#Samara is best mom energy

[fi-fi-squeaks]

For The Pirate That Has Everything

Fiona was always a cautious woman, The once-pirate always kept an eye on every exit from the moment she first entered a room. She also had a way of taking a measure of a man within minutes of conversation. Simply put, for the captain, there were no more surprises.

And yet there she was, slack-jawed and speechless when Samara shoved a pile of wrapped bundles into her arms.

“Hey Fi,” Samara said with that familiar warm expression she always had. “These are for you.”

Fiona looked over the bundles as she searched for words for her friend. 

The boxes were of various sizes, some small enough to fit in a palm and others wide enough to rest between two outstretched arms. Each box was wrapped up in colorful paper and tied down in striped ribbons that sparkled with glitter. Brightly colored labels were tapped to each package, with her name written on each.

While it was clear that the boxes were indeed meant for the once-pirate, Fiona still had to ask…

“But Sam, what be these for? Winter’s Veil isn’t for another month and I’ve no recent victories that warrant such celebration.”

Samara cocked her head to the side and rested her knuckles on her hips. She gave Fiona a teasing look then waggled her hips in a slow gentle motion.

“I was worried you’d have forgotten,” Samara said, “but tomorrow’s your birthday isn’t it?”

Fiona blinked and stared at Samara. While tomorrow was indeed her birthday, she didn’t remember mentioning so to anyone.

“But how did ye know?” Fiona wondered aloud. “Don’t think I e’er told ye, did I?”

Samara shook her head.

“Fi, you didn’t have to. We’ve been friends for HOW long? I can tell when you’re mood is brightest and you always get so happy around the same time each year. And I don’t think it’s just because of the Nightmare Before Winter’s Veil party.”

Fiona stepped past her friend and crossed the room. She set the packages down on the first table she could find, then turned around and faced her friend. Samara was leaning against the door to her room in Vagrant’s Respite. She had her arms crossed and a contented smile on her face.

“And furthermore,” Samara said, “you circled the day on your calendar. When I noticed I asked around among the crew and no one knew what the day meant to you.”

Samara counted on her fingers as she spoke.

“You weren’t starting or ending a voyage. You didn’t have any big plans, at least none you mentioned to anyone. And if it was a date, you would have told someone not to expect you for a few days.”

Fiona snickered and shook her head.

“Aye, true. But ye didn’t have to call me out. If I could I’d be blushin’ ye gremlin!” Fiona said.

“Exactly. Fi, you are a very open book. Everyone who loves you knows your feelings and thoughts almost as soon as you have them. But tomorrow? It was a big huge mystery. So I got to thinking. I knew it wasn’t the day you died, since you died close to the start of the last war…in August I believe. And it wasn’t the day you got this ship, since you told me it was in April. And then it hit me! It had to have been your birthday! And judging by your reaction, I was right.”

Fiona couldn't help but laugh. She raised her hands and clapped for her best friend.

“Aye aye! Ye got me. Wonderful bit of sleuthin’. But tell me, mate, what about all these gifts?”

Samara’s expression softened. She looked towards the pile of gifts and gestured to them with a sweeping hand.

“Oh that? Once I had a guess, I told as many people as I could find about it and asked if they wanted to give you a surprise. So, I convinced a lot of people to keep quiet and give me things they wanted to give you. I then had to keep them out of view whenever you visited and wrapped each up whenever I had the time. Then I hred a mage and bribed your first mate to help smuggle me and the gifts aboard when you weren’t looking. I figured if I was wrong we’d have a good laugh and if I was right, I’d make your night.”

“Well…I’m honestly surprised.” Fiona said. “It’s the most surprising thing I’ve ever had happen. I can’t believe I’m sayin’ it, but ye pulled the wool over me eyes.”

“I’m glad. I did have one small question though.”

Fiona blinked beneath her strapped leather mask.

“Aye? What’s on yer mind?”

“Well…why don’t you talk about your birthday with more people? You love celebrating and I’d think a birthday is the best possible excuse.”

Fiona looked away from Samara and rubbed the nape of her neck.

“Aye, that be true. But, I wasn’t quite the same woman in me living days. I was bitter and angry at me father cause I didn’t know the truth and I was afraid of witches like me mother without asking meself why. I was selfish, slothful, and always up to schemes and didn’t ever think of the value of earnin’ a fair coin. The day I died was the day I began to live and though I think about me birthday, I can’t say it’s one I always think of fondly.”

“I understand…” Samara said, “...but do you mind if I offer a perspective?”

The once-pirate nodded at her best friend.

“Because the way I see it. You are the result of years of growth. Good, bad, and everything in between. Just like you told me when we revisited our homes in Drustvar. What you were doesn’t HAVE to be who you are. And I think we both know that you are a lovely person now.” Samara gestured towards the pile of gifts. “I mean, look how many people joined in my scheme just so we could try and surprise you?”

Samara breathed in. “I’ll respect your wishes if you don’t want to talk about your birthday ever again. But, I think today you can reclaim your birthday as something to celebrate with the people you love. What do you say?”

Fiona considered Samara for several minutes. She was right about everything she said. The once-pirate was always an open book who faced the past with as bright an eye as her future. So the fear and anguish that arose from her birthday felt both out of character and pitiable. Furthermore, she had truly changed from the woman she was in life.

