#There have been good experiences of people reuniting with their families after being shunned

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When I get out, I refuse to sabotage anything anymore. It’s fucking stressful. Instead I will go to the beach on the weekends, in my little mask and wetsuit and look for cool rocks, with a little piña colada on the shore waiting for me. I will not engage in anti-preaching because I will be too busy RELAXING and HAVING FUN to care if people join cults.

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Globe, May 3

You can buy a brand new copy of this issue without the mailing label for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Prince William and Prince Harry: Showdown at Prince Philip's Funeral

Page 2: Up Front & Personal -- Alec Baldwin, Kathy Ireland, Conan O'Brien grabs lunch in West Hollywood

Page 3: Meg Ryan, Heather Graham, Jon Voight steps out in Beverly Hills

Page 4: Kris Jenner says her role as momager of the Kardashian clan is like being a fireman because she has to put out so many heated squabbles -- satisfying daughters Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner takes skill and Kourtney is often so fed up she fires her three or four times a day, but Kris believes she's done a good job, saying she's totally dedicated to her brood and spends oodles of time and energy going the extra mile for them

* Jailed Ghislaine Maxwell is raising a stink over federal lawmen's claims she's a prison piggy, saying the institution's busted sewer pipes, not her toilet habits, are responsible for the overwhelming stench in her cell -- lawyers for sex perv Jeffrey Epstein's accused madam and sex trafficker leveled the charge to flush out prosecutors' claims the socialite's cage stinks like a hog's pen because she doesn't flush her toilet -- her lawyer Bobbi Sternheim insists there was a pervasive stench of sewage in Ms. Maxwell's unit, necessitating guards to flush pipes by pouring water down open drains in an effort to trap and disperse gaseous emissions and at times the stench in Ms. Maxwell's isolation cell has been overwhelming due to overflowing of toilets in the cell block above -- as for Ghislaine flushing, she does it often, at the guards' bidding even, though she doesn't use the commode in her cell due to lack of privacy

Page 5: Kelly Clarkson's tacky tales of pooping in trash cans and other crude antics are grossing out her alarmed pals, who fear divorce stress is pushing the talk queen over the edge and while Kelly has loved to shock people, her cringeworthy behavior has gotten worse since filing for divorce from music manager Brandon Blackstock, father of her daughter River and son Remington -- now Kelly has many fearing she's finally flipped after recently telling talk show guest Clint Black on-air she destroyed a poor trash can by pooping in it during a quick backstage concert break and she's constantly making potty jokes and seems to get a rise out of shocking people and even by Kelly's standards, this was a step too far and people are urging her to scale back on the belching, farting and gross anecdotes because they're a turnoff and make her look trashy and her grueling workload and prickly divorce has manifested in this gross behavior where she can't seem to hold her tongue and blurts out whatever she's thinking without consideration for other people -- other stars like Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are thinking twice before inviting her to social events and for talk show rivals like Ellen DeGeneres and Drew Barrymore, it's a dream seeing her push the boundaries of taste and Kelly doesn't have a filter and as long as she's got an audience she's just going to keep on doing it

Page 6: Macaulay Culkin is the daddy of a brand-new baby girl named Dakota, who is named after Macaulay's sister who died at 29 in a 2008 car crash, and she was delivered by Macaulay's lover actress Brenda Song

Page 7: Angelina Jolie has become a stressed-out single mom trying to care for her brood of six during the pandemic lockdown, and the strain is is showing on the 98-pound actress, but the 45-year-old, who shuns hiring a full-time nanny, still wants sole custody of her underage kids Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne, and is fighting tooth and nail with ex-husband Brad Pitt to get it; their oldest Maddox Jolie-Pitt is now 19 and considered independent although the university student frequently lives with his mother -- caring for the gang puts a big drain on Angelina's bank account and her custody war with Brad is costing a pretty penny -- Jolie and her children spend most of their time bunkered in a massive 7,500-square-foot Los Feliz mansion that boasts a huge library lined with resource books but the kids need to be separated so they can concentrate on their individual Zoom classes and someone is always hungry or needing help and at the end of the school day, when they are bored, they end up looking for Mom to find them something to do while she is trying to work on her own projects, and like most siblings, the kids fight or argue, and that can test any parent's nerves and Angie is with the kids pretty much 24/7 and it's taking a toll -- there is a glimmer of hope as schools are close to reopening and once the five youngest are back in school for several hours a day it will give Angelina the breaks she needs and hopefully she can hang tight until then

Page 8: Cover Story -- Prince William and Prince Harry bury Prince Philip, but not the ax -- despite their public displays of grief, bitter brothers William and Harry erupted in a raging royal screaming match behind the scenes of their grandfather's Prince Philip's funeral and Princess Diana's sons lashed out, accusing each other of ugly betrayals and destroying the royal family and the princes blamed each other's wives for igniting the family feud and their showdown was explosive and they're refusing to forgive or make peace and any hope Philip's death will end this feud is pie in the sky -- Harry and William were forced to reunite to mark the Duke of Edinburgh's passing and comfort their grandmother Queen Elizabeth, but that doesn't mean they're kissing and making up; far from it because Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have caused so much damage with their TV interview, it will take a lifetime to heal this rift -- sparks began flying almost immediately after Harry landed back in his homeland. He went straight to his former marital home Frogmore Cottage in Windsor to quarantine under COVID rules while William and his wife Duchess Kate Middleton and their three children were holed up at their country home Anmer House in Norfolk, about 100 miles away, but that didn't stop the once-inseparable brothers exploding in fury at each other during a video call finalizing funeral arrangements -- William and Harry knew they'd have to walk together behind the cortege to honor their grandfather, but that was where their reunion ended and while their grieving grandmother and royal relatives mourned the loss of the family patriarch, William and Harry's pent-up anger and frustrations exploded as, on the same side of the Atlantic for the first time in over a year, William blasted Harry and Meghan for bad-mouthing his wife Kate and selfishly trying to destroy the monarchy and he reamed Harry for not visiting their grandfather in his final days and using the funeral as a publicity stunt while Harry retaliated by accusing his brother of throwing him and Meghan under the bus and vowed never to talk to him again -- instead of an expected joint public statement praising their beloved grandfather, they issued separate tributes, which underlined their split as in their statement, William and Kate reminisced about Philip taking their children for horse-drawn carriage rides and they vowed to support the queen in the years ahead and that was a dig at Harry and Meghan, who can't help the queen due to their self-imposed exile to California and it was also a shot because Harry's son Archie has spent no time with his royal relatives since his birth almost two years ago -- Philip's death has only intensified this horrific feud and this war is far from over, and may never be

