them bid their farewells and continued on their way.

Newt watched the woman, noting how her ease seemed to disappear when she was left alone with him which he found utterly odd. Was she possibly afraid to be alone with him? For what reason? It wasn’t like he could report her for smuggling dangerous magical creatures when he was doing the same, more or less.

Her eyes darted at the far ends of the corridor, feet shuffling as she bit down on her lower lip. “Well, I hope you have a pleasant evening.” she gave a quick bow of her head and was preparing to turn and make her obvious way back to her cabin.

But Newt did something he was not known for when it came to others, he reached out to stop her. “Wait!”

The fear in her eyes when she turned back to him shocked him. Now, he may not be like his brother, but he recognized fear from those he saved after they’ve been hunted down. Letting go, he raised his hands and took a step back. “I’m sorry! I just, I would like to know more about your friend. If- if that’s alright with you?”

At this point, the Nekomata peeked a wide red eye and stared at him. There was a level of intelligence there that surprised even him. The second eye opened and both were pinned on him, and he knew that he was being tested, the exactness on the how was lost to him. After what felt like forever, a quiet mew sounded in the air that was followed by a low purring as the Nekomata moved to nuzzle and cuddle beneath the woman’s chin.

“Well, Kirara seems to like you. So I guess I can trust you, for now.” lips were pursed as her posture eased a little, but she was still on alert.

Offering a smile, Newt bobbed his head. She didn’t know how telling her words were, but he knew he would have to take it slow. “I’m glad. I’m Newt Scamander.”

Blue eyes blinking wide, which he just realized seemed oddly out of place with the rest of her Asian characteristics, twinkled slightly as her lips twitched. “Newt Scamander?”

“Yes?” he didn’t know what she found amusing, but could only assume that it had to do with the fact that she obviously came from the far East.

“It… it sounds… adorable. It suits you.” her cheeks took on a light rosy hue as she smiled more freely at him before she face him completely. “Kagome Higurashi.”

Testing her name, he smiled at her giggles when she corrected him, watching her head bob when he finally got it correct. “If would like, I have somewhere safe for your friend to be themselves.” he indicated the direction back to his own tiny cabin.

The slight narrowing of his eyes was expected, the time it took before she finally agreed as well. “Try anything funny…” the threat hung in the air would have been amusing coming from such a small woman, but the large red eyes that were also pinned on him let him know that he wouldn’t have to contend with just the tiny woman.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” at the honesty in his tone, she once again relaxed and fell in step next to him, eager to share his own friends with this young woman and to see how she would react to them all. Hopefully, he would gain a friend with the woman that was a fellow kindred spirit when it came to understanding magical creatures.

[khadij-al-kubra]

Thomas in Wonderland (ch 4)

Characters: Thomas (fictional), Virgil, Roman, Patton, Logan, Remy, Emile, Joan, Talyn, Deceit, Nate, The Dragon Witch, fan adopted short vid characters

Word Count: 2400 (no betas, we die like mortals)

Summary: Thomas plays a game and says a swear word.

Author’s Note: *blows cloud of dust off this work that's accumulated since the last chapter* I know. It's been a while. Sincerest apologies. Apparently juggling multiple creative projects while also balancing personal life stuff is...trickier than I anticipated. Thank you to everyone who's still stuck around with this story, it truly means a lot. And trust me, you're going to like what's coming next, because we'll finally be seeing the sides! Starting with a certain necktie wearing blue caterpillar... ;D

I'll do my best to update more frequently, if not consistently since my posting schedule tends to get more sporadic than the Red Queen's mood swings. 

Now then, back to our irregularly scheduled madness...

<=PREV

Animals & Improv

Just keep swimming; just keep swimming, Thomas mentally sang to himself, even though he was not swimming but floating along rather peacefully. As Thomas let his body float along, he tried to keep a sharp eye out for anything he could use as a raft or flotation device. Or maybe a bank of dry land he could swim to. He still wanted to find the Black Rabbit, or at least a place to dry off.

“Come on, there’s gotta be a leaf or a log or somethi—Oof.“

The current made Thomas collide into something. It felt warm and soft, albeit damp. And the thing had a tiny hand clamped on the sleeve of his jacket. Oh dear lord please don’t let it be a killer sea creature!

“Sorry man,” said the something that was not a sea creature.  

It was a rat with brownish russet fur that almost looked orange in the sunlight. Poor thing was soaked ear to tail; yet he seemed to not be very much bothered by their current predicament. Frankly Thomas was a little bit impressed by this rat’s very chill attitude. As for the talking factor, well, at this point not much surprised him.

“Thought you were a raft,” said the Rat.

“Oh, no I’m not a raft,” said Thomas, happy to find he wasn’t alone. “I’m a Thomas.”

“Hello. I’m a Toby named Rat. Or a Rat named Toby. Depends on the day, and today, I’m Toby.”

“Nice to meet you Toby. Just wish the circumstances were better,” said Thomas. “Say, is there a raft around here though? Like a rescue party or something?”

“Dunno. Maybe,” said Toby. “What would a raft look like? Does it look anything like a rat? Oh I hope it’s not made of rats, or that would be bad news for me!”

“Umm it’s like a big, wide, sometimes flat thing you can float on,” said Thomas.

“Oh, you mean like that?” Toby asked, pointing over Thomas’s shoulder.

Thomas turned around to where Toby was pointing and saw that, indeed, there was a raft. Not one make of rats, thankfully, but rather of tied together branches drifting their way. It even had a mast with a rainbow flag tied on top and flapping in the breeze. There even seemed to be a few other animals riding on it as well.

“Yes! Yes, exactly like that. We’re SAVED!” Thomas cheered. “Come on Toby, we can swim straight toward—

“GAAAHHHH!!!” screamed Toby.

“What? What’s wrong, are you alright?” Thomas asked, worried that the Mouse might be drowning.

“How can you say such a cursed S word?” asked Toby, clearly aghast but very much not drowning.

“What, swim?”

“No, no, that’s as harmless as a cat.”

“…Saved?”

“Not yet we aren’t. Come on let’s swim ahead. They seem to be meeting us halfway, you silly goose.”

“I’m not a goose, I’m a man.”

“A goose can’t be a man too?”

“…You know what? Never mind.”

“Can’t never a mind if you haven’t got the right kind.”

Thomas was very confused but decided not to press the matter further. Goodness knows, he didn’t want to end up in a defensive argument again like he had with those mean flowers. So he and Toby swam forward until their fingertips touched the edge of the raft, which was indeed made out of wood and thankfully not rats. A shadow was cast over them, and Thomas looked up only to be faced with a rather large crab. Thomas might have been frightened of it under normal circumstances but by this point, the only thing that really would surprise him is if something relatively normal happen.

“Well hi there precious,” said the Crab, in a sort of southern drawl. “Looks like you’re in need of some assistance.”

“Yes! Yes we are,” Thomas said, relieved.

He expected the Crab to pull both him and Toby onto the safety of their raft.  However, they just kept a clawed grip on them as they bobbed along. After a pause the Crab spoke again, giving Thomas a pointedly expecting look.

“Yes aaand?” he asked.

“Um, yes and, I’d really appreciate it if you pulled me and Toby up onto your raft, please?” asked Thomas.

"Now that’s more like it sugar! Yes and sugar, I can certainly do that.”

The Crab pulled Thomas out of the water with one claw and Toby out with the other. Thomas was sopping wet and incredibly grateful to be on a solid dry surface again. He saw Toby shake himself out to dry his wet fur like a puppy would. Unfortunately Thomas wasn’t able to get dry that way, sadly, but he did take his shoes off and wring out his socks. I’m sure nobody will mind, Thomas though as he pulled off his left then right sneaker, then his right and left sock, and then wiggled his raisiny wrinkled toes. There was nothing worse than the feeling of wet socks, no matter what world within or without of a rabbit hole you were in. It was just a universal unpleasantness. Hopefully the suns warm rays would help dry him off a bit.

“You can call me Mike by the way,” said the wide faced Crab, whose name was Mike.

“Thank you Mike. My name’s Thomas and he’s Toby—“

“I don’t believe you,” said another voice.

Thomas turned towards the source and saw a Dodo bird wearing a French Revolution style jacket and three point hat with a rainbow feather in it. Despite Dodos being extinct and probably being nowhere near France, this honestly wasn’t the strangest thing Thomas has seen today. So it was somewhat believable that one would be talking to him.

“Um, but that is my name,” he said. “My name is Thomas Sanders—”

“Yes, and I am Magenta, Captain of this vessel, as you can tell from the feather in my hat. And these are my troupe of buccaneers.”

The endangered if not extinct Dodo gestured a stubby wing towards the two other creatures aboard the raft. There was Mike the crab, and a Duck whose name Thomas did not yet know. Along with him and Toby, they were a queer group to say the least. (In both the old and new sense of the word, he would guess form the rainbow flag) Still, it cheered Thomas up to not be floating alone anymore. On top of that, the sun was finally drying him off. Thomas couldn’t believe his luck.

“I don’t believe it,” he said, with a grateful smile.

“Alright,” said Magenta. “Then I am Magenta, Admiral of this vessel, as you can tell from my macaroni. And these are my troupe of hostages”

“Wait what?” Thomas asked, thoroughly confused and a little anxious. Suppose the reverse could be worse, he thought.

“Yes,” said the Duck. “And I am Brian, the senior hostage, for I am the oldest.”

“Um, I don’t believe you sugar cube,” said Mike.

“I am Brian, the newest hostage, for I am the most clever,” said Brian.

“I don’t believe you!” Toby chimed in.

All four animals looked towards Thomas expectantly. Ohhh now I get it.

“I don’t believe you?” Thomas asked, familiar with the rules of the game, now that he recognized it.

“For I am the dumbest,” said Brian.

“I don’t believe you,” said Mike, giggling.

“For I am the most gay,” said Brian.

“Yes and,” said Magenta with a solemn nod. “Although, it could always be gayer.”

“Yes and!” They all chimed together.

Thomas found himself actually having fun for the first time since he’d arrived in this strange place. It sure was a good thing he’d gotten better at improv since practicing so much with Joan. Maybe he could even use this as a way to get some directions. If not, well, at least they could keep playing until someone saw dry land. Hopefully.

“Yes, and I had seen a…white rabbit earlier today,” said Thomas.

“I don’t believe you,” said Toby.

Thomas grinned to himself, proud of how clever he was being. “I had seen a Black Rabbit earlier, but lost it.”

