#and am mid switching to tumblr but if there are alternatives.......

[userkuromi-archive]

so what are y'all's fav image hosting sites for gif packs? 🤔

[shintorikhazumi]

“CABBAGE”

A/N: First, I wanna apologize to the Diakko day mods that reviewed a completely different fic for me that was supposed to be my entry, but then... boom new diakko day entry. I’m sorry ;-;, I just couldn’t figure out a flow that would still have what I had in mind. Uwu, sorry for using up your precious time.

Soulmate, non-magic? AU. Cliche stuff, common trope. STILL. I’m using it. Fun fact, I slaved away for this for two/three days hoho~ peak procrastination, don’t encourage it. Also on ao3, but I have a habit of posting full chaps on tumblr. Teehee. This is... long... (could have been a crazy multi-chap, ey?) but I guess that’s what you get for trying to fit a full story with an AU setting that needs to be established. Sorry if it feels slow with regards to reaching DiAkko, but don’t worry, from when they come along til the end, you’ll have loads of them. Sorry for the pacing tho :((( I also apologize in advance if there are some OOC bits that y’all might not like. Not too confident in it, but hope you all like it. I DID NOT BETA READ THIS ANYMORE BECAUSE I’M TIRED OF THE LENGTH OF IT LMAO. Anywho...

Happy DiAkko day! Enjoy?

~Shintori Khazumi

It was a normal thing, really. She had grown up with a thin chain slung around her neck, attached to another tiny metal thingy resting against the skin of her collarbone. On cold days, she would keep it in her pocket because god knows how weirdly tingly and-or painful that felt on bare skin. Sure she could have chosen to just wear it so that others could see it- actually, wasn’t she going against society’s rules when she hid it? She was, wasn’t she. Heck, it surprised her now that she’s realized it. Why hasn’t she been arrested yet? This is a crime isn’t it? Her mom, her dad, would they get to say their farewells once she got incarcerated-

“I can see it on your face, that you’re thinking about something totally stupid again.”

“Shut up, Sucy.”

“Just saying.” Sucy shrugs, going back to working on their chemistry lab activity. “I mean, I kinda just want you to focus on what we’re doing. Unless you want me to slip in some stuff in your project there.” She grinned in that evil little way the brunette had come to know her for.

“If I know you, which I do, you’ve probably already done that.”

“Akko! I can’t believe you’d accuse me of something like hurting my friends.” Sucy really couldn’t sell the ‘feigning shock’ act as her monotone words did little to convey emotion, and that forced gasp was probably just everyone else’s normal manner of breathing. Which was scary, now that she thought about it. Did that mean Sucy’s normal breathing was even less obvious? Oh god, now that Akko thinks about it, she would sometimes joke in her head about how she often wondered whether or not Sucy was actually dead during sleepovers.

‘I mean, come on! She sleeps like a corpse in a coffin! And she always looks so pale-’

“I knew you were thinking about something stupid again.” Once more, her thoughts were brought to a halt by that lazed, snarky voice that could only belong to her best friend who shared her mutual desire to strangle one another.

“I was just wondering if you were undead or something.”

“Screw you.”

“Wish I’d find someone to do that...” Akko muttered under her breath, to which Sucy sighed. She had heard it, and immediately knew what the Japanese was about to get hung up on. Again. Like she always did.

A hand reaching over to pat her back in consolation, but Akko felt a little worse, feeling that small, hard material lightly tapping the area along with the rest of Sucy’s hand. Sucy chuckled, sympathetically. “I know you’re constantly in a state of heat, Akko-” Or not.

“I am not, you bitch!”

Sucy could stand to ignore that. “-But really. Are you really that obsessed with finding your soulmate? We’re all young and all that jazz that those old hags keep yapping about. You have a lot of time, you know?” She smiled a sincere smile this time, trying her best to comfort her friend. “And besides, even though it’s something written on official print that most people find their soulmates at sixteen, most isn’t all.”

Akko felt a little better. Sucy could be an asshole, but as a best friend, she really knew what to say to Akko sometimes.  

“-That’s basic English that even you can understand.”

She takes it back. She takes some of her heartfelt gratitude back. “I hate you.”

“Aww, I abhor you with all of my non-existent heart as well.” Sucy smirked, swatting Akko’s attacking hand away. “Muah~” She threw in a wink for good measure.

“Ughh, oh gosh... Professor Croix!” Akko bemoaned to their supervising teacher. “Can I please use the emergency shower? And eyewash. I think Miss Manbavaran got her unholy sappiness spilled all over me.”

Croix sighed, rubbing the spot between her eyes with her thumb and index finger. Not this again. “Can’t you two ever pipe down in my class?” She sighed. “PLEASE?!”

“Nope.” -Was the deadpanned response.

“I now see why you guys are friends.” Croix groaned, walking over to their table. “You little shits just won’t give me a break. And yet, you’re so behaved with Chariot.”

“Hey! Sensei, cursing your students is bad!” Akko scolded, before adding, “Besides, this and that are separate matters. Prof Chariot is just sweet and so nice, you can’t bear the weight of guilt of hurting her. Right?” Akko turned to Sucy who just nodded.

“Shut it, Kagari. That is not a valid rea- wait... maybe it is.”

“See?”

Her head was starting to hurt. Just why had she decided to be a teacher in place of any other job involving chemistry? Really, there were so many other things she could have done!

Just as she was about to return the verbal jabs, a gentler voice inserted itself into their conversation. “Umm... guys, professor, the other students are being distracted by your... um... exchange.”

Three pairs of eyes blinked, before two widened in apologetic shock, while the other seemed to gleam in pleasure. “Sorry, Lotte.”

“Sucy, please try to look even the slightest bit sorry.”

And disappointment replaced them right away.

“Tsk.”

“Sucy... we will be having a talk back in our room.” Akko heard that audible gulp, reaching for her friend’s hand under the table, squeezing support.

“Don’t die.” She whispered.

“You too, Akko.”

“Noooo! How? I don’t even live with you two!”

Lotte was about to respond that Akko always stayed over, anyway, but the frantic screams of their teacher took the words far away from her mind.

“Akko! Akko! Your solution is bubbling! Wait, that’s not supposed to do that-” Croix’s concern was justified as in a matter of a split second, everyone in their immediate circle was covered in some bright pink substance. “SHOWER, EMERGENCY SHOWER-”

“W-we won’t all fit, Professor!” Lotte had begun tearing up, wondering if she was about to die from whatever toxic chemical their beloved dunce must have mixed in. Maybe if she prayed to something somewhere out there, the spirits of nature would take hers and maybe she could live as some kind of forest sprite in some alternate magical world, and crap, she was becoming delusional.

“Hoho~ What a nice outcome~.”

“Manbavaran!”

“Relaaaax, I switched out all of Akko’s components for some of my stuff. It was a precaution.” She smiled, unbelievably innocent-looking. “...and maybe added a little surprise.”

“Su.CY!” Akko lunged forward before being stopped mid-air, caught by the collar.

“Akko. Sucy. I’ll see you in the office later.”

“...your office?” They seemed amazingly unfazed. They’d probably been so used to being there that they must see it as a lounge of sorts. But no, Croix wasn’t going to be defeated by teenage rascals that were the cause of her hair prematurely turning white. No.

“Nope.”

“Th-then, Finneran’s?” They weren’t completely scared of the aforementioned teacher. She just gave them such an earful, sometimes they’d joke to Lotte about needing hearing aids at some point.

“No.” Croix’s smile grew despicably wide and dark. “Holbrooke’s.”

Lotte sighed in sympathy. Well, she’d expected this development sooner or later. “I’ll wait for you by the usual bench.”

//-//-//-//-//

A week of suspension. One week off school, no school or class-related updates allowed from classmates, and only check-ins and work drops from teachers. That was... surprisingly light after all the trouble they’d accumulated over the past first month of the semester. Or maybe it was because it was just the start of the school year that the headmistress really wanted as little to go wrong as possible. Preferably nothing would go wrong. Or it could also be the fact that they were in their senior year, and the teachers really wanted all their students to graduate.

But you could never tell with a group as rowdy as the ‘witches’ of Luna Nova International Institute. They were rightly labeled as such with the cursed terrors they had inflicted, every incident they’ d caused all over the school premises and beyond.

If it wasn’t Akko and Sucy, it was Jasminka somehow being able to sneak in and out of the classroom and buy out the entire snack section of the cafeteria, and making it back to class without anyone noticing. With her size, it was some kind of scary magic trick. If it wasn’t that either, then it was Constanze constantly installing who-know’s-what in the schools’ computers. It it wasn’t her, then it was Amanda and Hannah pulling at hairs, or cutting at each other’s necks, then the next thing you know they’re either making out in public, or making out in public... with Barbara. There was also Lotte when she was in her wild states of fangirling after a new Night Fall release. People tended to keep a safe distance from her during those times. (She’d once shaken a girl unconscious out of her sheer excitement at the mention of, ‘Oh, I read the latest release too’.)

Never a dull day with them.

Scarily so.

Holbrooke had smiled at them kindly as always, but there was just a little something else behind it that felt like Akko and Sucy were about to die on the spot.

“Please. I beg of you. Your first two years, we tried to overlook all your mischief as it did not pose any threat to the masses, only towards you and your friend group... well... physical harm or threat, at least. I don’t know how many people are psychologically scarred because of you.” She had said that, but they didn’t know if it was a joke, a serious statement, or both.

After being given twenty blank pages to write their usual apologies on- they shared a laugh, thinking back on when Amanda got fifty-, the pair made their merry way to the bench just by the school gate where Lotte sat, chatting alongside and excited Barbara, a Hannah with a fond smile directed at her life-time partner, and Amanda who was carrying both their bags for them, waving goodbye to Constanze and Jasminka who looked like they were just leaving.

“Aww, didn’t get to catch my little friend.” Akko pouted, wanting to hug Conz as she always did. She was so cute. And soft. Like a plush. Always calming Akko down.

“She’s gonna shoot one of her tiny lazers at you again. Those actually burn.” Amanda reminded, laughing as she remembered what Lotte told her about why they were late. “And I heard you two got some quality time with the big woman upstairs?” Her grin widened. “How many?”

“Twenty.” They responded in synch, hands aching from the memory.

“Heh... not bad. Doesn’t beat my record though.” She cackled, slinging an arm over Hannah’s shoulder, Akko not missing the glint on her left ring finger. How nice.

“Don’t egg them on, idiot.” Hannah sighed, peeling the limb off her. “And you all got nothing on these two.” She pointed a thumb to the still excitedly conversing pair. “They wrote a fucking novel for their apology. Literally. But the teachers were so tired of reading that they weren’t made to write apology notes anymore.”

“Hey! Cleaning the bathrooms aren’t the best either!” Barbara, now done with her talk with Lotte, turned to pinch the ginger’s arm.

“I mean, we all have cleaned them at some point.”

“True, true.” The group nodded in consensus.

“...”

“This is not a very good fact.” Barbara pointed out, and they all laughed, the ones seated slowly getting up, everyone ready to go home.

As they exited the gate, they all waved their goodbyes, Akko and her two best friends heading one way, and Amanda and her girls the other. Just as the sun was setting at that hour in the afternoon, red eyes caught the reflected glimmer of light against the three bands on each girl’s ring finger. Those same eyes traveled to similar hoops donned by the pair walking quietly in front of her, hands brushing by one another.

Really. She was happy all her friends had found their destined ones. Some partners may look to be as mismatched as Sucy and Lotte, and some cases were as rare as the three-way between the snarky British girls and their American idiot, but... the system had worked some magic in perfectly matching people, it seemed. They all seemed happy with who they had.

Akko didn’t know if this was some kind of spiritual occurrence like fate or the likes, or if this was just one ginormous scientific experiment on billions of guinea pigs across the globe, but... Akko wanted in on it too.

Placing a hand over where her heart was, she felt for the metal against her chest, clutching it through her uniform blouse.

Just when would her “soulmate” come?

//-//-//-//-//

Their first stop, as per usual, was the small apartment complex that Lotte and Sucy lived in. When their parents had discovered that these children had found the one meant for them, they were more than willing to help the girls move in together, and get used to a life-long companionship. They trusted them as they were both capable and level-headed, and Akko was so happy that her friends were happy. She always was.

Lotte invited her in. As always. And Akko should’ve accepted like she always did as well, but somehow, today... she just didn’t feel like it. So she made a random excuse, something believable enough, like how her parents had asked her to make dinner because they’d be home late, and the Fin just had to let her go, even if she felt something was off, and that the brunette might just be lying.

There had been a time when Lotte and Sucy had just gotten together that Akko seemed to distance herself from her best friends. They soon found out it was out of her concern that she might be intruding on their relationship, or bothering them, taking away from the time the pair could spend alone together as a couple. Obviously, they had never seen Akko as a nuisance, and were saddened she would think of such things.

With a talk, reassurances, and clarifications in place, their bond as friends became ever stronger, and more trusting.

But Akko still wanted to be considerate. Out of love.

...and maybe a little envy that made her want to distance herself from the sight of people with fulfilled partnerships.

Maybe she was just a sore, lonely loser who couldn’t truly be happy for her friends.

Who knows.

After jogging the rest of the way home, a simple five-minute distance away from the apartments, she reached that familiar wooden gate, the name plate “Kagari” shiny and clean, like her mother liked it. Pushing the swinging portion open, she walked up the driveway, smiling at her share little garden with her Mama. Looks like the vegetables were growing up healthy. Maybe she could try some new dishes out and have her friends give her feedback. The usual agenda.

“I’m home!” She called out in the foyer, shoes slipping off and set neatly to the side. A habit strongly instilled in her since childhood. “Mama?” The scents of vegetables and meat, and was that... cookies! Her mom was baking cookies! “Mama!”

Padding down the hall and entering the open living room, she found her father splayed out, snoring on the couch with a newspaper covering his face. Giggling to herself, she continued her way into the kitchen, spotting the one she’d been looking for, ear buds in and swaying to some music only she could hear. Akko smiled. Her mom was so youthful, she was such a girl. With her bright pink apron and bunny slippers, and impeccable manners and home skills.

“Ma~ma!” She called, hugging her mother’s waist from behind.

The older woman yelped, spatula flying into the air, but with Akko smoothly catching it and licking off some of the sauce on it. She tried not to look into those disproving eyes, and simply released her mother and went to wash the utensil.

“Akko...”

“I said I was home! You didn’t hear me, mama. This is revenge.” She grinned cheekily, her mother sighing before a fond smile played on her lips.

“Fine, fine. But just this once, okay?”

“Hai~” Akko gave a mock salute, enjoying this moment with her mother as the her co-brunette rolled her eyes fondly. Akko walked up to her, kissed her cheek, and attempted to “appease” her mother by offering her exemplary culinary services- or so her dad had once claimed. “Let me help you out?”

Unable to keep up the annoyed act longer, her mother slipped into giggles, turning to gather her daughter into her arms and pepper kisses all over her hair. “Thank you, baby. Please chop me up some of the veggies in the bag by the sink.”

“Roger!”

And they shared another laugh at the voice coming from the other room, screaming a sleepy, “WHO’S ROGER?! ANOTHER BOY-”

The usual always felt so good.

//-//-//-//-//

Dinner had been fairly uneventful. Her cousin- the relation fairly distant- who currently lived with them wasn’t home still, just like always. She knew he was always busy at school, and with the little business her father had him manage, so that was a normal thing as well. She had ended up just confessing to her parents what she’d done in school this time, in hopes that her being honest instead of them finding out via a phone call from school first would ease the inevitable punishment awaiting her.

It... kind of helped. Kind of.

Her father had laughed so hard, clearly amused at her and Sucy’s antics. Her mother sighed deeply, not knowing if she should even still be disappointed anymore. Akko and school accidents and incidents weren’t uncommon at all, after all. It wasn’t a surprise. Really, the biggest school-related surprise they’d gotten was the fact that Akko wanted to take a science-related course instead of an arts one. They knew it had always been her dream to be a performer. So why was she taking that when Luna Nova offered the Arts as well. It was something they would forever wonder about.

Akko was usually so open and honest with them in just about everything, but this was one thing she would never clear up with them. And they could never understand why. There was definitely a deep reason behind it. But why did she have the need to keep it to herself? They worried, but they also believed in her, that she would tell them if she needed to. She was that kind of child.

They hoped.

Kissing her parents good night, She walked away from the kitchen banter of who should wash the dishes between the two adults, and trudged up the wooden stairs to her room. Akko had offered, but they said she should just rest up. She looked like she had a long day. Besides, she had a week to help out at home. Akko shivered at the thought of being worked like a mule. That was a joke of course, but her mama could be so Spartan sometimes.

Her door clicked close, and she immediately found herself face-first in the soft covers of the lower bunk of her bed, lights of the room still down. Originally, the Kagari’s had been expecting twins because of how large Akko’s mother’s stomach had been. Apparently, they were simply blessed with a very healthy baby. (She was a fair bit taller than her mother, and had a good height for a Japanese woman). As Akko grew up, however, she insisted to keep the bunk as it seemed like it could be useful to turn into her own little fort. Plus, sleepovers wouldn’t be much of a problem in terms of space.

Flipping onto her back, she stared at the glow-in-the-dark stars pasted onto the top of her ceiling. It was fairly high up, with this side of the house being designed a little differently, the roof of Akko’s room forming a dome. This was at her request as a child after attending one of Professor Chariot’s public lectures on stars as a child. Akko had since then been hooked to them, the fading glow of the stickers allowing her sights of the constellations she’d painstakingly formed, sticking each point one by one with the help of her dad and a ladder.

She had been saving up lately to buy one of those small, portable planetarium projectors. She didn’t want to outright ask her parents for one, and she had taken a few secret part-time jobs to make up for the amount she needed. Little by little, she was getting close to her goal. She’d have one someday. One day.

Her eyes felt heavy all of a sudden, an arm moving to rest over them as her breathing slowed, thoughts drifting to stars and constellations, and myths, and tales, and fate, and...

Her world shut down.

//-//-//-//-//

“Atsuko. Atsuko, get up. Akko. Wake up, bloody hell, you sleep like a log!”

“Mmrrnghmm... eh?” Blinking her eyes open, she spotted a young man, brown hair just like hers, dressed in a cardigan and slacks, looking ready to go out on some date, or the like, or maybe he had more business as usual. “Andrew.”

“Akko.” He responded dryly. “It’s eight in the morning. I know it’s the weekend, but really, sleeping in isn’t a good habit.”

Rolling over to shield her eyes from the intrusive sunlight and man, she waved him away sloppily, ready to get back to rest, body feeling heavy for some reason.

“Akko!”

“You really do take my mom’s place when she isn’t around, Andrew.” Akko complained, sitting up, if only to get Andrew to pipe down. “Alright, I get it.” She rubbed the sleep away from her eyes, stretching her body out and taking in a breath of fresh air. “But if you’re here, I’m figuring my parents are out?”

She received a nod, followed by an explanation. “They said they had a picnic date planned for the whole day.”

Akko pouted. “Aww, and they didn’t think to take me along? How mean~”

“They tried to wake you up, believe me.” Andrew scoffed. “You could sleep through world war two without problem, however.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Get out, please.”

“Later.”

“I’m asking nicely.” Akko whined, slipping out of her bed, realizing she hadn’t changed out of her uniform last night.

“After I tell you about our plans for today.”

A well-shaped brow raised in suspicion at the words. “Our plans?” Akko voiced. “What do you mean. ‘our plans’? I don’t have any plans of spending time with you today, as far as my knowledge tells me.”

“Not that you have mu-” Andrew was about to throw in the usual insulting jab, playful banter, but refrained. He did actually need Akko to go with him.

“Hmm?” The lack of a biting response didn’t sit quite well with Akko. Something was up with her cousin, and she was sure that she was about to find out just what.

There was an awkward pause in the air before the older boy cleared his throat; maybe he should begin with getting on her good side. “L-lovely weather we’re having today.”

“Just tell me what you want from me and leave.”

“We’re going to the mall, please help me.”

“Why?”

“...”

“Why?” Akko pressed. If Andrew wasn’t going to give her a good enough explanation, she wasn’t going to move a single inch.

“...It’s Denise’s birthday soon.” He confessed, and Akko actually backed off.

“Oh.” She immediately understood what Andrew wanted without him having to expound on his earlier statement. Really, he could be such an adorable dork sometimes, especially when it came to Denise.

Denise was Andrew’s set partner. She was a kind person, gentle, lady-like, intelligent, mild-mannered, but strong-willed. She was great. Too good for Andrew, Akko would tease at times. But really, they made such a good match. She liked Denise; she was sweet to Akko, exchanged treats with her, as well as tutored her from time to time, being in the same school and all. She also kept Andrew busy and out of Akko’s hair, so she was perfect! So if not for Andrew’s sake, Akko should at least do something nice for her friend.

“Give me half an hour. I’ll be ready by then.”

Andrew breathed a sigh of relief, offering Akko a grateful smile. “Thank you. I’ll see myself out then.”

“Finally!”

With a childish sticking of the tongue out at each other, a habitual thing they had formed, Andrew had closed the door to Akko’s bedroom, not forgetting to lock it behind him for privacy’s sake. Akko was thankful.

Instead of getting up, however, and preparing for the day with Andrew out of the room, Akko lay back down on the soft mattress, eyes trained to the top of the room again. As she saw her little clusters of stars and constellations, red ribbons connecting points one to the other, always to be linked even if they were far apart, never to be broken, her regular intrusive thoughts had begun making their way to the forefront of her mind again.

Fated people... soulmates, huh. Weren’t those terms just glorified ways of saying everyone was in some kind of arranged marriage they could never get out of? Wouldn’t there be at least one person averse to all this? Maybe? But why... did all the people she’s known, who’ve met their match-why did they all seem content?

Feeling for that familiar metal piece under her clothing, she pulled it out by the chain, observing it as it glinted against the morning light. Her finger traced over the engraving on the outside, admiring the workmanship, but frowning at the words.

She thought back on it all. How all this destined person stuff all started out, as the history books told them. Before the records of History ever existed, they said that the leaders of the ancient world had gathered together, seeing the ‘sorrow of the world’, and came to a decision of what to to do to make the world better in that regard. They decided that ‘LOVE’ was the answer, as cheesy as it sounded. And so a system was put into place that would overcome barriers and seas, both literal and figurative, of difference, and bring to mankind the meaning of true joy- Akko always found it incredibly sappy and cringey when it was laid out like that.

Like any system, there were the finer details that made it all work one way or the other. It is said that people are born issued with a ring to be worn on their person on all times. It was a mystery as well, how one could never seem to outgrow the ring. Like it was made to grow alongside you. It was made out of metal, however, and it made things all the more perplexing. Who knows what magic goes on behind all of this? No one knows who makes the rings, or who created this system; nor does anyone know who assigns partners to each other. All they’ve known are the facts that the rings were created, containing words that served to be a hint to who your soulmate is supposedly. When you meet that person, you’d just know. The words, they’d just make sense. It didn’t matter if it never did all your life. One day, everything would just click, apparently. That was how the words were chosen, they said. Then these rings would be distributed to countries and the government would be responsible in ensuring that they got to their rightful owners.

Honestly, this whole thing sounded like some deep cult-ish shit, and Akko was quite shocked that she- along with possibly millions, or billions- had never questioned it before. After all, it was the usual; as always, the norm. It could be something of a mysterious world movement that no one knew of, but with it simply claiming to have the goal of ‘bringing happiness to all citizens’, people hardly seemed to mind where it took them.

Akko remembered the first time she ever found it weird. She was in the fourth grade, and that day, they had learned the importance of the words on the rings. ‘Hints to finding your one, true love, their teacher had claimed, trying to rouse excitement from the students at the prospect of soulmates.

And while every other little girl squealed in joy and giddiness upon reading the words written on their rings, Akko had a look of distaste on her face at the sight of her words, immediately hiding the item from possibly prying eyes of her classmates who had already began to compare words with others.

She hated it. She had then ran home to tell her mother about it.

“Mooommm! Mom!”

“Akko? What’s wrong? You’re all sweaty and you still have your outdoor boots on-”

“Why does my word suck so much?”

“Huh?” The woman was lost for words, confounded by a simple question.

“Why does it suck so much? My word!  I mean...” Holding her ring out for her Mama to see, Akko continued on her rant. “What the heck does cabbage even mean?! IS HE A FARMER?! DOES MY SOULMATE LIKE CABBAGE THAT MUCH?!”

“Ah... well...”

“Why couldn’t it be something cool like yours and dads. ‘Eyes like rubies’, and ‘Rider from the north’ just sounds so badass and romantic! And then there’s me with CABBAGE.  Sure, the ring is pretty and all, but... WHAT IS CABBAGE?!”

“I... don’t know, sweetheart.”

Akko had felt so frustrated with her word, that she wanted to cry. “My soulmate sucks!”

Thinking back on those times, she sure was such a child. It wasn’t her soulmate’s fault that the government or whatever authority or higher power decided to describe him or her that way. If anything, her partner is a victim of slander. Even Sucy had it better with the description. Akko chuckled mirthlessly. What are those people thinking. Ah, her head was starting to hurt from overthinking all this.

“’Bring happiness to all citizens’, my ass. With a hint as weird and cryptic as this, how am I supposed to be ‘happy’ like everyone else?” Akko sighed once more, unclasping the chain from behind her neck, and taking her ring off, hanging it over her eyes, watching it dangle in the air, the elegant cursive of ‘cabbage’ pissing her off a little more than it should.

Along with the ring came a handbook of sorts. Akko’s sat atop her bedside drawer. In it were more rules, guidelines, and information to be taken note of, but they could only be read at certain ages, sections sealed off by some kind of technology that only unlocked come one’s birthday. An example of a rule was related to how to wear the ring. It didn’t seem to be a heavily imposed rule as Akko had done away with it all her life. It was that rings should be worn on your right ring finger so long as you hadn’t found your assigned partner, moving it to your left once you have. Akko had been ashamed of her word and had always carried it around her neck, hidden underneath her clothes. Her mother had scolded her for it in the past, but she didn’t care. She didn’t want to get teased by the other children for having such a strange hint. She had believed that it would give her a hard time.

And it still did. With it being so vague and odd, there was no way this hint made much sense to her, at all. Would she ever find the person her whole being was linked to for a lifetime?

Besides the rules came soulmate-related explanation for the rings and words. An instance of this would be that the meaning behind the words would only be revealed to them once they entered fourth grade. She never understood the significance of that. Why couldn’t one just read through everything and understand it all at once? Well, not that it mattered. She would soon be turning eighteen, and opening a section that made her feel just the slightest bit bitter.

[What to do if you haven’t found your soulmate yet.]