Page 10: Prince Philip went to his grave regretting he couldn't stop Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle from ripping the royal family in a bombshell TV interview -- The Duke of Edinburgh called the explosive tell-all madness and he had some sympathy for Harry and Meghan's desire to do their own thing, but he thought they were wrong and he hated Harry and Meghan's preoccupation with their own problems and their willingness to talk about them in public; one of his rules was give interviews but don't talk about yourself -- Philip loved Harry and thought him a good man, but he did not believe they were doing the right thing for the country or themselves when they quit royal duties and Philip died worrying the explosive interview permanently damaged the monarchy and he deeply regretted he wasn't able to prevent the scandal

* Outraged Prince Philip shunned his son Prince Andrew's ex-wife Duchess Sarah Ferguson for the last 19 years of his life after she was caught cheating in raunchy photos that went public -- Philip considered Fergie beyond the pale and refused to have anything to do with her and when Sarah was staying at Balmoral Castle with her daughters, her ex-father-in-law would run from a room she'd entered and Fergie said it was ridiculous because as soon as she came through one door, he'd be falling over the corgis to get out of the other and she added it was very funny, except, of course, it wasn't -- the only time they appeared together in public was at Prince Harry's 2018 wedding, 26 years after Fergie was photographed lounging topless while her then lover John Bryan sucked on her toes on the French Riviera; she and Andrew were separated at the time

Page 11: Marie Osmond is getting the last laugh on rival Sharon Osbourne after the big-mouthed Brit, who chased off Marie from The Talk, was booted from the chat show in a racism scandal -- while Marie doesn't wish ill on anyone, she certainly isn't feeling any sympathy for Sharon's plight -- in public, Marie has never said a harsh word about Sharon, and never blamed her co-star with pushing her off The Talk, but behind the scenes, Sharon made mild-mannered Marie's life hell, which chased her away and Marie still cringes from the whole experience of working with the brash former reality diva, more than seven months after leaving the show and Marie doesn't want to stoke the fire, but it's kind of satisfying in a way that Sharon's finally being exposed for what she is: a snippy, smug phony

* Chaka Khan was the first celeb booted on Season 21 of Dancing with the Stars in 2015, and it's no wonder because she was a lousy partner, claims pro hoofer Keo Motsepe -- Keo slammed the singer for demanding they only rehearse around midnight, because that's when the night owl was used to going to the record studio and laying down tracks -- Keo accepted the challenge but now calls Chaka his worst partner ever

Page 12: Celebrity Buzz -- Jane Lynch eats lunch in West Hollywood (picture), Khloe Kardashian is getting called out for her attempt to erase a bathing suit snap that revealed some very real body dimples and famous for posting airbrushed and filtered photos depicting her as flawless she went berserk over the unedited pic summoning legal eagles to get the image scrubbed off the internet but she drew colossal backlash, Sutton Stracke of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills got promoted to series regular and impressed producers by making ousted castmate Teddi Mellencamp cry by branding her boring, fired New York Housewife Dorinda Medley has lost 14 pounds, Lil Nas X's limited-edition designer Satan Shoes which commanded $1,018 when they hit the market are now deader than a doornail after legal pressure from Nike

Page 13: Dean Cain sports a Superman-style logo on his hoodie as he bums around Malibu (picture), Annabella Sciorra shoots an episode of Blue Bloods in NYC (picture), co-anchor T.J. Holmes shows his tongue on the Good Morning America set (picture), Olympic champ Lindsey Vonn admits skiing was a slippery slope when she started mingling with the beautiful people of Hollywood

Page 14: Brooklyn Decker proves she going gray at just 34 and she's kinda digging it, Kathryn Dennis trying to prove she's comfortable in the natural skin she's in shared pics from her first-ever bikini photo shoot and actually points out imperfections

* Fashion Verdict -- Zoe Saldana 6/10, Kelsea Ballerini 3/10, Jessica Madsen 7/10, Joy Bauer 2/10

Page 17: Eddie Cibrian is incredibly proud of wife LeAnn Rimes for baring the truth about her battle with psoriasis in a naked photo -- Eddie applauds how LeAnn let it all hang out for a photo shoot to show solidarity with other people with the scaly skin disease who are ashamed and want to hide it -- LeAnn has described the horrors of hiding her painful, crusty rashes, saying onstage she'd wear two pairs of pantyhose or jeans, even in 95-degree heat and underneath her shirt, her whole stomach would be covered in thick scales that would hurt and bleed, and the pandemic worsened her condition because stress is a common trigger for psoriasis, and with so much uncertainty happening, her flare-ups came right back

Page 19: 10 Things You Don't Know About Catherine O'Hara

* Sylvester Stallone may have gone his final round as boxing great Rocky Balboa as his reps reveal the actor has thrown in the towel and won't reprise his iconic role in the upcoming Creed III -- in the Creed spinoffs, retired fighter Rocky trained Adonis "Donnie" Creed, the son of his onetime rival

* Dr. Dre hit back against the abuse claims of estranged wife Nicole Young, slamming her allegations as appalling in recently filed court documents in their ugly $1 billion divorce -- in the docs, Dre charges Nicole hurled the accusations only after realizing their prenup may prevent her from getting half his money, but Nicole insists the rapper forced her to ink the agreement, a charge he also denies

Page 23: Caitlyn Jenner is refining her image ahead of her run for governor in California by reducing her massive breasts to look more conservative -- she wants to downgrade her E cups to a more respectable C cup because she's been worried for a while they are way too big within the context of her body and draw unflattering stares and running for the California governor's office is serious and she wants people to listen and look at her face, not her boobs and the truth is, the implants have been weighing her down and giving her back pain too, so this makes sense in more ways than one -- Caitlyn will be slowly abandoning other cosmetic procedures and she would like to wean herself off filters and Botox too, but that'll be a gradual process that she'll do as time goes by and the big thing here is that she wants to look more natural and relatable for voters

* Nearly half of America is ready to vote Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson into the White House -- 46 percent of voters are ready to rock and roll with the 49-year-old former WWE wrestler as their prez -- in his new sitcom Young Rock, Dwayne plays himself as a future candidate for the Oval Office, but in real life he has admitted he is seriously considering a run for the top job

