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itsmeutsav95 · 6 months ago

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Exploring Nature's Beauty: The Best Hiking Trails in and Around Moreno Valley, California.

Moreno Valley, California, nestled in the picturesque landscape of Riverside County, offers an abundance of natural beauty waiting to be explored. With its stunning vistas, diverse ecosystems, and miles of hiking trails, it's a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you're a seasoned hiker or a novice adventurer, there's a trail in Moreno Valley to suit every skill level and preference. Here are some of the best hiking trails to explore in and around Moreno Valley, California:

Box Springs Mountain Reserve: A local favorite, Box Springs Mountain Reserve boasts over 15 miles of well-maintained trails, offering stunning views of the surrounding valleys and mountains. The moderately challenging Two Trees Trail is a popular choice, leading hikers through rolling hills and rocky terrain to a scenic overlook featuring two iconic lone trees. For a longer adventure, the Big "C" Trail provides a more strenuous hike with rewarding panoramic views of the city below.

Hidden Springs Trail: Located within the Hidden Springs community, this trail offers a serene escape into nature without venturing far from the city. The relatively easy loop trail winds through oak woodlands and grassy meadows, providing opportunities for birdwatching and wildlife spotting. It's an ideal choice for a leisurely afternoon stroll or a family-friendly hike.

Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park: Just a short drive from Moreno Valley, Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park offers over 25 miles of trails traversing diverse landscapes, including lush riparian corridors, rugged hillsides, and expansive grasslands. Hikers can explore the Canyon View Loop Trail for sweeping vistas of the canyon below, or venture deeper into the park on the longer North Slope Trail for a more immersive wilderness experience.

Moreno Valley Ranch Golf Club Trail: This hidden gem offers a unique hiking experience within the Moreno Valley Ranch Golf Club. The trail meanders alongside the golf course, providing scenic views of manicured fairways and tranquil lakes. It's a great option for a leisurely walk or a brisk morning hike before hitting the links.

Lake Perris State Recreation Area: Just a short drive south of Moreno Valley, Lake Perris State Recreation Area offers a variety of hiking trails amid breathtaking scenery. The Harford Springs Interpretive Trail is a must-visit, winding through a lush riparian habitat and past natural springs teeming with wildlife. For a more challenging trek, the Terri Peak Trail leads to the summit of Terri Peak, rewarding hikers with panoramic views of the lake and surrounding mountains.

Mount Rubidoux Trail: While technically located in nearby Riverside, the Mount Rubidoux Trail is a beloved hiking destination for residents of Moreno Valley. The gently sloping trail ascends to the summit of Mount Rubidoux, where hikers are treated to panoramic views of the city below and the distant San Gabriel Mountains. Along the way, visitors can admire historic landmarks such as the Peace Tower and the Friendship Bridge.

North Etiwanda Preserve: Nestled at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, the North Etiwanda Preserve offers a network of trails winding through pristine wilderness. The popular Etiwanda Falls Trail leads hikers to a picturesque waterfall, surrounded by lush vegetation and towering cliffs. It's a moderate hike that's well worth the effort for the stunning payoff at the end.

Whether you're seeking a challenging ascent to a scenic overlook or a leisurely stroll through peaceful woodlands, Moreno Valley and its surrounding areas offer an abundance of hiking opportunities for nature lovers of all ages and abilities. So lace up your hiking boots, pack plenty of water and snacks, and prepare to embark on an unforgettable outdoor adventure in this beautiful corner of Southern California.

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usstatesguide · 1 year ago

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#IFTTT #Blogger

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energy-pro-water-damage · 2 years ago

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Wilson Canyon Park

Wilson Canyon Park in Sylmar, California is a public park situated in the western San Gabriel Mountains. It features verdant oak woodlands and a year-round creek. The trails in the park are a great way to enjoy the natural environment, whether you are just out for a stroll or looking for a longer hike.

One of the best aspects of the Wilson Canyon Park is that it is connected to several Angeles National Forest trails. This makes it a good option for mountain bikers and other trail users. In addition, the park is a popular picnic location, and visitors can often spot wildlife while picnicking. If you are interested in taking a more in-depth look at the area, the Wildlife Learning Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is a good place to start.

While Wilson Canyon Park offers many different hiking and biking options, there are a few that are particularly noteworthy. One of them is the Los Pinetos Trail. As the name implies, this short but steep trail descends from the top of a hill and provides excellent views of the nearby mountains.

Another is the Wilson Saddle, a 7-mile trail that starts at the Olive View Medical Center. Despite some damage to the trail due to a fire, the hike is still worth the effort. Fortunately, there is a nice outhouse and a small picnic area.

The Sylmar Canyon Trail is another excellent option. It is a fun and easy loop. A portion of the trail is graded asphalt, making it suitable for walkers. But, it does offer a few challenging hills and an elevation change of more than 1500 feet.

On the other hand, the Sylmar Branch Library in Sylmar, California, is a great place to check out the books, watch movies, and attend story times. The library is part of the Los Angeles Public Library system, and has a variety of activities and events for people of all ages. You can also check out the library's teen poetry club and book club.

Finally, if you want to see some of the other wonders of the world, take a visit to the Wildlife Learning Center. There, you can learn about over 80 animals, and take part in a number of educational programs and birthday parties. Throughout the year, the center also hosts school field trips and summer camps.

With 240 acres of land, Wilson Canyon is a great place to visit if you love nature. It is a gateway to the surrounding Angeles National Forest, offering a rich variety of plant communities and secluded wilderness. Not only that, the park has plenty of green space, a basketball court, and an outdoor playground. Even better, the cost of parking is only $5. That's a steal!

And if you are feeling especially adventurous, you can head to the Whitney Canyon Road, which is a 2.5-mile fire road. After you pass a junction of several trails, you'll end up at the Karen M. Pearson Hillside Trail, a small but steep incline.

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aethelflaedladyofmercia · 3 years ago

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Face the Darkness

Prompt 2 for @greenfiredragonfly's Angstember prompts-- "Go. But I'm not Leaving." This time I've gone for some War in Heaven angst! Technically a slight AU as you'll see in the end, but I'm assuming most of the rest works out as in canon.

The Fortress trembled as the ground shifted once more, cracks splitting the desiccated plain in an ever more complex spider web. Solid stone walls vibrated, pouring streams of crushed stone from every corner of the ceiling. The air was thick with dust. Already the loyal forces of Heaven had withdrawn to the distant hills to watch, silent and impassive.

The War had ended. The Fortress of Lucifer had begun its Fall.

The first of the four watchtowers collapsed, shattering across blasted plain. From the wreckage crawled the rebellious angels, bodies already twisting into more animalistic shapes: talons and fangs, scales and gills, rotten flesh and oozing sores.

Outside the walls patrolled guards in solid plate armor wielding swords and spears and whips; in an instant, they descended on the few who had escaped, driving them back towards the gates, towards their fate. More beings inside fought and screamed, clawing at the guards only to be pushed back again and again. Voices raised, accusations shouted at soldiers, at leaders, at God Herself.

The guards were not of the heavenly legions. When Lucifer’s last army was routed, he had declared that all of his rebels would share in his punishment. Those who kept the frightened masses in check had been promised prominent positions as the Lords of their new domain, while the would-be deserters risked punishments more gruesome than anything the enemy had done.

Still, they tried.

Some few managed to pass the final ring of guards, to strike out across the plain that moved and reformed under their feet, cracks and crevices opening wide, whole sections of land suddenly dissolving, raining down into the realm of darkness.

They fled, running across uncertain ground, leaping treacherous drops, praying for forgiveness with every breath, holding out their arms to the loyal armies, beseeching their friends to intercede, to stay the Hand of Judgment.

Those who reached the hills and were welcomed into the protection of Heaven found themselves restored, their flesh returned to normal, bodies untwisted, souls pardoned.

The rest… well, they reached their final destination a little sooner than the rest.

One angel stood alone on a watchtower, eyes scanning the chaos below through a shifting curtain of bright red hair.

The scuff of a footstep, barely audible above the screams. The angel turned slightly—a single glance back—just enough for a glimpse of familiar white feathers.

“Shouldn’t be here,” the angel said, turning back to the destruction.

“Neither should you.”

“This again?” A twist of lips, too bitter to be called a smile. “You’ve already told me what you think. Eons and eons ago.”

“And I haven’t changed my mind.”

The angel clutched at the stone parapet, or tried to; it fell apart, sending another rain of dust towards the frightened crowd below. “And, what, you’re here to offer me salvation? Take my confession and determine if I’m worthy? Enact vengeance for all those I’ve destroyed?”

“My dear friend. I’m here to save you.”

Briefly, there were tears in the angel’s eyes; but already those eyes were changing, restructuring into a new shape. “Don’t deserve it.”

“I say you do.” A soft hand landed on the angel’s shoulder, offering a squeeze of comfort. “There is no wickedness in you. No cruelty. Even at the height of the War’s atrocities, you never lost your kindness. You are only here because you were manipulated by Lucifer, caught in his lies. That is no judgment on you. He could just as easily have swayed me, or Gabriel, or anyone else.”

“I know. That’s the problem.”

“What do you mean?” With a rumble louder than any thunder, the ground below fractured once more. The fortress rose and fell, another tower crumbling to a chorus of screams. “Come, we don’t have time.”

“What must I do?” The first angel didn’t move, but the second breathed a sigh of relief at the question.

“Cross the plain, no more than that. If you reach the other side, if someone is willing to intercede on your behalf, you will be forgiven.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes, my dear, oh, it’s so simple. I will be beside you every step of the way, to guide you, to keep you safe. You can’t possibly fail.”

The angel nodded, still looking down into the broken courtyard. “Tell me this: why me? You could save anyone. Why me?”