Sucy may have told her that each person had their own time, and that she was still young, and had plenty of years to go searching. But when everyone else around you had already found theirs by the “normal” designated time, you’d start to feel quite isolated and lonely, right? She was already different from the rest with the weird-ass word she was stuck with, and now she wasn’t even close to being on the right track to finding the person it was pointing to.

It was frustrating.

Three knocks and a voice followed suit. “Akko? Are you ready? It’s been about twenty-five minutes, but I didn’t hear any noise coming from your room. Are you actually okay?”

Right. Andrew.

“I’m fine! Sorry, I got lost in thought. Be right out! Maybe in fifteen! My bad, really.”

“It’s fine, I’m the one requesting a favor, after all!” Andrew responded through the wood, and Akko felt his presence leave her immediate area.

Hopping off her bed and grabbing her towel, she made her way to the bathroom. Maybe a cold shower would help her stop thinking about all of this for a few. She really should stop questioning the whole system of practically the whole world. It wasn’t good for her sanity.

Turning on the shower and soaking herself, her assumption of her endangered mental health was confirmed.

“AH, I FORGOT TO STRIP!”

//-//-//-//-//

“You sure took your sweet time getting ready.” Andrew commented, locking the door behind them and tossing the keys into his pocket as they got to walking. Opening the gate for Akko with a bow, they shared a laugh, going on their merry way down the street.

As often as they got on one another’s nerves, they undeniably enjoyed each other’s company. It was nice. Akko liked it to an extent. The conversation was fun, the exchanges never dull, it was time spent well. What she didn’t like about hanging around with Andrew were all the stares and glares she got from people around. Much like now.

It would’ve been great if it ended with just observation, but there was always that one brave (or maybe stupid) soul who would come up to the pair to ask if they were an item. The brunette pair would then proceed to do their usual schtick of jumping a meter away from each other, and pretending to gag whilst glaring.

“NO WAY. WITH HER/HIM?!”

And despite the denial, instead of feeling joy at the availability of Andrew- Akko assumed it was him that people always wanted to confirm about anyway- there was no delight, only some form of fear. The creeped-out kind maybe?

Continuing their walk, Akko slapped Andrew’s shoulder, hard. The boy looked like he could bite her.

“Ugh... it’s already such a pain in school when we have joint functions and people mistake us for a couple. I was hoping it was obvious we were related.”

Andrew scoffed at the statement. “I’m sorry, but I’m actually quite pleased I don’t look to be related to your ugly face.”

He deserved the stronger smack, Akko would say.

“AKKO! That hurt!”

“You know what else hurts? The fact that people can’t seem to get it in their heads that not every guy and girl walking next to each other are partners. Damn, and I used to think it was a good thing that I could use you to get out of awkward confession situations.” Sometimes people did that, despite the entire ‘destined partner’ situation. “Weird times.”

“You actually get confessed to? Hahaha, why? Guys must need glasses.”

The tall lad flinched at the held up fist. “I’m kidding. You’re actually growing up to be quite pretty Akko.”

Eyes wide one second, then smiling sweetly the next, a chill ran up Andrew’s spine at Akko’s reaction... that suddenly morphed into disgust, a hand pinching his side. “Ew, I kinda liked you better when you weren’t so gross and cheesy.”

“Ah- h-hurts, that, Akko, that stings, ouch! Let go! I was trying to be nice!” Andrew retaliated with his own pinch to Akko’s slightly rounded cheeks. “Let go!”

“You lwet gfho!” They released their holds at the same time, rubbing the sore spots on their bodies. “Why were you suddenly being all weird?”

“...ate...etter...man...”

“What was that?” Akko couldn’t understand any of Andrew’s incoherent mumbling.

“...My soulmate told me I should really try to be a better gentleman... to you...”

“Haha, she’s right about that! You’re such a dick!”

“Oi!”

Before Andrew could physically get back at her, Akko made a dash to the mall entrance across the street right as the street light turned green for pedestrians. “Loser has to buy the other ice-cream!”

“That’s cheating!”

“Maybe!”

//-//-//-//-//

“See? You’re all out of energy now because of how rowdy you were earlier today.” Andrew scolded, hands on his hips, a paper bag with the chosen gift in it, slung around one wrist.

“Y’think so? This is usually... hah... nothing... to me.” Akko panted, plopping down on one metal chair by the ice-cream bar. “Weird.”

Andrew sighed, deciding to cater to Akko’s needs since she was nice enough to help him out today. “I’ll get you a water. What flavor of ice-cream would you like?”

“Matcha-Vanilla~” Akko drawled, now slumped against the table, liking the cool surface against her somehow, heated cheek. “Go forth, my peasant!”

“Noted, your eminence.”

“Mm, mm!” Akko nodded in approval, arms going under her head to cushion it. Her eyes were getting heavy. Did all that walking around really make her that tired? Her head was starting to hurt, and her body still felt heavy. Just what-

//-//-//-//-//

“Akko. Akko! Atsuko!”

‘...Andrew?’

“Tsk. Should I call an ambulance?”

‘Andrew...’

“Excuse me, are you in need of any assistance for your friend? My family owns a hospital nearby and we could take her there.”

Akko felt Andrew’s hand supporting her suddenly tense. “Geh- Cavendish...”

“My, Sir Hanbridge. Date?”

“Cousin.”

“Hmm...”

Oh? Someone... A lady? What a nice voice. Somehow it was comforting to Akko. It felt warm, it felt kind, it felt gentle. For a voice to feel something rather than sound like something, Akko must really be out of it.

Hands.

Careful, tender.

“A-An... wha-”

“Akko! Don’t talk. Just rest.”

“Akko, huh. Is that her name? Miss Akko?”

“mmrm?”

“You’ll be alright.”

That voice. Akko wanted to believe it. Who...

Soft. Soft. Akko was leaning against something soft.

“You’’ll be alright.” Was said again.

“Akko, you’ll be alright.” Ah, Andrew. But somehow, Akko would rather hear those words from the other person currently holding her in her arms. She felt bad. Not just in the sick kind of way. What was she supposed to do again? Oh right, she was helping Andrew. Where was she? Was she causing trouble? Ah, what if she was bothering this sweet-smelling, comfortable-feeling, gentle-sounding lady.

‘Hey... you...’ Hmm, her voice wasn’t quite working like it should. Maybe she should try to express herself again. Clearing her terribly scratchy and dry throat, she managed to croak out a single word.

“So...rry...”

“It’s alright.”

//-//-//-//-//

White ceiling, the absence of sticker-stars. Dim lighting, the low thrum of the air conditioner unit, and the occasional sound of something dripping. The scent of antiseptic.

Her right hand felt uncomfortable, like something was stuck in it. She lifted it up, seeing a slim tube running out of some secure, clear tape.

“You’re in the hospital, idiot.”

“Never a quiet moment with you, Andrew.”

A sigh. “I was worried.”

“...Mm. I’m sorry...”

“You didn’t tell me you were feeling unwell.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Don’t lie.”

“Couldn’t tell.”

“Akko!”

“Say, Andrew. Who was with you earlier?”

“Don’t change the subject, Akko- huh?” Reprimanding words died on the boy’s lips as the question sunk in. “Ahhh.” Recollections of earlier events came in. “The daughter of the owner of this place.” He threw in a few other details he thought Akko would want to know. “High-class lady. This place does too.” He decided to humor her queries, knowing she didn’t want to argue with Andrew anymore. He didn’t either, not when she was like this. A time and place for everything.

“Hmm...” Akko hummed, sitting upright and looking out the window. Andrew panicked, stepping forward, but Akko shooed her cousin away. “She sounded nice.” Akko commented. “Was she pretty?” Somehow her mind wanted to know. Her heart was clenching in some unknown need to know more about a voice she barely registered, a touch she fleetingly felt.

“You could say that. I guess to most, she’d be considered gorgeous?” Andrew mused. “Weird hair though.” Was added as an afterthought.

“Heh...”

“Curious?” He didn’t say it in a teasing town, only genuinely inquisitive at Akko’s not-so-subtle expression of interest in someone she barely even met.

“No? Not really.” She responded, everything becoming still. “Can I go home?”

“Once your tests come in.”

“How long have I been here?”

“Overnight.”

“Mama and dad?”

“Dropped by while you were asleep. Uncle was sobbing buckets, but Auntie dragged him out because they both had work. They paid off the bill and said they’ll see you when we all get home.”

Akko sighed, dropping back against her pillows. “I can’t believe I’ve caused so much trouble in a span of, what, three days?” Covering her face with one of the pillows, she screamed lightly into it, the muffled sound concerning Andrew. “I have to apologize a lot to them. Have to make it up to them... I even had them spend a lot of money on -ow! Andrew!”

Retracting the hand he used to chop her head, Andrew huffed. “Stop that. Your parents love you, you’re not a bother. Shut it. If you really want to make it up to them, get some rest right now as we wait, and get better soon. I suggest you make some dinner if you’re well enough.” He knew she often had insecurities, and tried her best not to bother people so much. He’d observed it from her relationship with her two best friends. She really was just a ball of energy that she couldn’t help but cause scenes, though. People hardly minded, anyway. If only she realized.

“Duly noted.”

Andrew nodded, walking over to the bed and sitting at the edge, whipping his head about to glare at the  owner of the leg that had just attempted to kick him off.

“You’re making the foam awkwardly sink. It’s uncomfortable. You’re inconveniencing the patient’s recovery.” Akko grinned, trying to get rid of the stuffy atmosphere that had settled by stirring up another banter session.

“Could you settle down for once?”

“I mean, I could.”

“Unbelievable.” He chuckled. “Fine, fine, I’ll give you your space. I’m going to the store. Want anything?” He offered, since the ice-cream he initially was supposed to treat her to as thanks was long since forgone on some cemented floor, probably already cleaned up by the workers of the shop.

“Orange juice.”

“Coffee? Understood.”

“Ass.”

“The good ass genes run in our family.”

“Oh my gosh, you did not just say that.” Akko guffawed, waving her hands, eyes sparkling with pride at the crude joke of her prim and proper, perfect-gentleman cousin.

“I did not just say that.” Andrew smirked. “Now rest before your fever comes back from all that tension you release. Good thing you’re off school for a while.”

“Don’t remind me.”

“I’ll be back in fifteen.”

“Hai~”

“Don’t disappear.”

“...”

“AKKO!”

“I won’t, I won’t!” She giggled, dropping the tease. “Now scram!”

“I swear to god...”

And with that, she was alone again.

Great. More time alone with her thoughts. And what better way to occupy that blank space that was her mind then to fill it with all her doubts, insecurities, and questionings.

One particular question stood out at that moment.

“Who... was the owner of that voice...” Along with that single question came a wave of interconnected ones that Akko could not understand. Why was there this sudden desire to just... know.

What did she look like? How tall was she? Was she fair-skinned? Tanned? Long hair? Short hair? Curled or not? How old was she? Were they the same age? Was she an older lady? Was she maybe in the same grade? From the haze that was her memories, it seemed Andrew knew her? An acquaintance? Why couldn’t he give Akko more details besides insulting that woman’s hair? Where was she from? She had an accent. British? Scottish? Did she live around these parts? Why...

Why was Akko so curious?

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Andrew, you know you can just, like... come in, right? You know I can’t even get up to open the door for yoouuu...huuu...” With the door swinging open to reveal the person on the otherside, Akko could only hope that she did not appear to be the stupid-looking gay dance she most probably was. “-...huuu...who...?”

‘Beautiful.’

“I apologize for the intrusion, but I just wanted to check on you. Oh, you may not even know me, I’m sorry. I should probably introduce myself, isn’t that right? Oh blood hell, Andrew, telling me to check on someone I barely know because you want to go off somewhere...” Akko heard her mutter that last bit under her breath before watching this gorgeous lady seemingly recover her senses. “-Ah, apologies, um... sorry! Wow, I suppose I’m saying that too much, aren’t I? We didn’t exactly ‘meet’ earlier, but... I don’t know, I was probably meddling in issues not concerning me, but... I couldn’t help but want to help you out. It was an automatic reaction as someone who has wanted to be a healthcare professional all my life, and I was so used to it, and then it just so happened to be Andrew and... well, you and- and I-” Fair skin, lithe, fairly tall frame, a melodic voice, gorgeous blue eyes hidden by long lashes and ...strange hair, due to an immediate bow upon spotting the confused gaze of the patient; this person was...

“You’re rambling, miss.”

Said Miss bristled, expression flustered and eyes darting about in her embarrassment. “S-sorry.”

Akko panicked at the saddened apology. She just made a pretty girl sad! “N-no! I-” Their eyes met and then it was one of the most magical and equally painful moments of Akko’s life, she concluded. “Hi.”

“Hello.” The girl nodded back in acknowledgement.

“Akko.” She blurted out. Then just like that she witnessed a world wonder contained in such a small room, in just one girl. There was just something in the way her eyes lit up that pleased Akko very much. It was as though she was the catalyst for such a breath-taking phenomena. Blue stars, passionately burning, brightly so, like her favorite celestial bodies. “...Rigel...” She murmured.

“Huh?”

“Oh? Huh? Eh, um...” Arms flapping about, she tried to graps control of the conversation, not knowing where it was going anymore. “Uh, my... name! My name is Akko! Ahaha, sorry ‘bout that.” --She scratched the back of her head sheepishly with the hand not attached to the IV tube.

“Miss Akko... Rigel?” She tilted her head, and by gods that was the cutest thing Akko had ever seen in her life. But Wait-

“Oh! No, nono... no hahaha.” She laughed, waving her hands in front of her, realizing that what she said had been mistaken as her name.

“I... My name is Kagari Atsuko, but you can call me Akko.” She clumsily reintroduced herself.

“And Rigel...?”

‘Is a blue star that is put to shame when in comparison to your ethereal ocean eyes-’

“Oh, it’s just... just a star I like, hahaha...ha..ha.” She needed to save this dying interaction, fast. She didn’t want this goddess of a lady to walk away just yet. Who was she? Why was Akko panicking so badly? Why was her heart running miles per second? Where did these confusing feelings stirring from her chest come from? Could this just be... Was this girl... Was she... could she be who Akko thought she was? She didn’t even know her name yet, but the way she made her feel, it was like some universal, natural phenomena that could only make sense in the context of... that. Who was she? Who was she? Who-

“Diana.”

Diana, apparently.

“Diana.” She tested, the name unfamiliar, but incredibly welcome and sliding off her tongue so naturally, and with ease. Like she was meant to know such a name all her life. “Nice to meet you.”

She patted herself on the back for a good greeting, with good manners, even happier when she received a soft smile in return.

“The pleasure is all mine.”

“No, no, the pleasure is mine, I mean... pleasure, I’m... feels good to meet you, I mean, because you saved me and all, from what I can understand, so pleasure, good feels- no- what am i saying?! I’m sorry, Diana, er miss? Diana? Miss Diana?”

“Diana is fine.”

Diana was indeed SO fine.

“Th-thank you for being so beautiful.”

“What?”

“Tha-thanks for saving me, I mean, helping Andrew out in saving me, but that means you saved me too, so I just thought I should properly thank you and all that and express gratitude because that’s the right thing to do, amiright? And of course I’m right so thank you, Diana, thanks for everything, and the hospital and the room and all, oh but you don’t own it, but your family does, so does that mean you own it-”

“Akko.”

“Yes?!”

“You’re rambling, Akko.”

Akko was a burning hot mess of foolishness, but if it prompted such heavenly giggles from such an angel- no a goddess, alongside her name that sounded divine coming from soft pink lips- that she was absolutely not staring at- then she hardly minded at all.

And then there was silence.

“So...”

“So...”

Diana awkwardly shuffled on her spot, the tip of her shoe tapping against the floor impatiently, hand fiddling with a button on her shirt. It took so much willpower for Akko not to direct her eyes there.

“I guess I’ll get going.”

“A-already?”

“Eh?”

“Eh?”

“Ah... I mean... if you have... stuff to do, I guess... I... shouldn’t be stopping you or anything of the sort, right?”

Akko didn’t like that frown, however miniscule it was, on Diana’s face.

“I... I’m a little busy, I apologize.” She spoke softly. Akko’s heart clenched, and she cursed her insensitive ways. “But... I can come back tomorrow? If you’d like?” -And it leaped up in joy just as quick. More time! More Diana! More getting to know her!

“Y-Yes! Of course! I’ll wait here for you! Pinky swear! I- woah...” The world was suddenly spinning, and Akko had to lean back for a moment, vision swimming in color.

“Akko!”

Said girl was beginning to get addicted to the feeling of Diana’s presence by her side. That was not necessarily a good or bad thing. She couldn’t get attached to her, not when she knew nothing about her. She couldn’t... be acknowledging these feelings blossoming out of nowhere without confirmation of whether or not this person was meant to be hers, and she was meant to be with as well. But she was addicting, Diana. A strong drug. Just one whiff and she was high on her existence.

“Geez, you should be resting. I’m sorry for bothering you, and keeping you up this long.”

Akko heard none of those words. Akko was curious. So Akko just had to check. Hands weakly grasping Diana’s cooler ones, fingers roamed, feeling around until they touched even colder metal... on Diana’s... left... hand.

“Akko?” The concern was palpable in her voice, Akko’s senses blurring the world out as her hands dropped to her side.

Frustrating.

She somehow hoped what she’d been experiencing these past few minutes were the signs of her finding her soulmate, but it seemed as though she may have been wrong. Maybe it was simply infatuation, or a shameless lust overtaking her in her weakened state.

It shouldn’t be this frustrating.

It shouldn’t be this painful.

She shouldn’t have been so impatient and jumped to subconscious conclusions.

Diana had already found her soulmate. Just like everyone else.

Everyone but Akko.

//-//-//-//-//

When she came to, it was dark. She felt much better than she had yesterday, and earlier on today. Turning to her right, she saw Andrew seated on a chair, back facing her as he was conversing with someone.

“I wonder what got into that girl? Her new friend seemed worried.” That voice...

‘Mama.’

“You mean Diana?”

Akko flinched at the name.

“Is that her name? My, she was so cute. If you weren’t already matched to someone, Andrew, I think you’d look good together.” Akko felt a twinge in her chest, only slightly soothed by the sound of Andrew choking on something, his drink maybe. Tea? Coffee?

“I’d rather not be involved with her like that.” Andrew responded after composing himself.

“Eehh-”

Akko couldn’t listen any longer. The pain of everything was just starting to come back. She just wanted to get away. Away from this place that kept reminding her of her chance encounter. She just wanted to go home. She just wanted to hug her mama.

“Ma...ma...” Her voice warbled. “Mama...” She tried, louder. Somehow her voice was so weak, the thought of it not being able to reach the person she trusted the most in the world, hurt. “Ma... ma... mama! Mamaaa...” Slowly, she regained her voice, cracked and unsteady. And finally she was heard. “Mama!”

“Akko!” Before Akko could even blink again, the woman was at her side, a hand brushing bangs away to clear her warm forehead, a refreshing kiss planted there. “Akko, my baby.”

“M-mama... Mamaaa...” She moaned out, engulfing the woman in her tight hold, sinking into a familiar scent. “Mama...”

“Yes, Yes. I’m here. I’m here, Akko.” She cooed, hands combing through chocoloate-colored tresses.

“Mama.”

“Yes?”

“I wanna go home.”

“Eh? But you aren’t okay yet-”

“Please. Let me go home...”

She felt her mother pull back. She couldn’t face the eyes seeking hers. “Akko? What’s wrong, sweetheart? You’re not feeling well, and yet you want to go home before you get better. Is something the matter?” Akko couldn’t lie to those.

But she could try.

“I just think I’ll be able to rest better at home. My... my fever isn’t that bad.”

“But you were just crying out for me...”

“I was just... feeling lonely. Please, Mama. Let’s go home.” She couldn’t say it was because she didn’t want to meet a certain lady, weird blonde hair and enchanting blue stars never leaving her memory. “Please...” Because more than the pain inflicted by her sickness, she couldn’t stand the squeezing of her heart, its labored pounding more burdensome than the throbbing in her head. “Please, mama.”

“Akko...”

“Don’t be such a selfish brat.”Andrew scolded, eyes burning into the Akko’s skin. “Didn’t you just say you didn’t want to cause anyone trouble?”

Akko deflated in her mother’s embrace, and the elder boy sighed. He really hated seriously hurting Akko, especially emotionally. “But... We can leave first thing in the morning tomorrow, if you prove to be alright.” He turned the other way, hiding his expression from the girl. “So just get better.”

“Andrew...”

“Get better soon.”

//-//-//-//-//

It was against institutional rules to be running about in the building at any given time. Crowded or cleared, the halls were not made for such dangerous sport. Workers constantly made their way through these corridors; some pushing wide carts carrying planned food and beverage for every patient in the hospital; some nurses walked along with important, and sometimes painstakingly prepared medicine and treatments for patients that Diana threatened to compromise should she bump into them. In other areas she could risk bumping into one of the sanitary maintenance people, infectious waste at the risk of being spilled all over.

And Diana grew aware of all these things, surrounded by them from a tender age. Yet at this moment, she was in complete disregard for them, her footsteps rushed and padding softly against a marbled floor. Her eyes scanned every plaque above each door she passed, counting off the numbers, and reading the letters, her trip on autopilot.

One more corner, just the end of that corner. If she rounded that, then walked past three more rooms- She was feeling a regretful that she couldn’t come by earlier, the colors of the afternoon sky telling her just how close she was cutting it to the end of visiting hours. Curse all the school-transfer procedures she had to sit through. They didn’t need to take that long, did they? But she had made a promise of sorts. She had promised her new... friend, Akko that she’d come by and see her. She must not keep her waiting. She didn’t quite understand what it was that made her so happy about the prospect that the other girl actually wanted to see her- Diana assumed as such with how she was acting yesterday. Really... it was amazing.

Diana herself couldn’t deny that she saw something different in Akko, a substance far beyond what others could offer her that suddenly shifted the usual motions of her world upon meeting this girl. All her life, so many people came along trying to woo her, claiming that she was the one defined by their flimsy phrases that never moved her heart. ‘Beautiful lass’, ‘doctor’s daughter’, titles among other things. She had even found out a few faked rings that had been promptly reported to authorities for the grave sin committed. Thus, Diana could trust no words written on silly little rings; only the one written on her own, worn about her left ring finger.

She hadn’t found her soulmate, no. And maybe this was against the universal rules of whatever matchmaking system had engulfed society, but Diana did not want to be caught in a trap of a forever she could not escape unless she was absolutely sure that this was it. Maybe it would be unfair to her soulmate; maybe it would throw them off; maybe they wouldn’t realize right away; but if there was one thing Diana believed in that was rooted in this entire system, it was that if you met the one meant for you, you would know.

Her mother told her so. And Diana trusted her mother’s words above all other words.

One more door, one more plaque. Diana readied a hand to knock against closed-...open? The door was... open. Did Akko have visiting doctors? They sometimes left doors open for quick checks to save time during rounds. But no, that did not seem to be the case. She was surprised to see one of the cleaning personnel of the hospital folding up the sheets of the bed, passing it to his companion before they changed the covers.

Approaching an elderly male of the pair currently clearing the room out of any trash possibly left behind, Diana respectfully inquired, “Um sir? Where is the occupant of this room?”.

“Hmm? Ah! Young Miss, what are you doing here? Oh, were you perhaps the friend of the little girl staying here recently?”

“You... could say that.” Diana muttered, unsure.

“Oh, then she must have just forgotten to tell, you ey? Already left, y’see. The little miss, along with her mother and some fine lookin’ gentleman. Do you think that could be ‘er soulmate? Ah~ young, concerned love.”

Diana tasted an inexplicable bitterness in her mouth, heart squeezing. “Y-young man?”

“Mm-mm! Handsome fella, looked kinda familiar, but maybe I’m just getting it on in years.”

That... couldn’t be, right? While Diana wasn’t one to be guided purely by feeling, priding in her rationality, she just knew that that couldn’t be. After all... Akko was the only one she’d ever felt this strongly for in the lifetime she’s lived so far. She’d swear on her family’s motto of ‘affection’ that she’d only offer her fullest romances to the one the universe had destined for her, corny as that may sound.

She just knew it. She just knew it was Akko.

So who-

Andrew.

She suddenly chuckled. Of course. Who else could that young chap accompanying Akko be? He was the one who came with Diana to the hospital, he was the one who had told her go take that first visit. So of course, logically, without a doubt, the man that Akko should have been with was Andrew. Of course.

And there was nothing to worry about, soulmate-wise. Diana knew Andrew already had someone. She’d met up with them constantly at banquets. There was no obstacle, no other person for Akko. Right?

Akko... Akko who wasn’t here. In this room. Gloom encompassed her heart as she stared at the room dimming bit-by-bit as the staff turned off the lights. They told her that they should get leaving, and Diana nodded, informing them she’d just do one last look over the room for any possible missed items, then she’d lock the room herself, to which the workers reluctantly agreed, unable to go against the owner’s daughter. Well, she was known to be a good kid, so nothing should be wrong with that.

Diana, now left alone, remained stood by the doorway that served as the only light source to the room for a few more seconds. It wasn’t like constantly looking into it would magically make the one she was seeking appear, huh? With a deep exhale, she closed the door behind her, frown tugging at the edges of her mouth.

“You said you’d wait for me.”

//-//-//-//-//

Scritch. Scratch. A line, then two. A squiggle, a letter. A bubble from brew-

...huh?

“Aren’t you supposed to be helping me with my homework?” Akko frowns at her companion currently mixing questionable substances on her floor-table in her room. “That is why you’re here, right?”

“Course not. What fun would that be?”

“Should’ve known better than to invite you over.” Akko muttered under her breath, getting back to the unending pile of chemistry homework she was sure Croix assigned to them out of spite. “And how did you finish this all, anyway?”

“I’m smart like that.”

“You’re mean like that. Why can’t you help me out at least?”

“I believe that learning for yourself is the best teacher.” Sucy replied, emotionless as always.

“No you don’t.”

“True.”

“Hah...” Akko gave up. Forget getting help from Sucy. That wasn’t a possible feat, now that she thought about it clearly. The girl was just bored out of her mind so she easily agreed to come over. Akko was sure of it. Without Lotte in the house, and on their fifth and final schoolday away, Sucy- who had slowly gotten used to the concept of companionship- must have just wanted someone around, regardless of whether there was flowing conversation or not.

“Akko?” Andrew’s voice came from behind the door. Finally! A distraction! Wait, wasn’t Akko avoiding Andrew lately? Why was she avoiding him lately? “Akko?”

“Come in!”