“I don’t believe you sweet pea,” said Mike.

“A-about the first or second half?”

“Yes and,” said Mike.

“O-kaaay, It was a black rabbit, and I was trying to catch up to him.“

“I don’t believe you,” said Magenta.

“…It was a Black. Rabbit. And—“

“I don’t believe you,” all four animals said.

Thomas groaned. “Geez, okay, well, I’m not going to change that part. Screw the rules. I am sticking to my guns with that, because it WAS a Black Rabbit and it ran away from me, and I have to find him because he dropped his pocket watch and I want to give it back to him.”

“Yes and,” said Brian. Thomas smacked himself on the forehead. “I saw a Rabbit shaped fellow earlier with black fur and a purple waistcoat.”

Thomas perked up. “You did!? I mean, Yes! And?”

“Yes and he was doggy paddling anxiously through the water, so clearly he was actually a rabbit shaped Dog.”

“I don’t believe you,” said Magenta.

“I do! I believe you,” said Thomas. The rest of them paid him no mind though.

“Alright then. He was a rabbit shaped paddle,” said Brain.

“Yes,” said Mike. “And he swam that gay, on his way to the Red Queen’s castle.”

“I don’t believe you,” said Toby.

"He was on his was to the Yellow King's castle."

"Yes and!"

Thomas let out a big sign and sat down on the raft as the others continued to play. This was getting ridiculous. He thought for sure he was starting to get on the right track, but then they had to keep imposing their own ideas into his line. Which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but he didn’t like that what he knew was the right thing was being dragged so much you might as well call it left. At a certain point, even a ridiculous story line had to have some truth and consistency to it. I mean you can spell madness without sense…I think?

Fortunately Thomas hadn’t gotten too deep into mulling this verbatim verses spelling conundrum. Otherwise he might have missed the very distinct strip of land that came into view over the water. And it was getting bigger and bigger, as though the mainland itself had drunken from one of those growth sodas. Either way, Thomas hadn’t been so happy to see dry land since his uncle’s last fishing trip.

“Land hoe!” Thomas said, pointing ahead.

When he turned towards the rest of the strange crew, they didn’t share in his excitement like he thought they would. If anything, the animals shot him a look that could almost read as judgy-wudgy.

“Now there’s no need for that kind of language sugar bean,” said Mike, his claws tut-tutting. “If a piece of land wants to be sex-positive, that is their prerogative.”

“No, no not that kind a— I meant there’s land straight ahead.”

“GAAAHH!” All the animals screamed.

“What? What did I say!?” asked a startled Thomas.

“How DARE YE say the ‘S’ word!” said Magenta, his beady eyes glaring.

“Again!” Toby said, tail trembling.

“What would your mother say!?” Mike asked, aghast.

“She certainly wouldn’t say that,” said Brian. “A self respecting mother would sooner stick a bar of soap in her own mouth. That always teaches naughty mouthed boys a lesson in saying bad words.”

The others nodded in agreement.

“Wait…you mean ‘straight?’” asked Thomas. They gasped. “All I said was there’s land straight ahe—“

Another terrified scream. Brian looked about ready to faint.

“Now really, you all are being silly. There’s nothing wrong with the word straight.” They screamed again. “And we’ve got to steer this raft on a straight—”

Again they screamed, gasped, and yes even fainted. Those still conscious gambled about aghast across the deck or around the rainbow flagged mast. Thomas sighed and rolled his eyes. And they call me a gay disaster.

“—coarse.” Thomas sighed.

This was clearly getting him nowhere, and he wanted off this raft. Fortunately the tide was on his side, and as the waves rolled them forward he could see that the water was just shallow enough for him to wade hip deep through. So he grabbed his sun dried shoes and socks, (held above his head of course because what would be the point of them getting wet again?) and carefully lowered himself off the side of the raft into the water. His feet sunk into soft sea soil but at least he could stand. Thomas would have said his thanks and goodbyes to the animals, but given their current state he thought better of it. So he simply started wading through the water towards shore.

At last, he touched dry land. Thomas took a full breath of relief. From his current vantage point, it looked as though he had stumbled upon the outer edges of a tropical island. With long green stems for trees, soft brown sand, and in the distance the greenery rustled with (he shuddered to think) the scurrying of animals or insects. But he reasoned that by normal Thomas-sized standards, it was probably just a regular garden. To think that his river of tears had likely been nothing more than a silly puddle problem, although it certainly had felt bigger at the time.

“Well that was the oddest trip on a boat I ever took,” he said, grabbing a blade of grass to towel dry his legs with. “At least it wasn’t boring. Now to figure out where I am…Probably would be easier if I was people sized again.”

Indeed, while crying himself a river had improved Thomas’s mood, it did nothing to improve his current height. He immediately regretted not saving some of that soda. At the very least, the silver pocket watch was still with him.

“Okay new plan,” he said as he put his socks and shoes back on. “Get back to me size, then find the Black Rabbit and give him his pocket watch back. He’s probably worried sick over it, poor guy…Guess I’ll just walk straight ahead till I find a path.”

If Thomas has strained to listen, he might have heard the echo of a queer troupe of animals crying out from across the water.

NEXT=>

General Tag List:  @quoth-the-sparrow @altruistic-skittles @em-be-lievable @justisaisfine @broadwaytheanimatedseries@thekeytohappiness-is-you @jynxlovesluck @queer-human-being@phlying-squirrel @ab-artist @grey-lysander @a-valorous-choice@xx-fandom-potato-xx @impatentpending @book-of-charlie@randomslasher @tinkslittlebelle @insanelycoolish  @ironwoman359@icecoldparadise @bluebloodstains @purpleshipper@patchworkofstars @axyzel @hissesssss @beautifully-terribly @pink-and-purple-flowers @thatsanswitch @6tick6tock6 @hanramz-the-fander @azlinne @helplesscreator @thestoryofme13 @bibbidi-bobbity-booyah @accidental-sanders @moonstone-fox@smokeyrutilequartz @madly-handsome @puns-and-patton@notveryglittery @eequalsmcscared @safesandersides@lizziepopanime @anxiously-unsatisfied-world @unikornavenger @fuck-my-life-i-want-food @backatthebein @mephonic  @paperghastly @ravenclawangst @iamtrashcans@loganberrysanders @icequeenoriginal @ierindoodles @a-new-witch-in-learning @punsterterry  @goldteethandacurseforthistown​ @your-average-pangirl 

Wonderland AU Tag List: @thatsthat24 @punsterterry @mycatshuman @to-precious-to-process @amazable01 @monstercupcake61176 @pinkbea09 @aliceofscarletflames @llamaavocado @justsomerandomhooman @romano-cheesy @grade-a-trash-blog @chituri @dangerfishie @bat-fangirl77-fan @icantbeme71097 @thesassiersilv101 @the-psycho-pie @satanblessi @elementalshadowwitch @stuck-in-a-surrealist-painting @journalanxiety @atomics-writings @notcool88@purplelamaart @stuck-in-a-constant-daydream @thunderstorms-roar  @sanderssidesstuff @wheezewhats-life @sillydeer39 @starbucks-remy @sugarglider9603​ 

[pwezzle]

Epiphany

A one shot taking place post-Stardust Crusaders, from the POV of Jotaro. Expect Part 3 spoilers. And Happy Vento Aureo Day, even though this piece is pretty much unrelated. 3,616 words. Likes and reblogs are always appreciated. Please enjoy! 

They told me not to look, but I did anyway.

Muhammad Avdol’s body was nowhere to be found. All that was left of him were his arms. And Polnareff swore the man was dead, there was no question. He claimed he’d seen Avdol's soul passing, along with Iggy's, with his own two eyes. No one besides me really believed him, but no one could argue.

Iggy's body was a horrendous sight, really. The once rambunctious little terrier looked more like a bloody hand towel by the time his corpse was recovered. I couldn't stand the sight of it for too long.

Joseph couldn't look at Iggy's corpse. He couldn't look at what remained of Avdol. It was all too much for him. And he didn’t even consider looking at Kakyoin's body. He told me DIO's attack had been as quick as blinking. Kakyoin was gone before he even knew it.

The moment they rolled Kakyoin’s body out of the ambulance, Joseph threw his fake hand up and turned away. "No, please,” he said, “Don't show me.”

But I wanted to see. Not out of morbid curiosity, or because I couldn't believe he was gone, but because I needed the sight of it to be burned into my memory. I needed to see him whenever I closed my eyes at night, so I'd never forget what he and the others sacrificed to save my mother—and humanity, for that matter.

I sort of regret it, though. They pulled back the sheet covering his corpse and I immediately felt a sharp pain in my gut. Joseph hadn't lied: it was right through the middle of his torso. It looked like a damn hole punch. The rest of his body was covered in awful bruises and cuts. All this for a woman he barely knew and a world that had been indifferent to his existence. If I hadn't felt nauseous before, I was certainly ready to hurl then.

And I can't remember the hours after that, if I’m honest. I saw Avdol’s arms after Kakyoin and it only worsened my state. My head spun imagining how quick that bastard Vanilla Ice had to be, to take out such a gifted Stand User like Avdol.

"Noriyaki Kakyoin is dead", they announced over the radio, “Iggy is dead. Muhammad Avdol’s body could not be recovered, he is presumed dead.”

On our flight to a hospital in Nepal, Polnareff couldn't even speak, which I thought was far worse than hearing him moan or weep over our late friends. Joseph tried to break the silence at one point by cracking a joke about vampires. He really had awful timing. If wasn't like pranks and shit were going to make us feel better about what we’d seen. Polnareff managed to force a smile for him. I couldn't.

We spent a handful of nights in that hospital, monitored around the clock by the Speedwagon Foundation and a group of approved doctors and nurses. The three of us had all sustained serious injuries, but thankfully, nothing fatal with proper treatment. I thought I looked like a mental patient walking around in a hospital gown under my school jacket and hat, but it was too damn cold in there not to. They wouldn't even let me smoke in my room, not that I could always bring myself to. Sometimes the fire from the lighter would make me think of Avdol. And how there wasn't even a body.

I don’t think I’d ever asked him if he had any family back home.

I rarely slept the whole stay. Whenever my eyes closed, I was far away from the shitty bed with its papery sheets. I was lounging in a hotel in Singapore, or walking the streets of Calcutta, or flying past rooftops in Cairo.