A brief, shocked silence. “That’s—why would I…? Because I love you.”

“And what about them?” Down below the future Lords of Darkness moved through the crowds, grabbing weeping angels by the jaw or the neck, inspecting them, claiming their favorites. Torments would begin soon, pains that would become familiar to them all. “They were tricked by Lucifer, the same as me.” One pale, scruffy creature grabbed a trembling, crying being by the hair, dragging them towards a dark door. “Do they deserve this fate because they don’t have the love of a Guardian?”

Flinching, the pale figure pulled back towards the shadows. “That isn’t fair.” Little more than a whisper. “You know they don’t. But I can’t save them. Only you.”

With a deep, shaking breath, the angel finally turned, eyes now glinting gold, pupils stretching into lines. “No. You can’t save me. Not if I don’t want to be saved.”

“What are you talking about?” Hazel eyes shining like earthlight as the darkness closed in. “How can you not—”

“How can I go back? Tell me that! How can I ignore the things I learned? Not everything Lucifer said was a lie, that’s why he was so successful. How can I be happy when I’ve seen things for what they truly are?” In a softer voice: “How can I follow a God who would throw so many away just because they’re unloved?” A sob shook those narrow shoulders, but no tears fell. Never again. “If there’s a way, please, tell me. Because I can’t—”

The entire plain rippled like a wave. Another tower fell, and the one they stood on tilted perilously.

“Dearest, we can talk about this later. We need to go now.”

“Go.” The angel turned back to the courtyard. “But I’m not leaving.”

“No!” The Guardian hauled the angel back, as if ready to fly them both to safety or be destroyed trying. “Don’t—you can’t! Don’t you understand what’s happening? What it all means?”

“Better than you!” The angel turned with a furious growl. “I’ve spent countless ages among them already. I know what they’re like, I know what they’ll do to us, and I don’t want that. But I can’t go back.” Narrow hands reached out, clutching the other’s elbows. “Aziraphale, please understand. I can’t go back. Not with… everything I know…”

They embraced, the Guardian blinking back tears. “You could… you could ask God to take your memories. It would be as if you’d never…”

“I can’t.”

“Not… not even for me?”

“I would forget you, too.”

“But I’ll remember.” Aziraphale leaned back, eyes pleading. “And I will still love you. Nothing will change that.”

“But I will change.” The angel scowled again, though this time not from anger but from the desperate search for words. “It’s… not the memories themselves. I might lose them anyway. I’ve already lost my name; I’m losing my form. I’m Falling. And whatever Falling does to me, whatever I become, I will still be me. But. But to willinglygive up the knowledge I’ve earned. To turn my back on it… I wouldn’t be me anymore.”

The next tremor started, and didn’t end.

“I don’t understand,” Aziraphale wailed. “But I don’t have to. If… if this will make you happy…”

“I don’t think I’ll ever be happy again.” One last desperate embrace as the surrounding plain began to crumble. “It’s time. Go.”

“I will do no such thing.”

“Aziraphale!” But the Guardian only held the angel tighter. “You—you can’t Fall!”

“I do not believe I will. God knows Her own.”

The outer walls vanished, tumbling into the nothing below, bringing wave after wave of bodies with them. “No, She’ll just rip you out of my arms at the cruelest possible moment.”

“Where you see cruelty, I see kindness. Every second with you is a blessing.”

“Aziraphale!”

“Quiet, love. I’m praying.”

The ground shook, lurched, dropped away—

The Fortress and all within it Fell—

All except two angels, wrapped in each other’s arms. Held aloft by Aziraphale’s wings, they did not Fall but meandered gently downwards.

“What?” The nameless angel looked around in confusion. “How…?”

“I told you. Kindness.” Aziraphale’s eyes were closed. “I asked Her for a few more minutes with you. And a chance to spare you from some of the darkness you must face. I know you don’t think you deserve it, but I think you do. And in the end, that is what mattered.”

“Aziraphale…” Quite without meaning to, the angel smiled in wonder. “I love you.”

When the Guardian’s eyes opened, the tears rolled upwards, leaving a trail of droplets back to Heaven. “I love you, too. And it was worth any price to see you smile again.”

“Price? Wait, what price?”

“All my memories of you.”

“No!”

“Oh, yes. I was quite happy to exchange them to buy you these few minutes of peace and a guarantee that we will meet again. Though I’m afraid after that, things will be up to you.” Aziraphale’s incongruous smile began to fade. “What is it?”

“I… I just… I told you I wouldn’t… and then you…” Golden eyes drifted, staring into the suffocating darkness on every side. “What must you think of me?”

“I think you are the most wonderful being in all Creation. I wish for you to be you, in whatever way feels most genuine, as an angel or… otherwise.” Far below, the Fortress ruins came into view, lit by a strange blue glow. “I think you will have a hard enough time ahead of you without such complicated regrets. And I think,” another tear floating upward, glowing like a distant star, “I truly think, this way things will work out for the best.”

“You’ll forget me! Forget us! Everything we ever talked about, or… or…”

“But you’ll remember.” A gentle kiss on the forehead. “And I will still love you. Nothing will change that.”

The Fortress had landed in a boiling pool of sulfur. Aziraphale carefully set the former angel down on solid ground, a safe distance from the edge, then immediately began to float upwards again.

“Wait!” Desperately clinging to those soft hands, the last bit of comfort in the entire realm. “Don’t go!”

“I’m sorry. I’m afraid I don’t belong down here anymore than you belong Upstairs. We will meet again in the world to come.”

“But what if… without your memories… you’re different? More like the others?”

“Oh.” For the first time since the Fall, Aziraphale looked troubled. “I suppose you… may see some changes you don’t like…”

“No, not that. I’m not going to love you any less. But… you’ll think I’m just another Enemy.”

“Nonsense. I love you, dear boy. And I have the opportunity to fall in love all over again.” The upward pull began to draw their fingers apart. “Only, I don’t know how long that will take, so… be patient?”

“Aziraphale…”

“Take care of yourself, love.” Their grip on each other failed and Aziraphale drifted away, rising faster and faster. “I will see you again! I promise!”

“Aziraphale!”

Silence, broken only by the stirring of creatures rising from the sulfur and slinking into the shadows.

Hands still warm from the loving touch of an angel, the demon turned to face the darkness.

#good omens prime #good omens angst #angel crowley #angst #angstember2021 #prompt challenge #ineffable husbands #good omens #aziraphale and crowley #aziraphale #crowley #war in heaven #amnesia #my writing #is it too sad #it might be

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fandom-space-princess · 3 years ago

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The Game of Us

Rating: T (gen, no warnings)

Chapter 2: Gabriel

A crevice splits the earth, clean through the center of the circular clearing. Beyond the crevice a woman is seated on a low stone. Her eyes are covered by a crimson blindfold, the only color he has yet seen in this realm. It stands in sharp contrast to her bone-white skin and hair, a slash of silken blood by which to obscure her vision.

Though he makes no sound, she smiles as he approaches. “Michael.” The sound of her voice fills him with a nameless relief. He has never heard that voice, and still, he knows her like a heartbeat.

Read below the cut, or on AO3

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Upstream, the path breaks away from the river, and turns inland among low rolling foothills. Memory of a memory: for the living, these hills would have been warm and verdant, groves of olive trees. As it is, this murky reflection of life is still the closest Michael has come to the world since his descent into this desolate realm. Part of him, the part that stirs accusations like betrayal and failure in his mind like water circling a drain, yearns to lose himself in the embrace of it. To sink back beneath the surface and go no further.

He presses on.

As the path narrows and twists among the trees, air heavy with the scents of forest and the distant sea, Michael hears the low murmur of a crowd. The sounds grow more distinct as he climbs. This too is strange: human crowds have no place here, in an inhuman afterlife. When at last the tree line breaks and the path spills abruptly into a clearing, he stares uncomprehending for long moments, absorbing the sight before him.

This was a temple, once. Ages gone, this would have been a marvel of solemn grandeur. Now only ruins remain, although they are surrounded by the spectral aura of the structures they must once have been. Looked at straight on, Michael sees crumbling plinths, broken marble columns supporting the remnants of ornate entablature around a circle of grass and shattered stone. If he squints, however, the afterimages come into sharper relief. Haunted by the ghosts of architecture long fallen to ruin, this place yet remembers what it was.

It is haunted by more than that.

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The rough amphitheater in which he finds himself is crowded. Shades mill nearby, shadowy and indistinct, seated or standing and whispering among themselves. Their numbers are beyond counting: thousands, perhaps? More? He takes them for human, at first, or the memory of human. But then one’s perambulations lead it toward him, and before he can think to move the shade passes straight through him. It continues on without acknowledgement, and he is overcome by a sense of deep unease.

The creature had felt... angelic. Mindless, unthinking, but unmistakable for anything but grace, rather than soul.

The focal point of the shades lies ahead, at the base of the crumbling colonnade. A crevice splits the earth, clean through the center of the circular clearing. Beyond the crevice a woman is seated on a low stone. Her eyes are covered by a crimson blindfold, the only color he has yet seen in this realm. It stands in sharp contrast to her bone-white skin and hair, a slash of silken blood by which to obscure her vision.

Though he makes no sound, she smiles as he approaches. “Michael.” The sound of her voice fills him with a nameless relief. He has never heard that voice, and still, he knows her like a heartbeat.

He steps across the crevice in one long stride. As he does, he can’t help but look down and into it: the same frigid black waters that had led him here rumble past beneath the crust of rock at its lip. Michael settles beside the stone, facing outward into the theatre, mimicking her. “Gabriel. You’re... what are you doing here?”

“Oh, you know. Taking in the scenery.”

One of the shades cuts free of the larger mass of figures. It drifts closer, apparently with purpose, and when it reaches the bare earth opposite Gabriel, it kneels. Michael regards it with wary curiosity.