“...huh? You’re actually letting me in?” The muffled voice asked, door now ajar. “Hey Akko, so... about what I’ve been telling you all week...” He began, looking nervous, and Akko had to wonder why. “So my friend, Diana, she-”

Ah. Right.

That’s why.

Quick on her feet, Akko gunned for the door, pushing it forcefully, and locking Andrew out, the boy’s yells the only things making it through the barrier.

“Akko! Akko! OH, COME ON! We’ve been at this the whole week!”

“And I told you this whole week, I don’t wanna hear it!!!” Akko hollered back.

“But WHY?!” Andrew’s exasperation oozed out of his voice. “Just give me a reason! Give her a reason! From what I’ve heard, you seemed to have hit it off pretty well?”

“Says who?” Akko asked.

“Diana!” Andrew didn’t like yelling, but Akko was being so hard-headed after he mentioned his blonde acquaintance. “Just what happened between you two?”

“Nothing! Nothing happened!!!”

“Then why does she keep bugging me about you, and why are you avoiding her like the plague?!”

...Why was Akko avoiding Diana? Was there any reason to? They’d met just the other day, had the most awkward conversation in her life to date, and then Akko felt something. Something she shouldn’t have, and let her hopes up, only to drop them lower than where they already were; and none of that was Diana’s fault. If anything, Diana could have proven to be another great friend she’d make along the way in life, y’know?

Akko didn’t know. She didn’t know what was going on; within herself, within her mind and her heart, in that one moment frozen in time between her and Diana, in a silent hospital room.

“I don’t know, Andrew. I don’t.”

Sucy’s potion stopped brewing.

//-//-//-//-//

“MY MADLADS! I MISSED YOU UGLY FACES!”

“Ugh, Amanda.”

“Oi!”

Akko grinned, messing up Amanda’s fiery mane in comfort from being rejected by Sucy. “Missed you too, Amanda.” A high-five rang out through the school lobby, the two energetic troublemakers missing that burning feeling on their palms.

“But man, you guys sure missed a lot. Who knew a week without y’all could turn the school upside-down.” Amanda whistled, their small group of eight finally assembling complete as Jasminka and Constanze walked up.

The small girl gave Akko this look that she completely understood, giving the girl a big thumbs up, and receiving a smile and nod. Jasna held out a lollipop which Akko gratefully accepted, and they all made their way to the corridors.

Suddenly registering what Amanda said a few moments ago, Akko’s interest was piqued. “What did you mean by turning the school upside-down?” She wondered just how much a school could change for her who was out for a week.

“Oh, well, maybe I was exaggerating a tiny bit.” Amanda chuckled, scratching her cheek. “Just that, some new girl came along and now everyone is all head over heels for her somehow.” Amanda fake-cried, sniffling up some. “She even stole my babes! Along with all my popularity!!!”

That earned her two smacks to the head from two certain British girls. “We already told you, she was our childhood friend! Of course we’re inclined to keep her company and show her around!” They defended, scoffing. “Besides, you didn’t mind ogling her at all the other day, huh? You should feel grateful we let you in our dorm the other day.”

“B-babies...”

“Oof. You brought that on yourself, hot stuff.” Sucy grinned, wickedly. “But now I’m curious. If she could even catch Amanda’s eyes then...”

“Total hottie.” Jasminka commented through a mouthful of chips. “Everyone can vouch for that.”

“Woah, even Jas...” Akko laughed lightly. “Alrighty, let’s meet this new kid in town then! Where is she and what’s her name?” Just as they were about to pass the headmistress’ office and head for their homeroom, a hand tugged at the brunette’s collar, along with Sucy’s.

“Wait a second, you two. You’re supposed to report to Professor Holbrooke first, right?” Lotte, ever the dutiful friend, reminded.

“Ah dang, right.” Akko scratched her cheek, throwing Sucy a beckoning glance. “Guess it’s better to just get it over with.” She shrugged.

“Whatever.”

“See you all in class!” Akko waved goodbye, smiling as Lotte left a peck on her pale friend’s cheek, enjoying her rarely flustered state. Her heart warmed when Lotte gave her one two, patting the blonde’s hair fondly. “Thanks, Lotte.”

“Anytime.”

With their friends out of sight, they faced the suddenly intimidating doors.

“Now or never.”

//-//-//-//-//

“I’m glad we got excuse slips for being tardy to class. I do not want more yelling. Though I guess Prof Chariot wouldn’t do that, huh.”

“What did you say? I think I’ve gone deaf.” Sucy complained, rubbing her pained ears. “Finneran yaps like a bitch.”

“OI! Don’t let her hear you say that!”

“Don’t worry, I’m not up for more ‘counseling and healthy reminders’.” Sucy mockingly mimicked the strict teacher. “Christ, that woman must be senile.”

“Shhh, we’re almost at the classroom.” Akko hushed her bestfriend, door coming into view. She could hear a Professor Chariots distinct voice posing a question to the class, and there was a quiet that Akko knew was due to no one knowing the answer, not very uncommon.

But then there was one. A voice very uncommon, but somehow familiar, attracting, pulling her in. With her curiosity getting the better of her, Akko slid the door open, planning to softly sneak into class, forgetting that the room’s backdoor had a tendency to-

SCRREEEEECCHHHH

...that.

“H-hi? S-sorry we’re late?” Akko tried, dozens of eyes now resting on them, most surprised. But one pair stood out the most. ‘She looks good in our uniform.’ Akko’s jaw hung slack, a fight or flight response hesitantly building up within her. Her legs tensed, ready to bolt or stay rooted depending on the next move the one she was staring at made. “...Rigel...”

“...Akko.”

Then a hand reached out, and she was gone. Like the wind.

//-//-//-//-//

It had been a difficult week. Amanda was definitely right when she said things had been turned upside-down. Akko felt like she was too. So Hannah and Barbara’s childhood, hottie, transfer student, best friend just so happened to be Diana. Diana, Akko met her in the hospital and became enraptured with, Diana.

This posed a problem, along with unbearable tension within their group. Akko would always want to run away, and Diana would always seek after her. After awhile, the blonde grew weary, and just distanced herself, her childhood bestfriends obviously sticking by her side. Amanda had girlfriends to attend to. And Constanze and Jas usually followed Amanda. So now, it was just Sucy, Lotte, and little ol’ Akko. Like old times.

“Akko, just why are you avoiding Miss Cavendish? How do you know her?” Lotte asked on their way home. “Please? Tell us? I can’t stand to not spend time with the other girls anymore just because you two are at unknown odds. You’re a kind person, Akko. And Miss Cavendish is as well, from how I’ve gotten to know her lately.”

“Lotte, you... you wouldn’t get it.” Akko sighed. She was tired of entertaining Diana-related questions. All the ‘why don’t you two get along�� interrogations wearing her down thin: with Andrew at home, and Hannah and Barbara indirectly hounding her in school at every chance they’d get, trying to fish out for an answer that Diana couldn’t give to them herself, apparently. Not that Akko blamed her. She must just be as confused as everyone else with regards to Akko’s averse reactions.

“M-maybe I could try?” Akko missed the shift in the Fin’s tone, irritation over the week threatening to make her lose self-control and lash out. But no, she couldn’t do that. Not too sweet Lotte. She still had her senses intact.

“No, I’m sure you wouldn’t.” She firmly stated through gritted teeth, not looking at Lotte as she replied, so unlike her.

“I-I-”

“Akko, Lotte just wants to understand you.” Sucy stepped in, feeling that change in the air that she didn’t quite fancy. “Why can’t you just tell us? I know I may not act like it a lot, but aren’t we your best friends?” Akko held back a hiss behind pearly whites. She didn’t want to be a bad person. She had to be considerate of people’s feelings. Like always. Everyone was just curious. They were all just confused... but then Sucy had to just say, “Don’t you trust us?”

And Akko couldn’t hear that.

“I trust you! I do!” She whipped her head about, pointing a finger to them one-by one. “But you guys, you wouldn’t get it because you have your soulmate by your side constantly, okay?!”

“Akko...” Lotte’s eyes widened.

“I... I’ve been waiting a lot, and I know you said I’m being impatient. It doesn’t have to be now.” Akko huffed. “But do you know how it feels to look at all of you, all happy with someone who can love you completely? Understand you completely? I don’t have that! Not yet! And sure, somewhere down the future road, I might.... and it’s stupid of me, but I’m a lot more jealous and selfish than I look, okay? Everyone has nice words, and has met the person those words described perfectly, at the designated time, normally, as the book says.”

“Akko, the book doesn’t completely control everything-”

“And here I am, always subconsciously looking around, because maybe my person is out there too, y’know? But how the heck do I know?” A hand reached for the chain on her neck, ripping it out of her shirt so hard, it broke, the ring flying onto the ground. “Stupid! Stupid chain! Stupid Ring! Stupid words! Akko marched the few steps to the item, bending and snatching it off the ground, hand going in too hard, too fast that she scraped her knuckles badly in the process, the area quickly leaking red. “Sh- damn it, stupid- gaahhh!”

“A-Akko.”

Lotte stepped back, retracting the hand that had been reaching out for the heated Japanese girl, stomping at the ground. This... wasn’t an Akko she knew. How many years of pent up frustration was going into this session?

“You guys,” Her eyes were scary, sharp and menacing. Sucy jumped in front of Lotte at the sight of Akko’s bloodied knuckles coming their way at eye-level. But then it stopped. “You haven’t seen it, right? My words.”

They couldn’t even react.

“Cabbage.” Akko spat. “Goddamn cabbage. How am I supposed to know what that fucking means. How are you guys supposed to understand when... I can’t either... these words... myself... why I’m so impatient... what I’m feeling... Why... I thought it could’ve been Diana, but...”

“...but what, Akko?” Lotte hated how scared she sounded, seeing Akko flinch, knowing her friend noticed her fear. She knew how afraid of hurting her friends Akko was. This was all just a shock. That’s all. “What’s... what’s with Diana, Akko? Diana and you?” She posed the earlier question for the last time. Was Akko hinting at what she thought it was?

“She wears it on her left.”

//-//-//-//-//

Orange juice didn’t taste as good when you drank it alone on the stairwell leading to the roof. It would have been better had she been able to stand under the cloudy mid-day sun, the refreshing breeze taking her mind off things. But then it just had to rain, hard, and that ruined all her plans of clearing her mind via the healing powers of nature. Maybe she shouldn’t have told Sucy and Lotte to stay away and give her space. Having no one to talk to really sucked. More so than the strange word on her stupid government-issued ring.

“Ahhh, should I just go and apologize to everyone?” She muttered, squeezing the juicebox she thought she’d emptied, but did not know had bits of liquid left. The purely concentrated citrus then spilled onto her exposed, skinned knuckles, making her hiss in pain. “Tsk, stupid. Grrr!”

“Ah-!”

“Ah?” The yelp caught her attention. She was alone in this place, right? “Hello?”

No response.

“Anyone there?” The only ones replying to her were the winds that howled behind the metal door that led to open roof. Those sounds were starting to sound like how she’d imagined ghosts would in the dead of night. “Helloooo~”

Still nothing.

“Maybe it was just my imagination?”

“STAY AWAY!”

Okay, that was NOT her imagination. That was a girl. Looking around for some kind of weapon, Akko readied herself to beat up whatever girl-harassing creep she’d find once she rounded the bend in the stairwell. Holding up a sturdy wooden broom, she tiptoed down, steps making no sound.

On three, she’d jump and smack the living shit out of whoever was there. One... two...

“Akko, please save me!”

And she slipped and fell in her surprise; her back was going to hurt like hell over the next few days. Alas! She must stay vigil! Save whoever this damsel in distress was- Diana... It was Diana. Diana Cavendish, as she’d learned the girl’s name, and a few other trivial details about her, over the course of their time not together. (Akko also denies any and all claims that state that she spent a lofty amount of time observing the taller girl. She didn’t know things like how she was Scottish, or how she loved horses and anything that looked like a unicorn, and that she was intelligent, and smelled like vanilla and mint.)

“I’ll save you?” She managed in her ruffled state. Before she could process anything more, the girl had clung to her, both now laying on the floor; one in an utter state of bewilderment, and the other... dealing with whatever it was she got going on before Akko had found her. “Umm... Diana?” She tried, forgetting her phobia of the girl over the past few days, and rubbing her back gently to gain her attention. She was shaking like the leaves outside in the storm. Just what had happened. “Diana? What’s wrong? What am I saving you from?”

There were no signs of any bad guys, as far as Akko could see. She was grateful for that. She wasn’t sure she could defend them in this position.

“Miss Cavendish? Heir to a billion-dollar hospital? What’s up?” She was trying to be nonchalant in an attempt to possibly calm the girl, and it worked somewhat, allowing her to see that beautiful face, tear-stained and all. “H-Hi.” How lame.

“Akko... the... there... it...”

“Hmm?” She lent an open ear, looking around, still not seeing any signs of danger. Then a well-manicured finger came up and pointed to one of the panels of the hallway’s windows. Akko squinted, not seeing anything. Had Diana seen some kind of floating ghost outside? Or was she seeing it inside, and Akko didn’t have the sixth sense for it? Did Diana have some kind of sixth sense? “What exactly...”

“B...”

“Buh..?”

“Bee.” She squeaked.

Akko gawked.

“Bee.”

“B-bee.”

“Bee?”

“Bee!”

“B-”

“Akko, please just get it away! I’m scared!”

“Y-yes, ma’am!” She scrambled to her feet, but not without gently seating Diana up, even if it was on the dirty corridor floor. Opening the window and grimacing as strong winds blew droplets of water into her face, Akko shooed the poor insect into nature’s claws of death. “Sorry, buddy. Princess doesn’t seem to like you.” Blowing it a kiss, she shut the window, wiping her face on the sleeve of her jacket.

Now... to face a larger problem... or not face it. Maybe Akko should get running again.

She should.

“Well, this was nice and all that, but I guess I should get- ouch!” Diana had caught her hand in alarm, accidentally pressing against her open, yet-to-heal wounds.

“M-my apologies!”

“It’s f-fine. It’s okay, please let... let go.” Akko didn’t like the way her heartrate spiked in Diana’s presence. It grew even more erratic, wildly jumping every which way in her chest as her hand was held more gently, blue eyes scrutinizing the reddened skin, the heiress didn’t seem to have any plans of releasing her. “Diana?”

“May I... May I treat you? That blue sparkle was redirected from her knuckles to her own dark reds. They were so hopeful and compelling that Akko, despite thinking that avoiding Diana would kill whatever held-back, buds of feelings she hoped to dash, just couldn’t help but consent, cursing the way her chest lightened, heart soaring.

She was absolutely doomed.

//-//-//-//-//

It was a quiet affair.

Torturous. No one said a word. To be fair, they’ve only had two somewhat proper conversations so far, so not knowing how to break the ice shouldn’t be that odd.

But it was, and Akko couldn’t take it. Diana had just finished cleaning Akko’s wounds under the sink in the infirmary, and was now dabbing them gently with antiseptic. She was so careful, touches feather-like soft. Akko barely felt anything, much less pain. So maybe she could start with talking about that. Maybe.

“You... You’re hands are real nice.”

“H-huh?”And down fell the cottonball she’d been holding.

“I-I mean... you’re really good at this. Tender and all that. You’d... make a good doctor.” Akko commented off the top of her head, running out of things to say, as she always did when faced with one Diana Cavendish. “A pretty doctor. Patients would... probably feel healed just from your... face. Or something.” Smooth, Akko. Smooth. Could Diana, like... at least help her out a little by responding? “Please say something.” Akko begged in a whisper.

“O-oh, I... thank you, Akko. Thank you for the compliment. I...” Momentarily lifting her eyes and meeting Akko’s gaze, the blonde averted hers, a thin touch of red spreading up to her ears, not unnoticed by the injured Japanese. “I appreciate your words.”

Akko hummed, not trusting her mouth to communicate properly anymore.

“I think you’re... face is a healing balm as well.”

Akko felt herself blush as well, head tilting up so she could face the ceiling. It was one of the most brainless compliments she’d ever heard in her life, and she knew she just said something along those lines as well. And yet it made her heart flutter like nothing else had before.

“Don’t mention it and... thanks.”

//-//-//-//-//

You never know when an event becomes a catalyst for reality to undergo great changes. Their little bandaging session had returned the next day. Akko was quite clumsy with these types of things. Each time she’d gotten hurt in an accident, she’d always ask Lotte to do it... but today... all their friends, and even the classmates they’d unintentionally dragged into their awkward little world, were staring in awe as Kagari Atsuko stood in front of Diana Cavendish’s desk, inviting her out to the infirmary.

“I-I’m just having her help me with my bandages! Don’t get the wrong idea!” Akko yelled as she guided Diana out, unknowingly holding her hand all the while. No one commented on it. Not even Barbara and Lotte who were exchanging curious little smiles. Something was changing. And it was a good change.

Reaching the infirmary, Akko headed straight for the sink, rinsing her knuckles under clean water while Diana gathered what she needed. Once done, they met by some chairs placed about the room and took a seat, the blonde girl looking over Akko’s hand.

“Come tomorrow, you might not need to bandage it anymore. Just apply some ointment. I think the nurse can recommend something.” Diana stated, looking up to smile at Akko who flushed at the attention.

“O-okay. I got it.”

“Great.” She then got to work, applying what needed to applied, and wrapping the clean white bandage after. Diana did this in her usual silence, focused. Sort of. There was one thing that had been nagging her for quite some time now, ever since she got to take a better look at Akko, now that they attended the same school. It was a  unnerving, however. It hadn’t been long at all since they... ‘got along’, and Diana didn’t want to present something that might cause them to drift apart again. But it was eating at her, the need to know about it. It would determine how she’d interact with Akko from now on. It would show her what kind of relationship she was allowed to pursue. She needed a confirmation. She braced herself. Trying shouldn’t hurt. She could change the subject after testing the waters.

“Akko.”

“Hmm?” Was the casual-sounding hum.

‘She’s calm. Calmer around me.’ That little detail made Diana happy. So happy. This was progress. “May I ask a question?”

There was a pause, and Diana considered backing out. It appeared as though Akko was thinking about it deeply. Before Diana could take it back, Akko responded, “Sure. Ask away.”, and the heiress breathed a relieved sigh. “What did you wanna know?”

“Well, um... I just happened to notice that... you don’t...” Diana was really hoping this wasn’t a sensitive subject. She’d finally managed to close the gap between her and Akko. Sure it was by unconventional, and very strange means- unintentional, above all. She had just been worried about the girl upon seeing that her friend group was all gathered in the classroom except her. So Diana had gone searching, and was planning to offer to stay away from her friends for Akko’s sake. She was glad that things turned out the way it did, though.

“Diana?”

“Um... Akko.” She finished her job, smiling at the neat covering on her.. friend’s... hand. (They were friends now, right? At the very least...)

“Yes?” Akko seemed to notice the hesitation, and her instincts guided her to take hold of Diana’s trembling hands, encouraging her to continue.

Well this was new, Diana thought. Now or never, she supposes. A deep breath, and the floodgates opened.

“I just wondered... why... don’t you have a ring? Did you somehow lose it? Is that possible? But how? Wouldn’t you get in trouble with... everyone, I guess? Have you found your soulmate or not? If yes then I should probably just say goodbye here and, oh but not in the way you think, you might not get what I mean, but I still want to be friends-”

“Diana.”

“Yes?”

Akko’s cheeks puffed up, trying to hold it in, but ultimately failing as she burst into giggles, instinctively tucking a stray strand of hair behind Diana’s ear as she leaned forward to bump their foreheads together.

Ah, screw fate and it’s ways. Screw Diana’s soulmate that existed somewhere out there. In this one moment, she just felt so at peace, and in place, she’d deal with all the raging storms in her mind later. For now, it was just the two of them, hanging out in an infirmary, the smell of antiseptic on them, stupid words be damned.

“You’re rambling.”

//-//-//-//-//

It had been a few weeks- maybe just shy of two months- of friendship (?) with Diana, and Akko had never felt more alive in all her years. They had even spent her birthday together! Well, everyone else was there to, but... Anyway. The afternoon the question had been dropped, she had ended up explaining to the Scot her story with the ring, leaving out the detail of what it had written on it. That was a little too embarrassing for her to share yet. Baby steps.

She’d never dare ask about Diana’s ring, and she appreciated that the girl never brought up any soulmate talk that involved herself. Akko felt that it helped her cope with this one-sided love a little longer. She would no longer deny this attraction. She was so undeniably into Diana, it was crazy. She didn’t understand how teenage hormones and falling in love worked, but somehow she just knew. She felt a little apologetic to her soulmate, no longer feeling the need to search for him and her, the section of, [What to do if you haven’t found your soulmate yet.] remaining untouched. But well... things happen sometimes.

And sometimes, you become so much of a fool that you invite the girl you are in love with, who already has a soulmate, to your house, to your room, just so she can be the first to see that portable planetarium projector you were finally able to get your hands on for an affordable deal. You wouldn’t even cry at losing months worth of saved allowance and work wages. It was all worth it, to see her entire being practically glowing in awestruck wonder as you lay on your backs on the cushioned floor, having the chance to flaunt years of star study to your crush. The impressed gazed directed at you felt so good. You could get used to this. Especially when the visage of wonder glimmering in the dear girl’s eyes was outright precious.

A Diana in awe was cute.

So much so that Akko was in awe.

“Hey Diana...”

“Hmm?”

“Do you believe in magic?”

What a strange thing to ask in that moment. That’s what Diana thought. Akko thought the same. Just what had gotten over her. Yet she still wondered, thoughts flying far off into space, just as they always did when she gazed upon the stars in the night sky- or her ceiling’s artificial one.

‘What are you saying, Akko?” Diana chuckled, right hand reaching out to grasp Akko’s, fingers lacing together. She felt her heart flip as it was squeezed tight, unaware of the inner turmoil Akko was enduring at the lack of presence of a ring on that hand. Their eyes remained trained to the glowing heavenly bodies above, stories of the past, of fate, and the like, written all over.

“Do you believe in other worlds, Diana?”

“Well, many studies propose that they indeed exist.” Diana responded.

“What about alternate universes? A completely different you out there, living a different life.”

Diana turned her head to face Akko, the brunette still facing upwards, eyes glistening with unshed tears, barely noticeable in the dim lighting; but Diana always noticed. Because it was Akko.

“Don’t you think that somewhere out there... there could be another version of us; maybe a clumsy me, and a fantastic you, saving the world with strange words not understood by the rest of the world?”

“Maybe...” Diana breathed out in a whisper, oxygen effectively stolen by the tear that slipped down shapely cheeks. The moment felt so fragile, she was afraid if she made a move, it would shatter into a million pieces, never to see the light of day.

And god forbid it happen. Diana wanted to boast this tender feeling out under the brightness of the sun, for the world to witness.

“Why do you ask?”

She listened in agony at the choked intake of air, followed by the frailest of whispers. “Because maybe... the impossible for the Kagari Atsuko here... is possible for the Akko there.”

The heiress pondered those phrases a moment. “...Impossible, like?” Diana replied in equally hushed tones, something hopeful in her pitch.

‘Like you being meant for me, and I for you.’

But Akko couldn’t just say that.

“As impossible as using magic here, maybe?” Akko laughed in a normal, in-house voice, volume not too loud, but no longer a whisper. She should just bury her illegal thoughts deep down.

“I guess so.” She deflated. What had she desired to hear anyway? “Magic does seem like an unattainable power, some unimaginable, impossible concept.” Maybe she should get ready to leave soon. There was something heavy weighing in the atmosphere and in her heart, and she did not wish for a memory as sweet as this to turn sour due to her mood.

“You think so?” Akko’s steadying voice kept her rooted in place. “What if it isn’t so impossible after all?”

“How so?”

“Well, don’t they say that when people put their minds to it, when they truly desire and wish for it with all their hearts... like how the song goes, y’know? ‘When you wish upon a star your dreams come true’, or something.”

“Like the law of attraction and manifestation?” Diana supplied. “If you think positive things, positive things will come to you. Your reality becomes better. Like that?”

“Hmmm...” Akko tapped against the back of Diana’s hand, still entwined with hers, with her index thoughtfully. “Yes, but no. Kinda, but not really...? I don’t know how to describe what I’m thinking at the moment based on existing principles. Not too good at remembering. Heck, is there a quote that already exists?”

“Why not make your own, then?” Diana proposed.

“Heh... good idea. Let me think.”

“Take your time.” Diana enjoyed the little sounds Akko made as she thought.

“Oh! I got it!”

“Hoh? And what would those words of wisdom be, Miss Kagari?”

“Ready the papers, Miss Cavendish. We’re about to make the headlines with this!” They both giggled at their antics. “Drum roll, please! Dugudugudugudugudugu....dan!”

Diana nuzzled into Akko’s shoulder, enjoying all these little sound effects, the brunette’s voice calming her gradually, lulling her to sleep.

“Just what are these magnificent words, dear Akko?” Diana was far too drowsy to notice the splash of color painted across her companions face, the shyness melting into tenderness as she felt her warmth shift closer.

“A believing heart is your magic.”

And sleep was nearly robbed of her, eyes widening in the dark, unseen by Akko as the thumb on Diana’s free hand now brushed over the engravings on her ring. It was for sure now.

“You really are... the one.”

//-//-//-//-//

Something was off about Diana today. Was it her hair? No, impeccably styled as always, that couldn’t be it. Was it her makeup for today? No, it wasn’t that either. It was still that natural looking glow that brought out her innate beauty in all the best ways possible.  Akko continued to check off boxes on her mental list, trying to figure out just what it was that was bothering her about Diana’s appearance today. Was it her clothes? But that was the uniform they wore daily! Did she... get any new jewelry? Hmm, she didn’t seem the type to wear any at school.

Then...

Was it the ring that painfully reminded Akko that the person she might be in love with was already meant for someone else? No, that couldn’t be it either. Last Akko checked, the ring was snugly fitted, definitely on... huh? The ring was... gone? No? Akko scanned Diana’s smooth looking left hand. No it wasn’t there. Not on the left, and her eyes couldn’t help but guide her hopeful soul to... ah. It really wasn’t on the left, but on the right.

Huh? That wasn’t right.

This confused Akko. Enough to make her approach Diana’s seat during lunch, tapping her attention away from her conversation with Lotte and Barbara.

“H-hey Diana, I have a question... “

“Yes?” Said girl gave Akko her full attention. There was something different about the way she smiled at Akko today as well, it seemed. Odd. Nice. But odd.

“So like... uh... W-Why is your... your ri-” Akko could feel droplets of sweat forming on her brow, threatening to trickled down the side of her face if she so much as twitched.

“Ri?”

“Why’s your ri- r....r-r- Right ear larger than your left?!”