Just to ease my racing mind, I’d walk the aisles of the hospital in the middle of the night. No one ever stopped me, but I did get gawked at by the nurses. I was starting to go crazy there. Those nurses were annoying, and the doctors were no better. The old me might have told them all to just piss off, but I never cared to say a word against them. They were just trying to help, even when they brought me food that made me want to vomit, like pudding doused with whipped cream. They just had to put a damn cherry on top every time.

“JoJo—I tied a knot in a cherry stem with my tongue. Look!”

“Bullshit, Hierophant Green did that.”

“Don't call bullshit if you can't prove it!”

“It's cheating if your Stand uses its fingers, you know.”

“Tch, well I guess nothing gets past a Joestar, huh?”

I usually threw dessert away.

One of the few nights I’d been lucky enough able to fall asleep, I was awoken soon after by the sound of a dog barking. My heart practically stopped. There really shouldn't have been anyone or anything near the hospital at night with the Speedwagon people on patrol, but perhaps a stray had wandered onto the premises? Out of bed before I knew it, I checked out the window, but there wasn’t a soul outside. Then I realized I was hearing dogs, again.

Unable to relax after that, I decided to go for another one of my walks through the hospital, and along the way I saw Joseph sitting by a window in one of the waiting areas on our floor. It felt like the first I’d seen him in a while, despite staying just down the hall from each other. This particular waiting area wasn't open to the public that late, so it was just him.

"Ah, Jotaro," the old man rumbled when he saw me, "Taking a moonlit stroll?"

I decided to sit across from him and join him in his stargazing. It was better than anything I had planned for the evening. We did this in silence for a while, until he cleared his throat.

"I haven't had the chance to ask you..." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "...That is… how’re you feeling?"

That question took me by surprise. There had hardly been any "how are you"s over our journey. There hadn't been time or reason to ask, at least in my mind. It didn't matter how anyone was feeling on their way to defeat some immortal vampiric overlord. I couldn't think of an answer for him. However, in that moment I became aware of the weariness throughout my body: the tension in my core, the numbness in my hands. I suppose it showed.

"It's getting to you, too, isn't it? The weight of it all?” he queried.

I met his attentive gaze.

"I know you cared about them,” he said, “It was hard not to. Our brothers-in-arms, or however you wanna’ say it…”

Joseph proceeded to stare sadly out the window, and it was hard not to feel a twinge of sadness myself. The first I'd really recognized within me since we’d left Egypt. I guessed I’d spent my days in shock, until then.

"I've seen far too much death in my time, grandson,” he confessed, “I've lost so many. I find myself unable to sleep because of it, most nights... I'll do anything to forget the pain. Even for just a little while.”

He swallowed hard as if there was more he couldn't admit to me. I wasn't in the mood to pry.

"Avdol was a good friend to me. Iggy too, in his own unique way. And Kakyoin... well. Don't take this the wrong way, but he felt like he could be my other grandson. I know the three of them held you in high esteem.”

He tried to look me in the eye again. "You were close to him, weren't you? Kakyoin? It was sometimes hard for Polnareff and Avdol to relate to you, since you're just a high-schooler, but you boys seemed to get along pretty well."

I couldn't answer him.

“Friendship is nothing but heartache, Jotaro. Any relationship is. It's all just to keep us in-line morally, until one person breaks the other’s heart—in life or death...” I felt myself wanting to tune his nihilistic drabble out. “...But mostly it's worth the trouble.”

Joseph then looked to the stars.

“How?” I asked, following suit.

“It’s about the memories you make, in my opinion. Being able to look back on all the times when everything was in shambles, and then being able to say ‘well, someone I loved was there, so it wasn't all bad’,” he explained.

After that, I wanted him to stop talking. He was making too much sense for an old geezer. "I’d rather just block it out. It’s like they’re all going to haunt me forever,” I admitted.

"I hate to say it. But yes, they will.”

Our talk that night hardly made me feel better. I wasn’t interested in hearing any of Joseph’s stories, knowing it would just bring him lower than he already felt. Seeing him so down, when I’d always known him to be such a clown, was strange. I could never fathom how broken he must be, underneath it all.

The hospital bed that night was as uncomfortable as ever. I was awake for hours, staring at the ceiling, and there was a sort of screaming in my head. Tossing and turning, I ended up facing the window and saw Star Platinum hovering before me. It wasn’t looking at me, but the sky outside. I think it was getting to be dawn.

Despite its newfound power after the fight with DIO, it didn't seem any bigger or tougher. Rather, something seemed wrong. Normally when I looked at my Stand, I saw something I couldn’t help but think of as a separate entity from me. It acted on its own in the beginning, and I called it my demon. Over those first months I had it, I came up with the theory that it could act on behalf of my subconscious, even if I didn’t specifically will it to do anything. But it still never felt like any sort of reflection of me, much less “my fighting spirit”, as they said.

That night in the hospital room changed things, though.

I remembered something Avdol had told me one evening in the desert, by the light of the campfire.

“I find that our Stands are manifestations of ourselves AND their own beings. Your Stand reflects you and your ideals, though it might have a personality of its own. The lines between a physical being and their Stand are sort of blurred. It can be used for good or evil, but it may also act independently based on the thoughts in the back of your mind. You really must discover how you work and fight with Star Platinum by yourself, Jotaro. What can it do? Some Stands are more like objects, others act more like pets. Yours may even be like a friend, but nevertheless it is an undeniable reflection of who you are as a human being, and you must view it and use its power as such.”

Star Platinum’s posture was off as it stared into the distance. Normally standing proud, I noticed it was hunched over a bit, arms limp at its sides, with its legs just sort of dangling in the air. And the face. The stupid thing emoted a hell of a lot more than I did. Watching those first colors of sunrise, it looked sullen. Depressed, even. I realized that my “fighting spirit” didn’t have any fight left in it.

Eventually we were admitted from the hospital. Polnareff was doing fairly well; he was dealing with some bad soreness and migraines, but he could walk and function fine enough. Joseph was very stiff and had a hard time standing for prolonged periods. He really wasn’t getting around as well as before, but he was set on going without a cane for as long as he could. As for me, my body still felt much heavier than usual.

I would’ve hated to admit it, but I’d been thinking Joseph had a point that night in the waiting room. The more time that passed, the more I came to terms with the fact that I would be haunted by my memories of my friends until I died.

After Joseph and my grandmother went home to New York, I kept an eye on my mom for the remainder of the year. She was as chipper as ever, despite her traumatic experience. She still fawned all over me every chance she got. But I couldn’t be irritated with her, I was just thankful for her safety. All the teasing was worth eating her cooking again and seeing her be herself. Too much time had passed for me to apologize for how I acted before Joseph came. But what I’ve always liked about my mom was her ability to understand what was in someone's heart without them having to say a word.

She and I would get a call from my grandparents weekly. Sometimes she would talk to Joseph, or her mom. Sometimes Joseph would request to speak to me alone, and check if I’d encountered anyone suspicious lately, if things were really alright with Mom, if I was holding up okay. One day I was on the phone with my grandmother, which didn't happen often, and she spoke to me with a seriousness in her voice I’d never heard before.

“I know some of the things your grandfather has seen. I’m not oblivious to it. He tries his best to keep me out of the loop, but I know by now he's gone and seen some more.” She paused and took a deep breath. “I know he can be a pain, at times, but please be gentle with him if you can.”

“He’s so proud of the man you’re becoming, Jotaro. And I am, too. We love you.”

Sometimes I would get letters from Polnareff, and at one point he included his phone number, so I could give him a call. I think it took a while before I finally got around to doing that.

And he nearly blew out my ear drums for it when he answered:

“What?! Jotaro?! It's about time you use my number, bastard! How are you?! How’s your mother? And Joseph? He hasn't contacted me in a while, I was beginning to think you guys forgot about me!”

He gave me a hard time as expected, but I knew he was happy to hear from me. And it was oddly soothing to hear his voice again.

“For the past few weeks I haven't been doing well. It's still hard trying to be… normal, again. Do you get that?” Polnareff inquired.

“Since I first saw Star Platinum, I’ve hardly felt 'normal’,” I replied.

“Mm, I suppose I understand that, given you weren’t born with it,” he tittered, “But, you know, I took a walk just the other day, to clear my head. You ever do that? And get this, I bought a pack of coffee-flavored chewing gum when I was out.”

“Really?” I felt a lump form in my throat.

“Oh, yeah, yeah.” His tone softened a bit. “Just like Iggy used to like. And I stuffed it in my pocket, walked to the park, and just sat down on a bench and chewed some gum. In honor of him. I watched the people going by and thought about how lucky I am to get to enjoy fresh air again. The sun on my skin. A cool breeze. Stuff like that.”

“I only get to because of those guys, you know?” he continued, “I figured… I need to keep living since I’m still here.”

I stifled a sigh. “That easy, huh?”

“Hah, no, of course not. It was just one of those epiphany moments that kind of fades by the time you wake up the next morning. But hey, maybe you should do that.”

“Do what?”

“Go out! Be with people, again! Real people! It might help you feel more normal. Or reinvigorate you? Something like that.”

“Good grief. I’ll try it, just for you.”

“Hah! Jotaro, you're so full of shit. Now you’ll be in trouble if you just sit on your ass at home and smoke, cos I’m holding you to that!” Polnareff let out a genuine laugh. “Oh, and speaking of which, do you still do that crazy cigarette trick you used to do...?”

Despite his disbelief in me, I took Polnareff’s advice the following weekend. I told Mom I'd give her a phone call if I was gone for more than four hours, just to check on her. She told me I fretted over her too much, but she liked it.

I took a trip down to the beach. I don't know why I decided to go that way, besides the fact that it was the only place I could think to visit on the weekend that wouldn't give me a massive headache. Since it was raining on and off that day, it shouldn’t have been too crowded.

I walked up and down the pier in the light drizzle. There weren't many others around, just as I expected, and that was preferable. I wasn't an extrovert like Polnareff. I liked open space, without people. Especially the ocean. Space couldn't get any more “open” than that. But I still felt like I should be doing something else. I remembered what Polnareff said about the chewing gum, and I thought I could do something similar. Get something that reminded me of one of them.

No coffee-flavored chewing gum, I decided. I couldn't stand the stuff anymore. I’d found a leftover stick in my wallet the day before and got light-headed from the smell. So, I wandered around for a while, trying to decide what kind of pointlessly sentimental thing I could do.

Finally, I happened across an ice cream stand. The rain had started pouring a bit harder, but I was able to take shelter under an umbrella in front of the shop. The owner told me I’d have to get lost if I was going to stand around looking like a delinquent and not buy anything. Then I felt that sentimental thing hit me.