“They’re here for prophecy,” Gabriel supplies, in response to his unspoken inquiry. “The humans used to come to this place to lay offerings before their fortunetellers. I visited, once or twice. Way back when.” She hums, head bowed slightly, hands folded motionless in her lap. “I liked it better then. Much more lively. This incarnation lacks a certain je ne sais quoi.”

She turns her attention to the shade before her, unseeing but knowing, somehow, that it waits there.

The shade bows low in deference. Tell me what tomorrow holds for me, it asks, voice fleeting as an autumn breeze.

“An interesting question,” she replies. Her words are warm and indulgent. “What did today hold for you? If you’re willing to tell me, I’d like to know.”

The shade appears puzzled by the request. Nevertheless, it responds. I saw a death, at the end of a silver blade. Light and pain before, only smoke and ash after. A falling, a sinking, into the darkness and the silence. And then a rising, awakening, only to see the death again. Over and over I saw the death, until I grew heavy with dread, and found myself here. It pauses its recitation, suddenly pensive. I think the death was mine.

She opens her hands before her, palms up, a sweeping gesture that invites the shade to continue. A texture along her wrist glimmers, unexpected. For the first time, Michael looks closely at Gabriel’s form. Minute scales swirl along patches of her skin. They are pearlescent and smooth, softly aglow under the ever-present half-light.

“Tell me more. What did you learn from it? How did it make you feel?”

The shade mutters on, its voice rising and falling in cadence with the rush of water at their feet. Eventually it tapers off, settling back on its heels. It seems less substantial than before, in a way Michael finds difficult to define, ethereal form wispy and unburdened. Gabriel inclines her head in acknowledgement, and the spirit fades away, melting back into the crowd.

“You aren’t a prophet, Gabriel,” Michael observes. She tilts her head toward him, grinning. In her mouth he sees the flash of fangs.

“No,” she agrees readily. “I’m not. But I am a messenger. Or I was. And this place has such interesting ways of making its points. Metaphorical, if not necessarily colorful.” She smiles again, chuckles at her own joke.

“But you offered no guidance. No message, prophetic or otherwise.”

“Oh, Mikey. Always so literal-minded. But you’re right. Being here has given me so much to think about. Maybe it’s time I stopped with the talking, and took up listening.”

She uncrosses her legs from the stone, and moves to kneel on the ground before it. Her knees push out over the cusp of the crevice. Her feet emerge from beneath the fraying edge of her skirt, clawed and scaled. Michael extends a hand tentatively. Brushes the tips of his fingers along the scales at the curve of her ankle, feeling the staticky-smooth keratinous edges. She reaches out, and takes his hand in her own. Squeezes once, then lets it fall away.

“Brother?” Michael asks, although he’s not entirely certain what it is he seeks to hear from her.

“I woke up in this form.” She shrugs. “I could change it, if I wanted, but I think it suits my current occupation. She lived here, once. A nuisance to pretty much everybody in the area, this creature was killed for the mischief and misfortunes she inflicted on the region’s inhabitants and their livestock. Her bones were laid into the foundations when it was built. Now she sleeps, and she listens.” She shivers. “That’s her judgement. That’s her penance.”

“Why is any of this here, Gabriel? Do you know? A being awoke me on the shore, told me to find you. It says it needs us—that we must move on from here. It wasn’t the Shadow. I don’t know what it was.”

She laughs aloud at that, a sound that rings out in echoes, vanishing among the shades. “You really don’t know? Bro, that’s unobservant even for you. You just have to listen harder. Knowledge is easy to come by here, if you pay attention. As for the river, this river—” She leans down to trail her fingers through the crest of a wave. Flicks the water playfully at Michael. “Old man always had a sense for theatrics. ‘Behold, for before you lies the river Styx.’ As good a way as any to make his point. River of judgement: either it makes you invulnerable, or poisons you, and the only way to find out which you get is to roll the dice.”

Michael is silent for several long seconds, something icy and desperate in his throat. Finally: “Will you go, then? Move on, to whatever awaits us next?”

Gabriel’s hands rise to the sides of her face. She draws the blindfold delicately up and off, silk trickling through her fingers like river water. She blinks back at Michael. Her pupils are slitted, snakelike.

Ignoring his question, she takes his chin in her hand. Appraises him, gently tilting his head this way and that as she studies the image he wears. “Still carrying that torch, huh? Well, I won’t deny that he was good for you. But maybe raise your gaze a little, ok?” Her thumb strokes over his cheek, once, and her lips quirk into an affectionate half-smile. Then her hand falls away, and she turns, studying the water. “You don’t have to keep defining yourself by what you were, or what you did. You can choose something else, you know?”

She inhales deeply, steadying herself. Michael can only watch as, trembling faintly, she dips her hands into the waters of the Styx. Drawing her cupped hands to her mouth, she glances back at him one final time.

“But then, what do I know? I’ve carried out enough judgement for one lifetime. See you on the other side, Mike.”

She lowers her mouth to the water, and drinks, and dissolves away into the mist.

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(Chapter notes:

- The form Gabriel has taken in this chapter is the body of the Delphyne, the half-serpent maiden who is said to have inhabited the caves in the upper slopes of Mount Parnassus. Her death at the hands of Apollo is associated with the founding of Delphi, the location which serves as the primary inspiration for this scene.)

#eh it's been 14 hours that's long enough between chapters #spnarchangelweek #day 1 gabriel #spn archangels #michael spn #gabriel spn #raphael spn #lucifer spn #my fanfic #spn #supernatural

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timmyteehill · 4 years ago

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Discord Thread || Antoni&Tee-01

Discord text thread featuring: Tee & @antonirenaldi

When: 2nd April 2021

Mentions: N/A

Description: Tee and Tony meet up in person for the first time before the other starts working at his therapy clinic. Tony tells him about his divorce.

Trigger Warnings: talk of divorce

Antoni.

The last time Antoni had spoken with Timothy Hill, he'd been a happily married man en route to a bigger city for a bigger life. Now, as he nursed a whiskey and waited for his boss to arrive, he felt like a completely different person, needing to remind himself that he was just as capable of doing his job now as he had been a few weeks before. It wasn't as though he'd been hired for his home-life, he assured himself, swallowing the last of his self-doubt with a sip of his drink. And if this doesn't work out, you'll just go back home - whatever that means. Spotting a familiar face approaching his table, Antoni stood, forcing a smile and extending a hand. "There he is. How are things?"

Tee

Tee couldn’t be prouder of the way his clinic was going. The number of clients were increasing and they all had great things to say about the service offered. It was going well enough that he needed to hire more people to help him out although maybe that wasn’t that surprising considering the drama and issues everyone living in Kingsboro seemed to have. Antoni was the perfect candidate and he did amazingly in their online interview so it was no hardship for Tee to offer him a job at Wellbeing Therapeutics. Although they chatted during their online interview and over the phone a few times, he was still excited to actually meet him in person. Tee saw the other sitting at one of the tables as soon as he walked in and he made his over. Antoni looked friendly enough but something seemed different than when he interviewed him, although Tee couldn’t put his finger on what. “It’s great to finally meet you in person”, he smiled, shaking his hand before taking a seat. “Things are pretty great, everything’s in full swing to welcome you on board.”

Antoni.

“Definitely,” he agreed, sitting when Tee did. He liked the man’s demeanor, a refreshing change from the vastly older, borderline stodgy men he’d worked under in the past. He’d been a little surprised at just how young his new boss was, but everything had pointed to it being a positive thing; they’d developed an easy banter, and Antoni didn’t feel a constant need to assert or prove himself. “That’s great. I’ve looked into all the files, and I feel prepped for the new clients.” Everything was perfect, except for the small fact that - A server came by for Tee’s drink order, interrupting Tony’s line of thinking. When she left, he added, “The menu here looks great. You like this place?”

Tee

Tee knew that it wasn’t common to find someone his age already with his own therapy clinic but it was one of the perks of having rich parents who supported his dreams and endeavors. It wasn’t uncommon for others in his sector to look down on him for his age though. Like that guy he interviewed before Antoni who pursed his lips in judgement when he saw Tee was the one interviewing him and tried to pass him off as a joke. That was probably one of the reasons him and Antoni hit it off so well from the get go. If the other was uncomfortable over his age, he never showed it. “That’s great. The clinic keeps growing every day with more people calling for appointments so me and another psychologist aren’t really enough to keep it going on our own. I was thinking of eventually hiring other professionals like speech and occupational therapists but one thing at a time”, he joked, knowing it was best not to get too ahead of himself. Tee ordered himself a drink when the server came by, and was grateful when they didn’t make a big deal in front of Antoni. Most of the people working at Urban Cajun were like a family to him and treated him as such but they also knew when he was at a professional dinner and kept their boundaries. “I love the menu here, I’m a huge seafood lover. I feel like I kind of have to say that I love it, even if I hated it though or my mum would have my head.” It was best to get it out there instead of having the other find out on his own. “My parents kind of own this place.”

Antoni.

“Oh, hey, that’s great. My son actually sees a speech therapist, and it’s been really beneficial. They were thinking he maybe didn’t have strong enough muscles in his cheeks to form certain words? They had us give him ice water with lemon to get him to learn how to pucker his lips, and now he’s pretty much at his 24-month milestones. It’s great, all the techniques they have.” Antoni took up a menu, although he’d already perused it while he’d waited for Tee, listening as the man spoke. He looked up at the new information, dark brows raised in appreciation. “Really? That must be awesome, how long have they had it? I’m huge on seafood too, there’s this place on the coast we go every summer ...” His voice trailed off and the bright expression on his face fell a bit. “Actually, speaking of families, I should probably give you an update.”