Dainty hands shot up to cover her ears, blushing shocked and mortified. “WHAT?!”

Whoops, Akko messed up. “HAHA AHA.. KIDDING! Nah, I was messing with you!” The brunette forcibly laughed, patting Diana’s back in uneasy comfort.

“Akko, that wasn’t very nice.” Lotte scolded, and the said girl nodded, sighing.

“I know. Sorry guys.” She apologized properly, looking to Diana in particular. She received a gracious smile and a pat on the cheek, the skin underneath the ringed-hand warming speedily.

“It’s alright.”

That kindness allowed her to gather bits of courage to finally state her inquiry. Diana would answer her just fine, right? Akko had to when asked about the whereabouts of her ring. It was fair trade?

“I was just wondering, because I recalled you wearing your ring on your left hand until recently. But now it’s on your right. I guess you could say I was just curious?”

“Eh?”

“Is that so, Diana?” Hannah questioned, eyes wide. “But why would you move it in reverse? Now that you’ve actually found- mrrrpmmphhh.”

Akko shot a puzzled glance at Hannah and Barbara, the latter clasping a hand over the ginger’s mouth.

“N-nothing. You didn’t hear anything.” She covered. “You heard nothing, are we clear?” She threatened, and Akko actually shivered.

“Holy crap, your women can get so scary, Amanda.” She mentioned to the redhead seated in front of the other girls.

She heard her release a heavy sigh before getting up from her seat and turning to face the group. “It’s because you two are such a pain, that’s why. Just get it over with, Cavendish! What’s holding you back? It’s as simple as this, see? When you have a dense mofo like Akko, you just gotta give her a little push. A literal one.” And that was the only warning they got before Diana felt soft, slightly chapped lips barely missing her own, brushing against the corner of her mouth.

Akko removed herself so fast, they all worried she’d get whiplash. “S-s-s-s-s-sorry! Sorry Diana, I didn’t- it was... AMANDA!”

“I was helping.”

“You little...”

“Rather than giving me your attention, shouldn’t you talk it over with miss salad head over there?”

Akko blinked, the cogs in her mind slowly spinning, then clicked. “Did you just... insult... ah, screw you!” Akko yelled, blush burning so hot, it was hard to keep her eyes open.

Heeding Amanda’s advice nonetheless, she turned to an equally red Diana, unable to meet her eyes. Akko didn’t think her face could get any hotter than it felt right now, but at the sight of Diana’s tongue quickly swiping across her lips, Akko’s face might as well be venus.

She should at least try to say something, right? Something comforting... or witty... or clever.

“Sorry...” That would work.

“It’s alright.”

//-//-//-//-//

She stared at her invitation. Wow. Did Andrew really take her to shop for Denise’s birthday gift months before it happened? The neat script spelling out, ‘You are cordially invited’ underneath the older woman’s name with the date of the ball kind of set her nerves on fire.

She was not one for formal events. But then Denise had been nice enough to hand it in person, looking like she’d be willing to beg for Akko to come. Andrew stood behind her menacingly, a pressuring force looming in the room.

But really, how was she supposed to do this? Sure she had experience with the arts and dancing. She had wanted to be a performer at some point in her life before deciding on her current course, keeping the arts as a hobby. That covered her bases in terms of the ballroom dancing part. But as for etiquette and all that jazz, Akko had no clue. She was just a normal girl, living a normal life, having met amazing people, and... the love of her life.

She groaned in remembrance, pulling out a slip of paper, an extra entrance voucher. ‘Bring a plus one’, Denise had said. Well... that wouldn’t be a problem, Akko supposed. Maybe... She could always ask Diana.

The thought of the girl set flurries of butterflies wild in her stomach, face warming up along with her heart. She fiddled with the band situated around her left ring finger. She was still getting used to it, the metal feeling awkward in that spot. That’s just what she gets for never wearing it all these years. Kind of a nuisance, if she were being honest; but... at the same time... it was a reminder that...

[“So you’re... my soulmate...”

“Looks like it.”

“Did you... know about it?” She watched fluffy hair bounce along with the bobbing of a shy girl’s head. “How long...?”

“I had a feeling right from when we met... then confirmed it after you first showed me your planetarium.”

“...that’s a few weeks back.”

“You’re just so slow.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. It really is now.”]

“AAAAHHHH!!” Akko hollered, ridding herself of the embarrassed tension in her body. “Hnnnggghhh...” Holding in all her squeals, she flew onto her bed, hugging a pillow tight and rolling about. Maybe she should call Diana right now, if only to hear her voice. Oh, and she should just pop the question while she’s at it, the invitation.

A few rings, one, two, three fo-

[“Hello?”]

“Did you know I love your voice? It was the first thing I fell in love with, ever since you saved me from the clutches of death.” She couldn’t hold back the adoration she felt for the Englishwoman any longer.

[“Oh my god, Akko. Did you really just call me so you could be such a sap?”]  Her giggle was always the best, Akko reveled.

“No~, or kind of yes, but not entirely.”

[“Is that so?”] Diana teased through the line.

“Don’t believe me?”

[“Of course I do! After all... it’s my magic.”]

“Who’s the sap now.”

[“I learned only from the best.”]

“Amanda?”

[“YOU, you idiot!”] Akko laughed at the reaction, squealing inwardly in delight. Diana’s laughter alongside hers died down, the phone going silent for a bit. And then, [“You’re the best.”].

Akko just couldn’t handle it.

“I love you.”

[“I love you too, sweetheart.”]

“I love you, I love you, I love you.”

[“I love you more.”]

“I love you! I love you! I love you!”

[“I love you more than anything in this world.”]

Akko was not crying.

“I love you... be my plus one?”

[“...”]

[“Always.”]

//-//-//-//-//

“My baby... so grown up now and looking all gorgeous.” Mrs. Kagari wiped a tear from her eye, admiring her daughter in a russet-toned gown, sleeveless, with a low dip in the back, fitting, and at the same time, flowing off her frame and onto the floor. It was simple, yet elegant. It matched well with Akko’s hair; usual bangs side-swept, signature ponytail gone, her long brown hair slightly curled and hanging off on one shoulder, exposing the other. All this topped with a little make-up, and even Andrew commended this picture of Akko that could pass as part of high society.

“Shall we?” He held out an arm for her to take, door open with a car waiting right outside. Akko’s father sobbed loudly, holding onto his wife for dear life.

“M-Mama! MY BABY! MY BABY IS BEING TAKEN AWAY BY SOME RICH YOUNG BRAT WHO JUST LOOKS GOOD, AND IS A LITTLE SMART, AND OWNS A HOSPITAL.”

“Well, don’t those sound like amazing specs.” Akko’s mama laughed, consoling the poor man. “You sound like a father sending his daughter off to meet her groom.”

“I AM.”

“But Diana-chan is so cute, though?”

“Man or woman, whoever takes my baby away from me and ends up hurting her... they will never see the light of the afterlife.”

Diana felt a chill run up her spine as she waited in the car.

“Oh, hush you. You’re overreacting.”

“AM I?!”

“Byebye, papa. I’ll be home soon. Love you~ Love you more, Mama!”

“Ah- bye, my darling daughter, my baby, my sun, light of my world, my angel!”

“You can stop embarrassing her now, darling.”

//-//-//-//-//

“Akko, don’t be so stiff.” Diana whispered into the girl’s ear, a hand caressing the small of her back to ease away the nerves. “You’ll be fine. Just think of it as any old party.”

“E-e-e-easy for you t-to say. You g-grew up with th-this.” Akko retorted, a hand with some champagne shakily approaching her lips.

“Really, you’re too high-strung.” The blonde sighed, pointing to Akko’s best friends. “Look at Lotte and Sucy, they look normal.”

Akko glared at her best friends who seemed to be enjoying themselves without a worry in the world. Oh, golly, what a treat. Maybe she shouldn’t have offered their extra tickets to them so she wouldn’t feel as bitter.

“Hey.” A flick was sent to her forehead. “No mean thoughts.”

“I wasn’t-”

“Di.A. NAAAA~” Here came a wild Denise, flying through the air to hug an alarmed Diana, barely catching her. It would appear as thought they were good friends, and Denise, not knowing anything about the relationship between her two dear bosom buddies, had sent them each an invitation with the hopes of bringing a plus one to introduce to her (so she could tease them about it), all the while, being kept in the dark that their plus one just so happened to be each other.

Which also explained the extra tickets that had gone to Lotte and Sucy. Akko was afraid it would be rude to just hand them away, but Diana reassured her it would be just fine. They both knew how kind-hearted and open-minded Denise was anyway.

“M-miss Walsh... please let me breathe.”

“Diana~ It’s Denise!”

“D-Denise... please... my airways...”

With greetings out of the way (Akko being squeezed to death as well, to be fair), the announcement were made, and the party commenced, music playing as the floor opened for the dances.

...

Akko swore she was a good dancer. Really! She was the ace of their studio. She could dance almost anything after learning it over the course of a few weeks at most, and so few days at the very least. So she couldn’t understand just how she’d suddenly acquired two left feet, constantly, and clumsily stepping on poor Diana’s feet.

One step. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright.”

Another miss. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright.”

“S-sorry!”

“...”

“Oh my gosh, I really am sorry!”

“I-it’s quite alright...”

“...”

“Wanna get some fresh air?”

“Pleasured.”

//-//-//-//-//

The Walsh’s family gardens were certainly award winning, Akko admired. As someone with a hobby in that field, this was a dream come true, to see such stellar workmanship. With flowers o’er the earth, and stars up above, the moon reflecting ripples into a still, small lake just a few yards down, it was the picture of beauty.

Yet nothing could compare to Diana by her side. Akko admired the way the woman’s gown clung to her curves in all the right places, how midnight blue reminded her of the skies they were under, and the dear stars in the heiress eyes sparkled ever brighter. How the earrings that dangled sparkling silver matched Akko’s own, only in gold, how her hair was fixed to the side as well, a portion of her bangs tucked neatly behind her ear, held back by a pin Akko had gotten her recently.

Akko was transfixed, as though she were under a witch’s spell. A very gorgeous, kind-hearted, hardworking, and sincere witch. A woman she loved with every fiber of her being, with the entirety of her heart.

She watched the moonlight caress ivory skin, glistening under its kind rays. Akko wanted to do so as well. Touch it, and know she was real and not just a figment of her imagination.

“I love you.” She murmured, reaching forward, arms wrapped around a slim waist, lips pressing against a bare shoulder. “I love you.”

Diana hummed, hands resting over Akko’s latched on to her abdomen. “Dance with me, Love.” She beckoned, leading them to sway under the night sky, the crickets and the breeze playing them a song of romance solely for their rapture.

The moon as their only witness, they vowed silent words, moving along the area, spinning, swaying, dancing, laughing, smiling, crying.

Akko never felt as lucky as she did in this moment. She was beyond fortunate. This moment she’d never forget, a memory never to be destroyed all her life, reminding her that she was blessed.

Blessed, and still a little foolish.

“I still don’t get it, you know. Why ‘cabbage’?”

Diana laughed into the tranquil night. Slapping Akko’s bare arm in fondness. “Did you really just ask that? Now of all times? With a romantic mood set up like this?” She shook her head in disbelief. “You are amazing, Kagari Atsuko. I love you to death, really I do... but are you seriously still hung over that?” She inquired, spinning her fated partner about, bringing her back in close. “Does it have to make sense? Isn’t it enough to know that you’re meant to be mine, and I’m forever yours?”

Akko returned that tender smile, leaning up to place a kiss against Diana’s throat. “Well, yeah, I guess; but... like... doesn’t that defeat the rings’ purpose, then?”

“Does it matter?”

“...It doesn’t. Not anymore. Not when you’re by my side, because that’s all that matters.”

“Great answer.”

“Diana?”

“Hmmm? What is it now?” Diana asked, amused that the peaceful mood didn’t look like it would settle back down anytime soon.

“For ruining the moment.... sorry.” All Akko’s laughing refuted that statement. Diana knew they both didn’t regret it one bit. Not at all. So with a smile only meant for her world nestled in her arms, leaning down and closing the gap bit-by-bit, what else could Diana reply with except,

“...It’s alright.”

And they saw stars.

//-//-//-//-//

This... was an unexpected development.

“...Wanna come over?”

“I’d love to.”

Cold, soaked and dropped off by the Cavendish’s service car, they made their way up the drive way, Akko fumbling for her house keys in the wee hours of the morning.

“Sorry, I really didn’t expect it to rain when I invited you out.”

“It’s fine, it wasn’t something within our control at all. The night looked perfectly clear, too.”

Flipping on the lights by the threshold, Akko guided Diana in, drenched shoes flying off, but immediately retrieved and set to the side to drip properly. They’d have to clean and dry those tomorrow better, but for now, a bath of warmth was in order.

Akko had insisted Diana take one first, but ever the gentlewoman, Diana did not move an inch until she was absolutely certain Akko would be alright. Her strongest argument stood to be, “Just who was it that I had to take to the hospital upon our first encounter.”, and Akko could only pout, begrudgingly accepting her defeat and warming herself a bath, but not without leaving Diana a towel and a temporary change of clothes so she wouldn’t get chills.

As Akko tagged Diana with a kiss to the lips, switching places after drawing the girl a fresh warm bath, she made her way to the kitchen, deciding to make them some vegetable soup to warm them up from the inside. Would Diana like that too?

Choosing and gathering her ingredients, she began prepping, chopping up everything as her water in the pot was brought to a boil.

It didn’t take her long at all to finish. By the time the food was ready, Diana was back downstairs, clad in one of Akko’s oversized shirts and pajama bottoms. It did strange things to Akko’s dear heart. On Diana’s part, just the sight of her future wife (she was a woman with a vision for tomorrow) preparing her a meal, fresh from a bath, in their own little world... How could she not fall deeper in love? So in love that she could just kiss her!

And she did just that.

Walking up to the shorter girl, Diana coaxed her into warm arms, a hand making its way into brunette strands, entangling them around her fingers, ring shining amidst them. This was bliss. This was everything to her.

This was everything to Akko. Everything she’d hoped for and wanted, and even more.

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

Soft. A little salty, maybe the soup’s seasoning. Warm and gentle, yet pressured and emotional. Tenderly passionate, and passionately tender, their lips danced a song that they’d forever remember.

And as they sat down to eat, seated in front of each other, they motioned for cheers with their chopsticks, a leafy green clipped between one pair.

And that’s when Akko realized that it all made perfect sense.

The rings weren’t wrong, and the words would always be right.

“Ah...

Cabbage.”

~end.

A/N: Can you believe it? All that, just so I could say in the end, “Cabbage”. Honestly, Akko is so slow. Somehow I’m not quite satisfied with this, and maybe I should’ve gone with a different approach or piece, or simply edited my original plan to fit safely within the guidelines, but... Idk. Maybe I’m as much of a fool as Akko, that way. Was it worth the thousands of bothersome words to read? Haha. Feedback is appreciated, as always. Hope you enjoyed.

~Shintori Khazumi

[gutwrenchflowerbomb]

Note: This is long but I felt like getting it out there not just for the sake of newer fans but because it’s been a long time since I’ve written about wrestling and I’d like to get into the habit again.

So I’m still pretty new to the current form of WRESTLING TUMBLR™️ but I am a Tumblr vet (joined in May of ‘09 baybee). I am also a vet when it comes to being a wrestling fan. I’m talking 25 years (since I was 10). And I feel this urge to be the cool aunt to all the newer and/or younger fans. I don’t wanna act like I am some super authority figure or that my thoughts and opinions are fucking gospel, but like...apply the wisdom I’ve learned over the years.

Especially as someone whose favorite wrestlers tend to be somewhere in the lower to upper mid-card range.

There is a lot of anger/disappointment/etc right now regarding AEW and some of the recent booking and I just wanna say a few things about it that hopefully will resonate or ease some of that.

-People who are upset with Kenny and/or the Bucks being the champs because they are EVPs :

They deserve it. Why? Because AEW is their baby. Yes, Tony Khan is a big part of it but ultimately the Bucks, Kenny and Cody are the originators. They took a huge risk and it has paid off handsomely. So why is it that just because they happen to be EVPs that means they can never be booked to win big? This whole industry is and has been booked that way. Plus, it’s not like they put the straps on themselves instantly. It’s been over a year and I think it’s fair to say they earned it. Also: they won’t have them forever. Wrestling isn’t fun when the belts never switch hands. We know this and they know this as well.

- Chuck and Trent being underutilized and Orange Cassidy being pushed the moon:

I am a HUGE Best Friends fan. Have been for years. In fact, one of the first shirts I ever bought that wasn’t WWE was a Best Friends shirt and I’ve worn that bitch to All In, Double or Nothing, All Out and Revolution. Do I think they could be on Dynamite more often? Sure. Do I think they are being buried or anything like that in favor of Orange? It’s not that simple.

I love OC. He’s cool, fantastic in the ring, looks good but most of all he is just soooo different than what most casual wrestling fans are used to. In this case, it’s worked out to his (and the company’s) advantage. I can’t tell you how many videos I’ve seen online that show people who don’t know shit about wrestling reacting to him in the ring. The Buzz is good and the result is TNT is VERY interested in OC. We all know TK loves him too. The result has been Orange getting more screen time. But I hope most folks realize this is not his fault. Plus, there’s always gonna be like...designated roles in a wrestling stable. There’s gonna be your singles guys, the tag teams and sometimes a woman or two. It’s just naturally how stables are. And people who are in stables generally are seen supporting their fellow members.

The Best Friends do appear to be on the back burner as far as storyline/prominence goes right now and that’s ok. There is so much talent on that roster, especially in the tag division. If you pull back and look at the episodes objectively, you’ll see that they (the bookers) really try to get everyone screen time as much as possible. When’s the last time PnP had a match? Or Jurassic Express? I can count on one hand the number of times TH2 have been on dynamite this year. That means that a lot of times a team won’t actually have a match on Dynamite for a while. They usually try to even that out by having them on Dark. Again, that is ok. The only alternatives to this would be to A.) cut screen time to several other performers in favor or just one or two teams or B.) have more performers on but the matches would have to be cut to 3-7 minutes. Personally, I would rather have longer matches less often then every week have some dumb ass short matches. 

- My favorite ______ deserves ___!

Listen, everyone has favorites and naturally we all want to see our favorites as much as possible and want them to be dripping in championships. The reality is, if the same people/teams are the champions all the time it’s boring as fuck. Seriously. In good companies, there is a nice ebb and flow of changing of championships. Titles changes that happen too often lose their prestige. When they take too long to change hands it becomes boring and predictable. 

In my over two decades of watching wrestling I’ve learned to embrace this. When your favorite finally gets booked in a higher profile feud, it makes it all that much more exciting and important. Take my current favorite AEW star: I am patiently waiting for Colt Cabana to get something bigger than his current position in the Dark Order. It may be a while. It might be in a few weeks. In the mean time, I just appreciate it when I get to see him at all. 

- The women’s division is trash in AEW right now

It could be better, but believe me: it could be way fucking worse. If any of you remember the Diva’s Championship era of WWE know what the hell I’m talking about. I think that right now, with Covid-19 and injuries for some performers, the women’s division is in a holding pattern. It sucks. There’s no way around it. If you watch Dark, that’s where the ladies shine. There is often 3-5 women’s matches on there and they feature some bigger players and some lesser known jobbettes. Sometimes that means there’s a squash match. But often the performers are given a solid 6+ minutes to go at it. That doesn’t sound long but it’s actually pretty generous especially for those performers who are new/unknown. Yet on Dynamite we usually only get one MAYBE two matches and generally it’s involving the same people. 

I think this is probably going to continue to be the case until the pandemic is under control and they are able to travel again. Not just travel in the sense of going to different cities, but also travel for performers. I personally cannot wait until we get some of the wonderful Joshi ladies back in the mix. I honestly think AEW really truly wants to have the women in their company to shine as bright as the men but they are struggling to figure it out. When the company was started, they had some big, well known names in the men’s division i.e. Chris Jericho. I mean, Double or Nothing we got Mox debuting. That’s some name recognition that the women’s division didn’t get and I think they have suffered because of it. That doesn’t mean that the women are any worse than men or that they are any worse than other companies’ women’s divisions.  

I hope if anyone actually read all this comments to let me know what they think. Again, I never want to come off as an elitist (lol) or know-it-all but rather like the weird old cat-lady who’s lived through some. 

[ataswegianabroad]

Alone Amongst the Gum Trees Part 3 - It Was Murdoch All Along

NOTE - this article has been migrated to Medium. As of 2021, A Taswegian Abroad will be closed down, and all of my writing will be published on my Medium profile.

“For some time, Australia’s democracy has been slowly sliding into disrepair. The nation’s major policy challenges go unaddressed, our economic future is uncertain and political corruption is becoming normalised. We can’t understand the current predicament of our democracy without recognising the central role of Murdoch’s national media monopoly. 

There is no longer a level playing field in Australian politics. We won’t see another progressive government in Canberra until we deal with this cancer in our democracy.”

- Kevin Rudd - THE CASE FOR COURAGE

Foreword

I started this as a brain dump on July 25th, 2016 just before I flew back to Australia for 4 weeks. I decided to wait to finish it as an “Alone Amongst the Gum Trees” piece after the 2016 US election as it would have directly impacted the outcome. 

That was the plan, anyway. I forgot entirely that I had written this draft for almost 5 years. The next thing you know: it’s early 2021, I’m married, have a dog, a car, and my first child is due in August. 

My last political opinion piece was from April 11, 2016: a piece on how Bernie Sanders was being treated in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election.

So what happened from mid-2016 to early 2021? I didn’t jump back down the political commentary rabbit hole. No more rants on Tumblr blogs. No angry posts on Facebook. The odd spicy tweet about the current election happening between my old home (Australia), my new home (Canada) and the messed up cousin next door (United States). I instead chose to divert my love of writing to sports (see https://thefiftyfooty.com/), technology, and music.

From a political standpoint I chose to mostly stop talking, and to listen. Now don’t become misconstrued: I did not ignore it. I was very active over the Provincial and Federal Canadian elections of 2015 and 2019, I followed the unprecedented US political climate very closely given our proximity to the United States (and learned a lot in the process), and I voted in the most recent 2019 Australian election (my third from Toronto since leaving in 2012).

If I take a step back - I still need to be self-critical: I was defeated and I surrendered to the tidal-wave of the far-right. I was watching the US tear itself in two over race, alternative facts, and radical ideology. I was watching the UK go down a similar path with Brexit and Boris Johnson. I was watching my beloved homeland of Australia continue to confusingly elect damaging conservative governments despite the polls, trends, movements and more indicating it was time for a change.

As I matured into my late 20′s and now early 30′s (*gulp*) I was asking myself: was this how it was going to be? Did the western world just decide “we’re done with progressive views, let stick it in reverse for a bit and see how we go”? If that was true, then why did Canada buck this trend with Trudeau in 2015 & 2019? Why was New Zealand thriving under Arden after 2017 and 2020?

I went to a dark place on this. 

But then something amazing happened. Enter former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd talking about wanting a royal commission into Rupert Murdoch and his News Corp empire who control 70% of print media in Australia.

Did he say 70% of all print media in Australia?

I STRONGLY recommend taking 15 minutes to watch this video. It will do a much better job of painting the scene than I ever could. If not, you can still read on through.

After doing some looking into this: all I can say is that I didn’t have to dig very far to have my fire reignited. All I can think about now is this #MurdochRoyalCommission

My world view has changed, and what I am about to write next will explain a few things that I hope will change yours too.

This is not a left vs right piece. This is not a blame, shame, or complain piece either. I won’t curse or abuse, because this is a self reflection, a cry of encouragement, and a call to action to all who live in and want to protect the political integrity of democracy around the world.

I am here to explain my thought patterns with the goal of having at least one more person under the thumb of Murdoch’s “beast” realise just what’s going on, and to encourage that person to make more informed decisions knowing the facts.

The Path to En-frightened-ment

February 2014 was the last time I updated the long-form political arm of my blog. Back then as a young man exposed to his first bout of political and social disappointment after the 2013 Australian election - I felt the need to get it all out and I did in a little more linguistically brash Part 2 of “Alone Amongst the Gum Trees”.

I was in an interesting position then. I was a 23 year old finding his place in the world - personally, politically, spiritually, environmentally. I was mostly deciding whether or not I was done with Toronto and it if was time to stay home permanently after spending 3 months back in Australia.

I chose no. I left. I came back to Toronto and the rest is history.

Then one day a couple of years later I got us flights back to Australia for a visit. After nearly 3 years avoiding it (mostly because of my post-election distaste for Australian ignorance), it was time to bite the bullet and go home for a bit.

In 2014 I mentioned:

...let’s talk about Australia, how things changed, how it looked from outside the huge wall that the government apparently has built around the country now, and how it looks from a bloke who literally can not wait to leave again.

I had been anxious about that trip for a while. Not because I hadn’t seen everyone for so long or because it was my wife’s (then girlfriend who became my fiance on that trip) first time visiting, it was because Australia had a chance to move away from the “ignorance, inequality, narrow-minded idiocy, and over-conservatism” I mentioned in 2014. 

But we didn’t. Turnbull won the 2016 election. I was so angry at the Australian people. I was so scared of that ignorant, greedy, racist, xenophobic, homophobic, narrow minded, privileged, climate denying creature that seems to be slowly devouring the planet.

From that point in time, all I could think about was some sort of big right-wing populist shift happening across the globe. Outside of the obvious ones: Trump in the USA, Johnson in the UK and Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison in Australia, there were a few more extreme cases: Putin in Russia, Marine Le Pen in France, Viktor Orban in Hungary. Then there’s Cambodia, Brazil, Turkey, Egypt etc who saw this as a huge advantage as well. It may not be the end of a progressive vision of the world but it definitely seemed like the beginning of a big switch.

One thing I learned during my political writing hiatus while serving my self-induced “exile” to Canada is that this country was one of the few blips in this trend. Why did Canada choose to elect Justin Trudeau in 2015, a left wing liberal, after 9 years of Harper’s conservative government? Was it simply because Canadians were good and fair people? Did they just fundamentally understand that you need both conservative and progressive governments to advance society? Perhaps they do, and Canadians are most definitely good and fair people regardless of election results. I am even set to become a Canadian citizen myself (and a dual-citizen overall) in 2021.

So where is this all coming from? Why are the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom on a continued path to segregation, protectionism, populism and division while Canada and New Zealand show basically zero of these tendencies?

The News Corp cancer that is Rupert Murdoch’s media empire is the deciding factor.

So What Does Kevin Rudd Have To Do With It?