“Alright, a vanilla soft-serve, please. Just the one.”

It didn't taste as good as it did in Singapore, but I ate it anyway. It made me wonder how that stowaway girl Anne was doing. She must have had a hard time processing all the things she’d seen when she was with us.

I took my ice cream down to the beach, even as the rain kept on pouring. It was probably getting ruined, but I didn't care. I was waiting for my epiphany.

The sun went down between the rain clouds and my ice cream was nearly gone. I’d been mindlessly licking at it for a while, not really tasting anything anymore. But then my tongue hit something solid.

I looked down inside the cone.

I winced.

A fucking cherry.

I stood holding the cone for a while, wondering why the hell anyone would drop a cherry at the bottom of an ice cream cone rather than putting it on top. The stupid guy must have done it to spite me.

I don't think I noticed that the rain had stopped. All that wet sand was getting in my shoes, too, but I just stood there like a regular old moron, staring into my cone.

“JoJo, are you going to eat that cherry?”

Kakyoin was a weird guy, but I really did get along with him. As a matter of fact, I don't know if I’d ever gotten along that well with someone my age. It was strange how much I had in-common with a person who was nothing like me. He transferred to my school and I’d never even noticed him before.

And now he was dead. Murdered. Iggy, too. And Avdol. None of them ever got to go home.

I never would have met them if it wasn't for the whole family curse thing. And even if I had, my head would’ve been too far up my ass to get to know anybody.

“I don't mean to be greedy, but they're my favorite.”

Kakyoin’s parents would never see him, again. And I wouldn't get to, either. We hadn’t known each other long, but I really cared about him. I cared about all of them. To me, it shouldn't have happened the way it did. I should have died protecting Holly Kujo. It would have been my duty as her son. But I was still breathing, despite everything.

I dumped the cherry into the palm of my hand. It was sort of a wasteful thing to do, and sticky and gross, but I whipped it into the ocean. It ended up flying much further than I expected. I noticed a hand I hadn't seen in a while hovering just over mine. Star Platinum.

“Star Platinum,” I whispered, “The World.”

We could still do it. The waves froze in front of me. Raindrops suspended in air. It was only a few seconds, but I took the chance to just let the world stop turning. Even when it felt I’d lost my soul, life was going on all around me. It had to. Time stops for no one, but for me it's not enough to catch up with everyone else that leads a normal life. It was a cruel and jarring realization. And then the waves swept across the shore, once again.

Not much of an epiphany, but I guess I did think of something relevant that day.

[followingmywanderlust]

Revisiting Pura Vida

for access to more photos and videos, visit: https://kyliebreenphotography.com/2020/05/01/revisiting-pura-vida/

Over two years ago I left the country for the first time in my life. I have always had a sense of wanderlust, known as a strong urge to travel. In April of 2018, I signed up for a mission trip to Costa Rica through my high school. Little did I know that my experience abroad would shape me completely (read more here). After experiencing the beauty and peace that I found everywhere in Costa Rica, I knew I would have to return to the place that holds such a special place in my heart.

This January I was fortunate enough to return to Costa Rica through pure luck. My father won a free vacation through his work and he was able to pick from a list of destinations. On that list was a trip for two to Costa Rica. After some serious convincing and a lot of procrastination on my family’s part on deciding where to go, we decided that my dad and I would go to Costa Rica (thanks Mom & Bro!).

My dad and I are the travelers of the family (considering my mom dislikes planes) because my dad has lots of experience traveling for work and I want to see the world. We planned our trip for two weeks, one week with the Caravan tour that he won and one week adventuring on our own. Caravan is a touring service that offers tours in several destinations at an affordable price. You can see the route we decided to take in the map below.

In January it is Costa Rica’s dry season which lasts from mid-November to May. The dry season typically consists of sunny, hot, and windy days. The Caribbean side, however, basically has its own weather pattern and is still rainy even during the dry season. The difference between the Carribean and Pacific side are vastly different which I will explain later in this blog.

GETTING READY

PACKING

I am definitely an overpacker when it comes to travel and the thought of a two-week long trip made me nervous. I started out by making a very long list of things I needed to bring and narrowed it down from there. Here are some key items that you should bring to Costa Rica:

Hats & Sunscreen: you must protect your skin from the blazing sun.

A Camera or GoPro: Costa Rica is absolutely stunning and you will want to capture the wildlife and landscapes, but remember that anything can be lost or sadly stolen when traveling so be extra cautious when brining valuables. I brought my camera and laptop and everything was fine, but on my prior trip I was advised to only pack what I needed. Don’t forget to pack your camera batteries, chargers, and memory cards.

Portable Charger: You never know when your phone will run out of juice so make sure to bring a portable charger so you’re always on the grid!

Bug Spray: There will be several hikes that will introduce you to some unwanted bug bites, so in order to avoid them make sure to pack some spray.

Water Bottles: The tap water in Costa Rica is mostly not safe to drink, so bring water bottles and fill them with fresh water from the grocery store instead. During our trip Caravan provided us with bottled water each day, but on our own we bought gallons of water and filled up our bottles before we left for the day. It is so important to stay hydrated when you are working up a sweat.

Comfortable Clothing: Keep in mind that comfort should come before fashion, especially in such hot weather. There are a series of activities that I did that required a change of clothes, so make sure to pack efficiently. We were able to use a laundromat during the trip so we did not have to pack as much! Make sure to pack hiking shoes, sandals, and water shoes because you will need them.

Toiletries: In many places we stayed, the hotel did not provide shampoo, conditioner, etc. so make sure to bring some of your own or check with where you are staying.

Journal: This may seem silly, but if you are someone like me and you have a bad memory, keeping a daily log of your activities will allow you to revisit your trip at any time.

¿HABLAS ESPAÑOL?

Costa Rica is primarily a Spanish-speaking country so it is a good idea to download a translating app onto your phone. A lot of Costa Ricans speak English as the country depends on tourism for their economy, but don’t expect everyone to. And it’s fun to learn a new language when it is everywhere around you! Go out of your comfort zone and try to ask questions in Spanish.

DATA PLAN

Many data plan providers have an international plan that you can sign up for, but a cheaper option is to buy a new SIM card while you are in Costa Rica. My dad is a tech wizard and he can explain this way better than me, but buying a SIM card is a more affordable option than paying a provider day-to-day. My dad bought one right outside the airport when we landed (it was a little sketchy), and it didn’t work very well so I would recommend talking to your data provider instead. My provider had a special plan for $10 a day and I only used it for 3/4 days when I needed to check in with the world. For the most part I was able to get away with using our hotel’s WiFi.

MONEY

Every Costa Rican shop I went to, whether it was an artisan shop or a restaurant, accepts U.S. dollars as well, but it is not a bad idea to exchange some of those dollars for colones. Most places, especially in San José accept both Visa and Mastercard credit cards, but once outside of the city there are a few small, family-owned businesses that only accept cash.

TRANSPORTATION

We were on our own for the first few days we were in Costa Rica, so we needed a rental car. We used the rental service Adobe rent a car which was very reliable and they even picked us up from the airport and drove us to our car. During our Caravan tour, we were provided transportation everywhere and we had our own bus (shoutout to our bus driver Chega for doing an amazing job).

THE ADVENTURE

TURRIALBA BED & BREAKFAST

After a long day full of travel, we finally arrived at Turrialba Bed & Breakfast, a comfortable, family-owned hotel located in the heart of Turrialba, two hours outside of San José. There are 11 rooms avaliable that are all different sizes. This bed & breakfast is not a typical, luxurious hotel, but it was an excellent way to observe the lives of many locals in Costa Rica. Every morning, one of the staff members would make us breakfast which included pineapples, papayas, rice and beans, juice, toast, and eggs. There is a gorgeous outside patio with many hammocks, a jacuzzi, and several fish tanks that add to a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere. Additionally, there is beautiful rooftop seating with an incredible view of the mountain range surrounding the city. The family was primarily Spanish-speaking, so make sure to know some basic spanish (like if you want fried eggs you should know huevos fritos)!

Within walking distance of the hotel is a beautiful park with a gazebo that the locals love, and restaurants that will not disappoint your taste buds. During my stay, I dined at More Than Words which is right around the corner from the hotel where we enjoyed a delicious pizza and salad.

We stayed at this B&B for two nights and had an amazing time experiencing Costa Rica outside of the populated city.

RIVER RAFTING

After an early morning breakfast at the B&B, we made our way to Tico’s River Adventures. Their base is located in Turrialba only about 10 minutes away from our hotel, and they even offered to pick us up and drop us off! Make sure to pack a change of clothes with you and be aware that you will have the opportunity to swim near the end of the trip, so wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty/wet. Tico’s website suggests bringing:

swimsuit/shorts (no jeans)

sunscreen or visor

strap to secure glasses

tennis shoes or sandals with ankle straps (no flip flops)

light rain jacket for rainy days

cotton T-shirts for sunny days

A day trip is from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., so be prepared for a long day! Tico’s is the first rafting company to get to the river giving them a competitive avantage over other companies. From Tico’s base, participants are picked up at various destinations on the way to the Pacuare River where the rafting takes place. Be aware that you are all squeezed together in a van depending on how many people are going on the trip. The ride took around an hour to an hour and a half total, and near the end of the drive were some very rocky and steep roads. Between the water and the drive, this trip is not for anyone who has motion sickness.

That being said, the long drive was 100% worth it and rafting was one of the biggest highlights of the trip. The Pacuare River is one of the top five most beautiful ratable rivers of the world according to National Geographic Magazine. Flavio was our guide and we were in a six person raft. Flavio spoke fluent English and had worked in California for a long period of time, and he made our rafting journey comfortable, educational, and hilarious. There are bathrooms located at the start of the river, but after that you will not see another bathroom for around two hours. For equipment we wore a lifejacket and helmet to ensure our safety during the trip. We started the rafting by going over basic instructions on how to paddle forwards and backwards which was easy to learn. There were rapids from difficulty levels one to four (none were too difficult in my opinion), and the rafting started out fairly easy. Along the river are two stunning waterfalls, small villages of the indigenous people of Costa Rica, and several rapids.

There are foot straps within the raft for stability, and falling out of the raft is not a problem as the guides are well trained. I only *almost* fell out of the raft once when Flavio decided to do a 360° turn while going down a rapid. I nearly flew off the side but I was thankfully saved by my dad.