Tee

Tee had some basic knowledge when it came to speech impediments but definitely not enough to be able to offer solutions and techniques so he always ended up referring his clients to a speech therapist friend of his. It would be so much better to have one working at the clinic so that all of the services could be offered under one roof but this sort of thing took time and planning. He wanted to see for himself that Antoni was settling in nicely before he would even consider recruiting anyone else. "You're right, and you know what they say. This sort of sector is multidisciplinary and we all have to work together in order to reach the final goal." Tee nodded, smiling a little shyly. Not everyone took the news that his parents were successful business owners very well, especially when they figured out that was the reason why he could afford to open his own clinic at such a young age. "I think they've had this place for close to twenty-one years at this point. They started off with this one in Kingsboro then gradually started opening up in more places." Tee noticed the way Antoni's expression shut down and he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Okay...what's up?"

Antoni.

“Well, it’s - nothing that will affect my job performance, I can assure you,” except for the lack of sleep and the noticeable increase in my drinking habits a darker part of his mind amended, but Antoni pushed on. “My wi- uh, Gabrielle ... didn’t make the move with me. We’re separated, and we’ve begun divorce proceedings.” The words sounded foreign in his mouth, and he washed down the taste of them with another swig of whiskey. “She’s in Boston, with Luca. I’ll need to leave on Friday afternoons to either spend the weekends there or bring him back with me, and then returning on Sundays. I’m fine with front loading my appointments towards the beginning of the week to make up for the later half of Friday, if that’s alright with you.” He hated the way his circumstances painted him. He felt like a failure, and realized he hadn’t been meeting the man’s eyes.

Tee

Tee could tell that their conversation had taken on a serious note but he wasn't sure what he was expecting. Especially when Antoni said it wasn't something that was going to affect the way he carried out his job. Whatever it was, he definitely wasn't expecting the other to tell him that he and his wife were getting divorced. It's not like Tee knew much about his private life; their interview was meant to discuss work-related issues and Tee was never really the kind of person to pry but Antonu had mentioned being happily married and having a son. He even mentioned how the whole family was excited to make the move to Kingsboro after Tee contacted him to let him know he got the job. So to be told that from the last time they talked to now things had gotten so bad that the couple had already begun divorce proceedings...it shocked him. "Shit." It was the first thing that came to mind and he couldn't hold back the curse. This wasn't something that Tee could relate to. While he's had his fair share of relationships ending badly, he was never married but he could imagine that if he was going through something like that, he wouldn't appreciate others making a big deal out of it. "Don't worry about appointments. If you want to take on less clients to give you more liberty to come and go...we'll figure something out."

Antoni.

"Oh, no," Antoni countered, waving a hand in the air as if to brush away the smoke from the bomb he'd just dropped into Tee's lap. "Less clients doesn't seem necessary. Work will probably be a welcome distraction." He tried to smile, but it was thin and tight. "I'd like to do what I came here to do, if that's still alright with you." Thankfully, a waitress appeared tableside to see if they'd decided on dinner, and Tony felt the tension in his shoulders lessen a bit. "I'll have whatever he's having," he quipped, handing over his menu. "I have a feeling he knows what's good here."

Tee

Tee wasn't sure if the other was actually being honest or if this was his way of trying to make a good impression on his new employer. Giving him fewer clients wouldn't be a problem. Tee might never have been married but he knew first hand how much a breakup could hurt, especially if it came out of the blue. Pushing Antoni wouldn't be a good idea, especially about something which was probably a very sensitive subject so he just nodded and dropped it. "Whatever you want." Handing over the menu which he hadn't even opened, Tee smiled at their server. "I'll have the soup of the day to start with and the spaghetti seafood."

#discord #thread #c: antoni

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akimmito · 4 years ago

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Heroes are made by the path they choose

First | Previous | AO3 | Next

Master List

Chapter 14

Silent Hill: Something happened, I'll take someone over for Marie to judge

Needle: Ah, what was missing

It’s a Nara: Don't sleep, there is an Akuma

It’s a Nara: Who is Available?

Almost Pretty: This Akuma itself is causing disaster

Needle: There goes the national library

It's a Nara: Who is Available?

Perfect Crime: We are at the airport, we can escape to the bathroom. Just tell us, Kanté

It’s a Nara: Perfect

Aithusa: I'm ready, Max.

Wild goat: I'll go! I'm available

Olive: You have communications, don't be ridiculous

Almost Pretty: I can't escape the Bourbon Palace for this, we are being evacuated to the basement

------

Ateliade, Jade Shield, LadyNoir and Rakkīgāru are on the ruins of the national library, the last place that al Akuma ruthlessly destroyed. Observing the damage and trying to understand how he did it, the cameras failed to capture the attack, they just watched as the building collapsed on its own. A troublesome situation.

"Rakkīgāru, use the Lucky Charm."

Kagami obeys immediately, the Lucky Charm delivers a candle similar to the ones she has placed in the meditation room. The four heroes look at the object with curiosity, its function is totally unknown to them, but somehow they understand that what they need at the moment is in the MT.

"We need a more thorough evaluation. Mures?"

"Yes, LadyNoir?"

"Come here, we will use the mouse to try to identify your abilities from all possible angles. "

"Ok."

"Maybe that's what the Lucky Charm was referring to." Ateliade offers her opinion on this, looking at the candle. After all, Marc is on the MT, but neither Kagami nor Marinette feel that is the case. Surely they will need the specific abilities of some Kwami that is not being used, their instincts are screaming at them.

Before long, Mures appears in all his nervous figure. It's the first time that he will go out into the field like the mouse, he's more used to his vigilante suit, but he's confident that everything will turn out well.

"Let's follow the Akuma."

At Jade Shield's words, the five heroes move to follow the Akuma's trail of destruction. When they see the purple Dolphin flying over The Turkish Consulate General and they are suddenly aware that they are now in District XVII where most Embassies and Consulates are. That could be a problem if it reaches international ears, endangering citizens of other countries. They can already hear Chloe yelling at them for speeding up, they don't want anyone from outside sticking their noses into something they don't understand.

"Multitude. "Marc activates its power and divides himself into five copies of himself, remaining in a size similar to that of a child. Each duplicate goes in different directions, each hero follows a different one while the main one remains in place to serve as backup.

Marc can see from their different perspectives the way power works, there is no way they can get closer without perishing like buildings. The others don't fully understand him, but he does.

The Akuma seems to detonate its powers through a form of echo location, similar to what bats do, only instead of just directing it around the place, it also causes perfectly directed destruction, if they get close they will be hit and probably killed. It's inconspicuous from the directions you see, but it's enough.

If there was ever any doubt that the new villain wanted them dead, this new Akuma victim is proof that this is the case.

"We need one of two, someone who can demonstrate directly in front of the Akuma or someone in armor to withstand the impact of the echo location."

"Is that?"

"It's the closest I could discern."

"We need Tunin." Kagami suggests, it's better not to trust again and the Dragon's abilities are easily used over long distances, they wouldn't even be exposing the child.

"Yes…"

"It's done. Equuleus, bring Tunin to the field. ”Felix smiles, sure Damian will be ecstatic with the news. Since the first attack Akuma has wanted to leave and although there have only been two before that, they had not wanted to risk it yet.

Quickly, the boy appears next to LadyNoir and when he sees his mother, he feels guilty. Running away to find Constantine doesn't count as betraying her trust, does it? He may think that even she should have considered it, although perhaps what should bothers her is that he blackmailed Plagg.

"Something happens?"Marinette asks her little boy, who doesn't seem fully prepared, although his amber eyes seem to reflect something else.

"No mother. What should I do?"

"Can you simulate a storm, baby dragon?" Ateliade questions, if they can confuse the echo location (as Mures calls it) she can release her power and allow them to attack to obtain the Akumatized item, although it cannot be seen which one. Guessing is not much fun.

"Something happens?"Marinette asks her little boy, who doesn't seem fully prepared, although his amber eyes seem to reflect something else.

"No mother. What should I do?"

"Yes, two of the abilities are combined. It's harder, but if I just have to do that, it'll be fine.”He says with conviction.

Jade Shield moves to take people out of the Akuma's path, who cannot fully escape. Rakkīgāru unites to help, as long as they are not sure that their little plan works, they should avoid casualties as best they can.

Damian draws his sword and begins to move in parallel with the Akuma, at a good distance while concentrating on the two abilities he wants to activate at the same time. He can do it only because he's stubborn and his mother was helping him with every step, he wanted to be able to be a real help to fight alongside miraculous adult users and for that he needed to make an effort. As he tries to muster his energies for that, he better understands why his mother insisted so much that not yet, but done or not, it's his time.

"Tunin! Now or never."

He growls at Ateliade's words, but activates his powers.

"Dragon of Air and Lightning. "

Damian disappears to make way for a thick black cloud of storm that spreads around the Akuma, the lightning moves through the clouds and attacks the Violet Dolphin, which he barely dodges due to the interferences that the sound makes in his abilities... In addition to the poor vision that it has is frustrated by the intense light intervals that the rushing rays generate.

It really is a storm.

-----

Bruce Wayne is Batman

I can jump from eighth floor and survive: Paris has strange creatures.

Hell rejected me: What kind of strange creatures? Metas?

I can jump from eight floor and survive: No... it's a bat-winged dolphin that destroys everything in its path. And there are the heroes they mentioned!

I'll rest when I die: Is it real?

I can read your mind with a single glance: Are they the heroes and not the vigilantes?

I can ump from eight floor and survive: Yup, it's the heroes. Although they are still while talking.

I’m not Batman: I want a report.

I'll rest when I die: Your interest in our safety is flattering

-----

"Oh God! The boy just turned into a storm! How?! Where's the point in all of this?!"Dick almost has the jaw in the ground when seeing how the hero boy vanishes in a black cloud that begins to flash and cover the strange creature.