Page 24: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, now facing two separate investigations into sexual harassment charges made by at least eight female staffers, is accused of cheating on longtime love Sandra Lee -- there's obviously a reason Sandra moved to California; she literally could not have moved farther away from Andrew; she's on the edge of the Pacific

Page 30: Grace Kelly died nearly flat broke -- the Hollywood starlet gave up millions to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco, and when she died at the age of 52, her only assets were a cottage in Ireland, owned by her grandfather, and $10,000 -- in 1956, she married into Monaco's royal family after coughing up a $2 million dowry, which is about $20 million today, and walking away from a glittering career -- according to a new documentary, her Hollywood earnings have disappeared as during her film career, Grace's total earnings could have reached $1.5 million, earnings that appear to be entirely missing from her will, but thanks to Grace, Monaco's royal family has cashed in big-time as her son Prince Albert II has an estimated net worth of $i billion and his wife Charlene Wittstock is rumored to be worth $150 million -- most people think of Grace Kelly's story as a fairy tale, going from Hollywood and suddenly being whisked off to a lot of wealth, but what is so poignant is that she had to pay to become a princess

* LeVar Burton may soon be helming a new enterprise: Jeopardy! -- nearly 200,000 people have signed an online petition supporting LeVar to replace the game show's late host Alex Trebek and LeVar supports the idea himself

Page 32: Kirstie Alley had two husbands and once claimed she was crazy about John Travolta, but for decades she secretly carried a torch for a married man: Patrick Swayze -- Kirstie described Patrick as the one that got away and truly believes they would have been together until his 2009 death at age 57 if things worked out differently and she says her love for Patrick began on the set of the 1985 miniseries North and South where she thought he was the most handsome, sexy, kind person she'd ever met, and each day on the set, she began to fall more and more in love but at the time they were married to other people: Patrick had his wife Lisa Niemi and Kirstie was married to Hardy Boys actor Parker Stevenson, her second husband -- Kirstie and Patrick shared a deep emotional affair and confessed their love, but never actually cheated on their spouses and Kirstie said they had an affair of the heart -- Patrick and Kirstie played lovers on the series and you can see the chemistry and at least once a year Kirstie watches the series and reminisces about the time she spent with him -- she says she cried for months after his death and she and his wife Lisa eventually became friends and even today, Kirstie wonders what would have happened if she and Patrick had not been married to other people

Page 36: Sally Struthers reveals she quit Save the Children charity after she was nearly murdered by a gang of bloodthirsty rebels during a trip to visit African orphans -- Sally was a roving ambassador for the charity for 35 years until a terrifying incident in Uganda where she was filming ads with a boy, who'd come from a remote village, when suddenly a roving band of guerrilla warfare guys came out of the bushes and asked the boy where he was from and he named his village, which was far away, and they decided they had kidnapped him, and they were going to shoot all of them and Sally was terrified and figured she was a goner, but a priest with her group told her to slowly walk off while never turning her back on the terrorists and as she walked, he convinced the gunmen to let them alone and at that point, Sally, who had a daughter Samantha from her six-year marriage to shrink William C. Radar thought she's been on so many little airplanes that could have crashed and in so many horrible situations and she's got a child, a real-life child of her own, and she can't do it anymore

* Usher is being accused of stiffing Las Vegas strippers by tipping them with fake money with his moniker and mug on the bills -- the flap exploded with a Twitter post slamming the singer for handing out Usherbucks in $100, $20 and $1 bills at the club Sapphire Las Vegas but club honcho George M. Wilson denies the charge, saying Usher, who stars at Caesars Palace stating in July, was a true gentleman and great guest and he and his crew converted thousands of real dollars to tip the girls dancing on the stage and left a generous tip for staff and apparently someone in his team left some Usher dollars on the floor to promote his Vegas residency and that is where it seems the confusion came in

Page 40: Val Kilmer is shooting for more than a career comeback after bouncing back from throat cancer; he is also looking for love -- Val admits he doesn't sound like he used to following a tracheotomy, but he insists he feels a lot better than he sounds but his voice is a raspy, grating sound, and he's forced to eat through a feeding tube, but he feels that shouldn't matter with the right woman -- the actor, who is slated to appear in the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick, is pumped up about working again, but it's dawned on him that he's missing one other thing, love, and the single star feels more energy now than ever before and there are things he'd like to do with a partner, like travel more -- Val regrets some of the things he did in the past and he was difficult and selfish, but his whole cancer ordeal has made him a better man and more open and giving but it's been a long, long time since he had a girlfriend, let alone even kissed a woman, but with the support and encouragement of his kids and friends, he's ready to put himself out there

* Fans are saying Christopher Meloni has one of the most remarkable rears on TV after a photo surfaced showcasing his awe-inspiring ass-ets -- a shot of the Law & Order: Organized Crime star in skintight jeans sparked a Twitter-storm where fans of his fanny let loose about his sculpted caboose

Page 44: Straight Talk -- Holly Madison is blabbing about her eight years as Hugh Hefner's No. 1 squeeze in the Playboy Mansion, and, if he were still alive, the king of skin mags would hate that he pretty much comes off as a dirty old lech

Page 45: Paula Abdul was a nervous wreck during her American Idol comeback, but she was not so jittery she couldn't brand her former co-judge Simon Cowell an STD -- special guest Randy Jackson and Simon previously teamed with Paula in the 2000s to make the talent show the biggest hit on TV, and Paula temporarily resumed her role after Luke Bryan tested positive for COVID-19, but when Randy told Paula seeing her on set seems like old times, she blurted "We're just missing the STD," and the remark caught host Ryan Seacrest off-guard as he held a computer device linking Paula and Randy, who was not physically present and Ryan exclaimed, "The what?!" and at that point Paula joked she meant it was an abbreviation for Super Talented, Debonair not sexually transmitted disease -- Paula also referred to Simon, who's only three years her senior, as a grandfather and while Paula seemed in the swing of things, joining the current Idol panel of Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, she was reportedly a bundle of nerves backstage before her comeback show and it was like she'd never done it before, and her pals couldn't believe it; they told her she had more experiencing judging than anyone out there

[flyswhumpcenter]

Memento mori.