At a calm section of the tour, we were able to get out of the raft and swim. It was one of the most calm and relaxing moments of my entire life. I floated on my back and heard the sounds of wildlife from birds chirping to howling monkeys in the distance. The rainforest trees towered above me on either side, and the water’s current swept me through the warm yet refreshing river.

We drifted towards a set of smooth rocks where we docked the rafts and the guides made us a delicious lunch. We were able to build our own tortillas and for dessert there was fresh pineapple.

After lunch, we continued for a while longer down the river until we reached the end of the rapids. We docked the boat and ended at a small restauraunt where we had the option to buy drinks or use the restroom facilities. Throughout the rafting journey, there is a photographer who kayaks ahead to take photos, and they are offered at the end of the trip for those who want to buy them. Overall, I would highly reccommend river rafting to anyone adventurous enough to try!

SAN JOSÉ

While we were at the B&B, someone who was staying there highly recommended the Mercado Central in San José. We had our final breakfast in Turrialba and drove to San José to find the market, but sadly we found it to be closed on Sundays. We paid a small amount to park in a fenced-in lot and we decided to walk around San José even if we didn’t get to go to the market. We decided to try and find Museo del Oro Precolombino (The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum) after doing some research. On our way to the museum we walked through Central Avenue Boulevard which was lined with shops and fast food restarants. Families, couples, and individuals crowded the walking areas with one hand holding an ice cream cone and another grasping a shopping bag. There were vendors along the sides of the path that were selling handmade bracelets, keychains, and more.

On our way to the museum we found ourselves pretty hungry for lunch so we stopped at the National Theater of Costa Rica (Teatro Nacional Costa Rica) for some delicious food. The interior of the theater was stunning and had several statues just inside the enterance. There was a small cafe located within the theater that served brunch. The cafe was very high-end with paintings and sculptures that decorated the interior. Waiters and waitresses were dressed in black and white and the overall feel of the cafe was prestigious. My father had more than one latte they were so delicious, and I enjoyed my meal as well. We got a window seat which was perfect for people-watching and enjoying the warm breeze.

After our lunch we asked directions to the museum and found right next door to the theater (you have to go down some stairs to find it). The museum was massive and had 3 different floors, one for a history of Costa Rican money, another for artwork, and the third for the gold. There were interactive stations, a fascinating video on the indigenous people of Costa Rica, and hundreds of beautiful artifacts. There was an entry fee that was a little pricey, but with the amount of history and art you got to see, it was worth it.

After our adventures in San José we headed to meet our Caravan tour at the airport where everyone was arriving.

CARAVAN TOUR

When traveling, I fear limitations and impetuosity so I did not expect to have the greatest experience with a guided tour. I like to venture off the formed paths and explore on my own with my camera in my hand – free from time constraints and noisy crowds. Nature has always resonated with me and calmed me down so I was afraid I wouldn’t have the same experience on this tour as I did when exploring Costa Rica on my own.

My fears were silly. This tour was incredible and because of it I was able to see some of the most stunning spots of Costa Rica. Martha Seeyle was our amazing guide and she made the experience so much better by teaching us about the culture and history of Costa Rica. There were some long bus rides, but Martha always had something new up her sleeve to teach us.

After settling in at Hotel Barceló in San Jose, we prepared for our first day of activities: a trip to a coffee farm.

COFFEE TOUR & BUTTERFLY FARM: ALAJUELA If you are not an early riser, this trip may not be for you! We woke up at 7:00 a.m. and grabbed a buffet style breakfast at the hotel (which was very yummy). After breakfast we departed for Alajuela, but on the way we stopped at an artisan souvenir shop and saw the world’s largest ox cart! We got a mini tour of where they make the wheels of ox carts and saw some artisans in action. They provided some fruit and a lemonade-tasting drink (that apparently wasn’t lemonade) for us to snack on. We were given time to shop around the store and use the restrooms, and then we were off to the Doka Coffee Plantation.

Once we arrived we ate a buffet-style lunch in an open area full of seating, and we were the only group there. After we finished eating we were given the opportunity to explore the grounds which had a butterfly garden! There were two levels to the garden and plenty of open space for the butterflies to fly around.

Our guide for the coffee tour was very knowledgable, but in my opinion I found the tour to be a bit bland at times considering I have no interest in coffee. Our guide took us through the step-by-step process of collecting coffee beans from picking them to roasting them and we even watched a short video about the plantation before we started our tour.

One pretty great part though was that we got to sample some chocolate and vanilla covered beans (if you couldn’t tell I have a sweet tooth). We were also given the opportunity to buy the bags of beans directly from the plantation which was pretty neat after just watching the step-by- step process.

I think that a lot of people on the tour enjoyed the plantation, but because I am not a coffee drinker and I prefer activities with a little more action, this was my least favorite activity while on the trip (it only goes up from here!).

We arrived back at our hotel around 3:30 which gave us plenty of time to do some exploring around the hotel and get some rest before dinner. We walked to a local market to pick up some snacks because we had already run out of the ones we brought, and had a relaxing evening. Hotel Barceló was one of the nicest hotels we stayed at with functional wifi, great food, and comfortable and spacious rooms. The only issue is that they played the same exact song on repeat for every single meal to the point where it became a running joke and we could all hum along to it.

RESCATE ANIMAL ZOOAVE: FORTUNA We left the hotel at 8:00 a.m. after enjoying another buffet-style breakfast at the hotel and in no time we arrived at the Rescate Animal Zooave, a wildlife rescue center located in Fortuna. The center is home to 800 animals that are not able to be released into the wild due to injury or becoming desensitized to humans. We watched a short video about the history and mission of the center and we were encouraged to donate to help the animals in the end for surgeries or for new equipment. I took over a thousand photos alone at the center of all the stunning birds, iguanas that roamed free, crocodiles, monkeys, and more. We didn’t even get to see all of the animals the park was so big, and we had a pretty funny encounter with one of the monkeys. We had another buffet-style lunch (we got used to it) at the center which was very yummy, but we ran out of time to try and see the rest of the park. All of the animals seemed to be treated very well and the establishment was clean and welcoming which made me feel really good.

We headed to our next hotel, Magic Mountain Hotel located in Fortuna. To break up the drive, we stopped at a stunning park where we grabbed ice cream and walked around. There were two adorable, stray (we think) dogs in the park that were very friendly and hung out with us while we ate our ice cream.

The great thing about this tour was that Martha always made sure we broke up the longer drives which gave us a chance to grab some food, stretch our legs, and use the restroom. I believe the longest we were in the bus at one time was 2-3 hours.

We arrived at the hotel around 4:00 and instead of eating dinner at the hotel, my dad and I decided to take a 20 minute walk (2km) into town to grab some local dinner. Before deciding on a place to eat, we explored the local shops and bought a few postcards to send out to our family in California.

We ended up at a place called Lava Lounge which had delicious food and not to mention one of the best smoothies I have ever had. The lounge had nice seating that looked out onto the street and an artisan was crafting at the enterance for entertainment. The menu was very extensive and a relief after having too many buffet-style meals (see the menu here). I ordered a Santa Fe wrap and a strawberry banana smoothie which were both very filling. I am a dog lover and the lounge had various advertisements about the importance of adopting or volunteering at shelters which made my heart happy. You could even buy a digital food item and the proceeds would go to the dogs.

Walking back to the hotel was a little sketchier considering there were limited sidewalks and it was dark outside, but it was totally worth the yummy meal. The Magic Mountain hotel had a great view of the volcano (when it wasn’t cloudy), a pool, and very comfortable rooms with air conditioning. The WiFi, however, did not work very well and we were only a few steps away from the lobby which was a little frustrating.

CAÑO NERO HOT SPRINGS: RIO FRIO

We departed the hotel at 8:00 after eating breakfast and drove north until we reached the Rio Frio river. We stopped at a small restaurant and then we proceeded to take a short walk to the river where we boarded a boat. We saw so many fascinating animals from monkeys to lizards. We travelled so far north that we were able to cross the border of Nicaragua!

The boat cruise was only an hour long, but afterwards I was known as the “camera lady” because of my massive lens and how I ran around the boat trying to get as many photos as possible – I was definitely in my element.

After our tour we ate lunch at the restaurant we parked at and then headed back to the hotel. Miraculously, on our way there Chega, our bus driver, spotted a three-toed sloth and a two-toed sloth in the same tree! We pulled over and took a look at the sloths which was very rare to see.

Our next destination was the Baldi Hot Springs which was not exactly as natural as I expected. We were given the option to opt out of this activity, but my dad and I wanted to fill our day. I was expecting a few pools that were completely natural and warmed by the volcano, but I was surprised to find more of a man-made waterpark. There were bars, food, lounge chairs, slides, and lockers for your belongings. Rather than the sanctuary I was thinking of, it was more comparible to a waterpark.

The food and drinks were incredibly expensive (one smoothie was $16) which was disappointing. On the positive side the water was incredibly relaxing and there were separate pools with different temperatures including a cool-down zone.

Because of my initial expectations I was disappointed with the hot springs, but it was nice to sit down and relax in some warm water after a busy day.

HANGING BRIDGES: ARENAL We had a very early morning and woke up at 5:45 a.m. and had breakfast at the hotel at 6:00. Our next destination was the Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park, and to my surprise I had actually been to this park on my last trip! During this trip we were able to see some monkeys, but we didn’t see much other wildlife. The hanging bridges were so cool and the sounds of the forest surrounded us at all times. The walk was around 3.2km, but there was also a shorter version (1.9km) for individuals who didn’t want to walk as far.

Near the end of the walk is a natural waterfall that serves as a great photo spot. Additionally, the entrance of the park has a perfect view of the Arenal volcano, and I was able to recreate a picture from my last trip!

I love the hanging bridges because you become one with nature, and there were barely any crowds so it was incredibly peaceful. After our walk we went headed to our next hotel and stopped for lunch and at another souvenir shop in order to break up the drive (we spent most of the day driving). We even drove by the hotel that I stayed at during my last trip (a.k.a. my favorite place in the world).

^^^Hotel Los Héroes – Read more about my last Costa Rica trip here.

We eventually arrived at the Marriott Resort just in time for sunset. After settling into our rooms, we walked down to the ocean (the resort is located on the beach) and took some amazing pictures of the landscape.