Mr. Rudd has been living in the USA for the last 5 years and is firmly spearheading the charge in that Rupert Murdoch’s media behemoth “News Corp” has been unlawfully influencing Australian opinion and undermining elections in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States for close to 3 decades (more predominantly in the last 8 years). 

Before you read any further I have to be transparent about my opinions of Kevin Rudd. I accredit his “Kevin 07″ campaign as the catalyst for my interest in politics, my decision to study economics at university, and my ongoing support for progressive policies in every federal and state election since 2007. His work has played a big part in shaping me into the person I am today.

Despite my positive position on Mr. Rudd, I am also disappointed he did not action this during his time as prime minister. However, I am “all in” when it comes to what he is standing for, and that is:

Eradicating monopolies in all forms (be it political, business, journalism, etc)

Improving media literacy to encourage fair and unbiased journalism

Avoiding the pitfalls of Murdoch's divisive influence on the USA happening to Australia

There’s a few key factoids to his claims of mass-media bias:

70% of print media in Australia is owned by ONE MAN: Rupert Murdoch (100% owned in Queensland)

Print media influences the national conversation on a daily basis

Rupert Murdoch owns the biggest YouTube channel in Australia (news.com.au)

The line between fact-based and opinion-based reporting continues to blur, resembling that of CNN (Democrats) and Fox (Republican) extreme partisanship in the USA

All of Murdoch’s papers have backed the Liberal/National party in all 19 out of the last 19 federal and state elections 

The ABC is breaching the Australian Broadcasting Act of 1983 by not standing up to Murdoch media purely out of fear

Politicians are not standing up out of fear of character assassination

Whether or not Murdoch is backing left or right, Labor or Liberal, the question still remains:

Do you think it is healthy for a FOREIGN PRIVATE ENTITY to own a monopoly level of influence on a sovereign country’s political system for that private entity to use for their own personal gain through targeted media attacks and character assassinations? 

Watch This Space...

There are utter mountains of evidence to accompany these claims, and to make sure you can digest what I am trying to say, I recommend that you sink your teeth into the following videos to validate and truly comprehend the size of the tumour we are dealing with:

Feb 20, 2020 - 1h - Friendlyjordies informal interview with Kevin Rudd

This is right before the Covid outbreak in March, which delayed Mr. Rudd’s ability to move for a formal commission into media bias

Provides excellent insight into the ABC’s lack of action, the opportunism of the Green party, and the complete absence of unbiased reporting in Australia

Feb 18, 2021 - 1h 30m - Kevin Rudd Officially Requesting Royal Commission to Australian Senate

The first 20-30 minutes provide Mr. Rudd’s summary of the situation

The remainder of the video consists of questions from both Labor and Liberal senators about Mr. Rudd’s claims

Mar 1, 2021 - 2m - Kevin Rudd speaks to Sunrise about the Murdoch monopoly

Mr. Rudd went on a national flagship morning show to discuss his concerns regarding News Corp

LISTEN to the questions being asked of him: completely disregarding his valid points and dismissing him as “sour grapes”

Channel 7 is not News Corp, so why try to discredit Mr. Rudd? Fear of being targeted by News Corp

Mar 9, 2021 - 1h - National Press Club: The Case for Courage

Mr. Rudd stands up in front of The National Press Club of Australia to promote the four big challenges facing Australia in his upcoming book “The Case for Courage” 

He takes questions from journalists from both Murdoch and non-Murdoch media outlets

As I start to conclude this piece, for action to happen, an independent royal commission is required to get to the facts. Mr. Rudd already gathered over 500,000 signatures that were recently sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison asking for the royal commission to take place, but this is not enough.

Even former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a friend of Rupert Murdoch and political opposite to Mr. Rudd, signed the petition and said the following:

Mr Turnbull, a former Liberal prime minister, said the Murdoch media used to be a group of traditional right-leaning outlets but has now become "a vehicle of propaganda."

He told ABC television's Insiders program on Sunday that Australian democracy was suffering for allowing the "crazy, bitter partisanship" of social media to creep into the mainstream.

"We have to work out what price we're paying, as a society, for the hyper-partisanship of the media," Mr Turnbull said.

"Look at the United States and the terrible, divided state of affairs that they're in, exacerbated, as Kevin was saying, by Fox News and other right-wing media."

I recently sent a (somewhat long) letter to Mr. Rudd expressing my concern for the state of Australia’s media landscape, with it culminating in the following questions:

I am deeply moved and inspired by your bravery to take on "the beast" as you so aptly name it, and I want to boldly ask: how can I help? How can I get involved? 

I am yet to hear back from Mr. Rudd himself - but I think if you’ve gotten this far, you know what I am about to say next.

I want to help, learn more, or get involved.

That’s amazing. We’re not asking for money, just action. Here’s some ways you can help is stop the rot:

SUBSCRIBE TO and FOLLOW direct updates from Kevin Rudd:

Website / Newsletters

https://newsroyalcommission.com/ 

https://kevinrudd.com/

Social media alongside the #MurdochRoyalCommission hashtag on all platforms:

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Boycott News Corp media sites, publications, and channels

I’ve linked a list of all assets by News Corp above

This includes steering clear of ALL mediums of news owned by these publications and outlets including the respective:

Social media channels and pages

Television and radio news channels 

Print and online newspapers and articles

SHARE and spread the word of this cancer affecting our democracy

Talk TO your friends and family (not AT them) and LISTEN to their views - people are not dumb: this will make sense if given time to digest

WATCH the videos posted above as a start, alongside a few more recommendations:

This interview between Friendly Jordies and former Labor Leader Bill Shorten from earlier in March 2021

I learned more about Bill Shorten in the last 20 minutes of this interview than I did in his entire run as opposition leader. 

This just goes to show you how utterly mistreated he was by Murdoch media

For a laugh - every episode of Kevin Rudd: PM from Rove McManus’ late night show

I want Australia to remain a safe, secure, and lucky country to raise my family in someday. I care about this very much and plan to ramp up my content around this until we are free from the Murdoch beast and its lies.

Thank you so much for reading, as always, I am happy to discuss.

List of Murdoch (News Corp) Owned Outlets [Expanded Below]

Television

Foxtel (65%)

Australian News Channel

Fox Sports Australia

Streamotion

Fox Sports News

Fox Cricket

Fox Footy

Fox League

Kayo Sports

Binge

Sky News Australia

Sky News Weather

Sky News Extra

Sky After Dark

Australia Channel (News Streaming channel)

Sky News New Zealand

Sky News on WIN

Internet

Punters.com.au — Australian horse racing and bookmaker affiliate.

SuperCoach

Australia Best Recipes

hipages

odds.com.au

Mogo

One Big Switch

Knewz, a news aggregator

Realestate.com.au

Advertising, Branding & Tech

Global

Storyful

News UK

bridge studio

wireless Group

wireless studios

urban media

First Radio

Switchdigital

TIBUS

ZESTY

News Corp Australia

SUDDENLY - Content Agency

Medium Rare Content Agency

HT&E (Here, There & Everywhere)

News Xtend

Radio

News UK & Ireland

wireless Group

talkSPORT

talkSPORT 2

talkRADIO

Virgin Radio

FM104

Q102

96FM

c103

Live 95FM

LMFM

U105

Scottish Sun 80s

Scottish Sun Hits

Scottish Sun Greatest Hits

Times Radio

Magazines and Inserts (digital and print)

News Corp Australia

Big League

body+soul

Broncos

Business Daily

delicious

Escape

Foxtel

GQ Australia

Hit

Kidspot

Mansion Australia

Motoring

Sportsman

Super Food Ideas

taste.com.au

The Deal

The Weekend Australian Magazine

Vogue Australia

Vogue Living

Whimn

Wish

News & Magazines (digital and print)

News UK

The Sun

The Times

The Sunday Times

Press Association (part owned, News UK is one of 26 shareholders)

The TLS (Times Literary Supplement)

News Corp Australia

The Australian including weekly insert magazine The Deal and monthly insert magazine (wish)

The Weekend Australian

Australian Associated Press

news.com.au

New South Wales

The Daily Telegraph

The Sunday Telegraph including insert magazine sundaymagazine

Victoria

Herald Sun

Sunday Herald Sun including insert magazine sundaymagazine

Lions Raw

Samizdat

Queensland

The Courier-Mail including weekly insert magazine QWeekend

The Sunday Mail

Brisbane News

South Australia

The Advertiser including the monthly insert The Adelaide magazine

Sunday Mail

Tasmania

The Mercury

The Sunday Tasmanian

Northern Territory

Northern Territory News

Sunday Territorian

Community suburban newspapers

Cumberland/Courier (NSW) newspapers

Blacktown Advocate

Canterbury-Bankstown Express

Central

Central Coast Express Advocate

Fairfield Advance

Hills Shire Times

Hornsby and Upper North Shore Advocate

Inner West Courier

Liverpool Leader

Macarthur Chronicle

Mt Druitt-St Marys Standard

NINETOFIVE

North Shore Times

Northern District Times

NORTHSIDE

Parramatta Advertiser

Penrith Press

Rouse Hill Times

Southern Courier

The Manly Daily

The Mosman Daily

Village Voice Balmain

Wentworth Courier

Leader (Vic) newspapers

Bayside Leader

Berwick/Pakenham Cardinia Leader

Brimbank Leader

Caulfield Glen Eira/Port Philip Leader

Cranbourne Leader

Dandenong/Springvale Dandenong Leader

Diamond Valley Leader

Frankston Standard/Hastings Leader

Free Press Leader

Heidelberg Leader

Hobsons Bay Leader

Hume Leader

Knox Leader

Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader

Manningham Leader

Maribyrnong Leader

Maroondah Leader

Melbourne Leader

Melton/Moorabool Leader

Moonee Valley Leader

Moorabbin Kingston/Moorabbin Glen Eira Leader

Mordialloc Chelsea Leader

Moreland Leader

Mornington Peninsula Leader

Northcote Leader

Preston Leader

Progress Leader

Stonnington Leader

Sunbury/Macedon Ranges Leader

Waverley/Oakleigh Monash Leader

Whitehorse Leader

Whittlesea Leader

Wyndham Leader

Quest (QLD) newspapers

Albert & Logan News (Fri)

Albert & Logan News (Wed)

Caboolture Shire Herald

Caloundra Journal

City News

City North News

City South News

Ipswich News

Logan West Leader

Maroochy Journal

North-West News

Northern Times

Northside Chronicle

Pine Rivers Press/North Lakes Times

Redcliffe and Bayside Herald

South-East Advertiser

South-West News/Springfield News

Southern Star

The Noosa Journal

weekender

Westside News

Wynnum Herald

Weekender Essential Sunshine Coast

Messenger (SA) newspapers

Adelaide Matters

City Messenger

City North Messenger

East Torrens Messenger

Eastern Courier Messenger

Guardian Messenger

Hills & Valley Messenger

Leader Messenger

News Review Messenger

Portside Messenger

Southern Times Messenger

Weekly Times Messenger

Community (WA) newspapers

(50.1%) (Formerly)

Advocate

Canning Times

Comment News

Eastern Reporter

Fremantle-Cockburn Gazette

Guardian Express

Hills-Avon Valley Gazette

Joondalup-Wanneroo Times

Mandurah Coastal / Pinjarra Murray Times

Melville Times

Midland-Kalamunda Reporter

North Coast Times

Southern Gazette

Stirling Times

Weekend-Kwinana Courier

Weekender

Western Suburbs Weekly

Sun (NT) newspapers

Darwin Sun

Litchfield Sun

Palmerston Sun

Regional and rural newspapers

New South Wales

Tweed Sun

Tweed Daily News

Victoria

Echo

Geelong Advertiser

GeelongNEWS

The Weekly Times

Queensland

Bowen Independent

Burdekin Advocate

Cairns Sun

Gold Coast Bulletin

Gold Coast Sun

Herbert River Express

Home Hill Observer

Innisfail Advocate

Northern Miner

Port Douglas & Mossman Gazette

Tablelander – Atherton

Tablelands Advertiser

The Cairns Post

The Noosa News

The Sunshine Coast Daily

Townsville Bulletin

Toowoomba Chronicle

Townsville Sun

weekender

Daily Mercury (Mackay)

Tasmania

Derwent Valley Gazette

Tasmanian Country

Northern Territory

Centralian Advocate

International

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea Post-Courier (63%)

United States

New York Post

Wall Street Journal

realtor.com

Move (80%)

Dow Jones & Company

Consumer Media Group

The Wall Street Journal – the leading US financial newspaper

Wall Street Journal Europe closed

The Wall Street Journal Asia closed

Barron's – weekly financial markets magazine

Marketwatch – financial news and information website

Financial News

Heat Street - news and opinion website

Mansion Global - global luxury property website

Enterprise Media Group

Dow Jones Newswires – global, real-time news and information provider.

Factiva – provides business news and information together with content delivery tools and services.

Dow Jones Indexes – stock market indexes and indicators, including the Dow Jones Industrial Average. (10% ownership)

Dow Jones Financial Information Services – produces databases, electronic media, newsletters, conferences, directories, and other information services on specialised markets and industry sectors.

Betten Financial News – leading Dutch language financial and economic news service.

Strategic Alliances

STOXX (33%) – joint venture with Deutsche Boerse and SWG Group for the development and distribution of Dow Jones STOXX indices.

Wireless Group

Talksport

TalkRadio

Books

HarperCollins

4th Estate

Collins

Ecco Press

Harlequin Enterprises

Harper Perennial

Harper Voyager

Kappa Books

Modern Publishing

Unisystems Inc.

Zondervan Publishing

Christian publishing company taken over by HarperCollins in 1988

Inspirio – religious gift production

[alifeasvivid]

Oh my goodness, I feel so honored, thank you so much! I always check to see if you have new little drabbles, and reread your work if not, whenever I’m tired and need pick me ups. I’m always excited to read anything you come up with! I’m horrible at prompts, but I just want to thank you for all the wonderful fics you’ve created!! I can reread your stuff over and over again, and often do! (Lol don’t know how to respond to your first message I gave up trying to understand Tumblrs mobile version)

^/////^ Thank you! I’m always thrilled to know that my work makes other people happy… so… here’s one more! Sleep well and have good dreams! :D

No one listens to the university’s radio station. Why would they? There are lots of live shows even on week nights in the surrounding city and otherwise, everyone just uses spotify or pandora. Many of the departments have their own podcasts, so the school’s radio station doesn’t do much of anything other than play re-runs of “This American Life” only interrupted by stretches of mostly unoffensive alternative rock.

So it is true, that for most of the day, no one listens to it. Most don’t even know the school has a radio station. 

But at 2am, the lights flicker to life. There aren’t many listeners; maybe two hundred on the entire campus, but they routinely tune in for the only live broacast the station ever has: Arthur Kirkland’s Insomniac Hour. Arthur is a transfer student from the UK and a music major, well-known around the school as such.

The broadcast has no theme or even any kind of schedule. Arthur sometimes plays punk rock to keep everyone awake during mid-terms and finals and sometimes he plays softer music to help his listeners sleep. Often times, he reads poetry or mumbles a rant about this or that in his thick English accent–forgetting that almost all of his listeners are American and therefore don’t understand the slang he uses. A lot of the times, he just rambles, like he’s right there talking to you.

That’s what Alfred F. Jones always likes to pretend anyway. 

Alfred turns off his playlist at 1:59am as usual and switches on the radio, smiling softly to himself. He knows Arthur, but… not particularly well. He wishes he did. Alfred is a history major, but he takes voice lessons and sings in the mixed acapella group, so he and Arthur have crossed paths many times in the music building. Arthur is always so aloof, but so charming and polite and he has this twinkle in his green eyes that makes him look like he’s about to cause mischief.

Alfred isn’t sure what being in love feels like, but he’s willing to bet it’s something very similar to the way his heart flutters as he closes all his books while Arthur starts his show. It surely feels a lot like the quiet warmth that surrounds Alfred as he changes into his pajamas and shuts off the lights while Arthur introduces a song. If being in love isn’t the smile on Alfred’s face and the longing in his chest as he listens to Arthur recount his day or make dry, sarcastic observations, then Alfred doesn’t know what it would be.

The station is playing on a small am/fm radio he keeps on his desk, which doubles as a nightstand in his small dorm room. Arthur’s voice floats around the room and it’s especially vivid because Alfred had seen Arthur earlier that day. In fact, Arthur had actually stopped him to compliment the acapella group. They’ve been rehearsing intensely since they have a big end-of-term performance coming up.

“Look, I know I try not to talk too much about my personal life on here… and by that you know I mean dating and whatnot, but… that’s because there’s not usually much to tell.” Arthur sighs over the speaker. “There’s still not, you know. Much to tell, I mean. But there’s this one bloke and… I don’t see him very often or anything. Fuck, we aren’t even friends, I’d say…” Arthur takes a long pause.

Alfred’s heart clenches. It is really out of character for Arthur to start talking about things like this, but he doesn’t know if he can listen whatever it is Arthur is about to say about this person. He grabs the radio, thumb brushing nervously over the on/off switch.

“I don’t– Have you ever just met someone so fucking gorgeous it hurts? Someone so fit that they’d–?” Arthur huffs an anxious laugh. “I’d say that I probably shouldn’t say all of this on a public radio station, but the odds that he’s listening are slim, as I’m sure most of you know. We only cross paths now and then, but every time I see him it’s a bit of a shock. I don’t know… but… I wonder, does he look at everyone like that? Like he sees right through you, but doesn’t mind at all? Like he even likes what he sees?” Arthur blows out a long puff of air like he’d somehow been holding his breath.

Alfred wants to turn off the radio. He wants to turn it off so badly because it hurts so much to hear not only Arthur’s words, but his tone of voice as he says them.

“Never saw blue like that until I came here. Everything’s grey back home. Sings like an angel too, the absolute bastard.” Another huff. “And me, I’m such a git, I couldn’t even work up the nerve to tell him so. Bloody coward. Told him how well the acapella group is doing and… well… I’m sure a fair few of you have caught onto the specifics by now, so I should probably stop. I’ll play this next song and then take a few calls, it looks like some of the lines have lit up. Don’t any of you go telling me to confess to him though, alright?”

Alfred’s pulse is pounding a million miles per minute. He cradles the radio to his chest as a soft ballad pours out of the speaker. It can’t be, can it? But it has to be.

Alfred picks up his phone and pulls up the contact info for the station. He’s called it a few times, but always hung up before Arthur answered. His thumb wavers nervously once more, but presses the call button and it rings. Alfred turns off the radio as the song ends.

“Hello, you’re on with Arthur. You should probably be asleep,” Arthur’s voice answers in his usual way.

Alfred can hardly breathe. “Um… h-hi. It’s me. Just wanted you to know… I think you should totally confess your feelings, okay?”

There’s only silence and Alfred pulls the phone away from his ear momentarily to make sure the call is still connected. 

Arthur clears his throat. “Yes… well… I’ll think about it,” he replies, a grin evident in his voice. “Now go to sleep, Alfred.”

[fuckblizzardbearlover]

@ fellow single player RPG players

lots of us are waiting for our games. Even if a new Mass Effect or Dragon Age gets released it wont be for another few years. Cyberpunk people are waiting it out. Even the less stat based rpg grand theft auto has only had new content for their online game.

I’d suggest those who might be interested to take a look at Vampire the Masquerade(bloodlines 2).

it will be coming out in the first quarter of 2020, they’ve released  a few 30 minute videos discussing the clans involved and how it will effect the game.

i dont propose you drop your game for this one, the idea is that the fandom on tumblr seems small and it might be a good way for you to spend a few hours per week every now and then while you wait for the main game you want to play.

Vampire the Masquerade bloodlines 2is a sequel to VtMB a 1 player rpg set in the “world of Darkness” tabletop system. Its basically a primary alternate to the d20 system. the World of Darkness is a unique rpg setting because it has multiple ways of approaching the lore. in Hunter you play as humans with learned or inherint abilities that help them fight the monsters in a modern urban fantasy setting. at several power lvls higher there is Vampire the Masquerade were you play as a low class member of the great vampire masquerade, that involves multiple clans of vampires with varying abilities. Even the lowliest vampire is  basically a boss fight for a human Hunter. And you have Werewolf (the apocolypse) . Werewolves and other shapeshifters (yes, were foxes, were sharks, werepanthers all exist) are basically boss fights to vampires.

so thats the fun varied thing about world of darkness. you can play a reality adjacent system. i’m not sure the main themes underlying Hunter my only familiarity is the gamecube game Hunter the Reckoning. if you want gothic mid fantasy you go with vampire . basically every depiction of vampires from nosferatus to animis to ‘traditional’ to sexy vampires each represent a clan. but the primary theme is  that you are a monster playing at being human to get closer to your prey. Werewolf is where i did most of my research preparing for a game. and it has the  High fantasy with strong magic, unkillable heroes, great monsters controlled by a cuthulian evil that has ‘already won, we just havent lost YET” theme going on.

So Vampire the Masquerade bloodlines 2 is based on a very heavy rpg system that has had decades of lore to go on. so its very fleshed out and you can spend hours on the wiki looking at vampire history, lore, abilities or even just a single clan.

we are still waiting on the demo but it seems that in Vampire the masquerade B2 you will be able to highly customize your character including body type, pronouns,  and style and background. I dont know if i will Marry this game until i see demo footage and the full extent of the customizability. but i’m pretty sure from what i’ve seen i WILL love it. its obvious in the clan reveal videos that each dev they talk with loves the game and would be eating it up even if they werent working on it. with each clasn they asked one of hte devs whos playing that clan primarily to give their opinions and each one was so psyched.

and of course i know that it being a gothic game about a protag who was turned into a monster against his will and has to actively make a choice about “how much of a monster am i willing to be and how much will i be forced to be” isnt EXACTLY what many people are looking for in regards to lgbt friendly rpg content.

Like i’m hoping to make a punk bear biker in the Tourador (the incubus, beauty obsessed clan) and do by best to get through the story with as little feed casualties as possible and targeting criminals and evil humans when i can

anyways like i said. i dont expect anyone to switch fandoms, but the tag is kinda dead with a lack of fans and i thought some of yall might appreciate dipping your toes in a fun franchise

[nationallark]

Blood From the Stone, an adaptation of Onision’s Stones to Abbigale, Chapter One [EDIT: now complete] 3k words

(AN: hi friends! I decided to go ahead and align chapter one of my rework with chapter one of STA, so here it is for you guys! from now on, I’ll be posting the full chapters on Tumblr and I’ll put links to my Wattpad and Ao3 in my About page!!)

I hope you enjoy :)

The moment I opened my eyes, I was blinded by my freshly wallpapered room. Several days into my latest drastic redecoration, even the cast iron bed frame was now painted white. Light peeking through a narrow opening in the curtains bounced off the walls, making me clamp my eyes shut. Clearly, changing my room back to wall-to-wall white was another in a long line of self-inflicted psychological tortures.

My family could tell that the black had depressed me. I found comfort in the darkness, but neither extreme was without fault. I didn’t mind waffling between light and dark bedrooms, as I had ample spray paint and plenty of time to kill, but for a moment the intense light show pouring through the bay window felt like it was burning clear through to my brain.

Mom, having switched to the overnight shift by mid June, didn’t wake me up like she used to. Then again, neither did my alarm clock. I rolled away from the window and squinted into its plastic face only to see a cheaply backlit 8:17 AM staring back at me.

Great, I was going to be late again.

Not taking the time to grab my usual handful of cereal, I scribbled an excuse note and pulled a sweater over my sleep shirt before hopping on my scooter and pointing it in the direction of the school. As soon as the cold wind began to sting my cheeks, I realized that I in my haste had forgotten a scarf. Oh well.

I narrowly missed crashing into a giggly Lauren and Raymond who, hand in hand, were heading away from the school and towards the old church, no doubt to smoke or make out or any number of activities Lakewood students tended to use the place for.

Mr. Hanson, my heavyset history teacher, gave me a withering look as I ducked into his room with only fifteen minutes left in first period.

“James, talk to me after class,” he said mildly from his perch in the back of the room. I dropped my note on his desk on my way over to one of the few empty seats, electing to try and absorb some of the day’s lesson from the ongoing group activity rather than sit outside and count ceiling tiles.

It didn’t take long, however, for my mind to wander from British colonialism to the fascinating small scale history being made around me. I watched as Calvin, one of the honor students who was gunning for valedictorian, explained the reasoning behind his answers while Jaime nodded along and Miranda half paid attention to him while also monitoring Mr. Hanson to know when it was safe to chew her gum. It was too early in the school year for anyone to be too stressed out over grades, so there was only a sense of resigned monotony among the students.

That is, until the bell rang.

Over the ensuing bustle, Mr. Hanson glanced up from his work and looked at me expectantly, but I could only smile and shrug as I allowed myself to be pushed into the hallway with everyone else. Sorry, Mr. Hanson; I had a more important class to get to.

My second period was all the way across campus, relegated to one of the ancient trailers that also held the ESL students, sign language class, and music appreciation. Sculpture I, being one of the easier options for making the required fine arts credit, was naturally full of slackers and people who, like me, weren’t talented enough in music or theater to take anything else.

My cross-campus trek was interrupted by dozens of students circled around what I could only assume to be a fight. Unfortunately, the fight just happened to be in the center of the hallway that was my only path to art class. I hunched my shoulders and slipped through the growing crowd, breaking into a jog as the minute bell rang. I normally wouldn’t bother with getting to class on time, but I made an exception for sculpture; sculpture was the class I had with Abbi.

Ever since I’d seen Abbi in second period on the first day of senior year, she was all I could think about. Every day she would sit at the left side of a shared desk, drop her bag on the left side of her chair, and, resting her elbows on the tabletop, pick at the fake wood grain desk cover with her pencil.

As I ascended the creaking steps into the trailer, there were more seats open than I expected, probably because their usual occupants were still observing the fight I’d managed to squeeze past. There Abbi was, however, in the same getup as usual: her dark, wavy hair bunching on top of the desk as she bent over it, her deep purple eyeshadow and tinted brows still visible through the fringe. She had on the army jacket I’d never seen her without, even during messier art projects that showed in the cuffs of its sleeves. Even in the harsh light of the trailer’s fluorescent bulbs, she looked fantastic.

I tried not to make it too obvious that I was rushing to sit next to her, so I forced myself to slow down and take a casual approach to the desk. Step. Wave to Mrs. Stanley. Step. Check out the newest student-made hangings above her seat. Three steps. Gently drop my bag onto the desk.

Finally, I pulled the metal desk chair out and plopped into it with a grin ready for Abbi to turn and look at me...which happened to be at the exact same moment my thighs registered how ungodly cold the A/C had made the chair. I hissed in shock and stood up to save myself from mild frostbite, pushing the chair away from me and tipping it backwards and onto the floor with a metallic crash. Having looked up from her handiwork in time to see everything go down, Abbi glanced mildly at the chair, then at me, and went back to work without even laughing at me. Freaking smooth, James.