It's purposely short because it's an experiment and, frankly, I didn't see it any other way. I just wanted that maximum angst experience I usually don't even dare touching. I like change and variety more than I make it seem. It's also deeply inspired by managician's amazing story, it's a little cold in paradise tonight. This story has got nothing on theirs, it's beautifully written and shaken me to my core every time I've read it, and I wanted to pay it tribute, albeit the relationship I picked is most likely not the best to do so. It's not my best work, so I'm not sure if it's this good of a tribute. I love writing Ruri according to what I got of her personality or speculated about.

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Arms of Morpheus

Summary: It’s like she’s holding a shadow. Or: Ruri holds her brother against her as they talk for the last time.

Content Warnings: Major Character Death

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V (canon divergence) Relationship: Ruri & Shun (siblings)

Wordcount: 1.2K words

Event hosted by @badthingshappenbingo​

AO3 version available here.

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Tears are running down a young girl’s cheeks, smoking as soon as they enter the cold air, clashing against the freezing zephyrs blowing through what reminds her of the ruins of what once was the paradise she lived in with friends and family.

Gone are the smiles and lights which used to dazzle in her eyes as she held onto her big brother’s hand, his smile shining the brightest to her child self, before they came and destroyed everything in their stead.

Her hands are now trembling with fear and warm, warm from attempting to start a fire, warm from digging for survivors, warm from scratching themselves on the ground, warm from the blood quickly drying on her fingers, red shifting to maroon as her focus is elsewhere.

She’s cold, they’re cold. The top of the tower is a mess of splatters and crackled stone, the setting of a disaster having broken loose and unleashed. The wind doesn’t let down, so do the whispers in her head whispering that it really is all her fault. How could she blame them? They’re right. She’s responsible for this.

There is nothing better for a hunter who has become the monster they swore to get rid off than to be put down, after all.

Yet, despite how monstrous she’s become, she has someone in her arms trying to reassure her. That doesn’t make a shred of sense, she knows it, but she can only see it unfold before her eyes: her brother, covered in his own blood, having the faintest smirk on his face and glassy eyes barely able to focus on hers.

It’s like she’s holding a shadow.

She wants to apologize, apologize over and over again, apologize for a thousand years and into the next life, apologize for everything she has ever done that has brought them to this day, this place, this situation. She doesn’t deserve forgiveness, but she apologizes in her mind anyway.

It overwhelms her to the extent that, in the end, she never verbally does what she’s supposed to do, and keeps her guilt on her heart like an armour smothering its knight.

Ruri, I’m glad we got to reunite.

She can tell he’s being honest, that he really does think that; but the meaning of his words doesn’t reach her heart already shattered. Everyone she’s known is gone: her parents are gone, her friends are gone, her brother is disappearing before her eyes. There is nothing she can do but weep, and even then she can’t do so with the circumstances.

I’m glad I got to see you too, big brother.

It’s not wrong, but the words don’t feel right nonetheless. Not when she’s the direct cause of their melancholic sentiment.

I wish you weren’t crying.

His eyes, despite their lack of focus and foggy irises, despite his complexion inexorably paling, seem to shine with all the life he has left. It aches, it hurts, and she can still tell he’s honest with her to the end. If only that wasn’t the end, if only they still had days to share together, doing silly sibling things, playing card games together, and she realizes she does miss his scolds and overbearing nature. Not for what they are at first glance, because they’re his.

They’re Shun’s, and soon, they’ll be gone like everything else she’s ever known that wasn’t war or desolation.

Ruri, stay strong. Don’t cry.

She sniffles and nods, almost dishonestly, betraying the sorrow in her heart for a bravado she won’t keep for more than a few moments. Better make his send-off a relief.

I’m sorry, big brother. I’m sorry for everything.

She still apologizes, and he tries to frown, but his strength has left him, and so is his warmth. He’s always been cold-blooded, closer to a lizard than a bird in that regard, and yet she’s frightened by how much warmer her skin feels when she cradles him as much as possible against her.

You weren’t yourself. It’s fine.

He puts his hand on her face, leaving some blood behind. The tears won’t stop flowing despite her best intent and efforts.

I’m relieved you’re safe and sound, Ruri. That’s all I wanted.

She knows that’s a lie. Shun wanted to see so much more than just her. He wanted to see their world be reborn, to reunite with their friends and celebrate their freedom coming back, to compete against Kaito and the other Clover Branch students, to see the bright lights and sparkles of Heartland again. It’s a lie, a filthy lie, a little white lie.

That’s wrong, isn’t it?

He puffs.

Doesn’t make me less happy to have saved you, at least.

His voice is low, slow, groggy and has trouble exiting his mouth when it keeps getting interrupted by coughing fits and blood coming out of his body through the wrong exits. Again, nothing she could ever do about it. It’s too late and she doesn’t know how to fix her mistakes, war hasn’t taught her how to bring people to life or from the brink of death.

Thank you, big brother. I’m sorry it had to end this way.

Her own voice is hesitant, filled with sobs she can’t retain. Her words barely reflect what she thinks, and as her arms wrap themselves around his chest because she can’t let his heart stop beating, she realizes how much his demise is unfitting and how bad she’s messed up. This shouldn’t have been the end for him.

Promise me you’ll continue fighting. Free Heartland for us.

She doesn’t know if she can swear an oath to this.

I promise.

She does it anyway.

Good. I’m proud of you, Ruri.

Why? How could he be proud of his own murderer? How could he be proud of someone who let herself get brainwashed and mind controlled as she broke him down, hit by hit, with a maniacal laugh and crazed eyes until he found the fatal flaw and payed for it with his life?

It doesn’t make sense, but her hands can’t clutch her head to clear her thoughts out, too busy cradling him so he goes to sleep decently.

Death is just going to bed for a much, much longer time than usual, after all, isn’t it?

His warmth is almost gone and his eyes close without fluttering back open. The smirk turns into a faint smile, giving her conflicting feelings. She should be relieved to see him so relaxed about meeting his end today, yet she can’t not note how wrong it seems to her, after seeing him killing the enemy if it meant surviving. How could he find his peace in such a sudden ending to all the efforts he’s ever done?

She can’t muster the strength to tell him not to leave her alone in this strange land she doesn’t remember arriving in, not to leave them when they all have a world to rebuild and a future to share in a better context.

She’s not ready when he whispers his last words.

Goodnight, Ruri.

She gives him what could very well be her last smile.

Goodnight, Shun.

 He goes cold in her arms.