JW MARRIOTT BEACH RESORT: GUANACASTE

We had the entire day dedicated to this resort, so we got to wake up whenever we wanted. In an effort to not waste the day away sleeping, we woke up at 8:30 and got breakfast. There was a separate restaurant just for our tour and we had access to it during a certain time frame. When I walked into the buffet, my jaw DROPPED. I have never seen so many pastries, fruits, cereals, eggs, and more in one place. I quickly filled my plate and as much as I wanted to go back for seconds, I was way too full.

We had the entire day to ourselves, so we decided to go for a hike located on the hotel’s grounds. We didn’t see anyone else during the hike, so it was just us and the birds. I got to take pictures of some beautiful birds, but I saw even more wildlife. While we were walking we were shocked to hear some movement above us, and we looked up to see a pack of howler monkeys! They were so calm and didn’t move for quite some time so we were able to observe them closely. One of the monkeys was carrying a baby and I was able to take one of my all-time favorite photos.

After our hike we decided to cool off at the hotel’s infinity pool which overlooked the ocean. I ordered a strawberry banana smoothie (they became my obsession on this trip) and took some time to relax under the sun. After swimming in the pool, we told ourselves we had to jump into the ocean ( I didn’t get to on my last trip), so we ran into the waves for a surprisingly very refreshing swim. The water was a perfect temperature and the sand was so smooth – the best swimming conditions in my opinion. 

While we were on the way to the hotel, Martha mentioned that there were horses only a short distance from the entrance so we decided to go pay them a visit. Our timing was impeccable as the sun was setting, so a beautiful, golden light backlit all of the horses. They came right up to the fence and let us pet them, and one even started to eat my dad’s shirt (it was very amusing). We spent a lot of time with them until it was dark and then we decided to grab dinner and hit the hay.

Our entire group basically had to be pulled away from this resort because between the food and the amenities it was the best hotel we had been at so far.

BIRD WATCHING CRUISE: TARCOLES RIVER We woke up at 5:50 a.m. and grabbed our last, best breakfast. My dad and I “stole” extra bananas and apples from the buffet and ran to the horses with the spare time we had before we boarded the bus. We fed the horses both apples and bananas (they preferred the apples) which made for a pretty magical morning. 

We sadly departed from the Marriott and headed to Tarcoles River, but on the way we stopped at a small, Monteverde restaurant for restrooms and ice cream (yes, I ate ice cream before lunch – it was delicious and only $2). We continued on the road again and stopped at a different restaurant for a buffet-style lunch. We had the choice between steak and chicken with some rice and a few other sides. The restaurant was completely open-concept with a cool breeze coming in on all sides. We even saw some iguanas crawling around outside!

We continued to drive to the river, and when we got there, a boat was waiting for us. This river is known for its crocodiles, so don’t fall overboard! On the cruise we saw birds, iguanas, crocodiles, and more. The directors of the boat tour were able to identify the crocodiles by name based on what they looked like and where they were hanging out which was pretty neat.

The boat tour flew by (it was around an hour long) and we headed out for our next hotel once again. Hotel San Bada had a stunning rooftop view of Manuel Antionio National Park on one side, and the sunset on the beach on the other.

When we arrived we enjoyed another buffet-style dinner and then we went to the roof for “cocktail hour” and the sunset. I brought my camera and managed to see some Squirrel Monkeys climbing through the trees which was so cool because they are difficult to find!

The sunset was absolutely breathtaking and it was paired with some people who were parasailing which made the photos even more exciting.

Before our big day in Manuel Antonio National Park, our Caravan group watched a short video about the history of the park and learned about the trails that we could take. We were told to bring hiking shoes, a change of clothes, a towel, and a bathing suit in order to be able to do everything at the park. Martha said we could sleep in until whenever, but if you want the best experience of the park, you should go right when it opens at 7:00 a.m.

MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK We woke up at 6:00 a.m. and ate breakfast at the hotel. We found our group at the entrance of the hotel which is conveniently located a few steps away from the park’s entrance. We chose to take the long route through the park with lots of stairs and lookout spots (I would say this hike was difficult, but an 80 year old woman with our group did it with no problems). During our hike we saw monkeys, agouti, sloths, and some birds. There was a group of Capuchin monkeys that came right up to us (they were so close that I couldn’t even take photos with my lens). In hopes of finding more birds (specifically toucans because they are my favorite), we climbed a lookout tower, but we had no luck.

After our hike we took a quick dip in the water which was a perfect temperature! The park filled up quickly and it seemed like most people went for the water and not for the hikes.

We left the park at 11:30 a.m. to grab lunch at the hotel, and said goodbye to our Caravan group as we were beginning our individual trip. I was the youngest one on the trip and the tour was definitely more orientated for an older crowd, but we made some memories with a lot of the people on the trip so it was a heartwarming goodbye.

INDIVIDUAL EXCURSION

We stayed at San Bada for a little longer to plan out our day on our own, and at 1:00 we taxied to our next hotel which was only around 15 minutes away. Peace of Paradise was a very cute apartment-style hotel which had a balcony with a sliding screen door. 

We later found out why the door was sliding – monkeys had figured out how to open regular push/pull doors and had raided the kitchens for food! I went to take a nap, but I was incredibly surprised when my dad opened my door and told me there were monkeys at the door. I completely thought he was joking, so I dismissed it until he told me to grab my camera (then I knew it was real). I sprung out of bed to find a group of monkeys raiding the neighbors house for sandwiches and eggs. They were so close I was able to use my phone to take photos, and their visit was definitely a highlight of my trip.

After that excitement, we decided to explore the town so we went to a grocery store and picked up some snacks for the next few days. At 6:30 p.m. we decided to find a place for dinner and walked through town to see what our options were. We ended up at Victoria’s – a gourmet Italian place which had absolutely delicious food. I got fettuccine alfredo with chicken and I wish that I could have finished it it was so good. The customer service was the best we’ve ever had, and we were waited on by several people. One waiter, Manny, is a photographer and showed us his photos and shared his Instagram with us – I still follow him! We had a lovely evening at the restaurant and I highly recommend it to anyone in the Manuel Antonio area.

DAY 1: TRAVELING TO DRAKE BAY We woke up at 6:15 a.m. and packed up to leave Peace of Paradise, and one of the employees asked to take our photo in front of the sign for the hotel (they do this for every guest and compile the images on Facebook).

We spent most of the day traveling from Manuel Antonio to the Osa Peninsula where we would be staying in Drake Bay for three nights. We took a small van from the San Bada hotel to Sierpe which was a scenic two-hour ride with palm trees lining both sides of the street.

We arrived at a small restaurant that sits right where the boats to Drake Bay depart and spent two hours there waiting for our boat to be ready. I had some scrambled eggs and a strawberry banana smoothie (what else is new) and worked on some photo editing to kill some time (there was stable WiFi).

Eventually, we loaded the boats which were very crowded (around 30 people), and we had to put our lifejackets on (all of the luggage was stored in the cabin of the boat). The first half of the boat ride was very calm, but it became pretty bumpy when we reached the ocean. In order to dismount the boat, you had to get out into knee-high water and walk to shore because the boats could not go all the way so make sure to wear some sandals. The crew will take care of your luggage for you and will carry it over their heads to shore.

Hotel employees of Cabinas Murillo, the hotel we were planning to stay in, met us on the beach and carried our luggage to a pick up truck. We got inside the truck and they drove us a quick two-minute ride to the hotel. Almost immediately you could feel the heat difference on the Osa Peninsula. Unfortunately this hotel had no A/C (although it had two fans), so the heat easily made its way inside the room. The only way I could cool off was by sitting completely still or taking a cold shower. Sure, the hotel itself wasn’t 5 stars, but the view from our balcony was breathtaking and the price was very affordable. We spent some time cooling down by sitting on our balcony watching birds of all different colors and sizes fly around us. We decided to stay in Drake Bay for a few days because of our love for birding (specifically bird photography in my case), and the Osa Peninsula is renouned for its unique birds.

After finally cooling down, we grabbed lunch at a local place where I got a piece of pizza (I missed pizza) and yet another smoothie. The town in Drake Bay is incredibly cozy, small, and you will see a lot of locals. There are two markets in town that have any food you’ll need during your stay, serveral restaurants, a church, and some tourist-y stores. For dinner we went to a place called La Choza which had some of the best shrimp and rice we have ever eaten. We ended up having this almost every single night for dinner while in Drake Bay because of how delicious it was. The restaurant was always very busy and was a popular destination for many locals.

DAY 2: EXPLORING DRAKE BAY Because our sleep schedules were trained for early mornings we ended up waking up at 6:30 a.m. and grabbed breakfast at one of the local restaurants. I can’t remember the name of the restaurant, but I remember that they had a variety of pastries and a complete breakfast menu. We walked through the town and down to the beach where we ran into some four – legged friends who followed us on our walk through the bay.

We booked a birding tour online the day before (we didn’t exactly expect a response as most people book tours months in advance) and hadn’t heard anything from the company, so we spent some time looking to get in contact with the tour guide. After about an hour of searching, we recieved a phone call that we could do the tour the next day instead. If you are looking to do any type of activity or tour, I would recommend booking in advance to ensure that you’ll have a spot.

With our new free time, we walked some more through the bay (it’s very small), spent time scouting some birds from our balcony, and got ready for an early morning.

DAY 3: BIRDING TOUR

We woke up at 5:00 a.m. (our earliest morning yet) and got ready for our tour with Drake Bay Birdwatching. We packed binoculars, camera gear, water, and a change of shoes. Walter, our tour guide, picked us up at 6:10 a.m. and he explained that we would make a few different stops to see the most diversity.

Our first stop was at an open field lined by trees where we saw hummingbirds, chachalachas, and more. We spent around an hour at the field and even heard some rare birds as well. Walter was incredibly educated on the subject and got so excited when he saw a bird that it made you very excited too. His passion was clear and he was dedicated to helping me get the photos I envisioned.

Our next photo spot was Los Planes which is part of Corcovado National Park, but is more quiet and remote. While we were hiking through Los Planes, we did not see anyone else. In the forest we saw a variety of wildlife including lizards, insects, racers, monkeys, and of course – birds. We trekked through the forest for around 2 hours and stopped at several spots along the way when we heard bird calls or when we saw something moving. There was even a (very rare) chance that we could encounter a jaguar which was exciting and chilling.

After carrying around a 7-pound camera around in the humid forest, I felt a little lightheaded; it could also be the fact that I didn’t eat anything before our tour. Make sure you either eat before a long day of hiking, or you bring a snack along the way to avoid any overexhaustion.