Everything is being televised with drones, according to the presenter. It also features the new hero, who is registered as part of the Team.

"Tunin is the current owner of the Miraculous Dragon, it was entered into the official register two months ago. His abilities are much more polished than previous Miraculous user Ryukko, demonstrating much more training. Despite his young age in relation to other heroes, we can be sure that he's trustworthy. He has already demonstrated this by displaying new skills and a great mastery of his powers. "

Tim watches with too worrying ease, still holding his cup of coffee, but he seems to pay little attention to what the newscaster has said.

He doesn't blame him, the situation seems to come out of a dream, with the same little sense.

He doesn't lose attention to what happens, they are far enough so that what happens is only barely visible through the window, but the view from the drone is very accurate. Soon another hero, the presenter calls her Ateliade, activates another power and a dragon stuffed toy falls into her hands, she and LadyNoir (the leader, according to what they said) put themselves in position taking advantage of the fact that the Akuma is too busy dealing with the cloud storm.

"It seems we managed to capture Rakkīgāru and Jade Shield as well, helping civilians to get out of the Akuma's path." Indeed, the two heroes move through the streets picking up people from the probable routes of the Giant Dolphin. "Mures remains on the sidelines, he seems to be fulfilling the role of watchman. Like Tunin, it's his first appearance. He has been registered as an official part of the team for six years, he's the second user of the Miraculous Mouse, after Multimouse with a single appearance ten years ago. "

Dick is surprised to learn that information, ten years ago? Since when is Paris dealing with this villain? Maybe he should go to the prosecution and the KanTech offices to find out the information required to know the matter.

"Dick..."

"Hmm?"

"Am I dreaming?"

"No."

"I'll leave the caffeine." Tim puts the cup on the table in front of him and takes his computer to start investigating, having his location in Paris, the information about the Akuma begin to appear. "Eleven years ago Hawkmoth first appeared and with him two heroes: Ladybug and Chat Noir. As time went by more heroes appeared and rotated, before Gabriel Agreste was arrested for being Hawkmoth, Paris was left alone with three heroes: Ladybug, Chat Noir and Vulpes. Chat Noir turned out to be the son of the villain, who was devastated and gave up being a hero... "

"What?" Dick stops watching television, missing the exact moment the Akuma goes crazy and its echo location loses the destructive effect because he can't focus enough for it.

"This is a summary of what happened seven years ago. The Butterfly Miraculous was stolen by the killer of Nathalie Sancour, the previous user of the Peacock. That Miraculous returned to the hands of Ladybug... Graham de Vanely spearheaded the lawsuit against Gabriel Agreste and Adrien was forced to marry Lila Rossi to keep his mother alive, as the heroes investigate a cure for the magical coma..."

"How did they manage to hide ALL THAT from the world?"

"Magic." Tim growls, that's the main reason, then with the joint efforts of different government bodies they became self-sufficient in it, making laws that allowed Parisian heroes and vigilantes to run freely making them an official identity within the country, but without being linked to it. How did it evolve to that point? Not even in the United States, with the acceptance of the heroes in the country, have they managed to do something like this... Will the French be more intelligent or are they much more paranoid? Because there is a complete security protocol so that the information does not come out.

They are so in jail just for mentioning all that to their family.

"We can't give that report to B... or come out as Robin and Nightwing."

"Should we register?" "Tim nods, but as far as he knows, only the MT can register heroes or vigilantes and for that they would need to contact them and give a good excuse for their visit." Everything is very well detailed, the theme of the vigilantes is not super secret like heroes. It's illegal to mention them on social networks outside the jurisdiction of France and word of mouth would not be credible because there is no information available. "

"Rakkigaru launches the cure!" The television distracts them again and they are surprised, again, to see how all the damage begins to repair itself and return to its original state.

"W-What…?

"It's one of the Miraculous Ladybug powers... it's one of the few skills that are publicly known and accurately described. The rest appear as: doubtful or not precise. "

"Do you think they are handling it well?"

"Yes... according to what Felix Graham de Vanely said, half of the evidence he presented was offered by the heroes of Paris and was, precisely, the most incriminating. Seven years have passed and they have the support of the MT, which have cleaned up the country's organized crime very well and have followed several very difficult cases that they have managed to manage... They have a more brilliant list of achievements than ours. You know, the Joker escaping Arkham every month is a stain on our record. ”Tim laughs a little when he says it. He would like to know their methods, although he suspects that they must have a network of informants, something that they have not used much because in Gotham it's unlikely to find trustworthy people, only Jason got several informants, but they have not reached more than that.

"Then let's just say hello."

"And let's seek to join that information network."

Tim sets that goal, to be part of that vigilant circle to which the MT belongs.

-----

Vivian @ LadyLuck_08

I loved Tunin's debut, will his hair be naturally long?

Leonor @Scar_FullMLeo

Did you see Mures? He's so cute

Ladybug comeback @ LadybugHero_89

It took a round hour to stop the Akuma. New record.

Chloe B. @BourgeoisQueen

Finally! I hate the basement. Who was the smart one who decided that it would be a good Akuma refuge?

#maribat #dickinette #dick x marinette #mominette #ml x dc

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avaxsinclair · 4 years ago

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Character Update: After the Hunter’s Moon

A week prior to the hunter's moon Ava's sister Camille went missing. The young witch was to meet her younger sister at the Jazz Club but when Ava arrived there, no trace of Mimi could be found. She searched, in the bar, outside, at the edge of the woods, but there was no sign of her sister and no matter how many times she called Mimi, her sister did not pick up. At first Ava tried to calm herself, thinking that it was simply a coincidence and something had kept her sister from appaering to their meeting. She called their mother, their brothers, but no matter how many days passed by, there was no sign of her sister. Ava grew restless, her magic was still ouf of control from the forest fire she had caused a few weeks earlier and she was reluctant to use it. But she needed to find her sister and so the young witch set out to perform a location spell. There was no trace of Mimi left. Not in the woods, not in the city, not in their home. Her sister had simply vanished. Ava did not want to believe it and she kept on searching, but there was nowhere else to look, there was no one else to ask. One night she went back into the woods, following old hiking trails in one last frutile attempt to find a trace of her sister, to find her magic. Anything. At first it seemed as if the young ranger in training was setting herself up for another disappointment and desperation was evident on her face, when she stumbled upon someone else. Close to a hidding spot she found a young man her age, a human with no magic in his veins. At first Ava believed him to be just another camper not following the rules out there. So, ever the ranger, she approached him. While in conversation with this stranger she could suddenly sense it. A trace of her sister's magic clung to this man. She could not believe it, stories her elders had told her, stories of hunters, suddenly appeared in her mind. But before Ava could do something, before she could summon her own magic, the stranger attacked her. What followed where days of darkness, days of endless sleep and confusion. She woke up, long after the full moon, in a circle of burned leaves. Her magic was tired, still not controllable, and a drug induced haze still present in her mind. Gabriele Fournier found her and brought her back into the town where not only her family but also the police welcomed Ava. They questioned her, but there was not much she could tell them. A missing sister. A stranger in the woods. Nothing but darkness. Ava soon realised that her sister had been found, too, but Mimi had not been as lucky as she was. Mimi, and another young with from their coven, were killed by the hunter. And the young man himself was found dead in the forest, too. Had Ava done that? Had her magic helped her? She was not sure but she thought the answer to that being a strict no. Her magic was still a stranger to her. Now she is filled with doubt while her memory is filled with gaps and holes. She grieves for her sister with every heartbeat and the days have all turned into one grey mess. Ava lost her connection to magic, her connection to all joy, and she feels as if happiness is something she does neither remember nor deserve. For there is one thought louder in her head than everything else: She found the hunter. She stood eye to eye with him. Maybe... if she had been less weak... if she had been a true witch... maybe she would have been able to save her sister. Ava now no longer trusts strangers. She has lost much of her old trust in herself and in her magic and it will take time for her to recover. She is slowly realising though that the community in Crescent Hill, mainly her friend and fellow witch Joey as well as Dwight, are what might be able to pull her through this darkness. She is now more quiet, more lost in her thoughts. She will zone out at times, thinking of her sister and missing her terribly. And she might even be out for revenge soon, if her fire can be reawakened.

#and another one 200 years too late #I needed to write this in order to know where her character stands right now and where I might be able to go with her #so I thought I could as well post it #about

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ageofxail · 2 years ago

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#this is precisely what daniel and gabriel have in common #and yet they cannot go into the woods/wilderness together #age of rail ;; daniel king #age of trail ;; gabriel hill

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maybeginny · 5 years ago

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TeamStarKid Descriptions

TeamStarKid: a bunch of thirty-ish year olds acting like children by making fun of other franchises but they're on a stage and they’re hilarious

Members (not all, but a lot, of them):