[your-dietician]

LPGA's Mariah Stackhouse on the importance of visibility and representation in golf

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/golf/lpgas-mariah-stackhouse-on-the-importance-of-visibility-and-representation-in-golf/

LPGA's Mariah Stackhouse on the importance of visibility and representation in golf

Five years ago, Mariah Stackhouse started her professional career on the LPGA Tour after a successful four-year playing stint at Stanford University. When Stackhouse qualified for the tour, she became the seventh African American player to qualify for the LPGA. Today, she is the only full-time active Black player on tour. As the 27-year-old veteran continues to search for her first win on tour, she acknowledges that her greater purpose is to inspire the next generation of golfers and promote diversity and inclusion within the game.

While in play this week at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Stackhouse explains in her own words why she embraces her Blackness in the golf world, how she wants to impact the game and what she hopes to see change when it comes to diversity in the sport.

The goal is to get to the point where it’s not an anomaly for a young, Black kid to be playing golf.

I think back to my early years of playing golf. In high school, everybody was super supportive because I was good. It was like, “Okay, wow, Stacks plays golf. That’s cool.” I got nicknamed, “Tiger Hood,” which was actually pretty funny. But Tiger was the only reference other kids had for a Black golfer which is why I still remember it so vividly.

2 Related

That’s why I want the next generation of golfers to see more Black players. I don’t want it to be an anomaly. I want there to be plenty of us on the LPGA, in college, junior golf, amateur golf, everywhere. That’s what I want to see.

Lately, I’m not playing as well as I’d like. It’s interesting because my game is not bad. It’s actually pretty solid. But I’ve been missing many — the majority — of opportunities with the putter. When the putts won’t fall, you’re missing crucial par putts and not making those birdie putts, that’s when golf is the most frustrating. I’m not playing badly. I’m in positions that I need to be in. I’m just not connecting those birdie putts. So the occasional bogey that shouldn’t matter now matters because I’m not making those birdies throughout the rounds to make them less impactful on the scorecard.

Whether I’m playing great or struggling, I understand that I’m still one of the few Black women out there, and I like to represent well. I do my best to never get too down on myself, to always carry myself with confidence, love and passion for the game. No matter what, I respect the game and the opportunities that come out of just my visibility on the LPGA. It’s not something that I’m unaware of. It’s not something that I want to neglect in any way, shape or form — no matter if I’m making birdie putts or not. I’ve had young Black girls, boys, women and men who play the game tell me how excited they are to see me out there. I understand that visibility matters. It matters that I show up for them. I embrace it.

For the first time in her five-year career on the LPGA Tour, Stackhouse will compete in her hometown at the Atlanta Athletic Club in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

I don’t mind being a direct voice in this space.

I know that as a professional athlete, and one of just a few in the professional golf space, that I am constantly visible to the media and fans. I do hope that we move towards amplifying other voices in this space. I think you have to take steps farther than only amplifying the professionals because although we have that visibility, we are actually playing the game at a professional level. We can’t be 100% dedicated to elevating and growing the game at the grassroots level because the majority of our time is dedicated to how we can improve our golf game and continue to climb the leaderboards and rankings.

There are various golf organizations, like the Women in Golf Foundation here in Atlanta, that actually work on growing and diversifying the game every single day. It would be awesome to see their voices included and amplified in these conversations as well. We can’t stop with the professionals when it comes to Black History Month and beyond. There are many key voices that need to be heard, and simply not enough of us on tour for our voices to be representative of the Black golf community.

The majority of people who play the game of golf do so at the recreational level. It’s incredibly important to showcase people enjoying the sport leisurely, people being in a sport in a capacity that’s not actually playing professionally. Organizations like Trap Golf. The Chicago Women’s Golf Club. Organizations like Inner City Youth Golfers. That’s what it takes. It’s a well-rounded understanding of what the golf world looks like right now and where we need to continue to go.

Traditionally, golf is a very conservative sport — in that it’s been slower to accept progressive changes. And I see that pushback on social media and even in person when these organizations use their platforms to acknowledge things like race, gender, sexuality and more. “We don’t want to talk about that. This is golf.” The way I look at it is that these organizations have to talk about it and broadcast it. If we’re truly aspiring to grow the game, there are some simple truths: The more people that love a sport, the better that sport does, the more it excels, the more courses are built, the more courses we’ll have access to. It’s a win for everybody.

I want us to get to a place where anyone can feel confident entering golf spaces. For anyone to visit their local golf driving range and feel comfortable, not shunned or judged — whether that has to do with skill level, gender, race, sexuality, whatever it might be. There shouldn’t be any of that if we are actually committed to growing the game.

Stackhouse points out the RTJ Instruction Center College Wall with her picture on it as she leaves the 2021 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship media day at Atlanta Athletic Club. Kevin C. Cox/PGA of America/Getty Images

Leaders in the golf space are becoming bolder about being willing to say, “We’re here and we support all people.” It’s up to all of us currently occupying golf spaces to continue to make intolerance unwelcome and be intentional and loud about inclusiveness. The game of golf is on this journey. We have to keep bravely pushing the way.

I often reflect on former professional golfer and the second Black woman to ever play on the LPGA Tour, Renee Powell. She is truly a legend. She’s still dedicating her entire life to the game. She’s gone on from the LPGA Tour to dedicating everything to continuing to help the game of golf progress and become more inclusive.

When reflecting on Powell’s time as a pro, I can only imagine how much she endured. She had a special love for the game. And I feel like she never let the racial hatred and experiences that she had growing up take her love and passion away for this game. She made a name for herself. And she paved the way for golfers like me to have a much smoother journey in the golf world. She’s not only a role model and ambassador for golf, but she symbolizes the best in what people can make out of the hardships of their life. She’s just truly a champion.

Looking back and knowing her story, I think that it could’ve hardened a lot of people’s hearts. Powell could’ve retired from the LPGA and said, “You know what? I don’t want anything else to do with the golf space. Too many of the golf clubs are unwelcoming.” But Powell said the opposite. She embraced the good that she experienced and sought a way to bring that out more than anything else.That’s why it’s great to see her receiving all her flowers lately. She deserves it.

That’s the kind of person I draw inspiration from. The attitude I want to emulate in my own life.

In 2017, Reagan met #GirlsGolf alumna @MoStacksBirdies when she was competing on the @ROAD2LPGA.