Walter provided us with a snack of watermelon, bananas, and lemonade after Los Planes which were all very fresh. We made a quick stop on our way back to drake bay center to try and see a king vulture, and we did! You couldn’t see it with a bare eye and my 600mm lens barely picked it up, but I managed to get the photo below.

Walter drove us to a restaurant located right near our hotel where we had a scrumptious lunch (appetizers too) that were all included with the tour. Walter offered to drive us back to the hotel, but we opted to walk instead. I was exhausted by the time the tour was done and I ended up napping for a few hours before we grabbed dinner at La Choza again. I would recommend this tour to anyone who is patient and has a passion for wildlife, and if you can have Walter as your guide, his excitement, talent for spotting the wildlife, and his overall knowledge made the tour great. A few weeks after our tour Walter sent us a copy of all of the birds that we observed (heard and saw) during our trip (see photo below).

DAY 4: TRAVELING TO SAN JOSÉ

We woke up at 6:30 a.m. to catch our boat ride back to Sierpe, and from there we took a taxi to Adobe Car Rental in Uvita. We had to stop at a bank on the way because we ran out of colones in Drake Bay because there are no ATMs (make sure you load up on cash before you go to the bay!).

We were a few hours early for our rental car, so we ate brunch at Marino Ballena which was located across the street. I easily spent a lot of time at this restaurant because of the great food, customer service, and WiFi. The owner was from New Jersey and was very friendly and even provided me with the WiFi information (which was a blessing after not having it for a few days). I ate the “American breakfast��� with some orange juice which hit the spot! Our car was ready at 12:30 p.m. (a little early!) so we were able to head out to our next hotel. The car ride to the hotel had some great views of the central valley.

Marriott Courtyard in Alajuela was kind of luxurious compared to Cabinas Murillo (but hey – you get what you pay for!). It was nice to finally have a night with A/C tucked under the covers.

DAY 5: HEADING HOME After two, long weeks away from home we were both ready to travel back to Massachusetts (home sweet home). We woke up at 8:00 a.m. and had a very relaxing morning at the Marriott. We went downstairs for breakfast and similar to the JW Marriott in Guanacaste, the buffet was full of scrumptious choices. We had some time to kill before our flight, so we visited the Botanical Orchid Garden in Alajuela for one last adventure.

The garden was unfortunately underwhelming, but it may have been the time of year we went. There were some birds on display, a pretty pond, a unique bamboo trail, and greenhouses full of different types of vegetation. We spent some time taking some photos at the garden and listening to the thundering of massive bamboo hitting each other in the wind before we went on our way to the car rental place to drop off our car.

We got a ride to the airport from the car rental place and we began the journey home. We took two connecting flights to Boston from San José and after a day of travel we got home at 2 a.m..

AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE

I know I haven’t travelled much yet, but my experiences in Costa Rica have been some that I wouldn’t change for anything, and this magical place will hold a special place in my heart forever. I’ve seen a lot of Costa Rica, but I haven’t seen it all, so I want to go back and finish my journey one day. The wildlife, people, and landscapes, are all reasons to visit this country. In Costa Rica, I was able to exercise all of my passions, expand my appreciation for nature, and try things outside of my comfort zone (leaving home for two-weeks was certainly a start). 

Trust me, you are going to want to visit this stunning country in order to discover the laid-back nature of living with Pura Vida (Pure Life).

[riverdaleromances]

Third times a charm (Part 2) – Jughead x Reader

The second time I saw her, she looked breath taking. I was sat in my regular chair in the back of the student room, hiding away from the cruel harshness which is reality, or more specifically, meathead jocks like Chuck and stuck up, prissy princesses like Cheryl. I was so busy typing away on my computer that I nearly missed her enter the room.

But there she stood in all her glory, the most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on. (Y/N) (Y/L/N). Riverdale’s newest member and interesting person I have ever met. She was wearing a knee length white sundress, nude wedges and carrying a variety of large textbooks, clearly struggling.

I smirked at how adorable she looked in this moment. Pushing my chair away, I began to walk over to her and offer her a helping hand when I am cut off by a large, muscly figure, shoving me out of the way and striding towards (Y/N).

I stopped and watched as Reggie pretended to be distracted by his obnoxiously loud red Nike shoes and purposely bump straight into (Y/N), sending her books flying across the floor.

Sighing, I turned around and slumped back in my chair, crossing my arms and glaring at Reggie as he helped out my girl. Who am I kidding? Why would she ever like me? I’m just boring, old Jughead with a stupid hat and way too many jackets.

I scowled at Reggie as I watched him and (Y/N) talking and giggling as they rushed to pick up her books. Once standing, (Y/N) thanked Reggie but excused herself to go and find her seat. Reggie grabbed her arm and murmured something to her. Expecting to see panic and stress littered all over (Y/N)’s features considering what happened last time round, I was shocked to see annoyance written all over her face. “Thanks for the offer ‘Mantle the magnificent” She Mocked, “But I have better places to be!” She sassed and then pulled away from Reggie and began walking slowly to find a vacant seat.

As (Y/N) walked past the ‘Jock’s couch’, a hand reached out, grabbing her waist and pulling her onto their lap. I watched with warning eyes as she struggled against the harsh grip of the guy who pulled her onto his lap, Chuck.

“Hey Cutie, remember me?” Chuck laughed, grabbing a strand of (Y/N) hair and slowing pushing it behind her ear. “How could I forget?” She mumbled, shuddering at his unwanted, sensual actions.

It was like watching a car crash in slow motion, some people stop and stare whist others look away. I was gapping and staring at the scene unfolding before my eyes and was only able to look away when Chucks hand began to wonder from her waist and towards her upper thigh.

I couldn’t believe that even after what happened at Pop’s the other day, Chuck still has the nerve to treat women like that! All of a sudden I see this power and determination in (Y/N)’s eyes. She tears Chucks hand off of her thigh and she turns abruptly to face him. I could see that she was wanting to say something, to yell and scream at him for touching her. But it never came. (Y/N) sighed sadly and turned around to pick up all of her books which are scattered across the floor.

As (Y/N) was cleaning up her books, Archie, Betty, Veronica and Kevin entered the class and found their way over next to me. “Hey Jug, what’s up? You look a bit pale,” Betty asked concerned for her friend and partner in crime.

“I’m fine. Chuck’s just being a jerk as per usual” I replied, eyes glued to (Y/N) as she continued to pick up her lost sheets of paper. “Oh. My. God. Does Mr. Mysterious, brooding Jughead have a crush on the new girl?” Veronica gasped like it was so unbelievable I would like (Y/N). But I mean come on, look at her! She’s beautiful.

Betty and Archie looked at me stunned, unsure of what to say. “Yeah right Veronica, as if…” I said, trailing off as I watched (Y/N) finish picking up her stuff and begin to stand up.

Like déjà vu, (Y/N) stood up and began her journey to find a spare desk, this time as far away from Chuck and his goons as possible. Before she could get anywhere, Chuck again, forcefully grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him so that her face was inches away from his own.

“You are going to live to regret this (Y/L/N)! I always, always get what I want and frankly” he pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, “I want you”. He chuckled, a sick and menacing laugh before (Y/N) pushed herself away from him.

It was back. The look (Y/N) beared upon her face was back. I hadn’t seen it since the first day I met her. She had this look of pure and utter disgust and I could tell she had some very choice words for Chuck.

“Well guess what Chuck,” she started, placing her books down and crossing her arms. By this point, nearly everyone in the student room was watching the scene unfolding before them. “I’m not scared of you. I know you, Chuck and I know how you work. You would rather people fear than like you. So you traffic in terror and intimidation, you’re the principles son so you’ve never been held accountable for but this,” she gestured to Chuck and herself, “… this has to stop. This power, this entitlement that seeps and runs through your veins needs to stop because it won’t last. One day, you’ll fall off your pedestal flat on your face and no one will be there to save you. Not your big headed, rambunctious jock friends, not Reggie, not me”.

She paused, taking a deep breath but not backing down. I had noticed though that throughout her amazing speech, Chuck had stood up and began to corner her into the set of cabinets behind her. Looking around, I had noticed that Kevin, Betty and Archie were all sat down mouths agape, watching (Y/N) give Chuck exactly what he deserved. But I could see that this was getting out of hand and I felt as though I needed to do something.

“This is riveting. I can’t breathe!” Kevin gasped, repeating a statement I’m sure he’d said before. “Someone should really do something. This could get ugly.” Archie stated the obvious yet made no attempt to control the situation at hand.

“You think I’m entitled!” He laughed, “Take a cold hard look at yourself (Y/N), you think you’re better than everyone in the room. It’s hard enough looking at you, let alone listening to your gaping mouth spit boring, useless facts about nothing. If I’m entitled then what does that make you?” Chuck inched closer, “Spoilt? Superior? A ruthless bitch? You’ve been here for all of 6 minutes (Y/L/N), know your place and stick to it or so help me I will –“, “Alright Chuck, that’s enough!” Betty spoke suddenly, afraid of what Chuck is capable of.

“Can it Betty, or should I say Polly?” Chuck laughed causing betty to retreat back into her shell, lowering her eyes and flipping through her notebook.

This has gone way too far. Sighing, I stood up and made my way over to Chuck. “Alright Chuck, you’ve had your fun, I think it’s time to go” I said, placing my hand on his shoulder and pulling him slightly to face me. He was still to ridiculously close to (Y/N) for my liking.

“What is it with you and this girl Dracula? She’s not your damsel in destress, she’s a nobody!” Chuck turned around slightly to face me, keeping the same unbearable close distance between him and my girl.

“Nothing. Just leave her alone, go find somebody your own size and IQ to mess with!” I threw back, sick of his antics already. I could hear the gang gasp at my words, my usual shyness hidden behind this newly found façade I had put on.

“That’s it. I’ve had it with you Wednesday Adam’s! Somebody ought to teach you a lesson you’ll never forget!” Chuck grew angrier and angrier by the second and by now I had slid myself in between him and (Y/N) in order to keep her safe. This girl just can’t stay out of trouble, can she?

All of a sudden Chucks fist came flying up towards my face and hit me straight in the eye, the sheer force of the blow knocking me over, causing me to fall to the floor. The whole room stood still, on lookers watching over the scene but too scared to intervene.

Instantly, (Y/N) ran over to me and stood right in between Chuck and I, like I had done with her moments before. “Get out of my way freak, or so help me-“ Chuck lunged forward and it looked as if he was going to hit (Y/N). The whole room quacking in fear, one question on their minds. Would Chuck really hit a girl?