I picked up the chair amid the laughter of the other sculpture students and the quiet concern of Mrs. Stanley and sat down once again, this time being careful to pull the stretchy fabric of my shorts down long enough to cover the metal seat. I aimed my smile back at Abbi, who, this time, didn’t look up.

I barely had time to be disappointed before the stragglers arrived clearly invigorated by the hallway fight, whooping and hollering before Mrs. Stanley told them to quiet down or she’d mark them as tardy. Once again I looked at Abbi, whose attention was held steadfast by the desk cover. Well, at least it wasn’t just me that couldn’t get her attention. At this, I felt a wave of relief.

The relief was cut short, however, when one of the stragglers named Jason joined us at the shared desk, taking the seat directly across from Abbi. His arrival and unceremonious dumping of his bag on the desktop earned him a brief look and a practiced readjustment of Abbi’s position so that he wouldn’t accidentally bump into her, and once again the relief flooded my system.

Now that everyone was in their seats, Mrs. Stanley, looking for all the world like a walking retirement party, officially began class by going over the previous day’s finished assignment, which itself was the culmination of our unit on color and texture. I myself had modeled my project after my then-black room with soft black silk and smooth painted wood and was given an A for my trouble.

The main topic of discussion, however, wasn’t our grades. It was the introductory project for the next unit: symbolism and storytelling. Mrs. Stanley began to hand out the rubrics for the project while she gave us the bad news: we were going to be working with partners.

No, no, no. Not okay, because with my luck, I’d be paired with bonehead Jason or asshole Alex who’d just gotten back from a stint in alternative school for exposing himself in the cafeteria last year. I struggled to pay attention as she continued to outline the project.

“To simplify things,” she said, still handing out papers, “you’re going to be paired with the person across from you.”

That rule meant I was paired with….oh, God. While I wasn’t looking, Alex had apparently drifted into class and sat in the one remaining seat, which just so happened to be next to Jason and across from me. This wasn’t happening.

I’d been there in the cafeteria last year when Alex exposed himself. I’d even seen it. I can’t say I was particularly impressed, but I guess I didn’t have very much data with which to compare. Regardless, I was uninterested in being stuck with this kid for God knows how long while trying to work with whatever drivel he’d come up with and pass of as ideas.

My musing was interrupted by a voice that said “Can I be paired with James?”

Hearing the rare appearance of Abbi’s somber voice made me smile despite myself, and I took a moment to apprecia--wait. That was my name that had come out of her mouth. She’d asked to be paired with me. I couldn’t blame her, really, as her other option was Jason, who was barely a notch above Alex in terms of competence.

Despite her annoyance at Abbi’s resistance of her rules, Mrs. Stanley appeared to take pity on the both of us and rearranged our partnerships to put Abbi and I together and sic Jason and Alex upon each other. Looking only a little hurt, Jason huffed and looked Alex up and down before shrugging and choosing not to make a stink about the arrangement.

As Mrs. Stanley continued, I tried to remind myself that Abbi was only working with me to avoid the more offensive option that was Jason. Still, I couldn’t help but feel a little giddy at the thought that Abbi would be talking directly to me and nobody else in second period for the next several days.

“For this project, you will each take something you own, and together, you will create something that brings new meaning to your possessions. In case you can’t tell, this is a project that’s going to render the items you bring useless for the future, so I wouldn’t suggest bringing a favorite shirt or expensive electronic. Today, you’ll work on deciding what you’ll bring and sketching out the final product.”

My mind was racing with ideas about what I could bring when I stopped to consider what Abbi might have to offer. What would she consider useful but okay to part with? Surely she had a spare makeup brush or two, with all the work she clearly put into doing her face day after day.

“What are you going to bring?”

I wished she’d say my name again. I’d always thought my name was so boring, but coming from Abbi, it was beautiful. Shit, gotta answer before I look like a weirdo.

“Uh, I don’t know…” Great.

“You could bring something to go in my hamster cage,” said Abbi.

“Did he die or something?” I winced, mentally berating myself. Great, just great. Bring up her dead hamster. That’ll make her have the hots for you.

“Never had one. Dad got the cage and forgot the hamster.”

“How do you forget a hamster? Was he high?” Abbi shrugged and looked away, and I took the opportunity to feel like a complete ass, first for bringing up her nonexistent dead hamster and then for asking about her maybe-stoned father. I wondered, briefly, how the species ever managed to repopulate if there were men like me walking around and completely turning women off.

Instead of shutting my mouth, I decided to try one more time to lift her spirits.

“Maybe I could, uh, bring that weird thing my mom keeps in her bedside table?”

Abbi snorted and, for a fleeting moment, gave me the most perfectly little crooked smile I’d ever seen on those plum-painted lips. And, by God, I was the one who put it there. I let slip an eye-crinklingly wide smile before composing myself into what I hoped was a sly grin. Abbi got ahold of herself too and opened her mouth, hopefully not to be too grossed out with me.

“Tell me you didn’t actually touch your mom’s--”

“Of course not!” I interrupted her. I didn’t know if I could stand to hear that combination of words aimed at me and not die from the resulting embarrassment. I laced my fingers together and stared down at my desk, willing my reddening cheeks to calm down.

Soon, the bell rang and dismissed us to third period, and I quickly stood up, grabbing my things and getting ready to run away from the social situation my big mouth had put me in. I was in such a hurry, in fact, that I almost missed Abbi calling my name from our desk.

I stopped short of the door and sidestepped the other students rushing back to the main school building. Having successfully grabbed my attention, Abbi reached into the scrap paper box and pulled out a white and gold speckled scrap of tissue paper.

“Here,” she said, scribbling something down on it. “gotta run; gym class.”

I felt for her; to get to the stadium for girls’ gym, she was going to have to cross the whole campus and wait for the crosswalk. But more importantly, she gave me a note! I scrambled to open it as I walked to class and discovered she’d written down a phone number. Her phone number? My eyes snapped upwards to the hallway, but Abbi was long gone.

For the rest of the school day, I was floating on air. Abbi had never once given me a second look, but now that we’d spoken some she wanted me to have her phone number! Did she want me to call her? I decided to play it safe and wait until I was home to do anything. I moved my phone case and gently pushed the note inside for safekeeping.

The final bell couldn’t have come soon enough. I picked up my scooter and ran to the bus in hopes of getting home as soon as possible, and Davis waved me over from a seat near the back. I joined him.

“Blow me off again this morning? I’m starting to get lonely,” Davis said with a theatrical sigh. I gave him my best eye roll in return while artfully cramming my scooter in one of the overhead storage areas. I sat down next to Davis and held my backpack in my lap.

“Alarm didn’t go off,” I said, gazing out the window at all the people milling around in the bus circle. Why wouldn’t they get out of the way? Didn’t they know I had something important to do?

“Whatcha’ looking at?” said Davis.

“Oh, nothing. Just wish these assholes would mo--”

And suddenly through the throng of students and teachers I saw Abbi perched on the hood of an old Sedan in the parking lot, looking bored out of her mind and utterly, utterly perfect. Without looking away I grabbed Davis’ sleeve and pulled him towards the window.

“See that girl? That’s Abbi.” I said.

Davis squinted at the parking lot. “The emo chick with the crappy car? That’s your dream girl?”

I smacked him on the shoulder and spoke, still unable to look away.

“She’s amazing. She’s artistic and good at carving, she always does her eyebrows perfectly, and she matches her makeup to the paint stains on her jacket cuffs.”

“Uh, okay. Why not wash the jacket?”

I was getting ready to reply when an unwelcome figure entered my field of vision. Seth, one of the assholes in my history class who liked to talk back to Mr. Hanson, walked up to Abbi and hugged her while she sat on the hood. And sure enough, those paint speckled cuffs wrapped around his waist and hugged right back.

I sat back in my seat and tried not to look as devastated I felt. Of course she had a boyfriend. How could a girl like that not have a boyfriend already? Besides, I didn’t have any right to be upset. Before today, I’d barely said ten words to her altogether. I opened my phone case and pulled out Abbi’s note. Why had she given me this, then?

When my stop came I rode my scooter the rest of the way home and dumped my backpack on the floor before flopping onto my bed. So, Abbi wasn’t trying to get me to ask her out. And she wasn’t asking me out, either. So...what gives? I sent her a text, trying my best to seem casual. Abbi? It’s James.

She replied a few minutes later, Cool. Was wondering when you’d text. So, what are you bringing? And don’t say your mom’s vibrator.

Oh, so that’s why she gave me her number. Of course. We hadn’t started on the sketch for our project, and we hadn’t even figured out what we were bringing. Scanning the room, I came up with the first thing I saw and texted her back. A stuffed animal?

This time, her response was almost instantaneous. What if I bring one of mine and we do like a zombie animal?

I couldn’t help sighing dreamily at her idea. I did tell Davis she was artistic, after all. Sounds cool! :)

Sweet.

As much as I wanted to keep talking to Abbi, I couldn’t think of anything else to say, so I set my phone down and picked a stuffed animal I was willing to part with--a brown bear with a red ribbon--and put it in my backpack for tomorrow before hopping in the shower. I lowered myself to the floor of the tub and distantly felt the warm water hitting my chest.

[ask-de-writer]

SURPRISE PARTY!

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SURPRISE PARTY!

2896 words : MLP Fan Fiction

Commissioned by ask-the-chan-family

The tale is set in the Alternate Universe of Thomas the Writer.  Celestia wants to throw a surprise party to celebrate the many heroic magical battles that Thomas has fought to save Equestria.  Thomas’ sister Nova, a demon, finds out about the party and sets out to wreck it.

© 2016 by Glen Ten-Eyck

Writing begun 01/03/16

All rights reserved.  This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.  The commissioner has the right to post it, make copies on or in other mediums and distribute it, so long as it is done without charge.

Tumblr exemption: Blog holding users of Tumblr.com may reblog and post this work provided that the entire title and copyright block remains intact with all links included and is displayed at the head of the work.  

Fan art, cosplay or other fan activity is actively encouraged.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Celestia was looking out from the balcony of the castle at the panorama of Canterlot and Equestria spread out below.  Beside her, her recently added Daughter in Law, Dashie adjusted her glasses and stared out, too.  The view eventually faded out into the purple of distance at the horizon.  The lands and towns between them and the horizon made an impressive vista.

Celestia said quietly, “I love your father, Thomas, Dashie.  I know that a lot of very highly placed ponies were really upset when we got married.”

Dashie nickered her amusement and pointed out, “They would have been upset, no matter WHO you chose! At least, when you picked dad, you got one of the two most powerful wizards of the realm as a husband!”

Celestia nodded, the playful breeze catching her incredible mane of delicate hues.  “That is true, Dashie.  Thomas has been instrumental in saving the Realm many times. You have too, a time or two.  So has De Writer.”

Dashie chuckled at a memory.  “Speaking of De Writer, If he offers it, NEVER take any tea from him!”

“Why not, Dashie?”

“You know that De Writer is a master of traveling to other dimensions, don’t you?”

“Certainly.”

“He found dad a new tea, a while ago. He got it from the bottom of a deep ocean trench.”

Incredulous, Celestia exclaimed, “TEA? From a deep ocean trench?”

“Yes.  He gave it to dad.  Dad brewed a little of it.”

“What happened, Dashie?”

“It grew tentacles that tried to gab dad!  Dad took a sharp knife and chopped them off!  He diced them and fried them up in soy and garlic.  He drank the tea while he ate the fried tentacles.”

“My goodness!”

“Yep.  Now, when he gets hungry for seafood, he just brews up a little of the tea!”

They both laughed at the notion.

Celestia chortled, “That sounds like my Thommy-Wommy!

“He is not really afraid of anything, is he?”

Dashie went serious and cleaned her glasses as she replied, “Not much, I will give you that.  The most important thing is that when he is afraid, he does not run.  He faces it and figures out how to win.  And then he does.”

Celestia nodded slowly.  “That is it. He is a true hero.  That is how he has saved our realm so often.

“I would like to throw a party for him but his birthday is so far off.”

Dashie agreed, “It is, but birthdays are not the only reasons to hold parties!  We could hold one to celebrate his many courageous deeds!”

Celestia grinned as she agreed, “YES! Let’s do it!  A surprise party for my Thommy-Wommy!”

From a corner of the room, behind some drapes a red-eyed shadow chuckled.  “A surprise party for that upstart Thomas?  Perhaps we should make it a family affair.  I must go and tell his sister, Nova about this!”  Count Nogoodny sneaked quietly away as the two mares discussed what the party should be like.

Nova, Thomas’ sister and a daughter to the Demon Queen Aurora, listened carefully to Count Nogoodny’s account.  She was in her common and unthreatening form as an earth pony.  Her ears twitched and her eyes slitted as she thought through Count Nogoodny’s story of the meeting on the balcony.

“Just the party about Thomas’ courage?  Is that ALL that they talked about?”

He grumped, “All that is important! The only other thing that they talked about was De Writer and his crazy teas!  Nonsense about them being dangerous or something!”

Her voice gone deadly calm, Nova asked, “Deadly?”

Nogoodny snorted, “Utterly unbelievable!  One grows tentacles when it is brewed.  That was just an example.  Dashie said that they were all like that, one way or another!”

Nova smiled.  It was the kind of smile that has been known to freeze glaciers solid.

Waking Luna in mid morning is never easy.  She was making it no easier, today!  She hoofed a big fluffy pillow over her ears, clamped her eyes shut and snapped, “Whatever you want, NO!  I want to sleep!”

Celestia was about to say more when Dashie snickered, “NO to whatever we want?  Great!  We want you to sleep!”

Luna stuck her royal head out of the pile of blankets and demanded, “What is it you want, smart ass?”

Dashie gestured for silence to Celestia.  “We want to hold a party for Thomas!  Everybody knows that you are the best cook in Equestria.  We are going to want a big cake, maybe several tiers, with frosting figures to show dad’s famous exploits in saving the Kingdom.”

Luna’s curiosity piqued, and the flattery (which was true) about her cooking, she started to think. Eyes squinted in concentration, she pointed out, “It would have been good to have a few days to prepare for this.  Still … OK, I’ll do it.”

Celestia smiled, “Great!  I knew that we could count on you, Sis!”

Dashie nodded, “Right.  Luna, we know that Nova is in the castle.  Be sure to keep her out of the kitchen while you are working!”

Luna chuckled.  “De Writer is almost as dangerous!  He and Thomas are almost inseparable.  He likes to bring his tea to events.  I have never heard of one of those teas that is really safe!”

Dashie nodded ruefully.  “I know. How well I know!”

With Luna now busy in the kitchen and some castle staff busy preparing one of the ballrooms for the party, Celestia and Dashie were relaxing in her royal quarters.  There was a knock at the door.  Before they could answer it, the doors were pushed open and a familiar earth pony mare trotted right in!

Her eyes slitted in suspicion, Dashie demanded, “What are you doing here, Nova?”

“I was told that you are having a party for my brother!  I came to help!”

Celestia’s delicate seeming but very strong magic grabbed the demon pony and swept her out through the tall window-doors to the balcony.  Nova was dangled head down over the abyss.

Dashie trotted out to the balcony and said brightly, “We all know that IF YOU MAKE A PROMISE, you will keep it, Nova.”

Celestia said with a grim tone, “I suggest that you promise that you will do nothing to mess up this party!”

Nova, looking down and swallowing hard, exclaimed, “Would I do that?  He is my brother!”

Dashie interposed instantly, “It has never stopped you before!  We all know that you have trouble with heights and that if we drop you, you will just switch to demon form and fly back here.  You won’t get hurt but you WILL get airsick. Shall I go get towels to clean up after you barf?”

Nova sourly snarled, “All right!  I PROMISE that I won’t do anything to mess up your precious party!”

Celestia nodded, “Good enough!” Her magic brought Nova back to the balcony.  Dashie had towels ready. Nova’s weak stomach about heights let go.  It was mopped up in moments.

Looking puzzled, Nova asked, “Why didn’t you have a servant clean it up?”

Dashie flexed her wings a little as she replied, “Gossip.  Servants gossip.  Why embarrass you further? You made your promise.  I know that you will keep it.

“Why don’t you go and assist with setting up the ballroom for the party?”

Pretending to be defeated, Nova slunk from the chamber.  Inside, she was exulting, “I did it.  I got away with it! I won’t be the one to mess up this party!”

She cornered Count Nogoodny and said sweetly, “If you really want to get on Celestia’s good side, carry a message to De Writer.  He should bring his best tea to the party!”

The Count grumped, “What am I?  A mere messenger?”

Nova smiled viciously as she said, “Well, you don’t HAVE to!  You could ignore it and be blamed for the lack of De Writer’s famous tea at the party.  I am SURE that Celestia will look kindly on such an omission at a party for her chosen consort!”

She giggled as the Count left, double time.

Soon the Count was searching the apparently blind ally where he knew that De Writer’s hidden magic shop was.

He finally found the concealed entrance and managed to get in.  He petulantly demanded, “Why don’t you make it easier for your clients?”

The elderly blue unicorn with a white beard, who was reputed to be one of the two most powerful wizards in Equestria, chuckled.  “I would expect that to be obvious!  I don’t WANT clients who give up that easily!  Don’t really want ANY clients. I am plenty wealthy as it is.”

“Then why bother with a shop at all?”

“So that when I AM NEEDED, I can be found!  Are you really as thick as that brick wall?”

“I have a good mind not to give you my message!”

Skeptically, the old unicorn snorted, “I am glad to hear that your mind is good for something!  I was beginning to wonder!”

“The message is that Celestia is throwing a surprise party for Thomas.  She wants you to bring along your best tea for it!”

“Oh, is that all?  No problem.  Thank you.  Your message is delivered.  You may go.”

“And if I demand to see this tea?”

“I will refuse.”

“I am a Count of the Realm!”

A fading voice said, “Then you are needed elsewhere!”

Looking about frantically, the Count found himself back in the castle.  In a toilet.  Lifting his hooves and stepping out of the water in the bowl, he snarled, “Not even good will with Celestia is worth this!”

Celestia and Dashie, meanwhile, had located Sunrise, Celestia’s son by Thomas, in the Royal Library.  The young Alicorn tried to ignore them by reading intently.  He was surrounded by a near fort of books.  Dashie, knowing readers well, began to read over his shoulder.  And giggling.

Irritated, Sunrise demanded, “Don’t you know that is rude?  Why are you giggling at Snarkevan’s History?”

Dashie batted her eyelashes at him and retorted, “Of course ignoring your mother is polite!  Certainly I knew it was rude.  It also got your attention.

“As for giggling at Snarkevan, most of what he wrote was pure garp.”

Celestia nodded sadly, “She is right, Sunrise.  I was there when those things happened.  So was Luna.  If you want to study history, we have perfect memories.  Ask us or check facts with us.

“Now, we have a different and, I hope, fun task for you.  We are throwing a surprise party for your father this evening.  What we want is for you to go to his bookstore and keep him away from the castle until this evening.  Lure him up in the evening by telling him the truth.  Not about the party, but that Luna is cooking dinner for him.”

Sunrise’s eyes lighted up.  “Thomas’s little book shop?  The one that always has the books that you need? Thank you, Mom!  I won’t let you down!”  He vanished with a clatter of hooves.

He caught Thomas just locking up his little book shop.  “Hi, Dad!  Where are you going?”

“Hi, Sunrise!  I going  to castle for lunch.”

Sunrise pulled his lips back in distaste and made a gagging noise.  “Actually, Dad, that is why I’m here.  They are making their … ack! … Best sushi!”

Thomas blinked about three times.  “You have save my life, sort of.  That five stomach pump sushi!  And one more thing.  We go De Writer’s shop.  He always have something good.”

They trotted down two streets and over one.  They strolled into the small blind alley of brick walls with no doors or windows showing.

Thomas knocked politely and a section of brick faded, turning into a door.  Sunrise pushed the door open and held it for his father to enter.  Thomas expected what he saw. Sunrise was surprised.  De Writer was just finishing setting his table for three.  There were inviting smells arising from under the domed heat covers on the plates.

De Writer had a tall glass filled with a butterscotch milkshake.  There was a pot of hot water and a teacup set out for Thomas, along with a strange looking tea thimble.  It had strong looking bars instead of the usual thin metal with small holes in it.  Sunrise was pleased and relieved to note that his place had a chocolate milk shake as big as De Writer’s.

With a grin, De Writer offered, “Thomas!  Sunrise!  What a surprise!  I heard that you were saved from castle sushi!  My teas are safer that that!”  

Thomas promptly poured his hot water over the tea thimble in his cup!  It began to bounce about in the cup, emitting snarling noises.  The bars held and soon the tea settled down to a quiet brown brew.  Thomas sipped appreciatively. His uncovered plate revealed a big freshly made Alfalfa Steak with Sea Grass puffs along side.  There was a soy and garlic dipping sauce to go with the puffs.  

Sunrise uncovered a plate filled with a simply huge Clover Top burger and an enormous pile of large, thick onion rings.  It had a well with a honey and mustard dipping sauce too!

De Writer’s plate had a big slice of Clover and sweet grass loaf dripping with a rich brown gravy.

They all fell to, happily munching away.  There was no conversation.  It is rude to talk with your mouth full!

As they were mopping up the remains, it hit Sunrise.  “How did you know that we were coming?”

The old unicorn grinned.  “One, I am one of the two most powerful wizards in Equestria.  Two, I heard about the castle making sushi and I knew at once that Thomas would not be there!”

Sunrise thought for a second and pointed out, “What about me?  How could you know about me?”

With a whicker of amusement, Thomas answered, “See De Writer point one!  And one more thing!  More tea, please?”

“Sure thing, Thomas!  This was Wild Mountain leaf and BEARies.  The Bear side of it needs to be contained until the tea brews!”  He reloaded the thimble with more of the tea, which had wrinkled, dried berries in in it.

They all watched the thimble bounce and growl with amusement.  As Thomas leaned back after his second cup, Sunrise offered, “Celestia told me to tell you that Luna will be cooking dinner.”

Both Thomas and De Writer’s eyes lit up at the thought of Luna’s famous cooking.

It was not long before it was time to go.  The Mahjongg game got put aside.  (Thomas was ahead.)  De Writer disappeared into the depths of his shop and returned, carefully stowing a package in his saddlebag.

They all three trooped up to the castle’s main gate.  The guards, recognizing them, let them in without any difficulty.  They headed through the sumptuous halls toward the dining room.

Nova intercepted them.  Instantly wary, Thomas demanded, “Nova!  What you do here?”

Sourly she replied, “Nothing! Sunbutt made me promise not to mess up tonight.  Follow me.  Dinner is over here.”

Thomas skeptically asked, “How she manage that?”

“She dangled me upside down over the drop down to the plains!”

She led them to the big Ballroom.

As they entered the room, the red-eyed Count Nogoodny came to De Writer and demanded, “Did you remember to bring it?”

De Writer nodded as if he had been addressed politely.  “I did.  Here.  You need to measure it into the cups before you add the hot water.”

The Count snatched the package and snapped, “I know how to make tea!”

The group turned away from the minor drama at the sudden yells of “SURPRISE!  Thomas, this party is to thank you for the many times that you have done heroic things to save the country!”

De Writer heard a small clank!  It was followed by the sound of the small catches of a serving urn lid being locked.

Luna was standing proudly by a huge three tiered cake set about with scenes in frosting from many of Thomas’ famous magical battles to keep Equestria safe.

Through the gaps between the layers, De Writers saw a BIG urn of hot water.  The Count was just securing the last catch on  the lid!

With a rumble like an unhappy volcano, the urn suddenly erupted!  The force of the blast hurled the big cake into the air!  It was tumbling toward Thomas!  De Writer’s magic reached out and smashed the cake away, breaking it into a hundred pieces!

Thomas saw Nova’s expression of glee! He did not know how but he did know that his sister was behind the disaster somehow!  His magic snagged all the serving plates and caught a nice chunk of cake on each one!  They all sailed to the surprised guests who grabbed their plates already served!  

All except Nova.  Somehow, her plate arrived empty!  As she was grabbing it, a great big glob of cake, loaded with three flavors of frosting landed on her head!

Thomas grinned as he said, “Oops!”

Nova furiously wiped at her head, some of Luna’s cake and frosting getting into her mouth.  Suddenly she began to laugh.

“At least it is a really good cake!”

The whole rest of the Royal Court, thinking that it was a planned part of the entertainment for the night, joined her in laughter.

~THE END~

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[segadores-y-soldados]

Personal and Fic Updates

Hey everyone!

I know it’s been a long time since I’ve done one of these personal update messages.  I’m trying to get my stuff in order but life continues to outpace me, it seems.

The quick and dirty: Fic Stuff:

Moira has been integrated into the overarching plot of “And Overwatch For All”

Because of this, I am currently rewriting major portions of Old Habits.  Yesterday, I finished a major rewrite of chapter 10 (the “evil council is introduce” chapter).  I have the majority of chapter 11′s rewrite done and hope to finish that today as well.  With luck, I will start working on a rewrite of Chapter 13.

Shockingly, I’m keeping a lot of the “present day” plot elements the same (aka, all the stuff leading up to Recall).  But several major “past events” have changed, including Reaper/Gabriel’s backstory.

More on this later.  I will also be writing a separate post JUST for fic stuff, if you prefer to read only that.

Personal Stuff:

Extra expenses have started showing up in my life.  Details are under the cut.

My job has not yet promoted me and a coworker the way they said they would in the timeframe they gave us (1 year).  Because of this, I am starting the job hunt again.

I have created a Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/U7U063ZJ)

More under the cut

Alright, so here’s the longer version of what my last like...three months have been like, with both personal/work stuff and fandom stuff.

Personal life/Work:

I have said this in a few places, but I currently work as an entry-level archaeologist for a state department in California.  Full disclosure: I and my fellow coworker are underpaid for our work, which is as variable as conducting documentation research through databases and organizing research on behalf of our higher-level archaeologist and historian supervisors to performing surveys and actual fieldwork digs in every type of weathers in California.  As an example, two weeks ago (the week of Thanksgiving here in the U.S.), myself and one of my supervisors did an 8 hour fieldwork day which consisted of 3-4 hours of surveying through waist-high grass in pouring rain at 55 degrees F/12 degrees C.  This upcoming week, I and (other underpaid) coworker will be doing two 12-hour days of construction monitoring.  Our work consists of traveling all over the state, with driving that can take a full day to get to a work destination (these are charged to work, don’t worry - I don’t have to pay for that, thank god).