Today, they were reunited at the @KPMGWomensPGA 💖#LittleGirlsBIGDreams | #InspireGreatness pic.twitter.com/BdKsByOGYG

— LPGA*USGA Girls Golf (@LPGAGirlsGolf) June 25, 2021

This week, playing in my hometown of Atlanta for the first time as a professional golfer, I realize that I’m playing out here for something more.

Not only do I get to sleep in my own bed, which is amazing, but my family and friends get to be there. And then there’s all of the young boys and girls who are starting out in youth golf just like I did years ago. I think there’s an acknowledgement this week from the young golfers that are coming out that they could be here one day. Like, this is a girl that came up through the Georgia ranks and look at her now out here on the LPGA. I also acknowledge that this tournament, no matter how I play, is an opportunity to give back to the place that gave me golf.

“KPMG doesn’t just talk the talk. They walk the walk,” Stackhouse, a KPMG brand ambassador, said. “KPMG came in blazing getting the women’s tour access to top courses. And the impact they have on the diversifying and elevating the game is invaluable.” Hunter Martin/Getty Images

I want to win on the LPGA Tour for myself, but also for my parents. Everything they endured and all the time they put into allowing me to follow my dreams in a sport where Black women weren’t really represented. My parents always wanted me to embrace my Blackness on the course.

I was raised as a golfer to really and truly embrace and be proud of my Blackness and to represent. I am trying my best to do that every time I’m on the course. I can’t say how many little girls come up to me at tournaments, and when I have my hair out in a curl-fro or in braids or in twists, and the little girls will say, “Oh I wear my hair like that” or “I like that style.” The small things like identifying with young girls who look like me are just as important as the big moments like winning tournaments and making cuts.

There’s a spectrum of impact. I would love to be able to capitalize on things like visibility and representation while I’m here as an LPGA golfer.

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[moldygreenblue]

Coco

I ended up watching Coco with most of my family Coco yesterday. Mostly because my sister and I know nothing about the film other than the trademark controversy + one trailer so we went ‘let’s watch it’. And small way, because our dad is from the Oaxaca State and the one trailer my sister told me ‘it looks like Oaxaca’ and after looking up that Oaxaca is one of the locations inspirations, we went ‘let’s keep this from him and make it a surprise’.

(He actually didn’t realize it until after the credits was done).

So because we went in blind, we had no expectations (well, other than the Frozen ‘Short’ which really should have been keep on TV ). As a result...

I LOVE THIS FILM. This is one of the best Pixar films in the last few years. The characters are believable, the story is wonderful, and the music...oh it is fantastic! And heck, we had no idea who was in this film until the credits when we recognized a few names. I have two problems with it (one my sister agrees with), but they are kind of minor and it doesn’t really deteriorate from the experience.

And that’s the spoiler free review. A more in-depth and spoiler based review is under the cut, which also goes into detail on the two problems I have.

I’m not going to talk much about the characters because I legit have no problems with them, but for the sake of needing to talk about them, I’ll just go over the protagonist(s)  and antagonist. Miguel is a believable child protagonist who grows over the course of the film and still manage to get his dream in the end (by the help of his family both deceased and living). Hector might seems like the comical conman, but he suffered about 70+ years of being alone, rejected, and border line forgotten, and gets his long deserved happy ending as he re-falls in love with Imelda (great character as well, and actually, it’s the other way around), and finally reunites with his daughter*. Ernesto is like the other surprise villains Pixar had (old man from from Up and the pink bear of death in Toy Story 3, but he’s better than them both. He managed to trick the world (living and dead) he’s a wonderful person, to covers up the fact he murdered Hector (Pixar killed characters before, but this is the first time they confirm a real murder in their film) and his real dark personality literally sets the stage for the final act.

The plot is like the typical ‘kid wants to fulfill their dream but family doesn’t want them to do it’ film, but the reason the family doesn’t want them to do it works with both ‘great-great (two greats right) grandfathers’ in mind**. That makes the scene of Miguel’s guitar smash in front of him more powerful, because reasonable reason it is, it had the opposite affect causing everyone (especially Abuelita Elena)  to go ‘what have we done’ moment when Miguel runs away. Miguel’s goal of wanting his ‘ great-great grandfather Ernesto’ blessing is juxtapose (?) with him bonding with Hector, and seeing their relationship grow from ‘I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine’ to ‘I’m going to protect this guy/kid I just met five minutes ago’. As a result, when the film shows Hector is the real great-great grandfather, it’s makes the relationship more powerful because surprised kid! You pretty much got your potential blessing back in the ‘Un Poco Loco’ number***!  This familial surprise just makes the ending all more better because both Miguel and Hector get what they want together.

The music is dang good, no question ask. The background score is great (then again, it’s from the LOST composer so...), and the lyrical songs will get stuck in your head for a good few hours, and in some cases, cry. ‘Remember Me’ is the main one, because in it’s true form, it’s a personal, special song from father to daughter, not the cheesy if catchy earworm Ernesto turn it into.  In fact, hearing the cheesy version made me go ‘It has such deep lyrics. Something off.”

I didn’t talk about the animation in my spoiler free review, but let me say I find it great as well, if still shown in the Pixar style. Yeah. It’s that’s short.

Despite all the positive things I have, there is two (minor) problems I have.

Dante being an alebrijes (thanks Google for spelling) is a good twist because something was supernatural about him. However, Dante fell into it the ‘retarded animal’ trope Finding Dory had with another animal character. My sister flat out hates that trope and say Coco was a great film minus this problem. I had problems with this trope as well, but I let it slide for Coco since it wasn’t as bad as Finding Dory (no seriously. that film was worse with it).

The ending. I’m glad that Hector is getting the recognition he is long overdue, and Ernesto being ‘forgotten’ is great justice. However, I can’t tell if Hector got world wide recognition or just local town recognition because the tour guide part threw me off. Like, assuming he got local town recognition, Ernesto is still going to be ‘alive’ for the next hundred year at least because the world still sees him as a hero Hector is like, barely holding on (then again, I don’t think he would mind since he really just his family to remember him and hey, Land of the Dead shunned Ernesto to who know where and can’t get his final death). If it’s world wide recognition, then Hector is like, going to be remembered as being murdered (but hey, in this scenario  Ernesto is remembered as being a fraud and still can’t get his final death so win-win).