She had friends now, a crew of her own, and a ship that was known far and wide with awe and wonder. The lady skulls and crossbones flag that waved highest upon the mast was a welcome sight in ports across at least four continents across both halves of the faction divide. She had reclaimed the destiny that she thought was lost to her and had clawed her way to something far better than she could have ever imagined.

So perhaps…

“Ye know…” Fiona said, “...maybe it’s time to stake me claim and make this day mine again. What do ye say I open these gifts, then, if yer free, we can chat over drinks while I write to everyone of those rogues ye gathered fer this scheme.”

Samara laughed. “Gladly. And I promise to gloat that I tricked you ONLY for the first hour.”

Fiona chuckled then gestured for Samara to come closer.

Her best friend crossed the room and offered her hands. Fiona took those hands in hers. Both women looked into each other's eyes with a warmth and love that could only come from years of support. There was a camaraderie and kinship in that gaze that surpassed even their shared lineage in Drustvar into something that needed no name or title.

“Thank ye, Samara. Thank ye fer making this birthday the best it could ever be.” Fiona snickered and lowered her gaze. “I thought I had everything I could ever want and yet ye find me a treasure that shines brighter then all the gold and gems I’d ever plundered or spent. Yer friendship and love.”

Samara gave her best friend a look.

“Fi, that was incredibly cheesy.” 

“Aye, and since it’s me birthday yer just going to have to put up with it.”

Her best friend rolled her eyes and then gestured to one of the gifts atop the pile.

“Fine, but only if you start unwrapping gifts. I’m pretty sure you’ll find more than a few surprises by the time we’re through.”

As Fiona reached for a small box wrapped up in paper as green as her hair, she couldn’t help but think that perhaps there were still surprises out there for her.

[radley-walsh]

"If I see that shit the next time i'm on stage i'm cutting the music and shaming them publicly. I can't even bring myself to pretend to care that it kills the vibe." Samara huffed, definitely worked up but trying to shake it off and save that energy so she could channel it for the set later. "Sick. I need to get my hands on whatever you've been doing. You should still carry something on you for whenever the munchies finally hit. I should have chips or something in my bag you can take." Although Vic and Samara hadn't started off on the best foot, Samara didn't actually wish ill on her. They had sorted out their issue so it would be dumb to hold a grudge over it. And truth be told her mom friend tendencies usually outweighed the blase musician act. "Thanks. If you liked that you should stop by later when I go on with my best friend. Don't get me wrong, doing my thing is always a blast, but I think I enjoy shining the spotlight on someone else more."

Vic’s head immediately spun around, needing to see this alleged festival baby for herself. “Oh that’s fucked up,” she agreed with a nod, making her judgement very obvious to the lingering parents. “His little sunglasses are kinda a vibe though...” Whether or not Samara still had beef with her she didn’t know, nor did she care since she decided they were past it. Besides she couldn’t even remember the last time she fake DJ’ed. “Couldn’t tell you, I’m rocking such a delicate and perfect high right now even the whiff of a fry might throw it off. Sick set by the way.”

[darkpoisonouslove]

I'm offering you an empty salt shaker - asks 2, 5, 6, 15 (go ahead, I know you have something XD), 16, 20, 25 (about Bloom searching for her parents storyline)

Starting this again because guess who accidentally hit the key combination for undo and lost half an answered ask! This bitch right here.

I answered 2 here.

5. Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?*

Not that I can think of. It’s usually the source material that ruins things and fandom is tasked with fixing them later.

6. Has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?*

I didn’t hate it but Bloom x Icy was incomprehensible to me. Fics helped a lot and so did other posts from here and there and I can see it now. Also, I totally couldn’t see Griffin x Codatorta but that changed, too. Though, that was less fandom and more trashcankitty12 with an ask that made me think about it a little more in-depth so it was pretty much me roping up myself into yet another ship. But ooh, I also don’t think I had considered Palladium x Avalon before fandom but, yes, indeed, it is right there in canon. And I was so puzzled over the Riven x Nabu content I was seeing but after watching seasons 3 and 4, I can totally see where this is coming from. The people are right. That is a bromance right there.

15. Unpopular opinion about the manga/show?

I have no idea what is popular and what isn’t (but you’re right that I have something aka A LOT) so I’ll just list my strong opinionsTM, okay? I will try not to dump on Bloom too much also because it is not a secret that I don’t like her so there is no need for me to go in too much detail.

4kids is the superior dub. That is probably the most controversial opinion I hold. But don’t worry, I’ll try to top it and up the ante. XD

I love Enchantix but it has so many flaws as a concept and even more as an execution and the thing that is really pissing me off is how obviously centered around Bloom’s arc it is. It was clearly created for the advancement of her character and the other girls’ stories came as an afterthought which is why Tecna’s Enchantix was total bullshit. And for having a transformation that is specifically created around Bloom, hers was bullshit as well. I think they should have let her reearn it in order for her to be able to use all of its functions like miniaturizing. Also also, at so many points it totally sounds like Bloom is not upset about the fact that Domino and all of its people were destroyed but about the fact that that means she won’t get her Enchantix. Which btw was a hasty conclusion because at the time Enchantix became a thing, she was still on a mission to find her parents which would have definitely been a way to earn her Enchantix and she had a sign that they were alive. So her angsting over not getting an Enchantix because of what happened on Domino was bad form on the writers’ part.