Nico Ager, Julia Albain, Rachael D. Albert, Chris Allen, Nick Anderson, Joel Arnold, Julie Ballard, Clark Baxtresser, Jaime Lyn Beatty, Jeff Blim, Mary Clare Blake Booth, Michael Bou-Maroun, Pat Brady, Cory Braun, Adam Brunetti, Tyler Brunsman, Mike Burke, Jamie Burns, Richard Campbell, Joe Carroll, Phil Chester, Amalea Chininis, Kavin Chung, Britney Coleman, Mason Cormie, Brant Cox, Darren Criss, Sam Crittenden, Matt Dahan, Corey Davis, Drew DeFour, Kevin DeKimpe, Denise Donovan, Corey Dorris, Jess Dumbroff, Ilana Elroi, Jason Emmendorfer, Erdem Ertal, Max Evarard, Mariah Rose Faith, Elona Finlay, Justin Fischer, Josh Fleury, Andrew Fox, Scott Fussey, Paul Gabriel, Nick Gage, Matt Glenn, Arielle Goldman, Ali Gordon, Gordon Granger, Lisa Griebel, Hayley Hanway, Samara Harand, Michael Hart, Andrew Hill, Jeff Himes, Brian Holden, AJ Holmes, Justin Hong, Jade Ingardona, Sam Johnides, Marta Johnson, Nick Kabat, Eric Kahn Gale, Max Kaufman, Proma Kholsa, Jon Jackson, Bob Joles, Craig Kidwell, Bruce Kiesling, Angela F. Kiessel, Justin Kono, Mike LaFond, Justin LaForte, Scott Lamps, Jen Lang, Matt Lang, Nick Lang, Mark LeGrand, Lauren Lopez, Chris Lorentz, Corey Lubowich, Evanna Lynch, Devin Lytle, Robert Manion, Jon Matteson, Lily Marks, Ryan McDiarmid, Lana McKinnon, Jama McMahon, Kaley McMahon, Curt Mega, Alle-Faye Monka, Joe Moses, Yonit Olshan, David Orlicz, Lauren Pais, Alex Paul, Devon Perry, Sarah Petty, Eric Pidluski, Tony Pisaneschi, Madeline Platt, Amy Plouff, Jim Povolo, Ryan Proch, Carolyn Reich, Corey Richardson, Joey Richter, Molly Rife, Claire Roche, Josh Romero, Brian Rosenthal, Cami Ross, June Saito, Jacob Saleh, Lena Sands, Dylan Saunders, Matt Script, Pierce Siebers, Christopher Smith, Teia Smith, Bonnie Socha (née Gruesen), Rachael Soglin, Miles Spagnola, Katie Spelman, Mike Sportiello, Meredith Stepien, Taylor Stanton, Jack Stratton, Nicholas Joseph Strauss-Matathia, Emily Stromberg, Ruby Summers, Jade Svenson, Mark Swiderski, Sango Tajima, Emily Thomas, James Tolbert, Anna Troiano, Ronnie Vail, Carlos Valdes, Meryl Waldo, Joe Walker, Lauren Walker, Russ Walko, Andy Warren, Kim Whalen, Liam White, Tiffany Williams, Clara Wong, & Marguerite Woodward

*this list most likely does not include all of the StarKids

Productions:

Little White Lie: a YouTube show about bands but Duder's a spy

A Very Potter Musical: Harry Potter but Harry is an ass, Ron is a jerk in love, Hermione is bullied, and Voldemort is hot and in love in Quirrel

Me and My Dick: Joey Richter plays a sex-crazed version of himself but it's a musical with singing dicks and vaginas

A Very Potter Sequel: Harry Potter but they go back in time and the actor who played Voldemort in the first one plays a chubby little fuck but is still hot

Starship: the little mermaid but with bugs and in space

Holy Musical B@man!: Batman but Dylan Saunders' voice fucking slays and instead of the Joker they have Sweet Tooth who makes a lot of candy puns

A Very Potter Senior Year: Harry Potter but Harry is even more of an ass, Voldemort is even hotter, and you will cry

Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier: Wicked but for Ja'far and Aladdin is a dick

ANI: A Parody: Star Wars but the villains are the heroes, Darth Vador is not threatening, Tarkin is in love with a stormtrooper, Jar Jar is lovable, and they pod race again

The Trail to Oregon!: the game but the characters are named by the audience and they are all idiots

Firebringer: cave people but with revolutions, love, and fucking awesome choreography

The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals: a musical about a guy who doesn't like musicals but a meteor crashes in his town that turns everything into a musical

Black Friday: a horror comedy commentary about capitalism and corruption but Dylan Saunders is BACK and fucking bops (i will add everyone who worked on this incredible musical to the list of StarKids as soon as i have time, sorry)

*this list does not include tours, concerts, reunions, The Harder They Fall, Hobbit, Hobbit 2, Yes, I am Afraid of the Dark!, 1 Night 2 Last 3 Ever, Airport for Birds, Movies, Musicals, & Me or their YouTube Short Comedy Sketches for the sake of simplicity

Tin Can Bros: a separate but similar theater company created by a few StarKids but they are still StarKids

Members:

Corey Lubowich, Joey Richter, Brian Rosenthal

Productions:

Spies are Forever: a musical about spies but they say the word spies way too many times and the plot twist will smack you and call you a bitch

The Solve It Squad Returns: Scooby Doo but they avoid copy-right infringement by changing all of the names and they are aged-up and depressed

*this list does not include Alive! On Stage!, Seriously Not a Joke, We Didn’t Plan to Kill Our Guest, Idle Worship, Flop Stoppers, Wayward Guide, Choose Our Destiny, or their YouTube Short Comedy Sketches for the sake of simplicity

If I forgot or am wrong about something, please let me know so I can fix it

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sapphicscholar · 6 years ago

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Happy birthday, @argyle-s! Hope ya enjoy the tooth-rotting fluff as I sneak in right under the deadline!

Chapter Text

“73 down: apparel company whose first letter stands for a three-letter word in this clue. Four letters. F-blank-B-blank.”

Maggie let her head drop back against the headrest, her gaze flitting along with the countryside flying past the train window. “I don’t know. You know it’s hard when I can’t see the grid.”

Alex turned, angling her whole body towards Maggie. “But I’m reading you everything you need!”

“Yes, and some things I don’t need,” Maggie muttered, biting back a smile at the furrow in Alex’s brow.

“What don’t you need?”

“Alex, sweetie, the love of my life, I have told you 9,000 times that I do not need to know what number across or down it is. I can’t see the grid. It doesn’t matter.”

“Right.” She tapped the tip of the pen along the side of the newspaper, finally pushing it towards Maggie. “Fine, I guess you can take a turn reading the clues.”

“Thank you.” She pressed a soft kiss to Alex’s lips as she took the pen and paper before Alex could change her mind. “Alright, let’s see…” She scanned the list of clues. “Ooh, four letters: injure, as a bear might.” A moment’s hesitation. “Maul!”

Alex smiled and tried to peer over at the paper.

“Ooh, another good one. Apt rhyme of ‘sliced.’” She grinned up at Alex as she announced: “Diced!”

“Maggie,” Alex whined. “You’re not giving me all the information. Like…how many letters was it? And which letters did we have? Also none of the letters in diced are in maul.”

“Well, no…”

“So then one is wrong. Maybe maul could be maim. Where does it intersect?”

“They don’t.”

Alex blinked over at Maggie. “You don’t go in order?”

“Do the ones you know first. Then you’ve got a bunch of spots already filled in.”

“But—but—” Alex stammered, her mouth opening and closing as she fought the urge to reach over and snatch the pen back.

“Oh boy. Maybe we take a break from the crossword before your brain breaks.”

“It’s just…if you go in order you’re literally building a structurally sound foundation.”

Deciding the next several hours of their trip would go a lot more smoothly if they didn’t bicker through them, Maggie changed tactics, putting down the newspaper and twining her fingers with Alex’s. “Hey, let’s play a new game.”

“Like what? We already did 20 questions and I Spy and the alphabet game and all the things Kara used to make us play on long car rides.”

“Hmm…fuck marry kill with the cast of The L Word?”

Alex glared, and Maggie couldn’t help the snort of laughter that escaped. “So many hours of my life I’m never getting back.”

“Okay, but might I offer in response: pretty ladies kissing other pretty ladies on your screen?”

“Not enough to make it worth my while,” Alex grumbled.

“I told you from the start that it had its issues.”

“Maggie Sawyer, you did not once tell me that I would go from being like oh, maybe I was a little bit like Jenny to oh, I’d like to push Jenny out a window.”

With a loud gasp, Maggie spun around in her seat, locking her hands around Alex’s wrists like makeshift handcuffs. “Oh my god, you’re the one that killed Jenny Schecter!”

“Oh shut up. Also, that was some bullshit bringing in Lucy Lawless for a single episode. I’d rather watch an entire series of her interrogating them than the last season of the actual show.”

“Mm, so say we all.”

“That’s just because you had the world’s biggest crush on Xena.”

“Duh.” Maggie dropped her head to Alex’s shoulder as she released her hands. “I still say you should go as her for Halloween next year.”

“You gonna be my Gabrielle?”

Maggie’s fingers trailed along Alex’s thigh, inching a bit higher than was appropriate for being in public. “You just want me to spend the whole night in a crop top.”

“Your abs are a gift to the world, but I think I’m gonna be selfish and say no one else gets to enjoy them.” Alex’s fingers itched to reach out, to run up and down Maggie’s sides, curling under that soft henley and finding the even softer skin beneath it. After a week of too many crises at the DEO and a week before that of overtime at the NCPD for Maggie, it felt like ages since she’d gotten to spend time with her girlfriend that wasn’t out in the field. And of course Maggie had to go and be responsible the night before, insisting they do laundry and pack and all the things that, Alex begrudgingly admitted, did make their morning trek to the train station rather easy. Still. Now they were left with hours upon hours of limited touching as their train trundled out of California and meandered towards the next stop.

“You’d deprive the world of that joy?”

“Oh hush, maybe I only suggested you go as Gabrielle because you’re short enough.”

“Yeah, yeah, make all the jokes you want, but we both know who the little spoon is at the end of the day.”

“You love it.”

Maggie shrugged. “Easy access to your butt? Yeah, I’m not complaining.”

For a while, they fell into a comfortable silence, watching as the train passed through rolling hills and sprawling acres of the countryside. Even though Alex had been uncertain about the idea of a multi-day train trip across the country when airplanes that could get them to Metropolis in a matter of hours existed, even she had to admit that there was something sort of romantic about the protracted journey.

“Hey,” Alex whispered after what felt like nearly half an hour, wondering if Maggie was really asleep or just closing her eyes. “Sawyer.” She poked her shoulder, deciding she didn’t really care either way.