“What?” (Y/N) spoke loudly for the first time in a while, “What are you gonna do? Hit me? Go ahead Clayton! I dare you, make my day!” She stood tall and certain. There was no sign of fear or doubt in her eyes in this moment, like protecting me was a natural, sure thing. Like it was something she wanted to do. I couldn’t help but smile at how adorable she was but then instantly regretting it when searing pain shot through my cheek bone, but it was all worth it.

Chuck edged closer and closer towards (Y/N), towering over her with spite in his eyes. “Oh how I would love to wipe that smug grin off of your beautiful face,” Chuck whispered as he stroked her cheek. Suddenly, he grabbed her chin and pulled her closer. “But I’m afraid your boyfriend would turn all Billy Loomis on my ass and murder me into next Tuesday!” He spat those words right into her face.

I was livid. How dare he speak to her in such a manner! I could tell Archie knew that I was ready to pounce because her ran over and pulled me away from the two. Just as Betty was about to do the same with (Y/N), Cheryl waltzed in and interrupted the two.

“My my, what do we have here? The new girl and Riverdale’s most obnoxious Jock going head to head? If you asked me, I would say that there was some chemistry going on between the two, wouldn’t you Judhead?” Cheryl giggled, loving every minute of this game she’s playing.

“(Y/N) is it? I would just love it if you came and had lunch with me and my girls today!” Cheryl asked, pushing her way through the crowd the get to (Y/N). “Ummmm, I’m sorry but I’d much rather sit with Betty and –“ “Right. You’re new so I’ll let this one slide but here’s a hint. I’m a blossom and what a blossom wants, a blossom gets. You’re having lunch with me today, okay?” Cheryl asked as happy as ever, although if you ask me it sounded like more of a demand.

Sighing, (Y/N) grabbed her books and walked away with Cheryl and her pose, giving one last look of gratitude towards myself. I couldn’t help but smile back, a blush creeping onto my cheeks.

The crowd of people all dispersed and I was finally able to sit down and relax for a moment. I shut my eyes and remembered the events that just occurred. Or more specifically, (Y/N). How gorgeous she looked in that dress and how her eyes lit up when I came over to rescue her once again from Clayton.

When I opened my eyes again, I jumped. Betty, Kevin, Archie and now Veronica were all staring at me intently, grins spread across their faces. “So, (Y/N) huh? I didn’t picture you for the glamourous type Juggie!” Archie stated, laughing his iconic laugh and punching me lightly on the arm.

“Shut up!” I laughed nervously, heat rising to my cheeks, causing me to look down. “He’s so smitten!” Kevin giggled. “I am not! I protested as I picked up my books and walked off to class, the gang following closely behind me teasing me relentlessly about my interest in (Y/N).

They don’t get it though. They don’t get just how amazing she can be. In all of two times I have seen her, she’s managed to capture my heart and keep it under lock and key. I may not be smart or funny or perfect but I do know one thing. If the third time I see (Y/N) is anything like the last, then I guess third times a charm.

[keirnytee]

I woke up feeling brand new. I guess that’s what you’re expected to say when your birthday comes right? If that was the case then whoever made that claim, if there was ever a claim like that, lied.

It was indeed my birthday but I didn’t feel brand new. Feeling anew is complete hogwash. I felt the same as I did when I went to bed. What I knew for sure was that this birthday would be one to remember for years to come. I will say, I was extremely happy that I was now twenty 7 and not 26 cuz I’m not really a fan of even numbers. LOL. Weird, I know. Who am I kidding here? My birthday was here and I couldn’t have been any happier. 

As most of my friends know, my birthday is sort of a BIG DEAL to ME. I always try to do something different each time. It’s like I have to compete with myself and outdo my last birthday event. So finally, I would be able to do that. If you just stumbled upon this blog, there are three more before this which will serve as the pretext to some examples. Check them out here; part 1, part 2, part 3. As mentioned previously, I was on a very tight budget. 500 USD could do so much and no more. Heck, I’ve lost track of the figures but I’m sure I was down to my last 250 USD. This would be the culmination of an epic adventure and I was ready blow all my money on this day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEIRN

The staff came knocking at my door with the utmost urgency. They mentioned the ‘manager’ wanted to speak to me before I headed out. I was taken aback for a nano second then it hit me, this was a ruse to get me out in the garden for my surprise. When I made the reservation for Rudy’s Airbnb I mentioned to him that this was my birthday gift to myself and that my actual birthday would be my final day in Bali. It also didn’t help that on the notice board they had written down “Get Keirn a cake for his birthday”. Haha! I played along like I was completely oblivious to what was about to happen and quickly got dressed.

When I arrived in the garden, the ‘manager’ (I think his name was Theo), Budi and the fully recovered Wayan exclaimed the authorities contacted them because of my semi display of public nudity on temple grounds. I knew this wasn’t true but it was so creative. If I was any other foreigner, I probably would have fell for it but I’m too quick. The told me to have a seat and that they’d explain to me what will happen. I for sure whipped out my phone and snapped the whole thing. Wayan and Budi sat with me to try and sell the lie even more but they couldn’t keep a straight face. Out of nowhere, well out of the main area, Theo appeared with a beautiful cake and started singing happy birthday to me. Two other guests were in the garden as well and joined in. In true KT (that’s me) fashion I smiled the whole time. I was so happy. My cake was beautiful but I couldn’t eat any of it because I would be going to the beach and I needed my ab-less belly to look as good as it can. Can you blame a guy for trying to look good on his birthday? LOL LOL LOL. I mean, I’m no Tyson Beckford.

  SOUTH BALI HERE COMES KEIRN

I really did save the best bits for last on this trip. Although I had a great time with Budi as my driver the day before, I was happy to have Wayan back. We had built a stronger bond as driver and passenger the first two days, that it was right he drove me around on my birthday. This I think is a major factor in determining how a solo traveler will enjoy his/her rides in a foreign country. I had photo shoot in mind the very first time I saw graffiti on the walls close to the villa and Wayan would be the perfect photographer for this. Upon leaving the compound, my phone rang with the first cellphone birthday greeting of the day. That call meant a lot to me because it was from loved ones whom I missed dearly. Tears.

Wayan did his thing with the camera and captured some really amazing shots. He even tried directing me. I had to stop him in his tracks. No one directs my photo shoots. I had planned this over in my head a million times. My only issue was the fact that I still couldn’t do a jump shot without looking awkward. HAHA. I crack myself up.

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“I thought I was done with monkeys for the rest of my time in Bali but I was sadly mistaken.”

After the photo shoot we headed for another temple, Uluwatu. While on the way I started to change in the car because it was like 30°C and that black leather jacket and long black pants was a big no-no. The heat had us parched, so Wayan stopped at a convenience store so we could refresh ourselves. I think he was more elated than I was for this quick rest stop. I hadn’t gotten over the fact that the monkeys stole me Oreo cookies the day before so I bought another pack along with a bottle of water. Before we arrived at our destination, I made sure to thank Wayan for driving me around and for being my ‘friend’ for the past couple of days. I put friend in quotation because I had to trust him with driving me around, safely, and for listening and conversing with me. I’d have gone mad. Ha!

When we arrived, I realized I had to wear a sarong again so I had to change once more. I put my pants back on because it was long enough for me not to wear a sarong inside the temple’s compound. I had to, however, wear a sash of sorts around my waist. Wayan snickered. Curious, I asked why. He then informed me that this place had monkeys and that I should put my glasses inside my bag as well as my Oreos. I thought he was joking because after the episode I had with the monkeys in Sangeh, I didn’t think I’d encounter anymore, at least not this soon. Still in disbelief, I walked over to the ticket counter and there it was. A warning that visitors should be aware of the monkeys. I thought I was done with monkeys for the rest of my time in Bali but I was sadly mistaken. Why on earth did he bring me here? Why did I pay to go in? I did this once before so I should be able to this with ease.

Here’s Wayan

Uluwatu was picturesque. It felt very Greece (well the touristy image of it) but instead of white buildings overlooking the sea, we were surrounded by trees with the temple at the top of what seemed to be a stairway to heaven, with the gorgeous ocean in the background. The sun was red. The heat was becoming unbearable. While walking and capturing pictures we came upon some monkeys. Oh lord! I began sweating profusely. Here we go again, I thought. Luckily, some other tourists were walking toward us and the monkeys dispersed. Moments later a monkey stole Wayan‘s hat and ran off with it. My Oreo was used as a ploy to get the monkey to drop the hat for Wayan to get it. I teased him the whole time cuz he gave me a warning he didn’t follow. Uluwatu was fun but I was ready to go.

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ONE STOP AT THE MULIA PLEASE

One of the main things I had set out to do while in Bali was to live like a Bravolebrity. The Mulia offered just that. After seeing that epic storm off Tamra Judge did on their final night in Bali, I knew I had to see this beautiful place myself. The site was a sight to see. I couldn’t believe a place like this existed. I mean for an average minimum of 350 USD a night it had to be beautiful. The open space architecture gave The Mulia and ethereal feel. I felt like I was floating as I walked through the halls of this magnificent hotel. To be fair, it reminded me of Iberostar, Jamaica. I, however, had one mission and that was to reenact Tamra’s storm off and troll her with it on Twitter. I did everything leading up to the storm off until I got stuck. I couldn’t find the right angle where the producers captured the incident. I was beyond frustrated. I didn’t expect it to be like that. Wayan was trying to be supportive by saying I should shoot it anyways, but I needed it to be perfect. If I was going to be running through the halls of this hotel, I needed to do it right. Since I couldn’t get it done, I was now left with one thing to do, hit the beach. After all, I still hadn’t eaten.

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DA DA BALI – GOODBYE BALI

After a long day, I needed to get back to the resort so I could pack because my flight back to Japan was just hours away. Before I knew it Wayan was taking me to the airport and shortly after, I was checking in. I had the best time of my life and I am so grateful to GOD for giving me another year of life and for the opportunities given to me. My trip was amazing and Rudy’s Airbnb made it very memorable. Da Da Bali.

Some people want dive out of a plane, some want to swim with sharks. Me? I will return to shoot that video in The Mulia for my own benefit. LOL.

Till next time.

reallyGOBBY: Keirn

TWENTY 7 IN BALI: Part 4 I woke up feeling brand new. I guess that's what you're expected to say when your birthday comes right?