That spell for good decisions in 1x05 was one of the show’s lowest and most ridiculous moments. It was only included to flaunt in your face how naturally being a leader comes to Bloom because “See? See!!!!!! She can make a good decision without using magic to help her!” So can the majority of the population (note that we are talking about ONE good decision, not an unbreakable sequence of such). She ain’t all that special. Plus, Tecna was written wildly OOC there in order to boost Bloom’s stats so to speak. I’m sorry but Tecna would’ve known that three against four doesn’t give them advantage since they are freshmen and the Trix were seniors at the time. God, that scene was stupid.

Flora is the most boring character in seasons 1-3, fight me about it.

The writers totally had no idea what they were doing with the witches throughout most of season 1 which is why Griffin’s characterization in that season is so inconsistent. Also, wtf was that in 1x06? She straight up tried to kill a bunch of 15-year-old girls. Take a chill pill! I’m glad they figured out a much better balance with her later on.

Not using the fact that Cloud Tower is a living organism more was a fucking wasted opportunity. Especially in season 3 when Valtor took over it. That could have made everything so much better. Also, the witches should have been used more. They were interesting but deserved so much better in terms of development.

Sky should have just fucking died in 2x10. What were these resurrections and Bloom getting healing powers out of nowhere for a total of 5 seconds? You know, that could have been a good setup for a Bloom x Diaspro romance. It would have been so much better if they’d gotten together right after 1x17 and dumped Sky’s sorry ass. Also, Diaspro deserved better.

Riven is the best Specialist but he is especially better than Sky. Remember 1x22 when he was trying to escape CT? He was trapped deep in enemy territory with monsters everywhere and so high above the ground, yet he found his way out. Sky would’ve fucking died out in the open at Magix against one single monster if Bloom hadn’t shown up to rescue him. And the show has the gall to imply that Sky is a better Specialist than Riven is? Please!

The teachers should be fined and sued for emotional and physical damage they haven’t protected their students from. Especially the Alfea teachers who in 1x02 practically admitted that the witches might maim a fairy and they still won’t do shit about it. Nice one!

Griffin and Valtor is canonical subtext and I have nothing more to say about this. It is all there.

Valtor up until 3x18 and Valtor from 3x19 to 3x26 are two different people and the prior is superior in every way. The show ruined him in the last third of the season because there was no other way for Winx to defeat him.

Speaking about Valtor, his whole thing with the Trix is despicable and I hate it so much. It is extremely cringy on their part and extremely underhanded on his and I can’t stand it. Not to mention that it is wildly OOC for the Trix because they are obviously better than that.

I cannot understand saying that Bloom x Valtor is love-hate. I see only hate.

It is ridiculous how easily the Trix beat Griffin in season 6 and how they nearly take control over CT in season 2. And it is also ridiculous that she had to wait for Winx to unspell CT in season 3. She is a teacher, the headmistress of the most prestigious school for witches, a veteran and has been Valtor’s partner (and he himself admitted that together they were unstoppable which means that she has to be pretty powerful and even somewhere close to his level of power). Can the show stop acting like she is defenseless?

The teachers should have been used more. It would’ve been so much better if they were there to at least help Winx if not lead their battles. And it would have made much more sense. Also, how come Ediltrude and Zarathustra literally disappear when it’s convenient and then reappear again (like they did in season 1 when the witches went to Alfea)? That’s just bad writing.

Sky is adopted. He doesn’t resemble Erendor or Samara neither in appearance, nor in character and I hate them enough to headcanon that he was adopted but nobody knows because they don’t want to have claims that he is not an “official” heir of the throne because he isn’t part of the bloodline.

Mike and Vanessa are much more parents to Bloom than Marion and Oritel are, especially when the latter were first released from Obsidian, and the fact that Bloom starts calling them Mike and Vanessa instead of mom and dad after she learns she has other parents is abysmal. Also, they are literally the best parents ever and I love them to death. (I also like Marion and Oritel but Mike and Vanessa are definitely the superior pair of parents if we’re ranking them. I like the idea that the two couples are actually super close and love each other like relatives, in fact.)

What the fuck is up with the magic in this show? There is literally, like, NO FUCKING CONSISTENCY WHATSOEVER! You can’t blink without the rules of it changing in some way. But what am I saying? That would imply that there are any rules which is just not true. Also, there is no clear distinction of how powerful anyone is after season 1. The balance of powers especially between Winx and the Trix is pretty much whatever works for the episode. Same for Winx vs Valtor. The fuckery on that account is unreal. Plus, some of Bloom’s major power explosions happen due to her getting angry. According to the official Wiki - “While practicing or harnessing positive magic, one must keep a compassionate heart, primarily by keeping their thoughts and feelings clear of all negativity, making them capable of attracting positive energy more easily. Thus, if one is plagued with negative thoughts or feelings such as sadness, anger or fear, then their magic will grow   weaker until they may even be left incapable of casting magic until said feelings pass.“ Read that and then read it again, let it sink in. According to the rules of the Winx universe, during some of Bloom’s most powerful moments she was actually using dark magic, not light such because it was fueled by rage. Way to keep it fucking consistent. And that is not just Bloom! FLORA out of all people attacks the Trix in rage in 3x12 when they hurt her sister aka she was also using dark magic at that situation (and then you have Wizgiz scolding Mirta for it in SotLK like it is a sin to use dark magic, smh). In some instances I would argue that it was more of determination to protect rather than anger which I would say would still result in light magic. But The Flora thing, Bloom vs Stormy in 1x09 (Bloom even says she got so angry so that was not a case of protectiveness), Bloom vs Icy in 1x26 and Bloom vs Valtor in 3x14 were definitely rage aka dark magic. And then Bloom is all “fairies don’t have any demons”. Guess again, bitch! Also, writers, you need a dictionary to start comprehending the words you are actually writing?