“What?”

Asleep then, if the raspy quality to Maggie’s voice or the slight scowl Alex was getting meant anything.

“I’m bored.”

“Seriously? You have a phone.”

“The wifi’s shit out here.”

“I packed books.”

“I don’t wanna read.”

“Oh my god, Danvers. Seriously?”

“C’mon.” Alex nudged Maggie’s shoulder with her own. “I’ve missed you.” There it was—the softening of Maggie’s features, the way her whole body seemed to melt further into Alex’s.

“I don’t suppose I can coax you into a nap with me?”

“Too much coffee.”

“Fine, fine.” Yawning loudly, Maggie drew the curious gazes of a few of the passengers who shared the compartment with them. She toed at Alex’s foot, then leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Old dude, front of the car. See him?”

“A threat?” Alex’s hand flew to her sidearm, but Maggie was already there, anticipating Alex’s reaction.

“Not that kind.” She cast a meaningful look at Alex as she pulled her hand away. “But maybe he’s another kind of threat…tell me what you know? What’s he doing on this train anyway?”

“Oh!” Alex’s lips curled up into a smile. Maggie had first taught her to play the stranger game during a terribly boring week-long stakeout that had yielded absolutely nothing of use. Apparently it was the best way to pass the time in a small town, although, Maggie conceded, eventually it was also a pretty good way for rumors to get started. She still carried a bit of guilt around for making people think that Sally Wilkins’ parents had tried to send her to a convent. “Well…he’s taking the train because he can walk to the station from his house, so his neighbors won’t see that his car is gone and tell his wife…who’s traveling for work all week.”

“Yeah? Why can’t they know?”

“Oh, well, the guy across the street is a total busybody ever since he retired. He keeps tabs on all his neighbors.”

“And obviously this guy doesn’t want anyone to know where he’s off to. But why’s that? Affair? Secret family? Totally paranoid?”

Alex tapped on her lower lip as she surveyed the man in question, watching as he spilled a bit of the tepid train coffee on the back of his hand. Shaking it off, he grumbled to himself and went back to his seat. “Hmm…I think it’s a secret job. Corporate espionage or something like that. But he’s not really good at keeping secrets. Makes him queasy 24/7. So he’s gotten really paranoid.”

“Ah yes, the guilty criminal. Really, they’re the best kind. So easy to pluck out of a crowd.”

“I give him…three weeks before he turns himself in or gets caught.”

“Sounds about right. Though, ya know, if we were on the case, I think his odds would be more like three minutes.”

“Yeah, well,” Alex shrugged her shoulders, an easy grin spreading across her face, “we make a pretty unbeatable team.”

Maggie’s voice dropped into a lower register as she leaned in, breath hot against the shell of Alex’s ear. “And how would we celebrate our hundredth team victory?”

“Only a hundred?”

“This year.”

“That’s more like it.”

Throwing her arm around Alex’s shoulders, Maggie pulled her in close. “Have I mentioned lately how much I love you?”

“Mm, you know, I think it’s been several hours.”

“Well that simply won’t do. I need to know that anyone else on this train playing the stranger game is absolutely positive that we are together.”

“Let’s make it really obvious,” Alex whispered as she leaned in, her breath ghosting across Maggie’s lips before she claimed them in a searing kiss that left Maggie dizzy with want.

“If we really wanted to make it obvious…” Maggie’s fingers skirted along the waistband of Alex’s jeans, her short nails dragging along the skin and making Alex shiver.

“You could literally be inside of me,” Alex managed, though her breath hitched on the last word, “and I bet at least one person on this train would ask if we were sisters.”

Maggie groaned, drawing her hands back as she buried her face in her palms. “Ugh, the Straights are fun.”

“So fun.”

“I bet you…20 bucks we get asked if we want two twin beds tonight.”

“I’ll see your 20 and raise you another 20 for not even being asked before we get those twin beds.”

“So that’s 40 on us having sex dorm-room style?”

“Shh!” Alex put a finger to her lips, but she couldn’t quite help the snort of laughter at the scandalized looks they were getting from the woman sitting directly behind them.

---

As it turned out, they received very sincere apologies from the hotel staff—“We’re so sorry! For some reason we had the reservation listed as needing a king-sized bed, and all of our double rooms are booked.”

Before Alex could roll her eyes and correct them, Maggie graciously accepted their offers for free room service, insisting that they could “make do.” She’d mouthed “free dinner” to Alex the moment they turned around.

When they arrived, Maggie gasped dramatically and turned to Alex, announcing: “Oh no! There’s only one bed!”

“What?”

“Oh god, sometimes I forget that you’re still kinda new to the being gay thing, and then you say stuff like that.”

“Can you just tell me?” Alex huffed, resisting the urge to cross her arms and stamp her foot. “It can’t be worse than when I told you that no, I’ve never seen Imagine Me and You.”

“It’s just a trope in fan fiction. You have two characters who are secretly pining after one another, only neither of them thinks the other one could ever like them back, but then they have to go somewhere—maybe undercover as a couple or something, or else it’s just for work or a trip or really any excuse to be not at home, ya know?—and they show up, only to find out that the second room was given away, and there’s only one room left that only has one bed.”

“One person could always sleep on the couch.”

“Oh, Danvers.” Maggie let out a sigh as she shook her head. “Danvers, Danvers, Danvers. What will we do with you?”

“What? It’s a reasonable question.”

“Reasonable, maybe. But where’s the fun in that?”

“Let me guess, the fun is in having them both fall into bed together?”

“More like awkwardly crawl in while the other one is in the bathroom, spend hours not really sleeping, and wake up tangled together because secretly they’re both cuddlers.”

“Ah, I see. I suppose these are a bit more PG than I imagined.”

“Yeah, get your head out of the gutter, Danvers.” A beat. “Sex happens the next night.”

After the laughter subsided, Alex nudged Maggie. “Well…I’m not really up for waiting a whole night, but what do you say? Should I go claim my side of the bed and pretend to be awkward while waiting for you?”

“Pretend?”

“Oh fuck off.”

Maggie grinned. “Ooh, would you rather reenact an old fashioned enemies to lovers?”

“Maggie,” Alex groaned.

“Fine, fine. I’ll stop.”

“Good. Because I think”—Alex unzipped her jacket, letting it fall to the floor—“there’s really only one scenario”—Maggie’s jacket followed her own as they inched closer and closer to the bed—“I have any desire to act out.”

“Oh yeah?” Maggie’s voice had taken on that throaty quality that never failed to make Alex’s heart skip a beat.

“Mhmm,” Alex hummed, as she carefully guided Maggie down to the mattress, settling one knee on either side of Maggie’s thighs.

“Which one is that?”

“Two girlfriends”—a kiss—“who are very much in love”—a longer kiss that time—“who have gone far, far too long without a night to themselves.”

Maggie’s fingers moved slowly down the front of Alex’s shirt, undoing buttons one after another. “You know…I think I could make that work.”

#sanvers #alex danvers #maggie sawyer #fluff #supergirl #fanfic #birthday fic #vacation fic #ao3feed #alex x maggie

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ofstormboys-blog · 5 years ago

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⧼ matthew daddario, cisgender male, he/him / old pine by ben howard + a lone black wolf standing on an overcast hill, thunder in the distance on a lonely night, the sound of rain through an open window as music softly plays, worn leather jackets, a loyal pet never leaving your side ⧽ ━━ don’t look now, but that’s GABRIEL O'CONNELL. the THIRTY-TWO (536) year old VAMPIRE has been here in seattle for NINE YEARS, and is considered to be a NOMAD. they’ve always been EMPATHETIC & MYSTIFYING, but i guess this town just brings out the worst in people ; apparently, they’ve been way more UNFORGIVING & DISTANT than usual. it wouldn’t surprise me if they knew what was going on. [ shiloh, twenty-five, cst, he/him ]

BASICS.

BIRTH NAME: unknown. CHOSEN NAME: gabriel beckett o'connell. NICKNAMES: gabe, beckett, beck. BIRTHDATE: september 21, 1483 ad. AGE: thirty-two (536). BIRTHPLACE: scotland. GENDER: cisgender male, he/him. ORIENTATION: bisexual biromantic. SPECIES: vampire, feeds on humans. OCCUPATION: artist. PORTRAYAL: matthew daddario.

PHYSICALITY.

HEIGHT: six feet, five inches. POWER: darkness manipulation, also known as umbrakinesis. gabriel can create, control, and shape darkness to his every whim and has in the past used his abilities offensively and defensively. gabriel can create structures of shadow that can vary in solidity but are not entirely bound by any certain laws. a construct made in the image of a gun will shoot a solid bullet of shadow, a wall of darkness will act as a shield, and tendrils of shadow can be used as deftly as his own hands and still slice through others like a sharpened blade. naturally his ability is weaker in sunlight but he can still draw upon darkness even then, though not to the same extent as if it were night. gabriel can see through shadows and even track others via their own shadow if he wishes, though the further a shadow the harder it is until they ultimately disappear if they get too far away. his most prominent use of his ability allows him to meld perfectly into shadows to become intangible and move between them from shadow to shadow. at night he can practically teleport through the darkness. of course, his ability does take its toll and without proper feeding he can find even the most simple use of the ability to be detrimental. ABILITIES: over the centuries gabriel has amassed a wide assortment of abilities. he is trained in the martial arts and has mastered nearly every form available, only stopping out of boredom than anything else. he is a skilled thief and detective, his skills are usually put to use when he feeds as he only feeds only those that harm innocent people. he is also a skilled archer and swordsman, though he is much more deadly than any human weapon and so he doesn't ever use the skills unless for show. his most accomplished talents reside in the arts as his way of making money. from music to painting, art has been his true passion for centuries. CLOTHING: dark leather jackets, wool sweaters and the occasional turtle neck, dark denim with leather boots, sunglasses to hide his eyes, an old ring from his best friend's noble house usually on his right middle finger, button ups with the sleeves rolled up, darker colors in general.