The reason I’m explaining this is because this is a huge reason why some days (or even some weeks) my activity on tumblr, twitter, and AO3 will take a straight nosedive.  On Thursday of this past week, I spent 8-10 hours without checking my phone and came home to 4 missed calls, 8 “active chats” on messenger, 600 messages on discord, and basically a whole day of “social media-ing” missed out.  

If you’re rolling your eyes over this, I get it, I really do - it sounds like all the stuff that older people complain millennials “overvalue,” but (for example) one of those phone calls was from my dentist’s office saying that they will not serve me because (after three months of them NOT checking) they realized that I don’t have the right dental insurance for them.

Fun.

I don’t make enough money to switch to higher, “better services” health and dental insurance, but since I work a job that requires physical labor, I’m scared to cut them from my life.  Said coworker twisted his ankle earlier this year, and work only compensated him for 1 week of “missed” work, when in reality he was walking with a slight limp for 2-3 weeks.  Because of our low-level, we are not given access to benefits that many other state workers get.

Moreover, our sub-department has been promising that the two of us would get promoted “within the year.”  We reached a year working with them in mid-November, and that promise still hasn’t been reached.

So in terms of my personal life, I’m at a cross-roads: I will tell them that they need to promote us, even to the next “low-level position” because that will give us just a few more $/hour which will help A LOT when accumulated, or I’m going to tell them that I’ll have to search for something else.

On top of this, my parents have decided it’s time for me to “pay rent” to live at home with them - a discussion we, frankly, haven’t had on a serious level yet and one which blindsided me this morning.  I am looking into my options but without a better job, they’re not good.

This also doesn’t cover whatever it will take to help me start the legal and medical processes of transitioning, which are, frankly, the main things I’ve been saving money for.

What does this mean:

I’m looking for places to cut costs, but the combination of current expenses + what my parents want from me will take 1/3 to 1/2 of my current monthly paycheck.  I already spend next to nothing on personal stuff, so all my current expenses are “necessities” such as food, gas, and insurance.  I’m looking to cut down on gas costs but it may be awhile before my daily schedule gets adjusted.

The alternate is taking a second job that will permit me to only work my free three days a week.

Doing this means I will have zero time to write or produce content.

For now, I’m not jumping out to do that.  I’ve made a Ko-Fi account (https://ko-fi.com/U7U063ZJ) that I would greatly appreciate any spare money you’re willing to contribute.  Something as simple as a few dollars can go to me covering the cost of my health insurance per month, while I figure out the bigger problems of searching for a job.

The reason why I started with this is because:

Fic Stuff/Writing Stuff:

I do the equivalent of 3-4 full days of “writing” for fandom stuff per week: on my days off, I can write anywhere from 8 to 14 hours a day.  Using just Friday and yesterday as an example, I wrote 9k words, and with whatever I do today, I will likely push that to about 11-12k.

Yes, it is all voluntary, and I do not have to write at the pace that I do, nor the amount that I do.  I do it because I enjoy it, and because, honestly, writing for Overwatch has given me some of the biggest joys and happiness I have felt in like, a decade.  And that includes writing the long essays.  My last big R76 post (http://segadores-y-soldados.tumblr.com/post/167321630835/everything-you-want-to-know-about-reaper-and) spans a whopping 67 pages and 7.5k words in Google Docs (that includes pictures and sources/credits/links/references).

Again, this isn’t to brag, but just to put my writing into perspective, I guess.  This is the equivalent of doing a second part-time job, which was something I attempted last year but was unable to balance my current archaeology job + a part-time retail job + writing.  I dropped the second one because, at the time, I finally had the luxury to choose a job in my profession and writing on the side.  This is a luxury I was fortunate to enjoy for the first half of 2017, but it is steadily becoming undoable as my work increases my responsibilities without increasing my pay.

Fic Updates:

For those of your who have been waiting patiently for information on “And Overwatch for All” I do have some good news that I’m finally ready to share:

Moira has been integrated into the plot.

I got a number of comments here and on twitter that were really supportive of my current version of “AOFA” and I just want to say, thank you all so much.  It means a lot to me that you guys have liked the version of Overwatch I’ve built up and that you found all the characters, including my silly OCs, to be engaging and well-written.  It was soul-crushing to think I would have to lose some of them, but after some time and doing more research on Moira, I feel ready to talk more about her and how she’s going to factor into the updated plot.

To start off with:

None of the OCs will be cut, but some of their roles will change.

Lmao, this surprised me as well, but I’ve figured out a few different ways to make all of the OCs, especially the very obviously contrived “Death Agents,” stick around in the updated plot.

Only one OC (and you can probably guess who, if you’ve started “New Wars”) will change names: the character called “Reaper” in “New Wars Chapter 1″ (the “young Hanzo chapter”) will be called “Reaver.”  This is due to his updated role in the plot.  His background has changed only slightly.

If it wasn’t apparent, this “Reaper” was meant to act as a plot device to cause confusion over Gabriel/Reaper’s actions after the fall of Overwatch, but that has changed because:

I’m switching to Crisis-era and “undercover mercenary” Reaper.

If you’ve read some of my more recent posts on Moira, you’ll know that I’ve switched over to supporting the idea that “something went wrong with Gabriel Reyes during SEP/the Crisis.”  This is due to the fact that you can find a folder labeled “Soldier ID: 24″ in Moira’s Oasis lab, that Michael Chu said that Reyes was interested in getting her help on “matters of genetics,” and that this appears to mesh the “Reaper has existed for decades” concept in Reaper’s hero profile.

Truth be told, I’ve actually been a supporter of this idea of “Gabriel has been Reaper behind the scenes for decades” plot point for a long, long time, almost as long as I’ve been posting Old Habits.  “Reaper”/“Reaver” was semi-messy OC that attempted to bridge Reaper’s original hero profile with the “Old Soldiers” explanation that Gabriel/Reaper gave that “Jack and Overwatch ‘left [him] to suffer.’”  However, I also knew when writing Old Habits that the “Mercy is evil” theory was ALSO not true, so I was kinda stuck:

“If Gabriel = Reaper for decades, why did he appear to blame Jack and Overwatch for his current condition?”

My original solution was to make “Reaper” a different character and have him operating the situation in the background (like a mystery story), but over time this solution got trickier and trickier to work with.  With Moira, I have a chance to rework much of Old Habits/AOFA to better suit some of the details that have come out since drafting it.

This does mean, unfortunately, that all the “76+127″ content is going to become its own, standalone series.

To switch over to integrating “Soldier: 24,” the “76+127″ stories will have to become their own standalone series.  Don’t worry - I’m not deleting anything.  Old content from “Old Habits” will be moved to their own fics, so you can read the whole thing in chronological order.

A new version of my updated ideas on SEP has already started being drafted.  Writing it out is just a matter of time at this point, haha.

The conspiracy/Talon council “mysteries” will become more transparent almost immediately.

With Moira, I finally get the chance to explore some of my ideas in “full format” instead of the kinda awkward “Sombra hacking a chat log” parts yall originally got.  This DOES mean that written portions will suddenly be much, MUCH longer.  For example:

Old Habits original chapter 10 (Sombra hacks an SSO chat log): 17 pages

Old Habits revised chapter 10 (Moira discusses the Route 66 battle with council members + Sombra hacks a chat log): closer to 34 pages

The explosion fight has been changed.

Because of the changes to Gabriel’s plot, the nature of the explosion fight between him and Jack has changed significantly.  It does incorporate new information that Moira revealed.

If it wasn’t obvious, I’ve had a draft version of my ideas for the fight sitting in GDocs for about a year now, and I use that for all my flashback/memories, and also for when Reaper and Soldier: 76 are arguing in the present.  There was a major plot point in the explosion fight that I was extremely uncomfortable with, but found it to be “solid angst material.”  In retrospect, I dislike this plot point and have removed it for another plot point that sits better with me, and fits the overall story more comfortably (I think).

So yes, I DO have a new draft of the explosion fight - written completely from scratch, 100% different in tone and emotionality.  Parts of this should begin to show in updates to Chapter 13, when Soldier: 76/Jack reflects on some of the fight.

The Goal:

The goal for AOFA right now is to update Old Habits in “two big batches” - update the first half (Chapters 1 - 15) within 1 - 2 weeks, and then update the second half (Chapters 16 - 31) shortly after.  Optimistically, before January, but realistically, closer to late-January/early-February.

Thanks for sticking with me - both with this post, and with my life changes.  Things are incredibly and often overwhelmingly busy for me, and I don’t really know where many of these things (both personal stuff and fic stuff) will end up.  I really do appreciate any and all support, even if I’m not able to respond to comments.  You guys make it worthwhile to keep writing, and I apologize for how distant I’ve been with this stuff.

[mobilemechanicsomaha]

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[cedarmoons]

I need some director's commentary on the scene where Solas ONCE AGAIN is about to tell her everything and then proceeds to talk some bullshit about leaving when Corypheus is defeated, please!

Sure thing, anon! :) Getting this was a pleasant surprise and a welcome distraction from packing! This is long, as I ramble, and thus is below a cut.

So, my thinking process while writing this scene - I wanted to build off the progress these two had made in chapter 3. My ultimate goal for them is reconciliation and sweet sweet lovemaking, and along that path meant the milestones of kissing and a Fen’Harel confession. Why, you may ask? Because my beta @playwithdinos said that I could not make a kiss (or a Fen’Harel confession) work between these two and I absolutely wanted to spite her. :)))

Anyway, that was what I wanted to happen. Was it what actually happened? No. I couldn’t get Solas and Ariala to kiss IRL b/c Solas has a very rigid sense of self-control, and he would not allow that. Very rude of him, tbh. So I had a dilemma: Where could Solas let go of that control? How could they kiss without either of them coming to their senses and realizing that kissing was a Bad Idea? Aha! The Fade! 

When a Solavellan writer is stuck, to the Fade a Solavellan writer turns.

Thus, the Solavellan Fade Kiss™ that we have in chapter four. That’s one down, one to go. Throughout the writing process, I was worried that Chapter 4 – which was mostly written from scratch with no prior written scenes, as the last 3 chapters had – did not thematically or stylistically fit the rest of the fic, a lot of which had been written over the course of late 2016 through mid-2017. I wrote the confession scene over and over, never satisfied with how it came out. 

And then came my savior and the light of my tumblr life, @playwithdinos​, parting the clouds of my uncertainty like a ray of sunlight.

dino: have a bait and switch. I think having him start to say one thing and blurt the other is reminiscient [sic] of the Crestwood convo, and I think most people will get what’s happening that he’s essentially panicking and choosing to say the first alternative that comes to mind me:  "ariala i am fe—feckin in love with you" dino:  "ariala I’m fen'harel  —- NOPE I’M GOING TO LEAVE AFTER WE HAVE WON what is wrong with me"

AND THUS, the semi-confession in beloved, which surprised me after I wrote it. Not what I wanted, but I like what came out, and ultimately I think it serves my purpose. It closes the subplot of Ariala knowing Solas’s “secret” (i.e., being an ancient elf, though not Fen’Harel) but hoping he will tell her of his own accord, thus demonstrating his trust in her. It provides another roadblock for them to surpass on their path of reconciliation. It still allows Trespasser to happen (though can you imagine ariala, lmao, she would be like, “dude, really? REALLY?”).

And now for delving deep within the minds of the characters:

She is about halfway done when Solas takes a breath. His shoulders flex visibly under his tunic, and she peers over his shoulder to see that he has fisted his hands in his lap. “What is it?” she asks. “Did I hurt you again?”

First, this head shaving scene is 100% a reference to Shatter Me. I love that fic but also I hate it. Second, this scene is somewhat limited by being in Ariala’s POV, but Solas is basically giving himself a pep talk. He’s screaming JUST DO IT, Shia LaBeouf-style, in his head. He knows Ariala knows his “secret”, or at least knows that she thinks she knows, and he knows that she has not confronted him about it for a reason.

His laugh is but a huff of breath. “No. No, I am fine.” He takes a deep breath, and his following swallow is audible. “I… I must tell you something, and I am uncertain how to proceed.”

Keep in mind - Ariala has not been the nicest to Solas this trip. Sure, they have their sweet Solavellan moments, but she is, as is said throughout the fic, “cruel when she is angry”. She killed three Templars without a blink and though he found that somewhat hot b/c he has a protection kink she is very much a lethal fighter, and is even more dangerous when she is angry. Though she has privately told Deshanna she cannot believe in the gods anymore, she told Solas earlier that she did not know what to think of the Dalish gods. He has no idea how she would react to knowing he is Fen’Harel, who she thinks is the ultimate betrayer/villain in her people’s myths.

He wants to tell her, but he is frightened. As Solas would say, he is being a coward. He still thinks that she would react negatively if she learned he was Fen’Harel - with the best outcome being her dismissing him as a madman, or casting him from the Inquisition; the worst outcome being her actively attacking him. And, since he’s Solas, he assumes the worst. HOWEVER, he wants to keep going, because he loves her a heckin’ lot and he thinks she deserves to know the truth. 

She waits, nervous anticipation making her hands shake. Her heart pounds under her ribs, pulsing in the tips of her ears. Finally. Finally, his chance to prove that she’d been right in waiting for him to reveal his secret on his own.

“We have time,” she says at last, when Solas says nothing. She puts the razor aside and rests her palms on his shoulders. She can feel his heartbeat under her palms, erratic, anxious. His breaths are shallow, but steady, contrary to his near-frightened heartbeat. She holds her tongue, pressing her thumbs into the knots of muscle at his shoulders, rigid from tension.

More mental pep talk on Solas’s behalf. Poor bab’s got a bit of anxiety about the whole thing, and tbh who can blame him? Meanwhile, Ariala is mentally like this:

She, too, is thinking JUST DO IT! at Solas.

Solas exhales, his shoulders slumping as the knots give way under her pressure. “Ariala,” he whispers. “I am—I…”

His throat closes up before he can finish. She remains quiet, letting him gather his thoughts. His muscles bunch and release under her hands, flexing, and when she looks over his shoulder she sees that his hands are fisted in his lap, white-knuckled. His eyes are squeezed shut.

“Solas,” she says, gently, “you—”

She would have said “you don’t have to tell me,” giving him a(nother) way out. But when Solas closes his eyes, that’s when he realizes that he still can’t tell her. So he needs to figure out what he can tell her. He can’t just go “nevermind lolol” because she already knows something’s up, and she would 100% call him out on it. So what would count as a truth but also be big enough to justify him building up to a big confession moment?

“After Corypheus is defeated, I will leave Skyhold.”

She stills, and her heart pounds harder, making her almost light-headed. She pulls her hands away, ignoring how they tremble. She had wanted him to tell her the secrets he was withholding from her but—not like this.

“Unexpected, angsty revelations? In my Solavellan fic? It’s more likely than you think.” 

I’m hilarious. Anyway… this is Solas’s “switch” of his bait and switch, when he fumbles for and finds another “confession” to give her instead of the major one, his Fen’Harel reveal. Ariala was expecting to hear “Ariala, I’m an ancient elf,” not “Ariala, I’m going to leave you,” which does nothing but contribute to her abandonment issues. While this is not shown, Solas also, somehow, thinks that telling her this will better prepare her for the end of the Inquisition - if she knows he’s leaving in advance, she can’t be too brokenhearted about it, right? Ha! Brilliant. 100% foolproof. :)

Why? she wants to ask him. Why?

She presses her hand to her mouth and closes her eyes, feeling like there is smoke in her lungs, preventing her from breathing properly. Her heart feels too big for her chest, painfully constrained. Of course. Of course he would leave.

Everyone does.

I specifically added that “of course he would leave. Everyone does” line to echo her earlier breakdown after discovering Deshanna’s intentional negligence toward her health, when she wonders why everyone leaves her. Homegirl’s used to family and friends surrounding her, and having a community to rely on. The Inquisition does that somewhat, but it’s not the same as her family, and her security layers (i.e., close family & friends) are systematically being stripped away from her, leaving her alone. I haven’t written any post-Inquisition stuff in this canon, but uh, she doesn’t handle the relatively empty Skyhold well.

So that’s the director’s cut of this scene; thank you for the ask, anon! Remember, ya’ll are always allowed to prompt Solas POV of beloved scenes. ;)

[tallia671gaming-blog]

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[thesweetlyfe]

1-59

hey! thanks for the ask! sorry for the late response, i’ve been on the road with my wrestling company for the entire weekend and got home at 11 yesterday after driving for 11 hours. passed out after that and finally got back onto tumblr now lol. anyway, here’s the answers

1. selfie

2. what would you name your future kids?

If it’s a girl, i want to name her Elle, or Ellie. I’ve always loved that name for some reason. As for a boy’s name, no clue.

3. do you miss anyone?

oh, hell yes.

4. what are you looking forward to?

finally getting into the ring to learn bumps and rolls tomorrow as a pro wrestler.

5. is there anyone who can always make you smile?

Yes, and that’s @patheticallyapathetic

6. is it hard for you to get over someone?

yup

7. what was your life like last year?

Boring. (I was in college)

8. have you ever cried because you were so annoyed?

definitely.

9. who did you last see in person?

asides from my parents and the cashier that gave me my food last night?

my fellow trainees when we go to the ROH Dojo, then parted ways.

10. are you good at hiding your feelings?

I’d like to think so, but i probably suck at it

11. are you listening to music right now?

Kinda? I’m watching Elimination Chamber 2017 and a wrestler’s theme is playing right now, so i guess? (Randy Orton’s entering at Elimination Chamber 2017)

12. what is something you want right now?

uh. to be thinner and in better shape i guess.

13. how do you feel right now?

bored. and lonely. it’s valentine’s day, after all.

14. when was the last time someone of the opposite sex hugged you?

i think at least 5 minutes ago. Twas my mom leaving for work.

15. personality description

King of Self-Deprecation.

16. have you ever wanted to tell someone something but you didn’t

yes.

17. opinion on insecurities.

“We’re all self-conscious, I’m just the first to admit it”

18. do you miss how things were a year ago?

In a sense, kind of. But on the other hand, I like where i’m at right now.

19. have you ever been to New York?

It’s basically my backyard. my backyard that’s 30 minutes-1 hour away.

20. what is your favourite song at the moment?

Beyond The Sea (Alternate Version) by Panic! at the Disco.

21. age and birthday?

21 and December 24th.

22. description of crush.

a heel wearing, curb stomping, dick kicking, fanged queen of the moon and stars.

23. fear(s)

being forgotten/replaced by the ones i love.

24. height

5′8″

25. role model

My Trainers Cheeseburger, Will Ferrara, Delirious.

26. idol(s)

basically the same question. But I guess I’ll make Idols someone the people i haven’t met yet that I look up to as well.

Idols: The Hardy’s, Finn Balor, Daniel Bryan. Undertaker. Billie Joe Armstrong. Tyler Joseph/Josh Dun. AJ Lee. Beyonce.

surprises and saddnes me how i’m lacking many women idols. 

27. things i hate

being lied to, being manipulated. basically any signs of an unhealthy relationship.

28. i’ll love you if…

support me and don’t fuck with me.

29. favourite film(s)

Hitch, Pirate Radio, Matrix, Ran, The Maltese Falcon.

30. favourite tv show(s)

Game of Thrones, Preacher, The Marvel Netflix shows.

31. 3 random facts

Born prematurely and subsequently had a heart condition until I was 11. MY heart was underdeveloped.

got my license 4 months late.

I was in a bunch of bands throughout high school.

none of them really ever got far, my first band almost recorded an album, but asides from that nothing really happened. they had dope names though.

Street Lights

MidKnight

Vintage Gravity

StereoCupid

Damn, The Torpedoes

Panic Switch!

32. are your friends mainly girls or guys?

Honestly, it’s pretty even, but used to be mainly girls.

33. something you want to learn

How to be one of the best wrestlers in the world.

34. most embarrassing moment

recently, spoiling something for a wrestler in my dojo. Got heat for that.

35. favourite subject

Theatre or English.

36. 3 dreams you want to fulfill?

Become a Wrestler and win a championship

Publish a book

Have a play or musical I write go on broadway

37. favourite actor/actress

I have a mad crush on Hannah Murray, but i’ve only ever watched her on Skins. Don’t really have a definitive favorite actor or actress.

38. favourite comedian(s)

the members of Starbomb if they count. Bo Burnham. Eric Andre, Hannibal Buress. Lewis Black.

39. favourite sport(s)

Does Pro Wrestling count? Not really a sports kind of guy.

40. favourite memory

Recently, this past weekend working with ROH. Asides from that, tons of memories from my high school theater experience and my town’s youth group. too many to recall, but many that have shaped me into who i am today.

41. relationship status

Not dating anyone, but kind of hooking up with someone. so single? idk.

42. favourite book(s)

recently: Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore and How to Ruin Everything.

43. favourite song ever

goddamn, man. don’t make me choose.

44. age you get mistaken for

Mid-late 20s even though i am 21 currently lol.

45. how you found out about your idol

as for wrestling idols: just aw them wrestle. as for everyone else, idk. probably listened to their music as a kid or found them somehow.

46. what my last text message says

”Love you too”

47. turn ons

general affection. idk. i guess i have some kinks? idk.

48. turn offs

see 27

49. where i want to be right now

Long Island.

50. favourite picture of your idol

what’s with the idol’s questions?

51. starsign

Capricorn

52. something i’m talented at

Writing, and a bit of acting.

53. 5 things that make me happy

Meeting pro Wrestling fans

Great music

Pro Wrestling training

having a great time with friends

great movies.

54. something thats worrying me at the moment

politics, tbh.

55. tumblr friends

@patheticallyapathetic @pilot-on-the-moon

56. favourite food(s)

can’t go wrong with a good grilled cheese.

57. favourite animal(s)

Koalas when they’re chill and eating eucalyptus

58. description of my best friend

Long haired film hipster motherfucker.

59. why i joined tumblr

my friends had one so i just made one. I stayed because i liked using it as a public journal to hold all the things i like and to vent. on it now out of pure habit.

[adventuretaryn]

Linguistics 101

Hey guys! first off, this isn’t technically linguistics 101 this is a Ling220 class, based off of english grammar. its a requirement class that I need for college, and I feel like many linguists and future linguists might like some of my notes. also, I really hate how pretty the format once was, but then tumblr was like NO

Also this is a realllllyyyy long post lmao. 

                         chp.1: the study of grammar

English: a world language

⅓ of the population -globally- uses english as a way to communicate.

English, overall, is a very easy medium for people to use and is sometimes the only option.

English tells a multitude of tales, all of them referring to dialects.

The shared linguistic features of a group of people, often one from a particular region or of a particular ethnic or social background.

Take for example: southerners say y’all, mid westerners say ‘you’uns’

B. three definitions of grammar

These are just broad definitions to help provide framework for later chapters.

The system of rules in our heads.

You bring a lifetime of “knowing” how to make sentences. This subconscious set of interconnected rules is your “language competence.”

Recognize that these internalized rules vary from one language to another.

2. The formal description of the rules

Refers to the formal description of language, the subject matter of books, which identify in an objective way the form and structure  (See syntax) of sentences.

Applies when you say “I’m studying grammar this semester.”

3. The conventions of common usage, sometimes called linguistic etiquette.

Called the do’s and don’ts of usage, rather than grammar.

Using certain words may be thought of as bad manners in particular contexts.

Syntax: the structure of sentences: the relationship of the parts of the sentence.

C. traditional school grammar

A model, based on latin’s eight parts of speech, goes far back as the middle ages, when latin was the language of culture and enlightenment.

In many grammar books and classes, lessons tend to focus on parts of speech, their definitions, rules for combining them into phrases and clauses and sentence exercises.

1762, robert lowth, prof of poetry at oxford and the bishop of london, published a short introduction to english grammar - a book that greatly influenced the way grammar would be taught in the US and ENgland for yeaarsssss.

Today, we refer to the type of grammar the lowth championed as prescriptive grammar.

These rules are not the rules you have internalized, ascribable in great to your everyday exposure to language.

Rather, these rules have been established by an authority. Usually have to be consciously learned.

D. Studying grammar today

Since the 1920’s a great deal of linguistic research has been carried out by anthropologists studying Native American languages. Many are in danger of being lost.

To understand the structure underlying languages unknown to them, researchers do not assume that the language they are studying is related to Latin or to the germanic roots.

Nor assume that word classes like adjectives, pronouns, etc resemble those in english.

Not only has these methods changed, methods for teaching and learning it have changed as well.

In the past, students could expect to memorize terms and concepts, and do exercises.

Today, students will encounter a range of activities.

Memorization, repetition, and error correction.

In many grammar classes, learning about the structure of the language is also connected to learning how to write.

Together with the teacher, they now study the grammatical choices writers make and the effects of these choices.

May also learn grammar concepts connected to a specific reading or writing assignment or describe the way applying a grammar principle improves an essay.

E. Language variety and the issue of correctness

Can you make a distinction between…

Grammar 2 ( an objective, situation specific description of language)

Grammar 3 ( general linguistic etiquette)

Even dictionaries recognize variation in the use of ENglish.

Some use a thing called usage notes.  (brief summaries on usage issues)

Designed to offer guidance, rather than prescribe hard and fast rules

What about the difference between…

Grammar 1 (the internal rules of grammar)

Grammar 3

For example: you may have assumed pronouncements about ain’t with incorrect or ungrammatical english, but they don’t

Ain’t = am not.  The same rule that gives us isn’t & aren’t.

So basically, it's an issue of status

The word standard is objectionable when applied to a particular dialect, given that every dialect is standard within its own speech community.

But here, we’re using it for the public dialect. The one that is used in newscast, formal business transactions, etc.

Edited American English is the version of our language that has come to be the standard for written public discourse -books, newspapers, etc - and most of the writing you do in school and on the job.

The version of our language that this book describes, the written version of the status dialect as evolves through the centuries and continues to do so.

Ungrammatical: usage that does not conform to the rules that native speakers follow. Varies from one dialect or speech community to another is not necessarily ungrammatical.

F. Language Change

Closely related to the issue of correctness and standards is language change.

So basically, if you were to look at two passages of a story, say Pinocchio, and one passage was from the 1920’s and the other say 2011 you will be able to see the differences in words. Though the 20’s is more fancy, but we don’t use slang like that lmao.

G. language in the classroom

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)

Taken the position that teachers should respect the dialects of their students.

Code switching is the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in conversation.

When teachers use this, they have notable success in helping students not only to acquire standard english as a second dialect but also to understand in a conscious way the underlying rules of their home language.

They also recommend the integration of language awareness into classroom instruction and teacher preparation programs. Language awareness includes:

Examining how language varies in a range of social and cultural settings

How people’s attitudes toward language vary across cultures

Classes, genders and generations

How oral & written language affects listeners and readers

How “correctness” in language reflects social, political & economic values

How first & second language languages are acquired.