Now that I think of it, the whole arc in the Resort Realm was bullshit. If it is a magic-free realm, nobody should have any magic in it, period! What is this bullshit that you can use Charmix and Gloomix there because they have higher magical energy? That absolutely doesn’t matter! If there isn’t any magic in the entire realm, having a higher amount of magic in you will not matter because you still can’t use it... because there isn’t any in the realm!!!!!! What the hell! Honestly, the writers can’t comprehend what words mean and that is not the only instance in which it shows.

Someone told me that SotLK is better than Magical Adventure and I don’t mean to offend but that is simply not true. Magical Adventure is leagues above SotLK even if it has some structural problems. Like, literally everything is better. Bloom and Sky are even likable and communicate!!!!!!!! Literally when have you ever seen a better moment for their relationship than in Magical Adventure? If it had been all like that, I would have liked them as a couple.

I think I got everything that comes to mind rn out. Might think of more at some point. I was done and then came back to rage some more because I remembered I had more material.

16. If you could change anything in the show, what would you change?

I would have them make smart decisions because 99% of the shit they pull is so stupid it is unreal. I literally cannot tell how they are still alive. Oh, no wait! Plot armor. Yep, that’s it.

But if I had to pick something specific? Bring Nabu back. I sure as hell wouldn’t have killed him. That was an asshole move and I have no idea what the hell the writers were thinking when they wrote that.

And my second choice is - implement a magical system into the series because there isn’t one. Magic always works the way the writers need it to work to pull off their bullshit plot even if it contradicts everything that we’ve seen before. Please, for the love of god! Consistency is already dead; stop stabbing its corpse!!!!

20. What is the purest ship in the fandom?

Purest ship? Lmao, asking me this question is underhanded. XD If you mean no drama, then Flora and Helia Mike and Vanessa. But I think my actual answer would be Griffin x Faragonda because they have been through so much that we know of or we can deduce and they still stuck together. Sure, they had their ups and downs but it is obviously a love for life that has lasted through so many obstacles and keeps lasting. The reason why I can’t say the same for Mike and Vanessa is because we don’t really know that much about their relationship with each other. But anyway I love both these ships so much.

If you’re talking about a canon ship, though, then Brandon and Stella (I do not recognize the stupid relationship drama in season 4 as canon). He did lie to her about his identity in season 1 but it was for his friendship with Sky (alternatively, for his job and duty as Sky’s squire). I just love how obviously in love Brandon is with Stella and how much Stella doesn’t care about anything but him. She didn’t care that he was a “commoner” and - one of my fave moments - in 1x08 she only cared about his well-being rather than the competition. It was adorable and they are adorable and I love them so much. Pure serotonin, right there!

25. How would you end the Bloom searching for her parents storyline/Would you change the ending?

I would certainly change the logistics of the whole thing because, boy, did it make no sense at all. As for the actual ending, I’d argue that physically finding them is not the end of that storyline and she needs to “find” them emotionally as well which would definitely take more time than SotLK cared to address. Like, she got them out of Obsidian and boom, everything’s fine! She literally doesn’t know them! Those are her parents and she doesn’t know anything about them! Their touch and their voices are unfamiliar to her even and they have missed on so much that they will never be able to get back and you’re saying that everything is fine? Yeah, right.

I would have had her spend a year on Domino with them before season 4. The school year that started in SotLK? She spends that with them. Possibly even the one that starts in Magical Adventure as well. She learns everything she can about them and the family history. She also learns how to be a proper royal because she is the Crown Princess now and she has no idea what the fuck she is doing. I would have made seasons 4 and possibly 5 about that and added more politics in it. Layla and Stella are also princesses who will run their kingdoms one day so we could have had adventures in political relations with Winx Club. They are pretty famous so I am sure there would be rulers of other lands that see them as threats and don’t like them. There could have been tension about that and the whole thing with Domino being the planet of the Dragon Fire could have been addressed. Who would dare oppose them when they are the most powerful force? Are they the most powerful force after the 17 years the planet spent as an ice block? Are there old alliances to be reforged? What is the political climate in the Magic Dimension? All absolutely fascinating questions that would have helped the worldbuilding and made place for Marion and Oritel in Bloom’s life and in the show. We could’ve gone back to the feel of season 1 when they also had other things going on besides the big baddie of the season and it could have been a little more episodical with a loose theme to connect the season and the overarching story of Bloom finding her parents and her place in the world she was born in. That could have been positively epic... And a great way to retain the cast because the Company of Light were allegedly friends so we could have seen Marion and Oritel reconnecting with Griffin, Faragonda, Saladin and Hagen. There could have been resurfacing debates left over from the war. Kingdoms angry at Domino for something that happened back then in order to include flashbacks with the events. AND that would work out with the fact that the Ancestral Witches were still around and could have led to another epic battle that wouldn’t end with the destruction of a whole planet. Like I said, there were amazing possibilities... and they were all wasted.

Well, this was long... and just what I needed. I hope some (civilized) discussion will spark out of that because I am tired of screaming in a void and I want people to talk to me.