HISTORY.

(content warning: murder, slight descriptive vampire feeding, amnesia, loss of identity, imbalance and emotionally abusive relationships.)

the earliest memory he has is the waking from transition in the lap of his sire, hands stroking his hair. after this there is burning hunger, so white hot and his sire coos when he kills an innocent farm girl the second they step outside. he has no name - no home or family to speak of. his sire claims that they don't know of them, but they always call him sweet pet names like darling or beloved or dearest. on the bad days he is it or the man, something less than human and he has to work hard for the forgiveness of his maker in those days when he somehow earns their ire.

together they carve a bloody trail through europe but never stray close enough to italy. they feast on innocents every night, and for a time he relishes in the decadent debauchery and cruelty of it all because they look at him like he's the brightest star in the sky. in time he begins to question though - who is he really? he wants more than to just be a senseless killer.

in time, about half a century later, his sire grows bored of him - of the conscience starting to grow inside him. they tell him the ugly truth - they had courted for awhile when his sire manipulated their way into his family's home back before it all. when they were found out, instead of just leaving his sire had killed his whole family and turned him for the fun of it.

he fled his sire and didn't look back, content to be nothing but a senseless monster once more. that was when an older, more mature found him and literally as well as figuratively kicked his ass. in a way they adopted him and taught him how to be more than monster with no soul. they gave him a name and even helped him to at least discover he came from a long destroyed village in scotland.

eventually, gabriel found some semblance of peace in his situation - he could never regain what he lost but he could build something new.

TL;DR - gabriel was a scottish human living a simple life when his future sire shacked up in his family's home under the guise of a poor stranger needing safety of course, gabriel being young and easy, fell into bed with his sire while still human. eventually after catching said vampire in the act of feeding - his sire killed his family and turned him to be their new plaything. maybe it was the trauma of watching his family's senseless murder or outside forces but gabriel developed total amnesia about his identity - amnesia that would never fade in time. they made a mess of europe for some fifty years before the truth came out and gabriel fled only to be eventually found by his future best friend who would help him figure himself out.

MISCELLANEOUS.

AESTHETICS: a lone black wolf standing on an overcast hill, thunder in the distance on a lonely night, the sound of rain through an open window as music softly plays, worn leather jackets, a loyal pet never leaving your side, piano music in the early morning hours, low growling from a dark treeline, hooded figures protecting innocents from criminals, blood smeared across chiseled jawlines, calloused hands gripping supple thighs, bruised knuckles left bloodied, darkness creeping along arms, two red eyes staring in the darkness, a full moon on a moonlight night, claw marks on sweaty backs, the sound of a paintbrush on canvas, full libraries, perfectly tailored suits with fancy watches, paint stained hands, gently strumming a guitar, a lonely figure strolling on a rainy day. SOUNDTRACK: sky full of song by florence + the machine, old pine by ben howard, mr. sandman by syml, river flows in you by yiruma, i am not a robot by marina, medicine by daughter, broken crown by mumford & sons, the fear by ben howard, believe by mumford & sons, cover your tracks by a boy and his kite, all these things that i've done by the killers, darkness keeps chasing me by grace vanderwaal, the troubles by u2 featuring lykke li, cold by aqualung featuring lucy schwartz, arsonist's lullaby by hozier, the loved ones by sanders bohlke, ghosts by james vincent mcmorrow, thousand eyes by of monsters and men, i'll be good by jaymes young, an unkindness of ravens by sanders bohlke, in the woods somewhere by hozier, come back for me by jaymes young, short change hero by the heavy, beauty of the dark by mads langer. DOPPELGANGERS: jonathan reid (vampyr), stefan salvatore (the vampire diaries), edward cullen (the twilight saga), geralt of rivia (the witcher), angel (buffy), adaline bowman (the age of adaline), emma swan (once upon a time), bruce wayne (dc comics), elijah mikaelson (the vampire diaries), dean winchester (supernatural), matthew murdock (marvel comics), alice cullen (the twilight saga), magnus bane (the shadowhunter chronicles), alexander lightwood (the shadowhunter chronicles).

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

SIRE/PAST: the vampire that made it all happen. they're conniving and manipulate and seductive and totally bad for gabriel which would totally be fun to see play out in present day now that gabriel has an identity and self worth. SAVIOR: the vampire that saved gabe from himself. they're pretty much the lexi branson to his stefan salvatore tbh. DEFO NEED THOSE BFF FEELS. DESCENDANTS: it would be cool if somewhere down the line gabriel discovered he has living descendents - like maybe a sibling survived and went on to have children that passed on legends of the supernatural or something. BUYER/INTEREST: someone that buys his art but is also more than that. they actually push him and seek him out instead of letting him run away - they intrigue him and he finds himself wanting to actually know someone for once.

#equinox.intro #sometimes the world needs a monster. ( gabriel musings. )#hello all this is a mess !

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silmarillionwritersguild · 6 years ago

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Holiday Feast - The final round-up

Happy New Year! Our holiday feast challenge came to an end on January 10. We hope you all had a good start to 2019. Thank you for sticking with us through 2018! We′re looking forward to discussing, enjoying and sharing our excitement for the Legendarium and for Silmarillion fanfiction with you in this new year. In this final round-up, we′re going to give you the answers to the scavenger hunt for the Starter course and celebrate the participants who joined our little feast by reading, commenting, writing stories and meta, or producing fanart and playlists. Thanks for joining us – we hope you enjoyed your meal!

Reading

For the starter course, we gave you a couple of first lines to search. Participants didn′t have to find them all, but discover at least one and read the corresponding chapter (or work). For everyone who didn′t manage to hunt down all of them and is curious, here are the answers:

There was a cold wind blowing off the North Star when they got near the world’s edge, and the chilly spray of the waterfalls splashed over them. ~Roverandom, Chapter 4

In that time were made those things that afterwards were most renowned of all the works of the Elves. ~The Silmarillion, "Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor"

’Well, master, we’re in a fix and no mistake,’ said Sam Gamgee. ~The Two Towers, "The Taming of Sméagol"

In the South from sleep | to swift fury / a storm was stirred, | striding northward / over leagues of water | loud with thunder / and roaring rain | it rushed onward. ~The Fall of Arthur, III

Ægidius de Hammo was a man who lived in the midmost parts of the Island of Britain. ~Farmer Giles of Ham

It is said that Beren and Lúthien returned to the northern lands of Middle-earth, and dwelt together for a time as living man and woman; and they took up again their mortal form in Doriath. ~The Silmarillion, "Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad"

In the days of the Dark Kings, when a man could still walk dry-shod from the Rising of the Sun to the Sea of its setting, there lived in the fenced town of his people in the green hills of Agar an old man, by name Hazad Longbeard. ~The Peoples of Middle-earth, "Tal-Elmar"

Grundy, Zdenka, Independence1776, StarSpray and Nienna have let us know that they′ve completed the full Reading menu. Great job! Mysterious_jedi completed the cheese course. Well done!

Commenting

Of course, everybody who commented on at least one of the fanworks created for this challenge took a nibble of the cheese course for this aspect of the menu. Accordingly, Silver Trails, StarSpray, Kimaracretak, Himring, Gabriel, CeeCee, BaileyBoyBee, Dawn Felagund, Oshun and yours truly have already earned a Commenting stamp for this challenge.

Grundy, Zdenka, Independence1776 and Nienna have managed to complete the entire Commenting menu. Again, congratulations! If you, too, have completed one of the Reading or Commenting prompts – or even completed all five courses – and we′ve somehow missed it or you haven′t told us yet, please drop us a comment here or on LJ, send us an ask or mail us at [email protected].

***

We were hoping for a splendid array of responses for our Artwork, Meta and Writing prompts, and you did not disappoint. 38 pieces have been newly created for these aspects of the challenge – a spectacular holiday buffet that we present you now. If you enjoy an author's work, please consider dropping them a comment to let them know!

Artwork

Starter:

Gil-galad with Palantír by hennethgalad.

"They’re out there." - first line of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest". (digital art)

Arien/Ilmarë Playlist by Nienna324.

It is a little harder to fit the prompts with fanmixes, but it sort of fits in three ways. One, some of it takes place before or in the beginning of time. Two, it could be thought of as the start of a relationship or at least a few of the songs are. And three, my prompt for this course was "It was a pleasure to burn"-Ray Bradbury. This made me think of Fëanor, but also Arien.

Fish:

Tropical Waters Uinen by Hrymfaxe (watercolour)

Temperate Waters Uinen by Hrymfaxe (watercolour)

Númenor Playlist by Nienna324.

A Youtube playlist for the Art challenge of the Holiday Feast Fish Course.(fanmix)

Main:

Never Fade Away by Nienna324.

A Youtube playlist for the rebellion and exile of the Noldor. (fanmix)

Dessert:

And She Might Know Me Well by Kimaracretak.

This mix is dedicated to Elleth, the one who got me into the world of Tolkien-fandom-on-the-internet in the first place. She requested something with Goldberry femslash, because "eldritch river spirits are always good". A Goldberry/Lady of the Blue Brooch sad eldritch ex-girlfriends mix, set in my AU where the Lady becomes a Black Rider! (fanmix)

Maglor and the Twins Playlist by Nienna324.

A gift for independence1776. (fanmix)

Cheese:

Beren and Lúthien Playlist by Nienna324.

I know Beren and Lúthien were listed for the reading challenge, but as far as "scene that you think they would ham up the most" is concerned this would be it, so I think it fits either way. (fanmix)