Also includes the teaching of grammar from a descriptive rather than a prescriptive, perspective.

so that concludes chapter 1! stay tuned and I’ll post chapter 2 

[witchweeds]

oc rambling #1

I’m finally gonna start doing my rambles here on tumblr so I can stop annoying my friends on instagram hhnghgrh

im so sorry i switch between proper punctuation/capitalization to using none at all unless im writing seriously so this Is A Mess

I’m going to messily cite where I get each concept from, just so if i forget i can come back to those places for reference and possibly to look into for more study topics

citations are going to be marked by a ~ followed by a link with the contents summarized in parenthesis, also bolded

So, my absolute favorite oc right now is named Kaneko Kyomu, there’s a lot of backstory that I’m not gonna explain rn

hhngjgj i really am about to rebuild him from the ground up and Im. Dying. ive decided not to talk about his mental health At All for probably at least a few good months because I’m deep dive researching the disorder he has, but if in the end I feel I can’t write it well (it’s so terribly represented by the media and even my first attempts at writing him with it have been Completely Fucking Awful And Im Ashamed), i have an alternative idea that /might/ work, but would still reference a lot of the research to help write it. my main reason for possibly choosing not to use it is I don’t want to become part of the stigma against this disorder, and Kyo has a character arc in his mid-teens where he has to kill someone to save his life and his world, knowing the alternative to save his world would result in his own death. I need to weigh the options to decide if he’s going to be seen as a bad person/evil for choosing to save himself, when in the end he’s still saving his world and honestly preventing people like him in the future from dying.

when i originally conceptualized his character, it was after reading some of Call of Cthulhu ~ http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/cc.aspx (full CoC pdf) for a school project where I needed to create a narrative storyline from a topic I pulled from the story.  I wanted to modernize the idea of not having access to good mental health after reading what Henry Anthony Wilcox ~ https://lovecraft.fandom.com/wiki/Henry_Anthony_Wilcox (character wikia) went through with his psychological break, and what I interpreted as respressing the memories of the break in order to return to ‘normal’ to continue his life. With first hand experience of how hard it is when you are denied access to certain healthcare ~ ive had severe depression since i was 11, only just started getting treated for it + im trans and finally can make the medical transition decisions without parents consent, I thought it would be interesting to try and conceptualize what that would do if, despite showing clear signs of mental disorder and need of mental health care, society actively denied the ability for someone to have problems like that.  I also wanted to combine it with the concept of multiple plains existing on the same universe. ~ https://www.dutchangeldragons.com/lore (Dutch Angel Dragon species lore, the place where years ago I was introduced to the concept of multiple plains/realms existing in the same space) So, when I read Call of Cthulhu, (which I haven’t finished because that project was kicking my ass and I just had to wing it!) I pictured Cthulhu as existing on a seperate plain, but able to influence the minds of people because its still the same space that he exists in. I was also inspired by this idea by a BNHA fanfic (which I also haven’t finished because I was reading it over fall break and it’s intense as hell and had to take a break) ~ https://archiveofourown.org/works/14572500 (link to lovecraftian fanfic, read the TVTropes page before reading if you have sensitivities to certain subjects!) Looking back on this fic just now, I actually need to review some things I was going to include in my own universe because I may have been more heavily inspired than I thought;;

SO, now that I’ve like established some shit, im actually gonna talk about my world. The general universe is just, it just there. sorry, It’s just like any universe, its not major geographical changes, it takes place on earth. But there is another plain, called the Vielle, where creatures of nightmare exist. These creatures, called ‘Vielle-Dwellers’ as a general name, range from the size of mice to the sizes that can’t be accurately described by those who have seen them. This is the place where Gods roam, and you can tell a God from a Vielle-Dweller because Gods are beings that ascended from the Surface (the human/material realm), and almost always resemble a lifeform from the surface.  In this world, people have abilities that are known by the color of their eyes. They aren’t really obvious at first, in fact I still haven’t assigned abilities to most colors. These are the ones I have so far:

White/No Iris: (aka white-eyes) They are moderately common. They are coveted for their inability to access the vielle. they cannot sense any vielle-dwellers, and do not have any special abilities. They are considered to be the most level headed, are usually pushed to pursue fields like science, psychology, and religious leadership because they don’t have any reason to fear or be sensitive to the vielle or any of the beings that inhabit it. Because they lack irises, they are prone to extreme light sensitivity, white-eyes are given special prescriptions for sunglasses that are styles like normal glasses, usually before the age of 2, because LED/sunlight regularly cause migraines and eye sensitivity without them.

Yellow: (aka Travelers) Travelers are born once every 10-30 years, they have absolute access to the vielle, and are able to travel freely between the two realms. they usually first access the vielle at around 3 years old, but its really just when they accidentally activate the ability. they are the only type who can physically interact the vielle dwellers that can be seen on the surface, and are usually taught to fight with knives or other short range weapons early on to defend themselves. they can be born anywhere in the world, and the country that has the honor of hosting one sees them as a gift from their country’s patron god(s) and/or goddess(es). 

My main character Kaneko Kyomu is the only current living Traveler. He was born in Tokyo but living in the Yamanashi Prefecture near the Aokigahara forest (this place is the strongest connection to the vielle in japan, so it’s the easiest to exit from. his mom got tired of getting calls from police in the prefecture that her son had popped up there again so she just decided to move there). god this is so long and its not even really a ramble,, its just info about the world that i already know jfgjkdgj

[captain-spookycandycollecti-blog]

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I recently made a horrible choice to accelerate to 92 km and got a ticket for forty km over. Im with state farm in ontario and am wondering how much my insurance will rise consisering im a g2 driver. i currently pay 1800 a year and have.heard it will hit about 2600. Anybody have a knowledge of ths ? I need my car to commute to school and yesss i ****** up.. this is my first offence ever...

How do I get health insurance for my baby to be born in April?

I am self-employed, therefore have a limited health insurance plan just for me & my husband (In other words, no employer health insurance). To keep my premiums affordable, I have a very high deductible, no maternity coverage (I am paying cash to a midwife), very bare bones, in other words. Can anyone direct me as to what company/where to start? The one company I inquired with told me I could not even submit the application until my newborn was 32 days old. Is this standard practice? Thanks for your help. I really detest the subject altogether!""

How much is average insurance for a year on a sports bike vs a regular crusier?

How much is average insurance for a year on a sports bike vs a regular crusier?

Auto insurance is so confusing!! Help?

My husband and I are currently covered at Geico. We pay 1320 for 6 months coverage. We've been with Geico about 5 years and our rates have stayed pretty much the same. I was looking at quotes online and there are significant differences between them all and I am so confused. I have been making sure that I am comparing apples to apples, all the same type coverage. Esurance quotes at $799 per 6 months, Teachers Insurance quotes at $1309 per 12 months, Mercury Insurance at $661 per 6 months, and then 21st century quotes at $1053 per 6 months. Why is there such a big difference between them?? My best bet looks like Mercury or Teachers right now...""

How will this traffic ticket affect my insurance premium?

I'm a secondary driver on both my parents' cars and on my dads motorcycle. Today, I was given a ticket for doing 117 in a 100kmh zone while trying to pass slow moving vehicles. Anyway, i'm 19 years old and this is my first ticket; how will this ticket from an ******* officer effect my insurance rates upon renewal?""

car insurance quotes canada scotiabank

car insurance quotes canada scotiabank

Rising insurance premiums?

what would happen if (on the 1.1.12)all honest vehicle drivers with rising insurance rates just said no i'm not paying that much, its dearer than last year SHOVE IT then carried on driving""

How much would motorcycle insurance cost me?

Age is 16, the bike is a Kawasaki Ninja 250R (250cc), in Ontario, Canada.""

""In Las Vegas, do you have to have car insurance in order to drive? Is it required.?

Do you have to have car insurance to have a license?

""What is my liability for my sister's car that i've cosigned for, and she doesn't pay insurance?""

she stopped making payments on the car and the insurance and she is in Las Vegas, Nevada with the car""

What are my options regarding insurance?

My insurance coverage ended on Dec 9 and i forgot to pay for the renewal. According to the letter I received last week my insurance company will reinstate me if I paid by Dec 29th. So I paid today. However a guy hit a bunch of parked cars including my car in a parking lot and died on the spot. This happened last night. I will get the police report next week from our local police station. So now what should i do? Should i wait for the police report and file a claim against this guy's insurance company? Should I contact my insurance company and ask them to deal with it? Will they actually agree to handle this claim?

Changing insurance from car to van?

I have a multicar policy with admiral at the moment. I have bought a vw van to drive for pleasure, not for work. I am selling one of my cars in the policy and am replacing it with the van. The car insurance runs out in december. What will I do? Will I have to pay more and not get any money back. You can't have vans in the multicar policy!""

Life Insurance?

What is the best life insurance?

Car insurance question?

I got an insurance question. I let my fiance, who is not insured by my insurance company drive my car. I was in the car with him. He was intoxicated and hit 9 parked cars causing minor damage to all of them. Will my insurance company have to pay for the damage?""

How much would it cost to insure a Dodge Stealth?

I was looking at Dodge Stealths but I am afraid it would cost to much money to insure being I am 17. I'm not talking about the Twin turbo version, I mean the base (which has about 125hp), the ES (about 222hp), or the R/T(same as ES but also has a turbo charger). The car weighs about 2500lbs i believe (if that even matters), also I would not be getting any upgraded body kits for it. Please don't just say a lot or something to that extent. Thank you for your time.""

""How much is motorcycle insurance for a 21 year old male, than car insurance?""

i want to get a motorcycle instead of a car, but i don't know how much insurance is compared to car insurance for a 21 year old male?""

The best car insurance for a beginning teen?

I want to start driving, however one responsibility is paying for my own car insurance. I am 16 years old and am interested in a 2005 Volkswagen beetle. I was wondering what is the best car insurance company for a teen beginning driver, something affordable for a teenager's income please lol. Thank you.""

How are my insurance rates gonna look if i....?

i'm currently 17 (18 april 8th) and i've been driving legally since last july (got permit oct. 2007). on my record it says i'm driving my mom's 98 chevy venture (minivan). my dad and i are getting a 5.0l v8 mustang from around '86 to '93 and are fixing it up for me to drive. my dad's worried that the engine is pretty powerful so insurance rates will skyrocket (which he obviously doesn't want to pay along with the awful mpg this car has). will my insurance rates lower, stay the same, go up a little, or skyrocket?""

A GOOD first car that is great for insurance?

i need a car that will b a good first car for a 16 year old male. it has to be reliable, safe, low cost, and has to have low insurance. any suggestions?""

What should I do if my attorney is not paying me my insurance money(california)?

ok.. I've filed a claim against my home insurance company through a lawyer. It was a house related claim. I was told my claim was settled and signed the settlement paper from attorney's office about 5 months ago and still have not received the money yet. So I called the actual insurance company and found out that the money was paid out 4 months ago. When I called my attorney's office, 4 different agents told me different stories and I noticed they might be trying to keep the money. is there any way to file a claim against lawyers? Please help""

Car insurance for a 17 year old?

i am a 17 year old male who has just passed his driving test a month ago and wants a cheap insurance company and the cheapest car to insurance, i only want to use the car to commuteto a place of work. Any ideas""

Refund for one month not using health insurance?

So, my dad is enrolled in Empire through the affordable care act for the effective date of Feb. We did not receive any card until around late feb-march. They did not have any member ID for us during Feb because it did not even generate it yet at that point. My question is are we able to ask for a refund for that month? We did not receive any card or number during that month and did not even get to go to the doctor's. Thanks in advance!""

Citation for no proof of insurance?

I got a ticket for no proof of insurance and passengers not wearing seat belts about a month ago is there a way to fight it. Also the cost for no proof of insurance is like $930 is that right because i'm not really sure if my parents had insurance at that point because they were transitioning from one insurance to another. It was in northern California if that helps.

VERY URGENT! Buying car insurance by telephone  heeeelp!!!!?

Hello thank you for entering in my post I'm buying an insurance for my car by phone call so far I have the best deal from a company called Admiral Tomorrow I'm going to call this insurance company back to settle the agreement I've never done a contract by phone call I believe they should obviously send me a contract by e-mail with all my details and all the details of my purchase and the details of the company  until here it's quite clear my question is: How should I pay for this contract? Should I give my debit card details by phone call? Is buying an insurance by telephone safe? Any advice according this matter will be very appreciated thank you in advance for your help

How much would my car insurance cost?

i am a 17 year old girl with a car in insurance group one was wondering how much it is going to cost to insure???

Where can i get insurance for my Aixam ?

On a full uk motorcylce licence category B1. a number please ! thanks

Will I need an SR-22 insurance?

My license was suspended for one year, I get it back this year. 18 year old male. Wisconsin. This is my record, 12-31-2011 Driving 1 to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit (3 POINTS) 04-15-2012 Imprudent speed (8 POINTS) 06-08-2012 Driving 20 miles per hour or more over the speed limit (12 POINTS) 08-19-2012 Imprudent Speed (8 POINTS) Also, what should I expect the insurance to cost and is it required?""

How do I get the rest of the money for my car that insurance wont pay for?

So I purchased a 2012 Dodge Avenger from Carmax and made the mistake of not getting Gap insurance. Two weeks later a girl ran a red light and totalled my brand new car. Her insurance is only going to pay 16,800 when i paid 19,400 with tax title and license. I dont think i should have to pay money out of pocket for someone elses mistake. What can I do?""

Insurance when your pregnant?

I currently have insurance although October 1st my coverage will be terminated because I left my job. I recently found out that I was pregnant and was wondering how I will get insurance and will my pregnancy be considered pre-existing when I get insurance through a private company. Should I try to go to the doctor while I have my current insurance through work or wait until I have new insurance

""Can I register my car in my name but have insurance in my husband's, in Florida?""

I live in Florida, I'm 24years old. So you know my insurance would be sky high. I was wondering if I could register my car in my name but have the insurance in my husband's?""

How does my 21 year old son get health insurance?

My 21 year old dropped out of college and is trying to get back in part time. Would my employer cover his health? How else can he get himself covered? What types of costs are we looking at?

car insurance quotes canada scotiabank

car insurance quotes canada scotiabank

Lower cost health insurance recommendations needed?

I'm hoping to be working in a few more days thru a staffing agency but their insurance isnt very good, over $800/month for my son and I and VERY limited medical. He has ADHD and has to have coverage. I doubt if we qualify for any state assistance too. But I've looked at a few individual plans thru various carries and they arent much better... for just over $350/month we're both covered (not including dental or vision) but the deductible is SUPER high does anyone know of any insurances with individual plans with a decent price and coverage. We're in California""

""I'm 27 and I want to get life insurance, what kind is best?""

I don't really understand what 10;15;20 year term life insurance means, or whole life insurance and what company is best but I think I want to get it while I'm young and ...show more""

Getting free insurance when buying a van new?

I'm Ste & I'm 21. I've just passed my license a month a go and I'm struggling to get a decent quote from any insurance company. That's made me think about buying one new as I know some car showrooms do free insurance policies for young drivers (Mainly over 21) which is lucky as i've recently celebrated my 21st. So, are there any van company's with free insurance? I've got no no claims and I've had my license a month. Any help would be brill! Cheers, Ste.""

Are mini coopers expensive to insure?

I'm 17 and I know I can probably ask this question to my insurance company but I'm trying to stay on the down-low for a while from my parents about getting a car. Obviously if I'm going to get a cooper, I'm definitely getting the supercharged S but am not sure if this would be too terrible to insure because I don't know if that's considered a sports car or not. Thanks""

CAN I GET CLASSIC CAR INSURANCE AT 17?

im turning 17 and love old cars i was just wondering were i could get classic car insurance

What does insurance go by?

someone said insurance is determined by the weight of the vechicle. Can't it be by the age of the vechicle? Or the driver?

What is the cheapest car insurance?

I'm 17 and i'm after buying a car. I have my full licence but every time i look for insurance its 8,000. Whats the best Car to buy, with cheap insurance and who with. Thanks""

My car insurance policy are affordable because it base on a old 000 Toyota. I sold the Toyota but not reporti?

To insurance, is it legal""

My car has been broken down for some time do I need insurance?

My cars engine blew up in June. I could not find an engine I could afford at the time. I canceled the insurance due to this. I received a letter in the mail wanting proof of insurance for the state of Ohio. I have purchased a engine now but still haven't had anyone install, so the car is not operational. What do I do? Can I show the receipt for proof the the vehicle wasn't operational?""

I need help with car insurance.?

I am saving up for a car but I don't wan't the car to be a sports car because the insurance would cost to much. Could you tell me which cars are not sports cars. 1967 chevy impala 1969 chevy nova 1969 plymouth Barracuda 1995 chevy camaro 1970 AMC Javelin Ford thunderbird ford firebird Thanks!

What's a good sport bike for a new rider? ?

I know motorcycles aren't safe no matter what but what's an affordable bike for a new rider. I really want something as light as possible. How much is insurance? I don't know anything about bikes but I've always wanted one. Never even rode or drove one.

Recovery/treatment dates for disability insurance?

If someone was never treated for borderline hypertension, they just controlled it with diet without any input from a doctor, what can be used as recovery and last treatment dates? Could it be when the patient's current physician first had their blood pressure measured and it was normal?""

Car Insurance for any Car in USA?

I am a Senior Indian Citizen of 73 with a US Green Card in Parker, Colorado. I have an international driving permit. Can I get a Car insurance for driving any car hired or private?""

Is there any Insurance for?

Is there any insurance that does cover cosmetic surgrey? Or Social Security? If you don't know then don't comment :) 10 pts!

What are some affordable health insurance in the NJ area?

I am 25 years old and currently unemployed. I will be a student in the health care field and I'm required to purchase health insurance. I also have to get a physical exam along with vaccinations. I looked online for some insurance and I have to pay at least $250 a month which is too much for me. Are there any affordable health insurance?

I am 19 in Texas. is it cheaper on insurance to do the whole teenager coarse or is it the same going adult 6hr?

My dad is wondering if it would be cheaper on insurance if I did the the three week teenager coarse or if it doesn't matter anf do adult which is one 6 hour class. Again I'm in Texas and a guy and know about how its cheaper for girls on insurance

""My daugter is 19, and drives without insurance and driver licence(she has a permit though) in California?""

I tried to reason her not to do it, till I get insurance and she gets the licence, but nothing works. She bought the car on her own, but I was planning to help her with insurance. I wanted to find some impressive articles on internet..kind of like If you drive without insurance, you go to jail or pay $1000, and your car is taken away :-) , but couldn't find anything oficial. Please help!""

How much would insurance be for a 2012 Mazda3 for a 17 year old?

okay 1st dont tell me anything about what i shouldnt get because i donnt give a ****. it's not a sports car. its the cheapest mazda car & i like it & all i want to know is what the insurance might be .. i need good insurance companies & an actual price range .. please no paragraphs about non sense (: & im a male if that helps (: & YES I CAN AFFORD IT !

Auto insurance In australia?

im moving over to aussie soon im thinking of getting a 2nd hand car. i have been driving for 10 odd years. am 33 yrs i want to know how much does it cost for auto insurance in aussie(melbourne). any brands you would recommend? here in singapore we pay ard $1030 for driving many years and WITHOUT any accidents. if your in accident and its our fault they reset the amount back to 1300-1500 per year pls advice.

Is this car insurance thing true?

I heard online that in Texas if you drive less than 35 miles a day, you'll get a HUGE discount in your insurance. It this true? Or is this just a lie?""

Best insurance for car sharers?

I want to share a car with my friend, its her car and we will share tax and maintenance but the big problem is insurance. In the worst case scenario of my having an accident I don't want to jeopardise her no claims discount I ideally would also like to build up my own no claims if possible. Can we do this on the same policy? Does anyone have any ideas about the best type of policy to get? I thought I could just get my own separate insurance but apparently it is illegal to have two policies on one car. I am confused and I dont want to end up getting into a tricky situation down the line with a friend if we havent thought it through properly, any ideas?""

How much is unsurance for a 16 years old?

I am about to get my provisionary license soon, after i turn 16. I am wondering how much insurance will cost for us. We live in california. My parents are both good drivers, and have never been in an accident for the last 10 years. We have state farm. My parents are right now insured to 3 cars ( toyota seina, lexus gr300, nissan versa) and i will be added in there soon. I am wondering how much their insurance will raise because of me. Don't ask me to ask an agent or go to a website to find a free quote. I understand you can not give me a near exact answer, but just an estimate is good.""

Top 10 low insurance and tax cars in insurance group 1?

just wanted little info about top 10 cars that are: 1.0 - 1.2 litre engine Insurance group 1 Low road tax

Insurance for a 17 year old on a Ford Fiesta 1.4 Zetec Petrol?

Hi, I'm currently 16 years old and my birthday is coming up in late May. I'm thinking of buying a car and I'm trying to keep costs to a minimum. As I can't get a quote on any insurance companies yet. I'd like to just know roughly how much I would have to pay on insurance for a Ford Fiesta 1.4L Petrol Zetec, it has an 06 reg plate, 3 doors and 49k on the clock. thanks.""

Car insurance by age.?

1. How much is the average payment on car insurance every month for someone who is 21 years of age? 2. Is it cheaper on your insurance to buy an old car or, is it just better to buy a fairly new one?""

car insurance quotes canada scotiabank

car insurance quotes canada scotiabank

Affordable health insurance?

i am 34 , i pay over 400.00 a month , im single , does anyone know of some possible cheaper insurance . does anyone know of better insurance that i can afford . please help , male nonsmoker also""

What is a rough guess what insurance for a 97 Yamaha yzf1000 would cost?

Im looking at getting a 97 Yamaha YZF1000 and was wondering about how much i would be paying for insurance?

How much should i settle my auto injury claim for? please someone help me out!?

i was in a wreck as a passenger and both cars totaled. other driver complete a fault. coming up on 2 yrs nov this year and med expenses 12,000. i have no health ins. so i paid all out of pocket and can't continue treatment in phsical therapy right now. bills come first like rent. insurance company never made an offer, what should i do? i really don't want a lawyer, spoke to a few and they're all money obsessed understandably. it's their job. please leave opinions or help me out. thanks.""

How much would average insurance be for a 20 year old student for a 2011 Camaro LS be?

Im looking just to get an estimate.

What is the best car insurance for someone in their 20s?

What is the best car insurance for someone in their 20s?

How much would car insurance cost for me(2010 camaro)?

alright...I am finally getting my car this summer! im turning 17...and im thinking about what car im going to get...im pretty settled on a camaro 2lt or one of the ss's. I was just wondering how much insurance would cost for that...since im so young and its a brand new sprots car...are there some companys that would be a little cheaper or would all of them be pretty much the same?

How much does auto insurance cost for a teenager?

How much does auto insurance cost for a teenager?

Auto insurance is through the roof?

i have a 1991 jeep wrangler sahara and i pay 230 buck a month on parents insurance what is the cheapest company to go with and y is my bill so high

How much would car insurance cost me?

I am male 31 yr old, have 1 yr experience driving on a provisional license, how much would insurance cost me for a 99 fiat punto 1.2?? Also if its possible to pay it monthly or whats the best? Would appreciate any help.""

Where can i get the cheapest car insurance if im 18?

93 prelude

What car insurance company is offering me a better deal?

I'm 21 years old, and I'm thinking of upgrading my 2005 Chevy cavalier to full coverage. United auto insurance wants $186 down and $147 monthly for 6 months. My current company wants $262 down and $131 a month, for 9 months. Which company is the better deal? Should I even get full coverage for a 2005 cavalier?""

Where can i find affordable health insurance for my wife so that she may quit work and start her own business?

She is a teachers aide now, has retired but still works b/c she won't have insurance is she quits.""

Is selling (health/life) insurance a good way to make money and what r the pros and cons?

Is selling (health/life) insurance a good way to make money and what r the pros and cons?

NEED HELP FROM CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS about car insurance!?

We recently moved, and I called my car insurance agent today trying to change my zip code. My insurance company (Mercury) wants to charge us extra $150 for a 6-month period. As I recall, wasn't there a law passed last year against insurance companies from using a zip-code-based system? And when we brought that up to her, she just said we haven't gotten any notice from Mercury so we're still going to charge you for moving. Anyone knows what I can do about this? Thanks.""

What is the average motorcycle insurance cost for an over 30s on a 125cc with cbt?

What is the average motorcycle insurance cost for an over 30s on a 125cc with cbt?

Health Insurance & Prescriptions?

When my doctor writes me a prescription and I fill it up.... does it show up on my health insurance what precriptions I'm taking?

Car crash and keeping insurance out of it.?

I have caught the back of a car whilst parking up. I have offered to pay for the repair whilst not involving our insurance companies. The third party accepted this, I have found a company who can repair the damage at a decent price but the third party are saying they wish to get other quotes. Who's decision is it ultimately to where the vehicle gets repaired?""

""Car insurance, can't find answer anywhere and insurance companies not helping?""

Hi, Basically the car i currently have is costing me a lot of money and my insurance didn't go down as much as id hoped. Anyways I took out an insurance policy because it wasn't convenient to sell it when my old agreement expired, I'm paying monthly around 70. I'm looking to sell my car next month and buy a new car (something a lot cheaper!). The question is since i'm paying monthly for my insurance will that go down depending on the value of the insurance? I find this confusing because there are so many hidden charges. many thanks!""

DO YOU NEED ANY TYPE OF LICENSE TO PROCCESS AN ENDORSEMENT ON AN INSURANCE POLICY?

FIRE CASUALTY LICENSE ??? TO PROCESS A CHANGE OR QUOTE ON AUTO INSURANCE?? IN THE STATE OF CA

How much would it cost to insure a 2008-2011 Saab 9-3 Aero? Or just a 2.0T?

I'm a 16 year old guy in Southern California if that helps

Can i get car insurance in my cousins name?

My cousin lives in Luton and I live in London so can I get car insurance with his name as first driver and me as second driver? Also how will it work because we're going to have different addresses? How will road tax and permit work? My cousin is 21 years old and I'm 18.

What is the cheapest and best car insurance company?

I live in pueblo CO

How much is a down payment on a insurance rate of $161?

Im looking to buy progressive and they're rating my car at 161 a month. if anyone has this rate, do you remember what you paid?""

Which insurance companies offer business insurance for roofers in Texas? General Liability Ins. is needed.?

My husband started a roofing company and needs help finding an insurance company for general liability.

Why does car insurance cost so much?

my insurance cost me like $250 a month.. which is more than my car payment..

car insurance quotes canada scotiabank

car insurance quotes canada scotiabank

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