[theladipage]

Mom Style has a Fashion Moment - LaDi and the Bump-friendly Movement

Bump-friendly fashion is here friends.

Recently, we had a fabulous fashion show event in NYC featuring some of my beautiful mom-friends in new styles from our LaDi collection.  Our models were a gorgeous mix of moms and moms-to-be in different stages of motherhood including a recent preggo and one mom that was just 2 weeks away from giving birth!  Some of these ladies have 1 or more kids and they are entrepreneurs, executives, students and all are beautiful in their own way.  They are all superstars in their own right and they strut the runway that night like the supermodels they are.  Moms are the real supermodels.

Bump-friendly fashion is what I like to say are stylish clothes you can wear during or after pregnancy.  They are on-trend, sexy and made to enhance the woman that wears them whether she is pregnant or not.

Moms are under-represented in the world of Fashion

Ever since I discovered that cool clothes were simply not available for my growing bump, I’ve made a point to change that.  It was during my 3rd pregnancy almost 5 years ago that I finally started making my own “maternity” clothes.  Yes, you read that right.  I got tired of shopping in the regular department stores and in the maternity stores to create looks.  I was having to get super creative and going nuts piecing some of my old pieces with new pieces every day and especially when I had an outing!  Going-out clothes were definitely not made for the preggos (not any good ones at least).  And I love to get dressed up even with my baby bump.  I kept wondering why there was no FASHION for pregnant people?  Women get pregnant.  There should be more than rouched t-shirts and cardigans to wear out.  So why?

Well, it turns out maternity is not the best market in the business of fashion.  People tend not to buy maternity clothes, considering it’s a temporary solution to a temporary condition.  So, major manufacturers focus more on offering basics (lots of basics), rather than innovative or trendy styles.  (Think t-shirts, t-shirt dresses, more t-shirts and cardigans.) This keeps inventory safer to have and design and aesthetics very low maintenance from season to season.  The offerings barely change from season to season.  They also make the fit baggier because, though it is less flattering on most, it makes it easier to accommodate a large segment of the population with very little tailoring involved.  The final result: a bunch of basic, casual clothes that never really fit quite right.  Clothes  that you would never have bought in the first place and that you finally caved to when you really couldn’t fit into anything else anymore.  It happened to me the first 2 times around.  But, by the 3rd pregnancy, I was done.

Creating what I wished already existed.

So, I started designing pieces that I could wear out to dinner, on date-nights and  to parties that made me feel good about myself!  Most importantly, I made them to be fun and easy to wear.  It’s so good when you don’t have to muster up a lot of energy to look fancy.  Just put it on and go!  They are designed to flatter so that you don’t have to sacrifice style while your body adjusts.

Here’s my Why

Inclusivity.  The industry standard has been shaken up for years because it doesn’t represent the majority of the population.  Unlike the ideals for beauty represented by traditional runway models, we are not all 5′10, size 0 or eternally 16.  We change, we grow, we get pregnant and we change again.  But we rarely see a reflection of ourselves on the runway at NYFW.

I wanted to put motherhood on the runway.  We don’t all look the same, but we are all capable of looking incredibly gorgeous.  I know that.  I do that.  I wanted to make that a possibility for every woman.

The Collection

This collection includes new styles that push even a bit further.  I encourage women to really dress up, to wear color and to have fun with it.  Every style has a simple detail, a particular point of interest that makes it memorable.  And I love that so much because many times we turn away from cameras when we are pregnant because we don’t feel like ourselves or we don’t think we look good.  And we miss out on creating memories of this special time in our lives that will never come again.

I personally love fashion and I know the positive impact that our clothes can have on our everyday lives.  It is true that if you look good you feel good.  And I’m here to create beautiful things to wear during the most beautiful times in our lives, one piece at a time.

Follow along with us as we grow and bring a new vision for motherhood come to life on Instagram.

Here’s a video recap of the show.  The new pieces will be dropping into the shop starting 9/29 and we’re really excited!  All paper flower decorations are also available at the shop for your delight.  Go check out our online boutique where everything is exclusively designed and lovingly hand-made for you.

BTW, the little guys taking a bow with me at the end are my 3 babies and my greatest inspirations and supporters.  Enjoy the show!

Before you go... thank you!

I have to say a big thank you to all of the amazing talents that collaborated with me to make this event so fabulous.

Models: Ariana Bello, Ana Martinez, Shaquita Garcia, Jules Cruz, Jenny,  Lory Linette Diaz-Valentin + Isabela Valentin (baby) 

Collaborators: 

Carlina Zacarias, Samara Vega, MizzLula - Makeup Artists

Nikki Vazquez -  Pretty Nikki Jewelry

Zayda Rivera - PR

Karen Soriano - Karen Decor Balloon arrangement

Darleny - Cake Pops and More Branded Goodies

Dahiana Perez - MC

Michael Alberto - Venue including AV and Set Up

Miguel Pichardo - Videographer

Daniel Valez - Photographer

Sponsors:

Maybelline

Spa O on the Go

Reaching Heights Wellness & Coaching

Silvia’s House Cleaning

The Birth Deck

Luimy Pure Romance

Special thanks to Alicia Diaz-David for all the love and support! And to all my family and friends for always being there!

[rizzizzsins-blog]

From the Ashes, Ch 8

Wanna read this on Archive? Click here.