And that’s about it. I guess the only thing I have left to say is that the whole ‘rivalry’ between Coco and Book of Life is silly since Hector’s actor Gael Garcia Bernal, and Manolo’s actor, Diego Luna, are friends in real life, and the director for Book of Life is telling people to chill. 

*Remember how I said I went in blind? I legit had no idea why the film is name Coco until her name was stated in the beginning. That’s right, I knew no one’s name. 

**Let’s make this clear, the banning of music is justify with Hector since he left to be a musician and never came back alive (the family had to know he died young or suspected it), barely destroying the family. If Ernesto was related to Miguel, the banning of music has a even bigger justification because there’s the possibility the family learned he may have hurt someone or worse and are like ‘nope nope nope no one is going to be the ambitious musician like him’

*** Un Poco Loco was the number that made me think ‘maybe Hector is the real great-great grandfather’ and heck, my sister thought of it here as well.

[emilyjanestuff]

From The New World and Bisexuality

Warning: The series I am reviewing contain depictions of child abduction, disappearance, murder and violence in a future totalitarian society. It also depicts sexual violence. The show also contains relationships sexual relationships between young people. That is the trigger warning.

Leave now if you wish.

Also spoilers for  the whole series. Do not read any further if you don’t want spoilers.

I know I said I would post this at the same time as my recap of episode eight but this is finished and I want to get it out there. I will recap episode eight asap though. Also this based only on the anime, I have not read the novel nor the manga.

Are the characters in the anime From the New Word bisexual?

The characters in From the New World (FTNW) never verbalized their sexuality in terms we in our culture would use-i.e. words like bisexual, gay, straight, lesbian etc. But similarly so characters like Bo and Lauren from Lost Girl never express a label either yet from the show it is clear that they are bisexual and lesbian respectively. So from watching the anime can we tell what orientation these characters are?

First off I need to address the fact that the characters in FTNW are from a very different culture and time period to me. They are living in a fictional future in dystopia Japan. So the cultural context these characters are in is very different from my own. So how does this cultural context view sexuality? For starters most of the characters are engaged in relationships with members of the same sex. Satoru and Shun are together, Saki is with Maria. Only Mamoru is not engaged in a same sex relationship instead in Saki’s words he spends his time pining after Maria.

In their society it is presented as the norm to have same sex relationships until a certain age with Mamoru being viewed as unusually for not having a boyfriend. They are expected to later form a relationship with a person of the other sex. In other words they are expected to grow out of their same-sex sexuality. There are no adults in the series who are in committed same sex relationships. None of the teenagers in episode sixteen pair with a member of the same sex. It seems that same sex relationships are expected to be something one grows out of.

The False Minoshiro in episode three further supports this. Human society has become like Bonobos (whom have sex many partners of any sex). A society of love. This basically means that I doubt these characters are meant to be monogamous either. But I won’t be talking about that here that is a topic for another post entirely. Getting back to the subject at hand, this idea of someone growing out of their same-sex attractions happens to Queer people in the real world. In the show this is referred to as playing a game. I myself have been on the receiving end of this. Another problem with this depiction is the idea that everyone is bisexual. Because if everyone is bisexual then rather then bisexual being an identity and community it is instead a universal human experience. This is a form of bisexual erasure. Putting it into a future does not change that. So is problematic tropes the only thing FTNW offer us in terms of bisexual representation? No it’s not that simply.

For starters Saki and Maria continue their relationship when they have paired with Satoru and Mamoru. There is no problem expressed in the story or from any of the characters with this. Saki’s and Maria’s relationship clearly remains strong and even at the age of twenty six Saki still thinks of Maria. She even has a moment when she dreams of Maria and the following takes place. Maria is justifying why she left with Mamoru and one of those is ‘It’s not like two girls can start a family’. Did Saki and/or Maria want that with each? It is very possible that they did but that their society clearly does not facilitate it. Maria leaving breaks Saki’s heart and Maria’s letter clearly shows she too is devastated. In short even though their society expected them to outgrow their same sex relationship they clearly haven’t.

Saki and Maria are both bisexual women. Are they marginalized in the village for their sexuality? There is no indication that is the case in fact these two have other things to be worried about. Maybe because it happened in their youth they were accepted for the time being. Maria does not stay in village so we don’t get to see what kind of conflict if any their relationship would have caused had it continued into adulthood. That’s unfortunate but it at least does enough to subvert the whole ‘you grow out of queerness’ trope that could have been present.

So I’ve talked a lot about the girls in this anime but what about the boys? I talked a bit about Mamoru before so what about Satoru and Shun. At the start of episode eight they are in a relationship but on realizing he is becoming a karmic demon Shun breaks off the relationship rather coldly. Even going as far as to say ‘Haven’t we played this game long enough?’ Satoru is hurt by this. He later starts seeing another boy as part of a rebound or to make his ex boyfriend jealous. Shun dies soon later. Shun says he was in love with Saki.

He never says anything similar to Satoru even though there is clearly tension between them after they break up. We don’t get a enough of Shun’s perspective in the anime to really tell us how he viewed his relationship with Satoru. But we do know he was in love with Saki. The tension after they break up and why Shun broke up with him show that he did at least care for Satoru in some way. There are examples of him caring about Satoru through out the series for example in episode seven when they are reunited he and Satoru are the first to embrace. Shun may have cared for Satoru not in the same he did for Saki but in some way he did.

However Satoru is another story. There is much more information on his feelings for Shun then on Shun’s feelings for Satoru. Satoru was very much in love with Shun. Saki even saying when they spoke about Shun’s replacement Ryou that ‘(Ryou) is not the person we both fell in love with’. Satoru’s actions after he and Shun break clearly show he is not over him. He is worried about Shun and is the first to leap into action to find him when he disappears.  With Shun dead and Satoru’s memories of him erased he doesn’t think of Shun as Saki thinks of Maria. But we learn in episode twenty that he still wants to regain his memories of the faceless boy (Shun) so he can come to terms with whatever happened and move on. When Saki says Shun’s name in episode twenty five we see Satoru’s eye widen.

Is it possible he has recalled who Shun was? Very much so. The ending only further supports this when we see Saki had regained all her memories, even those of Reikio.  I like the interpretation that he did. Even if he didn’t Saki may have restored them. She clearly shows she is able to work well with hypnosis in the series. Because he is able to remember Shun Satoru is finally about to move on. Satoru like Maria and Saki subvert the toxic tropes as well. Making him not just a bisexual character but a male bisexual character. Boys who are bisexual are still so uncommon in media so it is great to see one.