 The shopping trip was a success. Asher rediscovered his love of cyberpunk, and he looked like an extra out of      Akira    . After he and Cinn had lunch at the food court, much to Edge’s dismay, everyone piled into Edge’s Jaguar, and they were off.

 “You both have such nice cars,” Asher marveled a bit.

 “Don’t compare my brother’s hunk of junk to my marvel of nature!” Edge frowned a little.

 “Listen ‘ere, that Pontiac took me an entire year to restore. I’d like to see ya try it,” Cinn smirked.

 “That’s not fair! You know I’m not a tinkerer like you!” Edge protested.

 “Then quit throwin’ shade at my baby. She’s perfect the way she is, save fer a little dust from this one,” he nudged Asher with his elbow.

 “Oh, sorry,” Asher apologized; Cinn shook his head. “I’m just jokin’, princey. It’ll be alright. ‘S a memory, that’s for sure.”

 A memory, huh…

 “This may be a bit of a drive, so feel free to fall asleep,” Edge remarked, adjusting his mirrors a bit before driving off.

 “You got it, bro.”

 “I’m not talking to you! I need your help with the directions! The place doesn’t appear on my map apps, since it’s technically a closed business.”

 “Yeah, alright. Make a left, then stay on 64 for about 10 miles.”

 Asher slowly sunk into the Jaguar’s leather seats. He hadn’t realized how tired he was. The shopping trip had left him completely drained.

     Asher was in the community garden; the sun was slowly coming up. Dew dotted all of the leaves, and the tulips were lazily opening, one petal at a time.  

     It was around the time to harvest the dandelions. Apparently humans treated them as pest plants, but they were quite a good food source, so his glen grew them. It was best to pick half while they were flowering and half afterwards.  

     As he reached out to them, they shrank away. Asher moved his hand closer, and the plants leaned further away. Frustrated, he reached out and snagged an apple off a tree. As he was about to put it in his mouth, he felt something wet and sticky in his palm.  

     The apple was decomposing rapidly in his hand, until it melted into a viscous, black sludge. Asher turned to see where he’d walked; the grass was dead in every area where he’d stepped.  

     “Samara! You’re ruining everything!” His mother shouted, her hands in her hair.  

     “Mom! I’m sorry! I----” The rot spread faster and faster, crawling up his mother’s roots.  

     “You ruin everything, Samara. Everything.” Her flesh rots, and her teeth fall out one by one.  

 Asher screamed himself awake.

 “JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!” Edge pulled over hard, turning off the ignition. “WHAT’S HAPPENING?” His eyelights glowed intensely, and the magic of battle brewed in the air.

 “I’m sorry, mom… sorry….” Asher mumbled. He was awake. It was over.

 “I shoulda fuckin’ warned him about the nightmares, Boss. It was my fault.”

 “No, I could have done so as well.”

 Asher shook his head. “Don’t worry… I can’t remember the last good dream I had. They’ve just never been that bad.”

 “Yeah… our dad never talks about his. Makes sense, though, since he doesn’t fuckin’ talk about anythin’.”

 “Hmph, it is frustrating. I can tell that it’s bothering him. He has the same microexpressions as I do when I’m upset. But he just shoves it all down and acts like an asshole. That’s going to blow up in his face some day.. I hope I’m not around for that,” Edge sighed.

 “So… we almost there? Sorry for scaring you.”

 Edge restarted the car, and they were off. They were pretty out of the city; the interstate was mottled with wildflowers and tall grass. Large houses with acres of property made up most of the landscape.

 “Yes, just one more turn off this exit and it’s the first place on the left.” They rounded the hill next to the exit and…

 Jesus Christ. The house was an absolute horrorshow. It looked like the kind of place that a church would run a haunted house in to raise money for charity. How it hadn’t been condemned or demolished was beyond Asher. The shutters were slowly sliding off their windows. Some windows were missing panes altogether, covered by plywood instead. The parking lot was full of luxury cars and retrofitted antique vehicles.

 “This is… a little worse than I expected, Edge.”

 “I know it looks a bit haunted on the outside, but that’s simply because they don’t feel like fixing it. The inside is a lot nicer,” The captain assured him as they pulled into the lot.

 He checked his phone. Goddamn it, a whole bunch of them had dipped out of lunch. Including Vanilla.

 Fuming, Edge smiled at Asher. “Excuse me for one moment, Asher.”

 “Easy, bro.”

 “NO! THEY SAID THEY WERE COMING! WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE TAKING RESPONSIBILITY?”

 Edge basically slammed his fingers into the keypad as he dialed someone Asher didn’t know.

 “VANILLA! WHAT THE FUCK GIVES?!”

 “What can I say? Not interested.” Looks like Edge hit the speaker button in his hurry.

 “YOU COULD APOLOGIZE!”

 “I’m not the one doing something wrong. You’re introducing some decomposing rando into a house of already half-functional skeletons. And now the queen wants to throw in that psycho? Count me the fuck out.”

 “WHAT DO YOU MEAN, THAT PSYCHO.” Edge’s eyelights went out.

 “Oh, you haven’t heard? He just got released from prison, and that’s what Fafriel wants to do with him. You should probably make peace with your old man before he’s wiped off the face of the earth.”

 “RIGHT. AS IF YOUR FATHER IS GOING TO LEAVE HIS HOME JUST BECAUSE OF TWO NEW PEOPLE. NOT EVERYONE THROWS IN THE TOWEL WHENEVER THEY FACE ANY LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, SANS.”

 The line went quiet.

 “If I have to drag my dad out of that building by force, I will. I’m not losin’ him after just getting him back.”

 “OH, YOU’RE GONNA DRAG HIM OUT? HE’LL JUST TELEPORT BACK. OUR FATHERS ARE EVEN BETTER AT TAKING ON CHALLENGES THAN YOU ARE AT RUNNING AWAY FROM THEM. GOOD DAY, SANS,” Edge hung up with a wicked grin.

 “Who was that?” Asher asked, wrinkling his nose.

 “Vanilla. Cinn’s Tale Kingdom counterpart. We’ve both been on the Surface for the same amount of time and he hasn’t evolved or matured one bit in that time. I for one, am proud of all the progress my brother has made. Vanilla and Honey just seem to go backwards, frankly. I feel sorry for Papaya and Azure.”

 “There’s no need to feel sorry for me, Edge! Sans is just going through a rough patch!” A skeleton in a suit jacket, leather elbow patches and plaid orange dress pants put his hand on Edge’s shoulder.

 “NYAAAGH! DON’T DO THAT, PAPY!”

 “See? You don’t like it when you’re talked about      behind your back    , do you?” the other chuckled. “Don’t worry! I would have dragged Sans by the ear here if I had to. Brother, come out of the car!”

 A dark blue-eyed skeleton skulked out of his brother’s Ferrari.

 “Coming.”

 “Hello, little dryad! My name is Papaya Aster, Esquire. It is truly an honor to meet you!” He seemed so excited he could barely contain himself, pulling out a fidget spinner to burn off the extra energy.

 “Go on, Papaya. It doesn’t hurt to ask,” Edge clapped him on the back.

 “A-ARE YOU A HUGGER? E-excuse me, I tend to be a little too clingy sometimes!” Papaya smiled apologetically.

 “Oh? Sure. Haven’t been hugged too often, but I like trying new things, hahaha.”

 Papaya scooped Asher up and spun him around, before setting him down carefully, making sure he landed properly.

 “Jeez. Can’t say I’ve ever been hugged with quite so much enthusiasm. Thank you, Papaya.”

 “It’s no issue! If you’re ever wanting a hug, I am always ready to give!”

 “Yeah, and that’s just the issue,” his brother muttered. That must be Vanilla.

 “Nice to meet you,” Asher smiled, offering a hand.

 Vanilla takes it. The others seemed to have expected something to happen, since they were all cringing. But nothing happened.

 “Nilla’s the name. I’m one of your landlords, I guess.”

 “Right,” Asher swallowed.

 “Is anyone else planning on showing up?” Edge sighed, pinching his nasal bridge.

 “I believe Azure is coming in. Honey’s… a little impaired at the moment.”

 “You can say      drunk    , Papy,” Edge spat.

 “I don’t want to make a bad impression!” Papyrus responded. They weren’t upset, not with each other, at least.

 “Considering the unpleasantness that was the phone call with your brother, I think that we can drop all pretenses.”

 A car braked hard in the parking lot. A pair of heels stuck out of the door, as well as… a riding crop?

 “ESPRESSO! CORTADO! GET OUT OF THE CAR, THE TENANT IS ALREADY HERE!” He shouted, a curt rasp in his voice.Two thumbs up popped out of the windows, before two long, yellow eyed skeletons stepped out of the car. The one yelling stepped out last, needing assistance from one of his brothers to get down from their enormous Lexus GX.

 The smaller seemed to be in charge, the other two trailing behind him. One of them was hunched as he walked, his hoodie dipping just a little over his eyes. Headphones sat squarely on his shoulders. The other was much dressed like his brother, walking straight, in a rather futuristic black trench.

 “ESPRESSO! PICK UP THE SLACK! WE ONLY HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME TO ASSESS THE TENANT BEFORE YOUR THERAPY SESSION!”

 The hunched one nodded, running a little to catch up with his brothers.

 The two militant ones squinted at Asher hard.

 “CORTADO. HIS STATS.”

 Wait, Asher’s stats?! What the hell did they need those for? Were they about to fight him or something?

 “Illegible. Nothing but VOID-garbled gibberish, Captain.”

 “THEN GIVE ME AN ESTIMATE!”

 “Uh… do I need to do something here?” Asher asked Edge.

 “No. This is just… their routine. Riesling, do you intend on wasting all of lunch staring at our tenant, or will you introduce yourself like a normal person?”

 “THIS IS PERFECTLY NORMAL! CORTADO, I GROW IMPATIENT.”

 “DEF 50. ATK 30. HP 30/30. Soul of Justice.”

 “PATHETIC! A COMPLETE AND UTTER WEAKLING! GOOD. YOU ARE OF NO THREAT TO OUR FATHER AND MAY PROCEED.”

 “Al...right?” Asher wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or insulted. Maybe a little bit of both. He wasn’t a complete weakling, right?

 “WE MUST WAIT FOR THE LONE COMMANDER, AS WELL AS OUR COUSIN AND HIS PATHETIC EXCUSE OF A COMPANY,” Riesling sighed.

 “You know Scamp and Sliv are always late. Let’s just go inside and get this over with,” Nilla sighed deeper. Cinn gritted his teeth.