There are other things the show does that is praise worthy, even with all the characters who die there are two bisexual character who get a happy ending Satoru and Saki. Happy ending for Queer characters are still so rare and it’s great to see one. The heterosexual relationships in the show are treated with respect and developed rather well. None of the hetero relationships come out of left field.

Despite the good the anime does with bisexual character there are few things that could have been done better. I wish is that the show had gone a little bit further in showing these character’s relationships. Especially Shun’s and Satoru’s romance. Since Saki is the point of view character we only get inside her mind in depth. Also this begs the question what about monosexual queers (gays and lesbians) do they not exist in this world since human society is meant to be a society of love? If that is the case how come someone like Mamoru the token heterosexual exist? Even if you make the argument that he is not straight just always in love with Maria what would the situation have been like if she was a boy? Alas we never get an answer to this.

So how does From The New World hold up as a representation for bisexuality. It is a very solid one. Does it do everything right and explore everything about queer identity in this world? No but it does more then enough things to represent some pretty cool bisexual characters including subverting some pretty toxic tropes. If you want a cool science fiction anime with bi character this is probably the best out there and well worth watching.

[elithianfox]

💡3, 🎨6, 💖8, 🎵13

Meme

💡 3. Has creating a character ever made you realise something about yourself?

My characters are a gateway to exploring who I am without having any effect in the real world, so they definitely have. The years I’ve had my OCs have definitely been a journey for me; I would have been an entirely different person if they weren’t there for me to imagine different scenarios related to my life. They help me problem solve, imagine how other people live and struggle, and allow me to just see the best and worst happen without actual consequence.

The strange thing is that my characters can solve problems that I cannot. If I displace myself to be them instead, I sometimes reach conclusions and solutions that I would’ve never come to if I were just thinking on my own. So in a way, they made me realise that my brain is much stronger and more versatile than it lets on, but I gotta find that link to access the parts I need.

They also helped me place who I want to be in life. By creating people with problems, it becomes easier to list my own faults and flaws and by seeing the different ways they have of dealing with them I get to see how different options get me in different places. 

So to put it short, my OCs have made me realise a ton about who I am and how I can live life!

🎨 6. When creating a character, do you come up with the visual concept or the written concept first?

Usually it’s the written concept. A big majority of my characters come to me when I’m blanking out while doing something (playing WoW, following classes, bathing. Seriously, so many characters came out of that bath) and by the time I decide I want them to be a character they’re already characterised. I have a vague idea of how they look but they’re just ‘people’ in my mind without a defined face or look, just a concept of ‘he’s buff’ or ‘she wears a mouth mask’. 

Only for adopts does the design come first and the filling second, though sometimes I assign them to concepts too!

🎵 13. Do you create playlists for your characters?

Fear I don’t. I’d feel awkward making it, because I’d have a hard time unlinking the song from them. But I do link some songs to my characters because I got an ask on my OC blog asking me to link songs to my OCs (which I still haven’t answered, I am sorry anon-senpai)

💖 8. Is there a character that embodies your good traits, or traits you wish you had?

Some of my characters can experience friendships without feeling bitter, which I wish I could do

Putting this under a readmore because there’s a pretty big list. See this as stuff I respect in my OCs that I can see as a potential in me, but that may or may not already be the case. In most cases not.

Garry knows where he wants to be in life when it comes to his own moral viewpoint, but he is capable of staying loyal to friends even if he strongly disagrees with them on certain topics.

A has the image of his future set in stone and works hard to go for it. He doesn’t let bad news hold him back for long and has found a way to hold on.

Altari has his heart in the right place. He genuinely wants his friends and family to thrive, even when in a fight with them.

Wes is a diligent optimist who strongly fights against conflict.

Levi defies the expected norm and is open to new things in life.

Seranet worked very hard to gain a high academic position, even if working hard at most times shattered him and made him wanna give up at nearly every point along the way. 

Chiara knows chemistry. What the fuck. How? Only by hard work of course. She’s amazing at studying and can keep holding on forever to achieve her dream.

Neridan can combine crude humour with genuine caring about friends. 

Francis has the character to change his entire life direction and defy his parents just to ensure the survival of a dear friend.

The Alchemist experiences everything in life as a joy, and where there is little joy he does whatever is in his power to create it himself.

Chris would give his life just to ensure his family’s happiness and safety.

Vohgan chooses for kindness where many before her chose for tyranny and an iron rule. She genuinely wants to help society’s outcasts and endangers herself doing so.

Quentin gets up every day and shows effort trying to harness his powers to become one of his species’ long awaited healers, even though his depression screams at him to just lie down and stop.

Andreas chooses to step into his father’s footsteps and go for kindness and anger management instead of following his mother’s unchecked hatred and self importance.

Markus learned to trust again after his was broken by an irreversible act.

Remco is independent enough to leave his hometown and venture into an unknown world to sate his livid curiosity.

Mr. Snuggles is a dog AND a dragon.

Clancy left behind everything and tainted his image to about everyone who respected him just to educate the world and assist in hastening the arrival of the age of enlightenment.

Cafun doesn’t let his disability hold him back, and he doesn’t bathe in the amazement people have for living his life the way that’s regular and easy to him.

Michael doesn’t just accept accusations made against him and actively works to prove his innocence in a case he’s basically already lost, but he is kind for more reasons than just to save his own hide.

Nelor is dead tired from thousands of years of torment, but giving up is out of the question. He will only rest when he has found his problem’s source and defeated it.

Kraye’s optimism thrives more than ever even after being killed. She can overcome her doubts to keep trying again at changing an impossible to change situation and fights for her rights.

Magali is a lonely extrovert but despite that never lets her previous experiences get in her way of trying again.

Florence wants to do what he likes and what captivates him even if people hate and shun him for his interests and skills.

Alena gave up her plans for her future to reunite with her long lost sister and make her moms feel whole again.

Vinnie breaks taboo and ensures he can never be safe again in the name of scientific discovery and medical advance, giving up everything for a better healthier future.

Seares cares for his friend even if everyone is against him and risks his own life keeping the innocent safe from judgement.

Bernard is a curious soul who listens to everybody’s story and gives out advice out of his own will

Wow, my characters are much better than me. Either way, hope this was as enlightening to you as it was to me!