 “You’se guys go on ahead. I’m gonna need a moment.”

 “Fine,” Edge nodded. “Asher, would you mind staying for a moment with my brother? I would like to make sure our fathers aren’t doing anything abnormally dangerous, and set up a bit, before you enter.”

 “Alright, sounds good.”

 Everyone except Cinn and Asher went into the house. The door practically screeched whenever it was open and shut.

 Cinn pulled out a cigar and sat on the hood of the Jaguar. “Y’ want one?”

 “I can’t smoke. It’s really bad for plants. Even though I’m more rot than plant, I still don’t want to risk it,” Asher declined.

 “Suit yaself.” He snapped his fingers and the tip of the cigar lit up. So he knew a little fire magic…

 “.... So that was… a lot. Are you all related? Or what’s the story?”

 “We’re all counterparts. It gets kinda messy. Our names started out as nicknames, but eventually we had ‘em all legally changed. Got sick of gettin’ ‘calls for Sans and Papyrus’. How was we supposed to know which pair people wanted?!” He chuckled a bit.

 “But, yeah… I’m sorry yer havin’ to go through all this. I’d hoped this would be a little easier than you livin’ on yer own, but all I’ve done is complicate the shit outta your life. This one’s on me, princey.”

 Asher shook his head.

 “You know, it’s at least been different. I got so used to my routines with Theo that I kind of forgot what life was like outside of that. Sure, not everything’s fun, and certainly not Vanilla, but it’s been different, and in that sense, refreshing. It helps me keep my mind off… this,” he smiled, gesturing to his broken body.

 “Yeah. That’s what velcro shoes an’ jackets are for. Ya look right outta Blade Runner.”

 Asher’s smile grew a little bigger. “I have mixed feelings about that film, but the aesthetic is top notch.”

 “Yeah…” Cinn drew in a big puff, before blowing it out in the shape of a heart. “Hehehe, I still got it.”

 “Can you blow it out your eyes?” Asher had to ask.

 “Hell no! Shit burns like a motherfucker. Who showed ya that?” Cinn shuddered.

 “Me. Nyeh heh, didn’t mean to set the bar too high for ya, shorty,” Scamp popped in and noogied Cinn mid inhale, giving him a coughing fit and stealing his cigar.

 “You sack of fuckin’ shit, you planned that!” Cinn growled. Asher could kind of tell they were playing around.

 “Brother. Please. We arrived with a duty, and we must perform it.”

 “DON’T TREAT IT LIKE A DUTY, TREAT IT LIKE AN ADVENTURE! WE GET TO MEET A NEW FRIEND! HOPEFULLY CRIMSON WON’T INSULT THEM SO MUCH THAT THEY LEAVE CRYING THIS TIME!” It was odd. The two voices sounded like they were from the same person, yet one of them was heavy and flat, and the other was bouncing off the walls. Eventually, Asher was able to see the two skeletons talking. They had showed up in a sporty motorbike and sidecar, removing their helmets before coming to say hello.

 “Nyeh heh, you Blue’s      side    piece now?” Scamp joked with the quieter one. The two motorcyclists looked almost inverted. The quieter one with muted purple eyelights robotically shook Asher’s hand, before the bright-eyed one grabbed Asher’s other hand and shook it vigorously.

 “HELLO! I DON’T BELIEVE WE’VE MET! MY NAME IS AZURE ASTER, AND THIS IS MY FRIEND, SLIVOVITZ ASTER!”

 “Yeah, here’s my big bro. Well, big metaphorically.”

 “Hardee har har. Because I’m short. Very original, brother,” Slivovitz sighed. “I would at least like to supervise Edge making the food, even if he will no longer let me assist.”

 “MAYBE IF WE’RE LUCKY WE CAN SNEAK MAKING A FEW SIDE DISHES. COME ON, SLIV!” Azure grabbed Sliv’s hand and basically Naruto ran to the door.

 “Well, princey, whatcha see is whatcha get. You still wanna go in that house?” Cinn checked. “Y’ can say no. I’d fuckin’ say no.”

 Asher shook his head. “I’m ready. I want to give this a try.”

 Without realizing it, Asher took Cinn’s hand, and they walked inside. It was lunchtime.

[oblivi-ace97]

For those of you who don’t follow me on instagram this will explain my post from last night.

 Last night one of my dogs, Samara, passed away. It was really sudden and we weren't really expecting it to happen. We had taken her to the vet earlier this week because she had been having accidents in the house. The vet told us she had a UTI and gave us antibiotics and pain meds to give her. That was on Tuesday. That night we noticed that she didn't eat all of her food but only a little bit was left so we weren't too worried. Wednesday she seemed fine other than not eating all of her food. She seemed to have more energy than earlier in the week. But yesterday she was very lethargic and didn’t move around much. Around 9pm my mom went to check on her and she wasn’t breathing. At this point all of us are in tears trying to figure out what happened. We called someone to come pick her up and they will give us a mold of her paw print and we picked out a box for her ashes. Even though it was sudden and we thought she had more time I’m glad that she is not longer in any pain. And I know that she is running in a big open field with no pain and can eat all the food she wants. She is with my other dogs who are no doubt taking care of her. Sorry that this is kind of all over the place but I’m just really emotional right now. Samara was one of the best dogs our family could have asked for and I am so glad that we got to spend 4 and half wonderful years with her. 

Goodbye Samara. I miss you and I will always love you.